Photography News 58 by Bright Publishing

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Issue 58 13 August - 9 Sept

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An exclusive reader offer See page 4

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Sigma 105mm f/1.4, Laowa 9mm f/2.8 and Canon 70-200mm f/4 all tested Starting page 34

How does Fujifilm’s new arrival stack up? Starting page 30

FREE

WIN!

First tests

Fujifilm X-T100 on test

GET YOUR

Enter the competition on page 48 © Chung Hau

Hundred Heroines

The RPS launches a worldwide campaign to celebrate inspirational women in photography today and needs your nominations © Loreal Prystal

Photo 24

contest results Above All pictures courtesy of the photographers and the Royal Photographic Society The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) aims to highlight inspirational women in photography – and celebrate the centenary year of women’s suffrage – with its campaign Hundred Heroines, Celebrating Women in Photography Today. Nominations must be received by 30 September, after which a selection

panel chaired by artist and photographer Rut Blees Luxemburg RCA will select the 100 women considered to be contemporary heroines. The Hundred will be announced on 14 December, the date 100 years ago that British women were first able to vote in a general election.

To make your nomination, go to the web address below or use Instagram tagging with the project handle @ RPS100Heroines with a comment on your nomination. Rps.org/100heroines See more on page 3

Over 1000 entries, just two winners, each scooping Fujifilm camera kit worth £1500. All is revealed on page 12 In association with

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

News

A feast from Fujifilm Really portable and lightweight – it weighs just 280g – the Fujifilm XF10 is an APS-C format compact camera ideal to take around with you everywhere you go. Its resolution of 24.2-mgapixels and fixed 18.5mm f/2.8 lens are capable of great image quality, with the option of Fujifilm’s Film Simulation modes and Advanced Filter modes to personalise your shots. The XF10 is available in black or champagne gold and retails at £449. The Fujifilm-X lens system is already extensive but where it could be accused of lacking was in the region of fast telephoto lenses. That will change in October with the arrival of the Fujifilm XF200mm f/2 R LM OIS WR which will be sold as a kit with a XF1.4x TC F2 WR teleconverter. The lens gives a 305mm focal length in the 35mm format and becomes a 427mm f/2.8 with the teleconverter in position. The lens boasts a 19 elements in 14 groups construction and that includes one super ED lens element and two ED elements to combat chromatic aberration. A lightweight focusing lens group and the use of a linear motor ensures fast AF. Focusing itself is silent and very accurate while features like Focus Preset and Focus Range Selector promote easy handling. The integral stabiliser of this lens has a 5EV benefit.

Above The Fujifilm XF10 boasts a 24.2-megapixel resolution and weighs a mere 280g. Below News lens arrival: the XF200mm f/2. The XF200mm f/2 with 1.4x converter will retail for £5399. Fujifilm’s X-system lens development road map also has new additions so, in the future, we’ll be seeing the XF16mm f/2.8 R WR, the XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR and XF33mm f/1. The XF16mm f/2.8 (24mm in 35mm format) complements the already available 23mm f/2, 35mm f/2 and 50mm

f/2, while the XF16-80mm f/4 (24122mm in the 35mm format) offers great versatility. The fast speed and focal length (50mm in the 35mm format) of the XF33mm f/1 make it ideal for general photography when the light levels drop. Finally, such is the ever increasing demand for its APS-C and mediumformat mirrorless cameras that Fujifilm is boosting its production

capacity for its interchangeable lenses by 70% by 2020, when all the new facilities at its Taiwa factory in Japan go fully operational. The current line-up of Fujifilm mirrorless camera lenses is 36 with more models in the company’s roadmap and sales expanding at about 20% per annum. Fujifilm.eu

Hundred Heroines

Above © FelicityMcCabe, courtesy The Royal Photographic Society

Hundred Heroines is an international campaign launched by the Royal Photographic Society to highlight inspirational women in photography today and to celebrate the centenary year of women’s suffrage. “I come across so many amazing women in photography, and yet their voice is nowhere near as powerful as their male counterparts,” says Del Barrett, the RPS’s vice president. “We are working to ensure that there are no barriers in photography. Hundred Heroines is a major step towards this, raising public awareness of the excellent work being created by women globally.” The RPS wants your nominations for women you feel should be among the 100 and these need to be in by 30 September. A panel of judges, chaired by artist, photographer, and Society Fellow, Rut Blees Luxemburg (RCA), will then select the 100 women worldwide whose work they feel marks them as a contemporary heroine. The final 100 will be announced on

Above © Jooney Woodward, courtesy The Royal Photographic Society 14 December, exactly 100 years to the day that British women first voted in a general election. To make your nominations, go to the web address (right) or

on Instagram using the project handle @RPS100Heroines and a comment on your nominee. rps.org/100-heroines

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Fotospeed Fest South © Julian Calverly

Julian Calverley, pro photographer Terry Donnelly and wildlife expert Paul Goldstein. Entrance to all talks costs £40. Access to the Foto Fest Market Place is free and here you can enjoy the opportunity to see a complete workflow at the Capture to Output station where kit from Rotolight, BenQ and Canon is featured. Leading brands such as Canon, Olympus, Sony and Lee Filters will also be present showing off their latest kits and with experts on hand to talk through their products. Foto Fest South takes place on 9 September, starting at 9.30am, at The Edge, University of Bath.

Fotospeed’s Foto Fest 2018 offers a great day out with inspiring talks from four leading photographers, the chance to try out some of the latest imaging products and pick up a bargain or two. Talks will be presented by landscape experts Valda Bailey and

fotospeed.com

Colour it right Tamron go wide and light Many photographers perceive the subject of colour management as a dark art and a subject for the tech nerds. But nothing further could be from the truth as Datacolor’s free colour management e-book explains in six easy to digest chapters, which take you from the basics of a colour managed workflow through to accurate calibration of monitors and printers. The first chapter is downloadable as a pdf free from the web address below and the following five chapters will be

available in three weekly intervals. Chapters will be sent automatically once you have registered. Sign up for the e-book and you will also receive a 20% discount on the Spyder 5Pro and Spyder5Elite. datacolor.com/ebema-pn

The Tamron 17-35mm f/2.4-4 Di OSD is an ultra wide-angle zoom for full-frame and APS-C format DSLRs. The optical construction comprises 19 elements in 15 groups with four low dispersion elements and two moulded aspherical elements to control optical nasties like chromatic aberration and coma. Flare is kept under control with Tamron’s BBAR (Broad Band Anti Reflex) lens coating and the front element has flurorine coating to repel water and oil.

For autofocus this lens uses OSD (Optimised Silent Drive) for quiet, super responsive and accurate operation. Add a moisture resistant construction, a seven-blade diaphragm and Tamron TAP-in Console compatibility and this ultra-wide zoom is sure to find many fans. It will be available for Nikon fit first from early September at £629, with Canon coming at a later date. intro2020.co.uk

Exclusive reader offer

There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a beautifully finished print and that’s why we have joined forces with professional lab One Vision Imaging and Fujifilm to bring you this exclusive free print offer. The Print to prove it! campaign is not just about the final print but also about the benefits of using a professional lab such as One Vision Imaging and the ways it can help your workflow, culminating in exceptional quality prints. Every Photography News reader can each claim three free 10x8in or 12x8in prints with the Print to prove it! campaign. Using Fujicolor Professional Crystal Archive Type DPII paper with a choice of lustre or gloss finish, One Vision Imaging will print your images for free; all you need to do is to pay for the postage. To claim your free prints and discover the unprecedented

How to order •

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Go to the One Vision Imaging website, onevisionimaging.com Click on Photographic Printing Follow the online instructions Upload your files – TIFFs and JPEGs are eligible, any colour space Prints will be professionally printed to One Vision Imaging's usual high standards using Fujicolor Professional Crystal Archive Type DPII paper Enter the code PPOFB18 at the checkout The offer ends 31 August 2018

For full terms and conditions, visit the One Vision Imaging website.

quality for yourself, simply upload your images to the website and follow the online instructions. JPEGs and TIFFs are

fine and use any colour space – One Vision Imaging will add its own colour profile as well as fine-tune contrast and colour balance for the best results.

Finally, enter the voucher code PPOFB18 when prompted. Then simply wait for your prints to drop through your letterbox – ready to marvel at the cost-effective quality.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Canon power £69.99 respectively and available in September. The updated PIXMA models are also available from later this year with the most advanced, the TS9550, arriving in November at £249.99. Finally, from Canon this month is the Zoemini, a small lightweight photo printer, which costs £119.99 and will be available in September. This unit produces 2x3in prints from any mobile phone via Bluetooth.

Above The PowerShot SX740 HS is a powerful compact, its zoom lens range covering from 24mm to 960mm in the 35mm format.

canon.co.uk

Bags from Manfrotto of the Mover-30 Backpack at £139.95 and the Speedy-30 Messenger at £109.95.

The KiiPix turns your camera phone into an instant camera. Using Fujifilm Instax film, the KiiPix is a portable device that simply photographs the image on your phone’s screen. There is no need for any power or network, and it takes seconds to get ready to use. And using it couldn’t be simpler, making it perfect for family occasions and parties. Priced at £39.99, the KiiPix is available in three colours, black, blue and pink, and we test it in this issue of PN. swains.co.uk

Manhattan bags use high quality materials and plenty of attention is given to the key elements of styling and detail, plus there is loads of capacity in the new bags. The Speedy-30 will take a DSLR outfit along with a 14in laptop and 9.7in tablet, while the Mover-30 can play host to a two-bodied, several lens mirrorless kit as well as a laptop and tablet. Along with style, carrying comfort and capacity you get high protection levels too, so check out these bags in the shops now.

News in brief Master colour Join the Creative Masterclass, organised by Color Confidence, on 21 September. It features four workshops run by well known image makers Gavin Hoey and Sanjay Jogia and takes place at Birmingham’s Fazeley Studios. Tickets costs £29.95 each which includes lunch. gb.colorconfidence.com/ masterclass

manfrotto.co.uk

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News

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

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 achievements; 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

Here’s how to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 31 August 2018

yy We need words and pictures by 31 August 2018 for the next issue of Photography News, which will be available from 10 September 2018. yy If you want to submit, follow these guidelines: yy Write your story in 250 words or fewer. Include the club’s website, meeting times, what the event is, opening times, entrance costs – anything relevant. yy We need an image for every story. JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension, any colour space, credits should be included in your text doc. yy We DO NOT use posters or images with words on the image front. yy Before the above deadline, attach the text document and JPEGs to an email and send to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

The f4 Group (or just f4) was formed by four local photographers from Grimsby and Cleethorpes 13 years ago. Today, the group still consists of four members: Ray Duke CPAGB, Colin Lusby CPAGB, Peter Scott and Vic Bouch. This year’s annual exhibition will be staged at the Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre, 28 Plough Hill, Caistor, Lincs LN7 6LZ. It

opened on 1 August and runs for two months. Opening times for the centre can be found on the first website below, right. “While we still aim to produce high quality photographic prints we tend to work on a variety of individual themes and ideas,” says Colin Lusby, “which involve us getting out and exploring our environment

The f4 Group

both locally and further afield. To that extent our photography is still developing. Visitors to the show can expect to see landscapes and townscapes, along with street and wildlife photography as well as examples of creative and abstract work.” 28ploughhill.co.uk colinlusby@btinternet.com

Earl Shilton CC Earl Shilton CC is holding its fourth annual exhibition at the Atkins Gallery, Hinckley from 20 August. The exhibition runs until 1 September and is sponsored by Earl Shilton Town Council. Entrance is free and open from Monday to Saturday, 9am until 5.30pm, when someone will be available to give advice and information.

On 29 August there will be a club evening starting at 7.30pm when members of the public are invited to come along, view the exhibition and talk to members. This open evening event will also include workshops where many aspects of taking and processing images will be discussed. earlshiltoncameraclub.org.uk

Hampstead PS © Richard Lansdown

Frome Salon of Photography 2018

fromewessexcameraclub.com/ salon.html

Frome Wessex CC will once again be holding its National Salon of Photography. The Salon has become increasingly popular and prestigious, attracting nearly 5000 entries in 2017. Selectors for 2018 are Dr Anne Sutcliffe, Barry Mead and Paul Keane. Classes will be Mobile Phone, Colour Open, Monochrome Open, Scapes, (land, sea, air, city, town, macro), Nature Open and Creative Open. Medals, selectors’ ribbons and certificates will be awarded in each class. Entry opens on 1 September and closes on 28 October. The Salon is open to photographers with addresses in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or with a BFPO address. Above Gold Medal Winner: Frome Salon of Photography 2017

The summer exhibition of Hampstead Photographic Society is on show at Burgh House, New End Square, Hampstead, London NW3 1LT. Burgh House is a Queen Anne era mansion, and makes for

a good summer outing. The show is open 12 to 5pm, Wednesday to Friday and Sunday, and closes 19 August. hampsteadphotosoc.org.uk

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Poulton PS

A first for Horsham PS

Horsham PS member Eleanor Coate has gained her ARPS and, a first for the club, she has also gained a Gold Medal in the Portfolio section of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Photographic Competition. For her RHS medal Eleanor submitted six botanical prints titled ‘Where Art Meets Science’. She says, “My portfolio was inspired by the artists of the golden age of botanical painting. The RHS Lindley Library supported my research, providing the opportunity to see original works and first prints. My objective is to capture in a 21stcentury medium the essence and purpose of this genre. Digital techniques including focus stacking and image blending have been used to provide the required level of detail and accuracy. All images were taken in my home.” horshamphotographicsociety. co.uk

Settle PG Settle Photographic Group’s 10th Photo Trail and Annual Exhibition runs until 20 August. The images are on display in Settle shops and businesses until that date and then they will be transferred to Clapham

Village Hall, North Yorkshire for the exhibition which is held over the Bank Holiday weekend, 25-27 August, 10am to 5pm. Entry is free, refreshments are available and you can go along andvote for your favourite picture. settlephotos.org

Beeston CC Beeston Camera Club (Nottingham) is holding an exhibition of photography at the Canalside Heritage Centre, Beeston, Nottingham from 1 September to 31 October. The centre is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm, seven days a week. There will be approximately 30 prints displayed along with a rolling projected show. The theme of the exhibition is

Flaura, fauna and scenery of the locality. Entrance is free, and there’s a café on site. beestoncameraclub.co.uk

Poulton-le-Fylde PS holds two member exhibitions each year. The first, in June, includes members’ prizewinning images and also includes the very popular Young Photographer Competition. The YPC 2018 attracted more than 150 images – the youngest photographers were aged five and six. The club is delighted to welcome a number of young photographers as associate members. The second members’ exhibition is taking place in Poulton Library until 24 August. The club has over 80 members and

Above Winning image, Glass Half Full, winner of the senior competition by Lauren Tugwell. Below Winner Lauren shows off her trophy.

Clubs

meets every Thursday evening from September to June each year. poultonps.co.uk

Caister PC Caister PC recently had its most successful exhibition to date. In total, the club had 172 mounted prints on show plus a rolling slide show of more than 100 images. Regular readers will probably know that Caister PC qualified for the final of the Photography News Club of the Year competition last season. The club meets for 50 weeks a year on Wednesday evenings at All Saints Village Hall,

Beach Road, Scratby, from 7.45pm (7pm competition nights) until 10pm. Events include competitions and nights out. caisterphotographyclub.co.uk

Chester PS starts its 2018-19 season on 4 September at the Grosvenor Museum, Chester when Brian Anderson will be bringing his Hot Images from the Edge. Members will be holding the annual print exhibition at St Mary’s Creative Space, St Mary’s Hill, off Castle Street, Chester CH1

Chester PS 2DW on 7 and 8 September from 10am to 4pm. Free admission. Damien Demolder will be talking about street photography

on 15 November – tickets £10. Visit thewebsite for details: chesterps.org

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Photo 24 24 hours in London

Photo 24: the results

As an added incentive to push participants’ photography skills further, we offered two photo contests on the themes of Street and London Scene for those attending the Photography News Photo 24 event earlier this summer.

The prize for both competitions was Fujifilm camera equipment of the winner’s choice to the value for £1500. Each entrant could enter up to six images per competition, and images were judged by experts from PN and Fujifilm.

Over 1000 entries were received for both contests, so thanks to everyone who entered. In each competition, a shortlist of 12 was compiled and from that the winner chosen. Enjoy the next four pages of great pictures.

In association with

Street: winner Darren Smith © Darren Smith

“I captured this while on Brian Lloyd Duckett’s Saturday evening street photography workshop. I saw this chef carrying a pizza on the South Bank and thought he contrasted well against the brutalist architecture.” Camera Pentax K-1 Lens 24-70mm f/2.8 Exposure 1/800sec at f/6.3 and ISO 1600

Editor Will Cheung’s view: “We had a very strong shortlist with great moments really well

captured and to be honest I think any of the 12 could have won. Darren’s shot

got everything right in my view – the crop was spot on and so too was the timing of

the chef in the composition. Even the red pizza box was perfect.”

Street: shortlisted

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Photo 24 Street: shortlisted

STUART SMITH “I found these three restaurant employees on their break. There was no way I could shoot without them realising so I politely asked them and they were happy to let me take some pictures. They didn’t pose just acted naturally.” Camera Fujifilm X-T2 Lens 16-55mm Exposure 1/500sec at f/8 and ISO 200

2 9

COLIN SAMSON “I’d just finished the South Bank photo walk with Brian Lloyd Duckett, and he inspired me to get this shot from a balcony on the National Theatre building. I like the angles and the bright yellow jumper against the grey backdrop.” Camera Fujifilm X-T2 Lens 35mm f/2 Exposure 1/5000sec at f/8 and ISO 1250

4 © Sue Cooper

ANDY BENNETT “It was a sunny day and lots of people were outside the pub. I noticed the two doorways which were providing a natural frame. There was great contrast between the highlights and shadows so I just waited until someone came along to provide interest. This was the best of three shots.” Camera Nikon D600 Lens 24-120mm f/4 Exposure 1/60sec at f/4 and ISO 100 CAROLINE WILSON “Another Photo 24 survivalist suggested I tried her new Lensbaby Sweet 50 bought that morning as I’d never used one. The firelight was so beautiful and I loved how the Lensbaby enhanced the movement and trance-like atmosphere generated by the fire dancers.” Camera Nikon D7200 Lens Lensbaby Sweet 50 Exposure 1/30sec at ISO 2500

DAVID AXFORD “I was leaning against the wall to shoot the poster reflection when this guy appeared and started posing in the far mirror so I waited to see what happened. Luckily, he strolled by so I re-framed and got this shot.” Camera Nikon D750 Lens 24-120mm at 24mm Exposure 1/160sec at f/8 and ISO 125

JAMES ELDRIDGE “I was on a packed train platform waiting for a night train. I had to stop these two and ask for a picture. I’m drawn to people that are different and not

afraid to be themselves.” Camera Fujifilm X-T2 Lens 23mm f/2 Exposure 1/100sec at f/2 and ISO 2500

MATT PITTS “I was on my way to the Sky Garden, walking along Liverpool Street, and I saw this guy keep walking in and out of his shop and thought there might be a shot. When I got opposite he was inside so I waited to see if he would come back out. He didn’t come all the way back out but stood in the doorway which was great as that’s where the light was and that’s what made the shot.” Camera Sony A7 III Lens 85mm f/1.8 Exposure 1/2000sec at f/1.8 and ISO 100

DARRELL GODLIMAN “I’d wanted to photograph the brutalist architecture of the National Theatre. When I saw these guys standing on the balcony I thought they mirrored the formal symmetry of the architecture perfectly.” Camera Nikon D7200 Lens 80-200mm f/2.8 at 80mm Exposure 1/1000sec at f/8 and ISO 200

MARTIN JAMES “On the street photography walk I was struck by the colour contrast between the blue sky and the yellow walkway. I tried to produce a simple graphic composition using colour and shape.” Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III Lens 24-105mm f/4 at 97mm Exposure 1/1600sec at f/16 and ISO 800

STUART GREEN “The combination of light, shadows, lines and angles made me stop for this scene, and then wait for someone to walk into it. I knew this image would end up in black & white – that’s how I usually see things.” Camera Fujifilm X-T2 Lens 16-55mm Exposure 1/50sec at f/5.6 and ISO 1600

SUE COOPER “The ballet dancers were part of a local theatre group spreading happiness in the station area. They stood by the station sign and I just love the contrast between their cultural beauty, the grimy location and the shaft of lighting dissecting the image.” Camera Fujifilm X100F Lens Fixed 23mm f/2 Exposure 1/480sec f/2.8 and ISO 400

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Photo 24 London Scene: winner Graham Harries © Graham Harries

“Walking down St James’s Street, Saturday’s early morning light was heavenly. A gleaming black London taxi was waiting at the traffic lights between two red buses. Suddenly with the reflected light it was transformed into a surreal red icon.” Camera Fujifilm X-H1 Lens 50-140mm f/2.8 Exposure 1/125sec at f/8 and ISO 200

Editor Will Cheung’s view: “As with the Street contest, we had a powerful shortlist covering a wide range of

pictorial approaches. I’ve walked around London looking for shots like this

but so many elements have to be right for success. It all fell into place here

for Graham and he has made the most of the opportunity.”

London Scene: shortlisted

MARK STIMPSON “The sun catching the coloured panels on the side of the Park Plaza hotel caught my eye. I thought the colours and reflections would make a great abstract. I used HDR technique as I wanted to push the colour saturation so I took three frames at 1EV intervals.” Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III Lens 16-55mm Exposure 1/50sec at f/5.6 and ISO 1600

SHAUN HASLAM “My aim was to capture a reflection of the city after a very long and hot day, giving the feeling of ‘another day over’. The Walkie Talkie building was the only one that was really responding to the setting sun. Taken from the balcony of Tate Modern.” Camera Nikon D500 Lens 24-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm Exposure 1/125sec at f/10 and ISO 720

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Photo 24 London Scene: shortlisted

JAMES ELDRIDGE “Soho is the most colourful place in all of London, especially after dark. I knew it would be the best place to get some bold colours to use in my shots.” Camera Ricoh GR II Lens Fixed 28mm f/2.8 Exposure 1/60sec at f/4 and ISO 3200

NICK COOK “Movement. Vibrant colours. People. This was the London

I wanted to capture. Walking along Tower Bridge, all of these elements came together and by implementing a low angle and a longer exposure, the coloured blur of city life came alive.” Camera Sony A7 Lens 35mm f/2.8 Exposure 1/2sec at f/3.2 and ISO 25

STEVEN GOSLING “I’d walked past these old K6 phone boxes for weeks, then the street art suddenly appeared. The bearskinned Royal Guards with Union Flags and the ‘are you inspired’ inscription made it a true London scene.” Camera Nikon D850 Lens 24-85mm Exposure 1/50sec at f/11 and ISO 180

The Fujifilm prizes Our competition winners received Fujifilm camera equipment of their choice up to a retail value of £1500. With that prize value the winners could go for a topend Fujifilm X-T2 with an XF18-

PETER KARRY “I visited the recently developed Kings Cross area for the first time. As I approached Granary Square this riot of colour interspersed with people made me think of notes on a musical sheet.” Camera Sony RX10 Lens Fixed 24-200mm Exposure 1/400sec at f/8 and ISO 200

MICHAELA CAMPBELL “I embraced the opportunity to experiment with the Fujifilm X-Pro 2. If I am honest I came to London with a completely open mind and no real thoughts about what I wanted to capture. “I have a fascination with building up layers, so it felt apt to try multiple exposures. I found the technique interesting and there were many

hits like this one and twice as many misses.” Camera Fujifilm X-Pro2 Lens 16-56mm f/2.8 Exposure 1/50sec at f/2.8 and ISO 800

DAVE FIELDHOUSE “From Greenwich looking over to Canary Wharf and the glittering Shard, this was just about the best place to fit as much of London in to a single shot, whilst still having both weary feet on the ground.” Camera Fujifilm X-Pro2 on a Manfrotto Befree Carbon fibre tripod Lens 90mm f/2 Exposure 8secs at f/14 and ISO 200

STEVEN MUSGROVE “After taking in the

CHUNG HAU “I’d researched the many brutalist locations around London prior to Photo 24 – that provided travel destinations for the 24 hours. Harsh sunlight worked in my favour here with a high-contrast image.” Camera Apple iPhone X

atmosphere of the fire spinners I realised that when you’re in amongst them you would never know it was London. So I changed position to get the fire spinners with London skyline as the backdrop.” Camera Canon EOS 6D Lens 16-35mm f/2.8 at 35mm Exposure 30secs at f/11 and ISO 100

MARTIN AMERY “This photograph was taken on the Photo 24 midnight city walk. As I walked past this underground tube entrance I thought it would make a fantastic image with its iconic underground sign and steps curving down from the street.” Camera Panasonic Lumix G9 Lens 12-60mm lens at 12mm Exposure 1/4sec at f/2.8 and ISO 200

Thank you 55mm f/2.8-4 standard zoom, an X-E3 two lens outfit or an X-T100 with even more lenses. For the winner already committed to the Fujifilm X system, £1500 can buy one or several XF lenses from its ever growing collection of first rate, highly specified optics that features primes, zooms, macros and teleconverters. Well done to the winners; we know you’ll enjoy your prizes. Fujifilm.eu

Thanks to all the photographers who supported the Photo 24 Street and London Scene contests and, of course, for attending Photo 24 in the first place. Well done to the winners and shortlisted entrants and commiserations to those who didn’t get that far, and better luck next time. If you missed Photo 24 2018 with its challenges, photo walks and competitions and fancy the idea of a photo shoot with a unique twist, we will have details of Photo 2019 next spring, so please keep reading PN for updates. photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Interview

Karen Yeomans Profile

With her love of sport and interest in photography from her school days Karen Yeoman’s career path into professional photography after university was no surprise. Here we take a look at her personal project ‘Standing in the Light’ which focuses on women in sport

PN: Can you tell Photography News readers a bit about yourself please? What’s your background and what do you do for a living? KY: I’m a freelance commercial photographer, working mostly with both commercial and small businesses in the sports, fitness and wellness industries. When studying for my photography degree, I had an awareness of the impact images have on how we perceive the world. I loved the colour, drama and storylines portrayed in fashion photography but questioned the consequences. My final year project, ‘Beautifully Damaged’, explored the messages we send to womankind in the media, culminating in a series of images mocked up as magazine spreads depicting a woman for sale for the price of her clothing accessories. A little radical but I’ve mellowed with age! PN: How did your interest in photography begin, and how did you get into doing it professionally? KY: A science teacher supported my interest in photography at school and I continued through university, assisting and working for photographers within other photographic businesses until around five years ago I decided to go my own way. PN: We know many sports photographers but on your website you call yourself ‘a specialist sports, fitness, well-being and yoga photographer’. What has driven you to specialise in this way? KY: My enjoyment and love of sport and games began at an early age. It was through this enthusiasm to move my body that drew me to yoga when I was 19 and needing support through chronic illness and alleviation of its associated problems. Yoga, movement and sports became my medicine and have continued to be my remedy throughout life’s challenges. Having lived and breathed its benefits, I naturally began to integrate the healing qualities of movement into my work.

I have deliberately chosen my passion to be my brand; it creates a sense of identity and recognition. Shooting something you really understand and believe in helps you better communicate the essence of the brief. PN: What’s life like as a working professional in your chosen field? KY: Hard going but often extremely rewarding. © Karen Yeomans

I have deliberately chosen my passion to be my brand; it creates a sense of identity and recognition

Images Karen’s project was partly inspired by the realisation that women are vastly outnumbered in sports photography, and that this could affect the way that female athletes are represented in their sports.

PN: Let’s talk about your ‘Standing in Light’ project. What was your thinking behind the concept? KY: To be honest it hadn’t really occurred to me that I was a minority, and although my inspiration is drawn from amazingly talented photographers like Carlos Serrao, David Clerihew, Adam Hinton and Ian Derry I was missing a female role model. I was genuinely shocked by the statistics on a BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour discussion that only 5% of the pictures used by leading photography publishers are taken by women, and just 2% of female photographers are represented by commercial agencies. I had a passive awareness that men outnumbered women in photography but this statistic brought a realisation as I noticed more that within the sports/fitness genre of photography my peers are predominantly male. This situation is similar to the representation of women in sport and I started to question, could this impact how women are presented in sports imagery? That’s when it hit me: my job is to celebrate the women who stand in front of my camera. So ‘Standing in the Light’ was born. As sport has enriched my life, I align to a social commitment to highlight the potential for all women to reach for their goals. Sports builds community and empowers people, regardless of gender and background. It helps people to achieve and believe that everything is possible.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Interview © Karen Yeomans

PN: How did you choose your subjects? KY: I began the background research for ‘Standing in the Light’ with short interviews, and now have a growing archive of women’s accounts of their expectations, motivations and challenges. From these interviews I prioritize the stories, which grab my attention. Since winning the Women’s Sport Trust Award in May for Imagery of the Year, interest has grown and now athletes are reaching out to me. It’s really exciting that women are reaching out to get involved in inspiring future generations and signifying a change in attitude.

It’s exciting that women are reaching out to get involved in inspiring future generations

PN: What was the process of getting people to pose for you like? KY: A big part of making something special together is in creating a space where the subject feels comfortable so they are able to give me what I need. Some people need more

Images Karen’s images for the project are a mix of studio and location shots, determined partly by the schedules of the individual sportswomen involved.

guidance and the support of direction, whilst others feel more comfortable and free to express themselves and pinning them down would curtail their expression. PN: Do you have an idea for the shoot before you approach people? Or does the subject’s sport inspire your picture ideas? KY: The process takes time, we talk in the interviews and then usually I spend some time with them in training to better understand the movement and personality, I’ll often shoot but with no real set-up, just documenting their processes and character. After this is done I usually get a sense of where I’d like to take the shoot next.

PN: How much time did you have for the shoots? You seem to have a mix of location and studio sessions: which is your preference? KY: I love creative problem solving and expanding my potential, so generally I like to take each scenario separately. As the work is self-funded I am limited to how much time I can devote around my commissioned work. I try to work fluidly with the resources available and the time the athlete can give me.

PN: What do you hope to achieve overall with this project? KY: To shine a light on women’s sport, making a worthwhile contribution in this exciting window of change. My wish for today is to capture the empowered form and true determined grace of the female body that will inspire everyone. This is not a gender issue, but a collective growth. The ongoing series of images is a celebration of women achieving their goals and ambitions. PN: What next for Karen Yeomans, photographer? Do you have plans to continue with this particular project? KY: ‘Standing in the Light’ is a work in progress and I have interest from other parties to gain momentum and funding to build this into a comprehensive collection. Within my commissioned work I continue to build my reputation and client base. The voice grows louder and stronger and I love being a part of this mix, magic and living my way.

PN: What was the feedback to your pictures from the subjects afterwards? KY: Positive, proud and on board with the mission. We are increasing the notion that seeing is believing in celebrating women from all walks of life in becoming part of a movement to ‘stand in the light’.

PN: What was working with dedicated sports people like? KY: It’s challenging pinning them down. An athlete’s focus is their sport and they can be elusive at times. Equally, when actually working with them it’s inspiring to experience their harnessed energy, spirit and drive.

Contact To see more of Karen’s work please visit her website: karenyeomans.com

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

Historic Photographer of the Year Public Vote Winner – Jenna Johnston

Now in its second year, the Historic Photographer of the Year (HPOTY) Awards is run by Trip Historic, a leading online travel guide to the world’s historic sites. It is supported by History Hit TV, a network led by historian and broadcaster Dan Snow. Official partners include TV channel HISTORY; the Association For Historical And Fine Art Photography; and Historic England, the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment. Here we take a look back at last year’s overall winning image and provide entry details for 2018’s contest

Above Pamela Jones’ image of a train cemetery in Bolivia where abandoned trains were left to rot at 11,995ft above sea level.

Above Jenna Johnston’s picture of Jedburgh Abbey won the public vote that was featured on the results website.

Above Daniel Sands’ shot of a secret restored World War II air raid shelter

Above Suwandi Chandra’s picture of Borobudur Temple, Central Java.

Above Paul Templing’s image of Dolbadarn Castle in Snowdonia, with the Milky Way.

Above Richard Nash's well observed detail picture of Wells Cathedral.

astonishing photos – whether it’s a stunning image of a world famous site or a photo of a lost and forgotten corner of our past. “This year’s contest will see our first physical exhibition, with a small showcase of photos at the Historic England Angel Awards. Next year our hope is to be able to find a more permanent home to allow people to visit a wider exhibition of the very best images from the awards.” The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held in November.

Entries will be judged on originality, composition and technical proficiency alongside the story behind the submission and its historical impact. Entrants will get the chance to win a first prize of £1000 and have their winning image showcased across the media. The closing date is 11.59pm on 30 September 2018.

Enter now The second Historic Photographer of the Year Awards is open to amateur and professional photographers around the world and is run by leading onine travel guide Trip Historic. Judging all entries will be a panel of experts including broadcaster and historian Dan Snow of History Hit TV, CEO of Trip Historic Mike Lewis, head of HISTORY Dan Korn, chairman of The Association for Historical and Fine Art Photography Richard Everett, All About History group editor-in-

chief James Hoare, and Duncan Wilson, CEO of Historic England. Mike Lewis, of Trip Historic and a HPOTY judge, says of the contest: “The world’s historic sites are among the most picturesque places on the planet. Every year millions of social feeds and photo albums are brimming with incredible pictures of ancient places as people share their experiences of these fantastic sites. So we wanted to celebrate this fact with an event that would let people share these

For full details and to enter visit triphistoric.com/photographer

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards Overall winner, HPOTY 2017: Matt Emmett

“The image was shot within a dead straight 400m long corridor at an abandoned military hospital in Lincolnshire. Long corridors run the length of the site with the wards, offices and operating suites positioned along them. It has been abandoned for decades and the undergrowth has started growing in the windows, giving it a lovely 'nature reclaims' aspect. It was last in use by US forces when they flew injured members back from the First Gulf War and treated them here in the UK. The image was shot using a Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax 55-300mm at 300mm. “I specialise in shooting architectural heritage and historic locations. I have been obsessed about shooting forgotten places and at-risk heritage since 2012 when a friend wanted lessons with his newly acquired DSLR and suggested a vast abandoned industrial site that used to test jet engines as the location for the first lesson. I have been hooked on this fascinating subject ever since.

The last six years have taken me all over Europe from abandoned farmsteads in the Westfjords of Iceland to the deserted villas and manicomios (mental hospitals) of Italy. “I entered HPOTY because I thought it was something that aligned perfectly with the kinds of locations and stories I love to tell through my social media, which has become a long-lasting passion. History has been made so much more accessible through the widespread use of social media by virtually every age group. Anyone can pick up a camera, go out and document something and then share their findings with the masses. Entering the competition seemed like a good way to expand the reach and bring in even more people. “I was on the morning commute when I suddenly remembered that the announcement of the results was due to be made that day. I went straight to the website on my phone

Anyone can pick up a camera, go out and document something then share their findings with the masses

and to my delight saw my image at the head of the announcement feature, I was a little in shock but also very excited. I think I may have let out an involuntary ‘Yeeessss’ which made a few people look up from their papers, but I was hugely proud and very happy. “Winning HPOTY means a great deal to me and the opportunities have really taken off since the win. I am now working on two ongoing Heritage Lottery Fund restoration projects as lead photographer in different parts of the country, and most recently have signed a contract to work with Heritage Open Days to help promote some of the standout locations that will be featuring in its September festival weekends. People often quote the win when they contact me. It has made a huge difference.” To see more of Matt’s images go to forgottenheritage.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

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Colour perfect

Spyder5 eBook: Color management can be easy

Datacolor’s new, free to download ebook will help you set up a colour-managed workflow to ensure perfect pictures in any situation Getting accurate colours in your photography, from start to finish, is crucial whether you are a keen enthusiast or an experienced professional photographer, and whether you shoot stills or video. Yet words like workflow, profiling and colour management are guaranteed to strike fear in the heart of the most capable photographer. The thing is, though, a basic understanding of the process and the kit needed is all you need to guarantee great results without tears. Datacolor’s new, free downloadable ebook, entitled Spyder5 eBook: Color management can be easy, demystifies the subject in bitesize chunks and helps you set up a colour managed workflow. Over six chapters the ebook takes an easy-to-understand approach with plenty of explanatory diagrams and graphics with advice on what gear is needed, and every chapter is supported by a jargon buster. The first chapter, Understanding digital color, is available for download now, and subsequent chapters will be automatically emailed out at three-weekly intervals to everyone who signs up. Signing up for the book also entitles you to a special 20% discount off the Spyder 5Pro and Spyder5Elite, two monitor calibration devices from Datacolor’s comprehensive colour management range. This offer closes 1 January 2019.

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Fine-adjusting monitors Time to delve deeper into monitor calibration, with a focus on making extended calibration settings, and an explanation of what an advanced analysis entails. Also learn how to calibrate a two monitor set-up, and what different elements you need to pay attention to when calibrating a complete studio and a projector.

5 Download now, for free The first chapter of Spyder5 eBook: Color management can be easy is now available for download from the Datacolor website at datacolor.com/ebema-pn

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Monitor proofing and media Finally, the ebook deals with the final stages of a colour managed workflow, from exploring how to proof your images on your monitor to what to consider when printing at home, on paper, canvas and foil. The chapter also explains what you need to know about monitor proofing when printing from a service provider.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Shoot people pictures to win

Take the Profoto Portrait Challenge With a superb Profofo A1, the world’s smallest studio light, to be won and four monthly prizes of a Profoto reflector, this free-to-enter contest is not to be missed. The four monthly winners will be judged against each other and the image judged to be best overall picture will win the Profoto A1. Environmental portraits was last month’s challenging subject and our thanks go to everyone who took the trouble to enter. It was a close-run thing between the shortlisted entries but Nick Steadman’s entry was chosen as this month’s winner WINNER

Nick Steadman

“Wow! What can I say other than to thank the judges from Photography News and Profoto for choosing my picture. I've really enjoyed the various challenges of the contest.

“I contacted my local blacksmith, Ben, at his workshop in Brackley (Iron Forged Designs) and asked if I could take some shots of him at work. He kindly agreed to beat the

hell out of a piece of metal while I fired away. I took several shots but I liked this end result with sparks flying everywhere. It was taken with a handheld Pentax K3 with a

31mm f/1.8 lens. The exposure was set on 1/100sec at f/5.6 and ISO 400. It was all natural light from the pig iron sparks and no flash was used.”

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature Runner-up: David Shandley

Runner-up: Steven Beckett

Runner-up: Mike Martin The big prize: Profoto A1 The Profoto A1, the world’s smallest studio light, is a professional quality lighting solution designed for the modern image creator who wants to sculpt and shape with light. The A1’s innovative round flash head with its unique design fresnel pattern diffuser, powerful 76Ws output and the ability to use magnet-fit light modifiers means this light has huge creative potential. Add a li-ion rechargeable battery with the capacity for 350 fullpower manual flashes, TTL or manual flash control and an integral LED modelling light, and you have a unique lighting tool that can be used on or off camera. Finally, the A1 meshes totally with Profoto’s lighting system, whether that is with mains-based units such as the D2 or the brand’s Off Camera Flash system, with the B1X and B2 perfect partners for the A1. With AirTTL Remote built in you have wireless connectivity and, with the A1 as the master unit, four groups of Profoto lights in TTL or manual mode can be controlled. Win this contest and you will receive a Profoto A1 and you’ll get to enjoy its creative delights for yourself.

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Enter now

Round 4 is open for entries So far, we have asked for your best beauty, character and environmental portraits. For round 4, the final round in the Profoto Portrait Challenge, we are asking for your best self portraits. How you approach this subject is entirely up to you but, as this is a portrait challenge, a simple selfie taken on your phone is unlikely to cut the mustard.

You need to think about the context, lighting, pose and treatment and show the judges your creative vision. You can enter up to three images (these images will be judged as individual shots, not as a set) and can be shot indoors or out, with or without flash. Each round winner will receive a Profoto Collapsible Reflector Large and once we

have our four round winners, an overall winner will be selected from those winners and awarded the Profoto A1, the smallest studio light in the world. The closing date for Round 4 is 11.59pm, 31 August 2018 and results will appear in Photography News issue 59 due out from 10 September 2018. Judging will be done by experts from PN and Profoto.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Feature Audio Basics: Part 2 – using a mic

Go off camera In this second and final instalment of our guide to audio matters, we consider essential accessories for great sound to go with your video footage when using your mic off camera Words and pictures by Adam Duckworth Watching a video should be a wonderful audio/visual experience, not some form of torture for the senses. But it is often the case that while great attention and money are lavished on getting the best quality footage, not enough respect is paid to the sound, with the expectation that the camera’s on-board mic will deliver the goods. Wrong. Obviously, what level of attention you give to your sound depends on what you are shooting and your aim with the finished production. Your audio-visual scenic extravaganza might rely on a melodic soundtrack from a copyright-free CD, so what you record at the time of shooting is irrelevant. But if you’re shooting something for your video blog or recording an event where what’s said is of primary importance, then the simplest advice on how to record great audio for your movies is to spend as much as you can afford on a quality microphone, then get it as close to the subject as possible. In the vast majority of cases, this means getting the microphone off the top of the camera and as close to the sound source as you possibly can without it actually being in shot. If that’s a person speaking, then getting it as close to them as you can is crucial to cutting out as much extraneous noise as possible so you can really hear what’s being said. One way of doing this is to invest in a lapel microphone – also called a lavalier or lav mic – and fastening it to their clothing, ideally avoiding any material actually touching the mic to prevent nasty rustling. Lapel mics are usually linked to a wireless transmitter box, which the subject has in a pocket or on a belt. That talks to a receiver sitting on the camera’s hotshoe which, in turn, is plugged into the mic socket. This is fine if you are in a situation where you own the kit and only need to record one

If the floor is likely to reflect the sound... it can be best to hold the boom under the subject

Images To keep your mic out of shot but close to your subject to cut out unwanted noise, mount it on a small portable tripod or a boom pole.

person, have the time to mic them up and don’t mind the mic itself being seen in the shot. But if you don’t have this luxury, or don’t want to see the mic, then you have to explore other options. One way is to mount your mic onto something like a mini tripod and put it in front of the interviewee, just out of the main shot. Another way is to invest in a boom pole and put your mic on top of that. Then, in both cases, use a simple cable to link the tripodmounted mic to your camera or run down the boom to your camera in order to record the audio directly. Although there are some very expensive carbon boom poles made for professional XLR-type microphones, for mics like Røde’s DSLR-style units you don’t need a sturdy boom that costs a fortune. For about £40 for an extendable Røde boom pole and £11 for an extension cable, you have a light and portable bit of kit. Of course, you ideally need someone to hold your boom pole for you but you can also fasten it to a lighting stand. This is a good solution as you can ensure it’s not in the frame of your shot and won’t move. With a boom-mounted mic, your choice is whether to have the boom above the subject pointed downwards, or below your subject pointed upwards. The best choice depends on the environment you are in. It’s always best to record in a space that does not echo too much, if you can. For example, a

kitchen with a ceramic floor and tiled walls will echo sound much more than a similarlysized living room with plush carpet and lots of soft furnishings. So, if the floor is a very hard surface that’s likely to reflect the sound – such as ceramic tiles or polished concrete – then it can be best to hold the boom under the subject, pointing upwards, especially if the ceiling is not too reflective. Otherwise, the most common use is to hold the boom above the subject pointing downwards, as there is often more unwanted noise that comes from a ceiling in terms of echoes, fans, people walking on the floor above and the like. And if you are using the mic outside, a key accessory you should definitely budget for is a fluffy wind jammer that goes on top of your mic. Also called things like a dead cat, blimp, windmuff or windshield, these simple and inexpensive covers cut down on wind noise which can be a real pain to remove in post-processing. Costing from £29 to fit a popular mic like the Røde VideoMic Pro, it’s money well spent to improve your sound. So, to sum up, if sound is an important part of your video, you need to gear up accordingly with a good mic appropriate to the situation and a way to get it unobtrusively in front of your speaker. You don’t have to invest huge sums to get quality results that will make your production much more enjoyable to watch, simply invest well in the areas that count.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Accessories test

Buyers’ guide

Fresh prints Photographers are shooting more and more pictures every year, but where do they all go? Make yours more memorable by tapping into the best new print products on the market, and adorn your home with special images with this months buyers’ guide... Cewe MyPhotobook range

Cewe produces a huge range of photo products, but among our favourites is the company’s extensive range of photobooks. A photobook can be used for anything from a simple album to a themed record of a special event or holiday; or you can make books about particular subjects that you enjoy. Cewe’s photobooks run in size from Small, which measure 14x13cm and include 26-50 pages, to XL, measuring 38x29cm and including 26 to 178 pages. The dimensions can be switched to landscape format if that suits the format of your project, too. Square and XL Square books are available as well for a more fine-art look. There’s also a range of paper types on offer, including Classic (200gsm for basic photobook needs), High Gloss (200gsm for vibrant colours), True Matte (160gsm and smooth and shine-free), Classic Photographic (300gsm with a darkroom feel), Gloss Photographic (300gsm with the same darkroom feel, but a glossy finish) and Matte Photographic (300gsm with a crisp matte finish). The latter three are available in layflat binding so you get no gutter or gap between the pages which allows double-page printing Next, choose from one of five cover styles including printed, leather and fabric, and finish by adding embossing or a presentation box. Books can be made from your desktop computer or your mobile, too. From £5.99 plus shipping

One Vision Britannia album

Print specialists One Vision offer a huge range of high-quality products for photographers who want to show off their best work. From regular photographic printing either framed or unframed to photobooks, canvases, photo gifts and more, there’s plenty to choose from. One of One Vision’s latest products is the Britannia photo album. These albums are handmade in Coventry and come with a choice of nine different premium soft touch leatherette covers and spine options (the same as One Vision’s Premium Albums). The internal pages are printed on proper photographic Fujifilm DPII professional grade paper giving the look, feel and durability of traditional darkroom chemical printing. For a 20-page, 12x10in album you’re looking at only £78.20, but bring your outlay up to £99 and you’ll get 40 pages, which is a great deal. Topping that off, included in the cost is a presentation box. Other upgrade options include additional pages up to a maximum of 60, or the opportunity to print onto larger 12x12in leaves. You can also finish your book using laser engraving and personalised ribbons for an additional cost, both with an excellent range of fonts to match the look you want. Production time is only five working days, and right now you can order a 40-page sample book for £39 to see the quality for yourself; perfect if you’re planning to use album services as part of a photographic business.

cewe-photoworld.com

From £78.20

The Day That…

The Day That… is a unique photo service that gives you the chance to buy a sunrise image from any day from the last 13 years. That might sound odd, but think about it. The idea is pretty cool. You can get a beautiful print of the day you got married, brought home a pet, celebrated a birth, even bought a new home. If nothing else it’s a credit to the company’s drive in shooting each dawn for that period of time, as well as creating and curating such a unique library of days. There’s a nice video about the motivations of the project on their website, too. Logging on to The Day That...’s website, you start by choosing the appropriate day, and scanning through a selection of images from it. Pick one and you’ll then move on to choosing how your print will

be produced and finished. Alternatively, you can buy a voucher as a gift. Archival ink and paper, and high-end frames are given a personal touch beyond the images with a handwritten message and signature. Frames include a classic fine metal in silver and black as well as wooden models in Birch and Palisander. Light and dark woods are also available. You can also buy an unframed print if you want to add your own finish. Framed sizes run from Small (35x28cm at £95) to Exhibition (84x66.5cm at £275); unframed in those sizes cost from £60 to £145. Courier delivery in the UK is £10. You can also get a digital download, which is a full size file for £35, leaving you free to print it as you’d like. From £35

thedaythat.co.uk

onevisionimaging.com

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Accessories test My-picture.co.uk Foam Board prints

Colorworld Imaging Canvas Wraps & MDF Frames

My-picture.co.uk supplies its printed products at very affordable prices, with deals often offered at 50-80% off, though these discounts do vary across the range of products. The website’s homepage has a ‘top deals’ section where you can find the best current offers and the range of products on sale is decent as well as eclectic; along with wall art and photobooks, there are more novelty items such as mugs, jigsaws, cushions, blankets and even towels. Included amongst the wall art products are some nice Forex (foam board) offerings. The image is laid onto a 5mm-thick hard foam plate, giving pictures a nice, elegant exhibition look. And because they’re foam-based they’re very light, making them suitable for hanging almost anywhere – only a very small hook or even some Velcro or Blu-Tack is needed. The edges are neatly trimmed by hand, with slightly rounded corners, and the finish to the print is somewhere just a fraction more lustrous than matte. Print quality is good with great sharpness and colour depth. Prices start at £8 for a 20x20cm print, and rise to £44 for a 80x60cm version. Uploading and choosing options is very straightforward, and there are some limited choices to convert to mono, or have text added. Postage is free on orders over £45.

With a 50-year heritage in printing, Colorworld Imaging offers a full range of digital and film services, plus finished products like photobooks, albums and wall art, framed prints and fine-art giclée products. One such excellent line is the company’s range of Canvas Wraps & MDF Frames, which have a fresh, modern three-dimensional look, letting images really jump off the wall. These products are ready to hang, and only the finest canvas is used. The canvas is printed on pro-quality inkjet printers’ colour ink sets with three black inks and vivid magenta to give images true-to-life tones. The wrap is then sealed with a laminate finish to add durability. For wooden frames, the canvas is stretched over a 40mm deep timber frame and, if you choose solid MDF, there’s a choice of 12mm or 18mm blocks. Sizes start at 10x8in (£34.50 for a wooden frame and £54.50 for MDF), running up to 40x36 (£193 for a wooden frame and £200/210 for MDF). Bespoke sizes are available on request and delivery is within seven days. As with all Colorworld products, ordering is via easy-to-use Studio Partner ROES software. From £34.50

From £8

My-picture.co.uk

Loxley Colour Acrylic prints

Loxley Colour has a 30-year pedigree, and supplies pretty much any printed service you want for your images. The range of products is huge, including standard photographic prints up to 60x40in, albums, photobooks, canvases, single and multi-panel wall art, framing services and more. Quality is always impressive. If you want to find a standout way of displaying your images, check out the company's Acrylic range, a razor sharp design with a natural luminosity coming from the image being bonded to an acrylic ‘facemount’ block, then backed for hanging. Two types of acrylic facemount are available, and the range comes in depths of 2mm, 4mm or 6mm for the gloss acrylic facemount version, or 2mm for the satin acrylic finish. There’s a great range of sizes and aspect ratios, too, ranging from 10x8in up to 60x40in, and including square and panoramic formats, the latter up to 20x8in. You also get to choose the finish of the print within the acrylic facemount, with gloss print or metallic print options. A 10x8in 2mm Gloss Print with 2mm Gloss Acrylic costs about £45 including first class postage, and orders can be ready in five working days.

colorworldimaging.co.uk

From £45

Whitewall Solid Wood Frame with Passe-partout

Whitewall has built an award-winning reputation for high-quality print services, and amongst the wide range of products it offers – including photobooks, canvases, metal prints, wall art and photo gifts like calendars – are the company’s Framed Prints, including the Solid Wood Frame with Passepartout. Displaying your work in this type of frame print gives it a very finished and traditional gallery appeal, especially if you produce a series of images in similar frames and paper styles. Ordering is simple, thanks to a very visual process on the Whitewall website, and buying options are diverse, so you can create the finished product just as you want it. You load up your chosen image, then pick an image size, ranging from a petite 10x10cm to a huge 135x180cm version. You then choose the paper type from a selection including Fuji Crystal DP II gloss or matte, Ilford Black & White gloss or matte, and fine-art media like Hahnemühle William Turner or FineArt Baryta. Next comes the frame shape and depth, and the type of wood, with black or natural oak, brown alder, maple and walnut amongst the options. Finally comes the colour and size of the frame, the type of border you want and the type of glass, with gloss, matte and lightweight acrylic. Price is built up in conjunction with the multiple options, so it’s hard to put an exact figure on it, but a 20x30cm Fuji Crystal Archive Silk print with a black oak, 20mm square ‘Hamburg’ frame, and a natural white 5cm partout came to £89.95, plus £7.95 shipping. £97.90

uk.whitewall.com

loxleycolour.com

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Camera test Specs Price £619 with 15-45mm XC lens. X-T100 is available in dark silver, black and champagne gold Sensor 24.2-megapixel CMOS Sensor format APS-C 23.5x15.7mm, 6000x4000pixels ISO range 200-12,800 (100, up to 25,600 and 51,200 extended, JPEGs only) Shutter range 30secs to 1/32,000sec with electronic shutter, up to 1/4000sec with mechanical shutter, flash sync at 1/180sec Drive modes Up to 6fps (H), 3ps (L) Metering system Multi-zone, average, spot Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5EV, AEB available up to nine frames and +/-3EV Monitor 3in, 1040K pixels. Touchscreen, tiltable Viewfinder EVF, 2360K pixels Focusing Contrast and phase detect with multi-area and single zone select, tracking, face detect and eye detect Focus points 91, selectable singly, also in 3x3, 5x5 and 7x7 zones Video 3840x2160 at 15p, 1920x1080 at 60p, 24p and 23.98p Connectivity Micro HDMI, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Other key features Timelapse, multi focus mode, 4k burst, integral flash, USB charging Storage media 1xSD card Dimensions (wxhxd) 121x83x47mm Weight 446g Contact Fujifilm.eu

Fujifilm X-T100 Fujifilm’s X-series system goes from strength to strength and its latest launch tackles the important entry-level market Words and images by Will Cheung Fujifilm’s X-system has gained good traction in the camera market among enthusiasts and pros alike, but perhaps where the system has enjoyed less success is in the entrylevel sector. That is very likely going to change with the Fujifilm X-T100, the first in the X-series with an electronic viewfinder at a budget price level. It is priced complete with a powerzoom 15-45mm XC lens for £619. The price is impressive in its own right but what you get for your money is even more eye-catching. The X-T100 is a feature-packed camera that also gives full compatibility with Fujifilm’s ever-growing lens system. It is is a 24.2-megapixel camera using a conventional Bayer sensor, not the X-Trans CMOS III version found on the more expensive X-T20 and X-T2. That probably keeps the camera’s price down but it doesn’t compromise image quality, which is of a very high order. Plus, you still have the option of shooting JPEGs and enjoying Fujifilm’s Film Simulation modes (11 modes are available including Classic Chrome but not the recent ETERNA) and of using 14-bit Raw for the ultimate editing flexibility. The X-T camera series is characterised by the DSLR look with the raised viewfinder ‘pentaprism’ housing and that’s what you get with the X-T100, but the camera is still very compact. The body isn’t dust or weather-sealed but it is well built. It has a robust, reassuring feel in a way that often entry-level cameras don’t. The rear monitor folds out to face forward, enabling easy selfie

shooting, and also tilts up or down so low-down or waist-level and overhead shooting is dead easy. However, should you go for the combination of the monitor folded out to the camera’s side and then tilt the screen for waist-level shooting, the image is upside down. The monitor has touchscreen functionality and you can set focus mode and Film Simulation settings on screen as well as focus and take shots by touch. You can enjoy playback, too, with slide and pinch and spread gestures. There are options as well in terms of what section of the monitor you want active. Or it can be switched off entirely. The image provided by the EVF is bright, contrasty and there is ample camera information on show too. On the camera top-plate are three relatively large control dials. Only one is marked and this is the exposure mode dial with its PASM options as well as panorama, advanced filter and subject oriented modes. There is also the Advanced SR Auto setting. The unmarked dial close to the exposure mode dial is called the Main Command Dial in the instruction manual but it is primarily used for exposure compensation. It does also change shutter speed in manual exposure mode, adjust settings when using the quick (Q) menu and lets you go from image to image during playback, but this command dial can’t be reassigned to other functions. One big benefit is that if it is unintentionally adjusted while the

The X-T100 is a feature-packed camera that gives full compatibility with Fujifilm’s ever-growing lens system

Left The innovative monitor can not only be set for waist-level or above-head shooting, but also folds out to face forward for easypeasy selfies.

camera is turned off it has no effect on the exposure compensation value set. On other Fujifilm cameras with marked exposure compensation values, if +3EV is set as the camera is pulled out from the bag, that is the value you shoot at – unless you spot it first, of course. The downside with the X-T100’s dial is that you can’t see what is set by looking down at the camera so you need to the check the monitor or EVF. The second anonymous dial on the far left of the body is the Function Dial, as labelled in the manual. In PASM modes its default function is to alter Film Simulation modes, but you can reassign it to 31 functions including none. The same 31 options are also available on the Function button, which sits next to the exposure mode dial. Rounding off the custom function options are the 28 choices available for the four swipe directions (up, down, left and right) of the touch monitor, so given the X-T100’s entry-level price tag, the potential to tailor the camera to your preferred way of working is very good. There is a third unmarked dial and this sits on the rear of the camera and is called the Sub Command Dial. Its orientation is unusual in that it is almost upright not horizontal as we are used to. It can be rotated or pressed to achieve a variety of shooting and playback functions. So, for example, it can be used to adjust aperture in aperture-priority mode or zoom in or out during playback.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Camera test Performance: exposure latitude This set of exposures was shot on a bright sunny day and manually bracketed from a base exposure of 1/500sec at f/8 and ISO 200. The Raws were exposure corrected in Lightroom CC. The usual scenario is that overexposure is handled less ably than underexposure and that was the case with the X-T100 and its Bayer sensor. Shots at +3EV

and +4EV had unrecoverable highlights in the case of our strongly-lit scene. The +2EV and +1EV shots fared much better, with the former recovering to give a result close to the correctly exposed frame but with a minor but easily editable colour shift. Latitude performance was much better with underexposed Raws. Tonally the -4EV shot

looked fine. Close inspection revealed some fine graining in smooth areas of midtones but that didn’t impact on fine detail. The grain got less at -3EV and by -2EV had gone completely, and the recovered result looked the same as the correctly exposed shot. In sum, the Raw exposure latitude performance was well up to the standard expected.

-4EV

-3EV

-2EV

-1EV

+1EV

+2EV

+3EV

Original image

+4EV

Its upright (it is actually very slightly angled) positioning is explained when you try selfie shooting with the monitor positioned to face forward. Rotating the dial adjusts the power zoom while pressing it in takes the picture. It does make one-handed selfie-shooting easier and you’re less likely to drop the camera. For normal shooting, however, its positioning takes a little getting used to but it did prove useful especially pressing it for a magnified image for focus checking, in manual focus or in single point AF use. Our brief tour of the X-T100’s control layout ends at the four-way cluster on the rear panel which covers four key camera functions: autofocus, white-balance, self-timer and drive. The AF and drive options deserve some more explanation. Push the AF segment and rotating the sub command dial alters focus point size, zone options or takes you to the wide option where all 91 AF points come into play. If you just want to adjust a focus point or zone position use the AF control and then use four-way cluster or touchscreen. The drive segment takes you into the usual options of single or continuous drive, with a maximum of six fps. You’ll also find here the HDR feature where the camera takes a series of shots, up to 3EV, with its electronic shutter and merges them together in camera and you can choose to save or delete the result. This is HDR in the conventional sense and designed to help you

It does make onehanded selfie shooting easier and you’re less likely to drop the camera

cope with extreme contrast, and not produce cartoon-like results. It is also worth noting that the camera AEB (autoexposure bracketing) option lets you take from two to nine shots at up to +/3EV, which is impressive given the camera’s price and handy for proper HDR work. Also in the drive menu are two interesting features that are thanks to the camera’s 4K video skills, 4K Burst and Multi Focus mode. The first, 4K Burst, takes a sequence of shots – about 15 in a second and silently – and you can then choose the best shot in camera and save it as a separate JPEG. You get more versatility if you set Pre Record mode. Here the camera starts buffering images as soon as you partially depress the shutter release. When you fully depress the shutter release you get the shot sequence as normal, plus you get those in the buffer within the previous one second. Thus, you get many more pictures to pick from. The Multi Focus mode is similar but this time giving focus stacking effects. The camera shoots 4K video as the focusing distance is automatically adjusted from minimum to infinity. I tried the mode with a variety of lenses including the 15-45mm powerzoom, 23mm, 35mm and 55-200mm. With the last-named the scanning through the focal length range took about 15secs. For good results you do need the camera on a tripod otherwise you get some strange effects and, of course, you need a static scene too.

Images The X-T100’s Raws coped better with underexposed scenes, delivering acceptable results even at -4EV. While latitude performance suffered at the other end of the scale at +4EV, but it had recovered well by +2EV.

Top The unmarked Main Command dial is for exposure compensation while Fn is to assign to options such as ISO or flash mode. Above Access to key functions is via the rear-mounted four-way cluster. This cluster is also used to move the AF point/zone around – there is no focus lever.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Camera test In some cases, I got the monitor message ‘Cannot execute’ but most of the time I got the next menu which lets you select focus range, focus point or leave it to the camera. When the planets align the mode works well enough but you can get some odd effects around highlights, for example. Used within limits, though, good results are possible To test the camera’s focusing and exposure performance I shot a selection of images in a variety of lighting situations. Generally, the camera delivered spot-on results time after time and that applied to auto white-balance too. I tried single point, zone and wide AF. Focusing was fast and sensitive with a variety of lenses and only very low light and low contrast tripped it up. The Wide AF mode works fine for shots of organised groups of people and general distant scenes but

it doesn’t always pick up the right subject to focus on and so the option of quickly sliding into zone or single point AF is welcome. Using the touchscreen to focus and shoot is the other quick way of dealing with the situation, although you can’t do this with the eye up to the viewfinder. Focus tracking in continuous AF mode was okay with subjects with bold lines but it was less able with less defined subjects. For exposures I used multipattern metering and that coped very ably with most situations without the need for exposure compensation. I shot hundreds of shots and only a few were duff, and this was usually when shooting into a strong light. The X-T100’s £619 price includes the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.5 OIS PZ lens which on its own costs £259. The optical construction of this compact zoom is 10 elements in nine groups.

Verdict The X-T100 offers aspiring Fujifilm X-series owners a relatively low cost option and for your money you do get a very well featured product that is capable of impressive image quality and a high standard of performance. You get some interesting features too like Multi Focus mode and 4K Burst Shooting plus easy selfie shooting. Add Fujifilm’s Film Simulation modes and the camera’s creative filters and I can see a lot of people really enjoying their imaging with the X-T100, and you can’t quibble with that.

The option of quickly sliding into zone or single point AF is welcome

Images Multi-pattern metering worked well in most lighting situations, whether 10am or 10pm, without using exposure compensation. Both shots taken at ISO 200.

Performance: ISO The ISO range is ISO 200 up to 12,800 in Raws with the option of expansion to ISO 100 and ISO 25,600 and 51,200 when shooting just JPEGs. So the pictures shown here are original JPEGs in the case of the ISO 25,600 and 51,200 settings while the others started life as Raws that were processed in Lightroom CC with no noise reduction applied. This set of shots was taken at twilight with the X-T100 fitted with a 23mm f/2 lens and mounted on a Manfrotto BeFree GT tripod. The exposure at ISO 200 was 6secs at f/5.6. The camera’s high ISO noise reduction was set to zero. Image quality was impressive at slower speeds but even at ISO 800 there was barely any noise, and fine detail remained at the same level as lower ISO speeds. The situation didn’t change much at ISO 1600 and this speed can be used for critical purposes with no issues. There was evidence of graining in smooth mid-tones but image quality remained high. Go up to ISO 3200 and the deterioration from ISO 1600 was

There is no aperture ring fitted so adjusting f/stops is done via the camera. There are two zoom rings. The broader one gives a smooth zooming action with two speeds, the slower speed being quite quiet so better for video use. You get a whine at the faster speed. The thinner zoom barrel gives a more controlled stepped zoom effect but this emits sound so it’s better for shooting stills. The lens has an integral 3EV benefit image stabilisation system. Turn the camera on and the lens extends to its working position and is ready to shoot in about one second. It is a good starter lens and as the X-T100 is currently being marketed with it, the combination is great value and, of course, once you are into the system there is an extensive range of fully compatible primes and zooms on offer.

Features 22/25 A sound feature set and a workable range of custom options Performance AF can be slightly slow, but generally very good

23/25

Handling 21/25 Flexible monitor and exposure compensation dial get a thumbs-up Value for money 24/25 Great value option to get into the Fujifilm X-system Overall 90/100 The X-T100 is a capable camera, perfect for its target market and nicely priced. Pros Great price, articulating monitor, feature set, good high ISO performance, overall image quality, robust feel Cons Can be slow responding

ISO 200

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO 25,600

ISO 51,200

Original image

surprisingly small, with fine detail still crisp and filmic-looking noise at acceptable levels. With some careful processing of the Raw, there is no reason why you could not get exhibition-quality prints out of files shot at this speed. Grain was more obvious at ISO 6400 but it wasn’t horrendous, although detail did suffer a little at this speed, and at 12,800 image

There is no reason why you could not get exhibition-quality prints out of files

quality began to look less impressive, as you would expect. The two extended speeds, ISO 25,600 and 51,200, are JPEG only. While the amount of noise was acceptable for such high speeds, the camera’s internal processing gave slightly unnatural, over-smooth processed looking results. That said, if you need sharp shots in appalling light they are usable if you accept that look and use the final results at modest sizes. All round, this conventional sensor camera performed really well in respect of ISO, with lovely quality at lower speeds, with the higher speeds of 1600 and 3200 looking very good too.

Above Fine detail remained well resolved and clean, even at ISO 3200.

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Imaging kit

First tests

We get our hands on the latest kit and share our first impressions – so you know whether or not to add it to your wish list Reviews by Will Cheung and Kingsley Singleton

Samsung PRO Endurance microSD 128GB £111.99 Specs Prices Samsung PRO micro SDHC/SDXC 128GB £111.99, 64GB £58.99, 32GB £30.99 Capacities 128GB: 43,800 hours FHD recording, over 1200 uncompressed 14-bit Raws from a 45-megapixel DSLR 64GB: 26,280 hours FHD recording 32GB: 17,520 hours FHD recording Read/write speeds Read speeds 100MB/s, write speeds 30MB/s Key features Waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray proof and magnetic proof Operating temperatures -25°C to 85°C Contact samsung.com/memorycard

Memory cards are essential for modern day life, whether for use in a digital camera, phone, tablet, dashcam, drone or closed-circuit TV. Whatever their use speed, capacity and reliability are key needs. Samsung has built a strong reputation for high performance cards that can survive the most challenging situations and satisfy the demands of critical users who expect nothing else than 100% reliability. Its latest addition to the memory card family is the PRO Endurance microSD, a range designed for all sorts of uses and especially for closedcircuit TV systems where long-term, non-stop use is part of the job. This new range of course still embraces Samsung’s four-proof technology so cards are freeze proof, waterproof, X-ray proof and magnetic proof. With the security blanket of Samsung’s four-proof feature, this means that, short

of physical destruction, PRO Endurance cards will perform capably and with total reliability. I don’t have access to a powerful X-ray machine or a very strong magnet but I do have running water and a freezer. I submerged the card in fresh water for 30 minutes and it continued to perform flawlessly once dried off, then left it in the freezer for 30 minutes too and the card carried on as before with no issues. We’re not a CCTV or dashcam magazine so we just tested the PRO Endurance microSD card in a Nikon D850 and a Fujifilm X-T2, shooting 4K video and stills including shooting large numbers of Raws for focusing stacking. On a standard D850, in continuous shooting mode I got 21 full-size uncompressed Raws at 7fps and the file writing light went out after 37 seconds.

Claimed read speed is 100MB/s. A test using the BlackMagic Disk Speed Test app showed a read speed of 88.9MB/s (left) while a practical test moving 16GB of data using a new, high-spec Chillblast laptop (also tested in this issue) showed a read speed of 75MB/s. Samsung says write speed is 30MB/s and the BlackMagic test showed this was conservative as that rated the card at 33MB/s. Using the Chillblast laptop gave a practical write speed of 32.7MB/s. This card’s write speed is not the fastest around but it is stamina not speed that is its selling point and it is quick enough to deal with 4K recording and for highres file-burst shooting. Needless to say, but I will say it anyway, I experienced no reliability issues during this card’s test and the card proved to be totally capable. WC

This means that, short of physical destruction, PRO Endurance cards will perform capably

Above Samsung’s four-proof technology helps deliver reliable performance time after time in the most demanding environments.

Verdict Samsung’s reputation for reliable, great value memory cards has been built by delivering what it promises. On this showing, the PRO Endurance range will only enhance its already high standing in the storage card market. Pros Reliable, Samsung’s four proof features Cons Nothing

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM £1299

Specs Price £1299 Format 35mm and APS-C Mount Canon EF

There is no such thing as the perfect lens, but you could say that the first edition of Canon’s 70-200mm f/4L IS USM got pretty darn close. For its range, it was compact, lightweight and delivered a fine optical performance at an attractive price. Indeed, when it came out in late 2006 it was among the very best telezooms around. But times and the demands of the latest high megapixel cameras change, so 12 years later, we have the Mark II. Compare the specifications of both lenses and you’ll see few differences. It is still a Canon ‘white’ lens (and it is white, not cream), dust and water resistant, and f/4 is constant through the focal length range. Dig deeper and changes are apparent. It is heavier (by 20g), has closer minimum focus, the filter size is 72mm (as opposed to 67mm) and there are three image stabiliser modes with a greater claimed benefit – the Mark II giving +5EV compared with +4EV. The optical formula and lens coatings have been updated, including fluorine coating on the front and rear elements; the 20 elements in 15 groups construction remains identical. I used the sample lens on a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. Handling was really

Images London skyline shot with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM. nice, the lens and camera giving a lovely balanced combination. The broad zoom grip is great to use and covering the whole range is done in less than one quarter turn. About the same width is the focusing barrel, which gives full-time AF override. AF itself was very swift and smooth with no hunting. In other words, the Mark II autofocuses as smartly and reliably as any Canon zoom.

The image stabiliser’s three modes are 1 for static subjects; 2 for panning; and 3 is for subjects that move erratically. So, for example, you’re shooting football with mode 3, with your finger depressing the shutter release so you have metering and AF active; the camera is making IS calculations but without actually affecting the image. It is only when the shutter release is fully depressed that

70mm

135mm

200mm

F/4

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

Construction 20 elements in 15 groups Special lens elements Two ultra-low dispersion, one fluorite Coatings SSC (Super Spectra Coating), fluorine coating on front and rear elements Filter size 72mm Aperture range F/4-32 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Autofocus USM Manual focus Yes, full-time override Minimum focus 1m Focus limiter Yes, full and 3m to infinity Maximum magnification 0.27x at 200mm Distance scale Yes Depth-of-field scale No

F/16

F/22

F/32

Image stabiliser Yes, three modes, 5EV benefit Tripod collar Not supplied Lens hood Supplied Weather-sealed Yes, dust and moisture sealed Dimensions 80x176mm Weight 780g Contact canon.co.uk

the IS kicks in. So in mode 3, you avoid that slight image reframing you can get when IS is constantly active, as in mode 1 with the shutter button half-down. Assuming that the base shutter speed for using the 200mm setting is 1/250sec, a 5EV benefit, in theory, means getting sharp shots at 1/8sec. To test this out I did a handholding test in mode 1 with the lens at 200mm taking five shots at shutter speeds, including the fractional values, from 1/8sec to 1/60sec. Shots taken below 1/15sec were not so successful, but at 1/15sec I achieved three out of five acceptably sharp shots, and my success rate increased to four out of five at 1/20sec, 1/25sec and 1/30sec. It was generally an impressive showing, but perhaps the claimed 5EV benefit was pushing it. Optically, the lens is a very capable performer at the three tested focal lengths, 70mm, 135mm and 200mm all giving highly detailed images with high contrast levels. My processed Raws looked really lovely on screen – I did some London skyline shots and they simply oozed fine detail. The lens started well at 70mm and f/4, with impressive resolution across the frame and performance improving further at f/5.6, with f/8 being, marginally, the best overall aperture for centre and edge sharpness. Sharpness did drop off from f/16 onwards. At f/16 detail was still good but clearly less impressive than the peak of the wider settings, but f/22 and f/32 are not that great and best avoided. Performance went up a notch at the 135mm setting, and detail resolution at f/4 and f/5.6 was very good indeed. F/8 was still the optimum aperture, and if you want critical sharpness at the wider settings you will get it at 135mm. F/11 was still impressive before tailing off again from f/16 onwards. A similar pattern followed at 200mm and you see lovely quality and fine detail rendition at f/4 and f/5.6, with a peak reached at f/8 before falling away, with f/22 and f/32 not really worth using. Flare was well controlled and there was also evidence of fringing, but that was easily dealt with in software. WC

Verdict Upgrades usually come with a price hike, and Canon’s 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM is no exception at £1299 compared with the Mark I, which is available for £1099. I didn’t have the two lenses to do a side-by-side comparison but I do know the Mark II delivered a lovely optical performance and produced really sharp, detail-packed images – the exceptions were the smallest apertures but that will be largely irrelevant to most users. With this in mind, I have no hesitation in recommending this Canon lens. Pros Impressive optical quality, compact and light for focal length range Cons Tripod collar extra

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £1499 Format Full-frame and APS-C Mount Canon, Nikon, Sigma, Sony E-mount Construction 17 elements in 12 groups Special lens elements 3xFLD glass, 2xSLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass, 1x aspherical element Coatings Super Multi-Layer Coating; front of the lens is protected by water and oil-repellent coating Filter size 105mm Aperture range F/1.4-f/16 Diaphragm Nine rounded blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 100cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 1:8.3 Distance scale Yes Depth-of-field scale F/16 only

Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art £1499 Sigma’s already great reputation for excellent-quality optics has only been enhanced further with its Art series, especially the primes, winning plaudits and critical acclaim from photographers everywhere. Its latest introduction is the 105mm f/1.4 DG, a lens marketed by Sigma as the ‘bokeh master’, and the flagship of the f/1.4 Art family. The Sigma 105mm f/1.4 is full frame and APS-C compatible, features Sigma’s impressive HSM autofocusing, and comes with a tripod collar with an Arca Swiss compatible foot. The collar can be removed, which is a good thing given that the lens is very likely going to be used for portraits, because it frees you up and does save a few grams. You also get a deep, lockable lens hood (made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic) but, given the large acreage of expensive glass at the front, I’d budget £100-120 for a 105mm UV filter. Its impressive girth and large glass frontage (that its super-fast aperture needs) still doesn’t prepare you for this lens’s heft. It is a beast, weighing in at 1645g – the only lens of similar spec currently on the market is the Nikon 105mm f/1.4 E, and that is a mere 985g. I used the lens on a couple of Canons, the EOS 6D Mark II and the EOS 5D Mark IV. You won’t need telling that the lens was very much the senior partner on both DSLRs, but that didn’t compromise handling

and I thought both camera/lens combinations worked well. That said, and clearly we are all different, but from my perspective holding the camera up to my eye was not something I’d like to do for long. The nature of portrait photography does mean you don’t have the camera up to eye for long and that is a good thing, but a day-long shoot with this lens and your forearms will certainly know all about it. Its heft also means you need to make sure your camera-holding technique is up to scratch. I soon remembered to keep my left elbow tucked into my ribs for maximum support, especially as there is no built-in image stabiliser. Autofocusing with the two test cameras was impressive, with great responsiveness in a variety of lighting and contrast situations. It was also speedy, although marginally slower compared with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 I had on test at the same time. The Sigma’s broad manual focus barrel gives full-time override, so no problem fine-tuning AF. Manual override is occasionally needed with this lens when you are shooting at the wider apertures because there is not much depth-of-field. Try a close-up portrait, for example, and you need the subject to be straight on to you if you want both eyes sharp – if you want to enjoy this lens’s ‘bokeh master’ qualities just be extra careful with focusing and don’t assume the focus is spot on because

Its heft means you need to make sure that your cameraholding technique is up to scratch

Image stabilizer No Tripod collar Yes, Arca Swiss foot, 1/4in bush Lens hood Yes, made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic. A protective cover is also provided Weather-sealed Yes Filter size 105mm

TOP IMAGE Shooting towards a bright sun, even if it is out of the frame, can produce ghosting – and this is with the lens hood fitted. The effect can be nice, though, in the right situation. LEFT This lens is a big beast, in terms of size and image quality.

Dimensions 115.9x131.5mm Weight 1.645kg Contact sigma-imaging-uk.com

Original image

Images Test shots were taken on a Canon EOS Mark IV with the combination fixed to a Gitzo Systematic Series 4 carbon-fibre tripod.

F/1.4

the camera AF confirmation LED says so. Once you have taken a shot, and assuming you have the time, it is worth just checking that what you want in focus is in focus. I did some handholding tests with the lens on the EOS 5D Mark IV held up to the eye. While I got some sharp pictures at 1/30sec and 1/60sec, I personally would prefer to be at 1/125sec and above, and with long shooting sessions when arm fatigue is a factor even that might not be enough. The sharpness you get from this lens is impressive. There’s no point having a fast aperture lens if you can’t use it at its widest setting, but in the case of this Sigma I’d be happy shooting wide open and enjoying the very limited depthof-field and bokeh. At f/1.4, fine detail was very nicely recorded across the frame. My test shots are full of contrast and have a lovely crispness to them. Stopping down one and two stops does take quality to an even higher plane but the benefits are minimal because the bar is already at a high level. In fact, you could use this lens at any aperture – including f/16 – knowing that you’ll get lovely crisp, detail-packed pictures. Shooting towards the sun, even with the lens hood in place, can result in ghosting. This can actually look good and add to the image in the right situation, but worth being aware of in case you don’t want it. WC

Verdict

F/2

F/2.8

F/4

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

F/16

There is no doubt that the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is a deeply impressive lens, with great sharpness and the potential for gorgeous bokeh. If there is a potential weakness, it could be you and your technique. To get the most from this beast – a beautiful one, admittedly – you need to make sure your camera skills are up to scratch and that the camera and lens are working in perfect harmony, because there is no room for error at its wider apertures. When it all comes right, though, I can see why Sigma says this is its f/1.4 Art flagship. Pros Lovely bokeh, sharpness, Arca Swiss fit tripod collar supplied Cons It’s seriously hefty, 105mm filter thread

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £499 Format APS-C Mount Canon EOS M, Fujifilm, Sony E Construction 15 elements in ten groups Special lens elements Two aspherical elements, three extra low dispersion elements Coatings Not specified Filter size 49mm Aperture range F2.8-22 Diaphragm Seven blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Manual only Minimum focus 12cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 0.27x at 200mm Distance scale Yes, feet and metres Depth-of-field scale Yes – to f/11 Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No Lens hood Bayonet fit hood supplied Weather-sealed No Dimensions 60x53mm Weight 215g Contact laowalens.co.uk

Original image

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D £499 Laowa has found itself a niche in the lens market offering prime lenses with character, and its 9mm f/2.8 is one of its two recent arrivals. The other is a 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x macro lens, and we’ll be testing it very soon. The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 is a manual focus, manual aperture ultrawide lens for the APS-C format, so the approximate 35mm equivalent focal length is around 14mm. It is available in Canon EOS M, Fujifilm X and Sony E fittings, and we tested it on a Sony A7R. Manual focusing is not too much of problem with this lens because there is plenty of depth-of-field. According to the lens’ depth-of-field scale, f/8 gives depth-of-field from infinity to around 30cm. I can’t be any more specific than that because the lens’s distance markings are sparse, but it does mean for many shooting situations you don’t even have to worry about focusing so long as you are in the ball park. On the Sony, manual focus is assisted with its focus peaking feature. At wide apertures and with subjects close to the camera you will probably need to pay attention and actually adjust the manual focusing ring. This, by the way, is smooth and nicely weighted, and from infinity to its minimum focus is just under half a full rotation. The aperture ring is click-stopped in full f/stop values, with the travel between f/2.8 and f/4 being the furthest. The gap decreases as the apertures get smaller and there is no f/16 marked on the ring, just a white dot. The aperture is manual, so you may need to set your camera up to give a bright viewing image. A lens hood is supplied for the lens and while it bayonets on, it does not lock in position. Just be aware that the hood can vignette the image if it is not correctly seated in place. On our sample, no EXIF camera for aperture was available – there was a lighting value but that was all. The lens vignettes a tiny bit throughout its aperture range, which gives a slight tunnel vision effect. This is most prominent at f/2.8, and while stopping down lessens it slightly, vignetting is present at all f/stops. (As I often add some vignetting in editing

Images If you fancy ‘a walk on the wide side’ then this lens is worth a look – optical performance is pretty impressive, and straight lines stay straight.

this is not a problem for me, and easily cured in processing if desired.) Distortion is claimed to be very low and that certainly seems to be the case, with straight lines staying straight – even at the edges of the frame. Optical performance is pretty impressive, especially given the lens’s angle of view and price. At f/2.8 the centre is respectably sharp without being stunning, and the image does soften off as you move towards the corners and edges. Stopping down has the desired benefit, and by f/5.6 the centre and corners have improved significantly, while for the best all-round performance f/8 is the aperture to use. F/11 is still good before sharpness drops off at f/16 and f/22. With the vast depth-of-field available even at f/8 and f/11, you will probably find that you don’t need the smallest settings anyway. WC

Verdict F/2.8

F/4

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

F/16

F/22

Images Test images shot on a Sony A7R mounted on a Manfrotto Befree Advanced GT carbon tripod, and processed through Lightroom.

The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 is a fun lens to use. Its extreme wide view can do wonders for strong foreground and lead-in lines, so can make for dramatic compositions. It is just a matter of being bold with your compositions and getting in close to make the most of it – and making sure your fingers or feet don’t appear in the frame. Ultrawide lenses don’t appeal to everyone, but I love them and for its price, this Laowa is well worth checking out if you yearn for a walk on the wide side. It’s a solid performer, compact and its price is more than a little reasonable. Pros Wide view, compact, vignetting at every aperture looks good Cons Vignetting at every aperture – annoying if you don’t like the look

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £39.99 – available in Jet Black, Sky Blue, Cherry Blossom Pink Film Fujifilm Instax mini colour twinpack £14.99 (20 shots), mini monochrome £9.99 (10 shots), rainbow £9.99 Dimensions 140x110x52mm Weight 365g Contact swains.co.uk

KiiPix £39.99

There are several ways to get prints from your phone but none to rival KiiPix for speed and simplicity 1

Load the film. There’s a choice of Instax films to pick from. 5

Position the phone platform across the two arms.

More pictures are captured than ever before and most of those are shot on camera phones. There are several ways to get prints from your phone pictures but there are none to rival the Tomy KiiPix for speed and simplicity. It is a stand-alone, lightweight and compact device, making it ideal for the handbag, manbag, kid’s daysack or camera bag. Fundamentally, the KiiPix is a camera and all it does is take a picture of the image on the phone and output it onto Fujifilm Instax film. Setting it up ready for use takes seconds and there’s no need for battery, mains or hooking up to a network. The Instax film pack is loaded into the base and a few cranks of the 2

Use the crank to eject the film’s protective cover. 6

Place the phone with the picture showing on the platform.

wind knob sends out the protective insert and sets the frame counter to 10. The next step is to fold out the unit’s two arms and slide out the frame which sits on top of the two arms – this where the phone is placed. Taking out this frame releases the springloaded lens panel which moves into the correct position. A small plastic mirror gives you an idea that the phone is correctly positioned. Personally, I didn’t find this very useful but it was easy enough just to crouch or bend down and look back up to the phone’s screen and position the phone that way. I was using an older Apple iPhone 5C and its 4in screen is smaller than many more modern phones so my 3

Open the supports and remove the phone stage to release the lens. 7

Take the picture. The exposure settings are fixed.

shots had a b l ack edge. And its resolution is lower too but I had no issues with image quality. The black border problem disappears with larger screen phones but then you need to be accurate with the composition to avoid cropping off something important. With the phone in place, just take the picture and rotate the wind crank several times and the exposed film comes out. Hey presto, a few minutes later and you have a lovely, finished Instax print. 4

You can just see the plastic mirror – here, at six o’clock to the lens. 8

Operate the crank to eject the film and watch the image appear.

My first print was too dark and poorly framed. I turned up the brightness of the phone’s screen, too much to start with – turning it down slightly gave the best result. I lost two prints due to poor exposures but once that issue was sorted I got eight spot-on prints. The process is as simple as that. There are no settings to adjust on the KiiPix itself so nothing to go wrong, and it’s fun for the whole family. WC

Verdict The KiiPix is dead easy to use and a great way to share your shots – and to enjoy the Fujifilm Instax phenomenon without the need for another camera. I can see KiiPixs turning up at weddings and parties. One of these units and a few packs of film will give any social event an extra fun dimension. At £39.99 the KiiPix’s price is attractive too and its low tech design means there’s nothing to go wrong or technology to conquer. Recommended. Pros Compact, no batteries or network needed, easy to use Cons Reflective patch for composition could be bigger and better

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

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Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs

Lowepro PhotoStream SP 200 £269.95 Go to any travel hub and you’ll see that almost every case will be of the wheelie variety, but not all wheelies are created equal. Most are two wheels and of course two is better than none at all, but they are pulled along and that can be hard work compared to the four-wheel jobs that can be really easily pushed as you walk along

Price £269.95 Colour Black External dimensions 55x36x21cm Internal dimensions 46x32x17cm Tablet compartment dimensions 38x31x4cm Handle height Max extension to 104cm off the ground Weight 4.4kg Contact lowepro.com/uk-en

smooth floors, and then pulled when you get to carpeted areas. The PhotoStream SP 200 is a four-wheel case and ideal for photographers on the move, and suitable for full-frame, mediumformat as well as serious mirrorless outfits. It is spacious enough for a camera kit together with a portable flash kit; its 8.8in depth means many lenses can be stood on their ends. This case’s wheels run very smoothly and the extending handle comes up to a good height, locking firmly into position (there are two heights). A solid ‘armoured’ front panel made from moulded EVA feels strong and firm, and the base has extra (removable) padding so protection levels are impressively high. The supplied divider set with Velcro flaps offers plenty of layout flexibility, and dividers stay put once positioned. The picture (top right) gives you an idea of load potential and flexibility. Two cameras, lenses, filters and flashgun fitted nicely, so the SP 200 certainly has all the capacity I’d need. WC Images A solid build with plenty of versatile space.

Specs Price £114.95 Colour Black Cordura or Grey Canvex All weather cover Fitted External dimensions 29x15x45cm Internal dimensions 27x12x42cm Camera compartment dimensions 27x12x29cm Tablet compartment dimensions 24x11x4cm Weight 900g Contact lowepro.com/uk-en

Lowepro m-Trekker BP 150 £114.95 The lower profile of mirrorless cameras and the typically smaller lenses means the bag you had for your DSLR outfit is probably no longer suitable. That’s right, downsizing your camera is a good excuse for a new bag, and here’s a backpack designed for a decentsized mirrorless outfit. It is available in Black Cordura or Grey Canvex, and an integrated all-weather cover is fitted as standard. This is essentially a two-section backpack, although the floor of the top compartment can be folded down to give one larger storage area. Access to the camera storage bottom section is via the back panel only, which gives good gear security but does mean getting at your kit takes longer, although this can be mitigated by swapping stuff in the two sections around. So I used the bag by putting my camera and a spare lens in the top section, and moved snacks, drink and a waterproof jacket down to the

Images Lightweight and wellmade, with generous capacity, the m-Trekker BP 150 can fit a decent amount of kit – plus snacks – into its two sections. lower section. A travel tripod can also be stowed under the bag. Comfort rates highly thanks to the padded back panel and wide shoulder straps: it’s comfortable to carry even when fully laden. However, I would have liked a sternum strap. WC

Verdict The m-Trekker BP 150 is a great value slimline backpack with impressive capacity for a decentsized mirrorless imaging outfit, including a laptop. Pros Thin profile, capacity, two side pockets and one front pocket Cons No sternum strap

Verdict Lowepro’s PhotoStream SP 200 is a top case, really well put together, featuring a first-rate wheelset and plenty of storage space, plus high levels of padded protection. It rates highly in use and I had no issues with the wheels or the case’s protection skills. It’s not a cheap unit but its build quality makes it very good value. Pros Great wheelset, high level of protection, plenty of dividers supplied Cons A secure front pocket for documents would have been nice

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £169.95 Material 450Dx300D Melange Polyester with PUx2 coating Tripod holder Yes (on webbing) Sternum strap Yes Laptop pocket Yes, 15in Waist belt No Zip Heavy duty Dimensions (wxlxd) Exterior: 31x46x18cm; camera compartment: 25x18x14cm Weight 1.5kg Contact wolffepack.com

The system looks eccentric, but it actually works

Wolffepack Capture £169.95 It’s a brave company that tries to do something different in the photography bag market. Most of us have been carting the same basic designs around for years. There’s a reason for that though: if they stop your kit from getting smashed to pieces, or soaking wet, and if the zips work, most of us are happy, right? The Wolffepack Capture uses ‘orbital trapeze technology’ to solve a perennial problem: how do you reach your kit without taking your bag off? Its solution is to split the design into a separate harness and bag. The bag is attached to the harness with three cords, and when released from the harness it drops off your back, stopping at the end of its tether. You then grab it and swing it around to your front, where you can access your gear. If you want to use both hands, say for changing lenses, you hook the bag onto the harness using two clips. The system looks eccentric, but it actually works, although it feels odd at first. On the right shoulder strap is a handle with a red button; press this and pull the handle down to release the bag. As the bag lowers, the handle moves up, finally reaching a ‘hood’ on the shoulder, when you can let go and grab the bag. It’s arguably more fluid for righties; if you’re a southpaw, you’ll have to release your grip on the handle before bringing the bag around, but it can be done from either side of the body. You pull on the handle again to lift the bag up and it locks back into place. The handle then clips to the right-hand strap to keep it still in transit. The first thing I wondered was: won’t the bag hit the ground if you’re short? The second was: will it still be easy to lift when packed with gear? I tried it with a 5ft4in person, and when the bag reached the end of its cords, there was still six inches

Images A new design to solve an old problem, but will it work for you? between it and the ground. Obviously, there will be a user height where the bag does make contact, but it’s more likely you’d catch it on a rock or other obstruction. That said, gear is placed in the protected pod at the top of the bag, which wouldn’t be the first part to come into contact with an object.

This pod is well made with two adjustable dividers, and an elasticated memory card pocket, as well as a zipped pocket for small accessories, but it’s not large. The bag has a quoted capacity of 26 litres, but that’s based on the whole inner. The camera section measures 18x25x14cm; all

Using the Wolffepack Capture Images Spot a shot, release bag from harness, swing round to front, take out camera, and shoot – all without your bag touching the ground. It’s a handy system when faced with the prospect of putting your backpack down in an area of “beastly mud and oomska” but how well does it function when loaded?

I could fit in was a Nikon D850 with 85mm lens attached and a 24-70mm. It’s therefore much better suited to smaller cameras and lenses. The camera pod is attached by Velcro into the top section, so can be removed. Behind the pod is a laptop sleeve taking up to a 15in model. On the front is zippered access to a pocket which curls under the pod – a good spot for a waterproof, food and other supplies as these sit under the camera gear and won’t drip on it. So, the second question: how does it work when full? Basically, every bit of weight you add is going to make it harder to use the bag’s lifting mechanism. With the previously mentioned kit (weighing roughly 2.2kg), the over-the-shoulder action was manageable for me, but my 5ft4in test subject could not lift it back into position. Increasing the load with a 15in Macbook Pro (another 2kg), it got harder still. Despite the bag feeling fine on the shoulders, I needed two hands to lift it back into position. Now, imagine adding water, clothing, a tripod, even spare batteries. At that point, although the cords attaching bag to harness are rated holding 300kg, the design loses function. The bag’s outer is good, and made from thick PU-coated fabric, so it’s slightly water repellent. And there’s an all-weather cover at the very bottom. There’s no waterproof pad on the bottom, but that would sort of miss the point of the design. In carrying, the bag is fine. The harness is not the most comfortable, and, because of the way the bag attaches, it tends to wobble in transit. A deep airflow system improves comfort though and the shoulder straps are wide and adjustable. There’s a sternum strap, but no waist strap; again, due to the design, this might not be all that effective even if it were there. All the zips worked well with no snagging or dragging, which aids one-handed operation. The side pockets are reasonably big, but they’re not elasticated, so don’t grip objects or expand when required. Style wise, in a mid-tone grey with black details, the Capture looks pretty tidy. KS

Verdict The idea of getting to your gear without removing your bag has been tried in lots of forms: sling bags, bags that rotate around your waist, backpacks with a side opening that can be hung from a one shoulder... or you could just use a shoulder bag. Personally, I like a bag with a waterproof bottom pad or outer that you can just put down anywhere. The Wolffepack Capture is a well made bag and innovative; the system is clever and functions well up to a point in weight. I’d use it for small, light DSLRs and CSCs only. Pros Well made, functional up to a point Cons Design only works if bag is lightly filled

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price From £1349.99 Memory 16GB DDR4 2133MHz, configuration 2x 8GB Solid state drive 250GB Samsung 970 EVO M.2 Solid State Drive Hard drive Seagate 1TB 2.5in Slim Hard Drive CPU Intel Core i7-8750H Coffee Lake CPU, 6 Cores, 2.2 – 4.1GHz Optical drive None Operating system Windows 10 Home 64-bit Display 15.6in 3840x2160 resolution PLS widescreen, 72% of NTSC colour gamut Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Audio Intel High Definition Audio, 2x built-in speakers Networking LAN 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Other features Kensington lock support, six-inone card reader, HD webcam Interfaces 1x USB 3.1 type C, 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x RJ45 LAN Port, 1x HDMI port, 2x mini display port, 2x audio jack Battery Six cell smart lithium-ion battery Dimensions 378x267x24.9mm Weight 2.5kg Warranty Five-year warranty, two years collect and return (UK only), lifetime tech support by Chillblast Contact chillblast.co.uk

Chillblast Photo OC Mobile 5 4K From £1349.99 If you want a laptop for your photography, visit any major department store or electrical retailer and you will find plenty to choose from. But what you won’t see on offer are laptops customised for photography – and that’s where award-winning computer brand Chillblast has the upper hand. It specialises in building computers – desktops as well as laptops – for gaming, business use and imaging. Its latest laptop is the Photo OC Mobile 5 4K, a machine that is designed to provide desktop performance on location. At this unit’s heart is a 6-core i7 processor running at speeds of up to 4.1GHz for superfast handling of large files, supported by 16GB of RAM. There are two internal hard drives, a 250GB Samsung SSD and a conventional 1TB hard drive, so there’s plenty of storage on hand, which is especially important when you’re shooting away from base. The laptop’s screen is an impressive 15.6in PLS, high resolution 3840x2160pixel panel that shows images in stunning detail, and covers 72% of the NTSC colour gamut. The screen does come at a cost, and at 2.5kg is a substantial unit – but it is wellbuilt. Handily, the keyboard is blue backlit so there are no issues working in the dark. As a right-handed user, the trackpad, positioned left of centre, was not ideal and slightly awkward. It’s left-sided due to the presence of the number pad section, which is not actually for numbers by default but a four-way/navigation pad. So, whether you want computing power on the move or prefer a spacesaving laptop as your main home computer, this Chillblast machine gives you that choice. I tried both options with a model that was loaded with Lightroom CC as well as Photoshop CC. For my home work station I have two 27in BenQ screens with mini display port leads, so this Chillblast unit slotted in perfectly and I didn’t have to swap any leads over – with one HDMI and one USB-C interface, there are plenty of connection options.

Images Clean and clear, but the large screen does make for a heavier item.

The SD card slot took 213 seconds to write 16GB of images

At a time when certain computer brands (Apple!) are eschewing card readers with their laptops, having the facility on this Chillblast is very welcome. The SD card slot, using a Samsung Endurance PRO 128GB Micro SD card in an adaptor, took 213 seconds to write 16GB of images. To give an idea of how quickly large files are handled, I opened a 1GB Photoshop file. It took 15 seconds – and that included the time it took

to open the software, which is very impressive. In best-performance mode, screen brightness of 50% and with the lower screen brightness deselected, the laptop ran for 150 minutes until battery power level dropped to 20%. This was with Explorer, Lightroom and Photoshop CC open, with regular switching between the last three. From 20% charge it took just over two hours to reach 100% charge. WC

Verdict The Chillblast Photo OC Mobile 5 is an excellent value, high performing unit with a fast processor and an impressive screen. Image editing and large files are fundamental to modern imaging and the ideal computer is one that enables a smooth, efficient workflow, with capacity to spare. That’s what this Chillblast unit offers, so it comes highly recommended.

Images The Chillblast Photo OC Mobile 5 offers plenty of options for connection, including HDMI and USB-C interface, plus SD card slot.

Pros Speed, interface options, great value, storage capacity, screen Cons Left-sided trackpad position, battery life, weighty

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Technique

Camera School Here we lift the lid on all things camera related, showing how to get better results from your CSC or DSLR, and providing all the info you don’t find in the manual. So, stick with us and you’ll soon be wielding your camera like a pro. This month, do you need hard or soft neutral density grads, and where should you position them in the frame? Words & pictures by Kingsley Singleton

Poor use of hard grad

Good use of soft grad

Neutral density (ND) grads are vital in helping photographers balance light levels across the frame. They block more light at one end of the filter than the other, so bright and dim parts of the frame can be correctly exposed in the same shot; for example in landscape photography to stop a bright sky losing detail. These filters come in different strengths, so all you have to do is match that to the difference in brightness between the light and dark parts, and you’ll have a much better exposure. We covered all this in detail in last month’s Camera School, so if you want a refresher, head back to that. This time, though, we’re going to look at the intricacies of using ND grads. WHAT ARE HARD AND SOFT GRADS? There are two main types of ND grads – hard and soft – though you can also increasingly find medium grads. It’s simply to do with the rate of transition from clear to filtered. As mentioned previously, an ND grad is clear at one end and darkened at the other, so, while a soft grad might take, for example, three or four centimetres of the filter’s surface to go from clear to filtered, a hard grad will likely do this in one centimetre or less. A medium grad will be somewhere between the two. There’s no standardisation for these transitions, but they’re obvious to see when you hold the filter up to the light. WHICH TYPE TO YOU NEED? How steep, or rapid, the gradient you need to use depends on the scene in question, on the focal length of the lens you’re using and, of course, your intentions for the image. Though they seem obvious in your hand, the

effect of soft grads is very subtle; for example the area of transition may cover most of the front element of the lens, and therefore most of the scene. This is useful if the horizon is broken, with hills, trees or buildings jutting into it. Conversely, if you’re shooting a scene with a flat horizon, a soft grad might take too long to filter the light. This is where hard grads come in. Despite their transitions looking almost unusably harsh to your naked eye, when placed on the lens, they’re more forgiving, and perfect for unobstructed horizons like low, distant hills, or the sea. Again this is due to the amount of the front element they’re covering – 10mm of transition on a lens with a 77mm filter fitting might be nearly 15% of the frame. Just as with soft grads, there are limitations; on broken horizons, like mountains, a hard grad will show as an unnatural line. Broadly, the longer the focal length or the smaller the front element of the lens, the more of the image the grad will cover. In the case of telephoto lenses you’re simply magnifying the graduated portion along with the scene, so it will look softer.

Images A hard grad works best on scenes with a fairly straight horizon (below left), but can be an issue in scenes the above, where part of the scene (here, the wall on the left side) is protruding clear of the horizon. WHAT ARE REVERSE GRADS Another type of ND you’ll find is reverse grads – these are aimed are photographers shooting sunsets, where the brightest part of the frame is in the middle. They’re still darker at one end and clear at the other, but the middle is denser, so as to balance that area. You can actually get a similar effect by reversing another graduated filter over the first, leading to a darker band in the middle. WHERE SHOULD YOU POSITION THE GRAD? To get a natural-looking effect, the grad must be positioned to suit the scene. This is why grad filters are physically taller than full NDs, allowing you to move them up or down to fit the scene. You can also angle them if needed, for example when shooting from a hillside. The grad should usually be placed near to the horizon as that’s where the change in brightness will occur, but with a soft grad it’s often better

to place them a little lower. The one thing you really don’t want is an obvious strip of unfiltered light, such as when using a hard grad too far above the horizon. Conversely, too low will make the land look unnaturally dark. HOW TO TELL WHERE THE GRAD SHOULD BE Judging where you place the grad can be done by eye through a camera’s optical viewfinder, but what you’re seeing is the lens at its widest aperture, so the grad won’t be that obvious unless you use the depthof-field preview button to show the effect of a smaller aperture. You can also do it by trial and error, shooting and reviewing images, but this can be tiresome with longer exposures, as well as annoying if you miss the best light having wasted time. Using live view is a good method, either on screen or via an EVF, as you should be getting a WYSIWYG view of the scene.

NEXT MONTH WHAT DO POLARISING FILTERS DO AND HOW TO USE THEM?

Photography News | Issue 58 | photographynews.co.uk

Competition

WIN!

Editor’s letter

Time to go prime? It is a fact that zoom lenses outsell fixed focal length lenses (or primes) hugely and that has been the case for several decades. A wide range of focal lengths on tap with a twist of the lens barrel makes zooms a compelling purchase for most camera users. The downsides are few: zooms have slower maximum apertures; they can be bulky, notably with wides and standard lenses; and image quality is poorer, although it’s true this particular gap between the two lens types is not that wide nowadays. Such was the dominance of zooms that there was hardly any interest in primes, but there has been a welcome renaissance in recent times. There are any number of reasons for this. It could be that the primes are needed to make the most of the latest high-resolution cameras. Or it could be a generational thing. Perhaps today’s prime lens shooter grew up with zooms and has just realised that primes have serious benefits, but also that getting the best from them means working a little harder – moving your feet – at the point of capture, and this appeals, in the same way that using camera filters does. Or it could be likened to the big interest in instant prints, notably Fujifilm Instax, among younger image makers. They may know little about film photography (and have never heard of Kodak) and grew up with digital but love those little prints where the image appears as if by magic. Experienced photographers who in their time grew up with instant film from Kodak and Polaroid as well as Fujifilm are still in the mindset of ‘instant pictures = expense’ and unappreciative of the joy of instant, analogue images. Going back to the joy of primes, to be honest, I was a very late adopter of zooms and I loved nothing more than shooting with my bag filled with 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 85mm and 200mm lenses. Zooms did arrive in my bag but they never truly won me over. Primes clearly delivered sharper shots and straight lines stayed straight and didn’t go banana-shaped, even though it’s true that issues like lens distortion and chromatic aberration can now solved with a click of a mouse – unless you shoot film. Anyway, what I am endeavouring to say is that my first love is primes; so when I invested in the Fujifilm X-system I went for primes first, although that was partly driven by the great deal on the X-Pro1 and lenses at the time. Thus, I love the move among lens brands, especially among the independents, to invest

A Samsung memory card!

in primes. Tamron and, much more notably, Sigma are two examples, and while zooms are still their mainstays, the recognition that there is a place for primes at the top table is brilliant. Some long-established brands – Zeiss and Voigtlander – have always been in the prime camp and the newer kids on the block such as Samyang and Laowa are making their names with primes, too The upshot of all this is that we are spoilt for choice, whichever lens type you prefer. Quality and handling aside, what I think is great with primes is what I mentioned earlier: they make you work. I’m not talking working 12-hour shifts in the salt mines type work, but what I do mean is the difference between lazily adjusting the zoom barrel or moving your feet to get better compositions. And before you throw down your copy of PN in disgust and fire me an angry email or slag me off on social media, of course I am not saying that zoom users are lazy – although a great many are – but it is the case that zooms can make photographers less willing to work on shots, thinking that a twist of the zoom barrel is sufficient. Well, often it isn’t. The moral – if there is one – is use your feet and vary viewpoint regardless of which lens type you are using. Next time you’re out shooting, just take a moment, assuming you have the chance, to double check your composition before pressing the shutter button. With digital you can take your first shot and try another one or two doing more than just zooming the lens. Perhaps change camera height, take an upright shot or take a step to the left. And if all you use is zooms, how about going prime?

Capture life’s magical moments across all devices with the Samsung EVO Plus 128GB microSDXC memory card with SD adapter offering read speeds up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s. Samsung’s latest cards are also ultra reliable and are water, temperature, X-ray and magnet proof, so shooting in the most challenging conditions isn’t an issue. We have one 128GB Samsung EVO Plus microSDXC card with SD adapter worth £78.99 for the eagle-eyed winner. Complete the word search below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@photographynews.co.uk with that word in the subject box by 9 September 2018 and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries received. The correct answer to PN56’s word search was Ideas and the Samsung 128GB PRO+ card was won by Diane Le Count from Hertfordshire. samsung.com/uk/memory-cards

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