Photography News 63 by Bright Publishing

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Issue 63 12 Feb-11 Mar

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First tests New and shiny awesome kit tested page 36

TPOTY The very best travel shots of 2018 page 20

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

Gear Awards Last chance to vote page 15

Panasonic’s dynamic duo

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Announced last year, Panasonic’s S series is on sale from March and is the brand’s first foray into the full-frame mirrorless market Panasonic has entered the fullframe mirrorless market with two cameras: the S1R and the S1, which both use the Leicadeveloped L-mount. The two cameras are the same externally, so handle identically, but there are significant differences in terms of specification and price. The S1R body has a guide price of £3399.99 and the S1 guide price is £2199.99. Aimed at both professional and enthusiast photographers, the two Panasonic models boast state-ofthe-art features for taking stills and shooting video. The S1R has the highest resolution of any current fullframe camera. Its CMOS, optical low-pass filter-free sensor turns in 47.3 megapixels, while the S1 sensor delivers 24.2 megapixels. Both models have new Venus Engine image processors and high-speed, precision autofocus

that uses artificial intelligence to aid performance and works in light levels as low as -6EV. AI technology can detect subject type (humans, cats, dogs and birds) and can anticipate movement patterns to help the AF track the subject. Other key features include inbody image stabilisation, highresolution electronic viewfinder, high-res mode, class-leading video settings and rugged build. Three lenses have also been announced that use the Leicadeveloped L-mount: the Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4, Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F4 OIS and Lumix S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS. They are priced at £2299, £1749 and £1299, respectively. For more news turn to page 3 and for a hands-on report of the Lumix S1R, see page 30.

Olympus goes large The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is the latest Micro Four Thirds marvel, with headline features such as an integral vertical handgrip, advanced autofocus, intelligent subject AF tracking and custom AF point selection. This 20.4-megapixel camera features dual image processors for faster performance in key areas, including start-up, sequence shooting and support for two UHS-II SD cards. Body price of the OM-D E-M1X is £2799.99. Turn to page 3 for more news and page 24 for a detailed first look at the Olympus OM-D E-M1X. olympus.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

News

S is for specialist Panasonic’s much anticipated fullframe mirrorless system has finally made its entrance with two cameras, the S1 and S1R, and three L-mount lenses, a 50mm f/1.4, 24-105mm f/4 and a 70-200mm f/4. In terms of design and handling the two cameras are the same but of course there are feature differences. The S1 has a 24.2-megapixel sensor, ISO up to 51,200 without expansion, more video options and it is priced at £2199.99 body only. By comparison the S1R weighs in with an awesome 47.3-megapixels, the most yet seen on a full-frame camera, a top ISO of 25,600 and it’s priced at £3399.99 body only. Panasonic makes much of its no compromise approach when designing the S series and there is a long, impressive list of features that are shared by the two cameras. Both have a 5.76-million dot OLED LVF that is almost like an optical finder and offers three magnifications, 0.78x, 0.74x and 0.7x. There is five axis in-body image stabilisation with a 5.5EV benefit and this goes up to 6EV when used with Lumix S lenses with OIS. Nice points of design include a lock lever that stops functions – that you can choose – being changed in error and an eight-way focus joystick so accessing focus points can be done diagonally, not just up/ down and across. Two card slots – SD and XQD – are featured with CFexpress compatibility due soon.

in-camera to give a high megapixel

Three S lenses Autofocusing is performed by Panasonic’s DFD technology and a contrast detect system that can achieve AF in light levels as low as -6EV and it's silent. Focus acquisition and tracking is enhanced with artificial intelligence that can recognise humans, cats, dogs and birds. Face and eye AF is also featured. For action shooting the S1/S1R is capable of shooting at a rate of 9fps in AFS or 6fps with continuous focusing. The 6K Photo mode allows bursts of 18-megapixel JPEGs at 30fps and 4K Photo shoots sequences at 30 or 60fps with eightmegapixel resolution. Both cameras have high res shot mode, where the camera takes eight shots, the sensor moving between each of them and the results merged

file. The S1 gives 96-megapixel images in this mode while the S1R gives a massive 187-megapixel resolution – the Raw files are around 350MB and open up to 16,736x11,168 pixel files. If your interest lies more in shooting video the S1 can shoot 4k at 60/50p 4:2:0 in 8-bit directly to the SD or XQD card and 4:2:2 colour sampling is available via HDMI. An upgrade due this year will unlock the option to record 4K 60/50p 4:2:2 10-bit via HDMI and 30p/25p/24p in 4:2:2 10-bit internally. The S1R can shoot 4k resolution at up to 60/50p but with pixel binning so quality won't be quite as high as the S1. We got the chance to use the S-system at the launch in Barcelona and our first look is on page 30.

Three L-mount lenses have been introduced for the S series,the Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4, Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/4 OIS and the Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro OIS, priced at £2299.99, £1745.99 and £1299.99 respectively. All three are dust- and splash-proof and will continue to perform in temperatures as low as -10°C. The 50mm f/1.4 is a substantial lens with a 13 element in 11 group construction that includes two aspherical lenses and three extra-low dispersion elements. An 11-bladed diaphragm gives great looking bokeh. This is an expensive lens but it promises to be a cutting-edge performer. Covering core standard focal lengths is the 24-105mm f/4. It’s an optic featuring 16 elements in 13 groups with two

aspherical lenses and two extralow dispersion elements to defeat chromatic aberration. The integral OIS gives a 6EV benefit working with the camera’s IBIS system. Close focusing of 30cm allows half-lifesize magnification. The longest current S lens is the 70-200mm f/4 OIS and it boasts 23 elements in 17 groups with a single aspherical lens and three extra-low dispersion lenses to minimise chromatic aberration and maximise sharpness. With OIS this lens is also compatible with Panasonic’s five-axis Dual IS 2 system. Panasonic’s lens roadmap features a 24-70mm f/2.8, 70200mm f/2.8 and 16-35mm f/4, plus two teleconverters this year. Leica and Sigma are also launching compatible lenses.

Olympus kicks off its centenary in style The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is the first of a new camera family that will run alongside the existing and popular OM-D E-M1 Mark II. They share many family characteristics and that includes the same 20.4-megapixel Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor. However, in the E-M1X there are two TruePic VIII image processors for even better camera responsiveness, performance and the ability to take handheld highres shots. The most obvious physical difference between the two cameras is the E-M1X’s integral handgrip and the controls for horizontal shooting are mirrored for intuitive vertical shooting. The handgrip is also ergonomically Olympus has added to its flash system line-up with the FL-700WR, Wireless Commander FC-WR and Wireless Receiver FR-WR, priced at £329.99, £279.99 and £179.99 respectively. All of these products are available in store now.

designed to be comfortable and secure and the extra space allows the fitting of two BLH-1 batteries which allows up to 2580 shots on one charge. And when your power starts getting low you can charge the camera batteries via a USB

The FL-700WR has a GN of 42 and recharges in 1.5secs after a full manual burst. Naturally it is packed with great features: front and rear curtain sync, TTL flash mode, auto zoom covering a 12-75mm range and tilting head for bounce flash. There

powerbank – a suitable one can recharge batteries in two hours. The extra-tough body is dust, splash and freeze proof and this level of protection is maintained even when a remote cable, headphones or microphones are connected to the body. The shutter is designed to have a minimum 400,000 actuation life and heat dissipation when shooting long sequences or filming keeps the body cool. The very effective Olympus sensor cleaning system that uses the Super Sonic Wave Filter has been improved further. The SSWF has a special coating and vibrates at 30,000 times per second to give an even better cleaning performance.

is also Super FP flash mode for shooting at shutter speeds faster than the X-sync speed. Features such as high-res shot mode, focus stacking and focus bracketing which are included on the OM-D E-M1X and E-M1 Mark II can be used with this flashgun.

One of the camera’s many innovative highlights is its AF system. This uses 121 points in an 11x11 grid and how you use these is up to you. All of them, single point and zone are common options but on the E-M1X you can customise your own grid. So, to suit a particular subject type, you can have a 3x9 pattern or 7x3 and then save that for quick access when you need it. It is very neat. The AF also has subject tracking so you can set trains, planes or motor sports and the AI technology in the system will recognise and track the subject. We got the chance to spend some time with a pre-production sample of the OM-D E-M1X, See page 24 for our hands-on report.

Off-camera flash shooting is made easier with the Wireless Commander FC-WR and you can control three groups and an unlimited number of flashguns from the camera. Its robust build gives reliable performance in demanding situations.

Happy 100th In commemoration of its centenary, Olympus has introduced a silver, limited edition OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Only 2000 of these cameras will be released worldwide. The silver OME-M1 will costs £1499.99, exactly the same as the regular black version of this popular camera. In terms of functions and features the two models are identical so you get five-axis in-body image stabilisation with up to 6.5EV of benefit, 18fps sequential shooting with AE/AF tracking and a rugged body that is dust, splash and freeze proof. Images are produced by a 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor working with a TruePic VIII processor 2019 is not just Olympus’ centenary: it is also ten years since the launch of its first Micro Four Thirds camera, the PEN E-P1. The MFT format has grown and grown in popularity and is widely used by enthusiast and professional photographers alike who want excellent image quality but without the bulk of larger-format kit.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

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The Photography Show The NEC, 16 to 19 March Buy your tickets now and save 25% off standard adult single-day tickets

Fujifilm go long Fujifilm’s latest lens addition to its GFX medium format system is the GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR. This constant aperture telezoom gives a 35mm focal length equivalent of 79-158mm and features weather-resistant build, optical image stabilizer and is compatible with the GF 1.4x WR teleconverter – the lens becomes a 111-221mm lens with this in place. Its optical design includes 20 elements in 13 groups and that includes two super ED elements and one aspherical lens to maixmise optical quality. Autofocus is handled by a linear motor for silent, fast and accurate operation. The lens is priced at £1799 and will be available this February. fujifilm.eu/uk

Not long to go now until one of the photographic events of the year; there’s still time to order discounted entry tickets and book your spot at the stunning selection of events and talks over the four days. On the Super Stage on the first day of the show, for example, we have talks by Magnum photographer Martin Parr (above centre) and Pete Souza, former chief official White House photographer for President Obama. Tickets cost £12 (in addition to the entrance fee) for each talk. Then on the Sunday there’s Moose Peterson (above right), world-renowned wildlife image maker who is now working on his passion for aviation photography. His talk gives an insight into his journey. Tickets are again £12. There is plenty happening that doesn’t cost any extra. On the Great

Extend it with Kenko Make more of your telephotos with these two new Teleplus HD teleconverters from Kenko. The Teleplus HD pro 1.4x DGX and pro 2x DGX are available for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts and offer a compact, low-cost way of extending the effective focal length of your long lenses. The converters feature extra elements compared with previous models and improved multi-layer, anti-reflection coatings help to maintain the high optical quality of the lenses you use them with. Contacts in the converters also ensure efficient communication between the lens and camera body so you get full EXIF data recorded on your files. These new converters are available now from £219 to £269. intro2020.co.uk

Outdoors, Photo Live and Wedding & Portrait stages, there is an incredible line-up of speakers and these events are free. Check out the website for the latest line-up of speakers and demos. The Video Show makes its debut alongside this year’s The Photography Show, and here too there is a stellar line-up of speakers and events. Rick Bronks is an expert on broadcast TV, known for shooting and editing on mobile devices, and now heads up a creative agency while Carys Kaiser – aka the Drone lass – will be talking about how she uses drones in storytelling and the extra dimension they can bring to video footage. The In Motion theatre and Video Live stages will be the

dedicated stages for video talks and demonstrations and these are free. Again, go to the website to see what’s on. Finally, Photography News will be there too, so please swing by and collect the latest issue and have a chat with the magazine team.

Order your tickets now and you can claim a 25% discount off standard adult single-day tickets. Go the website and use the promo code PNEWSTPS19*. thephotographyshow.com video-show.co.uk

Terms and conditions Discount applies to standard adult tickets and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, including concession prices and multi-day/group tickets. *A concession discount is available using code PNEWSTPS19C. Both discounts apply to new bookings only and expire on 13 March 2019. Professional photographers can apply for free entry to the show, subject to verification at point of registration.

Scan it quick If you have piles of precious family snapshots the Epson FastFoto FF680W offers a quick solution to turn them into digital files that can be instantly shared and safely stored for posterity. It is a vertical scanner with a small footprint that can deal with prints from 9x13cm up to 21x91cm panoramas and automatically scans the back of the print too so any notes will be recorded. Documents can also be scanned. It can be hardwired to the computer or used wirelessly via Wi-Fi and scans can be directly uploaded to Google Drive or Dropbox. Files can be saved as

JPEG or TIF, there is a choice of resolutions with 600dpi the highest optical setting and the software can improve your scans. You will have also guessed from its name that it is quick, with a scan rate of 30 prints in

30 seconds. We have a First Test of the FastFoto FF-680W in this issue and that is a claim we tested. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W costs £549.99. epson.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Samsung drives Samsung has introduced a new set of USB 3.1 flash drives. The DUO Plus range is available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes and priced at £17, £21, £31 and £56 respectively. The Duo design means you have two drives in one so they can be used on devices with standard USB-A and USB-C ports and are backwards compatible to USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.

These neat drives work with Windows, MacOS, Linux and Android devices, with read speeds of up to 300MB/s and write speeds of 80MB/s. samsung.com/uk/memorystorage/

Free software with X-Rite X-Rite has teamed up with Serif to offer a free Affinity Photo software licence worth £48.99 with selected products. This award-winning, powerful image editing software is available for Mac OS and Windows. The offer is open until 31 March 2019. and eligible products are: ColorMunki Display, ColorChecker Passport Photo, ColorMunki Photographer Kit, i1Display

Pro, i1Photographer Kit and i1Studio. X-Rite’s range of colour management products offers simple but very effective workflow solutions to help deliver professional quality images time after time. This offer is valid for purchases made in Europe and you have to request your unique code by 30 April 2019. xpdistribution.com

Sony’s next gen The sensor is paired with an upgraded BIONZ X processor for high image quality even at high ISOs – the top ISO is 32,000 but this can be expanded to 102,400 for still shooting. For video, the A6400 offers 4K 3840x2160 internal recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning so you get 2.4x the amount of data needed for 4K and this is oversampled for extra depth and clarity. The A6400 costs £949 body only, £999 with the 16-50mm powerzoom and £1299 with the 18-135mm lens. sony.co.uk

Support in your Long and longer pocket Nikon’s two latest Coolpix bridge cameras are packed with powerful features but it is their lenses that grab the headlines. The A1000 has a 35x optical zoom giving a 35mm format focal length equivalent of 24-840mm – the Dynamic Fine Zoom increases this to 1680mm. If you want even more pulling power the B600 has a 60x optical zoom giving

an equivalent of 24-1440mm and 2880mm with Dynamic Fine Zoom. Both cameras use a 16-megapixel back-side illuminated sensor, feature SnapBridge for easy image sharing and video capability. The A1000 costs £409 and the B5600 £329. nikon.co.uk

The Vanguard Mini tripod range offers pocket-sized support solutions for cameras and smartphones. Available in champagne gold, rose gold, black and white. The Mini is less than 18cm when folded and weighs 155g. It comes with a smartphone adapter. The Mini is priced at £34.99. vanguardworld.co.uk

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To The Customer: Simply cut out this coupon and hand it to your WHSmith High Street retailer to claim your copy of Professional Photo for £3.75 instead of the usual £4.75. This coupon can be used as part payment for issue 155 or 156 of Professional Photo on sale between 31 January and 27 March 2019. Only one coupon can be used against each item purchased. No cash alternative is available. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. To the WHSmith Retailer: Please accept this voucher as part payment of one copy of Professional Photo on sale between 31 January and 27 March 2019. This voucher is worth £1 plus a 2p handling allowance. The offer is valid to the consumer up to 27 March 2019 and must be returned to your clearing house to arrive no later than 27 March 2019 (issue 155), 24 April 2019 (issue 156). As your shop belongs to a multiple group, please handle in the usual way. This voucher is not redeemable against any other item and is only valid in the UK.

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Professional Photo is the must-read magazine for aspiring pro and successful pro photographers. Issue 155 has an emphasis on keeping techniques simple such as using natural light and shooting with a 50mm lens, and we profile leading exponents in the field. In kit tests, we look at the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X and test the incredible Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Art. Issue 155 of Professional Photo is on sale until 27 February, at all good newsagents. The following issue, 156, goes on sale from 28 February, and takes a close look at the money-making opportunities of going mirrorless. Use the coupon opposite to buy one of two issues (issue 155 or 156) of Professional Photo from WHSmith and save £1 off the usual £4.75 cover price.

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The Sony A6400 is an APS-C, 24.2-megapixel camera with a very advanced autofocusing system which includes real-time eye AF, 425 phase- and contrast-detect AF points covering 84% of the image area and real-time tracking. Oh, with 0.02sec acquisition time, it’s also the world’s fastest AF.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Pentax lens duo Ricoh Imaging has introduced two HD Pentax-FA lenses. The 35mm f/2 is priced at £399.99 and this compact lens is ideal for everyday use. Designed for Pentax’s APS-C format cameras is the 11-18mm f/2.8 ED DC AW ultra-wide zoom with a f/2.8 constant aperture. This has a price tag of £1399.99. Both lenses are available now. ricoh-imaging.co.uk

WEX winner

News in brief

A decade of perfect colours X-Rite is running a competition to celebrate ten years of its ColorChecker Passport Photo with the chance to win an X-Rite anniversary bundle worth £500 that include an i1 Studio. To enter you have to upload an image of the Passport Photo in action and explain where the picture was taken. Entry closes 24 February at 23.59pm and the winner will be chosen at random. The winner will be announced 1 March and some of the best entries will be featured in a display at this year’s The Photography Show, 16 to 19 March.

WEX Photo Video has announced Dan Portch as the WEX Photographer of the Year 2019 contest. Over 15,000 images were received during 2018 in a bid to win the overall title and the top prize of £1500 in WEX Photo Video vouchers. Second place and a £500 voucher goes to David Hixon from Brixham, Devon, while Verity Milligan from Birmingham landed the third place honour and a £250 voucher. wexphotovideo.com © Verity Milligan

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Limited Leica The Leica M10-P and 50mm f/2 Summicron are available in olive green Safari as limited editions. Only 1500 units will be available. The Safari body costs £6900 and the 50mm f/2 is £2300. Leicastore-uk.co.uk Hasselblad update Firmware update 1.22 for the X1D-50C adds support for new XCD lenses, a new exposure bracketing option and new custom buttons among other things. hasselblad.com/x1d/ firmware/

Philips go pro The Philips 499P9H Brilliance is a super-wide 32:9 LCD monitor aimed at today’s pro image maker. This curved display with a 5120x1440 resolution is the equivalent to two full-size 27in

monitors so you can spread out images you are working on and multiple apps open at the same time. Philips HDR 400 technology gives great colour performance and can deal with a wide contrast range, while a built-in USB 3.1 docking station with power delivery helps ensure a fast workflow. The Philips 499P9H is available at £989. philips.co.uk/c-m-pc/monitors

Sigma 28mm price confirmed The price of the new Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens has been confirmed at £1099.99. Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma mounts are available now with the arrival of the Sony E-mount to be confirmed in due course. sigma-imaging-uk.com

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

News © Rebecca Faith

Take it to the Maxima © Jason Bascombe

The RPS opens in Bristol The Royal Photographic Society’s centre in Bristol has just opened. Situated in the Paintworks creative quarter, close to the city centre, the new facility has a 101-seat auditorium, an exhibition space and an education and resource centre. “Our building brings a public exhibition space back to the RPS for the first time since 2001, so that it can show the best of photography to inspire and excite the public,” says the RPS’s chief operating officer, Mike Taylor. The centre’s first exhibition is the RPS’s 161st annual

International Photography Exhibition featuring 100 images from 54 photographers. Entrance to RPS members is free. For an adult it is £7,;concessions (students, over 65s and registered Blue Badge holders) £5; family (two adults, two children) £18. The gallery is open: Thursday 10am to 6pm, Friday 11am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. It’s closed Monday to Wednesday and other facilities are open by appointment only. The full address is 337 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AR. rps.org © Rebecca Faith

Fujifilm Crystal Archive Professional Maxima is a new silver halide photo paper for the commercial printing market. It has been formulated especially for the fine art market and for use in the high-end gallery and museum sector. Image lifespan is 40% better than current photo products, it has an increased colour gamut and improved maximum density giving outstanding shadow detail and rich blacks. Maxima is available in matt or glossy and in a full range of roll sizes. To show the quality of Maxima, there’s a Fujifilm-sponsored exhibition in London. Entitled God has no favourites, the show features the work of portrait and documentary photographer Lauren Forster, printed by London lab Bayeaux. “My mother was diagnosed with inoperable secondary brain cancer in 2016 but both my parents agreed that I should do my best to create a visual record that would capture the strength of the family unit in crisis,” says Lauren. “It’s the hardest and saddest thing I have ever done in my life but we all wanted it to be seen more as a celebration of her life. My photography enables me to explore things I don’t understand.” God has no favourites is on until 22 March at the Salvation Army Gallery, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4. originalphotopaper.com laurenforster.com

Get the buzz

Online learning club Foto-Buzz is looking for members who want to develop their photography. Run by pro photographers Andrew James and Jon Adams, Foto-Buzz helps photographers of all levels improve their photography. Key Foto-Buzz benefits include articles, image critiques, podcasts, video tutorials on camera and Photoshop skills, photo challenges and chat. Members are able to write their own blogs, upload photos and generally interact. Andrew and Jon organise extra workshops and meet-ups so that people can get together in

the real world as well as online. “Many of our members also belong to local camera clubs but enjoy the fact that Foto-Buzz is always there with an answer, an idea or a new challenge to keep them inspired,” explains Andrew.

To join Foto-Buzz, go to the website and use the special code LUCKY01 when signing up for 10% off a twelvemonth membership. foto-buzz.com

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

News © Remy Whiting

13 British photographers have been shortlisted for the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards Open and Youth contests. Well done to the 12 photographers (Michele Allan, Richard Ansett, Neil Burnell, Nick Edwards, Dean Grossmith, Sean Hayes, Tracey Lund, Christopher Madden, Shaun Mills, Dan Portch, Chun Kit Kevin So and Remy Whiting in the Open category and one (Emma Last) in the Youth category.

The RPS North Wales region is hosting a talk by multi award-winning pro photographer Rachael Talibart. Her coastal pictures have been exhibited internationally and her Sirens portfolio attracted global acclaim. Her talk takes place at Craig-y-Don Community Centre, Llandudno LL30 1TE at 2pm on 11 May. The price for RPS members is £10 and £14 for non members. Book on the RPS website, address below. rps.org/regions-and-chapters/regions/ north-wales

welshotimaging.co.uk

This year’s Awards attracted 326,997 entries from 195 countries so you can appreciate that to be shortlisted is an impressive achievement. The images will be featured in the 2019 SWPA exhibition at London’s Somerset House 18 April to 6 May. The ten Open category winners will be announced on 26 February with the overall Open and Youth winners revealed on 17 April. worldphoto.org/swpa

Where land meets sea

Welshot Imaging Photographic Academy is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a special free event on 6 April at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Chester. Olympus UK, London Camera Exchange, Permajet and Will Cheung, PN’s editor will be present on the day. Activities include: live portrait demos with Olympus ambassador Gavin Hoey; mains flash lighting, off camera and macro workshops; and a photographic treasure hunt. There will be a prize draw for everyone who attends. Olympus will have its range of cameras on show including the amazing OM-D E-M1X, while PermaJet will have its product range available to buy. The event is free but it is essential that you book to confirm your place on the website below.

Lucky 13

Happy 10th

Photography News | Issue 63 | 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 you want to share with the world, these are the pages 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 (right) and get your stories in

Helpful dates We’re always keen to receive club submissions. To help with the planning and timing of submissions, here are the publication and deadline dates for the next few issues of Photography News.

George Abbot, one of the highest performing state schools, is appealing for donations of photographic equipment after a fire destroyed its photography department. The school is seeking SLR film cameras and darkroom equipment, including enlargers, timers, easels and print trays. It’s also setting up a temporary photographic studio onsite and is seeking studio equipment. Head of photography, Kirsty Ferguson, said: “Although digital

photography is very much part of the curriculum, we believe that darkroom photography is integral to the students’ understanding of photographic art and practice.” Andy Friend-Smith, a member of Guildford Photographic Society whose children attend the school, spread word of the appeal among the Surrey photographic community and the response was immediate. Ferguson reported that there have been many donations of SLRs

from various eras, a few enlargers and some darkroom equipment. However, more of everything is still needed. “So few of the students now have access to a film camera outside school that this is a valuable opportunity to build up a bank of SLRs that can be lent to students outside the school day,” explained Ferguson. Friend-Smith added: “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of both our Guildford club members and

the wider Surrey photo community. My very sincere thanks to all.” George Abbot has over 200 pupils studying photography at GCSE and 40 at A level. To donate funds or equipment to the school, please contact development officer, Jane Friend, on 01483 888000 or email: jfriend@ georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk. Or contact head of photography, Kirsty Ferguson, by email: kferguson@ georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk

Earl Shilton welcomes Waite Earl Shilton CC is pleased to announce an evening with renowned landscape photographer, Charlie Waite. The event take places on 29 May at The Mary Forryan Centre, Hinckley, Leicestershire. The evening will commence at 7.30pm, with the doors opening at 7pm. During the first half, Charlie will talk about his techniques and photography skills. After the interval, he will exhibit and talk about some of his images There will be a raffle, with the first prize being a signed, boxed print by Charlie Waite. Further prizes related to photography will be available on the night. Tickets are now on sale and cost £12. Buy online through the club’s website – just follow the Charlie Waite link. earlshiltoncameraclub.org.uk

Sheffield PS Sheffield PS 2019 Annual Exhibition will be held at the Sheffield Cathedral 22-31 March and will be officially opened by Rob Hastie, artistic director of Sheffield Theatres. Entry is free, but visitors are asked to be respectful of any services or other activity taking place in the cathedral. Light refreshments

sxpf.org.uk

Young photographers appeal for equipment

The club championship print exhibition and competition by The Sussex Photographic Federation takes place on 6 April at the King’s Centre, Victoria Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9LR. Photographic clubs and societies from across Sussex will gather for this prestigious championship, each showing 12 prints covering a variety of subjects – around two hundred of the best images in the county. Doors open at 12pm. The exhibition will be available for viewing until 2pm, followed by selective commentary from the three judges and the presentation of awards.

We need words and pictures by 4 March 2019 for the next issue of Photography News, which will be available from 12 March 2019. 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 max on the longest dimension, any colour space, credits should be included in your text. 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

Sussex PF

Deadline for the next issue: 4 March 2019

Issue 64, out from 12 March Deadline for contributions: 4 March Issue 65, out from 16 April Deadline for contributions: 7 April Issue 66, out from 14 May Deadline for contributions: 3 May Issue 67, out from 18 June Deadline for contributions: 10 June Issue 68, out from 16 July Deadline for contributions: 8 July Issue 69, out from 13 August Deadline for contributions: 5 August

Here’s how to submit

are available for visitors in the cathedral’s 1554 Coffee shop. This is a prints-only exhibition with categories including photo essay, record and Sheffield: its life and environs. Entries were judged by Peter Brisley ARPS and Sue O’Connell ARPS, both from Bristol PS. sheffield-photographer.org.uk

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

The entries were whittled down to 60 – six in each class. The Duke of Richmond and Gordon will judge this final selection for the class winners and choose the Duke’s award. On 24 February all the entries will be displayed at its annual exhibition which takes place at Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, PO18 0EE with an entry fee of just £1. The show is open 12-4pm and refreshments will be available. There will also be a raffle and you can vote for your favourite photograph. igpg.photography

Beckenham PS

Potters Bar winners © Philip Jones

If you can’t make the show, Beckenham PS meets are held on Wednesdays at 8pm between September and May at St. John’s Church Hall, Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham BR3 3JN.

Beckenham PS annual exhibition takes place at Beckenham Public Hall, Bromley Road, Beckenham BR3 5JE. It is open from 21 to 22 February, from 10am to 8pm and on 23 February, from 10am to 5pm. Entrance is free and visitors are very welcome.

The Independent Goodwood Photographers Guild is based on a Facebook group for those people who photograph the various motor sport events at Goodwood. The group was formed in October 2015 and now has over 1000 members. The Guild’s annual photo competition received a total of 396 entries from 71 entrants. The first round of judging has been completed with Le Mans driver Nic Minassian, Jeff Bloxham, the respected motor sport photographer, and Alan Brewer from the Goodwood Road Racing Club on the judging panel.

beckenhamphotosoc.org.uk © Lesley Rees

beestoncameraclub.org

farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk isleofthanetphotographicsociety. co.uk

Winners Graham Coldrick (left) and David Fordham (right) Potters Bar and District PS has announced the winners of its competitions for the 75th year. Among the long roll call of winners was David Fordham’s picture of two deer (above right). He said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won best print in the General Class of Print of the Year competition. There were some fantastic photographs entered, so it really made my day to have mine picked as the winner.

“This is the end of my first full year at Potters Bar PS, and I would highly recommend the club to anyone who is looking to get more enjoyment out of their photography.” The society meets most Mondays from 8pm in the Alexander Wilding Suite of the Wyllyotts Centre in Darkes Lane, Potters Bar. pottersbarphotosoc.org.uk

in each of four categories: colour, mono, nature and most creative. The Mayor will also give an award for his choice of best photograph. Beeston Camera Club meets each week at 8pm, from the first Thursday in September to the last Thursday in April at the British Legion, 16 Hall Croft, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1EL.

Isle of Thanet PS is encouraged by the number of new members joining this year. Its first speaker of 2019 was Antony Penrose, photographer and son of Roland Penrose and Lee Miller. He gave a fascinating account of his life and the work of his parents, especially their friendship with Pablo Picasso. He showed some of their photographs and paintings, including images taken by Miller during WWII when she was allowed at the front by the US Army. Her legacy lives on, as her massive archive of prints and journals together with a collection of art can be seen at Farleys House and Gallery, Chiddingly, home to the Penrose family since 1949. The gallery is open for guided tours every Sunday from April to October.

Sorry…

Beeston CC’s exhibition Beeston CC’s 63rd annual photographic exhibition will be on display in Beeston Library, first floor, Nottingham, 16-28 February. There will be approximately 80 prints covering all aspects of photography. The mayor of Broxtowe, the Right Honourable councillor Derek Burnett BEM, is presenting the awards on 23 February at 10.30am to the winners

Independent Goodwood Photographers Guild

Thanet CC

In issue 62, in a story about Clay Cross Exhibition we credited a picture incorrectly. Goat Herding was taken by Keith Polwin, not Ray Bramall as quoted. Our apologies to Keith and Ray.

New home for Wall Heath CC

Above Exhibition secretary, Mike Leatherland, and Lady Mayoress councillor, Halimah Khaled MBE

Wall Heath CC has a new home for the 2019 season: Kingswinford Royal British Legion, Summerhill, Kingswinford DY6 9JG. The club meets on Wednesday evenings at 7.45pm. Door entry is just £2 (£3 for visitors). wallheathcameraclub.weebly.com

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards Gear of the year

The Photography News Awards 2018 It’s time for you to recognise brilliant products and outstanding service in our annual awards. Your votes will decide the winners, so please check through our nominations and pick the products and services that you think deserve the ultimate accolade

You can take photographs with a pinhole in a biscuit tin, but the fact is the vast majority of us use digital cameras fitted with great lenses, often on a tripod, and we carry our kit around in a nice bag. When we get home we look at our shots on shiny monitors, edit in powerful software and then print on nice paper through photo-quality printers. The long and the short of it is that we need great quality kit – and that’s the motivation for our awards: to recognise great quality kit.

We’ve shortlisted products in key categories and then you get the chance to pick what you think deserves to win. Voting is done online and it’s free – you don’t even have to register to vote. The only categories where we haven’t done any shortlisting are in the service categories, such as Best Retailer – in those you nominate who you think deserves to win. (Where there may be more than one store, please nominate the name of the store group and the individual shop, please.)

To vote go to photographynews.co.uk, follow the Awards link and complete the voting form. You can vote in every category, but if you prefer to vote for just a few categories that is perfectly fine, too. It’s entirely up to you.

Closing date for votes is 22 February 2019

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

CONSUMER DSLR Canon EOS 800D Canon EOS 2000D Nikon D3500 Nikon D7200 Pentax K-70 Sony a68

ADVANCED DSLR Canon EOS 6D Mark ll Canon EOS 7D Mark ll Nikon D500  Nikon D850  Pentax K-1 Mark II Sony a77 II

PROFESSIONAL DSLR Canon EOS 5DS R Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Nikon D5 Sony a99 II

ADVANCED CSC Canon EOS R Fujifilm X-T20 Leica M10-P Nikon Z 6 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Panasonic Lumix G9 Sony a7 III

PROFESSIONAL CSC Fujifilm X-T3 Fujifilm X-H1 Nikon Z 7 Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Sony a7R III Sony a9

COMPACT/BRIDGE Canon PowerShot SX740 Fujifilm XF10 Leica C-Lux Nikon COOLPIX P1000 Panasonic Lumix LX100 II Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX95

WIDE-ANGLE LENS Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Fujifilm XF8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR  Nikon Nikkor AF-S 28mm f/1.4E ED Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 F Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM A  Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art  Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM  Tamron SP15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Tokina FIRIN 20mm f/2 FE AF Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4

STANDARD LENS Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Fujifilm XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Fujifilm XF35mm f/2 R WR Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S   Olympus M.Zuiko ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM A Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Tamron SP 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Tokina opera 50mm f/1.4 FF

MACRO LENS Fujifilm XF80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro Olympus M.Zuiko ED 30mm f/3.5 Macro  Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Art Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Voigtländer E-Mount 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar

MEDIUM FORMAT LENS Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4 Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9 Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR Fujifilm GF 250mm f/4 R LM OIS WR TRIPOD: ALLOY 3 Legged Thing Punks Travis Benro Slim Travel – aluminium Kenro Karoo Compact Tripod (aluminium) 102 Manfrotto Befree Aluminium Travel  Nest Traveller NT-6294AK  Slik PRO 700DX

TELEPHOTO LENS Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Fujifilm XF200mm f/2 R LM OIS WR Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM S Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD

TRIPOD: CARBON FIBRE 3 Legged Thing Equinox Albert Gitzo Systematic GT3543LS Kenro Karoo Ultimate Travel Tripod (carbon fibre) 401C Manfrotto Befree GT carbon Novo Explora T20 Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263CGHT

CONSUMER CSC Canon EOS M50 Fujifilm X-T100 Olympus PEN E-PL9 Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Panasonic GX80

MEDIUM FORMAT Fujifilm GFX 50S Fujifilm GFX 50R Hasselblad H6D-400c MS Hasselblad X1D-50c Leica S (Typ 007) Phase One IQ3 100MP

SUPERZOOM LENS Fujifilm XF18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR  Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD

ON-CAMERA FLASH Hähnel Modus 600RT  Metz 64 AF-1 Nissin Di700A Pixapro Li-ION580 MKII TTL  Pixel X900 Profoto A1 Rotolight NEO 2

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards INKJET MEDIA: FINE ART FINISH Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm Fotospeed Platinum Cotton 305 Hahnemühle William Turner 310 Hahnemühle Photo Rag Metallic PermaJet Photo Art Silk 290

PORTABLE FLASH Broncolor Siros 400 L Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL Elinchrom ELB 1200 Interfit S1 PIXAPRO PIKA200 TTL Profoto B1X Profoto B10 MAINS FLASH Broncolor Siros 400 S Elinchrom ELC Pro HD Interfit Honey Badger 320Ws Profoto D2

SOFT BAG/BACKPACK Crumpler Kingpin camera bag 9000 Gitzo Adventury 45L Lowepro FreeLine BP 350 AW MindShift FirstLight 30L Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR backpack Think Tank StreetWalker V2

COLOUR MANAGEMENT DEVICE DataColor Spyder5PRO+    Datacolor Spyder5CAPTURE PRO X-Rite ColorMunki Photographer Kit  X-Rite i1Studio

MEMORY CARD PNY Elite Performance SDXC 512GB UHS-I  Samsung MicroSDXC PRO Endurance 128GB SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC UHS-I 400GB Lexar Professional 1000x SDHC/SDXC UHS-II Sony SD SF-G TOUGH UHS-II

EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICE Drobo 8D G-Technology G-DRIVE mobile SSD LaCie portable SSD Samsung portable SSD X5 Western Digital My Passport Wireless SSD

BEST USED SPECIALIST RETAILER The market for second hand or (pre-loved!) imaging gear is growing, so whether you’re buying or selling you need a dealer you can trust. This is your opportunity to name your favourite used dealer.

PROCESSING LAB Which processing lab do you trust with your photos, albums or stationery? If they offer high quality and utterly reliable service at competitive prices, are they worthy of a PN award?

PHOTO WEBSITE PROVIDER For gallery websites or full-service sites with clientproofing and a blog, which provider offers the best range of templates and customisation options together with top-notch customer service?

CONTINUOUS LIGHT Interfit LM8 18in Daylight LED ring light Nanguang RGB LED tube lights Rotolight Anova PRO 2 Bi-Colour

FILTER Benro 100mm filter system H&Y magnetic filter system Hoya Ultra-Pro family LEE Filters Reverse ND filter Marumi magnetic filter system SRB Elite filter system

BEST RETAILER Whether you shop for your photo kit online or in store, nominate the photo retailer that has you going back time and time again.

ROLLER/HARD CASE Manfrotto ProLight Reloader Tough-55 LowLid Lowepro PhotoStream SP 200 Think Tank Airport TakeOff V2.0 T499 Vanguard Alta Fly 55T

PRINTER Canon PIXMA PRO-100S DNP DS820A Epson EcoTank ET-7750 Fujifilm Frontier-S Mitsubishi Smart D90EV Tomy KiiPix INKJET MEDIA: PHOTOGRAPHIC FINISH Canson Infinity Baryta Platine Fibre Rag 310GSM – satin Fotospeed Platinum Baryta 300 Signature Hahnemühle Photo Gloss Baryta 320 PermaJet Photo Lustre 310

MONITOR BenQ SW320 Pro 32in IPS LCD  BenQ SW240 24in Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q Eizo ColorEdge CG318-4K 31in  Philips Brilliance 40in 4K Ultra HD LCD (BDM4037UW) Samsung 32in U32H850

INNOVATION Canon EOS R system L-Mount Alliance: Leica, Panasonic and Sigma Nikon Z system SOFTWARE Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC Serif Affinity Photo Portrait Professional 18 DxO PhotoLab 2 Capture One Pro

TRAINING PROVIDER From basic photo knowledge through particular tips and techniques to camera-specific training, in the classroom, studio or out on location, which provider offers the best learning experience, in your opinion?

The details How to vote Go to photographynews.co.uk and follow the link to the awards to vote. It’s free and you don’t need to register. Voting closes on 22 February 2019. The results We’ll announce the results in issue 64 of Photography News, out from 12 March 2019, and we’ll present the awards to the deserving recipients at The Photography Show, at the Birmingham NEC, 16-19 March 2019.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

TPOTY Competitions

Travel Photographer of the Year – 2018 winners TPOTY is one of the must-enter events in the photo contests calendar, and for the 2018 event over 20,000 images from photographers hailing from 142 countries were received. Here we take a look at the main category winners Overall winner, TPOTY 2018 © Stefano Pensotti

Stefano Pensotti Stefano is a semi-professional photographer from Italy, with eight superb images that showcase life around the globe. He becomes the first Italian to take the top title in the 16 years since the awards first launched in 2003.

Hot/Cold Single Image winners

Faces, People, Cultures Portfolio winner

There were joint winners for this category, Andrew James and Philip Lee Harvey, both from the UK.

Andrew James & Philip Lee Harvey

Marinka Masséus D u t c h photographer Marinka won with images raising awareness of the circumstances of people with albinism in Tanzania.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

TPOTY Tranquillity Single Image winner © Simon Morris

Travel Portfolio winner

Simon Morris Won by the UK’s Simon Morris for his atmospheric picture of a faded, once-grand bedroom in Havana, Cuba.

Young TPOTY 2018 winner © Isabella Smith

Matjaz Krivic

Isabella Smith

Slovenian photographer Matjaz’s diverse portfolio won the special eight-image ‘Travel’ category introduced to celebrate TPOTY’s 15th anniversary.

The 14-year-old American won over the international panel of judges with her colourful portfolio of photographs taken in Chefchaouen, Morocco.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

TPOTY Smart Shot Single Image winner

Natural World Portfolio winner © Javier Herranz Casellas

Javier Herranz Casellas

Nicola Young

This category attracted a very strong entry, with the judges eventually awarding the top prize to this Spaniard for his delicate, intimate portfolio depicting the Pita (Agave Americana) plant.

This category for images taken on a mobile phone or tablet was won by Briton Nicola Young with her iPhone photo of a fish trader in Mauritius.

New Talent winner

Enjoy them all

Jose Antonio become the first-ever Peruvian winner of a TPOTY category for his portfolio documenting the Candelaria celebration in Puno, Peru.

Jose Antonio Rosas

Over 150 fabulous images are featured in the 2018 Winners’ Gallery on the TPOTY website. Winning images from the awards will also be exhibited 28 March to 30 April at a freeto-view outdoor exhibition at London Bridge City, opposite the Tower of London and close to London Bridge. tpoty.com

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Stunning shades

Colours perfect A colour-managed workflow saves time, money and stress, meaning what you get is what you see and that, for photographers, is the ultimate goal. We take a closer look at the X-Rite ColorMunki Photographer Kit, which aims to help you achieve perfect shots time after time Every photographer knows the importance of colour management, yet many consider it a dark art and skirt round the issue, leaving it to chance or just putting up with poor results. But the reality is that getting a fully managed colour-perfect Raw workflow, from initial capture through to final printed image, is easier than ever with no special skills or expertise needed. The ColorMunki Photographer Kit comprises its Display calibration kit and ColorChecker Passport Photo bundled into one box. The box is about 10% cheaper than when the items are bought individually. And it gets even better, because X-Rite has teamed up with Serif to include a free licence for Affinity Photo, a powerful image editing software for Windows and macOS, within the kit. This usually retails at £48.99. Your colour-perfect workflow starts at the beginning at the point of capture and this is where you need the ColorChecker Passport Photo outfit. This comprises software and three photographic targets, presented in a protective hard case and is so compact that it can be left in the camera bag ready for use whenever the situation demands. It is worth noting that the Passport is not only for different lighting situations, because your camera and lenses can also impact colour accuracy. You may have two cameras of the same brand – and they can deliver different colours, too. The three targets are: the Creative Enhancement Target, an exposure checker and a white-balance adjustment tool; the large White-Balance Target for ensuring neutral shots in your workflow; and the classic industry standards 24-patch colour chart for checking and fine-tuning colour and creating custom DNG profiles. The Passport is simple to use. All you have to do is take test pictures of the targets in the same light as the subject is receiving before getting on with your actual pictures. When the lighting changes, repeat the test shots.

The ColorMunki Photographer Kit gives a pro workflow, from capture to output For the ColorChecker Passport software to recognise that the target is in your picture, it needs to be reasonably sized in the frame. If you are taking a half length or head and shoulders portrait that is easy enough, just ask the subject to hold the chart up facing you. It is the same process when photographing a group, but take a step or two forward or zoom in to make sure the Passport is a decent size. With a building, a landscape or an interior, just hold the target at arm’s length and take a shot. Whatever the subject, this is a test picture so you don’t need a perfect composition, just a sharp shot in the same light as the subject, ensuring the target is not reflecting or obscured in any part by fingers or shadows. Once you’re at the computer, open up Passport Checker images in your editing software and assess the results. Changes such as white-balance and exposure tweaks made to your test shots can then be quickly synched to others in the same sequence. The Classic Target lets you evaluate specific colours, but there’s more because with the ColorChecker Passport Photo software you can create your own DNG profile of that lighting situation and for your camera. The ColorChecker Passport Photo helps you capture and edit accurately, but it only

takes you part way on the colour managed workflow journey. For the next step, enter the ColorMunki Display, a powerful device to ensure your monitor is correctly calibrated to a professional standard. It is easy to use and can be used on several monitors or a projector. The ColorMunki Display’s software features a wizard-driven interface with easy and advanced modes, as well as one-click presets so you can quickly and easily achieve consistently accurate on-screen colour. Key features include Ambient Light Smart Control, Automatic Display Control, and multiple monitor profiling offering. It also suits the latest LED and wide gamut models. With two key colour management devices, the ColorMunki Photographer Kit is a compelling addition to every photographer’s creative armoury. It is currently available at a special price and is bundled with a free licence for Serif Affinity Photo, which normally costs £48.99. See the On offer panel (right) for more details.

On offer The ColorMunki Photographer Kit is on special offer for a limited time. It currently costs £184.50, a saving of 10% compared to purchasing the products individually. To make it even more enticing, X-Rite has teamed up with Serif to offer a free licence for Affinity Photo for macOS or Windows, worth £48.99. The professional image editing software focusses on workflow. Affinity Photo offers sophisticated tools for enhancing, editing and retouching your images in an intuitive interface, with all the power and performance discerning image makers demand.

colorconfidence.com

First look Specs Prices £2799 body only Sensor 20.4-megapixels sensor working with two TruePic VIII processors Sensor format Live MOS Micro Four Thirds, 17.4 x13mm, 5184x3888 pixels, 12-bit Raw capture ISO range 200-25,600, expanded to ISO 64 Shutter range 60secs to 1/8000sec plus B, Live Bulb/Live Time up to 30mins, 1/250sec flash sync. Electronic shutter 60secs-1/32,000sec Drive modes Continuous high: 15fps max up to 103 Raws. Silent continuous: 60fps max up to 49 Raws. Pro Capture: captures up to 35 previous frames, Pro Capture: High 60fps High Res shot In JPEG 8160x6120pixels (50mp), Raw 10,368x7776 (80mp). Handheld High Res shot mode with electronic shutter: JPEG/Raw 8160x6120 (50mp). Metering system Multi-zone digital ESP with 324 zones, centre-weighted, spot, spot with highlight/shadow control Image stabiliser Five-axis, four modes, 7.5EV claimed benefit with 12-100mm f/4 Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5EV, bracketing up to seven frames Monitor 3in 1037k dots, touch control, vari-angle Viewfinder 0.83x, 2.36k dots, 120fps frame rate Focus points AF point customisation, intelligent subject tracking – aeroplanes, trains, motor sports Focus bracketing and focus stacking modes Face and eye detection – eye detect with nearer-eye, right-eye and lefteye priority Video 4K (up to 30fps), 1080p (up to 60fps) Connectivity Wi-Fi, USB-C, USB 3.0, Micro HDMI, Bluetooth Other key features Body is splash, dust and freeze proof, in-body image stabilisation Storage media Two SD slots, both UHS-II Power Two BLH-1 batteries – works with one. USB charging. Capacity up to 2580 shots Dimensions (wxhxd) 144.4x146.8x75.4mm Weight 997g body only with two BLH-1 cells and two cards Contact olympus.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Olympus OM-D E-M1X

You probably spent last Christmas eating and drinking too much. On PN, we did that too but also got the chance to use a top-secret – and much-leaked – camera. In Olympus’ 100th year, the OM-D E-M1X is one of its most important launches ever – this is what we think of it so far Words and images by Will Cheung The Micro Four Thirds (MFT) format is popular and widely accepted by pros, enthusiasts and family snappers alike. The MFT’s 17x13mm image size can deliver pro-level quality and there are significant practical benefits too. Cameras and lenses are so much smaller and there’s a x2 crop factor too, so a 300mm focal length lens on an MFT camera gives effective 600mm on 35mm format. Chat to anyone from the Olympus cameras team and the word ‘mobility’ pops up a lot and the practical benefit of this to sports and nature shooters is massive. It seems a contradiction then that Olympus’ newest offering, the OM-D E-M1X, is the biggest MFT camera we’ve seen to date. Our comments here are based on a pre-production sample and things might change when cameras get to the shops. The E-M1X is still noticeably smaller than the deep-bodied fullframe models from Canon and Nikon so it just about qualifies for the mobility tag. It is a rugged, pro-level camera with, according to Olympus, world leading dust, splash and freeze proofing. Significantly, it is the first MFT body to feature an integrated vertical grip with a set of replicated controls to make upright format shooting as convenient and as intuitive as horizontal shooting. Olympus was keen to emphasise that the E-M1X is the first of a new line of Olympus MFT cameras and it is aimed at sport and wildlife workers in particular. It will run alongside existing pro models like the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and its optional HLD-9 vertical power grip continues to be available. The E-M1X and E-M1 Mark II might be from two separate product lines, but they share the same 20.4-megapixel sensor; although the new model does have an updated coating for improved light sensitivity and works with a pair of TruPicVIII image processors. Having two

processors gives the E-M1X a superior, faster performance in key areas. There’s quicker start-up, faster recovery from sleep mode and support for two UHS-II SD card slots, and features like Subject Detection AF, High Res Shot mode and Live ND. More on these modes shortly, but it is worth spending a little time on the E-M1X body that houses two batteries that sit in an upright position. The benefit of two batteries – it can run on one – is one of shooting capacity not shooting speed and two fully charged BLH-1 cells have enough juice for over 2500 shots.

Usefully, cells can be charged via the camera’s USB C socket using a powerbank

Usefully, cells can be charged via the camera’s USB C socket using a powerbank and LEDs indicate charging and extinguish when fully off. Using a PNY powerbank, charge of both cells from 25% charge to full took a couple of hours and the camera can be used at the same time. The E-M1X has a clean looking top-plate. The on/off switch is on the left side around the base of a control dial mode that has three function controls, drive/flash, bracketing and AF/AE settings. The dominant dial on the right side is the lockable exposure mode dial with four assignable custom settings plus the

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look Key features • • • • •

Image Shot with the OM-D E-M1X with the 300mm f/4 lens, the combination handheld for the 1/125sec at f/4 and ISO 800 exposure. The blow-up of the eye gives you an idea of the fine image quality. Taken on a pre-production camera sample.

• •

• • •

• • • • •

usual PASM settings and a movie setting. No art filter or green square auto mode here. The remaining controls on the right are the movie record button, shutter release, and ISO and exposure compensation buttons. It’s a simple layout and along with input dials, front and rear, I feel promotes quick, intuitive handling. Having the compensation and ISO buttons next to the shutter release is ideal in my view – the ISO button has a dimpled finish so you can tell the difference by touch too, so no need to look. The two input dials, shutter release, ISO and compensation controls plus a focus lever are replicated for upright shooting.

The camera’s exposure and focusing systems are fully featured

The rear is dominated by the 3in touchscreen and that is surrounded by various buttons and controls. Push the MENU button and you’ll see a deep menu structure, from A1 to J3, totalling 123 separate options. You can create your own menu too comprising up to 35 separate items. As you would expect, there is plenty of potential to set up the camera to your liking. For example, I delegated the on/off switch to the function lever because I prefer turning the camera on with my right hand so I can do it instinctively as I bring the camera up to my eye. The CARD button brings the option of saving to one card or the other but that’s it at the moment. This lets you select which card to write to but there’s no option to, say, save Raws to one and JPEGs to another or saving options such as one card acting as a backup for the other, or for same data to be recorded to both cards at the same time. Those options are available through the menu H1 Card Slot settings but not, strangely, through the CARD button. That might change on production models – or perhaps with a firmware update. You do need fast SD cards to benefit from the E-M1X’s shooting speeds. It can capture Raws at 60fps with AE/AF locked and shoot up to 18fps with AE/AF tracking. With the dual processor and fast cards, at 10fps you can shoot 280 Raws in a single burst with AE/AF tracking and no buffering.

World’s best splash-proof, dust-proof and freeze-proof construction 400K shutter cycles lifetime Large buffer size. At 10fps 287 Raws; at 15fps 103 Raws Tripod High Res shot mode shoots eight images giving 80 megapixels in Raw Handheld High Res shot mode shoots up to 16 images giving 50 megapixels in Raw. Shutter speed as long as 4secs handheld In-camera charging via USB C Field Sensor system: barometer, compass, temperature recorded by onboard sensor Live ND mode with options of ND2, ND4, ND8, ND16, ND32 My menu mode lets you store up to 35 items, in five tabs, seven items each Dust reduction system featuring Supersonic Wave Filter with a new coating which oscillates at over 30,000 times per second Focus stacking – choose 3-15 images Image stabilisation gives up to 7.5EV in Sync IS AF point customisation with any odd number of points in the 11x11 grid Intelligent Subject Detection AF – motor sports, aeroplanes, trains AF limiter – three AF operating distances for all lenses can be set

Above The Olympus designers have gone for an unfussy control layout and having key features like ISO control and compensation right next to the shutter release is very much a good thing. The on/off switch is on the left side of the body but a custom control means you can dedicate the operation to the function lever which some users might prefer. The slight oddity is the CARD button – this only lets you select which card to use and nothing else right now

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look

At 15fps this drops to a burst of 148 Raws without buffering. Either way, we are talking a serious number of shots and surely more than enough for most situations. The E-M1X has a focus joystick to move AF points around the 121 focus spots. AF points can be moved around with the fourway rear control pad or using the touchscreen, whether your eye is up to the finder eyepiece or not. The AF system offers plenty of set-up options within the 121 zones with the choice of single zone (large or small), five, nine, 25 and all 121 working. The single and zone

options can be moved around the whole 121 layout and each pattern can be scrolled through by pushing in the AF joystick and using the front input dial. There is even more potential in the A2 AF/MF menu under the item Target Mode Settings. Here you can make your own custom AF grid using the 11x11 121 zone to suit the subject. So, for example, you can choose a 1x9 AF pattern to photograph a tall thin subject or go for a horizontal 3x8 AF grid to deal with aeroplanes Your custom grid can be added to the default list of AF patterns to select from.

Speaking of planes, the E-M1X’s menu item A3 AF/MF has a Tracking Subject option where there’s the choice of motor sports, trains or aeroplanes for continuous AF tracking. There’s obviously great potential here for Olympus to offer more options. Motor sports could be funnelled down further to four-wheel or two-wheel sports and perhaps different wildlife subjects can be added – birds (large and small), big cats, different insects and so on. I did try the aeroplane tracking mode using the 300mm f/4 lens. Olympus probably has the Red Arrows and the like in mind for

Above Intelligent subject AF tracking is available on the OM-D E-M1X. A passenger plane climbing soon after take off is probably not too challenging for the E-M1X but it showed the tracking system’s effectiveness. The entire sequence comprised 34 shots. Taken with the Olympus 300mm f/4 lens with an exposure of 1/2000sec at f/4.5 and ISO 400.

The E-M1X has a focus joystick to move AF points around the 121 focus spots

this setting but I tried it on more sedate fare, namely commercial jets taking off from Heathrow. I could see the focus zones picking up and tracking the jets as they got closer before finally passing over my head. Yes, the subjects were not that challenging but I can see the potential so I am looking forward to trying the mode on the Red Arrows and the like. I found AF performance of my pre-production sample to be very good. Responsive, quick and sensitive in low light. It seemed to struggle a little on high frequency subjects so, it was more twitchy on bird feathers which, to be fair, in poor light lacks contrast anyway and I think most systems would struggle. Used with the focus lever, using zone and single AF point modes mostly, I was impressed with how it generally performed with the conditions I faced. The E-M1X’s five-axis in-body image stabiliser has the services of a new gyro sensor. The upshot of that is that this new camera offers a claimed 7.5EV benefit with the 12100mm f/4 IS PRO lens and helps with the High Res shot mode too. Here the camera gives the option of Tripod High Res shot which gives a 80-megapixel file, or Handheld High Res shot for shutter speeds like 1/60sec and slower. Handheld High Res shot mode produces a 50-megapixel image from merging several shots and now there’s the opportunity to use it with the right subject just like any camera mode. In the absence of a 12-100mm f/4 I tried the IS mode with the 40-150mm f/2.8 and 300mm f/4 telephotos. Assessing practical benefit is tricky because it depends on your starting point. So with the 300mm (600mm equivalent on 35mm format) you could say that

Autofocus

Above The E-M1X’s AF system uses 121 zones in a 11x11 grid, but it has some advanced features that action and nature users will appreciate. For continuous AF the camera is equipped with a tracking subject mode with aeroplanes, trains and motor sports the three options. You can also tailor how you want the 121 zones to work in addition to the single, five, nine and 25 zone options. In the 11x11 grid, you can choose (in odd numbers) which points you want working so, for example, for a thin subject you could set a 11x1 focus grid

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look

Using a camera no one is supposed to know about meant I had to be discreet, but I tackled a range of subjects the minimum safe handholding for a non IS lens of this length is 1/1000sec. A 5EV benefit takes us down to 1/30sec, and yes on a calm day I had a good success rate at that speed, and slightly less so at 1/15sec. Live ND mode lets you creatively explore longer shutter speeds without the need for screw-in ND filters – of course you will need a tripod. This works in manual and shutter-priority AE exposure mode only so you are limited with the longest shutter speed. There are five filter factors you can dial in, from ND2 (1EV) to ND32 (5EV). The effect can be previewed before shooting so you can fine-tune it before taking the shot. It is not extreme ND territory but does mean you can get creative with shutter speeds and wide aperture selective focusing when you’ve left your ND filter set at home.

Using a camera no one is supposed to know about meant I had to be discreet (some people weren’t!) but I tackled a range of subjects from garden wildlife, airplanes and general street scenes. Image quality from my preproduction sample was impressive. Having the same fundamental sensor as the E-M1 Mark II meant I had a ballpark idea of image quality which helped. I did do some sideby-side shots with an E-M1 Mark II using identical lenses for my own reference – the true comparison test shots I’ll reserve until production models of the E-M1X are available. Overall, I was very happy with the E-M1X’s performance at ISO 800 and even ISO 1600. Beyond that, I’d be more wary as noise is more evident and image detail and colour saturation fall off. Keep to ISO 1600 and below, though, and the E-M1X turns in very high quality images.

Summary Clearly, we can’t offer a definitive verdict until we try a full production camera, but based on our experiences so far, the E-M1X is a very capable camera with some great features. The AF system is impressive and the tracking modes dedicated to specific subjects is a great innovation. At the moment, it’s limited to three subjects but the potential to add more is there. Being able to tailor the 121 AF zones to your needs is also very neat. I found the E-M1X a joy to handle, whether shooting horizontal or upright format pictures, and the considered control layout and decent size buttons help too. The generous handgrip allows a very secure grip to give a stable shooting platform. I think that

is especially true when upright shooting and the bulbous handgrip is really excellent. All this great stuff, though, comes at a price, and we haven’t even mentioned that yet. The body of the E-M1X is £2799.99 so that is a significant uplift on the current shop price of the E-M1 Mark II with the HLD-9 power grip which is around £1650. But the E-M1X is a completely different proposition, offering more features including a more advanced AF system, better continuous shooting and new stuff like Handheld High Res shot mode. We’ll be fully testing the E-M1X very soon and we’ll soon know whether the extra investment is worth it.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look Spec at a glance Prices S1R body £3399.99, S1 body £2199.99, S1R kit with 24-105mm £4199.99, S1 kit with 24-105mm £3399.99 Sensor S1R 47.3-megapixels, CMOS sensor, S1 24.2-megapixels, CMOS sensor Sensor format S1R 24x36mm, 8368x5584pixels. High-res mode 16,736x11168pixels, 6k photo 5184x3456pixels, 4K photo 3504x2336 pixels, HLG photo 6464x4320 full res S1 35.6x23.8mm, 6000x4000pixels. High-res mode 12,000x8000pilxels, 6k photo 5184x3456pixels, 4K photo 3504x2336 pixels, HLG photo 5984x4000 full res Aspect ratios: 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1, 65:24, 2:1 ISO range S1R 100-25,600. 50 and 51,200 extended S1 100-51,200. 50, 102,400 and 204,800 extended Shutter range 60secs-1/8000sec, B max 30mins Electronic front shutter curtain 60secs to 1/2000sec, B max 30mins Electronic shutter 60secs to 1/16,000sec (S1R), 1/8000sec (S1) Motion picture 1/25-1/16,000sec Drive modes Burst shooting in AFS and MF: H 9fps, M 5fps (with live view), L 2fps. In AF-C 6fps max (with live view). 6K photo 30fps, 4K photo 30fps Exposure modes PASM Monitor 3.2in 2100k dots, tiltable, touchscreen Viewfinder OLED with 5760k dots, 100% view, 0.78x, three magnification options Focusing AF works from -6EV to 18EV Focus points 225 area. Auto detection (face, eye, body animal, tracking, zone (vertical/ horizontal), zone (oval and square), single area, single area pinpoint, custom modes, full area touch Video Continuous recording 150min (rear monitor), 140min LVF Actual recordable time 75min (rear monitor), 70min LVF Recording file format S1 MP4, H:264/ MPEG-4 AVC, S1R MP4, H:264, MPEG-4 S1R 4k (3840x2160) 59.94/50/29.97/25/23.98 MP4, highspeed video (3840x2160) 29.97 (sensor output 60fps) S1 4K (3840x2160) 59.94/50/29.97/25/23.98 MP4, high speed video (3840x2160) 29.97 (sensor output 60fps), 4K MP4 HEVC (3840x2160) 29.97 72Mbps Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, USB C 3.1 Image stabiliser Image sensor shift 5 axis/5.5EV benefit. Dual IS 6EV benefit Other key features Dust and splash resistant, USB charging Storage media 1x SD, 1x XQD Dimensions (wxhxd) 148.9x110x96.7mm Weight S1R body 899g, S1 body 898g Contact panasonic.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Panasonic Lumix S1R

Mirrorless full-frame cameras are all the rage, at least with manufacturers. We got the chance to try Panasonic’s new 47.3-megapixel Lumix S1R on the streets of Barcelona Words and images by Will Cheung Panasonic officially unveiled the S-system in Barcelona and I had the pleasure of using the Lumix S1R mostly with the 70-200mm f/4 lens for a couple of hours. I also got to try the S1 and the 50mm f/1.4 and 24105mm f/4 lenses. Just a point for clarity. The S1R and S1 are externally the same so handling comments apply to both, and my views and the images shown here were done on preproduction kit. Panasonic has taken a different approach to its mirrorless system. Canon and Nikon have gone for bodyform that’s more compact than its DSLRs while Panasonic has taken the no-compromise route which means the S1R is a very solid beast and DSLR sized. It is weather proof, dust proof and built like a tank. Next to the shutter button is the white-balance, ISO and exposure compensation buttons. That layout works well and means you can control core features with the camera up the eye. For my fingers, the WB button is the easiest to use, which is not ideal as it’s the least used, while the compensation is the most used. The on/off switch is close by too; although in theory ideally placed on the right side I found it serviceable rather than great to use. The exposure button was also rather taut but maybe this is due to the cameras not being final production models. Panasonic makes a great deal of its high 5760K EVF and rightly so. It is really, really, good and the closest electronic screen I have seen to be optical. It has two refresh rates, 60fps and the better, but more power-hungry, 120fps. I liked having

the option of three magnifications and camera settings are shown in a black surround outside of the image area. The viewfinder is such an important aspect of a camera and Panasonic has devoted a lot of effort to making sure the image is the best possible. I think it has done a brilliant job and I couldn’t find anything to complain about. The adjustable monitor did its job well and the touch functionality was fine. If I did have a gripe it’s that I found I moved the AF point inadvertently too often. Less

Panasonic has devoted a lot of effort to making sure the image is the best possible

sensitivity would help and there might well be a menu item for that, but I didn’t have time to look for it. I didn’t explore the camera’s function and custom options either so they can wait for the full test. A control I did like was the focus joystick and this even lets you move the AF point diagonally, so it’s faster and much more intuitive than the usual up/down and across. Push the shutter button and you get a low-pitched, low-vibration shutter release. Handholding at slow shutter speeds is perfectly manageable with the in-body, five-

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look High res mode High res mode 1

High res mode 2

Images This pair of shots was taken on a Lumix S1R with a 70-200mm f/4 at 200mm on a Gitzo Traveller series 1 tripod. The exposure was 1/15sec at f/11 and ISO 100. You can see the effect of mode 2, where the poly bag appears sharp while in the mode 1 you can see evidence of the individual shots. Taken on a pre-production sample. Image quality is not final

Walking and filming with the OIS active gave remarkably stable images

Below I took most of my shots using the Lumix S Pro 70-20mm f/4 lens which balanced nicely on the S1R

axis system claiming a 5.5EV benefit and 6EV with OIS lenses. I did a few shots using the 70200mm f/4 lens shooting at 1/15sec and slower. The system performed very well in stills and video shooting. Walking and filming with the OIS active gave remarkably stable images â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and this was with the 70200mm too. The S1R shoots 4K/60p video with a 1.09x crop but it pixel bins too so quality is likely to be less good than the S1. If video is the main reason for buying into the S series

the S1 is the better option and you can shoot 4K/60p with a 1.5x crop and 40K/30p oversampled from its full sensor. The S1R packs a 47.3-megapixel resolution, the highest of any current full-frame camera. That means fullsize files measuring around 65MB and opening up to 8368x5584pixels, big enough for prints of 27.9x18.6in at 300ppi without interpolation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A2 is 23.4x16.5in. Resizing in software or using a lower resolution means you can get seriously large prints

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look Yosuke Yamane

PN got the chance to find out a little more about the S series with Yosuke Yamane, division president, Imaging Network Business Division, Panasonic Corp. Photography News: How do you feel now that the S series has been revealed? Yosuke Yamane: I feel like my baby has started walking. I am very happy.

Above This straight out of camera JPEG was shot at ISO 200 in the standard colour setting and it shows excellent saturation

Three S lenses Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro OIS

Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4

Lumix S Pro 70200mm f/4 OIS

Prices £1299.99

Prices £2299.99

Prices £1745.99

Optical construction 16 elements in 13 groups

Optical construction 13 elements in 11 groups

Optical construction 23 elements in 17 groups

Closest focusing distance 30cm

Closest focusing distance 44cm

Closest focusing distance 92cm

Filter size 77mm

Dimensions (lxd) 118x84mm

Dimensions (lxd) 130x90mm

Dimensions (lxd) 179x84.4mm

Weight 680g

Weight 955g

Weight 985g

If you need or want seriously large prints, go for the high-res mode

out of the S1R. But if you need or want seriously large prints (of a suitable subject), go for the high-res mode that gives resolution of 187 megapixels. Here, eight shots, with the sensor moving between shots gives Raws of 350MB and these open up to 16,736x11,168 pixels – this means prints of 55x36in. That is way, way, way more than most users will ever need but if you are a fan of the finest detail the option is there. High-res mode needs the camera to be on a solid tripod and you need static subjects. You can set a time delay to make sure the camera is utterly stable during the eight shot

sequence and after shooting the Raw takes about ten seconds to write and in that time the camera is locked up. Gentle movement, such as the leaves of a tree in a breeze, can be handled by the Mode 2 option in high-res mode and this works by comparing the detail of the eight images. The process takes no longer than normal high-res mode. I shot normal Raws, JPEGs and high-res files. The Raws were processed through SilkyPix Developer Studio 8 SE and on a 27in 4k monitor looked really, really good. I use a 45.7-megapixel DSLR and my initial feeling (but

PN: The S series is aimed at pros but most are committed to Canon and Nikon; so where are customers going to come from? YY: We want existing MFT users who want to step up as well as users from other companies. We know that MFT users stepping up is a small market and does not help us expand our business. We know that it will be very difficult but that is why we dare to challenge and we would like as many DSLR users from Canon and Nikon as possible. PN: What was initial motivation in going full-frame? YY: We actually started planning for full-frame mirrorless eight years ago. We were focused on MFT but we knew people wanted more depth-of-field control and to have higher expression in their pictures. Video and still imaging convergency is the trend for the camera industry. We have to lead this trend, to have an advantage over Canon and Nikon – that is why we decided to develop full-frame. PN: We are at 47.3 megapixels: where do you stop? YY: Regarding sensor evolution, 100 megapixels is already in medium format and 100 megapixels in fullframe will be possible. But with 100 megapixels the data will be heavy, so it is very difficult to operate and what is the purpose of this to the customer? This is the thing we have to find out before we develop the product. PN: What aspect of the S series makes you personally most proud? YY: The thing that makes me most proud is that we never compromised. So in each area – EVF, AF, OIS, lenses, sensor, engine – we made no compromises. Each part is like a part of a baby’s body, so we are proud of everything in the cameras, and we are sure professionals will be satisfied with each function and each aspect of performance.

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First look Key feature differences

ISO set

Lumix S1R

Lumix S1

£3499.99 body only

£2199.99 body only

47MP 36x24mm CMOS sensor

24MP 35.6x23.8mm CMOS sensor

187MP high r-es mode

96MP high res mode

UHD 4K/60p video capture with 1.09x crop and pixel binning

UHD 4K/60p video (1.5x crop); oversampled 4K/30p with no crop

Top ISO 25,600, 51,200 with expansion

Top ISO 51,200, 204,800 with expansion

Original image

ISO 400

ISO 6400

Images To give some idea of ISO performance, here is a pair of shots at ISO 400 and 6400. The ISO 400 shot needed an exposure of 1.6secs at f/8. The Raws were processed through SilkyPix Developer Studio 8 SE with default noise reduction. Taken on a pre-production sample. Image quality is not final

Above AF mode has face, eye and body detection, plus animal detect. Left High ISO image quality is good – this was shot at ISO 12,800.

without doing side-by-side shots) is that the S1R stamps all over it in terms of ultimate image quality. Most of my shots were taken on the 70-200mm f/4, although I managed a few on the 50mm f/1.4 and 24-105mm f/4. The 50mm is a serious lens and big even for its f/1.4 fast aperture. I did a few shots

at f/1.4 – there’s no point having a fast aperture lens if it’s unusable. No problem here though. This lens is expensive (£2400) but remarkable, even on this quick look. The 70-200mm f/4 is pretty capable too. While an f/4, it is not a compact telezoom, but handling was good and it balanced well on the S1R.

Summary It’s very early doors. I used the Lumix S1R for two hours, the S1 for 15 minutes and both were pre-production samples. That’s not really any basis to make a value judgement so that will have to wait until a full test. That said, my first impressions are nothing but positive. The camera had an incredibly solid feel, the EVF is the nearest to an optical viewfinder I have seen, it has twin SD card slots and handling is mostly sound. All this counts for nothing if the images were a let-down. But they weren’t. They looked excellent with awesome detail and great sharpness and noise levels stayed low even at high ISOs – and this from pre-production kit. I will reserve final judgement until I have tested production cameras but at their body prices, both cameras represent great value. The downside is the lack of lens choice but the collective power of the L-mount alliance will definitely speed things up. Canon, Nikon and Sony are in for a full-frame mirrorless dogfight, that’s for sure because Panasonic’s S series has enormous potential.

Photography News | Issue 63 | 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 to add it to your wish list Reviews by Will Cheung and Adam Duckworth

Specs Price K8 kit £110 Comprises: K-100 slim 100mm filter holder, magnetic slim 86mm X CPL circular polariser, geared magnetic adapter rings 77-86mm, 82-86mm and 67-82mm, 72-82mm step rings We also tried Wolverine 100x150mm 0.9 soft grad £137 (0.6, 1.2, 1.5 also available); Wolverine 100x150mm 0.9 reverse grad £143 (1.2 also available); Wolverine 100x150mm 1000x ND £132 (also available in ND8, ND64); 100mm filter leather case £30 and K8/K6 adapter ring red plastic cap £6.99 Also available Kase Wolverine Series Entry Level Kit £350. As the K8 kit above plus Wolverine 100x150mm 0.9 soft grad, Wolverine 100x150mm ND64 and K100 square filter bag High End and Master Kits are available at £485 and £730 respectively Wolverine 100x150mm hard grads £143, available in 0.6, 0.9, medium 0.9, centre grad; Wolverine 100x100mm NDs with attachable gaskets for non-Kase holders £132, available in ND8, ND64, ND1000, ND64,000 (£137 16EV) Contact kasefilters.com

Kase K8 filter kit £110 Kase is a young Chinese company that first launched filters for its local market in 2011 and in the few short years since has established an international following. In this test, we take a look at the K8 kit and a few of its filters, including an extreme ND and grads. The K8 kit is a good way to get into the system, because £110 buys you the slimline holder, magnetic adapter rings, step rings and a circular polariser. That is a flying start and then you can add grads and NDs to suit your specific needs. However, money-saving kit options are worth a look. The Entry Level kit, the High End kit and the Master kit are priced at £350, £485 and £730 respectively and offer savings with included grads and NDs. Kase has gone for standard 100mm and 150mm filter sizes, which means its filters will happily fit equivalent holders from rival brands, including Benro, B+W, H&Y, Lee and Marumi, among others. So there’s the opportunity to use Kase filters in, for example a Lee holder, but it is worth looking at what the Kase holder system offers in its own right. It joins the growing number of filter holders that enable you to place and adjust a polariser behind

Above The coated Kase filters give a very good performance when shooting directly into the light

any filters used in the front slots. A difference here, though, compared with its rivals, is that the polariser is held in place by magnetism, not the usual screw thread. We’ll get on to this in more depth soon. The K8 slimline holder is machined from a single block of aviation aluminium alloy and finished in matt anodised black. To this, the supplied three 2mm slots (1.1mm slots are available) are attached by screws. How you get the holder on to your lens is interesting. The kit comes with geared 77-86mm and 82-86mm magnetic adapter rings, so these go straight on to the lens. If, however, your lens is 67mm or 72mm thread that is fine, because 67-82mm and 7282mm step rings are supplied to take the 82-86mm magnetic adapter ring. If your lenses have a 62mm and smaller thread, you will need to buy a suitable ring but these are cheap and readily available online. With a magnetic adapter in position, you’re ready to use filters and the polariser can be fitted now before

Magnetism does its thing to hold the filter firmly in position

putting the holder in place. The holder just slips on and locks into position using the large red locking knob. If you prefer, the polariser can be added with the holder in place. Either way, magnetism does its thing to hold the filter firmly in position and its thin mount means other filters can be used in any of the slots without catching it. Also, the polariser’s orientation can be fine-tuned without having to take off any filter using the red drive cog on the holder, which is easily accessible and fine to use even with gloves on. One problem I have encountered with rival systems that use screw-in rear placed polarisers is unscrewing the polariser from the adapter ring. It is a fiddle at best and with cold fingers can be impossible. The beauty of Kase’s magnetic approach is that removing the polariser is much easier, although it is true you can’t do it with the holder on because the polariser lies flush with the holder, so you have to remove it first. This is a quick process and then the polariser can be prised off the

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First tests Without grad filter

1 Two magnetic adapter rings come with the K8 kit, 77-86mm and 82-86mm. Each comprises two rings; one fits on to the lens and the other rotates for polariser use. 2&3 The polariser can be fitted while the holder is in place – or you can fit it straight onto the adapter ring. 4 Secure the holder onto the adapter by tightening the large knurled knob. Loosening the knob slightly allows the holder to be adjusted. 5 To fine-tune the polariser, use the red serrated edge cog, which meshes with the cogs on the polariser rim. This is easy and comfortable to do whether on a tripod or handheld. 6 The slimline polariser allows the user of an ND or grad filter in the nearest slot to the lens. To remove the polariser you have to take off the holder first. The process is simple and can be managed even with cold fingers. The matt areas are baffles to stop light leaks when using extreme ND filters

With 0.9 soft grad

Verdict Filters are coated on both sides to reduce reflection and I had no flare or ghosting issues Above There is no doubting the optical quality of the Wolverine 0.9 soft grad and it is neutral too, not adding any colour cast to the sky. Shot taken with a Fujifilm X-E3 with a 18-55mm f/2.8-4 with an exposure of 1/100sec at f/8 and ISO 200 in manual mode and AWB magnetic adapter ring even with cold digits. The attraction is powerful so strong fingers and nails still help and I couldn’t do it with gloves on (not even liner gloves). But removing the polariser is possible, so you shouldn’t be in the position of having it stuck on when it’s not needed – a thumbs up from me on this. For non-polariser photography, grads and ND are slipped into place as normal. For extreme ND shooting, the closest slot to the lens is used. The holder’s front fascia is finished with fine foam across the top and bottom No polariser

of the holder and during this test the 1000X ND was used. I had no light leak issues with exposures running into the several minutes. I tested the extreme ND using the camera’s AWB settings and then at Kelvin presets on a Fujifilm X-E3 and a Nikon D850. With AWB on both cameras, the results were on the warm side but this is marginal and not an issue for landscapes where a touch of warmth is often preferred. Of course with Raw, there is no need to fret too much, but if I needed neutral out-of-camera JPEGs

I’d use the manual 5300K on the X-E3 and 5560K on the D850 – or the daylight preset. Filters are coated on both sides to reduce reflections and I had no flare or ghosting issues. The filters also have a hydrophobic coating, which makes cleaning easy without smearing, so ideal when shooting in sea spray and when it is raining. Overall, optical performance, as you can see from the shots here, is first rate, which is what you’d expect as they are not cheap filters. For the final part of the test, I explored the filters’ physical toughness. Kase grad and ND filters are made from toughened B270 Schott glass and the Kase website says filters will survive a drop from 1.2m – obviously, a 1.2m drop on grass or sand will be

different from rocks or concrete. I was supplied some sample plain glass filters, so I had the chance to perform my own drop tests. From a height of 1.2m, I performed drop tests on carpet, laminate floor, a gravel drive and on to concrete pavement. On pavement, the filter didn’t shatter or crack and just one corner chipped very slightly, and the filter remains perfectly usable. I also did the water drop test where I let a water drop evaporate on the filter surface and then cleaned the resulting residue. This can be a real issue and I had polarisers permanently marked from this simple test. No such issues with these Kase filters, though. All round, I’m happy with the physical and optical performance of the Kase filters. WC

Filter users are spoilt for choice nowadays and, while the case for Kase is not necessarily open and shut, it’s pretty powerful. Very finequality glass filters, a top-quality holder and a cog drive rear polariser that is practical and very usable. The K8 kit at £110 is excellent value for money to get you into the system and it includes a circular polariser so, assuming you don’t already own some 100mm filters, you need to budget for an extra filter or two to suit your needs. Glass filters are more expensive than their resin equivalents, but there is no denying the optical class of these Kase products. Pros Optical quality of filters, magnetic rear-placed polariser, K8 kit great value, toughness of the filters Cons Not much

With polariser

Above The polariser does a fine job reducing glare and enhancing colour saturation. As with the other filters tried here, neutrality and all-round optical performance are impressive. Shot taken with a Fujifilm X-E3 with a 18-55mm f/2.8-4 with an exposure 1/100sec at f/8 (left) and 1/60sec at f/8 (right) and ISO 200 in manual mode and AWB

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

ThinkTank Spectral 15 £133 Specs Price £133

Specs Price Lily Deanne Mezzo £280, available in chestnut brown or black licorice Key features • Dakota leather flap and accents • Metal hardware with chrome finish • Robin’s egg-blue liner • Rare-earth magnetic closures on the main flap and front pockets • Trolley handle pass-through • Twin, exterior front pockets • Zipped front pocket • Dual, expandable side pockets • Cushioned non-slip shoulder pad Capacity • One standard-size DSLR with mid-range zoom attached • Two to three additional lenses • 10in tablet or 11in laptop inside a dedicated compartment Exterior materials Full-grain Dakota leather with water-resistant coating, chromeplated metal hardware, neodymium magnets, YKK zips, 420D velocity nylon, 420 high-density nylon, nylon seatbelt webbing Interior 210D turquoise-toned RC stripe nylon lining, polyurethane-backed Velex liner and dividers, closedcell foam and reinforced PE board dividers, 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed taffeta rain cover Internal dimensions (wxhxd) 31x24x13.5cm External dimensions (wxhxd) 35x25x15.5cm Laptop/tablet compartment (wxhxd) 30x22.5x2cm Weight 1kg Contact snapperstuff.com

ThinkTank Lily Deanne Mezzo £280 ThinkTank’s Lily Deanne shoulder bags were designed by women photographers for women. They come in three sizes – the Lucido is the smallest and the Tutto is the largest with the Mezzo slotting in the middle – and in two colours, chestnut brown and black licorice. A foldover flap covers the zipped main compartment which is held with two magnetic studs and this can be left folded over for quick access to the bag’s interior. The Mezzo’s egg-blue interior has room for a fullframe DSLR fitted with a standard zoom and an extra two or three lenses. A selection of dividers gives plenty of internal set-up options and two elasticated pockets at either end suit accessories. Two front pockets, also with magnetic fastenings, offer further storage of accessories, pens and other small items. There’s a padded pocket for a 11in laptop or 10in tablet. In fact, with a large zipper-sealed pocket too, you can get both in if you want. There’s an external back pocket and a trolley handle pass-through for use with a roller case.

Key features • Fidlock’s magnetic latch auto-locks for one handed opening and closing • Internal zipped flap provides a weather barrier and protection from theft • Dual side slip-in pockets • Front zip compartment with inner pockets • Tripod straps on bottom of bag • Top handle and padded shoulder strap • Rear strap luggage passthrough • Waterproof tarpaulin base and rain cover Capacity • One standard-size DSLR with 24–70mm attached • 2-4 extra lenses • Flashgun • 10in tablet • 15in laptop Exterior materials • Exterior treated with durable water-resistant coating. Underside is coated with polyurethane for superior water resistance • YKK RC Fuse (abrasion resistant) zips • 420D velocity nylon • 400D cordura/polyester blend (vintage) Interior • PE board reinforced removable closed cell foam dividers, 200D liner • PU backed nylex liner Internal dimensions (wxhxd) 39x25x13cm

I was testing the Spectral 15 (right) alongside the Mezzo and side by side the former is significantly larger, mostly in height. Yet I got the same core camera outfit into the Mezzo, ie a Nikon D850 with a 2470mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 and 16-35mm f/4, so capacity is impressive. Of course it’s a tighter fit but access to gear is perfectly fine and getting the camera out ready to shoot in a hurry is no issue at all. WC

Verdict The Lily Deanne Mezzo is a premium product, made from quality materials. It performs really well, providing good gear protection with fast access to contents. It looks fab too. Pros Build quality, good looks Cons Price

External dimensions (wxhxd) 41x28x16cm Laptop/tablet compartment (wxhxd) 32x19.2x2cm Laptop compartment (wxhxd) 36x24.5x2.5cm Weight 1.2kg Contact snapperstuff.com

Today’s bags have to be flexible and multi-purpose and the Spectral series certainly fits the bill in this respect. These smart, shoulder bags are ideal for image-makers on the move who need a capable DSLR camera outfit with laptop and tablet support. Three Spectral models are available and the 15 is the largest, big enough for a 15in laptop. The top protective foldover flap features a carry handle and a single magnetic clasp that suits one-handed operation. With this flap folded over you can access the main compartment, but there is an extra layer of security in the form of a zipped cover to keep out stray hands as well as dust and rain. This flap when unzipped is usefully held out of the way with a round patch of hook and loop fastener on the main flap. The main compartment is deep, deep enough to have a standard DSLR with a standard zoom attached pointing down. I got in a Nikon D850 with a 24-70mm f/2.8 plus a 16-35mm f/4 and 70-200mm f/2.8. I usually have an L-grip on the D850 but taking it off made the fit more comfortable. The front zipped pocket has storage for a tablet and a couple of thin pockets can take spare batteries, stationery and a filter or two. There are two more slim pockets, one small one for

Verdict The Spectral 15 is a finelooking bag, perfect for the photographer about town who needs a versatile camera outfit as well as admin support in the form of a laptop and a tablet. It’s also comfortable to carry when fully laden and protection levels are high. Highly recommended. Pros Stylish, impressive capacity, high protection levels, great value for money Cons Tripod straps slightly fiddly in use, tripod stashed on the base is not always convenient

pens. An elasticated pouch for a water bottle is also available at one end of the bag. Tripod straps are supplied with the bag and these work with four loops on the bag’s base. The attachment clips are stiff to use and that helps with security but having a tripod hanging from the base is not convenient if you have to put the bag down. I really enjoyed using this bag – it became my work bag for a couple of weeks. It has more than enough carrying capacity for my day to day needs, and there’s no problem with flexibility either. WC

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £599 Format Full-frame Mount Nikon Z Autofocus Auto/manual Construction 12 elements in nine groups Special lens elements Two ED elements, two aspherical elements Coatings Nano crystal coat Filter size 62mm Aperture range F/1.8-16 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 40cm Focus limiter No Distance scale No Depth-of-field scale No

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S £599 The 50mm focal length is the classic standard prime lens for the 35mm format. It was the lens that cameras came bundled with – and for good reason. The view and perspective you get with a 50mm is natural and the lenses themselves are usually nice and compact, have a fast aperture and are fine performers. The first thing that strikes home about the Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S is its size and weight. It’s 86.5mm long and weighs 415g, compared to the 54mm and 280g of the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G and the 52.5mm and 185g of the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G. So, the new lens is both longer and heavier than existing Nikon 50mm lenses, which is no big deal, but we all thought mirrorless would save weight and bulk. When you look at the combined size comparisons, then the Z 7 with 50mm combination is more portable than the D850/50mm duo. We tried the Z-fit 50mm f/1.8 on a Z 7, with its 45.7-megapixel sensor sure to give the lens a good test. On the Z 7 camera body, the 50mm balances well, despite its size. The knurled focusing ring, which takes up half the lens’s length, is smooth in operation and gives full-time manual override. The only control on the lens is AF/ manual focus slider. That’s it. There is

Image stabiliser No. In-camera VR Tripod collar No Lens hood HB-90 bayonet hood supplied Weather-sealed Dust and water sealed. Fluorine coating on front element repels dust and water Dimensions (dxl) 76x86.5mm Weight 415g Contact nikon.co.uk

Original image

F/1.8

F/2.8

Above The Z 50mm f/1.8 S performed really well at open aperture F/4

no vibration reduction system in the lens needed, because it’s all built into the camera body. With no focusing distance scale or depth-of-field scale, the lens looks rather bare, but that doesn’t deflect from the lens’s focusing and optical skills, which both rate highly. You get an impressive showing across the frame at f/1.8 and it only

gets better and better with stopping down. Wide open, the centre is better than the edges, but there is not a great deal in it and stopping down (even to f/2.8) improves the whole picture. By the time you get to f/5.6 and f/8, you feel assured of a leading-edge performance with fine detail that’s very nicely recorded. That remains true until you get to f/11 and f/16, where the image is softened a little by diffraction. Vignetting at the widest aperture is obvious, even with the Nikon Z 7’s in-camera menu item ‘vignette control’ switched on. So, if you want evenly lit shots, you will have to add some editing. The vignetting disappears from f/2.8 onwards. Shooting directly towards the light – even with the sun’s disk in the frame and without the hood – was well-handled and no nasty flare spots appeared, so that was an impressive showing from the lens, too. There is much to like about this lens, so although it appears expensive for a standard prime of modest aperture (Panasonic’s new S series 50mm f/1.4 is truly expensive), you do get a very fine-quality lens. WC

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

F/16

Old v new Although not a direct lens or camera comparison, I was keen to see how new tech fared against not-quite-sonew tech. I grabbed the Nikon D850 with the 50mm f/1.4G and did a few side by side shots with the 50mm f/1.8 S on the Z 7. This pair was shot at IWM Duxford using both cameras handheld. The exposure was 1/500sec at f/1.8, ISO 200 and processed through Lightroom with default settings. The results from both cameras were impressive and, with better processing and some unsharp mask, there would be no problem using both shots big. There’s no doubt, however, that the 50mm f/1.8 on the Z 7 was the superior performer, with slightly better detail and contrast.

Original image

D850 with 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.8

Verdict

Z 7 and 50mm f/1.8 wide open

Nikon Z system owners looking for a top standard lens can invest in this 50mm f/1.8 without any worries. It is a very high performance lens and, while it is not the most compact or cheapest 50mm standard lens around, it’s worth a serious look, because it is a crackerjack of a lens. Pros Optical performance Cons Large for a 50mm f/1.8 prime, the price

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £549.99 In the box CD manual, carrier sheet, driver and utilities (CD), external AC power adapter with power cord, main unit, quick start guide, USB cable Compatible operating systems Mac OS X 10.11.x, Mac OS X 10.12.x, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 7 x64, Windows 8 (32/64 bit) Features Skip blank page, punch holes removal, automatic de-skew, auto-rotation, advanced cropping feature for auto size, automatic folder creation, scan to cloud storage Output formats JPEG, TIFF, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF/A Duplex scan Yes Advanced document integration Scan to email, scan to network folders Image Improvement Colour correction, colour restoration Optical resolution Main 600dpi x sub 600dpi Scanning range (maximum) 910x216mm (horizontal x vertical) Colour depth Output: 24-bit colour/8-bit monochrome Ultrasonic sensor Yes Optical sensor CIS (Contact Image Sensor) Light source RGB LED Output Resolution 300, 600dpi optical and 1200dpi interpolated Scanning Speed Monochrome: 45 pages/min. Colour: 45 pages/min measured with size: A4, resolution: 300dpi Interfaces USB 3.0, wireless LAN IEEE 802.11b/g/n Energy use 18 watt (operation), 9.2 watt (ready), 1.4 watt (sleep mode), 0.1 watt (power off) Included Software Epson ScanSmart Dimensions (wxdxh) 296x169x176mm Weight 3.7kg Contact epson.co.uk

Epson FastFoto FF-680W £549.99 Kitchen drawers, shoeboxes and storage boxes around the kingdom are full of print wallets packed with priceless, irreplaceable memories. Should your prints suffer misfortune your precious memories are gone forever – unless you’re lucky enough to find the negatives. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is a scanner that can digitise your invaluable family snapshots. So if disaster should strike you will have your pictures in a form that you can have safely stashed in your cloud, and making perfect copies is no problem. Image sharing is dead easy too, in a way that is impossible with physical prints. Unpack the unit and you will be pleased to know that it has a small footprint. Set-up is straightforward and it’s not long before you are ready to make your first scan. I opted for wireless set-up and the one hiccup I had was that while the scanner worked when operated from the computer, pushing the scan button on the unit itself didn’t. A reboot cured the problem. On the box it says that it takes 30 seconds to scan 30 prints, so that was one claim I wanted to test. I also wanted to try it with a mix of print sizes and also with prints taken out from an album, so with some sticky patches on the back. The unit scans prints and documents 8.8in wide and 36in long (216x910mm) so can handle panoramas. The scanning software has an instant print option too and offers a few auto enhancements such as red-eye removal. There are three scan resolutions on offer, 300dpi (fastest), 600dpi (recommended for archiving) and an interpolated 1200dpi. JPEG and TIF save options are also available. Using the same print, I tried all three resolutions and save options to compare times and file sizes. See the accompanying table for details. I sorted my old shoebox of prints into different sizes although I wasn’t too fussy because I wanted to see how the scanner would cope. The user guide suggests wiping the prints’ front to remove any surface dust and to make sure there is no sticky residue on the back. Prints from my album did have small, slightly gummy squares on the back but I hoped they would be okay – they were. For most purposes, 300dpi and JPEG is fine so I started with that. I timed 32 6x4in glossy prints (front scan only) going through the scanning process in 27secs. Add some prescanning time and a few seconds for

After

processing and the 32 prints took 50 seconds in total from clicking the start button to viewing finished scans. With auto enhancements switched on the same 32 prints took 56 seconds. You can scan in batches and do one big save at the end. Working like this I had 160 6x4in prints scanned and ready to enjoy in five minutes without any jamming or missed prints. One scanning feature is that any writing on the print’s back is automatically detected and the rear is scanned too. When scans are saved you get front and rear files sitting side by the side in your folder so vital information is kept with the relevant image. The sensitivity of the feature can be varied but what I did notice was that prints with pronounced branding – but no caption – were scanned, so I disabled the feature, turning it back on when needed. When auto enhancements are used you can have the corrections automatically implemented into one file or have the original and corrected files separate so you can pick the best one later. So far it had been easy going with same-size, good-condition, resincoated glossy prints. So next was dog-

eared prints on fibre-based paper and a mix of sizes. I kept the size mixes sensible so I didn’t have big and small prints together but had prints of broadly similar sizes. I did notice that some of the smaller prints did skew slightly going through the scanner but the results looked fine. To be fair to the FF-680W I thought it did really well even though it jammed up three times. To clear a jam just open the printer front and take out the stuck print. One jam was due to two prints being stuck together, another occasion was a thin print, about 1in wide, that didn’t go through and finally one print had too much sticky residue and it got stuck going through. After 300 scans, the software suggests cleaning the scanner to ensure quality results. This is simple and just involves unplugging the unit, opening up the scanner and wiping the sensor and feed devices with a dry cloth or with Epson cleaning fluid. In an evening scanning session, the contents of my dusty shoebox full of family memories was ready to share (you can save them automatically to Dropbox or Google Drive) and I had over 1200 scans of various resolutions and just three print jams. WC

Times and file size

Above The FastFoto FF-680W’s software is simple to navigate, so should not hold any fears for most people

Before

Time

JPEG

TIF

300dpi

<1sec

245KB

8.1MB

600dpi

3-4secs

8.5MB

32MB

1200dpi

5secs

24.9MB

131MB

Times and file sizes for a 6x4in colour print scan with auto enhancements switched on. Times do not include pre-scan, process and save times.

Above The original hand-tinted print has been improved with the scanner’s auto enhance – the feature can be turned off

Verdict The inevitable question is what do you do with it once you have scanned all your (and your family’s) old prints because assuming you are now capturing digitally your FF-680W could soon be gathering dust. Well of course, you could sell it on or you could buy one between a group of friends or club mates, or perhaps you could offer a scanning service. Whatever the case, the Epson FF-680W is a quality unit that works very well, quickly, jammed rarely and delivers quality results. If you have a good number of prints to scan, the cost per image scan is very reasonable. Pros Fast, works well, handles mixed sizes well Cons Limited enhancements

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs Price £1099 Format 35mm and APS-C Mount Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Sigma Autofocus Sigma HSM Construction 16 elements in 12 groups Special lens elements One aspheric, 3 FLD and 3 SLD elements Coatings Sigma multi-layer coating. Front and rear elements have water- and oil-repellent coating Filter size 82mm Aperture range F/1.4-16 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes, full-time manual override Minimum focus 40cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 1:6.5 Distance scale Yes Depth-of-field scale No Image stabilizer No Tripod collar No Lens hood Lockable hood supplied Weather-sealed Dust and splash proof Dimensions (lxd) 87.8x131mm Weight 1200g Contact sigma-imaging-uk.com

Below The Sigma lens is particularly useful when it comes to achieving impressive bokeh and shallow depth-of-field

Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art £1099 Sigma has reinvented itself in recent years, from an independent provider of competitively priced independent lenses to cutting edge lens supplier making no-compromise lenses that often outperform its camera brand rivals. This has been driven by its Art lens range, designed for the highest resolution and performance. Some of these lenses are cheaper than the Canon, Nikon or Sony glass, while others are bigger and more expensive so Art lenses are certainly not just a budget or lesser option. With cinematographers demanding even higher resolutions, Sigma has now built its first lens specifically as a manual focus cinema lens for the ultimate optical quality, then fitted this glass into an Art-style AF lens body. So that is why we have the 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, available in Canon, Nikon, Sony and Sigma mounts for full-frame shooting. Over a grand for a 40mm prime is a lot of cash, when you could buy a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens for roughly a third the price, weight and size. However, it is a totally different beast and this advanced Sigma outperforms any 50mm standard lens handsdown. The Sigma has more glass, in more groups, with a more advanced optical design. You can even use a USB dock to give the lens firmware updates as new features are introduced. And there’s also the fact that it’s a 40mm lens, not a 50mm. With a full-frame, 40mm falls between the traditional standard view of the 50mm and the documentary shooters’ traditional favourite, the 35mm – although it’s close to the 43mm theoretical standard of full-frame. In use, it’s feels like you have a 50mm lens on but are able to get a bit more of the scene in the shot, and you soon get used to it. One of the reasons to use such fast aperture lenses is to shoot it wide open for the shallow depth-offield. That makes focusing critical, and on a DSLR you might struggle depending on how good your AF system is. On a mirrorless camera like the Sony, it nailed focus every time as we switched between face detect and normal single-point AF. The lens uses Sigma’s HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) which is fast and quiet, and the autofocus can be overridden by manual control by turning the

Original image

F/1.4

F/2

F/2.8

F/4

Above The 40mm f/4 isn’t light or compact, but it’s a stunning performer focusing ring. Here, mirrorless again helps with things like focus peaking and getting it perfectly sharp. It focuses as close as 40cm, and at this distance focusing becomes critical. The lens is from the same design school as others in the Art series of primes, with a smooth barrel and a deep focusing ring towards the front plus pro-level weather sealing and build quality. There’s a small window for focusing distance and a switch to swap between manual and autofocus. There is no built-in image stabilisation, so DSLR users are out of luck in terms of controlling the shakes. Mirrorless cameras with inbody stabilisation obviously have a clear edge here. That’s if you don’t mind a lens that totally overpowers the smaller camera body and makes it feel unbalanced. Sigma has the MTF charts to prove this is the firm’s highest-resolving lens ever, and our tests back that up. It’s stunningly sharp and produces very detailed, crisp images with lots of contrast. And the images are sharp right across the whole frame, notably from f/2.8 to f/8. It is still very

impressive at wider apertures while at f/11 and f/16 diffraction does soften results slightly and some unsharp mask helps. There is hardly a whiff of distortion, and coma – the comet-like tail on highlights that can blight fast, wide-angle lenses – is absent. There is virtually zero chromatic aberration, but some vignetting at the widest apertures, although this disappears after f/2. We used a Canon EF mount version, but on a Sony A7R III with Sigma’s MC11 converter. If we’d used the lens on a pro Canon body, the clever inbuilt aberration control would have made things even better straight out of camera. Flare is well controlled thanks to the lens hood and Sigma’s multi-layer lens coating, and looks okay even when you provoke it enough with a very bright highlight. Then of course comes the magic bokeh, so crucial nowadays, it seems. With a fast f/1.4 aperture and a nine-bladed diaphragm, it produces beautifully round bokeh. Even the pixel-peeping Instagram crowd will love it. AD

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

F/16

Above Impressive performance at every aperture is what you get from this stunning lens from Sigma. Not cheap, but great value

Verdict Sigma set out to build its best ever lens with the 40mm f/1.4 Art, and it has definitely achieved its goal. It’s a stunning performer, but all that optical greatness comes at a price. At £1099 it’s not cheap, and at over a kilogram it’s not light. It’s also a slightly odd focal length that most photographers don’t really consider. But if you want a stunning performer that is built to last, this Sigma is a winner. Pros Optical performance at all apertures, good bokeh Cons Bulky

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests Specs

PermaJet Canvas P3, P4, P5 From £125 Images The rusting car image was well suited to canvas output – here printed on P3 – with the material’s texture adding to the texture and rust of the wreck. This image of silver birches waving about in a gale was toned slightly in editing, and that warmth made it ideal as a contender for printing onto P4 with its creamy base. P5 did a great job with the light tones of the wedding shot, with the white base making sure the bokeh came out looking very clean

P3 POLYCOTTON MATT CANVAS Prices & availability Available as 18-metre length rolls in widths of: 24in £118.95; 36in £169.95; 44in £249.95; and 60in £299.95 wide-format rolls Material A cotton rich polycotton blend of 20% polyester and 80% cotton OBAs Yes Weight 380gsm Compatible Dye and pigment aqueous inks P4 100% COTTON NATURAL MATT Prices & availability A3+ 10 sheets £36.95. In rolls, available as 18-metre length rolls in widths of: 17in £88.95; 24in 124.95; 36in £186.95; and 44in £219.95 wide-format rolls Material 100% cotton, OBA free Weight 360gsm Compatible Dye and pigment aqueous inks P5 POLYCOTTON BRIGHT WHITE MATT Prices & availability Available as 18-metre length rolls in widths of: 24in £124.95; 36in £186.95; 44in £219.95; and 60in £409.95 wide-format rolls Material A cotton rich polycotton blend of 10% polyester and 90% cotton Weight 350gsm Compatible Dye and pigment aqueous inks Contact permajet.com

P3 Polycotton Matt 380gsm

Photographs often sell better when they don’t look or feel like photographs, and that’s why canvas printing is so popular among fine art workers and social photography professionals. Inkjet media specialist PermaJet has collections of fine art and production canvas materials. Here we look at its three production canvas products, simply named P3, P4 and P5. These canvas materials are compatible with home inkjet printers but there are logistics that need considering. Of the three materials, only P4 is available in sheet form, and in A3+ size, ten sheet packs . If your horizons extend further, as is very likely, you need to buy a roll. PermaJet sells P3, P4 and P5 in 18-metre rolls, obviously aimed at the professional output market. So your option is to buy a roll, perhaps shared among photo friends to keep initial outlay down. Buying a roll is one thing, cutting it to sizes that suit your printer is another and you’ll need a good pair of craft shears, the sort used by tailors and dressmakers. You need a clean cut but cutting accuracy is less of an issue because canvas prints are stretched and stapled onto wooden stretchers. When working on images you need to remember you need a border of

These canvas materials are compatible with home inkjet printers

Above From left to right, the surfaces finishes of P3, P4 and P5. The OBA-free P4 is obviously the more creamy of the three materials and you can see the surface characteristics of each are slightly different with P5 being the smoothest canvas finish and also with the coolest hue

P4 100% Cotton Natural Matt 360gsm

around 1.75in around the actual image to allow for stretching and stapling on to these wooden stretchers. Yes; enter the world of canvas printing, and disciplines to produce a final print are different from mounting and matting a standard print. You need to think about final image size when you are making the canvas, for example. A selling point of these PermaJet materials is that they are crack proof so when you are folding the image around a wooden frame, there’s no problem with the printed image. I tried P3, P4 and P5 through an Epson SC-P800 with Epson inks. This is an A2 printer so it can take 17in wide materials. To start with, using an X-rite i1 Studio I made myself ICC profiles for each material using A4-sized sheets which I fed through the normal media channel and had no problems with these heavier but floppy material sgoing through the printer. From that, I made a few prints from a selection of landscapes, abstract and people images. P3 at 380gsm is the heaviest of the three canvas materials and said to give brilliant colours and deep blacks. I was happy with the way it handled my test scenes delivering quality results and rich colours for a matt

P5 Polycotton Bright White Matt 350gsm

Above To be honest, you may not see an awful lot of difference in the performance of the three materials in newsprint, but trust us – P4 is a slightly warmer material and all three materials delivered detail-packed images with superb colour fidelity

finish. Colour accuracy and neutrality rated highly too. With a 100% cotton base and no OBAs, P4 has a creamy paper base and the finely textured surface is said to make the most of fine detail. That was certainly true and in a portrait, every hair was crisply defined. If you want a softer result, adjust the original file rather than relying on printing on canvas to do it for you. The warmer base suited high key images well and pale tones looked more welcoming compared with the cooler reproduction of P3 and P5. The material with the brightest, most white base was P5. That helped with contrasty scenes and mono shots too where the base maintained the crispness and depth of the original. I enjoyed using all three canvas materials, with P4 being my personal favourite with its creamy off-white base which added its own character to my shots. Image quality on all three finishes impressed and with their crack-free, water resistant, nicely textured surfaces, they have a great appeal. WC

Verdict PermaJet’s product range continues to grow and with it the opportunity for enthusiast photographers to produce very individual looking work at home. It is true that these canvases are aimed at high-production outlets but there is no reason why quality canvas images can’t be produced at home if you own a decent photo-quality A3+ printer. I was delighted with my results. All that’s left to do is to buy some stretchers and finish the job. Pros Colour performance, waterresistant finish, good blacks Cons Roll sizes mostly, so high initial outlay

Photography News | Issue 63 | photographynews.co.uk

Competition

Editor’s letter

Grist to the rumour mill

WIN!

A Samsung memory card! Capture life’s magical moments across all devices with the Samsung EVO Plus 256GB 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 256GB Samsung EVO Plus microSDXC card with SD adapter worth £74.99 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 10 March 2019 and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries received. The correct answer to PN61’s word search was Holly and the Samsung 128GB PRO+ card was won by Sally Anderson, Berwick. samsung.com/uk/memory-cards

Photography News survives because new products are launched all the time. Without new kit, we wouldn’t exist and I would have nothing to fill these pages with so it is brilliant news that 2019 has kicked off with two huge, very significant launches. One we already knew about. The Lumix S-system was unveiled by Panasonic last September although we only got to see a non-working mock-up, so we literally got a feel for it but nothing else. The S-system is significant for Panasonic because it is a leading player in the Micro Four Thirds market and here we have a full-frame mirrorless system that features the L-mount, a mount developed by Leica. Of course, running two or even more formats side by side is perfectly normal and in a slowly contracting market, to have several irons in the fire is sensible. I got to use the Lumix S1R for a few hours on a recent hands-on session in Barcelona and you can read my early impressions in this issue. The other product we also knew about was the Olympus OM-D E-M1X. In fact, the whole world seemed to know about the new E-M1X way before its official unveiling. I think it must be the most rumoured and leaked camera ever. I went to see the new camera before Christmas and I already had its –rumoured – list of key features on my tablet. Instant communication means rumours and leaks are part of modern life, but it is a shame that we get so few genuine surprises nowadays. You have to remember that in pre-internet days, I turned up at shows and press events with not a clue what was about to be unveiled. It was fun and the days of random speculation beforehand made life interesting and rumours

were spread (and distorted) by word of mouth. But that’s progress for you. I do wonder how these rumour sites get their content, because so many are spot-on, not just in terms of specification but also with dates and locations. Being a cynical old git, it seems to me that there is the occasional official ‘leak’, perhaps to build and whip up interest so when the product goes officially public, potential customers know about it already. Honestly, I can’t imagine that managed rumour-spreading really does happen in the world of photo hardware, but who knows? By even suggesting it, you could say I have started my own little rumour that will become fact very soon. Of course, rumours are potentially damaging with companies and retailers having stocks of products no one wants, because the savvy among us know there’s something better to come. There’s the issue of misinformation, too. Not a rumour, but total fact is that next month I’m spending a few days at the Birmingham NEC for The Photography Show. If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, there is still time and you can save a few quid by advance booking – see our news pages for details. If you can make it, PN does have a stand there so please come and make my day go quicker by saying hello. Hopefully, I’ll see you there but if not, definitely on this page in the next issue, out on 12 March.

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