Photography News 66

News Tests Clubs

Exhibitions

Techniques

Interviews

Competitions

Reviews

Photography Produced by

Issue 66 14 May - 17 Jun

news

Move to mirrorless Why going mirrorless will help your photography page 15

Agnes ProudhonSmith A pictorial tribute in her memory page 24

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

First tests A veritable extravaganza of exciting imaging kit page 38

GET YOUR

FREE DIGITAL EDITION every month*

*at photographynews.co.uk

WIN!

A Samsung 256GB memory card Enter the competition on page 56

Canon’s ultimate portrait lens?

Canon’s mirrorless RF system has gained a new lens, the RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM Canon has promised six new EOS R system lenses this year and the RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM is the first – and what a great start it is. It features cutting-edge technology and is only the second lens to use Canon’s BR (Blue Spectrum Refractive) optic technology – the first was the EF 35mm f/1.4. BR Optics are made from an organic optical material developed by Canon that can correct chromatic aberration to a greater degree compared with other materials, including fluorite.

The result is incredible sharpness and resolution – Canon claims that its new lens offers the highest resolution yet seen from one of its lenses.

The RF 85mm offers a super-fast maximum f/1.2 for low-light shooting and very shallow depthof-field effects, while its nine blade iris gives smooth bokeh effects.

Handling is first rate, too, with its USM focus mechanism giving an exceptionally swift and accurate performance, with the option of full-time manual override without the need to switch to manual focus.

The RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM has a guide price of £2799.99. canon.co.uk

PN EXCLUSIVE

Make the switch with Fujifilm Going mirrorless can save you weight and space, and offer photo opportunities that you might miss with a typical DSLR. We have joined forces with Fujifilm to give PN readers a unique opportunity.

Successful applicants will have the chance to try out a Fujifilm camera and two lenses of their choice – for absolutely free! Well, almost. In return for the free loan, we would like to feature your views about the borrowed system, supported by a selection of your photographs.

See page 3 for more details and visit photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch to apply and for the terms and conditions.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

3

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

News PN EXCLUSIVE

Make the switch with Fujifilm Switching camera systems is an expensive business and you need to get it right. In this exclusive offer, Photography News has partnered with Fujifilm to give readers the chance to borrow a Fujifilm camera and up

to two lenses of their choice for free*. The complimentary camera loan is for up to two weeks – plenty of time to try the products by shooting your favourite subjects and helping you make the right decision.

Perhaps you have an exciting project or a trip of a lifetime coming up? Or maybe you have always wanted to try out a Fujifilm X Series or GFX system? If so, our exclusive Fujifilm Make the Switch campaign is the perfect opportunity.

There’s a wide range of kit available, from the best-selling X-T3 to the mightily impressive medium format GFX 50R. You’ll also be spoilt for choice with the X Series lens range, which currently consists of 29 lenses, but you’ll only get to pick two, so choose wisely!

If you’re shooting landscapes, you could go for the XF14mm f/2.8 R or XF16mm f/1.4 R WR. For varied subjects, try the XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR or XF50140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR. For action and wildlife, you might want to consider

the XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Visit fujifilm-x.com to see the latest lens range.

As part of the campaign, your Fujifilm images and your thoughts on the camera you borrowed will appear in PN. If you want to take advantage of this incredible opportunity, head to photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch.

There is no closing date at this time, but there is sure to be huge interest in this amazing offer and we have limited stock, so please don’t delay. In the first instance, fill out the form on our website and upload five images that represent your usual photography. We will be in touch if you are selected. photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch

*Subject to terms and conditions, which can be found at photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch

Save cash on Vanguard

Zeiss’ top-end telephoto

Save up to £100 on Vanguard’s VEO 2 travel tripods. Vanguard has reduced the prices, with the VEO 2 204AB now £64.99, a saving of £35, while the 235AB is £79.99, saving £60. And there are more savings to be had: the 235CB is £119.99, saving £80, and the 264CB and 265CB are now £149.99, a saving of £75 and £100 respectively.

The Zeiss Otus 100mm f/1.4 is a top-end manual focus lens aimed at portrait or product photographers who need a telephoto that delivers high-quality definition with a super-wide aperture. It’s full-frame compatible and designed to give a medium format look from the smaller format.

Construction features 14 elements in 11 groups and there is a minimum focusing distance of 100cm. A T* anti-reflective coating provides

The VEO 2 travel tripods weigh as little as 1.2kg, can hold a maximum weight of up to 8kg and the tallest extends to 155cm. vanguardworld.co.uk

ThinkTank trio Think Tank Photo has added three bags to its MindShift Gear family, the PhotoCross 15, the Stash Master 13L and the BackLight Elite 45L backpack.

The BackLight Elite 45L backpack measures (externally) 33x59.7x20.3cm and is priced £399. It can store up to two DSLRs with lenses attached, as well as extra lenses and accessories. It also has space for a laptop/tablet and external tripod attachment points. It features weather-resistant zippers, waterproof/tear proof sailcloth and

robust lumbar padding. There’s room for personal items and the option to carry two large water bottles via pockets.

For photographers who need quick access to their gear, the PhotoCross 15 backpack has an extra-large side panel, allowing you to get at gear without having to take the bag off fully. It can hold a DSLR with a 70-20mm f/2.8 lens attached, plus five extra lenses and a 15in.

Made with durable, abrasion-proof materials and weatherproof zippers, the backpack measures 27x44x14cm

and is available in carbon grey or orange ember at £169.

For those who really want to customise how they carry their gear, the Stash Master 13L could be the answer. This padded insert can hold a DSLR with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached, plus three extra lenses and accessories. The insert can be fully customised and then inserted into compatible MindShift backpacks or a bag of your choice.

The Stash Master 13L is £59. snapperstuff.com

high contrast, while minimising stray light and aspherical lenses and special glass help minimise chromatic aberrations and distortion. To ensure a consistent centre of gravity and optimum balance, the lens has a full-metal housing and internal focusing.

Available now in Canon EF and Nikon F fittings, the Zeiss Otus 100mm f/1.4 costs £3600. zeiss.com

4

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Wex revives Bowens Having acquired the Bowens trademark, Wex Photo Video has been developing a new series of Bowens lighting products. This includes the XMS500 flash head which has enhanced features including recycling times of 0.9s and flash durations as short as 1/13,690sec. Its digital control panel allows you to control the flash quickly and easily and it’s also fully compatible with a dedicated 2.4GHz radio remote and trigger system. Featuring the popular S-bayonet there is a massive range of compatible modifiers.

The XMS500 offers a 9EV power range that is adjustable in 0.1EV or 1EV steps taking you from 2Ws to its full 500Ws output.

The Bowens XMS500 is available now at £599. wexphotovideo.com

GorillaPod goes metal The bestselling GorillaPod 3K series is now available in a metal version. The new Pro series of small supports is aimed at vloggers and content creators

looking for versatile, robust and rugged support for their top-end mirrorless cameras.

The 3K Pro series has the new Ballhead 3K Pro, which features

Western Digital has announced a new line of portable hard drives with the G-Technology branded ArmorATD. Available in capacities up to 4TB, it has a metal design and rubberized bumper to protect it from being damaged, as well as a triple-layer shock protection.

In addition, it’s also water, dust and crush resistant so ideal for use in harsh environments. g-technology.com

joby.com

Join Olympus at the British Touring Car Championship Apply for your chance to shoot with the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) this summer with Olympus cameras.

Olympus has announced its sponsorship of the Power Maxed Racing team in this year’s BTCC and is offering the photographers the chance to try out its kit.

Georgina Pavelin, Olympus marketing manager said, “We are keen to support photographers on their journey and the races provide an ideal opportunity to try new kit, learn from the experts, develop your portfolio and talk to our team.

“Whether learning more from your Olympus kit or trying the OM-D products for the first time, our sponsorship opens up new opportunities to capture unique content and test the products. PMR provides the perfect opportunity to support events across the UK and a high-profile platform to celebrate our 100th birthday. We are very proud to see our branding flying round with such a great team.” The events are open to all photographers

BTCC event dates and locations • • • • • • •

The Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 Mark III features a new design which gives the lens a more compact size, and better resistance against flare. Its 10 elements in 7 groups construction includes one high refractive index element and five ultra-low dispersion elements

15 June – Croft Circuit 29 June – Oulton Park 3 August – Snetterton Circuit 17 August – Thruxton Circuit 14 September – Knockhill Circuit 28 September – Silverstone 12 October – Brands Hatch

olympus-imagespace. co.uk/olympus-at-btcc

whether currently shooting with Olympus or not.

Numbers are limited so apply via the website before the quoted closing date and successful applicants will be informed soon afterwards.

Olympus has made some changes to its team of photographers

Super-fast Mitakon WD gets rugged

an Arca-Swiss compatible quick-release plate. Price and availability to be confirmed.

to minimize chromatic aberrations, while its 11-blade diaphragm will produce soft bokeh. The 50mm f/0.95 III is available now for fullframe Sony FE, Canon RF and Nikon Z mount cameras. zyoptics.net

with macro ambassador Marcus Clackson now promoted to Olympus commercial ambassador, while previous Olympus mentor Geraint Radford has now become Olympus’ macro ambassador. We’ll be featuring Geraint’s work in the next issue of PN.

To keep up to date with the latest Olympus news and for inspiring content and photography tips, get the free Olympus Magazine for desktop or download it via the app store or Google Play. olympus.co.uk

Manfrotto bits Adding to Manfrotto’s line-up of accessories for photographers and videographers, the Lykos 2.0 LED hotshoe light features a built-in lens for optimal natural lighting and can be easily controlled via the Lykos App, available on iOS and Android.

The Lykos 2.0 Daylight offers an illuminance of 1600lux at one metre and a 5600K colour temperature to cool down skin tones, while the Lykos 2.0 Bicolor offers 1500lux at one metre and warmer LEDs. For video creators the Nitrotech 608 and 612 are the first video heads to be announced in the Nitrotech 600 series. Both models feature a continuous counterbalance system with variable continuous fluidity function on both panning and

tilting functions. The 608 can hold up to 8kg, while the 612 can hold between 4kg and 12kg.

Pricing and availability for all products are to be confirmed. manfrotto.com

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

7

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Neil Burnell was announced as the Fotospeed Photographer of the Year at this year’s The Photography Show. His winning image of a common blue butterfly was chosen from previous winners of Fotospeed’s #fsprintmonday Twitter competition.

Neil’s prize was a Canon A2 printer, Fotospeed inkjet paper worth £500 and a bespoke oneto-one day of tutoring with a Fotospeed photographer. On

Luminar updated

© Neil Burnell

Fotospeed winner winning Neil said: “It’s a great feeling, to know you have been picked from the thousands of entries over the course of the year; it makes me very proud. It is also really good timing for me, as I don’t currently print from home and it was something I was going to invest in this year.” You can enter Fotospeed’s #fsprintmonday competition via twitter now.

Skylum Software has announced an update to its Luminar photo editing software.

Luminar 3.1.0 offers enhancements and content-aware recognition to its Accent AI filter, as well as other improvements to its library.

Accent AI 2.0 now features facial and object recognition technology and also offers better colour correction and smarter detail boost.

Other improvements that the update includes are more convenient file organisation, improved selective sync, the ability to copy photos to a folder from within Luminar, and a gallery selection.

With the update announcement Skylum is also offering Luminar 3 at the special price of £56 throughout May.

fotospeed.com

© Gua Ge

skylum.com Before

© Cuma Çevik

After

© Cuma Çevik

Get very close with Laowa The Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X UltraMacro Apo lens joins the 60mm f/2.8 macro as the second member of the brand’s 2:1 macro line-up. The new 100mm lens covers the full-frame format and focuses from infinity down to 24.7cm to give a 2:1 (twice lifesize)

magnification, making it ideal for subjects where even 1:1 is not enough.

Of course the lens’s 100mm focal length means it is equally suitable for portraits and general photography. This manual focus lens’s construction features 12

© Stefano Pensotti

Above Stefano Pensotti was overall winner of 2018 TPOTY with his eight-image portfolio

Photography news

Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com ISSN 2059-7584 When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it

elements in 10 groups and the internal focusing mechanism means its size is constant, regardless of the focusing distance.

The lens is available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE fittings and the UK price is

The Travel Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entries across six categories for single image and portfolios, reflecting the great diversity of travel photography.

Prizes include £5000 in TPOTY cash bursaries, Fujifilm X-T3 cameras, a Wildfoot Travel northern lights and whale sailing ship expedition in northern Norway and many more.

£469. The Canon version has a CPU chip on-board and an aperture motor so aperture control can be done from the camera and EXIF data is recorded onto your files. venuslens.net

Travel Photographer of the Year – call for entries The judging panel this year includes double Pulitzer Prize-winner Essdras M Suarez and Lawrence Jackson, a former official White House photographer under the Obama Administration.

Entry fees start at £8, while entries to Young TPOTY are free. The competition closes on 1 October 2019, with the results announced in December. tpoty.com

Editorial Team

Advertising Team

Design Team

Editorial director Roger Payne

Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com

Design director Andy Jennings Designer Man-Wai Wong

Digital editor Jemma Dodd jemmadodd@bright-publishing.com

Key accounts Chris Jacobs 01223 499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com

Distribution

Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher

Key accounts Mike Elliott mikeelliott@bright-publishing.com

Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood

Account manager Sam Scott-Smith 01223 499457

Editor Will Cheung FRPS 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com

Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

Distribution and subscription manager Phil Gray philipgray@bright-publishing.com

Publishing Team Managing directors Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News in-store from: Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wex Photo Video, Wilkinson Cameras

Photography News is published 13 times a year

by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Photography News that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.

8

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

News © Peter Dench

events.wexphotovideo.com

© Jianhui Liao

© Avishek Das

Worldphoto. org/2019exhibition

the craziness of the scenes I have encountered in a light-hearted, but truthful manner.”

A profile on Peter Dench is in the next issue of PN.

© Kazi Mushfiq

In this year’s Sony World Photography Awards, the Photographer of the Year title went to Italian artist Federico Borella for his series entitled Five Degrees. The 12th edition of the competition received a record-breaking 327,000 entries from 195 countries and territories.

Federico receives a prize of $25,000 for his win and said: “This award is one of the most important things for my career and my life. This kind of visibility is amazing, because it allows me and my work to reach a global audience. It is a ‘golden ticket’ that happens once in a lifetime. I feel a huge responsibility as I have been able to witness and record this situation as a photojournalist.

This award is proof to my subjects that they can trust me – and for my profession this is fundamental.”

The Youth Photographer of the Year award went to Zelle Westfall, aged 18, from the USA, while the Student Photographer of the Year award went to Sergi Villanueva, aged 25, from the Universitat Jaume I, Spain.

British photographers claimed all three top positions in the Landscape category of the Sony World Photography Awards. You can see their winning images in this issue on page 19.

Documentary photographer and Olympus visionary Peter Dench is showcasing previously unpublished work at the Wex Photo Video gallery in London until 28 June. The free exhibition features work from his The English Summer Season collection, which covers the Henley Royal Regatta and Royal Ascot.

Peter Dench commented: “The events I’ve portrayed were once the preserve of the rich upper classes, but have become open to a broader audience. My intention is to capture the humour, the entertainment and

© Peter Dench

© Federico Borella

Sony World Photography Awards winners

English in the spotlight

Main Jianhui Liao, China, was the overall winner, also winning the Food for Celebration category.

Every year, from the first to 18th day of the lunar calendar, villagers wear Qing dynasty costumes to celebrate the goddess Nvwa's birthday and eat pots of noodles at noon. Shexian County, Hebei Province, China Top Kazi Mushfiq, Bangladesh, won the Bring Home the Harvest category with this shot of farmers harvesting the rice, which is like gold to them Above Avishek Das, India, won the World Food Programme Food for Life category with this image of a woman working in a riceprocessing field of West Bengal, India. It's a tough environment to work in as extreme heat is released from the boiled rice grains drying

Fantastic food This year’s Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition saw more than 9000 images entered across 77 countries. The judging panel included Claire Hyman, British Photography – The Hyman Collection, Alice Waters, culinary superstar, Lucy Pike, photography director at WeTransfer, and His Excellency Ali bin Thalith, secretary general, HIPA.

Chinese photographer Jianhui Liao won this year’s competition, as well as the Food for Celebration category with his image entitled Cauldron Noodles, which shows big pots of noodles being eaten in celebration of the goddess, Nvwa.

All of the category winners’ images can be viewed at pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com

9

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Launched in 1991, the New Cosmos of Photography competition has received over 29,400 entries from both individuals and groups across the world. With the aim of discovering, nurturing and supporting developing

photographers who want to explore new and creative ways to engage with photography and video, the competition is open to photographers worldwide.

The grand prize winner of the competition will receive 1 million

Japanese yen, a Canon product and have the opportunity to host an individual exhibit at the New Cosmos of Photography 2020 exhibition, while seven Excellence awards and 14 Honorable Mention award winners will also receive the

© Shinichiro Uchikura

Canon’s Cosmos chance to display their work. Entries can be submitted either by post or online and entered as individuals or groups. The competition closes 12 June. global.canon/en/newcosmos

© Will Cheung

Let’s meet up © Will Cheung

Over the past six years, one of the highlights in our photographic calendar has been Photo 24, a daylong photo event in London. This year, a London Photo 24 is not going to happen, but we will have an informal meet-up on 21 June.

Everyone is welcome, so spread the word. There’s no itinerary, no contests, no planned shoots or events.

It will just be like of bunch of friends meeting up to take a few pictures.

We’ll use Facebook to keep people informed. So if you arrive late, lose the group or just get the chance to come along for an hour or two, we can use social media to keep in touch.

If you want to come along, please request to join the Photography News 2019 London Meet group on Facebook where we will posting more details in due course. facebook.com/groups/PN2019meet

Advertisement feature

Prints for pleasure For PN editor, Will Cheung’s image of the northern lights, taken in the Lofoten Islands, he opted for One Vision’s Acrylic Box Frame service.

“For my white wall, I opted for the black finish, so it would be sympathetic to the image, yet would stand out and be a focal point in the living room,” he says.

Uploading images to One Vision is a simple process – you just need to register on the website. Then it is a drag-anddrop process. JPEGs and TIFFs are fine and file sizes up to 200MB are accepted.

“Seven working days after I uploaded my file, a big box arrived containing a sealed, framed print, enclosed in bubble wrap. There was no risk of corner damage in transit here,” explains Will.

“I knew the image would be a challenge. It was a night shot, so I wanted deep shadows but without blocking up, while the highlights had to be delicate and saturated.

“I wasn't disappointed. The print was just like how it appeared on my monitor. It was richly saturated, had great depth and a smooth tonal gradation.

“The glossy crystal clear acrylic finish let the image show through clearly and the deep 53mm frame, with the image located at the front, gave a three-dimensional effect.

“I wanted a centrepiece and I got it, with a beautifully presented print that takes me straight back to the experience of seeing the northern lights. I'm very happy.” onevisionimaging.com 0845 305 2686

One Vision Acrylic Box Frames One Vision’s Acrylic Box Frame delivers an exceptional visual impact. Set within a modern, versatile frame, your image is printed on either gloss or metallic true photographic paper. Your print is then face mounted to crystal clear acrylic, mounted for rigidity and surrounded by a choice of black, white or ivory deep set frame. The overall presentation is simply stunning.

Sizes range from 10 x 8in up to 40 x 30in, with prices from £40.80 and prints and frames are built in One Vision’s Midlands-based laboratory and delivered to your door within one week.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

11

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

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 read and take note of the submission guidelines (right) and get your stories in

Helpful dates

Here’s how to submit

Enter Winchester

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 Issue 70, out from 10 September Deadline for contributions: 1 September Issue 71, out from 15 October Deadline for contributions: 6 October Issue 72, out from 26 November Deadline for contributions: 17 November

Day of Photography © Nigel Thompson

Winchester PS’s National Exhibition returns for its fifth year.

Winchester Photographic Society, in association with BPE (British Photographic Exhibitions), is delighted to announce its photographic competition and exhibition of digital photographic images for 2019.

Photographers are invited to submit up to ten images in total across five classes: pictorial colour, pictorial monochrome, creative, scapes and nature, with no more than three images in each class. Full details, rules and instructions for entry can be found on the society’s website. Each entry costs £1.50, with a minimum fee of £6.

The closing date is 30 June 2019 and after a private judging by a trio of experienced exhibition judges, the results will be announced in July.

In addition to a winner, second and third place in each class, there will be three judges’ choices and several certificates of merit.

Any queries should be sent to winchesternational@winphotosoc. co.uk. winphotosoc.co.uk

See Noton at Norwich Norwich & District PS is pleased to announce that David Noton’s inspirational Chasing the Light Roadshow will arrive at Norwich 14 September 2019.

Chasing the Light Roadshow 2019 is no ordinary talk on photography. Join David Noton on a journey around the world and share his experiences behind the lens in a diverse range of situations and environments, The two hour show combines his stunning high-definition pictures with satellite imagery, music, video clips, anecdotes and humour that cover his 30 years of globetrotting photography.

After the show the audience will be able to meet David Noton, Canon ambassador and fellow of the RPS, ask questions and purchase his books and DVDs. The venue for this event is

© David Noton

Enjoy a day of photography with Peterborough’s Photography in Focus Club in support of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. The whole day costs £8, suits photographers of all experience levels and there’s the chance to shoot models and performers in photogenic surroundings.

The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is on Thorpe Road, Peterborough PE3 6LW.

Deadline for the next issue: 10 June 2019

We need words and pictures by 10 June 2019 for the next issue of Photography News, which will be available from 18 June 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

© Kath Aggiss

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.

Clubs

Thomas Paine Lecture Theatre, UEA, Chancellors Drive, Norwich NR4 7TR, starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from Eventbrite.co.uk and cost £15 each. ndps.info

Waite at Earl Shilton CC Tickets for Charlie Wa i t e ’ s talk at Earl Shilton CC on 29 May can now be booked by phone. Call TicketSource on 0333 666 3366. Tickets cost £12 plus £1.75 for phone bookings. Tickets can also be bought online via the club’s website.

The talk takes place at the Mary Forryan Centre, St Peter’s Catholic Church, Leicester Road, Hinckley LE10 1LW. earlshiltoncameraclub.org.uk

12

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

© Tom Couch

Sevenoaks CC on show Sevenoaks CC’s annual exhibition will be held at the Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery, Buckhurst Lane, Sevenoaks TN13 1LQ from 5 to 15 June.

Admission is free and the show is open

during normal Sevenoaks library opening times.

Prints will be on display every day while on Saturdays there will be a display of digital images and

members of the club will be on hand to answer questions about the images and the club’s activities. sevenoakscameraclub.org.uk © Paul s’Jacob

Harpenden PS’s annual winner Over 200 prints were on display at Harpenden PS’s recent exhibition and this hugely popular annual event, which enjoyed near recordbreaking visitor numbers, allowed each member of the public to vote for their three favourite images.

The overall winning image, as voted by visitors to the show, was Close Encounter by HPS member Tom Couch. Well done to him. harpendenphotographicsociety.co.uk

© Keith Fenton

Carshalton CC annual show © Darren Pullman

Carshalton CC’s 64th annual exhibition takes place on 8 June at Carshalton Methodist Church, Carshalton.

Gill Peachey LRPS will officially open the exhibition at 11am. She will award the Roy King Trophy for the Best Panel.

The exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free.

There’s a raffle, refreshments and the chance to vote for your favourite pictures. Members of the club will be present to talk about the pictures on display and the club’s activities. carshaltoncameraclub.org.uk

Leigh on Sea CC recently hosted Fotoclub Maasstad from Rotterdam and the two clubs recently had their first international competition. This is a special year for both clubs as they were both formed in 1929 so are celebrating 90 years of photography.

Six members from Fotoclub Maasstad attended a full club room to see the DPI images and the judge’s comments were read out together with the marks awarded. Robert Van Agthoven interpreted the comments for our visitors. The result was a

narrow victory for Leigh but the highest number of marks for an individual photographer went to Marly Smit of Maasstad.

During their time in the UK the members of the Maasstad club were looked after by Leigh members and that included a photo trip to London, covering Portobello Road, Borough Market and the South Bank.

The two clubs now have a date for a return competition next year with Leigh members visiting Holland.

© Peter Jones

Leigh go Dutch

Go wild Peter and Sue Jones of Clay Cross CC and Patricia Kearton of Northallerton CC are holding an exhibition of their work 2 to 28 September. Wildlife from around the world will be held at the Patchings Art Centre, Oxton Road, Calvertan, Nottingham NG14 6NU. Entry is free.

leighcameraclub.co.uk wildwatchtours.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

15

Techniques New series!

Mirrorless is more The mirrorless revolution is in full swing.

Are you part of it? Here, in the first part of a new series we look at some of the undeniable advantages of mirrorless bodies over DSLRs. Give it a read and, if you haven’t been already, you might be tempted to make the switch...

Mirrorless cameras have been advancing on the DSLR kingdom for a long time. Over ten years in fact, as the first consumer mirrorless camera to market was Panasonic’s G1 micro four-thirds CSC launched way back in 2008.

But now more than ever before it feels like mirrorless is really ‘here’.

In part that’s due to Canon and Nikon finally waking up to the idea, and throwing their weight behind new full-frame systems. And of course Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm and Panasonic have been producing

superb mirrorless cameras in the last few years.

So there’s no denying them any more. They’re not a gimmick or a fad. And they’re not going away.

And in many ways, mirrorless cameras are actually the future of photography. Lots of amateurs have already embraced them and their undeniable benefits. But if you’re not aware of them, or not convinced, what are those advantages? In this series we’ll look at them all, starting with a general look at the claims about why mirrorless cameras are great.

Weight for it

Going steady In-body image stabilisation can improve almost any picture Though good photographers know what it takes to keep a picture sharp, there’s no denying the value of image stabilisation. IS has been around for years, both in camera bodies and in lenses, but the latest systems in mirrorless models are more powerful than ever – and increasingly important when using high-res sensors that are more likely to show

micro blur. Mirrorless cameras are also more likely to have IS in the body, so lenses can be lighter, and the feature can be used with older glass.

And when you combine in-body stabilisation with in-lens technology, you can get even more benefit. For instance, Olympus’s OM-D E-M1 Mark II can hit 6.5EV of correction when used with ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens. © Will Cheung

Okay, let’s take this one with a pinch of salt. Many mirrorless cameras and lenses aren’t exactly ‘small’, but most are smaller and lighter than equivalent-spec DSLRs. For instance, Nikon’s Z 7 is around 350g lower in weight than the similarly spec’d D850,

and a fair amount smaller in terms of footprint, too. Practically, smaller and lighter means more freedom: for instance shooting one-handed, overhead or at arms length more comfortably, if required. And if you regularly take lots of gear on a trip,

you can theoretically get the same versatility and quality from a much smaller kit, save worry when boarding aircraft with carry on luggage restrictions, or, if you’re like most photographers, take more stuff with you at the same heft.

© Will Cheung

The size of mirrorless bodies and lenses means you can pack more – and shoot more

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

16

Techniques It is what it is

Focus group © Kingsley Singleton

An electronic viewfinder can mean more accurate exposures and enhanced creativity There’s nothing that a mirrorless camera inherently does to make a better exposure, but because of the way an electronic viewfinder works it does let you see exactly what your exposure settings are giving you before you shoot. The EVF is giving you a live feed from the sensor so any changes you make will be clear, assuming you’ve switched that mode on. And it’s not just exposure.

You get accurate colour, depth-of-field, composition and focusing peaking, along with exposure tools like live histograms and ‘zebra’ style highlight warnings. Yes, you can get these on a DSLR’s screen in live-view mode, but it’s not the same as having them right there in the viewfinder.

One of the biggest benefits of using an EVF is when working in tricky lighting conditions, like a backlit portrait, or a snow scene. So while you’d still need to apply some exposure compensation or manually alter the exposure to improve the shot, with an EVF you can see the brightening or darkening and therefore perfectly judge its effect.

Mirrorless cameras’ AF performance can be faster and more reliable than DSLRs Because they dispense with the mirror box of a DSLR, and focusing takes place directly on the sensor, locking on to subjects can be a lot quicker with mirrorless cameras. On DSLRs, the mirror channels the light into the optical viewfinder and on to an AF sensor, and after calculations are made, the mirror has to get out of the way before a picture is taken to reveal the sensor. No mirror means that AF is faster. If you add features

Silent right

like the Sony A9’s revolutionary stacked sensor it gets even better.

Using the sensor for AF also means more of the frame is available for setting as an AF point, even right up to the edge. And because most mirrorless cameras use a mix of contrast and phase-detect systems, you get advanced modes like face and eye recognition. And if you’re focusing manually, you can use focus peaking right there in the viewfinder.

Speed is king © Adam Duckworth

Mirrorless cameras are better suited to silent shooting than DSLRs, and that has all sorts of benefits As quiet as manufacturers try to make the mirror and shutter mechanisms of DSLRs, there’s only so far they can go, and the noise they make can still be off-putting in some situations like weddings, concerts, and street photography.

The sound of a shutter can even make people nervous in portrait sessions. On a mirrorless camera, there are no such worries, as the lack of a moving mirror immediately cuts down noise. And on top of that, mirrorless cameras can shoot with a purely electronic shutter for totally silent operation – DSLRs can do this too, in their live-view modes, but not in such a sophisticated way.

The benefit of electronic shutter goes beyond silence, too. If you’re shooting multiple exposure techniques like focus stacking and timelapse, the shutter doesn’t need to open and close, which it can only do a certain number of times before it breaks, so your camera will live longer. © Kaupo Kikkas

Mirrorless means blistering frame rates When you take the traditional mirror mechanism out of a camera you can also increase the speed of shooting.

Simply put, if you want to retain AF and autoexposure through a burst of images, a DSLR will need to push and pull the mirror out of the way between each one, and there’s a physical limit to how quickly that can be done. Prospec cameras like Nikon’s D5 will give

you 12fps with AF and AE, and 14fps with the mirror locked up, wherein exposure and focus is also locked.

The Canon EOS 1D X Mark II can shoot up to 14fps with full AF and AE. But as fast as those speeds are, you also get blackout between frames, which makes following the subject difficult.

On a mirrorless camera the only restriction in frames-per-second is

how quickly the camera can calculate focus and exposure and push images through to the card. Theoretically there’s no limit. With the Sony A9 for example, you’re looking at 20fps with full AF and AE function, and with no viewfinder blackout at all. Other cameras like the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II can shoot at up to 18fps with autofocus and 60fps with single focus.

Next month: We look at the superb buying options out there for mirrorless bodies and lenses.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

19

SWPA Awards

2019 Sony World Photography Awards Now into its 12th year, over 327,000 images were entered into this year’s Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA) and its four categories: professional, open, student and youth. Within the professional and open

categories there are ten subject categories that include architecture, landscape, portraiture and street photography. The overall winner is selected from across those ten categories and in the case of the professional category,

between five and ten pictures must have been entered.

In the professional landscape category, British photographers dominated, claiming all of the top three positions, and we’re

delighted to showcase their images here.

Yan Wang Preston was the landscape winner with Marco Kesseler second and Kieran Dodds in third place. Our congratulations to all of them.

First place

To the South of the Colourful Clouds by Yan Wang Preston Series description: ‘To the South of the Colourful Clouds’ (2017) depicts the otherworldly ‘ecology recovery’ landscape in Haidong Development Zone in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Here, a small rural area is being urbanised systematically to create “an international leisure town and an ecology model town”. In doing

Right An image showing a detailed ecology recovery landscape. The background is a quarry face covered by green/ cyan plastic netting. A young sapling stands in the centre, supported by a bag of nutrition liquid and a pile of semi-artificial red soil Above A group of transplanted trees wrapped in green and white plastic, standing above a new pond as part of the Haidong North Mountain Forest Park

© Yan Wang Preston, UK, first place, Professional: Landscape, 2019 Sony World Photography Awards

so, the topsoil of the entire area is replaced by a type of red, semi-artificial soil, which forms the base for introduced, mostly non-indigenous plants, including thousands of mature trees.

Meanwhile, green plastic netting is used to cover everything unappealing to the eye, from construction waste to disused

quarries. The town’s objective here has shifted from an ‘ecological’ concern to a cosmetic one of trying to be visually green. The images are part of an eight-year project ,‘Forest’ (2010-2017), for which the photographer investigates the politics of recreating forests and ‘natural’ environments in new Chinese cities.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

20

SWPA Second place

Polytunnel

by Marco Kesseler This project looks under the surface and examines the hidden landscape within the spaces in which our food is produced. It also looks at cyclical changes and the relationship between chaos and control in the natural environment. In the polytunnel, the seasons are stretched and softened within a polythene skin, creating its own cosmos. In these unseen spaces, nature vies for territory within a man-made colony.

Right Rows of asparagus line the fertile soil of the tunnel

© Marco Kesseler, UK, second place, Professional: Landscape 2019 Sony World Photography Awards

Third place

Hierotopia by Kieran Dodds Ethiopia has lost 95% of its native forests due to human activity in the last century.

What remains surrounds circular Tewahedo Orthodox churches; these ancient canopies are protected as a tenet of faith. The country’s population will double in the next 30 years, further pressurising these natural treasures.

Thousands of forest fragments exist across Northern Ethiopia – green islands of biodiversity in an expanding sea of agriculture – but a mere fraction are viable. Incremental erosion from grazing and subsistence

agriculture is destructive: thinned forest edges kill the canopy from the outside in. To their guardians, each forest is a miniature Garden of Eden, essential to the building’s dignity. One priest described the trees as “the clothes of the church”. The forest’s religious significance is equalled by its ecological function: these sacred oases raise water tables, lower temperatures, block destructive winds and are home to yield-boosting pollinators.

These genetic repositories are vital for human survival in Ethiopia.

Left Debre Mihret Arbiatu Ensesa church near Ambesane surrounded by subsistence agriculture © Kieran Dodds, UK, third place, Professional: Landscape 2019 Sony World Photography Awards

For more Sony World Photography Awards To see all the winning images, go to the website worldphoto.org

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

23

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Colorworld portfolios

Create perfect portfolios, books and albums with Colorworld Explore the range of photo books and albums from Colorworld and find your next purchase Whether you’re looking to collate all of your best photos for a portfolio, create a family album to share with loved ones, or need to create a wedding or portrait album for a client, Colorworld have a wide range of photo albums and books to choose from. There are multiple paper types, materials and colours available, too! Business development

Which albums are most popular with customers?

The most popular by far is the Renaissance with an acrylic cover in either 12x12in or a 14x10in landscape format. A great upgrade to this is a metallic print under the acrylic to really make the front cover ‘pop’.

manager Mike Brydon tells us more about the range: What is unique about the Colorworld range of photo albums and books?

Colorworld have been producing wedding albums and photobooks for over ten years.

During this period, we have dedicated our time to producing products that we ourselves would be proud to own for our special day.

Producing a product such as an album or photobook requires a variety of skills, including colour management, high printing and old-fashioned book binding. It’s this combination that comes together to make a Colorworld album or photobook.

Our main album ranges are the Artisan and Renaissance range. The Artisan is a combination of matted and flush mounted pages, while the Renaissance range has digital-style pages.

We have included all our albums and photobooks as templates in our Colorworld Designer Pro software, allowing the user to quickly produce their designs with minimum effort, but maximum effect. We also pride ourselves on aiming for a five

working day turnaround for both albums and photobooks, whilst offering discounts for multiple copies of the same design.

Do you have a personal favourite?

It’s got to be the Artisan album. This has the traditional style of matted pages but has been given a modern upgrade with flush mounted pages as well. It’s also available in both black or white mattes and can be designed really quickly in our Colorworld Designer Pro software.

Which albums would you recommend for weddings or portraits?

A great option for portrait photography are the Lifestyle albums, available in both Artisan and Renaissance styles. Generally, portraits albums have fewer pages in them, so we offer a thicker page in order to keep the album feeling substantial and of high quality.

Wedding photographers generally go for the Renaissance range of albums, and if you’re looking for a budget range, the photobooks are a great alternative. colorworldimaging.co.uk

Discover the range Available in sizes 7x5in to 16x12in, with a maximum of 40 spreads, it’s perfect for wedding albums, christenings and portraits. Choose from a wide range of covers, as well as genuine leathers, silks and linens.

From £113.57

COFFEE TABLE BOOKS Get personal with a coffee table book, with the option to fully customise the front cover, which wraps around the front, spine and back of the book. A maximum amount of 80 spreads are available and you can choose from sizes 6x6in up to 12x12in.

From £37.08 MADRID SELF-ADHESIVE ALBUMS if your client isn’t quite sold on a modern printed album, then you could go more traditional with the Madrid Self-Adhesive albums. At a much lower price than the rest of the range, the price includes the album, prints and full assembly, as well as a free black presentation box. Sizes are available from 5x5in to 12x12in, with parent and mini albums also available, which make great gifts.

The Madrid self-adhesive album covers feature stylish wrap-around magnetic strips with silver trim, and the option of lustre, gloss or metallic printing; you can even choose to have the cover embossed!

From £51.11 LAY FLAT BOOKS Keep your photos super flat and avoid page creasing with a lay flat book, which allows images to sweep across the spine for a clean feel. The Lay Flat books are available in sizes

from 10x8in to 12x12in, with 220gsm silk coater paper and a choice of linen and photo wrap covers.

From £70.41 RENAISSANCE ALBUMS The Renaissance Art albums come in a range of sizes from 7x5in up to 16x12in, and allow you to include anything from ten to 80 pages, including double-page spreads, thanks to the large range available.

With a variety of colours offered, the option to cover your album in any luxury material you wish – and a wide range of genuine Italian leather

options to choose from – you can create a truly personal album.

From £89.72 RENAISSANCE LIFESTYLE ALBUMS With extra thick pages, the Lifestyle album range gives a chunky yet trendy feel to your album. Perfect for portraits, baby, boudoir, christenings and lifestyle photos you can choose from 8x8in, 10x10in and 12x12in sizes with a maximum of 12 spreads. There is a wide range of covers and colours available, and it comes with a black presentation box.

From £102.21

ARTISAN LIFESTYLE The smaller version of the Artisan album is the matted Artisan Lifestyle album, which comes with a black presentation box and is available in black or white. With the choice of linen, buckram, leather and silk covers there’s plenty to choose from.

From £102.21 FINE ART ALBUMS Show off your shots in the stunning Fine art album using Matte Fine Art paper, which offers longevity and better colour vibrancy, and comes with a black presentation box.

MINI ALBUMS AND BOOKS Perfect as gifts for family members or bridal parties, make an up sale by offering your clients mini albums and books that replicate the main album to share with others. The Mini books are printed on 170gsm silk coated paper, perfect bound and supplied in packs of ten. They are made to measure five inches on the shortest edge, with the longest edge matching the proportions of the main album. The Mini Photo albums measures four inches on the longest edge and come in packs of four.

Mini Books £119.60 for a set of ten Mini Albums £119.60 for a set of four ARTISAN ALBUMS Hand-crafted by the Colorworld team, Artisan Albums are perfect for wedding clients and are available in 16 types of genuine leather. They range in size from 12x9in to 16x12in, with a maximum of 20 spreads.

Prints can be done in Lustre, Gloss or Metallic printing, and there are a wide variety of cover materials.

From £261.16

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

24

Obituary Remembering...

Agnès Proudhon-Smith 1968-2019

Agnès lost her life while pursuing her passion for photography in the Western Isles of Scotland. In this special feature, PN pays tribute to her and her work

Above Agnès on her trip to Greenland

In a tragic accident on 20 March, Agnès Proudhon-Smith drowned at Nisabost Beach on the Isle of Harris. She was attending a photographic workshop and the group had gone onto the rocks to photograph the crashing surf, when a freak wave hit the group and Agnès was swept into the sea.

A search was carried out, and Agnès’s body was found on the shoreline and flown to Western Isles Hospital by a coastguard helicopter, but she was later pronounced dead. Her funeral took place on 13 April, and

she is survived by her husband Steve, and her two children Elliot and Lucas.

Agnès was an enthusiastic member of Molesey Photographic Club, Kingston Camera Club and Richmond & Twickenham Photographic Society, and a highly talented photographer who travelled the world in pursuit of her passion. Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, India and Myanmar are among the locations she visited with her camera.

On Agnès’s website she says, “Travel is my passion. When I am not in the studio

photographing babies, pets and families, you will find me somewhere around the globe, photographing the beauties of the world.”

Over the years she enjoyed success in a great many club competitions, and her photographs were widely admired. In March this year she was awarded the Associate of the Royal Photographic Society distinction with a panel of pictures taken in Valencia.

In our pictorial tribute to Agnès, we’ll let her wonderful pictures do the talking, and our thoughts go out to her family and friends.

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above left Brown eyed boy Above right Those eyes

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above Namibian skies

Above Flamingo kiss

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

25

Obituary © Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above Varanasi Sadhu Left Agama lizard

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above left Best in black Above right Vortex

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above Camargue horses

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above left Valencia City of Arts & Science Above right Polar bear

© Agnès Proudhon-Smith

Above Oryx in Wolwedans dunes, Namibia

Above The girl in the Indian palace

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

27

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Make the switch

Photographer, Eleanor Sutcliffe, swapped her DSLR for a medium format, mirrorless Fujifilm GFX 50S for two weeks, shooting portraits, products and live music. Find out how she found the switch…

Eleanor Sutcliffe Music, events and product photographer

I started taking photos as a teenager, sneaking my dad’s Canon EOS 1100D into my local pub to photograph open mic nights.

After moving to Birmingham at the age of 18 to pursue a degree in costume design, I fell into the world of music photography and shows most nights.

Two years ago, I decided to take my hobby more seriously and last year I left my university course to pursue it full time. The risk paid off and I now work as a freelance

music, events and product photographer, based in Birmingham.

My work is incredibly varied – I can be discussing a client’s wedding in the morning, shooting products for a company’s social media in the afternoon and then photographing a concert late at night. I currently shoot on the Canon EOS 70D, alternating between a couple of lenses; Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for music and products, Sigma 70-200mm for arena shows and a

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 for the odd portrait. I edit on my trusty laptop, or my phone if my clients need images quickly for social media.

I began shooting on a Canon purely out of convenience (it was, and still is, my dad’s favourite camera brand), and while I’ve tried shooting on other cameras, I’ve always gravitated back to my old faithful.

However, mirrorless cameras are becoming more prevalent in my line of work – I seldom shoot a show now

28

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

without seeing a photographer in the pit clutching one. It was only when I was recently working on a portrait shoot that I got talking to a photographer who only shoots on Fujifilm cameras and was singing their praises, especially about the GFX 50S. As a photographer with bad eyesight, I rely heavily on autofocus and my friend was raving about the autofocusing abilities on Fujifilm cameras, especially the GFX one.

I decided to test out the GFX 50S with two lenses – the GF45mm f/2.8 and the GF110mm f/2. I needed a set-up that would behave well for products and portraits, but that would also give me the flexibility in case I ended up shooting a show with a fair distance between me and the stage. I shoot primarily on lower apertures for my music work, so lenses that could drop to f/2.8 were a must – the fact that the 110mm could drop right down to f/2 was an unexpected bonus.

After a very anxious wait, my new set-up finally arrived and I excitedly put it together.

My first impression was that it was light.

Almost too light. As someone who was used to the weight of a Canon EOS 70D with a vertical camera grip and a hefty lens, I found myself joyfully bouncing the GFX 50S camera from hand to hand (as joyfully as you can with a camera that costs more than what you’d pay for a kidney), marvelling at the weightlessness.

Even with the 110mm lens attached, it was still half the weight of my current set-up.

However, the lens did look comically large in

The quality of the photos was superb – GFX lenses are streets ahead of ones I’ve used

comparison to the camera, especially with the lens hood attached.

I spent an hour reading through the manual (the first time I’ve ever done something so responsible with a piece of gear) and setting the GFX 50S up exactly how I wanted, which was surprisingly easy in comparison to the Canon camera menus I was used to.

I then headed out for my first job of the week – shooting some social media content for my main employer, Lush Birmingham.

For product photography, the GFX 50S was a dream to work with. The digital viewfinder meant I wasn’t second guessing any shots, as it displayed the exact image I was going to end up with. This is a major plus in comparison to my DSLR set-up as it was time-saving and convenient. The screen was also resistant to smudges and smears (very important if you’re working around bath bomb dust and glitter on the regular), and the display showed up my shots with the upmost clarity. I imported the images into Adobe Lightroom, edited them and rushed around with the store’s iPad, eager to see if my colleagues would spot a difference in the photos. One comment they made was that the images looked sharper and asked if I’d purchased a new lens. I was overjoyed.

Next, I headed to the O2 Institute Birmingham. Known for its all-encompassing music shows and less than ideal lighting, it was the ideal venue to test out the 45mm and to see how the GFX 50S coped with darkness, strobe lights and smoke machines. To start

with, it was difficult – the neck strap kept wiggling loose from the camera body and my fat thumb kept hitting the quick menu button, meaning the screen kept flashing up with customisable options. If you shoot in portrait often, it may be worth investing in a camera battery grip to avoid this from happening. If you shoot in portrait, the image when flashing up on the display won’t auto rotate either, meaning lots of awkward neck craning to see your images. However, the quality of the photos was simply superb – the GFX lenses are streets ahead of ones I’d used previously and needed minimal editing before I sent them out. So far, so good.

The following day, I worked on some promotional material for a singer songwriter that involved lots of purple and blue lighting.

She expressed an interest in the images having a film-type look to them, which meant I could try out the GFX 50S’ built-in Film Simulation mode – a feature I’d been dying to use. Although the differences are subtle, they’re there – and they’re beautiful reproductions of the films they are based on. We settled on Astia, which produces a slightly softer image in comparison to Provia.

Under both flash and continuous lighting, the camera performed incredibly well.

What I didn’t expect was the relatively shorter battery life compared with that of my existing DSLR. Having to excuse myself to charge up the batteries when with a client wasn’t ideal, and as someone who is often shooting many long hours for a job, I need a

29

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature The kit Eleanor used

Fujifilm GFX 50S The Fujifilm GFX 50S is the brand's flagship medium format, mirrorless camera, which features a 51.4 megapixel sensor, 14-stop dynamic range and the Fujifilm Film Simulation modes, allowing you to reproduce colours and tones from Fujifilm’s photographic film manufacturing days.

GF45mm f/2.8 R WR Weighing just 490g, this wide-angle lens provides a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and features a Nano GI coating to reduce ghosting and flare. It’s also weather and dust resistant.

GF110mm F2 This medium telephoto lens is ideal for portraits and features a fast and quiet AF thanks to its linear motor. It’s also dust and weather resistant and delivers beautiful bokeh thanks to its f/2 aperture.

Get involved

The GFX 50S felt like an extension of myself.

I could easily alter the settings – quicker than what I’m used to

camera that can keep up. However, an extra battery or a battery grip would easily solve this problem.

My final job was to shoot rock band, Papa Roach, and by then the GFX 50S felt like an extension of myself. I could easily alter the settings using the shutter speed and ISO dials on the top, which was much quicker than what I’m used to, even in the darkness of O2 Academy Birmingham’s photo pit.

It was an effortless shoot, where the camera does most of the work. I didn’t second guess any of my shots – I could enjoy the

show, while working. Once you’re used to the different layout, its design is ergonomic and practical.

By the end of the two weeks, I’m saddened to be sending the GFX 50S back. A move to a mirrorless camera now seems imminent, and although the price tag is slightly eye watering (does anyone have a spare few grand they’d like to lend me?), it’s justifiable for a camera this good. eleanorsutcliffe.co.uk @Eleanor_Sutcliffe

If you’re looking to make the switch to Fujifilm and want to be featured in Photography News, then visit photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch.

Fill out the form and you could be selected to borrow a Fujifilm camera and two lenses for up to two weeks, free of charge! Terms and conditions apply and can be found at the above website.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

31

Interview Profile

The beauty of the beast Wildlife photographer Graeme Purdy challenged himself to photograph wildlife in a different way. The result is a stunning collection of wildlife portraits captured from less than eight feet away… © Graeme Purdy

© Graeme Purdy

Photography News: What sparked your interest in capturing pictures of wildlife and how did you come to be a professional wildlife photographer?

Graeme Purdy: I’ve always been an outdoors person and enjoyed nature from an early age.

It seemed logical to combine that with my love of photography. My first interests were quite broad – landscapes, cityscapes, sports and wildlife. Then I went to Kenya in 2003 and realised immediately that wildlife was simply spectacular. My love of wildlife photography grew from there and led to trips around the world in search of new wonders.

While learning my craft I sold over 150,000 images on stock libraries. This provided my first income, but it wasn’t until I started fine art photography that I really felt satisfied.

Working with the Woolff Gallery, launching my book and running guided safaris has enabled me to build a business out of my passion.

PN: Where did the idea for EIGHT FEET come from? Did you specifically shoot all of these images for this project, or was it a collection of images that you’ve captured over the years?

GP: The thought process for EIGHT FEET started with the desire to shoot something different – to challenge myself to shoot and record images of wildlife that are rarely seen (and for obvious reasons). The only images where you can be that close and be there in person are when photographing gorillas and, even then, this was only possible when they approached me inside the permitted fivemetre viewing distance. So, in short, yes, all the images were taken specifically for the project.

© Graeme Purdy

PN: Why black & white? Do you shoot in black & white or convert the images in postprocessing?

GP: Why black & white is a question I probably get asked more than any other and the answer is simple: I find it more creative. If you are trying to record an event as a journalist or reporter, then colour helps convey reality.

Black & white, by definition, is not how we see the world and is an immediate interpretation.

It therefore provides more latitude to express what I want from an image.

I always shoot Raw. This provides the greatest amount of information and quality. I then process the files into black & white using Lightroom. I often spend hours on an image, adjusting the colour channels and editing areas of contrast and luminance.

Above Graeme’s passion for wildlife photography spans the globe, and this is reflected in the diversity of EIGHT FEET's subjects, which include red deer from the UK, and gorillas and big cats from Africa PN: Your images have such direct eye contact with the subjects, can you talk us through the gear and techniques you used to capture these images?

GP: I’m glad you mention the eye contact as I believe this is crucial for any portrait, whether a person or animal. If the person or animal looks just a few inches either side of the lens then you won’t find the same connection.

My camera is placed on a remote-control car, which was custom-built and modified over time. I’d probably need an hour to tell you all about the remote shooting challenges and learnings. If I’d known the challenges before I started, it might have challenged my tenacity!

If we start with the camera and car, you need to find a device that is as close to silent as possible, nimble, has a low centre of gravity and won’t fall over when a 1.2kg camera setup is attached. The local camera shop would laugh if you gave them these requirements.

I always shoot Raw. This provides the greatest amount of information and quality

So, let’s say you get the camera and car working, with remote shutters and all of the initial challenges. You are now, and only now, ready to learn. For the fieldcraft, you won’t find books or YouTube videos, it’s just me, an odd-looking camera car and an animal.

How quick to approach, from what angle, when to move, when to shoot, how to line the shot up – this is where it gets really exciting.

You have migrated from observing an animal to interacting with it. Not all animals behave the same, and the same animal will behave differently depending on if they are hungry, mating or even how hot or cold they are.

I started my learning with red deer – it took me three months to get a single shot I was even remotely pleased with.

Once you get it right, then an animal will be looking right at this little odd contraption and more often than not be staring right into the lens. No distractions, just my camera.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

32

Interview © Graeme Purdy

PN: It looks like you’ve had a few nearmisses with equipment, such as the lion with a tripod in its mouth! Did you get it back? Have you got any other encounters like this you can share with our readers?

GP: I’d like to caveat this by making it clear if you annoy or harass an animal your chances of a good image fall considerably. My intentions are always to let the animals stay relaxed.

The ‘tripod incident’ was pre-camera car… one of the many, many failures along the way.

I did get it back. I still use it and love recalling the day it picked up its battle scars.

My car has, at times, toppled. It has been rutted by red deer I’d say ten times. Luckily, this starts quite physical, but I think when my car doesn’t fight back the stag loses interest.

I’ve been caught in a buffalo herd stampede and to this day I’m not sure how they missed my camera. I also worked with a lone buffalo bull. He was just plain disinterested… right up to the point when he charged my camera.

He got to within six inches before my reflexes certainly saved my camera. A grumpy elephant also charged and big cats chewed, chased swiped and stalked my camera relentlessly.

There’s never a dull moment.

PN: What about highlights – you must have experienced some amazing moments photographing such great wildlife?

GP: There are so many. Every time I have a success, it is cause for celebration. Every image is its own little Everest.

If I think which experiences I remember most fondly, I’d say the morning I had with a cheetah and her single cub. We had spotted her a few days before and frustratingly there was always something preventing us starting shooting. Cheetahs are endangered. On a daily basis their survival is precarious and only ten days before, the mum had lost her other cubs to buffalo (buffalo will attack big cats, they were not under any threat). If she had been hunting or unsettled it would have been reckless to try and photograph her with the remote camera.

On the third day, we had started from predawn with no success. With no sign of the mother and cub we turned the Land Rover to finally give up. Then out from four-foot-long grass walked mum and cub!

We had these two delights for almost two hours before they finally stopped their meandering to rest under a tree. They were much less naughty than lions or leopards, mild mannered and relaxed. They played, they drank, they ran and they rested. Magical.

PN: Do you have a favourite animal or species to photograph? And is there

a particular animal you’ve not yet photographed but would love to?

GP: My favourite is easy: leopards. To those not fortunate enough to see a leopard I am usually asked, ‘why?’. For those who have seen a leopard they never ask why. The most beautiful, stealthy, secretive, elusive cat… No leopard sighting is ever disappointing.

As for species I’ve yet to photograph, I’ve quite a long list. It puts a smile on my face to replay my wishlist – musk ox, bison, mountain lion, okapi, jaguar and wolf, I am enjoying ticking them off slowly as I want to make each experience as memorable as possible.

I’ve been caught in a buffalo herd stampede and to this day I’m not sure how they missed my camera

Above and below With a huge number of species now critically endangered, Graeme hopes his book will raise awareness, as well as support conservation activity

© Graeme Purdy

PN: How much preparation and research goes into your shoots? How many months in advance do you plan a trip?

GP: I rarely have an idea, plan it and complete it in less than a six-to-nine-month window.

The only exceptions are Richmond Park and Maasai Mara, which I know so well I can be there shooting productively immediately.

When you want to create unique shots, you need to plan much, much more thoroughly than if it was the kind of trip you might just sign up for, offering probably a more conventional experience. Although sometimes I need to do just that in order to make contacts and leads for a second trip that can then be tackled in a unique manner.

PN: As a wildlife photographer, why do you feel it is important to document our wildlife? What do you hope to achieve with your wildlife images?

GP: A very big part is to raise awareness.

Every trip I make seems to ignite even greater concerns and worries about the plight of wildlife. In just the last 50 years we have lost 60% of the earth’s wildlife. I had felt like I should do something, and I felt that for quite a long time. Now I feel I need to do something, – I need to.

There are differing opinions on where the point of no return is for many high-profile species. There are already more tigers in captivity in the US alone than alive in the wild.

Only 30,000 wild lions left and the plight of cheetahs, rhinos and elephants is bleak.

I’m so pleased to have partnered with National Park Rescue, a remarkable organisation doing incredible things.

Proceeds from the book are going to support this wonderful charity and the work they do on the ground.

PN: Can you tell us more about the book and where our readers can purchase it?

GP: The book is a collection of fine art black & white photographs accompanied by anecdotes and stories for the making of each shot.

I wanted the book to be different and stand out.

This is, I hope, reflected in the images as well as little touches like the cloth book covering and silver foil front cover. purdy.photography

Get the book

EIGHT FEET is available from Graeme’s website, purdy.photography/book/ or through Amazon. Priced at £35, only 999 copies have been published.

33

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Competition

Wedding Photographer of the Year: Round 2 The second round of the Loxley Wedding Photographer of the Year is now open

If you missed last issue’s launch of our Wedding Photographer of the Year competition with Loxley Colour, then don’t worry: Round 2 – fine art – is now open! If you entered Round 1, you can still enter Round 2 as well.

Ahead of Round 1 closing on 14 May, we caught up with this year’s judges, who we’re pleased to announced are: Brett Florens, Natalie Martin, Paul Callaghan, Trevor and Faye Yerbury, Adam Johnson, Kevin Pengelly and, of course, PN’s Will Cheung

to find out what they’re looking for and what tips they can offer.

PN editor, Will Cheung, says: “In photography, there’s nothing quite as pressurised or as stressful as covering a wedding where so many things can trip you

up. Despite everything, however, there are always fabulous pictures to be had and as a judge I want to see how the photographer has maximised the opportunities and delivered shots that the happy couple and family can ooh and aah at for the rest of their lives.”

Meet the judges BRETT FLORENS

Luxury and destination wedding photographer Brett Florens has travelled all over the world for weddings, from Australia to New York, had five books published and also provides photography talks and workshops.

“The very first thing I’ll be looking for is impact; when I see the photograph, I want to feel something. I want to feel joy, I want to feel romance and I want to be moved. I want to finish the judging and remember that image.” brettflorens.com

KEVIN PENGELLY

Kevin Pengelly went from shooting motor sports events for 15 years to weddings. He has gained fellowships with the BIPP and MPA, and is master craftsman with the Guild of Photographers. He’s been a judge for competitions with the BIPP and MPA, and with the Guild as a panel member.

“As a judge I will be looking for impact; does the image make you go wow? Also lighting, composition, creativity, centre of interest, storytelling, posing and technique.” pengelly-photography.co.uk

TREVOR AND FAYE YERBURY

ADAM JOHNSON

These two fine art photographers devote much of their time to sharing their knowledge and expertise through a seminar and workshop programme, and are both highly respected judges in photography competitions across the globe. Faye says: “Most of all, I will be looking for photographers’ personal style and lots of happiness, love and beauty.

Also a feeling of togetherness in the couple, good colour saturation in the images and well handled black & white, moody or high-key shots.” yerburystudio.com

Adam Johnson has been shooting weddings for almost ten years and has been named UK Wedding Photographer of the Year and received numerous awards for his work.

“I’ll be looking for images that are more than bog-standard wedding photography. I like to see people trying something different rather than just recreating something they’ve seen before. I’ll obviously be judging based on lighting, composition and quality of moment, but also the quality of post-production.” arj-photo.co.uk

NATALIE MARTIN

PAUL CALLAGHAN

Natalie Martin won last year’s competition and holds the current Wedding Photographer of the Year title. “I want photographers to be brave; if you have a lovely shot but it’s conventional and run of the mill, it’s probably not worth entering. However look at it again – images can always be improved on, and it’s the brave photographer who enters something to make the judges think that image will be end up being the cream of the crop. storyoflove.co.uk

Paul Callaghan is fellow of the MPA, master craftsman with the Guild of Photographers and associate of the Royal Photographic Society. He has been judging competitions and qualifications worldwide for some 15 years. “I’ll be looking first and foremost for the wow factor, as well as fundamentals one would expect to see at a professional standard,” he says. paulcallaghan.com

Round 2: Fine art Fine art can cover any part of a wedding that has been shot with fine art in mind and is open to interpretation. If you’re shooting in a fine art style then you’re more likely to think about just the moment that’s taking place and consider your surroundings, light and technique even more than you normally would. Think of those shots that you have a bit more control of, like the time you have shooting the newly wed couple for example, or when you’ve tried a new technique in the hope of achieving a more ‘arty’ image.

Submit your Round 2 image at photographynews.co.uk/weddingphotographeroftheyear before 18 June to enter. Full T&Cs can be found at the above link.

34

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Buyers’ Guide

Going pro Go from amateur to pro and set up your business with a little help from the below...

Making money from your picturetaking skills brings with it pressures and responsibilities. It is not all about knowing your camera and how to edit a picture.

You need to think about the business side of photography, which includes marketing yourself to get work in the first place, as well as insurance, training and output.

We’re sure you have lots of questions and some things you might not have even considered yet, which is where this guide comes in.

Featuring experts in various fields of the photographic industry, our guide offers advice on how to progress your business.

Visit the below websites to find out more.

Professional indemnity insurance – a must for any event photographer If you offer a service in a specific area or set yourself up as a specialist, you owe a 'duty of care' to anyone who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that of the ordinary person on the street. If you agree to photograph a wedding or event, either paid or as a favour, you are expected to provide a service that is of industry standard.

With events, you are unlikely to have the opportunity to reshoot should anything go wrong. If in the event that the bride and groom at a wedding, for example, felt the pictures you produced were substandard or you were unable to produce them due to a memory card becoming corrupt or hard drive

having been wiped, they may then choose to issue legal proceedings against you. If this happened, professional indemnity insurance can cover the costs of defending and/or settling the claim.

Make sure you arrange your professional indemnity insurance through a specialist photography insurance provider as not all policies on the market are the same.

Aaduki Multimedia Insurance has specialised in photography insurance for more than 12 years and will be happy to answer any questions you may have and provide you with a free no-obligation quote. aaduki.com

Write right for your website In the last issue, we talked about the importance of branding and how to stand out from the crowd visually.

Branding also extends to the text on your website and other marketing material. What is your tone of voice in the text? Are you informal, professional, humorous, serious?

And should you write in the first or third person?

These factors are vital in presenting the correct image of yourself and your business. If you are an individual photographer shooting weddings and family portraits, and your style is friendly and relaxed, then you’ll probably want to write your text in the first person, because your clients are likely to be people who value the interaction and connection with

you as a personality. You’ll want to create text that will make your potential clients want to buy into you emotionally.

But if you are doing commercial photography, that approach won’t work at all. You’ll want to present a less personal and more corporate approach since your clients will be businesses, and the language of business to business is less personal.

Choose the third person in this case and write more formally.

Which images you choose for your site is just as important as the way you write. They help build a picture of who you are and will greatly influence whether people want to do business with you. amazinginternet.com

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

35

Buyers’ Guide Create packages for your clients Creating beautiful bespoke albums has been a labour of love for Sim Imaging over the past 15 years, offering a broad selection of high-quality papers, materials and individual personalisation. By offering your clients more than just digital photos you can upsell to increase your profit and give them something that allows them to treasure their photos.

With such a wonderful range to choose from, it’s no wonder that Sim Imaging has fast become the supplier of choice for professional photographers looking for the finest handmade books and albums. Its most versatile wedding album product is a high-quality photographically printed lay flat book with a choice of premium cover options, including genuine leather or linen. Due to the rigid quality of the pages, the images are

printed right across the centre seam with minimal image interruption, making them perfect for panoramic or group shots. For its entire range of albums, Sim only uses Fujifilm photographic paper to produce incredibly crisp prints, showcasing incredibly accurate colour, sharpness and quality in each and every image. Also available in Sim Imaging's range is the Matted Album, with traditional style overlay mounts on individual images.

Each and every album is bound by hand by a skilled team of master bookbinders, using a compilation of only the highest quality materials and an expert blend of traditional and modern binding styles. All of this helps create a truly timeless wedding album that's made to last a lifetime. simimaging.co.uk

Add a little extra When your clients see the beautiful images that you’ve taken for them, whether it’s portraits, weddings, pets, or even some stunning landscape or wildlife shots, they’re in the perfect moment to buy more, so why not offer them something extra on the side?

With the One Vision Box Frames, you can choose from Acrylic Box Frames, Mosaic Box Frames and Multi Box Frames. Prices start from as little as £30 and with various sizes available, you can work to your client’s budget and make a little extra for yourself. One Vision Imaging is even offering 30% off selected frames until the 31 May. So why not grab a bargain for yourself and your clients by using the voucher code BF3019 when purchasing at onevisionimaging.com?

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

36

Profile Charitable work

Remember My Baby © Remember My Baby

Bereavement charity Remember My Baby was launched in August 2014 and now has over 330 volunteers. By this spring, 3000 families had used its free services

© Remember My Baby

The long-awaited arrival of a new baby is cause for celebration, and pictures are at the heart of how people share their news of a safe arrival. But when a pregnancy ends unexpectedly and in sadness, photographs are most likely the last thing on the minds of the family. The volunteer photographers of Remember My Baby are there to be called upon at short notice and fill a need that newly bereaved parents don’t always initially know they have – for enduring images of their baby.

Remember My Baby has evolved and grown since its launch in August 2014. Now in its fifth year, with over 330 volunteer photographers participating, an average of three remembrance photography sessions are carried out every day across the UK. Often in shock and unsure of what to do, parents are guided by bereavement midwives in starting to think about memory making: handprints, footprints, a lock of hair, and photographs. Health professionals in labour wards and neonatal units will contact Remember My Baby to request a visit. The photographer then captures images for a family facing a future devoid of further opportunities to do so. Hospice and funeral home staff also call the charity to request on behalf of a family.

The 1000th family to access RMB’s service was in the London area, and volunteer photographer Miranda Roos visited them at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey. The 2000th family was in Wales, and volunteer photographer Gemma Edwards visited them at the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydvil, South Wales. The 3000th family was met in April, when Cheryl Johnson was called to the Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital in London.

Cheryl is RMB’s most prolific volunteer photographer with the largest regional team of volunteers who, between them, cover the densest area for session requests – London and the home counties. Cheryl has been actively involved in providing remembrance sessions since long before Remember My Baby’s inception, inspired by a single Polaroid image of a beloved lost baby seen years previously in a friend’s home, alongside photographs of the family’s surviving children.

Named in the New Year’s Honours list at the turn of the year, Cheryl has been

© Remember My Baby

Words by Nicky Heppenstall

honoured with the British Empire Medal as a result of her years of dedication to providing remembrance photography, not least through the co-founding and running of Remember My Baby. Cheryl will be formally awarded her medal this May, and will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in July.

As well as photographers, a dedicated team of digital retouchers provides specialist editing for some families who have never seen their babies without the medical paraphernalia essential for their care during their short lives in neonatal units. The retouchers also edit a small number of images taken by parents who were not able to access RMB’s service.

Reading through reviews and recommendations on Remember My Baby’s Facebook page brings a lump to the throat.

“A beautiful way to remember our little one. Fantastic photos and Adele was so caring and respectful. Fantastic charity that makes the hardest moments in life a little easier to deal with. Thank you xx”, Stefan.

“Thank you so much to Remember My Baby and the lovely Emma who came to visit © Remember My Baby

© Remember My Baby

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

37

Profile © Remember My Baby

us in hospital and take our pictures. We are absolutely thrilled with them and saved them until Christmas Eve to show very close friends and family. The impact you have is enormous and I don’t think it’s known just how important it is to have such special photos to support the grieving process. Thank you so much to every single person who organised this for us, from the midwife who had enough awareness to arrange it, to the person who posted out the memory stick. We appreciate

The impact you have is enormous and I don’t think it’s known just how important it is © Remember My Baby

every moment and care taken. Love Leighton, Jo, and remembering our baby Henry”, Jo. Kev Cleaver, volunteer photographer and regional coordinator for the west Midlands said, “To the parents, we become the historians of their baby’s short journey through life. We are, after all, storytellers.”

Tessa Chapman, volunteer photographer and regional coordinator for the West Country alongside Sarah Fitzgerald Jones said, “I couldn’t believe how well I coped on my first session and without a doubt it’s because you have your camera in your hand and a job to do. And you want to do that job to the best of your ability. I’ve never found working with the babies difficult but I’ve got much better at knowing how to be around the parents, so in that respect it has got easier.”

Sally Slack, volunteer photographer in the south of England, shadowed another volunteer for her first session. “My second session was solo, and although I was incredibly nervous it was much less scary than I thought it would be. My main concern was doing a good job for the family whose baby I was photographing. I did have a bit of a meltdown afterwards on the phone to Cheryl, but she did a great job of reassuring me. Since then nerves haven’t really been an issue.

Any emotions I feel are far outweighed by the emotions that the family are going through.

It’s just great to be able to give back in some way.”

Kate Henwood, volunteer photographer in West Sussex, said, “I went into the shoot with the knowledge that what I did in the next hour

would be what this family would hold onto as the life and memories of their daughter. I also went in as a mum. The family were lovely, they knew from their scans that the baby would probably not be born living, but she was, long enough to be baptised – as they had hoped. I truly believe I’m ‘supposed’ to be doing this role. I feel like I’ve ‘come home’ and found my niche.”

The value of RMB’s work is undeniable.

The parents take comfort from the images, and the volunteers find it incredibly rewarding, even life changing, for a small period of time out of their comfort zone, to be able to give to someone something of such profound value.

Find out more To find out more about becoming a volunteer photographer or digital retoucher for RMB, please visit its Facebook page and click on Sign Up to be directed to information and the online application on the website. Or, email info@ remembermybaby.org.uk with any queries.

RMB is a charity registered in England and Wales, and in Scotland, providing remembrance photography free of charge across the UK, including in Northern Ireland. RMB Is run entirely by volunteers and reliant upon donations. Visit these links to make a donation. remembermybaby.org.uk/donate justgiving.com/remember-mybaby

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

38

First tests Imaging kit

First tests

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

Specs Price SpyderX Pro £159, SpyderX Elite £246 What’s in the box ColorChecker Classic Target, Creative Enhancement Target, White Balance Target, 18% Grey Target, carrying lanyard System requirements • Windows 7 32/64, 8 32/64, 10 32/64 • Mac OS X 10.10 and later • Monitor resolution of 1280x768 or greater • 16-bit video card (24-bit recommended) • 1GB RAM • 500MB of hard disk space • Internet connection for software download • USB 1.1, 2 and 3 supported Size 7.6x7.6x4.4cm Contact spyderx.datacolor.com

Datacolor SpyderX Pro £159 The Spyder is probably the best known family of monitor calibration devices and the SpyderX is available in two variants, Pro and Elite, priced at £159 and £246 respectively. The extra £87 for the Elite version obviously gets you more features, including projector calibration, soft proofing and precise side-by-side monitor tuning.

However, the Pro version is more than enough for enthusiast photographers.

It supports multiple monitors, has before/after calibration review and ambient light monitoring.

The SpyderX series features new colorimeter technology, with a lensbased colour engine and advanced sensors for more accurate calibrations.

Open the software and a wizard guides you through the calibration process, starting with a simple checklist. Key things are to make sure the monitor has had a 30-minute

minimum warm-up time and that there is no strong light falling onto the screen.

You can identify the monitor you want to calibrate, confirm what controls are available and then get on with the calibration. Of course, you need to plug the SpyderX into a powered USB port and remove the

lens cap, which slides along the cable and acts as a counterweight. When it comes to perform the calibration, the colorimeter needs to sit within the guide marks and rest flat against the screen to cut out any extraneous light.

The software warns you not to disappear once you start calibration because you may need to adjust screen brightness. Once that’s done you can wander off if you want while the software does its job, although the process only takes a few minutes.

At the end of the process you can check the screen before and after calibrating and save the profile.

I have a two-screen set-up so repeated the process on the second monitor. There was a little difference between the two but the Pro version doesn’t offer fine-tuning to get the two identical, so consider that when deciding which SpyderX to buy. That said, I figured there was nothing to be concerned about if my main screen was accurate when compared with my printed output, which it was. WC

Above The SpyderX’s software is simple to use, with a wizard taking you through the calibration process step by step

Verdict Colour management is so important and anything that makes the process user friendly, like the SpyderX Pro does, is very welcome.

This device is easy to use and gives accurate results without undue fuss, so it comes highly recommended.

Pros Easy to use, accurate, quick, software wizard Cons Pro version not ideal for dual screen set-ups

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

39

First tests Specs Prices £1349 Format Full-frame Mount Nikon Z Autofocus Yes with manual override Construction 14 elements in 12 groups Special lens elements 4x ED and 4x aspherical elements Coatings Nano Crystal Coat, fluorine-coated front element Filter size 82mm Aperture range f/4 to f/22 Diaphragm 7 blades Internal focus Yes Minimum focus 28cm Focus limiter No Angle of view 114-72° Distance scale No Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No (in-camera) Lens hood Included Weather-sealed Yes Dimensions (dxl) 89x85mm (retracted) Weight 485g Contact nikon.co.uk

Nikon 14-30mm f/4 S £1349 Up until the release of the Nikon 1430mm f/4 S, Nikon Z users wanting an ultra-wide angle zoom had no choice but to use F mount lenses via the FTZ adapter. There’s nothing wrong with that, and several great models to choose from, including Nikon’s and Sigma’s 14-24mm f/2.8s, but now the 14-30mm f/4 S is here and designed to take advantage of the new, wider Z mount, which should mean improved image quality. But with a 14-24mm f/2.8 S coming in 2020, is this lens an essential purchase, or one to avoid?

At £1349, it’s certainly beyond an impulse purchase, but although it’s ‘only’ an f/4 lens and therefore not exactly ‘fast’, the aperture is constant, so it’s just as bright at the long end as the short. You’re only losing a stop versus an f/2.8 lens, meaning it’s just the same jump in ISO to compensate, which isn’t a problem on the Z Series cameras as they’re excellent noise performers. A positive of an f/4 aperture is that the 14-30mm is small and light. At 485g it’s half the weight of the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G’s 970g, and of course you need to couple that with the 130g FTZ converter to use it on the Z 6 or Z 7.

In terms of size, the 14-30mm is only 85mm long when retracted, thanks to the travel-friendly locking system, and extends to about 120mm at 14mm. The advantages are clear – it makes the lens tiny and therefore highly attractive for travel work or lightweight landscaping.

It handles well – the grooved zoom and control rings are both easily accessed from your supporting hand, as is the AF/MF switch. The zoom throw is only 45º, so you can adjust

composition quickly, and it feels very smooth in operation. The control ring, which like other Z lenses can be set to manual focus, aperture, exposure compensation or off is, I think, too light

and easy to move by accident. Several times in shooting I brushed it and changed focus or exposure. It would be great if there was a way to lock it, somehow.

14mm

22mm

30mm

F/4

F/4

F/4

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

AF performance is great. It’s fast and accurate, and seemed more brisk than the 24-70mm f/2.8 S and 2470mm f/4 S to me. It’s quiet, too, and the closest distance is 28cm, so you can get lots of rich foreground detail.

The 14-30mm f/4 S will take regular screw-in filters, or holder rings on the front element – this is a big deal. As far as I know there are no 14mm zooms out there that don’t require a specialised – and expensive – holder to fit the grads and regular NDs vital for landscaping. The thread is 82mm, which may mean upgrading your filters, but that’s a small price to pay for the convenience.

In use, I found the 14mm surprisingly wide, having got used to working with a 20mm prime as my widest lens. It takes some getting used to because it’s very easy to get all foreground and no subject. But you can also get some amazing skies with it, daytime and low light. Obviously, you also get the option of tightening composition through to 30mm, and there it’s a useful setting for documentary work.

In terms of image quality, the 1430mm f/4 S really shines. Thanks to the much larger image circle allowed by the Z mount design it’s sharp from centre to edge. In our tests, running through the apertures at 14mm, 22mm and 30mm, the 14-30mm was excellent at the centre from wide open until the very smaller apertures, peaking around f/5.6 to f/11, and this was the case throughout the zoom.

Edge sharpness is good, only smearing in the very corners, and improving as the focal lengths increase or aperture was stopped down.

There’s some vignetting, which disappears quickly as you stop down, but very little discernible fringing.

Points of light were well retained at the edges of the frame, so it’s good for night work. There’s no obvious distortion, but this may be due to correction being applied automatically to the Z Series’ Raw files in Photoshop and Lightroom. It can’t be turned off, so it’s difficult to know how much of the frame edge is being lost. At the end of the day, it gives superb results. KS

Verdict For a lens this wide, light and versatile, the 14-30mm f/4 S puts in a stellar performance. Claims of excellent image quality on the Z series are well founded, as the lens is very sharp and suffers from few distortions. In real-world examples it’s brilliant, and won’t disappoint.

Should Z Series users wait for 2020’s 14-24mm f/2.8 S? Maybe, if you truly need f/2.8. In any case, if the upcoming lens beats it, this would be a great travel option in its own right, and though not cheap, it’s certainly going to be more affordable.

Pros Image quality, build, size, focusing, weather sealing, filter use Cons Price, f/4 maximum aperture, control ring easy to nudge

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

40

First tests Specs Prices £2199 Format Full-frame Mount Nikon Z Autofocus Yes with manual override Construction 17 elements in 15 groups Special lens elements 2 ED, 4 aspherical Coatings Nano Crystal and Arneo antireflective, plus fluorine front and rear elements Filter size 82mm Aperture range F/2.8 to f/22 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Minimum focus 38cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 0.22x Distance scale Yes (digital) Depth-of-field scale Yes (digital) Image stabilizer No (in-camera) Tripod collar No Lens hood Included

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S £2199 The 24-70mm f/2.8 S is Nikon’s first pro-spec lens for its Z series mirrorless cameras and includes features that’ve been teased, but not yet seen, on existing lenses – namely a display panel and lens function button. The Z series range already includes the 24-70mm f/4 S, though, which came bundled with many Z 6 and Z 7 bodies, and tested very well.

The f/4 S is also less than half the price of the f/2.8 S, lighter and smaller, so if you’re a Z series user with the f/4, this new f/2.8 has got its work cut out to be an essential purchase.

Mirrorless gear claims to be more compact but at 805g the 24-70mm f/2.8 S has much of the heft of an oldskool pro lens. This isn’t surprising due to the wide maximum aperture and the fact it’s full of high-quality glass, but it’s about 250g lighter than the F mount 24-70mm f/2.8E, so a decent saving. Pair the f/2.8E with the D850 and you’re looking at around 500g over the f/2.8 S and Z 7 combo.

The difference is clear.

The lens handles well, and feels balanced with the Z 7 we used for testing, so it’ll be the same on the Z 6. Unlike the f/4 S, the f/2.8 S doesn’t retract for travel and storage, but nor does it have internal zooming, as it trombones about 3cm from 24mm to 70mm. It has three control rings with the focus at the front, zoom in the middle and customisable control ring nearest the lens mount. All are well grooved and easy to find. The zoom

Image Nikon’s flagship standard zoom for its Z-series cameras is a class act capable of stunning results

The lens handles well, and feels balanced with the Z 7 we used for testing

is a little heavy, but can be pushed through its 3x range with one turn.

Switching focus from near to infinity takes two turns, enough for some accuracy when working manually.

The manual focus ring is locked to MF, but the rear ring can be set to work with aperture or exposure comp, and feels a little heavier than on the f/4 S; it sits in a slight recess so isn’t as easily knocked by accident – a positive.

The lens’s function (L-Fn) and display buttons sit behind the zoom ring and again both are easy to locate when working through the EVF.

24mm

50mm

70mm

F/2.8

F/2.8

F/2.8

F/4

F/4

F/4

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/8

F/8

F/8

Weather-sealed Yes Dimensions (dxl) 89x126mm at 24mm Weight 805g Contact nikon.co.uk

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

They’re both rubberised, but the L-Fn has a raised edge so it’s easy to tell them apart. L-Fn can be set to 21 options and ‘off’.

The OLED screen displays aperture, focal length, and focusing distance, as well as a depth-of-field scale. It’s not the easiest to see in bright light, and with the main focal lengths clearly marked on the barrel, and aperture displayed on the Z 7’s top plate two inches behind, I struggled to find it all that useful. The distance and DoF scale were welcome though.

Focus speed is swift, but doesn’t have the same snap as something like Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8E. It takes probably 0.25sec to AF from near to far. Closest focusing is 38cm, so about 20cm from the front element, which is not as good as the f/4 S, but plenty close. AF is virtually silent, too, and while there is focus breathing, it’s scarcely noticeable.

Optically the lens is amazing.

It delivered excellent results wide open in the centre throughout.

Understandably this falls away a little in the corners, mainly at the 70mm setting, where balance is achieved around f/8. At wider focal lengths it’s sharper in the corners. Best results were found from f/4 to f/11. Distortion is minimal and easily corrected, and there’s only the slightest sign of fringing. Flare is very well controlled, and vignetting is also minimal, especially compared to the f/2.8E. KS

Verdict There’s no doubt that the 2470mm f/2.8 S is a brilliant lens. It handles well, focuses smartly and though we found the OLED display of limited use, the L-fn button is very welcome. While the f/4 S lens delivered brilliant image quality in a travel-friendly package, the f/2.8 S trumps it. If you’re willing to pay the extra, you won’t be disappointed.

Pros Excellent image quality, build, weather sealing and handling Cons Price, no proper case

41

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Camera retailer

Photography hub in Colwyn Bay continues to thrive after 70 years Staff brimming with expertise and a diverse offering are the secrets of this store’s success

Established in 1946 by Dick Duncalf, Cambrian Photography has become the largest photographic retailer in North Wales.

The shop in Colwyn Bay has been established for over 70 years and covers every aspect of photography from large and medium format cameras to the most up-todate digital equipment. Opening hours are 9am until 5:30pm Monday to Saturday, with a 5pm finish time on Wednesday. The shop is closed on Sunday.

Cambrian Photography stocks a vast range of film and digital cameras including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Sony and Pentax. There’s also lighting and accessories from Bowens and Lastolite, tripods from Manfrotto, Sirui, Three Legged Thing and Velbon and a huge selection of camera bags and accessories from Manfrotto, Billingham, Mindshift, Think Tank and Crumpler. An impressive range of binoculars and spotting scopes includes quality brands such as Swarovski, Zeiss, Minox, Hawke and Bresser while Opticron and Sky-Watcher are represented in the stargazing equipment.

Cambrian specialises in part exchange and also provides a guarantee on all second hand equipment.

The well-equipped studio is also available for hire, along with a training suite, including HD Projector and kitchen.

Any new camera that is purchased comes with a complimentary one-hour, one-to-one training session.

Cambrian Photography also has a very active online store, full of fantastic bargains.

In addition to the well-stocked shop there is a comprehensive processing department, which provides for both film and digital processing by a team of dedicated experts.

With all processing carried out on the premises using modern equipment, you can be assured of a professional and speedy service. There’s also an excellent finishing department, which includes mounting, framing and canvas wraps.

Please pop in and have a chat and coffee with one of the team.

The Colwyn Bay store remains one of the most comprehensively stocked camera shops in the North West and North Wales, and prides itself on providing good customer service and products at competitive prices.

Please visit the website or telephone and the team will be happy to help you. cambrianphoto.co.uk 01492 532510

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

42

First tests Specs Prices ND 4000 77mm £78.24, ND 32,000 77mm £93.96 Availability ND 4000 49mm to 82mm, prices from £46.56 to £107.76 ND 32,000 49mm to 82mm, prices from £49.50 to £115.98 Coating Scratch coating, oil and water repellent Contact kenro.co.uk

Marumi DHG Super ND4000 from £47 & ND 32,000 from £50 Filter brand Marumi recently made headlines with its 100mm magnetic filter system. Its latest introduction is a pair of round extreme neutral density (ND) filters with filter factors of 4000x and 32,000x, which in f/stop terms is 12EV and 15EV respectively; so designed for very long exposures.

Extreme long exposure ND filters – popularly known as ‘big stoppers’ – are employed by scenic photographers to give interesting effects like smooth water and blurry skies. For such work, the most popular ND strengths are 64x and 1000x giving exposure time increases of 6EV and 10EV respectively.

For most situations that is plenty enough but having that extra density up your sleeve is very handy, giving you options in terms of aperture and shutter speed choice that weaker NDs don’t.

On a sunny day, for example, your metered exposure might be 1/60sec at f/22 at your lowest ISO setting.

Adding a 10EV ND gives a shutter speed of 15secs, but with nowhere to go in terms of aperture and ISO and that time might not be enough to produce the effect you’ve pre-visualised. Add a 12EV ND filter, and that 15secs becomes one minute; while adding a 15EV ND you get eight minutes.

For slow-moving water or sky, that extra exposure time makes a huge difference. Or you might want to shoot a busy street scene apparently free of pedestrians and an extremely

long exposure can help you do that, as people moving while the shutter is open will not record. If, as an example, your unfiltered exposure time is 1/8sec, add a 15EV ND and that now becomes 64mins.

Another thing to consider is the option with apertures. Shoot at small value like f/16 and f/22 and your pictures will not be as sharp as if you had used f/8 or f/11. Every lens suffers from diffraction at tiny apertures.

Small apertures also reveal every tiny bit of grot on your sensor which means editing time. Using wider apertures gives a more shallow depthof-focus, so sensor marks are less obvious or might not even be visible at all, so no cloning is needed.

Using stronger NDs gives you that flexibility. Using our 1/60sec at f/22 example, set f/8 and the shutter speed without any filter is 1/500sec. Use a 12EV ND filter and that becomes eight seconds and you get one minute with a 15EV ND. These extreme Marumi NDs come in a slim frame to avoid vignetting with wide-angle lenses and have a blackened, satin finish to cut down on internal reflections, which can be an issue when shooting very lengthy exposures, particularly in strong light.

There is a coating to repel oil and water and another to combat scratching and scuffing. A scratch could mean more light entering the lens and resulting in blown-out hotspots.

I had 77mm samples and the filters are lightweight for glass filters and come in slim plastic cases.

I tried both filters in auto whitebalance and manual Kelvin settings in sunny and overcast conditions, using actual scenes as well as a colour test chart.

First thing to say is that the quoted filter factors are accurate as quoted, although samples do vary so it is always worth doing your own tests before venturing out with new kit.

In terms of sharpness, shooting images with and without the filter showed no image degradation; so all that money you spent on classy glass is not compromised by adding a Marumi ND filter. Extreme ND filters often add a colour cast to images and

Shooting images with and without the filter showed no image degradation; so all that money you spent on classy glass is not compromised by adding a filter might need a manual white-balance setting or editing in post to get a neutral shot.

My test shots on a Nikon D850 in auto white-balance mode showed that both Marumis added a tinge of warmth, something akin to adding an 81B or maybe an 81C warm-up filter.

If anything, the 4000x ND gave a stronger warmth compared with the 32,000x filter, but this is marginal; I’d be happy using my camera’s AWB setting with both filters. For a more neutral, straight-out-of-camera look I would set a manual Kelvin setting of 5260K. This is what I found with my samples and my set-up and is likely to vary from camera to camera. WC

No filter, auto white-balance

ND 4000, auto white-balance

ND 4000, sunny WB

ND 4000, 5260K

ND 32,000, auto white-balance

ND 32,000, sunny WB

ND 32,000, 5260K

ND 32,000, 5560K

Verdict Marumi DHG Super filter series is highly respected and its latest additions are as I’d expect and deliver an impressive performance. They are neutral, do not degrade image quality and work as you’d expect. Nicely priced too.

Pros Neutraility, oil and water repellent coating, slim mount, lightweight Cons Nothing

ND 4000, 5560K

Images Test pictures were shot on a Nikon D850 and 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. The exposure for the unfiltered image was 1/250sec at f/7.1 and ISO 200. Exposure time with the 4000x filter was 15secs and 120secs with the 32,000x, both at f/7.1. The test shots were processed through Lightroom with no white-balance or exposure changes

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

45

First tests

Olympus M. Zuiko ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 £799.99 Specs Price £799.99 35mm format 24-400mm equivalent Mount Micro Four Thirds Autofocus Yes, high-speed imager AF with MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism Construction 16 elements in 11 groups Special lens elements 2x ED, 2x SED, 3x aspherical, 2x HR, 1x Super HR, 1x high refractive Coatings Zero coating Filter size 72mm Aperture range F/3.5-6.3-22 Diaphragm Seven blades Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 22cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 0.23x

Superzoom lenses with a wide range of focal lengths in a portable bodyform make them ideal for travel or if you simply prefer an all-encompassing one-lens outfit. The Olympus M. Zuiko ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 has a massive 16.6x range giving coverage from 24mm all the way to 400mm in 35mm terms. It’s competitively priced at £799.99 too.

I tested this lens on an OM-D E-M5 Mark II. The lens on this camera (without any grip) gives a combination that is very nicely balanced, which helps handling even when shooting at the longer focal lengths. Zooming out from 12mm to 400mm more or less doubles the lens’s physical length but that doesn’t alter the duo’s centre of gravity much, so balance and handling remain good.

Like most Olympus lenses there is no integral image stabilisation mechanism so the camera’s built in five axis IS system is obviously key to get the most of this lens. Shooting handheld at the 200mm lens, I was consistently getting sharp handheld shots as slow as 1/40sec. For such a long focal length and lightweight combination this was a very impressive showing.

AF speed and sensitivity rate highly. The lens’s AF silently glides

Distance scale No? Depth-of-field scale No

Zooming out from 12mm to 40mm more or less doubles the lens’s physical length

Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No Lens hood LH-76C Weather-sealed Yes – dust, splash and freeze proof Dimensions 99.7x77.5mm Weight 455g Contact olympus.co.uk

12mm

Images This hotel interior was shot with the 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 set to 12mm using a handheld exposure of 0.4sec at f/8 and ISO 400. The lens works well with the camera’s IS mode

400mm

into action and locks on quickly even at the longer focal lengths.

The zooming action is smooth with, on our sample, a little extra stickiness approaching the 200mm setting.

Superzooms can deliver a modest optical performance but judged on my test shots, I was impressed at how capable this lens proved to be. To be fair, it’s not a world-beater in terms of resolution, sharpness or contrast; but given its wide coverage I wouldn’t expect it to be. That said, the lens performed well enough.

I tested the lens at its six marked focal lengths: 12mm, 25mm, 45mm, 70mm, 100mm and 200mm.

The lens was seen at its best at its central focal lengths from, say, 45mm to 100mm with a dropping off of performance at the extremes especially at the wide end.

At 12mm, image quality was nothing special at f/3.5, but stopping down to f/5.6 brought about an improvement and this continued to f/8 which was the best aperture at this setting.

F/16 and f/22 are best avoided as Images 16.6x zoom range in one lens means incredible flexibility, as you can see in this pair of pictures taken from the same spot

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

46

First tests 12mm

25mm

45mm

70mm

100mm

200mm

F/3.5

F/4.7

F/5.4

F/6.1

F/6.2

F/6.3

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/22

Our test shots of Wimpole Hall were taken with the 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 on an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II in Raw mode. The camera was mounted on

a Gitzo travel tripod with the shutter release using the self-timer. Focusing was done manually using the camera’s zoom tool to check sharpness.

Raws were converted in Lightroom with default sharpening applied. The maximum aperture values were those shown in Lightroom.

Images The long end of the 12-200mm zoom gives an equivalent focal length of 400mm in the 35mm format and is useful for nature and action shooting. Good for shallow depth-of-field work too.

Exposure was 1/320sec at f/6.3 and ISO 200

IS test An effective image stabiliser will help you get the most from long lenses.

The camera we used for our test, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II, has a five-axis stabiliser with a claimed 5EV benefit. The 12-200mm f/3.56.3 – like most Olympus lenses – has no built-in stabiliser.

With the lens set to 200mm I shot sets of five images at whole shutter speeds from 1/15sec to 1/125sec with the camera’s stabiliser on and off. The shots were taken outdoors on a still day.

I got five out of five at 1/40sec and 200mm with the IS on which I think is an impressive showing.

Camera IS on, 12-200mm at 200mm, 1/40sec f/10

Verdict

Camera IS off, 12-200mm at 200mm, 1/100sec f/6.3

diffraction has a significant impact – less good sharpness at the small apertures was a recurring theme throughout the lens’s range.

From 25mm onwards the lens’s performance improved. Wide open, detail and sharpness looked good and again matters got better with smaller apertures, with f/8 being very good before falling away at f/16 and f/22.

A similar pattern of events was seen at 45mm, again with f/8 being the best setting; but performance at the maximum aperture of f/5.4 looked impressive too.

Resolution of fine detail was good and the addition of a

little unsharp mask in editing helped the cause significantly.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, moving out to 70mm and 100mm revealed a similar pattern of performance with decent sharpness at wider apertures, peaking in the middle then falling away.

The lens’s showing at 200mm was really quite impressive, especially at f/8 and f/11 where fine detail looked crisp and nicely defined and quality dropped off only a little at f/6.3.

To sum up, this is a respectably capable lens considering its range coverage, size and price. WC

Superzooms, covering from wide-angle all the way to extreme telephoto, are optical compromises but Olympus has done a decent job with its M. Zuiko ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3. Used at its best apertures – the wide to mid settings – you can enjoy goodquality pictures, and its small size makes it eminently portable.

Priced at £799.99 it is a tempting, nicely priced proposition for photographers on the move but with still an eye on a decent optical performance.

Pros Size, 16.6x zoom, versatility, silent AF Cons Image quality at smaller apertures

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

49

First tests Specs Price £1899 Format Full-frame Mount Nikon F, Canon EF, Sigma Autofocus Yes with manual override Construction 25 elements in 19 groups Special lens elements 3x FLD and 1x SLD Coatings Anti-reflective, fluorine Filter size 105mm Aperture range F/4.5 to f/32 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Minimum focus 60cm Focus limiter Yes, 60cm to 6m, 6m to infinity Maximum magnification 1:3.3 Distance scale Yes Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser Yes Tripod collar Yes Lens hood Included Weather-sealed Yes

Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM £1899 Sigma’s 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM offers a unique range of focal lengths – a 10x zoom range reaching 600mm, which makes it suitable for all sorts of subjects. So, is it the ultimate all rounder? It’s available in Sigma, Canon EOS and Nikon F and we tested the latter to find out.

Sigma’s Sport series is built for durability and the 60-600mm is no exception. It’s weather sealed and has oil, water and dirt-repellent coatings on the 105mm front element. The lens’s body is made of magnesium alloy and tough thermal resistant plastic, and it feels very solid with no rattling or slack. There’s also a hefty tripod collar with an integrated Arcacompatible base plate, and the latter has 1/4in and 3/8in threads for direct mounting. The collar can be rotated, of course, and helpfully includes stops at 90°. The foot can be reversed or removed entirely if needed using four screws on its underside, and the collar has metal loops, presumably for attaching a strap. The foot also makes a good carry handle.

As a heavy lens – 2.7kg – mounting it on a gimbal is a good option, but it’s not so hefty to stop you swinging it about handheld. I spent several hours with it at a time and it wasn’t too tiring, but that was moving, shooting, and moving again – extended hand holding would be a test of endurance.

The 60-600mm handles well, despite its size. That said, you certainly feel the additional effort of zooming the front element back and forth. The large, well grooved

Mounting it on a gimbal is a good option, but it’s not so hefty to stop you swinging it about handheld

Dimensions (dxl) 120x269mm retracted Weight 2700g Contact sigma-imaging-uk.com

zoom ring sits naturally under your supporting hand, but the ring does take some pushing. Going from 60mm to 600mm is achieved in about 120º of turn, though practically it took me three movements to go from near to far. This was fast enough to switch framing easily.

When you’ve found the focal length for the subject, it’s natural to move the left hand to cup the large lens hood, providing extra stability, but at the 600mm setting and with the lens hood fitted, the lens reaches about 43cm long, which is quite a stretch. Conversely, when zoomed back to 60mm and with the lens hood reversed for travel, it actually feels quite compact at about 26cm.

Mounted to a Nikon D850 it fitted into my Lowepro Flipside Sport 20L, but took the length of the bag.

Such a big zoom is likely to creep when swung about, but helpfully the 60-600mm will lock at each of its marked focal lengths, and though the lock button is easy to find with your thumb, as it’s right behind the zoom ring, a harder turn on the ring will unlock the zoom, too.

Further back towards the mount is another large, well-grooved ring for manual focus, which turns lightly and smoothly, though, like the zoom

ring, in the opposite direction to Nikon’s own lenses, which caused me a little grinding of brain gears.

There’s a focus distance window, and the minimum is 60cm, rising to 2.6m at 600mm. The shortest distance is actually at 200mm, and you can get some nice close-ups there.

Closest to the camera are four switches to control the focus mode, focus range, stabilisation and custom settings, the latter of which includes variable AF speed and is programmed using Sigma’s optional USB dock.

Because of the sheer length of the lens, it takes quite a large movement to get from the zoom ring to the switches, and with the tripod foot hanging in its standard position below the lens, I found it blocked my hand. Fortunately you can swing it away and lock it there, and I found it best in the four o’clock position when handholding.

There’s not a big difference in the feel of the buttons, but you soon get to know which is which, and they can largely be set prior to shooting.

The focusing switch includes the usual AF and MF, but also an MO (manual override) setting, that allows you to switch to manual focus by rotating the focus ring even when shooting in continuous AF. The lens won’t then return to AF unless you

Image quality The versatility of the 60-600mm is huge, but of course the allimportant factor is how well it can resolve those far off details. Very well, we found.

Using a Nikon D850 and shooting through the focal lengths sharpness, fringing and vignetting from the widest to the smallest f/ stop checked.

The images on the following page were shot in Raw and processed with default sharpening. The camera and lens were locked onto a Gitzo Systematic 3 carbon tripod.

Images Zooming in from 60mm to 600mm shows the lens’ versatility Starting wide, centre sharpness was good at f/4.5, improving quickly to f/5.6 and beyond. Edge sharpness caught up quickly, too.

Performance remains very good throughout the zoom range, hitting peak a few stops down from the maximum aperture. At the longest

settings, which will probably get the most use, the lens is a great performer, though sharpness does decrease slightly. Again, the wide open setting is good, improving to its peak within a couple of stops.

Really then, sharpness depends more on your technique than the optics, which are certainly pulling their weight.

Resolution does tail off at the small apertures, as expected, and though the widest apertures do suffer from a little vignetting and fringing, it’s nothing that good processing won’t remove.

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

50

First tests 60mm

150mm

250mm

400mm

600mm

F/4.5

F/5.3

F/5.6

F/6

F/6.3

F/5

F/5.6

F/8

F/7.1

F/7.1

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/11

F/16

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/16

F/20

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/27

F/29

F/30

F/32

reactivate it with whatever button you use to focus on the camera.

Conversely, you can override the AF with the manual focus ring in AF mode, but it will return to AF as soon as you stop moving the ring.

Though the manual override is useful, I had no problems at all focusing with the lens in AF mode,

across a range of subjects from wildlife to aircraft, landscape scenes and florals. The AF is very fast and accurate. The lens did a great job of keeping subjects locked on in continuous AF, and only began to hunt in the usual problem areas of low contrast or low light. Focus can be improved using the focus limiter switch. This allows 60cm to 6m, 6m to infinity, or Full. In practice, for sports and action subjects I mostly used the 6m to infinity setting as it’ll cut foreground targets like fences or people in large hats out of the focusing range.

On a lens like the 60-600mm image stabilisation is vital at the longer focal lengths, and thankfully Sigma’s Optical Stabilisation works really well. There’s the usual split in modes: OS1 gives a general calming of vibration in all directions; OS2 takes panning into consideration; and there’s also an off setting, though arguably that’s not going to get much use. Cycling between on and off, the claimed four-stop advantage was clear. At 600mm I was comfortably shooting at about 1/60sec, and getting mostly sharp images, depending on my own technique. Without OS, none were sharp at that shutter speed.

Arguably, you should be still be taking steps to shoot with a shutter speed around the reciprocal of the focal length even with OS turned on, though for panning work it obviously needs to be lower. KS

Verdict Sigma’s 60-600mm Sport provides a genuinely unique focal range, and though there’s a cost, mostly in weight, it’s a brilliant tool for all-round photography. Using a model like this reminds you that fast lenses aren’t the be all and end all. The variable aperture is offset by huge versatility, and shooting a moving subject at f/7.1 at 600mm actually gives you a better chance of focusing correctly due to the increased depth-of-field, albeit you may need to bump up the ISO a few stops to compensate in terms of shutter speed.

The usefulness of the focal range can’t be overstated, and combined with very good image quality, if your handling is up to it, it’s a brilliant choice for sporting events, airshows, and varied wildlife subjects. You can go a day without changing lenses and not compromise on quality. The main downside is the weight, but that is partly accounted for by excellent build, and if you’re taking only one lens, 2.7kg is not an issue. An excellent lens, and well worth the price.

Pros Zoom range, image quality, focusing, build Cons Size and weight, some handling issues

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

52

First tests Specs Prices £179 Capacity One/two DSLRs, mirrorless bodies and small drones like DJI Mavic, plus three/five lenses up to 70200mm f/2.8, tablet up to 8in Materials YKK zips, YKK plastic buckles, aluminium zipper pulls, water repellent nylon Dimensions External 46x23x20cm Internal 38x20x14cm Weight 1.5kg Contact macgroupeu.com

Images The Tenba Shootout 16L proves its worth out and about in urban areas – its slimline design makes it ideal for use in crowded spaces and on public transport

Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR £179 The Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR is a tall, slim backpack that offers your DSLR/ mirrorless camera system a high level of gear protection while maintaining good gear access. Its body is made from water resistant nylon and for real downpours a reversible silver finish rain cover is supplied, too.

Access to the main compartment is via the rear only, so no issues with stray fingers getting to your kit once the Shootout is on your back. Despite having no side access you can get at the contents without putting the bag down on the ground, by swinging the bag round to the front. To be fair, this lets you get to the interior, but getting a large item out is not really on and you only have one hand to do it with.

In this case, putting the bag down or resting it somewhere handy is the way to go. Also, the zips need to be in the right place so while getting into the bag is feasible, it’s not as useable in this context as a sling bag or backpack with side access.

The rear cover fits over most of the bag, stopping two inches shy of the top. This allows a small, separate pocket of storage that is accessed via a top zip.

The main storage section can be removed in its entirety so the Shootout suits day bag use too. Provided is a good selection of inserts, including one sturdy central divider panel. This divider and the insert interior is hook and loop fastener-friendly, so there’s no problem customising it to suit your kit.

Two zipped pockets are provided on the inside of the rear cover for small items.

Venture to the bag’s exterior and we find plenty more storage options.

Deep elasticated pockets on both sides suit water bottle stowage or a rolled-up jacket. Straps on both sides of the bag can take a travel tripod or, if you prefer, rubberised straps are provided to hang a tripod off loops at the bottom of the bag.

There are four more pockets round the bag’s front. Two small, slim ones for batteries, cards, cleaning cloths and

Carrying the bag around London all day proved okay

so on, and two larger, deeper sleeves – one for an eight-inch tablet (and this has two interior pockets) while the other is for a hydration bladder and is wide enough for an 11in laptop.

Basically, there is a good amount of storage options. I took out two mirrorless bodies, both with lenses attached, four extra lenses, a Lee Seven5 filter kit, tablet, cable release and spare batteries. Carrying the bag around London all day with this lot

proved okay with the shoulder straps, waist belt and sternum strap all doing what they are designed to do.

Once on your back, the moisture wicking 3D air mesh padding helps with ventilation but there is probably no system or material in existence that can stop you getting a sweaty back after a few stops on a packed London tube train.

Having two stretchy side pockets proved extremely handy, as was the tablet pocket and padded top handgrip. The gear protection provided by all this I rate very highly, and overall I thought the Shootout 16L suited the rough and tumble of urban photography nicely. WC

Verdict The Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR is an excellent backpack. It is very well designed and made from good quality materials, and it looks great. More importantly, it performs well from a practical perspective. I like thinner profile bags, especially in the city and when using public transport, and even when fully laden comfort rates highly, thanks to the shoulder straps and waist belt.

Pros Thin profile, smart but discreet looks, pockets aplenty Cons Maybe towards the top of the price scale

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

54

First tests Specs Price £259 In the box Connect, USB-C to A charging cable, protective case Compatibility Connect C for Canon, Connect N for Nikon, Connect S for Sony, Connect F for Fujifilm and Connect O for Olympus Frequency 2.4Ghz Number of sync channels 8 Operating range Normal sync and remote control up to 300m. TTL and HSS up to 100m Air features Flash sync, remote control, TTL and HSS Bluetooth Yes Firmware update Via Profoto app and Bluetooth Power Built-in rechargeable li-polymer battery with 30 hour capacity Dimensions (hxd) 29x45mm Weight 43g Contact profoto.com

Below The Profoto app has a simple, clear interface. Here you can see manual mode output has been increased by 0.5EV

Profoto Connect £259 Profoto continues to innovate its product line-up with the emphasis on freeing photographers from the technical stuff – so they can focus on the important stuff (ie. their pictures).

The Connect is a button and readout-free wireless flash trigger compatible with all AirTTL-equipped Profoto lighting units. This includes the battery-powered B10, the mains D2 and the A1, an advanced hotshoefitting flashgun that Profoto calls the world’s smallest studio light.

I used the A1 (Nikon compatible) to test the Connect. I had Fujifilm and Nikon versions and tested them with the Fujifilm X-T2 and GFX 50R, and the Nikon D850.

Finally, I had an iPhoneX with the Profoto app installed. The app is available for iPhone 7 and later, running on iOS11 or later. There is no Android version.

The Connect has just three settings – off, auto and manual.

A hotshoe locking button, a USB-C charging port and a tiny LED on the top fascia completes the unit’s physical attributes.

First up came charging the unit’s internal li-polymer battery with the supplied cord. Once charged, you have a claimed 30 hours operating time.

There’s no battery level indication on the unit, but there is on the app.

Next, you need to get the hotshoemounted Connect and the A1 speaking to each other. With the A1 and Air feature switched on, the connection was automatic, and once successfully linked the flash connection is automatically re-established when the camera/A1/Connect are switched off and on again.

Now the A1 and Connect are connected you can simply start shooting TTL flash without doing anything else – apart from luxuriating in the great results.

Of course life isn’t quite as simple as that, and if you need to adjust the TTL output or prefer to shoot in manual, this is where the free Profoto app comes in.

Open the app and – assuming the phone’s Bluetooth is on – within a few seconds you’ll see that the Connect is detected.

You can adjust TTL flash exposures up to +/-3EV in -0.1EV steps. In manual, you get an

Above The Connect is a wireless trigger with rechargeable li-polymer battery and just three settings: on/off, auto (TTL flash), and manual

You can start shooting TTL without doing anything else

adjustment range of +/-10EV in 0.1EV steps. Power change is quick with a finger swipe, or you can just tap the ‘+’ or ‘–’ icon for precise 0.1EV power change.

Neither in auto or manual do you see on the app any direct indication of the A1’s 2 to 10 power setting. With the app’s +/-10EV adjustment range in manual mode, you can cover the whole power range quickly.

The app’s cog icon menu gives options of first or rear curtain sync, air channel setting, and there is an advanced sub-menu for firmware updating. There is an RF power option, too, with settings from P1 (maximum) to P7 (minimum), with P4 being the default. A high power (lower number) gives better long-range performance.

I usually don’t feel the need to shoot with the A1 any further than five metres from the camera position. However, I did take the A1/Connect duo outdoors to test, placed 30 metres apart and in line of sight, and the flash fired reliably every time. WC Left Easy to set up and use, the Connect also benefits from its compact, portable size

Verdict The Profoto Connect is a very welcome addition to its range.

It is simple to use and it’s tiny.

For me, it has the added attraction that I have a Nikon compatible A1 and now have a cheaper way of enjoying it fully with my Fujifilm system.

Yes, the Connect doesn’t have the group options and the controllability of Air Remote TTL triggers – which sell for £349, so if you want that extra functionality you have to take that route.

However, for shooting simplicity the Connect has a great deal to commend it.

Pros Small, simple to use, works really well Cons Needs phone/tablet for full control, limited range of control options, no Android app

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

55

First tests

Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR £1799 Specs Prices £1799 Format Fujifilm GFX (79-158mm in 35mm format) Mount Fujifilm GF, 44x33mm format Autofocus Yes, linear motor focusing Construction 20 elements in 13 groups Special lens elements Two super ED, one aspherical Filter size 67mm Aperture range F/5.6-32 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes

Fujifilm’s GFX system has brought medium format digital capture within reach of more photographers with a relatively affordable system.

The GFX lens system has grown steadily and the latest arrival is the Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR which sells for £1799.

This constant maximum aperture telezoom covers a useful range of medium telephoto settings – in 35mm format forms, its range is equivalent to 79mm to 158mm. So it essentially covers a really useful range making it ideal for portraits, scenics and general use but without the pulling power for action and wildlife. That said, suitability for such subjects is improved if this lens is coupled with the Fujifilm GF 1.4x TC WR teleconverter which, in 35mm format terms, gives a focal length range of 111mm to 221mm.

A larger image area means larger lenses so you won’t be surprised to learn that for 2x telezoom, this lens is quite a beast.

Images The lens’s OIS system works very well – the image left was taken at 1/4sec and 200mm That said, fitted on the GFX 50R, the lens combines well to give a nicely balanced package that’s neither frontnor back-heavy. Usefully, the lens’s focus and zoom mechanisms are both internal so the lens stays that same size during focusing and zooming.

The lens is host to Fujifilm’s OIS system which offers a claimed 5EV benefit. Just above the OIS control – on or off – is a focus limiter which has two options, full and 5m to infinity.

A deep, locking bayonet hood and a removable tripod foot, which is not Arca Swiss compatible, rounds off the lens’s physical attributes.

I tried the OIS system at 100mm,

Minimum focus 60cm at 100mm; 1.6m at 200mm Focus limiter Full, 5m to infinity Maximum magnification 0.2x Distance scale No Depth-of-field scale No Image stabilizer 5EV benefit Tripod collar Yes Lens hood Supplied Weather-sealed Yes, sealed in ten areas

100mm

150mm

200mm

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/5.6

F/8

F/8

F/8

F/11

F/11

F/11

Dimensions 89.5x183mm Weight 1050g Contact fujifilm.eu/uk

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

F/32

F/32

F/32

150mm and 200mm shooting sets of five exposures at shutter speeds down as low as 1/4sec. The GFX 50R was set to its mechanical shutter to give the OIS system a good test doing shots with and without OIS. In my test, getting razor sharp shots at 1/4sec and 200mm indoors or on a still day was perfectly achievable.

The aperture ring is firmly and smoothly click-stopped in 0.3 EV steps. The lockable A and C settings are featured here too.

Optically, the lens delivered a consistently fine performance especially at the wide to mid apertures.

At 100mm and f/5.6 fine detail across the frame was resolved very crisply and was improved even further at f/8 and f/11. From f/16 onwards clarity dropped off.

Wide aperture performance at 150mm was good at the centre and the edges and improved even further at f/8 and f/11, the latter being the optimum aperture for this setting.

Diffraction kicked in at f/22 and f/32 which softened sharpness.

A fine showing was also seen at the 200mm, with the apertures from f/5.6 to f/11 delivering crisp detail across the frame – f/8 was just about the best aperture. WC

Verdict Optically, this Fujifilm GF 100200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR is an impressive performer and capable of very fine quality photographs packed with intricate detail. Throw in good handling and a highly effective OIS performance and you have a lens that represents good value at £1799.

Pros Optical quality, effective OIS, fast and accurate AF, compatible with 1.4x teleconverter Cons Tripod foot not Arca Swiss compatible, modest maximum aperture

Photography News | Issue 66 | photographynews.co.uk

56

Competition

Editor’s letter

In pursuit of megapixels I think it is perfectly fair to say that most of us have many more megapixels than we actually need. I know a good many people who have 36-megapixel full-frame cameras and do nothing except upload onto social media. You probably know similar folk, too.

The thing is, we live in a free world and if you want a super-high resolution camera to use as a doorstop that is your prerogative, and manufacturers and dealers are more than happy to fulfill your every imaging wish.

When slide films ruled the resolution roost, the magic number was 14. That was the number of megapixels experts said would give a comparable image standard to a top quality 35mm slide.

Of course, 14 megapixels is very much in the rear view mirror now – that resolution is surpassed even by modest compact cameras.

At the top end, 35mm full-frame cameras are 45 megapixels and more. Go medium format and we’re into three-figure resolutions – and serious money, too. That said, Fujifilm and its GFX system has brought medium format digital to a broader audience, with great value models that include the 50-megapixel GFX 50R. It’s remarkable value at £4k for body only.

Now Fujifilm has a 100-megapixel model heading our way, and I got my hands on a nonworking prototype.

I can’t make comment on how it works or performs, but its design is striking. If you were expecting a square, boxy camera along the lines

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 16 June 2019 and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries received. The correct answer to PN64’s word search was Lunch, and the Samsung 256GB EVO Plus card was won by Angela Fitch from Worcestershire. samsung.com/uk/memory-cards

Above Theo Georghiades, general manager of Fujifilm electronic imaging, shows off its forthcoming 100-megapixel GFX camera of the existing GFX 50S, you might be surprised that the design of the 100-megapixel model is much more like a deep pro-bodied Canikon.

It felt great in the hands – just like a 35mm camera, but with a staggering 100 megapixels under the bonnet.

There’s no recommended price as yet but it’s reckoned to sell for around US $10k, and while its appeal is limited, it does show what's possible now and how far we’ve come in a generation.

I know nothing stays still, but just think: 25 years ago, the top-end Kodak DCS420 boasted just two megapixels with a file size of 1012x1524pixels – just about enough for social media, as it happens.

Finally, we’ll be having an informal Photography News meet-up in London on 21 June. There’s no organised Photo 24 event this year, but I’ve had so many readers asking for a get-together that it has got to be done.

Everyone is welcome, it’s free and a great chance to take pictures with friends. More details are on this month’s News pages.

Meanwhile, until we meet again, happy shooting.

Read Photography News free online Register on photographynews.co.uk and you can read Photography News online on your smartphone, tablet or computer as soon as it’s published.

I

C

H

S

F

R

A

M

E

D

T

Z

Q

U

X

P

E

P

R

D

V

N

D

N

M

B

V

O

S

H

M

W

I

E

S

U

N

S

E

T

A

S

X

O

S

J

H

F

I

L

T

E

R

S

P

E

Q

B

J

U

R

H

E

Y

F

W

R

U

A

K

I

E

J

W

T

A

E

U

L

C

X

G

V

V

A

A

E

I

S

Z

K

P

A

O

O

D

S

G

V

O

T

P

V

B

C

Q

O

A

U

M

P

Z

A

H

W

M

P

P

Y

C

G

X

I

C

D

E

M

R

I

B

A

W

E

V

K

T

O

X

E

R

H

A

K

Z

H

E

C

P

L

S

T

E

V

W

L

R

W

L

O

C

A

T

I

O

N

P

I

Z

P

Z

U

S

A

G

P

O

P

H

G

B

K

E

R

T

H

G

R

D

S

A

N

G

L

E

V

T

J

K

Angle Backpack Bag Coat Compose

Cover Exposures Filters Frame Height

Lens Location Matrix Meter Pole

Spot Sunset Trek Tripod Viewpoint

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