Photography News 67

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Issue 67 18 Jun - 15 Jul

news

Camera talk Save your back and opt for mirrorless page 20

Get close Geraint Radford shows us his way with weevils page 36

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

First tests Great kit to tempt you this month page 46

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Fujifilm hits 100 Fujifilm has unveiled the GFX100, a 102-megapixel mirrorless camera, featuring a raft of world firsts

Fujifilm’s GFX medium format system has a new flagship, the GFX100. It boasts a 102-megapixel resolution with a Bayer pattern CMOS sensor with a back-side illuminated (BSI) design. It features 3.76 million phase detection pixels across the surface, with approx 100% coverage to give fast and accurate AF, regardless of where the subject is within the frame.

Autofocus, with the new phase detect system and using an AF algorithm adopted from the X-T3 and X-T30 models, is said to be twice as fast as current GFX models, plus there is improved continuous AF and tracking AF is available, too. The gain in AF speed is seen especially with GFX prime lenses.

The GFX100 is the first medium format camera with five-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), giving a claimed benefit of up to 5.5EV, enabling ultra-high resolution handheld shooting. Vibration is also reduced by the shutter unit, which is suspended by four springs to minimise shock.

The deep-bodied camera can accept two batteries, giving an approximately 800-frame capacity while the body itself is dust and weather sealed at 95 locations across the body.

The Fujifilm GFX100 will retail for £9999 for body only and is on sale from late June. There is a detailed first look of this impressive camera in this issue.

Fujifilm.eu/uk

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Profoto adds power Profoto’s B10, launched last year, set new standards when it came to battery-powered studio flash with an expansive feature set, good power delivery and great portability. This made it perfect for location shooting.

Now, Profoto has taken the B10 concept further with the B10 Plus Air TTL, offering twice the amount of power with a 500 watt output that is controllable in 0.1EV steps across

a 10EV range. A fully charged battery gives up to 200 full-power flash bursts, and a cell can be recharged in 90 minutes.

A built-in 2500 lumens LED light for modelling or video shooting can run continuously for 75 minutes, and this can be colour temperature controlled within a 3000-6500k range.

The B10 Plus is fully compatible with Profoto’s Air Remote triggers. Add the Air Remote TTL, or use the Profoto A1 or A1X, and you have the option of wireless TTL and HSS flash features with a working range of up to 100m.

Finally, the B10 Plus accepts Profoto’s OCF family of light modifiers, with more than 120 light-shaping tools available so any effect can be achieved. A single B10 Plus head costs £1795 and a duo kit is £3595.

To find out more about how the Profoto B10 Plus performs, read our First Test in this issue.

Profoto has also updated its A1, its speedlitelike flash dubbed the world’s smallest studio light. The A1X features more than 30 updates, which include a more powerful battery, faster recycling and Sony compatibility.

The A1X offers up to 450 full-power bursts per charge, a one-second recharge time, as well as a 20-channel Air Remote with HSS and Air TTL. To help ensure images are lit perfectly, you can take advantage of its TTL mode to allow your camera to calculate the perfect exposure. It also has a flicker-free modelling light built into the head, which allows you to see how the light will fall when half-pressing the shutter.

Full manual control is also an option for those who want to fine-tune the exposure, and it features a large, high resolution display for easy navigation of settings.

For those who want even more control over lighting, the design of the A1X features a magnetic click-on mount, allowing you to attach dedicated light-shaping tools; it can be used on its own or in combination. The range includes a grid kit, dome diffuser, wide lens, gel kit, bounce card and soft bounce.

The Profoto A1X is available in Sony, Nikon and Canon mounts, priced at £949.

Profoto B10 Plus key features 500Ws output 200 full power flashes 75min continuous light running time 90min full battery recharge HSS, TTL with Air Remote TTL

profoto.com/uk

Samyang unveils tiny lens The AF 45mm F/1.8 FE lens is the seventh Sony E-mount autofocus lens in Samyang’s tiny series.

Weighing just 162g and very compact, the AF 45mm f/1.8 FE is a ‘tiny but premium’ lens.

It features seven lens elements in six groups, which includes two aspherical optics and one extra-low dispersion element to help reduce aberrations and distortions.

In addition, a nine-blade diaphragm and bright f/1.8 aperture produce pleasing bokeh, time after time.

The Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 FE lens, designed for use with Sony full-frame E-mount cameras, is available now, with a suggested retail price of £349.99. intro2020.co.uk

Olympus gets even tougher Save with Nikon now The new Tough TG-6 features Olympus’ acclaimed toughened performance, plus a whole range of new features. It is a rugged compact that’s dust proof, waterproof to 15m, shockproof to 2.1m, crush proof to 100kg and freeze proof to -10°C. The Olympus Tough TG-6 features the same TruePic VIII image processor from the OM-D E-M1X, a 12-megapixel sensor, as well as an f/2 lens. Other new features include the Variable Macro system, which allows you to focus as close as one centimetre, plus four different macro modes: Microscope, Microscope Control, Focus Bracketing and Focus Stacking.

There are five different modes for underwater shooting; these include Underwater Wide, Underwater Snapshot, Underwater Macro, Underwater Microscope and Underwater HDR,

as well as three different options for adjusting Underwater White-Balance.

It also boasts Olympus’ Pro Capture feature, which allows the camera to begin shooting and buffering images at 10fps when pressing the shutter button halfway down – this enables action shots to be captured more easily.

Other features include built-in Wi-Fi for instant image transfers, art filters, a Live Composite mode and 4K video recording.

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is available from July, in red and black, priced at £449.99. If purchased before 19 August 2019, you can claim a free Adventure Kit worth £49.99. olympus.co.uk

Nikon is offering instant savings on a range of cameras and lenses, including the Z 7, Z 6 and D850 until 15 August 2019.

Jake Cundy, head of business planning at Nikon UK, said: “Our instant savings promotion is the ideal way for photography enthusiasts to make savings instantly, allowing them to access great offers on new kit, without the need for redemption post-purchase.

What’s more, with a vast selection of Nikon cameras and lenses on offer, from the award-winning mirrorless Z range to our entry-level D3500 D-SLR, it’s never been a better time to invest in some exceptional glass

and high-performance cameras in time for summer.”

To give you a taster of the savings on offer, buy the Z 7 kit with 24-70mm f/4 zoom and you save £360, or on the D850 body you will pocket £180.

The full list of instant savings can be found on the website. nikonpromotions.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Fotospeed announces the fourth Foto Fest © Martin Parr

© Nigel Danson

© Tom Way

Fotospeed’s festival of imaging returns this September with a host of world-renowned photographers, including Martin Parr as the headline speaker.

The event takes place on 8 September 2019 in Bath. This year, Fotospeed is pleased to announce four leading British photographers who will be sharing their stories, as well as joining together for a panel discussion and Q&A led by The TogCast.

The Foto Fest speakers include Martin Parr, one of the best-known documentary photographers, Tom Way, a professional fine-art wildlife photographer, award-winning photographer Rachael Talibart and Nigel Danson, a full-time landscape photographer and leading UK photographer vlogger with over 100K YouTube subscribers.

A day pass can be purchased for £40, allowing you to attend all of the Foto Fest talks.

As well as talks from leading photographers, Fotospeed also brings together a range of brands including Sony, Canon, Sigma, the RPS and many more, allowing you to talk to industry specialists and get your hands on the latest gear and kit, with plenty of special offers. The Foto Fest Marketplace is free entry for all. fotofest.co.uk

Lowepro releases protective backpacks Lowepro has brought its full 50 years of experience to the table in the design of its new Photo Active backpacks, designed for adventurous photographers and active creatives, and ideal for weekend breaks or longer trips.

The backpacks are designed to accommodate today’s professional-level mirrorless kits, along with a wide range of personal and activity-based accessories. With a dedicated CradleFit laptop compartment, the BP 200 model and BP 300

model are capable of suspending and protecting a 13-inch and 15inch laptop respectively.

Both models also feature a QuickShelf divider system, which provides customisable organisation, allowing users to carry cameras, drones, clothes, travel accessories and kit in a unique configuration.

The new range isn’t purely designed for function though; an ergonomic, ventilated ActivZone back panel offers comfort, even during long periods of carrying.

Pricing for these Photo Active backpacks starts from £149.95 for the BP 200 model, and £174.95 for the BP 300 one.

Both models in the series are available at the end of June.

Tamron launches SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its SP series lenses, Tamron has released the SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD, promised to be its best yet.

Designed for full-frame DSLR cameras, the lens’ large f/1.4 aperture and high-speed, highperformance AF functionality make it well-suited for nearly every photographic genre, including landscape and photojournalism.

In addition to its diverse usability, the advanced optical construction offers high resolution performance from the centre to the edges of the frame, even at its maximum aperture of f/1.4. The same degree of quality can also be found in bokeh areas, allowing photographers to capture sharp images against beautiful bokeh backgrounds.

With a highly durable fluorine coating offering water- and oilrepellent properties, along with a

moisture-resistant construction, photographers can be assured of a good degree of longevity with the lens.

The lens will be available in both Canon and Nikon mounts, with expected availability at the end of July and the end of June, respectively. The lens will hit the market with a suggested retail price of £929.99. intro2020.co.uk

Panasonic expands its Lumix S series Panasonic’s news developments include the Lumix S1H, video capabilities for the Lumix S1 and two new teleconverters The Lumix S1H is the latest full-frame mirrorless camera to be developed by Panasonic, and is the world’s first camera that is capable of recording 6K/24p (3:2 aspect ratio), 5.9K/30p (16:9 aspect ratio) and 10-bit 60p 4K/C4K. It also features V-Log/V-Gamut with a dynamic range of over 14 stops A new firmware upgrade has also been announced for the Lumix S1, which includes features such as

14+ stops of V-Log recording, 4:2:2 10-bit 4K MOV 30p/25p internal video recording and 4:2:2 10-bit 4K 60p/50p HDMI output. The firmware is available free of charge for existing Lumix S1 purchases and for new purchasers from 8 July until the 30 September 2019. After that, it will be priced at £179.

Further expanding its series, Panasonic has also unveiled the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters, which can be attached to the Lumix S PRO 70-200mm f/4 OIS, as well as the upcoming 70-200mm f/2.8 S series lens, which will be available later this year. Both teleconverters have a rugged design that makes them dust and splash resistant and able to withstand temperatures of -10°C. Available now, the 1.4x teleconverter has a recommended retail price of £489.99 and the 2x teleconverter £579.99.

lowepro.com/global panasonic.com/uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

News © Mehdi Amirian

Enter right now! © Jing Li

in the areas of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation, among others.

With regards to Olympus’ support, Georgina Pavelin, marketing manager, stated: “Olympus is proud to support Environmental Photographer of the Year. Capturing moments and documenting change is vital to our lives and we hope that photographers are able to utilise this

© Chinmoy Biswas

on the environment and promoting sustainability.

This year’s submissions will fall into a range of categories including a young photographer award (full details of which can be found via the link below), with each supporting different UN Sustainable Development Goals.

It is hoped that each category’s winning photograph will draw awareness to and inspire change

© M Yousuf Tushar

© Guanghui Gu

The Environmental Photographer of the Year competition is open, and there are fewer than 30 days left to submit your photographs.

2019’s competition is proudly supported by Olympus, the United Nations Environment programme and Arup. Entrants are expected to provide beautiful and skilful photographs, engaging enough to inspire serious action with regards to reducing impact

platform to not only demonstrate their talents but also help to raise awareness of current issues to evoke change.”

Photographers from all over the world are welcome to enter the competition with up to ten photographs before the competition’s close on 30 June.

Visit the UN sustainable development goals website at: un.org/sustainabledevelopment

Nikon update Nikon has released a firmware update for its Z 6 and Z 7 cameras. Firmware version 2.0 includes a new EyeDetection AF function which automatically detects and focuses on eyes, an extended low-light AF detection range, for even faster focusing in low light, and autoexposure tracking in continuous highspeed (extended) mode.

The firmware can be downloaded for free at: downloadcenter.nikonimglib. com/en/index.html

Lomography unveils Art lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras

New from Nik The Nik Collection is a very popular suite of seven plug-ins among photographers. Google used to offer it for free but the plugins were not supported or updated for ages. The set was acquired by DxO, updated and given the title Nik Collection by DxO in 2018 and offered for £59.

Now, after extensive research among customers, DxO has

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

launched a major upgrade called Nik Collection 2 by DxO. The revamped suite has highres monitor support for Windows and gained 42 new creative En Vogue presets. There are ten new recipes for Color Efex Pro, ten in Silver Efex Pro, 12 in HDR Efex Pro and ten in Analog Efex Pro. The plug-ins, as before, are accessible through Photoshop,

Lightroom and Elements. The new Nik collection has Raw compatibility too and you can access the plug-ins from within PhotoLab 2.3, DxO’s powerful image editing software.

The Nik Collection 2 by DXO is available now at special launch prices until 30 June of £86.99 (instead of £125) and £49.99 (instead of £69).

The Essential and Elite editions of DxO PhotoLab 2.3 are available too for £112 and £169 respectively. DxO PhotoLab 2 users can download the upgrade for free. dxo.com

Lomography has announced the Petzval 55mm f/1.7 MKII lens, the first art lens from Lomography designed specially for mirrorless cameras.

The lens features a bright f/1.7 aperture to create its signature swirly bokeh and also has a dedicated bokeh control ring, allowing you to adjust bokeh in seven levels. Its dual aperture system allows you to use Lomography’s aperture plates through the Waterhouse aperture system, so you can create different shaped bokeh – it even comes with five aperture plates in the box!

The new design also features a long-throw focusing ring and stepless aperture diaphragm, making it a versatile lens for filmmakers who can adjust focus and f/stop while recording.

The Petzval 55mm f/1.7 MKII is available to pre-order now and

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Editorial director Roger Payne

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

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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

comes in three colours: aluminium black, priced at £349; brass varnish, priced at £399 and brass black, priced at £499. The aluminium black lens has an estimated delivery of July, with the brass lenses estimated for August. lomography.com

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.

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

News © Richard Germain

Summer Solstice Solargraph workshop

The science bit The Royal Photographic Society’s Science Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entry.

The competition is open to all ages and levels of expertise and there are two categories; Science Photographer of the Year and Young Science Photographer of the Year (under 18 years old).

Entrants are required to take a visually appealing picture that tells a science story, with a camera or smartphone. Winners will be announced at an event in London in October.

The winning photographs will be chosen by an expert panel of selectors including TV science

presenter Dallas Campbell. RPS science exhibition coordinator, Gary Evans said: “The competition is open to everyone. We are looking for images from all ages that tell a story about science – how it is used, how it looks or how it impacts people’s lives. Fun or serious, the selectors will be looking for the story behind the picture as well as the visual impact it makes.”

The competition is £15 to enter (£12 for RPS members) and up to five images can be uploaded.

Entry is free for under 18s. Simply register and upload images at science.rps.org. Closing date is midnight on 19 July.

The Real Photography Company is pleased to be hosting a Summer Solstice Solargraph workshop at the St Pauls Learning Centre in Bristol on 23 June, from 10:30am

to 12:00. You will be shown how to create a pinhole camera in order to capture a six-month exposure of the sun crossing the sky. Tickets for the event are priced at £4.85 per person and there is a free event for over 50s later that day.

If you want to have a go yourself, instructions on how to make a solargraph camera for nothing out of recycled materials can be found on the front page of pinholephotography.org

RPS Youth Council The Royal Photographic Society has launched a Youth Council aiming to engage young photographers. Awardwinning photographer, Rachel Louise Brown will chair the council, which includes a panel of photographers in their twenties and thirties to advise RPS trustees on how the Society can increase its relevance to a young audience.

Mike Taylor, chief operating officer of the RPS said: “Photography is intrinsic to the human experience, and the RPS is delighted to have the support of the Youth Council to help us understand how we can ensure the greatest breadth and impact of our work.”

Speaking about her new role, Rachel said: “The RPS is an institution with a wealth of history, resource and knowledge bundled together with a passion for forward thinking. Having the opportunity to be a small part of its legacy is humbling.” rps.org

realphotographycompany.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Prints for pleasure “Sometimes images need to speak for themselves and not be overwhelmed or distracted by a decorative frame or border. This is precisely why we chose the simple, but very versatile, Box Frame for this image.”

Derek Poulston, sales & marketing One Vision Imaging This month, PN’s editor Will Cheung, selected an image of a polar bear, from a trip to Churchill, Canada, to be printed by professional photographic and printing laboratory, One Vision Imaging.

“When I got this portrait of her with one of her cubs filling the background I knew that this was the shot I wanted to have printed and displayed,” he said.

“It was a wonderful thrill unpacking the print. One Vision’s Box Frame service produced a beautifully presented result, with stunning clarity and tonality, which instantly took me back to the moment I pressed the shutter button for my memorable shot.” onevisionimaging.com 0845 305 2686

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Sizes range from 8x6in up to 60x40in with prices from £25. Orders are delivered to your door within one week.

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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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

Clubs

Here’s how to submit

We need words and pictures by 8 July 2019 for the next issue of Photography News, which will be available from 16 July 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

Poulton-le-Fylde PS © Alan Storey DPAGB

© Ann Rhodes

Poulton-le-Fylde PS has won first place in the prestigious USA Glennie Memorial Nature Salon 2019.

This worldwide competition attracted entries from 65 clubs.

Poulton scored 252 points, ahead of second-place club, the Greater Lynn PS from Massachusetts with 248 points. In third place was the Entrance Camera Club from Australia with 243 points.

Eight out of ten of Poulton’s images gained awards for the five photographers.

Poulton PS’s Glennie entries can be seen on the external competitions section of its website.

The club meets every Thursday evening from September to June.

Meetings take place in Poulton Methodist Church Hall at 7.30pm.

© Richard O’Meara

poultonps.co.uk

bradfordphoto.org.uk

display their work at our new venue. Drop into the exhibition and enjoy the images on display and meet our members and chat

free. There is limited free parking is available, with ample paid parking in the nearby Great Yarmouth Market Place.

Light refreshments are available from the Minster’s own coffee shop.

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.

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: 2 September Issue 71, out from 15 October Deadline for contributions: 7 October Issue 72, out from 26 November Deadline for contributions: 18 November Issue 73, out from 14 January Deadline for contributions: 6 January

Preston PS

Find out more about the club at its website where you can find links to individual member’s websites, as well as the club’s programme. caisterphotographyclub.co.uk

about all things photographic.” facebook.com/ groups/305853770205059

© Terry Stringer

Caister Photography Club Caister Photography Club’s annual exhibition will be held in the Great Yarmouth Minster, NR30 1NE. The exhibition runs from 16 to 20 July, from 10am to 5pm daily, and entry to both the church and exhibition is

Helpful dates

© Michael Porter

Bradford PS is holding its annual exhibition at Shipley Library, 2 Wellcroft, Shipley, Bradford BD18 3QH from 24 June to 6 July. Entrance is free, and some of the images will be on sale.

Bradford PS normally meets Thursday nights at Upper Bolton Social Club. Please visit the website for details.

© Mike Barnard

Graeme Mitchel

Bradford PS

F.ocus Photographic Group F.ocus Photographic Group, Bridlington is holding its annual exhibition at the Bridlington Spa from 1 to 7 July. On display are prints that range from landscapes and portraits to nature, captured and produced by group members.

This exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm and is situated in the Spa Gallery with free entry to all visitors. Refreshments are available on site.

F.ocus Photographic Group secretary Stephen Womack LRPS comments: “The group’s annual exhibition is an incredible showcase for our members to

Deadline for the next issue: 8 July 2019

On 13 July, Preston PS is opening an exhibition at the Harris Museum in Preston that will be on show for several weeks after the opening date.

Visitors will get to see the club’s work, featuring a variety of images from local novices and professionals, and there’s something to suit all tastes.

“Preston PS has a wide range of abilities and skills to be viewed and would really appreciate the support.

We’re very excited for this opportunity in such a stunning setting,” says media coordinator, Charlotte Whittle. prestonphotographicsociety. org

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

Tynemouth PS is moving to new club premises at 106/107 Howard Street, North Shields, Tyne & Wear in September.

Tynemouth has been meeting at its previous base in Front Street, Tynemouth, for the last 62 years, but is returning to nearby North Shields, where the society was founded in March 1903.

The final AGM and annual exhibition in its old clubrooms were special events, as the society acknowledged the loyalty and work of two well-known members, Stan Bewick and Arthur Smith.

Stan, who joined the society in 1957, was awarded the first Honorary Life President of the society in recognition for his outstanding work for the society and the NCPF. Arthur has been

Grimsby PS was the first photographic society in Lincolnshire, and this year it celebrates its 125th anniversary.

The society is holding its annual exhibition of members’ prints at the Café Gallery, Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, Alexandra Dock, Grimsby DN31 1UZ from 13 July until 8 September. Entrance to the exhibition is free and it is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. It is closed on Mondays except Bank Holiday Monday, when opening is 10am – 4pm.

Society president, John Nash, said: “Our members have interests in all genres of photography and this provides the society with a well-rounded collection of work. “We hope

a member for over 30 years and has been an impressive worker and ambassador for the society, and was made an honorary life member in recognition of this.

Both awards were made by Howard Wilson, who handed

over to incoming president Keith Hildreth. Tynmouth PS is looking forward to welcoming both old and new friends to its new premises. tynemouthps.org

© Janina Nash

Grimsby PS © John Burton

Tynemouth PS

visitors will be inspired by our images and may wish to join us.” grimsbyps.wixsite.com/ grimsby-photographic/home

© Kathryn Graham

Farnborough CC has a long-standing relationship with its twin town’s camera club, Photo-Cirkel in Oberursel, Germany. Recently, Photo-Cirkel invited Farnborough CC to take part in an exchange visit.

The idea behind the exchange was for a member from each club to visit each other’s town to capture in photographs their impression of the two towns. Later in the year, prints will be exhibited in Oberursel featuring the results of the exchange visit.

Last April, Farnborough Camera Club hosted Jutta Poetz from Oberursel for a weekend of photography that included visits to Farnborough Abbey, Farnborough Business Park with the balloon hangar, Aldershot Military Museum and Wellesley Woods. Members of the camera club even came across Rushmoor Fire Service training by the canal, and they kindly let them capture a few shots of the training.

© Gary Pratt

Farnborough CC

In May, Gary Pratt from Farnborough visited Oberursel. He also had a busy weekend travelling around the town and local sites and up into the mountains.

Tyndale PC © Mike Smith

This year is the 70th anniversary of Ripon City PS, which it is celebrating with its flagship event, the annual exhibition on 31 August.

It is taking place at Allhallowgate Methodist Church, Victoria Grove, Ripon HG4 1LG. The exhibition, which attracted over 400 visitors last year, is open from 9.30am to 4pm. A variety of prints and digital images can be seen, and visitors can vote for their favourite images to have a chance of winning a print of their choice.

This year, there are live presentations – two in the morning and two in the afternoon – from four members on the theme of Around the World with Ripon City PS. Entry is free and refreshments will be on sale. There are car parks nearby and the fully accessible venue is in the heart of Ripon, within a few minutes walk of the famous museums and the city’s cathedral.

farnboroughcameraclub.org

© David Uffindall

Ripon City PS

For more information on Farnborough CC’s activities, see its website.

Tyndale PC is holding its 2019 photographic exhibition in Dursley Methodist Church, Castle St, Dursley, Gloucester GL11 4BS.It opens 12 July from 7 to 9pm and 13 July from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments will be served. Catalogues cost £1 giving entry to raffle.

riponcityphotographicsociety.co.uk tyndalephoto.org

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

First look Specs Prices £9999 body only Resolution 102 megapixels Image sensor 43.8×32.9mm Bayer pattern with ultrasonic vibration cleaning, 11,648×8736 pixels File formats 14/16-bit Raws and JPEGs ISO sensitivity 100-12,800, expansion 50-102,400

Fujifilm GFX100 Photography News saw an early sample of the GFX100 at TPS. Now, this 102-megapixel camera has been officially unveiled, and is in-store from late June at a body price of £9999. We got to spend the day enjoying its charms

Lens mount Fujifilm G mount Exposure modes PASM Exposure metering TTL 256-zone metering, multi/spot/ average/centre-weighted Exposure compensation +/-5EV in 0.3EV Image stabiliser Built in, sensor shift mechanism with 5.5EV benefit Shutter Mechanical 60mins to 1/4000sec, B mode to 60mins Electronic 60mins to 1/16,000sec Flash sync 1/125sec Continuous shooting Up to 5fps in continuous high mode, up to 13 uncompressed Raws Autofocus Intelligent hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase detection AF). Single point AF: EVF / LCD: 13×9 / 25×17 (changeable size of AF frame). Zone AF: 3×3 / 5×5 / 7×7 from 117 areas on 13×9 grid, wide/tracking AF: up to 18 area. AF-S: wide / AF-C: tracking, all Storage media 2 x SD Card (UHS-I/UHS-II) Viewfinder 0.5in approx 5.76 million dots OLED colour EVF Monitor 3.2in, 2.36 million dots, tilt in three directions, touchscreen, approx 100% coverage Sub LCD monitor 1.8in Rear sub monitor 2.05in Start-up time 0.4 secs Film simulation 16 modes, including ETERNA Video format MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265 Movie resolutions DCI4K (4096×2160).

29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p 400Mbps/200Mbps/100Mbps up to 60 mins 4K (3840×2160).

29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p 400Mbps/200Mbps/100Mbps up to approx 60 mins Power supply 2 x NP-T125, 800-shot capacity Interfaces USB Type-C 3.2, HMDI Micro connector, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Dimensions (wxdxh) 156.2×144×75.1mm excluding EVF Weight 1400g inc EVF, battery, x 2 cards Contact fujifilm.eu/uk

Words by Will Cheung Fujifilm’s GFX system was announced in 2016 with the introduction of the 51-megapixel GFX 50S, along with three lenses.

When the lenses were launched, Fujifilm stated they were designed to be good enough optically for 100-megapixel cameras – so the ambition was clear from early doors.

The GFX100’s sky-high 102-megapixel resolution is the camera’s headline feature on a long list of headline features that includes a hybrid phase/contrast detect AF system, a super-high resolution 5.76 million dot electronic viewfinder and an in-body image stabilisation system offering up to 5.5EV benefit.

So, let’s start with the sensor. It is a CMOS, back-side illuminated (BSI) Bayer pattern unit measuring 43.8x32.9mm. The GFX format is 1.7x larger than full-frame 35mm, and while we (along with everyone else) have been calling this image size medium format, Fujifilm is now rebranding it as large format.

Whatever you make of that, the GFX100’s sensor has a native speed range of ISO 100 to 12,800, expandable to 50 and 102,400 and, as well as the usual JPEG and Raw format shooting options, in Raw you have the extra option of shooting either in 14- or 16-bit, both recordable as uncompressed lossless and compressed lossless formats.

The technical difference is that 14bit captures 16,384 colours and 16-

bit 65,536 per colour, which in RGB means you get four trillion colours in 14-bit and 281 trillion in 16-bit.

The difference of 277 trillion levels is a lot, but whether you need 16-bit capture is a moot point and the vast majority of us are perfectly happy using 14-bit sensors. I did shoot a few 14-bit and 16-bit comparison images to see if could see any obvious benefit, but as I was using a preproduction sample, a full 14-bit/16bit comparison needs to wait until I get hold of final production camera.

Using a Samsung 128GB Micro SD card (with a write speed of 30Mb/s, not ideal with this the amount of data involved with the GFX100), the capacity was 3069 fine-quality JPEGs, and 598 uncompressed Raws or 1176 lossless compressed Raws.

According to the frame counter readout before shooting, the expected number of 14-bit and 16-bit Raws was the same and, as 16-bit Raws are bigger, I expected fewer shots – this is probably due to the camera not having final firmware. With fine JPEGS and 14-/16-bit compressed Raws, I had capacity for 849 shots.

With the Samsung card, each shot took around five seconds to write, so as usual with high-resolution cameras, you need the fastest cards you can manage. There are two SD card slots on the GFX100 with the usual save options.

I spent nine hours using the GFX100 pre-production sample, together with a bag of lenses: the 23mm f/4, 32-64mm f/4, 45mm f/2.8 and 100-200mm f/5.6. Of these,

I saw a significant benefit in the GFX100’s system in terms of speed, sensitivity and sure-footedness

only the latter has any form of image stabiliser – Fujifilm’s OIS with a claimed 5EV benefit – and we’ll get onto the GFX100’s IBIS system later.

I am a Fujifilm system owner, so I found the menu intuitive, as the GFX100’s structure is the same as current Fujifilm cameras. That said, there are of course new features, so there are extra items and some are buried fairly deep. The rear sub LCD monitor and the rear sub monitor set-up menus, for example.

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First look Highlights • • • •

• • • • • • • • • •

102-megapixel resolution 43.8x32.9mm BSI sensor, 11,648x4304 pixels X-Processor 4 engine In-body image stabilisation (IBIS) with up to 5.5EV benefit Hybrid contrast/phase detect AF Face and eye detect AF AF down to -2EV 2 x SD card slots 100-12,800 native ISO range 5fps continuous shooting 4K/30p video Dust- and weatherresistant build Two LCD sub monitors 5.76 million dot EVF

Left A contrasty urban scene was handled by the GFX100 fitted with the 100-200mm f/5.6 zoom with multi-segment metering and aperture-priority delivering a spot on exposure. Exposure was 1/220sec at f/10, ISO 200 Below A handheld low-light exposure shot with the 45mm f/2.8 lens.

Exposure settings were 1/160sec at f/7.1, ISO 3200

I have used the other GFX models quite a bit and it’s interesting that the three models have different design philosophies and handling characteristics while retaining a strong family resemblance and great usability. The GFX 50S has a deeper body and an optional slide-on waistlevel viewfinder; the GFX 50R is reminiscent of film rangefinder cameras, with portability a major selling point. And now the GFX100, which has design and handling akin to a deep-bodied, full-frame DSLR that can take two batteries.

During the day I took 511 images and a few minutes of 4K video. By the day’s end, I had just about flattened two batteries. Fujifilm claims 800 shots with two batteries, but it is true that I spent a while exploring menus and reviewing shots and I’m certain the batteries were not fully

charged when I received the camera in the first place, so I have no reason to dispute the capacity figure.

The GFX has a USB-C port and you can use this to charge the batteries with a 30 watt power bank.

I am used to electronic viewfinders and I certainly enjoyed those of the Nikon Z 7 and Panasonic S1R cameras, where actually, after a while you do not even notice that they are not optical. The GFX100 can be added to the list. With its 5.76 million dot resolution, the rendering of finely detailed scenes is remarkably impressive. That said, I did find on my sample that the camera did take a beat to adjust when panning from dark to very bright scenes, and vice versa.

The high-resolution EVF does give the option to magnify into the image by 24x during focus check.

If there is one negative with the EVF, it is the finder itself, which protrudes far back enough so it just physically gets in the way and obscures the image if you’re using the monitor for the low angle or waistlevel shooting. I did a few street shots in Tokyo with the GFX100 at waist level and the EVF did get in the way.

It is true, however, that I could have slipped the finder off, but in the heat of the moment that didn’t cross my mind. User error!

Autofocusing with the hybrid contrast/phase detect was good.

Fujifilm claims a 200% faster autofocus speed with the GFX100 with the 45mm f/2.8 and 63mm f/2.8 lens, and 150% faster with telephotos, including the 110mm f/2.8 and 120mm f/4.

Doing side-by-side tests with the GFX 50R and the lenses I had,

I saw a significant benefit in the GFX100’s system in terms of speed, sensitivity and sure-footedness. The phase detect system – which features 3.76million dots embedded across the image sensor – seemed to get the focus in just about the right place, then there was a little twitch as the

contrast detect kicked in to confirm focus. AF was smooth, too, and certainly quick when going from a near to a far subject and vice versa.

During my time shooting stills with the GFX100, I used mostly either single zone or zone AF and went wide zone and touchscreen

LCD sub monitor Images The GFX100 has a large LCD sub monitor. Here you can have it as a general camera information readout display, showing virtual ISO and shutter speed dials or a large histogram.

In general read-out mode, there is plenty of chance to customise what information you want showing.

With the virtual ISO/shutter dials, adjusting settings is done by the front and rear input dials

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First look focus for video. The focus lever and whole-frame coverage of phase detection cells meant that nailing sharp focus on subjects towards the edges of the frame was easily done, with no need for focus lock and recomposing technique. The monitor offers touch focus, too, which is more practical when the camera is on a tripod – and works fine for handheld shooting, too.

The focus lever lets you navigate the active focus zone around the scene and pushing it lets you alter zone/point size very quickly.

Significantly improved face/ eye detect AF was another aspect of the system worth talking about.

Face/eye tracking was claimed to be enhanced by 500% in movie mode and more able to cope with smaller faces. Face detect was also more stable when something passed between you and the subject. There is also a face select feature, too, which can be used via the monitor or the focus lever.

I am a keen AF-ON button user, focusing with the thumb and then recomposing. I think Fujifilm has skimped on the size of the GFX100’s AF-ON button and it is small, especially given the surface acreage of the camera. Have a look at how Canon and Nikon have treated this control on its top-end DSLRs, and you’ll see what I mean. That is not to say that it is unusable – because that is not the case – but it could have been bigger for even better handling.

For me, the size issue applies to the exposure compensation button, which is ideally placed next to the shutter button, but again this seems small – or it’s too low profile.

Speaking of controls, the GFX100 has comparatively few and notably, there are no shutter speed or ISO dials – at least in the physical sense.

Both are virtual dials that appear on the large sub monitor and are operated via the front and rear command dials. While some would prefer actual dials, I found using the

Above The GFX100 was fitted with the 32-64mm f/4 lens. The exposure was 1/200sec at f/4, ISO 1600

I dare anyone not to be impressed with the output of the GFX100

virtual dials fine, although I would need more time to decide if I prefer them to the real thing.

On the far left, there is a lockable mode dial with options for video and still shooting and, in-between, there is a multi setting. At its centre is the drive button. The video and still settings are obvious tags, but multi needs explaining: in other Fujifilm

cameras, the drive control contains menu options for bracketing (AE, focus, film simulation etc) as well as single and continuous shooting. In the GFX100, drive only has the single and continuous shooting options with the bracketing etc functions assigned to the multi setting.

It is a good solution, although Fujifilm could have gone further. In

multi, you can select auto exposure bracketing, which is fine, but setting the parameters of that bracket means going into another menu item. This is the same with other Fujifilm cameras, but for me I’d prefer the logic of engaging AEB, for example, and then setting the parameters of that bracket in the same menu.

During my time with the GFX100,

Performance: image quality These two shots were taken on the GFX100 andf GFX 50R fitted with the same lens: the 32-64mm f/4 with an exposure of 1/70sec at f/11, ISO 100.

Original image

Both cameras were tripod mounted and the shutter released with the self-timer.

The 14-bit Raws were processed

through Lightroom with some unsharp mask added later in Photoshop. The GFX 50R shots needed magnifying by 141% more

Taken on GFX100

Taken on GFX 50R

Original image

to produce the same subject size compared with the GFX100.

All GFX100 images in this first look feature were taken using

a Fujifilm pre-production sample, so keep in mind that the firmware and images might differ on production cameras.

Taken on GFX100

Taken on GFX 50R

Images The two shots were taken on the 32-64mm f/4 at 51mm with an exposure of 1/125sec at f/11, ISO 100. Here, both processed Raws had sharpening added in Photoshop

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First look Performance: noise The GFX100 has a native ISO range of 100 to 12,800 with expansion at the fast end to 102,400. We’ll test the full ISO range when we have a full production camera, but to give an idea, here are two shots taken at high ISOs. This Tokyo night scene was exposed for 1/25sec at f/8, ISO 3200 using the GFX100 fitted with a 32-64mm lens at 42mm. The camera was tripod mounted.

The Raws were processed in Lightroom with no noise reduction applied.

Original image

ISO 6400

To say I am impressed is to understate my admiration for the camera I shot almost entirely in aperturepriority AE mode with multisegment metering. I did not have any total failures, even in strong backlighting situations.

When all is said and done, if the image quality from a camera does not measure up, then you might as well give up. But seriously – I dare anyone not to be impressed with the GFX100’s output.

I processed my 14- and 16-bit Raws through Lightroom and to say I am impressed is to understate my admiration for the camera. Of course, this is when it all comes right and I did get shots that weren’t perfectly focused or ruined by shake (probably through user error), but when I got it right, the detail was truly amazing. Being able to zoom into the image and see the clarity of the fine details was awesome.

ISO 3200

The camera’s high ISO noise performance was also impressive.

The GFX100’s 102-megapixel backside illuminated sensor – the first BSI sensor this size to use copper wiring – means smaller individual sensor cells, but the BSI design helps keeps noise down. A firm judgement can’t be made until we try a production sample, but shooting at ISO 6400 or even 12,800 would not be an issue in my view, and the quality at these high speeds is remarkable.

The GFX100 is the first medium format camera with a five-axis inbody image stabilisation system offering a benefit of up to 5.5EV (with the 63mm f/2.8 lens). So assuming 1/250sec is a safe shutter speed for sharp shooting, 5.5EV is equivalent to 1/6sec.

The GFX system has a couple of lenses with image stabilisation

(the 100-200mm and 250mm) and having an IBIS system is very, very welcome for still and video shooting. In the IBIS menu, you can turn it off, leave it in continuous or have it active when you are actually shooting. I left it in continuous and did tests with shutter speeds down to 1/4sec. The system seems to work very well, so more to come when we get to try a production sample.

Shoot 102-megapixel files and you’ll need the infrastructure to deal with the resulting huge amounts of data. If you are contemplating buying a GFX100, a fast computer, a decently sized high-res monitor and plenty of external storage are definitely advised.

An in-camera compressed 16-bit Raw is around 130MB and a JPEG around 20 to 40MB. Which, when processed, becomes a 600MB 16bit TIF – even a JPEG is more than 60MB. A full file opens to an image measuring 11,648x8736 pixels so you can print to 98.6x73.9cm (38.8x29.1 inches) at 300ppi without any software interpolation.

Drop printing resolution down to a perfectly acceptable 200ppi, and you’re talking 147x110cm prints.

Above Shot with the 100-200mm f/5.6 lens at 100mm on the GFX100 with aperture-priority AE, giving an exposure of 1/50sec at f/8, ISO 1600

Summary The Fujifilm GFX100 needs putting into context. It is a topend camera targeted at pros and experienced enthusiasts and costs more than a very good family holiday. And, while the digital medium format camera market has grown, thanks largely to Fujifilm with help from Hasselblad and Pentax, let’s face it: it will never be big.

In that context, the GFX100 is great value for money and what Fujifilm has achieved technically is truly remarkable. Image quality (from a pre-production sample) looks incredible and it handles really well, thanks to the new hybrid AF system and IBIS. And you get all this in a body comparable in size to a pro full-frame DSLR. Having spent less than a day in the company of GFX100, I have to say I am very impressed and look forward to testing a full production camera in due course.

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Techniques New series!

Light and fantastic Getting into a mirrorless system means making a choice. Here we look at lightweight and powerful crop sensor options from Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm Words by Kingsley Singleton If you’re in the market for a mirrorless system (and there are plenty of reasons to be) there’s lots of choice out there today. Mainly though – much like when shopping for a DSLR – you’re looking at either a full-frame or crop-sensor body. Fortunately, the mirrorless market is jam-packed with great examples of both, and over

the next two issues we’re going to be looking at them in detail. This issue, it’s the turn of crop sensor mirrorless cameras, including those with APS-C and Micro Four Thirds-sized sensors.

While full-frame systems – those with sensors similar in size to a frame of 35mm film – might seem attractive, smaller image sensors have their advantages, too.

For one thing, they’re generally going to be smaller and lighter than

full-frame cameras, and almost always more affordable, too. The size and weight gain means you can either travel lighter or pack more into the same space, as lenses and associated accessories are smaller.

Shooting telephoto has long been an advantage of working with smaller sensors, as the crop factor of the sensor either has the teleconverter effect on lenses – for instance turning a 300mm into a 600mm equivalent – or means

that long lenses simply don’t have to be as large, heavy or expensive as on fullframe bodies.

Image quality from these smaller sensors can still be tip-top, too, with Fujifilm claiming equivalent quality to full-frame sensors thanks to its innovative APS-C-sized X-Trans sensor design. And because there’s less image data to push through to the card, you may also find faster shooting rates on smaller bodies – for instance

the Olympus OM-D E-M1X’s 15fps mode, rising to 60fps when using the electronic shutter.

And, of course, there are all the other benefits of mirrorless cameras, too, like exposure preview in the EVF for more accurate working, improved autofocus speed and accuracy thanks to contrastreliant modes, silent shooting for candid photography and in-body image stabilisation, so you don’t need IS lenses to tackle camera shake.

Panasonic

The king of the hybrid frontier

Panasonic has been in the mirrorless game since the start, and the quality shows Though it wasn’t technically the first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera to market, Panasonic pretty much kicked off the mirrorless revolution (over a decade ago now) with its Lumix G1. Built around the Micro Four Thirds standard it shares with Olympus, ten years of development and innovation has seen the Lumix G range grow into a mature system, with superb bodies and lens support, including lots of third-party options.

Top of the range now are the Lumix GH5, G9 and GX9 – though Panasonic has just recently entered into the

full-frame mirrorless market with the Lumix S series, too. Often considered the ultimate hybrid cameras for those who want to shoot both stills and video, Panasonic has put a lot of effort into both sides of capture with its Lumix G bodies, and the GH5 is routinely used by professional filmmakers. That’s thanks to features like 60p 4K video and up to 180fps slow motion in 1080HD, though the GH5S is even more targetted towards filmmakers.

Panasonic’s cameras also boast superb stills. For instance, the GH5 has burst shooting at up to 9fps and the

Above Panasonic has worked hard on its movie functionality, so models like the Lumix GH5S are popular with stills and movie shooters

Panasonic has models for the advanced photographer like the Lumix G9 (above) as well as general consumer like the Lumix GX9 (right) new Depth from Defocus AF system offers 225 focus points and works very well, despite not using the latest phase-detection technology of some rivals. And in spite of its smaller size, the 20.3-megapixel sensor can crank out images with impressive levels of detail and dynamic range in Raw mode.

Drawing on the cameras’ strong video features, many of Panasonic’s top models also have a clever 6K photo mode, giving 4992x3744 frames and letting you shoot at up to 30fps. There’s also a high resolution mode that gives huge 10,368x7776 files.

Panasonic’s high-end mirrorless cameras are built like solid pieces of pro kit and are well sealed against the elements, with good handling. These are proper bodies, not flimsy kit. They also feature lots of customisable

options and high-quality viewfinders.

There’s in-body five-axis image stabilisation, and Panasonic builds optical image stabilisation (OIS) into many of its lenses.

While the GH and G bodies are DSLR style, with a prominent EVF and handgrips, the GX part of the range is smaller and lighter, instead using a handy tilting EVF and with a slimline design that makes them pocket friendly

(depending on the pocket, of course).

The leading GX9 has a 20.3-megapixel sensor, and weighs only 450g without a lens. It also has a 4K photo mode, which allows shooting at up to 30fps and gives 3328x2496 pixel files. As you’d expect, the range continues with progressively low-spec’d, smaller bodies like the G90 and GX80, all of which are great options as either second bodies or in their own right.

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Techniques Olympus

Micro Four Thirds lenses

Style and substance Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds cameras continue to drive innovation and design standards Creator of the Micro Four Thirds standard, which took the previous Four Thirds sensor design and dispensed with the need for an optical viewfinder, Olympus launched its first mirrorless model in June 2009 with the stylish PEN E-P1. Enjoying a dinky size compared to previous cameras and influenced in design by Olympus cameras from the fifties, it spawned a range built on the ethos of being lightweight, portable and powerful.

Three years later, in 2012, Olympus launched the OM-D range, aimed at professionals and serious enthusiasts, and it now spans five mirrorless models. The latest in the OM-D lineup is the OM-D E-M1X, which despite being the first mirrorless camera to come with an integrated battery grip, is still small compared with a full-frame body with an accessory grip. There's a report on how the OM-D E-M1X performed on safari in this issue.

Within the range, there’s also the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, the E-M5 Mark III and E-M10 Mark III, each of which uses a DSLR-style central EVF and sculpted handgrip. On top of that, Olympus has the PEN-F and E-PL8 and E-PL9, all three of which use a gripless, slimline body, and while the PEN-F has a built-in EVF, the E-PL cameras do not, cutting their size even further.

The OM-D E-M1X and OM-D E-M1

Above It is with telephoto focal lengths where the space-saving benefits of Micro Four Thirds really come to the fore

Micro by name, massive by nature There’s a huge range of Micro Four Thirds lenses out there to enjoy Above The Olympus OM-D E-M1X, introduced earlier this year, is packed with innovation, including an advanced AF system Mark II share the same 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor, but while the Mark II is no slouch in speed, the former ramps things up by adding a second TruePic VIII processor, as well as a redeveloped gyro sensor for up to 7.5EV of image stabilisation when used with the 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro lens, and 6EV alone. In comparison, the OM-D E-M1 Mark II hits 6.5EV of correction used with the same lens and 5EV alone, so still very impressive.

As pro-spec bodies, both have a

Above Olympus’s range features consumer products such as the PEN E-PL8 (top) and enthusiast cameras like the popular PEN-F (bottom)

very solid build, weather sealing and very fast AF, including excellent subject tracking, and this has been reworked on the newer model to include additional focus points and a sophisticated algorithm for shooting planes, trains and automobiles.

Another advantage of the E-M1X’s vertical grip is that it takes two batteries, doubling your shooting time, which can be important when using power-hungry functions like the EVF. It can also be charged by USB, which is handy for location shoots.

A little down the pecking order come the OM-D E-M5 Mark II and E-M10 Mark III, which cut down on the size and weight slightly from the pro-spec models. The former keeps the weather sealing, the latter doesn’t, and it’s the same for the handgrip, with the E-M10 being a little slimmed down.

These cameras use 16.1-megapixel sensors, but in AF it’s the E-M10 that has the slight advantage – being a newer camera it has more AF points and a faster system. Conversely, while both use in-body IS, the E-M5 Mark II is superior by a stop.

Completing Olympus’s range are the PEN-F, E-PL6 and E-PL7, all with more rangefinder-inspired styling than the OM-Ds’ digital SLR design cues. The PEN-F is particularly notable, packing many leading-edge features into a comparatively tiny body.

There’s five-axis image stabilisation, a 20.3-megapixel sensor without a low-pass filter to deliver extra detail, a 50-megapixel high-resolution shot mode and shooting up to 10fps.

Overall, it’s an impressive, but pocket-friendly package that’s very much at home with spontaneous shooting and street photography via its three-inch vari-angle touchscreen.

Both Olympus and Panasonic have built a huge range of Micro Four Thirds lenses over the past decade, covering everything a creative photographer could conceivably need. The shared mount means lenses can be used on either brand's cameras, although some specific functions might be lacking. Both ranges include fast f/2.8 zooms covering an equivalent of 14-300mm, and there are some exciting primes, too, like the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 Pro and Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron ASPH Power OIS lens proving superb portrait options.

The advantage of a smaller sensor can clearly be seen in a lens like Panasonic’s Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 ASPH Power OIS, which gives an effective 200-800mm lens at under 1kg.

But of course it’s not only Olympus and Panasonic who make Micro Four Thirds lenses; the third-party market is really booming. For instance, there’s the Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC, which fills the tilt-shift shaped hole in the MFT range, and the company produces other affordable wide-angle options, too.

If you want fast glass, Voigtländer makes a suite of f/0.95 Nokton lenses including 10.5mm, 17.5mm, 25mm and 42.5mm versions, and though they’re

Above Superfast lenses such as the Olympus 45mm f/1.2 are perfect for lovers of fine glass manual focus, there’s focus peaking through the viewfinder. Also just launched is Kamlan’s 50mm f/1.1.

Sigma and Tamron also make MFT lenses, including the versatile Tamron 14-150mm f/3.5-5.8 Di III and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, which equates to a 60mm f/1.4. Also of note is Tokina’s Reflex 300mm f/6.3 MF Macro, a compact telephoto mirror lens, only 66mm long and 298g, but giving a hefty equivalent of 600mm on MFT cameras.

Above The Micro Four Thirds lens mount is well supported by third-party brands (from left to right) Tokina, Voigtländer and Sigma

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Techniques Fujifilm

Fujifilm lenses

X marks the tops Boasting a rich heritage, Fujifilm’s mirrorless contenders deliver superb performance in small packages The introduction of Fujifilm’s X Series was the company’s first step into the digital mirrorless market, seeing the introduction of the landmark X-Pro1, released in March 2011. What made the X-Pro1 unique wasn’t its vintage rangefinder styling – although that is very nice – but its hybrid optical/ electronic viewfinder and APS-C format X-Trans sensor, developed with Fujifilm’s rich heritage in colour technology producing film. Using a more randomised pattern of red, green and blue pixels than is found on a conventional Bayer sensor, an X-Trans sensor doesn’t require an optical low pass filter, giving an advantage in sharpness as well as colour reproduction, and because of it, X Series cameras are known for their highly detailed pictures and rich and accurate colours.

At the top of Fujifilm’s X Series range now are the X-H1, X-T3 and X-Pro2, all of which are weather resistant and built to withstand professional use, so are a great fit for serious enthusiasts who want the best mix of quality and durability.

The X-T3 is popular with landscape, wildlife and sports photographers, but equally at home shooting portraits and documentary. With a 26-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 and X-Processor 4 combination, it was the first in the X Series line-up to feature a back-side illuminated sensor.

It also offers up to 30fps blackoutfree high-speed continuous shooting, ISO sensitivity to 51,200 and rapid autofocus thanks to 2.6 million on-chip phase detection pixels.

The Fujifilm X-T3’s EVF is a 3.69 million dot high-resolution model with a display lag time of just 0.005 seconds, so tracking subjects is rapid, while increased read speed from the sensor and the new high-speed processor have made it possible to have AF/AE tracking, blackout-free continuous shooting of up to 30fps using the electronic shutter, while maintaining a smooth live view of 60fps to track your subject. Rolling

Above Fujifilm’s X-T30 features the brand’s latest sensor and AF technology at a great price

Above Fujifilm’s extensive lens range includes the superfast 56mm f/1.2 (left) and the impressive 16mm f/1.4 (right)

X-ceptional lens options Boasting a rich heritage, Fujifilm’s mirrorless contenders deliver superb performance in small packages

Fujifilm’s X Series range has the option of DSLR-style cameras (top) like the X-T3 and rangefinder style products, like the X-Pro2 (bottom) shutter distortion – a typical issue for electronic shutters – has been halved compared to the previous generation, though if you shoot lower shutter speeds and fast pans in the electronic mode, verticals will skew.

The X-T3’s autofocus makes it easy to keep locked on to your subject, and it features face and eye detection modes for portrait work. It also had dual card slots a three-inch, 1040k-dot, tri-adjustable touchscreen LCD. The X-Pro2 might be due an upgrade soon, but it’s still many photographers’ weapon of choice, with a 24.3-megapixel X-Trans III sensor and X Processor Pro engine. Like its predecessor, the rangefinder styled X-Pro2 uses a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds, but has an upgraded focal-plane shutter, 8fps continuous shooting and an enhanced ISO range of ISO 200-12,800, expandable to 10025,600. Despite its retro styling, it also packs in modern conveniences like built in Wi-Fi and dual SD card slots.

The X-H1 is unique in the range, being the only model to offer in-

body image stabilisation, rated at 5.5 stops. It sports a 24.3-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor, but one of its main claims is improved operability – that means a larger grip than the X-T3, easier access to the shutter release button and a quieter mechanical shutter for candid work.

AF was also beefed up from previous versions, with a 1.5 stop improvement in sensitivity, meaning you can use autofocus even when the aperture is restricted to f/11 via teleconverters.

Away from the top-end cameras, there’s a slew of other X Series bodies to consider. For instance, many of the X-T3’s features are included on its little brother, the X-T30, which uses the same 26.1-megapixel X-Trans 4 sensor and X Processor 4 in a package that’s over 150g lighter and a fair bit smaller.

Similarly, if you want a rangefinderstyle body, but can’t stretch to the X-Pro2, there’s the X-E3, using the same 24.3-megapixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor and X-Processor Pro in a smaller, lightweight package, without the hybrid viewfinder, but with enhanced 4K video options.

Hailing from 2011, Fujifilm’s X Series has had the better part of a decade to build up a range of lenses, and the quality and spread of options shows.

Broadly split into XF and XC lenses, the former being superior but heavier, the range includes all that a creative photographer would generally need, although Fujifilm hasn’t brought a tilt-shift option to market yet.

Everything else is there though, from fast wide-angles like the XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR (tested in this issue) for landscapes, to telephotos like the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 WR OIS for sports and action work, along with some delicious primes like the XF 56mm f/1.2 APD for portraits and the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR for low-light work. The WR means they can be used with just as much confidence as the Fujifilm weather-sealed bodies.

There’s no shortage of thirdparty options either, with Zeiss and Samyang in particular offering great options. From Samyang, there’s the manual focus 12mm f/2 NCS CS, a fast wide-angle prime that weighs only 260g, and the 50mm f/1.2 AS UMC CS with impressively smooth bokeh and sharpness for portraits.

Zeiss introduced the Touit range for X Series bodies, which allows autofocus and includes three fast primes with amazing sharpness, the 12mm f/2.8, 32mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/2.8 macro.

Right Fujifilm’s XF 50-140mm f/2.8 is one of the sharpest telezooms around

NEXT MONTH: We look at the mirrorless full-frame options from Sony, Canon, Nikon and Panasonic

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Advertisement feature

Competition

Wedding Photographer of the Year: Round 3

Discover the theme for Round 3 and find out who won Round 1 After much deliberation from the judges, it was Ash Davenport who won Round 1 with this stunning image of a wedding cake taking centre stage in the spotlight. On winning Round 1, Ash said: “As a photographer in this industry, there are so many talented individuals out there, so to know I'm actually being considered among them for such a prestigious title means a great deal and actually inspires me that I’m on the right path for the development of my craft. It also makes me want to want to push myself more. I’m incredibly grateful to be considered – thank you to everyone.”

Round 1: winning image Ash has won himself a Bellissimo album and is now in the running to be crowned our Wedding Photographer of the Year. If you fancy being in with a chance of winning, then read below for info on how to enter Round 3.

Here is what the judges had to say: “When judging wedding photography for awards, I’m always looking for something out of the ordinary, especially with detail shots. This image, even though it’s just a cake, easily stands alone as a photograph, and that’s difficult for a detail photograph that includes no human element. The use of light and composition here is really second to none, making a clean yet striking photograph that I’m sure made the couple (and the cake designer) say: wow!”

Adam Johnson “I think it deserves to win, as it focuses on the details well, with the amazing direction of light hitting it. I think it stood out as it was different, too.”

Natalie Martin “This image is immediately impactful; it is one of the most unique detail shots that I have seen. The regal atmosphere is captured impeccably with the control of exposure on point. I love the way the photographer has captured this image in a way that was unexpected and moving. Great job!”

Brett Florens

Round 3: Reportage When shooting a wedding, you’re documenting a special event – and while you can shoot a wedding in different styles (for example in a fine art style, like the theme of Round 2) you can also shoot in a reportage style, which is the theme for Round 3. To shoot in a reportage style is to tell the story of the event that you’re documenting. When it comes to weddings, there are lots of different sections that can be captured: the exchanging of rings, the kiss, the cake cutting etc. But don’t forgot those all-important candid shots of emotions and reactions: they’re the part of the story that not everyone gets to see. When we think reportage, we’re thinking of candid shots instead of posed ones.

Get inspired The judges of the Loxley Colour Wedding Photographer of the Year competition are experts in the field. Here are some tips on what they’re looking for:

True reportage is a real skill; it’s about capturing a unique moment, whether it be happiness, sadness, raw emotion or humour.

There must be a story attached to it and it must be obvious enough for me to be able to see straight away

Reportage for me is capturing a moment or event in a narrative fashion. The image should tell a story

Natalie Martin

Kevin Pengelly

Submit your Round 3 image at photographynews.co.uk/ weddingphotographeroftheyear before 16 July to enter.

Full T&Cs can be found at the link above.

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Interview

Peter Dench Profile

PN grabbed a moment with London-based photojournalist Peter Dench at the opening of his recent exhibition at Wex in London Words by Daisy Dickinson Images by Peter Dench

Photography News: Can you introduce yourself and the new exhibition?

Peter Dench: I’m Peter Dench, photojournalist for more than 20 years. The exhibition is called The English Summer Season; it’s a collection of 20 photographs shot over the last two summers at key events, such as Royal Ascot, Epsom, Glyndebourne, Henley Royal Regatta and Queen’s Cup Polo.

PN: Your work often shows a grittier side to society; how would you define your genre?

PD: I’m a photojournalist. I want to say something with my work; affect change, show people what they think they know about, but in a different way.

PN: When you visit these events, do you feel like there’s that one shot you’re really after, or do you play it by ear on the day?

PD: I’ve been shooting at these events since 1998, but I always tend to go back every few years, because things change, and things change rapidly. When I’m commissioned, I’m under pressure to get enough images for a double page spread, and 12 pictures is usually the goal. In order to get those 12, you need to shoot 300 and then deliver 40. So, there’s different pressures.

If I’m not commissioned and I’m just

accredited under my own name, then I can relax a bit and maybe look at the more boring bits and try to find what’s interesting there.

PN: You’re shooting with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – why do you like it?

Anything that doesn’t make me stand out as a photographer is welcome

PD: I’ve been shooting with Olympus for around four years now, and the mobility suits me well. I was getting tired of pulling big kit out with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I’m in my late 40s now, so I wanted something to lighten the load! The weather-proofing helps with the type of work I do, too. This is England, after all.

PN: And what about lenses?

PD: I tend to use the 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens, it’s my go-to. I also use the 12-100mm f/2.8 PRO. For a long time, I only used fixed lenses, and felt that having a zoom lens was cheating. I generally keep it on one focal length or another – so almost like having two fixed lenses, but in one. I don’t really feel like it’s cheating any more! I look at other photographers with all these lenses draped around them and I think why, why is that happening to you, what are you doing? Because I do try and be discreet, and aesthetically pleasing as well. If you go into events like these, you want to accessorise!

Anything that doesn’t make me stand out as a professional photographer is welcome – but of course the Olympus camera offers totally professional functionality, too.

PN: Has your style of work ever got you into trouble?

PD: No, well, I’ve only been punched in the face once. And that was because I intervened in a domestic dispute. I always say fear is generally in the head of the photographer,

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Interview

and people don’t tend to mind being photographed, we put too much emphasis on thinking they care.

PN: Approaching people to take pictures isn’t for every photographer; have you ever hesitated to press the shutter?

PD: I still have days where I have to force myself. I couldn’t point a camera at a stranger for three years when I was a teenager. It doesn’t come naturally. Just wanting to document what I see and offer my visual archive of what I think is right about what I'm saying, pushes me through. And in this instance, you know, this is England and what I’m seeing.

It is not the definitive document. It’s just my contribution to the archive.

I couldn’t point a camera at a stranger for three years when I was a teenager

PN: And what about asking permission to photograph people?

PD: You have to judge each situation you’re in, whether you’re an accredited member of the press, whether you’re in a public space, whether you’re on private property. People increasingly think they can tell me what to do with a picture of them; they can certainly put their point of view forward and if it’s causing them distress then I’ll obviously take that into consideration. Generally, I do see it as a collaboration. I’m not ashamed to be a photographer – if someone asks: “are you taking a picture of me,” then I say “yes”. If they ask why, I tell them. And they can either say fine, or that they’d rather not be involved. We have that conversation. With events, people have generally paid money to be there, they’ve spent time on their appearance, and being photographed is all part of the day out.

Above left This is one of Peter’s favourite images from his current exhibition, The English Summer Season, and unusually features his subject looking directly into the camera

Contact

PN: What’s your most memorable image from the collection?

PD: It changes, but I think the image of the girl straddling this chap. I wouldn’t usually authorise a picture of someone who is looking directly into the lens, but I made an exception: I think it adds something. The nonchalance of her gaze, it’s happened just after a downpour, and is charged with a lot of emotion both between me, her and who she is with.

PN: What’s next for you? And dare I mention Brexit…

PD: I will continue the work on England, but I’m aware that other places do exist, so I’m hoping to take a trip beyond the white cliffs of Dover, to Germany. Dench does Deutschland: yes it’s a Brexit-led idea. We were once the strutting hosts, the global party nation, we ruled the world and now we don’t even deserve a place at the table. I’d like to spend a year looking at our former foe, and see what they get up to.

For 20 quick-fire questions with Peter, visit our Instagram TV channel @photonewspn peterdench.com Instagram: @denchphoto Twitter: @peterdench

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Lights, camera, fashion!

Fashion photographer Andy Hoang reveals why simple lighting set-ups and powerful, easy-to-use gear is at the heart of what he does…

About Hoang: Finding photography in his mid-20s, Hoang started out shooting for an events and nightlife photography company, but echoing his early years’ interest in fashion magazines and documentaries, he migrated to shooting fashion full time. Deeply versed in all things lighting related, he also ran the Bristol branch for Calumet for five years. Now he shoots fashion editorials and commercial images between Bristol, London and beyond.

Andyhoang.com

“Great lighting is key to a successful shoot,” says Andy Hoang, “and that goes for whatever you’re shooting, so understanding how to get it right is vital. It all comes down to practice, experience, taking the right approach and using the right gear.”

Although the fashion clothes he shoots can be intricate and complex, it’s better to keep things simple when it comes to lighting, explains Hoang.

“Flash shouldn’t look overdone, and shouldn’t even be noticeable if it takes away from what you’re trying to show. Simple set-ups are often the best solution. Having balanced lighting with a little touch of shadow and contrast is what elevates an image,” says Hoang.

“For me,” he continues, “using Profoto gear really helps achieve

great-quality light in a short amount of time. If a client shows me reference images in regards to lighting, then I’m confident I can achieve it quickly and accurately with Profoto’s heads and its vast selection of light shaping tools."

Andy often uses the Profoto ProHead Plus heads, saying that “the 2400 watts of the 8As really mean I can light large areas and shoot all day with ease”.

He also uses Profoto’s highly mobile and powerful B1X heads for his location work.

When it comes to picking modifiers for commercial shoots, Hoang places more of an emphasis on the soft light from octa boxes and strips. However, for fashion editorial with “more creative freedom”, Hoang will tend to use hard light via barn doors, snoots

or just the general reflectors for the flash units.

But when shooting with flash, says Hoang, you can use what’s around you, too, and when shooting in sets with white walls, he often uses these to his advantage, avoiding pointing the lighting directly on to the models, which would be too harsh and “firing directly into the walls, which act as a huge reflector”. He explains: “Add translucent scrims between the light and model, and it softens even more. In some cases, I’d then include large black polyboards to lock in the light and stop spill, but also create nice shadow detail on the subject.”

For lighting inspiration, he often looks online as well as in fashion magazines.

“There’s a great Instagram page called

@famousbtsmagazine, which features lighting set-ups for top commercial shoots, so you can use that as a reference for what you’d like to achieve. And practice is important,” he continues, “even if it’s just testing as you’ll learn an incredible amount, not just in terms of lighting, but how to direct, composition and interact with other creatives.”

“I’ve made mistakes and will probably keep making them, but don’t be afraid of failures as they teach us valuable lessons. Lighting doesn’t have to be complicated, you can do a lot with one light and a great modifier – you’d be surprised how many commercial shoots only use one or two lights, so anything is possible with research and practice to make it as a working photographer,” concludes Hoang.

Shooting from the top In this first set-up, on a Sisters of Nature shoot, the models laid on the ground and were shot from above. The styling took inspiration from people’s relationship with the wilderness and Mother Earth to create a fashion driven series of portraits.

“With this shot,” says Hoang, “I used a three light set-up: two Profoto ProHeads aimed into a white wall and bouncing back through a translucent scrim to give incredibly soft and even light.

From the left centre, a beauty dish on a boom at a higher power setting gave a little more punch and contrast. With this look, I shot at f/11 to f/16 to achieve sharpness across the board and show off the great garments that were being featured.”

Following shooting from above, Hoang used a similar set-up to capture full body shots, while adding in a White Deep Umbrella XL to fill in additional shadows.

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Advertisement feature Natural portraits

Profoto Academy Learn more with the Profoto Academy and sign up to My Profoto at profoto.com/uk/academy Another set-up from the Sisters of Nature series required some traditional head and shoulders framing. Hoang wanted to capture some close-up and intimate portraits with an effortless but powerful feel to them. He says that these portraits “are some of my favourite shots to date, so simple yet powerful”.

He adds: “I used a beauty dish from the light and pulled the scrim close from the right. But rather than bounce light off the wall, I used two silver umbrellas to bounce back light through the scrim instead, which added that crispness.”

Profoto B1X

Specs Power 500 watts across 9 f/stops

California Dreaming

Recycle time 0.1-1.9sec

“This editorial was titled ‘California Dreaming’,” says Hoang, “but we didn’t have the budget to fly the whole team out to the States!” The alternative was to shoot on a clear day in the south of England and they chose the Portishead Lido. “The sharpness of the light, combined with the strength of the subtle posing, styling and colour palette all came together.

People who view the image still can’t believe it’s in the UK, so we achieved what we set out to do,” says Hoang.

“The sun was our key light and I used a Profoto B1 with OCF octa box as the fill light, which was handheld by my assistant. The sun provided that hard light and we balanced it with a soft Profoto light shaping tool.

The flash was set to a lower power setting so that it complemented the sun, but didn’t overpower it. Getting the balance right, especially on location, was important, but was tricky as it was a less controlled environment than a studio. To help, I made sure the subject knew where the light was coming from so they avoided blocking it while posing.

Having a wide range of light shaping tools – like those Profoto offers – is vital.”

Modelling light 24 watt LED (Output equivalent to 130 watt Halogen), dimmable 100-5% Wireless Yes, up to 300m HSS/TTL Yes, up to 100m Measurements (WxLxH) 14x31x21cm Weight (inc batteries) 3kg Contact profoto.com

If you need the ultimate in power and performance on location, the Profoto B1X is the light for you. A battery-powered monolight with a 500 watt output – that’s 10 times higher than the average speedlight – but finely controllable over 1/10ths of a stop. The B1X also has super-fast recycle times, as fast as 1.9secs at full power. And as a location light, its big battery will provide well over 300 full-power flashes and many thousands at lower settings.

Its wireless Air TTL and 1/8000sec High Speed Sync options also make the Profoto B1X an ideal location partner. This means you can fire the

light in challenging light and with precise control at up to 300m away.

Not only that, you can fire up to 20 flashes per second, and with flash durations of as little as 1/19,000sec in its Freeze mode, you can look forward to razor-sharp action shots.

Superb control also comes from the Profoto B1X’s dedicated system of lightweight OCF light shaping tools, which are designed to be mobile and easy to use, fitting right in with its adventurous outlook. And last but by no means least, there’s a strong, dimmable LED modelling light, which makes it very easy to visualise lighting effects.

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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Advertisement feature

Make the switch DSLR user Daphne Wuenn put the Fujifilm X-T3 digital mirrorless camera to the test along the south coast to see how it compared to her current set-up...

Daphne Wuenn Nature photographer, based in the south of England

I remember vividly when I grew up in the 80s that I almost always carried a camera with me. Once I was even allowed my dad’s film SLR camera, so I ventured out into our garden and took some close-up photos of flowers. I was impressed by the feel of the camera and the quality of the photos, but it wasn’t until 30 years later, after I had moved to the UK, that I invested in a DSLR – a Canon EOS 600D with an APS-C sensor – for documenting my everyday life.

I live in Bournemouth on the south coast of England. Down here, we’ve got an impressive coastline and beautiful countryside on our doorstep, so I upgraded to the full-frame Canon EOS 6D in 2016 with a Canon EF 24105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. This was my starting point to get into the broad subject of nature photography and my collection has been growing ever since.

The fact that I shoot both landscapes and wildlife means that on a normal trip out, I

carry two camera bodies: the aforementioned EOS 6D with the 24-105mm, and an EOS 80D with the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C lens. Once I add two spare lenses plus a tripod and filters, it starts to get really heavy on my back and shoulders!

The time has come to start looking into lighter options.

Mirrorless cameras have been on the market for more than ten years now, but only recently have they become interesting to

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Advertisement feature

me. I always wanted to wait until there were more bodies available and a variety of lenses to choose from.

I was delighted to be selected by PN to borrow some awesome kit. I chose the Fujifilm X-T3 body, the Fujinon XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS lens for my landscapes (as I like the flexibility with a bit of zoom) and the Fujinon XF100-400mm f4/5-5.6 R LM OIS WR, a long lens equivalent to 600mm in 35mm format for wildlife shots.

I was instantly surprised by the lightweight camera body. The retro look and feel also immediately appealed to me.

Compared to my old set-up, the big lens didn’t feel too heavy – it had just the right weight and length for steady handheld shots.

The handling of the camera, with its generous complement of dials, an AF joystick and a touchscreen, was very easy to get used to. It felt a bit like an old-school SLR, the one my dad used to own in the old days, but with all the benefits of cutting-edge camera technology. One of the first things I noticed after I unpacked it was that it lacked a mode dial, but the external shutter speed dial on the camera and the aperture ring on the lens meant it didn’t need one. The ISO is also located as a dial on top of the body.

I wanted to try the X-T3 out at locations in and around Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t always

The autofocus speed stood out – something essential when shooting wildlife

comply with my plans – I had to carry the camera through some light drizzle on two occasions – but having an environmentally sealed camera body with a weatherproof lens, I wasn’t too concerned.

On a trip to Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth, I found some stonechats modelling for me on top of the yellow gorse.

The lens performed really well in these low-light conditions. I was impressed by

the good dynamic range and the high ISO performance in the pictures. There is no in-body stabilisation in the X-T3 camera body, only in the lenses, but this performed exceptionally well! I was surprised by the formidable sharpness.

The autofocus speed stood out, too – something essential when shooting wildlife, because birds won’t wait for you to press the shutter! My current set-up with the Canon

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Advertisement feature

body and the Sigma lens seems much slower and less reliable. The autofocus system starts with an impressive 117 points and can be extended to 425 altogether in certain modes.

The small joystick on the back of the camera is a good solution for moving the focus point around the frame. Also impressive is the continuous shooting speed: a standard of 11fps with the mechanical shutter that can be extended to 20fps and 30fps with the

I was really glad to have the second SD card slot

electronic shutter. The EVF has a great resolution and a very high refresh rate, too, perfect for fast-moving subjects.

I ventured over to Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour where there is a good population of red squirrels. These little creatures are really quick, and if they are not sitting still to eat some nuts they are all over the place. I took a lot of photos and was really glad to have the second SD card slot.

It makes it easy to not have to swap cards mid-shooting.

My favourite locations are at the coast, but I also love the countryside. When shooting sunrises and sunsets in both locations I use filters, such as polarisers, neutral density filters and graduated filters, which all worked easily on this camera and lenses.

I usually use different modes to shoot my landscapes – single shot and bracketing

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Advertisement feature The kit Daphne used

Fujifilm X-T3 The Fujifilm X-T3 is a mirrorless digital camera, featuring a 26.1-megapixel back-side illuminated ASP-C sensor, blackout-free continuous shooting, an AF system with 2.16 million phase detection pixels, providing 100% coverage, with the ability to record 4K/60p video in 4:2:2.

XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS This standard zoom lens offers a maximum aperture of f/2.8, plus built-in Optical Image Stabilisation, all inside a remarkably compact and portable body. The result is a highly versatile lens that is comfortable in a number of shooting situations.

XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR This super-telephoto zoom lens includes five ED elements and one Super ED element to combat chromatic aberration, while a linear AF motor and weather resistance make for outstanding performance when you need it most.

Get involved 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.

– but after looking into the X-T3’s Raw files in Lightroom, I realised that enough data could be recovered in the normal exposed shot, without having to use the bracketed shots to convert it into an HDR picture. The 26.1-megapixel back-side illuminated sensor delivers an especially impressive image quality, which is sharp even wide open.

When shooting the 12th-century ruins of Knowlton Church, allegedly one of the most haunted places in Dorset, I only used the normal exposed shot to get all the data I needed for my editing. And the bonus: a fantastic sunburst peaking past the church.

No ghosts peering through windows, though!

I also took both lenses with me on a trip all the way out to the Isle of Portland and it didn’t feel too heavy on my back. I wanted to capture the picturesque lighthouses and the massive Pulpit Rock. Though my main aim was to do some long exposures, I walked back to the main lighthouse and climbed down to Pulpit Rock in the evening sun. Following an easy and quick set-up on the tripod, I stacked the filters on, connected the cable release and started shooting. Again, the changing of the settings was easy with the dials on top of the camera, without having to delve into the software.

The last spot where I set up the gear was close to Pulpit Rock itself. This time, I dialled the exposure wheel on B for bulb mode for an even longer exposure of around two minutes.

The exposure time was displayed on the back screen so I didn’t need to get my watch out to check the time. I was very pleased with the result – and the moment when the lighthouse switched on its light, while I was shooting, was the bonus of the day!

Overall, I feel the Fujifilm X-T3 is a leading contender when choosing a new mirrorless camera. The whole set-up is extremely impressive for me as an enthusiast, but it’s still in an affordable price range. I would certainly recommend it to anyone one who is thinking of swapping to a lighter, faster setup in the future. daphnewuennphotography.com @daphnewuennphotography

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Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Interview Profile

Geraint Radford Widely published and recently appointed as Olympus’s macro ambassador, Geraint Radford is very much a nature specialist, and he shoots most of his amazing work close to home © Geraint Radford

Photography News: What is your day job and where are you based?

Geraint Radford: Howdy! My name is Geraint Radford and I’m an Olympus ambassador, macro photographer and lecturer from South Wales.

PN: How long have you been a professional nature photographer?

GR: Having worked as a commercial photographer for a number of years, I decided that I would try and build a career in nature photography, specifically insects and macro. In 2016, I took the leap and dedicated all of my time to nature photography. It was a little scary, but thankfully it worked out!

PN: What came first – photography or your love of nature?

GR: Being raised in the valleys of South Wales, I was forever exploring the mountains and hillsides. I was always very interested in looking at insects and other small beings, so it’s pretty cool to be able to carry on doing these things as a grown-up.

Photography allows me to see these incredible miniature beasts with a lot of detail and, with social media, I can share my love of nature with others, too.

PN: Do you have a favourite subject, a particular bug you like more than the others?

GR: Truthfully, whichever bug is nice enough to stay still and allow me to take its picture is my favourite bug in the world. Recently, I have been drawn to photographing weevils and spotted wolf spiders. Both are very common in my area and therefore offer a lot of neat photo opportunities.

PN: Do you shoot just in the UK or do you venture abroad for insects? Other than the UK, what is the location you would go back to time after time?

GR: All of my images have been captured within minutes of my home and that’s the thing that draws me to macro photography. Just by switching to a different lens I am sent away to what feels like a completely different planet.

I would love to travel to other countries simply to experience photographing the bugs that I couldn’t do here in the UK. Somewhere nice and warm would be nice.

PN: Do you shoot bugs indoors as well as outdoors?

GR: Each of my subjects are photographed as and where they are found, which is pretty much almost always outdoors. I never cause any physical harm or manipulation. Should a bug end up indoors, I rescue it from the many paws around my house and set it free.

PN: What is the biggest challenge when photographing nature?

GR: Bugs are very small, which means that we need to get very close just to fill the frame.

Left Geraint particularly likes photographing weevils, like the one here

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Interview © Geraint Radford

Contact

To read more about Geraint’s techniques and enjoy more of his work, please visit his website. He also offers macro workshops, with more details on his website. geraintradford.com

Luckily for me, both cameras that I use have in-built focus stacking features.

Above Geraint uses his cameras’ five-axis stabilisation and focus stacking capabilities to capture his detailed and striking images Getting the camera to within a few inches of an insect can be challenging but fortunately, much like people, bugs have different personalities and some of them will kindly oblige to having their picture taken.

PN: What is your usual camera and lens and why?

GR: I use both the Olympus OM-D E-M1X and the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Both are perfectly built for macro photography. The Micro Four Thirds sensor means I can photograph things that are twice as small when compared to full-frame.

Both cameras have really neat features that also

lend themselves well to photographing the small world. Magnification usually equates to camera shake, so the five-axis stabiliser is such a great help. My lens of choice is the Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro. Much like the cameras, it’s light and compact and, with the effective focal length of 120mm, it’s ideal for photographing skittish bugs.

PN: Do you use flash?

GR: Much of my work involves the Olympus STF-8 compact twin flash system. Flash, even at low powers, helps to stabilise an image and reduce unwanted motion blur or camera shake.

I quite often use extension tubes to gain extra magnification for very small creatures, and the flash helps by replacing the light that extension tubes take away.

PN: Are your shots focus stacked?

GR: Where possible, I would choose to focus stack an image. Working close up reduces depth-of-field quite a bit. Stopping down helps, but it usually comes at the expense of the shutter speed, diffraction, increased ISO and the backgrounds lose the wonderful bokeh.

Focus stacking allows me to keep the lens at the sweet spot and maintain the best image quality.

PN: What is the one shot you really want but haven’t got yet?

GR: Anything in the rain! I think the elements add so much to a picture and there’s never a shortage of rain in Wales.

PN: What advice do you have for readers who are keen to explore the macro world of photography like you do?

GR: Be patient and learn to really look at your surroundings. Have fun exploring and looking for subjects in their natural environment. It’s such a rewarding genre of photography that teaches us so much. Pay close attention to the backgrounds within your images, making sure they are free from distractions. Try photographing very early in the morning or towards the end of the day, where the bugs are less active and you’re far more likely to get an image. The most important thing is to enjoy photography and to take care of nature.

© Geraint Radford

© Geraint Radford

Above Geraint advises taking pictures of insects early in the morning or towards the end of the day, when they are less active and it’s easier to get a good, clear shot of them

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Buyers’ Guide

Light it right Great lighting equals great photos. If you’re thinking of going pro you’ll want a set-up that’s right for you, so don’t get left in the dark – check out these top picks Results your clients will love with minimal fuss Taking that step into professional photography is never easy; it’s competitive and full of risk and uncertainty. To add to the stress, more and more we’re also seeing photographers being asked to add video content to their portfolio and vice versa. So how do you make sure you’re getting results that will keep your clients happy, while not overcomplicating things with multiple set-ups and countless modifiers?

Find yourself gear that’s going to save you precious time and money, while still enabling you to do it all even without an assistant or crew to help you out. For example, continuous lighting helps you to shoot exactly what you see without needing to take endless test shots like you would with flash. From the on-camera NEO 2 to the ultra-portable location light AEOS and powerhouse Anova PRO 2, you only need one set-up to do it all.

Rotolight LEDs give creatives unparalleled flexibility by delivering industry-first features that streamline their workflow, such as True Aperture Dimming which calculates the optimum f/stop at a given distance and eliminates the need for a light meter.

Voted best on-camera flash by Photography News readers this year, the NEO 2 is the only on-camera LED to offer the shoot-what-yousee benefits of a continuous output and the added power of High Speed Sync flash, all in one. The compact secret weapon that allows Toronto-based wedding photographer Anita Cheung to capture light and airy detail shots, the NEO 2 fits easily into her camera bag. “My clients spend so much money on their venue and all the beautiful little details, so I want to spend plenty of time capturing that,” Anita

says. “I take my NEO 2 to pretty much every wedding I shoot to light the reception. It brings a venue to life and gives them a much more three-dimensional look that my clients love!”

Adjustable colour temperature (3150-6100K) means that she can easily mimic the daylight pouring in through the windows.

Weighing just 1.4kg and boasting integrated aluminium handles, the AEOS is

the ultimate location LED. The brightness of the naturally soft and flattering light output is entirely adjustable meaning it can easily be tuned to suit your needs. The AEOS and the Anova PRO 2 are the lights of choice for celebrity photographer, Mark Mann, who shoots countless famous faces at Tribeca and Sundance Film Festivals. “As a photographer I’m being asked more and more to shoot

video as well,” says Mark. “Especially in an environment like this with such a high turnaround of people it has to look good, it has to be quick to use and it has to be reliable, and Rotolight LEDs are perfect for this. Also, what’s so great about LED is that even when working in a confined space they don’t emit any heat.” rotolight.com

Getting creative With increasing numbers of photographers out there, you need to make your work stand out and do something different – and with the NanGuang RGB LED tube lights you can!

The innovative RGB tube lights can be used as a basic studio light or to create rich colours and clever effects. Each light features adjustable colour temperature from 6500 to 2700K, making it perfect for most standard lighting needs, as well as full spectrum RGB lighting, with over 360 colours. The lights can be used to paint with light for photography or video, create effects and express moods in almost unlimited ways. Applications in photography include creating a variety of background colours by directing

the RGB light onto a plain white wall or canvas, adding interesting hues and highlights to product photography, setting the mood for really striking portraits, and creating incredible effects with movement and a long exposure. kenro.co.uk

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Buyers’ Guide Unleash the power Portable flash has come a long way over the last few years both in technology and in price, meaning it is now a lot more accessible to everyone. Most of the world’s top photographers will have studioquality lights in their kitbags, giving them complete control of whatever situation they find themselves in.

Being able to control and modify light is the next key step in any photographer’s journey. No matter where your speciality lies, from weddings to fashion, portraiture to sport, lighting is key to standing out from the crowd and giving you the professional edge. Having lighting equipment that can be used during all your photographic assignments

is a real bonus; not only does it make life simpler, it is also much more cost-effective as you don’t need to invest in as much equipment. The Interfit Badger Unleashed Compact Battery Flash offers so much more than a standard speed light. With a punchy 250w of power which can be set at 1/10 increments over eight stops and a 1.5 second recharge time at full power it can light just about anything. It also boasts HSS (high speed sync) at up to 1/8000 of a second, meaning it can be used in a lot more situations than a standard flash head. If you need ease of use the Badger Unleashed comes with TTL (through-the-lens) which takes some of the pressure off by

metering the light for you, giving you more time and making set-ups easier. All of these features come packed into a small 1.8kg unit that fits easily into your kitbag; it even has a 15w LED modelling lamp. There is a built in S-Mount fitting giving you hundreds of light shaping options and with its li-ion battery producing up to 430 full power flashes, it really can go anywhere! Adding one of these to your daily kit will ensure that you can take creative control of any lighting situation and to grow as a photographer. interfitphoto.co.uk

Lighting you can try before you buy

Continuous results with continuous lighting If you’re looking to achieve smooth lighting results with continuous lights then NanGuang has plenty to offer. Its Luxpad 43H LED photo/ video lighting head utilises high-efficiency LEDs and emits a soft, gentle, diffused light, making it ideal for portraiture, product photography or video, and it also has an adjustable colour temperature of 3200 to 5600K. Maybe you’re after a bigger set-up? No problem – NanGuang 43H is also available as a kit. The NanGuang Luxpad 43H LED photo/video lighting kit is

Love photography? Want to make it more than just a hobby? Or maybe you want to use great photography to make your hobby more than just a hobby?

One thing is for sure, you’ll be looking for gear to make the job as easy as possible.

Preferably gear that can reliably integrate with everything that you already own whilst adding a range of creative options that will lift you above the crowd and enable you to shine. You could spend a fortune, but with Elinchrom flash and studio lighting you really don’t need to.

All Elinchrom equipment includes the Skyport radio trigger and remote-control system that will enable you to add a simple receiver to your existing lights, including them wherever they work best. In addition, the kits include simple yet effective accessories that will do everything you need. With mainspowered prices starting from less than the cost of a mid-range speedlight for a two head kit with stands, softboxes, continuous

and flash lights with cases, cables and the aforementioned Skyport radio trigger/remote control, Elinchrom offers everything you will need for the journey. Elinchrom also offers inexpensive Learning Lighting courses to get you on the right track straight away.

Outside of the Home, Garage or Studio the story is the same – it just costs a little more. Working hard to minimise weight, maximise lighting flexibility and out-and-out performance, a two-head lighting kit with all the bits can fit into a small kit bag and work just as well inside working off the mains as outside working off the battery, whilst offering Manual or TTL control and HSS whenever and wherever you need it. The power of simplicity.

Want to find out more? Try before you Buy is the perfect solution, available with great advice from The Flash Centre in Leeds, Birmingham and London. theflashcentre.com

a fully comprehensive and balanced lighting set-up with accessories ready for use for video and digital photography. It features two Luxpad 43H heads, as well as two CN-20FC heads which are able to provide adjustable lighting from flood, through to spot lighting. It also includes four lighting stands and two hand grips, as well as accessories so you can be ready for any shooting situation. kenro.co.uk

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Advertisement feature

Print for posterity Give your pictures the pride they deserve In the digital age we’re all guilty of not printing our images enough. How many times have you told yourself you should print more of your work, or produce more

photobooks? Whether you’re printing for yourself or for clients, make that time now, with our top printing picks and insight from printing experts.

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One Vision Imaging We know for a fact that there are more images being taken these days than ever before. But we also know that the vast majority of these will never be printed.

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Advertisement feature When is a photo not a photo?

There are two questions that photographers often ask themselves when they’re considering printing their images.

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There is nothing more satisfying than enjoying a pile of prints after a shoot or trip, and producing those prints at home only intensifies the experience. By investing in a quality printer like the Epson EcoTank ET-7750 you can print to your heart’s content, whether it’s your favourite shot from a trip, some family snaps you’ve taken, or even work you are printing for a client.

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Encourage your clients to print

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Profile Out of Africa

© Claire Voyle

So-far-i, so good

Armed and ready for a walk on the wild side, Daisy Dickinson took to safari in Zimbabwe to test out the Olympus OM-D E-M1X and E-M1 Mark II – read on to see if she scored it the big five Words and pictures by Daisy Dickinson

It’s hot, dusty, and totally remote. I’m sitting in an open-sided jeep staring down the barrel of an Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens at the 13,000lb bull elephant standing directly in our path. He’s on musth (heat) and feeling a little unpredictable. With only one direction we can go, we sit with bated breath, fingers on shutter buttons. Quickly, the elephant approaches, becoming decidedly huge in my viewfinder as he warns us, pushing a tree with his trunk. A trunk with 150,000 muscles binding it, capable of lifting 700,000lbs.

We finally find an opening to move off, and as the John Williams’ Jurassic Park theme tune starts to play in my head, the colossal elephant begins to chase us down the track, trumpeting triumphantly, flapping his ears in a cloud of dust.

Right Leaning on just a backpack for extra stability, I captured this lioness not long after a kill, approximately 80m away, handheld using the OM-D E-M1X, 300mm f/4 IS PRO

When Olympus asked me if I wanted to come and spend some time with them in Africa, getting to grips with newly released pro camera, the OM-D E-M1X, while on Safari in one of the country’s most idyllic spots in Zimbabwe, I couldn’t have even imagined half of the unforgettable memories I would take away with me. An absolute opportunity of a lifetime, it’s been a personal dream of mine to take a safari trip, and so being able to combine this with use of some incredible photographic equipment and expert help from Olympus’ wildlife ambassador Tesni Ward – I couldn’t pack my khaki quick enough!

Having tried out the E-M1X earlier in the year at its launch, I had a good grasp of what this new beast was capable of, but to put it to the test in these new, challenging conditions

– potentially photographing some of the world’s fastest animals (cheetahs can reach over 60mph!) – I was excited to see how it would hold up. We took a flight from London to Johannesburg, then another on to Victoria Falls, and finally a dinky six-seater propeller plane to our camp in Hwange. Because of our final flight it was important to pack light, and we were under strict instructions to use a soft bag, with restrictive weight limit. In my kitbag I had the OM-D E-M1X, OM-D E-M1 Mark II, M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 IS PRO, 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO, 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO and MC-14 1.4x teleconverter, a handful of batteries, chargers and memory cards. This all packed neatly into my backpack, which I carried comfortably as hand luggage under 9kg, including some audio kit and personal effects too.

For our trip, we were being hosted by ecotourism operator, Wilderness Safaris.

Rich in history, Wilderness was founded in Botswana in 1983 and is truly dedicated to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife. With around 50 camps, through eight countries, they offer private access to over six million acres and also support local communities by creating jobs, giving back and pioneering projects – and now offer another string to their bow since partnering with Olympus. With guides trained in using the equipment, they are able to offer Olympus loan kit to guests, but are also experienced in seeking out photo opportunities too, and while not marketed as a photography safari experience, can definitely cater for the image-minded.

© Claire Voyle © Claire Voyle

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Profile

© Tesni Ward

Images The MC-14 teleconverter gave me an additional 1.4x reach, essential for capturing the dusty detail from these playful elephants

It was a welcome experience getting to grips with Olympus’ top-of-the-range glass Our guide, Charles Ndhlovu, had extensive experience, and has been working with Wilderness for many years having grown up in the country as a game ranger. Dedicated to making sure we had the best opportunities for picture-taking, while on game drives in our jeep, I rarely found myself having to ask to move angles, as Charles would give us options for backlighting, or front – so we all got a great variety to our pictures. As well as this, while we were taking in the sights, incredibly, he was tracking various animals prints in the ground, meaning we were lucky enough to catch site of a leopard (being chased by a baboon!) and a cheetah possibly searching for

lost cubs, an experience that really put our kit to the test as it was just after the sunset and light was disappearing fast. Using the E-M1X I was able to capture the cheetah at 1/60sec, f/4 on the 300mm f/4 PRO lens at ISO 6400; all handheld.

Our experience included a lot of travelling, and anyone looking to book this type of trip should be prepared for that. I recommend taking a good book, or a copy of PN, of course!

We had just two full days on safari, so it was important to make it count. Speed and quality were at the top of my mind. Both OM-Ds have the same 20.4 megapixel micro four thirds Live MOS sensors beating at their

hearts, but the E-M1X is capable of double the speed of its predecessor thanks to not one, but two powerful TruPic VIII processors, as well as a redeveloped gyro sensor for incredible image stabilisation, weather-sealing – which now includes protecting microphone and headphone terminals – and redeveloped autofocus system; but the function I was most excited to utilise was Pro Capture. A feature introduced with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Pro Capture starts shooting the moment you press the shutter release button down halfway, with a buffer that can be set to capture up to 35 frames in full resolution. When you press the shutter, the action begins! Perfect for the types

of unpredictable subjects we were shooting, it meant I had the chance to go back in time and pick out the exact moment I wanted without any lag: it really is clever stuff.

I’m used to shooting with compact primes, and so it was a welcome experience getting to grips with Olympus’ top of the range glass with bigger reach. The 300mm f/4 IS PRO was a total beast for delivering pristine shots, with its fast aperture and 600mm 35mm equivalent. I was able to focus in on my subject without compromising on the depthof-field, and could also keep a safe distance.

This lens also offers one of the world’s fastest five-axis sync IS, which works beautifully

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Profile

Consider your light when you’re on safari, and make use of the golden hours coupled with the OM-D cameras, plus at a weight of just 1270g, I was pretty happy swinging it around without any aches and pains. Using the OM-D camera bodies made it a lot easier to switch between focal lengths – essential when the nature of what you might come across can be so unpredictable. With the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO, I could work through the zoom range and grab beautifully sharp portraits of some young lions who had been chowing down on an unsuspecting elephant.

The detail with the constant f/2.8 aperture is stunning, with droplets of blood highlighted on the cubs’ chins. Equally, zooming in on my shots of an elephant basking in the sun, the detail on a nearby swarm of flies is impressive.

On a sunrise shoot, our early start was rewarded with a pride of playful lions. Such a treat to see these magnificent animals relaxing around the waterhole. While the male was absent, the juvenile cubs enjoyed some time playing together. The E-M1X is capable of high-speed sequential shooting at a max 60fps and with AF/AE tracking, a max of 18fps was possible. This was more than adequate to capture sequences of vultures flying where the AF tracking locked reliability to my scavenging subjects each time. The joystick control was an added advantage, so I could quickly select my subject and lock on, allowing the tracking to step up and work on keeping focus on my speedy subjects. I took advantage of the E-M1X’s deep learning programmed subject detection, and while there is not yet a function for birds (it’s rumoured to be on the cards), using the planes setting was pretty effective for the vultures, where moving through the menu system I could select how sensitive I wanted the CA-F. Having pro wildlife photographer, and Olympus ambassador Tesni Ward with us on the trip was gold. As well as seeing how she worked, and piggybacking on her suggestions for the best shots, it was great for picking up some tips. Speaking with Tesni, she advised: “Consider your light when on safari and make use of the golden hours; early in the morning and late in the evening are best to avoid harsh light. Consider backlit and front-lit images and keep an eye on your backgrounds. Try and

Images The access at Wilderness Safaris was incredible, and the reach of our kit meant we were able to capture stunning details shoot at the animal’s eye level; the articulated screens on the OM-Ds are really helpful for this.” If you have the opportunity to do so safely, Tesni advises getting down low, even if that means putting your belly in the dirt. She also suggested using the custom menus to set up quick functions. This was a lifesaver when it came to rapidly changing between Pro Capture, as I was able to set up a ‘speedy birds’ setting on the dial closest to manual. Another thing that came in handy was charging on the go with a USB-C cable. Two BLH-1 batteries fit the E-M1X, and shooting 2580 images is possible before recharge is needed. Both batteries can be charged in around two hours

using a portable battery pack – ideal for our remote location.

While my time in Africa was brief, I came away with long-lasting memories and thousands of pictures of my experience to enjoy forever. I learnt about conservation and anti-poaching, the 95% unemployment rate in Zimbabwe and what initiatives like Wilderness Safaris are doing to support the community.

Our camp in Hwange was stunning, and everyone there was so welcoming. As for the kit, I was gutted to pack it up for return. For wildlife and fast-moving subjects as well as stunningly detailed portrait and close-up shots, I could not fault the gear or the glass.

Find out more wilderness-safaris.com olympus.co.uk tesniward.co.uk See the Instagram story from the trip @photonewspn

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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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

Lastolite HaloCompact 82cm Silver/White Reflector & 2 Stop Diffuser Cover £71.95 & £29.95 Lastolite’s HaloCompact is a reflector with a difference – when packed, this 82cm disk packs down to only 6.5x27x6.5cm in its case. Compare this to a regular reflector design, which is unlikely to fold down below about 40cm, and the portability is clear. So, while the usual Wagon Wheel design won’t fit into all but the widest bags, and most likely need to be carried or strapped on like you’re carrying a small satellite dish, the HaloCompact can be slid into a side pocket or strung on the side of a bag more discreetly. At 350g, it’s also lighter than many other designs.

You can buy the HaloCompact either with a silver/white surface or a two-stop diffuser, and both of those are available to buy independently as covers, so the pair brings outlay to around £100. Right now there’s no gold/black deflector

cover option; as most budget five-in-one reflectors feature all these options for less than a quarter of the price, it could be seen as lacking features for the outlay.

What’s not in doubt is the quality and engineering of the product. The HaloCompact’s ‘RapidExoframe’ is constructed from short sections of lightweight aluminium tubing, each around 25cm long, linked by a cord and these connect easily. The frame goes together much like a tent pole, but turns into a hoop as you close the circle by clipping two halves of the handle together. You can also join the two handle sections first and then make the loop. Overall, it forms a very solid but lightweight ring.

Onto the ring, you then snap the reflector or diffuser material using plastic clips. Again, these take some

Specs Prices HaloCompact Reflector 82cm Silver/White (LR3300) or Diffuser 82cm 2 Stop (LR3301) £71.95; HaloCompact Cover 82cm 2 Stop Diffuser (LR3303) or Cover 82cm Silver/White (LR3302) £29.95 Carry case Yes Size (WxHxD) 6.5x27x6.5cm (packed); 2x82cm (open) Weight 390g (bagged); 350g (alone)

pressing onto the ring, and they need to be evenly spaced for the cover to fit, but it’s easy to modify their position as they slide with just a little friction. With all the clips in place, the fabric is perfectly taut and ready for use.

I tried out the HaloCompact in a typical range of portrait situations, using it to reflect and diffuse natural light as well as flash. It performed just as expected in those regards. The ergonomic handle makes it easy to manipulate, especially one handed, and it’s light enough to hold in position. The diffuser claims a two-stop reduction in light, and that was borne out, with a

flash metered at f/11 at ISO 100 and 1m dropping to pretty much dead on f/5.6, and also giving a nice softbox effect.

Within the handle is a ¼in thread, so it can be fitted to a stand, tripod or other accessories. There’s also a femaleto-male ¼in adapter included. These features make it easier to mount and position than a handleless rim, where you have to use a reflector arm or clamp.

The only gripe is that the adapter doesn’t have a dedicated pocket in the case.

Dismantling the HaloCompact is just as straightforward as putting it up, but fitting the frame and cover into the provided bag is a bit of a squeeze.

Contact manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

Though it’s obvious how the sections of the frame need to be laid, the cover is less clear initially – fold it the wrong way and it won’t fit, but do it so its clips are spread along the length of the bag, and it’s fine.

In my test, the process of building the reflector took about 45 seconds, with a similar time to dismantle it. I’d expect this to get faster with familiarity, but it’s still a lot longer than a regular reflector design. In reality though, it’s rarely a job that needs to be done in haste. KS

Verdict

Images, left to right The Halo takes longer to set up than a regular folding reflector, but not by much, and practice increases the speed each time you do it. Magnetic catches speed up joining the ring, and the material presses on easily. If you want to see what the process of collapsing the reflector is like, simply look at the pictures in reverse

An innovative design, with great portability and build quality. It’s pricier than standard designs – a regular five-in-one design might cost around £20. So you really have to need the small size and weight. That said, the handle and thread are very useful, and mean you don’t need additional arms or clamps. Overall, you pay a premium and get premium quality for it.

Pros Build quality, packed size and weight, built-in handle Cons More expensive than most, slower to open and close

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First tests Specs Prices Single B10 Plus £1795 includes carry case, stand mount, USB A to USB C lead, battery and charger. B10 Plus Duo kit £3595 includes two heads, stand mounts, batteries and chargers, and one USB A to USB C lead plus a Profoto Core Backpack S Max power 500Ws Energy range 10 f/stops (1.0-10) Recycling time 0.05-2.5secs Energy stability 0.2 f/stops Power output (2m /ISO 100) F/32.7 with OCF Magnum reflector, f/16.7 without reflector TTL Yes HSS Yes Flash duration Normal mode – energy level 10 1/390sec, level 1 1/4100sec Freeze mode – energy level 10 1/390sec, level 1 1/14,000sec Lamp type LED, 2500 lumens output Dimming range (%) 100-10% Colour temp Adjustable 3000-6500K (+-500K) Colour rendering (CRI) 90-96 Operating range Sync and remote control 0.5-300m HSS and TTL: 0.5-100m Supported Air features Flash sync, remote control, TTL, High Speed Sync Bluetooth Yes Supported Bluetooth features Profoto app Sync socket No Firmware upgrade USB-C port for firmware upgrades Power supply Li-Ion battery Battery capacity Up to 200 full-power flashes Up to 75 minutes full continuous light Battery charges in less than 90 minutes

Profoto B10 Plus Air TTL £1795 Launched last September, the Profoto B10 is a battery powered flash with a compelling feature set that included an output of 250Ws making it ideal for location shooting.

Now, Profoto has taken the B10 concept further with the B10 Plus Air TTL which is a slightly longer body than the B10 but has twice the output of 500Ws. This is controllable in 0.1EV steps across a 10EV range and can be controlled via Bluetooth and the free iOS Profoto app.

A fully charged battery gives up to 200 full power flash bursts and of course you’ll get many more at lower power settings. You also get 75 minutes running time with the built-in 2500 lumens LED light for modelling or video shooting and this can be colour temperature controlled within a 3000-6500K range. A flat battery can be recharged in 90 minutes.

The B10 Plus is fully compatible with Profoto’s Air Remote triggers.

Add the Air Remote TTL (£349) or use the Profoto A1 or A1X and you have the option of TTL and HSS flash features with a wireless working range of up to 100m.

For this test I tried the B10 Plus with an A1X (Nikon) and Connect TTL-F (Fujifilm) and went through tests for output, duration and colour stability in normal and freeze modes.

The B10 Plus is an elegant looking unit and well built too. The rechargeable battery locks in securely as does the removable lighting stand adapter which has a hole for an umbrella stem. There is a series of numbers on the body which come in handy if you find you like a specific position for a particular light modifier so repeating an effect is made easy.

Speaking of modifiers, the Profoto OCF (Off Camera Flash) system has over 120 available, including a comprehensive selection of softboxes, reflectors and beauty dishes. The Profoto modifier mount is not as widely supported by third parties as the popular S-bayonet or Elinchrom, but it’s probably the best to use and very secure too.

The unit’s control centre is on the back of the unit and here you find Normal mode, energy level 1

Left The B10 Plus is not that much bigger than a fast telephoto lens Above The B10 Plus’ readout is nice and big, and the simple menu system is really easy to navigate

Verdict There’s plenty of potential in HSS to mix daylight and flash in bright light with good amounts of power too a large output readout along with indicators for battery level, Bluetooth on/off and group settings. In terms of controls you have an LED control and a power knob that lets you make adjustments in 0.1 or 1EV steps – push and rotate for the latter.

To assess power, I fixed the B10 Plus without any modifier attached on a lighting stand and then took flash meter readings from one and two metres, from full power settings from 1.0 to 10.

With a Gossen flash meter set to ISO 100 I got a reading of f/1.4.8 at energy level 1.0 at 1m so there is plenty of potential for wide aperture Normal mode, energy level 10

User upgradable firmware Yes Photocell/IR-slave and switch Yes Umbrella mount Yes Dimensions (wxlxh) 11xx23.5x10cm Weight 1.9kg (including battery and lighting stand adapter)

Freeze mode, energy level 2

Freeze mode, energy level 10

Contact profoto.com

Images All four pictures taken with a Fujifilm GFX 50R with a custom white-balance setting and resulting Raws processed with the same settings

shooting and lovely bokeh effects here. As power was increased by 1EV, the output increased correspondingly and accurately so by the time I got to power level 9 and 10 I was getting f/22.8 and f/32.8 respectively.

At two metres, power level 10 I recorded an aperture of f/22, which became f/4 at level 5.0 and f/1.4 at level 2.0. Power control was impressively accurate through the entire range.

Just to confirm colour consistency through the B10 Plus’s range I set the light up a metre from a colour test chart and, performing a custom white-balance first, took a series of images at full power values. There was no colour shift in my test.

So far I was in normal flash mode, and the B10 Plus offers a freeze mode with short flash durations although with the very briefest times there’s not much power. Set energy level 2, for example, and output is 1W/s with a t0.1(s) time of 1/14,000sec. At the lower power settings in freeze mode there is a noticeable colour shift with the images looking much cooler.

You can’t meter output in high speed sync mode so to give an idea of power availability I took shots using a Fujifilm GFX 50R fitted with a 32-64mm f/4 lens at shutter speeds from 1/4000sec down to the camera’s 1/250sec sync speed – the camera’s sync speed is 1/125sec. I took shots from 2m and used ISO 100.

At 1/4000sec the B10 Plus allowed an aperture of f/5.6 at energy level 10 and that increased to f/8 at 1/2000sec. That is impressive and certainly has potential for depth-offield control. Dropping the shutter

A single Profoto B10 Plus head costs £1795 and a Duo kit is £3595 so it is true that lower priced, similar powered units are available.

But of course it is not always about money; it is about having quality kit that is great to use and reliably delivers what you want, time after time. I really rate the B10 Plus because it is so good to use, has plenty of power on tap and is really portable. Factor in the options of HSS and TTL flash and Profoto’s light shaping system, and you have a compelling proposition. So if you are in the market for a battery flash system par excellence, no point looking any further.

Pros Power, light quality, controllability, TTL and HSS (with optional Air Remote TTL trigger) Cons Not much, perhaps relative lack of third party Profoto-fit lighting modifiers

speed to 1/1000sec and 1/500sec I got acceptable HSS exposures of f/11 and f/16 respectively so there is plenty of power. Bear in mind that I was testing at ISO 100 at full power and with the excellent image quality achievable even at ISO 800, there’s plenty of potential in HSS to mix daylight and flash in bright light with good amounts of power too.

Lastly on HSS, I shot images of a plain sheet of white card to see if there were any significant gradation issues, and I got a plain background even at 1/4000sec so all good here.

Finally, I tested battery capacity with a fully charged battery and using power level 10. I fired the B10 Plus 25 times at full power and then switched off for ten minutes. I repeated the process until the battery was spent. In this fashion I got 226 full bursts. WC

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First tests Specs Prices Explore 40 bag £250; small core unit £50; medium and medium mirrorless core units £80; large core unit £95; rain cover £8 Colours available Blue Nights Sea Pine Materials Resin-coated nylon shell Tripod holder Yes Sternum strap Yes Laptop pocket 13in Waist belt Yes, with additional clips and pockets Zips YKK and weather sealed External dimensions 29x57x26cm Laptop compartment dimensions 25x36x1cm Front compartment dimensions 25x53x4cm Camera compartment dimensions Large core: 29x40x17cm Medium core: 29x30x17cm Medium Mirrorless core: 29x30x13cm Small core: 29x13x17cm Top compartment dimensions 29x15x12cm Weight 1.3kg (backpack empty) Large core: 1kg Medium core: 0.5kg Medium mirrorless core: 0.5kg Small core: 0.4kg Contact shimodadesigns.com

Shimoda Explore 40 From £300 The Shimoda Explore 40 is a large photo backpack designed by outdoor specialists to tackle harsh environments, and its camera compartment has an interesting modular approach. Within the main compartment, camera storage is adapted using different sizes of ‘core unit’. This isn’t a new idea in itself, but with most modern bags you can only remove the camera compartment, turning it into a regular bag, or reorder dividers depending on your kit selection – instead, Shimoda offers several different sizes of core unit.

Aside from that, it has a body-side opening camera compartment, allpurpose upper section, and various other front and side pockets.

There are currently four core units: small (£50), medium, medium mirrorless (both £80) and large (£95). The main difference between the mediums is depth, the mirrorless variant being 4cm shallower. We tested the Explore 40 with medium mirrorless and large core units, as well as an all-weather cover (£8).

The bag’s main compartment fits either three small units, a medium and a small, or one large unit alone.

Adding and removing them is done by unzipping a large opening across the top and side of the bag, rather than pressing them through the camera bay door. They’re not physically attached to the bag, but fit snugly and can’t fall out.

In a break from tradition, the camera compartment door opens to the side, meaning that it doesn’t need to open as far, and there’s a 13in laptop sleeve in the door, which is very well protected. Using the small cores, you can turn one on its side and access gear through the side zip; but this does mean using two small cores.

Alternatively, sit a small core on top of a medium facing up, and you can access from the bag’s top.

Gear is well protected by the cores’ semi-rigid foam sides and dividers, and the latter are genuinely innovative, with narrowing Velcro tabs towards the bottom, making them easier to fit. Some of them can also fold over to protect small lenses or teleconverters, which is great.

In the large core, I tried a range of DSLR gear, fitting in a Nikon D850 with MB-D18 grip and 70-200mm f/2.8E attached. Around that was room to fit six or seven other lenses, so there’s plenty of space and gear was well held. With the mirrorless medium core, I fitted a Fujifilm X-T30 and seven small- to mediumsized lenses, though the lack of depth meant gear shifted more in transit.

I fixed this by zipping up the ‘skin’ that surrounds the core. These ‘skins’ have included basic straps, meaning cores can be used as lightweight bags alone, though probably only for quick jaunts. They can also be used as dustresistant storage – or even filled and used as packed cells within the bag.

Fully loaded, the Shimoda Explore 40 was very comfortable and stable to carry. Its metal frame keeps it rigid, and its shoulder straps are well padded, broad and contoured, as is the air-vented belt. The padding on the camera compartment door sits

comfortably on the lower back and its deep grooves allow air flow.

The shoulder straps have elasticated and zippered pockets, along with loops for other gear, and helpfully, can be adjusted in length, with S, M, L and XL options to match torso height – a nice touch. However, I and several others in the office found the sternum strap too low, running across the middle of the chest rather than just below the collarbone; it can be adjusted in height, but stops only halfway up the shoulder strap.

The Explore 40 is well weather sealed and all the zips have storm closures. In our test, there was no ingress in light, persistent rain. If conditions are worse, you may need the optional rain cover; there’s no stitched-in version but it’s elasticated and easy to fit. Some bags have a thicker waterproof base and though the Explore 40 doesn’t, it handled wet ground with ease.

Other good features include smooth running YKK zips with large leather tabs, ideal for working in gloves, several zippered internal accessory pockets, useful grab handles and a detachable sack at the side, which can be used to keep a mud or sand-covered tripod away from other gear, or hold larger lenses or other gear. KS

In a break from tradition, the camera compartment door opens to the side, meaning it doesn’t have to open as far

Images Inside the Shimoda Explore’s main compartment, camera storage has an unusual modular design that you can adapt to the gear that you want to carry.

The semi rigid foam sides do a good job of protecting kit and there’s also a detachable side pouch and a handy phone case that’s easy to access

Verdict The Shimoda Explore 40 is a beautifully engineered bag and should meet or exceed every need of the outdoor photographer.

The modular design means you can tailor it to your needs, but at £250 for the basic bag, plus extra for the core units, it’s a significant outlay. Even a bag and two small core units would be £350. That said, its modular design means it should grow and adapt with your photography, and if that means you don’t need to buy more bags down the line, it’s money well spent. There are larger and smaller Explore 60 and Explore 30 versions to try, too.

Pros Highly versatile design, very comfortable, great build and weather sealing Cons High price

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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First tests Specs Prices ND8, prices from £49.90 ND8-2000, £79.90 Circular polariser, prices from £29.90-£89.90 UV, prices from £14.90-£59.90 Availability ND8, 82mm ND8-2000, 77mm Circular polariser, 40.5mm to 105mm UV, 40.5mm to 105mm Coating Scratch coating, oil and water repellent Contact novo-photo.com

Below Sturdy and reliable, each of the filters tested are well made and as resistent to oil, water and scratches as they claim

Novo Excel Pro filters From £14.90 Filters are vital for creative photography, and even if you have a set you rely on it’s always worth seeing what new models can offer.

The latest designs and engineering can mean improved image quality and handling, and that’s the claim Novo makes for its Excel Pro range.

The Excel Pro line-up – including screw-in Ultraviolet (UV), circular polariser (CIR-PL), ND and Vari ND models – boasts ‘Superior B270 Schott Super White glass’, thin aluminium frames, nano anti-reflective coatings, and a water, oil and scratch repellent finish. We tested 77mm versions of all three, and an 82mm ND, using 20mm and 24-70mm lenses.

Starting with the Excel Pro range’s generic attributes, all of the filters screwed in smoothly, with none of the grating you sometimes get from cheap, badly machined threads. The aluminium frame should keep them that way, as it certainly seemed strong enough to preventing misshaping.

The filters also stood up to water, oil and scratches as promised – a light spray, and cleaning was easy. It was the same story with fingerprints and smudges, and even dried-on water marks were quick to remove. In an unscheduled drop test, one took a 1.5m fall onto concrete and was unscathed.

The Vari ND covers a range of ND82000, equating to three to 11 stops.

Like most variable NDs, it widens at the front, allowing the rotation required to vary the light stopping effect. It has a well-grooved ring and turns easily but does not slip, and you can focus without taking it off (drop the strength, use AF, then turn it back to where it’s needed).

There’s a guide on the bezel that shows the strength of the effect, and it

Unfiltered

runs from min to max with nine dots denoting the stops of power. The scale, which covers about 70°, is therefore only visible from a particular angle, and no matter what I did it seemed to be on the wrong side of the lens.

But that’s only a problem if specific strengths are required.

Testing the ND8-2000, I found that it was mostly good. There’s a slight shift in colour temperature, and with the WB locked at 5000K, comparing filtered and unfiltered versions the former was slightly warmer with a green shift; when set to auto, WB colours were consistent with and without the filter, the camera making a -650K and +11 magenta shift (figures determined using Lightroom) to compensate. Importantly, the colours don’t shift within the range, so it’s consistent when in place.

In terms of exposure, the sample I tested was a mixed bag when it came to accuracy. At the first of the stops, which should be three stops, I measured just over four-and-a-half stops, but at the last, 11-stop marker it was pretty much bang on.

Because of the way they’re constructed, variable NDs are prone to patchiness at stronger settings.

Shooting at 20mm, this becomes obvious at around the eight-stop mark and it’s very severe at 11. If you zoom in, the patchiness becomes much Without polariser

9 stops

less obvious, and almost invisible at 70mm.

Thanks to its thin frame, the ND8 filter showed no vignetting at 20mm and no discernable loss of sharpness.

Measuring exposure, the filter cut out fractionally under three stops: going from unfiltered at 1/50sec to 1/6sec at f/4.5 ISO 200 was fractionally underexposed. Testing filtered and unfiltered at 5000K produced a slightly cool and green shift, and shooting on auto WB, colours were accurate compared to the unfiltered view, with the camera showing a shift of +900K and +13 magenta.

The circular polariser also showed no vignetting at 20mm and no loss of sharpness. When turned to full polarisation, it produced a light loss of between 0.3 and 1.3 stops, depending on the focal length used, as the effect obviously covers less of the frame at wide angle. Our 5000K colour test showed a slight shift to warm. In auto WB results weren’t completely accurate, with a slightly cooler look, as the camera had dropped around -300K to compensate.

The UV filter produced no shifts in colour or fall in sharpness and, like the other filters, it also handled flare, reflections and ghosting well, even shooting into the light, thanks to the coatings used, as well as the semimatte anodised coating. KS With polariser

Above When tested with our picturesque river scene, the polariser shows the difference that using this particular filter can give

It features a well-grooved ring and turns easily

Above The Novo Vari ND shows slightly warmer, greener tones when pictures are filtered, compared to unfiltered

Verdict Novo’s Excel Pro filters offer decent results at good prices.

They’re strongly built, well machined and very durable, with their claims of water, oil and scratch repellence well founded.

They’re also thin enough to avoid vignetting, and produce excellent sharpness and no ghosting or reflections. We found exposure accuracy on the ND and variable ND a little less than accurate, but not problematic. Though both showed slight colour shifts, they worked very well with auto whitebalance. When used on a wideangle, the variable ND produces lots of patching at its highest settings, but this disappears as you zoom in and it’s certainly a handy filter to own. The polariser and UV also performed well, and though the former showed some shifts from the standard in AWB, they’re not heavy.

Pros Affordable, no flare or ghosting, tough build, mostly good results Cons Slight colour shifts, variable ND is patchy at highest settings

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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First tests Specs Prices £1799 Format APS-C (12-24mm equivalent in 35mm format) Mount Fujifilm X Autofocus Yes, linear motor Construction 20 elements in 13 groups Special lens elements Four aspherical, three ED, 3 super ED Coatings Double Nano-GI. Fluorine on front element to repel water and dust Filter size N/A Aperture range F/2.8-22 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 25cm Focus limiter No Maximum magnification 0.1x Distance scale No Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No

Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR £1799 Ultra wide-angle lenses have so much potential and having a fast maximum aperture is handy for interiors and astro photography, for example.

Fujifilm already has the popular 1024mm f/4 in this sector of the market but the new Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR is even wider and faster.

The penalty for the extra speed and extra 2mm focal length at the wide end is bulk and weight. At 805g the 8-16mm f/2.8 is almost twice as heavy as the 10-24mm f/4 which is a lightweight by comparison at 410g.

I used the 8-16mm with an X-T2 and X-E3. On both bodies, the lens is the dominant partner, in size and in weight. That said, overall handling is very good. The whole focal length range is covered in less than one quarter of a turn of the very smooth, rubber-gripped zoom barrel. Also very smooth is the aperture ring, which is click-stopped in 0.3EV steps.

There is an A setting, which you can slip into from f/22 – there is no click locking button to lock the ring on A or stop you setting A from f/22.

The lens does not have a built-in image stabiliser, but in my tests I was getting sharp shots at 16mm at 1/4sec.

Handholding at wider focal lengths is easier than at longer settings so no lens integral IS is not a serious issue.

The lens is impressive at 8mm especially at the wider apertures and I would have no issue using it at f/2.8 or f/4 for great-quality images with impressive edge-to-edge sharpness.

Images The 8-16mm f/2.8 is perfect for confined interiors and dramatic compositions. Shot in IWM Duxford Stopping down to f/8 did little to improve the lens’s performance, which is at a high level anyway. Get to f/11 and f/16 and the crisp detail starts to go and diffraction starts to impact.

The performance shown at 12mm is very similar to that seen at 8mm with crisp, fine detail across the whole from f/2.8 onwards. Quality stayed at

the same high level through to f/11 and then tailed away after that.

The 16mm setting was possibly the least impressive of the three focal lengths tested. Sharpness and fine detail resolution were still very good at the wider apertures, but didn’t seem at quite the same high levels as seen at shorter focal lengths. That said, the

8mm

12mm

16mm

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

Lens hood Built-in

shorter focal lengths set a very high standard and the lens still delivers a fine performance at wide to mid apertures.

This ultra-wide zoom impresses with its all-round optical prowess. It delivers where it really matters and that is in the wide to middle apertures.

At these settings, resolution of fine details is really something to behold especially at 8mm and 12mm and to a lesser extent, 16mm.

Resistance to flare and ghosting rate highly, too, which is just as well given this lens’s wide view. WC

Weather-sealed Yes, barrel sealed in 11 places Dimensions 121.5x88mm Weight 805g Contact fujifilm.eu/uk

Verdict

Test images Our test images were shot at Wimpole Hall with the 8-16mm f/2.8 on a Fujifilm X-E3, with the duo mounted on a Manfrotto Befree carbon tripod.

The Raws were processed in Lightroom with default sharpening

F/11

F/11

F/11

F/16

F/16

F/16

F/22

F/22

F/22

For photographers keen on astro, scenics and interiors the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR is a compelling solution, offering extreme wide-angle coverage in combination with a fast maximum aperture. It is a pricey lens, but you do get a really impressive optical performance that will please the most discerning users.

Pros Great focal length range, optical performance, build quality Cons It is a big lens for that format

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

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First tests Specs Prices 25 sheets A4 £41.76, £1.67 a sheet; 25 sheets A3+ £106.02, £4.24 a sheet; 25 sheets A2 £170.28, £6.81 a sheet Roll sizes: 17inx15m £127.44, 24inx15m £170.28, 44inx15m £320.16, 64inx15m £401.58 Surface Matt Base 100% cotton rag Compatibility Pigment ink printers Tint (L*a*b*) L* = 97.5 a* = 1 b* = -3.5 M1 (D50) Weight 300gsm Thickness 490µm ISO 0534 Contact epson.co.uk

Below With this paper you get good blacks and crisp highlights in mono shots, and decent accuracy in colour images, too

Epson Fine Art Cotton Smooth Bright £41.76 One of the absolute joys of modern photographic printing is the huge choice of finishes available, especially with art finishes. There are boundless ways to give your images an individual look and part of the fun for me is trying different finishes to see what the potential is.

Epson Fine Art Cotton series comprises four finishes, Textured Bright, Textured Natural, Smooth Natural and Smooth Bright. I tried the last-named. Although not mentioned in their specification, the two Natural finishes are OBA-free so their bases have a marginally creamy look. The Bright versions have small quantities of OBA to produce a whiter base but are used in a way that they are more stable than existing Epson art papers.

Cotton Smooth Bright is a matt material and as its name tells you, this is a fine art material and not suitable for every printer and only those using pigment inks. Epson’s website lists which of its own devices it works with and the large majority are freestanding pro machines. For desktop printing the SureColor SC-P600 and SC-P800 are compatible and it is the latter A2 machine furnished with Epson inks that I used for my test.

Fine art media in this printer is fed into the printer from the front rather than the rear tray where most other papers go. Slide the paper in carefully and once at a certain point, push ‘load’ on the LCD; the printer swallows the paper in and positions it correctly. The process is straightforward provided the paper is flat but any corner curl can make life difficult.

I was using paper from a roll and so I cut sheets off well in advance and flattened it the best I could before printing. Most sheets went in at the first time of asking while a minority needed a little persuasion. Obviously, you need to take care otherwise you could spoil a corner or edge.

The instructions say that the paper needs careful handling and fingers should be kept off the printing surface. I used cotton gloves to be extra careful. I printed through Epson’s Print Layout app which is up to date with these papers and generic ICC profiles are available. I also took the opportunity to make my own custom profiles using an i1 Studio outfit.

Epson’s app is a little clunky but it has its plus points too. You can create your own presets, border adjustment

If you want a haptic experience, this paper certainly delivers

Above The paper has a good heft and a nice, fine tooth is easy, it has generic profiles for Epson papers built-in and your system’s onboard ICC profiles can be used too. It works with JPEGs and TIFFs too.

If you want a haptic experience this paper certainly delivers on that front.

It might weigh 300gsm but it has the heft and feel of a heavier paper and the surface was a very fine tooth when you run your fingers over it.

Colour accuracy is good with a restrained delivery that suits fine art

use. Perfect, for example, for moody seascapes and portraits too.

Matt papers don’t suit every image although that of course is a matter of opinion. I personally would not use a matt paper for my contrasty mono images where deep possible blacks are key. But fully toned mono shots sit very well with this material. You do get decent blacks with plenty of shadow detail too and tonal gradation is nice and smooth. WC

Verdict Epson Fine Art Cotton Smooth Bright is undoubtedly capable of very good results. It has a lovely feel although it is probably fair to say how it handles is irrelevant because finished prints will be destined for mounting and framing rather than for passing around at a coffee morning. With excellent archival properties and good colour presentation this paper has all the potential for fine art use.

Pros Heft, smooth finish, delicate colour presentation Cons Premium price, needs careful handling

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

55

First tests

Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl 310gsm £13.80 25 sheets Specs Prices A4 25 sheets £13.80, 55p per sheet.

A4 100 sheets £37.89, 37.8p per sheet A3 25 sheets £25.39, £1.01 per sheet Availability 4x6in, 5x7in (both 100 sheet packs), A4 (25, 50 and 100 sheet packs), A3, A3*, A2 (all 25 sheet packs) Roll sizes: 43.2cmx27m, 61cmx27m Type RC photo paper Compatibility High-quality pigment and dye inkjet printers Opacity 99% Caliper 310 microns (12mil) Tint (CIE L*a*b*) 95.5, 0,7, -5.0 Weight 310gsm Contact tetenaluk.com

Ilford’s collection of inkjet printing media is second to none when it comes to the choice of surface finishes and weights, so there is plenty to suit all tastes and needs.

Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl features a heavyweight resin-coated white base, so not as stiff as, for example, a baryta paper. The pearl finish is very fine and has a lovely sheen, so you do not get reflections when viewing prints from the front.

Angle it to the light and you can enjoy its fine sheen.

The surface is resistant to handling and fingerprints didn’t show. To really test the surface finish – and something I wouldn’t do with a baryta paper – I committed the ultimate sin of having a pack of greasy snacks and then handling the prints. Yes, inevitably there were surface marks, but these went using a microfibre cloth.

The paper features a new HDR optically clear coating and inkreceiving layer to produce the best possible images, exhibiting exceptional clarity, sharpness and colour reproduction.

I put this Ilford paper through its paces using an Epson SureColor SC-P800 printer loaded with Epson inks using a generic ICC profile from Ilford’s website and a custom-made one created with an i1 Studio kit. The prints produced with my custom profile were generally more accurate, although to be fair, there were pros and cons to each profile. The prints shown here were made using the custom profile.

I printed images ranging from interior portraits and family snapshots to hard, gritty monochrome and more traditional, more genteel landscapes.

Several images were my old standbys that I print for every paper test.

My prints emerged touch dry from the printer and even deliberately trying to smudge freshly made prints with a sweaty thumb had no adverse impact on the printed area.

Overall, I thought colour reproduction was lively with a good vibrancy

Below The pearl finish is very smooth and proved resistant to handling. It has a lovely sheen, too, which is pleasant on the eye

Overall, I thought colour reproduction was lively with a good vibrancy, but without being at any point too strident. In other words, I thought there was a good balance with impact and control. Primary colours were accurate and had plenty of depth – and that includes the greens that can be tricky to reproduce accurately and can often look on the muddy side.

Delicate hues looked good, too, again with a little bit of life that stops them looking too recessive.

The bright white base helps to deliver clean highlights and smooth mid-greys.

My monochromes had excellent depth and rich blacks, while tonal separation even in regions of deep shadows was impressive. Lighter shades of grey were equally well accommodated.

If there was any negative comment on my mono prints, I’d say they had a slight purple tint – the sort of look you used to get with chemical selenium toning. It wasn’t off-putting in any way and easy to correct.

On the whole, though, I thought this Ilford paper turned in a very capable performance with colour and monochrome images. WC

Above This Ilford paper gives a lively colour reproduction, but accuracy remains good

Verdict There is much to like about this Ilford paper. Top of the list of likeable characteristics is surely its price. I think 55p per A4 sheet – which drops down massively to just under 38p per sheet if you buy the 100 sheet box, and £1.01 for a sheet of A3 – is great value.

But there is no point going for a value-for-money paper if it has the printing skills of kitchen towel.

No such reservations here though, and this is a high-performing material. It gives a sparky, bright colour performance, but is equally at home with gutsy black & white images. Definitely a paper that offers tremendous value for money and very capable, too.

Pros Great price, good with black & white, lovely finish Cons Less impressive with more subtle scenes

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

56

Competition

Editor’s letter

Does size matter?

This month has been a case of little and large formats. Daisy Dickinson, PN’s head of digital content, had the opportunity to go on safari with Olympus to use its Micro Four Thirds flagship, the OMD E-M1X, while I got to visit Japan for the launch of the Fujifilm GFX100, its 102-megapixel flagship.

In old money (pre-digital days), the GFX system is what I would call medium format with an image size of 44x33mm, 1.7x bigger than 35mm, and of course smaller than film medium format, which was based on 120 roll-film and was 6cm wide. Fujifilm has now adopted the term large format for its GFX system on the premise that digital and film are different and the 44x33mm format is large in a digital capture context. It makes sense, but I wonder what Hasselblad, Leica, Pentax and Phase think of that?

Of course, it doesn’t really matter how a brand markets its products, providing that the products deliver. Here, there is no argument, as Daisy enjoys the benefits of MFT in her report and I enjoy going large in this issue.

Gallivanting around the globe is great, but we spend most our time shackled to our desks, producing content for Photography News and its website, and here you can help us.

We’re running a reader survey to finetune our content and, with the incentive of an Apple iPad to be won, we would really like to hear what you want from PN. The survey is online, so just visit photographynews.co.uk and fill in the survey, which should only take a few minutes. Thank you in advance for your involvement.

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 14 July 2019 and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries received. The correct answer to PN65’s word search was Iris, and the Samsung 256GB EVO Plus card was won by Graham Woolmer from Hertfordshire. samsung.com/uk/memory-cards

Above Last year’s London Photo 24 At this time of year, here at Bright Towers we are gearing up for our annual reader event, Photo 24, a free 24-hour photo shoot in London.

This year, Photo 24 is not happening in its usual form; no organised shoots or contests.

But there is an informal London meet-up on 21 June. It’s free, everyone is welcome and if you want to join us, go to facebook.com/groups/ PN2019meet – but hurry! It’s a closed group, so apply to join and we’ll let you in. We can use Facebook to keep in touch during the meet-up.

It’s a free-form event; you can shoot what you want, for as long as you want. I’m thinking of shooting through the night and onto dawn, beforef a few hours sleep and carrying on after that. But it depends on how inspired I feel.

It would be wonderful to have meet-ups all around the UK – or the world! A few years ago, I Eurostar-ed it to Paris one evening, spent the night shooting and got back on the train the following morning. It was awesome, and I got some decent shots, too.

So, just running the idea up the flagpole, if PN planned meet-ups in Manchester/ Edinburgh/Cardiff/Bognor Regis, would you be interested in coming along? Location ideas and expressions of interest (or otherwise!) on an email to me please.

Until we meet again…

Above The launch of the Fujifilm GFX100

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