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WINTER LANDSCAPES New year, new Canon skills! Take your best-ever scenic shots in 2020 with our big photography guide! Page 28

OUR GUARANTEE

Welcome H Peter Travers Editor

appy new year! I can’t believe it’s the year 2020. 2020! It looks and sounds like the future. However, despite being in denial about the date, and with everything going on around the world, I’m feeling unusually optimistic. I’m really looking forward to having a great year, trying new Canon cameras, progressing my photography, and producing the best Canon magazine we can every month for you. This issue our intrepid technique editor Dan heads to the Isle of Skye in Scotland for some epic landscape images – with snowy mountains and rugged scenes, it’s an ideal, picturesque place to challenge your skills. From Canon camera setup and photographic tips, to key lens and gear advice, and sunny scenes to shooting in all wintry weather, you’ll feel a whole lot more confident using your Canon camera after reading Dan’s big winter landscape photo guide. Check out page 28 onwards! Our green-fingered Apprentice learns how best to utilize flash for better close-up flower photographs, with simple setups that you can easily copy at home. Get some shots with real flower power! Page 8. We also have a whole heap of great new photo projects, including how to paint a landscape scene at night with torchlight for amazing after-dark long-exposure shots. Create perfect panoramic images and discover cheap macro photo hacks – all with free video guides – from page 45. Finally, in our Super Test we put eight of the best Speedlites against each other to see which flash shines brightest! See page 102. Wishing you all a great 2020.

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CONTENTS 46

CANON MASTERCLASS

Winter landscape photography guide

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be left out in the cold! Learn everything you need to know about shooting astounding wintery landscapes with our massive feature

ESSENTIALS Inspirations 20

The best Canon images from the NHM Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 comp

28 Subscription Offer 40 74 Photo Stories 122 Back issues 125 Next Issue 130 Focus Point

Winter landscape photography

Take control of your Canon gear to capture freezing landscapes in our guide

Giant subscription savings, plus get a free Veo messenger bag worth ÂŁ69.99

Experience UV light paint and the great upside down from our inspiring readers

Missed a past issue of PhotoPlus? Get your previous issues with details here

Where we give you get a crafty look at whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in store in the next PhotoPlus mag

Your letters, stats and web news

100

CANON PROS The Apprentice 08 David Noton On Location 42 The Pro Interview 66 My Kit 78 CANON SCHOOL Digital SLR Essentials 84 EOS S.O.S 88 92Software Solutions

Nature photographer Damian shows RXU $SSUHQWLFH KRZ WR XVH Ă DVK ZLWK Ă RZHUV

David laments the changing ODQGVFDSH Ă&#x20AC;JXUDWLYHO\ RI ,FHODQG

Pro music and fashion photographer, Wanda Martin, talks about her inspirations Jeremy Flint reveals his Canon gear

Get your camera ready for the cold

Brian answers your technical questions

Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free Digital Photo Professional

NEW TESTS Gear Update 96 Mini test: ND grad filters 98

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a whole heap of new and exciting Canon-related gear to check out

A must for landscape photography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hold back a bright sky for a balanced H[SRVXUH ZLWK WKHVH 1' JUDG Ă&#x20AC;OWHU RSWLRQV

100

Sigma lenses

102

Super test: Flashguns

6LJPD Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ EULQJV VRPH IDVW glass to the M-mount party, with three new fast prime lenses

$ JRRG Ă DVKJXQ FDQ HQKDQFH lighting in almost any shooting scenario, but which of these eight should you get?

114

Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide

102

Make sense of all the Canon cameras, from DSLRs to PLUURUOHVV DQG HYHU\ &DQRQ Ă&#x20AC;W OHQVHV with our extensive buyers guides www.digitalcameraworld.com

ISSUE 161 FEBRUARY 2020

NO DISC DRIV LINKS T E?

VIDEOS OONVIEW ON PROJECLINE PAGES! T

08 66

8 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TODAY

Project 1 Illuminate parts of a scene at night to bring the landscape to life

Project 2 Shoot and stitch together images into a perfect panorama using a combo of camera skills and image-editing to make a Raw HDR Panorama AFFINITY PHOTO

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS

Project 3 Discover four ways to go macro without breaking the bank

Project 4 Utilize this age-old trick to get soft focus effects in-camera

Tutorial 1 Use your free Snow Brush to add snow to your shots in Elements

ADOBE CC

AFFINITY PHOTO

Tutorial 2 Make brilliant composite imagery with Photoshop CC

Tutorial 3 Purge digital noise in your low-light shots with Afﬁnity Photo

Digital Photo Professional Crop and clean up images with Canon’s DPP4

READ THE TUTORIALS… THEN WATCH OUR EXPERT VIDEOS

LOOK OUT FOR THIS ICON! IDEO VIEW THE V

To view our ‘pop-out’ videos, tap these badges that appear alongside the tutorials inside the magazine, or type the link that appears alongside into your web browser.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THESE VIDEO TUTORIALS ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY CANON OR ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

The Canon Magazine

Meet the team... Print 14,018 Digital 3,685 The ABC combined print and digital publication circulation for Jan-Dec 2018 is

17,703 A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations

Who we are, what we do, and our favourite bits from this issue…

Peter Travers

James Paterson

Editor • 5D Mark IV

Technique writer • 5D Mark IV

peter.travers@futurenet.com

james.paterson@futurenet.com

“I know many readers get scared when it comes to Speedlites, but this issue we prove how simple they can be by photographing ﬂowers with ﬂash.” PAGE 08

“If you’re by a ﬁeld in Swindon one evening, you might have spotted an odd chap running around waving a blue torch at trees. That was me…” PAGE 46

Dan Mold

Martin Parﬁtt

Technique editor • 7D Mk II

Art editor • 600D

dan.mold@futurenet.com

martin.parﬁtt@futurenet.com

“I headed to Scotland’s glorious Isle of Skye to meet Canon pro, Chris Rutter, and shoot winter landscapes for this month’s chilling photo guide.” PAGE 28

“In a fashion world that would put many people off, Wanda Martin delves into pop, youth, and sub-cultures to produce amazing fashion photography.” PAGE 66

PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA Editorial Editor Peter Travers peter.travers@futurenet.com • 01225 442244 Art Editor Martin Parﬁtt Production Editor Kyle Hearse Technique Editor Dan Mold Lab Manager Ben Andrews Group Senior Art Editor Rebecca Shaw Photography All copyrights and trademarks are recognized and respected Photography Studio Phil Barker Advertising Media packs are available on request Advertising Sales Manager Michael Pyatt michael.pyatt@futurenet.com • 01225 687538 Account Director Matt Bailey matt.bailey@futurenet.com • 01225 687511 UK Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com International licensing PhotoPlus is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Email Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw at licensing@futurenet.com Subscriptions Email enquiries photoplus@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk UK orderline & enquiries 0844 848 2852 Overseas order line and enquiries +44 (0)1604 2510458 Online orders & enquiries www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Head of subscriptions Sharon Todd Circulation Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers 01202 586200

Ben Andrews

Matthew Richards

Lab manager • 5D Mark III

Technical writer • 6D Mk II

ben.andrews@futurenet.com

photoplus@futurenet.com

“ND grad ﬁlters can take your shots of the landscape to the next level. Find out which one of these you should be packing away in your gear bag.” PAGE 100

“I hope you’re quick on the draw! This month we’re putting eight fantastic ﬂashguns to the test in our Super Test to see which one you should buy.” PAGE 102

This issue’s contributors…

Production Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Production Project Manager Clare Scott Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Manager Vivienne Calvert Management Chief Content Ofﬁcer Aaron Asadi Brand Director Matt Pierce Content Director Chris George Head of Art & Design Rodney Dive Commercial Finance Director Dan Jotcham Chief Revenue Ofﬁcer Zack Sullivan Printed by William Gibbons Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9001 ISSN 1754836

Damian Waters

David Noton

Wanda Martin

Nature and landscape photographer Damian shows our budding Apprentice how to use ﬂash for ﬂower photos. PAGE 08

David laments the slowly diminishing magic of Iceland, owing, partly, to photographers. PAGE 42

Fashion and music pro photographer Wanda Martin talks about art, dancing and expression. PAGE 66

Jeremy Flint

Marcus Hawkins

Brian Worley

Pro photographer Jeremy Flint shows us what kit he uses all around the world for landscapes and more. PAGE 78

Prepare your camera for the blistering cold! Ensure your camera is safe and that your shots are wellbalanced. PAGE 84

Is there anything about Canon gear that Brian doesn’t know? Find out in the latest batch of techy Q&As. PAGE 88

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Disclaimer All contents © 2020 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered ofﬁce: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not afﬁliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.

Our contributors Ben Andrews, Jeremy Flint, Marcus Hawkins, Gareth Jones, Wanda Martin, David Noton, James Paterson, Matthew Richards, Damian Waters, Brian Worley Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford !ǝǣƺǔ ˡȇƏȇƬǣƏǼ ȒǔˡƬƺȸ Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

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THEAPPRENTICE

FLASH WITH FLOWERS Our budding Apprentice spends a day with Damian Waters to learn how to use ﬂash for fantastic photos of plants and ﬂowers indoors

www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO

CANON PRO NAME:

DAMIAN WATERS CAMERA:

CANON EOS 5D Mk IV DAMIAN, 50, is based on the Wirral and has been a freelance nature and landscape photographer for over 25 years. He started his photographic career aged eight trying, unsuccessfully, to shoot a robin with a borrowed Kodak. By coincidence, one of his recent robin images was the front cover image for BBC Wildlife mage in December! His ﬁrst digital camera was a Canon Ixus in 2001, but now uses a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and a 7D. View his gallery at wwww.drumimages.co.uk

APPRENTICE NAME:

CHRISTINE BYTHWAY CAMERA:

CANON EOS 550D CHRISTINE, 68, is from Cheshire, and worked in banking for 42 years. She now works part-time, and is a qualified florist, running her own small business providing flowers for weddings and events. She began taking photographs in her teens and was immediately hooked! She enjoys taking shots of landscapes, wildlife and flowers, and was keen to learn how to use a macro lens for better close-ups.

The Canon Magazine

THEAPPRENTICE

TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT Damian helped our Apprentice, Christine, get her camera set up for macro shots MANUAL SHOOTING MODE “CHRISTINE was used to shooting birds and wildlife, so usually shot in Aperture Priority (Av) mode with natural light. Today we’re working indoors with flash, so need to be able to control our exposure settings,” advises Alex. “I got her to use Manual and helped set her exposure; we started off at f/5.6 for enough depth of field (DoF) when using a macro lens not too close, 1/125 sec and ISO100. Damian then adjusted our flash power to brighten or darken the image.”

MANUAL FLASH SET UP “I LIKE to use off-camera flash for capturing the vivid colours of plants in macro images. But instead of using a Speedlite’s auto ETTL setting, which can often end up with inaccurate exposures, I prefer to use Manual flash mode. This means I can set the Speedlites’ powers how I want to light our plants,” says Damian. “I often start at 1/2 power with the flash and increase or decrease, or move the Speedlite closer, or further away, as necessary.”

Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/9, ISO100

TOP GEAR #1 Macro lens A MACRO lens offers more magniﬁcation than a telephoto zoom, plus the working distance will be less for a macro lens, allowing you to focus really close-up on your subjects. Damian uses a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens for true 1:1 lifesize close-ups for frame-ﬁlling stunning images!

RAW IMAGE QUALITY PROFESSIONAL photographers nearly always shoot in Raw, as it’s the highest quality image setting and gives you more control when processing them. This is because they retain the max amount of image data. “Christine wasn’t conﬁdent editing Raws, as she hasn’t used Raw editing software. We set up her 550D to capture RAW+JPG so she also had the JPEG to edit,” says Damian.

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DAMIAN’S COMMENT We started off photographing these lovely purple/pink phalaenopsis orchids with a fairly simple tabletop setup. I want to go for a high-key look with pure white (aka over-exposed) background, with two Speedlites – half-power settings on each. I used my perspex sheet for the backdrop behind flower, with the flash behind it, shooting back towards the flower and camera. Then I used a white envelope packaging sheet in front for the flash to shoot through for a softer light. We used an aperture of f/9, meaning most of the flowers would come out sharp.

HOT SHOT #1

SHOOT WITH A PRO

TOP GEAR #2 Plamp it! “I LOVE using my Wimberley Plamps as they’re amazing for holding and positioning plants and flowers, whether I’m indoors or out in the field. When clamped to a table, the foam inside the jaws are able to gently secure a stem without damaging it. I also have a Plamp with a spike in one end, for sticking in the ground on location to keep flowers still during breezy conditions out in the field,” details Damian.

CHRISTINE’S COMMENT For this shot of the small yellow pansy, Damian showed me how to use the leaves in the plant pot to create a nice green backdrop when we shot down on it from above. We used one Speedlite on its lowest power setting to create some side light and to add depth with some shadows.

HOT SHOT #2 Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO100

THEAPPRENTICE

CHRISTINE’S COMMENT We shot straight down on a small potted cactus for this photo – composing close to ﬁll the frame for an artistic image. Damian explained how shooting at an aperture of f/11 gives more depth of ﬁeld, and ensures the whole top of the cactus is sharp. Whereas at f/2.8 only some of the thorns are in focus. We also used an angled down Speedlite.

f/11

HOT SHOT #3

f/2.8

Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/11, ISO100

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SHOOT WITH A PRO

HOT SHOT #4 TOP GEAR #4 Small scissors “I ALWAYS carry some little scissors. Light pruning can help to prepare the plants and ﬂowers for the best shots, by removing distracting leaves,” says Damian. “We cut the leaves off the rose stem for a cleaner shot.”

Lens

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO100

CHRISTINE’S COMMENT Damian showed me how to compose and focus for a super-close-up shot of the cactus by using clever little extension tubes and a budget 50mm prime lens. I was stunned at the level of detail! It enabled us to capture this amazing abstract shot of cactus thorns that looks like a ﬁeld of pine trees shot from above. Damian explained the f/2.8 and shallow depth of ﬁeld has worked in our favour to complement the abstract look that this shot ended up having.

EXPERT INSIGHT

BUDGET CLOSE-UPS IF YOU can’t quite afford a dedicated macro lens, you can use affordable extension tubes to transform a standard lens into a super-macro machine for mega close-ups! Damian used 13mm and 21mm extension tubes to turn a cheap 50mm prime into a lens you can use to focus very close. Kenko sell extension tubes as a set with a 36mm, 20mm and 12mm for around £130. More on extension tubs and budget macro hacks on page 54.

TOP GEAR #3 Budget Speedlites and triggers DAMIAN proves you don’t need expensive kit, as he uses a pair of basic and budget Neewer TT520 Speedlites. “I’m an advocate of KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid! These flashguns do it all – they’re strong, I can control them in manual flash and can turn the power up or down. I can also switch the two to Slave mode and use my trigger on my 5D Mark IV to fire the receivers on to the bottom of the Speedlites.”

The Canon Magazine

THEAPPRENTICE

HOT SHOT #5

DAMIAN’S COMMENT This white phalaenopsis orchid was beautiful to shoot, and the fact it had three heads together helped us out compositionally – odd numbers of subjects usually work better than even. We selected a blue backdrop roll for contrast, and used one Speedlite (pointing at the backdrop) to create a fake sky feel. There was another Speedlite that we took turns holding, which was a Lastolite softbox attached for a softer spread of light on the splendidly delicate ﬂower.

Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/6.3, ISO100

www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO

TOP GEAR #5 Tripod & head “A GOOD tripod is essential for more control over close-up compositions and also leaves my hands free to adjust flowers, or hand-hold a flash for better light,” explains Damian. “Plus it ensures shake-free shots, even if I’m using flash, and I can fine-tune my focus through the viewfinder.” Damian uses Manfrotto 055MF3 carbon fibre legs when out in the field. He pairs that with a Manfrotto MHXPRO 3W three-way geared head for greater control.

WHITE BALANCE “I use Auto White Balance (AWB) on my 5D Mark IV, then adjust the white balance of the Raw in post. Using AWB worked well for our ﬂowers as the backdrop colours and ﬂower colours needed different WBs to show them off. For example, the yellow pansy needed a warm WB, while the white orchid with a blue backdrop needed a cooler WB.”

HOT SHOT #6

WATER DROPS USING water spray is a great way to improve your floral shots. “A few squirts over the cactus before we take photos can bring it to life, plus the flash will reflect off the water drops and boost the overall effect,” says Damian.

DAMIAN’S COMMENT We first shot the orange rose against a pastel pink backdrop to complement the soft petals and colours. But Christine and I preferred the contrasting black backdrop for a more moody finish. We shot at f/11 for more depth of field this time, used a single-point AF and focused on the centre of the rose head – composing low down at eye level with the rose head for a balanced composition. One Speedlite was on the backdrop, one with the softbox from overhead.

The Canon Magazine

Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/11, ISO100

THEAPPRENTICE

HOT SHOT #7 Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO100

BACKDROPS USING different backdrop rolls is a quick and cheap way to inject some colour into your indoor macro ﬂower shots. You can buy Colorama paper backdrop rolls – for small subjects the 1.35m width size is more than big enough – for under £40.

TOP GEAR #6 Softboxes for Speedlites THE smaller your light source, the harsher it is. By using small diffusers capped to Speedlites, it will bounce and soften the ﬂash light. Better still, using a softbox like this Ezybox Speed Lite 2 from Lasolite by Manfrotto, it will create a lovely, larger and softer spread of light with less shadows.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO

DAMIAN’S COMMENT For this setup I showed Christine how to use other flowers for a colourful background, by focusing on the texture of the green pom pom heads, with yellow and orange gerberas behind. Depth of field is further reduced the closer you focus, especially with macro. We shot at f/2.8 for a shallow depth of field, and by focusing on the pom pom head, the flowers behind are blurred for a lovely background. We tried shooting this on Christine’s crop-sensor 550D (see inset), but the smaller sensor didn’t capture the same shallow depth of field as my full-frame 5D Mark IV, so the flowers behind are too sharp and distracting. One Speedlite with the softbox was used from above.

DAMIAN’S FAB FLORAS Canon pro Damian Waters talks about three of his favourite ﬂower photos... FORGET ME NOT THE stem here makes a vertical composition the obvious choice. Using a shallow DoF allowed me to highlight the cluster of ﬂowers at the top of the stem.

CROP SENSOR

OPENING BUD I DON’T often shoot looking down on ﬂowers, but the newly emerged petals had such a wonderful pattern – I just had to. Shooting at f/2.8 with my macro lens removed all background distractions.

WOOD ANEMONE WITH only light from the morning sun I used Spot metering to take my exposure from the white petals. Turning the background dark and isolating the ﬂower.

THEAPPRENTICE

SHOT OF THE DAY! Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/30 sec, f/8, ISO200

BE OUR NEXT APPRENTICE Do you need some help to take your Canon photography to the next level? Let us know what you’d like help with and we could pair you up with a top pro for the day! Send an email to photoplus@futurenet.com with ‘PhotoPlus Apprentice’ in the subject line, and include your telephone number and address.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

NEXT MONTH NEON PORTRAITS

LET IT SNOW “PHOTOPLUS editor, Peter, had the idea of using fake snow for a ﬂower photo. Neither of us were sure if it would work, however by adding some to this rose and then dropping it across the frame during the exposure, it’s worked well and could be the real thing! This fake snow was only £7 for a bag on Amazon,” says Damian.

The Canon Magazine

CHRISTINE’S COMMENT

DAMIAN’S VERDICT

Spending the day with Damian was both a privilege and a pleasure. I’m retiring next year, and am hoping to spend more time taking photos, the knowledge gained from Damian’s expertise will definitely be put into practise. Although I have used manual settings briefly in the past, my camera is generally set for auto focus and auto exposure. Damian demonstrated to me what great results can be achieved using a macro lens with manual settings, when shooting flowers close up with large apertures and small depth of field. During the day we produced some wonderful shots, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and cannot wait to start experimenting!

To create a wintry feel indoors we used some fake snow for this ﬂower photo! We had one Speedlite with a softbox for side light and front light to light the rose and snow, and one Speedlite against the blue backdrop. A slower shutter speed of 1/30 sec captures some movement blur in falling fake snow. With the camera on a tripod, we took several shots with the snow falling across the frame from left to right, and over the rose. Merging the shots together in Photoshop, we used layers and the Lighten blending mode for a great Shot of the Day! Christine was a top Apprentice, she just needed a bit of a push to use the manual settings of her camera.

STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE WORLD OF CANON PHOTOGRAPHY

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FANTASTIC CANON PHOTOGRAPHY

BIRDS) BY AUDUN RIKARDSEN High on a ledge, on the coast near his home in northern Norway, Audun carefully positioned an old tree branch that he hoped would make a perfect golden eagle lookout. To this he bolted a tripod head with a camera, ﬂashes and motion sensor attached, and built a hide nearby too.

The Canon Magazine

Lens

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

Exposure

1/2500 sec, f/14, ISO800

01 LAND OF THE EAGLE (WINNER: BEHAVIOUR

INSPIRATIONS

02 PONDWORLD (WINNER: BEHAVIOUR:

AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES) BY MANUEL PLAICKNER Every spring, for more than a decade, Manuel had followed the mass migration of common frogs in South Tyrol, Italy. Manuel found the perfect pond with the right light at just the right time when it all came together and he was able to get this shot. Lens

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/8, ISO800

03 THE EQUAL MATCH (JOINT WINNER:

BEHAVIOUR: MAMMALS) BY INGO ARNDT This image marks the culmination of seven months Ingo tracked wild pumas, enduring extreme cold and biting winds in the Torres del Paine region of Patagonia, Chile. He’s captured the striking moment when a puma launched its attack on the guanaco. Lens

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM

Exposure

1/3000 sec, f/4, ISO1000

www.digitalcameraworld.com

FANTASTIC CANON PHOTOGRAPHY 04 FROZEN MOMENT (WINNER: RISING STAR

PORFOLIO AWARD) BY JÉRÉMIE VILLET Two male rams in full winter-white coats compete for mating rights on a dramatic windswept snowy slope. Travelling to the Yukon, Jérémie rented a van and spent a month following Dall’s sheep during the rutting season. Lens

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Exposure

1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO500

05 THE ARCHITECTURAL ARMY (WINNER:

INVERTEBRATES) BY DANIEL KRONAUER At dusk, Daniel tracked the colony of nomadic army ants through the rainforest in North Eastern Costa Rica. The ants would use their bodies to build a new daytime nest, called a bivouac, to house the queen and larvae. Lens

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM

Exposure

3.2 secs, f/22, ISO100

All of the pictures used here are our top picks from the NHM 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020 competition is now open www.nhm.ac.uk

The Canon Magazine

INSPIRATIONS

www.digitalcameraworld.com

FANTASTIC CANON PHOTOGRAPHY

06 THE MOMENT (GRAND TITLE WINNER)

BY YONGQING BAO This marmot was hungry and ventured out of its burrow to search for food to graze on, but a fox laid still nearby… Suddenly the fox rushed forward with lightning reactions! Yongqing seized his shot using a fast shutter speed to freeze it; the intensity of life and death is written on their faces.

The Canon Magazine

Lens

Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM

Exposure

1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO640

INSPIRATIONS

07 SHOW TIME (WINNER: PHOTOJOURNALIST

Lens

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/10, ISO2000 © Max Waugh / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

STORY AWARD) BY JASPER DOEST For the past 17 years Riku, a Japanese macaque legally captured from the wild, has performed comedy skits three times a day in front of large audiences at the Nikko Saru Gundan theatre, north of Tokyo.

08 SNOW EXPOSURE (WINNER: BLACK AND

WHITE) BY MAX WAUGH In a winter whiteout in Yellowstone National Park, a lone American bison stands weathering the silent snow storm. Shooting from his vehicle, Max could only just make out its ﬁgure on the hillside. Lens

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Exposure

1/15 sec, f/22, ISO100

09 NIGHT GLOW (YOUNG WILDLIFE POTY

Lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/29, ISO200

GRAND TITLE WINNER) BY CRUZ ERDMANN Cruz was on an organized night dive in the Lembeh Strait off North Sulawesi, Indonesia, when he spotted a pair of big ﬁn reef squid engaged in courtship where they glow brightly as a way of communicating.

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NEWPHOTOTECHNIQUES

SHOOT WINTER

LANDSCAPES Take advantage of the year’s toughest season and venture outdoors to take incredible landscapes when they’re magically transformed by snow and frost inter is here and this time of year brings with it some fantastic chances for shooting landscapes as the environment transforms. A blanket of fresh snow can give a scene a completely different look and frozen bodies of water can make for a striking focal point, or add interest to the foreground of your images that you can’t get in warmer seasons.

W Chris Rutter

At this time of the year the sun sits lower in the sky, creating a lovely diffused glow, which is great for photographing landscapes – you essentially get an extended golden hour where the wonderful warm light from the sun as it rises, or sets, for much longer than usual. The old adage less is more is certainly the case here, as although WKH VXQ LV XS IRU D VLJQLÀFDQWO\ shorter period, the quality of light is massively improved.

In our big winter landscapes photo guide we have some fantastic top tips for getting the best out of your Canon kit, including the best ways to fend off the cold and keep warm, so you can stay out for longer and avoid missing the perfect moment. We also reveal the best ways to deal with tricky high contrast light encountered at sunrise and sunset, as well as how to edit your winter scenes back at the comfort of your computer.

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CAMERA SKILLS

Braving the harshest season opens up the potential to get amazing winter pictures that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get at any other time of the year The Canon Magazine

NEWPHOTOTECHNIQUES

The right kit isn’t just about cameras gear, choosing the right clothing and footwear will enable you to stay out for longer and boost your chances of capturing the perfect light

GET THE GEAR

04 05 03 01 06

We run through our top picks of essential photo kit that will make shooting landscapes easier this winter andscapes is one of the more accessible genres photography has to offer, as even the most entry-level Canon cameras have great resolution for capturing every detail. But there are a few select pieces of kit, that will help you take your photography further when out shooting landscapes this winter, such as a rock-solid tripod, better optics and warm clothing. A hot drink and hand ZDUPHUV ZLOO KHOS \RX ÀJKW RII the cold, so you can stay out longer and make sure you don’t miss the split-second moment when the sun lights up the landscape perfectly. Here’s our top picks of 02 the kit you should take out with you on your next wintery excursion.

Sturdy tripod

A good sturdy tripod will help eliminate camera-shake and make it possible to capture long exposures. If you’re in the market for one, look out for a model with rubber or foam cladding around the top of the leg sections. This way, when you grip it, you don’t have to hold a freezing cold piece of metal when transporting it. 02

Wide-angle lens

These are lenses with a focal length below the standard 50mm, creating a much wider angle of view. This will help you to squeeze more of the wide-spanning vista into the frame. Canon’s EF 17-40mm f/4L USM wide-angle is a great choice. 03

Telephoto lens

A lens with a focal length above 50mm, like a 70-200mm, is ideal for picking out details in the distance. www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA SKILLS

PRO TIPS

Wintertime photography hacks Acclimatize quickly to cold conditions with these tips

Wrap up warm Wear warm clothing and thermals to fend off the cold. Bring two sets of gloves, a thin ﬁngerless pair for operating the camera and thicker pair you can slip on over the top to keep those ﬁngers toasty. Chris Rutter

Even when you’re out shooting landscapes, you may have a surprise encounter with a wild animal and an optic like this will help you get a frame-ﬁlling picture. They’re also helpful for shooting landscapes, as they can be used to compress the perspective of a scene. 04

Camera body

You can take great landscape images with almost any Canon DSLR or mirrorless body, as they have large APS-C or full-frame imaging sensors that deliver fantastic image quality. A high number of megapixels can be beneﬁcial as this will allow you to print your pictures larger and also enable a greater freedom when back at home and editing / cropping shots later on in post. 05

Rucksack

You’ll need a comfortable bag to carry all of your equipment in. The Manfrotto Pro Light RedBee-310 backpack that we used had plenty of room for all of our kit and loads of thick padding to keep it all protected from knocks. It was also very handy at keeping all the kit insulated from the cold air too. The Canon Magazine

Filters

There’s a large selection of filters that are great for landscapes, such as Neutral Density filters that block out light for long exposures. There’s also graduated ND filters that allow you to balance out the contrast between bright skies and dark foreground. Lastly, a polarizer makes it possible to boost contrast in blue skies and remove reflections. 07

Memory card case

It’s a good idea to use a memory card case or wallet to keep all of your cards organized, so you know which ones are full and which are freshly formatted. This large card and battery soft case from Vanguard has space for four batteries and loads of room for memory cards.

Give your tripod ‘snow shoes’ The Clawz from 3 Legged Thing (above) have been designed to give you better stability on snow, ice and rocky terrain. Some tripods also have twistable feet, revealing spikes that can dig into ice and rocks.

Increase battery life Battery life is reduced in the cold, so keep them in an inside coat pocket to keep them warm. This Hahnel Extreme battery (above) has extra insulation and a larger charge capacity to handle the cold better too.

Dodge lens fogging Avoid condensation on your lenses by putting them in a zip lock bag outside with cold air. This will warm up more slowly when inside. Put them in your coolest room to start off with, then a warmer one.

NEWPHOTOTECHNIQUES

Chris Rutter

FROZEN WONDERS The sub-zero temperatures at winter bring with it the unique opportunity to include frost and ice in your landscapes

O Patterns in frost and ice make for an interesting shot that gives your winter landscape portfolio variety

QH VXUH ÀUH ZD\ WR PDNH \RXU landscapes look instantly more wintery is to include some frozen elements, like water or frosty leaves. Use a frozen pool of water, or some frosty foliage, to anchor the bottom third of the frame and lead the eye into the shot. Time is a luxury when it comes to photography, but luckily landscapes are an area where you can slow things down and pace yourself to get the framing and settings spot-on. Be sure to use a tripod for a more considered composition – it will also reduce the risk of camera shake. It’s good technique to use Aperture Priority with a middle aperture value of around f/11 for a strong depth of ÀHOG DQG \RXU ORZHVW ,62 YDOXH (usually 100) for best image quality. Always check your shots on the back of the camera and if they’re a little too bright or dark you can then dial in

some exposure compensation to correct it. Using the Raw format will also give you extra leeway when tweaking the exposure in post.

Get a good footing

It goes without saying that ice can be a very slippy and a dangerous surface to walk along. To avoid injuring yourself, get yourself a pair of grippy studs that strap onto your walking boots, these dig into the ice and giving you extra grip. If you plan on walking over icy

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BEFORE

CAMERA SKILLS

PRO TIPS

Get more with Raw Use Adobe Camera Raw to bring out the best in your winter landscape images

Balance a bright sky in Adobe Camera Raw In the vast majority of landscapes you’ll find the sky much brighter than the foreground, unless you use a graduated filter to balance it in camera. To achieve a more even exposure back at your computer, bring your Raw file into Photoshop’s Adobe Camera Raw and grab the Graduated Filter Tool. Then drag down from the top of the frame to the horizon, so you’re only affecting the sky area and then drag the Exposure and Highlights sliders to the left until the sky is perfectly exposed.

A pool of ice water gives this shot eye-catching foreground interest and anchors the bottom half

glaciers it’d be worth getting a proper full size set of crampons, or snow shoes if you’re going to be wading through deep snow – there’s no substitute for the right tools!

AFTER bit more punchy too. You might even ÀQG VRPH LQWHUHVWLQJ LFH SDWWHUQV RQ your car windshield on those cold and frosty winter mornings!

Make use of a frozen foreground Shoot patterns formed by ice

You may strike it lucky and come across some interesting ice patterns around bodies of water in the morning, when it starts to get really frosty. A macro lens will help here, as you can focus closer to the ice patterns, but don’t worry if you don’t have one, just zoom in to the long end of your kit lens and focus as close as possible to get a IUDPH ÀOOLQJ VKRW RI LW Use a wide aperture such as f/4, WKHQ ERRVW WKH ,62 XQWLO \RX JHW D shutter speed of 1/100 sec or faster to eliminate the chance of camera-shake creeping in when you’re shooting handheld. Boosting the Clarity of the 5DZ ÀOH FDQ KHOS PDNH WKH VKRW ORRN D The Canon Magazine

Having some strong foreground interest is a great way of anchoring your landscape, leading the eye through to the horizon and sky. A pool of frozen water makes for ideal foreground interest, though you may ÀQG \RXUVHOI KDYLQJ WR SRVLWLRQ \RXU tripod on some of the surrounding ice to get the composition you want. Check the feet of your tripod as some have rubber boots that can removed or twisted to reveal metal spikes – these are ideal for digging into the ice and great for staying stable on rocky beaches. A portrait orientation often works best for landscapes with a strong foreground, as it can be easier to balance the frame.

Balance a bright sky in Adobe Camera Raw Head over to the HSL in Photoshop CC’s Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom Classic CC. Here you’ll be able to adjust the Hue (colour), Saturation (colour intensity) and Luminosity (brightness) of each colour channel. We used this to shift the hues of the blues and oranges to get the colours we wanted and also to reduce the brightness of only the blue parts of the images using the Luminance tab.

Time is a luxury but with landscapes you can pace yourself to get the picture perfect 33

NEWPHOTOTECHNIQUES

FOLLOW THE RULESâ&#x20AC;Ś AND THEN BREAK THEM! Discover when you should and should not use classic compositional methods

I \RXÂˇUH Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ \RXU ODQGVFDSHV are falling short, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a few well established photographic rules you can follow to help strengthen the composition of your shots and make the elements within the frame work harder. Whether thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instantly grabbing your eye with a better positioned focal point, or readjusting the framing to include some lead-in OLQHV %H VXUH WR WU\ RXW WKHVH Ă&#x20AC;YH top compositional tips on your next landscapes shoot. But as the old saying goes: rules are PDGH WR EH EURNHQ 6R KHUH ZHÂˇOO explain when you should and shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t follow these rules, as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re purely guidelines and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always tally up with your artistic intent.

Rule 1

Compose with the rule of thirds

This is a compositional rule almost as old as photography itself, where you divide your frame into nine equal boxes and place your subject on a

point where the lines of the boxes intersect. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s widely accepted among photographers that doing so makes for a much more balanced composition. You can actually overlay a rule of thirds grid on the Live View mode RI &DQRQ '6/5V E\ JRLQJ LQWR WKH shooting menu and setting the Grid Display to 3x3 grid.

Rule 2

Try strengthening an image with the rule of odds

A little known rule that can help you make a composition more powerful is to include an odd number of subjects. For example, if you were framing up on a row of trees this rule implies that the framing will be more photogenic if you include an odd number of trees, OLNH RQH WKUHH RU Ă&#x20AC;YH UDWKHU WKDQ DQ HYHQ DPRXQW Â˛ WZR IRXU RU VL[ 6R when framing up be sure to adjust the tripod head to change the composition until thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an odd number of subjects in the image.

You can overlay a rule of thirds grid onto your scene in Live View by pressing the Info button

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CAMERA SKILLS

Rule 5 Break the rules!

These tips arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t strictly rules you have to abide by, but guidelines you PLJKW Ă&#x20AC;QG XVHIXO WR IROORZ IURP WLPH to time. Tilting the horizon so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intentionally wonky is called a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dutch tiltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which can look striking and goes to show that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always need a perfectly straight horizon. You can use a long telephoto lens instead of a typical wide angle to shoot landscapes with a different perspective. Just remember to have fun experimenting, and break away from the rules if you have a creative reason.

PRO TIPS

Polarizing ďŹ lters explained Why a polarizer is an essential landscapes accessory

NO POLARIZER

Rule 3 Focus a third of the way into the scene

Photographic rules can be followed to strengthen the composition of traditional landscapes, or broken for a more contemporary feel

Having a strong amount of sharpness, from the foreground, all the way through to the horizon, will allow the viewer to see everything clearly through the frame. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generally accepted that focusing about a third of the way into the scene with a medium aperture value, such as f/16, ensures maximum clarity. To do it place your active AF point about one third of the ZD\ LQWR WKH VFHQH WKHQ XVH 2QH 6KRW autofocus mode to focus, and switch over WR PDQXDO IRFXV WR Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ ORFN LW RII

WITH POLARIZER

Rule 4

Make sure your horizon is level $ ZRQN\ KRUL]RQ LV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW WKLQJ ZH VSRW when looking at a landscape and can be detrimental to even the most dramatic scenes. To ensure your images donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suffer itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth framing up on a tripod, then hitting the Info button on your &DQRQ '6/5 WR EULQJ XS WKH HOHFWURQLF OHYHO 6RPH &DQRQ models overlay this level over the scene in Live View too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then just a case of adjusting the tripod head until the horizontal line turns green. You can also straighten your shots when editing with 3KRWRVKRS &&ÂˇV 6WUDLJKWHQ 7RRO The Canon Magazine

Get to grips with polarizing ďŹ lters One of the reasons polarizing ďŹ lters are essential accessories for landscape shoots is that they produce results that are difďŹ cult to replicate in post-production. Rotating a polarizing ďŹ lter allows you to block out certain wavelengths of light, which in turn can increase the contrast in blue skies and be used to cut through reďŹ&#x201A;ections in water and glass. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to buy one, be sure to get a circular polarizer, as the alternative linear types have been known to confuse metering and autofocus systems on certain DSLRs.

Photography has the magical ability to slow down time with long exposures

This image was taken with a shutter speed of three seconds, long enough to blur the swirling water in this scene

SHOOT AN ULTRA LONG EXPOSURE Slow down time by blocking the light coming in through the camera lens to create an ethereal blur hotography has the ability to display time in a way unlike any other. A long exposure is when the shutter is open for several seconds, or even minutes, and allows you to transform moving parts of your VFHQH OLNH FORXGV DQG IDVW Ă RZLQJ water into blurry streaks. To achieve a long exposure you need to reduce the amount of light coming in. This can mean closing the aperture down to a value, like f/22, WR UHGXFH WKH OLJKW Ă RZ WR D WULFNOH <RXÂˇOO DOVR QHHG WR VHW \RXU ORZHVW ,62 value to make the camera sensor as unresponsive to light as possible, forcing a long shutter speed. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll show you how to use a Neutral 'HQVLW\ Ă&#x20AC;OWHU ZKLFK DFWV D ELW OLNH sunglasses for your camera, blocking out more light, allowing the shutter to remain open for a much longer period

of time. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shooting at night, you can take advantage of the low-light levels to achieve a long exposure ZLWKRXW WKH QHHG IRU H[WUD 1' Ă&#x20AC;OWHUV

Step 1 Compose and add your ďŹ lter ,I \RXÂˇUH XVLQJ D Ă&#x20AC;OWHU KROGHU V\VWHP \RXÂˇUH JRLQJ WR ZDQW WR DWWDFK WKLV Ă&#x20AC;UVW and then compose on a tripod. Focus on your focal point, or about a third of the way in, and then switch over to manual focus to lock it in place. Now go into Aperture Priority and dial in an DSHUWXUH RI I ,62 RI and take a note of the shutter speed. Then slide or screw \RXU 1' Ă&#x20AC;OWHU LQ WR WKH Ă&#x20AC;OWHU KROGHU RU WKH IURQW Ă&#x20AC;OWHU thread of the lens, being careful not to nudge the zoom or focus rings of your lens.

Neutral Density ďŹ lters also called NDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (above) and graduated ND ďŹ lters (left) help you restrict the light coming in through the lens to control it

www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA SKILLS

In Bulb mode use a timer to work out how long you need to expose for

PRO TIPS

Charge on the go!

WKH Ă&#x20AC;OWHU LQ SODFH /HHÂˇV 6WRSSHU Exposure Guide is a handy app for working out the exposures. A shutter speed over 30 secs will require shooting in the Bulb mode and the use of a remote shutter release.

Long exposures and cold climates will diminish battery life signiďŹ cantly, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth having an in-car battery you can use as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re travelling between locations. Hahnelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pro Cube2 (above) has the ability to charge two LP-E6, LP-8, or LP-E17, batteries at the same time. It also comes with a power adapter for 12v car ports, meaning you can charge even when in remote locations.

PRO TIPS

Step 3 How to time your long exposures to perfection

Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to go into your Canon cameras Manual mode and enter an DSHUWXUH RI I DQG DQ ,62 RI Then use the shutter speed you noted earlier to calculate the shutter speed QHHGHG ZLWK \RXU Ă&#x20AC;OWHU LQ SODFH ,I \RX XVH D VWRS Ă&#x20AC;OWHU OLNH ZH GLG LWÂˇOO block out ten stops of light, turning a shutter speed of 1/8 sec in normal conditions into a 2 min exposure with

Now dial in your exposure duration on a phone timer (with your shutter release cable plugged in), start the exposure remotely, and lock the shutter down at the same time you start the timer on your phone. For our VFHQH WKLV ZDV D WRWDO RI Ă&#x20AC;YH PLQXWHV which is plenty of time to record the motion in any moving water and clouds in the sky. When the timer has Ă&#x20AC;QLVKHG VWRS WKH H[SRVXUH DQG UHYLHZ the image on the rear LCD. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too bright or dark, adjust the timer on your phone to make the exposure longer or shorter and try DJDLQ 6KRRWLQJ LQ 5DZ ZLOO DOVR JLYH you some leeway with the exposure when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re editing later on.

1/2000 SEC

1/8 SEC

To shoot longer than 30 secs youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to go into your cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bulb (B) mode

Step 2 Dial in the settings

1/30 SEC

4 SECS

Block the viewfinder If light gets into the viewďŹ nder of a DSLR during a long exposure, this has the potential to get onto the imaging sensor, resulting in unsightly ďŹ&#x201A;are. Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DSLRs have an eyepiece cover on the camera strap that you can put in place while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing a long exposure so be sure to make the most of it to get the best possible pictures. A longer shutter speed will turn moving elements like water in to blurry streaks The Canon Magazine

NEWPHOTOTECHNIQUES

SHOOT IN THE GOLDEN HOUR Harness the beautifully soft, golden light at the sun rises and sets over your landscape

Some of the best light can be had in the hour after sunrise and before sunset â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this time is called the golden hour

hen it comes to lighting a landscape itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better to have quality, rather than the quantity. The days are much shorter through the winter months, but the lower position of the sun means it has more of the atmosphere to travel through, diffusing the light and giving us the lovely soft warm tones we experience in the golden hour for a greater period of time. As it rises around 8am and sets around 5-6pm over January and February itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really accessible to get out and shoot in this magical light.

Step 1 Use a lens hood to avoid ďŹ&#x201A;are

Lens hoods act as a barrier from scratching the front element of your lens if it gets knocked or, even worse, dropped! But their true purpose is to block out light from the VLGHV ZKLFK FDQ UHVXOW LQ Ă DUH RFFXUULQJ LQ your pictures, softening them and making \RXU VKRWV ORRN ZDVKHG RXW 6R EH VXUH WR attach yours when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with strong sunlight coming in from a low angle.

A lens hood stops stray rays of light coming in from the side, stopping haze and ďŹ&#x201A;are spoiling your images

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CAMERA SKILLS

PRO TIPS

Five top tripod tips Get more out of this essential landscape accessory

Step 2 Use Live View mode

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good argument for avoiding Live View in the winter, as it will use more of your battery than composing with the YLHZĂ&#x20AC;QGHU +RZHYHU LI \RXÂˇUH VKRRWLQJ D sunrise or sunset itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very good idea to use Live View, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a good idea to look WRZDUGV WKH VXQ WKURXJK WKH YLHZĂ&#x20AC;QGHU

Step 3 Capture a wide range of tones

Few lighting situations are as tricky as sunset or sunrise when the low angle of the sun is very directional. To improve your chances of capturing the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;correctâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exposure it can be worth shooting in the Raw format and also taking a bracket of shots. This is where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take the standard exposure, followed by a few more images that are over- and under-exposed. This means when you get back to your computer youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll likely have at least one usable frame. You can even combine them in Adobe Camera Raw with the Merge to HDR function to get the best parts of each image in a single shot.

A three way tripod head like this Manfrotto 804RC2 Mark II is ideal for landscapes, as it gives you a ďŹ ner level of control over all three axis when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re framing up

Exposing for the high-contrast light in the Golden Hour can be tricky, so take a wide range of exposures using your Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auto Bracketing The Canon Magazine

Add weight for ballast Extra weight will help pull the tripod downwards making it more secure. Hang your bag over the top of your tripod with a bungee cord to pull it down.

Rinse after use Salt water speeds up the rusting process on metal, so be sure to rinse your sticks with tap water after shooting at the coast to stop them jamming up.

Spread the load Your tripod may slip or sink into sandy or rocky terrain, resulting in camera shake. A great ďŹ x for this is to put a paper plate under each leg to spread the load.

Maximize stability The sturdiest leg sections are at the top of your tripod, so use these ďŹ rst, followed by the next thinner leg sections and lastly raising the centre column.

Tighten up the leg locks Leg locks on tripods will loosen over time, which could make them come loose when fully closed, leading to slippage. Any tripod worth its salt will come with a special key or wrench that you can use to nip up leg locks and keep them gripping the legs securely.

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The Canon Magazine

DAVIDNOTONONLOCATION

HoffellsjĂśkull HoffellsjĂśkull, eastern Iceland. 16:06pm. 11 March 2015.

David laments the slowly diminishing magic of Iceland, owing LQ SDUW WR DQ LQĂ X[ RI HQWKXVLDVWLF SKRWRJUDSKHUVÂŤ irst impressions of Iceland are of a land apart, a bit like Australia. Okay, I'll admit the similarities are not obvious, in fact two environments more opposite it ZRXOG EH GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR LPDJLQH Iceland is, well icy, while $XVWUDOLD LV ODUJHO\ KRW DQG DULG DQG \HW ERWK KDYH RQH RYHUULGLQJ VLPLODULW\ ZKHQ \RX Ă&#x20AC;UVW DUULYH \RX NQRZ \RX DUH somewhere like nowhere else on earth. Iceland is a volcanic island being simultaneously built and ripped apart as the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates go their own way. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a young land; raw, savage at times, unburnished and unsoftened by the passage of time. It's a landscape RI SHDNV FUDWHUV JODFLHUV ODJRRQV ODYD Ă RZV VQRZ ice, black sand and green moss, and totally unique. Nowhere else on the planet is there such a mix of sub-arctic volcanic, glacial and coastal topography. All of which make it a mecca for photographers. What's more that landscape is readily accessible. &KHDS Ă LJKWV IURP (XURSH DQG 1RUWK $PHULFD QRZ abound. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll soon realize, however, on arrival the Ă LJKW WKDW JRW \RX WKHUH LV WKH ODVW WKLQJ OLNHO\ WR be cheap; the cost of food and accommodation is eye-watering. But just being in Iceland is an adventure, no matter how many times Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been. But there's no such thing as an adventure without risk, and Iceland has its fair share of perils. On the one hand Iceland is possibly the safest place youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever visit; the likelihood of being robbed or encountering any crime other than double parking on Laugavegur is virtually nil. On the other hand, it is a dangerous place. Every year tourists, and especially photographers, die. Usually they get too close to big seas, but glaciers, ice caves and exposure take their toll too. Broken limbs due to slipping on ice are common. And the weather can be truly dreadful. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hardly unsurprising as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about an island in the North Atlantic just shy of the Arctic Circle. Every week Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent there has included at least one day, often two, when our only option has been to hunker down and let the storm pass. Mother Nature is at her most volatile in Iceland, but the old

adage that if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the weather just wait 10 minutes is very true. The pressure systems do seem to hustle through pretty quickly. A three-day cycle ranging from sparkling to grim is normal. It goes without saying being properly equipped and dressed is crucial. But for us photographers in Iceland another old adage is also undoubtedly true â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the best pictures are often taken in the worst weather. Pro travel & landscape photographer You get my drift, Iceland is challenging, especially in DAVID IS AN AWARD-WINNING Canon winter, but the photographic photographer with more than 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; potential is unsurpassed. professional experience. During his career Therein lies the problem; David has travelled to just about every as I don't know a single other corner of the globe. In 2012, Canon invited pro landscape photographer David into its Ambassador Program by who has not been running designating him an OfďŹ cial Canon Explorer. photography workshops or Info and photos at www.davidnoton.com tours in Iceland these last few years. That sounds like a gross exaggeration, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true. On the plane heading there my heart sinks; seemingly everyone is lugging a Lowe Pro and Manfrotto. At all the known hot spots; SkĂłgafoss, DyrhĂłlaey, Reynisdrangar, JĂśkulsĂĄrlĂłn, the ice beach, I know I will be bound to encounter hordes of other photographers, usually in groups, all ignoring each other, and getting in each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way. It takes away from the novelty of being there, and the adventure. Of course, its hypocrisy for me to complain about that because I have been part of the problem. For us photographers our images of Iceland are becoming increasingly blasĂŠ; there are just so many about. I really canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look at another image of the Northern Lights. And yet when I recall the experiences weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had there I know weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been blessed. Awe-inspiring vistas abound in Iceland, they always will. So do NEXT MONTH unique adventures and soul-searching and you'll HYHQWXDOO\ Ă&#x20AC;QG VRPHWKLQJ XQLTXH SENEGAL

DAVID NOTON

www.digitalcameraworld.com

For us photographers our images of Iceland are becoming increasingly blasĂŠ

The solitary landscape of Iceland is becoming less and less solitary Lens

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L II USM

Exposure

1/30 sec, f/16, ISO100

CANON SKILLS

Sharpen up your photography skills with our all-new photo projects and expert guides

Dan Mold Technique editor dan.mold@futurenet.com

New projects with video guides Follow our Canon DSLR walkthrough guides and Photoshop editing videos

Welcome... THE GREAT outdoors is full of amazing photographic opportunities and this month we’ve got a selection of projects to inject some variety when you’re out with your Canon kit. Winter’s long nights make it an ideal time to experiment with light painting. In this case you’ll bring a landscape to life at night by shining torches on speciﬁc parts of the scene. See how on page 46. Frosty evenings aren’t for everyone, so check out our panorama and soft focus projects on pages 50 and 58 if you’d rather do your photography in the day. Prefer to stay indoors? We’ve got your covered! We reveal four amazing ways to go macro without having to break the bank, on page 54. Become a master with layers and blending modes in our Photoshop CC tutorial, or add snow to your images with our straightforward guide on page 60. There’s sure to be something you can get stuck into this issue!

The Canon Magazine

Paint with light

Macro on a budget

Illuminate parts of a scene at night to bring landscapes to life

Discover four ways to go macro without breaking the bank

Perfect panoramas

Get a vintage look

Shoot and stitch together images into a perfect panorama using a combo of camera skills and image-editing to make a Raw HDR Panorama

Utilize this age-old trick to get soft focus effects in-camera

Add digital snow

Use your free Snow Brush to add snow to your shots in Elements

VIEW THE VIDEOS

Blend textures

Make brilliant composite imagery with Photoshop CC

Turn the noise down

Reduce digital noise in your low-light images with Afﬁnity Photo

WHENEVER you see this icon you’ll ﬁnd an accompanying video on our Video Disc. You’ll also IDEO VIEW THE V ﬁnd these videos online – so you can view them on a tablet or computer without an optical drive. See the links on the project page.

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EO D I V E H T W E VI

PROJECT 1

THE MISSION Light paint a landscape at night using a torch Time needed One hour Skill level Intermediate Kit needed • Tripod • Remote release • Powerful torch • Colour gels

Landscapes at night Paint a landscape with light for surreal scenery with James Paterson e often think of cameras as tools for recording the world as we see it. But they’re also capable of capturing far more than the eye can perceive. Light painting is a case in point. To the eye, a dark night is just that. But if we stick the camera on a tripod, open the shutter and waggle a torch around, then all of a sudden our camera starts to see things differently. To the camera’s sensor,

light is accumulative. So when there’s very little ambient light, we’re able to build up our own light gradually, in exactly the places we want it. A single torch beam can light an entire frame, even elements of a landscape. With torch in hand, we’re free to light objects from different angles, or pick out important details while hiding others, or even change the colour of the light. As such, there’s an art to OLJKW SDLQWLQJ %XW LW·V QRW GLIÀFXOW

to get started, all you need to do is VHW XS D ORQJ H[SRVXUH DQG ÁLFN the switch. Over the next few pages we’ll explore how it’s done. This skill can be used to light paint any subject you like, but there’s something entrancing about lighting a landscape this way. It can lend natural subjects an otherworldly quality. Our subject – a couple of lone trees in a EDUH ÀHOG ² ORRNV ODFNOXVWUH GXULQJ the day. But at night we can make it look extraordinary. www.digitalcameraworld.com

LIGHT PAINT LANDSCAPES

ON LOCATION THE SETUP FOR AFTER SUNSET Learn to light paint a landscape at night with minimal kit for otherworldly results 01 CAMERA

02 REMOTE RELEASE

03 TRIPOD

The camera here is set to Bulb exposure with aperture f/11 and ISO800. Just as if shooting in the day, a narrow aperture like this ensures enough depth of ﬁeld in our landscape so that the foreground, trees and distant sky are all in-focus.

You’ll need a wireless shutter release so you can set the camera up on a tripod and trigger the shutter once you’re in position. We used a Hahnel remote, which lets us press and hold the remote to begin the Bulb exposure, then press again to ﬁnish it.

Our exposure will run into minutes and the camera needs to stay still, so a tripod is a must. Once the camera is set up and the framing is ﬁnalized, don’t move the tripod between shots. A ﬁxed position gives you the choice to blend several frames later.

05 04

01 03

04 SKY

05 NIGHT-TIME SHOOTING

06 TORCH

Faint light in the sky can add to the landscape and help to make trees on the horizon stand out. The orange glow you see is light pollution from a city a few miles away. Combined with the low, slow moving clouds it almost looks like a sunset.

When shooting in the dark it helps to be prepared and only take the kit that you’ll need on the shoot. Arrive before dark to check the surroundings. As well as the torch you’ll use for painting the light, bring a head torch to turn on between shots.

Our scene is lit by shining a torch onto the trees and ground during our long exposure of around 2 minutes. We used a bright LED bicycle torch to paint with light, bought on eBay for £30. The torch has a separate rechargeable battery pack.

The Canon Magazine

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PROJECT 1

TOP TRICKS SHINING EXAMPLE Follow these tips to take your light painting to the next level

LIGHT UP MY LIFE Just as a painter makes use of lighter colours to brighten areas, we make use of time. If the torch is ﬂicked quickly over an area then the darkness is gently lifted. But if we linger over a detail for a few seconds then that part of the scene will come out brighter. It’s not an exact science, and you’re never entirely sure how things will look when you review the shots on the camera. But after each shot you begin to build a better idea of how to approach the task, whether an area needs to be brighter or darker, and which direction of light looks most effective for your subject.

NEXT MONTH CINEMATIC HEADSHOTS

01 SHIELD THE BULB

02 TRY GELS

We don’t want the torch bulb to show up in the shot, so it’s a good idea to shield the bulb from the lens – either using your hand, or placing your body between the torch and the camera, or by fashioning a hood for the torch out of card, as we’ve done here.

Try adding colour to your light-painting! The bare torch left the trees in our scene looking too cool, so we taped an orange gel (from a Selens Speedlite gels set) over the bulb. We can mix colours – we switched gels mid-shot and used a blue gel to side-light the trees.

03 MOVE THE LIGHT AROUND

04 WALK THE SCENE

If the scene is lit from the position of the camera then the light will look ﬂat, so instead try lighting objects from one side or another to emphasize their shape and depth. Wear dark clothes but as you’ll be moving around and won’t be lit you shouldn’t appear in shot.

Try walking through the scene, taking care to shield the torch bulb from the lens. This gives you freedom to ﬁxate the torch on certain areas. Remember, the torch light has an additive effect – the longer you shine on an object, the brighter it’ll appear in the scene.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS LONG EXPOSURES AT NIGHT Get your Canon camera set up for slow shutter speed shooting with a Bulb exposure IF POSSIBLE turn up at twilight and compose the shot in the fading light. We used a wide-angle lens and low view to frame the trees against the orange glow in the sky. After focusing, switch to manual focus to lock it in place and prevent AF hunting.

WHEN IN Bulb mode the camera shutter stays open for as long as the button is engaged. Begin by setting Bulb mode with aperture f/11 and ISO800 then take a test shot of around 2 minutes. Check and, if needed, adjust the aperture or ISO. www.digitalcameraworld.com

LIGHT PAINT LANDSCAPES

STEP BY STEP COMPOSITE YOUR LIGHT PAINTINGS Light painting is tricky to perfect in-camera, so try these Photoshop skills to enhance the effect

01 COMBINE SEVERAL SHOTS

02 WHITE BALANCE TWEAKING

03 DODGE AND BURN

Open the images into Photoshop, then copy one onto another and experiment with blend modes. The Lighten and Screen blend modes are particularly suited to this kind of task. Alternatively, add a layer mask and paint black to hide, or white to reveal the best parts of each frame.

Don’t rely on auto white balance as it may be fooled by the dim light. Instead, shoot in Raw and set the white balance in Camera Raw/Lightroom after the fact. If you like you can make creative white balance tweaks by shifting the Temperature and Tint sliders one way or another.

Selective lightening and darkening of the image can help emphasize areas or tone down bright details – useful as it can be tricky to balance lighting in-camera. Use local adjustment tools like the Adjustment Brush and Radial Filter in Camera Raw/ Lightroom to add more or less exposure.

TOP TIPS LIGHT TRAIL PAINTING Why not turn the light source itself into the subject in shot? THERE ARE two main methods for painting with light. We can shine the torch onto objects and surfaces in the scene and capture the reﬂected light – as we did with our landscape. Or we can display the light source to the camera and move it around to create patterns or words of light, as in these shots. If you opt for the latter there are all kinds of light sticks and colourful tools on the market that can add to the effect (but a torch on a stick can work). If you prefer the other, then the source of light is still important – as well as experimenting with gels on the light source. You’ll also see different results depending on the size of the source – a single bulb will create hard light, while with a larger source, like an LED panel, will be softer.

The Canon Magazine

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PROJECT 2

THE MISSION Learn how to capture images then create a picturesque panoramic image Time needed Two hours Skill level Intermediate Kit needed • Standard zoom • Tripod • Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom CC

Perfect panoramas In this project Peter Travers shows you how easy it is to create amazing panoramic landscape images with camera and Photoshop techniques hat we see with our eyes – thanks to our peripheral vision – is a lot more than even the widest wide-angle lens. So sometimes it can be frustrating that you see a beautiful, expansive scene in front of you, but you simply can’t capture it all in one image with your Canon gear. This is when you need to create a panoramic image – which is made by taking several shots of the scene from left to right, and then stitching all the

images together in Photoshop for one big, wide panoramic image. There are few essential steps to take to ensure a successful panorama picture. Try and shoot with your back to the sun so that the scene is evenly lit throughout. Avoid shooting with a really wide focal length to avoid barrelling at the edges of each image – this distortion will also end up needing to be cropped when you create the panorama. We shot on a full-frame Canon EOS 5DS and at 24mm on a

24-105mm lens – if you’re using an APS-C camera try to shoot at approximately 18mm or above. Use a tripod to make your life easier – we’re using a Manfrotto XPRO-3WG head which is great for rotating the camera and also using the micrometric knobs for accurate moving the camera the same increments for each image. We also show you how use the clever Merge to HDR Panorama setting in Photoshop CC to create a Raw (.dng) panoramic image to edit for better results… www.digitalcameraworld.com

PERFECT PANORAMAS

STEP BY STEP HOW TO CREATE GREAT PANORAMAS Here are the key camera and lens settings and photo techniques for the best results

DON’T GO TOO LARGE! 01 SUN LIGHTS THE SCENE

02 CONSISTENT EXPOSURES

Position yourself in the middle of your scene when you shoot from left to right, so you can pivot your camera from left to right easily. Shoot with your back to the sun so you can ensure that your scene and each frame you take are evenly lit.

You need to have consistent exposures throughout the scene for each image, so shoot in Manual mode. You want a good depth of ﬁeld so the whole scene is sharp, so use an aperture around f/16, set ISO to 100 and a suitable shutter speed for a good exposure.

03 THREE-LEGGED FRIEND

04 SHOOT LANDSCAPES IN PORTRAIT

A tripod and good head means sure-ﬁre sharp shots whatever the shutter speed – it’s easier for straighter and better compositions, to spin the camera from left to right accurately for each image for your panorama. Plus it’s easier for software to line up the images after.

The trick with good panoramic images is not to compose horizontally (landscape), but instead compose vertically (portrait) for each shot. That way you will end up with a taller panoramic image when combining your shots, rather than a long, thin image.

The Canon Magazine

As our Canon EOS 5DS camera is 50-megapixel monster we used the M-Raw setting, which creates Raw images a little smaller – 6480x4320 pixels instead of 8688x5792! This speeds up things in Photoshop later by not subjecting your poor computer’s processor to those colossal ﬁles sizes.

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PROJECT 2

CONTINUED… HOW TO CREATE GREAT PANORAMAS Lens focusing tips, plus how to use the latest Photoshop for Raw HDR panoramic images

TIDY UP THE CORNERS With our merged panoramic JPEG image open in the main Photoshop workspace, we used a combination of the Spot Healing Brush tool and Clone Stamp tool to remove the grass in bottom corners and some of the ducks on the lake!.

NEXT MONTH SLOWER SHUTTER SPEED TIPS

05 LOCK THE FOCUS

06 MAKE YOUR PANORAMA

Use Live View and focus one-third into the scene, and lock your focus – use back button focus, or you can switch your lens to manual focus so it doesn’t move. Now take a series of shots, from left to right, slightly overlapping each time – we took ﬁve images.

For the next steps, you’ll need the latest Lightroom CC or Photoshop CC with up-to-date Adobe Camera Raw (ACR). With our ﬁve unedited Raws open and selected in ACR in Photoshop CC, we simply right-click and use the brilliant Merge to HDR Panorama setting.

07 MERGE TO HDR PANORAMA

08 RAW PANORAMA EDITS

In the dialogue box that appears, choose Spherical, and tick Apply Auto Setting and Auto Crop and click Merge and let Photoshop work its magic to stitch them together seamlessly. Creating an editable panoramic Raw .dng image!

With your new .dng pano, you can enhance the Raw image – we warmed up the White Balance, boosted Contrast and Shadows, reduced Exposure and Highlights, and added a Graduated Filter across the entire sky. Then click Save Image to save as a JPEG.

EDITING TIPS OTHER PANORAMA SOFTWARE You don’t have to use Adobe CC software to create a Raw panorama… MOST image-editing software will have a panoramic option to combine your images, but you’ll need to edit your Raws consistently ﬁrst for seamlessly merging. Photoshop Elements offers a decent panoramic image mode with Photomerge.

IN ELEMENTS go to File>New>Photomerge Panorama or use the Guided mode. With your Sources images, tick ‘Auto’ under Layout, then merge together for a JPEG. You can also use the Auto Fill option to ﬁll in cropped corners around the edges. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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PROJECT 3

THE MISSION Explore how to get into close-up photography without using a macro lens Time needed 30 minutes Skill level Beginner Kit needed • Kit lens • Various macro accessories

Macro on a budget Dan Mold shows you how you can dive into the fascinating miniature world of macro photography without breaking the bank lose-up photography, also referred to as ‘macro’ is where a lens has the ability to focus much closer to a subject than with a standard lens. This makes it possible to JHW IUDPH ÀOOLQJ VKRWV IXOO of tiny intricate details. While macro photography opens up a whole new world of miniature details and creative potential, it’s synonymous with

expensive, dedicated macro lenses. These optics are undeniably the way to go if you want to take macro images with your Canon kit regularly due to their build quality, autofocusing and sometimes including image stabilization too. But this does come at a cost, even with entrylevel macro optics at £350. That’s a large amount of money to splash for a niche genre of photography that you may not

even want to pursue, so in this project we’ve outlined four ways you can go macro with the strictest of budgets – some of our hacks don’t cost a penny! Try them out to get your FUHDWLYH PDFUR MXLFHV ÁRZLQJ If you decide you want to take it more seriously, check out our tips on what to look for in a dedicated macro lens with our list of features you need to look out for. Let’s take a closer look…

BUYERS’ GUIDE TO MACRO LENSES What to look for in a dedicated macro lens for your Canon camera

If you want to take your macro photography to the next level it’d be worth investing in a slider rail. Velbon’s Super Mag Slider (above) allows you to keep your desired reproduction ratio and focus distance window by sliding the lens and camera forward or backwards while locked off on a tripod, until your subject comes into sharp focus. A focus rail is essential for precise macro shots and if you intent to focus stack your images – a technique where you take multiple images all of the various parts of the subject in sharp focus, then merge them together on your computer to achieve a totally sharp image.

01 1:1 REPRODUCTION RATIO

02 LARGE MANUAL FOCUS RING

A ‘true’ macro lens will have the ability to focus with a reproduction ratio of 1:1. This allows you to capture subjects at lifesize – the same size as if it were laid across your camera’s sensor.

Even the slightest focus adjustment will make a big difference when shooting close-ups, so look for a macro lens with a large focus ring, so you can make your tiny focus tweaks with ease.

03 FOCUS DISTANCE WINDOW

04 IMAGE STABILIZATION

This is a handy feature to have that clearly shows you on the top of the lens barrel where the focus is currently set. It also makes it easy to prefocus when aiming for speciﬁc distances.

Camera-shake becomes much more apparent when shooting super close to your subject, so look for a lens with an image stabilization system that will counter your movement when shooting hand-held. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Getty/MirageC

DON’T GO OFF THE RAILS!

MACRO ON A BUDGET

The Canon Magazine

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PROJECT 3

IDEA 1 SHOOT THROUGH YOUR LENS BACKWARDS Take a standard lens, such as a 50mm f/1.8, off of your camera’s lens mount and turn it around 180 degrees to shoot through it the ‘wrong’ way. By doing this you’ll be able to focus much closer to capture macro images. This is a very rudimental way of shooting macro images, but providing you have a standard lens it doesn’t cost anything! As you’re not using the connections of the lens it can be beneficial to use an old film prime lens that has an aperture ring so you have more control over depth of field. It’s also worth splashing out on a reversing ring to fit the front filter thread of your lens as this will free up your hands.

IDEA 2 USE EXTENSION TUBES FOR MACRO RESULTS Extension tubes sit between a standard lens, such as a 50mm f/1.8, and your camera body. The larger the gap between the lens and camera body, the higher the magniﬁcation you’ll be able to achieve. There are two types of extension tubes, automatic and manual tubes. The latter are the more affordable choice as you’ll have to shoot in Manual mode, while automatic tubes have connections, so you can still adjust your exposure parameters and continue using Aperture Priority mode. SRB Photographic stock both, with prices starting at £17.50 for a set of Canon EOS Manual Tubes, though you can also pick up Kenko tubes for £130 or a Canon EF 25 II extension tube for £123. www.srb-photographic.co.uk

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MACRO ON A BUDGET

USE STEPPING RINGS TO SAVE MONEY

IDEA 3 ADD MAGNIFICATION TO STANDARD LENSES A magnifying glass uses convex glass elements to enlarge whatever it’s pointed at and you can get a similar device to screw into the front filter thread of any standard lenses, such as a kit lens or 50mm, reducing the minimum focus distance and enabling them to take macro pictures. These devices are called close-up filters and usually come in different strengths, enabling you to fine-tune how macro you want to go. Close-up filters from www.srb-photographic.co.uk start at £19.95 for a set of four close up filters to fit lenses with a filter thread of 52mm – this is usually stated on the lens barrel or on the inside of your lens cap.

Anytime you use a screw-in filter it can be a good idea to get the one that fits your lens with the largest filter thread – you can then buy cheap step down rings that adapt the filter to work with your other lenses. This is a much cheaper method than splashing out on specific filters for every single lens in your bag with differing filter threads. We were able to find step up adapters for the most common sizes for around £3 on www.ebay.co.uk.

IDEA 4 GIVE YOUR PHONE MACRO FUNCTIONALITY Our smartphones are the cameras that we carry with us pretty much all of the time, so why not take macro photos on it too? Manufacturers like Olloclip make such a device that magnifies your phone’s camera so you can shoot macro, though these can be quite pricey, costing around £100. You’ll need to carefully remove the lens from a CD or DVD drive, or even a laser pen – available for less than £5 on www.ebay.co.uk. Now use a hair clip to hold it in place (you may need to bend the clip a little to get it to sit nicely). Then tape the clip to the back of your phone, so it sits flush with the camera lens and give it a quick wipe to remove any unwanted fingerprints. The Canon Magazine

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PROJECT 4

THE MISSION Create a vintage soft focus effect Time needed 10 minutes Skill level Beginner Kit needed â&#x20AC;˘ Kit lens â&#x20AC;˘ Vaseline â&#x20AC;˘ UV ďŹ lter

Get a dreamy soft focus effect Dan Mold shows you how applying Vaseline to your lens can produce a defocused look to pull the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye into the heart of your image chieving a soft focused image, where the middle of the shot is pin-sharp and the outer edges are blurred can be achieved easily by loading up the edges of a lens with petroleum jelly. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an old technique but a good one, and still employed even with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern high-resolution digital cameras, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an easy win with eye-catching results. Blur the edges of the frame and the viewer will have no choice but to look directly into your focal point! It just goes to show that image clarity and super sharp lenses arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the be-all and end-all of photography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can get really creative results with blur and a

A TRY IT IN PHOTOSHOP For a mess-free way to soft focused images, open your shot into Photoshop and hit Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate the layer. Now go to Filter> Blur>Lens Blur then drag the Radius slider until the edges are blurred to your desired effect and hit OK. Now use a soft Eraser Brush to paint over the middle of the shot, revealing the sharp layer below.

lack of clarity too! Now while thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing stopping you from applying the Vaseline to your lens you may want to think twice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the easiest substance to remove once applied. Instead, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be XVLQJ D 89 Ă&#x20AC;OWHU ZKLFK FXWV RXU ultraviolet light, and as there is DOUHDG\ D 89 Ă&#x20AC;OWHU VLWWLQJ RQ WRS RI your cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sensor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the effects RI WKHVH Ă&#x20AC;OWHUV DUH SUHWW\ KDUG WR spot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and are most-commonly used because they are an affordable way of protecting the front element of your lens and cutting down on haze a little bit when shooting outdoors. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much more cost-effective to replace a EURNHQ 89 Ă&#x20AC;OWHU LI \RX NQRFN LW than send your lens off for a front element replacement.

:H XVHG D PP 89 Ă&#x20AC;OWHU IURP SRB-photographic.co.uk, which FRVW MXVW Â&#x2026; DQG Ă&#x20AC;W WKH &DQRQ EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens perfectly. Discover how you can replicate the soft focus results with this fun in-camera effect by following the six bite-size steps below. Ready to get creative with blurring? Then letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get to it!

BEFORE

STEP BY STEP ACHIEVE THAT VINTAGE LOOK Apply vaseline to a cheap UV ďŹ lter to get a beautiful soft focus effect in-camera

01 FIND THE FILTER THREAD

02 ATTACH YOUR UV FILTER

03 APPLY THE VASELINE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not wise to smear the Vaseline directly onto pricey lenses, so instead youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need a cheap UV ďŹ lter to attach instead. To ďŹ nd out which size ďŹ lter will ďŹ t your lens look on the lens barrel or inside the lens cap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on this kit lens itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 58mm.

With the right UV ďŹ lter to hand, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to screw it on to the front ďŹ lter thread of your lens, though if you see any dust on the ďŹ lter or lens itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to blast these off with a handheld air pump or lens brush, then carefully screw it on so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on tightly.

Apply a donut shaped layer of Vaseline around the edge of the ďŹ lter, ensuring that the centre isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touched to make this area pin-sharp. Start off small, you can always add more petroleum jelly as you go to build it up and get a stronger blurring effect.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BEAUTIFULLY BLURRED

AFTER

QUICK TIP! Keep an old spare UV filter in your kit bag that you can use when you want to try this out to stop your pricey filters getting messy

04 DIAL IN THE RIGHT SETTINGS

05 COMPOSE AND FOCUS

06 CLEAN THE FILTER AFTERWARDS

Making sure you have clean hands, go into your Canon camera’s Aperture Priority (Av) Mode and dial in an ISO of 100 and aperture of your choosing – a wider aperture will give you more blur. Then set up on a tripod and activate the 2 sec Self-timer mode to avoid camera-shake.

Place your active AF point over the part of the image you want to focus on, such as the building in our shot. Then half-press the shutter to focus and then switch over to Manual Focus to lock the focus in place. Now you can take your shot and decide if more or less Vaseline is required.

When you’re all done taking your blurry Vaseline images you’ll need to clean the ﬁlter before putting it back in your bag – you don’t want this getting all over your pricey optics. So wipe it off with an old microﬁber cloth and use some glass cleaner to remove all of the residue.

The Canon Magazine

VIDEO ALSO ONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_161_5

IDEO VIEW THE V

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS

BEFORE

AFTER THE MISSION Add extra snow to your winter pictures to make them look more dramatic Time needed 20 minutes Skill level Beginner Kit needed Photoshop Elements

DOWNLOAD PROJECT FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM: http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/pp161.zip

Make it snow! Dan Mold shows you how to use your free Snow Brush to add snowfall to your images in Photoshop Elements after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken the shot f I said winter youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probably think about shorter days, longer nights, a sharp drop in temperature and, of course, Ă XII\ ZKLWH VQRZ WKDW FRDWV landscapes and makes for a white festive season (if you get super lucky). However, depending on where you live, a snowy spell is not always a guaranteed, so this month Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to reveal an easy way to add snow to your winter images. And on top of all this, the technique works in both Photoshop CC, and the budget

Photoshop Elements, which is what we used for this project. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need a wintery image, or you can use the Climber.jpg start shot featured here to try it out Â˛ \RXÂˇOO Ă&#x20AC;QG LW LQ WKH 5HVRXUFHV folder on your disc or download. Whichever image you decide to try it out on, the effect will look its best if the scene looks wintry from the start, even our start image has some snow on the mountains already, but there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any falling in the air. So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve brushed in some extra snow to make the landscape look more dramatic. It also gives you full control over

where you want the snow to DSSHDU LQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;QDO SURGXFW Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need the Snow %UXVK ZKLFK \RXÂˇOO Ă&#x20AC;QG LQ WKH 5HVRXUFHV IROGHU ,WÂˇV D IUHH EUXVK compatible with Photoshop that makes it a breeze to paint snow into your shots. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a few tricks youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn along the way, like customizing the brush settings and applying different levels of blur to the snow to make it look slightly out of focus. This adds a bit of motion to them and gives the impression that the snow is falling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adding to the realism. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how you can pull it off. www.digitalcameraworld.com

DIGITAL SNOW

STEP BY STEP WHIP UP A BLIZZARD IN PHOTOSHOP Use your free Photoshop Snow Brush ﬁle to paint snow onto your scenes

QUICK TIP! 01 LOAD UP YOUR FREE SNOW BRUSH

02 RANDOMIZE HOW THE BRUSH WORKS

Open the winter scene you’d like to add snow to, then click on the Brush Tool to active it. Click on the Brush list and on the settings button choose Load brushes from the flyout menu. Now find the ‘Snow Brush.abr’ file on your disc or download.

In the tool options bar click on Brush Settings and set Fade, Scatter, Spacing and Roundness to their maximum values by dragging the sliders all the way to the right. This will make sure your snow is painted on in a random way to make it look more natural.

03 PAINT YOUR SNOW ON A NEW LAYER

04 DEFOCUS WITH GAUSSIAN BLUR

To avoid painting directly onto your image go to Layer>New Layer to create a new layer for paint on – you’ll ﬁnd this in the Layers panel (Window>Layers). Now set the foreground colour to white and resize with the [ and ] keys and paint snow over the top.

The snow will look more realistic if it’s blurred a little, so go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur, in the panel that appears choose a small value around 5px, just to make the blur look slightly out of focus and hit OK to make the change.

05 ADD MOVEMENT WITH MOTION BLUR

06 REPEAT TO BUILD UP THE EFFECT

Now we need to add a little directional blur, so go to Filter>Blur and this time choose Motion Blur from the list. In the panel that appears, set the Angle to change the direction the motion is applied, and the Distance to set how strong the effect is and hit OK.

Finally, you need to repeat the whole process making new layers with different sizes of snow on each layer to give the shot some depth. If snow appears over an area you don’t want it to, you can brush over it with a soft Eraser Tool to remove it.

The Canon Magazine

Change the Brush Rotation regularly to randomize the way the ‘snow’ is painted on to your scene to make it look a bit more realistic

NEXT MONTH FANTASY FRUIT COMBO’S 61

VIDEO ALSO ONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_161_6

IDEO VIEW THE V

PHOTOSHOP CC

THE MISSION Blend textures with portraits in Photoshop layers Time needed 30 minutes Skill level Beginner Kit needed Photoshop CC

Get creative with blendi modes James Paterson utilizes one of Photoshop’s simplest features and opens the door to all kinds of effects ne of the easiest ways to get creative with your photos in Photoshop is by combining images using blend modes. After copying one image – or part of it – onto another, the elements will appear on separate layers in Photoshop. Then all you have to do is experiment with blend modes to combine the two layers in a host of different ways. There are 27 blend modes to choose from, and each works by

O DOWNLOAD PROJECT FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM: http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/pp161.zip

employing a different algorithm to the pixels in your image. For instance, the Multiply blend mode works by multiplying the RGB values of each pixel on the blend layer (the currently selected layer) with those of the adjacent pixels on the layers below. If you like, you can delve into WKH 3KRWRVKRS KHOS SDJHV WR ÀQG more information about the algorithms behind each blend mode. Having said that, it’s more fun to experiment with the different modes and see how they

affect your blend of images. Here we’ve used an array of different images to create our textured portrait effect (these were downloaded from pixabay.com, search for images 21799, 2719560 and 671630). Once copied in to our portrait, we change the blend mode to merge the texture with the portrait below. We can go on WR ÀQH WXQH WKH ORRN E\ ORZHULQJ the layer opacity, resizing and repositioning the layer, or adding D OD\HU PDVN WR FRQWURO KRZ LW plays over the image. www.digitalcameraworld.com

BLEND MODE TIPS & TRICKS

STEP BY STEP BLEND MODE EFFECTS MADE EASY Combine images with ease using layer blending modes and create a textured portrait effect

QUICK TIP!

01 PREPARE THE PORTRAIT

02 BLEND A CRACK TEXTURE

Open our blend_modes.jpg into Photoshop, then go to Filter>Camera Raw Filter. In the Proﬁle Browser choose the Vintage07 proﬁle, then increase Amount and drag Temperature and Tint to the right. Drop Saturation to -60 and Exposure to -0.45. Press OK.

Download images 21799, 2719560 and 671630 from pixabay.com. Open the 21799 image and use the Move tool to drag it into the portrait. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T to resize. Go to the Layers panel, click the blend mode dropdown at the top and choose Soft Light.

When painting on a layer mask don’t just stick to a circular brush, experiment with different brush tips to poke odd holes in the layer

THE BEST BLEND MODES

03 PAINT A MASK

04 BLEND MORE TEXTURES

Lower the layer opacity to about 50% to tone down the effect. Next, click the Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel, then grab the Brush tool. Using a large soft brush, paint with black over the face to soften the cracks, so they are less uniform over the face.

Open image 2719560 from pixabay.com, copy it in and change the blend mode to Soft Light (or try other blend modes for different effects). Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T and adjust the sizing and position of the layer to ﬁnd the best blend of colours for the image.

05 MASK THE TEXT

06 ALTER THE CONTRAST

Open image 671630 of the newspaper then use the Move tool to drag it in to the main image. Position the layer, set the blend mode to Overlay and lower the opacity to 40%. Add a mask and paint black to hide parts of the layer so the text effect is more broken up.

Click the Create Adjustment Layer icon and use Curves. Drag the bottom of the curve up and the top part downwards to reduce contrast. Click the RGB dropdown and pick Blue, then ﬂatten out the diagonal line by lifting the bottom left and dropping the top right.

The Canon Magazine

It’s not always clear which blend mode will work best for your chosen images, so it’s worth cycling through them (use Shift plus/minus to go through the list). However, there are some modes that regularly come up with the goods, especially when mixing textures with images like this. The Overlay and Soft Light blend modes can work well, as can the Multiply and Screen modes. Lighten and Darken are useful for mixing dark images with lighter ones, or vice-versa.

NEXT MONTH REVEAL HIDDEN DETAILS 63

AFTER THE MISSION Fix grainy noise in high-ISO images with AfďŹ nity Photo Time needed 10 minutes Skill level Beginner Kit needed AfďŹ nity Photo

Fix noise in AfďŹ nity Photo

BEFORE

James Paterson gets his hands dirty with AfďŹ nity Photoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Denoise tool to clean up unsightly high-noise images hen shooting in low light you might need to increase your ISO to get an acceptable exposure. But this is to the detriment of image quality, resulting in grainy noise. Luckily, modern Nikons are performing better and better in low light. Imaging software is improving too, as recent tweaks to $IĂ&#x20AC;QLW\ 3KRWRÂˇV GHPRVDLFLQJ DQG noise algorithms demonstrates. With simple controls and good UHVXOWV $IĂ&#x20AC;QLW\ÂˇV 'HQRLVH command can improve even

W DOWNLOAD PROJECT FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM: http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/pp161.zip

terribly noisy photos, like this low-light portrait, which was shot at ISO22,800. However, the inevitable problem with noise reduction is a loss of detail. The command works by blurring out the grainy noise in the image, but by nature WKLV KDV DQ HIIHFW RQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;QH GHWDLOV LQ WKH VXEMHFW ,WÂˇV especially apparent with high ISO images like this, and even more obvious when the backdrop beyond the subject is blurred RXW DV LW LV KHUH ,WÂˇV D FRQXQGUXP we want to apply stronger noise

reduction in the blurry areas ZKHUH D ORVV RI GHWDLO GRHVQÂˇW matter, but we want to retain detail in the subject. The solution is to apply two GLIIHUHQW 'HQRLVH VHWWLQJV WR WZR separate versions of the image â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one for the backdrop, the other for the subject. This way we can match the amount of correction to the level of detail across the shot. We achieve this by using a layer mask to control what is visible or KLGGHQ RQ RQH RI RXU WZR 'HQRLVH layers, allowing the other layer to show through underneath. www.digitalcameraworld.com

IDEO VIEW THE V

AFFINITY NOISE FIXES

VIDEO ALSO ONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_161_7 AFFINITY PHOTO

STEP BY STEP REDUCE AND REMOVE UNWANTED NOISE Follow these steps to remove ghastly noise from grainy low-light images

QUICK TIP! 01 DUPLICATE THE LAYER

02 ZOOM TO ACTUAL PIXELS

Open the shot in Afﬁnity and head to Photo Persona (if you open a Raw you can apply noise reduction in the Develop Persona’s Detail panel). Duplicate the ‘Background’ with Cmd/Ctrl+J to make a copy, add noise reduction to this layer to keep it non-destructive.

It’s best to judge noise reduction settings at pixel view, so grab the Zoom tool, then right-click over the image and choose 100%. Our image was very noisy as it was shot at ISO22,800. Go to Filter>Noise>Denoise. Begin adjusting the Luminance slider to ﬁx the grainy noise.

03 FIX THE NOISE

04 SELECT THE SUBJECT

Setting Luminance to about 50% ﬁxes the noise in the dark background, but at the cost of detail. Increasing the Luminance Detail slider can help to combat this, but it can also introduce artefacts into the softer areas. Instead we’ll mask out the noise reduction.

Set the Luminance to 50% and Luminance Detail to 20. Zoom out and grab the Selection Brush tool. Paint over the subject to select her, then click the Reﬁne button and increase Border Width to 35% to improve the selection. Set Output: Mask and click Apply.

05 INVERT THE MASK

06 MAKE A SUBTLE FIX

Go to the Layers panel, highlight the mask thumbnail on the top layer, then go to Layer>Invert, this hides the effects of the noise reduction on the subject, so it only appears over the blurry backdrop. Then highlight the ‘Background’ layer and duplicate with Cmd/Ctrl+J.

Highlight the middle layer, then go to Filter>Noise> Denoise. Apply more noise reduction – Luminance 20%, Luminance Detail 70%. Finally you can paint in stronger noise reduction over the smooth areas of the subject – highlight the layer mask and paint white.

The Canon Magazine

Denoise can be applied as a Live Filter (go to Layer>New Live Filter) but it won’t act as strongly as if applying the noise correction directly to a pixel layer.

NEXT MONTH IMPROVE LANDSCAPES 65

THEPROINTERVIEW

01 PARTY LIFE

A Louis Vuitton fashion shoot, photographed exclusively for the Japanese style magazine Commons & Sense Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/5, ISO1600

www.digitalcameraworld.com

WANDA MARTIN

Hungary is a nation synonymous with great photographers and Wanda Martin is the latest name to emerge from that artistic pedigree. Now based in London, she tells Keith Wilson why she feels more at home here than in Budapest… IKIPEDIA will tell you that Broadway Market is “an east London street running from London Fields to the Regent’s Canal in the London Borough of Hackney.” But, to the trendsetters working a stone’s throw away in Shoreditch, Broadway Market is a lot more than that. According to fashion and music photographer Wanda Martin, the café we meet in is, “in the middle of the hipster area, so they’re bound to have oat milk”. Being twice the age of the average clientele and without a beard, I feel out of my comfort zone. Wanda on the other hand, with her bright red lipstick, arched eyebrows and dark shoulder length hair, looks as comfortable as a lioness surveying her domain. She greets me with a radiant smile that stays in place for nearly the entire length of our KRXU ORQJ LQWHUYLHZ ÀOOHG ZLWK LQIHFWLRXV chatter, poignant stories and bursts of ODXJKWHU RYHU FRSLRXV FXSV RI ÁDW ZKLWH coffee. Served with oat milk…

Tell me about your background. You’re from Hungary and your dad was a photographer… That’s right. My dad lives in the countryside of Hungary and he was WKH RQH WKDW ÀUVW WDXJKW PH +H·V VWLOO doing photography. Growing up, I was interested in art history because we have VRPH ÀOP GLUHFWRUV LQ WKH IDPLO\ DQG theatre directors and a sculptor, so I grew up with art from day one. My dad didn’t The Canon Magazine

THEPROINTERVIEW 02 GOING AWAY

From fashion cover story, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We gotta get out of this placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, shot for The Impression Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/320 sec, f/4, ISO200

03 FOUR WOMEN

A modern take on vintage in this Burberry fashion exclusive shot for Commons & Sense Lens

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO1250

04 TONGUE & GROOVE

Wanda prefers to shoot with natural light like in this fashion shot of model Anastasia Ivanova for Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flair Magazine Lens

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO400

want me to be a photographer because I always got good grades at school. He wanted me to do something more Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDOO\ VWDEOH DQG QRUPDO Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all heard that! Exactly. Then art happened and I started SDLQWLQJ Ă&#x20AC;UVW DQG P\ LPDJHV DUH LQVSLUHG by paintings. Even in my fashion work Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m inspired by paintings, especially from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Was it your dad that gave you \RXU Ă&#x20AC;UVW FDPHUD EDFN WKHQ" <HV 7KH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SLFWXUHV , WRRN ZHUH RI WKLQJV OLNH UDLQGURSV RQ Ă RZHUV WKDW VRUW of thing. My Mum and I went travelling a lot, so the camera would come with me. Then I started taking pictures of myself, self-portraits, when I was around 16. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m from this little town in southeast Hungary, near the Romanian border, and I started photographing my girlfriends, because they all wanted pretty pictures of themselves and there was already a fashion element to it, even back then.

which gave me opportunity to work with emerging fashion designers in Hungary.

:KDW EURXJKW \RX WR /RQGRQ" It was in year three at university and I 'LG \RX Ă&#x20AC;QG IDVKLRQ SKRWRJUDSK\ TXLWH D QDWXUDO WKLQJ WR PRYH LQWR" had this chance to apply for the Erasmus Mundus Masters Degree, a European Yes, even though my dad started out scholarship, and my dream was to live in doing photo journalism, later he started London, even though I had never been doing advertising and fashion and was here before that. doing really well in Hungary. When I went to university, I moved to Budapest Why London and not another west DQG VWXGLHG Ă&#x20AC;QH DUW DQG FRQFHSWXDO (XURSHDQ FLW\ OLNH 3DULV RU 0LODQ" SKRWRJUDSK\ , ZDV DQG P\ Ă&#x20AC;UVW Ă DW mate there was a fashion designer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First of all, it was the literature that I liked, the BrontĂŤ sisters and Jane Austen KRZ , Ă&#x20AC;UVW JRW LQYROYHG Â´2K \RX KDYH D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the romantic writers. Then, later, I got nice camera, would you like to take involved with the rock and roll music some pictures of my collection?â&#x20AC;? And scene and punk culture was centred eventually, I just got more and more commissions from Hungarian magazines, RQ /RQGRQ 6R DV VRRQ DV , Ă&#x20AC;QLVKHG

university in Hungary in 2014 I started on the Masters Fashion Photography course in London. Then I graduated and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been freelancing ever since. You have built up an impressive list of clients and brands quickly; \RX PXVW EH YHU\ EXV\" Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working constantly, even when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not everything inspires me. Whether Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m walking in the street, or when I go out. I shoot on 35mm when I go to gigs DQG DOZD\V KDYH WKLV PP Ă&#x20AC;OP FDPHUD with me and just take pictures. All my other work is on digital cameras, but VRPH SHUVRQDO SURMHFWV , VKRRW RQ Ă&#x20AC;OP Film is having a renaissance with some professionals, as well as www.digitalcameraworld.com

WANDA MARTIN

students, who love seeing the printed image appear in the trayâ&#x20AC;Ś Yes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful. My dad recently started rediscovering his archive from the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s and â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, when he was shooting his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nights outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Eventually, we just started to putting our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nights outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pictures next to each other and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very interesting. Sometimes you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really tell which one was taken in 2018 London or 1970s socialist Hungary. We are planning to have an exhibition sometime. London and Budapest. I have an agent in Paris and they have a gallery as well, so it could be a travelling exhibition.

The Canon Magazine

Some of your images are in a studio, others are outdoors on ORFDWLRQ Â˛ KRZ GR \RX VWDUW" When itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial work I shoot in studio and in the last few years I had to learn how to use studio lights. When it comes to a fashion, editorial or personal work I prefer shooting on location, especially in old Victorian houses. It all starts with the backgrounds, so the casting and locations are important to me. I prefer using natural light because of the painterly element â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you look at the old masters thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the window at the side and natural light coming in from the side â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what inspires me visually.

It all starts with the backgrounds, so the casting and locations are very important to me :KLFK FDPHUD GR \RX XVH" )RU HLJKW \HDUV , ZDV XVLQJ D &DQRQ (26 5D Mark II. I love that camera because we went through so many things together, so many adventures. But six months ago , VWDUWHG XVLQJ DQ (26 ' ; 0N ,, DQG LWÂˇV made my life much easier. :K\ LV WKDW" Especially when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m using natural light in England the weather can be quite gloomy and grey, so we have less light to work ZLWK EXW ZLWK WKH ' ; 0N ,, VRPHWLPHV , JR XS WR PRUH WKDQ ,62 DQG LWÂˇV VWLOO perfect. I like the grainy, noisiness EHFDXVH WKHUHÂˇV D Ă&#x20AC;OPLF HOHPHQW WR LW OLNH ZKHQ ,ÂˇP VKRRWLQJ ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;OP %XW IRU a commercial shoot you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be that artistic, because the client wants to see WKH SURGXFW Ă&#x20AC;UVW VR ZHÂˇUH VKRRWLQJ ZLWK DUWLĂ&#x20AC;FLDO OLJKW DQG LQ D VWXGLR 9LVXDOO\ paintings inspire me but theme-wise Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m

THEPROINTERVIEW 05 DREAMERS

Rock and roll, youth and sub-cultures are a major thematic inďŹ&#x201A;uence in Wandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion photography Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO3200

06 LOVERS

From a series focusing on couples, shot for Wandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masters in fashion photography and ďŹ rst published in Dazed Digital Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO2000

07 PORTRAIT OF MATTHEW

Model Matthew Roberts was the subject for a series, Young Blood, for Hunger TV Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/22, ISO100

interested in youth cultures, sub-cultures, rock and roll. Even though Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing fashion for six years now, the music element is still very important to me. Since coming to London who KDYH EHHQ \RXU LQĂ XHQFHV" I was assisting a photographer, Ruth +RJEHQ IRU VL[ PRQWKV 6KH ZDV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW assistant for Nick Knight for a while, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think assisting is as key as it used to be, because now with social media you can advertise yourself, so I never assisted apart from that. There are many other SKRWRJUDSKHUV ZKR , DGPLUH LQ IDVKLRQ I really like Tim Walker, but everyone does â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bit of a clichĂŠ, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a JHQLXV :KHQ LW FRPHV WR GRFXPHQWDU\ SKRWRJUDSK\ DQG Ă&#x20AC;OP PDNLQJ , XVHG WR EH obsessed with Larry Clark. I like people who are photographing their friends, or an intimate circle, like Nan Goldin. Shooting an intimate circle of friends is something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve doneâ&#x20AC;Ś <HV :KHQ , ZDV ZRUNLQJ RQ P\ Ă&#x20AC;QDO Masters project, even though it was fashion photography, it was conceptual and I ended up photographing couples.

I took some photographs of people I barely knew, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a bit of tension when you say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go to the bedroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 70

:KDW ZDV LW FDOOHG" It was called Lovers. I was shooting gay couples, straight couples, lesbian couples, basically through my friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; groups, so they would let me in to their intimate zones â&#x20AC;&#x201C; into their bedrooms. It must be a tough brief â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a lot of trust being placed on youâ&#x20AC;Ś Exactly. There were some strangers, but the more successful images were the ones where I really knew the people. I took some photographs of people I barely knew, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a bit of tension when you say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go to the bedroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. You have also photographed the dancer Sergei Polunin, who is renowned for being unpredictable

DQG GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR ZRUN ZLWK +RZ GLG \RX Ă&#x20AC;QG KLP" I have to admit that, at the time, I had no LGHD ZKR 6HUJHL 3ROXQLQ ZDV Was that an advantage when it FDPH WR SKRWRJUDSKLQJ KLP" <HDK ,ÂˇG QHYHU VKRW D GDQFHU EHIRUH VR , WKRXJKW ÂśOHWÂˇV *RRJOH KLP DQG Ă&#x20AC;QG RXW who he isâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. That was the year there was a documentary coming out about him, but I decided not to watch it before the shoot, because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get star-struck or distracted. The make-up and styling team, they ZHUH JRLQJ Âś7KDWÂˇV DPD]LQJ <RX NQRZ heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the bad boy of the Royal Ballet and he does whatever he wants.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Luckily, because I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know of him I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel intimidated. I liked all these stories, www.digitalcameraworld.com

WANDA MARTIN STORY BEHIND THE SHOT

FASHION IMITATING ART IMITATING LIFE On a recent fashion shoot Wanda and her model found their inspiration in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art galleriesâ&#x20AC;Ś

because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m into rock and roll and he has a rock star attitude. So I thought he was the perfect person for me to photograph. He was one and a half hours lateâ&#x20AC;Ś Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty good for a rock star! I once photographed a band, with seven people in it, an English punk band called Fat White Family, and I shot them for i-D. 2QH RI WKH ER\V VKRZHG XS RQ WLPH RQH was running an hour late, one was running two hours late, one of them was WKUHH DQG D KDOI KRXUV ODWH ,Q WKH HQG they all made it, but I ended up having time for only one group shot. Sergei arrived and he was professional and not shy, although he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t talk much, but he was nice and I was surprised because I was expecting something else. The Canon Magazine

In the shots you can see heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bad boy because heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stripped to the waist baring all his tattoos â&#x20AC;Ś And back then he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have the KHDG RI 3XWLQ RQ KLV FKHVW Oh, so he has Vladimir Putin WDWWRRHG RQ KLV FKHVW QRZ" Yeah. Back then he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, luckily. We had a stylist on set and I asked him, , GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ ZDQW WR VHH KLV EDUH FKHVW DQG so he was half naked â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind one bit. In the video I made about him he was dancing and taking the clothes off, just moving. Beautiful. When you shoot your videos are you using a different system, or is LW VWLOO ZLWK &DQRQ"

Working for Numero Russia magazine, Wanda and her model, Yumi Lambert, had to work quickly to get a portfolio of photos directly in front of large portraits during visiting hours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were shooting at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain,â&#x20AC;? she recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I got permission, but I had to be quick because there were still visitors going around. Yumi Lambert is an amazing model and she was imitating the poses on the paintings, 19th century and 18th century paintings, of how women used to be represented. So mocking it a little bit, but giving this twist to show how much has changed.â&#x20AC;? The shoot has prompted Wanda to continue the theme as a personal project, but without ofďŹ cial permission she and her collaborators will have to work â&#x20AC;&#x153;more like a guerrilla wayâ&#x20AC;?. She adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will go to these amazing exhibition spaces, museums and galleries with these modern friends of mine, so a gothic friend can imitate the pose of the Madonna! I will still shoot with my camera, because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m planning on having an exhibition at some point. I imagine lots of massive, glamorous, prints!â&#x20AC;?

THEPROINTERVIEW Instagram is a bit like an online portfolio. So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to keep it professional, posting images most days Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still with the Canon because I consider myself as more of a photographer. When I shot Sergei, I was using the 5D Mark II. A lot of photographers still struggle with combining both; for many itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one or the otherâ&#x20AC;Ś ,WÂˇV D WRWDOO\ GLIIHUHQW DSSURDFK 2I FRXUVH photography is about stills, but sometimes I have a separate person doing video. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not a control freak, but I just prefer doing it myself, especially the editing, because even when you have bad footage, editing can save the video. Commercial work can and you see something really quick be tricky, because they usually have close-up, so I always use zoom lenses. someone else doing the retouching and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like letting others do it. You would go to the long end of WKH PP RU WKH PP HYHQ" When you shoot video, which Exactly. I always have two cameras with OHQV GR \RX XVH" ,V LW D ]RRP" PH , XVH WKH ' ; 0DUN ,, DV P\ PDLQ <HDK GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ , XVHG WR ZRUN ZLWK WKH camera and the 5D Mark II on the side. 24-105mm and now I have the 24-70mm f/2.8, so that helps when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on location. Some of your shots have a blurry HIIHFW KRZ GR \RX GR WKDW" When you shoot someone like , SXW VRPH 9DVHOLQH RQ D Ă&#x20AC;OWHU DQG SXW Sergei, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the lens you prefer that on the lens. So, I do some images for ZKHQ ZRUNLQJ LQ WKH VWXGLR" , KDYH VRPH Ă&#x20AC;[HG OHQVHV EXW , WHQG WR XVH the client to be happy and then I do some artistic ones with the blurry effect. the zoom lens because I like wide-angle. It gives some distortion to the image Do the ideas or themes behind which has an unusual touch to it, but \RXU SHUVRQDO SURMHFWV LQĂ XHQFH on the other hand sometimes with \RXU FRPPHUFLDO ZRUN" portraiture you need some close-ups

Yes, because the same things inspire me in my personal projects and the fashion work. When it comes to a fashion shoot, in terms of casting Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m inspired by youth culture, rock and roll culture, sub-cultures, gender studies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all these questions about identity. These are things that interested me when I was working on projects, such as Lovers. Hungary is a very conservative place, especially in the countryside. When I moved to Budapest at 18 and got involved with this artistic community and music scene, I had friends who were gay and it was incredibly unusual for me. As such, it was important for me to talk about it in my personal work, in Lovers for example again, and just celebrate love regardless of the genders.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

WANDA MARTIN 08 SERGEI SLEEPING

Wanda had no knowledge of dancer Sergei Polunin when she was commissioned to shoot him for Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SNC Magazine Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO2000

09 SERGEI RECLINING

Since this image was taken, Sergei Polunin has had the face of Russian president Vladimir Putin tattooed on his chest Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO2000

10 SERGEI DANCING

A sequence that Wanda repeated on video: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was just dancing and taking the clothes off, just moving. Beautifulâ&#x20AC;? Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Exposure

1/100 sec, f/11, ISO1250

PROFILE

WANDA MARTIN

Fashion and music photographer 09

Social media is arguably the biggest change in photography in the past decade. How do you usually use social media for your GD\ WR GD\ ZRUNLQJ" Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the most important elements in a photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. Instagram is my main platform. I use Facebook as well, but mainly for personal use. Even though I have my website, Instagram is a bit like an online portfolio. So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to keep it professional, posting images most days. I have to put a lot of work into that with captions and hashtags. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also important that people can match an image with whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behind the camera, so I post a lot of behind the scenes material, not just beautiful pictures. I get most of my work from people contacting me through Instagram DQG \RX FDQ Ă&#x20AC;QG RWKHU DPD]LQJ FUHDWLYHV to collaborate with, like stylists, make-up artists, models and artists. Even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an emerging photographer you can The Canon Magazine

showcase your work and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily need an agent now, you can reach so many magazines, and clients FDQ Ă&#x20AC;QG \RX DOO WKURXJK VRFLDO PHGLD Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the best piece of advice that has helped your FDUHHU DV D SKRWRJUDSKHU" Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so many talented photographers out there and if I have to give advice to someone just starting out, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be shy. You have to put yourself and your work out there. You have to be persistent and introduce yourself to people and send out emails constantly. Even if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a response you have to send another email. You have WR EH FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQW DQG QRW EH SXW RII E\ UHMHFWLRQ DQG LI \RX GRQÂˇW IHHO FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQW you just have to take on that role. Even though Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very sociable, I get very shy when it comes to important people who I know I have to get up and talk to, but I do it anyway.

Wanda Martin is from a family of Hungarian artists and photographers. After gaining a BA in photography at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest in 2014, she came to London to complete her MA in fashion photography. Since then, Wanda has worked for many of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading fashion brands including Dior and Burberry. Her editorial clients include Vogue Italia, i-D, Numero Russia, Dazed Digital, Glamour Spain and Wonderland. Wanda is the art director of the LA-based menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion and music title Foxes Magazine. She also shoots fashion videos for Foxes as well as Britsh GQ, Wonderland, Coitus and other titles. Her work has been exhibited in London, Budapest, LA and Luxembourg and she is represented by The Art Board, Paris. www.wanda-martin.com

Next issue: Lyndsey Goddard, wedding photographer and Canon Ambassador.

PHOTOSTORIES Photo essays from PhotoPlus readers and professional photographers alike

JOIN IN THE FUN! One of the great things about photography is being able to share your view of the world. This month a reader expresses themselves with UV paint and another turns our view upside downâ&#x20AC;Ś We want your photos and stories! For your chance to show off your images in PhotoPlus, send three to ďŹ ve high-resolution JPEGs, along with a brief synopsis â&#x20AC;&#x201C; explain why you took the shots, the location, whether theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of an ongoing project or a one-off shoot, and anything else unusual or interesting. Also include Canon DSLR, lens and exposure details. Email photoplus@futurenet.com

PROJECT INFO

Hidden light Rebecca reveals how she captured other-worldly portraits using UV paint

NAME: Rebecca Redmond

Online www.facebook.com/photoplusmag www.twitter.com/photoplusmag

LOCATION: Liverpool, UK

Post PhotoPlus: The Canon Mag Future, The Ambury Bath BA1 1UA, UK

KIT: Canon EOS 1200D, 1300D, 750D, EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 III and EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

MISSION: Create a series of striking self-portraits using UV paint at home

INSTAGRAM: @visualtheatrics

set myself the challenge of creating some striking selfportraits. To make my photos stand out I decided to experiment with UV paints. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d use these to draw intricate patterns on my face, then illuminate the paint with a blacklight to bring it to life. I took all of the shots from my bedroom â&#x20AC;&#x201C; blocking all of the light with blackout curtains! Applying the makeup can sometimes take a few hours

alone, and I suffer from psoriatic arthritis, Ă&#x20AC;EURP\DOJLD DQG DQN\ORVLQJ spondylitis, so setting up and taking the pictures can take it out of me. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to let that stop me from doing the things I love â&#x20AC;&#x201C; makeup artistry and taking pictures! Photography has been a real game changer for me and my Canon has given me a new lease on life. I wanted to show the world that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need high-end studio equipment to take great shots. www.digitalcameraworld.com

YOUR PHOTO STORIES

03 01 FIREBIRD

Rebecca illustrates her freehand makeup artistry with UV paints Lens

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO400

02 LIPSTICK

Lipstick is used as a prop, for creating striking low-light portraits Lens

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Exposure

1/25 sec, f/5, ISO400

03 ULTRAVIOLET FLOWER

Rebecca demonstrates an excellent bit of fractured symmetry Lens

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Exposure

1/10 sec, f/6.3, ISO800

04 NEON FRACTURE

Fractured lines represents the pain caused by Rebecca’s disability

:KHQ , ÀUVW VWDUWHG WKHUH was a lot of trial and error… I started by shooting on my phone, but now I’m using a SURSHU '6/5 , FDQ IXOÀO P\ creative desires and shoot the portraits I envision. I started with a Canon 1200D, though in hindsight a camera with Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity would have really helped when composing my selfportraits, as this would have allowed me to view the screen remotely. I eventually The Canon Magazine

upgraded to the 1300D, which has these features, and as such composing became much easier after that. I could now focus precisely on my eye using my mobile phone. Although the makeup sometimes takes two hours and lighting another hour, it does take a day with my conditions to recover from doing these images. But when I’m taking pictures I can forget the pain, because it’s a driving force and huge passion.

Lens

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO200

FEEDBACK

as she’s been able to Rebecca’s hard work and dedication has paid off, its that are sure to put together a portfolio of beautiful self-portra her with her turn heads, despite the odds being stacked against as it uses multiple UV conditions. My favourite shot has to be Firebird ition and strong eye colours to pull the eye in, the off-centre compos ecca squeeze more contact also make it arresting. I’d love to see Reb brighter and experiment detail out of the Raws to make them look a bit t striking results. with multiple UV colours as this delivers the mos

PHOTOSTORIES

PROJECT INFO

The upside down Robertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project started three years ago when he ďŹ&#x201A;ipped reďŹ&#x201A;ection images around to make them look like abstract landscapes

NAME: Robert Steemson LOCATION: Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Cheshire MISSION: Explore landscapes through reďŹ&#x201A;ections in water KIT: Canon EOS 70D, Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM INSTAGRAM: @robertsteemson

JRRG UHĂ HFWLRQ can enhance a landscape image, but what if the shot contained RQO\ WKH UHĂ HFWLRQ" This project started three years ago on an autumn photography workshop at Bolton Abbey, where my images included some of the autumn trees UHĂ HFWHG LQ WKH 5LYHU :KDUIH When I showed these to fellow Harrogate Photographic Society members, they suggested inverting the image VR WKH UHĂ HFWLRQ VKRZHG WKH trees as they would have

appeared if I had looked straight ahead. I was sceptical, but tried it and found that the manipulation created an other-worldly image, distorted and enhanced by ripples in the water and by plants and leaves on the water surface â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I really enjoyed the effect! I have now collected a portfolio of these images that I have called 5HĂ HFWHG /DQGVFDSHV and these are some of my favourites. The colour of the water can muddy the hues and the image can lack contrast, so as well as Ă LSSLQJ WKH LPDJH YHUWLFDOO\ , use Lightroomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s White Balance

controls to restore the colour and the Contrast. I also used the Tone Curve controls to add extra contrast. 6RPHWLPHV LWÂˇV WRXJK WR Ă&#x20AC;QG a view that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include vegetation on the bank, which appear to hang down from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the inverted image â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll remove these and other distractions using Photoshop. The main challenge is Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ D VXLWDEOH VWUHWFK RI ZDWHU WR UHĂ HFW WKH ODQGVFDSH There needs to be enough of DQ H[SDQVH RI ZDWHU WR UHĂ HFW a recognizable landscape, ideally with some sky. The www.digitalcameraworld.com

YOUR PHOTO STORIES

01 surface should not be so smooth that the image is identical to the straight forward view, but not so URXJK WKDW WKH UHÁHFWLRQ LV unrecognizable. Water, plants, ÁRDWLQJ OHDYHV DQG SHWDOV FDQ enhance the effect, but vegetation on the bank can get in the way. It’s a question of having the camera ready at

the right time, and whenever I am near a suitable body of water, looking out for the opportunities. It can seem odd to point the camera down whenever I am near water, but my family are used to me wandering off on family days out and I feel the UHVXOW MXVWLÀHV DQ\ SRVVLEOH embarrassment on my part!

01 BOLTON ABBEY

This is one of Robert’s ﬁrst images in this photographic project Lens

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Exposure

1/25 sec, f/5.6, ISO100

02 TATTON PARK GARDENS

Trees reﬂected in a lake and ﬂipped to make an abstract landscape Lens

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Exposure

1/100 sec, f/11, ISO200

03 STUDLEY ROYAL

White petals ﬂoating on the canal in the Studley Royal Water Gardens Lens

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Exposure

1/200 sec, f/5, ISO100

04 RHS HARLOW CARR GARDENS

Here we see Robert using reﬂections of buildings Lens

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

The Canon Magazine

Exposure

1/125 sec, f/9, ISO100

FEEDBACK

at way of getting out Setting yourself a good project to follow is a gre collection of shots and using your camera. It also helps build up a e. We love that Robert that’ll no doubt improve and refine your techniqu eye-catching, with an has found a niche – his flipped reflections are more of a piece of art almost Monet feel to them, it makes the image in the bag it’s worth than a snap. With a collection of shots already shooting at different Robert experimenting with shutter speeds and reflections in there! times of the year, like winter to get some snowy

Professional photographers reveal their top six tools of the trade they couldn’t shoot without

My photography has taken me to all four corners of the globe WHAT DO I DO?

Jeremy Flint Getting paid to travel the world is what many would consider their dream job, Jeremy Flint explains how he turned his dream into an attainable reality have been lucky enough to travel extensively for my photography – I’ve visited all four corners of the globe including, but not limited to, destinations like China, Namibia and the Cook Islands. My work has featured in publications like National Geographic Traveller, EOS magazine, Lonely Planet, The Sunday, Outdoor Photography, This England, Times Travel magazine as well as various national newspapers.

I 78

I love to document the places I visit through a range of subjects from landscapes to people and wildlife. The trips I undertake are usually for assignments or personal trips. I had a wonderful assignment for National Geographic Traveller where I went to Tanzania, having won the grand prize in their annual photography contest. When travelling, nothing beats being on the open road, meeting new people and seeing another way of life that is completely unique and different to my own.

Some of the biggest challenges I’ve overcome along the way include learning what works/doesn’t in a photograph, choosing the right kit for the job and getting the shot, even in adverse conditions. Travel photography is open to the elements and there have been many times where I have missed the shot when the conditions were not right. 0\ &DQRQ NLW KDV GHÀQLWHO\ made my shoots a lot easier, mostly because of how far cameras have advanced since I started. Image quality has also massively improved!

Jeremy Flint www.jeremyﬂintphotography.com I AM a professional photographer specializing in travel, landscape and location photography. My work captures a curiosity for the diversity of people and places from all around the world. I got into the hobby roughly about 13 years ago after having been inspired by some photographs that I saw in a magazine and I haven’t looked back since then. I won the National Geographic Traveller Grand Prize in 2016 and the Association of Photographers Discovery Award in 2017.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

CANON PROS & THEIR KIT IN JEREMY’S BAG

02 03 01

Canon EOS 5DS R

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Gitzo GT 2542 Manfrotto 405 Canon TCLS Systematic Pro Geared 80N3 remote tripod tripod head release cable

WEB: www.canon.co.uk

WEB: www.gitzo.com

WEB: www.manfrotto.co.uk

WEB: www.canon.co.uk

CANON’S EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Mark III is a fantastic piece of kit and a signiﬁcant improvement on the Mark II version with better clarity. This wide angle is a great lens to take on a shoot and performs really well with the Canon 5DS R. I particularly enjoy using it for shooting vast open landscapes and couldn’t be without it when working with architecture. The weather seal is an additional beneﬁt when shooting outdoors.

THIS is my go-to zoom lens for the majority of shoots. It works fantastically in almost any situation and is ideal when shooting in low light, due to its wide f/2.8 maximum aperture. I love the way it performs for my portraits, especially with its ability to blur the background and the attractive bokeh to help my subjects stand out.

GITZO tripods are some of the best tripod’s money can buy. Although they come with a hefty price tag, I believe the extra stability they provide, and strong carbon ﬁbre construction, far outweigh the cost. Travelling a lot, I really appreciate the lighter weight of the GT 2542 LS, the fact it packs down relatively small and is quick to set up, making it an ideal travel companion.

I ALWAYS shoot landscapes at sunrise and sunset with the aid of my Manfrotto Pro 405 geared head. It goes extremely well with my Gitzo tripod to provide superb support when composing. The pair are very well made, robust, and easily pack into a suitcase to accompany me on my global travels. To date, the Pro Geared Head has never let me down and is simple to use with its quick-lock mechanism.

MY CABLE release is a trusted partner when it comes to using a tripod. It’s a beautiful accessory which helps me achieve sharper results when my camera is mounted on the tripod, which of course, I could not go without. I mostly shoot seascapes and night skies with the TC-80N3 which helps to prevent camera shake. It’s been a reliable piece of kit and has worked well for all my shoots.

WEB: www.canon.co.uk

THE EOS 5DS R is my favourite Canon camera and is ideal for the kind of photography I shoot. With a high 50-megapixel count and the quality images that can be produced, this digital camera is excellent for capturing a wide range of my travel work. It covers subjects from landscapes to portraits, street scenes and city views. It seemed a natural progression to upgrade to this camera from the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

The Canon Magazine

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Your ultimate photographic reference guide to the complete Canon EOS DSLR system DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS

PAGE 84

Get your camera gear set up for winter

WITH

MARCUS HAWKINS PHOTO EXPERT Marcus has more than 30 years of photography experience. A former editor of our sister publication Digital Camera, he has written about photography for Canon and Jessops, and uses a Canon EOS 5D Mk III.

ISO

WB SET

EOS S.O.S

PAGE 88

Brian answers all of your tricky Canon questions

WITH

BRIAN WORLEY CAMERA EXPERT Brian has unrivalled EOS DSLR knowledge after working for Canon for over 15 years. He now works as a freelance photographer and photo tutor in Oxfordshire.

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

PAGE 92

WITH

Clean up your street images with Canon’s DPP CANON EXPERT Peter’s been a passionate photographer for well over 20 years. He’s worked on PhotoPlus since the very ﬁrst issue, back in 2007, and has been the magazine’s editor for the past six years.

The Canon Magazine

CANONSCHOOL

DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS In this edition of Digital SLR Essentials we explain all you need to know about photography in wintery conditions

MARCUS HAWKINS PHOTO EXPERT Marcus has been passionate about photography for more than 25 years. A former editor of our sister publication Digital Camera, he has written about photography and cameras for a wide range of clients, including Canon and Jessops, and uses a Canon EOS 5D Mk III.

Northern exposures W

As shot

Set up your Canon camera for cold-weather photography metering mode. With Evaluative, the camera meters the whole frame and takes in to account various aspects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like size and location of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;subjectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, before calculating the exposure. This means the exposure can change, depending on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-frame. When you use an EOS mirrorless camera with an HOHFWURQLF YLHZĂ&#x20AC;QGHU (9) or a Canon DSLR set to Live 9LHZ \RX FDQ XVH WKH OLYH histogram to judge the exposure more accurately. You can also switch to Partial or Spot metering. Dial LQ RU VWRSV RI FRPS WKH brighter the snow is, the more FRUUHFWLRQ QHHGHG SRLQW WKH centre AF point at an area of bright snow and then lock the exposure before recomposing. You need to use the AE lock button to lock the exposure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pressing the shutter button halfway only works with Evaluative metering.

Speed and lenses

shivering and not being able to hold your Canon camera steady! One option is to increase the ISO, which will in turn allow you to use faster shutter speeds. You could also use Auto ISO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the camera will adjust the ISO as the light changes to give you a shutter speed fast enough for sharp results. Using a fast lens with a

With shorter days and lower light levels during the winter months, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll often ďŹ nd yourself wrestling with slower shutter speeds. This can lead to blurred shots, whether thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the result of objects in the picture moving during the exposure, or you

+1 stop

Chris Rutter

inter offers arguably the best light for outdoor photography, in the Northern Hemisphere at least â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from cloudybright days for portraits to vibrant sunsets that bring the landscape to life. Last issue, PhotoPlus brought you a guide to making the most of winter wildlife, and in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital SLR Essentials, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at how to keep your camera working â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and delivering the best results â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in the cold. Faced with snow, fog and pale skies, your EOS may shoot grey-looking images. This is because the camera sees that winter scene as a mid-tone with too much light, so reduces the exposure. Using exposure comp will bring back the brightness, although this can result in some to-ing and fro-ing when Evaluative is set as the

large max aperture will allow you to let more light into the camera, so that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to push the ISO so high. But if the subject is moving and you need to kill camera shake, a zoom with an Image Stabilizer makes a good choice. Zooms also mean you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to change lenses and risk moisture and muck getting inside. www.digitalcameraworld.com

DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS COLOUR BALANCE

Creative options in winter Complement the scene with correct colour balance adjustments here are numerous creative camera functions that can enhance your winter images. Your first port of call is the Picture Style menu, where you can tailor the colours to the subject. Wintry scenes, which are often quite muted, can suit the pared-down tones of the Neutral or Faithful presets, for example. If you’re shooting JPEGs, then these settings also give you a good starting point for making further colour adjustments in editing software later on. We would, of course, recommend shooting Raw files rather than JPEGs, as this gives you the freedom to start from scratch and completely change the picture parameters in Raw processing software. Setting up your camera correctly will, however, give you an accurate preview when you’re out shooting. This has a couple of benefits: you get a histogram that’s going to represent the exposure of your final image more closely; it allows you to make adjustments to the composition if, for example, there’s a clash of colours or tones. The latter is particularly helpful when it comes to shooting black and white

images with the Monochrome Picture Style – you can adjust your framing to make sure. Previously we’ve highlighted the technique of using the ‘incorrect’ white balance to enhance the mood of a picture, and winter is a perfect time to try this. You can enhance the coolness of a scene by selecting the Tungsten or White Fluorescent preset,

but it’s an effect that tends to look more natural when light levels are lower. If the effect is too strong, try the Daylight preset and experiment with the WB Shift/Bkt option in the Shooting menu. This function allows you to increase the amount of blue and magenta by subtle amounts.

ISO

WB SET

White balance shiktftto

You can use WB Shift/B automatically record three shots with different amounts of blue, as well as to single images

Freezing with flash Get creative with shutter speed and flash when shooting snowflakes hen it comes to shooting falling snow, the choice of shutter speed determines how sharp or blurred the snowflakes will be – as it does with any moving object in the shot. Some tweaking is needed to find the perfect shutter speed for the look you’re trying to create, but the longer the shutter is open, the

The Canon Magazine

more likely it is that individual snowflakes will be rendered as thin white streaks. You may need to use a tripod or activate the Image Stabilizer on an IS lens to prevent camera shake. Another option is to use flash to illuminate the nearest flakes, which can create more atmospheric results. For full control, set the camera to Manual mode and dial in the

camera’s flash sync speed or ‘x-sync’, which is listed in your manual. Take some test shots, adjusting the aperture and ISO until the exposure is to your taste (underexposing the image slightly can help the flakes stand out), before activating the flash. This tends to work

best when in an open space and some distance from the subject, or background of your photo, so the ﬂash only illuminates the snowﬂakes and no other part of the scene.

CANONSCHOOL BATTERY POWER

Battery life

Program (Pof) a battery label

Cold conditions affect the number of shots you can take attery life is usually the chief problem when shooting in the cold. Take the LP-E10 battery powering the EOS 1300D: it can last for up to 600 shots when using the viewﬁnder and the ambient temperature is 23°C, but this is reduced to 580 at 0°C. Switch to Live View shooting and that plummets to 190 shots at 23°C and 180 when it’s freezing cold. These ﬁgures are the max shots too, as there are other camera functions that will deplete the battery more (see below for more info). But if you’re going to be shooting outdoors in the cold it pays to have one fully charged spare battery in a warm pocket.

If you use LP-E6-style batteries, you can change position of the battery symbol on the protective covers

Use the blue part s are ‘cold’ to indicate which batterie and need recharging

Squeezing out the last drop of juice If you’re running short of power, here’s now to extend the life of your battery

LCD monitor

Power down

Lenses

Wi-Fi & GPS

ALTHOUGH Live View is the chief perpetrator when it comes to draining the battery, any use of the rear screen reduces the power you have left for taking pictures. One step is to deactivate the automatic playback of images as you shoot – you can do this in your camera’s red Shooting menu. Manually reducing the brightness level of the display in the yellow Set-up menu can also help, but in very bright conditions you may have no choice but to increase the brightness so that you can actually see details clearly.

YOUR CAMERA WILL automatically power down after a period of inactivity – either 30 seconds or one minute, depending on the camera. Although you can increase the length of time the camera is active before going into hibernation in the Set-up menu, you can’t decrease it. To wake the camera up, tap the shutter button – but avoid keeping it pressed halfway for long periods as this will reduce battery. Another juice-saving trick is to switch off the display when the camera is ready to shoot, by tapping the DISP or INFO button.

LENSES ATTACHED to the camera draw their power from the camera body, and some lenses are going to exhaust that battery faster than others. AF and IS both take their toll, and frequently activating the autofocus is going to be harsh on your battery. Depending on the subject, you may be able to get away with manual focusing (MF), although to preserve battery life it’s better to use the focus indicator in the viewﬁnder, rather than the magniﬁed Live View display, as a focusing aid. Switch off IS until you need it.

AS BATTERY hogs go, Wi-Fi and GPS are total porkers. They are deactivated by default, but you can double-check this in the Set-up menu. It’s also worth considering setting up the green MyMenu tab as a shortcut to your most-used menu items and custom functions – that way you won’t have to waste time/ battery life ﬂicking back and forth through the main menu to make adjustments. Some cameras let you set up multiple MyMenu tabs and rename them so that you can streamline your camera.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS LENS MAINTENANCE

Looking after lenses How to protect your lens’s front element when battling the elements hooting in winter can physically take its toll on the camera as well as the battery. Water and expensive electronics are not good bedfellows, and even with the numerous weatherproof seals on advanced EOS cameras and L-grade lenses it pays to take a few precautions. Fitting a lens hood and keeping the camera pointing down until you compose and shoot can help to keep the front element of the lens free of snow and rain. This works

particularly well with telephoto lenses, which tend to have deep hoods, less so with wide-angle and standard lenses. With shorter lenses, it’s a good idea to keep a couple of microﬁbre lens cloths on you, so that you can periodically wipe the lens and camera down. If you’re working in particularly wet and rough conditions then a protective screw-in ﬁlter attached to the front of the lens will add an extra layer of protection. Waterproof covers are available for lenses and cameras, but a

plastic bag attached to the lens hood with a rubber band and draped over the camera also works in a pinch. An airtight plastic bag also comes in handy for preventing condensation forming on the camera and lens when you move from frigid conditions to a warm house. It’s not so much the condensation on the outside of your gear that you need to

worry about, but the moisture you can’t see on the internal parts. If you notice condensation the camera, remove the battery and memory card as precaution until it acclimatizes.

Avoiding dust spots Check that your sensor’s clean before going outside IT’S NOT just spots on the front of the lens that you need to be mindful of, but spots inside the camera too. If you’ve got any dust on your sensor it’s going to be very obvious when you’re shooting expanses of snow or sky – particularly if you’re using small apertures like f/16. The dust will show up as out-of-focus dark blobs in the same place in every picture. Before you head out, it’s worth doing some test shots indoors and running your camera’s automatic sensor cleaning routine a couple of

times (if it offers this feature). You can also carry out a manual sensor clean using a blower brush – you’ll find this option in the Set-up menu. Angle the camera down when you do so, so any flecks fall out of the body. On top of that, you can add Dust Delete Data to the camera, which will be appended to all the pictures you take – you’ll find this option in the Shooting menu. This maps where the dust spots are, then you can use Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software to remove them.

Individual spots are easy to remove manually in software like Photoshop when they’re against a clean backdrop – but it can be a tedious process

School tip Hidden compensation Go beyond the boundaries shown in the viewﬁnder CANON EOS DSLR’S allow you to dial in up to +/- 5 stops of exposure compensation, although it’s not immediately obvious that this is possible. Usually, only +/- 2 or 3 stops are visible in the viewﬁnder and on the Live View display. If you go beyond the displayed level, the end of the exposure scale will simply display an arrow. The Canon Magazine

Making adjustments to exposure compensation via the red Shooting menu or Quick Control screen is easier, as the exposure scales here will shift to show the higher settings. You may ﬁnd you need to use more substantial adjustments with a beginner-level camera than an advanced one, as the metering isn’t quite as sophisticated.

ISO

WB SET

CANONSCHOOL

EOSS.O.S Our technical guru is here to help. No Canon conundrum is too big or small. Get in touch today at EOSSOS@futurenet.com

BRIAN WORLEY CANON PRO Brian is a freelance photographer and photo tutor, based in Oxfordshire. He has unrivalled EOS DSLR knowledge, after working for Canon for over 15 years, and is on hand to answer all your EOS and photographic queries

You will need a wide-angle lens to get several pyramids in your shot. Also try to position yourself in front of other photographers

Can you give me some tips for taking photos of the pyramids in Egypt, and what lenses would you suggest? Alex Bryson, Ludlow Auto Lighting Optimizer improves contrast and lightens faces, but by default is not active in Manual exposure mode

Why do some of my photos look subtly different if I shoot with the same settings in Manual mode and Aperture Priority? Stuart Cook, Slough BRIAN SAYS… A slight difference in the exposure might be the reason for the different appearance, but a more likely possibility is Auto Lighting Optimizer (ALO). On most cameras, the default settings are for ALO to be enabled for all exposure modes, except Manual and Bulb. The nature of what and how the photo changes depends on what the camera identiﬁes in the photo. ALO primarily adjusts brightness

and contrast in pictures. For portraits, ALO detects human faces and lightens them a little, and for low contrast scenes, such as misty landscapes, the contrast may be enhanced. If you use flash, the camera may adjust the brightness of ambient light elements in the scene, relative to the flash subject. It will then compensate for situations where the flash wasn’t quite powerful enough to correctly light the subject.

BRIAN SAYS… The pyramids themselves are huge, and there’s invariably lots of other people trying to get their own photos too. Take a wide-angle lens, 10-20mm for APS-C or 16-35mm for full-frame cameras. This means you will be able to shoot from in-front of the other tourists, and still get the whole of the pyramids in the frame. If you have the time, take a walk up past the pyramids and then across the left side to take a different view with many pyramids in a single shot, there’s usually less people as well. Such is the scale of the pyramids that most people look like tiny dots if you get the

whole pyramid in the frame. For settings, you’ll ﬁnd that f/8 or f/11 aperture provides enough depth of ﬁeld, so Aperture Priority is the obvious mode to use. Due to the sand, and wind-blown sand, I would try to avoid changing lenses if while out in the sand. On bright days, a circular polarizer and a ND graduated

If you can get round to the rear and left of the larger pyramids, there’s less people

www.digitalcameraworld.com

EOS S.O.S FABULOUS FLASHING

Flash photos made simple

Ask Brian! Confused with your Canon DSLR? Email EOSSOS@ futurenet.com

How to set your camera for successful flash photos indoors and outside or some reason, flash photography is the most scary type of photography, and frequently it’s down to not understanding the process of capturing a photo, where there are two kinds of exposure happening at the same time. You can easily categorize flash pictures in to fill-in flash and just flash. Fill-in flash balances any ambient light with the flash, and just flash ignores or eliminates the ambient light. In daylight, where you may want to light part of the frame with flash, you decide how you are going to capture the ambient light. A good start is to use Aperture Priority in daylight. Take a shot without a flash and look at the part of the frame that is only daylight lit. Skies and distant backgrounds all stay the same when the flash fires. If the background looks okay, then switch the flash on, set to E-TTL and take the photo. In most cases this works just fine. If you prefer Manual mode on your camera, use Manual, set the exposure for the background then use the flash set to E-TTL. Avoid using ISO AUTO, as this works fine until the flash is turned on when it jumps to ISO400. In low light, you have to make the decision as to how the background is captured. Inevitably your shutter speed will need to be slower to capture the ambient light. For me that usually means a minimum of 1/30 sec or 1/60 sec to avoid camera shake and subject movement. I’d select Manual exposure on the camera, dial in the shutter speed, aperture and ISO to make the environment look as I want, either make it black with a faster shutter speed (but not faster than the camera’s flash sync speed eg 1/200 sec) and low ISO, or slow the shutter and raise the ISO to lighten it. Then switch the flash on, set to E-TTL, and shoot. In either situation, if the flash-lit part of the picture is too dark or light then use the flash exposure compensation setting, either on the flash or your camera. It’s completely separate from the regular exposure compensation, so make sure you get the right one. Both these approaches work equally well for

The Canon Magazine

With a backlit subject outdoors, it’s crucial to ensure the ﬂash ﬁlled-in the face, but kept a natural balance overall

on-camera and off-camera flash. I’d say that 90 per cent of my flash photos are taken with manual exposure for the ambient light and E-TTL autoexposure for the flash. Off-camera flash just adds to the options for more interesting light on your subject.

Shutter speed was set to the sync speed to capture the room as a dark background

CANONSCHOOL

Depth of ﬁeld preview requires a custom button on the EOS R and RP – the movie or AF-ON buttons are both suitable choices

Why don’t mirrorless EOS cameras have a depth of field preview button, is it an electronic display issue? Paul Bourne, Anglesey BRIAN SAYS… In general the mirrorless cameras have less buttons than DSLRs. One of the least used buttons on a DSLR is the depth of field preview button, so it’s an obvious candidate to omit. However for certain photos – landscapes and macro – depth of field preview is helpful. With electronic displays you do get a good idea of the depth of field and mostly without the darkening you’d get on a DSLR. You’ll need to explore your cameras customized buttons and allocate the depth of field preview function to a button that you use less often. On the EOS R and RP, the movie button is well placed to be used for depth of field preview.

What causes the green spots in photos such as this landscape shot? Jerry Scherer, USA BRIAN SAYS… That’s lens flare, caused by bright light entering the lens from the side and reflecting off the glass elements. The sun is likely the cause here. There are several steps to reduce lens flare, starting with ensuring the front element is clean. If you have a filter on the lens it can increase the occurrence of flare, so maybe take it off. Using a lens hood designed for your lens is often effective as it blocks light from outside the edge of the frame from striking the front of the lens. Holding your hand in front and above the lens to block light from the edge of the frame works, but you have to hold the camera one-handed or use a tripod. The large green circle at the bottom of the frame is the result of lens flare

What is Linked Shot slave mode used for with the ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter? Will Donoghan, Wallsall BRIAN SAYS… Linked shot releases the shutter of several cameras automatically. One camera needs a Speedlite or transmitter conﬁgured as the linked shot master, and the rest set as linked shot slaves. Slave cameras take a photo a fraction of a second after the master.

Why can’t I set the ISO below ISO200 on my EOS RP, ISO range should go to ISO100?

Choosing to change exposure settings in ½-stops makes it faster to change values

Why would you change the exposure settings in ½-stop compared to 1/3-stop increments? Adrian Simpson, Wallsend BRIAN SAYS… The key reason is to reduce the number of steps between one setting and another. When shooting sports you might prefer to change shutter speed from an action freezing 1/2000 sec to a panning friendly 1/30 sec. There’s 18 clicks of the main dial needed with 1/3-stop increments and only 12 clicks needed with 1/2-stop increments.

Megan Parish, Barmouth BRIAN SAYS… There’s two possible causes: you have limited the ISO range, or you have highlight tone priority active. Highlight tone priority also causes the D+ icon to be shown next to the ISO value. Highlight tone priority gives ﬁner gradation in highlights at the expense of detail in the shadows.

Why does my EOS 80D shoot when I touch the screen to move the AF point in Live View? Michael Redding, Bury St. Edmunds BRIAN SAYS… Your camera has the touch shutter function active. You can turn touch shutter off in the red shoot menus, or by tapping the icon on the lower left of the LCD.

Lightroom’s map tool can display the location where you took photos on a map

What software will let me visualize my photographs on a map? Rob Nash, Alderholt, Dorset BRIAN SAYS… Most of the mapping tools used the Google Maps engine to be able to visualize images on a map. Google has now started charging for access to their map tools and the charges are based on usage. This means it’s quite difﬁcult for companies to offer map displays in their older software, and those that do, only provide the map function in the latest paid for versions of the software. The Map module in Lightroom does still work however. www.digitalcameraworld.com

EOS S.O.S THE RAW DIFFERENCE BRIAN SAYS… The difference between the camera LCD and your software is a result of the camera’s Picture Styles not being considered by your software. Whenever you take an image the camera has some Picture Style set, typically Standard, but there are others. For a Raw photo the Picture Style used determines how the image is displayed on the camera LCD, and the selected Picture

Style is added to the ﬁles metadata. Unfortunately most software apart from Canon DPP, ignore that bit of information, and apply their own style for processing images initially. You can readily see this if you set your camera to monochrome Picture Style, once photos are imported they appear as colour images in Lightroom. It is possible to change this behaviour in Lightroom.

01 AUTO COLOUR PROFILE

02 DECISIONS, DECISIONS

03 BY DEFAULT

When a photo is ﬁrst displayed in Lightroom, the Adobe Colour proﬁle is applied irrespective of the Picture Style in use on the camera when the photo was originally taken.

Click on the four squares icon to the right of the profile name to open the profile browser. Choose from different profiles, including some similar to the camera Picture Styles.

If you use the same Picture Style, you can change the processing settings that Lightroom uses when you import shots. Change the proﬁle to Camera standard, and go to Develop>Set Default Settings.

Why do my Raw photos look markedly different on the camera LCD in comparison to how Adobe Lightroom shows them? Barbara Brown, Crediton

RATE MY PHOTO

Lens

Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 OS HSM

Exposure

1/640 sec, f/7.1, ISO800

Fox in the ﬁeld KEVIN COXHEAD, ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT SAYS… I took this photo while on a day-long shoot at the British wildlife centre, with my Canon 200D and Sigma 18-300mm lens. I spent quite some time with the fox in the enclosure to let her get used to me and come close to me. I was lying in the grass and she circled through the enclosure passing through this gap in the grass each time. I took a series of shots and this was my best one. I used Photoshop to crop the image a little on the right side and then upped the colour temperature to bring out the fur colour. BRIAN SAYS… A great engaging shot of the fox with nice natural setting and colours. The framing of the fox’s face is nice, good that the nettles don’t obscure the eye. I do think you could try darkening the really bright out of focus white ﬂowers at the top above the fox’s head, or crop much of that area out of the shot for more impact – brightness draws my eye away from the fox a little.

The Canon Magazine

Get critiqued! Email photos to EOSSOS@ futurenet.com with the subject ‘Rate My Photo’

I do think you camera has focussed on the branches in-front of the animal, the nettles near the eye look particularly sharp, sharper than the fur itself. Using a single AF point may have helped you

here, but you do need to be very precise with placement. The picture shows the value of waiting and observing behaviour to capture the best photograph possible.

CANONSCHOOL

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS Get to grips with Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free Raw image organizing, editing and sharing software â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Digital Photo Professional 4

PETER TRAVERS CANON EXPERT Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a passionate photographer for well over 20 years. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked on PhotoPlus since the very ďŹ rst issue, back in 2007, and has been the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s editor for the past eight years.

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STEP BY STEP ENHANCE YOUR STREET PHOTOS Remove distracting clutter, create a cleaner composition and correct exposure problems

DOWNLOAD PROJECT FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM: http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/pp161.zip

01 IMPORT AND EDIT

02 CROP IT

03 MAKE A GLOBAL ADJUSTMENT

Download our Street_start.CR2 ďŹ le. Browse to its thumbnail in Digital Photo Professional 4. Click the Edit Image button. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll improve composition ďŹ rst so that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste time adjusting tones in areas that will be cropped out.

Click the Crop and Rotate tab. Set the Cropping Aspect Ratio to 4:3 to preserve the landscape shape. Click-and-drag the crop overlay to lose the clutter at the left and zoom in. Drag inside the overlay to place the girl near the centre.

Click on the Basic tab to apply the crop. Boost underexposed tones by sliding Brightness to 0.50. Set the Picture Style drop-down to Landscape to increase the contrast. Set Auto Lighting Optimizer to Strong to reveal shadow detail.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

IDEO VIEW THE V VIDEO ALSO ONLINE

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

http://bit.ly/pp_161_8 CANON DPP 4

GOTTA HAVE FAITH Unlike other photoediting software, including Photoshop, DPP 4 applies the effect of your Canon’s in-camera picture style presets to Raw ﬁles, which can produce dramatic differences to a shot’s colours and tones. This can cause highlights to appear blown-out or make colours look overcooked, for example. By shooting with a Neutral or Faithful in-camera picture style you can create a ﬂatter contrast that will help preserve a scene’s shadow and highlight detail. You can then experiment with different looks by changing the picture style presets within DPP 4.

Can I use DPP 4? Download the latest version of DPP from http://bit.ly/get_dpp. Check the website to see if your DSLR is compatible with DPP 4 – you’ll need your serial number to update. DPP 4 works with most recent Canon EOS DSLRs, but for older cameras you may have to use a previous version.

04 MAKE SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENTS

05 REDUCE NOISE

06 SAVE A VERSION

Go to the Advanced panel and selectively lighten Shadows to 3.0 without overexposing the highlights. Drag Highlight to -4.0 to claw back texture and detail in the brighter clouds (without interfering with the shadows).

Brightening an underexposed shot may reveal ugly luminance and colour noise. Click the Adjust Image Detail tab. Set the window over a shadowy area. Leave Reduce Luminance Noise at 7. Push Reduce Chrominance Noise to 12.

When you’ve finished fixing the shot click Save. By default you’ll save it as a JPEG file. If you plan to print it leave the Output Resolution at 350dpi. You can drop this to 150 to create a smaller file that’s more suitable for sharing online.

The Canon Magazine

Gear Update Canon gear from this month

114 Buyers’ Guide Every EOS and Canon-ﬁt lens

The latest Canon DSLR and photo gear tested. Independent advice to help you buy smarter PAGE 102 FLASHGUNS Ben Andrews Lab Manager ben.andrews@futurenet.com

Welcome... THERE’S lots of great pieces of kit to talk about! We put eight flashguns to work in our Super Test (on page 102) to see which one will take your lighting to the next level. While in our Mini Test (page 98) we test six of the best ND grad filters. We also check out a trio of new Sigma lenses, are they worth the investment? Have a look at our review to find out on page 100.

PAGE 100 SIGMA LENSES

PAGE 98

ND GRAD FILTERS

HOW WE TEST

Lens tests are carried out with Imatest suite, with specially designed charts and data analysis to test lens performance

We test cameras in laboratory conditions using DxO Analyzer hardware and software to check dynamic range and image noise

The Canon Magazine

TESTS & AWARDS WHEN IT comes to testing Canon DSLRs, lenses, photo gear and services in PhotoPlus, we tell it like it is. We’re 100 per cent independent and we use our in-depth lab tests to ﬁnd out how kit really performs and compares. Here are our main awards…

Buy for the best combination of quality and value

Only the best of best win our coveted award

UPDATE 03

Our round-up of the latest digital photography must-haves 01

www.digitalcameraworld.com

NEW CANON-FIT KIT

EIZO ColorEdge CS2410

Uncompromising colour accuracy £429/$TBA www.eizo.co.uk

EIZO’S 24.1-inch hardware calibration monitor covers more than 100% of the sRGB color space and an impressive 99% of AdobeRGB. It features 1920x1200 resolution, with its 16:10 aspect ratio equating to a pixel density of 94ppi – some way short of a 4K, but accurate colour and contrast are the priority. Connections include DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D, and there’s a three-port USB hub.

Xpson Expression Photo XP-8600 02

Big photo printing potential £130/$TBA www.epson.co.uk

EPSON has stuck to its six-ink printing range of CMYK, plus light cyan and light magenta for its latest Expression Photo XP-8600 A4 printer. The aim is to enable smoother graduations, from skin tones to blue skies and everything in between. The inks are of the latest Claria Photo HD variety, with an archival rating of 300 years if you put prints in an album. A scanner built into its lid makes it ideal for scanning and standalone photocopying. 07

ZY Optics Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5x Super Macro 03

Macro magniﬁcation for your Canon camera £TBA, $499 www.zyoptics.net

THIS mega macro lens boasts a wide 1x to 5x magniﬁcation range (85mm to 25mm focal length), allowing for a level of versatility that may ordinarily only be achieved with extension tubes. ZY Optics has engineered the Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5x Super Macro’s variable working distance to range between 272mm and 100mm, so you’ll never be too close to a subject and risk casting a shadow over it.

Albert and Winston. Leo 2.0 (£219/$259) and Albert 2.0 (£299/$349) boast a huge 30kg max load, while the Winston (£329/$379) can stand under a hefty 40kg. All three feature detachable legs, with optional stubby legs able to ﬁt in their place to create a beefy tabletop tripod, while one of the main legs can be paired with the head to form a monopod. 05

Laowa RF-mount lenses

New lenses for the EOS R and RP £TBA/$399-$849 www.venuslens.net

HAILED as the world’s widest f/2.8 rectilinear lens, Laowa’s 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D boasts a huge 122° angle of view. Venus has also added its Frog Eye Coating to the front element, to repel water and dust. The second lens in the lineup is an unusual 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro optic that offers more magniﬁcation than standard macros. It does have no focus mechanism, and as such can’t be used for ‘regular’ photography. Last up is the Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO, which is a more conventional macro lens. 06

CamRanger 2

Faster, and more feature-packed: CamRanger 2 is the ultimate camera remote £429/$349 www.camranger.com

THE ORIGINAL CamRanger let you wirelessly connect an Android or Apple smart device – or a Mac or PC – to use as a camera remote. CamRanger 2 picks up where the original left off, but also features dual band Wi-Fi for faster image transfer speeds and a longer 500ft wireless range. With the CamRanger app you can adjust camera settings, watch your camera’s Live View feed, and remotely ﬁre the shutter.

Think Tank Urban Access Sling bags 07

Ideal for fast-moving street photography £95/$100 www.thinktankphoto.com

Three Legged Thing Pro Range 2.0 04

New, improved and ultra-versatile tripods Starting from £219/$259 www.3leggedthing.com

THREE Legged Thing has introduced new versions of its three pro spec tripods: Leo, The Canon Magazine

CHOOSE from the Urban Access 8, designed to carry a Canon EOS RP mirrorless with RF 24-105mm f/4L lens attached, plus two lens and a tablet. The larger Urban Access 10 can accommodate a bigger Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR with EF 70–200mm f/2.8L lens attached, plus more lenses, ﬂashgun and tablet.

MINITEST

ND grad ďŹ lters A must for landscape photography, hold back a bright sky for a balanced exposure S BRILLIANT as current cameras are, point even the best pro DSLR at a high-contrast landscape scene and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll often have to choose between a burnt-out sky, or an underexposed foreground. A graduated neutralGHQVLW\ Ă&#x20AC;OWHU LV DQ HIIHFWLYH solution. An ND grad is FOHDU DW RQH HQG DQG JUH\ DW WKH RWKHU WKH GDUNHU VHFWLRQ FDQ EH SRVLWLRQHG WR FRYHU D EULJKW VN\ UHVWULFWLQJ OLJKW WUDQVIHU E\ VHYHUDO VWRSV VR WKH IRUHJURXQG KDV WLPH WR H[SRVH FRUUHFWO\ ZLWKRXW WKH VN\ EHFRPLQJ D QDVW\ EXUQW RXW ZKLWHZDVK 0RVW Ă&#x20AC;OWHU PDQXIDFWXUHUV RIIHU 1' JUDGV ZLWK KDUG RU

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FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR Ensure that your landscapes look as amazing as possible by keeping an eye out for these ďŹ ve features 01

Accessible for the most part

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re testing 100mm-wide rectangular ND grads, as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re large enough to tailor to most compositions. 02

Colour casts

A good neutral-density ďŹ lter shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t introduce noticeable colour casts to the ďŹ nal image. 03

Get the density right

Too low a density and bright sections may still burn out, but restrict too much light and skies look heavy. 04

High-grade build

Some ďŹ lters are now made from optical-grade plastic, making them lighter and more shatter-resistant. 05

Extra bits and bobs

Buying a ďŹ lter system opens up possibilities for adding additional ďŹ lters like polarizers or colour grads.

Benro Master 100x150mm Glass GND ÂŁ130/$239 www.benroďŹ lters.com USING TOP-END German Schott B270 optical glass, Benroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master ďŹ lters boast ULCA (Ultra Low Chromatic Aberration), and reďŹ&#x201A;ectivity below 1.5%. A waterproof coating is applied to repel dirt and liquid, and it also resists scratches. Then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the anti-infrared coating that blocks IR and UV light to reduce the chance of nasty colour casts. The tinted region has no negative impact on image sharpness and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t introduce any observable colour shift. Benroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hydrophobic coating is also terriďŹ c, beading water off the ďŹ lter without a trace. Benro Master ďŹ lters come in a few size variants, but we reckon the 100x150 option is the best balance of versatility and cost.

VERDICT PROS: Class-leading optical and coating quality; well-priced; neat frame/holder system CONS: High US pricing WE SAY: The price is up there, but you pay for the excellent quality

Lee 100mm Neutral-Density Grads â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hard ÂŁ84/$113 www.leeďŹ lters.com UNUSUALLY IN this group, Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ND grads are made from polycarbonate resin rather than glass. Lee claims this makes it easier to dye the tinted portion, resulting in a more even density across the ďŹ lter and greater precision in controlling the transition line. Resin is also said to have lower intrinsic reďŹ&#x201A;ectivity, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no need to apply an anti-reďŹ&#x201A;ective coating. If there is any disadvantage with using resin rather than glass when it comes to image quality, we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd it. Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grads maintain perfect image sharpness and colour neutrality, although our 2- and 4-stop sample ďŹ lters produced visibly different exposure brightness, despite adjusting shutter speed appropriately for each ďŹ lter.

The ďŹ lters have a hydrophobic coating, although water doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bead away as well as on the test-leading Benro ďŹ lters.

VERDICT PROS: Well-priced; top optical quality; lots of transition options CONS: Poor water and oil resistance; Filter holder isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the best WE SAY: At this price-point, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go too wrong at all www.digitalcameraworld.com

ND GRAD FILTERS

Cokin Nuances Extreme Z-Pro Formatt Hitech Firecrest Ultra Soft Graduated ND Filters 100mm Hard Edge Grads £212/$229 www.formatt-hitech.com

£349/$540 www.cokin.com/en WE’VE REVIEWED several ﬁlters in Cokin’s top-line Nuances Extreme range before, and have come away impressed every time. This kit of three 100x150mm soft-grad NDs doesn’t disappoint. 2-, 3- and 4-stop densities are included, which covers most landscape shooting scenarios, and like the Benro Master Filters, each is constructed from Schott glass. Cokin also applies a water- and oil-resistant coating. We can’t fault these ﬁlters for image sharpness, either: all three perfectly preserve maximum lens sharpness. Colour neutrality is also top-notch – although if we’re to nitpick, our two-stop sample was slightly darker than advertised.

VERDICT PROS: Well-priced for glass ﬁlters; great optical quality CONS: No hard-transition; the density rating could be more accurate WE SAY: Small niggles aren’t enough to stop this great product

Marumi 100x150mm Magnetic Hard Graduated ND Filters £200/$220 www.kenro.co.uk MARUMI’S FILTERS stand out in this group thanks to their magnetic filter frames. When they’re combined with Marumi’s Magnetic Filter Holder M100, the filters press onto the holder and detach easily, yet hold securely when in use. The magnets also make it a cinch to slide the filter up and down the holder to precisely align the ND’s transition line to suit your composition. The frame surrounds premium Schott B270 glass, coated on both sides for scratch, water, oil and reflection resistance. We tested ND4 (two-stop) and ND16 (four-stop) hard grads, with decent results. Although the darker ND came up lighter than spec, other aspects of image quality like sharpness and colour were flawless. The Canon Magazine

THE UNIQUE feature of Firecrest Ultra filters is that they have the tinted coating in the centre of the filter, sandwiched between two sheets of 1mm glass. This is to enhance the scratch-resistance of the filter, and it enables the glass to be lapped and polished so it’s perfectly flat and clear. An added benefit of having two bonded sheets of glass rather than a single pane is the rather impressive rigidity. This manufacturing process certainly pays dividends when it comes to optical quality. Our testing showed flawless image sharpness, density accuracy and colour neutrality. The only downside of sandwiching the filter coating inside the filter is

there’s no hydrophobic coating on the outside, so water droplets don’t bead away – not great if you’re shooting a seascape.

VERDICT PROS: Optically ﬂawless; reverse-transition option CONS: No water/oil resistance; only 2- or 3-stop density options WE SAY: Pricey for what they are, but still a ﬁne selection of ND grads

FILTER HOLDERS The rectangular filters reviewed here attach to your camera lens via a filter holder. While this is more fiddly, it enables you to move the filter up or down to position the transition where you want it. And you can use other filters apart from ND grads.

VERDICT PROS: Top-notch optical and coating quality CONS: Relatively pricey; density accuracy not quite as advertised WE SAY: Unique ﬁlter frames make this a worthy investment

LENSTEST

SIGMA 16mm, 30mm, 56mm f/1.4 DC DN | C Sigma ďŹ nally brings some fast glass to the M-mount party, with three new prime lenses for EOS M APS-C cameras...

KH Ă&#x20AC;UVW (26 0 FDPHUD ZDV ODXQFKHG EDFN LQ EXW ZKLOH ZHÂˇUH QRZ WHQ ERGLHV GRZQ WKH OLQH &DQRQ VWLOO RQO\ PDNHV HLJKW QDWLYH OHQVHV IRU LWV PLUURUOHVV $36 & IRUPDW 6XUH \RX FDQ XVH () 6 DQG () OHQVHV YLD D PRXQW DGDSWHU EXW WKDWÂˇV UDWKHU PLVVLQJ WKH SRLQW RI D FRPSDFW OLJKWZHLJKW V\VWHP FDPHUD 6LJPD VSULQJV WR WKH UHVFXH ZLWK WKUHH QHZ KLJK TXDOLW\ SULPHV Despite full-frame EOS R cameras being relative newcomers, there are already ten native lenses available for them. However, most are large and heavy, feeling somewhat at odds with a slimline mirrorless body. From its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Contemporaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; line of lenses, Sigmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new 16mm, 30mm and

100

56mm aim for high-end performance, but with a compact and lightweight build. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s despite all three lenses having a fast f/1.4 aperture rating. Taking the 16mm lens as a prime example, so to speak, you get an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;effectiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 25.6mm focal length in full-frame terms. And yet the lens measures just 72x92mm and weighs a mere 405g. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rather

Sharpness and contrast are highly impressive at the widest aperture, in all three lenses

This trio of Sigma lenses ensures that your compact system stays compact

remarkable considering that Sigmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 28mm f/1.4 Art lens is comparatively huge and more than twice the weight, at nearly a kilogram. The 30mm and 56mm lenses are smaller and lighter still, at 270g and 280g respectively. Although small and light, the lenses have a sturdy, high-quality feel and come complete with lens hoods. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no shortage of up-market glass either. The 16mm lens includes three FLD (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fluoriteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Low Dispersion), two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) and two aspherical elements. The 30mm and 56mm both have two aspherical elements,

SPECIFICATIONS ACTUAL FOCAL LENGTH EFFECTIVE FOCAL LENGTH ELEMENTS/GROUPS DIAPHRAGM BLADES MINIMUM APERTURE MIN FOCUSING DISTANCE MAX MAGNIFICATION RATIO FILTER SIZE DIMENSIONS WEIGHT PRICE

16mm 16mm 25.6mm 16/13 9 f/16 0.25m 0.1x 67mm 72x92mm 405g ÂŁ449

30mm 30mm 48mm 9/7 9 f/16 0.3m 0.14x 52mm 65x73mm 270g ÂŁ329

56mm 56mm 89.6mm 10/6 9 f/16 0.5m 0.14x 55mm 67x60mm 280g ÂŁ399

www.digitalcameraworld.com

SIGMA f/1.4 DC DN I C LENSES

16mm at f/8

SHARPNESS

FEATURES 2500

01 2000

Centre

Sigmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super Multi Layer coating is applied to reduce ghosting and ďŹ&#x201A;are.

16mm

The focus rings are electronically coupled and operate with precision.

Sharpness is very impressive, right into the edges and corners of the frame on the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens

Performance

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much point in having a fast f/1.4 lens if image quality doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold up when shooting wide-open. As it turns out, sharpness and contrast are highly impressive at the widest aperture, in all three lenses. Lateral

chromatic aberration, vignetting and distortion are controlled very well, and data is preloaded for in-camera corrections, when mounted on EOS M cameras that have this feature. The 30mm lens suffers a little from axial chromatic aberration or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bokeh fringingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; when shooting wide-open, which can show up as purple and green fringes around high-contrast transitions, in front of or behind the point of focus. This is fairly common in fast prime lenses, but virtually disappears if you narrow the aperture by one f-stop. The 56mm lens takes you a bit further into telephoto territory than the Canon EF-M 14-45mm kit zoom lens at its longest zoom setting, and is a whole four f-stops faster. Given the effective focal length of 89.6mm and its beautiful bokeh, this lens is outstanding for portraiture on EOS M cameras.

30mm at f/1.4

f/1.4

30mm

f/2

f/2.8

56mm

f/4

f/5.6

f/8

f/11

f/16

f/8

f/11

f/16

Edge

2000

1500

1000

500 16mm f/1.4

30mm

f/2

f/2.8

56mm

f/4

f/5.6

Sharpness is excellent even when shooting wide-open at f/1.4, although the 30mm drops off a bit in the corners

As with most â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; f/1.4 lenses, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no optical stabilization.

FRINGING (AT EDGE) 16mm 30mm 56mm

but only the latter adds an SLD element. Everythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrapped up in Sigmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TSC (Thermally Stable Composite) material for the barrels and critical internal parts, along with metal mounting plates. Autofocus is based on a stepping motor which is rapid and highly accurate for stills, yet smooth and near-silent for movie capture. As with many recent Canon â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;STMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lenses, manual focusing and manual override of autofocus is courtesy of an electronically FRXSOHG ÂśĂ \ E\ ZLUHÂˇ IRFXV ULQJ which works with smooth precision.

Thermally Stable Composite material enables minimal expansion or contraction during temperature changes.

1000

500

1500

All of the lenses incorporate two aspherical elements in their optical path.

1.5

f/1.4

The 16mm lens is the largest, but is still impressively small and light.

0.5

2.5

f/2.8

3.5

f/5.6

4.5

f/11

5.5

f/16

The 30mm has slim chromatic aberration, but the other two are outstanding

DISTORTION 16mm

30mm

High-quality metal mounting plates are ďŹ tted but lack weather-seals.

56mm at f/1.4

56mm -5

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3

-2

-1

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only a fairly small amount of barrel distortion from the 16mm and 30mm

VERDICT These Sigma lenses deliver ace quality and have a fast f/1.4 aperture, yet theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re remarkably compact and lightweight, ideal for slim mirrorless bodies. The EOS M system just became much more appealing.

The f/1.4 aperture enables a very tight depth of ďŹ eld at close focus distances with the 30mm lens The Canon Magazine

Ideal for portraiture, the 56mm lens delivers excellent sharpness and delightful bokeh

FEATURES BUILD & HANDLING IMAGE QUALITY VALUE OVERALL 101

SUPERTEST

THE CONTENDERS

Canon Speedlite EL-100 £199/$200

Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT £269/$249

Hahnel Modus 600RT Metz Mecablitz 64 AF-1 Mk II Wireless Kit £419/$450 £299/$255

102

Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI £399/$279

Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT £519/$529

Nissin i60A £227/$249

Phottix Juno TTL £169/$180

FLASHGUNS

FLASHGUNS SUPER TEST

$ JRRG ÁDVKJXQ FDQ HQKDQFH OLJKWLQJ LQ DOPRVW DQ\ VKRRWLQJ VFHQDULR Matthew Richards VHSDUDWHV WKH VWURQJ 6SHHGOLWHV IURP WKH ZHDN«

any amatuers only reach for a flashgun when shooting indoors or after dark. But that’s really missing a trick. A decent flashgun will be much more powerful and versatile than the pop-up flash built into most Canon cameras. They’re not only great for adding much-needed illumination when you’re shooting in the dark, but also for filling in shadows and giving a more balanced lighting effect (see Flash With Flowers on page 8) even under intensely imposing bright sunlight. Most good flashguns have a zoom facility, which can concentrate the beam over a tighter area when using lenses with longer focal lengths. This increases the effective power and range of the flashgun when using telephoto lenses, as you’re not wasting light illuminating areas that won’t be in the image frame. Indeed, most feature a motorized head which can automatically track the zoom setting of the lens fitted to the camera, or match different prime lenses as you swap between them. The power of the flashgun is referenced as a Gn (Guide number, more on page 106). A bigger Gn represents a greater maximum power output, although we run our own lab tests to check the actual output of each flashgun through its range of power settings. Greater power is particularly useful if you want to use the flashgun in bounce and swivel modes, as you’ll need a stronger intensity of light to cover the distance. We test eight of the latest flashguns to see which shines brightest for photography…

103

SUPERTEST 01

CANON SPEEDLITE EL-100 ÂŁ199/$200

FEATURES 01

The head is quite small but has tilt and swivel movement.

Compact yet capable, with some interesting and surprising trick modes up its sleeve

HOW WE TEST Our two-stage procedure combines extensive real-world shooting with rigorous lab tests

104

Basic controls are only of use for assigning wireless channels and groups.

Performance

$V LQGLFDWHG E\ WKH PRGHVW Gn rating, maximum power RXWSXW LV D OLWWOH GRZQ RQ RWKHU Ă DVKJXQV LQ WKLV WHVW JURXS &RQVLGHULQJ WKDW WKH (/ RQO\ UXQV RQ WZR $$ EDWWHULHV recycling is pretty swift, at WKUHH VHFRQGV DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK ZKHQ XVLQJ 1L0+ EDWWHULHV VHFRQGV IRU DONDOLQH 77/ Ă DVK PHWHULQJ LV VSRW RQ

The rotary control dial includes full â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Autoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and more adjustmentfriendly â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; positions. 05

The build includes a metal mounting foot and quick-release locking lever.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10 5

VALUE

24mm

50mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wide-angle diffuser screen, nor a pull-out reďŹ&#x201A;ector card.

VFUHHQ <RX QHHG WR PDNH DOO DGMXVWPHQWV YLD LQ FDPHUD menus, which can be longZLQGHG 2Q WKH SOXV VLGH KLJK VSHHG V\QF DQG UHDU FXUWDLQ V\QF DUH VXSSRUWHG

Power (Gn)

ust about small enough to slip into a pocket, Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby EL-100 is still much more powerful than a SRS XS Ă DVK $QG IRU IXOO IUDPH FDPHUDV WKDW GRQÂˇW KDYH D SRS XS Ă DVK LW PDNHV D KDQG\ VSDFH VDYLQJ DGG RQ ZHLJKLQJ LQ DW MXVW J $OWKRXJK FRPSDFW WKH Ă DVKJXQ IHDWXUHV D ERXQFH KHDG ZLWK GHJUHHV RI YHUWLFDO PRYHPHQW DQG GHJUHHV RI VZLYHO WR WKH OHIW DQG ULJKW +RZHYHU WKHUHÂˇV QR PRWRUL]HG ]RRP ,QVWHDG D UXGLPHQWDU\ SXVK SXOO PDQXDO DGMXVWPHQW JLYHV DOWHUQDWLYHV WR PDWFK focal lengths of 24mm or 50mm focal lengths (38mm or PP IRU $36 & :LUHOHVV FRQQHFWLYLW\ LQFOXGHV ERWK PDVWHU DQG VODYH LQIUDUHG PRGHV ZKHUHDV WKH SULFLHU (; $, RQO\ IHDWXUHV DQ ,5 VODYH PRGH (YHQ VR WKHUHÂˇV QR 5) FRQQHFWLYLW\ 2QERDUG FRQWUROV DUH D ELW too simple, only really catering WR FKDQQHO DQG JURXS assignments for wireless PRGHV DQG WKHUHÂˇV QR /&'

OVERALL

105mm

e test all features for each ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun. These can include ďŹ&#x201A;ash exposure comp and manual power settings, motorized zoom heads and advanced ďŹ&#x201A;ash modes like high-speed sync, rear curtain and, sometimes, strobe ďŹ&#x201A;ash. To test power output, we used a Sekonic ďŹ&#x201A;ash meter placed one metre away from each ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun. We check the complete range of manual power settings, in one-stop increments. The results are checked by taking shots with the appropriate lens apertures and using the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s histogram display in playback mode. This is done for ďŹ&#x201A;ash zoom settings of 24mm, 50mm and 105mm (in full-frame terms). We also check the accuracy and consistency of E-TTL (Electronic-Through The Lens) ďŹ&#x201A;ash metering (see opposite), and the speed with which each ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun can recycle to a state of readiness after a fullpower ďŹ&#x201A;ash, using both Ni-MH and alkaline cells.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

FLASHGUNS 01

CANON SPEEDLITE 430EX III-RT ÂŁ269/$249 Mid-range but feature-rich, complete with a built-in wireless RF transceiver

The usual catchlight panel and wide-angle diffuser are built into the ďŹ&#x201A;ash head. 02

This Speedlite features a motorized zoom mechanism.

RI VZLYHO WR WKH OHIW DQG ULJKW 7KH DFFHVVRULHV LQFOXGH WKH XVXDO FDUU\LQJ SRXFK DQG VWDQG EXW DGGV D KLJK TXDOLW\ GLIIXVLRQ GRPH DQG WXQJVWHQ FRORXU PDWFKLQJ Ă&#x20AC;OWHU

The ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun can detect when the diffusion dome or colour ďŹ lter is ďŹ tted.

Performance :HÂˇUH XVHG WR VHHLQJ H[FHOOHQW 77/ DFFXUDF\ ZLWK RZQ EUDQG &DQRQ 6SHHGOLWHV DQG WKH (; ,,, 57 LV QR H[FHSWLRQ :LWK IRXU EDWWHULHV LQVWHDG RI WZR UHF\FOLQJ VSHHG LV EHWWHU WKDQ IURP WKH (/ GHVSLWH WKH JUHDWHU PD[ SRZHU UDWLQJ (YHQ VR RXU PHDVXUHG PD[ RXWSXW DW WKH ORQJ HQG RI WKH ]RRP UDQJH LV D OLWWOH GRZQ RQ PRVW RWKHU Ă DVKJXQV RQ WHVW

The redesigned rear control panel is a joy. 05

With a built-in RF transceiver, it can operate as a master or slave with other compatible â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;RTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10

VALUE

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Power (Gn)

KH PLG UDQJH (; ,, was a top-seller, packing powerful performance into a compact yet robust EXLOG DOO DW DQ DWWUDFWLYH SULFH 7KH KHDGOLQH XSJUDGH LQ WKH PRUH UHFHQW ,,, 57 LV WKDW OLNH &DQRQÂˇV UDQJH WRSSLQJ 57 VHULHV RI 6SHHGOLWHV LW DGGV D EXLOW LQ 5) 5DGLR )UHTXHQF\ WUDQVFHLYHU 6R ZKHUHDV WKH SUHYLRXV PRGHO FRXOG RQO\ DFW DV D ZLUHOHVV VODYH ZLWK DQ LQIUDUHG UDQJH RI DURXQG Ă&#x20AC;YH to eight metres, the new PRGHO FDQ DFW DV DQ 5) PDVWHU RU VODYH ZLWK D WUDQVPLVVLRQ range of about 30 metres in PDVWHU PRGH 7KDWÂˇV ZKHQ using it in the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s KRWVKRH WR WULJJHU RWKHU Âś57Âˇ FRPSDWLEOH Ă DVKJXQV $QRWKHU LPSURYHPHQW RYHU WKH SUHYLRXV HGLWLRQ LV WKDW WKH FRQWURO SDQHO DQG PHQX V\VWHP DUH UHGHVLJQHG 7KH\ÂˇUH PXFK PRUH XVHU IULHQGO\ DQG LQWXLWLYH IRU TXLFNHU DQG HDVLHU RSHUDWLRQ 6LPLODULWLHV WR WKH 0N ,, LQFOXGH D PRWRUL]HG PP ]RRP KHDG ZLWK GHJUHH ERXQFH DQG GHJUHHV

FEATURES

OVERALL

04 24mm

50mm

105mm

0.8

TTL ACCURACY How accurate are ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns during TTL metering?

0.6 0.4 0.2

TL (Through The Lens) ďŹ&#x201A;ash metering is available with almost all dedicated ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns that are designed for use with the Canon EOS camera system. Before the actual exposure, the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun ďŹ res short pulses of light that are reďŹ&#x201A;ected back from the subject, pass through the lens and are measured by the camera. The system then calculates the duration of ďŹ&#x201A;ash required for a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;correctâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exposure and sends this back to the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun. This chart shows how accurately TTL ďŹ&#x201A;ash metering works when using each of the ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns. Positive values equate to overexposure, negative for underexposure.

The Canon Magazine

0.16 0

-0.2 -0.33

-0.4 -0.6 -0.8

Canon Speedlite EL-100

Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT

Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI

Hahnel Modus Canon 600RT Mk II Speedlite 600EX II-RT Wireless Kit

Metz Mecablitz 64 AF-1

Nissin i60A

Phottix Juno TTL

Results closest to zero indicate the greatest accuracy in TTL ďŹ&#x201A;ash metering

105

SUPERTEST

CANON SPEEDLITE 470EX-AI ÂŁ399/$279

FEATURES 01

The head has 120 degrees of vertical rotation, and 180 degrees swivel.

A unique ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun with artiďŹ cial intelligence to help you play all the angles with no problems

The three-way â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;AI.Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; switch offers 0 degrees (no bounce or swivel), semi-auto and fully auto modes.

D VHPL DXWR $, %RXQFH PRGH DQG DQ Âś$QJOH 6HWÂˇ EXWWRQ WR DFFRPPRGDWH WKLV ZKLFK KDV PRUH FRPSDWLELOLW\ In other respects, the (; $, LV FRQYHQWLRQDO DOWKRXJK WKH UHFHQWO\ GHVLJQHG FRQWURO SDQHO LV YHU\ VLPLODU WR WKDW RI WKH (; ,,, 57

In semi-auto AI Bounce mode, you manually position the head then press the Angle Set button.

Performance 0D[ RXWSXW DW WKH ORQJHVW ]RRP VHWWLQJ LV PLGZD\ between that of the 430EX ,,, 57 DQG (; ,, 57 5HF\FOLQJ DIWHU D Ă DVK LV ERWK VLOHQW DQG VZLIW EXW EDWWHU\ OLIH LV DERXW WZR WKLUGV WKDW RI WKH (; ,, 57 GXH WR WKH H[WUD PRWRUL]DWLRQ

Includes a wide-angle diffuser. 04 05

A diffusion dome, stand and padded soft case are included.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10

VALUE

24mm

50mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Power (Gn)

RXQFH Ă DVK LV JHQHUDOO\ SUHIHUDEOH WR GLUHFW VR ORQJ DV \RXÂˇUH FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQW about how to work the DQJOHV ,I QRW WKLV Ă DVKJXQ comes to the rescue, with a PRWRUL]HG ERXQFH VZLYHO DQG ]RRP KHDG WKDW DUH FRQWUROOHG YLD $, %XW KRZ GRHV LW ZRUN" ,Q IXOO\ DXWR $, %RXQFH PRGH D SUH Ă DVK SXOVH LV Ă&#x20AC;UHG DW WKH VXEMHFW WKHQ WKH KHDG WLOWV YHUWLFDOO\ XSZDUGV DQG Ă&#x20AC;UHV D VHFRQG SUH Ă DVK SXOVH DW WKH FHLOLQJ 7KH RSWLPXP bounce angle is then FDOFXODWHG DQG VHW automatically, prior to the VKRW ,I \RX VZDS EHWZHHQ SRUWUDLW DQG ODQGVFDSH RULHQWDWLRQ WKH Ă DVK KHDG DGMXVWV ZLWK D GRXEOH OLJKW WDS RI WKH FDPHUDÂˇV VKXWWHU EXWWRQ ,WÂˇV DOO FOHYHU EXW IXOO\ DXWR PRGH LV RQO\ DYDLODEOH ZLWK UHFHQW FDPHUDV ODXQFKHG GXULQJ RU DIWHU WKH VHFRQG KDOI RI (YHQ WKHQ VRPH QHZHU PRGHOV DUH H[FOXGHG LQFOXGLQJ WKH ' 0 0 DQG 0 ,I \RXÂˇG UDWKHU FKRRVH ZKHWKHU WR ERXQFH WKH Ă DVK off the ceiling or a wall, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

OVERALL

105mm

GUIDE NUMBER How powerful are ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns? These numbers will be your guideâ&#x20AC;Ś he maximum power output of a ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun is generally quoted as a Gn (Guide number). It equates to the distance at which the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun can effectively illuminate a subject, at any given aperture, usually with a camera sensitivity setting of ISO100. If you divide the Gn by the f-number of the aperture in use, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get the effective reach of the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun. For example, a ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun with a Gn 40 rating (ISO100) will

106

give you a range of 10m when shooting at f/4, or 5m when shooting at f/8. Bear in mind that if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bouncing the ďŹ&#x201A;ash off a ceiling or wall, the distance between the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun and the object youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shooting can become much longer, and there will also be a loss of intensity due to absorption of light in the surface that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bouncing it off. Similarly, diffusion domes will also reduce the max available output. www.digitalcameraworld.com

FLASHGUNS 01

CANON SPEEDLITE 600EX II-RT ÂŁ519/$529

FEATURES 01

The 20-200mm zoom range matches that of the Hahnel and Phottix ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no shortage of power but the control panel feels a little dated

There are extra sockets for a PC sync terminal and an external power pack.

KH (; ,, 57 LV ELJJHU WRXJKHU DQG PRUH powerful than any of &DQRQÂˇV RWKHU 6SHHGOLWHV ,W KDV D ZHDWKHU VHDOHG construction, complete with a ZHDWKHU VHDOHG PRXQWLQJ IRRW DQG LV GHVLJQHG IURP WRS WR WRH to meet the expectations of SUR SKRWRJUDSKHUV &RPSDUHG ZLWK WKH (; ,,, 57 WKHUHÂˇV D PRUH SRZHUIXO *Q UDWLQJ DQG PRUH Ă H[LELOLW\ LQ WKH ERXQFH UDQJH 8SZDUG WLOW H[WHQGV IURP GHJUHHV WR D IXOO\ XSULJKW GHJUHHV EXW WKDWÂˇV VWLOO OHVV WKDQ WKH GHJUHHV RI WKH (; $, ZKLOH ERWK RI WKHVH Ă DVKJXQV HQDEOH D IXOO GHJUHHV RI ODWHUDO VZLYHO LQ ERWK OHIW DQG ULJKW GLUHFWLRQV $V ZLWK WKH (; ,,, 57 WKH (; ,, 57 KDV EXLOW LQ ZLUHOHVV 5) FRQQHFWLYLW\ IRU ZRUNLQJ LQ ERWK PDVWHU DQG VODYH PRGHV RYHU D UDQJH RI XS WR P $V XVXDO 5) OLQNLQJ JLYHV WKH ERQXV RI EHLQJ DEOH WR ZRUN DURXQG FRUQHUV DQG WKURXJK REVWDFOHV as well as being more reliable WKDQ LQIUDUHG LQ EULJKW

RXWGRRU FRQGLWLRQV 8QOLNH WKH (; ,,, 57 KRZHYHU WKH PRUH XS PDUNHW Ă DVKJXQ features master as well as VODYH PRGH GXULQJ LQIUDUHG OLQNLQJ

TILT AND SWIVEL

so-called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;softerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quality of light is typically preferred for portraiture. For this, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need a relatively large light source, certainly much larger than a ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun. The easiest solution is to bounce the ďŹ&#x201A;ash off a white wall or ceiling, which effectively gives a much larger area of source illumination. Indeed, the artiďŹ cially intelligent Canon 470EX-AI automatically works out the optimum bounce angle. You can tilt the head of the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun upwards for bouncing light off the ceiling, or swivel it sideways for bouncing light off a wall. Naturally, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shooting in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;portraitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or upright orientation, the functions are reversed compared with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;landscapeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; orientation. Many ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns feature a reďŹ&#x201A;ector card which pulls out from just above the ďŹ&#x201A;ash tube, enabling some light to be thrown directly forward in bounce mode. This can add a little direct illumination.

Bounce the light to create a softer effect

The Canon Magazine

Performance

&RPSDUHG ZLWK &DQRQÂˇV PLG UDQJH Ă DVKJXQV WKHUHÂˇV little or no power boost at VKRUW WR PHGLXP ]RRP settings, but the power ramps XS DW WKH ORQJHU HQG RI WKH ]RRP UDQJH 5HF\FOLQJ VSHHG LV DOPRVW D VHFRQG VORZHU DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK ZKHQ XVLQJ 1L0+ EDWWHULHV EXW WKDWÂˇV WR EH H[SHFWHG FRQVLGHULQJ WKH JUHDWHU RXWSXW SRZHU

02 04

Wireless master and slave modes are included with RF and infrared linking. 04

Build-quality includes weather-seals and a shrouded hotshoemounting foot. 05

The context-sensitive control buttons are quite traditional. 05

VERDICT

45 40

FEATURES

Power (Gn)

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10

VALUE

24mm

50mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

OVERALL

105mm

107

SUPERTEST

HAHNEL MODUS 600RT MK II WIRELESS ÂŁ299/$255

FEATURES 01

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 20-200mm motorized zoom range, 14mm wide-angle diffuser and reďŹ&#x201A;ector card.

New and improved, the Mark II edition of the Modus 600RT is even more appealing

3HUIRUPDQFH LV LPSUHVVLYH LQ all areas, from powerful max output to super-fast recycling DQG UHOLDEOH 77/ PHWHULQJ 5) WULJJHULQJ QHYHU PLVVHV D EHDW DQG \RX FDQ OLQN RWKHU PDNHV RI Ă DVKJXQ WR DQ 5) JURXS ZLWK H[WUD 9LSHU UHFHLYHUV FRVWLQJ DURXQG Â&#x2026; HDFK

An extra Hahnel HLX-MD1 Extreme Li-ion battery costs around ÂŁ49/$89.

03 05

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a USB port at the side for ďŹ rmware upgrades. 05

RF master/slave transmission has a range of 15m and 100m.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10 5

VALUE

50mm

t low-power settings, most ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns will recycle almost instantly. This means that you can ďŹ re shot after shot when trying to capture ďŹ&#x201A;eeting expressions or a small moment in a sequence of events, without worrying about your ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun being ready. As you approach the max power setting, recycling will take longer and you might need to wait for a few seconds between shots. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how long each will keep you waiting, when using fresh NiMH or alkaline batteries.

OVERALL

105mm

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how long it takes each ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun to recycle after a full-power ďŹ&#x201A;ash â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lower scores are betterâ&#x20AC;Ś

Speed (Seconds)

24mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be kept waiting when on a shootâ&#x20AC;Ś

108

Performance

RECYCLE SPEED A

Control buttons are similar to those of other ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns.

]RRP KHDG ZLWK D PP UDQJH D Ă LS GRZQ PP ZLGH DQJOH GLIIXVHU DQG D SXOO RXW UHĂ HFWRU FDUG 0DUN ,, LPSURYHPHQWV LQFOXGH D TXLFN UHOHDVH KRWVKRH ORFNLQJ OHYHU DQG D QHZ EDWWHU\ FKDUJHU ZLWK D 86% VRFNHW

Power (Gn)

DFNHG ZLWK KLJK HQG IHDWXUHV DQG D EXLOW LQ 5) WUDQVFHLYHU WKH 0RGXV 57 ERDVWV 5) DQG LQIUDUHG PDVWHU DQG VODYH FRQQHFWLYLW\ DORQJ ZLWK D WRS *Q PD[ SRZHU UDWLQJ 2Q LWV RZQ WKH Ă DVKJXQ LV JUHDW DW Â&#x2026; DQG WKH Âś:LUHOHVV Kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is better at ÂŁ299/$329, as it LQFOXGHV D KRWVKRH PRXQWLQJ +DKQHO 9LSHU 5) WULJJHU ZLWK D P UDQJH %HVW RI DOO WKHUHÂˇV D Âś3UR .LWÂˇ ZKLFK LQFOXGHV WZR Ă DVKJXQV SOXV WKH VDPH KRWVKRH WULJJHU DW Â&#x2026; $ ELJ GLIIHUHQFH EHWZHHQ WKH +DKQHO DQG WKH RWKHU Ă DVKJXQV KHUH LV WKDW LWÂˇV SRZHUHG E\ D UHFKDUJHDEOH /L LRQ EDWWHU\ SDFN ,W KDV greater stamina, enabling up WR IXOO SRZHU Ă DVKHV DQG DW WKH KDOI SRZHU VHWWLQJ 5HF\FOLQJ VSHHGV DUH WZLFH DV IDVW DV PRVW Ă DVKJXQV WKDW XVH $$ EDWWHULHV DW VHFRQGV DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK DQG MXVW VHFRQGV DIWHU KDOI SRZHU In other areas of its feature VHW WKH +DKQHO JRHV WRH WR WRH ZLWK FRPSHWLQJ WRS HQG Ă DVKJXQV ,W KDV D PRWRUL]HG

7 6 5 4 3 2

NiMH Alkaline

NA Canon Speedlite EL-100

Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT

Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI

Canon Hahnel Modus Speedlite 600RT Mk II 600EX II-RT Wireless Kit

Metz Mecablitz 64 AF-1

Nissin i60A

Phottix Juno TTL

www.digitalcameraworld.com

FLASHGUNS

METZ MECABLITZ 64 AF-1 ÂŁ419/$450

FEATURES 01

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the range-topping ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun from the prestigious Metz brand

Full 180-degree swivel is available to the left but only 120 degrees to the right.

Performance 7KLQJV GLGQÂˇW WXUQ RXW TXLWH DV H[SHFWHG LQ RXU ODE WHVWV :H ZHUH KRSLQJ IRU D ORW FRQVLGHULQJ WKH *Q SRZHU UDWLQJ +RZHYHU ZKLOH WKH 0HW] GHOLYHUHG D JUHDWHU intensity of output than the &DQRQ (; ,, 57 DW VKRUW WR PHGLXP ]RRP VHWWLQJV LW GURSSHG RII PRUH DW WKH ORQJ HQG EHWZHHQ PP 5HF\FOLQJ DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK LV D OLWWOH VORZHU WKDQ IURP WKH WRS HQG &DQRQ DQG takes more than twice as long DV ZLWK WKH +DKQHO 5XQQLQJ RQ DONDOLQH UDWKHU WKDQ 1L0+ EDWWHULHV WKH 0HW] LV SDUWLFXODUO\ VORZ

03 03

The Metz adds a secondary sub-ďŹ&#x201A;ash tube to the build. 04

Has a pleasant colour touchscreen at the back.

Build quality feels fully pro-grade, but it does lack a weather-sealed mounting foot.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20 15

IMAGE QUALITY VALUE

24mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Power (Gn)

KLV XS PDUNHW Ă DVKJXQ from the German PDQXIDFWXUHU 0HW] PDWFKHV WKH WRS Ă LJKW &DQRQ DQG +DKQHO PRGHOV LQ PDQ\ DUHDV LQFOXGLQJ D PP ]RRP UDQJH DQG WR GHJUHH ERXQFH IDFLOLW\ On paper, at least, it has an HYHQ JUHDWHU PD[ SRZHU UDWLQJ but, while it can operate in PDVWHU DQG VODYH ZLUHOHVV FRQĂ&#x20AC;JV YLD LQIUDUHG OLQNLQJ LW ODFNV D EXLOW LQ 5) WUDQVFHLYHU 7KH $) LV WKH RQO\ Ă DVKJXQ LQ WKH JURXS WR IHDWXUH DQ DGGLWLRQDO VXE Ă DVK PRGXOH ,WÂˇV JUHDW IRU DGGLQJ DQ DGMXVWDEOH DPRXQW RI Ă&#x20AC;OO LQ OLJKWLQJ ZKHQ WKH PDLQ KHDG LV EHLQJ XVHG LQ ERXQFH RU VZLYHO PRGH $QRWKHU XQLTXH feature in present company is WKH FRORXU WRXFKVFUHHQ DURXQG back, which makes for easy SRLQW DQG SLFN QDYLJDWLRQ RI PHQXV DQG DGMXVWPHQWV 7\SLFDO WRS HQG H[WUDV LQFOXGH D SURJUDPPDEOH VWURERVFRSLF Ă DVK PRGH DQG a socket for powering the Ă DVKJXQ IURP DQ RSWLRQDO H[WHUQDO SRZHU SDFN

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 24-200mm zoom range and -9 to 90-degree bounce facility.

50mm

OVERALL

105mm

HIGH-SPEED SYNC Can a relatively tiny ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun compete with the sun? ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun can be useful for ďŹ lling in shadows. The only problem is that the shutter speed you need for a good exposure may exceed the ďŹ&#x201A;ash sync speed of the camera. This is the max speed the shutter can ďŹ re when using the ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun in regular mode, typically around 1/200th to 1/250th of a sec. The limitation is caused by the fact the ďŹ&#x201A;ash needs to

The Canon Magazine

occur after the shutterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst curtain has opened, and before the second curtain begins to close. Or else youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up with a dark bar at the top or bottom of the frame. At very high shutter speeds, the second curtain begins to close before the ďŹ rst is open, as they follow each other across the frame. To get around this, ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns can feature a high-speed sync mode.

Less maximum power is available in high-speed sync mode but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great for ďŹ lling in shadows on a sunny day

109

SUPERTEST 01

NISSIN I60A ÂŁ227/$249

FEATURES 01

For such a small ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun, it has a large 24-200mm motorized zoom.

Something of a small wonder, the Nissin punches well above its weight

OFF-CAMERA FLASH Get a more three-dimensional lighting effect

110

Performance

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun in the test to feature an extra LED lamp.

,Q RXU WHVWV WKH OLWWOH 1LVVLQ PDWFKHG WKH PD[LPXP SRZHU output of the top-ranking &DQRQ (; ,, 57 throughout the entire zoom UDQJH 7KDW PDNHV LW MRLQWO\ WKH PRVW SRZHUIXO Ă DVKJXQ LQ WKH ZKROH JURXS :H H[SHULHQFHG D VOLJKW DQG fairly consistent amount of XQGHUH[SRVXUH GXULQJ 77/ Ă DVK VKRRWLQJ HTXDWLQJ WR DERXW D WKLUG RI DQ I VWRS 5HF\FOLQJ VSHHG LV MXVW D WHQWK RI D VHFRQG VORZHU WKDQ LQ WKH 0HW] Ă DVKJXQ DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK XVLQJ 1L0+ batteries, but nearly twice DV IDVW RQ DONDOLQH FHOOV

Well-built, the Nissin feels solid and sturdy despite its relatively light weight.

RF and infrared slave modes are available, as well as a basic optical slave option.

Stylish and intuitive, the rear panel features a graphical colour interface.

VERDICT

45 40

FEATURES

Power (Gn)

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10

VALUE

24mm

50mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

KHUH DUH TXLWH D IHZ small, lightweight Ă DVKJXQV RQ WKH PDUNHW WKDW ORRN HTXDOO\ DW home on mirrorless cameras DV WKH\ GR RQ 6/5V %XW PRVW RQO\ KDYH D PHDJUH PD[LPXP SRZHU RXWSXW DQG VLPSOH FRQWUROV 7KH\ PLJKW DOVR ODFN DQ /&' VFUHHQ 7KLV 1LVVLQ SURYHV WKDW \RX FDQ SDFN D ORW LQWR D VPDOO EXLOG ZLWK LWV DFH Gn 60 rating, 24-200mm PRWRUL]HG ]RRP KHDG DQG D JUDSKLFDO XVHU LQWHUIDFH EDVHG DURXQG D FRORXU VFUHHQ 7KH ERXQFH IDFLOLW\ KDV GHJUHH WLOW DQG D IXOO GHJUHH VZLYHO LQ OHIW DQG ULJKW 'HVSLWH LWV VPDOO EXLOG WKH 1LVVLQ DOVR PDQDJHV DQ /(' OLJKW ,WÂˇV QRZKHUH QHDU DV SRZHUIXO DV WKH VHFRQGDU\ Ă DVK PRGXOH LQ WKH 0HW] EXW LV VXLWHG WR FORVH XS VKRRWLQJ ,QIUDUHG DQG 5) ZLUHOHVV VODYH WULJJHULQJ DUH DYDLODEOH the latter working well with 1LVVLQÂˇV &RPPDQGHU $LU RU PRUH XS PDUNHW &RPPDQGHU $LU V 5) WULJJHUV <RX FDQ EX\ WKHVH IRU DURXQG Â&#x2026; RU Â&#x2026;

OVERALL

105mm

hen your ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun is mounted in a hotshoe and ďŹ ring directly at a subject, it can end up with ďŹ&#x201A;at lighting. To create images with a more natural look, off-camera ďŹ&#x201A;ash is a better choice. Many Canons feature a pop-up ďŹ&#x201A;ash that can act as a wireless master, triggering other remote ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns that have a wireless infrared slave mode. Remote ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns conďŹ gured in up to three separate groups can be triggered via an infrared beam, complete with the availability of TTL ďŹ&#x201A;ash metering. RF (Radio Frequency) remote triggering enables a much greater working distance, and you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need uninterrupted â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;line of sightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; between the trigger and remote ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns.

Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ST-E3-RT RF trigger is pricey at ÂŁ239/$285 but the directly equivalent Yongnuo YN-E3-RT II shown here is more affordable at around ÂŁ86/$81 www.digitalcameraworld.com

FLASHGUNS 01 02

PHOTTIX JUNO TTL ÂŁ169/$180

FEATURES 01

The large and powerful head includes 20-200mm motorized zoom, a wide-angle diffuser and reďŹ&#x201A;ector card.

With a feast of features for a ďŹ&#x201A;ashgun at this price, the Phottix is a bargain buy 100m, as well as multiple PRGHV LQFOXGLQJ KLJK VSHHG V\QF 0RUHRYHU LI \RX KDSSHQ to use multiple makes of FDPHUD \RX FDQ EX\ GHGLFDWHG WULJJHUV IRU HDFK RI WKHP DQG WKH Ă DVKJXQ DGDSWV WR JLYH D IXOO UDQJH RI 77/ DQG RWKHU Ă DVK PRGHV ZKHQ XVHG RII FDPHUD YLD WKH WULJJHU

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full 180-degree swivel. 03

An RF transceiver is built-in, along with an infrared slave facility. 03

The interface is based on contextsensitive pushbuttons.

Performance 7KH 3KRWWL[ JLYHV SRZHUIXO RXWSXW RYHU LWV ODUJH ]RRP range with fast recycling VSHHGV HYHQ DIWHU D IXOO SRZHU Ă DVK 7KLV ZRUNV RXW WR RU VHFRQGV IRU 1L0+ DQG DONDOLQH EDWWHULHV 77/ DFFXUDF\ SURYHG UHOLDEOH

The mounting shoe has a rubber weather-seal and quick-release lever.

VERDICT 40

FEATURES

35 30

BUILD & HANDLING

25 20

IMAGE QUALITY

15 10

VALUE

24mm

50mm

1/ 4 1/ 2 FU LL

0 1/ 12 8 1/ 64 1/ 32 1/ 16 1/ 8

Power (Gn)

KH QHZ 3KRWWL[ -XQR 77/ LV WKH FKHDSHVW Ă DVKJXQ in this test group, but \RXÂˇG QHYHU JXHVV WKDW E\ looking at the specs, features DQG TXDOLW\ ,W KDV D SRWHQW *Q PD[ RXWSXW D ERXQFH KHDG ZLWK WR GHJUHHV RI WLOW DQG IXOO GHJUHH VZLYHO LQ ERWK GLUHFWLRQV SOXV D PP PRWRUL]HG ]RRP KHDG 7KH FRQVWUXFWLRQ IHHOV WRXJK DQG VROLG DQG IHDWXUHV D UXEEHU ZHDWKHU VHDO DURXQG WKH PHWDO PRXQWLQJ SODWH $V LWÂˇV QDPH VXJJHVWV 77/ Ă DVK PHWHULQJ LV VXSSRUWHG ZKLOH DGYDQFHG PRGHV LQFOXGH KLJK VSHHG V\QF UHDU FXUWDLQ DQG SURJUDPPDEOH VWURERVFRSLF Ă DVK 7KLQJV JHW HYHQ PRUH LQWHUHVWLQJ ZKHQ \RX XVH WKH 3KRWWL[ RII FDPHUD $V ZHOO DV DQ LQIUDUHG VODYH PRGH LW IHDWXUHV D UDGLR IUHTXHQF\ WUDQVFHLYHU IRU IXOO ZLUHOHVV 5) PDVWHU DQG VODYH IXQFWLRQV 7ULJJHULQJ ZRUNV ZHOO ZLWK WKH 2GLQ ,, WUDQVPLWWHU Â&#x2026; ZKLFK HQDEOHV IXOO UHPRWH FRQWURO RI Ă DVKJXQ VHWWLQJV RYHU D UDQJH RI XS WR

105mm

OVERALL

REAR-CURTAIN & MULTI FLASH Add versatility with trick ďŹ&#x201A;ash modes for special effects ost ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns have a rearcurtain mode, which can be selected via its onboard controls, or from the ďŹ&#x201A;ash function menu in the host camera. Whereas the ďŹ rst-curtain mode ďŹ res the ďŹ&#x201A;ash as soon as the ďŹ rst shutter has opened, the rear-curtain mode waits until the rear curtain is about to close. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s useful in long exposures when, for example, a

The Canon Magazine

vehicle with lights is moving across the scene. Light trails will appear to stretch out from behind, instead of in front. Some ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns also feature a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Multiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mode, also known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;repeatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stroboscopicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This is programmable, so you can preset the number of ďŹ&#x201A;ashes and the time interval between each one. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great for getting multiple exposures of an object in motion in a single shot.

With rear-curtain ďŹ&#x201A;ash mode, the lights of a vehicle crossing the scene appear to stretch out behind rather than in front of its path

111

SUPERTEST COMPARISON TABLE

NAME

CANON SPEEDLITE EL-100

CANON SPEEDLITE 430EX III-RT

CANON SPEEDLITE 470EX-AI

CANON SPEEDLITE 600EX II-RT

HAHNEL MODUS 600RT MK II WK

METZ MECABLITZ 64 AF-1

NISSIN I60A

PHOTTIX JUNO TTL

www.canon.co.uk

www.hahnel.ie

www.metzflash.co.uk

www.nissindigital.com

www.theflashcentre.com

Gn 26

Gn 43

Gn 47

Gn 60

Gn 64

Gn 60

Bounce (degrees)

0 to 90 degrees

0 to 120 degrees

-7 to 90 degrees

-9 to 90 degrees

0 to 90 degrees

-7 to 90 degrees

Swivel (left/right)

150 / 180

180 / 180

180 / 120

180 / 180

24-50mm (manual)

24-105mm (auto)

20-200mm (auto)

24-200mm (auto)

20-200mm

Wide-angle Diffuser

14mm

12mm

16mm

14mm

Reflector card

Yes

Auto Metering

E-TTL / E-TTL II

Via camera menu

+/-3EV

+/-2EV

+/-3EV

1/1 to 1/128

1/1 to 1/256

1/1 to 1/128

Red lamp

Secondary lamp

Sub-flash

LED

Wireless Master/Slave Additional Flash Modes

Master/Slave IR

Slave IR/RF

Slave IR

Master/Slave IR

Slave IR (optional RF)

IR slave, RF Master/ Slave

HSS, RC, Strobe

HSS, RC

HSS, RC, Strobe

HSS, RC

HSS, RC, Strobe

TTL flash exp error

0EV

-0.33EV

0EV

Full Power Recycle (NiMH/alkaline)

3.0/5.2 seconds

2.4/3.4 seconds

2.3/4.2 seconds

3.2/3.4 seconds

1.5 seconds

3.4/7.4 seconds

3.5/3.9 seconds

2.6/4.1 seconds

Yes

Yes (colour touchscreen)

Yes (colour)

Yes

Pouch, stand

Pouch, stand, dome, filter

Pouch, stand, dome

Pouch, stand, dome, filters

Pouch, stand, charger

Pouch, stand

Pouch, stand, dome

Pouch, stand

2x AA

4x AA

1x Li-ion

4x AA

65x92x71mm

71x114x98mm

75x130x105mm

79x143x123mm

64x76x190mm

78x148x112mm

73x112x98mm

50x190x80mm

190g

295g

385g

435g

430g

422g

300g

460g

£199/$200

£269/$249

£399/$279

£519/$529

£299/$255

£419/$450

£227/$249

£169/$180

Max claimed Gn (ISO 100, metres)

Zoom Range

Flash Exposure Compensation Manual Power Settings AF-assist beam

Flash Info LCD Supplied accessories Batteries Dimensions (W x H x D) Weight (excl batts) Target price

FEATURES BUILD & HANDLING PERFORMANCE VALUE OVERALL

THE WINNER IS… HAHNEL MODUS 600RT MK II WIRELESS The Hahnel is our top gun, due to its performance and versatility espite its ‘mid-range’ price, the Hahnel is a topflashgun with pro-grade handling and features. The ‘Wireless Kit’ comes with a Canon-dedicated RF trigger for slotting into your hotshoe to enable easy off-camera flash. And finally, its Li-ion power pack enables great stamina and fast recycling speeds. The high-end Phottix Juno TTL is another great bargain. Add a companion Phottix Odin II radio trigger and it costs about the same as the

112

Hahnel kit, albeit without the Li-ion battery pack. The Nissin i60A is the best buy if you want a compact flashgun that doesn’t compromise on power or handling. The Metz 64 AF-1 is a smart buy if you need a secondary flash tube. Of Canon’s current flashguns, the 430EX III-RT is our favourite for performance, features and price. The EL-100 lacks controls and power, whereas the 470EX-AI is pricey if you don’t feel the need for its automated bounce facility.

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BUYERS’ GUIDE quid to With prices ranging from a couple of hundred ryone, several thousand, Canon has a DSLR to suit eve pro… from the complete beginner to most demanding

What to look for Canon EOS cameras Canon splits its EOS DSLR lineup into entry-level, enthusiast and professional ranges; the 4000D is the most basic, the 800D and 77D for intermediates, the 80D and full-frame 6D Mk II for more advanced enthusiasts, while the 7D, full-frame 5D and 1D lines have pro-level features. With more expensive models, expect greater handling, more robust build quality (weather-sealing and magnesium-alloy shells), more advanced features, and full-frame rather than APS-C image sensors. We also now have the full-frame EOS R cameras for mirrorless fans, the EOS RP as an ‘entry-level’ and more affordable option, with the EOS R for more serious photographers. Plus not forgetting Canon’s compact system APS-C EOS M camera range.

DSLR CAMERAS PRICES QUOTED ARE BODY-ONLY UNLESS STATED

CANON EOS 4000D

TESTED IN ISSUE 140 PRICE: £250/$N/A CANON has stripped everything down to its bare essentials for the 4000D, and it’s a great if basic DSLR for beginners, and at only £329 (body), it’s the cheapest new EOS DSLR. Sadly, it’s let down by a cheap kit lens, that’s tough to tolerate, so we suggest buying the better IS lens.

CANON EOS 2000D (REBEL T7)

ENTRY-LEVEL

THE 2000D is a better-spec Canon camera than the 4000D, but comes with a step up at its RRP current price. It’s arguably worth the extra, but that puts it in a difficult spot, where another step up in outlay will get you an EOS 200D, which is a far better overall DSLR camera.

CANON EOS 250D (REBEL SL3) THE new EOS 250D/Rebel SL3 is not Canon’s cheapest entry-level DSLR, but we think it’s the best budget/beginner DSLR with the perfect blend of power and value. This is the body that will take people from snapping on their smartphones, to getting into the hobby.

CANON EOS 800D (REBEL T7i) CANON has shoehorned much of the tech of the enthusiast-level 80D into a beginner body. The 800D inherits its bigger brother’s 24Mp Dual Pixel sensor for superior Live View autofocus, uses the same 45-point module for viewfinder autofocus, and betters its ISO performance.

114

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

18Mp APS-C CMOS Pentamirror, 0.8x, 95% 100-6400 (12,800 exp) 9-point (1 cross-type) 2.7-in, 230k-dot 3fps SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 149 PRICE: £290/$360 Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

24.1Mp APS-C CMOS Pentamirror, 0.8x, 95% 100-6400 (12,800 exp) 9-point (1 cross-type) 3-in, 920k-dots 3fps SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £519/$600 Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

24.1Mp APS-C CMOS Pentamirror, 0.87x, 95% 100-25600 (51,200 exp) 9-point (1 cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch screen, 1040k 5fps SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 149 PRICE: £579/$899 Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

24.2Mp, APS-C (6000x4000 pixels) Pentamirror, 0.82x, 95% 100-25600 (51,200 exp) 45-point (all cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 6fps (27 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) SD/SDHC/SDXC

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BUYERS’ GUIDE CAMERAS CANON EOS 77D

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £700/$800 THE key specs are identical to the 800D, but the extra top-plate LCD gives at-a-glance access to vital shooting info, while a rear control wheel makes dialing in exposure settings much quicker, promoting it to Canon’s ‘enthusiast’ range. Super image quality – even at high ISOs.

CANON EOS 90D

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

Pentamirror, 0.82x, 95% 100-25,600 (51,200 exp) 45-point (all cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 6fps (27 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 159 PRICE: £1209/$1200

CANON EOS 7D Mk II

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

32.5Mp, APS-C (6960x4640 pixels) Pentaprism, 0.95x, 100% 100-25,600 (51,200 exp) 45-point (all cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 10fps (25 Raw/58 JPEG) SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 159 PRICE: £1350/$1649 HERE’S the king of action-packed APS-C format cameras. A long-overdue revamp of the original 7D, it has 65-point AF with advanced tracking, 10fps continuous drive, dual DIGIC 6 processors and GPS, all wrapped up in a tough, weathersealed magnesium alloy shell.

CANON EOS 6D Mk II

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

20.2Mp, APS-C (5472x3648 pixels) Pentaprism, 1.0x, 100% 100-16,000 (51,200 exp) 65-point (all cross-type) 3-in, 1040k dots 10fps (31 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC

ENTHUSIAST

THE Canon 90D is a heavyweight replacement for the 80D, and this decathlete crop-camera comes with a new 32.5Mp sensor, super-quick 10fps continous shooting and 4K video, plus improved handling. This camera is an ideal APS-C camera upgrade for enthusiasts and beyond.

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £1349/$1600 THE world’s smallest full-frame DSLR – with a vari-angle touchscreen LCD – gets a major upgrade over the original 6D with improved speed and performance rather than outright image quality. It’s a great all-rounder now thanks to an improved AF system and burst rate.

CANON EOS 5D Mk IV

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

26.2Mp, full-frame (6240x4160 pixels) Optical pentaprism, 98% 100-40,000 (50-102,400 exp) 45-point (all cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 6.5fps (21 Raw/150 JPEG) SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £2800/$3100 A SUPERB all-rounder, the pro-level weathersealed full-frame 5D Mk IV combines a stunning hi-res 30Mp sensor with a swift 7fps frame rate. Its impressive specs list includes 4K video, a touchscreen LCD, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, and GPS to automatically geotag images.

Sensor

30.4Mp, full-frame (6720x4480 pixels)

Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

Pentaprism, 0.71x, 100% 100-32,000 (50-102,400 exp) 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross) 3.2-in touch-screen, 1620k dots 7fps (21 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 148 PRICES: £2349/$3700 (£2500/$3899)

THE world’s first 50Mp full-frame DSLR delivers huge and amazingly detailed hi-res images. The higher-cost 5DS R adds a ‘low-pass cancellation filter’ for marginally sharper shots. As expected with such a high-res sensor, max ISO and drive rate are lower than with the 5D Mk IV.

Sensor

50.6Mp, full-frame (8688x5792 pixels)

Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer)

Pentaprism, 0.71x, 100% 100-6400 (50-12,800 exp) 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross) 3.2-in, 1040k dots 5fps (14 Raw/510 JPEG)

Memory card

CANON EOS-1D X MARK II CANON’S Mark II flagship full-frame pro-level EOS boasts ultra-fast 14fps shooting (16fps in Live View) and super-high ISO, along with sublime handling. It sports 4K video, body build quality is rock-solid, yet its 20Mp image resolution is relatively modest when compared to the 50Mp 5DS/R.

CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC

TESTED IN ISSUE 148 PRICE: £4800/$6000 Sensor

20.2Mp, full-frame (5472x3648 pixels)

Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

Pentaprism, 0.76x, 100% 100-51,200 (50-40,9600 exp) 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross) 3.2-in, 1620k dots 14-16fps (170 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) CompactFlash + CFast

115

PROFESSIONAL

CANON EOS 5DS (5DS R)

The Canon Magazine

24.2Mp, APS-C (6000x4000 pixels)

BUYERS’ GUIDE MIRRORLESS CAMERAS PRICES QUOTED ARE BODY-ONLY UNLESS STATED

CANON EOS M200

TESTED IN ISSUE 160 PRICE with 15-45mm kit lens: £499/$549 CANON’S EOS M200 is aimed at attracting Instagramers and smartphone upgraders to Canon’s mirrorless M range, and has an appealing spec list including its 24Mp sensor and plenty of easy-to-use features for beginners. It shoots 4K video to slea the deal.

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

No 100-25,600 (51,200 exp) 143-point AF 3-in tilting touchscreen, 1040k dots 6.1 fps SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-1

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £490/$800

CANON EOS M50

APS-C EOS M

THE M50 produces the same quality and performance as the more expensive M5. Its features probably won’t tempt any Canon DSLR users to the mirrorless camp, but for new users looking for a smaller body and trying to get into photography, it’s a marvellous route inside the Canon system.

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

CANON EOS M6 MARK II

24.2Mp, APS-C CMOS OLED EVF, 2,360k dots 100-25,600 143/99-point (1 cross-type) 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 10fps, 7.4fps with autofocus SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-1

PRICE: £869/$849 THE EOS M6 Mark II is Canon’s new compact, yet powerful mirrorless camera designed to deliver sharp images for amateurs always on the move. It has the same 32.5Mp APS-C sensor as the new Canon EOS 90D DSLR, but it’s able to shoot in 14fps blasts, and even 30fps Raw image bursts with electronic shutter, plus ‘uncropped’ 4K video.

CANON EOS M5

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

32.5Mp APS-C CMOS No 100-25,600 143/99-point 3-in tilting touchscreen, 1040k dots 14fps (23 Raws, 54 JPEGs) SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-1

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £599/$679 AS Canon’s flagship mirrorless M camera for enthusiasts, the EOS M5 really opens up the DSLR vs CSC debate. It shares much of the tech as the 80D, but swaps the optical viewfinder for an electronic version, making this compact system camera a pocket rocket.

CANON EOS RP

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

24.2Mp APS-C CMOS OLED EVF, 2.36 million dots 100-25,600 49-point AF 3.2-in tilting touchscreen, 1620k dots 9fps SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-1

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £1399/$1299

FULL-FRAME EOS R

CANON is catering to crop-sensor CSC M or EOS DSLR users looking for a full-frame upgrade that won’t break the bank. The EOS RP is strong spec package that’s notably smaller, lighter and cheaper than almost all its rivals, and ideal as an ‘entry-level’ full-frame camera.

CANON EOS R

Sensor Viewfinder ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

26.2Mp, full-frame CMOS 0.39-in EVF, 2.36 million dots 100-40,000 (50-102,400 exp) 4779 Dual Pixel AF positions 3-in vari-angle touch-screen, 1040k 5fps (50 Raw/Unlimited JPEG) SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-ll

TESTED IN ISSUE 156 PRICE: £2149/$2300 THE full-frame mirrorless Canon EOS R boasts the new RF mount and fully articulated Dual Pixel AF touchscreen with 5655 AF points. Equivalent in many specs to the EOS 5D Mark IV, it’s an attractive way for those looking to experience mirrorless photography.

116

24.1Mp APS-C CMOS

Sensor Electronic viewfinder

ISO AF LCD Max burst (buffer) Memory card

30.3Mp full-frame CMOS 0.5-in EVF, 3.69million dots 100-40,000 (50-102,400 exp) 5655 Dual Pixel AF points 3.2-in fully articulating touchscreen Approx. 8fps (47 Raw, 100JPEG) 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-II

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BUYERS’ GUIDE

Choosing lenses Key factors to watch out for THE MAIN factors to consider in a lens are its focal length, maximum aperture, and whether or not it’s full-frame compatible. We’ve categorized lenses by focal length range – from wide-angle to telephoto. The larger a lens’s maximum aperture, the ‘faster’ it’s considered to be – allowing you to control depth of ﬁeld more, and offering better options in low light. Zooms are more ﬂexible than primes, but tend not to have such fast maximum apertures. Full-frame lenses will also work with ‘crop-sensor’ EOS DSLRs, but crop-sensor lenses aren’t compatible with full-frame cameras.

0.15m 0.22m 0.24m 0.28m 0.28m 0.28m 0.28m 0.28m 0.24m 0.24m 0.24m 0.26m 0.28m 0.24m 0.28m 0.28m 0.28m 0.28m 0.25m 0.28m 0.28m

0.34x 0.15x 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x 0.22x 0.23x 0.24x 0.13x 0.15x 0.2x 0.19x 0.23x 0.19x 0.2x 0.2x 0.12x 0.12x 0.2x 0.19x 0.21x

None 67mm 77mm None 82mm 82mm 77mm 77mm None 82mm None None 77mm 77mm None None 77mm 82mm 82mm 82mm 82mm

7 7 6 9 9 9 9 7 7 7 9 9 7 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

90 143 131 131 159 155 143 113 143 143 143 155 113 143 143 155 87 155 116 154

Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes None Yes Yes

f/4-5.6 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/4 f/4 f/4-5.6 f/4-5.6 f/4-5.6 f/4.5-5.6 f/4-5.6 f/4-5.6 f/4.5-5.6 f/4 f/1.8 f/4.5-6.3 f/4.5-6.3

375g 1480g 1310g 780g 760g 705g 630g 710g 1050g 720g 480g 480g 1640g 3620g 1490g 1970g 2700g

0.85m 0.29x 1.2m 0.21x 1.5m 0.16x 1.0m 0.27x 1.2m 0.21x 1.2m 0.21x 1.5m 0.26x 1.2m 0.25x 1.2m 0.21x 1.4m 0.19x 1.5m 0.25x 1.5m 0.25x 0.98m 0.31x 2.0m 0.15x 0.95m 0.15x 0.5-1.8m 0.32x 0.6-2.6m 0.3x

58mm 77mm 77mm 72mm 72mm 67mm 58mm 67mm 67mm 58mm 58mm 58mm 77mm 52mm 82mm 95mm 105mm

7 8 8 9 8 8 8 9 8 6 7 7 9 9 9 9 9

137 151 64 151 151 123 123 137 117 90 15 70 152 152 151 130 152

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM

£900/$1300

Yes

2.9x

Yes

f/2.8

1430g

1.4m

77mm

137

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S

£1349/$1499

Yes

2.9x

Yes

f/2.8

1805g

1.2m

0.21x

82mm

151

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Sigma APO 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S

£130/$140 £180/$180 £689/$699 £2700/$3400

Yes Yes Yes Yes

4.3x 4.3x 4x 2.5x

No No Yes Yes

f/4-5.6 f/4-5.6 f/5-6.3 f/2.8

545g 550g 1160g 3390g

0.95m 0.95m 1.6m 1.5-2.5m

0.5x 0.5x 0.26x 0.12x

58mm 58mm 67mm 105mm

9 9 9 9

123 137 152 151

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C

£790/$1000

Yes

4.0x

Yes

f/5-6.3

1930g

2.8m

0.2x

95mm

152

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM S

£1330/$1800

Yes

4.0x

Yes

f/5-6.3

2860g

2.6m

0.2x

105mm

152

Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM Tamron SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro

£6500/$6800 £630/$770

Yes Yes

2.7x 2.9x

No No

f/5.6 f/2.8

5880g 1320g

6.0m 0.95m

0.14x 0.32x

46mm 77mm

9 9

137

Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

£1289/$1299

Yes

2.9x

Yes

f/2.8

1500g

0.95m

0.16x

77mm

151

Tamron 70-210mm f/4 DI VC USD Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro

£599/$699 £130/$145

Yes Yes

2.9x 4.3x

Yes No

f/4 f/4-5.6

860g 458g

0.95m 0.95m

0.32x 0.5x

67mm 62mm

9 9

151 137

Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

£330/$450

Yes

4.3x

Yes

f/4-5.6

765g

1.5m

0.25x

62mm

137

Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD

£750/$700

Yes

f/4-5.6

1135g

1.5m

0.28x

67mm

152

Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD

£830/$870

Yes

4.0x

Yes

f/5-6.3

1951g

2.7m

0.2x

95mm

130

Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2

£1129/$1299

Yes

4.0x

Yes

f/5-6.3

2010g

2.2m

0.26x

95mm

152

ar g

4.5x 2.9x 2.9x 2.9x 2.9x 2.9x 4.3x 4.3x 4.3x 4.3x 4.0x 4.0x 4.0x 2.8x 2.0x 10.0x 10.0x

tin

No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Is s

Iri

es lad

iz e rs

£270/$300 £2099/$2099 £1330/$1250 £1299/$1299 £899/$1099 £670/$650 £400/$650 £425/$500 £1030/$1350 £1380/$1400 £210/$200 £260/$190 £1950/$2050 £11,000/$11,000 £949/$1099 £1160/$1660 £1899/$1999

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM A Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport

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TELEPHOTO ZOOMS

ic e

++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ +++ +++++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++

540g 240g 385g 1180g 840 790g 615g 500g 555g 520g 1150g 1150g 940g 440g 1100g 1110g 560g 560g 530g 940g 600g

f/4 f/4.5-5.6 f/3.5-4.5 f/4 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/4 f/4.5-5.6 f/3.5 f/4 f/2.8 f/2 f/3.5-4.5 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/2.8 f/4

tin

Is s

No Yes No No Yes No Yes No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No

Iri

1.9x 1.8x 2.2x 2.2x 2.3x 2.2x 2.2x 2.4x 2.0x 2.0x 2.0x 0.19x 1.5x 0.19x 2.0x 2.0x 1.8x 1.43x 2.3x 1.8x 2.1x

0.13x

re ue

Fil

Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes

vie

£1120/$1250 £239/$279 £500/$650 £2700/$2800 £2330/2300 £1849/$1899 £950/$1000 £720/$750 £600/$800 £330/$400 £1400/$1600 £1169/$1299 £760/$900 £450/$500 £930/$1100 £1279/$1299 £480/$500 £529/$469 £450/$400 £699/$699 £570/$450

lad

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nif ag

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We ig

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM A Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM A Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM A Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX II Tokina 11-20mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX Tokina 12-28mm f/4 AT-X Pro DX Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 FF Tokina 17-35mm f/4 AT-X PRO FX

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WIDE-ANGLE ZOOMS

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KEY: O BEST VALUE AWARD O BEST ON TEST AWARD ic e

With more than 150 lenses for Canon DSLRs, picking the best for the job can be a mineﬁeld. Here’s the lowdown

+++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ +++ +++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ +++++ +++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++

O O

BUYERS’ GUIDE LENSES n

ti o

67mm 67mm 72mm 72mm 77mm 62mm 62mm 72mm 67mm 62mm 62mm 72mm

7 7 6 7 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

153 153 128 159 153 153 92 153 153 153 128 153

None 77mm 72mm 43mm 77mm 58mm 52mm 82mm 58mm 58mm 72mm 52mm 67mm None 95mm None None None None None None 77mm 77mm 82mm 77mm None None None None None 77mm 77mm 67mm 67mm 95mm 82mm 82mm 67mm

6 8 5 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 9 9 8 9 9

ds ds

g Ra

iew rev Ra

6 6 7 9 8 8 8 8 6 6 7 9 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2 ZE

£980/$1285

Yes

None

f/2

580g

0.24m

0.21x

58mm

Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 ZE

£3500/$5000

Yes

None

f/1.4

1350g

0.3m

0.2x

95mm

Zeiss Milvus f2/35mm ZE

£935/$1120

Yes

None

f/2

702g

0.3m

0.19x

58mm

0.15x 0.14x 0.14x 0.21x 0.17x 0.23x 0.27x 0.34x 0.18x 0.2x 0.21x 0.5x 0.24x 0.13 0.11x 0.13x N/S N/S N/S N/S 0.08x N/S N/S N/S N/S 0.17x 0.22x 0.11x 0.19x 0.26x 0.14x 0.19x 0.19x 0.4x 0.11x 0.08x 0.2x 0.17x

0.2m 0.25m 0.25m 0.15m 0.25m 0.2m 0.16m 0.21m 0.25m 0.23m 0.28m 0.17m 0.24m 0.28m 0.25m 0.22m 0.3m 0.3m 0.25m 0.2m 0.27m 0.2m 0.25m 0.2m 0.3m 0.14m 0.14m 0.14m 0.27m 0.15m 0.28m 0.25m 0.3m 0.2m 0.25m 0.3m 0.22m 0.25m

WIDE-ANGLE PRIMES

645g 820g 405g 105g 650g 280g 125g 780g 310g 260g 760g 305g 335g 790g 685g 400g 630g 435g 590g 530g 791g 590g 680g 680g 660g 470g 400g 475g 1170g 370g 950g 665g 665g 480g 947g 510g 851g 600g

f/2.8 f/4 f/2.8 f/2 f/1.4 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/1.8 f/2.8 f/1.4 f/1.8 f/2 f/4 f/2.4 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.4 f/2 f/1.4 f/3.5 f/1.4 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/1.8 f/2.8 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.8 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/2

tin

No No No No No Yes No No No Yes No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No

Iri

None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None

Is s

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Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

lad

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Min

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We ig

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Ima

£2000/$2100 £2000/$2150 £450/$540 £195/$230 £1500/$1550 £519/$550 £155/$130 £1690/$1900 £420/$510 £390/$500 £1650/$1650 £495/$450 £520/$550 £609/$650 £599/$675 £250/$215 £290/$290 £240/$260 £379/$399 £360/$470 £899/$999 £330/$360 £480/$470 £680/$760 £489/$499 £700/$900 £700/$900 £600/$600 £1299/$1399 £600/$610 £700/$900 £650/$850 £650/$700 £700/$600 £2330/$2700 £1090/$1395 £1400/$1850 £1270/$1700

Fu ll

sta

tan

ion s at b ili

m oo

O O

90 114 158

+++++ +++ ++++

158 158

++++ ++++

67 114 141 158 158

+++ ++++ ++++ +++++ ++++

155

++++

155

++++

155

+++++

90 158 87 87 87 155 44 114 114 158 158

++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ +++++ ++++ ++++

+++++

141

++++

WIDE-ANGLE PRIMES

++++ ++++ +++ +++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++

0.28x 0.28x 0.24x 0.26x 0.30x 0.33x 0.34x 0.33x 0.34x 0.25x 0.26x 0.34x

0.39m 0.39m 0.45m 0.5m 0.7m 0.39m 0.35m 0.39m 0.39m 0.49m 0.49m 0.45m

tin

Is s

480g 515g 595g 750g 1760g 430g 470g 585g 540g 400g 450g 710g

O O

ed Iri

f/3.5-5.6 f/3.5-5.6 f/3.5-5.6 f/4-6.3 f/3.5-5.6 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3 f/3.5-6.3

Fil

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

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7.5x 7.5x 11.1x

We ig

No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No

ic e

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a ti ific agn

£429/$449 £469/$600 £470/$700 £899/$1150 £2289/$2450 £279/$400 £350/$350 £370/$399 £499/$629 £199/$199 £300/$450 £650/$650

Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L (tilt & shift) Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (tilt & shift) Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Irix 11mm f/4 Blackstone Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Peleng 17mm f/2.8 Fisheye Samyang 8mm f/3.5 IF MC CSII DH Circular Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Diagonal Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 Samyang 16mm f/2 ED AS UMC CS Samyang 24mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC (tilt & shift) Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC AE Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Circular Fisheye Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 ZE Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 ZE Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZE Zeiss Distagon T* 25mm f/2 ZE

SUPERZOOMS

SUPERZOOMS Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD

10.7x 11.1x 13.9x 16.7x 18.8x 11.1x 15x 22.2x

es Iri

++++ ++++ +++ ++++ +++++ +++++ ++++ +++ ++++ +++

ce us fo c

dis

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127 146 127 142 90 142 127 142 142 57

age

++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++

Fu ll

142 142 110 110 142 159 142

-fr a

7 7 6 7 9 9 9 9 7 10 9 7 7 9 9 9 7 9 7

72mm 77mm 58mm 58mm 82mm 82mm 77mm 95mm 77mm 77mm 77mm 77mm 72mm 72mm 82mm 82mm 72mm 82mm 67mm

tin

0.21x 0.17x 0.34x 0.36x 0.21x 0.30x 0.7x 0.18x 0.3x 0.24x 0.19x 0.2x 0.36x 0.23x 0.2x 0.22x 0.21x 0.2x 0.26x

0.35m 0.35m 0.25m 0.25m 0.38m 0.21x 0.38m 0.39m 0.4m 0.45m 0.40m 0.28m 0.22m 0.28m 0.38m 0.45m 0.29m 0.38m 0.33m

575g 645g 200g 205g 805g 900g 600g 1430g 525g 795g 700g 565g 465g 810g 1,020g 885g 570g 905g 510g

f/3.5-5.6 f/2.8 f/3.5-5.6 f/3.5-5.6 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/2 f/3.5-5.6 f/4 f/1.2 f/2.8 f/2.8-4 f/1.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8

te Fil

Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No

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5.7x 3.2x 3.1x 3.1x 2.9x 2.9x 2.9x 2.9x 4.4x 4.4x 4.4x 2.9x 4.1x 1.9x 2.9x 4.4x 2.9x 2.9x 2.7x

We ig

No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes

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£690/$800 £790/$800 £170/$200 £200/$250 £1740/$1600 £2330/2300 £800/$900 £2500/$3200 £380/$600 £1065/$1000 £1119/$1099 £330/$370 £350/$500 £650/$800 £1200/$1200 £600/$900 £420/$650 £1250/$1200 £450/$500

me -fr a Fu ll

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM C Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM A Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM A Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM A Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC Tamron SP AF 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di

STANDARD ZOOMS

ic e

KEY: O BEST VALUE AWARD O BEST ON TEST AWARD

BUYERS’ GUIDE

Contacts

52mm 72mm 72mm 58mm 49mm 77mm 77mm 62mm 77mm 67mm 72mm 67mm 58mm 77mm

es Iri

Is s

++++

103 146 146 146

++++ +++ ++++ ++++

146 140 146 148 146

++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++

O O

0.95m 0.85m 0.85m 0.5m 0.9m 0.9m 1.9m 1.5m 2.0m 1.5m 2.7m 3.3m 3.5m 3.7m 4.5m 6.0m 1.1m 0.9m 0.8m 2.0m 3.5m 0.85m 2.5m 4.0m 3.5m 7.0m 0.8m 0.8m 0.8m

0.11x 0.12x 0.13x 0.29x 0.14x 0.19x 0.12x 0.16x 0.18x 0.24x 0.17x 0.13x 0.12x 0.15x 0.15x 0.14x 0.09x 0.11x N/S N/S N/S 0.12x 0.13x 0.13x 0.15x 0.11x 0.14x 0.14x 0.28x

72mm 77mm 58mm 58mm 58mm 72mm 52mm 72mm 52mm 77mm 52mm 52mm 77mm 52mm 52mm 52mm 72mm 77mm 77mm 95mm 30mm 86mm 46mm 46mm 46mm 46mm 67mm 77mm 77mm

Iri

Is s

8 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 8 9 9 8 9 9 8 8 9 9 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

159 159 159

++++ +++++ ++++

+++++

98 98 54 117 54

+++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++++ +++

159 159

++++ ++++

159 98

++++ ++++

9 21 159

++++ ++++

1.0x 5.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 0.12x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 0.5x 0.5x

52mm 58mm 58mm 67mm 72mm 49mm 105mm 62mm 72mm 86mm 55mm 55mm 62mm 72mm 55mm 67mm 67mm

Is s

138 50 138 138 69 156 144 138 138 102 138 102 138 69 118

+++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++ +++ +++++ +++ ++++

++++

es Iri

7 6 8 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 7 9 9 9

0.20m 0.24m 0.31m 0.3m 0.48m 0.26m 1.0m 0.31m 0.38m 0.47m 0.23m 0.29m 0.3m 0.47m 0.3m 0.24m 0.44m

335g 710g 600g 625g 1090g 515g 1645g 725g 1150g 1640g 350g 400g 610g 985g 540g 570g 843g

tin

f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/1.4 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/2 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/2 f/2

No No No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No

None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None

No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

te Fil

£380/$400 £980/$1050 £420/$600 £800/$800 £1330/$1400 £449/$469 £1499/$1599 £360/$570 £780/$1100 £1250/$1700 £350/$525 £350/$500 £580/$650 £800/$740 £350/$410 £950/$1285 £1300/$1840

120

lad

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Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Canon MP-E65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG macro Art Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Sigma Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Sigma APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II LD (IF) Macro Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO Macro Zeiss Makro Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZE Zeiss Milvus Makro Planar 100mm f/2 ZE

vie

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MACRO

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ion

117

1025g 950g 425g 565g 460g 750g 2520g 765g 2400g 1190g 3850g 2100g 1250g 3190g 3920g 4500g 730g 485g 830g 705g 870g TBA 2400g 3150g TBA 4.9kg 700g 1280g 1123g

tin

f/1.2 f/1.4 f/1.8 f/2.8 f/2 f/2 f/2 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/4 f/4 f/5.6 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/2 f/6.3 f/8 f/1.4 f/2.8 f/4.5 f/4 f/5.6 f/1.8 f/1.4 f/2

No Yes No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No Yes No Yes No No

None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None

Fil

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

es lad

iz e rs

£1849/$1899 £1379/$1599 £365/$369 £1240/$1400 £410/$500 £940/$1000 £5400/$5700 £700/$750 £5800/$6100 £1140/$1350 £9900/$10,000 £7000/$6900 £1180/$1180 £8400/$9000 £11,350/$11,500 £11,900/$13,000 £319/$379 £599/$699 £370/$530 £125/$150 £170/$190 £899/$1199 £2600/$3400 £3600/$4400 £5000/$6000 £5000/$6600 £750/$750 £1380/$1800 £1900/$2200

Min

We ig

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 (tilt & shift) Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4 RF Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC Samyang 500mm MC IF f/6.3 Mirror Samyang 800mm MC IF f/8 Mirror Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Sigma APO 300mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Sigma APO 500mm f/4.5 EX DG HSM Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S Sigma APO 800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 ZE Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2 ZE

vie

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141

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age

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TELEPHOTO PRIMES

-fr a

7 8 8 8 7 10 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

0.18x 0.16x 0.15x 0.15x 0.21x 0.15x N/S 0.15x 0.18x 0.29x 0.18x 0.15x 0.15x 0.15x

0.3m 0.4m 0.45m 0.45m 0.35m 0.40m 0.45m 0.3m 0.4m 0.29m 0.4m 0.45m 0.45m 0.5m

tin

130g 645g 580g 290g 160g 950g 575g 435g 815g 540g 950g 922g 380g 1030g

f/2.8 f/2.8 f/1.2 f/1.4 f/1.8 f/1.2 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.8 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.4 f/1.4

No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No

Fil

None None None None None None None None None None None None None None

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

ic e

lad

iz e rs

£200/$180 £1200/$1400 £1370/$1350 £385/$350 £120/$125 £2349/$2299 £310/$350 £360/$500 £600/$950 £480/$400 £879/$949 £1000/$1200 £560/$725 £2700/$3990

vie

ic a nif ag

us oc

We ig

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 (tilt & shift) Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Samyang 50mm f/1.4 AS UMC Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM A Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2 Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZE Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4

ion

ti o

nc ta dis

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n ti o b il ta

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Fu ll

STANDARD PRIMES

-fr a

iz a

KEY: O BEST VALUE AWARD O BEST ON TEST AWARD ic e

Sigma www.sigma-imaging-uk.com Tamron www.tamron.co.uk Tokina www.tokinalens.com Voigtlander www.robertwhite.co.uk Zeiss www.zeiss.co.uk

Canon www.canon.co.uk Peleng www.digitaltoyshop.co.uk Samyang www.samyang-lens.co.uk Schneider www.linhofstudio.com

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Issue 160 January 2020 TAME WINTER WILDLIFE Ensure your photos of all that nature has to offer in winter are pin-sharp with these tips and tricks O 53 great gear-related gifts that you can buy for Christmas and beyond O We roll out the red carpet and reveal the winners of our Canon Gear of the Year O Up-andcoming photography star, Michel D’Oultremont, talks passion and the magic of nature photography O Our Apprentice learns how to take amazing lifestyle portraits using natural light with Canon pro Rebecca Faith O Get your teeth stuck into the most recent photo projects in our Canon Skills section O Our lowdown on the Canon EOS M200 mini CSC

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MASTER YOUR CANON Take better landscape shots with our guide to lens filters O Our Apprentice heads to the kitchen and learns how to shoot foodie photos with a Canon pro O Take to the depths of volcanos for a chat with pro photographer Ulla Lohmann O Prepare for close ups as we test fast 85mm portrait lenses in our Super Test O We find out how the EOS 90D compares with the two crop-sensor DSLRs it’s replacing

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO EXPOSURE Get the most out of your exposures with our all essential Canon skills guide O Intense high-speed motorsport photography for our Apprentice O Simon Annand talks about his intimate photos backstage at the theatre O The Canon EOS 90D gets a full test in our tech lab O We test which lenses should be accompanying you on your street photography quest

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TRAVEL PHOTO TECHNIQUES Understand what it takes to take amazing travel shots while still having a great holiday O Head to the coast with another Canon pro in the Apprentice O We get an exciting preview of Canon’s upcoming EOS 90D DSLR O The best of the best lighting kits go head to head in this month’s Super Test O Wildlife Canon pro Ellie Rothnie tells her story of passion and admiration

THE ESSENTIAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE Improve every type of landscape photo with these 23 fantastic tips and tricks O Another Canon pro teaches a budding Apprentice, this time on how to improve their portrait photography O Pro Ilvy Njiokiktjien explains her work in South Africa O Canon EOS DSLRs vs EOS mirrorless, get the lowdown in our Super Test

MASTER YOUR CANON LENS Learn how to get the most out of all the lenses in your arsenal O David Noton details his exploits on the island of Corsica O We pick the best lenses for astrophotography in our Super Test O We forget focal length and dive inside some fun lenses for this month’s Mini Test O Pro sports photographer Dave Rogers talks about his expansive sports photographic career

OUR BEST-EVER CANON OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE Get creative outside in the lovely sunny weather with our best outdoor photography guide yet O Another Canon pro teaches our Apprentice, this time they’re shooting ancient castles in the endlessly beautiful South Wales O We put travel tripods to the test to see which one you should be taking around the world and back

10 ESSENTIAL CANON TECHNIQUES Ten of the best tips to help you shoot your best ever images O Improve your landscape compositions with these cheeky photography hacks O Summery portraits that would make mother nature herself jealous – join our Apprentice with another Canon pro O Eight superzooms go head to head to uncover which should be your most prized summer shooter

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PHOTO SKILLS FOR WILDLIFE Learn how to photograph animals in their natural habitat in our big guide O We do like to be beside the seaside – shoot gorgeous harbours with our Apprentice and Canon pro O The astounding story of nature photojournalist Christian Ziegler in our exclusive interview O Magical Canon related camera skills to keep you busy and creative, with free videos

MASTER YOUR CANON SKILLS THIS SPRING Capture the majesty of Spring with your Canon camera O Get up close to take some amazing macro shots of tiny creatures in the studio with our Apprentice O David Noton shoots some of in Portugal for his column this issue O We test continuous lighting to help you get the most from your video shoots O Eight of the fastest telephoto zooms are tested to the max

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAMERA FOR BETTER LANDSCAPES Use long exposures, Manual mode, creative compositions, the light and important camera settings to improve your scenic shots O We dive deeply into a conversation with famous underwater photographer, Ali Khalifa Bin Thalith O Get some inside tips on how to take great interior shots with our Canon pro and PhotoPlus Apprentice

UNLOCK THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF YOUR PHOTOS WITH RAW Shot with Raw to get the most out of your photos O Shoot heavenly family portraits outside with award-winning pro family photographer, Nina Mace O We have a chat with former White House photographer, Pete Souza O Discover which of Canon’s APS-C DSLRs you should spend your cash on in this Month’s Super Test

50 ESSENTIAL CANON TIPS Don’t miss our deep dive into the PhotoPlus archives to find the best of photographic techniques O Shoot bodacious boudoir with our Apprentice and pro photographer Emma Delves-Broughton O Putting the best Canon full-frame DSLRs to the test to see which one should be around your neck O Chatting with visionary New York fashion photographer Lindsay Adler

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TAKE YOUR NIGHT-SKY IMAGERY TO THE NEXT LEVEL Unearth the difference between nebula and nebulae, ďŹ nd out how to shoot the Moon and capture an Aurora. Whether you are an astro novice or seasoned space expert, Teach Yourself Astrophotography has something for you.

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ISSUE 162 ON SALE 4 FEBRUARY 2020 * Content subject to change

125

FOCUSPOINT

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear your thoughts on the magazine and all things photographic! Email us at photoplus@futurenet.com Letter of the Month I have subscribed to PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine for many years. All of the articles and tests etc are extremely helpful, and provide a basis for advancing my photography skills. I use a Canon EOS system consisting of an EOS 7D, EOS 100D, a range of Canon lenses from 20mm WR PP DQG &DQRQ Ă DVKJXQ Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an amateur photographer and undertake assignments for various bodies, such as The National Trust. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m considering buying a Canon mirrorless camera. Is there any way that I can test one, please? David Norman

The month in numbers

48,000 weekend or week for your next shoots â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we use hireacamera.com who can rent the latest Canon kit for you to try before you buy. Prices start at ÂŁ43 (inc VAT) for a weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hire of the EOS RP and EF-EOS R adapter.

Glad to hear you ďŹ nd our magazine helpful! We wish we had spare Canon EOS R and RP cameras lying around that we can lend out to our readers, unfortunately thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the case. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d suggest you hire a mirrorless EOS camera youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in for a

Send us your letters and images to photoplus@ futurenet.com

THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PRIZE! Each issue, every letter printed wins an Experience Seminars EOS training DVD. More info at www.eostrainingacademy.co.uk

Entries for the National History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the best winning Canon images on page 20

Great ďŹ&#x201A;ashguns in our Super Test this issue, prices starting at only ÂŁ169 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; page 102

Vertically-composed photos were used to create our big panoramic scenic image â&#x20AC;&#x201C; page 50

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DigitalCameraWorld.com The best from our brilliant website

Never lose your camera as Bluetoothenabled Tile Stickers help keep gear safe

Canon has designed a soft focus lens for the mirrorless Canon EOS R!

The 10 best camera drones for photography and video

Tile Stickers are stick-on location trackers that can always tell you exactly where your precious photo gear is. For more news and buying advice go to DigitalCameraWorld.com via our quick link at bit.ly/onthetiles

After developing a defocus smoothing lens for the EOS R, Canon has patented an RF 35mm f/1.4 Softfocus lens. More information at DigitalCameraWorld.com via this quick link bit.ly/rf35soft

These are the best camera drones for aerial photography, some of the best drones for video too. More buying advice about the best drones on our site at DigitalCameraWorld.com via our quick link bit.ly/10drones

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