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pages rt tips, of expe sts & gear te s ill k SLR s
the world’s toughest tests MEDIUM-FORMAT cameraS
CANON 7D Mk II
Camera craft
essential slr skills
Get back to basics with shutter speeds
Mega test
MEDIUM FORMAT
Are they worth the big bucks?
pro insight
DIY HACKS
photoshop
Inspiration from a legend of British photography
How to make your own rig for sweeping vistas
Turn any object into a fun and funky ice crystal
Brian Griffin
Panoramic rig
Surreal snowflake
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Stunning splash art Beautiful bokeh effects Oily abstracts Icy florals Magical monos And loads more...
PRINTED IN THE UK
10 PRO ECTS TO TRY NOW!
JANUARY 2015
GET CREATIVE
Editor’s Welcome Happy holidays!
Every issue features the world’s best pros… Brian Griffin Photographic maestro
We talk to this creative tour de force from the British photographic scene: turn to page 92 and get inspired by his amazing images.
Jeff Friesen Fine-art photographer
Discover the skills and techniques this Canadian art photographer uses to capture barren and mysterious landscapes. See page 62.
Welcome to your new issue of Britain’s best-selling photography magazine
First, here’s to a jolly, fun-filled and creative festive season from me and the Digital Camera team. To get your creative juices flowing, we’ve got a jam-packed issue for you. We’ve lined up some amazing projects to try at home, so no matter what the weather you’ll be off to a good start. From stunning splash art and oily abstracts to smoking dancers and stylish black-and-white triptychs, there’s something for everyone. There’s a bunch of great free gifts too, including The Complete Dictionary of Photography, which we put together just for you. Of course there are more of our handy tips cards, a disc of great video training and, if you use a Mac, a free copy of Snapheal to download. The disc also includes a PDF of our latest Camera Shopper magazine, for all
your camera buying advice. We’ve put together a great gift guide on page 103 too, with even more fun, photography related ideas. In our group test this month we look at medium-format Great ideas cameras. While they for gear in might be a little on our Christmas the pricey side, Gift Guide there’s no harm in looking at these See page 103 beautiful beasts. Unfortunately, we had to send them all back! Enjoy your photography – and don’t forget to share the best pictures you take with us!
Ben Brain, Editor ben.brain@futurenet.com
Tom Stoddart Documentary photographer
One of the UK’s best-known documentary photographers reveals just what it’s like to photograph in hell. Turn to page 32 for more.
DICTIONARY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Your free 68-page A-to-Z of photographic terms
The Complete Dictionary of Photography explains the meanings of dozens of photographic terms, from aberration to zoom. Like any specialist field, photography has built up its own rich language of words, like chimping, photobomb and snoot. Our A-Z addresses them all, providing easy-to-understand definitions and helpful cross-referencing. We hope you’ll find browsing through this free gift informative, enlightening and entertaining.
January 2015 Digital Camera
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Story of the Cover
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behind the image
Story of the Cover
Waterdrops Crown Rafael Classen www.rclassen.de
Despite street photography being Rafael’s passion, it’s his ‘splash art’ series that caught our attention, for obvious reasons.. A freelance stock photographer in Aachen, Germany since 2006, Rafael
Teach yourself
Black & white
has built up a collection of beautifully crisp and clean water drop work in his portfolio. A ‘crown’ like this is formed during the first splash of the water drop. The most distinctive crowns are usually formed when the drops strike a hard surface, such as a baking tray covered with a thin film of liquid. Water drops are one of our 10 creative home projects this issue – see page 38. Canon EOS 5D Mk III with Canon EF 100mm macro f/2.8 lens; 1/160 sec at f/16, ISO 100
NEW!
ON SALE NOW
Your complete guide to shooting and editing monochrome images, with 228 pages of tutorials and a free disc inside! www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/photo Check out our other Masterclass handbooks & DVDs too!
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January 2015 Digital Camera
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Contents issue 159 / January 2015
38
56
92 92
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Story of the Cover Find out what it takes to get a shot like Rafael Classen’s wondrous waterdrop crown
18
10 Things to Try This Month Ideas to inspire and events to get you out and about. This issue: winter landscapes, star shots and snowflakes
32
Postcards from the Edge Legenday documentary photographer Tom Stoddart gives us the inside story on his hard-hitting career
38
on the cover
Creative home projects Turn everyday household items into fine-art photographs – you’ll be amazed with what you can achieve using a little imagination and a few camera tricks
Digital Camera January 2015
55
62
on the cover
Shoot! Get to grips with shutter speed, HDR, exposure bracketing and more
72 79
10 fresh ideas to fire your imagination
74
64
Expert photo advice
on the cover
creative home projects
The Photo Fixer We help a reader take better shots
Photoshop School Teach yourself Lightroom and learn how to add retro effects
86
Photo Advisor Our expert Andrew James solves your technique and software queries
92
Brian Griffin Meet the renowned British portrait photographer
Essentials
10 30 36 52 99 134 137
Hotshots Our gallery of stunning reader images Your Mission Your finest character portraits
ViewFinder Your letters and comments
Subscribe! New! Get print and digital bundles International subscriptions Get your copy sent by airmail
Gift Guide!
fantastic photo gear See page 103
Back issues Print, digital and special offers Next month Photography crash course www.digitalcameraworld.com
Britain’s best-selling photography magazine
Your FREE gifts
7
For full details of the disc and other free gifts included with this issue, see page 8
uture Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA F Editorial +44 (0)1225 442244 • www.digitalcameraworld.com Subscriptions and Customer Services +44 (0)844 848 2852
40,401
Print 34,824 Digital 5,577 Jan – Dec 2013 A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations
Your team
120
Editor Ben Brain ben.brain@futurenet.com Technique editor Chris Rutter chris.rutter@futurenet.com Art editor Roddy Llewellyn richard.llewellyn@futurenet.com Deputy art editor Shona Cutt shona.cutt@futurenet.com Operations editor Richard Hill richard.hill@futurenet.com Online editor Jeff Meyer jeff.meyer@futurenet.com Head of testing Angela Nicholson angela.nicholson@futurenet.com Contributing editor Geoff Harris Editorial contributors
on the cover
George Cairns, Amy Davies, Claire Gillo, Mark Hamblin, Marcus Hawkins, Andrew James, Alastair Jennings, James Paterson, Steven Raynes, Matthew Richards
big bucks
High-end medium-format cameras go head to head
Advertising
For advertising queries, contact Matt Bailey matt.bailey@futurenet.com
Circulation
Trade marketing manager Michelle Brock 020 7429 4000
Production and distribution
Production co-ordinator Vivienne Calvert Production manager Mark Constance
Licensing
International director Regina Erak regina.erak@futurenet.com +44 (0)1225 442244 Fax +44 (0)1225 732275
Management
Content & Marketing director Nial Ferguson Head of Content & Marketing: Photography, Creative & Design Matthew Pierce Group editor-in-chief Chris George Acting group art editor Simon Middleweek
Subscriptions & back issues
32
10 Camera gift guide Discover the best new kit
Books for Christmas Perfect presents to give or receive
Canon EOS 7D Mk II Canon’s best APS-C format SLR
Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR). www.futureplc.com
112 118
Mini Test: Large-sensor compacts Cameras that blend brilliant image quality with manual control
120
on the cover
Group Test: Medium-format Are dream cameras from Hasselblad, Leica. Mamiya and Phase One worth the cash?
133
Micro Test: Wireless storage Ditch cables forever
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Printed in the UK by William Gibbons on behalf of Future. Distributed in the UK by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. Tel: 020 7429 4000
Future is an award-winning international media group and leading digital business. We reach more than 49 million international consumers a month, and create world-class content and advertising for passionate consumers online, on tablet and smartphone, and in print.
Cameras and gear
103 110 112 118
UK order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852 Overseas order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045 Online enquiries: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Email: digitalcamera@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
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Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Richard Haley Tel +44 (0)20 7042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442244 (Bath)
All contents copyright © 2014 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used 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 and other details of products or 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 changes or updates to them. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine- free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
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This issue’s free gifts!
Your guide to what’s free in this issue of Digital Camera
Gift 1
Gifts 2-9
Dictionary of photography
all-new TIPS CARDS!
This issue’s free book is a brand-new A-Z of photographic terms and major figures, written specially for Digital Camera by David Clark. It’s got all the latest buzzwords, like selfie and photobomb, as well as clear, succinct explanations of the most common technical terms used in the field. Your essential 68-page guide to all things photographic is included in the magazine bag.
Our latest set of cards is ready for you to keep in your kit bag, ready to provide concise when you need it. Our new layout gives you settings to try for your test shot, then suggests ways to improve from there.
Gift 10
Gift 11
Gift 12
Do you have a question about a gift? Email digitalcamera @futurenet.com
Snapheal download
Your free video disc Increase your understanding of Lightroom and Photoshop Elements with the videos on your free disc with this issue. Five Lightroom videos show you the tricks behind creating colour effects. You’ll also find three videos from our Creative SLR Skills series and two Creative Home Projects videos. Whenever you see this logo on a page in the magazine, you can find related content on this issue’s Video Disc.
Digital Camera January 2015
Snapheal offers the fastest way to remove objects, heal skin imperfections and fix your images. Even if you’re not an imaging guru, Snapheal is an ideal tool for anyone who wants an uncomplicated way to quickly improve photos. You can download the latest version of Snapheal, as sold for £13.99 / $19.99, courtesy of Macphun Software. To claim your copy, visit www.macphun.com/ dcmag and follow the instructions. Snapheal works on Mac OS X only – it is not compatible with Windows. Requires Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or later. The offer closes on 15th January 2015.
164-page buyer’s guide Ready to buy a new camera or lens? Camera Shopper, previously on sale for £6.99, has all the tests, lab scores and sample photos you need. Look for your PDF edition of Camera Shopper in the Gifts folder on the disc. You can read it on your computer or a compatible tablet, like the iPad.
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Digital Camera January 2015
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Hotshots Our selection from the finalists for the MPA Awards 2014
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Giles Christopher MERIT
UK Commercial & Creative Photographer of the Year; Landscape, Travel, Nature & Wildlife category Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 70–200mm f/4L IS USM lens at 169mm; 1/60 sec at f/10, ISO 50
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January 2015 Digital Camera
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2
2
Sun Kwong Yee MERIT
3
Keda Z Feng MERIT
4
Jason Banbury Bronze
Aspiring Member Nikon Df with 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at 24mm; 1/500 sec at f/6.3, ISO 100
Overseas Portrait Photographer of the Year; Portrait Classical category Canon EOS 5D Mark III with EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens at 24mm; 1/200 sec at f/2.8, ISO 1,600
UK Licentiate Photographer of the Year Nikon D3X with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens at 82mm; 1/125 sec at f/8, ISO 125
Digital Camera January 2015
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