Photo Life April/May 2016 Sample

YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING PHOTO

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S NEW!

THE WORLD

WE LIVE IN

CONTEST RESULTS

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HIDDEN GEMS LURKING IN YOUR CAMERA

INTERVIEW WITH PHOTOJOURNALIST

DONALD WEBER

“I thought ­wearing a ­leather jacket would make me really cool...”

TIPS FROM A CAMERA REPAIRMAN

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR LENS AND SENSOR THE PINHOLE EXPERIMENT AN ENGINEER-TURNED-­

HOW TO BALANCE FEEDBACK WITH YOUR VISION

PHOTOGRAPHER TAKES ON THE ORIGINAL CAMERA

POLARIZING FILTERS DEMYSTIFIED PHOTOLIFE.COM - APRIL/MAY 2016 - DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 31, 2016 - $5.95

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CONTENTS PHOTO LIFE APRIL/MAY 2016 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 3

COVER PHOTO Gary Bremner

EXPOSURE 4 CONTRIBUTORS 8 EDITORIAL 12 THIS AND THAT 22 THE COMMUNITY 66 THE VAULT VISION 24 BEHIND THE IMAGE RENAUD PHILIPPE

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WISDOM, WIT AND OTHER TIDBITS

DONALD WEBER © RENAUD PHILIPPE

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A member of VII Photo Agency and a recipient of many prestigious awards, Canadian photographer Donald Weber creates work about power as wielded by the modern state.

BEHIND THE IMAGE: RENAUD PHILIPPE

I was starting to get a little tired of my alarm going off at 5 or 6 a.m. and pulling apart the curtains to see if it was a foggy ­winter morning.

But like always, after days of waiting, it happened.

31 THE WORLD WE LIVE IN CONTEST RESULTS

38

WITHOUT THE FRAME

ON LISTENING AND SEEING

BY DAVID DUCHEMIN

Photography, despite the constant presence of cameras and lenses that lead us to think otherwise, is an interior pursuit. It comes not from our knowledge of f-stops and shutter speeds, but from our creativity.

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SHOWTIME

KIDS

TECHNIQUE

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© GUYLAINE BEAUCHAMP

42 POLARIZING FILTERS

THE WORLD WE LIVE IN CONTEST RESULTS

DEMYSTIFIED

BY DANIEL DUPONT

Daniel Dupont explains the importance of using a polarizing filter and how to choose one.

46 THE PINHOLE EXPERIMENT

BY SCOTT LINSTEAD

In honour of this year’s Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, Scott Linstead decided to build a pinhole camera and attempt to use it creatively.

Pro and amateur photographers living in Canada and the U.S. were invited to share their best images.

Here are the results of our biggest annual photo contest.

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FAQ

A BRIEF LESSON ON CLEANLINESS

APRIL/MAY 2016 PHOTOLIFE.COM

BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS LANDRY

One day a speck of dust will eventually succeed in breaking through your defenses to establish residency on your sensor.

When that day comes, you’ll need to know how to clean your equipment.

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CONTENTS PHOTO LIFE APRIL/MAY 2016 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 3

GEAR 52 THE CAMERA REPAIRMAN

BY GABRIELLE GERMAIN

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DIGITAL WORLD

THE COMPUTER IN YOUR CAMERA

BY DAVID TANAKA

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© GUY LANGEVIN

Digital cameras work fine right out of the box, but tucked away in those often-­ inscrutable menus are capabilities that could help you. Here are five that might be lurking in your camera.

THE CAMERA REPAIRMAN

A camera repairman for 38 years, René Genest has had a front-row seat for all the changes within the photo industry over the last four decades.

60 GADGET GUIDE

BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS LANDRY

62 THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S NEW

BY PETER K. BURIAN

CONTRIBUTORS AND EDITORIAL STAFF Peter K. Burian is a ­technology writer and freelance stock photographer. He is the author of several Magic Lantern Guide books on DSLR systems. He is also a ­digital photography course instructor with betterphoto.com. peterkburian.com After falling in love with ­journalism through Scoop, a sitcom set in a newsroom, Laurence Butet-Roch became a photographer with the Boreal Collective, a photo editor and a writer. lbrphoto.ca

Daniel Dupont is the ­bird-photography specialist of Quebec. He leads workshops in Quebec and beyond. ­danieldupont.ca Gabrielle Germain ­recently joined the Photo Life team. ­Passionate about words and ­images, her background ­includes literature studies, a master’s ­degree in cinema, and ­professional experience as a journalist.

Jean-François Landry has been providing advice to ­photographic ­equipment buyers in ­Quebec David duChemin is a City since 1989. He also shares ­Vancouver-based photographer his passion with amateur and adventurer. His bestselling books on the art of photography ­photographers through courses have been translated into a dozen and magazine articles. cylidd.com languages. davidduchemin.com

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Curious about who put this together?

Here’s this issue’s who’s who.

Guy Langevin has worked as a graphic designer in the photo industry for many years. You don’t collaborate with and befriend some of the best photographers in the country without learning a few tricks of the trade, so he became a photographic designer.

Jenny Montgomery is a theatre director and writer who first learned her way around a darkroom in 1998.

Photography runs in her family, so it was probably inevitable that it would be a part of her life.

David Tanaka is a technology writer based in Lethbridge, Alta. His work as a photographer ­includes magazine assignments, fine-art printmaking and stock. He also teaches multimedia ­communication at Lethbridge College.

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EXPOSURE

EDITORIAL

PHOTO LIFE APRIL/MAY 2016 Volume 41, Number 3 171 St. Paul Street, Suite 102, Quebec, QC Canada G1K 3W2 418-692-2110 1-800-905-7468 info@photolife.com facebook.com/photolifemag

ON COMMUNITY

@photolifemag

SUBSCRIPTIONS 1-800-461-7468 subscription@photolife.com

Notebooks and pencils go everywhere I go (yes, real notebooks and real pencils). I use the notebooks to record my ideas, my projects, what I see, what I read, what I’m listening to, recipes, sketches of my ideal photo bag, and more. Often I return to them to review an idea, to modify a concept, or, in this case, to find a ­starting place for this editorial.

F

lipping through one, I landed on a passage quoted from something I read who-knows-where on the importance of knowing how to choose ­collaborators. Basically, the author—whose name I, unfortunately, did not record—said that we should find people who complete us and with whom we have fun. The author said that the “me culture” is archaic and that we will be twice as proud of our projects when we accomplish them with people we like.

Looking at this issue, I see the author’s point. Publishing a magazine is a team effort where every person’s contribution is essential. You can’t do it alone. I think of my colleagues here in the office—Jenny, Emmanuelle, Gabrielle, Valérie, and, at the helm, Guy Poirier—and then I think of all our collaborators, photographers, ­readers, advertisers and suppliers. All of you have contributed and continue to contribute to make Photo Life what it is today. We want Photo Life to be entertaining and inspiring, but, beyond that, we want the Photo Life community to be a place where those of you with developer and pixels running through your veins feel at home. And there’s only one way to get there: together.

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Guy Langevin.................. glangevin@photolife.com Deputy Editor Jenny Montgomery......... news@photolife.com Administrative and Editorial Assistant Gabrielle Germain Contributing Editors Peter K. Burian & David Tanaka Art Director Guy Langevin.................. glangevin@photolife.com ADMINISTRATION Publisher & Media Sales Director Guy J. Poirier.................. gpoirier@photolife.com 418-692-2110 or 1-800-905-7468 Ext. 101 Advertising Consultant Stephen Stelmach........... advertising@photolife.com 416-996-1822 Accounting Emmanuelle Champagne... accounting@photolife.com Consultant Valérie Racine PHOTO LIFE (ISSN 0700-3021) is published six times a year (December/January, February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November) by Apex Publications Inc., a Canadian-owned company. All rights reserved. The c­ ontents of this publication may not, under any circumstances, including Cancopy, be reproduced or used in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

PHOTO LIFE is indexed in Canadian Magazine by Micromedia Limited. Back issues of Photo Life are available in microform from Micromedia Limited, 20 Victoria St., Toronto, Ontario M5C 2N8.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of ­interest to our subscribers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list and not receive these mailings, let us know by ­telephone, fax, regular mail or email.

Member of CCAB, CITA and TIPA.

Thank you for your curiosity and the way it propels you to perfect your art and nourish your passion. You inspire us!

ABOUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN PHOTO CONTEST In this issue, we’ve published the 22 award-winning images from our biggest ­annual photo contest, The World We Live In. Does this in any way diminish the quality of all the other photos we weren’t able to include? Not at all! We could have filled a whole issue with just the photos you submitted. It’s clear that creativity is not the domain of just a select few! If you’re not so sure about that, check out ­David duChemin’s article on page 28.

REGULAR PRICES $35.70 (1 year - 6 issues) $71.40 (2 years - 12 issues) $107.10 (3 years - 18 issues) Prices exclude applicable Canadian sales taxes. Make cheque payable to PHOTO LIFE. US residents pay in US funds and add US$10.00 per year for postage. Foreign residents pay in US funds and add US$90.00 per year for postage. Single copy: CAN/ US$5.95 SUBMISSIONS PHOTO LIFE welcomes portfolio and article submissions for possible publication.

Article submissions must pertain to the subject of ­photography and include images supporting the submitted text. All submissions must respect the publisher’s submission guidelines. Complete submission guidelines are available at www.photolife.com, from the publisher at write@photolife.com, or by calling 1-800-905-7468.

COPYRIGHT © 2016 APEX PUBLICATIONS INC. No material from the magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Despite the care taken in reviewing editorial content, Apex Publications Inc. cannot ­guarantee that all written information is complete and ­accurate. Consequently, Apex Publications Inc. assumes no responsibility concerning any error and/or omission.

Guy Langevin

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Publications Mail - Agreement No.: 40010196 171 St. Paul Street, Suite 102, Quebec, QC Canada G1K 3W2 PRINTED IN CANADA

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EXPOSURE

THIS AND THAT

REST IN PEACE

HOLGA 1981-2015 AT the end of ­November, ­Freestyle Photographic Services, the U.S. distributor of ­Holga, announced the closure of the factory that made the beloved

plastic medium-­format camera. Holga’s whimsical nature and quirks will be fondly remembered and missed by many, but Holga’s influence lives on through Instagram.

SOURCE: FREESTYLEPHOTO.BIZ/HOLGA-CEASES-OPERATIONS

PINHOLE DAY

BACKSTAGE PASS

WORLDWIDE ­Pinhole Photography Day is April 24! See p. 46 for ­instructions on how to make a pinhole body cap for your digital ­camera! pinholeday.org

© PATRICK LA ROQUE

MAPPLETHORPE ON THE BIG SCREEN FORMER Dr. Who actor Matt Smith will be playing photographer ­Robert ­Mapplethorpe in a new film, ­Mapplethorpe, that will also feature Girls’ star Zosia Mamet in the role of Patti Smith.

SOURCE: THEGUARDIAN.COM

WOULD you like a glimpse inside the Fujifilm ­factory in Japan? Check out Patrick La Roque’s posts on his ­experience on photolife.com! photolife.com/2016/01/letter-from-japan/ photolife.com/2016/01/letter-from-japan-ii-bullet-to-sendai/

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VISION

WISDOM, WIT AND OTHER TIDBITS

EXCERPTS FROM OUR INTERVIEW WITH

DONALD WEBER

Canadian photographer Donald Weber is a member of VII Photo Agency and a recipient of many prestigious awards. ­Represented by Circuit Gallery in Toronto and currently ­based in Amsterdam, his work focuses on power as wielded by the ­modern state. Weber graciously let us pepper him with ­questions, and now everyone here in the Photo Life office wishes we could have a beer with him and hang out.

FIRST CAMERA? I think it was a Yashica; my dad gave it to me for my 14th ­birthday, but I really didn’t know why as I don’t think I ever expressed an interest in ­photography. And that didn’t ignite it in me either. However, a few years later I was obsessed with war imagery and imagery from the collapse of the USSR in the late 80s and early 90s.

THAT is what fired my interest in ­photography.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Photojournalist. I thought wearing a leather jacket would make me really cool and attract girls. Then my high school photo teacher said, and I quote: “You suck as a photographer. I suggest you look elsewhere.” So, I ended up an architect.

MOST PIVOTAL CAREER EXPERIENCE? Erin Elder, then the Director of Photography at The Globe and Mail told me why she hired John Morstad and Patti ­Gower

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I thought ­wearing a leather jacket would make me really cool and attract girls.

(very nontraditional news ­ hotographers). She said it was p because they each had their own vision, their own way of seeing the world. That made me happy, knowing that it was okay to be yourself. In fact, it was a statement I always think of. Second, December 27, 2004, Kiev, during the Orange Revolution. I was there as a news photographer taking pictures of the protests.

In the crowd one evening, a big hand reached out and pushed me forward, helping me get a clean picture. This large man with a heavy accent asked me: “What are you doing here?” I couldn’t answer why. He suggested that I needed to figure that out, or why bother taking photographs. He suggested if I really wanted to ­understand the story there, then we needed to go east. For the next 8 years, I stayed in Eastern Ukraine and completely changed the way I view the world.

MOST ADMIRED PHOTOGRAPHER? Raymond Depardon. I can look at his work everyday and every

evening. He is creative, innovative and not afraid of change. Always making work.

FAVOURITE CAMERA-ANDLENS COMBINATION? Depends… I made a whole book with a 24-mm f/1.4 (Canon) and the original Canon 5D Mark 1.

I love that combination, still do, but now I use an Arca-Swiss Rm3di and a Phase One digital medium-format back. So, polar opposites! But I will always love my original 2005-era Canon 5D; I still have two of them.

BEST ADVICE? Just go! See what’s out there.

But have a heart. And have a head.

FAVOURITE CITY TO PHOTOGRAPH? Dneprodzerzhinsk!

EARLY RISER OR NIGHT OWL? Oh God, night owl for sure. I don’t like the light (ironic, yes). Although when I shoot architecture, I love getting up before dawn and shooting the morning light. Then I get to take a nap and wake up for sunset…

WEIRDEST PHOTO EXPERIENCE? Too many, for sure. I did live in Ukraine and Russia for 10 years after all! However, it’s a long ­story, but I will try to ­condense: in Ukraine, I wanted to ­photograph down a coal mine.

In order to shoot the coal mine, we had to meet the director.

The director said, if you want to shoot the coal mine, you’re going to have to have a picnic with me and my family on May 9 APRIL/MAY 2016 PHOTOLIFE.COM

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WISDOM, WIT AND OTHER TIDBITS

VISION

© DONALD WEBER

(their day of remembrance for WWII, the Great Patriotic War, as they say). So we go, I must drink ­vodka with them (plenty).

I do. Guns come out. We must shoot targets (the empty vodka bottles we have already drunk).

Mine Director gives me a pistol.

He says, “If you can shoot this target down there, you can come photograph my coal mine.”

Okay, sure, I got this. I take aim, barely. Wavering on the empty bottles a few hundred yards APRIL/MAY 2016 PHOTOLIFE.COM

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Just go! See what’s out there.

But have a ­heart. And have a head.

away, I close my eyes, say a prayer (Ukrainian style, after all), and squeeze the trigger. Boom.

Smash. Bottle destroyed. Victory.

With a hand on his heart, Mine Director gives a slight bow and puts the pistol against my chest and says: “This was my father’s pistol. He killed many Germans with this pistol. It is now yours, an ­honourable shooter.” And so a few days later I went to the mine to take ­pictures. They weren’t very good.

WHAT’S A NORMAL DAY FOR YOU? That everyday is different?

HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND WORK LIFE? Is there a difference? Guess I should look into that.

FAVOURITE MEAL? Oh, I LOVE Mini-Wheats, but I do not live in Canada anymore so I can never get them unless I am

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ONLIN

GRAND PRIZE

VISION

21ST ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST

THE WORLD WE LIVE IN

THE WINNERS Thank you to all the participants of our 21st annual photo c ­ ontest—you are a talented bunch! We’d also like to express our gratitude to our sponsors and this year’s invited judge, ­Evgeny Tchebotarev, professional photographer and co-founder of 500px.

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ES)

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GRAND PRIZE Pas de trois, Guylaine Beauchamp, Boisbriand, Que.

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come.

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TECHNIQUE

POLARIZING FILTERS DEMYSTIFIED

BY DANIEL DUPONT

If I’ve learned anything from my 38 years of doing photography, , it’s that a modest investment in filters can greatly improve your photos!

E

ach type of filter has a ­function, and you should choose which to use based on the type of ­photography you’re doing. The graduated ­neutral-density filter isn’t that ­useful in macrophotography, but it’s vital when shooting ­landscapes.

The polarizing filter, however, is indispensible no matter what kind of photography you do.

THE BASICS Any photographer who wants to create stunning images needs a polarizer.

Using one is simple. After ­screwing it onto your lens, you’ll

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Here I used the filter to reduce the ­reflections of light on the surface of the ­water and get saturated colours. I generally use a tripod for landscape photos because it lets me keep my hands free to adjust the filter more easily. Since I was on a path in Yellowstone Park and space felt limited, I shot handheld.

see that there are two rings that turn on each other. To control the intensity of its effect, slowly turn the top ring, and you’ll see

the changes in colour saturation and the amount of reflections in your viewfinder. Always turn the top ring counterclockwise to

UV FILTERS When you buy a new lens, the salesperson will immediately suggest that you also buy a UV filter. However, you should know that digital sensors generally already have an integrated UV filter. So if you buy one, it’s to protect the glass. You should choose the quality of UV filter based on the sharpness of your lens. You could lose a lot of sharpness because you wanted to save a few dollars.

I stopped using UV filters more than 15 years ago. For the lenses that I use for landscape photography (16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 mm), I prefer to use polarizing filters, not just for their effect but also to protect the front glass.

The lenses that I use for wildlife photography (300 mm f/2.8 and 500 mm f/4) have larger diameters, and I use my lenshood to help protect them.

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TECHNIQUE

THE PINHOLE EXPERIMENT AN ENGINEER-TURNED-PHOTOGRAPHER ­TAKES ON THE ORIGINAL CAMERA

BY SCOTT LINSTEAD

© SCOTT LINSTEAD

April 24 is this year’s Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. This internationally recognized day celebrates photographs produced using the low-tech technique of the original camera. In honour of the occasion, I decided to build a pinhole camera and attempt to use it creatively.

A

remarkably simple device whose origins date back as far as 300 B.C., the ­pinhole camera is essentially a camera obscura. Relying on the principle of the rectilinear ­propagation of light (light travels in straight lines), the camera obscura is a light-tight enclosure with a tiny hole on one side. The size of the hole and dimensions of the enclosure can be optimized to project an image on the inner surface of the enclosure, opposite the hole. The distinction that turns a camera obscura into a pinhole camera is the placement

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of a photosensitive material or imaging sensor on the internal surface. The projection of external light through the hole and onto that photosensitive surface is what produces a photograph.

Renewed interest in the pinhole camera is arguably related to the popularity of Instagram and its countless “filters,” many of which mimic the nuances of vintage imaging devices. The same digital convenience and immediacy behind Instagram allow photographers to explore the pinhole

I adopted a popular ­approach that involves making a tiny hole in the body cap of a modern ­digital ­camera.

camera without the economic considerations of using film or photo paper as the photosensitive medium. My own pinhole photography was not as authentically primitive as it could have been: I adopted a popular approach that involves making a tiny hole in the body cap of a modern digital camera. Even so, I feel this approach retained the essential aspects of pinhole photography, namely the tiny hole along with most of its photographic challenges and subtleties.

MAKING THE PINHOLE BODY CAP A pinhole camera must have a light-tight enclosure outfitted with a photosensitive surface on one side of the interior and a tiny hole on the opposing surface, and the interior of an SLR meets these APRIL/MAY 2016 PHOTOLIFE.COM

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GEAR

THE CAMERA REPAIRMAN

BY GABRIELLE GERMAIN

René Genest has repaired cameras for 38 years. O ­ verflowing with stories, he’s a veritable gold mine of information, able to explain technical concepts clearly and simply. Genest began his career when film reigned, and he’s had a front-row view of the ­changes in the industry over the years.

R

ené Genest’s passion for photography was ignited when he was 12 years old and one of his friends was doing black and white. Extremely ­curious, he wanted to ­understand the process of developing black-and-white photographs.

For just one dollar, the young ­repairman-to-be bought himself a pint of Dektol, some fixer and ten sheets of 8 x 10 photo paper.

It’s then that he began to take apart and put together his own cameras.

BECOMING A REPAIRPERSON How does one prepare for e­ ntering the profession? In the days of film, the work was ­mechanical,

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but today many of the moving parts have been replaced by more ­reliable and precise ­electronic ­circuits. Now a ­repairperson needs to ­comprehend how they work and are programmed. The job requires an understanding of electronics, physical ­dexterity, and a ­knowledge of optical ­physics and mechanics. Darkroom ­enthusiasts also need to know about ­chemistry. Then you learn everything else on the job!

Would he encourage someone to follow this path? Only if the ­person is truly passionate, ­because, despite the beauty of the profession, Genest candidly ­admitted that it’s an all-consuming job and the future is unknown.

A REVOLUTION

“Now, we ­replace ­pieces ­because they cost nothing to ­manufacture.

But the basics are still the ­basics. Like with cars, there is always a gas pedal, a brake pedal, a ­steering ­wheel...”

Though it might seem the ­revolution from film to digital would have made his work more difficult, Genest said that the ­opposite is true. He explained, “Before, we repaired a lot. Now, we replace pieces because they cost nothing to manufacture. But the basics are still the basics. Like with cars, there is always a gas pedal, a brake pedal, a steering wheel...”

In his perspective, the change from film to digital was ­important for the environment and ­people’s health: “It was toxic and ­carcinogenic. It went into the sewers and destroyed copper plumbing and eroded pipes.”

Genest told the story of ­woman APRIL/MAY 2016 PHOTOLIFE.COM

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GEAR

DIGITAL WORLD

THE COMPUTER IN YOUR CAMERA FIVE ­PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTIONS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE

BY DAVID TANAKA

Digital cameras work fine right out of the box, but ­tucked away in those often-­inscrutable menus are ­capabilities that could help you.

This is a ­growth area and each new ­camera ­generation will bring new ­programmable ­functions to make your camera a ­smarter, ­friendlier ­device. Here are five that might ­already be ­lurking in your camera.

1. INSTANT ­SET-UPS THROUGH CUSTOM SETS/BANKS You probably set up your ­camera ­differently ­according to what you are ­doing: one group of settings for ­landscapes, a ­different group if you’re prowling the urban scene, etc. Custom settings let you save them to individual memory banks, then recall them any time with a simple operation.

Depending on how this feature is ­implemented, you can save some or most of the variables available to you in the menus, including ISO, white balance, image quality, ­exposure, ­metering and autofocus modes, ­autoexposure ­bracketing, lens aperture, and shutter speed. Camera ­companies ­implement and name this ­feature ­differently. ­Sometimes it’s a position on the mode dial (C1, C2 and C3 on some ­Canon SLRs and U1 and U2 on some Nikon SLRs, for ­example). Other times you can assign one of the ­programmable function buttons, or it might be in one of the menus.

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Custom ­settings let you save them to ­individual memory banks, then recall them any time with a simple ­operation.

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THE PIXI EVO 2 BY MANFROTTO Perfection improved I had already fallen for the first of the series, the mini Pixi tripod, and found its metal construction reassuring in a world that is more and more “polycarbonified.” This new version is more flexible in its rigidity: its feet are now telescopic, ­enabling it to easily adapt to rocky and uneven ­terrain, and it has leg angles that allow ground-level shooting. Able to support a maximum load of 2.5 kg (5.5 lb.), it remains stable with a mounted lens up to 200 mm, and it costs $80. manfrotto.ca

GADGET GUIDE WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED

BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS LANDRY

Hear ye, hear ye, ladies and gentlemen. The first ­truly ­intelligent gadget has just been put on the market! A ­gadget that has finally understood the internal motivations of the ­gadget user! The minute someone grabs it at the store, it utters, “You want me because I am a new, shiny toy that will be fun to play with for a while.”

POST FOCUS BY PANASONIC A choice of focus Here we’re stepping away from the physical gadget. Thanks to firmware updates for certain Panasonic camera bodies (GX8, G7 and FZ330), these cameras can now take a burst of photos (at 30 frames per second) in ultra-high definition (UHD, also called 4K, at 8 MP) where the focus is slightly offset from photo to photo.

In post-production, all you have to do is choose the photo where the focus was on the right spot. (This can be really handy during ­macro-photography sessions when the extreme ­magnification massively shrinks the depth of field!) panasonic.com/ca

THE 135-MM F/1.4 BY MITAKON Let there be light...and there was light!

When you’re trying to get the most beautiful bokeh, you need three things: a close ­focusing distance, a wide-open aperture, and a long focal length. The Mitakon lens ­succeeds in generating a magnificent, dreamlike, almost velvety bokeh. The aperture has not 4, not 7, but 11 blades that create perfectly round, abstract circles for a ­particularly harmonious out-of-focus background. The optical formula has 11 elements in 5 groups, and there are 3 pieces of very low-dispersion glass. This 3-kg beast is available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mounts. (It was designed first and foremost for full-frame ­cameras.) As production has been limited to 100 units, it won’t be a surprise that the price is almost restrictive at US$3000, before taxes and shipping. mitakon.net

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GEAR

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S NEW

BY PETER K. BURIAN

Since the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas ­features numerous types of high-tech gadgets for both consumers and industry ­professionals, some photo-equipment manufacturers announce their new products at this event. In fact, most of the new products ­covered in this issue had their debut at CES. Next issue, we’ll focus on the noteworthy equipment and accessories introduced at CP+, the annual camera and photo-imaging trade show held in Yokohama, Japan.

NIKON D5

NIKON D500

PENTAX K-1

This professional full-frame ­20.8-MP DSLR ­features a ­well-sealed ­magnesium-alloy body, many configurable ­function buttons, integrated vertical grip, ISO expansion to 3,280,000, and 12-fps continuous drive. The D5’s buffer can hold up to 200 shots. Both 4K and Full HD video options are available.

• 153-point 20K AF system • 99 cross-type focus points • 14-Bit RAW and 12-Bit RAW S • Integral time-lapse mode • 180,000-pixel RGB sensor • Shutter tested to 400,000 actuations • Built-in wired LAN support $8500 (list) nikon.ca

Now the flagship of Nikon’s DX (cropped-sensor) format series, this 21-MP DSLR includes some D5 technology, such as the AF system with Group Area AF and a fast EXPEED 5 engine. Aside from stills, the D500 can record 4K/UHD video at 30 fps with stereo sound. The tilting screen offers touchscreen controls. SnapBridge allows for constant connection to a smartphone.

• 3 fps in Quiet Continuous mode • ISO levels to 51,200 • ISO expansion to 1,640,000 • 99 cross-type focus points • In-camera time-lapse option $2700 (list) nikon.ca

Pentax’s first full-frame DSLR, the K-1 boasts a 36-MP AA filterless, pixel-shift sensor. The newly designed AF system maximizes 33 AF sensors and a vast light-sensitivity range. This all-weather and coldproof camera features a Crop mode that allows for using lenses designed for APS-C sensors. LED ­illumination allows the user to make ­adjustments or change lenses in total darkness.

• 5-axis in-camera shake reduction • Built-in Wi-Fi wireless communication • GPS/Astral Tracing/electromagnetic compass • Pentaprism optical viewfinder • Cross-tilt LCD Display $2499 (list) ricoh-imaging.ca

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