CM YK
Plus 2 special supplements: Canon EF Lenses, Redefining Photo Printing by HP January 2010 • Rs. 100
www.betterphotography.in
Better Technique. Better Insight. Better Pictures
Top30 Cameras you can buy today!
BP Excellence Awards The finest products tested in 2009 Do it all with your inexpensive
KIT LENS Shoot landscapes, portraits, macros, architecture, street scenes & more!
Exclusive Reviews Nikon D3S Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1 Feature
Warning signs to look out for before your camera goes dead
GREAT MASTERS
Devjibhai Dhamecha shares his love for the Rann of Kutch
The Best Compact
POY & 9 YPOY 200es NOmyoiunoene of Are
them?
PHOTOFEATURE
A rare glimpse into the life of the women inside Tihar Jail
CM YK
CAMERA You can buy below Rs. 10,000 12 cameras put head-to-head PROFILE
Controversial Ken Rockwell on cameras and photography
January 2010
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SnapShots
GearGuide
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Website of the Month lighting-essentials.com
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Look Who’s Shooting Vivekanand Nagwekar
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Test
Nikon D3S Is this the best low-light camera ever?
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MICRO TEST
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Feature
A search for India’s finest wedding photographers For the first time in India
Philips digital photo frame, VisibleDust’s sensor cleaning kit Warning Signs Before Your Camera Goes Dead Sounds and error messages to watch out for
See page no. 36 for details
ON THE COVER
Photograph: shiresh r karrale Design & Concept: Pradeep Kumar B Nambiar
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
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Test
The Best Budget Compact Camera that you can buy below Rs. 10,000 Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W1 Is the first ever 3D digital camera an innovation or a gimmick?
Special BP Excellence Awards 2009...........40 Top 30 Cameras..............................46
InFocus
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Shooting Technique
Do It All With Your Kit Lens Shoot macros, portraits, landscapes & more!
ShowCase
104 Ken Rockwell Profile
The popular gadget guru on equipment and photography
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Capture crowds, frames and beautiful leaves
DIFFERENT STROKES
the Camera Shop
200 The Origins of 3D HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPhy
202 When Lightning STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE
Inside CNBC-TV18 A look into the workings of this 24-hour channel
TIPS & TRICKS
199 Caught Red-Handed in
Devjibhai Dhamecha On his love for the Little Rann of Kutch & his life
ON ASSIGNMENT
Damaged the Eiffel Tower
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GREAT MASTERS
PhotoFinish
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SPECIAL
Poy & Ypoy Nominees 2009 Presenting the best entries received by us!
Turn to page no. 54 for details
India’s Biggest Photography Awards
PHOTOFEATURE
Renuka Puri The Women Inside Tihar
Regulars Feedback.............................................................14 PHOTOCRITIQUE................................................... 90 Q & A..................................................................100 1000 WORDS........................................................126 Your Pictures...................................................132 BP Buyer’s Guide...............................................184
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Two New Carl Zeiss Macro lenses Carl Zeiss has introduced two new macro lenses: the Makro-Planar T* 2/50 and the Makro-Planar T* 2/100. The lenses are already available with Nikon and Pentax mounts and now will also be available with Canon mounts. The versatile, light-sensitive lenses are also perfect for portraits or still-life photography. They have an extraordinary light intensity of 1:2 that allows a great degree of sharpness even with a maximum aperture opening and a low focal depth. Both macro lenses render objects in close-up on a scale of 1:2 and are optimised for analogue and full-format DSLR cameras.
Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III
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The TC-20E III is the world’s first teleconverter with an aspherical lens element. The new optical design is meant to give telephoto users extra reach, without sacrificing image quality. The teleconverter doubles the focal length of the lens it is attached to, while sacrificing two stops of aperture. For example, the new AF-S 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II, when coupled with the TC-20E III, will effectively become a 600mm f/5.6 lens.
Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II This revised telephoto lens features the company’s latest Vibration Reduction (VR) technology that allows you to shoot at shutterspeeds four stops slower than usual. Apart from the standard M/A and M modes, it also has a new focusing mode called A/M, which prevents accidental switching from autofocus to manual focus. This high-end telephoto lens has three Extra-low Dispersion glass elements and Nano Crystal coating.
Veteran Photojournalist T S Satyan Passes Away F ive days away from his 87th birthday on 18 December, legendary photojournalist Tambrahalli Subramanya Satyanarayana Iyer—popularly known as T S Satyan—passed away after suffering a brain haemorrhage. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. T S Satyan, a Padmashri awardee, was one of the very first successful Indian photojournalists of his time. Born and educated in Mysore, he began his journalism career with a state English daily and went on to work for The Illustrated Weekly. He later quit that job to pursue a freelance career and take up assignments for UNICEF. His photographic books Fabled Capital of Vijayanagara on Hampi ruins, Exploring Karnataka and In Love With Life received a lot of acclaim and praise from photojournalists as well as the general public. Indian writer Ramachandra Guha, in a foreword written for Satyan’s memoir Alive and Clicking, had commented that Satyan’s dexterity with the camera was matched
by the lucidity of his pen. “His prose has the same understated irony as that of R K Narayan,” he added. Satyan actively worked until his death. He will be missed in the world of photography, but will live on through his photographs and memoirs.
Canon Official Partner for IIFW 2009 A fter being a part of the prestigious London Fashion Week 2009, Canon had announced a strategic partnership with the India International Fashion Week (IIFW). Canon was the official Photography, Videography and Document partner for IIFW-2009, which commenced on 3 December 2009 in Delhi and featured designers from all over the world. Canon had set up a Loan and Service Depot at
the venue, to provide immediate hygienic check-up to Canon camera owners as well as loan equipment to photographers registered with the IIFW. Canon had also deployed two of its latest DSLRs-the EOS 7D and EOS 5D Mark II-during the event. Alok Bharadwaj, Senior VP of Canon India had said, “The IIFW would be extremely instrumental in exposing India to the latest and diverse fashion trends across the globe.”
A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective. Irving Penn (1917–2009) Irving Penn was one of 20th century’s most prolific fashion photographers that ever lived. This American was renowned for his long-term association with Vogue magazine and is also responsible for introducing radical transformations in the world of fashion through his stunning, artistic photographs. Apart from capturing the world’s most beautiful women in the fashion industry, he has also captured portraits of eminent personalities like Pablo Picasso, jazz musician Miles Davis and actress Marlene Dietrich. Better Photography
Image source: www.latimes.com
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smc Pentax-D FA Macro 100mm f/2.8 WR Pentax’s latest launch, the smc Pentax-D FA Macro 100mm f/2.8 WR, is a weather-resistant interchangeable lens designed to work with both Pentax digital and film SLRs. Made of aluminium, the lens offers manual override that is useful if you want to achieve precise focus on your subject. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.303m and when mounted on a Pentax DSLR, it offers a focal length equivalent to 153mm in the 35mm format.
Sigma 17–70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS Sigma has upgraded its popular wide-angle zoom lens the Sigma 17–70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro HSM with Optical Stabilisation (OS). This lens offers an aperture of f/2.8 at 17mm focal length and has minimum focusing distance of 22cm throughout the zoom range. The maximum magnification ratio is 1:2.7. With the OS added to the lens one can shoot with shutterspeeds four stops slower than without the OS. The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures quiet yet high speed autofocus. The lens is available in Canon, Pentax, Sony, Nikon and Sigma mounts. Advertorial
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CES 2010 Honourees: Nikon COOLPIX S1000pj Awarded the Best of Innovations 2010 T he International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)—the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow—will take place between 7–10 January 2010. The show’s Innovations Design and Engineering Awards aim to recognise the most innovative consumer electronic products. The products are judged by an eminent panel of industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade press. The Digital Imaging category had several honourees with the Nikon COOLPIX S1000pj being given the Best of Innovations 2010 award. This is the world’s first digital camera with a built-in projector allowing the user to project images and videos on a surface as large as 40 inches. The honourees also include Olympus, Samsung and Sony. The Olympus E-P1 is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens
camera that blends the high-quality images of a DSLR with HD video and an ultra-portable body. The Samsung TL225 features dual LCDs— one on the front and one on the back—so consumers can take self-portraits easily. The Sony A550 is an honouree because of its HDR function and faster shooting speed, while the DSC-WX1 makes great pictures even in low-lit scenes.
FX School Announces Photography Courses Week 3 - Composition, Adobe Photoshop - RAW processing Week 4 - Photo shoot, review session Week 5 - Photo shoot, review session
131 Introduction to Digital Imaging
Course Description: This is an introductory course for students wanting to gain a basic understanding of digital imaging using the latest version of Adobe Photoshop. The course will provide students with an understanding of how they can enhance an image, what Photoshop can do and what its strengths are.
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umbai’s FX School, an institute for people interested in digital content creation, recently started new photography courses. These courses will aim to educate students about the a variety of techniques in photography.
121 Basic Photography course
Course Description: A very basic introduction to photography Aims and Objectives: The objective of this photography course is to provide an understanding of the visual and technical skills necessary to pursue and appreciate photography. Pre-requisites: It is important that you have a willingness to explore new areas of photography & aesthetics. Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Course Outline: Week 1 - Intro to Photography, Types of Cameras, Working of the DSLR Camera, photo shoot Week 2 - Review session, Shutterspeed, Aperture, ISO, Focusing, RAW & JPEG
Better Photography
Aims and Objectives: The main objective of this course is to introduce students to the world of digital imaging, different mediums and formats, getting comfortable with the basic concepts of imaging using Photoshop. Pre-requisites: A willingness to learn Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Course Outline: Week 1 - Getting started with Photoshop, working with layers blending modes and transformations Week 2 - Masks and selections, adjustment layers, wonder brushes and filters Week 3 - Working with text and layer styles, basic color corrections Week 4 - Masking with the Pen tool, file formats and resolutions Week 5 - Understanding light, tips and tricks
222 Photography for Visual Effects
Course Description: This course is for students who are from the CG world, extending their horizons in the world of visual effects photography. It is a CG oriented course in photography, which will help students
understand and create footage used intensively in the visual effects pipeline. Aims and Objectives: The main objective of this course is to introduce the student to the world of photography for visual effects, creating HDRIs, Normal Maps, Textures for sprites and various other aspects of photography used rigorously in the industry. Pre-requisites: Should be well versed with any 3D software and Photoshop, basic understanding of an SLR camera Software: Photoshop CS4, PTGui, Photometics, AfterEffects, Maya Course Outline: Week 1 - Understanding the SLR camera and introduction to the course, shooting for textures and sprites Week 2 - Setting up and shooting for HDRs, creating HDRs from multiple exposures and tone mapping Week 3 - Shooting for normal mapping, creating normal maps and using them in Maya Week 4 - Shooting time-lapse films, creating timelapse using Adobe AfterEffects Week 5 - Setting up, shooting and stitching panoramas, creating a demo reel
146 Basics of Lighting
Course Outline: Week 1 - Introduction to studio character lighting Week 2 - Studio character lighting - single light Week 3 - Understanding lights in Maya- spot, point & directional Week 4 - Character lighting - Maya 1 Week 5 - Character lighting - Maya 2 For more information, visit www.fxschool.in or call 022 42354235.
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Better Photography
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E xc e l lence Awards
And The Award Goes to... Winning a BP Excellence Award is a mark of distinction because the products that win have earned the highest ratings on our test bench, from January to December 2009.
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cross a total of ten categories, there can be but one best product in each. This is our recognition of not just the winning products, but also of the guiding philosophies, effort, research, and control over quality invested into these products by their manufacturers.
Most of all, this is our tribute to the teams responsible for it all. For seven of the ten categories, we selected the highest rated cameras and lenses. The categories ‘Camera of the Year’, ‘Most Innovative Product of the Year’ and ‘Best Service Backup of the Year’ were decided on the combined basis of ratings, research, and popular choice.
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Left to right: K Madhavan Pillai (Editor, Better Photography), Kinya Yoshimura (GM, Olympus) and Anand DSouza (National Marketing Head, Olympus)
Sajjan Kumar (GM, Nikon), Hideko Tanaka (MD, Nikon), K Madhavan Pillai, Hiroshi Takashina (Divisional GM, Nikon) and Jitender Chugh (National Sales Mgr., Nikon)
Alok Bhardwaj (Senior Vice President, Canon)
Koji Wada (Marketing Advisor, Fujifilm) and Kenichi Tanaka (MD, Fujifilm)
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The joy of making pictures largely depends on the camera you choose. We bring you a list of the 30 best cameras across price ranges and categories, that are available in India, to help you make the right choice.
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he Better Photography team has handled and used hundreds of cameras so far, and reviewed and edited thousands of images shot by us. We have the distinction of testing products, sometimes before it has been released anywhere else in the world. This puts us in a rather unique position of being able to pinpoint, with a fair amount of accuracy, what will work for different types of users and what will not. When we began our hunt for the Top 30 cameras available in the Indian markets today, there were many with proven track records and excellent ratings in our tests. These were our first choices. However, to be sure of the cameras that feature in this list, we decided to begin with an initial list of a 100 exceptional contenders. Better Photography
Narrowing down to the Top 30 We started the process of selection over two months ago. The BP Team places a lot of importance to the selection of this particular list, because it also defines the weightage of test parameters you see in our camera reviews in the Gear Guide section of the magazine. Even though we have tested almost all of the cameras featured here, we begin by asking ourselves simple questions. What does a basic user look for? Which are the most important features for a more serious user? How do different professional photographers use their cameras? How is image quality defined by different kinds of users? The answers to these questions and more, establishes a method to rate cameras for the final Top 30 list. Ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
Top 3 0 Cameras
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The competition was tough. After debating over the contenders, we narrowed the list down to the top 50, and then to the Top 30. Exceptional features, pathbreaking technologies, excellent image quality, robust build, value for money— these were some of the various parameters on our checklists.
How to Make a Selection From the ‘Top 30’? It is easy to make a choice out of sheer impulse. But the camera you buy should ideally depend entirely on what type of photographer you are. It is essential to base your choice on your immediate requirements. However, unless you are moneyed enough to keep buying a new camera every year, you also need to consider your level of interest in the subject of photography so that your investment is relatively future-proof. We have a simple way to help you with this. The Top 30 has been categorised Ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
into price ranges. If the camera costs below Rs. 20,000, consider this as your investment for a year. If it lies in the Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 50,000 range, this is an investment for two years. Likewise, cameras in the range of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 is a three-year buy. If your intend to buy a camera that is more expensive than this, you are either very wealthy, or you already are a professional who makes enough to keep spending on newer technologies every couple of years. Thus, you need to understand your own requirements before making your choice.
Superb Cameras for Everyone However, you may have rationalised your buying decision, if you have made a selection from our list of Top 30 cameras. Rest assured that you are making a choice from the very best cameras available in India today. Happy shooting!
If the camera costs below Rs. 20,000, consider this as your investment for a year. Better Photography
te st
GearGuide
How We Test Product Categorisation We first segregate products into categories for the purpose of equitability in testing. The DSLR is divided into entrylevel, semi-professional and professional categories. For compacts, we distinguish between advanced and basic compact cameras. Similarly, we also test consumer and pro lenses, flashguns, printers, and other photographic accessories and gear.
The Process We primarily test for features, performance, build, ergonomics, warranty and support. While this remains constant, the weightage we give to these parameter differs from category to category, because different types of consumers have diverse expectations from products.
Final Ratings Under each main parameter, we 56 list out hundreds of individual variables (for eg. colour accuracy for individual colours in different lighting, individual features, dynamic range, center-to-edge definition, light fall-off, etc.) against which we either give points or simply mark ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Thus, we arrive at a score for that parameter, and then, the final score, denoted as a percentage. Additionally, based on the current pricing of a product, a star rating for ‘Value for Money’ is considered. Value for Money does not affect the final percentage, because prices for products change constantly.
Nikon D3S
Wizard of the Dark
When darkness falls and everyone keeps their cameras away, Raj Lalwani takes the new low-light magician, the Nikon D3S for a test ride.
Our Seals of Approval Any product that scores 80% or higher in individual tests gets ‘BP Recommended’—a seal test of approval from our team. In comparison tests, we also tag products as ‘BP Best Performer’ and ‘BP Best Value for Money’.
BP Excellence Awards At the end of the calendar year, the five highest rated products in each category automatically gets nominated for the ‘Better Photography Excellence Awards’. A panel of experts then decide the winners. This is BP’s recognition of the very best products launched in the course of the year, and the companies that made them. Better Photography
Weightage of parameters 5% 15% 15% 20%
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Features Performance Build Quality Ergonomics Warranty & Support
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ow do you improve a camera that was revolutionary at its time and remains class-leading more than two years after its release? How do you evolve a product that has been acclaimed by both experts and professional photographers as the best in its field in terms of speed, autofocus and image quality? Video must have been on top of Nikon’s priority list when they sat down to improve the high-speed D3. The recently announced D300S, for example, was only a mild refresh of the D300 with added video. But then, is the video shooting option all there is to the all-new D3S? Or is there
some more magic inside that huge tanklike body?
Features Like the D3, the Nikon D3S is a 12.1MP full-frame camera aimed at sports photographers and photojournalists. Unlike the Nikon D300S that had the same sensor as the D300, the sensor of the D3S has been completely redesigned. The new sensor has an improved micro lens array and internal circuitry that promises to take the high ISO performance a notch ahead of the D3. It is certainly a very ambitious design, considering that the D3 and the D700 (both have the same sensor) have ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
Head-to-Head
Test
Feature
The Best Budget Compact Today Find out which one it is
Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W1 First 3D camera
Warning Signs Before t e st Your Camera Goes Dead Sounds, messages etc.
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Focus tracking continued to focus on the batsman even when he charged down the track. A 9fps burst helped capture the perfect moment. Exposure: 1/3200sec at f/2.8 (ISO 640)
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been the best high-ISO cameras so far. The new sensor allows the D3S to shoot from ISO 200 to 12,800. This can be further extended to a previously unimaginable ISO 102,400! The D3 was the first full-frame camera that could boast of shooting at 9fps (11fps in DX-crop mode), and the D3S gives sports photographers more to rejoice, due to its significantly larger buffer. Now, you can shoot as many as 48 RAW images (as compared to 18 with the D3) in a single burst before the camera pauses to write the images on the memory card. To complement its high frame rates, the camera has an excellent 51-point AF system that is similar to the D3. We tested the camera by shooting fast-moving subjects in crowded railway stations, a dance performance and an intensive cricket practice session. The camera did not disappoint in any of these situations. In addition to the DX crop mode and the 5:4 aspect ratio mode, it also features a
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1.2X crop mode, for sports and wildlife photographers who want a little bit of extra reach. The camera can record HD quality (1280 X 720 pixels) video at 24fps. Since the mirror is raised throughout video recording, the D3S also incorporates sensor cleaning, a feature that was sorely missing in its predecessor. The video is of a lower resolution as compared to other cameras in the market, but adequate for professional photo and video journalists. Surprisingly, while you can adjust ISO, aperture and shutterspeed in the Video mode, this fact has not been advertised in any press release. We, too, came across this feature only by chance. Nikon is obviously being conservative when it comes to highlighting video functionality, as compared to other companies. Interval Timer Shooting, dual card slots, Active D-Lighting (with five different options) and a Quiet Mode are the other features of this camera. Unfortunately, the
What’s in the box • Nikon D3S camera • Rechargeable Li-ion battery • Quick charger • USB Cable • AV cable • Camera strap • Body cap • Accessory shoe cap • Eyepiece • Battery chamber cover • USB cable clip • Software CD-ROM 57
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Better Photography
The Best Budget Compact Today In this mega head-to-head, Shridhar Kunte compares 12 compact cameras that have an MRP of Rs. 10,000 and less.
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hen you buy a compact camera for the first time, you will find yourself comparing the many choices available before you. But it is easy to be misled by the seemingly impressive specifications that might not even match with your requirements. Many of today’s models feature high resolution and are packed with features like big LCD screens, high ISO sensitivities, image stabilisation and decent Movie modes. We put 12 entrylevel compact cameras through a rigorous testing process to see which one should be your first choice.
Features As a first-time buyer looking for a good compact camera, you will probably Better Photography
consider the cost and the resolution as the main parameters. Next you might look at the zoom range, screen size and battery life. For most others, the decision will be based on size and looks alone. All the 12 cameras on our test bench boast of a CCD sensor (same size) and a resolution between 10MP and 12MP. Designed for first-time users, they are equipped with a high degree of automation—autofocus, auto exposure mode, Face Detection and a plethora of preset scene modes. If you love to experiment with your photography, you will be disappointed by the lack of Manual Exposure mode in all these cameras. For noise-free images and excellent colour reproduction, the three Kodak EasyShare cameras—the C182, C190 and M340—offer a minimum ISO setting of 64. On the other Ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
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A Test of Performance & Value for Money
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Compact Cameras Below Rs. 10,000! Better Photography
Image for representation purposes only
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Warning Signs Before Your Camera Goes Dead
If your camera makes strange noises, it might be trying to warn you of potential damage. Ambarin Afsar identifies the signs that tell you that something may be wrong with your camera.
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ven if you are extremely careful with your camera, problems can occur. How do you identify that your camera has been damaged, and what do you about it? This article will help you identify the warning signs that tell you that your camera needs help, to help you minimise casualties. If you are familiar with your camera’s behaviour, chances are you can identify erratic signs and carry out damage control before it is too late. Better Photography
Most Common Warning Signs Some warning signs are common across DSLRs and compact cameras. Learn to spot them. At the first sign of erratic behaviour, take your camera to an authorised service centre and assess the problem.
Beeps, Whirrs and Error Messages Cameras make certain sounds like focus confirmation beeps, lens motor sounds while fixing focus, on-camera button beeps, and more. If your Ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
F e at u re
Dying Batteries If your camera is discharging the battery within an unusually short period of time, then either your battery is faulty or something else, like a short circuit or a leaking capacitor, is draining battery power. Try replacing the battery pack. If that does not work, then take your camera to the service centre.
camera makes an abnormal sound, then something may be wrong. For compact cameras, you might hear a prolonged beep or an error message will flash on the LCD. Error messages could range from card and battery exhausted errors, to lens errors. The motors within a camera also have their own whirring sounds when they function. Over time, you begin to get familiar with them. These whirrs are likely to sound erratic if there is a problem. While DSLRs might not beep, they will flash an ‘ERR’ sign in the top LCD. Get your camera checked if it makes such sounds. In most cases, detecting unusual sounds early and getting it checked promptly will prevent extensive damage later on.
excessive sand/dirt logging. This also happens if the battery pack is not in constant contact with the terminals inside the compartment. The camera switches on when you push against the battery and switches off when you take your hand off. The compartment door could have come off loose. It can also occur if switches malfunction. The best thing to do would be to take your camera to a service centre, and not try fixing it yourself.
The LCD Screen Goes Blank DSLRs and compact cameras can face LCD problems such as the LCD does not show any image at all; it shows only a blank image; pictures are visible on the LCD but they have an odd colour cast; the LCD shows only vertical or horizontal lines. This is a cause for concern. In these cases, if the pictures transferred to the computer have no defects whatsoever, it means that just the LCD that is not working as it should. It might be broken or might not have power supply from the main board of the camera. A service centre will replace the LCD or conduct repairs.
Signs of Corrosion Your camera has various screws and joints on the body. It also has parts accessible through a door like the battery compartment, the memory card slot and USB ports. A DSLR has a lens mount, which is the place from where you attach a lens to the camera. All of these have metallic contacts that might get rusted or might corrode if your camera comes in contact with moisture or sand, or with prolonged use. If you see rust on these metallic contacts, please get them checked at a service centre. If you see acidic green leakage around the battery compartment, immediately remove the battery and get your camera serviced.
The Camera Does Not Switch On If your camera does not switch on at all, chances are that it has gotten short-circuited. This happens due a number of reasons: your camera has been dropped in the water; it has received a hard knock; some component on the motherboard has malfunctioned or your camera has received a high voltage shock. Go to an official service centre and get your camera serviced as it requires specialised calibration.
It Switches Off/On on its Own This occurs due to the environment inside the camera. Both DSLRs and compact cameras get affected adversely by water logging and Ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
For Compact Cameras Compact cameras have a few distinct problems that are mostly lens related.
Long Term Care for Your Camera Taking preventive measures may be time-consuming, but is worth all the hard work. There are a few simple precautions that you can take.
Read the manual It goes a long way in avoiding mishandling.
Clean the camera regularly The outside of the camera can be wiped clean with a clean, dry cloth. Never use abrasive cleaners or organic solvents on the camera or any of its parts.
Handle with extreme care Be careful with all moving parts of the camera. Never force hinges, buttons or dials if they seem stuck. Call authorised Tech Support for quick troubleshooting.
Switch off Turn the camera off before removing or disconnecting the power source or removing the battery, lenses or memory card.
Keep your camera dry It should be free from condensation. Use weatherproof covers while shooting in bad weather conditions.
Store your camera well If your camera is not going to be used for a long time, store it in a cool, dry place with packets of silica gel to prevent condensation. Take it out at regular intervals of time and shoot with it for 15–20 minutes. Better Photography
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Sho ot ing T echniq ue
BetterPictures
Do It All With Your Kit Lens W
You do not really need to spend a lot of money on that expensive, new lens. Raj Lalwani tells you how you can explore the potential of your basic kit lens to shoot great pictures. hile buying our first DSLR, most of us would have wondered about how many and what kinds of lenses we should invest in. The desire for newer, better lenses often makes us forget one simple thing—it is not the equipment you use, but how you
use it that matters the most. What if we were to tell you that the inexpensive kit lens that was bundled with your camera is good for many kinds of photography? By using the following simple ideas and techniques, you will be amazed at the kind of photographs you can shoot with a basic 18–55mm kit lens.
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On Assignment
Photo Critique
Tips & Tricks
Inside CNBC-TV18 Behind the scenes of a 24-hour news channel
A critical appreciation of your pictures by our panel of experts
Exploring the shapes, colours, textures of leaves and more
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Most present-day kit lenses are equipped with image stabilisation, making it easy to shoot still subjects in low light. Exposure: 1/15sec at f/5.6 (ISO 800) ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
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Raj Lalwani
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Prof i l e
ShowCase
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The Opinion Maker Ken Rockwell
• 47-year-old Ken has been managing his famous website for over ten years now. • He has an engineering background and used to work in Hollywood before he started to manage his website full time. • While he loves shooting landscapes, he is most popular for his strong opinions and frank camera reviews. Better Photography
The humourous Ken Rockwell and his reviews draw equal numbers of ardent fans and harsh critics. He tells Raj Lalwani why he thinks equipment does not really matter.
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ow does one begin to write an article on a man who generates such varied reactions across the world? He generates a kind of hysteria in the online photographic world—while some people love him, he also has a lot of detractors. Welcome to the online world of Ken Rockwell! Most people discover Ken the
same way as I did. He is often Google’s first search result when one searches for reviews of any camera. Rockwell says wittily, “That is a problem when I am searching for more information on a camera or lens that I have already reviewed. Now, Google is a great search engine but it should understand that I do not want to know what I already know!” ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
Great Masters
contest
Photo Feature
DevjibhaiDhamecha On his love for the Little Rann of Kutch
Nikon-Better Photography Photographer of the Year 2009 The final nominees announced!
Renuka PuriP r o f i l e A Woman’s Life Behind Bars
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Urban decay is one of Ken’s favourite subjects, besides landscapes. The blue-white mercury light was rendered as a green tone on film. ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
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Devjibhai Dhamecha
Devjibhai Dhamecha has dedicated his life towards the conservation of Little Rann of Kutch. Alok Brahmbhatt speaks to him about his work and his love for this desert.
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fter almost 5 hours and 170km of travel by road from Ahmedabad, I reached a campsite close to the small, peaceful city of Dhrangadhra in Gujarat. There, I saw a healthy man of 60–65 years in simple clothing, neatly arranging chairs around a dining table.
Devji kaka (as he is fondly called by people who love and respect him) was preparing to host a batch of tourists, and later guide them around the Little Rann of Kutch. I greeted and sat down with him, thinking that I could start with the interview right away. Then he asked me with heart-warming enthusiasm and in
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The villagers that live in the outskirts of the Rann travel kilometres to get water and fuel. Devji kaka prefers to live in the village than in the city, mainly because it lets him explore the Rann whenever he wants to. ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
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Image source: Underwood & Underwood
Histo ry
This stereograph of an Egyptian mummy was one of the many featured in Underwood & Underwood’s unique 18th century travelogue Egypt Through a Stereoscope.
The Origins of 3D 3D imaging is not as recent an innovation as most of us think it to be. Ambarin Afsar explores its beginnings.
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nderwood & Underwood, one of America’s major stereograph publishers in the early 18th century, brought out a travelogue in 1909 called Egypt Through A Stereoscope. This travelogue was a compilation of many stereographs that presented three-dimensional (3D) views of its subjects. Travelogues like these introduced the concept of virtual travel in the early 20th century. They enabled armchair travellers to have a ‘you are there’ experience. They made learning about a
destination a lot more convenient, and also made them feel like they were actually at that location described in the guide. The term ‘stereo’ is derived from the Greek word ‘stereos’ which means ‘solid’. So a ‘stereograph’ is a picture that depicts its subject so that it appears solid. It consists of two printed images positioned side by side, about 2.5 inches apart—one for the left eye and one for the right. If viewed with a suitable viewer, the two flat images are combined into a single image that gives the illusion of depth.
By the mid 1850s and soon after the Great Exhibition, an estimated million and more homes owned a stereoscope.
Virtual Travel in the Early 20th Century
Image source: Underwood & Underwood
Between the 19th and 20th centuries, stereoscopy was the leading visual mass medium, offering detailed 3D views of anything from ancient monuments to current events. Relatively inexpensive, stereographs and their viewers were common in schools and middle-class homes. In the early 1900s, Underwood & Underwood brought out a ‘boxed set’, typically a series of 100 cards that simulated a guided tour of a country. These sets were accompanied by a guide book that explained each scene. The boxed sets were so popular that the company produced tours of a number of countries, including Egypt, Ceylon and Japan. Egypt Through A Sterescope was one of these sets.
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H i sto ry
Types of Stereo Cameras G Hare Stereo Cameras Year: 1857
How It All Began The idea of presenting a different image to each eye to get a more a realistic picture, came about before photography was even discovered! Back in the late 16th century, Giovanni Battista della Porta, (who was also responsible for perfecting the camera obscura), produced sideby-side drawings that were later called ‘stereographs’—a term coined by French clergyman Francois d’Aguillon in 1613. Jacopo da Empoli, an Italian painter, also made similar binocular drawings around the same period. However, without an optical device to control the view of each eye, it was difficult to separately focus on the images. Drawing such images by hand was almost impractical, until photography was invented. The optical device to view stereographs— that would later become popular in Victorian households— was invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1838, in an attempt to make the first electric telegraph. He gave it two names—the stereoscope and the stereopticon—both of which were equally used through the ages. Later in 1849, Sir David Brewster used early photographic technology to create the first stereo camera. It had two lenses placed next to each other, which captured images just like a pair of eyes sees a scene.
Early Stereographers When any new technology comes in, there are a few people who are willing experiment and improvise on it. Stereography had its early workers too. Roger Fenton, an Englishman and one of the first war photographers, produced many stereographs of architecture, landscapes and still life subjects. Jules Duboscq, a pioneering French photographer and inventor, made stereoscopic daguerreotypes and in turn, influenced Antoine Claudet to take up stereoscopy. Claudet then went on to patent stereoscopes in 1853.
Stereoscopic Cameras Because of their very nature, stereographs can only be created by using special cameras. These cameras, first created in the 1840s, have two lenses placed as far apart as the human eyes. When the shutter is ja n ua ry 2 0 1 0
tripped, both lenses expose images onto the film, from two different angles. Both images are then placed on a card, next to each other. The human brain merges the two images into one, creating a 3D image.
Popularity Just as a celebrity endorsement might raise awareness about a product today, the Queen of England’s enjoyment of stereoscopes popularised them in a big way! The Great Exhibition was underway, in London in 1851, which showcased a variety of innovations made by Britain and other countries. It was here that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert noticed the stereoscope and was later gifted one made by Jules Duboscq. This signalled the beginning of a huge trade in stereoscopes and stereographs. They also became popular in the US, after Oliver Wendell Holmes took up the idea of stereoscopy and helped popularise it there.
Usage in Other Fields Stereoscopy has had a long-winding history. However, it slowly experienced a decline in popularity, as the fad fizzled out. By the 1920s, movies and half-tone images supplanted stereographs as the leading photographic medium. But by the 1940s, they were largely being employed in aerial photography, as they could register greater detail about the features on the ground. A lot of such aerial stereographs were primarily used in World War II.
Stereoscopy Through The Ages Stereographs have gone from being basic binocular drawings, to setting the foundation for cinematic and researchbased forays into the recreation of the illusion of depth. Today, it is slowly inching its way back into the consumer market—thanks to the growing curiosity and demand for innovations. The latest camera to offer 3D viewing is the 2009 launch Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1. With its user-friendly, basic compact camera design and simple functions that allow you to switch between 2D and 3D with a press of a button, this camera is poised to bring back the excitement of 3D imaging.
Trained as a cabinet maker, George Hare entered his own camera-making business circa 1857. He contributed several important innovations to 19th century camera design.
Jules Richard Verascope Year: 1891 (approx)
The Verascope was a handheld stereoscopic camera manufactured in 1893, by Jules Richard, in Paris. 52,000 of these cameras were made and had top-of-the-range F40 rangefinders.
Stereo Realist Year: 1947
Seton Rochwite, a camera hobbyist, stirred the American post-war stereo boom. This camera established the 5 perf “Realist” format, followed by all subsequent American stereo cameras.
View-Master Personal Stereo Camera Year: 1952
Since 1939, the View-Master has been device for viewing 3D/stereo images on a paper disk. The camera was designed to allow amateurs to produce their own personal View-Master reels.
Nimslo 3D Year: 1980s
The Nimslo was the first consumer-level 3D camera of the 1980s. Produced by Nimstec Atlanta, it had four lenses that enabled taking four images from slightly different viewing angles.
FujiFilm FinePix Real 3D W1 Year: 2009
In 2009, 3D technology was reborn with the introduction of this camera. Its two 3x optical zoom lenses and two CCDs enable capturing images in versatile styles of simultaneous shooting.
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