Smartphotography201206

Reviewed: NikoN D4 l olympus om-D l NikoN Coolpix p510 l soNy Cyber-shot DsC-hx10V ISSue 3 Volume 08 juNe 2012

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INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!

MastercraftsMan

Jason Bell

A touch of Class

showcase n Mahender Soni n Taras Taraporvala

Nikon D4 Olympus OM-D

Learnings

Basics of Photography : ISO Control in D-SLRs Creating Digital borders in Photoshop Photoshop Magic How to Increase DOF in Macro Photography

Editor Hoshang S. Billimoria Technical Editor Rohinton Mehta Executive Editor Mathew Thottungal Senior Correspondent Sujith Gopinath Copy Editor Aswathi Nair Photography Mahesh Reddy Creative Director & Head Production Atul D. Bandekar Design Ajit Manjrekar, Sanjay Awad, Ajay Paradkar Production Dinesh Bhajnik, Deepak Narkar, Ravi Parmar Product Manager Perseus Master Publisher Girish Mallya Circulation and Subscription Sanjeev Roy (Asst. Operations Manager) Sachin Kelkar (Subscription Supervisor) Head Office - Mumbai 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013 Tel: + 91 22 43525252 Fax: + 91 22 24955394 Email: sp@nextgenpublishing.net Subscription Tel: + 91 22 43525220 Fax: + 91 22 24955394 Email: subscriptions@nextgenpublishing.net News Stand Distribution India Book House, Mumbai 400 002, Tel: +91 22 2284626 Fax: +91 22 22835099 Marketing Offices Ahmedabad Chandan House, 3rd Floor, Mithakhali Six Roads, Ahmedabad 380006 Tel: + 91 79 40008000 Fax: + 91 79 40008080 Bangalore #903, 9th floor, ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001 Tel: +91 80 - 66110116 New Delhi Plot No.225, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III, Okhla, New Delhi 110020 Tel: + 91 11 42346600 Fax: + 91 11 42346679 Chennai Unit No:20,Third floor, Modern Towers, 35/23 West Cott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014 Tel +91-44-39149889/90/91 Fax +91-44-39149892.

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Richard G.C. +9199492 17127 Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Ltd. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. Printed by Girish Mallya, Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Copyright 2006 SMART PHOTOGRAPHY All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Smart Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.

Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria

Welcome

T

he debate on whether Smartphones will kill the market for compact cameras continues.

Whilst the camera pixel count of smartphones keeps on increasing, compact camera manufacturers are responding smartly. A number of manufacturers have introduced connectivity to other devices as also Wi-Fi in their cameras. Cameras are now increasingly able to connect to televisions, set-top boxes, PCs, tablets and game consoles. Further, in the last year or so, we have seen significant advances in compact camera quality. Just look at the latest launches from Canon, Fujifilm and Panasonic. Packing in all the features that a compact camera has into a smartphone will prove, will, difficult.

Of course, at the end of the day, the best camera is the one that you have with you. And further, what you have is of secondary importance. How you use it matters more.

H. S. Billimoria

Here’s What Makes us

#1

WE ARE GLUED TO THE GLOBAL IMAGING INDUSTRY Our team is updated with all the benchmarks and road blocks that the field of photography and imaging across the globe experiences. This helps us record the changes in the global perspective, thus making us the first to predict which products will be a rage in the Indian markets.

OUR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS All equipment go through a series of tests at the hands of our experts. Our reviewers are experts in the field of photography across the country and have many years of experience. That gives us the foresight to distinguish between a passing trend and a big change in the field of photography and imaging. And finally, our reviews are not extended to just fill up the pages!

WE’RE IMPARTIAL Loyalty towards our readers is a given, and their best interests are always on our mind.

Every verdict is honest and not influenced by advertisers or personal favorites. So when we say a product is a ‘BEST BUY’, then, it is just that!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU There is no debate on why we are here. Our sole goal is to provide you options and better your judgement in product purchase while, sharing tips and tricks to improve your images. Our biggest joy is in building a bridge between you and your perfect picture!

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Contents June 2012

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REVIEWED: NIKON D4 ● OLYMPUS OM-D ● NIKON COOLPIX P510 ● SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-HX10V ISSUE 3 VOLUME 08 JUNE 2012

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87

MASTERCRAFTSMAN

Jason Bell

A Touch of Class

SHOWCASE ■ ■

Mahender Soni Taras Taraporvala

Regulars 10 Mailbag 12 News Watch

Nikon D4 Olympus OM-D ISSUE 3 | VOLUME 08 | JUNE 2012

LEARNINGS

Basics of Photography : ISO Control in D-SLRs Creating Digital borders in Photoshop Photoshop Magic How to Increase DOF in Macro Photography

Photography: Somsubhro Sarkar Image courtsey: Dale Bhagwagar Media Group Model: Kim Sharma Styling: Jaswinder Gardner Make up: Rupesh Jadhav

Just a moment!

Smart Photography thanks the readers who participate in the Picture of the Month contest.

We would like to bring to your attention a few changes in the rules for submission. From now on, you may send in your images with the longer side measuring atleast 17 inches. Please note that the images have to be horizontal. This permits readers to submit panoramic shots, which was not possible with the current size of 17 x 11 inches.

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Smart Photography June 2012

30 Picture of the Month 32 Kaleidoscope 38 Showcase - Mahender Soni

Taras Taraporvala

50 If I Were You

54 Ask Uncle Ronnie 62 Master Craftsman - Jason Bell 146 Tidbits

Contents June 2012

78 LEARNINGS

85

72 Basics of Photography: ISO Control in D-SLRs 78 Creating Digital borders in Photoshop 85 Photoshop Magic 89 How to Increase DOF in Macro Photography

REVIEWS

93 Nikon D4 100 Olympus OM-D 106 Nikon Coolpix P510 110 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 8

Smart Photography June 2012

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5D MARK IVE! CANON INDIA EXCLUS

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Great news!

SMAN MASTERCRAFT

UNDS SIGHTS, SO... & STORIES d Ajay Soo

REVIEWS

Canon PowerShot G1X Our 3-Legged Friends Macro Flash Nissin MF18 Digital TTL Corel PaintShop Pro x4

The 2nd National Photo Awards 2011-2012 were declared by the Photo Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India recently.

I am very happy to share with you that I was awarded “Professional Photographer of the Year Award” in the “Green India: Environmental Stories” category. I had submitted a set of 10 landscapes portraying Green Uttarakhand. The prestigious jury selected my work for the most coveted award. I will receive a citation, a medal and prize money of Rs. 75,000. You can find more details about the awards at http://www.photodivision.gov.in/ LEARNINGS

ls in D-SLRs Basics: Exposure Contro hop Effect using Adobe Photos Expose to the Right Depth of Field Preview r D.O.F. Greate e provid Why Narrow Apertures ing harpen Over-s for y Remed

Create an Out of Frame

Thanks and Regards, Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Bareilly

Letter Of The Month

Lotus Temple wins!

With great joy I share with Smart Photography the news that my portfolio of ten images of Lotus temple, New Delhi has won me the National Award of Photography, Professional Photographer of the year in Professional Open Category.

Thanks and Regards, Anil Risal Singh, Lucknow

ERRATA

1. The Canon PowerShot SX240 HS uses a CMOS sensor and not CCD as mentioned in our review published in the April 2012 issue. The error is deeply regretted. We thank SP reader Priyo Kumar for bringing this to our notice.

2. In the Special Report titled ‘Samsung pushes the boundaries of innovation and technology at the South West Asia Forum’, which appeared in SP, May 2012 (Pg. 35), the photo caption at the bottom mentioned the name Rak Kumar Rishi, VP, AV Business, Samsung India, instead of Raj Kumar Rishi. We apologise for this error.

Win

A Uniross 1H LCD CHARGER Worth Rs.1,095/Every Month For the LETTER OF THE MONTH

Tried and Tested I am a regular reader of your esteemed magazine. I go through all the tutorials and try them. The Photoshop tutorial on the “Out of bounds” effect was well written. It would be great if you could include similar tutorials on digital painting also. Thanks to Mr.Rajendra Prasad for his wonderful teachings and kudos to the SP team for bringing to us such excellent articles.

This is my attempt at the Out of bounds effect.

Thanks and Regards, Anandhirajan

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Smart Photography June 2012

News Watch International

SNIPPETS

Adobe issues final version of Camera Raw for CS5 Adobe has released the finalised version of Adobe Camera Raw v6.7, the last update that will work with Photoshop CS5. The final version include support for 21 cameras including, Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Nikon D800 and the Olympus E-M5.

Nikon D800 wins Camera Grand Prix 2012 award

Nikon’s D800 has been awarded the prestigious Camera Grand Prix 2012 title and also bagged the vote for the best camera. The awards, organised by the Japanese ‘Camera Journal Press Club’ also recognised the Canon EF8-15mm F4L USM as ‘Lens of the year’.

Meanwhile, the Editor’s awards were given to Sony’s NEX-7 and the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm F1.8.

Wide-angle adapter and firmware for Fujifilm X100 Fujifilm has announced the WCL-X100 wide-angle adapter lens for its X100 compact. It is designed to match the X100 in terms of both appearance and quality. The WCl-X100 will be available from June at a price of around $350. Firmware v1.3 was also released.

Kodak billboard up for sale

Eastman Kodak Company is looking to sell its billboard located in TimeSquare, New York. According to the Wall Street Journal, Kodak no longer requires the giant 40-foot bill-board in Times Square.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Samsung launches Wi-Fi smart compact system cameras Samsung has expanded its NX series of mirrorless system cameras with three new models featuring built-in Wi-Fi connectivity: the NX1000, NX210 and NX20. All three NX models feature a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, developed in-house by Samsung. They are also fully compatible with the NX series’ unique i-Function system, enabling users to control parameters using the lens itself.

The NX1000 is highly portable and its compact design makes it user-friendly. The model is available in white, classic black or pink. It houses a feature-rich range of specifications with technology such as Smart Auto 2.0 and the Smart Link Hot Key.

NX1000

NX210

The NX210 follows the NX’s design heritage, with a premium metallic finish. Like its predecessor the NX200, the NX210 also offers a 3.0” Amoled display for viewing images and Full HD movies in brilliant resolution. With easy access to Wi-Fi functions, the NX210 allows quick sharing of images.

The NX20 was designed for enthusiast amateurs or professionals looking for a compact camera that looks and feels like a D-SLR, at just a fraction of its size and weight. Delivering impressive speed with its 1/8000s fast shutter, images are shown on the clear 3.0” clear Amoled swivel display, increasing visibility by approximately 20%. The NX20 also incorporates a range of functions and manual controls to deliver pro-standard pictures.

Fujfilm announces all-rounder compact with wireless image transfer Fujifilm has announced FinePix XP170, an updated rugged, waterproof compact camera, featuring WiFi to allow wireless image transfer to Android or iOS smartphones and tablets. The XP170 features a 14MP CMOS sensor that can shoot at up to 10fps, mounted behind a 5x, 28-140mm equivalent zoom lens.

The FinePix XP170 digital camera is ideally suited for the outdoors because it features FourWay Protection that is waterproof to 33ft (10M), shockproof to 6.5 ft (2M), freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C) and dustproof. The camera also features a bright LCD screen, fast auto focus speeds, comfortable grip, and advanced functionality for all weather conditions.

News Watch International SNIPPETS DxO Optics Pro 7.2.3 adds Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Pentax K-01 DxO Labs has updated DxO Optics Pro to v7.2.3, adding support for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Pentax’s K-01. The latest version includes 70 camera and lens combination modules for the 5D III, and 26 for the Pentax K-mount mirrorless camera. A 30-day free trial of the software is available.

Leica camera fetches record amount at auction

With a starting price of €300,000, the Leica 0-series was a rare test camera built in 1923. It went for €2,160,000 after a bidding war between the room, phone and internet bidders. At the same auction, one of only two existing M3 Leica cameras that was officially gold-plated by Leitz was sold for €360,000. Its starting price was €40,000. For more details visit www.westlicht-auction.com

Novoflex creates adapters for Fujifilm X-Pro1

Novoflex has announced a range of mount adapters for the Fujifilm X-Pro1’s X mount. The adapters allow the use of a wide range of non-XF lenses with the 16MP mirrorless camera. The range supports a broad cross-section of current and legacy lenses, including Canon FD, Nikon, Contax, Olympus OM and Minolta MD and AF mounts.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Olympus launches Tough rugged, waterproof camera Olympus has announced the Tough TG-1 iHS, a high-end rugged, waterproof compact camera. The main selling point of the camera is its 25-100mm equivalent F2.0-4.9 zoom lens. The TG-1 is tougher than previous Tough models, being waterproof to 12m (40ft) and shockproof from a height of 2m (6.6ft) and will have optional waterproof fisheye and telephoto converter lenses available. The TG-1 iHS is built around a 1/2.3-inch Type 12MP back-lit CMOS sensor and a TruePic VI processor.

A high-sensitivity, high-speed 12-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor combined with a blazing fast, D-SLR-quality TruePic VI image processor results in high-speed autofocus, enhanced Intelligent Auto for spectacular scene and subject recognition. All this works along with the 10x Super-resolution Zoom to deliver high quality pictures.

Leica offers 20x 14MP compact superzoom camera Leica has released the V-Lux40, a 14 megapixel 20x compact superzoom camera. This is the second V-Lux model to feature GPS. The lens provides a 24480mm equivalent zoom range and 14.1 megapixel output (from a 15.3MP CMOS sensor). The camera also features the highest-res screen in the Leica range - a 460k dot 3.0” LCD. The V-Lux40 includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Premier Elements 10.

Leica announces APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH normal prime Leica has announced the APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. The company is making grand claims for its latest standard-focal-length prime, which uses specially developed glass to create an apochromatic design to minimise chromatic aberrations. The lens was designed to match the specifications of the existing 50mm f/2 lens - a 1979 design that is the oldest in the company’s current lineup. The APO version of the lens will be available from late July 2012, at around $7,195.

News Watch International

Sony announces 16MP camera and 18-200mm lens

Sigma standard zoom lens for Sony and Pentax cameras

Sony has announced the NEX-F3 entrylevel 16MP mirrorless camera and lightweight 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS stabilised superzoom lens for the E-mount.

Sigma has announced the 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC HSM, an affordable version excluding the image stabilisation of the 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM for Sony and Pentax APS-C cameras that feature an image stabilisation system within the body. It has a wide aperture of f/2.8 at the wide-angle end and F4.5 at the telephoto end. It features internal zooming and focussing systems for steady handling. Minimum focussing distance of the lens is 0.3m through entire zooming range, achieving magnification ratio of 1:4.1.

Maximum barrel diameter of the lens is 74.6mm and the barrel length is 88.6mm, weighing about 395g. The Sony and Pentax mount versions will follow shortly, both list-priced at approximately 32,550 yen (US$400).

The NEX-F3 gains a built-in flash, along with the updated 16MP sensor from the NEX-5N. The NEX-F3 camera adds a 180° Tiltable LCD screen, a first for Sony’s E-mount camera line. By simply holding the camera at arm’s length and flipping the LCD screen vertically, users can adjust the on-screen preview image and properly frame photos. The new NEX-F3 camera also includes the new Auto Portrait Framing feature.

The new SEL18200LE E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS LE telezoom lens offers a powerful 11x zoom range and superb resolution in an easy-to-carry package.

Meanwhile, the E18-200mm F3.5-5.6 LE OSS is a more compact, lighter 11x superzoom lens for the NEX system.

Starting in June, the NEX-F3 will have an MSRP of around $600, while the SEL18200LE will sell for around $850 from July.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Kenko Tokina announces Micro Four Thirds Mirror lens Kenko Tokina disclosed a new mirror lens - Reflex 300mm f/6.3MF MACRO at a list-price of 42K yen (US$520).

The lens is the first Micro Four Thirds mount lens under the Tokina brand. It is equivalent in telephoto effect to a 600mm lens of 35mm format and is very compact like a standard lens of 35mm format. Focussing is manual, providing distance encoder to be compatible with Exif.

The lens features a pair of highly refractive glass element to achieve high performance focussing down to a minimum distance of 0.8m, enabling magnification of 1:2.

The barrel diameter is 66mm and barrel length is 66mm.

News Watch International

Sony launches SLT-A37 and 18-135mm lens Sony has launched the SLT-A37 entry-level 16MP SLT camera and

the enthusiast-grade 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM standard zoom. The A37 is an updated replacement for the A35.

Meanwhile the 18-135mm F3.55.6 SAM lens offers Alpha mount users a more flexible upgrade option over the entry-level 1855mm, without having to stretch to the 16-50mm F2.8. The A37 will be available from June at a cost of $600 with 18-55mm kit zoom lens. The 18-135mm lens will be available for $500 or as a $200 premium over the basic zoom kit cost with any of the company’s SLT cameras.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Leica unveils 16MP premium large-sensor compact Leica recently released the X2, a 16 megapixel APS-C compact camera with a fixed 36mm equivalent F2.8 lens.

The camera is a variation of its predecessor, the X1, with the biggest change being the use of a 16.2MP CMOS sensor and the addition of an accessory socket for an optional 1.44M dot ‘Viso-Flex’ electronic viewfinder. Leica says it has improved the autofocus system (one of the biggest criticisms faced by the X1), but has retained the rather low-resolution 230,000 dot rear LCD. The X2 has a list price of $1,995.00.

The Leica X2’s autofocus system has also been enhanced, allowing the camera to adapt to all shooting situations with flexibility and fast, precise and almost silent focussing. The camera’s profile is complemented by numerous setting options from full manual control to automatic functions and an intuitive handling concept.

Leica unveils it first blackand-white digital camera Leica has introduced, as per the company’s claim, the world’s first digital camera fitted with a full-frame black-andwhite sensor - the Leica M Monochrom. The new Leica M Monochrom uses a newly-designed 18-megapixel CCD sensor, which has been stripped of the conventional Bayer Pattern filter. Leica states, “As the camera does not “see” colours, every pixel records true luminance values to deliver ‘true’ black-andwhite images that are significantly sharper than comparable exposures from a camera with a colour-sensitive sensor.”

The camera has a sensitivity range of ISO 320 to ISO 10,000, and features a new raw data histogram display that is said to offer original, unprocessed raw data thereby allowing precise correction or optimisation of exposures.

News Watch Business

Fujifilm announces rise in price of its film Fujifilm Corporation, Tokyo announced a worldwide increase in the prices of its photographic films. While the exact increases will vary depending on products, markets and regions, they are expected to be in the double-digit price range.

Effective from May 2012, the new pricing policy applies to Fujifilm colour negative film, colour reversal, and black and white films, as well as to the single-use camera QuickSnap. According to a press release, the increase is due to shrinking volumes, the strong Yen and significantly increasing costs of production due to rising prices for raw materials, oil and energy.

Carl Zeiss AG elects new chairman

The Carl Zeiss AG Supervisory Board elected Dr. Dieter Kurz as the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board, effective immediately. Kurz was already appointed as Chairman of the Shareholder Council of the Carl Zeiss Foundation in March.

According to the Foundation’s constitution, this means that he is a Member of the Supervisory Boards of the two Foundation enterprises Schott AG and Carl Zeiss AG and is to be elected as Chairman by the two Supervisory Boards. Kurz succeeds Dr. Theo Spettmann who held these offices from February 2010, but stepped down owing to health reasons at the beginning of March 2012.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Kodak’s President of Consumer Business steps down Pradeep Jotwani, President of the Consumer Business, Chief Marketing Officer, and Senior Vice President of Eastman Kodak Company, has stepped down from his post. Laura Quatela, who was elected President and Chief Operating Officer on January 1, 2012, overseeing the Consumer Business and corporate functions, will assume Jotwani’s leadership functions.

Kodak and Samsung team up for consumer inkjet printing Kodak and Samsung Electronics have designed a strategic alliance to sell consumer inkjet printers in Europe. Samsung will sell its branded all-in-one inkjet printers using Kodak’s printer and proprietary ink technology. The printers were recently launched in Germany.

Said Mark Kurz, General Manager, Consumer Inkjet Systems, and Vice President, Consumer Group, Kodak, “This is collaboration between two great brands. Samsung is able to leverage Kodak’s leading technology and imaging science to launch its inkjet printer business. Kodak will be able to expand its business. It is a win-win situation.”

Kurz added that the relationship with Samsung is a natural extension of Kodak’s consumer inkjet business, and that the company continues to invest in and market its own award-winning Kodak All-in-One Printers, along with Kodak Ink Cartridges and Kodak Inkjet Paper.

News Watch Business

Profit profile of Japan’s leading D-cam firms

Among the eight Japanese major precision makers, five companies enjoyed positive results in the digital camera business in their fiscal 2011 year, while three could not recover from weak performance of the previous term. Canon posted operational profit of 211.2 billion yen (US$2.6 B) in the camera division selling 25.9 million units. Olympus and Casio seemed to post operational loss of 9 billion yen (US$112.5 M) each. Ricoh is also likely to stay in. Nikon showed a latent power to secure 52 billion yen (US$650 M) operational profit despite the heavy damage in Thai floods.

Sony also managed to post profits. The company sold about 22 million units of D-cams.

Fujifilm’s D-cam division turned black thanks to its policy to reinforce higher-ticketed compact models. Fuji seemed to acquire a 16% gain.

Panasonic sold a little less than 13 million units, up 23%. Olympus’ operational loss reduced from the previous year, but still posted 9 billion yen (US$112.5 M) in the camera division, improving from the previous 15 billion yen (US$75 M).

For the current fiscal year, industry watchers estimate all the eight companies will post profits. Canon estimates some 20% gain in unit sales to 31.2 million units and also 20% gain in operational profit to 260 billion yen (US$3.25 B). Nikon may post several million yen gains, thanks to its D-SLR category and the new mirrorless models. Sony foresees a gains in operational profit. Olympus’s and Ricoh’s outcomes may depend on how they proceed restructuring and converging production bases.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Canon Posts 11% gain in net profit for Q1 Canon announced that its group net profit for the first quarter ( Jan-March) of the current fiscal year rose 11% to 61.5 billion yen (US768.8 M) on slightly declined sales of 829.2 billion yen (UD$10.36 B). Operating profit gained a 0.2% to 82.6 billion yen (US$1.03 B). In addition, a fall in the selling price of compact D-cams resulted in losing profit of 12.3 billion yen. However, highly profitable D-SLR camera sales rose 30% in the world’s market.

Sales of the Consumer Business Unit rose 4.8% to 303.47 billion yen (US$3.89 B) and operational profit gained 17.1% to 46.73 billion yen (US$584.17 M). The company said D-SLR sales were very strong, gaining some 30% year-on-year from entry level to those for high-amateurs.

Canon expects to see its operating profit for this fiscal year ending December 31st to grow 20% year-on-year to almost 460 billion yen (US$5.68 B) on the weaker yen and strong global sales of D-SLR cameras.

Olympus shareholders approve the new board of directors The shareholders meeting held in April displayed a positive outcome.

The new board of directors were approved, despite the opposition raised by foreign shareholders and former president Michael Woodford.

Eleven former executives including president Shuichi Takayama stepped down and eleven new executives, including Hiroyuki Sasa and Yasuyuki Kimoto, former senior managing director of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. were approved as the next president and chairman, respectively.

Following the three-hour shareholders meeting, all of the directors were replaced and four corporate auditors were elected, though some overseas shareholders were opposed to part of the new management lineup. President-nominee Sasa apologized for the damage faced by the company’s value. He said, “The mission I face as a director of the newborn Olympus would be to restore the damaged brand image and everyone’s trust as soon as possible,” he said. “In order to do so, we need to drastically reform our management structure so that this kind of problem never happens again.”

News Watch National

Sony launches new Cyber-shot cameras Sony India reinforces its No.1 position in the digital still camera market with an aim to capture a very dominant 45% share in the FY12. Sony India witnessed a tremendous growth rate of 45% in FY11, beating the industry growth rate of 40% , and is therefore very confident of achieving this market share. Sony plans to sell 14 lakh units of these Cyber-shot units in FY12, overcoming its last year’s sales of 11 lakh units. The Digital Still Camera segment in India stood at 33 lakh units in FY11 and is expected to increase to 42 lakh units by FY12.

Sony has launched a slew of 34 new Cyber-shot cameras – H, W and S series, to suit the varying palette of the Indian customers.

Buoyed by the tremendous performance of the Sony Cyber-shot brand in India, Mr. Masaru Tamagawa, Managing Director, Sony India, said, “We have received a lot of appreciation for the Sony Cybershot in the Indian market and we will continue to innovate and create, bringing new technology, design and excitement to our customers.”

Mr. Masaru Tamagawa, MD Sony India, at the Cybershot press conference

In the new Cyber-shot range, comprising of total 34 models, at least 8 models have Super High Zoom up to 30x and another 8 offer Compact High Zoom with 10x zoom. Most of these cameras are powered by the combination of Optical Zoom with Optical Steadyshot, Super Quick Focus and Superior Intelligent Auto (Superior iAuto) technologies.

Fujifilm releases FinePix F660 EXR Building on the success of FinePix F600, Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd., announced the launch of the FinePix F660 EXR, a low light, digital zoom compact camera.

The F660 features a 1/2-inch Type, 16 mega-pixel EXR CMOS sensor. It also features a 15x optical zoom. The camera is priced at Rs.18,999.

“The FinePix F660EXR’s brilliance is not limited to still photography; the camera offers 1080p Full HD movie capture at 30 fps for seamless quality. The face detection feature, precisely follows faces throughout a scene, combined with stereo sound recording will definitely capture the interest of keen videographers.

Our constant effort is to bring all possible features

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Smart Photography June 2012

with compact design in our digital cameras,” said Mr. K Tanaka, Managing Director, Fujifilm India.

News Watch National Olympus Imaging inaugurates Level IV service center Olympus Imaging announced the opening of its first Level IV Master Service Centre in India. Located at its headquarter in Mumbai, the Master Service Center is designed as per international standards to offer after sales services for all Olympus Imaging equipment.

The new Level IV Master Service Center is equipped with all the necessary tools of high standards with a resolution tester service, a first of its kind in India, for adjustment of Olympus professional lenses, D-SLRs and mirrorless interchangeable lens systems.

Toshio Murai, MD, Olympus India lights the traditional lamp

The Level IV Master Service Centre, manned by intensively trained engineers, will cater to the needs of the direct customer and ASC collected SLR cameras across India. Services offered include repair of all Olympus digital cameras and lenses, and professional support on software up-gradation. The service center boasts about Olympus Imaging India’s focus of providing customers faster response and enhanced personalised services.

SanDisk conferred with the Golden Peacock Global Award SanDisk India has won the Golden Peacock Global Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in recognition of a broad set of practices in philanthropy and environmental leadership.

The awards committee recognised SanDisk for a range of initiatives undertaken at the global scale and also at the regional level. For India, SanDisk received the honour for its major philanthropic support to the three ‘Signature Partners’ named by the company in 2011. Through cash donations and employee volunteers SanDisk India provides ongoing support to its partners which include: SOS Children’s Village India, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and One School at a Time.

SanDisk India sponsors a ‘Village Home’ managed by SOS Children’s Villages that serves the needs of 10 children for one year.

Manisha Sood, Country Manager & Director, India & SAARC, SanDisk Corporation and Tareq Husseini, Director of Sales in United Arab Emirates, SanDisk Corporation accepted the award on behalf of SanDisk employees worldwide at the International Conference on Social Responsibility, held in Dubai.

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Smart Photography June 2012

Epson commemorates its 70th Anniversary

Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”) marked its 70th year in business on May 18th, 2012.

Epson’s journey began in 1942 with the establishment of a watch components manufacturer named Daiwa Kogyo in the city of Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The company started with only nine employees in a modified miso storehouse.

Epson’s ability to provoke dramatic improvements comes from its origins as a watch manufacturer, where it developed the compact, energy-saving and high-precision technologies.

Future plans include continuing to refine its technologies with the aim of creating revolutionary products and services that allow it to deliver surprise and delight customers worldwide.

News Watch National

Adobe unveils Creative Suite 6 in India

Fujifilm India appoints Rohit Pandit as Executive Vice President Fujifilm India. has appointed Rohit Pandit, former Business Head at LG Electronics, as the Executive Vice President for its Digital Camera Business. During his extensive 18 years in the Sales, Marketing and Category management, the reputed firms he served included the likes of Whirlpool India Ltd, Reliance Digital Retail Ltd. and LG Electronics.

From left to right, unveiling the Adobe CS6- Srihari Palangala, Country Marketing Manager, Adobe Systems- Aseem Bajaj-winning cinematographer- Umang Bedi, MD, South Asia, Adobe Systems- Kushal Ruia, Creative Head Amar Chitra KathaCB Arun Kumar, Academic Director, FX School.

Adobe Systems announced the ultimate tool-kit for design, web and video professionals with the unveiling of Adobe Creative Suite 6 product line in India. Powerful new releases of 14 CS6 applications and four Creative Suites – Adobe Creative Suite 6 Design & Web Premium, Adobe Creative Suite 6 Design Standard, Adobe Creative Suite 6 Production Premium; and Adobe Creative Suite 6 Master Collection – drive home Adobe’s continued innovation across creative markets.

“Designers get a ton of innovation with CS6 with milestone release across all our flagship products,” said David Wadhwani, Senior Vice President, Digital Media at Adobe. “With CS6 we’re also introducing new products, new mobile workflows and advanced publishing capabilities that show we are laserfocused on ensuring design, web and video pros have everything they need.”

“Adobe CS6 release includes what the creative professionals will need to bring their vision to life and manage how and where it is delivered to the end audience – whether on smartphones, tablets, the desktop or through traditional media,” said Umang Bedi, Managing Director – South Asia, Adobe Systems.

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Smart Photography June 2012

“We are pleased to welcome Rohit Pandit on board at Fujifilm India. His background in Consumer Electronics industry and his expertise will be beneficial for the company and we hope to reach new heights in the coming years,” revealed K Tanaka, Managing Director, Fujifilm India.

Samsung launches ‘Samsung Smart App Challenge 2012’

Samsung Electronics introduced the Samsung Smart App Challenge 2012, a global app competition aimed at boosting the mobile ecosystem for GALAXY Tab and GALAXY Note users. The contest is divided into two categories - ‘Samsung Apps Super Apps’ and ‘Best S Pen Apps’. A total of 80 entries will be selected as winners, receiving a record total of $4.08 million in prize money along with a variety of promotional benefits.

The challenge is open to all mobile application developers across the globe. Developers who wish to participate should sign up directly on the App Challenge website (http://www.smartappchallenge.com) and register their apps on Samsung Apps. For more information on Samsung Smart App Challenge 2012, please visit the website (http://www.smartappchallenge.com)

News Watch Exhibition Being and Nothingness

Cinnamon & Tasveer conducted Swapan Nayak’s photo exhibition titled “Being and Nothingness”, from 20th April to 12th May at Tasveer Gallery, in Bangalore. In short, the expo depicted the journey of his life which is a story of migration, from a sleepy village to an unrelenting city.

Kashmir Se Kanyakumari Camera Ki Nazar Se...

Urban Fragments

The Connect Exhibition

Anindo Ghosh will be exhibiting a selection of his fine art images titled “Urban Fragments” at the Jehangir Art Gallery - Hirji Hall from 12th to 18th June, 2012. Ghosh is a photographer who believes that while rushing through life in the city, the eye glimpses a million images, and moves on without a second look. But a camera helps capture images for perpetuity and makes you observant.

Behance Network in association with Photo Corner and Mumbai Weekend Shoot is inviting all the creative minds to view ‘The Connect Exhibition’. The entries for the expo have been shortlisted from genres like Photography, Advertising & Branding, Painting, Typography & Calligraphy, and Illustration. Along with the exhibition, the exhibitors will also get a chance to interact with renowned photo journalist Fawzan Husain.

The exhibition will be held from 19th to 20th May at ABA ART BUY APPOINTMENT, at Juhu, Mumbai Riddhi Parekh

Swapan’s work displayed the behaviour of people to look away from the cacophony of the mundane to seek life anew.

Life and death are two transit points in this universe. In the mind it becomes a flicker of fleeting images, and these precise shadows are what the photographer tried to convey through his photography.

Hon. Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, inaugurated JPS Sharma’s solo photography exhibition, “Kashmir se Kanyakumari camera ki nazar se” at the State Lilitkala Akademy in Lucknow, in April 2012. The inauguration was in the presence of distinguished guest, Manoj Kumar Singh Secretary Culture & Tourism, Rupak De, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Anil Risal Singh, President Lucknow Camera Club.

June 2011 Smart Photography

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Photograph by

Ravikanth Kurma

Participate

&

WIN!

MK 393 PD Tripod

Sponsored by:

Picture of the Month We are sure that all of you have a few pictures that you think are prize worthy. It happens very often that you don’t know where to send the image that could put a feather in your cap. If you have such images (we’re sure you have many!), send us ONE such horizontal image. If it qualifies, we shall publish it as a double-spread. a. You have to guarantee that the picture was shot by you b. If there are people in the picture who can be identified, we’ll need a model release

c. The picture should not have been printed elsewhere (magazine newspaper, or offered to any publication) d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the Month” and rename the file using your name e. You may send images via print/e-mail to: Next Gen Publishing Ltd.,2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013 (or) sphoto.india@gmail.com

A note to our readers 1. The picture has to be horizontal.

2. Kindly ensure that the longer side should measure atleast 17 inches, at 300ppi.

3. Low resolution images will not be accepted.

4. We do not check images on online galleries.

5. Kindly ensure complete contact/address details are provided. Winners will have to collect their prize from SP’s Mumbai office or send an authorised representative to do so.

6. Please make sure that your picture does not have your name/logo on it.

Finally, a platform for all photographers to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!

Kaleidoscope

Fashion Fantasy...

Mystical Curves

Image Courtesy : Rishabh K Collection Camera:Nikon Canon EOS 5D Mark II Camera: D90 Shutterspeed: speed:1/200sec 1/400sec Shutter Aperture:f/6.3 f/8 Aperture: Sensitivity:ISO ISO400 100 Sensitivity:

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Image Courtesy: Rishabh K Collection Camera: Nikon D90 Shutter speed: 1/100sec Aperture: f/6.3 Sensitivity: ISO 400

“I

see frames everywhere, not just because I am a photographer, but it is an intrinsic part of my nature now. I see people, their expressions, gestures, the play of light and shade, a profusion of colours, slivers of magic, and I try to capture it all”, says talented Riddhi Parekh young photographer, Riddhi Parekh who Mumbai believes that there is a cornucopia of opportunities for anyone who sees an image in any situation.

Like most youngsters, Riddhi was quite clueless as a teenager. She found her true calling only after dabbling in the Ad world. Her tryst in photography began while assisting ace photographer, Nrupen Madhvani, and thereafter her resolve to become a name to reckon with was dominant. After joining the ‘Shari Academy of Digital Photography’, her passion grew leaps and bounds. She was declared the Master Craftsman that year, and also bagged the Best Fashion Photography and Food Photography Award, at the Academy’s Luxoculus award event.

“It was while learning the nuances of photography, that I experienced commerical photography, first hand. Right from corporate photography for big names like Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, JP Morgan, Jindal Steel and Axis Bank to fashion photography for Rishabh K Creations, Éclat hand bag collections and Le Mark Design, I have strived to handle my shoots with admirable finesse. I constantly worked towards striking the right balance between the client’s requirements and my own artistic sensibilities. This balance resulted in the successful amalgamation of creativity with what the clients expected, for a vast clientele including names like Novotel Hotels, Cipla, Anaman Creative, Sowerable Jewellery, Platinum Distribution, and many more.

Riddhi’s gear includes Nikon D700 and D90 body, with 24-70mm f/2.8, 18-55mm and 55-200mm lens, and also the SB900 Flash. In her nascent, yet happening career she has won many awards and accolades. Her work has also been exhibited at a number of galleries.

Visit www.riddhiparekh.com to see more of Riddhi’s work.

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Image Courtesy:Eclat Hand Bags Camera: Nikon D700 Shutter speed: 1/500sec Aperture: f/6.3 Sensitivity: ISO 320

Image Courtesy: Eclat Hand Bags Camera: Nikon D700 Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec Aperture: f/6.3 Sensitivity: ISO 400

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Smart Photography June 2012

Image Courtesy: Eclat Hand Bags Camera: Nikon D700 Shutter speed: 1/2000sec Aperture: f/6.3 Sensitivity: ISO 400

Get featured & win an Epson PictureMate PM245, worth Rs.9999/-!

Image Courtesy: Eclat Hand Bags Camera: Nikon D700 Shutter speed: 1/1250sec Aperture: f/6.3 Sensitivity: ISO 400

CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS! Kaleidoscope is the perfect way to jump-start your career... So simply send us a selection of your images along with full details of your vision and the technical information at sp@nextgenpublishing.net. We accept both film and digital images.

All pictures that are forwarded to Kaleidoscope should be 8x10 inches in size (or larger) and at 300 ppi. However, we will re-size them according to the layout considerations.

Showcase

People, Places & Pictures

About Mahender:

I consider myself to be an honest photographer.

All the knowledge I have acquired about photography, is selfMahender Soni taught, without assisting Mumbai anyone in particular. So, I have to thank God for providing me with the opportunities to master the art of photography.

Father and Son 38

Smart Photography June 2012

Description:

The path to celebrity photographer began way back while studying Chemical Engineering. Fate intended something other than Engineering.

I dropped out during my 2nd year engineering. Thereafter, I worked as an assistant printer in Laser Color lab for pocket money. This was the beginning of my love affair with photography, which continues till this day.

Showcase

Favorite Celebrity Face: My favorite celebrity faces are Madhuri Dixit, and Tabu in particular.

Dancer in the light

No shade of gray

Claim to Fame : His list of subjects reads like a rundown of Bollywood’s biggest celebs.

Mahendra says, “My first cover shoot was with the stunning Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for Stardust Magazine in 2001.

This particular image was my claim to fame, and it established my name in the big league.

Another significant person from my portfolio is the eternal diva Rekha! She still remains one of the most versatile faces in the entire Indian film industry.”

His portfolio also includes the likes of Katrina Kaif, Amrita Rao, Vidya Balan etc. The two men who have contributed immensely to his growth are Hrithik Roshan and Shahid Kapoor.

Mahendra believes that one has to give it their all to achieve excellence.

Perhaps, it is this humble and approachable nature of Mahendra’s that contributes immensely to his enormous success, apart from the hardwork he puts in.

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Showcase Chamak Challo inspired

His Equipment: Mahendra began his career with a Pentax K1000, which according to him was a very complicated gadget and the focus had to be done manually.

The photographer had to load the film (negative) which was a very different experience, and it requires you to be calm and composed.

Then he moved over to the Nikon auto body. Mahendra opines, �I feel that in the digital age, the photographer has become handicapped and perennially ends up manipulating the output through various external aids.�

Currently, his equipment inventory comprises of the Canon 5D MarkII and Hasselblad 120 format cameras.

He is quick to say that equipment is secondary, and outputs largely depend on the shoot and the client in question.

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Smart Photography June 2012

At the height of success

Showcase

Revisiting Umrao Jaan

Tinsel town’s dimpled girl

Mystic Katrina

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Showcase

India’s dapper superhero

Neil from the Underground

Dashing Imran

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Smart Photography June 2012

Showcase

His Favourite Picture: My favourite picture, which I also consider to be the most challenging work, was conceptualised and shot with actor, Shahid Kapoor. Generally such shots are done with female lead actors in mind and for a change, I wanted to do it differently. The frame was to be shot quite early in the morning, so we started from the suburbs at 5.00 am and waited for the sunlight till around 11.30 am at The Gateway of India. Unplanned, I decided to do it in Black and White, since I was using film back then. We were very pleased with the result, as the mood of the city was captured.

Mathew Thottungal Wah! Taj

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Showcase

Celestial Encounters...

About Taras: About five years ago, I made my first work trip to Mumbai. My job was to take care of Taras Taraporvala, jewellery on a shoot Mumbai for C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons. I didn’t expect it to be a very exciting trip. I sat at the back of Mazda Studio in Byculla, Mumbai and watched renowned photographer,

xx

Prasad Naik produce a series of images that amazed me, and have stuck with me since. Six months later, I found myself in Australia, ready to begin a two-year diploma in Applied Photography at the International College of Creative Arts. In fact, those two years proved to be the most productive and exciting. I consider myself fortunate enough to be trained under teachers who fuelled a passion for photography greatly. The group

of students I worked with had a great influence on me, and the way I currently approach my work.

Six months after the course, I was back in Mumbai again. Only this time it was for an interview with Grazia India, with whom I have worked for the last two years. The experience has been simply wonderful.

Visit www.tarasphotographer.com to see more of his work.

Prateik for Grazia

Showcase

Creative Profile: My current work involves various aspects of photography. From planning a shoot with the fashion team, to executing and then post-producing it for final output i.e. for the printed magazine. Moreover, I have to be flexible enough to work with a whole lot of people and situations; from documentary-styled street photography to the rich and the famous people, to working with gorgeous women in exotic locations.

In short, satisfaction comes to me through new ideas and solving challenges that come along the way.

Amy Jackson for Filmfare

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Showcase Arunoday Singh for Grazia

Aditya Roy Kapur for Grazia

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Showcase

Sameera Reddy for Filmfare

Anuskha Manchanda for Grazia

On Gadgets I am lucky to be able to work with the best equipment available in the market. However, this is not as important as many make it to be.

Nobody can decipher the camera make or camera model by just looking at someone’s work. What is paramount is how you work on the connection you have established with your subject.

Creative Advice The best advice I can ever give anyone looking to make a career in photography is work hard, have fun, never stop learning and reach out for the stars.

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Showcase

Rajat, Ritu and Vicky Barmecha for Filmfare

Amy Jackson for Filmfare 48

Smart Photography June 2012

Showcase

Favourite Picture: For a successful photograph, apart from all technical requirements, what matters is successful visual communication. A photograph must say or suggest something to the viewer. The challenge lies in bringing that out from your subject. A large part of my job is to establish a comfort zone with my subject to allow this to happen. One of my favourites happen to be from a series shot with actor Imran Khan, while he was on the sets of a Kaun

Banega Crorepati show with Katrina Kaif.

It afforded me the opportunity to follow him for two days with a Filmfare team.

However, the best photographs happened during a 10 minute window, in his vanity van, off the sets, where he (and probably me) seemed to relax a little bit more. It is my favourite because you get to see a side of Imran that is real.

Mathew Thottungal

Imran Khan for Filmfare

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E-mail your images at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

If I Were You Our Imaging Expert

No one can take a picture that everyone likes. But, almost every picture can have a scope of improvement. Many-a-times, we are not our best critic, while others can immediately point out the faults. In If I were you, our expert comments on how your pictures could be taken to another level.

The Potter This picture of a potter at work has been sent to us by Smart Photography reader Mahesh Kumar.

The picture was shot in very hard light, which has resulted in very dark shadows. Observe that the man’s face too, is in deep shadow.

So what would I have done if I were you? I would have taken extra care whilst exposing the photo. If you meter from the bright areas, the shadows would go dark (as it is the case here).

If you meter from the dark areas, the highlights would be overexposed. The solution is to take the meter reading off a Kodak 18% gray card. But how do you take the meter reading off the gray card when the scene is almost back-lit?

At the camera position, hold the card at an angle, so that the sun illuminates the Original Image

card, and then take the reading.

As things stand, we shall use Photoshop to add some detail in the dark areas.

1. Create an adjustment layer for Levels (the way we always do).

Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography

you see enough detail in the dark areas.

When you do that, you will notice that the highlights have turned even lighter (something that we don’t want).

3. Take a soft-edged Brush, with black as the Foreground Colour, and paint over the highlight areas that got further lightened in the above step.

Doing so will bring the highlights back to the original state. The white mask in the Levels layer will show the areas (in black) where the lost highlight details have been brought back as seen in the printscreen.

4. Flatten the file and save it using the Save As command.

Picture Info

2. Take the middle slider to the left till Edited Image

Camera: Fujifilm X10 ISO: 400 Shutter speed: 1/1000sec Aperture: f/3.6

If I Were You

The Musician This picture of an old man playing a musical instrument was sent to us by Minal Amburle. She is not a beginner; she understands photography. As an experiment, she chose to photograph the old man in front of a dark background, and she purposely underexposed to retain a rim-light around the subject. But as it often happens, we do change our mind.

What if we now want shadow details?

What could be done to make the picture more lively?

select ‘Screen’. You will notice the image brightening up. In this case however, the brightening was not as much as I needed. I could repeat the Screen blending Mode step by dragging the Background copy to the ‘Create a new layer’ icon, but the highlights would then get overexposed. To avoid that, add a layer mask by clicking on the ‘Add a layer mask’ icon, which will create a white mask in the Background copy.

highlights with a soft brush (the letter B on the keyboard brings up the brush).

4. You can now repeat the Screen Blending Mode. Because you have painted on the mask in the above step, with every repeat of the Screen Blending Mode, the image will brighten, without the highlights getting overexposed. For the final image, I repeated the Screen Blending Mode 4 times.

If I were you, I would have shot many frames, varying the exposure, so that, in case I decided to use a frame with some details, I would have it ready.

Anyway, we can now resort to our good friend Photoshop to help us out.

1. Open the picture in Photoshop and create a copy of the Background layer by dragging it to the ‘Create a new layer’ icon. (The Layers palette should always be kept open by pressing the F7 key).

2. Go to the Blending Mode options (click on the small downward pointing arrow where it says Normal) and

Original Image

5. Save the file using the Save As command.

3. Now, using Black as the Foreground colour (the front square at the bottom of the Toolbox should be black. If not, click the doublesided arrow to bring the black square in the front), paint over the

Picture Info

Camera: Canon EOS 500D ISO: 100 Shutter speed: 1/1000sec Aperture: f/5.6

Edited Image June 2012 Smart Photography

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If I Were You

The Flower

Smart Photography reader Purnendu loves to photograph flowers. He shot this flower in his garden and wants to know if this picture could be improved, and how?

With flower photography, it is important to choose fresh flowers, devoid of signs of ageing. It is also important to select flowers that are clean, without dust or grime on them.

Is your flower as per the above guidelines? To me it looks as if the picture was shot through a dirty glass!

Picture Info

The focus is not on the centre of the flower, it is a bit beyond that point.

If you were using a tripod (and if the flower was not swaying in the breeze), you would have been able to focus sharply on the core (it is not necessary that a flower should always be sharply focused on the core, but in this case, I assume that is what you wanted).

Finally, I think there’s too much of a clutter, because of which the flower tends to lose its importance.

Were you using a tripod? I doubt it.

Camera: Nikon D3100 ISO: 100 Shutter speed: 1/80 sec Aperture: f/22

Note: If I Were You is meant to encourage and guide readers, and help them improve their photography. Please ensure that the required camera/exposure details are sent to us (or are available in the EXIF data). From now onwards, we shall not accept images for this section if the required data is not available. Readers are requested to send their images at 300ppi for 8 x 10-inch size. If they are too small, it gets difficult to work on them, and hence may be rejected.

I first brightened the flower using Levels in Photoshop. While it did improve the image, I felt that the edges of the petals were getting overly bright.

Hence, using a mask, I toned down the brightness at the edges.

In other words, I brightened (more or less), only the centre of the flower.

Next, I recomposed the picture as shown. This way, I could do away with the surroundings which (to me at least) was not as it should have been.

Finally, I sharpened the picture. This caused some areas to appear oversharpened but I have left them that way, because, in all possibility, the fourcolour magazine printing may not print with the details I can see on my highresolution computer monitor.

Note: Instead of using f/22, you could have used f/16 or f/11. This would have given you a faster shutter speed, which could have resulted in a sharper image.

ReadeRs can check the entiRe BuyeR’s Guide, that featuRes specs and pRices of d-sLRs, iLccs, diGitaL compacts and Lenses vide Link

http://smartphotography.in/news/monthly-special

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PHOTOSHOP

WORKSHOPS

Most beginners stay away from post-processing because they think that the task is too daunting or beyond the scope of their understanding. Here is a chance to prove yourself wrong!

SMART PHOTOGRAPHY offers an opportunity to all interested photographers to join the workshop and learn under the able guidance of Uncle Ronnie.

The 1 day workshop on Photoshop will be conducted in two more batches on 10th June, and 8th July 2012.

For Special Offers please contact Smart Photography office on + 91 9619789984

What will be taught?

Learning Photoshop is a continual process. This workshop will guide you and open your eyes to what is possible with Photoshop. You will learn how to do the basic corrections, how to enhance your picture quality, and create exhibition quality images.

Participation Fees

The participation fees will be Rs.2000 (Rupees two thousand only). Please note that the fee is non-refundable. Tea and lunch will be provided. For Special Offers call: + 91 9619789984

Workshop Timings 9.30am to 6pm

No. of seats 10 per batch

Location

Smart Photography’s office at Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai.

Note:

Please ensure that your laptop is in good working order and that you are familiar with its usage.

‘Adobe’ and ‘Photoshop’ mentioned here are trademarks / products of Adobe Inc.

Ask Uncle Ronnie Did you know... Ronnie has over 35 years of experience in photography?

In fact, he has taught several thousand photoenthusiasts in various institutions and through workshops, as well as judged many national and international photo contests, including the prestigious International Photo Contest held at Colombo, Sri Lanka. So, if you have any photo-queries, whether conventional or digital, don’t hesitate. Just go ahead and Ask Uncle Ronnie at sp@nextgenpublishing.net, ‘cause he knows it all!

Lighting Ratios

Can you throw some light on lighting ratio? What should be the correct lighting ratio for a portrait?

P. S. Ghadially, Sholapur Certainly. Generally speaking, lighting ratio is the difference in illumination between the Main light and the Fill-in light (Please see simulated images on next page). When it comes to studio portraiture however, lighting ratio is the difference between Main + Fill-in light, to the Fill-in light alone. Though not a rule, we generally use both the lights of equal power.

Let’s take an example of ‘short lighting’. In short lighting, the Main light (also known as the Key light) – placed approximately at 45 - 60 degrees with the lens axis and pointed down about 30 - 40 degrees – illuminates the short side of the face (‘short side’ refers to the side of the face turned away from the camera).

The Fill-in light is generally placed close to the camera, at the subject’s eye-level. The Fill-in light illuminates not only the ‘broad side’ of the face (the side facing the camera), 54

Smart Photography June 2012

but because of its position, it also illuminates some areas on the ‘short side’. In other words, the fill-in light spills over on to the area lit by the main light.

To make things easier, let us say that both studio lights output 1 unit of light each (we mentioned earlier that we generally use lights of equal power).

The Main light places 1 unit of light on the ‘short side’. The Fill-in light places 1 unit of light on the ‘broad side’ and 1 unit of light on the ‘short side. In other words, the short side of the face receives 2 units of light as compared to the ‘broad side’ which receives only 1 unit of light. Hence the lighting ratio in this case would be 2:1.

During film-days, lighting ratio for portraiture depended on what kind of film one used (whether black and white, or colour) and of course, the effect one wanted to produce. For colour films, a lighting ratio of 3:1 was considered as a requirement for ‘sellable’ portraits; 5:1 for black and white. This of course was not written in stone, but these lighting ratios were considered to create pleasing effects.

The same standards could be used for digital portraits.

In the past, almost every portrait photographer carried a hand-held flash-cum-daylight meter to measure the flash illumination and lighting ratios. With the advent of digital photography however, the trend seems to have changed because it is now possible to view our images immediately on the camera’s LCD. In case you don’t have a flash meter, here’s a simple method to set your lighting ratios for studio portraiture.

1. Use both lights (Main and Fill-in) of the same power.

2. Consider the f/stops as distances.

For example, f/2.8 is 2.8 feet, f/4 is 4 feet, f/5.6 is 5.6 feet and so on.

3. Place your Main light, for example, at f/4 (4 feet from the subject). For 3:1 lighting ratio, place the Fill-in light at f/5.6 (5.6 feet from the subject); for 5:1 lighting ratio, place the Fill-in light at f/8 (8 feet from the subject).

4. You can always experiment/finetune the lighting ratio to suit your personal likes/dislikes by checking the results on your camera’s LCD.

Ask Uncle Ronnie

Photoshop CS6

Photoshop CS6 has been announced. Do you think I need to update, or is it just ‘old wine in new bottle’?

An SP reader’s query via Telephone If you are serious about your photography, then the answer is ‘yes, you need to update’. If you are a casual user of Photoshop, then you may, for financial reasons, stay with whatever version of Photoshop you have. Every new version of Photoshop has something new to offer, including improvements over existing features. For photographers with a keen eye, there is a vast difference between CS3/CS4 and CS5; the difference between CS5 and CS6, is, besides new and interesting features, the speed at which things work.

A

Simulated images showing the following lighting ratios: A. 2:1 B. 4:1 C. 8:1 D. 16:1 E. 128:1

B

C

D

E

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Ask Uncle Ronnie Accurate Colours

I was presented with a small Gretag Macbeth colour chart. I was told that using this chart, I could get accurate colours. Could you tell me how?

Aditya R. via E-mail

b. Take the black eyedropper and click on the black square on the colour checker.

Using the colour chart can help you achieve perfect colours without any colour casts.

1. Place the Gretag Macbeth colour checker next to the subject you are photographing, keeping in mind that the lighting on the colour checker is identical to the lighting on the subject. Take the shot.

2. Take your other pictures in the same lighting, but without the colour checker.

3. Simultaneously open all the images in Photoshop.

4. Select the shot with the colour checker and adjust the colours/tones as mentioned below: a. Use either Levels or Curves (select Levels or Curves through the Layers palette after clicking on the half black, half white circle at the bottom of the Layers palette). Take the white eyedropper and click on the white square on the colour checker.

c. Take the gray eyedropper and click on the gray square on the colour checker.

d. Now drag and drop the Levels/Curves adjustment onto the other images one by one.

As you drag and drop, the corrections will be applied to all the other images and your images will be without any colour cast.

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Smart Photography June 2012

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Canon PowerShot G1X Our 3-Legged Friends Nissin MF18 Digital TTL Macro Flash Corel PaintShop Pro x4

LEARNINGS

Basics: Using the Built-in Flash of your D-SLR (Part III) Create Strobe Effects in Photoshop How to Blur the Background Create a Fog Effect Let’s Correct a Tilted Building Lens Hoods & Light Cutters How to Setup Photoshop CS5

Basics: Exposure Controls in D-SLRs Create an Out of Frame Effect using Adobe Photoshop Expose to the Right Depth of Field Preview Why Narrow Apertures provide Greater D.O.F. Remedy for Over-sharpening

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Out-Of-Gamut Colours How To Resize Your Photos

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Advertorial

Tamron uveils Zoom lens for pros and hobbyist Tamron introduces the world’s first full size, high speed standard zoom lens with built in image stablization – SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007)

T

amron Co., Ltd, a pioneering optical equipment manufacturing company, announced the introduction of the world’s first full size high speed standard zoom lens - SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007) lens in the Indian market. In fact, the lens is bundled with VC (Vibration compensation) image stabilization which considerably helps to eliminate camera shake especially at low shutter speeds and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), which enables to achieve quick focusing speeds, with full time manual focus override and resolution at the top of its class.

Salient Features: Arguably the world’s first fullsize standard zoom lens fitted with the acclaimed VC (Vibration Compensation), which enables users to document stable hand held photography enabling photographers to explore the benefits of high-speed zoom imagery.

•

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•

The lens is constructed with the specialized high grade glass in the three LD elements, three Glass Molded Aspherical Lenses, one Hybrid Aspherical lens and two XR (Extra Refractive Index) glasses, thereby delivering brilliant images.

Besides, by using a rounded diaphragm, the lens helps to create stunning blur effects.

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Incorporated with USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) it helps to focus reasonably quick and accuratly. Manual focusing is a pleasure as the narrow focus ring is well damped, which makes it easy to apply fine adjustments.

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The high-speed standard zoom lens has a wide-end focal length of 24mm which enables to expand the photographic area considerably.

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Even though the lens is large compared to other contemporary 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses, but it isn’t

too heavy, weighing approximately 825grams.

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The lens sports a moisture resistant design and a thin rubber gasket has been placed around the metal lens mount to help prevent dust and moisture from penetrating inside the lens.

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Manual focusing is a pleasure as the narrow focus ring is well damped, which makes it easy to apply fine adjustments. Manual adjustments can be made at any time, whether in Auto or Manual focus mode.

Advertorial

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The full strength of the f/2.8 high speed lens High quality plastics have been used for much of the lens barrel’s construction and the wide rubberised zoom ring is well enough damped to prevent lens creep, without being too stiff either. A lock switch is provided to prevent the lens from extending during transportation too.

Image quality ranks amongst the best with up to 4 stop correction effect. the VC mechanism employs a moving coil mechanism bundled with a lightweight coil which considerably reduces the load on the drive. In short, the VC unit contributes to make the lens more lighter and compact in size.

New VC system (moving coil method) Tamron’s original VC image stablization mechanism utilizes a moving magnet system wherein a heavy magnet is positioned near the moving VC lens element.

In fact, in the new VC unit the positions of the magnet and the coil are reversed and because of this, the VC optical lens element is attached to the coil. In addition, 60

Smart Photography June 2012

While the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is a high speed zoom lens with maximum aperture of f/2.8, the inclusion of the VC system makes the lens sufficiently large. Even though the lens is large compared to its contemporaries, its shape, size and the layout of the drive coils are all designed to obtain sufficient thrust, thereby enabling it to provide high level of compensation effect.

The Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD offers very good optical performance for a reasonable price. The amazing lens is priced at an MRP of Rs. 71,900/- in the Indian market and comes with a two year warranty. The added bonus of Vibration Compensation will appeal to many, especially if your photography tends to require shooting at slower shutter speeds in low light, rather than faster shutter speeds to freeze action.

This lens is strategically launched for the Indian market for not only targeting professionals but also to attract armateurs and hobbyists photographers. It goes without saying that this is one of the best ever lens launched

by Tamron that is currently available in the market.

Model: Navneet Virdi Photograph by: Jattin Singh

AWARDS AWARDS 2012

2012

Jason Bell

Mastercraftsman

A Touch of Class Jason Bell London & New York

British by birth, and a New Yorker by choice, Jason Bell is arguably one of the world’s foremost celebrity and portrait photographers. He currently shuttles between both sides of the Atlantic, practising portraiture. His impressive portraits includes those of Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, Amy Whinehouse, etc. In addition, his creativity has donned the American and British editions of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Time Magazine, Newsweek and Rolling Stone to name a few. Jason’s work was seen in numerous film posters, including Billy Elliot, About A Boy, Love Actually, Bridget Jones 2, and more recently Golden Compass and Inkheart.

Bollywood’s current leading diva, Katrina Kaif, is one of the few tinsel stars he had the rare opportunity to document. A graduate in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University, Jason shares his interesting take on life and photography. Excerpts:

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Mastercraftsman

Š Jason Bell

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Jason Bell

Mastercraftsman

Hollywood has plenty of celebrities and the stars always look their best. How much influence does the camera have, and how much the talent behind the camera?

I think just looking good is not what makes a photograph interesting.

It is the idea behind that photograph or what it conveys that makes for a great photograph. So to that extent whether or not a photograph is good depends entirely on the photographer and their relationship with the subject, and not really about how beautiful that person is.

What do you feel is the most challenging thing about photographing celebrities? How do you go about eliciting the moods from your subjects that are communicated in your photos?

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Š Jason Bell

There is always a challenge in photographing people who have been photographed many times before. You want to show a different side to them – not just to repeat the popular image of them. I like to work with the people I photograph, so I suggest things but we have to do it together. I cannot do it all on my own. So the challenge is

Jason Bell

Š Jason Bell

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Jason Bell

Mastercraftsman

© Jason Bell

when somebody turns up and they just really don’t want to be photographed.

Luckily that doesn’t really happen any more. One of the advantages of working for better and better magazines or clients is that the people being photographed tend to be more invested in the shoot.

So if it’s an actor who we are shooting with, for a big movie they have just made, they work harder to make a good image.

to get the subject to come on the journey with me.

What is the biggest challenge when setting up a shoot? What is the most common trait you see in the new and up coming models/ celebrities?

As I’ve said the challenge is to get the person to work with me. The worst thing is 66

Smart Photography June 2012

Do you pre-visualise your photos or do you put the components together as you move along? Comment I try to do both. So I come to a shoot with some ideas that I have mapped out beforehand, but if they don’t work I try not to force them.

And I also try to be open to other interesting things that may come up during the shoot.

Jason Bell

Do you have any funny or crazy shoot experiences that you would like to share with our readers?

I have travelled to some amazing places for my

work, but I can never forget shooting the opera singer Johan Reuter on an iceberg in Greenland. What you forget about icebergs is that they move. So he was standing on one and it was drifting and

Š Jason Bell

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Jason Bell

© Jason Bell

Mastercraftsman

rotating at the same time, and I was on another one which was also drifting and rotating. Every time I got the shot set up that I wanted it would move and I would have to start again. It was very difficult. It was also -40 degrees and we were told that if we fell in the water we would have 45 seconds to get out or we would die.

That doesn’t make for a very relaxing shoot. It was crazy!

If you could take only one photo of one particular celebrity, who would that be and why?

I like working with nice people. It just makes it more fun and there is more of a chance of getting something interesting and really playing with an idea. So anyone who I think I can get along with is interesting to me. I can’t really say just one person because you can never be sure what 68

someone is really like until you meet them. There are nice surprises often. Halle Berry was one of the funniest and most entertaining people I have shot, so was Ellen Barkin.

What programs/software do you use for editing and conversions?

What do you think about the excessive use of Photoshop?

Smart Photography June 2012

Jason Bell

I shoot into Capture One and use that for editing and for the first alterations of the image, such as exposure, colour balance and contrast. Then I take the images into Photoshop for more detailed work.

Of course Photoshop is

overused and often very badly. I always say that really good retouching is when you are not sure whether the image has been retouched at all. If the first thing you think when you view an image is “oh! retouching”, then you know the image has been

© Jason Bell

June 2012 Smart Photography

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Jason Bell

Mastercraftsman

worked on extensively.

© Jason Bell

Photoshop has freed up photographers to some extent.

You might find a beautiful

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landscape spoilt by a lampost and you can just take out the lampost and still get the landscape. But I think Photoshop can also make photographers lazy. There is a

tendency to think on a shoot “Oh, I will just sort that out afterwards”, which I think is a bad attitude, which gives you weak shots.

Mathew Thottungal

Learnings 72

Basics of Photography: ISO Control in D-SLRs

78

Creating Digital Borders in Photoshop

85

Photoshop Magic

89

How to Increase DOF in Macro Photography

Learning Basics of Photography Smart Photography has been continually receiving requests to start a basic course for beginners. With this in mind, we have asked a very knowledgeable photographer from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, to take over writing these articles. We have also requested him to be as jargon-free as it is possible, so that newcomers to photography feel comfortable to pursue the hobby.

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published several articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the well-known international magazine Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at kashokk@gmail.com

E

ISO Control in D-SLRs

xposure is the amount of light you allow on to the sensor to create an image with good tonality, taking into account the sensitivity of the camera. The result is an image that is neither too dark nor too light, and with maximum possible detail. The three parameters that influence exposure are - shutter speed, aperture and ISO. The last parameter, the ISO, controls the sensitivity of the camera to light. With film, changing ISO requires the change of film itself and hence, changing ISO mid-roll is a very cumbersome process.

Fortunately, changing ISO is as easy as changing any other parameter on your D-SLR! This ease, plus the “Auto ISO” mode offered by D-SLRs gives you a lot more flexibility in photography.

While all the three parameters – shutter speed, aperture and ISO – influence exposure, the way they behave is different. Please note this carefully.

Shutter speed and aperture control the amount (or flow) of light that enters through the lens and falls on the sensor.

On the other hand, the ISO controls the sensitivity of the camera and 72

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hence determines the amount of light needed for a proper exposure.

Think of this analogy. Assume that you want to collect a cup full of water.

The amount of water is analogous to quantity of light that is needed for a proper exposure. To collect water you can leave the tap with a small opening (narrow aperture) and collect water for a longer time (slow shutter speed). Or you can leave a large opening (large aperture) and collect the same cup of water in a shorter time (faster shutter speed). So here you are regulating the amount (or flow) of water. But in both cases you will stop when the cup is full, that is, when you get the needed quantity of water. Increasing ISO is like replacing the cup you were using with a smaller one. Now, with the same tap settings as before, your smaller cup will fill faster as the needed quantity is now less. This is similar to increasing the ISO and hence decreasing the amount of light for a proper exposure.

You already know what a stop means.

To recap, remember that changing

shutter speed, aperture and ISO in such a way that the exposure is doubled or halved is called a stop. In the case of shutter speed and ISO, this means doubling or halving the number. In the case of aperture, the f-number should be divided or multiplied by 1.4.

If the light remains unchanged, increasing the shutter speed and/or narrowing the size of aperture (larger f-number) will make recorded image darker. You can also brighten the image by doing the opposite. You can keep the shutter speed and aperture the same (and if light remains unchanged), you can make the image darker or lighter by decreasing or increasing the ISO. However, ISO is seldom changed for this purpose.

Instead, ISO is changed when you need a particular shutter speed and/ or aperture but the light available is not permitting you to do so. Suppose you are photographing a landscape and you need an aperture of f/11 for adequate depth of field (DOF).

Assume that light available at that

Basics of Photography

time was allowing you only a shutter speed of 1/15 sec. which is too long for hand-holding. If you now increase the ISO, say from 100 to 400, that will help you to keep the aperture at f/11 but increase the shutter speed to 1/60 sec (two stops) which will help you to hold the camera steadier.

Another example is when you want to photograph a sports event and you need a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec at f/4. If your lens’ maximum aperture is only f/5.6 then you need to double the ISO to get the needed shutter speed. Likewise, you will also encounter situations when you need to decrease ISO. For example, you need less DOF in bright light for a portrait and the camera cannot give you fast enough shutter speed for the large aperture you want. Generally you will need higher ISOs more often since photographers are always short of light ! However, increasing the ISO has its disadvantages as noise which looks like grain (or blotchy patches) will appear in the images. So don’t increase ISO beyond what your shutter speed or aperture needs are.

There is one step that you need to take before bumping up the ISO value. First determine the maximum value of ISO that you are willing to accept based on the noise level you will tolerate.

This varies from camera to camera and I suggest you take some images of a medium toned subject at different ISO values (from minimum to maximum that your camera supports) but in the same lighting condition. Now compare these and find out the maximum value that you are comfortable with. Don’t exceed this value unless you are in a situation where you must get the shot

regardless of the noise. After all, a noisy image is better than no image at all! As a rule of thumb all modern D-SLRs give a reasonably good performance up to their maximum rated values. However, the performance deteriorates sharply when you use the extended ISO range (normally called Hi 1 and Hi 2). Hence, avoid these unless there is absolutely no other go.

Now that you have an idea on the effect of ISO, let us look into the different ways of changing the ISO to your advantage. You can change ISO manually or automatically. In the former case many cameras offer a dedicated button to change the ISO. In case your camera does not have such a button, you need to go through the menus.

ISO control is normally kept in the “Shooting” menu. As in any manual operation, you need to keep track of the ISO you have set and change it to what you want when the shooting conditions change.

To change ISO automatically, midrange and advanced D-SLRs offer an “Auto ISO” mode. Although this mode has direct influence on exposure, it is implemented as a supplementary feature to the usual exposure modes like manual, aperture priority, etc. In a way it complements the main exposure modes by modifying them. Auto ISO mode gives unprecedented flexibility in operation and is also a bit complex to use. However, this is not rocket science as you will see shortly. The way Auto ISO is implemented differs among manufacturers. Here, we will see how the two leading brands Canon and Nikon implement this feature. In both cases the manufacturers were aware of

the limitations arising due very high ISO values and hence allow the upper limit to be set by you.

Note: It is often said that changing ISO means changing the sensitivity of the sensor. This is not true. The sensitivity of the sensor is fixed at the time of design and manufacture. What you are doing here when you increase ISO is that you are increasing the gain of the signal amplifiers in the camera. This is very similar to turning up the volume control of your radio. If the radio station is weak, then turning up the volume may make the sound louder but the quality of the sound is poorer since the background sounds called noise will also increase. You will have the same problem in photography too. When the light is low, the signal level is low and when you amplify, the accompanying noise will appear as grain in your image.

Now let us see how you can choose these options in your D-SLR camera.

As in the previous articles of this series, we will be using Canon 7D and Nikon D7000 as the reference cameras while discussing about the operation and various options available.

Convention: Names of the buttons and dials will be highlighted as - Button LCD Monitor menu options and screen displays will be highlighted as – Option

Setting ISO in Canon D-SLRs: You can set the ISO manually or automatically in any exposure mode like Manual, Shutter Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av) or Program.

Manual ISO Setting: This is done June 2012 Smart Photography

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fairly easily. While you can set the ISO through the regular shooting menu or the Quick Control Screen, a much better and faster option is to use the ISO button (Picture C1). Just press and release it and within 6 seconds rotate the MD (Picture C1) to dial in the ISO from 100 to 6400 (extendable to 12800). The ISO value you set will be visible in the top deck LCD as well as the viewfinder. You can also see the ISO set on information screen (Picture C2) that is invoked by repeatedly pressing INFO (which is to the left of the LCD monitor).

Picture C1

Picture C1: Setting ISO. Press the ISO button and rotate the MD to set the value you want. The letter A indicates that you have set ISO to the Auto mode.

Picture C2: Information Screen. Press INFO (which is to the left of the LCD monitor) repeatedly till you get the information screen shown here. The ISO area is marked with an ellipse. If you set Auto ISO, the words ISO Auto will appear in the same area.

Picture C2

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Auto ISO setting: The procedure is same as above but you need to rotate MD till the letter A appears.

The ISO range in Auto ISO mode for Canon 7D is 100 to 3200. The actual value of ISO that the camera has set will be shown when you half press the shutter release. Now set the exposure mode using the mode dial (Picture C3). Depending on the exposure mode you have set, the operation will be different. Let us look at a few modes in more detail.

Manual Mode: First set the exposure mode to Manual using the mode dial (Picture C3). Now set the camera to Auto ISO mode as described.

Choose the shutter speed and aperture you want. Now the camera will automatically adjust the ISO depending on the lighting conditions.

If the ISO needed is beyond the maximum ISO of the camera, then the camera will give an under exposure warning. Likewise, you will get an over exposure warning when the minimum ISO value fails to give you a proper exposure.

Look at this example: Let us say for a proper exposure you need a shutter speed 1/500, f/5.6 at ISO 400. If light reduces, this could become, for example 1/500, f/5.6 at ISO 3200 (or till maximum ISO of the camera is reached, that is 3200).

After this you will get an under exposure warning. If you want a proper exposure now, you have to use a slower shutter speed and/or open the aperture.

Picture C3

Picture C3: Mode dial. The different exposure modes Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and program modes are marked as M, Av, Tv, and P respectively. The green circle shows the index.

Aperture Priority: Set mode dial to Av and set an aperture of your choice. The camera will try to maintain a shutter speed of 1/2X focal length at the minimum possible ISO. If the light is not bright enough, it will increase ISO to get the needed shutter speed at the aperture you have chosen. When you zoom to a higher focal length, the shutter speed will increase and the ISO will also increase to support the higher shutter speed under the same lighting conditions. Since it is the aperture priority mode the aperture will remain constant at the value you have set. The camera will warn if the ISO needed is beyond its range.

Shutter Priority: Set the mode dial to Tv and a shutter speed of your choice.

The camera will start at the minimum ISO and maximum aperture possible (based on the lens). If the light is not sufficient to support the shutter speed you have chosen, then the camera will keep the aperture at the maximum (smallest f-number the lens allows) and

Basics of Photography

will increase the ISO. If light is bright enough, then the camera will close down the aperture only after minimum value of the ISO (100 in the case of 7D) is reached. The shutter speed is un-altered as this is the shutter priority mode. The camera will warn if the ISO needed is beyond its range.

MS◄, MS►, MS▲ and MS▼. Once you highlight the Shooting Menu (Picture N2) you will be shown a list of various options. Scroll using MS▲ and MS▼, and highlight the ISO sensitivity settings option (Picture N2) and select it by pressing OK. You will see the ISO sensitivity settings screen (Picture N3).

Picture N1

Max ISO setting: As already mentioned, the higher the ISO value, the worse will be the noise performance. Hence, if you want to limit the ISO to a “not to exceed” value you can do so. Unfortunately, the 7D does not have this feature. However, it is available in the later model, the 60D. Setting ISO in Nikon D-SLRs: You can set the ISO manually or automatically in any exposure mode such as Manual, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Program. The range of ISO (either manual or auto) for Nikon D7000 is 100 to 6400. When extended, it can go from 50 to 25,600.

Manual ISO Setting: This is done fairly easily. While you can go through the regular shooting menu, a faster option is to use the ISO button (Picture N1). Just press it and while keeping it pressed, rotate the MCD to dial in the ISO you need. The ISO value you set will be visible on the information screen of the LCD monitor. It will also appear in the viewfinder and the top deck LCD when you press ISO. (See also ISO value display section).

Auto ISO Setting:

First press MENU (Picture N1). Now, highlight the Shooting Menu using

Picture N1: Menu (MENU), ISO (ISO), Multi-selector (MS), OK (OK), and Information (Info).

Note that there are four arrow keys on the multi selector (MS) pointing in four directions.

These are left arrow (MS◄), right arrow (MS►), up arrow (MS▲) and down arrow (MS▼).

These are for scrolling and highlighting the options.

Also shown is the Information screen on the monitor. This screen can be invoked by pressing Info. The green circle indicates the ISO area on the Information screen. When Auto ISO chosen the words Auto ISO will appear.

Picture N2: Shooting Menu.

The red circle indicates the shooting menu icon. Here the ISO sensitivity settings option has been highlighted.

Picture N2

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You can ignore the first option as it is easier to set the ISO using the ISO button. To activate the Auto ISO function, scroll again and highlight using MS▲ and MS▼ the Auto ISO sensitivity control option (Picture N3). Select it by pressing OK. You will come to a screen (Picture N4). Highlight the option On and select it by pressing OK. You will now see that two options (Picture N5), - Maximum sensitivity and Minimum shutter speed, that were disabled earlier, are now active.

These are important settings that need further explanation.

Selecting Maximum sensitivity (Picture N5) will give you a choice of ISO values you can choose (Picture N6) from. Highlight the value you want and select it by pressing OK. The value you have chosen here is the “never exceed” value of ISO. Depending on the noise levels you can tolerate, you can choose this level. The camera will not increase the ISO beyond this value in the Auto ISO mode.

Picture N3: ISO sensitivity settings screen.

Note that since Auto ISO sensitivity control is off, the two options that are needed for this control are disabled.

Picture N3

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Picture N4 Picture N4: Auto ISO sensitivity control screen.

Selecting Minimum shutter speed (Picture N5) will give you a choice of shutter speeds you can choose (Picture N7) from. Highlight the shutter speed you want and select it by pressing OK. The camera will maintain this speed until the light falls to a level which requires the ISO to go beyond the Maximum sensitivity limit you have set (picture N6). At this point, the shutter speed will be decreased below the Minimum shutter speed that you have set. In other words Maximum sensitivity limit takes precedence over the Minimum shutter speed.

Picture N5: Now that the Auto ISO sensitivity control is on, the two options that are related to this control are enabled.

Picture N5

Picture N6 Picture N6: Maximum sensitivity screen. You can set this to the maximum ISO limit of the camera or lower.

ISO Value Display: In both manual and Auto ISO modes the ISO value set will be visible on the information screen (Picture N1). However, it can also be made to appear in the viewfinder and top deck LCD through the use of custom function d3 and selecting the option Show ISO Sensitivity. When this option is set the ISO value will be shown instead of the frame counter (in the viewfinder and top deck LCD) when the exposure meter is ‘on’. When the exposure meter is ‘off’ the display reverts to show the frame count. Apart from the value, when Auto ISO is set, the words ‘ISOAuto’ will appear in the viewfinder, on the top deck LCD and on the Information screen of the LCD monitor.

These words will also blink as a warning to you when camera changes the ISO value from the value set by you.

Let us see the Auto ISO operation in different exposure modes. Depending on the exposure mode you have set, the operation will be different. Let us look at a few modes in more detail.

Basics of Photography

Picture N7 Picture N7: Minimum shutter speed screen.

Picture N8: Mode dial. The different exposure modes - Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Program modes are marked as M, A, S and P respectively. The green circle shows the index.

Picture N8

Manual Mode: First set the exposure mode to Manual using the mode dial (Picture N8). Choose the shutter speed and aperture you want.

Now, set the camera to Auto ISO mode as described. The camera will automatically adjust the ISO depending on the lighting conditions to match the shutter speed and aperture you have set.

Aperture Priority: Set mode dial to A (Picture N8) and set an aperture of your choice. Choose the highest ISO you are willing to accept (Picture N6) and the slowest shutter speed you do not want to go below (Picture N7).

Then camera tries to give you the best combination possible. See this example: Set an aperture of f/5.6, set minimum shutter speed to 1/500 and max ISO to 800. Let us say your present values are f/ 5.6, 1/500 and ISO 600.

If light falls – you will get, for example, f/ 5.6, 1/500 and ISO 800 If light falls further – you will get f/ 5.6, 1/250 and ISO 800. In this case to get the proper exposure the shutter speed is made slower than the minimum shutter speed, but ISO is not allowed to go beyond the maximum value you have set.

Shutter Priority: Set the mode dial to S (Picture N8) and set a shutter speed of your choice. The minimum shutter speed you have set (Picture N7) has no effect in this mode. The shutter speed is un-altered as this is the shutter priority mode.

The camera will start at the minimum ISO. If the light is not sufficient to support the shutter speed you have chosen, then the camera will first try to open the aperture of the lens. If the aperture has reached its widest (the smallest f-number the lens allows), and yet the light is not enough for a proper exposure, the camera will increase the ISO up to the maximum set by you (Picture N6). If the light is bright enough, then the camera will close down the aperture only after minimum value of the ISO (100 in the case of D7000) is reached. The camera will warn you if the ISO needed is beyond the range.

Conclusion: Auto ISO is an excellent feature that gives unprecedented flexibility – a boon due to the digital technology. Moreover, the high ISO performance in D-SLRs is rapidly improving with ISO values reaching six figures in some cameras! Unfortunately, many of us learned photography under the notion that exposure is dependent only on two factors - shutter speed and aperture. Hence, we fail to realise that a third factor – the ISO – is also available for making photography a lot easier.

This problem is more severe with those who have used films, since changing ISO (that is changing film mid-roll) was a very difficult task and hence are not inclined to think in this direction.

Whatever your earlier habits were, use this feature of alterable ISO (either manually or automatically) to get those photographs which are simply not possible otherwise.

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All photographs by the Author

If the ISO needed is beyond the upper limit you have set (Picture N6), then the camera will give an under exposure warning. Likewise you will also get an overexposure warning when the minimum ISO value is not able to give you a proper exposure. Also, the minimum shutter speed you have set (picture N7) will have no effect in manual mode.

Learning Photoshop The author, Rajendra Prasad, an Associate of Royal Photographic Society of London, and a banker by profession, has been in the photographic field for over two decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. At present he is the Chairman of Digital Imaging Division, India International Photographic Council, Delhi. Rajendra has a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He has published several articles on photography in photographic magazines and journals of IIPC & FIP. He has also published an e-book An Introduction to Digital Photography which was released at Indore IIPC workshop by Sri Jaipal Reddy, Minister-Information & Broadcasting. He has also given talks on photography at Doordarshan. He has taught several photo-enthusiasts through workshops on photography in several Indian cities. His photographs have also won many accolades in different photographic salons. He has also served as a judge in various contests. His other hobbies are electronics and painting. He maintains a photoblog digicreation.blogspot.com and can be reached at rajdigi25@gmail.com

Creating

Digital Borders in Photoshop

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ver the past few months in SP we have covered a number of articles on how to improve the quality of your digital prints. That is perfect if you’re looking for just a straight print. But what if you want to make your prints really stand out? For many years conventional photographers introduced custom borders into their prints in the darkroom.

With the help of this they were able to make a dramatic difference to the final image. Adding frames to photos is a way to enhance the image. There are countless ways of creating photo borders or frames. The techniques can be very simple, easy, creative or professional and sophisticated. An image by itself can be attractive, and drawing a border or frame around it can

enhance the beauty and bring focus to its contents. Here, in this issue of SP, I will show you two ways with which you can create photo borders or frames, using Photoshop. This can be used by beginners too. One is a very simple method using the stroke command and other slightly complex using layer, mask, and filters. Let’s get started with the tutorial!

One piece of advice I will reiterate is, “Never use your original photo to work on, always use copies of photos for your project”. Click Image> Duplicate in Photoshop and you will get a new copy of the image. Work on this duplicate; leave the original intact.

A: Creating a Photo Border, using the Stroke Command

1

In Photoshop, open the image you want to use – press Ctrl+O (or go to File > Open) and browse to choose and open your image. Then, select image – press Ctrl+A (or go to Select > All).

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2

After selecting the image, go to Edit > Stroke (or right-click on image with the Marquee Tool, and select Stroke). A dialog box (as shown in screenshot) opens for your selection of border width, colour, etc. Note that higher the number of pixels, the wider the border. For a thin border, any number below 5 pixels will be perfect.

To get a thick border, as shown in the example, 70 pixels was set. Location can be either inside or center but not outside, otherwise it would be invisible. Feel free to experiment with the Blending modes to yield various interesting effects. To undo previous Stroke effect, just press Ctrl+Z and retry.

When done, press Ctrl+D to deselect image. Save your finished project.

3

A single thin stroke border will work great, but a thicker border with multiple strokes has sometimes more impact.

In such a case, do not deselect the image as yet, repeat the Stroke as many times as you want. Just bear in mind that each subsequent stroke effect will be on top of the previous one, so the innermost border should have the largest width, with the subsequent ones gradually decrease. For the image, alternating between white and black strokes, with varying width starting from 60px, then 20px, 10px and ending with 3px has produce this lovely border. Try this on your image.

B: Creating Photo Borders in Photoshop with Masks and Filters In this next Photoshop tutorial, we’re going to learn how easy it is to create interesting photo borders using nothing more than a simple layer mask and your choice of Photoshop filter. There is no shortage of filters in Photoshop to choose from and many of them are great for creating unique photo borders.

1

Duplicate the Background Layer With the image opened in Photoshop, the Layers palette will have one layer - the Background layer, which contains the image. Since the Background layer contains our original image it is always a good idea to duplicate it before doing any work. The easiest way to duplicate a layer in Photoshop is by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac). Now the Layers palette will hold two layers - the original Background layer, and a copy of it, which Photoshop has named “Layer 1”, on top.

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2

Add a new blank Layer between the two existing layers Next, you need to add a new layer between our two existing layers. To do that, make sure “Layer 1” is currently selected in the Layers palette (it should be highlighted in blue). Then, hold down your Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key and click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Normally, Photoshop adds the new layer above the currently selected layer in the palette, but by holding down the “Ctrl” / “Command” key, this tells Photoshop to add it below the currently selected layer. Now you will notice a new blank layer (Layer 2) between the Background layer and “Layer 1”.

3

Fill the new Layer with white We’re going to use white as our border colour, so we need to fill our new blank layer with white. To do that, let’s first make sure that our Foreground and Background colours in Photoshop are set to their defaults by pressing the letter D on the keyboard.

This sets the Foreground colour to black and the Background colour to white. You can notice this by looking at the Foreground and Background colour swatches near the bottom of the Tools palette. The square in the top left represents the current Foreground colour, while the square in the bottom right shows us the current Background colour.

Now make sure the new blank layer is currently selected in the Layers palette. Then use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Backspace (Win) / Command+Delete (Mac) to fill the layer with the current Background colour, which is white. Nothing will appear to have happened in the document window since the image on “Layer 1” is blocking the new layer from being viewed, but in the Layers palette, we can see in the preview thumbnail that the layer has been filled with white.

4

Add extra canvas space around the image For creating a border, first, you will have to add some extra canvas space around the photo. To do that, go to the Image menu at the top of the screen and choose Canvas Size.

When the Canvas Size dialog box appears, enter a value of 1 inch for both the width and the height. This will add an extra inch of canvas space around the image. Also, make sure the Relative option is checked. Click OK to add the extra canvas space and exit the dialog box. You will see the extra white space added around the image in your document window.

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Learning Photoshop

5

Load a selection around the photo A bit of space can be added just inside the edges of the photo as well. Hold down your Ctrl (Win) / Command key and click directly on the layer preview thumbnail for “Layer 1” in the Layers palette.

This loads a selection around the contents of the layer, and if you view the image, you will see that a selection has appeared around the photo.

6

Contracting the selection We need to make the selection a bit smaller. For this go to the Select menu at the top of the screen, choose Modify, and then choose Contract. When the Contract Selection dialog box appears, enter a value between 5-20 pixels for the Contract, depending on the size and resolution of your image. This tells Photoshop how many pixels to contract the selection by.

Click OK to exit the dialog box, and you will see the selection around the photo is reduced in size, leaving a bit of room between the selection box and the edges of the photo.

7

Add a Layer Mask This step helps add a layer mask to “Layer 1”. Before you can do that, you need to select “Layer 1”. Click on it in the Layers palette to select it. It will appear highlighted in blue.

Then, with “Layer 1” selected, click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. This adds a layer mask to “Layer 1”, and you will notice a layer mask thumbnail to the right of the layer’s preview thumbnail in the Layers palette.

Notice that the area that was inside the selection appears white in the thumbnail, while the area present outside the selection appears black.

We are going to create our border effect with our first Photoshop filter next!

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Apply the ‘Spatter’ Filter to the Layer Mask At this point, creating our border effect is simply a matter of applying one of Photoshop’s filters to the layer mask we just created. The only thing you need to make sure of is that you have the layer mask, and not the layer, selected before applying the filter, otherwise you could end up applying the filter to the contents of the layer by mistake. Since we just finished adding our layer mask, it should be selected, but just in case, look at the two thumbnails for “Layer 1” in the Layers palette. Whichever one has the white highlight box around it is the one that is currently selected. You should see the highlight box around the layer mask thumbnail, but if for some reason you don’t, simply click on the layer mask thumbnail to select it: Now apply the filters, First, try the ’Spatter’ brush filter. Go to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Brush Strokes, and then choose Spatter. When the dialog box appears, enter a value of 22 for the Spray Radius and 2 for the Smoothness.

You can see a preview of what the border is going to look like in the large preview area on the left of the dialog box, so feel free to experiment with different values to see what sort of effect you will get. Click OK when you are done to exit the dialog box and apply the filter. This screenshot shows the effect derived on applying this photo border.

9

Applying other Filters You may try different filters for different photo border effects. First, press Ctrl+Z (Win) / Command+Z (Mac) to undo the Spatter filter. Go back to the Filter menu, this time choose Distort, and then choose Glass. When the Glass filter dialog box appears, enter 16 for the Distortion amount and 4 for Smoothness. I am going to leave the Texture option set to tiny lens and the Scaling set to 70%.

Again, you can experiment on your own with the settings if you like using the large preview area to the left of the dialog box to preview the border effect you’re creating. Click OK when you’re done to apply the filter to the layer mask and exit out of the dialog box.

Let’s try one more filter. Press Ctrl+Z (Win) / Command+Z (Mac) once again to undo the last filter we applied. This time, go up to the Filter menu, choose Brush Strokes, and then choose Sprayed Strokes. When the dialog box appears, I am going to enter 10 for the Stroke Length, 25 for the Spray Radius, and set the Stroke Direction to Right Diagonal.

Again, please feel free to experiment with various amounts to see unique effects. When you are done, click OK to exit the dialog box and apply the filter to the layer mask.

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Closing comment The easy way to make your snapshots and photos look more professional is by adding a border in Photoshop. Luckily, it is extremely easy to create simple and elegant frames in Photoshop. It is quite amazing to see how you can change the look and feel of an image just by experimenting with borders and edges. Some methods are easier than others, some are more suited to certain photos, and some require a combination of techniques to display best results. By practicing more often, you will know which method to apply to yield better outcome. In Digital editing you can do all the experimenting you want for free, so try them all!

Remember, you can give your photos a whole new look and feel with digital borders and frames. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

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H

ere we have two images; one of the temple (where I have selected the not-so-good sky and deleted it) and the other, a picture of nice fluffy clouds. The temple was photographed by me in Thailand; the clouds are from my personal sky library. The idea is to replace the temple image sky with the clouds but at the same time, I want the clouds to sort of engulf the temple so that it imparts a feeling of a temple being somewhere high-up in the mountains.

Note: For this trick to work well, there has to be good separation between the clouds and the structure. Secondly, the structure in front should ideally not have light tones.

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Open both the images in Photoshop. I am using CS5 but other versions will do.

Select and copy the temple image (Ctrl + A, Ctrl + C). Select the cloud image and do a Ctrl + V to paste the temple on to the clouds. You may now minimise the temple image or close the file.

Observe the Layers palette (if your Layers palette is not open, pressing the F7 key on the keyboard will open it for you). See Printscreen 1. It shows Layer 0 (the sky) with Layer 1 (the temple) on the top.

Printscreen 2

Now come to the Underlying Layer. This controls the visibility of the clouds layer underneath. By moving the white slider to the left, we can control the way the bright areas of the cloud layer are brought to the front. Move this slider to the left till you are satisfied with the cloud formation in front of the temple.

Printscreen 1

Note: Normally you would see the ‘Background’ layer and not Layer 0. By double clicking where it says ‘Background’ (which has a lock icon) and clicking OK , you can turn it to Layer 0 (the layer is no longer locked and can be worked upon if necessary).

Double click on the Layer 1 Thumbnail or click on fx at the bottom of the Layers palette and select Blending Options. A ‘Layer Style’ dialog box for Blending Options will open. See Printscreen 2.

We are interested in the lower part of this dialog box where it says ‘Blend If’. Move the white slider under This Layer to the left, which will hide the bright areas in the top layer and show the underlying image. This action often leaves us with a harsh effect. To overcome this, keeping Alt key pressed, click on the right section of the white slider (observe the slider; it has a vertical line running through it) and move it to the right till the harsh effect is smoothed out. The smoothing effect may not be too noticeable at first, but it is necessary that there is some separation between the two halves of the slider.

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Printscreen 3

Here too, the transition will be harsh. We need to smoothen the effect. To do so, keeping Alt key pressed, split the white triangle to move the left part of the slider control to the left till the cloud edges go soft and look realistic (Printscreen 3).

Some clouds may appear where you don’t want them. If that happens, select Layer 0 and create a mask by clicking on ‘Add a layer mask’ icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. Since the mask is white, use a Brush with black as the Foreground Colour, and simply wipe out the clouds that you don’t require.

Flatten the image, sharpen as necessary, and save the file using the Save As command.

Rohinton Mehta

Learning

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Learning

How to Increase DOF in Macro Photography (Works best with Photoshop CS4 and later versions)

Basics Technically speaking, a lens projects a sharp image only of subject points on a single plane.

As we approach physically closer to a subject, DOF reduces. This makes it difficult to get the entire subject in sharp focus. As an example, when photographing a subject at 1:1 reproduction ratio (life size) using f/16 as the aperture, the DOF is approximately 2-3mm!

So then, how do you manage to get the entire subject in sharp focus? Here is a method using multiple frames, but do remember that the subject needs to be stationary, and for best results, a tripod is a must. This obviously rules out butterflies and such subjects that keep fluttering (unless you are lucky enough to get a very cooperative one).

1. Find a suitable subject and tripod-mount your camera. Set a wide aperture to restrict the depth of field, so that the final photo (comprising of multiple frames) does not have a disturbing background.

2. Manually focus as accurately as you can on the front-most part of the subject. Meter the subject using the manual exposure mode and do not vary the exposure for the shots to follow.

3. Make your first exposure. Now focus a few millimeters behind your earlier focus point and take the second frame.

4. Continue this pattern till you come to the end of the subject.

All 4 images shot at f/4.5

Depth of field (DOF ), as we all know is the zone of acceptable sharpness in a photo. DOF depends on the focal length of the lens, the distance between the lens and subject, and the aperture in use (and to a certain extent, on the print magnification and the viewing distance). What is not known to many photographers, is that, when dealing with far-away (non-macro) subjects, out of the total zone of sharpness, 1/3 is sharp in front of the focussed point and 2/3 is sharp beyond the focussed point. This means that if the DOF is, say, 9 feet, then 3 feet will be sharp in front of the subject and 6 feet will be sharp on the other side of the subject. If the DOF is say, 3 inches, then 1 inch will be sharp before the subject and 2 inches will be sharp beyond.

When it comes to macro subjects, the rule changes. For macro subjects, the zone of sharpness extends equally on either side of the focussed subject. This means that if the zone of sharpness is say, 3 inches, it will be 1.5 inches on either side.

Shooting Method

Picture shot at f/16 with focus on the second bottle.

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Learning

Photoshop Procedure

a) Load the images in Photoshop. I am using CS5. The description below may change slightly for CS4.

Printscreen showing all Layers selected in the Layers palette

Printscreen showing all the images open in Photoshop

b) Go to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack. When the dialog box opens, click on Add Open Files and click OK. Printscreen showing ‘Auto’ selected in Auto Align Layers

d) Go to Edit > Auto Blend Layers. When the dialog box opens, click on Stack Images. In the check-box below, tick Seamless Tones and Colours. Click OK.

c) Select all the layers (click the topmost layer and then, holding down the Shift key, click on the bottom-most layer).

Go to Edit > Auto Align Layers. When the dialog box opens, click Auto. Click OK. 90

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Printscreen showing ‘Stack Images’

Learning

e) Wait till Photoshop does its magic.

Note: At this point, if you feel that you need to further edit the image (for example, adjust levels or Curves etc), you may do so. f) Save the file using the Save As command.

If you do not wish to use Photoshop to create an extended depth of field, and wish to take a single shot with your macro lens, try this: 1. If you know beforehand that the picture will be enlarged considerably , then try

not to photograph it at 1:1 reproduction ratio, but photograph it at 1:2 (half life size).

This will result in a slightly better DOF, and will allow for a better placement of lights (in case of studio shots), and, because you will not be too close to the subject, it is less likely that you will spook a live creature.

2. Use a very narrow aperture like f/16 or f/22. If you are worried about the effects of diffraction when using a very narrow aperture like f/16 or f/22 – slight softening of the image – then use f/11. In my opinion, it is better to have increased depth of field than worry about diffraction-induced softness.

Rohinton Mehta

The final image, showing depth-of-field from front to back

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Reviews 93 100 106 110 ILCC Review Olympus OM-D

D-SLR Review Nikon D4

Compact Review Nikon Coolpix P510

Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V

Change in Rating System Smart Photography’s new rating system exercises stricter evaluation in view of improvements in the overall performance of photographic equipment. Marks will be awarded for the following parameters...

Final Rankings Recommended .......................................... 75-80% Best Buy..........................................81% and above

D-SLR CAMERAS

LENSES

COMPACT CAMERAS

Design & Build Quality..................... (out of 20)

Design & Build Quality..................... (out of 20)

Design & Build Quality..................... (out of 20)

Key Features............................................ (out of 20)

Key Features............................................ (out of 20)

Key Features............................................ (out of 20)

Ergonomics.............................................. (out of 20)

Ergonomics.............................................. (out of 20)

Ergonomics.............................................. (out of 20)

Performance Autofocus.....................................................(out of 5) Metering.......................................................(out of 5) Noise control............................................(out of 5) Distortion/Sharpness...........................(out of 5) LCD/Viewfinder.....................................(out of 5) Auto White Balance............................(out of 5)

Performance Autofocus.....................................................(out of 5) Sharpness.....................................................(out of 5) Distortion control..................................(out of 5) Aberrations.................................................(out of 5) Darkening of corners..........................(out of 5) Extra Features............................................(out of 5)

Performance Autofocus.....................................................(out of 5) Metering.......................................................(out of 5) Noise control............................................(out of 5) Distortion/Sharpness...........................(out of 5) LCD/Viewfinder.....................................(out of 5) Auto White Balance............................(out of 5)

Value for Money........................ (out of 10)

Value for Money.................................. (out of 10)

Value for Money........................ (out of 10)

Grand Total................................ (out of 100)

Grand Total.......................................... (out of 100)

Grand Total................................ (out of 100)

D-SLR Review Nikon D4

It’s a Rich Man’s World!

T

and durability. Weather-sealing for dust, moisture and electromagnetic interference offers it further reliability in tough climatic conditions. The body fits into your hands like a glove; the shutter release button is placed exactly where the index finger would be, unlike in the D800 where effort has to be put in to align the index finger over the shutter release button. You just have to hold the D4 in your hands to know what a pro model should feel like. Just like the D3 and D3s, the D4 too has a built-in grip for vertical shooting. The front facade is quite similar to that of the D3s, except for a change in the AF selection button, and a few other cosmetic changes.

Design and Build Quality The familiar red v-shaped design over The D4’s build quality is just amazing. the finger-grip is now thin, almost The chassis is constructed from magnesium alloy for maximum strength crescent-shaped. he D4 is Nikon’s flagship pro D-SLR. Everything about the D4 relates to ‘speed’. At a blistering 10 frames per second burst mode with full autofocus, it is nothing short of a machine gun. With its new and faster Expeed 3 image processor, an improved Multi-CAM 3500AF module, coupled with a newly designed 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, it promises to be the ultimate professional tool for still and video photographers. Nikon has targeted the D4 especially at sports and press photographers, and with the Olympics coming up, D4 users are going to have a super great time.

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%

Rs.3,24,950 Inside the Box l l l l l l l l l l

Camera body and BF-1B body cap BS-2 accessory shoe cover Strap AN-DC7 Rechargeable Li-ion battery EN-EL18 Battery Charger MH-26 USB Cable, with cable clip Software CD-ROM (View NX 2 installer CD) User Manual Quick Guide Warranty Card June 2012 Smart Photography

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Rohinton Mehta

D-SLR Review

Nikon D4

Sharpness &

Aperture:

pression

Noise

Detail

O:100

d: 1/8sec. IS f/8 Shutter Spee

ISO:100

JPEG Com

ISO:12800

ality, JPEG, Fine Qu B) M 5 .8 (8 100%

ity,

rd Qual JPEG, Standa B) 100% (5.95 M

Key Features

Let’s first see the main differences between the D4 and the earlier D3s.

D4 D3s Effective pixels 16.2 million 12.1 million Pixel size 7.3 microns 8.45 microns Max. Image size 4,928 x 3,280 pixels 4,256 x 2,832 pixels Exp. Metering using 91,000 pixel RGB sensor 1,005 pixel RGB sensor AF points 51, includes 15 cross-type.

51 AF capability Up to f/8 Up to f/5.6 Storage 1xCF + 1xXQD card 2xCF cards

CF card supports UDMA 7.

XQD card supports very high writing speeds Continuous shooting Up to 200 JPEGs (L/F) Up to 78 JPEGs (L/F) Cont. Shooting speed 10fps (11fps without AE/AF) 9fps D-Lighting bracketing Possible Not possible Shutter tested for 400,000 cycles 300,000 cycles Min/Max ISO with boost 50-204,800 100-102,400 LCD size 3.2-inches 3-inches Movies Full HD1920x1080p supported Full HD 1280x720p Max. Movie time 29 min, 59 sec 5 min The D4, successor to the tried and tested D3s, brings more than 45 new features and has received a speed boost in every conceivable area. The target audience being sports and

press photographers, the D4 offers a maximum burst speed of 11 frames per second (10 fps with full autofocus) and a start-up time of a mere 0.12 second.

An all-new XQD memory storage card

format capable of handling 100 NEF (RAW) files in a continuous 10fps burst or 200 JPEGs in a continuous 11fps burst, together with an unimaginable maximum ISO of 2,04,800, turns the D4 June 2012 Smart Photography

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D-SLR Review Nikon D4

Colour Accu

racy

Colour checker shot using Auto White Balance in sunlight. Auto Levels applied.

into a super Herculean mean machine.

Such specifications of ultra-high-speeds at once makes us think about its shutter life. No sweat. Nikon claim its shutter life is 400,000 cycles (that’s equal to approximately 11,111 36-exposure rolls!)

The Nikon D4 is a 16.2 megapixel pro D-SLR designed to thrill. It features a newly developed full-frame (FX) CMOS sensor, coupled to a new EXPEED 3 processing engine that is 30% faster than the EXPEED 2 used in the D3s. Since the D4, with its high ISO range, is going to be used in very low light too, the icon on each control button is illuminated! Wow. The camera has two mini joysticks, one for selecting an AF point during horizontal framing, the other for selecting an AF point during vertical framing. Like in the D3s, the D4 has 51 AF points, but 15 are cross-type points for superior autofocus. What is more, 11 AF points are now compatible with an aperture of f/8. This means that AF will be possible even when you use teleconverters (2x on a f/4 lens and 1.4x 96

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on a f/5.6 lens). The improved Multi-CAM 3500FX AF module allows autofocus in light as low as -2 EV (moonlight). The camera’s advanced Scene Recognition System determines the camerato-subject distance, colour information, and the selected AF area, and uses this information to ensure very accurate metering. It can detect up to 16 human faces in the frame when using Live View as well as the Viewfinder. The number of subjects that can be detected in Face-Priority AF drops in Movie Live View.

A feature that sports and press photographers (and many pocketheavy photographers) will love is the the new (optional) WT-5 wireless file transmitter offering Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity. The WT-5’s dongle attaches to a dedicated port on the left of the camera body. The WT-5 draws its power from the D4’s battery.

Do you fancy operating your D4 through your iPad or iPhone? No big deal! The WT-5 wireless transmitter adds an HTTP mode that allows you to do just that. During Live View shooting, uncompressed video can be recorded to an external hard drive. Want to ensure that the camera is leveled? A Virtual Horizon on the rear LCD assures you of that.

Just as with other D-SLRs, the D4 offers Live View shooting. Using an AF-S lens, autofocus is possible during Live View but there are several caveats,

hence please check your user manual before doing so. During Live View photography, you can preview the effects of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity on the exposure, but here too, conditions apply. You can also adjust the exposure by +/- 5 EV (but the preview display will only reflect up to +/- 3 EV). In Live View, you can select between Face Priority AF, wide-area AF, Normal AF, and subject-tracking AF. The D4’s video is one of the most talked-about. It represents Nikon’s first full-HD (1920 x 1080p @30fps), full-frame D-SLR that allows up to 4GB maximum length for individual movie files. Maximum recording time is 30 minutes (29 minutes and 59 seconds to be exact!). The D4 has a dedicated Stills/Video switch surrounding the Live View button, which makes it very easy to change from one to the other.

Ergonomics Though heavy, the D4 was a pleasure to use. (Be ready for other Nikonmodel users eying your camera and going green with envy!). Focussing was ultra-fast, and each control felt positive. Shooting in vertical format was a breeze; the additional joystick made it easier to operate the camera in that position. The mode-dial lock prevents accidental changes to the shooting mode. When shooting in low light conditions, the illuminated controls were a big help.

Performance We tested the Nikon D4 with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. The overall

D-SLR Review

Nikon D4

This area is shown at 100% at different ISOs

Lo 0.3

Lo 0.7

Lo 1

100

200

400

800

1600

3200

6400

12800

Hi 0.3, 16,000

Hi 0.7, 20,800

Hi 1 , 25,600

Hi 2 , 51,200

Hi 3 , 102,400

Hi 4 , 204,800

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D-SLR Review Nikon D4

performance was just amazing. Dynamic range is amongst the best that we have seen. Images were crisp and bright, right out of the box. Colours/image contrast was very good. Autofocus was very fast, even in low light, though using slow lenses could possibly reduce the AF speed. On the White Balance front, there was a slight blue cast in ‘Shade’ and ‘Sun’ (AWB as well as the Presets), while ‘Flash’ and ‘Incandescent’ were perfect. There are various Fluorescent WB settings, which we did not check out for obvious reasons.

underexposed areas, but I would have no hesitation in using these ISO sensitivities. At Hi 1 (equivalent to ISO 25,600), noise is very much visible but again, depending on the situation, I would use it if needed. Hi 2, Hi 3, and Hi 4 are noisy and I would try not to use them. Do keep in mind that these tests were done with the intention of proving how noisy/noise-free the D4 is; under adequate lighting conditions, and taking care not to underexpose, you may be able to use the D4 up to the Hi 1 setting.

The first question that’s likely to be asked by any potential buyer is, “How much better is the D4 compared to the D3 and the D3s in low-light, high ISO image quality?” We have no way of ascertaining that (unless we can get all the three models together for a test), but as per Nikon, the D3s offered a 1-stop gain over the D3 and now the D4 offers a 1-stop gain over the D3s. Okay, but then how good is the D4 at its ISO 2,04,800 setting? Or, to put it another way, what is the usable range? We put the D4 to a stringent low-light test and here’s the answer.

Up to ISO 6400, we could not see any obvious noise even at 100 percent enlargements. I wouldn’t hesitate to make 20 x30 inch prints at ISO 6400.

At ISO 12,800, noise could be seen at 100 percent enlargement if you try to look for it; at 50 percent enlargement, difficult to notice. At Hi 0.3 (equivalent to ISO 16000, and Hi 0.7 (equivalent to approximately ISO 20,800), pixel peepers may notice some noise in

Eagle-eyed readers, who may compare the D4’s noise performance with that of the D3s (SP, February 2010 issue), may see more noise in the D4 as compared to D3s. Do keep in mind that the D4 has 4-million extra pixels.

D4’s file sizes are larger, and hence, you may not need to enlarge the files to the same degree.

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A question that might arise, especially with beginners, is, ‘Why did Nikon opt for 16 megapixels on their top-of-theline model, while 36 megapixels on the enthusiast model D800?’ While it is difficult to answer that, I can take a guess. First and foremost, 16 megapixels is more than adequate for day to day photography. Increasing the pixels, also increases digital noise. The D4, as mentioned earlier, is targeted at sports and press photographers who need to regularly shoot in less than favourable light. They also need to shoot at blistering high frame rate, and limiting the D4 to 16MP, lets the Nikon

do just that. Images also need to be transmitted wirelessly as soon as they are captured. Using the new (optional) WT-5 wireless file transmitter with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, sports and press photographers can easily transfer their images to their respective agencies.

So now the question is, should D3s owners jump the gun and go for the D4? As impressive as the D4 is, the D3s is no less a camera, and unless you need the capabilities of the optional WT-5 wireless file transmitter and the improved movie performance (or unless you just want the latest), there is no need. If you are a D3 owner, then run and get the D4!

Value for Money The Nikon D4 is available at an MRP of Rs.3,24,950. At this price it is definitely expensive but then, we are talking of what could possibly be the best Nikon D-SLR available today.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective pixels : 16.2 million Max. Resolution : 4928 x 3280 pixels Sensor size/type : Full frame (36 x 23.9mm)/CMOS Dust reduction : Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (requires NX2) Processor : Expeed 3 Autofocus : Phase Detect, Single, Selective single-point, Continuous, Live view, Multi-area, Tracking.

Focus points : 51 Shutter speeds : 30-1/8000 sec Exposure modes : P, A, S, M Metering modes : Evaluative, Center-weighted, Spot Exp. Compensation : +/- 5EV in 1/3, 1/2, 1EV step AE Bracketing : 2, 3, 5, 0r 7 frames in 1/3, 2/3, 1 EV steps

WB Bracketing : 3-9 frames : RAW:12 or 14-bit, lossless File format compressed, compressed or uncompressed TIFF, JPEG, RAW+JPEG Picture Control : Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape, Custom.

Media : XQD, Type 1 CF cards (UDMA compliant) Dual card slots : Either card can be used for primary or backup storage, or for separate storage of RAW and JPEG images; pictures can be copied between cards : On pressing Pv button, lens DOF preview aperture is stopped down to selected value : 30 -1/8000sec in steps of 1/3, 1/2, Shutter speeds or 1EV, bulb. X-sync up to 1/250 sec.

Release modes : Single, Continuous Low, Continuous High, Quiet shutter release, self-timer, Mirror up Frame rate : Up to approx. 10fps (CL) or 10 to 11 fps (CH) Metering : TTL, using 91,000 pixel RGB sensor Metering method : Matrix: 3D colour matrix metering III (type G and D lenses); Colour matrix metering III (other CPU lenses); Colour matrix metering with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data.

Center-weighted: Circle diameter can be selected from 8, 12, 15 or 20mm Weightage can be based on average of entire frame Spot metering(1.5% of frame) Exposure modes : P (with Flexible Program), A, S, M Exp. Compensation : +/- 5EV in increments of 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV step Exp. Bracketing : 2 to 9 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1EV step Exposure lock : Yes Active D-Lighting : Auto, extra high +2/+1, high, normal, low, off Autofocus : Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor module with TTL phase- detection, fine-tuning, 51-focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors; f/8 supported by 11 sensors

Focus point : Can be selected from 51 or 11 focus points AF-area modes : Single-point AF, 9/21/51-point dynamic AF, 3D-tracking, auto-area AF Flash control : i-TTL flash control using RGB sensor with approx. 91,000 pixels (with SB 910/800/700/600/400); TTL-balanced fill flash for digital SLR is used with matrix center-weighted metering; standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR with spot metering Flash compensation : -3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV Flash bracketing : 2-9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV Nikon creative Lighting System : Supported by SB910/900/800/700 as a master flash; SB 600/R200 as remotes; SU 800 as Commander : Auto (2 types), incandescent, White Balance fluorescent (7 types), sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, colour temperature. All with fine-tuning WB bracketing : 2-9 frames Live View modes : Quiet or silent, movie live view Lens servo : Single-servo AF (AF-S), Full-time servo (AF-F), Manual AF-area modes : Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF : Contrast-detect AF anywhere in Autofocus frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected) Movie Metering : TTL exposure metering using main image sensor Frame size/rate : Maximum: 1,920 x 1,080; 30p (progressive), 25p, 24p Movie file format : MOV Video compression : H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding Video ISO sensitivity : Auto adjusted between ISO 200 12,800 or 200-Hi 4 Video max length : 29 min 59 sec (20 min. depending on frame size/rate/quality) LCD monitor : 3.2-inch, approx. 921,000 dots, 170 degree viewing angle Dimensions : 160 W x 156.5 H x 90.5mm D Weight : Approx. 1340g with battery, XQD memory card, but without body cap

+

Blistering fast AF

+

Max.11fps burst mode

+

Super high quality video

+

Bright and clear LCD, even in bright light

+

Good weather sealing

-

Heavy

-

Expensive

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

19/20

Key Features

19/20

Ergonomics

18.5/20

Performance Autofocus 5/6 Metering

4/6

5/6

Noise Control

LCD/VF

5/6

AWB

4/6

Sub-Total

23/30

Value for Money

6.5/10

Grand Total

86/100

Battery Recall Advisory by Nikon Nikon has issued an advisory stating that a certain batch of EN-EL15 batteries used in the D800/800E/ D7000 and Nikon V1 could pose a potential hazard to consumers, and have hence been recalled.

If the 9th character of the 14-digit serial number is E or F, your battery is among those being recalled.

Verdict The Nikon D4 represents the ‘bread and butter’ camera for professional photographers who need this kind of high burst rate combined with low-noise performance at higher ISO sensitivities. If the high cost bothers you, think of the D800, but keep in mind that it can only shoot at a maximum of 4 frames per second. The D4 has (compared to the D3s) better autofocus system that can work with lenses as slow as f/8, better shutter life, better movie features, a 2-axis virtual horizon, better memory buffer, 2 memory cards, built-in Ethernet port, and the ability to do HDRs.

Rohinton Mehta

June 2012 Smart Photography

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ILCC Review Olympus OM-D

Retro Redux

81.5% Rs.77,990 Inside the Box

Camera, with body cap Strap l USB cable l AV cable l Li-ion Battery BLN-1 l Battery charger BCN-1 l Detachable flash unit FL-LM2 l Kit lens (M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ) l Front/Rear lens caps l User Manual l l

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O

lympus Imaging India Private Limited launched their flagship mirror-less interchangeable system camera – the OM-D E-M5 – on the 17th of May. The camera boasts of the world’s fastest Single AF speed even compared to pro-D-SLRs, and being 20-percent faster than their own E-P3.

It further claims to have a 5-axis image stabilisation system that provides up to 5-stop advantage in shutter speed. It is available in two variants – all-black, and silver & black. The test piece that we received was all-black. Let’s see how the OM-D stacks up on our test bench.

Design and Build Quality

By design, the Olympus OM-D (fullname, OM-D E-M5) is a Micro Four Thirds mirror-less ILCC (Interchangeable

Lens Compact Camera). Its top and bottom plates do not have rounded edges, which makes it appear ‘boxy’, but other than that the OM-D looks pro-grade. The outer shell is made with metal and engineering plastic and appears to be strong. Our review piece also had a sleek (optional) two-piece detachable battery-grip, which, whilst very useful, also made the camera appear larger. The tripod socket is off-centered but is made from metal.

Olympus has tried to invoke the retro design of the legendary OM-series D-SLRs, but according to me, haven’t succeeded very well.

Key Features

The OM-D is a 16.1 megapixel ILCC featuring a Micro Four Thirds Live MOS

Mahesh Reddy

ILCC Review Olympus OM-D Detail Sharpness &

Noise

15sec. ISO:200

utter Speed: 1/

Aperture: f/8 Sh

ISO:200

ISO:25600

Colour Accu

ression

racy

JPEG Comp

ty,

, Standard Quali e Quality, JPEG JPEG, Super Fin (269 KB) 0% 10 ) 100% (10.1 MB

Colour checker shot using Auto White Balance in sunlight. Auto Levels applied.

imaging sensor (17.3 x 13mm) equipped with a Supersonic Wave Filter for dust control. The OM-D incorporates the world’s first 5-axis image-sensor-shifttype stabilisation system that can compensate for horizontal, vertical, and rotational camera shake that conventional 2-axis systems cannot handle. Since the image stabilising system is built into the camera body, any lens attached to it becomes imagestabilised. This further helps to reduce the lens’ cost. According to Olympus, the stabilisation system is particularly effective in macro, long telephoto shots and long exposures. When using the stabiliser, pressing the shutter release button halfway, provides a crisp, clear view of the viewfinder image.

The OM-D is designed to work in all kinds of environments, and hence is provided with ringshaped seals that protect the camera from dust, sand, rain, and water spray. Incidentally, this protection is also offered to the kit lens (M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ), the bundled detachable flash unit, and the optional grip and power battery holder. The 12-50mm lens provides an equivalent focal length of 24-100mm in the 35mm format.

The OM-D offers an advanced electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a 100% field of view coverage.

Its high-resolution 1.44 million dot LCD offers a maximum

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ILCC Review

Olympus OM-D

magnification of 1.15x that facilitates focussing. It can display, besides other things, the effects of White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Aspect Ratio, and Highlight/Shadow Control.

To ensure superb colour fidelity, the OM-D uses an advanced TruePic VI image processor, which, in combination with the 16.1 megapixel Live Mos image sensor and a host of M. Zuiko Digital lenses, offers unlimited creativity control for the advanced user.

LED touchscreen with a resolution of approximately 610,000 dots. The OLED can be tilted upwards 80 degrees and downwards to 50 degrees. Focussing on an individual element in the frame is as easy as touching that element on the instantly responding capacitive touch panel. Besides autofocussing, you can change shooting parameters, zoom in on an image that you have already taken, or play back images frame by frame when using the touch panel.

As mentioned earlier, the OM-D claims to have the world’s fastest autofocussing system, even faster than their very own E-M5 (as of 8th Feb.2012, using the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens, based on Olympus in-house measurement conditions). Olympus further claim that the new high-sensitivity image sensor used in the OM-D ensures superior performance even in dim light. But with all these improvements, how fast can the OM-D shoot? Very fast. With autofocussing between each frame, up to 4 frames per second, but it can go up to 9 frames per second with focus locking on the first frame. That’s pretty impressive for an ILCC! The OM-D offers a 3-inch tilting (the first Olympus camera to do so) Organic

Using this mirror-less ILCC is easier than some other Olympus models we have reviewed in the past (though this could have been made even easier!).

There’s the ‘Easy Shooting Modes’ for beginners, ‘Advanced Shooting Modes’ for, well, advanced workers, and a ‘Movie Mode’. The Easy Shooting Modes are: iAuto (intelligent Auto, which turns the camera into a pointand-shoot), Art filter (for easy creative effects), and Scene (depending on the type of subject before you, you select the appropriate mode, and the camera will do the rest). The Art filters available are Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Colour, Light Tone, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, Cross process, Gentle Sepia, Dramatic Tone, Key Line, and Art Bracketing. The available Scene Modes are: Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape+Portrait, Sport, Night Scene, Night+Portrait, Children, High key, Low key, DIS Mode, Macro, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Documents, Panorama,

Detachable battery grip

Contacts for the battery grip

Fireworks, Beach & Snow, Fisheye Effect, Wide-angle, Macro, 3D Photo (Fisheye Effect, Wide-angle, and Macro are for use with optional converter lenses).

Advanced Shooting Modes are P, A, S, and M. Shutter speeds on the OM-D range from 60 seconds to 1/4000sec, plus ‘Bulb’ and ‘Time’ (Time is a variation of ‘Bulb’. When using ‘Time’ you press the shutter release button all the way down to start the exposure. After the required period, you once again press the shutter release button all the way down to end the exposure). Long exposure noise reduction feature is available.

Autofocus is achieved using contrast detection system through the imaging sensor. 35 focussing points are available and the selection of a AF point can be Auto or Manual. By using the arrow pad on the rear of the camera, AF targets can be selected. They are ‘All Targets’, ‘Single Target’ and ‘Group Target’. With All Targets, the camera automatically selects the focus point. In Single Target, you can select the focus point manually.

When Group Target is selected, the camera automatically selects the focus point from a selected group of focus points. The OM-D offers 5 AF modes: S-AF (single AF), C-AF (continuous AF), MF (manual focus), S-AF+MF

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ILCC Review Olympus OM-D (simultaneous use of S-AF mode and MF mode), and C-AF+TR (3D AF tracking). When enabled (through the Menu), the 3D AF Tracking system tracks a subject not only moving in line with the lens’ axis, but also when moving across the frame.

Exposure control on the OM-D is TTL (through-the-lens) using Digital ESP metering, Center-weighted averaging, Spot metering, Spot metering + Highlight control, and Spot metering + Shadow control. In Digital ESP metering, the OM-D meters 324 areas of the frame and optimises the exposure depending on the scene.

In Spot metering + Highlight control, the camera ensures that a bright subject stays bright (spot metering would normally tone down a bright subject). Similarly, when using Spot metering + Shadow control, the camera automatically ensures that dark subjects stay dark (normally, spot metering would brighten a dark subject).

The OM-D supports full High Definition movies (1920x1080 pixels). Thanks to its in-built 5-axis image stabilisation system, the OM-D permits jitter-free movies even when the user is slowly/ gently walking with the camera. The Art Filters can be used even during movie shooting for some creative effects.

Using the built-in high-performance stereo microphone, high-quality stereo audio can be recorded in linear PCM format.

ISO sensitivity on the OM-D ranges from 200-25,600 in 1/3 or 1 EV step.

Exposure compensation up to +/- 3 EV is possible. White Balance setting available are Auto, 7 presets, Custom 104

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and One-touch WB. Pictures can be shot in RAW or JPEG and can be stored on SD/SDHC/SDXC/Eye-Fi card. Movies are recorded in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264/ Motion JPEG. The OM-D offers many more features, such as Live Guide, One-shot Echo / Multi-Echo (for movies), i-Enhance Movies, Art Filter Bracketing, Level Gauge, Autofocus with Eyedetection, Digital Tele-converter, Multi-exposure, and 3D-photography to name some.

A small but cute accessory flashgun is bundled with the OM-D and has a Guide Number of 10m at ISO 200.

Flash is controlled using TTL pre-flash mode or manual and is designed to cover a 14mm lens (28mm in 35mm format). X-sync speed is up to 1/250 sec. The camera is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery and weighs approx. 425g including battery and memory card.

The Kit Lens

The OM-D comes bundled with a motorised 12-50mm (24-100mm equivalent) M. Zuiko Digital ED 1250mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ zoom lens. At the wide-angle end, the aperture range is from f/3.5-22, and at the telephoto end, it ranges from f/6.3-22. The lens measures 83mm (L) x 57mm (D). It accepts 52mm filters and weighs 212g. The lens is constructed from 10 elements in 9 groups (includes 1 x DSA element, 2 x aspherical elements, 1 x element and 1 x ED element). It is dust and splash proof.

Ergonomics

The OM-D and the 24-100mm

equivalent balanced very well. As mentioned earlier, our test sample had the two-piece battery-grip attached, which made the combo very comfortable to hold and use, but it did make the camera feel heavier and larger (which is against the basic philosophy of the Micro Four Thirds System), but considering the advantages against the total weight of 940g (the body, batterygrip, and the 24-100mm equivalent lens), I think it was not too bad. If you have not studied the user manual, you could possibly get lost in the multitude of functions and settings that this model has to offer.

Performance

It would be fair to say that this is Olympus’ best ILCC till date, but since the settings can be tailored to suit individual style of shooting, the configurations can be difficult and/ or confusing to novices. Images from the OM-D look crisp and with good tonality and colour. As claimed by Olympus, the OM-D does provide better JPEG quality, but at some point or the other, we did feel that noise reduction is somewhat softening the high ISO images. So, would it be fair to say that the image quality from the OM-D is equal to that from a D-SLR? Not really, but for the majority of users, the differences may be marginal.

At higher ISOs, the larger sensors of D-SLRs do give them an advantage in terms of digital noise and dynamic range.

In terms of digital noise, the OM-D proved satisfactory, other than some softness produced at higher ISOs, possibly due to an over-active noise reduction system. The OM-D’s native

ILCC Review

Olympus OM-D

+

Very good image quality

+

Very useful EVF

+

Printed User Manual

+

Excellent features

+

HLD-6 grip (Optional)

+

Expensive

+

User interface sometimes confusing

+

No in-built CA correction

+

LCD monitor has limited tilting arrangement, so swivel

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

16/20

Key Features

18/20

Ergonomics

17/20

image size at 300ppi is 11.52 x 15.36 inches. Images at ISOs 200 and 400 were very smooth, with traces of digital noise becoming apparent at ISO 800.

Up to ISO 6400, noise seemed well controlled as long as picture size stayed close to its native image size. Beyond this point, noise can be seen at all ISOs and I for one would use the ISO 25,600 only for very small prints, and that too, only if absolutely necessary.

White Balance performance was good as far as the Presets were concerned, Performance but Auto White Balance did produce Autofocus 4/5 slight colour casts in most situations Distortion/Sharpness 3.5/5 (which, the majority of users may not notice). Olympus’ exposure metering Noise control 4/5 system provided good exposures in Aberrations 4/5 most lighting situations.

Auto White Balance

4/5

Extra Features

4/5

Sub-Total

23.5/30

Value for Money

7/10

Grand Total

81.5/100

Verdict Olympus has put in all its might to attack the (entry-level) D-SLR segment by creating a Micro Four Thirds System camera that comes quite close to its intended adversary. Photographers who are reluctant to carry heavy and large D-SLRs may be tempted to change over to the lighter, smaller, and almost as good mirror-less compact, but the high price may stand between the success and failure of the OM-D.

Rohinton Mehta

Images produced with the 24-100mm equivalent kit lens were quite sharp at all focal lengths, though corner sharpness did show some amount of softness. Flare and chromatic aberration was well controlled; we could see a very slight amount of purple fringing at 200% enlargements in against-the-light shots. In terms of distortion, the 24-100mm equivalent lens showed barrel distortion up to 35mm equivalence; at 50 and 70mm equivalence, it was difficult to notice the distortion, and 80-100mm produced no barrel or pin-cushion distortion.

Value for Money

The OM-D body with the 24-100mm equivalent kit lens and the accessory flash (but without the battery-grip)

retails at an MRP of Rs.77,990 (Body only is Rs.66,990). At this price, we feel the camera, though feature-filled and providing very good results, is on the expensive side. The Company would do well in re-considering the selling price if they want to convert at least some D-SLR users to the Olympus stable. Aggressive pricing, similar to that of the other PEN series, will certainly push their sales to a comfortable level.

SPECIFICATIONS

Camera type : ILCC Lens mount : Micro Four Thirds Equivalent focal length in 35mm format : Twice the focal length of the attached lens : Live MOS Image sensor Image sensor size : Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13mm) Effective pixels : 16,050,000 pixels : Electronic, with eye sensor Viewfinder Viewfinder resolution : 1,440,000 pixels : 60 sec – 1/4000 sec, Bulb, Time Shutter speeds Autofocus : Contrast Detect AF points : 35 Selection of AF points : Auto, Manual Exposure metering : TTL. Digital ESP, Center-weighted system averaging, Spot Shooting modes : iAuto, P (with Program Shift), A, S, M, Art Filter, Scene, Movie ISO sensitivity : 200-25,600 in 1/3, or 1 EV step Exp. Compensation : +/- 3 EV in 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV step White Balance : Auto, 7 Presets, Custom, One-touch Monitor : OLED, 610,000 dots Drive mode : Single, sequential, Self-timer Sequential shooting : Up to 9 fps (Continuous High) Storage : SD/SDHC/SDXC/Eye-Fi (supports UHS 1) Movie : MPEG-4 AVC/H.264/Motion JPEG Flash : Guide Number 10m at ISO 200 Sync speed : Up to 1/250sec Battery : BLN-1, Li-ion, rechargeable Weight : 425 g, without lens, but with battery and card

June 2012 Smart Photography

105

Compact Review Nikon Coolpix P510

The Star-Gazer

78

T %

Rs.23,950

he P-series or Performance series of compact cameras from Nikon feature advanced functionalities. The 16.1-megapixel P510 featuring a 42x optical zoom lens, is the latest in the P-series from the Nikon stable. The impressive zoom range of this camera allows you to photograph anything from landscapes to birds.

Flash Output

Design and Build Quality The Nikon Coolpix P510 has an outer body made of engineering plastic. It has tiltable LCD screen, though the tilt is only along one axis. The lens has a two-segment construction and does not employ folded optics, which means that it extends considerably while zooming. The positive side of this is that the lens appears sturdier than lenses

Macro

Inside the Box Camera Camera Strap l Lens Cap LC-CP24 (with cord) l Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5 (with terminal cover) l Charging AC Adapter EH-69P l USB Cable UC-E6 l Audio Video Cable EG-CP16 l ViewNX 2 Installer CD l Reference Manual CD l l

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Aperture: f/6.1 Shutter Speed: 1/50sec. ISO:100

: f/4

Aperture

:100

sec. ISO

ed: 1/20

er Spe .7 Shutt

Compact Review

Nikon P510 Mahesh Reddy

with more segments. The camera has an auxiliary zoom lever on the lens barrel in addition to the main zoom lever.

The hand grip is deep with a textured rubber lining to enhance grip. The tripod mount is metal.

Key Features The 16.1 megapixel Nikon Coolpix P510 uses a 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62mm) Back-side Illuminated CMOS sensor for imaging. This, combined with the new EXPEED C2 image processing engine, is capable of delivering superior low-light performance with reduced noise. The camera features a Nikkor 24-1000mm equivalent f/3-5.9 lens featuring Vibration Reduction. This allows you to capture all types of photographs from macro and landscapes to wildlife and birds. The lens is constructed with 14 elements in 10 groups including 4 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and uses an electronically controlled 6-blade diaphragm. The camera uses contrast detect autofocus system.

In normal mode, the lens focusses from approximately 50cm to infinity at the wide-angle end and from approximately 1.5m to infinity at the telephoto end. In Macro mode, the lens focusses from approximately Noise

ISO:100

ISO:3200

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Compact Review Mahesh Reddy

Nikon Coolpix P510 images at 7 frames per second up to a maximum of 5 frames at a time. The camera has a GPS system, which inserts location information to the metadata tags in the images.

The camera has an electronic viewfinder (EVF) in addition to the display screen. The EVF features a 0.2 inch, approximately 201,000-dot LCD with dioptre adjustment. The monitor is a 3-inch, approximately 921,000dot wide viewing angle TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating. The P510 has an internal memory of approximately 90MB and accepts an SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card. The device weighs approximately 555g including battery and memory card and has dimensions of approximately 119.8 x 82.9 x 102.2mm excluding projections.

1cm to infinity at the wide-angle end.

Focus area selection options are Face Priority Auto with 9-area automatic selection, centre, manual with 99 focus areas, subject tracking, and target finding AF. Metering modes available are 224-segment matrix, centre-weighted, and spot. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2 EV in 1/3-EV steps. The camera has both a mechanical shutter and a CMOS electronic shutter. This allows for higher capture speeds in high-speed mode (a CMOS shutter works by altering the readout time of signals from individual pixels on the sensor and hence it does not have any moving part). Shutter speeds range from 8 to 1/4000 sec and sensitivity of the camera ranges from ISO 100 to 3200, with additional high-sensitivity modes H1 (equivalent to ISO 6400) and H2 (equivalent to ISO 12800). Self-timer can be set to 108

Smart Photography June 2012

either 2 sec or 10 sec. The built-in flash has a range of approximately 0.5 to 8.0 m (W) and approximately 1.5 to 4.5m (T) when the ISO sensitivity is set to Auto. The shooting modes available are Auto, Scene, Special effects, P, S, A, M, and User settings. The Scene modes are Scene auto selector, Close-up, Portrait, Food, Sports, Museum, Night portrait, Fireworks show, Party/indoor, Black and white copy, Beach, Panorama, Snow, Pet portrait, Sunset, 3D photography, Dusk/ dawn, Night landscape, Landscape, and Backlighting.

Still images are recorded in JPEG format with a maximum image size of 54608 x 3456 pixels, while 3D images are recorded in MPO format. HD Video clips are recorded in MOV format with the best quality of 1920 x 1080 at approximately 30 fps. In Continuous H mode, the camera can capture

Ergonomics The P510 is easy to operate. The deep and rubber-lined hand grip provides a secure feel and the projected lens barrel allows you to support the camera with your left hand so that it remains steady. The LCD panel can tilt approximately 82 degree downward and approximately 90 degree upwards.

Images appear crisp on the screen. The EVF is very useful if you want to reduce camera shake, though it suffers from tunnel vision. We feel the command dial has been placed too close to the hand grip. It would have been easier to access it if it was placed below the mode dial.

Performance It is quite a challenge to design a camera with a 42x optical zoom lens and still maintain image quality throughout the focal length. Let us

Compact Review

Nikon P510 see how the Nikon P510 performed on our test bench. The lens controlled darkening of corners very well. At the wide-angle end, with wide open aperture, it did not produce any darkening of corners, which is rare.

Distortion was well under control.

We did not observe any prominent distortion except for slight barrel distortion observed up to 75mm. The lens produced rather heavy flare along with purple fringing. White Balance performed as expected, reproducing colours very well in both auto as well as pre-set modes, except for a slight yellow cast under incandescent light.

Native print size of the images was 11.52 x 15.36 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent of this screen size, viewed on a monitor with resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels, images were free of noise up to ISO800. At 50 percent of the screen size, images were acceptable up to ISO 200. At 100 percent of the native image size, noise was observed even at ISO 100, but the images were usable up to ISO 800, depending on your requirement. We are a tad disappointed since we expected better noise control owing to the BSI CMOS sensor. Please note that these are noise levels as observed on our computer screen and it might differ on print, depending on the size of final image, printer, printing paper and the ink used.

The images were sharp at the centre, but the sharpness decreased towards the periphery. As expected, the images were soft beyond approximately 350mm. AF was slow and struggled to lock on to the subject in many cases. All the metering modes performed well as expected.

Value for Money The Nikon Coolpix P510 retails at an MRP of Rs.23,950. At this price, the camera is good value for money.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective pixels : 16.1 million : 1/2.3-inch Type CMOS Image sensor Lens : NIKKOR 24-1000 mm equivalent f/3-5.9 Lens Construction : 14 elements in 10 groups (4 ED lens elements) Vibration reduction : Lens shift Autofocus Method : Contrast-detect AF Focus range : Normal: Approx. 50 cm to infinity (from lens) [W] , Approx. 1.5m to infinity [T] Macro: Approx. 1 cm (W) to infinity Focus-area selection : Face priority, auto (9-area auto selection), centre, manual, subject tracking, target finding AF : Electronic viewfinder, 0.2-inch, Viewfinder approx. 201k-dot equivalent LCD with the dioptre adjustment function (-4 to +4m-1) Monitor : 3-inch, approx. 921k-dot, wide viewing angle TFT LCD monitor with anti-reflection coating, tiltable approx. 82째 downward, approx. 90째 upward Storage Media : Internal memory (approx. 90 MB) SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card File formats : Still pictures: JPEG; 3D pictures: MPO; Sound files: WAV; Movies: MOV (Video: H.264 MPEG-4 AVC, Audio: AAC stereo) Max. Image size : 4608x3456 (pixels) Shooting Modes : Auto, Scene, Special effects, P, S, A, M, User settings Scene Modes : Scene auto selector, Close-up, Portrait, Food, Sports, Museum, Night portrait, Fireworks show, Party/indoor, Black and white copy, Beach, Panorama, Snow, Pet portrait, Sunset, 3D photography, Dusk/dawn, Night landscape, Landscape, Backlighting Continuous Shooting : Continuous H (7 fps), Continuous L (Up to 30 frames at 1 fps), Multi shot 16, Interval timer shooting Best Movie quality : 1920 x 1080/approx. 30 fps ISO sensitivity : ISO 100 to 3200, Hi 1 (equiv to 6400), Auto, Hi 2 (equiv to 12800) Metering Modes : Matrix, centre-weighted, spot Exposure comp. : -2.0 to +2.0 EV in steps of 1/3 EV

Shutter : Mechanical and CMOS electronic : 8 to 1/4000 sec Shutter Speed Aperture : Electronically-controlled 6-blade iris diaphragm Self-timer : Can be selected from 10s and 2s Built-in flash Range : Approx. 0.5 to 8.0 m (W), approx.

1.5 to 4.5 m (T) (ISO: Auto) Interface : Hi-Speed USB HDMI output : Auto, 480p, 720p, and 1080i GPS : Receiver frequency 1575.42 MHz (C/A code), geodetic system WGS 84 Power source : One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5 (included) Dimensions : Approx. 119.8 x 82.9 x 102.2 mm (W x H x D) (excluding projections) : Approx. 555 g (including battery Weight and SD memory card) +

42x optical zoom

+

7 fps High-speed mode

-

Sluggish AF

-

Performance could have been better

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

17/20

Key Features

18/20

Ergonomics

17/20

Performance Autofocus 2/5 Metering

4/5

2/5

Noise Control

Distortion/Sharpness

3/5

3/5

LCD/VF

AWB Sub-Total

4/5 18/30

Value for Money

8/10

Grand Total

78/100

Verdict With a market-leading 42x optical zoom in a compact body, the Nikon Coolpix P510 has raised the standard for superzoom cameras. The camera features priority modes and useful additional features. The slow AF and overall performance, though, are of concern. Recommended.

Sujith Gopinath

June 2012 Smart Photography

109

Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V

Impressive!

85

S

ony cameras feature innovative technology such as Sweep Panorama and 3D image capture.

The H-series is the most advanced in Sony’s prosumer segment, and the 18.2-megapixel Cyber-shot DSCHX10V is the latest on the block.

%

Rs.17,990

Design and Build Quality Sony’s HX10V is designed, keeping

Flash Output

visual appeal in perspective, which has been the hallmark of Sony cameras.

The outer body of the camera is made up of a combination of metal and engineering plastic. It appears sturdy. The lens has a two-segment construction; the tripod mount is metal. Embedded on the top panel, the built-in flash pops up when activated.

Macro

Inside the Box Camera Battery l AC Adapter l USB Cable l HDMI/AV Cable l Warranty Card l Basic Manual l CD ROM l l

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Smart Photography June 2012

Aperture: f/4.5 Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec. ISO:100

:

Aperture

0

. ISO:10

ed: 1/20

er Spe f/4 Shutt

Compact Review

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V Key Features Mahesh Reddy

The 18.2-megapixel Sony DSC-HX10V uses a 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62mm) Exmor R CMOS sensor for imaging and a BIONZ engine for processing the images. The camera features a Sony G 24-384mm equivalent f/3.3-5.9 lens.

The lens has a total aperture range of f/3.3 to 8.0 (at the wide-angle end) and features an Optical Steady Shot stabilisation system. At the wide-angle end, it focusses from approximately 5 cm to infinity, while at the telephoto end, it focusses from approximately 120cm to infinity. Focus modes available are Multi-point, Centre, Spot, and Flexible Spot. Metering modes are Multi-pattern, Centre-weighted, and Spot. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2 EV in 1/3EV steps. Sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 12800 and shutter speed can be varied from 30 to 1/1600 sec. White Balance options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, One Push, and One Push Set. The built-in flash has a range of approximately 0.25 to 5.3m at the wideangle end and approximately 1.2 to 2.9m at the telephoto end when ISO is set to Auto. Flash modes are Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, and Slow Synchro. The HX10V features Face Detection with Noise

ISO:100

ISO:12800

June 2012 Smart Photography

111

Compact Review Mahesh Reddy

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V

options of Auto, Off, Child Priority, and Adult Priority. This feature can detect up to 8 faces in a frame. Shooting modes of the camera are Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Easy Shooting, Program, Movie Mode, Panorama, Scene Selection, Picture Effect, 3D, Background Defocus, Intelligent Sweep Panorama, and Manual Exposure. Scene Selection Mode allows you to select between High Sensitivity, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Advanced Sports Shooting, Gourmet, Pet, Soft Skin, Handheld Twilight, Anti Motion Blur, Backlight Correction, HDR, and 3D. The HX10V records still images in JPEG format with a maximum size of 4896 x 3672 pixels while movies are recorded in AVCHD format with the best quality of 1920 x 1080 at 24 fps.

The camera has an internal memory and 112

Smart Photography June 2012

uses a Memory Stick Duo/SD/Memory Stick Micro/Micro SD memory card for external storage. Though Sony does not specify the capacity of internal memory, it is sufficient to record three still images at full resolution. The camera uses a 3.0-inch, 921,600-dot XtraFine LCD. The unit is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack NP-BG1. It weighs approximately 234g with battery and Memory Stick, and has dimensions of 104.7 x 59.7 x 33.8mm.

Ergonomics The Sony DSC-HX10V is easy to use and has a clean interface which is easy to navigate. Images on the LCD panel appear sharp. The camera has a protruding hand grip lined with a synthetic lining. The device can slip out of your hand, and hence do not forget to attach the strap while using the camera. Though the camera

features Manual and Program modes, it does not have priority modes, which hinders creative freedom. Also the lack of a comprehensive user manual could be worrisome for some since all features are not self-explanatory.

Performance Sony compacts are known for their fine performance and the HX-10V is no exception. Focussing was fast and accurate even under low light. Images were sharp and colours vibrant.

The camera did not produce any perceptible distortion at any focal length, which is very rare. Metering was accurate with all metering modes performing as expected. The camera reproduced colours as expected with all White Balance modes performing very well, except under incandescent light, where Auto White Balance produced slight red cast.

Compact Review

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V Native print size of the images was 12.24 x 16.32 inches at 300 ppi. We compared the images for noise on a monitor with 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution. At 25 percent of the screen size, the images were free of noise up to ISO 3200. Though ISO 6400 and 12800 produced slight noise, the images were perfectly usable. At 50 percent screen size, the images remained noise-free up to ISO 800.

Here, ISO 3200 appeared less noisy than ISO 1600, probably because of the noise reduction algorithm acting at this sensitivity level. Viewed at 100 percent, we observed noise from ISO 400 onwards, but they were quite usable throughout the ISO range. The noise levels were judged as observed on our computer screen and it might differ on print. Noise observed on print depends on various factors such as the size of the final image, viewing distance, printing method, printer, printing paper, and the ink used. Generally, noise seen on screen is more than what one sees on a print.

We observed some darkening of corners at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open. Prominent flare with purple fringing was observed at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open, in against-the-light shots, but you might not even notice these in general, everyday images.

Value for Money The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V retails at an MRP of Rs.17,990. At this price, the camera appears good value for money.

SPECIFICATIONS

Image Sensor Type : Exmor R CMOS Size : 1/2.3-inch Type(6.16 x 4.62mm) Effective Pixels : Approx. 18.2 Mega Pixels

Lens Type : Sony G Lens F-Number : 3.3 - 5.9 Focal Length : 24 – 384mm equivalent Focus Range : W: Approx. 5cm to Infinity, T: Approx. 120cm to Infinity Screen : 3.0-inch, 921,600-dot XtraFine LCD Imaging Processor : BIONZ Image Stabiliser : Optical SteadyShot System Focus Modes : Multi-Point, Centre-Weighted, Spot, Flexible Spot Metering Modes : Multi Pattern, Centre-Weighted, Spot Exposure Comp. : +/- 2.0EV, 1/3EV Step : Auto, ISO 100 to 12800 ISO Sensitivity Setting White Balance : Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, One Push, One Push Set Shutter Speed : 30 - 1/1600 : Yes (10sec/2sec/Off/Portrait Self-Timer 1/Portrait 2) Flash Mode : Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Synchro Flash Range : ISO Auto: Approx.0.25m to 5.3m (W) / Approx.1.2m to 2.9 m (T) Auto Macro : Yes : Yes (Auto / Off) Auto Focus Illuminator Aperture Range : F3.3 - 8.0(W) Face Detection : Auto, Off, Child Priority, Adult Modes Priority Max. No of : 8 Detectable Faces Shooting Modes : Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Easy Shooting, Program, Movie Mode, Panorama, Scene Selection, Picture Effect, 3D, Background Defocus, Intelligent. Sweep Panorama, Manual Exposure Scene Selection : High Sensitivity, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Advanced Sports Shooting, Gourmet, Pet, Soft Skin, Handheld Twilight, Anti Motion Blur, Backlight Correction HDR, 3D Recording Media : Memory Stick Duo, SD,Memory Stick Micro, Micro SD Max. Recorded Pixels : 4,896 X 3,672 Best Movie Quality : AVCHD - 1,920 X 1,080 (24M, FX) Supplied Battery : Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BG1 Dimensions : 104.7 x 59.7x 33.8mm (W x H x D) Weight : Approx. 234g (with Battery & Memory Stick)

+

Excellent Build and Design

+

Brilliant Performance

+

Feature-packed

-

No Priority Modes

-

No Complete User Manual

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

17/20

Key Features

17/20

Ergonomics

16/20

Performance Autofocus 5/5 Metering

5/5

4/5

Noise Control

Distortion/Sharpness

5/5

4/5

LCD/VF

AWB Sub-Total

4/5 27/30

Value for Money

8/10

Grand Total

85/100

Verdict The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V is a compact and capable super zoom camera that performs like a champion. The lack of priority modes and a comprehensive user manual can prove to be a problem for many users. Nevertheless, with its superior performance and sensible pricing, the camera earns itself a Best Buy.

Sujith Gopinath

June 2012 Smart Photography

113

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Tidbits

Quiz Time

T

he following is a list of SLR manufacturers. Fill in the country of origin with their corresponding manufacturer, and ten all correct entries will win a one year subscription to Smart Photography each!

Manufacturer

Ihagee

Country

KMZ Corfield Pignons Topcon Zunow Kowa Regula Haking Chinon Cima Voigtlander Gomz Rectaflex Leitz Entries may be sent by E-mail to sphoto.india@gmail.com with the subject header ‘Quiz Time’ . However, please also provide a mailing address and contact number.

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Smart Photography June 2012

RNI No. MAHENG/2005/14978