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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 issue 11 | volume 07 | FeBRuaRy 2012

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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 buzz in imaging circles currently is whether the industry is facing a slowdown.

Initial figures for the first five months of 2012 seems to indicate that this is true.

The compact camera market that was growing at more than 30% is now down to 18%. D-SLR sales are still brisk and the newer D-SLRs are in short supply. High inflation, high interest rates and general economic anxiety have contributed to this slowdown. Add to that the depreciating rupee.

The Government has already had a wake up call.

If the right steps are taken, the second half of the year promises to be better.

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!

July 2012 Smart Photography

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Contents July 2012

54

38

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14 News Watch

Nikon D3200

29 Industry Opinion - Umang Bedi, Adobe Systems issue 4 | volume 08 | july 2012

AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8G

showcase

Kedar Karmarkar

Learnings

Basics of Photography : Post Processing in D-SLRs The Shadows/Highlights Tool Fungus Photography Tips Give your Photos a Velvia® Touch with a Black & White Adjustment Layer

Cover Photograph: C. P. Satyajit

30 Picture of the Month 32 Kaleidoscope - Joydeep Mukherjee 38 Showcase - Kedar Karmarkar

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 July 2012

46 If I Were You

49 Ask Uncle Ronnie 54 Master Craftsman - C.P. Satyajit 138 Tidbits

Contents July 2012

76 71 LEARNINGS 62 Basics of Photography: Post Processing in D-SLRs 71 The Shadows/Highlights Tool 74 Fungus 76 Photography Tips 80 Give your Photos a Velvia速 Touch with a Black & White Adjustment Layer

REVIEWS

86 Nikon D3200 91 Canon PowerShot A4000 95 Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20) 99 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V 103 AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8G 8

Smart Photography July 2012

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A Touch of Class

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Mahender Soni ■ Taras Taraporvala ■

Nikon D4

Digital borders I read the article on digital borders in the June issue of SP issue. I follow every tutorial explained and practice it on my images.

Professionally I am a teacher, but photography and designing are what drives me.

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

Write to us at: Mail Bag Smart Photography, Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.

E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net

The image here is an experiment to see how well I could create digital frames. I hope you will like it, and a big thank you to SP and Rajendra Prasad.

Regards, Deepak Kumbhar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Win

Letter Of The Month

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

The Nilkantha Peak I shot this image while on a trip to Uttarakhand. During day time, the magnificent Nilkantha Peak behind the Badrinath Temple remained under thick clouds to add to my utter despair. I decided to try my luck and catch the beauty through my lens at night. It was a cold and windy night. I mounted my D-90 on a tripod in the balcony of the guest house. Through my lens(18-200) and upon zooming in, I could see the awesome white expanse of the peak in the moderately moonlit clear night (it was a day or two after a full moon day).

Auto focus did not work in the dim light and I had to focus manually. I experimented with long shutter speeds from 60sec to 687.1 secs (11mins 45sec.) and at different apertures. Inspite of the chill, I managed around 15/20 shots. The image was a little under exposed. Hence I brightened the same using Brighten Contrast tool in

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Smart Photography July 2012

Photoshop. By doing so the setting star streaks in the blue sky background became more visible, and without the streaks, nobody could recognize the photo as a long exposure Night Shot.

Thanks and Regards, Agnidev Sau (An ardent follower of Uncle Ronnie), Kolkata

Mailbag

Tech Ed’s reply:

Megapixels or quality images?

Yesteryear’s 2 MP digicams are now hitting 36 MPs (D-800). Never thought Nikon would take this jump, which is against their own earlier strategy on raising megapixels.

Sony’s A-77/A-65 and NEX-7: 24 MP resolution.

Samsung has a compact digicam with 20 megapixels.

Nikon’s D-800/D-800E: Whopping 36 MP resolution in FXformat.

Nikon’s recent announcement on 24 MP D3200 entry-level D-SLR. Canon may not remain quiet and might consider taking the plunge as well. When Canon initiated the megapixel race, Nikon resisted. Now, it is the front-runner. Temptation or commercial panic ?

What’s going on here? I am a portrait photographer. The maximum enlargement I have done is 12 x 18 inches. All my photo-books are 12x12 inches. Usually, I do not see anyone talking of having done 24x36 size prints. Facebook uploading does well with even 6 megapixels. Emails do not require even that much.

So whom are these monster megapixel cameras going to cater to?

For those who want jumbo prints?

For those who would shoot in a hurry, and then crop? For those who want detail in landscapes?

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Smart Photography July 2012

Today, even a 12 MP D-SLRs can give very good enlargements, if one possesses good postprocessing skills. Under this garb of big daddy megapixels, manufacturers are confusing us, and at the same time, raising product prices.

Instead, I would love to have a very efficient D-SLR that provides me with truly high quality images in low light (6400 ISO), a sturdy body (magnesium alloy), and all at a cost of say, Rs.25,000 even at 12 MP. With the money saved, I would buy quality lenses.

I would expect an FX body not to cost me more than Rs. 50,000!

I already have an inventory of 20mm, 50mm, 105 (micro) and 24-120mm zoom lens. I use Fujifilm’s S-5 Pro. My camera is good. My results are excellent. Now this megapixel jump is tempting/confusing me!

I can buy a D800 or a Sony A-77. But how can these cameras further help me in getting better photographs?

Can higher megapixels bail out a bad or average photographer?

What does the Smart Photography team think about this?

Thanks and Regards, Rajan Patil, Pune

Rajan, you have hit the nail right on the head!

Those who go in for these highmegapixel models do not realise: 1. They will require very high-end lenses to do justice to the highresolution sensors. And, with the current technology, the limitation is the lens, not the sensor!

2. These mega-monster models are ‘unforgiving’. The slightest camera movement during exposure, or the use of anything but the highest quality lenses, will stand out like a sore thumb.

3. They will require faster memory cards, faster computers and larger hard-disk space.

4. That for day-to-day-size-images, every image will need to be ‘downsized’.

Of course, one can shoot at lower resolutions, but then, what’s the big idea in buying such models if you have to ‘downsize’ the images? While cropping, the larger files are at an advantage, but why not compose correctly when taking the photos? I know that this may not be possible every time, but for the majority of the pictures, does one really need to crop later on?

5. To answer your last question, no, higher megapixels cannot bail out a bad or average photographer. The maxim ‘rubbish in, rubbish out’ stands good even today.

6. I wouldn’t say that having high megapixel models is entirely wrong, but for most day-to-day situations, 36 MP seems to be an overkill.

News Watch International SNIPPETS Nikon issues firmware updates Nikon has updated the firmware of both the D4 and D800. The D4 receives updates to v1.01 for both firmware A and B, while the D800 and D800E have only B firmware v1.01. Updates can be downloaded from the Nikon website.

Fujifilm M Mount Adapter for X-Pro1

Fujifilm has announced the new M Mount Adapter for its X-Pro1 camera. The camera side of the Adapter features an array of electronic connections that automatically pass information to the X-Pro1 body based on pre-registered lens profiles.

Canon announces EOS 650D D-SLR with Hybrid AF

Canon recently launched the EOS 650D, a D-SLR that offers high image quality and simple touchscreen operation.

The 650D is the first-ever EOS to feature a dual AF system, which ensures exceptional detail in stills and continuous autofocus tracking when shooting movies. The camera features an 18 megapixel (MP) Hybrid CMOS sensor and powerful DIGIC 5 processing, enabling the capture of sharp images at up to 5 frames per second. A Vari-angle capacitive touch-screen also makes camera operation quick and easy. The camera will be available from the end of June at a price of $849, body only.

Panasonic FX90 firmware updates Wi-Fi functions

Canon creates EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm F2.8 STM

Thanko sells RC shutter release unit

Canon has developed the EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm F2.8 STM lenses with stepper motors for fast, quiet operation when shooting video.

The 18-135mm STM is an extended standard zoom for APS-C D-SLRs, while the 40mm STM is a pancake prime lens for full frame and APS-C cameras. They both also have electromagnetic diaphragms to allow smooth and accurate control over aperture for video shooting. The lenses will be available from late June 2012, with the 18-135mm STM costing $549, and the 40mm F2.8 STM costing $199.

Panasonic has released firmware v2.0 for its DMC-FX90 WiFi compact, adding a series of features to allow its use with smartphones. The latest firmware features can be used with the associated iOS and Android smartphone apps.

Thanko has the released an affordable cabled remotecontrol shutter release unit with 3-inch LCD monitor priced at 14,800 yen (US$180). It is presently compatible with Canon D-SLR cameras.

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Smart Photography July 2012

News Watch International

Sony announces Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 s

SNIPPETS Corel Service Pack 2 for PaintShop Pro X4 Corel’s Service Pack 2 for PaintShop Pro X4 has been released. With this update Corel has added bug fixes, Raw file support for 18 additional cameras and improved support for PSD files.

Adobe launches ACR v7.1 and Lightroom v4.1 Adobe has launched final versions of Photoshop Lightroom v4.1 and Adobe Camera Raw v7.1 that include support for the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

They can be downloaded from the Adobe website.

Fujifilm to launch wideangle converter for X100

Fujifilm has announced the front wideangle 0.8X conversion lens dubbed the WCLX100 dedicated to the FinePix X100 high-end compact camera. The converter is compatible with firmware upgrade of the camera.

Fujifilm to end APS film products

Fujifilm is slated to discontinue all the APS (Advanced Photo System) film products. Sales will end as current stock expires.

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Smart Photography July 2012

Sony has announced the Cybershot DSC-RX100, an enthusiast compact camera housing a a 20 megapixel 1” CMOS sensor. It features a 28-100mm equivalent lens with F1.8-4.9 aperture range and image stabilisation and is the first Sony compact to capture Raw files. It features a lens control dial and a 3:2 aspect ratio sensor. The Control Ring that surrounds the lens body enables D-SLR style control over exposure, zoom and other functions. The optimised Bionz image processor extends sensitivity up to ISO 25,600. The Cybershot RX100 offers both auto or manual modes, as well as full-HD movie recording. The RX100 will be available from July at around $649.

Lumix G Vario 12-35mm F2.8 fast zoom from Panasonic The LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm/F2.8 ASPH./POWER O.I.S offers a 24-70mm equivalent field-of-view, and is the first constant-aperture standard zoom for a mirrorless system.

The lens is the latest in Panasonic’s premium ‘X’-branded range and uses the company’s latest Power O.I.S optical stabilisation system. The newest addition to the company’s premium lens brand “X,” which is compatible with the Panasonic LUMIX G Series and complies with the Micro Four Thirds system standard, this lens offers a versatile zoom range of 12-35mm (35mm camera equivalent: 24-70mm) and features constant F2.8 aperture brightness at entire zoom range.

The LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm/F2.8 ASPH./POWER O.I.S. lens incorporates Panasonic’s unique Nano Surface Coating technology which minimises reflections at entire visual range (380mm-780mm), resulting in a dramatic reduction of ghosts and flare for extremely clear picture quality.

The rubber ring on the metal lens mount is designed to stand up against splash and dust making it ideal for outdoor photography enthusiasts. It will be available from August, pricing details are not yet available.

News Watch International

Sony World Photography Awards 2013 opens for entries The 2013 Sony World Photography Awards, organised by the World

Pentax launches SMC DA 50mm F1.8

Pentax has announced the DA 50mm f/1.8, a telephoto prime lens for APS-C interchangeable lens cameras. The lens offers a 76.5mm equivalent field of view on Pentax D-SLRs or K-01 cameras.

The lens is designed to look like Pentax’s premium ‘Limited’ prime lenses, but features a plastic lens mount. The lens is only 38.5mm long at its shortest, and will sell for around $249.95/€269/£249.

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Smart Photography July 2012

Photography Organisation (WPO), is now open for entries. Each year the Awards uncover and celebrate the very best in international contemporary photography. Previous winners include Alejandro Chaskielberg, Simon Norfolk, Paolo Pellegrin, Robin Hammond, Rena Effendi, David Zimmerman and the 2012 L’Iris d’Or recipient, US photographer Mitch Dobrowner.

Widely recognised as the leading global photographic awards programme, the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards include: • Professional competition for serious photographers • Open competition for amateurs and enthusiasts • Student Focus for higher education photography students aged 18-28 • Youth competition for photographers under 20 • Moving Image Award for those experimenting with film and narrative formats (will be live later in the year) • 3D Award for anyone using 3D technology in photography or video

Olympus working on E-M5 / 20mm banding Olympus has acknowledged the banding that can appear in high ISO OM-D E-M5 images shot with the Panasonic 20mm F1.7 lens and

says it is working on a fix. In the meantime, the only solution is to avoid high ISO settings when using that lens. An Olympus spokesperson said, “After checking every possible combination of a body and a lens, we found the phenomena only with this combination (OM-D, E-M5 coupled with the Panasonic 20mm pancake lens). We are continuing to study how we can eliminate this and we recommend for our customers using E-M5 with Panasonic 20mm pancake lens to keep a low ISO to avoid this problem for the time being.’

Casio launches Exilim EX-ZR300

Casio Japan has announced the Exilim EX-ZR300, a high-speed CMOSbased 16MP 12.5x zoom compact.

The ZR300 features a 24-300mm equivalent zoom and dual ‘Exilim Engine HS’ processors to offer autofocus in as little as 0.12sec and start-up in under 1 sec. It is one of the first cameras to support Toshiba’s Flash Air wireless SD card format. No further details of a US or European launch are available yet.

News Watch International

Sigma unveils SD15 Sigma has announced the release of the SD15, after several delays. The SD15 is the fourth D-SLR built entirely by Sigma. The earlier models released, since October 2002, include the SD9, SD10 and SD14 respectively.

The camera sports a Foveon X3 sensor, which as per Sigma claim ‘can capture all primary RGB colours at each and every pixel location arranged in three layers. It also features the True II image processing engine. The D-SLR features a 77-segment AE sensor, which allows for exposure accuracy using new AE algorithms. The D-SLR has a sensitivity of ISO100 to ISO1600, which can be extended to ISO50 and ISO3200.

The SD15 will be able to use five new lenses, which Sigma has unveiled, and it includes the 70-

Olympic Games committee sets restrictions on camera gear The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games has announced that “large photographic and broadcast equipment over 30cm in length” will not be allowed in the venues during the July-August sport event. Also restricted are large flags, banners, poles, oversized hats, large golf-style umbrellas, excessive amounts of food, balls, rackets, frisbees or similar objects or projectiles, noisemakers such as hunting horns, air horns, klaxons etc. and flags of countries not participating in the Games. The prohibited list, also discourages the use of personal/private wireless access points and 3G hubs in the venues. Smart devices such as Android phones, iPhone and tablets will be permitted inside venues, but must not be used as 20

Smart Photography July 2012

200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM, the 50-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM and the 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM.

wireless access points to connect multiple devices.

The restriction would prevent photographers from connecting wireless-ready cameras and SD cards with their iPhone to transmit their images.

Samyang creates 8mm F2.8 fish-eye lens for Sony NEX and Samsung NX Samyang has announced an 8mm F2.8 fish-eye lens for Samsung NX and the Sony E-mount used on its NEX mirrorless cameras. The 8mm F2.8 version comes in addition to the existing F3.5 fish-eye intended for the NEX VG10 camcorder. The F2.8 features ten lens elements in eight groups, including one aspherical element and two ED elements. Pricing and availability details have not been announced.

News Watch Business

Nikon and Canon battle it out to garner the digicam market share in India The race for shares between Nikon and Canon is gaining momentum in the growing market of India. The scale of the Indian market for digital cameras is estimated to be about 648 billion yen (US$8.1 billion) or 45 billion rupees. Compact camera sales are estimated to be about 30 billion rupee (66% of the total market), much larger than the market for D-SLR cameras that is estimated to

be about 7.5 billion rupee (16% of the total market). But the growth rate of the latter is almost 100% year-onyear and much higher than growth rate of compact cameras. According to Indian research firm, Cyber Media Research, Nikon had a share of 56% in the market for D-SLR cameras in 2010 (from April 2010 through March 2011), followed by Canon with a 37% market share. Nikon’s camera sales in

Sony India set to become the fifth largest contributor to Sony’s worldwide sales

Sony India is predicting a 30% rise in sales this year. Sony India is en route to becoming the fifth largest contributor to Sony’s worldwide sales in fiscal year 2013.

In fiscal year 2012, Sony India’s sales rose 16% to INR 63.13 billion ($1.1 billion).

In India, rising income levels are driving consumer’s appetite for consumer electronics such as flat-panel TV sets, personal computers, smart-phones cameras, and digital cameras.

Panasonic to invest $630m stake in beleaguered Olympus Panasonic is finalising a substantial investment in troubled medical and camera company Olympus, according to reports from Japan. The Kyodo news agency reported that Panasonic will invest around ¥500bn ($630m) in the business making it the company’s largest shareholder.

Earlier reports from Kyodo suggested that Olympus would announce an updated post-scandal business plan early last month, which could see a more formal announcement of such a deal. Olympus has repeatedly said it would seek a partner as it attempts to recover from an accounting scandal that had seen its share price plunge as it acknowledged losses of $1.7bn.

Fujifilm, which also has extensive medical interests, was long rumored to be interested in a partnership.

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Smart Photography July 2012

fiscal 2010 (April 2010 through March 2011), were about 7.5 billion rupee, but it plans to increase its camera sales by 60% to around 12 billion rupee in this fiscal year. In the meantime, Canon’s camera division sales in India in fiscal 2010 were about 6 billion rupees. Canon plans to increase its camera sales to 25 to 30 billion rupee by 2015. Rigorous advertising will be initiated to achieve these targets.

Sony to start quantity production of next-gen CMOS Sensors Sony is in talks to start quantity production of its new nextgeneration back-illuminated CMOS sensor, whose development was announced in January. The new sensor is 30% to 40% smaller than the conventional model by means of taking the light receiving layer onto the image processing layer.

The company has promoted the new sensor to cellphone terminal makers and supply contracts have been signed with a few makers. Sony will make a sample shipment soon. Sony targets to capture around 30% of the market share for cellphone cameras and smartphones in 2-3 year’s time.

News Watch Business

Color Drack Photofolio offers pioneer solutions for special occasions You are invited to a world where every photograph speaks more than a thousand words. Indeed, it is a world where every photograph forms a canvas for the interplay of myriad emotions and timeless expressions. With the unveiling of the popular Austrian based Color Drack Photofolio, it is finally possible to create sophisticated and superior photo albums in India for the first time. This is because the album enables customers to treasure every photograph along with the memories associated with it, especially during big fat Indian weddings!

These albums are equipped with superior technology that promises to infuse a fresh lease of life to wedding photographs. In fact, a wedding album is not only a living testimony to life’s most unforgettable moments, but is

few glances and careless whispers - Photofolio will provide the best medium to preserve all these.

also a celebration and permament preservation of those cherished moments. With its state-of-the-art binding, and sturdy paper edges that are unlikely to curl or bend over time, the album is currently available in multiple options. With over 80 years of heritage, the Color Drack Photofolio is undoubtedly a leading pioneer in the photofinishing business in India.

In addition, Color Drack has also come up with a novel concept in India – the exclusive CD Lounge.

Gone are the days when a photographer would have to remain restricted inside the four walls of his studio to discuss or showcase his work to clients. This lounge enables him to step out into the exquisite, beautifully decorated CD Lounge and rediscover the sheer essence of photography. Whether there are presentations to be made or discussions to be held - ensconced in the plush interiors of the CD Lounge, the photographers and their clients can now simply soak in the beauty and exclusivity.

It goes without saying that Color Drack uses the most sophisticated and updated high quality equipment for producing its high quality photo books which can fulfill the needs of the most demanding photographers. A special binding procedure enables the pages of Photofolio to be opened in a particular way and eliminates bending too. If there is a wedding where there are no poses, no retakes, but only a

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News Watch Business

Fujifilm to revamp its top management

Fujifilm has announced changes in the Executive Management of Fujifilm Holdings Corporation and its operating company Fujifilm Corporation. Shigetaka Komori, currently President and CEO of Fujifilm Holdings Corp. and President and CEO of Fujifilm Corp, will become Chairman of both companies.

Shigehiro Nakayama, currently Representative Director and Executive Vice President of Fujifilm Holdings and Fujifilm Corp., will be appointed President of both companies.

Under the new management structure, Shigetaka Komori

will continue as CEO, being responsible for the final approval of all management tasks. Shigehiro Nakayama, the new President, will also serve as COO and will be responsible for operations under the overall management policy with a particular focus on strengthening sales, improving R&D efficiency, and enhancing value-added productivity.

According to a press release, the appointments are to be formally decided at the Board of Directors’ meeting, following the 116th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders.

Olympus settles lawsuit with ex-chief Woodford

According to media reports, Michael Woodford, former CEO of Olympus, and the Japanese company have settled their unfair dismissal lawsuit. Woodford had filed a lawsuit against Olympus for discrimination and unfair dismissal at a London court, seeking a compensation of up to US-$ 60 million.

According to the Financial Times, both parties agreed on a payment of 10 million £ (US-$ 15.7 million/Euro 7.99 million). Following his dismissal in October 2011, Woodford had alarmed the media about irregular payments and financial transactions that had cost the shareholders a sum of approximately US-$ 1.3 billion. Later, the company admitted to covering up investment losses for decades and had used the questionable payments and write-downs to clear up its books.

In March 2012, ex top executives of the company, including former Chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, former Executive Vice President Hisashi Mori and ex Auditing Officer Hideo Yamada were indicted

by Tokyo Prosecuters for violating Japan’s financial instruments and exchange acts.

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Smart Photography July 2012

Canon to build fullyautomated production lines for D-cams

Canon aims to build fully automated production lines at its two digital camera factories in Japan by 2015, aiming to become the world’s first manufacturer to assemble D-cams using robots. With this cost-cutting measure, Canon intends to maintain domestic production and development rather than shifting them overseas. According to Canon’s latest plan, some assembly processes will be completely automated at first at the firm’s mainstay plant in Oita Prefecture and its production base for interchangeable lenses in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Pref, near Tokyo. Digital cameras use 600 to 1,000 parts apiece. Canon will soon start upgrading manufacturing equipment to ensure that all processes from assembling through packaging can be carried out without workers. Once manufacturing is fully automated, it intends to keep employees on by transferring them to production control at the plants and to new divisions with growth fields.

News Watch National

Sony releases world’s Sony reveals plan to fastest 12 fps continuous sell 6.5 lakh VAIO units shooting camera in FY12 Sony has expanded its range of interchangeable lens camera with the launch of the Alpha 77. The newly

launched camera comes with a new A-mount model appealing to advanced amateurs and serious photo enthusiasts. Alpha 77 is said to be the fastest 12fps burst shooting for interchangeable lens camera with a APS-C size sensor. Working in tandem with Sony’s enhanced Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (24.3 effective megapixel resolution) and newly developed BIONZ image processor, the Translucent Mirror Technology allows users to take sharp, ultra-low noise photos. The Alpha 77 also has a broad sensitivity range of ISO 100 – 16,000 (expandable up to 50) and shutter speeds up to 1/8000.

The MRP of Sony Alpha 77 is Rs. 69,990/- (Body Only).

Besides this, Sony also unveiled the Alpha 65 priced at Rs. 59,990 and the Alpha 57 at Rs. 45,990 body only.

Sony India announced its ambitious plans to sell 6.5 lakh VAIO units in FY12, up from 5 lakh units in FY11.

This year, Sony India adds VAIO E14A, with unique wrap design with accent colours, VAIO T, the Ultrabook and new models of E, S Kareena Kapoor displaying the VAIO and Z series to its everlaptop expanding product portfolio. Sony will also consolidate its distribution network by adding 500 more channel counters, taking the total count to 4,500 in FY12. Sony for the first time introduces on-site support for all VAIO models, beginning July 2012.

Towards marketing, Sony will invest a huge sum of Rs. 90 crore in FY12, starting with ‘Spark a Trend’ campaign with Brand Ambassador Kareena Kapoor.

Speaking after the launch in Mumbai, Masaru Tamagawa, Managing Director, Sony India, said, “I am very proud of VAIO’s exceptional growth in Indian market and we hope to continue the momentum. The contribution of VAIO is also expected to rise from 20% to 25% to the overall sales of Sony India by FY12.”

Kingston to ship 2666MHz HyperX memory Kingston is all set to ship its HyperX dual-channel kits engineered especially for the new Intel thirdgeneration Core i7 and i5 processors (Ivy Bridge). Kingston HyperX memory is available in 16GB and 8GB kits of two at 1600MHz, 2133MHz, 2400MHz and soon to

be speedy 2666MHz frequencies.

Kingston achieved Intel XMP certification for its family of HyperX memory specifically engineered for the new 3000 series processors.

In addition, 2800MHz HyperX kits were certified on the following motherboards: ASUS P8Z77-V

Deluxe and GIGABYTE Z77X-UD5H. Kingston HyperX memory is available through Kingston’s channel of authorised distributors, resellers, and retailers. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com/en/ memory/hyperX July 2012 Smart Photography

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News Watch National

Nikon strengthens its presence in India with a new Delhi Office Nikon India announced the opening of their branch office in New Delhi, as part of the company’s continued geographic expansion across key markets in India. The new office was inaugurated by Hiroshi Takashina, Managing Director, Nikon India along with Shizuo Shimizu, General Manager- Quality Assurance Department, Hiroshi Masumoto, Manager- Service Planning, Quality Assurance Department and Takehiko Ogasahara, General ManagerInternational Customer Support Division, Nikon Hong Kong.

The Delhi branch office, located at Pusa Road is Nikon’s fifth office to be opened in India after those in Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai and Head office in Gurgaon.

Nikon’s expansion in New Delhi will strengthen its footprint in the key state. With about 23 service centers, 51 collection centers, 31 distributors and over 3000 partners spread all across India, the new office will enable Nikon to better serve

Team Nikon at the inauguration

Delhi customers with local service and informed sales support.

The company also aims to use this office to expand the reach of Nikon School in India. Nikon School is an initiative to impart skills to photography enthusiasts by providing tips, expert guidance and insights about photography. Besides basics, wildlife, nature, street and fashion photography workshops are also conducted by Nikon School India.

Tamagawa san appointed as Ergin Imaging Systems new President of Sony Europe appointed national distributors Sony Europe announced the appointment for Kodak and Fullcolor of Masaru Tamagawa as new President of Sony Europe, effective July 1st, 2012. He succeeds Fujio Nishida, who will become Chairman of Sony Europe to oversee the transformation program currently being implemented throughout Sony’s consumer electronics operations.

Earlier Tamagawa san had been Managing Director of Sony India ever since 2007, and was largely responsible for enlarging the business with increasing revenues. Prior to the same, he led Sony Gulf, (based in Dubai). He is also a key advocate of ‘One Sony’ and convergence - leveraging the mutual and unique strengths of the company’s entertainment and electronics businesses. We at Smart Photography wish him all the very best in his new role.

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Smart Photography July 2012

Ergin Imaging Systems has been appointed as the national distributor for Fullcolor brand of Inkjet paper and also for the Kodak Brand of Inkjet papers for North India. The company has ambitious plans in the pipeline for the photographic market in the country.

The company caters to a diverse range of products that includes Inkjet photo paper, Fine art paper, T-Shirt transfer paper, artisitic canvas paper, inkjet compatible cartridges etc.

The unique selling point of the inkjet paper is the specially designed anti curl technology which ensures that the prints remain flat even after the printing process is over. The company believes in offering complete printing solutions to its customers.

News Watch National

The Footmarks conducts photography group meeting The Footmarks, a group dedicated to photo-tourism and imparting knowledge of photography, conducted a group meeting at the J. W. Marriot at Juhu in Mumbai on 8th May 2012. Several regulars from the Footmarks photoJassi Oberoi addressing the audience tours were present, along with members of the media and photo magazines.

Jassi Oberai, founder of The Footmarks inaugurated the event. He shared details about the group’s achievement so far, and showcased their future roadmap. Jassi spoke of their desire to reach out to photo enthusiasts in smaller cities and towns. Among other achievements of The Footmarks, Jassi announced the launch of “India Klicks” – their first All- India Salon of Photography scheduled to be held in August 2012.

Some other future plans included photo exchange programs with other city-states like Singapore, Hong Kong etc., the launch of “Klick Academy” and Photography Cafes all across India.

The Footmark’s website was inaugurated by Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography. This was followed by several members expressing their satisfaction with the programs conducted by the group. The formal launch was followed by a starstudded, fun-filled evening with fashion shows by Anita Dhongre and Rina Dhaka. Cocktails and dinner were provided thereafter. Visit www.thefootmarks.com to know more about tours and ‘India Klicks’.

Fujifilm’s FinePix S2980 ideal for wide angle photography Fujifilm has introduced the FinePix S2980, which offers a 18x optical zoom making the camera ideal for wide angle use.

FinePix S2980 is super zoom bridge camera that houses impressive features including 14 megapixel, CCD sensor which delivers large, high-resolution images, 28mm wide angle, 18x Fujinon optical zoom, a large 3.0” LCD screen and HD movie capture. FinePix S2980 is priced at Rs. 12,499/with a two year warranty.

PSI celebrates its Platinum Jubilee

The Photographic Society of India (PSI), this year, celebrates its 75th year. The Society is considered to be one of the oldest societies of its kind in the subcontinent PSI is an active group that conducts lectures, demonstrations, photographic competitions, workshops, outings, etc on a weekly basis. It also organises photographic trips to picturesque and exotic locations.

Apart from organising various photographic competitions exclusively for its members, the Society also conducts National and International photographic competitions which are open to all. The All India Photographic Exhibition is held every year at the Jehangir Art Gallery.

To celebrate its Platinum Jubilee the Society has set-up many interesting activities. A quarterly thematic portfolio competition has been introduced. Special photography tours to exotic locations are being arranged. Works of legendary Masters of Photography will be showcased.

These displays are open to the general public. Here’s wishing PSI many more prosperous years.

July 2012 Smart Photography

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News Watch Exhibition Travelography

Age of Expressions

‘The Age of Expressions’ is a photographic expo

by Satyam Dave featuring the different moods and expression of people with different handicaps. The attempt was to capture the different expressions of the blind. In fact, the images were exhibited at the art festival held at Szczecin, Poland, which was organised

by Fotart. Visit www.fotart.com.pl for more information about the exhibition.

Imaging a Legend

Kismat

Tao Art Gallery presented a photo exhibition ‘Imaging A Legend’, (which is a photographic tribute to Late M.F. Husain), which was curated by Niyatee Shinde and Fawzan Husain on the occasion of the renowned painters first death anniversary. The expo featured the work of eminent photographers which included the likes of Amit Dhar, Ashesh Shah, Fawzan Husain, Atul Kasbekar, Kedar Nene, Pablo Bartholomew, Pradeep Chandra, Sooni Taraporevala, Mukesh Parpiani and many more. The expo was held at Tao Art Gallery in Mumbai from 10th to 24th June 2012.

With Kismat, photojournalist Dharmendra Kanani portrayed his very own perspective of life and how unknowingly while shooting celebrity portraits, one particular frame transformed his career. Likewise, by sheer hard work, the celebrities too have reached the pinnacle of their career. The exhibition was held at Jehangir Art Gallery (Terrace) from 1st to 7st June 2012.

Photo courtesy: Mid-Day Archives

India’s first 3D Photographic photographic exhibition titled ‘Travelography’ was held from 8th to 17th June 2012, R Mall, Ghodbunder Road, Thane. In fact, the popularity of 3D movies on television, specially among youngsters was the core idea that envisaged this small group of photographers who decided to exhibit these pictures in 3 dimensions. Basically, 3D pictures can be produced by two methods. Firstly, while shooting and secondly, in post production, and both these methods were used to produce the images for the exhibit. The group of photographers comprised of Atul Bagayatkar, Amit Bhurke, Giridhar Chavan, Paresh Churi, Promod Kulaye and Unmesh Dabholkar.

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Smart Photography July 2012

Industry Opinion Umang Bedi’s role at Adobe Systems involves the formulation and execution of go-to-market strategies that helps Adobe’s market-leading solutions take a leadership role in the evolution of India’s creative economy. As Managing Director, Sales and Marketing for the South Asia region for Adobe Systems, he spells out his marketing challenges for the region. Excerpts:

Umang Bedi, Managing Director South Asia, Adobe Systems

By unveling the Creative Suite 6, apart from delivering innovation and newer work flows, what are some of the marketing challenges that you forsee?

Adobe products have always focussed on productivity, creativity and delivery.

We are bringing the world’s best tools to our customers. In Photoshop CS6 alone, we’ve introduced more than 600 new enhancements and features.

Adobe InDesign CS6 software offers out of the box support for ten Indian languages and publishers will now be able to seamlessly work in these regional languages without the need of additional plug-ins. Further to expand our market penetration we also announced the launch of Adobe India’s online store (http://shop.adobe. com/in) that will sell the latest and most popular Adobe products in a simple, online transactional medium with billing in Indian rupees (INR).

The challenge for us remains software piracy. Latest studies by BSA (Business Software Alliance) put the piracy rate in the country at 63% in 2011, whereby more than 6 out of 10 programs that users installed were unlicensed. Easy accessibility to our software and through our online store and our channel partners will pave the way into increasing our market penetration in the country.

With the current launches it is now possible to do video editing on smartphones and tablets as well. In your assessment where do these devices fit in as editing and production tools in the work flow?

The imminent arrival of nationwide 4G network connectivity along with affordable tablet devices are expected to generate significant tailwinds fuelling growth in digital content creation and consumption and thus, creating a rise in demand for video-editing on smartphones and tablets.

While the current generation of tablets and smartphones lack the necessary power to carry out fullfledged professional-grade video editing, I am confident that in the near future that will significantly change.

Also as a leading provider of HTML tools, Adobe help designers work seamlessly across devices and mobile platforms such as iOS, Android, Windows Mobile or Symbian.

With the launch of Creative Suite 6 professionals can now bring their vision to life and manage how content is created and delivered to the end audience - whether on smartphones, tablets, the desktop or through traditional media.

On professional video front, vital upgrades such as After Effects CS6 comprising the Global Performance Cache, Adobe SpeedGrade and Adobe Mercury Transmit (allows broadcast video monitoring to connect directly into the Mercury Playback

Engine via third-party cards from AJA, Blackmagic Design, and Matrox) has helped in enhancing the quality of video-editing. As such the new Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 features becomes the ultimate hub for any professional video work flow.

On-line video has emerged as the single most important media type that is currently in vogue across the region. What is the future of video editing, especially with the unveiling of the new advanced publishing capabilities?

Globally, over the last few years we have seen the emergence of large-scale streaming from companies like Hulu and Netflix, BBC’s iPlayer, indie movies from new sites like SundanceNow, access to long-tail content via YouTube and others. The range of devices used to access content over the Internet have also expanded to include PC, Mac, smartphones, tablets, and even TV sets, BluRay players and set-top boxes. According to a recent report from FICCI-KPMG Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2012 there has been a surge by 31% in 2010 in the Animation and VFX industry.

The broadcast and film industry on the other hand is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17% and 10.1%, respectively.

An interesting area where video is playing a part is in e-learning as digital media is increasingly being used in the education sector. There is a need to develop suitable digital content that can support teaching and learning in the classroom.

Mathew Thottungal July 2012 Smart Photography

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Photograph by

Srikanth Goenka

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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

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

Kaleidoscope

Art Beyond The Lens...

Tones of Nature Camera: Nikon D90 Shutter speed: 1/500sec Aperture: f/8

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Smart Photography July 2012

“I

believe that any serious amateur photographer’s work has to be consistently good for it to be considered as a piece of art. I was interested in various kinds of sports, trekking and travelling etc. quite early in life. Photography Joydeep Mukherjee happened to me only in the year Kolkata 2002, and that too during one of my many treks to the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. A photographer must be technically competent to master and use the various techniques to change a photograph from a mere snap to a ‘snapshot’ of life. In fact, that is precisely why I believe that a photograph should be able to weave and narrate a story, rather than just deliver the aesthetic aspect”, explained the young and talented Kolkata based photographer, Joydeep Mukherjee.

Having graduated with a degree in Commerce, Joydeep went on to complete an advanced system management course in ‘Computer Science’. He did his post graduation from BICM College, Kolkata with a specialisation in Marketing Management. Despite his hectic working schedules at a reputed Kolkata-based MNC, his zest for the creative art form still remains undiminished.

His gear largely consists of Nikon cameras, which includes the D70S, D 90 and D7000 bodies with the Nikkor 12 -24 mm, 18-105 mm and 16-85 mm as the accompanying lenses.

Joydeep’s creative efforts and hardwork have enabled him to win numerous laurels and medals, certificates of merit , honourable mentions and awards from different photographic exhibitions, competitions worldwide and across the country as well.

July 2012 Smart Photography

33

Cast your nets Camera: Nikon D90 S Shutter speed: 1/800sec Aperture: f/8 Sensitivity: ISO 200

Top of the world

Camera: Nikon D90 Shutter speed: 1/560sec Aperture: f/18 Sensitivity: ISO 200

Picturesque view

Camera: Nikon F80 Slide Used: E100SW Shutter speed: 1/160sec (Approx) Aperture: f/8

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

Under the blue skies Camera: Nikon D90 Shutter speed: 1/400sec Aperture: f/8 Sensitivity: ISO 200

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.

Quiz Time Results Last month (Tidbits, June 2012), we carried a quiz to put our readers’ knowledge to test.

The correct answers are given below:

Manufacturer

Country

Ihagee

East Germany

KMZ

Russia

Corfield

UK

Pignons

Switzerland

Topcon

Japan

Zunow

Japan

Kowa

Japan

Regula

Germany

Hong Kong

Haking

Chinon

Japan

Cima

Japan

Voigtlander

Austria

Gomz

Russia

Rectaflex

Italy

Leitz

Germany

Four readers sent in all correct entries. Congratulations!! You will all receive a one year subscription to Smart Photography!!

36

l Mandar V Samant

l Hardeep Batra

l M. Sampath Kumar

l Sushil Kumar Gupta

Smart Photography June 2012

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JULY 2012

City

Showcase

IAF Sarang display team performing on their HAL Dhruv helicopters

On Full Throttle P

Kedar Karmarkar

38

assion is like a vehicle that propels you towards the wildest of your dreams.

Some people successfully ride on it, chasing the dream down wherever it takes them, however far it goes, while some others lose heart midway, dropping the chase. For Kedar Karmarkar, the passion has always been in chasing military aircraft, like a heat-seeking

Smart Photography July 2012

missile without suffering a flameout, and freezing them in action, preserving the images for aviation enthusiasts around the world.

About Kedar A network engineer born and brought up in Mumbai, Kedar now works for Cisco Systems Inc, San Jose, USA. Though he is busy with his work, he religiously

dedicates some time to his passion of aviation photography.

To live his passion, he went on to obtain a private pilot license.

Kedar is actively present on various online aviation forums with his stunning images.

How did your journey with military aircraft start?

I started off as an aviation

Showcase

enthusiast. My interest in military aviation began when I was a kid, reading ‘Commando comics’ and others. I would feverishly read about the exploits of the Luftwaffe and allied aces - Blitzkrieg, Battle of Britain, North Africa, Middle East, bombing campaigns, night fighters and more.

As I got older, I was more after the technicalities of modern warfare and weapons. I would scour old paper shops in search of international magazines like Aviation Week and Space Tech, and read up about various aspects of modern warfare and technology. My parents also helped me by taking me to Strand Book Store, Mumbai — as motivation for excelling

in academics and elsewhere — and would buy me the books I selected. I used to stare in awe of photographs taken by some of the professional photographers of the time – Katsuhiko Tokunaga (whom I consider the Father of air-to-air photography), Peter Steinemann and others.

The chicken-or-egg question: Do you consider yourself a photographer with a passion for aircraft and aviation, or an aviation enthusiast with a passion for photography?

I did not have the photographic gear handy when I was growing up and there were not many air shows or any events that happened at my time so

it was really difficult to cultivate the photographic interest in me.

However, the tide turned when my job landed me in the USA, and the first air show was being held, right next-door at Moffett Federal Airfield. That was my motivation to take up the camera.

Nowadays, I view myself more of a photographer with passion for aircraft and aviation than an aviation enthusiast with a passion for photography. At one time I knew the F-16 Fighting Falcon (Viper as its called in the US) inside out and knew the NATO code names of Russian fighters and radars, and how the guidance systems on modern weapons operate.

IAF Suryakiran aerobatic team performing on their Kiran Mk II aircraft July 2012 Smart Photography

39

Showcase

A USAF F-16 Viper refuelling mid-air

An F-22 Raptor in transonic flight

Kedar’s Equipment Nikon D3 Nikon D2Xs Nikon D700 Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR

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Smart Photography July 2012

An F-22 Raptor performing on full afterburner

Showcase

How difficult is it for a normal photographer to obtain permission for shooting during military exercises such as Red Flag? And how do you manage this?

You need a Press credential to attend the Media Days and getting in the Air Show Media Center at certain air shows. You need a media house, like a magazine to endorse you as one of their photographers. I still have not found a way to do that – I got lucky once to have known one of the magazine guys I worked with in the past.

What are the challenges of photographing from a moving platform such as in the images of the mid-air refuelling sequence?

Shooting from a tanker is by no means an easy task. It was the first time for me when I took those images. I managed as much advice as I could get by asking senior photographers about their experiences. Fortunately I had a good friend on the flight with me who is an excellent photographer and has many years of experience doing this. For these shots, one has to lie down next to the boom operator who controls the boom (that attaches to the refuelling probe) and fuel to the receiving aircraft. The space is very cramped and the field of view is limited. There is literally a small window of opportunity for a photographer in this position. Some great pictures can be had when the receiver aircraft approaches the tanker for a refuelling and when dropping off after a refill. When actively refuelling, it is a useless situation unless you have a fisheye lens to really go ultra-wide and get a clean shot of the receiver aircraft hooked up to the tanker via the boom. It was a testing time for me as I missed some of the shots of the initial aircraft that came by for refuelling, only to learn the lessons and apply them on the spot once I got another chance at it. Having four photographers aboard one tanker is a “crowd” – first of all there is no guarantee

A pair of F-16s as seen from another aircraft

July 2012 Smart Photography

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Showcase

how many receivers would really come by for a fill-up; and with whatever do come by, that number is split with the photographers aboard. So second chances are very slim. The other way is to get the pictures through the side windows but again, these are not civilian airlines to keep the windows sparkling clean.

The other way of getting air-to-air pictures is by going to some organised events like the one in Belgium organised by the Aviation Photocrew (http://www.air2air-academy.com). I attended their second edition in 2011

and was impressed. In fact that was my first ever air-to-air photography.

What, in your experience, is the most challenging, and the most exciting part of military aviation photography?

Each genre of photography — be it landscape, portraits, macro, sports — has its own pros and cons. Likewise with aviation photography. There is some luxury in other forms of photography where one can control lighting, angles, and times. Aviation photography has no such luxury. One is limited by the field layout, a good position to select

F/A 18 Hornets of the US Navy Blue Angels demonstration squadron

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Smart Photography July 2012

from the flight line, and timings. There are no retakes in aviation photography apart from photographing static aircraft on the ground. The weather keeps on changing, yielding different results even if an act repeats itself at different times in the same day. Since there are no retakes, one has to be absolutely certain that the camera settings are right.

Panning with the subject, and knowing what are the interesting angles to take pictures - waiting for the right moment when the pilot rolls his aircraft or turns tight, makes rapid pitch changes, etc. are learned through experience. In my opinion, it is the most unforgiving but

Showcase A B-2 Spirit aircraft approaching for landing

The cockpit of a KC-135 Stratofortress aerial refuelling aircraft July 2012 Smart Photography

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Showcase

the most exciting and thrilling. For me my heart starts pounding when I hear the jet engines spool up – after that what happens when the magnificent machine taxis out and takes to the air is absolute thrill.

What would be your advice to youngsters who want to take up this field?

Get the right gear. One can go with a lower end camera to begin with, but save money for investing in lens. The camera bodies keep changing, lens remain forever – that is one lesson I was taught by my friends Takayuki Tei and Glenn Bloore along the way. Get lenses with image stabilisation. Shoot in RAW mode - think of the analogy of negative and finished photo. RAW image is the negative and the finished JPEG image is like the photo. Get a camera body with a good Noise Reduction. Shoot with continuous focus tracking. Try to go to air shows, and take loads of pictures initially. That is where digital helps you a lot. One can walk away with a few pictures and delete the rest at no extra cost unlike film.

Once you know what you want, then over time, the number of pictures in a day will start scaling down, since you automatically develop a selection criterion in your mind before pressing the button. Slow down for the props, and speed up for the jets: Shoot slow shutter speeds (1/200, 1/100 or below) for propeller aircraft to blur the prop and switch to higher shutter speeds for jet aircraft. Remember to switch back and forth. Postprocessing is as important as taking a sharp nice picture. Although aviation photography in India is more “dangerous” and can get you into trouble easily without effort because of the security situation, try to align with spotting groups (there is one in Bangalore called the Bangalore Aviation spotter group) that are recognised and practice aviation photography there. Outside India, in some places like Europe, or USA it is less forgiving and easier.

Sujith Gopinath

A HAL Tejas taking off during Aero India 2009

An F-22 Raptor taking off during Red Flag exercise

An F-16 Viper flying past on full afterburner 44

Smart Photography July 2012

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 Seascape Subun P. S. from Malappuram District, Kerala, has sent us this seascape. I am not sure what the structures are in the foreground but they appear to be some sort of support to attach fishing nets. The sky, laden with dark rain clouds, adds to the overall beauty. Even then, could this picture be improved?

What would I have done if I were you?

The distance between the lower edge of the picture and the ‘supports’ add depth to the otherwise two-dimensional photo. I feel that the depth is not enough. Hence, if I were you, I would have included some more water in my composition. I would also have tried to ensure more detail in the water by giving more exposure. But giving more exposure would have made the sky

lighter. But then, it is not too difficult to darken an area during post-processing!

Now that the picture has already been taken, my only recourse is my friend, Photoshop. I added some more area to the water. This improved the picture but even then, more depth was required. Hence, I added a rock (it is the same rock that we see between the first and the second support from the right. So that my jugglery is not caught, I not only enlarged the rock, I also changed its shape a bit). This has definitely added greater depth and strength to the picture. I also straightened the horizon, which was slightly tilted.

I then cropped a portion of the sky to Edited Image

Original Image

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Smart Photography July 2012

Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography

make the picture appear wider and place greater emphasis on the main elements within the frame. Finally, I added a slight gradient to the sky.

You can now see the effect of the long exposure on the water!

To the sceptics, I would like to remind them that this is digital imaging and not digital photography!

The idea is to create a work of art (but without claiming that the final picture is as you saw it).

Picture Info

Camera: Nikon D40 ISO: 200 Lens: 18-55mm kit lens Shutter speed: 10 seconds Aperture: f/5.6

If I Were You

Picture Info

Deer Fawn This picture of a deer fawn is sent to us by Smart Photography reader Dr. Avinash Srivastav from Bengaluru. In the uncertainties of the jungle, the fawn seems to be wondering what the future holds for him. Dr. Srivastav wants to know how the image could be taken to a higher level.

It often happens that when we concentrate on the innocent beauty of a face, we are unaware that a part of the picture is being cut off – in this case, the fawn’s legs.

This should be avoided as far as possible, unless we are trying for a close-up.

Camera: Canon EOS 550D ISO: 400 Lens: EF 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 300mm Shutter speed: 1/640 sec Aperture: f/9

Original Image

Edited Image

The picture has an overall orange-yellow colour and since the picture has been taken in the morning at around 9.15 (the EXIF data says so), this clearly indicates a warm colour cast.

First, I colour corrected the image. Then, using the Dodge tool in Photoshop, I managed to bring in some lost detail in the eye. Further, the close-up crop brings in more overall detail, as can be seen in the edited picture.

July 2012 Smart Photography

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If I Were You

Original Image

Sunset This sunset photo, taken at Digha, has been sent to us

by Santanu Paul from Kalyani, West Bengal. The reflection in the foreground, the small anchor in the mid-ground and the hill in the background add to the visual depth. Santanu has adjusted the ‘Levels’ and added some sharpening in Photoshop. He now wants to know how this picture could be improved.

While the picture is nice, I feel that a deeper print would do more justice to the sunset. I also feel that landscapes, seascapes etc look better when printed in 16:9 (or thereabouts) rather than 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio as shown here.

Picture Info

Camera: Canon PowerShot SX10 IS ISO: 80 Shutter speed: 1/800 sec Aperture: f/4

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Edited Image

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.

Ask Uncle Ronnie Spot Metering

Did you know... Ronnie has over 35 years of experience

in photography?

Could you explain the importance In fact, he has taught several thousand photoof using a Spot Meter and what is enthusiasts in various institutions and through workshops, as well as judged many national and the right way to use it? international photo contests, including the prestigious Ananda, via E-mail International Photo Contest held at Colombo, Sri An in-built ‘spot meter’ takes an Lanka. So, if you have any photo-queries, whether conventional or digital, don’t hesitate. Just go ahead exposure reading from a very small area and Ask Uncle Ronnie at sp@nextgenpublishing.net, of the subject ‘cause he knows it all! and typically covers 3-5% of the camera’s you want the white to reproduce as Using a spot meter, you have a better viewfinder white, you will need to apply ‘plus chance of reading only the subject. screen. compensation’; if you meter off a black What is more, you could decide Depending on area, once again the result will be a whether you want to meter off the the focal length 1 Spot meter mid-gray and you’ll need to apply white or meter off the black! of the lens and ‘minus compensation’. If the lady was in the distance between the lens and the subject, the 3-5% area can be quite large Now here lies the problem (actually its sunlight, and you metered off a white (or very light) area, you may need +2 not really a problem if we understand (effectively, it does not remain a ‘spot’ compensation; if she was in the shade, how exposure meters work). If you meter). A true ‘spot’ meter however, you may need +1 compensation. If the meter off a white area, the white is a hand-held device using a fixed lady was in shade and you metered area will turn mid-gray (that’s the (non-interchangeable) lens, that reads off a black (or very dark area), you basis of exposure meter design!). If only 1 degree, and as such, is known may need -2 compensation, as ‘1-degree spot meter’. With but again, if the lady was in this type of spot meter, the No compensation sunlight, you may need -1 coverage is limited only by the compensation. So you see, subject distance. the photographer’s subjective Just as an example, a true judgement and photographic 1-degree spot meters covers a knowledge is very important, little more than the full moon. especially when using a spot Minus compensation meter. This is why it is often Since the metered area is very Plus compensation said that beginners should stay small, it allows us to precisely away from spot meters. pin-point an area of the subject that we wish to meter. As So, to summarise, using a an example, consider taking 1-degree spot meter, you an exposure meter reading can meter any area of the of the lady with black & subject (no compulsion to white top. With Evaluative or meter only a mid-tone area) Center-weighted metering, as long as you know when you are bound to ‘read’ the and how to apply exposure background too (which can No compensation compensation. result in wrong exposures).

0

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Ask Uncle Ronnie

Problems with Reds

A problem with digital photography is to record the colour red as seen normally. I have tried handling the issue with the various settings in my Nikon D90 camera including setting the WB with 18% grey card but satisfactory result was not achieved. Please help.

Partha Sarathi Bose Observe the histogram.

Yes, red colour is The red colour has clipped always a problem with digital sensors. When we photograph anything that is red, it is difficult to reproduce the original colour; reds tend to turn Printscreen 1 orangish. The red channel seems to the first to clip (overexpose) (Printscreen 1).

Different colour experts give different suggestions on how to get rid of the problem, but, to me at least, all these suggestions seem difficult to carry out.

This is what I do when faced with such problems: When photographing a red subject (a red flower for example), I reduce the exposure a bit (half to one f/stop). As long as the subject more or less fills the frame, this seems to work; if the red area is much smaller, the remaining channels (green and blue) get underexposed too, and hence the method does not work.

Here’s another method, which I learned from Deepak Narkar, one of our Photoshop specialists : 1. First make a copy of the Background layer by dragging the Background to ‘Create a new layer’ icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

2. Go to Image > Image Adjustments > Printscreen 2 Replace Colour.

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Ensure that ‘Selection’ radio button is selected (see Printscreen 2). There are 3 eyedroppers and the first is selected by default.

With it, click on the red flower. You’ll see the selected area in the dialogue box (Printscreen no 3) 3. Now pick up the middle eyedropper (marked with a plus sign) and click on remaining areas on the red flower (Printscreen 4). The entire red flower is now selected.

4. You can now adjust the Hue (Colour), Saturation, and Lightness as required by adjusting the corresponding sliders (See Printscreen 5 for my adjustments).

5. Sharpen the image if needed and save it using the Save As command.

Final Image

Printscreen 3

Printscreen 4

Printscreen 5

Ask Uncle Ronnie

Opinion on the Canon SX40HS

I am a serious photography hobbyist, photographing for the last 20 years. At present I am using a Canon EOS1000D camera with EF-S 55-250mm IS lens which delivers excellent results. I came across the Canon SX40HS camera which impressed me very much. I would like to know from your point of view, the plus and minus points of SX40HS, as compared with the 1000D. Subhash Purohit, Kolhapur.

As you are already aware, the Canon EOS 1000D allows lenses to be interchanged; the SX40HS does not. The SX40HS has 2 million more pixels (but 2MP increase is a very small increase). The 1000D has only one aspect ratio (3:2), the SX40HS offers 4:3, 3:2, 16:9

Canon 1000D

and 1:1. This, of course is only a matter of convenience because you can always alter the aspect ratio during post-processing.

you always use a good tripod (when on telephoto side). Secondly, all cameras having such zoom ranges eventually compromise on image quality – images, after a certain focal length gradually drop in image quality.

Thirdly, the sensor of the SX40HS is very small compared to that of the 1000D. This means more digital noise and other artefacts, especially at higher ISOs. The SX40HS offers video but does not let you shoot still images in RAW. The SX40HS has f/5.8 as its widest aperture at the 840mm end. This, as you may be aware, has its limitations.

So, is the SX40HS not worth buying? It would be wrong to say that. The SX40HS is certainly a very good camera, but we need to compare apples with apples!

The SX40HS is lighter and easier to tag along. As long as your shooting technique is good and you do not make very large prints, you may be hard-pressed to notice the differences. If I were you, I would not hesitate to buy it, but then, I almost always shoot using a firm tripod and would limit the SX40HS prints to no larger than 12x16 inches. This again depends on your own quality standards.

Canon SX40HS

The SX40HS offers a focal range of 24840mm; with the 1000D it depends on the lens you attach. I think this is the main reason why you have written to me. While it is nice to have such a long zoom range, keep in mind that your pictures will never be tack sharp unless

July 2012 Smart Photography

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Advertorial

ELINCHROM

Creative Image Lighting Technology Delighting you always!

The Speed Transmitter has - and + buttons to decrease or increase the flash output.

T

he Elinchrom D-LiTE RX ONE is a fully digital, ‘intelligent triggering’ studio flash for small and medium size passport/portrait/product photography studios, or for occasions where highpowered flash is not required.

But don’t let its small size fool you!

The Elinchrom D-LiTE RX ONE offers 100 watt-seconds (WS) of light output at full power. In practical terms, using the standard reflector, you can get f/32.5 at a distance of 1 meter. However, the user can control the output from as low as 6 WS to the maximum of 100 WS in 1/10th f/stop. This makes it convenient to light up a product or a portrait without changing the light-to-subject distance. This is very important, as by not changing the light-to-subject distance, the quality of light remains constant from shot to shot. And all this happens at a fast 0.44 second recycling time!

The D-LiTE RX ONE incorporates a built-in ‘Radio Receiver’ that has 8 individual channels. A ‘Speed Transmitter’ - bundled along with the light - also has 8 channels, and is attached to the accessory shoe (hot-shoe) of the camera. The transmitter sends out electronic pulses to the receiver, which in turn triggers the flash. The user needs to set identical channels on both, the transmitter and the receiver. Once this is done,

52 52 Smart Smart Photography Photography June July 2012 2012

Advertorial

your D-LiTE RX ONE will fire only when pulsed by your synchronised transmitter. This prevents your flash from being inadvertently fired by another flash in the near vicinity. ‘Radio controlled’ means that you don’t need a direct line of sight between the transmeter and the receiver as is the case with infra-red triggers.

controlled auto-cooling system that automatically turns ‘on’ should the insides get too hot. And when the temperature gets back to ‘normal’, the fan automatically switches ‘off’. In the unlikely event, if the fan stops working, the entire unit will shutdown to prevent damage to the unit. All this you get in a compact bundle that weighs just 900 g.

The built-in ‘slave’ on the D-LiTE RX ONE performs the following functions: Normal: When set to Normal, the flash will fire as soon as it senses another flash.

Pre-flash Mode: Some camera mounted/built-in flashguns fire a pre-flash to calculate the final flash exposure. If you know the number of pre-flashes, the D-LiTE RX ONE can be programmed not to fire when it reads the pre-flash or can be programmed to fire on the last pulse of the pre-flash.

Learning Mode: If you don’t know the number of preflashes, this mode recognises the number of pulses and stores that data, and will fire on the last pre-flash pulse.

The modelling lamp has 4 functions: PROP: Lamp output is proportional to the flash power Modelling lamp at minimum light output Modelling lamp at full light output Lamp is off

• • •

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iPhone Control: An added attraction is that the flash power can be controlled through an iPhone using an Elinchrom Wi-Fi device. The following functions can be remotely controlled:

•• •• ••

The outer casing of the Elinchrom D-LiTE RX ONE is made of engineering plastic. An added advantage is that it is shock-proof. Further, the light comes with a built-in intelligent microprocessor

Flash power can be adjusted as desired.

Modelling lamp power can be controlled.

Beep function can be enabled/disabled.

Slave function can be enabled/disabled.

Individual light output in a group can be controlled.

Stand-by mode.

Note: The photographer can customise his/her own kit.

Technical Data Flash Energy F-stop, at 1 meter

Energy control

Total flash energy range Recycling time Flash duration Power dumping Modelling lamp (E27)

Flashtube Triggering Fan Cooled

Weight

100 WS (max) 32.5 (using standard reflector) Up to 5 f-stops, in 1/10 stop increments 6 -100 Watt Seconds 0.44 – 1.5 seconds 1/1800 sec.

Automatically 100 watts at 196 volts (effective 150 watts) Plug-in (user replaceable) EL-Skyport wireless triggering Microprocessor controlled thermal management 900 g July 2012 Smart Photography

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C.P. Satyajit

Mastercraftsman

Pushing

Š C.P. Satyajit

the Creative Envelope...

C.P. Satyajit, Chennai

Chennai based C.P. Satyajit is a multifaceted personality for whom Automobile Photography is much more than just a livelihood because of his undying passion for it.

Having started his career under the tutelage of renowned automobile photographer, Iqbal Mohammed, he went on to intern under Los Angeles based automobile photographic pro, David Lebon, before branching out on his own. He has independently executed assignments for leading automobile majors which includes the likes of Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Royal Enfield, GM, and Ashok Leyland, and many more.

His mantra is that an automobile cannot be captured in its magnificent splendor unless it has not been driven and experienced. With his exquisite composition, he blurs the line between a machine and an evocative piece of art.

With his enduring love for photography, he is currently engaged in computer based imaging solutions for the automobile sector, wherein he blends the possibilities of technology with creativity thereby raising the bar in creative excellence. Excerpts:

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Mastercraftsman

huge boost when I worked with Iqbal Sir and it was here that I learnt the basics of automotive shooting.

It goes without saying that in your brand of photography, the light and shadows, as well as rhythms are absolutely incredible. In short, what is your process and typically how long does it take for you to shoot a car?

Firstly, I like to drive/ride the vehicle. I would like to get a feel of the character of the vehicle. Then I study the salient cuts and curves that visually define the character of the vehicle. This is followed by an angle hunt where we try to establish the right stance and angle that needs to be communicated. We avoid angles that highlight odd proportions.

Lighting is then meticulously planned to highlight cut lines and curves. Typically

it takes half a day to light and shoot one shot. Sometimes, when we shoot black cars it takes even longer, since black reflects everything and lighting becomes very challenging. I like to have a painting method, where I light as per the cars features. I do not follow formula lighting where one light, lights all.

In your opinion, how do you combine the technical challenges and techniques into making a metallic car so absolutely brilliant in natural landscape? Do you prefer shooting a car in artificial lighting or else in the outdoors? Comment Cars are outdoor subjects, we never see cars indoors, except in the showroom. I would prefer shooting outdoors and the car’s image and character is always enhanced by the

© C.P. Satyajit

You’re a photographer who has covered everything about cars and bikes per se with a high degree of impact. Was this a lifelong passion for cars first, that got transformed into photography, or else how did this adventure happen in reality?

There has always been a keen interest in cars right from my childhood. I love to drive, be it a tractor, jeep, truck, plane, rickshaw.....anything that can move. It so happened that the first professional photographer I met and wanted to assist was an automotive specialist (Iqbal Mohamed). The first day I met him was also on the sets of an Ashok Leyland Studio shoot and most of the shoots he did during my tenure with him were auto based shoots. So it seemed to be designed for me that way. My interest to shoot automobiles definitely got a

July 2012 Smart Photography

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C.P. Satyajit

Mastercraftsman

location. The romantic idea of a car is always a long drive that takes you to beautiful places and through mystical journeys. So the selling point is the dream of doing that someday, although you are inching through peak traffic most times. So a car in isolation as a studio shot, is useful to showcase as a product for a product brochure. An outdoor shot provides the ingredients to create mind space in the customer.

How do you always try new things in your work flow or else, have you found a niche of sorts and techniques that you really favour in your art?

I am always looking to do new things within the limited scope of work presented to us. Most experimentation

requires time, if it has to predictably work. Some experimentations are a result of improvising, and will work if you are lucky! Every time I shoot, I approach the shot with great humility. I never assume that I have done this before.

What this does is, it keeps you sharp and open to experiment and improvise. You don’t get numbed and stagnant by your own “experience”. ……and hence, my approach is not only technical, it is artistic too, and art, as you know, is process oriented. So the word “niche” is passing and transitory for me. It lasts for a season and then I try and move on……

© C.P. Satyajit

Even while shooting outdoors we use artificial lights judiciously to blend with natural light. This helps highlight certain

features that don’t show up in varying lighting conditions. The challenge with a studio shot is to create all the light yourself, whereas outdoors you have a lovely light source available to you on most occasions.

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© C.P. Satyajit

C.P. Satyajit

Both cars and motorcycles have different photographic perspectives. Which ‘everyday’ modern bike do you think will become a future classic?

© C.P. Satyajit

The answer is in your question! The Royal Enfield Classic, though cannot be defined as an “everyday” commuter is already enjoying that status of a Classic. But we have to keep in mind, that this is an era of falling stars and reality celebrities.

Predicting a future classic is next to impossible. The world July 2012 Smart Photography

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C.P. Satyajit

© C.P. Satyajit

Mastercraftsman

is at a very volatile stage when things are moving faster than you would like.

The “everyday” bike, like the “common man”, is hardly thought of. That doesn’t write off the common man, but people want new stars every day. So even if there’s one classic in the making, it may not last long. That said, one product that has caught my attention is, VESPA scooters. Scooters are functional everyday commuters and VESPA has styled their scooters very interestingly. They also carry a legendary association with the scooter. At some point we all thought Scooter means Vespa, like Bisleri is to water.

So, if the target audience is not a foregone conclusion and if they are willing to break stereotypes and keep their target audience to some extent undefined, then there’s a huge potential for Vespa to break new ground.

What are the camera equipment and lenses that are a must for your brand of photography?

What are your views with regard to post production and Photoshop in particular?

For a large part of my career I used the 35mm full frame digital cameras like the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark 1,2,3 58

Smart Photography July 2012

© C.P. Satyajit

C.P. Satyajit

say that in the last 2 years I have produced some of my best work using Medium Format, although there’s a meditative slowness that enhances my mood.

© C.P. Satyajit

series. This was partly due to the affordability factor and largely due to the adaptability factor. Since I shot outdoors mostly, and using motion rigs, a light and quick set up camera was very essential. However, after being told by a senior photographer that I may have exhausted my capabilities in terms of what more I could get from my digital files, I moved on to the medium format. The details and tonal variations captured are truly leaps ahead of the 35mm sensor. I can confidently

Having trained on Large Format film photography, it was always my dream to shoot using view cameras. Especially with cars, when perspective and distortions are in a subtle way, critical, it became more important to me that I shoot in a format that would challenge me in ways that yield impeccable quality to satisfy my eyes as well as for my clients. This led me to invest my life’s savings in the latest Phase One IQ180 digital Back with the new Linhof Techno. This I believe separates the “boys from the men”! The image making process demands a very high level technical

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C.P. Satyajit

Mastercraftsman prowess from the photographer. In a world where people are going for smaller and faster formats, I chose the one that is bigger and slower.

The journey has just begun and I can already see how the format is changing the way I see things.

© C.P. Satyajit

Post Production and Photoshop have currently become a very important part of image making. The reason I use the phrase “IMAGE MAKING” is because we no longer take one final picture. We blend, merge and layer multiple photographs to make one image. There are many reasons why

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this has become the order of the day.

1. Could be that today’s budgets and timelines don’t afford the luxury for us to spend many days attempting one photograph 2. Could be that it unleashes our imagination to be able to create visuals that otherwise, may have never been possible 3. Not every photographer is skilled enough to create at least a large portion of the photograph in one shot There could be other reasons than range in between or a combination of these. For me personally, I would

like to plan an image. Whatever the elements that make the ingredients, it needs to be planned and executed. I am conscious while using Photoshop, considering it only as a powerful tool to enhance my capabilities and not as a ‘cover up’ for errors (which seldom happen). Knowing the capabilities and limitations of ‘post production’, it becomes a part and parcel of shooting. This process ‘post-production’ is more a tool to unleash your creativity rather than just to cover up short comings…..and that’s where the difference lies!

Mathew Thottungal

Learnings 62

Basics of Photography: Post Processing in D-SLRs

71

The Shadows/Highlights Tool

74

Fungus

80

Give your Photos a Velvia速 Touch with a Black & White Adjustment Layer

76 Photography Tips

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

Y

Post Processing in D-SLRs

ou now have a state of the art DSLR and have taken a few images with it. You show them to your expert photographer friend and while he is pleased with what you show, he feels that the images can be improved a lot by making a few corrections – like straightening a tilting horizon, reducing distortion due to your lens, correcting exposure, etc. He further suggests that these can be done easily by postprocessing the images using an editing package like Photoshop. However, you and the computer are not the best of friends and you would not like to spend your time in front of the computer doing these corrections. So, is there a way out? The answer is yes! Believe it or not, all modern D-SLRs have a sizable number of built in post-processing commands. These are all menu driven and can be used very easily. Plus, you can also re-size the image to a smaller size.

correcting lens distortion, chromatic aberration, etc.). However, this is at best a compromise as it is always better to use the RAW converter supplied by the camera manufacturer which has more facilities. Hence, we will not be dealing with in camera RAW conversion further in this article.

Apart from these you can also take a RAW file and convert it into a JPEG file and in the process do many things (like

Convention:

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Let us look at some of the postprocessing features that are available in Canon and Nikon D-SLRs. There are many options available and since all these cannot be covered due to shortage of space, we will look at a few important ones. Unlike the previous articles of this series, we will be using a Canon 60D (instead of 7D) and Nikon D7000 as reference cameras while discussing about the operation and the various options available. The reason for choosing 60D is that, being a slightly later model it has more post-processing commands available.

Names of the buttons and dials will be highlighted as - Button

LCD Monitor menu options and screen displays will be highlighted as – Option

Post-processing in Canon 60D: Canon 60D provides the following post-processing menus : l Creative Filters l Resize Let us see how we can use them one by one.

First press Menu (Picture C1). This will take you to the menu screen. Rotate the MD to highlight the Playback● menu icon (circled green, in Picture C1) and select it by pressing SET. Now in the Playback● menu scroll using QCD to highlight the option Creative Filters and select it by pressing SET (Picture C1). Scroll through the images you have taken using QCD and choose the image for applying creative filters (Picture C2).

Pressing SET again will show a new screen (Picture C3) which shows four

Basics of Photography

icons each representing a different creative filter. You can highlight any of these filters (Picture C3) by using QCD and select it by pressing SET. Here is a brief description of these.

Grainy B/W: This gives a monochrome image (Picture C4) with high grain similar to a high ISO black and white film. There are three settings available - Low, Standard and Strong. Choose the one you want by using QCD and then press SET to apply the filter.

Soft focus: This reduces the detail in the image (Picture C5) by blurring it.

This filter gives you a soft feeling and is useful for portraits. There are three settings available - Low, Standard and Strong. Choose the one you want by using QCD and then press SET to apply the filter.

Picture C2: The Creative filters, main menu. You can scroll and select the image for applying filters here.

Picture C2 Picture C3

Picture C3: This screen shows the four options available - Grainy B/W, Soft focus, Toy camera effect and Miniature effect.

Picture C4

Picture C4: Grainy B/W filter. Here “Standard” strength has been chosen.

Picture C1

Picture C1: The buttons and dials are Main Dial (MD) Quick Control Dial (QCD) and SET (SET).

The relevant Playback● menu icon is circled in green. The option for Creative filters option has been highlighted here for selection.

Toy camera effect: This gives a colour cast to the image (Picture C6) like a cheap toy camera and also darkens the corners (vignettes), which is typical of a low quality lens. (Frankly, I am not sure why you would buy a camera worth tens of thousands of rupees, degrade its performance and make its output look like that from a cheap camera, - but it is there in case you want it!). There are three options available - Cool (more bluish), Standard and Warm (more yellowish). Choose the one you want by using QCD and then press SET to apply the filter.

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Picture C5

giving an impression of limited DOF. It thus emulates the effect of photographing miniatures. After you select this filter, a rectangular box that indicates the zone of sharp focus will appear on the monitor. You can move this box up and down, using the QCD. Choose a zone of sharp focus and then press SET. This will cause the area outside the box to get blurry this creating the effect of limited DOF. Pictures C8 and C9 show the effect of this filter.

Picture C5: Soft focus filter

Picture C6

Picture C6: Toy camera effect filter. Here “Cool” tone has been chosen.

Picture C7 Picture C8 Picture C8: Image before applying the miniature effect filter.

Picture C7: Miniature effect filter. Note the “box’ outlined in white that defines the zone of sharpness.

Miniature effect: (Picture C7). This is an interesting filter. One of the telltale signs of an image of models (or miniatures) compared to an image showing real things is the lack of depth of field (DOF) in the former case. With this filter, you can create a miniature effect by photographing a normal scene and applying this filter. It will essentially keep a slice of the image in sharp focus and blur the rest thereby 64

Smart Photography July 2012

Picture C9 Picture C9: Image after applying miniature effect filter.

Basics of Photography

Note: In case you have photographed image with large RAW and JPEG then the filter will be applied to large RAW file and not the JPEG file. In case M RAW + JPEG and S RAW + JPEG, the filters will be applied to the JPEG (not RAW) images.

Resize: This is another useful postprocessing command. First press Menu (Picture C1). This will take you to the menu screen. Rotate the MD to highlight the Playback● menu icon (circled green, in Picture C1) and select it by pressing SET. Picture C10

Picture C10: Resize Screen. Here the image will be re–sized to S1 size.

Picture C11

Picture C11: Saving the modified file as a new file

Now in the Playback● menu scroll using QCD to highlight the option Resize and select it by pressing SET (Picture C1). Scroll through the images you have taken using QCD and choose the image for resizing.

Pressing SET again will show a new screen (Picture C10) which shows the four resize options available. These are (the number of pixels are shown in brackets):

M (8 MP, 3456 X 2304) S1 (4.5 MP, 2592 X 1728) S2 (2.5 MP, 1920 X 1280) S3 (0.35 MP, 720 X 480) Choose the one you want by using QCD and then press SET to apply the filter.

Note that the size S2 is designed for viewing images on a photograph frame or HD TVs and S3 is meant for Web. This command has a limitation. Despite the name, it works as a down size command and not a re–size command. That is, if you have taken an image, it cannot be made larger than the captured file. For example, if you have an image taken with S1 size then, you make it either S2 or S3 both of which have less pixels than the captured image. You cannot resize such an image to M size if you want.

Thus, images captured in S3 format cannot be resized at all. RAW files cannot be resized either.

Saving the modified file: After you have applied the filter or resized the image, the camera will prompt (Picture C11) with an option to save or cancel the changes. To save, choose OK using QCD and press SET. The camera will automatically assign a new file number and save the file. If you don’t want the changes to be applied, you can use QCD, choose Cancel instead and press SET. Your original file will remain intact in both the cases.

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Picture N2

Post-processing in Nikon D7000 Nikon D7000 provides no less than 17 post-processing options known as “Retouch” commands. Many of these are useful as they rectify the defects that might have occurred while you were capturing an image.

Picture N1

Picture N2: The Retouch menu - Screen 1

Picture N3

Picture N3: The Retouch menu - Screen 2

Picture N4

Picture N1: The dials and buttons are – Playback (PB), Menu (Menu), Zoom Out (Z-), Zoom in (Z+), Main command dial (MCD), Multi-selector (MS) and OK (OK).

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 through the menus.

Picture N4: The Retouch menu - Screen 3

To access any of these commands, Nikon provides a separate menu called “Retouch” menu that can be accessed. However, there is an easier method. Simply go to the familiar playback screen (even with multiple thumbnails), by pressing the PB (Picture N1). Choose the image you want to post - process and press OK. If you are starting with a thumbnail in the 66

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playback screen, then you need to press OK twice. You will now directly go to the Retouch menu (Picture N2).

You can scroll using the MCD or MS to highlight the command you want and select it by pressing OK. A large number of commands are available (there are 17 of them!), and I have shown three screens of (Pictures N2, N3 and N4) Retouch commands.

Here is the list of the commands with a brief description. We will see in detail how to execute some of these commands and the ­­effect of their application.

1. D-Lighting: This is similar to setting the D-Lighting option of the Shooting menu and is useful for high contrast situations. The command tries to

Basics of Photography

Picture N7

compress the brightness range of the image to accommodate both the bright and dark (highlight and shadow) areas of the image. When you set this in the Shooting menu, the effect is applied while creating a JPEG file the moment you take the picture. However, here you can do this after you take the picture. The advantage is that you can examine the image carefully and depending on the contrast of the capture, this effect can be applied in three strengths - Low (for low contrast), Normal or High (for high contrast).

Highlight the level you want using MS and apply it by pressing OK.

cropped content. The rest of the image will be discarded.

Picture N7: Monochrome conversion screen Picture N5

Picture N8

Picture N5: Trim – the yellow box shows the area that is going to be retained. Note the aspect ratio of the boundary which is 16:9 in this case.

2. Red-eye correction: If your image (for example, a portrait taken with flash) shows red eye, this command will help you to eliminate or at least reduce it.

This will only work if the camera can detect a red-eye in the selected image.

Picture N8: The resulting file after conversion to Sepia type. Use MS▲ and MS▼ for making the image darker or lighter.

Pressing OK now will create a new file.

Picture N6

3. Trim: This is a very useful command that crops the image you have captured. Many times the image can be improved by simply cropping out unwanted parts. First select the image that needs to be trimmed and press OK. This will take you to the Retouch menu (Picture N2). Scroll and select the Trim command by pressing OK. You will now see a yellow box on the monitor (Picture N5). You can enlarge this box by using Z+ or shrink it using Z-. You can also change its aspect ratio (that is the ratio of width to height) by using MCD. The ratios supported are (width: height) - 3:2, 4:3, 5:4 (this is the popular 8X10), 1:1 (Square) and 16:9 (HD TV), Once you have the right crop, pressing OK will keep the contents of the image within the box and a new file will be created (Picture N6) with this

Picture N6: The resulting file after trim. Note the aspect ratio of the image (16:9). The retouch icon on the top (circled in green) indicates that this file has been post-processed.

4. Monochrome: This will create a monochrome image. Select the image that needs to be converted into monochrome and choose the Monochrome command from the Retouch menu (Picture N2). You will now see that three options are available to you - Black and White (normal), Sepia (brownish) and Cyanotype (bluish) (Picture N7). The latter two try to create the vintage look of yesteryears.

Choose the one you want by using MS and pressing OK. You will now see the result of the operation (Picture N8). You can use MS▲ and MS▼ for making the image darker or lighter. Pressing OK will create a new file.

5. Filter effects: These are meant for enhancing colour images. The following filters are available. You can choose the one you want, apply it and create a new file by pressing OK. In all cases you can preview the effect on the monitor. a. Skylight: This reduces the blue tone in the image. b. Warm: This is similar to Skylight but with a stronger effect. It is especially useful for images taken in mountainous regions where the colour tends to be bluish. c. Intensifiers (red, green and blue): These are three separate filters each of which enhances the particular colour.

Useful for landscapes, flowers etc.

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d. Cross screen: This is similar to using the popular “star burst” filter. It works best when there are point light sources.

You can get the right effect by choosing a number of parameters. e. Soft: Creates a soft-focus effect similar to using a soft-focus optical filter.

It is useful for portraits.

6. Colour balance: This changes the colour balance of the image. Using MS◄ will increase blue, MS► will increase amber, MS▲ will increase green and MS▼ will increase magenta.

Pressing OK will create a retouched copy. An interesting aspect of this command is that coloured histograms will appear to help you with amount of colour balance being applied.

7. Image overlay: This command works only with RAW files (these have an extension .NEF). This allows two RAW images to be merged together to create a multiple exposure. Since you are starting with RAW the resulting image will be of high quality. Here you can select two images and the camera will overlay them. Not only that, you can even adjust the gain (which is actually the exposure) of each image to get a good blend.

8. Resize: This command works similar to the command of the same name that you have just read in the Canon section of this article. It is used to create an image that is of a smaller size than the original but it cannot re-size the image to a bigger size with more pixels.

One of the interesting aspects of this 68

Smart Photography July 2012

command is that you can resize more than one image at a time. The following sizes are supported: 2.5MP 1920 x1280 1.1MP 1280 x 856 0.8MP 960 x 640 0.3MP 640 x 424 0.1MP 320 x 216 9. Quick retouch: This is a sort of one shot command that simultaneously adjusts three things – saturation, contrast and D-Lighting. You can apply this in three strengths – Low, Normal and High. This command is useful when you want to post-process an image quickly.

10. Straighten: This is an extremely useful command that corrects a very frequent mistake made by photographers - that is, inclined horizons. This happens when you hold the camera inclined (one side of the camera lower than the other). You can correct this mistake easily. First select the image that needs the correction and choose the Straighten command form the Retouch menu (Picture N3).

You will now find that a grid appears to help you with the alignment. A scale also appears in the bottom on the monitor (Picture N9). Each division represents one degree of rotation.

Pressing MS► will rotate the image 0.25 degrees in the clockwise direction and pressing MS◄ will rotate the image 0.25 degrees in the counter clock-wise direction. Press MS► or MS◄ till you get the result you want.

Pressing will save the result as a new file (Picture N10).

Picture N9

Picture N9: Straighten command screen.

Observe the inclined horizon and the grid to help you with alignment.

Picture N10

Picture N10: The resulting file after applying the command. See how the horizon has been properly aligned now.

11. Distortion control: Due to defects in the lenses, straight lines appearing (especially those at the edges) either bend outwards (barrel distortion) or inwards (pincushion distortion). This command is meant to correct such distortions. If you use a G or a D series Nikon lens, then the camera can correct the distortion automatically since it knows the amount of distortion present in the lens. This correction can be applied manually also.

12. Fisheye: This is sort of an opposite of the Distortion Control. Here, a pronounced barrel distortion is introduced in the image to create the fish-eye effect.

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Basics of Photography

pressing Menu. This will take you back to the menu screen.

Picture N11

14. Color sketch: This creates a copy of the photograph that resembles a sketch made with colour pencils.

15. Perspective control: Often photographers tilt the camera upwards to accommodate tall buildings. The result is that buildings look as if they are leaning backwards. This is often called “distortion” but in the true optical sense it is not distortion (you have just read what distortion means). The correct explanation is that the effect is due to “perspective”. This command allows you to correct that “leaning” to a great extent or even completely depending on the extent of error. This is a very useful command.

16. Miniature effect: This works exactly like the filter already described under the Canon 60D section (Pictures C8 and C9).

17. Side-by-side comparison: This command is used to compare a postprocessed (retouched) file with the original.

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Picture N11: Fish-eye effect screen with scale Picture N12

A neat touch is that when you playback any image that has been post-processed (retouched), an icon will appear on the screen (Picture N6). This will inform you immediately that you are looking at a retouched image. Also note that you can even post-process an image that has already been post-processed (with certain limitations)!

Conclusion

Picture N12: The resulting file after applying the command. You can see the pronounced barrel distortion here.

Saving the modified file: After you apply any post-processing command in a Nikon D7000, you can save the modified image file by pressing OK. The camera will automatically give a new file name while saving it. If you don’t want the changes to be applied, you can press PB (Picture N1). This will revert to the unmodified image.

You can also abort the operation by

You have seen how many postprocessing commands are available to you in your DSLR. This is almost like having a mini-editing package built into your camera! While these commands will not rival a full-fledged editing program running on a computer, they can do many tasks easily without you ever touching a key board. These commands are not a substitute for a sophisticated post-processing program but can be useful for doing minor corrections and adding special effects when you are in a hurry or don’t have access to a computer. They are also the only way out if you are totally against postprocessing using a computer.

All photographs by the Author

13. Color outline: This command creates an outline sketch of the photograph so that you can use it as a template for painting later on. The effect can be pre-viewed.

Important: Remember that your original image is always kept intact. So, in case you did not like the post-processing effect you can start afresh again.

Learning

The Shadows/Highlights Tool

P

hotoshop is full of amazing tools for enhancing images.

Some are easy to use, some are not quite so. This probably is the reason why many Photoshop users do not go beyond using just some of the very basic tools that they are comfortable with. Do remember, everything in life is difficult before it gets easy! Success in Photoshop comes only when you practice, practice, and practice!

The Shadows/Highlights tool in Photoshop is invaluable, but needs a tad more working knowledge of Photoshop.

With this tool, we can brighten dark tones and/or darken the light tones. It’s a boon for wedding photographers (who often have problems getting details in white), and for landscape photographers, who often land up with blocked up shadows. This does not mean that this tool is useful only for the two mentioned genres of photography; these are just two examples.

Go to Image > Adjustments > Shadows/Highlights (Printscreen 2). As soon as the dialog box opens, you’ll notice that the shadows ‘open up’ (Printscreen 3). If the shadows open up as much as you want, all is fine. But in

Printscreen 2

Open the image that has blocked up shadows and overly bright light tones.

Make a duplicate copy of the Background by dragging the Background layer to ‘Create a new layer’ icon at the bottom of the Layers palette (if your Layers palette is not open, press the F7 key on the keyboard). (Printscreen 1)

Printscreen 3

Printscreen 1

most cases, the effect may be much stronger than expected.

If that happens, move the Amount slider (in the Shadows field) to the left till you are okay with the adjustment. It may be necessary to move the Tonal Width to the left too.

Play along with these two sliders till you are happy with the shadows adjustment. It is usually necessary to move the Radius slider a bit to the right to smoothen (feather) the edges. Now move to the Highlights field. The three sliders here do the same things with the only difference being that here we ‘tone down’ the highlights.

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Learning

The Shadows/Highlights tool consists of 3 fields: Shadows, Highlights, and Adjustments. Remember that this tool can only ‘open up’ clogged shadows and can only ‘tone down’ bright tones.

Amount slider for the Shadows field: Does what it says – controls the degree to which you want the shadows to open up.

Clip and White Clip. What are these and why do we need them? Often, when you open up the shadows and/ or tone down the highlights, black does not look pure black and white does not look pure white (the picture looks muddy). So, take the mouse cursor and place it over the words Black Clip. The cursor will turn into a doubleheaded arrow. Left-click, and holding down the mouse button, drag the cursor to the right. You will notice that

Tonal Width slider for the Shadows field: Controls where you want to apply the effect. If you want the darkest of the shadow areas to open up, move this slider towards the left; if you want a wider range of clogged shadows to open up, move the slider to the right.

Radius slider for the Shadows field : This sort of smooths out the tonal differences (something like ‘feathering’) The Highlights field sliders do the same thing, but for the highlights (lighter tones). Since beginners may get a bit confused about the Tonal Width slider for Highlights field, here’s the explanation. If you want only the brightest parts of the highlight area to be toned down, move the slider to the left. If you want a wider range (the brightest as well as bit less bright areas), then move the slider to the right.

Note: My experience shows that, generally, we need to move the Radius slider for Shadows a bit to the right, and for the Highlights, a bit to the left.

Colour Correction and Mid-tone Contrast in the Adjustments field is pretty straightforward. Colours sometimes tend to change with the earlier mentioned edits.

I find it is sometimes required to shift the Colour Correction slider a bit to the left.

Now for the two extremely important settings: Black 72

Smart Photography July 2012

Printscreen 4

somewhere in the picture, black will turn pure black. If you reach the other end and still find that black is not pure black, lift the pressure off the mouse button and repeat the procedure till the blacks start clipping (that’s why the name Black Clip). Now, holding down the mouse button, move to the left till the clipping goes away. Repeat the exercise for the White Clip. These two settings will put a ‘zing’ into the picture. My final adjustments can be seen in Printscreen 4.

Rohinton Mehta

Learning

Original Image

Final Image

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Fungus The monsoon season is already here!! While rains are very important to sustain our life, they bring with them a host of problems for photographers. One such problem is the formation of fungus (plural, fungi) within our photographic lenses. This short article aims at explaining the ill-effects of fungi and how we can deal with the problem

Rain, rain go away, Little Johnny wants to do his photography...

W

ell, that’s not going to happen. I mean, you can continue with your photography, but the rains will come, whenever it wants to. You and I cannot stop it. And along with the rain, comes the dreaded problem of fungus! It is for this reason that many photographers pack their gear during the rainy season.

So, can we avoid fungus, and if so how?

What exactly is fungus?

Without getting into scientific jargon, fungus is a living micro-organism (bacteria) that grows and thrives within your camera lenses and other optical instruments. It shows up as a fine network of lines, like a spider’s web.

What causes it?

The air around us has dust, and dust carries with it countless fungi spores.

Atmospheric moisture, along with the spores, manage to get into the lens (that’s why ‘weather-sealed’ lenses and bodies are so important!), and once cosily settled inside, the fungi start eating up the lens coatings. If 74

Smart Photography July 2012

not eliminated in time, it can actually cause etching-like marks, and once that happens, image quality can take a nose-dive.

How does one prevent the formation of fungi?

The answer is pretty simple. Avoid high humidity! The ideal Relative Humidity (RH) for optical lenses is between 40-45%.

Note: Whatever method you use to keep the RH in check, keep in mind that optical lenses do not like very low RH either. RH below about 30% can

dry up the lubrication within the lens, which can hinder the smooth operation of focussing and zooming rings as well as floating lens elements (elements that move within the lens). In worst scenarios, the balsam cement holding lens couplets may dry and even separate the elements from its mount.

If a camera is used in very cold conditions, then it is not advisable to suddenly bring it in your (relatively) warm or heated home. Remember, there is air within the lens elements, and this air can condense into water

Learning

droplets. Hence the safer thing to do is to place the camera/lens into a zip-lock plastic bag, put the items into your camera bag, and let it stay that way for about 30 minutes or so after bringing it into the warm confines of your home. Once the camera/lens gets ‘acclimatised’ to the warmth of your home, it can be taken out and used.

It is not considered a good practice to store away your camera/lens during the rainy season. Storing the camera in your clothes cupboard is probably the worst practice! Clothes are hygroscopic (capable of holding moisture), and hence could increase the chances of creating a happy situation for the fungi to thrive. Lenses need to be aired regularly, even during the rains. Just take care that your equipment does not get wet. Water spray should be immediately wiped dry. Take your lenses for a walk during the brief periods of sunshine. Sunlight kills the spores, but do not leave the lenses in strong sun for a long time because that could cause the plastic to deform and lubrication to dry out.

Another method to prevent fungus is to use a desiccant, like silica gel. Silica gel adsorbs moisture (the word is ‘adsorb’ and not ‘absorb’. Moisture is pulled in but is retained only on the outer surface of the silica gel; a piece of sponge ‘absorbs’ water, that is, the water is pulled up to its center or core).

While this method works rather well during most part of the year, it quickly loses its efficiency during the rains, when it is needed the most.

Silica gel comes in two varieties – the non-indicating type (almost white in colour), and the indicating type (dark

blue in colour). Use the indicating type. The blue colour comes from the addition of cobalt to the gel. When the silica gel is saturated with moisture, the dark blue colour changes to light pink. At this point if you heat the silica gel (on low heat), it turns back to dark blue, indicating that it can be re-used.

The problem is that, during rains, this change from dark blue to light pink happens within an hour or two, and it is not practical to keep heating the gel every two hours!

The quantity of silica gel to be used is also important. It is recommended not to use more than two tablespoonful per lens (remember, it is a desiccant – a drier – and too much of it can dry the lens lubrication!). Place the silica gel in a transparent large-mouth bottle (glass bottles are preferable to plastic), place a round piece of cardboard on it (equal to the diameter of the bottle), with enough holes in it, and gently lower the lens onto the cardboard.

Put on the lid and seal it with tape as shown here. The transparent bottle will let you see when the silica gel turns pink, so you can re-heat it.

A much better solution to prevent fungus is to use specially designed electronic drier cabinets. Place your cameras, lenses, other optical devices, and even DVDs and colour slides/ negatives (if you still have them) into the cabinet and attach the power cord to a wall outlet. The device uses very little electricity and should be ‘on’ 24 hours, 365 days. The relative humidity within the cabinet can be easily controlled by adjusting a knob on the control panel within the box. A gauge in the cabinet lets you control the RH within the box.

If your lens catches fungus, there is no other way to get rid of it other than to send the lens to a service station where it may need to be dismantled to clean the fungused elements.

Heavily fungused elements may not clean 100% and the cleaned elements may show marks where the fungus had spread. There is always a chance that the elements do not fit perfectly well during re-assembly. This can cause the lens to lose its critical sharpness. If, during re-assembly, the elements are not 100% parallel to each other, or are not 100% centered, parts of a picture may lose out on sharpness. Why take such a chance with your equipment? Remember, prevention is better than cure!

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Learning

Photography Tips T

he advent of digital cameras have turned everyone into photographers, or so it seems. We can see this for ourselves since everyone now takes pictures with their D-SLRs, compacts and cell-phone cameras. Image quality from cell-phone cameras have also improved tremendously, slowly inching towards being a serious threat to the compacts.

So, are there any tricks by which we can improve upon our pictures? What are the main faults or flaws in our pictures? There are many guidelines, but to keep things simple here are just a few.

Problem # 1 is blurry pictures. This is caused by hand-shake or subject movement during the exposure. The best way to avoid hand-shake is to use a tripod. Admittedly, the use of a tripod is not always possible or may not even be permitted.

For hand-held pictures, stand comfortably with your legs reasonably apart and brace your elbows against your body. If the camera has a viewfinder, look through it (let the camera rest against your face) when taking the shot. A viewfinder-less camera, where one holds the camera at arm’s length and composes the picture on the LCD, can maximise hand-shake. A way to prevent this from happening is to place the camera neck-strap over the neck, and pull it taut when composing the picture, thus assuring greater stability.

To avoid subject movement during exposure, it is necessary for the subject to stay still, or, if the camera permits, use faster shutter speeds. It is also possible to use faster shutter speeds if one chooses a higher ISO sensitivity. Note that very high ISO sensitivities can cause pictures to turn ‘noisy’ (grainy).

Loss of critical sharpness due to hand shake

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Learning

Problem # 2 is trees and poles growing out of the subject’s head. How many times have you photographed your friend in front of a pole/a rose plant, thus making the pole/branch look like it is sprouting out of the subject’s head?

Problem # 3 is taking portraits ‘head on’. This means the subject’s shoulders are parallel to the camera. This should be avoided at all costs.

Head-on portraits are okay only for passports, where it is mandatory to show both the ears of the subject.

Important

Problem # 4: Catchlights.

Eyes without catchlights look ‘dead and inexpressive’.

In any portrait, whether of an animal, bird, or human being, ensure that there is a ‘catchlight’ in each eye.

Some people believe that the subject must not look into the lens. Let me ask you a question: When you speak to a person, do you look into his/her eyes, or do you look elsewhere? Have you seen the famous ‘Mona Lisa’ portrait? If you walk from one side of the room to the other, it will appear that Mona Lisa is constantly looking at you. This is the power of ‘eye-to-eye contact’.

While on the topic of portraits, please ensure that your subject’s hands are NOT hanging by the sides. Hands can be expressive, so make sure that the hands are doing something.

Whilst asking your subject to look at the lens, ask him/her to slightly tilt the head to one side so that the imaginary line running through the eyes, does not run parallel to the top of the frame.

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Learning

Problem # 5. Subject’s position within the frame. Where you place the subject within the frame and where the subject is looking, is crucial. (a) Try not to place your subject at the center of the frame. (b) If the subject is moving from left to right, don’t place him towards the right, because if you do that, it will appear as if the person is moving out of the picture. For a person moving from left to right, place him/her one-third from the left, so that he/she has two-thirds space to move.

Mentally divide the frame in to three equal parts, horizontally as well as vertically. The four points of intersection are the strongest points. It will do well if you place your center of interest at any one of those points.

1

/3

2

/3

Direction of travel

Problem # 6: The backdrop.

Consider the backdrop/background to be just as important as the main subject. A disturbing background (for example, a blank white sky, a sharply focussed house, any strong highlight etc.) will draw the viewer’s attention, and distract him from the main subject. Also, a light toned subject looks better on a dark backdrop and vice versa.

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Problem # 7: Clutter/ Hotchpotch. Ideally, there should be only one point of interest in the frame. If there are other points of interest, they should be subservient to the main point (in other words, the other points should not attract as much attention as the principle point). Having too many points of attraction is considered as ‘clutter’ or ‘hotchpotch’.

Learning

Problem # 8: Lacking depth. Whilst we see in 3D, photographs are two-dimensional; there is the width and the height, but the third dimension – that of depth – is lacking. Hence it is very important to ‘create’ that depth, especially with landscapes. To do that you will have to find an interesting element to place in the foreground, mid-ground, and background.

Problem # 9. Always shooting in the horizontal format. Why do most people take every picture in the horizontal format? Haven’t you realised that most books and magazines are in the vertical format?

Some pointers on setting your digital camera

1. Most digital cameras allow the user to set the degree of sharpness, contrast, and colour saturation.

Avoid the temptation to do so. Leave them at the ‘zero’ settings.

2. Always take your photos at the highest resolution the camera is capable of.

3. If you are not comfortable with the various shooting modes, set the camera to P mode (Program mode).

4. Don’t be afraid to use the in-built flash if your subject is in shade or against the light. In Program mode, the camera will adjust the exposure automatically.

5. The built-in flash is designed for short distances only; do not use the flash when your subject is over 8-10 feet away.

6. Use the lowest possible ISO for a given lighting condition.

7. In low-light conditions, you may need to increase the ISO sensitivity, but remember that increasing the ISO beyond a certain point will result in ‘digital noise’ (pictures will look grainy).

8. If your camera offers RAW mode, shoot in RAW. You will of course require a RAW converter to open and edit such files.

9. It is important to set the White Balance according to the colour of the available light, but if you are shooting in RAW, you may keep the WB to ‘Auto’.

10. Don’t rely on the camera’s LCD to view the sharpness, contrast and colour of the subject/scene you have recorded. The LCD is designed only to facilitate your framing, and is not colour corrected. Images that appear sharp on the LCD may not be when viewed on the computer monitor.

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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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

Give your Photos a Velvia® Touch

with a Black & White Adjustment Layer

I

n 1990 Fujifilm, introduced a new colour reversal film called Fujichrome “Velvia”. This new transparency (slide) film was unique from the others in the market because it rendered more vividly saturated colours. Velvia sparked a new trend in photography, an emphasis on rich saturated colour and became increasingly popular among commercial, nature and landscape photographers. With the introduction and advancement of digital photography, many people who have “converted” over from traditional or slide film miss certain qualities that they had. One of the qualities that many miss is the colours that you got from slide films such as Fujichrome Velvia.

Did you know that the digital darkroom provides us atleast hundred times more control than conventional darkroom? The problem with slide film, is that it lacks control. It gives you what it gives you, and due to a host of unforeseen variables the results are often unpredictable. In the digital 80

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darkroom we have the necessary control to get the desired “Velvia effect” just as it should be and just as we want it. The result is warmth where it belongs in the perfect amount with no intrusive colour casts anywhere else.

Going wild with the saturation slider is easy to do. It is also an easy way to make an image look overly surreal and not very much like a Velvia image. We are photographers not painters. The objective is to reproduce an ideal but true “Velvia effect”, otherwise it isn’t Digital Velvia. Digital Velvia is more than just going wild with the saturation slider.

The “Velvia effect” should be applied to images in a tactful manner. The right colours - in the right places - in the right amounts. Not too much, not too little just right.

There are dozens of methods for doing anything in Photoshop. Colours can be popped up using the RAW conversion process , Curves and Levels adjustments, selective colour adjustments, LAB colour space and

even with the help of the Hue/ Saturation, Vibrance, Channel Mixer and Photo Filters adjustments, so the question that arises is which method to use and why? Here in this tutorial I will show you my favourite and unique method of popping up colours.

In Photoshop CS3, Adobe introduced the Black & White image adjustment, which is an easy and controlled way to convert colour photos to black and white. Just because something is made for a specific purpose, does not mean we can’t find other uses for it, which is exactly what we are going to do in this tutorial.

Rather than using the Black & White adjustment to remove the colour from a photo, in this tutorial we will use it to enhance colour. I am using Photoshop CS5 for this tutorial so your screenshots may differ if you are using other versions. Since the Black & White adjustment was first added in Photoshop CS3, you’ll need CS3 or higher to follow along. Let’s get started!

Learning Photoshop

1

Opening and initial toning adjustment of your image Open your favourite image. Duplicate your image (Image>Duplicate). Duplicating the image is not essential but I always advise on working on duplicate image so that in case you accidently delete/do wrong editing and save your image your original image remains intact. Now do your essential tonal adjustment of your image with your favourite method Brightness/Contrast, Level, Curves or any other adjustment tool.

Note that the brightness and contrast of your image must be perfect before doing any colour adjustment otherwise you will get wrong results. In this tutorial I have used the following image of this flower just for demonstration.

2

Add a Black & White Adjustment Layer Now you have to add a Black and white Adjustment layer . There are a couple of ways you can do that.

1)By clicking Image > Adjust> Black&White 2)By clicking on the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Then choose Black & White from the list of adjustment layers that appears.

3)If you’re using Photoshop CS4 or higher, an easier way to add a Black & White adjustment layer is by simply clicking on the Black & White icon in the Adjustments panel: Either way adds a new Black & White adjustment layer above the image in the Layers panel: The adjustment layer will go ahead and do what it was originally designed for and convert your photo to black and white. So don’t worry about seeing that your image has been converted in black and white.

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Learning Photoshop

3

Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light To bring colour back to the image, change the blend mode of the adjustment layer from Normal to Soft Light. The Blend Mode option is found at the top left corner of the Layers panel: You will see that after changing the blending mode from normal to softlight, the colour returns to the photo. You will also notice that the overall contrast of the image has also changed (for increasing contrast of an image this method can be used). We have brought back the colours by the changing the blending mode but will make our own adjustments in colour in the next step.

4

Dragging the Colour Sliders to adjust the Contrast Now you can adjust the contrast of colours by the colour slider of Black and white panel. If you’re using Photoshop CS3, the controls and options for the Black & White adjustment layer will appear in a dialog box. In Photoshop CS4 and higher, they appear in the Adjustments panel. In either case, you’ll see six sliders, each controlling a different colour in the image - Reds,

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Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, and Magentas), as shown in the screenshot.

You can use these sliders to adjust the brightness of different areas of the image based on their colour. Dragging a slider towards the left will darken all areas of the image that contain that colour, while dragging the slider towards the right will brighten the same areas.

For example, let’s say you want to darken the flower in this photo. The flower is red, so all you need to do is click on the Reds slider and drag it to the left, if you want to lighten the flower in this photo.

The flower is red, so all you need to do is click on the Reds slider and drag it to the right.

If you want to brighten the grass in the

background, it is as easy as dragging a different slider in the right direction.

There’s actually more yellow than green in the grass and trees, so click on the Yellows slider and drag it towards the right. Photoshop gives us a live preview of the results as you drag the sliders, so keep an eye on your image in the document window to judge the results: if you want to darken the grasses drag the yellow sliders to left.

You can also try the green sliders to fine tune the result. In the screenshot you can see two different version of the same image that can be achieved using this method; you can see they are quite different. If your photo is multicoloured you can alter the contrast of different colours according to your choice.

Learning Photoshop

5

Clicking and Dragging on the image itself Photoshop is used by amateurs too and they are not familiar about the colours (how many of you can differentiate between Red and Magenta?). So one user requested Adobe why don’t you make Photoshop user friendly? It will be nice if we can change the colours just by dragging the mouse over the desired colour, in this way there will be no need to identify the colour. Adobe responded to this request and if you’re using Photoshop CS4 or higher, it is even easier to make changes to the image. In fact, there’s no need to use the sliders at all! Just click on the slider icon (the hand with the left and right-pointing arrows) in the top left of the Adjustments panel.

With this slider option enabled, you can click directly on whatever area of your image you want to adjust, then just keep your mouse button held down and drag left or right to darken or lighten that area (along with any other areas of the image that share the same colour).

an eyedropper icon, ready to sample whatever colour you click on. Just click on the flower and with your mouse button held down, drag it towards the right to lighten the flower, as well as any other areas of the image that share the same colour. If you watch the sliders in the Adjustments panel, you’ll see the corresponding colour slider moving as you drag your mouse (in this case here, the Reds slider would be moving to the right): Since we’re using an adjustment layer, all of the changes we’re making here are non-destructive, which means we can safely experiment with the colour sliders, or by clicking and dragging directly on the image itself, until you’re happy with the results. If at any time you want to compare the original and the edited

versions of the image, simply click on the adjustment layer’s visibility icon (the eyeball icon). This will temporarily turn the Black & White layer off. With the adjustment layer turned off, the original image re-appears in the document window Click on the visibility icon again (the empty box) to turn the Black & White adjustment layer back on. Clicking the empty visibility icon to turn the adjustment layer back on and the edited version re-appears.

the Opacity option directly across from the Blend Mode option at the top of the Layers panel. The further you lower the opacity value, the more the original image below the adjustment layer will show through. I have reduced the opacity value down to 75% or so.

changes to a full colour image using a Black & White adjustment layer!

For Photoshop CS3 users, click OK in the top right corner of the Black & White dialog box when you’re done to close out of it and accept your changes.

Photoshop CS4 (and higher) users can leave the Adjustments panel open.

For example, to make the flowers in the photo appear brighter, with the slider option enabled, You will have to move your mouse cursor over the flowers.

As soon as you move your mouse cursor over the image, it will turn into

6

Lower the Layer Opacity You have already seen that the soft light blending mode increases the contrast of the image. In some images this increased contrast may look unnatural.

Therefore as a final step, if you think the image contrast looks a bit too strong, you can reduce it and fine-tune the results simply by lowering the opacity of the Black & White adjustment layer. You’ll find

That’s how to quickly and easily you can make specific brightness and contrast

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Learning Photoshop Conclusion If there is one thing that Photoshop is great at, it is colour enhancement. You can enhance colours to make them pop globally—for an entire image— or locally, for selective portions of an image. There are many ways to use Photoshop to make your photos pop and sing, so I suggest experimenting and trying different approaches. Not only is Photoshop largely about colour, it is also a visual development environment—so the best way to find out if an approach works is to try it and see what happens.

Another thing is that increasing colour contrast can do good to your landscape and nature photos, but it may not excel when applied to portraits, use it in moderation in portraits. However, it can help you emphasise that the picture’s beauty may be hidden at the first glance. On the other hand, it is not worth applying it on badly taken photos. Whatever method you choose to tweak image saturation, be careful not to overdo it. Your intent should be to enhance the ability of the image to convey what it was like for you to be there, not create something that never was and never could be. A little can go a long way. One thing more I want to say is that enhancement is only an enhancement if it is so in the eye of the creator and beholder.

It is up to you to use your good visual judgment and not go too far with the techniques. Don’t make the mistake of overdoing it!

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Reviews 86 91 95 99 103

Compact Review Canon PowerShot A4000

D-SLR Review Nikon D3200

Compact Review Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20)

Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Lens Review

AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8G

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 D3200

Wooing the Beginner

82

D %

Rs.32,250 (body only)

Inside the Box

EN-EL14 rechargeable Li-ion battery (with terminal cover) l MH-24 battery charger l AN-DC3 strap l EG-CP14 audio/video cable l UC-E17 USB cable l DK-5 eyepiece cap l BS-1 accessory shoe cover l DK-20 rubber eyecup l BF-1B body cap l ViewNX 2 CD-ROM l Reference CD l

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igital imaging and communication boom has boosted the popularity of photography with information readily available in the form of online tutorials. D-SLR cameras, once considered too expensive and sophisticated, too, became more affordable with the launch of entry-level models. Even these entry-level models are changing now with manufacturers packing advanced features into these.

The 24-megapixel Nikon D3200 is an example of this transformation.

Design and Build Quality The outer body of the D3200 is made of engineering plastic. Nikon has done away with the drive selection lever near the mode dial, and instead incorporated a button for the same on the back panel. The Live View lever has

also been replaced with a Live View button. The record button has been shifted to the top panel near the shutter release button. The camera features a fixed LCD screen and a metal tripod mount. The hand grip has a textured rubber lining, which makes it easy to grip the camera.

Key Features The 24.2 megapixel Nikon D3200 uses a DX format (23.2 x 15.4 mm) CMOS sensor for imaging. This sensor provides an effective field of view of approximately 1.5 times the 35mmequivalent focal length. The camera features in-camera image sensor cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data with Capture NX 2 software (you have to buy the software separately).

The camera features a Nikon F mount

Rohinton Mehta

D-SLR Review Nikon D3200

Sharpness &

Aperture: f/16

Noise

Detail

Shutter Speed:

0

0.62sec. ISO:10

JPEG Compression

JPEG, Fine Quality, 100% (11.4 MB)

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JPEG, Standard Quality, 100% (5.53 MB)

Smart Photography July 2012

ISO:100

ISO:6400

Colour Accu

racy

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

with AF contacts. This mount allows autofocus with AF-S and AF-I lenses only. Metering is supported for G and D-type lenses, but AF is not supported.

Older Non-CPU lenses can be used only in Manual mode since these lenses do not have CPU contacts to communicate with the camera. The D3200 uses an eye-level pentamirror viewfinder that provides approximately 95 percent frame coverage in both vertical and horizontal directions.

The viewfinder features dioptre adjustment from -1.7 to +0.5/m.

The camera has an electronicallycontrolled vertical travel focal plane shutter providing a shutter speed range of 30 to 1/4000 sec in 1/3-EV steps along with B (Bulb) setting. The flash syncs with the shutter up to 1/200 sec.

The Nikon D3200 uses TTL exposure metering using a 420-pixel RGB sensor. It features the usual three metering modes — Matrix (3D colour matrix metering II with G and D type lenses), Centre-weighted (75 percent weightage alloted to 8-mm circle in centre of the frame), and Spot (metered from a 3.5-mm circle centred on selected focus point). Exposure can be compensated up to +/-5 EV in 1/3-EV increments.

ISO sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 6400 (up to ISO 12800 with boost). The camera uses Nikon Multi-CAM 1000

D-SLR Review

Nikon D3200 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection. It has 11 focus points including one cross-type sensor. The lens servo options are Autofocus Single (AF-S), Continuous (AF-C), Auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A), and Manual Focus (MF). AF-area modes are Single-point AF, Dynamic-area AF, Auto-Area AF, and 3D tracking (11 points). The 3200 can capture images in NEF (RAW, 12 bit, compressed), JPEG, or NEF +JPEG formats at a maximum size of 6016 x 4000 pixels.

Release modes available are Single, Continuous, Self-timer, Delayed remote, quick-response remote, and quiet shutter release. The camera can shoot continuously at a rate of four frames per second if the shutter speed is set to 1/250 sec or higher.

The self-timer allows you to set a delay of 2, 5, 10, or 20 sec for 1 to 9 exposures. White Balance modes are Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 types), Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, and Preset Manual (fine-tuning available except in Preset Manual mode). Shooting modes include Auto, Scene, Programmed Auto with Flexible Program (P), Shutter Priority Auto (S), Aperture Priority Auto (A), and Manual (M). Scene modes are Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-Up, and Night Portrait.

The built-in flash has a Guide Number of approximately 12m, while in Manual mode it is 13m at ISO 200. Flash control is through i-TTL metering and the flash modes are Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Auto Slow Sync, Auto Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction, Fill-flash, Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync, Slow Sync with Red-eye Reduction, Rearcurtain with Slow Sync, Rear-curtain

Sync, and Off. Flash exposure can be compensate from -3 to +1 EV in 1/3EV increments. The camera features a standard ISO 518 accessory shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock.

The camera supports Nikon Creative Lighting System with SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, or SB-700 as master flash. The device uses a 3-inch, approximately 921,000-dot TFT LCD with 160 degree viewing angle. In Live View mode, the D3200 offers AF, AF-S, AF-F, and MF modes for focussing and uses contrast detect AF when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected. Movies are recorded in MOV file format employing H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding at a maximum quality of 1920 x 1080, 30p/25p/24p.

The Nikon D3200 uses an SD/SDHC/ SDXC memory card for storage and is powered by an EN-EL 14 Li-ion battery pack. The camera body weighs approximately 505g with battery and memory card (without body cap).

Ergonomics The Nikon D3200 is comfortable to hold and operate. We received the camera with the AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.55.6GII ED lens, which is not a standard kit lens but the combination balanced very well. The hand grip is deep and lined with textured rubber, which makes for excellent grip. Images on the LCD appear crisp and the buttons and dials are very comfortable to operate.

Performance As mentioned before, we tested the D3200 with an AF-S 18-200mm f/3.55.6 lens. We are not sure why Nikon provided us with this lens while this does not feature in the kit options. Since

the performance of a D-SLR depends, to a large extend, on the lens used, the following observations might differ in the case of the actual kit since this lens, costing Rs. 55,650, is expected to perform much better than the 18-55mm kit lens costing Rs. 7,235.

The 18-200mm lens did not produce any flare or chromatic aberration even at wide-open apertures at the wide-angle end. Autofocus was fast and accurate and metering modes performed as expected. We observed darkening of corners at the wide-angle end, with the lens wide open. It produced prominent barrel distortion up to 24mm (36mm equivalent) and pincushion distortion from approximately 35 to 200mm (approximately 52-300mm equivalent).

The D3200 produced colours faithfully under most lighting conditions. But in a few cases, the default settings produced slight colour cast. But the camera has a provision to manually tweak the White Balance to your liking. Hence if you get a colour cast under one source of light, you can easily adjust the setting to permanently eliminate this problem. Native image size was 13.33 x 20.05 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent of this native size, the images were free of noise up to ISO 3200. Observed at 50 percent, we did not notice prominent noise till ISO 1600. At 100 percent size, though our keen eyes could observe slight noise at ISO 1600, we would consider the images up to ISO 1600 to be practically free of noise. Please not 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 July 2012 Smart Photography

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D-SLR Review Nikon D3200 and the ink used (Generally, noise levels on print are lesser than that on a computer screen).

reviewed combination would have cost, it would be approximately Rs. 90,000.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective pixels : 24.2 million Image sensor : 23.2 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor The Nikon D3200 body retails at Dust-reduction : Image sensor cleaning, Image System Dust Off reference data an MRP of Rs.32,250. The camera is Max. Image size : 6,016 x 4,000 also available in two kits — the first, (pixels) with AF-S 18-55mm VR lens retails at File format : NEF (RAW): 12 bit, JPEG: with Rs.37,950, while the second, with AF-S fine (approx. 1 : 4), 18-105mm VR lens retails at Rs. 48,950. normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression We would consider this good value NEF (RAW)+JPEG for money.

Picture Control : Standard, Neutral, Vivid, MonoSystem chrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control But if you are wondering what the can be modified Recording Media : SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards + Impressive resolution Viewfinder : Eye-level pentamirror single-lens + Excellent handling reflex viewfinder Frame coverage : Approx. 95% horizontal + Good performance and 95% vertical : Approx. 0.8 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at Magnification - Cast under some light sources infinity, -1.0 m-1) Diopter adjustment : -1.7 - +0.5 m-1 FINAL SCORE Focusing screen : Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen Design and Build Quality 17/20 : Quick return Reflex mirror 17/20 Key Features Lens aperture : Instant return, electronically controlled Ergonomics 18/20 Compatible lenses : Autofocus is available with AF-S and AF-I lenses.

Performance Autofocus is not available with Autofocus 4/6 other type G and D lenses, Non Metering 5/6 CPU lenses can be used in mode M, but the camera exposure meter Noise Control 4/6 will not function.

LCD/VF 5/6 Shutter Type : Electronically-controlled vertical travel focal-plane shutter AWB 4/6 Shutter Speed : 1/4000 - 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV; Bulb; Time (requires optional ML Sub-Total 22/30 L3 remote control) Value for Money 8/10 Flash sync speed : X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower Grand Total 82/100 Release mode : Single, Continuous, Self-timer, Delayed remote, Quick-response remote, Quiet shutter release Verdict Frame advance rate : Up to 4 fps (manual focus, mode M Packing 24 megapixels into an entry or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or level D-SLR looks like an attempt to faster, and other settings at start a new trend in the market. We default values) wish Nikon had provided the kit lens Self-timer : 2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1 - 9 exposures with the body. Overall, the camera Exposure body performs well and deserves a Best Metering : TTL exposure metering using Buy for the lens-independent features.

420-pixel RGB sensor

Value for Money

Sujith Gopinath

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Metering method : Matrix metering: 3D colour matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); colour matrix metering II (other CPU lenses) Centre-weighted metering: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in centre of frame Spot metering: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2.5% oframe) centred on selected focus point Shooting Modes : Auto, Scene, Program, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Manual Scene Modes : Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports Close-up, and Night portrait Exposure comp. : +/-5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV ISO sensitivity range : ISO 100 – 6400, ISO 12800 (with boost) Autofocus System : Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points : Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF Lens servo (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A), Manual focus (MF) AF-area mode : Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points) Flash : Built-in flash Guide Number : Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20°C/68°F) : TTL: i-TTL flash control using Flash control 420-pixel RGB sensor Flash modes : Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye reduction, fill-flash, red-eye reduction, slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction, rear-curtain with slow sync, rear-curtain sync, off Flash compensation : -3 - +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV Max.Frame size (pixels) and frame rate : 1,920 x 1,080, 30 p (progressive)/25p/24p File format : MOV Video compression : H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding Audio recording : Built-in monaural or external device stereo microphone Monitor : 3-in., approx. 921k-dot (VGA) TFT LCD with 160°; viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage USB : Hi-Speed USB Video output : NTSC, PAL, HDMI output Power source : One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL14 battery Dimensions : Approx. 125 x 96 x 76.5 mm (W x H x D) Weight : Approx. 505 g (1 lb 1.8 oz) with battery and memory card Approx.

455 g/1 lb (camera body only)

Compact Review Canon PowerShot A4000

You Press the Button...

E

ntry and mid-level compact cameras drive the sales volume for most camera manufacturers. Kodak realised this in the film era. Now it seems like Canon is exploiting this trend in the digital era with a line-up of compacts under all budget categories, starting from Rs.6000.

Point-and-shoots that form the base of their inventory is led by the PowerShot A4000, after which, the prosumers start.

Flash Output

Design and Build Quality The PowerShot A4000 is very compact and can easily fit into a shirt pocket.

The outer body is made of metal. The lens has three segments and it retracts fully into the body when the camera is switched off. The lens barrel is made with a combination of polycarbonate and metal. The camera does not feature a hand grip, but has a metal tripod mount.

83

%

Rs.11,995

Macro

Inside the Box Camera Battery Pack NB-11L l Battery Charger l Interface Cable l Wrist Strap l Getting Started guide l CD-ROM l Warranty Card l l

Aperture: f/3.5 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec. ISO:100

: f/

Aperture

00

ec. ISO:1

d: 1/25s

r Spee 3 Shutte

July 2012 Smart Photography

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Compact Review Canon PowerShot A4000 Key Features

Mahesh Reddy

The 16-megapixel Canon PowerShot A4000 uses a 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62 mm) CCD sensor (as per the specifications provided on Canon USA website) for imaging along with a DIGIC 4 image processor (It is surprising that the company does not mention the type of sensor used in most lowend cameras in any of the literatures found on their Indian site, nor they include specifications in the User Manual provided on CD). The camera features a 28-224 mm equivalent lens with optical (lens shift type) image stabilisation (OIS). In the normal mode, the lens focusses from 5cm to infinity at the wide-angle end (according to the Canon USA website, though their Indian site mentions this as 1cm to infinity at the normal mode, which we found to be false) and from 1m to infinity at the telephoto end, while in Macro mode, it focusses from 1 to 50cm. Aperture ranges from f/3.0 to 9 at the wide-angle end and f/5.9 to 18 at the telephoto end. AF drive modes are Continuous and Servo, while AF frame options are Face AiAF, Tracking AF, and Centre. The camera features the three usual metering modes — Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, and Spot. Shutter speed ranges Noise

ISO:100

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ISO:1600

Compact Review

Canon PowerShot A4000 Mahesh Reddy

from 15 to 1/2000 sec. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 1600 with an additional Auto option.

White Balance options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, and Custom.

Shooting modes include Auto, Program, Live View Control, Portrait, Face Self-timer, Low Light, Fish-eye effect, Miniature effect, Toy Camera effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, Discreet, and iFrame movie. The built-in flash has a range of 50 cm to 3.0 m at the wide-angle end, and 1.0 to 2.0 m at the telephoto end, though Canon does not mention at what ISO setting the flash provides this range. Flash modes are Auto, On, Slow Synchro, and Off. The camera can shoot continuous images at up to 2.8 frames per second

(in low-light mode). Still images are recorded in JPEG format with a maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels, while movies are recorded in MOV format with the maximum quality of 1280 x 720 at 25 fps.

The A4000 does not have an internal memory and uses an SD, SDHC, or SDXC memory card for external storage. It is powered by an NB-11L Liion battery pack (supplied). The device weighs approximately 145g including battery and memory card, and has dimensions of approximately 95.3 x 56.3 x 24.3mm (W x H x D).

Ergonomics The Canon PowerShot A4000 is comfortable to operate, though it lacks a proper hand grip. Be sure to attach the camera to your hand with the handstrap since the device can

accidentally slip out of your grip.

The camera features a classic Canon interface, which is very user-friendly, without requiring any effort to navigate through. Images on the LCD appear slightly noisy, but this is pardonable for an entry-level camera.

Performance For a point-and-shoot with minimal adjustments, it is an absolute necessity that it reproduces good images without the user having to fiddle with the controls. This way, the Canon PowerShot A4000 is clearly a winner. AF was fast and precise, though it struggled to lock on to low-contrast subjects in low light. Images appeared tack sharp and all metering modes worked perfectly well. The camera does not have manual controls and hence we had to do all the tests with whatever aperture and shutter speed the camera set for the July 2012 Smart Photography

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Compact Review Canon PowerShot A4000

+

Superior White Balance performance

+

Excellent control over darkening of corners

standard scenes. The device surprised us with its excellent control over darkening of corners. We did not observe any darkening at the wide-angle end (the camera set an aperture of f/9, though the ideal would have been the widest aperture). The lens controlled flare quite well, but we observed chromatic aberration in the form of magenta colouration around the edges of subjects shot against the light.

The lens produced barrel distortion up to approximately 35mm equivalent, Good flare control which, we would consider normal for a - Slippery grip low-end camera. The lens did not show any other distortion. The Canon A4000 FINAL SCORE reproduced colours faithfully. All White Design and Build Quality 17/20 Balance modes performed very well under all lighting conditions — even Key Features 17/20 under inconsistent light sources, which is Ergonomics 16/20 nothing short of brilliant. Native image Performance size was 11.52 x 15.36 inches at 300 Autofocus 4/5 ppi. At 25 percent of this size, images Metering 5/5 were free of noise till ISO 800. Viewed Noise Control 4/5 at 50 percent, images were noise-free up to ISO 400, while at 100 percent Distortion/Sharpness 4/5 size, our keen eyes could notice some LCD/VF 3/5 noise at ISO 400. Please note that noise AWB 5/5 levels were judged as observed on our Sub-Total 25/30 computer screen and it might differ Value for Money 8/10 considerably on print, depending on the Grand Total 83/100 media, ink and output settings. Generally, noise levels on print are lesser than that Verdict on a computer screen. +

The Canon PowerShot A4000 produces excellent images with minimum adjustments. If you are looking for a compact camera and you would rather compromise on money than quality of images, then the A4000 is a wise choice for you. Certainly deserves a Best Buy.

Sujith Gopinath

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Value for Money The Canon PowerShot A4000 retails at an MRP of Rs.11,995. Though the price seems a little higher that what we would have liked, we still cannot

complain since the prices are linked to the market, which is going through an inflationary phase at present.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective Pixels : Approx. 16.0 million Imaging Processor : DIGIC 4 Lens : 28 - 224 mm equivalent Focusing Range : 1cm to infinity (W), 1m to infinity (T) Macro: 1 - 50cm (W) Image Stabilizer : Lens-shift type LCD Monitor : 3.0 inch, approx. 230,000 dots TFT colour (Wide viewing angle type) Drive Mode : Autofocus: Continuous (Auto only), Servo AF (Follows Servo AE) AF Frame : Face AiAF, Tracking AF, Centre Metering System : Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, Spot Exposure Comp. : ±2 EV in 1/3-stop increments : Auto, ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / Sensitivity 800 / 1600 White Balance : Auto, Day Light, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom Shutter Speed : 15 - 1/2000sec.

Aperture range : f/3.0 – f/9.0 (W) f/5.9 – f/18 (T) Flash Modes : Auto, on, Slow Synchro, off : 50cm - 3.0m (W), 1.0m - 2.0m (T) Flash Range Shooting Modes : Auto, P, Live View Control, Portrait, Face Self-timer, Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, Discreet, iFrame movie Continuous Speed : Approx. 0.8 shots/sec. (In P mode) Approx. 2.8 shots/sec.

(In Low Light mode) Recording Media : SD, SDHC, SDXC memory card File Format : Still Images: Exif 2.3 ( JPEG) Movie: MOV Max. Recorded Pixels : Still Images: 4608 x 3456 Best movie quality : 1280 x 720 (25fps) Interface : Hi-Speed USB Power Source : Battery Pack NB-11L Dimensions : 95.3 x 56.3 x 24.3mm (W x H x D) Weight : Approx. 145g (Including battery and memory card) Approx. 130g (Camera body)

Compact Review Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20)

Cost Effective

T

he travel zoom or TZ series of Panasonic compact cameras have seen remarkable success.

However, competition is catching up and the TZ 20 was due for an update. The new TZ30 continues the tradition of the TZ series. Is it still a winner? Read on...

Design and Build Quality The design of the TZ series has been

Flash Output

so successful that it has spawned several imitators. The TZ30 reiterates the design appeal of the TZ series and adds to that a superlative finish.

The lens is a 3-step construction. The camera is extremely well finished. In addition, the metal body as well as the metal buttons make the TZ30 a reassuring camera. Having said that, the battery door is made of plastic and

Macro

81

%

Rs.19,990

Inside the Box Camera Battery Pack l AC Adaptor l USB Cable l Hand Strap l DVD (Map Included) l l

Aperture: f/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec. ISO:100

: f/5

Aperture

:100

sec. ISO

ed: 1/20

er Spe .6 Shutt

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Compact Review Mahesh Reddy

Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20)

feels a tad flimsy as compared to the rest of the camera. At 185g, the camera is light and can easily fit in your shirt or trouser pocket. The TZ30 is available in black, silver, red or pearl.

Noise

ISO:100

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ISO:3200

Compact Review

Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20) Mahesh Reddy

Key Features

Let’s see how the TZ30 differs from its predecessor, the TZ20.

TZ30

TZ 20

Sensor

14.1 MP

14.1

(MOS) MP(MOS)

Lens focal range

24-480mm (20x)

24-384mm (16x)

Maximum Aperture

f/3.3 – f.5.9

f/3.3 – f 6.4

LCD Size

3-inch, 460,000 dots

3-inch, 460,000 dots

ISO speeds

100 - 3200

100 -1600

Burst speed

10 frames @10 fps

15 frames @ 10fps

Autofocus

Light speed AF

Sonic speed AF

GPS

Yes, with built in maps

-

Touchscreen Yes

Yes

Image stabilisation

Mega OIS

Power OIS

3D Mode Yes

No

HD Movie

1080 p

1080 p

Built in memory 12MB

18MB

Intelligent HDR Yes

No

RAW No

No July 2012 Smart Photography

97

Compact Review Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 (ZS 20) The Panasonic TZ30 boasts of a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with 12 elements in 10 groups (3 Aspherical elements, 6 Aspherical surfaces, and 2 ED elements).

Panasonic claim that the TZ30’s autofocus speed of 0.1 sec is the fastest. GPS is built-in and the GPS function is included on a CD that can be downloaded on to a memory card. The GPS provides 1:25,000 scale maps of 90 countries. Panasonic claim that the supplied battery is good for up to 260 shots. Apart from the absence of RAW, the TZ30 pretty much has everything that an amateur needs.

Ergonomics The TZ30 fits the hands well and all the controls are easily accessible. The handgrip is the right shape and makes holding the camera with the right hand that much easier. Panasonic has done a remarkable job in fitting such a long zoom in a small body. Start up time is good at around 2 seconds. Shot to shot times are very brisk. We did not observe any shutter lag. The camera’s autofocus is amazingly fast in all situations except low light where it is average. Continuous AF at 5 fps burst is a plus point for the TZ30.

Performance As mentioned earlier, autofocus on the TZ30 is of a high order. Metering is also very reliable both in TTL intelligent mode as well as Spot mode. As with all Panasonic cameras, the Intelligent Auto mode worked very well. TZ30 sports a Leica lens where Panasonic has used its Nano Surface coating technology. The lens produces sharp contrasty pictures with good colour rendition from ISO 100-800. Though digital noise is seen at most ISO settings, we wouldn’t hesitate using it up to ISO 800. Barrel distortion was noticed till 185mm equivalent.

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Panasonic’s Power Optical Image Stabilizer also worked impressively to produce shake free results. The GPS function, however, does drain the battery pretty fast. The White Balance performance was very good in sunlight, but in other lighting situations, a slight warm cast could be seen (which of course is easy to get rid off in post processing). Very slight corner darkening was noticed at the 24mm end with the lens wide open. The TZ30’s flash performance is between poor and acceptable. The built-in memory capacity is 12MB, just enough for a single high resolution picture.

The TZ30 can record video using AVCHD progressive video or MPEG-4.

There are no manual controls. The TZ30 produced decent video files.

AF Tracking Intelligent Burst Shooting High speed burst:Approx.

40 fps (in 5 megapixel output); approx. 60 fps (in 2.5 MP output) Image quality : Fine / Standard : Auto, 5 presets, WB adjustment White balance LCD monitor : 3-inch, 460,000 dots Power : Li-ion battery pack Software included : Lumix Map Tool, PHOTOfunStudio 8.1 Premium Edition, Adobe Reader Dimensions : 104.9 (W) x 58.9 (H) x 28.2 mm (D) Weight : 206 g with battery and card

+

Fast autofocus

+

Appealing design

+

Powerful lens

+

GPS

+

Full HD video recording

-

No RAW

-

Battery life very average Flimsy battery compartment

-

No printed instruction manual

Value For Money The Panasonic TZ30 is available at an MRP of Rs.19,990. At this price, it is good value for money.

FINAL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective pixels : 14.1million Sensor size : 1/2.33-inch Type (6.13x4.6mm) : High sensitivity MOS sensor Sensor type Aperture range : F3.3/6.4-8 Focal length : Still: 24-480mm equivalent Video: 28-560mm equivalent Lens : Leica DC VARIO-ELMAR Stabilizer : Power O. I. S. Focusing area : Normal: Wide, 50cm-infinity; Telephoto: 200cm-infinity Macro/iAuto/Video: Wide, 3cm-infinity; Telephoto: 100cm-infinity Focus : Normal, AF Macro, Zoom Macro, Quick AF On/Off, Cont. AF, AF Tracking Shutter speeds : 15-1/2000sec File format : Stills: JPEG; 3D: MPO; Video: AVCHD, MP4, QT Motion JPEG Shooting modes : P, A, S, M, C1, C2, 3D, Scene, Creative Control, iAuto Continuous shooting : 10 fps, max. 10 images (at full resolution) 5 or 2 fps (max. 100 images with

17.5/20

Design and Build Quality Key Features

17/20

Ergonomics

17/20

Performance Autofocus 4/5 4/5

Metering

3.5/5

Noise Control

Distortion/Sharpness

LCD/VF

3.5/5 4/5

AWB Sub-Total

3.5/5 22.5/30

Value for Money

7/10

Grand Total

81/100

Verdict The TZ-30 is a well designed pocketable camera with excellent autofocus and useful features. As long as you shoot up to ISO 800, it produces very good results. Best buy indeed!

H. S. Billimoria

Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

The Bigger Sibling

M

ost customers are technically informed these days, and hence they prefer making informed choices in cameras too.

Manufacturers have also come up with cameras that appeal to specific customers looking for a particular set of features. An example is the Sony Cuber-shot DSC-HX20V. We reviewed the HX10V in the previous issue, and

Flash Output

the main difference between it and the HX10V is an additional 116mm zoom incorporated in the HX20V.

Design and Build Quality The Sony HX20V is made up of a combination of metal and engineering plastic. The camera has a rugged look and has a thick textured rubber grip.

The front panel is metal while the rest

Macro

79

%

Rs.22,990

Inside the Box Camera Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BG1 l AC Adaptor l Micro USB l Wrist Strap l Basic Instruction Manual l l

Aperture: f/4 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec. ISO:100

: f/3

Aperture

:100

sec. ISO

ed: 1/15

er Spe .2 Shutt

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Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Key Features The 18.2-megapixel Sony DSC-HX20V 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 camera features a Sony G 28-550mm equivalent f/3.2-5.8 lens. The lens offers very limited apertures- f/3.2 and f/8 at the wide end, and f.5.8 and f/14 at the telephoto end. The lens features an Optical Steady Shot stabilisation system.

At the wide-angle end, it focusses from approximately 1 cm to infinity, while at the telephoto end, it focusses from approximately 170cm to infinity. Focus modes available are Multi-point, Centre, Flexible Spot, Semi-manual, and Manual.

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, One Push Set, and White Noise

ISO:100

100

ISO:12800

Smart Photography July 2012

Mahesh Reddy

is polycarbonate. The lens has a threesegment construction and the tripod mount is metal. The LCD occupies most of the back panel and hence the buttons are very small.

Compact Review

Mahesh Reddy

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Balance Shift. The built-in flash has a range of approximately 0.4 to 7.1m at the wide-angle end and approximately 1.7 to 3.9m at the telephoto end when ISO is set to Auto. Flash modes are Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, and Slow Synchro. The HX20V features Face Detection with options of Auto, Off, Child Priority, and Adult Priority. This feature can detect up to 8 faces in a frame. Shooting modes on the HX20V are Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Easy Shooting, Program, Movie, 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, and Backlight Correction HDR. The

3D modes available are 3D Still image, 3D Sweep Panorama, and 3D Sweep Multi-angle.

The HX10V records still images in JPEG format with a maximum pixel dimension 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 uses a Memory Stick Duo/SD/Memory Stick Micro/Micro SD memory card for external storage. Though Sony does not specify the capacity of the internal memory, it is sufficient to record 17 still images at full resolution. The camera uses a 3.0-inch, 921,600-dot XtraFine TruBlack LCD. The unit is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack NP-BG1. The camera weighs approximately 254g with battery and Memory Stick, and has dimensions of 106.6 x 61.9 x 34.6mm.

Ergonomics The Sony HX20V has a high-resolution LCD, which enables sharp images during playback. The textured rubber grip makes it very comfortable to hold the camera. But it would be wise if you attach the hand strap while using the camera. The interface is intuitive and very user-friendly. The buttons and command dial are too small, which make them difficult to operate. The camera features Manual exposure mode, but no priority modes, which could be difficult for many people. To understand the camera a comprehensive user guide is required, which, unfortunately, is not supplied.

Performance The Sony HX20V performed well in our tests. Autofocus was fast and accurate. It locked on to the subjects even under low light and the images July 2012 Smart Photography

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Compact Review Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

were tack sharp. Slight darkening was observed at the extreme corners at the wide-angle end at the widest aperture. The lens did not produce any perceptible distortion. All metering modes performed very well. Prominent flare was observed along with purple fringing in strong against-the-light shots.

The camera reproduced colours faithfully under natural light. Auto White Balance proved to be good under fluorescent light too. We observed distinct casts under incandescent light, but this was easily removable in Photoshop. Native image size was 12.24 x 16.32 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent of this size, images were noise-free up to ISO 6400.

Observed at 50 percent, the images remained noise-free up to ISO 3200.

At 100 percent of screen size, noise was observed from ISO 1600 onwards.

ISO 3200 showed slightly less noise than ISO 1600, probably due to an over-active noise-reduction algorithm.

Though slight noise was observed even at ISO 400 on our computer screen, this will not be visible in print.

Generally, noise levels on print are lesser than that on a computer screen.

Value for Money The Sony DSC-HX20V retails at an MRP of Rs.22,990. At this price, the camera, with a 28-550mm zoom, seems fair value for money.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective Pixels : Approx. 18.2 million Image Sensor : 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62 mm) Exmor R CMOS Sensor Lens : 28-550 mm equivalent f/3.2 – 5.8

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Sony G Lens Focus Range : W: Approx. 1cm to Infinity, T: Approx. 170cm to Infinity : 3.0-inch, 921,600 dots XtraFine Screen TruBlack LCD Imaging Processor : BIONZ Image Stabiliser : Optical SteadyShot System Focus Modes : Multi-Point, Centre, Flexible-Spot, Semi-Manual, Manual Light Metering : Multi Pattern, Centre-Weighted, Spot Exposure Comp. : +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV steps Sensitivity Setting : Auto, ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 White Balance : Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, One Push, One Push Set, White Balance Shift Shutter Speed : 30 – 1/1600 sec : 10sec, 2sec, Off, Portrait 1, Self-Timer Portrait 2 Flash Modes : Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Synchro Flash Range : ISO Auto: Approx.0.4 to 7.1 m (W); Approx.1.7m to 3.9 m (T) : Yes GPS Auto Macro : Yes : f/3.2-8.0 (W) Aperture Face Detection : Auto, Off, Child Priority, Adult Priority Max. Detectable : 8 Faces Shooting Modes : Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, 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 Modes : 3D Still Image, 3D Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Multi-Angle Picture Effect : HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Partial Colour, Soft High-key, Water Colour, Illustration Recording Media : Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO Duo - High Speed, PRO HG Duo, SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick

Micro, Memory Stick Micro (Mark2), Micro SD, Micro SDHC Max. Recorded Pixels : 4,896 x 3,672 Best Movie Quality : 1,920 X 1,080 (28M, PS) Burst Speed : Approx. 10 frames per sec (Maximum) Supplied Battery : Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BG1 : Yes (supplied AC Adaptor) USB Charge Dimensions : 106.6 x 61.9 x 34.6mm (W x H x D) Weight : Approx. 254g (with Battery & Memory Stick) +

Good zoom range

+

Excellent Build and Design

+

Feature-packed

-

White Balance could have been better

-

Heavy flare and chromatic aberration

-

No Priority Modes

-

No complete user manual

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

18/20

Key Features

16/20

Ergonomics

15/20

Performance Autofocus 5/5 Metering

4/5

4/5

Noise Control

Distortion/Sharpness

4/5

4/5

LCD/VF

AWB Sub-Total

3/5 24/30

Value for Money

6/10

Grand Total

79/100

Verdict The Sony DSC-HX20V has a powerful zoom, which makes it very appealing.

But the shorter zoom HX10V model with superior performance and better pricing would be the better choice.

Sujith Gopinath

Lens Review AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8G

W

ith 35mm or “FX” full frame (24 X 36mm) format, lenses with focal lengths from 85mm to 135mm technically fall under the category of “short telephoto” lenses. However, these are popularly called “portrait’ lenses since they allow optimal subject distance for portraiture - far enough to provide a pleasing perspective and at the same time close enough to preserve the intimacy between the subject and photographer.

Nikon offers a number of lenses in these focal lengths with varying maximum apertures and a few with the unique “Defocus Control” feature to control the out of focus characteristics, known as Bokeh. The AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8 G is the latest in this long line of portrait lenses that have come from the Nikon stable. This is a “FX” (full frame) lens and hence can used with all the Nikon D-SLRs past and present (as well as some 35mm Nikon SLRs) with all the features including autofocus. It replaces the venerable AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8 D lens which did not have an internal autofocus (AF) motor and hence could not autofocus with lower-end Nikon D-SLR bodies. On a DX (APS-C) sized sensor, the picture angle is equivalent to that offered by a 128mm lens on a FX camera.

Design and Build quality The AF-S Nikkor 85mm lens is a wellmade lens having an outer body made of polycarbonate and a nicely finished metal bayonet mount. This is a G-series

Low Cost, High Quality lens and as such it does not have an aperture ring (aperture being controlled through the camera body). The lens is very compact and feels solid in the hand. It uses an internal focussing design and hence does not change its overall length while focussing. The filter size is 67mm (diameter) and is relatively light at approximately 355g.

Key Features The AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 G is constructed with 9 elements in 9 groups (which means that there are no multielement groups). There is no Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) or aspheric element(s) either. Focussing is achieved using an ultrasonic Silent Wave Motor (SWM). A conveniently placed focus switch to the left of the lens allows the lens to be used in manual or M/A mode (autofocus with instant manual override). There is no VR (Vibration Reduction) feature, which is typical of this class of lenses (fast primes) regardless of the manufacturer. The distance scale is marked in meters / feet and is reasonably visible though it is under a plastic window. The diaphragm is seven bladed rather than nine bladed, similar to that of its predecessor. The front element does not rotate, making it easy to use polarising and split neutral density filters.

As with all modern Nikon lenses this lens has the Nikon Super Integrated coating but not the more effective (and expensive) Nano Crystal coating.

Ergonomics This lens was tested on a Nikon D7000

80

%

Rs.31,950

Inside the Box Lens Front and rear caps l Lens hood l Lens pouch l Manual l Warranty card l l

July 2012 Smart Photography

103

Lens Review Af-S Dx Micro Nikkor 40Mm F/2.8G

Performance The 85mm Nikkor performed to our satisfaction. Autofocussing is accurate and absolutely silent though not very fast. The lens fully lived up to our expectations in terms of resolving power. The lens is exceedingly sharp even when fully open, and this is important, since it is expected that this lens will be used at its widest aperture when photographing portraits.

Its optimal aperture is around F/4. At this aperture, even the edge sharpness is excellent.

Flare and chromatic aberration are very well controlled. Contrast is very good.

Bokeh is of excellent quality when the lens is fully open but it loses some quality as you stop down. However, it is still very good till F/4.

On the negative side the lens shows some barrel distortion, but this is very 104

Smart Photography July 2012

low. Vignetting is present to the extent of one and half stops when fully open on a FX camera. This is gone by F/4 for all practical purposes. There was no vignetting on a DX camera body.

Value For Money The MRP of this lens is Rs. 31,950 and at this price it is a bargain. The only short cut that Nikon has taken is the seven (rather than the nine bladed) diaphragm though this is not a major issue since bokeh is still excellent at the most-used apertures.

More importantly, there is absolutely no compromise as far as image quality is concerned. The lens is less than a stop slower than the mighty 85mm AF-S F/1.4 G version which costs around three and a half times more, and is about just as sharp. On the whole it is outstanding value for money. If you are looking for an economical short telephoto lens for your Nikon D-SLR, then you can end your search with this lens.

Sample Photograph taken with the AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8 G Shutter speed 1/800 sec, Aperture f/1.8, ISO 200.

SPECIFICATIONS Lens model

Focal length : 85mm Maximum aperture : F/1.8 Minimum aperture : F/16 Lens construction : 9 elements in 9 groups Closest focussing distance : 0.8 m or 2.62 ft Max. reproduction ratio : 0.12X No. of diaphragm blades : 7 (rounded) Filter/attachment size : 67mm Diameter x length : Approximately 3.1x2.9 in or 80x73mm : 350gms (approximately) Weight

Akshay Rao Damera

body as well on the heavier D700. In both cases lens/body combination balanced very well. The focus mode switch, which allows toggling between focus (M and M/A) modes is exactly at the right place for a quick change over.

The instant manual override (through the M/A mode) is excellent for finetuning the focus. Manual focussing is a pleasure to use due to the easy to grasp focussing ring. The damping of the ring is just right and hence the feel is very good. However, we would have preferred the focussing ring to be a little wider and positioned closer to the body. The mounting index mark of the lens is a raised white plastic blob and this is a great help in aligning the lens to the camera body (when mounting the lens) especially in low light.

: AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.8G

FINAL SCORE Design and Build Quality

15/20

Key Features

15/20

Ergonomics

18/20

+

Tack Sharp

+

High speed

+

Excellent value for money

+

Compact in size and well built

-

AF while ok is not very fast

- Focussing ring too much to the front Performance Autofocus 3/5 Verdict Sharpness 5/5 This is a fast prime lens for Nikon D-SLRs that is excellent for portraits Distortion Control 4/5 or other short telephoto work. It is Aberrations 4/5 well built and tack sharp. There may be no fancy vocabulary in the lens Darkening of Corners 4/5 description like ED, VR, aspherical Extra Features 3/5 elements, nano crystal coating, etc., but the results speak louder than Sub-Total 23/30 these. It is very reasonably priced Value for Money 9/10 and the image quality is beyond reproach. Highly recommended.

Grand Total 80/100

Ashok Kandimalla

First Look Vanguard Auctus Plus 323 CT

More than just a Tripod...

P

rofessionals always emphasise on a sturdy tripod for every situation. Vanguard tripods are gaining ground for its good stability, flexibility, and ease of positioning at a rapid pace. The Auctus Plus series of tripods are Vanguards professional support systems and are available as carbon fibre or aluminium models.

The salient feature of these tripods is the Extreme Support Height Positioning (ESHP) Wheel System, a dualfunction wheel gear that allows you to precisely adjust central column height even with heavy equipment mounted on it.

The Auctus Plus 323 CT is an awardwinning model from the series. This tripod is made with a combination of carbon fibre and Magnesium alloy — carbon fibre leg sections with Magnesium alloy canopy (the series also features the Auctus Plus 323 AT, which is an Aluminium model). It features unique all-terrain feet that can be converted from anti-rust spikes to angled, textured rubber shoes that provide sturdy footing on slippery grounds. The legs can be fixed at a 25, 50, or 80 degree angle, and the leg locks are manufactured in such a way that it seals out dust and sand so as to enhance reliability. The tripod features a large bubble level, anti-shock ring, leg scales for precise height adjustments, rubber foam grips, and snow shoes.

The 323 CT has a folded height of 71cm and extended height of 180cm

when the centre column is extended and legs spread to its first locking position. It has a maximum load capacity of 18 kg and weighs 3.55 kg.

The tripod has three leg sections. The tripod features an interchangeable mounting screw with threads of two different sizes — a standard 1/4 inch screw on one end and a 3/8 inch screw on the other. This allows you to mount various types of equipment without the need to change the tripod. The central column has two segments which can be separated to reduce its length. This will allow you to take a photograph with the camera mounted just about 20 cm from the ground level by fully spreading the tripod legs and lying flat on the ground. The tripod also has a removable hook attached to the central column, which allows you to hang a weight for added stability. The kit includes a sturdy tripod bag also.

The 323 CT has won the TIPA award for best tripod in 2011, Silver in International Design Excellence Award, and was adjudged winner of reddot Design Award in 2011.

The Vanguard Auctus Plus 323 CT is available at an MRP of Rs.31,990 (tripod only, without head) and carries a limited lifetime warranty. For more details, contact Raman Agrawal of Nikita Distributors.

Ph: +91 20 24476171/443.

Sujith Gopinath July 2011 Smart Photography

105

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Tidbits

D-SLRs Vs. ILCCs

I

likely to fall at this hurdle. The likes of Nikon and Pentax have taken very small sensors to produce cheeky little cameras. Market response to these cameras is tepid, although the Nikon brand name will bring in initial results. That leaves the Micro-Four Thirds brigade led by Panasonic and Olympus. Olympus has its own

n the world marketplace, the battle between D-SLRs and ILCCs is hotting up. Presently, all manufacturers except Canon have a presence in the ILCC market. Panasonic, Sony and Olympus have the lion’s share but Nikon is fast catching up. Fuji and Pentax have also made their presence felt. The D-SLR market however continues to be dominated by Canon and Nikon.

It is very evident that with every new D-SLR, Canon and Nikon are raising the technological bar. Just look at the D4, D800 and D3200 from Nikon and the EOS 5D Mark III from Canon. Apart from raising the level of technology packed into their cameras, Canon and Nikon have also been raising their prices. Simultaneously, new lenses are being introduced at much higher price levels. The new 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses launched by Canon and Nikon are roughly 40% more expensive than their predecessors! It does seem that the D-SLR makers are carving a niche for themselves in the upper echelons of

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

the market and vacating the lower end.

What about the players in the ILCC market? At the moment, each one has its own strategy. The ones using an APS-C sensor face the problem of having lenses that are the same size

problems. Panasonic’s products are good but in markets like India, it is still to make a mark.

With a rapidly expanding ILCC market, we feel all the players have a good chance of grabbing decent market share.

Olympus OM-D

as D-SLRs. Having very little by way of stakes in the D-SLR market, both Sony and Samsung are probably not bothered by this fact. But for the ultimate consumer, the main reason for moving to ILCCs is size and weight and the APS-C ‘wallas’ are

Nikon D4

138

Smart Photography July 2012

Panasonic GX1

What is the forecast from experts?

One study indicates that by 2015, ILCCs will grab a 51% slice of the global market for interchangeable lens cameras. In markets like Taiwan, ILCCs already have a 54% market share; in Japan, it is currently 51%.

The UK gives ILCCs 28%, and the US 18%.

Is Canon listening?

H. S. Billimoria

RNI No. MAHENG/2005/14978