Issue 988

2018

ISSUE NO. 988

SONY:

SWAINS TO DISTRIBUTE THE MP-CD1, SONY’S POWERFUL, POCKET-SIZED MOBILE PROJECTOR ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: THREE NEW LEICA PRODUCTS SONY 400MM F2.8 GMASTER

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AOP STUDENT AWARDS

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MANFROTTO TRIPODS

£50,000 FILM CAMERA COLLECTION | & MORE www.pixel.co.uk 1

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OFF THE NEWS PRESS

WELCOME

To Pixel Magazine when we put it through its paces on an exclusive test.

Sony have more big news this month with the release of the long awaited 400mm F2.8 G Master.

Leica have had a big few weeks with their new HQ and product releases.

Fujifilm sponsored the AOP Student Awards Issue 988 brings you Sony’s new MP-CD1 projector which Swains are exclusively distributing in the UK. We have all the information you need to know, plus here our thoughts

Leica Mass Firmware Update Leica has just announced a set of new firmware updates that add new features and changes to its major camera lines. The updates cover the Leica M10, Leica Q, Leica CL, Leica TL2, Leica TL and even the original Leica T. Leica say - “These firmware updates were based on customer feedback, making

sure that each photographer’s voice is being heard and updates are being made to their gear so that they continue to work seamlessly and produce stunning images over the years and technology progresses.” www.uk.leica-camera.co.uk

Enjoy 988.

Luke & Mandy, Co.Editor in Chief

DNP Photo Imaging Europe Announces Tour de France Partnership The 2018 Tour de France kick’s off on July 7th from the Vendee - Pays de la Loire through Brittinay as well as the Alpes and the Pyreenes, almost exclusively in France (some 15 km in Spain), covering 3,351 kms and finishes in Paris on the Champs Elysees on 29th July.

DNP Photo Imaging Europe will provide their innovative photography printing solutions for the Departure and Arrival Village for all 21 stages of the Tour de France 2018.

Catch all the latest news at www.pixel.co.uk

www.dnpphoto.eu

Phottix Launches Kali Studio LED Line with the Kali600 Phottix have announced the Kali600, the first product in a new LED lighting lineup called the Kali. The Kali600 is a larger studio-style LED panel for photographers and videographers. Features and specs include CRI 95+ color rendering, 10%-100% digital power control, 3300K–5600K digital color control, and a maximum brightness of 3000Lux (36W).

More information at www.phottixstore.com Cover image by Antony Meadley

ID Station Photomatic ID Station Photomatic is a wired and closed system. Pictures are transfered directly into the tablet.

No taking out memory cards or wireless connection that might be slow or unreliable.

Always works, and is very fast. Camera and tablet operate on AC power cord which takes away the hassle of charging.

ID Station Photomatic is the fastest ID Photo System in the world!

For more information

www.swains.co.uk

sales@swains.co.uk

01485 536200

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COVER NEWS FEATURE

SONY:

SWAINS TO DISTRIBUTE THE MP-CD1, SONY’S POWERFUL, POCKET-SIZED MOBILE PROJECTOR Sony has added a fantastic product to their growing portfolio and Swains is delighted to be distributing the new Sony mobile projector. There is definitely a buzz with Sony media right now and the MP-CD1 Projector looks like an exciting product. Luke Woodford got his hands on one to test and also caught up with Sony and Swains to get their thoughts on this hot release.

What You Need To Know

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arlier this year, Sony announced that the ultra-portable MP-CD1 Mobile Projector would be arriving in Europe this year. Fitting easily in the palm of your hand, the MP-CD1 can project content up to 120 inches in size from a short distance of approximately 3.5m. This truly versatile projector, which weighs only 280g, instantly transforms any surface into a wide screen and operates almost silently, making it perfect for on-the-go business presentations, gaming, outdoor events or movie nights with the family.

The projector’s vibrant display uses DLP® IntelliBright™ technology, which employs advanced image processing algorithms to boost brightness without compromising on battery consumption.

The MP-CD1’s unique design allows it to minimise heat while still maintaining high brightness, in a pocket-sized form

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factor that has been recognised with an iF 2018 Design Award. With a rating of ANSI 105 lumens and 5,000mAh built-in battery, users can project clear and bright images for up to two hours of projection time. Usage time can be extended by simply charging via the standard USB-C port, even whilst the device is in use, thus eliminating the need for carrying a proprietary AC adaptor which can easily be forgotten.* If the projector needs to be used outdoors, the MP-CD1 can be easily charged from a portable power bank.

With a super speedy boot up time of 5 seconds and a host of simple connectivity options via the HDMI connection, content can be taken from a range of sources including a PC or even PlayStation and shared with the whole room in just seconds. This eliminates any disruption in continuity of a business meeting and an optional HDMI dongle enables wireless connectivity with a

variety of devices, including smartphones and tablets for watching streaming content, thanks to simultaneous powering from a USB port to the dongle even during projection.

The projector’s auto keystone correction ensures a full-screen display without distortion, even when projected from an angle, while dynamic picture mode enhances images and videos to optimal brightness and saturation. A standard tripod socket is also located on the underside of the device to facilitate projection on any surface – even ceilings.

COVER NEWS FEATURE Luke recently caught up with Sebastien Musq, Senior European Marketing Manager, Sony RME, this is what he had to say on the MP-CD1 - “One of the main advantages of the Sony Mobile projector is its shape, benefiting from the same form factor as a smartphone and weighing in at less than 300g makes it a new personal accessory which is fully portable. It is ready to use in less than 10 seconds: just the time necessary to connect an HDMI cable, turn it on and set the focus. You are then ready to project a vivid 105 Ansi Lumen image up to an impressive 120” size, from less than 3.5m distance and enjoy more than two hours of viewing autonomy. You don’t even need to use an AC adapter as you can recharge it with a standard smartphone charger.

The MP-CD1 also features two quite unique and very convenient features! One is the fact that you do not need to use a tripod as the projector will display the whole image on the wall even if it is lying flat on a table. And the other is that you can project from many angles to the wall, the floor or the ceiling as the image is automatically corrected so that it always looks normal; the image is never distorted!

In terms of connectivity, you can connect it to any HDMI device such as a laptop, Playstation and of course a camera. It can also connect wirelessly by using any WIFI dongle, sold separately. And, in case you are shooting on location and your camera (or phone!) runs out of battery, you can recharge it thanks to the mobile projector which also operates as a portable charger, simply connect the camera to the mobile projector USB port.

We do believe that the Sony mobile projector will become a new ‘must-have; personal accessory giving you the freedom to project your content, wherever you are!”

Specifications Projected Image Size: Max. 120 inches at projection distance of 3.45 m Contrast Ratio: 400:1 Output Resolution: WVGA 854 x 480 Colour Reproducibility: Full colour (16,770,000 colours) Weight: Approx. 280g Continuous Projecting Time (Full Charge): Approx. 120 minutes (when fully charged and without power supply) Dimensions (W x H x L) : Approx. 83.0 mm x 16.0 mm x 150.0 mm Accessories: Case, HDMI Cable 1m, USB-C Cable 1m, Micro USB to USB-C adaptor. *3amp adaptor

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COVER NEWS FEATURE

Luke & Mandy Test

The MP-CD1

After laying eyes on Sony’s latest projector, Luke & Mandy were eager to use it on an upcoming shoot to see just how versatile it really was. Luke talks to Pixel...

“When I saw the MP-CD1 for the first time, I was instantly impressed and attracted to its size. Being someone that always wants to travel as light as possible, this projector can slide into pretty much any camera bag with all your other gear and you won’t even notice it’s there.

Admittedly, having a projector in our bag as one of our tools had never crossed our minds before, but after a quick play with the MP-CD1, we could quickly see the benefit in numerous ways.

When you’re working with a team on set, it’s common to look through images you are taking during the shoot. Having the projector synced with your computer and camera is a fantastic way of enlarging the images you are taking so they can be viewed easily and discussed.

Another great use, particularly beneficial to photographers, is the ability to show your portfolio / projects to clients in an impactful and dynamic way. Not

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We at Swains are really excited to be involved with the launch of the new Sony Mobile Projector.

Our customers are always looking for new and innovative portable products which is why the new Sony MP-CD1 is a must for any up and coming early adopter.

Don’t be fooled by its size! It’s no bigger than an average mobile phone until it comes to performance.

If you want to make a statement and not just present through a laptop screen the Sony MPCD1 is the answer to make you stand out from the crowd. Use it with media-streaming dongles, smartphones, laptops and gaming consoles for bright and dynamic pictures. Danny Williams, Swains Director.

only is showing your work on a projector impressive, but images are always better the bigger they are viewed.

One of the great features integrated on the MP-CD1 is the auto keystone correction. The fact that you can lay it on practically any surface and there isn’t any distortion is fantastic. We have tested this feature and it works every time. The size of the MP-CD1 would be kind of irrelevant if you had to carry a tripod everywhere it went but you really don’t.

Mandy and I wanted to use the projector for a creative shoot. We already knew how well it worked for everything else.

As you saw in the last issue, we recently visited Paris and took photos in a derelict mansion. It’s these photos that we used for our shoot with the projector. We shot the images at Life Media Studios with the infinity wall. This allowed the projected image to blend nicely. Bearing in mind that the MP-CD1 is a mobile projector, it was incredibly impressive at a distance and did everything we needed. We are excited to add it to our equipment to use for photography and non photography related uses.

The Sony MP-CD1 projector is available now through selected retailers. Priced at £399

FUJIFILM:

LAUNCHING THE X-T100, THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE X-SERIES FAMILY

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s expected, the new X-T100 has

Fu j i f i l m’s trademark chic yet retro design.

However don’t let the size of the latest X-Series family member fool you. The saying, ‘Big things come in small packages’ has never been truer with this camera and its 24.2 megapixel sensor, teamed with Fujifilm’s signature c o l o u r reproduction technology. The X-T100 features advanced automatic scene recognition, a three way tilting touch screen, and outstanding Bluetooth® technology. Powerful yet portable, it’s the ultimate everyday photographic companion.

We talked to Andreas Georghiades, Marketing Manager of Fujifilm UK to get his thoughts on the latest release. He said, “We’re very excited

to be launching the X-T100. It’s the first camera in our range that truly appeals to the younger generation who are looking to move on from taking pictures on a smartphone while also being very accessible to those looking for

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Advertise with

luke@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Pixel Magazine is published under lisence from Pixel Publications Ltd.

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OFF THE PRESS

LEICA:

LEITZ-PARK OPENS WITH THREE NEW PRODUCTS

It’s been an unforgettable month for the iconic brand. Leitz-Park, the new headquarters complex, is now open in Wetzlar, Germany. In alignment with the launch of the new building, three new products came with it which we will talk about in the following pages. First, though, we talk about the launch of HQ!

L

eica Camera AG is celebrating the opening of the new Leitz-Park complex in Wetzlar. Two years after the first ground was broken on the Schanzenfeld site by the south-east gate of the City of Wetzlar, a unique complex has now been completed that unites spectacular architecture with cultural highlights and the development of pioneering technologies.

Around 1,000 guests were invited to the formal opening, among them, Boris Rhein, Minister for Science and Art of the state of Hesse, Martin Rößler, Vice President of the Giessen District, Wolfgang Schuster, District Administrator of the Lahn-Dill region and Manfred Wagner, Mayor of the City of Wetzlar, who will be joining Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Leica Camera AG, and Matthias Harsch, Chairman of the Executive Board of Leica Camera AG, in the festival marquee to welcome the guests to the event. “The new LeitzPark constitutes a leading centre of the optical industry. Here, research, art and culture enter into a symbiosis that will

attract photo enthusiasts from around the world. Providing a total of around 1,200 jobs, the entire site makes an important contribution to the region in many ways and will bring significant benefits for the City of Wetzlar and the tourist industry”, explains Dr Andreas Kaufmann.

The new site is home to four building complexes, one of which is the recently opened arcona Living Ernst Leitz Hotel, which offers 129 rooms, apartments and suites and an interior architecture and design concept that reflects numerous aspects of photography. In all, more than 250 works by more than 60 photographers can currently be seen in the hotel.

Immediately adjacent to the hotel is the new Leica building, which contains the museum, the archives, a photo studio, a Leica Store and the museum shop. The museum will be an important element of the Leitz-Park concept, and, in the future, will present and illustrate the entire history of Leica – from microscopes and cameras to sport optics products. The anniversary exhibition, ‘Eyes wide open! 100 years of Leica photography’, is now on display, exhibiting impressive images by

acclaimed Leica photographers together with numerous exhibits from 100 years of 35mm photography.

Visitors to the opening can also look forward to numerous top-class exhibitions. The new Leica Store will be showing three photographic projects, including, for example pictures shot by star skateboarder and jazz musician Ray Barbee. In addition, visitors will be able to see pictures from Tine Acke’s photo book titled ‘Udo Lindenberg. Stärker als die Zeit – Die Stadion-Tour’ and blackand-white images from the project ‘Darker Than Blue’ by Mathieu Bitton, which reflect the harsh everyday world of Afro- American citizens in a life between hope and rebellion. A further exhibition, featuring, amongst other photographs, the work of Michael Agel, can be seen in the outdoor area. The focal point of this exhibition is the Leitz-Park complex and its history from the beginnings to its completion.

The Pixel team look to visit someday soon to give our first hand impression on what looks to be one of the most impressive Headquarters on the planet.

www.pixel.co.uk 9

OFF THE PRESS Limited Edition Leica M10 ‘Edition Zagato’ The fine arts of German craftsmanship meet Italian Design: Leica Camera AG presents the new, strictly limited Leica M10 ‘Edition Zagato.

A timelessly beautiful special edition that unites the best of German craftsmanship and Italian design. Pixel gets the details you need to know...

C

omprising a camera and a Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens, the set takes its name from Dr Andrea Zagato, owner of the design house and automotive styling specialists of the same name, who personally designed the limited edition, restricted to 250 pieces worldwide. This collaboration is now the second special edition created between the two long-established companies 2015 saw the launch of a limited series of binoculars with a strikingly elegant design, the Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’.

Founded a century ago, Zagato has been the creator of the most beautiful coachbuilt bodies in the history of automobile construction. The quintessential Italian brand is particularly well known for its innovative use of aluminium in automobile design and construction. Today, the company continues to create special, and traditionally strictly limited, editions of cars with unique styling in Milan, where the story of success began with the brand’s founder Ugo Zagato in 1919.

Both Leica and Zagato uphold a strong passion for aesthetics and precision in many respects. Both have intrinsic links, as well, to photography: “Photography plays an essential role in our work.

Without the possibilities offered by

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photography, we would never have had the invaluable pictures to be able to reconstruct vehicle models, and would not be able to present our work from the last decades in such an impressive way” emphasises owner Dr Andrea Zagato, who, together with his wife and Art Director, Marella Rivolta-Zagato, now heads the family company in its third generation.

The ‘Edition Zagato’ is the first special edition of the Leica M10 camera and offers extraordinary visual and tactile highlights. The top deck, the baseplate, the outer casing and the control elements of the camera are all manufactured from aluminium.

This makes it 70g lighter than its serial production counterpart. Instead of the usual leather trim, the bodyshell of the camera is finished with fine grooves, which, together with details like the red shutter release button, lend the camera its unique look and feel. The integrated handgrip at the left of the body visually distinguishes the special edition from the serial production model of the M10 and makes it a delight to hold and handle. The M10 ‘Edition Zagato’ is the first Leica camera to have its own special serial number engraved on an aluminium badge on the base of the

camera that is revealed only when the baseplate is opened.

The Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens in the special edition set has an integrated lens hood that can be pulled out and locked in place in a single motion – a new feature for a 35mm lens that simplifies its handling. The design of the focusing aid on the lens pays homage to a typical styling signature of Zagato automobile design, the doublebubble roofline of many Zagato models.

The unmistakeable ‘Zagato’ logotype on the lens ring also indicates the role of the prominent design partner in this collaboration. In all other aspects, the technical specifications of the camera and lens in the Leica M10 ‘Edition Zagato’ set are identical to those of its serial production counterpart.

The Leica M10 ‘Edition Zagato’ is available from 15th June 2018 in selected Leica Stores at RRP £18,000 including VAT. Additionally, a few pieces of the Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’ limited edition binoculars are still available. In addition to the binoculars and a case in Zagato design, the set includes a matching carrying strap and a leather wrist strap.

OFF THE PRESS

The New Leica C-Lux The versatile compact camera with a 15x zoom, a practical touchscreen and exceptional design.

W

ith the launch of the Leica C-Lux, Leica Camera AG expands its product portfolio with a versatile compact camera that unites speed, an intuitive handling concept and stylish design. Featuring a Leica DC VarioElmar 8.8–132 mm f/3.3–6.4 ASPH. lens and a high-performance, 20-megapixel sensor for continuous shooting at a rate of up to 10 frames per second, the Leica C-Lux adapts quickly and flexibly to every situation and effortlessly delivers high-quality pictures of subjects at any distance. Its 15-fold optical zoom with focal lengths from 24 to 360mm (35mm equivalent) offers enormous creative scope that is further expanded by 4K video recording capability. Thanks to an integrated connectivity concept, still pictures and videos can be quickly and easily shared with family and friends by a simple tap of a finger on the touchscreen display. Available in the two colours, Light Gold and Midnight Blue, the Leica C-Lux impresses not only with its precision, but also with its exceptional design and range of stylish accessories.

From the lens to the 1-inch image sensor, all components of the Leica C-Lux are precisely matched to one another and deliver brilliant pictures in RAW or JPEG format in a quality that remains equally impressive in large-format prints. With an impressive maximum ISO sensitivity of 25600, the C-Lux guarantees pictures with natural colours and exceptional quality, especially when used for available-light photography. Thanks to its versatile zoom lens, fast autofocus and face detection, the camera also offers enormous flexibility in almost all areas of photography, and especially in spontaneous situations. The C-Lux’s fast autofocus with 49 metering points, ensures that subjects are sharply focused on in an instant, and a continuous shooting rate of 10 frames per second ensures that even the most fleeting moments will never be missed. Intuitively selectable scene modes provide valuable assistance when shooting landscapes, portraits or at night and enable users to concentrate exclusively on their subjects.

Thanks to the viewfinder’s high resolution of 2.33 megapixels, the clarity and contrast of the viewing image is outstanding at all times – even in particularly bright, ambient light. As the viewfinder covers

100% of the image field, framing of subjects is extremely precise and users have complete control of composition. The camera also offers dioptre compensation settings that allow spectacle wearers to use the viewfinder without any problems.

The 3-inch touchscreen display ensures particularly easy handling in all shooting situations. As with a smartphone, many of the camera’s functions can be controlled by simply touching the monitor screen, for instance the transfer of still pictures and videos via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The ‘Leica C-Lux’ app that supports this function can be downloaded free of charge and installed on iOS or Android devices. The display screen features a special repellent coating that prevents annoying marks and protects it against fingerprints.

The high-definition, 4K-resolution, digital video recording function expands the spectrum of features offered by the Leica C-Lux. Thanks to exceptional resolution – four-times higher than full-HD – and up to 30p & 100 Mbit in MP4 format, the C-Luxn delivers all the technical prerequisites for shooting your own, personal short film. What’s more, still pictures can be extracted and saved from video footage at a resolution of up to 8 megapixels.

The compact Leica C-Lux impresses not only with its technical features, but also with elegant design and a portfolio of stylish accessories. An extensive range of accessories in matching and complimentary colours is available for both versions of the camera. These include, for example, carrying straps and wrist straps for the camera in the colours taupe, blue and red. The portfolio also offers an extensive collection of premium quality camera cases, protectors and soft pouches that make the C-Lux an elegant companion for every occasion. Particularly eye-catching are the two vintage models in finely polished brown leather: a cleverly designed wrap- around vintage pouch and a vintage case with a concealed snap fastener. Also available is an outdoor bag in hardwearing, water-repellent fabric. A range of elegant cases in various styles, colours and types of cowhide completes the portfolio. Thanks to a detachable, adjustable carrying strap, two of these models can be used not only as a shoulder bag, but also as a handbag or for stowing things away in a day bag.

The Leica C-Lux will be on sale in the colour options Light Gold and Midnight Blue from mid-July 2018 at RRP £875 including VAT. The range of accessories will also be available when sales of the camera begin.

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OFF THE PRESS

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The Leica Watch Leica are establishing a completely new and exclusive product line in the Leica Camera AG portfolio: mechanically highly complex and sophisticated watches made in a small series.

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wo models – the LEICA L1 and the LEICA L2 – will initially be available for the launch of the Leica Watch. Both variants draw their design inspiration from the creativity and precision, the hallmarks, of the world-famous brand from Wetzlar. Both models were designed by Professor Achim Heine who has overseen the design of many Leica Camera products over the years and who has extensive knowledge of the company’s design principles. The Leica signature look can be found in the countless design elements and features of the watches: the elegance of the hands and indexes, the shape of the finelydetailed, stainless-steel case, the special fluting on the crown and the cambered shape of the glass which is reminiscent of a camera lens.

Both models are operated by a mechanical movement with manual winding which has been newly developed and can be viewed through the glass case back made of robust sapphire crystal. For Leica, the ‘Made in Germany’ aspect is particularly important, hence the collaboration with Lehmann Präzision GmbH. The development, design and a large proportion of the components come from the manufacture situated in Germanys’ Black Forest and help the watches to achieve a very distinct vertical range of manufacture.

Design and technology complement each other perfectly in Leica watches: both the front glass and the back case cover are made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with the front being antireflective on both sides, and each model has the patented pushpiece crown with a corresponding status display on the dial. The combination with the zero setting of the second hand is another special feature – the crown is therefore not only aesthetically appealing, but also adds a useful function to the watches.

The design, which is reduced to the essentials and coupled with uncompromisingly high quality, make the LEICA L1 and LEICA L2 not only a functional instrument, but also a real statement piece.

Dr Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority shareholder of Leica

Camera AG, on the Ernst Leitz Werkstätten: “I am very happy that this long- term project can now be finally presented. I believe that together with our partners we have succeeded in developing a ‘Made in Germany’ watch that is worthy of the name Leica and which represents the values of our premium brand extremely well!”.

Markus Lehmann, Managing Director of Lehmann Präzision GmbH, on the cooperation with Leica Camera: ‘We built precision machines for Leica years ago, independently of this project. It has of course been very interesting to work with Leica in these two very different areas, although the watch project was and is a project very close to my heart. We knew in the run-up to this project that this cooperation will be fruitful, which helped to intensify our partnership significantly.’

The LEICA L1 and the LEICA L2 will be available in selected Leica Stores including the Leica Store Mayfair as well as at watch dealers worldwide from autumn 2018. The L2 model will also be available in a version with an 18 karat rose gold case. To mark the occasion of the Ernst Leitz Werkstätten commencing operation, limited special models of the two stainless steel versions with a red dial will be released.

The Ernst Leitz Werkstätten, which derive their name from the founder of the Leitz Werke that opened in 1869, namely Ernst Leitz I, specialise in the design and manufacture of luxury products and are located in the newest part of the Leitz Park in Wetzlar, State of Hesse, Germany.

As an independent division of Leica Camera AG, they were founded by Dr Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority shareholder of Leica Camera AG. Visitors can gain an insight into the work of the Ernst Leitz Werkstätten thanks to their large viewing windows.

More information on all Leica news at www.uk.leica-camera.com

OFF THE PRESS

MANFROTTO:

THREE NEW PREMIUM BeFree TRIPODS LAUNCH

This month, Manfrotto adds new exciting solutions for travel photography and videography, launching three brand new models to satisfy the most demanding outdoor photographers. The BeFree range have been extremely popular to their quality and size. These three new models are sure to keep momentum from the previous success.

BeFree Advanced Carbon Perfectly balancing maximum portability and steadiness thanks to its lightweight yet sturdy construction, the carbon version of the Befree Advanced is perfect for photography on the go. The Befree Advanced Carbon (RRP £319.95) features the Advanced 494 aluminium Centre Ball Head and carbon fibre legs that ensure best-in-class performance, stability and tripod rigidity. It only weighs 1.25kg meaning that walking for miles to catch the sharpest, unique shots is now pure pleasure rather than a way to test your passion.

BeFree GT The brand new Befree GT travel tripod meets the highest expectations of professional photographers who want maximum performance even when they are travelling. Available in both aluminium (RRP £239.95) and carbon (RRP £399.95), the new ergonomic design inherited from the Befree Advanced provides outstandingly smooth usability, but in a bigger size. It is the perfect combination of portability and impressive stability, folding down to 43cm yet ensures flawless operation with up to 10kg of equipment.

The Befree GT mounts the new Manfrotto Advanced 496 aluminium Centre ball head that combines the same practicality with higher performance in terms of capacity and precision. Framing on the GT carbon gives professional photographers the freedom to express their individuality and achieve the most exceptional shots, knowing they are supported by a professional solution that will never let them down.

Both the Befree Advanced Carbon and the Befree GT models feature the M-lock, the new twist lock developed by Manfrotto that enhances compactness and speed of use, making them the perfect solution to slip into a backpack

and quickly set up when you see an amazing landscape. Moreover, both tripods feature the ergonomic leg-angle selectors with three independent leg angles that are designed to operate smoothly with either left or right hand. The lightweight, solid spider features the Easy Link like Manfrotto’s professional 190 & 055 tripods, allowing photographers to boost their creativity by adding accessories to help make their images remarkable. They can easily add lights or reflectors to capture amazing outdoor shots that were previously only achievable with heavily accessorised tripods.

These new models mount a unique plate, the 200PL-PRO, which makes them fully compatible with the world’s most widespread standard head attachments: Manfrotto RC2 and Arcaswiss style.

BeFree Live Carbon The Befree Live Carbon completes the range with a solution that independent content creators have been eagerly waiting for: a lightweight, ergonomic video travel tripod, built to record amazing video footage using DSLRs, compact system cameras or small camcorders.

This model’s small size and minimal weight (just 1.38kg) does anything but compromise sturdiness or image quality. The Befree Live Carbon has the same brand new tripod legs as the photographic Befree advanced carbon and adds the fundamental feature of the levelling column, which allows a quick horizon set up: a few moves and you are ready to shoot. This model features the Befree Live Fluid Head, which has a fluid drag system on pan and tilt and keeps the camera perfectly balanced thanks to its sliding video plate. Easy to use and set up, the Befree Live Fluid Head has two intuitive on/off knobs that lock and unlock the head’s pan and tilt movements separately.

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FUJIFILM:

SUCCESS WITH AOP STUDENT AWARDS

The prestigious 2018 AOP/WEX Student Awards attracted over 1500 entries this year. The three judges Lulu Ash (people) Jason Hawkes (places) and Kelvin Murray (things) narrowed these entries down to 60 finalists.

The results are in…

Best in Category – People

Best in Show - Best in Category – Places

Best in Category – Things

Arts University Bournemouth)

University)

University of the Arts)

Camilla Murray (MA Commercial Photography –

A

s Wex were the main sponsors, this year’s awards presentations were held at WEX Photo/Video Flagship Store in Commercial Road, London. The stores gallery has the 60 finalist prints on display until July 31st. Fujifilm were delighted to be ‘Print Partners’ with the media of choice being Fujifilm Natural White Smooth Art Paper 260g.

Professional Printing of the Exhibition was done by Alex Schneideman, Owner of Flow Photographic (www. owphotographic.com). The media of choice was Fuji lm Natural White Smooth Art Paper 260g - 44”. Alex comments on the exhibition and his paper of choice “When we were asked to partner with Fujifilm to print the 60 finalists for this year’s AOP Student Awards sponsored

by Wex Photographic we had to decide which was the best paper to use.

Factors to consider in choosing Fujixfilm Natural White Smooth Art Paper 260g included a paper that would need to excel over the varied subjects and categories of the entrants. From portraits to abstracts, managing strong graduated black and white work to powerful still lifes with striking colours. Displaying the 50 x 60 cm prints without glass needed a smooth natural but contemporary nish on a 260g weight so still easy to handle.”

For more information on Fujifilm’s full range of ink jet media please visit: http://bit.ly/fujifilm_inkjet_media

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Mick Buston (BA hons Photography, Falmouth

Jo Lauren (BA hons Photography, Norwich

“From the response of the judges and finalists seeing their work at the Award ceremony the Fujifilm paper certainly had the required Wow factor.” -Alex Schneideman

AOP Student Awards are a celebration of the best in photography amongst students, helping to provide that all important step up to the professional arena. By supporting new emerging talent, the Awards are an opportunity to get a first look at the potential stars of tomorrow. More details from Jemma Ridyard or Rachel Rogers. www.the-aop.org

Awards also to John Carberry (City of Glasgow College) Lecturer of the Year and University of Gloucestershire BA Photography: Editorial & Advertising Course of the Year.

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OFF THE PRESS

SONY:

INTRODUCING THE 400MM F2.8 G MASTER™ PRIME LENS It feels like a lifetime ago that rumours of this lens first started doing the rounds. The 400mm f2.8 G Master is arguably one of the most anticipated lenses in recent memory for wildlife and sports photographers. Here’s all you need to know..

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he product of extensive research and testing, Sony’s new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens is the first large aperture super-telephoto prime to join the E-mount line-up. This exciting new lens produces brilliant image quality, extraordinary focusing speed and precision while also boasting the lightest weight in its class and an extremely balanced design. It’s the ideal choice for professional sports, wildlife and nature photographers, and a perfect complement for Sony’s extensive line-up of high-speed E-mount bodies including α9, α7R III and more.

World’s Lightest 400mm F2.8 Prime with Ideal Balance for Monopod or Handheld Shooting Weighing in at only 2897g, the new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens provides

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a level of portability and handheld manoeuvrability that has never before been achieved in a lens of its class.

The remarkably light weight of this lens is achieved through an innovative optical design that includes three fluorite elements, with a reduced number of elements deployed at the front of the barrel, as well as the liberal usage of durable magnesium alloy components.

Additionally, repeated field tests and evaluation by professional photographers across the world have led to a lens design that is not front-heavy, reducing moment of inertia that resists rotation by up to 50% as compared to the SAL500F40G. This ensures that quicker, more precise panning is available, whether shooting handheld or on a monopod.

Fast, Precise Autofocus To best take advantage of the rapidly evolving shooting and focusing speeds of Sony’s latest cameras, the FE 400mm

F2.8 GM OSS lens features two newly developed high-speed XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors that drive the lens’ focus group, achieving up to a 5x improvement in moving-subject tracking performance. These motors are supported by specially developed motion algorithms to minimise lag and instability and control noise levels, resulting in exceptionally quick, accurate and quiet autofocus performance. This allows the lens to capture dynamic, fast moving athletes or wildlife with ease.

G Master Image Quality and Bokeh A member of the Sony’s flagship G Master Series lenses, the new large aperture super-telephoto prime lens features an incredible level of image quality and detail, with outstanding contrast and resolution maintained all the way to the corners of the image.

The unique optical design includes three fluorite elements that help to minimise chromatic aberration and suppress any

OFF THE PRESS amount of colour bleeding. The lens has also been coated with Sony’s original Nano AR coating to suppress any unwanted reflections, glare, or ghosting.

In addition to the impressive resolution, the lens features an 11-blade circular aperture mechanism that allows it to produce extremely natural and beautiful background defocus or bokeh’. Each lens is also individually tested and adjusted at manufacturing stage to achieve maximum image quality and ‘bokeh’.

The new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS is compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x E-mount tele-converters, producing outstanding imaging performance at extended focal lengths while maintaining fast, precise AF performance.

including a brand new Mode 3 setting with an advanced algorithm that ensures easier framing when following moving subjects. The new model includes a function ring with selectable ‘Preset’ and ‘Function’ settings, further adding to the customisability, a first for any Sony lens.

The FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS includes a dropin filter slot that accepts ø 40.5mm ND and other filter types, as well as the optional VF-DCPL1 Dropin Circular Polarising Filter.

The VF-DCPL1 filter can be rotated to achieve the desired polarisation while installed in the lens.

Durability, Reliability and Control

α9 System Software Update to Support FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS[ix]

To withstand the harsh conditions of sporting events and wildlife photography, Sony’s new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS is built with a durable magnesium alloy and a strong, lightweight carbon fibre hood. The lens is also dust and moisture resistant , and its front element is coated with fluorine to resist dirt and fingerprints.

There is also an ample amount of hard controls on the lens, including a ‘Full-Time DMF’ switch to immediately engage manual focus at any point, customisable focus hold buttons in four different locations on the lens barrel - allowing easy access of an Eye AF for example, and a focus ring that features Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus. The new lens also features built-in optical stabilisation for dynamic sports action and three different ‘Mode’ settings,

The latest system software update (Version 3.00) for α9 (ILCE-9) provides support for the new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS (SEL400F28GM) lens to optimise optical image stabilisation performance and enables continuous shooting with auto focus tracking even when aperture is greater than F11.

The update also provides added option to input camera serial number to the Exif data, a feature that has been strongly requested by professional sports photographers and photojournalists. Additionally, several other updates to the α9 camera have been implemented with the new firmware, including improved auto focus speed in low light conditions, enhanced continuous AF performance when tracking a moving subject, and reduced release time lag when shooting with flash.

Pricing and Availability Built to order, the new FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS will ship in Europe in September 2018,priced at approximately £10,500.

The optional Drop-in Circular Polarising Filter (model VF-DCPL1) will ship in Europe in December 2018, priced at approximately £420.

A product feature video and testimonials

by Nick Didlick and Bob Martin are now available at Sony Camera Channel on YouTube, and the new sample images are also posted at the global Sony Photo Gallery

Pixel thoughts...

Sony photographers have been crying out for a prime lens with this range for a long time. This release strengthens the brands challenge for number the number one spot. Pro Wildlife and Sports photographers initially hesitant on switching to Sony, now have reassurance that the brand is dedicated to photographers who shoot all genres. www.pixel.co.uk 17

OFF THE PRESS

FILM:

1,750 FILM CAMERAS AND LENSES FOR £50,000

Ebay recently had an epic collection of a whopping 1,750 film cameras and lenses, all of which said to be in “excellent working and [cosmetic] condition.”

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he collection contains 868 film cameras and 934 lenses across a huge number of brands. The seller, jalroubaie, writes that the gear is in fantastic shape because they “take great pride in what they have.” He goes on to say, “On weekly basis I clean and check most functions, the lenses get rotated,”.

“I check functionality of each lens or, camera that comes in. I log every item in inventory log book and report any damage or malfunction honestly, you definitely will be surprised how well these items have been taken care of.” We are told that 95% of the cameras and lenses come with flashes, hoods, and filters. There are also “hundreds and hundreds” of spare parts, straps, camera cases, bags, batteries, and other accessories.

With the Buy It Now price of the collection set at $65,000, you’re getting the 1,750 cameras and lenses (without counting all the accessories) for an average cost of about $37 per piece. And given the models that are in the collection, that seems like quite a steal.

Here is a list of some of the gear: 573 Manual Focus Cameras (45 Canon AE-1/TLB/AV/T 90, 30 Chinon, 11 Edixa, 7 EXA, 13 Exakta, 19 Fujica, 21 Koinca, 47 Minolta SR-1/SR-2/XE/XD/SRT, 17 Miranda, 75 Nikon F/F2 A/SB/AS/S/ F3/FT/FM, 25 Olympus, 73 Pentax LX/KM/KX/Program, 15 Praktica, 28 Ricoh, 13 Sears, 31 Yashica J-P/J-3/FR/J-5) 291 Auto Focus Cameras (61 Canon EOS-1/EOS1V/EOS-3/7N/7NE/7E, 12 Contax AX/N1/RTS/RTSII/RTS III/RX/139, 83 Minolta Maxxum9/7/X9/800si/700si/8000, 54 Nikon F/F2 A/F2 SM/AS/F4/F5/F6/F100/N80/N 90, 34 Pentax MZ-S/MZ-3Ist/PZ1P/PZ-1) 4 TLR Cameras (Yashica C, Yashica Mat, Yashica 44, Tower Reflex) 337 Auto Focus Lenses (96 Canon EF IS 70-300/24/28-135/28-105/50 Macro/70-210, 119 Minolta Maxxum 24-105/28-85/35-105/100-300 APO/24-85, 82 AF Nikon 50,70-210 F4/35-105/35135, 78 A/F Pentax) 573 Manual Focus Lenses (96 Canon FD, 81 Minolta MD/MC, 100 Nikon M/F, 59 Olympus, 99 Pentax M/F, 73 M 42)

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The New Standard of Full-frame The

brings together a collection of breakthrough technology to even more photographers, from its full-frame, back-illuminated CMOS sensor and incredible 693 phase detection autofocus points to its fast 10fps continuous shooting.

INTRODUCING THE

FROM SONY

Discover more at: www.sony.co.uk

20 www.pixel.co.uk ‘Sony’, ‘ ‘ and their logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Corporation. All other logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.