Saturday 22 February 2020
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m o r h c o n o M 0 1 M a Leic uality’, a dream
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Passionate about photography since 1884
Wonderful water Make the most of water in all its variety for stunning shots
Box clever
How to buy and use historic box cameras
FIRST LOOKS
New cameras
Olympus E-M1 Mk III flagship & Fujifilm X100V compact revealed
Best smartphone cameras compared
Finding film all over again The new generation of analogue disciples
Sigma fp in action
Create your art with cutting-edge science.
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7days
A week in photography
COVER PICTURE © GUY EDWARDES
Water is a perennially popular subject for photography, and with good reason. Whether you are shooting a reflection in a puddle or the Pacific ocean, the endless variety of water and its unfathomable aesthetic possibilities are irresistible to creatives with cameras. We’re never usually short of water here in the UK, either, so this
issue’s cover feature is bound to appeal. There is also a bumper crop of great hardware, including a full review of the Leica M10 Monochrom rangefinger – it offers ‘sensational’ image quality, says our usually hyperbole-allergic camera savant, Andy Westlake. And don’t miss our detailed first looks of the new Olympus flagship the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, and the Fujifilm X100V compact. Geoff Harris, Deputy Editor
Contribute to Amateur Photographer If you’d like to see your words or pictures published in Amateur Photographer, here’s how:
This week’s cover image
Something to say? Write to us at ap@ti-media.com with your letters, opinion columns (max 500 words) or article suggestions. Pictures Send us a link to your website or gallery, or attach a set of low-res sample images (up to a total of 5MB) to appicturedesk@ti-media.com. Join our online communities Post your pictures into our Flickr, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram communities or the gallery on our website.
Our cover image was taken by Guy Edwardes. See more of his work at guyedwardes.com
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This week in 1939
TREASURES FROM THE HULTON ARCHIVE
In this issue 3 7 days: this week’s news
8 First Look: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III 10 First Look: Fujifilm X100V 16 It’s good to share: readers’ pictures 18 Water, water, everywhere 24 Inbox 27 What’s in my bag 28 Back to the future 32 Sigma fp 36 Boxing clever 40 Join the club 44 Leica M10 Monochrom: full review 50 Smartphone camera round-up 56 Tech talk 66 Final analysis
© GETTY IMAGES
42 Behind the print
Pet Club by William Vanderson A SCHOOLBOY from Barnfield School, Edgware, Middlesex, shows off his pet mice to curious friends. According to 2017 research by the American National Academy of Sciences, humans as far back as 15,000 years ago may have domesticated mice. Domesticated or pet mice are sometimes known as ‘fancy mice’, to differentiate them from their wild relations (which
should never be kept as pets). Here in Britain, the National Mouse Club celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2020 and describes itself as the leading authority for all things mouse – its website lists more than 50 different breed standards for the fancy mouse, including Cinnamon, Marten Sable, Seal Point Siamese Satin and Agouti Tan.
The Getty Images Hulton Archive is one of the world’s great cultural resources. Tracing its origins to the founding of the London Stereoscopic Company in 1854, today it houses over 80 million images spanning the birth of photography to the digital age. Explore it at www.gettyimages.com.
By Geoff Harris and Andy Westlake
PHOTO BY ALEKS LABUDA (IN COLLABORATION WITH JAN BELINA)
NEWS ROUND-UP
Updated Petzval DSLR lens
Lomography’s Petzval 80.5mm f/1.9 Mark II lens combines a vintage 19th century optical design with modern helicoid focusing and a stepless 13-blade aperture diaphragm. There’s a choice of anodized aluminium, brass satin or brass black finishes, and Canon EF or Nikon F mounts. The estimated retail price will be about $449. It is available to pre-order now on Kickstarter, see bit.ly/PetzvalMk2.
Canon Selphy QX10 mini printer
Canon’s latest portable printer makes Polaroid-sized 68mm-square stickybacked prints, using dye sublimation technology for vibrant, long-lasting colours. It has a footprint of just 102mm x 143mm, and will go on sale in March for £140.
BHF seeks charity donations
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is calling on photographers across the UK to donate any unwanted equipment, to help raise funds for research into heart and circulatory diseases. High-value photo equipment will be sent to the BHF’s eBay site, which sold some 5,443 pieces of camera gear last year. Visit your local BHF charity shop or see www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods.
© ADRIAN STEIRN (2018 PHOTO STORY NOMINEE)
Rugged Ricoh WG-70
2020 Panda awards announced
Conservation organisation Wildscreen has launched the 2020 Panda Awards competition. Entrants have until 1 May to submit six images with an aspect of the natural world as a focus ‘with a clear narrative weaved between the images’. The contest is open to professionals and amateurs worldwide, over 18. Entry is free. See filmfreeway.com/ WildscreenFestival PandaAwards. 4
Designed for use in demanding conditions, the Ricoh WG-70 is waterproof to a depth of 14m, shockproof to a fall from 1.6m, and freeze-proof to -10 °C. It sports a 16MP sensor and 28-140mm equivalent zoom, and features six LEDs around the lens for close-up shooting. The camera is also capable of recording Full HD video at 30 frames per second. It comes in a choice of black and orange versions, for £279.
BIG
picture
Royal Society Publishing Photography contest winner CELEBRATING the power of photography in capturing scientific phenomena, along with the role that images play in making science accessible to a wide audience, the Royal Society Publishing Photography competition winners were announced at the end of 2019. The competition asks scientists from across
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Words & numbers
The notion of someone wandering the unpicturesque streets of Manchester and Salford with a camera seemed quite crazy to most people Shirley Baker
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40,000
SOURCE: OVT.COM
the world to send in their images across the categories of Astronomy, Behaviour, Earth Science and Climatology, Ecology and Environmental Science, and Micro-imaging. From the hundreds of images submitted, the judges chose the winner, ‘Quantum Droplets’, which is seen here. It was taken by Aleks Labuda from the Micro-imaging category. Visit royalsociety.org to see more of the category winners and runners-up.
The number of pixels in colour images produced by the world’s smallest camera, the OmniVision OV6948. It’s the size of a grain of sand
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Nikon unveils high-speed D6 and two Z-mount lenses
Canon developing high-end EOS R5 CANON has confirmed that it’s working on a pro-spec full-frame mirrorless camera. It says the EOS R5 will feature in-body image stabilisation that works in concert with optically-stabilised lenses, and feature dual card slots for backing up files in-camera. It will shoot at 12 frames per second with its mechanical shutter, or 20fps using its electronic shutter, and be capable of 8K video recording. The R5 name is no coincidence, with the camera looking very much like a parallel mirrorless model to the EOS 5D Mark IV. The firm has also announced plans for several upcoming RF optics. The RF 100-500mm F4.7-7.1L IS USM will be a long-range telezoom similar to the EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM, but takes advantage of the fact that mirrorless cameras can autofocus with smalleraperture lenses to deliver a longer zoom range, presumably without drastically increasing in size. Also on the way are RF 1.4x and 2x extenders, with five further lenses scheduled to come during 2020.
NIKON has taken the wraps off its latest top-of-the-range DSLR, the D6. Designed for professional photographers who need the utmost speed and reliability, it employs a new autofocus system with 105 cross-type sensors, all of which are userselectable. It can shoot at 14 frames per second with AF tracking, or 10.5fps in silent mode with focus fixed. A 20.8 MP full-frame sensor combines with the Expeed 6 processor to offer ISO 100-102,400, expandable to a barely believable ISO 50-3,280,000. Files are recorded to dual card slots that accept fast, robust XQD and CFexpress media. Physically the design is almost identical to its predecessor the D5, allowing users to swap easily between the two models. Yours for just £6,299, it’s due on sale this spring.
Full-frame travel zoom On the lens front, Nikon full-frame mirrorless shooters get what the firm is calling the perfect travel zoom, namely the Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR. Described as ‘ultra-compact’ and weighing in at just 570g, it features dust- and drip-resistant construction. It’s expected in the shops in mid-April for £849. Meanwhile, the Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S joins the family of Z-mount primes, promising to combine superb sharpness and beautiful bokeh. Weathersealed and having a minimum focus distance of 20cm, it’s due to be available in mid-March for £1,049. The new top-end D6 and the Nikkor Z 24-200mm travel zoom
Canon EOS 850D with 4K video
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CANON hasn’t given up on DSLRs just yet, with the new EOS 850D being an advanced entry-level model that replaces both the EOS 800D and EOS 77D in its current range. Despite the name, it’s an updated version of the latter, adding 4K video capability among a number of other improvements. It boasts a 24.1MP sensor, 45-point autofocus, 7fps continuous shooting, and a 220k-dot metering sensor that also enables eye detection when using the viewfinder. Like the EOS 77D it
sports both a Quick Control dial on the back for adjusting exposure, and an AF-ON control for back-button focusing. It’s due to arrive in April for £819.99 body-only. The firm has also unwrapped an ultracompact zoom for its EOS R models, in the shape of the RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM. Headline features include 5-stop image stabilisation, and an unusual ‘Centre Focus Macro’ option that allows focusing to just 2cm in front of the lens in manual focus mode, although with only the centre of the image sharp. It’ll be sold in kits with the EOS R and RP bodies, and on its own for £459.99.
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You can’t buy iconic new. A true icon earns its status. A powerhouse when launched, the M9 was the world’s smallest, fullframe digital system camera - proving that small can truly pack a big punch. See our current stock of this Icon at www.mpb.com
Buy. Sell. Trade. Change gear.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
Vertical grip
The Mark III uses the same HLD-9 grip as the Mark II. This replicates the main shooting controls, but users will have to make do with a d-pad to move the AF point.
Andy Westlake takes a close look at Olympus’s updated, super-fast Micro Four Thirds flagship At a glance
£1,600 body only £2,200 with 12-40mm f/2.8 £2,500 with 12-100mm f/4 ■ 20.4MP Four Thirds sensor ■ 18fps shooting with C-AF ■ 121-point phase detection AF ■ 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) ■ Extensive weathersealing
Joystick
The most notable external improvement is the addition of a joystick for selecting the focus area. It can also be used to navigate menus and change settings.
A new B position gives easy access to Olympus’s uniquely useful long exposure modes, and there’s a fourth user-customisable C position too.
USB power
The camera can be powered during shooting using a USB-C Power Delivery compatible powerbank, and the battery can be charged using any 3A USB supply.
IT’S BEEN a little over three years since Olympus released its high-speed E-M1 Mark II, making the time ripe for a replacement. After last year’s behemoth E-M1X with its integrated vertical grip, Olympus has revisited the smaller body design with the new E-M1 Mark III. The previous version was a fine camera, and the firm has carefully updated it without making wholesale changes. Indeed I suspect even keen Olympus fans will struggle to quickly identify many differences. Externally, the main update is the welcome addition of a joystick for repositioning the focus area, which has the knock-on effect of moving the menu 8
Mode dial
button across to the left shoulder. Aside from that, buttons, dials and switches are found in all the same places, although a few have changed their default functions. A button behind the shutter release is earmarked for exposure compensation, while that on the right shoulder is given over to ISO, as on the recent E-M5 Mark III. But this is Olympus, so everything can be re-configured according to your personal preferences anyway. The biggest upgrade is actually internal, because the E-M1 Mark III debuts a brand new processor, the TruePic IX. This allows the inclusion of some of the most interesting features from the E-M1X,
including LiveND that mimics the effect of using neutral density filters to achieve long exposures, and a handheld highresolution multi-shot mode that outputs 50MP images. There’s also an 80MP tripod-based multi-shot mode. More generally, Olympus says that the new processor provides up-rated all-round performance, including improvements in such areas as face and eye detection AF. The headline specifications are mostly unchanged. Olympus has stuck with the familiar 20.4MP Four Thirds sensor, offering ISO 200-6400 as standard, and extended settings of ISO 64-25600. On-chip phase detection supports 121
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The AF joystick is perfectly positioned for operation by your right thumb
autofocus points covering most of the frame, all of which are cross-type. However as on the E-M1X, users can now define custom AF-area groupings, not just in terms of the number of points used, but also how finely the groups can be moved around the frame. A new Starry Sky AF mode promises accurate autofocus on even the tiniest stars for astrophotography.
dust. Dual SD card slots are included, allowing files to be backed up on important shoots; however only one is of the high-speed UHS-II standard. One of Olympus’s most noteworthy features is its 5-axis in-body image stabilisation. Thanks to the use of the same gyrosensor as the E-M1X, this is claimed to be the world’s most effective, being rated to a barely believable 7.5 stops with the firm’s optically stabilised Speed merchant lenses, and 7 stops with other lenses. As The E-M1 Mark III boasts the same a result, it should be possible to shoot blistering speed as its predecessor, being handheld at shutter speeds that would capable of shooting at 18 frames per be impossible with most other systems. second with continuous AF, or 60fps Turning our attention to video, 4K with focus fixed, using its electronic recording is available at up to 30fps, with shutter. In its Pro Capture mode, it can a new OM-Log400 option for easier continuously buffer 35 frames from the colour grading in post-production, aided moment the shutter button is halfby a View Assist function which displays pressed, then record them to card when a standard colour gamut onscreen. Both it’s fully depressed, allowing users to headphone and microphone sockets are record fleeting, unpredictable moments. built-in. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity Even when using the mechanical shutter, supports both pairing with a smartphone it’ll shoot at about 10fps with C-AF. or tablet, and wireless tethered shooting Olympus has also placed a strong from a computer running Olympus emphasis on durability. The body is Workspace software. comprehensively weather-sealed, with The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is IPX1 certification, and can be paired due to go on sale in late February, with with a good range of similarly protected its body-only price of £1,600 at launch lenses. The shutter is rated to 400,000 being £250 lower than its predecessor’s. cycles, while the firm’s Super Sonic Wave Pre-orders placed before 29 February Filter has proven to be remarkably will receive a complimentary copy of effective at keeping the sensor clean of Capture One Pro 20, while stocks last.
First impressions THE E-M1 Mark III may appear to be evolution rather than revolution, but don’t let the similarity of its spec sheet to its predecessor’s fool you. I’ve been shooting with one for a couple of weeks before its official release, and it’s an astonishingly fast and exceptionally refined camera. The addition of a joystick for focus-area selection elevates it to one of the very best handling cameras in its class. Full frame may be flavour of the month at the moment, but the Micro Four Thirds system offers very real advantages of its own, particularly in terms of size and weight, and especially if you regularly shoot with telephoto lenses. The E-M1 Mark III delivers this better then ever before; indeed it’s arguably the camera that the E-M1X should have been all along. Look out for our upcoming full review. subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 22 February 2020
Lightweight, highspec standard zoom OLYMPUS has also revealed a compact, lightweight premium standard zoom, in the shape of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm F4 PRO. With a zoom range equivalent to 24-90mm on full-frame, its 12-element, 9-group optical design is said to be derived from the highly regarded 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro, with aspherical elements to minimise aberrations and Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical (ZERO) coating to suppress flare and ghosting. It’s claimed to be the word’s lightest constant-aperture zoom, at just 254g, and accepts
The12-45mm F4 PRO weighs a mere 245g
58mm filters. Measuring 63.4mm in diameter and 70mm in length, it looks like it could be an ideal companion to last year’s compact E-M5 Mark III. Like the rest of Olympus’s Pro range, the 12-45mm f/4 benefits from dust- and splashproof construction, with sealing at nine points of the barrel. However one concession compared to the larger Pro zooms is the lack of a focus clutch for switching to manual focus. The minimum focus distance ranges from 12cm at wideangle to 23cm at telephoto, giving 0.5x equivalent magnification across the entire zoom range, which should make the 1245mm an intriguing option for close-up shooting. On this note, it’s also compatible with the in-camera focus-stacking feature found on the E-M1 Mark III, E-M1X, E-M1 Mark II, and E-M5 Mark III, although the latter three cameras will need a firmware update. The lens is due in the shops in late March for £599.
Price cuts for E-M1 Mark II ACCORDING to Olympus, the OM-D E-M1 Mark III doesn’t directly replace its predecessor, and the two will be sold side-by-side for the immediate future. However the Mark II will drop in recommended retail price by £200 to make space, to £1,300 body only compared to the current £1,500. If this is reflected in the street price, it could see the camera fall beneath the £1,000 mark. Meanwhile the 12-40mm F2.8 PRO lens kit drops in price to £2,000, compared to £2,200 previously, while the double zoom kit that adds the 40-150mm F2.8 PRO telezoom will be £3,000. 9
Fujifilm X100V
Shutter
Shutter speeds range from 15min-1/4000sec using the mechanical shutter, or 15min-1/32,000sec using the silent electronic shutter.
Michael Topham takes a tour of Fujifilm’s new premium compact in the X100 series
HOT ON the heels of its latest entry-level mirrorless release, the X-T200, Fujifilm has unveiled its fifth model in its iconic and stylish X100 series. The X100V replaces the X100F that was released in 2017 and introduces a number of improvements, making it the most advanced premium fixed lens compact in Fujifilm’s history.
Features The X100V is the latest X-series camera to inherit Fujifilm’s 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 APS-C sensor and quad-core X-Processor 4. Together they deliver a sensitivity range of ISO 160-12,800 (extendable to ISO 80-51,200), along with continuous shooting rates of 11fps with the mechanical shutter, 20fps with the electronic shutter, or 30fps with a 1.25x crop. To complement the sensor, Fujifilm has designed a new 23mm f/2 lens for the X100V that promises better resolution, lower distortion and a greatly improved performance in the corners and at close focus distances. The good news is that the improvements to the optics have had no effect on the size of the lens, meaning it remains compatible with existing adapters and conversion lenses. Photographers have the option to add a wide conversion lens (WCL-X100 II) or tele-conversion lens (TCL-X100 II) to extend the X100V’s fixed 23mm focal length (equivalent to 34.5mm in 35mm terms) to a 28mm equivalent (0.8x) or 50mm (1.4x) equivalent lens. In addition to weathersealing around the body, Fujifilm has designed a weather-resistance kit for the X100V (£99) to enhance its operability in challenging conditions. The adapter ring (AR-X100) and protector filter (PRF-49) make it fully weather-resistant. Like its predecessors, the X100V features a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder. In its optical mode, the finder continues to provide parallax-corrected frame lines, along with detailed overlaid exposure information, but now offers wider 95% coverage and a higher 0.52x magnification. As for the EVF, this has been upgraded to offer a clearer viewing experience with a 3.69-million-dot 10
Design
The body has top and bottom plates milled from single pieces of aluminium, which results in a refined and classic camera body with clean, attractive edges.
Touchscreen
Touchscreen control extends to the quick menu, but it doesn’t support navigation of the main menu like the X-A7 or X-T200.
resolution, 0.66x magnification and improved contrast. The X100V’s autofocus performance has improved too. It can focus down to -5EV in low light and spreads 2.16-million phase-detection pixels across the surface of its sensor. Users can select from 117 AF points laid out in a 9x13 formation, which can be increased to a 425-point layout arranged in a 17x25 grid. Furthermore, it provides enhanced face and eye detection and is equipped with Fujifilm’s focus limiter function that can be used to set the lens to a specific range of distances, which can be useful
Weatherresistant kit
The weather-resistant kit will be sold for half price (£49.50) to UK customers when it’s purchased with the camera.
At a glance
£1299 body only ■ 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor ■ X-Processor 4 ■ 23mm f/2 lens ■ Hybrid viewfinder (OVF&EVF) ■ Two-way tilting touchscreen ■ 4K video at 30fps ■ Compatible with legacy conversion lenses
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AP got hands on with the X100V at a launch event in central London
when the distance to the subject you’re photographing remains consistent. Other new additions include a built-in 4-stop ND filter, which improves on the X100F’s 3-stop ND filter, and a wider selection of film simulation modes that includes Classic Negative, which made its debut in the X-Pro3. Videographers benefit from having the ability to record 4K video at 30p, with Full HD 1080p also available up to 120fps. Those who’d like to record in 10-bit, 4:2:2 can do so via the HDMI port and there’s a 2.5mm mic input to enhance audio quality. Another welcome improvement is the X100V’s healthier battery life, which lasts for 350 frames using the EVF, or 420 frames using the optical viewfinder. With a USB Type-C port users have the option to charge on the go, and just as you’d expect, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is built-in to enable wireless transfers and remote control with mobile devices running Fujifilm’s Camera Remote app.
Build and handling The X100V shares the same charm and elegance as its predecessors, but there are quite a few differences that aren’t immediately obvious. With regard to its build quality, the top and bottom plates are now manufactured from single pieces of aluminium, resulting in a much crisper finish around the edge of the
World’s fastest lens with autofocus
body than previous versions. The aluminium covers, which are built around a magnesium alloy frame, are exquisitely finished in a satin coating, with the allblack version being anodised rather than painted to give it a ‘deep black’ look. On the top plate, the X100V, like the X100F, benefits from an ISO dial that’s built around the shutter speed dial. It’s similar to the arrangement you’ll find on the X100F in that the outer portion of the dial is lifted to adjust the ISO value, but it’s also vastly improved in the way it doesn’t have to be lifted and rotated simultaneously. Pull the outer ring up and the ISO dial can be rotated freely with your thumb before it’s pushed back down and locked in place. The significant change at the rear is a new two-way tilting 3in, 1.62-milliondot touchscreen. By designing the screen unit incredibly thinly, users get the benefit of a tilting screen with no additional bulk – indeed you wouldn’t really know it’s a tilt screen if it wasn’t for the cut-out at the bottom left corner of the body that helps pull it out. The X100V does lose the four-way controller. Instead users are encouraged to use the joystick and the Menu/OK, playback and DISP/Back buttons, which align beneath. A small quick menu button remains, but it’s shifted to the right to prevent accidental thumb presses.
First impressions WITH the X100V, Fujifilm has listened to what existing X100 users have had to say and responded by making a series of valuable improvements to key areas of its operation and design. If the examples we were shown of how the new lens resolves sharpness is anything to go by, we can expect it to produce better image quality in the corners – plus with the introduction of a weather-resistance kit, photographers will no longer be afraid of using it when weather conditions take a turn for the worse. Adding a tilt screen will be a huge benefit to street photographers who like to shoot inconspicuously from the hip, while other tweaks such as refining ISO control and giving it an even more premium finish are likely to charm existing X100 users into thinking about an upgrade. We’re looking forward to reviewing it in a few weeks’ time. subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 22 February 2020
AT THE same time as announcing the X100V, Fujifilm revealed its next lens to be added to its lineup of XF lenses will be the Fujinon XF 50mm F1.0 R WR. It will bring the total number of lenses for X-series cameras up to 35 and it’ll be the world’s fastest lens with autofocus. Equivalent to 75mm in 35mm terms, it’ll employ 13 elements in 8 groups and include an unusual concave front element, 2 extra low dispersion (ED) glass lenses and feature a 77mm filter thread. Fujifilm explained that the set of large elements towards the front of the lens are used to form the image, while
the rear section that’s made up of 5 elements in 3 groups will be used for focusing. The lens is designed to produce very ‘creamy’ looking bokeh and is promised to be even better in this respect than the much-loved XF 56mm F1.2 R. The fact Fujifilm had a working sample to show us suggests it might not be too long before we see the lens rolling off the production line. Fujifilm was also forthcoming in saying there will be three additional lenses added to the XF range by the end of the year, however no futher information about what these three lenses will be has been disclosed.
The new XF 50mm F1.0 R WR coupled to the Fujifilm X-T3
Fujifilm X-T4 is only a matter of days away THE OTHER very exciting news to come from this year’s X-Summit broadcast held at Fujifilm’s House of Photography in London was confirmation that the Fujifilm X-T4 is on its way. Towards the end of the live broadcast, Fujifilm revealed the X-T4 will be officially announced on 26 February. Although no further information was revealed, the official announcement ties in with the annual CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show in Yokohama, Japan (27 February to 1 March)
where we’re expecting many of the major players in the photography market to release their latest products and innovations. AP will be attending CP+ to bring you all the news and information as and when we receive it, so watch this space.
A countdown timer has been added to Fujifilm’s website 11
Woman on tube holding flowers, London, 1960
disparity between youth and age. Eventually published in April 1961 under the title Seeing Ourselves as an American Sees Us: A Picture Essay on Britain the results show arguably what was the last remnant of a nation vanishing into modern things and ways of thinking yet to come. Also on display are photographs shot by Davidson in Wales during the mid-1960s. The story goes that the photographer, while serving in the His travels showed him a country that, army, asked a Welsh sergeant where he in parts, appeared untouched since the would send his worst enemy. The 1930s, alongside a society that was answer: Cwmcarn. driven by difference while still emerging Years later, while on assignment from post-war trauma and several years photographing Caernarfon Castle in the of cuts and austerity. north of the country, he decided to finally He pointed his lens towards the pay a visit to the town in the Ebbw Valley extremes of city and country life, as well in the south. A mining town, it was known as shifting social and cultural attitudes. for its social deprivation, along with the Particularly drawn towards the teenager, scars left on the landscape from many he was keen to show the growing years of heavy industry.
A United Kingdom By Bruce Davidson
The legendary Magnum photographer’s show includes some of his rarely seen work, as Amy Davies discovers EXHIBITION Huxley-Parlour Gallery, 3-5 Swallow Street, London, W1B 4DE until 14 March. MondaySaturday 10.00-17.30. Admission free.
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O
n commission for The Queen magazine, American photographer Bruce Davidson travelled to the UK in the autumn of 1960. Given free rein to create his personal portrait of the country, he toured for just over two months, spending a number of weeks in London before moving on to the south coast, then heading north to Scotland.
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The latest and best exhibitions from the world of photography © STAN DOUGLAS
ALL PICTURES © BRUCE DAVIDSON / MAGNUM PHOTOS COURTESY HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY/HUXLEY PARLOUR GALLERY
Also out now
Wales, 1965
EXHIBITION
Stan Douglas: Doppelgänger Victoria Miro, London. Runs until 14 March. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm. Entrance free PRIMARILY a video installation, this exhibition also includes selected works from Douglas’s photographic series Scenes from the Blackout. Canadian artist Stan Douglas often explores what he describes as ‘speculative histories’ – moments in time when events could have taken a very different turn. In this series, he imagines the effects of a total loss of power in present-day New York City and how people would behave in such an emergency. A panoramic view of an almost entirely blacked-out cityscape is set against scenes showing individual experiences of resourcefulness and various degrees of misbehaviour. Douglas has been creating film and photographs since the 1980s, as well as more recently working on theatre productions and other projects. The photos are cinematic, with a film-noir or Hitchcock-like quality to them – it’s well worth a visit if you want to see something unusual and slightly surreal. Amy Davies
EXHIBITION Girl holding kitten, London,1960
Davidson’s photographs show a different, more hopeful side. Focusing on the communities – for example the mining families and children at play – the images are a countenance to the hardships those in the frame undoubtedly faced. As an American, Davidson is perhaps
able to see things about us and our society that a British photographer might not even notice. The images were shot with kindness, compassion and respect. Free exhibitions of this calibre don’t come along that often, so if you can get to London to catch it, it’s a must-see. Teenagers and jukebox, Hastings, 1960
Masculinities: Liberation Through Photography Barbican Centre London. 20 Feb to 17 May. £15-£17 (concessions available). Opening times vary, see website for details This major group exhibition explores how masculinity is experienced, performed, coded and socially constructed as expressed and documented through photography and film from the 1960s to the present day. More than 300 works from over 50 different artists are featured in the exhibition, including Richard Avedon and Robert Mapplethorpe. Younger and lesser-known artists are also represented, some of whom have never shown in the UK before. Jane Alison, head of visual arts at the Barbican, said ‘In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the resurgence of feminist and men’s rights activism, traditional notions of masculinity has become a subject of fierce debate.’ There are many highlights of the exhibition – make sure you set aside a couple of hours to fully explore everything it has to offer. See Peter Dench’s latest Final Analysis column (p66) on ‘Gentlemen’ by Karen Knorr – an image on display at the show. Amy Davies 13
In next week’s issue
Viewpoint
On sale Tuesday 25 February
Andy Westlake It’s clear that camera bargains are available, just don’t expect the latest technology
14
awards We reveal the best cameras, lenses and accessories that we tested last year
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THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE OR TI MEDIA LIMITED
I
n this week’s issue, I Sony’s original RX100 currently costs review Leica’s latest M10 a fifth as much as the latest version Monochrom, a rangefinder camera that shoots only in black & white. It’s very special indeed, but then again it probably should be, given that it costs £7,250 without a lens. I paid considerably less than that for my car. While this is an extreme example, it does often feel as though cameras are getting increasingly unaffordable. For example, Sony’s original Cyber-shot RX100 – the first camera to feature shooting mirrorless camera? Panasonic’s a 1-inch sensor, of the kind that’s now very capable G80 costs £600 with a ubiquitous across advanced compacts – versatile 12-60mm lens, making it £300 seemed inconceivably expensive for its less than last year’s G90 for much the type when it was launched back in 2012 same spec. If it’s an entry-level DSLR for £550. But by 2019, the seventhyou’re after, the Canon EOS 2000D costs generation version appeared for an £369 with its image-stabilised 18-55mm eye-watering £1,100, fully double the kit lens, having started life with a £469 price. We often get asked why we only price ticket. And going back to Sony’s review expensive cameras, but here, in a premium compacts, at the time of writing nutshell, is the problem. We review that original RX100 could be bought from cameras when they’re first released, and reputable retailers, brand new, for just at that point, they’re expensive. £249, with intermediate generations at In essence, this simply reflects how the practically every price point in between. market now works. Where once a new We reviewed all of these cameras, it’s just camera would completely replace its that they looked quite a lot more predecessor on the dealers’ shelves in a matter of weeks, now the old models stay expensive at the time. So what are your options if you’ve only available for much longer, at evergot a couple of hundred quid to spend? decreasing prices. This in turn allows Unfortunately the bottom end of the manufacturers to pitch their latest and market has been decimated by the quality greatest tech at a higher price point, and and ubiquity of mobile phones, so there’s recoup their development costs from not much to buy new. But this is what the early adopters. So this is where bargains second-hand market has always been for, are to be found – not with the shiny new releases, but with older designs, which are and there are plenty of reputable retailers out there, so you don’t have to take your often still very capable indeed. chances on eBay. The bottom line is that The bargains are out there bargains are still around, just rarely with Let’s consider a few examples. Want a the latest cameras. brilliant full-frame DSLR? Take a look at Andy Westlake is currently the Technical Editor the Nikon D750, which can now be had for under £1,000, less than half the price of Amateur Photographer. For six and a half years he wrote for Digital Photography Review, writing of its recently announced successor, the D780. How about a high-quality 4K-video numerous lens and camera reviews.
Tips to help you produce a coherent set of images for a successful portfolio
Well travelled We share some of our favourites from this year’s winning Travel POTY images
Day out with the Zeiss Batis Find out what happened when Zeiss and AP took readers on a photo walk
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The best pictures on social media this week
#appicoftheweek Monty is in the lead by Robert Gould
Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 160 mm, 1/1000sec at f/2.8, ISO 320
*PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY
Bob Gould is a retired aircraft engineer, who lives in Caerphilly, South Wales. He spends his time between home and exploring the canal network on his narrowboat Gimme Shelter. This image is of his and his daughters’ labradors taken on top of Caerphilly Mountain in South Wales. He uploaded it to Flickr using the hashtag #appicoftheweek. He explains, ‘My daughters held the dogs out of sight and released them on my signal. I was lying down, supporting the camera on my elbows. I used back button focusing to pre-focus on the horizon and shot as they came into sight.’ See more at www.flickr.com/photos/bob gould. Chosen by Michael Topham, Reviews Editor
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Each week we choose our favourite picture on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Twitter or the reader gallery using #appicoftheweek. PermaJet proudly supports the online picture of the week winner, who will receive a top-quality print of their image on the finest PermaJet paper*. It is important to bring images to life outside the digital sphere, so we encourage everyone to get printing today! Visit www.permajet.com to learn more.
We also likedÉ Portrait of my Daughter by Jay Mason-Burns Fujifilm X-T20, 25mm, 1/125sec at f/1.8, ISO 320. Shot in raw, converted in camera to Fujifilm Acros Red film sim with strong grain ‘I am a street photographer from south Birmingham. I shoot with Fuji, which I enjoy because it allows me to use vintage and budget lenses, such as the £40 Neewer 25mm prime that I got for Christmas. This is my daughter Isobel shot in our local park.’ Jay uploaded this to Twitter using #appicoftheweek. See more of his images on Instagram and Twitter @ jayjayjjetplane. Chosen by Nigel Atherton, Editor 16
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Fragments in Time by Daniel Ruffles
Nikon DF, 85mm, 1/60sec at f/2.8, ISO 100 ‘I live in Aldeburgh in Suffolk and am surrounded by a beautiful coastline with lots of photographic inspiration. I’ve been exploring this area with my camera for the last five years. I’d noticed these reedbeds in some marshland and I captured a few different compositions of them, purposely overexposing the image to draw attention to the strong lines of the reeds, shooting at f/2.8 to give some subtle fall-off. This in return gave a pleasing abstract quality.’ See more on Twitter @danielianphoto. Chosen by Andy Westlake, Technical Editor subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 22 February 2020
Corfe Storytales by Emily Endean
Fujifilm X-T3, 70.5mm, 10sec at f/7.1, ISO 160 ‘I enjoy being outside, capturing the beauty of the world through my lens and chasing the light and the weather at its best, mainly around Dorset and Hampshire. I had the pleasure of a night-time storytelling walk around Corfe Castle, with only the main pillars lit and some small lights on the steps to guide the way. Beforehand, we made a quick pit stop to take in the view from the village streets. This place never disappoints.’ See more on Facebook Emily Endean Photography. Chosen by Geoff Harris, Deputy Editor
Want to see your pictures here? Post them into our Instagram, Twitter, Flickr or Facebook communities or the gallery on our website. See p3. 17
Technique
PHOTOGRAPHING WATER
Water, water, everywhere
Reflect on how you can improve your water photography skills as professionals Guy Edwardes, Ross Hoddinott and Claire Gillo share their top tips
Landscapes and water
Guy Edwardes
Guy Edwardes has been a professional landscape, nature and wildlife photographer for 25 years and has a wealth of knowledge in many fields. Guy also runs photography workshops both in the UK and abroad. To find out more go to www.guyedwardes.com.
Shoot abstract water images In windy conditions with large waves (but not too much white foam) try panning the waves as they approach the shore. Support your camera on a tripod or use image stabilisation (mode 2 for Canon or ‘Active’ for Nikon) as a shutter speed of between 1/15sec and 1sec tends to work best. Pan smoothly and you’ll be able to achieve some interesting effects.
Some of the most dramatic river and waterfall images are taken from the middle of the river – you’re almost certain to achieve a more unique composition! You’ll get closer Freeze wave action to interesting foreground In stormy conditions it is often preferable to use a fast shutter elements and with the speed to freeze the movement of waves as they explode water rushing towards you on the shoreline. It’s likely to be windy, so use a tripod if any leading lines will be possible and image stabilisation if you have it. A shutter more effective. Consider speed of 1/500sec is normally enough to freeze a wave, wearing waders, but don’t although slightly slower speeds can also be very effective. put yourself in danger.
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Cable or remote release
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By far the best lens cleaning cloth I’ve used. It even gets salt spray off your lens to leave it sparkling clean.
A decent set of sturdy wellingtons is a must if you want to get into some of the best positions along rivers and streams.
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Visible Dust Magic Cloth
Wellingtons or waders
Use ND filters to control exposure time Neutral density filters are an essential accessory when photographing moving water. They can be used to control the amount of light entering the camera to allow you to use the exact exposure time you need for the desired water effect. A useful selection would be 3-stop, 6-stop and 10-stop. They can be stacked to allow you to achieve a very long exposure time in the middle of the day.
Get in the water
GUY’S TOP KIT
ALL IMAGES ON PAGES 18-19 © GUY EDWARDES
Guy Edwardes knows a thing or two when it comes to capturing images of landscapes and water
Essential for allowing you to release the shutter at just the right moment to catch a particular water effect without shaking the camera. 22 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Search for spinning foam along rivers Beneath waterfalls and along fast-flowing rivers it is often possible to find foam or fallen leaves that have become trapped in a small pool or bay. The water movement often causes them to spin slowly. Use an ND filter to increase your exposure time to between 8 and 30 seconds to use this circular motion to add interest to the foreground of your river images.
Use water movement to create leading lines A long exposure can be used to create leading lines in fast-flowing rivers and as the water draws back down a sandy beach. Shutter speeds of between 1/8sec and 4sec tend to work best, depending upon the speed of the moving water. When working on a beach make your exposure as a wave begins to recede down the beach for the best effect.
Select the right exposure time When shooting moving water it’s important to set the correct exposure time for the speed of the water. This is best achieved using ND filters, rather than increasing your ISO or compromising your aperture setting. There are no rules – experiment to see which exposure time provides the best results. It’s worth taking multiple shots, as each one will show a different pattern of water movement.
Shoot reflections Calm, high-pressure weather conditions can result in beautiful reflections on lakes and slowmoving rivers. This occurs most often around dawn and dusk. Look for symmetry in your composition and don’t be afraid to place the horizon in the centre of it. Take care if using a polarising filter as it can reduce the impact of the reflection.
Technique
PHOTOGRAPHING WATER
Wildlife & nature in water Ross Hoddinott shares his top secrets for capturing magical water wildlife and nature images
Ross Hoddinott
Ross is an award-winning photographer who regularly writes for a number of photography publications. Find out more about Ross, his portfolio and workshops at www.rosshoddinott.co.uk.
Water abstracts Water alone can be your subject. Colourful reflections, water droplets, or frame-filling shots of water motion can look eye-catching and abstract in close-up. Water droplets can act like tiny lenses, magnifying or refracting objects positioned behind them, so look closely and select your shooting angle with care. Visit weirs and waterfalls and use a telephoto lens to isolate cascading water. It’s also a good idea to experiment with shutter length. Attach an ND filter to generate an artificially long exposure of a second or two, which will creatively blur the water’s motion.
Rain cover A protective rain sleeve or waterproof cover will help keep kit dry when it is raining or when there is spray or moisture in the air. A lens hood is useful for keeping the front of the lens free of moisture.
Colourful reflections typically create the most striking backdrop. Sunny days with clear blue skies will produce vivid reflections, while warm early morning or late evening light will render water golden and glowing. Urban waterways, like canals, are often sheltered and will reflect the shape and colour of nearby buildings and boats. This can produce very colourful and abstract-looking reflections. If you identify an area of reflective water that is particularly photogenic, sit and wait by the water’s edge – camera at the ready – for a swan, heron or duck to swim into just the right position.
Waterproof trousers
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ROSS’S TOP KIT
Colourful reflections
Waterproof overtrousers are a must-have item when you are likely to be kneeling or lying down close to the water’s edge, or on wet sand.
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Thanks to sports cameras, such as GoPro, and polycarbonate housings, it is now possible for anyone to capture stunning images of our extraordinary underwater wildlife. You don’t need to be an expert diver – you can simply take images while snorkelling, or even in rock pools. Water absorbs more light the deeper Reflected symmetry you go, so you will need a Mirror-like reflections will add symmetry, interest and even strobe (flash) if you intend a sense of tranquillity to your nature shots. All you need diving far. Always try to is perfectly calm water and a willing subject! Consider minimise the amount of your angle carefully, as it is often best to be close to the water between you and water’s edge, while shooting from a low perspective. your subject, as the closer Although photographers are frequently told to avoid you get, the better the placing subjects centrally, doing so can prove very colour, contrast and effective when shooting a reflected subject. By keeping sharpness will be. the space above and below your subject equidistant, you will capture images boasting eye-catching symmetry.
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ALL IMAGES ON PAGES 20-21 © ROSS HODDINOTT
Underwater world
Wellington boots Wellies may not be as comfortable as walking boots, but they allow you to wade deeper or stand in water for prolonged periods and remain dry. Neoprene wellies, made by brands like Bogs and Muck Boots, are particularly warm and comfortable.
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Shoot in wet weather Bad weather can create great photo opportunities for nature photographers. Rain and drizzle will add interest and texture to fur and feathers, while raindrops clinging to plumage or dripping from beaks, antlers or bodies will really add atmosphere and a sense of environment to shots. Slower shutter speeds will render rain as long streaks, while faster speeds will suspend droplets mid-air. Rain will stand out more against a dark background, so pay attention to your surroundings and adjust your shooting position if necessary. When shooting in wet weather, work from a hide or protect your kit using a protective rain sleeve or cover.
Morning dew Water droplets will add sparkle, scale and interest to photographs of wildflowers, spiders’ webs and insects. After clear, cool nights, dew will form and adorn roosting insects, like dragonflies and damselflies. Set your alarm early and arrive at suitable habitats for daybreak. Use a macro lens, or close-up attachment to achieve framefilling shots. For added drama, consider backlighting your subject. By doing so, you may also capture tiny starbursts in individual water droplets.
Background impact
Create a water feature
Water doesn’t necessarily need to be obvious to enhance your photos! Instead it can provide a vivid background colour or create atmospheric bokeh. For example, when photographing close-ups of birds, mammals or even insects located adjacent to water, include it as a vivid, contrasting backdrop. Use a telephoto lens and large aperture to render vibrant reflections as a diffused wash of colour. Also look for sunlight catching water droplets clinging to foliage, or on the water’s surface, as these sparkles can create beautiful doughnut-shaped bokeh.
All animals rely on water. Wetland habitats are typically teeming with wildlife, while the coast is another hotspot. However, you don’t need to travel further than your own backyard to capitalise on nature’s reliance on water. Use water to lure subjects closer to your camera – just as you might wild bird seed, nuts and bait. Build a small pond or reflection pool in your garden, or buy a bird bath, and wait for songbirds to visit. Disguise your whereabouts by working from a portable hide or shoot from a window in your house or nearby shed.
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Technique
PHOTOGRAPHING WATER
Portraits & water Claire Gillo shares her best tips for capturing people and water together in the same frame
Claire Gillo
Claire Gillo is a photographer and writer based in the south west of the UK and writes for many different photography publications. Claire can be found at www.clairegillo.com or follow her on Instagram @clairegillophotography.
This image, above, was taken on a family day out on a steam train that runs alongside the River Dart. I made the creative decision to keep the boats and water in focus whilst blurring the people – turning them almost into silhouettes. By bringing two settings (indoors and outdoors) together you can create interesting juxtapositions that relate to each In the water other but are also separate. The This image, above, has been taken from a series shot with ballerina Lydia Brayshaw aimed to blend the dancer’s conversion to black & white makes this image more about shape and movements with the beauty of the beach setting. Here texture rather than getting Lydia holds a strong posture being aided by the rock. distracted by colour. Again, in bright Despite it being a calm day you can see the sea’s power conditions it’s easy to overexpose by the fact she appears so small. From a technical side, keep in mind the sea can easily overexpose in the midday the water in a shot like this so expose for the water in the sun so shoot later in the day when the light is softer to avoid unwanted glare. Also knock your exposure down on background rather than the people the scale to make sure the highlights aren’t overexposed. in the foreground.
Get creative You don’t need rain to get out the umbrella for your portraits. Fake it like I did using a hosepipe, a dark background and two flashguns in the garden. Keep your flashguns protected by placing clear plastic bags over the top, and light your subject from behind as well as in front to make the water drops ‘ping’ from the scene!
Dramatic water
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CLAIRE’S TOP KIT
Plastic bags Clear resealable plastic bags are versatile and can be used as a cheap alternative rain cover for your kit.
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Towel
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A portrait framed against a dramatic seascape will work really well if you take the right approach. When shooting location portraiture there are many things to think about so plan well to get the best possible result. To get this image I used one single flashgun set to the side of the model, which I then had to remove in Photoshop at the editing stage. Underexpose the background by a stop to bring out the textures in the clouds and sea. Time your shot so the waves look arched and formed – it’s amazing how a rough sea can look flat when you get your images up on the screen.
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ALL IMAGES ON PAGE 22 © CLAIRE GILLO
Document by the sea
It may seem obvious to bring a towel for your model, however it can often get overlooked when thinking about what else you need to pack. You may also need one for yourself if you dip your toes in too deep!
If you’re on location and your model gets cold from the water, a nice mug of hot chocolate from the Thermos will go down well.
Hot chocolate
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The healing power
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LETTER OF THE WEEK W NS A SAMSUNG EVO PLUS M CROSD CARD NOTE: PRIZE APPLIES TO UK AND EU RES DENTS ONLY
Editorial team Group Editor Nigel Atherton Geoff Harris Deputy Editor Andy Westlake Technical Editor Michael Topham Reviews Editor Amy Davies Features Editor Technique Editor Hollie Latham Hucker Jacqueline Porter Production Editor Chief Sub Editor/Features Jolene Menezes Acting Chief Sub/Features Amanda Stroud Sarah Foster Art Editor Steph Tebboth Senior Designer Andrew Sydenham Studio Manager Photo-Science Consultant Professor Robert Newman Hollie Bishop Office Manager Special thanks to The moderators of the AP website: Andrew Robertson, lisadb, Nick Roberts, The Fat Controller
Resolutions
LETTER OF THE WEEK
Contact 01795 662976; support@mags-uk.com
I just felt that I had to write and thank you for your acknowledgement of mental health issues in the 11 January issue. As a PTSD sufferer it rang a bell for me – I was diagnosed after my wife’s sudden and unexpected death and after serving 30 years in a highly stressful role in the emergency services. And I can confirm that without my photography and camera club friends I would not be writing this letter. Having read the article and Paul Williams’ first-class book, it is good to know that I am not alone, and I hope that other readers will be able to come to terms with what life throws at us and get out with their cameras, and help them on the road to recovery. David Bish
David related to many of the issues we highlighted in our cover feature above
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Judges are holding clubs back
progressive new camera clubs are springing up that avoid competitions and indulge more in practical activities instead of sitting in the dark every week like brain-dead cabbages. If only a progressive club would set up near me. John Heywood
mouthful. I am angry at myself for not doing so. The author has only At the beginning of this been with us a few months year our camera club had and has shown great our first heat of our annual promise with her wildlife Image of the Year images. As we have struck competition. To put it up a friendship I mildly, the judge had been consoled her by telling her rather scathing with every to take no notice of the image when a print of a ignorant judge as he grey seal was presented to appears not to know be judged. It was a really anything about wonderful and photography, considering skilfully executed wildlife his performance that night. shot, but immediately the I’ve been a professional judge said, ‘What a horrible photographer since 1966. print. I do not want to see I have studied at two this ugly print ever again!’ colleges and have The whole club was experience in many shocked. I wished that I photographic disciplines had not become diplomatic both professionally and for with old age otherwise I my own pleasure. I first would have given him a joined a camera club in
1976, when just 27, never expecting the domineering role that competitions play in the camera club world, and soon came to feel that camera club judges retard the progress of camera club photography, because anything fresh is ridiculed by the judge. Last year we had our Print of the Year final. The winning print was a dinghy on the mud at low tide. In 1980 at a different club a similar print won in a similar competition. No wonder that traditional camera clubs are dominated by senile old men, pandering to brain-dead judges. Youngsters don’t want to know. And no wonder
New year resolutions are often short-lived for a variety of reasons. But my constant three reminders of better performance, some learned the hard way, might be useful as a prompter for others. 1] ‘Dithering means doom’. I’ve lost count of the times when witnessing situations where delay occurs because the lens cap is still on, the camera is stuck in a case, or adjustments have to be made before the shutter can be pressed. What was a great picture opportunity then suddenly becomes a fading memory. 2] ‘Know your kit’. It sounds basic but too few people spend enough time learning how to handle their camera in ways that become second nature. Quiet time spent in non-shooting situations helps to raise familiarity with controls and options. 3] ‘Stay on watch’. Picture opportunities can unfold when least expected. Develop the ability to think quickly in order to produce a memorable shot from a photo opportunity rather than an ordinary snapshot. Colin Lester
Catalina
In response to the letter by Gerald Peppiatt regarding upgrading to Catalina (AP 18 January), be warned. I upgraded with ongoing problems. My 27in iMac crashes every day and when I restart, the mouse and keyboard freeze. After three or four restarts, it works. I can no longer activate some older apps. I would re-install the older OS but in order to back up
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© GRAEME YOUNGSON
the computer I need to use my 8TB hard drive, which it no longer reads! Dave Foker
Do not feed The Byrds As one of your older readers featured in AP last October (AP 12 October 2019) I drew a wry smile when I saw Damien Demolder’s piece on The Hendrix Experience (Final Analysis, 11 January) . I recall a photo (possibly in a Victor Blackman article) in 1965 that featured a group called The Byrds who were very current at the time. The following week at least one angry reader wrote in threatening to cancel his subscription if such long-haired US imports or their ilk were ever featured again. Tempus fugit... Shame the photographer of Hendrix is unrecorded. Someone out there must know. Paul Cooper
A useful tip, Graeme, and a great picture
things I like to do in rainy weather is to use a telephoto zoom. It compresses the perspective and can make a heavy rainstorm look even more dramatic and dense. The shot seen above was taken on a summer’s afternoon in Aberdeen’s Union Street. I took the scene from the other side of the road. Graeme Youngson
Leica M10 Monochrom
Try as I might, I cannot get my head round the financial arithmetic when it comes to the amazing new Leica M10 Monochrom, as tested in a first look by Andy Westlake (7 days, 25 January). When he says ‘... the sky-high price means that relatively few photographers will ever get to shoot with one’, he’s totally on the mark. At £7,250 for the body only, with a couple of lenses easily adding another £4k+, you are talking eye-watering money by any standard. I thoroughly enjoyed Yes, Leica has loyal fans reading Geoff Harris’s for good reasons and its article Great shots cameras undoubtedly whatever the weather (AP produce superb results, 25 January). As a fan of but I’m guessing that the bad weather photography buyers’ profiles are in a it gave me some new ideas different class from others. to try out. One of the Are they buying as a potential investment over time, or are they buying for something to knock the spots off rivals in picture terms? Craig says why buy sky-high-priced Leicas Craig Barnes
Happy when it rains
A Rolex doesn’t tell the time any better than any other watch, and a Bentley won’t get you to your destination any quicker. As a luxury brand Leica appeals to rich people who just want to show off, as well as to serious collectors and discerning photographers who appreciate its beauty, want the unique shooting experience that it offers and will somehow find the money to buy one.
Back in the day
A wander through the AP archive. This week we pay a visit to February 1977
1977
Black & white printing The Leica M10 Monochrom (7 days, 25 January) is dedicated to recording black & white images directly to the camera, having no colour filters. If you are lucky enough to own an M10 Monochrom and want to print the pictures out the choice of printer will inevitability include colour inks. Will printing the Leica Mono images on a colour printer subvert the whole point of having the camera in the first place? Is there such a thing available as a pure black & white printer? Can the benefits of a digital mono-only camera be retained without having an equally mono dedicated printer to go with it? William Graham The benefits of the monochrome sensor are all at the taking stage – it gives visibly greater detail, higher dynamic range, and lower high-ISO noise compared to an equivalent colour sensor. You’ll get all of these regardless of how you print the files.
IT’S TOUGH trying to come up with an engaging AP cover every week and they can’t all be great, but Lordy - this must be a contender for the worst cover ever. Some covers were fine in their day but just haven’t aged well, but it’s hard to believe that this one was ever less than awful. Editor Martin Hodder then added insult to injury by dedicating all of the colour pages in that issue to more examples from ‘German Masters’, including some peppers with a safety pin stuck through them (why?), eggs spray-painted silver and more creepy dolls on ugly colorama backgrounds. What a waste of a Hasselblad. Further investigation provides an explanation. It was part of a content swap deal with a German magazine and fellow member of EPP, a forerunner of EISA. If the Leave.EU campaign had put these pictures on the side of a bus they would probably have got even more than 52% of the vote!
CORRECTION
In our book review of Photographers Against Wildlife Crime in the AP 25 January issue, we listed an incorrect price. The book costs £60, and can be ordered from bit.ly/ pawcbook.
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AP featured German ‘masters’ back in 1977 25
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Testbench
YOUR KIT
What’s in my bag Emma Finch is an award-winning and internationally published photographer. Influenced by femininity and elegance with a vintage edge, she specialises in female portraiture
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV I currently shoot with a 1 Canon 5D Mark IV and my
Win!
Send us an overhead photo of the contents of your camera bag and you could win a year’s subscription to AP. Don’t forget to add a list of what’s in the picture, and a few words about each item. Email your flatlay pic and list to ap@ti-media.com
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
3
second body is a Canon 5D Mark III. My Wonder Woman strap is always a talking point! Average used price £1,150
2 10
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L My ‘workhorse’ 24-70mm 2 f/2.8, which is a superb and versatile lens. I use this all the time when in my studio. Average used price £799
11 9
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L When shooting outside, I 3 use this 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, as I love the separation. As a portrait photographer it’s important that the person is the main focus of the image. Average used price £499
8 1
4
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 I also have a 50mm f/1.4 4 lens which I use for
12
details work.
Pixapro Pika200 TTL need my lights to be 5 Iportable and reliable.
7
6
13 5
I use Pixapro Pika200 TTL. I recommend them to all the photographers attending our workshops. Average used price £200
Pixapro ST-III TTL for Canon Pixapro Pro AC I have two triggers. When My second trigger is a 6 shooting I use the 7 Pixapro Pro AC universal Pixapro ST-III for Canon. It’s superb to be able to change the strength of the lights without touching them. Average used price £100
which I use at workshop events. The fact that it’s universal is useful as everyone brings a different camera. Average used price £100
Canon Speedlite 430EX II I always carry a 8 speedlite, especially if I am shooting an event. I have the 430EX II and usually bounce it off the ceiling. Average used price £150
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iPhone My life is very hectic so
9 being able to take my
admin with me on the go is very helpful. Answering e-mails and posting on social media while in the school playground makes better use of my time.
ALSO PICTURED 10 iPad 11 Pen 12 Business card 13 Sunglasses
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© MATT WALKLEY
The misty docks of Bristol, 2019, by Matt Walkley
Back to the
future
With a resurgence in recent years, analogue photography is in vogue once again. Peter Dench speaks to four current exponents of the craft
M
y 15-year-old daughter recently purchased an analogue camera (with my money). She has expressed an interest for a career in print magazines. I should perhaps sit her down and have a frank chat. Or should I? The digital era hasn’t been as widely embraced as many would believe. ‘Slow-news’ has a renewed level of credibility. Magazines are being revalued. Likewise analogue. Some who have always used film are holding on; increasingly, young practitioners too are discovering its magic. It has become a premium product, a USP. I shot exclusively on mediumformat rangefinder film before going digital in 2007 when budgets nosedived. The last time I used film was a few years ago at the request of a client. I shot the first roll with the lens cap on. It felt a chore changing a roll after 10 to 12 frames. I don’t know how I coped for so long having to guess focus distances in nightclubs before blasting in a Metz Flash that I hoped would burn something onto the film’s surface. There’s a carrier bag of ageing undeveloped film in my desk drawer with notes scribbled on the surfaces: process +1/2 stop, DEV Normal. I was terrified of ‘pushing’ film above ISO 800, opening the camera back in direct sunlight and sending film through airport x-ray machines. Thousands of rolls of film
© TEREZA CERVENOVA
© TEREZA CERVENOVA
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© MATT WALKLEY
Above: Woolacombe beach by Matt Walkley
>
Left: A portrait of artist and 2012 Turner Prize winner Elizabeth Price by Tereza Cervenová >
in acid-free sleeves are stored in ugly filing cabinets that block light from my apartment. A contrast to the small, neatly stacked hard drives for my digital archive. What I did like about film is that after a long assignment, your job was done. All that was left to do was sling the bag of exposed film over the counter at the processing lab, pop next door for a bottle of wine, pick up the film, chinagraph an edit on the contact sheets and courier them to a client – no sitting in front of the computer checking pixels. Film users often argue it pushes you to rethink how you shoot. It forces you to plan and create the image mentally before you do the shoot. They believe that this process can result in more artistic and authentic images so I talked to a few to find out if this was still the case.
Far left: One of Tereza’s images from the project June, an autobiographical response to the June 2016 referendum
Tereza Červeňová A 28-year-old, fulltime freelance film photographer and visual artist, Tereza Červeňová has shot one-and-a-half commissions on digital. ‘I tried digital and decided I would rather be poor for a while and do the work that I knew I would like in the end. That was when I first started, I stuck to it and a few years later, it started to pay off. I couldn’t take all the work that clients approached me with and still have to say no to some assignments.’ Tereza’s photography is often portraiture led, she was shortlisted for the prestigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2013 and in 2015,
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she won the The John Kobal New Work Award. ‘Digital made me feel very anxious, I didn’t trust it. It freaked me out that there was no physicality to it. I need to have some time between making the work and seeing it. I really like to be in the moment, especially when doing portraiture. If I shoot on digital it’s there so you see it, you start to be critical before completing the job, I find it distracting. I understand the light much better, it’s something visceral. I get into the zone where I feel good and immersed in the process. I never had those feelings with digital.’ Tereza’s pictures, preferably shot on a Mamiya 7 or RZ, appear regularly in magazines. She doesn’t demand a client pay for film and often shoots it at her own expense. However, the 29
TODAY’S FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS
‘Film has an added personal value. It takes a little more time to produce good images and prints’ publications understand the photographers they work with and choose suitable commissions accordingly; they know that working with Tereza, there’s a different schedule and they can’t see the pictures ‘in the moment’. Even when the turnaround is tight, it’s not a problem. ‘It’s happened to me where I had a shoot in the morning and sent the digital edit in the afternoon. It’s not that hard, if you rush the processing [pay extra to have it done quickly], you have it in two hours and then I just scan and send the contact sheets.’
Emma Case
Emma Case, a 39-yearold professional photographer, is obsessed with the nostalgia that film photography can trigger and in particular what Polaroids can induce. ‘I adore Polaroid. It stems back to the classic handful of Polaroids from my childhood that tell the whole story in tiny squares, that’s all I need. If I was running from a burning building, they’re the ones I’d save.’ Emma often uses it in her professional practice. ‘I bought a Polaroid SX-70 online and started Influenced by the taking some at weddings and giving photography of Ansel them to the couple. I know that’s the Adams, Don McCullin, one they’re going to put on the Tony Ray-Jones and fridge, like a small piece of artwork more recently, that can’t be replicated.’ Shooting Matthew Finn, Polaroid is a challenge, reacting 37-year-old amateur photographer differently to changes in Matt Walkley, while not exclusively temperature and environment, but shooting film, is using it with Emma is undeterred: ‘You have to increasing frequency. Being an court your Polaroid camera, spend amateur means he has the luxury time with it, take time getting to and freedom to work to his own know it and accept it will throw the timetable and much of it is odd curve ball.’ scheduled for printing the For Emma, her whole process landscapes he shoots with his Leica changes when shooting film. ‘I treat MA, Hasselblad 500cm, Rolleiflex each camera differently, particularly T and Chamonix C45H-1 cameras. my film cameras. With my digital ‘Film has an added personal value cameras I know I can get the job to my images. It takes a little more done and cover lots quickly but effort to produce good images and you’re not necessarily telling the prints with film, so I have had to story better with the infinity of expand my knowledge when it images digital allows. With film comes to using the camera, I try to slow down, I know what processing the film and making a quirks they can bring to the job. I print. Shooting film is far more feel the results they provide deserve hands-on and this manual approach to be on the wall more.’ is something that really appeals to In addition to Polaroid, Emma me. It’s far more satisfying to see an uses her ‘workhorse’ Canon A-1 image appear in the developing tray 35mm which allows her to move under the red safelight of the quickly for her documentary darkroom than it is to press print on photography, a Pentax 67, Mamiya the computer.’ 645 and the Lomography Diana Matt used to edit digital files to range. ‘You get the best light leaks, try and get the look of film before which to me are like gold!’ All are deciding to embrace its loaded, where possible, with a roll of imperfections rather than remove Kodak Portra 400 film. Sometimes the perfections of digital: ‘When it she doesn’t use a camera at all. comes to my choice of 35mm film RED is a community project of I’m pretty settled, Kodak Tri-X 400 hers that shares Liverpool football suits my needs and is very flexible. fans’ personal photos and stories, It has a gritty look that I love and created alongside the fans and looks good even when push shared through exhibitions, processed up to ISO 3200. I also books, interviews and events. It’s use it for medium and large format almost exclusively reliant on film, or I use Ilford FP4 plus.’ and nostalgia.
Matt Walkley
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Above: A selection of Emma Case’s Polaroid photographs. Clockwise from top left – Morocco, a laundromat, a wedding couple and Liverpool FC’s fans (part of her RED project)
Naomi Goggin
A 33-year-old, self-taught, full-time professional freelance wedding photographer, Naomi Goggin has been taking film photos since she was 11. ‘Growing up you just understood you didn’t get to see the pictures until later, that was the excitement. A huge inspiration for
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TODAY’S FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS
© EMMA CASE
Quick tips to start shooting film
1
You can’t hide when shooting film. Everything will appear on the contact sheet or Polaroid.
2
Film may be expensive but like any luxury, you have to make sacrifices. Consider your shots carefully before taking them, plan ahead but don’t let it become disabling! If it does, just do it and embrace any mishaps.
3
Try different cameras, get to know them – don’t discard them if the results weren’t exactly what you were expecting.
4
Involve your subject in the process of shooting film, make it a shared experience.
5
Explore the printing side of film photography, get in the darkroom and let your imagination run riot.
6
Invest in good film stock, try to keep your choice consistent and revel in the glorious latitude that film provides.
7
Stop down; depth of field on 35mm film cameras is shallower than digital APS-C or Micro Four Thirds cameras.
8
Check in camera exposures against an external light meter. Remember, you won’t be able to rely on metadata so take notes of your settings. Build a relationship with a film processing lab.
9
Finally, take a moment to appreciate the sensation of winding on the film – film photography is a choice; love, learn and always have fun.
Right: A wedding couple by Naomi Goggin
© NAOMI GOGGIN
me was spending hours as a kid rummaging through my family photo albums.’ Naomi initially shot her client weddings on digital. ‘I’d been doing weddings for three years. All along I liked the idea of shooting film at weddings. I think it suited a wedding but I was too nervous to suggest it. I thought it would be too risky with all the things that could go wrong.’ After one client asked for film, Naomi now always offers it.
Around 95% of her clients want an element of film photography included, which has its challenges: ‘You only have 36 exposures on a 35mm roll so when it’s coming up to the church ceremony, you want to change your film at the right time so you have enough for each situation.’ It’s also a lot heavier shooting both film and digital. She shoots weddings with two Nikon 35mm film cameras (one loaded with colour Kodak Portra 400, one with Kodak Tri-X 400 Black and White, often pushed to ISO 1600 or 3200) and one Canon EOS 5D Mark III (with a back-up body). She often adds at least one other film camera into the mix – this changes as to what she happens to own or be borrowing, which have included a Holga, a Plaubel Makina 67, Rolleiflex 2.8/3.5 and Hasselblad 500cm. As more clients are wanting film, more wedding photographers are bringing it into their practice. ‘I tried to replicate film with digital but there’s just a different quality to both. I think for a long time digital was trying to be as good as film and now it’s just gone down a different route. It’s like comparing watercolours and oils, they’re different mediums that react differently. In some situations I can get quite similar results but others not. With digital, sometimes people are a bit literal with what they’re photographing and not more representative. A blurred film picture of a bride or flower girl is still a bride or a flower girl, it’s more about that image as a memory and symbol of the day. Film brings a different focus, I shoot with my heart more. I look that little bit closer.’
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Photographer George Whale was impressed by the fp’s size and high ISO performance
Sigma and AP host memorable fp event It may be small, but it packs a full-frame sensor and a lot more besides. Sigma and AP help some key influencers get acquainted with the new fp mirrorless camera lightest full-frame camera ever built – the fp is packed with features: the sensor provides an ISO range of 100-25,600 (expandable to ISO 6-102,400) and relies on contrast detection for focusing, with an AF working range of -5 to 18EV. It has a 49-point AF system that supports Face/Eye detection as well as an AF tracking mode. The fp’s video specification is impressive, too, with 4K UHD 24p recording being supported in 12-bit format to an external recorder or direct to an attached SSD drive. There’s 4K UHD video at 24, 25 or 30p in 10-bit or 8-bit too, although internal recording is restricted to 8-bit and support for playing Cinema DNG footage incamera is not yet available;
this will follow via a firmware update at a later date.
Whale of a time The Sigma fp camera is ‘simply amazing’, enthused one of the guests, freelance photographer and film maker George Whale. ‘What first caught my attention is the size – it’s tiny! It’s crazy to think that a camera with such high-end specs can easily slip into one’s pocket. And, if you are a videographer, this camera is an absolute beast when it’s fully rigged up. A couple of things that really excited me about this camera is its color modes. There is a wide range of profiles to choose from (12 in total), my favourite being the black & white mode. Also, its frame rate of up to 18
© GEORGE WHALE
B
ack in early December, Sigma and AP joined forces to introduce a select group of high-profile photographers, film makers and social media influencers to the Sigma fp and the wide range of lenses now available for this innovative L-Mount camera. The event took place at Henry Wood House, near the heart of London’s West End. As regular readers will know, the fp, which stands for fortissimo pianissimo (‘very soft but loud’), squeezes a 24.6-million-pixel backilluminated CMOS Bayer sensor into an ultra-compact and robust body. Despite its diminutive size – it’s the smallest and
images per second is pretty epic, making it an ideal camera for shooting GIF/moving images. Its autofocusing system is rather snappy for a contrast AF system and its noise handling at high ISOs is really impressive. For instance, I shot those portraits at ISO 3200 and there is next to no noise in the images. My verdict © PAUL MONAGHAN
A wide range of lenses is now available for the Sigma fp 32
Top photographers and film makers attended the event
‘Groundbreaking design’: Edmond Terakopian with the fp at the event
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on the Sigma fp is that ultimately it’s a camera that will work better for filmmakers than photographers, but that is not to say that this pocketable full-frame camera can’t match the still image quality of any of its rivals – it definitely can.’ George’s comments were backed up by Edmond Terakopian, a distinguished freelance documentary journalist and winner of British Press Photo and World Press Photo awards. ‘Being a Lumix S series user, I am already a fan of the L-Mount,’ Ed explains. ‘Now I’ve used the L-Mount Sigma Art lenses and the Sigma fp, it’s opened my eyes to the possibilities of the L-Mount Alliance. I have also used the fp with Leica Summicron lenses and again, the results are great. I’m a fan of the groundbreaking design, too. It’s a huge departure from the Leica SL and Lumix S.’
PRICING AND ACCESSORIES
The Sigma fp is initially being sold in two configurations. It costs £1,999 (body only) and will also be available with the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens for £2,399. The camera is compatible with the growing number of L-Mount lenses in Sigma’s lineup, as well as those made by Panasonic and Leica, who teamed up with Sigma to form the L-Mount Alliance in September 2018. There’s nothing to prevent users mounting Sigma SA mount or Sigma EF mount lenses to the Sigma
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fp either, though this requires Sigma’s MC-21 adapter. Accessories include an LCD Viewfinder (LVF-11), which mounts over the LCD monitor to cut out extraneous light, and a BPL-11 base plate (£80) that allows standard video shooting accessories to be attached via a 3/8in thread. There are also two handgrips available. The smaller HG-11 (£60) and larger HG-21 (£100). These attach to the side of the camera and have been designed to provide more comfort and a sturdier grip. 33
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Technique
BOX CAMERAS
Adrian Gray
AP reader Adrian is a scientist in the week and at weekends likes to take photos of appropriate subjects with his worryingly large collection of antediluvian cameras. Should you meet a walker in the Lake District toting an ancient folding camera, it’s probably him.
Boxing
clever
Box cameras are common but iconic vintage finds, and many can still be used. Adrian Gray is your guide to this democratic classic
B
ox cameras were the mainstay of popular photography from the first Kodak in 1888 into the 1950s. They epitomise no-frills photography with a high ratio of satisfaction to effort expended, and the results can be surprisingly good. For use, my favourite is the Kodak No 2 Brownie. It has a metal tab with three apertures of approximately f/10, f/20 and f/30, so huge depth of field in bright light,
and takes No 2 Brownie film – the modern 120, still readily available. If the winder turns and the shutter opens and closes reasonably promptly you will almost certainly get an image. Open the back of your camera, point at a light, and press the shutter. A brief flash of light means all is good and you can use the camera. There are many other options available – Kodak’s cardboard Hawkeye range is common, as are the all-metal May
LOADING YOUR BOX CAMERA
Cone do attitude
Take out the empty spool
A bit on the side
Pull out the winding key/knob until it stops. Undo the clip or clips holding the back of the camera. The cone may be attached to the front, it may pull out from the camera body itself, or it may come out sideways.
Remove the empty spool from the cone. Take off the band holding your film’s backing paper tight, and insert the loose end into the slot in the spool you have just removed. The backing paper protects the film, so keep it tightly wound.
This done, place the spool you have just attached the backing paper to in the slot in the side of the cone where the winder key will sit. Always make sure the backing paper is protecting the film from light.
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ALL PICTURES Š ADRIAN GRAY
Even if you can’t find a working example, box cameras make an attractive display
Opposites attract
Have a go on the slots
Almost there...
Slowly unroll the film and backing paper, keeping the unrolled film portion tight, until you can get the other spool into the opposite slot to the first one.
Insert the cone back into the camera, or slip the camera back over the cone. Push in the winder key, turning gently to align with the slot in the film spool, until it slots home.
Turn the winder key (it should only turn in one direction) until the number 1 is visible through the red window. Replace the piece of black tape to prevent light leaking through the red window and your camera is now ready to use.
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37
Technique
BOX CAMERAS
How to use a box camera
Fair camera, the All-Distance Ensign and the Ensign Ful-Vue, with its huge viewfinder, almost four centimetres square, compared to the No 2 Kodak’s thumbnail-sized finder. Post-war cameras usually have larger viewfinders and some come complete with pop-up sunshields, a boon in bright conditions. If you want to collect them, the 1920s and 30s saw many manufacturers launch art deco front plates in new materials like chromium. Coronet produced plain metal cameras in Britain but cardboard ones with very attractive and colourful fronts in France, and colours ranged from black to green, brown, red, blue and even silver. Plus, being box shaped, they stack on shelves!
Which film should I use?
ALMOST all box cameras have a waist-level viewfinder – you peer into it from a long way above. Because of the slow shutter speed they are prone to movement blur, so must be held pressed tightly against your body. You will also need to work out your own workflow for winding on as there is no double exposure prevention – always wind on just before you take a photo or just after, but don’t forget which you choose! Practise before you actually put a film in it until you can remember all the quirks. They often have a ‘flip-flop’ shutter that presses down for one exposure and up for the next. Many have a tripod bush that fits a modern tripod, if you can’t hold it still enough. Some have a little pull-up tab that holds the shutter open until you press the release a second time, making long exposures or pinhole photography possible. You can use a pair of rubber bands to hold a filter over your lens for things like cloud effects. Many models have a tab with an extra lens that decreases the distance at which the focus is set – these often have ‘Portrait’ in the model name – and there were push-on accessory lenses doing the same job. 38
Don’t use film faster than ISO 100, there are several suitable options on the market. Cover your red window with a piece of black insulating tape, lifting it only to wind your film on having made sure that it is out of direct sunlight, otherwise you may find the film numbers imprinted on your negatives. It is worth cleaning the rollers on the end of the cone that the film travels over as any dirt or corrosion may scratch the film. You can also try using colour film. In most box cameras the lens is set well back behind the shutter, so is well-protected from lens flare.
Negatives and prints A 6x9cm negative is big enough that a straight contact print serves as a photograph, and can be enlarged to a size that will go on the wall that, unless you pixel peep, will still look good. My first photograph ever printed in AP was taken with a 1930s Coronet box camera, so you get a great sense of satisfaction. So how do you get it on that wall? You can still get 120 film developed and
Don’t expect digital-camera levels of quality from scanned-in film images. It won’t be long before you discover that it’s both fun and satisfying
printed, less commonly now on the high street, but easily by post. Or you can do it yourself – everything to develop film is still available and negatives can be scanned on a transparency scanner and treated as digital files. If all you want to do is play with your box camera this is a big investment but, if you intend to use film more, you can set up for home developing, scanning and printing for less than the cost of a mid-range DLSR.
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YOUR PICTURES IN PRINT
© STEVE GEARY
© JOHN COE
1
Join
Club the
This active club in the Staffordshire moorlands is a hive of creativity When was the club founded? As far as we can tell, a few fellow enthusiasts founded Leek Photographic Club in the 1890s. We are possibly one of the very early clubs still in existence today, and were originally known as Leek Camera Club. We are affiliated to Midland Counties Photographic Federation and the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain. What does your club offer to new members? New members are welcome to join any time. We ask them to complete a small questionnaire detailing any photographic experience they have, the equipment they use, and what type of photography they are interested in so that we can determine how best to help them with any problems they may have. We are not a teaching organisation, but for example, we help those who seek it by inviting them into our homes to learn Photoshop skills etc. One of our members regularly offers printing and mounting sessions 40
2
1 Moulting Mountain Hare by John Coe A great subject, well observed with good background bokeh.
2 Chesil Beach by Steve Geary The foreground interest leads the eye nicely to the richly coloured sky.
against 20 or more clubs. We have had recent success in the Staffordshire Photo Clubs PDI competition, competing against some of the top clubs in the area, winning by a narrow margin. Irrespective of the number of clubs we Describe a typical club evening Our club evenings start at 7.30pm prompt with compete against, the standard of work is a welcome from our chairman who outlines the always very high. Some of our members also enter individually at national and international evening, makes any announcements and introduces the speaker or judge as appropriate. level, salons and newspaper/magazine competitions with an amount of success. Some We have a varied programme featuring guest speakers talking about and showing a range of also actively seek recognised accreditations. photographic topics, competitions for both Are trips or outings planned? print and projected digital images (PDI), and the occasional studio or practical evening. Our We do not organise any trips or outings as such. Members are made aware of any photographic member evenings where members talk about opportunities via email or website. We offer their images, and how they have achieved the finished result, prove to be very popular. A tea/ car-sharing, or just meet up at an event in small groups – this seems to work. coffee and biscuit break at half time gives the opportunity for members to socialise. Our Do you have any funny stories? chairman brings the evening to a close with a brief summing up and thank you to the speaker Most clubs have numerous funny stories, from people falling over and getting wet, to tripods or judge. We aim to finish by 9.45pm but do falling over in streams complete with camera occasionally run over. This allows packing up time so that we can vacate the room by 10pm. and lens. On one occasion – a day out at a motorcycle race meeting – one of our members had a problem with his viewfinder Do you invite guest speakers? going black. Then he realised that one of his We do have guest speakers, some are local, ‘friends’ was putting their hand in front of his others have to travel a good distance to show lens. Lesson learnt – keep both eyes open! their presentations. It is always interesting to hear speakers talk about and show their images and the club can learn a lot from them. What are the club’s goals for the future? In the winter months – January/February – we Most clubs want to try to increase membership – we all seem to be struggling. But visitors are try to keep speakers and judges more local always welcome, paying £3 admission. We want owing to the adverse weather conditions we to learn from each other, make lifelong friends sometimes get in our area. and enjoy our environment in all its glory and of course improve and take great photographs. Do members compete in regional or national competitions? The club is active in entering regional and Want to see your club featured on these pages? Drop interclub competitions. These range from just us a line for more information at ap@ti-media.com three local clubs competing, to larger events to enable members who haven’t the necessary equipment to enter print competitions. Visitors are always welcome too, paying £3 on the day.
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YOUR PICTURES IN PRINT © SUE GEORGE
© MARY EMERY
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4 Peacock Butterfly by Sue George By making use of the plain green background in this shot, the subject really ‘pops’ in the frame. © JOHN GARRETT
© BOB HOWELL
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3 The Tree by Mary Emery There’s no doubting the season with this wintry shot. The snow on the tree bark creates natural highlights.
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6 Fisherman’s Cottage by John Garrett John has used the natural light hitting the red roof to provide contrast and interest to his image. 7 Greenshank Landing by Yvonne St Cyr A superbly timed capture. Yvonne has clearly planned this shot to great effect.
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© YVONNE ST CYR
5 Emperor Dragonfly by Bob Howell A well focused and detailed shot that really encapsulates the essence of this incredible insect.
Club essentials
Leek Photographic Club The Dove Room, Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 6HQ Meets Thursday evenings at 7.30pm from mid-September through to the end of April Membership Membership subscription for adults is £25 per annum, for young adults (16 and 17 yrs) £10 per annum, with £1 admission each club night. Under 16s is £2 per annum but must be accompanied by an adult. A reduction in the subscription is made if joining part way through the season. Visitors are always welcome, at £3 admission Contact secretary@leekpc.org or via the ‘contact us’ page of the website Website www.leekpc.org 41
Technique
Behind the
Claire Gillo
print A I wanted the image to be square so I cropped it to a 1:1 ratio
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The background needs cleaning up and darkening down
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I want to bring out the exposure in the feathers here to match the other side
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The image needs to be gently toned and enhanced
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lthough I enjoy shooting in many different genres there is something particularly enticing about fine art photography. There are endless possibilities when it comes to subject matter and I love creating images that not only have a visual connection but also a conceptual one. This image is the first shot from an emerging series called Layla’s gifts. My cat Layla is a beast when it comes to hunting and I find the ‘gifts’ she leaves behind to be often both a mixture of disgusting and upsetting. This bird was already dead by the time I got to it and there was something beautiful and sad about it at the same time. That is what I wanted to capture in the image but also explore the fragile line between life and death. I already had a black blanket set up in the corner of my office and I lit the bird using a flashgun and diffuser panel. Had I had a little more time I would have spent longer on my lighting set-up, however it goes to show you can still achieve great results in a couple of minutes and a little editing knowledge. For all my editing I use a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop. For this particular image I only used Photoshop, and it worked well.
ALL IMAGES © CLAIRE GILLO
Fine art photographer Claire Gillo reveals the steps she took to get a raw file ready for print
Claire is a very experienced photography journalist and a former technique editor on AP. She now works as a freelancer from her base in Devon and enjoys taking and editing a wide range of images. For more information on Claire and her work, see her website at www.clairegillo.com
PREPARING THE RAW FILE FOR PRINTING
1 Basic raw adjustments
I opened the image in Adobe Camera Raw and cropped to a square format with a 1:1 ratio. I also slightly boosted the contrast and tweaked the shadows and highlights to bring out detail in the bird. I also added a touch of Texture to bring out the texture in the feathers. 42
2 Isolated exposure
As the wing on the right was slightly darker than the other I wanted to make them match in exposure values. To do this I went to the Adjustment brush in ACR and made an isolated exposure adjustment. I then opened my image into Photoshop.
3 Time for healing
In the main editor I started by duplicating the background layer. That way I always have a copy of the original image. To remove the marks from the background on the new layer I used the Spot Healing brush. You could also use the Clone tool to do this job.
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Top tips for retouching Shoot in raw 1
To get the most out of your image and your print, shoot in raw. You can do so much more to your image at the editing stage if you switch to this file format. Despite raw files taking up more space on your hard drive and memory card compared to JPEGs it will open up more creative possibilities.
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Know when to stop
It’s really easy to keep editing your image trying to make it perfect, however you don’t want to go too far and take away that essence that made your image successful in the first place. There’s a fine line between done and overdone so get feedback, keep comparing your edited image to the original so you can avoid this.
3 Proof colours
In Photoshop you can check the proof colours by going to View>Proof Colours. If you are still working on your image do this rather than converting your image to CMYK as it will retain the RGB colour gamut (which is larger than the CMYK gamut) but it will still preview your image as CMYK, which is what it will be printed out as.
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WhiteWall recommends
4 Background burning
Once I had removed the main marks from the background I then duplicated the top layer and went to the Burn tool (Range set to Shadows at 8% exposure) and gradually darkened the background. I then added a Curves Adjustment layer to tone the overall image.
‘I recommend WhiteWall’s ultraHD Photo Print Under Acrylic Glass. Compared to conventional photos, ultraHD Photo Prints offer significantly better resolution and have visibly sharper definition in the image’s finer details. Adding our 15mm Basel floater frame in the natural oak colour gives the image a rustic yet classy look. If you want to put more focus on the satiny gloss of the feathers and on the image itself, go for WhiteWall’s giclée print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Pearl paper. A brown Hamburg passe-partout frame suits the image too. I would order the picture in a size of at least 40 x 40cm.’ Jan-Ole Schmidt, Product Manager, WhiteWall.com
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Get a professional to print it
Printing is a real art form and requires a lot of technical knowledge. I am not ashamed to admit that it is not my strength and so I invest in my work through external printing services such as WhiteWall. Ask them about file formats and colour profiles so you can be sure your print is perfect. For me they can produce a far better result at a better price than I would be able to achieve at home.
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Get a sample
If you are printing something for an exhibition or big print get a test print first. Test strips/prints are available from any good printers and are vital before you commit to the final one.
about 6 Think presentation
Don’t just think about your image as a printed photo, think of it as a final product. Printing on materials such as aluminium or canvas can be great. There are many different options but try to match your image to the best method because not all images suit all processes. 43
Testbench
CAMERA TEST
At a glance
£7,250 body only ● 40.9MP monochrome full-frame CMOS sensor ● ISO 160-100,000 ● Optical viewfinder with rangefinder focusing ● Leica M mount ● 3-in 1.03m-dot touchscreen LCD
Leica M10 Monochrom
Andy Westlake takes a detailed look at Leica’s latest rangefinder that shoots only in black & white For and against Sensational image quality, combining fantastic detail with minimal noise Exceptional build quality Straightforward operation with traditional photographic controls Large, clear viewfinder and superb rangefinder for focusing Touchscreen could be better integrated into control system ALL PR CES ARE APPROX MATE STREET PR CES
28mm framelines are difficult to see Ludicrously expensive
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Data file Sensor
40.9MP monochrome CMOS, 36 x 24mm Output size 7864 x 5200 Focal length mag 1x Lens mount Leica M with 6-bit coding Shutter speeds 16min – 1/4000sec Sensitivity ISO 160-100,000 Exposure modes A, M Metering TTL average (with viewfinder); Spot, centre, multi (in live view) Exposure comp +/- 3EV in 0.3 EV steps Continuous 4.5 fps shooting Screen 3in, 1.03m-dot fixed touchscreen LCD Viewfinder Direct vision, 0.73x magnification AF points n/a Video n/a External mic No Memory card SD, SDXC, SDHC Power BP-SCL5 rechargeable Li-ion Battery life Not specified Dimensions 139x38.5x80mm Weight 660g with battery
L
eica is a company that plays by different rules to everyone else. By building cameras in low volumes and charging a premium for them, it’s able to pursue different avenues from the mainstream Japanese makers. It’s maintained a healthy market for its M-series rangefinders, despite this type of camera having generally fallen out of favour in the 1960s, and it also makes cameras dedicated to black & white shooting, with its M Monochrom series. So how, and why, would you do such a thing? The basic principle is simple: conventional cameras sense colour by arranging red, green and blue filters over the light-sensitive photodiodes of their sensors, with the recorded data being converted to a visually meaningful photograph through a complex process of demosaicing,
noise reduction and sharpening. While this works very well, it delivers less detail and introduces artefacts compared to recording full colour data for each pixel. To produce a black & white image, the colour has to be removed again, but you’re still stuck with the after-effects of the processing. In contrast, by doing without a colour filter array (CFA) over the sensor, the Monochrom cameras are capable of recording black & white images directly. This gives visibly superior tonality and detail, along with higher sensitivity and lower image noise. The latest M10 Monochrom is the third generation of this line, after the original M9-based version from 2012 with its 18MP CCD sensor, and the 2015 follow-up, the Typ 246 with its 24MP CMOS. However while these previous models used existing sensors without a CFA, the
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The sensor’s detail rendition is sensational, aided by Leica’s remarkably sharp lenses Leica Apo-Summicron M 50mm f/2, 1/4000sec at f/2, ISO 160
latest differs by employing a completely new 40.9-million-pixel full-frame CMOS sensor that doesn’t, as yet, have a conventional colour counterpart. Leica says that this brings a ‘new benchmark in image quality’ to the series. The price tag is eyewatering, of course, but in context it’s a premium of just £650 over the standard colour M10-P. Even so, can a camera that costs over £7,000, but only shoots in black & white, really make any sense?
Features To address this question, first we need to think about that new sensor. Not only does it deliver higher resolution than its predecessor, aided by the omission of an optical low-pass filter, it also provides a broader sensitivity range of ISO 160100,000, compared to ISO 320-25,000. Leica says that it
delivers lower noise and increased dynamic range, while being specifically optimised for use with M-mount lenses, which requires a careful arrangement of offset microlenses over the pixels towards the corners of the sensor. Crucially, this means that in principle, the M10 Monochrom should deliver the highest black & white image quality of any current full-frame camera, surpassing what you’d get from colour sensors with higher pixel counts. The rest of the M10 Monochrom is, however, very basic by modern standards. Being a rangefinder camera, focusing is manual only, with composition via a direct-vision optical viewfinder at the corner of the camera body. You can shoot in either aperture-priority or manual exposure modes, with traditional analogue controls for shutter speed, ISO, aperture and focusing. A simple TTL metering system
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measures light reflected off the focal-plane shutter, with blades painted in different shades of grey producing a centre-weighted bias. Timed shutter speeds are available from 8sec to 1/4000sec in half-stop increments, set using the top-plate dial; with the dial in the B or A positions, this can extend as long as 16 minutes. Continuous shooting is available at 4.5 frames per second, and I was able to rattle off 8 or 9 raw frames in a burst before the camera slowed down (although curiously, Leica promises a 10-shot buffer). Leica’s venerable M mount dates back to 1954, and as a result is entirely mechanical, with no electronic communication between the camera and lens. But the camera can still identify the lens in use, using an optical sensor to read a set of black or white spots painted onto its mount – a system known as 6-bit coding.
This allows the lens ID to be included in the EXIF data, while the focal length can be used to determine the minimum shutter speed when using Auto ISO, if you desire. The camera will still work absolutely fine with non-coded lenses, of course, and with older Leica optics you can specify which one you’re using from a list in the camera’s menu. Leica’s design philosophy is to strip the camera back to the essentials, which means it includes only what you really need for stills photography. So you get an exposure bracketing control, a built-in intervalometer, and a 2- or 12-second self-timer, but that’s about it. Notably, like the rest of the M10 series, this is one of the few current models that doesn’t record video. However the firm isn’t really stuck in the past, and is quite happy to include up-to-date 45
Rangefinder focusing takes a bit of practice, but gives accurate results Leica Apo-Summicron M 50mm f/2, 1/125sec at f/2, ISO 1600
features when they’re genuinely useful. Pressing the LV button on the back enters live view, which enables more accurate focusing and composition than the optical viewfinder. It also brings an expanded range of metering options, including multi-pattern and spot. The LCD is touch-sensitive for changing settings and browsing images, and Wi-Fi is built-in for transferring images to your phone using the Leica Fotos app, although Bluetooth is absent.
Build and handling The Monochrom is based on Leica’s current top-end M10-P rangefinder, and is built like a tank, with a die cast magnesium alloy body shell and brass top and base plates. Everything about it exudes quality, with all the controls operating with satisfying precision. It has the characteristic M-series styling and layout, with curved ends and a stepped top-plate. Compared to its Typ 246 predecessor, it’s 20g lighter and 3.5mm slimmer, which makes it feel surprisingly more svelte. One welcome concession to modern design is the addition of a small thumb ‘hook’ on the back, which provides a nice secure grip. External controls are kept to the essentials, with analogue dials on the top-plate for shutter speed and ISO, and mechanical aperture and focus rings on the lens. 46
Exposure compensation is applied by pressing a button on the front of the body and spinning an electronic dial on the back. The power switch surrounds the shutter button, and a frameline selector lever is found beneath the viewfinder window. That’s all you generally need to operate the camera. The ‘digital’ controls are likewise pared right down to a minimum, with a d-pad positioned under your thumb, and a column of three large square buttons running down the left side of the LCD. Leica has done a great job of simplifying how these buttons work without restricting access to core functions; for instance in playback, the menu button essentially becomes the delete key. So despite the simplicity, it never really feels as if any buttons are missing. Meanwhile the touchscreen gives quick access to secondary settings such as metering and drive modes, via an onscreen status display. However you can’t necessarily then change these by touch, which is about the only jarring experience I found when shooting with the camera. The touchscreen also can be used for browsing through your pictures in playback, and checking the focus by double-tapping anywhere within an image. The Monochrom sports a handsome matte black chrome plated finish, with more subdued
styling than the M10-P. The lens release and shutter button are finished in black rather than silver, while the A marks on the top-plate dials are painted a muted grey, rather than red. As befits the name, it’s all very monochrome, with the only flash of colour appearing when you lift up the ISO dial to its unlocked position, revealing a slim red surround. The overall result is a camera that’s as beautiful to behold as it is simple and intuitive to use. It really does reduce photography down to the essentials, giving a very different shooting experience to modern auto-everything marvels. It’s absolutely not an all-rounder in the manner of current high-end DSLRs and mirrorless models; instead the manual operation imposes a slower, more considered approach on your photography. Whether this is a good thing or not is purely down to personal preference.
They’re parallax-corrected, moving diagonally across the frame as the lens is focused, and in principle indicate 100% of the lens’s field of view at a focus distance of 2m. At longer distances you’ll get more in the frame, and at closer distances you’ll get a little less. The viewfinder is bright and clear, and at 0.73x magnification, of a very decent size. But you do need to squeeze your eye close to
Viewfinder and screen As always for a rangefinder camera, the M10 Monochrom employs a direct-vision optical viewfinder, meaning that you’re not viewing the image as seen through the lens. Instead, the field of view is indicated using bright framelines in the finder window that are displayed in pairs and selected automatically by the lens: 50mm and 75mm, 35 and 135mm, and 28 and 90mm.
The near-silent shutter makes the camera perfect for candid shooting Leica Apo-Summicron M 50mm f/2, 1/60sec at f/4, ISO 500
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CAMERA TEST
Focusing As already mentioned, focusing is manual only, using a coincident-
image rangefinder. This approach was popular on film cameras up until the 1970s, and won’t require any explanation for our more experienced readers. But for those unfamiliar with the concept, a second ghost image is overlaid on a bright spot in the centre of the viewfinder, and rotating the focus ring moves it relative to the main view. When the two are aligned, the lens should be correctly focused. Getting used to this method takes a bit of practice. But once mastered, it’s pretty quick and accurate, due in no small part to the fact that Leica’s rangefinder is, by necessity, probably the finest ever made (indeed the complexity and precision of the mechanism is responsible for a significant fraction of the camera’s price). The rangefinder spot is bright and sharply delineated in the viewfinder, and both images are crisp, which makes them easy to align. You just have to be aware that repeating vertical patterns can contribute to incorrect focusing. Rangefinder focusing does have its limitations. Obviously there’s just a single focus point in the centre of the frame, and when you’re shooting at large apertures, using a focus and recompose technique can result in the kind of small focus errors that we might not have really noticed when shooting with film, but which
Focal points The M10 Monochrom mixes the latest technology with an old-fashioned rangefinder design
EVF
Leica’s Visoflex (Typ 020) electronic viewfinder can be mounted on the hotshoe. It’s particularly useful when shooting with wideangle, telephoto or macro lenses, and for accurately focusing super-fast lenses.
Stealth
The M10 Monochrom is based on the M10-P, which means it inherits the same super-quiet shutter.
Cable release
A mechanical cable release can be screwed into the shutter button. But there are no electronic connectors, such as USB or HDMI ports.
Wi-Fi
Smartphone connectivity is provided by built-in Wi-Fi, allowing you to copy your favourite images from the camera for sharing.
38.5mm
the window to see the 28mm frameline. This means those who wear glasses, or shoot left-eyed, may well struggle; as someone who does both, I found it practically impossible. Basic exposure information is projected into the viewfinder using red LEDs, including the shutter speed, exposure compensation, and metering indicators when shooting in manual. This works okay, but the display looks incredibly dated compared to the excellent hybrid optical-electronic viewfinder used by Fujifilm in its X-Pro and X100 series cameras. If you want to shoot with wideangle lenses, you’ll need to use a supplementary viewfinder. You can mount an optical finder on the hotshoe, but the process of switching back and forth between that and the rangefinder makes for a rather awkward shooting experience. The alternative is to switch to live view, but using this on the fixed rear screen isn’t necessarily great either. The best option would be to use the optional Visoflex (Typ 020) electronic viewfinder, which is a 2.36m-dot unit that includes an eye-sensor for switching automatically with the LCD. It also includes a GPS unit for geotagging your images, but costs £420.
Testbench
Power
A series of optical sensors on the lens mount identifies the lens, as long as it has matched markings. The lens name is then included in the EXIF data.
80mm
In a nod to Leica’s 35mm film M cameras, the SD card and battery are accessed by removing the baseplate. The Li-ion BP-SCL5 is charged externally, and should be good for 350-400 shots per charge.
6-bit coding
139mm
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47
High-ISO image quality is truly remarkable, allowing hand-held shooting in extremely low light Leica Apo-Summicron M 50mm f/2, 1/125sec at f/4, ISO 50,000
appear very obvious when examining high-resolution image files onscreen. So it’s best not to move the subject too far off-centre in your composition after focusing, which might explain why so many Leica photographers favour centred subjects. It’s also important to understand that the accuracy of the focusing is limited by the rangefinder base, which is defined by the distance between the viewfinder and the secondary window on the camera’s front. In practice, this means that it’s not technically possible to focus super-fast lenses consistently accurately. So if you’re contemplating pairing the M10 Monochrom with the £8,600 Noctilux 50mm f/0.95, for example, you’ll only be guaranteed accurate focus if you use live view. In this mode, the camera is smart enough to engage a magnified view when it detects the lens being focused, but alternatively you can zoom in manually by pressing the button on the front of the body. The focus area can be moved freely around the frame for use with off-centre subjects, and a focus peaking display is available if you require, in a choice of colours. It’s just worth remembering that the aperture will always be stopped 48
down to what’s set on the lens: this has the advantage of always previewing depth of field, but sometimes it can be better to open it up for focusing.
Performance Shooting with the M10 Monochrom is a very different proposition to anything else on the market. With its ultra-quiet shutter and understated finish, it’s extremely discreet. Like the rest of the M10 series, it’s about the closest you’ll get to the simplicity of the old-fashioned analogue experience, before the introduction of autofocus and multi-pattern metering. But the Monochrom comes with some unique provisos and quirks that need to be kept in mind, too. The camera is instantly ready to shoot, the moment you flick the power switch to turn it on. At this point you can choose to work in any way from either fully manual, to aperture priority with Auto ISO. Given that you can set the latter to use either a specific minimum shutter speed, or base it on the focal length of the lens in use (with the option of biasing towards high speeds to minimise any chance of blurring from camera shake), I can see little reason not to use it. Whichever approach to shooting you take, it’s important to
understand the characteristics of the lightmeter. It’s not like modern multi-pattern systems, able to analyse and understand almost any combination of light and shade. Instead, you need to adjust it manually according to the subject, giving an extra stop or two when faced with a bright sky, for example. But equally you have to avoid overexposure whenever possible, because unlike with a colour sensor, there’s no way of reconstructing any lost highlight detail. Instead when it’s clipped to white, it’s gone forever. The M Monochrom responds to placing coloured filters in front of the lens, in much the same way as black & white film. Yellow, orange and red filters, for example, will progressively darken blue skies and provide additional contrast with any clouds. But they’ll also rob you of light, which potentially means requiring higher ISO settings at the cost of increased image noise. For outdoor shooting in good light, I’d probably use a yellow or orange filter by default. Naturally, battery life will vary according to how you use the camera. Shooting mostly with the viewfinder, with the occasional foray into live view and image playback, I found 350 to 400 shots per charge to be entirely realistic. But with no USB port,
there’s no option to top the battery up in-camera. Of course the main thing we’re always interested in is image quality, and in a word, it’s sumptuous. In Leica’s hands, all of the theoretical advantages of a monochrome sensor become evidently real. At low ISO the M10 Monochrom is capable of recording a vast amount of detail, with exceptionally low noise and immense dynamic range. There may be no extra highlight detail recoverable in raw processing, but you can delve deep into the shadows with impunity. Even when noise becomes plainly visible as the sensitivity is increased, it has an attractive, organic character. As a result, even at higher settings such as ISO 3200, you can still indulge in the kind of extreme image adjustments during raw processing that are usually only workable with colour sensors when shot at their lowest ISOs. Image files are entirely usable right up to ISO 50,000, which in practice means you can get usable pictures in light so dim that you can barely see to focus and compose. However at the highest settings banding becomes visible in dark evenly toned regions such as night skies, frequently making ISO 100,000 files unusable.
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CAMERA TEST
Lab results
Testbench
Verdict
Andrew Sydenham’s lab tests reveal just how the camera performs
Our cameras and lenses are tested using the industrystandard Image Engineering IQ-Analyser software. Visit www.image-engineering.de for more details Looking at image files from Leica’s 40.9MP monochrome sensor almost requires a suspension of disbelief. The camera can record a phenomenal amount of detail, with higher pixel-level definition and fewer artefacts than we’ve come to accept as normal from colour sensors. Images are exceptionally clean at ISO 160, and the pure luminance noise recorded at high ISOs is visually unobjectionable. This is a camera that gives fantastic images in bright conditions, while still giving perfectly usable results in vanishingly low light.
GOLD
Resolution With its 40.9MP sensor, the M10 Monochrom should be able to record close to 5,200 lines per picture height. It comes extraordinarily close to achieving this, not just at ISO 160, but also much higher settings. With no colour demosaicing required to develop its raw files, RAW ISO 160
the camera gives an extremely clean rendition of our test pattern at ISO 160, and it’s only at ISO 12,500 that noise clearly reduces resolution, to about 4,600l/ph. Even at ISO 50,000 we register 4,000l/ph, which is the highest theoretical resolution of the Typ 246. RAW ISO 12,500
RAW ISO 50,000
RAW ISO 100,000
On the right we show details from our resolution chart test pattern (above). Multiply the number beneath the lines by 400 to give the resolution in lines per picture height.
Noise At its lowest ISO 160 setting, the M10 Monochrom captures lots of detail with practically no visible noise. But it’s remarkable just how far you can raise the ISO without any significant loss of detail. Indeed it’s only at ISO 3200 that we start to see a little noise creeping in, when viewing at 100% onscreen. But even at ISO 12,500, the M Monochrom is still capable of describing the canvas weave convincingly. By ISO 50,000 noise is swamping fine detail, but the visual effect isn’t remotely objectionable, so The crops shown below are taken I’d happily use this setting when necessary. Not surprisingly ISO 100,000 is from the area outlined above in red probably a step too far, due to the appearance of horizontal banding. RAWISO160
RAW ISO 800
RAW ISO 3200
RAW ISO 12,500
RAW ISO 50,000
RAW ISO 100,000
THERE’S really no denying that the Leica M10 Monochrom is an absolutely beautiful camera. Its build quality is stunning, and the pared-back, minimalist design allows you to immerse yourself completely in the process of taking pictures. Then when you come to look at your image files, it’s immediately obvious that the new sensor is very special indeed. With staggering detail rendition, low noise and vast dynamic range, it’s surely a significant enough advance to tempt existing Monochrom users to upgrade. I really don’t believe that any other camera under £10,000 could make better images. So to address the question I posed at the start of this review – can a camera that costs over £7,000, but only shoots in black & white, really make any sense? Naturally, this is anything but a mainstream product, and for most of us it makes about as much sense as buying a supercar. But for its particular niche, it’s close to perfect. It would be nice to see deeper integration of the touchscreen for changing camera settings, but that’s a minor criticism. For serious (and of course, well-heeled) photographers who shoot subjects at which the M-series excels such as street and documentary, the M10 Monochrom is little short of a dream. However black & white photography isn’t limited to these areas, and I’d love to see Leica drop this sensor in the Q2 and SL2 camera bodies too. More generally, Leica has yet again proven the real value of monochrome sensors. But with this new 40.9MP chip, it’s reached a new pinnacle in black & white image quality: I doubt any other camera on the market can quite match this combination of resolution and low-light capability. It’s a real shame the mainstream camera makers don’t share Leica’s imagination in producing a mono-only camera.
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6/10 9/10 7/10 N/A N/A 9/10 10/10 8/10 49
Testbench
SMARTPHONE ROUND-UP
Smartphones Amy Davies takes a closer look at the best smartphones on the market with top camera capabilities
Size options
Many phones offer two different screen sizes; the only one here not to is the Huawei P30 Pro.
Lenses
All of the smartphones in the group have multiple lenses, with all but the Pixel 4 featuring a triple-lens set-up.
Design
Smartphone manufacturers put a lot of thought into developing attractive designs but you should always consider a case to protect your phone.
Native camera app
How well the native (inbuilt) camera app works is a key consideration when choosing a smartphone, as well as the results.
Data file iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max Google Pixel 4 Google Pixel 4XL Huawei P30 Pro Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Screen size
Storage
Battery
Weight
Dimensions (HxWxD)
Price
5.8in
Up to 512GB
3046mAh
188g
144 x 71.4 x 8.1mm
From £1,049
6.5in
Up to 512GB
3969mAh
226g
158 x 77.8 x 8.1mm
From £1,149
5.7in
Up to 128GB
2800mAh
162g
147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2mm
From £669
6.3in
Up to 128GB
3700mAh
193g
160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm
From £829
6.4in
Up to 512GB
4200mAh
192g
158 x 73.4 x 8.4mm
From £899
6.3in
Up to 256GB
3500mAh
168g
151 x 71.8 x 7.9mm
From £869
6.8in
Up to 512GB
4300mAh
196g
162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9mm
From £999
Colours are evenly matched across all three iPhone lenses
Colours and detail are both nicely rendered by the Pixel 4
iPhone 11 Pro
Google Pixel 4
● From £1,049 ● apple.com
ALL PRICES ARE RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICES
THE LATEST Apple model, the iPhone 11 Pro, gets a triple-lens set-up and incorporates an ultra wideangle lens – something we’ve seen on a few different Huawei, Samsung and other brands’ models for a few years. Still, this being Apple, although a little slow to join the party, it’s now arrived with finesse. Both the iPhone 11 Pro and the larger iPhone 11 Pro Max share the same camera set-up. The triple-lens array adds an ultra-wideangle (13mm equivalent) to the existing dual-camera set-up from the iPhone XS, which offered a 26mm f/1.8 and a 52mm lens.
● From £669 ● store.google.com A slight tweak here is that the longer lens is now f/2. Although Apple has kept the native camera app simple, there are some interesting new features. Particularly useful is the way the display makes use of the different lenses to show you what’s happening outside the frame, which is helpful for composition. You can even switch on a setting to record that extra information, allowing you to crop and rotate at a later date without losing resolution. Another new function is Night mode that activates automatically in low light. Deep Fusion – something which also activates by itself (with no indication when it’s on) promises to deliver super-fine detail in such conditions. On the whole, image quality from the iPhone 11 Pro is fantastic. Low-light shooting is very good too, with Night mode putting in a fantastic performance, with detail rendered very well – especially when viewing at small(ish) sizes. If the budget is tight, also consider the more affordable iPhone 11, which features only the super-wide and the standard lens, but is otherwise very similar to the Pro.
FOR A long time, Google seemed resolute in its determination that just a single rear camera/lens was all it needed – with zooming taken care of digitally via artificial intelligence. With many other flagships sporting three lenses, Google has finally relented and included two for its latest flagship model – the Pixel 4. Alongside the 28mm f/1.7 (equivalent) lens that we saw on the Pixel 3, you also now get a 48mm f/2.4 ‘telephoto’ lens. While Google likes to aim itself at photographers, it’s frustrating to note that the native camera app remains a very simple operation.
At a glance
At a glance Recommended
● Triple-lens rear camera ● Available in two sizes ● iOS operating system ● Cheaper iPhone 11 also available
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There’s a fully automatic Camera mode, with no option to adjust any settings. On the plus side, you can shoot in raw format. Other than that, you get a Portrait mode (which you can use with non-human subjects, if you like), a Video mode and the much-feted Night Sight mode for use in low light. We first saw the extraordinary Night Sight appear with the Pixel 3, and naturally it remains on board here. The new addition to the mode is an Astrophotography option, which makes use of very long exposures. It should automatically activate when already in Night mode, when the phone detects that it is stable (i.e. when mounted on a tripod). The results are ridiculously impressive for a smartphone, and show off exactly what is possible with computational photography. In other modes the results are also very good. Colours are nicely saturated, detail is good and because there’s no manual control here, what you essentially have is an excellent point-andshoot – a bit like the iPhone, but at roughly half the price. What you don’t have is an ultrawideangle lens, but if you can live without that and just want something simple, then it’s an excellent choice.
Recommended
● Double-lens camera ● Two screen sizes ● 2800/3700mAh battery ● 64GB/128GB storage 51
Testbench
SMARTPHONE ROUND-UP
We continue to be impressed by Huawei’s excellent Night mode
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ has a well-performing ultra-wideangle lens
Huawei P30 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
IT’S HARD to miss the headlines that Huawei has attracted over the past couple of years. Finding itself in the middle of a fallout between China and the Trump administration in the US, Huawei has been banned from accessing Android apps and updates on its newest phones. Since the P30 Pro was already in the market when the ban was announced, it escaped the veto. At the time of writing, it appears that there will still be continued support for the Android-system as found on this device. Without the support of Android, newer Huawei models – such as the Mate 30 Pro – have yet to be officially released in the UK, and
IF YOU’RE concerned about the Huawei furore, but you’re also keen for your smartphone to offer multiple lenses and a wellfeatured native camera app, then the obvious alternative is Samsung. The Galaxy Note 10 provides some very similar features, without the added Trump drama. There are two sizes, with the larger Galaxy Note 10+ also being available in a 5G version. Only the larger device has a fourth DepthVision camera, which is a TOF (Time of Flight) camera used for judging depth and distance – handy for creating shallow depth of field effects.
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICES
● From £899 ● consumer.huawei.com may never be so. The same could well be true for whatever replaces the P30 Pro, too. For now, the latest flagship in the P range – which has been traditionally aimed more squarely at photographers than its stablemate in the Mate range – includes a triple-Leica-lens set-up, with an ultra-wideangle (16mm), standard (27mm) and a 5x optical zoom (125mm) lens. One of the things we like best about Huawei smartphones is just how extremely well-featured the native app is. Not only do you get a very well-performing automatic mode (simply named Photo), which allows you to just point and shoot, you also get a great Pro mode to give you extra control, as well as shoot in raw format. There’s also a plethora of other shooting options, such as the excellent Night mode, and a Monochrome option. Overall, image quality from the P30 Pro is excellent, with the 5x optical zoom lens being especially impressive for capturing distant subjects. The only downside here is that there is a relatively large gap in focal lengths as it jumps from 27mm to 125mm – you can get around this by using digital zoom for the lengths in between, which performs fairly well.
● From £869 ● samsung.com/uk
At a glance GOLD 52
● Triple-Leica-lens rear cameras ● 128GB / 512GB storage options ● 4200mAh battery ● 5x optical zoom lens
Both the standard and larger sizes have three cameras which you actually shoot with. There’s an ultra-wide 13mm f/2.2 camera, a telephoto 52mm f/2.1 lens, plus a standard 26mm lens with a variable f/1.5-2.4 aperture. The native camera app offers a wealth of different shooting options, including a straightforward Photo mode which works as a point-andshoot, a Night mode for low-light shooting, and a well-featured Pro mode. The Note 10 also comes with a Stylus, which can be used with the camera as a remote release – ideal for those looking to do something creative, such as long exposures, as well as selfies and group shots. In the standard Photo mode, the phone will decide for itself which is the best aperture to use but you can take control of it in Pro mode, something which is unusual for a smartphone and is unique in this group. Overall, image quality is fantastic – with a good degree of uniformity between the three different lenses. Detail is also good, with nicely saturated colours. Low-light shooting is very good, but Night mode is not quite as finessed as those from the other models shown here.
At a glance GOLD
● 3500/4300mAh battery ● 256/512GB (5G model only) storage ● Triple-lens rear camera ●’S Pen’ stylus
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Sell your Nikon to Grays of Westminster are always seeking fine examples of Nikon cameras, lenses & accessories including:
Digital SLR Bodies ❖ AF Lenses ❖ Select Film SLR bodies Manual focus lenses ❖ Vintage bodies ❖ Pre-AI lenses ❖ Accessories
To obtain a quote please contact us today on 020 7828 4925 or email info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF CLEANING YOUR SENSOR WITH FIND THE PROBLEM
n Lights and Loupes.
Unique Photographic Accessories
If you can’t see the dust and dirt - you can’t clean away the dust and dirt. Our products are designed to enable you to identify where and how to clean. We also advise that if you feel your sensor does not need attention after inspection, do nothing!
Luxury Pure Silk Camera Straps
LIGHT CLEANING NEEDED
A range of hand made straps made from pure silk by Japanese artisans, to give your camera a distinctive yet functional appearance. Various lengths and colours available. ACAM-312N shown.
n Dry cleaning.
Brushes and blowers with properties that lift dust and other non-oily materials away easily. Versions available for every sensor size regardless of camera brand. A range of blowers from a simple version to fully filtered, anti-static with dust free air ejection measures are available to suit your needs.
HEAVIER CLEANING NEEDED n Wet cleaning.
Liquids specifically designed and manufactured to remove greas oil, pollen, fingerprints etc whilst still being safe for your precious sensor. When used in conjunction with the correct swab they make light work of removing matter that would otherwise degrade your image. With the current popularity of mirrorless cameras and their potential for the ingress of dirt and foreign bodies due to lack of a mirror, keep these products in your gadget bag ready for use.
Vanity Pouches With Top Handles GUARANTEED safe to use with mirrorless cameras
OUT & ABOUT? TAKE VISIBLE DUST WITH YOU n Convenient kits.
The range of EZ kits bring together everything you need to ensure complete cleaning of your cameras sensor. Kits are available to tackle all of the various cleaning jobs you may have to carry out. They are colour coded BLUE for light cleaning, GREEN for everyday cleaning and RED for heavy cleaning. Kits available in all popular sensor sizes, and as with all VisibleDust products, they are suitable for all camera brands and sensors, with or without anti-aliasing filters.
See the entire range in detail at
www.visibledust.co.uk
For details of your nearest stockist please contact...
Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436 Tel: (Denys Nelson) 07909 227517
Store and protect your mirrorless camera, lens or accessory from dirt scratches. They can be placed within a larger camera or casual bag, providing protection and quick access to the equipment at all times. Available in 3 different sizes they can be configured to carry two bodies, three lenses or a combination of body and lens. ACAM-60N shown, ACAM-61N & ACAM-63N are alternatives.
Protective Camera Or Lens Wrap Store and protect your camera or lens from dirt and scratches. This wrap folds neatly around your equipment, the seamless rubber ring then slips over to hold the wrap securely in place. Ideal for carrying equipment in rucksacks or other bags not specifically designed for photo equipment. ACAM-80.
Casual Cord Camera Straps Made by traditional methods with the same care and precision of our silk straps, this new range offers photographers a colourful and comfortable way to carry their cameras. Available in the colourways shown, they are also available in 2 different lengths. ACAM-701 shown, ACAM-706 also available.
Further details and your nearest stockist can be obtained from... Alpha Optical Distribution Limited Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436 (Denys Nelson) 07909 227517 Email: info@alphaodl.co.uk Product website: www.artisan-n-artist.com
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AP and LUMIX invite you to a FREE exclusive private view of the incredible Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum ● Enjoy wine, soft drinks and
● Touch and try the latest Lumix
nibbles under the blue whale skeleton in the iconic Hintze Hall, after the museum has closed. We have the place all to ourselves! ● See 100 of the world’s most beautiful nature images displayed on giant backlit panels – it really has to be seen to be appreciated. ● A welcome introduction by AP Editor Nigel Atherton, and a chance to meet the AP team.
cameras and lenses, and talk to Panasonic staff. ● Talks by wildlife photographer
Matthew Maran and WPY judge Rosamund Kidman Cox.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH PANASONIC LUMIX © NIGEL ATHERTON
IMAGE ABOVE © AUDUN RIKARDSEN
Wildlife Photographer of the Year AP reader event ● Prizes to be won on the night,
plus a free goody bag to take away. ● It’s FREE!
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EVENT DETAILS WHEN Tuesday 28 April 2020 7-9.30pm WHERE The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD To obtain your FREE ticket to this memorable evening go to www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/WPOTYevent
The iconic Hintze Hall at London’s Natural History Museum
To get your free ticket visit amateurphotographer.co.uk/WPOTYevent
Tech Talk Tony Kemplen on the É
Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special
Subscribe now from only
And so we come to the last model in Tony’s decade-long ‘52 cameras in 52 weeks’ project
per issue* © TONY KEMPLEN
W
riting this on New Year’s Day 2020, I feel a mixture of relief and panic to have completed ten years of using a different film camera each week without fail. That’s a total of 522 cameras, and amazingly no complete disasters, though some came pretty close. The relief is that I have decided to relax the pace, and use ‘new’ cameras as and when I find them, rather than rigorously loading up a new one each Friday; the panic now is that, after a decade, I’m not sure how I’ll cope without this weekly rhythm in my life. The very first camera I used in my 52 cameras in 52 weeks project, back in January 2010, was a Zenit E, a Soviet-era budget SLR with limited features and an unenviable reputation for quality control. It seemed appropriate to bookend the decade with what was perhaps the apogee of 20th-century precision 35mm system cameras, one of the Zeiss Ikon Contarex models. This one, the Contarex Special, was made in 1961, and despite only occasional use, is in full working order. The Special is the second version of the Contarex to be made. The first, nicknamed the Cyclops because of the enormous exposure meter ‘eye’ smack bang in the middle of the pentaprism housing, is a wonder to behold. In his book Collecting and Using Classic SLRs, Ivor Matanle sums it up by saying ‘If you buy just one SLR to admire, stroke, hold in front of the fire on a winter’s evening and never load with film, it should be a Contarex Cyclops’. The Special is actually the same camera, but without the exposure meter. Omitting the meter allowed for interchangeable viewfinders
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A photo of Tony’s grandson taken with a Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special
and focusing screens, something considered an essential feature in a system camera. All manner of lenses and accessories were available, from interchangeable film backs to stereo adapters and close-up bellows. Contarex lenses used their own unique mount, and unusually, and somewhat disconcertingly, the lenses do not have an aperture ring, or any means of setting the f stop – this is all done via a knurled wheel on the front of the body, operated by the right hand. The aperture scale is
The Contarex Special is the same camera as the first version but without the exposure meter
‘For all its style, the Contarex was big, heavy, complicated and expensive’ part of the body, and is used regardless of which lens is fitted. For all its style, the Contarex was big, heavy, complicated and expensive. At a time when Japanese SLRs were becoming more available, and shrinking in size, the chunky Contarex, despite its superb engineering, was fighting a losing battle. It has been suggested that the investment that Zeiss put into it contributed to the end of their camera making in Europe. My dad was a Zeiss Ikon devotee, this camera belonged to him, and it seemed appropriate to take a photo of his great-grandson who was born just days after he died. Technically this photo is far from perfect, it was shot at full aperture, with a shutter speed of 1/30sec, and a potentially moving target, but it’s special to me because of its associations.
Tony Kemplen’s love of photography began as a teenager and ever since he has been collecting cameras with a view to testing as many as he can. You can follow his progress on his 52 Cameras blog at 52cameras.blogspot.co.uk. More photos from the Contarex Special: www.flickr.com/tony_kemplen/sets/72157712382152266/ 56
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Digital SLR Canon EOS 1DX Body Only����E+ - E++ £1799 -2199 EOS 1DS III Body Only������������������������������� E++ £649 EOS 1D III Body Only������������������������������������E+ £259 EOS 1D IIN Body Only ��������������������������������15D £159 EOS 1D II Body Only�������������������������������������E+ £169 EOS 5DSR Body Only �����������������������������Mint- £1249 EOS 5DS Body Only ��������������E+ - E++ £1099 -1249 EOS 5D III Body Only��������������15D - Mint- £749 -999 EOS 5D III Body + BG-E11 Grip��������� E+ - E++ £949 EOS 5D II Body Only�����������������������������������15D £299 EOS 5D Body Only �������������������������������������15D £249 EOS 6D II Body Only���������������������������������� E++ £949 EOS 6D Body Only ���������������������15D - E+ £349 -459 EOS 7D II Body Only������������������E+ - E++ £639 -679 EOS 7D Body Only ����������������������Exc - E+ £159 -199 EOS 7D + BG-E7 Grip ����������������������������������E+ £249 EOS 80D Body Only ��������������������������E++ £529 -539 EOS 70D Body Only ������������������E+ - E++ £329 -349 EOS 60D Body Only �������������������������������������E+ £199 EOS 50D Body Only �������������������������������������E+ £119 EOS 800D Body Only �������������������������������Mint- £449 EOS 760D Body Only �������������������������������� E++ £319 EOS 750D Body Only �������������������������������� E++ £315 EOS 500D + BG-E5 Grip ������������������������������E+ £129 EOS 450D Body Only �������������������������� E+ - E++ £79 EOS 1000D Body Only �����������������������������������E+ £69
Nikon D4S Body Only��������������������E++ £1899 -2089 D4 Body Only���������������������������������������������E+ £1499 D3X Body Only��������������������������E+ - E++ £649 -799 D850 Body Only���������������������������������������Mint £2199 D810 Body Only�������������������������������������������E+ £949 D800E Body Only����������������������E+ - E++ £719 -749 D800 Body Only��������������������������Exc - E+ £579 -649 D750 Body Only����������������������15D - E++ £499 -749 D700 Body Only�������������������������������������������E+ £329 D610 Body Only�������������������������������������������E+ £519 D600 Body + MB-D14 Grip��������������������������E+ £459 D600 Body Only���������������������15D - Mint- £339 -499 D500 Body Only���������������������������������������� E++ £899 D300S Body Only�����������������������������������������E+ £249 D300 + MB-D10 Grip�����������������15D - E+ £129 -179 D300 Body Only�������������������������������������������E+ £139 D7500 Body Only������������������������������Mint £649 -669 D7200 Body Only������������������������������E++ £449 -459 D7100 Body Only�������������������������������������� E++ £319 D7000 Body Only��������������������E++ - Mint £189 -239 D5500 Body Only���������������������������������������Mint £319 D5300 Body Only�������������������������������������Mint- £259 D5100 Body Only�������������������������������������� E++ £139 D3500 Body Only�������������������������������������Mint- £249 D3400 Body Only�������������������������������������� E++ £189 D80 Body Only�������������������������������������������� E++ £79 Canon Autofocus EOS 1V Body Only����������������������������������������E+ £299 EOS 1N Body Only ������������������������������������ E++ £219 EOS 5 Body Only��������������������������������������������E+ £49 EOS 300 Body Only������������������������������������� E++ £19 EOS 500N Body Only �������������������������������������E+ £15 8-15mm F4 L Fisheye USM����������������������Mint- £899 10-22mm F3�5-4�5 EFS�������������������������������E+ £189 15mm F2�8 EF Fisheye ���������E++ - Mint- £349 -449 16-35mm F2�8 L USM ���������������������������������E+ £599 16-35mm F4 L IS USM ��������������������Mint- £715 -739 17mm F4�0 L TSE�������������E++ - Mint- £1299 -1349 17-40mm F4 L USM ������������������� E+/E++ £269 -319 17-85mm F4-5�6 IS USM�����������������������������15D £79 17-35mm F2�8 L USM �������������������������������15D £299 18-135mm F3�5-5�6 IS STM EF-S��� E+ - E++ £179 -199 18-135mm F3�5-5�6 IS USM EF-S ������������ E++ £199 18-55mm F3�5-5�6 II EF-S�������������������������� E++ £39 18-55mm F3�5-5�6 IS STM������������������������� E++ £69 24mm F1�4 L USM������������������������������������ E++ £549 24mm F1�4 L USM II�����������������E+ /Mint- £679 -819 24mm F3�5 L TS-E������������������������������ E+ £499 -549 24-105mm F4 L IS USM ������������E+/Mint- £349 -429
24-70mm F2�8 L USM ������������������������������ E++ £499 24-70mm F2�8 L USM II�������������������������� E++ £1049 28mm F2�8 IS USM����������������������������������� E++ £299 28-70mm F2�8 L USM �������������� Exc /E++ £289 -399 28-135mm F3�5-5�6 IS USM����������������� 15D/ E+ £99 35mm F2�8 Macro IS STM EF-S���������������Mint- £269 40mm F2�8 STM��������������������������������������� E++ £109 45mm F2�8 TS-E �����������������������������������������E+ £549 55-250mm F4-5�6 EFS IS��������������� E+/E++ £69 -89 55-200mm F4�5-5�6 IS STM (M)��������������� E++ £179 60mm F2�8 EFS Macro ����������������������������Mint- £219 65mm F2�8 MP-E Macro��������������������������� E++ £649 70-200mm F2�8 L IS USM ��������E+ - E++ £649 -799 70-200mm F4 L USM ���������������E+ - E++ £299 -309 70-200mm F4 L IS USM �����������E+ - E++ £419 -599 70-200mm F2�8 L IS USM II�������������������� E++ £1099 70-210mm F3�5-4�5 USM��������������������������� E++ £59 70-300mm F4-5�6 L IS USM��������������������� E++ £699 70-300mm F4�5-5�6 DO IS USM��� 15D - E++ £199 -349 75-300mm F4-5�6 USM III�������������������������� E++ £59 75-300mm F4-5�6 IS USM���������������������������E+ £179 80-200mm F4-5�6 EF��������������������������������� E++ £29 85mm F1�4 L IS USM�������������������������������Mint- £999 85mm F1�2 L USM II��������������������������������� E++ £849 90mm f2�8 TSE Shift��������������������������������� E++ £599 100mm F2�8 L Macro IS USME++ - Mint- £529 -569 100-400mm F4�5-5�6 L IS USM E+ - E++ £549 -649 135mm F2 L USM������������������������������������� E++ £529 200-400mm F4 L IS USM with Internal 1�4x Extender Lens����E++ £6989 300mm F2�8 L IS USM���������Exc - E++ £1479 -1699 300mm F4 L USM����������������������������������������E+ £349 300mm F4 L IS USM�����������������E+ - E++ £449 -549 300mm F2�8 L USM����������������E+ - E++ £999 -1449 300mm F2�8 L IS USM II������������������������� E++ £3489 400mm F5�6 L USM������������������E+ - E++ £549 -639 400mm F4 DO IS USM�������������������� E+ £1489 -1499 500mm F4�5 L USM�������������Exc - E++ £1189 -1599 500mm F4 L IS USM������������������������������� E++ £2989 500mm F4 L IS USM II���������������������������� E++ £5699 600mm F4 L USM�������������������������������������Exc £1799 600mm F4 L IS USM������������Exc - E++ £3299 -3989 600mm f4 L IS USM II����������������������������� E++ £6489 Sigma 24mm F2�8 Super Wide II������������������� E+ £49 120-400mm F4�5-5�6 Apo DG OS HSM��������E+ £239 180mm F3�5 Di 1:1 Macro AF������� E++ - Mint- £349 1�4x Apo EX Converter ���������������������������������� E+ £59 Tamron 10-24mm F3�5-4�5 Di II LD Asph� E++ £199 17-50mm F2�8 XR Di II VC LD Asph��������������E+ £179 18-270mm F3�5-6�3 DI II VC��������������������Mint- £129 18-270mm F3�5-6�3 DI II VC PZD���E+ - E++ £119 -159 24-70mm F2�8 Di VC USD������������������������Mint- £459 28-300mm F3�8-6�3 Di VC PZD ���������������Mint- £449 70-300mm F4-5�6 Di���������������������������������� E++ £39 70-200mm F2�8 Di VC USD G2 ���������������� E++ £849 90mm F2�8 SP AF Macro ����������E+ - E++ £129 -139 90mm F2�8 SP Di Macro������������������ E++ £159 -179 150-600mm F5-6�3 SP Di VC USD������������ E++ £549 Tokina 11-16mm F2�8 ATX Pro DX ������������ E++ £199 12-24mm F4 ATX PRO SD II���������������������Mint- £199 12-28mm F4 ATX PRO SD������������������������Mint- £199 12-24mm F4 ATX PRO SD������������������������ E++ £159 16-50mm F2�8 ATX Pro DX ����������������������� E++ £199 20-35mm F2�8 ATX Pro������������������������ Unused £199 50-135mm F2�8 DX ATX ��������������������������� E++ £249 Zeiss 18mm F3�5 ZE��������������������������������� E++ £599 21mm F2�8 ZE��������������������������E+ - E++ £475 -599 50mm F2 T* Makro ZE������������������������������ E++ £889 85mm F1�4 ZE���������������������������������������������E+ £569 100mm F2 ZE Macro �������������������������������� E++ £799 MR-14EX Macro Ringlite�����������E+ - E++ £269 -299 MT-24EX Macro Ringlite ������������������������������E+ £349 ST-E2 Transmitter������������������������Exc - E++ £39 -69 380EX Speedlite ����������������������������������������� E++ £59 300EZ Speedlite ����������������������������������� E+ - E++ £9 420EX Speedlite ��������������������������������������������E+ £49 430EZ Speedlite ������������������������������������� E+ £15 -29 430EX Speedlite �����������������������������������E++ £59 -69 430EX Speedlite II�������������������������E+ - E++ £89 -99
550EX Speedlite �������������������������Exc - Mint- £49 -99 540EZ Speedlite ����������������������������������������� E++ £29 580EX Speedlite ����������������������������������������� E++ £89 580EX II Speedlite���������������������E+ - E++ £109 -139 600EX-RT Speedlite������������������E+ - E++ £229 -239 Nissin C Di622 Speedlite - Canon EOS��E+ - E++ £39 -49 Di866 Flash - Canon EOS���������������������������� E++ £69 Di28 Speedlite - Canon EOS���������������������������E+ £29 Nikon Autofocus F4 Body Only �����������������������������������������������E+ £179 F90X + MB10 Grip���������������������������������������15D £59 F65 + 28-100mm - Silver��������������������������Mint- £29 F65 Quartz Date Body Only����������������������������E+ £29 F60 Body Only - Silver ������������������E+ - E++ £15 -19 F55 Chrome Body Only ������������������������������� E++ £29 F50 Body Only - Black ���������������������������� E+ £15 -19 F601 Body Only ���������������������������������������������E+ £35 10�5mm F2�8 G AF ED DX Fisheye����E++ - Mint- £229 -239 10-24mm F3�5-4�5 G AFS DXE++ - Mint- £279 -319 12-24mm F4 G AFS DX ED���������������� E+ - E++ £249 14mm F2�8 AFD������������������������E+ - E++ £579 -679 14-24mm F2�8 G AFS ED�������������������� E+ £649 -659 16mm F2�8 AFD Fisheye��������������������������� E++ £379 16-35mm F4 G AFS ED VR�������E+ - Mint- £549 -649 16-85mm F3�5-5�6 G ED VR AFS DX��������� E++ £199 16-80mm F2�8-4 E VR N��������������������������� E++ £599 17-55mm F2�8 G AFS DX IFED���������������������E+ £349 17-35mm F2�8 ED AFS������������E+ - Mint- £249 -499 18mm F2�8 AFD�������������������������������������������E+ £449 18-35mm F3�5-4�5 AFS��������E++ - Mint- £369 -429 18-35mm f3�5-4�5 AFD ��������������������E++ £169 -179 18-55mm F3�5-5�6 G AF-P DX VR��������Mint- £39 -49 18-55mm F3�5-5�6 G AFS VR������������������������Exc £39 18-105mm F3�5-4�5 G AFS ED DX VR�E++ - Mint £119 -139 18-135mm F3�5-5�6 G AFS DX ����������������� E++ £119 18-140mm F3�5-5�6 AF-S G ED VR DX������ E++ £169 18-200mm F3�5-5�6 G AFS DX VR ���������������E+ £159 18-200mm F3�5-5�6 G AF-S DX ED VR II��E+ - E++ £189 -249 18-300mm F3�5-5�6 G ED AFS DX VR����������E+ £399 20mm F1�8 G AFS ED ������������������������������� E++ £499 20mm F2�8 AFD���������������������������������������Mint- £299 20-35mm F2�8 AF ���������������������������������������E+ £279 24mm F1�4 AFS G ED ��������������Exc - E++ £649 -799 24mm F3�5D ED PC-E�����������������������E++ £799 -899 24mm F1�8 AFS G ED �����������E++ - Mint- £449 -499 24-70mm F2�8 G AFS ED����������E+ - E++ £599 -679 24-70mm F2�8E AFS VR ED ���������Mint- £1349 -1399 24-85mm F3�5-4�5 G AFS VR�������������������� E++ £259 24-120mm F4 AFS G ED VR������E+ - E++ £349 -449 24-120mm F3�5-5�6 ED AFD ����15D - E++ £79 -149 28mm F1�4 AFS E ED������������������������������ E++ £1249 28mm F2�8 AFD��������������������������������E++ £139 -149 28mm F2�8 AFN����������������������������E+ - E++ £89 -99 28-70mm F2�8 D AFS��������������������������������15D £299 28-85mm F3�5-4�5 AF�����������������������������������E+ £59 28-70mm F2�8 AFS ����������������15D - E++ £399 -499 28-100mm F3�5-5�6 AFG������������������������ E+ £39 -49 28mm F1�8 G AFS������������������������������������� E++ £279 28-300mm F3�5-5�6 G ED AFS VR����E++ - Mint- £499 -549 35mm F1�8 G AFS DX ��������������15D - Mint- £49 -109 35-70mm F2�8 AFD����������������15D - E++ £149 -399 35-70mm F2�8 AFN����������������������15D - Unused £79 45mm F2�8 D PC-E ED Micro�������������������� E++ £899 50mm F1�4 AFD�������������������������������������������E+ £139 50mm F1�8 AFD������������������������������������E++ £69 -75 50mm F1�8 G AFS���������������������Exc - Mint- £99 -149 50mm F1�4 G AFS���������������������E+ - E++ £189 -219 55mm F2�8 AF Micro �����������������������������������E+ £199 60mm F2�8 AFD Micro��������������E+ - E++ £179 -199 60mm F2�8 AFS G ED Micro������E+ - E++ £279 -299 55-200mm F4-5�6 AFS DX G VR ����������������� E++ £89 70-200mm F2�8 G AFS ED VR�15D - E++ £399 -749 75-240mm F4�5-5�6 AFD���������������������������� E++ £89 70-210mm F4-5�6 AF���������������������������E++ £49 -59 70-200mm F4 G AFS ED VR��E++ - Mint- £589 -749 70-200mm F2�8 G AFS ED VRII ���E+ - Mint- £779 -1099 70-300mm F4-5�6 ED AFD �����������E+ - E++ £69 -79
70-300mm F4�5-5�6 G AFS VR��E+ - E++ £199 -299 70-300mm F4-6�3 G AF-P VR ������������������� E++ £219 70-300mm F4-5�6 AFG�����������������E+ - E++ £39 -49 80-200mm F2�8 ED AFS�������������������E++ £249 -449 80-200mm F2�8 ED AF ��������������������������������E+ £199 80-200mm F2�8 ED AFD�������������Exc - E+ £249 -299 80-400mm F4�5-5�6 AFD VR��������������� E+ £299 -589 85mm F1�4 AFD���������������������������������� E+ £379 -439 85mm F1�8 AF-S G���������������E++ - Mint- £289 -319 85mm F1�4 AF-S G�������������������E+ - E++ £599 -699 85mm F2�8 D PC Micro���������������������E++ £699 -729 105mm F2�8 G AFS VR Micro������������E++ £399 -419 135mm F2 D AF DC�������������������������������������E+ £689 180mm F2�8 ED AF��������������������������������������E+ £379 200mm F4 ED AFD Micro�������������������������Mint- £949 200-400mm F4 G VR AFS IFED ������� E+ £1639 -1649 200-400mm F4 G AFS VR II������������15D £1999 -2399 300mm F4 AFS IFED������������������������������������E+ £399 300mm F4 E PF ED VR AFS���E++ - Mint- £1289 -1399 300mm F2�8 D AFS�������������������������������������Exc £999 300mm F2�8 IFED AF������������������Exc - E+ £649 -699 300mm F2�8 IFED AF-i���������������������������������E+ £989 300mm F2�8 D AFS II���������������������������������E+ £1749 400mm F2�8 AFi IFED ��������������������������������E+ £1949 500mm F4 AFS IFED����������������������� E+ £1849 -1899 600mm F4 AFi ED D�����������������������������������E+ £1999 Sigma 10-20mm F4-5�6 DC HSM ����������������E+ £139 15-30mm F3�5-4�5 EX DG �������������������������� E+ £159 20mm F1�8 EX DG �������������������������������������� E+ £249 24mm F1�4 DG HSM A������������� E+ - E++ £399 -489 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM���������������������� E++ £429 85mm F1�4 DG HSM Art�������������������������� Mint- £739 120-300mm F2�8 DG OS HSM����������������� E++ £879 170-500mm F5-6�3 Apo�����������E+ - E++ £179 -199 300mm F2�8 APO EX DG HSM������������������� E+ £1099 Tamron 10-24mm F3�5-4�5 Di II LD Asph�Mint- £219 15-30mm SP F2�8 Di VC������������������������� Mint- £639 16-300mm F3�5-6�3 Di II VC PZD Macro� Mint- £229 17-50mm F2�8 XR Di II ��������������������������������15D £99 24-70mm F2�8 Di VC USD������������� E++ - Mint- £479 70-300mm F4-5�6 Di���������������������������������� E++ £49 70-300mm F4-5�6 LD�������������������������������� E++ £49 85mm F1�8 SP Di VC USD������������������������ E++ £539 200-400mm F5�6 LD���������������������������������15D £139 Tokina 10-17mm F3�5-4�5 DX Fish Eye ATX�� E++ £279 11-16mm F2�8 ATX Pro DX ���������������������� E++ £199 12-24mm F4 ATX PRO SD��������������������������� E+ £159 12-28mm ATX Pro DX������������������������������ E++ £179 35mm F2�8 ATX Pro DX����������������������������� E++ £229 80-400mm F4�5-5�6 ATX�������������������������� 15D £189 Zeiss 15mm F2�8 ZF�2 ��Mint- - Unused £1249 -1649 21mm F2�8 ZF������������������������������������������ E++ £689 21mm F2�8 ZF�2 ������������������������������������������E+ £679 21mm F2�8 Milvus ZF�2 ���������������������������Mint- £869 25mm F2�8 ZF���������������������������������������������E+ £329 35mm F2 ZF Distagon ����������������������E++ £429 -449 35mm F1�4 ZF�2 ��������������������������������������� E++ £839 50mm F2 ZF�2 Macro�������������������������������� E++ £649 135mm F2 Apo ZF�2�������������������������������� E++ £1049 SB-N5 Speedlight ���������������������������������E++ £49 -59 SB-N7 Speedlight ���������������������E++ - Mint- £49 -59 SB27 Speedlight���������������������������E+ - E++ £29 -39 SB700 Speedlight���������������������E+ - E++ £129 -139 SB900 Speedlight��������������������Exc - E++ £149 -179 SB910 Speedlight�������������������15D - E++ £149 -219 SB80DX Speedlight�����������������������E+ - E++ £59 -69 R1C1 Speedlight Commander Set��� E+ - E++ £349 -379 SB21B Ringflash���������������������������E+ - E++ £79 -99 SB25 Speedlight��������������������������������������������E+ £39 SB24 Speedlight��������������������������������������������E+ £35 SB23 Speedlight������������������������������������� E+ £19 -25 Nissin N Di622 II Flash�����������������������������������E+ £49 Di622 Speedlite - Nikon AF����������������������������E+ £45 MG8000 Extreme Flashgun - Nikon���E++ £159 -249
FM3A Body Only - Chrome���������������������������E+ £399 FE10 Chrome Body Only ��������������������������������E+ £89 EL Body Only - Black �������������������������������������E+ £59 FTN Body Only - Chrome����������������15D - E+ £39 -79 EM Body Only ����������������������������������������� E+ £49 -59
35mm F3�5 AL (IF) FA�������������������������������� E++ £749 45mm F2�8 A�����������������������������������������������E+ £159 55mm F2�8 FA AL SDM AW����������������������Mint- £479 80-160mm F4�5 FA��� 15_Day_Approval - E+ £279 -399 80-160mm F4�5 A ���������������������������������������E+ £239 150-300mm F5�6 ED (IF) FA�������������������������E+ £379 Minolta Manual Body 200mm F4 A�����������������������������E+ - E++ £149 -169 XGM Chrome Body Only���������������������������������E+ £49 300mm F4 ED (IF) SMC-A*���������������������������E+ £499 XG1 Chrome Body Only����������������������������������E+ £49 1�4x Rear Converter A������������������������������� E++ £149 X700 Black + 50mm F1�7��������������������������� E++ £99 X700 Black Body Only������������������������������������E+ £69 Leica Rangefinder Digital X300S Black Body Only������������������������������� E++ £49 X300 Black Body Only������������������������� E+ - E++ £59 M10 Body Only - Black ��������������������������� E++ £4399 SRT100X Chrome Body Only��������������������������E+ £59 M + 35mm F1�4 Asph 60th Edition Set ������E+ £7349 M (Typ 240) Body Only - Black�������� E+ £2149 -2199 M (Typ 240) Body Only - Chrome ��E+ - E++ £2249 -2349 Olympus OM Body OM3 Black Body Only ����������������������������������E+ £449 M9 Body Only - Black �������������Exc - E+ £1749 -1849 OM2SP Body Only - Black�������������Exc - E+ £89 -199 OM40 Body + T32 Flash - Black ��������������������E+ £59 Olympus FL600-R Flashgun�����������E++ - Mint- £169 OM10 Body Only - Chrome ����������������������������E+ £49 FL-900R Flashgun �������������������E+ - Mint- £349 -389 OM10 Chrome Body + Manual Adapter����������E+ £49 FL36R Flash������������������������������������������������ E++ £99 FL50 Flash����������������������������������E+ - E++ £79 -129 Pentax Manual Body FL50R Flash�������������������������������E+ - Mint- £99 -129 LX + FA1 Prism��������������������������������������������E+ £239 FL50R Flash + FLRA-1 Reflector Adapter�� E++ £149 P50 + 50mm F2 ��������������������������������������������E+ £79 FL600-R Flashgun �����������������������������������Mint- £199 P30T Body Only ����������������������������E+ - E++ £39 -49 FL36 Flash����������������������������������������������������Exc £39 P30N Body Only���������������������������������������������E+ £49 MAL-1 Macro Arm Light�������������������������������Mint £39 P30 Body Only�������������������������������������������� E++ £49 FS-STF22 Macro Flashgun������������������������ E++ £479 Super A + 50mm F1�7 ����������������������������������Exc £99 RF11 Ringflash + FC1 Controller�������E++ £199 -349 ME Black + 50mm F1�7���������������������������������E+ £79 Metz O 24AF1 Digital���������������������������������� E++ £39 ME-Super Chrome + 50mm F1�7������������������Exc £59 52 AF-1 Flashgun - Olympus/Panasonic���� E++ £139 ME-F + 50mm F2 - Chrome���������������������������E+ £85 26AF-1 Digital - Olympus/Panasonic����������Mint- £49 54 MZ-4i Digital - Olympus E�������������������������E+ £59 Bronica ETRS/Si ETRS Complete + AEII Prism + Grip �������������E+ £349 36 AF-4 O Flash - Olympus E���������������������� E++ £49 ETRSi Complete (Special Edition) �������������� E++ £479 36 AF-5 Digital - 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Chrome��������������������� E++ £349 Contax 645 500CM Complete������������������������������������ E++ £1099 645 Complete������������������������������������������15D £2499 645 Complete + MP1 Grip �������������������������E+ £2499 500CM Body + A12 Mag������������������������������E+ £549 645 + Waist Level Finder + Mag + MP1 Grip���15D £1399 500CM Gold Edition ����������������������������Unused £3499 645 Body + Prism + 45mm F2�8 + 120 Mag���15D £1899 500C Complete��������������������������������������������E+ £749 Medium Format Digital Fujifilm GFX 50s Body OnlyE++ - Mint- £2889 -3499 45mm F2�8 R WR GF - GFX Series �����������Mint- £949 63mm F2�8 R WR GF - GFX Series �����������Mint- £799 Hasselblad H4D Complete + 60MP Digital Back����E++ £10995 H4D Complete + 40MP Digital Back�������� E++ £3949 H4D + Prism (50MP)������������������������������� E++ £5499 H4D + Prism 50MP��������������������������������� E++ £4749 H3D + 39MP Digital Back ����������������������� E++ £2299 H3D + Prism + 31MP Digital Back�������������E+ £1689 H3D Body Only������������������������������������������ E++ £539 H1 Body + Prism + P25 Digital Back����������E+ £2499 X-H Lens Adapter�������������������������������������� E++ £179 90mm F3�2 XCD (X1D)���������������������������� E++ £1959 Leica S2 + 70mm F2�5 CS�������������������������E+ £3999 SL (Typ 601) Body Only��������E+ - Mint- £2299 -2450 Mamiya 645DF Complete with Digital Back E+ £4489
Pentax 645 Digital 645Z + 28-45mm����������������������������������Mint- £6999 Nikon Manual Body 645Z + 55mm F2�8 D FA ������������������������ E++ £3999 F2 Photomic SB Body Only - Chrome�����������E+ £299 645Z + 75mm F2�8 �������������������������������� E++ £3599 F2A Body Only - Chrome������������������������������E+ £199 28-45mm F4�5 DA ED AW SR�������Mint- £2799 -2899
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TO ADVERTISE HERE Please contact Samuel Shaw on 07970 615618 or email: samuel.shaw@ti-media.com 65
Photo Critique
Final Analysis Peter Dench considers...
‘GentlemenÕ, 1981-1983, by Karen Knorr © KAREN KNORR
I
didn’t become fully class conscious until I left my working-class home town of Weymouth in 1990 to study under the bright lights of Bournemouth, 30 miles east along the Dorset coast. There I met double-barrelled Digby and his chum Cholmondley. They opened my eyes to a world of privilege I was previously unaware of. I was captivated and compelled. My first photography projects were spent visiting the poshest public schools that would tolerate my attendance: Rugby, Uppingham, Repton and Malvern Girls’ College. When I was refused access, I went along anyway and hung around the common street corners. I snapped Eton College school boys in their pinstripe trousers and black tailcoats passing through a tumescent archway towards their 15th-century classrooms with 21stcentury technology. I interrupted Harrow schoolboys wearing summer straw hats for a portrait outside ivy-clad halls that would inspire Harry Potter. When I moved to London in 1995, my upper-class compulsion continued. I wrote to all of the gentlemen’s clubs around St James’s Street and Pall Mall. I’d heard rumours that buses were banned from travelling along the thoroughfares so passengers couldn’t peer in at the members, nor the members have to gaze upon them. I had to look inside and had some success; the Travellers, Reform, Carlton and Athenaeum Clubs all opened their doors, mainly via the service entrance. I was restricted to photographing staff, interiors Before Gentlemen, Knorr produced and detail. The members remained elusive, Belgravia. She approached her subjects eventually I gave up. as the ‘girl next door’ and aspiring Exclusive clubs photographer. She spent hours visiting her Photographer Karen Knorr had better subjects, introduced to her through a success. At the time, I wasn’t aware of her network of her parents’ friends and book Gentlemen, a series of photographs acquaintances from the exclusive taken between 1981 and 1983, inside the neighbourhood. exclusive clubs that dominate the area. Gentlemen delves further into the rituals Knorr is from international stock. The of the English establishment elite. Knorr German-born American was raised in describes this image as ‘documentary Puerto Rico and educated in Paris before fiction’. The accompanying text prolongs arriving in London in 1976. Her first the viewing and brings new meaning and London residence was a tasty two-floor humour that plays on the observer’s apartment at the sought-after address of cultural background. The seated gentleman Lowndes Square, Belgravia – her parents could be a club member or a utilised had purchased a 25-year lease. member of staff, an actor or friend of
Knorr’s. It’s a collaborative performance. Together the elements of the image raise questions of patriarchy, gender and class. When met with restrictions, Knorr finds a way of communicating her message. The camera is a tool, only part of the process. This photograph is part of the Barbican Art Gallery’s exhibition – Masculinities: Liberation through Photography (20 February-17 May). Decades on from the resonating Thatcher years and embers of Empire, it’s still a depressingly relevant image: the privileged, privately educated, private member, Oxbridge graduates are running the country. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
Peter Dench is a photographer, writer, curator and presenter based in London. He is one of the co-curators of Photo North in Harrogate and has been exhibited dozens of times. He has published a number of books including The Dench Dozen: Great Britons of Photography Vol 1; Dench Does Dallas; The British Abroad; A&E: Alcohol & England and England Uncensored. Visit peterdench.com 66
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