Issue 994

2018

ISSUE NO. 994

GITZO:

SUSSING THE SYSTEMATIC! ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: LOMOGRAPHY

LOUPEDECK |

LASTOLITE

|

VSCO |

DRONES

|

TENBA |

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OFF THE NEWS PRESS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine

We’ve had some great fun over the last couple of weeks testing some exciting products in France which you can read all about in the following pages.

KIPON:

FIRST 3RD-PARTY LENSES FOR CANON R AND NIKON Z While the Canon EF and Nikon F lens mount ecosystems are teeming with 3rd-party lenses, the new Canon R and Nikon Z full-frame mirrorless lens mounts completely lacked 3rd-party glass. That

is, until now. The Chinese brand KIPON has announced that it’s the first out of the gate.

www.kipon.com

We also have some more product releases and our take on the Gatwick drone fiasco.

We look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Welcome to issue 994. It’s the holiday season! We hope Enjoy 994! you all have had an incredible year and have managed to find some time to spend with your Luke & Mandy precious families.

Co. Editor in Chief

LEICA:

M CAMERA LEGO SETS NOW SELLING!

Leica Store Miami has started selling Leica M camera LEGO kits that you build yourself. The resulting creations look like Leica’s revered rangefinder line.

“This Lego Leica M Camera makes a great gift for the photography enthusiast,” Leica Store Miami writes. “The kits come in pieces and do require assembly.”

Once assembled, the LEGO Leica M cameras measure 3x2x1.25 inches (7.6x5x3.2cm) and weigh 2 ounces (57g).

Although not available in England yet, we hope to see these in a store nearer us soon. www.leicastoremiami.com

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TESTED

GITZO:

SUSSING THE SYSTEMATIC!

This month, Luke & Mandy test their chosen Gitzo Systematic setup in the South of France. In their words, we find out if it lives up to the hype!

W

e have been wanting to test a Gitzo Systematic system for a long time. We selected components similar to a system from another tripod brand that we like. Of course, that’s the beauty of Systematic, you can essentially design your own tripod. Below, we’ll talk about the individual products that we used and then how they worked together. We tested our Systematic combination over one week, shooting a couple of short films and some photos for the benefit of this feature.

GITZO TRIPOD SYSTEMATIC, SERIES 3 XL, 4 SECTIONS A big priority for us is reliability. There is nothing worse than a tripod failing on you during a job, which unfortunately has happened to us a few times over the years. It’s so important to invest in a tripod that is robust. One week generally isn’t long enough to test this so we had to cheat a bit with some good old fashioned pushing and pulling with a little bit of bashing! It held up perfectly.

With the Gitzo premium price point, we would have been very disappointed if it didn’t stand up to a bit of stress testing!

The tripod has interchangeable feet which is ideal for users who shoot in varied conditions. For one shoot, we shot in a field so we switched from the standard rubber feet to spiked which really helped with stability.

The legs are carbon eXact tubes which feel so strong and sturdy. They optimise the fibre composition for each tube size, using HM (High Modulus) carbon fibre in the narrower tubes to make them stiffer.

The tripod features Gitzo’s G-lock Ultra system which is the brand’s twist grip function. We are fans of twist grip when it works and we don’t always find it does. We have often found that` dirt and sand gets stuck really easily but this wasn’t the case with this tripod. We haven’t used a systematic tripod before but Gitzo say they have redesigned it from the inside out which tells us that even if there was a problem in older systems, it’s been addressed and isn’t the case anymore.

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TESTED

The weight of the tripod by itself is 2290g which is fantastic given the fact that Gitzio havn’t compromised on it’s strength. It’s worth noting that the height maximum height is 202cm which is very good considering the weight. We like high tripods. Even though they are slightly heavier than shorter ones, we like to be prepared for every situation. The max payload for this tripod is 25kg which is more than plenty for most realistic working situations. It can reach as low as 10cm and folds down to 72cm which is impressive for a tripod of this size.

GITZO 2 WAY FLUID HEAD We were incredibly impressed with this head. It’s absolutely fantastic. It didn’t take any time to adjust at all from our old system. Everything is just where you want it to be. This is where Gitzo’s experience in tripod systems really shines through. The ergonomics are a dream. The Gitzo 2 Way Fluid Head is very compact. The body is made of magnesium, making it very stiff and lightweight, weighing less than 0.6kg.

The fluid cartridges and inner mechanism result in unparalleled smoothness.

It’s actually pretty hard to describe in words how smooth it is. Also, due to the compactness of the dials, it makes the head more portable than many others on the market.

The handle is very comfortable and thinner than most on the market. This fits in really well with the head’s portability.

We didn’t shoot anything that requires camouflage, but it’s worth noting that the surfaces are reflection-free which is critical for wildlife applications.

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TESTED

GITZO LEVELLING BASE SYSTEMATIC & 75MM HALF BOWL VIDEO ADAPTER Not everyone uses a levelling base, but in our opinion, they are essential for video use. It is much quicker to level your shot with one of these, than it is to keep adjusting the legs. Not all tasks require you to be quick, but a levelling base is key for weddings and wildlife filmmaking.

We even like using it for photography. The quicker we can set up our shot, the better!

A head can be attached onto the levelling base’s standard 3/8’’ screw, and the lever on the side tightens the screw securely against the head. The GSLVLS

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fits onto any Gitzo Systematic tripod via the optional 75mm video adapter which was the fourth component to our systematic setup. The levelling base is lighter and more ergonomic due to its new grip and replaces the previous model. It is made of lightweight, resistant aluminium, weighs 370 grams, 12 cm high. The half bowl video adapter weighs 81g and is made of aluminium.

SUMMARY The total weight of our systematic combination is 3331g which is very impressive for a setup of this strength and size. It’s very easy to put together and take apart, making switching components round stress free.

The ergonomics of the whole system are just impeccable. We can’t actually think of a way that they could be improved.

Having everything work so smoothly allowed us to easily capture the image below.

Of course the whole idea of the Systematic range is that you can create completely different tripods by switching legs and heads. This is great for users who shoot a wide variety of genres.

It would be nice if your chosen tripod base came with a protective bag, but they are available as a standalone purchase.

We highly recommend a Systematic setup for photographer/filmmakers who are serious about their craft and want the best system available to make their working life the best it can be.

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link for editors https://shop.lomography.com/ cameras/diana-instant-square

THE WORLD’S FIRST INSTANT CAMERA WITH INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES AND A HOT-SHOE MOUNT – AVA I L A B L E O N L I N E A N D I N STO R E N OW Rocketing to Stores Worldwide After a Goal-Busting Kickstarter Campaign

Drenching Square Format Frames in the Legendary Diana Aesthetic

Now Shipping to Curious Creatives All Over the World

Back in June, Lomography burst onto Kickstarter with an instant camera unlike any other. In a dazzling 60s design, the Diana Instant Square was designed to scatter square format instant frames with vivid colors, moody vignetting and amazing analogue surprises. Now, after months of bold experiments and careful engineering made possible by the support of 2124 creatives from across the globe, Lomography have built a brilliant instant camera that catapults the Diana legacy into the 21st century.

Shake off expectations and fill your life with unpredictable beauty. The Diana Instant Square is available now from the Lomography online shop and Gallery Stores worldwide – and prices start at just 89 GBP.

The Diana Instant Square edges striking square frames in gorgeous effects that make every image captivatingly original. It’s the only instant camera in the world to work with interchangeable lenses and matching viewfinders, and it features a hotshoe mount for fantastic flashes. From Bulb Mode to Multiple Exposure Mode and more; this fully manual camera is packed with Lomography’s signature features to keep your analogue fire burning. As stylish as its iconic 1960s predecessor, the Diana Instant Square is available in two different designs. One features the striking, definitive blue and black housing, and the other is clad in beautiful brown leather accented with gorgeous blue panels. Choose your favorite, embrace imperfection and trust your instincts.

Beautiful things will happen.

The camera is assembled, the packaging is ready and the exciting extras are packed safely inside. The Diana Instant Square is now shipping to hubs all over the world! We’ll be delivering the first batch of classic editions in December 2018, and the Adriano will follow hot on its heels in January 2019. Dive into a dazzling world of luscious instant magic with a camera, light up your life with a camera plus flash edition, or let your creativity run wild with a camera, flash and five different interchangeable lenses. Whether you’re an analogue newbie or a seasoned professional, Lomography has everything you need to embark on a daring Diana adventure.

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TESTED NEWS

LOUPEDECK:

DOES THE LOUPEDECK+ IMPROVES YOUR WORKFLOW?

We recently reached out to Loupedeck to request the Loupedeck+ for this feature. We are always searching for products that can improve our workflow. On paper, the Loupedeck+ looks like it would have lots of potential to do just that, but does it help in a real working situation? We find out...

W

e don’t usually talk about packaging as it’s not relevant to the quality of the actual product, but we have to give it a mention here as it’s one of the best packaged photography products we’ve ever seen.

It reeks of premium. The outer layer is black with the logo embossed on the front, with some silver text on the back and sides. Inside there is a second black box which contains the product. The black cardboard teamed with silver and black embossing really works and suits the brand’s vibe. One of the reasons we have mentioned the packaging is for retailers that are thinking of stocking it. It’s so attractive that it will definitely draw customers to come over and take a closer look.

Once we had stopped staring at the box, we got the Loupedeck+ out and gave it a good inspection. Just like the packaging, the design is very sleek with the black and silver combination. It’s clear to see that the design team have put a great deal of effort into making it look pretty. Although that’s great, the layout of the buttons, dials and sliders is one of the key factors of this product. By looking at it, everything looks really well placed with good spacing. Everything is really easy to understand and the text is clear.

We decided to test the Loupedeck+ over the period of one week. It’s not really fair to do this test over one or two editing sessions because after using a traditional keyboard with (maybe) a mouse for a number of years, it’s naturally going to take time to adjust, no matter how good the ergonomics are. With that said, it did only take us a couple of hours of solid editing before we started to get used to it, which really surprised us and is a testament to the design. We work from a Macbook pro so the Loupedeck+ is further away from the screen due to the fixed keyboard. This felt strange at first, but again, we got used to it fairly quickly.

The layout of the Loupedeck+ is done

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really well. All of the keys and dials are in easy reach but spaced well enough apart that you don’t accidentally press the wrong thing. Also, it’s important to note that although it seems like an obvious thing to do, all the relevant keys are placed together i.e ‘undo’ and ‘redo’. This is very important and we’re glad it wasn’t overlooked. There is also an array of customising options to tailor the functions to your desire.

One of the most exciting things about this product is the fact that you can control multiple editing functions at the same time. Once you get used to doing this, it speeds up your workflow considerably and is actually really fun. Being able to do this adds a completely new dynamic to editing. Also, it works so well because all of the functions are placed really well on the Loupedeck+.

When editing, it’s usually best to have your images as big as possible. Being an external piece of kit, the Loupedeck+ allows full screen editing. This is so good.

You get to see more of the details of your images without having to keep zooming in.

Full screen editing means that your eyes can stay on the image, giving you a much better focus on the photo or video you’re editing.

NEWS TESTED “One of the most exciting things about this product is the fact that you can control multiple editing functions at the same time. Once you get used to doing this, it speeds up your workflow considerably and is really fun.”

The Loupedeck+ currently supports Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Adobe Photoshop CC, Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Aurora HDR. We currently use three of these programs so we can get a great deal of use from the product. Although we tested mainly with Lightroom, we also tested in Photoshop and Premiere Pro. It worked extremely well in all three programs. We expect more editing programs to be added with time, although this is not confirmed.

The Loupedeck+ is a big hit for us. The only negative is that we wished it had wireless support to allow more flexibility but it’s certainly not a deal breaker. We will certainly be using ours frequently and we look forward to seeing how Loupedeck evolve in years to come.

For more information visit www.lupedeck.com

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VITEC:

CELEBRATING SUCCESS OF THE Befree COLLECTION WITH THREE NEW TRAVEL TRIPODS

the tripod

B e f re e N21 The Manfrotto Befree 2N1 is by far the most versatile model in the Befree range, with an all-in-one solution that allows

to be converted

Befree Nerissimo Manfrotto presents the Befree Nerissimo, the most elegant travel tripod for advanced hobbyist

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Befree Live QPL Dedicated to independent content creators.

OFF THE PRESS

TENBA:

TWO NEW ADDITIONS FOR THE POPULAR TOOLS RANGE

Tenba is introducing the brand new Ridged Lens Capsules which off hard core protection for lenses carried on the outside of camera bags, on a belt or waist-pack. Also, two new Gear Pouches – which feature a handy window to view contents.

Ridged Lens Capsules Available in 5 sizes there really is a capsule for every lens – all the way up to a 200-400mm zoom. A lot of care has gone into the design too – allowing capsules to be suitable for more than one lens: for example, the capsule that fits a 24-70mm f2.8 with the lens hood extended, will also fit a 70-200mm f2.8 with the hood reversed.

The new Lens Capsules have specially moulded tops and bottoms designed specifically to safeguard lenses at their most vulnerable spots.

A Secure loop allows the Lens Capsule to be attached safely to virtually any waist belt and MOLLE compatible system.

There’s also a microfiber lens cloth included – tucked inside a mesh pocket on the inside of the lid – for easy access when needed.

Each lens capsule features a handy grab handle and is made from high quality ripstop nylon - with YKK zippers and a durable padded interior and a soft tricot lining for the ultimate protection.

Available in the following sizes/prices: 9x9cm (£18) 13x9cm (£20) 15x11cm (£31) 23x12cm (£32.50) 30x13cm (£38.50)

Tenba Tools Gear Pouch Gone are the days of searching through endless pouches to find accessories!

The new Gear Pouches, made from soft tricot material not only protect your lenses, batteries, cables and other delicate gear – but also feature a clear TPU window, ensuring you can always see what’s inside, without the need to unzip the pouch.

This is offered as two piece set – including a 7.5inch and 11.5inch pouch both in blue - a perfect stocking filler!

Set of two pouches, £20.

The new Tenba Tools Lens Capsules and Gear Pouch are just the latest edition to the popular Tenba Tools range – which includes a number of versatile, protective accessories – all manufactured with Tenba’s attention to detail and from top quality materials.

For more information on Tenba and other MAC Group brands, visit www.eu.macgroupus.com

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OFF THE PRESS

VSCO:

DISCONTINUING DESKTOP FILM SIMULATIONS

VSCO arrived with a bang in 2012 with their instantly popular Photoshop and Lightroom presets for accurately simulating various film stocks on RAW photos. Now the company is moving away from its origins to focus solely on their presets for mobile devices.

T

he announcement was posted to the company’s online store, where the desktop presets are currently still available for sale.

VSCO Film packs simulate popular film types and stocks used over the decades of analog photography. They became popular among photographers who wished to effortlessly give their RAW photos a high-quality film look with ease. We are actually big fans of the VSCO brand and use their presets frequently as a starting point for our edits for our work.

Upon finding success with its various desktop presets, VSCO launched VSCO Cam just months later to bring its film simulations to mobile. Since then, it has raised £50 million in funding to build out its mobile photo community which has been a huge success with many mobile users wishing to give their images a ‘film look’ feel.

“While we honor our origins at VSCO, we’re also always moving forward,” VSCO writes. “For that reason, we’re making the complete move from desktop to mobile starting March 1, 2019.”

After March 1, 2019, VSCO Presets for Desktop will no longer be offered and supported by VSCO. We feel that this is actually a shame but respect that the growing company have a set plan in place. It’s worth noting that the VSCO app is regularly making updates, adding more editing features similar to Lightroom.

The company’s latest mobile presets and editing tools are also being offered now as a subscription-based service called VSCO X, which costs £20 a year. We recommend for anyone that likes giving a film look to their images to download the desktop presets while they can.

www.vsco.co

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16 www.pixel.co.uk ‘Sony’, ‘

‘ and their logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Corporation. All other logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

OFF THE PRESS

LASTOLITE:

LAUNCHING THE HALOCOMPACT 85CM (33.5”)

Lastolite By Manfrotto has announced the launch of the HaloCompact Reflector and Diffuser.

The HaloCompact is a completely new, patent pending design concept that makes the everyday reflector and diffuser panel even more portable than ever.

U

nlike many traditional reflector/ diffuser panels that incorporate a steel rim pop up design, the 85cm (33.5”) HaloCompact is constructed using Lastolite By Manfrotto’s new innovative RapidExoframe™ technology.

The collapsible lightweight aluminium frame quickly slots together and the reflector or diffuser fabric simply clips onto the frame. The cleverly designed RapidExoframe™ construction allows the frame to breakdown into small multiple sections and along with the folded fabric packs into a carry case measuring only 6.5 x 27 x 6.5cm (6” x 6” x 6”) weighing only 335g (reflector and case).

The ultra-compact folded dimensions make the HaloCompact the perfect solution for Photographers on the move or with very limited carrying space.

It now means a reflector/diffuser can

always be carried in the camera bag rather than having to consider whether to take an extra bag or not. A handy carabiner style clip also allows the user to clip the HaloCompact to their belt if out on location with their camera only and no camera bag.

The HaloCompact also features an ergonomically designed handle so it can easily be held and accurately positioned with one hand. The handle also incorporates a very useful ¼” thread (plus a ¼” to ¼” adaptor), enabling it to be easily attached to various different support systems, to offer secure positioning further away from camera position.

The HaloCompact is available in two versions – the first is a double-sided reflector, with silver one side and white the other. The second version is as a 2 stop diffuser.

The HaloCompact Reflector Silver/White (LL LR3300) has an RRP of £71.95.

The HaloCompact Diffuser 2 stop (LL LR3301) has an RRP of £71.95.

For more information, please visit www.manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

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OFF THE PRESS

REPORT:

DRONE CHAOS AT GATWICK! One of the biggest stories of the whole country this month is the drone fiasco at Gatwick Airport, which saw over 100,000 people have their flights cancelled or delayed due to two drones flying intermittently over the airspace.

I

’m sure you’re all aware of this news.

If you’re not, have a good read on any of the UK’s big news websites. What we want to talk about, is the affect that this is going to have on the photographic industry.

At the time of writing, the drones that we used had not be confirmed, although It has been reported that these are not your usual consumer drones. Regardless of what they were, it’s sure to affect the drone aspect of our industry in a very negative way.

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We are likely to see really big regulations now come in, with all drone owners having to take some kind of course for flying, even if you use the drone specifically for personal use. Another possible outcome we are hearing, is the banning of drones completely. Although we don’t think it’s likely, it’s possible.

Whatever happens, drone sales will certainly be affected. Not only that, but we will see less incredible drone images.

Not only are there likely to be less people using them as a creative tool, but with

more restrictions on where you can fly, people wont get to be as creative which is a great shame. Only time will tell what will happen. This is a great shame, especially as it’s looking like photographic drones weren’t even used.

1.300 quality and durability tests

To guarantee you can keep taking great photos for many years to come.

In Italy quality is measured in centuries, not years. Manfrotto tripods have been outperforming the competition for the last 50 years. With 40+ technology patents to our name we continue to innovate and set the standards which all others follow. A 10 year guarantee comes with all tripods of the Befree series, but they are actually built for a lifetime.

Make your next tripod the last one you’ll ever need.

Discover the lightest and highest performing Manfrotto tripod: manfrotto.com/befree

AWARDS 2018

MADE I N I TA LY

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OFF THE PRESS

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