Digital Photo December 2010

S A SE UB FA E N PA SC TA GE R ST 1 IB IC 2 F E OF OR FE R

Britain’s best-selling photography magazine!

D-SLR www.photoanswers.co.uk

ISSUE 136 DECEMBER 2010 £4.99

NE D-SLW TEST Rs ED! CAN

60D ON EOS &N D310IKON 0

TECHNIQUE SPECIAL! Master shutter speed & unlock the photo artist in you - we show you how!

D-SLR KNOW-HOW

Buy the perfect camera for you Get it right with our expert advice

HINTS & TIPS

Photoshop Filter Masterclass Use imaging filters the right way for more creative pics

Make your own Xmas cards Create bespoke greetings cards with our FREE templates

TESTED

PAUL CORICA

EASY ADVICE

WE NAME THE 70-30BEST 0MM LENS F O YOU R

CANON EOS 60D NIKON D3100 70-300mm LENSES PHOTO QUALITY INKJET PAPER & MUCH MORE...

WHAT YOU NEED PHOTOSHOP OR ELEMENTS WHAT YOU’LL LEARN MAKE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS

MAKE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS!

On your CD...

MAKE CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM YOUR OWN PICTURES! 18

S MA T S I CHRCARD S IGN DES TRY TO

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What better way to pass on your best wishes to friends & family than with a perfectly personalised Christmas card?

MOST OF US SEND and receive a large amount of cards at Christmas time. But with so many cards jostling for space, what’s a surefire way of making yours stand out from the crowd?

Well, there’s nothing like giving something that you have made yourself, especially on an occasion like Christmas. So why not create a totally unique Christmas card for family and friends, personalising your festive greetings?

Using Digital Photo’s unique selection of Christmas card templates you can create a card that looks classy, wacky or contemporary. The style is up to you, but the end result is sure to be warmly received!

Get started now!

All the templates are sized at A4 for easy home printing, so to get started just find a suitably festive photo, then open one and follow the guide below...

“ Create a totally unique card to send to your loved ones... ” USING THE FREE TEMPLATES

TECHNIQUE BY GAVIN HOEY

START OPEN AN IMAGE. We used a suitable seasonal image but you can choose any pic of your own, then press Ctrl+A to select it. Follow this by pressing Ctrl+C to copy it. Now open one of our A5 Christmas card templates from the free CD and press Ctrl+V to paste the copied image on to the template. Go to Windows ➔ Layers to open the Layers palette.

BLEND IT IN. In the Layers palette you’ll see that the photo (Layer 1) is sitting above the Background Layer. To make it work with the template, click where it says Normal and change its Blending Mode to Screen. The image doesn’t quite fit yet though, so ORIGINAL press Ctrl+T, then click andIMAGE drag a corner handle to reduce its size. Hold Shift or click Constrain Proportions as you do, then click the tick.

ADD YOUR NAME. Now let’s add some information to the back of the card. Select the Horizontal Type tool (T) and click on the left-hand side of the Christmas card template. In the Options bar, choose a suitably clear font such as Arial Regular and type “Photography by”. Next, change the font to Arial Black and type your name. Click the tick in the Options bar to finish.

FINISH MINI IMAGE. Click Layer ➔ Flatten Image and then make a Selection of the picture with the Rectangular Marquee tool. Press Ctrl+C to copy it, and then Ctrl+V to paste the copy of the image. Press Ctrl+T and then reduce it in size as in Step 2 and move it above the text on the rear of the card. Finally go to File ➔ Save As... and save your card with a new name, so you can use the template again.

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You’ll find a variety of exciting designs to use on this month’s CD and they’re all sized to A4 for easy printing and folding at home!

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D-SLR TECHNIQUE SPECIAL!

Get Creative With

Shutter Speed

IT’S O T TIMETER MASD-SLR! R ICS YOU ST ACTIONNPG

FA LO FROM CREATIVEES O R T SU EXPOLL RIGHT IT’S A ERE! H

WHAT YOU NEED A D-SLR & PHOTOSHOP/ELEMENTS WHAT YOU’LL LEARN USE SHUTTER SPEED FOR GREAT PICS

Unlock the hidden power of your D-SLR and shoot amazing pictures – we show you how it’s done with your camera!

COMING UP

EASY WAYS TO TAKE AMAZING PICS WITH YOUR CAMERA...

PAGE 34 SHUTTER SPEED EXPLAINED Learn how shutter speed can be used in your shots.

PAGE 36 SLOW SHUTTER SPEEDS Shoot a stunning long exposure after dark.

PAGE 40 FAST SHUTTER SPEEDS Freeze movement to create startling action shots.

PAGE 44 USE FLASH WITH A SLOW SHUTTER Get a fast-andslow look with this in-camera effect.

PAGE 50 BLENDING SHUTTER SPEEDS

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR D-SLR!

Use Photoshop to combine pics from your D-SLR.

By taking control of your camera’s shutter speed, it’s possible to shoot amazing pictures like this stunning long exposure. We’ll make it easy for you to learn how!

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START LEARNING OVER THE PAGE

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DIGITAL PHOTO

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PHOTO ANSWERS

H TO C OW THEHOOSE UPG BEST OP RADE FORTION YOU

EXPERT ADVICE

WHICH NEW PHOTO KIT MAKES SENSE FOR YOU?

R L -S D ECIAL! SP

Photo Answers is not only the name of our website, it’s also the place to come to for help if you have a photographic issue that needs sorting!

MEET THE EXPERTS JON ADAMS

Editor Jon has a wealth of knowledge to share on all aspects of digital photography and Photoshop.

PHIL HALL

Technical Editor Phil runs DP’s Gear section, so he knows exactly what kit you need and how to take great photos.

MICHAEL TOPHAM

Technical Writer Michael’s extensive camera and software skills mean he’s able to answer all your imaging queries.

SUBMIT A QUESTION VIA THE FORUMS ON WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK Join in the online chat where you can swap ideas, talk about gear, and help other photo enthusiasts out with photo-related queries.

BY E-MAIL

Send your gear, camera or imaging queries and supporting pics to: dp@bauermedia.co.uk and put ‘Answers’ in the subject box.

BY POST

Write to us at this address: ‘Photo Answers’, Digital Photo, Media House, Bauer, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA

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ORIGINAL KIT

» Stop losing sleep! Solve those

digital dilemmas with all the camera buying advice you need...

D-SLR CAMERAS

What new kit will improve my photos?

Q

A couple of years ago, I bought a Canon EOS 450D with EF-S 18-55mm IS f/3.5- 5.6 EF-S 55-250mm IS f/4-5.6 lenses. I’ve enjoyed using it, but I’ve got a burning desire for an upgrade – what are my options?

Dan Clery

A

This is a tough question, Dan, but rest assured you’re not alone! The need for shiny new kit can be overwhelming, but be careful in your choice or you could end up making a costly mistake. The answer to your question actually requires you to examine what’s missing from your current set up – it’s only when you know exactly which areas are lacking that you’ll see where to upgrade. The great thing is that, as an SLR user you don’t need throw the baby out with the bath water – you can upgrade parts of your system and still see a real benefit.

Launched in early 2008, the 450D was a great camera in its day – one of the best in its class – but though three years can seem a long time in digital photography, a quick look at the specifications reveals a very capable camera even by 2010 standards. Its 12.2Mp sensor might not keep pace with descendants like the 18Mp 550D, but it provides enough resolution to make large, A3 sized prints. Equally the 450D’s 3.5fps burst isn’t too far behind entry-level D-SLRs today (the 550D is only fractionally ahead at 3.7fps). The 450D does lag behind in ISO performance and a lack of HD video recording, but on the handling side you won’t notice much difference.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE GEAR YOU’VE GOT? The first step of any buying process should be about necessity. New kit is great and we all love that new camera smell, but it’s not jewellery and it has to serve a purpose that justifies the expense! Therefore, look at the camera and lenses you already own and carefully assess in which areas their performance could be improved. This approach will quickly lead you to the right answers!

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

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OPTION 3

UPGRADE TO A NEW CAMERA

ADD TO YOUR RANGE OF LENSES

INVEST IN NEW ACCESSORIES

An SLR body’s performance is judged by the resolution of its sensor (and therefore how much detail it can record), how many frames per second it can shoot, the ISO sensitivities on offer (and how much digital Noise is present at each setting), its ease of handling and build quality. Compare these benchmarks against your current camera and if there’s not a significant rise in performance, look at Option 2 or 3.

Unless closely inspected, it’s difficult to tell what type of camera a picture was taken on, but with lenses the difference is immediately obvious. Take a look through your library of images to get an idea of the focal lengths you favour – this will give you a clue as to whether you should pick a wider angle lens, something longer or with a faster maximum aperture.

Photography is all about controlling light, and it’s often simple accessories that can make a difference here. A bounce-andswivel external flashgun for instance will give you more refined results than your pop-up flash when shooting indoors, while a reflector can be used to control lighting outside. It’s also worth thinking about a battery grip – this will not only give you more shots per trip, but will also have a vertical shutter release meaning more comfortable shooting in portrait format.

A new body should present a good rise in performance.

Improved performance?

If a significant hike in camera performance and handling is what you need, look at the EOS 60D (reviewed on page 94) or the EOS 7D, both of which offer higher resolution, faster burst modes and an increased ISO range. Beyond those cameras you’re into Canon’s full-frame range, like the EOS 5D MkII, a powerhouse of a camera, but one that will require buying new lenses, too – your existing EF-S optics are incompatible.

T I IS The other O T TIME ADE component of your UPGRUR camera system – the YO lenses – are more SLR?

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immediately upgradable, and probably offer the most sensible use of your cash. Your current focal range of 18-250mm offers a lot of versatility, but depending on which kind of subjects you prefer, it can definitely be expanded. A longer zoom, or a true wide-angle lens will open up many more avenues of shooting than upgrading your camera body and at a lower cost. A Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 (£400) and Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 (£750) are two great options to look at based on what you shoot more of.

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Adding simple accessories can vastly improve the kit you have.

New lenses will make a much more obvious difference to your shots.

“ New lenses can make much more difference than a new D-SLR... “

If you’re happy with the focal range you’ve already got, you can think about upgrading to ‘faster’ lenses with wider maximum apertures than the ones you currently have. A fast telephoto zoom, like a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II (£650), will give you a much more shallow depth-of-field and it’s a great lens to use for sports, wildlife and portraits.

The final area you can look at is adding accessories to your

existing system. You don’t mention owning a tripod, but investing in a stable shooting platform is one of the easiest ways to improve your landscapes and still-life pics, while a dedicated external flashgun can make a huge difference to your portraits (see the panel above for more ideas). Happy shopping!

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Photoshop Masterclass

» Your expert guide to the tips, tools & techniques that really matter...

Filter Gallery APPLY CREATIVE EFFECTS USING THE FILTER GALLERY

Photoshop boasts an extensive range of Filters for creative effects. With 47 of them listed in the Filter Gallery, it’s time to explore this part of Photoshop’s armoury

PROJECT 1 PAGE 66

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WHAT YOU NEED PHOTOSHOP CS OR HIGHER WHAT YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO USE THE FILTER GALLERY

I

F YOU ENJOY getting really creative with your images and like to make the most of Photoshop’s features, then check out the Filter menu. This contains a huge range of filters and with such a large choice, it’s easy to forget what effect each one offers.

To save having to load all the filter dialog boxes each time, you’ll find 47 of the most commonly used filters housed together in the Filter Gallery, a feature that has been part of Photoshop since the eighth (CS)

version was launched. It’s a superb tool that offers masses of flexibility with Filters. As well as offering a big preview to view the differences between each filter, it also allows you to control each filter setting precisely with sliders beneath the OK and Cancel buttons.

Other advantages If you’re unsure of which Filter to use, expand some of the Filter folders to reveal a list of thumbnails that’ll give you a visual clue to each Filter’s effect.

One of the best uses of the Filter Gallery is for merging and stacking filters – much like you’re used to doing with Layers in the Layers palette. To stack Filters, you’ll need to use the New Effect Layer button found at the bottom of the dialog. There’s no limit to the amount of filters that can be stacked and it’s possible to move Filters within the

palette and delete them if you’re not happy with the result.

We’re going to look at how Filters are applied to specific areas in an image using Selections, and reveal how a series of Filters can be used in a stack to successfully enhance the impact of a shot.

Let’s start off by loading the start image SCIROCCO.jpg...

“ It’s a superb command that gives us masses of flexibility with Filters ... “

UNDERSTANDING THE FILTER GALLERY DIALOG Unfortunately, there’s no keyboard shortcut for the Filter Gallery so to load it you’ll need to click on Filter from the Menu bar and it’s found near the top of the list. On loading the dialog, the preview on the left will display your image at 100%. To fit your image to the size of the preview window, hit Ctrl+0. Study the annotations below and you’ll be ready to try out the two Filter Gallery projects over the next few pages.

FILTER CONTROLS RESET Hold Alt and click on the Cancel button to instantly reset your Filter Gallery settings.

Each Filter has a different number of controls and they are listed below the OK and Cancel buttons.

FILTER VISIBILITY To turn a Filter on and off, use the Filter Visibility icon.

TECHNIQUE BY MICHAEL TOPHAM EFFECT LAYER BUTTON To apply more than one filter, you’ll need to click this button after you’ve applied your initial Filter.

DELETE BUTTON If you’re unhappy with a Filter effect, select it and hit this button to delete it.

START IMAGE

MASTER THE ART OF USING PHOTOSHOP’S FILTER GALLERY This month we’ve got two projects lined up for you. In the first we’ll show you how filters can be applied selectively, and in the second we’ll see how filters can be stacked together.

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PREVIEW ZOOM CONTROLS

PROJECT 2 PAGE 68

You can inspect the Filter up close with these magnification controls.

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PREVIEW Shows your image with the Filter and settings applied.

FILTER EFFECTS Click on the arrows to collapse and expand the Filter effects.

FILTER PALETTE If you decide you’re going to combine several Filters together, this is where they will be stacked. Filters can be dragged above and below other filters, too.

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WHAT YOU NEED PHOTOSHOP OR ELEMENTS WHAT YOU’LL LEARN CREATE A VINTAGE EFFECT

Technique of the Month

Create a vintage postcard effect!

Give your snaps the antique treatment with this quick and easy technique!

IF YOU’VE EVER WANTED TO TURN your pictures into timeless classics then you’ve come to the right place! It’s easy to apply a pleasingly battered and time-worn look to modern pictures using Photoshop or Elements and you’ll discover how to do it the right way in this superbly simple yet effective technique.

All you need to do is combine the texture effects as supplied on this month’s CD with one of your own pictures and you’re guaranteed a top result.

TECHNIQUE BY GAVIN HOEY

CREASE.JPG

OLD_POSTCARD.JPG

VI LESDEO ON TSON CD!HE

There’s even an example pic on the CD for you to practise on, so once you’ve given it a go, select one of your own shots and give that the antique treatment, too. It’s a good idea to choose an image without tell-tale signs of its age, like modern cars or satellite dishes, but once you’ve found a suitable shot, just follow the steps below and watch the video on the CD to see how it’s done. Easy!

SCRATCHES.JPG

COFFEE_RING.JPG

About the start images Using Layers and Layer Blending Modes you’ll be able to combine the texture images above with your own photos and create a convincing vintage look that’ll work on any picture. They’re in the Start Images folder on the CD for you to use!

“ It’s easy to apply a pleasingly time-worn look to your digital pics... ”

STEAM_TRAIN.JPG

STEP-BY-STEP GET THE ANTIQUE LOOK

EXPERT TIP! Stop here and print your image as a postcard, or watch the video to see how to add a background image.

START GO SEPIA. Open STEAM_TRAIN.jpg and then press Ctrl+U. Click the Colorize box and change the Hue to 40 and Saturation to 15. Click OK. Now press Ctrl+A followed by Ctrl+C to copy the image. Open the template OLD_POSTCARD.jpg and choose the Magic Wand tool (W), then click on the centre of the postcard to select it.

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ADD TO TEMPLATE. Go to Select ➔ Feather and use a value of 3 pixels. Press Shift+Ctrl+N followed by Shift+Ctrl+V to paste the train on a new Layer. Now press Ctrl+T and drag a handle to resize and reposition the image so it fits into the template. Click the tick or hit Return to finish the transformation.

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ROUGH TREATMENT. Now open SCRATCHES.jpg and press Ctrl+A followed by Ctrl+C to copy the image. Go back to the template and press Ctrl+V to paste it in. In the Layers palette (Window ➔ Layers) set the Opacity to around 70% and change the Blending Mode from Normal to Screen to blend the Layers.

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FINISH COFFEE TIME. Open CREASE.jpg and copy and paste as before. This time, change its Blending Mode to Color Burn and use the Move tool to position it in a corner. Now open COFFEE_ RING.jpg, add it as before, set its Blending Mode to Color Burn and position it in the corner. Now go to Layer ➔ Flatten Image.

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GEAR

CANON EOS 60D

CANON EOS 60D

The 60D no longer records onto Compact Flash cards and accepts SD/SDHC and SDXC media instead. The card slot is located on the side of the handgrip and can be quickly opened using your thumb.

» £1148 (WITH 17-85MM LENS) » 18MP APS-C SENSOR » 1080p HD VIDEO » WWW.CANON.CO.UK

The 50D’s successor has arrived in the form of the 60D. With an all-new body and features taken from other successful Canon D-SLRs, how will it perform on test?

TEST BY MICHAEL TOPHAM

CANON’S COMMITMENT to renewing its enthusiast range was first brought to our attention last August with the announcement of a new camera in the ‘X0’ or two-digit series – the EOS 60D. Almost two years on from the launch of the DP Silver Awardwinning 50D, the 60D is designed to be a direct replacement, sitting in between the EOS 550D and EOS 7D in Canon’s current line-up.

To keep the latest incarnation unique and completely separate from the EOS 7D, Canon has given the 60D the most radical overhaul of any XO series D-SLR to date.

The most drastic development is its all-new polycarbonate body that has replaced the magnesium alloy type we’re used to seeing.

This, combined with its other features, has to offer a lot if it’s going to entice new users into making a purchase, and those seeking an upgrade from older models such as the 40D and 50D.

Features & build The obvious difference between the 60D and its forerunner, the 50D, is its size. The redesigned body gives it a squat appearance and marginally smaller handgrip,

but don’t let these reasons put you off, as it remains well-constructed and feels solid in the hand.

The 60D’s ethos is very much about ‘out with the old and in with the new’; the 15Mp APS-C chip that was used in the 50D is gone and its replacement is an 18Mp APS-C sized sensor that offers the same pixel count (5184x3456) as Canon’s 550D and 7D models.

Producing a native file size of 51.3MB, the sensor delivers the quality that’s required to print at A3+ size. In addition to the 3:2 standard ratio dimension, you’re also given the option of switching

the aspect ratio to 1:1, 4:3 or 16:9 if preferred.

The addition of the 18Mp sensor has also made an impact on the 60D’s ISO performance. Looking back at the ISO range of 100-3200 on the 50D, it had to be expanded to shoot at ISO 6400 and 12,800.

The 100-6400 ISO range on the 60D gives it a one-stop advantage over the 50D and only has to be expanded once to get to 12,800.

Other significant improvements see the 60D adopt the iFCL 63-zone dual metering system that was first seen in the EOS 7D and there’s a much improved LCD screen at the rear. Although the screen hasn’t physically grown in size and still measures 3in from corner to corner, its sharpness and practicality have been improved.

This is made possible by employing the same 1040k-dot resolution technology that was first put into

service on the 550D. Also for the first time in the history of an X0 series D-SLR, the 60D’s screen is the Vari-angle kind. This means it can be tilted and swivelled into the desired position when working from unusual angles.

Not everything is new with the 60D, though. It takes the same single DIGIC 4 processor from the 50D but with the larger file size, its frames-per-second rate has been reduced by 1fps, from 6.3fps on the 50D to 5.3fps on the 60D. The AF arrangement hasn’t changed, though. We would have liked to have seen the 19-point AF system from the 7D carried across, but the 60D uses the same 9-point AF arrangement as the 50D – a diamond formation with all nine

points cross-type in format.

Featuring Canon’s standard EF-S lens mount, the 60D accepts both EF-S and EF mount lenses. Taking the 1.6x focal length multiplication into consideration, it turns Canon’s 17-65mm lens, which is available in kit form with the 60D, into a 27-136mm lens in film terms.

Performance & handling With a smaller body than its predecessor, it’s no surprise that the 60D is 67g lighter than the

GEAR

“ Canon has designed an all-new four-way controller for the 60D “ 50D. The weight difference isn’t that noticeable when you pick it up, though, and in the average sized hand it remains very comfortable to hold. The handgrip is large enough to get a good, strong, solid grip and it’s finished in a rubberised coating to prevent it slipping from your hands.

At the rear your thumb is left to rest between the Quick menu and playback zoom buttons, with the AF-On button neatly positioned over to the left for doublechecking subject focus before the shutter is fired.

Rather than employing a traditional joypad as found on the 50D and 7D, Canon has designed an all-new four-way controller for the 60D. This is interlinked with a scroll dial that’s found around the controller’s circumference and

AT A GLANCE CANON EOS 60D Street price: £899 (body only) Resolution: 18Mp (5184x3456 pixels) Lens mount: Canon EF-S Focal length magnification: 1.6x Viewfinder: Optical, approx 96% coverage Focusing: 9-point selectable Burst rate: 5.3fps (17 RAW) Write times: 2.6secs (RAW), 1.2secs (JPEG) ISO range: 100-6400, expandable to 12,800 (at H setting) Shutter range: 30-1/8000secs, bulb Flash sync: 1/250sec Screen: 3.0in , 1040k-dot TFT LCD Live View: Yes Video: 1920x1080 @ 30fps Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC Weight: 755g Dimensions: 144.5x106x79mm Visit: www.canon.co.uk

TURN OVER FOR MORE ABOUT THE EOS 60D

KNOWLEDGE

GREAT FEATURES ON THE CANON EOS 60D

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3in Vari-angle Screen

Electronic Level Gauge

Creative Filters

The 60D features a similar resolution screen (1040k-dot) to that found on the 550D. It offers pin-sharp viewing and is great for performing detailed checks, such as analysing image sharpness.

With its Vari-angle design, it’s possible to flip it out to the side and it can be tilted into almost any position – ideal for shooting from low and high angles.

If you spend time getting horizons level in software, an electronic gauge built into your D-SLR is just what you need.

The 60D’s levelling gauge is superb and adjusts to the slightest movement of the camera in both landscape and portrait orientations. When the camera is perfectly level it’ll display a bright green horizontal line.

If you want to add in-camera creative effects to your shots you can do so easily by clicking on the Quick Menu button in Playback mode. You’re given the option of four to choose from including Grain B/W, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Miniature effect. The 60D will save your effect as a new file so you don’t over-write your original.

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TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENSES

70-300mm TELEPHOTO

BIG P U GROST! TEREVEAL

WE E BEST O TH PHOT TELE SES LEN

ZOOM LENSES TESTED If you’re struggling to get to the heart of the action with your kit lens, you should look to invest in a telephoto zoom.

Here we look at five 70-300mm contenders TEST BY MICHAEL TOPHAM

IF YOU’VE RECENTLY forked out on a D-SLR, or are perhaps thinking of buying one in the run-up to Christmas, you’re likely to get one with a standard lens that offers an 18-55mm focal length. As good as some kit lenses are, they do rather limit you to shooting at the wide end, And while this is great for landscapes, it’s not so good for far-off shots where you need to get closer to the action.

Rather than cropping in on your images and losing pixels and image quality, the alternative is to make an investment in a second lens. If you think a telephoto zoom will break the bank, you may be surprised to hear that some of the best 70-300mm zooms can be picked up for around £350, and these offer fantastic optical quality, matched with very fast AF

WHAT WE TESTED We’ve reviewed five telephoto lenses that cover the 70-300mm focal length including Sigma and Tamron variants, which are available in a number of different lens mounts.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £374 Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£348 Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 DG OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £293 Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£194 Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£429

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systems. They also have built-in image stabilisers to minimise blur caused by movement when hand-holding the camera.

Lens construction Image quality is the key aspect of any lens. To deal with common optical flaws, such as fringeing and vignetting, you’ll find that most of the zooms in this test feature Super Low Dispersion (SLD) or Extra Low Dispersion (ED) lens elements.

Another important aspect is that the lens feels comfortable and operates well when carried or held in the hand. A zoom ring should offer enough resistance to prevent it creeping to the long end when slung over your shoulder. To make the zoom and focus rings easier to locate when you’re behind the camera, they should be made to sizeable dimensions and any Autofocus or Image Stabiliser switches should be designed so that they stand proud of the barrel for faster operation. Over the page we’ll look at the construction of each lens, the image quality and the performance.

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NIKON D3100

NIKON D3100 £499 (WITH 18-55MM LENS)

»

14.2MP APS-C SENSOR

»

1080p HD VIDEO

The D3000 has been an incredibly popular budget D-SLR, but will its replacement, the D3100, be able to continue that trend?

TEST BY PHIL HALL

THE OUTGOING D3000 has proved incredibly popular for Nikon since its launch last year, often topping the bestseller tables, even though it wasn’t necessarily the best featured model in its sector. Though it lacked Live View capability and had a resolution that was overshadowed by its rivals, it still attracted a lot of interest, helped in part by its simple-to-get-togrips-with interface and solid performance. With the competition not standing still and

the emergence of the Compact System Camera as a real alternative to a budget D-SLR, a refresh was needed, but any replacement to the D3000 needed not to be just as good, but to be even better. So, has the D3100 succeeded?

Features & build Out goes the 10.2Mp CCD chip that was in the D3000 and in comes a brand-new 14.2Mp CMOS sensor, making the D3100 the second highest resolution D-SLR in the

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Nikon line-up, behind the top-of-the-range 24.5Mp full-frame D3X and eclipsing the 12.3Mp D300S that sits at the top of Nikon’s APS-C D-SLR range.

There’s a new image processor, EXPEED 2, while the ISO range has been improved by an extra couple of stops – the standard range is now 100-3200, but can be expanded to an impressive ISO equivalent of 12,800 at the D3100’s Hi2 setting.

The reasonably conservative 5-point AF system on the D3000 has now been replaced by the same Multi-CAM 1000 11-point AF system that’s in the D90 and D5000. There’s a choice of four AF modes – single point, dynamicarea AF, auto-area and 3D-tracking which uses the D3100 Scene Recognition System to help track your subject as it moves across the AF points. There’s still

no built-in AF motor on the D3100, so AF is only possible with Nikon’s range of AF-S lenses which have a built-in AF motor (or Sigma’s HSM range as another example).

Although this will limit you if you want to use older ‘screw-drive’ lenses, for most people they’ll be very well catered for by the wide selection of AF-S lenses available in the Nikon lens line-up. With the exception of one or two models, pretty much every DX lens now features AF-S, while third-party manufacturers offer a similar solution in the majority of their lenses, too.

As with all Nikon DX-format D-SLRs, there’s a 1.5x crop factor to apply to any lenses attached, so the 18-55mm kit lens offers a broad coverage of 27-82.5mm, while it also features Nikon’s Vibration Technology (VR) to reduce camera shake. It allows you

to shoot hand-held at a shutter speed that’s up to 3 stops slower than you’d normally be able to do without camera shake.

Missing on the D3000, but featured on the D3100, is Live View, with its own dedicated switch. AF during Live View is via contrast-detect AF rather than phase-detect AF, and again offers a choice of four AF modes – Facepriority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF and subjecttracking AF. Along with Single and Manual focus options in Live View, there’s also a new full-time Servo

AT A GLANCE NIKON D3100 Street price: £499 (with 18-55mm) Resolution: 14.2Mp (4608x3072 pixels) Lens mount: Nikon F-mount Focusing: 11-point selectable Burst rate: 3fps (28 RAW & Unlimited JPEG) Write times: 1.5secs (RAW), 1sec (JPEG) ISO range: 100-3200, expandable to 12,800 (at Hi2 setting) Viewfinder: Optical, approx 95% coverage Shutter range: 30secs-1/4000secs Monitor: 3.0in, 230k dots TFT LCD Live View: Yes HD video: 1920x1080 @ 24fps Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC & Eye-Fi Weight (body only): 505g Dimensions: 124x96x74.5mm Visit: www.nikon.co.uk

AF (AF-F), that offers continuous focus without the need to press the shutter. This feature is also handy when shooting in HD video, with the D3100 the first Nikon D-SLR to feature full-HD at 1080p – a better spec than both the D3S and D300S. Video can be shot at 10-minute intervals with mono audio, but there’s no external microphone socket, and no stereo sound option.

Along with Single shot, Continuous and Self-timer drive modes, there’s the inclusion of a Quiet shooting mode, where the noise of the shutter is reduced – handy when you don’t want to make your presence felt too much, such as at a wedding for instance.

Retained from the D3000 is the same 3in screen with a resolution of 230K dots, which is a little low and overshadowed by some compact cameras. There’s also the

same dual anti-dust system that was on the D3000, with stray sensor dirt shaken from the sensor, as well Nikon’s Airflow Control System that diverts stray dust away from the chip and towards small ducts at the base of the lens mount.

The design of the D3100 is a gentle evolution of the D3000 with a couple of subtle changes.

There’s now a dedicated switch/ button for Live View/HD video, as well as the addition of a drive mode switch round the slightly more pronounced mode dial.

The design of the D3100 is relatively compact, but the handgrip is a respectable size that offers a firm and comfortable grip - helped by the rubberised grip round the handgrip and thumbrest. The rest of the exterior finish is predominantly plastic, but has a pleasing, lightly

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mottled, matte finish and despite its size and entry-level focus, it feels solid and compares well to the competition.

Performance & handling The 11-point AF system is arranged in a diamond formation, with single point selection carried out via the D-Pad at the rear of the camera. AF performance is strong, locking on to subjects quickly and only ever hunting in extreme low-contrast scenes. Single-point AF is handy to precisely select which area of the frame you want the point-of-focus to be, while Dynamic-area AF is good for fast moving action. The 3D -tracking AF mode is quite a sophisticated feature for an entry-level D-SLR, and will track your subject from point-to-point, making it ideal for moving subjects.

“ The D3100 D-SLR has the second highest resolution in the Nikon line-up behind the 24.5Mp D3X... ”

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14.2Mp CMOS sensor

Live View & full HD video

Built-in GUIDE mode

With the competition all upping the megapixel stakes, the Nikon D3100 features an all-new 14.2Mp CMOS sensor and a considerable increase in resolution from the outgoing 10.2Mp D3000. The ISO range is also very competitive, with a standard range of 100-3200, that can be expanded to an impressive ISO equivalent of 12,800.

An area that the D3000 was lacking in when compared to its rivals was Live View. The D3100 has rectified this and also has it’s own dedicated switch. As well as Live View, there’s also the ability to record video at full HD resolution (1080p at 24fps). While there’s a built-in mono mic, there’s no stereo offered nor the option to hook-up an external mic.

For newcomers upgrading to a D-SLR for the first time, the D3100 features a helpful GUIDE mode. While this was also feature on the D3000, it has been improved. It starts by asking you what you want to achieve with your shots, and then goes on to display a sample image to show you how certain changes will affect the image.

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