THE WORLD’S BEST-SEL L ING DIGITAL29 JULY-4 PHOTO MAGA ZINE ISSUE 462 AUGUST
INSPIRATION IDEAS IN-DEPTH REVIEWS PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II
WE TEST THE NEW EDITION OF THE POPULAR VIDEO AND STILLS HYBRID
GREAT LAKES PRO TIPS FOR CAPTURING STUNNING IMAGES OF LAKESIDE LANDSCAPES
W E L C O M E
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C O N T E N T S FIND OUT WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS
FEATURE
TAMRON ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST X-MOUNT LENS 18-300mm superzoom will also be available for Sony E-mount FEATURE
LANDSCAPES AND LAKES
Pro tips for capturing stunning images of the great wide open PHOTOS
GALLERY
I N S P I R AT I O N
Our pick of the best reader images from around the world I N S P I R AT I O N
ART FOR AFRICA
Leading wildlife photographers donate prints for fundraiser CRASH COURSE
CREATE A TIME-SLICE
PHOTOS
Shoot and edit a composite to capture the passage of a day PHOTOSHOP
CRASH COURSE
MASTER HDR TONING
Tease out shadow and highlight detail for natural-looking results PHOTOSHOP
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GEAR
PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II
ytteG © egamI revoC
A worthy successor? We review the upgraded model of Panasonic’s hugely successful hybrid stills/video camera.
SEE THE SUBSCRIPTION PAGE FOR MORE INFO
N E W S
W H AT ’ S H O T THE WEEK’S TOP HEADLINES IN PHOTOGRAPHY NEW TAMRON SUPERZOOM IS ITS FIRST X-MOUNT LENS Versatile 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 optic is also available for Sony E-mount
normaT ©
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amron has announced its first ever lens for the Fujifilm X-mount, the 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD. The new lens will also be available for Sony E-mount cameras with APS-C sensors. Billed as “the first APS-C mirrorless camera zoom lens in the world with a 16.6x zoom ratio” the Tamron 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is also the first all-in-one zoom lens for the X-mount, boasting an impressive 27-450mm equivalent focal range in full frame (35mm) terms. The 18-300mm possesses a minimum object distance of 0.15m / 0.49ft at the
18mm wide end, along with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2, giving it a clear strength for close-up shooting, while its zoom range means it can cover pretty much any angle without the need for you to change lenses, making it ideal for everything from wildlife and sports snapping to holiday snaps. While the number of stops of correction has not been revealed, the lens also boasts Tamron’s Vibration Compensation (the VC in the lens’ name) technology for in-lens image stabilisation, which will reduce camera shake, especially when shooting at the 300mm long end.
The lens is weather-sealed, making it suitable for all-weather shooting, and features the manufacturer’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor autofocus mechanism, which Tamros says delivers “superior quietness and agile performance”. Helpfully for owners of other Tamron lenses, it has a unified 67mm filter size in line with the manufacturer’s other mirrorless optics. And, while the size and dimensions weren’t revealed, Tamron describes it as “comfortably compact.” The new lens will be available “sometime at the end of 2021”, with pricing still to be confirmed.
F E A T U R E
PRO BILAL HUSSAIN
CAMERA: CANON EOS 5D MK IV Bilal is a photographer and dental surgeon who loves nothing more than to unwind outdoors with his camera, and he’s done everything from underwater photography to aerial shoots. He’s been to every continent on the planet, yet, as well travelled as he is, the UK’s Lake District is still one of his favourite places to shoot. bilalphotography.co.uk
GREAT LAKES & LANDSCAPES We paired a keen landscape photographer with pro Bilal Hussain to pick up some tips as they capture some stunning vistas in the UK’s glorious Lake District
APPRENTICE ADRIAN THOMAS
CAMERA: CANON EOS 6D MK II Adrian has been a keen photographer for nearly 30 years. He’s been a hospital manager most of his career, and first became involved in healthcare photography, but over the years he’s dabbled in other genres, like portraits and weddings, and he’s looking to Bilal to help him improve his landscape and nature photography.
F E A T U R E
TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT
Before embarking on their Lake District shoot, Bilal offered Adrian some advice on setting up his camera for landscapes MANUAL MODE To start with, Bilal put Adrian’s camera into Manual mode, and set a shutter speed of 1/160 sec in order to minimise camera shake while shooting handheld. He suggested an aperture of f/11 to capture good levels of sharpness throughout a typical scene, and an ISO of 100 to deliver the best image quality with minimal noise. Manual mode will also enable Adrian to lock his settings in, which means they won’t change between frames even if the light is slightly different.
HISTOGRAM
Bilal advised Adrian to always check his images on the rear LCD of his camera to ensure that they’re sharp and correctly exposed. He brought up the histogram on Adrian’s camera in playback mode, and showed him how to use this to check the exposure – if the histogram is tightly bunched up on the left or right it means your shot is underexposed or overexposed respectively, and you’ve lost some detail. If either of these is the case, it’s best to adjust your exposure and reshoot.
F E A T U R E LENS 16-35mm f/2.8 EXPOSURE 1/160 sec, f/11, ISO100
HOT#1SHOT BILAL’S COMMENT
I met up with Adrian early at our first location, Rydal Water. It’s a great spot that’s easily accessible, and there’s a car park close to this fantastic tree on a little island surrounded by the River Rothay. Usually, I’d use a long exposure to smooth out any ripples in the water, but on the day it was so smooth that I was able to use a fast shutter speed of 1/160 sec at f/11. I set up my tripod and positioned the horizon about a third of the way down the frame, and also placed the tree off-centre, then made sure I could see all of the reflection of the tree in the water.
EXPERT INSIGHT SWITCH OFF STABILISATION While they’re great for correcting shake when you’re hand-holding your camera, any image stabilisation systems also have the potential to try to correct blur that isn’t there when your camera is locked off on a tripod, and so Bilal always switches the IS off on his lenses, just to be on the safe side and ensure he gets sharp shots.
F E A T U R E
HOT#2SHOT BILAL’S COMMENT
For our next location we ventured to the Slater Bridge in Langdale. The water was, again, perfectly still and clear, but we’d had the driest April in some time, so the water levels were lower than we’d have liked – a lot of landscape photography is about returning to locations until you get the perfect conditions. We were starting to see some clouds in the sky at this point, which also made the sky more interesting than a clear or overcast one. I composed with the water in the bottom half of the shot and placed the bridge off-centre, on the left, and got the reflection of the cloud on the right. I also used a polarising filter to add contrast to the sky and reduce reflections in the water.
LENS 16-35mm f/2.8 EXPOSURE 1/125 sec, f/11, ISO100
EXPERT INSIGHT TRY BLACK AND WHITE IMAGERY Landscapes are well suited to a black and white treatment, and it can be beneficial to make your Live View mono, which will help you to visualise your scene without the distraction of colour, allowing you to compose your scene by simply focusing on the shapes and contrast within the frame. If you shoot raw you’ll still have access to the colour version of your images in you need them. To make the Live View image mono, change the Picture Style or equivalent setting in the menus.
F E A T U R E LENS 24-105mm f/4 EXPOSURE 84 secs, f/22, ISO200
PRO TIP SHUTTER RELEASE CABLE Bilal uses a shutter release cable that plugs into his Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and allows him to fire the shutter remotely to avoid any camera shake caused by pressing the camera shutter button. It also enables him to lock the shutter button down, which is useful when you’re shooting in Bulb mode, as the shutter will remain open for as long as the button is pressed down.
HOT#3SHOT ADRIAN’S COMMENT
With all the bodies of water that the Lake District is synonymous with, it’s no surprise that there’s also an abundance of jetties for boats to moor on. We headed to the Monk Coniston car park at Coniston Water, from where a short walk takes you to a jetty with this breathtaking view. I framed up with the jetty in the centre of the frame, and placed the horizon about halfway up my composition. I used a tripod, and borrowed Bilal’s 10-stop ND filter so that I could get a shutter speed of 84 secs – enough to turn the water into a milky blur and transform the clouds into streaks.
F E A T U R E
LENS 24-105mm f/4 EXPOSURE 108 secs, f/11, ISO800
EXPERT INSIGHT PHOTO APPS Bilal uses The Photographer’s Ephemeris app on his phone to work out where the sun will be setting and rising, and where it will be throughout the day. One of its many handy features is that you can drop a pin anywhere on the map to see the sun’s orientation at that location at different times. This makes it an incredibly powerful tool for planning landscape shoots, as you can work out where you need to be to capture your scene with the best possible lighting.
HOT#4SHOT ADRIAN’S COMMENT
With daylight fading we stayed at Coniston Water, waiting for the sun to set, and luckily we got the perfect amount of cloud, as it was broken up enough to let the sun shine through some of the gaps and the clouds took on a lovely golden sheen. Not only did we get a fantastic sky, it was reflected back in the water, which looks incredible and adds some symmetry to this shot. To smooth out the water I again used a tripod and borrowed Bilal’s 10-stop ND filter, to get a shutter speed of 108 secs. I love the contrast between the cooler mountain and jetty.
PRO TIP BULB MODE When using an ND filter that blocks out 10 stops of light, Bilal often needs a long exposure of several minutes. To capture exposures this long you can use a Bulb mode and a cable release, which lets you lock the exposure button down remotely and then release it to end the exposure when the required amount of time has passed.
SHOT OFDAY! THE
F E A T U R E
ADRIAN’S COMMENT
We woke up at 4:30am the next morning, hoping that we’d be able to get one last sunrise before leaving the Lake District. Our weather apps were giving us conflicting results, so we weren’t sure what we’d be faced with, but when we arrived at the Duke of Portland Boathouse on Ullswater our gamble had paid off. The boathouse has been shot millions of times, but luckily no two skies are ever the same. I used a long exposure to blur the clouds and water, trying to smooth them out to match the tranquillity of the morning. I’m pretty good with aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings, but thanks to Bilal I now know how to use the histogram, focus more precisely and achieve long exposures, so I feel like I’ve doubled the skills in my photographic repertoire!
LENS 24-105mm f/4 EXPOSURE 240 secs, f/11, ISO400
BILAL’S VERDICT
It was a pleasure to have Adrian join me for our shoot, and it was lovely to end on a high with the amazing sunrise we caught at the Duke of Portland Boathouse. Adrian had a solid grasp of the basics and an eye for a good photo, and was still to learn more. I showed him some tips on how to achieve better focus with Live View, and using the histogram to check for any loss of data in his images, so I think when he puts it all to practice he’ll be well on his way to taking pro-level pictures. Adrian is already pretty well kitted out too, with his full-frame Canon 6D Mark II, though I think I’m to blame for him adding some filters to his gear wish list – learning to use filters will open up a whole world of new possibilities for his future landscape shoots.
F E A T U R E
BILAL’S TOP 10 TIPS FOR MASTERFUL LANDSCAPES
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GET UP EARLY AND STAY OUT LATE slots it can be a good idea to use the The light from the sun can be harsh in backup feature, just in case one card the middle of the day, but it’s softer and corrupts on your shoot. takes on a golden hue around dusk and INVEST IN TOP GLASS (IF YOU CAN) dawn. These are known as the golden Bilal uses Canon’s top L-series glass hours in photography. for the ultimate sharpness and clarity PRINT YOUR SHOTS in his images. Paying extra for glass is Be proud of your best pictures and almost always worth it. hang them on the wall, giving you some extra motivation to get back out and SCOUT FOR NEW LOCATIONS keep shooting and improving. Research new locations online and in guide books, and go on adventures STAY LOCAL to find new spots that you can regularly You don’t have to fly halfway around return to and shoot. the globe to take great landscapes! You can find amazing locations on your own USE TELEPHOTO LENSES turf – you’ll often be surprised at what Long zoom lenses aren’t just for you can find closer to home. wildlife or sports, they’re fantastic for landscape imagery as well, allowing BACKUP YOUR PICTURES you to zoom in on details and get a If you have a camera with dual card compressed perspective.
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RETURN TO YOUR TOP LOCATIONS
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DON’T BE AFRAID OF ‘BAD’ WEATHER
The key to landscape photography is returning to your favourite locations time and again to capture them in different seasons and in different lighting; this will also increase your chances of encountering the perfect conditions. Cloud and rain may not be much fun to shoot in, but they can make for some brilliantly moody landscapes, and images that not many other people will have necessarily taken.
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GO WITH A FRIEND
There can be long periods of waiting for the perfect light or conditions, so going with a friend who is also into photography helps to pass the time, keep spirits up in poor conditions, and can be safer in remote locations.
F E A T U R E
ESSENTIAL GEAR The kit Bilal relies on for capturing pro-quality landscape shots 1
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FULL-FRAME DSLR 1 Bilal uses a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV for his
WIDE-ANGLE LENS 4 Any optic with a focal length below 50mm is
landscape work, but always carries his older 5D Mark III body as a backup, just in case his main body fails. A fullframe sensor offers better depth of field, and gives the pixels on the sensor more room to ‘breathe’, meaning that they can handle noise in low light much better than smaller APC-C sensors with the same megapixel count.
considered wide-angle, and they’re indispensable for squeezing expansive vistas into the frame. Bilal’s wideangle optic of choice is Canon’s EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, which has a super-wide 16mm end and can be zoomed to 35mm for less distortion. It also has a front filter thread, so filters can be added easily.
his 16-35mm wide-angle lens. He always has a circular polariser attached to help cut down reflections in water or boost the blues in the sky, and he also has a filter holder that he can add his NiSi 10-stop neutral density filter to, which blocks out 10 stops of light, turning a regular shutter speed of 1/30 sec into 30 secs for example, to blur moving elements in the scene.
Bilal uses a Manfrotto Veloce 5 Backpack. It has plenty of space to accommodate his full-frame Canon body, multiple lenses, filters, a laptop and much more. The internal dividers are padded to keep his kit safe and can also be repositioned, so he’s able to rearrange his gear efficiently, and make sure it’s well balanced when hiking for several miles between locations.
brings his DJI Mavic Pro drone with him on landscape shoots to enjoy a perspective you simply can’t get from ground level. A fully charged battery gives roughly 20-30 minutes of flight time, though Bilal carries spare batteries to keep the drone going if one battery gets fully drained. Always make sure that you’re familiar with, and follow, the laws around drone use where you are.
that Bilal’s tripod is the Gitzo GT2545T Traveller, which collapses down to just 44.5cm and can be extended to an impressive 154.5cm; it also supports up to 12kg of kit, which is more than enough even for Bilal’s telephoto zoom lenses. He’s paired it with a Gitzo ball head so that he can make adjustments fast, unlocking and locking off the composition with a single knob.
NISIuses FILTERS 2 Bilal a whole range of filters from NiSi with
3 ToDRONES get a fresh perspective on a location Bilal often
BACKPACK 5 ToPHOTO transport and keep all of his photo kit safe,
TRIPOD 6 AsPROFESSIONAL a well-travelled explorer, it’s no surprise
F E A T U R E
BILAL’S LUSH LANDSCAPES Bilal tells us about three of his favourite landscape shots
PRO TIPS
GLACIER This is a picture of me standing on top of the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland. I’m not the biggest fan of selfies, but if I’m going to be in front of the camera, what better place to do it than on the biggest glacier in Europe!
TRIPOD BRACKETS
Bilal uses an Ellie L bracket from 3 Legged Thing, which is compatible with his Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and allows him to quickly switch his camera between portrait and landscape orientation using the Arca Swiss connection on his tripod. His L-plate is bright orange, too, making it easy to find in his kit bag when shooting in low light. DOLOMITES First light adorns the freshly fallen snow in the Dolomites region of Italy. This place was eerily quiet as we hiked in the dark to reach this viewpoint, and we were left in complete and utter awe of the natural beauty.
CLEAN YOUR FILTERS
Take the time to clean the front element of your lens and any filters before you use them, as this will reduce the chance of dust spots or fingerprints appearing in images – this can save you a heap of time when editing. A handheld air blower and microfibre cloth are essential tools that you should always have in your camera bag when out on a landscape shoot.
SKYE SUNRISE A glorious sunrise at the Quiraing on Scotland’s Isle of Skye. The locals advised us of pretty poor conditions in the days prior to our arrival, but we were lucky to end up with such a fantastic array of colours lighting up the sky.
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G A L L E R Y
X P O S U R E THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS
MYGEORGE NAMEMARINAKIS IS GORGO
“This image was inspired by the legend of Medusa, also known as Gorgo, in Greek mythology. The model is Vicky Bolosi.” https://bit.ly/3kqUibx
G A L L E R Y THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS
MOUNT TAMALPAIS JOSEF ERIC EISNER
“This is a view of Western Marin County from the top of Mount Tamalpais in Northern California at sunset.” https://bit.ly/3yTqPe0
G A L L E R Y THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS
EAGLE EYE
TOM MORTENSON “I was fortunate to encounter this magnificent mature bald eagle high in a treetop in Northern Wisconsin. It appeared to be surveying the landscape for prey.” https://bit.ly/32IySN1
G A L L E R Y THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS
IN JULIE THE RUTHERFORD COLONNADES
“This photo was taken in the Colonnades at Brompton Cemetary in West London.” https://bit.ly/3ranuou
PHOTOGRAPHY WEEK WANTS YOUR PHOTOS!
Taken a portrait you’re particularly proud of? Shot a sensational sunset you’d like to show off? Then join the Photography Week Facebook community and share your best photos today! You’ll get feedback from fellow readers and the Photography Week FLICKR FACEBOOK http://bit.ly/39py9lg http://bit.ly/2VIgsJO team, plus the chance to appear in Xposure, or even on our cover!
I N S P I R A T I O N
ITHET BEST ’ S THING C OWE’VE O LSEEN , TTHISH WEEK AT
Male Sumatran Orangutan, Sumatra, Indonesia, by Maxime Aliaga
OWN A STUNNING PRINT AND HELP SAVE AFRICA’S WILDLIFE Lion cubs, Masai Mara, Kenya, by Will Burrard-Lucas
Elephants, Chyuly Hills, Kenya, by Beverly Joubert
World’s top wildlife photographers donate images for conservation fundraiser
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he Prints for Wildlife fundraiser, which last year raised more than $660,000 for conservation projects across Africa, is once again offering animal lovers the chance to own a limited-edition print from one of the biggest names in wildlife photography for just $100. Photographers supporting the project include Ami Vitale, Brent Stirton, Beverly Joubert, Steve Winter and David Lloyd, each of whom has donated a fine art print, with a
limited edition of 100 of each print offered for sale. The proceeds will go to support local communities and wildlife in some of Africa’s most important protected areas. Last year, over 120 international wildlife photographers came together for the first Prints for Wildlife fundraiser. This year’s sale ends on August 11. Click the link to buy prints, and to learn more about Prints for Wildlife. You can also follow @printsforwildlife on Instagram.
SEE MORE IMAGES https://bit.ly/3hTrpTq
efildliW rof stnirP ysetruoc dna rehpargotohp ehT © segamI
Giraffes, Masai Mara, Kenya, by David Lloyd
S K I L L S
CESSENTIAL R A SPHOTO H CSKILLS O UMADER SEASYE DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE FILE
https://bit.ly/3r5dg8J ON A PC OR MAC
CREATE A TIME-SLICE
Mike Harris shows you how to shoot and edit a ‘time-slice’ composite to convey the passage of time in a single image
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Timelapse photography is used for all kinds of media HOURS productions, from YouTube videos to Hollywood blockbusters to documentaries, as a way to concisely convey the passage of time. We’re going to use a technique that’s similar to timelapse, but combine the images to create a single still. This is called a ‘time-slice’, because you slice your images up and stitch them together to reveal gradual changes in lighting as time
passes. We phogtographed Happisburgh Lighthouse in Norfolk, UK, starting at sunset and going all the way through to the blue hour and then astronomical twilight. This allowed us to capture warm golden tones fading into blues, pinks, purples and finally the night sky. As with a timelapse, you’ll need to take pictures at regular intervals to capture a variety of tones and lighting, but while a timelapse requires roughly 24 shots for one second of video, a time-slice only
requires around 10 images to get good results. However, feel free to use more photos if you’d prefer. To make the shooting process easier you can use your camera’s built-in intervalometer if it has one to automatically fire the shutter after a predetermined amount of time and for a predetermined number of shots. If your camera doesn’t have this feature, some remote shutter releases have built-in intervalometers.
S K I L L S STEP BY STEP HOW TO SHOOT AND EDIT A TIME-SLICE 1 LOCK THE FOCUS You’ll need to take your images over the
course of at least an hour to get a suitable range of tones, and each shot requires an identical composition. Set up your camera on a sturdy tripod and turn off any image stabilisation. We used a single autofocus point to focus on the subject, before switching to manual focus to prevent hunting when firing the shutter thereafter.
2 CAMERA SETTINGS Switch to Aperture Priority mode; we used
f/8 and ISO400. The shutter speed will now automatically be adjusted to correctly expose each image as the light changes, while the aperture and ISO values stay the same. Next, we selected ‘Interval timer shooting’ from the Shooting Menu; if your camera doesn’t have this feature you can use a shutter release with a built-in intervalometer.
3 SET AN INTERVAL Set the start time to ‘Now’ and input one shot at an interval of one minute to repeat 1,000 times; this allows you to stop the camera when you’re ready, rather than risk having it stop ahead of time. If you don’t have an intervalometer you can just manually fire the shutter periodically.
S K I L L S STEP BY STEP HOW TO SHOOT AND EDIT A TIME-SLICE 4 LOAD YOUR LAYERS Open your images in Adobe Bridge. Identify the
best section of your sequence and highlight the images, then go to Tools > Photoshop > Load files into Photoshop Layers. All of the images will be neatly stacked in the Layers panel.
5 SET UP THE TEMPLATE Add the ‘Grid_template.jpg’ from the project
files to your document as a new layer. Next, go to View > Rulers. Click on the left ruler, and drag to pull out a guide and drop it on the first grid section. Repeat this process until you’ve positioned a guide on each grid section, then delete the template layer.
6 MASK AND REPEAT Select the top image layer, use the Rectangular
Marquee Tool to select the first section on the left of your image, and click the Add Layer Mask button to reveal the next layer in all subsequent sections. Select the next section and add another layer mask, and repeat this process for all remaining sections to create your time-slice.
QUICK TIP
Interval shooting requires very little input once your camera is set up, but this makes it all too easy to miss a drained battery or full memory card, so ensure that your battery is charged and there’s ample room on your memory card. We also recommend carrying spares, especially if you’re working in cold weather, as batteries drain faster.
E D I T I N G
PHOTOSHOP
LEARN ESSENTIAL EDITING SKILLS FAST! DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT FILES
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WATCH THE VIDEO http://bit.ly/2j9mow3
HOW TO...
MASTER THE HDR TONING COMMAND Discover how to enhance tones, textures and detail with this powerful tool
W
hen it comes to HDR, the key is to treat the technique like a utility rather than an effect, because it’s the ‘effect’ side of things that gives HDR a bad name. Photoshop’s HDR Toning command is a case in point. The command offers a range of presets that seem to cover all the worst crimes of the HDR ‘look’, from eye-popping saturation to crunchy, halo-tastic edges. But if you bypass these horrors and treat it instead
as a tool for teasing out detail at the tonal extremes, HDR Toning becomes a very powerful command indeed. The feature is designed to be used with 32-bit HDR images, which are created by merging several bracketed exposures into one (using either Photoshop’s Merge To HDR command or a dedicated HDR application). However, you can also employ HDR Toning to enhance a single exposure, as we’ve
done here. Of course, there won’t be as much information within the image, but even JPEGs can hold a surprising amount of detail in the highlights and shadows. In this video tutorial we’ll show you how this is done, using a neat trick with Smart Objects in order to keep our edits non-destructive; this gives us the option to use a layer mask, so that we can tease out wonderful textures without overprocessing the rest of the image.
WANT MORE PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS? CHECK OUT PRACTICAL PHOTOSHOP
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MIRRORLESS TEST
EXPERT OPINION ON THE LATEST KIT
PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II An upgrade to a film-making favourite www.panasonic.co.uk £1,499/$1,699
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he Lumix GH5 II is a new version of the GH5, a camera that was ahead of its time when it was launched in 2017. The GH5 was in the vanguard of a new generation of hybrid stills/video cameras; its 4K 60p recording capability was stellar then, and remains pretty impressive now. So the GH5 II has a tough act to follow, and inevitably there will be those who feel that Panasonic hasn’t
gone far enough – although to be fair, the original GH5 didn’t leave it much room. Not only that, but the upcoming GH6, still in development, is likely to be the new flagship powerhouse in the Lumix G range. What Panasonic has produced with the GH5 II is a camera that keeps the GH5 concept fresh and current. There’s probably not enough here to tempt a GH5 owner into upgrading, but any new buyers looking for
a powerful 4K hybrid camera without the cost and weight of a full-frame system may just have found the ideal candidate. The Micro Four Thirds sensor used by Panasonic’s Lumix G cameras doesn’t usually get a lot of respect from the full-frame crowd, but it has a lot going for it. The 20.3MP sensor has more than enough resolution for oversampled 4K video and enough for most kinds of stills photography.
MIRRORLESS TEST PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II 1 The GH5 II has a big, chunky grip, and it’s a pretty big and chunky MFT camera all-round. 2 Would you upgrade to the GH5 II if you already had a GH5? Probably not.
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3 Panasonic’s Lumix G cameras have a good range of professional-calibre lenses. 4 The EVF is the same as the 3.68m-dot viewfinder in the GH5. It’s sharp and clear, and while it doesn’t have the resolution of Panasonic’s upmarket Lumix S cameras, it’s perfectly adequate.
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5 The S/C/MF focus mode lever with a central AF On button is really useful. Too many cameras bury the focus modes in their digital interface, so it’s great to have them so accessible here. 6 The drive mode dial has positions for the GH5 II’s single shot, burst mode and self-timer modes, plus 6K Photo modes.
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7 A locking button set into the top of the mode dial prevents accidental changes.
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8 The record button’s metallic red makes it stand out visually – but it’s not so easy to find by feel.
In addition, it means smaller cameras (admittedly, not here), smaller and lighter lenses, and a lower price point. Key features Key features of the Lumix GH5 II include its 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, its 12fps/9fps continuous shooting capability and big buffer capacity, its updated and more powerful in-body image stabilisation and – in particular – its enhanced video capabilities. The sensor is essentially the same one that Panasonic has been using across its Lumix G camera range for some time now, although here it’s matched up with a new, faster Venus processing engine, which brings new and enhanced video modes and contributes towards this camera’s burst-shooting abilities, with an enhanced burst depth of over 108
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MIRRORLESS TEST PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II
The GH5 II’s multi-pattern metering proved hard to fault in our tests, and the i.Dynamic option for in-camera JPEGs has kept the shadows light here while holding on to the bright sky beyond
raw files or more than 999 JPEGs. 20 megapixels is enough for many kinds of stills photography, and when that’s combined with the GH5 II’s 4K 60p video capability, pre-installed V-Log L profile, support for C4K, VFR (Variable Frame Rates), 10-bit internal recording and more, it’s a serious video tool, too. This is a properly powerful hybrid camera for photographers and film-makers who need both stills and video in the same camera, and probably in the same shoot. Panasonic says its newly updated in-body stabilisation system now offers up to 6.5 stops of shake compensation, and this works alongside in-lens stabilisation, where available, and electronic stabilisation to smooth out handheld video footage. Another major addition in this camera is support for wireless streaming via Panasonic’s Lumix Sync mobile app, where the previous
GH5 only supported USB streaming via a PC and Panasonic’s own streaming software. Comparisons with the previous GH5 are inevitable, especially since that camera has gained a strong reputation among film-makers. Many of the GH5 II’s improvements are subtle and involved – mostly those associated with video frame rates, bit depths and formats. The Lumix GH5 II’s headline specs – 4K video at up to 60p – are not unusual by today’s standards, but they don’t tell the whole story. Build and handling The GH5 II is pretty big for a Micro Four Thirds camera. It’s as big as a mid-range DSLR, and bigger than some full-frame mirrorless cameras, notably Panasonic’s own Lumix S5. This size makes the GH5 II easy to get a good grip on, and it feels a natural fit with mid-sized lenses, like the Leica 12-60mm we tested it with.
First impressions are that the body feels a tad plasticky for such a highend camera, but the magnesium alloy construction and weather-proofing say otherwise. It’s not as hard-edged as many rival mirrorless cameras, and it does feel a little more comfortable in the hand. The rear screen is a vari-angle type. Panasonic says it has improved its luminosity and colour rendition for outdoor use, although the new screen is a 3-inch display, while the one on the GH5 is a 3.2-inch screen; on a video camera, where you may not be close to the screen when filming, we’d rather have a bigger screen. The menu system is excellent, and a model of clarity both in its organisation and its appearance – the menu text is big and easy to read. There are an awful lot of video permutations to get your head around, however, and some features are unavailable unless you’ve selected something else first; for example, VFR mode requires the
MIRRORLESS TEST PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II
The GH5 II’s Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than APS-C or full-frame rivals, but it’s still easy enough to blur backgrounds at longer focal lengths and wider aperture settings
MOV format, which is set in another menu. The interface might be very clear, but you’ll still need to spend some time working out where various options are and what they do. Performance The GH5 II is hard to fault for stills photography. The 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor does place its own limits on the resolution and high-ISO performance, but our lab tests repeatedly show that, small as they are, these MFT sensors hold their own against larger APS-C sensors. The 6.5-stop in-body stabilisation system in this camera is extremely impressive. The more you push your luck with slow shutter speeds, the more you risk some unsharpness, but we captured sharp images with 0.5 and 1 sec exposures that we wouldn’t attempt with other cameras. The GH5 II’s stabilisation doesn’t make tripods redundant – tripods
MIRRORLESS TEST PANASONIC LUMIX GH5 II
The Lumix GH5 II is an MFT camera that’s the same size as a full-frame model, but it packs in some serious video firepower
do much more than prevent camera shake – but it does make it possible to shoot in what look like impossible conditions, or to use lower ISO settings that don’t push the MFT sensor quite so hard in low light. The video performance is no less impressive. The GH5 II handles focus shifts smoothly and silently, and you can dip into the camera settings if you’re not happy with the focus speed. You may want to experiment while shooting with the automatic
SENSOR: 20.3MP MFT LIVE MOS SENSOR, 17.3 X 13MM IMAGE PROCESSOR: VENUS AF POINTS: DFD CONTRAST AF, 225 POINTS ISO RANGE: 200-25,600 (EXPANDABLE DOWN TO ISO 100) STABILIZATION: 5-AXIS, UP TO 6.5 STOPS MAX IMAGE SIZE: 5,184 X 3,888PX VIDEO: C4K/4K UHD UP TO 60P (4:2:0 10-BIT INTERNAL RECORDING), 30P (4:2:2 10-BIT INTERNAL), OR 60P 4:2:2 10-BIT OVER HDMI WITH SIMULTANEOUS 4:2:0 INTERNAL RECORDING VIEWFINDER: 3.68M DOTS, 100% COVERAGE, 0.76X MAGNIFICATION MEMORY CARD: TWO SD/ SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II), V90 COMPATIBLE LCD: 3IN VARI-ANGLE TOUCHSCREEN, 1.84M DOTS MAX BURST: 12FPS AF-S, 9FPS AF-C, 108+ RAW 999+ JPEG CONNECTIVITY: WI-FI, BLUETOOTH SIZE: 139 X 98 X 87MM WEIGHT: 727G BODY ONLY, INCLUDING BATTERY AND MEMORY CARD
face/body/animal/eye AF modes and more rapidly moving subjects – or you can use a single focus point and tap the screen (softly) while filming to select a different AF point for quick and dirty ‘pull focus’ effects. Opinions about Panasonic’s DFD AF system are highly polarised, however, perhaps because it depends so much on your style of shooting. If you rely heavily on face/body/eye EF, you might find the GH5 II better than the original GH5, but still not in the same league as rival cameras with phase AF. If you focus manually or like to select your own AF point, however – and you can do this while filming – you might wonder what everyone’s complaining about. The stabilisation for static handheld shots verges on the uncanny. If you switch everything on, including lens IS (where available), the camera IBIS, and the optional E-Stabilization and Boost IS (these come with a slight crop factor), the live view is so rock-solid that you want to check that you’re not in playback mode by mistake. Run-and-gun video or handheld camera pans are not so easy for the IBIS – basically, in-camera stabilisers don’t have the range of movement needed. They’re great for smoothing out ‘jitters’, but they can’t replace a gimbal – and the Lumix GH5 II has done nothing to change our minds on this point. Rod Lawton
VERDICT
The clue is in the name – a Mark II version of anything is likely to be a refresh rather than a whole new camera – but while the GH5 II might appear superficially similar to its predecessor, it offers a large number of improvements and additions that make quite a difference when you add them together – and they’re even more impressive given the price.
LAB TESTS RESOLUTION (LINE WIDTHS/PICTURE HEIGHT) 50 40 30 20 10 0 100
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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Panasonic GH5 II Fujifilm X-T4 Panasonic S5 Sigma fp
We tested the GH5 II against the Panasonic Lumix S5, Fujifilm X-T4 and Sigma fp. Surprisingly, the 20.3MP GH5 II is able to match the full-frame Lumix S5 for capturing fine detail at lower sensitivities.
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO (DECIBELS) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 100
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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Panasonic GH5 II Fujifilm X-T4 Panasonic S5 Sigma fp
All four comparison cameras are closely matched in this test, generating similarly clean images with low noise levels.
DYNAMIC RANGE (EV) 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 100
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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Panasonic GH5 II Fujifilm X-T4 Panasonic S5
The GH5 II is capable of capturing huge dynamic range at lower sensitivities, though as ISO sensitivities rise, its sensor limitations start to become apparent.
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