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Samsung wows Photokina with NX1 launch Pro-spec compact system camera promises record-breaking speed and image quality

THIS PAGE Externally, the NX1 has a DSLR look about it. The top-plate LCD is a first for a compact system camera, while the large handgrip and knurled dials should ensure confident handling. Like the 16-50mm S lens shown, the body is both dust- and splash-resistant for all-weather shooting.

Samsung used the recent Photokina show in Cologne to pull the covers off a stunning new compact system camera that will leapfrog other models and sit proudly atop the company’s interchangeable lens range. The aptly-named NX1 is Samsung’s most technologically advanced model to date and offers specifications that makes it the world’s fastest and most accurate interchangeable lens camera. The NX1 joins the NX3000, NX300, NX30, Galaxy NX and NX Mini in Samsung’s interchangeable lens camera range and ensures there’s now a model to suit every type of photographer, whether they’re moving up from a compact camera or subjecting their kit to the rigours of

daily professional use. Alongside the camera, Samsung also introduced a new premium lens – the 50-150mm F2.8 S ED OIS – a vertical grip to further improve handling and a powerful flashgun, all of which serve to underline the NX1’s professional credentials. Regardless of which part of the camera’s specification you look at, the new model is sure to impress. Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is its speedy performance. From an advanced autofocusing system that zips into focus in just 55 milliseconds to 15 frames-per-second maximum image capture rate, the NX1 delivers a performance that’s likely to leave the opposition breathless. Central to this speed is a new

The NX1 delivers a performance that’s likely to leave the opposition breathless image processing engine – DRIMeV – that is 2.8x faster than its predecessor thanks to four powerful cores and a unique architecture that processes data so much quicker. Turn the page to find out more about the NX1’s impressive range of features, plus get the latest information on the 50-150mm lens and new accessories.

Look inside this cover wrap for the latest issue of Photography News www.samsung.co.uk

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Samsung NX1: in detail As the world’s most advanced interchangeable lens camera, the NX1 has a number of groundbreaking features. We round up the best of them and explain what they mean to your picture taking

n Groundbreaking AF system The camera’s NX AF System III covers an impressive 90% of the sensor area making it far superior to those in digital SLRs, which typically have fewer focusing points concentrated in a more central area on the sensor. Effective in light levels as low as -4EV, it uses 205 phase-detection points and 209 contrast-detection points, 153 of which are crosstype, giving the camera the ability to track moving subjects, regardless of where they are within the frame. The AF system is fast, faster than any other current compact system camera, in fact. It takes just 0.055sec (55 milliseconds) to lock on to a subject. Unlike digital SLRs with video capabilities, the NX1’s phase-detection AF also works on movie capture, which makes a big difference, cutting down on unnecessary refocusing and ensuring that focus is maintained on the subject.

viewfinder. Lag time has been substantially reduced so that it looks and behaves far more like a conventional optical viewfinder.

n 28-megapixel APS-C sized sensor The NX1 features a newly-developed 28-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor with a Back-Side Illuminated (BSI) design. This helps to reduce digital noise by placing wiring behind the light-capturing photodiodes rather than in front of them. As a result, more light gets straight to the sensor, which means improved image quality. Often by squeezing more pixels on to a sensor, its light gathering ability is reduced as the pixels are smaller. The NX1’s 28 megapixels, however, still offer the same lighting gathering performance as a 20-megapixel sensor. This is a result of new semiconductor technology, which also improves image sharpness.

n 15 frames-per-second at full resolution

n Great low-light performance

Up to 70 full resolution images can be captured by the NX1 at a rate of up to 15 frames-per-second, so there’s no danger of even the fastest moving action getting away from you. This impressive rate is made possible by Samsung’s most powerful image processing engine ever – DRIMeV – which is 2.8x faster than its predecessor. Not only does this mean that data is processed through at impressive rates, DRIMeV also boosts the performance of the electronic

The NX1’s ISO range runs from 100 to 25,600 and can be expanded to 51,200. At the higher ISOs, the camera uses Adaptive Noise Reduction (ANR) to cut down on the side effects of pushing the sensitivity higher. The ANR system works by analysing the image, then selectively applies noise reduction for a more natural-looking result. Raw files are also recorded in 14-bit depth meaning the NX1 can distinguish 16,384 levels of brightness – 4x more than 12-bit Raw images.

THIS PAGE The sensor on the NX1 features 28 megapixels for impressive definition. It also utilises a Back-Side Illuminated (BSI) design, which places essential wiring behind the photodiodes rather than in front of them to deliver a superior performance, particularly in low-light conditions.

The sensor design helps to reduce digital noise by placing wiring behind the photodiodes rather than in front of them. As a result, more light gets straight to the sensor, which means improved image quality Photography News | Issue 12

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SPECS SENSOR 28.2-megapixel APS-C BSI CMOS IMAGE SIZE 6840x4320 pixels ISO RANGE 100-25,600 (expandable to 51,200) AUTOFOCUS MODES Active, single, continuous, manual FOCUSING POINTS 205 phase detection, 209 contrast detection INTEGRAL FLASH GN11 (ISO 100) FLASH MODES 1st Curtain, 2nd Curtain, Auto, Auto+Red-eye reduction, Fill-in, Fillin+Red-eye reduction, Smart Flash, Off EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/-5EV in 1/3EV steps SHUTTER 30secs-1/8000sec, plus B METERING Multi, centre-weighted, spot SHOOTING SPEEDS Single, continuous (up to 15fps), self-timer SCREEN 3in tiltable, 1037k dots, super AMOLED touchscreen

BELOW With 15fps and wide area autofocusing, the NX1 is more than capable of keeping up with fast-moving action.

FILE FORMATS JPEG, Raw, MP4 MOVIE SIZES 3840x2160 (30fps only), 4096x2160 (24fps only), 1920x1080, 1280x720, 640x480 STORAGE MEDIA SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1, UHS-2 DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 138.5x102.3x65.8mm WEIGHT 550g (without battery and memory card)

n 4K video capture With both UHD and 4K video formats available, the NX1 delivers footage 4x higher than Full HD. This increase in quality would normally mean an increase in file size, but that has been avoided thanks to the use of the new H.265 Codec. In reality, this means that NX1 owners will be able to record for twice as long and use up the same amount of memory thanks to faster downsizing of data. The more serious movie shooters among you will also appreciate the inclusion of an HDMI 1.4 port that supports professional codecs recording in uncompressed 4:2:2, 8-bit 4K video.

n Faster shoot and share The NX1 is well equipped with the latest wireless connectivity options. It’s the first compact system camera to offer Bluetooth connectivity for faster www.samsung.co.uk

pairing and quicker transfer times, plus it has Near Field Communication (NFC), which allows the camera to connect with a suitably-equipped smart device simply by touching the two together. The WiFi connection itself is also faster using the 802.11c standard that’s 4x quicker than the commonly used 802.11n standard.

n High-quality construction Constructed from magnesium alloy, the NX1’s body also features rubber seals to keep it protected from dust and moisture. This same level of protection against the elements is also available on the 1650mmS and new 50-150mm Premium series lenses so you really can keep shooting whatever the weather conditions. The general look and feel of the camera is likely to appeal to current digital SLR users as there is

It’s the first CSC to offer Bluetooth connectivity for faster pairing and quicker transfer times some very familiar territory. Two top-plate dials, for example, provide access to a wide range of regularly used functions, plus there’s also a top-plate LCD (a first on a compact system camera) that keeps users abreast of vital picture-taking information including camera features, exposure data and battery status. Round the back of the camera, a super AMOLED display with touchscreen provides access to myriad functions, all of which are shown in 1037k dot detail. The screen can be angled up by 90° and down by 45° for high- and low-level image capture. Issue 12 | Photography News

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New lens and accessories Also available for the NX1… n 50-150mm F2.8 S ED OIS

n Professional flash ED-SEF580A

The perfect partner to the 16-50mm F2.8 S zoom, this weather-resistant optic is sure to prove popular with NX1 owners. Providing a 35mm equivalent focal length of 77231mm, its optical design includes four Extra Low Dispersion (ED) elements and an XHR element to reduce chromatic aberrations and maintain a bright maximum aperture without having to increase weight. The lens aperture features a nine blade diaphragm for attractive bokeh effects on out-of-focus highlights, while a user-customisable focus limiter ensures focusing speeds are as fast as possible. Camera shake is minimised by a powerful Optical Image Stabilizer, plus if you want to mount it on a tripod, there’s a tripod collar supplied as standard to cut down on lens mount strain.

With a powerful guide number of 58 and a host of professional-level features, the SEF580A helps to establish the NX1 as a serious professional tool. Naturally, it offers full TTL metering and features a highspeed sync mode for shutter speeds above 1/250sec, plus there’s also wireless functionality. The tilt and swivel head also zooms from 24 to 105mm, plus there’s manual power output variable from full power down to 1/256th output for impressive versatility. A multi-flash mode is provided for capturing several flash exposures at once, while the rear LCD keeps you fully informed of functions and settings.

The perfect partner… this weatherresistant optic is sure to prove popular with NX1 owners, providing a 35mm equivalent focal length of 77-231mm

n Vertical grip Boosting battery performance and offering the same water-resistance as the NX1 camera, the vertical grip will be particularly worthy of consideration for portrait shooters as well as anyone who wants a better balanced camera when shooting upright. The grip features a second shutter button so handling is the same no matter which orientation the camera is held in, plus the extra space for a second battery (not included) means users can keep shooting for longer.

SPECS OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION 20 elements in 13 groups

LEFT With a telezoom range equivalent of 77231mm, this weatherresistant lens benefits from built-in image stabilization, to avoid the dreaded shakes.

MINIMUM APERTURE F22 MINIMUM FOCUSING DISTANCE 0.7m (wide) 0.98m (tele) FILTER SIZE 72mm DIMENSIONS 81x154mm WEIGHT 915g

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Great cameras from Canon, Fuji, Nikon and Samsung. Read all about them inside Rumours confirmed, launches announced

Launches, announcements and first looks from the photo industry’s biennial show

Last week, the photo industry descended on the German city of Cologne for the biennial Photokina show. As usual the six-day event delivered a deluge of announcements and launches, as well as confirming some of the rumours that have been circulating on the Internet. With the show filling seven halls at Cologne’s huge international exhibition venue, there was plenty for photo fanatics to see, admire and get their hands-on. Among the more than 1100 exhibitors were camera kit manufacturers, lab service providers, lighting gear makers and home printing exponents, from well-known names such as Canon, Epson and Nikon to less familiar brands, such as action camera maker Braun and photo book producer CEWE. There’s a plethora of kit to interest the enthusiastic photographer, but the real headline grabbing news stories are the release of a top-end CSC from Samsung, the new D750 from Nikon and Canon’s EOS 7D Mark II launch. Turn over for more details on the top stories.

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We’ve got the whole world in our prints – 11 years of TPOTY TPOTY founders look forward to another decade

Top-end Olympus and Panasonic CSCs go head to head Plus Hoya filters, Manfrotto bag & Permajet media

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2014 special

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Best-in-class technology for Samsung NX1 Samsung takes on DSLRs for quality and speed with its new CSC, the NX1 Samsung has released what it claims to be “a completely new type of elite CSC”. Aimed at pro photographers, the NX1 pits itself firmly against DSLRs for image quality, thanks to its 28-megapixel APS-C sensor and DRIMe V image processor. It features a super-fast Auto Focus System III with 205 Phase Detection AF points and is capable of continuous shooting at speeds up to 15fps. The NX1’s wide-area phase detection can track subjects throughout almost the entire frame and to add to its action credentials, it includes the new Samsung Auto Shot (SAS) feature which predicts when to capture the shot. The NX1 is said to really shine in low-light conditions, too. Its sensor incorporates Back Side Illumination (BSI), exposing it to even more light, and its high ISO range of 10025,600 minimises noise, enabling sharp image capture in dark settings. Its video capabilities aren’t too shabby either, supporting both 4K and Ultra HD video recording. In addition, Samsung has introduced a new NX lens: the 50-150mm S ED OIS lens. This pro telephoto has an ultra-fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 and has been designed for use with the NX1. Prices for both are yet to be released.

NEWS IN BRIEF NEW COMPACT ON THE BLOCK FROM NIKON Nikon’s latest compact is the COOLPIX S6900. Its most unique feature is its vari-angle LCD screen and in-built stand for more flexible handsfree shooting. The COOLPIX S6900 also has a 16-megapixel sensor and built-in Wi-Fi for swift image transferring. www.nikon.co.uk FRESH ’BLAD Hasselblad’s latest H5X medium-format body is compatible with digital backs from the H system and accepts third-party backs, too. Key new features include True Focus, eight memory settings for quick access, and programmable button options with an H5D sensor unit. The H5X with rechargeable grip retails at £5154 without viewfinder and £6474 with viewfinder. www.hasselblad.com

π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.

Fujifilm frenzy Fujifilm has launched its new compact digital camera, the X30. Building on the success of its predecessor, the X20, it features new functions and improved performance. Its biggest boast is the newly developed Real Time Viewfinder which Fujifilm claims is the largest, fastest and highest resolution viewfinder in its class. There’s also a large X-Trans CMOS II sensor and an EXR Processor II, whilst its impressive battery power will keep you going for approximately 470 shots per charge (that’s approximately 1.8 times more than previous models). The X30 will set you back £479.99. Another premium compact, the X100T, joins the line-up too. Priced at £999, it uses an APS-C size X-Trans CMOS II sensor and has a 23mm f/2 lens as well

as a highly advanced hybrid viewfinder. Fujifilm has also made operation even easier with a new 1/3 stop aperture ring, command dial, four-way controller and seven function buttons. In other Fuji news, the popular X-T1 is now available as a Graphite Silver Edition. Boasting a new finish and an improved top electronic shutter speed of an amazing 1/32,000sec, it will be in shops in November priced at £1200. All three products include the new Classic Chrome Film Simulation Mode, with elegant, distinctive muted tones. Finally, there are two new lenses, the 50-140mm f/2.8 at £1250 and the 56mm f/1.2 R APD for £1100. The latter features an ‘apodising filter’ for pin-sharp, highly detailed images with beautiful bokeh.

π To find out more, go to www.fujifilm.eu.

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2014 special

NEWS IN BRIEF 85MM NOW PART OF OTUS RANGE Zeiss has added another lens to its fold: the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4. Naturally this short telephoto lens’s forte lies in shooting portraits, but ZEISS is also marketing its new model as a fast allrounder. Natural bokeh backgrounds are said to be easy to achieve with the 85mm and it’s claimed to be almost entirely consistent in terms of imaging quality throughout the aperture range. Prices for the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 are only estimated at the moment, but it looks like you’ll need around £2,800 to be able to call one your own.

Latest photography news

Nikon’s new full-frame DSLR: the D750 After much hype, Nikon finally made the announcement we’d been waiting for. The D750 is here. The new FX-format DSLR sits in between the D610 and D810 whilst borrowing features from the revered D4s. Like the D610, it includes a 24.3-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor although it has been redesigned to deliver what Nikon promises will be “even cleaner results than ever before at high ISOs”. The ISO range of 100-12,800 itself is impressive and an EXPEED 4 image processor boosts the overall performance. Fast-moving subjects will have a hard time escaping the D750 thanks to its high-end, newly developed Multi-CAM 3500II FX 51-point AF system

– it’s sensitive down to an impressive -3EV. Broadening the range of possibilities, Nikon has incorporated a new Group Area AF mode, as seen in the D810, which is even more efficient at focusing on subjects against busy backgrounds. The weathersealed body protects from the elements and it weighs in at just 750g (body only). It’s the first of Nikon’s FX-format cameras to include a tilting LCD screen and it also has built-in Wi-Fi. In addition, a new ultra-wide AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G ED FX-format prime lens has been released priced at £679.99. The D750 is available now and prices start at £1799.99 body only.

π To find out more, go to www.nikon.co.uk.

JOBY’S NOT STRAPPED FOR IDEAS The innovative company behind the much-loved GorillaPod, Joby, has launched a string of new products. The Pro String Strap (£57) keeps your DSLR close and easily accessible whilst the UltraFit Hand Strap with UltraPlate (£41) facilitates easy transfer from handheld to tripod. The GorillaPod Focus and Ballhead X (£140) is the strongest and largest ’Pod on offer whilst a Flash Clamp and Locking Arm (£35) transform everyday objects into lighting assistants. www.joby.com

Panasonic keeps it compact A compact, the LUMIX DMC-LX100, and an interchangeable lens camera, the LUMIX DMC-GM5, are the newest releases from Panasonic announced at this year’s Photokina. An upgrade to the GM1, one of the major additions to the GM5 is a 1,166-dot equivalent live viewfinder with 100% field-ofview. There’s also a 16-megapixel Four Thirds sensor on board for improved resolution and a new Venus Engine

processor that’s said to offer advanced noise reduction. The LX100 is Panasonic’s new flagship premium compact; like the GM5, it has a Four Thirds sensor, so its image quality should be comparable to that of a CSC. With a full suite of manual controls, its zoom lens covers an equivalent of 24-75mm and offers a maximum aperture of f/1.7-2.8, and it’s also capable of 4K video recording.

π To find out more, go to www.panasonic.co.uk.

Sigma’s storm of accessories Sigma has released a glut of new products this month, including a number of lenses and filters. The 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens has been launched for both the Sports and Contemporary ranges. The Sports version retails at £1599.99 and has been designed to achieve the best optical results as well as offering greater durability for demanding sports environments. The Contemporary equivalent (price and availability TBC) is lighter in weight and more compact for the enthusiast market. Both will be available in Sigma, Nikon and Canon mounts. Another Contemporary lens, the 18-300mm f/3.56.3 DC MACRO OS HSM lens (£499.99) is billed as

an all-in-one optic and features improved rendering at the telephoto end as well as a newly-developed Optical Stabilizer system. Two teleconverters (TC1401, £259.99 & TC-2001, £329.99) have also been announced. The TC-1401’s magnification is 1.4x and the TC-2001 offers 2x. Sigma also revealed a new compact camera, the dp1 Quattro. It features a newly developed Foveon X3 direct image sensor and has a 19mm f/2.8 lens for wide-angle shots. Rounding off Sigma’s releases is a line of filters optimised specifically for Sigma lenses: the WR Protector, Protector, WR UV Filter and the WR Circular PL Filter (from £18.99 each).

π To find out more, go to www.sigma-imaging-uk.com. Photography News | Issue 12

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2014 special

Latest photography news

Canon’s EOS 7D Mark II breaks cover ... and it looks like it’s been worth the wait for the 7D’s successor In possibly Canon’s least surprising but most warmly received news of recent times, the EOS 7D Mark II DSLR made its bow at Photokina 2014. The 7D Mark II is the first EOS body to feature Dual DIGIC 6 image processors and continuous shooting has improved to 10 frames-per-second (from 8fps). Serious stuff, but it doesn’t end there with Canon’s first allcross-type 65-Point AF system (previously 19 point) also on board (although the number of points available depends on the lens used). This is coupled with the company’s new Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, first seen on the EOS 70D, in which effective pixels are used for both imaging and phasedetection focus at the same time – a process which is said to improve AF performance in video and Live View modes. The 7D Mark II also features an enhanced version of the EOS-1D X’s iTR (Intelligent Tracking and Recognition) AF mode, which picks out subjects based on colour and shape, and tracks them across its full 65 AF points. Resolution has increased only slightly from 18 to 20.2 megapixels, while the

First impressions of the 7D Mark II “Handed a camera capable of 10fps, there was only one thing to do – I rattled away as many shots as I could, capturing the trampolinist subject provided by Canon. Shoot JPEGs and the 7D Mark II will keep going until the card fills. With Raws and you’ll get 31 full-res frames before the buffer starts wheezing. Either way, it’s an impressive rate and the dampened shutter action is lovely. The camera feels solid in the hand, and focusing is quick, accurate and assured, partly thanks to the new quick-access focusing function that enables you to quickly change AF points. Although the model used was a pre-production sample, initial impressions are good.” Roger Payne

ISO range has been expanded to 16,000 (from 6400) at the top end (an additional H:51,600 setting is also available). In terms of build quality, the 7D Mark II should prove rugged with a magnesium-alloy body, dust- and weather-resistant seals and a shutter that’s rated to 200,000 cycles. The 7D Mark II should be available in November and early listings put the camera at £1600 body only, or around £1950 with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens.

π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.

One-inch punch

Lighter Canon telephoto 400mm takes the weight off

For photographers wanting plenty of reach along with top-quality results, Canon has unleashed the compact and lightweight EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM super telephoto lens. The lens weighs in at just over 2kg, which sounds a lot, but that’s roughly half the heft of the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM version. The new design includes gapless dual-layered diffractive optical elements (the ‘DO’ bit) positioned deeper in the lens’s build and this

is said to improve optical performance while reducing flare. The EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM should hit shelves in November, but you’ll need deep pockets – it has an estimated price of just under £7000.

Sitting at the pinnacle of its G series of enthusiast compacts, the Canon G7 X’s headline feature is its bumper one-inch CMOS sensor. A first for Canon, the sensor is physically much larger than normally found in compacts and has a 20.2-megapixel resolution. ISO range spans 125-12,800 and Canon’s DIGIC 6 Image Processor comes along for the ride; together these represent Canon’s HS (high-sensitivity) system, which is claimed to deliver excellent low-light performance. The G7 X includes a 4.2x optical zoom lens (equivalent 24-100mm), with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the wide end and also has a flip-over screen for selfie shooting.

π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.

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2014 special

NEWS IN BRIEF OFF-CAMERA UPDATE FOR NIKON Following Profoto’s B1 off-camera flash, comes the Air Remote TTL-N. Initially only available for Canon users, Nikon shooters can now get TTL metering with the B1 flash by attaching the Air Remote to their camera’s hotshoe. It’s retailing at £220. www.profoto.com/uk 50MP MEDIUM FORMAT SYSTEM Mamiya Leaf has announced the Credo 50 back which features a Sony 50-megapixel sensor with an ISO range of 100-6400 and 1.2fps shooting. Long exposures up to an hour are possible and it has a new live view touchscreen. www.mamiyaleaf.com

Latest photography news

Top-of-therange printer announced

Revamp for Lowepro bags

There’s a new A3+ desktop printer on the market courtesy of industry giants Epson. The SureColor SC-P600 has been designed with amateur and semi-pro photographers in mind, and benefits from Epson’s new UltraChrome HD and Vivid Magenta ink. With a nine-colour ink set it’s claimed to reproduce a wide colour gamut featuring what Epson says is the industry’s highest black density for rich, deep blacks and smooth tonal gradations. Wireless connectivity means printing direct from smartphones and devices is possible and timings are fast with a stated 153secs for a 11x14in print. It has twin paper paths so can handle a variety of photo and fine art paper, canvas and thick media. Photokina attendees were able to catch a first glimpse of Epson’s newest model in action as pro photographer Gary Wornell printed his portraits on Japanese Kozo Thin translucent paper.

SONY EXPANDS SHOOTING OPTIONS Sony has added four new accessories: the HVL-F32M Flash (£250, available November); the XLR-K2M Adaptor Kit (£514, available now); the LCS-PSC7 Soft Carrying Case (£137, available now); and the RMT-VP1K Remote Commander and IR Receiver (£57, available December). www.sony.co.uk

π To find out more, go to www.epson.co.uk.

Lenses near and far

Lowepro has refreshed one of its most iconic ranges, the Pro Trekker Series. The range has the largest capacity out of all Lowepro’s bags and the redesign includes the company’s new ActivLift System harness which is designed to transfer more weight from the waist to the hips and also includes airflow channels for breathability. Alterations also include ten adjustment points, claimed to make it easier to fine-tune the fit of the bag. Another of Lowepro’s most popular ranges has also been updated. The Toploader Pro Series features a refreshed design and also includes a four-way

harness as standard as well as a quickrelease buckle for faster access. In other releases, Lowepro has teamed up with Underwater Kinetics to offer extreme protection through a new Hardside Series of camera cases. Keeping kit safe from dust and sand, Hardside claims to be watertight for at least 30 minutes in up to 1m of water. The new cases feature a tough outer shell, a removable soft-sided insert and tuckaway back straps and there are three in the range: the Hardside 400 Photo (£215); the 300 Photo (£170) for DSLR kits; and the 200 Video (£145) for action cam kits.

π To find out more, go to www.lowepro.com.

New from Olympus, the ultra-high zoom M.ZUIKO Digital ED 40-150mm 1:2.8 PRO is set to cost £1299.99 and is more compact and lightweight than its typical full-frame equivalents, making it a standout pro zoom for photographers wanting to travel light. Like the E-M1, it’s resistant to dust and is both splash proof and freeze proof. Engineered for quick focusing, it’s claimed to be quiet too and has a minimum focus distance of just 70cm at all focal lengths. For even more reach, the 40-150mm can be combined with the 1.4x Teleconverter (£299.99). Both will be available from early November. At the other end of the scale, the wide-angle M.ZUIKO Digital Ed 12mm 1:2.0 is also now available with a black metal finish, priced at £739.99. π To find out more, go to www.olympus.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 12

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2014 special

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Shoot the cover!

NEWS IN BRIEF

In association with Samsung, we’re giving you the chance to see your image on the front of Advanced Photographer magazine Samsung and Advanced Photographer are offering you the opportunity to join them for a special photo shoot and get your picture on the front cover of the magazine. On the day of the shoot, the six selected photographers will use Samsung cameras and lenses and the supplied lighting to photograph two professional models at a wonderful stately home. Will Cheung, editor of PN

and Advanced Photographer, will be on hand to offer technical advice, too. As well as seeing their image used on the magazine’s front cover, the winning photographer will also receive a Samsung NX camera outfit. Make sure you pick up issue 49 of Advanced Photographer, out on 25 September, to find out how to enter this superb competition.

Royal Photographic Society award winners Early September saw the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) hold its much anticipated annual awards ceremony where the names of the 2014 winners were announced. Amongst the winners were Tim Webber who scooped the Progress Medal in recognition of his filmic inventions including his gigantic cube of LED lights developed for

the film Gravity, for which he won an Oscar. Steve McCurry Hon FRPS took home the Centenary Medal for his significant contribution to the art of photography whilst Terence Pepper Hon FRPS received the Outstanding Service award having initiated and co-organised over 150 photographic displays and major exhibitions over almost 40 years. Well done to all.

π To find out more, go to www.rps.org.

Printer range updated Four new multifunction inkjet printers (the MG2950, MG5650, MG6650 and MG7550) and a portable printer (the iP110) make up part of Canon’s refresh of its PIXMA home printer range. Built with connectivity at their core, the printers have integrated NFC technology enabling easy printing from smartphones and other devices. An update has also been made to the PIXMA Cloud Link to provide improved access to photos and documents stored in the cloud, including access to Google Drive and One Drive as well as to Facebook and Dropbox. The PIXMA MG5650, MG6650 and MG7550 also allow users to scan documents and images and send them directly from the printer as an email attachment. The MG6650, MG5650 and MG2950 are available now and the MG7550 and iP110 will be available from October. Prices start from £69.99. π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.

Ultra-wide angle from Tamron Both APS-C and full-frame DSLRs can use Tamron’s 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD. As well as a constant f/2.8 aperture, optical image stabilisation and whisper-quiet focusing, the lens, which is available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts, is also water and dirt repellent, offers a smooth bokeh thanks to its nine-blade aperture design and benefits from eXpanded Glass Moulded Aspherical and lowdispersion elements. Price and availability are yet to be announced.

Keeping your camera going Two new chargers have been unveiled by Solar Technology International, the company behind the FreeLoader range of advanced chargers. The CamCaddy2 (£19.99) is an upgrade to the original, featuring new contact sliders enabling universal charging for a range of batteries. The voltage is automatically modified to avoid overcharging and it comes supplied with a USB cable facilitating charging from a laptop or USB mains. The SuperCharger 5W (£49.99) can be used as a stand-alone charger for smartphones, tablets and other devices. Both are available to purchase now. π To find out more, go to www.solartechnology.co.uk.

SONY’S SMALLEST ACTION CAM Two-thirds smaller than its predecessor and weighing in at a super light 63g, the HDR-AZ1 VR is Sony’s latest action cam. It has an 11.9-megapixel Exmor R sensor and a BIONZ X processor combined with a wide-angle and shoots Full HD video. With a splash-proof design and supplied waterproof casing, it also comes with a wrist-mounted liveview remote letting you view shots, adjust settings, playback and delete footage wirelessly. Available to buy from October, the HDR-AZ1 VR will retail at £329. www.sony.co.uk CARBON MODEL ADDS TO BEFREE TRIPOD RANGE Manfrotto’s Befree range now includes the Befree Carbon. It’s still incredibly quick to set up but is now lighter than ever, weighing just 1.1kg, meaning it should be ideal for travel. Folding to a length of 40cm, it’s also the perfect size for hand luggage or backpacks, and comes with an extra cushioned carry bag. It’s available now and is priced at £279.95. www.manfrotto.co.uk SMOOTH PANNING WITH NEW VIDEO MONOPOD An ergonomic pan handle gives the new Benro monopod a smooth panning and tilting action whilst its aluminium alloy construction provides a stable base and fast set-up. It’s fitted with an S4 video head, comes with a five year limited guarantee and retails at £203.40. www.kenro.co.uk FAST TRANSFERS FROM NEW DRIVE Both micro USB and USB 3.0 connectors feature on Lexar’s new JumpDrive M20. Having two connectors means easy transfer of files to a range of devices and it boasts read speeds of up to 120MB/s. On sale in October, it’ll be available in a range of sizes: 16GB (£25.99); 32GB (£39.99); and 64GB (£79.99). www.lexar.com

π To find out more, go to www.intro2020.co.uk. www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 12 | Photography News

2014 special

Latest photography news

Memories of Photokina

Photokina is a massive event where the world’s imaging industry gathers every two years, giving visitors the chance to enjoy images, try out new kit and to catch up with the latest technological developments. Here are our memories from this year’s show

Nikon’s innovative ‘I am’ campaign has enhanced the brand’s already high profile.

4K video was a big feature of the show. Here’s Samsung’s NX1 in a rig. The many colours of Pentax DSLRs.

The Nikon stand was busy all day long, with photographers clamouring to get their hands on its D750.

Sigma’s new lens offerings pulled in the crowds.

The Lytro Illum shoots every picture at f/2 but varies focusing effects in software – very interesting.

Fancy going next time? Dates for your diary are 20-25 September 2016.

Samsung took a more photogenic approach to showing the effect of different focal lengths.

Photography News | Issue 12

Canon users really enjoyed trying exotic glass.

www.photography-news.co.uk

2014 special

Latest photography news

Lytro Illum: a world first An innovative camera system that lets the user vary depth-of-field after the picture is taken Lytro’s first camera came out two years ago and it was a bit of a novelty rather than a serious imaging device. With the Illum, that has changed, and this innovative, well specified camera offers amazing potential to creative image-makers. Conventional cameras capture light and colour, but the Illum is different because it also captures light direction with its 40-megaray light field sensor. The built-in zoom lens has an 8x optical zoom range, from 30mm to 250mm in 35mm terms, and every image is captured at an aperture of f/2. Using its touchscreen monitor you can select where you want the main point of focus to be – and

it focuses to 0mm from the lens front without any mode changing – and then take the picture. It’s in the dedicated software where the magic happens because the captured image can be rendered as if an aperture of f/16 was used, or if you want a very shallow depth-of-field you can choose f/1. You can view the effect in real time on the computer. The image can then be output as a still image with a resolution of around eight megapixels or as a Light Field Picture File. The UK price is expected to be £1300 and the distributor is Intro2020, intro2020.co.uk. PN will be previewing the Illum as soon as samples permit.

π To find out more, go to www.lytro.com.

String of releases from Hähnel

A SanDisk surge

Amongst Hähnel’s new releases is its Captur range of remote controls, available late 2014/early 2015. For Canon, Nikon, Sony and Olympus owners, there’s the Transmitter and Receiver (£60 for the pair) for wireless triggering of camera and flash. Designed as an add on, the innovative Pro Module (£69.99) features a built-in motion, light and sound sensor as well as a socket to connect thirdparty motion sensors. The Timer Module is retailing at £49.99 while the IR Module which fires when its IR beam is tripped is priced at £15. Hähnel’s new range of flash accessories includes the Universal Flash 60x60cm Softbox for Speedlites (£59.99) and the Universal Flash Accessory Kit (£49.99). On the battery charging front, there’s a new ProCube dual charger (£59.99) for Sony and Olympus users and the UniPal Extra (£34.99), a universal charger with a built-in power bank and a USB to micro USB cable.

Storage market leaders SanDisk launched a raft of products but we only have space for a couple of highlights here. For productive photographers or those shooting 4K video, SanDisk has released the world’s largest capacity SD card, the 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I SD card, with a transfer speed of up to 95MB/s. If a super fast transfer speed is a greater priority than capacity, then you can turn to SanDisk’s Extreme PRO SDHC/SDXC UHS-II SD card – the first camera to use the UHS-II standard was the Fujifilm X-T1. With capacities from 16GB to 64GB, this card can transfer data at speeds up to 250MB/s and SanDisk has also introduced a card reader/writer to allow you to exploit this amazing performance.

π To find out more, go to www.hahnel.ie.

π To find out more, go to www.sandisk.co.uk.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 12 | Photography News

2014 special

Latest photography news

Samyang expands line-up Photokina 2014 marked the official release of the latest lenses in the Samyang range: the new V-DSLR 50mm T1.5 AS UMC cine lens and the 12mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS fisheye. The cine lens is designed for cameras and camcorders with a full-frame or smaller sensor and bridges the gap between the current 35mm and 85mm lenses available from Samyang. It will retail at £479.99 and predates the release of a stills photography

version which is to follow in the near future. The full-frame fisheye lens is bright and super wide, offering a 180° angle of view. It consists of 12 lens elements in eight groups, including three elements made of low dispersion ED glass and two aspherical elements designed to improve sharpness and to minimise chromatic aberrations. The release date and retail price of the 12mm fisheye are yet to be announced.

Hands-free creative control π To find out more, go to www.samyang.co.uk.

Lens launches from Sony There were two big lens launches from Sony at this year’s Photokina, the first of which marks the company’s debut of a 35mm full-frame lens with power zoom capabilities. As you’d expect, the FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS is aimed squarely at videographers, and features a smooth and silent drive as well as in-lens image stabilisation. It also features separate focus, iris and zoom rings as well as resistance to dust and moisture. The second release was Sony’s ZEISS 16-35mm f/4, a full-frame lens for E-mount cameras. With a wideangle zoom range and in-built image stabilisation, this model is designed to offer a compact and portable solution for everyday shooting. Both lenses are available to preorder now.

Remotely releasing the shutter from your smartphone is nothing new, but Olympus has taken remote capabilities even further with its new PEN E-PL7. Zooming in and adjusting aperture and shutter speed are all possible from a smartphone, you’ll even be able to see a real-time preview. At the heart of the E-PL7 is a 16.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor and a TruePic VII processor supported by three-axis image stabilisation for sharper shots. Available in white, silver or black from October, priced at £499, you can focus and shoot in one touch on the

E-PL7’s flip-down touchscreen and it even comes with a pancake lens. Olympus has also revealed an updated OM-D E-M1. The most obvious change is a new silver casing but the E-M1 has also had a firmware upgrade which is preinstalled on the new edition. This delivers tethered shooting, Digital Shift (which allows in-camera correction of distortion) and includes a Live Composite mode. The upgrade can be downloaded now by all E-M1 users. The silver E-M1 is available from early October for £1099.99 body only.

π To find out more, go to www.olympus.co.uk.

Faster, smaller, sharper Sony has hailed the A5100 as the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera, but there’s more to this latest release than its compact size. At its heart is a 24.3-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor and a powerful BIONZ X processor, and the A5100 is also capable of fast hybrid autofocus. Featuring 179 focal plane phase-detection points, the AF system should take all manner of subjects in its stride and its hybrid AF capabilities are also on hand when shooting Full HD movies. Focusing and releasing the shutter is made even easier with the addition of Touch Focus on the LCD screen, which also tilts through 180°. Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity facilitate remote shooting and make one-touch image or video transfer possible to your smartphone, tablet or TV. It’s available now and is priced from £420, body only.

π To find out more, go to www.sony.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.sony.co.uk. Photography News | Issue 12

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 12

www.photography-news.co.uk

2014 special

Latest photography news

Extending the range Innovative tripod manufacturer 3 Legged Thing wasn’t one to miss out on the exciting launches at this year’s Photokina, revealing its new 3LT PUNKS range. PUNKS is a series aimed at a more accessible price point, without scrimping on design or functionality and, following a competition on social media to name some of the new products, the first two have been christened RICK and VYV, inspired by comedy legends Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson. Made from lightweight carbon fibre, 3LT RICK has a kit weight of 1.2kg but an impressive load capacity of 10kg. VYV is a non-carbon version of RICK and features leg tubing made from aircraft-grade magnesium alloy. Both come with a detachable monopod leg and offer low shooting heights for more creative freedom in your shots.

A chameleon of a DSLR

The recently announced Pentax K-S1 DSLR packs in plenty of high-end features, including a newly developed 20-megapixel CMOS sensor, a supersensitive top ISO setting of 51,200 and a maximum shutter speed of 1/6000sec. It can also shoot continuously at a speed of 5.4fps. Alongside all this imaging power, the K-S1 has an illuminated body

NEWS IN BRIEF LATEST STORAGE FROM TOSHIBA Canvio Alu is Toshiba’s newest series of portable hard drives and includes automatic back up of your data via a USB 3.0 connection and a shock sensor to protect against accidental drops. With capacities from 500GB to 2TB and a transfer rate of up to 5GB/sec, it comes with a two-year warranty. Prices start at £43.00. www.toshiba.eu/storage

which indicates the status of camera operation (green for still shooting and red for video recording). It’s available in 12 different colour variations from standard black to the more adventurous ‘cotton beige’ and ‘dawn purple’ versions. This eye-catching camera is out now and priced from £549.99, body only.

π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.

SHOOT THE YOSEMITE ‘FIREFALLS’ This coming February, top landscape photographer John Gravett will host a photography holiday in America’s spectacular Yosemite National Park. The Yosemite Firefalls Workshop runs from 13 until 23 February, costs from £3495 per person and includes flights, accommodation, all breakfasts and eight lunches. lakelandphotohols.com

Ricoh gets rugged Ricoh has announced the release of two cameras: the G800 and the WG-M1. The G800 is available now for £599.99, and that buys you a back-illuminated 16-megapixel sensor, waterproof capabilities to 5m and shock resistance for drops up to 2m. It’s also resistant to

dust and chemicals which should make it ideal for use in harsh environments. The rugged WG-M1 comes with a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and has been designed to capture high-quality stills and Full HD video in outdoor and underwater environments. Waterproof

to depths of up to 10m, shock resistant to drops from up to 2m and cold resistant to as low as -10°C, this hardy cam also features an ultra wide-angle lens to capture all the action. The WGM1 retails at £199.99 and is available in black or orange.

π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.

Leica adds to M series These images are of prototypes and are not indicative of the final model.

π To find out more, go to www.3leggedthing.com.

Leica Camera AG has released the Leica M-P; it might look similar to its predecessor, but this model features an enlarged buffer of 2GB (twice that of the Leica M) allowing up to 24 shots at 3fps. The LCD’s sapphire crystal cover is said to offer a high level of resistance to scratches and its anti-reflective coating has been improved for clear viewing even in difficult lighting. There’s also a new frame selection lever which sets bright-line guides for six different focal lengths, helping frame the subject via the viewfinder, and also allowing you to assess composition without changing lenses. The Leica M-P is available now in either a black or silver chrome finish, priced £5650. π To find out more, go to www.uk.leica-camera.com.

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Competition PENTAX

Be a Pentax Hot Shot Entries close on 28 Setpember so apply now to join PN and Ricoh Imaging for a unique opportunity to shoot with the sensational medium-format Pentax 645Z

It’s been a given ever since the invention of photography that the larger the format you use, the better the quality of the picture you can produce. It’s a formula that still rings true even in these digital times, but up until now medium-format has been out of the reach of many due to its cost. However, all that is set to change in the wake of the launch of the sensational Pentax 645Z, which offers discerning photographers a very exciting, hugely capable and much more affordable option, and we’re offering five photographers the chance to try one out for themselves. We have a special location shoot planned for Saturday 18 October this year and you can join us. We will be based in the market town of Keswick in the northern Lakes and while the exact shooting timetable will be revealed to the five winners in due course the aim is to shoot from dawn to dusk at various Lakeland

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER

locations. Each photographer will have access to a Pentax 645Z and a selection of lenses to use throughout the day. Getting to Keswick will be at your own expense but once there you will be the guests of Ricoh Imaging. Food and refreshments will be provided on 18 October and hotel accommodation will be booked for the night of 17 October – you will also be invited to join Will Cheung, editor of our sister publication Advanced Photographer magazine, and experts from Ricoh Imaging for dinner. This will give you the chance to get hands-on with the Pentax 645Z, plus you’ll receive all the advice you need to get familiar with it ready for the following day’s busy shoot. Photography News will be running a major feature on the event in a subsequent issue, so this competition also offers you a chance to see your images from the shoot in print in a national magazine.

How to enter To be in with a chance of joining us for this amazing photographic opportunity all you have to do is submit your best landscape photograph. Images should be low-res JPEGs 1000 pixels along the longest dimension (max. file size 10MB), and you must have the high-resolution files available in case the judges from Photography News and Ricoh Imaging want a closer inspection. Entry images should be submitted via the online form at www.pentaxcomp.co.uk. Closing date: midnight, 28 September. If you enter this competition you must be available to be in the Lakes on the evening on 17 October and all day on 18 October. These dates are fixed and cannot be changed.

TERMS & CONDITIONS Entries must be received by midnight, 28 September 2014, and the winners will be notified by 1 October 2014. This competition is open to UK residents only, aged 18 and over. Employees of Bright Publishing and Ricoh Imaging and their immediate family and agents may not enter. Entries not in accordance with these rules will be disqualified; by entering, competitors will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. The prize must be taken as offered; there is no alternative. In the event that the prize cannot be supplied no liability will be attached to Bright Publishing. For full t&cs visit www.pentaxcomp.co.uk/terms.

Photography News | Issue 12

About the Pentax 645Z

The sensational 645Z medium-format camera boasts an effective resolution of 51.4-megapixels, super fast AF, a top ISO of 204,800 and all in a dust-proof, weather-proof body. The camera offers brilliantly slick handling, whether on location or in the studio, and the 76 dust- and weather-proof seals mean it will also work perfectly in challenging outdoor conditions, down to temperatures as low as -10°C. The innovative CMOS sensor measures 43.8x32.8mm, so approximately 1.7x larger than a full-frame 35mm sensor, and it works with Pentax’s PRIME III imaging engine to produce images of outstanding accuracy and colour fidelity. With the exceptional quality of Pentax lenses, this anti-alias filterfree sensor can resolve the finest details. Until now, medium-format digital cameras suffered from limited battery capacity, slow continuous shooting speed and limited high ISOs. The 645Z has features and handling equal to a top-end APS-C or 35mm format DSLR, with a battery that can deliver up to 650 shots per charge, continuous shooting at 3fps with a large buffer and a top IS0 speed of 204,800. Of course, there is much more: live view, Full HD video, tiltable 3.2in monitor, twin SD card slots and the option of 14-bit Pentax or Adobe DNG Raw files. And you get all this performance at a competitive price: body only the 645Z is £6800; with the 55mm lens, it’s £7700.

π To find out more about the 645Z, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.

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Advertisement feature

MANFROTTO ACCESSORIES

Let’s make movies!

Fancy dabbling with your digital SLR’s video mode? Manfrotto has got just the thing to give your footage the professional touch Video functionality is a vital part of any new camera’s specification and if you’ve been compelled to give it a try you’ll know how tough it can be to get steady movie footage that doesn’t give the viewer motion sickness! Having some form of support is essential to create smooth, watchable movies and any number of devices will enable you to stay

190X feature highlights How to get rock solid support from ground level right up to head height

Featuring three-section aluminium legs, the 190X tripod (£149.95) is great for video or stills photography use. The legs feature Manfrotto’s Quick Power Lock levers, which speed up operation and provide a firmer grip than conventional leg locks for impressive stability and rigidity. The lock design also makes it easier to alter leg length with one hand so you’ll be able to get the tripod into position more quickly and effectively. If it’s creative framing options you’re after, the 190X’s centre column design is sure to appeal. A special vertical-horizontal mechanism is incorporated into the tripod’s top casting, which only comes into use when required. In one swift, simple movement the column can be moved through 90° from upright to horizontal. Add this versatility to the fact that the legs can be independently angled into four preset positions and you’ll appreciate that it’s simple to get a sturdy base whether you want to shoot at near ground level with the 190X or at its 170cm maximum height. The top casting also features Manfrotto’s Easy Link connector, which makes it simple to attach or support an accessory. If you’re working on a close-up subject, for example, you can use Easy Link for an LED video light or to attach an arm to hold a reflector or flashgun.

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mobile, but you can’t beat a tripod for absolute solidity. Manfrotto’s recently revamped 190X tripod is a versatile allround model that will let you manoeuvre your camera into all sorts of positions for exciting footage. Available in a kit with the MHXPRO-2W two-way video head (£249.95 for the pair) it makes the perfect outfit for budding videographers.

MHXPRO-2W head features Offering smooth and welldampened pan and tilting actions, the MHXPRO two-way head (£119.95) is a great head for shooting video with a digital SLR or compact system camera outfit. Despite weighing just 0.7kg, the head can support up to 4kg. The weight of the head has been kept low thanks to its aluminium and polymer construction. It features the same black, red and silver styling of the 190X legs and offers a quick-release (QR) plate for easy camera attachment. An extra locking mechanism is provided on the QR to avoid accidental removal and the plate is the standard 200PL item found on many Manfrotto heads. Once attached, both movements are easy to control using the knobs. Panning and tilting can be independently locked off, plus there’s also a fluid setting selector dial, which slows down (or speeds up) movement depending on the type of lens you’re using. Slower for long lenses, faster for shorter optics. The head can also be completely removed should you want to fit a dedicated stills head at a later date. π To find out more, go to www. manfrotto.co.uk. Issue 12 | Photography News

Camera clubs

Tell us your club’s latest news, email: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the page for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievement; it could be about a group outing you had recently or when the annual exhibition is on show. Any news is eligible for inclusion, so club publicity officers please take note of the submission guidelines and get your stories in

Allow plenty of time. Photography News comes out (roughly) around the third week of the month. For the next issue, we need words and pictures by 6 October. Write your story on a Word document (400 words maximum) and attach it to an email to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk. In the story please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event – website, meeting time, opening times, whatever is relevant to the story. Images: Yes please, and attach these to the email too. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and any colour space. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster), the winning image or one of the event. If the picture includes people please identify on the Word document. Deadline for the next issue: 6 October

Enfield Camera Club’s annual exhibition opens this year on 29 September and runs until 11 October at The Dugdale Centre, Thomas Hardy House, Enfield

SYDENHAM TO BRIDGWATER Sydenham CC has changed its name to Bridgwater Photographic Society. For venue details see www.bwps.org.uk CRIPPLEGATE PS City of London and Cripplegate PS’s annual exhibition is on show 2-27 October at the Barbican Library. www.cityandcripplegateps.org

HOW TO SUBMIT

Enfield CC’s annual show © Sue Bell

NEWS IN BRIEF

EN2 6DS. Entrance to the exhibition is free, and the Centre’s café will be selling refreshments. Plus you’ll get the chance to vote for your favourite photograph.

π To find out more, go to www.enfieldcameraclub.co.uk.

75 not out

Among the events celebrating its 75th anniversary, Colchester Photographic Society is holding an exhibition Colchester Photographic Society is marking its 75th anniversary this year and as part of the celebrations there is an exhibition of members’ work at the Digby Gallery, Mercury Theatre, from 11 November until 7 December. Members of all levels have contributed to the exhibition and entrance is free. More special events are planned for the coming anniversary season so see the website for more details. Meetings take place on Tuesdays at Christ Church, Ireton Road (off Maldon Road), Colchester CO3 3AT. π To find out more, go to www.colchesterphotosoc.co.uk.

Derby hosts Shone

Derby City PC hosts Robbie Shone, cave, adventure and travel photographer Arguably the world’s finest cave photographer, Robbie Shone is pesenting this year’s president’s lecture at the Derby City Photographic Club. He rarely gives talks so this is a great opportunity to hear about his travels and enjoy his images taken deep underground. Ashley Franklin, president of Derby City PC says: “It takes prodigious courage and effort to delve deep into

the worlds beneath our feet but what makes Robbie even more special is that he emerges from the depths with the most stunning imagery.” Tickets for the talk cost £6 each and it takes place on 13 October at The Grange, 457 Burton Road, Littleover, Derby DE23 6XX. The talk is sure to be popular so check ticket availability on info@ashleyfranklin.co.uk.

π To find out more about Derby City Photographic Club go to www.derbycitypc.co.uk. π To find out more about Robbie Shone, go to www.shonephotography.com. Photography News | Issue 12

Free spirit at Parkstone CC Landscape and nature photographer Nick Jenkins will be presenting at Parkstone Camera Club on 24 October. Tickets for his Free the Spirit presentation cost £6 in advance (£8 on the door if available) and the event takes place at the Kinson Community Centre, Milhams Road, Bournemouth BH10 7LH. See the website for ticket ordering details. π To find out more, go to www.parkstonecameraclub.org.uk. www.photography-news.co.uk

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Competitions INTERVIEW

A diamond jubilee The North and East Midlands Photographic Federation (N&EMPF) is now welcoming entries for what will be its 60th exhibition. We spoke to federation secretary Gary Langley to find out what’s planned for the milestone year Interview by Megan Croft Can you tell us about the exhibition’s history? The exhibition was set up 59 years ago to celebrate the best in amateur photography in the North and East Midlands. Originally there were two sections, one for slide and one for print each with a category for monochrome, colour and nature entries, but with the introduction of digital photography there was a massive drop in the number of slides entered and it was no longer viable to run a slide category. The accepted slides used to be held back and would tour all of the clubs in the federation. Nowadays, we accept prints and digital images and like the slides of the past, the PDIs are showcased at club nights. What’s your background in photography and how did you come to be involved with N&EMPF? I got into photography quite late compared to some of our members. I started in 2006 when I joined the Arnold and District Camera Club, a very friendly bunch who made me very welcome. After being there for a short while I was well and truly hooked. Recently I joined the Rolls Royce Photographic Society in Derby where I am the current vice chairman. The best camera clubs in the area are all

Photography News | Issue 12

associated with N&EMPF and like most people that’s how I got involved. I was on the executive committee as an ordinary member for around a year when the opportunity to move into the committee came up and I was voted in as the exhibition secretary. Eric Miller APAGB had done it for well over 30 years prior to me taking over; he did a splendid job and still helps and advises me today. The exhibition is entering its 60th year, do you have any special plans to celebrate? The federation has a number of things going off to celebrate our 60th birthday. We have increased the number of awards we will give out at the exhibition and we have gained patronage from the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) so we will have PAGB gold and silver medals available for the winning images. N&EMPF is also putting together an anniversary book which will showcase the last 60 years and look forward to the next. The aim of the book is to get at least one image from every member of a camera club in our area. What are some of the most noticeable changes the exhibition has seen? One of the most dramatic changes over the last few years is the advent of digital photography, making

I think digital photography has got people excited about image-making again BELOW TOP RIGHT Leking Black Grouse by John Smith of Warsop and District Camera Club. BELOW BOTTOM RIGHT Chasing the Dragon by Scott Wilson of Nottingham Outlaws Photographic Society. BELOW LEFT Kingfisher Returns by Steve Williams of Chesterfield Photographic Society.

shooting so much easier. Light sensitivity, lenses and focusing have got so much faster now making image capture much easier. The expense involved in the processing part of photography is so much cheaper than with film. Digital cameras are much sharper, with better colour saturation than film ever had. Software has advanced so much giving the photographer the opportunity to add filters, from the sublime to the ridiculous. I think digital photography has got people excited about image-making again and that can only be a good thing, especially for the exhibition. How many entries do you receive? We received 800 prints and over 1000 PDIs last year and the PDI entries seem to grow every year. With so many entries, the judging must be a lengthy process. Can you give us an insight into how it works? We judge over a weekend, PDIs one day and prints on the other. A lot more physical work goes into the organisation of the prints being judged. I am very lucky that a lot of the committee members are willing and able to assist, the smooth running would not be achievable without them. We have three judges for each section who all have to score between two and five for each image.

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Competitions

You have different selectors for print and digital, why is that? Mainly to give as many entrants a chance to get an image accepted and maybe even an award. Judging tends to come down to the judge’s personal taste. By changing the judges we hope to achieve a variety of accepted and winning images.

same can happen with any common subject when we get multiple images of the same subject.

How do you choose the selectors? The judges are selected by me so I take ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of the exhibition. Most of the judges however are tried and tested by other exhibitions, both nationally and internationally.

There are also three club trophies up for grabs, can you tell us more about those please? The club trophies were designed to show the variety of individual clubs from across the federation. We have a trophy for PDIs (the Derwent trophy) one for mono prints (the Hiscox trophy) and one for colour prints (the Chesterfield trophy). Clubs select four images with different subjects to make up their club panel. As the images are scored through the selection process these are recorded and totalled up at the end, providing the winning club.

Do you have any advice on how entrants can get their images noticed by the judges? Pictures with impact tend to do better than ones without impact. Images that are technically very good also do very well. The judges only have a few seconds to view the image in front of them and in order to gain a high score it has to have the wow factor or striking simplicity.

Who is the camera club to beat? Without a doubt it’s the Rolls Royce Photographic Society, which has dominated for the past few years and compared to most clubs in the federation has a very small membership. Take 2013: they had 77 accepted images which was almost twice as much as the nearest rivals. In 2014 that figure was increased to 91 and the club also took a lot of the major awards.

ABOVE TOP RIGHT Beachcombers by Gary Langley of Rolls Royce Photographic Society (Derby).

What makes a successful exhibition entry; is there anything entrants should definitely avoid doing? Try and be different or put a different spin on a common subject. Think outside the box to achieve a stunning image. We get loads of images of the same subject and these tend to be common landscape viewpoints. If we get 40 or more images of Bamburgh Castle only one or two will tend to be accepted. The

Any predictions on what types of images you’ll be seeing most of this year? I really wouldn’t like to say – we get some really stunning images and it’s all down to the judges’ personal taste, or lack of it.

ABOVE BOTTOM RIGHT No Passage Landward by Chris Newham of Nottingham Outlaws Photographic Society.

In order to gain a high score it has to have the wow factor or striking simplicity www.photography-news.co.uk

What kinds of images would you personally like to see more of? I would like to see more of our younger members and female members taking part. Also not every club enters so it would be really nice to get at least one image from every club in the federation, for our 60th anniversary. π To find out more, go to www.nempf.org.

RIGHT Hibiba by Jim Edmondson of Bakewell Photographic Circle. TOP LEFT From the Aspects of Burma Panel by Chris Forster of Rolls Royce Photographic Society (Derby).

Want to enter? If you live in Nottingham, Derbyshire or Lincolnshire and are a member of a club affiliated with N&EMPF, then you’ve got until 18 October to enter your images. You can submit up to four images per class and it costs £1 per image. The final exhibition will be held at the Mansfield Museum for a month in the new year. Not local to N&EMPF? Check the PAGB website (www. thepagb.org.uk) for similar exhibitions running in your area.

Issue 12 | Photography News

Opinion SPEAKERS’ CORNER

Unbiased opinions or cutting remarks?

It’s not all about winning, or is it? This month Philippa Wheatcroft CPAGB tackles competing in club photography: who knows best, judge or competitor, or should we just take it all with a pinch of salt? Words by Philippa Wheatcroft CPAGB Criticise, critique, appraise, give feedback, assess, evaluate, review… judge. There, I said it! Why should we be so apprehensive about putting our images into a club competition? How can we change our thoughts to make the process less nerve-racking and more of an enjoyable learning experience? The stated object of my club, the Burton Photographic Society, is the encouragement and advancement of photography among its members. It doesn’t say our aim is to win competitions. I remember one of our speakers, Geoff Hicks, stating that ‘photography is this big’ with arms held wide and ‘competition photography is this big’ with thumb and forefinger held one inch apart. That really helped sum it up for me and I find being a photographer is one of the most rewarding things. So we know there’s a big, old world of photography out there and we also know that competition nights at the club are probably the best attended of our meetings. Putting our pictures into a club competition is a good way of getting an unbiased opinion of them. It is unbiased because the judge on the night has no way of knowing how far we travelled to get the picture, how long we waited for the light to be right, how much the petrol cost, the difficulties we had printing, what our feelings were when we pressed the button or how we’ve strived to understand equipment, composition and colour management. He – and I use that term intentionally because there are very few female judges – has a quick look and decides whether to ‘hold’ it on a pile for another look or not. He’s probably made that decision within the first ten seconds of seeing it. A short time for

We feel we are wearing our hearts on our sleeve when we show our pictures Photography News | Issue 12

your masterpiece, but probably seven seconds longer than if it was being selected for exhibition! The judge is not emotionally attached to our picture. For it to ‘work’ for him it has to provoke an emotion, it has to in some way convey all the feelings that convinced us this was the time to press the shutter and this is how to present that image. All the more upsetting then when it ends up on the reject pile. How can we learn from this and how can we not be discouraged? Firstly we can accept that the judge is right, or at least suspend disbelief for a while. When we put the picture into competition we are asking for his opinion, it’s not right or wrong, it’s just what he thinks. On a different night with a different judge, opinions can vary completely. My rule of thumb is to try to second-guess what he’s going to say about everyone else’s pictures. If I find myself invariably agreeing or being able to predict the comments on all the other pictures and only disagreeing with the evaluation of my own images then I have to accept my emotional attachment is clouding the issue. I’ve come to know that I am not the best judge of my own pictures; I don’t think any of us are. I find it’s very difficult to disassociate myself enough from my own work to make a clinical assessment. So I have to rely on instinct and then take on board the views of people whose opinions I trust. This is where yet more difficulties arise, because it’s much easier to praise an image than to give constructive criticism. One of the most helpful statements I’ve found is: ‘the comments and thoughts of the judge are made about the picture, not you personally.’ Humour also helps, and whilst we take our photography seriously for the main part, having your mate silently giggling at your side can lighten the experience. I particularly remember waiting 40 minutes for an old chap to move off a bench for a picture that I wanted and then the judge commented that the picture would have been better with someone on the bench. And having just spent £1500 on a lens that didn’t vignette, the judge suggested my image would be improved by adding a vignette… We feel we are wearing our hearts on our sleeve when we show our pictures. It’s lovely when they are appreciated and we have managed to communicate to the viewer some small part of the pleasure or pain we had taking the image. But digital photography allows us the luxury of trying again and records all the data we might need to improve our ‘hit rate’ under similar circumstances. We might also expect to receive comments about improving composition, cropping or the postprocessing of an image and we’re expecting the judge to make valid, original remarks on each picture, which should be tailored to the ability level of the

section being judged. Quite a feat of concentration if we consider there may be 120 printed or projected images to review in one evening. As long as we are analysing and learning we cannot help but improve and if the thought of putting a picture in front of a judge sharpens those skills, then we have achieved our aim. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? π To find out more, Philippa recommends An Analysis of Judging by Eddie Sethna at www.monolandscapes.talktalk.net/judging.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEFT & ABOVE One of Philippa’s shots taken in Teesmouth and of her dog Sapphire.

Do you appreciate criticism as well as praise from a judge? Or do you trust your own instinct when it comes to what works with your images? Whatever your stance, let us know your thoughts at opinion@photographynews.co.uk.

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Competitions INTERVIEW

Around the world in prints Husband and wife Chris and Karen Coe co-founded one of the most prestigious and ethical photo competitions around, Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY). We talk to Karen to find out more

Interview by Megan Croft You co-founded the competition with your husband, photographer Chris Coe, back in 2003, what gave you the idea? As a full-time professional travel photographer, Chris was becoming increasingly irritated by the attitude that travel photography was just brochure shots and picture-postcard images and the predictable imagery that was appearing in the media. Knowing that many good photographers struggled to get interesting work published, he decided to do something to show the world that travel photography encompasses so much more. An award to showcase travel imagery from photographers around the world seemed the way to do it. There is an abundance of photo competitions, what do you think makes yours unique? At the time we launched there weren’t many other competitions. As a photographer, Chris wanted to develop a competition, which was ethical and supportive, rather than exploitative, of the photographers who entered. It is driven by these values and his passion for photography. From the outset we’ve taken a strong stance on protecting photographers’ copyright, something not all competitions do. And we have a really strong international panel of judges who are so knowledgeable and scrupulously fair. We’ve offered some remarkable prizes over the years as well, for example Cat Vinton, winner of TPOTY 2007, won a trip to India to photograph the Dalai Lama. Finally, our exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG – Institute of British Geographers) in London each year is a hugely popular event and gets media coverage around the globe. Just how much has the competition grown over the years? Entry numbers have grown significantly but what we find more fascinating is the growth in the number of countries from which we receive entries. I think in that first year it was probably about 34 countries – which

This is not an easy award to win and that alone makes it prestigious Photography News | Issue 12

wasn’t bad considering that this was before the real explosion in online media and social media. But today we receive entries from photographers in over 100 countries and that never ceases to thrill me. What are some of the most significant changes TPOTY has undergone since the start? The move from all print entry to online initial entry followed by print finalists has been a big change, not least because I was no longer surrounded by envelopes and boxes of prints waiting to be opened, logged, labelled and sorted at 3am. Obviously the partnership with the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) was a big step forward in exposure terms, though we’d already had exhibitions at places like the London Eye in earlier years. How have the categories evolved and how do you set the themes? There wasn’t always ten categories. In the early days there were fewer but this growth reflects the evolution of the awards, of photography and the diversity of travel photography, so it’s only appropriate that we have a range of themes. Each year we try to come up with themes that challenge photographers – this is not an easy award to win and that alone makes it prestigious. This year we’ve reformatted it slightly, adding an extra single image category – not everybody has a portfolio of images that work well as a set – and in 2013 we introduced our first all black & white category. We also now have an HD video category, introduced in 2012 to reflect the inclusion of HD video features in the latest digital cameras. We feel that the current format is about right and is something we’ll stick with for the foreseeable future. Who makes up the judging panel? The selected judging panel is representative of a broad spectrum of photography and of image usage. It is international and made up of respected photographers, picture editors, editors or publishers, art buyers, curators, stock photography experts, digital imaging experts and other users of the photographic image. We often – and unusually – include a lay judge. Can you give us an insight into how the judging process works at the competition? There are three rounds of judging. In the first round, a

TOP A photo from 2012 Young Travel Photographer runnerup Felicia Simion. ABOVE Jan Schegel’s image was part of a portfolio that earned him the position of runnerup in the People Watching category in 2012.

small panel of judges assesses all entries on whether they meet the criteria and standard of photography required for the awards and the particular category in which they are entered. In the second round, all entries, which have qualified from round one, are judged independently online by the entire judging panel. The best entries in each category are chosen for the shortlist based on the number of votes they receive from this panel. Top entries are shortlisted for the final (print only) judging round. Finally, the last round is conducted on prints only (except the HD video category) supplied by shortlisted entrants. The final judging round is held over two to three days at the RGS. Shortlisted entries are individually assessed by a judging panel of seven to nine judges. The judges take great care and time to consider all entries and their choices are made following group discussion, some of which is protracted! Where do you receive entries from? Are there any countries that are particularly successful? All over the world! Really! Canada has been amazingly successful, I think we’ve had three overall winners from there, and the USA, UK, Australia and Italy also tend to feature well. Scandinavian photographers also score highly, often with a really clean, documentary style. But we are seeing more and more nationalities feature amongst the shortlists and winners. Our last exhibition featured the work of 22 nationalities. www.photography-news.co.uk

Competitions

23 © Cat Vinton/www.tpoty.com

We will always get some entrants who look at what won the previous year and try to emulate that, which isn’t a good idea Is there any location in the world that you’d like to see more photos of? Probably Europe, including the UK. We see so many exotic locations, that it would be nice to see something closer to home, although in 2012 Craig Easton did win the Cutty Sark Award for his shots of Paris and Scotland. The Middle East would also be good; Australian photographer Jason Edwards’ images of camel racing in Oman in TPOTY 2013 were fantastic.

What are some of the more unusual sights you’ve seen through the competition? We get to see just how ingenious people can be; for example, no matter how financially deprived a community might be, the children will create something to play with; something that might put to shame some of the more privileged children of the developed world. We’ve also seen some fascinating things such as James Morgan’s image of the fiveyear-old boy swimming with the pet shark that lived under his (stilt) house – and so many different festivals and celebrations. For me, personally, the image that stays with me (literally, as I have the exhibition print at home!) is Mark Edward Harris’s extraordinary photograph of children in Vietnam marching to their first day at school. He is a remarkable photographer, and the atmosphere he has created in that black & white shot is simply stunning. How do you see the competition changing and developing in the future? We are working on setting up a programme of touring exhibitions. TPOTY at the RGS is such a popular event that there is demand for it elsewhere, and not just in the UK, of course. That would give incredible exposure to our winning photographers in the near future.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give to those fancying their chances in TPOTY? Read the brief. Then read it again. Enter your best pictures, not your favourite ones. Ask a friend before you send in your entry and listen to their advice on your choice of pictures! π To find out more about the competition, go to www.tpoty.com. www.photography-news.co.uk

We’re approaching the deadline for entries for 2014 TPOTY. What are your trend predictions? I really couldn’t call it and I hope the photographers surprise us. Often, unsurprisingly but not exclusively, the locations reflect the current travel trends. We will always get some entrants who look at what won the previous year and try to emulate that, which isn’t a good idea. Some years ago we said we’d had too many Buddhist monk images and that has now slowed down, but, who knows, this could be the year they make a return! One of the strengths and exciting things about TPOTY is that the style and subject of the winning images are hard to predict.

ABOVE TOP A shot from Cat Vinton’s 2013 portfolio. RIGHT Darwin Wiggett’s icy winning photo from 2008. LEFT Mark Edward Harris’s shot of Vietnamese children marching to school. ABOVE LEFT James Morgan captures a five-year-old boy swimming with his pet shark.

Enter the competition The closing date of 1 October isn’t far off now, but there’s still chance to get your entry in. There are ten categories to choose from, including portfolio, single image and a video category, and all entries can be submitted online or by post. If your entry has made the shortlist, you’ll be asked to supply prints by 20 November if you haven’t already. The website has a really comprehensive guide to entry and an extensive FAQ section, making entering a painless process.

Issue 12 | Photography News

Camera review

Compact system cameras big test: part 2 The very first CSCs on the scene were Micro Four Thirds cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. We find out exactly what four of the latest models are capable of Words by Ian Fyfe

The latest compact system cameras (CSCs) with their APS-C or full-frame sensors match DSLRs when it comes to image quality, but have the advantage of being smaller cameras, hence their popularity. But there are systems based around smaller sensors that offer an even greater size advantage. One of the main players here – indeed the largest CSC system of all in terms of lenses available – is the Micro Four Thirds system, developed by Olympus and Panasonic. The Micro Four Thirds sensor is the same size as the original Four Thirds system used in Olympus digital SLRs at 18x13.5mm with an effective imaging area of 17.3x13mm. Despite the smaller sensor, Olympus and Panasonic claim image quality that rivals that of larger sensor DSLRs. The smaller sensor means a crop factor of two compared with the 35mm format and this gives a big advantage with telephoto lenses – a 70-300mm lens, for example, effectively Photography News | Issue 12

becomes a 140-600mm lens. But there are downsides to the smaller sensor size. Smaller sensors risk lower image quality, with issues such as limited dynamic range and higher noise levels. Achieving shallow depth-of-field is not so easy either. Although they use the same system, Olympus and Panasonic have quite different offerings. Olympus’s cameras have iconic retro designs with very tactile controls, and are split into two levels – the OM-D range, aimed at serious enthusiasts and professionals, and the simpler, more compact PEN range. Panasonic’s Lumix G range, with more modern design and flexibility in the controls, is also split into two categories – those that are styled like DSLRs (GH and G series), and those that are more compact (GX and GF series). The lower-end models of each are ideal for those stepping up or as affordable but capable second cameras, but the

top-end models are serious investments. The flagships cost more than any flagship APS-C DSLR, in the same ballpark as entry-level full-frame DSLRs. In this final part of our CSC comparison test, we compare four Micro Four Thirds models and their performance in resolution and ISO. From Olympus we have the flagship OM-D E-M1 and the entry-level OM-D E-M10, and from Panasonic the flagship GH4 and top camera in the more compact line-up, the GX7.

Lower-end models of each are ideal for those stepping up or as affordable but capable second cameras www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review

Olympus OM-D E-M1 After the OM-D E-M5’s success, Olympus developed an OM-D for professionals – the OM-D E-M1. It has the same retro styling as the E-M5, except for a more chunky handgrip. The viewfinder is up there with the best, and performs well in low light, keeping colours vibrant. A Dual Fast AF system includes phase detection pixels so using old Four Thirds lenses is seamless. Micro Four Thirds lenses use only contrast detection, but this is very quick nonetheless. In continuous AF mode, phase detection joins in and the dual system does an impressive job of keeping moving subjects in focus when shooting bursts of up to 6.5fps. Also featured is the excellent OM-D five-axis sensor-shift image stabilisation. After inputting the focal length of the lens you’re using, the effect is great. Sharp images at an equivalent focal length of 300mm using a shutter speed of 1/20sec.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 KEY SPECS PRICE £1949 with 12-40mm lens CONTACT www.olympus.co.uk SENSOR 16.3-megapixel Live MOS with TruePic VII engine ISO RANGE ISO 100-25,600 (expanded) AUTOFOCUS Single, continuous, manual SHOOTING SPEED Single, continuous 10fps, self-timer DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 130.4x93.5x63.1mm WEIGHT 497g (inc. battery and memory card)

Panasonic GH4 The headlines about the GH4 have been about its 4K video skills, but it’s first and foremost a stills camera for serious photographers. It feels good in the hand, but it’s big and not far off the size of a DSLR – the usual size advantage is reduced, but the 2x crop factor still means a huge advantage when it comes to lenses. White-balance, ISO and exposure compensation buttons are within easy reach on the top-plate, and the buttons across the back offer quick control. Custom control options are plentiful – five physical and five virtual Fn buttons, assignable to one of at least 50 functions. Focusing is based on contrast detection, but incorporates Depth from Defocus (DFD) technology, a kind of software-based phase detection – speed is on a par with Olympus’s Fast AF. A sensor and processor designed to cope with 4K means an impressive top shooting rate of 12fps, or 7.5fps with continuous focusing. www.photography-news.co.uk

You could mistake the E-M10 for the E-M5 – it’s the same design, although a little smaller. This can make handling a little cramped – an accessory handgrip helps, for an extra £54. Otherwise, handling is excellent with plenty of direct control and incorporation of 2x2 control from the E-M1 via an assigned button. You can also assign multifunction capabilities to one button, and together with six programmable buttons, it all makes for excellent flexibility. Most of the technology inside the E-M10 is a mix of features from the other two OM-Ds. The sensor is the same as the E-M5, and in many ways the E-M10 offers more than the E-M5. The main area where it falls short is in the image stabilisation, a three-axis system rather than five-axis that reduces the advantage on paper, but is still very good. We could get a third of shots sharp at 1/20sec, even using a focal length equivalent to 600mm.

KEY SPECS PRICE £679 with 14-42mm lens CONTACT www.olympus.co.uk SENSOR 16.1-megapixel Live MOS with TruePic VII ISO RANGE 100-25,600 (expanded) AUTOFOCUS Single, continuous, tracking, manual SHOOTING SPEED Single, continuous 8fps, self-timer DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 119.1x82.3x45.9mm WEIGHT 396g (inc. battery and memory card)

Panasonic GX7 KEY SPECS PRICE £1749 with 14-140mm lens CONTACT www.panasonic.co.uk SENSOR 16.05-megapixel Live MOS with Venus Engine ISO RANGE ISO 100-25,600 (expanded) AUTOFOCUS Single, flexible, continuous, manual SHOOTING SPEED Single, continuous 12fps, self-timer DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 127x95.5x41.7mm WEIGHT 560g (inc. battery and memory card)

The GX7 sits at the top of Panasonic’s CSC lines that aren’t styled like DSLRs. It’s much smaller than the GH4, although the magnesium alloy chassis is still solid, and the handgrip is chunky. The viewfinder has an impressive resolution with 2.76 million dots. It also tilts upwards by 90˚, positionable at any point along the way, or there’s the tiltable LCD. There are dual command dials and other main controls on the directional selector buttons, but nine Fn buttons, including five on the touchscreen, give you flexibility. Focusing is contrast detection based so requires hunting, but it happens very fast. A Low Light AF system provides claimed sensitivity down to -4EV, and performance was impressive. The GX7 was the first Panasonic to feature in-body image stabilisation. We were getting 60 per cent of shots sharp at 1/25sec when using a focal length equivalent to 400mm, so it’s an impressive system.

KEY SPECS PRICE £599 with 14-42mm lens CONTACT www.panasonic.co.uk SENSOR 16-megapixel Live MOS with Venus Engine ISO RANGE ISO 125-25,600 (expanded) AUTOFOCUS Single, flexible, continuous, manual SHOOTING SPEED Single, continuous 5fps, self-timer DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 122.6x70.7x54.6mm WEIGHT 402g (inc. battery and memory card)

Issue 12 | Photography News

Camera review ISO performance ISO performance was assessed by shooting a variety of scenes at all ISO levels for each camera, including the dimly lit daylit scene shown. With all four cameras tested, the same focal length was used throughout, and the cameras were mounted on tripods, triggered with the self-timer. ISO sensitivity was progressively increased, with exposure controlled in aperture-priority mode. All noise reduction was turned off as far as possible incamera, and the Raw images were converted in Lightroom 5 with no noise reduction applied. All four cameras put in a very similar performance when it came to noise levels. ISO 100 to 400 was just about perfectly clean, certainly with no noticeable impact on image

quality. For all but the OM-D E-M1, noise starts to impact on detail from ISO 800, but in all cases the grain at this level was minimal and there was just a slight reduction in contrast and detail. It’s a similar story at ISO 1600, which is perfectly usable in all cases, but probably the last level you can use without thinking more carefully about the impact. At all but ISO 25,600, where all four are as bad as each other, the OM-D E-M1 has an advantage. This isn’t huge, and in fact it’s less to do with the amount of noise in the images, and more about the sharper and more detailed images it starts with. Where the others lose detail as noise increases, the E-M1’s images hold up better because they have slightly more detail to start with.

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10

PANASONIC GH4

PANASONIC GX7

ISO 200

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO 25,600

Photography News | Issue 12

www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review

Resolution The current crop of Micro Four Thirds cameras from both Olympus and Panasonic all have 16-megapixel sensors. The accordance and lack of increase in recent top-end releases suggests that the sensor size is perhaps a barrier to any higher resolution at this stage, but 16 megapixels is plenty for A3-size prints. We took a variety of shots with each of the cameras to see how much each gets out of its pixel quota in Raw and JPEG files. All comparison shots were taken at the same focal length and aperture, and the centre point was focused on the same spot in the scene. Since the lens mounts are the same, each camera was used with the same lens to allow a direct comparison – we chose the Panasonic Lumix 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 for this.

Differences between Raw files were marginal, and only significant for the finest of details viewed at full size on-screen. The E-M1’s images are sharper and contain more detail, undoubtedly down to the fact that it’s the only camera of the four that has no antialiasing filter. Between the other three, it was a close run, although the E-M10 perhaps has a slight edge over the Panasonics. Treatment of images for JPEGs is similar in all four – some contrast is added, and in the main this increases sharpness. Probably the most dramatic effect is in the GH4 images – the Raw files are the softest, but JPEGs are sharpened nicely to bring them in line with the others. There is some slight blocking up of colours, but this is minimal and similar in all four cameras.

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10

PANASONIC GH4

PANASONIC GX7

JPEG

RAW

The verdict Micro Four Thirds cameras are certainly a category worth considering if the size of your camera is an issue. The compact bodies and lenses mean they’re much smaller and lighter than DSLRs, and for some this will outweigh any sacrifices in capability. And as our tests have shown, these sacrifices are not big. For current DSLR users, the attraction of a Micro Four Thirds model may well depend on the sensor format of your current camera. The performance of the Micro Four Thirds cameras in terms of image quality wasn’t far behind the APS-C format Nikon D5300. Resolution was a little short, but there was nothing to separate the ISO performance and noise. As a backup or even replacement for an APS-C DSLR then, these cameras have a lot of appeal. For full-frame users, the gap in performance is much bigger, as you would expect. Both in terms of resolution and image noise, the bigger sensor showed clear benefits, and to consider the Micro Four Thirds format as a second camera or alternative to your full-frame camera requires more careful weighing up of the pros and cons.

Performance of all four Micro Four Thirds cameras was very similar, and there was very little to separate them – the main differences are a matter of features, handling and price. The GX7 is perhaps the most limited in terms of handling, although it’s very compact and its core performance was similar to the GH4. The GH4 itself was excellent all round, and of course there’s that 4K video. Its main disadvantage

Performance of all four Micro Four Thirds cameras was very similar, and there was very little to separate them – the main differences are a matter of features, handling and price www.photography-news.co.uk

is its size, which doesn’t maximise the benefit of the compact system. Although there was very little to choose between these cameras, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 did stand out for its still image quality. The sensor, without an optical low pass filter, produced images that stood out from the rest for their sharpness and detail, and this helped images hold out better at higher ISO sensitivities. The OM-D E-M10 is also a very interesting prospect though, since it’s an awful lot smaller, yet shares many features with both the E-M1 and the middle camera in the series, the E-M5. Considering that the price is down alongside most other entrylevel CSCs, it’s fantastic value for OM-D performance.

The full version of this CSC test, including comparisons with DSLRs, appeared in issue 45, 46 and 47 of Advanced Photographer. Issues 45, 46 and 47 are available to back order from http:// bit.ly/apissues.

Issue 12 | Photography News

Kit reviews

Mini tests

Our regular look at some of the latest photographic kit to land on dealers’ shelves Words by Will Cheung

SPECS

Hoya PRO ND filters

£70-185

PRICES 77mm £165 guide price, street price around £79 CONTACT www.intro2020.co.uk SIZES 49-82mm STRENGTHS ND 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, 64x, 100x, 200x, 500x, 1000x WEIGHT 33g (77mm fit)

Extreme long exposure filters are often referred to as extreme neutral density (ND) filters, but they’re generally not neutral. To be fair, most (but not all) makers of extreme NDs make it perfectly clear that a correction is needed. The Lee Filters Big Stopper is cool and needs a Kelvin white-balance setting of 10,000K, while the B+W 110 is warm and 4000K is a good setting. Shoot Raw, of course, and corrections can be made in software. For sheer convenience, having an extreme ND that is neutral is handy and saves time. The camera, for example, can be left on AWB as you switch from normal photography to shooting long exposures. The Hoya PRO ND range claims to be neutral, and features nine strengths of filters from 4x to 1000x. We tested the three strongest strengths on offer: the ND200 absorbs 7.6EV, the ND500 9EV and the ND1000 reduces light by 10EV. All strengths are available in screw-in sizes from 49mm to 82mm. The neutrality in PRO ND filters is thanks to Hoya’s ACCU-ND technology and the coating used also means that there’s no colour shift between filter strengths.

PRO ND 200, AWB

I tested the three filters using a tripod-mounted Nikon D800 first set to AWB and then at individual Kelvin settings. See below for more details. Light absorption was measured using a Gossen Digipro F light meter. The three filters tried here were as quoted by Hoya. The Raw files were processed in Lightroom 5 with the white-balance slider set to As Shot. The results, as you can see, are impressive and neutral as claimed by Hoya. They are also consistent from strength to strength. I thought if anything there might have been a colour shift issue with the strongest filter but it worked fine and proved to be neutral.

NO FILTER, AWB, 1/320SEC AT F/8

PRO ND 200, 5560K

The verdict PRO ND 500, AWB

PRO ND 500, 5560K

PRO ND 1000, AWB

PRO ND 1000, 5560K

ABOVE A series of images taken with Hoya PRO ND filters on a tripod-mounted Nikon D800 starting with an unfiltered AWB shot as a control. Then the filter was added and AWB used again, followed by a sequence of manual Kelvin images from 4000K through to 10,000K using the camera’s presets. We’ve only shown the 5560K result here. The base unfiltered exposure was 1/320sec at f/8 and ISO 100, and the filter factor was then applied to give

Photography News | Issue 12

the exposure for each ND filter. Processing settings in Lightroom 5 were the same for each image. There are minor variations in the results, which are probably due to changing cloud cover, although all shots were taken when the sun was shining over a seven-minute spell. From these results, you can see that each Hoya PRO ND filter can confidently be used with AWB knowing that a neutral outcome will be the result.

Hoya has long been known as a filter manufacturer of high integrity and it certainly shows here. It claims its ND range is neutral and indeed that’s what we found: neutral and optically excellent too, with minimal flare when shooting towards the light. The filters are also easy to clean using a LensPen Filter or a microfibre cloth; finger grease and other nasties came off without leaving any residue or marks. Price-wise the Hoya PRO ND competes strongly with other screw-fit brands and so can be highly recommended. We found one UK dealer selling the 77mm 1000x filter at £79; its guide price is £165, so that seems an exceptionally good deal. PROS Neutral results with AWB, consistent colour rendering across the range CONS Nothing of note, shop around for the best price

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Kit reviews SPECS PRICE £109 CONTACT www.manfrotto.co.uk CONSTRUCTION High density nylon fabric POCKETS Eight including for tripod and laptop RAIN PROTECTOR Supplied AVAILABILITY Black only DIMENSIONS (HXLXW) External 48x30x23cm Main compartment 23x30x17cm Tripod compartment 40x10x10cm Laptop pocket 46x30x2cm WEIGHT 1.45kg (unladen)

SPECS PRICE £11.95 CONTACT www.permajet.com TEST PACKS Digital Photo range: Product code APJ20040 30 sheets, A4 – Oyster 271 5x sheets, Smooth Pearl 280 5x sheets, Titanium Lustre 280 3x sheets, Gloss 271 5x sheets, Matt Plus 3x sheets, Smooth Gloss 280 3x sheets, Ultra Pearl 295 3x sheets, Matt proofing 3x sheets FB Baryta range: Product code APJ20045 14 sheets A4, two sheets each of: FB Gold Silk 315, FB Gloss 295, FB Gloss Warmtone 295, FB Royal 325, FB Delta Matt 285, FB Photo Art Pearl 290, FB Distinction 360

Manfrotto Advanced Travel Backpack £109 Manfrotto, world renowned for its tripods and studio products, has been making waves in the camera bag market over the past few years, and the range includes everything from fashion photo bags to pro rollers and the like. I’ve been trying one of its latest releases, the Advanced Travel Backpack which sells for £109, and sports one or two nice features. The first thing to say is that it’s surprisingly spacious given its fairly low profile – it’s not a backpack that’ll cause consternation when the wearer spins around in a crowded place. The main compartment is divided into two sections, but is easily converted into one compartment. The lower half is intended for photo kit and the top compartment for the essentials of travel like waterproofs, guidebooks and so on. I found the top section just as useful to hold a camera. Actually, there is enough room for a Nikon D800 and a standard zoom, plus my pack of Lee filters. Then in the lower section I had two more zooms, plus a second camera body with a prime standard lens – all without kit rubbing against kit. There are other small pockets for extra filters, lens cloths, quick release plates, spare cards and batteries.

The verdict

Should you want to cart a laptop around, the padded rear pocket is big enough for a 13in model, but nothing larger. More unusually there is an expanding pocket for a tripod. It’s designed for the Manfrotto Befree travel tripod, but similar small pods will fit. Bigger tripods can be accommodated if you don’t zip the compartment up, plus there are hanging straps on the outside for larger pods. In fact, without a tripod in the pocket, the bag could easily unbalance when put down on its side. I thought the bag worked really well, offering a high level of protection and being very usable.

I came away from testing this backpack with lots of positives. For me, this slim profile bag’s ability to take two cameras, three or even four lenses plus stuff like filters and spare batteries is very impressive. Carrying comfort is good too, even when fully laden with tripod and laptop or tablet. A broader waist strap would be a good idea as I didn’t find the supplied thin one very comfortable and took it off. Stylish, good-looking and practical, it offers a high level of protection at an attractive price. PROS Versatility, tripod compartment, lots of pockets CONS It can overbalance when stood on its side

PermaJet Test Packs £11.95 Home printers are blessed with a huge choice of media, of all finishes and weights, but some photographers still play it safe, sticking with the paper they’ve always used. A sampler pack of paper could be the way forward though, and PermaJet, leading third-party provider of inkjet media, has recently updated its paper test packs. Two new sampler packs are available, both A4 and priced at £11.95. Test Pack 1 features 30 sheets and eight finishes from PermaJet’s Digital Photo range and includes the every popular Oyster 271, Smooth Pearl 280 and the fairly new Titanium Lustre 280. Test Pack 2 has fewer sheets – 14 – and here you get two sheets each of seven surfaces featured in PermaJet’s FB Baryta range including three of my personal favourites, FB Royal 325, FB Gloss Warmtone 295 and FB Gold Silk 315. Each test pack comes with a sampler swatch of every PermaJet material, which is a nice little bonus. An instruction sheet tells you the layer order of the different finishes in the box and that the papers are packed printing side up. The sheet also provides a couple of rather useful handling tips: write the paper type very lightly on the back in pencil in case the papers get shuffled around (also handy when you are comparing prints afterwards); and how to identify the printing surface again if the papers get shuffled around. I also kept a note of each finish as I used them.

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The verdict

There’s also advice about ICC printing profiles. Generic profiles for popular printers are available free from the PermaJet website and if you buy a full pack of paper later, you can claim free custom profiles made for your system. For this review, I downloaded the free generic profiles for my printer, an Epson Pro Stylus 3880, following the detailed instructions. Once installed, I picked a bunch of images and spent a happy hour or so printing. I was getting good, accurate prints straightaway.

These two new test packs are a great, costeffective way to sample a selection of the many surfaces PermaJet has to offer. Three other test packs are also available, Smooth Art, Textured Art and Canvas, so check the website for size and price details. For those photographers who like me loved making prints on fibre-based materials in their darkroom, the FB Baryta test pack has an extra special appeal. PROS Trying different surfaces at low cost CONS None

Issue 12 | Photography News

Opinion BEFORE THE JUDGE

Richard Walton FRPS Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences. This month, long-time judge Richard Walton voices his opinions MEET THE JUDGE Richard Walton FRPS: Richard’s fair

Home club:

Invicta Photographic Club

Years in photography:

First camera in 1958 Family snaps until 1988 26 years of serious photography

Favourite camera: Canon EOS 6D

Favourite lens:

Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Favourite photographers:

Major influences – Cartier-Bresson, Bill Wisden, Vic Attfield, Dave Mason

Favourite photographic subjects:

Street with an element of graphic design

Awards won:

London Salon Medals – 1999, 2001 Drawer full of various medals, ribbons and certificates in local, PAGB, national and international exhibitions Plus FRPS EFIAP MPAGB BPE3*

My first club judging back in 1993 was a three-way inter-club battle. I stood in for a very experienced judge who had to back out at the last minute. I was absolutely terrified but the evening was a success and all three clubs invited me back. Someone must have put my name about and the bookings began to roll in. As time went on, I found I loved judging and couldn’t get enough of it, despite the ups and downs of being the controversial bloke up front. I’ve always believed that a good judge should do more than just choose winners and losers, rather they should provide a sound and cohesive critique and suggest ways a photograph might be improved. A good judge should never denigrate a picture, but point out areas where improvement could be made; share his knowledge; educate; and entertain. Judges in general get a poor press, which, sadly, is often justified, mainly because of an unwillingness to open their minds to new ideas and techniques. There is also a tendency to be frightened of using a wide range of marks through fear of upsetting people. A good judge should be honest not only with the audience, but also with himself and be able to justify his comments and decisions. With the advent of affordable and accessible digital photography and the wealth of tutorials available on the Internet, the standard of photography entered in competitions has certainly improved. Initially, it seemed that traditional silver-based work had run its course and would become little more than a distant memory. It is a credit to a dedicated band of darkroom devotees that traditional silver work is very much alive. I have to admit that a finely handcrafted silver print gives me great pleasure on the odd occasion one appears on the judging easel. This, of course, begs the question, how has club photography changed over the years I’ve been judging? The answer is that it has, but not as much as one would perhaps expect, given the speed at which technology has advanced. The problem, if it is indeed a problem, is that the average club competition is frequently little more than a parade of safe, reworked theme pictures and worn out clichés with little evidence of personal input, much as it was 20 years ago. It is a genuine breath of fresh air when one comes across a photographer, who is questioning the ‘rules’ and brave enough to push the boundaries of photography into uncharted territory. Of course, fashions change. Currently, the highdefinition grungy portrait in front of a contrived background is very much in vogue. I really enjoyed the first few I judged, but when the few became a torrent of essentially identical images I rapidly began to lose the will to live! The overuse of Photoshop plug-ins, particularly those based on HDR, is equally formula driven and rarely inspires. Don’t get me wrong, plug-ins when used sympathetically and subtly can work very well and deserve recognition, but silk purses are rarely created from sow’s ears.

Photography News | Issue 12

The average club competition is frequently little more than a parade of safe, reworked theme pictures and worn out clichés with little evidence of personal input, much as it was 20 years ago © Richard Walton

and honest style of judging has won him great favour in the more than 20 years he’s been judging and he’s now joined assessment panels at the prestigious Royal Photographic Society

Words by Richard Walton

This conveniently brings me onto subjective and objective judging. We’ve all heard a judge say, ‘I don’t like portraits’, or whatever. The very best judges can push their personal likes and dislikes to one side and concentrate on the crux of the matter, which is whether the image is of high merit or not, whatever the genre, whatever the technique employed. I enjoy all types of judging and selection events, from those at the smallest clubs right up to the big names of the club world and find it hugely rewarding. With the prestigious national and international exhibitions the task is not so much to judge as to select an exhibition that will showcase the very best images from both club and non-club photographers, with something to appeal to a very wide audience. In this case, with an ever-increasing entry, the judges who make up the usual team of three must be experienced enough to react to and accurately score an image very quickly. It is not unusual to be asked to assess a couple of thousand pictures in a day, it can be done and does happen. Working within a team can, at times, be frustrating, but fallouts rare. In 2001, I was invited to join the Royal Photographic Society’s Licentiate assessment team and in 2011 the Visual Art panel which assesses both Associate and Fellowship applications. Both appointments presented yet another new challenge, needing a very different approach from that which I was used

to. Rather than looking at individual images and marking them against each other, or selecting an exhibition, I was now assessing a photographer’s ability to work to a rigid set of criteria resulting in a body of images that worked both individually and, when ordered thoughtfully, held together as a cohesive panel. Over a period of some 26 years, photography has given me so much and become a massive part of my life. From quite early days I felt I wanted to give something back by helping others realise their dreams. Judging has enabled me to fulfil this goal by sharing my own enthusiasm and experience. Long may it continue. π To find out more about Richard’s work, visit www.richardwalton.co.uk.

What do you think? Have you seen a photographic judge at work that you’d like to see profiled in Photography News? If so please drop us a line to opinion@photography-news.co.uk with the judge’s name and, if possible, their contact details.

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Technique

PHOTO SCHOOL

Camera class

Everyone has to start somewhere, even top pros, and in our regular Photo School feature we look at the core techniques that every beginner needs to know. This month in Camera Class we look at focusing modes, and in Software Skills, we show how to improve sharpness in Lightroom Words by Kingsley Singleton

Single-shot autofocus Best for: portraits, landscapes One-Shot AF (Canon) or AF-S (Nikon) is the most common form of focusing. You place your selected AF point over the part of the scene where you want focus to fall, then half-press the shutter or use a dedicated AF-ON button. Focus is then locked until you press the shutter or button again and, depending on your settings, the camera may not fire until it has found focus. The advantage is in the speed and precision of putting the focus right where you want it, for example: you can focus on the eye of your subject in a portrait or the foreground of a landscape. But if the subject (or you) is moving, it’s not so suitable.

Continuous autofocus Best for: sports, action AI Servo (Canon) or AF-C (Nikon) mode will focus and refocus on the subject for as long as it is activated by half-pressing the shutter button or using the AF-ON button. This makes it useful when the subject is moving, whether it’s across the frame, towards you or away from you. In these situations, single-shot AF would produce a blurred image having focused before the subject moved. The ability of your camera to keep the subject sharp in this mode is dependent on the speed and accuracy of its AF system (and that of the lens it’s twinned with). It also uses more power because the lens servo is in constant use.

Manual focus (M) Best for: still life, macro This is the traditional and most basic form of focusing. It can also ultimately be the most versatile and accurate, but it takes care and time to get right. Switching the camera’s focus mode to ‘M’, the lens is focused using a ring on its barrel. It’s difficult to focus manually using just your camera’s viewfinder, so the next time you do it, try switching to live view mode and using the magnify mode on your camera’s screen. This displays a live feed from the sensor and shows all parts of the scene, even those not covered by AF points, so it’s possible to see exactly what will be produced when you take the picture.

ADOBE LIGHTROOM

Software skills Part 12: Increasing sharpness

Almost all digital pics will benefit from some sharpening due to the way they’re recorded, and while Lightroom has various presets for sharpening available when you Export, the level of enhancement is best tailored to individual pics – and that’s where the sliders under the Develop module’s Detail panel come in. Digital sharpening works by increasing micro-contrast, so it’s important to realise that you can only add to what’s already there, rather than bring blurred areas back into focus. You can get a preview of each slider’s effect by pressing Alt as you move it – and here’s how to use them on your pics. n Step 1: Magnify The Detail panel contains a 100% preview window (click on the left-facing arrow to open it), but it’s useful to see a wider view via the main image area, so first click 1:1 in the Navigator (top left) to get a 100% view. Beneath, you’ll find four sliders which all do something to increase sharpness in your image and they’re best used in reverse order. ABOVE When using the sliders within the Detail panel, it’s best to start with Masking, which broadly decides what will and won’t be sharpened, then move onto the other options.

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n Step 2: Masking and Detail sliders The Masking slider controls where sharpening is applied. Hold the Alt key as you move it and you’ll see areas shown in black

and white – the black areas aren’t sharpened. Use a higher setting to avoid sharpening smooth parts, like the clear sky behind the plane in our example, and keep it on the subject. The Detail slider also affects where sharpening takes place: a low level restricts sharpening to only the more prominent edges and a high setting sharpens textures throughout the whole image. n Step 3: Radius and Amount sliders The Radius and Amount sliders control the width and intensity of the sharpening effect respectively. To sharpen only fine details, like the aircraft, or textures in a landscape, use a low Radius setting. The Amount slider controls the increase in contrast that’s applied to the image and therefore how defined edges will become. The higher you push it, the more likely fringing will appear, so use it sparingly.

NEXT MONTH: More focusing skills and problems solved. Plus how to add sharpness using Lightroom’s Local Adjustment tools. Issue 12 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 12

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 12

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 12

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 12

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Issue 12 | Photography News

Prize wordsearch

Win new Samsung memory! You can capture all life’s special moments securely with Samsung’s ultra-reliable new range of high performance PRO SD cards. PRO cards support UHS-I and offer read speeds of up to 90MB/s. They are also water- and shockproof, and resistant to extreme temperatures, X-rays and magnets, plus they come with a ten-year limited warranty. We’re giving away one 16GB PRO SDHC card and one 32GB PRO SDHC card. Just complete the wordsearch below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@ photography-news.co.uk with that word in the subject line by 20 October 2014, and you could be a winner! π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com. E

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Photography News | Issue 12