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A flying start for Panasonic
anything to release me from my picture-taking fug. I’m keen to hear from PN readers who have suffered from similar states of mind – and what you did about it. But enough about me, how are you? I trust you had a restful festive period and are excited to see what 2023 can offer you and your photography. You’ll be pleased to hear PN will be with you all the way as we revert to a monthly format. You can see what this issue has in store below – two big camera tests, ideas for holidays and courses and, of course, more guides and tests in case you have some surplus cash after Christmas. One date for your diary is Photo 24, which I’m delighted to announce will be back this year – find initial details on page 9. I’m sure many among you will be happy to hear I’ve twisted Will Cheung’s arm to come help out. We’re switching things up this year, with a new location to test your photography skills on. Sadly, it isn’t North Norfolk – I’ll push for that next year – but if you head up my way in 2023, you’ll probably see me around. I’ll be the one with a big smile on my face, photographing anything and everything. Here’s to a great 2023 – I’ll catch you out there.
EDITOR’S LETTER ROGER PAYNE
Continued from page 1
The video differences lie in the fact that the S5IIX can record Apple ProRes All-Intra footage up to 5.8K to an SSD via HDMI or USB, or Apple ProRes Raw to an Atomos device. It also supports wired and wireless IP streaming and USB tethering. A raft of advanced video functions can be found, based on user feedback. These include Real Time LUT, which allows colour grading LUTs to be uploaded to an SD card and applied in-camera, waveform monitor, vectorscope and zebra patterns. Improvements aren’t purely to the tech spec. Panasonic has added a new eight-way joystick, expanded the drive dial and improved the free- angle three-inch touchscreen LCD and OLED EVF. The magnesium alloy body is splash and dust resistant, plus there’s more connectivity options, with both models featuring a full- size HDMI socket and USB 3.2 Gen 2 terminal. Wireless connectivity has been boosted, with 5GHz Wi-Fi added to the existing 2.4GHz. Further enhancements, including Live View Composite and Raw data output will follow with firmware updates. “Thanks to a new engine, both bodies feature a Lumix first: Phase Hybrid AF”
Some personal news. Over Christmas, I moved house. From a stress perspective, I wouldn’t recommend it, but I now live in what I think is one of the most beautiful parts of the country – North Norfolk. I’m like a child on Christmas Eve thinking of the photo opportunities I now have on my doorstep. I may go as far as ordering a new camera to celebrate what will be a busy 12 months of picture taking. We’ll see. While I accept moving house is a drastic way to inject new life into my photography, I must say my output had become a tad stale in the past few years. If you listened to the PN Podcast (though we’ve stopped recording, episodes are still available on the website), I regularly spoke of my struggles to find reasons to go out with my camera. It’s a creative hurdle I think many photographers go through. Looking back, I should have got in the car and gone for a drive or tried something new – Roger Payne
AHEAD OF THE PACK The Lumix S5II combines great spec with new technology
features a micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure changes. The Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 Macro comprises 14 elements in ten groups, weighs 345g and has a 15cm minimum focusing distance. Moviemakers are well catered for with controls to vary the speed at which focus is changed, minimal focus breathing and a micro-step aperture control. Like the 12-35mm, it’s dust, water and freeze resistant and has a fluorine coating on the front element. Both ultra wide-angle zooms will be available in February for £879.99. panasonic.com/uk
Alongside the new camera bodies, Panasonic announced a brace of ultra wide-angle zooms, one for Micro Four Thirds users, the other for full-frame. The Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 for Micro Four Thirds offers a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout its range, a splash- and dust-resistant finish, plus optical IS in a lens that weighs just 306g. The 14 lens elements in nine groups feature four aspherical, one ultra extra-low dispersion (UED) and one ultra-high refractive index (UHR) element, while Nano Surface Coating reduces flare and ghosting. Its design minimises focus breathing and
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What’s inside 03 News We had a rousing end to 2022 and it looks like 2023 has kicked off in similar fashion. Panasonic wins the award for first camera launch of the new year with two new models, plus we have
16 Big test: Canon EOS R6 Mark II Canon’s latest mirrorless is a speed demon, but is it a one-trick pony or an able all-rounder? Editor Roger Payne puts it through its paces 22 Big test: OM System OM-5 Will Cheung gets hands-on with the second camera in the revamped OM System’s range. See how this mid-priced Micro Four Thirds stacks up 31 NEW SERIES! Making movies Do the video settings on your camera leave you feeling flummoxed? Our brand-new series is designed to help you get your head around the fundamentals of filmmaking 35 Buyers’ guide: lighting Flash, LED, mains, battery – whatever your lighting (and budget) requirements, we have
options for you to consider in our round-up of the key players in this illuminating world 43 First tests A quartet of stylish Langly bags, a Fujifilm telezoom and a brace of Rotolight LEDs are given the Photography News verdict by our team of experts
all the latest from around the photo world 09 Samsung word search and Photo 24 What’s the missing word from this month’s word search? Work it out and you could win yourself a Samsung memory card! Plus – drum
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roll please – Photo 24 is back for 2023! Find out the location and dates now, with plenty more details to follow 11 Courses & holidays Making photography plans for the year? Don’t book until you’ve read our handy guide. From far-flung trips to options closer to home, we have a selection of ideas for you to pore over
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Issue 103 | Photography News 3
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