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Lens and mic complete new trio
EDITOR’S LETTER ROGER PAYNE
Continued from page 1
suppressing other noise, perfect for recording interviews and selfie videos. Various filters to minimise background noise, vibration and low-frequency signals also make an appearance. When connected to the Multi Interface Shoe of a compatible camera with a built-in digital audio interface, the audio signal is directly transferred to the camera in digital form, so no degradation occurs. The A6700 retails for around £1450 body only and the ECM-M1 mic for £349, while the FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II will be about £1750 once it goes on sale in September. sony.co.uk
possible when paired with Sony’s flagship A1. A ‘Mode3’ SteadyShot setting has been added to provide stability when shooting subjects in motion, and a detachable tripod mount is included to boost this further, while the lens has a dust- and moisture-resistant design and fluorine-coated front element to combat fingerprints and grime. Finally, the compact, lightweight ECM-M1 is pitched as the world’s first shotgun mic with eight dial- selectable recording modes. An ultra-directional setting captures sound from the front while effectively
Artificial intelligence (AI) is such big news, the government wants to regulate it. It seems to be pervading every aspect of our lives and, for people like me who write for a living, it appears to be creating something of an existential crisis. But it isn’t just writers who could be looking for new jobs, of course, it’s photographers as well. For example, the PN design team recently showed me the beta AI functionality in Photoshop. Open an image and then highlight areas you want to change, add or remove. Some of the results were hilariously bad, but others were convincingly decent quality. So are we facing the stuff of nightmares, or is it something that we’ll all have forgotten about in 12 months’ time? I’d suggest it would be naive to think the latter, but let me offer some solace for those who worry about the former. A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to Radio 4 as I drove to the office. Sir Grayson Perry was being interviewed about his latest display, and was somewhat inevitably asked for his thoughts on AI. Was it set to put all artists out of work? Far from it, countered Perry. The reason (and I’m paraphrasing here) is that creative output needs Roger Payne
human emotion to be applied for it to be truly memorable. An algorithm can’t convey feeling, it doesn’t respond to a situation like a human does. It’s just an algorithm. For me, this struck a chord. When I visit a location with a camera and take photographs, I am subconsciously recording what stands out, what sums up the essence of that place, what I’ll remember it by. If I’m generating images on a computer without visiting somewhere, how could I know what emotions said location would evoke? That’s not possible without actually going there. It’s the same for every image you create – you apply your own interpretation each time the shutter is pressed. No matter how much AI advances, that will never be taken away. Will it? Enjoy the issue.
DOWNSIZING The smaller A6700 has all of Sony’s most up-to-date features
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What’s inside 03 News A round-up of the hottest kit, from cameras and lenses to accessories and firmware updates, as well as the latest club news 09 Samsung word search A total of 20 words listed, but only 19 can be found. Tell us which one is missing and you could win a 256GB Samsung memory card 12 Photo Video 24 winners Attended our annual creative extravaganza in Cambridge this year? Or maybe you’d just like to see some inspiring images from your fellow PN readers? Either way, you’ve come to the right place, as we reveal the winning photographs from the creative competitions on the day
17 Buyers’ guide: memory and storage
21 Making movies: working an angle
We all need memory, whether it’s to house your images in-camera or back them up after. This guide will offer gigabytes of information on the latest products to make sure your precious pictures don’t go astray 24
Learn how recording B roll footage and content from a range of angles can elevate your videomaking to new levels 24 Buyers’ guide: learn by association Joining a society or association can refine your craft and improve the quality of your work. These are the main players for PN readers 26 First tests New products are given the once-over by our expert team. This time around, we look at the surprisingly versatile Canon EOS R100, ultra-wide Fujifilm XF8mm and very handy Vanguard VEO City Technical Pack
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Issue 110 | Photography News 3
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