Photography News Issue 48

There’s no doubt that photographers are always yearning for more pixels, which is why the much-anticipated Nikon D850 is going to hog the news until the next big thing comes along. We take a look at the full-frame 45.7-megapixel DSLR in this issue. Elsewhere, there’s expert advice for taking better on-location people pictures and the latest hot gear is reviewed in First Tests.

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Celebrate 30 years of the DLR All aboard the DLR for a 12-hour photo marathon. Page 24

First tests Turn to page 38 for this month’s latest kit on test

Lighting academy All the latest kit is in our new series. Check it out on page 20

Nikon’s newest and much anticipated full-frame D850 is in the shops now. With the highest megapixel count yet seen on a Nikon, the D850 could be the ultimate camera for the quality conscious The Nikon D850 has landed

Nikon’s full-frame D850 is an awesome combination of high resolution, fast shooting speed and startlingly high ISO performance giving it a very broad appeal. At its heart is a new FX sensor, a backside illuminated (BSI) design which is optical low-pass filter-free, with a resolution of 45.7 megapixels, resulting in images measuring 8256x5504 pixels. This is the first time a BSI sensor has been used in a Nikon DSLR and together with the EXPEED 5 processor, it gives a native ISO range of 64 to 25,600 – expandable to ISO 32 and 102,400. Full-frame continuous shooting at 7fps is available; if you want more, add the optional MB-D18 Multi-power Battery Grip and you get up to 9fps. Shooting full-frame Raws, the D850’s large buffer allows continuous shooting of up to 51 shots – although not specified, this is probablywith anXQD card. There are two card slots, one XQD and one SD. There is no SD card only option. TheD850’s body price is £3499.99 and the MB-D18 is £369.99. nikon.co.uk For more details and a hands-on report, turn to page 3

Fujifilm has introduced the ultra- compact X-E3 in its X Series mirrorless camera range. Despite its petite body form, this 24.3-megapixel APS-C camera has an impressive array of features including the option of viewfinder or touchscreen monitor operation, 4K video shooting and Bluetooth. A feast from Fujifilm

Seepage4 formore

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News

TheNikon D850has landed

Specs

Price £3499.99 body only Sensor

35.9x23.9mm FX format 45.7-megapixel BIS CMOS, EXPEED 5 image processor ISO range 64-25,600 native – expansion up to ISO 32 and 102,400 Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec, flash sync at 1/250sec Drivemodes Continuous high at 7fps Metering system RGB sensor with 180k pixels Monitor 3.2in 2359k dots, tilting touch sensitive screen with 100% coverage Focusing Multi-CAM 20k AF sensor, 153 focus point, 99 cross type. Single point, 9, 25, 72 or 153 Video 3840x2160 (4K, UHD) Storagemedia 1x XQD, 1x SD Dimensions (wxhxd) 146x124x78.5mm Weight 1005g body, battery and card Contact nikon.co.uk

Nikon was lagging behind rivals CanonandSony in the highmegapixel full-frame camera race so the D850 is an important launch for the brand and certainly one many Nikon devotees have been waiting for. With its impressive specification, the D850 is very likely to appeal to photographers of all genres andmoviemakers. TheFX-format 35.9x23.9mmsensor is the first backside illuminated sensor (BSI) found in a Nikon DSLR. This is a key factor in the D850’s excellent high ISO performance for such a high megapixel sensor with even the top native speed of ISO 25,600 capable of impressive quality. Resolution is maximised because the sensor is optical low-pass filter-free. The D850 can shoot at 7fps (9fps with the optional MB-D18 battery grip) and the large buffer enables a burst of 51 full-size Raws. The camera has two card slots, one SD and the other XQD. Onoccasionswhenyoumightwant the editing flexibility of Raws but without going for full-size Raws, the

D850 gives the option of shooting Medium Raws (25.6 megapixels) and Small Raws (11.4 megapixels) – in these instances you get 12-bit lossless compressed files.

The D850 has the option of an electronic shutter for silent shooting. This you get with live view and 6fps shooting and the files are still full-size Raws. In DX format for 8.6-megapixel files you get 30fps for three seconds. The 3.2in, 2359kdotmonitor shows 100% of the image area and is tiltable for low-down or overhead shooting (in horizontal format). The D850’s AF system is the same as that found in the Nikon D5 flagship and features 153 selectable points of which 99 are cross-type and it has a sensitivity down to -4EV. The AF system also supports good performance with slower aperture lenses. You get 15 AF points with lenses of f/8 maximum aperture and 37with lenses of f/5.6-8.

Add features such as weather sealing, an 180k pixel RGB metering sensor andexcellent shooting capacity with around 1840 shots from the EN-EL15a battery and you have a formidable full-frame camera. The D850’s body price is £3499.99 and theMB-D18 grip is £369.99. A test will appear in the next PN .

nikon.co.uk

“We are very happy with the D850 and the feedback we are getting from photographers who have already used it,” says Tim Carter, Nikon UK’s senior product manager (above). “It is a fantastic marriage of high resolution and high speed – you no longer have to choose between the two, and having all of that in a small form factor body makes the D850 a versatile camera for all types of photography.”

Hands onwith Will Cheung

At the London launch of theNikonD850, which took place at Loft Studios, we got the chance to use the camera in four different scenarios that reflected the product’s potential markets. So therewere set-ups foraction, nature,weddings and low-light editorial shooting, each scenario overseen by Nikon ambassadors. For action it was TomMiles, Richard Peters for nature, Ross Harvey for weddings and Amy Shore for low-light. We got to shoot with available light and with Profoto studio flash. The pictures shown here were taken on production camerasat theeventandarestraightout-of-the-camerafine quality JPEGs. Full size Raws were shot simultaneously, but no processing software was available at the time of writing and there was no time to test the camera’s Raw processing skills. I like shooting at high ISOs and I was keen to try the D850’s backside illuminated sensor (BSI) at its higher speeds so I shot plenty at ISO 6400, 12,800 and 25,600. Looking at the JPEG images on screen at 100% I am very impressed with the ISO 3200 and 6400 shots which exhibited minimal noise and any noise present had virtually no impact on fine details. With the Raws and some noise reduction in post-processing I am seeing great potential here. The same thing applies to the ISO 12,800 and 25,600 shots where detail still looks good, although here on my shots there is artefacting. However, that is no surprise – this is a high resolution sensor so you expect some payback.

Back among the more typical ISO settings (the lowest I managed was 200), image quality was excellent with lots of fine detail, good tonal range and lively contrast. For the wedding shot here the camera was fitted with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. By window light, the exposure was 1/60sec at f/2.8, ISO 400. As you can see from the enlargement (bottom) of the top image, there’s plenty of detail and the skin tones were beautifully smooth. I did a continuous shooting sequence of the couple too. That is a lot of information to deal with and even though I was using a fairly fast 90MB/s SamsungMicro SDcard the camera’s record LED stayed on for a while. Buy a D850 for continuous shooting and you will need very fast SD cards or better still XQD cards for the fastest performance. Press a DSLR’s shutter release button and you get the usual noise accompanying the reflex mirror and shutter opening/closing action. Well, not so on the D850 if you select the electronic quiet shutter. With this you get live view shooting and the shutter can be firedwith the release as normal or by using touchscreen AF. Using a quiet shutter is disconcerting at first, but there is a clear benefit and the D850’s worked well, and that included the touch AF too. We will be fully testing the D850 in the next issue, but there is no doubt that based on this initial acquaintance the signs are very promising. How the AF and exposure fare in more real situations we will soon see, and already I am impressed with what the D850 is potentially capable of.

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News

BusyCanon

News in brief

400GB SD card Western Digital has announced the world’s highest capacity Micro SD card. The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-1 card has a capacity pf 400GB. UK price is £224.99. WD also announced the SanDisk iXpand Base. Available in sizes from 32GB to 256GB and prices from £53.99 to £176.99, this handy and compact accessory will back up your iPhone images and data while recharging. The unit has a soft rubber top to place the phone onto and there is a wraparound groove to hold the Lightning cable. sandisk.com

Canon has announced newarrivals in several product categories, including cameras, lenses and printers. In its premium L-series lens range we have three tilt-shift lenses and a portrait lens, namely the TS-E 50mm f/2.8L Macro, the 90mm f/2.8 Macro, the TS-E 135mm f/4L Macro and the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM. The EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM has been created with people photography in mind. It features a 14 element in 10 group design, an electromagnetic diaphragm and wide f/1.4 aperture to produce a nice bokeh effect. Fast and accurate autofocusing can be achieved thanks to Canon’s renowned ultrasonic motor. The EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USMwill be available from November with a suggested price of £1569.99. The TS-E 50mm and TS-E 90mm tilt-shift lenses replace the current TS-E 45mm f/2.8 and TS-E 90mm f/2.8 lens, while the TS-E 135mm f/4L Macro sees the introduction of

tilt-shift for a longer focal length. All three lenses have a suggested price of £2499.99 and will be available from November 2017. In its mirrorless camera range, Canon has added the EOS M100, replacing the EOS M10. This compact camera is ideal for vloggers who want torecordvideosandphotos, andshare them to their social channels; thanks to its flip-up screen you can also easily take selfies. Its design makes it small enough to fit in a pocket and it also features a touchscreen. For those who need a little help when shooting, the EOS M100 features on-screen guides. The EOS M100 will be available from October 2017 as body only for £449.99, or three kit options: the EOS M100 plus EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM for £569.99; EOS M100 plus EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM and EF-M 22mm f/2 STM for £699.99; or the EOS M100 plus EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5- 6.3 IS STMandEF-M55-200mmf/4.5- 6.3 IS STM for £769.99.

Finally, in its PIXMA range, Canon has announced four new printers: the PIXMATS5150, TS6150, TS8150 and the TS9150. Each printer enables you to wirelessly print top quality prints and documents at home, and also offers double-sided printing. With built-in LCD screens you can easily adjust settings and select which images or documents you would like to print.

Sony support Sony pro camera users

can enjoy a walk-in service at Fixation’s London base rather than sending faulty kit to Sony’s plant in Wales. Fixation is based at Unit C, 250 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5RD. fixationuk.com

canon.co.uk

A feast from Fujifilm

Hasselblad update The X1D-50c has had a

Billy the tripod 3 Legged Thing has launched the Billy carbon-fibre tripod system. Weighing just 1.38kg, it is 3LT’s lightest-ever tripod but its design and top quality build means it can support 13 times its own weight. It features four section legs (one of which is detachable for use as a monopod), a working height of 1.65m and a minimum height of 100mm thanks to its removable and reversible centre column. 3leggedthing.com firmware update, now giving an electronic shutter with a top 1/10,000sec speed and the ability to resize AF points. hasselblad.com

Fujifilmhas added an ultra-compact model to its range ofmirrorless XSeries cameras. Like its bigger brethren, the X-E3 features Fujifilm’s X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor and X-Processor Pro image processing engine for great image quality and impressive high ISO performance. The high-speed processing engine makes the camera very responsive, with a 0.4sec start-up time, shutter lag of a mere 0.05sec and 5fps live view shooting. AF is handled by a large phase-detection area with an improved algorithm for super-fast accurateAF – evenwith moving subjects. The compact body features an OLED viewfinder as well as a three-inch, 1040k dot monitor,whichhastouchfunctionality, including for focusing, shooting and image review. It is also the first X Series camera to use Bluetooth for power efficient image sharing possibilities. The X-E3 will be available from28 September with a price of £849 body only, £1149 with the 23mm f/2 or £1249 with the 18-55mm f/2.8-4. An X-E3 metal hand grip costs £119 while a case is £74.99. Of course, the X-E3 is fully compatible with Fujifilm’s huge lens collection, which has grown by one with the announcement of the XF80mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR Macro. It is the first mid- telephoto macro lens in the X Series system that offers life-size magnification. Its design features 16 elements in 12 groups, including one aspherical lens, one SuperEDlens, and threeED lenses. Despite all that advanced, high-quality glass this lens is lightweight and handheld shooting is supported by Fujifilm’s optical mage stabiliser system, designed to supress shift shake and offers a 5EVbenefit.

Autofocusing is handled by a linear motor for fast, silent operation while the provision of an innovative Floating Focus system and a Ball Slide system helps ensure great accuracy and high performance. The lens isalsoweatherresistant, andthefront and rear elements are fluorine coated in order to repelwater andmake surfaces less susceptible to pesky smudges. This lens will be available from November at a price of £1249. Fujifilm’s medium-format GFX system has alsogainedanewlens.TheGF45mmf/2.8RWR is thesixthlens intherangeandisacompact lens with a really useful moderate wide-angle focal length–equivalentto36mminthe35mmformat. The lens weighs in at just 490g, so makes a portable combination with the GFX body; the lens is dust andweather resistant, too, matching the camera. The GF45mm f/2.8 RWR will be available in November, priced at £1699. Finally, Fujifilm has news of software and firmware. Starting with software, available from late November, there is Fujifilm X Raw Studio, a Raw processing software that works when the camera is connected up to the computer via a USB cable. Firmware updates for the X-T2 and X-T20 will be available from late November and for the X-Pro2 and X100F from late December. A raft of improvements are on offer, including support for X Raw Studio and improved AF tracking. In the case of the X-Pro2 4K video will be possible; on the X-T20 it will be possible to use touch operationwhile the eye is to the viewfinder.

fujifilm.eu/uk

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News

Head to Liverpool for the biggest Digital Splashever

Splash 2017 has an action- packed line-up of great talks and workshops, walks and exhibitions. Here are some of the highlights: Paul Gallagher and Michael Pilkington of Aspect2i photography tours will be talking landscapes, black & white photography and sharing their top post-processing and printing tips. Jeff Ascough, Kate Hopewell Smith and Brent Kirkman will be talking all things weddings and portraits. Fujifilm X-Photographer Elke Vogelsang will share the secrets of her dog portraits. David Lindo, The Urban Birder, will be looking to the skies to share his inspiring photography with bird lovers. Astro whizz Alyn Wallace will take us stargazing with his amazing night sky images, explaining how to literally take photography to another level. Fujifilm X-Photographer Paul Sanders will look at how Mother Nature can often give you ‘what you need, rather than what you want’. Digital Splash takes place at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 7 and 8 October. You can currently register for free entry, and tickets for seminars and photo walks are on sale now at digitalsplash.tv/ speakers/ Register for the show and Wilkinson Cameras will send you a voucher to enjoy 10% off any talk tickets purchased. Where andwhen

The latest addition to Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds collection is the E-M10Mark III, due to go on sale frommid-September with a body price of £629.99. Go for the camerawith theM.ZuikoDigital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.5II R standard zoom and it’s just £20 more. With typically stylish good looks, compact size and feature rich, the E-M10 Mark III is sure to find wide appeal, especially among those who want a high performing camera that is light and small. The upgrades from the Mark II to Mark III aren’t that great, but they are potentially significant. The 4/3in LiveMOS sensor is the same in both cameras and boasts 16.1 megapixels, but in the Mark III it is now linked with Olympus’s latest image processor, the TruePic VIII. To help get the sharpest possible pictures with slower shutter speeds, the Mark III has 5-axis image stabilisation, a feature that has proved itself very effective on other Olympus cameras. There is also an Advanced Photo mode that helps photographers enjoy features such as Live Composite without having to venture into the camera’s menu. The autofocus systemisworth amention. It nowfeatures 121AFpoints – up from 81 on the Mark II – covering most of the image area so you can pinpoint focus on almost any part of a scene. There are the usual refinements of face and eye detection. Other notable features include: a top 8.6fps shooting speed, a mechanical shutter with a 60secs to 1/4000sec range, a silent electronic shutter of 30secs to 1/16,000sec, Wi-Fi and a range of Art filters. The E-M10 Mark III will be tested in Photography News as soon as samples permit. E-M10MkIII

Digital Splash is the fastest growing consumer photography show in the north of England and this year takes place on 7 and 8October.WhenDavid Parkinson, managing director of award-winning independent retailer Wilkinson Cameras and mastermind behindDigital Splash, set out to create an inspiring show for photographers across the north, he was totally unaware of the huge success that would follow. “Our holistic approach is so much more than just selling cameras – our mission is to be with photographers everystepoftheway,”saysDavid.“The showwill have all the latest hardware on show with all the top brands exhibiting, with their own teams on hand for photographers to pick their brains. There’s the opportunity to try before you buy, which is crucial when making a significant investment.” Now in its eighth year, the show has grown substantially year on year – with more than 6200 visitors through the door last October. David’s

experienced and passionate team live and breathe photography all year round, with the Digital Splash show the culmination of a lot of planning, hardwork and dedication. David continues: “The growth of the show has been phenomenal and the step up to our new Liverpool location has raised the event to yet another level and scale. The purpose- built venue boasts the best show facilities available – with full high- definition theatres, great exhibition space, easy access, parking and accommodation nearby. You can even get a decent coffee at a reasonable price! “Also, based in the heart of such a vibrant city, the location is a photographer’s dream, with amelting pot of spectacular architecture both old and new, street photography galore, plus endless urban landscapes and ‘big skies’ across thewater.”

olympus.co.uk

digitalsplash.tv

Enjoycity life

Photography News has teamed up with expert photo printers LumeJet to bring you the chance of seeing your favourite photographs produced as a glorious L.Type prints. Win this free-to- enter contest and you will have £200 to spend onL.Type prints fromthe LumeJet website. L.Type by LumeJet is the latest step in the company’s development and represents the culmination of over 15 years of research into silver halide. LumeJet has always been passionate about printing beautiful photography and now with L.Type, the fusion of classic analogue silver halide materials, cutting–edge digital print technology and super-accurate colour management enables the faithful replication of a photographic vision with hitherto unseen precision and sensitivity. To be in with the chance of winning £200 worthof L.Typeprints all youhave todo is enter

your picture showing an aspect of city (town or village) life. Onlyone imageperentry isallowedandonly UK residents can enter. Judging will be done by PN ’s editor and the closing date is 11.59pm, 9 October 2017. For full terms and conditions please see photographynews.co.uk. The winner of last month’s contest for best coastline imagewaswon byDavid Jenner. To enter (it’s free) visit photographynews. co.uk/win, click on the LumeJet competition and submit your entry.

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

News

ThinkTank has it in the bag

Not a brand to do things by halves, photo bag specialist ThinkTank has announced a whole raft of new exciting products and range updates to image-makers of all levels and types. For shoulder use there are three bags in the Spectral range. The Spectral 8 is priced at £95, the Spectral 10 at £114 and the Spectral 15 at £133. Capacity wise, the 8 will take a DSLR and short zoom, while the 15 will hold a DSLR and several lenses. The 15 will also take a 15in laptop, while the others have tablet pockets. Another shoulder bag range, the Signature features two sizes, the 10 and the 13 priced at £244.99 and £269.99 respectively. Both are available in slate grey or dusty olive. ThinkTank’s TurnStyle sling bags have been upgraded to include a stabiliser strap. Three sizes of these V2.0 bags are on offer with 5 priced at £73, 10 at £82.99 and 20 at £97.99. All are available in charcoal or blue indigo.

Another series tobeupgraded is thepopularStreetWalkerbackpacks. The V2.0 series features increased depth and dedicated tablet and smartphone pockets. The StreetWalker V2.0 costs £166, the Pro V2.0 is £194.99 and the HardDrive V2.0 is £223.99. These combine great capacity with comfort and practical usability, and suit urban as well as rural use. The family has also gained a newmember, the Rolling Backpack V2.0 priced at £292. Drone owners aren’t neglected either, with four options: the Airport FPV Helipak at £199.99, Airport Helipak V2.0 at £199.99, Photo FPV Session at £149.99 and Airport TakeOff V2.0 at £359.99. Visit the SnapperStuff website or your local stockist (also found on the website) to check out all the new launches.

Rotolight has teamed up with Elinchrom to integrate its unique Skyport protocol across its product range, starting with the new NEO 2. This innovative high-speed flash sync and continuous LED lighting unit, which is designed for on-camera use, offers HSS up to 1/8000sec. Thanks to the collaboration with Elinchrom, the NEO 2 has an integrated Skyport 2.4GHz receiver so there is no need for an additional unit. Skyport enables wireless operation up to 200m and can control up to ten lights in four groups. It is compatible with most camera brands. The NEO 2 gives an amazing 85,000 full power flashes from one set of rechargeable AA batteries and is 85% brighter in continuous lighting mode compared with its predecessor. UK guide price is £249.99. Rotolight and Elinchrom work together

snapperstuff.com

Reliable storage fromSamsung

Laowa’s fast andwide Owners of Sony E-mount cameras will be interested in Laowa’s latest rectilinear ultra- wide lens. The 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is priced at £899 and its construction comprises 12 elements in nine groups with three extra low dispersion and two aspherical elements. This manual focus lens sports an impressively fast f/2 aperture, a 72mm accessory thread and is said to give very low distortion. Key benefits include its 500g low weight, close focusing down to 15cmand the option of a clicked or de-clicked aperture ring.

The Samsung Portable SSD T5 is the company’s very latest portable solid state drive. Four sizes are on offer. In blue you can choose between capacities of 250GB and 500GB at prices of £125.49 and £192.49 respectively. Opt for black and you can choose between capacities of 1TB and 2TB priced at £384.89 and £759.49 respectively.

All feature Samsung’s 64-layer V-NAND technology and offer impressive operating speeds, up to 540MB/s. Weighing just 51g and measuring 74x57.3x10.5mm, the SSD T5 is a very portable external hard drive and has the fast USB3.1 interface with backwards compatibility.

samsung.com/T5

rotolight.com

ukdigital.co.uk

Get ProfessionalPhoto magazine Making a living with your camera sounds a dream job and if this is your ambition, then you need Professional Photo magazine.

To The Customer: Simply cut out this coupon and hand it to your WHSmith High Street retailer to claimyour copy of Professional Photo for £3.75 instead of the usual £4.75. This coupon can be used as part payment for issue 136 or 137 of Professional Photo on sale between 17 August 2017 to 11 October 2017. Only one coupon can be used against each itempurchased. No cash alternative is available. Not to be used in conjunctionwith any other offer. To theWHSmith Retailer: Please accept this voucher as part payment of one copy of Professional Photo on sale between 17 August 2017 to 11 October 2017. This voucher is worth £1 plus a 2p handling allowance. The offer is valid to the consumer up to 11 October 2017 andmust be returned to your clearing house to arrive no later than 11 October 2017 (issue 136), 8November (issue 137). As your shop belongs to amultiple group, please handle in the usual way. This voucher is not redeemable against any other itemand is only valid in the UK. Offer subject to availability andwhile stocks last

Issue 137 of the UK’s only monthly magazine for working and aspiring professionals is out now, offering insightful business and marketing advice from professionals and industry experts, gear reviews, lighting techniques and much more. Highlights in issue 137 include a hands-on report of Nikon’s newest (and very impressive) full-frame DSLR, the D850, a lighting masterclass from portrait photographer TomMiles and a close look at the HMRC’s latest VAT changes. All this and more for just £4.75, and if you grab your copy fromWHSmith, you can save £1 when you present this voucher.

SAVE £1

DONOTMINT RETURN *This offer is subject to availability and is redeemable at WHSmith High Street Stores only. Excludes Outlet Stores, WHSmith Online, ‘Books by WHSmith’ at Selfridges, Harrods, Arnotts and Fenwicks stores, WHSmith ‘Local’ and all Travel Stores including those at airports, railways stations, motorway service stations, garden centres, hospitals and workplaces.

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Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Nice bins fromKenro

News in brief

A collection of six own-brand binoculars has been introduced by Kenro. There is something to suit all interests and each pair is competitively priced. The range starts with the ultra compact 10x25 KBNL101 priced at just £14.94 with the most expensive pair being the 10-30x60 zoom binos KNBL303 priced at £49.98. In between, are two pairs of opera glasses, the KNBL201 and 202, both priced at £25.98 and have a 3x25 range. Finally there are two standard pairs, the 10x50 KBNL301 at £34.98 and the 16x50 KNBL302 at £39.95.

LimitedPentax A limited edition silver

version of the full-frame 36.4 megapixel Pentax K-1 has been announced. The kit is priced at £2149.99 and comes with the D-B26 battery grip, two D-L190 batteries and a metal hotshoe cover. It will be available from mid-September. Ricoh also launched the Theta V, a 360° camera, priced at £399.99 with availability from the end of September. ricoh.com

kenro.co.uk

Manfrotto get real

Adigital day with the RPS

The RPS Digital Group is having its DI Expo event on 23 September so still time to book a place and all are welcome. The event is taking place at the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport and is sponsored by several leading image brands including Epson, Fotospeed, Lee Filters and PermaJet. The event has learning as its core theme and during the day, which starts at 9am and finishes at 5pm, there will be five presentations from Paul Sanders (filters), David Clapp (architecture), Nick Turpin (street shooting), Gary Evans (high speed video) and Tim Flach (animal photography). There will also be practical studio portrait and flower photography sessions. There is also a chance to attend advisory sessions for the LRPS and ARPS distinctions but these need to be booked in advance. Tickets cost £35 for non RPS members, £30 to RPS members and £25 to RPS Digital image members.

Manfrotto has announced a dedicated range of products for creating virtual reality imagery. The 360° Virtual Reality range comprises bases, accessories and extension booms and priced from £29.95 to £634.95. Aimed at enthusiasts and pros the range of products mean you can tailor a set up to your particular needs and produce top quality creative results every time. The range of VR bases give stable support and are compact enough not to show in 360° shots, and the collection of accessories helps you take flawless shots while boomand arms help get you to the right position. A selection of 360° VR kits is available if you prefer convenience.

rps.org/digexpo

Manfrotto.co.uk

MindShift get Cross

MindShift’s PhotoCross sling bags are designed to withstand the elements yet be comfortable to tote around all day long. Two sizes are on offer, the 10 and the 13, costing £110.26 and £124.75 respectively. Key features include weatherproof zips and materials,

waterproof bottom panel, pockets for tablets/laptops and tripod/ jacket carry straps. The PhotoCross 10 has a 7.5l volume and will take a full-frame DSLR with one or two lenses and a 10in tablet; or a mirrorless with three or five lenses with a tablet.

The bigger PhotoCross 13 has an 11l volume and will take a 13in laptop, plus a full-frame DSLR with up to three lenses. Both bags are available in carbon grey or orange ember.

snapperstuff.com

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Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the place for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievements; 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

How to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 2October 2017

We need words and pictures by 2 October 2017 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 16 October 2017. Write your story in a Word document (400 words max). Please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event: website, meeting times, opening times, whatever is relevant. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension, any colour space, and image credits should be included. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster) or one from the event. If it includes people, please identify them. Attach the Word document and JPEGs to an email and send to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

On the streets Fareham & Porchester presents Damien Demolder and his talk Light and Life on the Streets. In it he explains his approach to street photography, and how he uses light and exposure to grab the attention of the viewer. The talk promises to be instructive as well as fun, and anyone attending will come away with plenty of new

concepts to think about, and a new way of looking at street photography. All are welcome at Portchester Parish Hall, Portchester PO16 9PY on 10 October at 7:30pm. The cost to non-members is £3. fpcc.org.uk

Heswall PS Heswall PS’s new season has restarted. The club, now in its 54th year, enjoys a varied syllabus including an excellent range of speakers and regular competitions. We also have a summer programme aimed at improving various skills, and we find that this is particularly beneficial for newermembers. Visitors

and new members of all abilities canbe assured of awarmwelcome. Heswall meets on Friday potential evenings at St Peters Centre, Lower Heswall Village, Wirral CH60 0DZ. The admission fee includes light refreshments. heswallphotosoc.co.uk

New Suffolk club Captured Moments Photographic Club is a new club based in Hadleigh, Suffolk, started by Carl Leach. “At present we have eight members and I hope to grow it to about 10,” says Carl. “We meet once a month on a Thursday evening. We don’t charge unless our tutors require payment and then we split with whoever is there at the time.” The next meeting is at 7pm on 5 or 12 October, at Crabtrees, 66 High Street. For more details, contact Carl on capturedmomentsphotographicclub@outlook.com

Cannock PS on themove

Cannock PS’s new meeting place is at Norton Canes Community Centre, Brownhills Road, Norton Canes, Cannock WS11 9SF. Meetings are on Thursday from 8pm. The club isholding its 60thannual exhibition in November 2017 and to celebrate, the club is re-launching to take it forward and attract new members, with a new venue, new programme of events/presentations, a new logo, updated website and a new club chairman, Paul Reynolds. The club welcomes all enthusiastic photographers and has members from novice to advanced. The aim is to attract newcomers to

share in the wealth of experience and expertise of current members, through friendly weekly meetings, workshops and social events arranged throughout the season.

cannockps.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

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Clubs

Sheffieldon show Sheffield PS is holding its 13th Annual Perspectives Exhibition at the Winter Garden, Sheffield, from noon on 20 November to 2pm on 3 December 2017. Also included in the exhibition is a panel comprising historic images of Sheffield.

The Winter Garden is open from 8am to 6pm each day for visitors to view the free exhibition, and club members will be on hand at lunchtimes each day (two hours on weekdays, four hours weekends) to give information about the Society or simply to chat about the images and aspects of photography. Sheffield PS has around 100 members and is one of the largest UK photographic societies, as well as being one of the world’s oldest, having been founded in 1864. The Society welcomes new members of all abilities, and offers a full programme of outings, lectures and activities.

The exhibition, the first of the Society’s season, will be opened by the Sheffield Lord Mayor, Councillor Anne Murphy. The exhibition allows up to 40 members the opportunity to display a selection of their work. This ensures that on display is a wide range of photographic styles spanning the whole breadth of contemporary photography. Subjects will include landscapes, portraits, wildlife, urban, macro and creative images from worldwide in both colour and black and white. Each member’s panel will include a short narrative about themselves, and their images.

sheffield-photographer.org.uk

Success forGuildford PSmember Guildford PS member Veronica Barrett FRPS has been Highly Commended in the Macro Art Photo Project section of the renowned International Garden Photographer of the Year competition (IGPOTY). Veronica’s image, Declining Gracefully, is a beautifully atmospheric portrait of sweet peas that are just past their best. “I’m delighted to have been awarded a Highly Commended in the Macro Art section of the prestigious IGPOTY Competition 11,” says Veronica. “I always love looking at the entries in the winners’ galleries every year, several of whomare bymy favourite flower photographers, and it is an honour to be up there with them this year. It is a very inspiring competition.” Adds Willie Jamieson, Guildford PS’s chairman: “We are delighted to see Veronica honoured by this award; she consistently produces beautiful, innovative images and is an inspiration to all our members.”

Hot shots wanted After a year off, Frome Wessex CC will once again be holding its popular Digital Photographic Salon. The Salon has become increasingly popular and prestigious, attracting over 4500 entries in 2015, and was one of the first to recognize the mobile phone camera market as a salon class. Classes will be Mobile Phone, Colour Open,MonochromeOpen, Scapes, (Land, Sea, Air, City, Town,Macro), Nature Open and Creative Open. Medals, selectors’ ribbons and certificates will be awarded in each class, selected by the well-regarded and experienced Peter McCloskey, Judith Parry and Roger Parry.

guildfordphotosoc.org.uk vabphotos.com

Bedford CC

Ebbw Vale CC Ebbw Vale’s annual exhibition in Cardiff Bay at the Assembly for Wales (Senedd) starts on 25 September. It is open 26 to 29 September and 2 to 4 October. The opening time is 9.30am, closing at 4.30pm.

Bedford CC kicks off its new season on 3 October with a review of the club’s events planned for the coming season. It is a good chance for prospective new members to learn more about Bedford CC and the first meeting is free. Meetings take place every Tuesday at 7.30pm, October through to April, at Scott Lower School, Bedford. Speakers visiting Bedford CC this season include wildlife photographer Tom Way, travel worker Kevin Gordon and Antony Penrose, who will speak about the legendary Lee Miller.

ebbwvalecameraclub.com

bedfordcameraclub.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

15 Interview

BrynGriffiths Profile Bryn is a leading pro photographer and has the distinction of currently being the UK’s only Master QEP and one of just 51 across Europe. Find out what it all means here

I have been an advertising and commercial photographer all my working life. My unique approach as an internationally acclaimed art director and photographer helps to ensure that my client campaigns stand out from a competitive crowd. I have a natural creativity that has enabled me to amass a powerful portfolio of photographs, each of which has strengthened an existing brand identity by creating a fresh and iconic new image. My work reinforces inherent brand values by approaching them differently – adding the magic with stunning campaigns that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. I loveworking in the studio. There I can create fun and compelling imagery, such as splashing and exploding products, for example. I had won gold at the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) awards. The FEP (Federation of European Professional Photographers) is composed of the national professional associations of 29 countries and represents over 50,000 pro photographers across Europe. I love challenges, so the next step for me was to compete at an international level. The FEP has three qualifications: the EP (European Photographer), the QEP (Qualified European Photographer) and the Master QEP. To date, only 51 photographers in Europe have gained the Master QEP distinction so I’m over the moon to have achieved it. It is my photographic career’s life-long ambition so I’m ecstatic; it was like finding the ‘Holy Grail’. When I do things, I like to do them to the best of my ability and this now completes my set of accomplishments. I have two Fellowships of the BIPP, plus I am

Biography

Years in the photo industry? 33 years. Current location? UK (Midlands-ish). Last picture taken? Of my niece at dinner last night. When youwere younger, what did youwant to bewhen you grewup? Either an accountant or a photographer (I now know the world of accountancy wouldn’t have coped with me). Dogs or cats? I’d never really been a pet lover until I got married four years ago, and inherited my wife’s two lovely, mischievous cats (shhh, don’t tell her I like them). Toast or cereal? Toast. Email or phone call? Definitely phone call.

QEP is the quality of printing of the work, and LumeJet offers its unique L-Type prints that are very empathetic to my style and portfolio. I was also using bold, graphical panels of colour and text for my submission, and that allowed me to take advantage of a key feature of LumeJet’s L-Type format, the combination of pinsharp text with ultra-high quality, full, continuous tone photography on the same page. The printing would have been impossible to reproduce to that standard via any other photographic print method. I am extremely grateful to all of the teamat LumeJet, who have always supportedme with a first-class product and service. I believe it made a difference. The distinction is another tool to have in the marketing/branding armoury, and past experience shows that it will manifest itself positively along the way. I will also now be asked to judge Master QEP Panels around Europe and speak at various conferences and so forth, so that will be great fun as well. For me this is very important, and I have always used this type of third-party endorsement to benefit my business. For example, if you tell people you are the best product photographer in the world, they won’t believe you. However, when

a Hasselblad Master (Products) and now a Master QEP, too, so I’m extremely chuffed. My Master QEP has been five years in the making, from concept to execution, and everything all came together at the right time. To be one of only 51 current Masters across the whole of Europe is very exciting and rewarding for me. I had to present a body of 20 pieces of work that all fit together. They have to be perfect in every way – technically and creatively – and have the wow factor, and appeal to seven international judges that all have cultural differences. To give my submission extra gravitas, I commissioned music and poetry to accompany the imagery. I had been working on a couple of concepts for a while and two were emerging with the most potential. I did a shoot in Austria of its ballet company. Dancers are notoriously difficult to get just perfect and I was really pleased with how it had all worked out. In the end, though, it was my defining work and book I produced based on Chernobyl that won the day. I alwaysworkwith thebest people I can, so I will work with Hasselblad for cameras, Bron for lighting and LumeJet for printing. Part of the evaluation processes for the Master

I won the Hasselblad Masters’ competition and told people that in Hasselblad’s opinion I was the best product photographer in the world, people started listening. That’s the power of these types of qualifications and awards. Looking ahead, I am in the early planning stages of a secret project for a large American space agency. I’ll keep you informed... My Master QEP has been five years in the making, and everything all came together at the right time

Images Bryn Griffiths is a leading pro photographer renowned for his advertising work, and he shoots lots of personal images, too.

bryngriffithsphotography.com europeanphotographers.eu lumejet.com Contacts

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

17

Technique

How to take better location portraits Shoot out If you’re looking for a way to re-energise your portrait photography, try shooting on location. In this guide you’ll find solid advice for taking better indoor and outdoor portraits away from your home or studio, with help from portrait pro Paul McLachlan…

Pictures by Paul McLachlan

Taking portraits is one of the biggest draws in photography; it’s the reasonmany of us picked up a camera for the first time. But simple set- ups can only take you so far. If you want to inject drama and a story into your portraits, try some location work. We caught up with Paul McLachlan of Pauls Events (pauls-events.uk) to find out

more about shooting great people pictures on location. “The creativity, storytelling and a sense of place that you can weave into an image make location portraits really special,” he told us, “but it’s also about clothing and props that add mood and drama. And with location work there’s the opportunity for far more varied poses than in a studio.”

Ace your location portrait exposures

When working with natural light on location, you need to stay on your toes. Exposure settings will change with the light and you must be able to adapt. It’s very different from the consistency of working in a studio, where, says Paul, “multiple flashes give you control of every aspect, making shooting quick and easy.” On location, “the time of day and the changing level of available light requires careful positioning of the subject to take advantage of the best illumination and ensure shadows are balanced or filled.” Paul tends to use spot metering, taking a reading from a mid-tone area on the subject’s skin. In this way, the exposure for the subject should be perfect. Shooting in aperture- prioritymode, spot metering is a great method for portrait exposures, but you need to watch where youmeter from and your shutter speed. If the shutter speed falls too low, you can start to pick up camera shake; so increase the ISO to offset it. It’s also easy to meter on a part of the subject that’s not a mid tone; this will under or overexpose the picture, so check results on screen. If the subject moves to a brighter or dimmer location, or the light changes, you’ll need to spot meter again.

Get the best from your subject

Posing can make or break the shot, says Paul, “natural, relaxed poses can look good but can get a bit boring, so it’s good to have some ideas and themes to use; you can use a smartphone gallery to help give your model ideas.” Beyond that, he says it’s important not to over-direct them. “It’s better to be free flowing and review the images with the model, discussing what works and what can be improved.” Another vital aspect, Paul says is “safety and not taking unnecessary risks. Always think through a risk assessment for your location, and how you would deal with any situation. On most location venues I ensure that I have public liability insurance, just in case of accidents.” But it’s not just health and safety. If you’re working in outdoor or unheated locations there are some basic comforts that’ll make things go easier. For this Paul advises taking warm coats for your subject to slip on between sequences. “Hot tea and lots of breaks are good, too – some models have been known to bring hot-water bottles!” You can offset a lot of problems by being fully prepared before the subject needs to start posing, he adds: “planning the locations, getting lighting set up in advance, doing test shots before the models arrive.” 

Images Metering can be tricky on location. As the sunmoves or your subject changes posture or position, themeter reading can change. Use spot metering for an accurate exposure and if anything or anybodymoves, take another reading – just tomake sure!

Find better portrait locations

Part of the fun of location portraits is finding backdrops and scenes that work well with the human figure, whether indoors or out. Older houses are a real favourite of Paul’s and it’s there you’ll find some of the easiest and most effective framing devices for your subject. For many of his location workshops, Paul uses houses with “lots of big windows, door frames, unusual architectural features and furniture to pose on, like large mansions and manor houses.” These kinds of features set the subject off perfectly and to make the most of them, Paul advises taking test shots before the event: “seeing what works and in what format; landscape or portrait, as well as changing the shooting angle to above or below the subject.” It’s important, too, to make sure that the background isn’t dominating the subject, or

fighting for attention. To guard against this, Paul recommends “using the viewfinder very carefully, and scanning around the subject for anything in the frame that’s distracting; this could include bright colours or highlights.” Before you take the shot, check one last time around the very frame edges for anything that’s breaking the lines there. “Outside,” says Paul, “all sorts of objects and colours can be distracting, but changing your shooting position and focal length can solve these problems.” If your subject demands something simpler or you just need a break from more complex backgrounds, scan the area for plain walls; whether they’re papered, painted, stone or wood. They should be easy to find; you don’t need much for a head-and-shoulders portrait.

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 48 | photographynews.co.uk

19

Technique

Use flash creatively

In many ways flash is the most adaptable way to light your subject, letting you compensate for the available light with bursts of fill flash, beef up what’s there or set up your own look independent of what light’s naturally available. Flashis important, saysPaul “forcontrol andfor consistent exposure and to balance light levels so that the highlights and shadows fit within the camera’s dynamic range – something that’s often difficult to achieve without it. What’s more, sometimes it’s just not possible to use natural light, even with high ISO settings, as there’s not enough natural illumination to sufficiently light the subject or provide the necessary drama.” In its most basic form, on-camera flash “can be used to soften shadows and to add nice catchlights.” When shooting with on- camera flash Paul uses diffusing modifiers and manually controls flash output to a low level to avoid it looking harsh; or you can use can flash exposure compensation in TTL or auto modes. Most of the time, Paul uses off-camera flash, “either mains powered or travel packs; the benefit is higher power and faster, more reliable recycle times. During workshops we use wireless triggers set for each group and light the portraits using flashmeters, so results are consistent and easy to judge. With the light power set, it’s actually easy to adjust exposure settings for really creative images – that’s what we try to encourage on our courses. “Even if you’re unsure of using flash, there’s an easy and quickway to see the benefit; simply set up a monobloc flash and point it at a wall, room corner or ceiling. This will increase the overall light level in a diffused way, but you need towatch out for brightly colouredwalls or ceilings as this will affect colour balance.” Flash is important for control and for consistent exposure… Sometimes it’s just not possible to use natural light

Pick the right aperture

For his location portraits, Paul favours a pair of fast zoom lenses, and depending on the space available he alternates between his “workhorse 24-70mm f/2.8 and an old 80-200mm f/2.8; both being fast lenses, you don’t have to vary aperture when zooming, and both can be used to create blurred backgrounds if required.” The amount of blur you include in your location portraits depends on how much you want the background to be a part of the scene; wide apertures (low f/numbers) will give you the most blur, but as you close the aperture (higher f/numbers), more of the scene will come sharply into focus. The choice is yours, but if the subject’s surroundings are important to the narrative of the scene, as they often are when you’re shooting on location, there’s no point in blurring them out too much.

Master natural light on location

Learnmore at Pauls Events

If you’ve been tempted to try some location portrait shooting or want to grow your skills further, check out Pauls Events. You’ll find a superb mix of glamour and fine-art nude photography workshops at exclusive locations in the UK. Events are tailored for beginner and experienced photographers, so you can use them as a learning exercise in lighting technique and working with models, or simply enjoy the benefits of the fantastic locations, lighting gear and beautiful subjects. One of the locations used, and featured on these pages, is Glynhir Mansion in beautiful rural Carmarthenshire. There you’ll find walled gardens, parkland and woods to shoot in, as well as rooms in the house itself, with lighting supplied and set up ready to go. Accommodation, breakfast and meals are included.

Finding good light on location is often amatter of experience says Paul. As it’s one of the most important aspects of a location shoot, youneed to spend as much time as possible looking for it. “In any event,” says Paul, “you’ll likely need to adjust the model’s pose and position, depending on how the light is falling.” The best, or at least the most, flattering results often come when the subject is turned away from the light, when it’s diffused and softened, or they’re in shade. Each of these things lowers contrast and reduces harsh highlights and shadows. Window lighting is a great example, especially when the window is north facing or covered by a simple voile which works as a diffuser. It’s one of Paul’s favourite ways to shoot portraits on location and something he emphasis on his courses: “window light is soft and natural, and produces lovely beauty and portrait images especially when it comes to lighting the eyes.”

In these situations it may not be possible to correctly expose the subject and the background; you may have to make a choice between them, and if so, it should be the subject that exposure is biased towards (spot metering makes this easier). If you can, says Paul, try to “balance the lighting on the model and that which is outside or viewable in the background. In this case, calculate the exposure on the window or background first, so it’s not too overexposed and then use a simple white or silver reflector, angling it to bounce light back onto the subject.” Alternatively use fill-in flash; “just make sure it’s diffused by a shoot-through umbrella or bounced into a reflector to balance the natural light,” says Paul. A reflector is often the easiest solution. Youmay even findnatural reflectors in your location, like light coloured walls, which will illuminate the subject if you can position them in the right place.

Pauls Events Visit: pauls-events.uk Phone: 07930 462 906 Email: paulseventsuk@gmail.com

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