Photography News Issue 45

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Photography News | Issue 45 | absolutephoto.com

News

Thinking bags It’s been a busy month for Think Tank Photo, with the company releasing lots of new products. First up is the Signature range; a classic shoulder bag with modern engineering. Available in two and has a large 33x47x13-17cm inner compartment for cameras and lenses, as well as laptop and tablet pockets. It uses 80mm wheels with sealed bearings for quiet movement, and has a retractable handle. There’s also a tripod or water bottle pocket, YKK zippers, and water-resistant, 1680D ballistic nylon.

News in brief

Left The Signature 10 Below The Airport Takeoff V2

models, the Signature 10 (£244.99) and 13 (£269.99), and coming in subtle slate grey or olive colouring, they have full-grain leather, antique- plated metal hardware, and YKK zippers. The bags’ outers use durable 240Dwater-resistant fabric, while the underside is coated with polyurethane. As well as camera and lenses, they have space for 10in or 13in laptops, respectively. Access is via a secure front flap which can be used one-handed for speed. There’salsotheThinkTankAirport TakeOff V2, a rollerbag/backpack that’s claimed to be 15% lighter than its predecessor. The TakeOff V2 is all about moving lots of gear in comfort,

Thinktankphoto.com

VenusMagic Converter Venus Optics, maker of Laowa camera lenses, has announced the Laowa Magic Format Converter (MFC). This is the world’s first FujifilmGFX adapter which allows users to mount Canon or Nikon full- frame lenses. The converter enlarges the image circle of those lenses, so that it fits the larger Fujifilm GFX 50S camera sensor. The MFC has a focal length multiplier of 1.4x and reduces maximum aperture by one stop, so for example a Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-lens would become roughly a 17mm f/4 lens. There are existing converters that allowmounting of non-Fujifilm lenses to the GFX 50S, but often with lots of vignetting and degraded quality at the edges. The Laowa Magic Format Converter will be available in Canon EF to Fujifilm G, and Nikon AI to Fujifilm G models, arriving in July 2017 with price TBC. laowalens.co.uk software specialist, Anthropics (maker of well-known titles like Portrait Professional), Smart Photo Editor (SPE) is a new package that offers Photoshop style image editing, albeit it at a fraction of the cost. SPE contains lots of powerful and easy to use tools for enhancing images, including smart selection brushes, that help make local adjustments, combine images and remove objects. There’s also a community sourced gallery of effects that’s continually updated, and where you can share your own editing recipes. Usually priced £39.90, the software is currently half price at £19.95, and PN readers can get a further 10% with the code PN45T. smartphotoeditor.com Smart Photo Editor Recently released from

Lighting Guang

Kenro is introducing three new portable LED on-camera lights from lighting specialists, NanGuang. Designed for use on DSLRs, CSCs and camcorders, they are attached via the hotshoe, and use bright, low-energy LEDs to produce cool, flicker-free lighting. There are two small panel lights and one powerful on- camera Fresnel spotlight. TheCNB144andCNLUX1600C panelsbothuse anadjustable angle bracket to help direct the light up or down, and each has amaximum output of 1005 lumen. Both have stepless dimmer control, and can be locked to other units of the same type to make much large panels. At £89.94, the CNB144 comes with an ultra-soft diffuser, as well as pink and 3200K filters; unfiltered it’s balanced to 5600K.

Costing the CNLUX1600C is a bi-colour unit, withstepless temperature between 3200K and 5600K. The panel is also supplied with an ultrasoft diffuser, as well as pink and blue filters. At £239.94, the CN8F Fresnel Light can be adjusted to give a beam of between 10 and 60 degrees, and its brightness can be steplessly controlled down from a maximum 560 lumen. A locking knob on the side allows the light to be directed up or down and a rotating frame on the lens can hold up to three filters of 65x70mm. 3200K and 6500K filters are included in the kit along with a gelatin holder, barn doors, and a padded case. £119.94,

Manfrotto has unveiled a new series of bags; the Manhattan Collection. Designed for city-based photographers, the bags use Manfrotto’s new Insert System and Flexy Camera Shell; a removable inner and modular protective inserts that let you quickly convert the bags fromphotography to lifestyle, or adapt them to any kit you’re carrying. There are three models; a backpack, a shoulder bag and a messenger bag,andeachincludespaddedcompartments,hiddenpockets,multi-purpose webbing and straps to secure a tripod, helmet, jacket or other items. The Mover 50 backpack holds a medium DSLR with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached and five lenses, plus up to a 15.6in laptop. The Speedy 10 messenger bag fits a CSC or entry level DSLR with a standard zoom attached, two additional lenses and up to a 12in laptop. The Charger 20 is a three-way shoulder bag that’ll swallow a CSC or entry-level DSLRwith up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached and two additional lenses. There’s also room for a 15in laptop. Available now, with prices starting at £79, all of the bags in the range use ballistic fabric, premium zippers, a coated base and water-repellant external fabric, but araincover is included if you'recaught inadownpour. Manhattanproject

kenro.co.uk

manfrotto.co.uk

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