Photography News issue 21

Big news in issue 21 includes Fujifilm’s X-T10, Panasonic’s 4K-shooting G7 and Sony’s A7R II, the world’s first back-illuminated full-frame sensor. Our interview looks into the revival of analogue and we test the Canon EOS 5DS. In the way of technique this month, we teach you how to control wide-angle lenses and fix optical flaws in Lightroom.

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Photography news NEWS PREVIEWS TESTS CAMERACLUBS INTERVIEWS ADVICE COMPETITIONS

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FujifilmX-T10: smaller, faster, smarter

Say hello to the compact system camera that’s ready for anything

TOP-PLATE Stylish and practical, the X-T10’s dials are perfectly placed for easy operation. The right- hand dials include shutter speed and compensation.

HANDGRIP While slight, the grip still offers a comfortable and reassuring hold on the rigid body, with its die-cast magnesium top and base plates.

POP-UPFLASH The built-in flash, rated 5GN at ISO 100 and sited under the pentaprism, comes in handy in both low-light and contre-jour situations.

A new autofocusing system also makes the X-T10 one of the most versatile CSCs around. It offers Zone and Wide/Tracking modes, both of which are designed to make sports and action much easier to shoot. Available now, the X-T10 offers a great entry point to both Fujifilm and CSCs in general. It could be the camera that sees you go mirrorless.

the look of SLR cameras from the 70s and 80s with top-plate dials to change key controls and a ‘pentaprism’ housing a high-quality electronic viewfinder. Tipping the scales at just 381g for the body only, however, it certainly doesn’t have the weight or bulk of its film-based predecessors and is both small and rugged enough to be a go-anywhere camera.

pixel array that combats moiré and delivers highly accurate colours. The cameras also feature Film Simulation modes, which replicate some of Fujifilm’s most popular film emulsions, and key into the XF lens range that offers a high-quality collection of both primes and zooms. The X-T10 takes many of its styling cues from the X-T1, both mimicking

The Fujifilm X-series has become hugely popular since its inception in 2010. The cameras all feature stunning retro styling, yet are packed with technological innovations to maximise picture-taking creativity. Central to these is the unique X-Trans sensor, which delivers impressive results in a wide range of lighting conditionsbyvirtueof amore random

Small but perfectly formed, Fujifilm’s X-T10 is set to attract even more photographers to the award-winning X-series range. Its combination of good looks, great handling and superb range of features is reason enough to get your hands on this latest model, but it also carries an equally attractive price tag; under £500 for the body.

Look inside this cover wrap for the latest issue of Photography News

Issue 21 | Photography News

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When Fujifilm announced the arrival of the new X-T10, who better to put it through its paces than wildlife and environmental photographer Ben Cherry and sports-mad shooter Jacky Ley? Photography News caught up with the experienced photographers in-between shoots to see how the X-T10 had managed to keep up with their demanding work life, and the results look encouraging… FujifilmX-T10 in action

JackyLey | sports photographer Jacky gets hands on with the new X-T10

more accessible to everyone’, especially with the full-auto and flash function. I tested it out on my daily work, at rallies, circuit races and the like, and I enjoyed the same results as with my usual camera but found that I could see better using the new autofocus system. Tell us more about using the new autofocusing system. The X-T10’s new autofocus system is much faster than those I’ve used before. I use the 3x3 area AF-C setting a lot as it allows me to concentrate on my composition and especially to place the subject where I want and not where the predetermined focus points are. My stories are thereby richer for the diversity of compositions. In addition, I have more choice thanks to the higher AF performance.

What’s your experience with Fujifilm cameras and this latest X-series model? I bought a Fujifilm X-E1 for personal use but I quickly saw the potential for business. The X-T1 completely swung it for me and I became a big fan of the X-series range, the ergonomics of the cameras are just an added bonus! With the X-T10, it’s easy to quickly find your way around; the rear and front command dials offer two levels of function selection which you can customise, something that helps save a lot of time when I’m out reporting. My initial reaction was ‘Wow, it’s smaller than the X-T1 and

BenCherry | wildlife shooter

Ben initially got to grips with the X-T10 out in Borneo

You describe your focus as on environmental photojournalism, why does that genre in particular interest you? I am just starting to carve out a career with photography and I am hugely passionate about the environment. My desire in life is to combine photographyandconservation, I hope that environmental photojournalism can be a way to do just that. Which camera do you usually shoot with and how did you find the transition to the X-T10? I have been using the Fujifilm X-series for over twoyearsnowandmycurrent go-to camera is the X-T1, so going from that to the X-T10 was a seamless experience. I have found that all the X-series cameras are very intuitive to use and the X-T10 is no different. The design is very well thought out and it

sits very well in the hand. Everything I need is at my fingertips and can be changed without having to take my eye away from the EVF. Who is the X-T10most suited to? This camera has a pretty wide appeal, but for me the X-T10 will really benefit those who travel a lot as it’s so small and discreet. Bulky, heavy equipment can sometimes take the joy out of travelling and draw unwanted attention, so the X-T10’s compact design gives you one less thing to worry about! It also features the latest specification improvements in the X-series, making this a very desirable camera to own. What were your first impressions when you got hold of the new FujifilmX-T10? ‘They’ve hit this one out of the park,

AGAIN!’ That was my initial reaction. It is yet another retro, functional Fujifilm camera that offers everything a photographer really needs and more. It is tiny compared to the X-T1 but doesn’t feel too small in my hands. Where did you try it out and how did it fare? The X-T10 came with me on a three- month trip to Malaysian Borneo. I spent my time photographing the incredible endemic nature of this island and also witnessing the threats, such as deforestation, that it faces first-hand. The camera was put through its paces, from being baked in the formidable heat and coping with tropical storms in the lowland rainforest, to photographing the tallest mountain in South East Asia – it never skipped a beat. It has everything you need to get great wildlife images.

The X-T10’s newautofocus system is much faster than those I’ve used before. I use the 3x3 areaAF-C a lot…

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

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

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Stunning Sony Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography Photography news NEWS PREVIEWS TESTS CAMERACLUBS INTERVIEWS ADVICE COMPETITIONS

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Money saving tips, the latest launches, comps to enter and exhibitions to see

The heart of Sony’s flagship CSC, the A7R II, is a 42.4-megapixel, backside-illuminated Exmor R CMOS full-frame sensor, claimed to be the world’s first. Its unique design gives improved light collection efficiency, allowing a top ISO of 25,600, expandable to 102,400, and fast data transmission, about 3.5x faster than the original A7R. The sensor also features 399 phase- detection AF points, giving the widest coverage yet seen on a full-frame sensor and these work with 25 contrast AF points for fast, accurate focusing. 5-axis image stabilisation, 4K video shooting and a XGA OLED Tru-Finder providing a large viewing image are also key selling points. Sony has also upgraded its premium compact range with the launch of the RX100 IV and RX10 II. Both models feature a stacked 1.0 type sensor with a DRAM chip for high-speed processing, enabling features like super slow-motion at 40x slower than normal and prolonged fast continuous shooting, 16fps on the RX100 IV and 14fps on the RX10 II. Prices of these new Sony products were not available at the time of writing. The newA7R II features the world’s first back-illuminated 35mm full-frame sensor

Every titbit and morsel of news you have to know

Tests & previews, plus our buyers’ guide to kitbags Hands on: Canon EOS 5DS, Fujifilm X-T10&PentaxK-3 II It’s back to black withTetenal’s ‘new’ filmcompetition Tetenal celebrates analogue mono revival, page 18

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

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Issue 21 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 21

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Latest photography news

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Packmore, travel further

NEWS INBRIEF NIKON’S NEW AMBASSADORS Nikon has appointed three ambassadors: news photographer Leon Neal; nature shooter David Yarrow; and pro landscape and travel photographer Jeremy Walker. Keep an eye out for seminars and events to see the new reps in action. www.nikon.co.uk MODEL RELEASE To help you navigate the tricky legal side of photographing people and their privacy rights, the Royal Photographic Society has created a free model release form which specifies how the pictures can be used and protects both the model and the photographer. www.rps.org/mrf

for laptops and tablets, plus a removable accessories case makes finding and storing those smaller bits of kit even simpler. Taking you from the airport to the field seamlessly, the Pro Runner II series has features including an easy-access document pocket and the option of either wheels or shoulder straps that can be tucked away when not in use. Prices start at £184 for the smallest capacity bag and go up to £296 for the x450 AW II.

The next generation of Lowepro’s Pro Runner II series has been unveiled. The range includes the BP 350 AW II, the BP 450 AW II and the RL x450 AW II. Designed for those with lots of kit, the latest Pro Runner II bags have been redesigned with new zones that help to make the most of the available space. Dividers in the camera zone hold your camera snugly whilst in the device zone there’s dedicated, protected space

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

Manfrotto has released the only Apple certified interface to deliver tethered shooting with an iPad. The Digital Director isn’t aimed at any one kind of photographer as it’s useful across the board, providing hardware, software and firmware that by just plugging the USB into your camera and connecting to your iPad Air will have you controlling your camera’s settings remotely and intuitively. Made to work with Canon and Nikon DSLRs, Digital Director lets you modify all settings in real time, including focusing which can be done by digitally magnifying the scene for greater accuracy. Easily check your high-res files there and then on your iPad and manage all your post- production work directly from Digital Director. Get your mitts on it now for £399.95. Smooth operator

π To find out more about Digital Director, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

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Latest photography news

With 4K being the next big thing, it was only a matter of time before Panasonic’s Lumix range got the mega-detailed video treatment. It comes in the form of the Lumix G7 CSC, which along with 4K video recording capabilities, also allows photographing whilst recording in 4K. With the 4K photo function, you can extract single eight-megapixel still frames as well as shoot in 4K burst mode to help crop the frame you want out of your video, whilst a Pre Burst mode automatically records 30 frames-per-second before you start shooting. Aside from 4K, the G7 can capture 16-megapixel stills using its Digital Live MOS sensor and with a quad-core processor it captures continuously at up to 8fps. The new noise reduction system inside this latest Lumix model enables an ISO range up to 25,600. As with all Lumix G cameras, this one too has a Contrast AF system that delivers smooth and quick autofocusing, but in the G7 the focusing time has been decreased even further. There’s a Low Light AF mode as well, but new in this particular model is the Starlight AF function that allows you to capture individual stars and constellations. Panasonic’s 4Koffering

NEWS INBRIEF TEST ANDWOW Take an Olympus CSC out for a three-day test drive before you commit to buying in Olympus’s free- to-use Test & Wow programme. Choose from the OM-D or PEN series, which even includes the new OM-D E-M5 Mark II, of course, in combo with one or more M.Zuiko lenses. www.olympus.co.uk

π To find out more about the Lumix G7, go to www.panasonic.com/uk.

Faster, smaller andmore

Flash your light

You can now get your hands on the Nissin Di700A and Commander Air flash kit, and it comes in both Canon and Nikon fittings with the Sony fit to follow shortly. Link up to 21 Nissin Air System flashguns using this brand-new flash kit, which has 2.6GHz wireless transmission capabilities that’ll let you fire multiple guns simultaneously at various distances without the need for wires. The full kit is being sold for £239.94, with the Di700A flashgun costing £209.94 and the Commander Air1 £59.94 to buy separately.

SanDisk has outdone itself again, releasing a whole string of small, quick and high capacity storage solutions, including two new USB 3.0 flash drives: theworld’s smallest flashdrive, the 128GB Ultra Fit (£61.99); and SanDisk’s highest capacity flash drive, the whopper that is the 256GB Ultra (£115.99). Dipping a toe into the external storage market, SanDisk has unveiled its first portable SSD range which it claims is theworld’s highest performing. The Extreme 900 has speeds up to nine times faster than a portable hard drive, whilst the Extreme 500 drives Canon has added two bigmagnification binoculars to its range. The 12x36 IS III and 10x30 IS II not only get you up closer, but they make the view even clearer with Porro II prism-based optics and Super Spectra Coating, which renders colour exceptionally accurately to help you pick out those little nuances in the scene – you’ll be telling your chiffchaffs apart from your garden warblers in no time. Doublet field-flattener lenses give edge-to-edge sharpness, a high res view and ultra- low distortion. THEBEST VIEW π To find out more, go to www.sandisk.com.

Whether you’re already a fully fledged film- maker or just contemplating hitting that little record button, don’t miss this opportunity to up your skills. Our sister magazine Pro Moviemaker has launched a shiny new website packed with daily gear news, interviews, kit tests and how tos covering everything from pre-production and business advice to the shoot itself and editing. To celebrate they’re giving away the digital version of their latest issue absolutely free. Simply enter your email address at www. promoviemaker. net to get your free 132-page mag!

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

compete with speeds up to four times faster. The 500 Portable SSDs come in 120GB (£65), 240GB (£98) and 480GB (£156) capacities, with the 900 SSDs available in 480GB (£261), 960GB (£392) and 1.92TB (£654) sizes.

Carry in style

Both binos have inbuilt image stabilisation that will keep your view shake free. It’s activated with the simple press of a button. Smooth panning will get bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts excited, helping you keep track of your subject in perfect clarity. These binos are lightweight too, with the 12x36 weighing in at 660g and the 10x30 at just 600g. These binoculars will be available in August costing £699.99 for the 12x36 model and £479.99 for the 10x30 version.

Made for mirrorless cameras, Tenba’s latest offering in the field of camera bags is the Switch range. Smaller, or at least more space efficient, than your usual gear bag, the Switch bags come in three sizes (7, 8 and 10) with the smallest able to accommodate a mirrorless camera with up to five lenses or a DSLR and up to four lenses. The largest can carry up to five lenses and a CSC, or a DSLR with three lenses, plus a tripod. All bags are designed with quick access top zips and to keep your kit protected and there’s an abrasion-resistant body armour base panel, whilst a reversible rain cover keeps out the wet but does cost extra (prices start at £15). The Switch bags come in a whole range of colours, from Blue or Pink Melange to Brick Red Faux Leather and are priced from £75 up to £95.

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

π To find out more about Switch bags, go to www.tenba.com.

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Latest photography news Savemoney here Summer is the season for saving cash. Here are the latest offers to tempt you

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Cashback fromCanon

OFF £50

CASHBACK X-T1 £75

Keep your wallet heavy but your kitbag full this summer thanks to Fujifilm’s timely cashback offers. All offers are available until 3 August and as part of the deal, Fujifilm is offering a whopping £75 cashback on the multi award- winning X-T1. Buy this powerful shooter alongside the XF18-135mm kit lens and you’ll not only save cash, but you can take home a free vertical battery grip too that’s worth £179.99. Money saving offers have also reached the XF lenses too. With one lens you can get £75 cashback but bag two and you’ll save yourself £225; buy up to three and you’ll get £375 cashback and four XF lenses will get you a massive £525 saving. Then for five or more lenses, Fujifilm will give you an additional £150 cashback per lens. If all that calculating hurts your head, Fujifilm has provided a handy tool to help you check your claimable cashback amount over at www.fuji-promo-calculator.co.uk. There’s also a number of trade-in offers that are worth a look, for example trading in an old Fujifilm CSC for the new X-T10 will get you an £80 bonus. If ever you needed an excuse to extend or upgrade your kit, Fujifilm has just handed you one on a cash-laden platter. Quids in withFujifilm

OFF EF S 10-18MM £25

yourself some pennies and score some top kit.

the handy EF-S 10-18mm lens comes with a discount of £25, making extending your kit much easier on your wallet. Make your move before the 19 August though to save

zooming compact SX710 to the portable but powerful EOS 100D DSLR. The likes of the big zooming EF 70-300mm lens are now available with £50 off and

Get the most bang for your buck this summer by taking advantage of Canon’s cashback deals. Get up to £50 off on a whole range of products, from the super

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

Get your hands on a Ricoh DSLR this summer for less with these tempting cashback offers. Save yourself £75 on the award- winning K-3 or get £40 cashback when you buy the weather- resistant K-S2 or K-50. The offers are available until 1 August. More for yourmoney

CASHBACK K-3 £75

π To find out more, go to www.fujifilm.eu/uk/products/ digital-cameras/promotions.

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

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Latest photography news

The longest day of the year seems a great time to spend 24 hours out shooting and that’s what Photo 24, in association with Nikon and Nikon School, is all about. This is the third year of Photo 24, organised by our sister magazine Advanced Photographer , and it has grown each year. This year’s free event was fully subscribed hours after registration opened, such is its popularity. Although there are competitions and organised meet-ups, the participants can shoot what they like, take as long as they want and share their experiences with like- minded people. A full report of Photo 24 and the competition winners will be published in Photography News in due course. If you missed out this year, keep your eye open for news of next year’s event; we’ll be publicising it early in 2016. Photo 24 Advanced Photographer and PhotographyNews’s Photo 24 in London, 20-21 June, is going to be bigger and better than ever before

In association with

Leica full-frame compact A fast lens, 24megapixels and a top ISOof 50,000 are the highlights of the Q. And it’s yours for £2900

Premium compacts continue to sell well and Leica’s new line of classy compacts is set to join the fun. First in the range is the Leica Q, a full- frame, 24-megapixel camera using a CMOS sensor. Its built-in lens is a Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. ISO range is 100-50,000. With its fast aperture lens and high ISO, the Q is ideal for general photography in all sorts of lighting conditions. It’s aided by a class-leading AF system, which claims to give precision ‘almost real-time focusing’, while the Leica Maestro processor is fast enough to allow 10fps shooting at full resolution.

The integral EVF has a 3.68-megapixel resolution, giving an image with no perceptible image lag. Available now from authorised Leica dealers the Q is yours for £2900.

π To find out more, go to www.leica-camera.co.uk.

Toshiba’s latest Exceria Pro SD memory cards are UHS-II enabled and the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB give maximum write speeds of 240MB/s. Prices are £50, £82 and £163 respectively. The biggest card is a 128GB with a maximum write speed of 150MB/s. It’s priced at £326. Toshiba’s card range grows

π To find out more, go to www.toshiba-memory.com.

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Issue 21 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 21

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Latest photography news

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It’s all about knowledge

The RPS’s Digital Imaging Group is hosting its largest ever event, at the University of Warwick on 20 September. It’s aimed at enthusiast photographers who’d like to knowmore about the technology behind

photography, with three keynote speakers including Joe Cornish (left), covering colour management and printing as well as workshops on Lightroom and Photoshop. There’ll also be 12 industry experts on

hand as well as a lighting demonstration. Tickets are limited, so act fast.

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

Bleeding London It has been one of the most ambitious photo challenges we’ve been privy to, but now the Bleeding London project has come to a roaringly successful end. Over the past year, photographers have been out in force in the capital city to contribute towards recording the 58,000 streets in the π To find out more, go to www.bleedinglondon.co.uk.

centre. The images are being used to create an electronic archive, but you can see 1200 images from the project on display at London’s City Hall from 8 July until 14 August.

Chosen from more than 10,000 images, 111 finalists will make up the Atkins CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year Exhibition Catch the exhibition for free at the Royal Geographical Society in London from 22 June until 10 July, before it tours to various venues. The winning entries will be announced on Thursday 25 June, with the top prize earning the photographer £5000. Green art

Have you got what it takes to become the ninth Landscape Photographer of the Year? It’s time to get out there and start capturing the British landscape in all its glory or digging through those digital files to find your best shot, but make sure you get your entry in before 12 July to be in with a chance of taking home the top prize of £10,000. You can submit up to 25 entries across any of the four categories: urban views, landscapes with people, close-up details and conceptual landscapes. Wherever you are in the UK, get capturing its best side. The great scape

π To find out more, go to www.take-a-view.co.uk.

π To find out more about the display, go to www.ciwem.org.

The doors to the Travel Photographer of the Year 2015 are now open and organisers are asking you to send in your travel portfolios, single images, HD videos as well as enter into the new Smart Shot category for images taken on a phone or tablet. Entry fees start at £7.50 and you’ve got until 1 October to get your shots in and be in with a chance of taking home one of the prizes, ranging from £1000 cash to £1500 worth of photo kit. Capture your world

Light up the Lakes Led by top landscape photographer John Gravett, Lakeland Photographic Holidays is hosting two all- inclusive landscape photography workshops this August that are suitable for photographers of any ability. Running on the 17 and 24 August, workshops cost £775 per person for six nights or £550 for four, including accommodation, tuition and food. Book ahead to bag your place.

π To find out more about the competition, go to www.tpoty.com.

London Salon

π To find out more about this Lakeland trips, go to www.lakelandphotohols.com.

Roy Strong at 80

The famous London Salon is welcoming visitors to peruse the finalists’ photos until 19 June at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. Following that, the exhibition will travel to Smethwick club rooms, 4-25 July, with dates for Edinburgh and Dublin to be confirmed.

Former director of the National Portrait Gallery, Sir Roy Strong is celebrating his 80th birthday, with a series of portraits that reinvent him as various historical characters by John Swannell. The exhibition is on 19 June until 31 August and entry is free.

π To find out more, go to www.npg.org.uk.

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

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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

HOWTO SUBMIT

Make sure you allow plenty of time. For the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 20 July, we need words and pictures by 7 July. Write your story in a Word document (400 words maximum) and attach it in an email to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk. In the storyplease include contact details of the club, exhibition or event – website, meeting times, 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 them in the Word document. Deadline for the next issue: 7 July 2015 Annual exhibition inHebdenBridge Hebden Bridge Camera Club’s annual exhibition of photography is on now until Wednesday 24 June. More than 60 prints, both colour and black & white, from the club’s members are on show in the Town Hall. The exhibition is open daily, from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments are on sale in the Hall’s café, and parking is available adjacent to the Hall and throughout the town centre. Visitors can also vote for their favourite photograph.

Silver anniversary for Buxton

Norfolk’s Buxton Photographic Club marks quarter century

ABOVE Geoff Clark’s photograph of a Chicago car park is just one of many member images that prove monochrome deserves more attention. Mono alive andwell in East Midlands One of a handful of societies in the UK dedicated to monochrome photography, East Midlands Monochrome Group is in fine fettle, 16 years after its birth. The group began when two keen photographers, who were concerned that clubs weren’t paying mono photography enough attention, realised there was enough interest to start a dedicated group. Regular meetings have been held ever since, and the group now meets on the first and third Wednesdays of themonthat Sywell’s villagehall, near Northampton. As well as an excellent programme of activities and talks on black & white photography, the group also has a permanent travelling exhibition. Showcasing work by its members, the display visits a wide range of venues in the East Midlands; it arrives at Daventry Library on 8 August. If you’re interested in the exhibition, or in joining the group, visit the website or call Bob Holt on 01307 262886.

π To find out more about the group, go to www.emmg.org.uk.

π To find out more, got to www.hebdenbridgecc.co.uk.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Buxton Photographic Club is holding an exhibition of its members’ work in Buxton village hall. The exhibition will feature a variety of six subjects: natural history, landscape, black & white, split second, curves and people. It’s free to enter and is open Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July, from 10am to 4pm. Light refreshments will be available and visitors can vote for their favourite photograph. Buxton Photographic Club is a small, friendly club, which meets on the first and third Monday evenings of every month, except August, in Buxton Village Hall.

A first for Cymru Cymru Monochrome Photography Group’s first exhibition

browse and share their thoughts with the group. The Group was established in 2010 by Gareth Martin AWPF CPAGB, who won the Welsh Salon’s Best Monochrome Award twice. This mono club is thriving, with 28 members involved in its first exhibition, and monthly meetings in Port Talbot.

Explore visions of heritage and homeland with Cymru Monochrome Photography Group’s first exhibition next month. The display, Heritage and Home, is at Creative Bubble Studio on Swansea’s Craddock Street from 11 to 17 July, open 11am to 4pm daily. Entry is free, and visitors are encouraged to

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

π To find out more about Buxton PC, go to www.buxtonphotographicclub.co.uk.

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Profile

INTERVIEW

The medium-format Pentax 645Z impressed as soon as it was launched last year; now the K-3 II, boasting the same processor, has hit the shelves. Marketing and product coordinator, Adrian Uden talks about the camera and brand’s evolution AdrianUden

When we use Pixel Shift Resolution, we are still obtaining information from the same number of pixels, however, the information captured will be more detailed. As a result, when capturing an image using Pixel Shift Resolution in PEF Raw and JPEG, there is a significant increase in the file size, due to the complexity or detail of the image. Aswe capture all RGB light informationoneverypixel, without the need to increase file size dramatically, we are really pleased with how this option can enhance images. You can still use the sensor’s full resolution capabilities when using Pixel Shift Resolution and, besides the four-shot composite process, it also effectively reduces image noise in high ISO settings. Astrotracer is a really clever bit of technology that allows you to calibrate the camera to simulate the rotation of the Earth’s movement. The setting combines the built-in GPS with the in-body stabilisation to capture night scenes without star trails. You can keep the shutter open for up to five minutes using this mode. I think the K-3 II offers some very interesting features in comparison to the competition at this end of the market. Did I mention weather sealing too? We would love to have every feature in this camera, but for the moment, we are focusing on image quality, but watch this space. Did Pentax consider the option of producing a higher resolution file with this setting? Tell us about the Astrotracer function that can help avoid star trails by moving the sensor.

the image quality in any way. And you’re absolutely right, moiré is less of an issue now. However there is still the occasion where it can affect the image and, as a result, have an undesired effect on the image taken. So, we have given the user the option of turning the AA simulator on or off, albeit limited to certain shooting scenarios; we can have the best of both worlds without jeopardising the image quality. Can you expand on the technology of the AA filter?Why offer different levels of performance? The way we, at Ricoh Imaging, have developed the AA simulator technology is to generate microscopic vibrations of the image sensor during image exposure – this allows us to generate the same level of moiré reduction as optical AA filters. Unlike fixed optical AA filters, which always produce identical results, this innovative simulator allows the user to adjust the level of moiré-reduction from off, to Type 1 and Type 2. The upgraded SR mechanism offers a 4.5EV benefit as opposed to the previous 3.5EV. What are the key technical changes that have made this possible? When the SR unit detects the panning motion of the camera, it automatically manages the movement of the CMOS image sensor to capture an ideal panning shot. Thanks to the newly adapted highly sensitive gyro-sensor, K-3 II now ensures camera shake free shooting up to 4.5EV. With reference to the pixel resolution mode, Pentax has opted for four shots with one pixel movement between each shot but with no image file increase. What is the thinking behind this and what are the practical benefits? Is the file produced a standard DNG/PEF Raw? Now here we can get quite technical. The photo sensors in any CMOS sensor are colour-blind by nature. In order for the sensors to detect colour, a filter needs to be placed over the top of them – known as a Bayer filter. This is a mosaic filter that is made up of repeating patterns of green, red, green and blue – two greens to every red and blue, because the human eye is more sensitive to green light. This allows us to capture fantastic images, but effectively, each sensor is having the light information it receives reduced by 75%. Using Pixel Shift Resolution the photo sensor is able to receive full RGB information. We do this by capturing four shots, moving the sensor by one pixel each time. Once processed, each of the 24 million pixels will have full colour information. So, in terms of file size, it’s quite logical to think through it. Where there is more light information, the file size will increase. If you take a really dark image, the file size will be significantly smaller. When we generate an image using the Pentax K-3 II, the file size depends on the subject that is being shot.

BIOGRAPHY

We canhave the best of both worldswithout jeopardising the image quality

Pentax has seen some great products recently and there is the promise of a full-frame DSLR this year. What has given Pentax this impetus? At Ricoh Imaging we really appreciate that you recognise our efforts in the development of our DSLR offerings. We also appreciate the recognition of bodies such as TIPA who have recently commended us for Best DSLR Advanced for the Pentax K-S2. This allows us to build on the heritage of Pentax as a brand and, quite naturally, follow that through to a full-frame proposition. Full-frame is something that has been highly anticipated by Pentax users. Ricoh Imaging purchased the Pentax brand more than three years ago. This has given us time to build the brand back up to a level that can proudly do justice to its heritage. The time is right for full- frame and we feel that it will be a huge success for us; and of course, because we are using the original K-mount, the lenses will be compatible with the original lenses from the 35mm film SLRs. This is something special for us; full-frame is coming… The K-3 II’s CMOS sensor is a FSI sensor; why not a BSI design? Also the Pentax 645Z has a higher top ISO than the K-3 II – why? That’s correct; we are using a FSI (front side illuminated) sensor. The only reason we do not use BSI for the K-3 II is because it’s not industry standard. We use the same processor in the K-3 II as the 645Z, but the big difference here is the sensor size. The 645Z sensor has around nine times more surface area in comparison. This allows more light to hit the sensor and therefore allows for a higher ISO. What is the thinking about the adjustable AA filter? Moiré is so rare now because cameras have such high resolutions. Why not take out the AA filter completely? Just to be clear on the technology we use here, we are using an anti-aliasing ‘simulator’. There is no filter over the sensor itself that can negatively impact Years in the photo industry: Ten in consumer electronics, last two focusing on digital cameras Current location: Staines-upon-Thames Last picture taken: Borough Market with a Ricoh GR – great environment for street photography Hobbies: Fitness, photography and motorbikes When youwere younger, what did you want to bewhen you grewup? My mum would tell you Mooncat Dogs or cats? Staffordshire Bull Terrier Toast or cereal? Cereal, unless there’s Nutella Email or phone call? Drop me a line anytime.

π To find out more about the Pentax K-3 II and 645Z, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 21

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Advertisement feature

15

Be your own director From awkward angles to one-man bands, Digital Director fromManfrotto gets you the shot you want MANFROTTO DIGITAL DIRECTOR

and tweak the image if it’s you on camera, as well as behind it, or a high-level view, for example. Digital Director displays a dynamic histogram to aid exposure on the iPad Air and for video shooters, there’s an audio level display. Selecting focus points for stills and video is easy with Interactive Focus, just touch the spot on screen and your camera will focus exactly where you want it to. Simply use the app’s digital zoom to check it’s focused. With everything connected, secure your DSLR to a tripod and shoot to your heart’s content using the tethered iPad Air and in comfort from your director’s chair. You can even use a boom to hold your iPad Air, leaving you free to star in your video or shot. For the more adventurous, a mounting device can safely position your camera anywhere you like – from a branch, on a rock, whatever gets you the shot. In post-production Digital Director’s role doesn’t end once you’ve bagged your shot. You can download and check the high-resolution files on the iPad Air and use standard iPad gestures to navigate them. Digital Director also offers management of post-production; you can crop and rotate images, modify exposure, contrast and brightness, check the histogram and EXIF data, rate and save images. It lets you organise files and albums, as well as share them directly to FTP, email or on social networks. Digital Director puts you in complete control from setting up your shot to editing high-res files. Opening aworld of shooting opportunities, the innovative device doesn’t cost the earth. On sale now, this kind of freedom and camera control can be yours for £399.95.

Ever missed out on a shot simply because you couldn’t get the camera and you in the right position? Or perhaps, you’re a one-man videographer, and there were simply too many things to juggle? Maybe if you’d had an extra pair of hands, you might have got it. Or maybe you missed out, because checking exposure on a small screen was tricky or the Wi-Fi connection was flaky? Well, prepare to never regret those kinds of missed opportunities again. Manfrotto’s Digital Director will let you shoot from the most awkward and difficult to reach positions – it’s like having that extra pair of super-steady hands – plus you can check focus and exposure on a large, crisp screen. And it’s all quick and easy. Digital Director comprises hardware, software and firmware to let your Canon or Nikon DSLR work with an iPad Air and Air 2. A simple looking device, it features an embedded CPU that communicates with the iPad Air, which runs the Digital Director app. The iPad Air mounts onto the device and a fast USB cable connects it to your DSLR. Effectively, the iPad Air becomes a reliable remote control and an external monitor – an excellent monitor at that, thanks to the high-definition Retina display. Directing the shot Because Digital Director’s been through the Mfi (Made for iPad) certification, camera protocols are fully understood, providing intuitive and reliable control. The app offers control of settings such as exposure, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, white-balance, manual focus and drive mode – everything you need to get the shot, or video, spot on. A real time live view is displayed on the Retina screen, so you can monitor

π To find out more about Digital Director, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

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Issue 21 | Photography News

16 BEFORE THE JUDGE Martin C Grahame-Dunn Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences. This month, we hear fromMartin C Grahame-Dunn

Opinion

Words by Martin C Grahame-Dunn

MEET THE JUDGE MartinCGrahame- Dunn: FMPA, FRSA, Hon. FMPA, ABIPP, QEP, Hon. Master Photo-dk, Cr. Photog. (PPA) MPPhotog. (MPIO) etc. A pro photographer, Martin now esteemed national and international photo competitions, including but not limited to chairman of judges at the CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year Awards and past national president of the United Kingdom Master Photographers Association. Favourite camera: To be honest, it’s the one between my ears. The conceptual camera that’s always enabled me to create images that is only completed by the mechanical process. Favourite accessory: Nik Software by Google. As one of their original evangelists it’s been close to my heart as a creative design tool. I’m not into gadgets and live by the maxims, keep it simple and shoot like film. Favourite photographers: I can honestly say I don’t have favourite photographers, but I do have favourite artists to whom I have always looked for inspiration and marvelled at their mastery of light. I’d have been in my element sharing a meal with Caravaggio or Raphael Santi. Favourite subjects: The world I love. The people, the places, its culture, history and the marvels that a camera has the ability to record. participates as chairman and judge in many Years in photography: 36 years

Getting into photography was a happy accident. Having been a fine artist it seemed a logical form of expression, a different medium to pencils or paints. I started in commercial photography, especially industrial, fashion and automotive. In the late eighties I took my first sojourn into social photography, opening my own high-street studio in Warwick which I operated until I left for Spain in 2001. I became involved in judging at a regional level through one of my professional organisations, the Master Photographers Association (MPA) – I would later become national president and chairman of its Qualifications Board. All in I have been judging professional imagery for well in excess of 25 years. I was never involved in amateur photography due to my professional career, so I haven’t had the opportunity to judge local or club photography. I do have many friends and colleagues deeply involved in the amateur and camera club level including the President and Secretary General of FIAP whom I have judged alongside in the HIPA Awards. My reputation in the industrywas the primary reason I’ve been selected as a judge and chair on many occasions. One of the pivotal eras in my career was being involved with the Kodak European Gold Awards. In the late eighties to the late nineties, they were the most sought-after awards in the industry. The system, presentation and accessibility were a perfect blend for the most iconic of all awards. I miss those awards above all else. I still enjoy judging at national level but more typically I judge or chair in worldwide awards. This in itself presents numerous issues not the least, translation and cultural differences. In the professional

RIGHT Martin C Grahame-Dunn presents a workshop as part of HIPA’s ethical responsibility to deliver education across the globe.

The greatest challenge of judging is putting together the perfect teamwithdiverse skills to assess every situation fairly

privileged to be instrumental in its growth and the quality of images in the superb annual book. I’ve also been involved with HIPA but there I’m educating entrants on four continents. The delivery of education, particularly in the Third World, is an ethical responsibility the organisers have taken to heart. Most professional awards are judged behind closed doors though there are exceptions. The prestigious WPPI annual awards in Las Vegas are judged before an audience. In this case it is expected that the judges will provide invaluable feedback on every image. Those intensive pearls of wisdom are highly prized by the entrants and are often deemed more valuable than winning glittering trophies! In August 2015 I’ll be training and retraining a new generation of judges and chairmen for the AIPP, which contains many of the world’s best professional photographers. The governing body’s determination to continue to lead the world of imaging led to a reviewof judging practices and ethics. Theworkshops I present will go further than ever before in analysing themechanics andaestheticsof judgingphotography. What I truly want changed is the attitudes of those judging. It should be humbling and a pleasure to pay forward hard sought-after knowledge and skill to new generations of image makers. Being entrenched in your own ideas and values without flexibility to listen and learn, must be discouraged in every judge.

arena at times one must consider a degree of difficulty, somewhat akin to Olympic high diving. The greatest challenge of judging is putting together the perfect teamwith diverse skills to assess every situation fairly. At the highest levels the best jurors become close friends and sources of inspiration to each other. Seeing so many great images provides challenges to keep their own work or attitudes fresh. As with any industry there is good and bad. Photography, photographers and image judges are no different. I’ve witnessed what is best described as ‘political judging’ and collusion among judges to obtain a particular outcome. Thankfully, these situations are rare and an experienced chairman will nip issues in the bud before they reach problematic proportions. The most important asset a great judge can have is the ability to score fairly even if you hate the photograph before you. In such cases it’s vital that the key elements of a great image are adhered to and personal taste never comes into the equation. I’ve never forgotten that my knowledge of art, geometry and ethics are more important than any notions or so-called rules. There are laws of physics that concern light, without which there would be no photography. My true strength has been in chairing judging panels, overseeing ‘fair play’ and ensuring every entrant is respected and treated fairly. I love to hear reasoned and passionate exchanges of opinion by well-trained and knowledgeable judges; the love of various genres being discussed and extolled to others. It’s also a phenomenal opportunity to make daily advancements in knowledge. Indeed, we never stop learning and that process is often best delivered by passionate mentors. The judging environment brings such talented people together. Every competition has attractions, be it financial rewards or the kudos of having your images in an exhibition. It’s not possible to have a favourite competition, although the CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year Awards is close to my heart as I’ve been chairman of judges from its inception. I’ve been

π To find out more about Martin C Grahame- Dunn, go to www.martingrahamedunn.com.

Have you seen a photographic judge at work who 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. What do you think?

Photography News | Issue 21

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Advertisement feature

17

Colour your lifewith Canon’s cashbackoffers Keep the purse strings tight but still print like a pro by taking advantage of Canon’s unmissable cashback offers.

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like the PowerShot SX530 which comes with £30 cashback. Buy before 19 August and get your cashback claim in before 30 September to make the most of these savings.

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

PIXMA iP8750

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SENSOR SIZE/TYPE CMOS RESOLUTION 18 megapixels ISO SENSITIVITY 100-6400 SHUTTER SPEED RANGE 30-1/4000sec REAR LCD 7.5cm LCD approx 460k dots DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 110.9x68x44.4mm WEIGHT 480g (including battery and memory card)

The PIXMA iP8750 is the kind of printer that will have you wanting to print more. Gone are the tangle of wires and endless time spent plugging in and connecting devices, the iP8750 works wirelessly making printing less of an event and more second nature. Printing pro-style pictures is no longer a laborious process, just download the PIXMA Printing Solutions app to get hard copies of your photos on your smartphone or tablet or if you store your images on the Cloud, you can print directly from there too. Got a Wi-Fi enabled camera? Use Wireless PictBridge to take your photos straight from the camera to be printed. Prints are of extraordinary quality. The iP8750 has a six-colour system that produces prints in rich colour as well as stunning mono. Choose to go with the iP8750 and you’ll earn yourself not only some extraordinary prints but also £30 cashback courtesy of Canon.

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or in low light, your pictures will be as sharp as they can be. Whilst you’re away, don’t keep those special moments, funny memories or incredible views to yourself. Connect the SX710 HS to your phone or tablet and share images on social media for all your friends and family to see. Scoop up the SX710 HS before 19 August and you’ll get all that compact shooting power with a bonus £30 cashback.

Make this summer one to remember by packing the SX710 HS with you before you set off on a trip. It is designed for travelling, being both lightweight and compact but also shoot-ready, featuring a generous 30x zoom lens – lots of reach without the extra bulk and fuss of having to carry and change lenses. To make that zoompower go even further, this compact has been designed with a five-axis intelligent optical image stabiliser, which means that even at full zoom

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