Photography News Issue 29

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography news Photography Produced by Issue 29 15 Feb – 10Mar News Tests Reviews Interviews Techniques Competitions Exhibitions Clubs

SPECIAL EDITION

Advertisement feature

Vanguardcelebrates 30th birthday Starting out as a single manufacturing facility, Vanguard is now a global corporation, designing and producing quality tripods, monopods, bags and cases for photo and video enthusiasts the world over

VEOCollection

It’s just shy of a year since Vanguard launched the VEO Collection of travel tripods, monopods and bags at The Photography Show, but a lot has happened in that year. Vanguard tells us that the reaction to the collection has been fantastic, with the VEO 265CB carbon-fibre travel tripod, VEO 37 shoulder bag and VEO AM-264TR monopod with tri-foot all winning awards – see page 40 for our review of the AM-264TR. And of course, Vanguard is also in the Photography News Awards; the VEO 204AB, VEO 265CB, Up‑Rise II 43 and Xcenior 48T are all nominated.

Founded in 1986, Vanguard is proud to be commemorating its 30th birthday, with plans for a year full of reminiscing as well as looking forward to a bright future. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to get involved with the fun, we’re promised in-store events and a social media campaign; watch out for #30YearsLater. When Vanguard started out,

it had a single manufacturing facility, but now the company operates worldwide, producing not only quality photo and video accessories, but sporting optics and accessories. It’s still a family-owned business, headquartered in Guangdong, China, with distribution, sales and administrative branches here in the UK, as well as in Luxembourg,

Spain, Germany, the USA and Japan. The company attributes its continued success to its high standards from the initial concepts and designs right through to engineering and manufacturing in its own factories. Last year’s launch of the VEO Collection is just the first stride into the future, we’re told. Upcoming

launches innovative features and products building on the legacy of the company’s high- quality and feature-packed kit. Turn to the inside back cover for more on Vanguard products. And to stay up to date with the company’s news, visit its Facebook page. vanguardworld.co.uk promise

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

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

DIGITAL EDITION every month* *at absolutephoto.com FREE GET YOUR

Fujifilm X-Pro2 Does it make the grade? Page 36

A Samsung 64GB Pro memory card Enter the competition on page 68 WIN!

In the spotlight Turn to page 24 for lighting tips

Revealed: R3 winners Plus round 4 launches on page 20

Canon’s all action flagship Full-frame, 20.2 megapixels, ISO to

It is no coincidence that new top- end products get launched early in Olympic Games year and we’ve already seen the Nikon D5. Canon has now chimed in with the EOS‑1D X Mark II designed to be the ultimate action camera. It features a brand-new 20.2-megapixel full-frame sensor with a native ISO range of 100 to 51,200 and expandable from ISO 50 to409,600. The sensor alsoprovides 4Kvideo capability at frame rates up to 60fps. For amazing slow-motion effects you can shoot Full HD at 120fps. The camera can race along at 14fps in Raw and JPEG and with that you get full autoexposure and autofocus tracking. The AF system features a 61-point system, 51,200 and the ability to shoot at 14fps with exposure and autofocus tracking – they’re just a few of the highlights of the EOS‑1D X Mark II

Olympus goes retro with PEN-F Under its stylish, iconic shell beats a heart bursting with the very latest technology. The PEN-F is the most powerful OM-D camera to date with a 20-megapixel resolution and much, muchmore … continue reading on page 3

41 of which are cross-type sensors, capable of working in light as low as -3EV. AF tracking performance uses Canon’s new AI Servo AF III+ system and has improved sensitivity with subjects that may move suddenly.

The EOS-1D X Mark II will be available from May this year at a body price of £5199.99. Turn the page for more details and to page 9 for a hands-on preview.

canon.co.uk

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

Olympus go retro with PEN-F Under its stylish, iconic shell beats a heart bursting with the very latest technology. The PEN-F is the most powerful OM-D camera to date with a 20-megapixel resolution and much, much more

... continued fromcover

The Olympus OM-D system goes from strength to strength and the latest weapon in its armoury is the PEN-F. This beautifully designed Micro Four Thirds CSCboaststhehighestresolutionyetseenonanOlympus camera and the Live MOS sensor delivers 20-megapixel images. Use Olympus’s High Res shot mode and you get 50-megapixel JPEG images and even bigger Raws. The sensor has no optical low-pass filter so you get the very best possible quality from the sensor and the range of high-spec M.Zuiko lenses. Olympus says that there is a 25% increase in image quality by doing away with the optical low-pass filter. Image quality is also assisted by Olympus’s renowned five-axis image stabilisation system that offers a benefit of up to 5EV. An EVF featuring a 2.36 million dot LED provides a beautifully clear viewing image and is placed to give a rangefinder shooting feel. Focus peaking and image

magnification of 0.62x enhance the overall experience. A vari-angle monitor is also provided so it’s perfect for shooting at unusual angles when you are looking for the best viewpoint. The touchscreen also gives access to point focusing for fast shooting. And speaking of fast shooting, the PEN-F can blitz through frames at 10fps. The PEN-F has a Creative dial to give quick access to Olympus’s integrated Art filters, as well as the new Color Profile and the Monochrome Profile controls. These profiles let you tailor the look of your shots with three presets. Color Profile lets you adjust the saturation of 12 colours to 11 different levels. The PEN-F body retails at £999.99; with the M.Zuiko ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ pancake lens kit it’s £1099.99 or with the 17mm f/1.8 it’s £1199.99.

olympus.co.uk

Sony goes all out for speed Sony’s latest mirrorless CSC boasts the world’s fastest AF speed using a system with the highest number of AF points

The SonyA6300 is a 24.2-megapixel APS-C format mirrorless CSC with focus achieved using the company’s 4D focus system that can lock onto a subject in just 0.05sec – claimed to be the world’s fastest autofocus acquisition time. TheAFsystemuses425AFpoints that cover the entire image area and Sony’s Fast Hybrid systemcombines high-speed phase-detection AF and contrast AF to capture and lock onto moving subjects very rapidly. The AF can activate a large number of sensors surrounding the subject and then intelligently adjust them to cope with the subject’s motion to give sharp results even with small subjects within the frame. The capable focusing system helps the camera shoot at 11 frames- per-second with continuous AF and exposure tracking. Continuous shooting in live view is possible at eight frames-per-second if you prefer to track with the monitor. The EVF is a high resolution XGA OLED Tru-finder with 2.4 million dots and a fast refresh mode works at 120fps making tracking subjects more SLR-like. The APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor works with the BIONZ X image processing engine and picture quality through the entire ISO range of 100-51,200 is said to be outstanding. This has been assisted

by the new sensor using copper wiring to improve light gathering efficiency and operating speed. There is no confirmed UK price at the time of writing, but the A6300 will retail in Europe fromMarch at a body price of €1250 and €1650 with the 16-50mm zoom. Sony has also introduced a new flagship lens family, the G Master series, with three lenses: 24-70mm f/2.8, 85mm f/1.4 and 70-200mm f/2.8. Very high optical quality, beautiful bokeh and dust/moisture resistance are key qualities of all three. The trio also feature Sony’s Super Sonic Wave motor that offers smooth and quiet AF. Prices and availability aren’t all confirmed, but the 24-70mm is due to sell in Europe for €2400 and the 85mm for €2000.

And then therewere five

Two lenses have been announced in the Samyang XEEN video lens series, the 14mm T3.1 and 35mm T1.5. This duo joins the 24mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5 and 85mm T1.5, thus making a five-lens set for the keen video maker. XEEN lensesworkwith full-frame aswell as Super 35, APS-C andAPS-H formats and are available inPL, EF, F, E and Micro Four Thirds fittings. Depending on how you prefer to work there’s even the option of metric or imperial focusing scales.

The 35mm’s fast T1.5 maximum aperture is ideal for less than perfect lighting conditions and when shallow depth-of-field is needed. Optical quality from both lenses, as you would expect from Samyang, is high, with X-Coating technology helping in this regard. And both lenses suit 4K shooting. The 14mm and 35mm costs £1599 each and will be available from early March.

intro2020.co.uk

sony.co.uk

Voting for the Photography News 2015 Awards closes 24 February so hurry if you want to register your views on what you consider to be the Best CSC, Best lens and Best Mains flash unit. There are 47 product and service categories in total and you can register your vote in every one or just cherry- pick categories that interest you. There is a category for everyone and everything including best retailer, insurance provider as well as hardware categories. Everyone who votes is eligible for a prize draw with a case of wine going to one lucky voter picked at random. Vote at absolutephoto.com. Last chance to vote

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

Simple scanning If you have an archive of slides and negatives, it’ll be packed full of invaluable, irreplaceable images. It’s time to digitise them with a film scanner

News in brief

Innovative specialist Phottix has introduced a newOdin radio flash trigger and a family of light modifiers. The new trigger is called the Odin II TTL and allows more control than was previously available, with a streamlined LCD interface to make the flash trigger even easier to use. It offers five groups anda total of 32channelsandfacilitiesincluding High Speed Sync and OverDrive Sync that offer correct flash sync with TTL and manual speedlights up to 1/8000sec. Users can adjust light coverage remotely and with the Indra360/500, the modelling lighting Manfrotto LEDpanels Three lighting panels using the latest LED technology are available fromManfrotto. The Croma 2, Micropro2 and Spectra 2 are portable enough to be camera mounted and give colour-correct images. Prices start from £154.95. manfrotto.co.uk throughWex Photographic. UV, circular polarising and 10EV neutral density are the three filter types on offer with popular sizes available. The 10EV ND is available from49mm to 82mm while the UV and circular polariser are available in sizes 37mm to 82mm. intro2020.co.uk REALPRO filters Kenko REALPRO filters are available exclusively

The Plustek OpticFilm 135 scanner is a high-performance film scanner and costs £245. It has a 3600ppi optical resolution and can output images to 17.3MB with file sizes big enough for 12x17in prints. TIF, JPEG and BMP files can be outputted. The motorized film holder holds four 35mm slides or six negatives and batch scanning speeds up operation. ItisMacandWindowscompatible and comes with QuickScan Plus software. This software features

a user-friendly interface to make scanning simple and has five creative modes too. The software also offers fast scanning and the quoted time for a full-resolution scan is a little over three minutes. Export to social media sites is also possible via the software. Panoramic film originals – up to 120mm across – can also be handled with an optional film holder.

plustek.com

Phottix upgrades Odin

light and lighting ratios can be set remotely. The Odin II is available for Canon and Nikon flash systems – the receiver costs £125 and the transmitter £160. The Odin II is backwards compatible and if you already own a Mitros+ or Indra360/500, firmware updates will be available soon to let you take advantage of the Odin’s new features. The Phottix Hexa-Para Deep Octa is a new series of modifiers and two extra large sizes are available, the 120cm/47in and 150cm/59in costing £169 and £249 respectively with special speed

ring adapters for S-mount or Elinchrom costing £27 each. These Deep Octas offer soft, even edge-to-edge coverage with no hotspots – there is an edge-to- edge light difference of EV0.2 or less. The removable inner baffle has a double-diffused centre spot to give soft light even when the light is used close to the subject. 16 support rods give a near perfect circle shape for lovely rounded eye catchlights. They are made from quality materials for a long working life and come with a heavy-duty carry case.

The Hasselblad H5D-50c body is now priced at £12,714 and the Wi-Fi version at £13,194 (prices include 20% VAT). This 50-megapixel CMOS sensor medium-format camera is capable of producing 154MB files, has a top ISO of 6400 and can deal with a 14EV dynamic range. NewHasselblad prices

phottix.com

hasselblad.co.uk

One of Manfrotto’s most popular tripod ranges, the 190 Go! has gained twonewkits inaluminium and carbon fibre. The 190 Go! Carbon Fibre and Aluminium tripods come with the option of either the 496RC2 ball-head or the 804 Mark II three-way head. The 190 Go! Carbon Fibre four-section costs £309.95, with the kits (both the three-way or ball head) costing £359.95 and the Aluminium kits (both the three-way and ball head) priced at £214.95. Manfrotto get Go-ing

manfrotto.co.uk

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

Don’t miss Canon at Photography Show It’ll be one of the biggest stands at The Photography Show so swing by Canon’s stand, D141/E131, to get your hands

on the latest products, enjoy interactive demonstrations and catch some big names talking photography

As a leading camera brand, you would expect Canon to have a massive presence at the country’s biggest photographic show and this year’s line-up of products, live demonstrations and expert speakers will not disappoint. For many, the key product highlight will be the hotly anticipated EOS-1D X Mark II. This full-frame 20.2-megapixel DSLR – offering a 14fps frame rate with full AF/AE tracking or 16fps with live view– is perfect for sport, action and wildlife fans. If you’re in the market for a long lens, you can check out the EF500mm and EF800mm, for example, at the lens bar with its vantage point right across the show. Whatever Canon product you are interested in the stand will be fully manned by Canon experts who will be on hand to answer your questions and help improve your photographic experience. On the Canon live stage there

will be an extensive programme of technical workshops and inspirational talks featuring photographers such as Canon Explorers Simeon Quarrie and Andy Rouse. The programme offers more than 500 sessions, scheduled throughout the duration of the show to both fuel your imagination and improve your photography. There will also be a solution and experience area with live demonstrations of Canon’s home and online solutions so you will be able to see for yourself how its products can enhance your life, both at home and in the business environment. You can even get the full green-screen interactive experience… trying it out for yourself and taking home a special show souvenir. The Canon stand certainly promises to be one of the biggest and best experiences at the show so make sure you don’t miss it.

Left The Canon EOS 5DS R, EOS-1D X Mark II and PowerShot G5 X will be among the products demonstrated on Canon’s stand at The Photography Show, where Canon experts will also be on hand with help and advice.

canon.co.uk

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

In association with

Photo 24

You might still be defrosting your cars in the morning, but we’re already looking forward to summer – and Photo 24

About the Nikon School TheNikonSchool is a bespoke facility in central London dedicated to helping photographers to get the most from their equipment. Supported by a team of expert tutors the School’s aim is to educate and inspire camera users of all levels, from beginners to professionals, with a range of practical workshops. Most of these workshops take place at the School although many are location-based too. Workshops are available for specific subjects, techniques andcameras soall trainingneeds are catered for. The approach on all courses is very much hands-on and group size is limited to 12 people maximum so you are guaranteed the personal attention you need to get the most from the session. All camera brand users are welcome, while for existing Nikon users the School has a vast range of the latest Nikon kit to touch and try.

Noon, 17 June. That’s the start of this year’s Photo 24 in London. Put that in your diary. Mark it on the calendar. Put a reminder in your phone. Or do all of those things if you fancy coming along and joining us for one of the biggest and most fun photographic shoots of the year. At this time, there is nothing more to do. We’re saying ‘save the date’. Sign-up details and what is going to happen on the day will follow in Photography News over the coming months. If you’re not familiar with Photo 24, it is a 24-hour long photo shoot in London. It’s a free event and Photography News runs it in association with Nikon and Nikon School. Photographers of all experience levels, regardless of camera brand, are welcome and you can join us for the full 24 hours or just come along for a few hours’ shooting. We’ve had three Photo 24s and in the past many photographers booked a hotel room and took the opportunity for a few hours sleep during the early hours. Essentially, how you use the 24 hours is entirely up to you. We will have use of the Nikon School, five minutes’ walk fromOxford Circus Tube station, for the whole 24 hours. Plans are afoot for activities, and details of these will be announced soon. Numbers for Photo 24 will be limited so we’ll be holding a ballot for places. Again more details will be available in due course. Meanwhile, if you fancy joining Photography News and like-minded photographers for a great photo shoot, put 17 -18 June in your diary now.

Upcoming training days

Here are some of the training workshops in the coming months. Due to limited numbers, courses can book up quickly so please go to the website for details, more information and to book. 23 February: Getting started with the Nikon D7000/ D7100/D7200, part 1 23 February: Nikon Digital Darkroom – Photoshop 1 March: Getting started with wildlife photography 5 March: Getting started with DSLR photography, part 1 11 April: Join the pros – Landscapes, Skye

nikon.co.uk

Lens classics

Giving extra been recognised by the local panel of the Halifax Giving Extra Awards for co-founding Remember My Baby, a charity that provides free remembrance photography for the parents of babies who have died before, during or after birth. She gave up her own photography business to devote her time to the charity, and she was nominated for the Award by parents, volunteers and midwives. In total, there were 66 local winners across the UK and these will be put forward and seven regional winners will be selected, each receiving £5000 to help further their efforts to benefit their local communities. Cheryl Johnson has

Leica has updated three of its classic M lenses and launched a rugged compact. The Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH, Summicron 28mm f/2 ASPH and Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH are priced at £2250, £2975 and £1650 respectively. They are all new optical designs created to give superior optical performance and extra smooth bokeh – the 35mm lens has 11 iris blades to give a circular aperture for excellent bokeh. The three lenses also feature a more robust construction and metal rectangular lens hoods with a thread mount.

The Leica X-U (Typ 113) is designed specifically for outdoor and underwater photography. The camera has a resolution of 16.5 megapixels from its APS-C sensor and the built-in lens is a Summilux 23mm f/1.7 ASPH that can focus down to 20cm. Its rugged design includes a toughened monitor screen cover, a double-locking battery and storage carddoor and a toughened top-plate. It’s water resistant to a depth of 15m and there is even an underwater snapshot button. Guide price is £2400.

halifax.co.uk/ givingextraawards

Manage your workflowand savemoney

X-Rite Photo conducted a survey of 500 UK photographers and found that they were losing an average of £9900 a year by not managing their colour workflow. The majority of this loss was due to uncalibrated monitors that were costing them £5200 a year in extra

editing time. It was found that photographers were spending 4.5 hours per week correcting their inaccurate screen colour which cost them £100 a week. So, whether you are a keen enthusiast or a professional photographer, colour management

is worth serious consideration and a crucial part of your workflow. See our profile on Simon Prais from Color Confidence in this issue for more on the important topic of colour management.

uk.leica-camera.com

xritephoto.eu

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

The Photography Show Put the dates in your diary now: 19-22 March. The Photography Show at the Birmingham NEC is the UK’s biggest imaging event. Book your tickets now for the imaging event of the year

More than 200 exhibitors representing every aspect of imaging will be attending this year’s massive Photography Show at Birmingham’s NEC. You will be able to get your hands on the latest cameras, such as the Canon EOS- 1D X Mark II, Fujifilm X-Pro2, Nikon D5 and Olympus OM-D PEN-F, but the show is about much more than just hardware. Many stands will have experts on hand to talk about their photography and help with yours. On the Super Stage, David Bailey is the headline name, but other speakers include well-known names like Chris

Packham, Nick Danziger and Lara Jade. Other areas where exciting events are planned are the Live Stage, Adobe Theatre and Video Theatre. New for this year is the Wedding & Portrait Stage where there will be a mocked-up chapel where visitors can sit in pews to hear from renowned photographers including Kevin Mullins, John Denton and Kate Hopewell-Smith. Basically, The Photography Show is unmissable for every keen image-maker and you can order your show tickets in advance and save £3 per ticket – £10.95 instead of

£13.95. Enter the discount code PNTPS16 when booking on the website. You also have the option of adding seminar and workshop tickets, priced at £10 per session, when booking your show ticket. The website will also have the confirmed list of exhibitors and speakers so check it out and get your tickets ordered. Naturally, Photography News will also be there so please come along and say hello.

photographyshow.com

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

Preview

First look

Canon EOS- 1D XMark II In a year that will see the Olympics in Rio and the Euros in France, Canon has updated its own sporting great

Specs

Price TBC (expected around £5199 body only) Sensor 21.5-megapixel CMOS with Dual DIGIC 6+ processor Sensor format 35.9x23.9mm, 5472x3648 pixels ISO range 100-12,800 (expandable down to 50 and up to 409,600) Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec, plus B Drivemodes 8fps continuous, up to 83 JPEGs, or 33 lossless compressed Raws. At 3fps, endless JPEGs and lossless compressed Raws Metering 360,000-pixel RGB+IR sensor, 216 zones. Evaluative, partial (approx 6.2%), spot (approx 1.5%), centre- weighted Autofocusmodes AI Focus (AI Servo AF III+), One Shot Autofocus points 61 Exposuremodes Program AE, shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, manual, Custom x3 Exposure compensation +/-5EV in 0.3 or 0.5EV stops, AEB +/-3EV in 0.3 or 0.5EV stops Max frame rate 14fps for unlimited JPEGs or 170 Raw files using CFast 2.0 card Monitor Fixed 3.2in touchscreen, 1620k dot resolution Video functionality 4K (4096x2160 pixels) at 60p/30p, Full HD at 120p/60p/30p/25p/24p Other Built-in GPS Interface USB 3.0, HDMI mini out, stereo mini jack, headphone socket, RJ-45 Ethernet Storage

Words by Roger Payne

There’s nothing like an Olympic year to get DSLR designers focused on producing new flagship models. Nikon has already announced its offering, andnowCanonhasweighed in with its own new crown jewel. Like the Nikon D5, the EOS-1D X Mark II will be available before the summer (in plenty of time to capture the cream of the sports world in Rio) and this latest slabof uber-techboasts eye-watering spec and performance. When it comes to headline- grabbing features, the EOS-1D X Mark II has plenty. Every aspect of its design and functionality represents the cutting edge of what the company can offer and it makes you wonder what the designers can come up with next. Faster, more powerful, higher resolving; the MkII is all those things, but it has been refined, tweaked and polished to the very highest standard. Let’s not beat about the bush, it’s bloody astonishing. My hands-on time with the MkII runs to a grand total of threeminutes. There’s only a certain amount that you can do with a thoroughbred DSLR at a press announcement, but I’ve spoken toprofessionalswhohave used the camera in its beta form and they have nothing but praise for the changes and refinements Canon has made. Like the 1D X it replaces, it’s a daunting camera when you first pick it up; chunky, heavy and bristling with buttons and switches it’s the sort of camera that urges you to take good pictures. And you will, given the functionality at your disposal. The 20.2-megapixel full-frame resolution in itselfmaynot exactly set the world alight – there are models that offer plenty more pixels – but even this represents a gain of nearly 10% over the original 1D X. The jaw- dropping facts come when you learn that the camera will dispatch 14 of these full-frame images in a second

and, thanks to the new Dual DIGIC 6+ processors, keep going for up to 170 frames. We’re not talking JPEGs here, we’re talking Raw files. Shoot JPEGs and the camera will just keep on going until you fill the card, drain the battery or need a rest. The 14fps rate is also with full AF and AE tracking. If you switch to Live View mode and don’t need the reassurance of these two auto functions, the speed increases to 16fps. Now those lucky professionals at the Rio Games will be able to shoot the entire 100m final fromstart to finish, capturing around 140 frames in the process. To utilise these incredible speeds, users will need to slip a CFast 2.0 card into one of the two card slots. The other takes UDMA 7 compatible CF cards which allow you to capture a flurry of images at high speed, but can’t quite deliver the same performance. Naturally, the fun doesn’t stop there. The MkII is also the first professional stills camera from Canon to offer 4K video. Higher resolving movies can be recorded for up to 30 minutes at 60p, which is a notable scalp over the Nikon D5 that can only record for three minutes at 4K,whilevideocanalsobe shot at 120

frames in Full HD – perfect for high- quality slow-motion. Again, a CFast card is needed for the maximum 4K capability, which also allows you to extract individual 8.8-megapixel frames from the footage. Speed is nothing without control and although the 14fps rate is with AF and AE active, both auto systems have been beefed up to cope. The autofocusing has the same 61 points as the 1D X, but now 41 of these points have the more accurate cross- type sensors over an expanded area within the frame. The system is also sensitive down to -3EV and, for the first time, offers AF support at f/8 on all 61 points – handy if you shoot with a teleconverted lens. Tracking sensitivity has also been boosted with the new AI Servo III+ system that responds to sudden changes in subject movement to ensure you stay on top of the action. Metering is taken care of by a new 360k RGB+IR sensor, while the Flicker Detection function, first seen in the EOS 7D Mark II, jumps across into this flagship model. This assesses the (undetectable to the human eye) variances in artificial lighting levels and guarantees more consistent results in such conditions.

Dual card slots CFast 2.0, CompactFlash (UDMA 7 compatible) Dimensions (WxHxD) 158x167.6x82.6mm Weight 1340g (body only) Contact canon.co.uk

Initial verdict

doubt of its astonishing capabilities that should make it something of a no-brainer; assuming your bank manager agrees, of course. As previously mentioned, while I’ve had no time to shoot with the camera, I know photographers who have and have heaped praise on the beta version. If you don’t have the money to buy one, join the club! But we can at least look forward to some of the functionality appearing in models more in tune with our finances in the years to come.

14fps, everyone will benefit from better AF and more accurate metering. The camera’s headline statistics also underline where, for the time being at least, DSLRs remain vastly superior to mirrorless models. Compact system cameras may be trying to eat DSLRs’ dinner, but the EOS-1D X Mark II shows that they won’t be scoffing the coffee and mints for some time to come. If you’re lucky enough to be in a position to afford an EOS-1D X Mark II, there can be little

So much to say, so little space – I’ve really just scratched the surface here and haven’t even started on the small, subtle changes that combine to make significant handling and functionality improvements. Granted, this model may be beyond the financial reach of most PN readers, but its capabilities are exciting and can’t be ignored. Features and performance introduced here will inevitably filter down into cheaper models as time goes by and while you may not want to shoot at

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

News

Enter now

News in brief

PhaseOne reaches 100 Phase One has released a 100-megapixel medium-format camera system. The A-series IQ3 is based on the ALPA 12TC mirrorless camera body and is compatible with Phase One’s XF system. You can buy it now, if you have $56,000… phaseone.com

The 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards is now open for entries and with a prize fund worth over £20,000 including kit from the main sponsors, even Canon products, it’s well worth having a go. First prize is £5000 cash.

There is a diverse range of categories on offer including a Young Photographer category. The closing date for entries is 30 April 2016.

bwpawards.org

Be inspired by colour

Talent search

Outdoor Photographer of the Year Portfolio One The stunning images in this new book come from the Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition. Now in its fifth year, this contest is going from strength to strength and last year over 12,000 entries were received. This book features 150 of the best images submitted – you can see the winning entries on the website. Published by the Ammonite Press, the book is out in March, costing £25. Inspired by colour is the theme of a year-long photographic contest launched by Color Confidence. Entry is via the company’s Facebook page, where each month a theme is announced. The winner is the picture attracting the most public votes at the end of each month. Prize value will be at least £100 – February’s prize is the NEC MultiSync EA193Mi monitor and the theme is Loving Life. At the end of the year the 12 winning images will be judged and the photographer of the image selected as best overall will win the title of Color Confidence Photographer of the Year 2016 and £1000 worth of photography equipment. The contest is open to both enthusiast and professional photographers. facebook.com/ colorconfidence

Leading flash brand broncolor is looking for young, talented photographers to become its Gen NEXT ambassadors. Entry is open to photographers worldwide, under the age of 30. Those who get selected as GenNEXT ambassadorswill be kitted out with broncolor equipment to the value of $24,000.

Fancy your chances? Then to enter, simply upload up to three images to the contest website by the closing date of 2 March. Winners will be announced by 21 April.

gennext.broncolor.com

opoty.co.uk

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

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 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

How to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 3March 2016

We need words and pictures by 3 March for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 14 March. Write your story in a Word document (400 words maximum). 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.

RawNature

The members of Farnborough Camera Club are very pleased with the result of their annual exhibition, which took place at the end of January in the town’s shopping centre. More than 70 images were on display for the weekend and the visiting public were invited to vote for their favourite images. The 338 votes – more than tripling last year’s number – chose Autumnal Gold by Richard Jenkins as the winning print. Successful exhibition at Farnborough

News in brief

Digital workshop PermaJet lecturer Libby Smith is visiting Wrekin Arts Photographic Club with a one-day digital workshop. It takes place at the Belfrey Arts Centres, Wellington TF1 1JG, on Sunday 13 March. Book your ticket for £25 by emailing tonymthomas5@gmail.com or phoning 01952 617170. wrekinartspc.com Society is staging a Colour Show of images set to music and narration. There will be three performances over 4 and 5 March at Hailsham’s Community Centre. The event is raising funds for the Kipling County Carriage Riding Group for the Disabled. Tickets are £6 from Hailsham’s Camera Centre and the Nodding Cobbler. hailshamphotographic society.co.uk Rotating exhibition Ealing and Hampshire Photographic Society IS exhibiting at the Artisan Café in Ealing. Comprising 30 prints, the display is up now, with prints changing monthly. ehhps.org.uk Annual exhibition Beeston Camera Club’s 61st annual exhibition is at Beeston Library, Nottingham for the month of March. More than 80 prints will be on display. beestoncameraclub.co.uk LED lessons Gateway Camera Club recently enjoyed an evening with Paul Granville, learning how to create light spheres with LEDs. Find out more about the club on their website. gatewaycameraclub.co.uk Colour Show Hailsham Photographic

Nantwich Camera Club is hosting a talk by Oliver Smart. Titled Raw Nature – Images Uncovered, Oliver will reveal the techniques and tricks behind this images. Having studied at the University of Birmingham, Oliver has travelled widely capturing wildlife images. His work has graced magazine

covers, nature and wildlife guides and the pages of the national press. The talk is on 22 March at 7.30pm, in the club’s usual meeting room, Regents Park on Nantwich’s London Road. Entrance is £5 and is payable on the door.

nantwichcameraclub.org.uk

farnboroughcameraclub.org

All in black&white Enjoy a monochrome exhibition from 12 members of the Suffolk Monochrome Group in Colchester’s Mercury Theatre. The exhibition is in the Digby Gallery from 23 February until 6 March.

Charlie Waite is visiting Preston Photographic Society to give his talk, Behind the Photograph. As well as being a prolific and well-respected landscaper himself, Charlie is also the man behind the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition and foundedworkshop and tour company, Light and Land. The talk takes place at 7.30pm on Friday 22 April in the Greenbank Lecture Theatre at the University of Central Lancashire. Tickets priced at £12 are available from the society’s website. Behind the Photograph Renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite visits Preston

prestonphotographicsociety.org

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

Competition 14

Survival International Raising awareness The Survival International photography competition is all about tribal peoples. We speak to Ghislain Pascal, the co-founder and director of The Little Black Gallery to find out more

Interviewby Jemma Dodd

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

15 Competition

What role do you have in the competition? I am responsible for managing the competition; from launching and promoting the competition through the press, via social media and to Survival’s supporters; to handling all the entries; judging the entries alongside other judges; and finally producing and promoting the resulting Survival International calendar. What are the aims of the competition? We aim to celebrate photography as a powerful medium for raising awareness of tribal peoples, their unique ways of life and the threats to their existence. Images play an emotive role in telling important stories, and ultimately they help to change the lives and futures of some of the most vulnerable peoples on earth. The resulting published Survival International calendar is also an important fundraising tool for the charity, helping to raise the much-needed funds to help threatened tribal peoples. What is Survival International all about and what are the charity’s goals? Survival International is the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights. It is the only organisation that champions tribal peoples around the world, helping them defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures. Survival’s work is preventing the annihilation of tribal peoples. It gives them a platform to speak to the world; it investigates atrocities and presents evidence to the United Nations and other international forums; it supports legal representation; it funds medical and self-help projects; and it educates, researchs, campaigns, lobbys and protests. It won’t give up until we all have a world where tribal peoples are respected and their human rights protected. The competition is a collaboration between The Little Black gallery and Survival International, how did this come about? It’s not so much a collaboration, but rather

that The Little Black Gallery supports the competition. I have been involved with Survival International for almost 30years and so am happy to help as much as I can. This is my small way of helping their vital work. What are you looking for in a winning image?What will make an image stand out? The winning images and overall winner will be selected not only for their originality and the strength of composition, but also for their demonstration of sensitivity to, and understanding of, tribal peoples, their ways of life and the issues that jeopardize their futures. The subject is quite specific relating to people, in terms of experience is the competition aimed more at amateurs or professionals? The competition is open to both amateurs and professionals. We are always impressed by the number of entries we get from both. Because so many people travel now and have cameras it is much easier for people to take pictures of tribal peoples. Some of the best entries have come from amateurs. What are the requirements for the competition and how do people enter? The images have to be of tribal peoples photographed in the past ten years. There are three categories: Guardians – images showing tribal peoples as guardians of the natural world; Community – portraits of relationships between individuals, families or tribes; and Survival – images showing tribal peoples’ extraordinary diverse ways of life. We only accept digital submissions of no more than 1MB and a maximum of three images submitted per entrant. If the entrants photograph is chosen we will contact them to submit the original high res file. How will the judging process work? Who will be judging the competition? The closing date for entries is 30 April 2016. The judges will then choose their favourite 12 images for Survival International’s 2017

Calendar, with the winning entry chosen for the cover. The judges are Francesca Casella (coordinator, Survival International Italy), Stephen Corry (director, Survival International), Max Houghton (senior lecturer in photography, London College of Communication) and myself. How are the winners awarded? The winners will be notified in the autumn, with their images published in Survival International’s 2017 Calendar. Obviously each winner receives a free calendar! We do not offer any other prizes, as we don’t feel we need to, as in previous years we have had such an amazing response with impressive entries. People seem to want to help the charity, while being satisfied with having their images published in such a stunning calendar. Can you tell us more about the calendar, how are they sold? Survival International’s calendar is produced and sold by the charity at the online shop. Thousands of calendars are sold every year helping to raise the much needed funds to help threatened tribal peoples. Is there anything specific you are looking forward to seeing in the competition? It is always nice to see a wide range of images from every corner of the globe. It doesn’t matter whether the image is colour or black & white – we just want amazing images. How successful have the previous years’ competitions been? How many entries were received? For the last two years we have been amazed at the response and the quality of the entries. We receive over 1000 entries from all over the world, from both amateur and professional photographers. The final calendars have been stunning and last year’s sold even more than the year before, so we are extremely happy. With this being the third year do you feel that a standard has been set? We don’t want to scare people from entering,

Main Marubo, Brazil, 2014. Marubo children play together in the village, decorating their bodies with paints, beads and colourful clothes. Left Huichol, Mexico, 2004. Huichol children in Mexico gather to paint their feet using chalk and powder paints. The Huichol’s sacred land, a site called the Wirikuta, is currently under threat from a Canadian mining company. Below Hamar, Ethiopia, 2010. The wife of the village chief prepares breakfast, including a gourd of steaming, freshly picked coffee in the background. Bottom Suri, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia. The vibrant blue of the young Suri men’s robes stands out against a cracked earthen wall in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia. We have been amazed at the response and quality of the entries

Get your entries in

With the chance to have your image featured in the Survival International calendar, as well as helping to contribute to the charity, if you have images of tribal peoples then this competition is well worth entering. There are three categories to submit to and you can enter up to three images, plus, it’s free to enter. The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2016, so be sure to get your entries submitted in time! but yes the bar has been set high! The past two winners Giordano Cipriani and Soh Yew Kiat have been incredible. You can view all the previous winners on the Survival International website. Looking back at last year’s competition what advice would you give to anyone looking to submit this year? Don’t be afraid to enter! If you have visited tribal peoples anywhere in the world from the Amazon, to the Arctic, to Africa andAustralia, then please send in your photographs! You never know you might win?! What are your future ambitions for the competition? We would like to continue to grow the competition, sell even more calendars and raise as much money as possible for Survival International. survivalinternational.org/photography

survivalinternational.org/photography

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

Profile

Before the Judge

Biography

Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences. This month, we hear from Paul Mitchell who embraces digital technology alongside his low-fi cameras Paul Mitchell FRPS

Words by Paul Mitchell

I have been judging on a regular basis for about eight years, initially within the Chilterns Association of Camera Clubs area and spreading out to various federations in the South East of the UK. Last year I was invited to be one of the RPS Visual Art Exhibition selectors. But being a full-time graphic designer means I’ve been associated with photography in one way or anotherformorethan30years.After joining my local photographic club and sitting through competitions I became aware that my experience as a designer would be of benefit in the judging arena. Photography can sometimes be an isolated pastime, which is why it gives me great pleasure visiting other clubs and meeting like- minded individuals. I constantly feel privileged to view and comment on other photographers’ work, with the added bonus of being able to pass on some of my experience. Over the years, I have had many rewarding moments, but I still take great pleasure when the results of a competition are announced and the top spot has been awarded to either a newcomer or someone that is enthusiastic but success has eluded them. It also makes those who are used to winning work harder! The standard of club photography has never been higher. The megapixel race is all but over and photographers seem at ease with their equipment, software and printing, I believe they now feel free to concentrate on content and style. As each year passes one only has to look at the successes in the various salons, RPS Print International and high-profile commercial competitions such as LPOTY and WPOTY, to see that a large majority of successful images have

Paul Mitchell With a background in graphic design, Paul has been judging for many years and was recently invited to join the RPS Visual Art Exhibition selectors. His attitude to his own photography and advice for other photographers is to be true to yourself. Years in photography My parents bought me my first camera when I was 15, a year later I went to art college which gave me my grounding in everything photographic. Apart from family snapshots, it’s been the last 15 years that has seen my interest in photography rekindled. Home club Amersham PS, a member of Arena Photographers and a founder member of Landscape Collective UK (LCUK) Favourite camera It’s like asking an artist what is their favourite brush! The cameras I use the most are: Zero 2000 pinhole camera, Agfa Super Isolette, Bronica SQ-Ai, Chamonix 045N-1 and Nikon D810. Favourite lens Whatever is on the camera at the time! Favourite photo accessories Spirit level Favourite photographers Christopher Burkett and Shinzo Maeda Favourite subject or technique I am primarily a landscape photographer, with pinhole being my favoured technique Awards FRPS, numerous club and PAGB awards, Sunday Times Magazine Award winner in the Take-a-View LPOTY competition 2013 and Urban View Category Winner in the Take-a-View LPOTY competition 2015

On-trend advice I do frequent photography related social media sites, forums etc. and quite often come across criticism, jibes and jokes levelled at judges. In the days before the Internet became prevalent, judges would be available to discuss any concerns with individuals face-to-face and generally, when the aggrieved person has had their say, you would part on friendly terms. Sadly the relative anonymity that exists online means that people can vent their anger or frustration without any fear of reprisal. As in life, trends come and go. It wasn’t that long ago that wide- angle, gritty black & white portraits of Eastern European farmers were very successful, these days misty long exposures of coastal subjects seem very popular. My advice to anyone who might be thinking of following a trend just to increase your chances of success, is be true to yourself. By all means absorb work of successful photographers, indeed I actively encourage it, but try and develop your own style. I hope I speak for all judges when I say that originality will always triumph!

been made by UK amateurs. This alone illustrates that the standard between amateur and professional photographers has reached parity. All about the light As a judge you’re relied upon to comment on every image no matter how good or bad it is. On the odd occasion that an image has given me pause for thought while judging I have either not understood the message or it has been so abstract that it was incomprehensible. Occasionally an image leaves you thinking ‘I wish I had made this!’ Once I was so taken aback with a breathtaking landscape made of a location that was dear to my heart that I bought the print! I often think if my commentary were ever recorded I’d constantly

hear myself repeating the phrase: ‘it’s all about the light!’ In my judgment this is one of the most common failings with competition images, together with over- sharpening. Compositional rules are there for a good reason; once learnt you are then in an ideal position to break them! In my experience, ‘ordinary snapshots’ are quite often the work of beginners. Dismissing such images can have a detrimental effect. I prefer to spend a moment and suggest techniques that would elevate it from being ordinary; vary your camera angle, creative use of depth-of-field and shutter speeds to name but a few. It’s easy to forget that we were all beginners once. Being a professional Photoshop user for nearly 25 years I have seen it all. I am of the opinion that filters should be used but not abused. So long as it adds something to the image, I am happy with any post- processing, even HDR! My pet hate is laziness, especially when it comes to set-subject competitions. Most club members will go to a lot of time and effort to fulfil the brief only for the odd person to trawl through their archives for an image that has a vague interpretation.

paulmitchellphotography.co.uk

My pet hate is laziness, especially when it comes to set-subject competitions

What do you think?

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.

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