Photography News Issue 68

Issue 68 is packed with all the latest and greatest photography news, including Canon UK's new Powershot models, the G5 X Mark II and the G7 X Mark II. We’ve also got a full review of the Panasonic UK Lumix G90 and a host of First Tests! We talk to portrait photographer, Rory Lewis, and Mark Mawson, who specialises in photographing liquids.

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography news Photography Issue 68 16 Jul-12 Aug News Tests Reviews Interviews Techniques Competitions Exhibitions Clubs Produced by

DIGITAL EDITION every month* *at photographynews.co.uk FREE GET YOUR

A Samsung 256GB memory card Enter thecompetition onpage64 WIN!

Going mirrorless Check out your full-frame

Panasonic Lumix G90 The ultimate stills/video hybrid? Our test verdict page 46

Fun with filters What filters you need andwhy page 16

options page 12

Canon powers on Canon has added two PowerShot

Canon’s PowerShot G series has gained two models, the G5 X Mark II and the G7 X Mark III, priced at £849.99 and £699.99 respectively with availability from August. Both are richly featured pocketable compacts with such attractions as 20.1 megapixels using a new 1in stacked CMOS sensor, 30fps Raw burst shooting and uncropped 4K video. Both models share many features and functions but they have been designed with specific consumers in mind. The G5 XMark II is targeted at existing Canon EOS DSLRusers and keen photographers while the G7 XMark III is aimed at vloggers and content creators. On the lens front, the Canonmirrorless EOS RF system now has six options, the latest arrival being the 10x 24- 240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, a lens priced at £899.99, and ideal as a one-lens solution. It was one of the six lenses listed in Canon’s lens roadmap due for a 2019 launch and joins the RF 35mm f/1.8 macro as the only two non-L lenses in the RF system at the moment. Its advanced 21 elements in 13 groups construction gives high-quality images and it is the first Canon full-frame lens with an integral 5EV Dynamic image stabiliser. Autofocus is handled by Canon’s Nano USM to give swift, accurate and very quiet focusing making this lens ideal for video as well as still shooting. Bundled with the EOS RP, the package costs £1999.99 so there’s a saving of £300 on the items bought separately. models to its top-end compact range, plus there’s news of an impressive wide-ranging 10x zoom for its EOS R system

PN EXCLUSIVE

In an exclusive collaboration with Fujifilm, Photography News is delighted to offer readers the chance to try an X Series or medium format GFX system camera with two lenses for a free two-week loan. See page 4 for more details and visit photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch toapplyandforfulltermsandconditions. Also read in this issue (page 31) about how reader David Pratt got on when he took up our offer and enjoyed two weeks with the FujifilmGFX 50R. Time to try mirrorless

Read more on page 3

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Canon powers on

Sony has added two powerful telephoto lenses to its G Master series line-up. The FE 600mm f/4 GMOSS is a super-telephoto lens and Sony’s longest prime to date. The second new lens, the FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS zoom, features built-in stabilisation, high resolution throughout the entire zoom range and is compatible with Sony’s 1.4xand2x teleconverters. The FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS and the FE 200- 600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS ship in August and cost £12,000 and £1800 respectively. Sony goes super long

Canon’s popular family of top-end PowerShotGseriescompactcameras has gained two newmembers, theG5 XMark II and theG7XMark III. The new arrivals will sell alongside the existing G5 X and the G7 X Mark II for the foreseeable future. BothnewPowerShotsshareagreat many key features. They share the same new 1in stacked CMOS sensor giving a 20.1 megapixels resolution and working with Canon’s DIGIC 8 image processor. The stacked sensor design allows for a native ISO range of 125 to 12,800, top 30fps Rawburst shooting, 20fps continuous shooting and a top electronic shutter speed of 1/25,600sec. However, the cameras have different lenses: the G5 X Mark II has a 24-120mm f/1.8-2.8 (35mm equivalent); while the G7 X Mark III has a shorter 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8. There’s a pop-up EVF on the G5 X Mark II while the G7 X Mark III is monitoronlybutofferslivestreaming and a microphone input. Canon’s product marketing specialist David Parry explains the thinking behind this approach. “We are targeting two different types of consumer with the G5 X Mark II and the G7 X Mark III,” he says. “We know quite Autofocusing is handled by Canon’s Nano USM technology. Nano USM combines the benefit of Canon’s STM and ring USM focusing technologies and uses Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus across most of the 35mm frame. The result is smooth, silent and fast autofocusing. Themassive focal length coverage allows huge creative potential and this is enhanced further by the lens’s impressive 50cm minimum focusing distance. The RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM costs £899.99 or buy it with the EOS RP camera at the money- saving price of £1999.99, which is £300 cheaper than if the items are bought separately. The EW-78F lens hood is an optional extra costing £34.99. This lens will be available from this September.

Sharedkeyfeatures CanonPowerShotG5X MarkII andG7XMarkIII 20.1 megapixels resolution 4K video (no crop) 1in CMOS stacked sensor 31-point AF system 30secs to 1/25,600sec electronic shutter ISO 125-12,800 range, extended to 25,600 20fps continuous shooting mode 30fps Raw Burst mode Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

sony.co.uk

Images Canon’s product marketing specialist David Parry shows off the two new PowerShot G series compacts

often the people buying the G5 X use EOS at the moment and are looking for something smaller and lighter while the G7 XMark II seems to be taken over by vloggers. “We see the G5 X Mark II being the companion to your EOS,” David continues. “It has a new 5x zoom lens which covers from 24-120mm in 35mm terms and there’s the maximumaperture of f/1.8-2.8 plus a nine-blade diaphragm. Also the EVF has changed so it is a pop-up style, which means we can make the body significantly smaller.” “The G7 X Mark III comes in two colours, in black and silver or black – it’s the first time we’ve offered two colours on the G7 X and we’re targeting this camera towards the vlogging market. The big thing

this camera has is livestreaming which is something not every other manufacturer has got, so you can livestream directly to YouTube with this camera, which is pretty cool. It has vertical position movie shooting too, because people will actually do movies in a portrait orientation for Instagram and the camera will recognise this and won’t automatically flip it when it comes to processing.” The G5 X Mark II and the G7 X Mark III are priced at £849.99 and £699.99 respectively and are available to pre-order now. Both cameras are available with a battery kit at £50 extra om the above prices. Sales start in August.

CanonPowerShot G5XMark II £849.99 New pop-up EVF

New converter and firmware fromOlympus

8.8-44mm lens f/1.8-2.8 (24- 120mm 35mm equivalent)

CanonPowerShot G7 XMark III £699.99

8.8-36.8mm lens f/1.8-2.8 (24- 100mm 35mm equivalent) Livestreaming Microphone input

Canon.co.uk

Canon’s one lens wonder

The

M.Zuiko

Digital

Teleconverter can be attached to the Olympus M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 IS and 40- 150mm f/2.8. It goes on sale this monthwith a price of £399.99. Olympus has also announced firmware updates for its OM- Ds. The first release is for the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Firmware 3.0 adds AF performance utilising the OM-D E-M1X’s AF algorithm, reduced high ISO noise and focus stacking using three to 15 shots. For the OM-D E-M1X, Olympus has released firmware version 1.1, which offers USB Raw Data Edit with the free Olympus Workspace software. Olympus Workspace version 1.1 hastheadditionoffocusstacking for compositing up to 999 shots. Firmware can be downloaded fromolympus.co.uk/firmware MC-20

Canon’sEOSRfull-framemirrorless camera systemwelcomes a new lens, the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM zoom, making six now available in the system and only the second non-L lens. If you want just one lens for your photography this 10x zoom that weighs just 750g could be the one for you. It makes the most of the opportunity given by the innovative EOS RF lens mount to produce a high-quality but compact zoom, and it features a Dynamic Image Stabiliser that gives a 5EV benefit whether you are shooting handheld stills or video. The lens’s advanced optical construction boasts 21 elements in 15 groups that includes aspheric and ultra-dispersal lens elements and Canon’s renowned Super Spectra lens coating.

Keyfeatures CanonRF24-240mmf/4- 6.3 ISUSMzoom

£899.99 21 elements in 15 groups 5EV image stabiliser

Nano USM AF activator Minimum focus 50cm Aperture range f/4-6.3 to f/22-38

72mm filter thread 7 diaphragm blades Weight 750g

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Canon adds portable projectors

Time to try mirrorless PN EXCLUSIVE

Photography News has joined forces with Fujifilm to give readers the unique chance to borrow a Fujifilm camera and up to two lenses of their choice for free. This loan is for up to two weeks so you’ll have plenty of time to shoot your favourite subjects tohelpyoumake the right decision. There’s a wide range of kit available, from the best-selling X-T3 to the impressive medium format GFX 50R. For the X-T3, you’ll have 29 X Series lenses to pick from, but

you’ll only get to pick two, so choose wisely! If you’re a landscaper, you could go for the XF14mm f/2.8 R or XF16mm f/1.4 R WR. For general shooting you could try the XF16- 55mm f/2.8 R LM WR or XF50- 140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR. For wildlife, youmight want to consider the XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Visit fujifilm-x.com to see the latest lens range. As part of the campaign, your Fujifilm images and your

thoughts on the outfit you borrowed will appear in PN , so this is the chance to get your work featured on these pages, too. If you want to take advantage of this incredible opportunity, head to photographynews.co.uk/ maketheswitch. There is no closing date, but there is sure to be huge interest in this amazing offer andwe have limited stock, so please don’t delay. In the first instance, fill out the formon our website and upload five images that represent your usual photography. We will be in touch if you are selected.

Canon has expanded its range of portable projectors with the additions of the LV-WU360, LV-WX370 and LV-X350. Each features a high-brightness and low- maintenance lamp unit, offering a long lifespan for a portable unit and strong optical performance. All three models can produce between 3500 and 3700 lumen brightness with a projection range up to 25ft. They use three LCD panels to produce 10-bit

colours and deep blacks. All three projectors offer a range of connectivity options including LAN, USB and HDMI. Audio output is also possible directly from the projectors thanks to a built-in 10W speaker. The Canon LV-WU360, LV- WX370 and LV-X350 are available fromAugustwithprices of £820.80, £547.20 and £513 respectively.

photographynews.co.uk/ maketheswitch

*Subject to terms and conditions, which can be found at photographynews.co.uk/ maketheswitch

canon-europe/projectors

Tamron for Sony

Kenro launches newForza lights

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens is available for Sony FE full-frame mirrorless cameras. It features a constant f/2.8 aperture and delivers edge-to-edge high- resolution and contrast, weighs just 420g and takes 67mm filters. The lens’s autofocus drive system is powered by the RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) which enables high- speed, high-precision and quiet operation for shooting both still photography and video. Additionally, the lens features a moisture-resistant construction with a hydrophobic fluorine coating torepel fingerprints,marks and dirt. The 17-28mmRXD is also

Established brand NanGuang has been rebranded to NanLite to reflect its position in the LED lighting market. To launch the brand, a range of Forzamonolights has been announced by official distributors, Kenro Limited. Forza monolights each feature one COB LED and are promised to produce impressive brightness for their power and size. The Forza 500, a 500W light, is the most powerful light in the series and it can produce a dazzling 66,300lux at one metre. The mid-range model is the 300W Forza 300, that produces up to 43,060lux at one metre.

The third is the entry- level Forza 60, which draws 60W and produces up to 11,950lux at one metre. All three units possess CRI (Ra) 98 and TLCI 95, with a colour temperature

of 5600K. They feature stepless dimming 0-100%, and a number of built-in special effects such as flash, storm, TV, and flickering (faulty) bulb. The lights are controlled by a panel, separate from the light unit. This allows for easier access to controls when the light itself isn’t easily accessible, and the light can also be controlled via 2.4G

wireless signal or DMX. All three lights canbe batterypowered, with the Forza 60 taking Sony NP-F type batteries, and the 300 and 500 each taking Sony V-Mount- style batteries. The 60W model retails for £249.95, the 300W for £874.95 and the 500W for £1649.95.

fully compatible with various camera-specific features including fast hybridAF and eye AF. The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens will be available from late July at £899.99.

tamron.eu/uk/

kenro.co.uk

New fromHasselblad

Keyfeatures HasselbladX1DII 50C

CMOS sensor : 50megapixels, 8272x6200 pixels Format : Hasselblad 3FR Raw Sensor : 16-bit sensor, capable of 14EV ISOrange: 100-25,600 Storage: Dual UHS-II SD card slots Continuous shooting: 2.7fps in Raw Monitor : 3.6in, 2.36-million-dot touch

The Hasselblad X1D II 50C builds on the X1D-50c with a raft of improvements over its predecessor, and is available body only at £5400. At the X1D II 50C’s heart is a 43.8x32.9mm CMOS sensor, which is 1.7x larger than the 35mm format. It provides 16- bit capture capable of dealing with a dynamic range of 14EV.

The X1D II 50C features a 3.6in 2.36-million-dot touch display, the largest currently available on a medium format camera. The EVF has also been enhanced by an OLED with 3.69 million dots. Other features of the X1D II 50C include a faster refresh rate, reduced shutter lag and blackout time between frames,

faster continuous shooting and a faster start-up time. Hasselblad has added the XCD 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 zoom which sells at £4860. This is an internal focus zoom and features a lens shutter with speeds from 68mins to 1/2000sec with full flash sync.

hasselblad.com

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Manfrotto’s new Befree and adapter

X-Rite ColorChecker now indifferent sizes The ColorChecker Classic target canbeusedduringphoto or video capture to create custom DNG and ICC camera profiles, colour grade video footage, or compare, measure and analyse differences in colour reproduction. It’s now available in five sizes: Nano, Mini, Original, XL and Mega. The Nano measures 1x1.75in and the Mega is 60x40in. The ColorChecker Video target is now available in three sizes – Original, XL and Mega. This target can be used by DITs, editors and colourists.

The new Befree GT XPRO travel tripod isdesigned forphotographers who seek a compact and versatile tripod to takeoncreativeadventures. The tripod comes in aluminium and carbon fibre versions, and is the first travel tripod to feature both Manfrotto’s 180° foldable legs and its built-in 90° column mechanism, housed in the tripod’s top casting. Weighing in at 1.76kg for the carbon fibre version and 2kg for the aluminium version, the Befree GT XPRO has the locking power to support an impressive 10kg load. Leg position is secured with Manfrotto’s M-lock system. The included 200PL-PRO rubberised plate increases camera grip and makes it fully compatible with the Manfrotto RC2 and Arca- type head plates. The aluminium Befree GT XPRO costs £269.95, with the carbon fibre

versionpriced at £409.95.Manfrotto has also introduced the Top Lock Travel Quick Release Adaptor that is compatible with all Arca type camera plates and L-brackets, designed so that the Befree tripods’ legs can fold fully around the head ensuring portability of the kit is not compromised. It is also the first adapter on the market fully compatible with the Befree 494, 496 and 498 ball heads. The adapter removes the need for additional adapters between the top lock and Manfrotto head system. Ultimately, the adaptor makes the Befree tripod range and applicable ball heads fully compatible for photographers using Arca- Swiss fit plates. The Top Lock Travel Quick Release Adaptor costs £34.95.

colorconfidence.com

manfrotto.co.uk

Tenba’s Cineluxe bags, the Pro Gimbal Backpack 24 and the Roller 24 case, feature industry-first designs that allow videographers and photographers to carry kit like never before. The Pro Gimbal Backpack 24 allows a fully assembled gimbal to be carried safely inside, allowing the user to build their rig in advance and arrive on location ready to shoot, while the Roller 24 case is Tenba’s largest roller case to date, offering space for a complete rig and a range of accessories. Both feature a ‘doctor’s bag’ style opening systemmeaning they occupy the same space when open as they do closed and ensuring easy access. Additionally, both bags are built to last and feature water-repellent 1680D ballistic nylon (exterior), ripstop nylon (interior), seatbelt-grade webbing, YKK zips and reinforced stitching. Innovative cases from Tenba

Fisheye zoom fromPentax

The Pentax-DA 10-17mm f/3.5- 4.5 ED (IF) is a fisheye to ultra- wide-angle zoom for its K-mount digital DSLRs. On an APS-C format camera you get a 180° diagonal field of view at the 10mm setting so there is plenty of potential for dramatic perspectives by getting in close or changing camera viewpoint. The lens features multi- layer HD coating to ensure high contrast images free of ghosting and with edge-to-edge sharpness. The exterior has also been totally redesigned so it looks similar to the latest DA and D FA-series lenses and matches Pentax’s current DSLRs. It now features a removable lens hood. Take this hood off and this lens can produce nearly circular images on the full- frame K-1 and K-1 Mark II. The lens front element features SP

Gitzo adds newhead Gitzo’s 3-Way Fluid Head is designed for all photographers and looks to enhance framing accuracy. The head features a quick-release plate/holder with 90° rotation, compatible with Arca plates. Weighing less than 1kg, the head safely supports a load up to 13kg. Thanks to Gitzo’s new cartridge fluid formula, the 3-Way Fluid Head promises smooth movement with no stick-slip, even in extreme conditions. The 3-Way Fluid Head is compatible with all Gitzo tripods and costs at £439.95.

(Super Protect) coating to repel water, grease and dirt, which makes it easier to clean if you do catch it with a finger smudge. The 10-70mm f/3.5-4.5 will sell for £499.99 and availability is fromAugust.

The Pro Gimbal Backpack 24 and the Roller 24 case bags cost £365 and £412 respectively.

manfrotto.co.uk

ricoh-imaging.co.uk

tenba.com

Photography news

Editorial Team Editorial director Roger Payne Editor Will Cheung FRPS 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com Digital editor Jemma Dodd jemmadodd@bright-publishing.com Publishing intern Lee Renwick Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

Advertising Team Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com Group admanager Sam Scott-Smith 01223 499457 samscott-smith@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Chris Jacobs 01223 499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Mike Elliott mikeelliott@bright-publishing.com

Design Team Design director Andy Jennings Senior Designer Laura Bryant Designers Man-Wai Wong Distribution Distribution and subscriptionmanager Phil Gray philipgray@bright-publishing.com Publishing Team Managing directors Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News in-store from: Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wex Photo Video, Wilkinson Cameras

Photography News is published 11 times a year by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Photography News that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.

Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com

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Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Syrp launchespocket-sizedmotioncontroller

FollowingSyrp’sfirstgeneration Genie Mini, the company’s first app-controlled device, the Genie Mini II has been launched with a host of features to build upon the previous model. The Genie Mini II will have the ability to create keyframed movements by controlling

path and speed on all axes, as well as capture ultra-wide- angle 360° panoramic images. Additionally, the new motion controller will be compatible with future releases, including auto exposure ramping, time- lapse compiler and camera control features.

Technology within the Genie Mini II includes Wi-Fi, USB-C and Bluetooth 4.2, ensuring compatibility with release-date and future app features. The Syrp Genie Mini II costs £239.95.

Image Overall winner 2018

syrp.co

If you want the ultimate high-definition wall display, the One Vision aluminium ChromaLuxe print service is the one to go for. Images are fused directly though a sublimation process on to 1mm-thick, specially coated aluminium for a high-gloss, durable and waterproof finish. Pictures show exceptional clarity and detail, making the most of the latest high- resolution cameras. Sizes start at 12x12 up to 60x40 inches, with prices from just £42. Prints take seven days and are supplied ready to hang. One Vision aluminium ChromaLuxe prints CeweUK winners With over 448,000 entries, the Cewe Photo Award with prizes worth over €250,000 is officially the largest photo competition in the world. UK-based photographers Thomas Sweetman and Graeme Youngson have been announced as two of the three latest monthly winners. The overall winners of the competition will be announced in an awards ceremony in the Museum Of Natural History in Vienna on 26 September. cewe-photoworld.com/ cewephotoaward

HistoricPhotographer of theYear nowopen

Supported by television network History Hit, Historic England, television channel HISTORY, AHFAP and All About History magazine , the awards are open to image makers everywhere, and it’s free to enter. There’s the option of the Historic England category for photographers and the History Short Filmmaker category for videographers. The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £400, while the Historic England category winner will receive a behind-the- scenes heritage experience from Historic England. This year’s judges include broadcaster and historian Dan Snow of HistoryHit.TV.

Commenting on the awards, Dan said: “Last year saw an incredible array of entries covering everything from abandoned second world war sea forts to haunting images from Chernobyl and atmospheric ancient cities consumed by desert sands. We’re now laying down the gauntlet for this year’s awards to challenge entrants to match and even better those astonishing images.”

historicphotographeroftheyear. com

Image Overall winner 2018, Daniel Burton

Advertisement feature

Prints for pleasure

“Stunning is often the word used to describe our latest aluminium ChromaLuxe panel prints. Deep, vibrant and punchy colours simply pop out, making any image a real statement piece” Derek Poulston, sales & marketing One Vision Imaging

Weekend city breaks give you the chance to sample great locations, and new sights mean fresh opportunities for great images to show off at home, as PN ’s editor Will Cheung shows here. “I used an ultra wide-angle lens for this early evening shot of the ceiling of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest active

shopping centre and a major city landmark, which dates back to 1865. Its fabulous ceiling cries out to be photographed and I’m sure every visitor to Milan is happy to oblige, and I couldn’t resist either. “I used One Vision’s aluminium ChromaLuxe print service, because I wanted every nook and

cranny of the fabulous ceiling recorded crisply. The result is stunning, with brilliant detail rendition and rich colour saturation, too. A great memory of a fabulous weekend.”

onevisionimaging.com 0845 305 2685

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

Camera club news If your club has any news you want to share with the world, these are the pages for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievements; it could be about a group outing you had recently or when the annual exhibition is on show. Any news is eligible for inclusion, so club publicity officers please read and take note of the submission guidelines (right) and get your stories in

Here’s how to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 4August 2019

We need words and pictures by 4 August 2019 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 13 August 2019. If you want to submit, follow these guidelines: y y Write your story in 250 words or fewer. Include the club’s website, meeting times, what the event is, opening times, entrance costs – anything relevant. y y We need an image for every story. JPEGs, 2000 pixels max on the longest dimension, any colour space, credits should be included in your text. y y We DO NOT use posters or images with words on the image front. y y Before the above deadline, attach the text document and JPEGs to an email and send to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

AmershamPS AmershamPShasits67thannual exhibition from 20 to 24 August. The venue is St Michael and All Angels Church in Sycamore Road, Amersham. Chairman Hilary Bailey noted: “This is a fabulous location for our exhibition and we are delighted that the church is kindlyallowing us to use this amazing space once more. As well as being extremely convenient for visitors it is also a light and spacious building which is ideal for showing off our members’ work.”

Chester PS

Eastwood PS completed its 2018 to 2019 session with a win in the Glasgow and District Photographic Union Image League final. The final was strongly contested by the six winning clubs from the preliminary rounds. Eastwood won the Lizars trophy by just a single point with a unique double being completed when the judge, Peter Paterson, awarded Eastwood’s John Hannah the top medal for ‘GoshawkDismantling’ (above). The club resumes on 5 September at Albertslund Hall, Newton Mearns. Eastwood PS

Chester PS starts its 2019-20 season on 3 September at the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, when Colin Jarvis will be talking about hisMonoMoods. Speakers for the club’s autumn programme include Ian Beesley, Craig Magee, Gary Jones and Mark Reeves. Visitors are welcome at talks, £5 on the door.

Entrance to the exhibition is free and doors are open from 10am to 6pm.

chesterps.org

amershamphotosoc.com

delighted to take on the role of chair and look forward to developing the club over the next year. We have an exciting programme of talks lined up and opportunities for members to help each other develop their skills as well as have some fun. Everyone interested in photography is welcome.” The club meets at Ramsgate Football Club at 7.30pm on Mondays, with the new season starting on 2 September. Harpenden PS has announced that its Photographer of the Year 2018/2019 is Peter Wilson. The club holds many internal contests where images are scored by an external judge. These ratings are then added up towards a cumulative tally. Peter said: “I am delighted to become this year’s Photographer of the Year. My interests range from macro to studio portraits. I tried to show a wide range of these photos this year and it is very rewarding that they have been recognised by the judges.” HPS chairman, Peter Stevens commented: “It’s a great achievement to win our HarpendenPS

Wensleydale’s annual show

Wensleydale annual exhibition will be hosted by the Leyburn Bolton Arms. The exhibition displays a diverse range of members’ images, many of which will be available to purchase to raise funds for the club. A popular feature of the club’s exhibitions is its CC’s

curious about the area’s history. For visitors with questions about photography, members will be on hand to offer practical guidance. The exhibition

eastwoodps.co.uk

KnutsfordPS

Photographer of the Year award. The winner has to show consistently high levels of technical and creative skills, and Peter Wilson has certainly done just that. I’m delighted to offer many congratulations.” HPS’s new season kicks off 3 September.

runs from 16 to 18 August, 12 to 6pm, in the upstairs function room at the Leyburn Bolton Arms. Entry is free. The Wensleydale CC meets Monday evenings from 16

Retrospective View, a projected display of

images of life in the Dales from the club’s archive, dating back to the beginning of the last century. It will be of interest to anyone

September to early April.

Knutsford annual exhibition takes place 3 to 31 August at the Knutsford Library, Toft Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0PG. Opening times are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (Saturday & Wednesday 9am to 1pm). Event organiser Peter Spooner said this year’s event will display some of the best 2018/2019 competition images. Knutsford PS starts on 3 September. Meetings are held in the Brook Street Chapel Hall, Adams Hill, Knutsford WA16 8DY, Tuesday evening 7.55pmto 10pm. Newmembers are made very welcome. PS’s

harpendenphotographic society.co.uk

wensleydalecameraclub.co.uk

Isle of Thanet PS’s AGM was held in June and trophies awarded. Cherry Larcombe won the Advanced Photographer of the Year award, whilst Steve Hewitt was Intermediate Photographer of the Year. Advanced Print winner was Laura Drury, whilst Ken Butcher received the Mick Talbot Trophy for the best wildlife photograph. Laura Drury was elected chair for the next year. She said: “I am Isle of Thanet

Settle PG’s annual exhibition features over 80 images and will be on display in Settle shops and businesses from 31 July to 19 August. They will thenbe transferred toClapham village hall for the exhibition, 24 to 26 August. Entry is free. SettlePhotographic Group

Above From left to right: Steve Hewitt, Cherry Larcombe, Laura Drury, Ken Butcher

knutsfordps.org.uk

isleofthanetphotographicsociety. co.uk

settlephotos.org

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

Techniques 12

Words by Kingsley Singleton

Mirrorless mainstays Sony’s full-framemirrorless cameras have revolutionised themarket and forced other manufacturers to catch up Though themirrorless revolution startedwith crop-sensored bodies, there’s nowhealthy choice of full-frame cameras, promising the image quality of DSLRs with the groundbreaking features of mirrorless. Herewe look at themain contenders... Full throttle Sony

There’s no doubting the benefits of moving from a DSLR to a mirrorless system, but with so many enthusiast photographers currently toting full- frame DSLRs, stepping down to a cropped sensor was always a bit off- putting. Fortunately, as mirrorless shooting has gathered pace and credibility, so has the number of full-frame bodies increased. Last issue, we looked at mirrorless bodies with APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors, but this time out we’ll examine the full frame models from Sony, Nikon, Canon and, more recently, Panasonic. The difference between cropped- sensor and full frame mirrorless cameras is basically one of image quality. A larger sensor – full frame being roughly 36x24mm – means that resolution can increase

without image quality suffering, or that photosites can be less tightly packed at equivalent resolutions so images are more free of digital noise, especially at high ISO speeds. Full- frame sensors will also likely have superior dynamic range meaning it’s easier to capture highlight and shadow detail in a single exposure. Pound for pound, a larger sensor is also capable of producing a shallower depth-of-field than a smaller sensor when equivalent lenses are used, so it’s an attractive option if you want blurred backgrounds. On the downside? Pushing more data means bigger buffers and more powerful processors are needed. And larger sensors are more expensive to make, so this all means that full-frame mirrorless cameras are significantly more expensive than cropped-sensor

versions. Lenses need to create a larger image circle to cover the sensor, and this means they, in turn, need to be larger – and most likely heavier and more expensive than cropped equivalents. So despite the claimed advantages in portability, full-frame mirrorless cameras are likely to be larger and heavier than cropped versions – though still smaller thanDSLRs. Of course there are other benefits of mirrorless cameras, too, like exposure preview in the EVF for more accurate working, improved autofocus speed and accuracy thanks to contrast- reliant modes like Eye AF, silent shooting for candid photography, and in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) so you don’t need IS-equipped lenses to tackle camera shake. IBIS is also a great boon for video shooting.

Fan boys might argue the toss, but there’s really little doubt that Sony currently rules the roost in full-frame mirrorless cameras. There’s a reason for that – it’s been at it the longest, and most of its cameras are now on their third generation. The full-frame range offers plenty of choice with the A7 III, A7R III and A9 meeting different requirements. All three have back-illuminated CMOS sensors, two SD card slots and in-body, five-axis image stabilisation

and excellent AF. And while some competitors can struggle with battery life – mirrorless being a more power- hungry platform than DSLR – Sony’s Z battery is a corker. Rated for 710 shots, it will likely give you double that. Tackling the models in turn, the £1829 A7 III is the all-rounder. Versatile and relatively affordable, it uses a 24-megapixel chip and allows shooting at up to 10fps. The middling resolution also means the A7 III is ideal for low- light work, and has impressive dynamic

Above Sony's A7R III boasts a 42-megapixel full-frame sensor and is renowned for its image quality

range. The AF system is excellent and covers 93% of the frame – much more than you’d find on a DSLR. Next comes the camera that inspired many photographers to switch from DSLR to mirrorless, the £2699 A7R III. This is Sony’s high-resolution model, with a 42-megapixel sensor, and the ability to record uncompressed 14-bit Raw files. It’s a combination that provides stunning detail, dynamic range and the ability to make big crops and still end up with files large enough for printing, so the A7R III is a natural fit for both landscape and studio photographers. At the top of the Sony tree is the £3399 A9, which utilises unique stacked sensor technology to provide features that are, frankly, streets ahead of its competitors. For instance, where all

other mirrorless cameras have a slight viewfinder lag or blackout, the A9 has no perceptible delay at all, and this lets you shoot sport and action subjects with no interruption. It’s the same story when it comes to shooting speed and AF performance. The A9 shoots full-res Raws at 20fps, which is faster than any DSLR can manage, and does it all with AF running. Sticking with AF, like the other Sony models, the A9 enjoys excellent face and eye detection, but adds lots more focus points – 693 for increased speed and accuracy. With 24 megapixels, the resolution isn’t remarkable, but it does mean the A9 can offer exceptional high-ISO performance and dynamic range, too. One of the only gripes of Sony’s system is its menus. Moving from a

rival system can be a challenge in itself, but the menus on Sony’s cameras can be maddeningly oblique with very useful functions hidden away, or named in obscure ways. Still, it’s a small price to pay for all the other excellent features.

Above The Sony A9 has gained a great reputation for its ability to handle fast action and has an amazing AF system

sony.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

13 Techniques

Sony lenses

Nikon

The Z factor Nikon’s Z series full-frame mirrorless bodies are already a hit with Nikon users and the system is growing well

Amature system Just as with its bodies, Sony has had the time to build an impressive range of lenses, and the range is almost complete. At one end there are affordable zooms and at the other are Zeiss and Sony designed pro-level GMaster zooms and primes – up to the 400mm f/2.8. The pro-spec lenses aren’t small or light, and that means adding a 70-200mm f/2.8 GMaster zoomwill prettymuch negate the body’s advantages in size andweight. Of Sony’s own lenses, there are plenty of fabulous options, but look out for the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master, which is a superb landscape option and supports filters more readily than the 12-24mm f/4. For portraits and street work the FE 135mm f/1.8 GMaster and FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Planar T* Lens both excel in sharpness and for sports and action the FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 OSS G Master is a versatile option. When it comes to third-party lenses, there’s plenty of support too. For example, Zeiss with its Batis and Loxia lenses and Sigma with its Art and Sport ranges both offer excellent build and image quality.

It’s now nearly a year since the launch of the Z 6 and Z 7, but fair to say that Nikon, like Canon, was a latecomer to the full-framemirrorless party, allowing Sony to rip through several generations of camera, while the Z series is still on its first. It’s a testament to the engineering then, that both cameras are actually really competitive, and this makes switching seemvery attractive, especially if you’re an existing Nikon user. There’s no doubting the Z series’ quality though, and in some aspects it’s themarket leader. For instance, for our money, the Z 6 and Z 7 have the best electronic viewfinders out there, being closest to an optical viewfinder in feel, but with all the benefits of mirrorless design

like focus peaking and exposure preview. Taking to an EVF can be a sticking point for DSLR users, but the Z series 3690k dot EVF is bright, clearer and only begins to stutter at very high frame rates. Nikon clearly worked hard to get this right, and it shows. The Z series cameras function and feel very similar to high-end Nikon DSLRs, even down to themenus, somoving from one to another is very straightforward. And in a nod to playing catch-up, Nikon introduced the an FTZmount converter at launch (bundling it with some cameras for only about £100more) to aid the transition, so Nikon’s Fmount lenses work seamlessly on its new bodies with full AF and AE functions.

Above The Z 6 is externally identical to the Z 7 but has a lower resolution and is more suited for video shooters

Outwardly, the Z 6 and Z 7 are identical, but they’re very different beasts aimed at different users. The £3099 Z 7 uses a 45.7-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, which is proven to have great dynamic range, work very well in low light, and designedwithout an optical low-pass filter andmatchedwith themount’s native lenses – or high-end F-mount glass – detail is immense. The Z 7 has an ISO range of 64-25,600 and on-chip phase-detect AF has 493 points covering 90%of the frame, so anyone coming froma DSLRwill notice an instant improvement there. As well as the usual modes, at launch the systemhad only face detection, but eye detection has just been added via a firmware update. Continuous shooting is decent, though the top rate of 9fps means working without AE and avoiding 14-bit Raws. The Z 7 also packs in handy features, such as an in-camera 4K time-lapsemode, which can be shot using the electronic shutter to save actuations. The £1900 Z 6 is lower resolution but faster, andmore of an all-rounder. Like the Z 7 it uses a back-illuminated sensor, this time of 24.5-megaapixels and with an optical low-pass filter to reduce moire. Despite the lower pixel count,

stills are brilliant and noise performance is excellent through the 100-51,200 ISO range. You can also shoot up to 12fps, though, again, this is without AE and in 12-bit Raw. AF options take a slight hit from the Z 7, but you still get 273 points with on-chip phase-detection and 90% coverage. Focusing is speedy, but can struggle a little in low light. Back to the similarities and both cameras use in-body image stabilisation, which is compatible with existing F-mount lenses, so you get benefit there. Build and handling wise, the Z series makes no compromises, operating in the refined and intuitive way you’d expect fromamanufacturer of such pedigree; they’re weather sealed, too. Battery life is quoted at over 300 shots, which doesn’t sound likemuch, but in our experience, they’ve gone near double that. Both cameras use a single XQD slot, and this has split opinion. Many photographers are now used to the security and expandability of two-card recording, but XQDs are theoretically much tougher than SDs and faster, too. Overall, froma standing start it’s fair to say Nikon has done a lot right.

Above The Z 7 is Nikon’s flagship mirrorless model

nikon.co.uk

Nikon lenses

New glass, better pictures

Nikon launched three lenses along with its Z series bodies, which felt a bit anaemic at the time. Now the range has grown a little though, and with third party support also arriving, there’s plenty to enjoy now and look forward to. It’s by nomeans complete though, so you really need Nikon’s FTZmount converter to fit your F-mount lenses while you wait for dedicatedmirrorless versions to arrive. Specifically designed for the new Z mount, there are currently 24-70mm f/2.8 and f/4 zooms, a wide-angle 15- 30mm f/4 zoom, and 35mmand 50mm f/1.8 primes. Optically, all of the lenses are superb, boasting excellent sharpness wide open which is well held in the

corners. The f/2.8 zoomalso features an L-Fn function button on the lens barrel, as well as an integrated OLED lens information panel. This year should also see a 24mmand 85mm f/1.8, a 70- 200mm f/2.8 and a 58mm f/0.95 lens. In 2020we can expect a 50mm f/1.2, 20mm f/1.8 and 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom. Samyang is the first well known third-party name to produce lenses for the Zmount, and currently fills two holes in Nikon’s own line-up with the 14mm f/2.8 Z, and 85mm f/1.4 Z. There’s also the delicious-soundingMitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III, and five lenses fromKipon all with an f/2.4 aperture covering focal lengths from 24mm to 90mm.

Above More lenses, including third party options, are coming out for Sony E-mount

Above The Z mount lens choice is growing, fromNikon and third party brands too

Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk

Techniques 14

Canon

Panasonic

Canon’s full-frame EOS R system looks to build on its DSLRdominance A newEOS

Canon’s EOS-R range launched at the back end of 2018, so like NIkon it’s had its work cut out in order to challenge the dominance of Sony’s full-frame system. But Canon has been busy since, and is certainly putting lots of effort into fleshing out its system. The EOS RF is a completely new lens mount, and the engineering should result in lenses with better optical performance and faster camera-to-lens communication. Canon has so far launched two full- frame mirrorless bodies with impressive if not extraordinary feature sets. The £2399 EOS R was the first in the range to launch, with a 30.3-megapixel CMOS sensor at its heart, and equipped with an optical low-pass filter to defeat moire patterns and false colours. It’s therefore very similar to that found in the EOS 5D Mark IV, but backed up by a faster DIGIC 8 processor. ISO range is 100-40,000. As you’d expect, the body is much more compact and lightweight than a similarly spec’d DSLR and weather sealing is built in. The layout of the controls will have a familiar feel for those who are regular Canon users, although the newmultifunction bar, which lets you control programmable functions like ISO and white-balance, takes some getting used to. There’s tremendous scope to customise the camera to your personal preferences though, for example in stills shooting, 14 buttons or controls can be customised, with up to 41 options. Autofocus has been upgraded on the EOS R. The dual pixel phase-detection AF has 5655 selectable autofocus points and the system is responsive, smooth Both the Canon EOS R and the RP bodies come with an EF lens adapter as standard, so right away you’ve got a huge number of lenses to choose from the existing EF range. In terms of dedicated RF lenses, there’s not a massive selection, but like Nikon’s Z series, that’s totally understandable – the system has been around for less than a year. At the same time as the new mount, Canon announced a 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM, a 50mm f/1.2 L USM, a 28-70mm f/2L USM and a 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM, all of which rated very well in our tests. Recently launched is the 85mm f/1.2L, which should excite portrait shooters, and coming after that are a 24-70mm f/2.8, a 15-35mm f/2.8, a 70- 200mm f/2.8L IS and a 24-240mm f/4- 6.3 IS, plus a ‘DL’ version of the 85mm f/1.2L with a much smoother look to its Canon lenses

Above Panasonic has taken a no-compromise approach to its S series and the cameras and lenses are substantially built

Panasonic ready for full-frame fight S class and L glass

Canon has two camera options at the moment, the entry-level EOS RP (above) and the more advanced EOS R (right)

Despite being heavily entrenched in the crop-sensor side of themirrorless market with its Micro Four Thirds Lumix G Series, Panasonic wants a piece of the full-framemarket, too. Enter the Lumix S1 and S1R, which actually seem to eschew the idea of mirrorless being smaller and lighter, in favour of amore workhorse styling. The new system is built around the L-mount designed by Leica for its SL cameras, so there is entrenched lens support – andmore lenses added with Sigma joining Panasonic and Leica in the L-Mount Alliance. Much like the way Sony and Nikon have gone, Panasonic gives us the £2199 S1, a lower resolution all-rounder with a 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, and the £3399 S1Rwhich has a whopping 47.3-megapixel sensor for richly detailed stills. They have slightly different ISO ranges, of 100-51,200 for the S1 and 100-25,600 for the S1R, but other than that, both cameras have twin card slots, up to six-stop Dual Image Stabilisation when OIS lenses are used, and a high-resolution 5760KOLED EVF display with adjustable refresh rate of 60 or 120fps, and a handy option of three different magnifications. The S1R’s 47.3-megapixel resolution is the highest of any full-frame camera so far, mirrorless or DSLR, and produces 8368x5584 pixel files, but if you need something even larger, it has a high-resolutionmode that gives an equivalent resolution of 187megapixels. Here, eight shots are taken with the sensor moving between them. As well as existing Leica L-Mount lenses fitting the new bodies, many of which are quite glorious and gloriously expensive, Panasonic announced three of its own lenses at launch, a 70-200mm f/4, a 50mm f/1.4 and a 24- 105mm f/4Macro, the zooms including Optical Image Stabilisation, and all of themweather resistant like the bodies.

and very fast, focusing down to -6EV. Thanks to the touch AF function, you can also choose the precise area in a scene that’s to be the centre of focus by using your thumb and dragging the AF point to where it’s needed. More recently, Canon followed up the EOS R with the £1399 26.2-megapixel EOS RP, its price tagmaking it the most affordable full-frame mirrorless model on the market. At just 485g, it’s smaller and lighter than the R, but still features top-end tech like Dual Pixel CMOS AF, up to 4779 selectable AF points, a DIGIC 8 processor and 14-bit Raws. Both the EOS R and RP lack in-body

image stabilisation, which is enjoyed on most other mirrorless bodies cropped or full frame, and even some DSLRs. This caused some dismay at launch, but the RP does use a Dual Sensing IS (camera and lens) systemoffering 5-axis stabilisation up to 5EV, though you’ll need dedicated RF lenses for it to work.

canon.co.uk

A new standard

Above Panasonic S series cameras use the L-Mount, sharing that technology with Leica and Sigma. That does mean there will be many more lens options in time

On top of that, Sigma, as part of the lens mount alliance, recently announced that 11 of its Art and Sport lenses have been re-engineered to be in L-Mount with three due on sale this September.

manual focus options, assisted by focus peaking through the EOS R and RP’s electronic viewfinders; the 14mm f/2.8 RF and 85mm f/1.4 RF. Lensbaby is alsomaking optics for the RFmount, so far including the Composer Pro II.

bokeh. And most recently a 10x zoom has been launched, the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM. Check out our news story one page 3. And just as with Nikon, Samyang has stepped up to the RF plate with two

panasonic.co.uk

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