Photography News 09

Latest photography news

PremiumSonycompact

NEWS INBRIEF

PRICE CORRECTION In last month’s

Could the RX100 III boost the compact cameramarket?

Photography News , we quoted the street prices of the new Manfrotto 055CXPRO 4 and 055CXPRO 3 carbon fibre tripods at £259 and £239 respectively. The street prices of these products are currently £374 and £359 respectively. Our apologies to HAVE AHEART The British Heart Foundation (BHF) would love to have any old camera kit that you no longer need. Photographic gear is being sold to raise funds for the BHF’s fight against heart disease. So clear out the cupboards, then pop into your local store with your donations or call to arrange free collection. For your nearest store go to bhf.org.uk/shops Manfrotto and any readers who were inconvenienced.

Words by Will Cheung

Busy Sony has announced the RX100 III, a premium compact camera. Sales of compact cameras are falling fast especially at the lower end of the market where camera phones are taking over. But sales continue to grow in the premium compact market – which is where the RX100 III, priced at £699, is squarely aimed. After a great deal of research Sony identified three key needs, according to Koichi Matsunaga, product marketing manager of Sony Europe: “First, people wanted a good lens with a wide setting and a bright aperture so the RX100 III has an equivalent of an 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 Zeiss zoom. Second, an EVF was needed so we have built one in using a unique design, and finally, an adjustable monitor so this camera has one that can be turned 180° for selfie shooters. We packed all this into a truly pocketable camera that is only millimetres bigger than the Mark II which has much less in the way of features.” The RX100 III features a one-inch sensor with a top ISO of 12,800. Compacts with small sensors like this can suffer from noise so at the recent launch day, I did some tests at ISO 6400 and

12,800. We weren’t allowed to use our own cards in the cameras, but previewing those shots on the monitor, they showed remarkably little digital noise and impressive sharpness.

We packed all this into a truly pocketable camera that is only millimetres bigger than the II

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

Throughout June and July, Manfrotto Takeover events will be touring many well- known photographic dealers. There will be free talks from leading professional photographers, special discounts and the chance to handle the latest Manfrotto products including the Pro Light bags, as well as the 190 and 055 series tripods. Experts will be available all day to answer any questions you may have. There will also be live macro demonstrations by Wild Arena. To book a free place at any of the talks or for a one-to-one Ambassador Appointment, call the Manfrotto customer services team on 01530 411515 or email info@ manfrottodistribution.co.uk. Diary dates

π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto. co.uk/manfrottotakeover.

Elgato Thunderbolt Dock This accessory is perfect for MacBook photographers on the move. With two integral Thunderbolt ports, one HDMI, one Ethernet and three USB 3.0 ports plus microphone input and audio output in one unit, it means you can plug in all your devices without lots of extra accessories. This Dock is available exclusively from Apple’s online or retail stores and costs £180.

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

Photography News | Issue 9