The end of the year is here once again, and that only means one thing – a double issue! In issue 72, there’s twice the content you love, including the Canon EOS 90D, the Fujifilm X-Pro3, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and the Sigma fp all up for Big test! There's a ton of First tests, too, as well as a cracking Christmas Buyers' guide. Also, the PN 2019 awards are kicking off! Be sure to get your vote in online for the chance to win some great prizes.
Photography News Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories ISSUE 72 29 Nov-13 Jan photographynews.co.uk CANON SPECIAL EDITION Advertisement feature
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Olympus introduces PEN E-PL10 Photography News Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories PNAwards 2019 / We want your votes for the best imaging kit Big test: Fujifilm X-Pro3 / Our verdict on the camera with the hiddenmonitor A W A R D S 2019
ISSUE 72 29 Nov-13 Jan photographynews.co.uk
Big test: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III / Small & beautiful
OPENS 3 DECEMBER
Olympus has a newaddition to its entry-level mirrorless camera range, and early buyers could bag a free 45mm f/1.8 lens
will be another pleasing factor for those used to pocketing a smartphone. The camera measures 117.1x68x39mm and weighs less than 400g, battery and card included. The Olympus PEN E-PL10 is available in white, brown or black at £549.99 body only and £649.99 with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mmEZ lens.While stocks last, the camera comes with a free 45mm f/1.8 lens worth £279.99 when purchased fromOlympus’s online shop. • olympus.co.uk/pen
THE NEWPEN E-PL10 aims to attract entry-level photographers. Key specifications include a 16.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor and TruPic VIII processor, 3.5 EV steps of in-body stabilisation, 8.6fps burst shooting and 4K video. When it comes to usability, Olympus has covered all bases of the camera’s potential target audience. Namely, there’s a flip-down LCD with selfie mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and a host of in-camera creative presets. The PEN E-PL10’s size and weight
Fujifilm House of Photography
FREE! 45mm f/1.8mm lens
The experiential store opens in London’s Covent Garden and promises to be a unique imaging experience for camera users of all levels
Theo Georghiades, who is project leader at the FujifilmHouse of Photography London, and general manager of electronic imaging at FujifilmUK, says: “I amhugely excited to open the doors and welcomemembers of the public to the FujifilmHouse of Photography for the first time. “We believe we have created a true photography playground – a unique experience for anyone with an interest in taking photos and sharing the world around them, be that a complete novice or a professional.” • fujifilm-houseofphotography.com
prize draw to win one of five Fujifilm X-T3 cameras with an XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LMOIS lens, an outfit worth £1699. On the opening day visitors will have the chance to enjoy interactive photography experiences with Fujifilmcameras including instax, X Series and G Series models. There’s also the chance tomake up to 25 6x4in prints for free, without having to buy anything.
FUJIFILM’S HOUSE OF Photography store, based in London’s Covent Garden at 8-9 Longacre, opens 11am, 3 December. To celebrate, the first 100 visitors through the doors will get exclusive goodie bags featuring camera and photographymerchandise. Better yet, customers who spend over £100 in-store in one transaction between opening day and 8 December will be entered into a
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S IGN ME UP
Canon certainly can
EDITOR’S LETTER WILL CHEUNG
Imaging giant Canon is moving forward across several fronts
Welcome to our bumper double issue withmore news and product reviews than you can shake a Christmas cracker at. To explain, Photography News comes out every month except December, so we have an extra-big issue the month before. If you’re wondering about the logic behind that, just think about how frantically busy you are in the run-up to the festive period. Coming out during that frenzied period just doesn’t make commercial sense. To be honest the past six weeks have been pretty hectic at the office as manufacturers launch kit ready to grace the dealers’ shelves in time for Christmas. Canon, Fujifilm, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Sigma and Sony have all introduced new kit recently and that’s why we have somany tests this month. For sure, covering all the launches has meant a heavy carbon footprint for PN’ s team this month. If a new camera is on your shopping list – for a loved one or yourself – the choice at all price points has never been better. At the lower end of the price spectrumCanon and Nikon offer £300 DSLRs and that’s with a standard zoom, while for those with deeper pockets there,s any number of products vying for your attention. It is a great time to be a keen photographer – or content creator, to use more contemporary parlance! From everyone at Photography News , have a great Christmas and we hope 2020 gets off to a peaceful, healthy and inspirational start. Until we meet again – the next issue will be available from 15 January 2020.
In preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Canon has revealed some early details of the EOS-1DXMark III. Top of the list is a Canon- developed CMOS sensor and DIGIC processor giving 10-bit stills as well as 10-bit Canon Log and Raw video, and significantly faster frame rates with full AF and AE tracking – 16fps with the mechanical shutter and optical finder and 20fps with live view. Canon is also promising better low-light performance and the Dual Pixel CMOS AF uses 525 AF areas in live view, covering approximately 90x100% of the sensor, while using the same AF algorithmas when shooting with the optical finder gives enhanced flexibility. Another improvement, important to pros, is the camera’s ability to transfer data at twice the speed of theMark II using the built-in ethernet, or the new optional wireless file transmitter.
Canon is looking to the stars with the EOS Ra, amirrorless model very similar to the Canon EOS R, but featuring a host of specs designed for astrophotography. Low-light autofocus capabilities down to -6EVwill certainly be of use to astro photographers using Canon lenses, while used on a telescope, functions like focus peaking andmagnification up to an impressive 30x ensure focusing is simple and quick. Next on the list of new features is the Ra’s infrared blocking filter. The IR filter allows even higher hydrogen alpha light to reach the imaging sensor – four times as much as the
R, in fact. Photographers can capture the distinct red colour of nebulae, impossible to capture on traditional cameras which block the IR light that gives these nebulae their red colour. The Canon EOS Ra is released in early December and can be preordered now at £2599.99. Two R lenses have also been announced, the RF 70- 200mm f/2.8L IS USM and the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS, priced at £2699.99 and £3249.99 respectively. The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is the world’s lightest and shortest lens of its aperture/ range while the RF 85mm f/1.2L USMDS uses Canon’s unique DS
coating for soft, smooth bokeh – it alters light transmission characteristics. Finally, on the camera front, firmware. Following the firmware update for the G7 XMark III, Canon has announced the same update will be rolled out to the G5 XMark II by the end of 2019. The EOS 90D and EOS RP also have a firmware update available. This time, it’s the videographers that will be receiving the benefits, as the new update allows 24p (23.98fps) recording in both 4K and Full HD. The firmware updates are free to download from the Canon support website. canon.co.uk
FEATURES ATA GLANCE: CANON EOS Ra
Followus:
› Optimised infrared filter › 30.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor
› IS0 100-40,000 › Autofocus to -6EV › Vari-angle LCD
› 4K and 10-bit movies › Bluetooth andWi-Fi › USB 3.1
@photonewsPN @photonewsPN
@photonewsPN
Big test: Canon EOS 90D page 34 Canon’s latest DSLR has a brand-new 32.5-megapixel sensor Make the switch page 41 PN reader gets to spend a fortnight with the Fujifilm GFX 50S Buyers’ guide: printers &papers page 44 Our selection of great papers and printers for you to try
EastwoodPS clubprofile page 23 A behind-the-scenes look at one of the country’s leading camera clubs PN Awards 2019 page 26 Vote for your favourite gear of the year
Big test: OlympusOM-D
Big test: Sigma fp
page 60
E-M5Mark III page 48 On the face of it, the changes from its predecessor aren ’ t massive, but they are significant – we put it to the test Big test: FujifilmX-Pro3 page 54 It’s the camera with the hidden monitor: great idea or gimmick? We have the answer
It’s the world’s smallest full-frame mirrorless camera, and good value too Buyers’ guide: Christmas gifts page 66 It’s time to treat someone close to you – or yourself! – to something nice First tests page 71 A selection of the new kit tested, from lenses and filters to a photo waistcoat
News page 3 All the latest product news from the world of imaging Wordsearch page 15 A Samsung microSD card to be won in our prize wordsearch Clubnews page 17
– and you could win a prize DougChinnery onprinting Leading pro Doug explains why printing is so important
page 30
Club exhibitions to visit and interesting talks to attend
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Kase Filters launches newholder The new generation K9 holder makes filter use even easier and suits lenses as wide as 14mmon full-frame cameras
Hahnemuhle: back to nature
Hahnemuhle’s production site is located at the edge of a nature reserve, and the company is committed to environmentally friendly paper production using Its latest three Natural Line fine-art printing papers take this even further and use bamboo, hemp and agave to provide the cellulose for paper production. These fast-growing plants needminimal maintenance, no pesticides and less water, all of which helps to save resources and protect the environment. Bamboo is made from 90% bamboo fibre and has a smooth surface texture with a warm tone, while Hemp is made from 60% hemp fibre and 40% cotton, and this also has a smooth matt surface texture but with a white tone. Agave is 70% agave fibre and 30% cotton, and has a rough surface texture. All three of these papers are free from optical brightening agents. These Natural Line matt papers are available in sheet sizes A4 to A2 and in roll sizes, too. Generic ICC profiles for popular fine-art printers are available for free from the website . • hahnemuhle.com precious natural resources sparingly and responsibly.
diameter, and this – together with redesigned filter holder rails – means the system can be used on lenses as wide as 14mm on full-frame without the drawback of vignetting. Handling of the lightweight aviation- grade aluminium alloy holder has also been enhanced, with an improved polariser drive cog, modified cut-outs to enable easier polariser removal, and a rapid-turn screw fastening. Stephen Elliott, Kase UK’s technical director, said: “The last K8 generation holder was excellent, but we knewwe could do even better with the K9. It is
KASE FILTER’S SOLUTION to using a polariser in combination with other filters is an elegant and very effective one. Rather than placing a large polariser at the end of the lens in front of other NDs and graduate filters, the new system uses a magnetically attaching polariser sat next to the lens front, and then up to three other filters can be added. An ingenious rear cog drive is provided to allow quick and simple polariser adjustment. The new K9 holder uses the same polariser mounting system, but this filter is now larger, with a 90mm
The new K9 holder is available to buy now fromKase’s website and at the company’s UK official stockist, Wex Photo Video. The K9 holder kit costs £140, and the price includes the holder, slimline circular polariser and four rings: the 77mm and 82mm geared lens adapter rings, plus the 67mm and 72mm step-up rings. • kasefilters.com
exactly what we think a filter holder should be: simple to use, practical, reliable and with no gimmicks. The fact that our designers and engineers have managed to make these improvements and make the new holder even lighter just proves what an innovative team we have. Our main goal for the K9 was to allow it to be used with ultra wide- angle lenses without compromise.”
A telephoto zoom and three primes fromTamron
All four lenses feature a moisture-resistant construction, fluorine front element lens coating for easy cleaning of smudges and fingerprints, and a 67mm filter thread. Prices are yet to be announced, but the lenses are due to hit shelves between this December and spring 2020, with the primes launching a fewmonths before the zoom. For details, see the website for Intro2020 – the company is acting as Tamron’s UK distributors until 30 November 2020. We’ll have details of Tamron’s new distributor in the next issue of PN . • intro2020.co.uk
lengths each have an f/2.8 maximum aperture and are designed for full- frame Sony E-Mount mirrorless systems. The new zoom features Tamron’s newly developed VXD linear motor focus mechanism, which promises accurate, fast and quiet AF, and supports a range of camera-specific features including hybrid and eye AF. Focus capabilities for the three primes that users will enjoy include a close focusing distance (11cm, 12cm and 15cm for the 20mm, 24mm and 35mm respectively) and a magnification ratio of 1:2 – a first in this category of lens.
Tamron has announced the third model in its series of f/2.8 high- speed zoom lenses, the 70-180mm, in addition to three primes. The 70-180mm, 20mm, 24mm and 35mm focal
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More fromThinkTank Think Tank has been very busy recently. We’ll start the round up with two bags – the Retrospective 4 in case you get caught out in bad weather. This costs £55. On the bad weather theme,
V2 and the Urban Access Sling. The Retrospective 4 is available in black or pinestone and costs £95. It is aimed at rangefinder and mirrorless users. Moving onto the Urban Access Sling, this is available in two sizes, 8 and 10, costing £95 and £105 respectively. The neat design means it can be used across the right or the left shoulder. There’s a third bag, too, but this is not a camera bag. The Road Warrior costs £56 and is a small bag to keep your cables, cards and other small items in one place. Designed to protect super telephoto lenses up to 600mm, the T622 Emergency Rain Cover Large can just be left in your rucksack
Hydrophobia eyepieces are now available. These work in conjunction with Think Tank Photo Hydrophobia rain covers to provide the best protection when the conditions are truly dire. The latest models are for recent Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony cameras. Let’s end with a new roller case, the Airport Advantage, which sells at £249 and is available in black or graphite. It is Think Tank’s smallest roller case and weighs just 2.7kg, but is big enough for a 15in laptop, two bodies with lenses attached and three to four extra lenses. There’s a First Test in this issue on the Airport Advantage’s bigger brother, the XT. snapperstuff.com
The firmware update offers improvements across the board, and Panasonic has delivered two new zoom L-Mount lenses, too Panasonic reveals two new lenses and a firmware update
PANASONIC’S FIRST NEW lens is the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS. The fast, constant aperture lens offers a maximum 480fps focus control for high-speed autofocus, as well as a dust- and splash-resistant design. The second offering, the Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f/4, offers a versatile range of wide-angle coverage. The 16-35mm features the same autofocus capabilities and durable construction as the 70-200mm, with the addition of
suppressed focus breathing, making the lens an extremely promising option for filmmaking as well as for stills shooting. The Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS is available next January at £2599, while the Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f/4 is available in late December at £1499. Panasonic’s firmware update is for its Lumix mirrorless cameras – the S1, S1R, GH5, GH5S and G9. The updates are available now and
include improvements to autofocus and high-speed video, as well as better compatibility with Panasonic and Sigma lenses, and with Profoto wireless transmitters. Other key improvements include the ability to select the card slot to save the JPEGs developed by in- camera Raw processing, and the Fn button can be used for checking the aperture effect. panasonic.com
Leica’s SL-Systemwas first launched in 2015. Now, the SL2 has been announced. Externally, the SL2 features improved ergonomics with a simplified three-button layout and an improved grip, as well as added weather sealing. Leica announces new mirrorless As far as the interface goes, Leica claims that menus have undergone some streamlining, too, making for a better user experience all round. Inside, there’s a 47-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, as well as a newMaestro III image processor. As a result, Leica promises fast and reliable autofocus, which is further complemented by the camera’s Smart AFmode. Another highlight is the SL2’s sensor-shift technology, which offers not only stabilisation, but a multi-shot mode capable of capturing images at a huge 187-megapixel resolution. The SL2 doesn’t just appeal to stills shooters, either. There’s a lot to enjoy for videographers – namely 60fps recording in Cine 4K and high-speed shooting up to 180fps in Full HD. The Leica SL2 body is £5300. uk.leica-camera.com
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Adate for yourdiary It’s not even Christmas but here’s a date for your 2020 diary: 14 to 17 March 2020, The Photography Show, BirminghamNEC
Hoya launches new filters
The first of Hoya’s newest additions is the ProND filter kit, which includes ND8 (3EV), ND64 (6EV) and ND1000 (10EV) density filters in a folding, padded case. The filters are made from high-quality optical glass, coated front and back, reducing the light spectrum and creating a neutral colour balance. It’s possible to use two ProND filters together for even longer exposures. For example, ND8 and ND1000 combine to give a value of ND8000 (13EV). The Starscape light pollution filter shares the same construction as those in the ProND kit. The filter’s special optical glass filters out yellow and green light pollution, leaving users with more natural-looking images that require less post correction. Both the ProND kit and the Starscape light pollution filters will be available in sizes from 49mm to 82mm diameters, and will hit
Marumi pro grade DHG Super ND series is now complete with four densities recently being announced. The new models are SND8 (3EV), SND16 (4EV), SND32 (5EV) and SND64 (6ND). The NDs are available in sizes from 67mm to 105mm, with prices starting at £63.06 for a 67mm SND8 to £265.74 for a 105mm SND64. The four new filters are tested in this issue, so see First Tests towards the rear Marumi completes its ND range Unfortunately, we had a two- pronged attack of the gremlins in our last issue. In the Nikon Z 6 long term test we managed to say in the specification panel that the camera had in-body image stabilisation and that it didn’t. Of course, it does, and very effective it is, too, with up to a 5EV benefit. Also in issue 71, our Buyer’s Guide put the price of the Hahnel £1499. It should have been £249, and for that it’s a very capable and well priced flashgun, with a rechargeable battery for fast recharging and great capacity. We’re sorry to readers, Hahnel and Nikon for any inconvenience caused – and we’ll try to do better! Our apologies Modus 600RT Mark II in at a grossly and unfairly inflated of this issue. • kenro.co.uk
shops this December. • intro2020.co.uk/hoya
THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW 2020, which will be held from 14 to 17 March 2020, is shaping up to be the best yet for keen photographers and videographers. Many of the biggest brands in the world of photography and filmmaking
have already signed on for talks, workshops, demos and conferences. Image-makers – from beginners to pros – can engage in all aspects of the show, including the opportunity to handle and buy the latest kit.
If you’re attending, make sure to visit the PN stand early on to meet the team and pick up a free copy of the magazine, which includes the show’s floor plan. • photographyshow.com
Save on Datacolor
Manfrotto lights it up
Aimed at photographers and videographers, the Manfrotto Lykos 2.0 LED light is a compact yet powerful daylight and bicolour lighting solution. It’s water resistant and features a built-in lens light to control the effect, and there’s a dedicated iOS and Android app for wireless control. It runs off Sony L-type or Canon LP-E6 batteries. The Lykos 2.0 on its own costs £259.95 and a kit that comprises three lights, three Nano stands, two softboxes and a specially designed Manfrotto roller case costs £1249.95. • manfrotto.co.uk
Buy a Datacolor Spyder before 15 December 2019 from its online store and you can save up to £100. The SpyderX Pro is €129 instead of €179, the SpyderX Elite is €199 instead of €279, the SpyderXCapture Pro is €299 intead of €399, and the SpyderX Studio is €349 instead of €449. • datacolor.com
Editorial Team Editorial director Roger Payne Editor Will Cheung FRPS 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com Head of digital content Daisy Dickinson Digital editor Jemma Dodd jemmadodd@bright-publishing.com Digital content writer 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 Senior sales executive Jemma Farrell-Shaw 01223 492240 jemmafarrell-shaw@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Mike Elliott mikeelliott@bright-publishing.com
Design Team Design director Andy Jennings Senior designer Laura Bryant Designer 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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Kase
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
The case forKase e Kase filter system offers a pr ctical and el gant solution to using a polariser in combination with other filters. That’s one of many reasons why two leading scenic pros use Kase filters
filters. Made from hardened optical- quality glass and featuring nano coating, these filters maintain the lens’s quality, are scratch resistant, dust and water repellent and totally neutral. A full range of NDs and neutral density graduates is available in the Wolverine range.
Working on feedback from users, the Kase team of designers and engineers took the popular K8 filter holder and came up with the innovative K9 holder. The new holder still positions a magnetically attached polariser next to the lens and allows the use of three more filters in front, but this filter is now 90mm in diameter. Together with redesigned filter slots, it means the Kase filter system can be used on lenses as wide as 14mm on the full-frame format without vignetting.
The holder, made from aviation-grade aluminium alloy, is also lighter than the previous model and features design tweaks to make handling even better. So now there’s a rapid tightening screw, improved polariser drive cog and modified cut-outs to allow easier polariser removal. Finally, the K9 is fully compatible with Wolverine
AVAILABILITY Kase filters are available from the Kase website and official UK stockists,WEXPhoto video; wexphotovideo.com
Julian Baird
Alister Benn
shoot a lot of open views, moorland and seascapes. I like my images to create a sense of wonder and excitement about the landscape we all share. Though I typically like my photographs to have lots of contrast and colour, I take a light hand to post-processing. I want my photographs to be exciting, but genuine. Why Kase filters? As a landscape photographer I need my gear to be robust and the Kase system is just that. The filters are easy to keep clean in wet weather and I can be confident they can handle a few rough trips. The new K9 holder and polariser now allow me to realise the full potential of the latest wide-angle lenses with no vignetting or loss in optical quality. They are an essential part of my kit bag. “KASE FILTERS ARE EASY TO KEEP CLEAN IN WET WEATHER AND I CAN BE CONFIDENT THEY CAN HANDLE A FEW ROUGH TRIPS”
Tell us a little bit about yourself I’m a landscape photographer living in the beautiful county of Devon. My passion for photography is only outweighed by my love of the great outdoors. I love being outside, and despite the misery of those 3am alarm calls, sometimes there is nothing better than photographing the start of a new day. My joy for photography extends past the camera and I am passionate about creating prints and sharing my adventures on my YouTube channel. What is your photographic style? I’m what you might call a classic or traditional landscape photographer. My photography is very much influenced by my local area so I
Several kits are available: • The K9 holder kit costs £140 and includes the holder, a slimline circular polariser and four rings: the 77mm and 82mm
and forests; all of these encourage diversity and growth. Why Kase filters? Over the two decades I’ve been using filters, I’ve used most of the big brands and was never truly happy with any of them. I’ve been asked before to endorse a brand, but Kase is the first one I’ve felt confident enough to commit to. Colour neutrality, ergonomic design, convenience, durability and light weight, Kase delivers on them all. I use them in the field for over 260 days a year and they’re rock solid performers. I never have to doubt my gear, so I can focus on creativity. “I USE FILTERS IN THE FIELD FOR OVER 260 DAYS A YEAR”
Tell us a little bit about yourself I’m really only happy when I’m in the countryside, whether by the ocean, or climbing in the mountains; I live on the west coast of Scotland. I spend a lot of the year running small group workshops, encouraging participants to find creativity and expression. My primary business focus is in education, challenging the myths, rules and templates for successful images and promoting the power of engagement. What is your photographic style? I don’t believe in personal style; we have a spectrum of expressive and creative output, and the quest for identifiable personal style is more of a restriction than a benefit. If I want to make bright, airy images I will, but If I’m in a more melancholic mood I enjoy the freedom to allow those feelings to resonate. Anything that I produce that is honest is genuine. I also enjoy photographing in diverse environments, from coasts and rivers to mountains
geared lens adapter rings plus the 67mm and 72mm step-up rings. The entry-level kit is £365. It features the holder kit, a soft carry case plus two Wolverine 100mm filters: the 0.9 soft ND grad and ND64 6EV neutral density. At £495, the K9 high-end kit adds a 0.9 reverse ND grad designed for successful sunrise/sunset shooting, while the K9 master kit costs £745 and features fiveWolverine filters, including a 1.2 soft ND grad and a 10EVND.
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youtube.com/jbairdexp
expressive.photography
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Canon EOS R System
Light fantastic “One of the many things that impressed me about the EOS R,” viewfinder you’d hardly have been able to see anything in some ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
One of the big draws of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless EOS R system is the way it mixes top-drawer image quality with small size and lowweight, as Simon Raynor discovered on a recent shooting tour of India
locations. With the enhanced view, I could see exactly what I needed and frame perfectly.” As a long-time DSLR user who still shoots with an EOS 5D Mark IV, a good EVF was always going to be vital for Simon in making the switch. “I’m a traditional photographer and I want the camera up to my eye as much as possible,” he says. “That is unless there’s something that I want to shoot at low or high level, and there the EOS R’s angled LCD
says Simon Raynor, "was how well it performed in low-light situations.” Simon, a member of New City Photographic Society, a PN reader and a dedicated enthusiast with LRPS and CPAGB awards, put his new EOS R through its paces on a photo tour in India, including shooting in the streets and markets of Agra and Delhi after dark. “For starters, the camera’s EVF makes composition much easier in those situations,” Simon explains, “because with a traditional optical
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Canon EOS R System
makes it easy, too. And with it being a touchscreen, it also means I can adjust the focal point while composing, just using my thumb on the LCD, which is much faster than a joystick. When shooting the portraits on tour, I found it so useful to be able to focus precisely on somebody’s face in a fraction of a second, and it’s also really good for my candid-type photography.” Simon was also impressed by the EOS R’s high ISO performance, where the camera opened up new opportunities on his trip. “Some of the street photography was in very dim conditions,” he explains, “but thankfully the high ISO performance was fantastic. Some of the shots were at ISO 12,800, and to be able to get those kinds of images when there’s practically no available light was amazingly helpful. There’s still grain, of course, but I’d rather have that and get things sharp than have motion blur.” The EOS R’s high ISO performance has actually helped LEFT One of Simon’s favourite shots was this portrait of a camel driver, which he says proves the sharpness and clarity produced by the EOS R’s sensor RIGHT The EOS R also came into its own for low-light, with this shot taken at 1/60sec, f/8 and ISO 12,800
MEET THE EOS R FAMILY
“It was easy to adjust to as themenus are familiar, so I was straight up and running”
to change the way Simon shoots. “What I tend to do is put the camera in Manual mode, set a wide aperture and a shutter speed fast enough to stop any motion blur, then set Auto ISO and let the camera do the rest,” he says. “Auto ISO is such a sensible thing to use these days with cameras like the EOS R, and it really frees you up to just concentrate on shooting and not worry about picture quality.” As a mirrorless body, the EOS R’s size and weight was also a big draw for Simon. “Most of the time, I’m actually quite happy to use a larger body like my EOS 5D,” he says.
There are currently two cameras in Canon’s EOS R full-framemirrorless system, the 30.3-megapixel EOS R, as used by Simon, and the EOS RP with 26.2megapixels. The Canon EOS R’s full-frame imaging sensor is capable of recording the finest detail in a scene and also features Dual Pixel CMOSAFwith 5655AF points covering 100%of the vertical and 80%of the horizontal format for fast and accurate focusing, whether you’re shooting stills or video across almost the whole frame.The EOS R also has a native ISO 100-40,000 range, and can shoot hugely detailed 4K video at up to 30p. The camera also benefits fromWi-fi connectivity for image sharing, amaximum8fps shooting speed, and the option of silent shooting, perfect for street photography or environmental portraits, like Simon's. Canon’s RF’s lens systemcurrently numbers six optics and Canon’s massive collection of EFmount lenses can be used on EOS R bodies via the three adapters that are available. Please visit the Canon website for full details of the Canon EOS R, the RP and the full lens range. canon.co.uk
helps me to blend in. For example we went around an Indian village and a lot of the people were very happy for us to take portraits, because there’s less pressure when it doesn’t look like you’re using some big professional camera. It’s the same sort of thing walking around at night, as the EOS R is small enough not to attract too much attention.” The reduction in size from his EOS 5D Mark IV hasn’t compromised handling though, says Simon. “I tried the M50 previously,” he explains, “but it just somehow felt too small in my hands – the EOS R feels like a proper camera to me. It’s big enough to have everything easily reached, rather than having to dip into menus, and lots of the buttons can be customised to the settings you use most often. It was very easy for me to adjust to, because the EOS menus are all familiar too, so I was straight up and running, and ready to shoot.” To see more shots from Simon’s trip head tobobbooks.co.uk/ bookshop/photobook/faces-of-india
“But because of luggage restrictions on the trip, I thought, ‘I’m going to have to be careful about kit’. It was a situation where a smaller, lighter camera would be perfect, but of course I wanted a system that minimised weight, without sacrificing quality or handling.” Picking the EOS R also meant Simon could make use of his previous investment in high-quality EF lenses via the EF to EOS R mount adapter, but he has enjoyed the new RF line of lenses, too. Initially buying the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM lenses for his trip, he recently bought the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, too “which I’m enjoying using,” he says, “but I’ll hang on to the 24-105mm as it’s a great all-in-one lens for travel.” On his trip to India, he also took his EF 70-200mm f/4, mounting it via the EF to EOS R adapter and again taking advantage of its lightness which matched the body. Simon felt other benefits from the EOS R and RF lenses, too. “There’s certainly an advantage,” he says, “in terms of it being less ostentatious than a full-size DSLR. I do a lot of street photography and environmental portraiture, and for those subjects I want a camera that
IMAGES Despite being at home with his 5D Mark IV’s optical viewfinder, Simon was instantly won over by the EOS R’s EVF
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News
Skylum reveals Luminar 4
PhotoLab V3 nowout DxO’s PhotoLab v3 brings a new approach to controlling colour. The software’s HSL (hue, saturation and luminance) tool allows evenmore natural looking results with the DxOColorWheel. The ColorWheel allows you to select a range fromeight different colour channels that you can fine-tune and adjust. Saturation and Luminance sliders offer even more flexibility. The latest software also has a Local AdjustmentsMasks manager and amore powerful Repair tool. Addmore Raw support, Prime noise reduction and direct access to the Nik editing suite, and you have a powerful workflow and editing software at your fingertips. A fully functional one-month trial version is available on the website. Existing owners of DxO Optics or DxO PhotoLab2 can buy an upgrade licence by signing into their account. Essential and Elite versions of DxO PhotoLab 3 are available for Mac andWindows at £112 and £169 respectively. dxo.com
Original
Skylum says Luminar 4 isn’t just another photo editing package, but rather a time-saving, creative software that is easy to use and features powerful tools including AI Sky Replacement, AI Skin Enhancer and AI Structure. AI Sky Replacement works by automatically detecting the sky, as well as objects in the sky, and removes things like halos and artefacts that can be present with existing sky replacement techniques. The added sky can also be edited to suit portraits as well as scenic shots.
Luminar 4 is for Mac and Windows and costs £81 for a new purchase, and that’s for activation on two devices. skylum.com
Silver Efex Pro 2, part of the Nik Collection by DxO, is one of themost popular black &white editing softwares. The latest version features ten black &white filmpresets, each chosen for its artistic or historic appeal. So, for example, there’s FujifilmNeopan 400, a film that’s great for street work, Ilford Pan F 100 and Agfa Scala 200x, amono slide filmwith its own character. These new presets are just the starting point Silver Efex gets an update and you can use themas the foundation for creating your own presets – adding grain, adjusting harshness and local contrast control are all possible, as well. The Nik Collection 2.3 by DxO costs £125 or £69 for the upgrade. It is fully compatible withMac OS Catalina, and the latest versions of LightroomClassic, Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. dxo.com
New fromEIZO
Benro has announced two limited edition tripod kits. The SlimTall Aluminium and SlimTall Carbon cost £100 and £140 respectively, and are available from authorised Benro stockists. Both are based on an existing model (the TSL08) but feature extended tube lengths to give longer legs and thus more height, extending up to 164cm, while adding less then 100g to their weight. Both kits come supplied with N00 ball heads. Both tripods were launched for Black Friday but will be available in-store at the quoted prices while stocks last. benroeu.com Benro tripods
The EIZO ColorEdge 2410 is a 24.1in monitor ideal for image creators. It has a 1920x1200 resolution, covers 100% of the sRGB colour gamut, and 16-bit LUT for precise
calibration. Connections include DisplayPort, HDMI and three downstream USB ports. The ColorEdge 2410’s guide price is £480. eizocolour.com
The price of the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DGDNArt standard zoom flagship has been announced at £1049.99. This is the second newly designated Art series zoomdedicated tomirrorless cameras and promises an outstanding optical performance. It uses F low dispersion (FLD) and special low dispersion (SLD) glass, and three aspheric lenses to defeat aberrations and ensure an edge-leading optical performance. sigma-imaging-uk.com Sigma sets the standard
Laowa’s dinky lens
Laowa’s fourth lens for theMicro Four Thirds format is the 17mm f/1.8, a really compact manual focus lens and competitively priced at £189. The lens construction is nine elements in seven groups and there’s a seven blade diaphragm. It weighs just 172g, focuses as close as 15cmand has a 46mm filter thread. It’s available to buy now. ukdigital.co.uk
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News
T S H O P P I N G E U R Q L H D D S B L U E E T G R E D M F W D K E M X N V T U B D U S S G Z D I J B Y V A B E T H L S M L S H W C X N E O I W A V X T C R X D G C A A R K N I E V G Z E L N G F E N N K E Q D K R R C M S N M R B X S O E T O T I X O O A S Y E B M A W V W O Z I J N R S N C A Z K O L R Z O H T O S B S A V W W N G L Z S E V A E L C Z L L Q P F K O R S N E W G D E I L A D E M O B Z Capture life’s magical moments across all devices with the Samsung Evo Plus 256GB microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, offering read speeds up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s. Samsung’s latest cards are also ultra reliable and are water, temperature, X-ray and magnet proof, so shooting in the most challenging conditions isn’t an issue. We have one 256GB Samsung Evo Plus microSDXC card with SD adapter worth £74.99 for the eagle-eyed winner. Complete the word search below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@photographynews.co.uk with that word in the subject box by 12 January 2020 and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries received. The correct answer to PN 70’s word search was Video, and the Samsung 256GB Evo Plus card was won by Barry Turner from Suffolk. • samsung.com/uk/memory-cards ASamsung memory card! WIN!
Lifemagazine launches photo exhibition The exhibition by Life magazine is set to showcase the best of the magazine’s photos and is on display at London’s Atlas Gallery from the end of November
The exhibition, officially titled LIFE: Selected Prints from the LIFE Magazine Collection (1936-2000) , consists of photographs commemorating the iconic magazine, which ran for more than 60 years. The work of influential photographers such as Margaret Bourke- White, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Andreas Feininger and Joe Rosenthal, whose work shaped modern photojournalism, will be among the photographers on show. Over the course of its run, Life commissioned more than 10 million photographs, capturing all types of subject matter. The photographs being shown in the exhibition have been specially selected and represent the diversity of the Life collection. The exhibition is open from 28 November to 1 February 2020. atlasgallery.com
She’s aPNwinner
Darkroom printers the world over use Ilford Multigrade IV RC papers, and Harman Technology has just announced the 5th generation of this photographic staple. The latest version has a slightly warmer base tint and is capable of even deeper blacks. The spacing between the mid-grades has been improved for easier use and more consistent contrast control. Harman has also added Ortho Plus in 35mm and 120 roll-film formats to its range. This orthochromatic film is rated at ISO 80 in daylight and 40 in tungsten. A 35mm 36 exposure roll costs £8.29 and a roll of 120 is £7.99. Also fromHarman is a reusable plastic single-use camera that has a built-in flashgun and comes packaged with two rolls of Kentmere Pan 400 36 exposure film. It costs £29 so offers a low-cost way to enjoy shooting filmwithout having to buy a used film camera. And if you want to process the results yourself, Ilford has joined forces with Paterson to bring you the Film Processing Starter kit. This includes chemicals for two 35mm films, developing tank and other accessories and the whole lot costs £79. Ilfordphoto.com New fromHarman
In a recent PN competition run on our website we offered a full-frame Nikon D750 as first prize. We had thousands of entries so thanks to everyone who entered and commiserations to those who didn’t win. And if you didn’t know about the contest or haven’t seen our revamped website, now the time to have a look and register, which is free and simple. It features even more news and content than the printed issue, and we’ll be having regular competitions on there too. The winner of the Nikon D750 was Megan James from London. She has been enjoying her prize – here she is in action with a photograph from a recent trip to Malta with her brand new Nikon.
SHOPPING SILVER TREES WALKS WINNER
INSTANT LEAVES MEDAL MOMENT RED
FRAMING FRUIT GOLD GREEN HEDGEROW
ALBUMS BLUE BOOKS BRONZE DECISIVE
Congratulations Megan! photographynews.co.uk
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Camera club News
SUCCESS + EXHIBITIONS + PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS + OUTINGS
This is an all-ticket event. Tickets are £15 each and must be purchased in advance. Please contact the club at treasurer@lps1852.co.uk The event starts at 7.30pm and takes place at St Edmund’s Church Hall, Lidgett Park Road, Roundhay, Leeds LS8 1JN. Leeds PS meets every Tuesday evening in the winter and every other Tuesday in the summer at the above venue. lps1852.co.uk eds PS
If your camera club has news you want to share with Photography News readers, please send it in. All sorts of stories are welcome, so it might be details of an annual exhibition, success in a contest, an upcoming event or news of a member’s personal achievement. Publicity officers – please read the submission guidelines and deadlines below, and get your stories in. ◗ Write your story in 250 words or fewer on a Word document. Include the club’s website, meeting times, what the event is, opening times, entrance costs – anything relevant. ◗ Every story should come with at least one image. JPEGs should be 1500 pixels minimum (bigger is fine) on the longest dimension, any colour space, photographer’s name in the file name, please. ◗ We DO NOT use posters or any pictures with words on the image front. Send your contribution to clubnews@photography-news. co.uk with text document and images attached. Deadlines for the next few issues of Photography News ISSUE 73, out from 14 January 2020, deadline for contributions: 5 January 2020. ISSUE 74, out from 11 February, deadline for contributions: 2 February 2020. ISSUE 75, out from 10March, deadline for contributions: 1 March 2020 DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE 5 JANUARY 2020
Leeds PS, the oldest organised photographic society in the world, is proud to welcome its keynote speaker, Charlie Waite, on 10 December. Charlie is recognised as one of the world’s leading landscape photographers. He has lectured and held one-man exhibitions nationally and internationally, and his presentation at Leeds PS promises to be both enthralling and memorable.
Richmond & Twickenham PS
External competition’s organiser of RTPS, Ann Healey ARPS, was understandably thrilled at the club’s success. She said: “Considering the high standard of the prints submitted for this competition, I was delighted that RTPS came out on top. We did not know we had won until the very last print was scored, but we knew it was going to be very close between us and Cheam CC. It was all very exciting.”
For the first time in years, Richmond & Twickenham PS has won the Concorde Trophy, a print competition between nine leading Surrey Photographic Association clubs. Judged by Kent County Federation’s Cherry Larcombe, in a tense judging session, RTPS triumphed over Cheam CC by just half a point. Each club presented six prints from a variety of subject matters.
Nantwich CC
projected images of a wide range of truly inspiring subjects. Nantwich CC meets every Tuesday evening at 7.30pm at Regent Park, 129 London Road, Nantwich CW5 6LW. New members are always welcome and its wide range of club activities include lectures, demonstrations, practical events and competitions. nantwichcameraclub.org.uk nantwichmuseum.org.uk
Nantwich CC’s annual exhibition is on now and runs until 4 January 2020. Taking place at the Millennium Gallery, Nantwich Museum, Pillory Street, Nantwich CW5 5BQ, entry to the museum and exhibition is free. Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. The exhibition features recent work frommembers of the popular and successful club, including stunning prints and
Bishop’s Waltham PS
of the local community and is looking forward to supporting a community initiative to record everyday life in Bishop’s Waltham and its locality throughout 2020.” The club meets on the first Thursday of each month in St Peter’s Church Hall, Free Street, Bishop’s Waltham SO32 1EE. bishopswalthamphotosociety.co.uk
produced panels of images put together around a theme. Members’ cards of their prints were on sale with proceeds donated to the society’s chosen charity, which is the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. This year’s exhibition saw more than 400 visitors. John Coote, chairman of the society, commented: “The society is very proud to be part
Now in its 11th year, Bishop’s Waltham PS continues to go from strength to strength and currently has more than 60 members, as well as a new junior section, which meets at 6.30pm prior to the club’s main monthly meeting. Its recent annual exhibition featured members’ individual prints and a digital slide show display. For the first time, some members
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