Awards
Lighting continued
Workflow
BEST LED LIGHT
BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER
BEST ON-CAMERA FLASH
BEST IMAGE EDITING SOFTWARE
WINNER Epson Surecolor SC-P700
WINNER Serif Affinity Photo 2
Epson’s Surecolor SC-P700 is a highly talented printer with the ability to produce pro-quality results on a wide range of fine art and photo quality media. It uses Epson’s Micro Piezo print head and Ultrachrome Pro10 inks to print images with stunning depth, accuracy and clarity. The ten inks include a matte black for textured papers and photo blacks for lustre and gloss finishes. Compared with previous Epson printers, the SC-P700 does not need to switch between the two blacks. With a user-friendly 4.3-inch LCD, the ability to output A3+ (19x13in) prints and CD/DVD printing, the SC-P700 is a terrific device.
WINNER Godox V1
Fully featured, great value and compatible with Windows, MacOS and iPad, there’s nothing that compares directly with Affinity Photo 2. It is available to purchase on its own or with the whole Affinity suite (Designer, Publisher as well as Photo) on all platforms. When shooting in Raw, Affinity Photo 2 gives a 32-bit experience from beginning to end, promoting ultimate control. There’s a vast array of tools, including blemish removal, available with a huge library of brushes. For complex tasks involving layers, effects and live filters, you can seamlessly mask or blend them together.
WINNER Rotolight AEOS 2 Pro
On the face of it, the Godox V1 is like any other speedlight, but it has a special power. Its round head gives a beautiful output with a softer, smoother and more uniform light. This makes it great whether its used on- or off-camera. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery gives 480 full-powered bursts. Meanwhile, recycling is quick at around 1.5 seconds. Where this speedlight excels is when a Godox transmitter is added. The V1 has a built-in receiver allowing wireless control and TTL or manual flash. Adding extra Godox units creates a sophisticated portable studio.
Rotolight’s AEOS 2 Pro offers unrivalled features and power in a portable package, making it the LED light of choice among leading stills and video content creators. The powerful continuous light output can be adjusted with its intuitive touchscreen control panel. There’s also the choice of 16.7 million colours, 2500 digital filters and special lighting effects. The unit can be controlled remotely via Rotolight’s app.
ALSO NOMINATED: Canon imagePrograf Pro-300 Canon imagePrograf Pro-1000 Citizen CX-02 DNP DS-RX1HS Epson Ecotank ET-8550 Fujifilm ASK-300
ALSO NOMINATED:
ALSO NOMINATED: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC Anthropics PortraitPro 23
Broncolor LED F160 Godox VL300 Kenro Smart Lite 19in RGB Ring Light Joby Beamo Profoto C1 Plus RiBL Aura MVL2 LED
ALSO NOMINATED:
DxO PureRaw 3 DxO PhotoLab 6 Nik Collection 5 Phase One Capture One Pro Skylum Luminar Neo Topaz Photo AI
Canon Speedlite EL-1 Hähnel Modus 600RT Pixapro GIO1 Profoto A10
BEST COLOUR MANAGEMENT SOLUTION
WINNER Datacolor Spyder X2 Elite + Spyder Checkr Photo Kit A colour-managed workflow not only makes your imaging life stress-free, it also means your shots appear the best they can on-screen. The Datacolor outfit helps you get off to a great start with the correct colour from your first shot. Just take a photo of the Checkr Photo colour reference card at the beginning of the shoot, which enables the creation of an HSL preset. This can be applied to your shots through editing software. The next step is to make sure the monitor is showing the right colours; that’s where the Spyder X2 Elite comes in. It’s easy and fast to use, plus there’s a range of advanced calibration features including Studio Match for multiple monitor set-ups.
Editor’s Choice: Zoner Photo Studio X
Editor’s Choice: Rotolight Neo 3 Pro
Image creators looking for an alternative to Adobe’s offerings should check out Zoner Photo Studio X (ZPS X). It’s available on a monthly or yearly subscription and is Windows 10/11 compatible. ZPS X is a powerful editor with all the tools expected from a leading software – including Raw processing, layers, masks, cataloguing and retouch tools. Its five-module structure delivers a smooth workflow for stills and video, from cataloguing images to printing. Whether you’re starting out and looking for a powerful image editor or simply want a change, ZPS X is worth a serious look. A free seven-day trial download is available here: zoner.com/en/download Roger Payne – Editor
The need for a light source that works for stills and video is greater than ever, which is why the Rotolight Neo 3 Pro is so appealing to many. It is the brightest on-camera LED light ever made with 2500 digital filters and 16.7 million colours giving incredible versatility. What’s more, buying a trigger turns it into a useful flashgun including the same colour features, no recycling time and high-speed sync up to an impressive 1/8000sec. It’s a remarkable light and worth adding to the kitbag. Roger Payne – Editor
Editor’s Choice: Nanlite Forza 150B
Power, portability and versatility are the buzzwords of the Nanlite Forza 150B. It weighs just 1.56kg, gives 13,006 lumens of 5600K daylight-balanced light and is adjustable within a 2700-6500K colour temperature range. Power can be supplied from the mains and, alternatively, 14.8W or 26W V-Mount batteries while location shooting. Roger Payne – Editor
ALSO NOMINATED: Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra Calibrite ColorChecker Studio Calibrite Display Plus HL
22 Photography News | Issue 113
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