Photography News Issue 65

We test out Canon’s second mirrorless model, the EOS RP, as well as the Fujifilm X-T3, plus discover the Gear of the Year award winners as they pick up their prizes at The Photography Show. We also launch our Wedding Photographer of the Year competition with Loxley Colour.

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography news Photography Issue 65 16 Apr-13 May 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 onpage48 WIN!

First tests Our overview of what’s hot in imaging page 36

On test: Canon EOS RP Canon’s best

On test: Fujifilm X-T30 Flagship tech at a bargain price page 18

full-frame deal ever! page 30

Canon introduces the world’s lightest DSLR Following on from its multi award-winning EOS 200D, Canon has announced the EOS 250D, the world’s lightest DSLR with a moveable screen

Touted as the world’s lightest DSLR with a moveable screen, the Canon EOS 250D body weighsjust449gandmeasures 122.4x92.6x69.8mm. The Canon EOS 250D features a 24.1-megapixel dual pixel CMOS APS-C sensor, DIGIC 8 image processor and also offers 4K movie recording. Adding to the great features of its successor, the 250D has improved Live View autofocus accuracy and eye AF, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Digital Lens Optimizer and Highlight Tone Priority to help users capture sharp images, whatever they’re shooting. Targeted for family use, it features a guided user interface, so it’s easy for all to use, with on-screen shooting tips. It also has vari-angle touchscreen, allowing selfies and vlogs to be created easily and incorporates Bluetooth

PN EXCLUSIVE

If you’re thinking of going mirrorless, but undecided about which brand, camera and lenses to go for, we have teamed up with Fujifilm for a unique opportunity. Successful applicants will have the chance to try out a Fujifilm camera and two lenses of their choice – for absolutely free! Well, almost. In return for the free loan, we would like to feature your views about the loaned system, supported by a selection of your photographs. See page 3 for more details and visit photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch to apply and for the terms and conditions. Make the switch withFujifilm

and Wi-Fi connectivity for remote shooting and image transfers via the Canon Camera Connect app.

The Canon EOS 250D is available in black, silver and white from 25 April. The body is priced at £529.99 and

£599.99 for the EOS 250D and EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM.

canon.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

News

PN EXCLUSIVE

Make the switch with Fujifilm

Thinking of switching your heavy DSLR system for something lighter?We have an opportunity for you to borrow some kit AND be featured in Photography News. Read on to find out more...

Switching camera systems is an expensive business and you need to get it right. In this exclusive offer, Photography News has partnered with Fujifilm to give readers the chance to borrow a Fujifilm camera and up to two lenses of your choice for free*. The free camera loan is for up to two weeks, so you will have plenty of time to try out the products by shooting your favourite subjects – helping you make the right decision. Perhaps you have an exciting photo project or a special travel trip coming up? Or have you always wanted to try out a Fujifilm X Series or GFX system? If so, our year-long Fujifilm Make the Switch campaign is the perfect opportunity. There’s a wide range of kit available, from the best selling X-T3, the new X-T30

As part of the campaign, your Fujifilm images will appear in an issue of PN, as well as your thoughts on the camera. If you want to take advantage of this incredible opportunity, head to photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch. There is no closing date at this time, but there is sure to be huge interest in this amazing offer and we have limited stock, so please don’t delay. In the first instance, fill out the form on our website and upload five images that represent your usual photography. We will be in touch if you’re selected.

(tested in this issue) or the mighty medium format GFX 50R. You’ll also be spoilt for choice with the X Series lens range, which currently consists of 29 lenses, but you’ll only get to pick two, so choose wisely! If you’re shooting landscapes, you could go for the XF14mm f/2.8 R or XF16mm f/1.4 RWR. For varied subjects, try the XF16-55mm f/2.8

R LM WR or XF50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR. For action and wildlife, you might want to consider the XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Go to fujifilm-x.com/en-gb to see the latest lens range.

photographynews.co.uk/maketheswitch

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

Panasonic introduces the hybrid Lumix G90

PermaJet unveils Pearl Paper

Unveiled at The Photography Show and available now, the FB Pearl 300 paper replaces PermaJet’s FB Satin 310. The PermaJet FB Pearl 300 photo paper is suitable for printing photos for exhibitions, distinction panels, commercial use and high-quality, fine-art prints thanks to its 300gsm base and pearl surface. It also features an advanced coating, offering a great tonal range and sharp detail.

The Panasonic Lumix G90 is targeted at both stills photographers and videographers with its 20.3-megapixel digital Live MOS sensor, a Venus Engine and five-axis Dual I.S.2, combining both OIS and BIS, as well as offering 4K and Full HD video recording. The rugged design of the G90 makes it both splash anddust resistant, and it has been redesigned to enable easy one-handed operation. Users can now find the exposure, ISO and white-balance buttons located in-line with the top plate, as well as a wheel dial with buttons positioned around it on the camera’s rear. It also has customisable dials both on the front and rear. Its OLED live viewfinder offers a 100% field of view, 2360k-dot resolution and 0.74x magnification, as well as a 1040k-dot OLED touch monitor with free-angle movement. For video creators, the Panasonic Lumix G90 can record 4K video at 30p/25p, Full HD video at 60p/50p and also allow slow-motion video footage to be captured in Full HD at 120fps, 90fps and 60fps. Real-time image output can be made to an external monitor in 4:2:2/8-bit via HDMI, and the Lumix G90 also has V-Log pre-installed to offer a wider dynamic range for colour rendering. The camera also has a 3.5mm microphone jack and a headphone socket. The G90 features Panasonic’s 4K photo mode, which has a new Auto Marking function to automatically detect frames with changes to the image, as well as Sequence Composition, which

PermaJet’s national sales manager, Jeremy Pridgeon, said: “The response to FB Pearl 300 has been overwhelmingly positive. Having the product on display for regular and new customers alike really helped to demonstrate the quality and feel of the paper. For those unable to attend The Photography Show, FB Pearl 300 will be on display throughout the UK at The Societies of Photographers roadshows, art & framing roadshows and other key UK events, such as the Birdfair.” FB Pearl 300 is available in A4 to A2 sheet sizes, as well as 17-inch to 44-inch rolls. There’s a First Test on the new paper in this issue.

combines multiple images into one shot for a fun effect. Other features include post focus, focus stacking, a newly added Live View Composite Recording and photo styles for creative image effects. It also features integrated Bluetooth for image transfer and GPS tagging. To help extend battery life, a new power- saving function has been introduced that puts the camera to sleep after a set period of inactivity, but the camera then awakens when the shutter is half-pressed. On a full charge, the G90’s battery reportedly lasts for approximately 900 images. The Panasonic Lumix G90 is available from June with a suggested retail price of £899 body only, £1079 with a 12-60mm lens, or £1259 with a 14-140mm lens.

panasonic.com/uk

permajet.com

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

News

The world’s best The General Assembly of the TechnicalImagePressAssociation,of which Photography News is a member, gathered in Bangkok, Thailand from 14-17 March 2019 to vote on the annual TIPA World Awards for the best imaging products of 2019. Editors from professional, amateur, and business magazines and online publications from Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America, with a delegate from the Camera Journal Press Club in Japan, discussed and then voted on TIPA World Award winners. The grand awards ceremony and presentation will take place in Tokyo on Monday, 20May 2019.

For a full list of the TIPA World Award 2019 winners, along with award citations please visit tipa.com.

BEST DSLR

BEST FULL-FRAME

BEST DSLR PRIME

BEST APS-C MIRRORLESS PRIME LENS

BESTMIRRORLESS

BEST CAMERA

BEST TRAVEL

BEST 360º

CAMERA

CAMERA EXPERT

LENS

PROFESSIONAL LENS

ACCESSORY

TRIPOD

CAMERA

Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM | Art

Hoya Fusion One

Canon EF-M32mm f/1.4 STM

BEST IMAGING STORAGE SOLUTION

Nikon D3500

Nikon Z 6

Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GMOSS

Ricoh Theta Z1

BEST DSLRWIDE- ANGLE ZOOMLENS

Manfrotto Befree GT Carbon Fibre

BEST APS-C CAMERAADVANCED

BEST FULL-FRAME

BESTMIRRORLESS

BEST PHOTO

PROFESSIONAL CAMERA

PRIME STANDARD LENS

BEST EXPERT COMPACT CAMERA

SERVICE

BEST PHOTO

MONITOR

Sony SF-G series Tough Specification Cards

Tokina Opera 16- 28mm f/2.8 FF

Canon RF50mm f/1.2 L USM

BEST DSLR TELEPHOTO ZOOMLENS

BEST FLASH

FujifilmX-T30

Nikon Z 7

Ricoh GR III

Cewe hexxas

SYSTEM

LG UltraFine Display 32UL950

BEST APS-C CAMERA EXPERT

BEST FULL-FRAME

BESTMIRRORLESS PRIME TELEPHOTO LENS

BEST SUPERZOOM COMPACT CAMERA

BEST PHOTOBAG

PHOTO/VIDEO

BEST BUDGET

GodoxWitstro AD400Pro

Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports

BEST PORTABLE

Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM

Sony RX100 VI

Sony A 6400

LED LIGHT

PHOTOMONITOR BenQ SW240

Panasonic Lumix S1

LoweproWhistler BP450 AW II

BEST DSLR PROFESSIONAL ZOOMLENS

BEST INKJET PHOTOPAPER

BESTMFT CAMERA PROFESSIONAL

BESTMEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA

BESTMIRRORLESS WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS

BEST PHOTO

BEST DESIGN

Metz Mecalight S500 BC

BEST PROFESSIONAL TRIPOD

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports BEST DSLR PROFESSIONAL PRIME LENS

SMARTPHONE Huawei P30 Pro

Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S

Hahnemühle Photo Rag Metallic

Olympus OM-D E-M1X

FujifilmGFX 50R

Zeiss ZX1

BEST FULL-FRAME CAMERAADVANCED

BEST DSLR ULTRA

BESTMIRRORLESS

BEST IMAGING

BEST PROFESSIONAL VIDEOCAMERA

SPECIAL INDUSTRY AWARD

WIDE PRIME LENS

STANDARD ZOOM LENS

SOFTWARE

Samyang XP 10mm f/3.5

Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS III USM

Tamron 28-75mmf/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A036)

Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2

Canon EOS RP

Skylum Luminar 3

Uniqball iQUICK3Pod

L Mount Alliance

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Thinktank has the Vision

Meet the Profoto Connect

The Think Tank Photo Vision shoulder bag features three sizes: the Vision 10, Vision 13 andVision 15. TheVision 10 can fit aDSLRwith a short zoom lens, plus up to two lenses and a 10in tablet. The Vision 13 has space for a body with a 24-70mm lens attached, three extra lenses and a 10in tablet, while the Vision 15 can hold the same, but also up to four extra lenses and a 15in laptop. Each model is available in graphite or darkolive and feature tripod straps, a luggage handle pass through, a tarpaulin bottom, an expandable bottle pocket and a rain cover.

Profoto has announced the Profoto Connect, a button-free compact trigger that makes things simple. It attaches to the camera hotshoe and offers three simple settings: auto, manual and off. The auto mode works with TTL flash, automatically calculating the correct flash

exposure,whilemanualmode lets you take control. The Connect is compatible with the Profoto app, recommended for use with the Profoto A and available in Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilmand Olympus fits for £311.

NewLee holder The LEE100 filter holder is based on the original Lee design and has been improved based on customer feedback and product testing. A new feature of the holder is a blue locking dial which allows three settings to be selected; neutral where the holder can be rotated and removed; half lock, allowing the holder to be rotated but still locked to the adapter ring; and full lock, where the holder can’t be rotated or removed. For the holder there is the new LEE100 polariser and the LEE100 105mm polariser ring to take existing Lee polarisers. The LEE100 is compatible with existing LEE 100mm filters and adapter rings and can be used with up to three slot-in filters. It costs £83 on its own. There is a First Test on the new holder in this issue.

The Vision 10 is priced at £100, the Vision 13 at £119 and the Vision 15 at £129.

profoto.com

snapperstuff.com

leefilters.com

Lexar world’s fastest SSD

World Pinhole day

The Lexar Professional SL100 Pro Portable SSD with USB 3.1 Type-C port offers read speeds up to 950 MB/s and write speeds up to 900 MB/s. It is also drop, shock and vibration resistant and small enough to slip into your pocket.

TheLexarProfessionalSL100ProPortable SSD is available this month; the 1TB model is £215. A 250GB model is available for £78 and a 500GBmodel for £120.

lexar.com

Photographica 2019

This year’sWorld Pinhole day is on 28 April. The Real Photography Company has a day of pinhole events at its St Pauls Learning Centre in Bristol. There are two one-hour pinhole workshops and a talk by Justin Quinnell. For more details see the website realphotographycompany. co.uk

Classic camera collectors from all over the UK will descend on London on 19 May for Photographica 2019. The event is organised by the Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britain and this year will see up to 135 tables for buying, selling and swapping classic and antique cameras

It takes place at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall, 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PB, where there is free parking in the surrounding streets on Sundays. Admission to the public 10am to 12 noon is £8 and then £5 from noon to 4pm.

Entrance for PCCGB members is free. For further information or

a stall application form call 01684 594526.

pccgb.net

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 Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher

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

Design Team Design director Andy Jennings 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 13 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

Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

ISSN 2059-7584

When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

Gear of the Year Awardwinners 2018 The Photography Show at Birmingham’s NEC was the scene for Will Cheung, PN’s editor, to hand out the trophies to the deserving winners of the Photography News Awards 2018

Tim Carter and Annalisa Davies of Nikon UK collected the award for Advanced DSLR: the much acclaimed Nikon D850

Steve Vigors and Paul Reynolds from Sigma collected awards for Wide-angle Lens, Telephoto Lens and Innovation

The BenQSW320Pro 32inwon Best Monitor for the second year running. Tony Huang of BenQand TallieWright of Color Confidence collected the trophy

Best Roller/HardCasewaswon by the VanguardAlta Fly 55T. Here, the trophywas collected by Liz Ludlowand Ian Bywater

Jack Low and Didi Goddard of Canon UK collected awards for Consumer DSLR and, for the second year running, for Professional DSLR, with the EOS 800D and the EOS 5DMark IV, respectively

Epson’s EcoTank ET-7750 won the Best Printer award, and the trophy was collected by Alice Ramsden de Gómez from Epson

The Best Software awardwaswon by Serif for Affinity Photo. JohnAtkin, head of PR at Serif, collected the trophy

Derek Poulston, managing director at One Vision, collected the award for Best Processing Lab

DataColor won Best Colour Management Device with its Spyder5PRO+, and Ernst Thürnau collected the award

Best On-Camera Flash went to Rotolight for its NEO2 LED light, and the award was collected by Rotolight’s Rod (left) and Rod Aaron Gammons (centre)

Hahnemühle’s Simon Waller and Fanny Danskanen collected the trophy for Inkjet Media: Fine Art Finish for the Hahnemühle William Turner 310gsm paper

Scott Baggaley and Loraine Morgan from Tenba UK collected their trophy for winning Best Soft Bag/Backpack with the Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR Backpack

The award for Best Training Provider went to The Photographer Academy, and the award was collected by Jay Pearce (left) andMark Cleghorn (right)

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

Amazing Internet won best PhotoWebsite Provider and Andrew Skirrow came along to collect the award

Voigtländer won the Macro Lens award. Hardy Haase from Flaghead Photographic collected the trophy

Fujifilm scooped two awards this year. One for the Best Professional CSC for the X-T3, and another for the GFX 50R, which won Best Medium Format Camera. Theo Georghiades and Jeannie Corby from Fujifilm collected the trophies

Olympus won Best Consumer CSC and Best Superzoom Lens. Olympus’s Georgie Pavelin collected the trophies

Matt Wilson from Profoto collected the award for Best Portable Flash, which was won by the Profoto B10

Kenro won three awards. Best Tripod: Carbon Fibre, Best Continuous Light and Best Filter. Paul Kench and Azaria Frost collected the trophies

Panasonic scooped three awards for Best Advanced CSC, Best Compact/Bridge and Best Innovation. The three happy recipients (l to r) were Rob O’Murphy, Elise Ivens- Barnes and Barney Sykes

Abi Symons of PermaJet receives the award for PermaJet Photo Lustre 310 for winning Inkjet Media: Photographic Finish

CameraWorld won Best Retailer and the award was collected by Jason Mitchell

Best External Storage Device was the G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile SSD and Rick Rogers collected the award

The Best Used Specialist Retailer award was won by MPB, with (from left to right) Hannah Brunner, Ben Anderson, Clare Anderson, Ian Howorth, Zac Paonessa, Ella Potter and Kyra Cahill

Jessica Shepherd representing Manfrotto UK picked up the trophy for Best Tripod: Alloy for its BeFree Aluminium Travel tripod

Best Mains Flash was won by Interfit for its Honey Badger 320Ws and Lorne Gray is seen here collecting the award

Lexar Professional 1000x SDHC/SDXC UHS-II won Best Memory Card and Katie Teesdale-Ward collected the trophy

Winner not present

The award for best Medium Format Lens went to Hasselblad for its XCD 80mm f/1.9, and Mark Witney was on hand to pick up the award

Best Standard Lens went to the Tamron SP 28- 75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD and Keith Ruffel from Intro 2020 picked up the prize

Innovation of the Year Leica for the L-Mount Alliance

Photography News | Issue 65 | 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 take note of the submission guidelines (right) and get your stories in

Here’s how to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 3May 2019

We need words and pictures by 3 May 2019 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 14 May 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

Ilkley CC Ilkley CC is showing 120 superb prints by its members across a wide subject range at its free exhibition at Cliffe Castle Museum, Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, from 4 May to 14 July. Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm; Sat, Sun and bank holiday Mondays 11am to 4pm; last admission at 3.30pm. Howard Tate, the president of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, is opening the exhibition on the first day. On selected Saturdays and Sundays during the run there will be eight free public lectures on photography.

Leicester PS

Leicester & Leicestershire PS’s annual exhibition attracted entries from over 14 clubs in the Midlands, and almost 400 prints and 400 projected images were received. Nat Coalson judged the exhibition and273printsand271projected images have been selected. The exhibition opens on 10 May 6.30pm to 9pm and 11 May 10am to 4vpm at Christchurch, Clarendon Park Road, Leicester LE2 3AH. Entry is free; a catalogue costs £1 only; and refreshments will be home-made and delicious.

ilkleycameraclub.co.uk

Cambridge CC

Cambridge CC is holding its 2019 annual exhibition in The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP, which runs from 29 April to 4 May with free admission. The exhibition is open 1pm to 5pm on Monday, 10am to 8pm on Wednesday and 10am to 5pm on all other days.

There are over 250 prints on display, selected by three external selectors, anda television displaying a similar number of images. There is also a young photographers competition with over 150 prints on display.

landlps.org.uk

cambcc.org.uk

Leamington SpaPS

Leamington annual exhibitiontakesplacefrom11to18May at All Saints’ Parish Church, Victoria Terrace, Leamington Spa CV31 1AA. It’s open weekdays 10.30am to 5pm; Sunday 12pmuntil 5pm. Leamington Spa PS chairman, Helen Ashbourne, said: “Over 140 prints are on display along with a presentation of digital images. I’m proud of our members’ achievements this year and we look forward to welcoming visitors, who I’m sure will be inspired by the images on show.” Spa PS’s

BradfordPS

Haddington CC

Haddington Camera Club is holdingitsannualexhibitionatthe John Gray Centre in Haddington between 4 May and 19 June. Opening times: Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm.

Bradford PS is hosting a talk entitled ‘My Year’ by Oliver Wright. This 12-month visual journey travels from macro work in the UK to the auroras in the far north, demonstrating both stunning close-ups and landscapes of the Arctic.

The talk takes place on 25 April at Cottingley Cornerstones, Cottingley, Bingley BD16 1AL, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £5 and are available from tickets@bradfordphoto.org.uk.

bradfordphoto.org.uk

haddingtoncameraclub.org.uk

lsps.org.uk

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

Morecambe CC Morecambe CC recently received a £2000 grant from the Postcode Community Trust (funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery) for the purpose of purchasing equipment to encourage people in the local area to take better photographs and increase enjoyment of photography. The aim is to introduce practical sessions, talks and demonstrations to the community, open to all, promoting social inclusion and providing learning opportunities for those who might otherwise not have access to them. the opportunity to use photographic equipment can gain access to technology and teaching. photography, learn new skills and form social connections”. It is hoped the sessions will run monthly through this summer.

The first Midland Monochrome national competition is now open for entries, with a closing date of 17 May. It is part of the group of British Photographic Exhibitions (BPE) and has received PAGB Patronage No 2019-25. It will see more than 20 awards being given and seeks to give a broader platform and exposure to monochrome prints. These can be either digital inkjet or traditional silver prints. There are four categories: open mono, portraits and figure studies, scapes and wet prints (which includes silver prints and alternative processes). MidlandMono competition

Parts of Morecambe have high poverty rates, and the project aims to target underprivileged areas, so people who may not previously had

Ellen Bell, Morecambe CC’s chair said: “We hope people from the local area will discover a passion for

morecambecameraclub.co.uk

RPS Creative Eye group The Creative Eye’s annual exhibition is on until 22 April at the Wingfield Barns, Church Road, Wingfield, Suffolk IP21 5RA. Admission is free and the galleries are open 11am to 4pm. rps.org

midland-mono.co.uk

Melbourn&District PC

Eight members of Melbourn & District PC went on an organised workshop to the Museum of Zoology in April to photograph skeletons. The workshop was hosted by two experienced photographers. Unlike most trips to museums, with such a small group having private access, tripods and lighting were allowed and, where reflections were a problem, large, black sheets were available. The museum contains a fine selection of skeletons, some behind cases and some not. There was ample opportunity to experiment with lighting and composition. The Museum of Zoologyalsocontainsawonderful selection of beautiful shells and butterflies that were also perfect to photograph.

WokinghamCC

Melbourn&District PC thanks Sue Jones and Sarah Kelman, the experts on the night. Open to both beginners and experts, Melbourn & District PC meets on Tuesdays at 7.30pm in Foxton, Cambridgeshire.

Leeds PS is holding its annual exhibition from 25 to 27 May in the Loft Space display area of Salts Mill as part of the Saltaire Arts Trail. The exhibition has 80 prints of members’ photographs. The exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm each day. Entry is free and visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite image. Leeds PS the oldest organised photographic society in the world, and the meetings are held on Tuesdays in the hall of St. Edmund’s Church in Roundhay, Leeds, starting at 7.30pm. New members of all abilities are made very welcome. Leeds PS

Wokingham and East Berkshire CC is holding its second exhibition on 9May, 12pm to 4pm, to 11 May, 10am to 4pm. The exhibition take place at Wokingham Town Hall and over

150 prints from a broad range of members and in a range of styles will be on show. Admission is free.

melbournphotoclub.com

webcc.org.uk

Thanet’s camera club has received some very helpful advice from judges in recent competitions. In March, Malcolm Hardie judged 59 submitted images on the theme of ‘Patterns in Nature’. The overall winner was Cherry Larcombe. InApril, Andy Smithwas the judge for theMick Talbot Trophy on the subject of ‘Close up’. Andy gave his critique on 22 prints and 49 digital images, ranging from flora and fauna to architecture and cars. His eye for detail and succinct comments on each photograph were welcomed by members. After a close-fought contest, Andy selected the best print as ‘Mum’s Gift’ by Laura Drury (pictured right). Isle of Thanet PS

isleofthanetphotographicsociety.co.uk

lps1852.org

Advertisement feature 15

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Competition Wedding Photographer of theYear nowopen Have you got what it takes to be crowned our Wedding Photographer of the Year?

With the wedding season coming up, we’re pleased to announce we’ve teamed up with the award-winning, industry- leading professional printing lab, Loxley Colour, and Fujifilm Original Photopaper for the Wedding Photographer of the Year competition. If you visited The Photography Showat theNEC this year, youmay have seen the wonderful display of previous winning images on Loxley Colour’s stand. Like before, the competition has six rounds, each with a different theme. A winner will be chosen from each round, with an overall winner being crowned Wedding Photographer of the Year at the end of the competition. The images will be judged by a professional panel of industry leaders and photographers, including PN editor, Will Cheung, who also sits on the RPS Travel Distinctions Panel. Each round winner will bag themselves a beautiful Loxley Colour 30-page 14x12in Bellissimo album from the award-winning range of their choice, while the overall winner will receive £1000 worth of vouchers to spend on Loxley Colour products – just think of all the stunning images you could print with that! If you fancy your chances of being named Wedding Photographer of the Year, find out how to enter below.

Natalie Martin claimed our previous Wedding

Photographer of the Year title with this image of a beautiful moment from a wedding at Barony Castle, near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. “Claire, the bride in the picture, had a particularly special bond with her grandparents. She got ready in the morning at their home and during the speeches, the emotions started to flow. The moment I captured arose when her new husband said during his speech how much the grandparents meant to both him and Claire. She then ran from her seat and planted the biggest kiss on her grandfather’s cheek. It was just perfect, but over in a flash and I had to be quick.”

Round 1: Details

For the first round, we’re asking you to submit one image that best sums up the wedding details and the more intricate elements of the big day. It’s up to you how this is interpreted, but it could be anything from a close-up of the rings, table settings and flowers to all of those other finishing touches that the wedding couple would have considered and chosen for their big day. Submit your round 1 image at photographynews.co.uk/weddingphotographeroftheyear before 14 May to enter round 1. Full T&Cs can be found at the above link.

Loxley Colour

Bellissimo albumcollection

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Loxley Colour’s Bellissimo album collection has earned the lab industry-wide recognition. With eight albums to choose from, photographers have a wide choice to suit their brand or clients, from seamless spreads with a flawless finish, right through to Harris Tweed cover albums.

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Profile

London Salon of Photography Exhibition

This month’s profile looks at one of the leading exhibitions in the world of photography – and why you should enter

If artistic and pictorial image- making is your passion, then the London Salon of Photography should be on your agenda. The London Salon is keen to encourage new exhibitors and photography students to enter prints for its prestigious exhibition, now in its 108th year. Successful images will demonstrate distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution. Born out of a number of disputes in the photographyworldgoing back many years, the Salon has developed a distinct way of selecting images for exhibition. Salon members gather on selection day using a two-stage process, which allows careful consideration of all prints entered. The day concludes in an open vote with those winning the most votes being looked at again before the final exhibition is chosen and the winners of the new London Salon medal selected from the non-

Above Current Salon chairman, Judith Parry

members' entries. Last year the Salon received 1068 images of which 177 were exhibited. Current chairman Judith Parry said: “This system upholds the traditions and values of the London Salon; whose history goes back to 1910.

Images Medal winners from the 2018 London Salon exhibition

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Profile

“In May 1892 a number of influential photographers broke away from the Royal Photographic Society in protest against its emphasis on science and technology at the expense of other aspects of photography. “They set up the Linked Ring Brotherhood to promote artistic photography and held the first Photographic Salon in 1893. However, following a number of disputes about selection procedures, the London Salon of Photography was created.” Membership of the London Salon is by invitation from existing

members. Those invited will have supported the Salon for some time, had their work accepted on a regular basis and normally won a Salon Medal. Membership is free and there are currently 45 members, although there is no limit on the number of members. Roger Ford’s 2017 invitation was the culmination of a long-held ambition. He said: “Ever since I had my first acceptances and realised the Salon was where my style of work was appreciated, I had wanted to become a member. I like the way it particularly values new work with modern creative ideas.

“The exhibition, which tours the UK and is open to all photographers, does a great job in encouraging high- quality pictorial prints.” Members all agree that the Salon plays a significant role in encouraging creativity and pushing forward the boundaries of photographic work. David Lowe, a member for eight years, said: “The London Salon expects its members to produce images consistently to a very high standard, so we are always looking for new ideas. This drives you on to be a better photographer.” Anne Sutcliffe, a member of 12 years, described how the Salon supported originality. She said: “The Salon is known to accept images that do notmeet the formulaic fashions of the time. “A highly original image will be accepted if the quality is good enough, encouragingphotographers to enter new work, which might not be accepted in other exhibitions. For many, having an acceptance in the Salon is a high point in their photographic life; winning a medal is a bonus.” The Salon is also looking to the future. Colin New, a member since 2000, commented: “Being amember brings a responsibility to ensure that the Salon remains relevant and healthy for the next generation. We have to seek new members to invite, photographers who will take the Salon forward towards the next 100 years. While we need to be aware of our history, we have to change and adapt if we’re to remain relevant.”

Enter the 2019 London Salon of Photography

The exhibition does a great job in encouraging high-quality pictorial prints

Each entrant may submit up to four monochrome and four colour prints of which a maximumof two from each sectionmay be selected. Up to ten special London Salon Medals are awarded each year to non-Salonmembers. Every entrant receives an A4 colour catalogue displaying all of the accepted prints and also has the opportunity to purchase a photobook. Accepted prints will be displayed at The Burt Gallery in London, from 13 to 23 August (weekdays only) and will tour in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Ireland. The closing date for entry is 20May 2019. For full details of online entry, rules and exhibition dates, see londonsalon.org or email secretary@thelondonsalon.org

Camera test 18

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

FujifilmX-T30 Following in the footsteps of a successful product is always a challenge, but the latest Fujifilm camera is destined to be a winner

Specs

Prices X-T30 body only £849, X-T30with XC15-45mm lens £899, X-T30with XF 18-55mm lens £ 1199. Black and silver models available now; charcoal silver fromMay Sensor 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 Sensor format 23.5x15.6mm, APS-C ISO range 160-12,800, expanded ISO 80, 100, 125, 25,600, 51,200 Shutter range Mechanical shutter 30secs to 1/4000sec, electronic shutter 30secs to 1/32,000sec, flash sync 1/180sec Drivemodes Mechanical shutter 8fps top speed, 20fps with electronic shutter, up to 30fps electronic shutter with 1.25x crop Metering system 256 zone, multi, spot, average, centre-weighted Exposuremodes PASM, Advanced SRAuto Exposure compensation +/-5EV, autobracketing up to nine frames Monitor 3in, 1.04million dots Viewfinder 2.36million dots OLED, 100%view Focusing Intelligent hybrid AF, (TTL contrast/ TTL phase detect AF) Focus points 13x9 or 25x17 zones. Zone AF 3x3, 5x5, 7x7 from91 areas on 13x9 grid. Wide tracking AF (up to 18 areas). Single and All Video 4K 4096x2160 29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p, 200Mbps/100Mbps up to tenmins, Full HD Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, geotagging, USB3.1, HDMI micro Other key features 16 Film Simulationmodes, eight advanced filters (toy camera, miniature, soft focus etc), in-body Raw conversion, ISO, film simulation and focus bracketing (1-999 steps) Storagemedia 1 x SD/SDHC/SDXC Dimensions (wxhxd) 118.4x82.8x46.8mm Weight 383g body with battery Contact fujifilm.eu/uk Images The X-T30 is smaller and lighter than the X-T3. It also has built-in flash, an Advanced SR mode, a lower resolution EVF, a two-way tilting monitor, a smaller buffer and a slower top shooting rate of 8fps. Blackandsilvermodels availablenow; charcoal silver (shown here) fromMay

The X-T3 was the first model to feature the 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS4 sensorwith theX-Processor 4 image engine. Now we have the X-T30 using the same combination. The X-T3 costs £1349 body only and the X-T30 is £849. The winner here is the buyer who can enjoy Fujifilm’s very latest sensor at a great price. Leaving the sensor and processor aside, the two X Series cameras have several key features in

common, including the same native ISO range, top burst shooting speeds with the electronic shutter and phase detection AF with 99% format coverage. Of course, aside from price, there are important points of difference between the cameras, too. The X-T30 is smaller and lighter, it has a built-in flash and there’sAdvanced SRmode. It also has a lower resolution EVF, a two-way tilting monitor, a smaller buffer and a slower top shooting rate of 8fps with the mechanical shutter. But enough of the comparisons. Let’s concentrate on the X-T30 in more detail. Fujifilm broke the sensor concept mould when it came out with the X-Trans sensor with its ‘random’ pixel array. So, instead of the 2x2 pixel grid of the Bayer design sensor (used by everyone except Sigma) we have a 6x6 pixel grid, which means there’s a very low risk of moiré patterning and false colours. This also means there is no need for an artefact-defeating but resolution-sapping optical low-pass filter, which impacts on quality. Hence, resolution is as good as it can possibly be from that sensor. The fourth generation of the

Words by Will Cheung Rome images by Pete Townsend

The X-T30 is smaller and lighter, it has a built-in flash and there’s Advanced SRmode

There is much to be said for keeping it simple – and that’s Fujifilm’s philosophy when it comes to its X Series. In previous generations, we’ve seen the same sensor used across several cameras, with their market position determined by features and price.

Camera test 19

Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk

Performance: ISO

The X-T30’s native range is ISO 160 up to 12,800with expansion available, giving options to ISO 80 at one extreme and 51,200 at the other. As you would expect, shooting at the low and medium ISO speeds you get smooth tones, lifelike colours and good contrast. Fine detail is also crisply resolved, so shoot up to ISO 800 and you get results straight out of the top drawer. Digital noise starts making its appearance from ISO 1600,

but it’s fine and doesn’t have any negative impact on overall image quality and detail still looks crisp. In fact, I’d have no reservations shooting at ISO 1600 and 3200, because the X-T30’s BSI sensor does such a great job at maintaining impressive quality even at such high speeds. There is a quality drop off by the time you get to ISO 6400 and 12,800. Such speeds are still usable if the lighting is poor, but you need decent shutter speeds.

Original image

Images The test shots of Rome were taken using the FujifilmX-T30 mounted with XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LMWR and XF55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LMOIS lenses

ISO 100

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

X-Trans sensor is the first from Fujifilm that is backside illuminated (BSI). In a BSI design, the sensor’s circuitry is on the rear of the sensor, which means light reaches the light sensitive sensors without having to travel through the sensor’s circuitry. That means more efficient light capture and less digital noise at high ISOs. The X-T30’s AF system uses 2.16 million phase detection pixels on the sensor – a quadruple increase on previous Fujifilm sensors – and coverage is nearly 100% of the

imaging frame, with 425 points in a 25x17 grid. If you want to autofocus on a subject composed at the far corner of the frame, the X-T30 has that potential. AF sensitivity in low light is better at -3EV compared with +0.5EV previously, so AF in very low lighting is possible. With the X-Processor 4, AF has improved eye/face detection and there is a new Face Select feature, too, which gives AF priority on a selected person within a group. AF on our sample was

ISO 25,600

ISO 51,200

Images An evening scene in Chester was the subject for our X-T30 ISO test. The exposure was 1.3sec at f/10 for ISO 100 . The camera’s NR was set to zero and no noise reduction was used in ediitng.

Camera test 20

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Performance: exposure latitude

-2EV

Original image

-4EV

-3EV

-1EV

+1EV

To assess the exposure latitude of the X-T30’s Raws, we shot a +/-4EV bracket using the camera in manual exposure mode. The resulting Raws were corrected in Adobe Lightroom and then outputted as full-size JPEGs. The Raws coped respectably well with exposure abuse and shots overexposed by up to +2EV were recovered impressively, with image quality matching

the correctly exposed shot. The +3EV shots also looked okay with exposure correction, although quality was not as good with brightly lit scenes. With underexposure -4EV and -3EV, shots looked fine tonally, but there was noise in the mid- tones and shadows compared with the -2EV shots. The -1EV shot looked identical to the correctly exposed shots.

+2EV

+3EV

+4EV

Above Raws from the X-T30 responded well to exposure abuse especially in scenes where contrast was lower. With strong highlights, overexposure by - +3EV gave files that needed more editing care

impressively fast and assured, too. A side-by-side comparison with my own X-T2 and X-E3 revealed how much more decisive and speedy the new camera was, even though my older cameras are no slouches. This waswith normal single and zoneAF, and face/eye detection seemed more sure-footed, too. Even placing a face in the corner of the frame didn’t fool the face detect system. It wasn’t just speed and accuracy where the benefit of newer technology showed itself. The X-T30 also latched on to lower contrast subjects confidently and accurately. Plain or evenly toned subjects combined with low lighting is tricky, but the X-T30 did well when confronted by such conditions with little hunting to achieve focus. Overall handlingof theX-T30was generally sound inmy hands thanks to a layout that features three large control knobs for exposure mode, compensation and drive settings, front and rear input dials, and a good supply of buttons. Everything worked just fine, but there are things to watch. I caught the Q button, prominently placed on the protruding thumb grip, a few times as I brought the camera up to the eye, so saw the Q Menu rather than the scene. The exposure compensation dial has no lock and, while I prefer to use the C position and set compensation with the front input dial, I still managed to move it off the C setting. Finally, I found the position of the focus lever too low on the body rear, which meant a significant thumb position change rather than a minor readjustment. For my thumb, moving the button another 1cm higher would be ideal.

There’s nothing deal-breaking here – it’s things you’d get used to in time, and there is much to enjoy, too. The touchscreen is excellent and works well with the Q Menu and image reviewing. It also continues to work for AF point selection while the eye is up to the viewfinder eyepiece. You have seven options for which part of the screen you want to be active – or you can switch it off this feature, but have the touch menu working for other functions. There’s plenty of potential to personalise the X-T30 to your preferred way of working. There is just one actual function button, but the AEL, the AF-L buttons and the rear input dial canbe customised, too – all offer 51 options, including none. Bring in the touchmonitor and there are four virtual function buttons by swiping up, down, left and right. You get 46 selectable features with each.

The X-T30 also latched on to lower contrast subjects confidently and accurately

Above There’s plenty of potential to customise the X-T30. The functions of the AEL, AF-L, four function buttons and rear input dial can be changed

Pre-Shot mode

Pre-Shot mode means that when the shutter release button is partially depressed, the camera

records images to its buffer, without actually writing them to card. Fullydepress the release and

images in the buffer are written to the card, and subsequent images, too. At 30fps shooting rate, you

get ten frames before the shutter button is fully depressed and then up to 22 more afterwards.

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Verdict

Features Excellent sensor, AF system and focus lever are all positives Handling 23/25 The design is proven and enhanced with the addition of the focus lever Performance 24/25 Lovely image quality, responsive AF and fine exposures Value for money 24/25 Sub-£1000 body with a top sensor gives the X-T30 huge appeal Overall 94/100 Another star performer from Fujifilm and sure to be a big seller Pros Sensor, focus lever, small body, AF, great value of performance weaknesses? In all honesty, not really. Some people might not like its look or the way it handles, but if you simply need a leading camera supported by an outstanding lens collection at an attractive price, there seems no point looking any further than the Fujifilm X-T30. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, then the proof of the camera is in the pictures it produces. Well, there is no denying the Fujifilm X-T30 delivers in spades, and the pictures it produces are first-rate. While there is much hype and interest in full-frame mirrorless capture, cameras like the X-T30 show why for a great many photographers, there is no need for the larger format. It gives top- quality files, easily good enough for big prints, and brings genuine user benefits, like portability. It’s rich in features, too, with AF points across 99% of the frame, an AF focus lever, fast burst shooting rates – and all this in a really portable body. Did the X-T30 show any signs 23/25

The front and rear input dials can have their functions varied as well, and the Q Menu can be edited, too. However you like to use a camera, all tastes are catered for in the X-T30. While the X-T30 is not aimed at action shooters, it has the potential to deal with quick-moving situations. With the electronic shutter, you get 30fps with a 1.25x crop giving about 16 megapixels resolution and no blackout, and 20fps with the full APS-C frame. You get AE/AF tracking, too. With the mechanical shutter, the top continuous shooting speed is 8fps. Features like Pre-Shot – which works with the electronic shutter – are great. You can just keep your finger on the buttonwithout actually taking any shots. At 30fps, Pre-Shot gives up to ten frames with the shutter button partially depressed, and then up to 22 shots when the shutter is fully depressed. At 10fps, you again get ten frames while the shutter button is partly depressed and up to 68 shots with the shutter button fully depressed. A feature brought across from the X-T3 is the sports finder mode, which is available when using the mechanical shutter. It’s very handy for action shooting, giving you a split second more warning before the subject arrives in the image area.

For video shooting, the X-T30 can record 4K 4096x2160 at 23.98p/24p/25p/30p for up to ten minutes, and at Full HD you get up to 120fps for slow-motion effects (there is a crop in this mode). The ETERNA Film Simulation mode is provided if you want a desaturated feel to your footage (and stills). To sum up, I really enjoyed using the Fujifilm X-T30. I liked

its predecessor, the X-T20, too, but the X-T30’s BSI sensor takes image quality up a significant step, especially if you enjoy using higher ISOs – and its AF is much more assured and fast. The body is not weatherproofed, nor is there in-body image stabilisation, but build quality is impressive, it feels solid and many Fujifilm lenses have OIS built in.

All tastes are catered for with the X-T30

Cons Focus lever position, no weatherproofing, no in-body stabilisation

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