Photography News Issue 60

The past couple of months have all been about full-frame photography, with mirrorless systems arriving from Canon and Nikon, entering a market currently led by Sony. Now we have Leica, Panasonic and Sigma clubbing together in the L-Mount Alliance and Zeiss getting involved, too. If the idea of going full-frame digital appeals, there may never be a better time, so check out this month’s tests!

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Starting page 20

Full-frame frenzy The camera world has suddenly fallen back in love with the 24x36mm format

The launch of full-frame mirrorless camera systems from Canon and Nikon has taken up a great many column inches in PN already and now they have been joined by Leica, Panasonic, Sigma and Zeiss. At last month’s Photokina, a major imaging exhibition in Germany, the new kit from Canon and Nikon attracted huge crowds. The Zeiss ZX1 was also unveiled at the show and the collaboration between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma was announced. More news about the ZX1 is on page 4, but it is safe to say that Zeiss’ approach to full-frame is innovative with internal memory and in-camera Lightroom Raw editing. The pre-Photokina rumours were that Panasonic was going to unveil a mirrorless full-frame camera and, as is often the case, the gossip was pretty accurate. But in fact two Panasonic cameras were announced – the Lumix S1 and S1R. As you would expect, given that Panasonic is a major Micro Four Thirds player with no DSLR 35mm format pedigree, a new lens mount would be needed, but what was a surprise was that the mount was the result of a powerful coming together of three major imaging names to form the L-Mount Alliance. Leica, Panasonic and Sigma will develop their full-frame products independently and according to their own individual brand values with the

More ‘super full-frame’ kit fromFujifilm

Fujifilmhas announced a rangefinder style 50-megapixel medium- format camera called the GFX 50R, due to go on sale later this year. It was during the launch of the GFX 50R that the 43.8x32.9mm format, which is 1.7x bigger than 35mm, was referred to as

a ‘super full-frame’. You can pre-order this camera now and the body price is £3999. Fujifilm also revealed its 100-megapixel camera, the GFX 100. This is heading our way in 2019.

L-Mount, a mount developed by Leica, a common characteristic. As we understand it, it is not an open standard so other brands can’t adopt the L-Mount without the Alliance’s agreement. Of course, this is very early days so watch this space for more L-Mount news.

Continue reading on

See inside for all the news from Photokina

page 3

Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photokina report

from and Panasonic, a fixed-lens Zeiss and a new lens mount championed by Leica, Sigma and Panasonic. And Fujifilm gatecrashed the party with a newmedium-format camera that it called (tongue firmly in cheek) ‘super full-frame’. In all, it was a good Photokina and over the next six pages we bring you all the news from the show. Canon, Nikon

Last month, the imaging world assembled for Photokina in Cologne, Germany, and Photography News went along too. Lots of new kit in lots of product sectors was unveiled but this year’s show will be remembered as the year of full-frame.

After several years when the emphasis was on the weight- saving APS-C and Micro Four Thirds formats, the camera brands – almost as one – have realised that the 35mm full- frame still has huge potential, and we saw mirrorless systems

FujifilmGFXsystemexpands Sensor

Specat aglance

51.4 megapixels Sensor format 43.8x32.9mm Bayer array ISO range

Fujifilm unveiled its medium- format mirrorless camera system at the last Photokina two years ago to much critical acclaim. At this year’s show a second model was announced and will be on sale later in the year; a third model is in development for a 2019 launch. The Fujifilm GFX 50R has a 51.4-megapixel 43.8x32.9mmCMOS Bayer sensor and features the X-Processor Pro processor, so the

same imaging system as the GFX 50S: and we know how good that camera is. However, the GFX 50R body at just 66.4mm thick is 25mm thinner and lighter by 145g when compared with the GFX 50S, so it’s even more portable. The GFX 50R’s styling harks back to Fujifilm’s popular medium- format rangefinder film cameras. The rangefinder styling means the viewfinder eyepiece is to the extreme left of the body (when viewed from behind) so you can have one eye up to the eyepiece while keeping your other eye on the subject. The EVF viewfinder itself is 0.77x with 3.69million dots to give a lifelike view of the subject. The GFX 50R’s body is sealed in 64 places to give dust and weather resistance and the camera can perform at -10°C. Key body features include two large control dials for adjusting shutter speed and exposure compensation, and there is a focus lever for quick adjustment of the focus point. Finally, it is the first GFX model with Bluetooth so you can quickly transfer images to your smart device via the free Fujifilm Remote app. The GFX 50R is priced at £3999 body only and is available to pre- order now. The GFX lens system is already up to eight options, covering from 23mm to 250mm (equivalent to Panasonic and Sigma. So, for example, the already-announced Panasonic S Series has very much a professional image-creator focus with the two models giving the option of 24- or 47-megapixel sensors. Sigma has already said it will be develop a Foveon full- frame sensor to make the most of the L-Mount. The Foveon sensor is different from other imaging sensors with pixel sites that are sensitive to all colours of light; unlike Bayer and Fujifilm X-Trans sensors where each pixel is sensitive to either red, green or blue light. The Alliance is all about the lens mount too. So it might be that

100-12,800, expansion to ISO 50 and 25,600, 51,200 and 102,400 Shutter range Mechanical shutter 60min to 1/4000sec, Bmode (up to 60min) Electronic shutter 60min to 1/16,000sec, Bmode (up to 60min) Flash sync 1/125sec or slower Drive modes Single, continuous up to 3fps Metering system TTL 256 zone with multi, spot, centre and average patterns Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5 EV in 0.3EV steps Monitor 3.2in, 2360k dot touch screen Viewfinder 0.5in EVF with 3.69million dot OLED Focusing TTL contrast AF with single point (13x9 or 25x17 grid), zone AF (3x3, 5x5, 7x7 from 117 areas in 13x9 grid) and wide tracking AF Storage media SD card Dimensions (wxhxd) 160.7x96.5x66.4mm Weight 775g with battery and card

18mm and 198mm respectively in the 35mm format). Three more GF lenses were added to the GFX lens roadmap: the GF100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR telephoto zoom (equal to 111-221mm in the 35mm film format); the GF45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR medium telephoto zoom (36-79mm) and a compact and lightweight lens, the GF50mm f/3.5 R LMWR (40mm). The development announcement was for the GFX 100. Key features include a 100-megapixel resolution, the X-Processor 4 and phase if one company developed, say, an innovative flashgun or a new exposure system, such innovation would not appear on the products of the other two members. The L-Mount has been developed with the 35mm full- frame format in mind but will also work with APS-C sensors. Its diameter is 51.6mm which will permit the design of fast aperture lenses, and the flange distance is just 20mm and this will help to design smaller lenses. The shorter flange distance will also enable adapters to be made to take lenses of different mounts. The benefits are the same as the Canon EOS R, Nikon Z and Sony E bayonet mounts which can accept legacy lenses as well as other brands.

detection AF across almost the whole sensor for speedy, accurate focusing and there are a couple of world firsts. To get the most from the sensor’s ultra high resolution the GFX 100will be the world’s first medium-format camera to have an in-body image stabilisation system and it’ll also be the first medium- format camera to shoot 4K video. No price was confirmed for the GFX 100 but US$10,000 (plus sales tax) was quoted for the body only.

Above In a standing-room-only press conference, a larger-than-life Toshihisa Iida, general manager of Fujifilm's Optical Device and Electronic Imaging Products Division, proudly shows off the newGFX 50R.

fujifilm.eu/uk

L of anAlliance

Leica, Panasonic and Sigma have formed a strategic partnership called the L-Mount Alliance. The L-Mount was developed by Leica and under the Alliance, long-term collaborators Panasonic joined by Sigma have use of the four- prong L-bayonet. It is not an open standard so other brands can’t use the L-bayonet unless the Alliance agrees to it. The three Alliance members will develop products independently and according to their own brand values, so it will be very likely that a Leica L-Mount camera will have a very different specification when compared with the models from

Above The faces of the L-Mount. From left to right: Kazuto Yamaki, CEO, Sigma Corp; Dr Andreas Kaufmann, chairman of the advisory board, Leica Camera; and Junichiro Kitagawa, director consumer marketing division, Panasonic Corp, after the announcement of the L-Mount Alliance on 25 September at Photokina.

l-mount.com

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Two cameras fromLeica

Leica has launched the S3, a 64-megapixel medium-format camera using a LeicaPro format 45x30mm sensor with a 3:2 ratio. The new unit has a dynamic range of 15EV and a top ISO of 50,000. With a full range of exposure modes, an advanced predictive AF system, 4K video and the ability to shoot at 3fps, the S3 is an advanced camera aimed at the top-end user.

The Leica S3 will be available from spring 2019. Leica has also introduced the CL (left), an APS-C format camera with a body price of £2250. Resolution is 24 megapixels, Wi-Fi is available and an EVF with EyeRes technology are some of its highlights.

uk.leica-camera.com

Panasonic enters the full-framemarket

No sooner had the news of the L-Mount Alliance been released that Panasonic announced its first S Series full-frame mirrorless cameras featuring that lens mount. Two models were launched, the S1 and the S1R, and while no price details were available, they will go on sale in 2019. During the launch presentation, much emphasis was placed on Panasonic’s vision that both cameras were aimed at professional image makers. The 47-megapixel S1R was for ‘ultimate picture creation’, while the 24-megapixel S1 was for the ‘next generation hybrid photo and video creators’. Resolution aside, both models share the same features: three axis tiltable LCD, 100% sealing on all buttons, dials and seams, fast AF with ‘deep learning artificial intelligence’, dual IS, 4K 60P recording, high-speed shutter and two slots for XQD and SD cards. There wasn’t much more detail revealed at the launch. The L-Mount, of course, means that lenses will be available from Leica and Sigma, as well as Panasonic. The latter plans to have three lenses available at launch and a total of ten within a year of the S system launch. The first three are a 50mm f/1.4, 24-105mm and 70-200mm. Leica is introducing eight L-Mount lenses at some point

Zeiss’ full-frame workflow solution

Zeiss has joined the mirrorless full-frame club with the ZX1. This camera offers first-class image quality, as well as on-board image editing and smartphone connectivity. The ZX1 is certainly the most innovative full-frame workflow solutionannouncedat Photokina. “We're exploring new ways and initially addressing a special target group with the Zeiss ZX1,” explains Jörg Schmitz, head of Zeiss’ Consumer Optics business group. “With our concept we are focusing on ambitious, professional creatives who want to produce their photographic experiences quickly and efficiently, and inspire as many people on the internet as possible. This requires a streamlined workflow, in addition to high-end features. This is exactly what the concept of the Zeiss ZX1 offers.” The ZX1 comes complete with an integral autofocus 35mm f/2 Distagon lens, which is perfectly matched to the 37.4 megapixel full-frame sensor

that has been developed in-house by Zeiss. The 4.3in multi-touch display lets you process Raw images directly on the camera using Adobe Lightroom CC and a unique user interface. The 512GB of internal memory has enough space for 6800 Raws (DNG format) or more than 50,000 JPEGs. To share pictures, there is Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB-C. The ZX1 will be available early next year from selected dealers and as yet there’s no guide price. Zeiss also added a new lens to its Batis range. Batis lenses have been developed specifically for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras and the new 40mm f/2 CF lens fills a gap, sitting between the already available 25mm f/2 and 85mm f/1.8. The 40mm f/2 lens is a lightweight, manual focus lens with a minimum focusing distance of 24cm, giving a magnification of 1:3.3. The lens is priced at £1129.99.

Above The 24-megapixel S1 and the 47-megapixel S1R full-frame mirrorless cameras are aimed at professional image makers.

and Sigma will have lenses out too, so the Panasonic S user will have plenty of choice. At Photokina, an S camera was behind glass to visitors. But behind the scenes, PN did get the chance to handle a non-working prototype of the S1R with the 24-105mm standard zoom attached. The combination had a very robust feel, which lives up to Panasonic’s aim that it will appeal to the pro who might be working in

challenging situations. After a few minutes acquaintance and there is no doubt that the camera fits in the hand nicely with a control layout that experienced photographers will appreciate and find their way around easily. Key controls are buttons and dials rather than menu items, so the camera is user-friendly. As you can see from the image, there is a pentaprism bump, just as you would expect to see on a DSLR, but it isn’t needed for a mirrorless camera. Clearly, the designers want DSLR switchers to feel at home. Amid all the noise from Panasonic about the L-Mount alliance, Panasonic also announced the development of a top-end Micro Four Thirds fit wide-angle zoom with a fixed f/1.7 aperture. The DG 10-25mm f/1.7 gives an equivalent 20-50mm in the 35mm format. No price or availability date was released and the only sample of the lens was behind glass so we didn’t get to handle one. However, you won’t be surprised to learn that it was quite a hefty lens for a Micro Four Thirds lens.

zeiss.co.uk

panasonic.co.uk

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Sigma’s fab five

Sigma has been busy with its commitment to the L-Mount Alliance, but that clearly hasn’t distracted the brand from its current core lens business with no fewer than five lenses introduced at Photokina. The first two to arrive in the shops will be the 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art and the 60-600mm f/4.5- 6.3 DG OS HSM Sports, both due this October with the latter priced at £1899.99. This is the only lens of the five with a UK guide price at the time of going to press. Of course, we will bring you further price details as they get released. The 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3, which replaces the 50-500mm in the range, is a serious lens weighing in at 2.7kg and features an optical construction of 25 elements in 19 groups that includes three FLD elements and one SLD element. It has a 105mm filter size and features magnesium alloy (Sigma has its own magnesium factory) to help keep weight down and has Sigma OS with a 4EV benefit to compact camera shake. The lens is sealed against dust and moisture, and will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma fittings. The 40mm f/1.4 sits in Sigma’s Art collection and has

a top-end performance, thanks to three FLD and three SLD elements in its 16 elements in 12 group construction. It is designed to make the most of the very high resolution full-frame and movie cameras, and its rugged dust- and splash-build means it will withstand the most challenging conditions. This lens will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma and Sony E fittings. Available in November is the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, a lens for smaller format mirrorless cameras and available for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount. This compact dust- and splash- sealed short telephoto is perfect for people photography and its fast aperturemakes it very versatile, too. Add a very quiet, smooth AF motor and it is ideal for video shooting as well. This lens has 10 elements in a six group construction, nine diaphragm blades and a 50cm minimum focus. Coming towards the end of the year is the 70-200mm f/2.8

telephoto that will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma A fittings. This fast telephoto sits in the Sigma’s Sports range and has a performance aimed to satisfy demanding photographers. Its optical construction comprises 24 elements in 22 groups and ten of those elements are low dispersion (nine FLD and one SLD) to combat chromatic and spherical aberrations, even at the edges of the frame. The diaphragm comprises 11 blades. Magnesium has been

least, next January will see the arrival of the 28mm f/1.4. This high spec wide-angle has a 17 element and 12 group construction and again plenty of exotic glass has been used for the best possible performance. Two FLD, three SLD elements and three aspherical lenses help cutdown chromatic

aberration and help ensure high performance across the frame. This lens will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma and Sony E fittings.

sigma-imaging-uk.com

used in the lens’s body to minimise weight, while seals provide dust and splash-proof qualities. Add Intelligent OS and HSM for speedy autofocusing and you have a lens that will be in high demand among discerning photographers. Last and by no means

56mmF1.4

28mmf/1.4

40mmf/1.4

70-200mmf/2.8

60-600mmf/4.5-6.3

Sony’s very compact, fast 24mm

Thieves target Leica Photo retailer Ffordes had a considerable amount of Leica cameras and lenses stolen in the early hours of 26 September. It was a carefully planned crime, even putting out of action street lamps and flood lights outside the shop. The thieves also knew what kit was valuable and easy to sell on. If anyone has any information about the break-in, please contact Mr C Still, Inverness Police, Scotland, on 01463 228452

Sony has added a 24mm f/1.4 wide-angle to its G Master series of top-end lenses for its full- frame camera system. The FE 24mm f/1.4 GM has an optical construction of 13 elements in ten groups, including two XA (extreme aspherical) and three ED elements – in a lens that is the lightest in its class. It weighs just 445g and measures 75.4x92.4mm, while its filter diameter is 67mm, which is small considering its fast maximum aperture. Sony’s Nano AR coating is used to supress flare. Sony’s G Master lenses are renowned for their optical skills,

To give an idea of this lens's sharpness, on the right is an enlarged area.

so you can expect outstanding resolution, natural bokeh and responsive AF. This lens uses a new high DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) that gives three times

more thrust compared with the previous version. Guide price is £1450.

sony.co.uk

ffordes.com

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Lowepro adds and improves

Phase One has produced three versions of its Capture One software for use with Fujifilm cameras. Express Fujifilm is free, Pro Fujifilm is €159 (excl VAT) a year and the Pro version is €180pa (excl VAT). The free one allows Raw processingandhas cataloguing facilities, while Pro Fujifilm is a complete workflow solution and allows tethered shooting. Capture One for Fujifilm

The leading bag brand has modified two existing ranges and introduced two more. Lowepro’s top-selling ProTactic collection now provides even better access, protection and organisation. The first backpack, BP 350 AW II (£209.95), can take one or two DSLRs, one with a 24-70mm lens attached and up to eight lenses or speedlights, plus a 13in laptop. The bigger BP 450 AW II (£259.95) backpack can take a similar load, but with one DSLR with a 70- 200mm attached and a 15in laptop. There are also two lens cases in the range, the Lens Exchange 100

the Phone Pouch and Bottle Pouch (£24.95 each) to the Utility Bag 200 AW (£44.95). The accompanying ProTactic Utility Belt is £54.95. The Whistler 2 series sees a 20% growth in cargo space and an expandable compartment that can take three lenses. The updated series 2 backpacks feature top and side-body camera access with extreme weather and abrasion protection. The BP350 AW II is the smaller of the two Whistlers and costs £324.95, while the bigger AW 450 AW II is £359.95. The Powder and the Freeline make up the two new collections. The former's BP 500 AW backpack (£299.95) is available in grey/orange or midnight blue/horizon blue, while the latter features the BP 350 AW (£239.95) and is available in black or heather grey.

phaseone.com

Above Leading bag brand, Lowepro, has expanded its range to include two new collections, the Powder and the Freeline.

AW (£44.95) and the Lens Exchange 200 AW (£49.95). The former is for a fast standard lens and the latter is for a 70-200mm f/2.8. Their dual

compartment design means one- handed lens exchange is possible. Finally, there is an all-purpose utility bags collection, starting from

lowepro.com

GorillaPod expands Mini tripod specialists, GorillaPod, has introduced products for ‘today’s content creators’, including a line of Telepods. Three versions, including the TelePod 325 (£34.95), join the GripTight PRO TelePod (£89.95). Perhaps for PN readers, the most appealing is the TelePod Pro kit (£69.95). This works in four modes: handgrip, monopod, elevated stand or tripod with a 360° panning head and 90 tilt head. The 1kg weight capacity

Kodak’s flagship bridge

The Kodak AZ1000 boasts a powerful 102X optical zoom, giving a 35mm equivalent focal length of 19.5mm to 1989mm telephoto. The lens can focus as close as 1cm in macro mode, while in normal use minimum focus is 50cmat thewide endand 5m at the long end. Images are provided by a 20.68-megapixel CMOS sensor, giving files a maximum size of 5184x3888 pixels and other file sizes can be set. JPEGs, Raws and Raws with JPEGs can be shot. Other features offered by the AZ1000 include multi-language support, a four-hour charging time, 90 minutes of video shooting or

Hahnemuhle goes all shimmery

makes it ideal for small mirrorless cameras.

400 shots on its 15MB internal memory, SD card slot, red-eye reduction, slow synchro and smile and blink detection, plus 7fps full resolution burst mode. No UK price is available at time of going to press.

Photo is Hahnemuhle’s latest product, a FineArt inkjet paper with a high gloss, metallic-like finish on a natural white base, ideal for photographs with bold colours and deep blacks. It is a 340gsm 100% cotton paper that is acid Rag Metallic

and ligin free so very age resistant. It will be available in A4, A3, A3+ and A2 sheet sizes, and 17, 24, 36, 44 and 50in rolls. Twenty five sheets of A4 costs £55.30 and the same size pack of A3 is £109.90.

Joby also released the GripTight Pro 2 GorillaPod (£69.96) and two new series, the Video Pro and the HandyPod.

pixpro.world

hahnemuehle.com

joby.com

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Whether you earn money from shooting a few events, aspire to become a pro photographer or are already a fully fledged pro keen to maximise your earning potential, Professional Photo is the magazine for you. Issue 151, on sale from 11 October, is all much about how to upgrade your business. Weddings, your website and your working kit are all covered. Speaking of kit, our major tests in issue 151 are Fujifilm’s fourth generation X Series camera with a new sensor and the remarkably portable and versatile Profoto B10. Use the coupon opposite to buy one of two issues of Professional Photo from WHSmith and save £1 off the usual £4.75 cover price.

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Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

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CamRanger downsized

Laowa get close andwide

The CamRanger MINI lets you remotely view, adjust camera settings and take shots with your Canon or Nikon DSLR. It has a working range of 120m and works through your tablet or smartphone. The MINI with the free app, available for iOS and Android, creates its own Wi-Fi network so is perfectly usable in remote situations with no router or network available. Once connected up you can alter aperture, shutter speed, ISO and other key camera settings, and the app even lets you perform more advanced functions like shooting time-lapse and HDR. Pictures shot via the app will appear as thumbnails on the screen of your smart device. Pictures are always saved on

We get plenty of new lens news, but this is very different. The Laowa 24mm f/14 Macro Probe lens lets you get in very close (to 2cm for 2:1 reproduction) and with its short focal length you get a wide view of the scene. In fact, you get a bug eye view with a viewing angle of 84° so you get a close view of the subject with plenty of background context too. Available in still and cinema versions the lens is also compact and lightweight, weighing in at 474g, and covers full-frame 35mm and Super 35mm formats. Plus, the front barrel of the lens is waterproof so can be used in all sort of situations and there is

Cotton Carrier has introduced the Skout, which claims to be the world’s most comfortable, secure and accessible sling strap for cameras and binoculars. The Skout holds one camera or a pair of binos, features a patented twist-and- lock camera mount carrying system, and quickly slips over the shoulder and clips around your body so it is easy to use. It even comes with its own slip- over rain cover. The Skout will be in the shops this October priced at £79.99 with the choice of two colours, Realtree Xtra Camo or Charcoal Grey. Skout sling strap

an integral LED ringlight to aid composition and focusing. This lens should be available this November at £1599 for the photo version which is available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony FE and Pentax K mounts. There is a cinema version too and this costs £1799 for Arri PL and Canon EF mounts.

the camera’s card but can be optionally saved onto the MINI. The unit has a rechargeable Li- ion battery which gives three to four hours with a full charge; recharging is done via its micro USB port. The MINI is on sale nowwith a guide price of £229.99.

intro2020.co.uk

laowalens.co.uk

Canon goes very long

intro2020.co.uk

The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is a premium bridge camera with a powerful fixed 65x optical zoom lens giving the 35mm format equivalent focal length of 21-1365mm, so ideal for a very broad range of subjects. Resolution is 20.3 megapixels with a 1/2.3-type CMOS sensor that gives the option of JPEG, Raw or Compact Raw format capture. Shooting at up to 10fps is possible thanks to Canon’s DIGIC 8 processor, plus it can shoot 4Kvideo, 4K time lapse and4K frame

grabs too. Other enticing features include a 7.5cm vari-angle LCD screen, a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder, DSLR ergonomics and a Zoom Frame Assist Lock function to assist accurate framing when shooting moving subjects with long telephoto lens settings. The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is available from this November at £519.

canon.co.uk

Olympus offers galore

Buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II between now and 15 January 2019 and you will be entitled to a cashback of £175. Then if you buy an extra M.Zuiko PRO lens or three, you receive a further £125 cashback off each lens. Basically, if you invest in an OM-D E-M1 Mark II plus three

PRO lenses you can claim £550 cashback. The deal on the PRO lenses only applies if purchased with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and there is a limit of three lenses per person – not all PRO lenses are in this cashback scheme so see bonus.olympus.eu for full cashback details.

Buy E-PL9 before 6 January 2019 through a participating dealer and you will get a 30mm f/3.5 macro lens worth £249.99 free. To claim your free lens register your new camera on olympus-imagespace.co.uk/epl9- free-lens/. In Olympus’ winter promotion, there is up to £85 cashback on selected OM-D cameras and M.Zuiko lenses bought from participating dealers before 15 January 2019. The promotion is valid for the following Olympus products: OM-D cameras E-M5 Mark II and E-M10 Mark III (body only & kit versions) as well as the M.Zuiko lenses ED 9-18mm f/4-5.6, ED 12mm f/2, 17mm f/1.8, ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro, ED 75mm f/1.8 and ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II. For full details of this offer go to bonus.olympus.eu. an Olympus

Kenro go colourful

Kenro, of NanGuang, has announced a new family of tube lights. Each light gives rich colours with a choice of up to 360 colours, a selection of pre-programmed special effects in a portable bodyform and colour temperature adjustment of 2700-6500K. The 400 LED TRGB1208B is the smallest of the trio, at 77cm long and 834g. It can be powered using the included AC adapter, and it also has a built- in 2200mAh battery. Guide price is £329.94. UK distributors

The mid-range TRGB1412A is a 30W light supplied with a 100- 240V AC power adapter only. It features 750LEDs for amaximum output of 771 Lux (6500K, 1m). It weighs 1.5kg and is 1.2m long and costs £449.94. Finally, there’s the top of the range TRGB1212B which contains 800 LEDs. It can be used wire- free, thanks to a pair of 2200mAh batteries but is also supplied with an AC adapter. This 32W light is 1.17m long and costs £479.94.

kenro.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Hasselblad’s trio Hasselblad’s mirrorless medium- format system has seen three lenses added. These are the XCD 80mm f/1.9, 65mm f/2.8 and the 135mm f/2.8 which has the option of a dedicated 1.7 teleconverter. The XCD 80mm f/1.9 sports the fastest maximum aperture ever seen on a Hasselblad lens. With twin AF motors and an optical design to give pleasing bokeh this short telephoto will appeal to portrait and product shooters. The 65mm f/2.8 gives a 50mm focal length in the 35mm format making it the ideal standard lens for general shooting, while giving an effective 105mm, the XCD 135mm f/2.8 is perfect for portraits and landscapes. The lenses are available for pre-order with stock due in December 2018. hasselblad.com XCD65 XCD80 XCD 135

Get a boost with Lexar Memory brand Lexar has introduced two solid state drives. The entry-level NS100 SSD 2.5in SATA III drive offers read speeds up to 550GB/s and will be available in 120GB, 240GB, 480GB sizes. No UK prices yet but the 120GB is US$29.99. The NS200 version is in 240GB and 480GB capacities with the 240GB on sale at US$79.99. Both versions are shock and vibration resistant and feature SSD Dash management so the drives can be monitored to ensure optimum performance.

Rotolight supports Fujifilm Rotolight’s LED lighting systems are very versatile and are suitable for use by photographers and filmmakers. Units such as the NEO2 and Anova Pro 2 are versatile and continuous lighting systems but also offer high speed sync. Now those features are available to Fujifilm users. “As the Fujifilm system grows, so do the demands fromour users for compatibilitywith third-party accessories. This is why we are so happy to have anHSS transmitter for our X Series and GFX System so that our photographers can expand their creativity,” says Fujifilm UK marketing manager, Andreas Georghiades.

Travelling light withGitzo

lexar.com

Gitzo’s compact Traveller tripods are world-renowned for their stability in portable packages. Now Gitzo has gone even smaller with the carbon fibre Mini Traveller, a tripod that weighs just 265g with an aluminium Mini Traveller head, yet can support 3kg. Paired with a Gitzo Centre Ball head and it will support 10kg.

The tripod features two leg angles using a new Pull & Fix leg angle selector system, while long lasting rubber feet help get maximum grip onmost surfaces. The Mini Traveller is available in full black or classic Gitzo noir décor and costs £189.95.

The Rotolight HSS transmitter for Fujifilm is available now for £229. Transmitters are already available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic systems.

rotolight.com

gitzo.co.uk

Philips screen test

gamut and the 10-bit display provides evenmore depth of colour, thanks to 1.074 billion colours and 12-bit internal processing. The Philips 328P6VUBREB comes out in November 2018 with a guide price of £559.

Philips’ latest monitor is the Brilliance 328P6VUBREB, a 32in LCD screen with a built-in USB-C dock to reduce cable clutter and a performance to appeal to professional image creators. The

screen has UltraClear 4K UHD (3840x2160) resolution and High Dynamic range 600 for great, natural-looking images. Also, this monitor’s Ultra Wide-Color technology ensures a wide colour

philips.co.uk

Infinity and beyond Infinity X is a recently set-up UK distributor of specially selected premium brands and products into the imaging market. STC (Sense-Tech Innovation Company) is a Taiwanese optical business that has been working with such major brands as Apple, Canon and Olympus. STC has introduced a range of professional-quality filters including polarisers, neutral density and protection filters.

Hahnel’s host of kit

Accessory Hahnel announced a range of products for the modern image maker. The 6-in-1 Travel Cleaning Kit costs £24.99 and comes in a compact waterproof carry case. To help you keep your camera in tip- top condition the kit includes five microfibre cloths, ten wet wipes, a mini air blower, a 30ml bottle of lens cleaning fluid, a lens cleaning pen and a vacuum packed superfine microfibre lens cloths. Priced at £39.99 is the Power Cube Wireless Charger. This fast charging experts

9v unit can be used as a standalone wireless desktop charger when plugged into a USB charger or used with theHahnel Procube or Procube 2 and charges devices through cases up to 3mm thick. Finally, two new cables are available in Hahnel’s Flexx range. There’s a 2m 3-in-1 sync/charge cable that offers micro USB, lightning and USB-C connections and this costs £29.99, while the Flexx USB/lightning cable is £24.99.

infinityx.tech

hahnel.ie

Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the page 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: 16November 2018

We need words and pictures by 12 November 2018 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 26 November 2018. 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

Sheffield Photographic Society Sheffield PS is holding its 14th Annual Perspectives Exhibition at the Winter Garden, Sheffield from 12noon on 19 November to 2pm on 2 December 2018. The Exhibition, the first of the Society’s season, will be opened by the Sheffield Lord Mayor, councillor Magid Magid. and their images. Also included in the exhibition will be a panel of historic images of Sheffield. The Winter Garden is open from 8am to 8pm each day (except Sunday, 8am to 6pm) for visitors to view the free exhibition.

Members of the society will be on hand lunchtimes each day (two hours on week days and four hours at weekends) to assist visitors’ appreciation of the images, or simply to chat about photography. Club stewards will also be able to provide detailed information on all aspects of this society, one of the oldest in the world.

The exhibition is an opportunity for up to 44 society members to show a panel of their own selection of prints, which will cover a wide range of contemporary photographic styles, including landscapes, portraits, wildlife, urban, macro and creative images in both colour and black & white. Each member’s panel includes a short narrative about themselves

sheffield-photographer.org.uk

Enfield Camera Club

literature being available. A wide variety of refreshments is also available within the centre. The club’s website features a rotating members gallery, as well as full details of club events and programmes for the regular Thursday evening meetings. For specific club details, call 020 8372 8087/01992 441528.

The annual exhibition of the Enfield Camera Club is taking place in theGallery of theDugdale Centre, Enfield (Thomas Hardy House, London Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 6DS), from 29 October to 24 November. This will feature mounted prints by the entire club membership, ranging from enthusiastic comparative beginners to highly

technically advanced workers. This has always been a well received and popular event in the borough in previous years and has led to new members joining the club as a direct result. All visitors are welcome, admission is free and there will be an opportunity to vote for your favourite photographs, as well as general club and other

Bournemouth has an exciting programme of events lined up with talks, workshops and competitions. On 31 October the club is hosting an evening with Paul Sanders of Light & Land, with his talk The Mind’s Eye. Tickets are available to non members at £6, or £7 on the door. Bournemouth ECC is also holding its annual charity photography exhibition on 25 November in aid of The Jon Egging Trust (in memory of the Red Arrow Pilot who died at the Bournemouth Air Show in 2011) which is open to all photographers and the public. Entry forms are downloadable from the BECC website if you wish to support this great charity. Bournemouth Electric CameraClub ECC

enfieldcameraclub.co.uk facebook.com/ groups/10883151336

Dorchester Camera Club

Dorchester CC member Lisa Bukalders has had a good year, with four acceptances in the prestigious London Salon at her first attempt, including a coveted medal for the image The Ostrich’s Journey. Lisa says, “I create images for myself. You never know if people will like your work, and it’s always quite surprising to me when they do!”

She has also had a good season in the club competitions, with first place in both open print and creative, and placed images in nature and mono. This encouraged her to enter the Western Counties Photographic Federation exhibition where she achieved success with two gold medals, and another ostrich image, Ostrich Family Outing, went on to receive the Best in Show Award. She has had further successes with this image, receiving gold medals in the Southampton International Salon, the South Devon Salon of International Photography and the RPS Digital Imaging Group Annual Competition.

Lisa credits the Dorchester CC and particularly the distinctions group sessions, held once a month, with their constructive critiques and practical technical

advice, to enable her to move on from her original ‘snaps’, as she calls them.

dorchestercameraclub.com

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Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

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

Clubs

BanburyCamera Club Annual Exhibition

Banbury CC is holding its 15th annual exhibition in The Heseltine Gallery at Chenderit School, Archery Road, Middleton Cheney, OX17 2QR. It is open during school hours, 10am to 4pm, from 30 October to 2 November, and from 11am to 4pm over the weekend of 3 and 4 November each day, when clubmembers will be present. Entry to the exhibition is free. Two distinctive features of the exhibition are the venue and the support for a local charity. There will be about 130 framed prints on display in the purpose-built Heseltine Gallery, a venue which has housed both

the Royal Photographic Society’s International Print Exhibition and the RPS International Images for Science Exhibition. For the past 13 years Banbury CC has supported the local Katharine House Hospice through its exhibition. Last year, more than £800 was raised for the hospice through the sale of prints and members’ greetings cards, as well as through donations fromvisitors and fromthe sale of Katharine House Calendars. Club members have supplied the photographs for this calendar for the past six years.

banburycameraclub.org.uk

The Isle of Thanet PS can trace its roots back 130 years and its 2018/19 season presents a full programme of talks and competitions withmany opportunities for members to get involved. New members whether beginners or experienced photographers are always welcome. It aims to encourage members to develop new skills and approaches for the digital age and the club has a wealth of experience to draw on including club member Cherry Larcombe who has recently been awarded premier judge status. We meet at 7.30pm every Monday (except bank holidays) at Ramsgate Football Club as well as visiting other venues for inter-club competitions Thanet’s Camera Club – the Isle of Thanet Photographic Society

Ware&District Photographic Society Ware & District PS has an exciting programme of events lined up for 2018/19 to cater for all tastes and abilities. Therewill be a range of visiting speakers including George McCarthy, Andrea Hargreaves and Jane & Adrian Lines; and monthly competitions. Club night is Wednesday at Ware Arts Centre, Kibes Lane, Ware SG12 7ED 8-10pm from September to May. Ware’s annual exhibition will be for one day only on 17 November at Thundridge Village Hall, Old Cambridge Road, Thundridge, SG12 0SY, 10am to 6pm. There will be over 100 prints and digital images on show. Admission and car parking are free. Refreshments will be available. Last month the above image was credited to Mike Dobson, when it should have been Sue Dobson. Our apologies for this. Loughton CC Correction wareps.org.uk

isleofthanetphotographicsociety.co.uk

On Barking Photographic Society enjoyed a presentation by David Boag about his life as a professional wildlife photographer as part of its 70th anniversary celebration. The event was open to local Essex camera clubs and societies and was well attended. It proved to be a super evening with great images and interesting and humorous anecdotes. Barking Photographic Society 13 September

City of London expanding its photographic horizons

Two members of the City of London and Cripplegate Photographic Society (COLCPS) in London are also members of the Camera Club of Hendersonville (CCOH) in North Carolina in the USA. The two clubs are similar in size and both embrace a general approach to photography with members whose abilities range from beginners to professional photographers. There are some differences though – apart from photographic

styles, COLCPS is based in central London and CCOH is located close to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Appalachia. “Enjoying a chat with some of the COLCPS club members over a beer one evening we thought it would be fun to have an annual competition between the two clubs, designed as a friendly competition,” says club chairman Natalie Robinson. “The rules were simple – each club would enter 20 DPI images (5 images in four categories). Last year we chose landscape, dereliction, abstract and family. The resulting 40 images would be scored blindly and the highest total score would determine the winner. To encourage participation by as many club members as possible there was no limit to the number of images which each member

could submit for consideration but for the final club submission only one image per category per photographer was allowed. “We felt these categories were broad enough to give each club a fair chance and to challenge the photographers to move outside their comfort zones and try some new types of images.” cityandcripplegate-ps.org cameraclubofhendersonville. com

barkingphotographicsociety. co.uk

Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

Advertisement feature 16

Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

Who shot the best people picture The Profoto Portrait Challenge – the Final

Over the past four issues, we have asked for your best people pictures in four categories: beauty, character, environmental and self- portraits. Thanks to everyone who took part. The winners in each category won a Profoto reflector and were put through to the final where they were judged against each

other, with the overallwinner getting a superb Profoto A1. The A1 is a revolutionary lighting unit that Profoto calls the world’s smallest studio light. It might look like a standard speedlight but it is anything but standard. The innovative round head with tilt facility gives light with a lovely fall-off resulting in

great modelling even with the A1 fitted into the camera’s hotshoe and that light can be modified further withmagnetic-fit modifiers. For existing Profoto owners the A1 is also a powerful radio remote control with its AirTTL facility on board. This provides TTL and HSS control of compatible units up to

100m away; its working range is 300m if you want to remotely control or trigger the flash. Add a rechargeable Li-ion battery, 76Ws output, LED modelling lamp and robust Profoto build quality, and our overall winner Steve Beckett is going to enjoy a very special prize. Our congratulations go to him.

OVERALLWINNER

Steve’s street portrait was voted as the best from our four finalists by the judges from Photography News and Profoto. “I was really pleased by the support we had from our readers for this challenge,” says PN editor Will Cheung. “Our four themes attracted a wide range of images and the high creative and technical standard was extremely impressive. “I think the high overall quality was well represented by our four monthly winners. Judging the different genres against each other proved challenging but we went for Steve Beckett’s street portrait as the overall winner of the Profoto A1. It is a great interpretation of the theme and it’s an imagewith power and emotion and is complemented by the monochrome approach.” As you’d expect, Steve was a happy man. “I’m totally blown away,” he says. “It’s been my wish to get Profoto lighting equipment to upgrade from standard speedlights. Well, it seems my dream is beginning to come true and being fortunate to win the A1 means I can be even more creative. Finally, a big thank you to the judges for selecting my image.” Steve Beckett

Finish line

Well done to Steve on winning the Profoto A1 and commiserations to our other finalists, although they have each won a Profoto reflector for winning the monthly round.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Challenge.

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Photography News | Issue 60 | photographynews.co.uk

Runner-up: BrianMcCombe

Runner-up: MikeMartin

Runner-up: Nick Steadman

The big prize: Profoto A1

The Profoto A1, the world’s smallest studio light, is a professional quality lighting solution designed for the modern image creator whowants to sculpt and shape with light. The A1’s innovative round flash headwith its unique design fresnel pattern diffuser, powerful means this light has huge creative potential. Add a li-ion rechargeable battery with the capacity for 350 full-power manual flashes, TTL or manual flash control and an integral LEDmodelling light, and you have a unique lighting tool that can be used on or off camera. Finally, the A1 meshes totally with Profoto’s lighting system, whether that is withmains-based units such as the D2 or the brand’s Off Camera Flash system, with the B1X and B2 perfect partners for the A1. With AirTTL Remote built in you have wireless connectivity and, with the A1 as the master unit, four groups of Profoto lights in TTL or manual mode can be controlled. 76Ws output and the ability to usemagnet-fit light modifiers

Steve Beckett, the overall winner of this contest gets a Profoto A1, so will get to enjoy its creative delights for himself.

profoto.com

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