Photography News Issue 34

Photography News | Issue 34 | absolutephoto.com

46 Accessories test

From £11

Best lens accessories It’s not just about the actual lenses you use – simple, affordable accessories can make a big difference to the look of pictures, too. Check out this month’s selection for PN’s pick of what’s hot... Buyers’ guide

From £9

Just LtdLens Protection gear from£11

an improved replenishment cap to guarantee longer life, and is just as safe and easy to use. The LensPen uses a retractable non-liquid cleaning element, which won’t dry out or leave smears, and it also has a built-in dust-removal brush. It can clean any optical item, so if you have binoculars, spotting scopes, or telescope eyepieces, it’s also a good bet. The LensPen NLP-1 can also be bought in a DSLR Cleaning Kit (for around £17) which also includes, a FilterKlear pen for lens filters, a MicroPro pen for viewfinders and a microfibre carrying pouch which doubles as a handy cleaning cloth. intro2020.co.uk expensive lenses but, for most of us, spending thousands on pro-spec glass is something we rarely, if ever, do. But look at the classified pages of your new Photography News. You could hire the lens you’ve always dreamed of from a company like Lenses for Hire. Lenses for Hire offers a superb range of packages, allowing you to rent some tasty glass for a special event or photo holiday. Lenses for Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon fits are available, and prices start from as little as £22 for a three-day rental of a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM (there’s a range of teleconverters for even less). Then there are classy options like the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 G ED (£55), Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR (£59) and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM (£66). At the top-end there are truly fantastic opportunities like the Nikon AF-S 600mm f/4 G ED VR (£214). Hire periods can be extended up to three months, no deposit is required (UK customers) and insurance is usually included. Delivery (including return via a pre- paid Royal Mail Special Delivery label) is £12, and Lenses for Hire make sure you’ve got the lens the day before your hire starts. Oh, you also need to be 18 or over, but that goes for loads of good things, right? lensesforhire.co.uk 3 Lenses for Hire from£22 We all lust after the most

LENSPEN NLP-1

Lenses aren’t cheap, so once you’ve committed your hard-earned cash for them, itmakes sense to keep them safe. Just Ltd (cameraclean.co.uk) specialises in this, stocking a wide range of products to protect your valuable glass. Two of our favourites are the easyCover lens case and the BRNO dri+Caps for both cameras and lenses. The easyCover system of lens bags comes in six different sizes from80x95mm to 110x230mm so all butthelongestlensesarecoveredand they’re highly affordable, ranging from £10.96 to £19.96. Each bag has a tough nylon exterior and a padded interior to protect from bumps. Access is via a zip at the top and to make transportation easy there’s a tab with a dual hook and loop lock at the rear for securelymounting to a belt or bag. An additional horizontal strap can be used for webbing. Humidity can also be a problem, causing fogging and fungus to infect your lens’s innards, leaving youwith a costly fix. You can protect against this bydrying themoutwith aBRNO dri+Cap. These ingenious lens back caps fit over the rear element in place of the supplied version maintaining the humidity at an optimal 35-45%, via a replaceable desiccant gel sachet and O-ring. The included sachets have an indicator which tells you when a fresh one is required. Aside from storage, it’s also very useful when shifting lenses between warm and cool environments which can cause condensation. Available in Canon or Nikon fit, a single BRNO dri+Cap lens capcosts£17.50, but you can get one in a kit with a DSLR body cap, too, for £27.95. Replacement sachets cost £5.95 for eight. cameraclean.co.uk image quality, spending thousands on upgrading their cameras and lenses, but what if you could improve sharpness and contrast for next to nothing? The trick is simple; just keep your kit clean of smudges and dust and you’ll see an instant lift. There are lots of lens cleaning solutions on the market, but one of our faves is the LensPen, a simple but effective device used to clean your lens’s front and rear elements. This new version (the NLP-1, as opposed to the original LP-1) has 2 LensPenNLP-1 from£9 Many people obsess over

JUST LTD Lens Protection gear

MARUMI DHG Vari ND2-ND400 filter

£50 From

Rental from £22

LENSES FORHIRE

VanguardSupreme 53D case £229

HoyaPro-1 Digital Circular Polariser Filter from£54

neutral density (ND) filters are used to block out some of the light, allowing long exposure effects and shallow depth-of-field techniques to be used. But with regular ND filters coming in set strengths, such as ND2, ND4, ND6 and so on, how do you know which will be best for the conditions? That’s where variable ND filters like the Marumi DHG Vari ND2-ND400 come into their own. The design allows you to set a strength anywhere between one stop and nine stops, and the setting is changed with a simple turn of the knurled bezel, operating just like a polarising filter. So, whether it’s a slight modification you want, or the ability to shoot very long exposures in the brightest part of the day, you’ll be covered. The DHG Vari ND2- ND400 uses multi-coated glass and a satin-finished, black aluminium design to minimise reflections and improve image quality. It’s also available in a wide range of sizes from 49mm to 82mm, while the filter’s slim casing provides vignette- free images. If you shoot video, you’ll find it very useful too, as it can even be used to physically add fade-out effects if desired. kenro.co.uk

Whether you have lots of lenses to transport, or just want a secure method of storing your collection, a hard case is an excellent option. This one, the Supreme 53D from Vanguard, is built to withstand lots of different threats, while still being highly portable. The case, which measures 630x520x240mm externally has a roomy inner of 560x450x200mm, and some basic subtraction shows the depth of the protection it gives. It has enough space to swallow a typical pro kit; two large DSLRs with lenses attached and up to eight more lenses plus other accessories; its modular inner includes customisable foam, so you can tailor it to any kit, and it also comes with a soft, removable divider bag,whichcanbeusedindependently if required. Airtight, thanks to its use of O-rings, the case is waterproof (down to a depth of 16.5ft/5m), can withstand temperatures from -40°C to 95°C, and has steel reinforced lock holders if youwant to fit apadlock for extra security. Anti-slip rubber feet and a solid carrying handle round off the tank-like construction. vanguardworld.co.uk

Apolarising filter is one of landscape photography’s essentials, improving almost any type of scene thanks to its ability to increase colour saturation, contrast and clarity. Polarisers also reduce reflections in your shots, so glare from non-metallic surfaces can be subdued or removed entirely. In practise,thismeansapolariserwilllet you reveal hidden detail and colours when shooting scenes that have open water, and increase the contrast and saturation when shooting blue skies with broken clouds; all of which explains why, for most landscape photographers, a polariser is the first filter they reach for. The Pro- 1 Digital Circular Polariser uses Hoya’s Digital Multi-Coatings to reduce or eradicate lens flare and ghosting caused by reflections, and this is aided by the filter’s matte black Almite frame. This polarising filter’s glass has a special black rim which reduces reflections further and its ultra thin frame helps avoid vignetting, even on super wide-angle lenses. It’s available in sizes from 52- 82mm, ranging from £54 to £120. intro2020.co.uk

Marumi DHGVari ND2- ND400 filter from£50

Sometimes you want to use slow shutter speeds or wide apertures, but the brightness of the conditions means it’s not possible. To help,