Innholdsfortegnelse for 02-Apr-2016 i Amateur Photographer

Ansel Adams is widely regarded as the greatest ever landscape photographer. His images exude a certain magical quality that photographers have always tried to emulate. But not everyone is aware just how much of that magic was created in the darkroom. Nowadays most photographers shoot digitally, and there’s an expectation in some quarters that the magic should happen entirely inside the camera, but the reality is that it doesn’t, and never did. Unless of course you shot trannies, but modern raw files are more like negatives. They need work. But what kind of work, and how much? Today’s top landscape photographers understand the importance of good post-production techniques as part of the image-creation process, so we thought we’d ask some of them to share their secrets with us. Turn to…

SAMSUNG UK will neither confirm nor deny it has stopped making cameras following a tweet posted by Samsung India that suggests it may have officially pulled the plug. In the tweet, a would-be customer called Akanksha Redhu asked for help in finding a Samsung camera. In response, Samsung India replied: ‘We would like to inform you the (sic) we have officially discontinued manufacturing of camera.' Samsung India then urged the customer to explore its range of other products and accessories Asked to comment, a spokesperson for Samsung's UK office said the company has ‘nothing further to share at this stage'. In January, Samsung's UK office said it was unable to comment on which countries had stopped the sales and distribution of cameras and camcorders, adding that ‘it's up to each…

Lee Acaster Lee is an amateur photographer based in East Anglia with a love of landscapes. He is widely published and has won numerous national awards, including AP’s Amateur Photographer of the Year 2015 competition. www.leeacaster.com ALTHOUGH I always aim to capture the image as well as possible in-camera, I see processing as an essential part of the creative process. The vast majority of my work is done in Adobe Lightroom, occasionally using Photoshop for cloning or blending images. Rather than slavishly capturing reality, I’m much more interested in making an image that is evocative of how it felt to be there when I took it, or one that conveys the vision I had in mind at the time. I use various techniques to achieve this, such as split toning,…

Manfrotto Lykos Bicolor LED £399.95 This offering is Manfrotto’s top-end LED light, giving a total of 1,500Lux@1M. Users can control the light using a smartphone or tablet app via a detachable Bluetooth dongle. Manfrotto MicroPro2 LED Light £259.95 All-in-all, the MicroPro2 is similar to the Croma2. Its colour temperature is a constant 5,600K, but it boasts a bit more power with 940Lux@1m and doesn’t have the ability to control the colour temperature like the Croma2. Manfrotto Spectra2 LED Light £154.95 With fewer LEDs and a rating of 650Lux@1m, the Spectra2 is the baby of the bunch, and like the MicroPro2 LED Light it also has 5,600K colour temperature. For many enthusiasts, this is more than sufficient.…

Battery The NP-95 battery is rated for just 330 still shots per charge, so you may need a spare if shooting over long periods. Charging is carried out via USB connectivity. Wi-Fi The free dedicated Fujifilm Camera Remote app installed on your smart device offers a host of ways to shoot and share your images out in the field. Control ring As well as operating as a manual-focus ring, the control ring can be set up to control a host of other settings should you wish. Display This is the first Fujifilm X-series camera to feature touchscreen functionality. The 3in display can also be tilted for a range of shooting positions, including selfies, Controls There’s no shortage of body-mounted controls, including an aperture ring round the lens and a shutter-speed…

IT WOULD certainly be harsh to label the X70 as a cut-down X100T, as this cracking compact carves out a niche all of its own in the Fujifilm line-up and should be recognised as such. There are a couple of caveats to think about, though, before you go rushing out to buy one. First, the absence of a built-in viewfinder means you have to rely on the touchscreen for shooting, and while it performs very well, I invariably found myself wishing I could raise the camera to my eye a lot of the time – especially with the other body-mounted controls dotted round the camera – so I'd probably end up buying the optional optical viewfinder if I took the plunge myself. Second, I can understand not wanting to use…

Resolution The TZ80 has a clear advantage over the older Lumix TZ70 in terms of resolution. At ISO 100 the TZ80’s JPEGs resolve 2,800l/ph, which improves considerably over the TZ70’s previous 2,200l/ph readout. Shooting in raw sees finer detail resolved in the TZ80’s images, but JPEG detail holds up well at ISO 800. Push past this point and detail gradually starts to deteriorate. Dynamic range The TZ80’s dynamic range performs typically for a camera with a 1/2.3in sensor. At ISO 80, our Applied Imaging tests tell us it produces a 12.1EV maximum, which begins to drop as the sensitivity is increased. At ISO 800 the dynamic range drops to 8.3EV and by the time you reach ISO 6,400 it’s down at 5.5EV, which is a slightly lower figure than recorded…

‘The JPEG should have just enough information to produce an excellent rendering of the scene’ A question that periodically arises is, what are the advantages of using raw files rather than camera-processed JPEGs? The most frequently offered answer is that using a raw file gives better quality, but this is not necessarily true. The in-camera image processor produces its JPEG output from a raw file, even if that raw file never makes it to the memory card. Furthermore, the camera manufacturer may be expected to know the characteristics of the camera better than a photographer, and so its choice of raw-processing procedure should be expected, all else being equal, to produce better results than the photographer can achieve. Generally, those using the manufacturer's supplied raw-processing tools find that the output…

Sigma updates 150-600mm lens Sigma has released a firmware update for its 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lenses, which it claims increases AF speed by up to 50%. The update applies to both the Sports and Contemporary versions of the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM, in Canon and Nikon mounts. For further details, visit www.sigma-global.com/download/en. Luxury breaks Two photographers have joined forces to launch luxury residential photographic breaks and workshops across Kent. Capture and Create has been set up by former AP technical editor Doug Harman and Sue Chapman ARPS. The first retreat is aimed at beginners and due to take place at Chilston Park Hotel in Kent from 17-29 April, priced £4,750. For details, visit www.capture-and-create.com. Theft warning Camera users are warned not to leave valuable gear in…

Creating an ‘authentic' portrait has long been the goal of photographers and, as the cliché goes, the eyes are the window to the soul. But actually eyes are the windows to emotion… Paul Ekman's wonderful book Emotions Revealed (W&N, £6.99) shows that emotional expressions are the same across all cultures. If you can capture that fleeting moment, and particularly the eyes, you will delve into the emotional state of your subject. What does vary between individuals and cultures is their management of facial expressions – that is, the extent to which they hide emotions. Emotional response is definitely a goal of street photography and reportage, but the requirements of portraiture are wider. Informal portraits will want their subject in a familiar setting, capturing that visual imprint, or essence, of the…

You answered AYes 87% BNo 13% What you said ‘I made my first darkroom print over 45 years ago and thousands more since. I reckon there is no better way to learn than to shoot and print your own film’ ‘Just started printing in my own darkroom and I love it. Inkjet can’t touch it for creative satisfaction’ ‘I have no idea how many prints I have made, but it is certainly many thousands, and far more black & white than colour ones. The largest were 3m2’ ‘Oh the joys of setting up the temporary darkroom in my bedroom all those years ago. I always enjoyed the “magic” of a print appearing in the tray. I’m not overly sorry to have moved on to digital, though, and Photoshop is a…

In association with WIDTH of a Circle (creative wideangle) is the subject for the second round of APOY 2016. Choosing the right lens for your scene is perhaps one of the most crucial factors in producing a successful image. The appropriate focal length can serve to obscure as much as it can reveal. For example, a telephoto lens can pull the viewer’s attention in to the subject by removing any extraneous details that may serve to distract the eye. However, for this round we want you either to restrict yourself to using a wideangle lens or, if you’re feeling brave, try your hand at producing a panoramic view. Any subject is acceptable. You can shoot landscapes, cityscapes, still life or street photography. You could even try using your wideangle lens…

Waterfall Paul Hayday Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, 9-18mm, 1/30sec at f/13.0, ISO 800 WATERFALLS are wonderful and I'm always jealous of people who live near them. The sound of water tumbling over rocks is very soothing. I live in Essex and, as far as I know, we don't have any at all. Paul sent in a collection of pictures of waterfalls that he took in the Brecon Beacons recently on his new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. He has made a great job of them, and has managed to show flowing water without it being over the top and distracting. I've picked this shot to write about as it demonstrates a problem that's common when shooting waterfalls and rivers that pass through wooded areas. The river carves a path…

£80 www.phottix.com PHOTTIX has come on in leaps and bounds since its early days, producing some amazing flash equipment and light modifiers at very affordable prices. One such product is the Phottix Luna Folding Beauty Dish. This light modifier is designed for use on the go by location photographers as it's very small and portable, folding down into its own bag. It works a bit like an umbrella, whereby all the rods are already in place. To erect the modifier, users simply push down the plastic tensioning joists between each rod until they lock in place. It's super-simple to set up, giving users the big advantage of less time messing about with modifiers and more time shooting. This system allows the Luna Beauty Dish to hold its shape well; it's…

The16.3-million-pixel X-Trans CMOS sensor and EXR processor have become a familiar sight in X-series cameras, so there's no nasty surprises when it comes to reviewing results from the X70. While16.3 million pixels might appear a little behind the times compared to some rivals, don't forget that it does away with an optical low-pass filter. This means the sensor can resolve an impressive amount of detail – more than you'd expect, perhaps, from a traditional Bayer arrangement, and without suffering from many unwanted artefacts, either. Colours from the X70 don't disappoint, whether using JPEGs or raw. The film-simulation modes offer some pleasing alternatives to the standard colour output, with Velvia being a popular choice for punchy colours and the Pro Neg options ideal for portraits. Dynamic range In our Applied Imaging…

THERE'S plenty to like about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80. It's a generously featured and highly flexible compact that ticks all the relevant ‘travel camera' boxes. It also benefits from a number of key upgrades over its predecessor, especially in terms of its video-recording abilities and speedier image processing. The addition of Panasonic's innovative 4K Photo mode provides a range of useful shooting modes that will undoubtedly help photographers get exactly the shot they want, albeit at reduced resolution. Despite its inherent flexibility and generous feature set, the TZ80 is sadly not immune from the same image-quality issues that affect many other compact cameras with1/2.3in sensors. While image quality can be very good in plentiful and even light, the limited dynamic range of the TZ80 more often than not produces images…

‘This shot is atypical because it concentrates on daylight, joy and celebration’ If it were not for the uncomfortable (not to say, queasy) nature of much of his work, Weegee should be an inspiration to us all. Self-taught, utterly original, extraordinarily inventive, he is probably best known for what one might call ‘extreme tabloid’ photography of murders and suicides in New York after about 1935, the year he became a full-time freelance photographer. The nickname ‘Weegee’ reputedly came from a common pronunciation of the word ouija, as in ouija board, said to be used by mediums to foretell the future – perhaps a reference to his skill in sometimes getting to crime scenes before the police. In addition to the murders and suicides, he was known for (what would now…

Of all the current trends and new technologies in the world of photography today, perhaps the most contentious is the ever-expanding use of drones. The legalities are still in their infancy, with many photographers and filmmakers calling for clearer and fairer parameters in which to operate. We've looked at drone photography before in these pages (and in our 9 April issue we'll talk to Swedish photographer Anders Andersson), and while the images produced have always been exceptional, drones can tend to be a controversial subject. In this image by Koen Van Weel we see an eagle of the Netherlands-based Guard from Above company grasp a drone during a police exercise at Katwijk in the Netherlands. The bird has been trained to snatch illegally operating drones from the air (for more…

Redressing the balance Regarding the letter in AP 19 March criticising Roger Hicks, I thought that I would try to redress the balance. I consistently find Roger's Final Analysis article one of the most interesting in the magazine – so much so, that I always turn to the inside back page first. To me, it's a key part of why I subscribe to Amateur Photographer. He always stimulates – and sometimes provokes – with his views. I don't always agree with them, but isn't that the point of his column – to get people thinking and come up with their own reasons for liking or disliking an image? It's fascinating to see so many pictures that I probably wouldn't otherwise come across and some of them have opened up new…

Price £329.95 www.manfrotto.co.uk Flicker-free The Croma2 doesn’t flicker, which is especially important for those who would like to record high-definition video. Diffuser LED lights can be harsh, especially when photographing people. For that reason, Manfrotto has included a diffuser to soften the light. It simply slides into the front of the unit. Ball head Included with the Croma2 is a small ball head with numerous attachment options, including hotshoe and two different tripod mount threads. At a glance On or off-camera LED panel 900 Lux@1m Adjustable colour temperature Dimmable from 0-100% Powered by either mains, AA batteries or an L-type Li-ion camcorder battery MANFROTTO'S latest offering in its LED continuous lights range – one of two colour-balancing LED panels available – is the Croma2 LED Light. The other is the…

Ricoh GR II Digital Price £479 Sensor 16.2MP APS-C ISO 100-25,600 The Ricoh GR II Digital is perhaps the X70’s closest competitor here in terms of specification, with a 16MP APS-C sensor and 28mm f/2.8 equivalent lens in a similar-sized body. It’s a solid performer, but is now starting to show its age a little. Leica X-E (Typ 102) Price £1,250 Sensor 16.2MP APS-C ISO 100-12,500 Unlike the X70, the X-E from Leica features a 35mm f/2.8 equivalent lens, but again with a 16MP APS-C sensor (like the GR II, with a more traditional Bayer design). There’s no viewfinder, though, and it’s more than double the price of the X70. Sigma dp1 Quattro Price £649 Sensor 29MP Foveon APS-C ISO 100-6400 With a fixed 28mm f/2.8 lens and Sigma’s unique…

4K Photo mode This innovative technology makes use of the TZ80’s 4K video capabilities. There are three modes to choose from: 4K Burst enables 30fps continuous shooting at 8 million pixels for as long as you hold the shutter button; 4K Burst Start/Stop records user-defined segments of 4K video you can then extract 8-million-pixel stills from; and 4K Pre-Burst, which records 4K video continuously on a two-second loop, presenting you with 30 frames from the second immediately before and after you press the shutter button. Post focus A new addition to the TZ80, post-focus technology works by recording a number of images in quick succession at different focal points, ensuring everything in the frame is in focus in one of them. You can then use the camera’s playback function to…

LAUNCHED 1956 PRICE AT LAUNCH £345 with 3-Schneider lens (AP 27 February 1957) GUIDE PRICE TODAY £184 (with single 105mm Xenar lens) THE LINHOF Super Technika Mark IV 6x9cm camera was made in two versions: the normal and the ‘B' version. They differ only in their viewfinders, the former being designed for the Schneider 65mm f/8 Angulon, and the latter for the wider angle of the Zeiss 53mm Biogon. The most desirable original lens set for these was the Zeiss 53mm Biogon, 100mm f/2.8 Planar and 180mm Sonnar. Beneath the sliding front standard base was an interchangeable three-position rangefinder cam. The Mark IV had a rising front and front tilt, and a precise coincident-image coupled rangefinder. With Linhof's anatomical grip, cable release and rollfilm back, it was surprisingly fast. What’s…