Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Aug-2015 i Amateur Photographer

I recorded my eldest son’s early years on film, and have boxes full of prints of him. By the time his brother came along I’d switched to digital, and most of his early photos are on hard drives. Can I be confident that both my kids will be able to see their pictures when they’re my age? Until recently, I thought the answer was yes – I have a Drobo storage solution that stores my 2TB’s worth of images on multiple hard drives. But then the drives started failing. ‘They don’t last for ever, you know,’ I was reminded – and then it was pointed out to me that my five-year-old Drobo was itself getting on a bit. I’m now having to rethink my entire archiving strategy. I know there…

CANON has launched a compact ‘multipurpose' professional video camera, built for ‘extremely low light' with a top ISO of more than 4 million. The Canon ME20F-SH is designed for filming wildlife at night, surveillance or astronomy, for example. Its full-frame 2.26MP CMOS imaging sensor dispenses with the need for infrared illumination, so shooting in colour with reduced noise is possible even in low light, says Canon. Canon added: ‘The ability to install the camera in a semi-permanent location, with remote-control operability, also means that for documentary and natural-history filmmakers, long-term projects and events can be captured with minimum staffing.' Prices and availability are yet to be confirmed, with Canon to release a list of compatible lenses soon.…

Jeremy Walker Jeremy Walker is an award-winning professional photographer and Nikon Ambassador. He has many years’ experience specialising in high-quality landscape and location photography for corporate clients who appreciate his meticulous approach and far-reaching vision. www.jeremywalker.co.uk I was in my early teens when I first became interested in photography and probably 15 when I bought my first SLR. As a keen youngster I was enthusiastic and grateful for all the advice I could get, yet as a novice I was also very impressionable. One of the first pieces of advice I was given was: ‘Don’t shoot into the light – always have the sun over your left shoulder.’ At the time I was young and naïve, and it seemed like good advice – but it wasn’t. In landscape photography you…

Articles in recent issues of AP have commented on using film to gain a fuller understanding of image control and creation. After shooting on film for more than 35 years, including about 10 years of home darkroom processing and printing, I retired my film cameras and darkroom equipment and, moving with the times, switched entirely to digital photography. However, perhaps as a nostalgia trip or as a simple challenge, I've recently returned to shooting 35mm and 120mm film and sent the exposed film to labs for processing before scanning and printing from the processed negatives. Then the penny dropped – I can home-process film without needing a darkroom. I aim to process monochrome only, but colour processing is possible with the right chemicals and a well-controlled temperature regime. After scanning…

The Royal Photographic Society advises printing digital pictures Edit down your digital files to a small number that you really wish to preserve. Ideally, make traditional black & white prints (even from digital files) and ensure the prints are properly processed and washed, and then store them in archival boxes, in a controlled environment at less than 21°C and in a relative humidity of 30-50%. Realistically, for most of us, make prints using good-quality inks, on the best-quality rag paper and store them in archival sleeves and boxes away from extremes of heat/cold and in a dry environment, with pencil captions on the back (remember the [image file] metadata is important) too. Digital-to-film option Firstcall Photographic operates a digital-to-film service. Customers can send in up to 36 digital images as…

AS PHOTOGRAPHERS, both amateur and pro, we often spend crazy amounts of money on our cameras and lenses, go to great lengths to reach a location, and take time to apply our skills to making images. We are often covering international conflicts, or demos and riots closer to home, and risking life and limb – only to trust our precious images to a single hard drive. As any IT professional will tell you, hard drives fail; it's just a question of when. So for me, it's essential to have a back-up strategy to ensure all my images, video and audio remain safe. I use a combination of , off-site and cloud back-up. I have several terabytes of hard-drive storage, which is then duplicated at an off-site location. The important work…

Peng Wang, USA To me, photography is the perfect combination of science and art,' says Peng. ‘I was a physics major at university, so it was quite natural for me to fall in love with photography. I especially love shooting landscapes. Nature is so beautiful and powerful. It fits perfectly with my love of travelling and outdoor activities. What I love about photography is that it gives you the ability to capture beautiful, powerful and transitional moments and fix them permanently. As for what I'd like to do next, I think I'd definitely like to try my hand at taking portraits.' 1 Glacier National Park This image, taken at Glacier National Park in Montana, USA, has a powerful combination of elements. The light, the formation of the valley and the…

WHEN Canon first told us it was making a camera with a1in sensor and 600mm equivalent zoom, it looked really exciting. Sadly, though, the G3 X manages to be rather less than the sum of its parts. The lack of a built-in viewfinder makes using that long lens effectively something of a trial, and while adding the EVF-DC1 viewfinder fixes this problem, it means the camera is unnecessarily bulky and takes the price to almost £1,000. The relatively slow lens also negates much of the high ISO advantage afforded by the larger sensor. However, the real problem for the G3 X is the competition, in the shape of the highly accomplished Panasonic FZ1000 and Sony RX10. Both offer built-in viewfinders and superior ergonomics, meaning that the G3 X's longer lens…

THE improvements made to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV centre around its new sensor. The repositioning of the high-speed circuitry has resulted in it being able to shoot faster and offer new video capabilities, such as the high frame rate mode that allows you to record super-slow-motion footage. It's great fun creating slow-motion movie clips and gives photographers the opportunity to capture the fastest moving subjects in a different way – visit our online review to view our own examples (www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/ SonyRX100IV). The overall performance and image quality are very impressive for a camera so small, although our test results show it doesn't offer any advantages in these criteria over its predecessor. The extra demands of the new sensor asks more of the battery, but the fact it can be…

Sony has sprung a surprise on camera buyers with the release of its Alpha 7R II. The Alpha 7 series is Sony's unique line of full-frame mirrorless system cameras, and offers photographers a host of other ‘Unique Selling Propositions, ranging from the low pixel count, low-light-capable ‘S' version to the high-pixel-count ‘R' version. Sony recently updated the base 24.2-megapixel Alpha 7 to the Mark II with a number of carefully designed but unspectacular enhancements, which together have gathered very good reviews regarding its operational improvements over the original. One thing that wasn't improved, however, was the sensor. The Mark II of the Alpha 7R carries across all those detail enhancements, but the big news is a brand new and groundbreaking sensor. Apart from a slight hike in pixel count (from…

Not long ago I wrote in this magazine that smart lenses that connect to your smartphone, such as the Sony QX series, the Kodak SL models or the Olympus Air, were a solution looking for a problem. Considering there's no screen and only very few controls, relatively large dimensions and Wi-Fi-induced lag, they simply couldn't rival similarly specified compact cameras. However, a smart lens has finally been launched that I am very much looking forward to using and testing. And perhaps it's no coincidence that the most innovative approach yet in this product segment hails from a company not known for its hardware. French software maker DxO Labs is best known for its raw image converter and as a provider of image-processing solutions to camera and mobile device manufacturers, but…

Quality lenses The better the lens quality, the less chance of flare or ghosting. The latest lenses with anti-reflective coatings should therefore be the optics of choice. Prime lenses With less complicated element groupings than zoom lenses, there will be less chance of image degradation from flare. A ‘Hoodman’ or loupe If you are spending much time shooting and looking into the light, your eyes will find it difficult to adjust to the small screen when you check the images on your monitor. Use a loupe with a magnifier that covers the whole screen to see more detail. ND graduated filters These hard or soft-edged grads are used for holding back the exposure of the sky and balancing it with the foreground, or for darkening a sky for added mood…

Damien has forged a successful career as a high end wedding and portrait photographer Make a connection: Connect with the person you’re photographing. Put the camera aside, have a cup of tea, have a cup of coffee, have a laugh with them. Really get to know them and then bring the camera into the frame. Perspective: The perspective in a portrait isn’t related to what lens you’ve got on the front of the camera. A wide-angle is going to be the same as a telephoto in delivering perspective, but what matters is you relative to your subject. If you use a long telephoto lens, you’ll find to get a mid-shot you’ll have to shoot from quite a long way back. It’s flattering, but you don’t get that connection, that intimacy.…

You answered… A Yes, I update whenever firmware is available 59% B Yes,whenIremember 15% C No, I have no idea how to do it 13% D No, I’m scared in case I break my camera 7% E No, I had no idea I could do this 6% What you said ‘With my Fujifilm X-series cameras it makes sense to upgrade firmware with both my bodies and lenses. You wouldn’t drive a car and not get it serviced regularly’ ‘I’ve updated the firmware on two cameras. It’s reasonably straightforward if you’re a bit of a techie, but it can be a bit daunting to someone who isn’t. Just one example from the Canon EOS 5D Mark II instructions: “Please download the compressed, self-extracting file that matches your computer’s operating system and…

WE ALL know the triple back-up method, but I have always been a little more relaxed. Unfortunately, this means I've almost been caught out a few times. These days, I have a more advanced foolproof system for safeguarding my images. For a start, everything goes on to a hard drive direct from site. My Nikon is pretty much always tethered and my Fujifilm gets backed up right after shoots. Images go on to my portable SSD and stay on my SSHD hard drive on the laptop. Next, I upload my 10 or so safety files to SmugMug. So whatever happens I have files to work from. If I only have my phone, I upload 10 or the most important images. If I have fast Wi-Fi, I'll try to get as…

David Tipling David is one of the most widely published wildlife photographers in the world. His pictures appear on hundreds of book and magazine covers, and have been used in many other forms, from wine labels to large projections across New York’s Times Square. www.davidtipling.com IF I WERE a bird, I'd like to be a swallow. It seems very appealing to spend the winter under the warm South African sun before lazily making my way back north, arriving at my favoured breeding site in spring just as it begins to warm up. However, the reality is much more harsh, with swallows having to undergo an arduous annual journey across seas and deserts that involves them covering many thousands of miles on the wing. Habitat You'll find swallows in areas where…

Removing the mist KAREN Wilkinson has chosen a very interesting location here. She selected a good angle to shoot from and has composed the image nicely. The lighthouse has a lot of character, as do the other tower structures in the distance. In the version Karen sent us she chose to crop tightly around the lighthouse, but I have chosen to preserve more of the full-frame image. The misty atmosphere provides a beautiful light. In the unprocessed raw image the photo looks rather too flat, but I thought this would be a good candidate image with which to demonstrate the new Dehaze adjustment that has been added to Camera Raw 9.1 (and Lightroom 6.1) via the Effects panel. By adding more Dehaze you can remove haze, mist or smokiness from…

Battery The NB-10L Li-ion battery is good for 300 shots per charge, by CIPA standard tests. Tripod socket The G3 X has a standard ¼in thread, but unusually adds a second socket to accept the anti-twist pins commonly used on video heads. Flash release A switch on the side of the camera releases the built-in flash. Hotshoe The hotshoe accepts both Canon-dedicated external flash units and the EVF-DC1 viewfinder. Connectors On one side of the camera you’ll find standard 3.5mm stereo headphone and microphone sockets. On the other are USB and HDMI ports, along with a socket for the RS-60E3 cable release. Mobile button A small button behind the mode dial activates Wi-Fi for connection to your smartphone or tablet.…

PlayMemories Download Sony’s PlayMemories app and you’ll be able to control the RX100 IV remotely and transfer images to compatible smartphones and tablets. Apps Downloadable apps via the in-camera PlayMemories menu can expand the functionality of the RX100 IV, with options of adding features such as time-lapse (£7.99), light painting (£3.99) and motion shot (£3.99). Battery The RX100 IV’s NP-BX1 battery can be charged via Micro USB on the move. It offers enough stamina to shoot 280 shots or 140 minutes of movie footage using the screen or 230 shots and 115 minutes of movie shooting using the viewfinder. Adjustable screen The screen can be angled upwards by 180° for selfie shooting and can be tilted down by 45° to aid composition when the camera is held up high. Control…

1 Nikon D4 with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens This is my ‘go-to’ set-up for 85% of my photography. It has superb low-light, high ISO performance with great AF – and two handy memory card slots. The 500mm f/4 lens ensures excellent image quality and is a good compromise between weight and ‘reach’. 2 Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens The 70-200mm f/4 is a super-sharp lightweight lens. The weight saving, image quality and fantastic VR make up for the loss of a stop compared to the f/2.8. Being really sharp at f/4 also means I can get good bokeh if the shot requires it. 3 Nikon AF-S 1.4x teleconverter TC-14E II The downside of using FX cameras is the loss of reach compared to…

The harp and crown of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, reinforced by the letters RUC underneath, evoke strong emotions in those who are familiar with the history of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland. Republicans see a symbol of oppression, while Unionists think of a band of men so brave they were collectively awarded the George Cross. In 2001, the RUC became the Police Service of Northern Ireland, GC, and their old badge was replaced by one that is much more inclusive but also far less memorable. Also, it has to be said that the six-letter abbreviation PSNI GC lacks the immediacy and simplicity of the three-letter RUC. But what if you know nothing of Irish history in general, and of the RUC in particular? Is there really much of a…

Vivian Maier show Photographs by US nanny Vivian Maier, who created an archive of 100,000 negatives and undeveloped rolls of film but died before achieving fame, have gone on show in London. Maier’s ascent from recluse to revered artist is phenomenal, explains the Beetles+Huxley gallery, which is hosting the exhibition until 5 September. Visit www.beetlesandhuxley.com. Kenko converters Kenko has launched two teleconverters, initially available in Canon fit. Compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses, the Teleplus HD DGX 1.4x and Teleplus HD DGX 2x teleconverters cost £219 and £279.99 respectively. The converters use unique circuitry claimed to maintain signal integrity between the camera body and lens, allowing accurate recording of digital Exif data. Red Cross challenge Canon DSLR prizes are up for grabs in the British Red Cross competition for…

FLICKR owner Yahoo has rolled out what it says is an improved version of Flickr Pro to new and existing members, at a price of £32 per year. Benefits include improved navigation and statistics when viewing photos, which is aimed at helping users discover which images ‘hit the mark with their friends'. For new members, Flickr Pro costs £4 per month or £32 per year. The original Flickr Pro was discontinued for new users in May 2013. The storage limit for both the free and Pro accounts is one terabyte. Flickr states that existing Pro members will be automatically upgraded. For details, members can visit www.flickr.com/account/upgrade. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

Look for lines and shapes Find strong, bold lines and shapes that convey a story. Meter for the highlights and let the shadows go really dark. If the sun isn't quite strong enough a little post-production prodding will help – increase the contrast and push the blacks slider along a little. Shoot in the golden hour Shoot into the light about 20 minutes before dawn or after the sun has set. These are optimum times when the light can be colourful but contrast is very low, revealing plenty of subtle detail. Choose the right conditions and your image will never be flat and dull. Reduce flaring effects Partially hide the sun behind your subject to reduce flare. By stopping down to f/11 and beyond you'll create a ‘ping' or starburst…

What methods do you use to back up your digital images? I have triplicate copies of all my data. I keep one copy at the office ready to back up and the other at a remote location and swap over periodically. That way there's always at least one fairly current copy kept at a separate address. It's a fairly simple JBOD (‘Just a Bunch of Disks') solution. But whenever I consider upgrading a hard drive, I have to consider purchasing three similar drives. When working on an important project I use cloud servers to store copies that I back up daily, so all the data is retrievable. Cloud data storage for image files is unrealistic if you have lots of images. How many days/weeks would it take to download, let…

Ansmann Powerline Vario £30 www.ansmann.de/en Andy Westlake tries out a versatile universal battery charger Micro USB input The Micro USB input allows charging from various power sources, including power banks. LCD display A four-stage LCD indicates charge levels of 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%. Adjustable prongs Align these with the + and – terminals of Li-ion batteries to charge. Sprung cover This holds batteries of a range of different sizes in place during charging. At a glance Charges AA, AAA and Li-ion batteries 1A USB mains charger included Four plug adapters supplied Comes with 12V 650mAH in-car USB adapter and Micro USB cable ANSMANN is a German company that specialises in batteries and power, selling both standard-sized batteries and replacement power packs for most types of camera. The Powerline Vario…

WITH similar image quality to other premium compacts that use the same 20.2-million-pixel, BSI CMOS sensor, the G3 X gives superior results to superzoom cameras with small 1/2.3in sensors such as the PowerShot SX60 HS. It can record lots of detail at low ISOs, while giving reasonably low-noise images up to about ISO 800. Beyond this it gets increasingly stretched, and ISO 6,400 and above are barely acceptable. With only limited software support available at the time of writing, we've not been able to look at raw image quality as far as we'd like, and spent more time looking at Canon's JPEGs than is ideal. The images are bright and punchy, but I suspect many enthusiasts might like to tone them down a little. Unfortunately, Canon doesn't allow you to…

THIS tutorial session is essential for amateurs who would like to learn the basics of filmmaking with a DSLR or compact system camera, and will cover everything you need to know to get more out of that red record button. Expert videographer Simeon Quarrie will provide you with the technical and practical skills needed to start shooting high-quality video, including: Setting up your camera for optimum results Essential shooting skills The importance of high-quality audio Lunch will be provided and, as an added bonus, you’ll have the chance to get hands on with the latest Canon equipment. PLUS 10 lucky attendees could also win an exclusive practical afternoon session, to put their new-found skills into practice. To secure your place on this not-to-be-missed learning opportunity, please email afoyevent@timeinc.com with the…

LAUNCHED 1980 PRICE £160 with 50mm f/1.7 Pentax SMC-M lens (World Camera Guide 1981) GUIDE PRICE TODAY £25-£55 with f/1.7 lens THE ALL-METAL Pentax ME Super is a compact, solid, yet lightweight electronic 35mm SLR with the ‘K' bayonet lens mount and either aperture-preferred automation or manual exposure. It's usually found in a chrome finish, although black versions also exist. What’s good The ME Super runs pretty much forever on two inexpensive LR44 batteries. The shutter-cocked indicator and film-winding indicator are on the back. The manual 1/125sec X and bulb settings are mechanical and require no batteries. The traditional ground-glass screen means great focus precision with fast lenses, and you can see their actual depths of field at larger apertures. The screen is bright with standard (f/1.4-f/2) lenses. What’s bad…