Innholdsfortegnelse for 03-may-2014 i Amateur Photographer

“It is a new single-shot system Race to launch new positive-negative film, page 6 ” LEICA ranks its new T compact system camera (CSC) alongside the legendary M. But the firm tells AP that, in business terms, it’s a risky move as it bids to win over an entirely new audience. Designed in a tie-up with car maker Audi, the first in the Leica T series features a new bayonet mount (‘Type 701’). The16.3-million-pixel model carries an APS-C-sized imaging sensor, a built-in flash and a 3.7in (1.3-million-dot) fixed touchscreen. The camera is milled from a solid piece of ‘high-grade’ aluminium, with each unit handpolished for 45 minutes at a factory in Portugal. Due out on 26 May, it will cost £1,350 body only. Two lenses will be available at launch:…

Kate Moss by Mario Testino Taschen, £27.99, paperback, 232 pages, ISBN 978-3-836-55069-7 THERE are all manner of things that can go right or wrong when photographing a model, and there are endless books that cover lighting, lens choice and locations. That’s all very well, but even with these skills perfected it is possible to discover the magic elementmissing – that which differentiates a dull picture fromone that is a pleasure to look at. Few books delve into the subject of creating human connection in a photograph – which is surely what we should be striving for. Testino’s book, Kate Moss, is no how-to for those looking for words to inspire them, but when we read between the pictures and put together the story they tell us, we can see very…

LETTER OF THE WEEK Wins a great shockproof, waterproof and dustproof 5-Proof Technology 16GB Samsung SDHC Plus memory card offering up to 48MB/sec transfer speed. www.samsung.com/memorycard THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY This probably isn’t your typical letter, but I wanted to share – rather bravely, I hasten to add – my story. I’m new to AP magazine and I’m new to photography as well – it’s a hobby I stumbled upon by accident. You see, for a long time I have suffered depression. Doctors and friends said I needed to get out, but finding the motivation for that in itself was a problem. Then I got a puppy, so I had to go out, as she loves going for long walks in the countryside. I started taking the usual photos of…

OF ALL the landscape features that characterise the Southwest United States, the most distinctive are the slot canyons of Utah and Arizona. This photograph was taken at Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona, which can only be accessed if you join authorised photo tours. These tours take place just beforemidday, which is the best time to shoot as the light streams directly down through narrow gaps. To get a good photograph, you need to shoot with a tripod and cable release, and bracket your exposures to be processed later using HDR software. In this tutorial, I wanted to show how to use theMerge to HDR Pro feature in Photoshop to process a set of bracketed exposures. I have to say that this is not my favouritemethod, as I find the Photomatix…

CAPTURING THE MOMENT Sport is one of the most exciting and thrilling forms of photography. With often fast and action-packed subjects, it requires both high levels of concentration and great reactions. It’s all about capturing the moment – that crunching tackle, that beautiful jump or that deadheat finish. Yet it’s not something you can achieve simply by turning up to a local footballmatch and hoping for the best. PREPARATION Well-researched preparation plays a huge part in coming away with a special image – ‘thatmoment’. Once you’ve chosen your sport and the fixture you want to photograph, it’s vital to do a proper recce of the location beforehand, preferably hours or days before. Great sports pictures are rarely taken by chance – they’remore often down to meticulous planning and preparation. When…

RALPH Gibson is generally regarded as one of the great fine-art photographers working today. He is celebrated for creating deceptively simple images that often have an unsettling, surreal and dreamlike quality. He has been photographing for more than 50 years, yet his style has remained unusually consistent throughout this long period. His subjects are usually simple and apparently unimportant, but the way he chooses them, frames them and composes the imagemakes his work unique. Gibson’s early photographs, taken while a student at the San Francisco Art Institute in California, USA, were street-documentary pictures. However, even in those images his unusual style was clearly present, particularly in the pictures that focus on details or include strong shadows. In those early shots, he has said, ‘I remember wanting to use the edge…

THE ALPHA 6000 comes with some fantastic features straight out of the box, including Sony’s recently updated PlayMemories app library, which is accessible through the camera’s menu when connected to Wi-Fi. This provides you with a host of additional features that you can download (for free or purchase) to expand the camera’s functionality. A couple of the applications I really liked were Liveview Grading and Light Shaft. Liveview Grading enables you to add colour effects to your videos in real-time, adjusting various aspects such as colour-depth saturation or applying preset effects. Costing £7.99, it’s a downsized version of what video editors spend hours doing on programs that cost 20 times as much. Light Shaft does pretty much what you’d expect, and for £3.99 you can use it to craft the…

STRIKING a strong balance between aesthetics and performance, the Sony Alpha 6000 is a desirable camera with no standout flaws. Of course, improvements can – and will – always be made, but Sony largely hit the nail on the head with the NEX-6 and NEX-7 cameras, so rather than drastically overhauling those designs for their replacement, it has simply advanced the imaging technology and processing power of this updated model. The improvements, particularly in low-light performance and speed, are significant enough to justify an existing NEX user upgrading, and I also believe the Alpha 6000 will challenge the entry-level DSLRmarket and appeal to advanced enthusiasts, just as Sony is hoping it will. Top-spec technology and a host of cutting-edge featuresmay just see the Alpha 6000mirror the longevity and success of…

WEIGHTY PROBLEM Q I have been an enthusiastic photographer for more than 50 years, almost always working with Pentax equipment. However, my last Pentax, a K10D, with all the lenses I had accumulated, started to feel too heavy forme, so a few years ago I decided to change to a smaller, lighter format. The camera I chose was anOlympus Pen E-PL3. Sadly, I am so frustrated by its image quality, which is much less sharp than my old Pentax, that I am almost ready to give up my lifelong hobby. Have I expected toomuch of a camera that has a smaller sensor, but many more pixels than my old one? The lenses aremuch lighter, but are they likely to be of a lesser quality? Do I need to change my…

PENTAX has unveiled its muchrumoured medium-format 645Z, featuring a new imaging sensor and processor. The 51.4-million-pixel 645Z DSLR – an improvement on the 40-million-pixel 645D – includes a Safox11AF module with 27 AF points (including 25 cross-type). Other features include a Prime III imageprocessing engine, a top ISO of 204,800 and three frames per second shooting (compared to1.1fps on the 645D). The larger 3.2in, tilting LCD screen carries a resolution of1.037 million dots. Boasting 76 seals, the 645Z is claimed to be weather-resistant and dustproof. The exterior housing and LCD monitor frame are made of magnesium alloy, while the chassis is built from die-cast aluminium. Also on board is full HD video. Similar to the interval video mode on the Pentax K-3, the 645Z shoots time-lapse video at 4K resolution…

● THE FUJIFILM X-E2: BEYOND THE MANUAL by Rico Pfirstinger, £10.70 (Kindle Edition) The sleek X-E2 is one of the many success stories in Fujifilm’s popular X series of cameras. Rico Pfirstinger’s guide to the camera takes a ‘cutting to the chase’ approach to helping you mess about with the camera. The book assumes you know the basics ofmodes and whatnot, and gets to the good stuff with tips and tricks youmay not know about. ● ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY by Thierry Legault, £30.99 Although astrophotography is becoming ever more accessible as equipment gets more sophisticated, it’s still not quite something you can pick up easily. This means a guide like this is a solid investment for aspiring star photographers. Itmakes you realise howmuchwork goes into the images you see from astrophotographers –…

WHEN I read on the APwebsite and in AP19 April that the Hungarian government has issued a ‘civil code’ that reportedly requires photographers to obtain consent from everyone in a picture who is identifiable, regardless of whether the image is published, my heart sank. I fear that such an action will spread. It’s a restriction that is likely to gain favour throughout the rest of the EU. The seed has been planted and a precedent set. Whether such a banwillwork remains to be seen, although Hungary has enough legal officials to enforce it. The news has already had implications here. Britain’s Foreign Office has found itself suddenly needing to issue ‘guidelines’ for a subject where, in my opinion, none should be needed. It was a double blow. That sameweek, I…

AFTER the cold and gloom of winter, spring is a fabulous time of year for photography. With the days getting longer and warmer, plants that have been lying dormant for the winter burst into life as flowers start to appear and trees cloak themselves in leaves. It’s also the time when wildlife becomes more active, with some of our native species emerging from hibernation and millions of migrant birds arriving on our shores. Spring wildlife offers an excellent selection of subjects to photograph, and much of it is more accessible than you think. We’ve compiled a host of subject matter to inspire you, so with the days getting longer, why not get out there with your camera? BROWN HARES Generally nocturnal and shy creatures, spring sees a change in the…

The winner of the Editor’s Choice picture of the week will receive a HelloCanvas 16x24in canvas print (including shipping) worth £36.95 The Editor’s Choice will be printed on to a high-quality canvas with UV-resistant inks and mounted on to a sturdy wooden frame 1.2in thick. For Hello Canvas ‘each happiness of yesterday is amemory for tomorrow’, and we think your best beloved pictures deserve the best service. Our dedicated teamis renowned for its attention to detail. How to submit your images Please see the ‘Send us your pictures’ section on page 3 for details or visit www.amateurphotographerco.uk/spotlight Arnold Monteith Bristol Although Arnie is just 18 years old, he already has an impressive six years of photography under his belt. First inspired by seeing some of the fantastic images entered intoWildlife…

Xsories big u-short $55.99 EVER wished that your arms were longer when it comes to taking pictures or capturing video? well XSories has developped a range of compact poles to help You get your camera into ontherwise tough to reach position. The Big U-Shot c model, extending from 29cm to 94cm, and made from aluminium and leather with a screw-in strap for extra security. It looks great, bearing more of a resemblance to a fancy collapsible baton than a humble camera pole. In use, it is very solid, locking into place reassuringly with a simple twist when extended, and collapsing smoothly when operated in reverse. I found that the Big U-Shot was great for taking group photos and for getting a camera above a crowd at concerts, although thismay incur…

RRP £549 body only or £669 with 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens Sensor 24.3-million-effective-pixel, APS-C-sized (23.5 × 15.6mm) Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor Output size 6000 × 4000 pixels Focal lengthmag 1.07× Lensmount Sony E mount File format JPEG, ARW(raw), AVCHD/MP4 Compression 2-stage JPEG Colour space Adobe RGB, sRGB Shutter type Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter Shutter speeds 30-1/4000sec in 1⁄3EV steps plus bulb Max flash sync 1/160sec ISO 100-25,600 Exposure modes iAuto, iAuto+, program, aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, scene selection, sweep panorama, memory recall, movie Metering system 1,200-zone evaluative metering, centre weighted and fixed centre spot Exposure comp ±5EV in 1⁄3EV, 1/2EV steps White balance Auto, 7 presets, colour temperature, plus customsetting White balance bracket Lo, Hi Drive mode Single, continuous, timer, speed priority 11fps, bracketing LCD Tilt 3in LCD screen…

Improve your photography knowledge and skills with an afternoon learning insider secrets from landscape photographer Joe Cornish and portrait photographer Adam Duckworth. Held at the home of Amateur Photographer and What Digital Camera, you will also have the chance to take part in a studio shoot with a professional model. YOU WILL • Learn the secrets of renowned landscape photographer Joe Cornish, and get the chance to see his exclusive images taken on the Sony Alpha 7R • Try your hand at portrait photography with advice and guidance from Adam Duckworth • Speak to a Sony expert and use the new Sony Alpha 7 and 7R cameras and lenses •Bring along your own Canon, Nikon or Sony lenses to try on an Alpha 7 camera WHEN AND WHERE The seminar…

It is worth noting that Windows operating systems are most prone to malware, followed by Apple Macs and then Linux operating systems. This has less to do with any ‘weakness’ in Windows and more to do with an economy of scale: there are far more Windows users in the world than Mac and Linux users, meaning Windows malware is potentially more lucrative and wide-ranging. SPYWARE Spyware is fairly selfexplanatory – it’s malware designed to ‘spy’ on you. Once it has got into your computer system, spyware gathers information from your computer that is sent elsewhere. The types of spyware vary: at one end of the spectrum is spyware that keeps track of the websites you visit to allow ‘pop-up’ adverts to be better targeted at you, while at the other…

‘Leica’s decision to implement an APS-C sensor has allegedly been made to keep it as small as possible’ IN THE same year that Leica celebrates its100th birthday, the manufacturer has announced an entirely new camera system. Called Leica T, it’s like no other compact system camera we’ve seen before, and is designed to complement the Leica brand and sit beside the iconic M system. At the time of launch, the new T system consists of a beautifully designed Leica T body and a pair of lenses using a new Leica T mount. Leica has already unveiled plans to expand the system later in the year, but will it allow the manufacturer to achieve its long-term goal of attracting a new type of customer to the premium brand? AT A GLANCE…

MANFROTTO and Amateur Photographer are offering two lucky readers the chance to win a Manfrotto Professional Backpack 50 worth £219.95. The Backpack 50 is a professional backpack designed for a pro DSLR with battery grip, attached 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, additional camera body, five extra lenses, flash,15in laptop, tripod and accessories. The Backpack 50 weighs 2.33kg and has external dimensions of 50.5cm (h) x 31cm (l) x 28cm (w). It features Manfrotto’s Camera Protection System (CPS) that has been specifically engineered and laboratory tested to guarantee the highest level of protection and shock-resistance where it really counts, and Exo-Tough Construction that offers rigid multi-layer surface construction that diffuses sharp-impact shock. Available in black only, the Manfrotto Professional Backpack 50 has a recommended retail price of £219.95. To enter visit: www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/manfrottocompetition The…

ANDREW SANDERSON A renowned photographer, tutor, author and Ilford Master Printer, Andrew Sanderson offers practical tips on working with film and traditional darkroom techniques THIS picture was taken along a country road about two miles from my home, on a route I often take when I’mdriving to Wakefield or Leeds. It usually has a lot of fast-moving traffic and is not an ideal place to park your car for a photograph. As I’d driven past the pool so often, I had become a little intrigued by it and decided that one day I’d have to chance it and get a shot. It’s an attractive location, being in an area on the edge of farmland where quarrying took place many years ago. The ground is uneven and there are pools of…

Round Three World inMotion WITH the opening two rounds of APOY looking at street and animal photography, we now turn our attention to World in Motion, so you can show off your most breathtaking action image. With fast burst modes and sophisticated AF systems appearing on the most affordable DSLR or compact system camera, you don’t need the most advanced kit to get a stunning action shot. Sport will naturally spring to mind as the perfect subject matter for this challenge, but don’t think you need exclusive press accreditation to some of sport’s top-flight arenas and games to capture a great shot. Grass-roots games and amateur events can still produce fantastic photo opportunities, and you can apply the same principles and techniques that are used at major sporting events to…

Yellow tree Carlo Murenu Nikon D600, 70-200mm, 1/30secat f/7.1, ISO200 I THINK we all appreciate a picture in which one colour stands out against a sea of another, as the statement is direct and obvious – we all know where we are supposed to look. When we encounter these scenes in life we don’t always see the potential, so Carlo should be congratulated for being observant on this occasion. However, to make the most of this scene, Carlo needed to take a little more control of his camera – to meter and set the white balance himself instead of leaving these two critical issues to chance. The camera has seen a dark area, which naturally it wants to brighten, and an image that is full of one colour, which it…

AT A GLANCE ● 24.3-million-pixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor ● ISO 100-12,800 (expandable to ISO 25,600) ● Three times faster Bionz X image-processing engine ● 179-point hybrid AF system ● Fast 0.06sec autofocus time ● RRP £549 body only, or £669 with 16-50mm kit lens AFTER four years, it is only now that Sony has updated its NEX-6 – one of the most popular compact system cameras themarket has ever seen – in the form of the Alpha 6000. The new camera also shares some common features with the equally popular Sony NEX-7 and retains the distinctive NEX body shape, which will please fans of the series, but that is pretty much where the similarities end. Although the E-mount-compatible Alpha 6000 resembles the camera it is replacing, inside Sony…

WITH the Alpha6000, Sony is aiming to attract those considering buying their first DSLR or looking for a highly capable portable second body.While there aremany cameras that will be suitable for both audiences, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Nikon D5300stand out as direct competitors. The E-M10 is a superb companion camera, coat-pocketsized with a lens attached, and suited to a wide range of applications thanks to its micro four thirds mount and good low-light performance. While it lacks some of the video functionality of the Alpha 6000, it has a superior 1,037,000-dot touchscreen and classic DSLR styling. The D5300 is a solid first camera thatmatches the video and sensor resolution of the Alpha 6000 and has a similar price tag, but benefits from having access to Nikon’s extensive lens family.…

AS MANUFACTURERS make cameras smaller and smaller, the demand for small, lightweight flashguns to accompany them also increases. Weighing just 203g, the Nissin i40 fulfils this demand. However, despite being small, it doesn’t scrimp on features. DATAFILE RRP £204 Street price Around £190 Guide number 27m @ ISO100 (35mm zoom head position) or 40m @ ISO 100 (105mm zoom head position) Flash modes E-TTL II/E-TTL (Canon) iTTL (Nikon), PTTL (Sony), TTL (FT) Number of flashes 220-1, 700 Colour temperature 5,600K Wireless Yes Power source Four AA batteries External power N/A Dimensions 85 × 61 × 85mm Weight 203g (without batters and external diffuser) FEATURES With shutter speeds of up to1/8000sec and a guide number of 27m _ ISO100 at its 35mm zoom-head position (or 40m _ ISO100 at105mm), the Nissin…

I’VE SEEN some weird and wonderful novelty cameras inmy time, but this one really takes the biscuit.When I spotted it, still in its sealed packaging, languishing in a box of junk at a church jumble sale, it tookme a fewminutes to take in the full horror of what I had found. Common sense and decency toldme to put it down and step away, but looking up at the waterdamaged ceiling of the parish rooms, I could see that the church roof fund needed all it could get. Out came my £1.50, before I hastily stuffed the camera inmy bag so no onewould seemy folly. I hadn’t heard of the boy band *Nsync before. They must have been popular, because this camera would ensure that each and every photo on the…