Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Aug-2017 i Amateur Photographer

In 1982 the Editor of AP, Roy Green, had an idea for an organisation where the editors of Europe’s leading photo magazines could get together and pick their collective favourite cameras and accessories. A kind of photographic EU, if you will. That organisation, EISA, has now grown to incorporate the worlds of hi-fi, mobile, TV and other areas of tech. This year it expanded its borders to include Australia and the US. AP is still an active member of the photo panel, along with 15 other members, and next week we’ll be in Berlin for EISA’s annual awards ceremony, attended by senior representatives from all the major camera and tech brands. Turn to page 34 to discover which of this year’s cameras, lenses and accessories were deemed the best by…

Landscape workshop The landscape gardens of Stowe are regarded amongst the most influential gardens in Europe. It’s easily one of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England. Landscape guru Charlie Waite will lead this one-day workshop and guide you through a variety of techniques. 21 September, www.lightandland.co.uk DSLR introduction In this workshop from Belfast Exposed, you will get an introduction to your camera’s manual controls and will get to know its potential. This course of four sessions will also enable you to apply a practical and theoretical knowledge to help you use a digital camera effectively and creatively. 6 September, www.belfastexposed.org Photoshop Essentials A one-day workshop for photographers who would like to use Photoshop to develop their creative skills in photography, but are not sufficiently familiar…

SIGMA has released a warning to its users of an error that may occur when matching several of its lenses with Canon DSLRs, including the EOS 77D and EOS 6D Mark II. Sigma writes: ‘When certain lenses are attached to these cameras and the “Lens aberration correction” function on these cameras is set to “Enable” for Live View shooting, an error would occur.' So far, lenses confirmed to be affected are the 30mm and 35mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art lenses, and 30mm, 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lenses. Users are advised to keep the lens aberration function disabled until a fix is available. Visit www.sigmaphoto.com for more.…

Not close enough Sorry but I cannot agree with Angela Nicholson that ‘Olympus… has a really healthy collection of lenses’ for wildlife photography (AP, 29 July). There is no decent macro lens of a practical focal length for insect photography. The 60mm is good optically, but far too short a focal length – and the handling in manual-focus mode is dreadful. Until Olympus comes up with a 100-120mm macro lens that has the same handling characteristics as (e.g.) the 75mm f/1.8, I will continue to use my Pentax 100mm f/2.8 with an adapter. Even though shooting in stop-down mode can be a problem at apertures below f/8, it is far preferable to using the Olympus offerings. Cluny MacPherson, London On a Micro Four Thirds camera, the Olympus 60mm lens has…

Fat Lama is a new peer-to-peer rental platform dubbed the ‘Airbnb for stuff’. Users of the site can lend and borrow anything from a lawnmower to a professional piece of camera equipment. Officially launched in November 2016, the site hosts a wide array of items, camera gear being one of its biggest categories. With Fat Lama’s rental costing a fraction of the price of camera hire companies, is borrowing the way forward for freelance photographers and videographers? Fat Lama’s record monthly lender income in London is an astonishing £3,389. And with users saving hundreds of pounds by borrowing kit through it, it’s certainly an attractive alternative to conventional rental businesses and a good way to generate income from kit you might not use very often. The lender By lending his…

What is EISA? The European Imaging and Sound Association is a collection of photographic, audio and video magazines in which members pool their skills and knowledge to award the best products in a wide range of categories each year. The awards are intended as a guide for specialist consumers. Only one magazine from each country may belong to any panel. Amateur Photographer, a founding member of the association, represents the UK for the photographic section of the awards. Learn more about EISA at www.eisa.eu/awards . VISIT WWW.EISA.EU/AWARDS EISA PROSUMER COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA 2017-2018 Sony ɑ6500 The α 6500 is a very small compact system camera offering professional performance. Whether you are a 4K video or stills photographer, the α 6500 offers excellent image quality with its 24.2-million-pixel…

The English Lake District has been immortalised in literature, poetry, painting and photography since the dawn of the Romantic era. I am lucky to have friends living in the Lakes, and it was they who guided me to this magnificent prospect of Crummock Water early one autumn morning. The sun rose into a mostly clear sky, but as soon as the cloud built over the central lakeland fells the light became inspiring and ever-changing for almost an hour. It was one of those occasions to be grateful for digital photography, for in days past this would have cost a fortune in exposed large format film! Great perspective, cool foreground shadow light and warm sun rays, but highlight/shadow range was extreme. Fortunately, a medium 0.9 ND graduated filter (three stops) did…

Ever calibrated your monitor? Recording and rendering colour accurately is no new challenge. Hot on the heels of the new Rollei-badged slide film, called Vario Chrome, Kodak is also to reintroduce its highly regarded Ektachrome colour positive film this autumn. John Bulmer, a photographer whose images illustrated many a Sunday supplement from the 1960s onwards, relied on an earlier Ektachrome reversal film called Ektachrome X. This was an amateur emulsion designed to tolerate the varied conditions in which people store film, and which tended to have a slight green colour cast. To obtain a more neutral colour balance, he bought the film in batches, put it in the airing cupboard to ‘mature' it, and tested a film from the batch periodically to see if it gave the results he wanted.…

You answered… A Churches and cathedrals 20% B Stately homes and town houses 3% C Castles, ruined castles and abbeys 43% D Picturesque streets and cottages 20% E Historic buildings aren’t really my scene 14% What you said ‘There is no “all of the above” option. I don’t have a specific favourite subject when it comes to historic buildings – they all have their own characteristics and all make great subjects.’ ‘None of the above. Old military and old industrial buildings are the best, in my eye.’ ‘I am especially pleased when I can find a virtually unspoiled domestic building still surrounded by similar edifices and streets.’ ‘It depends upon where I am, what the weather’s like and what’s architecturally on offer. A drastic contrast between old and new can…

Angela Nicholson Photographer and journalist Angela Nicholson began reviewing cameras for Amateur Photographer in 2004 and was technical editor before leaving for pastures new in 2010. She has tested everything from backpacks to medium format cameras, straps, compacts and software. Visit www.angelanicholson.com. With top-end cameras and lenses (especially those used for video) costing several thousand pounds, many professional photographers regularly hire gear to supplement their own kit, yet it’s something that’s not that prevalent amongst enthusiasts. However, there are now several companies willing to loan gear to enthusiasts, so it makes sense to investigate the opportunities that hiring might bring you. If you’ve been interested in photography for many years you may have built up an extensive collection of gear and feel that you have everything you need. However, there…

Verity Milligan Verity is a Birmingham-based award-winning professional photographer specialising in rural and urban landscapes, and commercial and advertising commissions. She has recently started using Datacolor products to support her photographic workflow. www.veritymilliganphotography.com Every photographer knows that colour management is important, but not every photographer bothers with it in their workflow, seeing it as an overtly complex and time-consuming process. But integrating colour management into your workflow is far simpler than many photographers realise. As the window to your digital photography, your monitor is a tool you need to be able to trust. There are a number of reasons why monitor calibration should be a key part of your workflow. For example, your eyes will never be as accurate as a colour-calibration device. You can’t rely on your eyes to…

When I looked into the genre it was instantly obvious that most street photography was black & white. I can understand this to a certain extent, but I don't buy into it completely. I decided to set my camera to shoot mono JPEG images, but also capture a raw file so that I had the option to process in colour if I thought it would suit better. Shooting in mono helped me to identify scenes with a good tonal range quickly. Unlike shooting landscapes, you don't have time to wait for the light; you generally have to use the light you're given and make the most of it. In my mind, the image above was perfect for mono. The preview on the LCD on the back of the camera was…

Austria FOTOobjektiv Editor: Klaus Lorbeer www.fotoobjektiv.at Belgium Shoot Editor: Erik Derycke www.shoot.be Hungary FotoVideo Magazin Editor: Sándor Benkõ www.fotovideo.hu Finland Kamera-lehti Editor: Minna Jerrman www.kamera-lehti.fi France Focus Numérique Editor: Renaud Labracherie www.focus-numerique.com Germany FotoMagazin Editor: Thorsten Höge www.fotomagazin.de Greece PhotoNet Editor: Menelaos Meletzis/Konstantinos Floros www.nexusmedia.gr Czech Republic FotoVideo Editor: Rudolf Stáhlich www.ifotovideo.cz Italy Tutti Fotografi Editor: Paolo Namias www.fotografia.it Netherlands Focus Editor: Dirk van der Spek www.focusmedia.nl Norway Fotografi Editor: Toralf Sandaker www.fotografi.no Poland Foto-Kurier Editor: Krzysztof Patrycy www.foto-kurier.pl Spain Super Foto Digital Editor: Jorge Coma www.grupov.es Sweden Fotosidan Magasin Editor: Magnus Fröderberg www.fotosidan.se United Kingdom Amateur Photographer Editor: Nigel Atherton www.amateur photographer.co.uk…

Hi-Fi WIRELESS LOUDSPEAKER KEF LS50 Wireless BEST VALUE LOUDSPEAKER DALI SPEKTOR 6 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER Dynaudio Contour 20 FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER Q Acoustics Concept 500 HEADPHONES Denon AH-D7200 DAC/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital BEST VALUE TURNTABLE Pro-Ject Essential III Flexi-Range HIGH-END TURNTABLE ELAC Miracord 90 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Hegel Röst BEST VALUE AMPLIFIER NAD C 338 HIGH-END STEREO SYSTEM Marantz SA-10 & PM-10 HI-FI INNOVATION Devialet Gold Phantom MULTIROOM STREAMER Yamaha WXC-50 Hi-Fi/Mobile PORTABLE DAC/ HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER RHA Dacamp L1 HT Audio HT SPEAKER SYSTEM Focal Sib Evo HT RECEIVER Yamaha RX-V483 SOUNDBAR LG SJ9/LG SJC9A SOUNDBASE Sonos PLAYBASE HT HIGH-END DALI PHANTOM S Series HT SOLUTION Denon HEOS AVR HT SUBWOOFER SVS PB16-Ultra HT Audio/HTVideo/Display UNIVERSAL ULTRA HD BLU-RAY PLAYER OPPO UDP-203 BEST BUY ULTRA HD BLU-RAY PLAYER Panasonic DMP-UB300/…

‘The depth-from-defocus system takes two sample images at two different focus positions’ One of the more interesting bits of technology in modern cameras is Panasonic's Depth from Defocus algorithm. Most manufacturers, when faced with the task of building a rapid and positive autofocus system into a digital camera, have followed practice from SLRs and built a phase-detect system onto the sensor by modification of the sensor microlenses. This is the practice followed by Nikon, Olympus, Sony and Canon in various different ways. Panasonic, however, has produced a different solution with Depth from Defocus. Contrast vs phase First, let's discuss why an alternative to contrast-detect AF, as used on compacts and most mirrorless cameras, is required. Contrast detect works on the principle that an in-focus image will have higher contrast than…

New speedlites from Yongnuo Hong Kong-based camera company Yongnuo has launched its first speedlite powered with a Li-ion battery, the YN686EX-RT, compatible with Canon’s RT system. It features a 2.4GHz transceiver and a 2,000mAh battery able to power 750 full-power flashes, and works as both master and slave. The flashes are available from eBay and Amazon. Canon SELPHY CP 1300 Canon has announced the launch of a new ultra-compact printer, which is smartphone compatible using Wi-Fi. The SELPHY CP 1300 can print up to 256 shades of each colour, for true-to-photo results. The SELPHY CP 1300 will be available from September in black, white and pink at £129.99. Cascable 3.0 released A new version of the Cascable remote-control app for iOS devices has been launched. It supports more than 100…

Corel has revealed the latest version of its PaintShop Pro image-editing software. PaintShop Pro 2018 features performance and speed enhancements, as well as a redesigned and customisable user interface that all mean it now operates better with high-resolution displays and pen and touch devices. There's also the more expensive ‘Ultimate' package, with access to Aftershot 3, Corel's answer to Adobe's Creative Cloud photography subscription for a single payment. PaintShop Pro 2018 and PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate are available now. The basic package is £69.99 and the ‘Ultimate' package costs £89.99. A free trial is available at www.paintshoppro.com. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

APOY Round Six APOY moves on apace; it’s now your chance to explore the abstract world Second-hand camera guide A comprehensive look at the classic film camera market – bag a bargain now Filtering the past A leading landscape pro takes a trip back in time with some retro filters CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE…

DATACOLOR is a leading colour management solutions company that offers a number of software options depending on your needs and capabilities as a photographer. Each option is easy to use, with a simple step-by-step wizard that guides you through the initial five-minute calibration process. Datacolor recommends performing a monthly recalibration, which takes just over two minutes, to keep colours consistent. Its popular Spyder5 family of colorimeters provides fast and easy calibration to deliver colour accuracy. To find out which member of the Spyder5 family would suit your needs, you can view a comparison chart on the Datacolor website at www.datacolor.com. Warm up Let your monitor warm up for at least 30 minutes before you begin the calibration process. Make sure there's no direct light falling on the display. Reset the…

Connie Zhou Connie Zhou is inspired by contemporary spaces that not only embrace functionality but also serve as works of art. Her passion lies in capturing larger-than-life experiences with her camera. She enjoys shooting anything that looks like it came from outer space. www.conniezhou.com In 2012, Connie Zhou received an email that would launch her career as a professional architectural photographer. Google was looking for someone to document its global data centres, and it was keen for Connie to put in a bid. ‘I was straight out of school and super excited,’ she recalls. ‘There were eight data centres at the time – there are a few more now – and the plan was to spend a week shooting each one.’ A month later, Connie received a call to say…

THE European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) comprises an international membership of more than 50 special-interest magazines, who meet several times a year to assess the very best photographic, video, audio, home theatre, in-car and mobile products on the market. As well as two members from the USA, this year EISA welcomed three Australian members – well, if Eurovision can do it, so can we! AP is part of EISA's Photo Panel, alongside14 of the best photographic magazines across continental Europe. Like us, all these publications employ rigorous testing processes and are respected in their home countries for the quality of their reviews. Every June all the panels meet to determine the year's winners, and these are then presented at an Awards ceremony in Berlin, Germany. It's always a difficult…

Brass buckles Retro-looking, quality brass buckles look nice, but a quick-release press stud would be handy, too. Back pocket The zippered back pocket can take a phone and some batteries, but not much more than that. Internal dividers The internal foam protector and dividers are of high quality. Side pockets The side pockets can accept a pen, toothbrush or slim torch. At a glance • Handcrafted with full-grain leather • Side weather flaps • Light weight (0.77kg) INSIDE THE BOND STREET The interior dimensions of the Bond Street bag are 16.51L x 20.32H x 10.16D cm. Like the Bowery bag from the ONA range, the Bond Street can also be stowed as an insert to protect your camera further in a larger bag by detaching the strap. • £219 •…

What makes a really good photographer? I’d suggest there are two stages. First, we see one of their pictures and think, ‘Wow, I want to see more of their work.’ Second, we do see more of it and think ‘wow’ all over again. They’re not as good as we thought they were. They are better. This is what happened here. We saw Christian Ramade’s photographs at Le Creative Image Lab (www.creativeimage lab.com) at Arles. In my experience, this picture is unique – an X-ray self-portrait. It is from the series Faux-semblants (see more at www.christian-ramade.com), perhaps best translated as ‘things are not what they seem’. Although it is the only X-ray in the series, it is utterly of a piece with the rest of his work: brilliant, original and not…