Innholdsfortegnelse for 18-Aug-2018 i Amateur Photographer

When Panasonic launched the first mirrorless camera in 2008 it was widely believed that the market for these innovative cameras was the mass-market user who wanted to upgrade to something better than their point-and-shoot, but not a DSLR. As it turns out, the real audience was DSLR owners looking to lighten their load. Over the past ten years the performance of these cameras has improved beyond recognition, and they are now challenging the pro market. With Nikon soon to reveal a full-frame system and Canon believed to be working on one too, this is a great time to look back at the journey mirrorless cameras have made and consider where they might be going.…

Tamron will soon be releasing an ultrawideangle zoom lens, the 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD, for full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs. The lens weighs only 460g, is 90mm long, and offers a fast f/2.8 aperture at the wideangle end, which goes down to f/4 when zoomed in. There are 15 lens elements in 10 groups with four low dispersion elements to minimise chromatic aberrations; the minimum focusing distance is 0.28m across the zoom range. The lens is moisture resistant, while a fluorine coating minimises the effects of dirt, moisture or fingerprints. In creating the lens, Tamron paid special attention to back lighting and the resulting ghosting that this may cause. The suggested retail price is £629.99, while the on sale date is to be confirmed.…

A mere £2.99 for the greatest photography magazine is very good value when you think about it and if you don't believe us, go back to 1994. It was £1.35 then, which, when you consider inflation, is not actually far behind today's money. What else gives you so much pleasure and education over the course of a week for £2.99? Anyway, we digress. This issue featured a new column by David Bailey, 1960s enfant terrible and a man now doing a very good impression of a pile of washing. While the cockney curmudgeon was generous in his praise of Jean Shrimpton - ‘the best model I have ever worked with' - he was less effusive about his peers or contemporary photographers, a refrain he continues to this day. If Bailey's…

‘Anyone can take a picture, but not everyone can create a truly outstanding piece of art'. I was arrested by the photo on an exhibition poster. I had gone to buy bread, but my response to the monochrome image by Fulvio Roiter of the Venice I was walking through was, ‘I must see that exhibition. Who is this photographer?' Why did I like his images? He had ‘the photographer's eye': he was curious, observed, and could see photographs where others did not, and frame and light his subjects in a way that would reveal and communicate. The exhibition catalogue alluded to his mastery of the subtleties of black & white film, uncompromising formal and compositional rigour, and technique rooted in contrast. The more I researched him, the more I admired…

Panasonic LUMIX DC-GX9 The compact, lightweight GX9 is ideal for a walk along the clifftops when space in the backpack is needed for a jacket and sandwiches. The articulated screen and viewfinder also makes getting down low less painful. Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-f/4 Wide, fast and pin sharp from corner to corner, the 8-18mm is the ideal choice for low-viewpoint compositions. Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-f/4 With a flexible focal length of 24-120mm (35mm equivalent), this fast standard zoom lens would be useful for all the techniques that are outlined in this feature. Tripod A sturdy tripod is recommended for landscape photography, but is absolutely essential for long exposures or shooting at dawn or dusk when shutter speeds are slow. 29…

Wideangle lens Little owls use the same perches so there is the opportunity to try remote photography with a wideangle lens. First, watch to see their favoured perches and then move the camera in slowly to see if they accept it. Binoculars I always carry my Swarovski binoculars with me, as they are invaluable for finding my subject, and watching other wildlife. They are particularly useful for locating little owls as they can often be surprisingly difficult to pick out against tree bark.…

FUJIFILM has built its X-system entirely around the APS-C sensor size, with a wide range of camera types and an extensive, really well-considered lens line-up. Almost any photographer should be able to find what they need in here somewhere. There's a choice of camera types through almost the entire system. The flat-bodied designs begin with the viewfinderless X-A5, through to the enthusiast-friendly X-E3 with its corner-mounted electronic viewfinder, to the high-end, rangefinder-inspired X-Pro2. Meanwhile the firm's very likeable SLR-style models start with the new X-T100, through to the mid-range X-T20 and hugely capable X-T2, to the top-of-the-range X-H1. The latter is the only X-system body so far with built-in image stabilisation, but many of the lenses are optically stabilised. Analogue magic Aside from the entry-level X-A5 and X-T100, Fujifilm's cameras…

LEICA may have made its name by sticking doggedly to the rangefinder design when the rest of the world was shifting decisively towards SLRs in the film era, but in the digital age it's been far more adventurous than many photographers perhaps realise. It was the first to make a fixed-lens compact camera with a conventional APS-C sensor, in the shape of the X1 from 2009, and is still the only one to make a large-sensor waterproof camera with the X-U. It's even made a medium-format SLR system, complete with home-grown electronic adapters to use lenses from other companies. So it's perhaps not that surprising that the company has also dabbled in mirrorless. In fact it's ventured boldly into this brave new world and come up with some really interesting…

How important is it that Canon/Nikon enter the full-frame mirrorless market? It is vitally important. With all the news about mirrorless cameras, it's easy to lose track of just how many Canon and Nikon DSLR users there are out there. The EOS 5D Mk IV still remains hugely popular and in the D850, Nikon has won back huge favour. Many have invested sizeable amounts in good glass so it makes sense to seize that loyalty and give users what they've been requesting. Is it a good idea that neither manufacturer has rushed in to this segment? While mirrorless has now been around for a while, I think it's fair to say that it's really only since the release of the third-generation Sony A7-series that you could truly consider full-frame mirrorless…

How important is it that Canon/Nikon enter the full-frame mirrorless market? It is extremely important that Canon and Nikon enter this market. Consumers are becoming more aware of the advantages of full-frame sensors but are increasingly reluctant to carry around bulky bodies and lenses. While full frame is not best suited to all types of photography and a lot of users don't want to carry around heavy kit (regardless of having a mirror or not), it's very clear that full-frame mirrorless brings extremely high image quality in a form factor smaller than a DSLR allows. Is it a good idea that neither manufacturer has rushed in to this segment? It is understandable that Canon and Nikon have wanted to protect their shares of the photography market by focusing on DSLRs,…

Will old Canon lenses work on my EOS 450D? Q My friend's Dad is having a clear out and has offered me his old Canon EOS 1000 film camera and two lenses, for free. I use a Canon EOS 450D and was wondering if the lenses would work on my camera. The first lens is a 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 USM and the second is a 75-300mm f/4-5.6, also USM. My friend says the lenses are over 20 years old, which is cool because I'm turning 20 next year. The idea of using such old lenses is rather intriguing so I hope they will work. Toby Arnold A The good news is that these are Canon EF-type lenses and they will work normally on your EOS 450D. Canon has maintained good compatibility…

‘Am I seeing 200 years’ history in this man’s face? Or am I seeing what I want to see?’ Sometimes I have to look hard at exactly why I choose pictures for this column. They have to catch my eye, to be sure; but then I have to ask myself how and why they do so. Now, I am a sucker for large head portraits, and this one is very well done. But it’s comparatively easy to ‘reverse engineer’ the lighting. There’s no backlight (see how his hair disappears against the background); the key is from camera left (look at the shadows on his nose and neck); and the lighting ratio (the difference between key and fill) is tight (the shadows are soft). The image is extremely sharp, though I’m…

The RPS (Royal Photographic Society) has kickstarted a major campaign called ‘Hundred Heroines: Celebrating Women in Photography', with the aim of discovering women photographers whose work is currently overlooked, as well as celebrating better-known names. The campaign, which is timed to coincide with the centenary year of some women getting the right to vote, asks leading photography-industry figures and the public to nominate their modern-day photography heroines and to increase awareness of the impact women have made on our favourite art form. According to the RPS, photography remains a traditionally male dominated world. ‘I come across so many amazing women in photography, and yet their voice is nowhere near as powerful as their male counterparts,' said RPS Vice President Del Barrett. ‘Hundred Heroines is a major step towards this, raising…

‘Her images speak of hope and defiance in the face of imagined boundaries’ Fiction, borders, land, memory, desire, identity, history – all these are fecund ground for photography. How many project statements have you read that use these terms and variations thereof? But how many projects have you seen where these ideas spring instantly to mind with no prompting? This is Vanessa Winship's talent. Her images, through a strict economic and poetic sensibility, are able to convey her fascinations and preoccupations right there within the frame with no textual prompts. This exhibition – running at London's Barbican in conjunction with the Dorothea Lange show, which we reviewed in AP 4 August – is Winship's first major solo show in the UK. Winship has been building her body of work since…

1 Light in the dark Because mirrorless cameras show the impact of their exposure settings, you get a much clearer view of dark scenes than when using the viewfinder of a DSLR. This is especially useful for long exposure photography and when using a Big Stopper ND filter during the day. 2 Zebra patterns Those flashing black and white stripes make it absolutely clear where the highlights are and (with the right customisation) how close they are to burning out. Helpfully, a mirrorless camera can show them in the viewfinder or on the screen and when you're shooting stills or video. 3 Viewfinder gridlines We all need occasional help with composition, so the ability to see a grid in the viewfinder that marks out the ‘rule of thirds' lines can…

Types of images Little owls are often seen perched in exposed positions to give them a vantage point for hunting. This means they regularly use fence posts and telegraph poles, which can be unattractive for photography. However, they will use the same perches to hunt from, so to begin with watch from a distance and see if they have favoured areas. Then once you know their habits, you can position yourself nearby and wait for them to return. If the perches are low down it also gives you the opportunity to use remote photography with a wideangle lens. This can result in some very striking images with the owl and its habitat in the frame. Camera settings I tend to use very similar camera settings for much of my wildlife…

OLYMPUS was the second manufacturer to make a mirrorless camera, with its original PEN E-P1 of 2009 being based around the Micro Four Thirds standard jointly developed with Panasonic. Initially it made flat-bodied, viewfinderless cameras, but its moment of epiphany came with the hugely influential OM-D E-M5 in 2012, which sported an unashamedly nostalgic SLR-style design. Olympus now concentrates mostly on the OM-D range, reserving the PEN moniker for its entry-level E-PL range and the stylish but expensive PEN-F. With the Four Thirds sensor being about 60% the area of APS-C, and a quarter that of full-frame, it's inevitably always lagged behind a little in terms of image quality. To counter this, Olympus has decided to play to its strengths and establish specific selling points of its own. Its cameras…

SONY was an early entrant to the mirrorless field, having begun by making the remarkably small APS-C NEX-5. But it wasn't until the launch of the full-frame Alpha 7 range that Sony really captured photographers' imaginations. Now it is the undisputed leader, and its advanced sensors have established a huge technological lead that Canon and Nikon will probably struggle to claw back when they finally release their own competitors. The generation game What Sony really isn't so good at is naming its cameras sensibly. This is due to its unusual habit of not discontinuing older models when it releases updated versions; instead they stay in the line-up as lower-priced alternatives. So if you want to buy a full-frame Alpha 7 model, for example, you need to be absolutely sure about…

Being a long-term Nikon user, what is it that's kept you brand loyal? I bought into Nikon in 2007 with a D80 and now have a D7100. I felt that the equipment is well made and you get a good spec for the money. Since I have a lot of Nikon lenses it makes a lot of sense to stick with the brand I know. What do you see Nikon needing to do to stay competitive in the full-frame market? Innovation is key – Nikon needs to produce equipment that will stand out from the other brands and offer features that might not be seen on other cameras while keeping the price sensible. If Nikon does release a full-frame mirrorless camera, what do you envisage it looking like? I would…

Being a long-term Nikon user, what is it that's kept you brand loyal? Partly the excellent image quality and fantastic choice and quality of Nikon lenses, but also because over the years I've become accustomed to the layout of Nikon DSLRs and instinctively know where everything is. Have any full-frame mirrorless cameras taken your interest or fancy? While it's not a full-frame camera, the Fujifilm X-T2 has long been an object of desire for me. This is partly down to its general design, ergonomics and handling, but also the fantastic image quality it's capable of – I'm a huge fan of Fujifilm's colour and tonality. What does Nikon have to do better than other brands if it makes a full-frame mirrorless camera? As a Nikon DSLR user I'd like to…

Q I have fiddled around with vibrance and saturation adjustments when editing my photos but I'm not really sure what the difference is, precisely, between the two. Could you shed any light? Hector Penfold A Both saturation and vibrance adjustments affect the intensity of colour in an image. If you desaturate an image the colour drains away. Oversaturate an image and the colour becomes lurid. Vibrance is a more subtle control of colour intensity. When using vibrance to alter colour intensity in an image the changes are stronger in areas of the image that are less saturated to start with. Vibrance also helps avoid making skin hues unnaturally saturated.…

If you’d like to see your work published in Amateur Photographer, here’s how to send us your images: Email Email a selection of low-res images (up to 5MB of attachments in total) to appicturedesk@ti-media.com.CD/DVD Send us a disc of high-resolution JPEG, TIFF or PSD images (at least 2480 pixels along its longest length), with a contact sheet, to the address on page 26. Via our online communities Post your pictures into our Flickr group, Facebook page, Twitter feed, or the gallery on our website. See details above. Transparencies/prints Well-packaged prints or slides (without glass mounts) should be sent by Special Delivery, with a return SAE, to the address on page 26.…

Canon has launched the PowerShot SX740 HS, a family and travel-friendly compact with a 40x optical zoom lens (24-960mm equivalent), 20.3MP CMOS sensor and 4K Ultra HD video capabilities – the first time such features have appeared in a PowerShot device. The camera also includes a DIGIC 8 Image Processor, 5-axis image stabilisation, a 3in LCD screen that rotates 180° and continuous shooting up to 7.4fps. Photo sharing is made easy too via the Canon Camera Connect app for iOS and Android, and the camera has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. While there are some features for more-advanced photographers, you cannot shoot raw. The SX740 HS goes on sale in August with a suggested retail price of £349.99. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

Eyes to the left Graham Lockerbie talks about a left-handed option for cameras (Inbox, AP 4 August), but what about people with a dominant left eye? I have a stronger left eye, so I hold a camera to view and focus through my left eye, and as a result my nose always touches the back of the camera. This is usually no big deal, but it means lots of smudges on the display. However, there was one camera that used trap focus on the rear screen, and as soon as my snout touched it the focus point moved, as the camera thought it was my finger touching the screen to alter the focus point. This was puzzling until I realised what was happening, but I really wish camera makers catered…

• By car Giant’s Causeway and its visitor centre is located on the B147 Causeway road, two miles from Bushmills village, 11 miles from Coleraine and 13 miles from Ballycastle. If using satnav, the postcode is BT57 8SU. Parking on the site itself is only for those entering Giant’s Causeway via the visitor centre. • By train Regular train services operate from Belfast or Londonderry to Coleraine, then change to Ulsterbus Service 172. Visitors travelling this way receive a ‘green discount’ at the visitor centre. Don’t forget, you can also arrive on foot, via the Causeway Coast Way.…

Popular with photographers, little owls are the UK’s smallest owl species. They are active in daylight and they can show remarkable tolerance to a close approach. • Location Can be found in central, southern and south-eastern England and the Welsh borders. • Size Length 22cm, wingspan 56cm. • Nest/burrow/den Holes in trees, cliffs, walls, old buildings, river banks and even rabbit burrows. • Diet Small vertebrates such as amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, as well as insects and earthworms. • Population 5,700 breeding pairs.…

CANON was a late entrant to the mirrorless market, with its original EOS M appearing in June 2012. It tapped into the then-prevalent idea that mirrorless cameras were for people who wanted to take higher-quality photographs, but were intimidated by the bulk and complexity of DSLRs. That philosophy still lives on in Canon's range, with the entry-level EOS M100 being a direct spiritual descendant. While the EOS M100 is very affordable, it lacks a viewfinder and relies mostly on touchscreen operation. We'd give it a miss and recommend the EOS M50 instead, an attractive little SLR-like design with a built-in electronic viewfinder and fully articulated screen. Its main limitation is that it uses a single control dial, although this is complemented by Canon's excellent touch interface. If you prefer a…

PANASONIC was of course the pioneer of mirrorless, with its Lumix DMC-G1 being the very first camera of this type back in 2008. Since then the firm has experimented with making cameras in a wider variety of shapes and sizes than anyone else, while also constantly introducing innovative features, particularly in the field of video recording. Like Olympus, it offers a full range of cameras and lenses from entry-level to pro-spec all based around the same sensor size. Indeed in its current line-up Panasonic offers a huge choice of cameras, starting with the tiny but surprisingly capable GX800 that costs a mere £299 with 12-32mm lens. The range then splits into dual body types, with the rangefinder-style GX line running alongside the SLR-shaped G series. For example the GX80 is…

People tend to be brand-loyal to SLRs – do you see many people switching? We do see some people switching. I think the people who are using entry- and mid-level SLRs and haven't invested a substantial amount of money in lenses are potentially less loyal to the SLR format. Clearly when you start to talk to people with 5Ds or D850s, they've got cameras worth well in excess of £2,000 and they've got the glass to go with it – they're passionate about SLR photography and I think they always will be. I think it will be interesting to see how Nikon and Canon play the mirrorless market over the next 12-18 months. Looking forward, do you imagine Canon and Nikon will come out with high-end mirrorless cameras? I don't…

Being a long-term Canon user, what is it that's kept you brand loyal? I have used Canon DSLRs for over 15 years and have remained a Canon user for two main reasons; reliability (I think in 15 years I have had one Canon lens that has needed repair), and the fact that I am heavily invested in Canon lenses. I am comfortable with the ergonomics of Canon DSLRs. What does Canon need to do to stay competitive in the full-frame market? It's well documented that Canon sensor technology lags behind that of Sony. But what does that mean in the real world? I shoot mainly wildlife using an original 1DX and a 5D Mark IV. If I can nail focus and nail exposure, I am happy, and I'm happy with…