Innholdsfortegnelse for 02-Feb-2019 i Amateur Photographer

Many photography enthusiasts feel they should be more creative with lighting, but are put off by the rigmarole and extra expense of dealing with off-camera flash, brollies and so on. So this issue, we look at how normal domestic lights, or simple units you can find at a hardware or DIY store, can be used to provide extra illumination. When you think our impressive cover image was shot with a portable halogen light you can easily snaffle for under £50, it opens up plenty of possibilities. Also, we test Fujifilm’s exciting GFX 50R mirrorless camera, and report on the Olympus E-M1X, an important release for the Micro Four Thirds stalwarts. And if you’re feeling out of shape after Christmas, don’t miss our tutorial on fixing perspective and leaning-in edges.…

There's no doubt that the E-M1X looks like an innovative and highly accomplished camera that's built like a tank and packed full of clever features. We've been lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production sample for a few weeks before launch, and have been impressed by how well its new technology appears to work. The big question, though, is how many photographers will be prepared to shell out £2,800 for a high-end Micro Four Thirds camera? Olympus argues, with some justification, that its smaller sensor is offset by the increased portability of the system as a whole. But with all the recent hype around full frame, it remains to be seen whether potential buyers will be convinced. However we're hoping Olympus can incorporate many of its new features…

THIS issue our HG Wells-esque time machine takes us back to 1999. A lot hasn't changed that much – Liam and Noel Gallagher still don't get on – but a lot has. For a start, Minolta was still making headlines with its bulletproof, pro-spec SLRs. It's a shame the brand has been absorbed into the Sony hive-mind, but lots of older Minolta bodies and lenses can still be had online, and very good they are. Elsewhere, AP was taking women photographers more seriously than it did in the 80s, while a feature on printing reveals how darkroom guru Steve Walsh creatively enhanced a splendid black & white portrait by Sheila Rock (best known as a music photographer, but much more than a snapper for NME and the rest). The piece…

In July 2005, I was contacted by a Russian magazine called ProSport. They had contacted Esquire magazine to ask for the name of a good portrait photographer to shoot the then-Chelsea manager, José Mourinho, and Esquire recommended me. We agreed a fee, I hired my assistant, and on the day of the shoot we drove down to the new Chelsea training ground in Cobham, Surrey. As a football fan, I was pleased to get the opportunity to photograph Mourinho. At the age of 42, the enigmatic Portuguese manager had won the UEFA Champions League with Porto and had just completed his remarkable first season at Chelsea, in which he had guided the team to both the Premier League title and victory in the League Cup Final. On his arrival at…

Aspect ratios Fujifilm has designed the GFX 50R with multiple aspect ratios in mind. Alongside the sensor’s native 4:3 output, it’s possible to select 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 65:24, 5:4 or 7:6 crop settings. 2.5mm socket On the side of the camera is a 2.5mm socket that will accept either a wired remote release, or a stereo microphone for improved sound quality during video recording. USB-C A high-speed USB-C connector is unconventionally placed beneath a base-plate cover, alongside a 15V DC power input socket. Battery The large sensor requires a monster of a battery. The NP-T125 packs 1250mAh at 10.8V and is rated for 400 shots. It charges externally, but not over USB. Flash Fujifilm has included a hotshoe for dedicated external flash units such as the high-spec EF-X500, along with…

You might be forgiven for believing that the Japanese camera industry began in 1959. This was the year the Nikon F was introduced, and it was the camera which largely triggered interest in Japanese cameras. But the Japanese photo industry began long before. There is evidence of a daguerreotype camera being made in Japan as early as 1845, just six years after the process had been announced in France. In the early days, Japan was a closed country, but later the doors were opened to foreign trade, and Japanese manufacturers became aware of German cameras. So they built their own versions: the Japanese Canon was inspired by the German Leica, while the Japanese Nikon was inspired by the German Contax. Japanese cameras come to the West By the start of…

At first sight, some of Eisenstaedt’s work looks formulaic, banal, stagy and contrived. It looks like hack reportage next to his best pictures, which knock your socks off: his portrait of Stravinsky, for example, where the huge abstract shapes of the piano and the background dwarf the musician. Or Goebbels, whose smile changed to a glare when he learned that Eisenstaedt was Jewish. Or the sailor kissing the nurse on VJ Day in Times Square, New York. But then you look closer at the stuff that’s apparently formulaic, banal, stagy and contrived and you realise the truth of his observation – that it’s more important to click with the subject than to click the camera. Take his pictures of Marilyn Monroe. It might seem hard to take a bad picture…

A RANGE of 100% vegan camera bags is being sold by German company CosySpeed and distributed by PhotoTEQ. No, they aren't designed to be eaten along with your lentils and hummus, instead they're an ethical solution for carrying cameras up to full-frame DSLRs. The bags don't include any materials of animal origin, and this covers the dyes, glues and waterproof coatings. Prices range from £55 for the Streetomatic bags, to £135 for the largest Camslinger bags. Check out the CosySpeed bags at The Photography Show at the Birmingham NEC in March. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

ALONGSIDE the E-M1X, Olympus has revealed a wireless off-camera flash system based upon radio control. This is in contrast to its current system that relies on optical triggering, and therefore requires a clear line of sight between the commander and receiver units. Central to the new set-up is the FL-700WR flash unit (£329.99), which features a maximum guide number of 42m at ISO 100, the ability to act as either commander or receiver, and dust-, splash- and freeze-proof construction. Standalone commander and receiver units will also be available, namely the Wireless Commander FC-WR (£279.99) and the Wireless Receiver FR-WR (£179.99). The commander can control an unlimited number of flash units arranged in up to three groups, and both feature weather-resistant construction. The new flash system will be available at the…

In praise of the FZ82 Do your kit testers lead a sheltered existence? Reading through the Nikon Z 7 test (AP 13 October 2018) I noted the extended eyepiece, identical to the one on my Panasonic FZ82! Since I bought my FZ82 I've become aware of a local professional who shoots pictures for a local regional publication and the local paper with his FZ82. Its major plus is that if you have the wrong focal length in use you only need nudge the zoom switch and you can shift to another. In my case I have most of my outfit in a Lowepro zoomster bag. And I'm saving up for an LED light, while looking for a monopod that doesn't foul the battery and memory card compartment door in the…

Fujifilm currently offers eight G-mount lenses from 23mm to 250mm, with seven primes including a 120mm f/4 macro alongside a 32-64mm f/4 wideangle zoom. The ‘crop factor' relative to full-frame is 0.8x, which means the lenses cover a 35mm-equivalent range from 18mm wideangle to 200mm telephoto. Only the 120mm f/4 macro and 250mm f/4 telephoto include optical image stabilisation. In terms of maximum apertures, the fastest is a 110mm f/2 portrait lens, which should give similar results in terms of depth of field and background blur to an 85mm f/1.6 full-frame optic. The others are f/2.8 or f/4, which will behave like f/2.2 or f/3.2 full-frame lenses with the same angles of view. As a result, if you're after the shallowest possible depth of field for selective-focus shooting, in principle…

At low ISO settings the GFX 50R gives absolutely stunning images, with no visible noise and remarkable delineation of the finest low-contrast detail. This quality persists up to ISO 800, and it’s only really at ISO 3200 that we see any obvious degradation when examining images close-up on screen. By ISO 12,800 quality is suffering badly from noise, although the camera’s own processing does a better job of maintaining colour than Adobe Camera Raw. Beyond this, however, things go downhill fast, with colours fading and serious problems with noise. ISO 25,600 might be usable at a pinch, but I’d steer clear of the top two extended settings.…

1873 Konishi-ya, the predecessor of Konica, was formed. 1917 Three companies merged to form Nippon K ō gaku, which would go on to become Nikon. 1919 Asahi K ō gaku was founded; it later goes on to become Pentax. 1919 Takachiho Seisakusho, forerunner of Olympus, was founded. 1928 Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shokai was established, to eventually become Minolta. 1933 Seiki K ō gaku Kenky ō sho began business, later to be called Canon. 1934 Fuji Photo Film Company began trading. 1936 Riken Optics launched, later to be known as Ricoh.…

Each week we choose our favourite picture on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Twitter or the reader gallery using #appicoftheweek. PermaJet proudly supports the online picture of the week winner, who will receive a top-quality print of their image on the finest PermaJet paper*. It is important to bring images to life outside the digital sphere, so we encourage everyone to get printing today! Visit www.permajet.com to learn more. Send us your pictures 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…

OLYMPUS has also announced that it's developing a new super-telephoto zoom lens with a built-in teleconverter, scheduled to appear some time next year. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO will provide a 300-800mm equivalent reach, increasing to 375-1000mm equivalent at f/5.6 when the teleconverter is engaged. The lens is slated to be compact and lightweight, while featuring dust-, splash-and freeze-proof construction. Its in-lens optical IS system will work together with the in-body IS found in all Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras. Closer to release is the long-awaited MC-20 2x teleconverter, which is due to go on sale this summer. Along with the upcoming 150-400mm supertele, it will be compatible with the firm's existing 300mm f/4 PRO and 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lenses.…

Legendary photojournalist Don McCullin spends a lot of time in the dark listening to Bach, and making black & white prints. McCullin has a darkroom at his home in Somerset, and when the weather is sunny he disappears into this safe, familiar space to work on fresh interpretations of the thousands of negatives he has created during his 60-year career. (When the weather is miserable he can often be found in the countryside, creating views of the landscape that are beautiful, but far from idyllic.) While McCullin is happy to leave the printing of his colour work to professional labs, he oversees the output of his black & white negatives. His level of perfectionism is admirable, and his desire to leave the very best prints behind him is clear to…

Martin Norden asked ( Inbox , AP 5 January 2019) for our views on whether full-frame mirrorless gear will be as heavy as DSLR kit. My opinion is that it will, because of the drive for quality, which requires bulk and weight. A basic Micro Four thirds (MFT) camera will be smaller and lighter than is practical for a larger format. But it will be rather small for stable hand-holding (particularly if, like me, you're over 6ft tall), and there isn't much room for direct controls. Panasonic addressed these limitations with its G9, and produced a MFT camera of much the same weight and size as current full frame (FF) mirrorless models! FF lenses need twice the focal length, but only half the aperture ratio, to give the same light-gathering…

Celine used a number of different cameras over the course of this project, including a Leica M (240), Leica Sl, Phase One, Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Bronica SQ and 500C/M medium-format film cameras. She says, ‘Nothing was really planned; with the cooking I'd just cook and would make a few images if I felt like it; many times I didn't. With the trips I did to retrace parts of my mother's life, I'd just arrive in the place and see how I felt. This project was about emotions, so I was led by them to an extent.'…

1 Lens Profile correction Here I applied a Lens Profile correction to the image to remove any geometric distortion. This resulted in a photo with perfectly straight edges, but because I had photographed the building from a slight angle, the lines converged both horizontally and vertically. 2 Transform panel To improve the perspective I selected the Transform panel and experimented with different Upright correction methods to see which worked best. Usually the Auto option is the best compromise. In this example I applied a Full Upright correction, but this was unable to perfectly correct the perspective. 3 Guided Upright option Instead, I selected the Guided Upright option (Shift + T), which automatically selected the Guide Line tool. With the Loupe box selected in the Transform panel, I added two guides…

With the same 51.4MP medium-format sensor and X-Processor Pro as the older GFX 50S, unsurprisingly we see much the same image quality. Fine detail is rendered with stunning clarity and crispness, which is accentuated in the camera's low-ISO JPEG files by strong, fine-radius sharpening. Colour output is as attractive as usual, with the various film-simulation modes providing a good range of options. Interestingly Fujifilm has achieved this stunning quality using a conventional Bayer sensor, rather than the X-Trans sensor used in its premium APS-C models. Our cameras and lenses are tested using the industry-standard Image Engineering IQ-Analyser software. Visit www.image-engineering.de for more details…

It's always exciting when a camera brings something new to the market. By placing the stunning image quality of its medium-format sensor into a relatively small body at a ground-breaking price, the Fujifilm GFX 50R does exactly that. Indeed this feels like a transformative moment for medium-format digital, bringing it into serious consideration for a much wider audience than ever before. First, let's consider the price. The GFX 50R costs £1,000 less than its stablemate the GFX 50S, £2,000 less than the Hasselblad X1D 50c, and £1,500 less than the four-year-old Pentax 645Z DSLR. Fujifilm's GF lenses are reasonably affordable by medium-format standards, too. Equally important is the portability factor. It's no more difficult to shoot with the GFX 50R out on location than it is to work with a…

• £119.99 • www.intro2020.co.uk WHILE LED panels are mostly associated with video, they can be useful lighting tools for stills photographers. They can go some way towards replicating fill-flash, for example, with the added advantage that you can see the effects live. Metz's Mecalight S500 BC is a compact, flat unit that's roughly the size of a smartphone. It sports 117 surface-mount LEDs, of which 60 are daylight-balanced with a colour temperature of 5500K, while the rest are 3000K, similar to standard household lighting. This allows the colour to be continuously adjusted to match a wide range of light sources, or simply for creative effect. The brightness is finely adjustable in 5% steps, from full power down to 5%, equating to a little more than a four-stops range. The colour…

Q I would like to invest in a new filter system. I am happy with my camera and three lenses, so would like to get a range of UV, ND and circular polarisers. I realise that this can be a costly activity, so will build my collection over time. My question is, should I go in for a square system like Lee or Cokin or should I buy individual screw-thread filters? I would like a system that is really good quality (no colour hue, etc.) as well as easy to travel with. Matt Nichols A When it comes to filters, sometimes it’s best to use both screw-in filters as well as build a square filter system. To protect your lenses, invest in high-quality UV filters that you could leave on…