Innholdsfortegnelse for 3/25/25 i Amateur Photographer

It has been a busy week for competition news (see overleaf), starting with the announcement of the winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA 2025). Top prize goes to Simon Withyman for a powerful image of an urban fox, winning him £3,500. ‘I had been photographing this vixen for three years,’ says Withyman. ‘This streetwise fox was a successful mother and had a family of young mouths to feed.’ Meanwhile Jamie Smart (aged 9) won The Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 title with a beautiful image of a curlew amongst dandelions. Check out all the winners of this wide-ranging competition at www.bwpawards.org. The 2026 competiton is also now open for entries.…

Our Hero of Photography award shines a light on people using photography to do great things for the benefit of others. The winner this year is Paul Ryan, who came up with the brilliant idea of using cameras and photography to help homeless people help themselves. Paul co-founded the MyLondon initiative in 2013 with a simple idea: distribute Fujifilm single-use film cameras to 100 homeless people, who were given seven days to photograph London. The best of these photographs were published in a calendar which the participants sold around the capital, giving them an income. This became an annual event that not only continues in London, but has become an international phenomenon. AP first became aware of this project when our late news editor, Chris Cheesman, volunteered as a judge…

We often talk about the power of photography as though it is some divine force for good and truth, that has the capacity to liberate the people of the world. It can be, of course, but that’s just one side of the matter. Photography can be used to reveal facts and to raise issues just as much as it can be used to convince us of things that aren’t true – or at least, aren’t quite as they seem. What any of us think personally of Donald Trump is irrelevant to our appreciation of this astonishing picture taken by the Associated Press chief photographer Evan Vucci. It’s got a definitive narrative, like a country song about heroism, patriotism, survival, injustice, triumph, inner power and resurrection. Photographically, the composition is fantastic,…

There are, of course, many great nature and wildlife photographers in the world right now. But this year, we’d like to give special mention to Harry Skeggs, whose book Creation – Masterpieces from the Natural World showed off his talent. Not only was each image in the book superbly shot, we got some accompanying text to describe more about the animals shown, the habitats in which they live, the preparations necessary for the journey and the photoshoot, as well as certain stylistic and artistic choices. In short, Harry is a photographer’s photographer – if you want to know not just why an image was created, but also how and when, then he’ll tell you everything you need to know. Harry studied fine art at Cambridge, and that’s something that also…

● £959-£1439 ● dji.com Why we like it ● Great-quality still images● Excellent 4K video● Stable footage even in buffeting wind● Portable folding design This mid-range drone strikes a particularly compelling balance between portability, performance and value. It’s considerably more robust than lightweight sub-250g drones, while being far more affordable than DJI’s premium Mavic models. You get a pair of well-matched cameras, the drone’s arms fold against the body to make it easier to transport, and sensors placed around the body help it avoid objects and stay safe during flight. At the heart of the drone is a dual-camera system, comprising a primary camera with a 50MP 1in sensor paired with a 24mm equivalent f/1.8 lens, and a telephoto camera with a 70mm equivalent f/2.8 lens backed by a 48MP…

● £1599 ● fujifilm-x.com Key features ● Fabulous retro design● Detailed 40MP images● In-body image stabilisation● Unique hybrid viewfinder This sixth-generation model in Fujifilm’s classic line of APS-C compact cameras comes with significant updates over its predecessor, the X100V. It gains a 40MP sensor, in-body image stabilisation, and subject recognition for autofocus. It’s so popular that, even a year after its launch, you still won’t find the camera in-stock anywhere. So what makes the X100VI such a hit? All the usual ingredients of the X100 line are present and correct – a lovely-looking retro design, analogue control dials for shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation, and a unique hybrid viewfinder that offers a choice between optical or electronic modes. You also get Fujifilm’s peerless Film Simulations, which deliver lovely…

● £1999 ● panasonic.com/uk Why we like it ● Excellent handling and controls● Transformed autofocus● Superb in-body stabilisation● Vast range of advanced video features This latest model in Panasonic’s long-running line of videocentric cameras takes everything we liked about the excellent GH6 and transforms it with the addition of phase detection autofocus. It also gains upgraded subject detection, ProRes support, and greatly enhanced audio recording via the optional DMW-XLR2 mic adapter. The result is an incredibly impressive hybrid camera. Indeed, while it’s easy to think of the GH7 as essentially being a video camera, it also excels at stills. You get ridiculously fast continuous shooting at 75 frames per second with focus fixed, or 60fps with continuous AF. A new 25MP backside-illuminated sensor incorporates Panasonic’s Dynamic Range Boost, promising 13…

It’s been said on many occasions, but photography can be a solitary pursuit at times. And this is why community can be so important. It nurtures, encourages and lifts. It can generate confidence where previously there was little. And a good community can take us places – both physically and creatively. The winner of AP’s Community of the Year Award will be familiar to a lot of readers, not only because many are already members but also because this is the third time it has won the award since it was launched in 2022. SheClicks, the group for female photographers, was founded by former AP technical editor Angela Nicholson in 2018, and continues to go from strength to strength. The group’s Facebook members now number more than 14,000 – but…

Cameras Cameras come in three types: DSLRs with optical viewfinders, mirrorless models with electronic viewing, and compact cameras with non-interchangeable lenses Handgrip DSLRs traditionally have relatively large handgrips, while many mirrorless models have much smaller grips to keep the size down. However, some can accept accessory grips to improve handling with larger lenses. Lens mount Each camera brand uses its own lens mount, and mirrorless cameras use different lenses to DSLRs even from the same brand. However, mirrorless models can often use DSLR lenses via a mount adapter. Controls Entry-level cameras tend to have simple, easy-to-understand controls, while more expensive models add lots of buttons and dials to give quick access to settings. Viewfinder The biggest difference between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras is that the latter use electronic, rather than…

£80, GOST, hardcover, 128pp, ISBN: 9781915423542 A quarter of a century ago, the celebrated war photographer Don McCullin set out on a journey to survey the remains of the Roman Empire. Perhaps it’s no surprise that somebody who has spent their career focused on the devastation caused by conflict would seek such a project. In this new book, previously unpublished photographs depict the marble sculptures of antiquity which are housed in various museums across the world. All these images have been created in the past few years, and were photographed either after-hours or before the doors were opened to the public in the museums. This special level of access is reflected in the still and serene results. The statues are released from their context and captured in black & white.…

Barry Lewis, born on 23 July 1948, in London, is a distinguished British photographer and filmmaker whose career spans over five decades. His body of work encompasses editorial, documentary, and portrait photography, and he has garnered international acclaim for his compelling visual narratives. Early life and education Lewis loved science at school and won the BBC young scientist of the year in 1966 before studying chemistry at Leicester University. It was here, the day after watching the film Blow Up, he bought a camera. He served as the head of the chemistry department at a school in Leicestershire for two years. However his passion for photography led him to a pivotal career change. In 1974 he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Art (RCA), where he studied…

Samar Abu Elouf has many awards for her incredible reportage – but there can be few photojournalists who are more deserving than this Palestinian photographer. Abu Elouf’s career has been one of skill, stubbornness and defiance. When aged 26 and a mother of three (now of four), she was agitated by her situation. After dabbling in writing, public relations and accounting, it was photography that she found most fulfilling, taking pictures on her phone. She wasn’t supported by her former husband or either of their families, but she educated herself in the medium, with her first assignment covering the 2012 Palestinian conflict with Israel, before going on to cover the 2014 50-day war in Gaza. Between 2018-2019, Abu Elouf reported on the Gaza border protests for Middle Eastern Eye. Lacking…

It can be hard to find new angles and approaches with landscape photography. A lot of the most picturesque places in the world have been photographed to death, and even if you rise at silly o’clock for amazing light, or are lucky enough to get photogenic weather, chances are, another photographer somewhere has bagged a similar shot. That’s where the unconventional approach of Liam Man has paid dividends. Lighting his scenes using drones, the work stands out for all the right reasons. He calls his drones his ‘super abled’ assistants – they can ‘run’ further, faster and higher than he can, freeing him up to stay with the camera, adjusting settings on the fly. Liam is only 29, and is currently working on a project celebrating our frozen planet, with…

● £3049 ● sony.co.uk Why we like it: ● Fantastic optical quality● Relatively manageable size● Fast, silent autofocus● Comprehensive controls This premium standard zoom is designed for photographers who shoot such things as weddings and events, and who want to use an aperture larger than f/2.8 without giving up the flexibility of a zoom. As part of Sony’s G Master range, it provides top-quality optics and pro-level handling. And it does so in a package that’s rather smaller and lighter than you might expect given its constant f/2 maximum aperture. Key features include a complex optical formula with 20 elements in 14 groups, with a whole slew of special elements to minimise optical defects. Four XD linear motors drive the autofocus, which works at up to 120 frames per second.…

● £499 ● pentax.eu Why we like it ● High-quality lens● Lightweight● Easy to use● Economical half-frame design Last year saw an unexpected and delightful mini renaissance of the 35mm compact film camera. This included the quirky Alfie Cameras Tych+ and the Rollei 35AF – Mint Camera’s affectionate homage to a classic 1960s design. But it was the Pentax 17 that charmed us the most. Not only is this the firm’s first new 35mm film camera in almost two decades, but also its first half-frame concept. It brings a modern twist to traditional design, with the clear aim of targeting a young, trendy social media audience that craves the analogue nostalgia of film photography. It includes design elements inspired by previous Pentax film cameras, such as a lens design derived…

● £5900 ● leica-camera.com Why we like it ● Superlative lens● Stunning raw image quality● Robust build quality● Engaging controls How do you improve on the best fixed-lens compact camera in the world? That was the question facing Leica when following up its exceptional Q3. But now the firm has gone even better, by replacing the original’s 28mm lens with a brand-new, and absolutely stunning 43mm f/2 optic. So what makes this camera so special? Fundamentally, it’s a combination of classic design and full-frame image quality. The Q is deliberately styled to resemble Leica’s iconic M-series rangefinders, with a similar array of traditional analogue controls for exposure settings and a corner-mounted high-resolution electronic viewfinder. Inside is a 60MP full-frame sensor that’s shared with the company’s M11 rangefinder and SL3 mirrorless…

● £2699 ● nikon.co.uk Why we like it ● Excellent autofocus● Super-fast shooting● Superb viewfinder and fully articulated screen● Refined handling and control layout This superb 24MP full-frame mirrorless model is designed for serious enthusiast and semi-professional photographers. It’s the first camera to use a ‘partially stacked’ image sensor, which brings many of the benefits of a stacked sensor, as seen in the pro-spec Nikon Z8 and Z9, but at a considerably lower cost. In practice, this means you get excellent autofocus and super-fast shooting in a smaller and more affordable package. Another notable feature is a truly superb new viewfinder. It offers impressive levels of detail, at 5.76m-dots, is extremely bright, at 4,000 nits, and the colour gamut is unusually large too, encompassing the DCI-P3 colour space. The practical…

Kit contents Supplied accessories include a metal lens cap, 49mm filter adapter, protective filter, square lens hood, and a rope strap. Power Fujifilm’s familiar NP-W235 battery is rated for an impressive 820 shots. It charges via the USB-C port. Storage You get a pair of UHS-II SD card slots, and the camera can also record to an external SSD. Colours The GFX100RF will be available in either a sober all-black finish, or an attractive two-tone silver and black. Fujifilm has achieved spectacular success over the past few years with its X100-series fixed-lens APS-C cameras, while dominating the medium-format market with its GFX system. So it is, perhaps, logical that the firm should combine the two. Its new GFX100RF employs a 102MP medium-format sensor and a fixed 35mm F4 lens, in a…

THE SONY World Photography Awards has announced the ten category winners of the Open competition. Now in its 18th year, the Open competition celebrates the ability of an individual photograph to capture and distil a singular moment, whilst evoking a broader narrative. Entrants were invited to submit their strongest single images from 2024, and across this year’s competitions, over 419,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories were submitted. The overall Open Photographer of the Year winner will be announced, alongside the overall winners of the Youth, Student and Professional competitions, on 16 April at the Sony World Photography Awards’ ceremony. Selected winning and shortlisted images will then be shown as part of the SWPA exhibition at Somerset House in London from 17 April to 5 May, before travelling…

This year’s Content Creator of the Year award was put to a public vote in our Readers’ Choice Awards. We asked our audience to name their favourite creators on any platform and we received over 1,000 votes in this category. More than 100 creators were nominated – and Thomas Heaton, an accomplished landscape photographer and YouTuber from the North East of England, is our winner! Thomas’s YouTube channel, which he started in 2014, is a celebration of landscape photography and being in the great outdoors, sometimes in his camper van, and sometimes in a tent. From the freezing conditions of the Arctic to storm chasing in the USA, Thomas takes his viewers on a journey as he shows us how he takes his photos, shares vlog-style behind-the- scenes footage and…

AP: Can you tell us more about yourself and how you got into photography? Cal Holland: Having been a food and drink photographer for nearly a decade, photography has been a big part of my adult life, but it wasn’t until I got a point-and-shoot film camera at the end of 2020 and then started shooting on the street in August 2022 that this became a (hopefully lifelong) obsession for me. The biggest inspiration for shooting the way I do now on film was Joel Meyerowitz’s How I Make Photographs, that I bought from The Photographers’ Gallery in London in July 2022. I think it tells you everything you need to know to become a photographer, and I find myself rereading it at least a couple of times a year.…

In our fourth camera clubs competition, this year the prize went to Plymouth Camera Club, who, with 620 points overall, outstripped their nearest competitors by a massive 245 points. Nigel Atherton said: ‘Congratulations! No less than 17 of their members achieved a shortlisted image – or better – which just goes to show what a team effort it is.’ Their enthusiasm and commitment to the competition won them a 4K ViewSonic projector worth £1,500, and a ViewSonic monitor worth £1,000 for the club member who contributed the most points to their club’s final tally.…

● £1399 ● nikon.co.uk Why we like it: ● Huge zoom range● Relatively portable● Fast and quiet focusing● Good value Our readers’ favourite lens this year is a versatile superzoom that can, theoretically, never leave your camera yet cover almost any shooting scenario. Giving you a 14.2x zoom, potentially it could be used for subjects as diverse as landscapes, portraits, macro, sports and wildlife. This makes it a great choice for situations such as travel or day trips, when you’re trying to keep your kit bag as light as possible. Key attractions include weather-sealed construction, an impressively close minimum focus distance ranging from 0.2m to 1.2m, and built-in vibration reduction that promises 5.5 stops of stabilisation. A near-silent stepping motor provides fast and accurate focusing. It’s surprisingly small given its…

● explore.omsystem.com Why we like it ● Mimics ND grad filters● Choice of densities● Easy to move and angle● Real-time live preview OM System has long been at the forefront of introducing innovative camera features, many of which go on to be widely copied by other makers. Its most recent models are stacked full of clever computational modes, with Live ND Grad being its latest addition. Introduced on the OM-1 Mark II and also available on the latest OM-3, this replicates the effect of using a graduated neutral density filter in front of the lens, allowing a darkening effect to be applied selectively across the frame. It therefore lets you balance bright skies against dark foregrounds without having to carry a bag full of filters. Live Grad ND filter gives…

● From £1299 ● mi.com Why we like it ● Class-leading image quality● Four high-resolution cameras● Cameras developed in partnership with Leica● Useful Photography Kit available as an extra A range of enticing photographic specifications make this smartphone really stand out. Its headline attraction is a main camera with a 23mm equivalent f/1.63 lens and large one-inch type 50MP sensor. It’s joined by a further three cameras, comprising a 50MP 14mm f/2.2 ultrawide, a 50MP 70mm f/1.8 ‘floating’ telephoto and a 200MP 100mm f/2.6 ‘periscope’ telephoto. All four of the lenses are Leica branded, which gives you an idea of the optical excellence that you can expect. Its larger-than-average main sensor is the best performer, but the other three give great results, too. In our review, we found that the…

● £1299 ● fujifilm-x.com Why we like it ● Impressive image quality● Small body with excellent handling● New Film Simulation dial● Great new 16-50mm kit zoom lens Fujifilm’s double-digit X-T series cameras have long been among our favourites in the highly competitive entry-level class. The X-T50 continues with the same winning blend of compact size, engaging handling and excellent image quality. But it gains some significant updates, including a 40MP sensor, 6K video recording, in-body image stabilisation, and subject detection autofocus. Together, these place it right at the top of its class. You get the attractive retro design that’s characteristic of the X-T series, including analogue dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation. There’s also a new dedicated dial for selecting between Film Simulation modes. Some people will love this,…

● £4999 ● canon.co.uk Why we like it ● Excellent handling and control layout● Superb subject detection AF● Great image quality in both JPEG and raw● Eye Control Focus In a year that saw the release of a lot of high-end cameras, one stood out. Canon’s EOS R5 Mark II is a highly capable professional all-rounder that can handle almost any task, for either photography or video. It sports a 45MP sensor, can shoot at up to 30 frames per second, and record 8K video at 60fps. Like its more sports-focused sibling, the EOS R1, the EOS R5 Mark II is based around a concept that Canon calls ‘Accelerated Capture’. This means it combines a stacked, backside-illuminated sensor with a DIGIC X processor that’s boosted by a new DIGIC Accelerator…