Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/20/25 i Amateur Photographer

We can’t ever see landscape photography going out of fashion, as being out there in a beautiful spot with your camera is about as good as it gets. So this issue has an outdoorsy theme, with the esteemed RPS sharing stand-out landscape work. Don’t miss top landscape pro Charlie Waite’s great idea for raising money for charity, too (see page 6), and Ragnar Axelsson’s epic project on Icelandic farmers. Time is also running out to get discounted tickets for our Festival of Outdoor Photography starting 30 May – a unique chance to hear Charlie and other great landscape, wildlife, and street photographers, so jump to page 38. Last but not least, we test the Panasonic Lumix S1R II, a full-frame high-resolution camera that won’t break the bank. Our cover picture…

Alongside the S1II and S1IIE, Panasonic has announced a new Lumix S 24-60mm F2.8 large-aperture standard zoom. It’s designed to be a general-purpose lens suitable for a broad range of subjects, ranging from architecture and landscapes to portraits. Compared to the firm’s existing high-end Lumix S Pro 24-70mm F2.8, it’s dramatically smaller and lighter, and only about half the price. The lens also debuts a couple of new control options, at least for Panasonic. Firstly, there’s a programmable button on the barrel, that the firm suggests could be useful engaging its hybrid zoom function. The manual focus ring can also be re-assigned to change the aperture or set exposure compensation, although this only works on S1II-series models (and the S1RII will need a firmware update). Size-wise, the new lens is…

I’ve been reviewing a range of the latest cameras, including Sony’s A9 III and A1 II, plus the Canon EOS R1. Aside from increased use of AI to enhance autofocus capability, another thing they’ve in common is eye-watering price-tags. These days it isn’t just photographers’ creativity being stretched by such tools; it’s their wallets. Sure, it’s been like this for at least the past five years, since global uncertainty and scarcity of certain components pushed prices up. But amid a long, drawn-out cost-of-living crisis, it feels more acute and more painful. While the best cameras there have ever been may now be at our disposal, doing more to help us achieve the pictures we want, many pro photographers targeted by the manufacturers are finding it harder than ever to make…

Who doesn’t love photographs of dogs? Our canine pals are some of our favourite subjects, whether it’s taking our own pictures or looking at the work of others. In this charming volume by the award-winning photographer Gray Malin, we get a look at a huge variety of pooches from across the world – whether they’re the well-pampered pets from glamorous Beverly Hills or those padding the streets of New York, London or Paris. There’s something absolutely and resolutely Wes Anderson about these images, and every single page is a true delight. I’d love to have some of these pictures framed on the wall, too (you can buy prints from Gray Malin’s website – fair warning though, prices aren’t cheap). I have enough trouble cajoling my single miniature dachshund into posing…

For and against Data file When Panasonic first entered the full-frame market at the start of 2019, it did so with a pair of high-end cameras designed for professionals: the 24MP Lumix S1 and the 47MP S1R. Since then, though, it has concentrated on 24MP models at a lower price, with a strong emphasis on video features. Now the firm has returned to the high-resolution pro sector with the S1RII. Unsurprisingly, after six years, the S1RII has relatively little in common with its predecessor. It’s built around an entirely new 44.3MP sensor that’s placed inside a smaller body based on the 24MP Lumix S5II. The new sensor brings some impressive capabilities, including continuous shooting at 40 frames per second and 8K video recording. With this combination of resolution and speed,…

LETTER OF THE WEEK From photo to art In 2017 I went on my first motorhome trip with my first ever camera: a hand-me-down Nikon that I was just getting to grips with. Cinque Terre is a very photogenic corner of Italy and I’d done my research on best viewpoints, but when I got to Manarola I decided to set up in the cemetery instead, and look down at the town as the sun set. I was flattered when recently, a young artist asked if she could paint the image, and over the bank holiday, she exhibited it in the artist’s open house event in Brighton. When I saw her interpretation of my work, I just had to bring it home. Beverley Birchley Lovely photo, Beverley, and a beautiful painting…

ANDY WESTLAKE Technical Editor Andy takes a first look at the Lumix S1II and S1IIE, and conducts our big test of the Panasonic Lumix S1RII AMY DAVIES Features Editor Amy highlights the RPS Members’ Exhibition, as well as interviewing both Ragnar Axelsson and Rebecca Pitt PETER DENCH Acting Features Editor Peter writes about a hard-won image by Jon Tonks, for the We Feed The UK initiative, in Final Analysis this week JESSICA MILLER Dep Online Editor As well as managing our social media channels, Jessica selects great reader images on page 44 TONY KEMPLEN In his regular Tech Talk column, camera collector Tony writes about using one of his box cameras from the 1950s…

Panasonic has also revealed a slew of firmware and software updates. Firstly, a major update for the S1RII will add 8.1K Open Gate recording and raw data output over HDMI. The camera will also get many of the new features from the S1II, including the Urban Sports AF mode and HEIF support. This update should appear some time in 2025. Also, the Lumix S Pro 50mm F1.4, 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS, and 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 lenses all gain the ability to use the manual focus ring as a control ring on S1II-series cameras. The firm’s Lumix Lab video-shoot planning software adds a range of workflow options, including wireless connection to an external monitor, a camera battery level meter, plus false colour, waveform and vectorscope displays. It should also work on iPads.…

AN investigation by the Associated Press news agency (AP) has confirmed that Nick Ut did take the iconic ‘Napalm Girl’ image in 1972, dismissing claims in a new movie called The Stringer that it was taken by Thanh Nghe, another photographer at the terrible scene. ‘Of 10 people on the scene that day that the AP reached, (Nghe) is the only one who believes that Ut didn’t take the picture… believing his story would require several leaps of faith.’ In another twist, the investigation suggests that Ut took the picture on a Pentax, not a Leica as he has always claimed. The AP report is at bit.ly/APutreport…

● £499; £549 Pro Creator Bundle with XL Camera Cube ● peakdesign.com Peak Design is a company that inspires a loyal following among travellers and photographers alike. Its latest design, the Roller Pro, aims to appeal to both. On its own, it’s a rolling suitcase that aims to meet carry-on dimensions for many airlines. When used with the firm’s Camera Cubes, it becomes a camera case. Typically for Peak Design, this bag is packed full of neat ideas. For example, the firm has gone to the trouble of making its own space-saving carbon-fibre handle, and using user-replaceable custom wheels. The lid is designed to stay open near-vertically, rather than flopping off to one side. The 16in laptop pocket is accessed from the outside, with a magnetic closure that should stop…

You said... photo-review @photoreview1 Henri Cartier-Bresson. Ernst Haas. Sebastião Salgado. William Klein. Helmut Newton. Richard Avedon. Weegee. Óskar S Einarsson Ragnar Axelsson, known as RAX, an Icelandic photographer. Pam Watson-Smith Probably a bit obvious but Jane Bown and Annie Leibovitz’s portraiture work is outstanding. And I love Robert Mapplethorpe’s flowers. Richy rich @Richyrich2074 I’m relatively new to photography, so I’m definitely in the amateur category. So, with reading your magazine, and others too, I’m picking up tips and hints. Everyone seems to bring something different to the table. I love that about the hobby, for me it is. Dave Shephard Martin Parr, Ernst Haas, and Cartier-Bresson for their humour, beauty and moment in time-ness respectively. Just a snapshot of course! David Pickett Charlie Waite was my first inspiration and his…

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…

IT’S been a busy week for smartphone makers, with Sony announcing its new flagship handset, the Xperia 1 VII. Key features for photographers include a larger 1/1.56in sensor on the ultra-wide lens, plus ‘AI Camera Work,’ which offers beefed-up image stabilisation for steadier video footage. Also new is ‘Auto Framing,’ which uses AI to track the subject. This enables you to take two types of videos, one showing the whole scene and another cropped to a close-up of the subject. The Xperia 1 VII has three rear cameras that feature a new 16mm ultra-wideangle lens equipped with a 48MP 1/1.56in sensor, about 2.1 times larger than the previous model. Sony makes the ambitious claim that this allows for clear night shots equivalent to its full-frame cameras, with low noise and…

CRISTINA De Middel (featured right), Rahim Fortune, Tarrah Krajnak and Lindokuhle Sobekwa are the finalists for this year’s Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize.The overall winner will be announced on 20 May (after our press deadline, but see amateurphotographer.com). The winner of this prestigious prize gets £30,000; the three runners-up will each receive £5,000.…

When and why did you start taking photographs? Back in 2018, during high school, I struggled significantly with my mental health. I used art as a way to escape; it gave me a chance to spend time alone. However, I never truly enjoyed drawing – in fact, it often stressed me out even more. One day, we were asked to take some pictures to use as references for our work, and that was a turning point for me. I felt like I had finally discovered something I was good at. With my existing interest in wildlife and the environment, I ventured into animal photography. Finally, I had found an outlet that I both enjoyed and that helped me. Which genre do you tend to work mostly in? Although I do…

The Imperial Satellite camera was made in the USA in the mid 1950s. The name of the camera, and its decorative design, reflect the space age aspirations of the period. I rediscovered mine in a box which had been in the garage for many years. In it were a number of old cameras, most likely acquired from jumble sales in the late 1960s. There’s little to go wrong with this type of camera, so they’re much more forgiving of poor storage conditions than more sophisticated models. Herbert George Co of Chicago, who made the Satellite, produced a range of cheap simple cameras under the Imperial brand. Many of their models were basically the same but with different colours and cosmetic details. There was an Imperial Satellite in bright orange, which…

WIN! The AP Pic of the Week winner will receive a beautifully framed print of their winning image worth up to £100. If you Love it, Frame it! ThisPicture.com is an experienced, high-quality framing company with a unique, easy-to-use website. Build single or multi-image frames with a few clicks of your mouse and select from a wide range of frames, window mounts and glazing options. Each frame comes with a three-year guarantee and FREE P&P within the UK. Visit thispicture.co.uk Boost of Energy at the Finish by Denislav Dobtchev Leica Q (Typ 116), 28mm, 1/500sec at f/11, ISO 250 ‘The daughter was running towards her father for a last energy boost to be able to finish the race. It was very emotional to be there at this moment, where the…

I once spent a week on a North Sea fishing trawler. It smelt of fishy men. You slept below the water line and next to the engine room. It’s a curious life to choose, spending most of it working on a metal box hundreds of miles from home comfort and loved ones. It was a privilege to watch the trawlermen work and I began to understand the bond they had with the sea and rich history of the fishing community. They used to boast there were so many fishing boats in Scarborough ‘back in the day’, that you could walk across the harbour from deck to deck without getting your feet wet. Positive solutions Photographer Jon Tonks was commissioned by The Gaia Foundation for We Feed The UK, a national…