Innholdsfortegnelse for 30-Jan-2016 i Amateur Photographer

How patient are you? I ask this because in this issue we have a first look of the Nikon D500. This is the camera that will replace the D300 of 2007. The D500 looks like the best DSLR camera with an APS-C sensor yet. But has it come too late, and what happened to the D400? I also wonder how many of those Nikon D300 owners who have been crying out for a D400 have since jumped ship? It has been a long wait, and those wanting the latest features could have been tempted away from the Nikon stable. Many may have bought a Nikon D7000-series camera, or even gone full frame with the Nikon D610, and I’m sure a few will have bought Fujifilm X-T1 and Sony Alpha 7…

FUJIFILM is set to launch its first ‘super-telephoto’ zoom for the X series. Due out in February, priced £1,399, the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR is designed to deliver the 35mm equivalent of a 152-609mm lens. The 21-element-in-14-groups lens boasts five ED lenses and a Super ED lens to help cut chromatic aberration. Weighing just under 1.4kg, the lens is built to deliver image stabilisation equivalent to 5 stops and resist water, dust and temperatures down to -10°C. The lens features 13 water and dust-resistant seals. Fuji has added a fluorine coating to the front lens element to help repel water and dirt. A kit that includes a 1.4x teleconverter will cost £1,499.…

SAMSUNG has fanned the flames of speculation that it has pulled the plug on its global camera business by failing to showcase any cameras at the recent CES technology show. Speculation has been rife since the firm revealed plans before Christmas to pull out of the camera and camcorder markets in the UK and Germany. After searching for the elusive cameras on the Samsung stand at the Las Vegas Convention Center, AP deputy technical editor Michael Topham said: ‘I asked three members of staff on the stand whether there were any Samsung cameras on display, to which they all replied there were not.' He added: ‘I walked the stand myself and couldn't see any.' Samsung declined to comment on the matter when AP sought a response from a representative in…

‘One of the major benefits of SnapBridge is that it uses the power of Bluetooth to ensure you’re always connected’ 4K video The D500 is Nikon’s first DX-format DSLR to offer 4K UHD video recording at up to 30 frames per second. There’s a 4K UHD time-lapse function to experiment with too. Durable Built with rugged magnesium-alloy and carbon-fibre materials, the D500 is dust and water resistant. Dual slots The D500 has a dual card slot design and accepts SD and XQD cards. XQD cards offer faster read/write speeds to keep up with the D500’s impressive 10fps burst. At a glance 20.9-million-pixel, DX-format CMOS sensor ISO 100-51,200 (expandable to ISO 50-1,640,000 Expeed 5 image processor 153-point autofocus system 10fps continuous shooting 4K UHD movie recording SnapBridge support Price £1,729 (body…

THE CLOSING date for entries to the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2016 is 7 February, so there's still time to get snapping for the world's most prestigious celebration of all that is special and significant about food photography and film. The competition is open to everyone – professionals and amateurs – and awards £10,000 worth of prizes. The overall winner scoops the crown and £5,000, as well as two nights' accommodation in London to attend the exclusive VIP awards ceremony at London's Mall Galleries in April 2016, attended by all the finalists and winners. Visit www.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com…

Recently I had time to catch up on the copies of Amateur Photographer awaiting my attention, and was very interested in the article on Luke Austin (AP 5 December 2015). The article was full of useful points, and I found a lot to think about. His photograph of the trees in the lake at Glenorchy, New Zealand, struck a particular chord with me, and I soon found my photograph taken from a similar spot back in August 2013. My original was in colour, and in hindsight not very well composed. The framing was less than ideal. After looking at Luke's version, I converted mine to black & white, cropped to improve the composition – and what a difference! It was an interesting exercise to be able to edit my shot…

‘In my bag, I usually have a super-wide zoom, like a 16-35mm f/4 VR, mid-telephoto 70-200mm, 200-400mm and Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII prime, plus an external flashgun or two,' says Elliott. ‘I use a Gitzo 1325 Series 3 tripod, beanbags and an Eckla Eagle door support system.' Recommended lenses Wideangle lens for landscapes with huge skies, and for those moments where the animals approach really close. Mid-range zoom (70-200mm or 75-300mm) will give you the flexibility to photograph herds, packs and landscape details. Super-telephoto (400+mm) to get you into the action, frame-fillers and birdlife. They also make great landscape lenses. Often you will see features in the landscape that photograph well as isolated graphic images: good examples are the classic silhouette of an acacia with the orb of the sun.…

I FOUND building my initial photography portfolio using bespoke options incredibly satisfying, but there's no doubt it wasn't the cheapest way of doing things. If you own a printer, there are a few suppliers who provide a more cost-effective kit-based approach to building a printed portfolio. So when I came to produce a further collection of images, I chose the Hahnemühle FineArt Inkjet Leather Album. The advantage of this set-up is that everything is designed and created to work perfectly together for a beautiful end product. I opted for a12x12in red-stitched leather screw-post portfolio. They provide translucent page dividers and, unusually, you can buy it with double-sided inkjet paper to create the look and feel of a book, should you be so inclined. The paper is also already hole-punched and…

LAUNCHED 1956 PRICE £42 0s 4d (The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1956) PRICE TODAY £25-£50 THE ZEISS Ikon Contina IIa was a tough compact camera produced in two very similar versions. The first, from1956, had a two-range selenium-cell exposure meter, while the second, from about1961, was designed with a single-range meter. The camera pictured is of the first type, identifiable by its slits in the hinged meter flap to allow light to reach the meter cell when it is used in low-light mode. The flap of later cameras is solid and caps the cell completely, and the meter is ‘live' when the flap is raised. The Novicar or Novar lenses are three-element designs made by various European manufacturers with whom Zeiss Ikon had contracts – Steinheil and Schacht were among…

ZEISS used the CES technology show to showcase three lenses for mobile phones. Zeiss has joined forces with mobile phone accessory brand ExoLens to develop the first three lenses in a new range: a wideangle, a telephoto and a macro. Due for launch in the second quarter of 2016, the lenses will initially only be compatible with the Apple iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus, via customised mounting brackets. However, further compatible devices are planned. ‘The impact of an image is decisively influenced by the lens and its technical properties,' said Dr Winfried Scherle, executive vice-president of Carl Zeiss AG. ‘The collaboration with ExoLens gives us the opportunity to tap into new target groups and provide ambitious mobile phone photographers with high-quality tools to support their creativity.' For details,…

I've always been struck by the similarities between traditional photographic techniques and cooking. Marshalling your ingredients before a spell in the kitchen feels similar to assembling the right chemicals and materials for a photographic darkroom session. In both pursuits, precise timing and the careful control of temperature are crucial for good results. Assessing when to lift a print from the developer as it emerges under the darkroom safelight is surely comparable to inspecting your biscuits baking in the oven and extracting them at the right moment. So, instead of another cooking show, why don't we celebrate all the marvellous chemical processes of traditional photography? Here are some suggestions. In ‘Saturday Darkroom', an equivalent of Saturday Kitchen, enthusiasts might gather to discuss, for example, their cyanotype techniques. They can talk about…

Michael Powell Michael trained as a press photographer and has worked for countless Fleet Street titles, which includes a 10-year stint at The Times. He started shooting food 10 years ago and has shot everything from pavlova to Pavarotti. He has been a finalist in both the Pink Lady Food Photography Awards and Arts Photographer of the Year. www.michaelpowell.com While browsing in a charity shop recently, I came across a recipe book from the early 1980s. Leafing through it I was struck by how few recipes were illustrated with photographs. The few that were included, however, were studio lit, formal, shot around f/22 and immaculate to the point of sterility. Some of the dishes didn’t look real, and probably weren’t, since all kinds of techniques were deployed back then to…

Work around the subject This is the first piece of advice I was given when studying photojournalism more than 30 years ago, and it applies to food photography too. For commercial shoots, I have to focus on the most important ingredient, but sometimes a better shot lurks elsewhere in the viewfinder: the crumbs, the pastry's texture, the beads of oil. This Christmas pudding shot was elevated by using a sieve to drop icing sugar. A slow sync speed was used to capture correct daylight exposure with a very small burst of flash from a radio-triggered Speedlite and a FlashBender attached to highlight streaks of falling sugar. Reflectors and flags I carry a lot of Lastolites, including a TriGrip and even a 1.8m Panelite, but my most frequently used reflectors are…

You answered ANone 2% B One to two 25% C Three 23% D Four 17% E Five plus 33% What you said ‘I own three bags, but two are used purely for in-house storage. I never seem to find the right fit between capacity and comfort’ ‘Over the years I have owned loads of different carrying devices, from aluminium cases to backpacks, but none has ever been ideal for every occasion’ ‘I wish AP would do a serious comparative test of several variations (messenger, backpack, trolley) for each of the shooting situations (street, hiking, long-distance travel) and type of equipment. It’s just a pain to order online, send it back and try another one’ ‘I’ve got everything – from one that just holds the camera, right up to monsters that…

From the vast open planes of the Mara Serengeti to the more humble fields on his south Oxfordshire doorstep, wherever the location, Elliott Neep manages to capture the true spirit and character of every animal he photographs. It’s a notoriously difficult feat, so how does he do it? Elliott’s skill lies in the fact that he is as much a naturalist as he is a photographer, using his knowledge of animal behaviour to get the shots that count. ‘The more you can learn about your subject, the more you can anticipate and predict the animal’s behaviour,’ explains Elliott. ‘For me, wildlife photography is all about capturing those special fleeting moments – whether it is a mother and cub coming into frame to nuzzle, or the moment a bird of prey…

The anonymous world of social media, particularly Twitter, where you can interact with thousands of people you’ve never actually met, sparked a fantastic idea for a photographic project for Michael Chapman. His project, ‘We Met As Strangers’, completed last year, featured 100 people he’d previously never met, but all of whom he’d spoken to via Twitter. ‘It got me curious about what would happen if you tried to take that interaction offline and how it would translate into a photograph,’ Michael explains. He quickly set some reasonably rigid rules for the project, which he stuck to throughout. First and foremost, the participants had to be strangers. Second, and perhaps more interestingly, they had to volunteer, so Michael couldn’t directly ask anybody to be photographed. He explains: ‘I wanted people to…

Mark Spokes, Hertfordshire Mark became interested in photography while on a trip to Canada when he was just 14. He kept hijacking his parents' camera, and from day one was hooked on image-making. While those early days found him shooting anything and everything, these days his focus tends to be on architecture and cityscapes. As you can see from these images, Mark enjoys bringing together architectural photography and long exposures, which he uses in order to remove the visual clutter (clouds, and so on) that can often occur in the sky. War Memorial 1 Through the streaked clouds, Mark has created a representation of the soldiers’ sacrifice as ‘timeless’ Canon EOS 40D, 17-40mm, 240secs at f/20, ISO 100, tripod, b&w ND filter KD Tower 2 In this starkly minimalist shot,…

Suede lining The soft interior won’t scratch your camera and can protect the sides from inadvertent knocks. Battery compartment cover Some designs have a hinged base flap, sealed either magnetically or with a stud fastener. Brass fixing screw This sits flush to the base of the case, and is threaded for mounting onto tripods. Matching straps Wrist and shoulder straps can help keep a camera secure, and you can get them in matching styles. • £23-£84, plus £5 postage • stores.ebay.co.uk/Jasons-Photo-Forest At a glance • Form-fitted cases for compacts and CSCs • Handmade from leather • Choice of colours • Several versions available for each camera IF YOU'VE just bought a new camera, you'll probably want to keep it protected and in good condition. This is especially true of compact…

Peake pics on Flickr British astronaut Tim Peake has shared photos on his Flickr stream that he has captured in space using a Nikon D4 DSLR. Peake received guidance on how to use the Nikon D4 before he embarked on his six-month mission on board the International Space Station in December. To view Tim’s Flickr photos, visit www.flickr.com/photos/timpeake. Brits in frame Winners of the 10th Annual Black & White Spider Awards included the UK’s Samuel Hicks, who won second place in the professional category, and Steve Gosling, who won nominations in four categories: abstract, architectural (left), nature and still life. The contest pulled in more than 7,500 entries. For more, visit thespiderawards.com/gallery/index.php. Solar-powered camera A solar-powered action camera that shoots 16-million-pixel stills and 4K movies is due to go on…

A UK photographer is among ten winners of the Hasselblad Masters Awards 2016, beating thousands of images along the way. John Paul Evans, who triumphed in the wedding category, bagged a new Hasselblad camera along with ‘Master' status following a public vote and judging by photographers and imaging experts. ‘The Masters Awards have always been the ultimate showcase to capture talent that flourishes across the globe,' said Perry Oosting, CEO of Hasselblad, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. ‘Our 2016 Masters has again demonstrated the outstanding skills out there across the entire spectrum of photo disciplines.' Each of the winners now faces a fresh challenge: to create a unique set of images on the theme ‘inspire' for the latest edition of the Hasselblad Masters commemorative book. Product photographer Jonathan…

Tilt-and-shift lens I use a Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 tilt-and-shift lens. I can control the plane of focus with the tilt, and the position of the subject in the frame using shift. With food, I often bring two elements of a dish not positioned together into focus and leave the rest untouched. It is manual-focus only and reminds me of the old FD lenses I used in the 1980s on a Canon F-1. Reflectors I use everything from a tiny shaving mirror to a Lastolite 1.8m Panelite. The gold and white TriGrip is especially useful as I can place the straight edge on a table where the round ones slip off. The gold side is great for ‘warming up’ pastry. Wi-Fi card and iPad I like to react quickly to…

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro Hardly a budget lens at £600, but almost half the price of the TS-E, and it features IS where the TS-E doesn’t. Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro The latest incarnation of this popular lens features both image stabilisation (VC) and Tamron’s Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) for fast and quiet AF. Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro For those using a cropped sensor to create a short telephoto, the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM is a great alternative.…

Email amateurphotographer@timeinc.com and include your full postal address Write to Inbox, Amateur Photographer, Time Inc. (UK), Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU Reality check You publish many letters of the ‘what a great mag/article' variety and I'm not normally a person with a negative outlook. I'm sure your Top tips for 2016 feature (AP19-26 December 2015) had some great shots and some good advice, but it missed out some essential nuggets. The landscape section provided well-balanced and useful advice. The portrait section forgot the advice to hire a glamorous model. The architecture section omitted to mention a visit to Paris or some other exotic location with tall buildings and colourful staircases. The wildlife section did mention the three Ps, but forgot to mention taking along your 600mm…

‘THE ISLE of Mull is just spectacular as a wild place: it is mountainous, with deep, cutting valleys and sea lochs,’ says Elliott. ‘It is home to the golden eagle, white-tailed sea eagle, red deer and otters – four species synonymous with the wild. It is my go-to location for otters and I’ve come to know the coastline extremely well, even advising other photographers where to go. I never go there to photograph eagles as they are still out of reach, even with a 600mm prime lens, but I love seeing them soaring above and gliding through the valleys. ‘Skomer Island is another gem in the UK’s wildlife crown. I prefer it to the Farne Islands for the Atlantic puffin as it is much larger and greener, with swathes of…

Russ Barnes Russ is a dedicated British landscape photographer with a passion for trees. He brings an artistic approach to his photography and packs lots of different creative approaches into his work. See more on his website at www.russbarnes.co.uk I have read many articles over the past year that examined the risks of an all-digital legacy. The crux and central theme of these views are that, as photographers, if we create a purely digital portfolio, then eventually it is at a real risk of being lost – in fact, it’s pretty much guaranteed. All the backups in the world won’t protect your photography if no one else knows how to view or access your images after you’ve gone. I certainly sat up and paid attention to this sentiment – it…

Paper Different papers produce vastly different results, so it’s worth getting hold of some sample packs before embarking on a print project and making a final choice. Protective spray Buying some protective spray for my prints proved to be invaluable. At £15 a can it might seem like another expense, but it ensures the print is shielded for handling. Mounting solution On my initial project I didn’t get my mounting solution right. Eventually I bought Flex-Hinge Polyester Sheet Protectors, but they were expensive. You need to think carefully about your mounting product selection.…

Manual perspective corrections I LIKE the choice of viewpoint in this image, where Rob Deyes has deliberately positioned the camera at a low angle to get a worm's-eye view of the terraced houses running along the right of the frame. In doing so, he has managed to effectively hide the double yellow lines and emphasised the shiny cobblestones reflecting the yellow houses. The 14-42mm lens Rob has used with his Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 has led to some nasty barrel distortion and unfortunately there was no matching Camera Raw lens profile available with which to apply an automatic lens correction to resolve this. I therefore had to rely on the manual Transform sliders in the Lens Corrections panel to correct the photograph. This worked rather well and you can see in…

1 Fujifilm X-T1 I switched from a DSLR to the mirrorless Fujifilm X-T1 because the handling, image quality and weight work for me. The X-T1's X-Trans sensor has incredible dynamic range and a wonderful smooth quality to it. It is important that the camera doesn’t get in the way of my photography. 2 Fujifilm Fujinon XF50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR This is the lens I use most. Optically, it’s stunning, razor-sharp and light for the range of focal length and fast aperture. The compression I get from the longer focal lengths suits my image making, especially for my more minimal work. 3 Lee and Formatt-Hitech ND filters Most of my work is long exposure, so neutral density filters are essential. I always carry a Lee 2-stop, 3-stop, 6-stop and…

‘It’s not exactly collage, but the infinite depth of field of a pinhole camera, coupled with its very low resolution, allows the photographer to play quite a lot of tricks’ More and more, I am fascinated by just what a photograph is. The word ‘tableau’ is increasingly used for staged photographs, but its meaning is slippery. Andreas Gursky’s famously expensive ‘Rhein II’ has been described as a tableau, which stretches any definition I can understand. But then, categories are of limited use when you are faced with a 120x220cm tableau pinhole picture taken with a converted van as a camera and a 20-minute exposure. In Senges’ own words, he also uses ‘temporary recycled sculptures or installations especially made for the photo session’. He also refers to ‘mixing positive and negative…