Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Smart Photography

As we enter 2020, let us look back at the year that just preceded it. For our industry, 2019 has indeed been a challenging year. Compact camera sales continued to fall, D-SLR sales faced new challenges and the mirrorless market, although growing, was not growing fast enough to arrest the decline in compact and D-SLR camera sales. Interestingly, smartphone sales also plateaued for the lead players. This was inevitably followed by a decline in operating profit. Industry giant Canon reported an 81-percent decline in profit for the first quarter of 2019. Likewise, Nikon reported a 71-percent plunge in earnings in the first quarter of 2019. Let’s however look also at the brighter side. Full frame mirrorless cornered all the news and looking at just two cameras ─ the Sony Alpha…

Leica Oskar Barnack Award is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and to mark this occasion, Leica Camera AG has introduced a new nomination-based submission process. “In a shift away from the traditional application-based model, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award will consider finalists and ultimately select winners based on nominations from 70 world-renowned photographic experts from over 30 countries. With this nomination process, the honour of being chosen as a finalist is an esteemed accomplishment of its own, as they are recognised and hand-selected by some of the most respected figures impacting the world of photography,” a Leica statement said. Each nominator will elect three photographers based upon their personal evaluation of their work. The only requirements for nominations for the Award are that the photographer’s work must be a documentary or…

Apple has reportedly acquired Spectral Edge, a Cambridge, UK-based startup Spectral Edge Ltd., which is expected to help the company improve the performance of iPhone cameras. Spectral Edge has developed a technology that can improve detail and colour on digital cameras by taking an infrared picture and merging it with a conventional colour photo using machine learning, according to online sources. AI has been a main feature in Apple’s latest models. The technology can be applied via software or can be embedded into hardware components.…

Fujifilm has opened its experience centre and shop, christened House of Photography, at 8-9 Long Acre in Covent Garden, London. The store offers customers the chance to try out all Fujifilm products ranging from Instax point-and-shoot cameras to GFX medium format mirrorless cameras. The store also features various printing services as well as Fujifilm’s popular films. The store includes, in addition to the main product space on the ground floor, an upper level that features a photo gallery and a Fujifilm School space for workshops along with a free-to-use studio area. The store welcomed each of the first 100 visitors with a goodie bag containing an Instax camera. Five lucky first customers also received a Fujifilm X-A7 worth £699.…

Panasonic Corp has announced that it will expand its manufacturing footprint in India. Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt., Ltd., the Maharashtra-based manufacturing and sales arm of the company, will build a new factory to produce wiring devices, electrical wire and switchgear with an investment of 2,946 million rupees. The new factory in Sri City Industrial Park in Andhra Pradesh will be Panasonic’s fourth electrical equipment material production base in the country, and is scheduled to start production in 2021. In India, Panasonic has production bases in Haridwar, Daman and Kutch, but has no production base in the south, which has strong purchasing power and great growth potential. The new factory in Sri City will provide the company greater access to this promising area. The new factory is scheduled to start…

Canon India has announced that it has started shipping its latest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the EOS M200. It is now available in stores across India. The new EOS M200 joins Canon’s line-up of EOS M series mirrorless cameras that offer APS-C sensors and serious performance in a diminutive form factor. The camera uses an advanced 24.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, which when coupled with Canon’s powerful DIGIC 8 image processor allows users to capture high resolution images and 4K video with rich dynamic colours and the fine details. The ultra-fast DIGIC-8 processor ensures high image quality even in low light with minimum noise and grain, while performing multiple enhancements on both still and video so you always get the best possible output. The EOS M200 lets you capture cinematic 4K…

We are sure that all of you have a few pictures that you think are prize worthy. It happens very often that you don’t know where to send the image that could put a feather in your cap. If you have such images (we’re sure you have many!), send us ONE such horizontal image. If it qualifies, we shall publish it as a double-spread. a. You have to guarantee that the picture was shot by you b. If there are people in the picture who can be identified, we’ll need a model release c. The picture should not have been printed elsewhere (magazine, newspaper, or offered to any publication) d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the Month” and rename the file using your name e. You may send images…

Effective pixels: 20.1 million Sensor: 1.0-inch Type Processor type: Digic 8 Focal length (35 mm Equivalent): 24 – 120 mm (5x) AF modes: One Shot AF, Servo AF, Manual Focus AF points : 31 Closest focusing distance: 5 cm Max. continuous shooting speed: 30 fps (Raw) Equivalent sensitivity: ISO 125 to 12,800 (H:25,600) Metering modes: Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, Spot Exposure compensation: ±3 stops in 1/3-stop increments White Balance: Auto (Ambience priority / White Priority) , Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten Light, White Fluorescent Light, Flash, Custom, Colour Temp. Shooting modes: C, M, Av, Tv, P, Hybrid Auto, Auto, Creative filters, SCN, Movie Creative filters: Grainy B/W, Background Blur, Soft Focus, Fish-eye Effect, Water Painting Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Miniature Effect, HDR art standard, HDR art vivid, HDR art bold, HDR art…

VERDICT The GoPro Max is essentially a 360-degree camera, but it can function as a normal action camera as well, being rugged, waterproof and compatible with all GoPro mounts and accessories. If you are the type of person who likes to experiment with different perspectives, you would love the Max. This is probably the most versatile option if you are looking for an ultra-compact tough video-focussed camera to carry on your travels. PLUS • Unique perspectives • Built-in mounting fingers • 3-in-1 camera • Rugged and waterproof MINUS • Expensive accessories • Not for daily photography…

WE ARE GLUED TO THE GLOBAL IMAGING INDUSTRY Our team is updated with all the benchmarks and road blocks that the field of photography and imaging across the globe experiences. This helps us record the changes in the global perspective, thus making us the first to predict which products will be a rage in the Indian markets. WE’RE IMPARTIAL Loyalty towards our readers is a given, and their best interests are always on our mind. Every verdict is honest and not influenced by advertisers or personal favourites. So when we say a product is a ‘BEST BUY’, then, it is just that! OUR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS All equipment go through a series of tests at the hands of our experts. Our reviewers are experts in the field of…

Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform, which combines the world’s most advanced 5G Modem-RF System with the world’s most advanced mobile platform designed to deliver the unmatched connectivity and performance required for the next generation of flagship devices. The platform’s best-in-class Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System provides peak speeds of up to 7.5 Gbps, surpassing most wired connections and transforming the mobile experience. The leading 5th generation Qualcomm AI Engine and new Qualcomm Sensing Hub provide more intelligence and personalisation than ever before. Snapdragon 865 includes the Qualcomm Spectra 480 Image Signal Processor (ISP), which brings new features to mobile photography and videography thanks to gigapixel speeds – up to 2 gigapixels per second. Gamers can use Snapdragon to compete at the highest levels with an array…

Apple has shared new specs with manufacturers in Apple’s Madefor-iPhone (MFi) licensing program for strobes and flash accessories that connect via the iPhone 11 family’s built-in Lightning connector, according to reports. The specs could allow for new types of accessories such as a Made-foriPhone battery case with a built-in flash that connects over the Lightning port. The new specs will allow an accessory’s strobe or lighting component to sync with the device’s integrated flash and also relay the strobe sync signal wirelessly to additional accessories. Currently, there are iPhone accessories with built-in strobes, but they utilise Bluetooth for connectivity and don’t run through the MFi program. The support for strobes is currently available as a developer preview via Apple’s Made for iPhone program for accessory makers and supports only the…

Olympus has reportedly issued an official statement in hopes of putting to rest once and for all rumours that the company is considering selling or shutting down its sputtering camera business. Olympus Imaging division saw a 17% year-over-year decline in revenue and continues to lose money for the company. This had given rise to rumours that the company was planning to shut down the division. A new statement issued to Photofocus.com clarifies that it currently has no plans to either close down or sell its camera business. “For Imaging, we currently have no plans to sell the business. The task is therefore to stabilise and strengthen its market position. To achieve that, we are actively running marketing activities, and have already established a clear and exciting product roadmap for the…

Nikon India has announced firmware version 2.20 for Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras. This update offers several improvements that make these cameras even more powerful. In addition, Nikon initiates the service to enable Raw video output function. Updating the Z 7 and Z 6 firmware to Ver. 2.20 enables the use of CFexpress cards. CFexpress cards support even faster data transfer than XQD cards for a smoother and more efficient photographic workflow. Users of the Nikon Z 7 or Z 6 who have downloaded and installed Firmware Ver. 2.20 or later can also bring in their camera to a Nikon-authorised service centre to have the Raw video output capability activated. Firmware ver. 2.20 is now available at the Nikon Download Center: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/index.html The complimentary consumer offer for firmware upgrade worth…

Tanmoy Das Karmakar was born and brought up in Kolkata. In 2014, his elder brother gifted him a Canon PowerShot camera. Later on, his mother gave him a Canon 1200D. Tanmoy started with street photography and table-top and then migrated to nature and wildlife photography. He says that he owes much of his knowledge and skills to Sudhir Shivaram, the well-known nature and wildlife photographer. Tanmoy tries to visit every photo exhibition in Kolkata with a view to learn something new. Tanmoy has now graduated to a Nikon D7200, D500 and a Canon 80D. Camera: Nikon D7200Aperture: f/6.0Shutter Speed: 1/125 secFocal Length: 360 mmISO: 320 Camera: Nikon D7200Aperture: f/6.0Shutter Speed: 1/100 secFocal Length: 380 mmISO: 2000 Camera: Nikon D7200Aperture: f/8Shutter Speed: 1/500 secFocal Length: 600 mmISO: 800 Camera: Nikon D7200Aperture:…

Soumya Dey is a 21-year old wedding photographer from Kolkata. He started with photography when he was only six-years old. He loves to capture candid moments during the wedding ceremonies. He also likes street photography. Camera: NIKON D300S Aperture: f/1.8 Shutter Speed: 1/3200 sec Focal Length: 50.0 mm ISO: 200 Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Aperture: f/10 Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec Focal Length: 24.0 mm ISO: 100 Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec Focal Length: 24.0 mm ISO: 100 Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Aperture: f/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec Focal Length: 24.0 mm ISO: 100 Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Aperture: f/4.0 Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec Focal Length: 24.0 mm ISO: 100 Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Aperture: f/9…

RONNY SEQUERIA Ronnie Sequeira is a Mumbai based professional commercial photographer. With over 18 years of professional experience, in the photography world, he is a name that is known to frame brands in the correct line of sight. He is happiest when behind a camera or astride his Triumph motorcycle exploring the country. Ronny photographed the achievers with just one light - ELC Pro HD 1000 along with Deep Octa 70cm. He setup the black backdrop outdoor and used a skimmer to block the harsh light. The Elinchrom ELC Pro HD 1000 helped in overpowering the ambient light to create his signature photography style - monochrome. MAHESH HIREMATH A lover of the art, Mahesh uses a diverse set of skills to bring his unique inimitable style to a range of…

Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published more than a 100 articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the well-known international magazine Popular Photography . An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is the only Indian photographer to be featured on the Nikon Centenary website. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consutant.…

Focal length: 17-28 mm Aperture range: F/2.8 - 22 at all focal lengths Diagonal angle of view: 103° 41’ – 75° 23’ (with full frame bodies) Lens construction: 13 elements in 11 groups Min. focus distance: 0.19 m (7.5”) Wide – 0.26 m (10.2”) Telephoto Max. magnification ratio: 1:5.2 (Wide) – 1:6 (telephoto) No. of diaphragm blades: 9 (circular) Filter size: 67 mm dia. Max. Dia x Length: 73 x 99 mm Weight: 420 g PLUS • Very sharp • Lightweight • Quite ‘fast’ (f/2.8) • No noticeable distortion (barrel or pin cushion) • No chromatic aberrations MINUS • We would have loved a wider focal length range.…

Write to us at: Smart Photography, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400 013 E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net Great Learning Experience Dear SP, I have been a reader of Smart Photography for the last five years and it has been a great learning experience through stunning images and learning articles, particularly those of Ashok Kandimalla. Since the issue gets delayed in post at times, I recently switched to the digital version on Magzter and I am enjoying it thoroughly. The December 2019 issue was rich with even more such articles like ‘Let’s Create a Panorama’. Expecting such content in future too. Regards, Ranjit Thakur, via email Inspiring Dear Editor, What make Smart Photography special are the…

Adobe has announced its fourth quarter and fiscal 2019 financial results, posting new quarterly and annual revenue records for the company. Adobe has reported quarterly revenue of $2.99 billion, an increase of 21 percent over the previous fiscal. The company has revealed record annual revenue totalling $11.17 billion, a 24 percent increase year-on-year. Adobe President and CEO Shantanu Narayen called the performance ‘phenomenal,’ citing both loyal customers and product innovation as among the reasons for its success. The company reports growth across multiple business segments, including a 22 percent year-over-year Digital Media segment quarterly revenue increase to $2.08 billion. Adobe’s Creative and Document Cloud segments also grew during Q4 with revenues of $1.74 billion and $339 million, respectively. The company expects performance to continue upward through its first fiscal quarter…

Jessops, the popular camera and photography retail store, is reportedly seeking a buyer. Its current owner, Peter Jones, is planning to seek a secure a rescue deal with landlords and creditors in the form of a CVA (company voluntary arrangement ), which is likely to lead to store closures and rent cuts. Jones has owned Jessops since 2013, when he bought it out of a controversial administration borne out of £81 million of debt led to the closure of 187 stores. Since then, while Jones has re-opened some of the Jessops stores that shut down, the camera and photography retailer has barely achieved the sales and profits it set out in 2013. Jones had predicted sales of at least £80 million during the first year Jessops was under his control,…

Vivo has announced the sale of its recently launched U20 to its U-series portfolio. The phone is a perfect amalgamation of vibrant display and superior camera capabilities. It offers a 5,000mAh battery that is complemented by 18W fast charge. Running on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 675AIE Octa-core processor clocked up to 2.0 GHz, the U20 ensures a seamless experience. The device also comes with 16MP selfie camera and an AI triple camera setup at the back including a 16MP Sony IMX499 (Primary + Night Mode), an 8MP Super Wide Angle and a 2MP Super Macro camera. The device comes in two variants — 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 64GB, both featuring expandable storage. The device is available in Racing Black and Blaze Blue colour options priced at INR 10,990…

Processor: GP1 Spherical photos: 16.6MP Stitched 360 degree photo Hero photo: 5.5MP PowerPano: 6.2MP 270° Panoramic photo, Horizon Leveling, 360 (spherical) video 5.6K stitched, 30/24 fps Hero video: 1440p, 1080p, 60/30/24 fps Video file format: MP4 (H.264/AVC), MP4 (H.265/HEVC) Max video bit rate: 78 Mbps Video stabilisation: Yes, Max HyperSmooth Horizon leveling: Yes Panorama: PowerPano On-Screen shortcuts: Yes Short clips: Yes Slow-motion: 2x Slo-Mo Live streaming: 1080p Time Lapse: 360 TimeWarp, Hero TimeWarp, Hero Time Lapse Video, Hero Time Lapse Photo Digital lenses: Max SuperView, Wide, Linear, Narrow Audio: Premium 360 + Stereo audio, Directional audio Audio features: Advanced wind-noise reduction with 6-mic processing, Raw audio capture (Hero Mode, .wav format) Voice control: Available Reframe: Available with GoPro app Portrait orientation Available Photo timer: Yes Connectivity features: Wi-Fi + Bluetooth,…