Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Smart Photography

The world has learnt to move on after the Covid crisis and so has India. As we open up, albeit slowly, life has to get back to normal rather fast. After all, you need something much nastier and bigger to crush a showcase industry like imaging. Just look at how the heavily taxed auto industry is bouncing back. This month, we have two notable products on our test bench. The first is the Nikon D6. SP’s first issue in April 2005 featured the last flagship film SLR from Nikon, the F6. Coming as it did when film was on its last legs, SP had titled it ‘The last of the Mohicans’. This title would perhaps be appropriate again with the world moving to mirrorless cameras. Nevertheless, the F6 was and…

GoPro has announced the launch of its multipurpose waterproof light, Zeus Mini. The Zeus Mini features a magnetic swivelling clip and is compatible with GoPro’s full line of camera mounts, making it convenient for a wide range of uses. It combines the illumination power of GoPro’s Light Mod with the versatility of its Magnetic Swivel Clip to deliver a compact hands-free LED lighting solution. The Magnetic Swivel clip can be attached to your belt or backpack strap or snapped under the hood or drainpipe, or used as a freestanding light just like a mini tripod. Zeus Mini is waterproof up to 33ft (10m), rechargeable and features four levels of brightness reaching up to 200 lumens with an included diffuser that delivers a 5000K colour temperature tuned for GoPro cameras when…

Delkin Devices has announced a 2TB CFexpress Type-B card which is reportedly its highest-capacity CFexpress Type-B card. The new card uses a PCIe 3.0 interface and NVMe storage for achieving read and write speeds up to 1,730MB/s and 1,430MB/s, respectively. Delkin reveals that its cards undergo extensive testing to ensure full functionality and performance with the latest CFexpress compatible camera systems. Apart from the standard lifetime warranty, the cards also come with Delkin’s 48 hour replacement guaranty. The pricing or availability information for the same has not been shared by Delkin.…

Fujifilm has released a Windows-only programme for turning your Fujifilm camera system into a webcam. The Fujifilm X Webcam application can turn nine different Fujifilm X Series and GFX System digital cameras into webcams for video conferencing softwares like Skype and Zoom. Its latest update for firmware version 1.30 and 1.10 for the X-A7 and X-T200, respectively, adds the option to use the camera as a webcam when connected to a computer via USB cable. The company has also announced that it is working on bringing the Fujifilm X Webcam App utility to macOS, allowing the macOS users to turn their X and GFX cameras into webcams. The application is available for download for free on Fujifilm’s website.…

Adobe has launched the Photoshop Camera application for Android and iOS devices that runs on Sensei, Adobe’s AI technology. The application is designed to add creative effects and automated editing tools to minimise the amount of work required to beautify images as provided by other photography apps. The application comes with a series of automatic quick fix tools such as portrait relighting and lens distortion correction and includes filters such as Portrait, Pop Art, Spectrum, Comic Skies, Double Expo, Mixed Media, Scenery, Bloom, Blue Skies and many more. Users also have the option to download additional filters created by different photographers and Instagram users. The Photoshop Express button at the top of the display allows you to link your image to the Photoshop Express app for additional adjustments. Adobe Photoshop…

Venus Optics has unveiled three new ultra-wide cine lenses for cameras with different sensor sizes namely, 7.5mm T2.1 Cine for Micro Four Thirds cameras, 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine for Super35 cameras and the 15mm T2.1 Zero-D Cine Lens for large format (full frame) cameras. All three Laowa cine lenses feature an ultra-wide angle of view and fast aperture. The Laowa 7.5mm T2.1 features a 110° FoV on MFT while the 9mm T2.9 features a 113° on Super35 sensors. The 15mm T2.1 features a 110° FoV on cameras with full frame sensors. The fast maximum t-stop is well suited for filming under low light condition. It also allows filmmakers to have more flexibility in depth of field control. Both the 9mm and 15mm feature Laowa’s zero distortion (Zero-D) design where the…

Samsung announced the launch of Galaxy A31, its third Galaxy A smartphone in India this year. Galaxy A31 comes with a 6.4 inch super AMOLED infinity U display with wide aspect ratio. It comes with a 48MP main camera for shooting high resolution images and videos, 8MP ultra wide camera with a 123 degree field of view, a 5MP macro camera and a 20MP front camera for taking high-resolution selfies. The front camera also supports the Live Focus feature. The A31 also comes with AI scene optimiser that supports 30 scenes as well as the AR Doodle feature for drawing 3D art. The Galaxy A31 comes with 5000 mAh battery that gives you a video playback time of up to 22 hours to let you stream, share and game much…

According to reports, Samsung is planning to convert one of its current DRAM manufacturing lines into a camera sensor production line. The report suggests that the company intends to convert its DRAM line 13 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea into a camera sensor production unit. A similar transition was made by Samsung back in 2018 with its DRAM line 11, which was converted into the camera sensor production line S4. This transition from DRAM production to camera sensor production is being done as an attempt to lessen a significant amount of expenses that would otherwise be incurred if the unit were to be built from scratch. Additionally, the report also suggests that most of the equipments and manufacturing processes for the DRAM as well as camera sensors are similar.…

Nikon has released the financial results for its fiscal year 2020. The company has recorded 591 bn yen in revenue and 6.7 bn yen in operating profit, confirming a decrease of 117.6 bn yen and 75.9 bn yen, respectively. Nikon attributes, approximately 4 bn yen, of its total loss to its Imaging Products division due to product mix change caused by the suspension of distributors, mainly selling mid and high-end cameras, and delay of launch in main products, including professional use products caused by stagnation of the supply chain owing to the spread of COVID-19. The latest financial results are available for viewing on Nikon’s investor relations website.…

Sony is one of the few companies that have been able to survive in the middle of several transformations that took place in the imaging industry. Could you elaborate on the strategies that helped the company achieve this? Sony has been working tirelessly towards bringing the best of digital imaging technology and launching futuristic products in the market that have helped us sustain in the long run. Apart from being the flag bearer of Mirrorless camera technology, we also have a wide range of Digital Imaging products to cater to all types of customer demands. We offer products starting from point and shoot cameras, consumer and professional camcorders, cinema cameras and a very wide range of lenses and accessories. In addition, we have ‘One Single Mount’, a uniqueness that only…

Aditya is an engineer from Mysore who freelances as a wedding photographer and loves spending most of his leisure time clicking photographs of all the simple things around him. “As a child, I used to click pictures with my father’s phone which did not have a great camera. I would also use my cousin’s bridge camera from time to time. Considering my interest in photography, my father got me a D-SLR camera and that was the beginning of my photography journey” says Aditya. He attributes his inspiration to photographer Auditya Venkatesh and says that going ahead, he plans to pursue photography full time as a profession. Camera: SONY SLT-A58 Aperture: F/10 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec Focal Length: 18 mm ISO: 100 Camera: GOOGLE Pixel 3 XL Aperture: F/1.8 Shutter Speed:…

• 2018 Photoblogger of the Year (Gujarat Tourism & ICIT) • Pro Travel Photographer. Photo Jurist. Photo Educator. SPEAKER (Architectural & Travel Photography): • • TBEX Europe 2016 (Stockholm) •TBEX Asia 2016 (Manila) •TBEX International 2017 (Jerusalem) •TBEX North America 2017 (Huntsville, AL) TBEX Europe 2018 (Ostrava, Czech Republic) WINNER: •India’s Biggest Blogging Contest - Cox & Kings’ Grab Your Dream (Season 2) • National Geographic Traveller’s GetOutThere Photo Essay Contest Web: http://travelu.re…

Tamron has seen unprecedented success with their lenses with a Sony FE mount. They were the first to see the opportunity and responded with a trio of lenses that hit the bull’s eye. We first had the 28-75mm f/2.8. This was followed by the 17-28mm f/2.8 which also won a SP Award. We now have the 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD on our test bench. It follows the same successful formula of small size, less weight, great optical quality and reasonable pricing. Read on..... Design & Build Quality Sleek and well-crafted, the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 lens’ outer body is made from tough engineering plastic and the lens is clearly marked at 70, 100, 135 and 180mm settings. The lens mount is made of metal. A lock is provided at the…

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…

Dreamstime has announced that it is rewarding its contributing photographers with a 10% increase in the royalties for all downloads, regardless of the exclusive or non-exclusive status. Dreasmstime clarifies that this would mean that a download that previously would have awarded 50% royalties will now award the photographer 55%. They have further stated that the 10% increase in financial incentive is a measure to ensure the financial stability of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Dreamstime is providing tutorials and guidelines for photographers to help them stay financially secure during the pandemic. The company has also offered their clients the option to pause their subscriptions for two months and resume later at no additional cost.…

Panasonic has announced a new interchangeable standard zoom lens, the Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 (S-R2060) based on the L-Mount system for the Lumix S Series full-frame digital single lens mirrorless camera. The Lumix S 20-60mm is a compact, lightweight standard zoom lens that covers from ultra-wide 20mm to standard 60mm focal length for versatile use including landscape photography. The wide viewing angle makes it easier to shoot indoors where space is limited and a close-up capability of 5.9 inches supports still life photography. The lens is made up of 11 elements in 9 groups and the use of 2 aspherical lenses and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. The lens weighs approximately 350g and its rugged dust/splash-resistant design reportedly withstands…

Samyang has released the AF 85mm f/1.4 FE lens for Canon RF mount, to work with Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras. Apart from the new mount, the lens remains the same as its Sony FE predecessor. It is constructed of 11 elements in 8 groups, including one Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) element and four High Refractive Index (HRI) elements for minimising chromatic aberration. The optical elements are made of Samyang’s Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) to prevent flares and ghosting. The AF is made of Samyang’s Dual Linear Sonic Motor (DLSM) and the lens features weather-sealing, a nine-blade aperture diaphragm and a 77mm front filter thread. The RF version is available at a price of USD $800.…

Sigma has launched its first ultra telephoto lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras, along with two new L-mount teleconverters, USB Dock UD-11 and a new mount option for its 16mm, 30mm and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN contemporary lenses. The 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens is Sigma’s first ultra telephoto lens and has been designed specifically for mirrorless camera systems. The lens will be available in Sony E-mount and L-mount camera systems. It is devised to cover full-frame image sensors and is made of 22 elements in 16 groups including one low dispersion element (FLD) and four special low dispersion (SLD) elements. It has a stepping motor for autofocus, nine-blade aperture diaphragm, minimum aperture range of f/22–29 and a 67mm front filter thread. It measures 86mm in diameter, 197mm long…

Motorola has introduced the one fusion+ smartphone in their premium smartphone range made in India. The smartphone boasts of a unique and immersive 6.5 inch Total Vision Full HD+ display, stretching completely uninterrupted from edge to edge, thanks to its super speedy pop-up selfie camera that hides behind the display. It features a 25 percent larger colour range and HDR10 certification enabling users to stream videos and enjoy games in vivid, true-to-life colours with improved brightness and contrast. The motorola one fusion+ is also part of the YouTube signature devices, which means that the device is delivering a best-in-class YouTube experience by combining next-generation technologies, video performance, and reliability. The phone also boasts a speaker with 4x better bass performance, cleaner vocals, and better clarity even when the volume is…

Olympus has announced that it is selling off its entire Imaging division. According to the press release, the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (JIP) which reveals that both companies are committed to entering into further discussions relating the transfer of Olympus’ long standing imaging business to JIP, by the end of 2020. During the ongoing discussions, Olympus will continue its imaging business as usual. Reports reveal that despite all its effort to improve the cost structure and ‘cope with the extremely severe digital camera market, due to, among others, rapid market shrink caused by the evolution of smartphones’, the company’s imaging business has recorded operating losses for the last three consecutive years. Olympus sees this transfer as an opportunity to preserve the…

In an attempt to avoid confusion and make its logos discernable, Adobe is updating its logos and icons for many of its applications, making their appearance more uniform across all platforms on which they are used. Although most of the changes made are subtle and difficult to identify unless you are specifically looking for it, the Adobe Creative Cloud logo has undergone a significant change from its older, red and white design to the new white emblem on a rainbow coloured background. Additionally, the Adobe logo will also undergo a minor change that includes a change in the tone of red used.…

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. He…

Final Rankings Recommended ..................... 75-80% Best Buy.....................81% and above D-SLR/ILCC Design & Build Quality.......... (out of 20) Key Features....................... (out of 20) Ergonomics......................... (out of 20) Performance Autofocus ......................(out of 5) Metering.........................(out of 5) Noise control..................(out of 5) Distortion/Sharpness......(out of 5) LCD/Viewfinder ..............(out of 5) Auto White Balance........(out of 5) Value for Money ............ (out of 10) Grand Total ................. (out of 100) LENSES Design & Build Quality.......... (out of 20) Key Features....................... (out of 20) Ergonomics......................... (out of 20) Performance Autofocus ......................(out of 5) Sharpness......................(out of 5) Distortion control............(out of 5) Aberrations ....................(out of 5) Darkening of corners......(out of 5) Extra Features ................(out of 5) Value for Money................... (out of 10) Grand Total ....................... (out of 100) COMPACT CAMERAS Design & Build Quality.......... (out of 20) Key Features .......................…

Camera type: D-SLR Lens mount: Nikon F-mount Sensor size/type: Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) / CMOS Effective pixels: 20.8 million File format: Raw (12 or 14-bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed); large, medium and small available (medium & small only at 12-bit, lossless compression). JPEG: Fine, Normal, Basic, Raw + JPEG Media cards: CFexpress (Type B cards) or 2 XQD cards Viewfinder: Optical Compatible lenses: Types G, E, and D Shutter: Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal plane mechanical shutter; electronic front-curtain shutter; electronic shutter Shutter speeds: 1/8000sec - 30 sec, Bulb, Time, X-1/250sec Shooting modes: Single, CL, CH, Q, Self-timer, Mirror-up. Burst rates: CL: Approx. 1-10fps; CH: 10-14fps; Q: 1-5fps Metering modes: Matrix: 3D Colour Matrix Metering III (type G, E, and D lenses), Please see your user manual for…

Vivo has grown from an entry-level phone brand to a strong player in the middle segment. The V19 is the company's latest offering that includes powerful hardware, a large capacity battery with great power optimisation and a quad main camera system that promises excellent images. Design and Build Quality The V19 is crafted with a double 3D glass body. Both the front and back surfaces are protected by 6th Generation Corning Gorilla Glass. The phone is available in Piano Black and Mystic Silver editions. The front screen features an illuminated on-screen fingerprint scanner. The dual front cameras reside at the top right hand corner. Both the volume up/down and the power button are at the right side with the Dual SIM-memory card tray (with dedicated slots for each) at the…

We are not sure what is more technically challenging than retouching a portrait. With innumerable fine details and parameters to take care of, it is a challenge. Add to it, the fact that you are playing around with the sensibilities of someone's public appearance. Many of the portrait retouching methods are either complicated or involves multiple complex steps that are easy to be missed. Enter this specialist from Anthropics. We have reviewed the earlier versions of this software, but the latest, PortraitPro 19, adds much more features with the help of AI. Key Features PortraitPro offers all portrait retouching features that you would ever need. Some of the features include skin smoothing, make-up, 3D relighting, hair colouring and expressions. Skin smoothing makes use of ClearSkin 5, an exclusive new tool…

Art and Science of Photography Dear Editor, I have been an avid reader of Smart Photography magazine for more than five years now and it has been of great help to people like us who do not have the time or privilege to learn about the wonderful art of photography as well as the science behind it. It has been like a long term learning programme for me. I am really delighted that I opted for this magazine. I thoroughly enjoy the travel articles you do, but, my favourite part happens to be the learning articles, especially those of Ashok Kandimalla. I hope to keep learning and growing with its help. Regards, Swapan Vaid Delighted With Digital Version Dear SP, I recently switched to the digital version of the magazine…

Ricoh has announced the HD Pentax-D FA 85mm f/1.4ED SDM AW lens, the second fixed focal-length lens in the new-generation Pentax Star lens series. Designed for use with Pentax K-mount D-SLR cameras, Star-series lenses boast the highest imaging performance of all Pentax lens line-ups. Pentax has reportedly developed a new, ring-type SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) exclusively for this new lens to enable high-speed autofocus operation, with an exterior design that assures a firm grip for manual-focus operation. The lens incorporates three Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical elements to effectively minimise chromatic aberration, and a glass-moulded aspherical optical element to effectively compensate for spherical and chromatic aberrations and field curvature to deliver extra-clear, high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness, even at open aperture. This design also reduces distortion to nearly zero…

Sony is offering replacements cards, currently under warranty, at no extra cost for select SD cards in three of its SD card line-ups. The company stated that the video captured with Sony’s SF-M series, Tough SF-M series and Tough SD-G series could become corrupted without warning. To identify whether or not your card is affected by the issue, Sony has stated that the cards in the aforementioned series marked with a small star beside the serial number are not corrupted. Sony is also providing online support on their website for addressing this issue.…

Canon has released the EOS Webcam Utility Beta for macOS users, in addition to the Windows version that it released 2 months ago. The EOS Webcam Utility Beta enables PC and macOs computer owners to turn their compatible EOS and PowerShot cameras into webcams for use in video conferencing apps such as Skype and Zoom. Canon has requested feedback on its forums to keep a check on problems encountered or feature requests. Both versions are available for download on Canon’s website.…

STC has announced its brand new Interchangeable Clip Filters for Canon’s popular EOS R mirrorless cameras. The new interchangeable filters carry same quality construction, high-quality glass and nano-coatings that are common in its range of clip filters for consumer cameras and the motion picture industry. It has been constructed with Aerospace grade 6061 aluminium alloy and processed with precision CNC machining. They come with double-sided Nano anti-smudge coating, making them completely waterproof, grease-proof and easy to clean. The new system allows users to switch filters using a handy tool, providing users with a fast, simple and safe means for mounting and removing clip filters. It has been devised to sit in the camera mount, between the lens and sensor wherein the new interchangeable clip filters fit perfectly within the camera…

Nikon has introduced the all new ‘Nikon Z 50 Vloggers Kit’ at a special price for its customers. Keeping in mind the latest user-needs, this kit has been designed to be a one-stop solution for shooting, streaming, and recording. The Nikon Z 50 is a compact and lightweight mirrorless camera that inherits the key features of the Z series. Its ergonomic design enables users to capture images at any point in time and location. It is designed around Nikon’s Z mount with the widest lens mount of any comparable camera system. The wider mount allows more light thereby resulting in an increase of sharpness, contrast, focussing speed, low-light performance and image quality. For additional ease and convenience, all necessary buttons and dials are placed on the right side of the…

Huawei has introduced a new intelligent virtual agent called ‘Celia’ to enrich consumer experience. The AI powered virtual assistant responds to the key phrase “Hey Celia” and answers field questions and addresses customer queries. This smart assistant is available 24*7and reportedly supports quick trouble shooting with seamless transition from chat to human agent, without any delay in processing new information request. It is also reported that the smart assistant has the capability to provide guidance in buying a new phone, warranty queries, locating device’s problem and completing all prerequisites before sending the device for repair. Celia is now available on Huawei’s official web and support application.…

CIPA’s latest numbers show a decline in its numbers for all major manufacturers through the end of April 2020 owing to the ongoing pandemic. According to reports, the shipments of digital cameras in April 2020 went down to 5,50,000 units, i.e. a decrease of 63.7% as compared to April 2019. DSLR and mirrorless sales were down to 60.8% and 67.0, respectively. The pandemic has also frozen supply chains and production for many camera manufacturers. CIPA’s numbers reveal that the production for April 2020 was down to 56.4% for all digital camera units as compared to April 2019.…

Shutterstock has recently changed its earnings structure wherein the contributors will get compensation on the basis of the total number of sales made by their photo or video. The company has divided the contributors into six levels with each level being determined by the number of times their content is sold. Prior to this shift, the earning structure was based on the total amount of sales made by contributors during their lifetime. However, with the change in its earnings structure, all contributors will be reset to ‘level 1’ for both images as well as videos on the 1st of January, every year. This means that every year, all the contributors will be demoted to ‘Level 1’ wherein they only receive a 15% commission on sales.…

Sourav is an IT professional who has been a nature lover since childhood. Hailing from a small city in West Bengal, his photographic journey began about a decade ago, when he bought his first D-SLR and discovered his love for shooting small, beautiful and fast-moving subjects with wings. With time, his love for photography lured him into other genres of nature photography and in no time he was hooked. His advent into wildlife photography taught him to be patient and become a keen observer and his skills brought him recognition all around the world. Camera: NIKON D7200 Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec Focal Length: 500 mm ISO: 110 Camera: Canon EOS 1200D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec Focal Length: 179 mm ISO: 400 Camera: Canon EOS 1200D Aperture:…

1 Cameras with the Exakta name were made by companies other than Ihagee or Pentacon after 1960. Which were these companies? a) Pentax b) Cosina c) Petri d)Topcon 2 Eastman Kodak of the US acquired a German company based in Stuttgart in 1932.This company sussequently produced the world famous line of Kodak Retina Reflex cameras. Which was that company? a) Nagel Kamerawerk b) ELOP- Werke c) Wirgin Kamerawerk d) KW 3 The Contax brand originally belonged to Carl Zeiss Jena. After the Second World War, most of Carl Zeiss fell in East Germany and Contax cameras were manufactured by the combine called VEB Pentacon. However, the West German part of Carl Zeiss sued and won the rights to use the Contax name. Along came a new range of cameras called…