Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Smart Photography

With full frame ruling the roost in the developed world, one can well ask what the future of the other formats viz. APS-C and Micro Four Thirds will be. Yes, with Canon, Nikon and Panasonic joining Sony, full frame did take up the bulk of attention in the last 18 months or so. That however does not mean that the other formats are dead. Fujifilm is doing exceptionally well with APS-C and is perhaps the only imaging company to increase market share. Its efforts with medium format are also praiseworthy. Micro Four Thirds has the support of OM Digital ( Olympus ) and Panasonic as also a host of upcoming Chinese manufacturers. Not everyone wants to make hoarding size pictures and not everyone can afford it either. Micro Four Thirds…

Cosina has announced the Voigtlander Nokton 35 mm f/1.2 lens for Fujifilm X-series cameras. The new lens features the same focal length and aperture as its M-mount equivalent, but, its optical design and construction is specially designed for the Fujifilm X-Series cameras. This manual lens features an electronic chip that transfers EXIF data from the lens to the camera body. This reportedly, enables focus verification, parallax correction and in-body image stabilisation for compatible cameras. It is constructed of 8 elements in 6 groups and uses a 12-blade aperture diaphragm. It has a minimum focussing distance of 30 cm and an aperture range of f/1.2 – f/16. It measures 60 mm in diameter, 40 mm in length and weighs 196 g. The lens is expected to be released by August, 2021…

Yongnuo has announced a new Micro Four Thirds camera during the Shanghai P&I Exhibition, the Yongnuo YN455. The Yongnuo YN455 is a compact and lightweight camera measuring 162 x 85 x 56 mm and weighing 670 g. The camera features a 20MP MFT sensor and has an in-built 5-inch tilt touchscreen display at the back of the unit, along with a small LED flash in the front side of the camera. It comes with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a 3.5 mm mic input and two USB Type-C ports on the sides. The camera is compatible with Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4/5Ghz Wi-Fi and a built-in GPS. According to reports, the camera shoots videos in 4K at up to 30 frames per second. It also features a battery with 4400mAh capacity, which…

Fujifilm has announced the launch of the Fujinon XF 18 mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens. This is the 39th addition in the broad line-up of interchangeable lenses designed exclusively for the X-series mirrorless digital cameras. The XF 18 mm f/1.4 is a large-diameter prime lens with a wide-angle focal length of 18 mm (equivalent to 27 mm in the 35 mm film format). The lens is endowed with a filter size of 62 mm and a minimum focussing distance of 20 cm. It weighs 370 g and measures 7.56 cm in length. The lens utilises three aspherical lenses and one ED lens among its 15 lens elements, spread across 9 groups, to minimise chromatic and comatic aberration. It uses an internal autofocus (AF) system, driven by a powerful linear…

Oppo has announced the launch of the Reno6 Pro 5G and Reno6 5G along with Enco X True Wireless Noise Cancelling earphones. It comes with 65W SuperVOOC flash charging, Colour OS 11.3 and a slim design. Both the devices feature an AI 64MP quad-camera setup on the rear and a 32MP front camera. It sports AI features such as Bokeh Flare Portrait Video, Focus Tracking, Reno Glow design (anti glare glass), and AI Highlight Video. The smartphones have a 6.5-inch 3D curved display with a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 180Hz touch sampling rate. The display is HDR10+ certified and comes paired with 360-degree Light-Sensing enabled by two light sensors. The Reno6 Pro 5G measures 7.6 mm thick and weighs 177 g and is bundled with 12GB of RAM…

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…

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…

Venus Optics has announced the release of the Laowa 14 mm f/4 Zero-D D-SLR, a ‘well-rounded every-purpose D-SLR’ lens for full-frame cameras. The 14 mm lens is reportedly, compact and light-weight when compared with the lenses with similar focal length in the market. It comes with a 114° angle of view and is compressed to be around 75 mm long and weigh 360 g (Canon EF) or 320 g (Nikon F). The 67 mm filter thread allows screw-in filters to be installed directly on the lens, with which any additional filter holder can be saved. The lens is constructed with an optical design of 13 elements in 10 groups and has 2 extra-low dispersion elements and 2 pieces of aspherical glasses to eliminate the colour fringing and distortion. The lens…

Nikon has announced a master joint development agreement with Unistellar SAS, a company that handles telescopes for the consumer digital astronomical telescope field. According to reports, Unistellar was established in 2015 with the aim of developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer digital astronomical telescopes. Unistellar’s telescopes determine the user’s observation position utilising GPS, and are equipped with Autonomous Field Detection technology that can automatically point at the targeted celestial objects by comparing them in the viewfield with a built-in coordinate database. This technology, which reportedly eliminates the time spent searching for celestial targets, with a dedicated app for smart devices, make it much easier for people without specialised knowledge to use a telescope intuitively and perform astronomical observation. In addition, by enabling image processing during observation based on Enhanced Vision technology,…

Fujifilm has drawn up the Fujifilm Group’s “DX (Digital Transformation) Vision” to further promote DX to provide products and services of greater quality than before, as the company continues to work toward solving social issues. The Fujifilm Group has actively taken on DX by utilising AI and IoT, as seen with the launch of the Strategic ICT Promotion Project in 2014. In 2017, the Chief Digital Officer formed the DX Committee for overseeing digital officers appointed in all of Fujifilm’s business, production and R&D divisions as well as back office divisions. Initiatives in business activities include undertaking in-house development of AI / IoT technologies that can be applied to the healthcare field, such as providing an AI platform to medical institutions to facilitate doctors’ diagnostic imaging workflow and producing endoscopes…

Samsung has announced the launch of Galaxy M21 2021 edition. The smartphone comes with 6000mAh battery and a 15W in-box charger with type-C fast charging feature that reportedly provides 3X speed as compared to normal charging. It is powered by Exynos 9611 Octa-core processor that comes with AI powered Game Booster. It sports Super AMOLED 16.21 cm Full HD+ Infinity U display with 60Hz refresh rate and a rear fingerprint sensor. It is also equipped with motion sensors like Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Proximity Sensor and Virtual Light Sensing. The device features a triple camera setup with 48MP main camera and GM2 Sensor. It features an 8MP Ultra Wide camera has a 123-degree field of view, a 5MP depth camera and a 20MP front camera. It comes in Artic…

Dipanjan is a Business Analyst from Bangalore with a passion for photography. “Capturing wildlife is like unleashing one’s wilderness. Wildlife always gives me a breakthrough from hectic life. It is like a fresh breeze with a calming environment. I feel lucky to have captured a wide range of beauties with my camera. Besides my passion, I also take this as my duty to spread awareness regarding the flora and fauna of our environment. Through my photography, I want to send a message to everyone that we need to save the wild or else we will be ruined” says Dipanjan.…

The Instagram Photo Feature is for all you photographers and photography enthusiasts on Instagram who caught our eye! Follow @spmagazineofficialon Instagram and tag us in your posts to get a chance to be featured in Smart Photography. Sourabh is a self-taught photographer based out of Delhi. He had majored in Mathematics from Delhi University, and currently works in an IT company as a technical manager, while pursuing his love for photography since 10 years. He was one of the finalists in the Travel Photographer of the year, 2018, by National Geographic and his work has been published on Instagram accounts such as N-Photo, National Geographic magazine, etc. He is also a National Award winner granted by NIFA and M.P Government. Danish is a Delhi based travel photographer who describes himself…

Edelkrone SliderOne Pro V2 ₹82,999 HeadPlus 2 ₹1,63,999 Edelkrone is a respected name in video circles. Based in Turkey, they manufacture some of the best known accessories for creative video. The SliderOne Pro V2 is a motorised slider rail that allows smooth horizontal movement of the camera without any jerky motion. The rail is either placed on a flat surface or attached to a tripod. The HeadPlus module attaches to the SliderOne Pro V2 and permits pan and tilt movement of the camera. The HeadPlus module can also be used independently on a tripod. The combination of the SliderOne Pro V2 and the HeadPlus allows 3-axis movement – pan, tilt and sliding motion – all controlled together through the Edelkrone app. The app is available for Android as well as…

Write to us at: Smart Photography, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400 013 E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net Adorable images Dear SP, I am a regular reader of your magazine and have written to you before as well, on multiple occasions. I happen to be a big fan of your Mastercraftsman articles which cover the photographer’s interviews and give us a rare insight into their creative minds. It is my favourite part of the magazine and it has been a great inspiration to me and many others (I am sure!). The article from July month was especially great. Looking at all those adorable baby images was a beautiful reminder of my kids at that age.…

Nikon announced the merger of Nikon Singapore Pte. Ltd. with Nikon Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. on July 1, 2021. Nikon Singapore Pte. Ltd. will continue as the remaining company. Nikon Singapore Pte. Ltd. provides sales and servicing of cameras, microscopes and measuring instruments, and maintenance and servicing of semiconductor lithography systems, while Nikon Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. manages finance, accounting, legal affairs and tax. Nikon has stated that the merger aims to improve business efficiency and drive operational excellence.…

Sony has announced that it is now accepting submissions for its Research Award Program, which is currently in its sixth year. The program provides funding for programs researching emerging and innovative technologies in collaboration with Sony’s own research groups, and is open to universities in the U.S., Canada, 17 European countries, and starting this year, India. “Since its inception in 2016, the Sony Research Awards have provided a tremendous opportunity both for researchers and for Sony itself,” said Toru Katsumoto, Executive Deputy President and Chief Technology Officer, Sony Group Corporation. “This year’s addition of India provides access to a sizeable pool of amazing talent, and we are looking forward to the new relationships we can create in the coming year.” The Sony Research Award Program is comprised of two awards…

Vivo has expanded its 5G portfolio in India with the launch of Vivo Y72. Commenting on the launch, Nipun Marya, Director-Brand Strategy, Vivo India said, “Vivo’s youthful Y-series is designed for millennials who are on the search for a smartphone that meets their expectations for an immersive experience. To cater that, we bring vivo Y72 with the latest 5G connectivity, so our customers are always on the forefront. Additionally, the all-new Y72, like its predecessors, offers best-in-class features giving customers a premium experience. With this launch, we continue to build a strong portfolio providing customers with a vast selection of smartphones across price points and an unmatched shopping experience.” The device features an ultra slim 5.71 mm thin frame, accompanied by a lightweight body of 185.5 g with thickness of…

HMD Global has announced the availability and sale of Nokia G20 smartphone. The device is available at a discount of INR 2099, when bought along with Nokia Power Earbuds Lite or at a discount of INR 500. The G20 is reportedly the first of the G-Series smartphones to launch in India, with its signature design along with face and side fingerprint unlock and a 6.5” teardrop display. According to reports, it features a battery life of three days and comes with Android commitment of three years of monthly security upgrades and two years of OS updates. It is powered by the Mediatek G35 processor and is equipped with 48MP quad camera consisting of wide-angle and macro lenses, AI imaging modes and OZO audio. Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, Vice President, HMD Global…

Fujifilm has announced the appointment of Koji Wada as the new Managing Director for Fujifilm India, effective from June 29, 2021. Taking over the baton from Haruto Iwata as he moves to his new role as Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region in Singapore, Wada will spearhead Fujifilm’s operations and business strategy in India. In his new role, Wada will be responsible for organisational growth and profitability with an integrated approach towards sales, marketing, and business policies. Koji Wada, Managing Director, Fujifilm India says, “I had joined Fujifilm in 2001 and it has truly been an incredible journey for me. During my tenure at the company, I have had the opportunity to work with an excellent team of skilled and motivated professionals. As I transition into the new role, I…

Syed is a digital marketing professional and a self-taught photographer based in Delhi. “I have been a story teller since childhood and now use photography as a medium to tell stories. Sometimes realities can be too complex and stories give it a form. Photography, to me is like oxygen, without which I can’t survive. I love to travel for photo-shoot related assignments as well as leisure, and to explore new places and people. I’m endlessly inspired by nature and the adventures which life is throwing at me as a challenge” says Syed. What veered you towards photography? Tell us about your journey. In 2005, I got hold of an analogue camera during my cousin sister’s wedding and captured a few moments in it. It was like a new toy for…

The lens has a maximum (widest) aperture of f/2.8. However, when you shoot at life-size magnification (1:1), you will notice the aperture as f/5.6 and not as f/2.8. This is not a defect. Whenever you focus at very close distances, the amount of light entering the lens and hitting the imaging sensor is reduced and your camera shows you that reduced aperture. This is known as the Effective Aperture. At 1:1 magnification, there is a 4-times light loss (2 stops) and that’s why at 1:1 magnification, you’ll see f/5.6 instead of f/2.8.…

OnePlus Nord CE ₹22,999 Inside the Box ✓ Handset ✓ Power adapter ✓ USB cable ✓ SIM ejector pin ✓ Silicon case OnePlus is back with another Nord device, but this time, the company has stripped off a few non-essential features from the more expensive variant to give shape to the Nord CE, or Core Edition. The device now sits comfortably in a range that is expected to see a lot more of action in the coming months. Design & Build Quality The Nord CE has a minimalist design with a polycarbonate back instead of glass in the original Nord. The phone has the usual three buttons for power, volume up and volume down. A 3.5 mm headphone jack is provided. The device is available in Silver Ray, Blue Void…

Retail shops like B & H in New York and Park Cameras in London are now inundated with cheap but decent optical products , most of them originating from China. These products are sustaining the budget end of the imaging market. Let us take a look at the companies and brands behind those products. The most visible in the world market is Venus Optics that uses the brand name Laowa. Venus Optics was formed in 2013 in Hefei, China. Its factory is located in Shanghai. The brand Laowa stands for ‘Lao’ meaning old and ‘Wa’ meaning frog. Laowa has focussed on macro and ultra wide angle lenses for mirrorless cameras. Examples of Laowa lenses include the Argus 35 mm f/ 0.95 mirrorless lens and the 9 mm f/ 5.6 full…