Innehållsförteckning för No. 263 från Digital Photographer

“If photography is a means of self-expression, it makes little sense to copy the work of others” It is often said that photography is a means of expressing one’s self. If that is true, then it makes little sense to copy how other people shoot and edit their images for our own work. On p24 of the magazine, we have put together a guide on how you can craft your own visual style by mastering the most current techniques, giving you a signature look while remaining aligned with the most popular and in-demand photo trends. Next, explore our feature on urban wildlife, where you will learn how to find and photograph natural subjects close to home. You don’t need to get on an airplane to discover incredible animals – acommon…

Benro is set to release two new tripods via Kickstarter, the Benro Theta and Theta Max. The Theta looks like an innovative, exciting tripod, being the world’s first travel tripod with “one-key auto-levelling.” This will use a battery-powered system to adjust the tripod and make it perfectly level automatically. No more squinting at bubble levels, holding your breath and making painstaking ball head adjustments to try and nail a perfectly level shot. The Theta boasts a unique one-button auto levelling function that can extend or retract each motorized leg until the top plate is perfectly straight. This will be achieved via a Trigonous Central Shaft, meaning the central shaft of the tripod has a Y-shaped cross-section, rather than a cylindrical tube. There’s just one catch with the Theta tripod and…

International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition (IGPOTY) 16 has been won by British photographer Tony North. His stunning image, Blue Tajinaste, was captured in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, using a Nikon D500, Tokina ATX-I 11-16mm f/2.8 CF ultra-wideangle lens, and a 211-second exposure. Tony used a star tracker to maintain a sharp view of the Milky Way and combined two different exposures together for the final shot. Judge Tyrone McGlinchey said: “Tony has literally elevated the Breathing Spaces category to new heights by photographing endemic mountain-top flora with a breathtaking landscape view. This photograph excels in highlighting plant life on our planet.” Categories in this year’s global photography contest included Abstract Views, Beautiful Gardens, The Beauty of Plants, Woods & Forests, Wildflower Landscapes and Wildlife in the Garden.…

The concept of a particular style or ‘look’ in photography is an opaque one. At galleries and exhibitions, especially, much can be made of an artist’s style, but while it may be interesting, it often says little about what the creator is actually doing to produce content worthy of recognition. Unfortunately, as with many creative endeavours, when taking photographs, there is a risk of becoming preoccupied with how to craft a signature workflow. We often start out inspired by a restricted subset of artists, based on our limited knowledge of the creative possibilities open to us in this diverse medium. This leads to us attempting to recreate the visual language of one or two photographers. This effect has been greatly amplified in the social media era, where a handful of…

Taking the photos is the easy part – before you head out with your lens to start shooting urban wildlife, there is some preparation to do. To take successful pictures, there are two essential points. First, you must understand the animal – find out where it can be located and at what times of the day. Visit specific online forums or use websites such as Birdguides, where users document sightings of particular species. The second point is to establish a certain closeness to the animal. Here, it is important to know the behaviour of your subject and whether it always stays in the same area or only remains in the UK during specific months of the year. Keeping this in mind is important when referring to different bird species. Breeding…

Lenses are an integral part of a photographer’s kitbag, so getting rid of them altogether may seem impossible to imagine. However, the principle of using a camera without a lens, such as a pinhole camera or Camera Obscura, has been around for hundreds of years. The advanced technology available in highend cameras has put an increased focus on producing technically perfect images, meaning that flawless photographs have become the norm. In contrast, a digital pinhole camera takes the art of photography back to its roots, delivering images that emotionally appeal to the viewer through their characteristics. A digital pinhole camera works by letting light in through a small hole in the body cap. The purpose of this hole is to restrict the amount of light reaching the sensor, creating an…

LEVEL OF ABSTRACTION In this photograph, the people are viewed as silhouettes and remain anonymous, which is crucial to the effect of the image. “If the people were identifiable, the photo would lose some of its mystery and impact,” William says. To convey this feeling, he kept the degree of abstraction in check by not further obscuring the figures with long exposure times. “I kept a high enough shutter speed to avoid blurring the subjects while keeping dry in a downpour,” he explains. “I’ve been taking photos on and off ever since I was a teenager with a cheap SLR, a home darkroom and an enlarger.” William Dore William Dore is a photographer from Ayrshire, Scotland. He mainly concentrates on landscape work, with a preference for the smaller, more intimate…

Photographer: Josh McNamara Title: Flames of Winter Location: Bolnore Woods, Haywards Heath, UK @joshmcnamara_photography About the shot: “I took this image during a frosty spell in December 2022. I’m an amateur photographer and I regularly go out and take photos in my local woods. Snow is something we rarely get in the UK, so I was excited about the conditions. I was running around like a headless chicken, frantically finding scenes and hoping to squeeze the most out of the conditions, when I saw this composition. I love the orange leaves clinging to the tree on the left and dotted about the scene. They look like the warm, glowing embers of an inviting fire set against the cold snow.” Tag us @dphotographermag for a chance to feature here Every issue,…

It’s no surprise that the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens takes its place as a ‘trinity’ zoom. Favoured by both professional and enthusiast photographers, it is ideally suited for shooting action sports, wildlife, weddings and events, and even portraits. The availability of short, medium and reasonably long telephoto focal lengths, combined with a fast and constant aperture, enables a tight depth of field and rapid shutter speeds. It’s no surprise, then, that every full-frame camera manufacturer who wants to be taken seriously creates its own 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. There’s a rich history of this type of zoom for Canon and Nikon DSLRs and the current models are the result of many refinements over the years. That goes for Sigma and Tamron rivals as well as own-brand lenses. For Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and…

Lens mount Nikon Z This Z-mount 70-200mm zoom has a stellar optical design that includes two aspherical elements, six ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, a fluorite element and an SR (Short-wavelength Refractive) element. Dual coatings include both Arneo and Nano Crystal Coat. The lens isn’t just a feast of fine glass. Autofocus is incredibly rapid yet virtually silent, based on two synchronised stepping motors. There’s a highly effective five-stop optical VR, based on voice coil motors. Trick features include an OLED display for viewing various shooting parameters. Performance This is quite simply the sharpest lens in the entire group by some margin. It’s not only better in the central region of the frame but also right into the edges and corners too. Vignetting is minimal and there’s excellent resistance to ghosting.…

Lens mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma EDITOR'S CHOICE Sigma’s long-running 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM lens was a popular, budget-friendly option for Canon and Nikon shooters. The replacement Sports edition is completely redesigned, with a new optical path that features 24 elements in 22 groups, incorporating nine FLD elements and one SLD element. There’s also a well-rounded aper ture based on 11 diaphragm blades. The new optical stabiliser has switchable static and panning modes, the latter working in landscape, portrait and even diagonal orientation. Performance Sharpness and contrast are spectacular, even when shooting wide-open. Autofocus is rapid and accurate and, although the stabilisation function isn’t quite as effective as in the Tamron G2 lens for static shots, it proved better for panning during our tests. Sharpness The lab results…

For Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony mirrorless full-frame cameras, there’s no beating the own-brand 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses on test. The Nikkor Z 70-200mm is the pick of the crop, delivering the best image quality and performance of any lens in the group. But lenses for mirrorless cameras are currently expensive and value for money is a major consideration for potential buyers. For DSLRs, the Sigma Sports lens matches the competing Nikon F-mount zoom in handling, performance and image quality, and edges ahead of the Canon EF lens. That’s no mean feat considering that the Sigma is little more than half the price. All things considered, it’s our overall winner for quality, performance and value for money. The Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 is another great-value lens and is a little more compact…

Britain’s urban wildlife is even more beautiful and diverse than you might imagine. There are over 400 species of birds in the UK, ranging from the humble sparrow to majestic birds of prey, including peregrine falcons – all of which offer great photographic potential. There are many other types of animals living in urban areas too, including bats, owls, foxes and deer, but perhaps more surprisingly, there are also some exotic species. Who would have thought that rose-ringed parakeets with their bright green feathers could be found in central London? Despite the industrialisation in the 19th century and the continuous expansion of urban areas, nature still has a place in the heart of metropolitan life. City parks are a base for wildlife that has adapted to urban structures and continues…

The wildlife genre is seen as one of the most difficult to master for good reason. Along with other genres, such as action or sports photography, the biggest difficulty is getting sharp results. Both the speed of the subject and its unpredictable movements make it a challenge to get sharp images. Here, having some technical knowledge of AF functions and AF points is essential to fine-tune the performance of the autofocus so you don’t miss a moment of the animal’s action. Cameras have three different AF function modes: AF-S – one shot where the camera just focuses one time; AF-C – Al-servo mode to continuously keep the focus on the animal as long as the shutter button is half-pressed; and AF-A/AI focus AF, where the camera automatically chooses between AF-S…

The scene is showing an intimate moment for the vixen. All her babies are out there with her so she wouldn’t be able to fight off any threats from predators, such as a dog or a human being. It is a difficult moment to photograph because the animal is on high alert. I’ve seen it maybe captured with a long lens from a distance, but never a shot like this. The fox expert who I was in touch with told me there was a family down the road that had contacted him because they had foxes in their back garden. I went along to have a look around and noticed there was plenty of potential for nesting. There was a shed and a stone patio outside with lots of large…

As a self-employed photographer, regular clients are an important factor in maintaining your business and remaining financially stable. But keeping existing clients is easier said than done. There are many photographic businesses offering a great service, so it is essential to keep in touch with your clients to remind them that your business is there at any time. These reminders don’t have to be time-consuming, even small things may help you stay at the forefront of your clients’ minds. In addition, gaining new contacts is vital in the creative industry to get involved in new projects, which sometimes require more than just a photographer. Depending on the genre, stylists or technical assistants may be needed to visualise the project. This makes it even more important to connect with like-minded people…

Coworking spaces I’m self-employed and I’m struggling to network and make any new contacts. I’m finding it difficult to feel motivated and my business is feeling flat. What can I do to change things around? Anonymous We hear you! It’s hard being the boss, running an entire business on your own. As a self-employed photographer, not only do you need to take excellent images, but you also have to market and network yourself and your business to bring in new work. That is hard to do but we have a useful suggestion that may transform your business – have you considered looking into a coworking space? Coworking spaces are an excellent way to make contacts and connect with people from a wide range of businesses and professions. Going into a…

For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best Winter Detail shots and, after working through all the entries, the winners have now been selected. Both crowd-voted and expert winners will win a licence to Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was extremely high and it was a difficult task to select the best ones. 1ST PLACE WINNER The fighting mountain hares Photographer: Knut M Selmer Our comment: We love this shot. The lighting, composition and exposure all perfectly complement the subject, which is well spotted! The scene ideally encapsulates the brief for this round, capturing the smaller details in a moment that oozes with winter atmosphere. A wor thy winner…

Lens mount Nikon F Nikon’s latest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for DSLRs has gained an excellent reputation for premium performance. Compared with the previous edition, it has an uprated optical design that features a fluorite glass element, six ED elements, one HRI element and the bonus of a Nano Crystal Coat. The revised dual-mode VR system has automatic panning detection plus a Sport mode that doesn’t interfere with the view finder image and avoids a slowdown in continuous shooting. A dual-mode autofocus system gives priority to either automatic focusing or manual override. Performance Sharpness and contrast are both excellent throughout the zoom range, but the Sigma Sports lens goes toe-to-toe with the Nikkor for sharpness in real-world shooting, while matching other aspects of image quality and autofocus speed. Sharpness The Nikkor…

Lens mounts Canon EF, Nikon F This Tamron G2 (Generation 2) lens feels every inch a pro-grade offering. The optical design has been refined to increase sharpness and contrast, while reducing colour fringing, ghosting and flare. The autofocus system is uprated for faster, more accurate performance, and the Vibration Compensation system boasts five-stop effectiveness with three switchable modes. A key update over the previous edition is that the G2 is compatible with Tamron’s 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters. Performance As advertised, the autofocus system is extremely fast and operates with excellent precision. Image quality is gorgeous, although shots are marginally less sharp than they are when using the Nikon and Sigma f/2.8 lenses. Stabilisation is great for static photos, but it’s less impressive for panning shots. Sharpness It’s not as sharp…

Fujifilm faced a challenge in creating a successor to the X-T4, which was released in 2020 to much acclaim. So does the X-T5 do enough to warrant an upgrade? Its compact body is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, and the resolution has bumped up considerably from 26.1MP to 40.2MP, making it one of the highestresolution APS-C cameras on the market. Then there’s ISO125 as a standard sensitivity (compared to the X-T4’s 160), the staggeringly fast shutter speed of 1/180000 sec, and ergonomically, a three-way tilting LCD (the X-T4 has a vari-angle design). The continuous shooting speed using the electronic shutter is 20fps, and while this doesn’t match the X-H2S, it’s still pretty impressive. Fujifilm is thinking about photographers more than hybrid shooters when it comes to the features of…

PRICE: £15,499/$15,497 FOCUS DISTANCE: 4.3m WEIGHT: 2360g Build and handling This Nikon follows in the highly capable and expensive footsteps of the Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S. There’s a lot of glass packed into this lens, comprising 26 elements arranged in 20 groups, including seven elements in four groups for the teleconverter. Although the lens is undeniably heavy, the two fluorite glass elements help lighten the front end and centralise weight. Handling is further enhanced by an intuitive control layout featuring two independent Lens-function buttons. Construction is excellent, as you’d expect for a lens costing this much. All joints in the robust magnesium alloy casing are weather-sealed, as is the mounting plate. Performance At 600mm, the lens is super-sharp from the centre of the frame right out to the…

EXASCEND CFEXPRESS TYPE A Website: www.exascend.com Price: £195/$190 CFexpress Type A cards are still thin on the ground but some Sony camera users need one to get the best from their equipment. Exascend makes CFexpress Type A cards in five capacities from 120GB to 480GB and with a sustained read speed of 800MB/s, while the sustained write speed is up to 700MB/s. GOPRO MOD FRONT FACING CAMERA SCREEN Website: www.gopro.com Price: £85/$80 This 2-inch flip-up screen makes it easy to see yourself while you’re vlogging with the GoPro Hero11 Black, Hero10 Black or Hero9 Black cameras. The camera’s own front screen shows essential information, including the recording time, remaining battery life and storage capacity. It mounts via the GoPro Media Mod. ZOOM H6 Website: www.zoomcorp.com Price: £279/$350 Good audio is…

Canon has announced the Canon EOS R8 and EOS R50, two new mirrorless cameras aimed at different sectors of the photography market. The EOS R8 is a light and powerful model, featuring the same 24.2MP sensor and processor as the R6 Mark II, the latest subject recognition and tracking, max ISO 102400 and 40fps shooting. Video capabilities are 4K 60P (6K oversampled), up to 180fps in Full HD. Despite being one numerical value below the APS-C-equipped Canon EOS R7, the R8 has a full-frame sensor. It sits between the entry-level full-frame EOS RP and the EOS R6 Mark II and is aimed at serious enthusiasts and professional photographers. The body is a close replica of the EOS RP, with a similar size, but trimming 20g off the weight of the…

At Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked launch in early February, the company announced its Galaxy S23 Series of premium camera phones. The lineup comprises the flagship S23 Ultra, which notably features a 200MP primary camera sensor – an increase of almost double from the 108MP of its predecessor, the S22 Ultra. It also features a 12MP wide-angle, 10MP 3x zoom, and 10MP 10x zoom camera. The front-facing camera now has super HDR and video recording in 4K/60fps. The S23 Ultra can record 8K video at 30fps, with a larger viewing angle of 57- 80° degrees. Samsung has also improved the adaptive VDIS for better image stabilisation, and it now uses AI to analyse subject movement and lighting conditions to improve the IS performance. The optical IS angle has doubled to 3° degrees.…

Photographing landscapes in the United Kingdom can be something of a love-hate affair, especially in the winter months. With the weather changing suddenly, dramatically and often without warning, we’ve come to rely on weather apps more so we can avoid wasted trips or unnecessary hikes. It’s almost the end of January and I’m on my way to meet Lloyd Evans. It’s a particularly beautiful morning as I drive to Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, passing the photogenic Chew Valley Lake on the way. I’m almost tempted to stop and fire off a few frames, but I don’t want to be late for our meeting. We park up in a spot just outside Cheddar’s quaint town centre, next to the Black Rock nature walk, which is surrounded by rocky paths and dense…

HIRE YOUR CAMERA KIT A good way to test a new kit item is to rent it first. Many camera rental places offer an excellent service and you can make sure that buying the item at a later stage is the correct decision for you. Wildlife photography can be an expensive pastime because of the equipment needed. Lenses, in particular, can be costly, but the best gear doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best shots. Two commonly used lenses are the telephoto lens, used to capture wildlife from a safe distance with the ability to zoom in close, and the macro lens, which shows small animals and insects in amazing detail. But these aren’t absolutely necessary to capture urban wildlife and whatever equipment you have, you should be able to shoot quality…

“I have had a passion for wildlife since childhood and it all started in the hedge that bordered our garden. My bedroom overlooked the hedge and I spent many hours with a pair of binoculars and an old field guide identifying the different species of birds. I even had a little black notebook to record my sightings. Eventually, I became a wildlife photographer and although my journey has taken me to many beautiful places, I am still drawn to the world outside my window. Staying close to home allows you to really get to know your subjects and the environment in which they live. Some of my most successful images have been captured in my own garden. When I’m working in garden and urban situations, I don’t want to create…

LIGHTROOM TUTORIAL Recovering deep shadow detail can often require much more than just tweaking the Shadows slider in Lightroom. While this is undoubtedly a useful tool, when you’ve underexposed a shot slightly to maintain highlight detail, for instance, it’s simply not up to the job of revealing enough shadow detail. We therefore need an alternative way of lifting shadows and that’s exactly what we’re going to explore here. What you’ll be using Basic adjustments Lens Corrections HSL controls Tone Curve Masking 1 ApplyLens Corrections Go to the Tone Curve, set it to Point Curve and set the dropdown menu to the Medium Contrast preset. Next, go to Lens Corrections and check Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections. The latter can reduce vignetting and lighten the outer edges. 2 Set…

Millie Pilkington Millie Pilkington is one of the UK’s most highly-respected portrait photographers, specialising in children and family portraits. Her work ranges from huge society affairs to small country weddings of 30 guests and, in 2011, she was chosen to shoot the private wedding photographs for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Based in Sherborne, she is the author of the bestselling book Great Faces of Dorset and is currently working on the next in the series, Great Faces of Somerset. To see more of Millie’s work: milliepilkington.co.uk One of the elements many new photographers overlook when setting up a photoshoot is the knowledge required to identify and select the perfect background. Shooting on location opens up a world of new possibilities, introducing engaging textures, beautiful light and, when implemented…

The Art of Building Photography Awards 2022 Run by the Chartered Institute of Building, the Art of Building photography competition is an international showcase for the very best digital images of the built environment, celebrating the industry’s creativity and the impact its work has on those who use the final construction. The winners of the 2022 competition range from an isolated church to a shopping mall, with the two overall winners decided by a panel of judges and a public vote. For further information on this year’s competition, visit artofbuilding.org “These awards celebrate the creativity of the building industry”…

96 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lenses These ‘trinity’ lenses are ideally suited for sports, action and wildlife photography. We test eight of the best 70-200mm zooms from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Sony and Tamron. 104 Fujifilm X-T5 With updates including a smaller and lighter body, a three-way tilting LCD and a maximum resolution of 40.1MP, is the X-T5 a worthy successor to the X-T4? Lauren Scott finds out 108 DJI Mavic 3 Classic The Mavic 3 took drone photography to a new level but with just one camera, how does the Classic fare? Angela Nicholson tries it out 110 Lenses Every month, we take two professional optics out into the field to test their performance. This issue, we test the Samyang V-AF 75mm T1.9 and the Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC…

Lens mount Canon EF Canon has stuck firmly with its tried and tested and reasonably popular formula of updating its top-flight 70-200mm zoom. The barrel is a slightly different shade of grey, but the only notable upgrades boil down to the coatings. An ASC (Air Sphere Coating) has been added to the 19th element in the optical path, to further reduce ghosting and flare, and fluorine coatings are applied to the front and rear elements, to repel moisture and grease. Performance Compared with the previous edition of the lens, Canon has downgraded the claimed effectiveness of the image stabilisation system from four to 3.5 stops. That puts it more in line with the results of our own lab testing. The new lens is equally impressive as its predecessor for sharpness…

Lens mounts Sony FE Sony’s FE 70-200mm f/4 lens is an impressive performer, but the newer f/2.8 G Master really aims for glory, adding an ultra-high tolerance XA (eXtreme Aspherical) element for greater control of colour fringing and enhanced bokeh. Like the Sigma Sports lens here, this Sony also features 11 diaphragm blades to maintain a well-rounded aperture. The autofocus system features both ring-type ultrasonic and dual linear motors. Performance The Sony combines excellent sharpness and contrast with soft and dreamy bokeh. However, despite the advanced autofocus system, focusing speed proved slower in our tests than with competing lenses. The stabiliser gave a disappointing two-stop effectiveness, although it’s boosted when used in conjunction with sensor-shif t stabilisation. Sharpness Centre sharpness is excellent, but corner sharpness is average. Fringing Short 1.0…

Website: www.dji.com DJI announced the Mavic 3 back in November 2021 and it raised the bar by offering professional-level results from a relatively compact, foldable drone. However, it’s also extremely expensive so, naturally, the arrival of the Mavic 3 Classic, which costs around £200/$450 less has drawn a lot of interest. Specification-wise, the Mavic 3 Classic is identical to the original Mavic 3 in all but one respect. While the Mavic 3 has two cameras, the Mavic 3 Classic only has one. That might seem like a significant issue but the Mavic 3’s second camera, a telephoto unit with an effective focal length of 162mm and a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor, doesn’t deliver the same image quality as its main camera. As a consequence, it’s only really useful for route planning…

For me, there’s nothing more exciting than photographing a lion that has never been photographed before. I believe that a photo taken in an unfamiliar setting, even if it’s of a commonly-photographed species, has a context that sets it apart from other pictures. And that is exactly the point for me. I have little interest in taking photos that aren’t somehow different. I first visited Shompole Conservancy in Kenya’s Rift Valley two years ago and was captivated by the rugged beauty of the scenery and amazed by the abundance of nocturnal life that thrived in the seemingly hostile environment. The area is special for the way in which the local Maasai community shares the land with wildlife. The community benefits through the conservation fees that tourists pay when they visit…