Innehållsförteckning för No. 266 från Digital Photographer

There is something particularly satisfying about turning the page to a new chapter in a book. I was recently musing on this fact and it occurred to me how the best things in life happen at boundaries – when one state of being moves into the next. It’s for this reason we all enjoy sunrises and sunsets as much as we do, they mark the end of one day and the promise of another. It’s fitting, therefore, that we have a feature in this issue on landscape photography during the golden hours. In this first part of a series called the Digital Photographer Masterclass, which explores the core pillars of high-level photography, Ross Hoddinott explains how to use light, colour and careful framing to create amazingly emotive shots. Find it on…

Canon’s latest RF 100-300mm F2.8L IS USM ushers in a new generation of powerful zooms. The lens is claimed to provide incredible telephoto reach with a versatile zoom range, constant wide f/2.8 maximum aperture and the top image quality you’d expect to see from a prime lens. Its flexible zoom range and a wide maximum aperture of f/2.8 make it ideal for sports, wildlife and reportage photography. The fast maximum f/2.8 aperture also lets in enough light so you can shoot photos or video without raising the ISO too much. It also has 5.5 stops of Optical Image Stabilisation (increasing to 6 stops with an IBIS body), which allows better handheld shooting. Tipping the scales at 2.59kg, the new lens is only 190g heavier than the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS…

As photographers, we can often be heard bemoaning how much we spend on photographic equipment. Though in general, we love buying new gear, perhaps we’re less impressed with the price tags associated with the most recent high-end camera kit. One possible solution to cheer ourselves up might be to browse the pages of a car magazine. While the likes of the Nikon Z 9, Canon EOS R3 or Sony A1 might seem expensive to most of us, they are unlikely to rival the latest Ferrari or Porsche for the impact on your bank balance. This topic of conversation doesn’t take long to materialise today at NVN Motorworks, a premier car detailing service near Wembley in northwest London. I’m here to join photographer Phil Hay on a luxury car photoshoot and…

Difficulty level: Advanced Time taken: 1.5 hours One of the great things about shooting on cameras with APS-C or Micro 4/3 sensors is that the crop factor these formats apply can help us achieve even greater magnification from our lenses, macro optics or otherwise. In close-up photography, this can be a benefit, especially if your lens doesn’t allow life-size magnification on its own. However, the closer crop means, if we shoot at a life-size 1:1 setting, we exclude much of the background. While this might not sound like a problem in many cases, there are times when you want both incredible detail in your subject – the level only seen at life-size – and location elements behind it, to set the scene. This is one advantage of shooting macro on…

Global adjustments can often only get you so far when editing images in Lightroom. By taking advantage of the Masking Tools, you can adopt a more precise approach by targeting specific areas of your image for editing. This allows you to apply only the changes required on an individual basis, rather than following a one size fits all approach and will, ultimately give you better editing results. What you’ll be using Radial & Linear Gradients Basic adjustments Lens Corrections Select Sky Brush 1 Basic adjustments Apply basic adjustments to the image as a whole until it is close to how you would like it to look. Avoid using strong settings because specific areas of the image will be adjusted individually. At this stage, make sure the White Balance is correct…

How do I go green? I’m environmentally conscious and I want to make my business as green as possible. Do you have any tips? Brad Fielding As a small business, it can be hard to make big changes, however, the fact that you are conscious of this aspect is a great place to start. There are many ways a photography business can go greener. Here are a few ideas that we’ve come up with… ● Buy second-hand. From lenses to cameras there is a massive second-hand market… but don’t just stop at your camera kit – refurbished phones and computers are also available in abundance. ● In the colder months, heat a smaller space when working from home. Don’t switch on the heating for the whole house. Find a way…

Travel Photographer of the Year 2022 The Travel Photographer of the Year is one of the world’s most prestigious competitions, with images ranging from the quirky, humorous and lyrically beautiful to those showing the darker side of travel, including protests and conservation efforts. Since it began in 2003, the competition has attracted entries from 151 countries, with over 50 nationalities among the winners. For further information and details on the 2023 competition, visit tpoty.com…

A couple of months ago (issue 265) we focused on downsized crop sensor cameras, pitching four of the latest high-performance bodies against each other. This time, we’re turning our attention to standard zooms, ideal for everyday shooting with an APS-C format body. Compared with full-frame cameras, the advantages typically include a relatively compact and lightweight build, making them travel-friendly and easing the load for walkabout photography. The same goes for companion lenses for this class of camera. A standard zoom is usually favoured for its versatility. It enables everything from wide-angle coverage to a short telephoto focal length in one convenient package, avoiding the need to cart around additional lenses with you. That said, some standard zooms can be quite chunky and hefty, even for APS-C format cameras, which ruins…

BAYONET FIT HOOD The Sigma comes with a bayonet-fit hood that is independent of the 55mm filter attachment thread, which is small for an f/2.8 lens. MOUNT OPTIONS Unlike the other lenses on test, the Sigma is available in a range of Fujifilm X, Leica L and Sony E APS-C format mount options to suit various makes of camera MINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE The minimum focus distance stretches from 0.12m to 0.3m as you extend through the zoom range, enabling a sizeable 0.36x maximum magnification ratio PRICE: £429/$549 Hear the phrase ‘constant-aperture f/2.8 standard zooms’ and you’ll think of a hefty full-frame lens weighing around 1kg. At just 298g, this Sigma is lightweight and compact at 62x77mm. It also has a fairly small filter attachment thread of 55mm, which is less…

Megapixels 24MP Max resolution 6000x 4000pixels Sensor information APS-C CMOS (23.5 x 15.6 mm) Shutter speed 30sec – 1/6000sec ISO sensitivity 100 - 102400 Exposure modes P, A, S, M, SCN, Bulb, Custom Metering options Multi , Spot , Center-weighted Flash modes Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash on, flash + redeye reduction, slow sync, trailing curtain sync, manual Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, HDMI (Mini), Remote, Mic Batteries D-LI109 rechargeable lithium-ion Storage 1 xSD/SDHX/SDHC UHS-I LCD 3 inch 1.04 million dot TFTLCD vari-angle (nontouch sensitive) Viewfinder OVF (pentaprism) 100% FOV, 0.95x mag Weight 688g (inc battery) Dimensions 126 x 93 x 74 mm Pentax KF FEATURES Everything about the Pentax KF is conservative. It’s reliable but doesn’t do much to excite the user BUILD QUALITY In keeping with other Pentax…

As both a photographer and social worker, social issues are a big concern for me. Violent crimes are committed every day, but not only behind closed doors where nobody sees them. Often incidents happen in public – in the park around the corner or other places we are familiar with in our daily lives. It is an issue that affects us all and that’s why it is important to shed light on this topic. After all, sexual harassment and sexual assaults are no isolated incidents. Statistically, one in every three women has experienced or will experience sexual violence at least once in their lives. To raise the public’s awareness of this subject, I started photographing crime scenes in public spaces. The photographic project ‘What Remains’ is a series consisting of…

Leica has launched its latest camera, the M11 Monochrom, as well as an enhanced version of its Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH lens. This fourth-generation camera is specifically developed for black-and-white photography. The M11 Monochrom comes with a monochrome multi-resolution full-format sensor, exclusively developed for the new M generation of Leica cameras. It boasts a maximum resolution of 60MP, a maximum ISO of 200,000 and an internal 256GB SSD memory. Leica’s Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH has also been updated for modern digital cameras. It promises better image quality and a new 60MP full-frame sensor with exceptional contrast, an increased number of aperture blades for rounder bokeh and a focusing distance of 45cm. The Leica M11 Monochrom and Summilux-M f/1.4 ASPH are available now. The M11 costs £8,300 and the lens costs…

DJI has announced the long-awaited Inspire 3, six and a half years after the Inspire 2 was launched. It carries the 8K full-frame Zenmuse X9 cinema camera, sports a new 1080p FPV camera with night-vision and has built-in support for RTK waypoints for filmmakers to create a ‘3D dolly’. DJI says its new Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera is the lightest ever full-frame camera. It can shoot 8K at 25fps Cinema DNG or 8K at 75fps in ProRes RAW. 4K at 120fps is on offer too. The improved FPV camera, with 1080p 60fps video, offers a 161° field of view, but perhaps more interesting is night vision, which should make dual-camera operations at night much easier. It also boasts over 14 stops of dynamic range, flight times of 28 minutes and…

DON’T MISS PART 2 Explore the second part of our Pro Masterclass in Issue 267, available 13th June Want to capture gorgeous landscape photos oozing with depth and atmosphere? While great landscapes can be captured at any time of the day, many photographers favour the golden hours – just before and after sunrise and sunset – when the light is warm and magical and the skies can be vibrant. Light found early and late in the day is both directional and soft – qualities that are hard to find together in any location with natural light at other times of the day. The sun’s low elevation casts long, inky shadows and contrast that shapes and defines the landscape, while skies tend to be at their most interesting and dramatic too.…

BEFORE AFTER In February this year, people living in the UK were treated to an unexpected and rare event in the night skies as the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, were visible across much of the nation. Many spectacular images were captured with unusual red pillars on the northern horizon. They could be seen from much further south than usual, the result of strong solar activity that pushed the auroral sphere further down to lower latitudes. Indeed, the light show was observed from as far south as Cornwall and even northern France. Despite the UK’s relatively northern location in Europe, the Northern Lights are rarely seen in most parts of this country. Avid aurora hunters usually have to travel to northernmost dark-sky places, such as the highlands…

The colours in your image determine its overall appearance, of course. So when shooting a subject that has a range of coloured elements, it helps to make sure they balance each other out. If you are working on products or brand content, it is especially important to reproduce the colours correctly. The Hue Range Mask feature in Affinity Photo makes it easy to edit the colours of your choice non-destructively. What you’ll be using Hue Range Mask layer Picker tool Additional mask Paint brush tool HSL adjustment Saturation and Luminosity shift 1 Add layers Open your image in Affinity Photo 2.0 and duplicate the background layer. This way, the original file will remain untouched if you need to re-edit it in the future. Now, add a Hue Range Mask layer…

WIN! SAMSUNG 256GB PRO PLUS MICRO SDXC MEMORY CARD WITH SD ADAPTER Every issue, one Digital Photographer reader wins a Samsung 256GB PRO Plus MicroSDXC memory card with SD adapter. Boasting up to 160MB/s and 120MB/s read/write speeds, the card is perfect for high-res stills and Ultra HD video. It is the go-to card for the modern content creator using mirrorless, smartphone, action cam and drone cameras. Find out more at samsung.com/uk/ memory-storage Photographer: Michael Atkinson Title: Tree Nymph Butterfly Location: Butterfly World, Stockton-on-Tees, UK @mike.atkinson3264 About the shot: “This image was taken hand-held inside a butterfly house without using a flash, so I had to increase the ISO value to compensate. Even though this particular type of butterfly, the large tree nymph (Idea leuconoe), is a relatively subdued one…

ZOOM RING There’s no locking switch, so you simply twist the zoom ring from its retracted position to operate the lens FOCUS RING The electronically coupled control ring can be assigned to other functions such as aperture control, exposure compensation and ISO adjustment when in autofocus mode MOUNTING PLATE As with the Nikon lens, the Canon has a plastic rather than metal mounting plate which is still pretty durable while shedding a few extra grammes along the way Tipping the scales at just 130g, this Canon is an unfeasibly lightweight lens, although it only undercuts the Nikon by 5g. Both have a retractable design, so you need to twist the zoom ring from its ‘folded’ position to the operational sector, which extends the physical length of the lens. The Canon’s…

FILTER ATTACHMENT THREAD The optional hood screws into the 46mm filter attachment thread, so it can’t be reversed for compact storage like a regular bayonet-fit hood ZOOM AND FOCUS RINGS The zoom ring is positioned at the front and operates the retracting mechanism, with no need for a locking switch. The focus ring at the rear can perform alternative functions when in autofocus mode APERTURE DIAPHRAGM Like all the other lenses in the group, the Nikon has an aperture diaphragm based on seven curved blades and remains fairly well-rounded when stopping down PRICE: £329/$307 Shrinking to just 32mm thick in its retracted state, the Nikon is only three-quarters the length of the Canon and almost qualifies as a pancake lens. Available in black or silver, it is colour-coordinated to suit…

Price: Website: £789/$679 www.canon.co.uk To cut a long story short, the Canon EOS R50 is a newer, cleverer replacement for the M50 line, even though the M50 will continue to be sold and the EOS M system will still be supported. It’s clear that the Canon EOS R50 is the spiritual replacement for the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, released in 2020 and it’s also obvious that the R50 manages to supersede its predecessor in almost every way. The fact it shares the same RF mount as EOS R cameras like the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS RP (rather than the far less populated EF-M mount, which limits the EOS M range) gives the R50 access to a rich, cutting-edge and ever-increasing line of lenses. Though at the same…

PRICE: £1,399/$1,098 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.25-0.3m WEIGHT: 488g Build and handling We’ve reviewed more 24-70mm lenses than we can count over the years as they have become something of a staple in the kitbag of many a professional. This recent optic from Sony mixes things up nicely with a slightly wider minimum focal length. The barrel feels no heavier or bulkier than an equivalent 24-70mm f/4 and it is incredibly compact and portable. This doesn’t come at the expense of build quality, however, and it feels capable of withstanding the rigours of pro life. All the controls are intuitively placed and easy to work with. This is a familiar modern Sony lens design and is all the better for it. Performance It’s hard to fault the overall performance – sharpness is…

Monochrome cameras would appear to be like buses, as this month, not only did we get the Leica M11 Monochrom (see opposite page), but Ricoh also announced the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome. It’s a DLSR camera designed with a monochromatic-only sensor for still photos and video up to 4K/30p. The new model is based on the flagship Pentax K-3 Mark III APS-C DSLR, released in April 2021. It uses the 25.7MP sensor from the Pentax K-3 Mark III but removes the colour filter, which, in theory, should result in improved sharpness. It also loses the Anti-Aliasing filter for better clarity. The APS-C sensor is monochromespecific, unlike typical colour image sensors that use red, green, and blue coloured filters to receive light, each pixel on this sensor detects only one…

Photographer: Karolina Konsur Instagram: @karolinakonsur Location: Chapel of St. Barbara, South Moravia, Czech Republic Type of commission: Personal Details: Canon EOS 80D, Sigma 70-200mm lens, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 400 About the shot: “As a landscape photographer, I am always looking for unique places to photograph. This time, I decided to revisit the marvellous region of South Moravia in the Czech Republic. It is famous for excellent vineyards and historic castles but also, with photographers especially, for its interesting landforms. In this region, the picturesque fields meander between the hills like waves. Among these fields, near the village of Stražovice, you can find one of the photographic symbols of Moravia, the Chapel of St. Barbara – lonely, yet charmingly situated among a clump of trees. I went there one summer morning,…

The job of a wedding photographer requires so much more than just turning up on the big day and shooting a few romantic scenes. They must also display indispensable qualities, such as organisation, flexibility, adaptability and reliability. Being a wedding photographer also carries great responsibility – after all, such an event usually only takes place once in a lifetime, so you can’t afford to make errors such as being late, running out of battery power or losing images due to technical failure. Besides taking pictures, you will be more than just a photographer for the happy couple, getting a private insight into their lives and witnessing first-hand the many emotions that the day brings. One of the most important things here is to let the bride and groom take charge…

Meet the editing pro James Abbott is a professional photographer and photography journalist, specialising in shooting and editing techniques. He recently released his first book, covering professional image editing skills in both Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo. @jamesaphoto www.jamesaphoto.co.uk The ability to change depth-of-field after photos have been taken has been tried before with Lytro cameras. But despite providing a tantalising feature, the technology didn’t quite live up to expectations. However, a similar result is now available in Photoshop using the Depth Blur Neural Filter, where you can reduce depth-of-field and change the point of focus in images with a large depth-of-field. What you’ll be using Camera Raw Filter Smart Filters Depth Blur Texture Clarity 1 Convert for Smart Filters Open your image in Photoshop and press Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate…

Shooting and curating images from our portfolio is an essential skill for a wide variety of professional applications. As photographers, we are regularly called upon to create collections of shots for others, whether this includes simply friends and family, or even clients and corporate customers. We are expected to understand how images work, both in isolation and together, as part of a wider series. A perfect example of where this can be demonstrated is with a photo essay. A great photo essay can be rewarding and exciting to put together. We often communicate with images alone in our day-to-day projects, but if the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is true, then we have tremendous scope for creating an exciting visual story through our work. While photo…

Located in the Deep South of the United States, the state of Mississippi, also known as the ‘Magnolia State’, is rich in history, not least for being the birthplace of the Delta blues. During the American Civil War, black soldiers reinvented former slavery songs and created the precursor of what we now know as ‘the blues’. This new music was inspired by a combination of musical cultures, where African-American elements were mixed with the instruments and scales of the country music of the time. This eclectic mix of cultures eventually led to the blues, a music genre that has inspired artists and movements all over the world. But Mississippi isn’t just famous for the blues – it also has a long history of social justice movements and was the centre…

For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best still-life studies and, after working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. As a prize, the 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. WIN! Prizes from Affinity Enter our Spring Colour contest before 28th May for the chance to win a licence to Affinity Photo As the seasons change, the landscape is transformed. Capture the colour and dramatic lighting found at this time of year. Enter at www.photocrowd.com/digitalphotographer from 28th April for a chance to win a licence to Affinity…

TRIPLE CONTROL RINGS Separate dedicated control rings are featured for zoom, manual focus and aperture control, the last with an auto/manual switch MACRO RANGE The regular minimum focus distance of 0.6m shrinks to 0.3m - 0.4m in Macro mode, as you extend through the zoom range APERTURE The aperture range of f/2.8-4 is 1.33 f/stops faster than the Canon lens at both the short and long ends of the zoom range PRICE: £679/$699 Weighing in at 310g, the Fujifilm is more than twice the weight of the Canon and Nikon lenses and is also more than twice the price to buy. That’s mostly down to a more complex optical design, based on 14 elements in total, compared with seven elements for the Canon and nine for the Nikon. The Fujifilm…

Price: £949/$847 Canon and Nikon may dominate the DSLR market, but we must not forget there’s a third contender – Pentax. The company has been making DSLRs as long as the other two and after an early dalliance with mirrorless, it has committed fully to the digital SLR design, aiming at a small but passionate band of enthusiasts who appreciate the traditional values, rugged design and the brand’s heritage. The Pentax KF is the latest in a long line of sometimes almost indistinguishable APS-C format DSLRs, all of which seem to share the same 24MP CMOS sensor but varying combinations of body design, burst speeds and other features. Pentax also makes a full-frame DSLR, the somewhat hefty but rather good Pentax K-1 Mark II, and it makes the medium format…

DOWNLOAD TEST SHOTS https://bit.ly/3GYaGdG PRICE: £1,249/$1,299 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.25-1.5m WEIGHT: 1,115g Build and handling The Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VXD is a new venture for the veteran lens manufacturer but it’s not entirely without precedent. With a zoom range stretching from a standard focal length to super-telephoto reach, Sigma launched a 50-500mm back in 2001. Tamron’s 50-400mm is naturally more limited in telephoto reach but is also much more manageable. A comparative lightweight at 1,115g, it is more viable for handheld shooting and trekking into the wilds. Build quality feels solid and robust and the lens features multiple weather-seals plus a fluorine coating on its front element to repel moisture and grease. Performance Autofocus proved both fast and consistently accurate and virtually inaudible. The combination of optical performance, autofocus…