Innehållsförteckning för May 2020 från Smart Photography

As I write this piece, the national lockdown has been extended further to May 03. The toll taken by the Covid 19 virus has crossed over 800 deaths (as on April 27, 2020) and the number of positive cases is at an all time high. Hopefully, things will get better soon. Meanwhile, we have gone all out to send to you, our dear readers, the April issue of SP digitally. In fact, we have increased our digital coverage substantially and are pleased to note some of the responses received. All in our editorial team have been working from home and fortunately modern technology enables us to do so. Of course after the crisis is over, pictures taken covering the tragedy will play an important role in documenting social history of…

Canon has released a firmware update (version 1.1.0) for its 1D X Mark III D-SLR. This update corrects the lock-up issue that previously caused the camera to lock the display in the viewfinder when electronic level was set as ‘Show’ and the shutter or AF-ON was pressed. The update provides for other bug fixes and comes with functions such as Browser Remote and safe image transfer. It also adds the option for a 23.98p frame rate and provides improved connectivity speed when connected via wired LAN. The latest update is available for download on the Canon official website.…

Tamron has announced the launch of 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A056), a large aperture telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras. The launch has been scheduled for May 14, 2020, however, the release date or the product supply schedule could be delayed due to the spread of COVID-19. The 70-180mm f/2.8 features a compact and light-weight design with a 67mm filter diameter, same as Tamron’s 17-28mm f/2.8 (Model A046) and the 28-75mm f/2.8 (Model A036). The optical construction includes several special lens elements that contribute to the lens overall performance. Its short 0.85m (33.5 in) MOD (Minimum Object Distance) expands overall versatility. The lens utilizes Tamron’s newly developed VXD (Voice-coil extreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism that produces a quiet and quick autofocus drive. Additionally, a…

Metabones has released a new Speed Booster that reduces the significant 4K video crop factor found on the Canon EOS R full-frame camera systems. According to reports, filmmakers are now able to mitigate most of the 4K video crop factor of EOS R (1.75x) and EOS RP (1.63x) and reduce it to 1.24x and 1.15x respectively. The field of view is now much closer to still photo mode. This new Speed Booster is not intended for still photography but will work if the camera is configured to APS-C mode. The new Speed Boosters use an advanced 5-element/4-group optical design incorporating ultrahigh index tantalum-based optical glass to achieve extraordinary optical performance with improved corner sharpness, distortion and reduced vignetting. It supports dual-pixel autofocus, video AF, has IS lens support, built-in Control…

ProGrade Digital has announced the release of two new card readers, PG04 and PG05.5, to its product line. The PG04 is a Thunderbolt 3 reader for CFexpress Type B and XQD cards that is capable of transferring data at speeds up to 40Gb/s (5GB/s). The PG05.5 is a replacement for PG05 reader that has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface enabling simultaneous transfer of data from both card slots at up to 10Gb/s (1.25GB/s). The PG05.5 supports both CFexpress Type B and SDXC, UHS-II cards. The PG04 includes a certified Thunderbolt 3 cable while the PG05.5 includes both a USB 3.2 Gen2 type C to C and type C to A cables. Just like the rest of the ProGrade Digital reader line, these new readers have a magnetic base and…

Yongnuo has announced the YN50mm f/1.8S DA DSM lens for Sony E-mount APS-C mirrorless camera systems. Yongnuo’s new ‘nifty fifty’ autofocus lens is designed specifically for Sony’s A6000 series mirrorless cameras. The lens is constructed of eight elements in seven groups, having one low-dispersion element that minimises aberrations. The lens also features a seven-blade aperture diaphragm, gold-plated contacts with a metal bayonet mount and a ‘nanometer multilayer coating’ that minimises flares and ghosting. Its internal autofocus is driven by a digital stepping motor (DSM) and the lens comes with a micro USB port for upgrade. According to reports, the lens is 58mm long and 64mm in diameter. It weighs roughly 146g. No information has been revealed as of now regarding its price or release date.…

Canon has announced that the company’s interchangeable-lens digital cameras (Digital SLR and mirrorless cameras) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 17 consecutive years from 2003 to 2019. The company is currently developing the EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless camera, equipped with a newly developed full-frame CMOS sensor and featuring high-speed continuous shooting for still images and 8K video recording. Additionally, the company is currently developing 9 RF lens models, including the RF100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM, and plans to release them throughout the course of 2020. Sony however, holds the top position in the full frame mirrorless cameras.…

Itel has announced the extension of warranty period by two months for all its smartphone models, owing to the Covid-19 lockdown. The extension will be applicable for all those models whose warranty expires between March 20 and May 31. The warranty extension is automatically applicable and the users may check the status by logging in on the CarlCare mobile application. Itel has taken this step as a gesture of good faith and to ensure that their customers get extended warranty period without paying any additional charge.…

Fujifilm was awarded the “Red Dot Design Award: Product Design 2020” for 23 of its products, including those in the “instax” series of instant cameras, “X-series” and “GFX-series” of digital cameras. The product design award program organised by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen was based in Essen, Germany. Among other awards, the high precision lens film for inkjet printing “OperaPass” has won the Innovative Product Award. The Red Dot Design Award is an international design award launched in 1955 and is recognised as one of the world’s three most prestigious design awards, alongside Germany’s “iF design award” and the United States’ “the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)”. This year, there were around 6,500 entries from around the world to be judged by internationally-renowned design experts.…

Madhya Pradesh. Besides being the land of tigers, it is the true heart of Incredible India. For travelers, its offering is diverse. From nature to wildlife. From art to crafts, from culture to heritage. In this photo feature, I share some landmark heritage icons. Feast your eyes on it and plan to be there soon after the lockdown is over. | SP…

1) Do not share your photo equipment with anyone else. 2) Avoid using any equipment owned/used by other photographers. 3) Do not ask a stranger to take a photograph with your camera. 4) If you happen to be outdoors, keep your camera covered as much as possible. 5) Clean your camera regularly if you are using it. A light isopropyl alcohol solution may be applied sparingly to clean your camera body. Some manufacturers have been quoted to say that a light isopropyl solution can also be applied to lenses but I am not sure if that is true. Lens wipes (available from Zeiss and some other reputed suppliers) can safely be used to clean the exposed glass as well as the lens body. 6) Corona virus can remain alive on…

At a lot of public places, the police don’t seem to allow you to take pictures, especially if you look like a professional armed with a gadget bag and a tripod. Any tips on what we should do? Nikhil Kumar, Mumbai Let us first understand as to why the police don’t allow us to take photos at certain places or under certain situations. One possible reason in today’s scenario could have to do with security. You could, for example, be taking pictures with an intention to pass that information to hostile elements. On the other hand, you may be interested in the architecture of the building that you are photographing. But how are the police to know of your intentions? If there is a security issue, the police will be…

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…

RICOH has announced the development of a new-generation high-performance Star-series lens, the HD PENTAX-D FA 85mm f/1.4 SDM AW. This product is the second in its single focus lens line-up following the HD PENTAX-D FA 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW. The lens incorporates three Extra-low Dispersion glass optical elements to compensate for the chromatic aberrations and produce high-contrast images even at open aperture. The PENTAX-D FA 85mm f/1.4 is made of one aspherical lens to achieve correction of spherical aberration, coma and field curvature. It also comes with a newly developed SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) equipped with high torque ring type ultrasonic motor. The lens is categorised as AW (All Weather) and features a dustproof, weather-resistant structure to prevent the intrusion of water and dust into the lens interior. The PENTAX-D…

Skyllaney has announced its first product, a 50mm Sonnar lens for Leica M-mount camera systems that is scheduled to launch in 2021. The 50mm f/2 ‘Bertele’ is a ‘limited edition’ lens inspired by a 50mm f/2 Sonnar design made by Dr. Ludwig Bertele, a German optician. According to reports, the lens is to be constructed of glass elements with anti-reflective (AR) coatings, with a round nine-blade aperture diaphragm and an aperture range between f/2 and f/22. It will also come with 6-bit coding for transferring EXIF data to M-mount cameras, minimum focusing distance of 70cm (27.5in) and a customisable engraving on the front ring. The lens will come in black (anodised aluminium) and silver (chrome-plated brass) and will be limited to 150 units for the initial run.…

Loupedeck has announced a software update enabling users to create custom profiles (version 3.2 or higher) for third-party applications. The new Loupedeck Profile Creator allows the Loupedeck CT owners to create custom profiles for applications like Davinci Resolve, Logic Pro X, Capture One etc. According to Loupedeck, Profile Creator can be used by anyone, with or without programming skills, for making adjustments using simple tools such as mouse movements, shortcuts keys, macros, run applications, links and text. The update is available for download at a price of US $549, on the Loupedeck’s official website where the company also offers User Guide downloads for general usage.…

OnePlus has launched its OnePlus 8 series smartphones. The camera features a triple lens-setup with an additional time-of-flight (ToF) sensor that, reportedly, improves depth estimation in bokeh mode and fine-tunes the autofocus. The main camera is supported with ele and wide-angle lenses. It features a 1/1.4-inch 48MP Sony IMX689 Quad-Bayer sensor that uses pixel-binning to produce 12MP image output with low noise and wide range. The lens is optically stabilised and comes with a f/1.78 aperture and 26mm-equivalent field-of-view. The ‘super-wideangle’ uses a smaller 1/2.0-inch sensor but is also of the 48MP Quad-Bayer variant which is meant to improve performance in dim light. The tele camera has a stabilised 74mm-equivalent lens, equal to 3x magnification. According to reports, the 4K/60fps video mode allows detailed video capture with smooth motion and…

Venus Optics has announced the availability of Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts for Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens. The lens has an apochromatic (APO) design, controlled longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberration and comes with 2 pieces of extra-low dispersion elements. The Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens can cover a full frame sensor and is available in 5 different mounts (Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony FE, Canon RF and Nikon Z). The suggested retail selling price of the new Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens is USD 449/pc (ex-VAT) and is available to order from Venus Optics authorised resellers and official website.…

Fujifilm has announced the supply of 200 N95 respiratory and surgical facemasks along with 40 PPE kits to healthcare professionals at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. To combat the spread of the disease, Fujifilm is providing these essential preventive healthcare utility (PPE) kits to doctors, which include Surgeon Gown, Face Mask, Gloves, Preventive Eye wear, Hood Cap and Shoe Cover. According to reports, the company is installing Computed Radiology, Digital Radiology systems and imagers across isolation wards at hospitals to ensure effective monitoring and controlling the disease outbreaks. These technologies will enable clinicians to improve efficiency and expedite the early diagnosis of the disease.…

VSCO and GoPro have announced major business changes as a result of the economic turndown. According to reports, VSCO laid off 45 employees this week. The company is giving its laid-off employees a minimum of two months of healthcare coverage and seven weeks of severance pay and is also assisting them in other ways. GoPro, meanwhile, released its preliminary Q1 financial requests on April 15. The company said that it is restructuring its business model to focus on direct-to-consumer sales and plans to lay off about 20% or more of its employees. Reports also state that GoPro said that it plans to move ahead with its 2020 product roadmap, which includes new software releases, subscriptions and hardware for action camera and smartphone owners.…

A 23 year old freelance photographer from Kolkata, Suvajit’s pursuit of photography started from 2014. He has won several awards in numerous national and international acceptances. Among other hobbies, photojournalism, culture and street photography attract him the most. He has also worked for Times of Bengal as a photojournalist and was the only Indian in 2019 to secure the FIAP GOLD in the 10TH GÜLER ERTAN INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST – 2019, Turkey. Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec Focal Length: 49 mm ISO: 200 Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/4.5 Shutter Speed: 1/45 sec Focal Length: 18 mm ISO: 400 Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/4.0 Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec Focal Length: 18 mm ISO: 200 Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/3.5 Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec…

Choose a camera with a high frame rate (10fps or more) Choose a lens with a wide aperture (f2.8) Learn about the work- flow (Post-processing) Know the game; learn the rules of the game (cricket, football, rugby etc) Plan your shooting positions and always remember to keep your back to the sun. Use a steady monopod Shoot using fast shutter speed (min. 1/1000 sec) Use available light and low ISO for sharp photos Take manyshots and anticipate actions Shoot from low angle Understand the AF system and Subject Tracking Use Back-button focus Capture interaction and emotions Keep ‘chimping’ to a minimum so as to avoid missing actions Shoot in JPEG Large (with sports photography, you’ll have no time to process your Raw captures) Use a fast memory card Last but…

• 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…

Viewfinder Settings Another major difference from DSLRs is the type of viewfinder which is electronic rather than optical. Consequently, a lot more information can be displayed in the viewfinder. Apart from the aperture, shutter speed, ISO and focus confirmation, a lot of other information can also be seen in the viewfinder. While too many things can clutter the viewfinder, you can set up the camera to display only certain important information in the viewfinder. Consider displaying the following in addition to those parameters already mentioned. These are: • Level meter (to check if the camera is level). • Histogram. • Under and overexposure warnings. • WYSIWYG (‘what you see is what you get’): This allows you to see in the viewfinder the DOF at the shooting aperture and hence is…

Write to us at: Smart Photography, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400 013 E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net Emerging Victorious Dear SP, It is almost a relief that the digital version of the magazine is still available. I have spent so many years with the magazine that it would have been weird if the magazine had stopped. Although, I must say I prefer the print version. These are definitely difficult times. We are all facing a pandemic and holding on to dear life. The only thing more tragic is the ‘not knowing’ part. A disease without a cure! However, we mustn’t lose faith. Faith in ourselves that we will pull through and faith in God that…

Fujifilm has released firmware updates for its X-T30 and X-T3 camera systems and XF 16–80mm f/4 R OIS WR lens. The firmware version 1.20 for the X-T30 has added many new features and functions such as improved autofocus performance and gimbal and drone support with USB. The firmware update improves AF functions such as tracking performance of the eye AF frame, face-detection with different-sized faces in the same frame as well as autofocus on foreground subjects. The update also includes functions for starting and stopping video recording, adjusting exposure settings and manual focus for video. Additionally, the number of photos saved in a single folder in an SD card has been increased from 999 to 9,999. The firmware version 3.21 for the X-T3 and version 1.03 for the XF 16–80mm…

Sony Corporation has announced the establishment of the Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19, a USD 100 million fund to support those around the world affected by the COVID-19 virus. Through this fund, Sony will provide support in three areas: assistance for those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus, support for children and educators who must now work remotely, and support for members of the creative community in the entertainment industry, which has been greatly impacted by the spread of the virus. 10 million dollars will be devoted to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the UN Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations High Commissioner for…

Lomography has released the Fantôme Kino B&W ISO 8, a high-contrast black and white 35mm film stock. This film has been taken from a roll of German cinematic production film and is being termed as “monochrome masterpiece”, according to reports. Lomography has provided an exposure and development guide along with the film stock to provide the users assistance in using this extremely low-speed film. The film is scheduled to ship in June, 2020 and is available for pre-order (at a discount of 20%), in a 5-pack which comes at a price of US $35.60 or a 10-pack at a price of US $71.20. Additionally, Lomography is offering ten photographers the opportunity to test the film by filling out a Google form, before it launches publicly.…

Panasonic has released a minor firmware update for its Lumix DC-S1 and DCS1R mirrorless camera systems. The update (version 1.5) adds support for ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B cards. It also adds a new 50p/25p video frame rate option for NTSC region cameras. The update also disables the ‘Delete All’ touch control option in playback mode to avoid accidentally deleting your data. Now only the cursor buttons can be used to Delete All media. Firmware version 1.5 is available for download on Panasonic’s support page.…

Huawei announced VIP Customer Services for the newly launched Huawei Watch GT 2 and its predecessor Huawei Watch GT. The company has introduced no-cost replacement policy for Huawei Watch GT 2 and GT during the warranty period. In case a Huawei smart watch shows manufacturing defects or performance related issues, Huawei will replace the watch if it is in the warranty period and as per its warranty policy. For those consumers whose watches are out of warranty, Huawei has introduced a special repair solution for its out-of-warranty watches. Huawei smart watch users can get spare parts, including strap, charging base, back cover, screen and main board, replaced for the out-of-warranty Huawei Watch GT 2 (46mm) and Huawei Watch GT. The spare part charges for out-of-warranty repair can be checked on…

Huawei P40 Pro has been declared as the best smartphone camera by the reputed camera benchmarking and testing platform DxO Mark. Bagging 128 points for its back camera, Huawei P40 pro ranks first and ahead of other flagships. The Huawei P40 pro has been appreciated by DxO Mark for hosting industry’s largest sensors i.e. 1/1.28 inches 50MP Quad-Bayer sensor that produces 12MP image output. The quad-camera lenses ecosystem, which includes a powerful Ultra-Wide Cine Camera, tele-camera and ToF Camera alongside 50x SuperSensing Zoom, has been appreciated for its “field-of-view fusion” zoom, improved Bokeh mode with AI Raw and Super resolution, improved white balance and colour rendering multispectral sensor, and an autofocus with dual phase detection on all sub-pixels. With a record breaking photo score of 140, and combined score of…

Huawei has announced its business results for the first quarter of 2020. During this period, the company generated CNY182.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 1.4% year-on-year. The company’s net profit margin in Q1 2020 was 7.3%. As Covid-19 continues to spread around the world, Huawei is taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of its employees, a company release said. “Networks are a lifeline for people from all walks of life during this public health crisis, so ensuring normal network operations is of paramount importance. Huawei is doing everything in its capabilities to help carriers ensure stable and secure network operations. Together, we are working to meet the network demand created by social distancing as people switch to telecommuting, distance education, and e-commerce for daily necessities.” Since the outbreak,…

Dipanjan Nath, by profession, is a Business Analyst based at Bangalore but manages to find time to pursue his beloved hobby. Says he, “I love to see the beauty of the Universe through my lens and that’s my tonic for survival”. Exploring wildlife, studying animal behavior and capturing beautiful nature moments gives Dipanjan the peace he can never buy. Camera: Canon EOS 80D Lens: Sigma 150-600 mm Aperture: F/7.1 Shutter Speed: 1/1600 sec Focal Length: 450 mm ISO: 400 – Camera: Nikon D7000 Lens: Nikon 200-500 mm Aperture: F/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec Focal Length: 360 mm ISO: 1000 Camera: Nikon D7000 Lens: Nikon 200-500 mm Aperture: F/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec Focal Length: 360 mm ISO: 1600 Camera: Canon EOS 80D Lens: Sigma 150-600 mm Aperture: F/8 Shutter Speed:…