Innehållsförteckning för December 2020 från Smart Photography

At last, things are looking up for the imaging industry. Market reports indicate that the festival season saw a definite reversal of the slump and both enquiries and footfalls have increased. The retail sector in the West has adapted to the ‘new normal’ by encouraging video calls for enquiries, holding virtual demonstrations and executing ‘click and collect’ orders. These strategies have proved particularly useful for high end equipment where ‘look, touch and feel’ (handling) is important and ‘blind’ ordering is not the norm. Barring any further virus mishaps, the uptrend should continue. Fortunately, the market seems to have turned internationally as well. According to BCN Ranking, the Japanese mirrorless camera market grew by 128.9% in October, 2020 over the previous year. Sony and Fujifilm were the biggest beneficiaries.…

Canon has announced the release of a series of firmware updates for five of its mirrorless cameras and a single RF lens, offering improvements as well as bug fixes. Firmware update version 1.0.5 for the Canon RF 50 mm f/1.2 L USM lens offers reduction in image noise while shooting with the f/1.2 L USM lens attached to the EOS C70 camera. Firmware version 1.6.0 for the EOS RP and firmware version 1.8.0 for the EOS R offers improvement in colour balance while shooting with the Canon RF 50 mm f/1.8 STM lens and also adds support for Canon’s newer RF 70–200 mm f/2.8 L IS USM and RF 100–500 mm f/4.5–7.1 L IS USM lenses. The updates for EOS R5 and R6 cameras (Firmware version 1.2.0) are identical to…

Megadap has unveiled the Leica M – Nikon Z Autofocus Adaptor for Nikon Z cameras which can turn manual focus lenses into autofocus. The new adaptor replaces the focussing mechanism of the lens by incorporating an extendable bayonet structure. The adaptor is built with electronic contacts that connects to Nikon Z cameras and utilises the camera’s phase-detection autofocus algorithm to determine the focus spot. The motor in the adaptor then drives the bayonet to extend or retract. The distance between the lens and the camera sensor is thereby adjusted until the focus is reached. It currently supports Single shot AF (AFS), Continuous AF (AF-C) and servo AF (AF-F) mode. For AF-area, Single-point AF, Wide-area AF (S/L) and Auto-area AF can all be used. It is compatible with Nikon Z6, Z7,…

Sony has announced that it has launched a new project for drones in the field of AI robotics. The company has assigned the ‘Airpeak’ brand to reflect its aspiration to contribute to the further evolvement and the creation of value through its imaging and sensing technology as well as 3R technologies (Reality, Real-time and Remote) in the drone area. The report suggests that Airpeak will support the creativity of video creators, contribute to the development of the entertainment industry, as well as improve efficiency and savings in various other industries. Airpeak will promote this project to enable a safe and reliable drone-user experience in environments where this has been difficult in the past. Sony will continue to post project-related information and obtain feedback from drone users through co-creation activities, to…

Canon showcased the new Cinema EOS C70 at the Broadcast India Show 2020. Organised virtually for the first time, the theme for BI Show 2020 was ‘In focus, in demand’. The event featured a good mix of technical sessions, technology showcase and networking from October 29 to October 31, 2020. Sharing a keynote message on the opening day, Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India, reiterated the brand’s increasing focus on the cinematography and videography segments. The camera features a 4K 35 mm CMOS DGO (Dual Gain Output) sensor, capable of shooting 4K video in 4:2:2 (10-bit) colour. It is equipped with the DIGIC DV7 image-processing platform, enabling users to record high-frame-rate 4K/120P video to UHS-II standard SD cards. Additionally, Canon India also conducted a Digital Masterclass during the…

Mzaalo, a blockchainbased Video Streaming application, has announced the launch of its AVOD platform. The gamified video ecosystem is designed to reward consumers for viewing content on the platform. The platform offers users 50,000+ hours of content from over 25 content partners. The content library features a mix of Bollywood and regional movies, original series, music videos and linear television programs that will be available in Hindi and nine other Indian regional languages. The content catalogue will allow users to earn incentives from streaming content, interacting with the community, inviting friends as well as sharing, liking and commenting on social media platforms. The earned reward coins will be stored in the users’ digital wallets and can be spent on premium experiences, physical merchandise, partner products and services, digital goods, games,…

Debarshi is a software professional and works as a Senior Business Consultant for NTT Data Inc., a Japanese corporation. He was born in the beautiful town of Siliguri, West Bengal and is currently put up in Bengaluru. Travelling has always been his foremost inclination from a very young age. Deeply motivated by the works of Paul Nicklen and Keith Ladzinski, he decided to travel to the Arctic region during 2017-2018. “I would like to bring awareness on the rapid climate change and vanishing of icebergs of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Change in climate is leading to an ecological imbalance that is destroying the flora and fauna of our planet. I want to raise awareness among people and especially school children, who are the future stakeholders of this planet. I…

Neeta is a professional photographer from Mumbai. “If 2 years ago, someone had suggested, I take up photography as a profession, I would’ve laughed it off. But that is not the case today. What started as a hobby has taken such strong roots in my heart, that now I’m pursuing it professionally. For me, it has always been a medium that makes me smile or as they say it, ‘It takes me to my happy place’. But, I must agree that it gets overwhelming too with certain shots in challenging scenarios. Yet, I continue to long for that rush. As a nature and travel photographer, I prefer landscapes over other genres as nature always leaves me awestruck with its beauty, wherever I go. This is a beautiful feeling which can…

Ajay Sood (Travelure) OSM (Outlook Social Media) Shutterbug of the Year 2016 • 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 Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, is a Megapolis, with the highest population density amongst the cities in the country. With over 32,000 people per sq. km., it steals a march over Kolkata (Pop. Density: over 24,000), and Delhi (Pop. Density: just…

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

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…

Olympus has introduced the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO, a super telephoto zoom lens. Equipped with a built-in 1.25x teleconverter, this lens covers a focal length of 300-1000 mm equivalent, and measures 1.86 kg in weight and 314.96 mm in length. The lens construction consists of 28 elements in 18 groups, including a large-diameter EDA lens and four Super ED lenses, reducing flares and colour bleeding across the entire zoom range. Olympus’ renowned Z Coating Nano technology is employed to suppress reflective light and provide sharp, clear image quality, even in difficult shooting environments. The lens body features a built-in 1.25x teleconverter, maintaining high optical performance while enabling up to 1000 mm equivalent handheld super telephoto shooting, simply by flipping down the teleconverter. Additionally, the lens…

Olympus has announced the latest firmware upgrade for the OM-D E-M1X mirrorless camera, Version 2.0. Scheduled for release on December 2, 2020, this new version of firmware adds Bird Detection to Intelligent Subject Detection Autofocus, an AI-based deep learning technology. The Pro Capture mode virtually eliminates shutter lag and reaction time by recording sequential frames before the shutter release is pressed fully. Birds are detected across the entire AF coverage area when shooting with all M.Zuiko digital lenses, inclusive of super telephoto zoom lenses. The new firmware also includes various functional improvements, such as Raw video data output for professional video production. 4K 30P/25P/24P and Cinema 4K 24P video recorded on the OM-D E-M1X can be output as 12-bit Raw data and recorded in ProRes Raw format on the Atomos…

Sony has announced a series of changes in the company’s organisational structure. According to reports, in the area of EP&S, Sony Electronics Corporation, Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc., Sony Home Entertainment & Sound Products Inc. and Sony Mobile Communications Inc. will be integrated and engage in the unified management of these businesses. Furthermore, certain support functions for the electronics business that have been carried out by the headquarters (the current Sony Corporation) until now, will be consolidated within the new integrated structure (Sony Corporation after April, 2021). In conjunction with the establishment of this structure, Kimio Maki will be appointed President and CEO of the new Sony Corporation. Under his leadership the company will introduce a renewed management structure and further reinforce its business foundations. With regards to SGC,…

GoPro has announced that its newly launched camera, the Hero9 Black, is available for purchase. The Hero9 Black featuring “more everything”, includes a new 23.6-megapixel sensor that delivers 5K video and 20-megapixel photos, next-generation HyperSmooth 3.0 video stabilisation with in-camera horizon levelling, a new front-facing display, a larger rear display and 30% more battery life (compared to previous models). Other key features include a 1.4 inch front colour display with live preview and status modes, a 2.27 inch rear touch display with touch zoom and 3 microphones with advanced wind-noise reduction. GoPro has also shared that it has eliminated plastic from Hero9 Black’s packaging by packing the camera in a high-quality travel case that fits additional mounts and accessories. For the third year in a row, GoPro is challenging its…

Pournami is a software engineer from Kerala, currently working at the heart of Silicon Valley, California. She started taking food photographs as a way of killing time during the lockdown period, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. “This process gave me confidence to try and learn about different food varieties from all over the world, right from appetisers to desserts. Being an amateur in photography, it also gave me an opportunity to explore the field of food photography and the technicalities involved. It did not take much time for it to change from a time-killer to a hobby and passion”, says Pournami. @cravings_in_plate…

Soumendra is a telecom engineer by profession and a wildlife photographer by passion. He experiments continuously to polish his skill sets when he is out in the field with his camera and loves to share his knowledge of photography with people around him. His images have been appreciated and acknowledged in various online forums, articles and magazines. He is a Panel Expert for Team DCP, Mumbai and specialises in macro photography. His work generates inquisitiveness in common man about the hidden tiny beauties of nature.…

Ashok Kallagunta is a software engineer who started his photographic journey in 2016. Generally, he likes travelling and capturing images on his mobile phone. On realising that he needed a break from his routine work, he purchased a D-SLR camera and started travelling to nearby places. He met a lot of amazing photographers. He then started attending seminars on photography and the genre of macro photography peaked his interest. Amazed by the world of macro photography, he decided to start exploring it further. Macro photography does not demand that you always use expensive lenses; though using a dedicated macro lens can make your work easier. All you need is your basic camera with its kit lens and some additional equipment. Capturing true macro images can be difficult and challenging because…

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 Escape into another world Dear SP, Going through the magazine every month is like plugging in to one’s favourite kind of mood. No matter what kind of mood you are in, by the time you are done with it you will be in an entirely different mood and ready to re-read it from cover to cover. It’s like the doorway to escape into another world. Thanks for that. Regards, Mitali Soha Odisha tourism Dear SP, I recently browsed through the October and November issue of the magazine and was glad to see a series of Odisha tourism images.…

Pixelmator has announced an update for Pixelmator Pro, version 2.0. The update incorporates design changes, support for M1-powered Macs, compatibility with macOS Big Sur etc. The Pixelmator Pro editing engine is powered by high-performance Metal code and comes with the unified memory architecture of the M1 chip for responsive image editing. Machine learning tasks like ML Super Resolution are reportedly 15 times faster on the new Macs. As a Universal app, Pixelmator Pro 2.0 runs natively on both M1 and Intel-based devices. According to reports, almost every tool, every menu and every button has been updated to make the app more intuitive and fun to use. You can now customise the app’s interface, the list of tools and the toolbar. The update also includes the addition of Effects Browser, a…

Lomography has announced the release of the Simple Use Reloadable Camera, Challenger Edition. This addition to its Simple Use series carries a new look, designed by the founder and designer of Challenger, Satoru Taguchi. The camera comes with an exclusive Challenger logo sticker and a preloaded LomoChrome Purple film with every camera. It sports a 35 mm film format with the lens’ focal length of 31 mm and measures 115 mm X 60 mm X 33 mm. It also contains a built-in flash (press and hold) with a 15-second recharge time and operates on one AA battery. The film camera is available in four different preloaded editions viz. Colour Negative, Metropolis, Purple and Black & White film and comes paired with Analogue Aqua Underwater Case, reportedly providing seafaring camera functionalities…

Nikon recently released the second quarter financial results, ending September 30, 2020. According to the reports the economic conditions generally saw gradual improvements from the middle of the term with the support of fiscal and monetary policies implemented by various countries, in spite of the spread of COVID-19 since the previous fiscal year. Nikon has revealed that the company made efforts to expand sales of mid to high-end products for the professional and hobbyist segments by launching the Z 5 and by expanding the product line-up of interchangeable lenses for mirrorless cameras. While there was a recovery trend from sluggish demand due to the spread of COVID-19, the market continued to shrink and unit sales declined. As a result, revenue for the Imaging Products Business decreased by 45.9% year on…

Canon has announced two new lenses that will expand the offerings for the RF-mount system. The L305 is a 70-200 mm f/4 interchangeable lens while the L307 is Canon’s latest 50 mm prime lens. The new L305 comes in a light body, weighing 695 g and measuring 119 mm in length. When shooting at the longest 200 mm end, the lens elements are arranged to reduce vignetting, chromatic aberration and ghosting. Conversely, the 9-blade circular aperture maximises bokeh even at the edges of the image for soft, blurry backgrounds. The lens is also equipped with a Nano USM, Canon’s latest lens motor for high-speed performance. It comes with an in-built Image Stabiliser (IS) that provides up to 5-stops image stabilisation that can go up to 7.5-stops when paired with either…

Subhankar is the Head of the Institution for a govt. sponsored HSC school in West Bengal. “Photography is my passion and it caters to my artistic vision. I had always been fond of travelling, since my childhood and that eventually gave birth to my passion for photography. I embarked on my photographic journey with a Point-and-Shoot camera. In 2015, I bought my first D-SLR Nikon D3300. As I began to see it as a form of art, I started reading books on photography compositions and post-processing. In 2017, I bought my first full-frame camera, the Nikon D750. Landscape photography being my photography niche, I often travel to remote places in India and capture the fleeting beauties of nature - its vastness, the colours, the seasons, the flora and the fauna,…

Himadri is a professional photographer from Assam, with an academic background in Geography and Environmental Planning (double masters). “Photography has been an integral part of my life since 1998. However, my first major travel and photography experience happened in 2006 when I travelled to Gujarat, Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for work. The experience in itself was ‘ground-truthing’ and somewhere between shifting jobs and moving across cities during 2009-2013, I realised that my true calling is photography and creative arts. I have worked with several genres in photography like - wedding, product, industrial, events and festivals, documentation etc., but my heart and soul lie in Landscape and Portraits. My first major achievement was getting published in ‘Daily Dozen’ by NatGeo Your Shot (Apr, 2014) and being one of…

Having had our taste of the wild side of Odisha with a visit to Tikarpada during the previous leg of this journey, we couldn’t wait to see what other secrets the state’s dense forest cover had in store. So, we headed straight for the Similipal Tiger Reserve. Before venturing into the forest, though, we learned about the legendary tigress Khairi and the equally legendary Indian Forest Service officer, Padmashri Saroj Raj Choudhary, who raised her and kept a pet python and hyena alongside. Stories of the bond between the tigress Khairi and Choudhary are amazing and well known across the country. Choudhary is also highly regarded in the wildlife and conservation world, having done a lot for this space, including the establishment of the Similipal Tiger Reserve and the development…

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…

Effective pixels: Approx. 20.1 million Image sensor: Full Frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS sensor Lens mount: Canon RF mount Compatible lenses: Canon RF lenses (Canon EF or EF-S supported via EF-EOS R adapter) Dust deletion feature: Self cleaning sensor unit Image format Still: JPEG, HEIF, Raw (Includes C-Raw) Movies: ALL-I (Time-lapse only), IPB, MP4 (Simultaneous recording of any combination of RAW/C-RAW and JPEG/HEIF image-recording quality is supported) Picture style: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined 1-3 White Balance: Auto (Ambience priority/White priority), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White fluorescent light, Flash, Custom, Colour temperature White Balance shift: Blue/amber bias: ±9 levels Magenta/green bias: ±9 levels Viewfinder: OLED colour EVF Autofocus method: Dual Pixel CMOS AF Number of AF zones available Stills: Max. 6072 positions (92…

PLUS • Compact and lightweight • Excellent sharpness and detail • Good distortion control • Fast autofocus • Excellent Image Stabilisation • Useful control dial MINUS • No internal focussing • Prominent chromatic aberration • AF audible during stills KEY SPECIFICATIONS Angle of view (diagonal): 63°00’ Angle of view (horizontal) : 54°00’ Angle of view (vertical): 38°00’ Closest focussing distance: 0.17 m Lens Construction: 11 elements in 9 groups Drive System: Gear-type STM Filter Size : 52 mm Maximum Magnification: 1:2 (0.5x) Minimum Aperture: 22 Number of Diaphragm Blades : 9 Diameter x Length: 74.4 x 62.8 mm Weight: 305 g VERDICT If you consider the image quality of this lens combined with the fast and accurate autofocus and image stabilisation, it is a fantastic all-purpose lens for your everyday…

PLUS • Lightweight • Extremely sharp • Easy to use MINUS • Flare in against-the-light shots KEY SPECIFICATIONS Focal length: 20 mm Model no.: SEL20F18G Designed for: Sony E-mount Alpha camera bodies Construction: 14 elements in 12 groups Diaphragm blades: 9, circular Angle of view: 94° on full frame bodies, 70° on APS-C models Min. Focus Dist.: AF: 0.19 m; MF: 0.18 m Max. magnification: AF: 0.2 m; MF: 0.22 m Aperture range: f/1.8-22 Filter size: 67 mm Dimensions (Dia x H): 73.5 x 84.7 mm Weight: 373 g VERDICT The Sony 20 mm f/1.8 G lens is lightweight, compact and a very good performer, though extra care should be taken in against-the-light shots. The lens is ideal for ‘stills’ as well as videos – landscapes, interiors, astro-photography, low-light situations,…

1 Who invented photography? a) Ernest Leitz b) Frenchman Joseph Niepce c) Nikon d) Kodak 2 If you increase exposure by one stop, you are: a) Letting in twice as much light b) Halving the amount of light that reaches the sensor 3 Which of the following is used to measure the resolution of an inkjet photo printer? a) API b) DPI c) LPI d) PPI 4 The 1982 hit song, “ My camera never lies “ was performed by: a) Abba b) Boney M c) Elton John d) Bucks Fizz 5 “There are no rules for good photography, there are only good photographs”. Who said this? a) Ansel Adams b) George Eastman c) Nick Knight d) Heather Angel 6 What does the ‘F’ in f stop stand for? a)…