Tabla de contenidos para July - August 2020 en Camera

IT’S POSSIBLY THE only way you’ll be flying over the next few months. Drone-maker DJI has upgraded its popular Mavic Air consumer-level camera drone. DJI says the new Mavic Air 2 is “the smartest, safest and easiest-to-fly consumer drone to date”. The upgrades include a new and larger 1.27cm Quad Bayer CMOS sensor (giving 8K video resolution and 12MP stills), an extended flying time of up to 34 minutes, advanced programmable flight modes, and revamped autonomous capabilities The Mavic Air 2 is the first drone in the Mavic series to offer 4K video at 60fps (with a 120 Mbps bit rate) plus it can record HDR video, 4x slow motion in 1080p at 120fps or 8x slow motion in 1080p at 240fps. Stills are captured at 12MP and there’s a…

SOUTH KOREAN LENS maker Samyang has updated two of its most popular manual-focus prime lenses. Both the MF 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide and the MF 85mm f/1.4 short telephoto are now available in Mark 2 versions. While optical constructions remain the same, the externals have been extensively redesigned with a new grip material on the focusing collars, weather-sealed barrels and the provision for switching the aperture collar between click-stopped and seamless adjustment (the latter obviously with video users in mind). Additionally, the 14mm f/2.8 has a locking function for the focusing collar. Thanks to the restyling, both the new Mark 2 models now look a lot more contemporary than their more classical predecessors. The 85mm f/1.4 retains a nine-element optical construction (in seven groups) which includes one hybrid aspherical type to…

Due to the social distancing requirements demanded by the COVID-19 pandemic, large public gatherings are still restricted around Australia, so venues such as galleries, exhibition spaces and museums are either closed or are allowing limited admission. However, many are still staging online events or virtual tours so we’ve left these diary dates in place. Check with the individual venues for which exhibitions are open for physical visits and opening hours. Current to 26 July: Exhibition. National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020. The 48 finalists and winners from the 2020 competition on show at the National Portrait Gallery. King Edward Terrace, Parkes, Canberra, ACT 2600. Telephone (02) 6102 7000. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. This exhibition will then tour Australia; visiting Griffith (19 June – 2 August), Cowra (8 August…

01 Learn about the ocean first Before you jump into surf photography, spend as much time as you can getting familiar with the ocean. Swimming, surfing, shooting, or even just being at the beach from a young age will give you the most valuable skills to be a surf photographer. You can’t buy ocean knowledge and I’m so grateful I grew up at the beach with a surfing family. 02 Plan ahead Knowing or scouting a location you plan to shoot will always be your best option. The more you plan, the easier it will be to focus on your gear and the job at hand. Do some research, use photo apps or Google Earth to check the light direction, and sunrise and sunset times. If it’s a spot you…

01 COMPOSITION Faced with a brilliant sunset it can be tempting to start blazing away indiscriminately, but it does pay to stop for a moment and think about how to produce a better photograph. Composition is the key here, so think about framing, balance and elements such as leading lines. The classic ‘rule of thirds’ may still apply, but it would be a shame to waste a really interesting sky, so don’t be afraid to move the horizon line down in the frame. Alternatively, look for foreground elements that will add to the shot – reflections on water work well here. 02 UNDEREXPOSE Exposure metering in today’s cameras is pretty smart, but it can’t think for you. It’ll aim for a balanced exposure and that’ll likely wash out your sunset.…

There probably isn’t a better comparison of the relative merits of the DSLR and mirrorless camera configurations than Canon’s EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II. The pair was launched together and share the same digital ‘powerplant’ in terms of sensor and processor. Consequently, they share a lot of similar features and specifications but, boy, are they different cameras everywhere else! Most obviously, it’s all about the size and weight because the EOS 90D isn’t exactly the most compact mid-range APS-C format DSLR around, and the EOS M6 Mark II is among the more compact of the mid-range APS-C mirrorless cameras. The numbers tell the story – 140.7 x 104.8 x 76.8 mm for the EOS 90D body (WxHxD) versus 119.6 x 70.0 x 49.2 mm for the EOS M6…

Remember when we reviewed Nikon’s Z 6 and noted that it was a lot like a mirrorless version of the D750 DSLR? Well, it’s a funny old world and now there’s the Nikon D780 – essentially the D750’s replacement – that could be said to be the DSLR equivalent of the Z 6… well, at least when you lock up the mirror and use live view. The D750 – launched back in 2014 – was the best mid-range DSLR Nikon had ever made (until now), combining the capabilities of a full-frame sensor with a more compact and lightweight body thanks to the adoption of an innovative monocoque construction. It’s an indication of the D750’s all-round capabilities that it’s still a good buy today, but the D780 goes a whole lot…

Samyang’s design philosophy for its lenses is simple – put everything into the optical elements and key physical components, and don’t worry too much about the frills. This has resulted in a line of highperformance prime lenses with manual focusing that represent huge value for money as there’s no autofocusing and no zooming. Optical quality is king. Prime lenses are still Samyang’s sole (ahem) focus, but it has ventured into autofocus, specifically for the lenses designed from the ground up for mirrorless cameras. In the days when it was considering an autofocus 35mm SLR system, Leica decided not to bother because it would have compromised the optical performance of its much-lauded R series lenses. And prime lenses are still Leica’s thing too, so Samyang is in very good company here……

With Canon’s fullframe mirrorless camera system still relatively new, there’s a likelihood that only a few of you are actually in the market for the new RF mount 70-200mm f/2.8 L series zoom, but this lens is significant for other reasons. It’s a great example of what’s achievable when lens designers no longer have to worry about the mirror box in a reflex camera. With this assembly out of the way, the rear of the lens can be much closer to the focal plane thanks to a shorter flange distance. For Canon, it’s 20mm for the RF mount as opposed to 40mm for the EF mount on its full-frame DSLRs. The key benefit is a shorter back focus distance that makes it easier to achieve more uniform centre-to-corner sharpness. There’s…

IN A THIRD pre-launch press release Canon has released more details about its planned pro-level EOS R5 mirrorless camera. Canon is building anticipation for the camera it's now dubbing “The King”. The company says the R5 will “redefine the mirrorless category” and the latest information on its video capabilities look to be on a par with the new EOS C300 Mark III Cinema camera. The key video specs are 8K RAW inter-nal recording using the full sensor width at 25 or 30fps. There will also be the options of recording 8K video internally with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour in Canon Log (using the H.265 compression codec) or 10-bit 4:2:2 in HDR PQ (again with H.265). With 4K recording, both options will be available at frame rates of up to 100/120fps for…

WHILE CANON CONTINUES to offer ever more capable hybrid photo/video cameras, its Cinema EOS range is specifically targeted towards pro-level cinematographers. The latest addition to the Cinema EOS camera body line-up is the C300 Mark III and it’s accompanied by a new 25-250mm cine zoom with a built-in 1.5x teleconverter, giving a maximum focal length of 375mm. The third-generation EOS C300 (the Mark II model was launched in 2015) has a more modular design similar to that of the C500 Mark II, with interchangeable viewfinders, handgrips/handles and expansion modules. It uses a brand new Super 35mm format CMOS sensor with Dual Gain Output (DGO) circuitry and a claimed dynamic range “exceeding 16 stops” to give superior HDR capture. Super 35mm is similar to APS-C in format size and so has…

HASSELBLAD HAS ANNOUNCED the much-anticipated firmware upgrade which finally adds video recording capabilities to the X1D II 50C medium format mirrorless camera. The new firmware is also available for the 907X Special Edition body with the CFV II 50C capture back. Firmware Update 1.2.0. enables these cameras to record 2.7K (2720x1530 pixels) and Full HD video at 30/25fps with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour. Additionally, the upgrade delivers a focus bracketing function, a two-thirds of a stop incremental adjustment for exposure bracketing, a white balance picker tool, auto white balance based on a captured image, and in-camera image rating. The X1D II 50C also gains adjustability for its EVF proximity sensor. Hasselblad cameras are distributed in Australia by C.R. Kennedy & Co. For more information visit https://www.hasselblad.com…

Buying a monitor dedicated to photography used to be an expensive exercise for nonprofessional photographers. There were only a couple of brands to choose from and they catered to high-end users with equally highend budgets. Now the market has become much bigger thanks, in part, to the efforts of BenQ. It already had a big reputation in the gaming world, but then decided to get involved in the photo and video editing sectors, quickly gaining a reputation for affordable performance. There’s already been a couple of industry awards for BenQ’s photo monitors, the latest being the PhotoVue SW321C that was recently judged Best Professional Photo Monitor in the 2020 TIPA World Awards. BenQ’s newest offering in 27-inch photo monitors is the SW270C – essentially a 2K QHD version of the…

WINNER Great use of colour, contrast, cropping and composition combine to create a compelling photograph that makes you want to keep on revisiting. The location is Longyearbyen on the Norwegian island of Svalbard and the photographer is Jason Freeman. He used a Nikon D600 with an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4.0G ED VR telezoom. HIGHLY COMMENDED Cue the sheep. Everything has come together beautifully in this dramatic picture by Graeme O’Rourke, including the trio of sheep at the end of the rainbow! The location is the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, and the abandoned farmhouse is famous for featuring on the cover of the Midnight Oil album Diesel And Dust (then photographed by acclaimed landscape photographer Ken Duncan). Graeme’s image illustrates the value in photography of being in the right place…

USERS OF L mount full-frame mirrorless cameras have a new compact and lightweight standard zoom to consider, courtesy of Panasonic. The Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom weighs in at just 360g and is only 87mm in length. On the outside it features a weather-sealed construction which also allows operation in sub-zero temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. It also has a fluorine coating on the exposed surface of the front element to help repel moisture and grease, and also enable easier cleaning. On the inside, the optical construction comprises 11 elements in nine groups, including two aspherical types and three with extra-low dispersion characteristics to suppress both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. These elements also correct for astigmatism to optimise resolution. An ultra-high refractive (UHR) index element…

IT’S BEEN PRETTY quiet on the photo printer front of late, but Epson has kicked things off with a pair of new SureColor series pro-level models. Both are desktop options, with the Su-reColor P706 being an A3+ format (i.e. 13-inch wide media) and the P906 being A2 format (17 inches wide). They replace the P600 and P800 respectively and Epson says that they are 30% more compact than these previous models. A key feature is a new 10-channel MicroPiezo print head with dedicated channels for photo and matte black inks, so no ink_switching is necessary. Epson’s variable size droplet technology delivers droplets as small as 1.5 picolitres for enhanced definition and detailing. There’s also a new generation of pigmented inks called ‘UltraChrome PRO10 With Violet’ that deliver a wider colour…

Ren McGann is the winner of the 2020 Nikon Surf Photo Of The Year Award with his image The Right, while Andrew Kaineder was awarded the Nikon Surf Video Of The Year Award for his piece Flow State. Ren says, “Its a great honour to have won amongst such talented artists for whom I have the greatest respect. I’m absolutely stoked to have taken out the title for 2020”. Andrew Kaineder adds, “Russ and I have been working together extensively since 2016, when our first film, Bezerke, was nominated for Nikon Surf Video Of The Year. To win this year, with another film that we created together is a great uplifting achievement in an uncertain time in our lives. We’re lucky in Australia with our surf culture and it’s important…

A sunset is a sunset is a sunset,” was often the derogatory critique of a sunset photograph whenever one turned up in competition judging. In other words, a sunset is a bit of a cliché, but let’s be honest here: who doesn’t love a good one if you happen to be in the right place at the right time? Yep, thought so. Forget the critics; sunsets are great subjects to photograph, but where is the right place? German eyewear specialists Lensbest decided to find out definitively by conducting a proper data-driven study to find out where in the world are the best places to watch a sunset. Lensbest sent a questionnaire to travel journalists from 46 countries around the globe and the respondents were asked to give their opinion on…

The Picture A few laps into the start of the 2020 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour race for GT3 and GT4 class sports cars at the famous Mount Panorama circuit, Bathurst, in central-west NSW. This is the only major motor race in the world which starts in the dark, commencing at 5.45am, around an hour before sunrise at that time of the year. This image was taken at 6.05am. The Photographer Camera editor Paul Burrows began his professional career shooting motorsport and, over the years, has photographed world rallying, Formula 1, Supercars and historic racing. He remains a passionate motorsport enthusiast and also spent six years on the other side of the camera while participating in tarmac rallying with Tasmanian-based pro photographer Kevin O’Daly. The Equipment Nikon D4 with a Tamron…

While Leica’s M rangefinder cameras are fundamentally analog with a digital makeover, the Fujifilm X-Pro models are fundamentally digital with an analog makeover. Of course, the Leica Ms are, technically speaking, mirrorless, but the X-Pro line has its origins in the mirrorless breakaway from the DSLR’s dominance of interchangeable lenses cameras. So, while there are certain similarities – especially in terms of the user experience – the two lines are worlds apart in both philosophy and execution. With its ‘clean slate’ platform, Fujifilm is able to go a lot further in terms of digital functionality, but with each new generation of X-Pro, it’s also introduced more classic design elements or further enhanced the existing ones. The X-Pro3 has followed the rest of the current-generation X mount clan (and the X100V…

www.teds.com.au DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS BUYER’S CHECK LIST JULY/AUGUST 2020 THIS CHECKLIST is designed to allow direct comparisons between different camera models, listed here in price order within each brand. The published prices are mostly supplied by the distributors as recommended retail prices (RRPs). However, some distributors are no longer supplying RRPs to the media so it has become necessary to determine an ‘estimated street price’ derived from the range of prices for a model published by retailers. Where this has been necessary, the letter ‘E’ appears at the start of the entry. A dot appearing in a column indicates that the feature is available on the camera model listed. Where a specification or product detail hasn’t yet been published or confirmed, the letters TBA (to be announced) or TBC (to…