Smart Photography 201408
Content
HERE’S
WHAT
MAKES US
#1
WELCOME
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.
C
amera manufacturers struggling
to increase output and sales would
do well to look at the latest trends
emerging for the first five months of 2014.
These trends reveal that in a market where
compact camera sales are declining, sales of
mirrorless models are gaining. Whilst sales of
mirrorless models in Japan take nearly 40% of
the market, they took 16.5% in Europe, 13.4%
in America and 26.3% in Asia. The Indian
market for mirrorless cameras have been
hardly explored so far. However, things should
change with new exciting products from
the likes of Sony, Olympus and Panasonic.
Of course, the ones with the best marketing
strength will win this race.
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 favorites. 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 photography across the country
and have many years of experience. That
gives us the foresight to distinguish between
a passing trend and a big change in the field
of photography and imaging. And finally, our
reviews are not extended to just fill up the pages!
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU
There is no debate on why we are here. Our sole
goal is to provide you options and better your
judgement in product purchase while, sharing
tips and tricks to improve your images. Our
biggest joy is in building a bridge between you
and your perfect picture!
EDITOR
Hoshang S. Billimoria
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Rohinton Mehta
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Sujith Gopinath
COPY EDITOR
Tanika Godbole
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mahesh Reddy
HEAD-DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Ravi Parmar
DESIGN
Nandkishor Sawant
ADVERTISE DESIGN
Sanjay Awad, Shubham Rohatgi
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Dinesh Bhajnik
PICTURES DESK
Deepak Narkar
H. S. Billimoria
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Girish Mallya
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Perseus Master
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permission of the publisher. Printed by Girish Mallya, Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing,
Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Published by Girish Mallya
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www.smartphotography.in
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All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring
expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Smart
Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor,
publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events
of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of
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Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria
August 2014 Smart Photography
5
Contents
64
ISSUE 113 / AUGUST 2014
36
36 Kaleidoscope
REVIEWS: SIGMA 50MM F/1.4 ART LENS ZEISS 55MM F/1.4 OTUS APO DISTAGON T* LENS NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN
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ISSUE 5
VOLUME 10
AUGUST 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
REGULARS
A platform for budding photographers to
exhibit their talent and get noticed!
08 Mail Bag
10 News Watch
32 Picture of the Month
146 Tidbits
42 Showcase
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
MACRO LENSES
TIPS FOR
TRAVEL &
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPH (EXTERIORS)
LIGHTING, LENSING AND MOLDING
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERVIEW NISHA PURUSHOTHAMAN PROFILE LOPAMUDRA TALUKDAR
Just a moment!
Readers can find the updated Buyer’s Guide, log on http://smartphotography.in/news/monthly-special
Smart Photography thanks the readers who participate in the Picture of the Month contest. We would like to
bring to your attention a few changes in the rules for submission. From now on, you may send in your images with
the longer side measuring atleast 17 inches. Please note that the images have to be horizontal. This permits readers
to submit panoramic shots, which was not possible with the current size of 17 x 11 inches.
6
Smart Photography August 2014
A photographic profile of the person
behind the lens
48 If I Were You
Our expert comments on how your pictures can be taken to another level
52 Ask Uncle Ronnie
Your photo queries answered by Uncle
Ronnie
56 Photo feature
Ajay Sood captures Ladakh A Photographer’s Delight
64 MasterCraftsman
The masters of the craft share their insights and photographs
www.smartphotography.in
105
SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER
page
72
78
84
LEARNINGS
72 Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
78 Lighting, Lensing and
Molding
REVIEWS
98 Head-to-head: Macro lenses
for Nikon FX mount
106 Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
82 Making Sense of BSI Sensors APO Distagon T* Lens
110 SIGMA 50 MM F/1.4
DG
HSM (Art)
84 Macro Photography
90 Tips For Travel & Landscape 112 NISSIN i40
Photography
114 Sony Xperia Z2
www.smartphotography.in
BUYERS GUIDE
118 Lens Nomenclature
120 SP Recommended:
10 Compact Cameras
August 2014 Smart Photography
7
MAILBAG
REVIEWS: CANON G1X MARK II NIKON COOLPIX P340 TAMRON 16-300MM LENS SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 SMARTPHONE
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ISSUE 4
VOLUME 10
JULY 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
112
INDIA
EXCLUSIVE
REVIEWS
FUJIFILM XT1
SONY A77 II
Write to us at:
Mail Bag
Smart Photography,
Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.
E-mail:
[email protected]
TUTORIALS
HOW TO SHOOT LIGHTNING
MOTION BLUR WITH ND FILTERS
PROFESSIONAL
TECHNIQUES
DEMYSTIFYING COLOUR SPACES
PRO SHOTS WITH MINIMUM LIGHTS
INTERVIEW KANE LEW
PROFILE VAIBHAV JAGUSTE
SP READER SURVEY RESULT
Shedding Light
The July 2014 issue was a delight to read. I often admire the work of professionals in fashion
photography, because the lighting is always controlled and perfect. Whenever I tried taking
similar pictures, the lighting never was enough and I wasn’t able to invest in professional
lighting equipment, since I am just learning. But the article Using Minimum Lights by Dilip
Yande literally shed some light on the subject for me. I learned how to create stunning fashion
photos without having to spend money!
The tutorial on Motion Blur with ND Filters was also easy to understand. I am not an outdoor
person as such. But reading that made me borrow ND filters from a friend and go out in the
open to photograph waterfalls. It was an enjoyable experience. A well-timed article, since the
monsoon is here and there will be many small and big waterfalls for us to click. Another lesson
that came in good time was Lightning Photography. Thank you for preparing us for a better
monsoon.
Srijay Kamat
Great Mix
The July issue definitely had a great mix of photographers! The nature photography of Kane
Lew was quite stunning. Sometimes SP tends to concentrate too much on wildlife and nature
photography. But this time there was a good mix of genres with Vaibhav Jaguste’s interesting
travel shots.
The Reader Survey Result was interesting to read. I was glad to know that many readers like
myself prefer SP because of its learnings and easy language. I find the reviews most thorough
and in-depth. They are the biggest tool for consumers, since they provide an unbiased analysis
of the product.
Ramesh Mahanta
Errata
In the July 2014 issue of Smart Photography, the news
piece about Sony RX100 III had an image of RX 100 II.
The error is sincerely regretted. This is the correct image
of Sony RX100 III.
8
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
SNIPPETS
Nikon launches D810
Canon Inc. launched
its new 35mm format
lens, the EF 16-35mm
f/4L IS USM, on June
19 at a suggested list
price of 154,000 Yen.
N
Panasonic has
announced the
pricing and
immediate delivery
of the world’s first
4K/30fps wearable
camera, the HX
A500, priced at
$399.99. It features
a 1.5-inch LCD
screen, Wi-Fi and
NFC connectivity.
The camera yields
incredible image
quality.
Olympus forecasted
that their operating
profit for the first
quarter ending on
June 30, 2014 would
double to 16.5 billion
Yen or $162 million,
from a year ago.
In order to counter
the slump in digital
camera sales, Nikon’s
incoming Chief
Executive Officer
Kazuo Ushida
(currently the senior
executive vice
president) said Nikon
plans to spend about
$2 billion for merger
and acquisition in
medical and other
growth areas for the
fiscal year ending in
in 2015.
10
Smart Photography August 2014
ikon Corp. has
released a full-frame
D-SLR, the D810, with
improved resolution and image
processing. It offers a newlydeveloped FX-format 36.3 MP
CMOS sensor and EXPEED
4 image processing engine.
The camera doesn’t have an
optical low pass filter, but has
improved software that boosts
performance and reduces false
colour and moire. The D810
has a 51 point Multi-Cam
3500 FX Autofocus system, an
ISO range from 64 to 12800
(expandable ISO 32-51200),
advanced Scene Recognition
areas and fully manual
and Picture Control profiles.
control. It has an ‘i’ button
It has a 3.2-inch LCD screen,
Zebra stripes for overexposure for quick access to frequently
used controls. The company
plans to sell 20,000 units per
month.
Panasonic launches Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Panasonic launched on July
17 the Lumix DMC-FZ1000,
a new Bridge camera capable
of taking 4K resolution or
Ultra HD images. The camera
features a 1-inch Type 20MP
MOS sensor, a Leica DC
Vario-Elmarit 25-400mm
f/2.8-4 equivalent lens with
integrated Smartphone WiFi connectivity for remote
control.
This is the first time that
Panasonic will use 4K video
capture technology on a lensmounted compact camera.
For greater versatility, the
camera has manual operation
in Create Video mode and
dramatic slow motion in full
HD at 120 fps. A new linear
motor integrated in the focus
system achieves approximately
275% faster focusing as
compared to the conventional
DMC-FZ200. In addition, new
DFD (Depth from Defocus)
technology shortens the time
to set the focus to achieve
ultra high-speed AF of about
0.09sec (wide end)/ 0.17 sec
(telephoto end). The hybrid
optical image stabilizer with
5-axis correction provides a
blur-free one-handed videoshooting ability.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Cosina to make
VM Adapters for
S and C Mount
Lenses
Cosina Co. announced that it will
market new VM Adapters for Nikon
S-Mount and the rangefinder Contax
C-mount interchangeable lenses to
be used on full-size E-mount D-SLR
cameras like the Sony Alpha 7 series.
The adapter is meant to be used
with VM-E Close Focus Adapter.
Both adapters will become available
at a suggested list price of 25,000
Yen each. With this adapter, closeup photography as close as 75cm is
possible with a 50mm lens.
Canon to release Telephoto
Zoom lens for EOS M Series
C
anon Inc.
announced a new
interchangeable
lens for its EOS M
mirrorless camera
series, the EF-M 55200mm (88-320mm in
35mm format) f/4.5-6.3
IS STM, at a suggested
list price of 49,000 Yen.
This is Canon’s first
zoom lens for the EOS
M mirrorless cameras
and the company
has made it compact
and lightweight to
match the M-series
bodies. The lens
measures 86.5mm(L) x
60.9mm(D) and weighs
about 260g. The lens
utilizes a glass-moulded
aspherical element
offering high-quality
images throughout
the zoom range. The
stepping motor makes
auto-focusing smooth
and quiet. It also offers
an image stabilization
function.
Tamron announces
Interchangeable Lenses
Tamron Co. announced
the availability of its first
interchangeable lens in the
Micro-Four Thirds format,
the 14-150mm f/3.5-5.8
Di III (Model C001),
which was showcased at
the CP+ 2013. This model
does not offer Vibration
Control function. The lens
is 63.5mm in diameter and
80.4mm long, weighing a
mere 285g.
12
Smart Photography August 2014
Tamron will also offer
an interchangeable lens
dedicated to Canon EOS
M-series of mirrorless
cameras, the 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di III VC
(Model B011). The
features of this lens
are almost the same
as those of APS size
18-200mm lens for
Sony mounts. It has
Vibration Compensation
and a stepping motor
for autofocusing. It
measures 68mm in
diameter, is 96.7mm
long and weighs about
460g. Simultaneously,
the full-size D-SLR
interchangeable lens,
the 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3
Di VC PZD (Model A010)
will also be made available
in Canon and Nikon
mounts.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Fujifilm to launch 7.5x
Zoom Lens for X-Series
F
ujifilm announced the Fujinon
XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
LM OIS WR for the X-series
interchangeable lens system cameras.
The lens offers weather sealing at 20
spots, thus protecting it from splashes
and dust. An image stabilizer (5
stops) is on offer. The lens has High
Transmittance Electron Beam Coating
(HT-EBC) on the entire surface to
reduce ghosting and flare. It measures
75.7mm in diametre and is 97.8mm
long at the wide-end and 158mm at
the telephoto end. The lens weighs
around 490g and the filter thread is
67mm.
Kenko Tokina launches new Telephoto Lens
Kenko Tokina launched the AT-X
70-200mm F4 PRO FX VCM-S
telephoto zoom lens for full-size
sensor cameras. The lens is equipped
with Tokina’s newly developed
proprietary VCM (Vibration
Correction Module) technology,
a key aspect of telephoto zoom
lenses. In scenes where the use of a
tripod or monopod is not an option,
VCM provides about three levels of
vibration control
to ensure dynamic performance.
The newly added ring-shaped
ultrasonic motor is quiet and
enables minute adjustments
between AF and manual modes to
dramatically increase operability.
The dedicated hood (BH-672) is
also designed to not take up space
during storage. Attaching the
separately sold removable tripod
base ring (TM-705) will ensure the
lens achieves its full potential.
Panasonic to launch Network Surveillance Cameras
Panasonic is launching six new network
surveillance cameras, a network disc
recorder and a network microphone.
The company has created four dome
type cameras, two for indoor and two for
outdoor installation, and two box-type
models for indoor use. These new cameras
have a super-dynamic function with a
dynamic range of 133dB so that they can
14
Smart Photography August 2014
take optimum images despite changing
environment or lighting conditions.
The top-of-the-line WV-SFV631LT is a
dome type outdoor use model with a 3MP
MOS sensor, a built-in infrared LED and a
water and dust proof finish. The box-type
WV-SPEN631 features a 3MP MOS imager,
and the SPN611 comes with a 1.3MP MOS
sensor. Both models accept IR LED lighting
for shooting in the dark. Other dome type
cameras include the WV-SFV311 outdoor
model with a water and dust proof finish
and the indoor models WV-SFN311 and
WV-SFN310J. The network disc recorder
WJ-HV250 series is capable of recording
full HD resoution at 60 fps and comes in
five different models.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Epson to offer Mobile
IJ Printer
S
eiko Epson Co. will offer a new
compact mobile inkjet printer, the
PX-S05, from late September 2014.
As many corporations now use mobile
computing terminals such as Smartphones
and Tablets for outgoing marketing
personnel, the demand for compact
printers is getting higher. This printer
measures 309x154x61mm and weighs
approximately 1.6 kg. The built-in battery
lasts for 50 sheets for colour or 100 sheets
for monochrome printing. Its battery can
be recharged via AC adapter, from PC via
USB connect or a mobile battery source. Its
1.44-inch colour LCD panel shows battery
and ink levels. It can connect Smartphones
or Tablets via USB, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct,
which allows output even when a wireless
LAN router is not available. The PX-S05
will be available in black and white, at an
expected price of around 30,000 Yen. The
company expects to sell 50,000 units in the
year.
Epson to launch New Dry Minilab
Seiko Epson will release
a new compact inkjet dry
minilab in its SureLab
series, the SureLab SLD700. This entry model
was showcased at the
PhotoNEXT 2014. The
compact dry lab has an
output of 455 sheets of
L-size prints per minute
in the standard mode
of 720x720 dpi or 225
prints per minute in the
high resolution mode
(1440x720 dpi). The
printer requires only
0.2 square metres for
installation. It measures
460x430mm and is
354mm high. With an
optional spindle, multiple
sizes of roll photo paper
can be installed. A 65
metre roll paper comes
in five models in 4-inch,
5-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch and
A4 sizes. Glossy, lustre and
matt types of paper are
available. Six colours of
Epson Ultra-Chrome D6-S
are available in a large tank
of 200ml.
The company will offer
the dry minilab system,
SureLab SL-D733C
including the printer SLD700, a PC, a monitor and
operation software SureLab
Order Controller at around
1 million Yen. The minilab
SL-D700S alone will be
sold at 370,000 Yen. The
company expects to sell
300 systems per year.
Epson is conducting a sales
campaign until September
12, 2014.
Epson’s EVF now Standard for Leica T
On July 3, 2014, Seiko Epson Corporation
announced that its Ultimicron Electronic
Viewfinder technology is now used as
standard in the Leica Visoflex electronic
viewfinder for the new Leica T camera.
Designed exclusively for the camera system
Leica T, Visoflex is an optional highresolution electronic viewfinder that opens
up new possibilities to expand the user’s
creative horizons.
16
Smart Photography August 2014
First launched in 2009, Ultimicron is
based on the HTPS technology that has
been behind Epson’s success as global
market leader for thirteen successive years.
Using Ultimicron, photographers can
can reproduce rich colour gradations and
natural blurring when required. Measuring
0.48 inches diagonally, the Ultimicron
offers XGA (1024 x RGB x 768), 2.36
million dot resolution, and provides the
quality required by Leica.
In addition, the use of a colour filter
prevents the colour break-up that can
occur with other systems while shooting
fast-moving subjects and while panning.
These specifications allow the creation of
the easy-to-see and natural viewfinder,
strongly demanded by serious camera
users.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Canon to release Largeformat IJ Printers
C
anon Inc. announced that
it will launch four new
models of large-format inkjet
printers in its imagePROGRAF
series from late July, 2014.
The imagePROGRAF iPF785 and
iPF780 feature a faster output of
around 21 seconds for an A4 size
print, with newly developed magenta
colour ink to express vivid red and
yellow and a new file output and
share software—imagePROGRAF
Direct Print and Share 2.0—for cloud
computing systems. Both models can
produce up to A0-plus size prints. The
iPF785 has a larger memory capacity
(320GB) HDD and a larger ink tank of
300ml. The iPF780 has a sub ink tank
for refilling the ink seamlessly and can
make prints from an iPAD via the app
‘imagePROGRAF Print Utility.’
The imagePROGRAF iPF685 and
iPF680 can produce up to A1 size
prints with a maximum speed of 25
seconds for an A1 sheet. Other features
of the iPF685 are common with the
iPF785; and those of iPF680 are similar
to iPF780.
Photokina 2014 at Cologne in September
The Photokina Fair, the world’s largest
exhibition of the photo and imaging
industry is to be held from September
16-21, 2014 at Cologne, Germany. During
the fair, image recording, processing
and storage and output innovations
are displayed and demonstrated, with
cutting-edge technological developments
and trends being placed in the spotlight.
The fair has received an overwhelming
response from exhibitors. For Photokina
2014, the organisers, Koelnmesse and the
Photographic Industry Association, are
once again counting on 1,000 exhibiting
companies from about 40 countries. In
2012, around 185,000 visitors from 166
countries came to Cologne to inform
themselves about current trends and
technologies surrounding the image.
Photoglobe in the World”,
working together with the 175
Years of Photography Jubilee and
also Photokina 2014. Within the
framework of the “175 Years of
PhotoMoments” theme, photoenthusiasts throughout in the
world were called upon to help
create this globe by contributing
images to the English and
German language portal www.
photoglobus.de/en. This is a
unique journey in pictures, to
cover not only all continents,
but also a photographic journey
through time.Visitors to the fair
will be able to view this collection on the
“Largest Photoglobe in the World” with its
vast diameter of six meters.
Photokina 2014 will show the
internationally organised “Largest
This year, Photokina, in cooperation with
the company Suite 48 Analytics which
specialises in research and opinion polls
in the mobile photorgraphy sector, will be
offering interested visitors a series of lectures,
workshops and seminars, which will deal
closely with the “Smartphone phenomenon”
from a wide range of perspectives.
MB&F M.A.D.Gallery launches first Art Book
The MB&F M.A.D.Gallery, Geneva,
anounced the release of its first ever art book,
American Trucks by Swiss photographer
Ulysse Fréchelin—including a limited
edition of 100 copies, numbered and signed.
A graduate of Vevey’s renowned School
18
Smart Photography August 2014
of Photography and specializing in stilllife techniques using natural light, Ulysse
Fréchelin has created portraits, not of trucks
per se but of what they represent.
This series of photographs witnesses the
artist’s love for American trucks on the road.
To accompany this release, the M.A.D.Gallery
in Geneva is also hosting an exhibition of 8
photos selected from the book—each image
available in a limited edition of 8 large-format
prints.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
World Press Photo Exhibition season kicks
off with record number of visitors
W
orld Press Photo
announced that the
debut location of
its 2014 exhibition tour, at De
Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam,
attracted more than 75,000
visitors, a record number for
the location. This exhibition
travels to nearly 100 locations
every year that attract around
3 million visitors. Michiel
Munneke, managing director
World Press Photo said,
“We are extremely happy to
see that a record number of
75,060 visitors came to see
the exhibition in Amsterdam.
We’ve nearly doubled the
number of visitors since
2004 and we hope to see a
similar trend at all the other
exhibitions to come.”
World Press Photo is also
running two pilots this season.
Firstly, the winners of the
multimedia contest were
shown alongside the photo
contest winners in Amsterdam,
where visitors could witness
the prize-winning productions
through projections,
headphones, and computers.
Secondly, in Lagos (Nigeria),
the exhibition will be displayed
outdoors, a rarity for the World
Press Photo exhibition. The
2014 exhibition is also stopping
in a number of new cities such
as Hiroshima (Japan), Kinshasa
(DRC), Oxford (UK), and
Philadelphia (USA). Finally
the exhibition will return to
Helsinki (Finland) for the first
time since 1995.
Sony releases The Hidden World of WWI
image of
Photographer Jeffrey
Gusky, M.D., FACEP, was
given exclusive access to
Curved
record the underground
cities of World War I lying
Sensor
beneath private farms
Sony released the very first image
of an impressive leap forward in
digital imaging technology, the
curved full-frame sensor. With the
curvature equivalent to that of the
human eye, this sensor promises
1.4x better sensitivity in the
middle and 2x better sensitivityin
the corners, all of which reduce
noise caused by ‘dark current’.
Sony presented this technology
at the 2014 Symposia on VLSI
Technology Circuits in Honolulu,
Hawaii during June 9-13, 2014.
Tablet with
3D imaging
to be made
Google said that it is working
with LG Electronics to make a
version of a Tablet that captures
3D images. This Tablet was
developed as part of a research
effort called Project Tango. The
aim is to have the gadget ready
for sale in 2015.
20
Smart Photography August 2014
in France. He captured
several striking images.
This collection is titled
The Hidden World of WWI.
The art and emotionally
charged inscriptions are
carved in stone by soldiers,
who fought in the war
that began in 1914, one
hundred years ago.
Gusky, an emergency
physician and fine-art
photographer is believed
to be the first person ever
to bring to light the large
number of underground
cities beneath the trenches
of WWI. The Hidden World
of WWI reveals the artifacts,
sculptures and evocative
graffiti left behind by soldiers
on both sides of the conflict.
Landowners determined
to preserve the past have
zealously protected these
underground treasures for
decades.
Gusky found thousands of
works of art, graffiti and
inscriptions by German,
French, British, American,
Canadian, Polish, Hungarian,
Australian, New Zealand,
Chinese, African and even
New Zealand Maori
soldiers, among others.
He spent a total of six
months exploring miles and
miles of these underground
spaces.
Gusky is strongly committed
to preserve and protect
these treasures in France.
“I’m a man on a mission.
I hope these images will
change the way we think
about WWI and that they
will be protected for future
generations. The Hidden
World of WWI gives us a
glimpse into the humanity
of individual soldiers who
refused to be silenced in the
face of modern warfare. Men
from both sides declared
themselves as human beings
who could think, feel, express
and create, and who remind
us today that they were
here, that they once existed
as living, breathing human
beings.” Images from The
Hidden World of WWI can be
found at www.JeffGusky.com.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
Business
Olympus’ Share Price
returns to Pre-Crisis
Level
On June 23, Olympus’ stock hit its highest price since
August 2008, receiving a shot in the arm from expectations
for its medical equipment. Olympus reached a high of 3,670
Yen (US$35.60) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, up by 6.4%
over the closing rate on Friday, June 20. Turnover soared to
a two-month high as well, at 3,620 Yen.
The jump was caused by predictions that the company’s
consolidated April-June performance will improve due to
the recovery of its medical equipment business in China and
North America. The slowdown in China’s economy during
the last quarter caused the company’s Yuan-denominated
revenue to decrease there, but it saw double-digit growth
in April and May. Olympus holds about 70% of the global
market for endoscopes, and its medical business has been
the main profit generator.
A report by Goldman Sachs released on June 23 also
boosted the confidence in the company’s stock. Olympus
has not disclosed a forecast for its consolidated operating
profit for this quarter, but Goldman Sachs expects it to
double on the year to 16.5 billion Yen. The company also
shows promise for medium-term growth. It hopes to raise
the operating profit to 143 billion Yen in fiscal 2016, up 60%
from the projected figure for the year ending in March 2015.
Many analysts, however, call the forecast too conservative,
saying the company has more growth potential.
Camera Majors’
Profitability to improve in
Fiscal 2014-15
t is reported that the
profitability of Japan’s seven
major digital camera makers
is improving for the current
fiscal year ending in March
2015 (Canon’s fiscal year ends in
December 2014). Though total
shipments of digital camera units
may decline by double digits, many
expect profitability will improve by
focusing on interchangeable lens
system (ILS) cameras and high-end
compact cameras.
I
income of the imaging products
segment and a 15% fall in unit
shipments, but it expects a 3%
gain in the operating profit for the
current business year to 66 billion
Yen. Nikon intends to introduce
new models centering on ILS
cameras. The company also plans
to focus on new business areas
including a medical segment, since
it is too dependent on the imaging
business for its consolidated
operational profit.
Canon anticipates its shipments to
fall by 13% year-on-year, coming
to 18.1 million units. But the
operating profit of the imaging
division will keep the year-on-year
growth almost level, except for a
2% drop by revising a product mix.
The company plans to ship 7.6
million units of ILS cameras, while
reducing shipments of compact
cameras.
Nikon anticipates an 8% fall in the
Both Fujifilm Holdings and
Panasonic expect the operational
profits from their imaging
divisions to turn black within
the fiscal year, helped by valueadded mirrorless interchangeable
lens system cameras. Olympus
will also boost mirrorless models
by 20% over the previous year,
aiming to turn the operational
profit black in the next business
year.
The 2013 Worldwide Market Share of Imaging products
Nikkei Shimbun compiled the world market
share of products and commodities in 2013
from data by research companies. Below are
the values of the market shares of companies
in the categories of Interchangeable
Lens cameras, Camcorders, IJ Printers,
Smartphones and Li-ion Batteries. The figures
are mentioned in percentage quantities in
year-on-year growth ratios. The change in
year-on-year percentage is in parantheses.
Camcorder (Source: Nikkei)
Sony: 49.5 (5.5)
Panasonic: 18.5 (3.5)
JVC Kenwood: 14.5 (-3.5)
Three Total: 82.5 (5.5)
Canon: 10.0 (0.0)
Samsung Electronics: 5.0 (-5.0)
Others: 2.5
World Shipments: 6.53 (-23.2%)
Smartphone (Source: IDC USA)
Samsung: 31.3 (1.0)
Apple: 15.2 (-3.5)
Fuawei: 4.8 (0.8)
Three Total: 51.3 (-2.5)
LG Electronics: 4.7 (1.1)
Lenovo Group: 4.5 (1.2)
Others: 39.5
World Shipments: 1009.64 (39.2%)
Interchangeable Lens Camera (Source: Nikkei)
Canon: 43.2 (0.3)
Nikon: 34.6 (0.0)
Sony: 12.1(-0.3)
Three Total: 89.9 (0.0)
Olympus: 3.5 (-0.6)
Panasonic: 2.8 (-0.8)
Others: 3.8
World Shipments: 17.70% (-7.3%)
IJ Printer (Source: Gartner)
Hewlett-Packard: 46.3 (1.6)
Canon: 26.9 (1.0)
Seiko Epson: 20.4 (-0.6)
Three Total: 93.6 (2.0)
Brother Ind.: 5.9 (0.5)
Samsung Electronics: 0.2 (0.0)
Other: 0.3
World Shipments: 66.529 (-4.8%)
Li-ion Battery (Source: Techno SystemSearch)
Samsung SDI: 25.1 (0.0)
Panasonic: 20.4 (-0.3)
LG Chemical: 15.8 (-0.4)
Three Total: 61.3 (-0.7)
Sony: 7.2 (-0.5)
BYD (China): 6.2 (0.6)
Others: 25.3
World Shipments: 4,380 (20%)
22
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
23
NEWS
National
Ricoh to release Pentax
XG-1 in India
R
icoh will release a new
bridge camera, the Pentax
XG-1 with 52x optical
zoom range, for beginners
looking to move ahead from
compact cameras. The XG-1
has a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor
and comes with a 24-1248mm
equivalent f/2.8-5.6 zoom lens.
It offers a burst shooting of
9fps and HD video recording
at 1080/30p. It has a 460k-dot
3.0-inch fixed LCD screen and
200k-dot built-in electronic
viewfinder. It also offers shake
reduction and Auto Tracking AF
Function. This product will be
available in India by August 14,
2014. Prices are to be announced
later.
Gionee
Samsung launches Galaxy K Zoom
Electronics announced
new Galaxy K Zoom enables users
AF/AE Separation (Auto Focus/
launches Slim Samsung
its new Smartphone with a
to swiftly capture and share their
Auto Exposure Separation) for
specialized camera, the Samsung
memorable moments with ease.”
the precise balance of light and
Smartphone Galaxy K Zoom. The muchclarity, next-generation Pro
awaited device offers advanced
The Smartphone has a 4.8-inch
Suggest mode which offers 5
in India
digital camera technology with
HD super AMOLED touch screen
optimized filter settings, Selfie
Gionee, the global designer
and manufacturer of
mobile devices launched
the ‘World’s slimmest
Smartphone,’ the Elife
S5.5, in India. It has a
distinct metallic frame and
Corning Gorillas Glass
Uni-Body, with a slim 145.1
x 70.2 x 5.55mm body. It
features a 5.0-inch Super
AMOLED Plus display, an
Octa- Core 1.7GHz CPU,
a 16GB memory and a
non-removable 2300mAh
Battery. The phone has a 13
MP camera and a 5MP front
camera with autofocus. It
comes in a range of colours
like Blue, Pink, black, White
and Gold. Elife S5.5 will
be available at the price of
Rs.22, 999 in India.
24
Smart Photography August 2014
Samsung’s Galaxy Smartphone
experience and is available in
India from July 9, 2014. It offers
effortless capturing ability, real
optics and a premium design,
providing users the mobile
solutions they need with the ability
to create professional-quality
visual content in a fun, easy-to-use
device.
Mr. Asim Warsi, V.P, Marketing,
Mobile and IT at Samsung
India said, “With the launch of
Galaxy K Zoom, Samsung brings
consumers a unique combination
of a stylish Smartphone
with advanced photography
capabilities. Equipped with
excellent image processing apps,
display and is equipped with
Android 4.4 Kit Kat OS. It features
a hexacore processor and has
2GB of RAM and 8GB internal
memory expandable upto 64GB.
The Galaxy K Zoom is a camera
specialised Smartphone which
offers an advanced technical
camera system designed to offer
the control and functionality
of a professional camera. It is
equipped with a new retracting
lens technology which provides
10x optical zoom and a 20MP BSI
CMOS sensor. It excels in low light
conditions, has a Xenon flash and
provides Optical Image Stabilizer
(OIS) to reduce blur caused by
movement. It also delivers Full
HD video.
The new
device also
integrates
the most
advanced
camera
usability
features and
functions,
including
Alarm that allows users to take
timed selfies with ease, and
object tracing for a clear, focused
shot of a moving subject. Each
feature comes with a simple User
Interface, allowing users to easily
capture photos and videos with
ground-breaking quality, in any
situation.
The compact and portable
Smartphone features an
ergonomic grip and a stylish
build. Additionally, the Galaxy K
Zoom offers all the features that
consumers want in a flagship
Galaxy Smartphone, such as
Ultra Power Saving Mode for
minimizing battery consumption,
S Health Lite for personalized
fitness and lifestyle coaching,
and a Studio app to allow users
to easily edit their pictures and
videos.
The Galaxy K Zoom is available
in India from 9 July 2014 at
Rs.29,999 on www.amazon.in. It
will be available in three colour
options including Charcoal Black,
Electric Blue and Shimmery
White.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
Sony India launches 3 new cameras
S
ony launched three new
cameras in India—the
Alpha 7S, Alpha 77 II and
the Cybershot RX100 III.
Joining the acclaimed A7
and A7R family of the
world’s smallest full-frame
interchangeable lens cameras,
Sony’s new A7S model offers
better sensitivity and low noise
and 4K video ability. It adopts
the XAVC S recording format
which allows for full HD
recording at a data rate of 50
mbps, with lower compression
for improved video quality.
The camera features a newly
developed 12MP 35mm full
frame Exmor CMOS sensor
paired with a powerful BIONZ
X image processor, allowing it
to shoot at a sensitivity range
of ISO 50 – 409,600. The A7S
is compatible with the family
of E-mount lenses, as well
as A-mount and others lens
systems with optional adapters.
A7S full-frame interchangeable
lens camera will be available at
selected Alpha Flagship stores
and Sony Centers across India,
for a price of Rs.1,54,990.
The A77 II builds on the
design of the A77 and A700,
but has a tough, dust and
moisture resistant body.
It features 79 autofocus
detection points, including
15 cross points within most
frequently-used central area
of the sensor. It offers a 24MP
Exmor CMOS sensor with a
BIONZ X processor. There’s
also a f/2.8 AF point placed
horizontally in the centre of
the sensor. The AF system
also performs well in low
light, locking onto subjects in
scenes with illumination levels
as low as EV-2 (ISO100).
The camera has a clear XGA
OLED Tru-Finder screen with
2,356K-dot resolution. The
A77 II can record Full HD
60p and 24p movies using the
AVCHD 2.0 format. The A77
II is available for Rs.84,990
(body only).
The compact Cyber-shot
RX100 III has an OLED TruFinder with Zeiss T* coating
and a 180-degree tilting LCD
screen. It features the Zeiss
Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm
f/1.8-2.8 lens. A built-in 3-stop
Neutral Density filter gives
more creative flexibility. The
camera has a 20MP backilluminated Exmor R CMOS
sensor and powerful BIONZ
X processor. The RX 100 III
can take 50 Mbps high bit-rate
Full HD movies with XAVC
S support. the articulated
3.0-type Xtra Fine LCD screen
flips up 180 degrees for taking
selfies. The camera is available
for Rs.54,990
Ashampoo releases Photo Commander 12
German software developer
Ashampoo has released
Ashampoo Photo Commander
12 for photo management and
editing. Besides new features,
user handling has been
completely overhauled. The
software promises to achieve
the desired results in just a few
clicks.
Photo Commander 12 bundles
all essential features on an
overview page and makes them
1-click selectable. New features
include intelligent photo
imports, support for web-
26
Smart Photography August 2014
based email clients, Ashampoo
Webspace uploading, support
for cloud services such as
GoogleDrive, Dropbox or
Microsoft OneDrive and a
newly developed slide-show
wizard.
Photo Commander 12 will
allow photos to be synced
between devices such as
Tablets, Cellphones PCs
or laptop computers.
Traditionally, users had to
rely on email clients such as
Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla
Thunderbird to send photos
via email. This latest version
of Photo Commander features
support for web-based email
clients and allows users to
send their photos through the
browser via Gmail or Yahoo
mail. Ashampoo Webspace
offers a convenient and timesaving way to share photos,
slide-shows and videos online.
Third-party cloud services such
as GoogleDrive, Microsoft
OneDrive or Dropbox are also
supported.
Ashampoo Photo Commander
12 comes with a completely
redeveloped slide-show wizard
that turns your photos into
digital slide-shows complete
with background music and
elegant transitions in a few
clicks. Ashampoo Photo
Commander 12 provides
extensive photo management
and editing capabilities for
$49.99. Owners of a previous
version may purchase the
upgrade for $19.99. The
program runs on Windows XP,
Windows Vista, Windows 7
and Windows 8. Further details
can be obtained from www.
ashampoo.com
www.smartphotography.in
www.datacolor.com
ADVERTORIAL
One Stop to Picture Perfect
Controlling your image colour quality in stills and video
If you’ve ever had the problem of shooting the same subjects over the period
of a day using multiple cameras and in varying lighting conditions but yet
still have to arrive at a consistent end result, the guys at Datacolor may have
just saved you a lot of time and heartache. Never more obvious than when
shooting Weddings where the bride and groom can lead you through the
joys of shooting in a poorly lit church with a range of stained-glass diffused
lighting, candles and in the worse cases... bar heaters! The group scenes
invariably involve decamping to the outside and
whatever natural light is available and then finally
the inside shots for the reception deliver you into
yet another lighting set up with a possible coup de
grâce of an evening disco to complete the lighting
extravaganza. If you are using multiple cameras
and also shooting video across the same range
of conditions then you really are giving yourself
a potential nightmare for making sure everyone
looks equally tanned in all shots and it doesn’t look
as if the bride has had four changes of gown as
she appears to be in ivory in one set of shots and
beige in another etc.
With so many variables it’d be nice to have
an easy way to set some control over what
you’re doing, allowing you to match different
cameras, deliver a neutral white point for
shots (where needed) and control your contrast
across your entire shoot. Fortunately new to
the market is Datacolor’s SpyderHD, the top of
the line Spyder product. This clever bundle of
invaluable elements puts you in the driving positioning. Fortunately new to the market is Datacolor’s SpyderHD. This clever bundle of
invaluable elements puts you in the driving position from the first shot of the day to the last viewing of the end stills and video.
Benefits of spyder HD
Control your Capture
First off the shiny metal carry-cased Spyder HD delivers the perfect
portable device for setting white and grey points for stills and videos. The
SpyderCUBE is a highly pocketable version of a grey card but avoids you
having to worry about it becoming creased, stained and worthless when
compared to conventional foldable cloth or paper cards.
Control the Colour
When you need to do more than simply set white balance and control contrast for your shots but instead control all the colours across your shoot’s
spectrum, allowing you to get that dress, skin tones and any other important hues just right, then the SpyderCUBE’s big brother the SpyderCHECKR
comes in to its own.
Before
Controlling the Retouch
Once you’ve gone to the trouble of removing colour casts and linearising all
your images to appear to be in the same lighting conditions you’d be rather
defeating the object if you now start retouching and adjusting colours on a
non-colour managed screen. Fittingly the SpyderHD comes with the latest top
of the range SpyderELITE HD screen calibrator as part of the system.
When showing your work
After
Ignoring how your images may be printed, frequently the most critical
environment (certainly for any Wedding Photographer) is the final viewing with the clients. If what appears on screen doesn’t tally with
expectations you’ve a lot of back-tracking and persuasion ahead of you. Having already used the SpyderELITE HD within the kit to calibrate
your retouching screens you can feel assured that colours here will look spot on but courtesy of the accompanying SpyderWEB holster and
calibration DVDs or Blu-ray discs you can now also calibrate the largest of TV or Video playback displays to make sure your stills and video
colours match superbly as well.
So it really is just one stop to get your Pictures looking perfect.
For the further information, Please contact:
PHOTOSYSTEMS INDIA PVT. LTD.
216-A/13, Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi-110049 (India), Mob: 9990630710, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.photosystemsindia.com
BRANCH OFFICES: KOLKATA:- Ph. 09051779915, BANGALORE:- Ph.09900240700/ 09884288382, CHENNAI:- Ph.0 9884288382
Gujrat Distributor:- ALPHA MARKETING, 308-309, Akshat Tower, Nr. Pakwan Dinning Hall, S.G.Highway, Ahemdabad-380015. Ph: 079-40033937
NEWS
National
Portronics launches Scanny 7
P
ortronics, which makes
portable and digital
devices, announced the
launch of its easy, new portable
scanner. The ‘Scanny 7,’ is the
newest to join the series of
portable scanners—Scanny 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 and 6, which have been
launched earlier by Portronics.
Scanny 7 is a portable scanner
for going paperless as it is
tiny and mobile. The user can
scan photos, business cards,
invoices, statements, receipts,
contracts, forms, handwritten
notes and more with this
lightweight portable scanner. It
automatically pulls your sheet
through and makes a digital
copy in seconds. It is as small as
an empty paper towel roll and
can be set up in two minutes
as scans are stored on an SD
card (which is included), just
like a digital camera. It does not
require to be connected to any
other device. The user has the
option to scan the photos in the
JPEG formats and documents
in PDF formats. Scans from 300
or 600 DPI upto 600 DPI can be
created. Scanny 7 is available at
a price of Rs.7,499.
Transcend introduces 1TB SATA III
Transcend Information Inc.
introduced the SSD370, the
SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5-inch solid
state drive (SSD). The SSD370
features a storage capacity of
1TB and has fast read and write
speeds of up to 570MB and
470MB per second. It supports
various useful features such as
SATA DevSleep to optimize
power management. The drive
features the MLC NAND
Flash chip. It comes equipped
with practical features such
as Advanced Power Shield
mechanism, Intelligent Block
Management, Wear Leveling,
and TRIM and NCQ. It also
supports enhanced S.M.A.R.T.
(Self-Monitoring, Analysis
and Reporting Technology)
commands and provides
exceptional long-term reliability
and data protection.
Transcend’s SATA III 6Gb/s
SSD370 SSD
is available
in 32GB
(Rs.2950.
approx),
64GB
(Rs.3599.
approx),
128GB
(Rs.5999.
approx), 256GB (Rs.10,199.
approx), 512GB (Rs.19,199.
approx) and 1TB (Rs.40,899.
approx) capacities. All models
are backed by Transcend’s
Three-year Warranty.
Konica Minolta’s Prints with enhanced gamut closer to sRGB
Konica Minolta introduced
Bizhub Press C70hc which
produces vivid colour
quality that surpasses other
production print systems
in the market. It has a print
speed of 71 ppm and uses
Konica Minolta’s eco-friendly
high chroma toner, first
introduced with the game-
changing bizhub PRO C65hc.
The machine prints at 1,200
dpi printing at full rated
engine speed, high-speed
RIP processing and transfer
between control and print
engine, enhanced accuracy in
CMYK colour reproduction,
and new colour management
functions, job control,
editing functions, and remote
operation capabilities.
The solution features
optimized profiler—a
mapping algorithm with
settings fine-tuned to
achieve various results:
CMYK, similar to offset
28
Smart Photography August 2014
colour reproduction; RGB
natural mode, for natural
reproduction to match prints
from the normal CMYK
process and switching
between the modes of normal
and vivid, for maximum
use of the colour space to
emphasize vivid colours. The
Bizhub PRESS C70hc also
features Konica Minolta’s
proprietary advanced colour
processing technology—
SEAD (Screen-Enhancing
Active Digital Process)—
and combines an array of
technical innovations to
guarantee truly exceptional
colour reproduction at top
speed.
www.smartphotography.in
ADVERTORIAL
LIGHT RAIN LED LIGHT
Revolutionary LED lighting
for video shooting
A light-emitting diode (LED) is used to provide
continuous light when shooting the videos.
Taking a picture in the dark has become easy
now due to flash lights but what about a video?
Well, to solve this problem, there are LED Lights.
These lights are small and can easily fit into your
pocket or camera bag and can be used to get
perfect bright videos.
Photopro India is known to provide innovative
quality products which are quite cost effective.
Photopro India has come up with Led Light-312
LEDs. This super product is Battery operated,
with charger.
LED Light has various advantages like
Efficiency: LEDs emit decent lumens per watt.
LEDs can emit light of an intended color without
using any color filters as traditional lighting
methods need. This is more efficient and can
lower initial costs. LEDs are very small & light
up very quickly.IT can very easily be dimmed &
provides cool light.It has long life time,are difficult
to damage.
Light Rain-312 LEDs
• 156 LED for cool white and 156 LED for Warm
• One diffuser pale provided
• Dimmer
• Chargerand direct with mains 230/240V
• Two batteries, Battery Charging time- 5 to 6 Hours
• Battery Backup (156 LED) : 4.5 Hours
• Battery Backup (312 LED) : 4 Hours
• With carry bag
• One year warranty
NEWS
National
Intex launches its first Smartphone range
I
ntex Technologies
has launched its first
KitKat Smartphone
range with Aqua i14
and Aqua N15 priced at
Rs. 7,090 and Rs 6,090
respectively. Both the
Smartphones will run
on latest 4.4 KitKat OS.
They are available at an
affordable price range and
are targeted at students
and young professionals
in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
of India.
Aqua i14 and Aqua N15
are both Dual -SIM
Smartphones loaded
with advanced features
including 1.3 GHz Quad
core processor, 1GB
RAM, 4GB ROM an 8 MP
rear camera and 2 MP
front camera. Both the
devices come with an IPS
screen. Aqua i14 comes in
two colours of white and
black whereas Aqua N15
will be available in white,
black and blue as well.
Mr.Sanjay Kumar
Kalirona, Business
Head—Mobiles, said,
“we at Intex are proud
to incorporate Android
KitKat OS in our Aqua
portfolio. This will enable
our users to experience
a seamless user interface
and smooth functioning
of apps. The devices
are laden with all the
latest features which
a user expects from a
Smartphone including
a IPS display screen to
provide users an enjoyable
experience while
watching their favorite
content, all this at a very
affordable rate”.
Aqua i14 and Aqua
N15 will be available at
all Intex retail stores,
hypermarkets and leading
e-commerce portals
across India to match the
purchasing pattern of
today’s customer.
Last year, Intex sold 11.5
million handsets out
of which Smartphones
contributed over 1.5
million units of its
share. Intex has already
launched 32 mid-segment
Smartphones under its
Aqua range and has plans
to launch around 8 more
models during the next
quarter.
Adobe hosts Symposium for
Photographers
In concordance with its
vision of empowering the
creative community, Adobe
organized a Photography
Symposium on June 26,
2014 in Bangalore to enable
hobbyists and professional
photographers enhance
their skills, get inspired by
transcendent creations and
learn about ways to boost
their photography brand and
business.
The Symposium that was
open to all connoisseurs
of photography, witnessed
a healthy participation
from over 350 individuals.
During the symposium,
celebrated professionals
including Sudhir Shivaram
(Wildlife Photographer),
30
Smart Photography August 2014
Naina Redhu (Luxury &
Lifestyle Photographer),
Neeta Shankar (Wedding
Photographer), Swapnil
Rane (Creative HeadFilms Division, Marching
Ants Pvt Ltd) and Jayanth
Sharma (Natural History
Photographer and Cofounder of Toehold Travel
& Photography) among
others, led a number of
specially tailored sessions for
photographers.
In addition to sharing
insights on their professional
journey, these specialists
covered many aspects of
the changing landscape in
professional photography like
balancing between shoots and
how to become a professional
photographer.
Neeta Shankar, Wedding &
Lifestyle Photographer shared
her experiences and aspects
of photography beyond
shooting. She highlighted
how critical it is to engage
with clients prior to the shoot
to understand their culture
and customs and setting the
right expectations in terms of
the work. These soft chords
play a large role in capturing
the intimate moments and
emotions.
photography, such as
workshops, tours, photo
vacations for honeymooners,
to name a few.
Jayanth Sharma, Natural
History Photographer &
Co-founder Toehold Travel
and Photography Pvt. Ltd.
spoke about the need to
recognize business potential
in the photography space. He
gave ideas to commercialize
Naina Redhu, a Luxury and
Lifestyle Photographer and
Brand Storyteller advised all
participants to keep an open
mind and click everything in
the dawn of their career and
subsequently decide their
genre.
The 4 pillars of photography
– subject matter knowledge,
core concepts of photography,
equipment and shooting
techniques and digital postprocessing, were taken up in
detail by Sudhir Shivaram,
the well-known Wildlife
Photographer.
www.smartphotography.in
Albus Atrum 2014 opens to a full house
A
lbus Atrum, a
photography exhibition
by the students of
Bharatiya Vidyapeeth drew an
overwhelming response on the
opening day. The exhibition
took place at the Tao Art Gallery,
Mumbai, from 4th July to 6th
July 2014. Dr. Vishwajeet Kadam,
Bharat Dabholkar, Avinash
Govarikar, Subhas Avchat, Rajan
chaughule and Kunal Vijaykar did
the honours for this exclusive 3
day photography exhibition by the
students of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth.
The opening was also attended by
Niranjan Hiranadani and Rashmi
Uday Singh.
Sonali Kulkarni made a rare
appearance. Sandhya Shetty was
all praise for the efforts of the
students and was also overheard
speaking about her preparations
for the karate championship in the
forthcoming Asian games. Parvez
Damania was accompanied by his
wife Roshni. Viveck Shettyy was
spotted exchanging notes about
the future of the Indian economy
with Kamlesh Hemdev. Ace
photographers Girish Mistry and
Vikram Bawa were also spotted at
this do. Vasant Bhandari mingled
freely with the guests.
A select 150 images captured
by the students trained
and mentored at Bharatiya
Vidyapeeth School of
Photography (BVSoP), was on
display at the exhibition. These
images span across disciplines like
fashion, portraiture, still-life, food
and beverage, automobile, travel,
and people photography amongst
others and bear testimony to
BVSoP and new media.
“At Bharati Vidyapeeth we believe
that education is the most potent
channel to empower humanity
and enrich their life, and future.
This vision has helped us establish
presence across geographies,
educational streams, disciplines,
subjects etc.We established the
BVSoP to further this Vision. I
am glad to state that our students
have proven us right, once again!”
added a proud Dr. Kadam. He
also said that the school has
now started its education in
cinematography, film-making,
sound etc. as a natural extension
of the photography industry.
“BVSoP has shown great promise
and potential, and is on its
way to crowning itself a world
class institution. Kudos to the
mentoring team that’s behind
this success. I firmly believe
that talent without proper care,
mentoring and nurturing, is
like a beautiful flower that never
basked in the glorious rays of
the sun. I equally believe that it
is their talent that is today our
foremost measure of success.
I take this opportunity to
congratulate and wish them
success in all such endeavours. I
shall always remain committed
to the Vision and beliefs that we
hold dear at Bharati Vidyapeeth,
of which BVSoP is an integral
part,” elaborated Dr. Kadam.
Mr. Rajan Chaughule, Director
of BVSoP and a photographer
himself said, “For students to
become skilled in photography,
the alma mater needs to be
appropriately equipped with
infrastructure, technology, tools
and most importantly, wellinformed faculty. BVSoP, being
state-of-the-art on most counts,
helps students tremendously.
That’s why we are also able to
attract students from all over
the country and even the border
regions.”
Canon Introduces Professional Video Products in India
Canon India Pvt Ltd. unveiled
range of 9 professional video
cameras (PRO-Video), utilizing
advanced features such as full HD
recording, for the India market.
The lineup, which has been
categorized under the XA and
XF series, includes XA10, XA20,
XA25, XF100, XF105, XF200,
XF205, XF300 and XF305—a
range of light weight compact
design video cameras.
Speaking on this occasion Dr.
Alok Bharadwaj, Executive Vice
President, Canon India Pvt.
www.smartphotography.in
Ltd, said, “We are excited with
the entry into this new business
segment which has a market
size of Rs. 500 crores, growing
at 40% annually. Currently, the
professional video camera market
in India is estimated to be around
30,000 units a year. Out of this,
the palm-held
video segment
is estimated to
be 9,000 units
a year. Canon
India expects to
garner 15 per cent
market share of the palm category
within 2 years. The introduction
of the professional video cameras
which we call as PRO-DV is
focused at emerging professional
video recording culture in
India, particularly for event
videography professionals like
weddings, electronic
news gathering
professionals,
documentary film
makers, etc. We are
happy to see growing
momentum in TV
viewership, multiple channels
proliferation, news gathering and
wedding videography as, it will
help us grow the Pro-DV category
in India, where Canon is already
present in multiple domains.”
He further added, “Canon had
launched 4 models in CINEMA
EOS product group for high end
cinematography applications
where we have achieved 200
installed base in last 2 years. These
new domains of cinema & ProDV have promising applications
for growth”.
August 2014 Smart Photography
31
PICTURE OF THE MONTH
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
1. The picture has to be horizontal.
2. Kindly ensure that the longer side should measure atleast 17 inches, at 300ppi.
3. Low resolution images will not be accepted.
4. We do not check images on online galleries.
5. Kindly ensure complete contact/address details are provided. Winners will have
to collect their prize from SP’s Mumbai office or send an authorised representative
to do so.
6. Please make sure that your picture does not have your name/logo on it.
aph by
r
g
o
t
o
h
P
a
d
r
a
S
t
i
Am
PICTURE OF THE
MONTH
We are sure that all of you have a
few pictures that you think are prize
worthy. It happens very often that you
don’t know where to send the image
that could put a feather in your cap.
If you have such images (we’re sure
you have many!), send us ONE such
horizontal image. If it qualifies, we
shall publish it as a double-spread.
a. You have to guarantee that the
picture was shot by you
b. If there are people in the picture
who can be identified, we’ll need a
model release
c. The picture should not have been
printed elsewhere (magazine
newspaper, or offered to any
publication)
d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the
Month” and rename the file using
your name
e. You may send images via print/email to: Next Gen Publishing
Ltd.,2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade
World, Kamala Mills Compound,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
(W), Mumbai 400013 (or) sphoto.
[email protected]
WIN!
MK 393 PD
Tripod
Sponsored by:
Snowy Peak
Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Aperture : f/14.0; Shutter speed: 1/125sec.; ISO: 100
W
hen I was
a child, we
travelled a
lot because my father’s
profession required him
to move. Whenever
we travelled by train,
I would occupy the
Hemant Sharma,
window seat and look
Jaipur
at nature’s magnificent
vistas. I trained to be an IPS officer, a career that
kept me excessively busy, but also provided me
an opportunity to see the world. Being an IPS
officer means a lot of responsibility and work
but at the same time, there is an opportunity to
travel around. I use this opportunity to see the
world through my lens.
The first camera I used was a Hotshot 110, a
point-and-shoot film camera. I took as many
pictures as I could during our university’s
picnic to Sariska with that camera. My love
for nature and photography continued and I
tried to capture moments from life. However,
I became more aware about my passion for
photography in the new millennium. My
first D-SLR was Nikon D70 with its kit lens.
Unfortunately, I lost that one. Later, I bought
a Canon 500D with 18-200 IS lens. Presently,
I have a D800 Nikon with three lenses-16-35
f/4, 70-200 f/4 and 50 mm f/1.8, all Nikon.
I shoot in Raw mode and use Lightroom
for post-processing. Very rarely do I use
Photoshop. I find Lightroom more than
enough for basic corrections.
I love to photograph nature, be it landscapes
or wildlife, flowers or just beautiful
surroundings. Chasing light has been my
passion, which is obvious through my sunrise
and sunset pictures. However, I would love
to explore more genres of photography, as it’s
an expression of how I see the world. For me,
photography is an art with a technological
wrapping. We use technology to create art.
Capturing the true essence of the grace of
Mother Nature is impossible. But this humble
effort through photography will make us
aware of how beautiful it is and how badly we
need to protect it.
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
37
Llama at London Zoo
Camera: Canon EOS 600D;
Aperture : f/2.8;
Shutter speed: 1/20sec.; ISO: 100
Day at the Beach Camera: Canon EOS 500D;
Aperture: f/11.0; Shutter speed: 1/500sec.; ISO: 400
Night View Camera: Canon EOS 500D;
Aperture : f/11.0; Shutter speed: 13.0sec.; ISO: 800
Gondolas
Camera:
Canon EOS
500D
Aperture :
f/9.0;
Shutter speed:
1/60sec.;
ISO: 400
38
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Above Everything Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Aperture : f/4.0; Shutter speed: 6.0sec.; ISO: 200
The Eiffel
Tower
Camera:
Canon EOS
500D
Aperture :
f/4.5;
Shutter speed:
2.0sec.;
ISO: 400
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
39
SHOWCASE
Lopamudra
Talukdar took up
photography in
2010 and started
looking at the
world differently.
She is particularly
fascinated by
travel and culture
photography. More
than 150 of her
photographs have been accepted and
exhibited by 68 International Salons
spread across 28 countries.
CAPTURING
CULTURE
As told to Tanika Godbole
I
had always been interested
in painting and photography.
My father, who worked in
the Advertising industry, was a
keen photographer. As a child
I had access to many books on
photography, but I was more
inclined towards painting.
My husband is interested in
photography too, and we often
combined the activities of
travelling and photography.
Cormorant Fishing
42
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Bonda Tribal Lady
DaZhai Village, China
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
43
SHOWCASE
But I myself was never a
photographer. In 2010, my
husband started finding
it very hard to make time
for his hobby. Since his
cameras were gathering
dust, he gifted me his
Canon set comprising of
a Canon 5D Mark II, a 7D
and accompanying lenses.
It was a life changing
experience. All my
photographs that you can
see have been taken in the
last four years. I have had
no formal training at all
but picked up tips along
the way. The internet was a
great help as well.
Getting ready for the show, Siliguri
Since my family travels
a lot, it has never been
a problem to balance
Khiva, Uzbekistan
44
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Bukhara,
Uzbekistan
photography
and family life.
My husband and
son are both
enthusiastic
photographers
have encouraged
and supported
my passion.
Photography
is the means
through which
I can traverse
the boundary
of my city, state
or country and
reach out to the
world. I express
my thoughts,
my feelings, and
our rich Indian
culture through
my images.
To budding
photographers,
I would say—if
you have a
dream, strive to
achieve it. Share
the photographs
you take and
seek advice.
With so many
photography
and social
networking
sites, its easier
to seek expert
advise and hone
your skills.
At the end of
the day, stay
true to your
heart. Observe
as many
photographs
as possible
but believe
in originality
instead of
imitating
someone
else’s style of
photography.
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
45
IF I WERE YOU
E-mail your images at [email protected]
Our Imaging Expert
No one can take a picture that
everyone likes. But, almost
every picture can have scope of
improvement. Often, we are not
our best critics, while others can
immediately point out the faults. In If
I were you, our expert comments on
how your pictures could be taken to
another level.
Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography
Camera:
Canon EOS 1000D;
Lens: 18-55mm kit
lens at 55mm;
ISO: 400;
Shutter speed: 1/10 sec;
Aperture: f/5.6
Original Image
Monkeys
This picture of two monkeys
comes to us from Smita Naik
from Mumbai. She photographed
the monkeys at Nandi Hills near
Bangalore. She wants to know
whether the framing is right and
also wants to know if there is some
method to get rid of the fog.
Edited Image 1
The picture was taken when it was
drizzling and the fog has created a
low-contrast image. If I were you,
I would have checked the contrast
setting within the camera and if
needed, boosted the contrast. I
feel that the framing is okay; the
monkey on the left is placed as per
the rule of the thirds. By adjusting
the contrast and sharpening the
image, we can reduce the foggy
effect (but cannot remove it
totally).
You have taken the shot at a
shutter speed of 1/10 second.
At such low shutter speeds, it is
generally not possible to avoid
hand-shake. You have also used
the widest aperture that your lens
offers at the 55mm setting. Lenses
do not perform at their best when
used wide open and depth of field
48
Smart Photography August 2014
Edited Image 2
is also very restricted at the widest
aperture. These all add up to create
a less-than-satisfactory picture.
Since the ambient light was very
low, you could have increased the
ISO to 1600. On the 1000D that
www.smartphotography.in
would have increased the digital
noise but sometimes it is better to
have a noisy picture than have a
fuzzy picture!
In edited picture 1, I have adjusted
the contrast and sharpened the
image. In the edited picture 2, I
have given it a Pseudo-HDR effect,
which is too lengthy a process to
explain within this column.
The Mushroom
This picture of a mushroom has
Original Image
been taken using a mobile-phone
camera. The author, Abhishek
Kumar, admits that he is not techsavvy, but loves to click photos.
He has sent the photo for the ‘If I
Were You’ column.
I would say that this is a good
attempt. I like the mushroom’s tilt
to the right. You could also have
tried taking the shot from a lower
angle, pointing the cell-phone
camera towards the underside
of the mushroom, where there is
generally better texture. I also like
Camera: Nokia Lumia 720;
ISO:100; Shutter speed: 1/100 sec; Aperture: f/1.9
the fact that you have not done any
‘gardening’ (removing the little
muck) because this looks more
natural.
The picture is ‘noisy’ due to
the limitation of the cell-phone
camera, which at this point, we
shall ignore.
I have boosted the contrast in
Photoshop and added some
sharpening (which has further
increased the ‘noise’). The borders
have been added purely for the
sake of aesthetics.
Yummies
Edited Image
www.smartphotography.in
This picture of
fresh-fruit cheese
cake with some
fruits has been
sent to us by
Siddharth Shah
from Mumbai.
This wasn’t really
a pre-planned
shot and hence
Siddharth wasn’t
properly equipped
to take the picture
(didn’t have a
tripod, and no
external light
source). In spite of
the fact that a very
slow shutter speed
was used (which
was because
of the poor
room lighting)
the picture is
reasonably sharp.
This tells us that
Siddharth may
have used some
kind of support,
may be the table
itself. One way to
procure a higher
shutter speed
would have been
to use the camera’s
built-in flash,
but that would
have certainly
destroyed the
ambiance. So the
only alternative
left to Siddharth
August 2014 Smart Photography
49
IF I WERE YOU
E-mail your images at [email protected]
Note: If I Were You is meant to encourage and guide readers, and help them improve their
photography. Please ensure that the required camera/exposure details are sent to us (or are
available in the EXIF data). We shall not accept images for this section if the required data is
not available. Readers are requested to send their images at 300ppi for 8 x 10-inch size. If they
are too small, working on them is difficult, and hence they may be rejected.
Original Image
Camera: Canon EOS 1000D;
ISO: 1600;
Shutter speed: 1/5 sec;
Aperture: f/4
incandescent
lighting
(household
bulbs) in the
room. If I were
you, I would have
set my camera’s
White Balance
to ‘Incandescent’,
which would
have eliminated/
reduced the
yellow colour
cast.
Another point
that I would
have considered
If I were you,
is to check for
possibilities of a
better backdrop.
The toneless
light areas in the
background calls
for attention,
taking away
some importance
of the main
subject. I might
have considered
drawing the
curtain (I think
what we see on
the right side,
behind the plate,
is a curtain).
Edited Image
was to increase the ISO and hope
for the best!
So how could this picture be
50
Smart Photography August 2014
improved? What would I have
done If I were you? Observe
that the picture has a yellowish
colour cast. This is due to the
As it stands, I
have adjusted
the tones using the Shadows/
Highlights Tool in Photoshop and
slightly sharpened the picture. I
think it looks better now.
www.smartphotography.in
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Q&A
Ask Uncle Ronnie
Did you know...
Ronnie has
over 35 years of
experience in
photography?
In fact, he has
taught several
thousand photoenthusiasts
in various
institutions
and through
workshops, as well as judged
many national and international
photo contests, including the
prestigious International Photo
Contest held at Colombo, Sri
Lanka. So, if you have any photoqueries, whether conventional or
digital, don’t hesitate. Just go ahead
and Ask Uncle Ronnie at sp@
nextgenpublishing.net, ‘cause he
knows it all!
We regularly get requests to suggest a camera or a lens. While some do their preliminary
homework, most don’t. It is important for you to do some spadework and narrow down
your options before writing in to us. You also need to give us an idea of what genre of
photography you are interested in and how much you are willing to spend. We would then be
in a better position to evaluate your query and suggest suitable gear. We have received one
such ‘homework-done’ request from a reader who has narrowed down his choice but wants
to know if the extra amount that he would spend is justifiable or not. The questions he has
asked are relevant to every reader. Read on...
To keep things short and sweet, I will
explain only the basic parameters to
adjust, though an advanced Photoshop
user can definitely do much more.
Workflow, using ACR
Here is my workflow using Photoshop
CS6. (This works for other versions too
but there are some differences in the
way Adobe has labelled the sliders and
the work they perform).
1. I always open every single image in
ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) which is a
part of Photoshop, whether it is a Raw
file or JPEG or TIFF file. If you double
click on a Raw/TIFF file icon, it will
automatically open in ACR. To open a
JPEG file in ACR, go to File > Open As
and then navigate to the image, select it
Workflow
After a photo is opened in
Photoshop, how do you decide the
line of action?
Amar S, via email
This is a very interesting question. The
‘line of action’ that you are referring to
is also known as ‘Workflow’. It reminds
us of our goal or objective. Unless we
are clear as to what needs to be done
to improve the picture, we are running
around in circles without any definite
clarity.
and in the Open As box, select Camera
Raw. Click Open and the image will
open in ACR. Always enable the
Highlight clipping warning (O) and the
Shadow cliiping warning (U).
Note: a) Opening a JPEG file in ACR
does not convert it to a Raw file, though
it makes it somewhat easy to apply
global colour correction using the
Temperature/Tint sliders.
b) When the image opens, first click on
the blue coloured Workflow Options bar
at the bottom of the screen (see PS 1)
and then set the parameters as shown
in PS 2. Click OK. This is to be done
only the first time you open any file
in ACR.
Printscreen 1
Printscreen 2
So, what exactly is a ‘Workflow’?
A workflow can be considered as a
series of (flexible) steps that we need to
take to improve a picture. The reason
why I have put the word ‘flexible’ in
parenthesis is because the steps are
generally carried out in a particular
order, but that is not always necessary.
You may choose to first complete a
particular step that is usually considered
later on. For example, when working
in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw), one
generally attends to the White Balance
first, but this is not compulsory. If your
exposure is incorrect, you may not be
able to set a good White Balance till you
adjust the exposure. So the exposure
adjustment precedes the White Balance
adjustment.
52
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
At this point, if the image has blown out
highlights, the same could be corrected
using the Highlights slider (Use it with
the Alt key). Moving it to the left will
reduce/eliminate the blown highlights.
If the shadows are too deep, you can
lighten them using the Shadows slider
by moving it to the right.
2. Adjust the White Balance (there are 3
ways to adjust the WB but I suggest you
use the Temperature slider). Moving it
to the left will make the image ‘cooler’
(bluer) while moving the slider to the
right will make the image ‘warmer’
(yellowish).
3. Set the Black Point. (See PS 3). To do
that, while keeping the Alt key pressed,
move the Blacks slider to the left till
you see the first sign of any area on
the screen turning black (or any other
colour). Move back the slider a bit till
the clipping goes away.
Printscreen 3
4. Set the White Point. While keeping
the Alt key pressed, move the Whites
slider to the right till you see the first
sign of any area on the screen turning
white (or any other colour). Move back
the slider a bit till the clipping goes away.
5. Set the Mid-tones. In CS6, this is
done using the Exposure slider. Moving
the slider to the left will darken the midtones; moving it to the right will lighten
the mid-tones. This is a very important
parameter; don’t neglect it!
6. Adjust the Clarity (micro-contrast
in the mid-tones). This should be done
with the screen at 100%. Adjusting
Calrity gives the impression of
sharpening the picture.
7. Adjust Vibrance if necessary.
Vibrance can be thought of as
‘intelligent saturation’. The Saturation
slider (which we very rarely use)
saturates all the colours, even those that
do not require saturation; the Vibrance
slider only saturates colours that need
saturation!
Effective pixels
Imaging Processor
Build quality
sRaw
Focus Points
LCD
Viewfinder coverage
Max. Shutter speed
X-sync for flash
Burst speed
Microphone
Battery
GPS
www.smartphotography.in
EOS 6D
20 million
Digic 5
Very good
No
11
3”
97%
1/4000sec
Up to 1/180 sec
5fps
Stereo
LP-E6
Built-in
8. Click the Open Image button to
open the image in Photoshop for
further adjustments, if any. You may
now adjust Levels/Curves etc but if you
have adjusted the parameters in ACR
correctly, there is often no need for it
(except to re-size the image).
9. Save the image using the Save As
command.
Note: You might wonder as to why I
haven’t mentioned about sharpening
the image. The fact is, we should not
sharpen any image till we have made
a copy of the original, re-sized it as per
our needs, and only then should we
sharpen that duplicate image.
EOS 6D or 5D III?
I have decided to buy a D-SLR
and my choice is Canon. I am torn
between the EOS 6D and EOS 5D
Mark III. If I get the 6D, I save a
lot for other purchases. Would
I be missing out on something
important if I go in for the less
expensive 6D? I am what I consider
EOS 5D Mark III
22 million
Digic 5
Very good, may be a shade better
Yes
61
3.2”
100%
1/8000sec
Up to 1/200 sec
6fps
Mono
LP-E6
Extra purchase
August 2014 Smart Photography
53
Q&A
Ask Uncle Ronnie
P. R. Shah, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Let’s analyze both the models for key
similarities and differences: (page 53)
You can see that in some respects the
5D Mark III scores over the 6D, but
my question to you is, would it make
a difference to you? And if yes, how
much difference? Would the 2 million
less pixels of the 6D make a dent in
your image quality? No it will not!
Would the 1-stop slower top shutter
speed of the 6D be a reason for you
to miss out on action shots? I don’t
think so. Would the 1-fps less burst
speed make a great difference to your
photography? I agree that if you are
into bird-in-flight photography, it could
make a slight difference, but only slight.
What about the 61 focus points of the
5D Mark III against the only 11 focus
points of the 6D? If you were using a
film camera earlier, you would have
noted that there was only one focus
point (and we never had any focusing
problems to write home about). Whilst
the extra focus points may matter to
some users (either justifiably or just in
their minds), I personally don’t think
much of them. Don’t get me wrong, in
certain situations they can be useful,
but for the majority of users (who
anyway use only the central cross-type
focus point), it’s more of a bragging
right!
So, to cut the long story short, for you, I
would advise the EOS 6D over the more
expensive 5D Mark III. The Rs.85, 000
that you save (on MRP) can be used to
buy a better lens.
Macro lens for portraits?
My main interest is portraiture. I
have a Canon 600D with 15-85mm
f/3.5-5.6 Canon lens. I usually print
6 by 9 inches enlargements. For
such enlargements, if I buy a 100
mm f/ 2.8 macro lens, will I get
sharper prints?
Dinakar. J, via email
There are a couple of things to consider:
1) A macro lens may be too sharp for
portraiture, especially for portraits of
women and children.
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Smart Photography August 2014
Black background
2) While a 100mm macro lens
is very useful, in your case, and
considering the small print size,
I do not think you will reap the
full benefits of this lens in terms
of sharpness.
Continuous light source
3) On the other hand, if you
take your portrait shots between
f/2.8 and f/4, you will be able
to have a better out-of-focus
background than was possible
with your 15-85mm lens.
The 100mm macro lens you are
referring to is designed for fullframe camera bodies, but works
well with APS-C bodies (like
your 600D) too.
A trial with
Table-top
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
to be at intermediate level, and I like
to get involved in most genres of
photography.
I like doing table top
photography. I recently
purchased a Nikon D5300,
with a 18-55 mm kit lens. I
tried to photograph steam coming
out of hot water in a cup. I could
see the steam nicely with my naked
eyes, but unfortunately my camera
could not capture it. I tried different
shutter speeds with different
apertures and ISO’s. but failed
miserably to capture the steam. I
think I got it right exposure-wise,
but didn’t get the desired result.
I have attached herewith, two
images for your reference. My light
source was a 10 W Philips bulb
(bright enough, couldn’t stare at it
with naked eyes), with a ‘thermocol’
reflector on the opposite side.
Dhananjay Ingle, Nagpur
I am glad you tried to experiment,
though I must say, you got it all
wrong.
a) Both the images you sent us
(which I have not reproduced here)
are totally underexposed (almost
black).
b) A 10 watt bulb is often used
in night-lamps, and is not bright
enough to prevent you staring at it,
unless of course the bulb was 100w
and you erroneously mentioned 10w.
Please refer to the sketch shown here.
Reflectors, white towards
the subject, black
on the other side
For steam to be photographed successfully,
you must:
1) Have a very dark background,
preferably black.
2) There should be sufficient distance
between the cup and the background to
prevent any light spill on the background.
3) The cup should be backlit/45-degree
side-back-lit as shown here, preferably
using continuous-source light.
4) Reflectors may be placed to reflect
some light back to the cup. It would be
nice if the reflectors are made of
cardboard/thin ply-wood (white on the
reflecting side), which would also act as
‘cutters’ to prevent any stray light hitting
the front surface of the lens.
5) Take shots at various shutter speeds for
different effects/steam shapes. You may
find medium shutter speeds (like 1/125)
to give you better-looking images, but
experiment.
Instead of a hot cup of water, try the shot
using tea or coffee and angle the camera so
that you can also see the content of the cup.
Do send us an image or two after you
re-do the shot. Best of luck.
www.smartphotography.in
Journey to Mesmerising Ladakh
www.ravine-trek.net
Contact: Ravine Trek Tel.: 91 9967009904 / 9322647575
Website: www.ravinetrek.com • email: [email protected]
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
I
have been to Ladakh twice.
At the outset, I am taking the
liberty of sharing the pre-visit
experience of my first visit, since
it was both perplexing and scary.
My first visit to Ladakh was as a
mentor for a Fashion & Nature
Photography Workshop. It
was late June, which I was told
was peak summer in Ladakh.
Our ‘Ladakh Expert’ gave us
a strange check-list of stuff to
carry that included oddities like
Diamox tablets, oxygen cylinder,
thermals, earmuffs and skullcap.
Why would we need these crazy
woollens in summer?!
Upon checking, I was told that
during the day, high altitude
(average altitude – 14,500ft.) and
resultant higher UV radiation
would necessitate stuff like
sunglasses, hat, sunscreen lotion,
etc., while the evenings would
necessitate other things like
thermals, ear-muffs etc. as the
temperature drops drastically
since it is a desert, and there is a
high wind-chill factor.
Ladakh
A Photographer’s Delight
Ajay Sood (Travelure)
Travel Photographer/Photo-educator
I was still perplexed about
Diamox and the oxygen cylinder.
The explanation for those was
that there is much less oxygen
than what we are used to in the
plains; Diamox would help our
blood stream absorb whatever
little oxygen is available, and if
that still isn’t enough, the oxygen
cylinder will come in handy.
Ajay Sood is an accomplished travel
photographer and a travelogue writer. He has
been covered as Mastercraftsman in Smart
Photography (May 2012). He was on the jury
of Canon Photomarathon 2012. He is also
an assignment photographer for National
Geographic Traveller.
Besides mentoring photography workshops, he leads phototours, and contributes travelogues and features to various
publications. Ajay has a passion for capturing the sights, sounds
and stories of places he visits. He has travelled across India
extensively, and to over 20 countries across the globe. His 27
years in the communication industry have been his training
ground, leading to his deep understanding of the visual medium,
reflected in his unique compositions.
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Gompas near Hemis Monastery
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August 2014 Smart Photography
57
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
Diskit Monastery
32-Metre Maitreya Buddha Statue near Diskit Monastery
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Smart Photography August 2014
Lush Vegetation, Barren Rocky Mountains,
and Snow-capped peaks - Only in Ladakh
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Alchi Monastery
Good Luck World - Ladakhi Way of Wishing it
Prayer in progress, Shanti Stupa
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August 2014 Smart Photography
59
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
A herd of Bactrian camels - Hundar, Nubra Valley
Shanti Stupa
Frankly, I went there somewhat freaked
out. Upon landing in Leh (the regional
HQ of Ladakh), our first Diamox tablet
was administered. Upon reaching
our hotel, we were briefed to spend as
much time as possible in bed for the
first 24 hours, as it would help us get
acclimatized to high altitude. But then,
Day 2 onwards, Ladakh was all it had
promised to be – scenic, mesmerizing,
quaint and full of surprises at every turn
one took – all my anxiety had vanished
by then.
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Smart Photography August 2014
Though every corner of Ladakh is
delightful, let me share some must-sees
here. The places of interest (besides
Leh) are – Nubra Valley, Lamayuru
Monastery, Pangong Tso and Tso
Moriri (Tso = Lake). Just a small
note to fill you in on the region and
its construct - Ladakh comprises of
2 districts - Leh and Kargil. It is an
autonomous region administered by
the Hill Council. It is called the roof of
the world since it the highest plateau in
the world.
Nubra Valley is a 7-8 hour drive to the
north of Leh. During the journey, you
drive past the highest motorable pass
in the world, Khardung La (Altitude
– 18,318ft.), which is snow-covered all
year round, and the small township of
Diskit, which has a huge Buddha statue
and a beautiful monastery. The valley
itself is a sandy desert with river Shyok
flowing through it. This is also the
home of the Bactrian Camel – a unique
2-humped creature. You should plan
and spend a night in one of the campSmartphotography.in
Indus-Zanskar Confluence
sites there. While returning, do take a
short detour closer to Leh to visit the
Hemis Monastery that lies within Hemis
National Park – home of the famed-yetelusive Snow Leopard.
Lamayuru lies to the west of Leh and
is halfway to Kargil. While the enddestination is just a beautiful monastery,
the journey is worth the visit to this
place. The mountains along the way are
rocky, yet many-hued – ranging from
browns to oranges to greens. If you take
Smartphotography.in
the old road to Lamayuru, you’ll also
see multiple road loops below. There is
a spot where your guide will stop the
vehicle and ask you to disembark to see
Indus-Zanskar confluence. Then, there
is Patthar Sahib, a holy shrine for Sikhs.
You will also come across the famous
Magnetic Hill, where, despite the
road sloping up, the vehicle auto-rolls
upwards when left in neutral. Closer to
Lamayuru, you’ll also see Moonscape –
a string of hills with textures resembling
the surface of moon. Do make that extra
effort and see Alchi monastery en route.
This monastery is unique as it is made
entirely of mud. In case of any flash
flood in the area, this monastery is likely
to vanish in a jiffy.
Pangong Tso is towards the east of
Leh and should ideally be planned
as an overnight trip. The drive would
take about 8 hours and along the way,
you pass through Chang La – the 3rd
highest motorable pass in the world
(altitude – 17,560ft.). The first view of
August 2014 Smart Photography
61
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
Hundar, Nubra Valley Landscape
Ice Needles, Tso Moriri
A Frozen Pond, just short of Tso Moriri
Khardung La Road in summers
River Shyok, Nubra Valley
Thiksey Monastery
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Rough with the smooth, Pangon Tso
Monks welcoming a senior monk from another monastery - Lamayuru
Lamayuru Monastery
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this lake is likely to take your breath
away as the water and sky is the same
shade of deep blue. The mountains
around the lake are various hues of
the earth. The lake also has a sizable
population of sea gulls (Pangong is a
salt-water lake - hence the sea gulls)!
This 140 km x 3.5 km (Average Width)
lake is 40% in India and 60% in China.
Here, the low night temperature and
high wind-chill factor will necessitate
the use of thermals and other woollen
accessories. During the night, you’ll see
more stars than you have ever seen in
your life. Hence, the place is ideal for
astrophotography. Just as a side note, the
last scene of the Bollywood hit – 3 Idiots
– was shot here.
Tso Moriri lies to the south of Leh and is
a detour from the Leh-Manali highway.
While it is a much smaller lake than
Pangong, its beauty is unique. During
early summer, you are likely to find
melting ice needles at the entrance of
the lake as that area gets relatively lesser
sunshine than the rest of the lake. Also,
the lake lies within a wildlife reserve that
is home to Tibetan Wild Ass, Red Fox,
Marmots and a few migratory birds.
Through most of your journey, you’ll be
driving along river Indus and will also
come across some smaller lakes. Closer
to the lake, the drive is bumpy and you
are advised to leave the road and take
the sandy paths in the plains heading in
the general direction of the lake.
Though there are many monasteries
in Ladakh, the ones of note are Shey,
Thiksey, Hemis, Alchi, Lamayuru,
Diskit and Vishwa Shanti Stupa. If you
have done the various trips outlined
above, you’d have already seen
Diskit, Hemis, Alchi and Lamayuru.
The other 3 are close to Leh and
should be visited during the initial
acclimatization phase. On the way
to Shey and Thiksey, there is a place
called Sindhu Darshan. Most likely
that this will be your first glimpse
of river Indus. The annual Ladakh
festival is held at this very venue.
My concluding observation is that for
most of you, a trip to Ladakh is likely to
be hectic. At the same time, it is equally
likely that you’ll return with a resolve to
visit this place again. I know I did!
August 2014 Smart Photography
63
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
Lion Cub
Dubai-based Nisha
Purushothaman is a nature
lover who freezes moments in
bird and wildlife photography.
Through her pictures, she
wishes to share stories with the
world. You can find some of
her work at www.nishas.info
WILD
FRAMES
As told to Tanika Godbole
How did you get introduced to
photography, and how did you
choose wildlife as your field of
expertise?
I am a Fine Arts graduate,
specializing in Applied Arts. This was
how I got introduced to photography.
I love traveling and after college
wherever I travelled, I used to carry
a camera. I was born and brought up
in a remote village of Kerala, which
means I was always very close to
nature. After I moved to Dubai, I got
introduced to a group called Shutter
Bugs Creative Forum that was led
by Mr. Arfan who is a pharmacist
by profession and also a hardcore
photographer. Every Friday we used
to visit a pre-decided location and
shoot for 2-3 hours. I got addicted
to photography and started doing
the same on Saturdays too. The time
I dedicated to photography went on
increasing. Dubai’s culture and rules
of conduct impose a lot of restrictions
on street or people photography. This
is why I got into birds and nature
photography.
You are not a full-time
photographer. What do you do
when you’re not out clicking
pictures?
I was working with an advertising
agency as a Project Manager.
Photography makes you want to
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Smart Photography August 2014
travel more but it was quite difficult
to request for leave every month.
Finally, last September, I left the job
and started working as a freelance
web consultant in order to dedicate
more time to photography and
travel. I earn money from this and
spend on equipment and travel.
Recently I, along with three likeminded friends, started a Photo Tour
company called Ynot Escapades. To
do our bit for the Green movement
we have also started the Shades of
Life project 18 months back, which is
an international movement to plant
trees. Now we combine Shades of
life with Ynot Escapades to spread
awareness and inspire our cotravellers to plant trees at the places
we travel to.
How do you manage to capture the
moment so well in your pictures of
birds and mammals?
When I started taking pictures, I
clicked everything. After a while, I
tried different angles and techniques.
Then I started to look for moments
and action. I am a very active person
by nature, sitting idle is something
which I can’t do for very long. But
wildlife photography needs a lot
of passion, time, and patience in
observing the behaviour of a bird,
mammal or an insect. This lets you
predict their action to some extent.
Photography and nature really
moulded me into a better person,
with a higher tolerance level and
patience. I believe I am still in the
initial stages of an endless journey.
What are the things that you keep
in mind before going on a shoot?
As a woman, are there any specific
things that you need to take care of?
Thanks to Google, I do a proper
search about the place, species and
weather conditions. Then I take a
look at pictures that others have
clicked at the same place. Every
image teaches you something. I try
to visualize a few frames that I would
shoot. Then I check the camera
settings, keep the cards formatted
and batteries charged. As a female I
www.smartphotography.in
© Nisha Purushothaman
am not very worried but often, my
parents tend to worry. Thankfully
I haven’t faced any dangerous
situations so far during my photo
trips.
Digital editing is becoming
increasingly common as a way
of improving image quality. Do
you spend time editing your
photographs?
In nature photography highend editing is not promoted to
preserve the reality, at national
and international level contests.
The only changes permitted are
colour correction, noise reduction
and cropping. Adding an element
or removing an existing element
is strictly not acceptable in nature
www.smartphotography.in
photography, for any competitions.
I only do the basic editing as it helps
present a picture in its true value.
What do you enjoy the most about
photography?
I get to see the connection between
nature’s elements, the way animals
communicate and their behaviour.
I feel every species has an invisible
circle around them, including us.
The moment we cross that circle they
become alert, and depending on
their mood, they either move away
or become aggressive. But if we visit
one particular location again and
again, in the long run we can make
a connection with the fauna there.
This creates a bond and lets us freeze
some amazing moments from their
world. This feeling is beyond words.
Any pointers that you would like to
share with budding photographers?
Photography is all about practice.
The more you practice, the better
you become. In the beginning, don’t
bother about any specific genre. In
due course, you will have some idea
about what your area of interest is.
Then you can start to concentrate on
that and upgrade your gear according
to your convenience. Once you
buy equipment, understand it well.
One must also study the subject, its
behavior and its environment. This
too helps a lot in predicting actions
or behavior. Everything requires a lot
of patience along with passion and
love.
August 2014 Smart Photography
65
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Play of light
Indian Roller
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Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
© Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Majestic Seat
Hoopoe
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August 2014 Smart Photography
67
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
© Nisha Purushothaman
Nisha Purushothaman
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Cheetahs Feasting
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August 2014 Smart Photography
69
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Superb Starling
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Smart Photography August 2014
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LEARNING
Understanding Photography
When you look at such a photograph
you would have noticed that the
building appears to “lean” backwards.
That is, vertical sides of the building
are no longer vertical and the parallel
sides look to be converging at the top
(Picture 1). This is due to perspective.
This is happening because you are
very close to the base of building
(foreground), making it look large.
You are also far from the top of the
building (background) making it
look small. This makes the sides
of the building look as if they are
converging at the top and hence gives
the impression that the building is
leaning. Often this “leaning” effect
is labeled as “distortion”. This is
simply not correct. Perspective is not
distortion. Distortion is the inability of
a lens to render straight lines straight
as you will see next. Perspective is
also independent of focal length (it
depends only on the subject distance
and the position of the lens with
reference to the subject) though many
erroneously think that only wideangle lenses (especially ultra-wide
ones) cause it.
Ashok Kandimalla
The author, 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 several
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 presently
working as a Management and
Engineering consultant. You can see his
work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/
ashok_kandimalla . He can be reached
at [email protected]
LEARNING
72
hat is architecture?
Wikipedia tells us that it
originated from the Latin
word “architectura” which means a
builder or a mason. From this comes
the word “Architecture” and it is the
process of designing and constructing
buildings, towers and other structures.
Architecture, over a period of time,
has assumed great importance and it
is not unusual to associate a certain
type (or style) of architecture with a
particular civilization, era or dynasty,
very much like a painting. Architects
are also recognized as great artists
and their work is admired even after
centuries.
Architecture is partly engineering and
of course, partly art. As photographers
we are naturally interested in
capturing that art part. However, can
photographing someone else’s artistic
creation be art by itself? Is it like
photographing a statue or a painting?
No, it is not! This question is best
answered by a quote from Frederick
H. Evans (1853—1943), an eminent
architectural photographer who said –
“.... it is not everyone who has the
time to see a building in all its
phases of beauty and effect, or has
the power of isolation those beauties
and so realizing the more subtle and
recondite charms a great building
has, but gives up only to patient
study and trained observation…”
This is why an architectural
photograph is not a mere
reproduction of architecture. It
needs careful planning, study of the
structure, its lines, symmetry, etc. An
art critic understands and appreciates
the nuances of a painting. An
architectural photographer should do
the same with a building. Only then
can his (or her) photograph bring out
the beauty of the structure and will be
a pleasure to behold. How to achieve
such photographs is the objective of
the article.
Any architectural photograph,
however large the enlargement
may be, will be a lot smaller than
the building itself and you need to
bring out all the aesthetics and detail
in that small size. Many times this
may require several photographs
(covering exteriors, interiors, etc.) to
do the job comprehensively. If you
are doing professional architectural
photography every building will
require a portfolio to satisfy the client
in all respects.
Before we go further you should
be aware that there are two
main technical problems that
photographers encounter in
architectural photography. These are
“Perspective” and “Distortion”.
www.smartphotography.in
f you refer to any dictionary like
the Oxford or the Webster, you
may not find the word ‘lensing’.
But it does exist, at least in the
glossary of photographers. This is
what they refer to, while talking
about choosing the right focal length
for a shoot. Thus the expression ‘Use
the right lensing’.
sufficiently away, you can create the
required sharpness/blurriness of the
background.
Molding
Molding (creating the right feel,
form and tonality) on any product
can best be attained when there
is a right combination of lighting
and focal length for the object to be
photographed. Many amateurs may
ask that if 85 to 105mm is considered
ideal for portraits with full frame
cameras, what focal length is good
for a table- top? In case of shooting
pack-shots of tall product, say a
tall box, or a bottle, it is necessary
to keep the verticals as parallel as
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Smart Photography August 2014
Perspective
Apart from this, one has to
remember that wide-angle lenses
tend to exaggerate the distances
between the subject and the
background, while telephoto lenses
compress them. This is the very
reason that while watching a cricket
match on television, one finds the
opposite side of the stadium is
much closer and enlarged, when
the cameraman zooms-in onto the
batsman.
possible and this can be achieved
with lenses having focal lengths of
105mm and above (with full-frame
cameras) and then shooting from the
correct angle.
LEARNING
Pic 1
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Every three-dimensional object
has to be viewed and analyzed in a
specific way. (See diagram 1) The
x, y and the z planes have to be
analyzed and defined for precise
lighting. Please note that with any
object a maximum three such planes
can be viewed from any angle at
one time. The surface texture has to
be taken into consideration while
doing the lighting. To explain these
lighting fundamentals, I have taken
an off-white box as our subject.
The surface has a beautiful texture
of ‘mother-of-pearls’ on it. I have
specifically chosen this long box in
order to explain the ‘lensing’ factor.
I chose to use a 70 to 300 mm zoom
lens. This gave me the liberty to use
intermittent focal lengths which are
not available in non-zoom lenses.
The box was kept on a small sheet of
seamless white drawing paper. Light
from any and every position was
reflecting back from this seamless
Product photographers also have to
take several other parameters into
consideration, like the ‘flat-field’
property of a lens, the distortions
that it may produce or the
aberrations that it may create in the
picture. Hence all serious hobbyists
and professionals should opt for
good quality lenses. Taking all these
parameters into consideration one
has to plan one’s own kit of lenses
which would be helpful to him as per
the nature of the job one handles.
Depth of Field
Some people have misconceptions
that shallow depth of field is only
possible by using a longer focal
length lens. But this is not so. One
can also try to photograph the same
subject by going much closer with
a lens of lower focal length that has
an f/stop like f/1.4, f/1.8 etc. Doing
this, and with the same composition,
it is possible to get a better bokeh
(out of focus background). This
happens because you are moving
closer to the subject and as you move
closer, depth of field reduces. Hence
by using the right focal length, the
right aperture, the right shooting
distance and keeping the background
LEARNING
August 2014 Smart Photography
advantage of using either of the
technologies. CCD sensors produce
high-quality, low noise images
compared to CMOS sensors. CCD
sensors consume approximately
100 times more power than CMOS
sensors. CMOS sensors are less
expensive to manufacture. CCD
sensors also suffer from vertical
smear and blooming from bright
light sources. CMOS sensors process
information from a row at a time,
while CCD sensors capture the entire
image at once. This can cause a rolling
shutter effect, which distorts the image
in videos. Hence manufacturers have
been constantly at work to improve
the efficiency of CMOS sensors to a
level similar to CCDs.
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
Vertical
shift registers
Horizontal shift registers
CCD Sensor
Metal
wire
Amplifier
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
Row
decoder
Column decoder and output
CMOS Sensor
As mentioned before, CMOS sensors
require to have several auxiliary
components (such as transistors)
next to each pixel. This circuit layer
is positioned on the front surface
(this can be visualised as photo
receptors peeping out of gaps left by
the circuit layer), severely affecting
the efficiency (or light gathering
capacity) of the pixel layer (photo
receptors) below. To overcome this,
manufacturers of CMOS sensors
use micro lenses to direct more light
onto each pixel so as to improve the
efficiency of the sensors. But this also
has limitations since the circuit layer
(also referred to as ‘illumination’)
reflects part of the incident light,
reducing the quantity of light falling
on the pixel layer. The megapixel
war necessitated every manufacturer
to increase the pixel count on the
sensor by cramming more photosites.
But there is a practical limit to the
number of photosites that can be
fabricated on a sensor, and the circuit
layer complicates the issue by using
up considerable amount of space. The
solution was to move the circuit layer
to the back of the sensor unit.
which converts accumulated
electrical charge from each pixel into
a voltage before it is transferred to
the ADC.
A CMOS sensor is an active-pixel
sensor imaging device. This means
that each pixel on a CMOS sensor
is connected to an active amplifier,
Both the CCD and CMOS have
their share of advantages as well
as limitations. There is no clear
79
challenges to
manufacturers.
For example,
trying to improve
the light gathering
capacity of
Light receiving
Surface
surface
the pixel layer
Metal wirings damaged the
Photodiodes
Substrate
silicon substrate
layers, and hence
Front-Illuminated Structure
Back-Illuminated Structure
they needed to
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
be heat-treated to
heal the damages.
light per photo diode and hence the
But this heat treatment reduced the
efficiency is higher. Also, the frontefficiency of the circuit layer. Again,
side illuminated (FSI) sensor carries
the manufacturing process made
less number of photo receptors than
the substrate very thin, requiring
their similarly-sized back-illuminated
a supporting substrate to be used
counterparts since the circuit layer
to strengthen it for transportation.
blocks part of the sensor area.
Hence Sony decided to integrate
Another advantage of the BSI sensor
the circuit layer on the supporting
is that a smaller sensor can pack
substrate, which is also a silicon
more photo receptors because more
substrate identical to the one used
surface area is freed due to the shifting
for the pixel layer and stack the two
of circuit layer to the back side,
layers together, one over the other.
thus increasing the pixel resolution
This stacking of layers solved all
(megapixels) of small sensors without
the problems associated with the
affecting the low-light performance.
manufacturing process, and reduced
This is quite an advantage at this
the size of sensor considerably due
time of small imaging devices (such
to the reduction in auxiliary circuits
as Smartphones) demanding higher
used to improve the efficiency of BSI
‘megapixels’. Since photo receptors on
CMOS. Sony named the new sensor
BSI sensors receive more light than
Exmor RS, and it is now widely used
their FSI counterparts, their low-light
in mobile devices.
performance is better, producing more
detail and generating lower noise. Sony
Backside illuminated sensors have
was the first to introduce BSI CMOS
been in existence for quite a long time,
sensors and they call it the Exmor R
especially in high-end applications
CMOS sensor.
such as astro photography and
surveillance equipment. Then why
Stacked CMOS
weren’t they used in commercial
Fabricating the circuit layer at
photographic equipment? The reason
the back of the same substrate
was that these sensors were very
layer (the base material on which
expensive owing to the complex
different components are deposited
process by which the silicon wafers
or integrated) posed some serious
were produced. But now the demand
Stacked CMOS
for BSI sensors have gone up many
fold and hence the price has begun to
< Conventional back-illuminated
< Newly-developed stacked
CMOS image sensor >
CMOS image sensor >
fall considerably.
On-chip lenses
Color filters
Photodiodes
Metal wirings
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
Complementary Metal
Oxide Semiconductor
(CMOS) Sensor
pixel section
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
circuit section
layer structure
Manufacturers have now found a way
to deposit (or fabricate) the circuit
supporting substrate
layer structure
layer at the back of the pixel layer.
Such a sensor is known as Back-side
Blue Oakleaf
Illuminated
(BSI)Butterfly
sensor. Since the
Back-illuminated
Back-illuminated
CMOS
image sensor
CMOS image sensor
Nikon D70s, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/10, ISO 200,
handheld.
supporting substrate
pixel
layer is in front of the circuit
This is a perfectly camouflaged butterfly looking just like a dry leaf. Photographed using fill-in flash but
layer,
a BSI
sensor
receives
keeping
the green
background
as itmore
is.
circuit section
circuit section
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
your balcony garden. And there is
Macro Photography
82
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no specific season for macro, you
Smart Photography August 2014
Yuwaraj Gurjar
Yuwaraj Gurjar
stays at Thane
on the outskirts
of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park,
which spreads
across 104 sq. km.,
the home for many
small, wonderful
creatures, as well
as the elusive
leopard. He has
been visiting the
Park almost every
weekend for the last
26 years and still
finds new things
to photograph at
every visit.
Close-up shot
Macro shot
Note: Some lenses have a ‘macro
mode’, marked by the letter ‘M’.
While these allow you to focus
closer than other lenses, they are
not true macro lenses as they (in
most cases) offer a reproduction
ratio of around 1:4 (quarter life
size).
Snake Tongue - Checkered Keelback - Xenochrophis Piscator
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/18, ISO 200, handheld.
The forked tongue flicking in and out was the focal point. The snake was photographed at ground level.
I
n layman’s terms, macro
photography is often
considered the same as
close-up photography, though
technically speaking, there is a
difference. Close-up photography
starts at a reproduction ratio of
about 1:20 (on the film / digital
sensor), and goes up to 1:1 (life
size). Macro photography starts
at a reproduction ratio of 1:1
(life size) on the film / digital
sensor and goes up to about 25x
magnification.
Note: Since the early macro
lenses only went up to half life
size (1:2), many consider a
What is 1:1, 1:2, 1:4?
What is 2:1, 4:1 etc?
sensor, the reproduction ratio is
2:1 (Magnification 2x); 4:1 would
mean that a subject is recorded on
film / sensor, 4 times as large as
the original.
If a subject 1cm long is recorded
as 1cm on the film / sensor,
the reproduction ratio is 1:1
or life-size (Magnification 1x).
If that same 1cm long subject
is recorded as 1/2cm, then the
reproduction ratio is 1:2 (half life
size). If it is recorded as 1/4cm, the
reproduction ratio is 1:4 (quarter
life size). Going the other way
around, if a subject 1cm long is
recorded as 2cm on the film /
Macro photography opens up a
new world, so to say. Things which
we cannot see with our naked
eyes, details which we cannot
imagine, nuances of colour that
we cannot even think of, can be
shown with the help of macro
photography. The best part is
that we don’t have to travel long
distances to reach a particular
forest to do macro photography.
You can get ample subjects right in
reproduction ratio of 1:2 also as
macro.
LEARNING
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Smart Photography August 2014
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and other valuables like your
camera and laptop. Avoid leaving
your camera/laptop in the hotel
when you go out because these
items are the first to be stolen. As
a precaution, scan your passport
and email the same to your own
email ID. Do take health insurance
because attending to any medical
problem will cost you an arm and
a leg. Check with your medical
practitioner and carry your personal
medicines too. Keep a copy of your
hotel bookings, just in case.
If travelling within the country, there
is no need to carry your passport but
do observe the same guidelines as
mentioned above. Yes, do carry some
sort of identification (driving licence,
PAN card etc) because you may have
to prove your identity, especially at air
terminals and even for train travel.
Very important.
1) Keep a note of your bank’s
telephone numbers in case your
credit card is stolen or lost. In such
an unfortunate event, contact the
bank immediately to freeze your
account, lest someone use the card
to empty your account. Keep the
telephone numbers in 2-3 different
diaries/notebooks for safety.
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
& LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
2) Keep in a safe place (not on
the mobile phone) your mobile
phone’s IMEI number. (Dial *#06#
and you’ll get the 15 digit IMEI
number).
Rohinton Mehta
“The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see” ...G. K. Chesterton
H
ow very true! A traveller is
a sort of a wanderer; he has
no goal in mind, he travels
wherever fate takes him. The tourist
has definite plans of visiting some
place he has in his mind, to see “what
he has come to see”.
Whichever place or land you travel
to, there is no shortage of subjects
to photograph – people, historical
monuments, libraries, street scenes,
lakes, rivers, seas, boats, ships,
aircrafts, beautiful homes, gardens
and landscapes of all sorts to name
a few. Since landscapes are probably
one of the most photographed
90
Smart Photography August 2014
Travel
care to know. The Internet shows you
various nearby locations too and how
to get there. You can also do your
hotel bookings, air/train/taxi travel
bookings etc on the Net.
Travel, which at one time used
to be time-consuming and often
uncomfortable, is now easy, thanks to
technological advances in transport
and communication. The best way
is to first decide on your travel
destination. Today, fortunately, we
have the Internet to help us. All
that you have to do is type out the
location in the search engine of
your choice, and presto! You’ll have
(sometimes) more details than you’d
If you have decided to travel abroad,
make sure that you have at least 6
months left before your passport
expires and that you have some
blank pages remaining in your
passport. Do remember that air
tickets bought at the last minute
can cost much more, so book your
air tickets well in advance. When
travelling abroad, be vigilant and
take utmost care of your passport
subjects during travel, we shall devote
this write-up to tips for travel and
landscape photography.
Substrate
The new technologies have
culminated in better light gathering
capability, higher dynamic range,
and compact size of image sensors.
Though semiconductor technology is
not as simple as it is explained here,
diving deeper into the fabrication
process might not be of interest to
many of our readers and hence could
be beyond the scope of this feature.
August 2014 Smart Photography
83
The second
photograph is
a macro shot,
with greater
magnification
and finer detail.
Macro lenses
are available in
various focal
lengths. Which
one should one
go in for?
In the context of this article, the
For nature
term ‘close-up’ will be used for
photography, it’s
anything up to almost life-size
preferable to go
reproductions on film / sensor
in for the longest
and the term ‘macro’ will refer
focal length
to reproductions of 1:1 and
macro lens that
beyond, using specialized close-up
you can afford,
Blue Oakleaf
Butterfly–close up though a macro lens of a lower
attachments.
whereas the word ‘micro’ means
Nikon D70s, Tamron
focal length would be cheaper and
small. So how can these two
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
Note: Macro photography is
lighter in weight too. With a lower
terms be used for the same
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
often confused with another
purpose? If the subject you are
Macro shot using extension focal length macro lens, at any
tube (20mm). Magnifica- given magnification, you will be
form of very-high-magnification photographing is small and you
tion is greater than 1:1
photography. In the scientific
much closer to your subject, which
want to make it look big, you
world, a further sub-division of
could not only disturb your subject
end up with a ‘macro’ view of
macro photography is created
but could even put your life at
a ‘micro’ subject. So probably,
for close-up work done with
risk. Consider using a 50/60mm
Nikon, while giving the term, was
the aid of microscopes, and is
macro lens to photograph a
considering photographing of very
called ‘Photomicrography’. This
scorpion or a tarantula. At 1:1
small subjects while Canon was
technique, using microscopes
magnification, the front of the
considering the idea of making a
and stereo-microscopes with
lens may be around 4-5 inches
small subject look much larger!
trinocular tubes or complex
from the subject. The subject may
scanning electron microscopes,
flee or fight! If it flees, you have
Can we distinguish becan achieve magnifications of 40x
another chance at photographing
and higher (a 1mm object can be tween ‘macro’ and ‘closeit but if it fights (attacks you), you
recorded as 40mm or even larger up’ photography?
could be in serious trouble. Under
on the film/sensor).
the same shooting conditions, a
Capturing the most intricate detail
200mm macro lens for example,
is one of the main differences
Canon calls its ‘macro’ lenses as
could have a working distance (the
‘macro’, so why does Nikon call its between macro and close-up
distance between the front of the
photography and macro lenses
‘macro’ lenses as ‘micro’?
lens and the subject) of say 8-10
allow the photographer to capture
The word ‘macro’ means big,
inches, making it safer for you.
Initially starting
with birdwatching,
he was fascinated
by the variety of
butterflies, ants,
beetles, dragonflies
and other tiny
creatures as well
as wild flowers
and this eventually
spurned him
towards macro
photography.
84
finer detail (and
easily too) than
would have been
possible using a
non-macro lens
or by using most
other close-up
attachments.
Consider these
two photographs
as an example.
The first image
is a very good
example of a close
up photograph.
www.smartphotography.in
can enjoy macro photography all
year around.
By getting your lens very close
to your subject, you can fill the
frame with a very tiny subject or
greatly magnify details on a larger
subject. But most camera lenses
don’t let you get very close to a
subject (every lens has a Minimum
Focusing Distance or MFD) unless
you have a specially designed lens.
Such lenses that allow you to focus
extremely close, are called ‘Macro’
lenses. Keep in mind that Nikon
labels its macro lenses as ‘Micro’
lenses.
Lighting, Lensing and Molding
In pic 2, the light source which was
a ‘rectalight’ was shifted to the left
Diag 1
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Charge-Coupled Device
(CCD) Sensor
In the case of a CCD sensor, the
electrical charge is transferred across
the sensor towards one corner and
an amplifier converts the charge into
voltage. This process is repeated till
the entire array has been read out in
the form of a sequence of voltages.
An Analogue-to-Digital Converter
(known as ADC, A to D or A/D)
then converts the voltage into digital
information.
e
lan
A/D converter
Output
amplifier
pla
Y
plane
Sujith Gopinath
To explain the different types of
sensors, it is important to understand
the functioning of sensors. The image
sensor is the last point of contact
for light after passing through many
layers of glass (lens elements) and
the colour filter array. Each photo
receptor (photo diode) on the sensor
converts the light striking it into an
electrical charge proportional to the
light intensity at that spot, much
like a solar cell on a solar panel. But
unlike in a solar cell, the electric
charge thus generated is stored in
the diodes till it is read by another
circuitry.
In pic 1 the box was placed as shown
on the white background and a
very basic lighting with a single
soft-box kept slightly topish, was
done to study the molding of the
box and to observe the texture of
the ‘mother of pearl’ on the box.
It is very important to see how
texture stands out in a given lighting
condition. Using a black ‘cutter’, part
of the light reflected back from the
white background was controlled.
This defined the top of the box in a
better way. The picture though may
be technically correct in terms of
lighting, still has a lot of scope for
improvement. The overall depth
in the picture appears less, this is
mainly due to the fact the plane Y
has a less surface area compared to
the other visible planes.
ne
Making Sense
of BSI Sensors
n image sensor can be called
the heart of any digital
camera. Being technically
complex, sensors are never fully
understood by most people. Here we
try to demystify the world of sensors,
from CCDs to Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensors without
elaborating deeply on the technical
aspects.
the camera, I kept zooming in and
out as I shifted the distance. I did not
wish to give a very ‘shallow depth of
field look’ to the pictures. After the
position of the camera was fixed, the
placement of lights was started.
Xp
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A
73
Pic 2
Z
Lighting
Lighting plays the most important
role in defining the molding of
an object or a face. Changing the
angle of the light with respect to
the camera and subject, changes the
roundness or the depth of a subject.
The hardness or softness of the light
source also makes a lot of difference,
especially if there is texture on the
Tech-Talk
August 2014 Smart Photography
paper. Since the field area was small,
controlled lighting was a must. In the
beginning I first framed the shot by
going closer and then further away
from the box, observing from where
it would not appear distorted through
www.smartphotography.in
In case your mobile phone is stolen,
send the IMEI number via email to
[email protected]
There is no need to go to the police.
Your mobile will be traced in the
next 24 hours via GPRS and the
Internet. You will also know where
the mobile phone is being used,
even if the thief changes the mobile
number.
What else should you carry?
Always carry a torchlight (don’t forget
to check the batteries), a GPS device
if possible, your day-to-day clothes
(but don’t overload your travel bag;
often you’ll have to carry your own
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
luggage!), and cash/traveller cheques.
Also remember to carry two more
important items – courtesy and your
smile! Courtesy and a smile may
ease your discomforts with fellow
travellers and those in authority.
Landscapes
Landscapes are found everywhere,
whether you live in a city full of
maddening crowds, or whether
you live in a picturesque village in
Switzerland! Hence opportunities
are available to everyone, albeit to a
greater or lesser degree. In case you
feel that you can get great landscape
images only if you go to a beautiful
countryside, I am still with you, but
that does not mean that you can
never get good landscapes in the city
you dwell in.
Discipline
Travel and Landscape photography,
like any other genre of photography,
requires dedication and discipline.
Lazy photographers – those who
want to sleep till 9am, those who only
want to move around in a car, those
who do not want to face the vagaries
of nature, those who do not want to
face difficulties – should not attempt
travel and landscape photography!
You have to be up and around when
the sun peeps its golden head through
that mountain range; you have to be
around when the sun calls it a day!
Remember, when you photograph
landscapes, it is the light in its various
shades that you are recording, not
the topography. And good light for
landscapes is generally from presunrise up to 10am and from roughly
4.30pm to after sunset (also depends
on the season and your location on
the globe).
Equipment
Then comes the question of photo
equipment to take along. This is, for
me at least, the most difficult decision.
Which camera body/bodies should I
carry? Which lenses should I carry?
Which filters should I carry? Am I
game lugging around my trusty tripod?
Should I carry a macro lens too? And
what about that flashgun? Should I
carry a hand-held light meter? Well,
here are my personal views:
72
78
82
84
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
surface of the object. The light source
also decides the kind of shadow that
will be created on the base or the
background. Once again the angle
of the light and its distance from the
subject/object decides the length
of the shadow that is created. This
indirectly decides the drama in the
picture.
Dilip Yande
I
Picture 3:
See how the
vertical wall
on the left
is bending
(bulging)
outwards.
This is called
“barrel”
distortion
and is due
to a lens
fault.
Picture 1: The “leaning” of the
minaret (tower) is due to perspective – you are close to the base of
the building (making it appear
large) and far from the top (making it look small). It is not because
of focal length. This is not distortion either; as you can see that the
sides of the minaret are straight
(there is no curvature).
Perspective: It is very likely that you
have taken a photograph of a tall
building from a close distance by
standing near the base of the building.
Lighting, Lensing
and Molding
Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography, Dilip Yande
says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He believes variety is the
spice of life, and to keep himself motivated he does a lot of tabletop as well.
For Dilip, names like Rembrandt, Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are
household names because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine
arts. This ‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always
a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many advertising
agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many workshops, and guided
many photographers in their formative years, for Dilip, photography is just
another way to romance his first love – art. He may be contacted at dilipyande@
gmail.com.
Distortion: The
second problem
is distortion
(Picture 3) which
is a lens defect.
Due to this
straight lines will
look bent. You
are most likely
to encounter
“barrel”
distortion (lines
bend outward)
as it occurs with
2. Use a tilt/
shift lens or a
tilt/shift adapter
with a mirrorless
camera. (You
only need the
‘shift’ operation
to correct this
problem, ‘tilt’ is
not required).
Let me emphasize right here that
these two terms are different
though many mix them up. The
first is an optical effect (see Smart
Photography, August, 2013 issue,
“Perplexing Perspective” for more
details) and is very different from
distortion, which is a lens defect. The
former causes leaning of verticals and
the second bends lines which were
straight originally. Let us see these in
more detail.
Smart Photography August 2014
3. Correct with
post-processing
software like
Photoshop
or Lightroom
(Picture 2).
structure. If both
these are not
possible then you
need to do one of
the following:
1. Use a technical
/ view camera
with movements.
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
W
Smart
Photography has
been continually
receiving
requests to start
a basic course for
beginners. With
this in mind, we
have asked a very
knowledgeable
photographer from
Hyderabad to take
over writing these
articles. We have
also requested him to be as jargon-free
as it is possible, so that newcomers to
photography feel comfortable to pursue
the hobby.
Picture 2: Here
perspective correction
was applied in Photoshop
to correct the leaning to
a great extent. See also
the person at the base of
the tower. He provides
a reference for scale
to show how tall the
minaret is.
So, how do you
rectify such a
situation? One
solution is to
move away from
the building so
that the relative
difference in
distance between
you and the top
and base of the
building is very
less. This reduces
the difference
in size (on the
image) between
the top and base
of the building
thus correcting
this “leaning”.
Another way is to
get into a building
opposite the
building you are
photographing,
preferably at
a height that
is half that of
the opposite
85
Making Sense of
BSI Sensors
Macro Photogralhy
a) Camera body: Always carry an
extra camera body if you are using
an interchangeable lens camera. If
you are using a fixed lens model,
carry an extra camera! Remember, if
your camera body/camera conks out
when you are at an exotic location
(and such things do happen), and if
you don’t have another body/camera,
you’ll kick yourself in the back.
Suggestion: Considering the fact that
you would be lugging your camera
for the better part of the day, a Micro
Four Thirds model would be very
helpful in keeping down the weight.
Also, a camera body that offers a
‘Level Indicator’ or a framing grid
would be of additional help.
b) What size sensor? Should your
camera have a full-frame (36 x
24mm) imaging sensor, APS-C
(approx. 24 x 16mm), Micro Four
Thirds (Approx. 17 x 13mm), 1-inch
Type (12.8 x 9.6mm) or one of those
tiny sensors used in Compacts
and Bridge cameras? Theoretically,
the full-frame sensor scores when
it comes to image quality. It uses
larger photosites and hence has
better control over digital noise. It
also offers better dynamic range. In
practical terms, the APS-C sensor can
provide almost similar results (many
people may not be able to distinguish
between pictures shot with fullframe and APS-C sensor cameras).
Micro Four Thirds sensors offer very
good image quality too, but in low
light situations (and in shadows),
may not be as good as the larger
sensors, particularly with regard to
digital noise and dynamic range.
Also consider the 1” Type sensors
found in some modern ‘professionaltype’ cameras which give very good
results. I am not a fan of small sensor
cameras and would not consider
using a small sensor camera for any
serious photography, unless the
intention is to see the images only
on-screen. Having said that, with
every new generation of small-sensor
cameras, I see a lot of improvement in
image quality.
c) Lenses: You may have a ton of
lenses, but obviously you cannot
carry them all (unless your name
happens to be Hercules!). Remember,
August 2014 Smart Photography
91
90
Tips for Travel and
Landscape Photography
Learnings
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
Ashok Kandimalla
W
Smart
Photography has
been continually
receiving
requests to start
a basic course for
beginners. With
this in mind, we
have asked a very
knowledgeable
photographer from
Hyderabad to take
over writing these
articles. We have
also requested him to be as jargon-free
as it is possible, so that newcomers to
photography feel comfortable to pursue
the hobby.
The author, 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 several
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 presently
working as a Management and
Engineering consultant. You can see his
work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/
ashok_kandimalla . He can be reached
at [email protected]
72
Smart Photography August 2014
hat is architecture?
Wikipedia tells us that it
originated from the Latin
word “architectura” which means a
builder or a mason. From this comes
the word “Architecture” and it is the
process of designing and constructing
buildings, towers and other structures.
Architecture, over a period of time,
has assumed great importance and it
is not unusual to associate a certain
type (or style) of architecture with a
particular civilization, era or dynasty,
very much like a painting. Architects
are also recognized as great artists
and their work is admired even after
centuries.
Architecture is partly engineering and
of course, partly art. As photographers
we are naturally interested in
capturing that art part. However, can
photographing someone else’s artistic
creation be art by itself? Is it like
photographing a statue or a painting?
No, it is not! This question is best
answered by a quote from Frederick
H. Evans (1853—1943), an eminent
architectural photographer who said –
“.... it is not everyone who has the
time to see a building in all its
phases of beauty and effect, or has
the power of isolation those beauties
and so realizing the more subtle and
recondite charms a great building
has, but gives up only to patient
study and trained observation…”
This is why an architectural
photograph is not a mere
reproduction of architecture. It
needs careful planning, study of the
structure, its lines, symmetry, etc. An
art critic understands and appreciates
the nuances of a painting. An
architectural photographer should do
the same with a building. Only then
can his (or her) photograph bring out
the beauty of the structure and will be
a pleasure to behold. How to achieve
such photographs is the objective of
the article.
Any architectural photograph,
however large the enlargement
may be, will be a lot smaller than
the building itself and you need to
bring out all the aesthetics and detail
in that small size. Many times this
may require several photographs
(covering exteriors, interiors, etc.) to
do the job comprehensively. If you
are doing professional architectural
photography every building will
require a portfolio to satisfy the client
in all respects.
Before we go further you should
be aware that there are two
main technical problems that
photographers encounter in
architectural photography. These are
“Perspective” and “Distortion”.
Let me emphasize right here that
these two terms are different
though many mix them up. The
first is an optical effect (see Smart
Photography, August, 2013 issue,
“Perplexing Perspective” for more
details) and is very different from
distortion, which is a lens defect. The
former causes leaning of verticals and
the second bends lines which were
straight originally. Let us see these in
more detail.
Perspective: It is very likely that you
have taken a photograph of a tall
building from a close distance by
standing near the base of the building.
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When you look at such a photograph
you would have noticed that the
building appears to “lean” backwards.
That is, vertical sides of the building
are no longer vertical and the parallel
sides look to be converging at the top
(Picture 1). This is due to perspective.
This is happening because you are
very close to the base of building
(foreground), making it look large.
You are also far from the top of the
building (background) making it
look small. This makes the sides
of the building look as if they are
converging at the top and hence gives
the impression that the building is
leaning. Often this “leaning” effect
is labeled as “distortion”. This is
simply not correct. Perspective is not
distortion. Distortion is the inability of
a lens to render straight lines straight
as you will see next. Perspective is
also independent of focal length (it
depends only on the subject distance
and the position of the lens with
reference to the subject) though many
erroneously think that only wideangle lenses (especially ultra-wide
ones) cause it.
Picture 2: Here
perspective correction
was applied in Photoshop
to correct the leaning to
a great extent. See also
the person at the base of
the tower. He provides
a reference for scale
to show how tall the
minaret is.
So, how do you
rectify such a
situation? One
solution is to
move away from
the building so
that the relative
difference in
distance between
you and the top
and base of the
building is very
less. This reduces
the difference
in size (on the
image) between
the top and base
of the building
thus correcting
this “leaning”.
Another way is to
get into a building
opposite the
building you are
photographing,
preferably at
a height that
is half that of
the opposite
3. Correct with
post-processing
software like
Photoshop
or Lightroom
(Picture 2).
Distortion: The
second problem
is distortion
(Picture 3) which
is a lens defect.
Due to this
straight lines will
look bent. You
are most likely
to encounter
“barrel”
distortion (lines
bend outward)
as it occurs with
structure. If both
these are not
possible then you
need to do one of
the following:
1. Use a technical
/ view camera
with movements.
2. Use a tilt/
shift lens or a
tilt/shift adapter
with a mirrorless
camera. (You
only need the
‘shift’ operation
to correct this
problem, ‘tilt’ is
not required).
Picture 3:
See how the
vertical wall
on the left
is bending
(bulging)
outwards.
This is called
“barrel”
distortion
and is due
to a lens
fault.
Picture 1: The “leaning” of the
minaret (tower) is due to perspective – you are close to the base of
the building (making it appear
large) and far from the top (making it look small). It is not because
of focal length. This is not distortion either; as you can see that the
sides of the minaret are straight
(there is no curvature).
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August 2014 Smart Photography
73
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
wide-angle lenses. If you are keen on
architectural photography, I suggest
that you look at lenses that have
low distortion. Generally (there are
exceptions though) fixed focal length
(prime) lenses have less distortion
compared to zoom lenses, especially
kit lenses.
Distortion occurs mainly at the edges
of the frame. So, try and avoid keeping
straight Ines near the edges. For this
you can compose a little loosely and
then crop later. This means you will
lose pixels but this is better than ugly
looking distortion.
The only other way to correct
distortions is through software.
Most post-processing software like
Adobe Lightroom have the lens
characteristics built in and if you tell
the software the lens you are using, the
distortion is corrected automatically.
Unless you are a purist, I suggest
this as a solution for distortion as
completely distortion free lenses (like
the Zeiss Biogon) are very expensive.
Equipment: Now let us see what
equipment is needed for architecture
photography. You must have often
heard that you need specialized
equipment for this genre. While this
is true to a certain extent, this is not
a must. I have already mentioned in
the preceding paragraphs the need for
‘tilt/shift’ and distortion-free lenses.
Both these cost big bucks but as I had
already explained, you can manage
74
Smart Photography August 2014
without these. Both the problems
can be corrected to a great extent
or even completely, with software.
(Remember, even if you have tilt/shift
lenses or technical/view cameras the
perspective corrections can be done
only within certain limits.)
The rest of the equipment you need is
general in nature. Just any D-SLR or
CSC (Compact System Camera) with
a decent wide-angle or wide-angle
zoom will do. Some cameras show a
grid in the viewfinder. This is a useful
feature to have as it helps in framing
and leveling. Since the light levels are
generally high outside you can get
really good architectural photographs
even with a simple P&S camera.
Focal lengths most useful are from
24 to 50mm for full-frame (or 16 to
35mm for APS-C D-SLRs, and 12mm
to 25mm for CSC Micro 4/3 cameras).
Lenses wider than these are generally
not useful but you can get some
dramatic results by using very short
focal lengths.
Though not absolutely essential, a lens
of longer focal length (like a 135mm
for full frame, 85mm for APS-C or
75mm for Micro 4/3) can be useful for
capturing details (like carvings on the
walls) that are not easily accessible.
The most important accessory, as
you may have guessed by now, is
your three legged friend, the tripod.
This is a vital accessory. It is needed
for keeping the camera steady when
you use slow shutter speeds. This is
however, not the most important of
its uses. The most critical one is that it
allows precise composing, framing and
leveling which is extremely important
for any architectural photograph. I can
emphasize its importance by saying when allowed, use a tripod!
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful,
along with some examples:
Basic Composition: Remember the
fundamental composition guideline,
the rule of thirds? This means that you
Picture 5: Observe how the
camera is placed at an angle to
the building at approximately
60º and 30º as shown. The
converging lines of the roof
convey a sense of depth. See
text more details.
Picture 4: Called a “rule” but really a
guide-line, the rule of thirds is one of
the most basic points to consider in
composing an image.
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Tech Data: Camera Nikon D90, tripod mounted, focal length 20mm, f/8, 1/4 sec.
have to divide your viewfinder frame
into 9 parts (as shown, like a ticktack-toe) and keep the subject at one
of the intersections (Picture 4). These
intersections are called “points of
dominance”. The following paragraph
explains how these concepts are
applied to architectural photography.
A head-on photograph of a building
(which results when the façade is kept
parallel to the camera back) will make
it look two-dimensional (like a card
board cutout), without depth. This is
especially so, if the building is without
much surrounding area. Photograph
from an angle instead and see that the
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Picture 6: This image is
good example to show
several compositional
concepts in architectural photography. The
main subject (a cylindrical castle) is placed
as per the rule of thirds
and is dominating in
size. The roof is at the
upper thirds line. The
bridge forms a leading
line with repeating pattern of arches and brick
work. The lamp on the
right forms a secondary subject while less
dominant is different in
color and tone.
corner of the building coincides with
the vertical line at the 1/3 position (as
per rule of thirds). The intersection
of the corner along with the roof
can be placed at one of the points
of dominance. These aspects are
illustrated in Picture 5.
Here are some more points to help
you when you are photographing a
building along with the surroundings.
As already touched upon, it is a good
practice to put the subject (which
will be the structure itself or the most
important part of the structure) at the
points of dominance. The building
should be dominant in size and must
have some contrast in tone or colour
from the rest of the background
to make it stand out. While an
asymmetric placement like this works
very well, sometimes it is alright to
keep the horizon at the center when
you are photographing scenes with
reflections. Where possible, you can
also use leading lines to draw the
eye to the main subject. A picture
can also have a secondary subject to
draw the eye to it and also to create a
balance. This will cause some tension
August 2014 Smart Photography
75
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Picture 7: See the strong triangle
formed by the roof and the two more
on either side. There are also multiple
rectangular shapes under the triangle.
The blue colour of the pool and
several horizontal lines give a sense of
tranquility. Observe how the horizon
has been kept at the thirds. A picture
like this must be perfectly framed and
camera kept level.
help you is that symmetrical
subjects sometime look
better in square format. The
present D-SLRs or CSCs
do not give you a square
format. However, you can
get a square format through
cropping during postprocessing. It is important
that you give this aspect
a thought before you take
a photograph. It is always
better to pre-visualize the
end-result before you press
the shutter release.
and make the eye move away from
the main subject and make it explore
the photograph. The secondary
subject should be less dominating
but sufficiently different to draw the
viewer’s eye to it. This can be done by
making the secondary subject have a
different Colour, contrast, shape, etc.
All these concepts are shown in the
example given (Picture 6).
and structures are highly symmetric
(Picture 8). That is, the left half will
be very similar (or even identical) to
the right half. Sometimes due to this
symmetry the rule of thirds does not
work very well. One tip that might
Creation of depth: An
important sub-element in
composition is creation of
depth. What this means is
that, you need to create the impression
of depth (a three dimensional effect)
on a flat surface (like a print or a
monitor). This is created with the
help of perspective. Yes, it is the same
perspective that gave you a headache
earlier but now you are going to
Shapes: The human eye recognizes
shapes very easily. Shapes also draw
the attention of the viewer and are
useful for keeping the attention within
the frame. Commonly seen shapes
in building are triangles (like roofs),
rectangles, circles, ellipses etc. Look
for these when you are composing the
image (Picture 7).
Symmetry: Many important buildings
Picture 8: The camera with an ultra-wide lens
(15mm, full frame) kept close (less than two feet from
the plants) to make the foreground look large. The
large building at the other end is relatively small, thus
emphasizing the depth of the huge garden. This is a
very symmetrical structure and the image was composed to emphasize that aspect. A narrow aperture of
f/16 was used for adequate depth of field.
76
Smart Photography August 2014
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know that
larger objects
are closer
even though
they are, in
absolute terms,
physically
small. This
creates a
feeling of
depth
(Picture 8).
Explore
unusual
angles:
Always look
for something
unusual. The
best way to
find them is to
look at subjects
at odd angles.
Everyone looks
at a building
Picture 9: A typical tourist photograph that is a bit boring!
from straight
ahead. Bend
use it your advantage. Perspective
low, look up/down, or climb nearby
simply makes objects closer to you to
structures to get unusual viewpoints.
appear larger than those objects that
These give you an opportunity to be
are far away. Thus, you instinctively
different and sometimes you will see
CONCLUSION:
You are now ready to start looking for
“photogenic” structures. These are generally
museums, art galleries, etc. where special
attention is given to appealing architecture
(compared to Government housing
blocks-!). Look for specific features in these
structures from the architectural photography
point of view. Your eyes will start recognizing
these elements as you practice. Remember
the quote given in the beginning. Some study
is needed on your part before a building
reveals its beauty. And remember the basic
compositional guidelines given here. You
don’t need any fancy equipment to start with.
Next month’s article will cover photographing
interiors. So, stay tuned!
things that others did not (Pictures 9
and 10).
Picture 10: I took
this picture of the
same structure lying
down. This is much
more dramatic and
interesting.
Provide a scale: If you want to give
an idea of the size of the structure
to the viewer, you should include, as
a reference, an object whose size is
known. The most commonly used
reference is the human being
(Picture 2) though you can
provide any familiar object as a size
reference.
All text and images © Ashok Kandimalla unless otherwise stated.
An important
point: These
days everyone
is paranoid
about security.
Simply do not
photograph
any building
(even an office
building)
without getting
permission
as you might
land in trouble.
Respect the
local laws.
Likewise,
don’t
photograph
private homes
(other than
those of people
you know) as
you might be
violating their
privacy.
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August 2014 Smart Photography
77
LEARNING
Lighting, Lensing
and Molding
Dilip Yande
Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography, Dilip Yande
says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He believes variety is the
spice of life, and to keep himself motivated he does a lot of tabletop as well.
For Dilip, names like Rembrandt, Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are
household names because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine
arts. This ‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always
a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many advertising
agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many workshops, and guided
many photographers in their formative years, for Dilip, photography is just
another way to romance his first love – art. He may be contacted at dilipyande@
gmail.com.
I
f you refer to any dictionary like
the Oxford or the Webster, you
may not find the word ‘lensing’.
But it does exist, at least in the
glossary of photographers. This is
what they refer to, while talking
about choosing the right focal length
for a shoot. Thus the expression ‘Use
the right lensing’.
Molding
Molding (creating the right feel,
form and tonality) on any product
can best be attained when there
is a right combination of lighting
and focal length for the object to be
photographed. Many amateurs may
ask that if 85 to 105mm is considered
ideal for portraits with full frame
cameras, what focal length is good
for a table- top? In case of shooting
pack-shots of tall product, say a
tall box, or a bottle, it is necessary
to keep the verticals as parallel as
78
Smart Photography August 2014
possible and this can be achieved
with lenses having focal lengths of
105mm and above (with full-frame
cameras) and then shooting from the
correct angle.
Depth of Field
Some people have misconceptions
that shallow depth of field is only
possible by using a longer focal
length lens. But this is not so. One
can also try to photograph the same
subject by going much closer with
a lens of lower focal length that has
an f/stop like f/1.4, f/1.8 etc. Doing
this, and with the same composition,
it is possible to get a better bokeh
(out of focus background). This
happens because you are moving
closer to the subject and as you move
closer, depth of field reduces. Hence
by using the right focal length, the
right aperture, the right shooting
distance and keeping the background
sufficiently away, you can create the
required sharpness/blurriness of the
background.
Perspective
Apart from this, one has to
remember that wide-angle lenses
tend to exaggerate the distances
between the subject and the
background, while telephoto lenses
compress them. This is the very
reason that while watching a cricket
match on television, one finds the
opposite side of the stadium is
much closer and enlarged, when
the cameraman zooms-in onto the
batsman.
Product photographers also have to
take several other parameters into
consideration, like the ‘flat-field’
property of a lens, the distortions
that it may produce or the
aberrations that it may create in the
picture. Hence all serious hobbyists
and professionals should opt for
good quality lenses. Taking all these
parameters into consideration one
has to plan one’s own kit of lenses
which would be helpful to him as per
the nature of the job one handles.
Lighting
Lighting plays the most important
role in defining the molding of
an object or a face. Changing the
angle of the light with respect to
the camera and subject, changes the
roundness or the depth of a subject.
The hardness or softness of the light
source also makes a lot of difference,
especially if there is texture on the
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Pic 1
surface of the object. The light source
also decides the kind of shadow that
will be created on the base or the
background. Once again the angle
of the light and its distance from the
subject/object decides the length
of the shadow that is created. This
indirectly decides the drama in the
picture.
Every three-dimensional object
has to be viewed and analyzed in a
specific way. (See diagram 1) The
x, y and the z planes have to be
analyzed and defined for precise
lighting. Please note that with any
object a maximum three such planes
can be viewed from any angle at
one time. The surface texture has to
be taken into consideration while
doing the lighting. To explain these
lighting fundamentals, I have taken
an off-white box as our subject.
The surface has a beautiful texture
of ‘mother-of-pearls’ on it. I have
specifically chosen this long box in
order to explain the ‘lensing’ factor.
I chose to use a 70 to 300 mm zoom
lens. This gave me the liberty to use
intermittent focal lengths which are
not available in non-zoom lenses.
The box was kept on a small sheet of
seamless white drawing paper. Light
from any and every position was
reflecting back from this seamless
Pic 2
paper. Since the field area was small,
controlled lighting was a must. In the
beginning I first framed the shot by
going closer and then further away
from the box, observing from where
it would not appear distorted through
In pic 1 the box was placed as shown
on the white background and a
very basic lighting with a single
soft-box kept slightly topish, was
done to study the molding of the
box and to observe the texture of
the ‘mother of pearl’ on the box.
It is very important to see how
texture stands out in a given lighting
condition. Using a black ‘cutter’, part
of the light reflected back from the
white background was controlled.
This defined the top of the box in a
better way. The picture though may
be technically correct in terms of
lighting, still has a lot of scope for
improvement. The overall depth
in the picture appears less, this is
mainly due to the fact the plane Y
has a less surface area compared to
the other visible planes.
e
Z
n
pla
e
X
n
pla
Y
plane
Diag 1
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the camera, I kept zooming in and
out as I shifted the distance. I did not
wish to give a very ‘shallow depth of
field look’ to the pictures. After the
position of the camera was fixed, the
placement of lights was started.
In pic 2, the light source which was
a ‘rectalight’ was shifted to the left
August 2014 Smart Photography
79
LEARNING
on the right side of the frame. To
soften the shadow on the right side,
a white thermocole was used. The
dimensions of the box were now
getting slowly controlled but the
texture on the box, needed some
other attention through lighting.
In order to further study the
texture, a single light source was
placed from behind the box, this
source was a hard source of light
and a 32 degree grid was used as
light modifier for the same (diag
2). Pic 3 shows that the texture on
the top of the box has suddenly got
Pic 3
of the frame, this gave the
feeling of a window light
coming from the side.
Now plane Y was brighter
and automatically a better
definition was created
between plane X (the plane
facing the camera) and
plane Z (top of the box).
Position of the black cutter
was still the same. One
can find that this source
has now cast a shadow
32 degree grid
Cutter
Pic 6
Camera
Box
White paper scoop
Diag 2
Pic 4
Pic 5
80
Smart Photography August 2014
Pic 7
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Pic 8a
enhanced. The other sides
were getting illuminated
by the light bouncing on
the white paper below. The
position of the light is
fine, but is casting a dirty
hard shadow in front of
the box.
In pic 4, a soft-box was
added to the left with a
thermocole on the right.
This softened the shadow
and gave a better
definition to the molding
on the box.
when shot from a close distance to
my benefit, by making an artistic use
of the same.
Pic 7 was produced after studying
the dimensions and the texture of
the wooden incense-stick holder.
It is a fact that smake registers well
when backlit and shot against a
darker background. The lighting
was done considering all such
properties.
Pic 5 is just to show you
how the same box can
look distorted if shot with
a wide angle lens.
Pic 8a and b are excellent examples
to show how changing focal length
and camera angle can make the
same object (the same bottle in this
case), appear shorter then what it
really is. Pic 8a was shot at a focal
length of112mm while pic 8b was
shot at 250 mm.
In pic 6 ( an incense-stick
holder) I have used this
property of a wide angle
lens to distort an image
There is no standardized lighting
in table tops. It all depends on
the shape, molding, size and the
surface texture of the object.
Pic 8b
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August 2014 Smart Photography
81
LEARNING
Tech-Talk
Making Sense
of BSI Sensors
Sujith Gopinath
A/D converter
Output
amplifier
Horizontal shift registers
CCD Sensor
Metal
wire
Amplifier
Row
decoder
Charge-Coupled Device
(CCD) Sensor
In the case of a CCD sensor, the
electrical charge is transferred across
the sensor towards one corner and
an amplifier converts the charge into
voltage. This process is repeated till
the entire array has been read out in
the form of a sequence of voltages.
An Analogue-to-Digital Converter
(known as ADC, A to D or A/D)
then converts the voltage into digital
information.
82
Smart Photography August 2014
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
To explain the different types of
sensors, it is important to understand
the functioning of sensors. The image
sensor is the last point of contact
for light after passing through many
layers of glass (lens elements) and
the colour filter array. Each photo
receptor (photo diode) on the sensor
converts the light striking it into an
electrical charge proportional to the
light intensity at that spot, much
like a solar cell on a solar panel. But
unlike in a solar cell, the electric
charge thus generated is stored in
the diodes till it is read by another
circuitry.
Vertical
shift registers
Column decoder and output
CMOS Sensor
Complementary Metal
Oxide Semiconductor
(CMOS) Sensor
which converts accumulated
electrical charge from each pixel into
a voltage before it is transferred to
the ADC.
A CMOS sensor is an active-pixel
sensor imaging device. This means
that each pixel on a CMOS sensor
is connected to an active amplifier,
Both the CCD and CMOS have
their share of advantages as well
as limitations. There is no clear
www.smartphotography.in
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
A
n image sensor can be called
the heart of any digital
camera. Being technically
complex, sensors are never fully
understood by most people. Here we
try to demystify the world of sensors,
from CCDs to Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensors without
elaborating deeply on the technical
aspects.
As mentioned before, CMOS sensors
require to have several auxiliary
components (such as transistors)
next to each pixel. This circuit layer
is positioned on the front surface
(this can be visualised as photo
receptors peeping out of gaps left by
the circuit layer), severely affecting
the efficiency (or light gathering
capacity) of the pixel layer (photo
receptors) below. To overcome this,
manufacturers of CMOS sensors
use micro lenses to direct more light
onto each pixel so as to improve the
efficiency of the sensors. But this also
has limitations since the circuit layer
(also referred to as ‘illumination’)
reflects part of the incident light,
reducing the quantity of light falling
on the pixel layer. The megapixel
war necessitated every manufacturer
to increase the pixel count on the
sensor by cramming more photosites.
But there is a practical limit to the
number of photosites that can be
fabricated on a sensor, and the circuit
layer complicates the issue by using
up considerable amount of space. The
solution was to move the circuit layer
to the back of the sensor unit.
challenges to
manufacturers.
For example,
trying to improve
Photodiodes
Substrate
Metal wirings
the light gathering
capacity of
Light receiving
Surface
surface
the pixel layer
Metal wirings damaged the
Photodiodes
Substrate
silicon substrate
layers, and hence
Front-Illuminated Structure
Back-Illuminated Structure
they needed to
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
be heat-treated to
heal the damages.
light per photo diode and hence the
But this heat treatment reduced the
efficiency is higher. Also, the frontefficiency of the circuit layer. Again,
side illuminated (FSI) sensor carries
the manufacturing process made
less number of photo receptors than
the substrate very thin, requiring
their similarly-sized back-illuminated
a supporting substrate to be used
counterparts since the circuit layer
to strengthen it for transportation.
blocks part of the sensor area.
Hence Sony decided to integrate
Another advantage of the BSI sensor
the circuit layer on the supporting
is that a smaller sensor can pack
substrate, which is also a silicon
more photo receptors because more
substrate identical to the one used
surface area is freed due to the shifting
for the pixel layer and stack the two
of circuit layer to the back side,
layers together, one over the other.
thus increasing the pixel resolution
This stacking of layers solved all
(megapixels) of small sensors without
the problems associated with the
affecting the low-light performance.
manufacturing process, and reduced
This is quite an advantage at this
the size of sensor considerably due
time of small imaging devices (such
to the reduction in auxiliary circuits
as Smartphones) demanding higher
used to improve the efficiency of BSI
‘megapixels’. Since photo receptors on
CMOS. Sony named the new sensor
BSI sensors receive more light than
Exmor RS, and it is now widely used
their FSI counterparts, their low-light
in mobile devices.
performance is better, producing more
detail and generating lower noise. Sony
Backside illuminated sensors have
was the first to introduce BSI CMOS
been in existence for quite a long time,
sensors and they call it the Exmor R
especially in high-end applications
CMOS sensor.
such as astro photography and
surveillance equipment. Then why
Stacked CMOS
weren’t they used in commercial
Fabricating the circuit layer at
photographic equipment? The reason
the back of the same substrate
was that these sensors were very
layer (the base material on which
expensive owing to the complex
different components are deposited
process by which the silicon wafers
or integrated) posed some serious
were produced. But now the demand
Stacked CMOS
for BSI sensors have gone up many
fold and hence the price has begun to
< Conventional back-illuminated
< Newly-developed stacked
CMOS image sensor >
CMOS image sensor >
fall considerably.
On-chip lenses
Color filters
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
advantage of using either of the
technologies. CCD sensors produce
high-quality, low noise images
compared to CMOS sensors. CCD
sensors consume approximately
100 times more power than CMOS
sensors. CMOS sensors are less
expensive to manufacture. CCD
sensors also suffer from vertical
smear and blooming from bright
light sources. CMOS sensors process
information from a row at a time,
while CCD sensors capture the entire
image at once. This can cause a rolling
shutter effect, which distorts the image
in videos. Hence manufacturers have
been constantly at work to improve
the efficiency of CMOS sensors to a
level similar to CCDs.
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
Manufacturers have now found a way
to deposit (or fabricate) the circuit
layer at the back of the pixel layer.
Such a sensor is known as Back-side
Illuminated (BSI) sensor. Since the
pixel layer is in front of the circuit
layer, a BSI sensor receives more
circuit section
layer structure
circuit section
supporting substrate
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
supporting substrate
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
www.smartphotography.in
layer structure
circuit section
The new technologies have
culminated in better light gathering
capability, higher dynamic range,
and compact size of image sensors.
Though semiconductor technology is
not as simple as it is explained here,
diving deeper into the fabrication
process might not be of interest to
many of our readers and hence could
be beyond the scope of this feature.
August 2014 Smart Photography
83
LEARNING
Macro Photography
Yuwaraj Gurjar
Yuwaraj Gurjar
stays at Thane
on the outskirts
of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park,
which spreads
across 104 sq. km.,
the home for many
small, wonderful
creatures, as well
as the elusive
leopard. He has
been visiting the
Park almost every
weekend for the last
26 years and still
finds new things
to photograph at
every visit.
Initially starting
with birdwatching,
he was fascinated
by the variety of
butterflies, ants,
beetles, dragonflies
and other tiny
creatures as well
as wild flowers
and this eventually
spurned him
towards macro
photography.
Snake Tongue - Checkered Keelback - Xenochrophis Piscator
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/18, ISO 200, handheld.
The forked tongue flicking in and out was the focal point. The snake was photographed at ground level.
I
n layman’s terms, macro
photography is often
considered the same as
close-up photography, though
technically speaking, there is a
difference. Close-up photography
starts at a reproduction ratio of
about 1:20 (on the film / digital
sensor), and goes up to 1:1 (life
size). Macro photography starts
at a reproduction ratio of 1:1
(life size) on the film / digital
sensor and goes up to about 25x
magnification.
Note: Since the early macro
lenses only went up to half life
size (1:2), many consider a
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Smart Photography August 2014
What is 1:1, 1:2, 1:4?
What is 2:1, 4:1 etc?
sensor, the reproduction ratio is
2:1 (Magnification 2x); 4:1 would
mean that a subject is recorded on
film / sensor, 4 times as large as
the original.
If a subject 1cm long is recorded
as 1cm on the film / sensor,
the reproduction ratio is 1:1
or life-size (Magnification 1x).
If that same 1cm long subject
is recorded as 1/2cm, then the
reproduction ratio is 1:2 (half life
size). If it is recorded as 1/4cm, the
reproduction ratio is 1:4 (quarter
life size). Going the other way
around, if a subject 1cm long is
recorded as 2cm on the film /
Macro photography opens up a
new world, so to say. Things which
we cannot see with our naked
eyes, details which we cannot
imagine, nuances of colour that
we cannot even think of, can be
shown with the help of macro
photography. The best part is
that we don’t have to travel long
distances to reach a particular
forest to do macro photography.
You can get ample subjects right in
reproduction ratio of 1:2 also as
macro.
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Blue Oakleaf Butterfly
Nikon D70s, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/10, ISO 200, handheld.
This is a perfectly camouflaged butterfly looking just like a dry leaf. Photographed using fill-in flash but
keeping the green background as it is.
your balcony garden. And there is
no specific season for macro, you
can enjoy macro photography all
year around.
By getting your lens very close
to your subject, you can fill the
frame with a very tiny subject or
greatly magnify details on a larger
subject. But most camera lenses
don’t let you get very close to a
subject (every lens has a Minimum
Focusing Distance or MFD) unless
you have a specially designed lens.
Such lenses that allow you to focus
extremely close, are called ‘Macro’
lenses. Keep in mind that Nikon
labels its macro lenses as ‘Micro’
lenses.
Note: Some lenses have a ‘macro
mode’, marked by the letter ‘M’.
While these allow you to focus
closer than other lenses, they are
not true macro lenses as they (in
most cases) offer a reproduction
ratio of around 1:4 (quarter life
size).
finer detail (and
easily too) than
would have been
possible using a
non-macro lens
or by using most
other close-up
attachments.
Consider these
two photographs
as an example.
The first image
is a very good
example of a close
up photograph.
Close-up shot
Macro shot
The second
photograph is
a macro shot,
with greater
magnification
and finer detail.
Macro lenses
are available in
various focal
lengths. Which
one should one
go in for?
In the context of this article, the
For nature
term ‘close-up’ will be used for
photography, it’s
anything up to almost life-size
preferable to go
reproductions on film / sensor
in for the longest
and the term ‘macro’ will refer
focal length
to reproductions of 1:1 and
macro lens that
beyond, using specialized close-up
you can afford,
Blue Oakleaf
Butterfly–close up though a macro lens of a lower
attachments.
whereas the word ‘micro’ means
Nikon D70s, Tamron
focal length would be cheaper and
small. So how can these two
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
Note: Macro photography is
lighter in weight too. With a lower
terms be used for the same
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
often confused with another
purpose? If the subject you are
Macro shot using extension focal length macro lens, at any
tube (20mm). Magnifica- given magnification, you will be
form of very-high-magnification photographing is small and you
tion is greater than 1:1
photography. In the scientific
much closer to your subject, which
want to make it look big, you
world, a further sub-division of
could not only disturb your subject
end up with a ‘macro’ view of
macro photography is created
but could even put your life at
a ‘micro’ subject. So probably,
for close-up work done with
risk. Consider using a 50/60mm
Nikon, while giving the term, was
the aid of microscopes, and is
macro lens to photograph a
considering photographing of very
called ‘Photomicrography’. This
scorpion or a tarantula. At 1:1
small subjects while Canon was
technique, using microscopes
magnification, the front of the
considering the idea of making a
and stereo-microscopes with
lens may be around 4-5 inches
small subject look much larger!
trinocular tubes or complex
from the subject. The subject may
scanning electron microscopes,
flee or fight! If it flees, you have
Can
we
distinguish becan achieve magnifications of 40x
another chance at photographing
and higher (a 1mm object can be tween ‘macro’ and ‘closeit but if it fights (attacks you), you
recorded as 40mm or even larger up’ photography?
could be in serious trouble. Under
on the film/sensor).
the same shooting conditions, a
Capturing the most intricate detail
200mm macro lens for example,
is one of the main differences
Canon calls its ‘macro’ lenses as
could have a working distance (the
‘macro’, so why does Nikon call its between macro and close-up
distance between the front of the
photography and macro lenses
‘macro’ lenses as ‘micro’?
lens and the subject) of say 8-10
allow the photographer to capture
The word ‘macro’ means big,
inches, making it safer for you.
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August 2014 Smart Photography
85
LEARNING
Queen of Red
Weaver Ant
( Oecophylla
smaragdina)
guarding eggs
Nikon D90, Tamron
90mm VC macro,
1/60sec, f/40, ISO 200,
handheld.
This photo was taken with
very narrow aperture to
show the details of the
eggs guarded by the queen
of red weaver ant.
Close-up filters
expensive way to start shooting
macro but make sure that you
use a good quality close-up filter.
Another factor that has to be
looked at is the type of camera lens
you will be using. A high quality
prime lens plus a high quality
close-up filter can produce very
good results, while a zoom lens
with the same close-up filter will
One more reason for the choice of
Leaf Blue
longer focal length macro lens is
Butterfly
the amount you cover behind the
eggs
subject. A longer lens will show
Nikon D7100,
less of a confusing background
Tamron
90mm VC
and thus improve the overall
macro,
picture. With a shorter focal length
1/200sec,
f/16, ISO 200,
lens though, there’s no escaping
handheld.
whatever is back there. And yet
These are very
another important reason in favour tiny butterfly
eggs, similar
of the longer lens is that you will
in size to
have a better chance of lighting
Poppy seeds.
the subject. To give you an idea
The high
of the difference in magnification magnification
is obtained
between focal lengths, a 100mm
using three extension tubes
macro lens used at approximately
– 12mm +
45cm from the subject will have
20 mm +
the same magnification as a 50mm
36 mm.
macro lens used at only 23cm
from the subject. However, if you
want to do table-top or product
photography, a 50/60 mm macro
lens can be considered.
So, are there any downsides to
longer focal length lenses for
macro? Well, yes. They tend to
be more expensive and bigger in
size than their shorter focal length
counterparts. This can be a real
Tusser
concern since we have to carry all Silk Moth
this gear around, and we all work Antennae
under a strict budget.
Nikon D90,
Other means of achieving
higher magnifications
1. Close-up lenses (filters)
A close up lens attaches to the
filter thread of your primary lens,
and allows the combination to
focus closer. This is likely the least
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Smart Photography August 2014
Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
f/22, ISO 200,
handheld.
Only feathery
antennae
were captured
with the help
of narrow
aperture and
use of flash.
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Gharial Baby
Nikon D7100, Tamron 90mm VC macro, 1/60sec, f/36, ISO 100, handheld.
This photo shows the details in the eyes and the pointed teeth of the Gharial crocodile.
a high magnifications on the
order of 2X or more. For people
interested in high magnification
photography, this is often the way
to go, especially if you are on a
budget. One thing to keep in mind
is that the depth of field will be
almost nil and the attached lens
is vulnerable to dust and other
particles that could possibly get
into the lens and scratch it.
4. Teleconverters
Unlike a diopter, a teleconverter
is an auxiliary lens that goes, not
generally produce less than stellar
results. Keep in mind though that
a dedicated macro lens generally
produces overall sharper results.
The biggest advantage of the closeup filters is that they are very light
in weight and inexpensive.
2. Extension Tubes/Bellows
Extension Tubes and Bellows are
pieces of equipment that put space
between the camera body and
the lens thus allowing the lens to
focus closer. An extension tube
has a fixed dimension whereas
bellows vary in the amount of
extension they can offer. They
work well with certain lenses. If
you have a 50mm prime lens, this
might be a good option
to get into macro work at
an affordable cost, using
extension tubes or bellows.
Extension tubes often
come in sets of three, in
different widths (some
expensive tubes tend to
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be sold individually) that can be
used singly or combined to get the
magnification required. One area
where extension tubes really shine
is for making a long focal length
lens (like 300mm) focus much
closer, which is great for
photographing skittish
dragonflies and other
critters. Bellows work on
the same principle but
as mentioned earlier, but
are expandable, allowing
a great deal of flexibility.
The real downside to
bellows is the high cost
plus the bulk and weight.
Most people use bellows
for studio work only as
they aren’t very practical
in the field.
Ceropegia Vincaefolia
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/200sec, f/6.3, ISO 200, handheld.
This is a rare and unique flower.
To show its natural beauty with
blurred, even-green background, I
purposely photographed it at wideopen aperture.
3. Lens Reversal Rings
Lens reversal rings
allow you to mount a
lens ‘backwards’ on the
camera body. When used
with high quality prime
lenses the results can
be stunning and if you
reverse a wide angle lens,
often you can achieve
August 2014 Smart Photography
87
LEARNING
on top of your main lens, but
between it and your camera body.
Teleconverters are more commonly
associated with telephoto and
wildlife shooting, but they can
also be useful for macro, enabling
you to get a shot from further
away. Since most lenses won’t get
anywhere near life-size on their
own though, magnification with
even a 2x teleconverter will still be
somewhat limited.
5. Stacking lenses
Using a special adapter, a lens
having a short focal length, can
be attached in reverse to another
lens, usually of a longer focal
length. As an example, a 200mm
lens can be attached to the camera
body. Then attach the adapter to
the filter thread and finally, attach
(in reverse) a 50mm lens. This is
known as Stacking Lenses. In this
case, the 50mm lens acts like a
highly corrected supplementary
lens and can be used at wide open
aperture. The other lens (200mm
in out example), could be used at
a narrow aperture like f/16 to gain
DOF.
The formula to calculate the
resulting magnification is : Focal
length of the primary lens (200mm
in our example) divided by the
focal length of the coupled lens
Deccan Banded
Gecko cleaning
eye
Nikon D90, Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
Geckos normally clean
their eyes with their
tongue. The apt movement is captured using a
macro lens and flash.
(50mm in our example), or 4x.
This means that a subject 1/4” in
length would reproduce as 1” on
the film/sensor.
Importance of Tripod
At high magnification, even the
slightest vibration can mar your
image. To minimize this problem,
you should have a good, solid
tripod. This means not just the
‘legs’, but the ‘head’ as well. There’s
no such thing as a light-weight
sturdy tripod. Nor is there such a
thing as a cheap and sturdy tripod.
Invest in the best tripod you can
reasonably justify purchasing. Be
sure your tripod is tall enough
for you so you don’t have to stoop
over to use it. While a lot of macro
work will be low to the ground,
you want your tripod to work
well for all your shooting, not just
macro. You want a tripod with
independently adjustable legs since
you may be working at times on
uneven ground. A tripod that has
no center column makes low level
shooting much more doable than
other systems that require you to
invert the center column.
If you shoot a lot of macro, you
may want to consider getting a
dedicated low or ground-level
tripod with a good tripod head
for it, in addition to your regular
tripod. Switching heads back and
forth can be a real pain.
Image Stabilization:
VR / IS / VC
Atlas Moth
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/60sec, f/9, ISO 200, handheld.
This is the world’s largest moth
measuring around 10 inches. The moth
had just emerged from its cocoon at late
night and I photographed it using flash.
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Smart Photography August 2014
If your camera is not tripodmounted, image stabilization
(built into the body or the lens)
is certainly advantageous for
sharper shots. Though true for all
genres of photography, in macro
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pollens / stigma of
the flower you are
photographing.
2. Eye to eye: Try
to photograph your
subjects at their level,
especially when you
are shooting insects,
flowers and other
macro subjects. By
moving down to the
level of your subject
you increase the
apparent size and
importance of the
object.
Scorpion babies
photography especially, camera
shake can adversely affect the
image formed on the sensor and
the image in the viewfinder. This
is especially relevant to hand-held
shooting at higher magnifications,
since the inability to properly
compose and focus due to a shaky
image in the viewfinder makes it
extremely difficult to record sharp
images. The technology in image
stabilizers calculate the direction
and the amount of shake at the
image plane and try to stabilize it,
thus rendering sharper pictures in
hand-held situations.
Flash
There is a general assumption
that flash photography is ‘flat
photography’ and if you are using
a ‘ring flash’ then the light is “flat,
shadowless, and uninteresting”.
This is not necessarily true. If you
use flash correctly and creatively,
it can provide quite flexible and
interesting lighting for all your
macro work. Flash can be built
into your D-SLR or can be an
accessory unit attached to the
accessory shoe (hot shore) or
could be a ring flash fitted around
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with mother
the lens. Flash can be very useful
for boosting the natural, diffused Nikon D70s, Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
light illuminating our macro
f/20, ISO 200, handheld.
subjects. In-built flash is generally A rare chance in the wild.
not good enough if your subject is Scorpion mother carrying
babies on her back. The sun
very close to the lens as the flash
was quite high in the sky,
light is likely to fall beyond the
so fill-in flash was used to
subject and not on it. So, for macro keep the tail’s shadow as it
is in the photo.
photography, ring flash is quite
useful. Ring flash is a convenient
way to light close-up subjects in
nature / field. Some ring flashes
also allow you to control the
modeling on the subject. If you
are doing macro photography on
regular basis, then you should
certainly think of buying a good
dedicated ring flash. But a ring
flash may not be that useful for the
general non-macro photography.
Some tips for macro photography
1. Control your depth of field:
You can control the depth of field
and put the background out of
focus, and thus make your subject
‘stand out’. Using a wider aperture,
you can control the in-focus area
and thus concentrate the viewer’s
gaze on the subject’s eyes, or
3. Lighting: The light
falling on your subject
is extremely important,
so pay proper attention
to lighting. The subject
should be properly lit
and there should be no
overexposed highlights
or underexposed
shadows.
4. Look for abstract
compositions: Try to be
innovative. It is not necessary to
record the entire flower / insect all
the time. You can, for example, just
frame some part of it and make the
picture look unusually interesting
or artistic.
5. Know your subject: If you
are going in for flower / insect
photography for example, keep
a track of the flower’s blooming
period and timing, or the habits
(like feeding time, roosting time
etc) of the insects. This will
definitely help you in the long
period.
Macro photography, like all
other genres of photography,
demands the photographer’s
dedication along with a good dose
of technical knowledge. Its often
not too easy to photograph macro
subjects; you got to be ready to
go down on your knees or even
go flat on the ground, without
worrying about what the
onlookers may think or say. Happy
shooting!
August 2014 Smart Photography
89
LEARNING
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
& LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Rohinton Mehta
“The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see” ...G. K. Chesterton
H
ow very true! A traveller is
a sort of a wanderer; he has
no goal in mind, he travels
wherever fate takes him. The tourist
has definite plans of visiting some
place he has in his mind, to see “what
he has come to see”.
Whichever place or land you travel
to, there is no shortage of subjects
to photograph – people, historical
monuments, libraries, street scenes,
lakes, rivers, seas, boats, ships,
aircrafts, beautiful homes, gardens
and landscapes of all sorts to name
a few. Since landscapes are probably
one of the most photographed
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Smart Photography August 2014
Travel
care to know. The Internet shows you
various nearby locations too and how
to get there. You can also do your
hotel bookings, air/train/taxi travel
bookings etc on the Net.
Travel, which at one time used
to be time-consuming and often
uncomfortable, is now easy, thanks to
technological advances in transport
and communication. The best way
is to first decide on your travel
destination. Today, fortunately, we
have the Internet to help us. All
that you have to do is type out the
location in the search engine of
your choice, and presto! You’ll have
(sometimes) more details than you’d
If you have decided to travel abroad,
make sure that you have at least 6
months left before your passport
expires and that you have some
blank pages remaining in your
passport. Do remember that air
tickets bought at the last minute
can cost much more, so book your
air tickets well in advance. When
travelling abroad, be vigilant and
take utmost care of your passport
subjects during travel, we shall devote
this write-up to tips for travel and
landscape photography.
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and other valuables like your
camera and laptop. Avoid leaving
your camera/laptop in the hotel
when you go out because these
items are the first to be stolen. As
a precaution, scan your passport
and email the same to your own
email ID. Do take health insurance
because attending to any medical
problem will cost you an arm and
a leg. Check with your medical
practitioner and carry your personal
medicines too. Keep a copy of your
hotel bookings, just in case.
If travelling within the country, there
is no need to carry your passport but
do observe the same guidelines as
mentioned above. Yes, do carry some
sort of identification (driving licence,
PAN card etc) because you may have
to prove your identity, especially at air
terminals and even for train travel.
Very important.
1) Keep a note of your bank’s
telephone numbers in case your
credit card is stolen or lost. In such
an unfortunate event, contact the
bank immediately to freeze your
account, lest someone use the card
to empty your account. Keep the
telephone numbers in 2-3 different
diaries/notebooks for safety.
2) Keep in a safe place (not on
the mobile phone) your mobile
phone’s IMEI number. (Dial *#06#
and you’ll get the 15 digit IMEI
number).
In case your mobile phone is stolen,
send the IMEI number via email to
[email protected]
There is no need to go to the police.
Your mobile will be traced in the
next 24 hours via GPRS and the
Internet. You will also know where
the mobile phone is being used,
even if the thief changes the mobile
number.
What else should you carry?
Always carry a torchlight (don’t forget
to check the batteries), a GPS device
if possible, your day-to-day clothes
(but don’t overload your travel bag;
often you’ll have to carry your own
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luggage!), and cash/traveller cheques.
Also remember to carry two more
important items – courtesy and your
smile! Courtesy and a smile may
ease your discomforts with fellow
travellers and those in authority.
Landscapes
Landscapes are found everywhere,
whether you live in a city full of
maddening crowds, or whether
you live in a picturesque village in
Switzerland! Hence opportunities
are available to everyone, albeit to a
greater or lesser degree. In case you
feel that you can get great landscape
images only if you go to a beautiful
countryside, I am still with you, but
that does not mean that you can
never get good landscapes in the city
you dwell in.
Discipline
Travel and Landscape photography,
like any other genre of photography,
requires dedication and discipline.
Lazy photographers – those who
want to sleep till 9am, those who only
want to move around in a car, those
who do not want to face the vagaries
of nature, those who do not want to
face difficulties – should not attempt
travel and landscape photography!
You have to be up and around when
the sun peeps its golden head through
that mountain range; you have to be
around when the sun calls it a day!
Remember, when you photograph
landscapes, it is the light in its various
shades that you are recording, not
the topography. And good light for
landscapes is generally from presunrise up to 10am and from roughly
4.30pm to after sunset (also depends
on the season and your location on
the globe).
Equipment
Then comes the question of photo
equipment to take along. This is, for
me at least, the most difficult decision.
Which camera body/bodies should I
carry? Which lenses should I carry?
Which filters should I carry? Am I
game lugging around my trusty tripod?
Should I carry a macro lens too? And
what about that flashgun? Should I
carry a hand-held light meter? Well,
here are my personal views:
a) Camera body: Always carry an
extra camera body if you are using
an interchangeable lens camera. If
you are using a fixed lens model,
carry an extra camera! Remember, if
your camera body/camera conks out
when you are at an exotic location
(and such things do happen), and if
you don’t have another body/camera,
you’ll kick yourself in the back.
Suggestion: Considering the fact that
you would be lugging your camera
for the better part of the day, a Micro
Four Thirds model would be very
helpful in keeping down the weight.
Also, a camera body that offers a
‘Level Indicator’ or a framing grid
would be of additional help.
b) What size sensor? Should your
camera have a full-frame (36 x
24mm) imaging sensor, APS-C
(approx. 24 x 16mm), Micro Four
Thirds (Approx. 17 x 13mm), 1-inch
Type (12.8 x 9.6mm) or one of those
tiny sensors used in Compacts
and Bridge cameras? Theoretically,
the full-frame sensor scores when
it comes to image quality. It uses
larger photosites and hence has
better control over digital noise. It
also offers better dynamic range. In
practical terms, the APS-C sensor can
provide almost similar results (many
people may not be able to distinguish
between pictures shot with fullframe and APS-C sensor cameras).
Micro Four Thirds sensors offer very
good image quality too, but in low
light situations (and in shadows),
may not be as good as the larger
sensors, particularly with regard to
digital noise and dynamic range.
Also consider the 1” Type sensors
found in some modern ‘professionaltype’ cameras which give very good
results. I am not a fan of small sensor
cameras and would not consider
using a small sensor camera for any
serious photography, unless the
intention is to see the images only
on-screen. Having said that, with
every new generation of small-sensor
cameras, I see a lot of improvement in
image quality.
c) Lenses: You may have a ton of
lenses, but obviously you cannot
carry them all (unless your name
happens to be Hercules!). Remember,
August 2014 Smart Photography
91
LEARNING
whichever lens you don’t carry, you’ll
have a need for it! (Murphy’s Law?).
So then how do you get over this
problem? Consider how often you
are likely to use a particular lens. If
the answer is ‘rarely’ or ‘may be’, then
leave the lens at home. You can surely
do without that lens!
the same zoom lens on his camera
body, uses his feet to ‘zoom’; he
considers each marked focal length
as a different prime lens and goes
towards or away from his subject to
compose his frame. Whom do you
think will have images with better
perspective? Everything else being
equal, photographer ‘B’ of course.
While photographer ‘A’ will have
different areas covered (because he
changed the focal length between
each shot), all his shots will have
identical perspective; photographer
‘B’ will have different perspectives
because he changed the position of
his lens for each shot.
Generally, landscapes involve the
use of wide-angle lenses, but that
does not mean that you cannot
photograph landscapes with ‘normal’
or ‘telephoto’ lenses. It all depends
on what you want to convey to the
viewer. And whilst we are talking of
lenses, let me crib about how zoom
lenses are responsible for poor image
perspectives.
A lesson to learn: Don’t use your
zoom lens as a zoom lens; instead
consider each focal length setting
as a different prime lens and get
different perspectives by moving
your feet instead.
Here’s how photographer ‘A’ takes his
shots using a zoom lens. He stands
at the same position and merely
takes shots at the various focal length
settings his zoom lens offers. He feels
happy because the angle of view his
lens covers is different for each shot!
Then there is the question of
duplicating the focal lengths. Let’s
say you have a 70-200mm as well as
a 70-300mm lens. Should you carry
both? The 70-300mm includes the
70-200mm range so why carry the
extra weight? You might say that the
70-200mm is f/2.8 throughout while
the 70-300mm is f/5.6 at the longer
end and hence carrying the faster
lens gives you a 2-stop advantage.
True, but then again you get into a
Catch-22 situation (a situation from
which you cannot escape). You either
carry the slower lens with the longer
focal range or carry both and then
crib about the extra weight! Or if
you are more likely to shoot in low
light, consider the faster lens with
the shorter focal range and leave the
other lens at home.
Photographer ‘B’, in spite of having
Panasonic 35-400mm
f/2.8 lens
Panasonic 12-35mm
f/2.8 lens
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
Nikon 70-200 f/4 lens.
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Smart Photography August 2014
What about a macro lens? Should
you carry it? If you plan to do only
landscapes, you could consider leaving
the macro lens at home but if you are
also carrying say, a 50mm ‘normal’
lens, you could instead consider the
50/60mm ‘macro’ lens which can serve
the purpose of the ‘normal’ lens as well
as the ‘macro’ lens.
Should you use ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ lenses?
For landscape photography we
generally try for maximum depth
of field and more often than not,
use narrow apertures like f/8 or
f/11. Hence having a ‘fast’ lens is not
important, but do remember that
‘fast’ lenses autofocus faster (and often
more accurately too).
d) Filters: The filters I would
recommend for travel and landscape
photography are Circular Polariser,
Neutral Density and Gradual Neutral
Density.
e) Flashgun: What about the
flashgun? Again, if you are unlikely to
use it or use it very rarely, you might
as well as leave the flashgun at home.
f) Tripod: Don’t leave home without
one! Early mornings and late
evenings, which are the best times
to shoot landscapes, come with their
own problems – medium to low
light. You could always push up the
ISO but that also means more digital
noise and lower dynamic range. A
tripod will allow you to shoot at your
camera’s native ISO (ISO for which
the imaging sensor is designed) with
whatever aperture you like to control
the depth of field. But do remember
that if the shutter speed gets too low,
subject movement (swaying trees etc)
is likely to cause blurry images.
Note: Some readers may consider
this point as moot or even silly. I do
understand your reasons for feeling
that way. I do understand that you
don’t want to be burdened with a
tripod when you are out enjoying
your holidays. There are times when I
myself feel that way but nothing stops
me from carrying a small lightweight
tripod. As someone had once said, a
lightweight tripod is better than the
steadiest hands!
g) Hand-held light meter: Most
photographers today do not carry
a hand-held light meter. The newer
generation do not even know that
such a thing exists or how important
it is to have one. If I am going for
serious photography, I always rely on
my hand-held light meter because it
gives me the ability to measure off a
very tiny area (1-degree), whereas the
Spot Meter in the camera reads 3-5%
of the screen area (depending on the
make and model of the camera) and
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this is not good enough for me. So
many a times, I include my hand-held
light meter and, if necessary, travel
with one lens less.
Please remember that the tips given
above are intended for travel and
landscape photography without
breaking your back with equipment
weight. Someone once asked me,
what is your message to budding
travel and landscape photographers?
My answer, which applies to all
genres of photography, is “Give
up your comforts. If you prefer
comforts, better stay at home and
watch some soap opera on TV”.
1. Go close to your subject
Most beginners in photography
try to include anything and
everything in the frame. In a few
situations that might be okay,
but in most cases, this only helps
to clutter the image and take
away the importance of the main
element in the scene. Hence it
is often necessary to go closer
to the main subject so that the
viewer’s attention goes straight
x
2. Keep horizons levelled
This is especially true when
your subject is a water body.
Remember, water maintains
its own level and tilting your
water-body composition feels
as if the water will run down to
one side!
Tilted horizon
Composition
“Composition is the strongest
way of seeing” - Edward
Weston
Composition to a photographer
is what flower arrangement is to
a florist. Your neighbourhood
florist just does not pick
up flowers from his basket,
wrap them up in a bundle
and hand them over to you.
He painstakingly arranges
the flowers in a bouquet in
a manner that looks most
beautiful. An artist carefully
chooses the colours and the
various elements in his drawing
and places them at strategic
positions which create the
best viewer appeal. Similarly,
a landscape photographer has
to choose which elements in
nature should be included in
his frame and which discarded.
This arrangement of various
elements in our frame is
what we refer to by the term
‘composition’.
to that element. Other elements
in the frame, if any, should be
subservient to the primary subject.
Level horizon
Good composition can improve
a not-so-good photo but bad
composition can ruin an
otherwise good picture. Volumes
have been written on how to
improve photographs through
good composition but the
limited space for this write-up
means that we can discuss just
a few.
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August 2014 Smart Photography
93
LEARNING
x
If foreground is more important, keep 2/3rd
for the foreground and 1/3rd for the sky
Do not divid the picture into two equal halves
If sky is more important, keep 2/3rd for
the sky and 1/3rd for the foreground
Aerial Perspective
3. Avoid horizons passing through
the center of the frame
Avoid placing the horizon in the dead
centre (or close to the dead centre) of
the frame. Doing so divides the picture
in two equal (or nearly equal) halves
and thus divides the viewer’s attention.
4. Create visual depth
Our photographs have only
2-dimensions (width and height),
whereas we see in 3-dimensions
Leading-in lines
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Including a foreground element helps to increase visual depth
(width, height and depth). Hence
it is necessary to create the third
dimension of depth in our photos.
This can be done using leading-in
lines, aerial perspective, having an
element with distinct foreground
interest, mid-ground and
background, frame within a frame,
and also by using a narrow aperture
that increases the depth of field.
5. Rule of Thirds
If you mentally divide a scene in
three equal parts, vertically as well
as horizontally, the four points of
intersection are strongest points that
S-curve
various elements in the frame, lest it
appears lop-sided.
7. Diagonal lines, C-curves,
S-curves
Diagonal lines, C-curves and
S-curves tend to strengthen a
picture.
8. Format
Pictures can be shot in an horizontal
format (as most people do) or in
a vertical format. Most landscapes
look better in a horizontal format
(probably because we see wider
using our two eyes), but that
shouldn’t stop you from using the
vertical format. Tall thin mountains,
trees, rivers meandering through a
The tree on the left is balanced
by the tree on the right
attract the viewer’s attention. Hence
important elements of the picture
should ideally lie on one of these
points. Do not place the centre of
interest in the centre of the frame
(Because it looks dull and static)
unless its an extreme close-up. The
four points of intersection are the
strongest to place the main element of
your scene.
6. Balance
Try to create a balance between the
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August 2014 Smart Photography
95
LEARNING
Even though we see in colour, consider landscapes in B&W too
forest are examples where vertical
framing can look very nice. Do
remember that about 85% of books
and magazines are in the vertical
format!
Yes, and don’t forget, a square
composition can often look bold and
beautiful.
The Final Word
Be different. Be creative. Take the
route that others don’t take. Don’t
shoot the same pictures that every
Tom, Dick and Harry takes. Your
pictures need to be different. This is
the key to unlock your potential.
Some do’s and don’ts
These do’s and don’ts apply to all
genres of photography but in some
ways it is more important from the
tourist’s point of view. A tourist
can’t always go back to his travel
destination for a variety of reasons
and hence these guidelines are more
important to him.
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Smart Photography August 2014
1. Make a list of all things (especially
photography related) to take along
2. Carry extra memory cards
3. Don’t take along memory cards
that have had some problem earlier
on. For example, a particular
memory card has given you some
sort of error warning which later on
went away by formatting the card.
This becomes a ‘suspect card’. Either
throw it away or leave it at home (or
present it to a photographer you don’t
like!)
4. Change the memory card in the
camera before it becomes 100% full.
You can set your camera to show
how many frames are remaining
and when the camera shows that 2-3
frames are remaining, replace the
card.
5. Get into the habit of backing
up your images, either on another
memory card, CD/DVD, laptop or
an external hard drive.
6. Don’t keep all the backup images
in the same carrying bag. Put them
in different bags, just in case one
bag is lost/stolen or pilfered.
7. Carry extra camera/flash
batteries. And don’t forget the
battery chargers.
8. Double (and triple) check your
list to make sure you have not left
out anything. Tick mark each item
when you place it in your bag.
9. If you are like me who
sometimes forgets where I have put
what, make a smaller list to remind
yourself but don’t lose that list!
Try subtle variations in your
exposures and take many
pictures. Not all will be
masterpieces, but the good ones
will keep your memory fresh for a
long long time.
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106
Lens Review
98
Head-To-Head
Macro Lenses for
Nikon FX mount
110
Lens Review
SIGMA 50 MM
F/1.4 DG HSM (Art)
112
114
Flashgun Review
NISSIN i40
Reviews
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
APO Distagon T* Lens
Smartphone Review
Sony Xperia Z2
Change in Rating System
Smart Photography’s new rating
system exercises stricter evaluation
in view of improvements in the
overall performance of photographic
equipment. Marks will be awarded for
the following parameters...
Final Rankings
Recommended ......................................... 75-80%
Best Buy .........................................81% and above
D-SLR CAMERAS
LENSES
COMPACT CAMERAS
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)
Ergonomics ............................................. (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)
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)
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)
Value for Money ................................. (out of 10)
Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)
Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)
Grand Total ......................................... (out of 100)
Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Hunt for the ‘Detailer’
Sujith Gopinath
M
acro subjects
evoke lot of
interest to all
people alike. The lure
could be in the details
that otherwise escape our
vision, or the colourful
world of insects. A Macro
lens is one that every
photographer desires to
add to his kitbag. Rarely do
you choose a specialist lens
first and scout for a D-SLR
that can go with it. Hence
for lens tests, it makes
more sense to compare
lenses in such a way that
we end up suggesting the
best lens for a particular
format of D-SLRs from the
same brand. In this test,
we compare Macro lenses
that are made for Nikon
FX format (Full-Frame)
camera bodies and attempt
to suggest the best option
in the market.
For this test, we
approached all prominent
manufacturers that
produced lenses for Nikon
FX bodies and which
were easily available in
the Indian market. The
list included Nikon,
Sigma, and Tamron.
Unfortunately, the Sigma
distributor politely
informed us that they did
not have any macro lens
readily available. So we
were left with Nikon and
Tamron. So this test is
between the AF-S Micro
Nikkor 60mm 1:2.8G
ED, AF-S micro Nikkor
105mm 1:2.8G ED VR,
Tamron SP AF 90mm 1:2.8
Di Macro 1:1, and Tamron
SP 90mm 1:2.8 Di VC USD
Macro.
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Design and Build Quality
The outer body of the Nikon 60mm
lens is made of sturdy polycarbonate
material, while the Nikon 105mm is
made of metal and is undoubtedly the
most rugged amongst the four. It is
also the largest and heaviest. Both the
Tamrons have polycarbonate exteriors.
The Tamron 90mm VC (since both
the Tamrons have near-identical
designations, we would use VC or
non-VC to distinguish between the two)
is the second in both bulk and weight.
All the lenses have metal mounts. All
except the Tamron SP 90mm non-VC
lens have rubber cushions near the lens
mount as a weather-sealing measure.
Key Features
The following table will give you
an idea of how the key features are
matched. Both the Nikkor 105mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC feature
image stabilisation in the form of VR
(Vibration Reduction) in the Nikon
and VC (Vibration Correction) in the
Tamron. The Nikkor 105mm offers
the longest working distance, while
the Nikkor 60mm offers the shortest
working distance. The non-VC Tamron
is physically longer at 1:1 magnification,
thereby reducing the working distance.
Feature
Nikkor 60mm
f/2.8G ED
62mm
Filter Size (Dia)
Magnification ratio 1:1
Max. Aperture
F/2.8
Min. Aperure
F/45
Image stabilisation No
High-speed motor Yes, SWM
Diaphragm blades 9
No. of Elements
12
No. of Groups
9
Special Elements
1 x ED, 2 x Asph
Special Coatings
Nano
Crystal Coat
Min. Focus distance 18.5cm
Working distance 4.8cm
Diameter
73mm
Min. Length
89mm
Max. Length
89mm
Weight
425g
Accessories
Lens Hood,
Lens Pouch
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Performance
Both the Nikkors feature Silent Wave
Motors, while the Tamron 90mm VC
features Ultrasonic Silent Drive. The
Tamron 90mm non-VC does not
feature any high-speed motor.
The lenses were tested on a D800E body
in JPEG format to keep consistency with
the internal sharpening applied. VR/
IS was turned off and the camera was
mounted on a sturdy tripod.
Ergonomics
Coming to the comfort of using the
lenses, the Nikkor 105mm, being
heavy and bulky, induces more
fatigue to your hands. The focus
rings are narrower and the grips are
smoother in the Nikkors compared
to the Tamrons. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens has the best grip, and being
thinner and lighter than the Nikkor,
is easier to handle. The Tamron
non-VC version comes second in
user-comfort, while the Nikkor
60mm takes the third place. All
except the Nikkor 60mm have focus
limiter switches for faster focusing,
but this does not essentially put the
Nikkor 60mm at an advantage since
you need to turn the focus ring only
about 180 degrees to cover the entire
range of focus. The Tamron non-VC
lens has a nice push-pull type AF/MF
switch, but on the flip side, this is the
only lens that does not have internal
focussing and hence the lens barrel
extends considerably while focussing.
Nikkor 105mm
f/2.8G ED VR
62mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/57
Yes, VR
Yes, SWM
9
14
12
1 x ED
Nano
Crystal Coat
31.4cm
15.4cm
83mm
116mm
116mm
790g
Lens Hood,
Lens Pouch
Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
58mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/64
Yes, VC
Yes, USD
9
14
11
2 x XLD, 1 x LD
eBand
coating
30cm
13.9cm
76.4mm
114.5mm
114.5mm
550g
Lens Hood
AF Speed
All lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC feature high-speed motors
and all of them were equally fast in
focussing. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
was slow and noisy while focussing.
Darkening of Corners
To test darkening of corners, we kept the
Vignette Control feature in the camera
to ‘High’ so that all lenses were povided
the same advantage. All lenses exhibited
Darkening of Corners at the widest
aperture. The Nikkor 105mm produced
the least darkening followed by the
Tamron 90mm non-VC. The Tamron
90mm VC came third.
Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di
55mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/64
No
No
9
10
9
Data Not Available
Data Not
Available
29cm
10.6cm
71.5mm
97mm
163mm
405g
Lens Hood,
Case
Flare and Chromatic Aberration
To test Flare and Chromatic Aberration,
we usually photograph strong sunlight
peeping through branches. But the
monsoon clouds spoiled our plans
and hence we had to simulate the
situation in the studio. A studio light
was kept behind a cardboard with holes
punched on it to test flare and chromatic
aberration. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
controlled flare better than all others,
though the difference was very small.
The Nikkor 60mm came a very close
second, while both the Nikkor 105mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC produced
slightly higher flare. In case of chromatic
aberration, the Tamron 90mm nonVC produced heavy purple fringing.
The Nikkor 105mm also produced
prominent purple fringing, but less
than that of the Tamron. Both the
other lenses produced slight magenta
fringing. In this, the Nikkor 60mm
fared marginally better than the Tamron
90mm VC.
Distortion
None of the lenses produced any
perceptible distortion, and hence they
all share full points.
Sharpness
Evaluating the sharpness of macro
lenses at 1:1 magnification is very
challenging because of the very shallow
August 2014 Smart Photography
99
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 1.0sec; ISO:100
NIKKOR 60MM F/2.8G ED
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 1.0sec; ISO:100
NIKKOR 105MM F/2.8G ED VR
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August 2014 Smart Photography
101
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 0.6sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI VC USD
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Smart Photography August 2014
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Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 0.8sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI
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August 2014 Smart Photography
103
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI VC USD
FINAL SCORE
depth-of-field. Even a fractional
difference in alignment of the film
plane with the subject plane can make
a significant difference in the depth-offield and hence the sharpness. Because
of the inconsistency in results, we did
not take into account the peripheral
sharpness. Comparing the centre
sharpness, all the four lenses had
identical sweet spots at f/11. All the
lenses are manufactured to provide
the best sharpness in the range of
f/11 to f/32. After the sweet spots
were obtained, the sharpness was
again compared using a slightly lower
magnification (less than 1:1) so that
it provided better depth-of-field. The
Nikkor 60mm, Nikkor 105mm, and the
Tamron 90mm VC lenses were equally
sharp (when visually observed). The
Tamron 90mm non-VC was slighly soft.
We also found that the Tamron 90mm
non-VC lens overexposed the images.
Since the same camera body was used
for all the lenses, we presume it to be
the slight inaccuracy in the aperture
mechanism. The Tamron 90mm VC
NIKKOR 60MM
F/2.8G ED
FINAL SCORE
69%
Design and Build Quality 12/20
Design and Build Quality 8/20
Key Features
17/20
Key Features
13/20
Ergonomics
19/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
4.5/5
3.5/5
3.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
21/25
Sub-Total
Value for Money
12/15
Value for Money
Total
NIKKOR 105MM
F/2.8G ED VR
FINAL SCORE
75%
81%
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI
FINAL SCORE
81/100
Design and Build Quality 18/20
Key Features
13/20
Key Features
19/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Ergonomics
13/20
4/5
4/5
5/5
3.5/5
19.5/25
Total
13/15
68.5/100
lens, however, produced the most
consistent results.
75%
Design and Build Quality 14/20
3/5
Value for Money
The Nikkor 105mm retails at an MRP
of Rs.60,000, while the Nikkor 60mm
f/2.8G carries a price tag of Rs.40,250.
The Tamron SP 90mm non-VC lens
retails at Rs.28,900, while the Tamron SP
90mm VC is priced at Rs.39,800.
VERDICT
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
104
4.5/5
3/5
4.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
21.5/25
11/15
74.5/100
Smart Photography August 2014
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
4.5/5
4.5/5
3/5
5/5
4.5/5
17/25
8/15
75/100
Choosing a specialist lens is no mean
feat. For high-end professionals, the most
imprortant consideration is image quality,
whereas for amateurs, the price matters a
lot. In this review, we have attempted to
provide a comprehensive report, by which
both the professionals and amateurs can
easily make a choice. Please note that the test
result reflects the performance of the test
equipment that the manufacturers provided
to Smart Photography, and the results could
vary slightly from piece to piece. As you
can see, the results are indeed very close.
Overall, the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC
USD wins this test, most importantly owing
to the smart pricing.
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180 ISSUE
RS.125
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 09
SEPTEMBER 2013
THE BIG FIGHT: NORMAL LENSES
●
PREMIUM COMPACTS
●
REVIEWS: CANON EOS 70D
TOUGH CAMERAS
RS.125
SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 ZOOM
●
PENTAX K-50
RS.125
INTERVIEW
SURAJ DAS
LEARNING: STAR TRAIL
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August 2014*
City
LENS REVIEW
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus APO Distagon T* Lens
The “best lens” money
can buy for a D-SLR!
Ashok Kandimalla
behaves like an AF lens
with focus confirmation
and compatibility with all
exposure modes and meter
patterns.
Y
es! You have read the price
correctly. It is indeed a
breathtaking Rupees two
lakhs seventy nine thousand nine
hundred fifty only! That makes it
one of the most expensive ‘normal’
lenses on the market today (the
others being made by Leica).
Before we go into the review here
is a brief introduction. This lens
like other Zeiss lenses for D-SLRs
are designed in Germany but are
manufactured in Japan. Uniquely,
each Zeiss lens is individually
tested and is supplied with a
signed inspection certificate. This
particular model is available in
Canon and Nikon mounts.
The lens is unusually large
and heavy for a normal lens.
It is far closer in dimensions
and weight to a 24-70mm f/2.8
lens! The filter diameter is a
huge 77mm.
Key Features
The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus is
based on an unusually complex
design (for a normal lens) with
no less than 12 elements in 10
groups. Of these, one element
is aspheric and six elements are
made of special anomalous partial
dispersion glass. It also uses Zeiss’
famed T* multi-coating to reduce
reflections.
Design And Build Quality
Like all German lenses this lens
has a name and is called APO
Distagon (APO stands for an apochromatic design). The lens also
has an additional name “Otus”.
Otus incidentally is the name of
a sub-species of owls which have
excellent night vision!
` 2,79,950
Inside the Box
✓ 77mm snap-on front lens cap
✓ Rear lens cap
✓ Metal lens hood
✓ User manual
✓ Warranty card
✓ Inspection report.
106
Smart Photography August 2014
The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
APO Distagon lens is built like
a heavy main battle tank. It has
all metal construction (except
for the rubber covered aperture
and focusing rings) and looks
beautiful in satin black. The lens
flares out in the front ostensibly
to accommodate large diameter
front elements. The supplied
metal lens hood too is very well
made – strong with good flocking.
This is a manual focus only lens
but with electronic contacts. So,
apart from focusing it manually
(and as you will see, carefully) it
Zeiss says this lens has been
designed and made to make
the present generation high
pixel count D-SLRs (like Nikon
D800/e, D600 and Canon 5d
MkIII) achieve medium format
performance at a fraction of
the cost. We did not have an
opportunity to verify this claim
but there is no doubt this lens
belongs to a totally new class
hitherto not available, even
from Zeiss. Zeiss has specifically
stated that this lens has been
built with finest of (optical and
mechanical) materials and is
for all practical purposes free of
chromatic aberration. They also
www.smartphotography.in
Ashok Kandimalla
claim that the
lens resolves
consistently
with excellent
contrast
over the
entire frame
without any
aberrations
or distortion,
even fully
open. One
Zeiss engineer
told us that
this lens is
optimized
to give
outstanding
performance
at full
aperture and
if you need
more depth of
field (DOF)
you should
use focus
stacking!
Zeiss simply
claims it to
be the best
standard lens
in the world.
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/13sec ISO: 100
The aperture has 9 blades and
has a very circular opening to
aid the smoothness of bokeh.
All numbers and markings are
engraved (not screen printed) in
very legible bright yellow colour.
However, both meters and feet
on the distance scale are marked
in the same colour and this may
sometimes confuse the user.
Ergonomics
The lens supplied to us came with
a Nikon mount and we tested it
on a Nikon D600 body. The lens/
body combination was a bit front
heavy. Adding a battery pack to
the camera made the balance
better. As it employs an internal
focusing system the length of
the lens does not change when
you focus and so the balance
does not shift either. The front
element does not rotate thus
making it easy to use graduated
and polarizing filters. Both the
focusing and aperture rings
www.smartphotography.in
MINUS
• Super
expensive
• No whiz bang
technology
• Huge and
heavy for a
normal lens
are rubber covered. There is no
pattern on this rubber cover but
is made of very soft material and
hence prone to scratches. However,
it provides a very good nonslippery grip. Manual focusing
was a delight due to the very wide
and easily graspable focus ring.
The damping was excellent and
movement of the focusing ring was
silky smooth. You need to turn the
focusing ring as much as 248º to
focus from closest focusing point
to infinity. This large turn greatly
helps in precise focusing which is
essential for this lens. The aperture
ring (only for Nikon mount)
engages at half stop intervals with
very positive clicks and is marked
from f/1.4 to f/16.
Performance
As you would expect this lens is
an exceptional overall performer.
There was no chromatic aberration
visible. Nor could we observe
any noticeable distortions.
The contrast was excellent and
the colours were very vibrant
straight off the camera. All this
was maintained throughout the
frame. The most important aspect
was that the lens was absolutely
amazing when used fully open.
It was sharp corner to corner
even at f/1.4 with only very slight
degradation on the corners.
Vignetting was minimal. To get
most of this lens you need to focus
it very very carefully (at f/1.4 DOF
is wafer thin) in live-view with
zoom in (magnification). Using
focus confirmation is just not
accurate enough! There is simply
no point in buying this lens and
hoping to cover up sloppy focusing
with DOF. A tripod is a must to
get the best of this lens. The bokeh
is buttery smooth and guaranteed
to make even the most cluttered
background creamy.
Value For Money
Now for the sticker shock! This
August 2014 Smart Photography
107
LENS REVIEW
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus APO Distagon T* Lens
Ashok Kandimalla
FINAL SCORE
82%
Design and Build Quality 19/20
Key Features
16/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Performance
Autofocus
Sharpness
Distortion Control
Aberrations
Darkening
of Corners
Extra Features
Sub-Total
lens is priced at a whopping Rs.
2,79,950/- (MRP). That is an
extraordinarily high number for
any normal D-SLR lens. We are
not aware of any normal lens
that costs even half of this. In
fact most normal lenses of this
speed and focal length are only
about 12% as expensive as the
Otus! So, is it worth it? This
largely depends on what you are
looking for. If you are planning
to use it as a “normal” normal
lens then this is just not worth
the money. However, if you are a
very contemplative photographer
or a studio/landscape shooter (or
someone else who just wants the
highest quality money can give)
3/5
23/30
Value for Money
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec ISO: 450
0/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
6/10
PLUS
then this may even be considered
as an “economical” alternative to a
medium format system. In
any case, remember that a lot of
care (especially in focusing) is
needed to extract the best out of
the Otus.
• Simply the best normal lens for D-SLRs
• Highest optical quality you can get
• Practically no aberrations or distortions.
• Capable of extracting the maximum out of present
high pixel density D-SLRs
• Razor sharp even wide open
• Superb build quality next to none
• Extremely smooth operation
• Long focus throw for precise manual focusing
VERDICT
This is a specialist lens. It will not appeal to tech buffs who are looking for
the latest technology like AF and VR. Also. it is perhaps simply beyond many
due to its price. However, not all lenses can claim to be “best in the world”
confidently the way Otus does. It is of a different breed and has been produced
with a simple but challenging brief to be the best in the world in this class by a
wide margin. The super-high price is reflected in its exemplary performance.
For those who want the “best in the world” normal lens this is the ticket.
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length & coverage
Aperture range
Lens construction
Picture angle
Highest magnification
Focusing Range
108
:
:
:
:
:
:
55mm, full frame
f/1.4 to f/16 (with ½ stop intervals)
12 elements in 10 groups
43.7° with full frame format
1:7
0.5 m – ∞
Smart Photography August 2014
No. of diaphragm blades
Filter/attachment size
Lens Hood
Diameter x length
Weight
:
:
:
:
9 (rounded)
77mm
Supplied, all metal construction
Approximately: diameter 92.5 mm, length
141 mm (without lens caps)
: Approximately 970gms
www.smartphotography.in
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LENS REVIEW
SIGMA 50 MM F/1.4 DG HSM (Art)
An Expensive Affair!
Rohinton Mehta
I
n recent times, Sigma
has been giving a hard
time to the main players,
proving that they can make
lenses as good as or even
better than the competition.
Their high-end lenses are
marked as ‘Art’-series and
this 50mm f/1.4 lens that we
have on review is an ‘Art’ lens
with Canon mount. According
to the Company, “the Sigma
50mm 1.4 DG HSM has been
redesigned and re-engineered
to set a new standard for the
Art line”. The lens is available
in Sigma, Nikon, Canon
and Sony mount. Going by
its price, it seems that these
lenses are meant for the highend market. Let’s put the lens
through our gruelling test...
Design & Build Quality
` 72,900
Inside the Box
✓ Lens, with front & rear cap
✓ Lens hood
✓ Instruction sheet
✓ Lens case
110
Smart Photography August 2014
Heavy, large in size, and excellent
build quality; that’s how I would
describe the Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 DG
HSM Art lens. The body is mainly in
matte black colour and looks every
bit professional. The lens mount is
made from metal. A flower shaped
lens hood is provided. The lens
weighs 845g without front and rear
caps, but including the hood.
Key Features
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM (Art)
lens is designed for the full-frame
35mm format and is constructed
with 13 elements in 8 groups that
include Special Low-Dispersion
(SLD) glass and Super MultiLayer coating to provide superior
performance even at wider apertures.
A plastic window covers the distance
scale in meters and feet. DOF scale
is provided only for f/16. An AF/MF
focus switch is available on the left
of the lens. The aperture diaphragm
is made with 9 blades to provide
smooth bokeh. Accurate and silent
autofocus is ensured by the use
of a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM).
Filter thread is 77mm and the lens
dimensions are 85.4 (Dia.) x 99.9
mm (L).
Sigma offers (at extra cost) a USB
Dock which, when used with Sigma
Optimization Pro software, allows
you to update lens firmware, finetune autofocus, and perform few
other upgrades.
Ergonomics
We tested the lens using a Canon
EOS 6D body. The combination
felt quite heavy but the lens was
otherwise easy to use. The DOF scale
being only for f/16, wasn’t a great
help. A white, raised plastic dot at
the lens mount was useful in quickly
aligning the lens to the camera body.
The front element does not rotate
during focussing and this makes
it easy to use PL and Graduated
ND filters. Thick-rimmed filters
can cause vignetting, but Sigma’s
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec ISO: 800
every aperture, though
reducing at narrower
apertures.
Flare was reasonably
well controlled but some
purple fringing could be
seen around dark objects
in strong against-thelight shots.
Value for Money
Mahesh Reddy
The lens is available at
an MRP of Rs.72,900.
In spite of its great
performance, it is one
of the most expensive
‘normal’ lenses other
than the Zeiss Otus
55mm APO Distagon
T* which is reviewed on
page 106 of this issue.
instruction sheet clearly mentions so.
Performance
This is a peach of a lens! Images shot
outdoors with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4
DG HSM (Art) lens were sharp, with
perfect contrast and superb tonality.
Autofocus was smooth and quick, but
let’s give some credit to the body too
which has a part to play in it. Manual
focussing was smooth too. We did
not notice any lens distortion, which
is good.
Test shots indoors – of a newspaper
stuck flat on a wall – at a distance
of around 5 feet, and using a firm
tripod, were not as sharp as we
would have liked them to be. But
do remember that ‘normal’ lenses
are not designed for maximum
sharpness at such close distances.
In the indoors test, corners/
sides were not as sharp as at the
centre but by f/2.8, corners/sides
sharpness improved. Darkening
of corners/sides could be seen at
FINAL SCORE
PLUS
80%
Design and Build Quality 18/20
• Very sharp
• Good build
quality
Key Features
15/20
Ergonomics
16/20
MINUS
• Expensive
VERDICT
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM (Art) lens is extremely sharp and is probably
one of the best ‘normal’ lens that we have ever tested. It may not be oozing
with features, but we did not ever feel the lack of them. The lens is heavy (for
a ‘normal’ lens) and the price is definitely high, but then, if you want super
quality, you should be ready to pay a super price. Best Buy indeed!
Performance
Autofocus
Sharpness
Distortion Control
Aberrations
Darkening
of Corners
Extra Features
Sub-Total
Value for Money
4/5
5/5
5/5
4/5
3/5
3/5
20/30
7/10
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length
Aperture range
Lens construction
Angle of view
Minimum focussing
www.smartphotography.in
:
:
:
:
:
50 mm
f/1.4 - 16
13 elements in 8 groups
46.8 degrees
40 cm (15.7 inches)
Maximum magnification
Filter size
Dia. x Length
Weight
:
:
:
:
1:5.6
77 mm
85.4 x 99.9 mm
845g without front & rear caps,
but including hood
August 2014 Smart Photography
111
FLASHGUN Review
NISSIN i40
The Little
Powerhouse!
Rohinton Mehta
Design & Build Quality
Compact and well designed, the
outer body is made from durable
plastic and the hot-shoe is made
with metal. The mounting foot
has a tiny pin that acts as a safetylock. A Quick Release button is
provided. Build quality is quite
good but the swivelling hinge
could have been made better. The
flashgun is made in China and
is currently available in Canon
(E-TTL, E-TTL-2) and Nikon
(iTTL) mounts. The i40 in Sony
and Fujifilm mounts are expected
soon.
Key Features
T
he Nissin i40 is a compact,
dedicated flashgun and is a
winner of the prestigious TIPA
Awards 2014 for the “Best Portable
Lighting System”. The i40 that we
received had a Canon mount and was
tested using a Canon EOS 6D fullframe camera.
The Nissin i40 flashgun has a GN
of 40m/132ft at ISO 100 (at 105mm
position of the flash-zoom-head).
With flash head set to 35mm
position, the GN is 27m/89ft at ISO
100. The head can rotate 180 degrees
to the right/left, tilt up to 90 degrees.
The head includes a ‘Fill-in Reflector’
and a ‘Wide-angle Diffuser’ (covers
up to 16mm). The fill-in reflector
slides out, revealing manual zoom
positions as per colour coding. A
continuous light source placed under
the flash-head acts as video light. In
low lighting conditions, the flashgun’s
AF-assist beam (0.7 - 5m) enables the
AF system to latch on. With Canon
models, the flash works in E-TTL II /
E-TTL mode.
The i40 has a convenient Mode Dial
and a Power Dial. The Mode Dial has
settings for:
a) Video light with 9 steps of output
level (Output power can be adjusted
using the Power Dial)
b) Full Automatic Mode (A)
c) TTL Program Mode (TTL). Flash
output can be adjusted in 9 steps:
-2.0, -1.5, -1.0, -0.5, 0, +0.5,
+1.0, +1.5 and +2.0 EV.
d) Manual mode (M). Fractional
power can be used, 1/1 up to 1/256
power.
e) Slave Digital (SD): For digital
cameras. Flash exposure is controlled
using the pre-flash system.
f) Slave Film (SF): For film cameras.
Flash exposure is controlled using
light reflected off the film.
g) Wireless TTL Slave Mode (A/B/C):
Wireless remote flash system.
Here is a table from the i40’s user
manual, showing the aperture and the
shutter control possible using the i40:
` 19,990
Inside the Box
✓ Flashgun
✓ Diffuser (Soft box)
✓ Flash stand
✓ Carabiner
✓ Pouch
✓ i40 Quick Manual
112
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
In TTL mode, the flash
output can be compensated
by +/- 2EV, in 0.5EV
adjustments. The flash has
an overheat protection
system. If the flash is
used in a continuous
burst at full power (20 to
30 flashes), the i40 will
automatically shut down
to prevent internal damage
through overheating
and will recover after 15
minutes of inactivity.
exposures (flash directly pointed at
the subject and also when bounced).
However, we did notice that
‘Daylight’ White Balance gave more
neutral colours than WB set to ‘Flash’.
Wireless TTL Slave Mode
We could not check the wireless
remote flash system as the Canon
EOS 6D camera does not have a
built-in flash.
Value for Money
PLUS
Ergonomics
Once you know how to,
the Nissin i40 is easy to
use. Using the flash on
the hot-shoe and the
built-in 16mm wide-angle
diffuser, I found the i40
quite suitable for closeup photography (but this
also depends on the focal length you
are using and the flash to subject
distance).
A detailed user manual is not
provided and has to be downloaded
from Nissin’s website. Unfortunately,
the user manual is poorly written
and is quite confusing. This could
possibly make it difficult for a
new-comer to use the i40 to its full
potential.
• Compact
• Reasonable
price
• Overall
performance
okay
Auto mode
Exposures in (non-TTL) auto mode
were satisfactory, except at the far
limits of the permissible distance,
where some underexposure was
noticed. This is true of most auto
flashguns.
TTL auto mode
Here too we were satisfied with the
MINUS
• Battery
compartment
lid flimsy
• Swivelling
hinge could
have been
better
The Nissin i40 flashgun is available
at an MRP of Rs.19,500. We feel the
price is justified.
FINAL SCORE
78%
Design and Build Quality 16/20
Key Features
16/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
15/20
Value for Money
16/10
VERDICT
PERFORMANCE
The flash unit was tested on a Canon
EOS 6D camera.
Manual mode
The i40 performed well when used
in manual mode. In this mode you
need to calculate the flash exposure
yourself by using the formula GN/
Distance = Aperture.
This is an extremely compact flash unit best suited for small D-SLRs,
Interchangeable Lens Compact Cameras and some non-interchangeable lens
compact cameras. It has excellent power output for its size and is feature rich.
The price is reasonable. The user interface is quite easy and all parameters
can be changed instantly without resorting to the menus. It’s small size and
reasonably low cost may have been the reason for some limitations like the
dials not being back-lit, and individual channel support removed, but these
may or may not be importance to you. All in all the i40 is a very compact unit
that will satisfy your needs. Recommended!
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Guide Number
: 40m/132ft at ISO 100 (Flash head set to 105mm)
27m/89ft at ISO 100 (Flash head set to 35mm)
Flash head
: Can rotate 180 degrees to the right/left; tilt 90 degrees
Flash head zoom range : 24-105mm
Wide-angle diffuser : Built-in (Covers 16mm)
Wireless slave system : For Film/Digital
Fractional Power
: Supported (Up to 1/256th power)
High speed sync
: Supported (up to 1/8000 sec)
www.smartphotography.in
Power
Recycling time
No. of flashes per charge
Flash duration
Colour Temperature
Exposure control
Weight
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
4 x AA batteries (Alkaline, Lithium, Ni-MH)
0.1- 4 seconds
200 – 1700 flashes
1/800 – 1/20,000 sec
5600K
E-TTL II/E-TTL (for Canon mounts)
Approx. 203g without batteries and diffuser
August 2014 Smart Photography
113
SMARTPHONE Review
Sony Xperia Z2
Stretching the Limits
Sujith Gopinath
remium Smartphones are
trying to woo high-end users
with new features and better
capabilities. For the budget-conscious
general public, these are but sour
grapes—desirable features, but at a
very high price. The Sony Xperia Z2
is an upgrade to the Xperia Z1 and
competes with the likes of Samsung
Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. Let us
see how it performs.
P
this with my Z1 for over 6 months
and it has never given me trouble
from water ingress. The Z2, like the
Z1, has magnetic pins to connect it
to a Sony magnetic charging dock.
Going by my experience with the
Z1 and our test of a few competing
brands, the Z2 is easily one of the
best built Smartphones available in
the market.
Design and Build Quality
Key Features
Sony products are known for their
sturdy construction, and the Xperia
Z2 is no different. It inherits the
front and back glass body of the Z
and Z1 along with being dust and
water proof. The front glass material
seems more scratch resistant than
that of the Z1. The Z2 is a few
millimeters longer than the Z1 and
features the same aluminium frame
that runs around its perimeter for
enhanced protection. With an Ingress
Protection rating of IP55/58, it is
waterproof and dust resistant. This
essentially means that the device
is waterproof up to a depth of 1.5
meters for up to 30 minutes when
all the covers for the slots are firmly
closed. This is very important since a
Smartphone’s touchscreen is likely to
catch dirt and grime very easily, and
there is no better way to remove it
than washing it off. I have been doing
The Sony Xperia Z2 is not
significantly different from the
Z1 we reviewed in January this
year. The hardware is mostly the
same, but Sony has enhanced the
capability of the device to scale up to
the competition. The Z2 uses a 2.3
GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
(MSM8974AB) quad-core processor
combined with an Adreno 330 GPU.
It features 3GB RAM, up from 2GB
on the Z1 and internal memory
of 16GB. It can accept an external
microSD card of up to 128GB.
Additionally, it can connect with an
external USB storage, which provides
virtually unlimited memory. The
device works on Google Android
platform and is launched with
Android 4.4 (KitKat) Operating
System (upgradable to 4.4.4 at the
time of review). The Z2 uses a 5-inch
Full HD IPS Triluminos Display with
X-Reality for mobile technology.
The display has a resolution of 1920
x 1080 pixels, which translates to
a pixel density of 441 pixels per
inch. This helps to display pictures
that are razor sharp and bright. It
offers multi-touch with support for
up to 10 fingers. The X-Reality for
mobile engine, adapted from Bravia
televisions, analyses and selectively
processes all images so that the
correct amount of enhancement is
applied. The display also features
` 49,990
Inside the Box
✓ Sony Xperia Z2
✓ USB cable
✓ Power adapter
✓ Headphones
✓ Leaflets
114
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/2.0 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec. ISO: 80
The Sony Xperia Z2
features the same
20.7-megapixel,
1/2.3-inch Type (6.16
x 4.62mm) Exmor RS
for mobile sensor that
was used in the Z1.
This high sensitivity
sensor is believed to
reduce digital noise
while maintaining
high resolution. The
camera features a
BIONZ for mobile
processor, which aids
in fast sutofocus,
motion detection,
and noise reduction.
The camera features
a Sony G 27mm
equivalent f/2.0 lens.
It also features a
pulsed LED light that can function
as a camera light and a torch. The
highlight of the Z2, however, is the
capability of its camera to record 4K
(3840 x 2160) Ultra High Definition
videos. The camera features
SteadyShot, which compensates for
camera movements by boosting the
sensitivity at the time of capture.
The various pre-installed camera
apps include Background defocus,
Creative effects, Timeshift video,
AR effect, Vine (video sharing app),
Info-eye, Timeshift burst, Social live,
and Sweep panorama. Background
defocus allows you to retain focus
on the desired spot, rendering the
background (or foreground) out of
focus. This provides a professional
look to your photographs by
simulating shallow depth-of-field.
Creative effects app lets you apply
different effects to the photograph
such as Brightness/Contrast, Hue/
Saturation, Mirror, Old Film,
Motion effects, Mosaic, Motion trail,
Nostalgic, Miniature, Vivid, Tint,
Fisheye, Colour sketch, Pencil sketch,
www.smartphotography.in
Mahesh Reddy
Live Colour LED, a
new Sony technology
that increases colour
depth and gradation.
The display also has a
wider viewing angle
than conventional
Smartphone displays.
Comic, Partial colour, Harris shutter,
and Kaleidoscope. In Timeshift video
app, you can capture high-speed clips
at 120 frames per second and then
use the video editor to select and slow
down one or more sections of the clip
for creativity. AR effects mode adds
fun animations to your photos and
videos. If you use Info-eye to capture
the image of an object, the camera
will provide you relevant information
about the object. With Timeshift
burst, you can capture 61 frames in
just 2 seconds, including a few frames
before you press the shutter release
button. You can then select the
images you want to keep. The camera
lets you download more features as
and when they are released.
The camera also features Manual
mode, which allows you to set
various parameters such as White
Balance, Exposure compensation,
ISO sensitivity, and Metering.
White Balance options are Auto,
Incandescent, Daylight, and Cloudy.
Exposure can be compensated up
to +/-2 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Focus
modes available are Single AF, Multi
AF, Face detection, Touch focus,
and Object tracking. ISO sensitivity
can be set to ISO 50 to 800 or Auto.
Metering can be set to Centre,
Average, or Spot.
The Xperia Z2 is powered by a 3200
mAh embedded battery. For power
saving, the device provides Stamina
mode, which keeps the camera at a
low-power state when the screen is
switched off. The Z2 has dimensions
of 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm and weighs
163 g.
Ergonomics
The 5-plus inch screen of the Z2
is just right for most Smartphone
users. It is not too small for typing
and watching movies nor too big
for making calls without handsfree
or earphone. The screen is one of
the best around — bright, lively and
crisp. The colours too are close to
reality. Even if you do not like the
colours, you can tweak it easily in
the settings. The large screen makes
touch controls fairly easy to operate.
August 2014 Smart Photography
115
SMARTPHONE Review
Sony Xperia Z2
The phone has a dedicated camera
button, and the camera interface
is quite user-friendly. Though
the screen might appear too dim
outdoors, checking the ‘Adapt to
lighting conditions’ checkbox solves
the problem. Our only grievance is
the over-sized power adapter that
doesn’t fit any Indian socket. Hope
this is limited to the review unit
supplied to us.
Performance
We were quite impressed by the
Z2’s performance. The powerful
processor, combined with 3GB RAM
and Adreno 330 GPU makes for a
superlative performer. We tried all
high-performance 3D graphics in
the form of HD gaming and the Z2
performed brilliantly. Initially, the
device heated up quite a lot, but
the experience with the Z1 came in
handy. If the device heats up much,
the first step is to backup the data
and do a factory reset from Settings.
If this does not solve the issue, you
may do a fresh software installation
from the Sony support site via the
desktop application.
This time, we used AnTuTu
benchmarking software, and the Z2
scored a cool 34600, placing itself at
the third spot in overall processing
power. In the battery test too, it came
in the top three with the battery
lasting over 3 hours with 100 percent
CPU use. This is really top notch
performance. The battery easily lasts
for a day with moderate to heavy
usage if you do not have a real time
antivirus shield working in the
background. Again, this depends on
various factors such as GPS activation,
mobile data usage, graphic intensive
gaming and screen brightness.
Coming to the camera’s performance,
the Z2 performed very well. Images
appeared crisp. Native image size was
13.12 x 17.49 inches at 300 ppi. At
25 percent screen size, we observed
slight noise at ISO 800. Observed at
50 percent of the screen size, slight
noise was observed at ISO 400 and
above. At 100 percent screen size,
though the camera produced noise at
all ISOs, images remained usable up
to ISO 200. We would consider this
good noise control for a Smartphone
camera using a tiny sensor. Also, we
observed that the marked sensitivity
of ISO 100 corresponded to a
measured sensitivity (in EXIF data)
of ISO 160. Auto White Balance
performed well. Slight cast produced
under artificial lighting could be
FINAL SCORE
PLUS
• Excellent
build quality
• Water and
dust proof
• Powerful
hardware
• Good
camera
MINUS
• Adapter
doesn’t fit
Indian power
sockets
• Back-side
glass body is
not scratch
proof
Design and Build Quality 19/20
17/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Performance
17/20
Value for Money
16/10
On the video front, the Z2 captured
very good 4K videos. But this process
utilizes a large part of the processing
power and hence the device heats
up. Sony has incorporated a safety,
mechanism to shut down the camera
when it reaches a threshold. This is
quite normal. If you do not intend
to view the footage on a large UHD
screen, avoid capturing 4K videos
and stick to Full-HD or lower
resolution. We are not overly worried
about this since 4K is still in its
infancy and Sony has stretched the
device to its maximum potential by
incorporating 4K capture.
Value for Money
The Sony Xperia Z2 retails at an MRP
of Rs.49,990. At this price, the device
is good value for money, considering
the premium segment in which
it competes. Those with slightly
shallower pockets may find a nearcomparable device in the Z1.
87%
Key Features
easily removed in post-processing.
The camera produced beautiful
images in close-up. We would rate
this above average performance for a
Smartphone camera.
VERDICT
The Xperia Z2 is a beautifully crafted
premium Smartphone with powerful
hardware that provides great performance.
Combined with a water and dust-proof
body, the Z2 is certainly one of the best
Smartphones available in the Indian
market. Moreover, it incorporates a capable
camera that you can use in most situations.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Operating system
Processor
GPU
SIM card
Main screen
Resolution
Size (diagonal)
Text input
Touch screen
Touch gesture
RAM
Flash memory
Expansion slot
Camera resolution
116
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Google Android 4.4 (KitKat)
2.3 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974AB Quad Core
Adreno 330
micro SIM
Colours 16,777,216 colour TFT
Full HD 1920x1080 pixels
5.2 inches
On-screen QWERTY keyboard
Capacitive
Yes – multi-touch, up to 10 fingers supported
3 GB
Up to 16GB
microSD card, up to 128 GB (SDXC supported)
20.7 MP
Smart Photography August 2014
Digital zoom
Photo light
Video recording
Front Camera
capture
Sensitivity
Minimum Focus distance
Sensors
:
:
:
:
8x
Yes – Pulsed LED
Yes – 4K2K
Yes – HD 1080p for video chat and 2.2 MP for camera
: ISO 50 to 3200 maximum in manual mode
: 100 mm
: Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer sensor,
Game rotation vector, Geomagnetic rotation vector,
Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Step counter, Step detector,
Significant motion detector, Proximity sensor
Battery (Embedded) : 3200 mAh minimum
Size
: 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight
: 163 grams
www.smartphotography.in
READERS CAN CHECK THE ENTIRE BUYER’S GUIDE,
THAT FEATURES SPECS AND PRICES OF
D-SLRS, ILCCS, DIGITAL COMPACTS AND LENSES VIDE LINK
http://www.smartphotography.in/buyers-guide
March 2014 Smart Photography
103
Lens Nomenclature Guide
Lens manufacturers use different suffixes to identify certain lens characteristics.
Here they are, along with simple explanation (wherever required) of how they help.
Rohinton Mehta
CANON
DO
EF
EF-S
IS
L
NIKON
AF-S
CRC
D
DX
FX
ED
G
N
IF
RF
: Diffractive Optics: Special lens elements that reduce colour aberrations to the minimum, thus
improving image quality.
: Denotes that the lens is designed for full-frame cameras
: Denotes that the lens is designed for APS-C cameras
: Image Stabiliser: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure.
: ‘Luxury’-series lens: Canon’s high-end, professional lenses.
: Denotes that the lens is using a Silent Wave Motor: For fast and quiet autofocus
: Close Range Correction: Allows lenses to focus closer, while still maintaining good sharpness. This is
done using a ‘floating lens element’ design. Generally used in macro and wide-angle lenses.
: Distance information passed on to the camera body: Helps to provide more accurate exposures
: APS-C camera lens
: Full-frame camera lens
: Extra Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
: Lens without aperture ring; aperture is controlled from the camera body
: Nano Crystal Coat: Greatly reduces flare due to internal reflections of light.
: Internal focussing: Instead of moving all the elements further away or closer to the film/sensor to
focus, IF lenses move only certain internal elements. This allows for much faster focussing.
: Rear Focussing: Similar to IF but only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens.
OLYMPUS
ED
: Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
PANASONIC
OIS
: Optical Image Stabilizer: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure.
Mega OIS : Mega Optical Image Stabilizer
Power OIS : Power Optical Image Stabilizer: A superior design of Mega OIS.
ED
: Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
118
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
SIGMA
APO
ASP
DC
DG
HSM
OS
RF
EX
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Apochromatic lens element: Corrects for chromatic as well as spherical aberrations
Aspherical lens element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
APS-C camera lens
Full-frame camera lens
Hyper Sonic Motor: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
Optical Stabiliser: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure
Rear Focussing: Only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens
‘Excellent’ series lens
TAMRON
AD
USD
ASL
Di
Di-II
HID
LD
IRF
VC
PZD
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Anomalous Dispersion element: Eliminates lateral chromatic aberration
UltraSonic Silent Drive
Aspherical lens element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
Digitally integrated: Full-frame camera lens designed for digital cameras
Digitally integrated: APS-C camera lens
High Index Dispersion glass element: Special glass for improving optical performance
Low Dispersion glass: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
Internal Rear Focussing: Only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens
Vibration Correction: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure
Piezo Drive: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
TOKINA
AT-X
PRO
SD
: ‘Advanced Technology Extra’- range of lenses
: Professional lens
: Super-low Dispersion element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
PENTAX
SDM
DA
: Sonic Direct-drive Motor: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
: APS-C camera lens
SONY
DT
: APS-C camera lens
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
119
SP
Recommends
Compact Cameras
Canon PowerShot
G15
Canon PowerShot
G1X
Fujifilm Finepix
X100s
Nikon Coolpix
P7800
Nikon Coolpix
A
The G15 is the latest
in Canon’s G-series
and one of very few
compact cameras
to offer an optical
viewfinder. With a
12.1-megapixel 1/1.7inch Type CMOS
sensor, a 28-140mm
F/1.8-2.8 lens, and a
3” LCD, the camera
handles extremely well
and produces superb
pictures.
Canon’s G1X has
excellent build quality
in a compact camera.
With a 14.3MP sensor,
a 28-112mm F/2.8-5.6
lens, and an optical
viewfinder as well
as a tilt-and-swivel
LCD panel, the G1X
is highly impressive,
with its excellent noise
control, outstanding
White Balance
performance, and
quality images.
The Fujifilm Finepix
X100s comes with a 16
MP APS-C size CMOS
sensor, paired with a
35mm equivalent f/2
lens and a 2.8” LCD
screen. The X100’s
noise control and
hybrid viewfinder are
very impressive, and
it produces pleasing
pictures with good
accuracy.
The Coolpix 7800
is Nikon’s top
professional compact.
It features a 12.2
megapixel 1/1.7inch Type CMOS
sensor, a 28-200mm
f/2.0-4.0 lens, a 3”
articulated LCD
monitor and an EVF.
Overall, the Coolpix
7800 produces very
good results, with an
impressive Auto White
Balance system.
The Nikon Coolpix A,
reviewed in this edition
of SP, comes with a 16.2
MP APS-C sized CMOS
sensor, and a fixed 18.5
mm (28mm equivalent)
f/2.8 lens attached to
the camera. The 3”
LCD helps monitor the
image to be captured.
Given its mouth
watering specifications,
the Nikon Coolpix A
is certainly a worthy
addition to this list.
Olympus
XZ-2
Panasonic Lumix
DMC TZ40
Panasonic Lumix
DMC FZ200
Sony Cyber-shot
DSC RX1
Sony Cyber-shot
RX100 II
The Olympus XZ-2 has
a new 12MP backilluminated 1/1.7-inch
Type CMOS sensor,
and features a 28112mm f/1.8-2.5 Zuiko
lens and a tiltable
touch-sensitive 3”
LCD monitor. Overall,
the Olympus XZ-2 is
a very capable and
pocketable compact
camera.
The TZ40 is the
successor to the TZ30
in Panasonic’s popular
TZ (Travel Zoom)
series. Featuring the
first ever 18.1 MP MOS
sensor, a 24-480mm
F/3.3-6.4 lens, and a
3” touch screen, the
camera, with its Leica
lens, ensures optimum
picture quality, and
overall results are
impressive.
Panasonic’s FZ200
is a bridge camera.
Equipped with a
12.1MP high-sensitivity
MOS sensor, a unique
25-600mm F/2.8 Leica
lens with 24x optical
zoom, and a tilt-andswivel monitor, the
FZ200 impresses
with good and fast
autofocus, reliable
metering and overall
image quality.
The RX 1 is the world’s
first compact camera
with a full size 24.3 MP
CMOS sensor. It has
a Carl Zeiss Sonnar
35mm f/2 lens that
can be switched to
macro mode. There is a
built in 3” LCD screen.
Anyone wanting a
compact camera that
produces high quality
results should look at
the RX1.
Sony’s RX100 has a
unique 20.2 MP 1-inch
Type CMOS sensor.
Along with a 29-105mm
F/1.8-4.9 lens, and a
3” LCD, the camera is
exceptionally light at
254g. Image quality
and handling are top
notch and the RX100
II is certainly to be
considered if you want
a high quality compact
camera that is also
pocketable.
120
Smart Photography August 2014
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PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRINTERS
MINILAB
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
TIDBITS
The
Magic
Of GoPro
H. S. Billimoria
I
recall being asked a few
years back by a rather cocky
Divisional Head of Nokia
India the question as to which
was the best selling camera in the
world. I mentioned Canon and
immediately he retorted saying
that I was wrong and that the best
selling camera in the world was
Nokia because they sold more
camera phones worldwide than
Canon.
Coming back to today, a new
category of cameras has suddenly
taken an increasing share of the
market. In fact, they have started
playing a role in the slow demise
of the camcorder. This category
works loosely under the term
“action camera”. Action cameras
are rugged, water- proof and
lightweight cameras that take both
video clips and still. They can
work in extreme environments
where other cameras would cease
to function. Further, they can
146
Smart Photography August 2014
record Full High Definition video
in any situation whether its a skydive or a drive around a race track.
Most action cameras have the
following features:
a. Excellent build quality.
b. Superb handling with as few
buttons as possible.
c. High quality wide-angle lens;
enough to cover the subject
to be shot.
d. Wi-Fi functionality is
a must especially if the
camera is to be controlled
remotely from your laptop or
Smartphone.
e. Water-proofing - since the
action camera is to be used
mainly outdoors and that too
in extreme conditions, a
water-proof housing can be
very useful.
f. Generally, action cameras
have very small batteries. It is
therefore useful to either
have spare batteries or invest
in a USB power bank
charging unit.
g. A tripod thread is useful
with an action camera in
order to have a quality
picture. Alternatively,
adhesive mounts can be
used. For more professional
applications, helmet mounts
or chest harness mounts are
available.
As far as brands are concerned,
the leader in this market is
clearly Gopro. More Gopro
action cameras are sold than any
other brand and Gopro’s main
advertising slogan is “the world’s
most versatile camera – wear it,
mount it, love it”. Other brands
available in the market include the
Ego from Liquid Image, the Game
from ION and VIRB Elite from
Garmin. Other brands like Rollei
and Sony are also testing this fast
expanding market segment.
www.smartphotography.in
148
WHAT
MAKES US
#1
WELCOME
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.
C
amera manufacturers struggling
to increase output and sales would
do well to look at the latest trends
emerging for the first five months of 2014.
These trends reveal that in a market where
compact camera sales are declining, sales of
mirrorless models are gaining. Whilst sales of
mirrorless models in Japan take nearly 40% of
the market, they took 16.5% in Europe, 13.4%
in America and 26.3% in Asia. The Indian
market for mirrorless cameras have been
hardly explored so far. However, things should
change with new exciting products from
the likes of Sony, Olympus and Panasonic.
Of course, the ones with the best marketing
strength will win this race.
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 favorites. 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 photography across the country
and have many years of experience. That
gives us the foresight to distinguish between
a passing trend and a big change in the field
of photography and imaging. And finally, our
reviews are not extended to just fill up the pages!
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU
There is no debate on why we are here. Our sole
goal is to provide you options and better your
judgement in product purchase while, sharing
tips and tricks to improve your images. Our
biggest joy is in building a bridge between you
and your perfect picture!
EDITOR
Hoshang S. Billimoria
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Rohinton Mehta
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Sujith Gopinath
COPY EDITOR
Tanika Godbole
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mahesh Reddy
HEAD-DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Ravi Parmar
DESIGN
Nandkishor Sawant
ADVERTISE DESIGN
Sanjay Awad, Shubham Rohatgi
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Dinesh Bhajnik
PICTURES DESK
Deepak Narkar
H. S. Billimoria
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Girish Mallya
PRODUCT MANAGER
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Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor,
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Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria
August 2014 Smart Photography
5
Contents
64
ISSUE 113 / AUGUST 2014
36
36 Kaleidoscope
REVIEWS: SIGMA 50MM F/1.4 ART LENS ZEISS 55MM F/1.4 OTUS APO DISTAGON T* LENS NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN
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ISSUE 5
VOLUME 10
AUGUST 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
REGULARS
A platform for budding photographers to
exhibit their talent and get noticed!
08 Mail Bag
10 News Watch
32 Picture of the Month
146 Tidbits
42 Showcase
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
MACRO LENSES
TIPS FOR
TRAVEL &
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPH (EXTERIORS)
LIGHTING, LENSING AND MOLDING
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERVIEW NISHA PURUSHOTHAMAN PROFILE LOPAMUDRA TALUKDAR
Just a moment!
Readers can find the updated Buyer’s Guide, log on http://smartphotography.in/news/monthly-special
Smart Photography thanks the readers who participate in the Picture of the Month contest. We would like to
bring to your attention a few changes in the rules for submission. From now on, you may send in your images with
the longer side measuring atleast 17 inches. Please note that the images have to be horizontal. This permits readers
to submit panoramic shots, which was not possible with the current size of 17 x 11 inches.
6
Smart Photography August 2014
A photographic profile of the person
behind the lens
48 If I Were You
Our expert comments on how your pictures can be taken to another level
52 Ask Uncle Ronnie
Your photo queries answered by Uncle
Ronnie
56 Photo feature
Ajay Sood captures Ladakh A Photographer’s Delight
64 MasterCraftsman
The masters of the craft share their insights and photographs
www.smartphotography.in
105
SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER
page
72
78
84
LEARNINGS
72 Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
78 Lighting, Lensing and
Molding
REVIEWS
98 Head-to-head: Macro lenses
for Nikon FX mount
106 Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
82 Making Sense of BSI Sensors APO Distagon T* Lens
110 SIGMA 50 MM F/1.4
DG
HSM (Art)
84 Macro Photography
90 Tips For Travel & Landscape 112 NISSIN i40
Photography
114 Sony Xperia Z2
www.smartphotography.in
BUYERS GUIDE
118 Lens Nomenclature
120 SP Recommended:
10 Compact Cameras
August 2014 Smart Photography
7
MAILBAG
REVIEWS: CANON G1X MARK II NIKON COOLPIX P340 TAMRON 16-300MM LENS SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 SMARTPHONE
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ISSUE 4
VOLUME 10
JULY 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
112
INDIA
EXCLUSIVE
REVIEWS
FUJIFILM XT1
SONY A77 II
Write to us at:
Mail Bag
Smart Photography,
Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.
E-mail:
[email protected]
TUTORIALS
HOW TO SHOOT LIGHTNING
MOTION BLUR WITH ND FILTERS
PROFESSIONAL
TECHNIQUES
DEMYSTIFYING COLOUR SPACES
PRO SHOTS WITH MINIMUM LIGHTS
INTERVIEW KANE LEW
PROFILE VAIBHAV JAGUSTE
SP READER SURVEY RESULT
Shedding Light
The July 2014 issue was a delight to read. I often admire the work of professionals in fashion
photography, because the lighting is always controlled and perfect. Whenever I tried taking
similar pictures, the lighting never was enough and I wasn’t able to invest in professional
lighting equipment, since I am just learning. But the article Using Minimum Lights by Dilip
Yande literally shed some light on the subject for me. I learned how to create stunning fashion
photos without having to spend money!
The tutorial on Motion Blur with ND Filters was also easy to understand. I am not an outdoor
person as such. But reading that made me borrow ND filters from a friend and go out in the
open to photograph waterfalls. It was an enjoyable experience. A well-timed article, since the
monsoon is here and there will be many small and big waterfalls for us to click. Another lesson
that came in good time was Lightning Photography. Thank you for preparing us for a better
monsoon.
Srijay Kamat
Great Mix
The July issue definitely had a great mix of photographers! The nature photography of Kane
Lew was quite stunning. Sometimes SP tends to concentrate too much on wildlife and nature
photography. But this time there was a good mix of genres with Vaibhav Jaguste’s interesting
travel shots.
The Reader Survey Result was interesting to read. I was glad to know that many readers like
myself prefer SP because of its learnings and easy language. I find the reviews most thorough
and in-depth. They are the biggest tool for consumers, since they provide an unbiased analysis
of the product.
Ramesh Mahanta
Errata
In the July 2014 issue of Smart Photography, the news
piece about Sony RX100 III had an image of RX 100 II.
The error is sincerely regretted. This is the correct image
of Sony RX100 III.
8
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
SNIPPETS
Nikon launches D810
Canon Inc. launched
its new 35mm format
lens, the EF 16-35mm
f/4L IS USM, on June
19 at a suggested list
price of 154,000 Yen.
N
Panasonic has
announced the
pricing and
immediate delivery
of the world’s first
4K/30fps wearable
camera, the HX
A500, priced at
$399.99. It features
a 1.5-inch LCD
screen, Wi-Fi and
NFC connectivity.
The camera yields
incredible image
quality.
Olympus forecasted
that their operating
profit for the first
quarter ending on
June 30, 2014 would
double to 16.5 billion
Yen or $162 million,
from a year ago.
In order to counter
the slump in digital
camera sales, Nikon’s
incoming Chief
Executive Officer
Kazuo Ushida
(currently the senior
executive vice
president) said Nikon
plans to spend about
$2 billion for merger
and acquisition in
medical and other
growth areas for the
fiscal year ending in
in 2015.
10
Smart Photography August 2014
ikon Corp. has
released a full-frame
D-SLR, the D810, with
improved resolution and image
processing. It offers a newlydeveloped FX-format 36.3 MP
CMOS sensor and EXPEED
4 image processing engine.
The camera doesn’t have an
optical low pass filter, but has
improved software that boosts
performance and reduces false
colour and moire. The D810
has a 51 point Multi-Cam
3500 FX Autofocus system, an
ISO range from 64 to 12800
(expandable ISO 32-51200),
advanced Scene Recognition
areas and fully manual
and Picture Control profiles.
control. It has an ‘i’ button
It has a 3.2-inch LCD screen,
Zebra stripes for overexposure for quick access to frequently
used controls. The company
plans to sell 20,000 units per
month.
Panasonic launches Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Panasonic launched on July
17 the Lumix DMC-FZ1000,
a new Bridge camera capable
of taking 4K resolution or
Ultra HD images. The camera
features a 1-inch Type 20MP
MOS sensor, a Leica DC
Vario-Elmarit 25-400mm
f/2.8-4 equivalent lens with
integrated Smartphone WiFi connectivity for remote
control.
This is the first time that
Panasonic will use 4K video
capture technology on a lensmounted compact camera.
For greater versatility, the
camera has manual operation
in Create Video mode and
dramatic slow motion in full
HD at 120 fps. A new linear
motor integrated in the focus
system achieves approximately
275% faster focusing as
compared to the conventional
DMC-FZ200. In addition, new
DFD (Depth from Defocus)
technology shortens the time
to set the focus to achieve
ultra high-speed AF of about
0.09sec (wide end)/ 0.17 sec
(telephoto end). The hybrid
optical image stabilizer with
5-axis correction provides a
blur-free one-handed videoshooting ability.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Cosina to make
VM Adapters for
S and C Mount
Lenses
Cosina Co. announced that it will
market new VM Adapters for Nikon
S-Mount and the rangefinder Contax
C-mount interchangeable lenses to
be used on full-size E-mount D-SLR
cameras like the Sony Alpha 7 series.
The adapter is meant to be used
with VM-E Close Focus Adapter.
Both adapters will become available
at a suggested list price of 25,000
Yen each. With this adapter, closeup photography as close as 75cm is
possible with a 50mm lens.
Canon to release Telephoto
Zoom lens for EOS M Series
C
anon Inc.
announced a new
interchangeable
lens for its EOS M
mirrorless camera
series, the EF-M 55200mm (88-320mm in
35mm format) f/4.5-6.3
IS STM, at a suggested
list price of 49,000 Yen.
This is Canon’s first
zoom lens for the EOS
M mirrorless cameras
and the company
has made it compact
and lightweight to
match the M-series
bodies. The lens
measures 86.5mm(L) x
60.9mm(D) and weighs
about 260g. The lens
utilizes a glass-moulded
aspherical element
offering high-quality
images throughout
the zoom range. The
stepping motor makes
auto-focusing smooth
and quiet. It also offers
an image stabilization
function.
Tamron announces
Interchangeable Lenses
Tamron Co. announced
the availability of its first
interchangeable lens in the
Micro-Four Thirds format,
the 14-150mm f/3.5-5.8
Di III (Model C001),
which was showcased at
the CP+ 2013. This model
does not offer Vibration
Control function. The lens
is 63.5mm in diameter and
80.4mm long, weighing a
mere 285g.
12
Smart Photography August 2014
Tamron will also offer
an interchangeable lens
dedicated to Canon EOS
M-series of mirrorless
cameras, the 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di III VC
(Model B011). The
features of this lens
are almost the same
as those of APS size
18-200mm lens for
Sony mounts. It has
Vibration Compensation
and a stepping motor
for autofocusing. It
measures 68mm in
diameter, is 96.7mm
long and weighs about
460g. Simultaneously,
the full-size D-SLR
interchangeable lens,
the 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3
Di VC PZD (Model A010)
will also be made available
in Canon and Nikon
mounts.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Fujifilm to launch 7.5x
Zoom Lens for X-Series
F
ujifilm announced the Fujinon
XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
LM OIS WR for the X-series
interchangeable lens system cameras.
The lens offers weather sealing at 20
spots, thus protecting it from splashes
and dust. An image stabilizer (5
stops) is on offer. The lens has High
Transmittance Electron Beam Coating
(HT-EBC) on the entire surface to
reduce ghosting and flare. It measures
75.7mm in diametre and is 97.8mm
long at the wide-end and 158mm at
the telephoto end. The lens weighs
around 490g and the filter thread is
67mm.
Kenko Tokina launches new Telephoto Lens
Kenko Tokina launched the AT-X
70-200mm F4 PRO FX VCM-S
telephoto zoom lens for full-size
sensor cameras. The lens is equipped
with Tokina’s newly developed
proprietary VCM (Vibration
Correction Module) technology,
a key aspect of telephoto zoom
lenses. In scenes where the use of a
tripod or monopod is not an option,
VCM provides about three levels of
vibration control
to ensure dynamic performance.
The newly added ring-shaped
ultrasonic motor is quiet and
enables minute adjustments
between AF and manual modes to
dramatically increase operability.
The dedicated hood (BH-672) is
also designed to not take up space
during storage. Attaching the
separately sold removable tripod
base ring (TM-705) will ensure the
lens achieves its full potential.
Panasonic to launch Network Surveillance Cameras
Panasonic is launching six new network
surveillance cameras, a network disc
recorder and a network microphone.
The company has created four dome
type cameras, two for indoor and two for
outdoor installation, and two box-type
models for indoor use. These new cameras
have a super-dynamic function with a
dynamic range of 133dB so that they can
14
Smart Photography August 2014
take optimum images despite changing
environment or lighting conditions.
The top-of-the-line WV-SFV631LT is a
dome type outdoor use model with a 3MP
MOS sensor, a built-in infrared LED and a
water and dust proof finish. The box-type
WV-SPEN631 features a 3MP MOS imager,
and the SPN611 comes with a 1.3MP MOS
sensor. Both models accept IR LED lighting
for shooting in the dark. Other dome type
cameras include the WV-SFV311 outdoor
model with a water and dust proof finish
and the indoor models WV-SFN311 and
WV-SFN310J. The network disc recorder
WJ-HV250 series is capable of recording
full HD resoution at 60 fps and comes in
five different models.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Epson to offer Mobile
IJ Printer
S
eiko Epson Co. will offer a new
compact mobile inkjet printer, the
PX-S05, from late September 2014.
As many corporations now use mobile
computing terminals such as Smartphones
and Tablets for outgoing marketing
personnel, the demand for compact
printers is getting higher. This printer
measures 309x154x61mm and weighs
approximately 1.6 kg. The built-in battery
lasts for 50 sheets for colour or 100 sheets
for monochrome printing. Its battery can
be recharged via AC adapter, from PC via
USB connect or a mobile battery source. Its
1.44-inch colour LCD panel shows battery
and ink levels. It can connect Smartphones
or Tablets via USB, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct,
which allows output even when a wireless
LAN router is not available. The PX-S05
will be available in black and white, at an
expected price of around 30,000 Yen. The
company expects to sell 50,000 units in the
year.
Epson to launch New Dry Minilab
Seiko Epson will release
a new compact inkjet dry
minilab in its SureLab
series, the SureLab SLD700. This entry model
was showcased at the
PhotoNEXT 2014. The
compact dry lab has an
output of 455 sheets of
L-size prints per minute
in the standard mode
of 720x720 dpi or 225
prints per minute in the
high resolution mode
(1440x720 dpi). The
printer requires only
0.2 square metres for
installation. It measures
460x430mm and is
354mm high. With an
optional spindle, multiple
sizes of roll photo paper
can be installed. A 65
metre roll paper comes
in five models in 4-inch,
5-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch and
A4 sizes. Glossy, lustre and
matt types of paper are
available. Six colours of
Epson Ultra-Chrome D6-S
are available in a large tank
of 200ml.
The company will offer
the dry minilab system,
SureLab SL-D733C
including the printer SLD700, a PC, a monitor and
operation software SureLab
Order Controller at around
1 million Yen. The minilab
SL-D700S alone will be
sold at 370,000 Yen. The
company expects to sell
300 systems per year.
Epson is conducting a sales
campaign until September
12, 2014.
Epson’s EVF now Standard for Leica T
On July 3, 2014, Seiko Epson Corporation
announced that its Ultimicron Electronic
Viewfinder technology is now used as
standard in the Leica Visoflex electronic
viewfinder for the new Leica T camera.
Designed exclusively for the camera system
Leica T, Visoflex is an optional highresolution electronic viewfinder that opens
up new possibilities to expand the user’s
creative horizons.
16
Smart Photography August 2014
First launched in 2009, Ultimicron is
based on the HTPS technology that has
been behind Epson’s success as global
market leader for thirteen successive years.
Using Ultimicron, photographers can
can reproduce rich colour gradations and
natural blurring when required. Measuring
0.48 inches diagonally, the Ultimicron
offers XGA (1024 x RGB x 768), 2.36
million dot resolution, and provides the
quality required by Leica.
In addition, the use of a colour filter
prevents the colour break-up that can
occur with other systems while shooting
fast-moving subjects and while panning.
These specifications allow the creation of
the easy-to-see and natural viewfinder,
strongly demanded by serious camera
users.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Canon to release Largeformat IJ Printers
C
anon Inc. announced that
it will launch four new
models of large-format inkjet
printers in its imagePROGRAF
series from late July, 2014.
The imagePROGRAF iPF785 and
iPF780 feature a faster output of
around 21 seconds for an A4 size
print, with newly developed magenta
colour ink to express vivid red and
yellow and a new file output and
share software—imagePROGRAF
Direct Print and Share 2.0—for cloud
computing systems. Both models can
produce up to A0-plus size prints. The
iPF785 has a larger memory capacity
(320GB) HDD and a larger ink tank of
300ml. The iPF780 has a sub ink tank
for refilling the ink seamlessly and can
make prints from an iPAD via the app
‘imagePROGRAF Print Utility.’
The imagePROGRAF iPF685 and
iPF680 can produce up to A1 size
prints with a maximum speed of 25
seconds for an A1 sheet. Other features
of the iPF685 are common with the
iPF785; and those of iPF680 are similar
to iPF780.
Photokina 2014 at Cologne in September
The Photokina Fair, the world’s largest
exhibition of the photo and imaging
industry is to be held from September
16-21, 2014 at Cologne, Germany. During
the fair, image recording, processing
and storage and output innovations
are displayed and demonstrated, with
cutting-edge technological developments
and trends being placed in the spotlight.
The fair has received an overwhelming
response from exhibitors. For Photokina
2014, the organisers, Koelnmesse and the
Photographic Industry Association, are
once again counting on 1,000 exhibiting
companies from about 40 countries. In
2012, around 185,000 visitors from 166
countries came to Cologne to inform
themselves about current trends and
technologies surrounding the image.
Photoglobe in the World”,
working together with the 175
Years of Photography Jubilee and
also Photokina 2014. Within the
framework of the “175 Years of
PhotoMoments” theme, photoenthusiasts throughout in the
world were called upon to help
create this globe by contributing
images to the English and
German language portal www.
photoglobus.de/en. This is a
unique journey in pictures, to
cover not only all continents,
but also a photographic journey
through time.Visitors to the fair
will be able to view this collection on the
“Largest Photoglobe in the World” with its
vast diameter of six meters.
Photokina 2014 will show the
internationally organised “Largest
This year, Photokina, in cooperation with
the company Suite 48 Analytics which
specialises in research and opinion polls
in the mobile photorgraphy sector, will be
offering interested visitors a series of lectures,
workshops and seminars, which will deal
closely with the “Smartphone phenomenon”
from a wide range of perspectives.
MB&F M.A.D.Gallery launches first Art Book
The MB&F M.A.D.Gallery, Geneva,
anounced the release of its first ever art book,
American Trucks by Swiss photographer
Ulysse Fréchelin—including a limited
edition of 100 copies, numbered and signed.
A graduate of Vevey’s renowned School
18
Smart Photography August 2014
of Photography and specializing in stilllife techniques using natural light, Ulysse
Fréchelin has created portraits, not of trucks
per se but of what they represent.
This series of photographs witnesses the
artist’s love for American trucks on the road.
To accompany this release, the M.A.D.Gallery
in Geneva is also hosting an exhibition of 8
photos selected from the book—each image
available in a limited edition of 8 large-format
prints.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
World Press Photo Exhibition season kicks
off with record number of visitors
W
orld Press Photo
announced that the
debut location of
its 2014 exhibition tour, at De
Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam,
attracted more than 75,000
visitors, a record number for
the location. This exhibition
travels to nearly 100 locations
every year that attract around
3 million visitors. Michiel
Munneke, managing director
World Press Photo said,
“We are extremely happy to
see that a record number of
75,060 visitors came to see
the exhibition in Amsterdam.
We’ve nearly doubled the
number of visitors since
2004 and we hope to see a
similar trend at all the other
exhibitions to come.”
World Press Photo is also
running two pilots this season.
Firstly, the winners of the
multimedia contest were
shown alongside the photo
contest winners in Amsterdam,
where visitors could witness
the prize-winning productions
through projections,
headphones, and computers.
Secondly, in Lagos (Nigeria),
the exhibition will be displayed
outdoors, a rarity for the World
Press Photo exhibition. The
2014 exhibition is also stopping
in a number of new cities such
as Hiroshima (Japan), Kinshasa
(DRC), Oxford (UK), and
Philadelphia (USA). Finally
the exhibition will return to
Helsinki (Finland) for the first
time since 1995.
Sony releases The Hidden World of WWI
image of
Photographer Jeffrey
Gusky, M.D., FACEP, was
given exclusive access to
Curved
record the underground
cities of World War I lying
Sensor
beneath private farms
Sony released the very first image
of an impressive leap forward in
digital imaging technology, the
curved full-frame sensor. With the
curvature equivalent to that of the
human eye, this sensor promises
1.4x better sensitivity in the
middle and 2x better sensitivityin
the corners, all of which reduce
noise caused by ‘dark current’.
Sony presented this technology
at the 2014 Symposia on VLSI
Technology Circuits in Honolulu,
Hawaii during June 9-13, 2014.
Tablet with
3D imaging
to be made
Google said that it is working
with LG Electronics to make a
version of a Tablet that captures
3D images. This Tablet was
developed as part of a research
effort called Project Tango. The
aim is to have the gadget ready
for sale in 2015.
20
Smart Photography August 2014
in France. He captured
several striking images.
This collection is titled
The Hidden World of WWI.
The art and emotionally
charged inscriptions are
carved in stone by soldiers,
who fought in the war
that began in 1914, one
hundred years ago.
Gusky, an emergency
physician and fine-art
photographer is believed
to be the first person ever
to bring to light the large
number of underground
cities beneath the trenches
of WWI. The Hidden World
of WWI reveals the artifacts,
sculptures and evocative
graffiti left behind by soldiers
on both sides of the conflict.
Landowners determined
to preserve the past have
zealously protected these
underground treasures for
decades.
Gusky found thousands of
works of art, graffiti and
inscriptions by German,
French, British, American,
Canadian, Polish, Hungarian,
Australian, New Zealand,
Chinese, African and even
New Zealand Maori
soldiers, among others.
He spent a total of six
months exploring miles and
miles of these underground
spaces.
Gusky is strongly committed
to preserve and protect
these treasures in France.
“I’m a man on a mission.
I hope these images will
change the way we think
about WWI and that they
will be protected for future
generations. The Hidden
World of WWI gives us a
glimpse into the humanity
of individual soldiers who
refused to be silenced in the
face of modern warfare. Men
from both sides declared
themselves as human beings
who could think, feel, express
and create, and who remind
us today that they were
here, that they once existed
as living, breathing human
beings.” Images from The
Hidden World of WWI can be
found at www.JeffGusky.com.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
Business
Olympus’ Share Price
returns to Pre-Crisis
Level
On June 23, Olympus’ stock hit its highest price since
August 2008, receiving a shot in the arm from expectations
for its medical equipment. Olympus reached a high of 3,670
Yen (US$35.60) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, up by 6.4%
over the closing rate on Friday, June 20. Turnover soared to
a two-month high as well, at 3,620 Yen.
The jump was caused by predictions that the company’s
consolidated April-June performance will improve due to
the recovery of its medical equipment business in China and
North America. The slowdown in China’s economy during
the last quarter caused the company’s Yuan-denominated
revenue to decrease there, but it saw double-digit growth
in April and May. Olympus holds about 70% of the global
market for endoscopes, and its medical business has been
the main profit generator.
A report by Goldman Sachs released on June 23 also
boosted the confidence in the company’s stock. Olympus
has not disclosed a forecast for its consolidated operating
profit for this quarter, but Goldman Sachs expects it to
double on the year to 16.5 billion Yen. The company also
shows promise for medium-term growth. It hopes to raise
the operating profit to 143 billion Yen in fiscal 2016, up 60%
from the projected figure for the year ending in March 2015.
Many analysts, however, call the forecast too conservative,
saying the company has more growth potential.
Camera Majors’
Profitability to improve in
Fiscal 2014-15
t is reported that the
profitability of Japan’s seven
major digital camera makers
is improving for the current
fiscal year ending in March
2015 (Canon’s fiscal year ends in
December 2014). Though total
shipments of digital camera units
may decline by double digits, many
expect profitability will improve by
focusing on interchangeable lens
system (ILS) cameras and high-end
compact cameras.
I
income of the imaging products
segment and a 15% fall in unit
shipments, but it expects a 3%
gain in the operating profit for the
current business year to 66 billion
Yen. Nikon intends to introduce
new models centering on ILS
cameras. The company also plans
to focus on new business areas
including a medical segment, since
it is too dependent on the imaging
business for its consolidated
operational profit.
Canon anticipates its shipments to
fall by 13% year-on-year, coming
to 18.1 million units. But the
operating profit of the imaging
division will keep the year-on-year
growth almost level, except for a
2% drop by revising a product mix.
The company plans to ship 7.6
million units of ILS cameras, while
reducing shipments of compact
cameras.
Nikon anticipates an 8% fall in the
Both Fujifilm Holdings and
Panasonic expect the operational
profits from their imaging
divisions to turn black within
the fiscal year, helped by valueadded mirrorless interchangeable
lens system cameras. Olympus
will also boost mirrorless models
by 20% over the previous year,
aiming to turn the operational
profit black in the next business
year.
The 2013 Worldwide Market Share of Imaging products
Nikkei Shimbun compiled the world market
share of products and commodities in 2013
from data by research companies. Below are
the values of the market shares of companies
in the categories of Interchangeable
Lens cameras, Camcorders, IJ Printers,
Smartphones and Li-ion Batteries. The figures
are mentioned in percentage quantities in
year-on-year growth ratios. The change in
year-on-year percentage is in parantheses.
Camcorder (Source: Nikkei)
Sony: 49.5 (5.5)
Panasonic: 18.5 (3.5)
JVC Kenwood: 14.5 (-3.5)
Three Total: 82.5 (5.5)
Canon: 10.0 (0.0)
Samsung Electronics: 5.0 (-5.0)
Others: 2.5
World Shipments: 6.53 (-23.2%)
Smartphone (Source: IDC USA)
Samsung: 31.3 (1.0)
Apple: 15.2 (-3.5)
Fuawei: 4.8 (0.8)
Three Total: 51.3 (-2.5)
LG Electronics: 4.7 (1.1)
Lenovo Group: 4.5 (1.2)
Others: 39.5
World Shipments: 1009.64 (39.2%)
Interchangeable Lens Camera (Source: Nikkei)
Canon: 43.2 (0.3)
Nikon: 34.6 (0.0)
Sony: 12.1(-0.3)
Three Total: 89.9 (0.0)
Olympus: 3.5 (-0.6)
Panasonic: 2.8 (-0.8)
Others: 3.8
World Shipments: 17.70% (-7.3%)
IJ Printer (Source: Gartner)
Hewlett-Packard: 46.3 (1.6)
Canon: 26.9 (1.0)
Seiko Epson: 20.4 (-0.6)
Three Total: 93.6 (2.0)
Brother Ind.: 5.9 (0.5)
Samsung Electronics: 0.2 (0.0)
Other: 0.3
World Shipments: 66.529 (-4.8%)
Li-ion Battery (Source: Techno SystemSearch)
Samsung SDI: 25.1 (0.0)
Panasonic: 20.4 (-0.3)
LG Chemical: 15.8 (-0.4)
Three Total: 61.3 (-0.7)
Sony: 7.2 (-0.5)
BYD (China): 6.2 (0.6)
Others: 25.3
World Shipments: 4,380 (20%)
22
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
23
NEWS
National
Ricoh to release Pentax
XG-1 in India
R
icoh will release a new
bridge camera, the Pentax
XG-1 with 52x optical
zoom range, for beginners
looking to move ahead from
compact cameras. The XG-1
has a 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor
and comes with a 24-1248mm
equivalent f/2.8-5.6 zoom lens.
It offers a burst shooting of
9fps and HD video recording
at 1080/30p. It has a 460k-dot
3.0-inch fixed LCD screen and
200k-dot built-in electronic
viewfinder. It also offers shake
reduction and Auto Tracking AF
Function. This product will be
available in India by August 14,
2014. Prices are to be announced
later.
Gionee
Samsung launches Galaxy K Zoom
Electronics announced
new Galaxy K Zoom enables users
AF/AE Separation (Auto Focus/
launches Slim Samsung
its new Smartphone with a
to swiftly capture and share their
Auto Exposure Separation) for
specialized camera, the Samsung
memorable moments with ease.”
the precise balance of light and
Smartphone Galaxy K Zoom. The muchclarity, next-generation Pro
awaited device offers advanced
The Smartphone has a 4.8-inch
Suggest mode which offers 5
in India
digital camera technology with
HD super AMOLED touch screen
optimized filter settings, Selfie
Gionee, the global designer
and manufacturer of
mobile devices launched
the ‘World’s slimmest
Smartphone,’ the Elife
S5.5, in India. It has a
distinct metallic frame and
Corning Gorillas Glass
Uni-Body, with a slim 145.1
x 70.2 x 5.55mm body. It
features a 5.0-inch Super
AMOLED Plus display, an
Octa- Core 1.7GHz CPU,
a 16GB memory and a
non-removable 2300mAh
Battery. The phone has a 13
MP camera and a 5MP front
camera with autofocus. It
comes in a range of colours
like Blue, Pink, black, White
and Gold. Elife S5.5 will
be available at the price of
Rs.22, 999 in India.
24
Smart Photography August 2014
Samsung’s Galaxy Smartphone
experience and is available in
India from July 9, 2014. It offers
effortless capturing ability, real
optics and a premium design,
providing users the mobile
solutions they need with the ability
to create professional-quality
visual content in a fun, easy-to-use
device.
Mr. Asim Warsi, V.P, Marketing,
Mobile and IT at Samsung
India said, “With the launch of
Galaxy K Zoom, Samsung brings
consumers a unique combination
of a stylish Smartphone
with advanced photography
capabilities. Equipped with
excellent image processing apps,
display and is equipped with
Android 4.4 Kit Kat OS. It features
a hexacore processor and has
2GB of RAM and 8GB internal
memory expandable upto 64GB.
The Galaxy K Zoom is a camera
specialised Smartphone which
offers an advanced technical
camera system designed to offer
the control and functionality
of a professional camera. It is
equipped with a new retracting
lens technology which provides
10x optical zoom and a 20MP BSI
CMOS sensor. It excels in low light
conditions, has a Xenon flash and
provides Optical Image Stabilizer
(OIS) to reduce blur caused by
movement. It also delivers Full
HD video.
The new
device also
integrates
the most
advanced
camera
usability
features and
functions,
including
Alarm that allows users to take
timed selfies with ease, and
object tracing for a clear, focused
shot of a moving subject. Each
feature comes with a simple User
Interface, allowing users to easily
capture photos and videos with
ground-breaking quality, in any
situation.
The compact and portable
Smartphone features an
ergonomic grip and a stylish
build. Additionally, the Galaxy K
Zoom offers all the features that
consumers want in a flagship
Galaxy Smartphone, such as
Ultra Power Saving Mode for
minimizing battery consumption,
S Health Lite for personalized
fitness and lifestyle coaching,
and a Studio app to allow users
to easily edit their pictures and
videos.
The Galaxy K Zoom is available
in India from 9 July 2014 at
Rs.29,999 on www.amazon.in. It
will be available in three colour
options including Charcoal Black,
Electric Blue and Shimmery
White.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
Sony India launches 3 new cameras
S
ony launched three new
cameras in India—the
Alpha 7S, Alpha 77 II and
the Cybershot RX100 III.
Joining the acclaimed A7
and A7R family of the
world’s smallest full-frame
interchangeable lens cameras,
Sony’s new A7S model offers
better sensitivity and low noise
and 4K video ability. It adopts
the XAVC S recording format
which allows for full HD
recording at a data rate of 50
mbps, with lower compression
for improved video quality.
The camera features a newly
developed 12MP 35mm full
frame Exmor CMOS sensor
paired with a powerful BIONZ
X image processor, allowing it
to shoot at a sensitivity range
of ISO 50 – 409,600. The A7S
is compatible with the family
of E-mount lenses, as well
as A-mount and others lens
systems with optional adapters.
A7S full-frame interchangeable
lens camera will be available at
selected Alpha Flagship stores
and Sony Centers across India,
for a price of Rs.1,54,990.
The A77 II builds on the
design of the A77 and A700,
but has a tough, dust and
moisture resistant body.
It features 79 autofocus
detection points, including
15 cross points within most
frequently-used central area
of the sensor. It offers a 24MP
Exmor CMOS sensor with a
BIONZ X processor. There’s
also a f/2.8 AF point placed
horizontally in the centre of
the sensor. The AF system
also performs well in low
light, locking onto subjects in
scenes with illumination levels
as low as EV-2 (ISO100).
The camera has a clear XGA
OLED Tru-Finder screen with
2,356K-dot resolution. The
A77 II can record Full HD
60p and 24p movies using the
AVCHD 2.0 format. The A77
II is available for Rs.84,990
(body only).
The compact Cyber-shot
RX100 III has an OLED TruFinder with Zeiss T* coating
and a 180-degree tilting LCD
screen. It features the Zeiss
Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm
f/1.8-2.8 lens. A built-in 3-stop
Neutral Density filter gives
more creative flexibility. The
camera has a 20MP backilluminated Exmor R CMOS
sensor and powerful BIONZ
X processor. The RX 100 III
can take 50 Mbps high bit-rate
Full HD movies with XAVC
S support. the articulated
3.0-type Xtra Fine LCD screen
flips up 180 degrees for taking
selfies. The camera is available
for Rs.54,990
Ashampoo releases Photo Commander 12
German software developer
Ashampoo has released
Ashampoo Photo Commander
12 for photo management and
editing. Besides new features,
user handling has been
completely overhauled. The
software promises to achieve
the desired results in just a few
clicks.
Photo Commander 12 bundles
all essential features on an
overview page and makes them
1-click selectable. New features
include intelligent photo
imports, support for web-
26
Smart Photography August 2014
based email clients, Ashampoo
Webspace uploading, support
for cloud services such as
GoogleDrive, Dropbox or
Microsoft OneDrive and a
newly developed slide-show
wizard.
Photo Commander 12 will
allow photos to be synced
between devices such as
Tablets, Cellphones PCs
or laptop computers.
Traditionally, users had to
rely on email clients such as
Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla
Thunderbird to send photos
via email. This latest version
of Photo Commander features
support for web-based email
clients and allows users to
send their photos through the
browser via Gmail or Yahoo
mail. Ashampoo Webspace
offers a convenient and timesaving way to share photos,
slide-shows and videos online.
Third-party cloud services such
as GoogleDrive, Microsoft
OneDrive or Dropbox are also
supported.
Ashampoo Photo Commander
12 comes with a completely
redeveloped slide-show wizard
that turns your photos into
digital slide-shows complete
with background music and
elegant transitions in a few
clicks. Ashampoo Photo
Commander 12 provides
extensive photo management
and editing capabilities for
$49.99. Owners of a previous
version may purchase the
upgrade for $19.99. The
program runs on Windows XP,
Windows Vista, Windows 7
and Windows 8. Further details
can be obtained from www.
ashampoo.com
www.smartphotography.in
www.datacolor.com
ADVERTORIAL
One Stop to Picture Perfect
Controlling your image colour quality in stills and video
If you’ve ever had the problem of shooting the same subjects over the period
of a day using multiple cameras and in varying lighting conditions but yet
still have to arrive at a consistent end result, the guys at Datacolor may have
just saved you a lot of time and heartache. Never more obvious than when
shooting Weddings where the bride and groom can lead you through the
joys of shooting in a poorly lit church with a range of stained-glass diffused
lighting, candles and in the worse cases... bar heaters! The group scenes
invariably involve decamping to the outside and
whatever natural light is available and then finally
the inside shots for the reception deliver you into
yet another lighting set up with a possible coup de
grâce of an evening disco to complete the lighting
extravaganza. If you are using multiple cameras
and also shooting video across the same range
of conditions then you really are giving yourself
a potential nightmare for making sure everyone
looks equally tanned in all shots and it doesn’t look
as if the bride has had four changes of gown as
she appears to be in ivory in one set of shots and
beige in another etc.
With so many variables it’d be nice to have
an easy way to set some control over what
you’re doing, allowing you to match different
cameras, deliver a neutral white point for
shots (where needed) and control your contrast
across your entire shoot. Fortunately new to
the market is Datacolor’s SpyderHD, the top of
the line Spyder product. This clever bundle of
invaluable elements puts you in the driving positioning. Fortunately new to the market is Datacolor’s SpyderHD. This clever bundle of
invaluable elements puts you in the driving position from the first shot of the day to the last viewing of the end stills and video.
Benefits of spyder HD
Control your Capture
First off the shiny metal carry-cased Spyder HD delivers the perfect
portable device for setting white and grey points for stills and videos. The
SpyderCUBE is a highly pocketable version of a grey card but avoids you
having to worry about it becoming creased, stained and worthless when
compared to conventional foldable cloth or paper cards.
Control the Colour
When you need to do more than simply set white balance and control contrast for your shots but instead control all the colours across your shoot’s
spectrum, allowing you to get that dress, skin tones and any other important hues just right, then the SpyderCUBE’s big brother the SpyderCHECKR
comes in to its own.
Before
Controlling the Retouch
Once you’ve gone to the trouble of removing colour casts and linearising all
your images to appear to be in the same lighting conditions you’d be rather
defeating the object if you now start retouching and adjusting colours on a
non-colour managed screen. Fittingly the SpyderHD comes with the latest top
of the range SpyderELITE HD screen calibrator as part of the system.
When showing your work
After
Ignoring how your images may be printed, frequently the most critical
environment (certainly for any Wedding Photographer) is the final viewing with the clients. If what appears on screen doesn’t tally with
expectations you’ve a lot of back-tracking and persuasion ahead of you. Having already used the SpyderELITE HD within the kit to calibrate
your retouching screens you can feel assured that colours here will look spot on but courtesy of the accompanying SpyderWEB holster and
calibration DVDs or Blu-ray discs you can now also calibrate the largest of TV or Video playback displays to make sure your stills and video
colours match superbly as well.
So it really is just one stop to get your Pictures looking perfect.
For the further information, Please contact:
PHOTOSYSTEMS INDIA PVT. LTD.
216-A/13, Gautam Nagar, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi-110049 (India), Mob: 9990630710, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.photosystemsindia.com
BRANCH OFFICES: KOLKATA:- Ph. 09051779915, BANGALORE:- Ph.09900240700/ 09884288382, CHENNAI:- Ph.0 9884288382
Gujrat Distributor:- ALPHA MARKETING, 308-309, Akshat Tower, Nr. Pakwan Dinning Hall, S.G.Highway, Ahemdabad-380015. Ph: 079-40033937
NEWS
National
Portronics launches Scanny 7
P
ortronics, which makes
portable and digital
devices, announced the
launch of its easy, new portable
scanner. The ‘Scanny 7,’ is the
newest to join the series of
portable scanners—Scanny 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 and 6, which have been
launched earlier by Portronics.
Scanny 7 is a portable scanner
for going paperless as it is
tiny and mobile. The user can
scan photos, business cards,
invoices, statements, receipts,
contracts, forms, handwritten
notes and more with this
lightweight portable scanner. It
automatically pulls your sheet
through and makes a digital
copy in seconds. It is as small as
an empty paper towel roll and
can be set up in two minutes
as scans are stored on an SD
card (which is included), just
like a digital camera. It does not
require to be connected to any
other device. The user has the
option to scan the photos in the
JPEG formats and documents
in PDF formats. Scans from 300
or 600 DPI upto 600 DPI can be
created. Scanny 7 is available at
a price of Rs.7,499.
Transcend introduces 1TB SATA III
Transcend Information Inc.
introduced the SSD370, the
SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5-inch solid
state drive (SSD). The SSD370
features a storage capacity of
1TB and has fast read and write
speeds of up to 570MB and
470MB per second. It supports
various useful features such as
SATA DevSleep to optimize
power management. The drive
features the MLC NAND
Flash chip. It comes equipped
with practical features such
as Advanced Power Shield
mechanism, Intelligent Block
Management, Wear Leveling,
and TRIM and NCQ. It also
supports enhanced S.M.A.R.T.
(Self-Monitoring, Analysis
and Reporting Technology)
commands and provides
exceptional long-term reliability
and data protection.
Transcend’s SATA III 6Gb/s
SSD370 SSD
is available
in 32GB
(Rs.2950.
approx),
64GB
(Rs.3599.
approx),
128GB
(Rs.5999.
approx), 256GB (Rs.10,199.
approx), 512GB (Rs.19,199.
approx) and 1TB (Rs.40,899.
approx) capacities. All models
are backed by Transcend’s
Three-year Warranty.
Konica Minolta’s Prints with enhanced gamut closer to sRGB
Konica Minolta introduced
Bizhub Press C70hc which
produces vivid colour
quality that surpasses other
production print systems
in the market. It has a print
speed of 71 ppm and uses
Konica Minolta’s eco-friendly
high chroma toner, first
introduced with the game-
changing bizhub PRO C65hc.
The machine prints at 1,200
dpi printing at full rated
engine speed, high-speed
RIP processing and transfer
between control and print
engine, enhanced accuracy in
CMYK colour reproduction,
and new colour management
functions, job control,
editing functions, and remote
operation capabilities.
The solution features
optimized profiler—a
mapping algorithm with
settings fine-tuned to
achieve various results:
CMYK, similar to offset
28
Smart Photography August 2014
colour reproduction; RGB
natural mode, for natural
reproduction to match prints
from the normal CMYK
process and switching
between the modes of normal
and vivid, for maximum
use of the colour space to
emphasize vivid colours. The
Bizhub PRESS C70hc also
features Konica Minolta’s
proprietary advanced colour
processing technology—
SEAD (Screen-Enhancing
Active Digital Process)—
and combines an array of
technical innovations to
guarantee truly exceptional
colour reproduction at top
speed.
www.smartphotography.in
ADVERTORIAL
LIGHT RAIN LED LIGHT
Revolutionary LED lighting
for video shooting
A light-emitting diode (LED) is used to provide
continuous light when shooting the videos.
Taking a picture in the dark has become easy
now due to flash lights but what about a video?
Well, to solve this problem, there are LED Lights.
These lights are small and can easily fit into your
pocket or camera bag and can be used to get
perfect bright videos.
Photopro India is known to provide innovative
quality products which are quite cost effective.
Photopro India has come up with Led Light-312
LEDs. This super product is Battery operated,
with charger.
LED Light has various advantages like
Efficiency: LEDs emit decent lumens per watt.
LEDs can emit light of an intended color without
using any color filters as traditional lighting
methods need. This is more efficient and can
lower initial costs. LEDs are very small & light
up very quickly.IT can very easily be dimmed &
provides cool light.It has long life time,are difficult
to damage.
Light Rain-312 LEDs
• 156 LED for cool white and 156 LED for Warm
• One diffuser pale provided
• Dimmer
• Chargerand direct with mains 230/240V
• Two batteries, Battery Charging time- 5 to 6 Hours
• Battery Backup (156 LED) : 4.5 Hours
• Battery Backup (312 LED) : 4 Hours
• With carry bag
• One year warranty
NEWS
National
Intex launches its first Smartphone range
I
ntex Technologies
has launched its first
KitKat Smartphone
range with Aqua i14
and Aqua N15 priced at
Rs. 7,090 and Rs 6,090
respectively. Both the
Smartphones will run
on latest 4.4 KitKat OS.
They are available at an
affordable price range and
are targeted at students
and young professionals
in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
of India.
Aqua i14 and Aqua N15
are both Dual -SIM
Smartphones loaded
with advanced features
including 1.3 GHz Quad
core processor, 1GB
RAM, 4GB ROM an 8 MP
rear camera and 2 MP
front camera. Both the
devices come with an IPS
screen. Aqua i14 comes in
two colours of white and
black whereas Aqua N15
will be available in white,
black and blue as well.
Mr.Sanjay Kumar
Kalirona, Business
Head—Mobiles, said,
“we at Intex are proud
to incorporate Android
KitKat OS in our Aqua
portfolio. This will enable
our users to experience
a seamless user interface
and smooth functioning
of apps. The devices
are laden with all the
latest features which
a user expects from a
Smartphone including
a IPS display screen to
provide users an enjoyable
experience while
watching their favorite
content, all this at a very
affordable rate”.
Aqua i14 and Aqua
N15 will be available at
all Intex retail stores,
hypermarkets and leading
e-commerce portals
across India to match the
purchasing pattern of
today’s customer.
Last year, Intex sold 11.5
million handsets out
of which Smartphones
contributed over 1.5
million units of its
share. Intex has already
launched 32 mid-segment
Smartphones under its
Aqua range and has plans
to launch around 8 more
models during the next
quarter.
Adobe hosts Symposium for
Photographers
In concordance with its
vision of empowering the
creative community, Adobe
organized a Photography
Symposium on June 26,
2014 in Bangalore to enable
hobbyists and professional
photographers enhance
their skills, get inspired by
transcendent creations and
learn about ways to boost
their photography brand and
business.
The Symposium that was
open to all connoisseurs
of photography, witnessed
a healthy participation
from over 350 individuals.
During the symposium,
celebrated professionals
including Sudhir Shivaram
(Wildlife Photographer),
30
Smart Photography August 2014
Naina Redhu (Luxury &
Lifestyle Photographer),
Neeta Shankar (Wedding
Photographer), Swapnil
Rane (Creative HeadFilms Division, Marching
Ants Pvt Ltd) and Jayanth
Sharma (Natural History
Photographer and Cofounder of Toehold Travel
& Photography) among
others, led a number of
specially tailored sessions for
photographers.
In addition to sharing
insights on their professional
journey, these specialists
covered many aspects of
the changing landscape in
professional photography like
balancing between shoots and
how to become a professional
photographer.
Neeta Shankar, Wedding &
Lifestyle Photographer shared
her experiences and aspects
of photography beyond
shooting. She highlighted
how critical it is to engage
with clients prior to the shoot
to understand their culture
and customs and setting the
right expectations in terms of
the work. These soft chords
play a large role in capturing
the intimate moments and
emotions.
photography, such as
workshops, tours, photo
vacations for honeymooners,
to name a few.
Jayanth Sharma, Natural
History Photographer &
Co-founder Toehold Travel
and Photography Pvt. Ltd.
spoke about the need to
recognize business potential
in the photography space. He
gave ideas to commercialize
Naina Redhu, a Luxury and
Lifestyle Photographer and
Brand Storyteller advised all
participants to keep an open
mind and click everything in
the dawn of their career and
subsequently decide their
genre.
The 4 pillars of photography
– subject matter knowledge,
core concepts of photography,
equipment and shooting
techniques and digital postprocessing, were taken up in
detail by Sudhir Shivaram,
the well-known Wildlife
Photographer.
www.smartphotography.in
Albus Atrum 2014 opens to a full house
A
lbus Atrum, a
photography exhibition
by the students of
Bharatiya Vidyapeeth drew an
overwhelming response on the
opening day. The exhibition
took place at the Tao Art Gallery,
Mumbai, from 4th July to 6th
July 2014. Dr. Vishwajeet Kadam,
Bharat Dabholkar, Avinash
Govarikar, Subhas Avchat, Rajan
chaughule and Kunal Vijaykar did
the honours for this exclusive 3
day photography exhibition by the
students of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth.
The opening was also attended by
Niranjan Hiranadani and Rashmi
Uday Singh.
Sonali Kulkarni made a rare
appearance. Sandhya Shetty was
all praise for the efforts of the
students and was also overheard
speaking about her preparations
for the karate championship in the
forthcoming Asian games. Parvez
Damania was accompanied by his
wife Roshni. Viveck Shettyy was
spotted exchanging notes about
the future of the Indian economy
with Kamlesh Hemdev. Ace
photographers Girish Mistry and
Vikram Bawa were also spotted at
this do. Vasant Bhandari mingled
freely with the guests.
A select 150 images captured
by the students trained
and mentored at Bharatiya
Vidyapeeth School of
Photography (BVSoP), was on
display at the exhibition. These
images span across disciplines like
fashion, portraiture, still-life, food
and beverage, automobile, travel,
and people photography amongst
others and bear testimony to
BVSoP and new media.
“At Bharati Vidyapeeth we believe
that education is the most potent
channel to empower humanity
and enrich their life, and future.
This vision has helped us establish
presence across geographies,
educational streams, disciplines,
subjects etc.We established the
BVSoP to further this Vision. I
am glad to state that our students
have proven us right, once again!”
added a proud Dr. Kadam. He
also said that the school has
now started its education in
cinematography, film-making,
sound etc. as a natural extension
of the photography industry.
“BVSoP has shown great promise
and potential, and is on its
way to crowning itself a world
class institution. Kudos to the
mentoring team that’s behind
this success. I firmly believe
that talent without proper care,
mentoring and nurturing, is
like a beautiful flower that never
basked in the glorious rays of
the sun. I equally believe that it
is their talent that is today our
foremost measure of success.
I take this opportunity to
congratulate and wish them
success in all such endeavours. I
shall always remain committed
to the Vision and beliefs that we
hold dear at Bharati Vidyapeeth,
of which BVSoP is an integral
part,” elaborated Dr. Kadam.
Mr. Rajan Chaughule, Director
of BVSoP and a photographer
himself said, “For students to
become skilled in photography,
the alma mater needs to be
appropriately equipped with
infrastructure, technology, tools
and most importantly, wellinformed faculty. BVSoP, being
state-of-the-art on most counts,
helps students tremendously.
That’s why we are also able to
attract students from all over
the country and even the border
regions.”
Canon Introduces Professional Video Products in India
Canon India Pvt Ltd. unveiled
range of 9 professional video
cameras (PRO-Video), utilizing
advanced features such as full HD
recording, for the India market.
The lineup, which has been
categorized under the XA and
XF series, includes XA10, XA20,
XA25, XF100, XF105, XF200,
XF205, XF300 and XF305—a
range of light weight compact
design video cameras.
Speaking on this occasion Dr.
Alok Bharadwaj, Executive Vice
President, Canon India Pvt.
www.smartphotography.in
Ltd, said, “We are excited with
the entry into this new business
segment which has a market
size of Rs. 500 crores, growing
at 40% annually. Currently, the
professional video camera market
in India is estimated to be around
30,000 units a year. Out of this,
the palm-held
video segment
is estimated to
be 9,000 units
a year. Canon
India expects to
garner 15 per cent
market share of the palm category
within 2 years. The introduction
of the professional video cameras
which we call as PRO-DV is
focused at emerging professional
video recording culture in
India, particularly for event
videography professionals like
weddings, electronic
news gathering
professionals,
documentary film
makers, etc. We are
happy to see growing
momentum in TV
viewership, multiple channels
proliferation, news gathering and
wedding videography as, it will
help us grow the Pro-DV category
in India, where Canon is already
present in multiple domains.”
He further added, “Canon had
launched 4 models in CINEMA
EOS product group for high end
cinematography applications
where we have achieved 200
installed base in last 2 years. These
new domains of cinema & ProDV have promising applications
for growth”.
August 2014 Smart Photography
31
PICTURE OF THE MONTH
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
1. The picture has to be horizontal.
2. Kindly ensure that the longer side should measure atleast 17 inches, at 300ppi.
3. Low resolution images will not be accepted.
4. We do not check images on online galleries.
5. Kindly ensure complete contact/address details are provided. Winners will have
to collect their prize from SP’s Mumbai office or send an authorised representative
to do so.
6. Please make sure that your picture does not have your name/logo on it.
aph by
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PICTURE OF THE
MONTH
We are sure that all of you have a
few pictures that you think are prize
worthy. It happens very often that you
don’t know where to send the image
that could put a feather in your cap.
If you have such images (we’re sure
you have many!), send us ONE such
horizontal image. If it qualifies, we
shall publish it as a double-spread.
a. You have to guarantee that the
picture was shot by you
b. If there are people in the picture
who can be identified, we’ll need a
model release
c. The picture should not have been
printed elsewhere (magazine
newspaper, or offered to any
publication)
d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the
Month” and rename the file using
your name
e. You may send images via print/email to: Next Gen Publishing
Ltd.,2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade
World, Kamala Mills Compound,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
(W), Mumbai 400013 (or) sphoto.
[email protected]
WIN!
MK 393 PD
Tripod
Sponsored by:
Snowy Peak
Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Aperture : f/14.0; Shutter speed: 1/125sec.; ISO: 100
W
hen I was
a child, we
travelled a
lot because my father’s
profession required him
to move. Whenever
we travelled by train,
I would occupy the
Hemant Sharma,
window seat and look
Jaipur
at nature’s magnificent
vistas. I trained to be an IPS officer, a career that
kept me excessively busy, but also provided me
an opportunity to see the world. Being an IPS
officer means a lot of responsibility and work
but at the same time, there is an opportunity to
travel around. I use this opportunity to see the
world through my lens.
The first camera I used was a Hotshot 110, a
point-and-shoot film camera. I took as many
pictures as I could during our university’s
picnic to Sariska with that camera. My love
for nature and photography continued and I
tried to capture moments from life. However,
I became more aware about my passion for
photography in the new millennium. My
first D-SLR was Nikon D70 with its kit lens.
Unfortunately, I lost that one. Later, I bought
a Canon 500D with 18-200 IS lens. Presently,
I have a D800 Nikon with three lenses-16-35
f/4, 70-200 f/4 and 50 mm f/1.8, all Nikon.
I shoot in Raw mode and use Lightroom
for post-processing. Very rarely do I use
Photoshop. I find Lightroom more than
enough for basic corrections.
I love to photograph nature, be it landscapes
or wildlife, flowers or just beautiful
surroundings. Chasing light has been my
passion, which is obvious through my sunrise
and sunset pictures. However, I would love
to explore more genres of photography, as it’s
an expression of how I see the world. For me,
photography is an art with a technological
wrapping. We use technology to create art.
Capturing the true essence of the grace of
Mother Nature is impossible. But this humble
effort through photography will make us
aware of how beautiful it is and how badly we
need to protect it.
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
37
Llama at London Zoo
Camera: Canon EOS 600D;
Aperture : f/2.8;
Shutter speed: 1/20sec.; ISO: 100
Day at the Beach Camera: Canon EOS 500D;
Aperture: f/11.0; Shutter speed: 1/500sec.; ISO: 400
Night View Camera: Canon EOS 500D;
Aperture : f/11.0; Shutter speed: 13.0sec.; ISO: 800
Gondolas
Camera:
Canon EOS
500D
Aperture :
f/9.0;
Shutter speed:
1/60sec.;
ISO: 400
38
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Above Everything Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Aperture : f/4.0; Shutter speed: 6.0sec.; ISO: 200
The Eiffel
Tower
Camera:
Canon EOS
500D
Aperture :
f/4.5;
Shutter speed:
2.0sec.;
ISO: 400
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
39
SHOWCASE
Lopamudra
Talukdar took up
photography in
2010 and started
looking at the
world differently.
She is particularly
fascinated by
travel and culture
photography. More
than 150 of her
photographs have been accepted and
exhibited by 68 International Salons
spread across 28 countries.
CAPTURING
CULTURE
As told to Tanika Godbole
I
had always been interested
in painting and photography.
My father, who worked in
the Advertising industry, was a
keen photographer. As a child
I had access to many books on
photography, but I was more
inclined towards painting.
My husband is interested in
photography too, and we often
combined the activities of
travelling and photography.
Cormorant Fishing
42
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Bonda Tribal Lady
DaZhai Village, China
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
43
SHOWCASE
But I myself was never a
photographer. In 2010, my
husband started finding
it very hard to make time
for his hobby. Since his
cameras were gathering
dust, he gifted me his
Canon set comprising of
a Canon 5D Mark II, a 7D
and accompanying lenses.
It was a life changing
experience. All my
photographs that you can
see have been taken in the
last four years. I have had
no formal training at all
but picked up tips along
the way. The internet was a
great help as well.
Getting ready for the show, Siliguri
Since my family travels
a lot, it has never been
a problem to balance
Khiva, Uzbekistan
44
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Bukhara,
Uzbekistan
photography
and family life.
My husband and
son are both
enthusiastic
photographers
have encouraged
and supported
my passion.
Photography
is the means
through which
I can traverse
the boundary
of my city, state
or country and
reach out to the
world. I express
my thoughts,
my feelings, and
our rich Indian
culture through
my images.
To budding
photographers,
I would say—if
you have a
dream, strive to
achieve it. Share
the photographs
you take and
seek advice.
With so many
photography
and social
networking
sites, its easier
to seek expert
advise and hone
your skills.
At the end of
the day, stay
true to your
heart. Observe
as many
photographs
as possible
but believe
in originality
instead of
imitating
someone
else’s style of
photography.
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
45
IF I WERE YOU
E-mail your images at [email protected]
Our Imaging Expert
No one can take a picture that
everyone likes. But, almost
every picture can have scope of
improvement. Often, we are not
our best critics, while others can
immediately point out the faults. In If
I were you, our expert comments on
how your pictures could be taken to
another level.
Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography
Camera:
Canon EOS 1000D;
Lens: 18-55mm kit
lens at 55mm;
ISO: 400;
Shutter speed: 1/10 sec;
Aperture: f/5.6
Original Image
Monkeys
This picture of two monkeys
comes to us from Smita Naik
from Mumbai. She photographed
the monkeys at Nandi Hills near
Bangalore. She wants to know
whether the framing is right and
also wants to know if there is some
method to get rid of the fog.
Edited Image 1
The picture was taken when it was
drizzling and the fog has created a
low-contrast image. If I were you,
I would have checked the contrast
setting within the camera and if
needed, boosted the contrast. I
feel that the framing is okay; the
monkey on the left is placed as per
the rule of the thirds. By adjusting
the contrast and sharpening the
image, we can reduce the foggy
effect (but cannot remove it
totally).
You have taken the shot at a
shutter speed of 1/10 second.
At such low shutter speeds, it is
generally not possible to avoid
hand-shake. You have also used
the widest aperture that your lens
offers at the 55mm setting. Lenses
do not perform at their best when
used wide open and depth of field
48
Smart Photography August 2014
Edited Image 2
is also very restricted at the widest
aperture. These all add up to create
a less-than-satisfactory picture.
Since the ambient light was very
low, you could have increased the
ISO to 1600. On the 1000D that
www.smartphotography.in
would have increased the digital
noise but sometimes it is better to
have a noisy picture than have a
fuzzy picture!
In edited picture 1, I have adjusted
the contrast and sharpened the
image. In the edited picture 2, I
have given it a Pseudo-HDR effect,
which is too lengthy a process to
explain within this column.
The Mushroom
This picture of a mushroom has
Original Image
been taken using a mobile-phone
camera. The author, Abhishek
Kumar, admits that he is not techsavvy, but loves to click photos.
He has sent the photo for the ‘If I
Were You’ column.
I would say that this is a good
attempt. I like the mushroom’s tilt
to the right. You could also have
tried taking the shot from a lower
angle, pointing the cell-phone
camera towards the underside
of the mushroom, where there is
generally better texture. I also like
Camera: Nokia Lumia 720;
ISO:100; Shutter speed: 1/100 sec; Aperture: f/1.9
the fact that you have not done any
‘gardening’ (removing the little
muck) because this looks more
natural.
The picture is ‘noisy’ due to
the limitation of the cell-phone
camera, which at this point, we
shall ignore.
I have boosted the contrast in
Photoshop and added some
sharpening (which has further
increased the ‘noise’). The borders
have been added purely for the
sake of aesthetics.
Yummies
Edited Image
www.smartphotography.in
This picture of
fresh-fruit cheese
cake with some
fruits has been
sent to us by
Siddharth Shah
from Mumbai.
This wasn’t really
a pre-planned
shot and hence
Siddharth wasn’t
properly equipped
to take the picture
(didn’t have a
tripod, and no
external light
source). In spite of
the fact that a very
slow shutter speed
was used (which
was because
of the poor
room lighting)
the picture is
reasonably sharp.
This tells us that
Siddharth may
have used some
kind of support,
may be the table
itself. One way to
procure a higher
shutter speed
would have been
to use the camera’s
built-in flash,
but that would
have certainly
destroyed the
ambiance. So the
only alternative
left to Siddharth
August 2014 Smart Photography
49
IF I WERE YOU
E-mail your images at [email protected]
Note: If I Were You is meant to encourage and guide readers, and help them improve their
photography. Please ensure that the required camera/exposure details are sent to us (or are
available in the EXIF data). We shall not accept images for this section if the required data is
not available. Readers are requested to send their images at 300ppi for 8 x 10-inch size. If they
are too small, working on them is difficult, and hence they may be rejected.
Original Image
Camera: Canon EOS 1000D;
ISO: 1600;
Shutter speed: 1/5 sec;
Aperture: f/4
incandescent
lighting
(household
bulbs) in the
room. If I were
you, I would have
set my camera’s
White Balance
to ‘Incandescent’,
which would
have eliminated/
reduced the
yellow colour
cast.
Another point
that I would
have considered
If I were you,
is to check for
possibilities of a
better backdrop.
The toneless
light areas in the
background calls
for attention,
taking away
some importance
of the main
subject. I might
have considered
drawing the
curtain (I think
what we see on
the right side,
behind the plate,
is a curtain).
Edited Image
was to increase the ISO and hope
for the best!
So how could this picture be
50
Smart Photography August 2014
improved? What would I have
done If I were you? Observe
that the picture has a yellowish
colour cast. This is due to the
As it stands, I
have adjusted
the tones using the Shadows/
Highlights Tool in Photoshop and
slightly sharpened the picture. I
think it looks better now.
www.smartphotography.in
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Q&A
Ask Uncle Ronnie
Did you know...
Ronnie has
over 35 years of
experience in
photography?
In fact, he has
taught several
thousand photoenthusiasts
in various
institutions
and through
workshops, as well as judged
many national and international
photo contests, including the
prestigious International Photo
Contest held at Colombo, Sri
Lanka. So, if you have any photoqueries, whether conventional or
digital, don’t hesitate. Just go ahead
and Ask Uncle Ronnie at sp@
nextgenpublishing.net, ‘cause he
knows it all!
We regularly get requests to suggest a camera or a lens. While some do their preliminary
homework, most don’t. It is important for you to do some spadework and narrow down
your options before writing in to us. You also need to give us an idea of what genre of
photography you are interested in and how much you are willing to spend. We would then be
in a better position to evaluate your query and suggest suitable gear. We have received one
such ‘homework-done’ request from a reader who has narrowed down his choice but wants
to know if the extra amount that he would spend is justifiable or not. The questions he has
asked are relevant to every reader. Read on...
To keep things short and sweet, I will
explain only the basic parameters to
adjust, though an advanced Photoshop
user can definitely do much more.
Workflow, using ACR
Here is my workflow using Photoshop
CS6. (This works for other versions too
but there are some differences in the
way Adobe has labelled the sliders and
the work they perform).
1. I always open every single image in
ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) which is a
part of Photoshop, whether it is a Raw
file or JPEG or TIFF file. If you double
click on a Raw/TIFF file icon, it will
automatically open in ACR. To open a
JPEG file in ACR, go to File > Open As
and then navigate to the image, select it
Workflow
After a photo is opened in
Photoshop, how do you decide the
line of action?
Amar S, via email
This is a very interesting question. The
‘line of action’ that you are referring to
is also known as ‘Workflow’. It reminds
us of our goal or objective. Unless we
are clear as to what needs to be done
to improve the picture, we are running
around in circles without any definite
clarity.
and in the Open As box, select Camera
Raw. Click Open and the image will
open in ACR. Always enable the
Highlight clipping warning (O) and the
Shadow cliiping warning (U).
Note: a) Opening a JPEG file in ACR
does not convert it to a Raw file, though
it makes it somewhat easy to apply
global colour correction using the
Temperature/Tint sliders.
b) When the image opens, first click on
the blue coloured Workflow Options bar
at the bottom of the screen (see PS 1)
and then set the parameters as shown
in PS 2. Click OK. This is to be done
only the first time you open any file
in ACR.
Printscreen 1
Printscreen 2
So, what exactly is a ‘Workflow’?
A workflow can be considered as a
series of (flexible) steps that we need to
take to improve a picture. The reason
why I have put the word ‘flexible’ in
parenthesis is because the steps are
generally carried out in a particular
order, but that is not always necessary.
You may choose to first complete a
particular step that is usually considered
later on. For example, when working
in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw), one
generally attends to the White Balance
first, but this is not compulsory. If your
exposure is incorrect, you may not be
able to set a good White Balance till you
adjust the exposure. So the exposure
adjustment precedes the White Balance
adjustment.
52
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
At this point, if the image has blown out
highlights, the same could be corrected
using the Highlights slider (Use it with
the Alt key). Moving it to the left will
reduce/eliminate the blown highlights.
If the shadows are too deep, you can
lighten them using the Shadows slider
by moving it to the right.
2. Adjust the White Balance (there are 3
ways to adjust the WB but I suggest you
use the Temperature slider). Moving it
to the left will make the image ‘cooler’
(bluer) while moving the slider to the
right will make the image ‘warmer’
(yellowish).
3. Set the Black Point. (See PS 3). To do
that, while keeping the Alt key pressed,
move the Blacks slider to the left till
you see the first sign of any area on
the screen turning black (or any other
colour). Move back the slider a bit till
the clipping goes away.
Printscreen 3
4. Set the White Point. While keeping
the Alt key pressed, move the Whites
slider to the right till you see the first
sign of any area on the screen turning
white (or any other colour). Move back
the slider a bit till the clipping goes away.
5. Set the Mid-tones. In CS6, this is
done using the Exposure slider. Moving
the slider to the left will darken the midtones; moving it to the right will lighten
the mid-tones. This is a very important
parameter; don’t neglect it!
6. Adjust the Clarity (micro-contrast
in the mid-tones). This should be done
with the screen at 100%. Adjusting
Calrity gives the impression of
sharpening the picture.
7. Adjust Vibrance if necessary.
Vibrance can be thought of as
‘intelligent saturation’. The Saturation
slider (which we very rarely use)
saturates all the colours, even those that
do not require saturation; the Vibrance
slider only saturates colours that need
saturation!
Effective pixels
Imaging Processor
Build quality
sRaw
Focus Points
LCD
Viewfinder coverage
Max. Shutter speed
X-sync for flash
Burst speed
Microphone
Battery
GPS
www.smartphotography.in
EOS 6D
20 million
Digic 5
Very good
No
11
3”
97%
1/4000sec
Up to 1/180 sec
5fps
Stereo
LP-E6
Built-in
8. Click the Open Image button to
open the image in Photoshop for
further adjustments, if any. You may
now adjust Levels/Curves etc but if you
have adjusted the parameters in ACR
correctly, there is often no need for it
(except to re-size the image).
9. Save the image using the Save As
command.
Note: You might wonder as to why I
haven’t mentioned about sharpening
the image. The fact is, we should not
sharpen any image till we have made
a copy of the original, re-sized it as per
our needs, and only then should we
sharpen that duplicate image.
EOS 6D or 5D III?
I have decided to buy a D-SLR
and my choice is Canon. I am torn
between the EOS 6D and EOS 5D
Mark III. If I get the 6D, I save a
lot for other purchases. Would
I be missing out on something
important if I go in for the less
expensive 6D? I am what I consider
EOS 5D Mark III
22 million
Digic 5
Very good, may be a shade better
Yes
61
3.2”
100%
1/8000sec
Up to 1/200 sec
6fps
Mono
LP-E6
Extra purchase
August 2014 Smart Photography
53
Q&A
Ask Uncle Ronnie
P. R. Shah, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Let’s analyze both the models for key
similarities and differences: (page 53)
You can see that in some respects the
5D Mark III scores over the 6D, but
my question to you is, would it make
a difference to you? And if yes, how
much difference? Would the 2 million
less pixels of the 6D make a dent in
your image quality? No it will not!
Would the 1-stop slower top shutter
speed of the 6D be a reason for you
to miss out on action shots? I don’t
think so. Would the 1-fps less burst
speed make a great difference to your
photography? I agree that if you are
into bird-in-flight photography, it could
make a slight difference, but only slight.
What about the 61 focus points of the
5D Mark III against the only 11 focus
points of the 6D? If you were using a
film camera earlier, you would have
noted that there was only one focus
point (and we never had any focusing
problems to write home about). Whilst
the extra focus points may matter to
some users (either justifiably or just in
their minds), I personally don’t think
much of them. Don’t get me wrong, in
certain situations they can be useful,
but for the majority of users (who
anyway use only the central cross-type
focus point), it’s more of a bragging
right!
So, to cut the long story short, for you, I
would advise the EOS 6D over the more
expensive 5D Mark III. The Rs.85, 000
that you save (on MRP) can be used to
buy a better lens.
Macro lens for portraits?
My main interest is portraiture. I
have a Canon 600D with 15-85mm
f/3.5-5.6 Canon lens. I usually print
6 by 9 inches enlargements. For
such enlargements, if I buy a 100
mm f/ 2.8 macro lens, will I get
sharper prints?
Dinakar. J, via email
There are a couple of things to consider:
1) A macro lens may be too sharp for
portraiture, especially for portraits of
women and children.
54
Smart Photography August 2014
Black background
2) While a 100mm macro lens
is very useful, in your case, and
considering the small print size,
I do not think you will reap the
full benefits of this lens in terms
of sharpness.
Continuous light source
3) On the other hand, if you
take your portrait shots between
f/2.8 and f/4, you will be able
to have a better out-of-focus
background than was possible
with your 15-85mm lens.
The 100mm macro lens you are
referring to is designed for fullframe camera bodies, but works
well with APS-C bodies (like
your 600D) too.
A trial with
Table-top
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
to be at intermediate level, and I like
to get involved in most genres of
photography.
I like doing table top
photography. I recently
purchased a Nikon D5300,
with a 18-55 mm kit lens. I
tried to photograph steam coming
out of hot water in a cup. I could
see the steam nicely with my naked
eyes, but unfortunately my camera
could not capture it. I tried different
shutter speeds with different
apertures and ISO’s. but failed
miserably to capture the steam. I
think I got it right exposure-wise,
but didn’t get the desired result.
I have attached herewith, two
images for your reference. My light
source was a 10 W Philips bulb
(bright enough, couldn’t stare at it
with naked eyes), with a ‘thermocol’
reflector on the opposite side.
Dhananjay Ingle, Nagpur
I am glad you tried to experiment,
though I must say, you got it all
wrong.
a) Both the images you sent us
(which I have not reproduced here)
are totally underexposed (almost
black).
b) A 10 watt bulb is often used
in night-lamps, and is not bright
enough to prevent you staring at it,
unless of course the bulb was 100w
and you erroneously mentioned 10w.
Please refer to the sketch shown here.
Reflectors, white towards
the subject, black
on the other side
For steam to be photographed successfully,
you must:
1) Have a very dark background,
preferably black.
2) There should be sufficient distance
between the cup and the background to
prevent any light spill on the background.
3) The cup should be backlit/45-degree
side-back-lit as shown here, preferably
using continuous-source light.
4) Reflectors may be placed to reflect
some light back to the cup. It would be
nice if the reflectors are made of
cardboard/thin ply-wood (white on the
reflecting side), which would also act as
‘cutters’ to prevent any stray light hitting
the front surface of the lens.
5) Take shots at various shutter speeds for
different effects/steam shapes. You may
find medium shutter speeds (like 1/125)
to give you better-looking images, but
experiment.
Instead of a hot cup of water, try the shot
using tea or coffee and angle the camera so
that you can also see the content of the cup.
Do send us an image or two after you
re-do the shot. Best of luck.
www.smartphotography.in
Journey to Mesmerising Ladakh
www.ravine-trek.net
Contact: Ravine Trek Tel.: 91 9967009904 / 9322647575
Website: www.ravinetrek.com • email: [email protected]
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
I
have been to Ladakh twice.
At the outset, I am taking the
liberty of sharing the pre-visit
experience of my first visit, since
it was both perplexing and scary.
My first visit to Ladakh was as a
mentor for a Fashion & Nature
Photography Workshop. It
was late June, which I was told
was peak summer in Ladakh.
Our ‘Ladakh Expert’ gave us
a strange check-list of stuff to
carry that included oddities like
Diamox tablets, oxygen cylinder,
thermals, earmuffs and skullcap.
Why would we need these crazy
woollens in summer?!
Upon checking, I was told that
during the day, high altitude
(average altitude – 14,500ft.) and
resultant higher UV radiation
would necessitate stuff like
sunglasses, hat, sunscreen lotion,
etc., while the evenings would
necessitate other things like
thermals, ear-muffs etc. as the
temperature drops drastically
since it is a desert, and there is a
high wind-chill factor.
Ladakh
A Photographer’s Delight
Ajay Sood (Travelure)
Travel Photographer/Photo-educator
I was still perplexed about
Diamox and the oxygen cylinder.
The explanation for those was
that there is much less oxygen
than what we are used to in the
plains; Diamox would help our
blood stream absorb whatever
little oxygen is available, and if
that still isn’t enough, the oxygen
cylinder will come in handy.
Ajay Sood is an accomplished travel
photographer and a travelogue writer. He has
been covered as Mastercraftsman in Smart
Photography (May 2012). He was on the jury
of Canon Photomarathon 2012. He is also
an assignment photographer for National
Geographic Traveller.
Besides mentoring photography workshops, he leads phototours, and contributes travelogues and features to various
publications. Ajay has a passion for capturing the sights, sounds
and stories of places he visits. He has travelled across India
extensively, and to over 20 countries across the globe. His 27
years in the communication industry have been his training
ground, leading to his deep understanding of the visual medium,
reflected in his unique compositions.
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Gompas near Hemis Monastery
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57
PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
Diskit Monastery
32-Metre Maitreya Buddha Statue near Diskit Monastery
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Smart Photography August 2014
Lush Vegetation, Barren Rocky Mountains,
and Snow-capped peaks - Only in Ladakh
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Alchi Monastery
Good Luck World - Ladakhi Way of Wishing it
Prayer in progress, Shanti Stupa
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PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
A herd of Bactrian camels - Hundar, Nubra Valley
Shanti Stupa
Frankly, I went there somewhat freaked
out. Upon landing in Leh (the regional
HQ of Ladakh), our first Diamox tablet
was administered. Upon reaching
our hotel, we were briefed to spend as
much time as possible in bed for the
first 24 hours, as it would help us get
acclimatized to high altitude. But then,
Day 2 onwards, Ladakh was all it had
promised to be – scenic, mesmerizing,
quaint and full of surprises at every turn
one took – all my anxiety had vanished
by then.
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Though every corner of Ladakh is
delightful, let me share some must-sees
here. The places of interest (besides
Leh) are – Nubra Valley, Lamayuru
Monastery, Pangong Tso and Tso
Moriri (Tso = Lake). Just a small
note to fill you in on the region and
its construct - Ladakh comprises of
2 districts - Leh and Kargil. It is an
autonomous region administered by
the Hill Council. It is called the roof of
the world since it the highest plateau in
the world.
Nubra Valley is a 7-8 hour drive to the
north of Leh. During the journey, you
drive past the highest motorable pass
in the world, Khardung La (Altitude
– 18,318ft.), which is snow-covered all
year round, and the small township of
Diskit, which has a huge Buddha statue
and a beautiful monastery. The valley
itself is a sandy desert with river Shyok
flowing through it. This is also the
home of the Bactrian Camel – a unique
2-humped creature. You should plan
and spend a night in one of the campSmartphotography.in
Indus-Zanskar Confluence
sites there. While returning, do take a
short detour closer to Leh to visit the
Hemis Monastery that lies within Hemis
National Park – home of the famed-yetelusive Snow Leopard.
Lamayuru lies to the west of Leh and
is halfway to Kargil. While the enddestination is just a beautiful monastery,
the journey is worth the visit to this
place. The mountains along the way are
rocky, yet many-hued – ranging from
browns to oranges to greens. If you take
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the old road to Lamayuru, you’ll also
see multiple road loops below. There is
a spot where your guide will stop the
vehicle and ask you to disembark to see
Indus-Zanskar confluence. Then, there
is Patthar Sahib, a holy shrine for Sikhs.
You will also come across the famous
Magnetic Hill, where, despite the
road sloping up, the vehicle auto-rolls
upwards when left in neutral. Closer to
Lamayuru, you’ll also see Moonscape –
a string of hills with textures resembling
the surface of moon. Do make that extra
effort and see Alchi monastery en route.
This monastery is unique as it is made
entirely of mud. In case of any flash
flood in the area, this monastery is likely
to vanish in a jiffy.
Pangong Tso is towards the east of
Leh and should ideally be planned
as an overnight trip. The drive would
take about 8 hours and along the way,
you pass through Chang La – the 3rd
highest motorable pass in the world
(altitude – 17,560ft.). The first view of
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PHOTO FEATURE
Ladakh
Hundar, Nubra Valley Landscape
Ice Needles, Tso Moriri
A Frozen Pond, just short of Tso Moriri
Khardung La Road in summers
River Shyok, Nubra Valley
Thiksey Monastery
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Rough with the smooth, Pangon Tso
Monks welcoming a senior monk from another monastery - Lamayuru
Lamayuru Monastery
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this lake is likely to take your breath
away as the water and sky is the same
shade of deep blue. The mountains
around the lake are various hues of
the earth. The lake also has a sizable
population of sea gulls (Pangong is a
salt-water lake - hence the sea gulls)!
This 140 km x 3.5 km (Average Width)
lake is 40% in India and 60% in China.
Here, the low night temperature and
high wind-chill factor will necessitate
the use of thermals and other woollen
accessories. During the night, you’ll see
more stars than you have ever seen in
your life. Hence, the place is ideal for
astrophotography. Just as a side note, the
last scene of the Bollywood hit – 3 Idiots
– was shot here.
Tso Moriri lies to the south of Leh and is
a detour from the Leh-Manali highway.
While it is a much smaller lake than
Pangong, its beauty is unique. During
early summer, you are likely to find
melting ice needles at the entrance of
the lake as that area gets relatively lesser
sunshine than the rest of the lake. Also,
the lake lies within a wildlife reserve that
is home to Tibetan Wild Ass, Red Fox,
Marmots and a few migratory birds.
Through most of your journey, you’ll be
driving along river Indus and will also
come across some smaller lakes. Closer
to the lake, the drive is bumpy and you
are advised to leave the road and take
the sandy paths in the plains heading in
the general direction of the lake.
Though there are many monasteries
in Ladakh, the ones of note are Shey,
Thiksey, Hemis, Alchi, Lamayuru,
Diskit and Vishwa Shanti Stupa. If you
have done the various trips outlined
above, you’d have already seen
Diskit, Hemis, Alchi and Lamayuru.
The other 3 are close to Leh and
should be visited during the initial
acclimatization phase. On the way
to Shey and Thiksey, there is a place
called Sindhu Darshan. Most likely
that this will be your first glimpse
of river Indus. The annual Ladakh
festival is held at this very venue.
My concluding observation is that for
most of you, a trip to Ladakh is likely to
be hectic. At the same time, it is equally
likely that you’ll return with a resolve to
visit this place again. I know I did!
August 2014 Smart Photography
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MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
Lion Cub
Dubai-based Nisha
Purushothaman is a nature
lover who freezes moments in
bird and wildlife photography.
Through her pictures, she
wishes to share stories with the
world. You can find some of
her work at www.nishas.info
WILD
FRAMES
As told to Tanika Godbole
How did you get introduced to
photography, and how did you
choose wildlife as your field of
expertise?
I am a Fine Arts graduate,
specializing in Applied Arts. This was
how I got introduced to photography.
I love traveling and after college
wherever I travelled, I used to carry
a camera. I was born and brought up
in a remote village of Kerala, which
means I was always very close to
nature. After I moved to Dubai, I got
introduced to a group called Shutter
Bugs Creative Forum that was led
by Mr. Arfan who is a pharmacist
by profession and also a hardcore
photographer. Every Friday we used
to visit a pre-decided location and
shoot for 2-3 hours. I got addicted
to photography and started doing
the same on Saturdays too. The time
I dedicated to photography went on
increasing. Dubai’s culture and rules
of conduct impose a lot of restrictions
on street or people photography. This
is why I got into birds and nature
photography.
You are not a full-time
photographer. What do you do
when you’re not out clicking
pictures?
I was working with an advertising
agency as a Project Manager.
Photography makes you want to
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Smart Photography August 2014
travel more but it was quite difficult
to request for leave every month.
Finally, last September, I left the job
and started working as a freelance
web consultant in order to dedicate
more time to photography and
travel. I earn money from this and
spend on equipment and travel.
Recently I, along with three likeminded friends, started a Photo Tour
company called Ynot Escapades. To
do our bit for the Green movement
we have also started the Shades of
Life project 18 months back, which is
an international movement to plant
trees. Now we combine Shades of
life with Ynot Escapades to spread
awareness and inspire our cotravellers to plant trees at the places
we travel to.
How do you manage to capture the
moment so well in your pictures of
birds and mammals?
When I started taking pictures, I
clicked everything. After a while, I
tried different angles and techniques.
Then I started to look for moments
and action. I am a very active person
by nature, sitting idle is something
which I can’t do for very long. But
wildlife photography needs a lot
of passion, time, and patience in
observing the behaviour of a bird,
mammal or an insect. This lets you
predict their action to some extent.
Photography and nature really
moulded me into a better person,
with a higher tolerance level and
patience. I believe I am still in the
initial stages of an endless journey.
What are the things that you keep
in mind before going on a shoot?
As a woman, are there any specific
things that you need to take care of?
Thanks to Google, I do a proper
search about the place, species and
weather conditions. Then I take a
look at pictures that others have
clicked at the same place. Every
image teaches you something. I try
to visualize a few frames that I would
shoot. Then I check the camera
settings, keep the cards formatted
and batteries charged. As a female I
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© Nisha Purushothaman
am not very worried but often, my
parents tend to worry. Thankfully
I haven’t faced any dangerous
situations so far during my photo
trips.
Digital editing is becoming
increasingly common as a way
of improving image quality. Do
you spend time editing your
photographs?
In nature photography highend editing is not promoted to
preserve the reality, at national
and international level contests.
The only changes permitted are
colour correction, noise reduction
and cropping. Adding an element
or removing an existing element
is strictly not acceptable in nature
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photography, for any competitions.
I only do the basic editing as it helps
present a picture in its true value.
What do you enjoy the most about
photography?
I get to see the connection between
nature’s elements, the way animals
communicate and their behaviour.
I feel every species has an invisible
circle around them, including us.
The moment we cross that circle they
become alert, and depending on
their mood, they either move away
or become aggressive. But if we visit
one particular location again and
again, in the long run we can make
a connection with the fauna there.
This creates a bond and lets us freeze
some amazing moments from their
world. This feeling is beyond words.
Any pointers that you would like to
share with budding photographers?
Photography is all about practice.
The more you practice, the better
you become. In the beginning, don’t
bother about any specific genre. In
due course, you will have some idea
about what your area of interest is.
Then you can start to concentrate on
that and upgrade your gear according
to your convenience. Once you
buy equipment, understand it well.
One must also study the subject, its
behavior and its environment. This
too helps a lot in predicting actions
or behavior. Everything requires a lot
of patience along with passion and
love.
August 2014 Smart Photography
65
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Play of light
Indian Roller
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© Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Majestic Seat
Hoopoe
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MASTERCRAFTSMAN
© Nisha Purushothaman
Nisha Purushothaman
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Cheetahs Feasting
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69
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Nisha Purushothaman
© Nisha Purushothaman
Superb Starling
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LEARNING
Understanding Photography
When you look at such a photograph
you would have noticed that the
building appears to “lean” backwards.
That is, vertical sides of the building
are no longer vertical and the parallel
sides look to be converging at the top
(Picture 1). This is due to perspective.
This is happening because you are
very close to the base of building
(foreground), making it look large.
You are also far from the top of the
building (background) making it
look small. This makes the sides
of the building look as if they are
converging at the top and hence gives
the impression that the building is
leaning. Often this “leaning” effect
is labeled as “distortion”. This is
simply not correct. Perspective is not
distortion. Distortion is the inability of
a lens to render straight lines straight
as you will see next. Perspective is
also independent of focal length (it
depends only on the subject distance
and the position of the lens with
reference to the subject) though many
erroneously think that only wideangle lenses (especially ultra-wide
ones) cause it.
Ashok Kandimalla
The author, 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 several
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 presently
working as a Management and
Engineering consultant. You can see his
work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/
ashok_kandimalla . He can be reached
at [email protected]
LEARNING
72
hat is architecture?
Wikipedia tells us that it
originated from the Latin
word “architectura” which means a
builder or a mason. From this comes
the word “Architecture” and it is the
process of designing and constructing
buildings, towers and other structures.
Architecture, over a period of time,
has assumed great importance and it
is not unusual to associate a certain
type (or style) of architecture with a
particular civilization, era or dynasty,
very much like a painting. Architects
are also recognized as great artists
and their work is admired even after
centuries.
Architecture is partly engineering and
of course, partly art. As photographers
we are naturally interested in
capturing that art part. However, can
photographing someone else’s artistic
creation be art by itself? Is it like
photographing a statue or a painting?
No, it is not! This question is best
answered by a quote from Frederick
H. Evans (1853—1943), an eminent
architectural photographer who said –
“.... it is not everyone who has the
time to see a building in all its
phases of beauty and effect, or has
the power of isolation those beauties
and so realizing the more subtle and
recondite charms a great building
has, but gives up only to patient
study and trained observation…”
This is why an architectural
photograph is not a mere
reproduction of architecture. It
needs careful planning, study of the
structure, its lines, symmetry, etc. An
art critic understands and appreciates
the nuances of a painting. An
architectural photographer should do
the same with a building. Only then
can his (or her) photograph bring out
the beauty of the structure and will be
a pleasure to behold. How to achieve
such photographs is the objective of
the article.
Any architectural photograph,
however large the enlargement
may be, will be a lot smaller than
the building itself and you need to
bring out all the aesthetics and detail
in that small size. Many times this
may require several photographs
(covering exteriors, interiors, etc.) to
do the job comprehensively. If you
are doing professional architectural
photography every building will
require a portfolio to satisfy the client
in all respects.
Before we go further you should
be aware that there are two
main technical problems that
photographers encounter in
architectural photography. These are
“Perspective” and “Distortion”.
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f you refer to any dictionary like
the Oxford or the Webster, you
may not find the word ‘lensing’.
But it does exist, at least in the
glossary of photographers. This is
what they refer to, while talking
about choosing the right focal length
for a shoot. Thus the expression ‘Use
the right lensing’.
sufficiently away, you can create the
required sharpness/blurriness of the
background.
Molding
Molding (creating the right feel,
form and tonality) on any product
can best be attained when there
is a right combination of lighting
and focal length for the object to be
photographed. Many amateurs may
ask that if 85 to 105mm is considered
ideal for portraits with full frame
cameras, what focal length is good
for a table- top? In case of shooting
pack-shots of tall product, say a
tall box, or a bottle, it is necessary
to keep the verticals as parallel as
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Perspective
Apart from this, one has to
remember that wide-angle lenses
tend to exaggerate the distances
between the subject and the
background, while telephoto lenses
compress them. This is the very
reason that while watching a cricket
match on television, one finds the
opposite side of the stadium is
much closer and enlarged, when
the cameraman zooms-in onto the
batsman.
possible and this can be achieved
with lenses having focal lengths of
105mm and above (with full-frame
cameras) and then shooting from the
correct angle.
LEARNING
Pic 1
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Every three-dimensional object
has to be viewed and analyzed in a
specific way. (See diagram 1) The
x, y and the z planes have to be
analyzed and defined for precise
lighting. Please note that with any
object a maximum three such planes
can be viewed from any angle at
one time. The surface texture has to
be taken into consideration while
doing the lighting. To explain these
lighting fundamentals, I have taken
an off-white box as our subject.
The surface has a beautiful texture
of ‘mother-of-pearls’ on it. I have
specifically chosen this long box in
order to explain the ‘lensing’ factor.
I chose to use a 70 to 300 mm zoom
lens. This gave me the liberty to use
intermittent focal lengths which are
not available in non-zoom lenses.
The box was kept on a small sheet of
seamless white drawing paper. Light
from any and every position was
reflecting back from this seamless
Product photographers also have to
take several other parameters into
consideration, like the ‘flat-field’
property of a lens, the distortions
that it may produce or the
aberrations that it may create in the
picture. Hence all serious hobbyists
and professionals should opt for
good quality lenses. Taking all these
parameters into consideration one
has to plan one’s own kit of lenses
which would be helpful to him as per
the nature of the job one handles.
Depth of Field
Some people have misconceptions
that shallow depth of field is only
possible by using a longer focal
length lens. But this is not so. One
can also try to photograph the same
subject by going much closer with
a lens of lower focal length that has
an f/stop like f/1.4, f/1.8 etc. Doing
this, and with the same composition,
it is possible to get a better bokeh
(out of focus background). This
happens because you are moving
closer to the subject and as you move
closer, depth of field reduces. Hence
by using the right focal length, the
right aperture, the right shooting
distance and keeping the background
LEARNING
August 2014 Smart Photography
advantage of using either of the
technologies. CCD sensors produce
high-quality, low noise images
compared to CMOS sensors. CCD
sensors consume approximately
100 times more power than CMOS
sensors. CMOS sensors are less
expensive to manufacture. CCD
sensors also suffer from vertical
smear and blooming from bright
light sources. CMOS sensors process
information from a row at a time,
while CCD sensors capture the entire
image at once. This can cause a rolling
shutter effect, which distorts the image
in videos. Hence manufacturers have
been constantly at work to improve
the efficiency of CMOS sensors to a
level similar to CCDs.
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
Vertical
shift registers
Horizontal shift registers
CCD Sensor
Metal
wire
Amplifier
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
Row
decoder
Column decoder and output
CMOS Sensor
As mentioned before, CMOS sensors
require to have several auxiliary
components (such as transistors)
next to each pixel. This circuit layer
is positioned on the front surface
(this can be visualised as photo
receptors peeping out of gaps left by
the circuit layer), severely affecting
the efficiency (or light gathering
capacity) of the pixel layer (photo
receptors) below. To overcome this,
manufacturers of CMOS sensors
use micro lenses to direct more light
onto each pixel so as to improve the
efficiency of the sensors. But this also
has limitations since the circuit layer
(also referred to as ‘illumination’)
reflects part of the incident light,
reducing the quantity of light falling
on the pixel layer. The megapixel
war necessitated every manufacturer
to increase the pixel count on the
sensor by cramming more photosites.
But there is a practical limit to the
number of photosites that can be
fabricated on a sensor, and the circuit
layer complicates the issue by using
up considerable amount of space. The
solution was to move the circuit layer
to the back of the sensor unit.
which converts accumulated
electrical charge from each pixel into
a voltage before it is transferred to
the ADC.
A CMOS sensor is an active-pixel
sensor imaging device. This means
that each pixel on a CMOS sensor
is connected to an active amplifier,
Both the CCD and CMOS have
their share of advantages as well
as limitations. There is no clear
79
challenges to
manufacturers.
For example,
trying to improve
the light gathering
capacity of
Light receiving
Surface
surface
the pixel layer
Metal wirings damaged the
Photodiodes
Substrate
silicon substrate
layers, and hence
Front-Illuminated Structure
Back-Illuminated Structure
they needed to
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
be heat-treated to
heal the damages.
light per photo diode and hence the
But this heat treatment reduced the
efficiency is higher. Also, the frontefficiency of the circuit layer. Again,
side illuminated (FSI) sensor carries
the manufacturing process made
less number of photo receptors than
the substrate very thin, requiring
their similarly-sized back-illuminated
a supporting substrate to be used
counterparts since the circuit layer
to strengthen it for transportation.
blocks part of the sensor area.
Hence Sony decided to integrate
Another advantage of the BSI sensor
the circuit layer on the supporting
is that a smaller sensor can pack
substrate, which is also a silicon
more photo receptors because more
substrate identical to the one used
surface area is freed due to the shifting
for the pixel layer and stack the two
of circuit layer to the back side,
layers together, one over the other.
thus increasing the pixel resolution
This stacking of layers solved all
(megapixels) of small sensors without
the problems associated with the
affecting the low-light performance.
manufacturing process, and reduced
This is quite an advantage at this
the size of sensor considerably due
time of small imaging devices (such
to the reduction in auxiliary circuits
as Smartphones) demanding higher
used to improve the efficiency of BSI
‘megapixels’. Since photo receptors on
CMOS. Sony named the new sensor
BSI sensors receive more light than
Exmor RS, and it is now widely used
their FSI counterparts, their low-light
in mobile devices.
performance is better, producing more
detail and generating lower noise. Sony
Backside illuminated sensors have
was the first to introduce BSI CMOS
been in existence for quite a long time,
sensors and they call it the Exmor R
especially in high-end applications
CMOS sensor.
such as astro photography and
surveillance equipment. Then why
Stacked CMOS
weren’t they used in commercial
Fabricating the circuit layer at
photographic equipment? The reason
the back of the same substrate
was that these sensors were very
layer (the base material on which
expensive owing to the complex
different components are deposited
process by which the silicon wafers
or integrated) posed some serious
were produced. But now the demand
Stacked CMOS
for BSI sensors have gone up many
fold and hence the price has begun to
< Conventional back-illuminated
< Newly-developed stacked
CMOS image sensor >
CMOS image sensor >
fall considerably.
On-chip lenses
Color filters
Photodiodes
Metal wirings
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
Complementary Metal
Oxide Semiconductor
(CMOS) Sensor
pixel section
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
circuit section
layer structure
Manufacturers have now found a way
to deposit (or fabricate) the circuit
supporting substrate
layer structure
layer at the back of the pixel layer.
Such a sensor is known as Back-side
Blue Oakleaf
Illuminated
(BSI)Butterfly
sensor. Since the
Back-illuminated
Back-illuminated
CMOS
image sensor
CMOS image sensor
Nikon D70s, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/10, ISO 200,
handheld.
supporting substrate
pixel
layer is in front of the circuit
This is a perfectly camouflaged butterfly looking just like a dry leaf. Photographed using fill-in flash but
layer,
a BSI
sensor
receives
keeping
the green
background
as itmore
is.
circuit section
circuit section
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
your balcony garden. And there is
Macro Photography
82
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no specific season for macro, you
Smart Photography August 2014
Yuwaraj Gurjar
Yuwaraj Gurjar
stays at Thane
on the outskirts
of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park,
which spreads
across 104 sq. km.,
the home for many
small, wonderful
creatures, as well
as the elusive
leopard. He has
been visiting the
Park almost every
weekend for the last
26 years and still
finds new things
to photograph at
every visit.
Close-up shot
Macro shot
Note: Some lenses have a ‘macro
mode’, marked by the letter ‘M’.
While these allow you to focus
closer than other lenses, they are
not true macro lenses as they (in
most cases) offer a reproduction
ratio of around 1:4 (quarter life
size).
Snake Tongue - Checkered Keelback - Xenochrophis Piscator
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/18, ISO 200, handheld.
The forked tongue flicking in and out was the focal point. The snake was photographed at ground level.
I
n layman’s terms, macro
photography is often
considered the same as
close-up photography, though
technically speaking, there is a
difference. Close-up photography
starts at a reproduction ratio of
about 1:20 (on the film / digital
sensor), and goes up to 1:1 (life
size). Macro photography starts
at a reproduction ratio of 1:1
(life size) on the film / digital
sensor and goes up to about 25x
magnification.
Note: Since the early macro
lenses only went up to half life
size (1:2), many consider a
What is 1:1, 1:2, 1:4?
What is 2:1, 4:1 etc?
sensor, the reproduction ratio is
2:1 (Magnification 2x); 4:1 would
mean that a subject is recorded on
film / sensor, 4 times as large as
the original.
If a subject 1cm long is recorded
as 1cm on the film / sensor,
the reproduction ratio is 1:1
or life-size (Magnification 1x).
If that same 1cm long subject
is recorded as 1/2cm, then the
reproduction ratio is 1:2 (half life
size). If it is recorded as 1/4cm, the
reproduction ratio is 1:4 (quarter
life size). Going the other way
around, if a subject 1cm long is
recorded as 2cm on the film /
Macro photography opens up a
new world, so to say. Things which
we cannot see with our naked
eyes, details which we cannot
imagine, nuances of colour that
we cannot even think of, can be
shown with the help of macro
photography. The best part is
that we don’t have to travel long
distances to reach a particular
forest to do macro photography.
You can get ample subjects right in
reproduction ratio of 1:2 also as
macro.
LEARNING
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Smart Photography August 2014
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and other valuables like your
camera and laptop. Avoid leaving
your camera/laptop in the hotel
when you go out because these
items are the first to be stolen. As
a precaution, scan your passport
and email the same to your own
email ID. Do take health insurance
because attending to any medical
problem will cost you an arm and
a leg. Check with your medical
practitioner and carry your personal
medicines too. Keep a copy of your
hotel bookings, just in case.
If travelling within the country, there
is no need to carry your passport but
do observe the same guidelines as
mentioned above. Yes, do carry some
sort of identification (driving licence,
PAN card etc) because you may have
to prove your identity, especially at air
terminals and even for train travel.
Very important.
1) Keep a note of your bank’s
telephone numbers in case your
credit card is stolen or lost. In such
an unfortunate event, contact the
bank immediately to freeze your
account, lest someone use the card
to empty your account. Keep the
telephone numbers in 2-3 different
diaries/notebooks for safety.
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
& LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
2) Keep in a safe place (not on
the mobile phone) your mobile
phone’s IMEI number. (Dial *#06#
and you’ll get the 15 digit IMEI
number).
Rohinton Mehta
“The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see” ...G. K. Chesterton
H
ow very true! A traveller is
a sort of a wanderer; he has
no goal in mind, he travels
wherever fate takes him. The tourist
has definite plans of visiting some
place he has in his mind, to see “what
he has come to see”.
Whichever place or land you travel
to, there is no shortage of subjects
to photograph – people, historical
monuments, libraries, street scenes,
lakes, rivers, seas, boats, ships,
aircrafts, beautiful homes, gardens
and landscapes of all sorts to name
a few. Since landscapes are probably
one of the most photographed
90
Smart Photography August 2014
Travel
care to know. The Internet shows you
various nearby locations too and how
to get there. You can also do your
hotel bookings, air/train/taxi travel
bookings etc on the Net.
Travel, which at one time used
to be time-consuming and often
uncomfortable, is now easy, thanks to
technological advances in transport
and communication. The best way
is to first decide on your travel
destination. Today, fortunately, we
have the Internet to help us. All
that you have to do is type out the
location in the search engine of
your choice, and presto! You’ll have
(sometimes) more details than you’d
If you have decided to travel abroad,
make sure that you have at least 6
months left before your passport
expires and that you have some
blank pages remaining in your
passport. Do remember that air
tickets bought at the last minute
can cost much more, so book your
air tickets well in advance. When
travelling abroad, be vigilant and
take utmost care of your passport
subjects during travel, we shall devote
this write-up to tips for travel and
landscape photography.
Substrate
The new technologies have
culminated in better light gathering
capability, higher dynamic range,
and compact size of image sensors.
Though semiconductor technology is
not as simple as it is explained here,
diving deeper into the fabrication
process might not be of interest to
many of our readers and hence could
be beyond the scope of this feature.
August 2014 Smart Photography
83
The second
photograph is
a macro shot,
with greater
magnification
and finer detail.
Macro lenses
are available in
various focal
lengths. Which
one should one
go in for?
In the context of this article, the
For nature
term ‘close-up’ will be used for
photography, it’s
anything up to almost life-size
preferable to go
reproductions on film / sensor
in for the longest
and the term ‘macro’ will refer
focal length
to reproductions of 1:1 and
macro lens that
beyond, using specialized close-up
you can afford,
Blue Oakleaf
Butterfly–close up though a macro lens of a lower
attachments.
whereas the word ‘micro’ means
Nikon D70s, Tamron
focal length would be cheaper and
small. So how can these two
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
Note: Macro photography is
lighter in weight too. With a lower
terms be used for the same
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
often confused with another
purpose? If the subject you are
Macro shot using extension focal length macro lens, at any
tube (20mm). Magnifica- given magnification, you will be
form of very-high-magnification photographing is small and you
tion is greater than 1:1
photography. In the scientific
much closer to your subject, which
want to make it look big, you
world, a further sub-division of
could not only disturb your subject
end up with a ‘macro’ view of
macro photography is created
but could even put your life at
a ‘micro’ subject. So probably,
for close-up work done with
risk. Consider using a 50/60mm
Nikon, while giving the term, was
the aid of microscopes, and is
macro lens to photograph a
considering photographing of very
called ‘Photomicrography’. This
scorpion or a tarantula. At 1:1
small subjects while Canon was
technique, using microscopes
magnification, the front of the
considering the idea of making a
and stereo-microscopes with
lens may be around 4-5 inches
small subject look much larger!
trinocular tubes or complex
from the subject. The subject may
scanning electron microscopes,
flee or fight! If it flees, you have
Can we distinguish becan achieve magnifications of 40x
another chance at photographing
and higher (a 1mm object can be tween ‘macro’ and ‘closeit but if it fights (attacks you), you
recorded as 40mm or even larger up’ photography?
could be in serious trouble. Under
on the film/sensor).
the same shooting conditions, a
Capturing the most intricate detail
200mm macro lens for example,
is one of the main differences
Canon calls its ‘macro’ lenses as
could have a working distance (the
‘macro’, so why does Nikon call its between macro and close-up
distance between the front of the
photography and macro lenses
‘macro’ lenses as ‘micro’?
lens and the subject) of say 8-10
allow the photographer to capture
The word ‘macro’ means big,
inches, making it safer for you.
Initially starting
with birdwatching,
he was fascinated
by the variety of
butterflies, ants,
beetles, dragonflies
and other tiny
creatures as well
as wild flowers
and this eventually
spurned him
towards macro
photography.
84
finer detail (and
easily too) than
would have been
possible using a
non-macro lens
or by using most
other close-up
attachments.
Consider these
two photographs
as an example.
The first image
is a very good
example of a close
up photograph.
www.smartphotography.in
can enjoy macro photography all
year around.
By getting your lens very close
to your subject, you can fill the
frame with a very tiny subject or
greatly magnify details on a larger
subject. But most camera lenses
don’t let you get very close to a
subject (every lens has a Minimum
Focusing Distance or MFD) unless
you have a specially designed lens.
Such lenses that allow you to focus
extremely close, are called ‘Macro’
lenses. Keep in mind that Nikon
labels its macro lenses as ‘Micro’
lenses.
Lighting, Lensing and Molding
In pic 2, the light source which was
a ‘rectalight’ was shifted to the left
Diag 1
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Charge-Coupled Device
(CCD) Sensor
In the case of a CCD sensor, the
electrical charge is transferred across
the sensor towards one corner and
an amplifier converts the charge into
voltage. This process is repeated till
the entire array has been read out in
the form of a sequence of voltages.
An Analogue-to-Digital Converter
(known as ADC, A to D or A/D)
then converts the voltage into digital
information.
e
lan
A/D converter
Output
amplifier
pla
Y
plane
Sujith Gopinath
To explain the different types of
sensors, it is important to understand
the functioning of sensors. The image
sensor is the last point of contact
for light after passing through many
layers of glass (lens elements) and
the colour filter array. Each photo
receptor (photo diode) on the sensor
converts the light striking it into an
electrical charge proportional to the
light intensity at that spot, much
like a solar cell on a solar panel. But
unlike in a solar cell, the electric
charge thus generated is stored in
the diodes till it is read by another
circuitry.
In pic 1 the box was placed as shown
on the white background and a
very basic lighting with a single
soft-box kept slightly topish, was
done to study the molding of the
box and to observe the texture of
the ‘mother of pearl’ on the box.
It is very important to see how
texture stands out in a given lighting
condition. Using a black ‘cutter’, part
of the light reflected back from the
white background was controlled.
This defined the top of the box in a
better way. The picture though may
be technically correct in terms of
lighting, still has a lot of scope for
improvement. The overall depth
in the picture appears less, this is
mainly due to the fact the plane Y
has a less surface area compared to
the other visible planes.
ne
Making Sense
of BSI Sensors
n image sensor can be called
the heart of any digital
camera. Being technically
complex, sensors are never fully
understood by most people. Here we
try to demystify the world of sensors,
from CCDs to Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensors without
elaborating deeply on the technical
aspects.
the camera, I kept zooming in and
out as I shifted the distance. I did not
wish to give a very ‘shallow depth of
field look’ to the pictures. After the
position of the camera was fixed, the
placement of lights was started.
Xp
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A
73
Pic 2
Z
Lighting
Lighting plays the most important
role in defining the molding of
an object or a face. Changing the
angle of the light with respect to
the camera and subject, changes the
roundness or the depth of a subject.
The hardness or softness of the light
source also makes a lot of difference,
especially if there is texture on the
Tech-Talk
August 2014 Smart Photography
paper. Since the field area was small,
controlled lighting was a must. In the
beginning I first framed the shot by
going closer and then further away
from the box, observing from where
it would not appear distorted through
www.smartphotography.in
In case your mobile phone is stolen,
send the IMEI number via email to
[email protected]
There is no need to go to the police.
Your mobile will be traced in the
next 24 hours via GPRS and the
Internet. You will also know where
the mobile phone is being used,
even if the thief changes the mobile
number.
What else should you carry?
Always carry a torchlight (don’t forget
to check the batteries), a GPS device
if possible, your day-to-day clothes
(but don’t overload your travel bag;
often you’ll have to carry your own
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
luggage!), and cash/traveller cheques.
Also remember to carry two more
important items – courtesy and your
smile! Courtesy and a smile may
ease your discomforts with fellow
travellers and those in authority.
Landscapes
Landscapes are found everywhere,
whether you live in a city full of
maddening crowds, or whether
you live in a picturesque village in
Switzerland! Hence opportunities
are available to everyone, albeit to a
greater or lesser degree. In case you
feel that you can get great landscape
images only if you go to a beautiful
countryside, I am still with you, but
that does not mean that you can
never get good landscapes in the city
you dwell in.
Discipline
Travel and Landscape photography,
like any other genre of photography,
requires dedication and discipline.
Lazy photographers – those who
want to sleep till 9am, those who only
want to move around in a car, those
who do not want to face the vagaries
of nature, those who do not want to
face difficulties – should not attempt
travel and landscape photography!
You have to be up and around when
the sun peeps its golden head through
that mountain range; you have to be
around when the sun calls it a day!
Remember, when you photograph
landscapes, it is the light in its various
shades that you are recording, not
the topography. And good light for
landscapes is generally from presunrise up to 10am and from roughly
4.30pm to after sunset (also depends
on the season and your location on
the globe).
Equipment
Then comes the question of photo
equipment to take along. This is, for
me at least, the most difficult decision.
Which camera body/bodies should I
carry? Which lenses should I carry?
Which filters should I carry? Am I
game lugging around my trusty tripod?
Should I carry a macro lens too? And
what about that flashgun? Should I
carry a hand-held light meter? Well,
here are my personal views:
72
78
82
84
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
surface of the object. The light source
also decides the kind of shadow that
will be created on the base or the
background. Once again the angle
of the light and its distance from the
subject/object decides the length
of the shadow that is created. This
indirectly decides the drama in the
picture.
Dilip Yande
I
Picture 3:
See how the
vertical wall
on the left
is bending
(bulging)
outwards.
This is called
“barrel”
distortion
and is due
to a lens
fault.
Picture 1: The “leaning” of the
minaret (tower) is due to perspective – you are close to the base of
the building (making it appear
large) and far from the top (making it look small). It is not because
of focal length. This is not distortion either; as you can see that the
sides of the minaret are straight
(there is no curvature).
Perspective: It is very likely that you
have taken a photograph of a tall
building from a close distance by
standing near the base of the building.
Lighting, Lensing
and Molding
Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography, Dilip Yande
says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He believes variety is the
spice of life, and to keep himself motivated he does a lot of tabletop as well.
For Dilip, names like Rembrandt, Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are
household names because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine
arts. This ‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always
a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many advertising
agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many workshops, and guided
many photographers in their formative years, for Dilip, photography is just
another way to romance his first love – art. He may be contacted at dilipyande@
gmail.com.
Distortion: The
second problem
is distortion
(Picture 3) which
is a lens defect.
Due to this
straight lines will
look bent. You
are most likely
to encounter
“barrel”
distortion (lines
bend outward)
as it occurs with
2. Use a tilt/
shift lens or a
tilt/shift adapter
with a mirrorless
camera. (You
only need the
‘shift’ operation
to correct this
problem, ‘tilt’ is
not required).
Let me emphasize right here that
these two terms are different
though many mix them up. The
first is an optical effect (see Smart
Photography, August, 2013 issue,
“Perplexing Perspective” for more
details) and is very different from
distortion, which is a lens defect. The
former causes leaning of verticals and
the second bends lines which were
straight originally. Let us see these in
more detail.
Smart Photography August 2014
3. Correct with
post-processing
software like
Photoshop
or Lightroom
(Picture 2).
structure. If both
these are not
possible then you
need to do one of
the following:
1. Use a technical
/ view camera
with movements.
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
W
Smart
Photography has
been continually
receiving
requests to start
a basic course for
beginners. With
this in mind, we
have asked a very
knowledgeable
photographer from
Hyderabad to take
over writing these
articles. We have
also requested him to be as jargon-free
as it is possible, so that newcomers to
photography feel comfortable to pursue
the hobby.
Picture 2: Here
perspective correction
was applied in Photoshop
to correct the leaning to
a great extent. See also
the person at the base of
the tower. He provides
a reference for scale
to show how tall the
minaret is.
So, how do you
rectify such a
situation? One
solution is to
move away from
the building so
that the relative
difference in
distance between
you and the top
and base of the
building is very
less. This reduces
the difference
in size (on the
image) between
the top and base
of the building
thus correcting
this “leaning”.
Another way is to
get into a building
opposite the
building you are
photographing,
preferably at
a height that
is half that of
the opposite
85
Making Sense of
BSI Sensors
Macro Photogralhy
a) Camera body: Always carry an
extra camera body if you are using
an interchangeable lens camera. If
you are using a fixed lens model,
carry an extra camera! Remember, if
your camera body/camera conks out
when you are at an exotic location
(and such things do happen), and if
you don’t have another body/camera,
you’ll kick yourself in the back.
Suggestion: Considering the fact that
you would be lugging your camera
for the better part of the day, a Micro
Four Thirds model would be very
helpful in keeping down the weight.
Also, a camera body that offers a
‘Level Indicator’ or a framing grid
would be of additional help.
b) What size sensor? Should your
camera have a full-frame (36 x
24mm) imaging sensor, APS-C
(approx. 24 x 16mm), Micro Four
Thirds (Approx. 17 x 13mm), 1-inch
Type (12.8 x 9.6mm) or one of those
tiny sensors used in Compacts
and Bridge cameras? Theoretically,
the full-frame sensor scores when
it comes to image quality. It uses
larger photosites and hence has
better control over digital noise. It
also offers better dynamic range. In
practical terms, the APS-C sensor can
provide almost similar results (many
people may not be able to distinguish
between pictures shot with fullframe and APS-C sensor cameras).
Micro Four Thirds sensors offer very
good image quality too, but in low
light situations (and in shadows),
may not be as good as the larger
sensors, particularly with regard to
digital noise and dynamic range.
Also consider the 1” Type sensors
found in some modern ‘professionaltype’ cameras which give very good
results. I am not a fan of small sensor
cameras and would not consider
using a small sensor camera for any
serious photography, unless the
intention is to see the images only
on-screen. Having said that, with
every new generation of small-sensor
cameras, I see a lot of improvement in
image quality.
c) Lenses: You may have a ton of
lenses, but obviously you cannot
carry them all (unless your name
happens to be Hercules!). Remember,
August 2014 Smart Photography
91
90
Tips for Travel and
Landscape Photography
Learnings
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Exteriors)
Ashok Kandimalla
W
Smart
Photography has
been continually
receiving
requests to start
a basic course for
beginners. With
this in mind, we
have asked a very
knowledgeable
photographer from
Hyderabad to take
over writing these
articles. We have
also requested him to be as jargon-free
as it is possible, so that newcomers to
photography feel comfortable to pursue
the hobby.
The author, 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 several
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 presently
working as a Management and
Engineering consultant. You can see his
work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/
ashok_kandimalla . He can be reached
at [email protected]
72
Smart Photography August 2014
hat is architecture?
Wikipedia tells us that it
originated from the Latin
word “architectura” which means a
builder or a mason. From this comes
the word “Architecture” and it is the
process of designing and constructing
buildings, towers and other structures.
Architecture, over a period of time,
has assumed great importance and it
is not unusual to associate a certain
type (or style) of architecture with a
particular civilization, era or dynasty,
very much like a painting. Architects
are also recognized as great artists
and their work is admired even after
centuries.
Architecture is partly engineering and
of course, partly art. As photographers
we are naturally interested in
capturing that art part. However, can
photographing someone else’s artistic
creation be art by itself? Is it like
photographing a statue or a painting?
No, it is not! This question is best
answered by a quote from Frederick
H. Evans (1853—1943), an eminent
architectural photographer who said –
“.... it is not everyone who has the
time to see a building in all its
phases of beauty and effect, or has
the power of isolation those beauties
and so realizing the more subtle and
recondite charms a great building
has, but gives up only to patient
study and trained observation…”
This is why an architectural
photograph is not a mere
reproduction of architecture. It
needs careful planning, study of the
structure, its lines, symmetry, etc. An
art critic understands and appreciates
the nuances of a painting. An
architectural photographer should do
the same with a building. Only then
can his (or her) photograph bring out
the beauty of the structure and will be
a pleasure to behold. How to achieve
such photographs is the objective of
the article.
Any architectural photograph,
however large the enlargement
may be, will be a lot smaller than
the building itself and you need to
bring out all the aesthetics and detail
in that small size. Many times this
may require several photographs
(covering exteriors, interiors, etc.) to
do the job comprehensively. If you
are doing professional architectural
photography every building will
require a portfolio to satisfy the client
in all respects.
Before we go further you should
be aware that there are two
main technical problems that
photographers encounter in
architectural photography. These are
“Perspective” and “Distortion”.
Let me emphasize right here that
these two terms are different
though many mix them up. The
first is an optical effect (see Smart
Photography, August, 2013 issue,
“Perplexing Perspective” for more
details) and is very different from
distortion, which is a lens defect. The
former causes leaning of verticals and
the second bends lines which were
straight originally. Let us see these in
more detail.
Perspective: It is very likely that you
have taken a photograph of a tall
building from a close distance by
standing near the base of the building.
www.smartphotography.in
When you look at such a photograph
you would have noticed that the
building appears to “lean” backwards.
That is, vertical sides of the building
are no longer vertical and the parallel
sides look to be converging at the top
(Picture 1). This is due to perspective.
This is happening because you are
very close to the base of building
(foreground), making it look large.
You are also far from the top of the
building (background) making it
look small. This makes the sides
of the building look as if they are
converging at the top and hence gives
the impression that the building is
leaning. Often this “leaning” effect
is labeled as “distortion”. This is
simply not correct. Perspective is not
distortion. Distortion is the inability of
a lens to render straight lines straight
as you will see next. Perspective is
also independent of focal length (it
depends only on the subject distance
and the position of the lens with
reference to the subject) though many
erroneously think that only wideangle lenses (especially ultra-wide
ones) cause it.
Picture 2: Here
perspective correction
was applied in Photoshop
to correct the leaning to
a great extent. See also
the person at the base of
the tower. He provides
a reference for scale
to show how tall the
minaret is.
So, how do you
rectify such a
situation? One
solution is to
move away from
the building so
that the relative
difference in
distance between
you and the top
and base of the
building is very
less. This reduces
the difference
in size (on the
image) between
the top and base
of the building
thus correcting
this “leaning”.
Another way is to
get into a building
opposite the
building you are
photographing,
preferably at
a height that
is half that of
the opposite
3. Correct with
post-processing
software like
Photoshop
or Lightroom
(Picture 2).
Distortion: The
second problem
is distortion
(Picture 3) which
is a lens defect.
Due to this
straight lines will
look bent. You
are most likely
to encounter
“barrel”
distortion (lines
bend outward)
as it occurs with
structure. If both
these are not
possible then you
need to do one of
the following:
1. Use a technical
/ view camera
with movements.
2. Use a tilt/
shift lens or a
tilt/shift adapter
with a mirrorless
camera. (You
only need the
‘shift’ operation
to correct this
problem, ‘tilt’ is
not required).
Picture 3:
See how the
vertical wall
on the left
is bending
(bulging)
outwards.
This is called
“barrel”
distortion
and is due
to a lens
fault.
Picture 1: The “leaning” of the
minaret (tower) is due to perspective – you are close to the base of
the building (making it appear
large) and far from the top (making it look small). It is not because
of focal length. This is not distortion either; as you can see that the
sides of the minaret are straight
(there is no curvature).
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
73
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
wide-angle lenses. If you are keen on
architectural photography, I suggest
that you look at lenses that have
low distortion. Generally (there are
exceptions though) fixed focal length
(prime) lenses have less distortion
compared to zoom lenses, especially
kit lenses.
Distortion occurs mainly at the edges
of the frame. So, try and avoid keeping
straight Ines near the edges. For this
you can compose a little loosely and
then crop later. This means you will
lose pixels but this is better than ugly
looking distortion.
The only other way to correct
distortions is through software.
Most post-processing software like
Adobe Lightroom have the lens
characteristics built in and if you tell
the software the lens you are using, the
distortion is corrected automatically.
Unless you are a purist, I suggest
this as a solution for distortion as
completely distortion free lenses (like
the Zeiss Biogon) are very expensive.
Equipment: Now let us see what
equipment is needed for architecture
photography. You must have often
heard that you need specialized
equipment for this genre. While this
is true to a certain extent, this is not
a must. I have already mentioned in
the preceding paragraphs the need for
‘tilt/shift’ and distortion-free lenses.
Both these cost big bucks but as I had
already explained, you can manage
74
Smart Photography August 2014
without these. Both the problems
can be corrected to a great extent
or even completely, with software.
(Remember, even if you have tilt/shift
lenses or technical/view cameras the
perspective corrections can be done
only within certain limits.)
The rest of the equipment you need is
general in nature. Just any D-SLR or
CSC (Compact System Camera) with
a decent wide-angle or wide-angle
zoom will do. Some cameras show a
grid in the viewfinder. This is a useful
feature to have as it helps in framing
and leveling. Since the light levels are
generally high outside you can get
really good architectural photographs
even with a simple P&S camera.
Focal lengths most useful are from
24 to 50mm for full-frame (or 16 to
35mm for APS-C D-SLRs, and 12mm
to 25mm for CSC Micro 4/3 cameras).
Lenses wider than these are generally
not useful but you can get some
dramatic results by using very short
focal lengths.
Though not absolutely essential, a lens
of longer focal length (like a 135mm
for full frame, 85mm for APS-C or
75mm for Micro 4/3) can be useful for
capturing details (like carvings on the
walls) that are not easily accessible.
The most important accessory, as
you may have guessed by now, is
your three legged friend, the tripod.
This is a vital accessory. It is needed
for keeping the camera steady when
you use slow shutter speeds. This is
however, not the most important of
its uses. The most critical one is that it
allows precise composing, framing and
leveling which is extremely important
for any architectural photograph. I can
emphasize its importance by saying when allowed, use a tripod!
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful,
along with some examples:
Basic Composition: Remember the
fundamental composition guideline,
the rule of thirds? This means that you
Picture 5: Observe how the
camera is placed at an angle to
the building at approximately
60º and 30º as shown. The
converging lines of the roof
convey a sense of depth. See
text more details.
Picture 4: Called a “rule” but really a
guide-line, the rule of thirds is one of
the most basic points to consider in
composing an image.
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Tech Data: Camera Nikon D90, tripod mounted, focal length 20mm, f/8, 1/4 sec.
have to divide your viewfinder frame
into 9 parts (as shown, like a ticktack-toe) and keep the subject at one
of the intersections (Picture 4). These
intersections are called “points of
dominance”. The following paragraph
explains how these concepts are
applied to architectural photography.
A head-on photograph of a building
(which results when the façade is kept
parallel to the camera back) will make
it look two-dimensional (like a card
board cutout), without depth. This is
especially so, if the building is without
much surrounding area. Photograph
from an angle instead and see that the
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Picture 6: This image is
good example to show
several compositional
concepts in architectural photography. The
main subject (a cylindrical castle) is placed
as per the rule of thirds
and is dominating in
size. The roof is at the
upper thirds line. The
bridge forms a leading
line with repeating pattern of arches and brick
work. The lamp on the
right forms a secondary subject while less
dominant is different in
color and tone.
corner of the building coincides with
the vertical line at the 1/3 position (as
per rule of thirds). The intersection
of the corner along with the roof
can be placed at one of the points
of dominance. These aspects are
illustrated in Picture 5.
Here are some more points to help
you when you are photographing a
building along with the surroundings.
As already touched upon, it is a good
practice to put the subject (which
will be the structure itself or the most
important part of the structure) at the
points of dominance. The building
should be dominant in size and must
have some contrast in tone or colour
from the rest of the background
to make it stand out. While an
asymmetric placement like this works
very well, sometimes it is alright to
keep the horizon at the center when
you are photographing scenes with
reflections. Where possible, you can
also use leading lines to draw the
eye to the main subject. A picture
can also have a secondary subject to
draw the eye to it and also to create a
balance. This will cause some tension
August 2014 Smart Photography
75
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Picture 7: See the strong triangle
formed by the roof and the two more
on either side. There are also multiple
rectangular shapes under the triangle.
The blue colour of the pool and
several horizontal lines give a sense of
tranquility. Observe how the horizon
has been kept at the thirds. A picture
like this must be perfectly framed and
camera kept level.
help you is that symmetrical
subjects sometime look
better in square format. The
present D-SLRs or CSCs
do not give you a square
format. However, you can
get a square format through
cropping during postprocessing. It is important
that you give this aspect
a thought before you take
a photograph. It is always
better to pre-visualize the
end-result before you press
the shutter release.
and make the eye move away from
the main subject and make it explore
the photograph. The secondary
subject should be less dominating
but sufficiently different to draw the
viewer’s eye to it. This can be done by
making the secondary subject have a
different Colour, contrast, shape, etc.
All these concepts are shown in the
example given (Picture 6).
and structures are highly symmetric
(Picture 8). That is, the left half will
be very similar (or even identical) to
the right half. Sometimes due to this
symmetry the rule of thirds does not
work very well. One tip that might
Creation of depth: An
important sub-element in
composition is creation of
depth. What this means is
that, you need to create the impression
of depth (a three dimensional effect)
on a flat surface (like a print or a
monitor). This is created with the
help of perspective. Yes, it is the same
perspective that gave you a headache
earlier but now you are going to
Shapes: The human eye recognizes
shapes very easily. Shapes also draw
the attention of the viewer and are
useful for keeping the attention within
the frame. Commonly seen shapes
in building are triangles (like roofs),
rectangles, circles, ellipses etc. Look
for these when you are composing the
image (Picture 7).
Symmetry: Many important buildings
Picture 8: The camera with an ultra-wide lens
(15mm, full frame) kept close (less than two feet from
the plants) to make the foreground look large. The
large building at the other end is relatively small, thus
emphasizing the depth of the huge garden. This is a
very symmetrical structure and the image was composed to emphasize that aspect. A narrow aperture of
f/16 was used for adequate depth of field.
76
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
know that
larger objects
are closer
even though
they are, in
absolute terms,
physically
small. This
creates a
feeling of
depth
(Picture 8).
Explore
unusual
angles:
Always look
for something
unusual. The
best way to
find them is to
look at subjects
at odd angles.
Everyone looks
at a building
Picture 9: A typical tourist photograph that is a bit boring!
from straight
ahead. Bend
use it your advantage. Perspective
low, look up/down, or climb nearby
simply makes objects closer to you to
structures to get unusual viewpoints.
appear larger than those objects that
These give you an opportunity to be
are far away. Thus, you instinctively
different and sometimes you will see
CONCLUSION:
You are now ready to start looking for
“photogenic” structures. These are generally
museums, art galleries, etc. where special
attention is given to appealing architecture
(compared to Government housing
blocks-!). Look for specific features in these
structures from the architectural photography
point of view. Your eyes will start recognizing
these elements as you practice. Remember
the quote given in the beginning. Some study
is needed on your part before a building
reveals its beauty. And remember the basic
compositional guidelines given here. You
don’t need any fancy equipment to start with.
Next month’s article will cover photographing
interiors. So, stay tuned!
things that others did not (Pictures 9
and 10).
Picture 10: I took
this picture of the
same structure lying
down. This is much
more dramatic and
interesting.
Provide a scale: If you want to give
an idea of the size of the structure
to the viewer, you should include, as
a reference, an object whose size is
known. The most commonly used
reference is the human being
(Picture 2) though you can
provide any familiar object as a size
reference.
All text and images © Ashok Kandimalla unless otherwise stated.
An important
point: These
days everyone
is paranoid
about security.
Simply do not
photograph
any building
(even an office
building)
without getting
permission
as you might
land in trouble.
Respect the
local laws.
Likewise,
don’t
photograph
private homes
(other than
those of people
you know) as
you might be
violating their
privacy.
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August 2014 Smart Photography
77
LEARNING
Lighting, Lensing
and Molding
Dilip Yande
Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography, Dilip Yande
says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He believes variety is the
spice of life, and to keep himself motivated he does a lot of tabletop as well.
For Dilip, names like Rembrandt, Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are
household names because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine
arts. This ‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always
a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many advertising
agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many workshops, and guided
many photographers in their formative years, for Dilip, photography is just
another way to romance his first love – art. He may be contacted at dilipyande@
gmail.com.
I
f you refer to any dictionary like
the Oxford or the Webster, you
may not find the word ‘lensing’.
But it does exist, at least in the
glossary of photographers. This is
what they refer to, while talking
about choosing the right focal length
for a shoot. Thus the expression ‘Use
the right lensing’.
Molding
Molding (creating the right feel,
form and tonality) on any product
can best be attained when there
is a right combination of lighting
and focal length for the object to be
photographed. Many amateurs may
ask that if 85 to 105mm is considered
ideal for portraits with full frame
cameras, what focal length is good
for a table- top? In case of shooting
pack-shots of tall product, say a
tall box, or a bottle, it is necessary
to keep the verticals as parallel as
78
Smart Photography August 2014
possible and this can be achieved
with lenses having focal lengths of
105mm and above (with full-frame
cameras) and then shooting from the
correct angle.
Depth of Field
Some people have misconceptions
that shallow depth of field is only
possible by using a longer focal
length lens. But this is not so. One
can also try to photograph the same
subject by going much closer with
a lens of lower focal length that has
an f/stop like f/1.4, f/1.8 etc. Doing
this, and with the same composition,
it is possible to get a better bokeh
(out of focus background). This
happens because you are moving
closer to the subject and as you move
closer, depth of field reduces. Hence
by using the right focal length, the
right aperture, the right shooting
distance and keeping the background
sufficiently away, you can create the
required sharpness/blurriness of the
background.
Perspective
Apart from this, one has to
remember that wide-angle lenses
tend to exaggerate the distances
between the subject and the
background, while telephoto lenses
compress them. This is the very
reason that while watching a cricket
match on television, one finds the
opposite side of the stadium is
much closer and enlarged, when
the cameraman zooms-in onto the
batsman.
Product photographers also have to
take several other parameters into
consideration, like the ‘flat-field’
property of a lens, the distortions
that it may produce or the
aberrations that it may create in the
picture. Hence all serious hobbyists
and professionals should opt for
good quality lenses. Taking all these
parameters into consideration one
has to plan one’s own kit of lenses
which would be helpful to him as per
the nature of the job one handles.
Lighting
Lighting plays the most important
role in defining the molding of
an object or a face. Changing the
angle of the light with respect to
the camera and subject, changes the
roundness or the depth of a subject.
The hardness or softness of the light
source also makes a lot of difference,
especially if there is texture on the
www.smartphotography.in
Pic 1
surface of the object. The light source
also decides the kind of shadow that
will be created on the base or the
background. Once again the angle
of the light and its distance from the
subject/object decides the length
of the shadow that is created. This
indirectly decides the drama in the
picture.
Every three-dimensional object
has to be viewed and analyzed in a
specific way. (See diagram 1) The
x, y and the z planes have to be
analyzed and defined for precise
lighting. Please note that with any
object a maximum three such planes
can be viewed from any angle at
one time. The surface texture has to
be taken into consideration while
doing the lighting. To explain these
lighting fundamentals, I have taken
an off-white box as our subject.
The surface has a beautiful texture
of ‘mother-of-pearls’ on it. I have
specifically chosen this long box in
order to explain the ‘lensing’ factor.
I chose to use a 70 to 300 mm zoom
lens. This gave me the liberty to use
intermittent focal lengths which are
not available in non-zoom lenses.
The box was kept on a small sheet of
seamless white drawing paper. Light
from any and every position was
reflecting back from this seamless
Pic 2
paper. Since the field area was small,
controlled lighting was a must. In the
beginning I first framed the shot by
going closer and then further away
from the box, observing from where
it would not appear distorted through
In pic 1 the box was placed as shown
on the white background and a
very basic lighting with a single
soft-box kept slightly topish, was
done to study the molding of the
box and to observe the texture of
the ‘mother of pearl’ on the box.
It is very important to see how
texture stands out in a given lighting
condition. Using a black ‘cutter’, part
of the light reflected back from the
white background was controlled.
This defined the top of the box in a
better way. The picture though may
be technically correct in terms of
lighting, still has a lot of scope for
improvement. The overall depth
in the picture appears less, this is
mainly due to the fact the plane Y
has a less surface area compared to
the other visible planes.
e
Z
n
pla
e
X
n
pla
Y
plane
Diag 1
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the camera, I kept zooming in and
out as I shifted the distance. I did not
wish to give a very ‘shallow depth of
field look’ to the pictures. After the
position of the camera was fixed, the
placement of lights was started.
In pic 2, the light source which was
a ‘rectalight’ was shifted to the left
August 2014 Smart Photography
79
LEARNING
on the right side of the frame. To
soften the shadow on the right side,
a white thermocole was used. The
dimensions of the box were now
getting slowly controlled but the
texture on the box, needed some
other attention through lighting.
In order to further study the
texture, a single light source was
placed from behind the box, this
source was a hard source of light
and a 32 degree grid was used as
light modifier for the same (diag
2). Pic 3 shows that the texture on
the top of the box has suddenly got
Pic 3
of the frame, this gave the
feeling of a window light
coming from the side.
Now plane Y was brighter
and automatically a better
definition was created
between plane X (the plane
facing the camera) and
plane Z (top of the box).
Position of the black cutter
was still the same. One
can find that this source
has now cast a shadow
32 degree grid
Cutter
Pic 6
Camera
Box
White paper scoop
Diag 2
Pic 4
Pic 5
80
Smart Photography August 2014
Pic 7
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Pic 8a
enhanced. The other sides
were getting illuminated
by the light bouncing on
the white paper below. The
position of the light is
fine, but is casting a dirty
hard shadow in front of
the box.
In pic 4, a soft-box was
added to the left with a
thermocole on the right.
This softened the shadow
and gave a better
definition to the molding
on the box.
when shot from a close distance to
my benefit, by making an artistic use
of the same.
Pic 7 was produced after studying
the dimensions and the texture of
the wooden incense-stick holder.
It is a fact that smake registers well
when backlit and shot against a
darker background. The lighting
was done considering all such
properties.
Pic 5 is just to show you
how the same box can
look distorted if shot with
a wide angle lens.
Pic 8a and b are excellent examples
to show how changing focal length
and camera angle can make the
same object (the same bottle in this
case), appear shorter then what it
really is. Pic 8a was shot at a focal
length of112mm while pic 8b was
shot at 250 mm.
In pic 6 ( an incense-stick
holder) I have used this
property of a wide angle
lens to distort an image
There is no standardized lighting
in table tops. It all depends on
the shape, molding, size and the
surface texture of the object.
Pic 8b
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August 2014 Smart Photography
81
LEARNING
Tech-Talk
Making Sense
of BSI Sensors
Sujith Gopinath
A/D converter
Output
amplifier
Horizontal shift registers
CCD Sensor
Metal
wire
Amplifier
Row
decoder
Charge-Coupled Device
(CCD) Sensor
In the case of a CCD sensor, the
electrical charge is transferred across
the sensor towards one corner and
an amplifier converts the charge into
voltage. This process is repeated till
the entire array has been read out in
the form of a sequence of voltages.
An Analogue-to-Digital Converter
(known as ADC, A to D or A/D)
then converts the voltage into digital
information.
82
Smart Photography August 2014
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
To explain the different types of
sensors, it is important to understand
the functioning of sensors. The image
sensor is the last point of contact
for light after passing through many
layers of glass (lens elements) and
the colour filter array. Each photo
receptor (photo diode) on the sensor
converts the light striking it into an
electrical charge proportional to the
light intensity at that spot, much
like a solar cell on a solar panel. But
unlike in a solar cell, the electric
charge thus generated is stored in
the diodes till it is read by another
circuitry.
Vertical
shift registers
Column decoder and output
CMOS Sensor
Complementary Metal
Oxide Semiconductor
(CMOS) Sensor
which converts accumulated
electrical charge from each pixel into
a voltage before it is transferred to
the ADC.
A CMOS sensor is an active-pixel
sensor imaging device. This means
that each pixel on a CMOS sensor
is connected to an active amplifier,
Both the CCD and CMOS have
their share of advantages as well
as limitations. There is no clear
www.smartphotography.in
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
A
n image sensor can be called
the heart of any digital
camera. Being technically
complex, sensors are never fully
understood by most people. Here we
try to demystify the world of sensors,
from CCDs to Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensors without
elaborating deeply on the technical
aspects.
As mentioned before, CMOS sensors
require to have several auxiliary
components (such as transistors)
next to each pixel. This circuit layer
is positioned on the front surface
(this can be visualised as photo
receptors peeping out of gaps left by
the circuit layer), severely affecting
the efficiency (or light gathering
capacity) of the pixel layer (photo
receptors) below. To overcome this,
manufacturers of CMOS sensors
use micro lenses to direct more light
onto each pixel so as to improve the
efficiency of the sensors. But this also
has limitations since the circuit layer
(also referred to as ‘illumination’)
reflects part of the incident light,
reducing the quantity of light falling
on the pixel layer. The megapixel
war necessitated every manufacturer
to increase the pixel count on the
sensor by cramming more photosites.
But there is a practical limit to the
number of photosites that can be
fabricated on a sensor, and the circuit
layer complicates the issue by using
up considerable amount of space. The
solution was to move the circuit layer
to the back of the sensor unit.
challenges to
manufacturers.
For example,
trying to improve
Photodiodes
Substrate
Metal wirings
the light gathering
capacity of
Light receiving
Surface
surface
the pixel layer
Metal wirings damaged the
Photodiodes
Substrate
silicon substrate
layers, and hence
Front-Illuminated Structure
Back-Illuminated Structure
they needed to
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
be heat-treated to
heal the damages.
light per photo diode and hence the
But this heat treatment reduced the
efficiency is higher. Also, the frontefficiency of the circuit layer. Again,
side illuminated (FSI) sensor carries
the manufacturing process made
less number of photo receptors than
the substrate very thin, requiring
their similarly-sized back-illuminated
a supporting substrate to be used
counterparts since the circuit layer
to strengthen it for transportation.
blocks part of the sensor area.
Hence Sony decided to integrate
Another advantage of the BSI sensor
the circuit layer on the supporting
is that a smaller sensor can pack
substrate, which is also a silicon
more photo receptors because more
substrate identical to the one used
surface area is freed due to the shifting
for the pixel layer and stack the two
of circuit layer to the back side,
layers together, one over the other.
thus increasing the pixel resolution
This stacking of layers solved all
(megapixels) of small sensors without
the problems associated with the
affecting the low-light performance.
manufacturing process, and reduced
This is quite an advantage at this
the size of sensor considerably due
time of small imaging devices (such
to the reduction in auxiliary circuits
as Smartphones) demanding higher
used to improve the efficiency of BSI
‘megapixels’. Since photo receptors on
CMOS. Sony named the new sensor
BSI sensors receive more light than
Exmor RS, and it is now widely used
their FSI counterparts, their low-light
in mobile devices.
performance is better, producing more
detail and generating lower noise. Sony
Backside illuminated sensors have
was the first to introduce BSI CMOS
been in existence for quite a long time,
sensors and they call it the Exmor R
especially in high-end applications
CMOS sensor.
such as astro photography and
surveillance equipment. Then why
Stacked CMOS
weren’t they used in commercial
Fabricating the circuit layer at
photographic equipment? The reason
the back of the same substrate
was that these sensors were very
layer (the base material on which
expensive owing to the complex
different components are deposited
process by which the silicon wafers
or integrated) posed some serious
were produced. But now the demand
Stacked CMOS
for BSI sensors have gone up many
fold and hence the price has begun to
< Conventional back-illuminated
< Newly-developed stacked
CMOS image sensor >
CMOS image sensor >
fall considerably.
On-chip lenses
Color filters
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
advantage of using either of the
technologies. CCD sensors produce
high-quality, low noise images
compared to CMOS sensors. CCD
sensors consume approximately
100 times more power than CMOS
sensors. CMOS sensors are less
expensive to manufacture. CCD
sensors also suffer from vertical
smear and blooming from bright
light sources. CMOS sensors process
information from a row at a time,
while CCD sensors capture the entire
image at once. This can cause a rolling
shutter effect, which distorts the image
in videos. Hence manufacturers have
been constantly at work to improve
the efficiency of CMOS sensors to a
level similar to CCDs.
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
pixel section
Back-side Illuminated CMOS
Manufacturers have now found a way
to deposit (or fabricate) the circuit
layer at the back of the pixel layer.
Such a sensor is known as Back-side
Illuminated (BSI) sensor. Since the
pixel layer is in front of the circuit
layer, a BSI sensor receives more
circuit section
layer structure
circuit section
supporting substrate
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
Back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor
supporting substrate
Illustration: Ajay Paradkar
www.smartphotography.in
layer structure
circuit section
The new technologies have
culminated in better light gathering
capability, higher dynamic range,
and compact size of image sensors.
Though semiconductor technology is
not as simple as it is explained here,
diving deeper into the fabrication
process might not be of interest to
many of our readers and hence could
be beyond the scope of this feature.
August 2014 Smart Photography
83
LEARNING
Macro Photography
Yuwaraj Gurjar
Yuwaraj Gurjar
stays at Thane
on the outskirts
of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park,
which spreads
across 104 sq. km.,
the home for many
small, wonderful
creatures, as well
as the elusive
leopard. He has
been visiting the
Park almost every
weekend for the last
26 years and still
finds new things
to photograph at
every visit.
Initially starting
with birdwatching,
he was fascinated
by the variety of
butterflies, ants,
beetles, dragonflies
and other tiny
creatures as well
as wild flowers
and this eventually
spurned him
towards macro
photography.
Snake Tongue - Checkered Keelback - Xenochrophis Piscator
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/18, ISO 200, handheld.
The forked tongue flicking in and out was the focal point. The snake was photographed at ground level.
I
n layman’s terms, macro
photography is often
considered the same as
close-up photography, though
technically speaking, there is a
difference. Close-up photography
starts at a reproduction ratio of
about 1:20 (on the film / digital
sensor), and goes up to 1:1 (life
size). Macro photography starts
at a reproduction ratio of 1:1
(life size) on the film / digital
sensor and goes up to about 25x
magnification.
Note: Since the early macro
lenses only went up to half life
size (1:2), many consider a
84
Smart Photography August 2014
What is 1:1, 1:2, 1:4?
What is 2:1, 4:1 etc?
sensor, the reproduction ratio is
2:1 (Magnification 2x); 4:1 would
mean that a subject is recorded on
film / sensor, 4 times as large as
the original.
If a subject 1cm long is recorded
as 1cm on the film / sensor,
the reproduction ratio is 1:1
or life-size (Magnification 1x).
If that same 1cm long subject
is recorded as 1/2cm, then the
reproduction ratio is 1:2 (half life
size). If it is recorded as 1/4cm, the
reproduction ratio is 1:4 (quarter
life size). Going the other way
around, if a subject 1cm long is
recorded as 2cm on the film /
Macro photography opens up a
new world, so to say. Things which
we cannot see with our naked
eyes, details which we cannot
imagine, nuances of colour that
we cannot even think of, can be
shown with the help of macro
photography. The best part is
that we don’t have to travel long
distances to reach a particular
forest to do macro photography.
You can get ample subjects right in
reproduction ratio of 1:2 also as
macro.
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Blue Oakleaf Butterfly
Nikon D70s, Tamron 180mm macro, 1/60sec, f/10, ISO 200, handheld.
This is a perfectly camouflaged butterfly looking just like a dry leaf. Photographed using fill-in flash but
keeping the green background as it is.
your balcony garden. And there is
no specific season for macro, you
can enjoy macro photography all
year around.
By getting your lens very close
to your subject, you can fill the
frame with a very tiny subject or
greatly magnify details on a larger
subject. But most camera lenses
don’t let you get very close to a
subject (every lens has a Minimum
Focusing Distance or MFD) unless
you have a specially designed lens.
Such lenses that allow you to focus
extremely close, are called ‘Macro’
lenses. Keep in mind that Nikon
labels its macro lenses as ‘Micro’
lenses.
Note: Some lenses have a ‘macro
mode’, marked by the letter ‘M’.
While these allow you to focus
closer than other lenses, they are
not true macro lenses as they (in
most cases) offer a reproduction
ratio of around 1:4 (quarter life
size).
finer detail (and
easily too) than
would have been
possible using a
non-macro lens
or by using most
other close-up
attachments.
Consider these
two photographs
as an example.
The first image
is a very good
example of a close
up photograph.
Close-up shot
Macro shot
The second
photograph is
a macro shot,
with greater
magnification
and finer detail.
Macro lenses
are available in
various focal
lengths. Which
one should one
go in for?
In the context of this article, the
For nature
term ‘close-up’ will be used for
photography, it’s
anything up to almost life-size
preferable to go
reproductions on film / sensor
in for the longest
and the term ‘macro’ will refer
focal length
to reproductions of 1:1 and
macro lens that
beyond, using specialized close-up
you can afford,
Blue Oakleaf
Butterfly–close up though a macro lens of a lower
attachments.
whereas the word ‘micro’ means
Nikon D70s, Tamron
focal length would be cheaper and
small. So how can these two
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
Note: Macro photography is
lighter in weight too. With a lower
terms be used for the same
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
often confused with another
purpose? If the subject you are
Macro shot using extension focal length macro lens, at any
tube (20mm). Magnifica- given magnification, you will be
form of very-high-magnification photographing is small and you
tion is greater than 1:1
photography. In the scientific
much closer to your subject, which
want to make it look big, you
world, a further sub-division of
could not only disturb your subject
end up with a ‘macro’ view of
macro photography is created
but could even put your life at
a ‘micro’ subject. So probably,
for close-up work done with
risk. Consider using a 50/60mm
Nikon, while giving the term, was
the aid of microscopes, and is
macro lens to photograph a
considering photographing of very
called ‘Photomicrography’. This
scorpion or a tarantula. At 1:1
small subjects while Canon was
technique, using microscopes
magnification, the front of the
considering the idea of making a
and stereo-microscopes with
lens may be around 4-5 inches
small subject look much larger!
trinocular tubes or complex
from the subject. The subject may
scanning electron microscopes,
flee or fight! If it flees, you have
Can
we
distinguish becan achieve magnifications of 40x
another chance at photographing
and higher (a 1mm object can be tween ‘macro’ and ‘closeit but if it fights (attacks you), you
recorded as 40mm or even larger up’ photography?
could be in serious trouble. Under
on the film/sensor).
the same shooting conditions, a
Capturing the most intricate detail
200mm macro lens for example,
is one of the main differences
Canon calls its ‘macro’ lenses as
could have a working distance (the
‘macro’, so why does Nikon call its between macro and close-up
distance between the front of the
photography and macro lenses
‘macro’ lenses as ‘micro’?
lens and the subject) of say 8-10
allow the photographer to capture
The word ‘macro’ means big,
inches, making it safer for you.
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August 2014 Smart Photography
85
LEARNING
Queen of Red
Weaver Ant
( Oecophylla
smaragdina)
guarding eggs
Nikon D90, Tamron
90mm VC macro,
1/60sec, f/40, ISO 200,
handheld.
This photo was taken with
very narrow aperture to
show the details of the
eggs guarded by the queen
of red weaver ant.
Close-up filters
expensive way to start shooting
macro but make sure that you
use a good quality close-up filter.
Another factor that has to be
looked at is the type of camera lens
you will be using. A high quality
prime lens plus a high quality
close-up filter can produce very
good results, while a zoom lens
with the same close-up filter will
One more reason for the choice of
Leaf Blue
longer focal length macro lens is
Butterfly
the amount you cover behind the
eggs
subject. A longer lens will show
Nikon D7100,
less of a confusing background
Tamron
90mm VC
and thus improve the overall
macro,
picture. With a shorter focal length
1/200sec,
f/16, ISO 200,
lens though, there’s no escaping
handheld.
whatever is back there. And yet
These are very
another important reason in favour tiny butterfly
eggs, similar
of the longer lens is that you will
in size to
have a better chance of lighting
Poppy seeds.
the subject. To give you an idea
The high
of the difference in magnification magnification
is obtained
between focal lengths, a 100mm
using three extension tubes
macro lens used at approximately
– 12mm +
45cm from the subject will have
20 mm +
the same magnification as a 50mm
36 mm.
macro lens used at only 23cm
from the subject. However, if you
want to do table-top or product
photography, a 50/60 mm macro
lens can be considered.
So, are there any downsides to
longer focal length lenses for
macro? Well, yes. They tend to
be more expensive and bigger in
size than their shorter focal length
counterparts. This can be a real
Tusser
concern since we have to carry all Silk Moth
this gear around, and we all work Antennae
under a strict budget.
Nikon D90,
Other means of achieving
higher magnifications
1. Close-up lenses (filters)
A close up lens attaches to the
filter thread of your primary lens,
and allows the combination to
focus closer. This is likely the least
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Smart Photography August 2014
Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
f/22, ISO 200,
handheld.
Only feathery
antennae
were captured
with the help
of narrow
aperture and
use of flash.
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Gharial Baby
Nikon D7100, Tamron 90mm VC macro, 1/60sec, f/36, ISO 100, handheld.
This photo shows the details in the eyes and the pointed teeth of the Gharial crocodile.
a high magnifications on the
order of 2X or more. For people
interested in high magnification
photography, this is often the way
to go, especially if you are on a
budget. One thing to keep in mind
is that the depth of field will be
almost nil and the attached lens
is vulnerable to dust and other
particles that could possibly get
into the lens and scratch it.
4. Teleconverters
Unlike a diopter, a teleconverter
is an auxiliary lens that goes, not
generally produce less than stellar
results. Keep in mind though that
a dedicated macro lens generally
produces overall sharper results.
The biggest advantage of the closeup filters is that they are very light
in weight and inexpensive.
2. Extension Tubes/Bellows
Extension Tubes and Bellows are
pieces of equipment that put space
between the camera body and
the lens thus allowing the lens to
focus closer. An extension tube
has a fixed dimension whereas
bellows vary in the amount of
extension they can offer. They
work well with certain lenses. If
you have a 50mm prime lens, this
might be a good option
to get into macro work at
an affordable cost, using
extension tubes or bellows.
Extension tubes often
come in sets of three, in
different widths (some
expensive tubes tend to
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be sold individually) that can be
used singly or combined to get the
magnification required. One area
where extension tubes really shine
is for making a long focal length
lens (like 300mm) focus much
closer, which is great for
photographing skittish
dragonflies and other
critters. Bellows work on
the same principle but
as mentioned earlier, but
are expandable, allowing
a great deal of flexibility.
The real downside to
bellows is the high cost
plus the bulk and weight.
Most people use bellows
for studio work only as
they aren’t very practical
in the field.
Ceropegia Vincaefolia
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/200sec, f/6.3, ISO 200, handheld.
This is a rare and unique flower.
To show its natural beauty with
blurred, even-green background, I
purposely photographed it at wideopen aperture.
3. Lens Reversal Rings
Lens reversal rings
allow you to mount a
lens ‘backwards’ on the
camera body. When used
with high quality prime
lenses the results can
be stunning and if you
reverse a wide angle lens,
often you can achieve
August 2014 Smart Photography
87
LEARNING
on top of your main lens, but
between it and your camera body.
Teleconverters are more commonly
associated with telephoto and
wildlife shooting, but they can
also be useful for macro, enabling
you to get a shot from further
away. Since most lenses won’t get
anywhere near life-size on their
own though, magnification with
even a 2x teleconverter will still be
somewhat limited.
5. Stacking lenses
Using a special adapter, a lens
having a short focal length, can
be attached in reverse to another
lens, usually of a longer focal
length. As an example, a 200mm
lens can be attached to the camera
body. Then attach the adapter to
the filter thread and finally, attach
(in reverse) a 50mm lens. This is
known as Stacking Lenses. In this
case, the 50mm lens acts like a
highly corrected supplementary
lens and can be used at wide open
aperture. The other lens (200mm
in out example), could be used at
a narrow aperture like f/16 to gain
DOF.
The formula to calculate the
resulting magnification is : Focal
length of the primary lens (200mm
in our example) divided by the
focal length of the coupled lens
Deccan Banded
Gecko cleaning
eye
Nikon D90, Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
f/16, ISO 200, handheld.
Geckos normally clean
their eyes with their
tongue. The apt movement is captured using a
macro lens and flash.
(50mm in our example), or 4x.
This means that a subject 1/4” in
length would reproduce as 1” on
the film/sensor.
Importance of Tripod
At high magnification, even the
slightest vibration can mar your
image. To minimize this problem,
you should have a good, solid
tripod. This means not just the
‘legs’, but the ‘head’ as well. There’s
no such thing as a light-weight
sturdy tripod. Nor is there such a
thing as a cheap and sturdy tripod.
Invest in the best tripod you can
reasonably justify purchasing. Be
sure your tripod is tall enough
for you so you don’t have to stoop
over to use it. While a lot of macro
work will be low to the ground,
you want your tripod to work
well for all your shooting, not just
macro. You want a tripod with
independently adjustable legs since
you may be working at times on
uneven ground. A tripod that has
no center column makes low level
shooting much more doable than
other systems that require you to
invert the center column.
If you shoot a lot of macro, you
may want to consider getting a
dedicated low or ground-level
tripod with a good tripod head
for it, in addition to your regular
tripod. Switching heads back and
forth can be a real pain.
Image Stabilization:
VR / IS / VC
Atlas Moth
Nikon D90, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/60sec, f/9, ISO 200, handheld.
This is the world’s largest moth
measuring around 10 inches. The moth
had just emerged from its cocoon at late
night and I photographed it using flash.
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Smart Photography August 2014
If your camera is not tripodmounted, image stabilization
(built into the body or the lens)
is certainly advantageous for
sharper shots. Though true for all
genres of photography, in macro
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pollens / stigma of
the flower you are
photographing.
2. Eye to eye: Try
to photograph your
subjects at their level,
especially when you
are shooting insects,
flowers and other
macro subjects. By
moving down to the
level of your subject
you increase the
apparent size and
importance of the
object.
Scorpion babies
photography especially, camera
shake can adversely affect the
image formed on the sensor and
the image in the viewfinder. This
is especially relevant to hand-held
shooting at higher magnifications,
since the inability to properly
compose and focus due to a shaky
image in the viewfinder makes it
extremely difficult to record sharp
images. The technology in image
stabilizers calculate the direction
and the amount of shake at the
image plane and try to stabilize it,
thus rendering sharper pictures in
hand-held situations.
Flash
There is a general assumption
that flash photography is ‘flat
photography’ and if you are using
a ‘ring flash’ then the light is “flat,
shadowless, and uninteresting”.
This is not necessarily true. If you
use flash correctly and creatively,
it can provide quite flexible and
interesting lighting for all your
macro work. Flash can be built
into your D-SLR or can be an
accessory unit attached to the
accessory shoe (hot shore) or
could be a ring flash fitted around
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with mother
the lens. Flash can be very useful
for boosting the natural, diffused Nikon D70s, Tamron
180mm macro, 1/60sec,
light illuminating our macro
f/20, ISO 200, handheld.
subjects. In-built flash is generally A rare chance in the wild.
not good enough if your subject is Scorpion mother carrying
babies on her back. The sun
very close to the lens as the flash
was quite high in the sky,
light is likely to fall beyond the
so fill-in flash was used to
subject and not on it. So, for macro keep the tail’s shadow as it
is in the photo.
photography, ring flash is quite
useful. Ring flash is a convenient
way to light close-up subjects in
nature / field. Some ring flashes
also allow you to control the
modeling on the subject. If you
are doing macro photography on
regular basis, then you should
certainly think of buying a good
dedicated ring flash. But a ring
flash may not be that useful for the
general non-macro photography.
Some tips for macro photography
1. Control your depth of field:
You can control the depth of field
and put the background out of
focus, and thus make your subject
‘stand out’. Using a wider aperture,
you can control the in-focus area
and thus concentrate the viewer’s
gaze on the subject’s eyes, or
3. Lighting: The light
falling on your subject
is extremely important,
so pay proper attention
to lighting. The subject
should be properly lit
and there should be no
overexposed highlights
or underexposed
shadows.
4. Look for abstract
compositions: Try to be
innovative. It is not necessary to
record the entire flower / insect all
the time. You can, for example, just
frame some part of it and make the
picture look unusually interesting
or artistic.
5. Know your subject: If you
are going in for flower / insect
photography for example, keep
a track of the flower’s blooming
period and timing, or the habits
(like feeding time, roosting time
etc) of the insects. This will
definitely help you in the long
period.
Macro photography, like all
other genres of photography,
demands the photographer’s
dedication along with a good dose
of technical knowledge. Its often
not too easy to photograph macro
subjects; you got to be ready to
go down on your knees or even
go flat on the ground, without
worrying about what the
onlookers may think or say. Happy
shooting!
August 2014 Smart Photography
89
LEARNING
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
& LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Rohinton Mehta
“The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see” ...G. K. Chesterton
H
ow very true! A traveller is
a sort of a wanderer; he has
no goal in mind, he travels
wherever fate takes him. The tourist
has definite plans of visiting some
place he has in his mind, to see “what
he has come to see”.
Whichever place or land you travel
to, there is no shortage of subjects
to photograph – people, historical
monuments, libraries, street scenes,
lakes, rivers, seas, boats, ships,
aircrafts, beautiful homes, gardens
and landscapes of all sorts to name
a few. Since landscapes are probably
one of the most photographed
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Smart Photography August 2014
Travel
care to know. The Internet shows you
various nearby locations too and how
to get there. You can also do your
hotel bookings, air/train/taxi travel
bookings etc on the Net.
Travel, which at one time used
to be time-consuming and often
uncomfortable, is now easy, thanks to
technological advances in transport
and communication. The best way
is to first decide on your travel
destination. Today, fortunately, we
have the Internet to help us. All
that you have to do is type out the
location in the search engine of
your choice, and presto! You’ll have
(sometimes) more details than you’d
If you have decided to travel abroad,
make sure that you have at least 6
months left before your passport
expires and that you have some
blank pages remaining in your
passport. Do remember that air
tickets bought at the last minute
can cost much more, so book your
air tickets well in advance. When
travelling abroad, be vigilant and
take utmost care of your passport
subjects during travel, we shall devote
this write-up to tips for travel and
landscape photography.
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and other valuables like your
camera and laptop. Avoid leaving
your camera/laptop in the hotel
when you go out because these
items are the first to be stolen. As
a precaution, scan your passport
and email the same to your own
email ID. Do take health insurance
because attending to any medical
problem will cost you an arm and
a leg. Check with your medical
practitioner and carry your personal
medicines too. Keep a copy of your
hotel bookings, just in case.
If travelling within the country, there
is no need to carry your passport but
do observe the same guidelines as
mentioned above. Yes, do carry some
sort of identification (driving licence,
PAN card etc) because you may have
to prove your identity, especially at air
terminals and even for train travel.
Very important.
1) Keep a note of your bank’s
telephone numbers in case your
credit card is stolen or lost. In such
an unfortunate event, contact the
bank immediately to freeze your
account, lest someone use the card
to empty your account. Keep the
telephone numbers in 2-3 different
diaries/notebooks for safety.
2) Keep in a safe place (not on
the mobile phone) your mobile
phone’s IMEI number. (Dial *#06#
and you’ll get the 15 digit IMEI
number).
In case your mobile phone is stolen,
send the IMEI number via email to
[email protected]
There is no need to go to the police.
Your mobile will be traced in the
next 24 hours via GPRS and the
Internet. You will also know where
the mobile phone is being used,
even if the thief changes the mobile
number.
What else should you carry?
Always carry a torchlight (don’t forget
to check the batteries), a GPS device
if possible, your day-to-day clothes
(but don’t overload your travel bag;
often you’ll have to carry your own
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luggage!), and cash/traveller cheques.
Also remember to carry two more
important items – courtesy and your
smile! Courtesy and a smile may
ease your discomforts with fellow
travellers and those in authority.
Landscapes
Landscapes are found everywhere,
whether you live in a city full of
maddening crowds, or whether
you live in a picturesque village in
Switzerland! Hence opportunities
are available to everyone, albeit to a
greater or lesser degree. In case you
feel that you can get great landscape
images only if you go to a beautiful
countryside, I am still with you, but
that does not mean that you can
never get good landscapes in the city
you dwell in.
Discipline
Travel and Landscape photography,
like any other genre of photography,
requires dedication and discipline.
Lazy photographers – those who
want to sleep till 9am, those who only
want to move around in a car, those
who do not want to face the vagaries
of nature, those who do not want to
face difficulties – should not attempt
travel and landscape photography!
You have to be up and around when
the sun peeps its golden head through
that mountain range; you have to be
around when the sun calls it a day!
Remember, when you photograph
landscapes, it is the light in its various
shades that you are recording, not
the topography. And good light for
landscapes is generally from presunrise up to 10am and from roughly
4.30pm to after sunset (also depends
on the season and your location on
the globe).
Equipment
Then comes the question of photo
equipment to take along. This is, for
me at least, the most difficult decision.
Which camera body/bodies should I
carry? Which lenses should I carry?
Which filters should I carry? Am I
game lugging around my trusty tripod?
Should I carry a macro lens too? And
what about that flashgun? Should I
carry a hand-held light meter? Well,
here are my personal views:
a) Camera body: Always carry an
extra camera body if you are using
an interchangeable lens camera. If
you are using a fixed lens model,
carry an extra camera! Remember, if
your camera body/camera conks out
when you are at an exotic location
(and such things do happen), and if
you don’t have another body/camera,
you’ll kick yourself in the back.
Suggestion: Considering the fact that
you would be lugging your camera
for the better part of the day, a Micro
Four Thirds model would be very
helpful in keeping down the weight.
Also, a camera body that offers a
‘Level Indicator’ or a framing grid
would be of additional help.
b) What size sensor? Should your
camera have a full-frame (36 x
24mm) imaging sensor, APS-C
(approx. 24 x 16mm), Micro Four
Thirds (Approx. 17 x 13mm), 1-inch
Type (12.8 x 9.6mm) or one of those
tiny sensors used in Compacts
and Bridge cameras? Theoretically,
the full-frame sensor scores when
it comes to image quality. It uses
larger photosites and hence has
better control over digital noise. It
also offers better dynamic range. In
practical terms, the APS-C sensor can
provide almost similar results (many
people may not be able to distinguish
between pictures shot with fullframe and APS-C sensor cameras).
Micro Four Thirds sensors offer very
good image quality too, but in low
light situations (and in shadows),
may not be as good as the larger
sensors, particularly with regard to
digital noise and dynamic range.
Also consider the 1” Type sensors
found in some modern ‘professionaltype’ cameras which give very good
results. I am not a fan of small sensor
cameras and would not consider
using a small sensor camera for any
serious photography, unless the
intention is to see the images only
on-screen. Having said that, with
every new generation of small-sensor
cameras, I see a lot of improvement in
image quality.
c) Lenses: You may have a ton of
lenses, but obviously you cannot
carry them all (unless your name
happens to be Hercules!). Remember,
August 2014 Smart Photography
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LEARNING
whichever lens you don’t carry, you’ll
have a need for it! (Murphy’s Law?).
So then how do you get over this
problem? Consider how often you
are likely to use a particular lens. If
the answer is ‘rarely’ or ‘may be’, then
leave the lens at home. You can surely
do without that lens!
the same zoom lens on his camera
body, uses his feet to ‘zoom’; he
considers each marked focal length
as a different prime lens and goes
towards or away from his subject to
compose his frame. Whom do you
think will have images with better
perspective? Everything else being
equal, photographer ‘B’ of course.
While photographer ‘A’ will have
different areas covered (because he
changed the focal length between
each shot), all his shots will have
identical perspective; photographer
‘B’ will have different perspectives
because he changed the position of
his lens for each shot.
Generally, landscapes involve the
use of wide-angle lenses, but that
does not mean that you cannot
photograph landscapes with ‘normal’
or ‘telephoto’ lenses. It all depends
on what you want to convey to the
viewer. And whilst we are talking of
lenses, let me crib about how zoom
lenses are responsible for poor image
perspectives.
A lesson to learn: Don’t use your
zoom lens as a zoom lens; instead
consider each focal length setting
as a different prime lens and get
different perspectives by moving
your feet instead.
Here’s how photographer ‘A’ takes his
shots using a zoom lens. He stands
at the same position and merely
takes shots at the various focal length
settings his zoom lens offers. He feels
happy because the angle of view his
lens covers is different for each shot!
Then there is the question of
duplicating the focal lengths. Let’s
say you have a 70-200mm as well as
a 70-300mm lens. Should you carry
both? The 70-300mm includes the
70-200mm range so why carry the
extra weight? You might say that the
70-200mm is f/2.8 throughout while
the 70-300mm is f/5.6 at the longer
end and hence carrying the faster
lens gives you a 2-stop advantage.
True, but then again you get into a
Catch-22 situation (a situation from
which you cannot escape). You either
carry the slower lens with the longer
focal range or carry both and then
crib about the extra weight! Or if
you are more likely to shoot in low
light, consider the faster lens with
the shorter focal range and leave the
other lens at home.
Photographer ‘B’, in spite of having
Panasonic 35-400mm
f/2.8 lens
Panasonic 12-35mm
f/2.8 lens
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
Nikon 70-200 f/4 lens.
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Smart Photography August 2014
What about a macro lens? Should
you carry it? If you plan to do only
landscapes, you could consider leaving
the macro lens at home but if you are
also carrying say, a 50mm ‘normal’
lens, you could instead consider the
50/60mm ‘macro’ lens which can serve
the purpose of the ‘normal’ lens as well
as the ‘macro’ lens.
Should you use ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ lenses?
For landscape photography we
generally try for maximum depth
of field and more often than not,
use narrow apertures like f/8 or
f/11. Hence having a ‘fast’ lens is not
important, but do remember that
‘fast’ lenses autofocus faster (and often
more accurately too).
d) Filters: The filters I would
recommend for travel and landscape
photography are Circular Polariser,
Neutral Density and Gradual Neutral
Density.
e) Flashgun: What about the
flashgun? Again, if you are unlikely to
use it or use it very rarely, you might
as well as leave the flashgun at home.
f) Tripod: Don’t leave home without
one! Early mornings and late
evenings, which are the best times
to shoot landscapes, come with their
own problems – medium to low
light. You could always push up the
ISO but that also means more digital
noise and lower dynamic range. A
tripod will allow you to shoot at your
camera’s native ISO (ISO for which
the imaging sensor is designed) with
whatever aperture you like to control
the depth of field. But do remember
that if the shutter speed gets too low,
subject movement (swaying trees etc)
is likely to cause blurry images.
Note: Some readers may consider
this point as moot or even silly. I do
understand your reasons for feeling
that way. I do understand that you
don’t want to be burdened with a
tripod when you are out enjoying
your holidays. There are times when I
myself feel that way but nothing stops
me from carrying a small lightweight
tripod. As someone had once said, a
lightweight tripod is better than the
steadiest hands!
g) Hand-held light meter: Most
photographers today do not carry
a hand-held light meter. The newer
generation do not even know that
such a thing exists or how important
it is to have one. If I am going for
serious photography, I always rely on
my hand-held light meter because it
gives me the ability to measure off a
very tiny area (1-degree), whereas the
Spot Meter in the camera reads 3-5%
of the screen area (depending on the
make and model of the camera) and
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this is not good enough for me. So
many a times, I include my hand-held
light meter and, if necessary, travel
with one lens less.
Please remember that the tips given
above are intended for travel and
landscape photography without
breaking your back with equipment
weight. Someone once asked me,
what is your message to budding
travel and landscape photographers?
My answer, which applies to all
genres of photography, is “Give
up your comforts. If you prefer
comforts, better stay at home and
watch some soap opera on TV”.
1. Go close to your subject
Most beginners in photography
try to include anything and
everything in the frame. In a few
situations that might be okay,
but in most cases, this only helps
to clutter the image and take
away the importance of the main
element in the scene. Hence it
is often necessary to go closer
to the main subject so that the
viewer’s attention goes straight
x
2. Keep horizons levelled
This is especially true when
your subject is a water body.
Remember, water maintains
its own level and tilting your
water-body composition feels
as if the water will run down to
one side!
Tilted horizon
Composition
“Composition is the strongest
way of seeing” - Edward
Weston
Composition to a photographer
is what flower arrangement is to
a florist. Your neighbourhood
florist just does not pick
up flowers from his basket,
wrap them up in a bundle
and hand them over to you.
He painstakingly arranges
the flowers in a bouquet in
a manner that looks most
beautiful. An artist carefully
chooses the colours and the
various elements in his drawing
and places them at strategic
positions which create the
best viewer appeal. Similarly,
a landscape photographer has
to choose which elements in
nature should be included in
his frame and which discarded.
This arrangement of various
elements in our frame is
what we refer to by the term
‘composition’.
to that element. Other elements
in the frame, if any, should be
subservient to the primary subject.
Level horizon
Good composition can improve
a not-so-good photo but bad
composition can ruin an
otherwise good picture. Volumes
have been written on how to
improve photographs through
good composition but the
limited space for this write-up
means that we can discuss just
a few.
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
93
LEARNING
x
If foreground is more important, keep 2/3rd
for the foreground and 1/3rd for the sky
Do not divid the picture into two equal halves
If sky is more important, keep 2/3rd for
the sky and 1/3rd for the foreground
Aerial Perspective
3. Avoid horizons passing through
the center of the frame
Avoid placing the horizon in the dead
centre (or close to the dead centre) of
the frame. Doing so divides the picture
in two equal (or nearly equal) halves
and thus divides the viewer’s attention.
4. Create visual depth
Our photographs have only
2-dimensions (width and height),
whereas we see in 3-dimensions
Leading-in lines
94
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Including a foreground element helps to increase visual depth
(width, height and depth). Hence
it is necessary to create the third
dimension of depth in our photos.
This can be done using leading-in
lines, aerial perspective, having an
element with distinct foreground
interest, mid-ground and
background, frame within a frame,
and also by using a narrow aperture
that increases the depth of field.
5. Rule of Thirds
If you mentally divide a scene in
three equal parts, vertically as well
as horizontally, the four points of
intersection are strongest points that
S-curve
various elements in the frame, lest it
appears lop-sided.
7. Diagonal lines, C-curves,
S-curves
Diagonal lines, C-curves and
S-curves tend to strengthen a
picture.
8. Format
Pictures can be shot in an horizontal
format (as most people do) or in
a vertical format. Most landscapes
look better in a horizontal format
(probably because we see wider
using our two eyes), but that
shouldn’t stop you from using the
vertical format. Tall thin mountains,
trees, rivers meandering through a
The tree on the left is balanced
by the tree on the right
attract the viewer’s attention. Hence
important elements of the picture
should ideally lie on one of these
points. Do not place the centre of
interest in the centre of the frame
(Because it looks dull and static)
unless its an extreme close-up. The
four points of intersection are the
strongest to place the main element of
your scene.
6. Balance
Try to create a balance between the
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August 2014 Smart Photography
95
LEARNING
Even though we see in colour, consider landscapes in B&W too
forest are examples where vertical
framing can look very nice. Do
remember that about 85% of books
and magazines are in the vertical
format!
Yes, and don’t forget, a square
composition can often look bold and
beautiful.
The Final Word
Be different. Be creative. Take the
route that others don’t take. Don’t
shoot the same pictures that every
Tom, Dick and Harry takes. Your
pictures need to be different. This is
the key to unlock your potential.
Some do’s and don’ts
These do’s and don’ts apply to all
genres of photography but in some
ways it is more important from the
tourist’s point of view. A tourist
can’t always go back to his travel
destination for a variety of reasons
and hence these guidelines are more
important to him.
96
Smart Photography August 2014
1. Make a list of all things (especially
photography related) to take along
2. Carry extra memory cards
3. Don’t take along memory cards
that have had some problem earlier
on. For example, a particular
memory card has given you some
sort of error warning which later on
went away by formatting the card.
This becomes a ‘suspect card’. Either
throw it away or leave it at home (or
present it to a photographer you don’t
like!)
4. Change the memory card in the
camera before it becomes 100% full.
You can set your camera to show
how many frames are remaining
and when the camera shows that 2-3
frames are remaining, replace the
card.
5. Get into the habit of backing
up your images, either on another
memory card, CD/DVD, laptop or
an external hard drive.
6. Don’t keep all the backup images
in the same carrying bag. Put them
in different bags, just in case one
bag is lost/stolen or pilfered.
7. Carry extra camera/flash
batteries. And don’t forget the
battery chargers.
8. Double (and triple) check your
list to make sure you have not left
out anything. Tick mark each item
when you place it in your bag.
9. If you are like me who
sometimes forgets where I have put
what, make a smaller list to remind
yourself but don’t lose that list!
Try subtle variations in your
exposures and take many
pictures. Not all will be
masterpieces, but the good ones
will keep your memory fresh for a
long long time.
www.smartphotography.in
106
Lens Review
98
Head-To-Head
Macro Lenses for
Nikon FX mount
110
Lens Review
SIGMA 50 MM
F/1.4 DG HSM (Art)
112
114
Flashgun Review
NISSIN i40
Reviews
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
APO Distagon T* Lens
Smartphone Review
Sony Xperia Z2
Change in Rating System
Smart Photography’s new rating
system exercises stricter evaluation
in view of improvements in the
overall performance of photographic
equipment. Marks will be awarded for
the following parameters...
Final Rankings
Recommended ......................................... 75-80%
Best Buy .........................................81% and above
D-SLR CAMERAS
LENSES
COMPACT CAMERAS
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Key Features........................................... (out of 20)
Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)
Ergonomics ............................................. (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)
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)
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)
Value for Money ................................. (out of 10)
Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)
Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)
Grand Total ......................................... (out of 100)
Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Hunt for the ‘Detailer’
Sujith Gopinath
M
acro subjects
evoke lot of
interest to all
people alike. The lure
could be in the details
that otherwise escape our
vision, or the colourful
world of insects. A Macro
lens is one that every
photographer desires to
add to his kitbag. Rarely do
you choose a specialist lens
first and scout for a D-SLR
that can go with it. Hence
for lens tests, it makes
more sense to compare
lenses in such a way that
we end up suggesting the
best lens for a particular
format of D-SLRs from the
same brand. In this test,
we compare Macro lenses
that are made for Nikon
FX format (Full-Frame)
camera bodies and attempt
to suggest the best option
in the market.
For this test, we
approached all prominent
manufacturers that
produced lenses for Nikon
FX bodies and which
were easily available in
the Indian market. The
list included Nikon,
Sigma, and Tamron.
Unfortunately, the Sigma
distributor politely
informed us that they did
not have any macro lens
readily available. So we
were left with Nikon and
Tamron. So this test is
between the AF-S Micro
Nikkor 60mm 1:2.8G
ED, AF-S micro Nikkor
105mm 1:2.8G ED VR,
Tamron SP AF 90mm 1:2.8
Di Macro 1:1, and Tamron
SP 90mm 1:2.8 Di VC USD
Macro.
98
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Design and Build Quality
The outer body of the Nikon 60mm
lens is made of sturdy polycarbonate
material, while the Nikon 105mm is
made of metal and is undoubtedly the
most rugged amongst the four. It is
also the largest and heaviest. Both the
Tamrons have polycarbonate exteriors.
The Tamron 90mm VC (since both
the Tamrons have near-identical
designations, we would use VC or
non-VC to distinguish between the two)
is the second in both bulk and weight.
All the lenses have metal mounts. All
except the Tamron SP 90mm non-VC
lens have rubber cushions near the lens
mount as a weather-sealing measure.
Key Features
The following table will give you
an idea of how the key features are
matched. Both the Nikkor 105mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC feature
image stabilisation in the form of VR
(Vibration Reduction) in the Nikon
and VC (Vibration Correction) in the
Tamron. The Nikkor 105mm offers
the longest working distance, while
the Nikkor 60mm offers the shortest
working distance. The non-VC Tamron
is physically longer at 1:1 magnification,
thereby reducing the working distance.
Feature
Nikkor 60mm
f/2.8G ED
62mm
Filter Size (Dia)
Magnification ratio 1:1
Max. Aperture
F/2.8
Min. Aperure
F/45
Image stabilisation No
High-speed motor Yes, SWM
Diaphragm blades 9
No. of Elements
12
No. of Groups
9
Special Elements
1 x ED, 2 x Asph
Special Coatings
Nano
Crystal Coat
Min. Focus distance 18.5cm
Working distance 4.8cm
Diameter
73mm
Min. Length
89mm
Max. Length
89mm
Weight
425g
Accessories
Lens Hood,
Lens Pouch
www.smartphotography.in
Performance
Both the Nikkors feature Silent Wave
Motors, while the Tamron 90mm VC
features Ultrasonic Silent Drive. The
Tamron 90mm non-VC does not
feature any high-speed motor.
The lenses were tested on a D800E body
in JPEG format to keep consistency with
the internal sharpening applied. VR/
IS was turned off and the camera was
mounted on a sturdy tripod.
Ergonomics
Coming to the comfort of using the
lenses, the Nikkor 105mm, being
heavy and bulky, induces more
fatigue to your hands. The focus
rings are narrower and the grips are
smoother in the Nikkors compared
to the Tamrons. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens has the best grip, and being
thinner and lighter than the Nikkor,
is easier to handle. The Tamron
non-VC version comes second in
user-comfort, while the Nikkor
60mm takes the third place. All
except the Nikkor 60mm have focus
limiter switches for faster focusing,
but this does not essentially put the
Nikkor 60mm at an advantage since
you need to turn the focus ring only
about 180 degrees to cover the entire
range of focus. The Tamron non-VC
lens has a nice push-pull type AF/MF
switch, but on the flip side, this is the
only lens that does not have internal
focussing and hence the lens barrel
extends considerably while focussing.
Nikkor 105mm
f/2.8G ED VR
62mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/57
Yes, VR
Yes, SWM
9
14
12
1 x ED
Nano
Crystal Coat
31.4cm
15.4cm
83mm
116mm
116mm
790g
Lens Hood,
Lens Pouch
Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
58mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/64
Yes, VC
Yes, USD
9
14
11
2 x XLD, 1 x LD
eBand
coating
30cm
13.9cm
76.4mm
114.5mm
114.5mm
550g
Lens Hood
AF Speed
All lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC feature high-speed motors
and all of them were equally fast in
focussing. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
was slow and noisy while focussing.
Darkening of Corners
To test darkening of corners, we kept the
Vignette Control feature in the camera
to ‘High’ so that all lenses were povided
the same advantage. All lenses exhibited
Darkening of Corners at the widest
aperture. The Nikkor 105mm produced
the least darkening followed by the
Tamron 90mm non-VC. The Tamron
90mm VC came third.
Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di
55mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/64
No
No
9
10
9
Data Not Available
Data Not
Available
29cm
10.6cm
71.5mm
97mm
163mm
405g
Lens Hood,
Case
Flare and Chromatic Aberration
To test Flare and Chromatic Aberration,
we usually photograph strong sunlight
peeping through branches. But the
monsoon clouds spoiled our plans
and hence we had to simulate the
situation in the studio. A studio light
was kept behind a cardboard with holes
punched on it to test flare and chromatic
aberration. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
controlled flare better than all others,
though the difference was very small.
The Nikkor 60mm came a very close
second, while both the Nikkor 105mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC produced
slightly higher flare. In case of chromatic
aberration, the Tamron 90mm nonVC produced heavy purple fringing.
The Nikkor 105mm also produced
prominent purple fringing, but less
than that of the Tamron. Both the
other lenses produced slight magenta
fringing. In this, the Nikkor 60mm
fared marginally better than the Tamron
90mm VC.
Distortion
None of the lenses produced any
perceptible distortion, and hence they
all share full points.
Sharpness
Evaluating the sharpness of macro
lenses at 1:1 magnification is very
challenging because of the very shallow
August 2014 Smart Photography
99
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 1.0sec; ISO:100
NIKKOR 60MM F/2.8G ED
100
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 1.0sec; ISO:100
NIKKOR 105MM F/2.8G ED VR
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
101
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 0.6sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI VC USD
102
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/11.0; Shutter Speed: 0.8sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI
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August 2014 Smart Photography
103
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Nikon FX mount
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI VC USD
FINAL SCORE
depth-of-field. Even a fractional
difference in alignment of the film
plane with the subject plane can make
a significant difference in the depth-offield and hence the sharpness. Because
of the inconsistency in results, we did
not take into account the peripheral
sharpness. Comparing the centre
sharpness, all the four lenses had
identical sweet spots at f/11. All the
lenses are manufactured to provide
the best sharpness in the range of
f/11 to f/32. After the sweet spots
were obtained, the sharpness was
again compared using a slightly lower
magnification (less than 1:1) so that
it provided better depth-of-field. The
Nikkor 60mm, Nikkor 105mm, and the
Tamron 90mm VC lenses were equally
sharp (when visually observed). The
Tamron 90mm non-VC was slighly soft.
We also found that the Tamron 90mm
non-VC lens overexposed the images.
Since the same camera body was used
for all the lenses, we presume it to be
the slight inaccuracy in the aperture
mechanism. The Tamron 90mm VC
NIKKOR 60MM
F/2.8G ED
FINAL SCORE
69%
Design and Build Quality 12/20
Design and Build Quality 8/20
Key Features
17/20
Key Features
13/20
Ergonomics
19/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
4.5/5
3.5/5
3.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
21/25
Sub-Total
Value for Money
12/15
Value for Money
Total
NIKKOR 105MM
F/2.8G ED VR
FINAL SCORE
75%
81%
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI
FINAL SCORE
81/100
Design and Build Quality 18/20
Key Features
13/20
Key Features
19/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Ergonomics
13/20
4/5
4/5
5/5
3.5/5
19.5/25
Total
13/15
68.5/100
lens, however, produced the most
consistent results.
75%
Design and Build Quality 14/20
3/5
Value for Money
The Nikkor 105mm retails at an MRP
of Rs.60,000, while the Nikkor 60mm
f/2.8G carries a price tag of Rs.40,250.
The Tamron SP 90mm non-VC lens
retails at Rs.28,900, while the Tamron SP
90mm VC is priced at Rs.39,800.
VERDICT
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
104
4.5/5
3/5
4.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
21.5/25
11/15
74.5/100
Smart Photography August 2014
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
4.5/5
4.5/5
3/5
5/5
4.5/5
17/25
8/15
75/100
Choosing a specialist lens is no mean
feat. For high-end professionals, the most
imprortant consideration is image quality,
whereas for amateurs, the price matters a
lot. In this review, we have attempted to
provide a comprehensive report, by which
both the professionals and amateurs can
easily make a choice. Please note that the test
result reflects the performance of the test
equipment that the manufacturers provided
to Smart Photography, and the results could
vary slightly from piece to piece. As you
can see, the results are indeed very close.
Overall, the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC
USD wins this test, most importantly owing
to the smart pricing.
www.smartphotography.in
PAGE
180 ISSUE
RS.125
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 09
SEPTEMBER 2013
THE BIG FIGHT: NORMAL LENSES
●
PREMIUM COMPACTS
●
REVIEWS: CANON EOS 70D
TOUGH CAMERAS
RS.125
SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 ZOOM
●
PENTAX K-50
RS.125
INTERVIEW
SURAJ DAS
LEARNING: STAR TRAIL
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Canon EOS 70D
EXPERT TECHNIQUES
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HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH BABIES
BASIC TIPS FOR
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NIKLESH MALKANI
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ALL ABOUT
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HIGHLIGHT WARNING AND HISTOGRAM
ALSO REVIEWED
OLYMPUS 45MM F/1.8 MSC
SIGMA 18-35MM F/1.8 DC HSM
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August 2014*
City
LENS REVIEW
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus APO Distagon T* Lens
The “best lens” money
can buy for a D-SLR!
Ashok Kandimalla
behaves like an AF lens
with focus confirmation
and compatibility with all
exposure modes and meter
patterns.
Y
es! You have read the price
correctly. It is indeed a
breathtaking Rupees two
lakhs seventy nine thousand nine
hundred fifty only! That makes it
one of the most expensive ‘normal’
lenses on the market today (the
others being made by Leica).
Before we go into the review here
is a brief introduction. This lens
like other Zeiss lenses for D-SLRs
are designed in Germany but are
manufactured in Japan. Uniquely,
each Zeiss lens is individually
tested and is supplied with a
signed inspection certificate. This
particular model is available in
Canon and Nikon mounts.
The lens is unusually large
and heavy for a normal lens.
It is far closer in dimensions
and weight to a 24-70mm f/2.8
lens! The filter diameter is a
huge 77mm.
Key Features
The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus is
based on an unusually complex
design (for a normal lens) with
no less than 12 elements in 10
groups. Of these, one element
is aspheric and six elements are
made of special anomalous partial
dispersion glass. It also uses Zeiss’
famed T* multi-coating to reduce
reflections.
Design And Build Quality
Like all German lenses this lens
has a name and is called APO
Distagon (APO stands for an apochromatic design). The lens also
has an additional name “Otus”.
Otus incidentally is the name of
a sub-species of owls which have
excellent night vision!
` 2,79,950
Inside the Box
✓ 77mm snap-on front lens cap
✓ Rear lens cap
✓ Metal lens hood
✓ User manual
✓ Warranty card
✓ Inspection report.
106
Smart Photography August 2014
The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus
APO Distagon lens is built like
a heavy main battle tank. It has
all metal construction (except
for the rubber covered aperture
and focusing rings) and looks
beautiful in satin black. The lens
flares out in the front ostensibly
to accommodate large diameter
front elements. The supplied
metal lens hood too is very well
made – strong with good flocking.
This is a manual focus only lens
but with electronic contacts. So,
apart from focusing it manually
(and as you will see, carefully) it
Zeiss says this lens has been
designed and made to make
the present generation high
pixel count D-SLRs (like Nikon
D800/e, D600 and Canon 5d
MkIII) achieve medium format
performance at a fraction of
the cost. We did not have an
opportunity to verify this claim
but there is no doubt this lens
belongs to a totally new class
hitherto not available, even
from Zeiss. Zeiss has specifically
stated that this lens has been
built with finest of (optical and
mechanical) materials and is
for all practical purposes free of
chromatic aberration. They also
www.smartphotography.in
Ashok Kandimalla
claim that the
lens resolves
consistently
with excellent
contrast
over the
entire frame
without any
aberrations
or distortion,
even fully
open. One
Zeiss engineer
told us that
this lens is
optimized
to give
outstanding
performance
at full
aperture and
if you need
more depth of
field (DOF)
you should
use focus
stacking!
Zeiss simply
claims it to
be the best
standard lens
in the world.
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/13sec ISO: 100
The aperture has 9 blades and
has a very circular opening to
aid the smoothness of bokeh.
All numbers and markings are
engraved (not screen printed) in
very legible bright yellow colour.
However, both meters and feet
on the distance scale are marked
in the same colour and this may
sometimes confuse the user.
Ergonomics
The lens supplied to us came with
a Nikon mount and we tested it
on a Nikon D600 body. The lens/
body combination was a bit front
heavy. Adding a battery pack to
the camera made the balance
better. As it employs an internal
focusing system the length of
the lens does not change when
you focus and so the balance
does not shift either. The front
element does not rotate thus
making it easy to use graduated
and polarizing filters. Both the
focusing and aperture rings
www.smartphotography.in
MINUS
• Super
expensive
• No whiz bang
technology
• Huge and
heavy for a
normal lens
are rubber covered. There is no
pattern on this rubber cover but
is made of very soft material and
hence prone to scratches. However,
it provides a very good nonslippery grip. Manual focusing
was a delight due to the very wide
and easily graspable focus ring.
The damping was excellent and
movement of the focusing ring was
silky smooth. You need to turn the
focusing ring as much as 248º to
focus from closest focusing point
to infinity. This large turn greatly
helps in precise focusing which is
essential for this lens. The aperture
ring (only for Nikon mount)
engages at half stop intervals with
very positive clicks and is marked
from f/1.4 to f/16.
Performance
As you would expect this lens is
an exceptional overall performer.
There was no chromatic aberration
visible. Nor could we observe
any noticeable distortions.
The contrast was excellent and
the colours were very vibrant
straight off the camera. All this
was maintained throughout the
frame. The most important aspect
was that the lens was absolutely
amazing when used fully open.
It was sharp corner to corner
even at f/1.4 with only very slight
degradation on the corners.
Vignetting was minimal. To get
most of this lens you need to focus
it very very carefully (at f/1.4 DOF
is wafer thin) in live-view with
zoom in (magnification). Using
focus confirmation is just not
accurate enough! There is simply
no point in buying this lens and
hoping to cover up sloppy focusing
with DOF. A tripod is a must to
get the best of this lens. The bokeh
is buttery smooth and guaranteed
to make even the most cluttered
background creamy.
Value For Money
Now for the sticker shock! This
August 2014 Smart Photography
107
LENS REVIEW
Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus APO Distagon T* Lens
Ashok Kandimalla
FINAL SCORE
82%
Design and Build Quality 19/20
Key Features
16/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Performance
Autofocus
Sharpness
Distortion Control
Aberrations
Darkening
of Corners
Extra Features
Sub-Total
lens is priced at a whopping Rs.
2,79,950/- (MRP). That is an
extraordinarily high number for
any normal D-SLR lens. We are
not aware of any normal lens
that costs even half of this. In
fact most normal lenses of this
speed and focal length are only
about 12% as expensive as the
Otus! So, is it worth it? This
largely depends on what you are
looking for. If you are planning
to use it as a “normal” normal
lens then this is just not worth
the money. However, if you are a
very contemplative photographer
or a studio/landscape shooter (or
someone else who just wants the
highest quality money can give)
3/5
23/30
Value for Money
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec ISO: 450
0/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
6/10
PLUS
then this may even be considered
as an “economical” alternative to a
medium format system. In
any case, remember that a lot of
care (especially in focusing) is
needed to extract the best out of
the Otus.
• Simply the best normal lens for D-SLRs
• Highest optical quality you can get
• Practically no aberrations or distortions.
• Capable of extracting the maximum out of present
high pixel density D-SLRs
• Razor sharp even wide open
• Superb build quality next to none
• Extremely smooth operation
• Long focus throw for precise manual focusing
VERDICT
This is a specialist lens. It will not appeal to tech buffs who are looking for
the latest technology like AF and VR. Also. it is perhaps simply beyond many
due to its price. However, not all lenses can claim to be “best in the world”
confidently the way Otus does. It is of a different breed and has been produced
with a simple but challenging brief to be the best in the world in this class by a
wide margin. The super-high price is reflected in its exemplary performance.
For those who want the “best in the world” normal lens this is the ticket.
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length & coverage
Aperture range
Lens construction
Picture angle
Highest magnification
Focusing Range
108
:
:
:
:
:
:
55mm, full frame
f/1.4 to f/16 (with ½ stop intervals)
12 elements in 10 groups
43.7° with full frame format
1:7
0.5 m – ∞
Smart Photography August 2014
No. of diaphragm blades
Filter/attachment size
Lens Hood
Diameter x length
Weight
:
:
:
:
9 (rounded)
77mm
Supplied, all metal construction
Approximately: diameter 92.5 mm, length
141 mm (without lens caps)
: Approximately 970gms
www.smartphotography.in
ADVERTORIAL
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Jealiot conducts research and development on
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Jealiot has recently launched a new feature rich
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PH: VIJAY: +91-9810258202, 011 23211774 Email: [email protected]
LENS REVIEW
SIGMA 50 MM F/1.4 DG HSM (Art)
An Expensive Affair!
Rohinton Mehta
I
n recent times, Sigma
has been giving a hard
time to the main players,
proving that they can make
lenses as good as or even
better than the competition.
Their high-end lenses are
marked as ‘Art’-series and
this 50mm f/1.4 lens that we
have on review is an ‘Art’ lens
with Canon mount. According
to the Company, “the Sigma
50mm 1.4 DG HSM has been
redesigned and re-engineered
to set a new standard for the
Art line”. The lens is available
in Sigma, Nikon, Canon
and Sony mount. Going by
its price, it seems that these
lenses are meant for the highend market. Let’s put the lens
through our gruelling test...
Design & Build Quality
` 72,900
Inside the Box
✓ Lens, with front & rear cap
✓ Lens hood
✓ Instruction sheet
✓ Lens case
110
Smart Photography August 2014
Heavy, large in size, and excellent
build quality; that’s how I would
describe the Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 DG
HSM Art lens. The body is mainly in
matte black colour and looks every
bit professional. The lens mount is
made from metal. A flower shaped
lens hood is provided. The lens
weighs 845g without front and rear
caps, but including the hood.
Key Features
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM (Art)
lens is designed for the full-frame
35mm format and is constructed
with 13 elements in 8 groups that
include Special Low-Dispersion
(SLD) glass and Super MultiLayer coating to provide superior
performance even at wider apertures.
A plastic window covers the distance
scale in meters and feet. DOF scale
is provided only for f/16. An AF/MF
focus switch is available on the left
of the lens. The aperture diaphragm
is made with 9 blades to provide
smooth bokeh. Accurate and silent
autofocus is ensured by the use
of a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM).
Filter thread is 77mm and the lens
dimensions are 85.4 (Dia.) x 99.9
mm (L).
Sigma offers (at extra cost) a USB
Dock which, when used with Sigma
Optimization Pro software, allows
you to update lens firmware, finetune autofocus, and perform few
other upgrades.
Ergonomics
We tested the lens using a Canon
EOS 6D body. The combination
felt quite heavy but the lens was
otherwise easy to use. The DOF scale
being only for f/16, wasn’t a great
help. A white, raised plastic dot at
the lens mount was useful in quickly
aligning the lens to the camera body.
The front element does not rotate
during focussing and this makes
it easy to use PL and Graduated
ND filters. Thick-rimmed filters
can cause vignetting, but Sigma’s
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/1.4 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec ISO: 800
every aperture, though
reducing at narrower
apertures.
Flare was reasonably
well controlled but some
purple fringing could be
seen around dark objects
in strong against-thelight shots.
Value for Money
Mahesh Reddy
The lens is available at
an MRP of Rs.72,900.
In spite of its great
performance, it is one
of the most expensive
‘normal’ lenses other
than the Zeiss Otus
55mm APO Distagon
T* which is reviewed on
page 106 of this issue.
instruction sheet clearly mentions so.
Performance
This is a peach of a lens! Images shot
outdoors with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4
DG HSM (Art) lens were sharp, with
perfect contrast and superb tonality.
Autofocus was smooth and quick, but
let’s give some credit to the body too
which has a part to play in it. Manual
focussing was smooth too. We did
not notice any lens distortion, which
is good.
Test shots indoors – of a newspaper
stuck flat on a wall – at a distance
of around 5 feet, and using a firm
tripod, were not as sharp as we
would have liked them to be. But
do remember that ‘normal’ lenses
are not designed for maximum
sharpness at such close distances.
In the indoors test, corners/
sides were not as sharp as at the
centre but by f/2.8, corners/sides
sharpness improved. Darkening
of corners/sides could be seen at
FINAL SCORE
PLUS
80%
Design and Build Quality 18/20
• Very sharp
• Good build
quality
Key Features
15/20
Ergonomics
16/20
MINUS
• Expensive
VERDICT
The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM (Art) lens is extremely sharp and is probably
one of the best ‘normal’ lens that we have ever tested. It may not be oozing
with features, but we did not ever feel the lack of them. The lens is heavy (for
a ‘normal’ lens) and the price is definitely high, but then, if you want super
quality, you should be ready to pay a super price. Best Buy indeed!
Performance
Autofocus
Sharpness
Distortion Control
Aberrations
Darkening
of Corners
Extra Features
Sub-Total
Value for Money
4/5
5/5
5/5
4/5
3/5
3/5
20/30
7/10
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length
Aperture range
Lens construction
Angle of view
Minimum focussing
www.smartphotography.in
:
:
:
:
:
50 mm
f/1.4 - 16
13 elements in 8 groups
46.8 degrees
40 cm (15.7 inches)
Maximum magnification
Filter size
Dia. x Length
Weight
:
:
:
:
1:5.6
77 mm
85.4 x 99.9 mm
845g without front & rear caps,
but including hood
August 2014 Smart Photography
111
FLASHGUN Review
NISSIN i40
The Little
Powerhouse!
Rohinton Mehta
Design & Build Quality
Compact and well designed, the
outer body is made from durable
plastic and the hot-shoe is made
with metal. The mounting foot
has a tiny pin that acts as a safetylock. A Quick Release button is
provided. Build quality is quite
good but the swivelling hinge
could have been made better. The
flashgun is made in China and
is currently available in Canon
(E-TTL, E-TTL-2) and Nikon
(iTTL) mounts. The i40 in Sony
and Fujifilm mounts are expected
soon.
Key Features
T
he Nissin i40 is a compact,
dedicated flashgun and is a
winner of the prestigious TIPA
Awards 2014 for the “Best Portable
Lighting System”. The i40 that we
received had a Canon mount and was
tested using a Canon EOS 6D fullframe camera.
The Nissin i40 flashgun has a GN
of 40m/132ft at ISO 100 (at 105mm
position of the flash-zoom-head).
With flash head set to 35mm
position, the GN is 27m/89ft at ISO
100. The head can rotate 180 degrees
to the right/left, tilt up to 90 degrees.
The head includes a ‘Fill-in Reflector’
and a ‘Wide-angle Diffuser’ (covers
up to 16mm). The fill-in reflector
slides out, revealing manual zoom
positions as per colour coding. A
continuous light source placed under
the flash-head acts as video light. In
low lighting conditions, the flashgun’s
AF-assist beam (0.7 - 5m) enables the
AF system to latch on. With Canon
models, the flash works in E-TTL II /
E-TTL mode.
The i40 has a convenient Mode Dial
and a Power Dial. The Mode Dial has
settings for:
a) Video light with 9 steps of output
level (Output power can be adjusted
using the Power Dial)
b) Full Automatic Mode (A)
c) TTL Program Mode (TTL). Flash
output can be adjusted in 9 steps:
-2.0, -1.5, -1.0, -0.5, 0, +0.5,
+1.0, +1.5 and +2.0 EV.
d) Manual mode (M). Fractional
power can be used, 1/1 up to 1/256
power.
e) Slave Digital (SD): For digital
cameras. Flash exposure is controlled
using the pre-flash system.
f) Slave Film (SF): For film cameras.
Flash exposure is controlled using
light reflected off the film.
g) Wireless TTL Slave Mode (A/B/C):
Wireless remote flash system.
Here is a table from the i40’s user
manual, showing the aperture and the
shutter control possible using the i40:
` 19,990
Inside the Box
✓ Flashgun
✓ Diffuser (Soft box)
✓ Flash stand
✓ Carabiner
✓ Pouch
✓ i40 Quick Manual
112
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
In TTL mode, the flash
output can be compensated
by +/- 2EV, in 0.5EV
adjustments. The flash has
an overheat protection
system. If the flash is
used in a continuous
burst at full power (20 to
30 flashes), the i40 will
automatically shut down
to prevent internal damage
through overheating
and will recover after 15
minutes of inactivity.
exposures (flash directly pointed at
the subject and also when bounced).
However, we did notice that
‘Daylight’ White Balance gave more
neutral colours than WB set to ‘Flash’.
Wireless TTL Slave Mode
We could not check the wireless
remote flash system as the Canon
EOS 6D camera does not have a
built-in flash.
Value for Money
PLUS
Ergonomics
Once you know how to,
the Nissin i40 is easy to
use. Using the flash on
the hot-shoe and the
built-in 16mm wide-angle
diffuser, I found the i40
quite suitable for closeup photography (but this
also depends on the focal length you
are using and the flash to subject
distance).
A detailed user manual is not
provided and has to be downloaded
from Nissin’s website. Unfortunately,
the user manual is poorly written
and is quite confusing. This could
possibly make it difficult for a
new-comer to use the i40 to its full
potential.
• Compact
• Reasonable
price
• Overall
performance
okay
Auto mode
Exposures in (non-TTL) auto mode
were satisfactory, except at the far
limits of the permissible distance,
where some underexposure was
noticed. This is true of most auto
flashguns.
TTL auto mode
Here too we were satisfied with the
MINUS
• Battery
compartment
lid flimsy
• Swivelling
hinge could
have been
better
The Nissin i40 flashgun is available
at an MRP of Rs.19,500. We feel the
price is justified.
FINAL SCORE
78%
Design and Build Quality 16/20
Key Features
16/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
15/20
Value for Money
16/10
VERDICT
PERFORMANCE
The flash unit was tested on a Canon
EOS 6D camera.
Manual mode
The i40 performed well when used
in manual mode. In this mode you
need to calculate the flash exposure
yourself by using the formula GN/
Distance = Aperture.
This is an extremely compact flash unit best suited for small D-SLRs,
Interchangeable Lens Compact Cameras and some non-interchangeable lens
compact cameras. It has excellent power output for its size and is feature rich.
The price is reasonable. The user interface is quite easy and all parameters
can be changed instantly without resorting to the menus. It’s small size and
reasonably low cost may have been the reason for some limitations like the
dials not being back-lit, and individual channel support removed, but these
may or may not be importance to you. All in all the i40 is a very compact unit
that will satisfy your needs. Recommended!
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Guide Number
: 40m/132ft at ISO 100 (Flash head set to 105mm)
27m/89ft at ISO 100 (Flash head set to 35mm)
Flash head
: Can rotate 180 degrees to the right/left; tilt 90 degrees
Flash head zoom range : 24-105mm
Wide-angle diffuser : Built-in (Covers 16mm)
Wireless slave system : For Film/Digital
Fractional Power
: Supported (Up to 1/256th power)
High speed sync
: Supported (up to 1/8000 sec)
www.smartphotography.in
Power
Recycling time
No. of flashes per charge
Flash duration
Colour Temperature
Exposure control
Weight
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
4 x AA batteries (Alkaline, Lithium, Ni-MH)
0.1- 4 seconds
200 – 1700 flashes
1/800 – 1/20,000 sec
5600K
E-TTL II/E-TTL (for Canon mounts)
Approx. 203g without batteries and diffuser
August 2014 Smart Photography
113
SMARTPHONE Review
Sony Xperia Z2
Stretching the Limits
Sujith Gopinath
remium Smartphones are
trying to woo high-end users
with new features and better
capabilities. For the budget-conscious
general public, these are but sour
grapes—desirable features, but at a
very high price. The Sony Xperia Z2
is an upgrade to the Xperia Z1 and
competes with the likes of Samsung
Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. Let us
see how it performs.
P
this with my Z1 for over 6 months
and it has never given me trouble
from water ingress. The Z2, like the
Z1, has magnetic pins to connect it
to a Sony magnetic charging dock.
Going by my experience with the
Z1 and our test of a few competing
brands, the Z2 is easily one of the
best built Smartphones available in
the market.
Design and Build Quality
Key Features
Sony products are known for their
sturdy construction, and the Xperia
Z2 is no different. It inherits the
front and back glass body of the Z
and Z1 along with being dust and
water proof. The front glass material
seems more scratch resistant than
that of the Z1. The Z2 is a few
millimeters longer than the Z1 and
features the same aluminium frame
that runs around its perimeter for
enhanced protection. With an Ingress
Protection rating of IP55/58, it is
waterproof and dust resistant. This
essentially means that the device
is waterproof up to a depth of 1.5
meters for up to 30 minutes when
all the covers for the slots are firmly
closed. This is very important since a
Smartphone’s touchscreen is likely to
catch dirt and grime very easily, and
there is no better way to remove it
than washing it off. I have been doing
The Sony Xperia Z2 is not
significantly different from the
Z1 we reviewed in January this
year. The hardware is mostly the
same, but Sony has enhanced the
capability of the device to scale up to
the competition. The Z2 uses a 2.3
GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
(MSM8974AB) quad-core processor
combined with an Adreno 330 GPU.
It features 3GB RAM, up from 2GB
on the Z1 and internal memory
of 16GB. It can accept an external
microSD card of up to 128GB.
Additionally, it can connect with an
external USB storage, which provides
virtually unlimited memory. The
device works on Google Android
platform and is launched with
Android 4.4 (KitKat) Operating
System (upgradable to 4.4.4 at the
time of review). The Z2 uses a 5-inch
Full HD IPS Triluminos Display with
X-Reality for mobile technology.
The display has a resolution of 1920
x 1080 pixels, which translates to
a pixel density of 441 pixels per
inch. This helps to display pictures
that are razor sharp and bright. It
offers multi-touch with support for
up to 10 fingers. The X-Reality for
mobile engine, adapted from Bravia
televisions, analyses and selectively
processes all images so that the
correct amount of enhancement is
applied. The display also features
` 49,990
Inside the Box
✓ Sony Xperia Z2
✓ USB cable
✓ Power adapter
✓ Headphones
✓ Leaflets
114
Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/2.0 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec. ISO: 80
The Sony Xperia Z2
features the same
20.7-megapixel,
1/2.3-inch Type (6.16
x 4.62mm) Exmor RS
for mobile sensor that
was used in the Z1.
This high sensitivity
sensor is believed to
reduce digital noise
while maintaining
high resolution. The
camera features a
BIONZ for mobile
processor, which aids
in fast sutofocus,
motion detection,
and noise reduction.
The camera features
a Sony G 27mm
equivalent f/2.0 lens.
It also features a
pulsed LED light that can function
as a camera light and a torch. The
highlight of the Z2, however, is the
capability of its camera to record 4K
(3840 x 2160) Ultra High Definition
videos. The camera features
SteadyShot, which compensates for
camera movements by boosting the
sensitivity at the time of capture.
The various pre-installed camera
apps include Background defocus,
Creative effects, Timeshift video,
AR effect, Vine (video sharing app),
Info-eye, Timeshift burst, Social live,
and Sweep panorama. Background
defocus allows you to retain focus
on the desired spot, rendering the
background (or foreground) out of
focus. This provides a professional
look to your photographs by
simulating shallow depth-of-field.
Creative effects app lets you apply
different effects to the photograph
such as Brightness/Contrast, Hue/
Saturation, Mirror, Old Film,
Motion effects, Mosaic, Motion trail,
Nostalgic, Miniature, Vivid, Tint,
Fisheye, Colour sketch, Pencil sketch,
www.smartphotography.in
Mahesh Reddy
Live Colour LED, a
new Sony technology
that increases colour
depth and gradation.
The display also has a
wider viewing angle
than conventional
Smartphone displays.
Comic, Partial colour, Harris shutter,
and Kaleidoscope. In Timeshift video
app, you can capture high-speed clips
at 120 frames per second and then
use the video editor to select and slow
down one or more sections of the clip
for creativity. AR effects mode adds
fun animations to your photos and
videos. If you use Info-eye to capture
the image of an object, the camera
will provide you relevant information
about the object. With Timeshift
burst, you can capture 61 frames in
just 2 seconds, including a few frames
before you press the shutter release
button. You can then select the
images you want to keep. The camera
lets you download more features as
and when they are released.
The camera also features Manual
mode, which allows you to set
various parameters such as White
Balance, Exposure compensation,
ISO sensitivity, and Metering.
White Balance options are Auto,
Incandescent, Daylight, and Cloudy.
Exposure can be compensated up
to +/-2 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Focus
modes available are Single AF, Multi
AF, Face detection, Touch focus,
and Object tracking. ISO sensitivity
can be set to ISO 50 to 800 or Auto.
Metering can be set to Centre,
Average, or Spot.
The Xperia Z2 is powered by a 3200
mAh embedded battery. For power
saving, the device provides Stamina
mode, which keeps the camera at a
low-power state when the screen is
switched off. The Z2 has dimensions
of 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm and weighs
163 g.
Ergonomics
The 5-plus inch screen of the Z2
is just right for most Smartphone
users. It is not too small for typing
and watching movies nor too big
for making calls without handsfree
or earphone. The screen is one of
the best around — bright, lively and
crisp. The colours too are close to
reality. Even if you do not like the
colours, you can tweak it easily in
the settings. The large screen makes
touch controls fairly easy to operate.
August 2014 Smart Photography
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SMARTPHONE Review
Sony Xperia Z2
The phone has a dedicated camera
button, and the camera interface
is quite user-friendly. Though
the screen might appear too dim
outdoors, checking the ‘Adapt to
lighting conditions’ checkbox solves
the problem. Our only grievance is
the over-sized power adapter that
doesn’t fit any Indian socket. Hope
this is limited to the review unit
supplied to us.
Performance
We were quite impressed by the
Z2’s performance. The powerful
processor, combined with 3GB RAM
and Adreno 330 GPU makes for a
superlative performer. We tried all
high-performance 3D graphics in
the form of HD gaming and the Z2
performed brilliantly. Initially, the
device heated up quite a lot, but
the experience with the Z1 came in
handy. If the device heats up much,
the first step is to backup the data
and do a factory reset from Settings.
If this does not solve the issue, you
may do a fresh software installation
from the Sony support site via the
desktop application.
This time, we used AnTuTu
benchmarking software, and the Z2
scored a cool 34600, placing itself at
the third spot in overall processing
power. In the battery test too, it came
in the top three with the battery
lasting over 3 hours with 100 percent
CPU use. This is really top notch
performance. The battery easily lasts
for a day with moderate to heavy
usage if you do not have a real time
antivirus shield working in the
background. Again, this depends on
various factors such as GPS activation,
mobile data usage, graphic intensive
gaming and screen brightness.
Coming to the camera’s performance,
the Z2 performed very well. Images
appeared crisp. Native image size was
13.12 x 17.49 inches at 300 ppi. At
25 percent screen size, we observed
slight noise at ISO 800. Observed at
50 percent of the screen size, slight
noise was observed at ISO 400 and
above. At 100 percent screen size,
though the camera produced noise at
all ISOs, images remained usable up
to ISO 200. We would consider this
good noise control for a Smartphone
camera using a tiny sensor. Also, we
observed that the marked sensitivity
of ISO 100 corresponded to a
measured sensitivity (in EXIF data)
of ISO 160. Auto White Balance
performed well. Slight cast produced
under artificial lighting could be
FINAL SCORE
PLUS
• Excellent
build quality
• Water and
dust proof
• Powerful
hardware
• Good
camera
MINUS
• Adapter
doesn’t fit
Indian power
sockets
• Back-side
glass body is
not scratch
proof
Design and Build Quality 19/20
17/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Performance
17/20
Value for Money
16/10
On the video front, the Z2 captured
very good 4K videos. But this process
utilizes a large part of the processing
power and hence the device heats
up. Sony has incorporated a safety,
mechanism to shut down the camera
when it reaches a threshold. This is
quite normal. If you do not intend
to view the footage on a large UHD
screen, avoid capturing 4K videos
and stick to Full-HD or lower
resolution. We are not overly worried
about this since 4K is still in its
infancy and Sony has stretched the
device to its maximum potential by
incorporating 4K capture.
Value for Money
The Sony Xperia Z2 retails at an MRP
of Rs.49,990. At this price, the device
is good value for money, considering
the premium segment in which
it competes. Those with slightly
shallower pockets may find a nearcomparable device in the Z1.
87%
Key Features
easily removed in post-processing.
The camera produced beautiful
images in close-up. We would rate
this above average performance for a
Smartphone camera.
VERDICT
The Xperia Z2 is a beautifully crafted
premium Smartphone with powerful
hardware that provides great performance.
Combined with a water and dust-proof
body, the Z2 is certainly one of the best
Smartphones available in the Indian
market. Moreover, it incorporates a capable
camera that you can use in most situations.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Operating system
Processor
GPU
SIM card
Main screen
Resolution
Size (diagonal)
Text input
Touch screen
Touch gesture
RAM
Flash memory
Expansion slot
Camera resolution
116
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Google Android 4.4 (KitKat)
2.3 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974AB Quad Core
Adreno 330
micro SIM
Colours 16,777,216 colour TFT
Full HD 1920x1080 pixels
5.2 inches
On-screen QWERTY keyboard
Capacitive
Yes – multi-touch, up to 10 fingers supported
3 GB
Up to 16GB
microSD card, up to 128 GB (SDXC supported)
20.7 MP
Smart Photography August 2014
Digital zoom
Photo light
Video recording
Front Camera
capture
Sensitivity
Minimum Focus distance
Sensors
:
:
:
:
8x
Yes – Pulsed LED
Yes – 4K2K
Yes – HD 1080p for video chat and 2.2 MP for camera
: ISO 50 to 3200 maximum in manual mode
: 100 mm
: Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer sensor,
Game rotation vector, Geomagnetic rotation vector,
Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Step counter, Step detector,
Significant motion detector, Proximity sensor
Battery (Embedded) : 3200 mAh minimum
Size
: 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight
: 163 grams
www.smartphotography.in
READERS CAN CHECK THE ENTIRE BUYER’S GUIDE,
THAT FEATURES SPECS AND PRICES OF
D-SLRS, ILCCS, DIGITAL COMPACTS AND LENSES VIDE LINK
http://www.smartphotography.in/buyers-guide
March 2014 Smart Photography
103
Lens Nomenclature Guide
Lens manufacturers use different suffixes to identify certain lens characteristics.
Here they are, along with simple explanation (wherever required) of how they help.
Rohinton Mehta
CANON
DO
EF
EF-S
IS
L
NIKON
AF-S
CRC
D
DX
FX
ED
G
N
IF
RF
: Diffractive Optics: Special lens elements that reduce colour aberrations to the minimum, thus
improving image quality.
: Denotes that the lens is designed for full-frame cameras
: Denotes that the lens is designed for APS-C cameras
: Image Stabiliser: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure.
: ‘Luxury’-series lens: Canon’s high-end, professional lenses.
: Denotes that the lens is using a Silent Wave Motor: For fast and quiet autofocus
: Close Range Correction: Allows lenses to focus closer, while still maintaining good sharpness. This is
done using a ‘floating lens element’ design. Generally used in macro and wide-angle lenses.
: Distance information passed on to the camera body: Helps to provide more accurate exposures
: APS-C camera lens
: Full-frame camera lens
: Extra Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
: Lens without aperture ring; aperture is controlled from the camera body
: Nano Crystal Coat: Greatly reduces flare due to internal reflections of light.
: Internal focussing: Instead of moving all the elements further away or closer to the film/sensor to
focus, IF lenses move only certain internal elements. This allows for much faster focussing.
: Rear Focussing: Similar to IF but only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens.
OLYMPUS
ED
: Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
PANASONIC
OIS
: Optical Image Stabilizer: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure.
Mega OIS : Mega Optical Image Stabilizer
Power OIS : Power Optical Image Stabilizer: A superior design of Mega OIS.
ED
: Low Dispersion glass element: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
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Smart Photography August 2014
www.smartphotography.in
SIGMA
APO
ASP
DC
DG
HSM
OS
RF
EX
:
:
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:
:
:
:
Apochromatic lens element: Corrects for chromatic as well as spherical aberrations
Aspherical lens element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
APS-C camera lens
Full-frame camera lens
Hyper Sonic Motor: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
Optical Stabiliser: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure
Rear Focussing: Only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens
‘Excellent’ series lens
TAMRON
AD
USD
ASL
Di
Di-II
HID
LD
IRF
VC
PZD
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Anomalous Dispersion element: Eliminates lateral chromatic aberration
UltraSonic Silent Drive
Aspherical lens element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
Digitally integrated: Full-frame camera lens designed for digital cameras
Digitally integrated: APS-C camera lens
High Index Dispersion glass element: Special glass for improving optical performance
Low Dispersion glass: Corrects for chromatic aberrations
Internal Rear Focussing: Only the rear group of elements move to focus the lens
Vibration Correction: Helps to eliminate/reduce blur caused by camera movement during exposure
Piezo Drive: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
TOKINA
AT-X
PRO
SD
: ‘Advanced Technology Extra’- range of lenses
: Professional lens
: Super-low Dispersion element: Corrects chromatic aberrations
PENTAX
SDM
DA
: Sonic Direct-drive Motor: Internal motor, for fast and quiet autofocus
: APS-C camera lens
SONY
DT
: APS-C camera lens
www.smartphotography.in
August 2014 Smart Photography
119
SP
Recommends
Compact Cameras
Canon PowerShot
G15
Canon PowerShot
G1X
Fujifilm Finepix
X100s
Nikon Coolpix
P7800
Nikon Coolpix
A
The G15 is the latest
in Canon’s G-series
and one of very few
compact cameras
to offer an optical
viewfinder. With a
12.1-megapixel 1/1.7inch Type CMOS
sensor, a 28-140mm
F/1.8-2.8 lens, and a
3” LCD, the camera
handles extremely well
and produces superb
pictures.
Canon’s G1X has
excellent build quality
in a compact camera.
With a 14.3MP sensor,
a 28-112mm F/2.8-5.6
lens, and an optical
viewfinder as well
as a tilt-and-swivel
LCD panel, the G1X
is highly impressive,
with its excellent noise
control, outstanding
White Balance
performance, and
quality images.
The Fujifilm Finepix
X100s comes with a 16
MP APS-C size CMOS
sensor, paired with a
35mm equivalent f/2
lens and a 2.8” LCD
screen. The X100’s
noise control and
hybrid viewfinder are
very impressive, and
it produces pleasing
pictures with good
accuracy.
The Coolpix 7800
is Nikon’s top
professional compact.
It features a 12.2
megapixel 1/1.7inch Type CMOS
sensor, a 28-200mm
f/2.0-4.0 lens, a 3”
articulated LCD
monitor and an EVF.
Overall, the Coolpix
7800 produces very
good results, with an
impressive Auto White
Balance system.
The Nikon Coolpix A,
reviewed in this edition
of SP, comes with a 16.2
MP APS-C sized CMOS
sensor, and a fixed 18.5
mm (28mm equivalent)
f/2.8 lens attached to
the camera. The 3”
LCD helps monitor the
image to be captured.
Given its mouth
watering specifications,
the Nikon Coolpix A
is certainly a worthy
addition to this list.
Olympus
XZ-2
Panasonic Lumix
DMC TZ40
Panasonic Lumix
DMC FZ200
Sony Cyber-shot
DSC RX1
Sony Cyber-shot
RX100 II
The Olympus XZ-2 has
a new 12MP backilluminated 1/1.7-inch
Type CMOS sensor,
and features a 28112mm f/1.8-2.5 Zuiko
lens and a tiltable
touch-sensitive 3”
LCD monitor. Overall,
the Olympus XZ-2 is
a very capable and
pocketable compact
camera.
The TZ40 is the
successor to the TZ30
in Panasonic’s popular
TZ (Travel Zoom)
series. Featuring the
first ever 18.1 MP MOS
sensor, a 24-480mm
F/3.3-6.4 lens, and a
3” touch screen, the
camera, with its Leica
lens, ensures optimum
picture quality, and
overall results are
impressive.
Panasonic’s FZ200
is a bridge camera.
Equipped with a
12.1MP high-sensitivity
MOS sensor, a unique
25-600mm F/2.8 Leica
lens with 24x optical
zoom, and a tilt-andswivel monitor, the
FZ200 impresses
with good and fast
autofocus, reliable
metering and overall
image quality.
The RX 1 is the world’s
first compact camera
with a full size 24.3 MP
CMOS sensor. It has
a Carl Zeiss Sonnar
35mm f/2 lens that
can be switched to
macro mode. There is a
built in 3” LCD screen.
Anyone wanting a
compact camera that
produces high quality
results should look at
the RX1.
Sony’s RX100 has a
unique 20.2 MP 1-inch
Type CMOS sensor.
Along with a 29-105mm
F/1.8-4.9 lens, and a
3” LCD, the camera is
exceptionally light at
254g. Image quality
and handling are top
notch and the RX100
II is certainly to be
considered if you want
a high quality compact
camera that is also
pocketable.
120
Smart Photography August 2014
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PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRINTERS
MINILAB
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
TIDBITS
The
Magic
Of GoPro
H. S. Billimoria
I
recall being asked a few
years back by a rather cocky
Divisional Head of Nokia
India the question as to which
was the best selling camera in the
world. I mentioned Canon and
immediately he retorted saying
that I was wrong and that the best
selling camera in the world was
Nokia because they sold more
camera phones worldwide than
Canon.
Coming back to today, a new
category of cameras has suddenly
taken an increasing share of the
market. In fact, they have started
playing a role in the slow demise
of the camcorder. This category
works loosely under the term
“action camera”. Action cameras
are rugged, water- proof and
lightweight cameras that take both
video clips and still. They can
work in extreme environments
where other cameras would cease
to function. Further, they can
146
Smart Photography August 2014
record Full High Definition video
in any situation whether its a skydive or a drive around a race track.
Most action cameras have the
following features:
a. Excellent build quality.
b. Superb handling with as few
buttons as possible.
c. High quality wide-angle lens;
enough to cover the subject
to be shot.
d. Wi-Fi functionality is
a must especially if the
camera is to be controlled
remotely from your laptop or
Smartphone.
e. Water-proofing - since the
action camera is to be used
mainly outdoors and that too
in extreme conditions, a
water-proof housing can be
very useful.
f. Generally, action cameras
have very small batteries. It is
therefore useful to either
have spare batteries or invest
in a USB power bank
charging unit.
g. A tripod thread is useful
with an action camera in
order to have a quality
picture. Alternatively,
adhesive mounts can be
used. For more professional
applications, helmet mounts
or chest harness mounts are
available.
As far as brands are concerned,
the leader in this market is
clearly Gopro. More Gopro
action cameras are sold than any
other brand and Gopro’s main
advertising slogan is “the world’s
most versatile camera – wear it,
mount it, love it”. Other brands
available in the market include the
Ego from Liquid Image, the Game
from ION and VIRB Elite from
Garmin. Other brands like Rollei
and Sony are also testing this fast
expanding market segment.
www.smartphotography.in
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