Smart Photography 201409
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ibdbrands.com
The
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INSIST ON A PANASONIC INDIA
WARRANTY CARD
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.
T
he silver lining in an otherwise
challenging industry scenario is
the buoyant state of the accessories
market. Whilst camera manufacturers
have been facing new challenges, accessory
manufacturers are happily experiencing
increased sales and better results. Like
every year, SP, this year again brings out an
“Accessory Special” so that you can identify
that particular accessory that you always
needed to have in your possession.
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 will be there at Photokina 2014 and hope
to bring you all the latest information in the
next issue.
H. S. Billimoria
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
PUBLISHER
Girish Mallya
PRODUCT MANAGER
Perseus Master
HEAD OFFICE - MUMBAI
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CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION
Sanjeev Roy (Asst. Operations Manager)
Sachin Kelkar (Subscription Supervisor)
Tel: + 91 22 43525220 Fax: + 91 22 24955394
Email: [email protected]
Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: [email protected]
Zinio Subscriptions Queries: http://in.zinio.com/help/index.jsp
Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Ltd. Next Gen
Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps
for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written
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
on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads,
Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound,
www.smartphotography.in
MARKETING OFFICES
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Hyderabad
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Kolkata
Vidyasagar Gupta Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation), Mobile no. 09804085683
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Copyright 2006 SMART PHOTOGRAPHY
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
competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.
Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria
September 2014 Smart Photography
5
Contents
52
ISSUE 114 / SEPTEMBER 2014
32
RS.125
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 10
SEPTEMBER 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
REGULARS
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
MACRO LENSES FOR CANON
FULL-FRAME CAMERAS
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL
PHOTOGRAPH (INTERIORS)
PIN-UP PHOTOGRAPHY
10 HOW TO TIPS
REVIEWS: NIKON D810
●
BENQ PG2401 PT
INTERVIEW SAPNA REDDY
●
08 Mail Bag
10 News Watch
30 Picture of the Month
162 Tidbits
SONY CYBER-SHOT RX100 III
PROFILE DIGWAS GH
32 Kaleidoscope
A platform for budding photographers to
exhibit their talent and get noticed!
38 Showcase
A photographic profile of the person
behind the lens
44 If I Were You
Our expert comments on how your pictures can be taken to another level
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 September 2014
48 Photokina 2014
52 MasterCraftsman
The masters of the craft share their insights and photographs
www.smartphotography.in
12796
SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER
page
90
104
REVIEWS
LEARNINGS
110 Nikon D810
116 Head-to-head:
90 Building an Architectural
Macro lenses for Canon
Full-Frame cameras
Photograph (Interiors)
124 BenQ PG2401 PT
128 Sony Cyber-shot
96 Pin-up Photography
104 10 How to Tips
www.smartphotography.in
RX100 III
ACCESSORIES
SPECIAL
59
September 2014 Smart Photography
7
MAILBAG
REVIEWS: SIGMA 50MM F/1.4 ART LENS ZEISS 55MM F/1.4 OTUS APO DISTAGON T* LENS NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN
●
●
RS.125
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
ISSUE 5
VOLUME 10
AUGUST 2014
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
113
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]
TIPS FOR
MACRO LENSES
TRAVEL &
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPH (EXTERIORS)
LIGHTING, LENSING AND MOLDING
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERVIEW NISHA PURUSHOTHAMAN PROFILE LOPAMUDRA TALUKDAR
Innovations
A sensor that matches the spherical curve of the human retina (News International, August
2014) is a logical development after transition from film to digital photography, as film could
never have been created to take on a 3-D curvature. Although the curved sensor itself may have
been difficult (and costly) to realize, its many benefits will now more than justify the innovation.
For starters, the fresh range of lenses will require fewer corrections, and therefore better lenses
can be had at lower cost. Moreover, third-party viewing devices like high-power spotting
scopes, telescopes and monoculars—which necessarily cater to our curved eye-ball and were
therefore not the best option for attachment to cameras with flat sensors—will now become
perfectly compatible with cameras incorporating sensors replicating the human retina. Imagine
being able to use a Rs 30,000 scope instead of a Rs 2,50,000 lens on your camera! The only
question is, will it be hara-kiri for the OEM lens-makers?
Phiroze B. Javeri
Worth Preserving
Easy lessons
Your August 2014 issue is a collector’s
item. The specials this month by Nisha
Purushothaman, Yuwaraj Gurjar and the
landscape photography article by Uncle
Ronnie, all contribute in making this issue
outstanding. The lens nomenclature guide is
very useful too. Congrats to all in your team
and the contributors.
The August issue was awesome! ‘Tips
for Travel and Landscape Photography’
by Uncle Ronnie was excellent study
material. It’s very important for
beginners as well as professionals. The
tips in the magazine are useful for every
photography outing. I also enjoy the light,
humorous style of writing.
Ani Ghosh
Neelaesh Ninawe
Errata
In the News section of the August 2014 on Page 12, the
announcement about Tamron’s 14–150 mm f/3.5–5.8 lens states
that the lens does not offer Vibration Compensation, but the image
indicates the presence of the feature. The lens was supposed to
have the VC feature when it was announced, but the company later
decided to release it without VC. The error is sincerely regretted.
8
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
SNIPPETS
In order to assuage
the decreasing
camera revenue,
Nikon is planning
to spend $2.2 billion
on mergers and
acquisitions by 2017.
Fujifilm’s weather
and dust proof XF
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
OIS WR lens offers 20
individual seals and
an internal focussing
system. It also has
a one-way vent that
allows for air to pass
through the lens
barrel when internal
elements move.
Instagram’s newest
version, Instagram
6.0 offers options to
control brightness,
contrast, colour
balance, saturation,
highlights, shadows
and the degree to
which image filters
are applied.
Apple’s iOS 8 has
added a time-lapse
mode and other
editing tools to its
camera app. Apple
has also released its
Camera API to the
public, which lets
developers access the
camera’s exposure,
focus and white
balance.
10
Smart Photography September 2014
Sony to release Two New
Cyber-shot Models
S
ony will release two new
compact cameras in the
Cyber-shot series, the
DSC-WX220 and DSC-W810,
beginning with US markets.
The former will be available in
August for around $200, while
the latter will be sold from
September at around $100.
The DSC-WX220 is slim
and compact, with an 18MP
Exmor R CMOS sensor and
a 10x optical zoom lens. It
also features Sony’s BIONZ X
processor, ensuring details and
low noise in capturing images
and full HD videos. The camera
offers advanced SteadyShot
image stabilization for video,
high speed AF and built-in WiFi functionality.
The DSC-W810 features a
20MP CCD sensor and a
6x optical zoom lens. It has
the Fun Party Mode setting,
which automatically adjusts
sensitivity, exposure and
colour in low light for better
party shots. The W810 can
take HD videos at 720p, and
even has a dedicated button for
movie-shooting.
Hasselblad to launch new CFV-50c
CMOS Back for V System
Hasselblad is set to launch
a new ‘back to the future’
CMOS sensor-based digital
back targeting its legions
of dedicated V System
photographers worldwide.
The new CFV-50c, which
will have an 11,000 Euro
price, is engineered to work
on almost every Vcamera
made by the company
since 1957. The state-ofthe-art back has the same
feature-rich functionality
and performance as the
acclaimed H5D-50c camera,
providing V System users
a unique opportunity to
benefit from the latest
digital capture technology,
including outstanding
ISO capability. The
announcement comes as
Hasselblad is pinning its
focus on core customers in
the medium format sector.
Ian Rawcliffe, the CEO of
Hasselblad said, “We have
experienced a substantial
resurgence of interest in our
iconic V cameras—users love
the traditional ergonomics
and the unique appearance.
Our research has shown
that although we no longer
manufacture V models,
there is a big demand for
it from our dedicated V
System users who want to be
able to continue using their
classic cameras, but also
desire access to our latest
technology. The new CFV50c, with its supreme image
quality, is our response to
that demand. Photographers
using V System vintage
cameras can now realise
the true potential for these
definitive capture devices.”
He added, “This new unit
is just a part of our ongoing
product devdelopment
strategy. We have produced
the V Systems for over fifty
years and now customers
can really benefit from
Hasselblad advanced digital
engineering know-how with
the CFV-50c.”
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Canon to launch PowerShot SX400 IS and
IXY140
C
anon Inc. is launching
a new PowerShot
series compact
digital camera, the SX400
IS, with a 30x super zoom
lens. The camera features
a 1/2.3-inch Type 16MP
CCD imager with Digic 4+
image processing engine,
and a 24-720mm lens in
the 35mm format, with
Canon’s Intelligent Image
Stabilization System.
The optical zoom can
be extended up to 60x digitally, with
Progressive Fine Zoom technology. Other
features include autofocusing speed of
approx. 0.19 seconds, ISO up to 1600, a
3-inch LCD monitor, Smart Auto and 720p
HD video capture with a dedicated
movie button. The camera measures
104.4x69.1x80.1mm and weighs 313g.
Canon will also launch the IXY140, with
a 1/2.3-inch Type 16MP CCD sensor, 8x
zoom lens of 24-224mm in the 35mm
format with Optical Image Stabilization
and a 2.7-inch LCD monitor. It measures
95.2x54.3x22.1mm and weighs 130g.
Canon to sell A4 Colour
MF Printer
Panasonic to launch Surveillance
Camera System with Microphones
Canon Inc. will release a new A4-format colour multifunctional printer in the imageRUNNER Advance series,
the C350F, from early September at a suggested list price
of 625,000 Yen (About US$ 6080). The C350F function
includes copy, print, scan and fax. It features continuous
copying of 35 pages per minute, both for colour and
monochrome; a scanning speed of 35 pages per minute,
both colour and monochrome; and provides the first copy
in 7.4 seconds. With Canon’s original MEAP (Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform), the MF
Printer has expandable capabilities.
Panasonic has made a surveillance camera system utilizing its dome-type
cameras with a wide-angle fish-eye lens and 16 small microphones embedded
around the camera to be installed on the ceiling. The surveillance system
is suitable for ATM booths to enhance security. When the video data is
transferred to the computer of the system, it calculates from the image data and
selects the voice or noise recorded by the nearest microphone. One system can
cover an area of a 10 metre radius and 3 metres height. The fish-eye lens can
capture images up to 310 degrees and the system’s software corrects distortion
of the images. This surveillance system will be released in September 2014
along with a camera and microphones.
12
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
HOYA develops new Optical Glass
banks for Camera Lenses
H
OYA Group’s Optics Division
has developed new optical glass
banks for camera lenses called the
‘NRP’. NRP stands for New Reheat Press.
HOYA supplies optical glass materials
to lens manufacturers who polish them,
and assemble the polished elements in
interchangeable lenses or optics for
digital cameras.
HOYA’s NRP glass material has been improved
and now requires less polishing volume and
time, thus reducing loss of glass material which
includes quite a large amount of rare earth
materials. The process time is reduced to onethird of the previous duration. NRP has more
surface smoothness and an even thickness, as
compared to the existing RP. The NRP allows
lens manufacturers to create interchangeable
lenses and optics for digital cameras with more
accurate AF and reducing the processing time.
Ricoh announces Pentax Q-S1
Ricoh Imaging Co. announced
the launch of a new mirrorless
interchangeable lens system camera in its
Pentax Q line, the Pentax Q-S1. The Q-S1
has a new classic exterior and design,
and a lightweight body that is peculiar
to the Q series. The Q-S1 is equipped
with a 1/1.7-inch Type back-illuminated
CMOS sensor with 12.4 MP resolution
and a high speed image processing Q
engine with a quick start-up. It also has
a newly developed Shake Reduction
function. The camera will be available
in five colours—black, gunmetal, pure
white, champagne gold and bright silver;
with 8 front sheet colours. This colour
variation was previously very popular in
the Pentax Q7 and Pentax K-50 series.
Kingston announces SSDNow V310 with Nearly 1TB Capacity
Kingston announced its latest addition to
the SSDNow V300 series, the V310. The
Kingston SSDNow V310 solid-state drive
boosts system responsiveness, and offers
960GB capacity to store movies, music, games,
files and applications.
14
Smart Photography September 2014
The new SSDNow V310 is 10x faster than
a 7200RPM hard-disk drive, because of the
Phison 3108 controller and 450MB/s read
and write speeds. SSDNow V310 is shockproof and uses less energy. The capacity of the
SSDNow V310 allows enough space for a true
HDD replacement.
the biggest capacity ever in a Kingston SSD,”
said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director,
APAC Region, Kingston. “SSDNow V310 with
its large 960GB capacity is the perfect upgrade
to an existing system as it improves boot speeds
and application load times helping maximize
one’s computer investment.”
“Since 2009, our V ‘Value’ series solidstate drives have delivered the best price
to performance ratio as possible to enable
consumers on a budget or entry-level users to
experience the benefits of SSD technology. Our
new V310 continues that along with providing
The SSDNow V310 drive will be available
either as a stand-alone drive or as all-in-one
kits that include all the accessories needed
plus software to clone files and OS . The drive
will be backed by a three-year warranty, free
technical support and Kingston reliability.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Polaroid launches
Cube camera with a
magnet
Sony to launch Compact
Camcorder for Professionals
Polaroid has launched Cube, a small
block-shaped video camera with a
magnet that clings to any steel surface.
The camera, priced US$100, records
1080p wide-angle video, uses microSD
cards and can record 90 minutes of
video when fully charged.
S
GoPro’s cameras are currently in
the $300 range. Research firm IDC
estimates that GoPro enjoys 47.5% of
the market share in the USA. Polaroid
does not have a significant market
share. In America, the name GoPro has
reached generic status, which should
protect the company’s dominance to a
large degree.
ony will release
a compact
lightweight
camcorder, the XDCAM
Memory Camcorder
PXW-X70, on September
19, 2014. It measures
130.3x180.9x287mm
and weighs about 945g
(body only) or 1.4kg
including a lens hood, a
large eyecup, battery and
SLR handle unit. This is
the smallest and lightest
model in the XDCAM
series. The camcorder
will be suitable for
electronic news
gathering by one person
or as a sub camera for
documentary filming.
It features a 1-inch
Type 20MP Exmor R CMOS sensor
equivalent to 4K resolution, 12x Zeiss
Vario Sonnar T* Zoom lens. It also offers
HDMI and 3G-SDI compatibility, an XLR
audio terminal other than the built-in
microphone, memory card slots for 2 SD
cards, a 0.39-inch OLED viewfinder and a
3.5-inch LCD monitor.
Note-taking app Bamboo Paper goes multi-platform
Wacom announced the launch of Bamboo
Paper, its digital note-taking app for
all current Android, Kindle Fire, and
Windows devices on the market. The
popular note-taking app will be available
on Google Play, Amazon App store, and
Windows Store for all leading mobile
operating systems. Bamboo Paper is a
note-taking app that provides a natural
writing and drawing experience on mobile
devices, with a balance between simplicity
and a full range of features for visual
expression and creativity.
“We have learned a lot from our
customers since we introduced Bamboo
Paper for iOS and have implemented
these learnings in our new multi-platform
release of Bamboo Paper. Now we can
offer the best tool for creative thinking
on all major and new operating systems”,
Mike Gay, Head of Wacom Consumer
16
Smart Photography September 2014
Business, comments.
“Wacom has in the past years focussed
strongly in consumer business. We are
taking all steps to make sure that our
users enjoy the best and finest technology.
Bamboo Paper has traditionally been a
very popular application amongst iOS
users. After its huge success with Apple
devices, we now have this wonderful app
available for Androids and Windows
devices, especially Smartphones. We have
fulfilled a huge demand from such users,
who can now enjoy this useful app” says
Mr. Manu Nada, Managing Director,
Wacom India Pvt. Ltd.
Bamboo Paper for iPad, Android or
Windows devices allows people to use
their tablets like an ordinary paper
notebook. Better still, the multi-platform
availability supports storing and sharing
of thoughts, plans and ideas digitally. The
recently introduced Wacom Ink Layer
Language (WILL) plays a major role
in achieving Wacom’s natural writing
experience. WILL also enables the users to
share their work between different devices
and operating systems on the same level.
With Bamboo Paper users can put down
their thoughts and ideas down while
relaxing at home on the iPad and yet
refine these notes, mind maps or sketches
on their Windows 8 laptop or desktop
computer in the office the next day.
“We consider this a major step for the
seamless exchange of ideas and notes
across all available hardware or software
platforms.” Referring to the strategic idea
that underlies Wacom activities in this
area, Mike says, “For a creative world
we have to offer solutions that support
people expressing, recording and sharing
thoughts and ideas.”
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Nikon Announces Panel of Judges for
Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015
N
ikon announced its selected chief
judges and judges of Nikon Photo
Contest 2014-2015. The contest will
be accepting entries from 15th September
to 15th December, 2014, and will be headed
by two chief judges and a following panel
of international judges to provide their
distinguished assessments on all entries.
The judging panel for the global photo
contest will be headed by chief judges
Stephen Mayes and John C Jay, both
world-renowned Creative Directors with a
vast experience, for the photography and
videography categories respectively.
Stephen Mayes, who will serve as chief
judge for the photography category, is
currently Executive Director of the Tim
Hetherington Trust. He has managed the
work and careers of top-level photographers
and artists in various areas such as art,
fashion, photojournalism, and commercial
photography for over 25 years. In addition
to serving as Secretary to the World Press
Photo competition from 2004 to 2012,
Mayes has written successful business plans
and reshaped operations for a number of
imaging companies around the world.
John C Jay, who will serve as chief judge
for the video category, plays an active
role as President and Executive Creative
Director of a strategic and creative
consultancy developing new companies,
products, and services. Jay has been
named as one of the Top Ten Most
Influential Art Directors in the Past 50
Years by readers of Graphic Design USA,
and he has also been inducted into the
prestigious Art Directors Club of New
York’s Hall of Fame.
In addition to the chief judges, ten
judges who are active on the world stage,
have been selected from a diverse range
of fields to photographers, curators,
creative directors, editors, and film
directors. One of the judges in the
photography category, Swapan Parekh,
was the recipient of the 2nd place award
in the B/W Photograph Section of the
Nikon Photo Contest International
1986-1987 (as the contest was formerly
known).
List of judges
• Photography category
Chief Judge: Stephen Mayes
Judges: Stefen Chow, Yue Ren, Thyago
Nogueira, Kisei Kobayashi, Chris Rainier,
Swapan Parekh
• Video category
Chief Judge: John C Jay
Judges: Wang Lei, Sandro
As with the previous contest, Dell Japan
Inc., one of the contest’s collaborating
partners, has established the Dell Graphic
Pro Award with an additional prize for
1st place winners in the video category
(for both theme “Home” and open
theme). Western Digital Technologies,
Inc., a first-time collaborating partner,
has also introduced the Western Digital
Technologies Award with additional prizes
for Grand Prize, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
winners in the photography and video
categories respectively. Another first-time
partnership for the contest would be with
Seiko Epson Corporation who is engaged
as the intended printing partner for the
contest’s entries.
With Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015, a
great expansion in the variety of imaging
expression and possibilities is expected, in
particular with the new acceptance of entries
captured by any digital imaging device and
the introduction of the Generation N Award
for those aged 19 or younger. For more
information about the contest, log on to
www.nikon-photocontest.com.
QNAP Launches 7-in-1 Mobile NAS QGenie
QNAP Systems Inc. announced the release of
QGenie, a pocket-sized 7-in-1 mobile NAS
for file storage, power bank, Internet sharing,
and more. The device offers a mobile NAS
solution to wirelessly extend the storage space
of mobile devices. Users can optimize their
storage space by transferring files
to QGenie when they need to make
room for more photos, music, and
apps. It also offers myQNAPcloud
service, Qsync, and Qfile mobile
app, to create a personal cloud to
save, access, sync, and share all the
files stored on QGenie on the go.
“QGenie allows connections from
up to 20 users, enables simultaneous
18
Smart Photography September 2014
file access by up to 8 users, and can share
multimedia on the go. It can transfer large
files on various occasions such as social
gatherings, class seminars, and business
meetings without the need of sending emails
or exchanging USB drives,” said Hanz Sung,
product manager of
QNAP. QGenie also
allows users to back
up and retrieve
their phonebooks
from Android and
iOS devices by
using Qfile mobile
app, thus protecting
their important
data from loss.
With a built-in 3000mAh power capacity,
a fully-charged QGenie can work for more
than 10 hours. It can also act as a power bank
for charging mobile devices with advanced
circuit protection mechanisms, and provides a
wireless access point (AP) for sharing Internet
access with multiple devices through wired or
Wi-Fi connections, Smartphone hotspot, or
an LTE/4G/3G dongle. When connected to
a PC or Mac via USB 3.0, QGenie
automatically turns into a portable SSD for
file transfers of up to 120MB/s read and
40MB/s write speeds. QGenie can copy files
from the Turbo NAS to QGenie or the other
way around with the USB one-touch-copy
function, and enjoy easier access to all files via
the Qfile mobile app.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
Business
Sony to boost CMOS
Sensor Production
S
ony plans to boost the production
of CMOS sensors by investing
some 35 billion Yen combined, into
the Nagasaki Technology Centre and
Kumamoto Technology Centre, both in
Kyushu island, by March 2016.
These CMOS sensors are mainly for
Smartphone cameras. The monthly
production capacity at Nagasaki and
Kumamoto will be approximately
68,000 300mm wafers. During this fiscal
year, Sony will begin producing CMOS
sensors at the Tsuroka plant. Sony had
purchased this plant from Renesas
Electronics Co.
It is said that Sony has received
orders for CMOS sensors to be used
on iPhones, and has also received
enquiries from Chinese Smartphone
manufacturers. According to Techno
Research Co. of Japan, Sony grabbed a
33% share of the world’s market share
for CMOS sensor production in 2013,
securing the top position.
Fujifilm to sell more Cheki Instant
Cameras than D-cams in 2014
Fujifilm Corp’s instant camera ‘Cheki’
has sold well worldwide, and the
company plans to sell 3 million units
of Cheki. As opposed to this, Fujifilm
expects to sell only 2 million of digital
cameras (interchangeable lens system
cameras and lens-mounted models
combined) for this fiscal year. The
instant camera is gathering popularity
among young women in the global
market, Asia in particular, including
China and South Korea. About 85% are
expected to be sold outside Japan in 100
countries this year.
Fujifilm’s instant printer, ‘Smapho de
Checki’ sells approximately at 19,000
Yen, and the company plans to sell
250,000 units worldwide in the fiscal
year ending on March 2015.
Canon gains 10%
in April-June
Operational Profit
Canon Inc. is expected to post a 10% gain
in operational profit for the April-June
period in 2014, to 110 billion Yen. The
company expects a total revenue for the
period to fall by 4% to 930 billion Yen,
due to declined sales of digital camera
products.
The company anticipates the sales of
digital camers, both interchangeable lens
system and all-in-one compact cameras to
20
Smart Photography September 2014
increase. But it is possible that profitability
will improve, thanks to automated
production systems using robots and a
shift to higher range models. The office
products division performed well, focusing
on colour photocopiers. The company
will officially announce the results of the
second quarter in late July, since the digital
camera production plans are likely to be
revised from the previous announcement.
Sony invests in Image
Sensor Production
Sony plans to invest 35 billion Yen ($345 million)
to increase the production of image sensors for
Smartphones and Tablets. The company is aiming to
get more orders from handset makers for front-facing
camera sensors, used to take selfies. The company
said it will increase production of stacked CMOS
sensors at two factories on Kyushu island, Japan. Sony
is also completing work on a factory it bought from
Renesas Electronics in northwestern Japan for a total
investment of 35 billion Yen. Sony said the investment
will allow it to raise production by 13% to 68,000
wafers a month by August 2015. The company’s midterm goal is to produce 75,000 wafers per month.
Fujifilm expects 20%
Operational Profit for
April-June period
Fujifilm is likely to post a 20% year-on-year gain in
operational profit for the April-June 2014 period
to 30 billion Yen, on sales of 560 billion Yen. The
company expects the imaging products division to
write off a loss, due to the shift to higher models such
as the mirrorless single-lens X-T1 and instant camera
‘instax mini’, whose sales gained some 80% year-onyear, in the world market.
Epson Gains 10% in
Revenue for AprilJune Period
Seiko Epson is expected to post a 10% gain in
sales from the first quarter of fiscal 2014, to 240
billion Yen. Profit in operation is likely to go up
by 5.6x to 45 billio Yen. It was pushed up by a
one-time gain by restructuring the pension plans,
to reduce pension payment from April. Besides
the extraordinary profit, real term profit in
operation seems to have gained 90% year-on-year
to 15 billion Yen.
Epson’s mainstay inkjet printer sales were
favourable. The company undertook a strategy to
increase higher range products in the developed
markets, whereas in emerging markets it
introduced a model with a larger ink tank which
requires less maintenance.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
Mumbai Photographers Association
Celebrates World Photography Day
M
umbai Photographers
Association, in association
with Sony India and Colo
Colour Lab, celebrated the World
Photography Day at Manik Sabhagraha
in Bandra (West), Mumbai. In a fullday event, lectures and demonstrations
were given on photography, video,
lighting, camera technology,
pre-wedding shoots, wedding
documentaries and motivation by wellknown photographers Girish Mistry,
Veer Puranik, Tushar Chowdhary,
Vishal Panjabi and Jagdish Joshi to a
house-pack audience. Sony India also
displayed their latest D-SLR cameras
and lenses, broadcast quality video
cameras and 4K Bravia TV. A photo
competition was also held on the theme
‘Wedding Moments’. Eighty members
took part in the competition and 160
entries were received. The awards were
instituted by Sony India Pvt Ltd and
Shari Academy. The first three winners
and their prizes were:
Manoj G. Musale: Sony A77 II with DT
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens; Speed
Light HVL-F60M
Rosario Fernandes: Sony A58 with DT
18-135+mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens; Speed
Light HVL-F43M
Sujeet Mhatre: Sony A58 with DT 18135mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens
Ten consolation prizes were also
awarded and the winners were given
a free entry to a 4-day workshop to be
conducted by Girish Mistry of Shari
Academy. The entries were judged by
Girish Mistry, Dean, Shari Academy
and Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor,
Smart Photography.
Image: Rosario Fernandes, Second Prize
Image: Manoj G. Musale, First Prize
22
Smart Photography September 2014
Image: Sujeet Mhatre, Third Prize
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
23
NEWS
National
Raju Sultania conducts a Workshop on
“The Art of Wedding Photography”
A
ce wedding photographer Raju Sultania conducted
an educative and inspiring day-long workshop on
wedding photography at Kolkata on 3rd August
2014. The workshop was well attended by experts and
opinion leaders from the photographic fraternity. Among
the guest of honour present were Dheeraj Vyas, President
AIPTIA, Chandrakant Shah, Secretary AIPTIA, Andrew
Koh, Sr. Director, Canon India Ltd, Jitender Chugh,
Deputy G.M., Nikon India Ltd, and Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography. A total of 235
photographers from all over India attended the workshop.
The workshop was a mix of lecture, discussion, and liveshoot on low light photography, natural light verses flash
and posing for the couple shoot. Raju Sultania shared
his experiences of 41 years, detailing the techniques and
skills required to cover weddings. He further discussed
the art of marketing, pricing, contracts, business approach
and also discussed specialised equipment. The workshop
was divided in two sessions – one was theory
based on the wedding pictures he had taken in
the past, and the other was a practical session
based on live-shoot of the mock wedding setup at the venue. He explained how to cover the
‘varmala’ and ‘fera’ during a wedding shoot.
The pictures were transferred ‘live’ on a large,
specially designed LED set-up using Wi-Fi.
The participants were invited to click pictures
along with Raju Sultania to get a practical
understanding of the subject. This was well
received by all.
Throughout the workshop, Raju Sultania
aimed at upgrading the status of wedding
photographers and tried to instil in them the
confidence that is very much necessary to be successful
wedding photographers.
Sony launches new Headphones
and Earphones
Sony India announced the launch of three
new products in its audio range. This
includes two new headphones in the MDRXB range—the 450 and 250, as well as the
MDR-AS200 earphones.
The MDR-XB450 and MDR-XB250 sport
a slim, swivel folding style, a flat serrated
cord, a new acoustic design and pressure
relieving earpads.They both have a 30mm
24
Smart Photography September 2014
dynamic driver unit that plays bass music
well.
The MDR-XB450 will be available in five
colours—black, white, red, blue and yellow,
at the price of Rs.2190. The The MDRXB250 costs Rs.1490 and is available in
black and white.
The MDR-AS200 earphones offer a 13.5mm
high sensitivity driver for premium sound.
The earphone is first-of-its-kind product
from Sony with water resistant and sweat
proof features, making it ideal for sports
activities or during the rains. They also
sport an adjustable ear loop that fits a wide
range of ear sizes. The MDR-AS200 also
has a flat serrated cord allowing a tangle
free experience. The earphones come in the
colours of orange and blue, and cost Rs.790.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
25
NEWS
National
D J Memorial Photography Contest 2014
Third Edition
Image: L-R
Yashpal Rathore,
Sandeep
Mall, Ganesh
H Shankar
(Judge), Sitara
Karthikeyan,
Sanjay
Jayavarthanavelu
and K
Maruthachalam.
Photography Contest (DJMPC) as an annual.
K Maruthachalam, ARPS, APSA, AFIAP
served as the administrator of the contest.
The awards were distributed on the 30th July,
2014 at the Kasturi Sreenivasan Art Gallery in
Coimbatore.
The participants registered and submitted their
entries through www.djmpc.in between 1st
March, 2014 and 30th June, 2014. In all, 3,150
entries were received. Here is the list of award
winners:
Sandeep Mall, Faridabad, 1st prize Rs.3 lacs.
Yashpal Rathore, Bangalore, 2nd prize
Rs.2.25 lacs.
Sitara Karthikeyan, Coimbatore, 3rd Prize
Rs.1.5 Lacs.
T
he D J Memorial Photography Contest
(DJMPC) was instituted by Lakshmi
Machine Works Limited (LMW) in
memory of its past Chairman and Managing
Director, Dr. D. Jayavarthanavelu (D J). LMW
sponsors and organises the D J Memorial
The entries were judged by Ganesh H Shanker.
Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, CMD of LMW
graced the occasion.
Photo Vision organises Exhibition of 8th
IIPC Photo Contest winners
Photo Vision organized the exhibition of
best photographs of the 8th IIPC World
Photography Day Annual Photo Contest on
August 19th and 20th, 2014, in IMA Hall
Bareilly. Professor N. L. Sharma was the chief
guest of inaugural of this event. The exhibition
showcased 120 best images of participants
from about 12 Indian states.
The India International Photographic
Council (IIPC), Delhi had handed over the
responsibility to organise the All India Contest
‘Desert life’ by V.K.R.S Sarma
26
Smart Photography September 2014
of Photography to Photo Vision, Bareilly eight
years back. Photo Vision has been conducting
this contest successfully ever since.
The 8th IIPC World Photography Day Annual
Photo Contest-2014 got a huge response.
Nearly 650 entries were received from
participants five categories, namely, Black
and White Pictoral, Colour Pictoral, Nature,
Photo-Journalism and Photo-Travel. Ten
entries received awards, and 15 participants
got Certificates of Merit. The award winners
‘In dense forest’ by Subhash Jirang
are Mr. Subhash Jitrange (Mumbai), Mr. B. C.
Manjappa (Bangalore), Mr. Vijayabhaskara
Rao (Vijayawada), Mr. V. K. R. S Sarma
(Nedunuru), Mr. Bhargav Harge (Nizamabad),
Mr. T. Veerabhadra Rao (Kakinada), Mr. Amal
Krishna Das (Howrah), Mr. Samir Mohite
(Mumbai), Mr. Nagesh Sakpal (Mumbai) and
Mr. V Nagaraju Devara (Khammam).
The jury consisted of Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Mr.
Bijan Das, Mr. Gopal Sharma, Dr. Kamran
Khan and Mr. Satpal Singh.
‘Washing’ by Vemuluri Nagaraju Devara
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
‘Drawn From Light’ Exhibition
‘D
rawn From Light’ is an exhibition
that brings forth the syncretic
culture of India, through some
of the earliest surviving photographic
images of the Indian sub-continent. The
exhibition is based on two previously held
exhibitions—’Allegory and Illusion: Early
Portrait Photography from South Asia’ at
the Rubin Museum (New York, 2013) and
‘Unveiling India, the Early Lensmen (18501910)’ at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
(Brussels, 2013-14).
The exhibition, organized by Indira
Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in
collaboration with The Alkazi Foundation
for the Arts for the first time in India,
showcases various aspects of the earliest
history of photography of India and
its neighbours. The exhibition puts on
show the rich tradition of both portrait
and landscape photography through
approximately 200 original photographs
from the mid 19th to early 20th centuries
of the Indian sub-continent. The exhibition
is curated by Rahaab Allana (Alkazi
Foundation), and is in association with
the two co-curators from the associated
Museums - Rubin Museum (Beth Citron)
and Royal Fine Art Museum (Davy
Depelchin). The photographs are from the
archives of The Alkazi Foundation for the
Arts.
One part of the display presents the works
of early photographers, from Alexander
Greenlaw’s photographs of the ruins
of the Vijayanagara kingdom (today
known as Hampi) in South India to Dr.
John Murray’s systematically captured
buildings in and around Agra. His images
today are recognized as the first-ever
photographs of the Taj Mahal. Both these
photographers captured the early days of
the World Heritage Sites and architectural
masterpieces.
The other part of the exhibition showcases
the dynamics of portraiture in the subcontinent (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and
Burma). In this part, the exhibition features
a series of cityscapes and portraits that
highlights the life of people in their sociocultural setting or a studio. Images drawn
from the Oriental Races and Tribes (1863–
66), which William Johnson produced as an
ethnographic series, are on view together
with the People of India series (1868–75), a
total of eight albums commissioned by the
Governor General, Lord Canning.
The exhibition also puts on view the
vintage and rare works through a display
of early wax paper negatives, albumen
prints and postcards. Some of the leading
photographers and studios presented are
Felice Beato, Bourne & Shepherd, Johnston
& Hoffman, Gobind Ram & Oodey Ram,
Darogah Abbas Ali, Raja Deen Dayal and
Shahpur Bhedwar.
Gujarat State Lalit Lumia 530 now available in India
Qualcomm
exponentially, driven primarily
Kala Academy
Snapdragon
by youth who are constantly
processor, a
looking out for Smartphones
organizes
4-inch LCD
with power packed features
display and
at affordable prices. We,
Photography
seamless
at Microsoft Devices, are
integration
committed towards helping
with Microsoft people experience the
Competition
services such
uncompromised technologies
The Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy is
organising the 18th National Photography
Competition at Ahmedabad. The theme
of the competition is ‘Technology and
Youth — India a Shining Star.’ Entries
will be accepted in the sections of Colour
or Black and White, and the academy
will be giving out a total of 16 prizes.
The competition is open to professionals
as well as amateurs and entries will be
accepted from August 30 to September
15, 2014. Participants should send their
photographs to the Secretary, Gujarat State
Lalitkala Academy,Ravishankar Ravalkala
Bhavan, Opp Bhaikaka Hall, Law Garden,
Ellishbridge, Ahmedabad-380 006. To
know the rules and regulations and to
download the entry form, log on to
www.sycd.gujarat.gov.in.
28
Smart Photography September 2014
Microsoft Devices launched
the Lumia 530 Dual SIM, the
most affordable Lumia to date,
in India. The Smartphone will
be available in stores at a best
buy price of Rs.7,349 starting
August 14th, 2014.
The new Lumia 530 features
the latest version of Windows
Phone 8.1, including one
swipe notifications from
Action Center, and the fast
Word Flow keyboard. It makes
use of a powerful quad-core
as Skype and
Microsoft
Office. The
phone offers
signature
Lumia apps such as Creative
Studio and Glam Me. The
phone has 4GB in-built
memory (expandable with SD
cards up to 128GB) and an
additional 15GB of free cloud
storage on Microsoft OneDrive
that lets people sync, store,
access and share files between
Lumia 530 and computers,
laptops and Tablets.
“The affordable Smartphone
segment is growing
and services that we offer on
our Lumia devices. Lumia
530 builds on the legacy and
success of Lumia 520 and
will help us consolidate our
position in this segment
further,” said Viral Oza,
Director-Marketing, Nokia
India, a subsidiary of Microsoft
Mobiles Oy.
“With its innovative design,
the latest Windows Phone
8.1 and signature Lumia
experiences, the Lumia 530 3G
Dual SIM is the perfect device
for those who are looking for
a distinctive Smartphone,” he
added.
www.smartphotography.in
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
z
a
V
t
e
e
j
i
Abh
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:
KALEIDOSCOPE
Finally, a platform for budding photographers
to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!
Hills
and
Valleys
Earthen Shades
Camera: Nikon D40X
Aperture : f/9.0; Shutter speed: 1/80sec.; ISO: 200
K
amal Khawar is a
photo-artist from
one of the beautiful
hilly regions of India,
Uttarakhand, popularly
known as Devbhoomi. He
was born in Pantnagar,
and brought up in Almora.
Kamal Khawar,
The beauty of Almora has
Uttarakhand
left an indelible mark on
his mind. He also deeply
appreciates and admires the glory of
the hills and valleys around this town.
His father is an artist too, and Kamal
has inherited the artistic ability from
him. He had a keen desire to portray the
beauty of nature since his childhood.
His career into photography started
seriously in 1994 when he started
clicking pictures from his cousin’s
Nikon FM-2 camera. At that time, he
was not aware that his hobby would
turn into his passion. This camera
changed his way of life and gradually,
his skills started developing. He
completed a Diploma in Photography
from Rohilkhand University, Bareilly in
2007 in order to increase his knowledge
of the profession. Today, Kamal is a
popular photo-artist of his region.
Some of his works have been published,
and he has won quite a few awards in
photography competitions. Kamal is a
serious trekker, which is of great help in
photography. It gives him opportunity
to explore untouched places.
32
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
33
KALEIDOSCOPE
Finally, a platform for budding photographers
to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!
Lush Green
Camera: Canon EOS 60D; Aperture : f/9.0; Shutter speed: 1/40sec.; ISO: 320
34
Clouds and Peaks
Snow-clad Beauty
Camera: Nikon D40X; Aperture : f/-; Shutter speed: 1/5sec.; ISO: 200
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Camera: Nikon D90; Aperture : f/14.0;
Shutter speed: 1/15sec.; ISO: 200
At the Top
Camera: Canon PowerShot S95; Aperture : f/2.5; Shutter speed: 1/1000sec.; ISO: 80
Sunshine
Camera: Nikon D90; Aperture : f/14.0; Shutter speed: 1/100sec.; ISO: 200
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
35
36
Smart Photography September 2014
September 2014 Smart Photography
37
SHOWCASE
Digwas GH, Bangalore
HILLS AND
VALLEYS
As told to Tanika Godbole
Romantic Walk
38
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
I
was born in Sirsi, a small
town in the midst of the
Western Ghats in Karnataka.
The beauty of the Western Ghats
thrills anyone who is a nature
lover. I never intended to be a
photographer; but I did have some
initial experience with cameras.
When I became a father, I started
clicking photos of my pretty
daughter. As any father would
do, I too shared her photos with
my friends, and uploaded them
on a few social networking sites.
Everyone started appreciating my
pictures. That’s when I realised
I can do something more in the
world of photography. My interest
started growing, and as a result, I
bought my first D-SLR in 2007.
That is how my endless journey
in the world of photography
began. I started clicking each and
everything, something that any
amateur photographer does. I
received a lot of compliments and
Little Author
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
39
SHOWCASE
appreciation
from my
friends. In the
meantime, I
met Mr. M
S Hebber, a
renowned
photo-artist
in India, who
is my mentor.
Through his
guidance, I
started lending
pictorial value
to my photos.
That was a
great turning
point. I saw
Sakharayapattana,
Karnataka
Streaming
Sunlight
40
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Rosary Church, Shettihalli
Sathodi Falls
myself turning
into a mature
photographer. I
started participating
in photo salons,
both at the national
and international
levels, and exhibited
my work. Of late,
I have started
exploring my
skills in nature
and pictorial
photography. At the
end of the day, I do
photography for my
own interest and
happiness.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
41
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.
as vertically. Placing the subject at
one of the four points of intersection
is considered to provide the greatest
impact. Also ensure that there is
enough space in the direction in
which the subject is looking. Observe
the edited image and compare it to the
one you sent us.
Original Image
Elephant Falls, Shillong
This picture of the Elephant Falls
in Shillong has been sent to us by
Sriram Parthasarathy from Chennai.
He has tried to create a ‘silky-water’
effect but says that he did not have
a tripod. He wants to know how the
picture could be improved.
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II at 250mm
ISO: 250; Shutter speed: 1/400sec;
Aperture: f/5.6
Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography
Tri-coloured Munia
This photo of a tri-coloured Munia
is sent to us by Hrishikesh Dhundre
via email. He wants to know how the
photo could be improved.
Photographing birds is not very
easy because they tend to fly away
as soon as you approach within
their fear-circle. Hence, this genre of
photography generally calls for the
use of very long focal length lenses.
On your 600D, the 55-250mm lens
that you have used is equivalent to
88-400mm; but still not enough for
small birds unless you can approach
them closely. Due to this reason, the
bird in your picture is way too small.
Using Photoshop, I have cropped the
original image so that the bird appears
larger. Another thing that you need
to keep in mind is the framing. Try
not to place the centre of interest (in
this case the bird) in the centre of the
frame. Mentally divide the frame in
three equal parts, horizontally as well
44
Smart Photography September 2014
Edited Image 1
www.smartphotography.in
Original Image
Camera:
Canon EOS 60D
Lens: EF-S 18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS
ISO: 100;
Shutter speed: 10 sec;
Aperture: f/25
I think the
picture is quite
nice. You have
succeeded in
creating the effect
you were after. I
am sure you must
have supported
the camera on
some support
because you
could not have
kept the camera
steady for a 10
second exposure!
In your picture,
the waterfall is
not continuous.
Edited Image
There is the
divide between
continuous (without the break in the
the two stages of the waterfall and
middle), I think the picture would
this seems to create two points of
have been better.
interest. If the flow of the water was
www.smartphotography.in
Hence I have composed the edited
picture the way I would have
photographed it, if I were you.
September 2014 Smart Photography
45
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 7D
Lens: EF 70-200mm f/2.8L
USM at 135mm
ISO: 320;
Shutter speed:1/800sec;
Aperture: f/7.1
Landscape
Photographer M.
S. Anas has sent
us this landscape
picture by email
for critique in If I
Were You.
The EXIF data tells
me that the picture
was shot before
8am. So why is this
picture ‘muddy
and warm’? Could
be that you have
set the wrong
White Balance or it
could be the result
of some editing
done by you? Early
morning pictures
generally are ‘cold’
(bluish), not warm
(reddish-yellow).
I have adjusted the
‘Levels’ in Photoshop and applied a
cooling filter to areas other than the
trees in the foreground. I also used
the ‘Spot Healing Brush’ to eliminate
46
Smart Photography September 2014
Edited Image
what could have been a bird near the
center of the frame, as I could not
make out if it was indeed a bird or a
dust spot.
Do note that individual perception of
what should be or should not be the
tonality in the picture can vary from
one person to another.
www.smartphotography.in
COVER STORY
Photokina 2014...
What the Stars Foretell!
H. S. Billimoria
P
hotokina (which commences
in Cologne on 16th
September 2014) takes place
at a time when both the imaging
and the electronics industry
is experiencing bitter sweet
moments. On the one hand, the
top Japanese electronics companies
like Hitachi, Panasonic, Sharp
and Sony are having to rediscover
48
Smart Photography September 2014
themselves; on the other, leading
imaging companies like Canon
and Nikon have experienced a
sudden contraction in the number
of compact cameras that can be
sold in the world market. As if to
further the pain, industry experts
are not yet clear on which way the
higher end of the camera market
will go. Canon, Nikon and Pentax
would like DSLRs to maintain
and increase their market share;
Olympus, Panasonic and Sony
would like mirrorless cameras to
take over the middle and higher
range of the imaging market.
What about Samsung? Everything
seemed particularly rosy for
Samsung but with the Smartphone
market plateauing out, Samsung
also faces a challenge.
Have the world’s leading imaging
companies failed to spot changes
in consumer tastes? Photokina
2014 will provide an answer.
Let us look at what lies in
stock from each individual
manufacturers.
www.smartphotography.in
Nikon has already launched the
D810. It is likely that Nikon will
launch a successor to the D300S.
Websites are already abuzz with
rumours of a new D9300 from
Nikon. A couple of new lenses are
also expected to be launched.
Canon’s much awaited EOS
7D Mark II is expected to see a
launch at Photokina. A 46MP
professional camera from Canon
is also being talked about. Canon
is also due to update some of
its lenses like the 100-400mm
which is an old design. In the
area of compact cameras, Canon
will focus on superzoom and
professional compact cameras.
Two launches in the SX-series
have already been announced.
Pentax has already launched the
K3 Prestige which is a limited
edition DSLR in gunmetal grey
finish. It comes with a 20-40mm
f/2.8-4 weather resistant lens. A
full frame D-SLR from Pentax
is being talked about for quite
some time; it remains to be seen
whether a launch will take place
at Photokina.
www.smartphotography.in
Sony have already launched a
number of cameras in the last
three months and it would be
fair to say that the A7 has really
impressed the market with its
specifications and performance.
Expect Sony to announce or
launch more lenses for its
mirrorless cameras. Also Sony
may update its compact range to
make it more competitive in the
market. The RX100 Mark III has
already been launched last month.
the X100 S. A new 23mm lens
and 24MP APSC sensor is
likely to be featured in this new
camera. Fuji will also launch
new lenses for its X-T1 and X-E
2 cameras. A 90mm f/2, 16mm
f/1.4 and 16-55mm f/2.8 WR
are rumoured strongly..
Panasonic’s GH4 is steadily
trickling into the market. A
further launch in the ‘G’ series
is not ruled out. Panasonic will
launch its premium compact
camera, the LX8 at Photokina.
A few new lenses may also be
announced.
Whether all the smartphone
companies will be present
remains to be seen with all
the smartphone advertising
focusing on the USP of
the camera within these
smartphones, it would indeed
be surprising if the smartphone
companies gave Photokina a
miss.
Olympus is expected to launch
more lenses for its micro four
thirds system. Although it has
had a quiet 2014 so far, do not
rule out any surprise launches
from Olympus.
Fuji is expected to launch the
X100 T which would replace
Lens manufacturers like Sigma,
Tamron and Tokina are likely
to announce new products at
Photokina.
As usual, Smart Photography
will be there giving you the
latest information about new
launches and announcements
at this important Expo. Stay
tuned...
September 2014 Smart Photography
49
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
Sapna Reddy is a
pediatric radiologist
who currently
lives in Northern
California. She is
also a freelance
photographer who
combines the genres of landscape
and portrait photography and
specializes in environmental
portraits. She believes that pictures
can have a healing effect and her
images are used to transform
bare hospital walls to beautiful
soothing visuals.You can connect
with her at www.facebook.com/
sapnareddyphotography.
HEALING
SIGHTS
As told to Tanika Godbole
How did you decide to take up
medicine as a profession?
Having several physicians in the
family, including my mother
and brother, I was exposed to
the profession as a child and
inspired by them. As I grew older
I felt it was the right profession
for me given the combination
of interaction with people and
intellectual challenge.
How did you get introduced to
photography?
With a keen interest in exploring
new places and new cultures, I
started traveling around the world.
As I did so, I began to take pictures
and share them, initially with
family and friends. The pictures
were well received and I began to
enjoy the photography component
as much as the traveling. As my
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Smart Photography September 2014
photography gradually improved,
it evolved from a casual interest
to an artistic pursuit and a second
career.
How do you make time for
photography?
I believe that if you are passionate
about something, you will find a
www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity
way to pursue your passion. In my
case it involves sleeping a little
less, and having less free time to
read a book or watch a movie.
www.smartphotography.in
Your landscape pictures are very
attractive. What are your favorite
locations for photography?
There are two places that have
deep emotional attachment for
me. The first is my hometown
of Hyderabad, India. Having
grown up to the sites and smells
September 2014 Smart Photography
53
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
Mountain light
The blue planet
54
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
The lighthouse
of the colourful riot that is
Hyderabad, there remains a deep
longing to visit, to photograph,
to reconnect, and to relive the
precious moments. The second is
where I belong now, in Northern
California. Sorry for the cliché,
but isn’t home where the heart is?
Where else can we experience the
joy of pursuing our art than the
places that are closest to our heart!
According to you, how important
is good equipment?
Having good gear is important.
However, knowing how to use it
and having the ability to put it to
good use is definitely far more
important. Sometimes excellent
images are generated by those who
www.smartphotography.in
do not have top of the line gear
and sometimes those with the
best of gear produce poor quality
images.
How do you prepare for a shoot?
Like the masters say, the key
to photography seems to lie
in observation. So before I
photograph a landscape, I try to
spend some time hiking through
it. Spending some time at the
place, soaking in the atmosphere,
relaxing and connecting with
nature has become a very
enjoyable experience. During
my first visit to the place I do
minimal photography, perhaps
scout out a few sites and shoot a
few images with my P&S camera,
but mostly try to explore and
discover what hidden secrets the
place has. Once I am somewhat
familiar with the place and feel
connected, only then do I begin
to chart out where I would
like to shoot from, potential
compositions, timing for quality of
light, etc.
Since every picture is a story
without words, prior to clicking
the shutter I ask myself, “What
is this story about?” “Who/what
is the protagonist of this story?”
Based on the answers I then try
to compose the shot in such a way
that hopefully would draw the
viewer into the image and direct
the eyes toward the main subject.
September 2014 Smart Photography
55
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
Digital tools
nowadays make
significant changes
in creating better
pictures. Do you use
any post processing
tools?
Every single picture of
mine is post processed
without exception.
In my opinion the
camera is a tool that
can be used for the
artistic rendition of
a scene but is not a
comprehensive tool.
The digital darkroom,
i.e. post-processing
with Photoshop or
any other software
is an integral part
of the workflow for
generation of an
image. I use Lightroom
and Adobe Photoshop
with luminosity masks
and additional plug
ins. The primary goal
of my post processing
is not to fix flaws; I do
my best to minimize
those while capturing
the image in the
camera. Rather, it is to
render the mood for
the scene. The goal of
post-processing is to
convey what it felt like
for me to be standing
before the scene,
and establish that
emotional bridge with
the viewer.
What is your advice
to beginners in the
field?
Enjoy the journey,
one picture at a time.
It is wonderful when
you can nail the shot,
but if you can learn to
enjoy the process of
generating an image
without being too
worried about the
end result, then you
will experience a far
deeper exhilaration
from the art.
56
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
River of mist
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
57
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
Milky Way to McWay falls
Abandoned
58
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ACCESSORIES
4
3
1
0
2
L
A
I
C
SPE
60
STORAGE
DEVICES
LAPTOPS,
MOBILES,
TABLETS &
ACCESSORIES
62
64
65
LENSES, FILTERS
& BINOCULARS
73
CAMERA
BATTERIES &
CHARGERS
CAMERA
BAGS
67
TRIPODS,
MONOPODS &
HEADS
70
LIGHTING,
FLASHGUNS &
METERS
PRINTERS &
INKJET PAPERS
81
ALBUMS &
SOFTWARE
78
MISCELLANEOUS
84
ACCESSORIES
Special
LAPTOPS, MOBILES, TABLETS
AND ACCESSORIES
A
good laptop is an essential part of digital photography,
especially for organizing your work and for those who are
interested in editing and post-processing. Laptops are a
link between your camera and the Internet. They are portable and
Macbook Pro with retina
display
Features:
The 15-inch model has over 5 million
pixels, and the 13- inch model has
over 4 million. So you can retouch
your photos or edit a home movie in
HD and experience an astounding
level of clarity. The Retina display
is the perfect place to view and edit
your high-resolution photos.
MacBook Air
Features:
Fourth-generation Intel Core
processors in MacBook Air give you
more time to do more things. The
11-inch model provides up to 9
hours of battery life on a single
60
Smart Photography September 2014
facilitate sharing and uploading. This digital age has converted
everyone into a photographer. Smartphones and Tablets are capable
of taking great pictures and are easier to use because of their
compactness and multi-functionality.
charge and the 13-inch model
provides up to 12 hours . And
LED backlighting makes colours
bright and vibrant from edge to
edge. So whether you’re editing
photos, perfecting a presentation,
or watching a movie, you’re going
to love what you see.
iPad mini with retina
display
Features:
A new A7 chip, advanced wireless,
and powerful apps all beautifully
integrated with iOS 7 iPad mini
with retina display, lets you do more
than you ever imagined. Feature
for feature, it’s identical to iPad Air
in every way. Except for its superportable, hold-it-in-one-hand,
still-just-right mini size. The retina
display has over 3.1 million pixels —
a million more than an HDTV.
iPad Air
Features:
iPad Air is astonishingly thin
and light. Through a series of
refinements, this unit is able to drop
close to a quarter of the volume
of the previous-generation iPad .
It’s a subtle change, but it makes a
dramatic difference. The beautiful
display is more prominent than ever.
Available at: Inspire Infotech (P) Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-26284578
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.inspireinfo.com
www.smartphotography.in
Samsung Tab2 P3100 :
16GB
Features:
Samsung’s new GALAXY Tab 3 (8”)
introduces Tab portability with even
powerful performance! To make
multi-tasking even easier, there’s
Dual View, which lets you view 2
screens at the same time, so no need
to switch back and forth, just get a
full view with one glance.
HTC ONE
Features:
Capturing a moment takes more than
one image. That’s why the new HTC
One includes the HTC UltraPixel
Camera. Press the shutter release and
the HTC One automatically captures
up to 20 photos and a 3-second
video a picture that’s alive. So your
entire photo album becomes a living,
breathing gallery!
CHAMPION MY
PHONE 41
Nokia Lumia 720
Features:
The Nokia Lumia 720 is fun with
exclusive digital lenses, like Glam
Me, which allows you to add star
treatment to your self-portraits by
whitening teeth and tanning the skin.
Exclusive digital lenses ensure every
shot’s a winner.
Features:
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM),
10.16 cm (4) WVGA
Capacitive Touch Screen,
1 Ghz Dual Core, Dual
Camera (2MP + 5MP),
Android 4.2.2 JellyBean, GPS,
WiFi, 2GB Internal
CHAMPION MY
PHONE 51
Available at: J.J.Mehta
Contact: 022 2430 6356
Mail id: [email protected]
Website : www.jjmehta.com
www.smartphotography.in
Features:
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM),
12.7cm (5) FWVGA Screen,
1.2Ghz Dual Core, Dual
Camera (2MP + 2MP), Android
4.2.2 JellyBean, GPS, WiFi, 4GB
Internal Memory
Available at: Champion Computer
Pvt Ltd
Contact: 011- 40401200
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.championindia.com
September
August 2014 Smart Photography
61
ACCESSORIES
Special
STORAGE DEVICES
S
torage devices have made vast advancements. It is
becoming increasingly easier to save more multimedia
on tiny storage drives that store large amounts of
data. With a competitive market for the highest read, write
and transfer speeds, it is no longer necessary to spend
long periods of time transferring data. Some devices even
ensure safe back-up options. More and more companies are
targetting customers such as photographers, videographers
and so on who need maximum space and have very little
time to spare.
SanDisk Ultra Dual
USB Drive
SanDisk Extreme PRO
Compact Flash Memory
Card 256GB
Features:
World’s first high-capacity card
that supports VPG-65, the Video
Performance Guarantee specification
that ensures smooth 4K video
recording as well as Full HD. It can
operate in temperatures ranging from
-13ºF (-25ºC) to 185ºF (85ºC), so
you can record rich Full HD video or
snap the perfect shot in almost any
climate.
SanDisk Ultra Plus 128GB
MicroSDXC Card
Features:
The 128GB capacity card can
accommodate up to 24 hours of HD
video and the included SD adapter
lets you move files easily among
other SD compatible devices, such as
digital cameras and computers. It is
also waterproof, temperature-proof,
x-ray-proof, and shock-proof.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Features:
Offering up to 64GB of storage
space, it provides enough capacity
for large digital photo or music
libraries. Compatible with Android
Smartphones and Tablets and with
PCs running Windows®XP, Windows
7, or Windows 8 or Mac computers
running Mac OS X v10.5+.
Available at: Leading retail and
online stores
Website: www.sandisk.in
HP TF Class 10 Micro SD
Card 32G
Features:
Rated Class 10 which guarantees fast
transfer speeds so you can quickly
transfer & share while you’re on the
go. 2 years replacement warranty.
High read performance - 32G: Upto
95MB/s. High write performance 32G: Upto 23MB/s
Available at: Fortune Marketing
Pvt ltd
Contact: +91-98717775914
Mail id: inderbhan.verma@
fortune-it.
com
Website: www.
pny.com.tw/
index.php
Sony PSZ-HA2T
Portable HDD
Features:
Portable HDD has a memory
capacity of 2TB (terabyte) with high
speed transfer and multiple acess
point. It is also dust and splash proof.
Sony SF-64UZ/T1 IN and
SF-32UZ/T1 IN
Features:
UZ series is water-proof,
temperature-proof, X-ray-proof and
dust-proof. The new memory card
continues to feature the Sony File
Rescue software, the first in the world
to support 3D movies and photos.
Available at: All Sony Center and
major electronic stores across india
Contact: 1800-103-7799
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.sony.co.in
www.smartphotography.in
QNAP TS-251 and TS-451
Features:
The TS-251 and TS- 451 provides a
high performance & high capacity
storage solution for SOHO & home,
workgroup, and SMB users. Powered
by the advanced QTS operating
system, the TS-251 performs as an
easy-to-use yet powerful NAS for
data backup, file synchronization,
remote access, home entertainment,
and is ideal for users to build a
personal cloud to access their data
easily.
Contact : +91 9619070838
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.qnap.com
Toshiba 1TB/2TB
Canvio Simple
Features:
It comes in 1 TB and 2 TB
and offers easy storage at Super
and Fast transfer speed with
easy plug-n-play operation.
Available at: Mumbai
Contact: +91 98679 55995
Mail id: polad.garda@
toshiba-india.com
MobileLite Wireless
RN10200 (NETGEAR)
Features:
It has unlimited snapshot for
versioning data (hourly, daily and
weekly). Also has cloud access to the
data via ready CLOUD. It comes with
3 yrs warranty.
Available at: Rashi Peripherals Pvt Ltd.
Contact: +91-22-61771771
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.netgear.com
Features:
This wireless capable reader
transfers files from your SD card &
USB storage to a host of devices or
systems like Tablets, mobiles, etc. It is
more versatile i.e. it can be used with
Smartphones, Tablets and PCs.
SDA3 UHS-I U3 Flash SD Cards
Features:
Ideal for high-performance D-SLR
and D-SLM cameras and 4K
camcorders. Has storage capacities
from 16–64GB for thousands of
photos and hours of video.
CompactFlash – Ultimate
600x (CF/16GB-U3)
Features:
The ultimate card for professional
photographers with lifetime
warranty, free technical support.
Economical. Auto sleep mode
preserves system battery life.
USB 3.0 Card Reader
Features:
The perfect companion for the
avid photographer, videographer,
design studio or printing house. It is
compatible with all major media card
types. It is also ultra-portable and has
sleek metal construction.
Available at: Leading local stores
Contact: 022 42230300
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kingston.com
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
63
ACCESSORIES
Special
Rocky Univo
LIL BOMB70
Features:
This headphone is compatible with
all mobile phones and Tablets. It has
specially designed switch suitable
for all gadgets with 3.5mm jack for
music and talk.
Features:
An Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speaker
with MIC with voice prompt alerts
and multimedia controls.
Available at: Best IT World India
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 30815001
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.iBall.co.in
Combo 348 Card Reader
Features:
It is a combo of card reader and
3-port USB 2.0 hub. The top
cover slides to carry memory
cards. It has Micro SD, M2, SD
and MS Pro slots.
CAMERA BATTERIES AND CHARGERS
I
t’s needless to say that cameras cannot
function without batteries and chargers.
Alkaline batteries, Lithium batteries and
rechargeable batteries are usually used in
cameras. Rechargeable batteries can be Nickel
Metal-Hydride (NiMH) or Lithium Ion (Li-
Digitek Instant Power
(DIP-7800B)
Features:
Compact size and high capacity of
7800mAh. Can charge iPad, iPhone,
Smartphone, Mobile, MP3/MP4 etc.
Multiple safety protection system
to ensure device safety. Works for at
least 500 cycles. Retains full charge
for a month when not in use.
Digitek Instant Power
(DIP-10400A)
Features:
Compact and high capacity of
10400mAh. The hidden LED displays
Ion). It is also important to see whether you
have the right charger. For example, it is not
advisable to use NiMH batteries using a charger
designed for Nickel Cadmium (NiCd). Picking
a charger that does not overheat the batteries is
also important.
status for remaining power. Can
charge iPad, iPhone, Smartphone,
Mobile, MP3/MP4 etc. Multiple
safety protection system to ensure
device safety. Works for at least
500 cycles.
Available at: IMS Mercantiles
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Godrej 6000mAh Powerbank
Features:
Sleek in design, compact and easy
to carry. A button to prevent auto
discharge of Powerbank. Noncompromising safety standards
including over-heat protection,
overcharge and over-discharge
protection, short-circuit protection &
overpower protection.
Available at : Godrej & Boyce Mfg.
Co.ltd
Contact: +91 22 67962692 / 93
Website: www.godrejbatteries.com
64
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
CAMERA BAGS
A
fter buying the right equipment, the next step is to find
a suitable camera bag. Many photographers, expecially
beginners, understimate the importance of a good camera
bag. A bag that is sturdy enough to hold the camera and all the lenses,
flash guns, memory cards, etc. in well-cushioned compartments is
very important. Some bags also let the photographer modify the
compartments within as required. These are modular bags.
Water-proof bags are an added advantage. These bags are available as
backpacks, shoulder bags, sling bags and even pouches. It is important
to choose the bag according to one’s equipment.
SEDONA 51 Bag
Features:
Available in black and blue, for all
activities such as backpack, daypack
or everyday bag. It carries holding
system for tripod, monopod or
walking stick with security back
access and has breathable suspension
system as well as multiple accessory
pockets.
Travel Backpack
Features:
The travel backpack has been
specifically designed for carrying
your BeFree tripod. Everything can
fit perfectly in a single compact bag
which is easy and comfortable to
bring everywhere.
Sydney II 22BR Bag and 27 Bag
Features:
Available in three colours - blue,
brown and grey, with 2 in 1 facilities
such as photobag or everyday bag. It
has ergonomic shoulder strap with
accessory pockets and quick top
access.
Holster Plus 20 MB
MP-H-20BB
Features
The Holster Plus 20 is the perfect
solution to carry minimal gear, D-SLR
with attached standard lens, extra lens
or flash and accessories. It features
CPS - Camera Protection System- an
Exo-tough multi-layered construction
to give maximum protection. The top
opening gives fast, easy access to the
camera.
Available at : All leading
photographic stores
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: http://www.manfrotto.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
65
ACCESSORIES
Special
lens, laptop, tripod and multiple
accessories, plus a few personal
items, in a highly organized pack
Toploader Zoom 50 AW
Heralder 51T
Features:
The Heralder 51T has a fairly
complete set of straps. Aside from
contoured shoulder straps, the bag
has a buckling waist strap for more
support. The shoulder straps are
quite impressive, featuring tension
adjustments to raise or lower them
for a more custom fit. It is equipped
with four caster-based roller wheels
so it can be tilted and pulled or set on
the ground and pushed like a trolley.
Features:
Lightweight and slim, its holster-style
design provides an ideal fit and easyto carry option for most standard
D-SLRs with their attached zoom
lenses
JEALIOT CAMERA BAG-0702
Features:
It has an elegant & artistic look with
high quality protection, ergonomics
and innovation.
Available at: Jagdamba Enterprises
Contact: 9810258202 /
011-23211774
Mail id: [email protected]
Available at: J.J.Mehta
Contact: 022 2430 6356
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.jjmehta.com
Available at: Nikita Distributors
Contact Person : Mr. Raman Agrawal
Contact No: + 91- 20- 30500614
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imaginext.co.in
Lowepro Pro Runner 450 AW
Features:
It provides you comfort where you
need it. A thickly padded mesh
backpack brings support to the
lumbar region and adjustable and
padded shoulder straps let you create
a custom fit. This feature-filled design
fits up to a pro D-SLR with attached
66
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
TRIPODS, MONOPODS
AND HEADS
A
tripod is a boon when it comes to photographing with
heavy lenses, in low light, or even otherwise for a steady
image in still-life and motion photography. Tripods are
usually made of aluminium, carbon fibre, steel, wood or plastic.
A ballhead is very useful to a photographer who wants better
control and more stability from his tripod. Monopods also help
in steadying the camera to take pictures at slower shutter speeds
or longer focal lengths, but cannot stand without a support. These
accessories should be bought after analysing your individual needs,
such as height and weight of the monopod or tripod.
Befree MKBFRA4-BH
Features:
Befree (from Manfrotto) is a new
and innovative tripod dedicated to
photographers who love to travel.
Compact, light and portable Befree is
the ideal travel companion.
MT190XPRO4
Features:
Manfrotto’s 190 aluminium is a
4-section tripod, with horizontal
column. It is suitable for a wide
range of photography and video
applications with advanced features
and excellent build quality.
MHXPRO X-PRO
3-WAY Head
Features:
The X-PRO 3-Way Head is
Manfrotto’s most compact, precise and
reliable 3-way photographic head .
Three-way heads are ideal for making
fine and precise adjustments. This
pan/tilt head allows you to fine tune
the movements based on your gear
weight. 3 level bubbles are provided.
MVH500AH -Lightweight
Fluid Video Head with
Flat Base
Features:
The MVH500 AH is a lightweight
head with a wider platform for
HD-SLR bodies. A sliding plate
helps to balance the cameras. Faster,
easier and safer to use.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
67
ACCESSORIES
Special
PRO POD 600
Features:
Lightweight monopod for
professional use. All leg segments,
feature quick release leg locks for
easy and rapid set-up.
SLIK SBH-320DQ BK
Features:
The smaller SBH-320DQ BK is
precision machined and made from
anodized hardened aluminum
with black finish. Equipped with
magnesium quick-release plate with
two spirit levels.
MTPIXI-WH Pixi Mini
Tripod White
Features:
The perfect mini tripod for
compact system cameras. Versatile,
lightweight and portable with
gorgeous Italian styling. Pixi sets the
new standard for mini tripods. A
support which is as beautiful as your
pictures will be.
SLIK SH-705E
Features:
Compact and light weight 3-way
head for Carbon Fiber tripods,
A.M.T. tripods and others. With
convenient omnidirectional quick
release shoe.
Available at: Inter Foto India pvt ltd
Contact: 1800222239 / 9594781234
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.slik.com
Available at : All leading
Photographic Stores.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.manfrotto.in/befree
PRO 700 DX with 3 way
Pan head
Features:
Suitable for use with D-SLR/35mm
cameras, most telephoto and zoom
lenses, medium format cameras, and
some (portable 4x5) field cameras.
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www.smartphotography.in
Alta Pro 263 AGH
Features:
Quite possibly the most flexible
tripod/ball head pair in the world,
the central column moves from 0 to
180 degrees. It enables extreme low
angle photography.
Available at: Nikita Distributors
Contact Person: Mr. Raman
Agrawal
Contact: +91 20- 30500614
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imaginext.co.in
Bluetooth Shutter Tripod
(Selfi pod)
Features:
Enjoy great selfies with your
Smartphone. Just take out your
mobile, fit into the Smartphone
tripod, set your frame, get yourself
in it. Pair with remote shutter via
Bluetooth and you are ready to
capture some great moments.
Available at: IMS Mercantiles
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Fotopro colourful tripod
(C4/C5)
Features:
Elegant colourful look. Winner
of various design awards. Center
column with anti-slip groove. Semiautomatic adjustment system, low
angle shooting. Tripod hook with
beautiful design.
Available at: Angel Foto
Contact: 022-22612298
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.bigtrends.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
69
ACCESSORIES
Special
LENSES, FILTERS
AND BINOCULARS
Tamron 16-300mm Di II
VC PZD Macro
Features:
High-power zoom from wide-angle
to telephoto, with PZD (Piezo
Drive), autofocus and VC image
stabilisation. At wide-angle it covers
sweeping panoramic landscapes and
intimate interiors; as a telephoto it
can capture powerful close-ups of
distant subjects. This unprecedented
flexibility in framing is available with
a quick turn of the zoom ring.
Available at: All leading stores
Contact: 0124 - 4116812/13/14
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.tamron .in
Tokina AT-X 16-28mm
f/2.8 Pro FX
allows the photographer to switch
between AF and MF simply by
snapping the focus ring forward for
AF and back toward the camera to
focus manually.
Tokina 11-16/2.8 ATX DX
Features:
It is an ultra-wide-angle, short zoom
range lens specifically designed for
use with APS-C digital SLR cameras.
At its widest setting, the lens is great
for photographing interiors. The lens
is also designed to stand up to the
rigors of daily use by photographers
in a wide variety of shooting
conditions and environments.
Available at: Kenko Tokina Imaging
India Pvt ltd.
Contact: +91 -11-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Features:
The 16-28mm zoom range gives the
professional photographer a superwide angle view for dramatic effect or
to take in entire scenes. Its exclusive
One-touch Focus Clutch Mechanism
TAMRON SP 150-600MM
F/5.6-6.3 Di VC USD
Features:
Best for wildlife photography. To
avoid/eliminate flare and ghosting,
the lens employs BBAR (Broad-Band
Anti-Reflection) coating as
well as a specially formulated eBAND
(extended Bandwidth & AngularDependency coating). The lens
is designed for full-frame 35mm
format.The Tamron 150-600mm’s
zoom ring is 55mm broad and
rubberised for a good grip.
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www.smartphotography.in
Hoya PRO 1D ND8 Filter
Features:
It is aimed at still photography and
HD-SLR video markets. The series
provides 9 filters for 2-10 stop light
reduction. ND filters are designed to
reduce the amount of light entering
your camera lens and should not have
any other effect on the image.
Available at: Inter Foto India pvt ltd
Contact:1800222239 / 9594781234
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.hoyafilters.com
Expo dic 2
Features:
The original professional White
Balance filter gets even better.
The new filter design includes
selectable custom warming gels.
Whether shooting in RAW or JPEG,
photographers using ExpoDisc 2.0
to white balance their images save
valuable time during the photo
editing process. The ExpoDisc 2.0’s
new filter mount design attaches
securely to lenses and even to lowprofile threaded lens filters.
Available at: Kalabhai Dental Pvt ltd
Contact: +91 2225774058
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.kalabhai.com
Kenko Variable NDX filter
Features:
Kenko’s uniquely designed variable
neutral density filter provides the
equivalent brightness range of ND 2.5
to ND 1,000. The singular versatility of
the Variable NDX filter not only replaces
a whole set of stacking neutral density
filters, it also avoids vignetting which may
be caused by using multiple filters.
Available at: Kenko-Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 011-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Built-in Filter C-PL405
Features:
Designed for use in combination with
telephoto lenses equipped with a slipin filter holder. Filters do not affect
autofocus or auto exposure features.
Neutral Color NC Filter
does not affect colour balance.
The Multilayer coating prevents
light reflection inside the glass,
thus improving colour rendition.
Available in attachment sizes 39mm,
46mm, 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 72mm
and 77mm
Binocular SPORTER EX 10x50
Features:
It is water proof and fog-free with
nitrogen gas. Has multilayer coated
lenses for brighter images. Higheyepoint design provides a clear field
of view, even for eyeglass wearers.
Available at: Nikon Coolpix &
D-SLR Zones
Contact:1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Features:
It serves as lens protectors and
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
71
ACCESSORIES
Special
8 x 40 XCF
Features:
Optimally suitable for wildlife
observation, outdoors & water sport.
Available at: All online and retail
outlets
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.ricohestore.co.in
52 mm Closeup Lens Kit
Features:
Best for closeup photography, macro
and tabletop. It uses high quality
optical glass.
field of view and click-stop diopter
adjustment ring.
Artos 12X50 W
Available at: Omax Camera care
Contact: Mr. Kawal Chadha
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.omaxcameracare.com
Features:
Excellent in the field, these binoculars
are fully waterproof. Whether using
them for astronomical observation in
an evening mist or birdwatching in
tropical humidity.
Artos 10X42 W
DGX Teleplus Pro 300
Features:
It is waterproof, environmentally
sealed and multi coated, with wide
Features:
These converters are designed to
electronically operate the same
way as an original manufacturer’s
converter. The glass elements are
designed to match the optical quality
of prime lens (even at the edges) and
telephoto zoom lenses.
Available at: Dass Photos Electronics
Contact:011-29817138
Mail id: [email protected]
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
LIGHTING, FLASHGUNS AND
METERS
Indirect Light Bank Octa
190 cm
Features:
Super fast to set up, with unique
EL folding construction. 360°
rotating system. All Indirect Light
Banks are supplied with a Carrying
Bag. Accepts BXRi or Style RX
www.smartphotography.in
compact flashes, which can be easily
controlled with the EL-Skyport
Remote and Trigger System.
Accepts all Elinchrom Flashheads
including the Ranger Quadra Heads,
with Adpter Ring 26339
heads up to 396 cm.
Aluminium tripod
Features:
The white Umbrella is an excellent
general- purpose lighting tool with
a white, matt reflective fabric. ELUmbrellas are delivered with a sleeve
for transport and protection.
Features:
This new air cushioned
black aluminium tripod
is designed to carry, larger
light banks and compact
This makes it ideal for studio with
high ceilings and whenever a great
height is required.
Black & White Umbrella
September 2014 Smart Photography
73
ACCESSORIES
Special
D-Lite RX 4
Features:
The D-Lite RX studio flash system
is the entry range of the Elinchrom
studio flash family. Whether you
are new to lighting, already have
speedlights or just want to take your
photography to the next level, the
D-Lite RX series provides for all
your needs.
Ideal for small business applications,
portraiture, for anyone interested
in the art and creativity of lighting,
these Swiss designed and tested
units will not only give many years
of satisfactory service and pleasure
but also allow the upgrade to more
advanced units if necessary.
The RX4 can take full control of
your unit’s settings with the ELSkyport App for iPhone, iPad and
iPod Touch via the optional WiFi
module. Additional features can
be found when used with the ELSkyport software such as Flash-Delay
for strobing-effects.Visual Flash
Confirmation option is available.
The modelling lamp comes on to
confirm the flash has been triggered.
It also has programmable ready
beep function with firmware update
option.
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Smart Photography September 2014
D-Lite RX ONE
Features:
The D-Lite RX ONE is a small
but robust compact flash from
Elinchrom. It can be used outside
the studio, as a perfect creative
companion to an existing Speedlight
system, making use of the in-built
intelligent slave cell to offer perfect
flash synchronisation. Although the
versatality of Elinchrom remains in
its accesory range, this system has
some of the best accessories allowing
the photographer to change the
nature of their light. It also takes full
control of your unit’s settings with
the EL-Skyport App for iPhone, iPad
and iPod Touch via the optional
WiFi module. The modelling lamp
comes on to confirm the flash has
been triggered. It has Automatic
temperature controlled ventilation
and Power Auto-dump as well.
Visual Flash Confirmation option is
available
ELC Pro HD 500 and1000
Features:
The ELC Pro HD Compacts 500 and
1000 are the worlds most complete,
feature rich compact studio flash
units. ELC combines everything a
photographer needs with everything
a photographer wants, plus the
consistency and reliability that
you expect from Elinchrom.
Recycling times are lightning fast
(0.6s / 1.2s to full power, ELC 500 J. /
ELC 1000 J). Furthermore the super
fast flash durations (up to 1/5000s /
1/5260s, t0.5, ELC 500 / ELC 1000)
enable you to freeze motion like
never before.The ELC is the first
unit to incorporate an OLED screen
that displays every control for the
most professional user experience.
The ELC features three exciting new
shooting modes that will literally
change the way you work. Sequence
Mode - Allows you to sequentially
trigger up to 20 ELC’s, in bursts or
as a continuous cycle, to utilise the
www.smartphotography.in
high frame rate of your camera.
Delayed Mode - Provides the option
of first or second curtain sync and
everything in-between. Strobo Mode
- Enables you to take a picture with
stroboscopic effects within a single
frame.
Available at: Photoquip India Ltd.
Contacts: 022 - 61474000
Email id: [email protected]
Website: www.photoquip.com
www.smartphotography.in
Broncolor softbox
Features:
The new Broncolor softboxes
are used for still life and product
photography. The sizes range from
35 x 60 cm up to 120 x 180 cm. Six
rectangular and square softboxes,
one narrow striplite shaped box
and two octaboxes with diameters
of 75 and 150 cm are availble.
The new compact softbox can
also be used without a stand as
a hand held chaser light. The
special internal coating guarantees
optimum efficiency.
Available at : Photonics Enterprise
Contact: +91 9820029063
Website: www.broncolor.com
September 2014 Smart Photography
75
ACCESSORIES
Special
Kenko Auto Digimeter
KFM-1100
Super Diffuse Dome
Features:
It comes with four types of caps
which fits on the flash head. For
Canon and Nikon flash units.
Features:
It is used for both flash and ambient
light readings - simple, easy-to-use,
accurate. The light reading is displayed
on the meter’s LCD window as both
digital and analog data. It has a
brightness difference function that
can be used to adjust lighting ratios or
check for background light uniformity.
Very useful for product photography,
portraits, etc.
Allman Manual Flash
Features:
Compatible with all standard hot
shoe cameras. Also has stroboscopic
and manual flash operations.
Light Shaper
Features:
Suitable for portrait photography for
getting top light effect. It is attached
to the top of the external flash gun.
Kenko Color Meter
KCM-3100
Features:
It knows the colour temperature
before taking a photograph which
saves time and money. It also has 3
display modes.
Available at: Photosystems India Pvt Ltd
Contact: 9990630710
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.photosystemsindia.com
Available at: Kenko-Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 011-41571155
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Lucent 35+ RD
Feature:
A professional flash system with
sleek all metal body for strength and
durabilty with colour corrected flash
output and rapid charging circuitry.
Speedlight SB-910
Features:
The SB-910 is a high-end Speedlight
for advanced amateurs and
professional photographers. Fully
compatible with the Nikon Creative
Lighting System.
Speedlight SB-700
Features:
It is well equipped with wireless
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Smart Photography September 2014
Ring & L-Bracket
lighting capability. Also has
high-speed recycling time of
approximately 2.5 s.
Available at: Nikon COOLPIX &
D-SLR Zones
Contact: 1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Feature:
Diffuse your speedlite with softboxes,
reflectors, barn-doors etc by
mounting ring and L-bracket.
Available at: Hari Singh & Sons
Contact: 91-183-2586114, 2589619
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.harisonphoto.com
www.smartphotography.in
Studio Flash Lights RT23
Nissin Flash Gun i40
Features:
Has built in radio trigger.
Flash output (w/s) Max.- 250w,
Min. - 125w. Half / Full output.
Twin-Tech (Double Sensor).
Features:
Has a selector dial for simple
operation, with built–in wide-angle
diffuser and 180 degrees horizontal
rotation and 90 degrees vertical tilt.
Photopro Video Lights
VL-111 (H/F)
Sekonic Light Meter L–478D
Features:
Incorporating new bright and wide
reflector, aerodynamic design with
better coverage and control.
Available at: Photosystems India
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9990630710
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.photopro.in
Features:
Full LCD panel touch screen, 13
custom settings, 9 measurements
with memory + averaging. Designed
for digital still / video / cine.
Available at: All Leading Photo Stores
Contact: Marketing Dept., Srishti
Digilife Pvt. Ltd.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.srishtidigilife.co.in
JJC Electronic Speedlight SF33
Features:
The built-in bounce card creates
a highlight in the subject’s eyes,
making the eyes look natural.
Available at: Angel Foto
Contact: 022-22612298
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.bigtrends.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
77
ACCESSORIES
Special
PRINTERS AND INKJET PAPERS
P
rinted pictures have their own charm and an archival
quality, and with the modern advancements in printing
technology, it has become possible to control all aspects
of printing. The variety of papers and printing techniques
currently available are extensive and cover everyone’s
personal needs. The ability to get quick prints and wireless
connectivity of the new models have made photo printing
even more lucrative.
Epson L1800 InkTank
Photo Printer
Features:
High in reliability, suitable for all
Photo studios & Labs. Unimaginable
running cost as low as Rs.25 (ink cost
only) for A3+ size prints
Can print from 4R size to A3+ size.
Assured Epson quality Photo prints
in every print
Available at: Available with the
Epson photo dealers near you
Contact: +91 9980433663
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.epson.co.in
ASK300
Features:
This Dye-sublimation thermal
printer is suitable for photo print,
event photos and various business
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Smart Photography September 2014
purposes. Instant high
quality ultra-fine glossy
and matt print with our
changing media.
High quality prints are
realized by matching image
intelligence processing
technology with Fujifilm
Quality Thermal Photo
Paper. All-in-one solution
at an affordable price, with
a small investment and a
small foot print.
www.smartphotography.in
DL600/650
Features:
Available with 2 models also features
Piezoelectric inkjet system and
enhanced image quality with 1440
dpi high-resolution mode with stable
high quality printing achieved by
automatic nozzle check function.
Print sizes up to 305 × 1,219 mm
(12 × 48 inches) Available in two
models DL600 ( 5-colors) and DL650
( 6-colors). Print sizes up to 305 ×
1,219 mm (12 × 48 inches) enabling
a variety of customer needs to be
satisfied High processing capacity.
DL600 (650 prints / hour), DL650
(950 prints/hour) 6X4 size.
FRONTIER –S
Features:
Ideal Printer for Minilab, KIOSK
System or Event Photography
Required footprint is only 0.20m2
(2.13 Ft2) Piezoelectric inkjet system
and Newly developed 6 coloured
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
79
ACCESSORIES
Special
FUJIFILM VIVIDIA TM (C, M,
Y, K, SB, P) dye inks for beautiful
reproduction. Print Size : 5” X 3.5
“ to 8” X 39” Print Speed: Standard
mode: 360 prints / hour (6”X4”).
It also has low power consumption250 w or less.
Instax Mini 8 and
Wide 210
Fuji Color paper
Features:
Available in five variables i.e;
• Crystal Archive for excellent image
stability
• ‘Supreme’ for high productivity
• ‘Digital Pearl’ for excellent latent
image stability
• ‘Album Paper’ for light weight
wedding albums
• ‘Quality Paper Digital’ (New)
for improved post production
characteristics .
CLC Portfolio:
• CP 49 LR Cartridge chemistry
• UNIPACK 90 P1R & 90 P2R
•SP48 P1 R & P2 VR
• SP108 & Super MR P2 R
Features:
Mini 8: Instant print/Body color/
manual switching system (LED
indicator)/Constant firing flash with
effective range: 0.6m-2.7m/Exposure
counter/Uses 2 AA batteries
Wide210: Instant print/Automatic
exposure compensation (Lightendarken control)/LCD indicator in
exposure control/Built-in automatic
electronic flash, Effective flash range:
0.9 - 3m/LR6/AA-size 1.5V alkaline
batteries x4
Available at: Fujifilm India Pvt. ltd.
Email id: [email protected]
Website: www.fujifilm.in/
wheretobuy/photo_imaging/
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ALBUMS AND SOFTWARE
P
hoto albums and archives preserve photographs, and one can
keep going back to them again and again. Creating photo
albums that are aesthetic and long-lasting is not enough;
photo albums also let you pick the material, type of print and
theme. Photo-editing and processing software is an inseparable
product of imaging. These programs and techniques let the user
fix the flaws in an image, alter, stitch images and create something
completely different from the original. Photography software
enables further creativity and innovation, thereby extending the
scope of image creation.
SDS Album Making Software
Features:
This software features more than 2000
ready to use templates with full folder
finishing and colour correction . It also
includes photo locker, water marking
and hair cutting tools with advance
photo finishing and makeup tools.
Available at: Sonujee Digital
Solutions
Contact: 91-9316914189
Mail id: [email protected],
[email protected]
Website: www.sonujeedigital.com
City Photo Book
Venus album
Features:
The high gloss, multicolored
products combined with superior
quality printing and binding make a
souvenir for the future. Venus photo
books are available in
different variety papers like Medium
Super Glossy, Medium Silky, Heavy
Super Glossy, Medium Soft Touch,
Glass HD Glossy, Glass HD Silky,
Glass HD Metallic, Metallic-M,
Special Texture paper , Pearl Coated,
Deep Leather and special texture
film.
Features:
This album has an excellent look
with superb quality papers and more
economical.
Available at: City Digital Print
Contact: 9910778894 / 9910668877
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.cityphotobook.in
Available at: Venus album co.
Pvt Ltd
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.venusalbum.com
ARPIT ALBUMS
Features:
This digital album is available with
book bound and mount albums
which have a stylish and elegant look.
Available at: ARPIT ALBUMS
Contact: 9312716070 /011-23556070
Mail id: [email protected]
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
81
ACCESSORIES
Special
Stellar Phoenix Photo
Recovery 6
System Mechanic
Professional:
Features:
It can recover lost and/or deleted
photos, videos and music files,
and also provides the preview and
recovery of HD -MOV files.
Features:
It is a Patented technology for
maximum speed, power and stability.
It also Fixes frustrating errors,
crashes and freezes and available
with Triple-certified virus protection
and data security . It automatically
accelerates PC startup in 22 ways
and resolves registry problems and
stabilizes Windows . It also taps into
the System Mechanic community to
help you gain even more PC speed.
Available at: Creative Peripherals &
Distribution Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9004382804
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.iolo.com
Stellar Image Converter
Features:
It can have converted files in 14
different formats like JPEG, JP2,
BMP, PNG etc also support Mac OS
10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6.
Available at: www.stellarinfo.com
Contact: Sharadendu Tiwari
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.stellarinfo.com
Rapoo M10
It is a 2.4G Wireless Control with
Plug and Forget Nano Receiver.
Battery Life is Up to 9 months. Also
available in Black/White/Blue/Green/
Red/Orange. It has a High accuracy
tracking engine providing more
precise control, Power saving switch
design, Smooth lines on surface, soft
rubber foot pad.
Available at: Creative Peripherals &
Distribution Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9892770069
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.rapoo.com
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
COMPANY PROFILE
A NURSERY FOR THE
BUDDING TALENT
“The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of
teaching,” Aristotle once said. Shyam Prasad, the Director of Shoots
& Shoots Photography Academy, it seems, believes and lives by
these famous words.
One of the most well-known and admired personalities in the field
of professional photography, Shyam Prasad decided to become a
photography guru when after he felt that it was time to give back to
the photography fraternity what he gained during all these years.
Today, through his Shoots & Shoots academy he is able to give back
manifolds.
Photography began as a hobby for Prasad in his early teenage
years. The innate talent was evident right from the beginning.
Combined with his keen sense of observation, and the knack to
capture the right moment, his work received immense recognition in
India and abroad.
Born and brought up in Delhi, and a graduate in fine arts, his first
break came in an ad agency where he worked as an advertising
photographer.
Soon, he was able to venture out on his own and started to do
freelance photography. He did shoots for umpteen brands in almost
all sectors and across geographies. He covered entire India doing
location shoots and moved on to weave his magic in foreign locations.
Fame and glamour soon followed his work which took him to the world
of fashion photography. He never had to look back since.
Prasad went to do shoots for many celebrities, most notably, the
‘King of Bollywood,’ Shahrukh Khan.
In 2004, Prasad decided to take the ultimate step of realising
SHYAM PRASAD
his childhood dream to become a professional
photography guru. With the financial and emotional
support of his father Shri Giri Raj Prasad (National
Shilp Guru Award winner), he set up Shoots &
Shoots Photography Academy.
Shoots & Shoots Photography Academy has
already trained more than 900 students which
include both Indians and foreigners.
Despite his numerous achievements, his
passion for the field of photography is still
burning bright and still manages to work 24 x
7, 365 days a year. He conducts workshops in
various universities across the country, has been
in the jury of various beauty contests and been
a part of various shows on Doordarshan and
a few other channels. Currently, he is working
as a designer in Handicraft division of Indian
government.
For the further information, please contact:
Shoots and Shoots Photography Academy
i 2, (L.G.F), Jangpura Extension, New Delhi-110014, Tel:0844788-5005, 981-061-5005, 011-4151-5005, 41823641
www.ssacademy.in www.facebook.com/snspacademy, [email protected]
ADVT.
ACCESSORIES
Special
MISCELLANEOUS
Triggertrap Mobile Dongle
Features:
It is a simple 2 part design, a dongle
and a suitable connector cable makes
it very smart, convenient and nifty
addition to any photographer’s kit.
Gizmon smart clip
Features:
This stabilizer pad keeps a lens
always horizontally and compatible
with Smartphones such as iPhone
or Android, tablet, cell-phone with
camera, note PC, portable game
console (with the camera)
Gizmon ICA5 SLR for
iphone 5/5s
Features:
Make your iphone look
more a real classic camera,
which has large lens
and realistic pentaprism
design. It is designed to
create the style of singlelens reflex camera.
Gizmon ICA flash
Features:
Its an LED with classical
flash style which can be
controlled by iPhone
using the bluetooth.The
powerful LED and the
umbrella makes it possible
to keep it’s size compact
and obtain a very strong
light source in the dark. Not only
used as an accessory for iCA but also
can be used with other cameras and
tripods.
Triggertrap Flash Adapter
Digitek Bluetooth Speaker
(DBS-003)
Features:
Dual speakers, Dual diaphragm,
Amazing Hifi Sound, Simple onebutton operation
Features:
It bypasses the camera altogether,
triggering your flash directly
– and with the newest version
of Triggertrap Mobile for iOS,
triggertrap has made the app 12
times faster than it was before. Now
your Smartphone is the perfect
springboard to help you dip your toes
in the droplet-filled pond of highspeed photography!
Available at: All online and retail
outlets
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.urbanbyte.in
Available at: IMS Mercantiles Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Available at: Kenko Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
84
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ACCESSORIES
Special
so you can record latitude, longitude,
altitude and time information. Time
required for satellite acquisition:
Approx. 45 sec. (cold start), approx. 5
sec. (hot start).
Available at: Nikon Coolpix &
D-SLR Zones
Contact: 1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Black Rapid Camera RS4 – 2BB
WG Holder and Camera
Mount with Suction Cup
Features:
It is perfect for mounting WG-series
cameras to a wide array of surfaces
including cars, boats, surfboards,
helmets and more!
Features:
It is comfortable for left or right
shoulder with smaller zipper pocket
for memory cards / business cards.
Lightweight design makes it portable
and easily packable.
Available at: All Leading Photo Stores
Contact: Marketing Dept., Srishti
Digilife Pvt. Ltd.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.srishtidigilife.co.in
Available at: All online and retails
outlets
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.ricohestore.co.in
ME - 1 Stereo Microphone
Features:
It is designed for use with digital
SLR cameras featuring a 3.5 mm
(diameter) stereo mini-pin jack. Also
has improved sound quality when
recording D-Movies. Records crystalclear sound and further reduces
vibration noise during autofocus.
ML-L3 Wireless Remote
Control (Infrared)
Features:
Useful for triggering the shutter
remotely when using slower shutter
speeds, to prevent camera movement.
Also the Infrared Remote Control
enables wireless remote shutter
release of select Nikon D-SLR, Nikon
1 and COOLPIX cameras.
GP-1 GPS Unit
Features:
Geotags can be added to your images
86
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ACCESSORIES
Special
OMAX 3in1 Digital Gray/
Black/White Card
ScratchGard Screen Protectors for Cameras
Features:
Available with set of 3 cards, also
portable and economical.
Features:
It transmits original colours with
high definition clarity. It is pressure
sensitive and touch/scratch resistant.
Available at: Omax Camera care
Contact: Mr. Kawal Chadha
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.omaxcameracare.com
Available at: All major retail stores
Contact: +91 22 28572357
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.scratchgard.in
DIGITAL MASTER-D4
Video Light holder
Features:
This holder can mount video light,
studio light, on a single holder at a time.
Available at: Sumo products Vadodara
Phone: 9375811852
Mail id : [email protected]
Website: www.sumoproduct.com
88
Smart Photography September 2014
Features:
Offers remote control for flash and
modelling lamp with auto power
saving. Also has integrated antenna
and hot-shoe with lock.
DIGITAL MASTER-D2
Features:
Offers auto power saving and
integrated antenna and hot-shoe
with lock. Also has 16 channel digital
display.
Available at: Delhi Photo Store
Contact: 011-23261414
Mail id: [email protected],
[email protected]
Website: www.simpex-pro.com
www.smartphotography.in
LEARNING
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
Ashok Kandimalla
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]
I
n the last month’s article you
read about the techniques
behind photographing the
exteriors of structures. This
month’s article is a complement
to it and will cover ‘interiors’.
As you would expect, many of
the concepts you read regarding
photographing exteriors are
equally applicable also to the
interiors. There are of course some
issues specific to interiors that you
need to take into account. This
article will concentrate on those
aspects.
in your favour is that interiors
are naturally smaller than the
exteriors, so fewer photographs
or even just one can do full
justice to the whole interior.
Last month you read about
problems caused by perspective
and distortion when
photographing architecture
and the ways to overcome
them. These issues are equally
applicable to interiors. Equipment
needed for interior photography
too is nearly identical with one
additional requirement. As you
would expect, light levels will be
low when you are photographing
interiors. So, a camera with
good low light (that is high
ISO) performance is essential
As you would do when executing
an exterior picture, an interior
photograph too needs careful
planning, study of the lines,
symmetry, etc. One thing working
90
since in many museums and art
galleries (which usually have great
interiors), the use of tripod or
flash is prohibited.
For interior photography, a
tripod is an essential accessory
for steadying the camera as well
as for precise composing. I can
emphasize its importance by
saying - when allowed, use a
tripod!
One tricky situation that you need
to tackle in interior photography
is the very high contrast. This
often happens since the sunlight
through windows does not
illuminate the room evenly. You
will also face similar situations
when photographing atriums.
The problem you encounter
in these cases is that you get
pools of bright light at some
places (near windows) and
dark areas (corners) elsewhere.
This brightness range can often
overwhelm the dynamic range of
your camera. There are two ways
you can overcome the problem.
You can use HDR
(High Dynamic
Range) techniques
or fill-flash. I
recommend the
former since this
works very well
with interiors
(since there
are no moving
objects) and you
don’t need any
extra equipment
(of course you
need HDR
software but a
few packages are
available in public
domain at no
cost). If you want
to use fill-flash
then you need to
keep strobes at
suitable places to
Picture 1: This is a simple example that shows the application of the rule of thirds (blue coloured grid)
and the camera positioning. The corner of the corridors, which is also the dominating vertical part, was
placed at approximately the thirds vertical line. The pattern on the first column which is prominent was
put at the left bottom point of dominance. The arches of receding size convey depth.
overcome the dark patches. When
you use a fill flash, its effect must
be subtle and should not overpower the sunlight. It should be
only about half as powerful as
the sunlight or even less. You can
experiment a bit and see what suits
your tastes.
Lighting: This is a major issue
that you need to give considerable
attention. The interior in a room
is lit primarily in two ways – by
the sunlight streaming through
the windows, and illumination
provided by lights fitted inside
the room. In case you want to use
both the sources, then you need
to make sure that both have the
same colour temperature. If this is
not the case, then it is impossible
to get consistent colour balance
throughout the scene. This is
because if you balance for one
particular light source then the
area dominated by another source
will exhibit a colour cast. The best
solution to avoid this situation is
by using all sources of the same
colour temperature. This is not
difficult to do since most lighting
these days is by CFLs (compact
fluorescent lamps) and these
have a colour temperature not
too different from daylight. So,
is the case with electronic flashes
(strobes). You can mix these
without much problem. However,
avoid mixing incandescent
bulbs or fluorescent (old type
www.smartphotography.in
Smart Photography September 2014
tube lights) with daylight as
these combinations will cause a
problem. To be on the safe side,
always photograph in Raw format
and also do a custom White
Balance for every light setting.
Sketch 1: Rule of
thirds suggests that
you have to divide
your viewfinder
frame into 9 parts
and keep the
subject at one of
the intersections
called “points of
dominance”.
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful
for interior photography, along
with some examples:
Basic Composition: The classic
composition guideline, the “rule of
thirds” is still a very good starting
point (Sketch 1). So, how do you
apply it to an interior?
You can keep a prominent vertical
line in the interior (say a column)
coinciding with one of the vertical
lines as per the rule-of-thirds
grid. Any important object in the
room can be kept at one of the
points of dominance to emphasize
its importance. This object must
have some contrast in size or tone
or colour from the rest of the
background to make it stand out.
Sketch 2: Schematic
(plan view) of the
camera position.
Keep the camera
at an angle in the
corner of the area
that you want to
photograph. See text
for more details.
The position of the camera is also
important. Once again the general
September 2014 Smart Photography
www.smartphotography.in
91
90
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
LEARNING
Pic A
Pin-up
Photography
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
[email protected].
Dilip Yande
fashion photography is the talent of
skillfully narrating this; it could even
be capturing the feel of an era in the
form of an image; or may involve
going back in time and documenting
a vintage fashion by recreating it or
visualizing fashion with a futuristic
approach and show how it would be
fifty years ahead in time.
‘Glamour’ is like the aroma of a tasty
cuisine, inhaled from a distance; it
attracts your senses along with the
dish before you. ‘Glamour’ instantly
attracts a viewer. He stops flipping
the pages of a magazine when he
notices a glamour shot. Such shots
may not necessarily be revealing the
full body of the model, but makes
the shot noticeable due to various
reasons1) Expressions of the model.
2) Lighting that supports the mood
in the picture.
3) A quick relation that gets
established between the model
in the picture and the viewer.
4) Cleverly revealing and smartly
hiding certain body parts,
making the picture look
sensuous but not vulgar.
5) Use of the right props and
concept.
W
hen some budding
photographers are
asked, “ What kind of
photography do you like to do?” they
promptly reply by saying , “Model
photography… like to shoot fashion,
… glamour photography”. If asked
how they would differentiate between
fashion photography and glamour
photography, they fumble. They
explain that glamour photography is
something like photographing girls
in bikinis. They are not wrong, but
they are not right either. If bikini is
a defined beach wear, then why do
they not classify it under fashion
photography? To this, they go blank!
Well, broadly speaking, ‘fashion’
is wearing what is ‘in’, what people
from the society would like to wear
and proudly show. It is ahead of
the purpose of covering one’s body.
It is defining or redefining your
personality through the choice of
apparels and accessorizing. It is a
statement of what you are or what you
would like to be recognized as. Hence
96
Such glamour shots always have a
longer shelf-life than the normal
fashion shots as far as the viewer is
concerned. Many viewers, right from
young students, bachelors, to old men
are fond of such pictures and even cut
them from magazines and pin them
up in their hostel rooms, bedrooms
or paste them on or inside their
cupboards.
This very human tendency was
encashed in the West by starting a
trend of pictures called ‘Pin-ups’.
Initially, these pin-ups used to be
sketches or coloured illustrations
showing a scantily dressed girl, in
a good and happy mood, smiling
and looking straight at the viewer,
thus establishing a silent but friendly
contact with him. This art of
illustrations was soon followed by
actual photographs – the result was
the birth of what we can now call as
‘Pin-up Photography’. The demand
for such pictures increased so much,
that people opted to make posters,
calendars, post-cards or plates in
magazines by using pin- ups. Models
who started modeling for such
assignments were known as the ‘pinup girls’.
In pin-up photography, which
happens to be the definition of
glamour photography, one may opt
to give a very fashionable look to
the model or a very raw or a tribal
look, highlighting her body language,
her expressions and moods. Many
newspapers printed such images
of attractive and sensuous models
terming them as ‘mates’ just to
increase the readership or their
publication.
Makeup plays the most important
role in the case of pin-up
photography. So does hairstyling.
In pin-up photography, one is not
www.smartphotography.in
Smart Photography September 2014
shooting a portfolio for the model,
nor is one selling a product like
cosmetic cream, apparels, hair care
product or jewelry; but one is selling
the ‘X’ factor of the model. Indirectly,
one may be selling the publication in
which this picture has been printed
in the form of a coloured plate or a
centre-spread. Makeup obviously
has to be very glamorous. A whole
body makeup is advisable in order to
give an even tone to the body or add
slight gloss or shine where needed.
Many times a ‘shimmer’ which gives
a shining effect is applied on the
shoulders or the chest, to make it
more attractive. The makeup should
not be soft or subtle, but should be
loud and ‘seen’. It should be visible
to the extent possible. Every part
of the face like the eyes, eye-lashes,
eye-brows, need to be done up well
with the use of eye-liners, eye-pencils,
eye-shadows, mascara, artificial
eye-lashes, contact lenses etc. In case
of lips, the pouting of the lips plays
a major role; the gloss of the lipstick
adds to the picture. The look has to
be a bit exaggerated. Same with the
case of hairstyling. A tidy hairstyle
may no suit a pin-up. But open hair,
messy look, wet crunched look, sleek
gel back, or a well layered casual look
can go well with a pin-up concept.
It is necessary that the make-up
corresponds to the concept and the
hairstyling and follows the same
language.
The concept of ‘Simple Janes’ next
door never works for pin-ups. The
model should be sensuous and should
have a good figure and an ability to
seduce the viewer through her looks.
The age group may not matter much
but should ideally be between 22 - 35
years depending on the concept.
If one studies the various concepts
used in any pin-ups, one may observe
that they may consist of incidents
rightly captured with perfect timing.
The incident could be from every day
life or it could be a very staged out
shot suggesting seduction through
some way. They may have elements
or actions which act as ‘visual puns’
thus giving double meaning (at times)
to what one sees. One may find very
sophisticated props in pictures or at
times, animals, like furry pedigree
dogs, puppies, Persian cats, rabbits,
doves, and exotic birds like macaws
etc.
tube, fury toys, feather dusters etc.
The pictures thus shot could be full
lengths, mid-shots or even close-ups.
Let us briefly analyze the following
pin-up shots:
1) Pic A- The model is wearing a
party dress, cleverly selected that
her shoulders are bare open and the
beauty of her legs is ‘just seen’. The
flowery print makes it more feminine
and is well-complemented by other
feminine props like the open vanity
case, a ladies umbrella at the rear, a
metal case painted and stuck with
fashion sketches going out of focus.
They may involve concepts wherein
the model has been shown like a bar
tender, waitress, air hostess, nurse,
sailor, house maid etc. The props
used in the picture are meant only
to decorate the frame or ‘add’ to the
‘seduction’ element in the picture;
at times targeting a certain class of
people for whom it has been shot.
One may find props like a sailor’s
cap, a bottle of champagne, a boating
September 2014 Smart Photography
www.smartphotography.in
97
LEARNING
10
How to
Tips
2
How to ensure that you don’t
shoot without a memory card
I know of photographers who
inadvertently covered weddings
without a film in their camera! The
digital photographer can face a similar
problem. So how do you ensure that
you – the digital photographer – never
commit the same mistake?
if you want you use a particular shutter
speed (like in Shutter Priority) or a
particular aperture (like in Aperture
Priority) while still in the Program
mode?
Most digital cameras offering Program
mode, also offer a little-known subprogram, called Flexible Program. When
you set Flexible Program, you’ll see a
Now lets say that you decide to
use the camera (in ‘P’ mode) as an
Aperture Priority mode. Again, shift
over to Flexible Program, and this
time (assuming that your camera
shows 1/125 sec at f/11) you turn the
Command Dial till the aperture changes
from f/11 to whatever aperture you
need. As an example, if you select f/22,
the shutter speed will now change
to 1/30 sec, again allowing the same
amount of light hitting the sensor as
with 1/125 sec at f/11. You have now
used the ‘P’ mode as Aperture Priority
mode!
For the less initiated: All the shutter
speed / aperture combinations shown
below allow the same quantity of light
to enter the lens. In other words, the
exposure does not change (but action
stopping power / depth of field will
change).
1. The camera
LCD Monitor is
much brighter.
But why don’t camera manufacturers
make this a permanent feature, whereby
you just cannot fire the shutter if there
is no memory card installed? Well,
there’s a good reason. If you connect
the camera directly to a computer,
there is no reason to first write to the
memory card and from there to the
computer; you simply write directly to
the computer. Now if the ‘don’t-fire-theshutter-without-a-memory-card-inside’
feature was permanent, you just could
never write directly to a computer!
2. Adjust the LCD
Monitor’s brightness as required.
1. After loading the images on to your
computer, put the memory card back
into your camera, but do not format the
card (formatting the card would delete
the images).
2. Open an image (one that has proper
tones) on the computer monitor and
navigate to the same image on your
camera. Hold the camera close to the
computer monitor (taking care that the
light from the monitor does not shine
on to the camera’s LCD) and compare
both images for brightness (not colour
or sharpness). You will notice that the
image on the camera is brighter. Now
lower the LCD brightness till the two
images look more or less equal.
104
Smart Photography September 2014
Shutter Speed
in seconds
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
1/1000
1/2000
1/4000
1/8000
Digital cameras offer a feature, which,
when enabled, will prevent the shutter
from firing if there is no memory card
in the camera. Just make sure that you
enable that feature.
1
3
How to use Program (P) mode
as a Shutter Priority/Aperture
Priority mode
We all know that Program
mode (P) automatically selects the
shutter speed as well as the aperture.
It might appear that the user has no
control (or very little control if the ISO
is manipulated) over the shutter speed
or the aperture used since these are ‘set’
as per the algorithms (instructions)
programmed into the camera. But what
3 Compare again
www.smartphotography.in
www.smartphotography.in
Flexible Program mode
little asterisk mark (*) next to the ‘P’ for
program. In Program mode, you turn
the Command Dial till you see the *
mark next to the ‘P’. Now your camera is
in Flexible Program mode.
Let’s say the camera has selected 1/125
sec at f/11 in the Program mode but
you wish you could use 1/500 sec to
freeze subject movement. You get into
Flexible Program mode and turn the
Command Dial till you see 1/500 sec
instead of 1/125 sec. The aperture will
correspondingly change to f/5.6. The
amount of light hitting the imaging
sensor has not changed, only the
parameters have. You have just used the
Pin-up Photography
‘P’ mode as a Shutter Priority mode!
Rohinton Mehta
How to adjust your camera’s
LCD brightness
I have yet to come across a
digital camera’s LCD that is
not overly bright. May be this is a
marketing decision (so that even
your underexposed images look fairly
okay on the LCD). When images are
transferred to a computer, they almost
always look darker. So how do you
adjust the brightness of the camera LCD
to match the computer monitor?
96
Aperture
f/22
f/16
f/11
f/8
f/5.6
f/4
f/2.8
f/2
f/1.4
4
How to use Exposure
Compensation
Exposure compensation
allows us to override the
exposure suggested by the exposure
meter. Under certain lighting/
contrast conditions, exposure meters
do not convey the correct exposure.
As an example, a person standing in
front of a vast expanse of brightness
(a white/light tone wall or open sky)
will appear dark in the picture if the
exposure settings recommended
by the exposure meter is followed.
Similarly, a person standing in front
of a dark/black background will
appear lighter in the image if the
exposure settings recommended by
the exposure meter is followed. In
such situations, the user can override
the meter’s recommendation and
apply plus compensation (subjects
September 2014 Smart Photography
105
104
10 How to Tips
Learnings
Understanding Photography
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
Ashok Kandimalla
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]
I
n the last month’s article you
read about the techniques
behind photographing the
exteriors of structures. This
month’s article is a complement
to it and will cover ‘interiors’.
As you would expect, many of
the concepts you read regarding
photographing exteriors are
equally applicable also to the
interiors. There are of course some
issues specific to interiors that you
need to take into account. This
article will concentrate on those
aspects.
As you would do when executing
an exterior picture, an interior
photograph too needs careful
planning, study of the lines,
symmetry, etc. One thing working
90
Smart Photography September 2014
in your favour is that interiors
are naturally smaller than the
exteriors, so fewer photographs
or even just one can do full
justice to the whole interior.
Last month you read about
problems caused by perspective
and distortion when
photographing architecture
and the ways to overcome
them. These issues are equally
applicable to interiors. Equipment
needed for interior photography
too is nearly identical with one
additional requirement. As you
would expect, light levels will be
low when you are photographing
interiors. So, a camera with
good low light (that is high
ISO) performance is essential
since in many museums and art
galleries (which usually have great
interiors), the use of tripod or
flash is prohibited.
For interior photography, a
tripod is an essential accessory
for steadying the camera as well
as for precise composing. I can
emphasize its importance by
saying - when allowed, use a
tripod!
Lighting: This is a major issue
that you need to give considerable
attention. The interior in a room
is lit primarily in two ways – by
the sunlight streaming through
the windows, and illumination
provided by lights fitted inside
the room. In case you want to use
both the sources, then you need
to make sure that both have the
same colour temperature. If this is
not the case, then it is impossible
to get consistent colour balance
throughout the scene. This is
because if you balance for one
particular light source then the
area dominated by another source
will exhibit a colour cast. The best
solution to avoid this situation is
by using all sources of the same
colour temperature. This is not
difficult to do since most lighting
these days is by CFLs (compact
fluorescent lamps) and these
have a colour temperature not
too different from daylight. So,
is the case with electronic flashes
(strobes). You can mix these
without much problem. However,
avoid mixing incandescent
bulbs or fluorescent (old type
www.smartphotography.in
tube lights) with daylight as
these combinations will cause a
problem. To be on the safe side,
always photograph in Raw format
and also do a custom White
Balance for every light setting.
One tricky situation that you need
to tackle in interior photography
is the very high contrast. This
often happens since the sunlight
through windows does not
illuminate the room evenly. You
will also face similar situations
when photographing atriums.
The problem you encounter
in these cases is that you get
pools of bright light at some
places (near windows) and
dark areas (corners) elsewhere.
This brightness range can often
overwhelm the dynamic range of
your camera. There are two ways
you can overcome the problem.
You can use HDR
(High Dynamic
Range) techniques
or fill-flash. I
recommend the
former since this
works very well
with interiors
(since there
are no moving
objects) and you
don’t need any
extra equipment
(of course you
need HDR
software but a
few packages are
available in public
domain at no
cost). If you want
to use fill-flash
then you need to
keep strobes at
suitable places to
Picture 1: This is a simple example that shows the application of the rule of thirds (blue coloured grid)
and the camera positioning. The corner of the corridors, which is also the dominating vertical part, was
placed at approximately the thirds vertical line. The pattern on the first column which is prominent was
put at the left bottom point of dominance. The arches of receding size convey depth.
overcome the dark patches. When
you use a fill flash, its effect must
be subtle and should not overpower the sunlight. It should be
only about half as powerful as
the sunlight or even less. You can
experiment a bit and see what suits
your tastes.
Sketch 1: Rule of
thirds suggests that
you have to divide
your viewfinder
frame into 9 parts
and keep the
subject at one of
the intersections
called “points of
dominance”.
Sketch 2: Schematic
(plan view) of the
camera position.
Keep the camera
at an angle in the
corner of the area
that you want to
photograph. See text
for more details.
www.smartphotography.in
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful
for interior photography, along
with some examples:
Basic Composition: The classic
composition guideline, the “rule of
thirds” is still a very good starting
point (Sketch 1). So, how do you
apply it to an interior?
You can keep a prominent vertical
line in the interior (say a column)
coinciding with one of the vertical
lines as per the rule-of-thirds
grid. Any important object in the
room can be kept at one of the
points of dominance to emphasize
its importance. This object must
have some contrast in size or tone
or colour from the rest of the
background to make it stand out.
The position of the camera is also
important. Once again the general
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Understanding Photography
Picture 2: Here the angled lines of the
bar counter give a sense of dynamism
to the picture. A High contest scene
like this needs careful handling.
© Kishor Krishnamoorthi
guideline is that not to
keep the back of the
camera (which is also
the plane of the sensor)
parallel to any wall.
Instead choose an angle
and keep the camera
in a corner (Sketch 2).
When you position the
camera this way you
will be able to cover two
walls / structures (with a
suitable wide-angle lens)
and the convergence of
lines at the far end will
give a sense of depth.
Picture 1 shows a very
simple interior image
that used some of the
basic concepts explained
so far.
Another example given
here (Picture 2), shows
how angled lines can
be used to impart a
sense of dynamism to
the image. Also, the
prominent curved edge
of the counter is kept at
the right lower point of
dominance.
Picture 3: The magnificent interior and staircase of the Opera Hall, Paris, a place renowned for its architecture. Note the composition, which has
brought out the perfect symmetry. A small part of the balcony was included to give the viewer an impression that he is standing on the balcony
overlooking the grand interior. Low light performance of the camera was important since tripods are banned here. Tech data: Nikon D90, Sigma
10-20mm lens, focal length 10mm (<15mm> full frame), f/5, shutter speed 1/80sec and ISO 2200.
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Symmetry: Many
interiors of buildings,
especially the classical
ones, show a great
amount of symmetry.
That is, the left half
will be very similar (or
even identical) to the
right half. Look for such
symmetry at staircases
and atriums. Sometimes
symmetry does not look
very nice when executed
as per the rule of thirds.
In these cases you should
use a composition that
exploits the symmetry
(Picture 3).
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Picture 4: While this atrium (State Art Gallery, Hyderabad) was at the center of a circular interior, an
asymmetric composition was chosen to give some dynamism through angled lines formed by columns.
These also act as leading lines to the glazing that looks like a giant spider web. The center of this is near
one of the points of dominance. This is a high contrast scene as it involved the bright glazing in the ceiling
and the dark interior. To handle this, the camera’s tone curve was set to reduce the highlights and boost
the shadows to lower the overall contrast (sort of in-camera HDR). Tech data: Olympus OM-D E-M5,
Olympus 12-50mm lens, focal length 14mm (<28mm> full frame), f/5.6, shutter speed 1/320sec and ISO
200, exposure compensation +1 EV.
Picture 5: In this photograph the camera was positioned to record the
symmetrical structure of the atrium.
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Leading lines: Lines in an
architectural image impart dynamism
especially if the lines are at an angle
(rather than parallel or perpendicular
to the frame). These can also be used
as the leading lines to draw the eye to
Picture 6: A beautiful fresco adorning an ornate ceiling.
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LEARNING
Understanding Photography
intricate carvings sometimes make
ceilings works of art by themselves
(Picture 6). General guidelines for
photographing ceilings are very
similar to those of atriums but one
advantage is that, you need not
worry about high contrast since
there will be no light entering from
the top.
Shapes: As is the case with exterior
architecture, shapes draw attention
of the viewer and are useful for
keeping the attention of the user
Picture 7: Note the several types of rectangles
and the geometric lines of the stairs. The latter
converge at the lower two points of dominance
and lead the eye to the lobby downstairs. Location:
Porsche Museum, a place known for its modern
architecture.
Picture 8: Successive frames (arches) here convey the size of this large hall
(in Louvre Museum) and depth as they recede in size. The human figure
at lower thirds position in foreground also reinforces that impression.
the main subject or an important
part of the image (Picture 4).
Atriums: One of the most
attractive areas to photograph
is an atrium (Picture 5). You are
likely to face two problems when
photographing these. One of
which is the high contrast and
handling this problem has already
been explained. The other issue
is positioning the camera. If the
atrium is symmetric you may want
to show that feature. However,
capturing that symmetry is a bit
difficult as you need to position
yourself exactly at the center (the
prefect center in such atriums is
fortunately marked with some
design) and hold the camera
perfectly level facing upwards.
It is best to use a tripod but this
may not always be possible in
public buildings. An alternate way
is to look at some asymmetric
compositions (Picture 4).
Ceilings: While it is natural for
us not to look up when we enter
a building, ceilings can be quite
interesting photographically
speaking. Beautiful frescos and
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All text diagrams and images © Ashok Kandimalla unless otherwise noted.
Picture 9: This was taken inside “Grand Arch” a very famous building in Paris which has a
unique open architecture. The giant synthetic fabric panels look like wings of a butterfly.
in the frame. Commonly seen
shapes in building are triangles,
rectangles, circles, ellipses etc.
Look for these when you are
composing the image (Picture 7).
Staircases: Can something as
mundane as a staircase be a
good subject for an architectural
photograph? Very much so! The
shape of the staircase, banisters,
etc., can all make an interesting
photograph (Pictures 3 and 7). You
can also find interesting geometry
in spiral staircases.
Frames: These are well-known
compositional elements that lead
the eye to, and then concentrate
on the main subject. Successive
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frames also convey a sense of
depth as they recede in size
(Picture 8).
CONCLUSION:
Abstracts: These are generally
formed when you isolate a feature
from the surrounding environment.
The latter makes them somewhat
hard to figure out and beauty is
now just the shapes, lines and in
general, geometry, because the
item is now not recognizable, at
least easily. They can be intriguing
and may pique the interest of the
viewer (Picture 9). Abstracts (along
with patterns) generally look better
in monochrome. So, photograph
first in colour and later convert in
monochrome and see which looks
better.
This month’s article covers the
interior aspects of architecture.
As was the case with external
architecture, good interiors can be
found in museums, art galleries,
music theaters, etc. Look for specific
features in these interiors based
on the information given in this
article. You can even start practicing
interior photography in your home
itself. And remember you don’t need
any fancy equipment. So, start right
away!
September 2014 Smart Photography
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LEARNING
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
[email protected].
W
hen some budding
photographers are
asked, “ What kind of
photography do you like to do?” they
promptly reply by saying , “Model
photography… like to shoot fashion,
… glamour photography”. If asked
how they would differentiate between
fashion photography and glamour
photography, they fumble. They
explain that glamour photography is
something like photographing girls
in bikinis. They are not wrong, but
they are not right either. If bikini is
a defined beach wear, then why do
they not classify it under fashion
photography? To this, they go blank!
Well, broadly speaking, ‘fashion’
is wearing what is ‘in’, what people
from the society would like to wear
and proudly show. It is ahead of
the purpose of covering one’s body.
It is defining or redefining your
personality through the choice of
apparels and accessorizing. It is a
statement of what you are or what you
would like to be recognized as. Hence
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Smart Photography September 2014
Pin-up
Photography
Dilip Yande
fashion photography is the talent of
skillfully narrating this; it could even
be capturing the feel of an era in the
form of an image; or may involve
going back in time and documenting
a vintage fashion by recreating it or
visualizing fashion with a futuristic
approach and show how it would be
fifty years ahead in time.
‘Glamour’ is like the aroma of a tasty
cuisine, inhaled from a distance; it
attracts your senses along with the
dish before you. ‘Glamour’ instantly
attracts a viewer. He stops flipping
the pages of a magazine when he
notices a glamour shot. Such shots
may not necessarily be revealing the
full body of the model, but makes
the shot noticeable due to various
reasons1) Expressions of the model.
2) Lighting that supports the mood
in the picture.
3) A quick relation that gets
established between the model
in the picture and the viewer.
4) Cleverly revealing and smartly
hiding certain body parts,
making the picture look
sensuous but not vulgar.
5) Use of the right props and
concept.
Such glamour shots always have a
longer shelf-life than the normal
fashion shots as far as the viewer is
concerned. Many viewers, right from
young students, bachelors, to old men
are fond of such pictures and even cut
them from magazines and pin them
up in their hostel rooms, bedrooms
or paste them on or inside their
cupboards.
This very human tendency was
encashed in the West by starting a
trend of pictures called ‘Pin-ups’.
Initially, these pin-ups used to be
sketches or coloured illustrations
showing a scantily dressed girl, in
a good and happy mood, smiling
and looking straight at the viewer,
thus establishing a silent but friendly
contact with him. This art of
illustrations was soon followed by
actual photographs – the result was
the birth of what we can now call as
‘Pin-up Photography’. The demand
for such pictures increased so much,
that people opted to make posters,
calendars, post-cards or plates in
magazines by using pin- ups. Models
who started modeling for such
assignments were known as the ‘pinup girls’.
In pin-up photography, which
happens to be the definition of
glamour photography, one may opt
to give a very fashionable look to
the model or a very raw or a tribal
look, highlighting her body language,
her expressions and moods. Many
newspapers printed such images
of attractive and sensuous models
terming them as ‘mates’ just to
increase the readership or their
publication.
Makeup plays the most important
role in the case of pin-up
photography. So does hairstyling.
In pin-up photography, one is not
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Pic A
shooting a portfolio for the model,
nor is one selling a product like
cosmetic cream, apparels, hair care
product or jewelry; but one is selling
the ‘X’ factor of the model. Indirectly,
one may be selling the publication in
which this picture has been printed
in the form of a coloured plate or a
centre-spread. Makeup obviously
has to be very glamorous. A whole
body makeup is advisable in order to
give an even tone to the body or add
slight gloss or shine where needed.
Many times a ‘shimmer’ which gives
a shining effect is applied on the
shoulders or the chest, to make it
more attractive. The makeup should
not be soft or subtle, but should be
loud and ‘seen’. It should be visible
to the extent possible. Every part
of the face like the eyes, eye-lashes,
eye-brows, need to be done up well
with the use of eye-liners, eye-pencils,
eye-shadows, mascara, artificial
eye-lashes, contact lenses etc. In case
of lips, the pouting of the lips plays
a major role; the gloss of the lipstick
adds to the picture. The look has to
be a bit exaggerated. Same with the
case of hairstyling. A tidy hairstyle
may no suit a pin-up. But open hair,
messy look, wet crunched look, sleek
gel back, or a well layered casual look
can go well with a pin-up concept.
It is necessary that the make-up
corresponds to the concept and the
hairstyling and follows the same
language.
The concept of ‘Simple Janes’ next
door never works for pin-ups. The
model should be sensuous and should
have a good figure and an ability to
seduce the viewer through her looks.
The age group may not matter much
but should ideally be between 22 - 35
years depending on the concept.
If one studies the various concepts
used in any pin-ups, one may observe
that they may consist of incidents
rightly captured with perfect timing.
The incident could be from every day
life or it could be a very staged out
shot suggesting seduction through
some way. They may have elements
or actions which act as ‘visual puns’
thus giving double meaning (at times)
to what one sees. One may find very
sophisticated props in pictures or at
www.smartphotography.in
times, animals, like furry pedigree
dogs, puppies, Persian cats, rabbits,
doves, and exotic birds like macaws
etc.
They may involve concepts wherein
the model has been shown like a bar
tender, waitress, air hostess, nurse,
sailor, house maid etc. The props
used in the picture are meant only
to decorate the frame or ‘add’ to the
‘seduction’ element in the picture;
at times targeting a certain class of
people for whom it has been shot.
One may find props like a sailor’s
cap, a bottle of champagne, a boating
tube, fury toys, feather dusters etc.
The pictures thus shot could be full
lengths, mid-shots or even close-ups.
Let us briefly analyze the following
pin-up shots:
1) Pic A- The model is wearing a
party dress, cleverly selected that
her shoulders are bare open and the
beauty of her legs is ‘just seen’. The
flowery print makes it more feminine
and is well-complemented by other
feminine props like the open vanity
case, a ladies umbrella at the rear, a
metal case painted and stuck with
fashion sketches going out of focus.
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LEARNING
Pic B1
A vintage fan
was used to blow
her dress up to
reveal a portion
of her thighs.
Her action to
resist this blow
has created a
nice pose in the
picture.
2) Pic B (1, 2, 3,
4)- Pin-ups can
well be shot as a
series of pictures,
connected to
each other in
some way. The
model was made
to wear a tube
top and hot
pants and was
made to lie in
a metal trunk
with props like
a rugby ball
and a ‘naughty’
jokes book. She
continued to
wear the black
stilettos in all the
pics. In pic B1,
the beauty of her
face and the bare
open crossed
legs steals the
attention of the
viewer. Her pose
in pic B2 has
given a feeling of
nudity, though
she is wearing
clothes inside.
Once again her
pose and eye
contact with the
viewer catches
the attention.
Pic B3 shows
her enjoying the
jokes and carries
subtle meaning
to it. In Pic B4,
her loneliness
was removed
by adding a
living prop to
the picture – a
Persian cat. Once
again a very
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Smart Photography September 2014
Pic B2
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Pic B3
feminine prop in
character. One
never gets tired
looking at such
pictures.
3) Pic C (1, 2)
– Pink shades
work very well in
the background.
Contrast in
terms of props
also works
wonders. In this
picture – pic
C1, the model is
wearing a sports
bra with a sort
of nursery print
on it. The feather
dusters in her
hand and which
she is holding
behind gives her
the look of an
attractive house
maid. Similarly
Pic C 2 gives
a very topless
feel. Once again
she is shown
cuddling the pet.
Please note that
accessories have
not been used
purposefully so
as to maintain a
nude feel to the
picture.
Pic B4
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4) Pic D (1,
2)- Corsets and
lingerie work
very well for pinups. Props, like
curtains at the
back and quilts,
define a bedroom. Stylized
kettles, cups and
saucers render
a sophisticated
look to the
picture. In pic
D1 the tone of
the picture and
the soft feel was
achieved in post
production.
Light was passed
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LEARNING
Pic C1
Pic C2
through the
curtain to give
a more natural
feel. In these
two pictures
the makeup on
the models face
was very exotic.
Especially the
eye makeup was
important. The
hairstyle also
had to be stylish,
yet a bit messy.
The poses give a
silent invitation
or a ‘please join
in’ message to
the viewer.
5) Pic E (1,
2, 3) - These
have been shot
outdoors in
available light. A
lush green spot
was chosen for
Pic D1
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Smart Photography September 2014
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Pic D2
the shoot. A garden cart was taken as
a prop and the model wearing a slit
gown was made to sit in the cart. The
‘rustic looks’ of the cart in contrast
with the satin gown she is wearing
works very well. One can take the
liberty of tweaking the White Balance
while shooting or change the tone of
the picture entirely in post production
to match one’s taste. Seductive poses
that reveal just the required body
parts are very important. The garden
cart has indirectly given a ‘take away’
feel to the picture.
6) Pic F (1, 2)- In these pictures, the
entire look of the model was changed
by changing the get up of the face.
An Indian tribal look was given to
her. The skin tone was drastically
changed in makeup by giving a dusky
tanned look resembling the skins of
‘Adivasi’ girls. She was accessorized
accordingly with suitable tribal
jewelry. A banana leaf was taken as a
prop.
7) Pic G - This is an example of
Pic E1
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LEARNING
Pic E2
Pic E3
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Smart Photography September 2014
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Pic F1
Pic F2
another Indianized concept of a pinup. One can see that a see-through
saree was kept in the foreground.
Tricky lighting created a silhouette
feel in her lower part of the body and
gave a feeling of nudity, wherein the
model was fully dressed in tube top
and draped below with a sarong. Her
expressions have given that ‘hot’ feel to
the picture.
Credit LinesModels- Tanvi Malpekar, Priyanka Mhapankar
Makeup- Vinay Salunkhe and Prashant Ujawne
Photography – Dilip Yande
Pic G
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LEARNING
10
How to
Tips
Rohinton Mehta
1. The camera
LCD Monitor is
much brighter.
1
How to adjust your camera’s
LCD brightness
I have yet to come across a
digital camera’s LCD that is
not overly bright. May be this is a
marketing decision (so that even
your underexposed images look fairly
okay on the LCD). When images are
transferred to a computer, they almost
always look darker. So how do you
adjust the brightness of the camera LCD
to match the computer monitor?
2. Adjust the LCD
Monitor’s brightness as required.
1. After loading the images on to your
computer, put the memory card back
into your camera, but do not format the
card (formatting the card would delete
the images).
2. Open an image (one that has proper
tones) on the computer monitor and
navigate to the same image on your
camera. Hold the camera close to the
computer monitor (taking care that the
light from the monitor does not shine
on to the camera’s LCD) and compare
both images for brightness (not colour
or sharpness). You will notice that the
image on the camera is brighter. Now
lower the LCD brightness till the two
images look more or less equal.
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3 Compare again
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2
How to ensure that you don’t
shoot without a memory card
I know of photographers who
inadvertently covered weddings
without a film in their camera! The
digital photographer can face a similar
problem. So how do you ensure that
you – the digital photographer – never
commit the same mistake?
if you want you use a particular shutter
speed (like in Shutter Priority) or a
particular aperture (like in Aperture
Priority) while still in the Program
mode?
Most digital cameras offering Program
mode, also offer a little-known subprogram, called Flexible Program. When
you set Flexible Program, you’ll see a
‘P’ mode as a Shutter Priority mode!
Now lets say that you decide to
use the camera (in ‘P’ mode) as an
Aperture Priority mode. Again, shift
over to Flexible Program, and this
time (assuming that your camera
shows 1/125 sec at f/11) you turn the
Command Dial till the aperture changes
from f/11 to whatever aperture you
need. As an example, if you select f/22,
the shutter speed will now change
to 1/30 sec, again allowing the same
amount of light hitting the sensor as
with 1/125 sec at f/11. You have now
used the ‘P’ mode as Aperture Priority
mode!
For the less initiated: All the shutter
speed / aperture combinations shown
below allow the same quantity of light
to enter the lens. In other words, the
exposure does not change (but action
stopping power / depth of field will
change).
Shutter Speed
in seconds
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
1/1000
1/2000
1/4000
1/8000
Digital cameras offer a feature, which,
when enabled, will prevent the shutter
from firing if there is no memory card
in the camera. Just make sure that you
enable that feature.
But why don’t camera manufacturers
make this a permanent feature, whereby
you just cannot fire the shutter if there
is no memory card installed? Well,
there’s a good reason. If you connect
the camera directly to a computer,
there is no reason to first write to the
memory card and from there to the
computer; you simply write directly to
the computer. Now if the ‘don’t-fire-theshutter-without-a-memory-card-inside’
feature was permanent, you just could
never write directly to a computer!
3
How to use Program (P) mode
as a Shutter Priority/Aperture
Priority mode
We all know that Program
mode (P) automatically selects the
shutter speed as well as the aperture.
It might appear that the user has no
control (or very little control if the ISO
is manipulated) over the shutter speed
or the aperture used since these are ‘set’
as per the algorithms (instructions)
programmed into the camera. But what
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Flexible Program mode
little asterisk mark (*) next to the ‘P’ for
program. In Program mode, you turn
the Command Dial till you see the *
mark next to the ‘P’. Now your camera is
in Flexible Program mode.
Let’s say the camera has selected 1/125
sec at f/11 in the Program mode but
you wish you could use 1/500 sec to
freeze subject movement. You get into
Flexible Program mode and turn the
Command Dial till you see 1/500 sec
instead of 1/125 sec. The aperture will
correspondingly change to f/5.6. The
amount of light hitting the imaging
sensor has not changed, only the
parameters have. You have just used the
Aperture
f/22
f/16
f/11
f/8
f/5.6
f/4
f/2.8
f/2
f/1.4
4
How to use Exposure
Compensation
Exposure compensation
allows us to override the
exposure suggested by the exposure
meter. Under certain lighting/
contrast conditions, exposure meters
do not convey the correct exposure.
As an example, a person standing in
front of a vast expanse of brightness
(a white/light tone wall or open sky)
will appear dark in the picture if the
exposure settings recommended
by the exposure meter is followed.
Similarly, a person standing in front
of a dark/black background will
appear lighter in the image if the
exposure settings recommended by
the exposure meter is followed. In
such situations, the user can override
the meter’s recommendation and
apply plus compensation (subjects
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LEARNING
6
How to check a tripod for
stability
Just because you use a tripod,
does not necessarily mean that
your images will be sharp. The design,
materials used for the construction and
the way you use the tripod play a very
important role in determining a tripod’s
stability and hence the sharpness of your
images. Generally, it is safer to assume
that an expensive tripod will do a better
job than an inexpensive one. Keep in
mind that the lesser the number of
sections, the steadier the tripod. A trick
is to pull a section out to its maximum
and then push back about an inch. This
will slightly lower the maximum height
of the tripod but will make it sturdier.
against light/white background) or
minus compensation (subjects against
dark/black backgrounds).
5
How to check for overexposed
highlights / underexposed
shadows
Checking exposure accuracy
by just looking at your images on the
camera LCD may not give you the
correct idea.
To be sure, get into the habit of checking
histograms. Underexposure shows
the histogram bundled towards the
left; overexposure tends to move the
histogram towards the right. If the
histogram touches the left end, you
can be sure that some area of the
image is very dark/black. Similarly, if
the histogram touches the right end,
some area of the image is definitely
overexposed. Corrective action can be
taken if necessary.
areas blink on the LCD to immediately
warn the user.
Underexposed areas can often be ‘opened
up’ (albeit, with a corresponding increase
in digital noise), but once an area is
overexposed beyond a certain point, no
amount of image editing can bring back
the lost details. Hence it is very important
to pay attention to the ‘blinkies’.
Note: If you are shooting in Raw, you
may be able to recover some lost highlight
details (1 to 1.5 stops, depending on the
camera) during post-processing.
Correctly exposed
But how do you check whether your
tripod is doing well the job it was
designed to do? After setting up the
tripod and mounting your longest
focal length lens (extend the lens to its
maximum focal length if it is a zoom
lens), tap the filter end gently while
looking through the viewfinder. If you
see the lens vibrating, the tripod is not
perfectly suitable. Keep in mind that a
tripod that is perfectly suitable for, say,
a 300mm lens, may not be so when a
400mm lens is mounted. Also note that
your tripod (with the camera mounted)
should be capable of reaching your eye
level. If you have to keep bending low
because of insufficient height, you are
unlikely to use that tripod for a long
time.
7
How to use a tripod
I think I should have worded this
as ‘how not to use a tripod’.
1. Never use the centre column,
unless it is for very small adjustments.
Remember, professional tripods don’t
have a centre column! Using a centre
column is like using a monopod on a
tripod – shaky, to say the least.
Yet another important feature in most
digital cameras is what is known as
‘blinkies’. When enabled, overexposed
2. Do not use the tripod with the
sections pulled out to the maximum as
this will weaken the joint between the
sections. Pull out each section to the
maximum (if required) and then push
back about one-inch.
3. Just because your camera is on a
tripod, does not mean that you should
not be careful when releasing the
shutter. It is better to use your camera’s
Overexposed
106
Smart Photography September 2014
Underexposed
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LEARNING
more gradual demarcation are better
used with wide-angle lenses.
The situation: A beautiful landscape
except for a bald sky ruining the shot.
x
After composing the picture, take a
in-camera meter reading and lock the
exposure (in case you don’t know how
to do that, meter in manual exposure
mode). Now hold the filter, just
touching the lens and adjust its position
while looking through the viewfinder
(there are filter holders available for
those who need them). The idea is to
block the light from the sky area (in
other words, underexpose the sky) while
allowing the light from the foreground
to enter without any restriction. The
end result is darkening of the sky,
without darkening the lower part, the
foreground.
Place the monopod strap around your
neck. If you are standing, place the
monopod close to your foot and pull
the monopod away from your body.
This will stop the forward-backward
movement. Alternately, if you could
support the monopod against any other
non-moveable support, that would
improve the stability.
Wrong way to use a tripod
self-timer set to say, 2 seconds and let
the shutter fire without your touching
the camera. If this is not possible
because you want to control the exact
moment the shutter needs to be fired,
consider a wireless shutter remote.
Some D-SLRs offer a built-in delay for
firing the shutter (similar to using a selftimer with a small delay). If your camera
has this feature, you could consider
using it. After you press the shutter
release, the camera will wait (to steady
itself) before the shutter fires. (see pic.
top right)
8
How to use a Monopod
A monopod can be quite useful
when using the camera at slower
shutter speeds. Of course it can
never match a tripod, but is easier to lug
around (and in an emergency, can be
used as a support instead of a walking
stick!)
Try using one and you’ll see that it
is difficult to stop sideways and/or
forward-backward movements.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Note: If you first attach the filter and
then meter, your metering will go
wrong.
You could kneel on one knee and
support the monopod against the other
leg.
10
How to create a
panorama using a fisheye lens
A fish-eye lens is an
extreme wide-angle lens. For a lens
to qualify as ‘fish-eye’ it must have a
diagonal angle of view of 180 degrees
or more (up to 220 degrees). Pictures
shot with a fish-eye lens (non-rectilinear
fish-eye) will show strong barrel
distortion but if the subject is far away,
the distortion will be much less.
Useful hint: Anyone who has tried
kneeling (hasn’t your teacher ever made
you kneel in a corner?) knows how
painful it is to kneel, especially on hard,
uneven ground. Do yourself a favour
and buy a pair of padded kneecaps. Your
knees will bless you!
9
How to use graduated filters
If you have ever tried to
photograph landscapes with
bald skies, you will appreciate
graduated filters. Graduated filters
come in various colours but the most
common graduated filters are of the
neutral density (ND) variety. There are
two sub-varieties: one with a gradual
demarcation and the other with a
sharper demarcation. The ones with
sharper demarcation work better with
telephoto lenses while the ones with
Gradual demarcation
Some image editing software, including
Photoshop, allow you to turn a fish-eye
image into a regular image. Some
distortion may still be noticed at the
sides but it generally does a pretty good
job. Here’s how you can do this:
1. Open the fish-eye image in
Photoshop and make a copy of the
Background layer (First press the
F7 key to open the Layers panel and
then using the computer mouse, pull
the ‘Background’ on to ‘Create a new
layer’ icon at the bottom of the Layers
panel).
Sharper demarcation
2. Go to Filter > Lens Correction >
Fisheye. The picture will transform into
what appears to be a shot taken with a
ultra-wide-angle lens. If necessary, crop
the image.
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D-SLR Review
116
Head-To-Head
Macro lenses for
Canon Full-Frame cameras
124
Monitor Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
128
Reviews
NIKON D810
Compact Review
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
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)
D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
A Great Upgrade!
Rohinton Mehta
T
he Nikon D800E was
introduced in February 2012;
the D810 in June 2014. While
both are 36 megapixel, and both
are without the anti-aliasing filter
(the D800E does have a variation
of optical low-pass filter), the D810
comes with a new imaging sensor
and EXPEED 4 image processor
(the D800E has the EXPEED 3).
The autofocus system has also been
improved; it now also has ContrastDetection at the imaging sensor level.
Various new/small changes have
been made to improve the userexperience. So how does the new
model work out and should you run
to the nearest store to get one?
Design & Build Quality
The D810 is a pro-level D-SLR
camera. Its body is made with
magnesium alloy to withstand rough
usage. It is also weather-and-dust
sealed. It offers a more secure grip
than its predecessors (the D800/E).
The body is made in Thailand and
weighs approximately 980g with
battery and SD memory card.
Key Features
Note: Some features, found
commonly in almost every Nikon
model, may not be covered, just to
keep the review compact.
Let’s start with the key similarities
and differences between the D810
and D800E
` 18,950
Inside the Box
✓ Camera
✓ Battery and battery charger
✓ Charger cord
✓ USB Cable
✓ User Manual
110
Smart Photography September 2014
Feature
Effective pixels
Sensor type/size
Image processor
ISO sensitivity
D810
36MP
CMOS Full-frame
EXPEED 4
64-12,800
(Without boost)
Uncompressed format Raw, TIFF
Autofocus
Phase Detect
Contrast Detect
Multi-area
Center
Single point
Tracking
Continuous
Face Detection
Live View
Focus points
51
LCD resolution
1,29,229 dots
Shutter speed range 30-1/8000 sec
Continuous shooting 5fps, full resolution
Built-in microphone Stereo
Battery
EN-EL 15
D800E
36MP
CMOS Full-frame
EXPEED 3
100-6400
(Without boost)
Raw
Phase Detect
No
Multi-area
No
Single point
Tracking
Continuous
Face Detection
Live View
51
9,21,000 dots
30-1/8000 sec
4fps, full resolution
Mono
EN-EL 15
Highlighting shows which is better.
www.smartphotography.in
Image sensor, shooting speeds
The D810 has a newly designed
image sensor that gathers more light
information and is thus able to offer
superior low-light sensitivity (ISO
64), without sacrificing on dynamic
range. The sensor does not employ a
Low-Pass Filter and in combination
with the EXPEED 4 image processor
(the same processor used in the
D4S), delivers astonishingly sharp
images – even superior to those
from the tried and tested D800E.
The processing speed is around 30%
faster than on the D800/E. There
are some differences in the buttons
and features and some cosmetic
changes compared to the D800/E but
nothing that you cannot get used to
in a little while. The D810 delivers
a continuous shooting speed of 5
frames per second (the D800/E is
4fps) at full resolution (FX); 6fps
in 1.2x Crop Mode, and 7fps in DX
format (when using the EH-5b AC
Adapter or MB-D12 Multi-Power
Battery Pack with batteries other
than EN-EL15). The camera is very
responsive – the start-up time is
approx. 0.12 sec and the release
time-lag is approx. 0.052 sec based on
CIPA Guidelines.
Picture Control
A new Picture Control system (a
dedicated button on the camera body
takes you directly to this feature) lets
the user fine-tune the images to his/
her liking – Sharpening, contrast,
saturation and hue can be finely
adjusted while image brightness
can be adjusted in a wider range. A
new addition in Picture Control –
Clarity – can emphasise or reduce
the crispness of images by adjusting
the local contrast (similar to the
Clarity slider used in Adobe Camera
Raw). Using the new ‘Flat’ Picture
Control can give you absolutely
neutral images without any biases to
colour, saturation etc while shooting
video. Further, using a stand-alone
dedicated application (Picture
Control Utility 2), you can fine-tune
the various items found in Picture
Control and import them into the
camera via the memory card.
Focussing system
The D810 uses an improved AF
www.smartphotography.in
system with improved focussing
algorithms, along with Advanced
Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor
module with 51 focus points
(including 15 Cross-type sensors
in the center with support up to
f/5.6, while f/8 is supported by 11
sensors) to offer autofocus with
unprecedented accuracy. The user
can select between 51 or 11 focus
points. But all the focussing accuracy
is of little use if there are vibrations
during the actual picture taking
process (especially when using long
telephoto lenses that magnify the
image on the sensor). To take care
of this problem, the Nikon 810 uses
an electronic front-shutter function
(can be used only in the Mirror-Up
mode) to eliminate/reduce vibrations
to a minimum. To further reduce
vibrations, the D810’s mirror and
shutter release mechanism has also
been re-designed – a new mirrorbalancer limits the mirror shocks. All
these improvements add up to visibly
sharper images.
In addition to the 4 AF modes that
most Nikon D-SLRs have (Single
Point, Dynamic Area, 3D-Tracking
and Auto Area AF), the D810 has a
new AF mode (similar to that in the
D4S) – the Group-Area Autofocus.
This mode uses 5 focus points all at
the same time, thus ensuring quicker
AF with greater AF accuracy (as a
comparison, the Dynamic Area AF
uses just one AF point for initial
subject detection). The GroupArea AF is very useful when the
subjects are comparatively small
and surrounded by high-contrast or
confusing backgrounds.
Image storage
Images can be recorded in JPEG
(Fine/Normal/Basic), TIFF, Raw
(12 or 14-bit lossless compressed,
compressed, or uncompressed),
Small Raw (12-bit uncompressed
only), and Raw+JPEG. Images
can be stored on SD and UHS-1
compliant SDHC/SDXC memory
cards, and CF cards (UDMA
compliant). The D810 has two
memory card slots and either card
can be used for primary or backup
storage or for separate storage of Raw
and JPEG images.
Sensitivity
The D810 has an ISO sensitivity
range from ISO 64 to 12,800, which
can be extended to equivalent of
ISO 32 (Lo 1) and equivalent of ISO
51, 200 (Hi 2). As per Nikon, “Fine
details are captured with a greater
sense of dimensionality all the way
up to ISO 12,800”.
Shutter speeds
Shutter speeds range from 30 seconds
to 1/8000 sec, plus Bulb and Time.
The shutter is rated for 200,000
activations. Flash syncs up to 1/250
sec (can also sync at 1/320 sec but the
flash range drops). Release modes on
the D810 are: S (single frame), CL
(continuous low), CH (continuous
high), Q (quiet shutter release), QC
(quiet continuous shutter release),
Self Timer, and Mirror-up.
Exposure metering
Exposure metering is TTL, using
91,000-pixel RGB sensor. The
metering modes available are
Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot and
Highlight-weighted. So, what’s
Highlight-weighted metering? In
spite of taking care, highlights often
get overexposed and its not always
easy to regain the details during
post-processing. To take care of this
irritant, the D810 offers a highlightweighted metering mode which
gives priority to the brighter areas
JPEG Compression
JPEG, Fine Quality,
100% (22.8 MB)
JPEG, Basic Quality,
100% (5.6 MB)
September 2014 Smart Photography
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D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
NOISE
ISO 200
ISO 800
ISO 3200
ISO 12800
ISO Hi 1
ISO Hi 2
of a scene and thus avoid highlight
clipping. Exposure modes on the
D810 are Program (includes Flexible
Program), Aperture Priority, Shutter
Priority and Manual. Exposures can
be compensated up to +/- 5EV in
1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV steps. Exposure can
be bracketed up to 2-9 frames in 1/3,
1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV; 2-5 frames in steps
of 2 or 3 EV. Active D-Lighting and
Active D-Lighting Bracketing is on
offer.
Though the D810 is a sophisticated
camera, it offers easy solutions
for those who are not technically
minded. Take the Advanced Scene
Recognition System for example;
it uses a 91,000-pixel RGB sensor
to recognize your scene’s colour
and brightness and then uses this
information to automatically apply
the correct exposure, White Balance,
i-TTL flash and also set autofocus!
White Balance
The D810 offers a wide range of
White Balance settings: Auto (2
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Smart Photography September 2014
types), Incandescent, Fluorescent
(7 types), Direct Sunlight, Flash,
Cloudy, Shade, Preset Manual (up to
6 values can be stored), and Colour
Temperature setting (2500-10,000K).
Each setting can be fine-tuned. It
is also possible to bracket White
Balance. Auto White Balance has
been re-programmed using new
algorithms that detect whites in the
scene more accurately than before.
Many photographers use an 18%
grey card to calculate White Balance.
But what if an 18% grey card is not
available? Using a tiny white or offwhite area in the frame, a spot WB
feature allows you to calculate the
preset Manual White Balance via
Live View, thus eliminating the need
for a grey card.
Image formats
The camera offers multiple formats:
FX (35.9 x 24mm), 5:4 (30 x 24mm),
1.2x (30 x 19.9mm) and DX (23.4
x 15.6mm). When a DX lens is
attached, the D810 automatically
reverts to the DX format.
LCD/Playback
During Playback, it is now possible to
magnify the image approximately 46x
to get a clear, crisp view and confirm
the precise focus. The LCD screen
is enhanced too; it uses scratch and
shock-resistant reinforced glass on
the surface and the screen’s visibility
in daylight is better than before. The
LCD is colour-corrected and the user
can also adjust the colour balance to
his/her preference. Another feature
which may be very much appreciated
by architectural photographers is
the Split-screen Display – using the i
button during Live View, the camera
level can be monitored; two points on
the same horizontal line are enlarged
(and can be magnified too) and the
user can check if they are perfectly in
level or not.
Built-in Flash
The D810 offers a built-in flash
having a Guide Number of 12m
(39ft) at ISO 100. Front curtain sync,
slow sync, rear curtain sync, red-eye
reduction, red-eye reduction with
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec . ISO: 1000
Rohinton Mehta
slow sync, slow rear curtain sync,
off; Auto FP high-speed sync is
supported. It also supports Nikon’s
Creative Lighting System. Flash can
be compensated (-3 to +1 EV) and
flash can be bracketed 2-9 frames.
Video
Now let’s see what improvements
have been made to the video
capabilities. By using a new method
of video signal processing, the D810
offers better video quality than the
D800 with reduced moire and false
colour. Video is recorded using
IPB compression and H.264 codec
which according to Nikon “ensures
high image quality while retaining
a compact file size”. The D810 can
record video in Full HD (1920 x
1080) at 60p and play it back at
24 frame rate for a smooth 2.5x
slow motion. Nikon recommends
memory cards with write speed
of 30MB/s (200x) or higher for
video recording. Slower cards may
www.smartphotography.in
not allow the movies to play back
smoothly.
Video is recorded in 16:9 aspect ratio,
but with the D810, you can switch
between FX and DX-based video
formats. This allows you to have two
different perspectives from the same
lens. You can even create TimeLapse videos (up to 8K resolution),
right within the camera! Two new
exposure metering modes for movies
have been added to the D810’s
arsenal: Center-weighted metering
offers you exposure readings that
aren’t prone to sudden changes in
brightness, and Highlight-weighted
metering ensures that highlights
are not clipped in contrasty lighting
situations like stage-lighting.
If you want the highest in video
quality, you can output the
uncompressed video files to an
external recorder via the HDMI
socket in 8-bit 4:2:2 format and if
you need a backup of your videos,
you can simultaneously record
to the memory card. You can
even let the D810 control the ISO
sensitivity between ISO 200 to Hi
2 while keeping the aperture and
shutter speed constant in varying
lighting conditions. This allows you
to maintain your required depth
of field and the ‘look’ during the
movie shoot. Another very useful
feature is the Power Aperture. When
panning the camera (during video
recording), there is every likely-hood
of brightness levels changing from
very dark to very bright. The Power
Aperture function lets you change
the aperture smoothly and quietly,
without rotating the Command Dial.
To avoid overexposing the highlights,
the D810 offers ‘zebra-patterns’
which can be monitored on the LCD
and/or an HDMI connected monitor.
Ergonomics
Considering my limited association
September 2014 Smart Photography
113
D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
get familiar with the various features,
especially the AF system. It will take
some time doing that, but once you
get familiar with it, you’l love the way
the D810 works. The overall results
from the D810 is top-notch, but like
any other high-megapixel model, the
D810 is also unforgiving. You got to
use the best glass and your shooting
technique has to be of a high order.
with the D810, there isn’t much to
write about the ergonomics since the
D810 is very similar to the D800/E
when it comes to the handling. Even
then, for those who may not have
used the D810 or the D800/E, I find
the D810 even easier to use. The
camera is very responsive under
every perceivable situation, and
with easy-to-use interface. However,
a drawback that I felt is that the
viewfinder does not mask out the
non-usable area in DX and 1.2x
modes (it only shows borders with
thin lines, which I often ignored in
the excitement of the shoot). Due
to this, some of my framing went
wrong. May be a firmware update
could remedy this?
The images on the LCD appeared
slightly sharper due to its higher
resolution but in sunlight, I still
had some difficulty in viewing the
images. The D810 is definitely quieter
in operation when compared to the
D800/E. I also appreciated the extra
1fps (5 fps instead of 4fps in D800/E)
in CH shooting at full resolution. We
were unable to achieve the 7fps in
DX mode since that requires the use
of EH-5b AC Adapter or MB-D12
Multi-Power Battery Pack which was
not available with us. The i button
helps you to directly access various
important functions without going
through the Menu..
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Smart Photography September 2014
Performance
Note:
1) The User Manual is 500 pages. This
is not mentioned here to scare you
but to instil in you the importance of
studying the manual if you want the
most out of your camera. Thank you
Nikon for giving us this detailed user
manual in print instead of on a CD.
2) If you are a trigger-happy
photographer indulging in wildlife,
birds-in-flight photography or street
photography, I recommend you get
a ‘fast’ memory card. Even though
the buffer is improved, a fast card
will certainly aid your shooting
experience.
3) If you are using a heavy/long focal
length lens, I recommend using a
firm tripod for optimum results. I
shot many frames (hand-held) using
a 80-400mm AF-S lens at 400mm
and thereabouts, and many pictures
were not as sharp as I would like. If
this happens to you, blame yourself,
not the camera.
4) Our tests were conducted with
JPEG images, mainly using a AF-S
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G lens (though
I did shoot quite a bit with a 80400mm AF-S lens too).
To get the best results from the
D810, you need to spend time and
Autofocus was very fast and accurate,
even in reasonably low light. I did not
notice any ‘hunting’ for focus during
my limited tests. All the metering
modes performed to our satisfaction.
The new Highlight-weighted
metering was an added advantage as
it better controlled highlight blow
out (it does that by reducing the
overall exposure). Images were sharp
right out of the box. Control over
digital noise was good (for our test,
Noise Reduction was set to ‘Normal’)
though we have not done a side-byside comparison with the D800/E.
Also note that our expectation for
noise reduction has grown the same
way technology has; we expect better
overall results from all modern
cameras. The native image size of
the D810 image is 24.533 x 16.373”
at 300ppi. At 16.7% and 25% screen
size, there was no perceptible noise
all the way up to ISO 12,800. At 50%
screen size, some noise could be seen
at ISO 12,800 but did not appear
troublesome. At 100% screen size,
there was some noise at ISO 3200
but I wouldn’t hesitate using it up to
ISO 6400 if necessary. The H 1 and
H2 settings appeared noisy but the H
0.3 and H 0.7 settings could be used
if the images are to remain small. We
also observed that images shot at ISO
1600 and above exhibited ‘softness’;
may be some extra noise reduction is
being applied automatically.
Auto White Balance was on the dot
for all the available WB settings. The
Preset WB was again accurate for all
available settings except Shade where
it gave a slight magenta cast. Do note
however, that we did not test the
Preset White Balance for Fluorescent
1-7 as we really do not know the type
of fluorescent fixtures in our office.
The Spot WB (in Live View) also
performed satisfactorily.
www.smartphotography.in
Value for Money
The Nikon D810 body retails at an
MRP of Rs.1,99,950. That is a lot of
money, but I am sure the price will
come down eventually. If you can afford
it though, its worth the money!
VERDICT
Whilst I had no real problems using the D800/E (except for
getting used to the fact that the viewfinder does not mask the
cropped areas in DX and 1.2x mode), using the D810 was a
newer and better experience. The differences might not be
too obvious to one and all, but all the same, they do exist and
Nikon has tried (and succeeded) in improving an already very
good D800/E.
Now the question is, should you replace your existing D800/E
with the D810? This is a very difficult question to answer. The
newer EXPEED 4 is definitely better, frame rate has improved,
control over digital noise has improved at higher ISO
sensitivities, autofocussing accuracy and speed has improved,
the grip is better (marginally), the camera operation is now a
bit quieter, LCD resolution has increased, ISO range is further
expanded, the new Group AF Mode works well in most
situations, battery life has improved, and many other minor
improvements makes the D810 the new king in my opinion.
If you have a big pocket, then yes, do consider changing your
D800/E. If you want to upgrade from some other Nikon body
and were considering to shift to the D800/E, then I suggest
you certainly spend some more and get the D810. You will not
regret your decision. Best Buy!
MINUS
• Somewhat
expensive
• Heavy
• Does not
mask the
cropped
area in the
viewfinder
• No GPS
FINAL SCORE
86.5%
Design and Build Quality 17/20
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
17/20
Performance
Autofocus
Metering
Noise Control
Sharpness
LCD/EVF
Auto W/B
PLUS
Sub-Total
• Superb
image quality
• Very good
build quality
• Accurate
and quick
autofocus
Value for Money
4.5/5
4/5
4/5
4.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
26.5/30
8/10
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Camera type
Effective pixels
Image sensor
Image sensor size
File format
:
:
:
:
:
Picture Control System :
Media
Dual card slots
:
:
Compatible lenses :
Shutter speeds
:
Release mode
:
Metering method :
Exposure mode
:
Exposure compensation :
Exposure bracketing :
D-SLR
36.3 million
CMOS
Full-frame (35.9 x 24mm)
Raw, 12 or 14-bit, lossless compressed, compressed
or uncompressed. Small size Raw available (12-bit
uncompressed only)
TIFF, JPEG Fine/Normal/Basic
Raw + JPEG
Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait,
Landscape, Flat
SD, SDHC, SDXC, CF cards
Either card can be used for primary or backup
storage or for separate storage of Raw and JPEG
images; Pictures can be copied between cards
All Nikkor lenses except IX Nikkor lenses, lenses
for the F3AF and non-AI lenses (Some restrictions
apply to PC lenses)
30 sec – 1/8000 sec, X250
S, CL, CH, Q, QC, Self-timer, Mirror-up
Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot, Highlight-weighted
P (includes Flexible P), A, S, M
+/- 5 EV
2-9 frames
Flash bracketing
WB bracketing
ISO sensitivity
: 2-9 frames
: 2-9 frames
: ISO 64-12,800. Can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5,
0.7 or 1 EV below ISO 64; or approx.
0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1 or 2 EV above ISO 12,800. Auto ISO available
Active D-Lighting : Auto, Extra-high, High, Normal, Low, Off
Lens servo
: AF-S (Single servo AF), AF-F (Full-time servo AF).
Manual focus (M)
AF-area mode
: Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF,
subject-tracking AF
Built-in flash
: GN 12m/39ft at ISO 100
Flash control
: i-TTL
Flash compensation : -3 to +1 EV
CLS
: Creative Lighting System is supported
White Balance
: Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types),
direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual,
spot WB in Live View, Colour Temperature
Movie metering
: TTL, using main image sensor
Movie metering method : Matrix, Center-weighted, Highlight-weighted
Movie frame/rate : 1920x1080 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p
1280x720 60p, 50p
Movie file format : MOV
Battery
: EN-EL15
Weight, body only : 860g with battery and SD memory card
Some websites have reported an issue with the D810 (of ‘bright spots’ when using long shutter speeds) and Nikon has announced a service
advisory for the same. It appears that cameras with only certain serial numbers are affected and Nikon has agreed to attend to them free of
charge. All D810s rolling out of the factory after the problem has been detected, will however be free of the defect.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
115
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Best Ammo for
Full-Frame Canons
Sujith Gopinath
L
ast month (August 2014), we
carried a comparative review
of Macro lenses for Nikon FX
bodies. This time, it is the turn of
Macro lenses for Canon Full Frame
bodies. As mentioned last month, we
approached all lens manufacturers
for their Macro lenses. While the
initial list included Sigma also, the
representative for the company
politely informed us that they did
116
Smart Photography September 2014
not have any macro lens available
in India. So here we are comparing
the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro
IS USM, Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L
Macro USM, Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8
Di VC USD, and Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di.
Design and Build Quality
The Canon lenses are heavier and
better built than both the Tamrons.
The Canon 180mm has metal
exteriors, while the other three are
made of polycarbonate materials on
the exterior. The 180mm is also the
best built lens in the lot. But being
the older one amongst the three, it
lacks the rubber weather-sealing ring
near the lens mount. The Tamron
90mm non-VC lens also lacks this
rubber ring. All the lenses have metal
lens mounts. The Tamron 90mm VC
www.smartphotography.in
(since both the Tamrons have nearidentical designations, we would
use VC or non-VC to distinguish
between the two) is the third in
weight.
Key Features
The following table will give you
an idea of how the key features are
matched. Both the Canon 100mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC feature
image stabilisation in the form of IS
(Image Stabilisation) in the Canon
and VC (Vibration Correction) in
the Tamron. The Canon 180mm
offers the longest working distance,
while the Tamron 90mm non-VC
offers the shortest working distance.
Both the Canons feature Ring-Type
Ultrasonic Motors (USM), while
the Tamron 90mm VC features
Ultrasonic Silent Drive. The Tamron
90mm non-VC does not feature any
high-speed motor. Both the Tamrons
carry identical specifications of their
Nikon mount versions, except that
all of these Canon mount lenses
(including the Canon lenses) have a
fixed minimum aperture of f/32 (the
Nikon system allowed the lenses to
go beyond f/32, limited only by the
lens specifications).
Feature
Canon EF 100mm
f/2.8L Macro
IS USM
67mm
Filter Size (Dia)
Magnification ratio 1:1
Max. Aperture
F/2.8
Min. Aperure
F/32
Image stabilisation No
High-speed motor Yes,
Ring-Type USM
Diaphragm blades 9
No. of Elements
15
No. of Groups
12
Special Elements
NA
Special Coatings
NA
Min. Focus distance 30m
Working distance 14cm
Max. Diameter
77.7mm
Min. Length
123mm
Max. Length
123mm
Weight
625g
Accessories
Lens Hood,
Pouch
www.smartphotography.in
Ergonomics
Performance
Now let us check the comfort
factor in using these lenses. The
180mm is the heaviest at 1090g,
followed by the Canon 100m at
625g. Holding the 180mm in the
hand is quite strenuous and you
would require a tripod most of the
time. Canon has included a tripod
mount ring (tripod collar) with
the lens so that I balances well on
the tripod. The Canon 100mm has
a slightly tapering design, which
makes it comfortable to hold. The
Tamron 90mm VC lens is slighly
bulkier at the gripping position,
though it is lighter than the Canon
100mm. The Tamron 90mm nonVC has the least circumference,
and has a nice push-pull type
AF/MF switch, but the lack of
internal focussing makes the lens
barrel extend considerably during
focussing. All the lenses feature
focus limiter switches, enabling
faster focus both in AF as well as
MF modes. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens has the best grip on the
focussing ring followed by the
Tamron 90mm non-VC. Both the
Canons are equal when it comes to
the grips.
The lenses were tested on a Canon 6D
body (full-frame) and the images were
captured in JPEG format to keep the
consistency with internal sharpening
applied. IS/VC was turned off and
the camera was mounted on a sturdy
tripod.
Canon EF 180mm
f/3.5L Macro
USM
72mm
1:1
F/3.5
F/32
Yes, IS
Yes,
Ring-Type USM
8
14
12
NA
NA
48cm
25cm
82.5mm
186.6mm
186.6mm
1090g
Lens Hood, Tripod
Collar, Pouch
AF Speed
All lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC feature high-speed motors.
With the focus limiter switch set to
‘Full’, both the Canon 100mm and the
Tamron 90mm VC focussed equally
fast. The Tamron 90mm non-VC was
slightly slow and noisy. The Canon
180mm was slow in slight low-light
situations probably due to the slower
maximum aperture. However, it
focussed fast in bright light and also
when the focus was limited to 1.5m
to infinity.
Tamron SP 90mm Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
f/2.8 Di
58mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/32
Yes, VC
Yes, USD
55mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/32
No
No
9
14
11
2 x XLD, 1 x LD
eBand coating
30cm
13.9cm
76.4mm
114.5mm
114.5mm
550g
Lens Hood
9
10
9
NA
NA
29cm
10.6cm
71.5mm
97mm
163mm
405g
Lens Hood, Pouch
Darkening of Corners
To test Darkening of corners, we
kept the Peripheral Illumination
Correction feature in the camera
enabled so that we could pick the
best performance of the lenses.
All the lenses were tested at their
widest aperture. All lenses exhibited
Darkening of Corners at different
levels. The Canon 100mm and the
Tamron 90mm non-VC controlled
darkening very well, with the Tamron
leading the pack. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens followed the Canon 100mm
and the Canon 180mm came last.
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.
Chromatic aberration control in
the camera was enabled. All the
lenses except the Tamron 90mm
VC controlled flare very well. While
the Canon 180mm was free of any
Chromatic Aberration, the Canon
100mm and the Tamron 90mm
VC produced very slight magenta
fringing. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
lens produced heavy purple fringing.
September 2014 Smart Photography
117
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
CANON EF 100MM F/2.8L MACRO IS USM
118
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
CANON EF 180MM F/3.5L MACRO USM
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
119
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI VC USD
120
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 Di
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
121
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Distortion
We did not observe any distortion in
any of the lenses, 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 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-of-field
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 lenses
had their sweet spots at f/8. All the
lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC gave the sharpest results
from f/8 to f/16. The Tamron 90mm
non-VC reproduced the sharpest
images from f/5.6 to f/11. After the
sweet spots were determined, we
compared the images with 1:1 and
a slightly less magnification so that
the effect of shallow depth-of-field
could be minimised. The results are
summarised in the final table.
Value for Money
The Canon 100mm retails at an
MRP of Rs.65,995, while the Canon
180mm carries a price tag of
Rs.104,995. 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
As we said in the last issue, choosing
a specialist lens is no mean feat. For
photographers doing professional work,
image quality and working distance are
more important than the price of the lens,
while amateurs are more concerned about
the price. This review provides the complete
data that can be used by both amateurs
and professionals. 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 from piece to piece. Overall, the
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD wins
this test, mostly due to the pricing.
122
Smart Photography September 2014
CANON EF 100MM
F/2.8L MACRO IS USM
FINAL SCORE
76%
CANON EF 180MM
F/3.5L MACRO USM
FINAL SCORE
65%
Design and Build Quality 16/20
Design and Build Quality 18/20
Key Features
15/20
Key Features
12/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Ergonomics
13/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
r
Wi n n e
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI VC USD
FINAL SCORE
5/5
4/5
4/5
5/5
2/5
20/25
7/15
76/100
81%
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
3/5
2/5
5/5
5/5
3/5
18/25
Value for Money
Total
4/15
65/100
r-up
Ru n n e
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 Di
FINAL SCORE
78%
Design and Build Quality 15/20
Design and Build Quality 14/20
Key Features
17/20
Key Features
14/20
Ergonomics
16/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
5/5
3/5
3/5
5/5
5/5
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
3/5
5/5
2/5
5/5
5/5
Sub-Total
21/25
Sub-Total
20/25
Value for Money
12/15
Value for Money
15/15
Total
81/100
Total
78/100
www.smartphotography.in
We, at Smart Photography, are dedicated to guide you at every stage of your
photography career and help you make informed choices. And this dedication is
what makes us stand out from the rest of the pack!
REVIEWS: CANON G1X MARK II NIKON COOLPIX P340 TAMRON 16-300MM LENS SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 SMARTPHONE
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MONITOR Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
Gearing up for
Challenge
Sujith Gopinath
P
ofessional graphic monitors
are a class apart, and most of
them are so specialised that
the brand names are rarely heard
outside this small professional world.
Graphic-specific monitors can
produce a wide gamut of colours and
can be calibrated accurately using
specialised calibration hardware.
BenQ PG2401 PT joins the highly
competitive world of these colour
specialists.
Design and Build Quality
The PG2401 is a pofessional monitor,
124
Smart Photography September 2014
and is built to feel like a professional
equipment. The outer body is
made of black matte polycarbonate
material. The screen is matte-finished
as in the case of all professional
displays. It features a narrow bezel.
At 7 kg (panel alone), the monitor is
light and easy to relocate. The hood
panels attach seemlessly and are
made of durable material.
Key Features
The PG2401 PT is categorised in the
CAD/CAM monitor series and is
meant for uncompromising high-
` 115,000
Inside the Box
✓ BenQ PG2401 PT monitor
✓ Hood panels (4)
✓ Stand and Base
✓ Power Cable
✓ DVi Cable
www.smartphotography.in
quality works such as graphic design
and photography. The monitor is a
24.1-inch (W) IPS panel with LED
backlighting. It has a maximum
native resolution of 1920 x 1200
pixels. The monitor provides a native
contrast ratio of 1000:1 and Dynamic
Contrast contrast ratio of 20M:1. It
provides a viewing angle of 178°. In
HDMI, the monitor can display 1.07
billion colours from a palette of 4.4
trillion, while a DVI input allows
it to display 16.77 million colours
from 4.4 trillion. It has a wide colour
gamut capable of reproducing 99
percent of Adobe RGB colour space
and 100 percent CMYK colour space.
Colour temperature can be set from
2800 to 9300K. You can either choose
one of the pre-set values or set your
own value from the Custom Mode at
increments of 100K.
The device supports hardware
calibration and the colour
management system is developed by
XRite, one of the leaders in colour
management space. The monitor
allows you to save different colour
profiles and calibration results
and apply them selectively. This
is a very useful feature since there
are individual differences in the
perception of colour. The calibration
software even allows you to preview
how the colours would look when
printed on various types of media
and with different colour spaces.
This allows for better print matching.
This can also help in acquiring G7/
FOGRA/UGRA certification for your
colour lab. Another very important
feature in the calibration software
is that it allows you to check if the
monitor requires re-calibration. This
is important since very frequent
recalibration can affect the efficiency
of colour management because of the
repeated erasing and programming
of data on the EEPROM (memory
module). The 10-bit panel is capable
of reproducing more than a Billion
colours, which in turn facilitates
smooth gradation of colours. The
monitor is also capable of processing
14-bit images, ensuring true natural
shades while processing images.
Input connectors offered are
D-Sub, DVI, HDMI, DP, mDP, and
www.smartphotography.in
Headphone jack. It also features 3
USB connectors — one at the base
along with the other connectors, and
two (USB 3.0) at the side along with
an SD card reader.
The monitor has dimensions of 542.6
x 555.4 x 254mm (without hood) and
weighs 12.4 kg.
Ergonomics
The PG 2401 is quite easy to setup,
the hardest part being the installation
of the hood. The entire equipment
September 2014 Smart Photography
125
MONITOR Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
PLUS
FINAL SCORE
87%
fits in a carton of dimensions 631 x
270 x 520mm. The monitor features
a touch-sensitive control panel with
self-illuminating display. This is
quite responsive and easy to use. The
display can be swivelled 45 degrees
through left and right. Similarly,
it can be tilted from -5 (down) to
20 degrees (up). The height can be
adjusted up to 150mm. The PG2401
PT has a wide viewing angle of up to
178 degrees, but we wouldn’t advise
you to view the images from the sides
when you are working on a project.
What differentiates BenQ from
other similar models is that they
have a professional team from Bodhi
Professional Services, who are ready
to help you will any technical issues
including calibration.
if you move the entire unit around,
and the ambient light does not alter
much.
Performance
Value for Money
VERDICT
The PG2401 performed very well
during our tests. The calibration and
setup was done by the personnel
from Bodhi Professional Solutions
P Ltd, who are the distributors and
service partners for BenQ. The
calibration is fast (this depends
on the hardware configuration of
your computer) and easy. Since
the calibration is done from the
hardware, it remains unaltered even
The BenQ PG2401 PT retails at
an MRP of Rs.115,000, but you
probably can get a good discount.
You cannot compare this price
to that of an ordinary monitor,
but this monitor is no ordinary
one. Hardcore graphic monitors
are priced similar to this, and a
hardware calibrated one is certainly
expensive. So this is fair pricing for
this device.
The BenQ PG2401 PT is one of the top
models for high-quality graphic design and
professional photo editing works. If you are
looking at uncompromising quality and the
ability to match the colours to a wide range
of printing presses and output media, we
would strongly recommend the PG2401
PT. Combined with prompt service, the
monitor is certainly a Best Buy.
Though we did not compare it with
other similar monitors side-byside, we checked the uniformity
of images from edge to edge and
corner to corner. To eliminate any
chance of error, we enlarged a small
portion from an image captured
with a high-end D-SLR and
duplicated the image multiple times
so that it filled the entire screen.
Then we checked (visually) for any
perceptible change in sharpness,
colour, and light intensity, signs of
distortion and darkening of corners.
We did not notice any of the abovementioned flaws in the display.
• Hardware
calibrated
• Wide range
of print
matching
options
• Professional
service
• Impressive
performance
Design and Build Quality 18/20
MINUS
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
17/20
Performance
18/20
Value for Money
16/10
• None
observed
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size
: 24.1”W
Resolution (max.) : 1920 x 1200
Pixel Pitch (mm) : 0.27
Brightness ( typ.) : 350 cd/m²
Native Contrast ( typ. ) : 1000:1
DCR (Dynamic
Contrast Ratio) (typ.) : 20M:1
Panel Type
: IPS
Viewing Angle
(L/R;U/D) (CR>=10) : 178°/178°
Response Time(Tr+Tf) typ.
:
12ms, 5ms (GTG)
Display Colors
: DisplayPort, HDMI: 1.07 billion from a palette
of 4.4 trillion Dvi, D-sub: 16.77 million from a
palette of 4.4 trillion
Color Gamut
: 99% Adobe RGB
Input Connector : D-Sub / DVI / HDMI / DP / mDP/ Headphone jack
CTN Dimensions : 631 x 270 x 520 (HxWxD mm)
Dimensions
: 542.6 x 555.4 x 254 (without hood) (HxWxD mm)
Dimensions with
Wall Mount
: 365.5 x 555.4 x 74.6 (without hood) (HxWxD mm)
Net Weight (kg)
: 7 (without hood)
Gross Weight (kg) : 12.4
126
Smart Photography September 2014
Windows® 7 Compatible : Yes
HDCP
: Yes
Colour Temperature : 2800°K/3700°K/5000°K/5500°K/6500°K/7500°K/8
200°K/9300°K/Custom Mode (increment by 100°K)
OSD Language
: 17 languages
VESA Wall Mounting : 100 x 100mm
Swivel (left/right) : -45°/45°
Speaker
: No
USB Hub
: Yes, USB 3.0 (2 x downstream, 1 x upstream)
Tilt (down/up)
: -5°/20°
Pivot
: Yes
Height Adjustment (mm) : 150mm
Other Features
: 14 bits 3D LUT / HW calibration / Delta E≤2 (avg)/G7
certification / Fogra certification/ Brightness Uniformity /
Card reader
3D
: No
Regulations
: TCO 6.0
Power Consumption
(On mode)
: 74.6 W
Power Consumption
(Off mode)
: Built-in
(Power saving mode) 0.5W
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180 ISSUE
RS.125
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 09
SEPTEMBER 2013
THE BIG FIGHT: NORMAL LENSES
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TOUGH CAMERAS
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SURAJ DAS
LEARNING: STAR TRAIL
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REVIEWED
PENTAX K30
INTERVIEWS
KAUSHIK BHATIA
VINCENT VERSACE
Canon EOS 70D
EXPERT TECHNIQUES
PHOTOGRAPHING PETS
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH BABIES
BASIC TIPS FOR
WONDERFUL
MACROS
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magazine.
Pentax K-50
WEDDING SPECIAL
VINAYAK DAS AND SNIGDHA SHEEL
NIKLESH MALKANI
ANAND RATHI AND ABHINAV SAH
INTERVIEW
KIRAN POONACHA
ALL ABOUT
MIRRORLESS
CAMERAS
TRAVEL
FEATURE
VARANASI
TUTORIAL: EXPOSURE EXPOSED
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SENIOR ADVOCATE
ADHIK SHIRODKAR SPEAKS
SOFTWARE PREVIEW: PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE CLOUD ● PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUE: SHOOTING ALBUM COVERS
From reviews on SLRs, Compacts and Smartphones to advice and tips on
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September 2014*
City
COMPACT Review
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
Trimmed to perfection
Sujith Gopinath
T
he Sony RX-series consists
of compact cameras with
professional specifications.
The RX100 and the RX100 II
impressed us with their fast lenses
and larger-than-normal sensors.
The 20.1-megapixel RX100 III is
an improvement on these, mainly
characterised by a built-in EVF
and fast f/2.8 aperture at the
telephoto end. Here is our opinion
after taking the RX100 for a spin.
Design and Build Quality
Sony’s RX-series is known for
its robust build quality, and the
RX100 III is no exception. It
carries the same design as that
of its predecessors, except for
the built-in pop-up electronic
viewfinder. Having said that, the
LCD of theRX100 III carries the
same weakness too—a connecting
128
Smart Photography September 2014
cable that is exposed at the hinges
of the LCD. The camera has a mix
of metal and engineering plastic. It
features a metal tripod receptacle.
The lens has a two-segment
construction.
Key Features
The 20.1 megapixel Sony RX100 III
uses a 1-inch Type (13.2 x 8.8mm)
Exmor R Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensor. Combined
with a BIONZ X image processor,
the camera is expected to deliver
superior results in terms of speed
and low-light shooting. The camera
features a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 2470mm f/1.8-2.8 lens incorporating
Optical Image Stabilisation. The
lens is constructed with 10 elements
in 9 groups, including one double
aspherical element (combination
of two aspherical elements). This
` 54,990
Inside the Box
✓ Camera
✓ Rechargeable Battery Pack(NP-BX1)
✓ AC Adaptor (AC-UB10C/UB10D)
✓ Micro USB cable
✓ Wrist Strap
✓ Strap Adaptor
✓ Instruction Manual
✓ AC Power Cord
www.smartphotography.in
Mahesh Reddy
Aperture: f/4.0 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec . ISO:100
lens carries the most important
improvement over the RX100 II,
which featured a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
lens. With a fast aperture of f/2.8
at the telephoto end, you will have
a better control on lighting with
the RX 100 III. The total aperture
at the wide-angle end is f/1.8 to
11, while that at the telephoto end
is f/2.8 to 11. Another important
improvement on the RX100 III is the
built-in retractable 0.39-inch OLED
electronic viewfinder with 1,440,000
dots. The main screen is a 3.0-inch,
1,228,800-dot Xtra Fine TFT LCD,
which can be tilted up to 180 degree
upward and 45 degree downward.
The RX100 features four focus
modes — Direct Manual,
Manual, Single-shot AF (AF-S),
and Continuous AF (AF-C). If
you are wondering what Direct
Manual mode is, it allows you
www.smartphotography.in
to manually fine-tune focus
after autofocussing. The camera
features the usual three metering
modes — Multi-pattern, Centreweighted, and Spot. Exposure can
be compensated up to +/-3 EV
in 1/3-EV steps. ISO sensitivity
ranges from ISO 125 to 12,800
(expandable to ISO 80 and 100).
The RX100 III allows you to set
upper and lower limits for the
sensitivity. Shutter speeds range
from 30 to 1/2000 sec along
with Bulb option. White Balance
options are Auto, Daylight, Shade,
Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
(Warm White, Cool White, Day
White, Daylight), Flash, Custom
Temperature/Filter, and Custom.
Self-timer can be set to 10 or 2
sec and when it is set at 10 sec,
the camera allows you to shoot
either 3 or 5 consecutive shots.
Still images are recorded in JPEG
format with a maximum size of
5472 x 3648 pixels, whereas videos
are recorded in AVCHD format
with the best quality option of
1920 x 1080 at 50p, 50i, or 25p
frame rate.
The built-in flash has a range of
approximately 0.4 to 10.2m at the
wide-angle end and approximately
0.4m to 6.5m at the telephoto end
when the ISO is set to Auto. Flash
modes available are Auto, Flash
On, Slow Synchro, Rear Sync, and
Flash Off. The camera sports Face
Detection and can detect up to
eight faces. You can select each
face in a photograph and set the
camera to memorise the faces.
Shooting modes available are
Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto,
Program (P), Program shift (P*),
Shutter Priority (S), Aperture
Priority (A), Movie, Panorama,
September 2014 Smart Photography
129
COMPACT Review
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
NOISE
ISO 100
ISO 400
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
Macro, and Sunset. The camera
offers Picture Effects such as HDR
Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome,
Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop
Colour, Partial Colour, Soft Highkey, Water Colour, Posterization,
Retro Photo, Soft Focus, High
Contrast Monochrome, and
Illustration.
Sharpness
Aperture: f/11.0
Shutter Speed: 1/8sec. ISO:100
The RX100 III can shoot
continuously at up to 10 frames
per second. The camera is powered
by a 1240 mAh Li-ion battery
(supplied). The RX100 III weighs
approximately 290g with battery
and Memory Stick Duo, and
has dimensions of 101.6 x 58.1
x41mm.
Ergonomics
Scene Selection, and Manual (M).
Scene Selection mode provides
options of High Sensitivity, Night
Scene, Night Portrait, Portrait,
Landscape, Fireworks, Gourmet,
Pet, Handheld Twilight, Anti
Motion Blur, Sports Action,
130
Smart Photography September 2014
The RX100 III has a small body,
but it is does not fit in your pocket.
The camera is easy to use and has
an intuitive interface. The controls
are small, but we cannot complain
since it is a small compromise
for a few better things. We are
advocates of the viewfinder and
hence the pop-up EVF is a welcome
step, though we do not expect
many people to use it. There is
no doubt that the tiny EVF is a
little cumbersome to use, but it
would certainly help in low-light
situations to eliminate camera
shake. Again, to make things
simpler, propping up the viewfinder
will switch on the camera.
Images on the LCD appeared crisp
and the information display was
legible. The tiny built-in flash
springs up violently like a striking
viper, but the metal hinges are
strong enough to hold it in place.
Performance
Sony cameras are known to be high
performers amongst compacts,
and the RX100 III surely has a
reputation to keep. Autofocus
was fast and precise even under
low light conditions. Images were
sharp throughout the zoom range.
Probably, this was the reason why
Sony has reduced the zoom range
www.smartphotography.in
slightly from the RX100 II, since
very high zoom ranges have the
tendency to provide soft images at
the telephoto end. If it is so, then
Sony has removed a major blot any
high-zoom compact would have in
an honest reviewer’s diary. Metering
was perfect (by visual inspection)
with all modes performing as
expected. White Balance (both preset as well as Auto) performed well,
especially under natural lighting
(Daylight and Shade). Artificial
light sources left their distinct casts,
but these were easily removable in
post-processing.
VERDICT
The Sony RX100 III
is certainly a highperforming compact with
a fast 24-70mm lens. You
can consider this camera
if you are looking for an
unobtrusive camera that
can provide good images
even at low-light situations.
However, the price could
be a deterrent unless you
get a good discount from
the dealer.
Native image size was 18.24
x 12.16 inches at 300 ppi. At
25 percent of the screen size,
images were noise-free up to
ISO 3200. Slight noise was
observed at ISO 6400 and
12,800. Images were perfectly
usable throughout the ISO
range. Viewed at 50 percent,
slight noise was observed from
ISO 1600 onwards. The images
were perfectly usable up to
ISO 3200. Enlarged to 100
percent, we observed slight
noise from ISO 400, but the
images could be used up to
ISO 1600. We consider this
very good control of noise for a
compact camera.
The camera produced slight
(almost imperceptible) barrel
distortion throughout the zoom
range. Prominent flare was
observed at the wide-angle end
at wide-open aperture, but we
did not observe any Chromatic
Aberration. We observed
strange darkening of the
centre and light corners at the
wide-angle end at wide-open
aperture, probably because of
an overacting in-built vignette
control system.
PLUS
• Fast Lens
• Excellent
build quality
• Built-in
EVF
• Good noise
control
• Sharp
images
FINAL SCORE
82%
Design and Build Quality 17/20
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
16/20
Performance
Autofocus
Metering
Noise Control
Sharpness
LCD/EVF
Auto W/B
Sub-Total
Value for Money
MINUS
5/5
5/5
4/5
4/5
3/5
4/5
25/30
6/10
Value for Money
• Slippery body The RX100 III retails at an MRP of
• EVF too
Rs.54,990. For a compact camera
small
with a 24-70mm lens, this is
certainly high.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Image Sensor Type :
Sensor Size
:
Effective Pixels
:
Lens
:
Lens Construction :
Screen Size
:
Adjustable Angle
:
Brightness Setting
:
Viewfinder Size
:
Number Of Dots
:
Imaging Processor :
Image Stabilizer System :
Focus Modes
:
Light Metering
:
Exposure Compensation :
ISO Sensitivity
:
White Balance
:
Shutter Speed
:
Exmor R CMOS
1.0-type (13.2mm x 8.8mm)
Approx. 20.1 Million
ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
10 elements in 9 groups (9 aspheric elements including one AA)
3.0 inch, 1,228,800 dot Xtra Fine/ TFT LCD
adjusts up 180°/ down 45° (approx.)
Auto/ Manual(5 steps)/ Sunny Weather
0.39-type retractable electronic viewfinder (OLED)
1,440,000
BIONZ X
Optical SteadyShot
Direct Manual, Manual, Single-shot AF (AF-S),
Continuous AF (AF-C)
Multi Pattern, Centre-Weighted, Spot
+/- 3.0EV, 1/3EV step
Auto (ISO125-12800, selectable with upper/ lower limit),
125 to 12800 (Extendable to ISO80/ 100)
Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
(Warm White, Cool White, Day White, Daylight), Flash,
Custom Temperature/Filter, Custom
Bulb, 30 – 1/2000s
www.smartphotography.in
Self-Timer
: Off, 10sec., 2sec. (3 or 5 consecutive shots with
10sec. delay selectable)
Flash Range
: ISO Auto: Approx. 0.4m to 10.2m(W), Approx. 0.4m to 6.5m(T)
Auto Macro
: Yes
Aperture
: f/1.8 to f/11(W), f/2.8-f/11 (T)
Face Detection
: Yes, up to 8 faces
Face Selection
: Yes(Key, Selected-face Memory)
Shooting modes
: Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Program
(P, Program shift available), Shutter Priority (S),
Aperture Priority (A), Movie, Panorama, Scene
Selection, Manual (M)
Scene selection
: High Sensitivity, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Portrait,
Landscape, Fireworks, Gourmet, Pet, Handheld Twilight,
Anti Motion Blur, Sports Action, Macro, Sunset
Recording Media
: Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO HG Duo, SD/SDHC/SDXC
Max image size
: 5,472×3,648 pixels
Best video quality
: AVCHD - 1,920 X 1,080/50p/50i/25p
Burst Speed (Maximum) : Speed Priority Continuous Shooting: approx. 10 fps,
Built-In Flash type : Manual pop-up
Power source
: 1240mAh Li-ion battery (supplied)
Dimensions
: Approx. 101.6 x 58.1 x 41 mm (W x H x D)
Weight
: Approx. 290g (with battery and Memory Stick Duo)
September 2014 Smart Photography
131
STUDIO
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
MINILAB
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
ALBUMS
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
STUDIO
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
MINILAB
ALBUMS
ALBUMS
EXHIBITION
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
TIDBITS
Market Trends
in Japan
H. S. Billimoria
Digital Cameras
Canon
Nikon
Sony
Olympus
Fuji
he latest
information Others
to hit the
market is that
Samsung’s profits Memory Cards
SanDisk
were down for a
third quarter in a Toshiba
row for the three
Transcend Infor
months to June
Panasonic
2014. Following
slack sales of
Lexer Media
Smartphones,
Others
Apple’s profits
were also down
PCs
but not to the
same extent.
Lenovo/NEC
Samsung suffered Fujitsu
because it was
squeezed from the Toshiba
top by Apple and DELL
from the bottom
HP Japan
by cut price
Others
Smartphones from
companies
like Xiaomi.
Inkjet Printers
Seiko Epson
At one time,
Canon
most trends
Brother Ind
in consumer
electronics and
HP Japan
imaging started
Ricoh
in Japan. Let us
see how imaging Others
T
and other allied
products fared
in 2013 in the
Japanese market.
162
Smart Photography September 2014
% Up/Down
23.9 (2.1)
20.7 (3.4)
17.5 (1.3)
11.2 (0.1)
9.5
17.2
-
Camcorders
Sony
Panasonic
JVC/Kenwood
Canon
Others
% Up/Down
39.3 (0.3)
29.0 (6.1)
27.7 (-2.1)
4.0 (-4.6)
0.0
-
% Up/Down
18.0 (5.8)
14.5 (5.1)
11.6 (0.8)
8.0 (-5.1)
7.0 (8.9)
40.9
-
Flat-Panel TVs
Sharp
Toshiba
Panasonic
Sony
Orion
Others
% Up/Down
39.0 (3.8)
20.4 (0.9)
19.1 (-1.5)
8.6 (-3.0)
3.4
(2.6)
9.5
-
% Up/Down
25.8 (0.3)
18.6 (1.1)
12.1 (-0.7)
10.7 (2.3)
10.1 (0.8)
22.7
-
Computer Game
Console
% Up/Down
Nintendo
65.1 (-5.52)
Sony CE
34.7 (5.9)
Microsoft
0.2 (-0.4)
% Up/Down
41.7 (-2.7)
40.0 (0.0)
10.8 (1.7)
6.8 (0.8)
0.7 (0.1)
0.0
-
Blu-ray
Disc Recorder
Panasonic
Sony
Sharp
Toshiba
Others
% Up/Down
33.0
25.0
24.6
17.0
0.4
(3.5)
(3.4)
(-2.0)
(-3.8)
-
What will the 2014 figures look
like? With the industry in a tizzy,
who would dare to predict?
www.smartphotography.in
The
Master’s
Piece
Presenting the stunning Lumix GH4 which has been engineered for images that
impress and videos that inspire.
• Versatile AF functions respond precisely to user’s intentions • Dual speed OLED
displays – LVF and Monitor • Worldwide broadcast system support
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Marketing Office: Delhi/NCR: First Floor, ABW Tower, IFFCO Chowk, MG Road, Sec.25, Gurgaon - 122001. Ph.: +91-124-4999666. AVAILABLE AT ALL AUTHORISED PANASONIC DEALERS.
For more, contact: North: Hardeep Singh Sarna: 09560508352, West 1: Ajitesh Swarup: 07738162200, West 2: Sachin Vyas: 09825362798, East: Sougata Chakarborty: 09831746006,
South: G Muralidharna: 08754504068
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Service Helpline: 1800 103 1333
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[email protected]
INSIST ON A PANASONIC INDIA
WARRANTY CARD
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.
T
he silver lining in an otherwise
challenging industry scenario is
the buoyant state of the accessories
market. Whilst camera manufacturers
have been facing new challenges, accessory
manufacturers are happily experiencing
increased sales and better results. Like
every year, SP, this year again brings out an
“Accessory Special” so that you can identify
that particular accessory that you always
needed to have in your possession.
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 will be there at Photokina 2014 and hope
to bring you all the latest information in the
next issue.
H. S. Billimoria
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
PUBLISHER
Girish Mallya
PRODUCT MANAGER
Perseus Master
HEAD OFFICE - MUMBAI
2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013
Tel: + 91 22 43525252 Fax: + 91 22 24955394
Email: [email protected]
CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION
Sanjeev Roy (Asst. Operations Manager)
Sachin Kelkar (Subscription Supervisor)
Tel: + 91 22 43525220 Fax: + 91 22 24955394
Email: [email protected]
Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: [email protected]
Zinio Subscriptions Queries: http://in.zinio.com/help/index.jsp
Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Ltd. Next Gen
Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps
for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written
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
on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads,
Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound,
www.smartphotography.in
MARKETING OFFICES
Ahmedabad
c/o Working Company; Opp. Sardar Patel Seva samaj plot, Above Zen Cafe;
Mithakali Six Roads, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad - 380006
Bengaluru
Unit No. 509, 5th Floor ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road,
Bangalore -560001, Tel: +91 80 66110116/17 Fax: + 91 80 41472574
Chennai
Unit No. 20, 3rd Floor, Modern Towers, No. 35/23 West Cott Road,
Royapettah, Chennai 600014. Tel: + 91 44 39149889 Fax: + 91 44 39149892
New Delhi
26-B, Ground Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi - 110020.
Tel: +91 11 4234 6600 / 6678 Fax: + 91 11 4234 6679
Pune
401B, Gandhi Empire, 2, Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411040.
Tel: + 91 20 32930291 Fax: + 91 20 26830465
Hyderabad
Richard G.C., Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation), Mobile no. 09949217127
Kolkata
Vidyasagar Gupta Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation), Mobile no. 09804085683
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Copyright 2006 SMART PHOTOGRAPHY
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
competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.
Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria
September 2014 Smart Photography
5
Contents
52
ISSUE 114 / SEPTEMBER 2014
32
RS.125
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 10
SEPTEMBER 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S COPY
REGULARS
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
MACRO LENSES FOR CANON
FULL-FRAME CAMERAS
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL
PHOTOGRAPH (INTERIORS)
PIN-UP PHOTOGRAPHY
10 HOW TO TIPS
REVIEWS: NIKON D810
●
BENQ PG2401 PT
INTERVIEW SAPNA REDDY
●
08 Mail Bag
10 News Watch
30 Picture of the Month
162 Tidbits
SONY CYBER-SHOT RX100 III
PROFILE DIGWAS GH
32 Kaleidoscope
A platform for budding photographers to
exhibit their talent and get noticed!
38 Showcase
A photographic profile of the person
behind the lens
44 If I Were You
Our expert comments on how your pictures can be taken to another level
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 September 2014
48 Photokina 2014
52 MasterCraftsman
The masters of the craft share their insights and photographs
www.smartphotography.in
12796
SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER
page
90
104
REVIEWS
LEARNINGS
110 Nikon D810
116 Head-to-head:
90 Building an Architectural
Macro lenses for Canon
Full-Frame cameras
Photograph (Interiors)
124 BenQ PG2401 PT
128 Sony Cyber-shot
96 Pin-up Photography
104 10 How to Tips
www.smartphotography.in
RX100 III
ACCESSORIES
SPECIAL
59
September 2014 Smart Photography
7
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ISSUE 5
VOLUME 10
AUGUST 2014
INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
113
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]
TIPS FOR
MACRO LENSES
TRAVEL &
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
TUTORIALS
BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPH (EXTERIORS)
LIGHTING, LENSING AND MOLDING
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
INTERVIEW NISHA PURUSHOTHAMAN PROFILE LOPAMUDRA TALUKDAR
Innovations
A sensor that matches the spherical curve of the human retina (News International, August
2014) is a logical development after transition from film to digital photography, as film could
never have been created to take on a 3-D curvature. Although the curved sensor itself may have
been difficult (and costly) to realize, its many benefits will now more than justify the innovation.
For starters, the fresh range of lenses will require fewer corrections, and therefore better lenses
can be had at lower cost. Moreover, third-party viewing devices like high-power spotting
scopes, telescopes and monoculars—which necessarily cater to our curved eye-ball and were
therefore not the best option for attachment to cameras with flat sensors—will now become
perfectly compatible with cameras incorporating sensors replicating the human retina. Imagine
being able to use a Rs 30,000 scope instead of a Rs 2,50,000 lens on your camera! The only
question is, will it be hara-kiri for the OEM lens-makers?
Phiroze B. Javeri
Worth Preserving
Easy lessons
Your August 2014 issue is a collector’s
item. The specials this month by Nisha
Purushothaman, Yuwaraj Gurjar and the
landscape photography article by Uncle
Ronnie, all contribute in making this issue
outstanding. The lens nomenclature guide is
very useful too. Congrats to all in your team
and the contributors.
The August issue was awesome! ‘Tips
for Travel and Landscape Photography’
by Uncle Ronnie was excellent study
material. It’s very important for
beginners as well as professionals. The
tips in the magazine are useful for every
photography outing. I also enjoy the light,
humorous style of writing.
Ani Ghosh
Neelaesh Ninawe
Errata
In the News section of the August 2014 on Page 12, the
announcement about Tamron’s 14–150 mm f/3.5–5.8 lens states
that the lens does not offer Vibration Compensation, but the image
indicates the presence of the feature. The lens was supposed to
have the VC feature when it was announced, but the company later
decided to release it without VC. The error is sincerely regretted.
8
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
SNIPPETS
In order to assuage
the decreasing
camera revenue,
Nikon is planning
to spend $2.2 billion
on mergers and
acquisitions by 2017.
Fujifilm’s weather
and dust proof XF
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
OIS WR lens offers 20
individual seals and
an internal focussing
system. It also has
a one-way vent that
allows for air to pass
through the lens
barrel when internal
elements move.
Instagram’s newest
version, Instagram
6.0 offers options to
control brightness,
contrast, colour
balance, saturation,
highlights, shadows
and the degree to
which image filters
are applied.
Apple’s iOS 8 has
added a time-lapse
mode and other
editing tools to its
camera app. Apple
has also released its
Camera API to the
public, which lets
developers access the
camera’s exposure,
focus and white
balance.
10
Smart Photography September 2014
Sony to release Two New
Cyber-shot Models
S
ony will release two new
compact cameras in the
Cyber-shot series, the
DSC-WX220 and DSC-W810,
beginning with US markets.
The former will be available in
August for around $200, while
the latter will be sold from
September at around $100.
The DSC-WX220 is slim
and compact, with an 18MP
Exmor R CMOS sensor and
a 10x optical zoom lens. It
also features Sony’s BIONZ X
processor, ensuring details and
low noise in capturing images
and full HD videos. The camera
offers advanced SteadyShot
image stabilization for video,
high speed AF and built-in WiFi functionality.
The DSC-W810 features a
20MP CCD sensor and a
6x optical zoom lens. It has
the Fun Party Mode setting,
which automatically adjusts
sensitivity, exposure and
colour in low light for better
party shots. The W810 can
take HD videos at 720p, and
even has a dedicated button for
movie-shooting.
Hasselblad to launch new CFV-50c
CMOS Back for V System
Hasselblad is set to launch
a new ‘back to the future’
CMOS sensor-based digital
back targeting its legions
of dedicated V System
photographers worldwide.
The new CFV-50c, which
will have an 11,000 Euro
price, is engineered to work
on almost every Vcamera
made by the company
since 1957. The state-ofthe-art back has the same
feature-rich functionality
and performance as the
acclaimed H5D-50c camera,
providing V System users
a unique opportunity to
benefit from the latest
digital capture technology,
including outstanding
ISO capability. The
announcement comes as
Hasselblad is pinning its
focus on core customers in
the medium format sector.
Ian Rawcliffe, the CEO of
Hasselblad said, “We have
experienced a substantial
resurgence of interest in our
iconic V cameras—users love
the traditional ergonomics
and the unique appearance.
Our research has shown
that although we no longer
manufacture V models,
there is a big demand for
it from our dedicated V
System users who want to be
able to continue using their
classic cameras, but also
desire access to our latest
technology. The new CFV50c, with its supreme image
quality, is our response to
that demand. Photographers
using V System vintage
cameras can now realise
the true potential for these
definitive capture devices.”
He added, “This new unit
is just a part of our ongoing
product devdelopment
strategy. We have produced
the V Systems for over fifty
years and now customers
can really benefit from
Hasselblad advanced digital
engineering know-how with
the CFV-50c.”
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Canon to launch PowerShot SX400 IS and
IXY140
C
anon Inc. is launching
a new PowerShot
series compact
digital camera, the SX400
IS, with a 30x super zoom
lens. The camera features
a 1/2.3-inch Type 16MP
CCD imager with Digic 4+
image processing engine,
and a 24-720mm lens in
the 35mm format, with
Canon’s Intelligent Image
Stabilization System.
The optical zoom can
be extended up to 60x digitally, with
Progressive Fine Zoom technology. Other
features include autofocusing speed of
approx. 0.19 seconds, ISO up to 1600, a
3-inch LCD monitor, Smart Auto and 720p
HD video capture with a dedicated
movie button. The camera measures
104.4x69.1x80.1mm and weighs 313g.
Canon will also launch the IXY140, with
a 1/2.3-inch Type 16MP CCD sensor, 8x
zoom lens of 24-224mm in the 35mm
format with Optical Image Stabilization
and a 2.7-inch LCD monitor. It measures
95.2x54.3x22.1mm and weighs 130g.
Canon to sell A4 Colour
MF Printer
Panasonic to launch Surveillance
Camera System with Microphones
Canon Inc. will release a new A4-format colour multifunctional printer in the imageRUNNER Advance series,
the C350F, from early September at a suggested list price
of 625,000 Yen (About US$ 6080). The C350F function
includes copy, print, scan and fax. It features continuous
copying of 35 pages per minute, both for colour and
monochrome; a scanning speed of 35 pages per minute,
both colour and monochrome; and provides the first copy
in 7.4 seconds. With Canon’s original MEAP (Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform), the MF
Printer has expandable capabilities.
Panasonic has made a surveillance camera system utilizing its dome-type
cameras with a wide-angle fish-eye lens and 16 small microphones embedded
around the camera to be installed on the ceiling. The surveillance system
is suitable for ATM booths to enhance security. When the video data is
transferred to the computer of the system, it calculates from the image data and
selects the voice or noise recorded by the nearest microphone. One system can
cover an area of a 10 metre radius and 3 metres height. The fish-eye lens can
capture images up to 310 degrees and the system’s software corrects distortion
of the images. This surveillance system will be released in September 2014
along with a camera and microphones.
12
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
HOYA develops new Optical Glass
banks for Camera Lenses
H
OYA Group’s Optics Division
has developed new optical glass
banks for camera lenses called the
‘NRP’. NRP stands for New Reheat Press.
HOYA supplies optical glass materials
to lens manufacturers who polish them,
and assemble the polished elements in
interchangeable lenses or optics for
digital cameras.
HOYA’s NRP glass material has been improved
and now requires less polishing volume and
time, thus reducing loss of glass material which
includes quite a large amount of rare earth
materials. The process time is reduced to onethird of the previous duration. NRP has more
surface smoothness and an even thickness, as
compared to the existing RP. The NRP allows
lens manufacturers to create interchangeable
lenses and optics for digital cameras with more
accurate AF and reducing the processing time.
Ricoh announces Pentax Q-S1
Ricoh Imaging Co. announced
the launch of a new mirrorless
interchangeable lens system camera in its
Pentax Q line, the Pentax Q-S1. The Q-S1
has a new classic exterior and design,
and a lightweight body that is peculiar
to the Q series. The Q-S1 is equipped
with a 1/1.7-inch Type back-illuminated
CMOS sensor with 12.4 MP resolution
and a high speed image processing Q
engine with a quick start-up. It also has
a newly developed Shake Reduction
function. The camera will be available
in five colours—black, gunmetal, pure
white, champagne gold and bright silver;
with 8 front sheet colours. This colour
variation was previously very popular in
the Pentax Q7 and Pentax K-50 series.
Kingston announces SSDNow V310 with Nearly 1TB Capacity
Kingston announced its latest addition to
the SSDNow V300 series, the V310. The
Kingston SSDNow V310 solid-state drive
boosts system responsiveness, and offers
960GB capacity to store movies, music, games,
files and applications.
14
Smart Photography September 2014
The new SSDNow V310 is 10x faster than
a 7200RPM hard-disk drive, because of the
Phison 3108 controller and 450MB/s read
and write speeds. SSDNow V310 is shockproof and uses less energy. The capacity of the
SSDNow V310 allows enough space for a true
HDD replacement.
the biggest capacity ever in a Kingston SSD,”
said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director,
APAC Region, Kingston. “SSDNow V310 with
its large 960GB capacity is the perfect upgrade
to an existing system as it improves boot speeds
and application load times helping maximize
one’s computer investment.”
“Since 2009, our V ‘Value’ series solidstate drives have delivered the best price
to performance ratio as possible to enable
consumers on a budget or entry-level users to
experience the benefits of SSD technology. Our
new V310 continues that along with providing
The SSDNow V310 drive will be available
either as a stand-alone drive or as all-in-one
kits that include all the accessories needed
plus software to clone files and OS . The drive
will be backed by a three-year warranty, free
technical support and Kingston reliability.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Polaroid launches
Cube camera with a
magnet
Sony to launch Compact
Camcorder for Professionals
Polaroid has launched Cube, a small
block-shaped video camera with a
magnet that clings to any steel surface.
The camera, priced US$100, records
1080p wide-angle video, uses microSD
cards and can record 90 minutes of
video when fully charged.
S
GoPro’s cameras are currently in
the $300 range. Research firm IDC
estimates that GoPro enjoys 47.5% of
the market share in the USA. Polaroid
does not have a significant market
share. In America, the name GoPro has
reached generic status, which should
protect the company’s dominance to a
large degree.
ony will release
a compact
lightweight
camcorder, the XDCAM
Memory Camcorder
PXW-X70, on September
19, 2014. It measures
130.3x180.9x287mm
and weighs about 945g
(body only) or 1.4kg
including a lens hood, a
large eyecup, battery and
SLR handle unit. This is
the smallest and lightest
model in the XDCAM
series. The camcorder
will be suitable for
electronic news
gathering by one person
or as a sub camera for
documentary filming.
It features a 1-inch
Type 20MP Exmor R CMOS sensor
equivalent to 4K resolution, 12x Zeiss
Vario Sonnar T* Zoom lens. It also offers
HDMI and 3G-SDI compatibility, an XLR
audio terminal other than the built-in
microphone, memory card slots for 2 SD
cards, a 0.39-inch OLED viewfinder and a
3.5-inch LCD monitor.
Note-taking app Bamboo Paper goes multi-platform
Wacom announced the launch of Bamboo
Paper, its digital note-taking app for
all current Android, Kindle Fire, and
Windows devices on the market. The
popular note-taking app will be available
on Google Play, Amazon App store, and
Windows Store for all leading mobile
operating systems. Bamboo Paper is a
note-taking app that provides a natural
writing and drawing experience on mobile
devices, with a balance between simplicity
and a full range of features for visual
expression and creativity.
“We have learned a lot from our
customers since we introduced Bamboo
Paper for iOS and have implemented
these learnings in our new multi-platform
release of Bamboo Paper. Now we can
offer the best tool for creative thinking
on all major and new operating systems”,
Mike Gay, Head of Wacom Consumer
16
Smart Photography September 2014
Business, comments.
“Wacom has in the past years focussed
strongly in consumer business. We are
taking all steps to make sure that our
users enjoy the best and finest technology.
Bamboo Paper has traditionally been a
very popular application amongst iOS
users. After its huge success with Apple
devices, we now have this wonderful app
available for Androids and Windows
devices, especially Smartphones. We have
fulfilled a huge demand from such users,
who can now enjoy this useful app” says
Mr. Manu Nada, Managing Director,
Wacom India Pvt. Ltd.
Bamboo Paper for iPad, Android or
Windows devices allows people to use
their tablets like an ordinary paper
notebook. Better still, the multi-platform
availability supports storing and sharing
of thoughts, plans and ideas digitally. The
recently introduced Wacom Ink Layer
Language (WILL) plays a major role
in achieving Wacom’s natural writing
experience. WILL also enables the users to
share their work between different devices
and operating systems on the same level.
With Bamboo Paper users can put down
their thoughts and ideas down while
relaxing at home on the iPad and yet
refine these notes, mind maps or sketches
on their Windows 8 laptop or desktop
computer in the office the next day.
“We consider this a major step for the
seamless exchange of ideas and notes
across all available hardware or software
platforms.” Referring to the strategic idea
that underlies Wacom activities in this
area, Mike says, “For a creative world
we have to offer solutions that support
people expressing, recording and sharing
thoughts and ideas.”
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
International
Nikon Announces Panel of Judges for
Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015
N
ikon announced its selected chief
judges and judges of Nikon Photo
Contest 2014-2015. The contest will
be accepting entries from 15th September
to 15th December, 2014, and will be headed
by two chief judges and a following panel
of international judges to provide their
distinguished assessments on all entries.
The judging panel for the global photo
contest will be headed by chief judges
Stephen Mayes and John C Jay, both
world-renowned Creative Directors with a
vast experience, for the photography and
videography categories respectively.
Stephen Mayes, who will serve as chief
judge for the photography category, is
currently Executive Director of the Tim
Hetherington Trust. He has managed the
work and careers of top-level photographers
and artists in various areas such as art,
fashion, photojournalism, and commercial
photography for over 25 years. In addition
to serving as Secretary to the World Press
Photo competition from 2004 to 2012,
Mayes has written successful business plans
and reshaped operations for a number of
imaging companies around the world.
John C Jay, who will serve as chief judge
for the video category, plays an active
role as President and Executive Creative
Director of a strategic and creative
consultancy developing new companies,
products, and services. Jay has been
named as one of the Top Ten Most
Influential Art Directors in the Past 50
Years by readers of Graphic Design USA,
and he has also been inducted into the
prestigious Art Directors Club of New
York’s Hall of Fame.
In addition to the chief judges, ten
judges who are active on the world stage,
have been selected from a diverse range
of fields to photographers, curators,
creative directors, editors, and film
directors. One of the judges in the
photography category, Swapan Parekh,
was the recipient of the 2nd place award
in the B/W Photograph Section of the
Nikon Photo Contest International
1986-1987 (as the contest was formerly
known).
List of judges
• Photography category
Chief Judge: Stephen Mayes
Judges: Stefen Chow, Yue Ren, Thyago
Nogueira, Kisei Kobayashi, Chris Rainier,
Swapan Parekh
• Video category
Chief Judge: John C Jay
Judges: Wang Lei, Sandro
As with the previous contest, Dell Japan
Inc., one of the contest’s collaborating
partners, has established the Dell Graphic
Pro Award with an additional prize for
1st place winners in the video category
(for both theme “Home” and open
theme). Western Digital Technologies,
Inc., a first-time collaborating partner,
has also introduced the Western Digital
Technologies Award with additional prizes
for Grand Prize, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
winners in the photography and video
categories respectively. Another first-time
partnership for the contest would be with
Seiko Epson Corporation who is engaged
as the intended printing partner for the
contest’s entries.
With Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015, a
great expansion in the variety of imaging
expression and possibilities is expected, in
particular with the new acceptance of entries
captured by any digital imaging device and
the introduction of the Generation N Award
for those aged 19 or younger. For more
information about the contest, log on to
www.nikon-photocontest.com.
QNAP Launches 7-in-1 Mobile NAS QGenie
QNAP Systems Inc. announced the release of
QGenie, a pocket-sized 7-in-1 mobile NAS
for file storage, power bank, Internet sharing,
and more. The device offers a mobile NAS
solution to wirelessly extend the storage space
of mobile devices. Users can optimize their
storage space by transferring files
to QGenie when they need to make
room for more photos, music, and
apps. It also offers myQNAPcloud
service, Qsync, and Qfile mobile
app, to create a personal cloud to
save, access, sync, and share all the
files stored on QGenie on the go.
“QGenie allows connections from
up to 20 users, enables simultaneous
18
Smart Photography September 2014
file access by up to 8 users, and can share
multimedia on the go. It can transfer large
files on various occasions such as social
gatherings, class seminars, and business
meetings without the need of sending emails
or exchanging USB drives,” said Hanz Sung,
product manager of
QNAP. QGenie also
allows users to back
up and retrieve
their phonebooks
from Android and
iOS devices by
using Qfile mobile
app, thus protecting
their important
data from loss.
With a built-in 3000mAh power capacity,
a fully-charged QGenie can work for more
than 10 hours. It can also act as a power bank
for charging mobile devices with advanced
circuit protection mechanisms, and provides a
wireless access point (AP) for sharing Internet
access with multiple devices through wired or
Wi-Fi connections, Smartphone hotspot, or
an LTE/4G/3G dongle. When connected to
a PC or Mac via USB 3.0, QGenie
automatically turns into a portable SSD for
file transfers of up to 120MB/s read and
40MB/s write speeds. QGenie can copy files
from the Turbo NAS to QGenie or the other
way around with the USB one-touch-copy
function, and enjoy easier access to all files via
the Qfile mobile app.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
Business
Sony to boost CMOS
Sensor Production
S
ony plans to boost the production
of CMOS sensors by investing
some 35 billion Yen combined, into
the Nagasaki Technology Centre and
Kumamoto Technology Centre, both in
Kyushu island, by March 2016.
These CMOS sensors are mainly for
Smartphone cameras. The monthly
production capacity at Nagasaki and
Kumamoto will be approximately
68,000 300mm wafers. During this fiscal
year, Sony will begin producing CMOS
sensors at the Tsuroka plant. Sony had
purchased this plant from Renesas
Electronics Co.
It is said that Sony has received
orders for CMOS sensors to be used
on iPhones, and has also received
enquiries from Chinese Smartphone
manufacturers. According to Techno
Research Co. of Japan, Sony grabbed a
33% share of the world’s market share
for CMOS sensor production in 2013,
securing the top position.
Fujifilm to sell more Cheki Instant
Cameras than D-cams in 2014
Fujifilm Corp’s instant camera ‘Cheki’
has sold well worldwide, and the
company plans to sell 3 million units
of Cheki. As opposed to this, Fujifilm
expects to sell only 2 million of digital
cameras (interchangeable lens system
cameras and lens-mounted models
combined) for this fiscal year. The
instant camera is gathering popularity
among young women in the global
market, Asia in particular, including
China and South Korea. About 85% are
expected to be sold outside Japan in 100
countries this year.
Fujifilm’s instant printer, ‘Smapho de
Checki’ sells approximately at 19,000
Yen, and the company plans to sell
250,000 units worldwide in the fiscal
year ending on March 2015.
Canon gains 10%
in April-June
Operational Profit
Canon Inc. is expected to post a 10% gain
in operational profit for the April-June
period in 2014, to 110 billion Yen. The
company expects a total revenue for the
period to fall by 4% to 930 billion Yen,
due to declined sales of digital camera
products.
The company anticipates the sales of
digital camers, both interchangeable lens
system and all-in-one compact cameras to
20
Smart Photography September 2014
increase. But it is possible that profitability
will improve, thanks to automated
production systems using robots and a
shift to higher range models. The office
products division performed well, focusing
on colour photocopiers. The company
will officially announce the results of the
second quarter in late July, since the digital
camera production plans are likely to be
revised from the previous announcement.
Sony invests in Image
Sensor Production
Sony plans to invest 35 billion Yen ($345 million)
to increase the production of image sensors for
Smartphones and Tablets. The company is aiming to
get more orders from handset makers for front-facing
camera sensors, used to take selfies. The company
said it will increase production of stacked CMOS
sensors at two factories on Kyushu island, Japan. Sony
is also completing work on a factory it bought from
Renesas Electronics in northwestern Japan for a total
investment of 35 billion Yen. Sony said the investment
will allow it to raise production by 13% to 68,000
wafers a month by August 2015. The company’s midterm goal is to produce 75,000 wafers per month.
Fujifilm expects 20%
Operational Profit for
April-June period
Fujifilm is likely to post a 20% year-on-year gain in
operational profit for the April-June 2014 period
to 30 billion Yen, on sales of 560 billion Yen. The
company expects the imaging products division to
write off a loss, due to the shift to higher models such
as the mirrorless single-lens X-T1 and instant camera
‘instax mini’, whose sales gained some 80% year-onyear, in the world market.
Epson Gains 10% in
Revenue for AprilJune Period
Seiko Epson is expected to post a 10% gain in
sales from the first quarter of fiscal 2014, to 240
billion Yen. Profit in operation is likely to go up
by 5.6x to 45 billio Yen. It was pushed up by a
one-time gain by restructuring the pension plans,
to reduce pension payment from April. Besides
the extraordinary profit, real term profit in
operation seems to have gained 90% year-on-year
to 15 billion Yen.
Epson’s mainstay inkjet printer sales were
favourable. The company undertook a strategy to
increase higher range products in the developed
markets, whereas in emerging markets it
introduced a model with a larger ink tank which
requires less maintenance.
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
Mumbai Photographers Association
Celebrates World Photography Day
M
umbai Photographers
Association, in association
with Sony India and Colo
Colour Lab, celebrated the World
Photography Day at Manik Sabhagraha
in Bandra (West), Mumbai. In a fullday event, lectures and demonstrations
were given on photography, video,
lighting, camera technology,
pre-wedding shoots, wedding
documentaries and motivation by wellknown photographers Girish Mistry,
Veer Puranik, Tushar Chowdhary,
Vishal Panjabi and Jagdish Joshi to a
house-pack audience. Sony India also
displayed their latest D-SLR cameras
and lenses, broadcast quality video
cameras and 4K Bravia TV. A photo
competition was also held on the theme
‘Wedding Moments’. Eighty members
took part in the competition and 160
entries were received. The awards were
instituted by Sony India Pvt Ltd and
Shari Academy. The first three winners
and their prizes were:
Manoj G. Musale: Sony A77 II with DT
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens; Speed
Light HVL-F60M
Rosario Fernandes: Sony A58 with DT
18-135+mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens; Speed
Light HVL-F43M
Sujeet Mhatre: Sony A58 with DT 18135mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM lens
Ten consolation prizes were also
awarded and the winners were given
a free entry to a 4-day workshop to be
conducted by Girish Mistry of Shari
Academy. The entries were judged by
Girish Mistry, Dean, Shari Academy
and Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor,
Smart Photography.
Image: Rosario Fernandes, Second Prize
Image: Manoj G. Musale, First Prize
22
Smart Photography September 2014
Image: Sujeet Mhatre, Third Prize
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
23
NEWS
National
Raju Sultania conducts a Workshop on
“The Art of Wedding Photography”
A
ce wedding photographer Raju Sultania conducted
an educative and inspiring day-long workshop on
wedding photography at Kolkata on 3rd August
2014. The workshop was well attended by experts and
opinion leaders from the photographic fraternity. Among
the guest of honour present were Dheeraj Vyas, President
AIPTIA, Chandrakant Shah, Secretary AIPTIA, Andrew
Koh, Sr. Director, Canon India Ltd, Jitender Chugh,
Deputy G.M., Nikon India Ltd, and Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography. A total of 235
photographers from all over India attended the workshop.
The workshop was a mix of lecture, discussion, and liveshoot on low light photography, natural light verses flash
and posing for the couple shoot. Raju Sultania shared
his experiences of 41 years, detailing the techniques and
skills required to cover weddings. He further discussed
the art of marketing, pricing, contracts, business approach
and also discussed specialised equipment. The workshop
was divided in two sessions – one was theory
based on the wedding pictures he had taken in
the past, and the other was a practical session
based on live-shoot of the mock wedding setup at the venue. He explained how to cover the
‘varmala’ and ‘fera’ during a wedding shoot.
The pictures were transferred ‘live’ on a large,
specially designed LED set-up using Wi-Fi.
The participants were invited to click pictures
along with Raju Sultania to get a practical
understanding of the subject. This was well
received by all.
Throughout the workshop, Raju Sultania
aimed at upgrading the status of wedding
photographers and tried to instil in them the
confidence that is very much necessary to be successful
wedding photographers.
Sony launches new Headphones
and Earphones
Sony India announced the launch of three
new products in its audio range. This
includes two new headphones in the MDRXB range—the 450 and 250, as well as the
MDR-AS200 earphones.
The MDR-XB450 and MDR-XB250 sport
a slim, swivel folding style, a flat serrated
cord, a new acoustic design and pressure
relieving earpads.They both have a 30mm
24
Smart Photography September 2014
dynamic driver unit that plays bass music
well.
The MDR-XB450 will be available in five
colours—black, white, red, blue and yellow,
at the price of Rs.2190. The The MDRXB250 costs Rs.1490 and is available in
black and white.
The MDR-AS200 earphones offer a 13.5mm
high sensitivity driver for premium sound.
The earphone is first-of-its-kind product
from Sony with water resistant and sweat
proof features, making it ideal for sports
activities or during the rains. They also
sport an adjustable ear loop that fits a wide
range of ear sizes. The MDR-AS200 also
has a flat serrated cord allowing a tangle
free experience. The earphones come in the
colours of orange and blue, and cost Rs.790.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
25
NEWS
National
D J Memorial Photography Contest 2014
Third Edition
Image: L-R
Yashpal Rathore,
Sandeep
Mall, Ganesh
H Shankar
(Judge), Sitara
Karthikeyan,
Sanjay
Jayavarthanavelu
and K
Maruthachalam.
Photography Contest (DJMPC) as an annual.
K Maruthachalam, ARPS, APSA, AFIAP
served as the administrator of the contest.
The awards were distributed on the 30th July,
2014 at the Kasturi Sreenivasan Art Gallery in
Coimbatore.
The participants registered and submitted their
entries through www.djmpc.in between 1st
March, 2014 and 30th June, 2014. In all, 3,150
entries were received. Here is the list of award
winners:
Sandeep Mall, Faridabad, 1st prize Rs.3 lacs.
Yashpal Rathore, Bangalore, 2nd prize
Rs.2.25 lacs.
Sitara Karthikeyan, Coimbatore, 3rd Prize
Rs.1.5 Lacs.
T
he D J Memorial Photography Contest
(DJMPC) was instituted by Lakshmi
Machine Works Limited (LMW) in
memory of its past Chairman and Managing
Director, Dr. D. Jayavarthanavelu (D J). LMW
sponsors and organises the D J Memorial
The entries were judged by Ganesh H Shanker.
Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, CMD of LMW
graced the occasion.
Photo Vision organises Exhibition of 8th
IIPC Photo Contest winners
Photo Vision organized the exhibition of
best photographs of the 8th IIPC World
Photography Day Annual Photo Contest on
August 19th and 20th, 2014, in IMA Hall
Bareilly. Professor N. L. Sharma was the chief
guest of inaugural of this event. The exhibition
showcased 120 best images of participants
from about 12 Indian states.
The India International Photographic
Council (IIPC), Delhi had handed over the
responsibility to organise the All India Contest
‘Desert life’ by V.K.R.S Sarma
26
Smart Photography September 2014
of Photography to Photo Vision, Bareilly eight
years back. Photo Vision has been conducting
this contest successfully ever since.
The 8th IIPC World Photography Day Annual
Photo Contest-2014 got a huge response.
Nearly 650 entries were received from
participants five categories, namely, Black
and White Pictoral, Colour Pictoral, Nature,
Photo-Journalism and Photo-Travel. Ten
entries received awards, and 15 participants
got Certificates of Merit. The award winners
‘In dense forest’ by Subhash Jirang
are Mr. Subhash Jitrange (Mumbai), Mr. B. C.
Manjappa (Bangalore), Mr. Vijayabhaskara
Rao (Vijayawada), Mr. V. K. R. S Sarma
(Nedunuru), Mr. Bhargav Harge (Nizamabad),
Mr. T. Veerabhadra Rao (Kakinada), Mr. Amal
Krishna Das (Howrah), Mr. Samir Mohite
(Mumbai), Mr. Nagesh Sakpal (Mumbai) and
Mr. V Nagaraju Devara (Khammam).
The jury consisted of Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Mr.
Bijan Das, Mr. Gopal Sharma, Dr. Kamran
Khan and Mr. Satpal Singh.
‘Washing’ by Vemuluri Nagaraju Devara
www.smartphotography.in
NEWS
National
‘Drawn From Light’ Exhibition
‘D
rawn From Light’ is an exhibition
that brings forth the syncretic
culture of India, through some
of the earliest surviving photographic
images of the Indian sub-continent. The
exhibition is based on two previously held
exhibitions—’Allegory and Illusion: Early
Portrait Photography from South Asia’ at
the Rubin Museum (New York, 2013) and
‘Unveiling India, the Early Lensmen (18501910)’ at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
(Brussels, 2013-14).
The exhibition, organized by Indira
Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in
collaboration with The Alkazi Foundation
for the Arts for the first time in India,
showcases various aspects of the earliest
history of photography of India and
its neighbours. The exhibition puts on
show the rich tradition of both portrait
and landscape photography through
approximately 200 original photographs
from the mid 19th to early 20th centuries
of the Indian sub-continent. The exhibition
is curated by Rahaab Allana (Alkazi
Foundation), and is in association with
the two co-curators from the associated
Museums - Rubin Museum (Beth Citron)
and Royal Fine Art Museum (Davy
Depelchin). The photographs are from the
archives of The Alkazi Foundation for the
Arts.
One part of the display presents the works
of early photographers, from Alexander
Greenlaw’s photographs of the ruins
of the Vijayanagara kingdom (today
known as Hampi) in South India to Dr.
John Murray’s systematically captured
buildings in and around Agra. His images
today are recognized as the first-ever
photographs of the Taj Mahal. Both these
photographers captured the early days of
the World Heritage Sites and architectural
masterpieces.
The other part of the exhibition showcases
the dynamics of portraiture in the subcontinent (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and
Burma). In this part, the exhibition features
a series of cityscapes and portraits that
highlights the life of people in their sociocultural setting or a studio. Images drawn
from the Oriental Races and Tribes (1863–
66), which William Johnson produced as an
ethnographic series, are on view together
with the People of India series (1868–75), a
total of eight albums commissioned by the
Governor General, Lord Canning.
The exhibition also puts on view the
vintage and rare works through a display
of early wax paper negatives, albumen
prints and postcards. Some of the leading
photographers and studios presented are
Felice Beato, Bourne & Shepherd, Johnston
& Hoffman, Gobind Ram & Oodey Ram,
Darogah Abbas Ali, Raja Deen Dayal and
Shahpur Bhedwar.
Gujarat State Lalit Lumia 530 now available in India
Qualcomm
exponentially, driven primarily
Kala Academy
Snapdragon
by youth who are constantly
processor, a
looking out for Smartphones
organizes
4-inch LCD
with power packed features
display and
at affordable prices. We,
Photography
seamless
at Microsoft Devices, are
integration
committed towards helping
with Microsoft people experience the
Competition
services such
uncompromised technologies
The Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy is
organising the 18th National Photography
Competition at Ahmedabad. The theme
of the competition is ‘Technology and
Youth — India a Shining Star.’ Entries
will be accepted in the sections of Colour
or Black and White, and the academy
will be giving out a total of 16 prizes.
The competition is open to professionals
as well as amateurs and entries will be
accepted from August 30 to September
15, 2014. Participants should send their
photographs to the Secretary, Gujarat State
Lalitkala Academy,Ravishankar Ravalkala
Bhavan, Opp Bhaikaka Hall, Law Garden,
Ellishbridge, Ahmedabad-380 006. To
know the rules and regulations and to
download the entry form, log on to
www.sycd.gujarat.gov.in.
28
Smart Photography September 2014
Microsoft Devices launched
the Lumia 530 Dual SIM, the
most affordable Lumia to date,
in India. The Smartphone will
be available in stores at a best
buy price of Rs.7,349 starting
August 14th, 2014.
The new Lumia 530 features
the latest version of Windows
Phone 8.1, including one
swipe notifications from
Action Center, and the fast
Word Flow keyboard. It makes
use of a powerful quad-core
as Skype and
Microsoft
Office. The
phone offers
signature
Lumia apps such as Creative
Studio and Glam Me. The
phone has 4GB in-built
memory (expandable with SD
cards up to 128GB) and an
additional 15GB of free cloud
storage on Microsoft OneDrive
that lets people sync, store,
access and share files between
Lumia 530 and computers,
laptops and Tablets.
“The affordable Smartphone
segment is growing
and services that we offer on
our Lumia devices. Lumia
530 builds on the legacy and
success of Lumia 520 and
will help us consolidate our
position in this segment
further,” said Viral Oza,
Director-Marketing, Nokia
India, a subsidiary of Microsoft
Mobiles Oy.
“With its innovative design,
the latest Windows Phone
8.1 and signature Lumia
experiences, the Lumia 530 3G
Dual SIM is the perfect device
for those who are looking for
a distinctive Smartphone,” he
added.
www.smartphotography.in
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
z
a
V
t
e
e
j
i
Abh
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:
KALEIDOSCOPE
Finally, a platform for budding photographers
to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!
Hills
and
Valleys
Earthen Shades
Camera: Nikon D40X
Aperture : f/9.0; Shutter speed: 1/80sec.; ISO: 200
K
amal Khawar is a
photo-artist from
one of the beautiful
hilly regions of India,
Uttarakhand, popularly
known as Devbhoomi. He
was born in Pantnagar,
and brought up in Almora.
Kamal Khawar,
The beauty of Almora has
Uttarakhand
left an indelible mark on
his mind. He also deeply
appreciates and admires the glory of
the hills and valleys around this town.
His father is an artist too, and Kamal
has inherited the artistic ability from
him. He had a keen desire to portray the
beauty of nature since his childhood.
His career into photography started
seriously in 1994 when he started
clicking pictures from his cousin’s
Nikon FM-2 camera. At that time, he
was not aware that his hobby would
turn into his passion. This camera
changed his way of life and gradually,
his skills started developing. He
completed a Diploma in Photography
from Rohilkhand University, Bareilly in
2007 in order to increase his knowledge
of the profession. Today, Kamal is a
popular photo-artist of his region.
Some of his works have been published,
and he has won quite a few awards in
photography competitions. Kamal is a
serious trekker, which is of great help in
photography. It gives him opportunity
to explore untouched places.
32
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
33
KALEIDOSCOPE
Finally, a platform for budding photographers
to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!
Lush Green
Camera: Canon EOS 60D; Aperture : f/9.0; Shutter speed: 1/40sec.; ISO: 320
34
Clouds and Peaks
Snow-clad Beauty
Camera: Nikon D40X; Aperture : f/-; Shutter speed: 1/5sec.; ISO: 200
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Camera: Nikon D90; Aperture : f/14.0;
Shutter speed: 1/15sec.; ISO: 200
At the Top
Camera: Canon PowerShot S95; Aperture : f/2.5; Shutter speed: 1/1000sec.; ISO: 80
Sunshine
Camera: Nikon D90; Aperture : f/14.0; Shutter speed: 1/100sec.; ISO: 200
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
35
36
Smart Photography September 2014
September 2014 Smart Photography
37
SHOWCASE
Digwas GH, Bangalore
HILLS AND
VALLEYS
As told to Tanika Godbole
Romantic Walk
38
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
I
was born in Sirsi, a small
town in the midst of the
Western Ghats in Karnataka.
The beauty of the Western Ghats
thrills anyone who is a nature
lover. I never intended to be a
photographer; but I did have some
initial experience with cameras.
When I became a father, I started
clicking photos of my pretty
daughter. As any father would
do, I too shared her photos with
my friends, and uploaded them
on a few social networking sites.
Everyone started appreciating my
pictures. That’s when I realised
I can do something more in the
world of photography. My interest
started growing, and as a result, I
bought my first D-SLR in 2007.
That is how my endless journey
in the world of photography
began. I started clicking each and
everything, something that any
amateur photographer does. I
received a lot of compliments and
Little Author
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
39
SHOWCASE
appreciation
from my
friends. In the
meantime, I
met Mr. M
S Hebber, a
renowned
photo-artist
in India, who
is my mentor.
Through his
guidance, I
started lending
pictorial value
to my photos.
That was a
great turning
point. I saw
Sakharayapattana,
Karnataka
Streaming
Sunlight
40
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Rosary Church, Shettihalli
Sathodi Falls
myself turning
into a mature
photographer. I
started participating
in photo salons,
both at the national
and international
levels, and exhibited
my work. Of late,
I have started
exploring my
skills in nature
and pictorial
photography. At the
end of the day, I do
photography for my
own interest and
happiness.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
41
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.
as vertically. Placing the subject at
one of the four points of intersection
is considered to provide the greatest
impact. Also ensure that there is
enough space in the direction in
which the subject is looking. Observe
the edited image and compare it to the
one you sent us.
Original Image
Elephant Falls, Shillong
This picture of the Elephant Falls
in Shillong has been sent to us by
Sriram Parthasarathy from Chennai.
He has tried to create a ‘silky-water’
effect but says that he did not have
a tripod. He wants to know how the
picture could be improved.
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II at 250mm
ISO: 250; Shutter speed: 1/400sec;
Aperture: f/5.6
Rohinton Mehta,
Technical Editor, Smart Photography
Tri-coloured Munia
This photo of a tri-coloured Munia
is sent to us by Hrishikesh Dhundre
via email. He wants to know how the
photo could be improved.
Photographing birds is not very
easy because they tend to fly away
as soon as you approach within
their fear-circle. Hence, this genre of
photography generally calls for the
use of very long focal length lenses.
On your 600D, the 55-250mm lens
that you have used is equivalent to
88-400mm; but still not enough for
small birds unless you can approach
them closely. Due to this reason, the
bird in your picture is way too small.
Using Photoshop, I have cropped the
original image so that the bird appears
larger. Another thing that you need
to keep in mind is the framing. Try
not to place the centre of interest (in
this case the bird) in the centre of the
frame. Mentally divide the frame in
three equal parts, horizontally as well
44
Smart Photography September 2014
Edited Image 1
www.smartphotography.in
Original Image
Camera:
Canon EOS 60D
Lens: EF-S 18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS
ISO: 100;
Shutter speed: 10 sec;
Aperture: f/25
I think the
picture is quite
nice. You have
succeeded in
creating the effect
you were after. I
am sure you must
have supported
the camera on
some support
because you
could not have
kept the camera
steady for a 10
second exposure!
In your picture,
the waterfall is
not continuous.
Edited Image
There is the
divide between
continuous (without the break in the
the two stages of the waterfall and
middle), I think the picture would
this seems to create two points of
have been better.
interest. If the flow of the water was
www.smartphotography.in
Hence I have composed the edited
picture the way I would have
photographed it, if I were you.
September 2014 Smart Photography
45
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 7D
Lens: EF 70-200mm f/2.8L
USM at 135mm
ISO: 320;
Shutter speed:1/800sec;
Aperture: f/7.1
Landscape
Photographer M.
S. Anas has sent
us this landscape
picture by email
for critique in If I
Were You.
The EXIF data tells
me that the picture
was shot before
8am. So why is this
picture ‘muddy
and warm’? Could
be that you have
set the wrong
White Balance or it
could be the result
of some editing
done by you? Early
morning pictures
generally are ‘cold’
(bluish), not warm
(reddish-yellow).
I have adjusted the
‘Levels’ in Photoshop and applied a
cooling filter to areas other than the
trees in the foreground. I also used
the ‘Spot Healing Brush’ to eliminate
46
Smart Photography September 2014
Edited Image
what could have been a bird near the
center of the frame, as I could not
make out if it was indeed a bird or a
dust spot.
Do note that individual perception of
what should be or should not be the
tonality in the picture can vary from
one person to another.
www.smartphotography.in
COVER STORY
Photokina 2014...
What the Stars Foretell!
H. S. Billimoria
P
hotokina (which commences
in Cologne on 16th
September 2014) takes place
at a time when both the imaging
and the electronics industry
is experiencing bitter sweet
moments. On the one hand, the
top Japanese electronics companies
like Hitachi, Panasonic, Sharp
and Sony are having to rediscover
48
Smart Photography September 2014
themselves; on the other, leading
imaging companies like Canon
and Nikon have experienced a
sudden contraction in the number
of compact cameras that can be
sold in the world market. As if to
further the pain, industry experts
are not yet clear on which way the
higher end of the camera market
will go. Canon, Nikon and Pentax
would like DSLRs to maintain
and increase their market share;
Olympus, Panasonic and Sony
would like mirrorless cameras to
take over the middle and higher
range of the imaging market.
What about Samsung? Everything
seemed particularly rosy for
Samsung but with the Smartphone
market plateauing out, Samsung
also faces a challenge.
Have the world’s leading imaging
companies failed to spot changes
in consumer tastes? Photokina
2014 will provide an answer.
Let us look at what lies in
stock from each individual
manufacturers.
www.smartphotography.in
Nikon has already launched the
D810. It is likely that Nikon will
launch a successor to the D300S.
Websites are already abuzz with
rumours of a new D9300 from
Nikon. A couple of new lenses are
also expected to be launched.
Canon’s much awaited EOS
7D Mark II is expected to see a
launch at Photokina. A 46MP
professional camera from Canon
is also being talked about. Canon
is also due to update some of
its lenses like the 100-400mm
which is an old design. In the
area of compact cameras, Canon
will focus on superzoom and
professional compact cameras.
Two launches in the SX-series
have already been announced.
Pentax has already launched the
K3 Prestige which is a limited
edition DSLR in gunmetal grey
finish. It comes with a 20-40mm
f/2.8-4 weather resistant lens. A
full frame D-SLR from Pentax
is being talked about for quite
some time; it remains to be seen
whether a launch will take place
at Photokina.
www.smartphotography.in
Sony have already launched a
number of cameras in the last
three months and it would be
fair to say that the A7 has really
impressed the market with its
specifications and performance.
Expect Sony to announce or
launch more lenses for its
mirrorless cameras. Also Sony
may update its compact range to
make it more competitive in the
market. The RX100 Mark III has
already been launched last month.
the X100 S. A new 23mm lens
and 24MP APSC sensor is
likely to be featured in this new
camera. Fuji will also launch
new lenses for its X-T1 and X-E
2 cameras. A 90mm f/2, 16mm
f/1.4 and 16-55mm f/2.8 WR
are rumoured strongly..
Panasonic’s GH4 is steadily
trickling into the market. A
further launch in the ‘G’ series
is not ruled out. Panasonic will
launch its premium compact
camera, the LX8 at Photokina.
A few new lenses may also be
announced.
Whether all the smartphone
companies will be present
remains to be seen with all
the smartphone advertising
focusing on the USP of
the camera within these
smartphones, it would indeed
be surprising if the smartphone
companies gave Photokina a
miss.
Olympus is expected to launch
more lenses for its micro four
thirds system. Although it has
had a quiet 2014 so far, do not
rule out any surprise launches
from Olympus.
Fuji is expected to launch the
X100 T which would replace
Lens manufacturers like Sigma,
Tamron and Tokina are likely
to announce new products at
Photokina.
As usual, Smart Photography
will be there giving you the
latest information about new
launches and announcements
at this important Expo. Stay
tuned...
September 2014 Smart Photography
49
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
Sapna Reddy is a
pediatric radiologist
who currently
lives in Northern
California. She is
also a freelance
photographer who
combines the genres of landscape
and portrait photography and
specializes in environmental
portraits. She believes that pictures
can have a healing effect and her
images are used to transform
bare hospital walls to beautiful
soothing visuals.You can connect
with her at www.facebook.com/
sapnareddyphotography.
HEALING
SIGHTS
As told to Tanika Godbole
How did you decide to take up
medicine as a profession?
Having several physicians in the
family, including my mother
and brother, I was exposed to
the profession as a child and
inspired by them. As I grew older
I felt it was the right profession
for me given the combination
of interaction with people and
intellectual challenge.
How did you get introduced to
photography?
With a keen interest in exploring
new places and new cultures, I
started traveling around the world.
As I did so, I began to take pictures
and share them, initially with
family and friends. The pictures
were well received and I began to
enjoy the photography component
as much as the traveling. As my
52
Smart Photography September 2014
photography gradually improved,
it evolved from a casual interest
to an artistic pursuit and a second
career.
How do you make time for
photography?
I believe that if you are passionate
about something, you will find a
www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity
way to pursue your passion. In my
case it involves sleeping a little
less, and having less free time to
read a book or watch a movie.
www.smartphotography.in
Your landscape pictures are very
attractive. What are your favorite
locations for photography?
There are two places that have
deep emotional attachment for
me. The first is my hometown
of Hyderabad, India. Having
grown up to the sites and smells
September 2014 Smart Photography
53
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
Mountain light
The blue planet
54
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
The lighthouse
of the colourful riot that is
Hyderabad, there remains a deep
longing to visit, to photograph,
to reconnect, and to relive the
precious moments. The second is
where I belong now, in Northern
California. Sorry for the cliché,
but isn’t home where the heart is?
Where else can we experience the
joy of pursuing our art than the
places that are closest to our heart!
According to you, how important
is good equipment?
Having good gear is important.
However, knowing how to use it
and having the ability to put it to
good use is definitely far more
important. Sometimes excellent
images are generated by those who
www.smartphotography.in
do not have top of the line gear
and sometimes those with the
best of gear produce poor quality
images.
How do you prepare for a shoot?
Like the masters say, the key
to photography seems to lie
in observation. So before I
photograph a landscape, I try to
spend some time hiking through
it. Spending some time at the
place, soaking in the atmosphere,
relaxing and connecting with
nature has become a very
enjoyable experience. During
my first visit to the place I do
minimal photography, perhaps
scout out a few sites and shoot a
few images with my P&S camera,
but mostly try to explore and
discover what hidden secrets the
place has. Once I am somewhat
familiar with the place and feel
connected, only then do I begin
to chart out where I would
like to shoot from, potential
compositions, timing for quality of
light, etc.
Since every picture is a story
without words, prior to clicking
the shutter I ask myself, “What
is this story about?” “Who/what
is the protagonist of this story?”
Based on the answers I then try
to compose the shot in such a way
that hopefully would draw the
viewer into the image and direct
the eyes toward the main subject.
September 2014 Smart Photography
55
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
Digital tools
nowadays make
significant changes
in creating better
pictures. Do you use
any post processing
tools?
Every single picture of
mine is post processed
without exception.
In my opinion the
camera is a tool that
can be used for the
artistic rendition of
a scene but is not a
comprehensive tool.
The digital darkroom,
i.e. post-processing
with Photoshop or
any other software
is an integral part
of the workflow for
generation of an
image. I use Lightroom
and Adobe Photoshop
with luminosity masks
and additional plug
ins. The primary goal
of my post processing
is not to fix flaws; I do
my best to minimize
those while capturing
the image in the
camera. Rather, it is to
render the mood for
the scene. The goal of
post-processing is to
convey what it felt like
for me to be standing
before the scene,
and establish that
emotional bridge with
the viewer.
What is your advice
to beginners in the
field?
Enjoy the journey,
one picture at a time.
It is wonderful when
you can nail the shot,
but if you can learn to
enjoy the process of
generating an image
without being too
worried about the
end result, then you
will experience a far
deeper exhilaration
from the art.
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www.smartphotography.in
© Sapna Reddy
River of mist
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
57
MASTERCRAFTSMAN
Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
© Sapna Reddy
Milky Way to McWay falls
Abandoned
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ACCESSORIES
4
3
1
0
2
L
A
I
C
SPE
60
STORAGE
DEVICES
LAPTOPS,
MOBILES,
TABLETS &
ACCESSORIES
62
64
65
LENSES, FILTERS
& BINOCULARS
73
CAMERA
BATTERIES &
CHARGERS
CAMERA
BAGS
67
TRIPODS,
MONOPODS &
HEADS
70
LIGHTING,
FLASHGUNS &
METERS
PRINTERS &
INKJET PAPERS
81
ALBUMS &
SOFTWARE
78
MISCELLANEOUS
84
ACCESSORIES
Special
LAPTOPS, MOBILES, TABLETS
AND ACCESSORIES
A
good laptop is an essential part of digital photography,
especially for organizing your work and for those who are
interested in editing and post-processing. Laptops are a
link between your camera and the Internet. They are portable and
Macbook Pro with retina
display
Features:
The 15-inch model has over 5 million
pixels, and the 13- inch model has
over 4 million. So you can retouch
your photos or edit a home movie in
HD and experience an astounding
level of clarity. The Retina display
is the perfect place to view and edit
your high-resolution photos.
MacBook Air
Features:
Fourth-generation Intel Core
processors in MacBook Air give you
more time to do more things. The
11-inch model provides up to 9
hours of battery life on a single
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Smart Photography September 2014
facilitate sharing and uploading. This digital age has converted
everyone into a photographer. Smartphones and Tablets are capable
of taking great pictures and are easier to use because of their
compactness and multi-functionality.
charge and the 13-inch model
provides up to 12 hours . And
LED backlighting makes colours
bright and vibrant from edge to
edge. So whether you’re editing
photos, perfecting a presentation,
or watching a movie, you’re going
to love what you see.
iPad mini with retina
display
Features:
A new A7 chip, advanced wireless,
and powerful apps all beautifully
integrated with iOS 7 iPad mini
with retina display, lets you do more
than you ever imagined. Feature
for feature, it’s identical to iPad Air
in every way. Except for its superportable, hold-it-in-one-hand,
still-just-right mini size. The retina
display has over 3.1 million pixels —
a million more than an HDTV.
iPad Air
Features:
iPad Air is astonishingly thin
and light. Through a series of
refinements, this unit is able to drop
close to a quarter of the volume
of the previous-generation iPad .
It’s a subtle change, but it makes a
dramatic difference. The beautiful
display is more prominent than ever.
Available at: Inspire Infotech (P) Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-26284578
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.inspireinfo.com
www.smartphotography.in
Samsung Tab2 P3100 :
16GB
Features:
Samsung’s new GALAXY Tab 3 (8”)
introduces Tab portability with even
powerful performance! To make
multi-tasking even easier, there’s
Dual View, which lets you view 2
screens at the same time, so no need
to switch back and forth, just get a
full view with one glance.
HTC ONE
Features:
Capturing a moment takes more than
one image. That’s why the new HTC
One includes the HTC UltraPixel
Camera. Press the shutter release and
the HTC One automatically captures
up to 20 photos and a 3-second
video a picture that’s alive. So your
entire photo album becomes a living,
breathing gallery!
CHAMPION MY
PHONE 41
Nokia Lumia 720
Features:
The Nokia Lumia 720 is fun with
exclusive digital lenses, like Glam
Me, which allows you to add star
treatment to your self-portraits by
whitening teeth and tanning the skin.
Exclusive digital lenses ensure every
shot’s a winner.
Features:
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM),
10.16 cm (4) WVGA
Capacitive Touch Screen,
1 Ghz Dual Core, Dual
Camera (2MP + 5MP),
Android 4.2.2 JellyBean, GPS,
WiFi, 2GB Internal
CHAMPION MY
PHONE 51
Available at: J.J.Mehta
Contact: 022 2430 6356
Mail id: [email protected]
Website : www.jjmehta.com
www.smartphotography.in
Features:
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM),
12.7cm (5) FWVGA Screen,
1.2Ghz Dual Core, Dual
Camera (2MP + 2MP), Android
4.2.2 JellyBean, GPS, WiFi, 4GB
Internal Memory
Available at: Champion Computer
Pvt Ltd
Contact: 011- 40401200
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.championindia.com
September
August 2014 Smart Photography
61
ACCESSORIES
Special
STORAGE DEVICES
S
torage devices have made vast advancements. It is
becoming increasingly easier to save more multimedia
on tiny storage drives that store large amounts of
data. With a competitive market for the highest read, write
and transfer speeds, it is no longer necessary to spend
long periods of time transferring data. Some devices even
ensure safe back-up options. More and more companies are
targetting customers such as photographers, videographers
and so on who need maximum space and have very little
time to spare.
SanDisk Ultra Dual
USB Drive
SanDisk Extreme PRO
Compact Flash Memory
Card 256GB
Features:
World’s first high-capacity card
that supports VPG-65, the Video
Performance Guarantee specification
that ensures smooth 4K video
recording as well as Full HD. It can
operate in temperatures ranging from
-13ºF (-25ºC) to 185ºF (85ºC), so
you can record rich Full HD video or
snap the perfect shot in almost any
climate.
SanDisk Ultra Plus 128GB
MicroSDXC Card
Features:
The 128GB capacity card can
accommodate up to 24 hours of HD
video and the included SD adapter
lets you move files easily among
other SD compatible devices, such as
digital cameras and computers. It is
also waterproof, temperature-proof,
x-ray-proof, and shock-proof.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Features:
Offering up to 64GB of storage
space, it provides enough capacity
for large digital photo or music
libraries. Compatible with Android
Smartphones and Tablets and with
PCs running Windows®XP, Windows
7, or Windows 8 or Mac computers
running Mac OS X v10.5+.
Available at: Leading retail and
online stores
Website: www.sandisk.in
HP TF Class 10 Micro SD
Card 32G
Features:
Rated Class 10 which guarantees fast
transfer speeds so you can quickly
transfer & share while you’re on the
go. 2 years replacement warranty.
High read performance - 32G: Upto
95MB/s. High write performance 32G: Upto 23MB/s
Available at: Fortune Marketing
Pvt ltd
Contact: +91-98717775914
Mail id: inderbhan.verma@
fortune-it.
com
Website: www.
pny.com.tw/
index.php
Sony PSZ-HA2T
Portable HDD
Features:
Portable HDD has a memory
capacity of 2TB (terabyte) with high
speed transfer and multiple acess
point. It is also dust and splash proof.
Sony SF-64UZ/T1 IN and
SF-32UZ/T1 IN
Features:
UZ series is water-proof,
temperature-proof, X-ray-proof and
dust-proof. The new memory card
continues to feature the Sony File
Rescue software, the first in the world
to support 3D movies and photos.
Available at: All Sony Center and
major electronic stores across india
Contact: 1800-103-7799
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.sony.co.in
www.smartphotography.in
QNAP TS-251 and TS-451
Features:
The TS-251 and TS- 451 provides a
high performance & high capacity
storage solution for SOHO & home,
workgroup, and SMB users. Powered
by the advanced QTS operating
system, the TS-251 performs as an
easy-to-use yet powerful NAS for
data backup, file synchronization,
remote access, home entertainment,
and is ideal for users to build a
personal cloud to access their data
easily.
Contact : +91 9619070838
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.qnap.com
Toshiba 1TB/2TB
Canvio Simple
Features:
It comes in 1 TB and 2 TB
and offers easy storage at Super
and Fast transfer speed with
easy plug-n-play operation.
Available at: Mumbai
Contact: +91 98679 55995
Mail id: polad.garda@
toshiba-india.com
MobileLite Wireless
RN10200 (NETGEAR)
Features:
It has unlimited snapshot for
versioning data (hourly, daily and
weekly). Also has cloud access to the
data via ready CLOUD. It comes with
3 yrs warranty.
Available at: Rashi Peripherals Pvt Ltd.
Contact: +91-22-61771771
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.netgear.com
Features:
This wireless capable reader
transfers files from your SD card &
USB storage to a host of devices or
systems like Tablets, mobiles, etc. It is
more versatile i.e. it can be used with
Smartphones, Tablets and PCs.
SDA3 UHS-I U3 Flash SD Cards
Features:
Ideal for high-performance D-SLR
and D-SLM cameras and 4K
camcorders. Has storage capacities
from 16–64GB for thousands of
photos and hours of video.
CompactFlash – Ultimate
600x (CF/16GB-U3)
Features:
The ultimate card for professional
photographers with lifetime
warranty, free technical support.
Economical. Auto sleep mode
preserves system battery life.
USB 3.0 Card Reader
Features:
The perfect companion for the
avid photographer, videographer,
design studio or printing house. It is
compatible with all major media card
types. It is also ultra-portable and has
sleek metal construction.
Available at: Leading local stores
Contact: 022 42230300
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kingston.com
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
63
ACCESSORIES
Special
Rocky Univo
LIL BOMB70
Features:
This headphone is compatible with
all mobile phones and Tablets. It has
specially designed switch suitable
for all gadgets with 3.5mm jack for
music and talk.
Features:
An Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speaker
with MIC with voice prompt alerts
and multimedia controls.
Available at: Best IT World India
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 30815001
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.iBall.co.in
Combo 348 Card Reader
Features:
It is a combo of card reader and
3-port USB 2.0 hub. The top
cover slides to carry memory
cards. It has Micro SD, M2, SD
and MS Pro slots.
CAMERA BATTERIES AND CHARGERS
I
t’s needless to say that cameras cannot
function without batteries and chargers.
Alkaline batteries, Lithium batteries and
rechargeable batteries are usually used in
cameras. Rechargeable batteries can be Nickel
Metal-Hydride (NiMH) or Lithium Ion (Li-
Digitek Instant Power
(DIP-7800B)
Features:
Compact size and high capacity of
7800mAh. Can charge iPad, iPhone,
Smartphone, Mobile, MP3/MP4 etc.
Multiple safety protection system
to ensure device safety. Works for at
least 500 cycles. Retains full charge
for a month when not in use.
Digitek Instant Power
(DIP-10400A)
Features:
Compact and high capacity of
10400mAh. The hidden LED displays
Ion). It is also important to see whether you
have the right charger. For example, it is not
advisable to use NiMH batteries using a charger
designed for Nickel Cadmium (NiCd). Picking
a charger that does not overheat the batteries is
also important.
status for remaining power. Can
charge iPad, iPhone, Smartphone,
Mobile, MP3/MP4 etc. Multiple
safety protection system to ensure
device safety. Works for at least
500 cycles.
Available at: IMS Mercantiles
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Godrej 6000mAh Powerbank
Features:
Sleek in design, compact and easy
to carry. A button to prevent auto
discharge of Powerbank. Noncompromising safety standards
including over-heat protection,
overcharge and over-discharge
protection, short-circuit protection &
overpower protection.
Available at : Godrej & Boyce Mfg.
Co.ltd
Contact: +91 22 67962692 / 93
Website: www.godrejbatteries.com
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CAMERA BAGS
A
fter buying the right equipment, the next step is to find
a suitable camera bag. Many photographers, expecially
beginners, understimate the importance of a good camera
bag. A bag that is sturdy enough to hold the camera and all the lenses,
flash guns, memory cards, etc. in well-cushioned compartments is
very important. Some bags also let the photographer modify the
compartments within as required. These are modular bags.
Water-proof bags are an added advantage. These bags are available as
backpacks, shoulder bags, sling bags and even pouches. It is important
to choose the bag according to one’s equipment.
SEDONA 51 Bag
Features:
Available in black and blue, for all
activities such as backpack, daypack
or everyday bag. It carries holding
system for tripod, monopod or
walking stick with security back
access and has breathable suspension
system as well as multiple accessory
pockets.
Travel Backpack
Features:
The travel backpack has been
specifically designed for carrying
your BeFree tripod. Everything can
fit perfectly in a single compact bag
which is easy and comfortable to
bring everywhere.
Sydney II 22BR Bag and 27 Bag
Features:
Available in three colours - blue,
brown and grey, with 2 in 1 facilities
such as photobag or everyday bag. It
has ergonomic shoulder strap with
accessory pockets and quick top
access.
Holster Plus 20 MB
MP-H-20BB
Features
The Holster Plus 20 is the perfect
solution to carry minimal gear, D-SLR
with attached standard lens, extra lens
or flash and accessories. It features
CPS - Camera Protection System- an
Exo-tough multi-layered construction
to give maximum protection. The top
opening gives fast, easy access to the
camera.
Available at : All leading
photographic stores
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: http://www.manfrotto.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
65
ACCESSORIES
Special
lens, laptop, tripod and multiple
accessories, plus a few personal
items, in a highly organized pack
Toploader Zoom 50 AW
Heralder 51T
Features:
The Heralder 51T has a fairly
complete set of straps. Aside from
contoured shoulder straps, the bag
has a buckling waist strap for more
support. The shoulder straps are
quite impressive, featuring tension
adjustments to raise or lower them
for a more custom fit. It is equipped
with four caster-based roller wheels
so it can be tilted and pulled or set on
the ground and pushed like a trolley.
Features:
Lightweight and slim, its holster-style
design provides an ideal fit and easyto carry option for most standard
D-SLRs with their attached zoom
lenses
JEALIOT CAMERA BAG-0702
Features:
It has an elegant & artistic look with
high quality protection, ergonomics
and innovation.
Available at: Jagdamba Enterprises
Contact: 9810258202 /
011-23211774
Mail id: [email protected]
Available at: J.J.Mehta
Contact: 022 2430 6356
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.jjmehta.com
Available at: Nikita Distributors
Contact Person : Mr. Raman Agrawal
Contact No: + 91- 20- 30500614
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imaginext.co.in
Lowepro Pro Runner 450 AW
Features:
It provides you comfort where you
need it. A thickly padded mesh
backpack brings support to the
lumbar region and adjustable and
padded shoulder straps let you create
a custom fit. This feature-filled design
fits up to a pro D-SLR with attached
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TRIPODS, MONOPODS
AND HEADS
A
tripod is a boon when it comes to photographing with
heavy lenses, in low light, or even otherwise for a steady
image in still-life and motion photography. Tripods are
usually made of aluminium, carbon fibre, steel, wood or plastic.
A ballhead is very useful to a photographer who wants better
control and more stability from his tripod. Monopods also help
in steadying the camera to take pictures at slower shutter speeds
or longer focal lengths, but cannot stand without a support. These
accessories should be bought after analysing your individual needs,
such as height and weight of the monopod or tripod.
Befree MKBFRA4-BH
Features:
Befree (from Manfrotto) is a new
and innovative tripod dedicated to
photographers who love to travel.
Compact, light and portable Befree is
the ideal travel companion.
MT190XPRO4
Features:
Manfrotto’s 190 aluminium is a
4-section tripod, with horizontal
column. It is suitable for a wide
range of photography and video
applications with advanced features
and excellent build quality.
MHXPRO X-PRO
3-WAY Head
Features:
The X-PRO 3-Way Head is
Manfrotto’s most compact, precise and
reliable 3-way photographic head .
Three-way heads are ideal for making
fine and precise adjustments. This
pan/tilt head allows you to fine tune
the movements based on your gear
weight. 3 level bubbles are provided.
MVH500AH -Lightweight
Fluid Video Head with
Flat Base
Features:
The MVH500 AH is a lightweight
head with a wider platform for
HD-SLR bodies. A sliding plate
helps to balance the cameras. Faster,
easier and safer to use.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
67
ACCESSORIES
Special
PRO POD 600
Features:
Lightweight monopod for
professional use. All leg segments,
feature quick release leg locks for
easy and rapid set-up.
SLIK SBH-320DQ BK
Features:
The smaller SBH-320DQ BK is
precision machined and made from
anodized hardened aluminum
with black finish. Equipped with
magnesium quick-release plate with
two spirit levels.
MTPIXI-WH Pixi Mini
Tripod White
Features:
The perfect mini tripod for
compact system cameras. Versatile,
lightweight and portable with
gorgeous Italian styling. Pixi sets the
new standard for mini tripods. A
support which is as beautiful as your
pictures will be.
SLIK SH-705E
Features:
Compact and light weight 3-way
head for Carbon Fiber tripods,
A.M.T. tripods and others. With
convenient omnidirectional quick
release shoe.
Available at: Inter Foto India pvt ltd
Contact: 1800222239 / 9594781234
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.slik.com
Available at : All leading
Photographic Stores.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.manfrotto.in/befree
PRO 700 DX with 3 way
Pan head
Features:
Suitable for use with D-SLR/35mm
cameras, most telephoto and zoom
lenses, medium format cameras, and
some (portable 4x5) field cameras.
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Alta Pro 263 AGH
Features:
Quite possibly the most flexible
tripod/ball head pair in the world,
the central column moves from 0 to
180 degrees. It enables extreme low
angle photography.
Available at: Nikita Distributors
Contact Person: Mr. Raman
Agrawal
Contact: +91 20- 30500614
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imaginext.co.in
Bluetooth Shutter Tripod
(Selfi pod)
Features:
Enjoy great selfies with your
Smartphone. Just take out your
mobile, fit into the Smartphone
tripod, set your frame, get yourself
in it. Pair with remote shutter via
Bluetooth and you are ready to
capture some great moments.
Available at: IMS Mercantiles
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Fotopro colourful tripod
(C4/C5)
Features:
Elegant colourful look. Winner
of various design awards. Center
column with anti-slip groove. Semiautomatic adjustment system, low
angle shooting. Tripod hook with
beautiful design.
Available at: Angel Foto
Contact: 022-22612298
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.bigtrends.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
69
ACCESSORIES
Special
LENSES, FILTERS
AND BINOCULARS
Tamron 16-300mm Di II
VC PZD Macro
Features:
High-power zoom from wide-angle
to telephoto, with PZD (Piezo
Drive), autofocus and VC image
stabilisation. At wide-angle it covers
sweeping panoramic landscapes and
intimate interiors; as a telephoto it
can capture powerful close-ups of
distant subjects. This unprecedented
flexibility in framing is available with
a quick turn of the zoom ring.
Available at: All leading stores
Contact: 0124 - 4116812/13/14
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.tamron .in
Tokina AT-X 16-28mm
f/2.8 Pro FX
allows the photographer to switch
between AF and MF simply by
snapping the focus ring forward for
AF and back toward the camera to
focus manually.
Tokina 11-16/2.8 ATX DX
Features:
It is an ultra-wide-angle, short zoom
range lens specifically designed for
use with APS-C digital SLR cameras.
At its widest setting, the lens is great
for photographing interiors. The lens
is also designed to stand up to the
rigors of daily use by photographers
in a wide variety of shooting
conditions and environments.
Available at: Kenko Tokina Imaging
India Pvt ltd.
Contact: +91 -11-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Features:
The 16-28mm zoom range gives the
professional photographer a superwide angle view for dramatic effect or
to take in entire scenes. Its exclusive
One-touch Focus Clutch Mechanism
TAMRON SP 150-600MM
F/5.6-6.3 Di VC USD
Features:
Best for wildlife photography. To
avoid/eliminate flare and ghosting,
the lens employs BBAR (Broad-Band
Anti-Reflection) coating as
well as a specially formulated eBAND
(extended Bandwidth & AngularDependency coating). The lens
is designed for full-frame 35mm
format.The Tamron 150-600mm’s
zoom ring is 55mm broad and
rubberised for a good grip.
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Smart Photography September 2014
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Hoya PRO 1D ND8 Filter
Features:
It is aimed at still photography and
HD-SLR video markets. The series
provides 9 filters for 2-10 stop light
reduction. ND filters are designed to
reduce the amount of light entering
your camera lens and should not have
any other effect on the image.
Available at: Inter Foto India pvt ltd
Contact:1800222239 / 9594781234
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.hoyafilters.com
Expo dic 2
Features:
The original professional White
Balance filter gets even better.
The new filter design includes
selectable custom warming gels.
Whether shooting in RAW or JPEG,
photographers using ExpoDisc 2.0
to white balance their images save
valuable time during the photo
editing process. The ExpoDisc 2.0’s
new filter mount design attaches
securely to lenses and even to lowprofile threaded lens filters.
Available at: Kalabhai Dental Pvt ltd
Contact: +91 2225774058
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.kalabhai.com
Kenko Variable NDX filter
Features:
Kenko’s uniquely designed variable
neutral density filter provides the
equivalent brightness range of ND 2.5
to ND 1,000. The singular versatility of
the Variable NDX filter not only replaces
a whole set of stacking neutral density
filters, it also avoids vignetting which may
be caused by using multiple filters.
Available at: Kenko-Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 011-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Built-in Filter C-PL405
Features:
Designed for use in combination with
telephoto lenses equipped with a slipin filter holder. Filters do not affect
autofocus or auto exposure features.
Neutral Color NC Filter
does not affect colour balance.
The Multilayer coating prevents
light reflection inside the glass,
thus improving colour rendition.
Available in attachment sizes 39mm,
46mm, 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 72mm
and 77mm
Binocular SPORTER EX 10x50
Features:
It is water proof and fog-free with
nitrogen gas. Has multilayer coated
lenses for brighter images. Higheyepoint design provides a clear field
of view, even for eyeglass wearers.
Available at: Nikon Coolpix &
D-SLR Zones
Contact:1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Features:
It serves as lens protectors and
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
71
ACCESSORIES
Special
8 x 40 XCF
Features:
Optimally suitable for wildlife
observation, outdoors & water sport.
Available at: All online and retail
outlets
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.ricohestore.co.in
52 mm Closeup Lens Kit
Features:
Best for closeup photography, macro
and tabletop. It uses high quality
optical glass.
field of view and click-stop diopter
adjustment ring.
Artos 12X50 W
Available at: Omax Camera care
Contact: Mr. Kawal Chadha
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.omaxcameracare.com
Features:
Excellent in the field, these binoculars
are fully waterproof. Whether using
them for astronomical observation in
an evening mist or birdwatching in
tropical humidity.
Artos 10X42 W
DGX Teleplus Pro 300
Features:
It is waterproof, environmentally
sealed and multi coated, with wide
Features:
These converters are designed to
electronically operate the same
way as an original manufacturer’s
converter. The glass elements are
designed to match the optical quality
of prime lens (even at the edges) and
telephoto zoom lenses.
Available at: Dass Photos Electronics
Contact:011-29817138
Mail id: [email protected]
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
LIGHTING, FLASHGUNS AND
METERS
Indirect Light Bank Octa
190 cm
Features:
Super fast to set up, with unique
EL folding construction. 360°
rotating system. All Indirect Light
Banks are supplied with a Carrying
Bag. Accepts BXRi or Style RX
www.smartphotography.in
compact flashes, which can be easily
controlled with the EL-Skyport
Remote and Trigger System.
Accepts all Elinchrom Flashheads
including the Ranger Quadra Heads,
with Adpter Ring 26339
heads up to 396 cm.
Aluminium tripod
Features:
The white Umbrella is an excellent
general- purpose lighting tool with
a white, matt reflective fabric. ELUmbrellas are delivered with a sleeve
for transport and protection.
Features:
This new air cushioned
black aluminium tripod
is designed to carry, larger
light banks and compact
This makes it ideal for studio with
high ceilings and whenever a great
height is required.
Black & White Umbrella
September 2014 Smart Photography
73
ACCESSORIES
Special
D-Lite RX 4
Features:
The D-Lite RX studio flash system
is the entry range of the Elinchrom
studio flash family. Whether you
are new to lighting, already have
speedlights or just want to take your
photography to the next level, the
D-Lite RX series provides for all
your needs.
Ideal for small business applications,
portraiture, for anyone interested
in the art and creativity of lighting,
these Swiss designed and tested
units will not only give many years
of satisfactory service and pleasure
but also allow the upgrade to more
advanced units if necessary.
The RX4 can take full control of
your unit’s settings with the ELSkyport App for iPhone, iPad and
iPod Touch via the optional WiFi
module. Additional features can
be found when used with the ELSkyport software such as Flash-Delay
for strobing-effects.Visual Flash
Confirmation option is available.
The modelling lamp comes on to
confirm the flash has been triggered.
It also has programmable ready
beep function with firmware update
option.
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Smart Photography September 2014
D-Lite RX ONE
Features:
The D-Lite RX ONE is a small
but robust compact flash from
Elinchrom. It can be used outside
the studio, as a perfect creative
companion to an existing Speedlight
system, making use of the in-built
intelligent slave cell to offer perfect
flash synchronisation. Although the
versatality of Elinchrom remains in
its accesory range, this system has
some of the best accessories allowing
the photographer to change the
nature of their light. It also takes full
control of your unit’s settings with
the EL-Skyport App for iPhone, iPad
and iPod Touch via the optional
WiFi module. The modelling lamp
comes on to confirm the flash has
been triggered. It has Automatic
temperature controlled ventilation
and Power Auto-dump as well.
Visual Flash Confirmation option is
available
ELC Pro HD 500 and1000
Features:
The ELC Pro HD Compacts 500 and
1000 are the worlds most complete,
feature rich compact studio flash
units. ELC combines everything a
photographer needs with everything
a photographer wants, plus the
consistency and reliability that
you expect from Elinchrom.
Recycling times are lightning fast
(0.6s / 1.2s to full power, ELC 500 J. /
ELC 1000 J). Furthermore the super
fast flash durations (up to 1/5000s /
1/5260s, t0.5, ELC 500 / ELC 1000)
enable you to freeze motion like
never before.The ELC is the first
unit to incorporate an OLED screen
that displays every control for the
most professional user experience.
The ELC features three exciting new
shooting modes that will literally
change the way you work. Sequence
Mode - Allows you to sequentially
trigger up to 20 ELC’s, in bursts or
as a continuous cycle, to utilise the
www.smartphotography.in
high frame rate of your camera.
Delayed Mode - Provides the option
of first or second curtain sync and
everything in-between. Strobo Mode
- Enables you to take a picture with
stroboscopic effects within a single
frame.
Available at: Photoquip India Ltd.
Contacts: 022 - 61474000
Email id: [email protected]
Website: www.photoquip.com
www.smartphotography.in
Broncolor softbox
Features:
The new Broncolor softboxes
are used for still life and product
photography. The sizes range from
35 x 60 cm up to 120 x 180 cm. Six
rectangular and square softboxes,
one narrow striplite shaped box
and two octaboxes with diameters
of 75 and 150 cm are availble.
The new compact softbox can
also be used without a stand as
a hand held chaser light. The
special internal coating guarantees
optimum efficiency.
Available at : Photonics Enterprise
Contact: +91 9820029063
Website: www.broncolor.com
September 2014 Smart Photography
75
ACCESSORIES
Special
Kenko Auto Digimeter
KFM-1100
Super Diffuse Dome
Features:
It comes with four types of caps
which fits on the flash head. For
Canon and Nikon flash units.
Features:
It is used for both flash and ambient
light readings - simple, easy-to-use,
accurate. The light reading is displayed
on the meter’s LCD window as both
digital and analog data. It has a
brightness difference function that
can be used to adjust lighting ratios or
check for background light uniformity.
Very useful for product photography,
portraits, etc.
Allman Manual Flash
Features:
Compatible with all standard hot
shoe cameras. Also has stroboscopic
and manual flash operations.
Light Shaper
Features:
Suitable for portrait photography for
getting top light effect. It is attached
to the top of the external flash gun.
Kenko Color Meter
KCM-3100
Features:
It knows the colour temperature
before taking a photograph which
saves time and money. It also has 3
display modes.
Available at: Photosystems India Pvt Ltd
Contact: 9990630710
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.photosystemsindia.com
Available at: Kenko-Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 011-41571155
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
Lucent 35+ RD
Feature:
A professional flash system with
sleek all metal body for strength and
durabilty with colour corrected flash
output and rapid charging circuitry.
Speedlight SB-910
Features:
The SB-910 is a high-end Speedlight
for advanced amateurs and
professional photographers. Fully
compatible with the Nikon Creative
Lighting System.
Speedlight SB-700
Features:
It is well equipped with wireless
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Smart Photography September 2014
Ring & L-Bracket
lighting capability. Also has
high-speed recycling time of
approximately 2.5 s.
Available at: Nikon COOLPIX &
D-SLR Zones
Contact: 1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Feature:
Diffuse your speedlite with softboxes,
reflectors, barn-doors etc by
mounting ring and L-bracket.
Available at: Hari Singh & Sons
Contact: 91-183-2586114, 2589619
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.harisonphoto.com
www.smartphotography.in
Studio Flash Lights RT23
Nissin Flash Gun i40
Features:
Has built in radio trigger.
Flash output (w/s) Max.- 250w,
Min. - 125w. Half / Full output.
Twin-Tech (Double Sensor).
Features:
Has a selector dial for simple
operation, with built–in wide-angle
diffuser and 180 degrees horizontal
rotation and 90 degrees vertical tilt.
Photopro Video Lights
VL-111 (H/F)
Sekonic Light Meter L–478D
Features:
Incorporating new bright and wide
reflector, aerodynamic design with
better coverage and control.
Available at: Photosystems India
Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9990630710
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.photopro.in
Features:
Full LCD panel touch screen, 13
custom settings, 9 measurements
with memory + averaging. Designed
for digital still / video / cine.
Available at: All Leading Photo Stores
Contact: Marketing Dept., Srishti
Digilife Pvt. Ltd.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.srishtidigilife.co.in
JJC Electronic Speedlight SF33
Features:
The built-in bounce card creates
a highlight in the subject’s eyes,
making the eyes look natural.
Available at: Angel Foto
Contact: 022-22612298
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.bigtrends.in
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
77
ACCESSORIES
Special
PRINTERS AND INKJET PAPERS
P
rinted pictures have their own charm and an archival
quality, and with the modern advancements in printing
technology, it has become possible to control all aspects
of printing. The variety of papers and printing techniques
currently available are extensive and cover everyone’s
personal needs. The ability to get quick prints and wireless
connectivity of the new models have made photo printing
even more lucrative.
Epson L1800 InkTank
Photo Printer
Features:
High in reliability, suitable for all
Photo studios & Labs. Unimaginable
running cost as low as Rs.25 (ink cost
only) for A3+ size prints
Can print from 4R size to A3+ size.
Assured Epson quality Photo prints
in every print
Available at: Available with the
Epson photo dealers near you
Contact: +91 9980433663
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.epson.co.in
ASK300
Features:
This Dye-sublimation thermal
printer is suitable for photo print,
event photos and various business
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Smart Photography September 2014
purposes. Instant high
quality ultra-fine glossy
and matt print with our
changing media.
High quality prints are
realized by matching image
intelligence processing
technology with Fujifilm
Quality Thermal Photo
Paper. All-in-one solution
at an affordable price, with
a small investment and a
small foot print.
www.smartphotography.in
DL600/650
Features:
Available with 2 models also features
Piezoelectric inkjet system and
enhanced image quality with 1440
dpi high-resolution mode with stable
high quality printing achieved by
automatic nozzle check function.
Print sizes up to 305 × 1,219 mm
(12 × 48 inches) Available in two
models DL600 ( 5-colors) and DL650
( 6-colors). Print sizes up to 305 ×
1,219 mm (12 × 48 inches) enabling
a variety of customer needs to be
satisfied High processing capacity.
DL600 (650 prints / hour), DL650
(950 prints/hour) 6X4 size.
FRONTIER –S
Features:
Ideal Printer for Minilab, KIOSK
System or Event Photography
Required footprint is only 0.20m2
(2.13 Ft2) Piezoelectric inkjet system
and Newly developed 6 coloured
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
79
ACCESSORIES
Special
FUJIFILM VIVIDIA TM (C, M,
Y, K, SB, P) dye inks for beautiful
reproduction. Print Size : 5” X 3.5
“ to 8” X 39” Print Speed: Standard
mode: 360 prints / hour (6”X4”).
It also has low power consumption250 w or less.
Instax Mini 8 and
Wide 210
Fuji Color paper
Features:
Available in five variables i.e;
• Crystal Archive for excellent image
stability
• ‘Supreme’ for high productivity
• ‘Digital Pearl’ for excellent latent
image stability
• ‘Album Paper’ for light weight
wedding albums
• ‘Quality Paper Digital’ (New)
for improved post production
characteristics .
CLC Portfolio:
• CP 49 LR Cartridge chemistry
• UNIPACK 90 P1R & 90 P2R
•SP48 P1 R & P2 VR
• SP108 & Super MR P2 R
Features:
Mini 8: Instant print/Body color/
manual switching system (LED
indicator)/Constant firing flash with
effective range: 0.6m-2.7m/Exposure
counter/Uses 2 AA batteries
Wide210: Instant print/Automatic
exposure compensation (Lightendarken control)/LCD indicator in
exposure control/Built-in automatic
electronic flash, Effective flash range:
0.9 - 3m/LR6/AA-size 1.5V alkaline
batteries x4
Available at: Fujifilm India Pvt. ltd.
Email id: [email protected]
Website: www.fujifilm.in/
wheretobuy/photo_imaging/
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ALBUMS AND SOFTWARE
P
hoto albums and archives preserve photographs, and one can
keep going back to them again and again. Creating photo
albums that are aesthetic and long-lasting is not enough;
photo albums also let you pick the material, type of print and
theme. Photo-editing and processing software is an inseparable
product of imaging. These programs and techniques let the user
fix the flaws in an image, alter, stitch images and create something
completely different from the original. Photography software
enables further creativity and innovation, thereby extending the
scope of image creation.
SDS Album Making Software
Features:
This software features more than 2000
ready to use templates with full folder
finishing and colour correction . It also
includes photo locker, water marking
and hair cutting tools with advance
photo finishing and makeup tools.
Available at: Sonujee Digital
Solutions
Contact: 91-9316914189
Mail id: [email protected],
[email protected]
Website: www.sonujeedigital.com
City Photo Book
Venus album
Features:
The high gloss, multicolored
products combined with superior
quality printing and binding make a
souvenir for the future. Venus photo
books are available in
different variety papers like Medium
Super Glossy, Medium Silky, Heavy
Super Glossy, Medium Soft Touch,
Glass HD Glossy, Glass HD Silky,
Glass HD Metallic, Metallic-M,
Special Texture paper , Pearl Coated,
Deep Leather and special texture
film.
Features:
This album has an excellent look
with superb quality papers and more
economical.
Available at: City Digital Print
Contact: 9910778894 / 9910668877
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.cityphotobook.in
Available at: Venus album co.
Pvt Ltd
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.venusalbum.com
ARPIT ALBUMS
Features:
This digital album is available with
book bound and mount albums
which have a stylish and elegant look.
Available at: ARPIT ALBUMS
Contact: 9312716070 /011-23556070
Mail id: [email protected]
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
81
ACCESSORIES
Special
Stellar Phoenix Photo
Recovery 6
System Mechanic
Professional:
Features:
It can recover lost and/or deleted
photos, videos and music files,
and also provides the preview and
recovery of HD -MOV files.
Features:
It is a Patented technology for
maximum speed, power and stability.
It also Fixes frustrating errors,
crashes and freezes and available
with Triple-certified virus protection
and data security . It automatically
accelerates PC startup in 22 ways
and resolves registry problems and
stabilizes Windows . It also taps into
the System Mechanic community to
help you gain even more PC speed.
Available at: Creative Peripherals &
Distribution Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9004382804
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.iolo.com
Stellar Image Converter
Features:
It can have converted files in 14
different formats like JPEG, JP2,
BMP, PNG etc also support Mac OS
10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6.
Available at: www.stellarinfo.com
Contact: Sharadendu Tiwari
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.stellarinfo.com
Rapoo M10
It is a 2.4G Wireless Control with
Plug and Forget Nano Receiver.
Battery Life is Up to 9 months. Also
available in Black/White/Blue/Green/
Red/Orange. It has a High accuracy
tracking engine providing more
precise control, Power saving switch
design, Smooth lines on surface, soft
rubber foot pad.
Available at: Creative Peripherals &
Distribution Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: 9892770069
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.rapoo.com
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
COMPANY PROFILE
A NURSERY FOR THE
BUDDING TALENT
“The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of
teaching,” Aristotle once said. Shyam Prasad, the Director of Shoots
& Shoots Photography Academy, it seems, believes and lives by
these famous words.
One of the most well-known and admired personalities in the field
of professional photography, Shyam Prasad decided to become a
photography guru when after he felt that it was time to give back to
the photography fraternity what he gained during all these years.
Today, through his Shoots & Shoots academy he is able to give back
manifolds.
Photography began as a hobby for Prasad in his early teenage
years. The innate talent was evident right from the beginning.
Combined with his keen sense of observation, and the knack to
capture the right moment, his work received immense recognition in
India and abroad.
Born and brought up in Delhi, and a graduate in fine arts, his first
break came in an ad agency where he worked as an advertising
photographer.
Soon, he was able to venture out on his own and started to do
freelance photography. He did shoots for umpteen brands in almost
all sectors and across geographies. He covered entire India doing
location shoots and moved on to weave his magic in foreign locations.
Fame and glamour soon followed his work which took him to the world
of fashion photography. He never had to look back since.
Prasad went to do shoots for many celebrities, most notably, the
‘King of Bollywood,’ Shahrukh Khan.
In 2004, Prasad decided to take the ultimate step of realising
SHYAM PRASAD
his childhood dream to become a professional
photography guru. With the financial and emotional
support of his father Shri Giri Raj Prasad (National
Shilp Guru Award winner), he set up Shoots &
Shoots Photography Academy.
Shoots & Shoots Photography Academy has
already trained more than 900 students which
include both Indians and foreigners.
Despite his numerous achievements, his
passion for the field of photography is still
burning bright and still manages to work 24 x
7, 365 days a year. He conducts workshops in
various universities across the country, has been
in the jury of various beauty contests and been
a part of various shows on Doordarshan and
a few other channels. Currently, he is working
as a designer in Handicraft division of Indian
government.
For the further information, please contact:
Shoots and Shoots Photography Academy
i 2, (L.G.F), Jangpura Extension, New Delhi-110014, Tel:0844788-5005, 981-061-5005, 011-4151-5005, 41823641
www.ssacademy.in www.facebook.com/snspacademy, [email protected]
ADVT.
ACCESSORIES
Special
MISCELLANEOUS
Triggertrap Mobile Dongle
Features:
It is a simple 2 part design, a dongle
and a suitable connector cable makes
it very smart, convenient and nifty
addition to any photographer’s kit.
Gizmon smart clip
Features:
This stabilizer pad keeps a lens
always horizontally and compatible
with Smartphones such as iPhone
or Android, tablet, cell-phone with
camera, note PC, portable game
console (with the camera)
Gizmon ICA5 SLR for
iphone 5/5s
Features:
Make your iphone look
more a real classic camera,
which has large lens
and realistic pentaprism
design. It is designed to
create the style of singlelens reflex camera.
Gizmon ICA flash
Features:
Its an LED with classical
flash style which can be
controlled by iPhone
using the bluetooth.The
powerful LED and the
umbrella makes it possible
to keep it’s size compact
and obtain a very strong
light source in the dark. Not only
used as an accessory for iCA but also
can be used with other cameras and
tripods.
Triggertrap Flash Adapter
Digitek Bluetooth Speaker
(DBS-003)
Features:
Dual speakers, Dual diaphragm,
Amazing Hifi Sound, Simple onebutton operation
Features:
It bypasses the camera altogether,
triggering your flash directly
– and with the newest version
of Triggertrap Mobile for iOS,
triggertrap has made the app 12
times faster than it was before. Now
your Smartphone is the perfect
springboard to help you dip your toes
in the droplet-filled pond of highspeed photography!
Available at: All online and retail
outlets
Mail Id: [email protected]
Website: www.urbanbyte.in
Available at: IMS Mercantiles Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-47074444
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.imsmercantiles.in
Available at: Kenko Tokina Imaging
India Pvt. Ltd.
Contact: +91-11-41571155
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.kenko-tokina.co.in
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ACCESSORIES
Special
so you can record latitude, longitude,
altitude and time information. Time
required for satellite acquisition:
Approx. 45 sec. (cold start), approx. 5
sec. (hot start).
Available at: Nikon Coolpix &
D-SLR Zones
Contact: 1800-102-7346
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.Nikon.co.in
Black Rapid Camera RS4 – 2BB
WG Holder and Camera
Mount with Suction Cup
Features:
It is perfect for mounting WG-series
cameras to a wide array of surfaces
including cars, boats, surfboards,
helmets and more!
Features:
It is comfortable for left or right
shoulder with smaller zipper pocket
for memory cards / business cards.
Lightweight design makes it portable
and easily packable.
Available at: All Leading Photo Stores
Contact: Marketing Dept., Srishti
Digilife Pvt. Ltd.
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.srishtidigilife.co.in
Available at: All online and retails
outlets
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.ricohestore.co.in
ME - 1 Stereo Microphone
Features:
It is designed for use with digital
SLR cameras featuring a 3.5 mm
(diameter) stereo mini-pin jack. Also
has improved sound quality when
recording D-Movies. Records crystalclear sound and further reduces
vibration noise during autofocus.
ML-L3 Wireless Remote
Control (Infrared)
Features:
Useful for triggering the shutter
remotely when using slower shutter
speeds, to prevent camera movement.
Also the Infrared Remote Control
enables wireless remote shutter
release of select Nikon D-SLR, Nikon
1 and COOLPIX cameras.
GP-1 GPS Unit
Features:
Geotags can be added to your images
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
ACCESSORIES
Special
OMAX 3in1 Digital Gray/
Black/White Card
ScratchGard Screen Protectors for Cameras
Features:
Available with set of 3 cards, also
portable and economical.
Features:
It transmits original colours with
high definition clarity. It is pressure
sensitive and touch/scratch resistant.
Available at: Omax Camera care
Contact: Mr. Kawal Chadha
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.omaxcameracare.com
Available at: All major retail stores
Contact: +91 22 28572357
Mail id: [email protected]
Website: www.scratchgard.in
DIGITAL MASTER-D4
Video Light holder
Features:
This holder can mount video light,
studio light, on a single holder at a time.
Available at: Sumo products Vadodara
Phone: 9375811852
Mail id : [email protected]
Website: www.sumoproduct.com
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Smart Photography September 2014
Features:
Offers remote control for flash and
modelling lamp with auto power
saving. Also has integrated antenna
and hot-shoe with lock.
DIGITAL MASTER-D2
Features:
Offers auto power saving and
integrated antenna and hot-shoe
with lock. Also has 16 channel digital
display.
Available at: Delhi Photo Store
Contact: 011-23261414
Mail id: [email protected],
[email protected]
Website: www.simpex-pro.com
www.smartphotography.in
LEARNING
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
Ashok Kandimalla
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]
I
n the last month’s article you
read about the techniques
behind photographing the
exteriors of structures. This
month’s article is a complement
to it and will cover ‘interiors’.
As you would expect, many of
the concepts you read regarding
photographing exteriors are
equally applicable also to the
interiors. There are of course some
issues specific to interiors that you
need to take into account. This
article will concentrate on those
aspects.
in your favour is that interiors
are naturally smaller than the
exteriors, so fewer photographs
or even just one can do full
justice to the whole interior.
Last month you read about
problems caused by perspective
and distortion when
photographing architecture
and the ways to overcome
them. These issues are equally
applicable to interiors. Equipment
needed for interior photography
too is nearly identical with one
additional requirement. As you
would expect, light levels will be
low when you are photographing
interiors. So, a camera with
good low light (that is high
ISO) performance is essential
As you would do when executing
an exterior picture, an interior
photograph too needs careful
planning, study of the lines,
symmetry, etc. One thing working
90
since in many museums and art
galleries (which usually have great
interiors), the use of tripod or
flash is prohibited.
For interior photography, a
tripod is an essential accessory
for steadying the camera as well
as for precise composing. I can
emphasize its importance by
saying - when allowed, use a
tripod!
One tricky situation that you need
to tackle in interior photography
is the very high contrast. This
often happens since the sunlight
through windows does not
illuminate the room evenly. You
will also face similar situations
when photographing atriums.
The problem you encounter
in these cases is that you get
pools of bright light at some
places (near windows) and
dark areas (corners) elsewhere.
This brightness range can often
overwhelm the dynamic range of
your camera. There are two ways
you can overcome the problem.
You can use HDR
(High Dynamic
Range) techniques
or fill-flash. I
recommend the
former since this
works very well
with interiors
(since there
are no moving
objects) and you
don’t need any
extra equipment
(of course you
need HDR
software but a
few packages are
available in public
domain at no
cost). If you want
to use fill-flash
then you need to
keep strobes at
suitable places to
Picture 1: This is a simple example that shows the application of the rule of thirds (blue coloured grid)
and the camera positioning. The corner of the corridors, which is also the dominating vertical part, was
placed at approximately the thirds vertical line. The pattern on the first column which is prominent was
put at the left bottom point of dominance. The arches of receding size convey depth.
overcome the dark patches. When
you use a fill flash, its effect must
be subtle and should not overpower the sunlight. It should be
only about half as powerful as
the sunlight or even less. You can
experiment a bit and see what suits
your tastes.
Lighting: This is a major issue
that you need to give considerable
attention. The interior in a room
is lit primarily in two ways – by
the sunlight streaming through
the windows, and illumination
provided by lights fitted inside
the room. In case you want to use
both the sources, then you need
to make sure that both have the
same colour temperature. If this is
not the case, then it is impossible
to get consistent colour balance
throughout the scene. This is
because if you balance for one
particular light source then the
area dominated by another source
will exhibit a colour cast. The best
solution to avoid this situation is
by using all sources of the same
colour temperature. This is not
difficult to do since most lighting
these days is by CFLs (compact
fluorescent lamps) and these
have a colour temperature not
too different from daylight. So,
is the case with electronic flashes
(strobes). You can mix these
without much problem. However,
avoid mixing incandescent
bulbs or fluorescent (old type
www.smartphotography.in
Smart Photography September 2014
tube lights) with daylight as
these combinations will cause a
problem. To be on the safe side,
always photograph in Raw format
and also do a custom White
Balance for every light setting.
Sketch 1: Rule of
thirds suggests that
you have to divide
your viewfinder
frame into 9 parts
and keep the
subject at one of
the intersections
called “points of
dominance”.
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful
for interior photography, along
with some examples:
Basic Composition: The classic
composition guideline, the “rule of
thirds” is still a very good starting
point (Sketch 1). So, how do you
apply it to an interior?
You can keep a prominent vertical
line in the interior (say a column)
coinciding with one of the vertical
lines as per the rule-of-thirds
grid. Any important object in the
room can be kept at one of the
points of dominance to emphasize
its importance. This object must
have some contrast in size or tone
or colour from the rest of the
background to make it stand out.
Sketch 2: Schematic
(plan view) of the
camera position.
Keep the camera
at an angle in the
corner of the area
that you want to
photograph. See text
for more details.
The position of the camera is also
important. Once again the general
September 2014 Smart Photography
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91
90
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
LEARNING
Pic A
Pin-up
Photography
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
[email protected].
Dilip Yande
fashion photography is the talent of
skillfully narrating this; it could even
be capturing the feel of an era in the
form of an image; or may involve
going back in time and documenting
a vintage fashion by recreating it or
visualizing fashion with a futuristic
approach and show how it would be
fifty years ahead in time.
‘Glamour’ is like the aroma of a tasty
cuisine, inhaled from a distance; it
attracts your senses along with the
dish before you. ‘Glamour’ instantly
attracts a viewer. He stops flipping
the pages of a magazine when he
notices a glamour shot. Such shots
may not necessarily be revealing the
full body of the model, but makes
the shot noticeable due to various
reasons1) Expressions of the model.
2) Lighting that supports the mood
in the picture.
3) A quick relation that gets
established between the model
in the picture and the viewer.
4) Cleverly revealing and smartly
hiding certain body parts,
making the picture look
sensuous but not vulgar.
5) Use of the right props and
concept.
W
hen some budding
photographers are
asked, “ What kind of
photography do you like to do?” they
promptly reply by saying , “Model
photography… like to shoot fashion,
… glamour photography”. If asked
how they would differentiate between
fashion photography and glamour
photography, they fumble. They
explain that glamour photography is
something like photographing girls
in bikinis. They are not wrong, but
they are not right either. If bikini is
a defined beach wear, then why do
they not classify it under fashion
photography? To this, they go blank!
Well, broadly speaking, ‘fashion’
is wearing what is ‘in’, what people
from the society would like to wear
and proudly show. It is ahead of
the purpose of covering one’s body.
It is defining or redefining your
personality through the choice of
apparels and accessorizing. It is a
statement of what you are or what you
would like to be recognized as. Hence
96
Such glamour shots always have a
longer shelf-life than the normal
fashion shots as far as the viewer is
concerned. Many viewers, right from
young students, bachelors, to old men
are fond of such pictures and even cut
them from magazines and pin them
up in their hostel rooms, bedrooms
or paste them on or inside their
cupboards.
This very human tendency was
encashed in the West by starting a
trend of pictures called ‘Pin-ups’.
Initially, these pin-ups used to be
sketches or coloured illustrations
showing a scantily dressed girl, in
a good and happy mood, smiling
and looking straight at the viewer,
thus establishing a silent but friendly
contact with him. This art of
illustrations was soon followed by
actual photographs – the result was
the birth of what we can now call as
‘Pin-up Photography’. The demand
for such pictures increased so much,
that people opted to make posters,
calendars, post-cards or plates in
magazines by using pin- ups. Models
who started modeling for such
assignments were known as the ‘pinup girls’.
In pin-up photography, which
happens to be the definition of
glamour photography, one may opt
to give a very fashionable look to
the model or a very raw or a tribal
look, highlighting her body language,
her expressions and moods. Many
newspapers printed such images
of attractive and sensuous models
terming them as ‘mates’ just to
increase the readership or their
publication.
Makeup plays the most important
role in the case of pin-up
photography. So does hairstyling.
In pin-up photography, one is not
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Smart Photography September 2014
shooting a portfolio for the model,
nor is one selling a product like
cosmetic cream, apparels, hair care
product or jewelry; but one is selling
the ‘X’ factor of the model. Indirectly,
one may be selling the publication in
which this picture has been printed
in the form of a coloured plate or a
centre-spread. Makeup obviously
has to be very glamorous. A whole
body makeup is advisable in order to
give an even tone to the body or add
slight gloss or shine where needed.
Many times a ‘shimmer’ which gives
a shining effect is applied on the
shoulders or the chest, to make it
more attractive. The makeup should
not be soft or subtle, but should be
loud and ‘seen’. It should be visible
to the extent possible. Every part
of the face like the eyes, eye-lashes,
eye-brows, need to be done up well
with the use of eye-liners, eye-pencils,
eye-shadows, mascara, artificial
eye-lashes, contact lenses etc. In case
of lips, the pouting of the lips plays
a major role; the gloss of the lipstick
adds to the picture. The look has to
be a bit exaggerated. Same with the
case of hairstyling. A tidy hairstyle
may no suit a pin-up. But open hair,
messy look, wet crunched look, sleek
gel back, or a well layered casual look
can go well with a pin-up concept.
It is necessary that the make-up
corresponds to the concept and the
hairstyling and follows the same
language.
The concept of ‘Simple Janes’ next
door never works for pin-ups. The
model should be sensuous and should
have a good figure and an ability to
seduce the viewer through her looks.
The age group may not matter much
but should ideally be between 22 - 35
years depending on the concept.
If one studies the various concepts
used in any pin-ups, one may observe
that they may consist of incidents
rightly captured with perfect timing.
The incident could be from every day
life or it could be a very staged out
shot suggesting seduction through
some way. They may have elements
or actions which act as ‘visual puns’
thus giving double meaning (at times)
to what one sees. One may find very
sophisticated props in pictures or at
times, animals, like furry pedigree
dogs, puppies, Persian cats, rabbits,
doves, and exotic birds like macaws
etc.
tube, fury toys, feather dusters etc.
The pictures thus shot could be full
lengths, mid-shots or even close-ups.
Let us briefly analyze the following
pin-up shots:
1) Pic A- The model is wearing a
party dress, cleverly selected that
her shoulders are bare open and the
beauty of her legs is ‘just seen’. The
flowery print makes it more feminine
and is well-complemented by other
feminine props like the open vanity
case, a ladies umbrella at the rear, a
metal case painted and stuck with
fashion sketches going out of focus.
They may involve concepts wherein
the model has been shown like a bar
tender, waitress, air hostess, nurse,
sailor, house maid etc. The props
used in the picture are meant only
to decorate the frame or ‘add’ to the
‘seduction’ element in the picture;
at times targeting a certain class of
people for whom it has been shot.
One may find props like a sailor’s
cap, a bottle of champagne, a boating
September 2014 Smart Photography
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97
LEARNING
10
How to
Tips
2
How to ensure that you don’t
shoot without a memory card
I know of photographers who
inadvertently covered weddings
without a film in their camera! The
digital photographer can face a similar
problem. So how do you ensure that
you – the digital photographer – never
commit the same mistake?
if you want you use a particular shutter
speed (like in Shutter Priority) or a
particular aperture (like in Aperture
Priority) while still in the Program
mode?
Most digital cameras offering Program
mode, also offer a little-known subprogram, called Flexible Program. When
you set Flexible Program, you’ll see a
Now lets say that you decide to
use the camera (in ‘P’ mode) as an
Aperture Priority mode. Again, shift
over to Flexible Program, and this
time (assuming that your camera
shows 1/125 sec at f/11) you turn the
Command Dial till the aperture changes
from f/11 to whatever aperture you
need. As an example, if you select f/22,
the shutter speed will now change
to 1/30 sec, again allowing the same
amount of light hitting the sensor as
with 1/125 sec at f/11. You have now
used the ‘P’ mode as Aperture Priority
mode!
For the less initiated: All the shutter
speed / aperture combinations shown
below allow the same quantity of light
to enter the lens. In other words, the
exposure does not change (but action
stopping power / depth of field will
change).
1. The camera
LCD Monitor is
much brighter.
But why don’t camera manufacturers
make this a permanent feature, whereby
you just cannot fire the shutter if there
is no memory card installed? Well,
there’s a good reason. If you connect
the camera directly to a computer,
there is no reason to first write to the
memory card and from there to the
computer; you simply write directly to
the computer. Now if the ‘don’t-fire-theshutter-without-a-memory-card-inside’
feature was permanent, you just could
never write directly to a computer!
2. Adjust the LCD
Monitor’s brightness as required.
1. After loading the images on to your
computer, put the memory card back
into your camera, but do not format the
card (formatting the card would delete
the images).
2. Open an image (one that has proper
tones) on the computer monitor and
navigate to the same image on your
camera. Hold the camera close to the
computer monitor (taking care that the
light from the monitor does not shine
on to the camera’s LCD) and compare
both images for brightness (not colour
or sharpness). You will notice that the
image on the camera is brighter. Now
lower the LCD brightness till the two
images look more or less equal.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Shutter Speed
in seconds
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
1/1000
1/2000
1/4000
1/8000
Digital cameras offer a feature, which,
when enabled, will prevent the shutter
from firing if there is no memory card
in the camera. Just make sure that you
enable that feature.
1
3
How to use Program (P) mode
as a Shutter Priority/Aperture
Priority mode
We all know that Program
mode (P) automatically selects the
shutter speed as well as the aperture.
It might appear that the user has no
control (or very little control if the ISO
is manipulated) over the shutter speed
or the aperture used since these are ‘set’
as per the algorithms (instructions)
programmed into the camera. But what
3 Compare again
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www.smartphotography.in
Flexible Program mode
little asterisk mark (*) next to the ‘P’ for
program. In Program mode, you turn
the Command Dial till you see the *
mark next to the ‘P’. Now your camera is
in Flexible Program mode.
Let’s say the camera has selected 1/125
sec at f/11 in the Program mode but
you wish you could use 1/500 sec to
freeze subject movement. You get into
Flexible Program mode and turn the
Command Dial till you see 1/500 sec
instead of 1/125 sec. The aperture will
correspondingly change to f/5.6. The
amount of light hitting the imaging
sensor has not changed, only the
parameters have. You have just used the
Pin-up Photography
‘P’ mode as a Shutter Priority mode!
Rohinton Mehta
How to adjust your camera’s
LCD brightness
I have yet to come across a
digital camera’s LCD that is
not overly bright. May be this is a
marketing decision (so that even
your underexposed images look fairly
okay on the LCD). When images are
transferred to a computer, they almost
always look darker. So how do you
adjust the brightness of the camera LCD
to match the computer monitor?
96
Aperture
f/22
f/16
f/11
f/8
f/5.6
f/4
f/2.8
f/2
f/1.4
4
How to use Exposure
Compensation
Exposure compensation
allows us to override the
exposure suggested by the exposure
meter. Under certain lighting/
contrast conditions, exposure meters
do not convey the correct exposure.
As an example, a person standing in
front of a vast expanse of brightness
(a white/light tone wall or open sky)
will appear dark in the picture if the
exposure settings recommended
by the exposure meter is followed.
Similarly, a person standing in front
of a dark/black background will
appear lighter in the image if the
exposure settings recommended by
the exposure meter is followed. In
such situations, the user can override
the meter’s recommendation and
apply plus compensation (subjects
September 2014 Smart Photography
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104
10 How to Tips
Learnings
Understanding Photography
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Building an Architectural
Photograph (Interiors)
Ashok Kandimalla
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]
I
n the last month’s article you
read about the techniques
behind photographing the
exteriors of structures. This
month’s article is a complement
to it and will cover ‘interiors’.
As you would expect, many of
the concepts you read regarding
photographing exteriors are
equally applicable also to the
interiors. There are of course some
issues specific to interiors that you
need to take into account. This
article will concentrate on those
aspects.
As you would do when executing
an exterior picture, an interior
photograph too needs careful
planning, study of the lines,
symmetry, etc. One thing working
90
Smart Photography September 2014
in your favour is that interiors
are naturally smaller than the
exteriors, so fewer photographs
or even just one can do full
justice to the whole interior.
Last month you read about
problems caused by perspective
and distortion when
photographing architecture
and the ways to overcome
them. These issues are equally
applicable to interiors. Equipment
needed for interior photography
too is nearly identical with one
additional requirement. As you
would expect, light levels will be
low when you are photographing
interiors. So, a camera with
good low light (that is high
ISO) performance is essential
since in many museums and art
galleries (which usually have great
interiors), the use of tripod or
flash is prohibited.
For interior photography, a
tripod is an essential accessory
for steadying the camera as well
as for precise composing. I can
emphasize its importance by
saying - when allowed, use a
tripod!
Lighting: This is a major issue
that you need to give considerable
attention. The interior in a room
is lit primarily in two ways – by
the sunlight streaming through
the windows, and illumination
provided by lights fitted inside
the room. In case you want to use
both the sources, then you need
to make sure that both have the
same colour temperature. If this is
not the case, then it is impossible
to get consistent colour balance
throughout the scene. This is
because if you balance for one
particular light source then the
area dominated by another source
will exhibit a colour cast. The best
solution to avoid this situation is
by using all sources of the same
colour temperature. This is not
difficult to do since most lighting
these days is by CFLs (compact
fluorescent lamps) and these
have a colour temperature not
too different from daylight. So,
is the case with electronic flashes
(strobes). You can mix these
without much problem. However,
avoid mixing incandescent
bulbs or fluorescent (old type
www.smartphotography.in
tube lights) with daylight as
these combinations will cause a
problem. To be on the safe side,
always photograph in Raw format
and also do a custom White
Balance for every light setting.
One tricky situation that you need
to tackle in interior photography
is the very high contrast. This
often happens since the sunlight
through windows does not
illuminate the room evenly. You
will also face similar situations
when photographing atriums.
The problem you encounter
in these cases is that you get
pools of bright light at some
places (near windows) and
dark areas (corners) elsewhere.
This brightness range can often
overwhelm the dynamic range of
your camera. There are two ways
you can overcome the problem.
You can use HDR
(High Dynamic
Range) techniques
or fill-flash. I
recommend the
former since this
works very well
with interiors
(since there
are no moving
objects) and you
don’t need any
extra equipment
(of course you
need HDR
software but a
few packages are
available in public
domain at no
cost). If you want
to use fill-flash
then you need to
keep strobes at
suitable places to
Picture 1: This is a simple example that shows the application of the rule of thirds (blue coloured grid)
and the camera positioning. The corner of the corridors, which is also the dominating vertical part, was
placed at approximately the thirds vertical line. The pattern on the first column which is prominent was
put at the left bottom point of dominance. The arches of receding size convey depth.
overcome the dark patches. When
you use a fill flash, its effect must
be subtle and should not overpower the sunlight. It should be
only about half as powerful as
the sunlight or even less. You can
experiment a bit and see what suits
your tastes.
Sketch 1: Rule of
thirds suggests that
you have to divide
your viewfinder
frame into 9 parts
and keep the
subject at one of
the intersections
called “points of
dominance”.
Sketch 2: Schematic
(plan view) of the
camera position.
Keep the camera
at an angle in the
corner of the area
that you want to
photograph. See text
for more details.
www.smartphotography.in
Now, we are ready to look at
techniques and tips that are useful
for interior photography, along
with some examples:
Basic Composition: The classic
composition guideline, the “rule of
thirds” is still a very good starting
point (Sketch 1). So, how do you
apply it to an interior?
You can keep a prominent vertical
line in the interior (say a column)
coinciding with one of the vertical
lines as per the rule-of-thirds
grid. Any important object in the
room can be kept at one of the
points of dominance to emphasize
its importance. This object must
have some contrast in size or tone
or colour from the rest of the
background to make it stand out.
The position of the camera is also
important. Once again the general
September 2014 Smart Photography
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LEARNING
Understanding Photography
Picture 2: Here the angled lines of the
bar counter give a sense of dynamism
to the picture. A High contest scene
like this needs careful handling.
© Kishor Krishnamoorthi
guideline is that not to
keep the back of the
camera (which is also
the plane of the sensor)
parallel to any wall.
Instead choose an angle
and keep the camera
in a corner (Sketch 2).
When you position the
camera this way you
will be able to cover two
walls / structures (with a
suitable wide-angle lens)
and the convergence of
lines at the far end will
give a sense of depth.
Picture 1 shows a very
simple interior image
that used some of the
basic concepts explained
so far.
Another example given
here (Picture 2), shows
how angled lines can
be used to impart a
sense of dynamism to
the image. Also, the
prominent curved edge
of the counter is kept at
the right lower point of
dominance.
Picture 3: The magnificent interior and staircase of the Opera Hall, Paris, a place renowned for its architecture. Note the composition, which has
brought out the perfect symmetry. A small part of the balcony was included to give the viewer an impression that he is standing on the balcony
overlooking the grand interior. Low light performance of the camera was important since tripods are banned here. Tech data: Nikon D90, Sigma
10-20mm lens, focal length 10mm (<15mm> full frame), f/5, shutter speed 1/80sec and ISO 2200.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Symmetry: Many
interiors of buildings,
especially the classical
ones, show a great
amount of symmetry.
That is, the left half
will be very similar (or
even identical) to the
right half. Look for such
symmetry at staircases
and atriums. Sometimes
symmetry does not look
very nice when executed
as per the rule of thirds.
In these cases you should
use a composition that
exploits the symmetry
(Picture 3).
www.smartphotography.in
Picture 4: While this atrium (State Art Gallery, Hyderabad) was at the center of a circular interior, an
asymmetric composition was chosen to give some dynamism through angled lines formed by columns.
These also act as leading lines to the glazing that looks like a giant spider web. The center of this is near
one of the points of dominance. This is a high contrast scene as it involved the bright glazing in the ceiling
and the dark interior. To handle this, the camera’s tone curve was set to reduce the highlights and boost
the shadows to lower the overall contrast (sort of in-camera HDR). Tech data: Olympus OM-D E-M5,
Olympus 12-50mm lens, focal length 14mm (<28mm> full frame), f/5.6, shutter speed 1/320sec and ISO
200, exposure compensation +1 EV.
Picture 5: In this photograph the camera was positioned to record the
symmetrical structure of the atrium.
www.smartphotography.in
Leading lines: Lines in an
architectural image impart dynamism
especially if the lines are at an angle
(rather than parallel or perpendicular
to the frame). These can also be used
as the leading lines to draw the eye to
Picture 6: A beautiful fresco adorning an ornate ceiling.
September 2014 Smart Photography
93
LEARNING
Understanding Photography
intricate carvings sometimes make
ceilings works of art by themselves
(Picture 6). General guidelines for
photographing ceilings are very
similar to those of atriums but one
advantage is that, you need not
worry about high contrast since
there will be no light entering from
the top.
Shapes: As is the case with exterior
architecture, shapes draw attention
of the viewer and are useful for
keeping the attention of the user
Picture 7: Note the several types of rectangles
and the geometric lines of the stairs. The latter
converge at the lower two points of dominance
and lead the eye to the lobby downstairs. Location:
Porsche Museum, a place known for its modern
architecture.
Picture 8: Successive frames (arches) here convey the size of this large hall
(in Louvre Museum) and depth as they recede in size. The human figure
at lower thirds position in foreground also reinforces that impression.
the main subject or an important
part of the image (Picture 4).
Atriums: One of the most
attractive areas to photograph
is an atrium (Picture 5). You are
likely to face two problems when
photographing these. One of
which is the high contrast and
handling this problem has already
been explained. The other issue
is positioning the camera. If the
atrium is symmetric you may want
to show that feature. However,
capturing that symmetry is a bit
difficult as you need to position
yourself exactly at the center (the
prefect center in such atriums is
fortunately marked with some
design) and hold the camera
perfectly level facing upwards.
It is best to use a tripod but this
may not always be possible in
public buildings. An alternate way
is to look at some asymmetric
compositions (Picture 4).
Ceilings: While it is natural for
us not to look up when we enter
a building, ceilings can be quite
interesting photographically
speaking. Beautiful frescos and
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Smart Photography September 2014
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All text diagrams and images © Ashok Kandimalla unless otherwise noted.
Picture 9: This was taken inside “Grand Arch” a very famous building in Paris which has a
unique open architecture. The giant synthetic fabric panels look like wings of a butterfly.
in the frame. Commonly seen
shapes in building are triangles,
rectangles, circles, ellipses etc.
Look for these when you are
composing the image (Picture 7).
Staircases: Can something as
mundane as a staircase be a
good subject for an architectural
photograph? Very much so! The
shape of the staircase, banisters,
etc., can all make an interesting
photograph (Pictures 3 and 7). You
can also find interesting geometry
in spiral staircases.
Frames: These are well-known
compositional elements that lead
the eye to, and then concentrate
on the main subject. Successive
www.smartphotography.in
frames also convey a sense of
depth as they recede in size
(Picture 8).
CONCLUSION:
Abstracts: These are generally
formed when you isolate a feature
from the surrounding environment.
The latter makes them somewhat
hard to figure out and beauty is
now just the shapes, lines and in
general, geometry, because the
item is now not recognizable, at
least easily. They can be intriguing
and may pique the interest of the
viewer (Picture 9). Abstracts (along
with patterns) generally look better
in monochrome. So, photograph
first in colour and later convert in
monochrome and see which looks
better.
This month’s article covers the
interior aspects of architecture.
As was the case with external
architecture, good interiors can be
found in museums, art galleries,
music theaters, etc. Look for specific
features in these interiors based
on the information given in this
article. You can even start practicing
interior photography in your home
itself. And remember you don’t need
any fancy equipment. So, start right
away!
September 2014 Smart Photography
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LEARNING
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
[email protected].
W
hen some budding
photographers are
asked, “ What kind of
photography do you like to do?” they
promptly reply by saying , “Model
photography… like to shoot fashion,
… glamour photography”. If asked
how they would differentiate between
fashion photography and glamour
photography, they fumble. They
explain that glamour photography is
something like photographing girls
in bikinis. They are not wrong, but
they are not right either. If bikini is
a defined beach wear, then why do
they not classify it under fashion
photography? To this, they go blank!
Well, broadly speaking, ‘fashion’
is wearing what is ‘in’, what people
from the society would like to wear
and proudly show. It is ahead of
the purpose of covering one’s body.
It is defining or redefining your
personality through the choice of
apparels and accessorizing. It is a
statement of what you are or what you
would like to be recognized as. Hence
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Smart Photography September 2014
Pin-up
Photography
Dilip Yande
fashion photography is the talent of
skillfully narrating this; it could even
be capturing the feel of an era in the
form of an image; or may involve
going back in time and documenting
a vintage fashion by recreating it or
visualizing fashion with a futuristic
approach and show how it would be
fifty years ahead in time.
‘Glamour’ is like the aroma of a tasty
cuisine, inhaled from a distance; it
attracts your senses along with the
dish before you. ‘Glamour’ instantly
attracts a viewer. He stops flipping
the pages of a magazine when he
notices a glamour shot. Such shots
may not necessarily be revealing the
full body of the model, but makes
the shot noticeable due to various
reasons1) Expressions of the model.
2) Lighting that supports the mood
in the picture.
3) A quick relation that gets
established between the model
in the picture and the viewer.
4) Cleverly revealing and smartly
hiding certain body parts,
making the picture look
sensuous but not vulgar.
5) Use of the right props and
concept.
Such glamour shots always have a
longer shelf-life than the normal
fashion shots as far as the viewer is
concerned. Many viewers, right from
young students, bachelors, to old men
are fond of such pictures and even cut
them from magazines and pin them
up in their hostel rooms, bedrooms
or paste them on or inside their
cupboards.
This very human tendency was
encashed in the West by starting a
trend of pictures called ‘Pin-ups’.
Initially, these pin-ups used to be
sketches or coloured illustrations
showing a scantily dressed girl, in
a good and happy mood, smiling
and looking straight at the viewer,
thus establishing a silent but friendly
contact with him. This art of
illustrations was soon followed by
actual photographs – the result was
the birth of what we can now call as
‘Pin-up Photography’. The demand
for such pictures increased so much,
that people opted to make posters,
calendars, post-cards or plates in
magazines by using pin- ups. Models
who started modeling for such
assignments were known as the ‘pinup girls’.
In pin-up photography, which
happens to be the definition of
glamour photography, one may opt
to give a very fashionable look to
the model or a very raw or a tribal
look, highlighting her body language,
her expressions and moods. Many
newspapers printed such images
of attractive and sensuous models
terming them as ‘mates’ just to
increase the readership or their
publication.
Makeup plays the most important
role in the case of pin-up
photography. So does hairstyling.
In pin-up photography, one is not
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Pic A
shooting a portfolio for the model,
nor is one selling a product like
cosmetic cream, apparels, hair care
product or jewelry; but one is selling
the ‘X’ factor of the model. Indirectly,
one may be selling the publication in
which this picture has been printed
in the form of a coloured plate or a
centre-spread. Makeup obviously
has to be very glamorous. A whole
body makeup is advisable in order to
give an even tone to the body or add
slight gloss or shine where needed.
Many times a ‘shimmer’ which gives
a shining effect is applied on the
shoulders or the chest, to make it
more attractive. The makeup should
not be soft or subtle, but should be
loud and ‘seen’. It should be visible
to the extent possible. Every part
of the face like the eyes, eye-lashes,
eye-brows, need to be done up well
with the use of eye-liners, eye-pencils,
eye-shadows, mascara, artificial
eye-lashes, contact lenses etc. In case
of lips, the pouting of the lips plays
a major role; the gloss of the lipstick
adds to the picture. The look has to
be a bit exaggerated. Same with the
case of hairstyling. A tidy hairstyle
may no suit a pin-up. But open hair,
messy look, wet crunched look, sleek
gel back, or a well layered casual look
can go well with a pin-up concept.
It is necessary that the make-up
corresponds to the concept and the
hairstyling and follows the same
language.
The concept of ‘Simple Janes’ next
door never works for pin-ups. The
model should be sensuous and should
have a good figure and an ability to
seduce the viewer through her looks.
The age group may not matter much
but should ideally be between 22 - 35
years depending on the concept.
If one studies the various concepts
used in any pin-ups, one may observe
that they may consist of incidents
rightly captured with perfect timing.
The incident could be from every day
life or it could be a very staged out
shot suggesting seduction through
some way. They may have elements
or actions which act as ‘visual puns’
thus giving double meaning (at times)
to what one sees. One may find very
sophisticated props in pictures or at
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times, animals, like furry pedigree
dogs, puppies, Persian cats, rabbits,
doves, and exotic birds like macaws
etc.
They may involve concepts wherein
the model has been shown like a bar
tender, waitress, air hostess, nurse,
sailor, house maid etc. The props
used in the picture are meant only
to decorate the frame or ‘add’ to the
‘seduction’ element in the picture;
at times targeting a certain class of
people for whom it has been shot.
One may find props like a sailor’s
cap, a bottle of champagne, a boating
tube, fury toys, feather dusters etc.
The pictures thus shot could be full
lengths, mid-shots or even close-ups.
Let us briefly analyze the following
pin-up shots:
1) Pic A- The model is wearing a
party dress, cleverly selected that
her shoulders are bare open and the
beauty of her legs is ‘just seen’. The
flowery print makes it more feminine
and is well-complemented by other
feminine props like the open vanity
case, a ladies umbrella at the rear, a
metal case painted and stuck with
fashion sketches going out of focus.
September 2014 Smart Photography
97
LEARNING
Pic B1
A vintage fan
was used to blow
her dress up to
reveal a portion
of her thighs.
Her action to
resist this blow
has created a
nice pose in the
picture.
2) Pic B (1, 2, 3,
4)- Pin-ups can
well be shot as a
series of pictures,
connected to
each other in
some way. The
model was made
to wear a tube
top and hot
pants and was
made to lie in
a metal trunk
with props like
a rugby ball
and a ‘naughty’
jokes book. She
continued to
wear the black
stilettos in all the
pics. In pic B1,
the beauty of her
face and the bare
open crossed
legs steals the
attention of the
viewer. Her pose
in pic B2 has
given a feeling of
nudity, though
she is wearing
clothes inside.
Once again her
pose and eye
contact with the
viewer catches
the attention.
Pic B3 shows
her enjoying the
jokes and carries
subtle meaning
to it. In Pic B4,
her loneliness
was removed
by adding a
living prop to
the picture – a
Persian cat. Once
again a very
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Smart Photography September 2014
Pic B2
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Pic B3
feminine prop in
character. One
never gets tired
looking at such
pictures.
3) Pic C (1, 2)
– Pink shades
work very well in
the background.
Contrast in
terms of props
also works
wonders. In this
picture – pic
C1, the model is
wearing a sports
bra with a sort
of nursery print
on it. The feather
dusters in her
hand and which
she is holding
behind gives her
the look of an
attractive house
maid. Similarly
Pic C 2 gives
a very topless
feel. Once again
she is shown
cuddling the pet.
Please note that
accessories have
not been used
purposefully so
as to maintain a
nude feel to the
picture.
Pic B4
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4) Pic D (1,
2)- Corsets and
lingerie work
very well for pinups. Props, like
curtains at the
back and quilts,
define a bedroom. Stylized
kettles, cups and
saucers render
a sophisticated
look to the
picture. In pic
D1 the tone of
the picture and
the soft feel was
achieved in post
production.
Light was passed
September 2014 Smart Photography
99
LEARNING
Pic C1
Pic C2
through the
curtain to give
a more natural
feel. In these
two pictures
the makeup on
the models face
was very exotic.
Especially the
eye makeup was
important. The
hairstyle also
had to be stylish,
yet a bit messy.
The poses give a
silent invitation
or a ‘please join
in’ message to
the viewer.
5) Pic E (1,
2, 3) - These
have been shot
outdoors in
available light. A
lush green spot
was chosen for
Pic D1
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Smart Photography September 2014
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Pic D2
the shoot. A garden cart was taken as
a prop and the model wearing a slit
gown was made to sit in the cart. The
‘rustic looks’ of the cart in contrast
with the satin gown she is wearing
works very well. One can take the
liberty of tweaking the White Balance
while shooting or change the tone of
the picture entirely in post production
to match one’s taste. Seductive poses
that reveal just the required body
parts are very important. The garden
cart has indirectly given a ‘take away’
feel to the picture.
6) Pic F (1, 2)- In these pictures, the
entire look of the model was changed
by changing the get up of the face.
An Indian tribal look was given to
her. The skin tone was drastically
changed in makeup by giving a dusky
tanned look resembling the skins of
‘Adivasi’ girls. She was accessorized
accordingly with suitable tribal
jewelry. A banana leaf was taken as a
prop.
7) Pic G - This is an example of
Pic E1
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101
LEARNING
Pic E2
Pic E3
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Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Pic F1
Pic F2
another Indianized concept of a pinup. One can see that a see-through
saree was kept in the foreground.
Tricky lighting created a silhouette
feel in her lower part of the body and
gave a feeling of nudity, wherein the
model was fully dressed in tube top
and draped below with a sarong. Her
expressions have given that ‘hot’ feel to
the picture.
Credit LinesModels- Tanvi Malpekar, Priyanka Mhapankar
Makeup- Vinay Salunkhe and Prashant Ujawne
Photography – Dilip Yande
Pic G
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September 2014 Smart Photography
103
LEARNING
10
How to
Tips
Rohinton Mehta
1. The camera
LCD Monitor is
much brighter.
1
How to adjust your camera’s
LCD brightness
I have yet to come across a
digital camera’s LCD that is
not overly bright. May be this is a
marketing decision (so that even
your underexposed images look fairly
okay on the LCD). When images are
transferred to a computer, they almost
always look darker. So how do you
adjust the brightness of the camera LCD
to match the computer monitor?
2. Adjust the LCD
Monitor’s brightness as required.
1. After loading the images on to your
computer, put the memory card back
into your camera, but do not format the
card (formatting the card would delete
the images).
2. Open an image (one that has proper
tones) on the computer monitor and
navigate to the same image on your
camera. Hold the camera close to the
computer monitor (taking care that the
light from the monitor does not shine
on to the camera’s LCD) and compare
both images for brightness (not colour
or sharpness). You will notice that the
image on the camera is brighter. Now
lower the LCD brightness till the two
images look more or less equal.
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Smart Photography September 2014
3 Compare again
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2
How to ensure that you don’t
shoot without a memory card
I know of photographers who
inadvertently covered weddings
without a film in their camera! The
digital photographer can face a similar
problem. So how do you ensure that
you – the digital photographer – never
commit the same mistake?
if you want you use a particular shutter
speed (like in Shutter Priority) or a
particular aperture (like in Aperture
Priority) while still in the Program
mode?
Most digital cameras offering Program
mode, also offer a little-known subprogram, called Flexible Program. When
you set Flexible Program, you’ll see a
‘P’ mode as a Shutter Priority mode!
Now lets say that you decide to
use the camera (in ‘P’ mode) as an
Aperture Priority mode. Again, shift
over to Flexible Program, and this
time (assuming that your camera
shows 1/125 sec at f/11) you turn the
Command Dial till the aperture changes
from f/11 to whatever aperture you
need. As an example, if you select f/22,
the shutter speed will now change
to 1/30 sec, again allowing the same
amount of light hitting the sensor as
with 1/125 sec at f/11. You have now
used the ‘P’ mode as Aperture Priority
mode!
For the less initiated: All the shutter
speed / aperture combinations shown
below allow the same quantity of light
to enter the lens. In other words, the
exposure does not change (but action
stopping power / depth of field will
change).
Shutter Speed
in seconds
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
1/1000
1/2000
1/4000
1/8000
Digital cameras offer a feature, which,
when enabled, will prevent the shutter
from firing if there is no memory card
in the camera. Just make sure that you
enable that feature.
But why don’t camera manufacturers
make this a permanent feature, whereby
you just cannot fire the shutter if there
is no memory card installed? Well,
there’s a good reason. If you connect
the camera directly to a computer,
there is no reason to first write to the
memory card and from there to the
computer; you simply write directly to
the computer. Now if the ‘don’t-fire-theshutter-without-a-memory-card-inside’
feature was permanent, you just could
never write directly to a computer!
3
How to use Program (P) mode
as a Shutter Priority/Aperture
Priority mode
We all know that Program
mode (P) automatically selects the
shutter speed as well as the aperture.
It might appear that the user has no
control (or very little control if the ISO
is manipulated) over the shutter speed
or the aperture used since these are ‘set’
as per the algorithms (instructions)
programmed into the camera. But what
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Flexible Program mode
little asterisk mark (*) next to the ‘P’ for
program. In Program mode, you turn
the Command Dial till you see the *
mark next to the ‘P’. Now your camera is
in Flexible Program mode.
Let’s say the camera has selected 1/125
sec at f/11 in the Program mode but
you wish you could use 1/500 sec to
freeze subject movement. You get into
Flexible Program mode and turn the
Command Dial till you see 1/500 sec
instead of 1/125 sec. The aperture will
correspondingly change to f/5.6. The
amount of light hitting the imaging
sensor has not changed, only the
parameters have. You have just used the
Aperture
f/22
f/16
f/11
f/8
f/5.6
f/4
f/2.8
f/2
f/1.4
4
How to use Exposure
Compensation
Exposure compensation
allows us to override the
exposure suggested by the exposure
meter. Under certain lighting/
contrast conditions, exposure meters
do not convey the correct exposure.
As an example, a person standing in
front of a vast expanse of brightness
(a white/light tone wall or open sky)
will appear dark in the picture if the
exposure settings recommended
by the exposure meter is followed.
Similarly, a person standing in front
of a dark/black background will
appear lighter in the image if the
exposure settings recommended by
the exposure meter is followed. In
such situations, the user can override
the meter’s recommendation and
apply plus compensation (subjects
September 2014 Smart Photography
105
LEARNING
6
How to check a tripod for
stability
Just because you use a tripod,
does not necessarily mean that
your images will be sharp. The design,
materials used for the construction and
the way you use the tripod play a very
important role in determining a tripod’s
stability and hence the sharpness of your
images. Generally, it is safer to assume
that an expensive tripod will do a better
job than an inexpensive one. Keep in
mind that the lesser the number of
sections, the steadier the tripod. A trick
is to pull a section out to its maximum
and then push back about an inch. This
will slightly lower the maximum height
of the tripod but will make it sturdier.
against light/white background) or
minus compensation (subjects against
dark/black backgrounds).
5
How to check for overexposed
highlights / underexposed
shadows
Checking exposure accuracy
by just looking at your images on the
camera LCD may not give you the
correct idea.
To be sure, get into the habit of checking
histograms. Underexposure shows
the histogram bundled towards the
left; overexposure tends to move the
histogram towards the right. If the
histogram touches the left end, you
can be sure that some area of the
image is very dark/black. Similarly, if
the histogram touches the right end,
some area of the image is definitely
overexposed. Corrective action can be
taken if necessary.
areas blink on the LCD to immediately
warn the user.
Underexposed areas can often be ‘opened
up’ (albeit, with a corresponding increase
in digital noise), but once an area is
overexposed beyond a certain point, no
amount of image editing can bring back
the lost details. Hence it is very important
to pay attention to the ‘blinkies’.
Note: If you are shooting in Raw, you
may be able to recover some lost highlight
details (1 to 1.5 stops, depending on the
camera) during post-processing.
Correctly exposed
But how do you check whether your
tripod is doing well the job it was
designed to do? After setting up the
tripod and mounting your longest
focal length lens (extend the lens to its
maximum focal length if it is a zoom
lens), tap the filter end gently while
looking through the viewfinder. If you
see the lens vibrating, the tripod is not
perfectly suitable. Keep in mind that a
tripod that is perfectly suitable for, say,
a 300mm lens, may not be so when a
400mm lens is mounted. Also note that
your tripod (with the camera mounted)
should be capable of reaching your eye
level. If you have to keep bending low
because of insufficient height, you are
unlikely to use that tripod for a long
time.
7
How to use a tripod
I think I should have worded this
as ‘how not to use a tripod’.
1. Never use the centre column,
unless it is for very small adjustments.
Remember, professional tripods don’t
have a centre column! Using a centre
column is like using a monopod on a
tripod – shaky, to say the least.
Yet another important feature in most
digital cameras is what is known as
‘blinkies’. When enabled, overexposed
2. Do not use the tripod with the
sections pulled out to the maximum as
this will weaken the joint between the
sections. Pull out each section to the
maximum (if required) and then push
back about one-inch.
3. Just because your camera is on a
tripod, does not mean that you should
not be careful when releasing the
shutter. It is better to use your camera’s
Overexposed
106
Smart Photography September 2014
Underexposed
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LEARNING
more gradual demarcation are better
used with wide-angle lenses.
The situation: A beautiful landscape
except for a bald sky ruining the shot.
x
After composing the picture, take a
in-camera meter reading and lock the
exposure (in case you don’t know how
to do that, meter in manual exposure
mode). Now hold the filter, just
touching the lens and adjust its position
while looking through the viewfinder
(there are filter holders available for
those who need them). The idea is to
block the light from the sky area (in
other words, underexpose the sky) while
allowing the light from the foreground
to enter without any restriction. The
end result is darkening of the sky,
without darkening the lower part, the
foreground.
Place the monopod strap around your
neck. If you are standing, place the
monopod close to your foot and pull
the monopod away from your body.
This will stop the forward-backward
movement. Alternately, if you could
support the monopod against any other
non-moveable support, that would
improve the stability.
Wrong way to use a tripod
self-timer set to say, 2 seconds and let
the shutter fire without your touching
the camera. If this is not possible
because you want to control the exact
moment the shutter needs to be fired,
consider a wireless shutter remote.
Some D-SLRs offer a built-in delay for
firing the shutter (similar to using a selftimer with a small delay). If your camera
has this feature, you could consider
using it. After you press the shutter
release, the camera will wait (to steady
itself) before the shutter fires. (see pic.
top right)
8
How to use a Monopod
A monopod can be quite useful
when using the camera at slower
shutter speeds. Of course it can
never match a tripod, but is easier to lug
around (and in an emergency, can be
used as a support instead of a walking
stick!)
Try using one and you’ll see that it
is difficult to stop sideways and/or
forward-backward movements.
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Smart Photography September 2014
Note: If you first attach the filter and
then meter, your metering will go
wrong.
You could kneel on one knee and
support the monopod against the other
leg.
10
How to create a
panorama using a fisheye lens
A fish-eye lens is an
extreme wide-angle lens. For a lens
to qualify as ‘fish-eye’ it must have a
diagonal angle of view of 180 degrees
or more (up to 220 degrees). Pictures
shot with a fish-eye lens (non-rectilinear
fish-eye) will show strong barrel
distortion but if the subject is far away,
the distortion will be much less.
Useful hint: Anyone who has tried
kneeling (hasn’t your teacher ever made
you kneel in a corner?) knows how
painful it is to kneel, especially on hard,
uneven ground. Do yourself a favour
and buy a pair of padded kneecaps. Your
knees will bless you!
9
How to use graduated filters
If you have ever tried to
photograph landscapes with
bald skies, you will appreciate
graduated filters. Graduated filters
come in various colours but the most
common graduated filters are of the
neutral density (ND) variety. There are
two sub-varieties: one with a gradual
demarcation and the other with a
sharper demarcation. The ones with
sharper demarcation work better with
telephoto lenses while the ones with
Gradual demarcation
Some image editing software, including
Photoshop, allow you to turn a fish-eye
image into a regular image. Some
distortion may still be noticed at the
sides but it generally does a pretty good
job. Here’s how you can do this:
1. Open the fish-eye image in
Photoshop and make a copy of the
Background layer (First press the
F7 key to open the Layers panel and
then using the computer mouse, pull
the ‘Background’ on to ‘Create a new
layer’ icon at the bottom of the Layers
panel).
Sharper demarcation
2. Go to Filter > Lens Correction >
Fisheye. The picture will transform into
what appears to be a shot taken with a
ultra-wide-angle lens. If necessary, crop
the image.
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D-SLR Review
116
Head-To-Head
Macro lenses for
Canon Full-Frame cameras
124
Monitor Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
128
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NIKON D810
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Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
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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)
D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
A Great Upgrade!
Rohinton Mehta
T
he Nikon D800E was
introduced in February 2012;
the D810 in June 2014. While
both are 36 megapixel, and both
are without the anti-aliasing filter
(the D800E does have a variation
of optical low-pass filter), the D810
comes with a new imaging sensor
and EXPEED 4 image processor
(the D800E has the EXPEED 3).
The autofocus system has also been
improved; it now also has ContrastDetection at the imaging sensor level.
Various new/small changes have
been made to improve the userexperience. So how does the new
model work out and should you run
to the nearest store to get one?
Design & Build Quality
The D810 is a pro-level D-SLR
camera. Its body is made with
magnesium alloy to withstand rough
usage. It is also weather-and-dust
sealed. It offers a more secure grip
than its predecessors (the D800/E).
The body is made in Thailand and
weighs approximately 980g with
battery and SD memory card.
Key Features
Note: Some features, found
commonly in almost every Nikon
model, may not be covered, just to
keep the review compact.
Let’s start with the key similarities
and differences between the D810
and D800E
` 18,950
Inside the Box
✓ Camera
✓ Battery and battery charger
✓ Charger cord
✓ USB Cable
✓ User Manual
110
Smart Photography September 2014
Feature
Effective pixels
Sensor type/size
Image processor
ISO sensitivity
D810
36MP
CMOS Full-frame
EXPEED 4
64-12,800
(Without boost)
Uncompressed format Raw, TIFF
Autofocus
Phase Detect
Contrast Detect
Multi-area
Center
Single point
Tracking
Continuous
Face Detection
Live View
Focus points
51
LCD resolution
1,29,229 dots
Shutter speed range 30-1/8000 sec
Continuous shooting 5fps, full resolution
Built-in microphone Stereo
Battery
EN-EL 15
D800E
36MP
CMOS Full-frame
EXPEED 3
100-6400
(Without boost)
Raw
Phase Detect
No
Multi-area
No
Single point
Tracking
Continuous
Face Detection
Live View
51
9,21,000 dots
30-1/8000 sec
4fps, full resolution
Mono
EN-EL 15
Highlighting shows which is better.
www.smartphotography.in
Image sensor, shooting speeds
The D810 has a newly designed
image sensor that gathers more light
information and is thus able to offer
superior low-light sensitivity (ISO
64), without sacrificing on dynamic
range. The sensor does not employ a
Low-Pass Filter and in combination
with the EXPEED 4 image processor
(the same processor used in the
D4S), delivers astonishingly sharp
images – even superior to those
from the tried and tested D800E.
The processing speed is around 30%
faster than on the D800/E. There
are some differences in the buttons
and features and some cosmetic
changes compared to the D800/E but
nothing that you cannot get used to
in a little while. The D810 delivers
a continuous shooting speed of 5
frames per second (the D800/E is
4fps) at full resolution (FX); 6fps
in 1.2x Crop Mode, and 7fps in DX
format (when using the EH-5b AC
Adapter or MB-D12 Multi-Power
Battery Pack with batteries other
than EN-EL15). The camera is very
responsive – the start-up time is
approx. 0.12 sec and the release
time-lag is approx. 0.052 sec based on
CIPA Guidelines.
Picture Control
A new Picture Control system (a
dedicated button on the camera body
takes you directly to this feature) lets
the user fine-tune the images to his/
her liking – Sharpening, contrast,
saturation and hue can be finely
adjusted while image brightness
can be adjusted in a wider range. A
new addition in Picture Control –
Clarity – can emphasise or reduce
the crispness of images by adjusting
the local contrast (similar to the
Clarity slider used in Adobe Camera
Raw). Using the new ‘Flat’ Picture
Control can give you absolutely
neutral images without any biases to
colour, saturation etc while shooting
video. Further, using a stand-alone
dedicated application (Picture
Control Utility 2), you can fine-tune
the various items found in Picture
Control and import them into the
camera via the memory card.
Focussing system
The D810 uses an improved AF
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system with improved focussing
algorithms, along with Advanced
Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor
module with 51 focus points
(including 15 Cross-type sensors
in the center with support up to
f/5.6, while f/8 is supported by 11
sensors) to offer autofocus with
unprecedented accuracy. The user
can select between 51 or 11 focus
points. But all the focussing accuracy
is of little use if there are vibrations
during the actual picture taking
process (especially when using long
telephoto lenses that magnify the
image on the sensor). To take care
of this problem, the Nikon 810 uses
an electronic front-shutter function
(can be used only in the Mirror-Up
mode) to eliminate/reduce vibrations
to a minimum. To further reduce
vibrations, the D810’s mirror and
shutter release mechanism has also
been re-designed – a new mirrorbalancer limits the mirror shocks. All
these improvements add up to visibly
sharper images.
In addition to the 4 AF modes that
most Nikon D-SLRs have (Single
Point, Dynamic Area, 3D-Tracking
and Auto Area AF), the D810 has a
new AF mode (similar to that in the
D4S) – the Group-Area Autofocus.
This mode uses 5 focus points all at
the same time, thus ensuring quicker
AF with greater AF accuracy (as a
comparison, the Dynamic Area AF
uses just one AF point for initial
subject detection). The GroupArea AF is very useful when the
subjects are comparatively small
and surrounded by high-contrast or
confusing backgrounds.
Image storage
Images can be recorded in JPEG
(Fine/Normal/Basic), TIFF, Raw
(12 or 14-bit lossless compressed,
compressed, or uncompressed),
Small Raw (12-bit uncompressed
only), and Raw+JPEG. Images
can be stored on SD and UHS-1
compliant SDHC/SDXC memory
cards, and CF cards (UDMA
compliant). The D810 has two
memory card slots and either card
can be used for primary or backup
storage or for separate storage of Raw
and JPEG images.
Sensitivity
The D810 has an ISO sensitivity
range from ISO 64 to 12,800, which
can be extended to equivalent of
ISO 32 (Lo 1) and equivalent of ISO
51, 200 (Hi 2). As per Nikon, “Fine
details are captured with a greater
sense of dimensionality all the way
up to ISO 12,800”.
Shutter speeds
Shutter speeds range from 30 seconds
to 1/8000 sec, plus Bulb and Time.
The shutter is rated for 200,000
activations. Flash syncs up to 1/250
sec (can also sync at 1/320 sec but the
flash range drops). Release modes on
the D810 are: S (single frame), CL
(continuous low), CH (continuous
high), Q (quiet shutter release), QC
(quiet continuous shutter release),
Self Timer, and Mirror-up.
Exposure metering
Exposure metering is TTL, using
91,000-pixel RGB sensor. The
metering modes available are
Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot and
Highlight-weighted. So, what’s
Highlight-weighted metering? In
spite of taking care, highlights often
get overexposed and its not always
easy to regain the details during
post-processing. To take care of this
irritant, the D810 offers a highlightweighted metering mode which
gives priority to the brighter areas
JPEG Compression
JPEG, Fine Quality,
100% (22.8 MB)
JPEG, Basic Quality,
100% (5.6 MB)
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D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
NOISE
ISO 200
ISO 800
ISO 3200
ISO 12800
ISO Hi 1
ISO Hi 2
of a scene and thus avoid highlight
clipping. Exposure modes on the
D810 are Program (includes Flexible
Program), Aperture Priority, Shutter
Priority and Manual. Exposures can
be compensated up to +/- 5EV in
1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV steps. Exposure can
be bracketed up to 2-9 frames in 1/3,
1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV; 2-5 frames in steps
of 2 or 3 EV. Active D-Lighting and
Active D-Lighting Bracketing is on
offer.
Though the D810 is a sophisticated
camera, it offers easy solutions
for those who are not technically
minded. Take the Advanced Scene
Recognition System for example;
it uses a 91,000-pixel RGB sensor
to recognize your scene’s colour
and brightness and then uses this
information to automatically apply
the correct exposure, White Balance,
i-TTL flash and also set autofocus!
White Balance
The D810 offers a wide range of
White Balance settings: Auto (2
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Smart Photography September 2014
types), Incandescent, Fluorescent
(7 types), Direct Sunlight, Flash,
Cloudy, Shade, Preset Manual (up to
6 values can be stored), and Colour
Temperature setting (2500-10,000K).
Each setting can be fine-tuned. It
is also possible to bracket White
Balance. Auto White Balance has
been re-programmed using new
algorithms that detect whites in the
scene more accurately than before.
Many photographers use an 18%
grey card to calculate White Balance.
But what if an 18% grey card is not
available? Using a tiny white or offwhite area in the frame, a spot WB
feature allows you to calculate the
preset Manual White Balance via
Live View, thus eliminating the need
for a grey card.
Image formats
The camera offers multiple formats:
FX (35.9 x 24mm), 5:4 (30 x 24mm),
1.2x (30 x 19.9mm) and DX (23.4
x 15.6mm). When a DX lens is
attached, the D810 automatically
reverts to the DX format.
LCD/Playback
During Playback, it is now possible to
magnify the image approximately 46x
to get a clear, crisp view and confirm
the precise focus. The LCD screen
is enhanced too; it uses scratch and
shock-resistant reinforced glass on
the surface and the screen’s visibility
in daylight is better than before. The
LCD is colour-corrected and the user
can also adjust the colour balance to
his/her preference. Another feature
which may be very much appreciated
by architectural photographers is
the Split-screen Display – using the i
button during Live View, the camera
level can be monitored; two points on
the same horizontal line are enlarged
(and can be magnified too) and the
user can check if they are perfectly in
level or not.
Built-in Flash
The D810 offers a built-in flash
having a Guide Number of 12m
(39ft) at ISO 100. Front curtain sync,
slow sync, rear curtain sync, red-eye
reduction, red-eye reduction with
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec . ISO: 1000
Rohinton Mehta
slow sync, slow rear curtain sync,
off; Auto FP high-speed sync is
supported. It also supports Nikon’s
Creative Lighting System. Flash can
be compensated (-3 to +1 EV) and
flash can be bracketed 2-9 frames.
Video
Now let’s see what improvements
have been made to the video
capabilities. By using a new method
of video signal processing, the D810
offers better video quality than the
D800 with reduced moire and false
colour. Video is recorded using
IPB compression and H.264 codec
which according to Nikon “ensures
high image quality while retaining
a compact file size”. The D810 can
record video in Full HD (1920 x
1080) at 60p and play it back at
24 frame rate for a smooth 2.5x
slow motion. Nikon recommends
memory cards with write speed
of 30MB/s (200x) or higher for
video recording. Slower cards may
www.smartphotography.in
not allow the movies to play back
smoothly.
Video is recorded in 16:9 aspect ratio,
but with the D810, you can switch
between FX and DX-based video
formats. This allows you to have two
different perspectives from the same
lens. You can even create TimeLapse videos (up to 8K resolution),
right within the camera! Two new
exposure metering modes for movies
have been added to the D810’s
arsenal: Center-weighted metering
offers you exposure readings that
aren’t prone to sudden changes in
brightness, and Highlight-weighted
metering ensures that highlights
are not clipped in contrasty lighting
situations like stage-lighting.
If you want the highest in video
quality, you can output the
uncompressed video files to an
external recorder via the HDMI
socket in 8-bit 4:2:2 format and if
you need a backup of your videos,
you can simultaneously record
to the memory card. You can
even let the D810 control the ISO
sensitivity between ISO 200 to Hi
2 while keeping the aperture and
shutter speed constant in varying
lighting conditions. This allows you
to maintain your required depth
of field and the ‘look’ during the
movie shoot. Another very useful
feature is the Power Aperture. When
panning the camera (during video
recording), there is every likely-hood
of brightness levels changing from
very dark to very bright. The Power
Aperture function lets you change
the aperture smoothly and quietly,
without rotating the Command Dial.
To avoid overexposing the highlights,
the D810 offers ‘zebra-patterns’
which can be monitored on the LCD
and/or an HDMI connected monitor.
Ergonomics
Considering my limited association
September 2014 Smart Photography
113
D-SLR Review
NIKON D810
get familiar with the various features,
especially the AF system. It will take
some time doing that, but once you
get familiar with it, you’l love the way
the D810 works. The overall results
from the D810 is top-notch, but like
any other high-megapixel model, the
D810 is also unforgiving. You got to
use the best glass and your shooting
technique has to be of a high order.
with the D810, there isn’t much to
write about the ergonomics since the
D810 is very similar to the D800/E
when it comes to the handling. Even
then, for those who may not have
used the D810 or the D800/E, I find
the D810 even easier to use. The
camera is very responsive under
every perceivable situation, and
with easy-to-use interface. However,
a drawback that I felt is that the
viewfinder does not mask out the
non-usable area in DX and 1.2x
modes (it only shows borders with
thin lines, which I often ignored in
the excitement of the shoot). Due
to this, some of my framing went
wrong. May be a firmware update
could remedy this?
The images on the LCD appeared
slightly sharper due to its higher
resolution but in sunlight, I still
had some difficulty in viewing the
images. The D810 is definitely quieter
in operation when compared to the
D800/E. I also appreciated the extra
1fps (5 fps instead of 4fps in D800/E)
in CH shooting at full resolution. We
were unable to achieve the 7fps in
DX mode since that requires the use
of EH-5b AC Adapter or MB-D12
Multi-Power Battery Pack which was
not available with us. The i button
helps you to directly access various
important functions without going
through the Menu..
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Smart Photography September 2014
Performance
Note:
1) The User Manual is 500 pages. This
is not mentioned here to scare you
but to instil in you the importance of
studying the manual if you want the
most out of your camera. Thank you
Nikon for giving us this detailed user
manual in print instead of on a CD.
2) If you are a trigger-happy
photographer indulging in wildlife,
birds-in-flight photography or street
photography, I recommend you get
a ‘fast’ memory card. Even though
the buffer is improved, a fast card
will certainly aid your shooting
experience.
3) If you are using a heavy/long focal
length lens, I recommend using a
firm tripod for optimum results. I
shot many frames (hand-held) using
a 80-400mm AF-S lens at 400mm
and thereabouts, and many pictures
were not as sharp as I would like. If
this happens to you, blame yourself,
not the camera.
4) Our tests were conducted with
JPEG images, mainly using a AF-S
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G lens (though
I did shoot quite a bit with a 80400mm AF-S lens too).
To get the best results from the
D810, you need to spend time and
Autofocus was very fast and accurate,
even in reasonably low light. I did not
notice any ‘hunting’ for focus during
my limited tests. All the metering
modes performed to our satisfaction.
The new Highlight-weighted
metering was an added advantage as
it better controlled highlight blow
out (it does that by reducing the
overall exposure). Images were sharp
right out of the box. Control over
digital noise was good (for our test,
Noise Reduction was set to ‘Normal’)
though we have not done a side-byside comparison with the D800/E.
Also note that our expectation for
noise reduction has grown the same
way technology has; we expect better
overall results from all modern
cameras. The native image size of
the D810 image is 24.533 x 16.373”
at 300ppi. At 16.7% and 25% screen
size, there was no perceptible noise
all the way up to ISO 12,800. At 50%
screen size, some noise could be seen
at ISO 12,800 but did not appear
troublesome. At 100% screen size,
there was some noise at ISO 3200
but I wouldn’t hesitate using it up to
ISO 6400 if necessary. The H 1 and
H2 settings appeared noisy but the H
0.3 and H 0.7 settings could be used
if the images are to remain small. We
also observed that images shot at ISO
1600 and above exhibited ‘softness’;
may be some extra noise reduction is
being applied automatically.
Auto White Balance was on the dot
for all the available WB settings. The
Preset WB was again accurate for all
available settings except Shade where
it gave a slight magenta cast. Do note
however, that we did not test the
Preset White Balance for Fluorescent
1-7 as we really do not know the type
of fluorescent fixtures in our office.
The Spot WB (in Live View) also
performed satisfactorily.
www.smartphotography.in
Value for Money
The Nikon D810 body retails at an
MRP of Rs.1,99,950. That is a lot of
money, but I am sure the price will
come down eventually. If you can afford
it though, its worth the money!
VERDICT
Whilst I had no real problems using the D800/E (except for
getting used to the fact that the viewfinder does not mask the
cropped areas in DX and 1.2x mode), using the D810 was a
newer and better experience. The differences might not be
too obvious to one and all, but all the same, they do exist and
Nikon has tried (and succeeded) in improving an already very
good D800/E.
Now the question is, should you replace your existing D800/E
with the D810? This is a very difficult question to answer. The
newer EXPEED 4 is definitely better, frame rate has improved,
control over digital noise has improved at higher ISO
sensitivities, autofocussing accuracy and speed has improved,
the grip is better (marginally), the camera operation is now a
bit quieter, LCD resolution has increased, ISO range is further
expanded, the new Group AF Mode works well in most
situations, battery life has improved, and many other minor
improvements makes the D810 the new king in my opinion.
If you have a big pocket, then yes, do consider changing your
D800/E. If you want to upgrade from some other Nikon body
and were considering to shift to the D800/E, then I suggest
you certainly spend some more and get the D810. You will not
regret your decision. Best Buy!
MINUS
• Somewhat
expensive
• Heavy
• Does not
mask the
cropped
area in the
viewfinder
• No GPS
FINAL SCORE
86.5%
Design and Build Quality 17/20
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
17/20
Performance
Autofocus
Metering
Noise Control
Sharpness
LCD/EVF
Auto W/B
PLUS
Sub-Total
• Superb
image quality
• Very good
build quality
• Accurate
and quick
autofocus
Value for Money
4.5/5
4/5
4/5
4.5/5
5/5
4.5/5
26.5/30
8/10
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Camera type
Effective pixels
Image sensor
Image sensor size
File format
:
:
:
:
:
Picture Control System :
Media
Dual card slots
:
:
Compatible lenses :
Shutter speeds
:
Release mode
:
Metering method :
Exposure mode
:
Exposure compensation :
Exposure bracketing :
D-SLR
36.3 million
CMOS
Full-frame (35.9 x 24mm)
Raw, 12 or 14-bit, lossless compressed, compressed
or uncompressed. Small size Raw available (12-bit
uncompressed only)
TIFF, JPEG Fine/Normal/Basic
Raw + JPEG
Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait,
Landscape, Flat
SD, SDHC, SDXC, CF cards
Either card can be used for primary or backup
storage or for separate storage of Raw and JPEG
images; Pictures can be copied between cards
All Nikkor lenses except IX Nikkor lenses, lenses
for the F3AF and non-AI lenses (Some restrictions
apply to PC lenses)
30 sec – 1/8000 sec, X250
S, CL, CH, Q, QC, Self-timer, Mirror-up
Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot, Highlight-weighted
P (includes Flexible P), A, S, M
+/- 5 EV
2-9 frames
Flash bracketing
WB bracketing
ISO sensitivity
: 2-9 frames
: 2-9 frames
: ISO 64-12,800. Can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5,
0.7 or 1 EV below ISO 64; or approx.
0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1 or 2 EV above ISO 12,800. Auto ISO available
Active D-Lighting : Auto, Extra-high, High, Normal, Low, Off
Lens servo
: AF-S (Single servo AF), AF-F (Full-time servo AF).
Manual focus (M)
AF-area mode
: Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF,
subject-tracking AF
Built-in flash
: GN 12m/39ft at ISO 100
Flash control
: i-TTL
Flash compensation : -3 to +1 EV
CLS
: Creative Lighting System is supported
White Balance
: Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types),
direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual,
spot WB in Live View, Colour Temperature
Movie metering
: TTL, using main image sensor
Movie metering method : Matrix, Center-weighted, Highlight-weighted
Movie frame/rate : 1920x1080 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p
1280x720 60p, 50p
Movie file format : MOV
Battery
: EN-EL15
Weight, body only : 860g with battery and SD memory card
Some websites have reported an issue with the D810 (of ‘bright spots’ when using long shutter speeds) and Nikon has announced a service
advisory for the same. It appears that cameras with only certain serial numbers are affected and Nikon has agreed to attend to them free of
charge. All D810s rolling out of the factory after the problem has been detected, will however be free of the defect.
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
115
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Best Ammo for
Full-Frame Canons
Sujith Gopinath
L
ast month (August 2014), we
carried a comparative review
of Macro lenses for Nikon FX
bodies. This time, it is the turn of
Macro lenses for Canon Full Frame
bodies. As mentioned last month, we
approached all lens manufacturers
for their Macro lenses. While the
initial list included Sigma also, the
representative for the company
politely informed us that they did
116
Smart Photography September 2014
not have any macro lens available
in India. So here we are comparing
the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro
IS USM, Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L
Macro USM, Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8
Di VC USD, and Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di.
Design and Build Quality
The Canon lenses are heavier and
better built than both the Tamrons.
The Canon 180mm has metal
exteriors, while the other three are
made of polycarbonate materials on
the exterior. The 180mm is also the
best built lens in the lot. But being
the older one amongst the three, it
lacks the rubber weather-sealing ring
near the lens mount. The Tamron
90mm non-VC lens also lacks this
rubber ring. All the lenses have metal
lens mounts. The Tamron 90mm VC
www.smartphotography.in
(since both the Tamrons have nearidentical designations, we would
use VC or non-VC to distinguish
between the two) is the third in
weight.
Key Features
The following table will give you
an idea of how the key features are
matched. Both the Canon 100mm
and the Tamron 90mm VC feature
image stabilisation in the form of IS
(Image Stabilisation) in the Canon
and VC (Vibration Correction) in
the Tamron. The Canon 180mm
offers the longest working distance,
while the Tamron 90mm non-VC
offers the shortest working distance.
Both the Canons feature Ring-Type
Ultrasonic Motors (USM), while
the Tamron 90mm VC features
Ultrasonic Silent Drive. The Tamron
90mm non-VC does not feature any
high-speed motor. Both the Tamrons
carry identical specifications of their
Nikon mount versions, except that
all of these Canon mount lenses
(including the Canon lenses) have a
fixed minimum aperture of f/32 (the
Nikon system allowed the lenses to
go beyond f/32, limited only by the
lens specifications).
Feature
Canon EF 100mm
f/2.8L Macro
IS USM
67mm
Filter Size (Dia)
Magnification ratio 1:1
Max. Aperture
F/2.8
Min. Aperure
F/32
Image stabilisation No
High-speed motor Yes,
Ring-Type USM
Diaphragm blades 9
No. of Elements
15
No. of Groups
12
Special Elements
NA
Special Coatings
NA
Min. Focus distance 30m
Working distance 14cm
Max. Diameter
77.7mm
Min. Length
123mm
Max. Length
123mm
Weight
625g
Accessories
Lens Hood,
Pouch
www.smartphotography.in
Ergonomics
Performance
Now let us check the comfort
factor in using these lenses. The
180mm is the heaviest at 1090g,
followed by the Canon 100m at
625g. Holding the 180mm in the
hand is quite strenuous and you
would require a tripod most of the
time. Canon has included a tripod
mount ring (tripod collar) with
the lens so that I balances well on
the tripod. The Canon 100mm has
a slightly tapering design, which
makes it comfortable to hold. The
Tamron 90mm VC lens is slighly
bulkier at the gripping position,
though it is lighter than the Canon
100mm. The Tamron 90mm nonVC has the least circumference,
and has a nice push-pull type
AF/MF switch, but the lack of
internal focussing makes the lens
barrel extend considerably during
focussing. All the lenses feature
focus limiter switches, enabling
faster focus both in AF as well as
MF modes. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens has the best grip on the
focussing ring followed by the
Tamron 90mm non-VC. Both the
Canons are equal when it comes to
the grips.
The lenses were tested on a Canon 6D
body (full-frame) and the images were
captured in JPEG format to keep the
consistency with internal sharpening
applied. IS/VC was turned off and
the camera was mounted on a sturdy
tripod.
Canon EF 180mm
f/3.5L Macro
USM
72mm
1:1
F/3.5
F/32
Yes, IS
Yes,
Ring-Type USM
8
14
12
NA
NA
48cm
25cm
82.5mm
186.6mm
186.6mm
1090g
Lens Hood, Tripod
Collar, Pouch
AF Speed
All lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC feature high-speed motors.
With the focus limiter switch set to
‘Full’, both the Canon 100mm and the
Tamron 90mm VC focussed equally
fast. The Tamron 90mm non-VC was
slightly slow and noisy. The Canon
180mm was slow in slight low-light
situations probably due to the slower
maximum aperture. However, it
focussed fast in bright light and also
when the focus was limited to 1.5m
to infinity.
Tamron SP 90mm Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
f/2.8 Di
58mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/32
Yes, VC
Yes, USD
55mm
1:1
F/2.8
F/32
No
No
9
14
11
2 x XLD, 1 x LD
eBand coating
30cm
13.9cm
76.4mm
114.5mm
114.5mm
550g
Lens Hood
9
10
9
NA
NA
29cm
10.6cm
71.5mm
97mm
163mm
405g
Lens Hood, Pouch
Darkening of Corners
To test Darkening of corners, we
kept the Peripheral Illumination
Correction feature in the camera
enabled so that we could pick the
best performance of the lenses.
All the lenses were tested at their
widest aperture. All lenses exhibited
Darkening of Corners at different
levels. The Canon 100mm and the
Tamron 90mm non-VC controlled
darkening very well, with the Tamron
leading the pack. The Tamron 90mm
VC lens followed the Canon 100mm
and the Canon 180mm came last.
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.
Chromatic aberration control in
the camera was enabled. All the
lenses except the Tamron 90mm
VC controlled flare very well. While
the Canon 180mm was free of any
Chromatic Aberration, the Canon
100mm and the Tamron 90mm
VC produced very slight magenta
fringing. The Tamron 90mm non-VC
lens produced heavy purple fringing.
September 2014 Smart Photography
117
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
CANON EF 100MM F/2.8L MACRO IS USM
118
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
CANON EF 180MM F/3.5L MACRO USM
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
119
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 DI VC USD
120
Smart Photography September 2014
www.smartphotography.in
Aperture:f/8.0; Shutter Speed: 0.3sec; ISO:100
TAMRON SP 90MM F/2.8 Di
www.smartphotography.in
September 2014 Smart Photography
121
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Macro lenses for Canon Full-Frame cameras
Distortion
We did not observe any distortion in
any of the lenses, 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 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-of-field
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 lenses
had their sweet spots at f/8. All the
lenses except the Tamron 90mm
non-VC gave the sharpest results
from f/8 to f/16. The Tamron 90mm
non-VC reproduced the sharpest
images from f/5.6 to f/11. After the
sweet spots were determined, we
compared the images with 1:1 and
a slightly less magnification so that
the effect of shallow depth-of-field
could be minimised. The results are
summarised in the final table.
Value for Money
The Canon 100mm retails at an
MRP of Rs.65,995, while the Canon
180mm carries a price tag of
Rs.104,995. 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
As we said in the last issue, choosing
a specialist lens is no mean feat. For
photographers doing professional work,
image quality and working distance are
more important than the price of the lens,
while amateurs are more concerned about
the price. This review provides the complete
data that can be used by both amateurs
and professionals. 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 from piece to piece. Overall, the
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD wins
this test, mostly due to the pricing.
122
Smart Photography September 2014
CANON EF 100MM
F/2.8L MACRO IS USM
FINAL SCORE
76%
CANON EF 180MM
F/3.5L MACRO USM
FINAL SCORE
65%
Design and Build Quality 16/20
Design and Build Quality 18/20
Key Features
15/20
Key Features
12/20
Ergonomics
18/20
Ergonomics
13/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
Value for Money
Total
r
Wi n n e
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 DI VC USD
FINAL SCORE
5/5
4/5
4/5
5/5
2/5
20/25
7/15
76/100
81%
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
Sub-Total
3/5
2/5
5/5
5/5
3/5
18/25
Value for Money
Total
4/15
65/100
r-up
Ru n n e
TAMRON SP 90MM
F/2.8 Di
FINAL SCORE
78%
Design and Build Quality 15/20
Design and Build Quality 14/20
Key Features
17/20
Key Features
14/20
Ergonomics
16/20
Ergonomics
15/20
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
5/5
3/5
3/5
5/5
5/5
Performance
Autofocus and
Burst Shooting
Darkening
of Corners
Flare and
Chromatic Aberration
Distortion
Sharpness
3/5
5/5
2/5
5/5
5/5
Sub-Total
21/25
Sub-Total
20/25
Value for Money
12/15
Value for Money
15/15
Total
81/100
Total
78/100
www.smartphotography.in
We, at Smart Photography, are dedicated to guide you at every stage of your
photography career and help you make informed choices. And this dedication is
what makes us stand out from the rest of the pack!
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MONITOR Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
Gearing up for
Challenge
Sujith Gopinath
P
ofessional graphic monitors
are a class apart, and most of
them are so specialised that
the brand names are rarely heard
outside this small professional world.
Graphic-specific monitors can
produce a wide gamut of colours and
can be calibrated accurately using
specialised calibration hardware.
BenQ PG2401 PT joins the highly
competitive world of these colour
specialists.
Design and Build Quality
The PG2401 is a pofessional monitor,
124
Smart Photography September 2014
and is built to feel like a professional
equipment. The outer body is
made of black matte polycarbonate
material. The screen is matte-finished
as in the case of all professional
displays. It features a narrow bezel.
At 7 kg (panel alone), the monitor is
light and easy to relocate. The hood
panels attach seemlessly and are
made of durable material.
Key Features
The PG2401 PT is categorised in the
CAD/CAM monitor series and is
meant for uncompromising high-
` 115,000
Inside the Box
✓ BenQ PG2401 PT monitor
✓ Hood panels (4)
✓ Stand and Base
✓ Power Cable
✓ DVi Cable
www.smartphotography.in
quality works such as graphic design
and photography. The monitor is a
24.1-inch (W) IPS panel with LED
backlighting. It has a maximum
native resolution of 1920 x 1200
pixels. The monitor provides a native
contrast ratio of 1000:1 and Dynamic
Contrast contrast ratio of 20M:1. It
provides a viewing angle of 178°. In
HDMI, the monitor can display 1.07
billion colours from a palette of 4.4
trillion, while a DVI input allows
it to display 16.77 million colours
from 4.4 trillion. It has a wide colour
gamut capable of reproducing 99
percent of Adobe RGB colour space
and 100 percent CMYK colour space.
Colour temperature can be set from
2800 to 9300K. You can either choose
one of the pre-set values or set your
own value from the Custom Mode at
increments of 100K.
The device supports hardware
calibration and the colour
management system is developed by
XRite, one of the leaders in colour
management space. The monitor
allows you to save different colour
profiles and calibration results
and apply them selectively. This
is a very useful feature since there
are individual differences in the
perception of colour. The calibration
software even allows you to preview
how the colours would look when
printed on various types of media
and with different colour spaces.
This allows for better print matching.
This can also help in acquiring G7/
FOGRA/UGRA certification for your
colour lab. Another very important
feature in the calibration software
is that it allows you to check if the
monitor requires re-calibration. This
is important since very frequent
recalibration can affect the efficiency
of colour management because of the
repeated erasing and programming
of data on the EEPROM (memory
module). The 10-bit panel is capable
of reproducing more than a Billion
colours, which in turn facilitates
smooth gradation of colours. The
monitor is also capable of processing
14-bit images, ensuring true natural
shades while processing images.
Input connectors offered are
D-Sub, DVI, HDMI, DP, mDP, and
www.smartphotography.in
Headphone jack. It also features 3
USB connectors — one at the base
along with the other connectors, and
two (USB 3.0) at the side along with
an SD card reader.
The monitor has dimensions of 542.6
x 555.4 x 254mm (without hood) and
weighs 12.4 kg.
Ergonomics
The PG 2401 is quite easy to setup,
the hardest part being the installation
of the hood. The entire equipment
September 2014 Smart Photography
125
MONITOR Review
BenQ PG2401 PT
PLUS
FINAL SCORE
87%
fits in a carton of dimensions 631 x
270 x 520mm. The monitor features
a touch-sensitive control panel with
self-illuminating display. This is
quite responsive and easy to use. The
display can be swivelled 45 degrees
through left and right. Similarly,
it can be tilted from -5 (down) to
20 degrees (up). The height can be
adjusted up to 150mm. The PG2401
PT has a wide viewing angle of up to
178 degrees, but we wouldn’t advise
you to view the images from the sides
when you are working on a project.
What differentiates BenQ from
other similar models is that they
have a professional team from Bodhi
Professional Services, who are ready
to help you will any technical issues
including calibration.
if you move the entire unit around,
and the ambient light does not alter
much.
Performance
Value for Money
VERDICT
The PG2401 performed very well
during our tests. The calibration and
setup was done by the personnel
from Bodhi Professional Solutions
P Ltd, who are the distributors and
service partners for BenQ. The
calibration is fast (this depends
on the hardware configuration of
your computer) and easy. Since
the calibration is done from the
hardware, it remains unaltered even
The BenQ PG2401 PT retails at
an MRP of Rs.115,000, but you
probably can get a good discount.
You cannot compare this price
to that of an ordinary monitor,
but this monitor is no ordinary
one. Hardcore graphic monitors
are priced similar to this, and a
hardware calibrated one is certainly
expensive. So this is fair pricing for
this device.
The BenQ PG2401 PT is one of the top
models for high-quality graphic design and
professional photo editing works. If you are
looking at uncompromising quality and the
ability to match the colours to a wide range
of printing presses and output media, we
would strongly recommend the PG2401
PT. Combined with prompt service, the
monitor is certainly a Best Buy.
Though we did not compare it with
other similar monitors side-byside, we checked the uniformity
of images from edge to edge and
corner to corner. To eliminate any
chance of error, we enlarged a small
portion from an image captured
with a high-end D-SLR and
duplicated the image multiple times
so that it filled the entire screen.
Then we checked (visually) for any
perceptible change in sharpness,
colour, and light intensity, signs of
distortion and darkening of corners.
We did not notice any of the abovementioned flaws in the display.
• Hardware
calibrated
• Wide range
of print
matching
options
• Professional
service
• Impressive
performance
Design and Build Quality 18/20
MINUS
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
17/20
Performance
18/20
Value for Money
16/10
• None
observed
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Screen Size
: 24.1”W
Resolution (max.) : 1920 x 1200
Pixel Pitch (mm) : 0.27
Brightness ( typ.) : 350 cd/m²
Native Contrast ( typ. ) : 1000:1
DCR (Dynamic
Contrast Ratio) (typ.) : 20M:1
Panel Type
: IPS
Viewing Angle
(L/R;U/D) (CR>=10) : 178°/178°
Response Time(Tr+Tf) typ.
:
12ms, 5ms (GTG)
Display Colors
: DisplayPort, HDMI: 1.07 billion from a palette
of 4.4 trillion Dvi, D-sub: 16.77 million from a
palette of 4.4 trillion
Color Gamut
: 99% Adobe RGB
Input Connector : D-Sub / DVI / HDMI / DP / mDP/ Headphone jack
CTN Dimensions : 631 x 270 x 520 (HxWxD mm)
Dimensions
: 542.6 x 555.4 x 254 (without hood) (HxWxD mm)
Dimensions with
Wall Mount
: 365.5 x 555.4 x 74.6 (without hood) (HxWxD mm)
Net Weight (kg)
: 7 (without hood)
Gross Weight (kg) : 12.4
126
Smart Photography September 2014
Windows® 7 Compatible : Yes
HDCP
: Yes
Colour Temperature : 2800°K/3700°K/5000°K/5500°K/6500°K/7500°K/8
200°K/9300°K/Custom Mode (increment by 100°K)
OSD Language
: 17 languages
VESA Wall Mounting : 100 x 100mm
Swivel (left/right) : -45°/45°
Speaker
: No
USB Hub
: Yes, USB 3.0 (2 x downstream, 1 x upstream)
Tilt (down/up)
: -5°/20°
Pivot
: Yes
Height Adjustment (mm) : 150mm
Other Features
: 14 bits 3D LUT / HW calibration / Delta E≤2 (avg)/G7
certification / Fogra certification/ Brightness Uniformity /
Card reader
3D
: No
Regulations
: TCO 6.0
Power Consumption
(On mode)
: 74.6 W
Power Consumption
(Off mode)
: Built-in
(Power saving mode) 0.5W
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
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RS.125
INTERVIEW
SURAJ DAS
LEARNING: STAR TRAIL
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REVIEWED
PENTAX K30
INTERVIEWS
KAUSHIK BHATIA
VINCENT VERSACE
Canon EOS 70D
EXPERT TECHNIQUES
PHOTOGRAPHING PETS
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH BABIES
BASIC TIPS FOR
WONDERFUL
MACROS
For the very best techniques, advice and images from the world of photography,
look no further than Smart Photography magazine - India’s biggest photography
magazine.
Pentax K-50
WEDDING SPECIAL
VINAYAK DAS AND SNIGDHA SHEEL
NIKLESH MALKANI
ANAND RATHI AND ABHINAV SAH
INTERVIEW
KIRAN POONACHA
ALL ABOUT
MIRRORLESS
CAMERAS
TRAVEL
FEATURE
VARANASI
TUTORIAL: EXPOSURE EXPOSED
●
LEGAL MATTERS
SENIOR ADVOCATE
ADHIK SHIRODKAR SPEAKS
SOFTWARE PREVIEW: PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE CLOUD ● PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUE: SHOOTING ALBUM COVERS
From reviews on SLRs, Compacts and Smartphones to advice and tips on
photography techniques, Smart Photography Magazine promises to provide you
with EVERYTHING you require to capture the best possible shots.
Smart Photography Magazine is the perfect read for anyone wanting to get more
from their camera. It teaches you all the camera skills you need, inspires creativity,
and keeps you informed of the latest photo gear launches.
Smart Photography Magazine is the first choice for photographers looking to take
better pictures and enhance their images. With easy-to-follow projects, tips and
techniques, you can learn new photo and imaging skills the smart way.
TUTORIAL
HIGHLIGHT WARNING AND HISTOGRAM
ALSO REVIEWED
OLYMPUS 45MM F/1.8 MSC
SIGMA 18-35MM F/1.8 DC HSM
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City
COMPACT Review
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
Trimmed to perfection
Sujith Gopinath
T
he Sony RX-series consists
of compact cameras with
professional specifications.
The RX100 and the RX100 II
impressed us with their fast lenses
and larger-than-normal sensors.
The 20.1-megapixel RX100 III is
an improvement on these, mainly
characterised by a built-in EVF
and fast f/2.8 aperture at the
telephoto end. Here is our opinion
after taking the RX100 for a spin.
Design and Build Quality
Sony’s RX-series is known for
its robust build quality, and the
RX100 III is no exception. It
carries the same design as that
of its predecessors, except for
the built-in pop-up electronic
viewfinder. Having said that, the
LCD of theRX100 III carries the
same weakness too—a connecting
128
Smart Photography September 2014
cable that is exposed at the hinges
of the LCD. The camera has a mix
of metal and engineering plastic. It
features a metal tripod receptacle.
The lens has a two-segment
construction.
Key Features
The 20.1 megapixel Sony RX100 III
uses a 1-inch Type (13.2 x 8.8mm)
Exmor R Back-side Illuminated
(BSI) CMOS sensor. Combined
with a BIONZ X image processor,
the camera is expected to deliver
superior results in terms of speed
and low-light shooting. The camera
features a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 2470mm f/1.8-2.8 lens incorporating
Optical Image Stabilisation. The
lens is constructed with 10 elements
in 9 groups, including one double
aspherical element (combination
of two aspherical elements). This
` 54,990
Inside the Box
✓ Camera
✓ Rechargeable Battery Pack(NP-BX1)
✓ AC Adaptor (AC-UB10C/UB10D)
✓ Micro USB cable
✓ Wrist Strap
✓ Strap Adaptor
✓ Instruction Manual
✓ AC Power Cord
www.smartphotography.in
Mahesh Reddy
Aperture: f/4.0 Shutter Speed: 1/60sec . ISO:100
lens carries the most important
improvement over the RX100 II,
which featured a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
lens. With a fast aperture of f/2.8
at the telephoto end, you will have
a better control on lighting with
the RX 100 III. The total aperture
at the wide-angle end is f/1.8 to
11, while that at the telephoto end
is f/2.8 to 11. Another important
improvement on the RX100 III is the
built-in retractable 0.39-inch OLED
electronic viewfinder with 1,440,000
dots. The main screen is a 3.0-inch,
1,228,800-dot Xtra Fine TFT LCD,
which can be tilted up to 180 degree
upward and 45 degree downward.
The RX100 features four focus
modes — Direct Manual,
Manual, Single-shot AF (AF-S),
and Continuous AF (AF-C). If
you are wondering what Direct
Manual mode is, it allows you
www.smartphotography.in
to manually fine-tune focus
after autofocussing. The camera
features the usual three metering
modes — Multi-pattern, Centreweighted, and Spot. Exposure can
be compensated up to +/-3 EV
in 1/3-EV steps. ISO sensitivity
ranges from ISO 125 to 12,800
(expandable to ISO 80 and 100).
The RX100 III allows you to set
upper and lower limits for the
sensitivity. Shutter speeds range
from 30 to 1/2000 sec along
with Bulb option. White Balance
options are Auto, Daylight, Shade,
Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
(Warm White, Cool White, Day
White, Daylight), Flash, Custom
Temperature/Filter, and Custom.
Self-timer can be set to 10 or 2
sec and when it is set at 10 sec,
the camera allows you to shoot
either 3 or 5 consecutive shots.
Still images are recorded in JPEG
format with a maximum size of
5472 x 3648 pixels, whereas videos
are recorded in AVCHD format
with the best quality option of
1920 x 1080 at 50p, 50i, or 25p
frame rate.
The built-in flash has a range of
approximately 0.4 to 10.2m at the
wide-angle end and approximately
0.4m to 6.5m at the telephoto end
when the ISO is set to Auto. Flash
modes available are Auto, Flash
On, Slow Synchro, Rear Sync, and
Flash Off. The camera sports Face
Detection and can detect up to
eight faces. You can select each
face in a photograph and set the
camera to memorise the faces.
Shooting modes available are
Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto,
Program (P), Program shift (P*),
Shutter Priority (S), Aperture
Priority (A), Movie, Panorama,
September 2014 Smart Photography
129
COMPACT Review
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III
NOISE
ISO 100
ISO 400
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
Macro, and Sunset. The camera
offers Picture Effects such as HDR
Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome,
Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop
Colour, Partial Colour, Soft Highkey, Water Colour, Posterization,
Retro Photo, Soft Focus, High
Contrast Monochrome, and
Illustration.
Sharpness
Aperture: f/11.0
Shutter Speed: 1/8sec. ISO:100
The RX100 III can shoot
continuously at up to 10 frames
per second. The camera is powered
by a 1240 mAh Li-ion battery
(supplied). The RX100 III weighs
approximately 290g with battery
and Memory Stick Duo, and
has dimensions of 101.6 x 58.1
x41mm.
Ergonomics
Scene Selection, and Manual (M).
Scene Selection mode provides
options of High Sensitivity, Night
Scene, Night Portrait, Portrait,
Landscape, Fireworks, Gourmet,
Pet, Handheld Twilight, Anti
Motion Blur, Sports Action,
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Smart Photography September 2014
The RX100 III has a small body,
but it is does not fit in your pocket.
The camera is easy to use and has
an intuitive interface. The controls
are small, but we cannot complain
since it is a small compromise
for a few better things. We are
advocates of the viewfinder and
hence the pop-up EVF is a welcome
step, though we do not expect
many people to use it. There is
no doubt that the tiny EVF is a
little cumbersome to use, but it
would certainly help in low-light
situations to eliminate camera
shake. Again, to make things
simpler, propping up the viewfinder
will switch on the camera.
Images on the LCD appeared crisp
and the information display was
legible. The tiny built-in flash
springs up violently like a striking
viper, but the metal hinges are
strong enough to hold it in place.
Performance
Sony cameras are known to be high
performers amongst compacts,
and the RX100 III surely has a
reputation to keep. Autofocus
was fast and precise even under
low light conditions. Images were
sharp throughout the zoom range.
Probably, this was the reason why
Sony has reduced the zoom range
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slightly from the RX100 II, since
very high zoom ranges have the
tendency to provide soft images at
the telephoto end. If it is so, then
Sony has removed a major blot any
high-zoom compact would have in
an honest reviewer’s diary. Metering
was perfect (by visual inspection)
with all modes performing as
expected. White Balance (both preset as well as Auto) performed well,
especially under natural lighting
(Daylight and Shade). Artificial
light sources left their distinct casts,
but these were easily removable in
post-processing.
VERDICT
The Sony RX100 III
is certainly a highperforming compact with
a fast 24-70mm lens. You
can consider this camera
if you are looking for an
unobtrusive camera that
can provide good images
even at low-light situations.
However, the price could
be a deterrent unless you
get a good discount from
the dealer.
Native image size was 18.24
x 12.16 inches at 300 ppi. At
25 percent of the screen size,
images were noise-free up to
ISO 3200. Slight noise was
observed at ISO 6400 and
12,800. Images were perfectly
usable throughout the ISO
range. Viewed at 50 percent,
slight noise was observed from
ISO 1600 onwards. The images
were perfectly usable up to
ISO 3200. Enlarged to 100
percent, we observed slight
noise from ISO 400, but the
images could be used up to
ISO 1600. We consider this
very good control of noise for a
compact camera.
The camera produced slight
(almost imperceptible) barrel
distortion throughout the zoom
range. Prominent flare was
observed at the wide-angle end
at wide-open aperture, but we
did not observe any Chromatic
Aberration. We observed
strange darkening of the
centre and light corners at the
wide-angle end at wide-open
aperture, probably because of
an overacting in-built vignette
control system.
PLUS
• Fast Lens
• Excellent
build quality
• Built-in
EVF
• Good noise
control
• Sharp
images
FINAL SCORE
82%
Design and Build Quality 17/20
Key Features
18/20
Ergonomics
16/20
Performance
Autofocus
Metering
Noise Control
Sharpness
LCD/EVF
Auto W/B
Sub-Total
Value for Money
MINUS
5/5
5/5
4/5
4/5
3/5
4/5
25/30
6/10
Value for Money
• Slippery body The RX100 III retails at an MRP of
• EVF too
Rs.54,990. For a compact camera
small
with a 24-70mm lens, this is
certainly high.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Image Sensor Type :
Sensor Size
:
Effective Pixels
:
Lens
:
Lens Construction :
Screen Size
:
Adjustable Angle
:
Brightness Setting
:
Viewfinder Size
:
Number Of Dots
:
Imaging Processor :
Image Stabilizer System :
Focus Modes
:
Light Metering
:
Exposure Compensation :
ISO Sensitivity
:
White Balance
:
Shutter Speed
:
Exmor R CMOS
1.0-type (13.2mm x 8.8mm)
Approx. 20.1 Million
ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
10 elements in 9 groups (9 aspheric elements including one AA)
3.0 inch, 1,228,800 dot Xtra Fine/ TFT LCD
adjusts up 180°/ down 45° (approx.)
Auto/ Manual(5 steps)/ Sunny Weather
0.39-type retractable electronic viewfinder (OLED)
1,440,000
BIONZ X
Optical SteadyShot
Direct Manual, Manual, Single-shot AF (AF-S),
Continuous AF (AF-C)
Multi Pattern, Centre-Weighted, Spot
+/- 3.0EV, 1/3EV step
Auto (ISO125-12800, selectable with upper/ lower limit),
125 to 12800 (Extendable to ISO80/ 100)
Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent
(Warm White, Cool White, Day White, Daylight), Flash,
Custom Temperature/Filter, Custom
Bulb, 30 – 1/2000s
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Self-Timer
: Off, 10sec., 2sec. (3 or 5 consecutive shots with
10sec. delay selectable)
Flash Range
: ISO Auto: Approx. 0.4m to 10.2m(W), Approx. 0.4m to 6.5m(T)
Auto Macro
: Yes
Aperture
: f/1.8 to f/11(W), f/2.8-f/11 (T)
Face Detection
: Yes, up to 8 faces
Face Selection
: Yes(Key, Selected-face Memory)
Shooting modes
: Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Program
(P, Program shift available), Shutter Priority (S),
Aperture Priority (A), Movie, Panorama, Scene
Selection, Manual (M)
Scene selection
: High Sensitivity, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Portrait,
Landscape, Fireworks, Gourmet, Pet, Handheld Twilight,
Anti Motion Blur, Sports Action, Macro, Sunset
Recording Media
: Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO HG Duo, SD/SDHC/SDXC
Max image size
: 5,472×3,648 pixels
Best video quality
: AVCHD - 1,920 X 1,080/50p/50i/25p
Burst Speed (Maximum) : Speed Priority Continuous Shooting: approx. 10 fps,
Built-In Flash type : Manual pop-up
Power source
: 1240mAh Li-ion battery (supplied)
Dimensions
: Approx. 101.6 x 58.1 x 41 mm (W x H x D)
Weight
: Approx. 290g (with battery and Memory Stick Duo)
September 2014 Smart Photography
131
STUDIO
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
MINILAB
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
ALBUMS
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
STUDIO
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
MINILAB
ALBUMS
ALBUMS
EXHIBITION
PHOTO PRODUCT AND ACCESSORIES
TIDBITS
Market Trends
in Japan
H. S. Billimoria
Digital Cameras
Canon
Nikon
Sony
Olympus
Fuji
he latest
information Others
to hit the
market is that
Samsung’s profits Memory Cards
SanDisk
were down for a
third quarter in a Toshiba
row for the three
Transcend Infor
months to June
Panasonic
2014. Following
slack sales of
Lexer Media
Smartphones,
Others
Apple’s profits
were also down
PCs
but not to the
same extent.
Lenovo/NEC
Samsung suffered Fujitsu
because it was
squeezed from the Toshiba
top by Apple and DELL
from the bottom
HP Japan
by cut price
Others
Smartphones from
companies
like Xiaomi.
Inkjet Printers
Seiko Epson
At one time,
Canon
most trends
Brother Ind
in consumer
electronics and
HP Japan
imaging started
Ricoh
in Japan. Let us
see how imaging Others
T
and other allied
products fared
in 2013 in the
Japanese market.
162
Smart Photography September 2014
% Up/Down
23.9 (2.1)
20.7 (3.4)
17.5 (1.3)
11.2 (0.1)
9.5
17.2
-
Camcorders
Sony
Panasonic
JVC/Kenwood
Canon
Others
% Up/Down
39.3 (0.3)
29.0 (6.1)
27.7 (-2.1)
4.0 (-4.6)
0.0
-
% Up/Down
18.0 (5.8)
14.5 (5.1)
11.6 (0.8)
8.0 (-5.1)
7.0 (8.9)
40.9
-
Flat-Panel TVs
Sharp
Toshiba
Panasonic
Sony
Orion
Others
% Up/Down
39.0 (3.8)
20.4 (0.9)
19.1 (-1.5)
8.6 (-3.0)
3.4
(2.6)
9.5
-
% Up/Down
25.8 (0.3)
18.6 (1.1)
12.1 (-0.7)
10.7 (2.3)
10.1 (0.8)
22.7
-
Computer Game
Console
% Up/Down
Nintendo
65.1 (-5.52)
Sony CE
34.7 (5.9)
Microsoft
0.2 (-0.4)
% Up/Down
41.7 (-2.7)
40.0 (0.0)
10.8 (1.7)
6.8 (0.8)
0.7 (0.1)
0.0
-
Blu-ray
Disc Recorder
Panasonic
Sony
Sharp
Toshiba
Others
% Up/Down
33.0
25.0
24.6
17.0
0.4
(3.5)
(3.4)
(-2.0)
(-3.8)
-
What will the 2014 figures look
like? With the industry in a tizzy,
who would dare to predict?
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