Fujifilm X-Tss3c0

Saturday 18 May 2019

amera
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MIRRORLESS SPECIAL
Passionate about photography since 1884

Go mirrorless
Ditch the DSLR Photographers who have
made the switch share their advice and tips

Marriage
made in
All systems go heaven
8 photographers
tell us which
mirrorless system
Why mirrorless is
ideal for wedding
photography
they use and why

Top benefits
The key mirrorless
functions DSLR users
are missing out on

PLUS Harry Borden on Damien Hirst ● Sony Alpha 9 Autofocus reinvented

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 7days
A week in photography
COVER PICTURE © ANDREW SyDENHAM

The mirrorless revolution has of mirrorless, and ask eight top photographers
been THE big hardware story to share their experiences of changing systems.
of the past few years and it has And if you think decent mirrorless systems are
not played out yet, with plenty still relatively expensive, check out our review
of new cameras as well as of the Fujifilm X-T30, for under £1,000. Even
In this issue exciting firmware updates for existing gear. if you are happy to stick with your DSLR
16 The magic of There are still a lot of mirrorless sceptics out system, there is plenty of interest in this issue,
mirrorless there, however, or people who are just cautious including a fascinating portrait project by
Angela Nicholson takes a about trading in their DSLRs. So in this Carolyn Mendelsohn.
look at the advantages of special issue, we explore the many benefits Nigel Atherton, Editor
today’s mirrorless systems
23 The move to Join us amateurphotographer. Facebook.com/Amateur. flickr.com/groups/ amateurphotographer
online co.uk photographer.magazine amateurphotographer @AP_Magazine magazine
mirrorless
Eight photographers
discuss their reasons for
switching camera systems online picture of the week
34 When Harry met...
© RUPINDER kHURAl

Damien Hirst proved to be Crocuses

a unique subject by Rupinder
36 Home truths Khural
A look at the hard-hitting Nikon D850, 300mm,
work of John Bolloten 1/500sec at f/4, ISO 125
38 Tying the knot This spring scene of crocuses
with mirrorless was uploaded to instagram
Two wedding photographers using the hashtag
explain their choice to use #appicoftheweek. it was taken
mirrorless professionally by photographer Rupinder
Khural. she tells us, ‘i love
44 Young and strong
taking photos of flowers. One
Carolyn Mendelsohn tells of the main things i consider
us about her portraits of when shooting nature is how
girls aged 10-12 the background will look and
48 Lightcelebrations how to frame my subject. i was
The Rotolight NEO 2 suits drawn to this patch of crocuses
this wedding photographer as they looked really beautiful
under the pink shade of some
50 Join the club nearby magnolia trees. The
IMAGES MAy BE USED FOR PROMOT ON PURPOSES ONlINE AND ON SOCIAl MED A

We get to know all about sun was shining and i wanted

Stratford Photo Group to capture a little backlight
in the petals so i laid down
52 Mirrorless made
on the muddy ground and
easy by MPB
focused on one flower in the
MPB recommends a foreground. i was very pleased
switch to mirrorless with the end result.’
54 Fujifilm X-T30
Michael Topham is
suitably impressed
60 Focused
*PlEASE AllOW UP TO 28 DAyS FOR DElIVERy

intelligence
Andy Westlake tests the
Alpha 9 firmware update Win! Each week we choose our favourite picture on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr,
Twitter or the reader gallery using #appicoftheweek. PermaJet proudly supports
the online picture of the week winner, who will receive a top-quality print of their image on
Regulars the finest PermaJet paper*. It is important to bring images to life outside the digital sphere,
3 7 days so we encourage everyone to get printing today! Visit www.permajet.com to learn more.
12 Inbox
14 Reader Portfolio
64 Accessories send us your pictures If you’d like to see your work published in Amateur Photographer, here’s how to send us your images:
Email Email a selection of low-res images (up to 5MB of attachments in total) to appicturedesk@ti-media.com.
67 Tech Talk CD/DVD Send us a disc of high-resolution JPEG, TIFF or PSD images (at least 2480 pixels along its longest length), with a contact sheet, to the address on page 12.
82 Final Analysis Via our online communities Post your pictures into our Flickr group, Facebook page, Twitter feed, or the gallery on our website. See details above.
 NEWS ROUND-UP
The week in brief, edited by Geoff Harris

EOS R now has Eye-detection Servo AF

Canon has updated the firmware for its EOS R full-frame
mirrorless camera. Version 1.2.0 enables eye detection when using
the Servo AF or Movie Servo AF settings. Sony already offers
a similar feature and Nikon is expected to offer it soon for its
Z series via a firmware update. There are also other minor
improvements in Canon’s firmware tweak. See bit.ly/eosrfirmware.

New Olympus ambassador

Marcus Clackson, a London-based shooter specialising in design,
advertising and editorial photography, has been named an Olympus
Commercial Ambassador. Marcus has been acting as the Macro
Ambassador for four years, and this new category ‘has been
created to enable a new focus to better align with his specialism,’
said the company. See his work at www.marcusclackson.co.uk.

Budget 85mm prime

lens for Sony FE
Accessory maker Viltrox has
© CHR STOPHER ROCHE

released a fast prime designed

for Sony’s full-frame mirrorless
FE-mount cameras such as
the Sony A7 III. The Viltrox
Roche on PFU RBMH 85mm f/1.8 offers
© RORY DOYLE UN TED STATES OF AMER CA W NNER ZE SS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

If you get your skates on, there
is still time to check out an
exhibition on world religions by
acclaimed travel photographer
Christopher Roche, at the h
Club in London. ‘Devotion’ runs
from 14-19 May and features
ancient traditions, everything
from the Buddhist monasteries
of Tibet to the rock-hewn
churches of Ethiopia, and
from the dervishes of Iranian
STM (stepping motor) AF,
10 elements in seven groups
and an extra-low dispersion
lens element. UK price to be
confirmed, but it’s available for
pre-order from US retailer B&H
for $379, so we’d expect it to
be around the £380 mark.

BIG
Kurdistan to the burning Ghats
of India and the animists of the Overall winner of 2019 Zeiss
Peruvian Andes. See hclub.com.
Photography Award announced

picture
THE 2019 Zeiss Photography Award has
Major sports photo auction been won by America’s Rory Doyle. Chosen
Chiswick Auctions is to auction some superb images by legendary from some 58,000 images submitted by
sports photographer Chris Smith. Smith, who has captured some photographers in 150 countries, his series,
of the top sports figures during his long career, strives to capture entitled Delta Hill Riders, depicts some of the
their character; one of his shots is of Muhammad Ali (then Cassius African-Americans who work as cowboys
Clay) meeting the Beatles in 1964. It is estimated to fetch £3,000- and cowboys in the rural Mississippi Delta.
£5,000 at the auction on 16 May. See chiswickauctions.co.uk.

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 1060
SOURCE: LOWELL OBSERVATORY

It is estimated that after the American Civil

War (1861-65) one in four cowboys were Words & numbers
African American, yet in popular accounts
they are barely represented. Doyle says, ‘The I keep in touch with younger
project is a counter-narrative to the often-
negative portrayal of African Americans.’ photographers. It’s important a younger
The number of hours
He wins t12,000 worth of Zeiss lenses, generation comes up and questions the French astrophotographers
t3,000 to cover travel costs for a photo took to photograph the Large
project, and the chance to work with Zeiss
assumptions made by old farts like me Magellanic Cloud. The images
and the World Photography Organisation. Martin Parr were stitched together.
See bit.ly/frenchastrocloud
British documentary photographer

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 © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JOHN MALLEY

Enter an image like this into the National Trust’s

contest and it could get on the NT handbook
Scores of AP

National Trust seeks image readers enjoyed

viewing the winning

for handbook
WPOTY images

X
FOR THE fourth year running, the
National Trust is looking for a cover
image for its latest handbook, the 2020
AP and Panasonic give
edition, which also marks its 125th
anniversary. Both amateur and professional
photographers are invited to enter the
readers a ‘wild’ time
competition, which is themed ‘places that AP READERS who she explained. ‘It’s a big
make you feel good’. snapped up tickets in time responsibility as careers have
According to the NT, the organisers are recently attended a private been made through this
looking for images that reflect the impact viewing of the Wildlife competition… the judges
that the beautiful places in their care have Photographer of the Year don’t find out who the
on people’s well-being. Suggestions include (WPOTY) exhibition at the photographers are until the
‘a photo of your friends catching their breath Natural History Museum, in awards night.’ Finalists must
after a hill walk or the childlike glee of partnership with Panasonic supply the original raw files,
someone jumping in a puddle’. Lumix. Guests enjoyed the which are carefully scrutinised
The NT’s five million members will see stunning winning images after for signs of digital
X
the image on the handbook, and the introductory talks by AP editor manipulation and ‘truth to AP editor Nigel Atherton (centre)
competition runs until 23:59 on 1 Nigel Atherton, Panasonic nature’ (this is fully explained at AP’s WPOTY reader event
September 2019. The winners will be Lumix UK’s Mike Owen, and in the rules). ‘So if you are
announced in November. Last year’s winning the chair of the jury for the thinking of entering, read the Attendees were invited to
handbook image was taken by Ed Silvester, awards, Roz Kidman Cox OBE. rules carefully,’ Roz contact AP with their thoughts
an NT member who lives in High Wycombe, Roz gave some useful emphasised. ‘Don’t over- on their favourite images,
and showed his 10-year-old son bounding insights into the judging enhance your pictures either. and the best wins a free
over rocks at Prawle Point in Devon. Full process. ‘The shortlisted Finally, get feedback from subscription. The exhibition is
details at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ images are judged over six professional photographers open to the general public
photography-competition. enjoyable but very long days,’ you admire.’ until 30 June.

SheClicks calls for exhibition submissions

© ALASTAIR JENNINGS

WOMEN’S photography group SheClicks

is seeking submissions to an exhibition
taking place at the After Nyne Gallery in
London this September. It’s sponsored by
Olympus, and pictures can be taken by any
kind of camera or mobile phone.

Subscribe to
Founder of SheClicks and AP contributor
Angela Nicholson said, ‘It has been a goal of
mine to have an exhibition of the amazing
photography that I see posted in the SheClicks Organisers of SheClicks are planning an exhibition
Facebook group. It will showcase the breadth,
depth and creativity of women’s photography.’ and will receive a catalogue of the exhibition,
In just a few short months, the Facebook plus their framed print. A jury of 10 women will
group has grown to over 3,000 members. The select the images, including AP’s Features Co-

SAVE 35%
* exhibition will feature 50 images and will run Editor Amy Davies and Technique Co-Editor
from 25 September to 1 October. All those Tracy Calder. Submissions can be entered at
exhibited will be invited to the private viewing photocrowd.com/sheclicks until 30 June.

Visit amateurphotographersubs.co.uk/18AG, or see p56. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
* when you pay by UK Direct Debit

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 Over 80 years of experience in
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we produce, making us the choice
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 The latest and best books and exhibitions
from the world of photography
New York City, 1960
Also out now

© MARTIN PARR/MAGNUM PHOTOS

© DAVE HEATH / COURTESY OF HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORK, AND STEPHEN BULGER GALLERY, TORONTO

EXHIBITION
Only Human: Martin Parr
National Portrait Gallery, London.
Visit www.npg.org.uk
LOVE him or hate him, there’s certainly no doubting
the lasting mark Martin Parr has made on the world of
photography. The National Portrait Gallery’s massive
exhibition is a curious beast. Split across several rooms
divided into different themes, there’s something for
EXHIBITION everyone – both his detractors and his celebrants.

Dave Heath
One of the rooms has a disco ball in it, while smack
bang in the middle of the exhibition is a working café
where you can buy special themed Martin Parr snacks.
He’s nothing if not unusual.
I went into the exhibition expecting not to be blown
away – but I came away from it with a smile on my
Dialogues with Solitudes face. His portraits might not be to everyone’s tastes
but they’re certainly evocative and make you think.

D
A visit to the exhibition is highly worth it – just make
ave Heath was born in They are moments captured during
sure you enter with an open mind. Runs until 27 May
Philadelphia in1931, but a pause, like a breath exhaled, and in
2019. Tickets are £18. Open daily 10am to 6pm/
moved to Canada – where the people who caught his eye, it is
Fridays until 9pm. Amy Davies
he took citizenship – in the clear he saw something of himself. Their
1970s, living there until he died in 2016. At depth and sensitivity is a rarity indeed, and
the age of four, he was abandoned by his they go a long way beyond being simple
parents and passed through several foster street photographs. His first major body of
BOOK
homes before ending up at an orphanage. work, after teaching himself photography London’s Square Mile:
INSET PICTURE: © DAVE HEATH / COURTESY OF HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORK, AND STEPHEN BULGER GALLERY, TORONTO

In his introduction to the 2015 book via a camera club, and working in a
Multitude, Solitude: The Photographs of processing lab, depicted soldiers from the A Secret City
Dave Heath, curator Keith F Davis writes, US Army in Korea, where he had been By Polly Braden, Hoxton Mini Press, hardback,
‘His sense of emotional homelessness was stationed during the war. Obsessed with £17.95, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-910566-44-2
at once a great weight and the power of photography SHOT between 2007 and 2018, the
a motivation – a source of when seen as a sequence photographs in this book by Polly
personal pain and of deep rather than an individual Braden focus on the ‘City within the
philosophical insight… he image, he often blended city’ that is London’s Square Mile. It’s
sought a sense of self in text and image to create the eighth in Hoxton Mini Press’s ‘Tales
the strangers that what is referred to as from the City’ series, which examines
surrounded him.’ a ‘visual poem’. urban photography worldwide.
His black & white images, This is the first exhibition A relatively slim volume, it is packed with images that
on show in the exhibition of Heath’s work in the UK, subtly observe life in this corner of capitalism. There
‘Dialogues with Solitudes’, and is curated by Diane is a ‘middle distance’ to many of the images, which
depict people – individuals, Dufour, director of Le BAL, makes us feel as if we are the observer as much as the
couples, groups – who are Paris – a gallery that’s well photographer is, whether we are looking at a woman
apparently alone despite worth a visit if you happen holding her phone over a hoarding during Margaret
being surrounded by to be in that city. It is one Thatcher’s funeral, or suited men smoking outside
often-frenetic city life of Washington Square, not to be missed. Ailsa a typical juxtaposition of old and new architecture.
Chicago and New York. New York City, 1960 McWhinnie Braden’s observation of colour is keen, and her ability
to make sense of chaotic scenes is enviable. An
Runs until 2 June, The Photographers’ Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW. excellent study of a tiny but globally significant section
Visit www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk of London. ★★★★★ Ailsa McWhinnie

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 Viewpoint In next week’s issue
On sale Tuesday 21 May
Matt Golowczynski

© ANDY FARRER PHOTOGRAPHY

Is size still a priority for mirrorless cameras?
Portability used to be the focus, but the most
recent breeds appear to place performance first

W
© MATT GOLOWCZYNSK
hen mirrorless cameras
first arrived, their main
sell was simple: here’s
a camera that works like
a DSLR but it’s smaller, lighter and more
practical. Some models have been small
enough to fit in the palm of your hand with
a lens attached. But are things now moving
in the opposite direction?
While some of the most recent
full-frame mirrorless cameras are smaller
than their closest equivalent DSLR, others
are about the same size or larger and
heavier. Many of the lenses released for

Coast
these systems have also been larger than
comparable lenses available for DSLR
systems. True, we can only expect The 47.3MP mirrorless Panasonic Lumix S1R
full-frame systems to be so small, but is as large as high-end full-frame DSLRs
even if we look at some of the most
recent Micro Four Thirds cameras – the heavier lenses. Clearly if you’re pitching

to coast
format that championed small size over your system towards a more enthusiast or
everything else – some of the most professional audience, a number of
recent models have been among the compromises have to be made for the
largest cameras in those lines so far. camera to be competitive on the
specification sheet.
Size no longer seems to matter This shift towards higher performance is
There are obviously a handful of perhaps most evident in the new lenses With the weather getting
exceptions, but today, manufacturers are we’ve seen for these systems rather than
far less prolific in the entry-level end of cameras. Canon and Nikon each chose warmer, it’s time to head to
the spectrum than they have been before. the same size or wider lens mounts than
Perhaps because of this, it feels as those designed for DSLRs, and each
the coast for stunning vistas
though we’ve entered a new age in the company has underlined the freedom this

© GEOFF HARRIS
development of mirrorless cameras. While affords lens design. Each has also taken
manufacturers once fought against each the earliest opportunity possible to show
other to create small cameras and off very wide-aperture lenses, cementing
compact lenses, the focus seems to be their appeal towards the more
turning away from miniaturisation and professional end of the market first.
THE V EWS EXPRESSED N TH S COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSAR LY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZ NE OR T MED A L M TED

more towards performance.
There are, after all, many downsides to larger cameras and lenses is likely to start
miniaturisation. Small cameras usually
have small batteries with relatively
unremarkable battery life per charge,
which can be an issue on today’s
power-hungry mirrorless cameras. They
may also not have enough space for two
card slots, which has fast become an
expected feature on cameras above a
The good news is that this trend towards
reversing as manufacturers establish their
more senior offerings and look to make
the process of entering that system easier
for everyone else. Given that neither
Canon, Nikon nor Panasonic has explicitly
stated that their new systems are
full-frame in themselves – more systems I can Z for miles
that only offer full-frame cameras right Geoff Harris puts the Nikon Z 6 through
its paces on his road trip through Japan
CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK S SSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

certain price point. now – the possibility of cameras with

Smaller cameras may not have space smaller sensors beneath these is not only
for a viewfinder, or for heat to dissipate possible, but likely. Master layers in Elements
properly during video recording, and Learn how to use layers for all kinds of
they’re also more likely to struggle to Matt Golowczynski has been testing cameras and creative techniques and effects
provide enough support for longer and writing about photography for the past 12 years.
News of the world
Spotlight on the World Press Photo
Do you have something you’d like to get off your chest? Send us your thoughts in around Awards and 2019’s best photojournalism
500 words to the address on page 12 and win a year’s digital subscription to AP, worth £79.99

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LETTER OF THE WEEK No. 2 Hawkette.
I began my interest in
Deputy Editor Geoff Harris photography back in about

Inspired by AP
Technical Editor Andy Westlake

© GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Reviews Editor Michael Topham 1949 with the old Kodak
Features Editor Amy Davies Brownie Box camera. My
Features Editor Ailsa McWhinnie
Technique Editor Hollie Latham Hucker second camera was the
Acting Technique Editor Tracy Calder
Acting Technique Editor Claire Gillo I wish to concur with the sentiments Ensign Ful-Vue. The
Production Editor Jacqueline Porter of Jeff Wilson (Inbox, 16 March). former used 120 or 620
Chief Sub Editor Jolene Menezes
Art Editor Sarah Foster Having tried to take satisfying film and produced eight
Senior Designer Steph Tebboth photographs since circa 1969 and pictures. The latter, using
Studio Manager Andrew Sydenham
Photo-Science Consultant being a reader of AP on and off these similar film, gave twelve
Professor Robert Newman past 50 years it was AP that came to 2¼ by 2¼ inches pictures.
Office Manager Hollie Bishop
Special thanks to The moderators of the my rescue in July 2018. Sadly my I still have some of these
AP website: Andrew Robertson, lisadb, Nick wife of 40 years died suddenly and Derrick’s display is a bit like this one. He’s pictures in my albums. The
Roberts, The Fat Controller inspired to take more shots to keep it fresh
Advertising
unexpectedly in June 2018. I had Kodak No. 2 Hawkette
Commercial Director Dave Stone changed my very intense active job earth-shattering but it gave me a photo shown in the article
07961 474 548 just five weeks earlier to become a van reason to look out of myself, a focus reminds me of a camera I
Senior Account Manager Samuel Shaw
07970 615 618 driver delivering car parts to local and a direction – and the process of had just prior to going into
Production Coordinator Chris Gozzett
0203 148 2694 garages. Spending all day with little holding the end result was joyous. the Army in 1953 as a
Marketing other than the driving to distract me, I have a local print shop (Hinckley regular soldier. It looks very
Head of Marketing Samantha Blakey I was aware that I could easily become Photo Centre) where Claire has much like what was called
Publishing team absorbed in my own sadness. I needed printed some of my back catalogue a Vest Pocket camera
Chief Executive Officer Marcus Rich
Group Managing Director Andrea Davies to take myself out of that zone. of digital images. These have been because of the negative
Managing Director Gareth Beesley
Photography had always been an mounted on card and I display them size it produced. Many of
Printed by Walstead UK Limited
Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill interest. I still had a Sony bridge on a shelf that I put up in the lounge. these pictures remain in
Place, London E14. Telephone 0203 787 9001 camera but while shopping at my local This enables me to take time and my albums from my time
Sainsbury’s store I saw the 28 July pleasure in my own photos and with at Catterick camp and my
2018 issue of AP titled ‘Smart photos’ room for only five or six prints on show posting overseas. Currently
Editorial Complaints We work hard to achieve the highest
standards of editorial content, and we are committed to with an article extolling the virtues of at a time I can rotate the ‘exhibition’ at I have a number of digital
complying with the Editors’ Code of Practice (www.ipso.co.uk/
IPSO/cop.html) as enforced by IPSO. If you have a complaint the cameraphone. I bought the issue least every month. This creates a need cameras but the three
about our editorial content, you can email us at complaints@
ti media.com or write to Complaints Manager, TI Media Limited and on the Monday morning started to feed the display, which motivates I use most are a Nikon
Legal Department, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Please
provide details of the material you are complaining about to look out of the van, out of myself me to get out and take further shots. Coolpix P7800, Canon
and explain your complaint by reference to the Editors’ Code.
We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within 5 and see the countryside I was driving The ‘10 years of mirrorless’ articles PowerShot G5 X and
working days, and we aim to correct substantial errors as
soon as possible. through. I saw trees, and gradually (AP 18 August – yes, I now subscribe) Panasonic Lumix FZ330.
All contributions to Amateur Photographer must be original, came to the decision to start a project encouraged me to invest in a used I am 84 and most of my
not copies or duplicated to other publications. The editor
reserves the right to shorten or modify any letter or material to photograph the trees as autumn Olympus E-M5 Mark II and a photography is now done
submitted. TI Media Limited or its associated companies
reserves the right to re use any submission sent to the letters began to show its colours. I would use 12-100mm f/4 lens. Many AP articles around my local Bowls
column of Amateur Photographer magazine, in any format or
medium, WHETHER PRINTED, ELECTRONIC OR OTHERWISE my cameraphone almost as a Polaroid inspire me. However, the greatest Club at Mill Hill, which
Amateur Photographer® is a registered trademark
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Photographer (incorporating Photo Technique, Camera Weekly
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TI Media Limited switchboard tel: 0203 148 5000 Amateur the phone didn’t completely satisfy. It may be a while before I join Jeff and event a special brochure
Photographer is published weekly (51 issues per year) on the
Tuesday preceding the cover date by TI Media Limited, 161 The project was given impetus with submit to a competition, but like him has been produced for
Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Distributed by Marketforce (UK)
Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, London E14. ISSN 0002 6840. No part AP’s 11 August 2018 issue which can I encourage everyone to at least members, which includes
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
or transmitted in any format or medium, whether printed, reviewed the CEWE Photobook Pure. print more images – it is so rewarding. many of the images I have
electronic or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of the publisher or the editor. This is considered a breach of With added enthusiasm I got 22 Derrick Sansome taken in the past few years.
copyright and action will be taken where this occurs. This
magazine must not be lent, sold, hired or otherwise disposed shots together and produced my LJ Linger
of in a mutilated condition or in any authorised cover by way,
or by trade, or annexed to any publication or advertising first photobook. What a sense of What a lovely letter, Derrick. I hope
matter without first obtaining written permission from the
publisher. TI Media Limited does not accept responsibility for satisfaction, accomplishment and yes, other readers are inspired by your Sony A mount
pride in producing a book of my own story to shoot more, and print more
is dead
loss or damage to unsolicited photographs and manuscripts,
and product samples. TI Media Limited reserves the right to
use any submissions sent to Amateur Photographer Magazine
in any format or medium, including electronic. One year
photos. This little project was not – Nigel Atherton, editor
subscription (51 issues) £155.50 (UK), e259 (Europe), Having spent a very

Win!
$338.99 (USA), £221.99 (rest of world). The 2015 US annual
DEU subscription price is $338.99, airfreight and mailing in
the USA by named Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping
frustrating morning at The
Inc, 156 15, 146th Avenue, 2nd floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA.
Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster:
Photography Show, I have
Send address changes to Amateur Photographer, Air Business to conclude that A mount
Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc, 156 15, 146th Avenue, 2nd
floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscriptions records are
A Samsung 64GB EVO Plus microSDXC with SD is all but dead, particularly
maintained at TI Media Limited, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 adapter Class 10 UHS-1 Grade U3 memory card
9AP. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.
supports 4K UHD. Offering R/W speeds of up to 100MB/s /60MB/s and a for full-frame users. 99%
10-year limited warranty. www.samsung.com/uk/memory-cards. of the Sony stand was
dedicated to mirrorless

12 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113


E mount and
Sigma has given up
on A mount, with virtually
none of its latest lenses
available in that fitting.
To also rub salt into the
wound, most of the
retailers at the show
brought along very little
A-mount gear. The few bits
that they did have on their
stands were second-hand
stock that they wanted to
get rid of, as (in their
words) A mount simply
isn’t selling! I am currently
looking for a wideangle
zoom and read your
review of the new Tamron
17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di
OSD (AP 23 March) with
interest, but of course it is
not available in A mount.
So where does this
leave the thousands of
enthusiasts like me who
have a great deal of money
invested in their A-mount
equipment? In my humble
opinion, the current
situation is simply not
sustainable. Although the
reps on the Sony stand
insisted that A mount is
still alive and kicking, the
virtually complete absence
of any A-mount products
told a very different story.
With independent
manufacturers like Sigma
and Tamron also dropping
A mount, the lens choice
is becoming increasingly
sparse, and as a result the
buying public are being
forced to look elsewhere,
hastening the end of this
product line.
We are all aware of
the current dominance of
mirrorless, and I’m sure
that most Sony DSLR/SLT
users accept that this is
where Sony is making its
money, but with less new
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
Steve is wondering
about the future of
Sony’s A mount
equipment being made
available in A mount, it is
inevitable that at some
stage in the near future,
Sony is going to pull the
plug as dwindling projected
sales simply won’t allow
it to recoup the cost of
re-tooling for a new model.
We are already seeing this
with the lens boys, citing
simple economics as the
reason for dropping A
mount. You can’t really
blame them, when they
can probably sell 20
Nikon-fit lenses and 30
Canon-fit ones for every
Sony fit that they sell.
Retailers are also now
becoming increasingly
wary about stocking A
mount, so the whole thing
is becoming self-defeating.
So come on Sony, do the
decent thing and officially
announce the end of A
mount. At least then, all
the retailers will sell off
their stock, hopefully
with significant discounts,
allowing us loyal users to
stock up on some decent
gear to see us through the
next five to ten years.
Steve Millward
Wise words
I’ve just read Tracy Calder’s
article on comparison
(Viewpoint, 23 March).
What a well constructed
and wise piece of writing.
I like to see others’ work
YOUR FREE ENTRY CODE
Enter the code below via Photocrowd
to get one free entry to
Round Three – Animal Magic
APOY47587483
– it helps me to up my
game. However I also try to
be me and proud of what I
produce even if it won’t win
a competition – flies and
Back in the day
A wander through the AP archive.
other insects viewed as
less attractive seldom do. This week we pay a visit to May 2001
2001
John Overton
No need for joystick?
In his review in AP 23
March, Andy Westlake
seems very upset about
the lack of a joystick on the
EOS RP. However, Canon
has provided an alternative
feature that does the same
thing. Enable ‘Touch &
Drag AF’ on the Shoot7
menu and, when you have
your eye to the viewfinder
you can drag the focus
point around by swiping
your thumb across the
screen. There are several
settings – I prefer
Positioning method:
Relative and Active
touch area: Right.
Martin Houlton
I’m afraid touch-and-
drag AF simply doesn’t
do the same thing as a
joystick when you shoot
with your left eye as I
do, meaning your nose THIS week we wind the clock back to 19 May 2001,
obstructs the screen. and while it wasn’t exactly a space odyssey, there was
You’ll also find in the plenty of content that was ‘out of this world’ (get on
colder months that it with it – Ed). The cover featured a celebration of the
doesn’t work well with Canon T90, a classic manual film SLR that sounds like
gloves. In fact, the a Soviet tank from the Cold War, but was actually
d-pad is much closer made from plastic. Back then, AP was still very much
to providing the same film-based, though one prescient contributor called
functionality as a Paul James explained on the Backchat page why he
joystick, but it requires was now hooked on digital. A big highlight of this
more thumb movement issue was an interview with top portrait photographer
to operate so is Nadav Kander, who has certainly stood the test of time
rather slower. A as he is going to be featured in our 15 June issue.
growing number of Meanwhile you could sign up for the AP Diploma in
manufacturers are Photography, get to meet Joe Cornish (and win a
adding AF-area goodie bag worth £50), or enjoy the photographs of
joysticks while also a splendidly named reader called Wilfred Winder...
providing the option to
use the touchscreen to
place the focus point, so
it really is Canon that’s
out of step here –
Andy Westlake,
technical editor
Nadav Kander was winning awards then – and now, too
13
Reader Portfolio
Spotlight on readers’ excellent images and how they captured them

1 3

David Baker, Nottingham Funfair

David first picked up a camera at the tender age of 14, having been 1 This image was
oaned one by his father for a school trip. Since then he’s not really taken in Bordeaux,
put one down, using the camera as a way to express his creativity. His France, when David
favourite subjects to photograph are landscapes or cityscapes, as well was visiting the city
as wildlife – he says that these subjects give him a great reason to be for a sporting event.
outside in the open air. You can see more of his impressive work by visiting his He used a 1sec
Instagram page at instagram.com/dbsilverfox. exposure to create
movement in the big
2 wheel as well as blur
movement on the
funfair rides.
Olympus OM-D E-M1
Mark II, 14-150mm,
1sec at f/8, ISO 200

Gormley
2 David was a little 4
surprised to see
statues by the British
sculptor Antony
Gormley in the centre
of Bordeaux. He
waited until the
evening to get a
clean, uncluttered
shot compared
with the busy
daytime streets.
Olympus OM-D E-M1
Mark II, 14-150mm,
1sec at f/7.1, ISO 200
 UR PICTURES IN PRINT
NOTE: PR ZE APPL ES TO UK AND EU RES DENTS ONLY

The Reader Portfolio

winner chosen every week will receive a Manfrotto PIXI Submit your images
Please see the ‘Send us your
EVO tripod worth £44.95. Visit www.manfrotto.co.uk pictures’ section on page 3 for details
Lightweight and portable, the Manfrotto PIXI EVO boasts two different leg angles with a sliding selector enabling or visit www.amateurphotographer.
you to shoot ground-level images. It’s adjustable, with two-section legs featuring five different steps that adapt co.uk/portfolio
the footprint to uneven surfaces. With a payload of 2.5kg, you can tilt the camera 90° to capture incredible images.

Trafalgar Square
3 Recognisable
elements of the lion
and the National
Gallery frame this
view of a Christmas
tree. The biggest
challenge was
waiting for tourists
to stop taking selfies
by the lion.
Olympus OM-D E-M1
Mark II, 12-100mm,
2sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Goose Fair Bourse 5

4 Taken at Goose 5 This is Place de la
Fair in Nottingham, Bourse in Bordeaux,
England, David reflected in the
wanted to show Miroir d’Eau. David
excitement with pure describes this subject
movement. He has as a ‘godsend to
achieved this by using photographers’
a slow shutter speed thanks to the clean
to blur the lights on a and crisp reflections
spinning wheel. created in the water.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Olympus OM-D E-M1
Mark II, 12-100mm, Mark II, 14-150mm,
1.3sec at f/8, ISO 200 2.5sec at f/8, ISO 200
 Technique benefiTs of mirrorless
Angela Nicholson
Photographer and journalist Angela Nicholson reviewed
cameras for Amateur Photographer and was our
technical editor. She’s tested everything from
compacts to medium-format cameras. She’s also
witnessed the evolution of mirrorless system cameras
first-hand. Visit www.angelanicholson.com

The magic of
mirrorless
Some DSLR users used to look down on mirrorless
cameras, writes Angela Nicholson, but now mirrorless
offers advantages that are convincing more and more

I
n the earliest days of modern
mirrorless cameras, the main claim
made for them was that they were
smaller and lighter than DSLRs.
Dumping the mirror and pentaprism saved
lots of space and allowed the lens mount to
be moved closer to the sensor, enabling the
cameras and lenses to be made smaller. But
viewfinders. And their autofocus (AF)
systems needed good light to work and could
only really cope with stationary subjects.
Thankfully things have moved on a lot in
the past 10 years. Mirrorless cameras can still
be tiny, but there are also larger models to
satisfy those photographers who want larger
controls and more space for their hands.
© getty imAgeS - imgorthANd

the first mirrorless system cameras weren’t
without issues. Their electronic viewfinders
(EVF) lacked in the resolution and refresh-
rate department, so they were often viewed
as something of a poor relative to optical
All PictureS © ANgelA NicholSoN excePt where iNdicAted
EVFs have also improved to the point that
they now offer some distinct advantages over
optical viewfinders and some of the AF
systems are phenomenal. Still need
convincing? Read on.

With a WYSIWYG viewfinder

you can be sure the colour,
white balance and exposure
are what you want

What you see is what you get
One of the most significant advantages of
modern mirrorless cameras is that they
operate in permanent live view mode. That
means they use the imaging sensor to provide
the view in the viewfinder and on the main
screen on the back of the camera. As a result,
they’re able to show the impact of aspects
such as exposure, white balance and colour
settings. So if you’re shooting in black & white
mode with a shutter speed that’s too fast for
the conditions, you’ll see a dark monochrome
image in the viewfinder and on the screen. And
as you adjust the shutter speed closer towards
what’s needed, you’ll see the image gradually
brighten in the viewfinder. You can use the
image in the viewfinder to decide the correct
exposure rather than rely on the exposure
scale. However, should you need it, there’s also
usually a live histogram available to let you
assess the brightness distribution.

16 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

 Mirrorless cameras
have come a long
way in the past 10
years and have
plenty to offer

Better composition the selected aspect ratio with lines, but a to move the decision about aspect ratio to the
The electronic nature of the viewfinders in mirrorless camera can display the image with shooting stage instead of at the editing stage.
mirrorless cameras allows them to show some the aspect ratio applied properly. Rather than waiting to see an image on a
useful tools for improving image composition. When an aspect ratio other than the sensor’s computer screen with the cursor hovering over
For example, they can show an electronic level native setting is used, the JPEG file is cropped the crop tool, you can look at the scene and
that doesn’t disappear when you half-press the in-camera. However the raw file usually has view it with different aspect ratios applied
shutter release to focus on the subject. Most the data from the whole sensor so you can in-camera. That might sound like a small point,
offer a few different grid displays that can help change your mind if you like. You may find that but a step or two to the left or right can make
with aligning objects in a scene. However my you need to open the image in your raw- a significant difference when you swap
favourite tool after the electronic level is the editing software and select the crop tool between the aspect ratios. If you decide at the
Aspect Ratio control, which can be found in the before you see the whole image. editing stage, you don’t have the opportunity to
main or quick menu. Some DSLRs can indicate These in-camera aspect-ratio options help take these steps.

Many cameras offer aspect

ratios of 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 and
1:1, but some even have
65:24 like this from the Switching between the Aspect Ratio options
Fujifilm GFX 50R affects the size of your JPEG images, but the raw
files usually have the image from the whole sensor

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 17

 Technique BENEFITS OF MIRRORLESS

Better focusing
There was a time when the dedicated phase-detection
AF sensor in a DSLR gave it an advantage over a
mirrorless camera, but that’s decreasingly the case now.
Mirrorless cameras use their imaging sensor for
autofocusing, with some having embedded phase-
detection pixels and others using contrast detection.
These contrast-detection systems are much improved
over the versions in the earliest mirrorless cameras. In
addition, some cameras use a hybrid system that
combines phase detection with contrast detection for
the best of both worlds.

Having more AF points with wider distribution means a camera can

Seeing the exposure in the viewfinder can help you capture more interesting images Eye AF makes it easier
to get the most
Creative use of exposure important part of your
Being able to see images as they will be captured can promote using exposure subject sharp, giving
as a creative tool. For instance, there have been occasions when I’ve held a you the confidence to
shoot wide-open
camera to my eye and the exposure settings have been wrong in the traditional
sense, but the image looked great – so I’ve taken the shot. Subsequently, I find I
experiment more with exposure with mirrorless cameras than I ever do with
SLRs. I also love that some camera manufacturers allow you to assign
exposure-compensation control to the manual focus ring (or a third ring) of a
lens. It makes adjusting and assessing exposure more of a part of the creative
process of photography.

CUSTOMISING THE LENS RING ON A NIKON Z 6 OR Z 7

1 1 Press the Menu button

and navigate to the
Custom Setting Menu. You
need section f2: Custom
Control Assignment.
Subject recognition
The AF systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and
some can recognise the subject it’s supposed to focus on. It
2 began with face detection and cameras spotting, highlighting

2 Select the option in the and focusing on faces in the frame. Some Sony cameras,
bottom right corner, such as the A7 III, can recognise registered faces. The system
which is set to M/A by default. allows you to register individual faces so that it prioritises
them in a scene. This is useful for wedding photographers
who need to make sure that the bride and groom are the
3 centre of attention in all their images.
Face Detection has also evolved into Eye Detection and
Eye AF, allowing you to target the most critical part of a

3 Select Exposure
compensation or Aperture,
depending upon which you wish
to adjust with the ring. It reverts to
manual focusing when it’s needed.
subject. Sony has taken it one step further and enabled it to
work in continuous focusing mode. Since then it has proved
hugely beneficial to wedding and social photographers. It’s
particularly helpful when you want to shoot with the aperture
wide open and depth of field is very limited.

18 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

 Close to the edge Even if your subject is
Using the imaging sensor for focusing far from the centre of
allows mirrorless cameras to have AF the frame, most
points further towards the edges of the mirrorless cameras
frame than most DSLRs – especially can get it sharp
full-frame models. That’s really useful
with off-centre subjects, and there’s no
need to focus and recompose. It also
means that mirrorless cameras can
continue to follow the subject further
around the frame which lets you create
better compositions in-camera with less
need to crop than when you rely on an
AF point near the centre of the frame.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

has a hybrid AF system with 121
points spread across the image
track moving subjects around the whole frame frame and going close to the edges

The ability to magnify

the scene and use
focus peaking makes it
easier to focus
manually

Animal Eye AF
should make
capturing images
of our four-legged
friends a bit easier

New subjects Easy manual focusing
Some exciting developments are going on in the field of Occasionally, even with a top-notch AF
subject recognition as camera manufacturers are working on system, you need (or want) to switch to
extending the range of objects that their cameras can detect. manual focusing, and mirrorless
For example, Sony has recently rolled out firmware updates cameras have a few neat tricks that
to the A7 III and A7R III (and updates are promised for the can help here too. For example, like
A9 and A6400) to enable these cameras to detect and most DSLRs in Live View mode,
focus on animals’ eyes. This is good news for pet and wildlife mirrorless cameras usually magnify a
photographers. selected area as soon as you move the
Meanwhile, the AF system in Olympus’s recently lens focus ring. This makes it much
announced OM-D E-M1X camera has an intelligent easier to focus precisely. Unlike an
subject-detection mode. At the moment it has three modes SLR, however, a mirrorless camera can
– Motorsports, Airplanes and Trains – but more are show the magnified view in the
promised, with people and animals seeming to be obvious viewfinder or screen. Similarly, when
next subjects. focus peaking is activated, the display
is visible in the viewfinder or on the
screen. That’s useful because there
are times, for instance in strong
sunlight, when it’s easier or feels more
natural to use the viewfinder rather
than the screen.
It’s also nice that you can switch
smoothly, and often automatically,
between using the viewfinder and the
main screen to focus and compose
images with a mirrorless camera. It’s
much clunkier with a DSLR because
you have to activate and deactivate
the Live View system to flip the mirror
in and out of position.

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 19

 Technique
© GETTY IMAGES - OLGA MILKINA

Very fast shutter

speeds let you freeze
split-second moments

Fast and clever It’s all the same Most mirrorless cameras
have a sensor near the
As I’ve touched on already, another nice viewfinder to detect
feature of mirrorless cameras is that when you’re looking in it
Although the first camera to kickstart the move to shooting video their performance stays the same to fire it up and turn off
on small stills cameras may have been a DSLR (the Canon EOS 5D whether you’re shooting using the the main screen
Mark II), mirrorless cameras have picked up the ball and run with viewfinder or the screen. Digital SLRs,
it. Cameras like the Panasonic Lumix GH5 and GH5S and Sony however, have separate AF, metering and
A7S Mark II are particularly good, offering the type of video white balance systems for use in Live
specifications that were previously only found in large and hugely View and reflex mode. As a result, if
expensive cinema cameras. you switch from composing images
This technology has also spawned new features that are useful for in the viewfinder to using the
stills photographers. For example, the electronic shutters in many screen, the exposure, colour and
mirrorless cameras available today enable super-fast shutter speeds focusing can all change. And with
and high frame rates. The Panasonic Lumix G9, for example, can the autofocusing, the focus point
shoot at up to 1/32,000sec and 20fps (frames per second) at full selection options change along
resolution and with continuous AF. What’s more, it can do it with the system’s performance, all
silently, which means it’s useful in all sorts of situations that would of which means you can’t swap
normally be off-limits to photographers such as capturing the seamlessly between shooting with
mid-performance leap of a ballet dancer, the service in a tennis the viewfinder and the screen like
match and the teeing-off at a golf tournament. you can with a mirrorless camera.

It doesn’t matter if you use the

screen or the viewfinder to compose
images with a mirrorless camera, it
will perform in the same way and
produce identical images

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 mirrorless pros

The move to Even so, rather than simply more

convenient alternatives to DSLRs
for the everyday user, today’s
mirrorless systems are capable
enough to be relied upon by many
professionals. The earliest models
were easily adopted by those
whose preference was portraiture,
landscape and arguably less-
demanding genres, although video
Are today’s mirrorless camera systems fit for working capabilities have grown more
prominent and stronger autofocus
professionals? Matt Golowczynski speaks to eight systems now make these models
CloCkwise from top left © josh brown, dirk weber, mark bauer, elke vogelsang, shelby kniCk

more adept for sports and action.

photographers who adopted mirrorless for their work DSLRs are still highly relevant

I
t’s hard to think of anything
that has characterised the
past decade in photography
more than the rise of the
mirrorless camera. What essentially
began as a compact alternative to
Four Thirds DSLRs has flourished
into a raft of different systems,
spanning a range of sensor sizes
and camera styles, all arriving along
with the next generation of lenses.
Starting from scratch has
somehow rebalanced the landscape.
Mirrorless is very Manufacturers whose roots may
versatile, as shown have existed in electronics rather
by images from than photography have had the
some of the eight opportunity to challenge the
photographers we
spoke to
dominant DSLR players, and it’s
now in mirrorless camera systems
where we see many innovations
first appear. Not all the systems
that have been introduced have
survived, of course, and those that
have become established face
constant challenges from
newer ones.
to many professional users, but
with a wider range of mirrorless
manufacturers and more prolific
output, it’s difficult to ignore
how bright the future looks for
the format.
So what cameras are the
professionals using? And what has
their experience been using them?
We speak to eight photographers
using cameras across a range of
formats to understand how today’s
mirrorless systems help them
with their craft.

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 23

 MIRRORLESS PROS
Micro Four Thirds
Dirk Weber
Olympus PEN-F
I’VE BEEN using Olympus cameras
for years. I started out with larger
cameras, such as the Minolta Dynax
7, and then I used the Olympus E-5
DSLR. Now I use the PEN-F body
– two, actually, with one being a
back-up body.
When I started using the Olympus
OM-D E-M5 in 2012, it was my
third camera on an Irish wedding.
At the end of the evening, I noticed
I had ended up taking most pictures
with this over the others. I love how
small it is, and people don’t notice
they’re being photographed. When
Olympus brought out the OM-D
E-M1, I bought and sold it within
three months – it just wasn’t for me.
It was too large and too much like a
DSLR, so I returned to the OM-D
E-M5 and got the OM-D E-M5 II.
I also had the OM-D EM-1 Mark II
for a few days but I had the same
problem with it as the Mark I – it
was just too large.
The PEN-F was the first Olympus
camera with a 20MP sensor, and
it’s just a beautiful camera. At
weddings, the ‘Uncle Bob’-type of
ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © DIRK WEBER
Dirk Weber is a
photographer based near
Frankfurt, Germany, guys ask me: ‘Oh, is that your
where he lives with camera? Are you the photographer?’
his wife (a wedding Most people don’t really notice, but
photographer), a dog the hobbyists say: ‘It’s got a small
and two cats. He has sensor, hasn’t it?’ But only about 5%
captured over 300 of my images really make use of
weddings in Germany, high ISO. For most pictures there’s
Ireland and other no real disadvantage to the smaller
European locations. sensor. It’s only really when it comes
to depth of field or when trying to
www.brautrausch.de
create bokeh – that’s a lot easier to
achieve with a full-frame sensor.
I mainly use the Leica DG
Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 Asph
Power OIS, and half of the pictures
I take are with this lens. I’ve also
been using a Sony A7 III for half
a year now, and it accompanied me
to 10 or 12 weddings, but we never
became friends. I replaced the
PEN-F and 45mm Nocticron lens
with the Sony A7 III and FE 85mm
F1.8, and I did get more bokeh and
I took more pictures – but I just had
more pictures to cull and the
storytelling had changed for me.
I still think the A7 III is a great
camera, but it just doesn’t fit with
my style of shooting.
I love having three dials; I think
it’s the only Olympus on which you
can easily shoot manually and adjust
the exposure compensation. The
Sony A7 III felt very sluggish when
changing settings, but my Olympus
cameras feel much more responsive:
you just turn the dial and there it is.
It would be nice to have higher ISOs
with less noise, though. Also, a
better autofocus system; in poor
light, the autofocus on the PEN-F
is bad. I’ve never used continuous
autofocus, so I can live with the
performance of the single autofocus.
I’m looking around at other
cameras, but they would need to
be the same size – and have the
same beauty!
Above: Dirk finds
few people notice
that his camera is
different from the
DSLRs used by the
majority of wedding
photographers
Left: The autofocus
on the Olympus
PEN-F can struggle
in low light
 The GH camera’s
weather sealing
helped Piotr to work
in these conditions
Piotr Kwasnik
Panasonic Lumix GH5
I’m CURRENTLY using a
Panasonic Lumix GH5. Before this
I was using the GH4, and before
that the Canon EOS 650D. The
main feature I like on this camera
is the option to shoot at 120/180fps
for slow motion. 4K shooting at
50p is also important for me,
particularly as the Sony models
don’t offer this right now. Because
I make music videos I always shoot
at 50p, just so that I can always
slow down things in post-
production if I need to.
The image quality from the Lumix
GH5 is pretty good but there are
limitations to it. As a micro Four
Thirds camera, you can’t get the
super-shallow depth of field as you
The GH5 mounts many non-native lenses through adapters
ALL PIcTuRES ON THIS PAGE © PIOTR KWASNIK
A still from a music video for the band Alien Weaponry
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
can elsewhere, plus it’s not as good
in low light. It also doesn’t have that
many megapixels, so there’s limited
cropping you can do in post-
production. Otherwise, I think
it’s pretty good for beginners or
those who want something for
photography as well as filmmaking
– but if you’re a photographer
Piotr Kwasnik is a I think you’d want to choose
filmmaker and editor something else.
from New Zealand. The only Panasonic lens I have is
He specialises in the Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8
documenting events Asph Power OIS, and that’s because
and creating music it has autofocus. Actually, that’s one
videos for local artists. thing that can be improved about
www.kpictures.co.nz the GH5: the autofocus system.
Instagram: I also use the Sigma 18-35mm
@KwasnikPictures F1.8 DC HSm Art with a Viltrox
adapter; a Russian Helios 44 f/2, an
old lens for more creative shots with
interesting bokeh; and a mitakon
Speedmaster 25mm f/0.95, which is
soft but excellent for low-light shots.
And that’s what is really good about
the GH5 – the fact that you can use
any mount lens through an adapter,
be it Canon, Nikon, or Panasonic,
whatever lens you want. Even those
old Russian lenses; they’re not
perfect and that’s what makes
them look good.
Upgrading to a full-frame camera
is something I’m thinking about just
because I haven’t tried it yet. I’m a
little tempted by the Panasonic S1
because of the full-frame look it
would give. That said, I think I’ll
stick with the micro Four Thirds
system for now as the system has
more capable video settings with
regard to high frame rates and so
on. The GH5S is great for low light
but in-body image stabilisation
is handy for the run-and-gun
filmmaking that we mostly do.
I would prefer to wait and see how
a possible GH6 looks. Or perhaps
the Sony A7S III; nobody’s sure
when that will come out, but if it
has features like 120fps or 180fps
and 4K at 50p, that would make
me consider switching.
mirrorless pros
top picks
Panasonic Lumix G1
Launched 2008
The world’s first mirrorless camera of its
kind, the G1 celebrated its tenth birthday
late last year. It arrived with a fresh 12.1MP
Four Thirds sensor and a new lens mount,
although it also maintained compatibility
with existing Four Thirds lenses through an
optional adapter. While the low-resolution
sensor and lack of video recording show
its age, its influence can still be seen in
today’s G-series models.
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Launched 2012
Olympus’s digital revival of its OM film
SLRs started with the E-M5, the de-facto
flagship in the series until the launch of
the OM-D E-M1 in late 2013. Inside its
weather-sealed body, the camera offered
a 16.1MP Four Thirds sensor with a 5-axis
image-stabilisation system, together with
a 1.44-million-dot viewfinder and 9fps
burst shooting.
Olympus
OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Launched 2017
OM-D’s flagship model until very recently,
the weather-sealed E-M1 Mark II combines
a 20MP Four Thirds sensor with a 5-axis
image-stabilisation system, a 121-point
hybrid AF system and 60fps burst shooting
at full resolution. This camera was also the
first one in which we saw 4K video recording
in an interchangeable-lens camera
from Olympus.
Panasonic
Lumix GH5
Launched 2017
One of the latest video-centric mirrorless
cameras from Panasonic, the Lumix GH5
has been adopted by enthusiast and
professional filmmakers for its small size,
excellent video specs and compatibility
with an exhaustive range of native and
non-native lenses. Alongside its 4K
recording to 50/60p and a raft of secondary
video-oriented features to support this, the
camera’s highlights are its effective 5-axis
image-stabilisation systems and a large
3.68-million-dot viewfinder.
25
 MIRRORLESS PROS
APS-C
Josh Brown
Fujifilm X-T2
I’VE BEEN using a Fujifilm X-T2
for around three years now. I made
the switch from a Nikon D800
DSLR – so, from full-frame down to
APS-C. Lugging lots of equipment
got a bit annoying, so I wanted to
get my kit down and make it a bit
more compact.
I found the sensor in the X-T2
is absolutely fine compared to the
full-frame sensor I was used to, as
it doesn’t make much of a difference
with landscape work. The file sizes
are still quite big, obviously not
with as much detail as those from
a 36MP full-frame sensor, but for
printing they are absolutely fine.
In terms of lenses, I tend to have
the XF10-24mmF4 R OIS on my
camera most of the time – that’s
my go-to lens. I also use the
XF16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR,
which is great when I need to
capture something more distant,
and the other lens I have is the XF
56mmF1.2 R, which I tend to use
for corporate headshots.
The choice of lenses
available, and their
quality, impresses Josh
ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © JOSH BROWN
Josh Brown started his
career in photography
as a runner for various
production companies.
He specialises in portrait,
landscape and wedding
photography and lives
in Norwich, Norfolk.
www.joshbrown
photographer.com
Instagram: @
joshmichaelbrown
The solid build quality
of the X-T2 means
Josh is happy to use
it in all conditions
The one thing I am surprised
about is the camera’s build quality.
Going back down to an APS-C
camera from full frame, I was a
little bit worried that build quality
wouldn’t be as good as the latter,
but I’ve been shooting on it for the
past few years and I haven’t had
any problems at all.
One thing I’ve found is not getting
as much depth of field with portrait
shots, but in terms of shooting with
the X-T2 it’s much, much quicker
than with a D800 as you have all
the manual dials, and you can see
what the exposure is on the back
screen straightaway. I’ve found my
workflow is much quicker now, and
I’m not really losing out on much in
terms of image quality.
I was toying with the idea of the
Sony A7 III, but I’ve made up my
mind to stick with Fujifilm for the
foreseeable future. That’s mainly
down to the lens selection Fujifilm
offers, and the quality of those
lenses, together with the colours
from the camera’s sensor. I looked
at what I had shot over the past two
years and realised that I was happy
with the quality of what I was
getting from the X-T2, and that
I wouldn’t really get any huge
benefit from switching to Sony.
 mirrorless pros

top picks
ALL PICTuRES ON THIS PAGE © ELKE VOGELSANG

Elke has to work

one-handed, so the
lightness of the X-T3 Fujifilm X-Pro1
suits her well Launched 2012
The first X-series interchangeable-lens

ElkeVogelsang
Fujifilm X-T3
Before I switched to mirrorless
I was using the Canon eoS 5D
Mark III and the eoS 7D. With
dogs, I always have some sort of
treat, ball or squeaker in the left
hand, and the heavy DSLr was
really tedious to hold in one hand
while trying to motivate the dog
with the other. I didn’t want to
carry around my heavy DSLr
equipment with me any more,
particularly as I was taking pictures
all the time with my own dogs, so
I got myself a tiny fujifilm X20
compact camera.
I loved the look of it and I enjoyed
using it, but it was absolutely not
comparable to the Canon eoS 5D
Mark III. I had to be more creative
to get pictures out of it that I really
liked. In the beginning it was really
frustrating as I didn’t have the
same separation of subjects from
the background through shallow
depth of field that I was used
She uses the
16-55mm almost
exclusively when
in the studio
to. So I got the fujifilm X-M1 before
I got myself the X-T1. And now I’m
using the X-T3.
In the beginning I was frustrated
with the X-T1 because it just wasn’t
fast enough for dogs and action.
Then it got a firmware upgrade
which made it faster, although still
not really comparable to the eoS
Elke Vogelsang is 5D Mark III. But I’m very happy
a commercial and about the X-T3 being so fast. I
editorial photographer have no problems with capturing
specialising in pet pictures of dogs in action, even fast
dogs. That’s a huge advantage now.
portraiture. Her work
I produced some videos with the
has been featured in The
Sunday Times Magazine, X-T3 too; I’m not familiar with
editing yet, so I’ve just used the
National Geographic
and on Good Morning videos straight out of the camera.
But the film Simulations are easy
America. She lives in
to work with and they look
Hildesheim, Germany,
really good.
with her husband and I love prime lenses. I love the
three dogs. Instagram: fujinon Xf90mmf2 r LM Wr,
@wieselblitz and I love to take my funny
quirky outdoor portraits with the
Xf16mmf1.4. In the studio I nearly
exclusively use the Xf16-
55mmf2.8 r LM Wr. I do
have the Xf50-140mmf2.8 r
LM oIS Wr, which I use
for my client dogs when
I’m outdoors, although
I’d love to have the
new Xf8-16mmf2.8
r LM Wr.
I’m not tempted
by medium-format
GfX models
because,
even though
they’re quite
lightweight
for medium
format, I have
to work with one
hand. When I
shoot dogs I never
ever use a tripod,
so I’m happy with
my equipment not
being heavy.
camera, the X-Pro1 incorporated a 16.3MP
X-Trans CMOS sensor inside a rangefinder-
esque body, and arrived along with the first
X-series lenses. It went on to persuade
many DSLR users to switch systems.
Somewhat surprisingly, the camera has
only been updated once by the X-Pro2,
which sits alongside the X-T range that
was developed alongside.
Samsung NX1
Launched 2014
Samsung may no longer be active in the
interchangeable-lens camera market, but
its NX1 was still something of a landmark
model. Announced towards the end of 2014,
the camera was notable for being the first
model to use a 28MP back-illuminated
APS-C sensor, while other features such as
4K video recording, a hybrid AF system and
2.36-million-dot OLED viewfinder wouldn’t
be out of place on cameras released today.
Sony A6000
Launched 2014
Three years ago, Sony claimed the A6000
was the best-selling camera of all time,
and it continues to be sold new alongside
the more recent A6300 and A6500 models
that sit above it in the range. Highlights
include a 24.3MP sensor, a 1.44-million-dot
electronic viewfinder, 11fps burst-shooting
mode and a very respected 425-point AF
system, although the lack of both 4K video
and touchscreen functionality show its age.
Fujifilm X-T30
Launched 2019
One of the latest mirrorless cameras, the
tiny X-T30 has the challenge of following
the company’s best-selling X-series camera
to date: the X-T20. With the same 26.1MP
X-Trans CMOS sensor and processing engine
as the more senior X-T3, however, combined
with a fleshed out suite of 4K video-
recording options and strong autofocus
system among many other things, it’s
currently one of the most competitively
specced cameras in its class.

27
MIRRORLESS PROS
Full frame
Ben Piper
Sony A7 III
I WAS using a Canon EOS 6D and
wanted something smaller to take
travelling, but the EOS M series just
didn’t cut it for me. I picked up a
Fujifilm X-Pro1, but I still found
myself going back to DSLRs, mainly
for the autofocusing performance as
well as because of the lenses I had.
I tried the Sony A7 III and put in
a pre-order that day. It just blew me
away. Electronic viewfinders (EVF)
were one of the main things that
stopped me from moving to
mirrorless sooner, but the EVF here,
together with the control layout and
everything else just meant it ticked
a lot more boxes for me overall.
Now that I’ve used it for a while,
I’ve also come to appreciate the
autofocus system. I photograph
my dogs a lot when they’re running
around and the autofocus is just
really, really good here. Sony’s
latest firmware update is able to
detect and focus on animals’ eyes.
I bought the camera with the
24-70mm kit lens, but I mostly
shoot on the 85mm because it’s not
Ben finds the A7 III’s
autofocus to be spot
on – and the camera
will soon be able to
detect animals’ faces
The Sony’s EVF and
control layout meant
Ben placed an order
immediately
Ben is a video producer at
a busy creative agency.
He spends a lot of his
working life travelling
throughout Europe and
further afield, while
his passion for canine huge and very, very sharp, and
portraiture led him focuses very quickly.
to set up his own dog The big difference between the A7
photography business. III and EOS 6D is that the files are
www.thenorfolk around double the size, with much
dogphotographer. more information in them. What it
co.uk captures is quite different from the
EOS 6D in terms of colour and so
on, and my post-processing changed
quite a bit as I found I could do a lot
more with the images. I also found
myself shooting a lot more as the
camera is so small, so I end up
taking it to more places with me.
I’ve also been filming a lot with it,
both personally and professionally.
We use Panasonic’s Lumix GH5
and EVA cameras in house, but if
we work with freelancers who use
Sony cameras I tend to chuck them
on a small gimbal and it works
really well. It’s very versatile like
that. I’d go so far as to say it’s
probably the best purchase I’ve
made in terms of camera gear.
There’s nothing out there at the
moment that would tempt me to
switch from the A7 III, particularly
as I’ve got a few lenses I’m happy
with. My next investment would
probably be more lenses – I quite
like the look of the new FE 135mm
F1.8 GM but I don’t have £1,800
kicking around at the moment! If
Sony were to release an A7S III, I’d
potentially pick that up as a second
body too. Either way, I’m definitely
sold into the Sony system.
ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © BEN PIPER

Harry Martin
Canon EOS R
Until recently i was shooting on
a Canon EOS 7D Mark ii and a
combination of 5D Mark iV and
Harry Martin is a EOS 5DS R. i work with a team of
self-taught wildlife and photographers running workshops
landscape photographer and photo holidays, so i knew i had
currently based on the
Isle of Skye in Scotland.
access to DSlRs if i wanted them.
With the EOS R, it was really more
He holds a degree
of an experiment to see what it was
in zoology and has a like to use mirrorless long term.
long-standing passion From what i’d read about the
for the natural world. camera, the EOS R is what i
www.harrymartin expected. the autofocus is not
comparable in speed and quality
photography.co.uk
to those of the EOS 5D Mark iV,
and i’ve been let down by the
autofocus many times during
wildlife work. When it comes to
architecture and landscapes, it does
the job, but with fast-moving action
it doesn’t quite hit the mark for me.
there are definitely some
advantages, such as the electronic
viewfinder, which i was
apprehensive of at first. i like my
optical viewfinder and if i had
a choice i’d still like an optical one,
but being able to bring up my
histogram, levels and exact
exposure in the viewfinder is really
Harry finds the
Canon’s EVF is
extremely useful
when shooting
landscapes
mirorrless pros
ALL PICTuRES ON THIS PAGE © HARRy MARTIN
Top picks
Sony Alpha 9
Launched 2017
Sony’s flagship camera as of 2017, the A9
was designed to go head to head with
Canon and Nikon’s flagship pro DSLRs. It’s
capable of shooting 24MP images at 20fps
while keeping focus on moving subjects;
this is achieved because of its on-sensor AF
system with 693 phase-detection points
arrayed across 93% of the frame. It can
The EOS R can be shoot at full speed with no viewfinder
tricky to use with blackout, and has a huge buffer for 241
wildlife subjects compressed raw frames or 362 JPEGs.
useful for landscape work. Being Sony Alpha 7
able to play back an image is also Launched 2013
handy, particularly when you can’t The 24MP Alpha 7 was one of the first
gauge it on the back of the screen full-frame mirrorless cameras, alongside
because it’s raining or too bright. the 36MP Alpha 7R. As is the case across
On the other hand, for wildlife many of Sony’s camera lines, the A7
work, trying to use the electronic remains available brand new, and while it
viewfinder to focus and find an otter might not be a match for the more
in its natural habitat is actually up-to-date A7-series offerings, this is still
quite difficult compared to using an the cheapest way to enter the world of
optical viewfinder. if there’s full-frame mirrorless photography.
challenging light and it’s shining
into your eyes, it’s really difficult to Canon EOS RP
get the exposure right and nail the
Launched 2018
focus; quite often you end up with
an underexposed image. The cheapest full-frame mirrorless
i’d say autofocus in video is camera at launch to date, the EOS RP
outstanding, which is probably why combines a 26MP sensor with a vari-angle
i’m slightly disappointed that it’s LCD screen, 2.36-million-dot electronic
not quite as good when shooting viewfinder, 4K video recording and Canon’s
Dual Pixel CMOS AF focusing system. In
stills. i’ve used it to film otters and
also eagles in flight, and i haven’t addition, its seamless compatibility with
managed to fit eagles in flight on EF lenses through one of three adapters
any other camera, but on the makes it a tempting choice for current EOS
EOS R i’ve got some pretty DSLR users.
satisfactory clips.
if you shoot wildlife and in more
challenging light, i’d say you’re
better off with the EOS 5D Mark iV.
Quality-wise it’s identical as it’s
pretty much the same sensor.
But some people may prefer the
ergonomics and the electronic
viewfinder. But overall i’m pretty
pleased with the EOS R; it’s only
the occasional thing that irks me.
Nikon Z 7
Launched 2018
Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera
– along with the lower-resolution Z 6 that
was launched at the same time – the Z 7 is
based around a 47.3MP sensor and a new
Z mount. Compatibility with F-mount lenses
through the FTZ adapter has also ensured
Nikon hasn’t alienated its existing audience.
29
 MIRRORLESS PROS

Mark’s entry into

Medium format medium-format
mirrorless was the
GFX 50S, which he
used for this shot

Mark Bauer
Fujifilm GFX 50S
and GFX 50R
I STARTED off with the Fujifilm
GFX 50S, which I bought pretty
much when it was released. I
needed a second body as I had
a Fujifilm X-Pro2 as a back-up
camera, and switching between
two systems wasn’t easy. So when
the 50R came out I got that as my
second body.
I divide my time between the
two. I thought the 50R would be
my backup, but I’ve really enjoyed
shooting with it, so they tend to
get equal time from me on location.
I wouldn’t say there’s any logic to
which one I shoot with, just
ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © MARK BAUER
Mark Bauer has
worked full time as a
professional landscape
photographer since
2003 and is considered
one of the UK’s
leading landscape
photographers. He is
a multi-award winner
and the author of six
books, and also leads
photography workshops
in the UK and overseas.
www.markbauer
photography.com

whichever one I feel like shooting

with. The one time I prefer one over
the other is when I’m travelling.
The GFX 50R is just that little
bit smaller and it fits in my bag
better, so it leaves more space for
accessories I might need. But if

Mark no longer has

to blend exposures
with the Fujifilm
cameras he uses

‘They are very, very well-thought-out cameras

and the controls are well placed’
I’m working at home it just depends
on what I feel like using.
The two lenses I use most
frequently are the Fujinon GF32-
64mmF4 R LM WR and the
GF23mmF4 R LM WR. Because
it’s a new system there isn’t a huge
number of lenses, so I’ve adapted
a couple of Mamiya 645 manual-
focus zoom lenses, too. They’re
great lenses and they work really
well on the bodies.
Previously my main camera was
the Canon EOS 5DS, and the main
thing I’ve noticed moving from
that camera – apart from an
improvement in sharpness, clarity
and overall detail – was the
dynamic range. There were
situations in difficult high-contrast
light where I’d be bracketing with
the Canon EOS 5DS and having to
blend exposures, and I don’t think
I’ve ever had to do that with the
Fujifilm cameras. I don’t like
blending images and I’d always like
to get things with a single file. Even
though I’ve bracketed shots just in
case I’ve had to, I’ve always been
able to take one image and process
that successfully – and the image
quality is just outstanding.
I like the way the cameras handle
as well. They are very, very well-
thought-out cameras and the
controls are well placed and easy
to access, very logical, easy and
customisable. I’d had some
experience with Fujifilm cameras
before, so I was confident the
handling and image quality and so
on were going to be top notch. Now
that I have the two GFX bodies I’ve
considered getting rid of the X-Pro1,
but it’s a lovely camera to shoot with
so it’s a hard one to let go of!

30 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113


When shooting on
location, Shelby finds
the Hasselblad easier
to carry than a DSLR
Shelby Knick
Hasselblad X1D-50c
Shelby Knick is an adventure and
automotive photographer based in
California. She has worked with
many global brands on editorial and
print campaigns, with her work
appearing in the likes of Forbes,
Road & Track and Rolling Stone.
I’d always been a fan of
hasselblad from the start of my
interest in photography. I remember Bangkok, has chased
there was a period of time when,
every six months, hasselblad would Mediterranean Sea,
come out with a beautiful coffee-
table book called Victor, a collection quads in the Saharan
of amazing work from hasselblad
ambassadors. I studied it and
admired their work, and while
I loved the cameras they were
obviously expensive.
Originally I was using Canon
DSlRs and they were great, but
I got my hands on the X1D-50c and
found the quality of the images to
The X1D-50c’s image quality means every detail shows up
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
mirorrless pros
ALL PICtURES on tHIS PAGE © SHELBy KnICK
Top picks
Fujifilm GFX 50S
Launched 2016
Announced just a few months after the
X1D-50c, Fujifilm’s debut medium-format
mirrorless camera succeeded in fusing
much of what had made its X-series
cameras popular with the benefits of
a much larger 51.4MP sensor. Also
what made the model stand out is the
3.69-million-dot viewfinder, which can be
detached from the body when not required,
while the touchscreen can move in three
different directions for easier shooting from
awkward angles.
Hasselblad X1D-50c
Launched 2016
be incredible. you can just zoom Surprisingly small and light for a
into a shot of a person and see every medium-format camera, the minimally
bit of detail, every little pore – not styled X1D arrived with a 50MP sensor, a
that they’d like that much! I recently 2.36-million-dot EVF and a 3in touchscreen.
shot a carnival down in Martinique; Its arrival also kicked off a new X lens
all the girls’ makeup was fantastic, mount and XCD range of optics, although
and they were wearing lots of glitter, the option to use older lenses through an
and you could see every little touch adapter meant that existing Hasselblad
of it on their skin. users were not forgotten about.
US-based Shelby I’ve been using the camera with
Knick is an adventure the XCD 3,5/45, XCD 3,5/30 and
and automotive the XCD 3,5/120 lenses, although
photographer. She I’m really interested to try the new
has shot all over the XCD 4/21 wideangle lens too. If
world from Monaco to you’re using a Canon eOS-1DX or
a similar camera, the sound of the
superyachts in the shutter is something very different
to get used to here, as it takes longer
airboats in South Florida, to finish. The touchscreen is great
too; every system is completely
Desert, motorcycles different in terms of where all the
controls are, but once you get over
through France, and
that hurdle of where everything is,
classic cars in Cuba. you see it makes a lot of sense.
www.shelbyknick.com This past year I’ve used the Fujifilm GFX 50R
Instagram: @ camera for a lot of street Launched 2018
shelbyknick photography, but also for yachts, at Essentially a smaller and lighter version
times involving speed. Obviously of the GFX 50S, the GFX 50R combines a
with a Canon eOS-1DX, being able medium-format sensor with a rangefinder-
to shoot so many frames per second, like body, one that resembles the
you can really capture that sense company’s X-E-series cameras. While it
of speed. That’s clearly more misses out on the 50S’s top-plate LCD
challenging with the X1D. For me, and DSLR-like grip, it gains Bluetooth and
the ultimate camera would be one arrived at a price point that’s on a par with
that would mix everything about some high-end DSLRs.
the X1D with the ability to
capture that sense of speed of
moving subjects. Fujifilm GFX 100
I go to a lot of big shows and Launched 2019
luxury events, and to have a camera While the GFX 100 hasn’t been formally
that’s half the weight of other announced as yet, Fujifilm has promised
cameras is really important for me. that the 100MP model will be with us
My back and shoulders appreciate shortly. Prototypes that have been on
it! Also, the look of the camera; I get display at various events show the model
a lot of people asking me about it. to resemble a GFX 50S with an integrated
It definitely captures everyone’s vertical grip, although to what extent the
attention. It’s just the most beautiful camera’s sensor will tax compatible lenses
camera I’ve held. remains to be seen.
31
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 When Harry Met...

Damien Hirst
Harry Borden recalls a memorable shoot with
controversial contemporary artist Damien Hirst

W
hen I was
commissioned
to photograph
Damien
Hirst in January 1999, he had
already been one of the most
famous people in the British
international contemporary
art scene for several years.
He first became widely
known when his artwork
‘The Physical Impossibility of
Death in the Mind of Someone
Living’ – a shark suspended in
formaldehyde – was exhibited
at the Saatchi Gallery in 1991.
He had gone on to win the
Turner Prize in 1995.
I was asked to photograph
Damien for the Observer Life
magazine; my portraits would
go alongside an interview with
him by journalist William
Leith. The pictures would be
published in the St Valentine’s
Day issue. While I was on the
journey down from London, I
had a call from the magazine
saying the editor had a
particular image in mind she
wanted me to shoot: Damien
holding a pig’s heart.
The shoot was due to take
place at Damien’s house at
Combe Martin on the North
Devon coast, and I arranged to
meet William there. Before
arriving, I had to drive around
ALL PICTURES © HARRY BORDEN
and scour the butchers’ shops
and eventually managed to find
a butcher who sold me a heart.
Damien was known as the
enfant terrible of the art world
and in person is quite an
intimidating guy, because he
doesn’t feel constrained by the
social niceties that most of us
accept. He’s straightforward
and just says and does what he
likes. I think his art is basically
encapsulated in the idea that he
wants ordinary people to look
at it and be amazed, so it’s kind
of larger than life and hugely
ambitious. I really like him
because I can see he ploughs
his own furrow and is totally
unconcerned with convention.
So he’s genuinely iconoclastic.
One of the nice things about
photographing artists is that if
they see you’re sincere and that
you don’t have an agenda,
they’re happy to go along with
your ideas. So he was very
willing to pose with the heart.
He had a large house and in
the grounds were some
outbuildings that he was doing
‘When I was initially
asked to take it, I
admit I thought it
sounded ridiculous’
up and making into studios.
We walked around them and I
suggested we do the heart shot
against a white-painted wall,
just using natural light.
I took the shot really quickly
with my Hasselblad and an
80mm lens. I was using Kodak
Ektachrome transparency film,
which I later cross-processed
in colour negative chemicals.
As a result, the picture is more
contrasty and grainier than it
should be, but I was really into
that look during that period.
Damien’s son Connor was
around three at that time and a
similar age to my own son. He
was following his dad around
and was interested in what we
were doing and I got chatting
to him. I developed a rapport
and suggested I take some
pictures of the two of them
together. I was lucky that he
was happy to be involved.
Damien had some 10-gallon
cowboy hats and I don’t know
who suggested it, but we ended
up taking some pictures of him
and Connor wearing them. I
asked Damien to sit on the
floor with Connor standing
next to him. I took this with
my Fujifilm 67 rangefinder.
The pictures were
interesting, because things
were happening organically
and they were both
comfortable. Also, I liked the
background. Without wishing
to sound pretentious, I felt the
trunking for the electrical
cables was a reference to
Damien’s art, which at that
time was about cross-sections,
the way materials are
composed and the workings of
things being revealed. I don’t
think this shot has been
published until now. Connor on his shoulders. It was
We all got on really well and a memorable day.
later William Leith and I went Although I liked the shot of

to the pub with Damien and
his girlfriend at the time, Maia
Norman, who was Connor’s
mother. We went for a walk
and I did some family-type
With his son Connor – the background trunking acts as a pointer to Damien’s art pictures of Damien with
Damien with his son more, the
shot with him holding the
heart is more iconic. When I
was initially asked to take it, I
have to admit I thought it
sounded ridiculous. Certainly,

34 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113


if I’d taken it in a studio with flash,
the forensic way that flash renders
things would have made it look
really contrived.
However, because it was taken
using natural light, against the wall
of a building, it had a rough, gritty
quality that gives power to it. It
reflects Damien’s preoccupation
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
with death and the corporeal. Also,
publishing it on the magazine’s
cover on Valentine’s Day was a really
good idea. From that shoot I
learned that sometimes having
more people involved in a picture
isn’t a bad thing. Even if an idea
sounds contrived, it can still
work if it’s done the right way.
Damien was happy
to pose with the
pig’s heart; the shot
has a gritty quality
that gives it power
Harry Borden
Harry Borden is one of the UK’s finest portrait
photographers. He has won prizes at the World
Press Photo awards (1997 and 1999) and in 2014 he
was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal
Photographic Society. The National Portrait Gallery
collection holds over 100 of his images. His book,
Survivor: A Portrait of the Survivors of the
Holocaust, was published in 2017.
35
 Photo Stories
Home truths
John Bolloten’s new book, Love Story,
examines the fraught lives of Gary and Maree.
He tells Amy Davies all about it
I
t wasn’t until John Bolloten turned 43
that he first picked up a DSLR. In 2008,
looking for a new way to be creative, he
bought an entry-level Canon camera
and taught himself how to use it.
More than a decade on and he’s created
some incredibly hard-hitting documentary
work, mostly focused around the city in which
he lives – Bradford, West Yorkshire. I met John
at 2018’s Photo North festival. Giving a
presentation in conjunction with the homeless
charity Simon on the Streets, you could see he
felt nervous.
Considering he spends his photographic life
with characters and in situations that could be
described mildly as ‘uncomfortable’, it’s ironic
that a small room full of polite listeners should
bring on such uneasiness.
Never judgemental in his approach, he
photographs with a kind of empathy that shows
the lives of those on the fringes of our
societies, let down by the systems which are
supposed to protect them.
Often, documentary and news photography
highlights problems on foreign shores – it can
be easy to forget that right here at home we
have more than our fair share of potential
conflict waiting to be documented.
John has been photographing in and around
the streets of Bradford for several years. His
superb book Nothing to See Here was published
in 2017 by Fistful of Books, and has since
gone onto a second edition when the first
quickly sold out. Wanting to go even deeper, he
chose to enter the private spaces of the couple
seen across these two pages for his new book,
Love Story.
Born in Brighton, John moved to Scotland
at the age of nine before settling in Bradford
at the age of 18 in 1983. Always having felt
like somewhat of an outsider, it’s this which
helps him to resonate with his photographic
subjects. ‘When people talk about photography
being a mirror, I absolutely believe that,’ he tells
me in a chat after the talk has finished. ‘When
I’m photographing people who use drugs,
because I did that myself when I was younger,
I feel like I’m photographing myself – or how
my life could have turned out.’
Relationships are vitally important to John
– he doesn’t ‘smash and grab’ pictures and
then move on to the next. It can take weeks
36
or even months to build up to the stage where
those in front of his lens feel completely
confident with his presence. That’s not to say
that once that trust has been established, it’s
an easy ride.
‘They [Gary and Maree] said to me at the
beginning “you can photograph anything you
want,” but when you’re there and it’s very late
at night, and the atmosphere is quite strange,
you’re constantly thinking, “do I photograph
ALL IMAGES © JOHN BOLLOTEN
this, or do I not photograph,”’ he explains.
‘You’re just learning on the job day by day.’
Shot over a period of eight months, John
would spend several hours with Gary and
Maree in their flat. It was a dirty and dark place,
and at the time the UK was in the grip of a
heatwave – which didn’t help. Gary and Maree
have a largely on/off relationship, characterised
by intense periods of being ‘on’, with arguments
and fall-outs which inevitably led to break-ups.
‘She [Maree] was really hyper,’ John says.
‘She was the life of it, really. If I’d photographed
just him, it wouldn’t have worked, but it was
the dynamics of their relationship – and the
intimacy and toxicity – that made it.’
Gary’s leg was amputated in the summer of
2016, and he’s been a drug user for the best
part of 30 years. Maree is a lot younger, but
is also in the grip of a drug problem. Clearly,
these are vulnerable people – something
which John is always mindful of. ‘People might
talk about, is it right for a photographer to take
images of people like this – but I think the
bigger scandal really is how people are living
when they’re ignored and people aren’t taking
care of them,’ he says.
There’s no denying that these pictures are
difficult to look at, something which John
acknowledges but doesn’t shy away from.
‘Doing the talk today, there was a woman in the
front row who could barely look. I don’t want to
put people in distress, but it’s important work.
All I care about is making honest pictures.’
The work came to a natural conclusion on a
happier note: Gary received a false leg and was
just beginning to learn to walk again, hopefully
getting his life back together in due course. It’s
clear nobody would rather see that happen
than John – ‘I’m very close to them both. I care
about them. Sometimes this project might
have been draining, but sometimes it was
absolutely wonderful.’
 John Bolloten
John Bolloten is a documentary
photographer based in
Bradford. His latest book, Love
Story, is available to buy from
Fistful of Books (visit
fistfulofbooks.com). You can
see more of John’s work at
johnbolloten.co.uk.

John was given free

rein by Gary and Maree
to photograph
whatever he wanted

Left: All the images

in this set were shot
with a Fujifilm X-T1.
Always handheld and
usually only working
with natural light,
John mostly shoots
with an 18-55mm
f/2.8-4 lens

Right: Gary and Below, from left to right:

Maree’s relationship John found the experience
can best be of photographing the couple
described as ‘on/off’ difficult at times. ‘Sometimes
with periods of it would take me a week to
intense arguments recover from being there,’
and break-ups he says
 Technique

all Pictures on Pages 38-39 © KeVin Mullins

Use the beautiful film
simulations
Unlike my old DSLR where all images had to be edited
fully, Fujifilm cameras have a range of amazing film
simulations built in. My personal favourite is the Acros
simulation, which emulates perfectly the film stock
loved by so many.

Kevin Mullins
Kevin Mullins is a documentary wedding,
street and social photographer. He’s been
shooting with the Fujifilm X series of cameras
since the original Fujifilm FinePix X100 was
launched back in 2011. Visit www.
kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk

Tying the knot

with mirrorless
Shooting weddings doesn’t have to be back- Acros. Being able to see the exposure
in the viewfinder, in the finished film
breaking work. We speak to two photographers simulation is an incredible benefit.
Metering in the camera becomes a cinch
who made the switch to mirrorless and haven’t and it’s rare to capture any badly exposed
images when shooting.
looked back since For a full wedding, I can shoot with the

W
hen I first received a
Fujifilm FinePix X100
back in 2011, I was, up
until that point, a very
happy DSLR user. However, the moment
I looked through the viewfinder of the
X100, I knew immediately that the way
forward for me was mirrorless. The key
benefits that hit me were the size and
weight differences – which make a huge
impact when you’re on your feet all day –
and the optical viewfinder.
two small cameras and lenses all day
Eight years later, the size and weight of without any tiresome looks from guests
my current mirrorless systems (these days, or back-pain issues the next day. As a
I generally shoot with a pair of Fujifilm documentary wedding photographer, I
X-Pro2s with a 23mm and 56mm lens can effectively become a guest and blend
combination) is so much lighter, smaller into the environment and shoot much
and easier to use ergonomically than my closer, quicker and more effectively than
DSLR counterpart. Critically, though, the I ever could with my DSLR system. And
what-you-see-is-what-you-get electronic those gorgeous JPEGs that the camera
viewfinder changes everything for me. creates mean my editing workflow in
Fujifilm has a plethora of amazing film post-production is vastly reduced. Overall,
simulations, from its legendary Velvia and switching to mirrorless revolutionised the
Astia to the gorgeous monochromatic way I work when shooting weddings.

38 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

 Get in
closer
than ever
before
Because
mirrorless
cameras are so
light and small, I
can shoot pictures
that perhaps I
wouldn’t get with a
DSLR. I can shoot
one-handed,
wandering around
a wedding
reception, totally
blending in and, in
effect, being just
like another guest
at the wedding.

Metering in the
viewfinder
If you are a fan of using light and
shadow to help make a picture,
using spot metering in the Fujifilm
cameras is simple. What you see is
in real time, so you can very quickly
focus, meter and shoot to use the
light available to you.
Shoot from
unconventional angles
Many mirrorless cameras have flip screens
but even those that don’t will allow you to get
shots from angles you may not be able to get
with larger systems. Owing to their small size,
I can take shots from down low or by simply
holding the camera above my head without
drawing attention to myself.

See the finished image

Trust the camera. The electronic viewfinders or LCDs
will show you exactly how the image will look on your
computer. Embrace the technology, and combined with
live exposure, metering and film simulations you will
greatly reduce your workflow.

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 39

 Technique wedding phoTography

Aga Tomaszek Use memory set-ups

Aga Tomaszek has photographed more than
250 weddings, and has earned respect
throughout the wedding industry for her work
ethic and strong, graphic and emotional
imagery. Visit www.agatomaszek.com
Program two of your most used camera Third-party
configurations to memory settings 1 and
2 and use the dial on top of the camera
flash system
For off-camera flash
to quickly switch between the two. I
set-ups look into third-party
typically have an indoor and outdoor
manufacturers, as options

F
configuration saved, which is particularly
from Sony are limited and
or me, the key benefit of mirrorless over helpful at bright summer weddings when
hideously expensive. I use
DSLR is the live-view capabilities. No longer the exposure between indoors and
the Godox wireless
is my entire face hidden behind a chunky outdoors is so large, or when flash is
transmitter with V860II
camera. Shooting with a mirrorless camera needed indoors.
and AD200 flashes.
allows me to interact with my subjects, take photos
inconspicuously, and position it in places my eyes
All picTures on This pAge © AgA TomAszek

just can’t go (at least without looking ridiculous).

When I first switched to mirrorless in 2015, many
of my photographer friends laughed at my live-view
technique, claiming it wasn’t ‘professional’. Now they’re
all at it! I’ve not shot a photo through an OVF/EVF
for years, and hopefully I’ll never have to again. As
live view (and EVF) give instant feedback to exposure
compensation, aperture and so on, I rarely have to
waste time ‘chimping’ to make sure I’ve got the shot.
Although I still use big, fast prime lenses, switching
from carrying two Nikon D4s around all day has
obvious benefits. Not only could I barely fit through
doors, my back would be in pieces after shooting every
wedding. The cameras I use depend on the situation. At
a typical wedding I use a Sony A9 and A7 III; however I
will switch to an A7R III if more resolution is required.
My favourite lenses are the Sony Zeiss 35mm and
50mm f/1.4 and the Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8.

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 Technique wedding phoTography

Eye-AF
all pictures on this page © aga tomaszek

The majority of my shots (of

people) are taken with Eye AF
activated. Make sure to program
Eye AF to an easy-to-reach
button, you’ll be pressing it a lot!

Silent shutter
Use silent shutter for candid
photography or during strict church
services. Just be wary of banding
from certain types of LED and
fluorescent lights. It’s not an issue
with the A9, but the A7R III and A7III
are certainly susceptible.

Spider holster
To get the most flexibility when using live view, use a spider holster
instead of a strap or braces. This way you are only limited by the
length of your arms, rather than the length of your strap.

42 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

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 portrait photography
Young and s
C
arolyn’s profound and
moving project ‘Being
Inbetween’ focuses quite
literally on that often
difficult ‘in between’ ages of 10-12
– a time when you’re not quite yet
a teenager or an adult, but you’re
also rapidly leaving your childhood
behind, and beginning to face
the struggles that come with that
growing up process.
‘Being Inbetween’ first caught my
attention in 2016 when an image
(Alice, aged 10 – see below right)
from the series won a gold medal in
the Royal Photographic Society’s
International Photography
Exhibition (IPE 159). The same
portrait was also selected for the
2017 Portrait of Britain prize, and
All mAges © CArolyn mendelsohn 2019
was one of those displayed on
billboards nationwide – you may
have even seen it yourself.
So when I found out that Carolyn
would be attending the inaugural
Photo North festival at the tail end
of 2018, I made it my mission to
44
meet her, and it’s almost five
months later when I come to write
up our interview. I was recently
reminded of that portrait of Alice,
having seen it enlarged for the
RPS display at The Photography
Show in March.
Listening back to our chat, I’m
instantly reminded of Carolyn’s
warmth and enthusiasm for her
project which, like so many other
wonderful photographic projects, is
rooted in her own experiences. She
tells me, ‘I remembered really
clearly being that age. I had one
image in my head as a 10-year-old
being in my bedroom on a very hot
day. My dad was barbecuing
outside, and I spent two hours in my
room trying to decide whether or
not I should put on a pair of shorts.
I was feeling incredibly self-
conscious. I put on this pair of
lime-green shorts. My legs hadn’t
seen sunshine for a very long time,
and I remember walking to the top
of the stairs; my dad came to the
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Above from left to bottom and said, “Oh my god, your
right: Heavens, legs look so chubby!” After that, I
aged10, Heather, just had this image of myself as a
aged11, Erin, aged girl with chubby legs, when actually
12, Cara, aged12,
Aaisha, aged11, I was really tiny. As an adult, I
Alice A, aged11 started to realise that those things
people say to you at that particular
moment when you’re growing
becomes how you see yourself.’
Because the work reflects her own
experiences, Carolyn features only
girls in the project. ‘A s an artist, I’m
exploring things that are, in some
ways, auto-ethnographical – so it’s
about me, or something that I’m
intrigued by. My experience is
obviously being a girl, or being a
woman, so it made sense to take
portraits of girls only,’ she explains.
Over the past five years, Carolyn
has photographed 80 girls for the
project. Initially, she found
participants after writing a blogpost
Right, from left to which appeared on her commercial
right: Alice, aged photography website. It wasn’t too
10, Poppy, aged 11, difficult to find sitters, but she
Nishat, aged 12 admits that the process
 portrait photography

trong For five years, Carolyn Mendelsohn

has created powerful portraits of
girls on the cusp of becoming
teenagers. She tells Amy Davies
about her award-winning project

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 45

portrait photography
quickened as the project
started to become successful
and reach wider audiences. As the
work progressed, Carolyn
endeavoured to ensure there was a
broad range of different types of
sitters – especially those whose
faces might not otherwise be seen or
their voices heard.
The eye-opener
It’s those voices which hold equal
weight for Carolyn. After each
portrait session is complete, she
interviews the girls. Each is asked
the same set of questions, for a
uniform approach. An experience
towards the start of the project set
the course for the rest of them. ‘I
had one girl, Olivia, who was one of asked me these questions before,
the first lot of portraits. She was this and no one’s ever listened to what I
really small girl with this amazing
presence – she was really brilliant in all the time from these girls. I
front of the camera. I did the
interview with her and she had lots important,’ Carolyn says.
to say. I ask questions like “What
are your hobbies?”, “What do you
love?”, “What do you want to be
when you’re older?” But at the very
end, she said to me: “Is there
anything else you want to ask me?”
I was a bit taken aback as I’d
finished my questions so I said, “Is
there something you’d like to tell
me?” She said, “Yes, I would like to
tell you something that I’ve not
talked about. I’ve got a congenital
heart condition and I’ve had seven
major operations since I was born
– I’ve got another one coming up
and I’m a bit worried about it.” It
46
blew me away because from that
you reframe not just the interview,
but the portrait too. She was very
pale and her lips were a bit blue – I
had just assumed it was cold
outside. I could also see that she had
some scarring that I’d not noticed
until she told me. After that, I
learned to always say to my sitters,
“Is there anything else you’d like to
tell me?”’
Although it’s important for the
portraits to be strong enough to
work on their own, adding in
context like this is an opportunity to
further explore who they are, giving
young girls an opportunity to speak
and to be listened to. ‘One of the
girls said to me: “No one’s ever
have to say.” I feel like I’m learning
thought, yes, actually this is
Another absolutely essential
criteria for Carolyn is that the girls
she photographs are actively
involved in the process, and not just
sent along by parents keen for a free
photoshoot. ‘I want the girls to
understand what it’s about. So if a
parent or a carer says I’ve got a
daughter you could photograph,
there’s still a process. I have a
questionnaire that the girls need to
fill out. I also send them
information about the work, which
has been online in plenty of places. I
want them to realise what it’s about
rather than just be sent.’
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Above from left to Creating powerful portraits
right: Mabel, aged, While these might appear to be
10 (the very first traditional portraits in the
sitter for the conventional or classical sense, the
project), Silver, aged
11, Jocelyn, aged aim of each photograph is not about
10, Maria, aged 10, the girls looking ‘beautiful’ or ‘at
Jodie, aged 10, their best’. Carolyn explains instead,
Sadie, aged 11 ‘It’s about creating a really powerful
portrait. It’s about taking a photo of
them as they are and how they
choose to appear, and celebrating
that. Being that age, [for] a lot of
girls, you feel really awkward; you
start to feel really uncomfortable
and you become kind of cocooned
because it’s sometimes defined as an
“awkward” age. I think, actually, it’s
a beautiful transient stage and I
want girls to have that experience.’
The typical set-up for each shot is
very similar, but not identical.
Images are taken in borrowed
studio or hall spaces, with the same
backdrop for each one. Carolyn uses
two lights which are positioned in
different ways depending on the
lighting effect she’s trying to
achieve. She uses a Nikon D800
which is typically paired with an
85mm f/1.4 lens; occasionally she
will use a 50mm f/1.4 if space is a
little more limited. The girls always
travel to Carolyn, with up to five
sittings in one day.
Communication is vital
throughout, to try to reduce the
natural feeling of awkwardness that
‘It’s about taking a photo of them as
they are, and celebrating that’

arises from the very unnatural
process of having a lens pointed
towards you. ‘Some are obviously
more comfortable than others, but I
know what it feels to be incredibly
uncomfortable in front of a lens. I
work with them, I try to incorporate
them in the process of taking their
portrait – explaining absolutely
everything I’m doing. For the ones
who’ve seen the work already, I
explain why I want them to look
directly into the camera. It’s about
connecting with the viewer, but it
can’t be a blank stare, it has to be a
really connected look that they give.
We talk about how they’re going to
stand, what is comfortable for them
and we chat while I’m moving my
lights. I might stare at them and
look at their faces really intently, so
I explain to them I’m not staring at
“them”, I’m looking where the light
is falling on their faces – they tend
to become really comfortable quite
quickly. I want them to be powerful
within the work – I’m not observing
them, I’m inviting them to become
part of the piece.’
Like working on a PhD
Long-term projects like this
encompass a huge amount of work
that can at times become all-
consuming. For Carolyn it’s vital for
the learning process and lends an
extra something to the project,
which she recommends to anybody
thinking of pursuing something
similar. ‘I think it becomes stronger
[when it’s long-term]. It gives it
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
more rigour. I’ve learned through
© SuSIe LAwrenCe pHotogrApHy
the creation of this work, and it has
more substance to it. This piece of
work is a bit like my PhD (I haven’t
actually got one... but it’s like one to
me),’ she laughs.
Over the past five years, ‘Being
Inbetween’ has received a lot of
attention – it’s clearly something
which touches a nerve with a lot of
Carolyn Mendelsohn people. It was first exhibited in Hull
is a professional when the project consisted of only
photographer who 26 photographs, and for which
specialises in lifestyle, Carolyn received Arts Council
fashion and bespoke funding to help it come to fruition.
portraits. See more of Putting something into the world
her work at carolyn- which is so personal is a nerve-
mendelsohn.format. wracking prospect. ‘I didn’t know
com, or at instagram. how it would go down – you make
com/being.inbetween. yourself really vulnerable when it’s
shown to the public and I was really
Her latest exhibition,
quite anxious about how it might be
‘Being Inbetween’ is
seen. But, the responses were, and
currently on show at the continue to be, quite phenomenal.
Brewery Arts Centre in People are quite emotional – there’s
Kendal until 1 June 2019, something about that pivotal
entrance is free. See moment before people’s lives
breweryarts.co.uk for completely change.’ It has been
more information. exhibited a few times since then, as
well as winning various awards,
something which clearly means an
awful lot to Carolyn. ‘A s an artist or
a photographer, it’s just this
wonderful thing when your work
starts to be recognised – it’s not an
ego thing; it’s about it being an
important piece of work to me, so
if it gets onto different platforms
and seen by people, it’s really
encouraging.’
Currently on show at the Brewery
portrait photography
Arts Centre in Kendal, Cumbria, a
book of the work is also in the
offing. Due to be published by
Bluecoat Press depending on a
Kickstarter campaign which is
bound to be successful, now feels
like the right time to draw ‘Being
Inbetween’ to a close, and for
Carolyn to start exploring other
work. ‘I’ve documented girls from
Britain of that age, over a process of
five years – that’s kind of a nice time
for it.’ She insists however that she’ll
continue to show and talk about the
work for as long as people are
interested in hearing about it. ‘I like
talking about the series and I like
talking about individual portraits. It
can also be used with young people
to explore issues of identity and who
they are in this world, and how they
see the world.’
Stealing brazenly from Carolyn’s
own interview techniques, I finish
our chat by asking if there’s
anything else she wants to add at
this point. ‘One thing I’ve learned is
that girls of that age are often
hidden away – you get things which
are for under 10s, and things for
teenagers. For some reason girls of
the inbetween kind of age are kind
of hidden away, perhaps protected
and seen as vulnerable. This was my
opportunity to give those girls a
voice, and a platform to celebrate
who they are, no matter how the
world perceives them or how they
feel about themselves.’
I think it’s safe to say that
she has succeeded.
47
advertisement feature

Light
celebrations
a top photographer tells how she Indonesia. It took place at
Conrad Bali, and the Infinity
captures details of weddings using Chapel there was just unreal
– it was a glass chapel that sits
the rotolight neO 2 on top of an infinity pool

ÔM
overlooking the sea. It was such
y first at a rather large price tag. ‘This a beautiful wedding!’
DSLR was a meant I had to look for ways to
silver-body finance it; hence, me entering The challenges
Canon Rebel into wedding photography One of the biggest challenges
XT (Canon EOS 350D) part-time. Then, two years for any wedding photographer
with a kit lens,’ top wedding later in 2013, I made the leap is the diverse skill set they are
photographer Anita Cheung and went full time. So here required to have, not only on
reveals with a chuckle. ‘The I am, forever grateful to my the day but in the lead up to the
camera only had a tiny 1in friend who insulted my camera wedding as well. ‘We wear
LCD screen at the back! At the and reignited my passion for many hats,’ Anita jokes. ‘We
time I wasn’t a professional photography!’ are portrait photographers
photographer; however I took As well as having during the creative sessions,
it out with one of my friends photographed many weddings photojournalists during the
and let’s just say he wasn’t too in her home city of Toronto, ceremony and reception, image
impressed!’ At the time Anita Anita’s photography has editors, sales manager, social
had a career in mechatronic enabled her to travel around media managers, and even
engineering, and after the world and capture some bloggers at times.’
admitting her practical mind unique celebrations. ‘The most On any job Anita’s kit bag is
gave her the nudge to upgrade exciting wedding I ever full to the brim with various
to a better model, she did, but photographed was in Bali, devices from her lightweight
Sony A7R III and A7 III
cameras, to a range of lenses,
About the Neo 2 and lighting accessories
including her slim Rotolight
© AnitA Cheung of Rhythm PhotogRAPhy

The RoTolighT Neo 2 is an NEO and NEO 2 lights. ‘I love

leD light that combines both how the Rotolight NEO 2 is so
continuous lighting with high easy to use, and is so small that
Speed Sync (hSS) flash it fits easily in my camera bag,’
(1/8000th). This portable light can she says. For each job she needs
be mounted on or off camera, and to greatly consider what she
its lightweight design makes it easy needs, as weight and space are
to transport and use on location. limited to what she can carry.
To power the Neo 2 it takes 6x Anita’s bright and elegant
AA batteries (NiMh or li-ion), DC photography style is extremely
or Dtap. The battery power lasts important to her brand, and at
for 85,000 full power flashes on every shoot the pressure is on
the batteries, or 1.5 hours at to produce her trademark look
maximum output continuous that her clients expect – even in
power. This light includes dark rooms that many
© AnitA Cheung of Rhythm PhotogRAPhy

Rotolight’s True Aperture photographers fear! As well as Anita says the

Dimming™, which is a feature that her trusty flashguns Anita uses Rotolights are small
calculates your aperture at a given the Rotolight NEO and NEO 2 and easy to use
distance, plus it’s completely flicker lights, which give her Sony A7 III with Sony
free at any frame rate – the ideal confidence in those dark and Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4
ZA lens, 1/250sec at f/1.4,
accompaniment for any wedding low-lit spaces. ‘I simply adjust
ISO 320
photographer. the power and temperature

48
settings on the lights, and if I’m
shooting details inside a dark
room, I can easily adjust both
settings to imitate daylight,
and so the light doesn’t look
artificial.’

Using the NEO lights

But it’s not just wedding detail
shots Anita uses these lights
for: ‘I love using the NEO lights
to illuminate the first dance,
and to make the couple pop
from the dance floor,’ she says.
‘I’m also amazed at how much
power the NEO 2 has, given
that it is battery operated. Plus
having this system to hand
means I can speedily set up
and take down the lights in a
matter of seconds. It’s so light
and small, I can easily mount it
on a light stand or even have
my assistant hold it for me for
creative shots.’
Anita also uses the NEO
lights for wedding speeches. ‘It
creates a different look than
bouncing flash, and I have
more freedom to be creative,
and is less distracting in those
precious moments. I’m a real
fan of continuous lighting, as
you see exactly what you get.
The design of the NEO 2 is so
simplistic and the learning
curve is very low, so you can
just pop the batteries in and
start using it right away.’
As for the future, Anita will
carry on photographing
weddings and using her
Rotolight NEOs.
‘Photographing a wedding is so
much fun. I’m surrounded by
the happiest people and it’s like
I’m attending a party every
time I work. Wedding
photography allows me to be
creative and to offer a service
and product to others that
they’ll always cherish.’

Anita Cheung
Anita Cheung is a
wedding
photographer
based in Toronto,
Canada. Her style
is bright, airy and
elegant, and she
loves exploring
and photographing places that are new
to both herself and the couple. The most
valuable thing to her is having memories
and adventures she can share, and
documenting the same for others. Find
out more at rhythm-photography.com.

49
 © j ll dyson-orme
2

© david p howard
1 Constantine’s 2 Gas Street Basin by
Swallowtail by Jill David P Howard an
Dyson-Orme This abstract take on the
beautifully detailed urban landscape has
macro shot is also worked well thanks to the
1
expertly framed. bold colours and lines.

5
5 Tibetan Girl by Dick 6
Prior The bright reds of
the girl’s costumes helps
her stand out wonderfully
from the background in
this beautiful travel-type
portrait.

6 Rainy Day in the City

by Phil Welch There’s
plenty of atmosphere in
this urban scene – the
perspective makes the
© ph l welch
© d ck pr or

viewer feel as if they are

really there.

Join
When was the club founded? competitions, members’ evenings, and critique
The Stratford Upon Avon Photographic Society sessions. Members’ evenings include studio
was founded in 1946, and in the early 1980s flash sessions, critiques, and software reviews.
changed its name to the Stratford Camera Additionally we have outside visits.
Club, and again in the early 2000s to

Club
the
Stratford Photo Group. Do you invite guest speakers?
The programme typically includes six guest
What does your club offer new members? speakers, usually chosen from the Midland
We offer new members a mentoring scheme Counties Photographic Federation’s approved
or series of tuition sessions to meet the needs lecturers. The subject matter is chosen to be
of an individual, or small group, where a attractive to the membership and includes
knowledgeable member helps the parties Travel, Street Photography, Portraiture, Audio
understand their equipment and software with Visuals, and the Pursuit of Photographic
a view to their improvement. Distinctions.
Originating in 1946, Describe a typical club meeting. Do members compete in competitions?
Meetings start at 7.45pm at The Bishopton Annually we have interclub competitions with
Stratford Photo Group Community Centre in Stratford and typically Leamington Spa PS, and Banbury PS. We
has significantly continue until 10pm or sometimes later,
depending on the programme, which includes
additionally have three-way competitions with
Studley and Evesham, and one with Droitwich
improved its standing lectures, merit competitions, interclub and Evesham. We also have a three-way

50 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

 YOUR PICTURES IN PRINT

© M CHAEL ROBERTSON-SMITH

© MARY KIRKBY
4

3 Trigger by Michael 4 Gelada Baboon

Robertson-Smith Stark Smirking by Mary
contrast, mono and a Kirkby The behaviour of
7
7 Northern Lights by square crop help make this primate is perfectly
8 this horse shot stand out. captured in this portrait.
Cliff Armstrong The
use of a lone human
figure in the frame
gives a wonderful Club essentials
sense of context, while
the outline of the
structure adds further Stratford Photo Group
interest. Bishopton Community Centre,
Drayton Avenue, Stratford Upon Avon
8 Mursi Meets Two to three Tuesdays per month from
Tribeswoman with mid-September to early June.
Children by Mary Subscription £45 per year or £22.50 for students in
Kirkby Fantastic full-time education.
eye-contact elevates
this from a standard Membership Contact Phil Welch membership
© CL FF ARMSTRONG

travel portrait to secretary, or download membership form from website.

© MARY KIRKBY

something much Website www.stratfordphotographic.org.uk.

more engaging.

Match That PDI fun competition with Droitwich
and Evesham which is close to Christmas,
where the three clubs simultaneously project
rounds of images for the judge to decide if
there is a good match and choose the best
ones. Several members compete in
international competitions and salons and have
had considerable success, leading to FIAP
Distinctions. Members are actively encouraged
to apply for RPS, PAGB, and FIAP Distinctions.
Currently the membership includes two ARPS,
six LRPS, three CPAGB, an AFIAP and EFIAP.
One member has just qualified for EFIAP Gold
and is working towards the Platinum award.
How many members do you have?
Currently 30 including two honorary life
members. Numbers fluctuate due to other
commitments, but the maximum number in
recent times has been 42. The long-term aim
is to sustain a membership of 45+.
Have you planned any trips or outings?
Previously the club ran an annual week in
Limousin in France based at a member’s gite,
which proved to be successful. Currently we
are exploring other more local locations for a
weekend away. The club also has outings for
small groups throughout the year to places of
photographic interest, which invariably yield a
number of successful images.
Can you share any funny club stories?
A few years ago the club hosted the Midland
Salon of International Photography, a print and
slide competition. As the exhibition secretary I
returned home each day with a large pile of
newly delivered print portfolio cases. The
sub-committee spent almost every evening for
six weeks unpacking and booking the images,
before stacking the return packing in a spare
room. Eventually the bedroom was literally full
to the ceiling – and my wife’s elderly mother
was planning an imminent visit! The exhibition
was a great success and the salon chairman
paid a visit to the house to thank the
committee and presented my wife with a huge
bouquet of flowers. She was delighted and
after thanking him said to me, ‘You never do
anything like that!’
What are the club’s goals for the future?
The club has in recent years staged an
expanded annual exhibition of Stratford Photo
Group members’ work at the Stratford
Playhouse, and it is planned to stage the first
Stratford International Photographic Exhibition,
showcasing the best possible images in print or
PDI format from around the world, thereby
creating an International Centre of Excellence
for Photography.
Want to see your club featured on these pages? Drop
us a line for more information at ap@ti-media.com

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 51

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 Testbench
Fujifilm X-T30
Fujifilm’s X-T series has been refreshed, but does
this arrival hit the sweet spot of what enthusiasts
want for under £1,000? Michael Topham finds out
For and against
Introduces a joystick for
precise AF control
Enhanced autofocus
performance
USB-C interface supports
on-the-go battery charging
Capable of continuous
shooting up to 30fps
Touchscreen could be
integrated further
Some buttons can be
pressed accidentally
ALL PR CES ARE APPROX MATE STREET PR CES
Optional metal grip isn’t cheap
2.5mm microphone port
54
CAMERA TEST
At a glance
£849 body only
● 26.1-million-pixel APS-C X-Trans
CMOS 4 sensor
● ISO 160-12,800 (80-51,200 extended)
● 425-point AF system with
2.16-million phase detection pixels
● Up to 30fps continuous shooting
● 4K/30p recording with 4:2:2 10bit
HDMI output
● Single SD card slot
T
here have been many lighter and more affordable
Data file developments in alternative to Fujifilm’s fabulous
Fujifilm’s X series over X-T3 that has been well received
Sensor 26.1MP X-Trans 4 (23.5 x 15.6mm)
the years. One such since its release last year.
Output size 6240x4160
example has been the expansion
Focal length mag 1.5x
of the company’s X-T camera Features
Lens mount Fujifilm X-Mount
portfolio. Back in 2014, there was The X-T30 benefits from Fujifilm’s
Shutter Speeds 15min-1/4000sec (mechanical)
only the X-T1 to choose from if 4th generation X-Trans CMOS 4
15min-1/32,000sec (electronic)
Sensitivity ISO 160-12,800 (standard)
you fancied a Fujifilm camera that technology and is equipped with
bestowed the traditional shape of a the same 26.1-million-pixel
ISO 80-51,200 (extended)
DSLR, with attractive styling and a APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor
Exposure modes PASM
Metering Multi, spot, average, centrally positioned viewfinder. We you get in the X-T3. This chip
centre-weighted had to wait until May 2015 to see has a back-illuminated structure,
Exposure comp +/-5EV in 1/3 steps some of the X-T1’s features filter excludes a low-pass filter to
Drive Mode 8fps with mechanical shutter, down to a more compact X-T10. maximise detail and partners up
30fps with electronic shutter Since then we’ve seen the X-T with Fujifilm’s X-Processor that’s
Screen 3in, 1.04m-dot tilting series grow substantially. Double- 3x faster than the one used inside
touchscreen digit X-T models such as the X-T20 the X-T20. Whereas previously
Viewfinder 2.36m-dot, 0.62x magnification continue to borrow a subset of the ISO 160 was only available as
AF points 425 advanced features found in extended ISO, users will find it
Video 4K (4096 x 2160), 30p, 200Mbps Fujifilm’s single-digit X-T models, part of the native range of ISO
Memory card SD, SDHC, SDXC and to ensure there’s a camera for 160-12,800 (expandable to
Power NP-W126S Li-ion battery all types of user, Fujifilm introduced 80-51,200).
Battery life the X-T100 for novices and those The X-T30 shoots at 8fps using
380 shots per charge
Dimensions 118.4x82.8x46.8mm working to a strict budget. its mechanical shutter, which is
Weight 383g With Fujifilm’s so-called ‘little 3fps slower than the X-T3. Unlike
giant’ we’re looking at a smaller, the X-T20 that maxed out at
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
 The size and weight of the X-T30 makes it an ideal
companion for city breaks and travels abroad.
It was tested on a short trip to the city of Rome
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/100sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

14fps using its electronic shutter,
faster continuous shooting speeds
of up to 30fps are possible, but
this does enforce a 1.25x crop of
the sensor, resulting in 16-million-
pixel images being captured. To
help with composition, the Sports
finder mode that marks the 1.25x
cropped area in the viewfinder has
been inherited from the X-T3. The
fastest the X-T30 shoots at using
its electronic shutter without the
1.25x crop is 20fps. Users can
expect to record 32 JPEGs or 17
raw files continuously at 20fps, or
90 JPEGs or 18 raw files at 8fps
– but this doesn’t trump the
X-T3’s buffer performance.
Another variation between the
X-T30 and X-T3 is that the latter
shoots up to 1/8000sec using its
mechanical shutter, whereas the
maximum shutter speed on the
X-T30 is 1/4000sec. When a
faster shutter speed is required
or silent operation is needed for
discreet shooting, the electronic
shutter can be used to shoot at up
to 1/32,000sec. At the opposite
end of the scale, it’s possible to set
the shutter speed to 60mins using
bulb mode or 15mins in shutter
priority or manual mode.
Among the key talking points on
the X-T30 are the improvements
to its autofocus system. It inherits
the same sophisticated AF system
from the X-T3 with four times as
many phase-detection pixels on
the sensor than you get on the
X-T20. The 2.16 million phase-
detection pixels cover 100%
of the frame and the low-light
autofocus sensitivity has improved
from -1EV to -3EV. Users get a
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AF points laid out into a 9x13 grid,
or there’s a 425-point layout
consisting of a 17x25 grid, plus
there are custom AF-C modes
to enhance focus tracking when
shooting moving subjects. Just like
the X-T3, single and continuous
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switch at the front of the body and
you get five custom AF-C modes
to refine focus tracking when
shooting moving subjects. The
difference between the X-T30
and X-T20 is that you can adjust
the tracking sensitivity, speed
tracking sensitivity or zone area
switching to create your own
custom AF-C preset.
Following feedback from X-T3
users, the updated autofocus
algorithm is intended to rule out
the jittery performance that’s
associated with Face and Eye
tracking, Face Selection and
Non-stop Phase Detection AF
when focusing from a distance.
The algorithm has been amended
so it can identify smaller faces in
the frame as well as provide faster
focusing from far to near or near
to far when using phase-detection
AF in combination with long
telephoto lenses. Fujifilm X-T3
users can benefit from these
improvements too via a firmware
update which is available on
Fujifilm’s website.
The X-T30’s EVF is a 2.36-
million-dot OLED unit similar to
the one you get on the X-T20. It
has a 0.62x magnification, dioptre
adjustment, and an eye sensor
that permits automatic switching
with the rear screen. Up to the
eye, it displays extensive exposure
information, plus it automatically
rotates when you switch from
landscape to portrait orientation
and vice versa. The EVF’s display
time lag is just 0.005sec and it
has a refresh rate of 100fps when
set to high-performance boost
mode. In normal mode the refresh
rate is 60fps. Below the EVF, the
X-T30’s 3in, 1.04-million-dot
touchscreen is similar to the
X-T3’s screen in terms of size and
resolution, but offers two-way tilt
manoeuvrability as opposed to
three-way tilt. The screen is
1.3mm thinner than the
X-T20’s and with touch-

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 The tilting screen is useful for
times when you’d like to shoot
discreetly and unobtrusively
from the hip
Fujifilm XF 50mm F2 R WR,
1/850sec at f/2.8, ISO 200
based control it’s possible
to adjust the AF area while
looking through the EVF, change
settings from the quick menu and
swipe through or magnify images
with a touch of your finger.
Other features that see the
X-T30 advance on the X-T20
include its ability to shoot ultra
high definition (UHD) 4K/30p
video with support for F-Log
recording, 4:2:2 10bit output via
HDMI and 4:2:0 8bit output
in-camera. It also offers 48KHz
24bit stereo sound recording in
body and the USB-C interface
that’s found at the side for
charging the battery on the go
doubles up as the X-T30’s
headphone plug. Directly above
this is a 2.5mm mic/remote input,
with a single SD card slot found
adjacent to the battery.
All of the above is backed by
Fujifilm’s suite of film-simulation
modes, with the option to pair it
with a smart device via Bluetooth
for an always-on connection,
enabling a fast and automatic
transfer of images ready to
share. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth also
permits remote shooting from a
smartphone, viewing of pictures
taken on your device, and printing
direct to a Fujifilm Instax printer.
Build and handling
Fujifilm had good foundations on
which to build the X-T30. Though
it differs from the X-T10 and
X-T20 in areas of its control layout
56
and thumb rest, the general size
and shape of the body hasn’t
changed. The body is constructed
to a high standard. It has more of
a robust feel than the X-T100,
but isn’t as hardy as the X-T3. The
top and base plates are made of
lightweight magnesium alloy,
which contribute to a solid feel.
It isn’t weather-sealed and
doesn’t provide the same level
of robustness or durability as the
X-T3, but should last a long time in
the hands of those who care for it.
If you like to venture off limits and
want extra reassurance that your
camera is up to the task of
shooting in seriously challenging
environments, the X-T3 with its
seals against moisture is probably
the better option for you.
Compared to the X-T3 the
X-T30 is rather dinky, but the
handgrip, prominent thumb rest
and grippy rubberised coating
make for a satisfying feel in the
hand for such a small camera. If
you have large hands or feel the
handling would benefit from a little
extra depth to the body, such as
when it’s used with heavier lenses,
the metal grip that Fujifilm makes
for the X-T10 and X-T20 also fits
the X-T30. This accessory will set
you back an extra £99, but it’s
better than some cheap third-
party alternatives and has a cut
out to allow batteries and memory
cards to be swapped over quickly.
The X-T30 shares a likeness to
the X-T3’s top plate, but doesn’t
have an ISO dial. Instead, a minimal thumb movement. This
drive-mode dial occupies the real is important because like all
estate on the top plate to the left other X-series cameras, the
of the viewfinder, with the two touchscreen can’t be used to
dials on the opposite side navigate the menu. The Disp/Back
controlling shutter speed and button remains in much the same
exposure compensation. Those place and the Menu/OK button
who want fast access to ISO can is located directly above it. The
reposition it in the quick menu, or introduction of the joystick where
better still, assign it to a function the quick-menu button used to be
button or the front or rear dial. required the latter to be relocated.
The on/off switch surrounds the The quick-menu button has been
shutter button, which is threaded added to the thumb rest, which
to accept screw-in cable releases.
Just to the right is a small function
button, which is set to turn
high-performance boost mode on
or off as default, but there were a
few instances when I found myself
hitting it unintentionally.
So what about the new
changes? In the same way the
four-way directional buttons were
stripped from the X-T3, Fujifilm
has taken a similar approach at
the rear of the X-T30. It’s the
first double-digit X-T camera to
feature a joystick, which in the past
has been a feature you’d have to
pay a premium for on Fujifilm’s
more advanced models if you
wanted it. With the joystick falling
nicely beneath your thumb,
shifting the AF point becomes
faster and more intuitive. Depress
the joystick and you’re able to
quickly refine the size of the AF
point with the rear dial too. It also
presents an excellent way of
navigating the menu and finding
the settings you want quickly with
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
 CAMERA TEST Testbench
protrudes slightly more than the scenarios, proving itself to be just

X-T10’s and X-T20’s. Like the Fn1
button, I found it easy to brush this
accidentally when shooting. Just
as this issue went to press, Fujifilm
announced new firmware for the
camera to address this problem.
Like the X-T20, the Auto mode
selection lever is within easy reach
of the thumb – ideal for less-
experienced users who’d like the
camera to choose the optimum
settings for a given scene. To enter
Program mode you’re required to
set both the aperture on the lens
and shutter speed to its ‘A’ setting.
With the shutter speed set to ‘A’
mode and the aperture set via
the aperture ring, the camera
will actively perform in aperture
priority mode; whereas with the
aperture set to ‘A’ on the lens and
the shutter speed set via the dial,
the X-T30 performs in shutter
priority mode. This is the same
arrangement as the X-T3, but is a
slightly different way of working to
the PASM shooting modes you’ll
find on the entry-level X-T100.
Performance
One of the main attractions of
Fujifilm’s double-digit X-T series
cameras is that they offer a
comparable performance to
the company’s more advanced
Focal points
as capable shooting static subjects
and landscape scenes as it is
portraiture and high-speed action,
sport or wildlife.
The wide spread of phase- The X-T30 isn’t short of features and crams a lot
detection AF pixels combined with in and around its well-constructed body
quick data processing presents an
extremely fast autofocus response. AF modes Hotshoe Black & white
The X-T20 had an evidently Users get the choice The X-T30 features a adjustment
snappier AF performance than the of selecting between built-in flash that’s The X-T30 introduces
X-T10, and the X-T30 improves single-point AF for manually raised using a the new black & white
on the X-T20. One of the claims prioritising focus on small lever located off adjustment control
of the X-T30’s updated AF a single chosen point, to the side of the drive that debuted on the
algorithm is that it focuses faster Zone AF that’s good dial. If you require more X-T3. It allows you to
from far to near or near to far for capturing moving illumination you can specify how warm or
when using phase-detection AF in subjects in a large AF attach a flash unit such cool you’d like the mono
combination with long telephoto area, and Wide/Tracking as Fujifilm’s EF-42 effect to be.
lenses. To test this, I hooked it up AF for capturing (£165) via the hotshoe.
to the XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 unpredictable Different
R LM OIS WR – a fairly large and movements and
subjects that
colours
weighty zoom (1,375g) that must The X-T30 will be
be said handles better with the move across the available in three
X-T3 than it does the X-T30. entire frame. different finishes
Using the lens at its long end and – all black, silver or
focusing between cricket players charcoal silver. The
at different distances using charcoal silver isn’t
single-point AF and Zone AF too dissimilar to the
modes resulted in hasty focus lock graphite X-Pro2 that
with absolutely no hesitation. Fujifilm made a few
Shooting high-speed sport at years ago.
20fps/30fps using the electronic
shutter demonstrated how
proficient the X-T30 is at focusing
on moving subjects, and with no
viewfinder blackout beyond the
46.8mm

single-digit X-T models for less
money. Indeed, the X-T30 with its
fast-performing X-Processor is
highly versatile when it comes to
shooting different subjects and
first frame it’s possible to keep
apace and track fast and erratic
subjects while the camera
continuously shoots. Users
should be aware of the

Advanced SR Auto mode Front and rear dials

Beginners have the option to flick the X-T30
into its Advanced SR Auto mode. When
selected, the camera examines the scene
and automatically selects optimum
autofocus and exposure settings, leaving
the user to concentrate on capturing the
image at the precise moment.
82.8mm
The front dial is used to control
aperture when the camera is used
with Fujifilm XC lenses that don’t
feature an aperture ring. The rear
dial is fully customisable from
the main menu and can be
assigned to any one of 32
settings on offer.

The sprightly AF system wasn’t

fazed when made to focus
between near and far subjects
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR,
1/2000sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600
118.4mm

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 The new monochrome
adjustment function lets
you warm up or cool down
tones easily in-camera
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM
OIS, 1/1000sec at f/4, ISO 640
rolling shutter phenomenon
though, which can force you
back to shooting at 8fps using the
mechanical shutter. Those who
photograph moving subjects are
recommended to explore the
AF-C custom settings as they get
more experienced with the
Bluetooth connectivity
TO ACTIVATE the X-T30’s
Bluetooth connectivity you first
need to enter the connection
settings via the main menu,
select ‘Bluetooth settings’ and
then click on ‘pairing registration’.
From here you’ll be prompted to
load Fujifilm’s camera remote
app on your mobile device and
select the pairing registration
option. After selecting the X-T30
on your mobile device the
camera will ask if you’d like to set
the date/time from the
smartphone. Confirm this and
the Bluetooth set-up process is
complete.
Each time the Camera Remote
app is loaded from this point on,
the camera and mobile device
automatically connect (provided
that Bluetooth on both devices is
turned on) – a process that takes
about five seconds after which
the remote control, receive,
browse camera and geotagging
options in the app all become
58
camera. These let you fine-tune
how the camera reacts to the way
a subject moves within the frame,
how fast the subject moves and
where in the frame it prioritises
the focus. It’s brilliant to see this
advanced feature filter down to
the X-T30 and for users to be
active. These functions require a
Wi-Fi connection to work, but
the good thing about Bluetooth is
that it initiates the Wi-Fi
connection faster provided that
your device isn’t already
connected to a Wi-Fi network. If
it is you’ll need to go into the
Wi-Fi settings on the phone to
switch the wireless network the
phone is connected to before
images are transferred or remote
control is taken.
As well as being able to
customise the X-T30’s function
buttons to wireless
communication, this can be
assigned to a swipe gesture on
the rear screen. Users can also
turn Auto Image Transfer on,
which sends the last batch of
captured images to the mobile
device the next time a
connection is established. A 3MP
resize option helps to keep file
transfers quick and not fill up too
much precious memory space.
able to refine their own custom
preset from within Set 6.
Face and eye detection
continues to be an area where
camera manufacturers strive to
make improvements. The tracking
performance of face and eye
detection is promised to be twice
as good as the X-T20. It does a
fine job of recognising faces right
across the frame in AF-S and
AF-C mode, or when recording
video. When there are multiple
faces you can use Face Select to
identify the appropriate person in
the scene using the touchscreen
or joystick. I was very impressed by
Eye Detection, which makes focus
tracking on eyes in situations that
involves movement far easier. A
yellow square inside the green
face-detection box highlights
which eye it’s locked onto and you
can tell the camera which eye to
focus on, whether it be the left,
right or eye that’s closest to
camera. It’s more effective at
identifying smaller faces in the
frame than the X-T20 and those
who shoot shallow-depth-of-field
portraits will find they can rely on it
to find the crucial point of focus.
Using the X-T30 on a short trip
to Rome was a great way of finding
out how it fares as a travel camera.
As it is as small as it is, it’s easy to
shoot discreetly without drawing
too much attention to oneself. The
X-T30 exposes for scenes and
renders natural colour so well that
you’ll find that images require little,
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
if any, processing work before they
are printed or published. For extra
impact, some users might like to
explore the film simulation modes.
The option to add warmth or to
cool down monochrome images is
another welcome addition. The
tried and tested TTL 256-zone
metering system rarely skips a
beat and with the exposure
compensation dial so close to your
thumb, it’s easy enough to tweak
exposure on the fly when required.
Users can expect to shoot 380
frames or 45 minutes of 4K/30p
footage on a single charge, but if
lots of shots are transferred using
Wi-Fi you’ll find the battery does
deplete faster. Having the option
to charge via USB-C as you shoot
was a great option to have on my
travels. A small icon onscreen tells
you when the camera is charging
when it’s switched on and a green
LED illuminates when it’s charging
and turned off. Anyone who
upgrades from the X-T10 will find
that their older NP-W126
batteries are compatible.
Other than a few quirks
regarding accidental presses of a
few buttons and the seemingly
backward way ISO is increased/
decreased via the quick menu,
there’s little to fault on the X-T30.
Most importantly, it’s a reliable
performer that delivers results that
are on par with the X-T3, even
when it’s challenged by some of
the hardest to photograph
subjects and scenes.
 CAMERA TEST Testbench

Lab results
Andrew Sydenham’s lab tests reveal just how the camera performs Verdict
Our cameras and lenses are tested using the industry-
standard Image Engineering IQ-Analyser software.
Visit www.image-engineering.de for more details

The way the X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor handles noise across its native range (ISO 160-12,800)
whilst preserving such a fine level of detail is extremely impressive. This is great news for those
who often find themselves pushing the sensitivity high in low-light scenarios. While ultimately the
best image quality is resolved from the X-T30’s raw files, JPEG quality straight out of the camera GOLD
is very good indeed. Users who shoot JPEGs at high ISOs may want to reduce the automated
noise reduction from the menu to produce results that don’t appear as heavily processed.

The X-T30 positions itself above the

Resolution entry-level X-T100 and below the senior
X-T3 in Fujifilm’s desirable X-T series. In the
The level of detail recorded by the X-T30’s 26-million- dropping to 3,200 l/ph. At ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 the same way the X-T20 inherited its sensor,
pixel sensor is identical to that resolved by the X-T3. figure continues to exceed 3,000 l/ph. Heading into the processor and many other features from the
The lack of optical low-pass filter plays its part in a expanded settings revealed a further drop in resolution X-T2, the X-T30 does the same from the
maximum of 3,400 l/ph being resolved between ISO 80 at ISO 25,600 (2,600 l/ph), with 2,400 l/ph being X-T3, serving it all up in a smaller, lighter
and ISO 400. Resolution takes a slight hit at ISO 800, resolved at ISO 51,200. body that comes with most of the buttons
and dials photographers want to take manual
RAW RAW RAW RAW
ISO 160 ISO 800 ISO 6400 ISO 25,600 control, including a newly added joystick.
If you’re sitting on the fence, undecided
about whether the X-T3 or X-T30 makes
the better buy, you’ll want to question what
Here we show details from our your main priorities are. If you take your
resolution chart test pattern photography very seriously and think you’d
(above). Multiply the number reap the reward of owning a camera with a
beneath the lines by 200 to give more muscular handgrip, twin card slots for
the resolution in lines per backup, higher resolution EVF, weather seals,
picture height. larger buffer, 4K/60p video, the option to
shoot up to 11fps with mechanical shutter
and attach a battery grip, then the extra
Noise you’d spend for the X-T3 would be justified.
If however you like the sound of making a
The back-illuminated X-Trans 4 sensor puts in a strong noise performance. £500 saving and feel that some of these
Shoot between ISO 80 and ISO 800 and you’ll be guaranteed clean images premium features aren’t essential to your
free of noise. Push to ISO 1600 and you’ll start to notice luminance noise day-to-day photography, the X-T30 is a
appearing, however it’s so well controlled here as well as at ISO 3200 that cracking buy and will serve amateurs,
users won’t hold back from using these settings. Noise is also handled enthusiasts and even semi pros who want a
well at ISO 6400, but it does start to become a little more pronounced in great little backup body, extremely well. Its
images captured at ISO 12,800. The level of detail that’s resolved at ISO petite size means it takes up very little space
The crops shown below are taken 12,800 isn’t quite what it is at ISO 3200, but this wouldn’t put me off from in a camera bag too. This makes it a great
from the area outlined above in red using this setting. Users are recommended to avoid the extended settings. candidate for travelling, leaving plenty of
space for lenses and other essentials. It pairs
RAWISO160 RAW ISO 800 RAW ISO 6400 up and produces great results with Fujifilm’s
small and affordable f/2 primes, but the
optional metal grip would make a good
purchase if you have large hands or plan to
use it with large lenses frequently.
All things considered, the X-T30 is a
marvellous mirrorless camera. It provides an
excellent spec and performance for under
£1,000, while preserving the charm and
charisma of the X-series that we love so
much. Those who do choose it will fall in love
RAW ISO 12,800 RAW ISO 25,600 RAW ISO 51,200
instantly and won’t want to stop using it.

FEATURES 9/10
BUILD & HANDLING 8/10
METERING 9/10
AUTOFOCUS 9/10
AWB & COLOUR 9/10
DYNAMIC RANGE 8/10
IMAGE QUALITY 9/10
VIEWFINDER/LCD 8/10

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019 59


Focused
intelligence
With firmware version 5, Sony promises ‘Alpha 9
reborn’. Andy Westlake takes a closer look
W
hen mirrorless cameras first
appeared on the scene, their
main attraction was their small
size, and it was generally
assumed they’d never compete with DSLRs
for speed and autofocus capability. But with
relentless advances in technology, they kept on
narrowing the gap. Two years ago Sony released
Frame5 Frame 15
60
the Alpha 9, and suddenly we had a mirrorless
model that not only competed with Canon and
Nikon’s pro-focused sports DSLRs, but even
surpassed them in several crucial areas.
Combining silent shooting at a blistering 20
frames per second with autofocus tracking
across the entire image, this was the camera that
convinced me that DSLRs’ days were finally up.
18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Real-time Eye AF is a real bonus when
shooting portraits of moving subjects
Sony Alpha 9, FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS,
1/2000sec at f/3.2, ISO 100
Now, Sony has released a major firmware
update, with the bold statement of ‘Alpha 9
reborn’. Where previous updates mainly fixed
bugs, tweaked the autofocus and added
pro-focused LAN communication features,
Version 5.0 counts as a much more radical
overhaul. It brings a wide range of operational
updates, including some welcome control
Frame 23

‘This is the most exciting –
and important – area of
development this year’
customisation options (for more details, see
page 62). But its standout new technology is a
radically updated autofocus system, which
features Sony’s Real-time Tracking and
Real-time Eye AF technology. This claims to be
able to switch seamlessly between pattern-
based subject tracking, face detection and eye
detection to ensure the best possible focus.
If this works as promised, then it’ll bring
an ability to understand and track the
photographer’s desired subject that even the
top pro Canon and Nikon sports DSLRs can’t
come close to matching. Along with the
Olympus OM-D E-M1X’s revolutionary Subject
Detection autofocus and the Panasonic S1R’s
ability to recognise animals, it’s at the vanguard
of a new breed of Artificial Intelligence
(AI)-powered AF technologies that promises to
transform how our cameras work. It’s no
exaggeration to say that this is the most
exciting – and important – area of
development we’ve seen this year.
As it happens, this AF system is also found
on the Alpha 6400 that I reviewed recently
(AP 6 April), where it’s the standout feature of
an otherwise uninspiring camera. But the best
way to find out whether it’s as revolutionary
as Sony thinks it is is to test it using the vastly
more capable Alpha 9. I was able to do this
at a couple of recent Sony-organised events
using the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS, followed
up with further testing using the FE 100-
400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS.
Real-time AF modes
So what exactly is special about Sony’s new AF
modes, and how do they differ from the Alpha
9’s previous options? Technically, the firm says
that the camera now analyses the subject’s
colour, pattern and distance in real time,
including face- and eye-recognition, while the
camera conducts 60 autofocus calculations
every second. To process the data fast enough,
AI is used to recognise human subjects.
From the photographer’s point of view, the
visible improvements lie in speed, ‘stickiness’
to the subject, and particularly ease of use.
Previously, to activate Sony’s Eye AF, the
photographer had to assign it to a function
Frame35 Frame47
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 18 May 2019
FIRMWARE UPDATE
Real-time tracking rarely worked with swimmers Sony Alpha 9, FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS, 1/8000sec at f/2.8, ISO 320
button and hold it down independently of the
shutter. Now, it simply works when you activate
AF as usual, either by half-pressing the shutter
or depressing the AF-ON button. The camera
is then able to keep track of your subject’s eyes
as they move, and even if they temporarily turn
away from the camera, it’ll still try to keep
them in focus.
Real-time tracking promises huge benefits
for sports and action photography. It’s able
to lock onto a subject and follow it anywhere
around the frame, while not getting confused
by other objects that temporarily obstruct your
view. I’ve found that it can even re-acquire the
same subject if you temporarily lose it from the
frame. With humans it can switch seamlessly
between object tracking based on colour,
pattern and distance, face detection and
finally eye detection as they get closer to the
camera, all with the aim of achieving the best
possible focus.
When it works
Photographing football gave me the most
convincing demonstration of just how capable
Sony’s new tracking AF can be. In fact, it works
so well that it almost verges on the magical.
Once I initiated autofocus on an individual
player, I found it could follow their moves
with uncanny accuracy, while ignoring any
obstruction or overlapping player. The system
appears to have a remarkable ability to
Testbench
continually re-adjust its understanding of what
the subject looks like, as they move closer to or
further from the camera.
In one particularly impressive sequence of
65 frames over appoximately 6 seconds, shot
with the FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS, I initially
focused on a player on the far side of the pitch.
The camera successfully tracked focus as he
ran towards the centre of the penalty circle
and shot on goal, despite being repeatedly
blocked from view by players from both teams.
It’s a virtuoso feat of autofocus tracking, and
selected frames are shown below.
Likewise, I found that face and eye detection
worked pretty well when shooting close-up
portraits of athletes training. Even when they
were moving continually towards and away
from the camera, for instance, using a rowing
machine, real-time eye AF usually managed to
ensure correct focus. But one weakness is that
it doesn’t always understand sunglasses.
Naturally, there are also scenarios where
Sony’s subject tracking isn’t the right tool for
the job. For instance, it was completely unable
to deal with swimmers, being confused by their
rapidly changing shapes in the water. In this
case, holding a group of focus points in position
over the subject should usually be a more
successful approach.
Here, the Alpha 9 tracked the subject really
impressively, despite multiple obstructions
Frame 57
61
 Testbench FIRMWARE UPDATE

SIX INTERFACE IMPROVEMENTS

AP technical editor Andy Westlake shooting with

the Sony Alpha 9 and FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS

Tracking also isn’t the best choice

when photographing birds in flight. In
this situation, where you’re usually trying to
focus on the closest object on the frame, I
found that Sony’s wide-area mode already
does such a brilliant job of acquiring and
following the subject that the tracking mode
doesn’t add anything. It just makes initial
subject acquisition slower.
1 Control customisation
When customising buttons to suit your needs,
you’re now shown a diagram of where each is
located on the body, rather than just a label.
This isn’t a new idea – other companies have
been doing it for a while – but it’s now much
easier to visualise exactly what you’re changing.
2 My Dial
It’s possible to assign up to three alternative
combinations of functions to the Alpha 9’s
three command dials, and then assign them to
function buttons in various ways. The problem
is that while the active dial functions are shown
on the LCD, they’re not displayed in the EVF.

Conclusions
With firmware Version 5.0, Sony has made
impressive updates to its flagship camera.
I’m not sure it’s entirely a case of ‘Alpha 9
reborn’, but the new autofocus modes
certainly add some very useful strings to its
bow. As a result, the Alpha 9 makes an even
stronger case for itself as the most advanced
sports and action camera on the market. It’s
clear that AI-based subject recognition
autofocus is the future, and because it relies
on high-speed, high-resolution analysis of
the scene in front of the camera, it’s a future
that DSLRs seem unlikely to play any part in. 3 Touch Pad AF 4 Image Rating
Sony hasn’t got everything right, however, It’s now possible to reposition the focus point In a long-overdue update you can now use a
with some pretty basic errors that make using the touchscreen while looking through custom button to assign star ratings to your
you wonder whether anyone in the company the viewfinder, with it highlighted in orange favourite shots during playback, from one to
actually uses its cameras. The continued for easy visibility. This makes it all the more five. These ratings are then visible in Adobe
failure to highlight the AF area when using infuriating that the focus area is still drawn in Lightroom and Bridge, as well as Sony’s
the joystick is inexplicable, while the new an essentially invisible middle-grey shade Imaging Edge software. Pressing the C3
My Dial option is impractical for viewfinder when you move it using the joystick. button protects images from deletion.
shooting as it doesn’t show what it’s doing.
Alpha 9 users are also left waiting for two of
Sony’s latest features, which are due to be
included in Version 6.0 this summer.
Alongside Animal Eye AF, which is sure to
be a boon for pet lovers everywhere, it will
include the sophisticated intervalometer that
first appeared in the Alpha 6400.
Of course, a lot has happened in the two
years since the Alpha 9 appeared. Canon,
Nikon and Panasonic have all entered the
full-frame mirrorless fray, and shown that
small mirrorless bodies can be made to
handle much better than Sony’s. When
shooting with long telephotos, particularly
the 400mm f/2.8, I’d rather have a larger 5 SD Card options 6 Display as group
camera with a deeper hand-grip along the The Alpha 9 originally had very limited options Images shot as part of the same continuous
lines of the Nikon Z 7, or even better an for making the best use of its dual card slots. sequence can all be grouped together during
integrated-grip design like the Olympus But it’s now possible to auto-switch between playback, then expanded when you want to
OM-D E-M1X. Hopefully we’ll see Sony cards when one is full, or to sort different file browse through them and select the best.
make such much-needed design types to each card in more ways. For instance This makes it much easier to work your way
improvements with the Alpha 9’s you can choose to back-up only stills or video through hundreds or thousands of image
eventual successor. files to the second SD card. files when shooting sports or action.

62 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

 Testbench ACCESSORIES

1901 Fotografi At a glance

● Handmade leather strap
● 11mm wide and 115cm long

‘Rodchenko’ strap
Andy Westlake admires a reasonably priced
● Choice of 11 colours

Top quality
British-made leather shoulder strap The strap and shoulder
pad are both hand cut
● £36.95 ● www.1901fotografi.co.uk from high-quality,
full-grain, Italian
WHILE every camera comes with a perfectly functional leather.
nylon strap, they’re not exactly the most stylish option.
If you’d rather not display the make and model of
your camera to all and sundry, or would prefer a
more individual approach, then a leather Grommet
neck strap might just be what you need. connectors
We’ve reviewed plenty of such straps Each end of the strap is
over the years, and more often than secured in place using a pair
not, they tend to be elaborate and of precisely machined
expensive. In contrast, those from stainless-steel
the small British company 1901 grommets.
Fotografi are simple, elegant and
relatively affordable. All of the firm’s
straps are named after photographers,
with the Rodchenko being the largest of
the range. The basic version is an 11mm
wide, fixed-length strap that’s made of
supple, high-quality Italian leather. Alternatively
you can request a custom length for an additional £3,
or buy an adjustable-length version for £43.45. It has a
large sliding shoulder pad that’s 32mm in width, making
it a good match to the latest crop of full-frame
mirrorless cameras, as well as enthusiast DSLRs.
If you’d prefer something a bit slimmer, then 1901
Sliding
Fotografi’s ‘Steichen’ strap uses essentially the same
design but is 9mm wide with a 23mm pad, making it a pad
great choice for smaller APS-C or Micro Four Thirds The shoulder pad is crafted
mirrorless cameras. Another option is to buy a strap from a single piece of leather
without a shoulder pad, so either the 11mm-wide 315mm long and 32mm wide,
‘Eggleston’ or the 9mm ‘Leiter’. and slides freely along
There’s a good choice of colours on offer, including the strap.
green, blue, red, grey, black, tan and various shades of The shoulder pad
brown. It’s also possible to mix and match strap and can easily be
shoulder-pad colours. The outside face of the leather is removed if desired
smoothly finished, while the inside is left with a natural
soft grain, which makes it more comfortable to wear. Universal WRIST STRAPS
The strap is easy to fit, thanks to the beautifully fit
machined stainless steel grommets that secure the The strap will fit directly to
ends. The leather may feel a little unyielding at DSLRs and mirrorless cameras
first, but it’ll soften up quite quickly. This makes it with standard 12mm slot-type
easier to change to a wrist strap or remove the connectors, and to those with
shoulder pad when shooting with small primes. eyelet fittings via the
supplied split-rings.
Verdict
I really like the combination of straightforward,
minimalist design and high-quality finish in 1901 For smaller cameras, a wrist strap is often the best option. Here 1901
Fotografi’s straps. The Rodchenko doesn’t disappoint, Fotografi offers two designs, each formed of a single piece of leather
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICES

being strong enough to comfortably hold a full-frame
camera, but simple enough not to add excess bulk. I
tested it with a Sony Alpha 9 and 24-105mm f/4 and
100-400mm f/4-5.6 lenses, with a total weight over
2kg, and it held up with ease. If you’d like something
more stylish than a run-of-the-mill nylon or neoprene
GOLD
strap without breaking the bank, it’s a fine choice.
that passes through a sliding buckle to form a loop. This stays loose
while shooting, but will tighten up around your wrist if you accidentally
let go of your camera. The Burri - StreetShooter (above left) uses a
similar approach to the Rodchenko for attaching to the camera, while
the Lartigue (above right) employs a nylon loop that threads through
the eyelets commonly used on compacts. It also has a more decorative
design with edge stitching and a black finish on the reverse.

64 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Best Buys
Revisiting great kit from our test archives
FILTERS
Nissin i40
● £159 ● www.kenro.co.uk
ONE OF the first compact flashguns designed specifically for use
with mirrorless cameras, the i40 won our Accessory of the Year
award in 2015. Even now it still stands out for its combination of
high specification, compact size and ease of use. Its auto-zoom
head covers lenses from 24-105mm equivalent, extendable to
16mm using the slide-out wide diffuser panel. With a powerful
output that belies its size, built-in LED video light, and support for
advanced functions such as wireless flash control and high-speed
sync, it’s also really simple to operate via two dials on the back. It’s
available in versions for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony and Micro
Four Thirds. Reviewed by Richard Sibley, 3 May 2014

Benro filter systems set a new benchmark for

quality, design and functionality for photographers

GOLD

Benro TMA28A Mach3

● £119 ● www.benroeu.com
THIS sturdy, well-featured tripod offers excellent value for money.
With the centre column extended it achieves a maximum height of
155.5cm, while packed down, it measures 52.5cm. Benro’s
specified maximum payload of 14kg is impressive given the 1.76kg
overall weight. The four-section legs can each be set to three
angles, with twist locks that are
designed not to get jammed by
sand. One of the legs can be
unscrewed for use as a monopod, FH100M2 Filter Holder - ‘Best Camera Accessory’
and a short centre column is
supplied for ground-level Practical Photography Gear of the Year 2018 Awards
shooting. The rubber feet can
be unscrewed and replaced
by spikes for landscape Learn more: www.benrofilters.com
work. Overall this is a really
capable all-rounder at a
very affordable price.
Reviewed by Callum
McInerney-Riley,
23 July 2016

GOLD

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 Stay inspired all year round
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 Tech Talk

Tony Kemplen on the É Subscribe to

VP Exakta B
Having sought after and bought the ‘poor man’s
Amateur
Photographer
Nikon’, was this a good camera choice after all?
for just

M
£24.99*

© TONY KEMPLEN
y collection
of over 500
cameras is largely
unstructured. For
nearly 50 years I’ve picked up saving 35%
cameras on a casual, not to say
haphazard, basis, but there are
a handful of cameras that I’ve Saturday 6 January 2018

Leica CL rangefinder style

TESTED Why this gorgeous ess yet
coveted and actively sought out camera is Leica’s best mirrorl

– the VP Exakta B is one of these. m

oney sa

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Passionate about photography since 188

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One face
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for 127 film cameras from the

1930s. Also known as VP, 50 ways
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creative portraits
standing for vest pocket, 127 film APOY’s top
portraits
is around two-thirds the size of Which people shots
did well, and why?

120 film, and consequently Top-notch

Tokina
Superb fast 20mm

cameras for this format are often Tony had to avoid stopping down in order to capture this shallow depth of field prime tested

smaller and sleeker versions of

their 120 big brothers. The
centenary of the introduction of
127 film in 2012 prompted me
to expand my collection in this
area. I think I paid a little over
£100 for this one; a quick eBay
search shows that they sell for
around the same amount now.
Made by Dresden-based
Ihagee, the VP Exaktas are often
cited as the first SLRs in the form
that we recognise today. The
series was launched in 1933, and
the design was refined over the
next few years until production
was halted by World War Two.
After the war, Ihagee moved away
from roll film and concentrated on
35mm, which was rapidly taking
over as the format of choice for
amateurs and professionals alike.
The post-war Exaktas were true
system cameras, with all
manner of accessories
included in the range.
Sometimes seen as the
poor man’s Nikon, they
nevertheless catered for
pretty much everything
the keen amateur on a
budget would need. Once
cloth focal plane shutter, which has
an extraordinarily wide range of
speeds from 1/1,000th of a
second right down to 12 seconds.
I know films were somewhat less
sensitive in the 1930s than they
are today, but even so, I can’t
imagine the need to use this
feature arose very often.
With no preset-aperture facility
on the 7.5cm f/3.5 Xenar lens, you
have to stop down to your chosen
setting after focusing and before
firing the shutter. The problem is
that, in doing so, you have to divert
The VP Exakta had
an extraordinarily wide
range of speeds
‘The post-war Collodion
creativity
Exaktas were true
A modern twist on
a classic technique
The perfect small camera bag Lovely new Billingham ticks the boxes
system cameras’
your attention from the viewfinder.
This, together with the waist-level • Never miss an issue
finder, and its inherent left-right with delivery
reversal of the image, means that direct to your door
the VP B is not an ideal camera
for moving subjects. For this photo • Peace of mind with
of a small canal side bollard, I our money back
avoided stopping down so as to guarantee if you
obtain a shallow depth of field, and change your mind
avoided damp knees by taking
advantage of the waist-level, or
• Access to exclusive
in this case, ankle-level viewfinder.
offers, giveaways
Of course the biggest limitation
and prizes with
now is the availability of 127
subscriber Rewards
film, production of new
stock having almost ceased.
The reliability of this
octogenarian specimen
could be a problem too. In
his book on collecting and Subscribe online at
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for regular use would be an act of
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is controlled by a horizontal and about. *Pay just £24.99 by Direct Debit every 3 months,
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Tony Kemplen’s love of photography began as a teenager and ever since he has been collecting cameras with a view to testing as many as he can. changes. Offer closes 30th September 2019.
Terms and conditions apply. For full details please
You can follow his progress on his 52 Cameras blog at 52cameras.blogspot.co.uk. More photos from the VP Exakta B: www.flickr.com/ visit www.magazinesdirect.com/terms

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 Online

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Lenses
EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM ............... £529 24-70mm f2.8 DG OS HSM................... £1149
EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM ................... £779 24-105mm f4 DG OS HSM..................... £579
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CANON LENSES EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM........... £299 TAMRON DSLR LENSES 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM ........ £899
EF 35mm f1.4L II USM............................. £1629 TS-E 24mm f3.5L II .................................. £1799 with 5 Year Manufacturer Warranty 100-400mm f5-6.3 DG OS HSM........ £689
EF 35mm f2 IS USM ................................. £519 TS-E 50mm f2.8L Macro ....................... £2199 85mm f1.8 SP Di VC USD....................... £749 120-300mm f2.8 OS ................................ £2699
EF 40mm f2.8 STM .................................. £199 TS-E 135mm f4 L Macro ......................... £1999 16-300mm f3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD....... £499 150-600mm f5-6.3 C DG OS HSM .... £779
EF 50mm f1.2L USM ................................ £1269 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Di II VC ................. £199 150-600mm f5.0-6.3 S DG OS HSM £1329
EF 50mm f1.4 USM................................... £349 18-400mm f3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD ...... £649
EF 50mm f1.8 STM ................................... £119 24-70mm f2.8 Di VC USD G2............... £1199
EF 85mm f1.2L II USM............................. £1849 70-200mm f2.8 Di VC USD G2........... £1289
EF 85mm f1.4L IS USM ........................... £1379 70-210mm f4 Di VC USD ....................... £599 SONY E-MOUNT LENSES
EF 85mm f1.8 USM ................................... £389 NIKON LENSES 70-300mm f4-5.6 SP Di VC USD....... £329 FE 85mm f1.4 G Master .......................... £1649
EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro.................. £479 20mm f1.8 G AF-S ED ............................. £729 100-400mm f4.5-6.3 Di VC USD ...... £749 £1549 inc. £100 Cashback*
EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM.......... £849 24mm f1.4 G AF-S ED ............................. £2179 150-600mm f5-6.3 SP Di VC USD .... £799 FE 85mm f1.8 .............................................. £599
EF 135mm f2 L USM ................................. £959 35mm f1.8 G ED AF-S ............................. £489 150-600mm f5-6.3 VC USD G2.......... £1129 £549 inc. £50 Cashback*
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EF 11-24mm f4L USM............................... £2789 85mm f1.8 G AF-S..................................... £469 FE 135mm f1.8 G Master......................... £1749
EF 16-35mm f2.8L III USM..................... £1844 105mm f2.8 G AF-S VR IF ED.............. £849 FE 12-24mm f4 G ....................................... £1449
EF 16-35mm f4 L IS USM ...................... £949 300mm f4E AF-S PF ED VR ................ £1709 SIGMA DSLR LENSES £1369 inc. £80 Cashback*
EF 17-40mm f4 L USM ............................ £689 500mm f5.6E PF ED VR AF-S ............ £3699 with 3 Year Manufacturer Warranty FE 16-35mm f2.8 G Master ................... £2199
EF 24-70mm f2.8L IS USM II................ £1679 8-15mm f3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye............. £1229 20mm f1.4 DG HSM Art.......................... £699 £2099 inc. £100 Cashback*
EF 24-70mm f4L IS USM ....................... £789 10-24mm f3.5-4.5 G AF-S DX ............. £799 24mm f1.4 DG HSM .................................. £629 FE 24-70mm f2.8 G Master .................. £1829
EF 24-105mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM ............ £399 16-80mm f2.8-4E ED AF-S DX VR.... £989 30mm f1.4 DC HSM.................................. £359 £1729 inc. £100 Cashback*
EF 24-105mm f4L IS II USM.................. £999 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 G AF-S DX VR II£429 35mm f1.4 DG HSM .................................. £649 FE 24-70mm f4 ZA OSS C.Zeiss T* .. £749
EF 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 L IS USM....... £2289 24-70mm f2.8 G ED AF-S...................... £1799 50mm f1.4 DG HSM Art.......................... £579 £669 inc. £80 Cashback*
EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS III USM.......... £2099 24-70mm f2.8E AF-S ED VR................ £2099 85mm f1.4 Art DG HSM .......................... £929 FE 70-200mm f2.8 G Master............... £2399
EF 70-200mm f4 L IS II USM ............... £1299 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S VR .. £929 105mm f2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM...... £358 £2299 inc. £100 Cashback*
EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 L IS USM .......... £1199 70-200mm f2.8E AF-S FL ED VR...... £2499 8-16mm f4.5-5.6 DC HSM...................... £599 FE 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G OSS ........... £1079
EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS II USM .......... £464 70-300mm f4.5-6.3 G ED DX AF-P £329 10-20mm f3.5 EX DC HSM.................... £329 £999 inc. £80 Cashback*
EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM II. £1949 200-500mm f5.6E AF-S ED VR......... £1299 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 DC OS HSM............ £349 FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 OSS GM..... £2449
EF-S 35mm f2.8 Macro IS STM .......... £369 18-35mm f1.8 DC HSM ............................ £649 £2349 inc. £100 Cashback*
EF-S 60mm f2.8 USM Macro ............... £439 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM ........ £349
EF-S 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 IS STM ........... £239 18-300mm f3.6-6.3 C DC OS HSM.... £369
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Photo Bags & Rucksacks Computing

Flipside 300 Anvil Slim Hadley

AW II Professional Pro PIXMA Pro 100S ............ £359
Original
Khaki PIXMA Pro 10S .................£499
Pro Tactic Pro Light
BP 450 RedBee 310
AW II
Datacolor Spyder 5 Pro.................£99
i1 Display Pro ColorMunk..............£178
Available in Khaki, Black, Sage.
Smile .......................................................£90
Small Pro....................£199
Anvil: Small ............................£159 Intuos Pro Professional Pen and Touch Tablet
Pro Tactic: Flipside: Pro Light RedBee: Anvil Slim............£119 Large ...........................£199 Small ................................................................................ £154
BP 350 AW II.......£185 300 AW II ...... £99 110 ...................................£129 Anvil Super ........£134 Pro Original ............. £199 Medium........................................................................... £259
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Digital Compact Cameras Digital compact camera accessories are available on our website
IXUS 185 HS............................................£99
IXUS 285 HS...........................................£149
PowerShot SX70 HS...........................£519
PowerShot SX620 HS........................£179
20.2 mp 20.1 mp 24.3 mp PowerShot SX730 HS........................£269
1080p 1080p 1080p PowerShot SX740 HS........................£319
4.2x 4.2x 3.0x PowerShot G9 X II...............................£339
optical zoom optical zoom optical zoom PowerShot G3 X ...................................£779
PowerShot G5 X ....................... £599 PowerShot G7 X Mk II............. £489 PowerShot G1 X III................ £1089

Lumix FZ1000 ...............................£528

Black or £478 inc. £50 Cashback*
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24.3 mp £579 inc. £50 Cashback*
1080p 17.0 mp 20.3 mp 20.0mp Lumix LX15 .......................................£449
Fujifilm X100F......... £1199 Lumix LX100 II...... £849 Lumix TZ95......... £399 Lumix FZ1000 II......... £749 £399 inc. £50 Cashback*
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Theta Z1 Digital Theta V Digital

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Available in black and red

£50 £150 £100

CASHBACK* CASHBACK* CASHBACK*

Cyber-Shot HX90V Cyber-Shot RX10 Mk IV Cyber-Shot RX100 Mk VI

Coolpix P1000 £299 £1749 £1149
£999 £249 inc. £50 C/back* £1599 inc. £150 C/back* £1049 inc. £100 C/back* DJI Mavic 2 from £1099

FREE delivery on orders over £50** **Based on a 4-day delivery service, UK only.
 York Road, BURGESS HILL,
West Sussex RH15 9TT
53-54 Rathbone Place,
LONDON, W1T 1JR

Experts in photography Unbeatable stock availability Competitive low pricing UK stock

30.4 42.4
MEGA
PIXELS 7 fps
3.2” 4K MEGA
PIXELS 10 fps
3.0” IS 4K

No matter what you’re shooting, be assured The a7R III is an ideal partner offering superior
of uncompromising image quality and a speed, high-resolution imaging, & reliable £200
£300 performance even under harsh conditions. cash
thoroughly professional performance. cash back
*Price after £300 cashback. You pay £2,799.00 and back *Price after £200 cashback.
claim £300 from Canon UK. Offer ends 14.05.19. In stock from £2,499 .00*
You pay £2,699.00 and claim £200 from Sony UK. In stock from £2,499.00*

Canon EOS M50 Canon EOS 250D Canon EOS 80D Sony RX100 V Sony a6400 Sony a7 III

24.1 24.1 24.2 20.1 24.2 24.2

MEGA
PIXELS 10 FPS
MEGA
PIXELS
4K NEW!
MEGA
PIXELS 7 FPS
MEGA
PIXELS
4K £100
cash MEGA
PIXELS
4K MEGA
PIXELS 10 FPS
£150
cash
back back
Body only +15-45 IS STM Body only +18-55 IS STM Body only +18-55 IS STM Our Price See website NOW IN STOCK! Body only Add a Sony
for our finance NP-FZ100
£469 .00
£599 .00
£509 .00
£599 .00
See web See web £699 .00* options from £949 .00
£1,679 .00 battery for £75

Add a Canon LP-E12 NOW IN STOCK! Add a Canon BG-E14 *Price after £100 cashback See website to learn more *Price after £150 cashback
spare battery for £49.99 See website to learn more! Battery Grip for £179.00 from Sony UK. Ends 01.09.19 and to place an order! from Sony UK. Ends 01.09.19

Canon EOS 6D Mark II Canon EOS R Canon RF 85mm 45.7

f/1.2 L USM MEGA
PIXELS 7 fps
3.2” 4K
26.2 £150 30.3 £250
MEGA
PIXELS 6.5 FPS
cash MEGA
PIXELS 8 FPS
cash NEW! Welcome to full-frame FX splendour like
back back
you’ve never seen it before. From the
Body only Add a BG-E21 Body only + RF 24-105 Expected June 2019 studio to the remotest locations on earth.
grip for only
£1,199 .00 £195.00 £2,099.00* £3,019.00 £2,799.00
*Price after £150 cashback *Price after £250 cashback Pre-order now to receive one Body only £2,849.00 + AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR £3,799.00
from Canon. Ends 14.05.19 from Canon. Ends 14.05.19 of the first lenses available!

26.2 Nikon Z6 Nikon Z7 Nikon Z 24-70mm

MEGA
PIXELS 5 fps
3.0” 4K f/2.8 S
24.5 45.7
MEGA MEGA
The Canon EOS RP puts the power of PIXELS 12 FPS PIXELS 9 FPS NEW!
full-frame mirrorless into a small, lightweight
EOS R series body, opening up exciting Body only + 24-70mm Body only + 24-70mm NOW IN STOCK!
creative possibilities for you to elevate your £1,899 .00
£2,424 .00
£3,099 .00
£3,634 .00
£2,199.00
photography to the next level. Available from £1,399.00 Add the Nikon FTZ Mount Add a Nikon EN-EL15B Add a Hoya 82mm REVO
Save up to £215 with selected lenses! See web Adapter for £100! spare battery for £69.99 SMC UV (O) filter for £53.95

Up to £250 cashback
on selected Canon lenses Image courtesy FULL FRAME IN
& accessories this Spring! of Sanjay Jogia,
Canon Ambassador NO COMPROMISE ST
You pay Cashback After Cashback O
EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM £1,629.00 £220 £1,409.00
S1R
47.3 24.2
S1
CK
MEGA
PIXELS
MEGA
PIXELS 9 fps
3.2” IS 4K !
EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM £1,379.00 £100 £1,279.00
The new LUMIX S Series Full-Frame
EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM £899.00 £100 £799.00
Mirrorless cameras are finally
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM £1,849.00 £250 £1,599.00 here. Industry leading quality and
performance designed to capture
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM £1,739.00 £220 £1,519.00 the creative vision of professional
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM £2,099.00 £220 £1,879.00 photographers.

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM £1,949.00 £250 £1,699.00 S1R Body only £3,399.00 S1 Body only £2,199.00
Learn more at www.parkcameras.com/canon-cashback Trade-in your existing camera against the LUMIX S series
HURRY! Offer ends 14.05.19 and benefit from a £200 TRADE-IN BONUS!
See in store or online to learn more. Offer ends 30.06.2019

20.4 LUMIX S 50mm LUMIX S 24-105mm LUMIX S 70-200mm

MEGA 3.0” 4K £150 f/1.4 (Certified by LEICA) f/4 Macro O.I.S f/4 O.I.S (Certified by LEICA)
PIXELS 15 fps trade-in
bonus*
A micro four-thirds camera with almighty
ability - this will be known for its performance
in the high speed action field of photography.
*Trade-in your working interchangeable lens camera £2,299.00 £1,299.00 £1,749.00
against the E-M1 II and benefit from a £150 bonus! Save £200 when bought 24 months 0% finance 24 months 0% finance
Offer available 01.05.19 – 30.06.19 In stock from £1,379.00 with the LUMIX S1 or S1R! available see website available see website

Olympus E-M10 Mk III Olympus E-M1 X 8mm f/1.8 PRO ED £799.00

17mm f/1.2 PRO ED £1,199.00 Panasonic 20.3
MEGA 3.1” 4K £150
16.1
FREE
20.4
25mm f/1.2 PRO ED £1,199.00
45mm f/1.2 PRO ED £1,199.00 LUMIX G9 PIXELS 20 fps cash
back
MEGA
PIXELS 8 FPS
MEGA
PIXELS 15 FPS NEW! 300mm f/4 IS PRO ED £2,299.00 Super fast shooting means the G9 is perfect
LENS! 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO ED £1,199.00 for wildlife & nature photographers , keeping
Body only +14-42 EZ Body only +12-100mm 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO £899.00 up with fast-moving subjects, no matter how
12-100mm f/4.0 PRO £1,199.00 fast it moves!
£574.00 £629.00 £2,799.00 £3,798.00 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO £1,249.00
FREE 45mm f/1.8 lens worth Save up to £450 on selected For even more Olympus *Price after £150 cashback.
£279! Offer ends 30.06.19 lenses with the E-M1X lenses, see in store or online! You pay £1,149.00 and claim £150 from Panasonic UK In stock from £999.00*

All prices include VAT @ 20%. See website for our opening times for both our London and Burgess Hill stores.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest new
All products are UK stock. E&OE. Please mention “Amateur Photographer” when ordering items from this advert.
Prices correct at time of going to press; Prices subject to change; check website for latest prices.
products and news with Park Cameras!
 Visit our website - updated daily
Call one of our knowledgeable

parkcameras.com sales advisors 7 days a week

or e-mail us for sales advice using
sales@parkcameras.com
01444 23 70 60 Check out blog.parkcameras.com
and read our special review of the
legendary Canon EF 50mm f/1.0L lens!

UK’s largest independent photo store Award winning customer service Family owned & Run

26.1
MEGA
PIXELS 11 fps
3.0” 4K Used Products
For even more pre-owned products at low prices,
The X-T3 provides you with superb image visit www.parkcameras.com/used
quality & an enhanced ability to track a
moving subject with AF performance
improvement & blackout-free burst shooting. Canon Nikon AF-S Fujifilm

U
200-400mm 70-200mm 15-45mm

SE

SE

SE
£100 TRADE-IN BONUS AVAILABLE!

D
from £1,349.00

D
See in store / online to learn more f/4.0L USM IS f/2.8G II ED VR f/3.5-5.6
OIS PZ
Fujifilm X-T30 Fujfilm X-H1 XF 14mm f/2.8 £744.00
From See website From See website From See website
XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR £819.00 for examples for examples for examples
XF 27mm f/2.8 £369.00 £6,999.00 available. £1,099.00 available. £169.00 available.
26.1 24.3 XF 35mm f/2 R WR £369.00
MEGA
PIXELS
4K NEW!
MEGA
PIXELS
4K XF 56mm f/1.2 £849.00
For even more Used Canon
lenses, visit our website
For even more Used Nikon
lenses, visit our website
For even more Used Fujifilm
lenses, visit our website
XF 10-24mm f/4 OIS £819.00
NOW IN STOCK! Body only X-H1+ Grip XC 16-50mm O.I.S II £349.00

from £849 .00

£1,149 .00*
£1,249.00*
XF 18-135mm WR £699.00 Olympus Panasonic Sony

U
XC 50-230mm O.I.S £329.00
75mm 7-14mm FE 85mm

SE

SE

SE
Available in Black, Silver and Use voucher code FUJI-50 for XF 50-140mm O.I.S £1,299.00

D
Charcoal silver! See website. these prices. Ends 14.05.19 XF 100-400mm O.I.S£1,649.00 f/1.8 f/4.0 Asph. f/1.4 GM

20 From See website From See website From Add a Hoya

MEGA 3.0” 5x 4K for examples for examples 77mm Pro 1-D
PIXELS £469 .00 available. £459 .00 available. £1,299 .00 Uv filter for £25

NEW! For even more Used Olympus Supplied with a 6-month For even more Used Sony
Extreme all-weather gear: lenses, visit our website warranty! See website. lenses, visit our website
a rugged chassis that can be
relied on in the harshest conditions. Trade-in Bonuses!
Waterproof: 20m | Shockproof: 2.1m For a limited time, get up to £1,300 extra when you trade in your existing
In stock at £379.00
Freezeproof: -10oC | Crushproof: 100kgf camera or lens! See www.parkcameras.com/lp/trade-in-bonus
Available in Black or Orange Designs

Manfrotto Befree GT Manfrotto 055 Manfrotto Pro Light Vanguard VEO 2 Vanguard VEO Vanguard VEO
Carbon Fibre 4-section Carbon 3N1-36 Go 204CB Range 36M Range 48
Twist Lock with Fibre Tripod Backpack Carbon Fibre Shoulder Bag Backpack
Ball Head £50 Tripod with
cash
MKBFRTC4GT-BH back MT055CXPRO4 MB PL-3N1-36 Ball Head
Our Price See website Our Price See website Our Price See website for Our Price See website for Our Price Available in Our Price Available in
for even more for more 055 more Manfrotto more Vanguard Blue or Khaki Blue or Khaki
£249 .00* Tripods! £309 .00 Tripods! £159 .00 Bags! £149 .00 Tripods! £79 .99 designs £99 .99 designs
*Price after £50 cashback For a range of heads, Visit us in store to try this Visit us in store to try this For even more Vanguard Visit us in store to try this
from Manfrotto. Ends 28.06.19 visit www.parkcameras.com Backpack out for yourself! tripod out for yourself! bags, see in store / online packpack out for yourself!

Joby GorillaPod 3K Lowepro Tahoe Lowepro

Suitable for BP 150 FreeLine Epson SureColor SC-P600
DSLRs & CSCs Backpack 350AW A fast, flexible and easy-to-use printer
£40 with superior wireless connectivity for
Backpack cash
back professional, high-quality photo prints up
Our Price See website Our Price See website Our Price See website to A3+.
for more Joby for more for more
£84 .95 Tripods! £49 .00 Lowepro bags! £199 .00* Lowepro bags!
5760
Ideal to hold your DSLR or Visit us in store to try this *Price after £40 cashback
dpi

Mirrorless camera! backpack out for yourself! from Lowepro. Ends 28.06.19
Resolution
In stock at only £599.00

Tamron SP 150-600mm Sigma 70mm

f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 f/2.8 DG Macro | Art
With some impressive advanced features, SAVE
Delivering exceptional 1:1 (life-sized)
faster AF speed, enhanced VC, and improved £130* magnification, this lens features a new
ergonomics, this lens provides superior optical coreless DC motor for extremely smooth
quality to meet the needs of today’s high autofocus performance.
resolution DSLRS.
*Previously £1,129.00. Offer available 12.04.19 - 31.05.19 £999.00* Learn more at www.parkcameras.com £449.00

Tamron SP 90mm Tamron 10-24mm Tamron 18-400mm Sigma 24-70mm Sigma 60-600mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD f/2.8 DG OS HSM | Art f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | S

SAVE SAVE
£120* £50*

In stock! Available in In stock! Available In stock! Available In stock! Available in In stock! Available in Learn more about the
Canon or in Canon, in Canon, Canon, or Canon, Nikon
£529 .00 Nikon fits £549 .00 or Nikon fits £599 .00 or Nikon fits £1,149 .00 Nikon fits £1,899 .00 or Sigma fit range of Cine Lenses
*Previously £649.00. Offer Add a Hoya 77mm NX-10 UV *Previously £649.00. Offer Add a Sigma 82mm WR UV FREE Sigma 105mm WR UV from Sigma in store or at
available 12.04.19 - 31.05.19 Filter for only £37.95 available 12.04.19 - 31.05.19 filter for only £34.95! Filter worth £159.99! www.parkcameras.com

Tamron 70-210mm Tamron SP 70-200mm Tamron 100-400mm 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM £699.00 12-24mm f/4 Art £1,299.00
f/4 Di VC USD f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM £649.00 18-200mm DC OS HSM £289.00
30mm f/1.4 DC HSM £359.00 18-250mm DC Macro OS HSM £339.00
SAVE SAVE 30mm f/2.8 DN £149.00 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro £369.00
£50* £100* 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM £649.00 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art £759.00
In stock! Available in In stock! Available in In stock! Available in 60mm f/2.8 DN from £99.00 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM £579.00
Canon or Canon or Canon or 150mm f/2.8 OS Macro £779.00 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM £949.00
£549 .00 Nikon fits. £1,189 .00 Nikon fits. £699 .00 Nikon fits.
180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM £1,239.00 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | S £1,349.00
*Previously £599.00. Offer *Previously £1,289.00. Offer Add a Hoya 67mm UV(C)
8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM £549.00 150-600mm f/5-6.3 | C £789.00
available 12.04.19 - 31.05.19 available 12.04.19 - 31.05.19 Digital HMC filter for £19.95
10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM £319.00 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Sport £1,299.00

Be FIRST to learn about all the latest new products for 2019 by signing up to our newsletter,
following us on Facebook or Twitter, reading our blog or by visiting www.parkcameras.com.
TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF CLEANING
YOUR SENSOR WITH
FIND THE PROBLEM
n Lights and Loupes.
If you can’t see the dust and dirt - you can’t clean away the
dust and dirt. Our products are designed to enable you to
identify where and how to clean. We also advise that if you feel
your sensor does not need attention after inspection, do nothing!
LIGHT CLEANING NEEDED
n Dry cleaning.
Brushes and blowers with properties that lift dust and
other non-oily materials away easily. Versions available
for every sensor size regardless of camera brand. A range
of blowers from a simple version to fully filtered, anti-static
with dust free air ejection measures are available to suit your needs.
HEAVIER CLEANING NEEDED
GUARANTEED
safe to use
n Wet cleaning. with mirrorless
Liquids specifically designed and manufactured to remove greas cameras
oil, pollen, fingerprints etc whilst still being safe for your precious
sensor. When used in conjunction with the correct swab they make
light work of removing matter that would otherwise degrade your
image. With the current popularity of mirrorless cameras and their
potential for the ingress of dirt and foreign bodies due to lack of a
mirror, keep these products in your gadget bag ready for use.
OUT & ABOUT? TAKE VISIBLE DUST WITH YOU
n Convenient kits.
The range of EZ kits bring together everything you need to ensure
complete cleaning of your cameras sensor. Kits are available to tackle
all of the various cleaning jobs you may have to carry out. They are
colour coded BLUE for light cleaning, GREEN for everyday cleaning
and RED for heavy cleaning. Kits available in all popular sensor sizes,
and as with all VisibleDust products, they are suitable for all camera
brands and sensors, with or without anti-aliasing filters.
See the entire range in detail at
www.visibledust.co.uk Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436
For details of your nearest stockist please contact... Tel: (Denys Nelson) 07909 227517
Unique Photographic Accessories
Luxury Pure Silk Camera Straps
A range of hand made straps made from pure silk by
Japanese artisans, to give your camera a distinctive
yet functional appearance. Various lengths and
colours available. ACAM-312N shown.
Vanity Pouches With Top Handles
Store and protect your mirrorless camera, lens or accessory from dirt
scratches. They can be placed within a larger camera or casual
bag, providing protection and quick access to the equipment
at all times. Available in 3 different sizes they can be configured
to carry two bodies, three lenses or a combination of body and
lens. ACAM-60N shown, ACAM-61N & ACAM-63N are alternatives.
Protective Camera Or Lens Wrap
Store and protect your camera or lens from dirt and scratches.
This wrap folds neatly around your equipment, the seamless
rubber ring then slips over to hold the wrap securely in place.
Ideal for carrying equipment in rucksacks or other bags
not specifically designed for photo equipment. ACAM-80.
Casual Cord Camera Straps
Made by traditional methods with the same care and precision
of our silk straps, this new range offers photographers a colourful
and comfortable way to carry their cameras. Available in the
colourways shown, they are also available in 2 different lengths.
ACAM-701 shown, ACAM-706 also available.
Further details and your nearest stockist can be obtained from...
Alpha Optical Distribution Limited
Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436
(Denys Nelson) 07909 227517
Email: info@alphaodl.co.uk
Product website: www.artisan-n-artist.com
Sell your Nikon to

Grays of Westminster are always seeking fine examples of Nikon cameras, lenses & accessories including:
Digital SLR Bodies ❖ AF Lenses ❖ Select Film SLR bodies
Manual focus lenses ❖ Vintage bodies ❖ Pre-AI lenses ❖ Accessories

To obtain a quote please contact us today on

020 7828 4925 or email info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
 Protecting your camera
kit at home and away
You’ve invested time and money into your photography so why wouldn’t you invest in protecting your
camera and equipment?

If you’re shooting a landscape, wildlife or street photography, whether in the UK or abroad, the risk of
theft is always present. Accidents can also happen, whether its your fault or someone else’s – dropping
a lens or knocking over a tripod are easy but can be expensive mistakes to make.

As well as human error, there’s mother nature to deal with too – rain, sand, sea and temperature all
have the potential to damage your kit in the pursuit of the perfect shot.

Amateur Photographer Insurance Services can be there to help protect against the things that
threaten your photography:

Theft Accidental Worldwide

(excludes from a vehicle,
unless option added
Damge cover
to policy) (excludes wear and tear) (20 days during any one
period of insurance – options
available to extend cover)

To take a closer look or for a quote visit

www.amateurphotographerinsurance.co.uk
or call 0345 450 7203

Amateur Photographer Insurance Services is a trading style of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Thistle Insurance Services
Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FRN 310419. Lloyd’s Broker. Registered in England
under No. 00338645 Registered office: Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW.
TI Media Limited is an Appointed Representative of Thistle Insurance Services Limited.

TPD0769 1 0718

Digital Photography
CANON EOS 5D MK3 BODY, BATT,CHGR,LEADS etc ������� MINT-BOXED £1,075�00
CANON EOS 7D BODY COMPLETE WITH ALL ACCESS���������MINT BOXED £345�00
CANON EOS 6D BODY COMPLETE�������������������������������������������������� MINT- £599�00
CANON EOS 350D BODY�������������������������������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £65�00
CANON 270EX SPEEDLITE + MANUAL�����������������������������������MINT CASED £69�00
CANON 430 EX����������������������������������������������������������������������� MINT-CASED £69�00
CANON 430 EX II ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ MINT- £79�00
CANON 430 EX II ������������������������������������������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £99�00
CANON 580EX MK II SPEEDLITE����������������������������������������� MINT-CASED £169�00
CANON 580 EX SPEEDLITE�������������������������������������������������EXC++CASED £125�00
CANON 580 EX SPEEDLITE�������������������������������������������������� MINT-CASED £149�00
CANON 550 EX SPEEDLITE���������������������������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £99�00
CANON 550 EX SPEEDLITE���������������������������������������������������EXC++CASED £75�00
CANON ST-E2 SPEEDLITE TRANSMITTER����������������������������MINT BOXED £125�00
CANON BG-E4 BATTERY GRIP FOR EOS 5D���������������������������MINT BOXED £49�00
FUJI X10 WITH CASE, HOOD & FILTER ��������������������������������������������MINT £199�00
FUJI XT 10 BODY WITH CHGR, 2 BATTERIES ��������������������� MINT-BOXED £265�00
FUJI X30 SILVER WITH BATT & CHARGER ��������������������������MINT CASED £295�00
FUJI 18 - 55mm f2�8/4-R LM OIS XF FUJINON (NEW) ��������MINT CASED £425�00
FUJI TCL-X100 TELECONVERTER FOR X100/100S etc��������MINT BOXED £195�00
NIKON D600 BODY WITH 2 BATTS,CHGR��������������������������������������� MINT- £499�00
NIKON D3000 COMPLETE WITH 18-55 AFS VR LENS����������������������MINT £175�00
NIKON D3100 WITH 18-55mm 3�5/5�6 AF-S DX ED MK II������������� MINT- £175�00
NIKON D300S BODY + BATT GRIP, BATT & CHARGER�����������������EXC++ £245�00
NIKON D200 BODY WITH BATTERY,CHARGER,STRAP�������� MINT-BOXED £195�00
NIKON D200 BODY WITH BATTERY,CHARGER,STRAP������������������� MINT- £179�00
NIKON SB 800 SPEEDLIGHT WITH CASE����������������������������� MINT-CASED £145�00
NIKON ML-3 REMOTE CONTROL SET�����������������������������������MINT BOXED £145�00
NIKON MB-D16 BATTERY GRIP FOR NIKON D750���������������MINT BOXED £195�00
SIGMA EF 610 DG SUPER FLASH NIKON FIT �������������������������MINT BOXED £95�00
SIGMA EF-530 DG ST ELECTRONIC FLASH ITTL NIKON FIT��MINT BOXED £75�00
OLYMPUS 50mm F2 MACRO ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 4/3RDS����MINT CASED £325�00
OLYMPUS DIGITAL EX - 25 EXTENSION TUBE 25MM������������������������MINT £95�00
PANASONIC 45 - 200mm f4/5�6 MEGA OIS ASPH���������������������������MINT £175�00
PANASONIC GF2 BODY COMPLETE WITH ALL ACCESS�������MINT BOXED £145�00
PANASONIC 45-200mm f4/5�6 LUMIX G VARIO M 4/3RDS�MINT BOXED £199�00
SONY 18 - 250mm f3�5/6�3 A/F DT LENS����������������������������MINT BOXED £325�00
SIGMA 30mm F2�8 DN MICRO 4/3RDS��������������������������������MINT BOXED £115�00
SONY 500mm f8 REFLEX LENS WITH FILTERS��������������������MINT BOXED £395�00
SONY ECM - XTST1M STEREO MICROPHONE���������������������� NEW UNUSED £69�00
METZ 44A/F1 FLASH UNIT FOR SONY DLSR��������������������������MINT BOXED £95�00
SONY DSC-HX90V COMPLETE VERY LOW USE��������������������MINT BOXED £275�00
Canon Autofocus, Digital Lenses, Canon FD
CANON 14mm f2�8 USM “L”����������������������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £795�00
CANON 24mm f1�4 “L” USM������������������������������������������������������������MINT £499�00
CANON 85mm f1�2 USM “L” MK II LATEST MODEL���������MINT BOXED £1,045�00
CANON 300mm f4 USM “L” IMAGE STABILIZER�� MINT BOXED AS NEW £895�00
CANON 300mm f4 USM “L” IMAGE STABILIZER�����������������MINT CASED £825�00
CANON 400mm f5�6 USM “L” LATEST VERSION���������������� MINT-CASED £699�00
CANON 8 - 15mm f4 USM “L” FISHEYE ������������������������������MINT CASED £799�00
CANON 16 - 35mm f2�8 USM “L” MK 2 ������������������������������MINT CASED £725�00
CANON 24 - 70mm f2�8 “L” USM MARK II LATEST ������������MINT BOXED £995�00
CANON 70 - 200mm f4 USM “L” IMAGE STABILIZER���������MINT CASED £645�00
CANON 70 - 200mm f4 USM “L” IMAGE STABILIZER���������MINT BOXED £795�00
CANON 70 - 200mm f2�8 USM “L”��������������������������������������MINT BOXED £699�00
CANON 20mm f2�8 USM����������������������������������������������������������������EXC++ £245�00
CANON 24mm f2�8 EF ����������������������������������������������������������������������MINT £175�00
CANON 28mm f2�8 EF ����������������������������������������������������������������������MINT £169�00
CANON 50mm f1�8 MARK 1 (VERY RARE NOW)������������������������������MINT £129�00
CARL ZEISS 50mm f1�4 PLANNAR T* WITH HOOD��������������������������MINT £345�00
CANON 50mm f2�5 COMPACT MACRO ��������������������������������MINT BOXED £169�00
CANON 60mm f2�8 EFS USM MACRO LENS ������������������������MINT BOXED £325�00
CANON 60mm f2�8 EFS USM MACRO LENS ���������������������������������� MINT- £295�00
CANON 100mm f2�8 MACRO���������������������������������������������������������EXC++ £195�00
CANON 10 - 22mm f3�5/4�5 USM �������������������������������������������������EXC++ £295�00
CANON 10 - 22mm f3�5/4�5 USM ����������������������������������������������������MINT £325�00
CANON 17 - 55mm f2�8 EFS IS USM WITH HOOD ���������������������������MINT £499�00
CANON 18 - 55mm f3�3/5�6 STM VIBRATION REDUCTION��������������MINT £149�00
CANON 18 - 135mm f3�5/5�6 EF-S IMAGE STABILIZER������������������MINT £175�00
CANON 18 - 200mm f3�5/5�6 EFS IMAGE STABILIZER��������MINT BOXED £285�00
CANON 70 - 300mm f4�5/5�6 IS USM DO REFRACTIVE����������������� MINT- £345�00
CANON 70 - 300mm f4�5/5�6 USM IMAGE STABILIZER ������MINT BOXED £269�00
KENCO DG CANON FIT TUBE SET 12,20,36MM����������������������MINT BOXED £99�00
CANON EF 2�0X EXTENDER MK I������������������������������������������MINT BOXED £129�00
CANON EF 2�0X EXTENDER MK II ����������������������������������������MINT CASED £179�00
KENCO DG CANON FIT TUBE SET 12,20,36MM�������������������������������� MINT- £99�00
KENCO TELEPLUS PRO 300 DGX 1�4 TELECONVERTER���������MINT CASED £99�00
SIGMA EX 1�4 TELECONVERTER ��������������������������������������������������������MINT £75�00
SIGMA 4�5mm f2�8 EX DC HSM CIRCULAR FISHEYE�����������MINT CASED £475�00
SIGMA 10mm f2�8 EX DC FISHEYE HSM �����������������������������MINT BOXED £345�00
SIGMA 14mm f2�8 EX HSM ASPHERIC ��������������������������������MINT CASED £365�00
SIGMA 105mm f2�8 MACRO EX WITH CASE������������������������������������MINT £179�00
SIGMA 105mm f2�8 MACRO EX DG OS HSM��������������������������������� MINT- £279�00
SIGMA 150mm f2�8 EX DG-OS HSM MACRO LATEST ���������MINT BOXED £595�00
SIGMA 12 - 24mm f4�5/5�6 DG HSM MK2 II������������������������MINT CASED £475�00
SIGMA 17 - 35mm f2�8/4 EX HSM APHERIC ��������������������������������� MINT- £179�00
SIGMA 18 - 50mm f 2�8 EX DC SLD GLASS ����������������������� MINT-BOXED £165�00
SIGMA 18 - 250mm f3�5/6�3 DC SLD HSM OS ��������������������MINT BOXED £199�00
SIGMA 50 - 150mm f2�8 EX APO HSM AF-DC MK II��������������������� MINT- £325�00
TAMRON 180mm f3�5 A/F SP DI MACRO LATEST���������������MINT BOXED £329�00
TAMRON 500mm f8 MIRROR LENS & FILTERS FD MOUNT MINT-CASED £175�00
TAMRON 28 - 75mm f2�8 XR Di LENS LATEST �������������������������������MINT £345�00
TAMRON 28 - 300mm f3�5/6�3 I/F LD DI ASP VIB CONTROL���MINT BOXED £375�00
TAMRON 70 - 300mm f4/5�6 SP Di VC ULTRASONIC���������� MINT+HOOD £225�00
TOKINA 10 -17mm f3�5/4�5 ATX DX FISHEYE (LATEST) �����������������MINT £299�00
TOKINA 11 - 16mm f2�8 ATX - PRO ASPHERICAL���������������MINT BOXED £279�00
Contax ‘G’ Compacts & SLR & Ricoh
CONTAX 28mm f2�8 BIOGON “G” HOOD,FILTER CAP BL ����MINT CASED £295�00
CONTAX 35 - 70mm f3�5/5�6 “G” VARIO-SONNAR T*���������MINT BOXED £395�00
CONTAX TLA 140 FLASH FOR G1/G2�������������������������������������MINT CASED £65�00
CONTAX GD1 DATABACK FOR CONTAX T3��������������������������� MINT-BOXED £69�00
CONTAX TLA 200 FLAH FOR CONTAX “G”�����������������������������MINT CASED £99�00
CONTAX 167 MT BODY�������������������������������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £115�00
CONTAX 167 MT BODY��������������������������������������������������������������������� MINT- £99�00
YASHICA ML CONTAX FIT 28mm f2�8 �����������������������������������������������MINT £99�00
CONTAX 28mm f2�8 DISTAGON WITH FILTER ���������������������������������MINT £225�00
CONTAX 35mm f2�8 DISTAGON MM WITH FILTER��������������MINT CASED £225�00
CONTAX 50mm f1�4 MM PLANAR WITH FILTER������������������������������MINT £225�00
CONTAX 50mm f1�7 AE LENS ������������������������������������������������������������MINT £95�00
YASHICA/CONTAX 55mm f2�8 ML MACRO LENS ����������������������������MINT £175�00
CONTAX 135mm f2�8 SONNAR WITH FILTER ����������������������������������MINT £175�00
CONTAX 300mm F4 TELE TESSAR MM �������������������������������MINT BOXED £295�00
CONTAX MAGNIFIER F2 ���������������������������������������������������������MINT BOXED £49�00
CONTAX TLA 30 WITH DIFFUSSER�����������������������������������������MINT CASED £69�00
CONTAX TLA 280 FLASH������������������������������������������������������������������ MINT- £59�00
CONTAX TLA 280 FLASH UNIT�����������������������������������������������MINT BOXED £75�00
CONTAX TLA 360 FLASH������������������������������������������������������� MINT-CASED £65�00
LEICA “M” , “R” , & SCREW & RANGEFINDER
LEICA M7 BLACK BODY WITH LEICA 1/2 CASE�������������������������� MINT- £1,495�00
LEICA M MONO 10 760 COMPLETE���������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £2,995�00
LEICA M9 BODY WITH CHARGER AND BATT etc������������������������ MINT- £1,795�00
LEICA MDA BODY SER NO 12659XX CIRCA 1970�������������������������� MINT- £425�00
LEICA MDA BODY SER NO 14111XXCIRCA 1975-76��������������������EXC++ £399�00
LEICA IIIG BODY WITH 5cm f2 SUMMITAR & CASE ������������������� MINT- £1,195�00
MINOLTA 28mm f2�8 M ROKKOR FOR CLE / CL LEICA M ������������EXC++ £375�00
LEICA 35mm f2�8 SUMMICRON WITH SPECS�������������������������������� MINT- £475�00
CANON 50mm f1�4 L39 SCREW WITH M ADAPTOR ���������������������� MINT- £275�00
LEICA 50mm f2 CLOSE FOCUS SUMM + SPECS ������������������������EXC+++ £695�00
LEICA 50mm f2�8 COLLAPSIBLE ELMAR��������������������������������������� MINT- £375�00
LEICA 90mm f2�8 TELE ELMAR + HOOD ��������������������������������������� MINT- £395�00
LEICA 90mm f2 SUMMICRON BLACK�������������������������������������������� MINT- £895�00
LEICA 90mm f4 ELMAR C FOR CLE / CL LEICA M������������������������� MINT- £295�00
LEICA 90mm f4 ELMAR M MOUNT ������������������������������������������������ MINT- £165�00
LEICA 135mm f2�8 ELMARIT M 11829 WITH CASE�������������MINT BOXED £375�00
LEICA 135mm f4�5 HEKTOR���������������������������������������������������������������EXC+ £75�00
LEICA 90mm FINDER �������������������������������������������������������������������������MINT £99�00
VOIGTLANDER BESSA T WINDER�����������������������������������������MINT BOXED £149�00
VOIGTLANDER BESSA R GRIP FOR R,R2,R3 ETC�������������������MINT BOXED £49�00
LEICA 35mm f3�5 SUMMARON SCREW ����������������������������������������� MINT- £295�00
LEICA 5cm f2 SUMMAR SCREW ���������������������������������������������������� MINT- £175�00
LEICA 135mm f2�8 ELMARIT M WITH SPECS�����������������������������EXC+++ £299�00
LEICA 135mm f4�5 HEKTOR + HOOD M MOUNT�����������������������������EXC++ £99�00
LEICA 135mmf4�5 HEKTOR IN KEEPER���������������������������������������EXC+++ £199�00
LEICA 90mm f4 ELMAR BLACK SCREW ���������������������������������������EXC++ £145�00
LEICA 135mm f4�5 HEKTOR + HOOD SCREW���������������������������������EXC++ £99�00
LEICA SF20 FLASH FOR M6 etc���������������������������������������������MINT BOXED £89�00
LEICA FONOR BLACK RANGEFINDER���������������������������������� MINT-CASED £175�00
LEICA R8 BLACK BODY WITH STRAP �������������������������������������������� MINT- £395�00
LEICA R7 CHROME BODY��������������������������������������������������������������� MINT- £365�00
LEICAFLEX BODY CHROME ������������������������������������������������������������ MINT- £195�00
LEICA 28mm f2�8 SUPER ANGULON PC WITH HOOD�����������MINT CASED £745�00
LEICA CURTAGON 35mm f4������������������������������������������������ MINT-BOXED £395�00
LEICA 60mm f2�8 MACRO ELMARIT R+MACRO ADAPTOR����������EXC++ £395�00
LEICA 90mm f2�8 ELMARIT 2 CAM������������������������������������������������ MINT- £299�00
LEICA APO-EXTENDER 2 X ROM������������������������������������������MINT CASED £475�00
SWAROVSKI EL RANGE 10x42 RANGEFINDER BINOS ���� NEW UNUSED £1,695�00
SWAROVSKI 10x42 SL HABICHT+STRAP AND COVERS���������������� MINT- £565�00
LEICA 10 X 42 TRINOVID BA WITH LEATHER CASE ������������������������MINT £595�00
LEICA 10 x 25 TRINOVID COMPACT BINOCULAR GREEN ��� MINT-CASED £275�00
LEICA 10 x 25 TRINOVID COMPACT BINOCULAR BLACK ��� MINT-CASED £279�00
Medium & Large Format
BRONICA ETRSI COMPLETE WITH S/GRIP, AEII FINDER ��������������� MINT- £445�00
BRONICA ETRS PRISM,FDR,BACK & 75mm EII LENS�������������������EXC++ £325�00
BRONICA ETRS WL/FINDER, BACK & 75mm EII LENS �����������������EXC++ £295�00
BRONICA 45 - 90mm f4/5�6 PE ASPHERICAL����������������������MINT BOXED £425�00
BRONICA 40mm f4 PE LENS������������������������������������������������MINT BOXED £199�00
BRONICA 50mm f2�8 PE LENS���������������������������������������������������������MINT £179�00
BRONICA 50mm F2�8 ZENZANON MC�������������������������������������������EXC+++ £99�00
BRONICA 105mm f3�5 LENS FOR ETRS/i����������������������������������������� MINT- £99�00
BRONICA 110mm F4 MACRO LENS PS������������������������������������������ MINT- £295�00
BRONICA 135mm f4 PE LENS����������������������������������������������������������MINT £125�00
BRONICA 150mm F4 E��������������������������������������������������������������������� MINT- £89�00
BRONICA 200mm f4�5 PE LENS���������������������������������������������������������MINT £95�00
BRONICA AUTO EXTENTION TUBE E-14���������������������������������MINT BOXED £45�00
BRONICA PROFESSIONAL LENS HOOD E �������������������������������MINT BOXED £45�00
BRONICA ETRSI 120 BACK FOR ETRSi LATEST VERSION �����������������MINT BOXED
BRONICA ETRSI 120 BACK��������������������������������������������������������������� MINT- £69�00
BRONICA POLAROID BACK FOR ETRSI, ETRS ETC ����������������MINT BOXED £59�00
BRONICA AEII METERED PRISM ���������������������������������������������������� MINT- £115�00
BRONICA PLAIN PRISM FOR ETRS/ETRSI������������������������������������������MINT £75�00
BRONICA PLAIN PRISM FOR ETRS/ETRSI���������������������������������������EXC++ £59�00
Visitors are welcome, please phone for an appointment.
BRONICA ROTARY PRISM FINDER FOR ETRS, ETRSI ETC��������������� MINT- £75�00
BRONICA MOTOR WINDER E���������������������������������������������������������EXC+++ £89�00
BRONICA 150mm F3�5 ZENZANON S��������������������������������������������� MINT- £165�00
BRONICA PLAIN PRISM FOR SQAi/SQA������������������������������������������� MINT- £99�00
BRONICA 40mm f4 ZENZANON S ULTRA WIDE FOR SQ���������������� MINT- £199�00
BRONICA 50mm f3�5 PS LENS & CASE ������������������������������ MINT-BOXED £199�00
BRONICA 65mm F4 ZENZANON PS FOR SQ������������������������ MINT-CASED £145�00
BRONICA 110mm F4 PS ZENZANON MACRO FOR SQ �������� MINT-CASED £365�00
BRONICA 150mm F4 PS ZENZANON FOR SQ���������������������� MINT-CASED £145�00
BRONICA 180mm f4�5 PS LENS & CASE ���������������������������� MINT-BOXED £199�00
BRONICA SPEED GRIP FOR SQA/SQAI��������������������������������������������� MINT- £69�00
BRONICA FILMBACK SQ-i220 FOR SQA/SQAi������������������������MINT BOXED £79�00
METZ 45 CL4 FLASH WITH SCA 386 FOR BRONICA������������MINT BOXED £150�00
HASSELBLAD SWC + 38mm f4�5 BIOGON T* & FINDER ������������ MINT- £1,475�00
HASSELBLAD 28mm f4 HC FOR H SYSTEM����������������������MINT BOXED £1,475�00
HASSELBLAD 120mm f4 HC FOR H SYSTEM�����������������������������EXC++ £1,195�00
HASSELBLAD 90mm f4 FOR X PAN I & II IN KEEPER����������������������MINT £365�00
HASSELBLAD 150mm f4 SONNAR T* BLACK�������������������������������EXC++ £195�00
HASSELBLAD 150mm f4 SONNAR CF��������������������������������� MINT-BOXED £395�00
HASSELBLAD 50mm f4 DISTAGON SILVER ����������������������������������EXC++ £195�00
HASSELBLAD 150mm f4 SONNAR SILVER �����������������������������������EXC++ £175�00
HASSELBLAD 250mm f5�6 SONNAR SILVER �����������������������������������EXC+ £179�00
HASSELBLAD HTS 1�5X TILT AND SHIFT ADAPTOR���������MINT BOXED £2,995�00
HASSELBLAD GPS UNIT FOR H SYSTEM �����������������������������MINT BOXED £399�00
HASSELBLAD H13 EXT TUBE �����������������������������������������������������������MINT £165�00
HASSELBLAD PM90 PRISM FINDER ���������������������������������������������� MINT- £275�00
HASSELBLAD PME3 METERED PRISM FINDER ����������������������������� MINT- £275�00
HASSELBLAD VFC-6 METERED PRISM��������������������������������MINT BOXED £175�00
HASSELBLAD A12 BACK CHROME������������������������������������������������� MINT- £129�00
HASSELBLAD WINDER CW AND REMOTE����������������������������������������MINT £275�00
MAMIYA 55mm f4�5 SEKOR FOR C220/330 etc������������������MINT BOXED £165�00
MAMIYA 150mm F4�5 “G” WITH HOOD FOR MAMIYA 6�����������������MINT £199�00
MAMIYA 645 SUPER WITH AE PRISM 80mm COMPLETE ���������������MINT £365�00
MAMIYA M645J COMPLETE WITH 80mm f2�8 ������������������������������ MINT- £299�00
MAMIYA 50mm f4 SHIFT LENS FOR 645 ETC��������������������� MINT-CASED £365�00
MAMIYA 80mm f1�9 SEKOR C FOR 645 etc ������������������������������������MINT £299�00
MAMIYA 150mm f3�5 SEKOR C FOR 645 SUPER etc ����������������������MINT £145�00
MAMIYA 150mm F4�5 “G” WITH HOOD FOR MAMIYA 6�����������������MINT £295�00
MAMIYA 180mm F4�5 SEKOR Z W FOR RZ��������������������������������������MINT £199�00
MAMIYA 250mm F4�5 LENS FOR RZ ��������������������������������������������� MINT- £195�00
MAMIYA 210mm F4 SEKOR C FOR 645�������������������������������MINT CASED £195�00
MAMIYA 180mm F4�5 SEKOR FOR RB���������������������������������������������MINT £169�00
MAMIYA 220 BACK FOR RZ 67�������������������������������������������������������� MINT- £95�00
PENTAX 200mm F4 FOR PENTAX 67 + FILTER AND HOOD ���������� MINT- £199�00
PENTAX 55mm F4 SMC FOR 6X7 ����������������������������������������������������MINT £175�00
PENTAX 55mm F2�8 FOR PENTAX 645��������������������������������MINT BOXED £199�00
ROLLEIFLEX SCHNEIDER 150MM F4�6 MAKRO FOR 6008������������� MINT- £575�00
YASHICAMAT 124G COMPLETE WITH HOOD + CASE��������� MINT-CASED £325�00
YASHICA 124G TELEPHOTO AUX LENS SET������������������������������������� MINT- £69�00
Nikon Auto-Focus & Digital, Lenses Accessories
NIKON 10�5 f2�8 “G” IF-ED AF DX FISHEYE�������������������������MINT BOXED £399�00
NIKON 16mm f2�8 A/F D FISHE EYE LENS WITH FILTERS���������������MINT £495�00
NIKON 28mm f2�8 A/F “D” ��������������������������������������������������������������MINT £165�00
NIKON 28mm f2�8 A/F����������������������������������������������������������������������MINT £135�00
NIKON 35mm f1�8 “G” ED AF-S L��������������������������������������MINT + HOOD £365�00
NIKON 35mm f1�8 “G” DX AF-S LATEST����������������������������� MINT+HOOD £119�00
NIKON 40mm f2�8 “G” AF-S DX MICRO NIKKOR + HOOD���������������MINT £189�00
NIKON 50mm f1�8 A/F D ������������������������������������������������������������������ MINT- £79�00
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81
 Photo Critique

Final Analysis
Peter Dench considers...
‘Tipton Carnival Queens Shine Again’, by Erik Kessels

© TIPTON CARNIVAL QUEENS SHINE AGAIN / ERIK KESSELS

‘This image
preserves part
of that past. It
engages with
the real’

P
hotojournalism is ‘look at this.’
Art photography is ‘look at me.’
I’m more of a photojournalism
kind of person. Conceptual
photography projects seem increasingly
popular. I was recently invited to review
portfolios at a student Masterclass. I’m not
sure why. The majority of the projects were
of found or re-appropriated images. Faces
scratched away from a stranger’s wedding
album bought at a car boot sale. A shoebox
of images curated from a deceased
parent. Holiday postcards torn in half and
reassembled. I felt flat and the work felt
cowardly and lazy. Photography should be
about getting out there, engaging with the
real not the found.
Or so I believed, until I witnessed
this photograph from ‘Comeback’, a
two-part project by Erik Kessels which
re-appropriates photographic archives
found when Erik met with community
groups in the West Midlands borough of
Sandwell in the UK. Dutch artist, designer
and curator Kessels, has published over 50
books of his ‘re-appropriated’ images
including Missing Links (1999), The
Instant Men (2000), In Almost Every
Picture (2001-15) and Wonder (2006). If
he publishes a book on Carnival Queens,
I will buy one.
Carnival Queens were a memorable part
of my youth and I followed the selection
and crowning process of Weymouth’s with
enthusiasm (via the Dorset Echo online,
and I still do). Each August, the winner
and her attendants would proudly lead the
procession supported by a shimmer of
majorettes and marching bands. The
vehicle would be covered in fake grass and
floral arrangements. The Carnival Queen
sat poised in her golden sprayed throne,
waving as one would expect the actual
Queen to do from her balcony at
Buckingham Palace.
The truck would be similar to the West
Midlands Hire & Haulage one that the
Tipton Carnival Queen is authoritatively
posing by. Her posture is as confident as
the Mercedes-Benz badge and the
anarchists’ ‘A’ on the wall behind her. I
imagine there were 11 similar pictures of
her in the frilly dress that echoes the
curliness of her hair, all photographed in
typical grey West Midlands weather for a
promotional calendar that hung in garages
and garden sheds. Calendars that are no
longer welcome in modern society along
with Formula 1 grid girls and glamour
models being used to sell camera
equipment at photography shows. After
nearly 50 years, the competition to crown
Tipton’s Carnival Queen has been
scrapped. To blame are dwindling entries
and often vile squabbles among the girls.
This image preserves part of that past. It
engages with the real. It’s photojournalism.
It’s look at this and this weekend, I’m off to
rummage at a jumble sale and have a poke
around my mother’s attic.
You can see Erik Kessels’ work at the
Blast! Photo Festival, taking place across
the towns in Sandwell between 24 May
and 29 June 2019. For the full
program, see blastphotofestival.com.

Peter Dench is a photographer, writer, curator and presenter based in London. He is one of the co-curators of Photo North in Harrogate and has been exhibited dozens of times. He has published a number
of books including The Dench Dozen: Great Britons of Photography Vol 1; Dench Does Dallas; The British Abroad; A&E: Alcohol & England and England Uncensored. Visit peterdench.com

82 18 May 2019 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

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