Digital Camera Magazineの May 2026 の目次

Welcome to Digital Camera Apprentice, where we pair a reader with a professional photographer for a day of shooting together. The concept is simple: the pro W acts as a photographic mentor, sharing their expert insights to help the reader improve their favoured genre of photography – it’s like a one-to-one workshop that gets seen by a wider audience. This month, we’re in Boscastle in north Cornwall, for a coastal photography masterclass with Canon pro Peter Travers. Readers of our former sister title, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, will be familiar with Peter’s skills as a photographer, as he wrote and photographed most of that magazine’s Apprentice features. Now the boot is on the other foot, as he’s stepping into the pro slot to act as photographic mentor to Digital Camera…

Clevedon Pier, Somerset “This stunning Victorian pier is fantastic for a silhouette seascape shot at sunset. I timed my shoot perfectly with the colours in the sky, and at high tide, so the water was under the pier.” Willapark Lookout, Cornwall “Shot at 200mm to focus on the coastguard lookout on this rugged headland, I composed for the horizon. At f/11, 3.2 secs were needed for a good exposure in the last light of the day.” Port Isaac, Cornwall “I chose to shoot wide at 24mm for this summer shot of an iconic Cornish fishing village. With the harbour entrance to the right, I waited until the RNLI boat headed out to sea to take the shot.”…

As the daylight hours lengthen, I often head out early with my camera, whether I have a plan or not. Later on, the world grows louder and busier, but for now, mornings remain quiet. The city stretches awake, paths lie empty and the light stays soft. Late spring can make even ordinary places feel special. The grass seems to glow and colours look fresh without being too bright, which gives everything a sense of renewal. Photos of a squirrel holding a nut or sunlight making patterns on the pavement remind me that being honest and paying attention bring meaning. A photo matters most when it shows what’s really there, not just when it’s dramatic. Photography helps me slow down and really look at things. Without my camera, I might just…

There’s a whole world to explore when you head to a subway or T Metro station, whether it’s people, trains or architecture. Taking photos is a challenge, though, thanks to the low light and restrictions on tripod use (unless you have official permission). You should also avoid copyrighted symbols, such as Transport for London’s roundel. Shooting in busy locations means having your camera set up with your preferred metering option and an understanding of how slow a shutter speed you can work with before camera-shake rears its ugly head. If you want to grab candid photos of people, then a portrait lens or anything from 35-85mm is a good option, but if you’re mainly focusing on the architecture, then a wide-angle lens will be required. Try to avoid having any…

Developing an individual approach to image-making or a personal D style is an ongoing process. It’s a lifelong endeavour. No one picks up a camera and is the finished article. In fact, I don’t think it’s possible to reach a definitive place with your photography; the way one makes pictures is always evolving. But that is something to embrace. By embarking on a life in photography, you are making a commitment to yourself to keep doing the work – developing your eye (Chapter 8) and knowledge (Chapters 7, 10 & 11), nurturing your self-belief (Chapter 5), regularly checking in with your reasons for doing what you’re doing and remaining focused on your goals (Chapter 3). “By going exploring and sketching, you will set yourself on a path of discovery” One…

This month: Excellent exposures Hints and tips for getting the right amount of light to the sensor Getting the right amount of light to the film or digital sensor has been challenging photographers since the medium’s beginnings. Too much light and the pale, overexposed result has no detail; not enough light and the dark, underexposed result has no detail either. Over the years, camera makers have worked hard to develop sophisticated metering systems, which means that, in theory, duff exposures should be a thing of the past. With a choice of exposure modes and ways of measuring light, we have all the tools at our disposal. However, even expert photographers can sometimes struggle with challenging situations. The problem is often nothing to do with the technology, but rather how it’s…

www.hasselblad.com The way the Hasselblad X2D II 100C blends technology and tradition is quite remarkable. This camera is still tangibly steeped in heritage, providing a pure and luxurious shooting experience and embracing advancement in the most sensitive and unobtrusive ways. Unlike many mirrorless cameras with clever features, you aren’t bombarded with menus and options and clutter that feel more like using a computer than a camera. Instead, the technology in the Hasselblad X2D II feels invisible – it only exists to make taking photographs feel even more frictionless. While the likes of Canon and Sony show off their features like an excitable teenager, the Hasselblad X2D sits there with quiet confidence, knowing that it’s going to give you the finest shooting experience and the best results. Industry-best colour science, with…

Paul Nicklen Nature photographer One of the greats in his field, Paul Nicklen’s images have helped showcase many vital conservation initiatives. We feature two chapters from his new book, from page 64 Peter Travers Photographer and creator The editor of our former sister title, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, is the photographic mentor to reader Dave Nelson in this month’s Apprentice. Turn to page 8 Natalia Zmyslowska Photographer Drawing on topics she writes about in her photography blog, our new columnist says that spring is the ideal time to slow down and reflect on the world around us. Page 26 Karim Iliya Photographer and filmmaker A stills photographer who also happens to make movies, Karim was honoured in the HIPA ‘Power’ awards. We find out more about Karim and his film…

1 Know tide times Research the tide times at your locations, and you’ll know which spots are best for photos at high tide and which are better at low tide. Plus, you’ll be able to avoid the danger of an incoming tide putting your personal safety at risk. 2 Dress appropriately Prepare for there being more than one season’s weather in a day – essential in the UK – and wear the right gear. And with areas of standing water, even when the tide is out, a pair of wellies is more practical than a pair of ankle boots. 3 Wipe spray away Working in proximity to the sea, water spray is something that will need to be constantly managed. Check the front element of your lenses regularly and don’t let spots of…

Nikon Europe has announced an extended, free five-year warranty on all newly purchased Z-mount lenses, meaning that your new lens will be covered against faults that might occur within the first five years of ownership. The new warranty extends the standard one-year warranty by an extra four years and is applicable in most European countries, including the UK. Any Z-series lens purchased after 1 March 2026 from authorised Nikon retailers, the Nikon Store and Nikon Plazas in Europe, will qualify. This includes kit lenses purchased alongside a camera, and teleconverters. To qualify, you simply need to register your new Z lens within 90 days after you purchase it. The online process is straightforward, and your product will be covered for five years from the date of purchase. Find out more…

Q I’ve bought a pre-owned NikonZ 7 camera and want to get a similarly high-quality standard zoom lens for it. What do you think is the best second-hand option? James Roberts A Matthew recommends… Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S A stellar pro-spec standard zoom lens for Nikon Z owners that still rivals anything else on the market. Released (year): 2019 Price new: £2,099/$2,547 ‘Excellent’ £1,059/$1,550 ‘Good’ £975/$1,250 Several years ago, I bought a Nikon Z 7 brand new and, like you, was looking for a standard zoom lens to do justice to all of those 45.7 megapixels in terms of resolution of fine detail and all-round image quality and performance. I settled on the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S and was immediately impressed by everything about it. Highlights include epic…

Remembering Giraffes will be the 11th title in the charity book series started by wildlife photographer R Margot Raggett MBE in 2016. Prompted to take action after witnessing elephants being poached in Kenya, she asked her fellow wildlife photographers to contribute to a fundraising book. Between them, Remembering Elephants and its successors – Remembering Rhinos, Remembering Great Apes, Remembering Lions, Remembering Cheetahs, Remembering African Wild Dogs, Remembering Bears, Remembering Leopards, Remembering Tigers and 10 Years of Remembering Wildlife – have sold more than 60,000 copies and raised over £1.25m ($1.62m) for 82 conservation projects across 35 countries. Due to be published on 12 October, Remembering Giraffes features stunning images of all four species of giraffes, donated by many of the world’s leading wildlife photographers, including Wim van den Heever and…

While you can file playing marbles at school in the W same memory drawer as conkers and riding around on your Raleigh Chopper, they do make a great subject for an abstract macro project. Don’t worry about braving cobwebs and setting off your dust allergy by scrabbling around in the loft looking for a packet you stored there in 1979, though. For some reason, they remain cheap and plentiful on Amazon, as well as in some toy shops. The big question is what type to use. You can get ones with interior swirls and colours, but they can be distracting and less abstract than clear ones. So my suggestion is to try ones devoid of interior flourishes, but these can range from completely transparent to ones with a range of…

Back before bridge-builders had to worry about cars and HGVs, B the only question facing any stonemason looking at the crossing for a stream, or small river, was, ‘Can they get a wagon through this?’ If the answer was yes, then all that was needed to prevent those on foot from getting wet was a stone bridge with a couple of arches, no wider than a few farmhands or a portly baker with a tray of freshly-baked bread. Finding such bridges today usually entails heading off the beaten track to some picture-postcard village that only lottery winners or stockbrokers can afford to live in. This one is in Allerford, Somerset. So what are the key challenges facing intrepid photographers? Aside from the unpredictable weather (and yes, it rained), the biggest…

Welcome to our monthly reader photo challenge, where the W winning image will feature in the magazine and you can claim bragging rights. For May, the theme is ‘Insects’, but how you approach this is up to you. Do you opt for a tricky shot of something flying, hovering or crawling around in the dirt? Whichever approach you take, you’ll have to be precise with your focusing and control the depth of field. So let’s see your best bug life shots! Enter via email or Facebook Email digitalcamera@futurenet.com with ‘Insects’ as the subject. Please attach your entry as a high-resolution file (rather than links) and include a brief description of how you took the image. Remember to list your social media account and/or website, so that we can give you…

When it comes to working in the field and setting myself up for W success, I’ve tried a lot of different approaches, some of which I’d like to share with you in the hope they might help you too. Left brain, right brain When I’m shooting, I always remind myself of the left brain, right brain theory: that there are two ‘sides’ to our brains – the left ‘analytical’ side and the right ‘creative’ side. When you’re using the latter, you’re seeing the world in shapes, colours, patterns, diagonals, converging lines and so on. You’re not thinking too much; you’re lost in the creative process. Creative space I’m using my creative brain when I ‘sketch’ with my camera. It’s just my eye, my lens and the scenery in front of…

www.meikeglobal.com Everybody loves a 35mm prime, right? It’s certainly one of my favourite types of lenses for walkabout, travel and street photography, delivering a natural but moderately wide perspective with a full-frame camera. I feel that this Meike strikes a good balance between a fairly fast but not overly rapid f/1.8 aperture rating, enabling a pretty compact size and light weight. On the face of it, the lens also looks excellent value for money. So who is Meike anyway? The company is based in Hong Kong, currently comprising 30 technicians and 200 production personnel, running multiple production lines, a dust-free workshop, and a test lab for lens manufacture, headed with the slogan ‘Realise your vision’. Like other Chinese lens manufacturers, the overall aim is to deliver quality goods at bargain…

BONUS SOFTWARE EXTRAS! See page 104 ENTER THIS URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc307 Enter the URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc307 into the destination bar of your internet browser – we’re using Google Chrome, but other browsers work in a similar way. Please do not enter it in any search field or search bar. This will take you to a page on our website. JUST CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK Click on the link labelled ‘Download the files for Digital Camera 307’ and your download will start, delivered from our own server. Please override any browser warnings about downloading from a non-secure source – our server is safe! ACCESS YOUR FILES Open the. zip In your Downloads folder, or wherever you download your files, double-click the dcm307-files.zip file icon. When it expands, double-click on Digital Camera 307 files,…

1 Exposure modes Shutter Priority mode is handy for freezing the motion of waves, and Aperture Priority is the easiest way of setting front-to-back image sharpness, but Manual mode gives photographers full control of the exposure triangle. 2 Shoot in raw Bring out the best in every pixel by editing files that have the full range of information captured by the sensor. You will have more latitude when editing, and you don’t have to accept any values that the camera will bake into jpeg files. 3 Keep it on the level While slightly wonky horizons can be corrected during editing, save yourself a task and get it right at the point of capture. Enable the camera’s electronic level when composing shots; some models allow it to be displayed large.…

Travel Photographer of the Year 2026 now open for entries If you enjoy our gallery of category winners from TPOTY 2025 (see p74) and would like to enter the contest, go to the link below. Entries close on 12 October, with finalists announced on 21 November. www.tpoty.com Outdoor Light-Painting Photography book goes on sale Created by artists and photographers Eric Paré and Kim Henry, this 178-page book is an inspiring field guide to the genre. The authors cover everything from kit tips to techniques and post-processing. www.ilexinstant.com; £26/$30 Samyang AF 35mm F1.8 P FE now available for Sony E-mount Promising image quality, portability and creative flexibility, this new prime is designed to be a practical everyday lens with a compact, lightw…

Star letter: Learning from your piers Responding to your ‘Under the boardwalk’ project in the Spring issue (306), please see my photo taken under Deal pier (above), on a morning at low tide, with my Canon EOS 80D and Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens at 39mm, using a 10-stop neutral density filter. I often take casual photos along Deal seafront, but this one was planned. I made sure it was low tide, because it’s the only time you can get under the pier, and opted for a symmetrical composition with a 10-second exposure to blur the water. This gave me an aperture of f/16 and a good amount of depth of field when focusing one-third of the way into the scene. I edited it in black and white using Nik Collection…

1 ‘Otter’ by Ian Harris “This photo was taken at Kilver Court in Somerset. I like that it captures the otter exhibiting natural behaviour, and you can just about see the fish in its back teeth, being chewed. I also like how the plants in the background give a pleasing green and yellow backdrop to the image.” Instagram: @ihphotography58 Digital Camera says: We loved the low angle, which puts the viewer right into the otter’s world. The slight blur around the mouth area illustrates that the otter was having its breakfast at the time. The background colours are lovely, too. 2 ‘Day of the Dead’ by Paul Kausik “This image tells the story of the vibrant and joyful essence of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Los…

This image was shot at Greyhope Bay, Aberdeen, looking onto the South Breakwater Pier and Lighthouse, which is part of the Port of Aberdeen. I love how this cinematic shot feels and holds everything at once – the incredible force of the North Sea, the stillness of the lighthouse and that hint of loneliness that feels really powerful, but not fragile. I am always aiming to bring a cinematic, romantic feel into my images, but with these shots, I also wanted to capture the drama and raw power of the North Sea in my home city of Aberdeen. My hope is that when people look at my images, they feel something – and maybe pause for a moment longer than they expect to take it all in. Capturing the shot…

Paul Nicklen Wildlife photographer Nicklen is a Canadian photographer, filmmaker and marine biologist who uses his camera to reveal the nature of the changing polar regions due to the effects of a warming planet. He has documented the beauty and plight of our planet for over 20 years as an assignment photographer for National Geographic magazine. Paul is the co-founder (along with his wife, Cristina Mittermeier) of SeaLegacy, an organisation that highlights ocean conservation issues to the global community. His new book, Paul Nicklen: A Photography Masterclass is based on Paul’s online Masters of Photography course. paulnicklen.com Instagram: @paulnicklen…

OVERALL WINNER: THE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2025  ‘Whirling Devotion’ Athanasios Maloukas (Greece) The city of Konya, Turkey, is known as the ‘Ceremonial Heart’ of the Mevlevi Sufi order. As the ‘Sema’ dance unfolds, two dervishes whirl in rhythm, framing the imposing figure of the Şeyh (sheikh) at the centre of the ritual. Through gracious movements and quiet motion, his presence reflects and adds more drama to a simple image. Camera: Canon EOS R5, 15-35mm lens Settings: 0.13 sec at f/10, ISO 200 WINNER: CULTURES, HERITAGE & BELIEFS PORTFOLIO  Untitled Mitchell Kanashkevich (Australia) During morning mass in Abuna Yemata Guh in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, a young deacon holds a scripture book for the priest in the dim, flickering light of the interior. Known as the ‘Church in…

www.ricogr.eu Most cameras don’t usually like to advertise what they can’t do, but with the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, it’s contained right there in the name: this camera can’t shoot in colour. Admittedly, when I picked up the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, it was my first experience of using a camera with a dedicated monochrome sensor, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was all of the compact design that the GR series is known for, but with less image noise, a highly flexible dynamic range in post-production and epic drama stemming from the built-in red filter. The first time I took the GR IV Monochrome out for a shoot, my initial thought was, “This is a camera with attitude.” Overall, I spent two weeks with the…

sigmauk.com Sigma has a history of fast, f/1.4 prime lenses for crop-sensor cameras. There’s a trilogy that springs to mind in the diminutive shapes of the 16mm, 30mm and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses. I first saw these in Canon EF-M mount, but they’ve since become available in a wide range of Canon EF-M, Canon RF-S, Fujifilm X, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon Z DX and Sony E options. The new 12mm lens adds ultra-wide-angle potential to the mix, ideal for landscapes and cityscapes, architectural interiors, selfies, vlogging, travel, astrophotography and more besides. However, the mount options are relatively limited, so far only covering Canon RF-S, Fujifilm X and Sony E, with an effective focal length of 18mm in full-frame terms (19mm for Canon). Build and handling The first…