Table of contents for January - February 2017 in Camera

The looming crisis in digital imaging is that the last 15 years or so of documenting social history has not been committed to print. We’re doing more snapping than ever before, but it’s merely the moment that matters now and not what happens next. Probably millions of images currently existing on smartphones won’t survive beyond that device’s lifespan. The brief posting on Facebook, Instagram or whatever sharing platform is currently in fashion is the only requirement, and we move on. It’s not even about making prints at this point, it’s about actually bothering to move images off the smartphone into more permanent storage. OK, so a fair proportion of these images probably aren’t worth saving, but a lot of them are visual records of a particular point in time… and…

NIKON CONTINUES TO tinker with its D-SLR line-up, particularly the entry-level models that are facing stiffer competition from mirrorless cameras. The new D5600 is essentially a minor update of the entry-level+ D5500 and gets a few new features, most notably a time-lapse movie function, Nikon’s ‘SnapBridge’ Bluetoothbased wireless communication system, and expanded touchscreen operations. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, ‘SnapBridge’ allows for easier initial connections with mobile devices and then maintains that connection so image transfer can continue even after the camera has been turned off. The camera’s built-in WiFi now offers the convenience of easy NFC connectivity. Beyond these additions, the D5600 is unchanged from the D5500, so it’s based on a 24.78 megapixels (total) ‘APS-C’ size CMOS sensor and Nikon’s ‘Expeed 5’ processor. The sensor goes without…

The message, says Panasonic, is starting to get through to the traditional buyers of higher-end D-SLRs. That message, of course, is that mirrorless cameras can be just as capable, but a lot more compact and lighter in weight… which is particularly true of the Micro Four Thirds sensor format. It’s the same message that we’re hearing from Fujifilm, Olympus and Sony as all these brands increasingly target higher-end users… both photo enthusiasts and professionals. Mobility is the new buzzword in camera design. Let’s face it, if a mirrorless camera can do the same job – and there’s now really no doubt that they can – why put up with lugging around a bulkier kit? And, as we’ve noted before, there are a number of external factors that make carrying a…

It’s a little over a decade since Canon introduced the EOS 5D and both the original and subsequent versions have consistently been hits with both photographers and video-makers. Back in late 2005, Canon described the EOS 5D has heralding a “new category of D-SLR”, but it’s unlikely that even its makers appreciated just how important this category would become. The original packaged a full-35mm sensor in a more compact and affordable body than had been seen before, while from the Mark II onward (launched in September 2008), the EOS 5D became the go-to D-SLR for videographers. Despite the changes in the marketplace since then – mostly notably the rise and rise of mirrorless cameras – the 5D has steadfastly maintained its popularity, making it collectively Canon’s best-selling D-SLR… and almost…

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

IS THIS THE year you might start contemplating a move up to digital medium format? The reality for most enthusiast photographers is that digital medium format has simply been beyond their reach. It’s not just the high prices either. The sheer size and weight of a DMF D-SLR is a deterrent, as it places limitations just where and how these cameras can be used. Additionally, compared to any other format, the choice of lenses is often quite limited. Compared to what the same money would buy in terms of a full-35mm camera system, DMF just doesn’t make sense even if the bigger sensor is a definite attraction. Well, all that is about to change. Digital medium format is becoming more accessible courtesy of Hasselblad’s X1D, Fujifilm’s GFX and whoever else…

NIKON HAS ANNOUNCED a new addition to its line-up of perspective control (PC) lenses, and an upgraded version of the 70-200mm f2.8 telezoom. The new PC Nikkor 19mm f4.0E ED offers the widest angle-of-view in the PC/PC-E series, giving an expansive 97 degrees on a full-35mm format sensor (i.e. ‘FX’ Nikon D-SLRs). It can be shifted through a range of +/-12 mm and tilted through +/-7.5 degrees, plus the tilt adjustment can now be rotated independently of that for shift, allowing for both vertical and horizontal tilts. The 17-element optical construction includes two aspherical types and three made from extra-low dispersion optical glass to correct for, respectively, distortion and chromatic aberrations. A fluorine coating is applied to the exposed element surfaces to help repel moisture and grease. Nikon’s ‘Nano Crystal…

Taking record photographs of buildings is simple. Creating artistic interpretations of architecture is quite a different matter. Noel Baldewijns is most definitely a photographer who falls into the latter category. He takes as his subject matter the ultra-modern constructions of Norman Foster, Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava. These architects are at the forefront of the modernist style of buildings – uncluttered, clear structures, focused on lucid forms. In the United Kingdom, Foster is perhaps best known of the three – think of the highly sculptural shapes of buildings like the Gherkin in London. Gehry is known for his deconstruction and reformulation of building shapes, sleek, radical and playful – MoMa in New York or the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Calatrava creates buildings that reflect natural shapes and…

Right, let’s talk money. If you like the idea of Sony’s Cyber-shot RX1R II then you’re up for the best part of five-and-a-half grand. Your change will be precisely a dollar. If you spent another $500 – possibly even less – you could have Leica’s fabulous Q… which is a Leica. A proper one, made in Germany and all that. So what’s a ‘new world’ camera doing locking horns with one from photography’s ‘old world’ aristocracy? It should be no contest, right? Well, er… no. The Q is sheer Leica brilliance. Beautiful to look at in that classic Leica rangefinder camera way. Even nicer to handle and a superb performer, especially the 28mm f1.7 Summilux lens. Alongside it, the RX1R II looks like it was designed in crayon by a…

FUJIFILM X-T2 Balance And Power The X-T1 was an outstanding camera – Fujifilm hasn’t put a foot wrong with its X Mount program since it was launched in 2012 – but the X-T2 betters it just about everywhere. Consequently, in the ‘APS-C’ size sensor category, it’s the most serious threat to the D-SLR there is. And, ironically, the X-T2’s styling gives it classic SLR looks, but with all the practical benefits of the mirrorless camera configuration, including more compact dimensions. The thoroughly traditional dial-based control layout promotes both efficiency and comfortable operation. There’s a sure-footed confidence about the X-T2’s overall design too, which means that it simply works with an effortless smoothness further enhanced by a few small but nonetheless significant improvements to the ergonomics, including the addition of a…

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

BY THE TIME you read this, Olympus’s much-anticipated new OM-D flagship, the E-M1 Mark II, will be in the shops… although you may have to join a long queue if it’s going to be as popular as its predecessor. The E-M1 Mark II model retains a compact weather-proofed magnesium alloy bodyshell, but just about everything on the inside has been upgraded. The headline spec is continuous shooting at a rapid-fire 18 fps with AF/AE adjustment and when using the camera’s silent sensor-based shutter. If you’re happy with the focusing being locked to the first frame, you can shoot at up to 60 fps. Even with the camera’s ‘traditional’ focal plane shutter, the maximum continuous shooting speed is still a snappy 15 fps. The 20.4 megapixels (effective) ‘Live MOS’ sensor incorporates…

AN UPDATED VERSION of Leica’s T ‘APS-C’ mirrorless camera is now available. The new Leica TL features the same hewn-from-the-solid aluminium body-shell as the T, but there’s a choice of three finishes in silver, black or titanium. This last version also features bevelled edges on the top and bottom plates. On the inside there’s a bigger 32 GB internal memory (actually twice the previous capacity) and various improvements to the auto-focusing system especially in the continuous mode. The new TL supports SL System lenses with optical image stabilisation and allows the use of Leica R System lenses in combination with the R Adapter L. What’s now known as the TL System currently comprises six lenses – three primes and three zooms which span a focal range of 17mm to 200mm…

Red Bull Illume was established to showcase “the most creative and captivating” photography on the planet as art, with the aim of giving viewers an insight into the thrills and challenges of action or extreme sports. The Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2016 was the fourth edition of the contest (after 2007, 2010 and 2013) and attracted entries from 5645 photographers from 120 different countries who submitted a recordbreaking 34,624 images. A judging panel of 53 photo editors from around the world took on another significant challenge – selecting 55 finalists, 11 category winners and one overall winner. German photographer Lorenz Holder took the top prize for the second time running with his atmospheric image of athlete Senad Grosic riding his BMX bike across a bridge in autumnal Germany. Lorenz’s…

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 MARK II Quitting her job as a successful chef in early 2013, Lauren Bath started out in a new career using photography to promote tourism and travel, effectively becoming Australia’s first professional ‘Instagrammer’. Since then she has diversified into other social media platforms and into travel writing. With a passion for tourism – and her hands-on approach to social media – Lauren has grown her online community to over three-quarters of a million followers. Lauren’s approach to travel photography is to create a compelling story about a destination through a series of diverse images: the people, animals, details and landscapes. It’s all about tapping into the all-important “dreaming phase” of holiday planning. Lauren recalls always having a camera in her hand as a child, but she says…

The X-Pro2 is a very special camera, but Fujifilm knows full well that it’s not for everybody. The uncompromising rangefinder-style design complete with hybrid optical/ electronic viewfinder make the X-Pro2 unique among mirrorless cameras, but it also means it may not be everybody’s first choice when it comes to switching from a D-SLR.This is where the X-T2 comes in. As with its predecessor, Fujifilm is heavily promoting the X-T2 as a D-SLR alternative and, what’s more, a pro-level D-SLR alternative. Traditionally a conservative lot, working photographers have been slow to jump on the mirrorless bandwagon, but they’re getting the message now and the potential reductions in the size and weight of a full kit have the same attractions for pros as they do for everybody else.The significance with the X-T2…

DO YOU WANT TO WIN? Fujifilm Australia generously supplies the prizes for each issue’s successful entrants to the Showcase. The winner of a round wins a Fujifilm 32 GB SDHC memory card, the author of the Highly Commended image receives a Fujifilm 16 GB SDHC memory card and the Commended image wins its creator a Fujifilm 8.0 GB SD memory card. The grand prize for the 2017 competition is the highly-desirable Fujifilm X70 Black high-end compact camera which is currently valued at $1049 and combines a Fujinon 18.5mm f2.8 wide-angle prime lens (equivalent to 28mm) with a 16.7 megapixels (total) X-Trans CMOS II ‘APS-C’ sized sensor. The stylish X70 also has a tilt-adjustable LCD monitor screen with touch controls, an all-metal bodyshell with milled dials and 77-point wide-area super-fast auto-focusing.…