Table of contents for February 2026 in Digital Camera Magazine

The Apprentice Name: Jacqueline Hagenaar Camera: Nikon D3400 Shortly after retiring around a year ago, Jacqueline bought a pre-owned camera and has used it every week, trying out different techniques and genres. She is studying photography online to sharpen her skills, and finds being out with her camera a cathartic pursuit. Instagram: @jhphotos2025 The Pro Name: Simon Lees Camera: Nikon Z 7 Based in Bath, Simon is a professional photographer with over 30 years of experience in both studio and location photography in and around south-west England. His Bath By Camera tours of the historic city cater for individuals all the way up to larger groups.  Instagram: @simonplees Welcome to Digital Camera Apprentice, where we pair a reader with a professional photographer for a day of shooting together. The concept…

OVERALL WINNER & WINNER: Urban Wildlife ‘Ghost Town Visitor’ Wim van den Heever (South Africa) Wim van den Heever photographed this haunting scene of a brown hyena among the skeletal remains of a long-abandoned diamond mining town. With sea fog rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean, Wim chose this spot for his camera trap after noticing hyena tracks nearby. “It took me 10 years to finally get this one single image of a brown hyena, in the most perfect frame imaginable,” he said. The rarest hyena species in the world, brown hyenas are nocturnal and mostly solitary. They are known to pass through Kolmanskop on their way to hunt Cape fur seal pups or scavenge for carrion washed ashore along the Namib Desert coast. Location: Kolmanskop, near Lüderitz, Namibia Technical details:…

ISO controls your camera’s sensitivity to light. A low ISO (100 to 400) gives cleaner images and is used in bright conditions. In low light, a higher ISO (800+) helps achieve a faster shutter speed but can add digital ‘noise’. Measured in f-stops, aperture is the opening in your lens that controls light and depth of field. Wide apertures (f/2.8) gather light, but reduce sharpness. Narrower ones (f/16) keep everything sharp, but reduce shutter speeds. 1 ISO 100 (Fine grain)  Use this… in bright light or when the camera is on a tripod for longer shutter speeds without affecting sharpness. 2 ISO 800 (Medium grain) Use this… when you’re handholding the camera and need a faster shutter speed to avoid camera shake or motion blur. 3 ISO 1600 (Coarse grain) Use…

1 ‘Manhattan’ by Gerard Deehan “This was taken from the top of the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan on a recent visit to New York. The sun had just set but it made for a great shot of the Big Apple. The city was starting to sparkle, contrasting will with the evening sky.” Taken on a Canon EOS R6 Mark II and RF 24-105mm lens. Instagram: @ged73 Digital Camera says: Great work to get such a sharp shot in those conditions. The timing, at dusk with all the city lights coming on, was perfect. 2 ‘A Faranji at the horizon’ by Francesco Otranto “My desire to photograph culturally distant faces brought me to the Omo Valley in Ethiopia, where people seem born to be in front of a camera. Their gazes, which are present,…

Q I’m looking for a fast, ultra-wide-angle prime lens to use with my Fujifilm X-T100 camera, but I’m on a particularly limited budget. What would you suggest as a good used option? Mark Hutton A Matthew recommends… Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 There’s a Viltrox lens that’s ideal for this. I have the Nikon Z-mount version of the lens and have always been pleased with the image quality and all-round performance. Released (year): 2022 Price new: £440/$486 ‘Excellent’ £285/$380 ‘Good’ £250/$350 I gave this lens a five-star rating when I reviewed it, and promptly bought one myself. With an ‘effective’ 19.5mm focal length in full-frame terms, it’s brilliant for landscape photography. The fast f/1.4 aperture also makes it ideal for gloomy interiors and astrophotography. The lens has a really high-quality look…

www.sigmauk.com Sigma has long been admired for its ability to think outside the box, dreaming up new lenses that stand out from the crowd, including some game-changers. The Sigma 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG Contemporary superzoom joins a flurry of ‘world-first’ Sigma lenses for Sony E and L-Mount cameras, each one bringing something new and exciting to the market. Unlike the more vaunted Art and Sports lenses, this one is designed with compact and stylish simplicity. Back in the days of DSLRs, I reviewed many superzoom lenses, many of which I wouldn’t dream of classifying as a ‘travel lens’. The current mirrorless vogue seems to emphasise wide-angle coverage in preference to longer telephoto reach, the Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM and Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR being prime (or zoom) examples,…

Star letter: Rate my Lizard I am a disabled person, mostly due to internal conditions, but this means I have free time to dedicate to my photography. I still have a lot to learn, so I would be happy for any advice you might have. This photo is of an Eastern Water Dragon, also known as the Jesus lizard because of its ability to run across small bodies of water on its back feet while using its long tail to steer. This dragon was sunning itself on the rocks when it heard a sound and looked in the ideal direction for me to take its portrait. I was also surprised by how well it blended in with the rocks. The shot was taken at Happy Valley, Queensland, Australia, with a…

Andy Earl Music and portrait photographer In a career spanning four decades, Andy has helped create visual identities for some of the biggest rock and pop acts. He chats to us about his new show, on page 116 Will Cheung Photographer and writer A fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and the former editor of many photography titles, Will is the man behind Camera Clinic, which continues on page 72 Natalia Zmyslowska Photographer Drawing on topics she writes about in her photography blog, our new columnist begins by explaining what draws her to photograph in-between spaces. Page 100 Andrew James Photographer The man who used to helm Photo Answers draws on his experience to offer a crash course for January – master your new camera in just seven days. Get…

1 Have a plan Simon can pack plenty of photo locations into a two-hour walk, but even if you’re out shooting at a more relaxed pace, having a list of shots to capture is useful – especially when shooting in the reduced daylight hours of winter. 2 Shoot handheld Our two-hour photo tour would have made tripod use impractical, so Simon recommended that Jacqueline shoot handheld. Her Nikon D3400 has no in-body stabilisation, but her kit lens does have VR (Vibration Reduction). 3 Keep it simple A model apprentice, Jacqueline brought three lenses with her. As well as offering VR, her 18-55mm kit lens also covers the focal range of her 35mm and 50mm primes, so Simon recommended keeping it simple with one do-it-all optic.…

1 | CREATIVE Go crazy with colour Capture the quirky hues of cross-polarised light, with Benedict Brain Believe it or not, the extraordinary colours on show in this vibrant image aren’t the result of the overzealous use of Photoshop filters – they’re actually caused by an optical effect called cross-polarisation. So how does the result come about? When certain objects are placed between two polarising filters – one on your camera’s lens and one covering the light source – the light will behave in an unusual way, revealing wild and wonderful colours that wouldn’t normally be visible to the human eye. While the science behind the effect is complicated, it’s actually an easy technique to get to grips with. Even better, you don’t need lots of expensive kit or accessories.…

So you got your first ‘proper’ camera for Christmas, and you’re excited about the creativity it can unlock, but also daunted by the number of things you need to learn to use it properly. All those confusing buttons, dials and endless menu screens aren’t settling your first-camera nerves. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, so in this feature, we’ll guide you through the basic skills you need. This is a seven-day crash course in ‘seeing’ photographically and, because you’ll learn more by actually taking photos, not memorising facts from a book or a magazine article, each day we are setting a new practical challenge to help you capture motion, frame a scene and more. By the end, you’ll be able to master light, tell a story in a single frame and…

Shutter speed controls how long your camera’s sensor is exposed to light. Fast speeds, such as 1/1,000 sec, freeze action in bright light, while slower speeds, such as 1/30 sec, can capture motion blur or help in low light. Typically, shutter speeds below 1/60 sec require a tripod to prevent camera shake from ruining your shots. Which speed to choose Suggested settings for capturing popular photographic subjects 1/60 second Use this for… handheld general photography, static street scenes and buildings. This is the minimum shutter speed you will need to avoid camera shake when not using a tripod. 1/1,000 sec Use this for… freezing fast action, such as sports and wildlife in motion. At this speed and above, you can freeze the movement completely to produce sharp, crisp images. 4…

Light is a photographer’s most important tool so we need to consider its quality in our shots. Soft light wraps gently around subjects, creating subtle shadows, while hard light produces greater contrast and defined edges. Think about the light direction, too. Front lighting flattens, side lighting reveals texture and dimension, while backlighting creates dramatic silhouettes or interesting rim light around your subject. All light is different, and with practice, you’ll discover how to use its various forms. What is… Exposure compensation? Exposure compensation overrides your camera’s metered exposure by making the image either brighter or darker. When using Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority modes, this can be a useful tool for fine-tuning the exposure, because your camera’s meter aims for middle grey. The camera is easily fooled into exposing incorrectly,…

This month: Creative use of apertures Part two of a mini-series on getting the most from the exposure trinity Take control of the aperture and your pictures will improve immediately – it’s as simple as that. All you need is a broad understanding of what’s going on when you make an exposure. Most cameras have four exposure modes, collectively known as PASM. Many will also have green square, fully auto or subject-led modes, but to further your image-taking skills, PASM is where you want to be. Being flexible is always the best approach, so try not to be too prescriptive in your exposure mode choice, unless you shoot only one subject always in the same way. As a broad overview: for moving subjects, use Shutter Priority AE (S); Manual (M)…

Come to The Photography Show! The annual celebration of the still and moving image returns to the NEC Birmingham on 14 March. Charlie Waite will be a key speaker at the event – buy your tickets today! Taking place in the NEC Birmingham’s Hall 5, where the event ran until March 2019, The Photography & Video Show is a four-day extravaganza that celebrates both still and moving images. It’s also the best place in the UK to get up to speed with the latest photographic products and services, and try out the latest kit from a roster of leading brands. Details of confirmed speakers and exhibitors include landscapes legend Charlie Waite and content creator Brandon B. Regular show attractions, CreatorCon, featuring top creators and influencers, will return, as well as…

www.leica-camera.com The Leica M series has featured some of the most esteemed cameras in the industry, which have been used to take some of the world’s most recognised images, winning it a cult-like following. With such dedicated and impassioned users, the pace of change has been slow and measured, with the switch from film to digital being the most significant change to the series in around half a century of incremental refinement. With the introduction of the Leica M EV1, the M series faces another momentous milestone – it’s the first one not to feature an optical viewfinder. Instead, the M EV1 uses an electronic viewfinder (EVF). As hallowed ground for street photographers, any change to the M series is going to be divisive, but this is an alternative to…

www.sony.co.uk After a decade-long wait, the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS is finally here to replace the trusty Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS. And there’s no question that this lens – Sony’s first G Master macro – eclipses its predecessor in every way. The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS offers a 1.4:1 reproduction ratio (1.4x magnification) as standard, going above and beyond the 1:1 (1x) true macro ratio for larger-than-life-size reproduction. That isn’t unique, as the Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro does the same; however, the G Master goes one step further by offering compatibility with 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters and delivering up to 2.8:1 reproduction (2.8x magnification). Again, that isn’t unique, as OM System’s M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro offers 2:1 (2x) macro as…

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1 Aperture Priority With depth of field playing an important part in today’s shoot, Simon recommended that Jacqueline use Aperture Priority, so she would be able to adjust aperture values quickly via the command dial on the rear of the body. 2 White balance The lighting conditions were unlikely to change during the shoot, so Jacqueline set the Cloudy preset rather than Auto White Balance. When capturing raw files, though, the white balance can be adjusted afterwards during editing. 3 Shoot raw files A raw file is the data captured by the sensor, free of any in-camera processing that would be applied to jpegs. To have more flexibility when editing, enable raw file capture – for a brief overview of raw editing, see p63.…

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Every photographer starts in the same place, confused by aperture, ISO and shutter speed. The trick is to take it one step at a time. Once you understand how light works and how these three main settings interact with each other, the rest will become second nature. It’s almost like learning to drive. At first, we’re confused by the sheer weight of things we have to do just to move the car forward, but a few months later, we’re driving across the country without a care in the world. To start your learning, you don’t need to worry yourself about these technical issues. Instead, we’re going to work on the creative aspects of composing every shot you take. So, just for this session, you can put your camera into a…

The focal length of your lens affects your image’s perspective. Wide angles (24mm) capture expansive scenes and exaggerate depth, making them perfect for landscapes. Telephoto lenses (70mm+) compress distance and isolate subjects. Changing focal length alters how viewers experience your photographs. If your camera came with a kit lens, this could typically be 18-55mm or 24-70mm. WIDE-ANGLE Shorter focal lengths fit more in the frame Wide-angle lenses capture bigger scenes and exaggerate perspective by making near objects seem larger and further-away objects seem smaller than they appear to the eye. They are most useful for landscapes and architecture, but can also be used for genres including portraits, where you can get closer to create dramatic, environmental images. TELEPHOTO Longer lenses get you closer to distant subjects Telephoto lenses compress perspective…

By using software to process a raw file, you have complete creative control over your images. Unlike jpegs, raw files – the camera’s native digital file – capture all data, allowing extensive adjustments to exposure, white balance and colour without loss of quality. This allows you to realise your artistic vision and recover detail that could be lost with exposure mistakes. 1 Fine-tune composition We’ll start by selecting the Crop Tool and recomposing the shot. With this image, we’re going to rotate it slightly so that it is level and also lose some of the negative space on the right of the frame. 2 Adjust exposure Now move the Exposure slider to -30 to recover a bit of that detail lost on the light background boards. Lift Shadows by +20 to…

Hello! I’m Nat, and in this column, I’ll be sharing my approach to photography and how I capture genuine moments. A subject I particularly like is liminal spaces: images that seem to exist in-between worlds. Moments that are not fully here, not quite there – doorways lit at dusk, empty corridors that hum with yesterday’s footsteps, train platforms waiting for someone to arrive. I’ve always been drawn to them because they echo the moments in life when we, too, are in-between. I rarely go looking for liminal spaces directly, but when I slow down, they start appearing. A stairwell with the faint glow of a security light. A hotel lobby just after midnight, chairs perfectly aligned yet strangely lifeless. An empty escalator. These are the quiet settings most people pass…

www.dji.com The original DJI Neo was an impressive ‘follow-me’ drone, but it also highlighted one of the few areas in which the brand was playing catch-up. As the original Neo launched, its rival HoverAir X1 was already demonstrating that drones didn’t need controllers, with machines that could use AI to follow your activities and capture the moment. DJI’s first response was impressive enough and, as it also offered the option of more traditional remote control (as much as anything in this sector is ‘traditional’), it was a comprehensive device with options to spend as much, or as little, as you want to get started. With the Neo 2, it feels like DJI has raided its high-tech cupboards and included everything it could find – and the result is highly impressive…

Having photographed over 120 album covers for artists and H bands across the whole musical spectrum, Andy Earl has worked with a stellar cast of characters. Pink Floyd, Prince, Madonna, Johnny Cash and Robbie Williams are just some of the names he has collaborated with over four decades. His pictures have been a key part of defining the visual identity of these artists, but whether he’s photographing musical royalty or the real thing – King Charles III has also sat for him – Andy’s infectious enthusiasm and love for photography always shines through. And he is keen to help develop the next generation of photographers: Andy is a Doctor of Arts at Nottingham Trent University, a Visiting Professor at Norwich University of Arts and an honorary fellow at the universities…