CameraSeptember - October 2016的目錄

Nikon has passed the 100 million milestone in Nikkor interchangeable lenses production. The first was introduced in 1959 along with the legendary F 35mm SLR system and there have subsequently been over 90 models including tilt-shift types, macros and fish-eyes. Although the Nikkor brand dates back to 1932, the first ‘mainstream’ interchangeable lens is considered to be the Nikkor-S Auto 5.0cm f2.0 from 1959 (Nikon didn’t switch to designating focal lengths in millimetres for quite a while). The Nikkor brand was created by adding the letter “r” – a common practice in the naming of photographic lenses in Japan – to “Nikko”, the Romanised abbreviation for Nippon Kogaku K.K., which was Nikon’s original company name. Nikon now has a Website dedicated to all things to do with Nikkor lenses; it…

Type: Professional digital SLR with Nikon F (D-type) bayonet lens mount Focusing: Automatic via 153-point wide-area system using phase-detection type CCD sensor with 99 cross-type arrays. Focus points may be selected manually or automatically and either as single points or in groups (9, 25, 72 or 153) plus Group-Area AF mode which uses a wider detection zone made up of five points. Points re-orientated for vertical shooting. One-shot and continuous modes both with a predictive function. 3D Tracking and face recognition modes. Sensitivity range is EV -4 - 20 (ISO 100). AF assist provided by built-in illuminator. Contrast detection autofocusing in live view mode and with video recording. Manual focus assist in live view via magnified image (up to 11x). Automatic micro-adjustment for up to 20 lenses. Metering: 181,000 pixels…

The EOS 5D Mark III is still the darling of D-SLR video-makers, but Canon has equipped the EOS 80D to make it a possible option for anybody on a tighter budget. Apart from the camera itself – which gains new features such as a stereo audio output and 1080/50p recording – there’s a new external shotgun microphone and a very nifty power zoom drive. The DM-E1 microphone is compatible with any camera that has a 3.5 mm stereo input, the new PZ-E1 Power Zoom Adaptor designed specifically for the also-new EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM ‘kit’ lens for the 80D. It attaches to lugs set in the lens barrel which mate its drive gear to the zooming collar and there’s then a choice of two zooming speeds. It’s a pretty…

Printer Type: A3+ format (13 inches wide) for photo-quality prints via a seven-colour pigmented inkset (but six cartridges in use at any one time with auto switching between matte black and photo black). Maximum Resolution: 5760x1440 dpi (optimised) Ink Cartridges: Individual per colour, 14 millilitres capacity. Epson UltraChrome HiGloss 2 pigments plus gloss optimiser. Colours are photo black, matte black, cyan, magenta, yellow, red and orange. Smallest droplet size is 1.5 picolitres via ‘Variable Droplet Technology’. Paper Sizes: Borderless printing from 101x152 mm. up to A3+. Printer accepts 210 mm or 329 mm width paper rolls of ten metres length. Customisable print sizes. Interfaces: Hi-Speed USB 2.0, 100 Base T-Ethernet and WiFi (802.11n). Acoustic Noise: 39.0 dB (A). Main Features: ‘MicroPiezo AMC’ on-demand print head with 180 nozzles per colour…

Panasonic knows all about video and that’s been evident in all the generations of Lumix G cameras. Although starting to get a bit long in the tooth, the GH4 is still arguably the pick of the mirrorless models for serious video-makers (with Sony’s newer A7S II now making a challenge), but even the lower-end models are all very capable in this area. The GX85 is no different and it’s the latest Lumix G camera capable of recording 4K video, but there are a couple of curious omissions off the feature list which may well limit its appeal as a video camera. The biggie is the absence of a stereo audio input which means an external microphone can’t be fitted and you have to use the built-in stereo pair. They aren’t…

Mount: Sony E Mount (FE). Effective Focal Length: 85mm (127.5mm on ‘APS-C’ sensor bodies). Angle-of-View: 29 degrees (diagonal). Construction: 11 elements/8 groups, including three extra-low dispersion (ED) glass types and one ‘Extreme Aspherical’ (XA) type. Minimum Focus: 80 cm (manual focus). Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:8.3. Aperture Range: f1.4 – f16. Overall Length: 107.5 mm. Maximum Diameter: 89.5 mm. Filter Diameter: 77 mm. Weight: 820 grams. Features: Fully weather-protected construction (dust, moisture and subzero temperatures), switchable click-stopped/ continuous aperture ring, 11-bladed diaphragm, focus hold button, Sony ‘Nano AR’ multi-coating, ‘Super Sonic Wave Motor’ ultrasonic AF drive with rotation and position sensors. Bayonet mount lens hood supplied. Lens carry case supplied. Price: $2999. Distributor: Sony Australia, visit www.sony.com.au…

“If you are planning a visit to the Flinders Ranges, try staying for at least a week as it’s impossible to cram all this beauty – and the numerous photographic opportunities – into just a few days.” Once a year, I go on a photography adventure with a small group of friends. This year we went to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, situated about 200 kilometres north of Adelaide. It was my first visit to the area, and I was stunned by both the vastness of the area and the dramatic beauty of the scenery. We stayed in a cabin at Rawnsley Park Station around 35 kilometres north of the town of Hawker, overlooking the southern side of Wilpena Pound. Rawnsley Park has three areas where you can stay,…

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…

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…

Current to 16 October: Exhibition. Tough AndTender. Images exploring youth, identity and relationships; and including works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Nan Golding, Larry Clark, Collier Schorr, Chris Burden and Rozalind Drummond. At the National Portrait Gallery, (NPG), King Edward Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. For information telephone (02) 6102 7000 or visit www.portrait.gov.au 10 September to February 2017: Exhibition. New Matter – Recent Forms Of Photography. Recent works by Australian and international photographers who interrogate the limits of photographic representation. Artists include Jacqueline Ball, Walead Beshty, Matthew Brandt, Zoë Croggon, Christopher Day, Cherine Fahd, Todd McMillan, Justine Varga and Luke Parker. At the Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, NSW 2000. Telephone (02) 9225 1744 for more information or visit www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au Admission…

IT’S A SIGN THINGS are getting really serious over at Sony as the company announces the introduction of a support program for professional users of its top-level Alpha cameras and lenses. The Sony Imaging PRO Support Program is now available for eligible Alpha photographers in Australia, enabling them to access a premium level of servicing and support. This mirrors the pro services already offers by both Canon and Nikon. The benefits and privileges of the PRO Support Program include a dedicated telephone line and email support manned by an Australia-based tech support team of digital imaging specialists; an expedited, three-day turnaround on repairs for products within the warranty period; free shipping to and from the service centre; a 20 percent discount on parts and labour for out-of-warranty repairs; emergency loan…

Type: Enthusiast-level digital SLR with Canon EF-S bayonet lens mount. Focusing: Automatic via 45-point wide-area system using phase-detection type CMOS sensor. All points are cross-type arrays. Focus points may be selected manually or automatically. One-shot and continuous (AI Servo) modes with auto/manual switching. Continuous AF with predictive function and acceleration/deceleration tracking and adjustable tracking sensitivity. Sensitivity range is EV -3.0 - 18 (ISO 100). AF assist in low light/ contrast situations is provided by the built-in flash. AF micro-adjustment for up to 40 individual lenses. Phase-detection AF available in live view and video via sensor-based ‘Dual Pixel CMOS AF’. Metering: 7560 pixels RGB+IR sensor for 63-zone evaluative, selective area (6.0% of image area), spot (3.8%), centre-weighted average measurements, and E-TTL II auto flash. Metering range is EV 1 to 20…

Print times vary appreciably from the lowest quality level with high-speed switched ‘On’ to the highest quality level with high-speed switched ‘Off’. As the printer has a high print resolution of 5760x1440 dpi via 1.5 picolitre droplets, images and any supporting text are very well defined – reason enough to be used to advantage. As is always the case in relating printing times to quality renditions in inkjet printers, individuals should make their own judgements. If the quality differences between high and standard settings are difficult to discern, then the faster speed at the standard quality should be sufficient. However, for critical work the recommendation is to let the printer deliver its best, no matter how long this takes.…

Type: Fully automatic digital camera with Micro Four Thirds bayonet lens mount. Focusing: Automatic 49-point wide-area system using contrast-detection via imaging sensor. Single focus point – with variable area size – can be moved around the image frame. Manual or automatic switching between one-shot and continuous AF modes, the latter with a subject tracking function. Face detection and recognition. Sensitivity range is EV -4.0 - 18 (ISO 100). AF assist provided by dedicated illuminator. Manual focus assistance via magnification (either full image or picture-in-picture) and focus peaking displays (Blue, Yellow, Green, Pink or White; High or Low intensity). Metering: 1728-point multi-zone, centre-weighted average, spot and TTL flash. Metering range is EV 0 to 18 (ISO 100/f2.0). Exposure Modes: Continuously-variable program with shift, shutter-priority auto, aperture-priority auto, metered manual, TTL auto…

“A significant change in the Australian regulations is that the smaller recreational drones can now be used for commercial activities without certification.” Aerial photography has always had a long-held attraction – viewing the world from a completely different perspective – but it’s been beyond the scope of most amateur photographers because of the costs involved. Even a cheaper option such as hiring a cherry-picker is still expensive and there are various logistics to consider. Fixed-wing aircraft are the more flexible platform, but the meter starts running the moment the prop is turned. Helicopters? Forget it unless you have a paying client. Consequently, it’s not surprising that camera drones have, literally, taken off as a cost-effective means of shooting either video or stills from the air. Unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs…

The D5 is a bit of a contradiction when it comes to its video recording capabilities. It can’t compete with the EOS-1D X Mark II here because the Canon is also specifically designed to be a pro-level video camera as it replaces the EOS-1D C, so it’s equipped accordingly. The D5 has a number of pro-level video features, but inexplicably lacks others, a couple of them quite basic such as a focus peaking display. Importantly, the D5 records 4K video, but in the UHD resolution of 3840x2260 pixels rather than the pro-preferred Cinema 4K res of 4096x2160 pixels as on the -1D X II, and at 25 or 24 fps only versus the Canon’s 50, 25 or 24 fps (PAL standard, progressive scan). The clip length with 4K shooting has…

Panel Type: 68.6 cm (27 inches) AHVA (IPS) TFT LCD with RB-LED backlighting. Display Area: 596.7x335.6 millimetres (full scan). 16:9 aspect ratio. Native Resolution: 2560x1440 pixels (109 ppi). Viewing Angles: 178 degrees horizontal and vertical Brightness: 350 cd/m² (typical). Contrast: 1000:1 (typical). Display Colours: 1.07 billion. Colour Range: 99 percent of Adobe RGB 1998. Internal Processing: 10-bits per colour. Height Adjustment Range: 14.0 centimetres. Mount Adjustments: -3.5-20 degrees tilt, 35 degrees left/right swivel, 90 degrees pivot (for portrait format), 130 mm height. Connections: DVI-DL, Display Port 1.2, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0 (two downstream, one upstream), 3.5 mm headphone output. Features: 14-bit LUT and 3D LUT, SD memory card slot, five picture presets (Standard, sRGB, Adobe RGB, B&W, Photo), Delta E =< 2 (CIE) colour accuracy, on-line hardware calibration with two…