smart photography 201412

ISSUE 9VOLUME 10

DECEMBER 2014

RS.125

SUBSCRIBER’S COPY

INTERVIEW DUARTE SOL PROFILE RAVALNATH JOSHI

INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!

TRAVELOGUE Pondicherry

LEARNINGSWHAT COLOURS MEANIMPORTANCE OF FOOD STYLINGUNDERSTANDING LIVE VIEWOPTICAL VIEWFINDER OR ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER?

REVIEWS OLYMPUS TG-3 • CANON POWERSHOT G7X • OLYMPUS 40-150MM F/2.8 • TOKINA AT-X 70-200MM F/4

PHOTO FEATURE

DUOMO DI MILANO

(MILAN CATHEDRAL)

Our review of international photography magazines indicates

that most, if not all of them, continue to ignore Smartphones.

Admittedly, the picture quality of current Smartphones is

not up to even semi-professional standards and that may be the very

reason why these magazines tend to ignore them. Whilst the utility

of Smartphones cannot be denied, Smartphone manufacturers can,

perhaps, look even closer at features that will make the camera part of

the Smartphones more acceptable. For a start, the size of the sensor

used by Smartphones is very small. Most Smartphones, therefore, do

not mention the sensor size or tuck it away in a very obscure corner

in their manual. Other things being equal, a larger sensor would

achieve a better picture. Secondly, the maximum aperture of the lens

used is hardly ever mentioned. Th is is a feature very important for

keen photographers. Again, ISO range, type of image stabilization

used etc are areas where Smartphone manufacturers fi ght shy of

giving full details. Th e ever growing community of photographers

using Smartphones would grow exponentially if all these features were

incorporated and prominently publicized.

In this issue, we also look at how in imaging, old is combined with

the new and both continue to co-exist peacefully. Th us we look at

Live View and Electronic Viewfi nders and also cover the area of PC

co-axial fl ash.

H. S. Billimoria

WE ARE GLUED TO THE GLOBAL

IMAGING INDUSTRY

Our team is updated with all the benchmarks

and road blocks that the fi eld of photography

and imaging across the globe experiences.

Th is helps us record the changes in the global

perspective, thus making us the fi rst to predict

which products will be a rage in the Indian

markets.

WE’RE IMPARTIAL

Loyalty towards our readers is a given, and

their best interests are always on our mind.

Every verdict is honest and not infl uenced by

advertisers or personal favorites. So when we say

a product is a ‘BEST BUY’, then, it is just that!

OUR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED BY

EXPERTS

All equipment go through a series of tests at the

hands of our experts. Our reviewers are experts

in the fi eld of photography across the country

and have many years of experience. Th at

gives us the foresight to distinguish between

a passing trend and a big change in the fi eld

of photography and imaging. And fi nally, our

reviews are not extended to just fi ll up the pages!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

Th ere is no debate on why we are here. Our sole

goal is to provide you options and better your

judgement in product purchase while, sharing

tips and tricks to improve your images. Our

biggest joy is in building a bridge between you

and your perfect picture!

HERE’S WHAT

MAKES US

Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Ltd. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express writt en permission of the publisher. Printed by Girish Mallya, Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, 2nd Floor, C Wing, Kamala Mills Compound,

Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Copyright 2014 SMART PHOTOGRAPHYAll readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Smart Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. Th e editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.

Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria

December 2014 Smart Photography 5www.smartphotography.in

WELCOME

EDITORHoshang S. Billimoria

TECHNICAL EDITORRohinton Mehta

SENIOR CORRESPONDENTSujith Gopinath

COPY EDITORTanika Godbole

PHOTOGRAPHYMahesh Reddy

HEAD-DESIGN & PRODUCTION Ravi Parmar

DESIGNNandkishor Sawant

ADVERTISE DESIGNSanjay Awad

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Dinesh Bhajnik

PICTURES DESKDeepak Narkar

PUBLISHERGirish Mallya

PRODUCT MANAGERPerseus Master

HEAD OFFICE - MUMBAI2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013

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Tel: + 91 22 43525220 Fax: + 91 22 24955394 Email: [email protected]

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6 Smart Photography December 2014 www.smartphotography.in

Contents ISSUE 117 / DECEMBER 2014

ISSUE 9VOLUME 10

DECEMBER 2014

RS.125

SUBSCRIBER’S COPY



TRAVELOGUE Pondicherry

LEARNINGSWHAT COLOURS MEANIMPORTANCE OF FOOD STYLINGUNDERSTANDING LIVE VIEWOPTICAL VIEWFINDER OR ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER?


PHOTO FEATURE

DUOMO DI MILANO

(MILAN CATHEDRAL)

Cover credits: H. S. Billimoria

Just a moment!Readers can find the updated Buyer’s Guide, log on http://smartphotography.in/news/monthly-special

Smart Photography thanks the readers who participate in the Picture of the Month contest. We would like to bring to your attention a few changes in the rules for submission. From now on, you may send in your images with the longer side measuring atleast 17 inches. Please note that the images have to be horizontal. This permits readers to submit panoramic shots, which was not possible with the current size of 17 x 11 inches.

REGULARS

08 Mail Bag

10 News Watch

30 Picture of the Month

146 Tidbits

34 KaleidoscopeA platform for budding photographers to

exhibit their talent and get noticed!

40 Showcase A photographic profile of the person

behind the lens

44 If I Were YouOur expert comments on how your pic-

tures can be taken to another level

47 Ask Uncle RonnieYour photo queries answered by Uncle

Ronnie

50 MasterCraftsman The masters of the craft share their in-

sights and photographs

58 Photo feature Ajay Sood captures Pondicherry

5034


SUBSCRIPTION OFFERpage75

REVIEWS

LEARNINGS

94 Colour in Photography

99 Optical Viewfinder Or

Electronic Viewfinder?

100 Importance of

Food Styling

105 Learn from your mistakes

107 In Praise Of Live View

110 Canon PowerShot G7X

114 Tokina AT-X 70-

200mm F/4 PRO FX VCM-S

116 Olympus Tough TG-3

120 Olympus 40-150mm

f/2.8 PRO

94 100

MAILBAG


Write to us at:

Mail Bag

Smart Photography,

Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati

Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.

E-mail: [email protected]

ISSUE 8VOLUME 10

NOVEMBER 2014

RS.125

SUBSCRIBER’S COPY

INTERVIEW SUDHIR SHIVARAM PROFILE MOHAN GIDWANI


PHOTO FEATURE THE COLOGNE ZOO

116

LEARNINGALL ABOUT TRIPODSUSE SHADOWS CREATIVELYHOW TO CONTROL MOISTURE IN STORAGEWHAT IS 4K?

WEDDINGPHOTOGRAPHY

S P E C I A L

REVIEWS NIKON D750 • PANASONIC GH4 • LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25MM F/1.4 ASPH. LENS • SONY XPERIA Z3

Wedding Bells

Th e Wedding Photography special was a wonderful issue! It was a delightful change to look at such pictures, fi lled with raw emotions and beauty. Th is genre is oft en not taken seriously. But aft er reading the articles by photographers working in this fi eld, I realised how much eff ort and pre-planning goes into it! People no longer want boring wedding photos. Th ey want vibrant, candid and lively ones. Th ere is an increasing demand in the market for photographers who will brilliantly capture these special moments. Aft er all, wedding pictures are to be preserved for a life time.

Kirti Patel

Dark History

I really appreciated Mr Ajay Sood’s touching photo feature about the Auschwitz concentration camp. His monochrome images depicting the dark phase of human civilization were awesome.

Th ank you Ajay, and Smart Photography, for this grim but beautiful photo feature.

Partha kar

Rural Heritage

I am a travel photographer based in Delhi. On a recent visit to Rajasthan, I was able to capture many stories through my lens. One such captivating image that I want to share with you, is of a lady in a small rickety village in Pushkar. She was engrossed in cooking on an old charcoal fi lled stove. Th e picture for me signifi es the age-old traditions, rituals and morals of families living in the villages across India.

Aman Chotani

Dussehra Photos

I am a retired Zoology lecturer, and a hobbyist photographer. I have been a subscriber of SP for the past two years.

I use the Nikon D3100 with 18-105mm and 55-200mm Nikkor lenses. I read your articles on various aspects of photography and try to apply those. Here are a few photographs taken by me recently, at the Dussehra celebration in my town. I have applied the knowledge that I received from SP’s

tutorials while clicking these.

Dr. Prakash A. Lalpotu

NEWS International


In early 2015, Canon will launch the new 50-1000mm CN20x 50 IAS H E1/P1

lens. Th e company claims this is the fi rst-ever lens boasting of a combined 20x magnifi cation, integrated 1.5x extender, and a removable servo drive. Th e lens is specially designed for nature and sports television productions.

Th e CN20x 50 IAS H E1/P1 features an updated servo drive, making it more practical

SNIPPETS

Canon’s patent suggests that in the future, ‘Auto’ may be an option for choosing between JPEG and Raw on Canon D-SLR cameras. Th e company’s recent patent issued in August 2014 reveals that the company has come up with the idea of D-SLR cameras that could automatically choose which photo to save in Raw and which one to save in JPEG.

Panasonic designers have developed a variety of 3D printed covers for the Lumix GM1 compact cameras.

Power-sipping wearable devices could become smaller with a new rechargeable pin-sized battery, the CG-320, from Panasonic. Th e Li-ion battery is 20mm long with a diameter of 3.5mm, about 1/20th size of the AAA batteries. It has a capacity of 13 mAh and voltage of 3.75V, with Bluetooth and NFC connectivity.

Samsung has been paying Microsoft $1 billion a year in royalties to use their technology in Samsung’s Android Smartphones and Tablets. Samsung’s royalty fee to Microsoft was US $3.81 per Android device.

Canon to launch new 50-1000mm Cine lens

focusing operations to adapt to a changing environment. It will be available in both PL-mount and EF-mount variations.

for broadcasting purposes than other cine lenses. It features a 12-pin serial communication, and is designed for use with Super35mm cameras. Th e lens weighs about 6 kg.

Th e focal range is 50-1000mm, which can be taken up to 75-1500mm with the use of the built-in extender. Canon says that the CN20x 50 IAS H E1/P1 has a 180-degree focus ring rotation and simple

Canon announced the highly anticipated Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L II USM, a second generation compact super-telephoto zoom lens. This is a replacement for Canon’s EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L, which was launched in 1998. The EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM includes one Fluorite and one Super UD element. Also introduced is a new ASC (Air Sphere Coating) technology, which uses suspended air bubbles in the coating. The design reduces ghosting and flare.The lens has a rotating

zoom design instead of the earlier ‘push-pull’ design, to mitigate the problem of dust being sucked in every time you zoom in. It also offers three Image Stabilization (IS) modes, with 4 stops of stabilization, and automatically locks IS when a tripod is in use. The minimum focus distance is 3.2 feet

and the lens offers 0.31x maximum magnification. A new bayonet-style ET-83D hood is included, with a slot for easier adjustment of certain filters.

Canon announced the imageFormula DR-M1060 offi ce document scanner, which off ers scan speeds up to 60 pages per

minute and 120 images per minute in colour, black and white, and grayscale. It can process up to 7,500 documents per day. Th e

scanner’s minimalistic design removes the need for lengthy feed or eject trays, thus conserving valuable desk space in offi ces.

Canon launches super telephoto 100-400mm lens

Canon announces imageFormula DR-M1060 scanner

NEWS International


Sigma announced that the Sigma dp Quattro series high quality digital camera received the Gold Prize in Japan’s Good Design Awards 2014. The product was commended for its unique oblong shape, making it convenient for the user to hold the camera firmly. You can hold the grip on the right hand side, which also contains the battery. The oblong body provides ample space for the four operating

buttons and a dial button for aperture and exposure adjustment, on the side of the LCD monitor. The camera’s balance of form and functionality makes the design superior.

Sigma dp Quattro receives Gold Prize in Good Design Awards 2014

Ricoh announced the HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6ED DC WR

zoom lens, designed for use with Pentax K-mount D-SLR cameras. The lens consists of 16 optical elements in 12 groups and features an ED (Extra-

low Dispersion) optical element to compensate for chromatic aberrations, and aspherical optical elements to minimize colour bleeding. The lens offers a focal length of 16-85mm (24-130 in the 35mm format) and can be used for different genres of photography,

including landscapes and portraits. This lens features HD coating which delivers clear images and reduces flare and ghosting, even under back-lit conditions. It also features 11 sealings that prevent water from getting into the interiors of the lens.

Ricoh announces weather-resistant 16-85mm lens in K-mount series

Olympus launches Stylus 1sOlympus Corp. began marketing the Stylus 1s, a successor of Stylus 1 on November 14 in Japan. The basic features are the same as the predecessor. There are additional functions like Small AF Target for easier focussing on a precise spot of the subject, and Stepping Zoom to set the zoom ratios at 28, 35, 50, 70, 100, 135, 200 and 300mm equivalent. The new grip is easier to hold.

The camera features a 1/1.7-inch Type 12 MP CMOS sensor, a 28-300mm f/2.8 zoom lens, a 1.44 million dot EVF and a 3-inch tilting LCD monitor. The camera measures 116.2x 87x56.5mm and weighs about 402g.

NEWS International


Tiff en launches ND fi lters that reduce red cast

Tiffen has launched a new range of Neutral Density (ND) filters in the XLE

series that can reduce the red colour cast while shooting at long exposures, which is a common problem faced by photographers using ND filters. There are 3 filters

in the series—Axent, Advantix and Apex. The Axent is a 10-stop ND filter without infrared control. The Advantix can cut wavelengths of around 800nm. The Apex makes use of the Tiffen Hot Mirror and hence can cut all infrared wavelengths.

Sony launches Security Cameras SNC-EB602R and SNC-EB632RSony began selling new security cameras, the SNC-EB602R and SNC-EB632R, that can operate in low-light conditions through infrared exposure technology. Th e cameras can reportedly see in the dark, till up to 30 metres away. Th e cameras are priced starting at US $1,122.

Apple announces iPad Air 2

World Press Photo Multimedia Contest to be chaired by

Marianne Lévy-Leblond

On October 17, Apple announced the latest member of the iPad Air family, the iPad Air 2, which is 6.1mm thick

and weighs about 450g. Th e 9.7-inch Retina display is

2048x1536 pixels, the same as the previous

model. Th is time, Apple has added a new

anti-refl ective surface that helps reduce glare. Th e iPad Air 2 has a new 8 MP iSight camera and the front camera has also been enhanced, for crisper and clearer selfi es and video chats. It also features a new 64-bit A8X processor, which promises 40% better performance and improved graphics.

World Press Photo announced that Marianne Lévy-Leblond, Head of Web Productions and Transmedia Projects at Arte France, will chair the 2015 World Press Photo Multimedia Contest. The contest will open for entries on December 1, 2014.

Lévy-Leblond returns to World Press Photo aft er having participated in the multimedia jury last year. From the contest entries, she says that she expects “a good story, a good story, a good story.” She also looks forward to “discovering the work of talented people and to be surprised by the

use they make of new media.”

An international jury of leading professionals active in visual journalism and documentary storytelling will join Lévy-Leblond for the judging at the World Press Photo offi ce in Amsterdam, from 28 February

until March 8, 2015. Th e full list of judges will be announced later. In the 2014 contest, there were a total of 373 multimedia production entries. Th e winners will be announced on 11 March 2015. For more information, visit visit www.worldpressphoto.org/contest.

NEWS International


‘The Unresolved Dreams: Azerbaijan’s Refugees and IDPs’ exhibition opened on 30 October in Berlin,

featuring photographs of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) taken by renowned US photojournalist Ed Kashi. Th e exhibition was held from October 31 to November 6. Th e opening took place in the presence of the photographer and was supported by the German offi ce of Th e European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS).

More than 875,000 refugees and IDPs have been residing in camps across Azerbaijan for over 20 years since they were forcibly expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts by Armenian forces, which continue to illegally occupy this territory. Each day is a struggle for these people, all of whom long to return to their ancestral homeland. Despite international condemnation of this occupation, including the passing of four UN Security Council resolutions against Armenia, this on-going situation receives negligible attention from the European media. Th is led Ed Kashi, who has contributed to the National Geographic Magazine, New York Times as well as Time

and Newsweek magazines to turn his lens on the everyday lives of these IDPs and refugees. Th e images serve to capture their challenges, but also their hopes and the resilience of the human spirit.

Ed Kashi said, “With the topic of IDPs and refugees currently growing in importance across many parts of the world, it is important that we do not forget these people who have been suff ering from the Armenian occupation of their homeland for over 20 years. Azerbaijan has one of the largest IDP populations in the world. Th rough my work, I am expressing a responsibility for these people, so it is a great honour to present this in Berlin today.”

In June 2013, Ed Kashi visited Azerbaijan for the project, and the resultant photo exhibition opened in London around a year later. It then travelled to Paris, and is now being presented in Berlin. Th e project is supported by the VII Photo Agency, co-founded by Ed, and by TEAS, which aims to develop European–Azerbaijani relations regarding culture, politics and economics on a pan-European scale.

Th e Director of TEAS Germany commented, “the fate of more than 875,000 IDPs and refugees who were illegally expelled from their homes by Armenian forces must not be forgotten. However, it is oft en not easy to understand such topics as war and the plight of refugees and IDPs from afar. It is easier to comprehend the human dimension through art, and that is why we are glad to support Ed Kashi’s photographic exhibition. We are particularly gratifi ed that there was such a great interest in the opening, with more than 400 guests in attendance.”

Ed Kashi’s exhibition on life in Azerbaijani IDP camps opens in Berlin

World Press Photo exhibition arrives in Northern Ireland for the fi rst timeQueen’s University, Belfast, brought the World Press Photo exhibition to Northern Ireland for the fi rst time, from November 18-23, 2014. Th e prestigious exhibition, organised in partnership with School of Law at Queen’s, and the Journalism, Law and Rights Forum, showcases the most inspiring and high quality photojournalism in the world. Th e 2014 exhibition comprises the 150 winning images chosen from over 98,000 images submitted by 5,754 photojournalists in 132 countries.

On display at the exhibition includes the World Press Photo of the Year. Th is year’s winner, selected by the international jury of the 57th annual World Press Photo Contest, is an image by American photographer John Stanmeyer of the VII Photo Agency. Th e

picture shows African migrants on the shore of Djibouti city at night, raising their phones in an attempt to capture an inexpensive signal from neighbouring Somalia—a tenuous link to relatives abroad. Djibouti is a common stop-off point for migrants in transit from such countries as Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, seeking a better life in Europe and the Middle East. Th e picture also won 1st Prize in the Contemporary Issues category, and was shot for National Geographic.

Also displayed were the prize-winning images from nine themed categories belonging to 53 photographers from Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mexico,

Th e Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA.

Th e week-long exhibition was complemented by a series of evening and weekend events exploring journalism, law and rights. Further details about the exhibition can be found here: www.worldpressphoto.org.uk

John Stanmeyer’s winning image


NEWS Business

YEAR UNITS (x 1000)2011 1012012 4592013 1,0752014 (E) 1,4472015 (E) 1,673

Note: E = EstimateSource: Gfk/ Photo Imaging News

YEAR ACTION TRADITIONAL CAMCORDER CAMCORDER2011 800 14,5682012 1,750 9,3282013 3,911 6,4772014(E) 5,496 4,6192015(E) 6,540 3,573

Note: E = EstimateSource: Gfk/ Photo Imaging News

Canon expects that their operating profit for the nine-month period from January to September, 2014, will increase by 7% year-on-year to over 260 billion Yen (US $2.41 billion). This was credited to strong office equipment sales and the weak Yen. But sluggish camera sales, which had increased by 26% in the first half of 2014, blunted the company’s profits. Total sales for the January-September period stayed flat from the 2.69 trillion Yen (US $25 billion) in 2013.

Both, sales and profit seem to have grown at the mainstay office equipment business unit. The recovery in the business environment has pushed up the demand for photocopiers, laser printers and other office equipment around the world. The weak Yen has further boosted

profits.Yet, sales of high-margin consumable items, such as toner, were stalled.

Meanwhile, the profits in the imaging product segment dipped due to decreasing digital camera sales. The company sold about 30% fewer compact cameras due to competition from Smartphones with better quality camera functions, and posted a double-digit decline in the interchangeable lens camera segment. Weak personal spending in Europe and repercussions from Japan’s sales tax hike also affected sales of SLRs and mirrorless products. Canon is focussing more on high-end items, which have a wider profit margin, and has slashed production costs. But the company was unable to completely make up for slow sales.

Canon Inc. posted a 20.7% year-on-year decline in operating profit to 71.8 billion Yen from 90.6 billion Yen from the past year, on a revenue of 872.2 billion Yen. This is a 4.5% fall for the third quarter of fiscal 2014, ending on September 30. The net profit dropped by 1% to 58.2 billion Yen. The company attributed the sluggish performance to the delayed recovery of the global economy, especially in Europe and the subsequent effect on the economies of Russia, Japan and emerging countries.

Sales of the Imaging System Business Unit fell by 9.4% to 315.8 billion Yen. Operating profit came down by 23.9% to 43.3 billion Yen. The nine month cumulative sales posted an 8.9% drop to 941 billion Yen, and the operating profit were down by 3.8% to 136.3 billion Yen. Sales of

cameras with interchangeable lens systems dropped all over the world, but had to top share in leading markets such as Europe, USA and Japan. The company also maintained a high share in the compact camera segment by introducing high-end products.

Canon expects the net profit for the whole year to rise by 8% to 250 billion Yen, 10 billion more than the earlier outlook, thanks to the weaker Yen. Sales would be 3.740 trillion Yen, about 40 billion Yen lower than the earlier estimate. The company revised the digital camera sales outlook to 16 million units, including 6.5 million units of interchangeable lens cameras, which was expected to be 7 million units earlier. Canon plans to ship 9.5 million units of compact camera models, unchanged from the initial plan.

Worldwide Action Camera Sales Forecast

Worldwide Camcorder Sales Forecast

Canon likely to

report 7% boost in

profit for Jan-Sept

Canon posts declined

profits on declined

revenue for July-Sept


NEWS Business

Nikon announced that their net profit for the first six months

of fiscal 2014, ending on September 30, 2014 posted a 26% year-on-year decline to 10 billion Yen on a revenue of 374.9 billion Yen, which was down by 20%. The company attributed the unfavourable results to declined sales of digital cameras, especially in Europe and China. The

precision machinery sales were also slow, for both, steppers of semiconductors and LCD panel manufacturing.

The Imaging Solutions division posted sales of 277.4 billion Yen, down by 21.3%. The operating profit was down by 11% to 27.5 billion Yen. The company sold 2.18 units of interchangeable lens system cameras, 3.09 million interchangeable lenses

and 3.57 million compact models, 2.23 million units less than the same period last year.

The outlook of D-cam sales for the entire year was revised. Nikon now estimates a sale of 4.9 million units of interchangeable system cameras, down by 14.2% from fiscal 2013. Interchangeable lens estimates are now 6.9 million units, down by 16.2%.

The company plans to sell 7.5 million units of compact digital cameras instead of 11.16 units, a 32.8% year-on-year fall. As the company shifted the focus to higher-end products, the revenue and income outlook remained unchanged, which was set in August at sales of 590 billion Yen and operating profit of 58 billion Yen for the Imaging Solutions division.

Olympus Corp. reported that their net profit for the first half of fiscal 2014, ending on September 30, turned black to 22.3 billion Yen from a loss of 7.9 billion from the previous year. This was due o favourable sales of medical equipment, mainly endoscopes, which made up for the ailing Imaging

Division.

Sales of the Imaging Division fell to 40.1 billion Yen with an operating loss of 4.6 billion Yen. Compact camera sales of 22 billion Yen (up by 38%) could not make up for the declining sales of point-and-shoot models of 10.8 billion Yen, a drastic

107% decline. The company revised the division’s latter half-year outlook to sales of 49.9 billion Yen and an operating loss of 2.9 billion Yen. The company expects to sell 34.3 billion Yen worth of compact system cameras and 15.6 billion Yen for all-in-one digital cameras. Operating loss would be 2.9 billion

Yen, shrinking from the 6.5 billion Yen loss compared to the previous year.

The Imaging segment’s revenue for the entire year is estimated to be 90 billion Yen, with 630,000 units of compact system cameras and 800,000 units of the all-in-one variety.

According to a media report, Japan’s major precision companies, such as Ricoh and Canon, are eyeing the 3D printer market’s potential to make the most of their cumulative technology in printer products.

Ricoh is currently supplying printer heads of 3D printers to the world’s largest 3D printer supplier, Stratasis. The company now wishes to

venture into building a 3D printer on its own, combining print head technology and new inks, which will dry up faster when exposed to light. Ricoh expects it to be commercialised during fiscal 2016.

Ricoh, on September 8, opened a new marketing base in Yokohama City, Japan, to deal with 3D printers. Called Ricoh Rapid Fab,

the new unit will sell imported 3D printers and offer service of 3D products. The company opened an R&D division of 3D printers at their Atsugi Unit in late September, offering consulting and workshop services to corporate users who wish to enter the 3D printing business.

Canon is said to have built a prototype in the first

stage, and is now developing technology for reproducing complicated shapes, with high precision. Seiko Epson is also developing 3D printer products to form 3D figures using materials other than metal and resin. Both the companies plan to enter the market within five years. Japanese companies expect a big potential for 3D printers in the industry- use segment.

Nikon posts declined profits on declined revenue for first-half of 2014

Olympus posts net profit for April-

September period; camera sales fall

Ricoh, Canon Eye 3D Printer Market


NEWS Business

Fujifilm Holdings reported its April-September financial results, saying the net profit rose by 29% year-on-year to 40.6 billion Yen on

a revenue of 1.182 trillion Yen; a slight rise from the 1.174 trillion Yen in 2013. Profit in operation increased by 25% to 71.5 billion Yen.

The revenue of Imaging Solutions fell by 4.2% to 168.9 billion Yen and profit turned black, to 4.6 billion Yen from a loss of 5.4 billion Yen from

the previous year. The company attributed the favourable results to continued strong sales of instant cameras and expansion of value-added printing businesses such as Year Album. In the electronic imaging business, total sales dropped due to the reduction of the compact dgital camera line-up and its sales volume. However, sales of the X-series including the Fujifilm X-T1 were strong, which contributed to improvement of the profitability of this division.

Fujifilm Corp. announced that they will invest about 1 billion Yen to boost the production of their instant camera, instax mini (nicknamed ‘Checki’) and instant film in order to meet increasing international demand. The company will expand film production lines at the Ashigara Factory in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and camera body production at the Suzhou plant in China. Both plants will expand 20% to 30% production capacity when they start operation next spring.

The company has sold some 1.8 million units of instant cameras for the first half of fiscal 2014 (ending September), an 80% year-on-year gain. They revived the sales outlook to 3.5 million units, 1.5x the previous fiscal term. This seems to have pushed the operating profit for the April-September period.

Fujifilm launched the Checki in 1998 and sold over 1 million units in 2002, about 90% of which were sold in Japan. The sales in Japan then declined,

and hit bottom in 2005. Fujifilm then took up a marketing tactic to use the camera in a drama produced in South Korea in 2007, which attracted viewers’ attention as a novel camera to produce prints on the spot. This caught on among youngsters, who had rarely ever seen film and instant cameras. The popularity of Checki also spread gradually to Asia, USA and Europe.

In Japan, Checki is popular among females in their 10s

and 20s. The users tend to give out prints to friends with a written message on them for special occasions like birthdays, weddings etc. The company has added new marketing channels through famous stores such as Walmart and Urban Outfitters in the USA, and Le Bon Marche in France. Checki was also promoted at the Photokina 2014 in Cologne, Germany, and new models to back up the growing trend were announced.

Konica Minolta Co. posted a 2.6x gain in net profit to 14.6 billiion Yen for the first half of fiscal 2014., ending on September 30, 2014. The total sales were 478.5 billion Yen, up by 6% year-on-year.

The Information Product segment sales rose by 9.1% to 381.1 billion Yen and the operating profit by 12% to 30.2 billion Yen, owing to the sales of A3 colour MF photocopiers and printers for business sectors, especially the bizhub PRESS series.The Health Care segment’s sales came up to 36.4 billion Yen with 1 billion operating profit. The revenue for the Materials and Equipment for Industrial Use segment dropped

by 4.8% to 59.4 billion Yen, but profitability of the TAC films and measuring instruments improved to 12.1 billion Yen (up by 35.6%).

The total revenue for the full year is expected to rise by 7% to 1.010 trillion Yen, and operating profit would come to 65 billion Yen (up by 12%), whereas the net profit would reach 30 billion Yen (up by 37%). The company has attributed strong demand for film and LCD panels, measuring instruments and business machines of MF photocopiers and printers for the performance this year. The weak Yen will also contribute to improved profitability.

Fujifilm’s profitability in D-cam business improves

Fujifilm to boost output of Instant Camera by 30%

Konica Minolta posts 2.6x gain in net profit

Hewlett-Packard to split

Samsung to build Semi-Conductor Plant in South Korea

Hewlett-Packard (HP) will split into two public companies and lay off 5,000 workers. HP will split the company into two separate businesses—computer and printer—from its fast growing corporate hardware and service operations. They will eliminate another 5,000 jobs as part of its turn-around plan. HP’s shareholders would own a stake in both businesses through a tax-free transaction in 2015.

Samsung will spend up to $15 billion to build a semi-conductor plant in South Korea to meet the rising demand for the chips that power mobile devices. The construction at the plant in Gyeonggi province of South Korea, will begin in the first half of 2015, with operations due to commence in 2017. The factory will have the capacity to produce both memory and processor chips.

www.smartphotography.in

NEWS National

24 Smart Photography December 2014

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi recently joined Instagram,

a popular photo and video sharing app available on Android and iOS operating systems. The first Indian head of state to join this platform, Modi shared his first image on Instagram on November 12, from the ASEAN summit. He already has more than 100,000 followers.

PM Modi joins photo-

sharing app Instagram

Panasonic organizes 4K fundamentals seminar with Matt Siegel

‘Women’s Safety and Empowerment’ Film Contest

An App to recognise butterflies by Yuwaraj Gurjar

On October 16, 2014, Panasonic organized a seminar in Mumbai for 4K technology enthusiasts with Matt Siegel, who is a much sought after Director of Photography for Hollywood films. During the course of seminar, he discussed the finer nuances of the craft and essentials of 4K fundamentals with a special focus on Lumix GH4 and X1000, the recently launched high-end cameras by Panasonic.

Mr. Siegel shared his experience with 4K cameras, demonstrated the GH4 4K and X1000 4K Pro cameras live shooting zone. The attendees also got a chance to use the equipment first-hand. A similar seminar was held at New Delhi on October 17, 2014.

To celebrate the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” global campaign, the U.S. Consulate General organized a film contest for Indian nationals. Video submissions of 3-5 minutes in length on women’s safety and empowerment in the form of stories, testimonials, ads, public service announcements, or any other format that promotes awareness about women’s safety were accepted. Videos had to be original work, produced within the past two years. The contest was open to Indian nationals residing in the five states of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The films of short-listed finalists will be shown at an event on December 5, 2014 at the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai. Guest judges present at the occasion will select the winners. For more information, please visit: http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/gbv_film_contest.html

‘I Love Butterflies’, an Android-based app, has been developed by Yuwaraj Gurjar, a passionate nature lover and internationally acclaimed wildlife photographer, who has spent more than 25 years chasing butterflies.

This app will help users identify and learn more

about these creatures. It’s a comprehensive photo-guide of butterflies of the Indian sub-continent. The content is divided into two genres, ‘Family’ and ‘Colour’, making it easy

for users to browse through the content. Currently this app covers 150 butterflies in and around Mumbai and Thane, with photos and descriptions about the butterflies. Butterflies from all over India will be added in forthcoming versions. The link for downloading the app on Play Store is: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.butterfly.loveandhl=en


NEWS National


Talentz 2014 Photo Exhibition by Indian Academy

Indian Academy, Vile Parle (E), Mumbai, organized a photo exhibition titled ‘Talentz 2014’ which mainly showcased

pictures taken during the academy’s organised trip to Kashmir - Leh - Ladakh during July 2014. The academy received over 300 entries from its present and past students, out of which 75 photographs were selected by the organisers for display. The exhibition was inaugurated and judged by Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography, along with professional industrial and advertising photographer Anil Gandhi, who was the Guest of Honour.

The winners were awarded the following prizes:Rajul Shah, 1st prize: One year free subscription to Smart Photography magazine + Rs.3000 by Indian Academy

Samar Khan, 2nd prize: One year free subscription to Smart Photography magazine + Rs.2000 by ‘Big Camera’, Canon authorised dealer

Sonia Gulati, 3rd prize: One year free subscription to Smart Photography

magazine + Rs.1000 by Indian Academy

Shailesh Padhya, Merit prize: One year free subscription to Smart Photography magazine

Poonam Jadhav, Merit prize: One year free subscription to Smart Photography magazine

Following the inauguration, Rohinton Mehta and Anil Gandhi addressed the audience with tips on how to further improve their photography.

Sony launches new high speed UX Series SD cardSony India announced the launch of its new Ultra High Speed UX series SD card (SF-G1UX2/T IN), with fast data transfer speed and 4K compatibility. It is ideal for professional or semi-professional photographers and videographers. The card offers enhanced transfer speeds, thereby increasing the speed of workflow and improving efficiency.

The UX Series 128GB card comes with data transfer speeds up to 94MB/s (read) and up to 60MB/s (write). It also features an Ultra-High

Speed (UHS Speed Class 3) rating so that speed and quality of the images captured will not be compromised, which results in smooth 4K recordings as well as minimal buffering when capturing still images in burst, multi-frame or panoramic modes. This card is also compatible with XAVC S codec mode recording. Like other products from the line-up, the new memory card features Sony’s File Rescue software, which is the first in the world to support 3D movies and photos. This software allows users to recover accidentally

deleted photos and movies. Protected with molded resin, the memory card is remarkably durable, shock-proof and resistant to extreme temperatures.

The UX series SD Card is available across all Sony Center and major electronic stores across India for the price of Rs.13,200.

Sonia Gulati, 3rd prize Samar Khan, 2nd Prize

Raju

l Sh

ah, 1

st prize


NEWS National


On November 3, 2014, Canon India announced that

Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, the company’s Executive Vice-President will be moving on an international assignment to Canon Singapore, which is the headquarter of its South East and South Asia business operations. The change is effective from January 1, 2015.

Dr. Bharadwaj will be heading the Corporate Strategy Group as the Senior Vice President and will be responsible for strategic business planning and execution as well as corporate communications for Canon’s South East and South Asia regional operations. He will also be overseeing business development in the emerging Asian markets in this region. In his new role, he will be reporting to Mr. Kensaku Konishi, President and CEO of Canon’s South East and South Asia Operations.

Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India said, “I wish to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation

for the significant contribution made by Dr. Alok Bharadwaj for Canon India. His indomitable spirit has helped shape Canon’s image in India and improved our market leadership, while setting industry benchmarks at the same time. We are a global company and believe strongly in leadership development with international roles. We wish him the very best for his new assignment in Singapore.”

Feeling elated on this movement, Dr Alok Bharadwaj commented, “It has been an incredible journey for me at Canon India, which I joined in 2001. Canon has an extraordinary, magnetic culture. I have had the opportunity to build and work with an excellent team that supported me to overcome numerous business challenges and in recording massive growth for Canon in India. I am truly thrilled to have been a part of this success story and am grateful to my staff, partners and customers. This experience has opened the doors for my international assignment, which I am quite excited to take. I look forward to

tackling newer challenges in other emerging Asian markets. It is a promising new role and I am eager to start.”

Dr. Alok Bharadwaj is a seasoned corporate executive and an old hand at Canon India, having served for well over 13 years in leading its business operations. Under his leadership, Canon registered a record-breaking expansion to emerge as an imaging industry leader in India. He has won numerous accolades and awards including “The Best CMO of the Year” from the CMO Council USA, “The Most Influential Person in Photography”, “Corporate Executive of the Year”, “Most Favourite Country Manager”, “ Outstanding Global Manager” to name a few. He was a well- known face in the industry having led industry body, MAIT as its President and is currently chairman of CII-OA and Imaging Division. He is a committee member of the Indian Council of Competitiveness. Bharadwaj is an MBA from FMS Delhi, 1985 batch.

Canon India will have no direct successor to the position of EVP. The President and CEO of the company will continue to head India business operations.

Canon India’s Executive Vice President

Dr. Alok Bharadwaj moves to Singapore

On November 9, 2014, ‘Enigma’, a group photography exhibition was formally launched at Arpana Caur Gallery, Siri Fort, New Delhi. The exhibition features 35 works of art by seasoned artists like Ravi Dhingra, Nin Taneja, Puja Bahri and Saba Hasan. All these eminent artists collaborated as art photographers, with the common purpose of sharing their personal vision as fine artists. Their works go beyond a realistic or documentary representation, with the intent to fulfill a more creative exchange with the

audience. Each of them is in an independent dialogue with abstract concepts.

Mr ML Lahoti formally launched the exhibition by lighting a lamp and the guests of honour, Ms Roohi and Rajiv Savara, Directors, Savara Foundation Of Arts were present to appreciate the art works displayed at the exhibition. The launch had witnessed the city’s known art patrons like Mr ML Lahoti, Promila Bahri, Himani Dehlvi, Shivani Chopra, Roohi and Rajeev Savera, Archana Bahl Sapra and Sudha Dhingra.

Nin Taneja said, “Enigma to me is the hidden story in each picture. There is a story in every life, every form that I see in my everyday life. My eye observes, the camera captures the moment and the mind weaves a story turning it into a beautiful art form. I am appreciative and thankful for the wonderful gifts that the universe offers mankind, and I want to freeze the story in time. The show was a collective effort and working together planning and organizing was a good experience.”

Enigma Photography Exhibition (L-R) Saba Hasan, Ravi Dhingra, Puja Bahri, Nin Taneja

On November 7, 2014, Sony World Photography Awards along with Sony Asia Pacific launched the

‘India National Award’. This competition invites entries from Indian nationals of all ability levels. Entries are free via www.worldphoto.org, and participants can enter under any of the ten categories: Art and Culture, Architecture, Enhanced, Low-light, Nature and Wildlife, Panorama, People, Smile, Split Second and Travel. The winner of the India National Award will be chosen from entries to the Open Competition of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards taken by Indian nationals. The competition will close for entries on January 5, 2015, and the winner will be announced on March 18, 2015.

The winning photographer will receive the latest photographic equipment from Sony, while two runners-up will also receive prizes. All three photographers will have their work

displayed alongside professional photographers from around the globe as part of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition held in London from April 24 to May 10, 2015 and showcased online at www.worldphoto.org.

Scott Gray, Managing Director of the World Photography Organisation said, “We are thrilled to be able to work closely with Sony Asia Pacific to identify the local photographers that are producing great work and pushing their own creative boundaries, so that we can raise their profile across the globe and provide inspiration to other budding Indian photographers.”

Masaaki Hori, Head of Digital Imaging Business, Sony India commented on the

occasion, “The National Awards are a great vehicle to recognise talent on a regional basis and it’s extremely interesting to see the different styles emanating from India. We want to support these national talents and provide them with the best cameras and lenses so that they can focus on the creative subjects in front of them.”

Sony World Photography Awards launches

competition for Indian Photographers

Last year’s winning image by Bisheswar Choudhury, 1st Place, India National Award, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

1. Th e picture has to be horizontal.

2. Kindly ensure that the longer side should measure atleast 17 inches, at 300ppi.

3. Low resolution images will not be accepted.

4. We do not check images on online galleries.

5. Kindly ensure complete contact/address details are provided. Winners will have

to collect their prize from SP’s Mumbai offi ce or send an authorised representative

to do so.

6. Please make sure that your picture does not have your name/logo on it.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS

PICTURE OF THE

MONTHWe are sure that all of you have a few pictures

that you think are prize worthy. It happens

very oft en that you don’t know where to send

the image that could put a feather in your cap.

If you have such images (we’re sure you have

many!), send us ONE such horizontal image.

If it qualifi es, we shall publish it as a double-

spread.

a. You have to guarantee that the picture was

shot by you

b. If there are people in the picture who can be

identifi ed, we’ll need a model release

c. Th e picture should not have been printed

elsewhere (magazine newspaper, or off ered

to any publication)

d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the Month” and

rename the fi le using your name

e. You may send images via print/e-mail to: Next

Gen Publishing Ltd.,2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade

World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati

Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013

(or) [email protected]

WIN!MK 393 PD

Tripod

Sponsored by:

Photograph by

Gourab Chatterjee

KALEIDOSCOPE Finally, a platform for budding photographers

to exhibit their talent and GET NOTICED!

www.smartphotography.in34 Smart Photography December 2014

Snowy roofs of Nainital Camera: Nikon D5000; Aperture : f/16;

Shutter speed: 1/160sec.; ISO: 200

Born in Nainital, India, Vineeta Yashswi is a travel enthusiast. She has travelled vastly around

her country, with the aim of exploring

new places, people, and different cultures. She is an avid trekker as well. She recently completed treks like Milam Glacier Trek (3500 mt.),

Joys of Travel Vineeta Yashswi, Nainital

www.smartphotography.in December 2014 Smart Photography 35

Tiny Toes Camera: Canon EOS-1D X

Aperture : f/2.7; Shutter speed: 1/320sec.; ISO: 2000

Leh in Winter Camera: Nikon D5000;

Aperture : f/16; Shutter speed: 1/500sec.;

ISO: 200

Hold my Hand Camera: Nikon D5000; Aperture : f/4;

Shutter speed: 1/1600sec.; ISO: 200


Tradition Wear Camera: Nikon D5000; Aperture : f/5.6; Shutter speed: 1/50sec.; ISO: 200

Howrah Bridge Camera: Nikon D5000; Aperture : f/13; Shutter speed: 1/125sec.; ISO: 200

Nanda Devi East Base Camp Trek (4200 mt.), Kuari Trek (3,500 mt.), Chadar Trek in Leh (on frozen Zanskar River), Roopkund Trek (4,800 mt.) etc.Vineeta has completed her post-graduate studies in Sociology from Kumaun University, Nainital. She is also interested in writing about travel and different destinations. She regularly contributes articles for different publications.

She had a great passion for photography since her childhood days. As a photo-artist she has participated in many photography exhibitions till date. For her, photography is purely a medium of expression.

High peaks Camera: Nikon D5000;

Aperture : f/5.6; Shutter speed: 1/100sec.;

ISO: 200


Himalayan Sunrise Camera: Nikon D5000; Aperture : f/5.6; Shutter speed: 1/100sec.; ISO: 200

38 Smart Photography October 2014

October 2014 Smart Photography 39

SHOWCASE


Based in Mumbai,

Ravalnath Joshi is an

avid nature and wildlife

photographer who

takes great interest in

studying the habitat

and characteristics of

his subjects.

I have been a Mumbaikar all my life. Since childhood, I was fascinated with the city’s nature

and wildlife. Birds and mammals (especially predators), since then, have been my areas of interest.

I bought my first Canon D-SLR in the summer of 2009 and subsequently got into wildlife photography after buying a telephoto zoom lens of 100-400mm. Before

FOREST FABLES As told to Tanika Godbole

that, I had bought 70-300mm and 150-500mm lenses, which felt like a waste of money. Now, I firmly believe in buying quality products, even if I need to wait for a while to be able to afford it. I strongly believe that today, both Canon and Nikon have got quality lenses at every price point with varied benchmarks. When I was a beginner, I started reading Smart Photography, and found a mentor in it.


Leopard

Wildlife photography for me is all about passion and planning. Before arriving at any destination, it is very important to know about the habitat, the flora and fauna in that region, the weather conditions, and more importantly, accessibility to the core areas. As a reference point I always check out images that other photographers have taken there. I prefer taking a guide along, especially in remote areas.

I use a full-frame Canon 6D camera with a Canon 500mm f/4 lens. I also carry a Canon 1.4x teleconverter to boost the focal length for birds. But I also carry a spare camera body with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens (for extreme low light conditions). Other than the camera body and the lenses, I always carry a tripod for whatever lens I use. When I am shooting from my car window, I use a bean bag for stability and sharpness.

Light conditions in Indian wildlife are always challenging. Moreover, the activity happens during early morning or late evening hours. So even if you have a super telephoto lens, it will not always be possible to get sharp portraits due to poor light conditions. In such cases it is always better to sacrifice the focal length and get good images of the species with the habitat.

Recently, I had been to Nagzira Tiger Reserve near Nagpur, where I photographed a leopard for the first time in the wild, after a wait of 4 years. It was 6:45 pm and the light was at its lowest intensity. We were fortunate to get that extra half hour inside the

jungle, after 6:30 pm closing time. The leopard was pleasantly walking on the mud track after quenching its thirst at a nearby waterhole. I could not miss this first opportunity of shooting a leopard in the wild. But I knew the maximum aperture of f/4 on my 500mm lens will definitely not help me get a good sharp image. So I immediately shifted to the Canon 70-200mm lens. The aperture of f/2.8 got me the most memorable shot of my life time.

Wildlife photography is all about pre-composition. After understanding the light and weather conditions, one should adjust the white balance as it plays a crucial role in any kind of photography. While shooting Raw, even Auto WB works. Otherwise in bright sunlight I set my WB at 4800 K and in cloudy conditions 5800 K. Optimal shutter speed is very important. It has to be 1/focal length of the lens. Accordingly, the ISO has to be set to avoid loss of sharpness.

One of the most important factors in wildlife photography is the depth of field. Especially when the subject is not perpendicular to our camera or is walking head on. I usually

Golden Jackal

SHOWCASE


prefer using two stops above the maximum aperture as it helps me to get 80% of the subject in focus.

A good photographer should know the animals’ behavioural pattern and any other noteworthy traits. Lastly, I always prefer to maintain a safe distance from the species. This way you prevent disturbing the species, and also make the bird or animal feel comfortable.

Flamingos

Dhol


Blue Eared Kingfisher

Short Eared Owl

IF I WERE YOUE-mail your images at [email protected]


White WagtailWhile taking a morning walk in a playground in Kharagpur, West Bengal, Paresh Das photographed this wagtail trying to get its breakfast. He wants my opinion on the picture and asks how the picture could be improved.

This is a good attempt. There are two main points that you should bear in mind:1) Where should the focus be? With birds (and animals and humans too) the focus should always be on the eyes (in this case

Rohinton Mehta,Technical Editor, Smart Photography

Our Imaging ExpertNo one can take a picture that everyone likes. But, almost every picture can have scope of improvement. Often, we are not our best critics, while others can immediately point out the faults. In If I were you, our expert comments on how your pictures could be taken to another level.

Camera: Nikon D7100 Lens: 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 at 260mm (equivalent to 390mm in 35 mm format) Aperture: F/8.0; Shutter speed: 1/400sec; ISO: 400

Edited Image 1

Original Image

to lie flat on the ground and take the shot at the bird’s eye level. Of course lying flat on the ground would dirty your clothes, so my advice to dedicated photographers is not to wear your day-to-day office clothes when going for serious photography. Wear clothes that you do not mind dirtying if necessary! I do realise that you were out for your morning walk, and hence were not really photography ready.

In the edited image, I have cropped the frame so that the bird appears slightly larger. I have also brightened the picture.

First try at sports

photographySmart Photography reader Ankur Dutta has tried his hand at sports photography; in fact this is his very first attempt. He says “I tried to sharpen the picture but I guess it went horribly wrong”. He wants to know how to improve the picture.

Well Ankur, first things first. Let’s try to figure out why your picture is dull-looking. I believe there are a couple of reasons, which together has made the picture on the drab side. (By the way, I like the moment you have captured).

To create good photographs, we need good light. Observing the almost negligible shadow behind the referee in black clothes, one can say that the light was dull and quite poor. Do also remember that

the visible eye). Your focus is more on the bird’s body towards the tail. Does this make a difference? Yes it does! When the eye/eyes are sharp, pictures are always more appealing.

2) What should be the camera angle? With birds/animals on ground, the camera should also be at ground level. This picture would have looked better if you had


autofocussing accurately on moving targets is not an easy task and, combined with low contrast light, makes things even worse.

You used a focal length of 270mm, equivalent of 405mm in the 35mm format. This means that your shutter speed for hand-held photography should have been at least 1/400 sec whereas you have used 1/200sec. Finally, you shot the picture with the lens aperture wide open at f/6.3. Wide open apertures do not provide adequate sharpness (with most lenses) and also provide very little depth of field. So many possible reasons for not getting the picture tack sharp! Also note the darkening at the corners and sides (uneven illumination, due to the lens).

Using Photoshop, I have evened out the darkening at the sides/corners, adjusted the image contrast, cropped the image and applied a good dose of sharpening. The picture has definitely improved but is still not passable in my books!

Edited Image

Original Image

Camera: Nikon D5100 Lens: 18-270mm (make unknown)

Aperture: F/6.3; Shutter speed: 1/200 sec; ISO: 800

IF I WERE YOUE-mail your images at [email protected]


Note: If I Were You is meant to encourage and guide readers, and help them improve their

photography. Please ensure that the required camera/exposure details are sent to us (or are

available in the EXIF data). We shall not accept images for this section if the required data is

not available. Readers are requested to send their images at 300ppi for 8 x 10-inch size. If they

are too small, working on them is difficult, and hence they may be rejected.

Lord BuddhaThis statue of Lord Buddha has been photographed by 12-year old Nihal Singh Judge, an SP reader. He obviously wants to know how to improve the picture.

I am happy to note that you have started using a camera at such a young age. Enjoy your photography but pay equal attention to your studies too.

Keep in mind that whenever we point a camera towards the sky, the subject in front will get dark (unless we allow more light to

Camera: Sony W35 Aperture: F/5.2 ; Shutter speed: 1/125 sec; ISO: 100

Original Image

Edited Image

enter the lens). Such a subject is called ‘back-lit’. Your Sony W35 camera has a feature known as ‘exposure compensation’. This feature can allow a maximum of 2 more stops of light (that is, 4 times more light) to enter. Please check out this feature on your camera (the user manual will show you how) or ask someone who knows about it. Next time you face a similar situation (subject is behind a bright sky), use the exposure compensation feature. Try +1 stop as well as +2 stop compensation. You will find that the subject will

get brighter, along with the sky.

Alternatively, try using the Spot meter in your camera (again, check the user manual). When you point the Spot meter to a back-lit subject, the camera will automatically provide a brighter overall image.

I have tried to improve the picture using a photo editing software known as Photoshop. Though I am not really satisfied with the corrections, it still has improved quite a bit.


A Technical QueryI am an amateur photographer since last 30 years, without any professional course or training. Whatever I know in this field, I owe it to “Ask Uncle Ronnie”, “Learning” and “If I were you” of your esteemed magazine. Though I have not subscribed to your magazine (postal delivery is very poor in remote locations, especially when you are in a transferable job), but I have all the “Learning” pages of your magazine since its inception ten years ago.

In the October 2014 issue, you have praised the performance of Panasonic FZ1000. Please guide on the following:

Sensor size of Canon EOS 1200D is 22.3 X 14.9 mm, whereas that of FZ1000 is 13.2 X 8.8 mm. Therefore, with a 3.5 times larger sensor than FZ1000, whether 1200D with its kit lenses is a better performer as far as quality of both ‘Still’ and ‘Video’ is concerned?

A.K.Singh, Meerut.

Thank you for your kind words. The Canon EOS 1200D’s sensor is approximately 2.8 times larger than that of the Panasonic FZ1000. We have not done any side-by-side

Did you know... Ronnie has over 35 years of experience in photography?

In fact, he has taught several thousand photo-enthusiasts in various

institutions and through workshops, as well as judged many national

and international photo contests, including the prestigious International

Photo Contest held at Colombo, Sri Lanka. So, if you have any

photo-queries, whether conventional or digital, don’t hesitate. Just

go ahead and Ask Uncle Ronnie at [email protected],

‘cause he knows it all!

the video output is just about 2 megapixels. Also keep in mind that the FZ1000 can record video in 4K; the 1200D cannot. Please also note that the FZ1000 uses a latest quad-core processor against an older Digic 4 processor in the 1200D.

The FZ1000’s processor is optimized for high quality video recording.

Minimum Shutter SpeedsI need clarification regarding the use of shutter speeds in DX and FX formats. I am using FX format. Most people recommend when selecting shutter speeds to use reciprocal of the focal length of the lens in FX format and reciprocal of 1.5x focal length in DX format as a rule of the thumb. My opinion is that in DX format the sensor merely selects a smaller area but does not extend the focal length as in the case of tele-converters. Therefore my view is that in both FX and DX formats the shutter speeds should be just the reciprocal of the given focal length when applicable. Your views?

Newton Wickrammasuriya

Q&AAsk Uncle Ronnie

comparison between the two cameras you mention. The image quality of any camera depends not only on the sensor size, but also on the imaging processor, the algorithms used in designing of the processor, the quality of components used, the dynamic range of the sensor, the optical quality of the lens, the ISO used and finally the shooting techniques/skills of the user. If one considers everything to be equal in both the above cases, the Canon should provide better image quality (Stills) going by its larger image sensor, especially at the higher ISO sensitivities.

When it comes to the video, in theory at least, the FZ1000 could be just as good or even better than the Canon EOS 1200D. Irrespective of megapixel ratings between cameras,

Canon EOS 1200D

Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

Q&AAsk Uncle Ronnie


the noise levels at higher sensitivities.

HalosI shot some birds-in-flight pictures with my D-SLR. My pictures show a kind of halo around the birds. I have not seen such halos on my friend’s pictures. What is happening?

D. R. Swamy, Chennai

You haven’t sent me a picture or two for analysis. I assume that you are referring to the ‘as shot images’ and not ‘post-processed images’ where the problem you mention could come due to over-sharpening.

It is also possible that you may have set the Auto Lighting Optimizer (if using Canon) or Active D-Lighting (if using Nikon) to a higher setting. If that be so, please re-set to ‘a lower value.

Shutter speeds for B-I-FI love to photograph birds-in-flight. What shutter speed must I use to stop wing-blur when photographing flying birds?

Umesh Raval, via email

That depends on various factors:1. The size of the bird. Larger birds generally flap their wings fewer times per second/minute as compared to smaller birds.2. Also depends on whether you want the wing tips to show some blur or whether you want

The rule for shutter speed says: When hand-holding the camera, the minimum shutter speed should be 1/the effective focal length.

When using a Nikon DX format camera, the effective focal length is increased by 1.5 times. The actual or physical focal length does not change, but because of the smaller imaging sensor, it gives us an impression that the picture was shot using a lens of longer focal length. When using a full-frame camera with a full-frame lens in DX mode or when using a APS-C (DX) lens on DX body, you should consider and use the shutter speed as the equivalent focal length as mentioned above. Note that focal length and sensor size are related.

Further explanation and my personal viewThe rule – reciprocal of the effective focal length as the shutter speed – applies when you are in good health, are not tired, and not mentally agitated (our hands tremble a bit when we are mentally disturbed). Hence, as a practice, when using high-resolution cameras (around 20 megapixel and above), I prefer to use double the shutter speed (not 1.5 times). So, for example, if I am using a 300mm lens (in FX or DX mode), I like to keep the shutter speed at 1/600 sec (or faster) to avoid blurring when hand-holding the camera. This often forces me to use a higher ISO sensitivity which can give rise to digital noise. Hence when selecting a camera, I place much importance to

the entire bird sharp.

3. Is the bird gliding (say, on a thermal) or has it just started its flight, in which case a higher shutter speed may be required.

4. How close or how far the bird is from you.

Depending on the above factors, your shutter speed may vary between say, 1/400sec to even 1/2000sec or more. For most birds-in-flight shots, I would opt for a shutter speed of 1/1200 second at least, but again, that’s me.

For creative images (dreamy, soft, painting-like blurred images) I would use very slow shutter speeds, may be 1/15sec or thereabouts. But remember, there is no single answer to your query.

Which D-SLR?Uncle Ronnie, I am about to buy my 1st D-SLR camera. I have been

Nikon D3200


The AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF ED (it is f/4.5-5.6 and not f/4-5.6) is designed for a full-frame camera body while the AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR (it too is f/4.5-5.6 and not f/4-5.6) is designed for the DX format. On your D5300 the 70-300mm would be equivalent to 105-450mm (in 35mm format) while the other lens is equivalent to 82.5-450mm.

using a Nikon L120 till now, and mostly do street photography. Can you suggest a D-SLR along with a suitable lens? My budget is up to Rs.32,000.P.S. I prefer Nikon.

Dhritish Gupta, West Bengal.

You may safely go in for a Nikon D3200 with its 18-55mm VR kit lens (currently available at an MRP of Rs.29,950). The 18-55mm on the D3200 is equivalent to 27-82mm on a 35mm format.

You could even opt for the D5100 with its 18-55mm VR kit lens (currently at Rs.30,950). If you can stretch your budget, you may consider the D5200 with its 18-55mm VR kit lens (currently available at an MRP of Rs.39,950).

Which Nikkor lens?I am a regular reader of SP, since the last 4-5 years. I recently purchased a Nikon D5300. After 2-3 months, I wished to purchase a Nikkor 70-300 mm AF-S f/4-5.6 G IF-ED (VR) lens, which costs Rs. 35,850/-. But due to a tight budget, I had to purchase a Nikkor 55-300 mm, f/4-5.6 G ED VR lens, which costs Rs. 23,700/-.

Could you please explain to me, what is the exact difference between these two lenses? Did I really lose something by not purchasing the first one? I shall be delighted, if you illustrate your answer with some snaps (same subject, but separately taken with these two lenses.)

Dhananjay Ingle, Nagpur

While the Nikkor 55-300 mm is good value for money, if I were you, I would have opted for the 70-300 mm because it is a bit sharper – not very much sharper, a bit sharper. It would have offered another advantage in that only the central part of the lens would have been used to transmit the light thus avoiding the little softening at the corners. The build quality, as far as I can remember, is a shade better

on the 70-300mm lens. We do not have these lenses with us at present and hence I am sorry I am unable to provide you with the images you are looking for.

So, have you made a mistake in your purchase? I really don’t think so. You have saved about Rs.12,000 and the theoretical minor advantages of the other lens should not really bother you.

Nikon D5100

Nikon D5200

AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor

70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF ED

MASTERCRAFTSMAN Duarte Sol


Duarte Sol is a

photographer

from the

beautiful island

of Madeira in

Portugal. He

takes stunning

pictures of

landscapes and seascapes, and

loves being in contact with

nature. His work can be found

at https://www.facebook.com/

DuarteSolPhotography

As told to Tanika Godbole

A DELIGHTFUL

ISLAND

Have you lived in Portugal all your life? What was your childhood like?Yes, I’ve always lived in Portugal. I was born on the island of Madeira. I went to Coimbra to pursue my studies, and majored in economics. I had a normal and happy childhood.

Tell us a little about the Madeira islandTh e island of Madeira is part of Portugal, and therefore lies in Europe. But physically, it is quite close to the African continent. Th e archipelago of Madeira, which is also a part of the island of Porto Santo, thrives mainly on tourism and the service sector. It has about 250,000 inhabitants. It is known for ‘levadas’, the Madeira wine, as well as landscapes and fl oral beauty, among other things.

Are you a full-time photographer? If not, what’s your profession?I am not a professional photographer. I am passionate about shooting landscapes; I especially love seascape photography. I have a degree in economics and management, and am a government employee.

How did you get involved with photography? What made


Magic Path

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Utopia

The Veil

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Du

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Sol


you choose landscapes as your specialisation?I got seriously involved with photography in 2010, mainly to capture precious moments with my family. The subsequent passion for landscape photography grew because I like to be in contact with nature. I think photography, for me, is like meditation. It allows me to rejuvenate myself.

Travel is an important component for landscape photography. Where all have you travelled, and which has been your favourite destination for photography?Travelling and seeing new places is partly the fuel that feeds a landscape photographer. I have travelled more intensely within my own country including the Azores, Lisbon, OPorto

Adraga

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... among other places. I had already visited other countries like england, belgium, Brazil, Dominican Republic and others. My dream trip is undoubtedly to Iceland, which is said to be the country that delights any landscape photography fan.

What kind of a photography kit do you usually carry?I mainly use the Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 16-35 f/4 L IS. I also use a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon 85mm f/1.8 and a Samyang 14mm lens. I also use LEE and Hitech filters.

Your images are beautiful and bring out vivid colours. How do you capture these moments?Essentially with my pictures I try to photograph the elements of beauty, colour, emotion, etc. Ideally, it must invoke the audience to want to visit the places that I capture. I shoot almost exclusively during the golden hours. Shooting during sunrise especially gives me great pleasure, and allows me to feel connected with nature and its elements. To watch the sunrise is a wonderful and special experience.

How important are editing tools in enhancing pictures?Good editing is something that can not be overlooked. However, if the picture has not been captured well or if it is not well composed and has no feeling, expression or a message, even if you are a God at editing, your photograph will be empty and will no transmit anything to the viewer. If it doesn´t spreak to the viewer, then it is of little worth.

Any advice for those who are new to photography?As a self-taught photographer, I can say that determination is essential. Sometimes we reach an impasse, and certain challenges that we face make us want to give up. During those times, you must remember your love for photography, and continue forward. Beginners should keep reading, practicing, talking to other photographers, observing and above all, they should never give up!

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Standing Strong

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PHOTO FEATURE Pondicherry


Ajay Sood (Travelure) is

an accomplished travel

photographer and a

travelogue writer. His

sole objective is to make

the destinations he covers

desirable. He has been

profi led as Mastercraft sman

in Smart Photography (May

2012). He was on the jury

of Canon Photomarathon

2012. He is also an

assignment photographer

for National Geographic

Traveller.

He is a Canon Photo

Mentor. Besides mentoring

photography workshops,

he leads photo-tours and

contributes travelogues

and features to various

publications. He has a

passion for capturing the

sights, sounds and stories

of places he visits. He has

travelled across India

extensively and to over 20

countries across the globe.

His 27 years in the

communication industry

have been his training

ground, leading to his

deep understanding of the

visual medium, refl ected in

his unique compositions.

More of his work may be

seen at www.facebook.com/travelure

Pondicherry A Slice of France

Ajay Sood (Travelure)Canon Photo Mentor

Basilica of Sacred Heart of Jesus


Eglise de Notre Dame de la Conception Immaculee

Old Customs House

We drove to Pondicherry from Mahabalipuram - a distance of mere 100 kms. Yet, the East

Coast Road offered vividly changing landscape - from estuaries to salt-pans, from backwaters to paddy fields.

Just before entering Pondicherry, we crossed Auroville - the experimental township established in mid 1960s by the Mother. Technically, Auroville is in Tamil Nadu but the town closest to it is Pondicherry. The famous golden golf ball shaped Matri Mandir is a glittering jewel in Auroville’s crown. Pondicherry owes its name to a clerical error. Evidently, a clerk’s handwritten Pouducherry got read as Pondicherry, and ever since, the name stuck. We crossed the entire town, which also has a couple of rivers flowing through the city, as our resort, Le Pondy, was on the southern outskirts of Pondicherry. Unlike



Kannika Parameshwari Koil War Memorial

the beach-less city of Pondicherry, the resort had a beach. But, like all other beaches on the east coast, even this beach was dangerous, with uncertain strong currents and sudden sheer drops on the beach slope.

The resort looked pretty but had major architectural issues - e.g. the sea-facing rooms had a French window facing east; this means, the rooms got strong sun most part of

the day and if you did not pull the curtains, there was no privacy either. The city was under French occupation for almost 300 years, with the exception of a few years in between when Dutch and British ruled it briefly. The strong French influence, hence, is visible in the White Town area of the city (White Town is the area closer to the sea that comprises the boulevard along

the sea and 3 roads parallel to it). The rest of the town has strong Tamil influence. But interestingly, whether you’re in White Town or in the Tamil quarters of the city, streets or roads names carry ‘Rue’ (‘Avenue’ in French).

The White Town boasts of some phenomenal French architecture. This includes churches like the Basilica of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Eglise de Sacre Coeur de Jesus,


Cemetery near New Lighthouse

Matri Mandir, Auroville



New Lighthouse


Old and new catamarans, both are used Varadaraja Perumal Koil

Fishermen repairing their fi shing nets

Fishermen at Golden Hour in the Bay

Marquis Dupleix Statue near the fi shermen’s jetty



Inside Rendezvous, a famous restaurant in Pondicherry

modern fibreglass catamarans are both used by the fishermen.

Everyday, for any photography enthusiast, the jetty near the Dupleix statue at the southern end of the Boulevard offers a mesmerising scene of these fishermen setting out for their day’s fishing and their silhouetted boats bobbing up and down in the bay. This fascinating happening may be enjoyed from blue hour to well past the golden hour in the morning. The local authorities very thoughtfully keep the boulevard closed for motorised traffic till 8am to help the locals and tourists to take a carefree morning walk here. Besides the visual delight offered by Pondicherry, it also offers a delectable fare for the foodies. Some of the places worth dining at include Le Club, Rendezvous, Alliance Francaise and Baker Street. Do take a trip to Pondicherry if you wish to experience a slice of France in India.

Eglise de Notre Dame de la Conception Immaculee, the old Customs House, a famous café called Le Café, the old light house, the War Memorial, and many more period buildings lining the streets.

At the same time, the Tamil quarters proudly flaunt some brilliant Dravidian architecture that is most noticeable in temples like the Varadaraja Perumal Koil (Vishnu Temple), Manakula Vinayakar Koil (Ganesha Temple) and Kannika Parameshwari Temple.

When you walk towards the new lighthouse, you are likely to notice a graveyard with colourful graves. This treatment of a cemetery just reflects the attitude of general peace and contentment amongst the locals here.

Considering that this lazy, leisurely town is on the coast, fishing is a thriving industry here. The traditional catamarans (logs of woods tied together) and the more

Manakula Vinayagar Koil

66 Smart Photography December 2014 www.smartphotography.in Breath taking interiors of the Cathedral


Milan has for long been regarded as the fashion capital of Italy. The streets

surrounding the Cathedral Square are indeed lined with some of the best fashion labels in the world.

The Milan Cathedral, however, is clearly the center of attraction in Milan. This Gothic Cathedral is an architectural wonder and took nearly 600 years to complete. The Cathedral is dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente and is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan. In 1896, the statue of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy was inaugurated in the Cathedral Square.

Entrance to the main hall is free. However, if you want to take photographs or reach the top, there is a small fee. Try and go to the Cathedral during a service and the divine cum ethereal power of the Cathedral will surely overwhelm you.

H. S. Billimoria

DUOMODI

MILANO

(Milan Cathedral)

PHOTO FEATURE


The intricate work done on the roof the adjoining shopping plaza

Beautifully carved figurines hold you spellbound!


The main chapel

PHOTO FEATURE


The architechtural excellence of the Cathedral is to be seen to be believed!

Beautifully carved statues like this are plenty

PHOTO FEATURE


Intricate working on the gate

The exquisite shopping plaza


The sides of the Cathedral are equally impressive!

PHOTO FEATURE


The Gothic architecture extends to the Opera House

All

pict

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H3

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2-35

mm

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5-10

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THOUGHT-PROVOKING


The Humans of India Tanika Godbole

An unemployed amateur photographer,

Brandon Stanton started photographing strangers on the streets of New York, and posted them on his photo-blog along with snippets of conversations with them. This brain-child of his, known as ‘Humans of New York’ (HoNY) slowly grew in popularity worldwide. HoNY won the 2013 People’s Voice Webby Award in the “Best Use of Photography” category. In October 2014, his book by the same name was released and in 2014, he went on a 50-day trip around 11 countries (India was one of them) in collaboration with the United Nations to capture stories of people around the globe. The HoNY page had about 10 million followers on Facebook and 400,000 followers on Tumblr, as of October 2014.

The most striking feature about his blog is the thought-provoking and earnest nature of the conversations with regular people, that we often tend to overlook because of our busy, fast-paced lives. HoNY inspired many similar pages around the world. Here are the founders of such pages for the cities of Kolkata, Bangalore and Mumbai, who wanted to bring the magic of HoNY to their own cities.

Sourjya Singh,

Humans of Kolkata

(https://www.facebook.com/humanskolkata?fref=ts)Sourjya Singh is the Director of Responsible Charity, a humanist charity

working for the slum communities of India, and a student of microbiology. He came across HoNY in late 2013, and tried searching for a similar Facebook page about his hometown, Kolkata. There wasn’t any. So, he decided to create one himself. “Since childhood, we have been taught to not speak to random strangers, and that has alienated us from each other. These days, people are so busy with

their Smartphones and Tablets that they don’t even look at other people on the street. That’s why I thought this idea had great impact. I started the Facebook page, Humans of Kolkata, on February 14 this year.

Sourjya works with two other page administrators, and also accepts contributions from the public. “It is unwise to believe that a single person can photograph people from a city of 14 million. And, of course, we give proper photo credits to each of the contributors. We have a strict policy against selfies though!”

Approaching strangers on the street to photograph them isn’t an easy job. Sourjya says, “people tend to ask, ‘why do you want to take my picture? Why should I share my personal feelings with you?’ But after a while, it gets easier. Even though people are

‘I’ve performed all over the world. Few days ago I performed in Paris, in front of the Eiffel Tower. But Bengal is the best. Nothing compares to my motherland. Nothing can ever come close.

Music is transcendental for me. While performing I am often overcome with emotions, I often end up with tears in my eye.’ - Golam Fokir, Jadavpur


sceptical about talking to strangers, over 70% of the people I approach allow me to photograph them!”

Along with the regular posts, Sourjya did a series on ‘Jatra’, the rural folk theatre of Bengal. He also extensively covered the Gay Pride Parade of Kolkata and the recent protests of students at Jadavpur University. He’s currently working on a series about child labourers in the city, in collaboration with Help Portrait Kolkata. “In this day and age of social media, we are becoming increasingly anti-social. We hardly make eye contact with people whom we share public transport with, let alone talk to them. Working on this project has helped me open up. I hope it helps other people too,” wishes Sourjya.

Sreya Vittaldev,

Humans of Bangalore

(https://www.facebook.com/bangalorehumans?fref=ts) Originally from Chennai, Marketing Consultant Sreya Vittaldev moved to Bangalore

a few years ago. When she came across HoNY, what struck her was people shedding their inhibitions and sharing their personal stories. “The stories and Stanton’s idea of bringing them to a public platform

Seen on a Taxi: ‘Most of the income from this taxi is donated to the children of Sundarbans Orphanage School. I am requesting you to not slap traffic fines on the Taxi.’ - Gazi Jallal Uddin.

Shanti Mallick is the first woman footballer from India to win the Arjuna Award, given to outstanding sports persons of the country. She won the award in 1983.

“ I was a part of the Indian World Cup team, when it wasn’t affili-ated to FIFA. I also captained the women’s team in the ‘83 Asian Cup, that almost won the cup. But I got a job in the Railways, because of my performance in Hockey! That’s how bad the state of Women’s Football was, those days. It’s not improved much these days either. We are at rank 50 in the world, but very few people know about that, and a fewer number of people care about it.”

Oh. did we mention, she is a National Handball Champion as well. And she’s never been booked all her professional career. No Yellow Card, no Red Card.

A true champion.

I feel like a policewala in this uniform madam, but if I were really a policewala, I’d do so much more for our society.”

THOUGHT-PROVOKING


like Facebook moved me. The very thought that someone spent time curating the stories, really stuck with me. It was over a phone call with one of my close friends, that I impulsively took the decision and began the page. It was a random thought, but I put it to a vision and decided to work on it.”

Even though she is the sole administrator of the page, Sreya had hired two school interns to work on her page. “Reader contributions are welcome on our page as well. But I’m very particular about what goes on the page, so there’s a necessity to filter out content as well,” says Sreya. Initially starting with her iPhone camera, she soon moved to a Nikon D-SLR to take pictures for the Humans of Bangalore page. Sreya noticed, “readers don’t mind low quality images, as long as there’s a meaningful story, that they can connect with. At the same time, a good grade quality image is pointless if there’s no story to it.”

Her purpose behind founding this Facebook page was to break social stereotypes and accept people for their shortcomings. She always gets approval from her subjects, and if need be, takes another shot, in case

people want a better angle or wish to smile better. “People are becoming aware that a forum like this exists, and they go back home and take a few minutes to go through the other stories as well. And it doesn’t just stop there, they sometimes leave me messages on the page, and they engage in other posts with other readers too. It’s wonderful to see that.”

Karishma Mehta,

Humans of Bom-

bay(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Humans-of-Bombay/ 188056068070045 ?fref=ts)

Mumbai girl Karishma Mehta conducts Positive Thinking and Affirmation classes for women under an organisation called

”I picked up the habit of wearing a flower in my hair because of my sister. She was a decade younger, I was only 18 when she passed away due to bad health. Everyday, she would go to our garden where our uncle grew flower patches. We had roses, daisies, hibiscus and jasmines. There was also a tiny lotus pod growing in the mud pot we laid. Before I used to leave for work every morning, she would pick the flowers and put one in my hair while the rest went to the Gods in our prayer room. The hibiscus was her favourite, she even used to tuck them behind the dog’s ear.”

Knoq. She was fascinated by the way so many strangers connected via the platform of HoNY. Her page, Humans of Bombay is run by her and her interns. And as for choosing Bombay instead of Mumbai, she says, “Mumbai is the official name given to our city but as an individual I felt more emotionally connected to Bombay. It felt more like home.”

Karishma initially was apprehensive of talking to strangers in the street. But after about a year of working on this page, she feels at ease. “At the beginning of every shoot, I still tend to feel nervous, but gradually, I get with the flow of things and feel more comfortable. A photograph speaks more about the person than the written word. We try to keep it as candid as possible to retain the story.”

Karishma recently conducted

“I live alone, my parents are divorced and it’s difficult for me to cope with their inability to get along with

each other, at least for my sake. I work double shifts, sometimes I lose track of time because of the number of hours I’ve worked. Just wish that my parents would get back together, I miss being in a family and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. I am confident that I’ll make it big, I’ll be successful and I don’t have to worry about

paying my rent or where my next meal is coming from...real soon.”


you is like; and what kind of battles he’s fighting. Moreover, most people I’ve met have been inspiring and they’re people on the streets, in public transport and in restaurants. You just have to step out of your comfort zone and make that extra effort to know and experience more.”

“My daughter was born prematurely because of which she has multiple disabilities. As a result of that, no normal school was accepting her and even though she’s capable of learning, she wasn’t getting the chance to. That’s when I decided to start a school and learning center for my daughter and those like her - because it’s so unfair that even though their disabilities are through no fault of their own, they are almost being punished by being deprived of an education. Even though they aren’t like us, they have their own little dreams in their world, which is very different from ours... Every child, whether special or not, deserves the chance to feel closer to achieving that dream.”

“I met her for the first time around 1936 at a balloon shop. She was a few years younger than me, but full of spirit. We bet 1 Paisa over who could blow the big-gest balloon and when I won, she was so furious she went to her mother’s house

and brought back 1 Rupee to give to me. That’s how we first met, but after that day we were inseparable - playing together, fighting with one another but

mostly laughing uncontrollably. Finally, our parents asked us to take it forward and we got married in 1942 in Karachi, which is our hometown. Back then,

nobody expected the partition so we had all our factories set up in Bombay and naturally we moved here; but that’s the only sad part - we haven’t been able to

go back to our hometown or the first house we lived in after marriage. There are no regrets though, I’ve had only happy memories with my wife, whether

here or in Pakistan - the place has hardly mattered.”

“Being a woman is difficult.”“When was the last time you felt like it was difficult?”“Everyday.”“So what do you do about it?”“Carry on.”

a photo-shoot at Kamathipura, and the lives of the sex workers’ children amazed her. Their positivity and enthusiasm towards their life and future goals in spite of their difficult lives and lack of opportunities has left a lasting impression on her.

Peeping into the lives of people around you changes your perception towards life. Karishma says, “You honestly never know what the person sitting next to

Await the

Awards for Excellence

in Photography

Await the

Awards for Excellence

in Photography


How Good Is Your Camera Service Network?

Rohinton Mehta

As a camera user, have you ever wondered what you would do if your camera

or lens ever needed service? When purchasing a camera, have you ever considered that things can go wrong even with the best of products? And if they do, where should you take them for the required repairs?

Well, these questions are not new. In the film-camera-days, things were a bit different though, because most cameras then were mechanical. These days however, sophisticated micro-electronics play a higher role. Parts which were repairable earlier, need complete replacements now. For a modern camera to work at full efficiency, repairs to individual parts are almost out of question. Many small-time camera repair shops have closed down because advanced technology has done them in. Manufacturers do not sell spares to individual users (at least in India), so there is no way you can (even if you are technically qualified) repair your digital camera yourself.

Considering all this, it is vitally important that you have a good service back-up from the manufacturer of your camera. We requested all camera manufacturers having a base in India to provide us the data regarding their service facilities. Here they are:

Canon Service Centers Canon India has a total of 18 Master Service Centres (MSC) + 105 Collection Points.

Collection Points – The cities where Canon service centre is not available,

Canon Service Centre

various collection points have been created wherein the customer can deposit their defective cameras, which will be further shipped to the nearest service centre for repairs.• Level III MSC - 13 nos. • Level IV MSC - 5 nos.• Collection Points – 105 nos.

Canon Master Service Centers are very well equipped to cater to all kinds of service needs for all models of Canon cameras. Camera service centres are divided into two major categories-

Level III Master Service Centre – Offers first and second level of camera services (Digital cameras and D-SLR’s).Services include:a) CMOS sensor cleaning for all models

b) Latest Firmware updates

c) Lens cleaning (front & back element only, without dis-assembly)

d) Cleaning/replacement of Focusing Screen/Plate Superimpose indication.

e) Rubber Grip replacement

f) Repair of LCD/Shutter release SW/Rear Cover/Top Assembly (including Mode Dial)

Level IV Master Service Centre – Offers all levels of camera repairs (Digital cameras, Camcorders and

Cinema EOS Cameras)Services include:-a) All high level repairs related to adjustments which require high efficient tools.

b) Latest Firmware updates

c) Lens cleaning (front & back element only, without dis-assembly)

d) Cleaning/replacement of Focusing Screen/Plate Superimpose indication.

e) Rubber Grip replacement

f) Repair of LCD/Shutter release SW/Rear Cover/Top Assembly (including Mode Dial)

Fujifilm Service CentresFujifilm India has a total of 4 service centres + 48 Collection Centres.

All the 4 service centres are company-owned. They are at Gurgaon (L1 to L4 services); Mumbai (L1 to L3 services), Kolkata (L1 to L3 services) and Chennai (L1 to L3 services). These service centres are capable of providing the


Fujifilm Service Centre, Chennai

Nikon Service Centre , Gurgaon

necessary service support for all digital cameras and lenses. They also have 48 Collection Centres spread throughout the country, wherein they offer L1 support.

L1 support: Call registration, physical check-up of the equipment, problem confirmation, basic troubleshooting and user application related support.

L2 support: Escalated calls (those where the problem has not been resolved) from L1, and technical support by telephone.

L3 support: Escalated calls from L2; all types of major repairs for camera, basic repair support of lenses.

L4 support: Escalated calls from L3; all types of major repairs to cameras and lenses.

Nikon Service CentresNikon India has a total of 37 Service Centres + 64 Collection Centres.

5 service centres are owned by Nikon India – where they can do all types of repairs on Compact cameras, D-SLRs, Lenses and Accessories; 32 are Nikon Authorised Service

Centres, out of which 17 centres are capable of repairing Compacts, D-SLRs and Lenses (minor repairs of lenses) and 15 centres can repair Compact cameras.

Besides the above, Nikon India has a total of 64 Collection Centres where Nikon equipment can be collected and sent to the nearest service centre.

Nikon India will be adding 2 more service centres by end November 2014, making a total of 24 service

facilities (5 owned by Nikon India and 19 Nikon Authorised Service Centres) for D-SLRs.

Sony Service CentresSony India has a network of 150 Service Centres + 148 Collection Centres

Out of these, 147 centres are L1 and L2 category, 3 are L4 category. The 148 Collection Centres also carry out minor repairs to digital still cameras and camcorders.

L1 service support includes body cleaning, firmware updates, external Lens cleaning, accessory replacement viz. lens cap, battery, charger, collar, grip etc. Both Alpha L1 and L2 service centres can repair E-mount and A-Mount bodies.

Sony India’s 3 full-fledged L4 category service centres are at Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, but they will soon be adding 2 more. These L4 service centres can repair all Sony cameras and lenses and are equipped with necessary spare parts and tools like the Aori Adjuster (to ensure that the imaging sensor is exactly parallel to the camera mount), Light Box, Collimator, Vibration tester, Shutter tester, Lens projection tester to handle lens repair and adjustment up to f/1.4. This also includes lens element cleaning and replacement, all types of mechanical and electrical


adjustment for camera bodies, lenses, main board, shutter, mirror box, etc. For lenses, which are affected with fungus within the elements of a group, the repair is done by replacing the entire group of lenses.

Olympus Imaging Service

CentresOlympus Imaging India Pvt. Ltd has a total of 8 service centres + 19 Collection Centres.

Seven service centres are L3 category

Ricoh Service CentreRicoh India Limited has one authorised service centre in Mumbai. All Ricoh India Ltd offices in India are Collection Centres of Ricoh and Pentax cameras.

The quality of modern cameras, especially D-SLRs, is very good and ordinarily they should not fail. On the rare occasion that they do, it is comforting to know that the manufacturer has a service network that is easily accessible. As regards quality of service, we would be happy to know reader experiences.

ASC TYPE Total Level of Work

L1-L2 36 Software upgradation, lens cleaning, LCD change, minor repairs

L3 23 Lens replacement, PCB replacement, LCD replacement, Software alignments etc.

L4 5 All type of repairs, discrete component level repair for PCB and Lens.

Collection Centres 118 Collect the camera from customer. Inspect the camera. Any misuse by the customer (like water damage, camera fallen down, any type of physical damage). Send to L4 for repair

Grand Total 182

and 1 service centre is Master Service Centre (L4 category) which repair all Olympus products. The Collection Centres collect the product and send the same to the nearest service station.

Panasonic

Service CentresPanasonic India has 64 Service Centres + 118 Collection Centres

Sony India service centre

Panasonic L-4 Service Centre, Ahmedabad

ISSUE 9

VOLUME 10

DECEMBER 2014

RS.125

SUBSCRIBER’S COPY



TRAVELOGUE

Pondicherry

ISSUE 9 | VOLUME 10 | DECEM

BER 2014

117LEARNINGS

WHAT COLOURS MEAN

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD STYLING

UNDERSTANDING LIVE VIEW

OPTICAL VIEWFINDER OR

ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER?


PHOTO

FEATURE

DUOMO DI

MILANO (MILAN CATHEDRAL)

Digital Platform Partners

www.zinio.com/smartphotography

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Now read your favourite magazine wherever you go...Available on PC... Mac... Tablet... or any other handheld device!

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PHOTO FEATURE


Adhik Shirodkar was a highly successful criminal lawyer, and at the same time, he was a

very accomplished nature and wildlife photographer. What many don’t know about him is that he was also a Member of Parliament for six years from 1995 to 2001.

Though Senior Advocate Adhik Shirodkar was a legal person, his first love was for nature and wildlife. In spite of his high-pressure job, he continued to find time to pursue his beloved hobby

and held many ‘One-Man-Shows’ of his photographs.

In spite of his standing in the legal profession, he was extremely humble and always encouraged photography as an art. He was a very jovial person and was loved by one and all for his humour and kindness. We at Smart Photography miss him and cherish his contribution to nature and wildlife photography.

Shown here are some of Adhik Shirodkar’s works. Enjoy them!

REMEMBERING ADHIK SHIRODKAR

(15th July 1931-19th April 2014)

Lion


Lilac-Breasted Roller Tiger

Cheetahs

PHOTO FEATURE


Ranthambhore - Tiger

Elephants

Grey Heron

Leopard

Vulturinc Guincafowl Pied Kingfisher


A home to remarkable Buddhist remains, a part of the Diamond Triangle (Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udaygiri). It is located 70 kms away from Cuttack. A renowned holy destination, it has several important Buddhist sculptures around the hills. According to some excavations, the region was part of the Gupta Dynasty in 6th Century A.D. Buddhist sculptures from this state have been exhibited at various world

class museums in China, Belgium, etc.

A tour of the Buddhist sites of Odisha will take you to exquisite temples, stupas, and monuments set in an ambience of serenity and spiritual activities. Hidden away in the green hills and lush fi elds amidst the serenity of Mahanadi basin lie the remains of an imposing Buddhist monastery complex of the Vajrayana sects, called Pashupagiri, in Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri. Th ese three Buddhist destinations form the Diamond Triangle of Odisha.

THE DAIMOND TRIANGLE OF ODISHA

Ratnagiri: Th e ruins at Ratnagiri is a Buddhist monastery situated on a hill top.

Ratnagiri: Th e massive head structure of Buddha

Advertorial


Lalitagiri: The buddhist complex in Lalitagiri.

Major AttractionsRatnagiri is the largest Buddhist monastery we have till know, flourished from 4th to 14th century AD with most of sculptors of hundreds Votive Stupa & brick Stupa and huge monastery. The Buddhist philosophy and heritage comes alive in these silent monuments. The massive stone sculptures of Lord Buddha’s head at Ratnagiri are particularly awe-inspiring. More than two dozen such carvings of various sizes, magnificently depicting the serene meditative expression of Buddha, were found during the excavations.

The Udaygiri Caves comprise of eighteen rock cut caves that depicts the unique religious legacy of the ancient times. Located at a height of 135 feet, the Udaygiri hills were commonly referred to as Kumari Parvata during the ancient period.

The Lalitgiri (Archeological site of a Buddhist Monastery from 4th to 8th Century AD) consists of Monastery parts and many votive Stupa, all different Buddhist sculptors with Chaita hall and a huge stupa from where caskets of Budha’s relic is available.

Udayagiri: The stupas which surround Ratnagiri, and the famous Buddhist monastery located in Udaygiri

Connectivity

Airway-The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, 90-100 km away .

Railway - The nearest railheads are Cuttack (70 km away from Ratnagiri, 60 km from Udayagiri and 55 km from Lalitgiri) and J.K Road (65 km) which are connected with all major cities of India.

Roadway- Good motorable roads connect Lalitgiri-Ratnagiri-Udayagiri. Patharajpur is the bus stop for Lalitgiri; Krushnadaspur is the bus stop for Ratnagiri and Udaygiri. Autos are available at Krushnachandrapur to Ratnagir and Udaygiri.

SMART TRAVEL C O N T E S T

Dear Readers,

Smart Travel Contest will be a Smart Photography magazine’s MONTHLY

photography contest.

Th e arts and craft s of India are a refl ection of

the country’s aesthetics, which is steeped

in history and mythology. Send us a picture

that captures this richness and diversity of

our country, be it a travel DESTINATION or

CULTURE, give us the snapshots and we will

print our favourite.

Important:

• You have to Guarantee that the picture was shot by you. Selection of winning image will be based on the visual

appeal of the image.

• If there are people in the picture who can be identifi ed, we will need a model release.

• Picture should not have been printed in any magazine / newspaper, or off ered to any publication.

• Image send to us should be mentioned with “City name “ 300 dpi Hi-Resolution image.

• Email your Photo to : [email protected] with “Smart Travel Contest ” as the subject .

• Maximum Images required will be 4 images.

Can’t wait to print your TRAVEL PHOTOS

on this CANVAS!

Lear

ning

s94Colour in Photography

99

100

LEARNING Understanding Photography

www.smartphotography.in www.smartphotography.in December 2014 Smart Photography 9594 Smart Photography December 2014

Colour in PPhhhhhhhhhhoooooootttttttooooggrrrrraaaaaaappppppppphhhhhhhhhy

Light itself can be considered as waves and different wavelengths of light have different colours. There are two basic types of colours – primary and secondary. The former are those colours from which all the others, called secondary colours, are derived.

There are three primary colours viz. Red (R), Green (G) and Blue (B). For example, you can get brown by mixing red, green and blue (primary colours) in the ratio of (approximately) 8:6:1. There are literally infinite colours that can be generated

Smart Photography has been

continually receiving requests to start

a basic course for beginners. With

this in mind, we have asked a very

knowledgeable photographer from

Hyderabad to take over writing these

articles. We have also requested him

to be as jargon-free as it is possible, so

that newcomers to photography feel

comfortable to pursue the hobby.

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been

in the photographic field for over three

decades and has extensive experience

in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics

engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a

unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital

photography and equipment. He has published several

articles on photography and some of his writings have also

been published in the well-known international magazine

Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage

cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of

photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on

photography through teaching and writing. He is presently

working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You

can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at [email protected]

the eye. A good example for this type is the blue and yellow combination which has very high contrast. Another example is the green and red pair (Picture 3). You can use such a colour combination to emphasize separation between the subjects or to make a picture very striking to the eye. Let us look at some more attributes that are given to colours. Two more terms that are often used to describe colours in photography are “Warm” and “Cool”. Colours like orange, red and brown are called warm colours. The basis is for this is human perception. Fire is red, the sun is bright yellow, etc. Likewise blue, green etc. are called cool colours. Once again, cold objects like ice bergs, glaciers, etc. which are bluish are the reason for this perception.

Another two attributes that are given to colours are “Receding” and “Advancing” colours. As before this is a perception formed based on how you view things naturally. Warm colours are more prominent and generally pop at you. As opposed to this colours like green and blue are less emphatic. Also, when you look at landscapes you will find that the objects like sky and meadows

are generally away thus representing open spaces. For these reasons cooler colours are called receding and warm colours are called advancing. You as a photographer can use these attributes to put colours to good use (Picture 4). Here, the advancing colours (pink and brown) though smaller in area were used in foreground and are more noticeable while the most of background (receding) is green. Reversing (that is cooler colours in front and warmer colours to the back) will appear less appealing due to our perceptions.

Colours and Emotions: Do you know that the colours have emotions associated with them? Not only that, each colour invokes a specific feeling (cheerful, sad, angry, etc.) in us. It also makes you feel how the environment is (cold, hot, tranquil, etc.). Hence, as a photographer you should be aware

which colour does what and use that knowledge judiciously to make your photographs have the maximum impact. Table 1 gives in brief what different colours convey.

Ashok Kandimalla

Picture 1: The Colour wheel.

Picture 2: Though the colours are saturated they are still harmonious since they are adjacent colours.

Picture 3: Here the colour combinations, red and green, are more contrasty and striking to the eye..

Picture 4: This photograph is a good example of use of advancing and receding colours. See text for details..

Ever since it became possible to record colour, it has played an important role in photography.

Colour is used in photography in several ways - to enhance the subject, to give the image the right mood, emphasize a particular aspect, and in general to increase the overall visual impact. All in all, colour had such a major influence that today black and white photography has become a niche area with mainstream going colour.

The basics of colours: What is colour? Photography as you know literally means (photo=light, graph=drawing) drawing with light.

but in photography they are limited to around a few billion (depending on the sophistication of the camera). However, a normal human can see about 16.7 million colours.You can arrange the colours in the form of a wheel called the “Colour Wheel” (Picture 1). This will help you how to understand colours. Colours that are adjacent to each other in the colour wheel are considered to be harmonious to each other; that is the transition from one to another is smooth. For example, blue and green are harmonious. So are red, orange and yellow (Picture 2). As opposed to this, the colours on the opposite side of the colour wheel are supposed to be contrasting, that is the transition is abrupt and hence more jarring to

Gra

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by

Rav

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th B

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LEARNING

www.smartphotography.in www.smartphotography.in December 2014 Smart Photography 101100 Smart Photography December 2014

Importance of Food Styling

I have mentioned in my previous articles that photographing tabletops is the art of putting life

in dead objects. Th is is achieved by good composition and lighting; and the use of right props makes it even more attractive. Let me go a step further and educate you with information and knowledge of a very specialized line connected to food photography – and that is food styling. Food photography has to arouse the senses of the viewer and create a feeling in the mind to taste the dish.

Similar to what makeup men or hairstylists do in a fashion shoot, a food stylist does the same in tabletop makeup and plays the major role in preparing and presenting the dish placed before the camera. Th is is a very specialized line of work and takes years of experience to learn the tricks of the trade and understand the properties of food.

Q - What made you take this profession as a food stylist?Arati: I was a research chef for a leading and reputed cook book. Th e making of the recipe book involved briefi ng the photographers and having the food photographed by them. It was during this period of my career that I discovered this profession of a stylist, understood its importance, and fell in love with it.

Q - Defi ne food styling.Arati: Creating a feast for the eyes – making food look so picturesque, that one is tempted to eat what one sees in the photo.

Q - Do you have categories in this topic of food styling?Arati: No. One should know the basics of cooking to be able to style it. If the stylist has rightly understood the culture of the land for whom the dish is being styled, it would help the team of stylist, the photographer and the production person to decide on the right props.

Q - In what way is food styling diff erent from being a good chef?Arati: A chef makes food that tastes good; a food stylist makes food that looks good!

A chef ’s main concern is taste and aroma; the food stylist looks at textures, shape, appearance, freshness, garnishing etc.

Q - Do you feel that a food stylist is a good chef? Or, are all good chefs good food stylists?Arati: Not sure... but it always helps if a food stylist is a good chef as only

Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography,

Dilip Yande says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He

believes variety is the spice of life, and to keep himself motivated

he does a lot of tabletop as well. For Dilip, names like Rembrandt,

Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are household names

because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine arts. This

‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always

a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many

advertising agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many

workshops, and guided many photographers in their formative years,

for Dilip, photography is just another way to romance his first love –

art. He may be contacted at [email protected].

then can he/she modify the food so that it looks good. Th e same can be said for a chef…if he can make the food look good as well.. its always an advantage!

Q -In food styling, what is it that you enjoy doing the most? Indian food, non-Indian food (then specify), cocktails and mocktails, fast-food, tandoors, etc or ice-creams? Is there any specialization in any subtopic, looking at the international platform?Arati: Every day is an adventure. Every day is a new challenge; that’s whats exciting about this work.

Personally, I enjoy styling most of the food. Because in every category you mentioned, there is a diff erent challenge and there is a diff erent technique.

Q - Which do you feel is the most challenging category of the lot?

Dilip Yande

Food stylists are needed by still photographers as well as the cinematographers who shoot television commercials (TVCs). In case of television commercials, the job is even more diffi cult, as sometimes the camera is moved over the food or the dish is rotated on a turn-table or steam has to be seen when photographing a piping-hot biryani or a mouth- watering splash of a blue mint slush has to be photographed in slow motion. Hence fi ft y percent credit for any good shot involving food photography has to be given to the food stylist!

Many new and budding photographers have a lot of queries as to how to go about in case of food photography and when to involve a food stylist onto the job. I’ll try to clear all your diffi culties one by one, by fi rst introducing and posing few questions to a reputed food stylist of the industry – Arati Kamat Fedane. Later, I will explain how best to go about it.

Q - Is a well styled yummy-looking dish necessarily palatable?Arati: Hahaha… well…it looks yummy…that’s what we get paid for; it’s not necessary for it to be edible!

Q - Could you give photographers general tips on the ‘chemistry’ involved in food- styling?Arati: (1) If you want show chillies fl oting in vinegar, put fresh chillies in water (instead of vinegar) and add salt to it.2) Mix glycerin with water to create condensation droplets3) Add salt to make beer more frothy4) Add vinegar when cooking rice to make it more white5) Sprinkle iron fi lings on food and then add hydrochloric acid over it to make it look piping hot.6) Apply salt to apple slices to prevent them form turning blackish, then brush the slices when you are about to take the shot.

Q - In the olden days, coloured

Pic 1

Arati: Styling ice-creams in summer, that too if the art director or client insists on an outdoor shot.

Q -Do they make dummy ice-cream scoops for the shoot? Or is it real ice-cream? Arati: It goes both ways. Entirely depends on the client. Both can be made to look nice in the picture.

Q -What is the exact role of a food-stylist in terms of propping a picture with background, general props, table props, cutlery, crockery etc.?Arati: In smaller shoots, the food stylist organizes everything; in larger ones, there is a designated prop-stylist. It’s more fulfi lling as an artist if I undertake to do the whole thing, as then I can visualize the whole picture and bring it to life.

Q - How many shots can be photographed in a day?Arati: Ideally, about 6 -7.


Optical Viewfi nder Or Electronic Viewfi nder?

Rohinton Mehta

Let’s fi rst see what a ‘viewfi nder’ (VF) is. As the name suggests, its a device on a camera (or

camcorder) that lets you view the scene in front of you. An ‘optical viewfi nder’ uses optics (generally, glass or plastic elements) in its construction. Note that an optical viewfi nder can be ‘eye-level’ (as in

a compact/SLR/D-SLR) or ‘waist-level’ (as in a TLR or Twin Lens Refl ex camera).

An ‘Electronic Viewfi nder’ (EVF) shows the subject/captured image that is electronically projected on a small display.

Both do the same thing but in diff erent ways.

Optical Viewfi nder (OVF)

Electronic Viewfi nder (EVF)

So which would be the right viewfi nder for you? Most users may opt for the optical viewfi nder but if you ask me, I would opt for a high-resolution electronic viewfi nder. As mentioned above, EVFs are getting better day-by-day (check out the EVF on a Panasonic GH3, GH4 or FZ1000)

and I like the idea of viewing the scene in detail even in the dark. I also like the fact that I can review my images (stills as well as videos) in the EVF. As for using up battery power with an EVF, I think that is a small price to pay for the convenience it off ers.

Optical Viewfi nder, Waist-level

Optical Viewfi nder (OVF) Electronic Viewfi nder (EVF)

Uses optics Uses electronic display similar to the LCD at the back of the camera

Th e camera need not be ‘On’ to view the subject through the OVF

Th e camera has to be ‘On’ to view the subject through the EVF

Subject is easy to view in bright light Subject is easy to view in bright light

Subject is diffi cult to view in low light Subject is easy to view even in low lvight

Clarity is good Clarity is not always as good (though some new EVFs are almost as good as OVFs)

Does not use battery power Uses battery power

In some cases, can have parallax error (as with range-fi nder type cameras)

No parallax error. EVF sees exactly what the sensor sees

Subject view is temporarily blocked (with D-SLRs) when the refl ex mirror swings up during exposure

View is never blocked

OVF cannot be used to review the shot pictures EVF can be used to review ‘stills’ as well as videos

Does not fool the eye in evaluating subject/scene brightness

Fools the eye in believing that the subject/scene is bright even when the subject/scene is dark

Cannot display additional details EVFs can display additional details such as histogram, electronic level etc

Accurately displays speedy action Some EVFs may not be able to accurately display speedy actions

Let’s see their respective advantages and disadvantages:

LEARNING

December 2014 Smart Photography 99


Just Because You Know A Lot, Does Not Mean That You Cannot Forget!

Rohinton Mehta

This reminds me of a small poem (don’t remember who wrote it!):

The more you learn the more you know,The more you know, the more you forget,The more you forget,The less you know.So why study?

Please don’t follow the above advice. It’s only mentioned in good humour.

Video goof-upThe other day, I was photographing a bird around a pool of water. D-SLR on a tripod, a 80-400mm zoom, good light, and no one to disturb me. Aah, a perfect setting! I suddenly thought

Live View button on a Nikon D-SLR

Live View button on a Canon D-SLR

of recording the scene on video. I pressed the video button. Nothing happened. The video recording did not start. May be I did not press the button properly. Pressed the video button once again. No response from the video. Rechecked all settings. Everything was fine but the video won’t record. What could be wrong? Could the camera be defective? Its got to be, otherwise why should the video not start? Checked and rechecked, but no use.

Suddenly it struck me like a bolt of lightning. How silly of me! To record a video using a D-SLR, you need to be in Live View. And here I was, trying everything else, even doubting the camera! I enabled Live View and then pressed the video button. The video recording started. Gosh!

So how come I made this silly mistake? Well, for the last few days, before I started re-using my D-SLR, I was using a Bridge camera with an Electronic

View Finder (EVF). And because of the EVF, I was able to record video while looking through the viewfinder.

So what does this little episode in frustration teach us?

The first thing to remember is that this can happen to anyone – even someone knowledgeable in the subject. When you keep changing your camera like I do (we receive and use various cameras for review, each with different feature sets and different ergonomics), you can fall victim to momentary loss of concentration. You can get mixed up. Hence, its very important to master the various features of your own camera and repeatedly use the same camera rather than keep flirting with different cameras.

IS/VRHere’s another boo-boo. I don’t know about you, but I very often

LEARNING LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES



Rohinton Mehta
















In Praise Of Live View Rohinton Mehta

What exactly is Live View? Why do we need Live View, especially when

we have lived without it for so many years? Is it just one of the newfangled features that puts some more pressure on our learning curve? Or, is it really a useful feature that could enhance our photography? Read on...

Live View is a function of a digital camera that allows us to ‘pre-view’ a subject/scene before an exposure is made. The image that is normally recorded on the sensor is directed to the viewing screen (the LCD). The LCD being larger than the viewfinder display, allows us to see an enlarged ‘pre-view’. While Live View is the default method to view our images on a compact digital camera (including point-and-shoot models and some mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that do not have viewfinders), with D-SLRs you have to switch between viewfinder view and Live View mode. On some cameras with Live View, you can even check the effects of various shutters speeds/apertures (Live View Exposure Simulation). As an example, if you are photographing a waterfall, you can check on-screen (without actually taking the shot) the amount of silky blur that you would get at a particular shutter speed.

In an SLR, a reflex mirror directs the light from the subject on to the viewfinder (see sketch). When you press the shutter release button, the diaphragm blades stop down to the set aperture (the diaphragm blades normally stay wide open even though you set a particular aperture; this is done so that the image does not go dark), the reflex mirror swings out of the way, the shutter blades open to allow the light to strike the film/sensor

and the exposure is made. After the exposure time is over, the process is reversed – the shutter blades close first, the mirror comes down to its original position, and the diaphragm blades open up fully once again.

When you set your D-SLR camera to Live View mode, the reflex mirror swings out of the way and the shutter opens to allow the image to fall directly on the imaging sensor, which then digitises it and feeds it to the image processor. The processed image is then fed directly to the LCD where you can pre-view the image. At this time the image is not recorded to the memory card because a circuitry bypasses the recording stage. When you press the shutter release button all the way, the recording circuitry is energised and the image is recorded to the memory card. Because the mirror swings out of the way and blocks the light path to the viewfinder during Live View, you cannot see the subject through the optical viewfinder during this time.

Okay. That’s fine but what extra benefits do we get using Live View?

Here they are:

1. More accurate autofocussing

When we use the viewfinder to autofocus, the camera uses a method of autofocussing called ‘Phase Detection’. When we use Live View to autofocus, the camera uses a method called ‘Contrast Detection’. Phase detection is faster than contrast detection but contrast detection method, though slower, is more accurate. During contrast detect AF, the focussing mechanism turns the focus ring beyond the point of peak focus and then back, narrowing down the gap each time till peak focus is achieved. This is the reason why contrast detect AF is slower. It is more accurate since the lens only stops autofocussing when maximum contrast is achieved on the image that falls on the imaging sensor (an image is at its maximum sharpness when the contrast between the different elements within is at the maximum).

Live View focussing also helps when the light levels are low, because it is easier to check for sharp focus on the larger LCD screen than it is on the comparatively tiny viewfinder.

2. More accurate manual focussingThere are situations where manual focussing is preferred, like when photographing landscapes or macro.

Aperture blades

Pentaprism

Imaging sensor

Shutter

Reflex mirror

LEARNING

107105Just Because You

Know A Lot, Does Not Mean That You Cannot Forget!

In Praise of Live View



Colour in

Light itself can be considered as waves and different wavelengths of light have different colours. There are two basic types of colours – primary and secondary. The former are those colours from which all the others, called secondary colours, are derived.

There are three primary colours viz. Red (R), Green (G) and Blue (B). For example, you can get brown by mixing red, green and blue (primary colours) in the ratio of (approximately) 8:6:1. There are literally infinite colours that can be generated

Smart Photography has been

continually receiving requests to start

a basic course for beginners. With

this in mind, we have asked a very

knowledgeable photographer from

Hyderabad to take over writing these

articles. We have also requested him

to be as jargon-free as it is possible, so

that newcomers to photography feel

comfortable to pursue the hobby.

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been

in the photographic field for over three

decades and has extensive experience

in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics

engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a

unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital

photography and equipment. He has published several

articles on photography and some of his writings have also

been published in the well-known international magazine

Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage

cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of

photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on

photography through teaching and writing. He is presently

working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You

can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at [email protected]

Ashok Kandimalla

Picture 1: The Colour wheel.

Ever since it became possible to record colour, it has played an important role in photography.

Colour is used in photography in several ways - to enhance the subject, to give the image the right mood, emphasize a particular aspect, and in general to increase the overall visual impact. All in all, colour had such a major influence that today black and white photography has become a niche area with mainstream going colour.

The basics of colours: What is colour? Photography as you know literally means (photo=light, graph=drawing) drawing with light.

but in photography they are limited to around a few billion (depending on the sophistication of the camera). However, a normal human can see about 16.7 million colours.You can arrange the colours in the form of a wheel called the “Colour Wheel” (Picture 1). This will help you how to understand colours. Colours that are adjacent to each other in the colour wheel are considered to be harmonious to each other; that is the transition from one to another is smooth. For example, blue and green are harmonious. So are red, orange and yellow (Picture 2). As opposed to this, the colours on the opposite side of the colour wheel are supposed to be contrasting, that is the transition is abrupt and hence more jarring to

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the eye. A good example for this type is the blue and yellow combination which has very high contrast. Another example is the green and red pair (Picture 3). You can use such a colour combination to emphasize separation between the subjects or to make a picture very striking to the eye. Let us look at some more attributes that are given to colours. Two more terms that are often used to describe colours in photography are “Warm” and “Cool”. Colours like orange, red and brown are called warm colours. The basis is for this is human perception. Fire is red, the sun is bright yellow, etc. Likewise blue, green etc. are called cool colours. Once again, cold objects like ice bergs, glaciers, etc. which are bluish are the reason for this perception.

Another two attributes that are given to colours are “Receding” and “Advancing” colours. As before this is a perception formed based on how you view things naturally. Warm colours are more prominent and generally pop at you. As opposed to this colours like green and blue are less emphatic. Also, when you look at landscapes you will find that the objects like sky and meadows

are generally away thus representing open spaces. For these reasons cooler colours are called receding and warm colours are called advancing. You as a photographer can use these attributes to put colours to good use (Picture 4). Here, the advancing colours (pink and brown) though smaller in area were used in foreground and are more noticeable while the most of background (receding) is green. Reversing (that is cooler colours in front and warmer colours to the back) will appear less appealing due to our perceptions.

Colours and Emotions: Do you know that the colours have emotions associated with them? Not only that, each colour invokes a specific feeling (cheerful, sad, angry, etc.) in us. It also makes you feel how the environment is (cold, hot, tranquil, etc.). Hence, as a photographer you should be aware

which colour does what and use that knowledge judiciously to make your photographs have the maximum impact. Table 1 gives in brief what different colours convey.

Picture 2: Though the colours are saturated they are still harmonious since they are adjacent colours.

Picture 3: Here the colour combinations, red and green, are more contrasty and striking to the eye..

Picture 4: This photograph is a good example of use of advancing and receding colours. See text for details..



This table will help to you to choose and organize colours in your photographs to convey the right mood and to enhance the impact of your pictures. This also tells you not to use those combinations of colours that don’t gel well (for example, a baby dressed in a black dress). This will completely ruin the mood of the photograph.

Saturation in colours: This is a word that is often used yet little understood. Recall the fundamental fact that all colours are made up by giving different values to R, G and B which are primary colours. When each of these components is the same (that is equal) for any pixel, the colour will vanish and pixel will become gray. Thus, R=G=B=100 is a shade of gray. R=G=B=0 is pure black and R=G=B=255 is pure white. Pure black and white can be considered as special cases of gray at the extreme ends. A colour is said to be saturated when it is pure – that is, it does not have any gray mixed with it. Addition of gray will make the colour impure, that is, muddy or light or dark. Saturated colours are very punchy and are preferred by photographers. Perhaps they are even over used! When two saturated colours are next to each other the contrast increases, and if these happen to be colours opposite sides of colour wheel (like blue and yellow), contrast reaches the maximum. Colours reach the highest saturation under sunlight (Picture 6) but there is a caveat. In many cases the surface may reflect causing glare and thus reducing saturation. If the subject is not metallic (examples are flowers,

Table 1

Colour What is conveys and invokes

Red One of the most striking colours, red generally in life is associated with danger, as this is the colour of blood. In humans it is synonymous with anger (remember the phrase “red with rage”). Red also represents passion and heat. Reds really pop as they are very conspicuous – one of the reasons why many prefer red clothes and cars. Red is also associated with power and this is the reason why high level executives wear red ties!

Blue This is a colour associated with royalty (“blue blood”) and is also representative of coolness as opposed to red/orange. It also represents tranquility (along with another strong photographic element, horizontal lines). Since sky is blue and so is the sea it is natural that it represents open spaces and vastness. Blue also represents unhappiness (like “Monday blues”). It also coveys moodiness. You can make a scene more bluish than what it is by decreasing colour temperature through your white balance setting. For example, you can use incandescent setting while photographing in normal daylight. This will give a blue cast to the image.

Green Do you know which is the most abundant colour on earth? It is green! It also the colour of vegetation and hence representative of freshness. It is also associated with youth (as it is a form of freshness) and hence with energy and vigour.

Yellow / Orange Yellow is the colour of the sun and also of the most coveted metal – gold. So, it represents warmth, wealth, happiness and so on. In general it is a colour of optimism. Incidentally, orange too invokes the same type of emotions but is considered to be more vibrant and hence “louder” than yellow. Late afternoons and early mornings are when the sunlight bathes the scene in yellow and its close cousin orange. These are the ideal times for landscape photography. You can tweak the white balance of your camera towards the higher colour temperature settings to give a warm colour cast.

Pink No prizes for guessing what pink conveys. It is a colour representing femininity and hence delicateness. It also conveys softness and tenderness and hence is the ideal colour to use when photographing ladies, babies and infants.

Brown This is the colour of earth and not a very attractive colour. It denotes ruggedness.

Grey The most neutral of all colours, grey naturally conveys neutrality, modesty and dignity. It is a very sober colour and also most unobtrusive. It is also a colour associated with advanced age. It is used widely in photography to convey these and also as a colour for clothing for men who occupy high positions.

White White as you know is for purity and virginity. So, this is the colour to use in your photographs to convey these. It is also used in product, fashion and glamour photography as white is associated with high class.

Black This is the colour which has rather negative connotations like death, sorrow, defeat, etc. (Remember the phrase “black days”)? It is used extensively in photography to convey these feelings. It is also used in portraits if the subject is of advanced age and also to convey a somber mood (Picture 5).


surroundings loses its context and becomes unrecognizable. Its main features are now geometry, texture,

etc. Abstracts are very popular in black and white photography, since absence of colour makes the two features mentioned more prominent. However, even with colour you can get striking abstracts with colours enhancing the geometry. While you can find colourful abstracts in many places, one place where it is relatively easy to find is reflections of coloured

Picture 5: The dark tones and the black convey a lot about state of this old lady.

Picture 7: Misty conditions bring out eye pleasing delicate hues. This image was captured at 5:15 am early morning.

Picture 6: Here the colour is a deeply saturated blue which is very striking to the eye. This picture is all about the deep colour and texture on the weathered door. Direct sunlight made the colour pop and the early morning side light brought out the texture.

painted surfaces, etc.) you can cut the glare by using a polarizing filter. If you don’t have one handy at that time, you need to wait till the sun is behind a cloud so that the light is still bright but diffused somewhat. Heavily overcast skies will, however, reduce saturation. Should you always look for saturated colours as they attract the eye? Not really. Misty conditions (especially during early morning or late evening) cause light to filter gently. The result is that you will find some delicate hues which give the photograph a great mood (Picture 7).

Abstracts in colour: An abstract in general is a figure which when stripped of its



subjects (Picture 8). Here is one tip. Since you want to isolate, it is best you use long focal lengths when photographing abstracts.

Monochromatic colour: Generally in photography, when we use the word monochrome it refers to a black and white photograph. Strictly speaking this is not true as monochrome means “only one colour”. It is possible to have a colour photograph with just one colour and you can call such images as monochromatic colour images (Picture 9). Here, the entire picture has been made up of only one colour, red. The various features in such an image are brought out only through

Picture 8: An abstract in colour.

Picture 9: An example of a picture with monochromatic colour.

Picture 10: Selective colour..

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shades and textures. While not all subjects are suited for this, you can get some unique and interesting results through monochromatic colour.Selective colour: In this technique a part of the image is kept in colour and rest is desaturated (Picture 10) or even rendered only in shades of gray, to make the coloured part more contrasty. This helps in drawing the attention of the viewer to the coloured subject. This desaturation can be done in post-processing and hence was a novel concept once, soon after digital photography started. Unfortunately, it has been overdone so much (especially in advertising photography) that it is now a worn out cliché. Avoid it!

As you have read colours invoke specific feelings, are associated with certain aspects and in general have a great impact on enhancing the mood of the photograph. Hence, they are very important to you as a photographer. While the colour combinations present may not be always under your control, it is up to you to carefully explore and organize them (just as you would arrange elements while composing a photograph) so that the photograph conveys the mood and the meaning that you had in mind when you pressed the shutter release.

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Optical Viewfi nder Or Electronic Viewfi nder?

Rohinton Mehta

Let’s fi rst see what a ‘viewfi nder’ (VF) is. As the name suggests, its a device on a camera (or

camcorder) that lets you view the scene in front of you. An ‘optical viewfi nder’ uses optics (generally, glass or plastic elements) in its construction. Note that an optical viewfi nder can be ‘eye-level’ (as in

a compact/SLR/D-SLR) or ‘waist-level’ (as in a TLR or Twin Lens Refl ex camera).

An ‘Electronic Viewfi nder’ (EVF) shows the subject/captured image that is electronically projected on a small display.

Both do the same thing but in diff erent ways.

Optical Viewfi nder (OVF)

Electronic Viewfi nder (EVF)

So which would be the right viewfi nder for you? Most users may opt for the optical viewfi nder but if you ask me, I would opt for a high-resolution electronic viewfi nder. As mentioned above, EVFs are getting better day-by-day (check out the EVF on a Panasonic GH3, GH4 or FZ1000)

and I like the idea of viewing the scene in detail even in the dark. I also like the fact that I can review my images (stills as well as videos) in the EVF. As for using up battery power with an EVF, I think that is a small price to pay for the convenience it off ers.

Optical Viewfi nder, Waist-level

Optical Viewfi nder (OVF) Electronic Viewfi nder (EVF)

Uses optics Uses electronic display similar to the LCD at the back of the camera

Th e camera need not be ‘On’ to view the subject through the OVF

Th e camera has to be ‘On’ to view the subject through the EVF

Subject is easy to view in bright light Subject is easy to view in bright light

Subject is diffi cult to view in low light Subject is easy to view even in low lvight

Clarity is good Clarity is not always as good (though some new EVFs are almost as good as OVFs)

Does not use battery power Uses battery power

In some cases, can have parallax error (as with range-fi nder type cameras)

No parallax error. EVF sees exactly what the sensor sees

Subject view is temporarily blocked (with D-SLRs) when the refl ex mirror swings up during exposure

View is never blocked

OVF cannot be used to review the shot pictures EVF can be used to review ‘stills’ as well as videos

Does not fool the eye in evaluating subject/scene brightness

Fools the eye in believing that the subject/scene is bright even when the subject/scene is dark

Cannot display additional details EVFs can display additional details such as histogram, electronic level etc

Accurately displays speedy action Some EVFs may not be able to accurately display speedy actions

Let’s see their respective advantages and disadvantages:

LEARNING

December 2014 Smart Photography 99

LEARNING


Importance of Food Styling

I have mentioned in my previous articles that photographing tabletops is the art of putting life

in dead objects. Th is is achieved by good composition and lighting; and the use of right props makes it even more attractive. Let me go a step further and educate you with information and knowledge of a very specialized line connected to food photography – and that is food styling. Food photography has to arouse the senses of the viewer and create a feeling in the mind to taste the dish.

Similar to what makeup men or hairstylists do in a fashion shoot, a food stylist does the same in tabletop makeup and plays the major role in preparing and presenting the dish placed before the camera. Th is is a very specialized line of work and takes years of experience to learn the tricks of the trade and understand the properties of food.

Q - What made you take this profession as a food stylist?Arati: I was a research chef for a leading and reputed cook book. Th e making of the recipe book involved briefi ng the photographers and having the food photographed by them. It was during this period of my career that I discovered this profession of a stylist, understood its importance, and fell in love with it.

Q - Defi ne food styling.Arati: Creating a feast for the eyes – making food look so picturesque, that one is tempted to eat what one sees in the photo.

Q - Do you have categories in this topic of food styling?Arati: No. One should know the basics of cooking to be able to style it. If the stylist has rightly understood the culture of the land for whom the dish is being styled, it would help the team of stylist, the photographer and the production person to decide on the right props.

Q - In what way is food styling diff erent from being a good chef?Arati: A chef makes food that tastes good; a food stylist makes food that looks good!

A chef ’s main concern is taste and aroma; the food stylist looks at textures, shape, appearance, freshness, garnishing etc.

Q - Do you feel that a food stylist is a good chef? Or, are all good chefs good food stylists?Arati: Not sure... but it always helps if a food stylist is a good chef as only

Having crossed over 20 active years in commercial photography,

Dilip Yande says his forte is Fashion and Portrait photography. He

believes variety is the spice of life, and to keep himself motivated

he does a lot of tabletop as well. For Dilip, names like Rembrandt,

Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso, Turner, Monet are household names

because of his childhood that was spent in a lineage of fine arts. This

‘fine art’ reflects in his work because he feels that there is always

a little bit of ‘you’ in everything one does. Having shot for many

advertising agencies, juried a few competitions, mentored many

workshops, and guided many photographers in their formative years,

for Dilip, photography is just another way to romance his first love –

art. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Dilip Yande

Food stylists are needed by still photographers as well as the cinematographers who shoot television commercials (TVCs). In case of television commercials, the job is even more diffi cult, as sometimes the camera is moved over the food or the dish is rotated on a turn-table or steam has to be seen when photographing a piping-hot biryani or a mouth- watering splash of a blue mint slush has to be photographed in slow motion. Hence fi ft y percent credit for any good shot involving food photography has to be given to the food stylist!

Many new and budding photographers have a lot of queries as to how to go about in case of food photography and when to involve a food stylist onto the job. I’ll try to clear all your diffi culties one by one, by fi rst introducing and posing few questions to a reputed food stylist of the industry – Arati Kamat Fedane. Later, I will explain how best to go about it.


then can he/she modify the food so that it looks good. The same can be said for a chef…if he can make the food look good as well.. its always an advantage!

Q -In food styling, what is it that you enjoy doing the most? Indian food, non-Indian food (then specify), cocktails and mocktails, fast-food, tandoors, etc or ice-creams? Is there any specialization in any subtopic, looking at the international platform?Arati: Every day is an adventure. Every day is a new challenge; that’s whats exciting about this work.

Personally, I enjoy styling most of the food. Because in every category you mentioned, there is a different challenge and there is a different technique.

Q - Which do you feel is the most challenging category of the lot?

Q - Is a well styled yummy-looking dish necessarily palatable?Arati: Hahaha… well…it looks yummy…that’s what we get paid for; it’s not necessary for it to be edible!

Q - Could you give photographers general tips on the ‘chemistry’ involved in food- styling?Arati: (1) If you want show chillies floting in vinegar, put fresh chillies in water (instead of vinegar) and add salt to it.2) Mix glycerin with water to create condensation droplets3) Add salt to make beer more frothy4) Add vinegar when cooking rice to make it more white5) Sprinkle iron filings on food and then add hydrochloric acid over it to make it look piping hot.6) Apply salt to apple slices to prevent them form turning blackish, then brush the slices when you are about to take the shot.

Q - In the olden days, coloured

Pic 1

Arati: Styling ice-creams in summer, that too if the art director or client insists on an outdoor shot.

Q -Do they make dummy ice-cream scoops for the shoot? Or is it real ice-cream? Arati: It goes both ways. Entirely depends on the client. Both can be made to look nice in the picture.

Q -What is the exact role of a food-stylist in terms of propping a picture with background, general props, table props, cutlery, crockery etc.?Arati: In smaller shoots, the food stylist organizes everything; in larger ones, there is a designated prop-stylist. It’s more fulfilling as an artist if I undertake to do the whole thing, as then I can visualize the whole picture and bring it to life.

Q - How many shots can be photographed in a day?Arati: Ideally, about 6 -7.

LEARNING


crockery was ‘in’; these days white crockery is preferred. Similarly, are there any changes in style at the international level which we follow here in terms of styling? Arati: Old wood is now ‘in’ as a background. Also, an imperfect or casual look is preferred. Few years ago everything in a shot had to look perfect or rather ‘picture perfect’… now we purposely tend to do things like put some crumbs around the dish, drop a bit of sauce somewhere etc. It should be artistically messy! And that is where an experienced food-stylist, an experienced photographer and a seasoned art-director score. Remember it should not look shabby!

Q - Should a photographer necessarily have a pantry or a small kitchen in his studio set-up to cater to food photography? Or can you make some make-shift arrangements?Arati: Great if he has..its always

an advantage. However, the most essential is a water tank. I can carry my gas and set up a kitchen on basic wooden tables but if there is no water, it’s a bit difficult.

The above answers must have cleared a lot of doubts from the reader’s mind. Now, as a photographer, let me advise you how to execute a food photography assignment. Always follow the steps given below –

1) Understand the brief given by the client and request the advertising agency involved to send you the layouts of the pictures that are to be shot. In case of editorial features in magazines or recipe books, make it clear whether the client needs horizontal or vertical compositions.

2) If it is your first food shoot or the client’s first shoot then prove the importance of a food-stylist to him by showing a few examples from the net.

3) Understand the dishes that are to be shot, whether it is a Chinese recipe, tandoor or mocktails.

4) Clarify with your client as to who will arrange for the props and the suitable backgrounds, like for example marine wood or black glass.

5) Mail the visuals and the brief to the food-stylist and then arrange what is known as a PPM (Pre Production Meeting) with the client. It is important that the meeting comprises of not just the client, you and the food stylist, but should also involve the designer or the advertising agency involved in the job.

6) Keep a separate corner or room for the food-stylist to work. Amenities like a refrigerator to keep vegetables fresh are a must.

7) First place the empty dish on the table in front of the camera and

Pic 2


decide an almost perfect composition by placing the various props and cutlery. Keep either a small blower, a napkin, a painting brush, or cotton buds handy to remove any unwanted elements or stains.

8) Perfection in lighting comes with experience. ‘Idlis’ have to be lit up in a different way while spicy ‘curry’ calls for a different lighting all together. So arrange the lights (more or less) and then ask the stylist to bring the dish. Final garnishing can take place once the dish is in place. You as a photographer should be very fast now in fine-tuning the lighting, measuring the exposure with a light-meter and photographing before the food starts losing its freshness.

9) In case of photographing for packaging, one has to be a lot more careful as to where exactly the logo and the brand name would appear.

A negative space (a blank space) has to be kept in the composition for the same. Care should to be taken in knowing the actual size of the box meant for the packing, keeping in mind that the dimensions/aspect ratio of your camera frame and the box are not the same.

10) The photographer should pre-visualize his shots. He should be clear whether he is photographing kitchen appliances, crockery or cutlery and

whether the food is a part of the shot. The composition, styling and lighting has to be done accordingly. While photographing magazine ads, one has to be careful in knowing whether the client wants a vertical format for a full page ad or a horizontal format for a half page ad. The framing of the shot has to be done accordingly.

Food styling involves a lot of ‘tabletop makeup’. Pictures 1, 2, and 3 are examples of the same, showing

Pic 3

Pic 4b

Pic 4a

LEARNING


how a dish is slowly made ready for the shoot. In pic 1 the stylist is placing few drops of coloured syrup on the ice cream to make it look more ‘yummy’. In pic 2 she is carefully shaping and brushing off the extra liquid. In pic 3 it can be seen as to how a dish of mixed fresh fruits is being styled by carefully deciding the place for every slice.

Pic 4a, 4b the photographer has opted to show an entire ambiance of a kitchen platform or a corner, hence a narrower camera aperture has been

Pic 5

Pic 7a

Pic 7b

Pic 6

used to keep other objects sufficiently sharp. In pic 5 the photographer wanted to give more importance to the ‘fillings’ in the bread roll, hence a shallow depth of field was preferred. Pic 6 also shows the clever use of shallow depth of field.

In Pic 7a & Pic 7b there is continuity in the two pics in terms of positioning the oven which the art director wanted to be positioned behind the container containing the main food item. The client preferred that the details of the oven are

visible to some extent, since only part of it was to be shown.

Hence a good & experienced food stylist in any food photography shoot is a ‘must’ & with the value additions can take the standard of the whole shoot much above than what your client may expect.

Credit Lines- Pic 1,2,3 by Anushree Bhatter Pic 4a, 4b by Dhruv Pandya Pic 5 by Payal Choksi Pic 6 by- Pawan Manglani Pic 7a & b- Courtesy- BOROSIL



Rohinton Mehta

















forget to switch off the IS/VR (image stabilization feature) when I mount my camera on a tripod. I realise the mistake only after the initial 8-10 shots (which somehow happen to be the most important!). Keeping IS/VR ‘on’ while the camera is tripod mounted can actually cause more jitters. I wish manufacturers come up with a feature that switches off the IS/VR as soon as it detects that the camera is mounted on a tripod.

AF/MF switchYou use autofocus. To fine-tune the focus, you switch over to manual focus. You slide the AF/M-M switch on the lens to M for manual focus but forget to switch over from AF to MF (or C or S to M) on the camera body. Know well that this lapse on your part can actually damage the autofocus function in the camera.

‘AF On’ buttonThe shutter release button does three

things: autofocus, meter the scene, and trip the shutter to take the picture. But there are times when you want to focus on a particular subject but take the meter reading from a different location altogether. For example, your subject may be very light or very dark and you need to take the meter reading from something that is mid-tone.

You can, using a Custom feature, disconnect the autofocus from the shutter release button and set the camera to autofocus only when you press the ‘AF On’ button. This is the preferred autofocus method for many wildlife/nature photographers. You first take the meter reading from a mid-tone area which could be anywhere else but in similar lighting (using the shutter release button) and then autofocus on your subject using the ‘AF On’ button. Press the shutter release button to take the shot.

Sometimes, you are likely to forget this personalised change that you may have made to your camera. Under pressure when photographing something exotic, you press and re-press the shutter release button and curse when the camera doesn’t fire (most cameras, if set to single-shot AF will fire only when the focus is locked). The result? You miss that once-in-a-life shot. The moral of the story? Know the various features and functions of your camera and practice using them regularly, lest you forget.

M/A - M switch on a lens C - S - M switch

‘AF On’ button on a Nikon D-SLR

‘AF On’ button on a Canon D-SLR


In Praise Of Live View Rohinton Mehta

What exactly is Live View? Why do we need Live View, especially when

we have lived without it for so many years? Is it just one of the newfangled features that puts some more pressure on our learning curve? Or, is it really a useful feature that could enhance our photography? Read on...

Live View is a function of a digital camera that allows us to ‘pre-view’ a subject/scene before an exposure is made. The image that is normally recorded on the sensor is directed to the viewing screen (the LCD). The LCD being larger than the viewfinder display, allows us to see an enlarged ‘pre-view’. While Live View is the default method to view our images on a compact digital camera (including point-and-shoot models and some mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that do not have viewfinders), with D-SLRs you have to switch between viewfinder view and Live View mode. On some cameras with Live View, you can even check the effects of various shutters speeds/apertures (Live View Exposure Simulation). As an example, if you are photographing a waterfall, you can check on-screen (without actually taking the shot) the amount of silky blur that you would get at a particular shutter speed.

In an SLR, a reflex mirror directs the light from the subject on to the viewfinder (see sketch). When you press the shutter release button, the diaphragm blades stop down to the set aperture (the diaphragm blades normally stay wide open even though you set a particular aperture; this is done so that the image does not go dark), the reflex mirror swings out of the way, the shutter blades open to allow the light to strike the film/sensor

and the exposure is made. After the exposure time is over, the process is reversed – the shutter blades close first, the mirror comes down to its original position, and the diaphragm blades open up fully once again.

When you set your D-SLR camera to Live View mode, the reflex mirror swings out of the way and the shutter opens to allow the image to fall directly on the imaging sensor, which then digitises it and feeds it to the image processor. The processed image is then fed directly to the LCD where you can pre-view the image. At this time the image is not recorded to the memory card because a circuitry bypasses the recording stage. When you press the shutter release button all the way, the recording circuitry is energised and the image is recorded to the memory card. Because the mirror swings out of the way and blocks the light path to the viewfinder during Live View, you cannot see the subject through the optical viewfinder during this time.

Okay. That’s fine but what extra benefits do we get using Live View?

Here they are:

1. More accurate autofocussing

When we use the viewfinder to autofocus, the camera uses a method of autofocussing called ‘Phase Detection’. When we use Live View to autofocus, the camera uses a method called ‘Contrast Detection’. Phase detection is faster than contrast detection but contrast detection method, though slower, is more accurate. During contrast detect AF, the focussing mechanism turns the focus ring beyond the point of peak focus and then back, narrowing down the gap each time till peak focus is achieved. This is the reason why contrast detect AF is slower. It is more accurate since the lens only stops autofocussing when maximum contrast is achieved on the image that falls on the imaging sensor (an image is at its maximum sharpness when the contrast between the different elements within is at the maximum).

Live View focussing also helps when the light levels are low, because it is easier to check for sharp focus on the larger LCD screen than it is on the comparatively tiny viewfinder.

2. More accurate manual focussingThere are situations where manual focussing is preferred, like when photographing landscapes or macro.

Aperture blades

Pentaprism

Imaging sensor

Shutter

Reflex mirror

LEARNING

LEARNING


Here is a simple method to get very accurate manual focus:

First tripod your camera and autofocus using the viewfinder (VF focussing is faster). Now switch to Live View and manual focus. Observe the image on the larger LCD screen and manually fine-tune the focus for maximum contrast. If your camera permits you to enlarge the Live View image (most do), you will be able to achieve sharp focus even more accurately. It can also help if you can view the LCD screen through a magnifying loupe such as the Hoodman .

3. Movie shooting with a D-SLRIf you are shooting movies with a

D-SLR, you can only do so with contrast-detect Live View (non-D-SLR cameras using electronic viewfinders allow you to shoot movies using the EVF but not D-SLRs), but the Canon EOS 70D has incorporated phase detection AF during movies too. Others may follow suit.

4. Autofocussing via the touch-screen LCDSome digital cameras allow a very easy and quick way to autofocus during Live View. Just point the camera towards the scene and touch that part of the screen where you would like the camera to autofocus. Voila!

Hoodman loupe

Press this button to enlarge the LCD image

Simulated image. Touch the screen where you want the lens to focus (as shown by the green rectangle)

Revi

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110Compact ReviewCanon PowerShot G7X

116Compact ReviewOlympus Tough TG-3

Change in Rating SystemSmart Photography’s new rating system exercises stricter evaluation in view of improvements in the overall performance of photographic equipment. Marks will be awarded for the following parameters...

Final RankingsRecommended ......................................... 75-80%Best Buy .........................................81% and above

D-SLR CAMERAS

Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)

Key Features ........................................... (out of 20)

Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)

PerformanceAutofocus .................................................... (out of 5)Metering ...................................................... (out of 5)Noise control ........................................... (out of 5)Distortion/Sharpness .......................... (out of 5)LCD/Viewfi nder..................................... (out of 5)Auto White Balance ........................... (out of 5)

Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)

Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)

LENSES




PerformanceAutofocus .................................................... (out of 5)Sharpness..................................................... (out of 5)Distortion control ................................. (out of 5)Aberrations ................................................ (out of 5)Darkening of corners ......................... (out of 5)Extra Features............................................ (out of 5)

Value for Money ................................. (out of 10)

Grand Total ......................................... (out of 100)

COMPACT CAMERAS




PerformanceAutofocus .................................................... (out of 5)Metering ...................................................... (out of 5)Noise control ........................................... (out of 5)Distortion/Sharpness .......................... (out of 5)LCD/Viewfi nder..................................... (out of 5)Auto White Balance ........................... (out of 5)

Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)

Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)

114Lens ReviewTOKINA AT-X 70-200mm

F/4 PRO FX VCM-S

120Lens ReviewOlympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL

ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO

COMPACT Review Canon PowerShot G7X


` 44,995

Up for a Challenge Sujith Gopinath

Consumers today are upgrading their level of technical knowledge to distinguish

between gimmicks and real stuff , thanks to the increasingly accessible well of information online. And this is forcing the companies to innovate and come up with real improvements. Th is has led to fi erce competition in the premium compact segment, which is hotting up every day. All major camera companies are aggressively following this segment. Canon has recently released the PowerShot G7X, a probable rival to the Sony RX100 III.

Design and Build QualityTh e Canon G7X carries the signature build quality of a professional compact camera. Th e exterior is largely made of metal and provides a sturdy feel. To distinguish this

premium camera from the normal compacts, Canon has incorporated a sophisticated-looking ‘double dial’ on top. Th e upper one is the Mode dial, while the lower one lets you set exposure compensation. Th e camera has a control dial around the lens, as in the case of its predecessors. You can assign various functions to this dial, the default being Aperture control. Th e lens has two segments. Th e G7X has a small built-in fl ash to aid in fi lling shadows. It does not have an accessory shoe (hot-shoe), nor EVF. (By comparison, the Sony RX100 III features an EVF, while the Panasonic LX100 kit includes a compact external fl ash that can be mounted on its accessory shoe.) Th e LCD can be tilted up vertically up to 180 degree, enabling you to capture a selfi e. Th e camera has a metal tripod receptacle.

✓ Canon PowerShot G7X ✓ Wrist Strap ✓ Battery Charger ✓ Battery Pack NB-13L

Inside the Box


Aperture: f/7.1 Shutter Speed: 1/250sec . ISO:500

Key FeaturesTh e 20.2-megapixel Canon G7X features a 1.0-inch (12.8 x 9.6mm) CMOS sensor. Th e camera uses a DIGIC 6 image processor for faster image processing and better noise control over earlier models. Th e G7X uses a 24-100mm equivalent lens with optical (lens-shift type) image stabilisation. (Here, Canon is the leader with both Sony and Panasonic limiting the zoom range to approximately 24 to 70mm). Aperture ranges from f/1.8 to 11 at the wide-angle end and f/2.8 to 11 at the telephoto end. Th e lens focusses from 5cm to infi nity at the wide-angle end and 40cm to infi nity at the telephoto end. Focus modes available are Continuous AF, Servo AF, and Manual Focus, while AF Frame options are Face AiAf and 1-point. Th e G7X features the usual

SharpnessAperture: f/8.0 Shutter Speed: 1/20sec. ISO:120

three metering modes—Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, and Spot. ISO sensitivity ranges from ISO 125 to 12,800, and shutter speed can be varied between 250 sec and 1/2000 sec. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-3 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Th e camera has a 3.0-inch, approximately 1.04 million-dot tilting TFT colour touch screen LCD. Th e built-in fl ash has a range of 50cm to 7.0m at the wide-angle end and 40cm to 4.0m at the telephoto end. Flash modes available are Auto, On, Slow Sync, and Off .

Th e G7X features shooting modes such as C, M, Av, Tv, P, Hybrid Auto, Auto, Creative Shot, SCN, Creative Filters, and Movie. Scene modes include Portrait, Smart Shutter , Star, Handheld Night Scene, Underwater, Snow, and Fireworks. Creative

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COMPACT Review Canon PowerShot G7X


The G7X is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion batter (NB-13L

filters available are High Dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Background Defocus, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, and Poster Effect. The Movie mode provides further options of Standard, Manual (Movie), and iFrame Movie. In Smart Shutter mode, you can set Smile, Wink, and Face self-timers. Star mode provides various options you can use under a starry sky, such as Star Portrait, Star Nightscape, Star Trails, and Star Time-Lapse Movie.

The G7X records still images at a maximum resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels in Raw or JPEG format (with an option to record both simultaneously). In continuous shooting mode, the camera can capture up to 6.5 frames per second. The best movie quality that the G7X captures is 1920 x 1080 at frame rates of 60p or 30p. The camera features Wi-Fi and NFC functions for connecting with other compatible devices.

ISO 200

ISO 800

ISO 6400

ISO 400

ISO 3200

ISO 12800

NOISE

supplied). The camera weighs approximately 304g and has dimensions of 103.0 x 60.4 x 40.4mm.

Mahesh Reddy


(at 100% enlargement)


ErgonomicsThe Canon G7X is compact and can fit into a handbag, but not sleek enough to slip into your pocket. The interface is intuitive and the controls easy to locate and operate. Images on the LCD appeared crisp and clear. The camera does not have a viewfinder, which, if provided, would have been very useful.

PerformanceThe Canon G7X features on the list of professional cameras and it needs to prove itself to be considered worthy of sharing space with the high-performers of this segment. Though this is not a head-to-head comparison, this test will help you get a fair idea.

The G7X was fast to focus and could lock on to the subject even in reasonably low-lit situations. Metering modes performed as expected, and images appeared sharp throughout the focal length. Distortion was limited to a slight barrelling till 14mm (equivalent to 35mm). We observed slight darkening of corners while photographing a white wall at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open. But we are quite sure that you will not notice this in normal every-day images. The lens produced prominent flare along with purple fringing.

PLUS• Fast Lens• Excellent build quality• Good noise control• Decent zoom range

MINUS• No EVF• Flash too small• No Accessory shoe

81%FINAL SCORE

Design and Build Quality 17/20

Key Features 17/20

Ergonomics 16/20

Performance

Autofocus 4/5

Metering 5/5

Noise Control 4/5

Sharpness 4/5

LCD/EVF 2.5/5

Auto W/B 3.5/5

Sub-Total 23/30

Value for Money 8/10

The G7X is a capable camera aiming to heat up the competition within the professional compact segment. The main advantage of this camera is a better zoom range compared to competition. But we miss an EVF and an accessory shoe (hot-shoe).

VERDICT

Effective Pixels : Approx. 20.2 million

Imaging Processor : DIGIC 6

Sensor Size : 1.0 inch type (12.8 x 9.6mm)

Lens : 24 - 100 mm equivalent

Focusing Range : Normal: 5cm to infinity (W), 40cm to infinity (T)

Macro: 5 - 50cm (W)

Image Stabilizer : Optical (Lens-shift type)

Monitor : Tilting 3.0-inch type, Approx. 1.04 million-dot TFT

colour Touch-screen panel (capacitive type)

Focus Control System : Autofocus: Continuous, Servo AF, Manual Focus

AF Frame : Face AiAF, 1-point

Metering System : Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, Spot

ISO Sensitivity : Auto, ISO 125 – ISO 12,800

Shutter Speed : 250 - 1/2000sec

Aperture Type : Iris diaphragm

f/number : f/1.8 - f/11 (W), f/2.8 - f/11 (T)

Flash Modes : Auto, On, Slow Synchro, Off

Flash Range : 50cm – 7.0m (W), 40cm - 4.0m (T)

Shooting Modes : C, M, Av, Tv, P, Hybrid Auto, Auto, Creative Shot, SCN,

Creative Filters, Movie

Scene modes : Portrait, Smart Shutter , Star, Handheld Night Scene,

Underwater, Snow, Fireworks

Creative Filters : High Dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fish-eye Effect,

Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Background Defocus,

Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect

Movie modes : Standard, Manual (Movie), iFrame Movie

Smart Shutter : Smile, Wink Self-timer, Face Self-timer

Star : Star Portrait, Star Nightscape, Star Trails, Star Time-Lapse Movie

Continuous shooting : Approx. 6.5 shots per sec.

Max Recorded Pixels : Still Images: 5472 x 3648

Best movie quality : 1920 x 1080

Other Features : Wi-Fi, Eco Mode, Mobile Device Connect Button,

NFC compatibility

Power Supply : Battery Pack NB-13L (Supplied)

Dimensions : 103.0 x 60.4 x 40.4mm

Weight : Approx. 304g (including the battery and memory card)

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

Auto White Balance performed well under natural light sources (Daylight and Shade), but produced traces of distinct cast left by artificial light sources. These could be removed easily in post-processing, and we wouldn’t lose sleep over this issue (neither should you). Native print size was 12.16 x 18.24 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent view, images were noise-free up to ISO 6400. ISO 6400 and 12800 were quite noisy. Viewed at 50 percent, we observed slight noise at ISO 3200, but the images were perfectly usable. Enlarged to 100 percent, we observed noise from ISO 200 onwards, but the images were perfectly usable up to ISO 1600.

This performance looks comparable to the Sony RX100, though we couldn’t get both the cameras together for a comparison. Another competitor, the Panasonic LX100 is still awaited in India.

Value for MoneyThe Canon G7X retails at an MRP of Rs.44,995. This is lower than that of the competitors in this segment, which would work in G7X’s favour. The final price will depend on your bargaining skills at the dealer’s place.

LENS REVIEW TOKINA AT-X 70-200mm F/4 PRO FX VCM-S


Tokina’s fi rst lens with VCM

Rohinton Mehta

Tokina, which is part of the HOYA group, has always been known for the excellent

build quality and optical quality of its lenses. Th e AT-X 70-200mm f/4 PRO FX VCM-S is a compact, high-performance, twist-type zoom lens and is the fi rst lens from Tokina to incorporate the company’s new proprietary VCM (Vibration Correction Module) that allows for up to 3 stops of vibration correction. Th e lens is designed for full-frame sensor D-SLRs but can be used with APS-C sensor cameras too. Our review lens had a Nikon mount.

Design & Build QualityTh e lens is all-black, matte-fi nish and looks impressive. Build quality is good. Th e lens mount is made from metal. A removable tripod collar (TM-705) is available but was not supplied to us. Th e lens has a 67mm fi lter thread and weighs 1055g with its supplied lens hood. Th e lens is made in Japan.

Key FeaturesAs mentioned earlier, the lens is designed for full-frame sensor cameras but can be used with APS-C sensor models. Th e manual focus ring is towards the fi lter end and

Th e lens is constructed from 19 elements in 14 groups which include 3 SD Super- low Dispersion glass to reduce chromatic aberration. It further employs multi-coatings to reduce fl are and ghosting. Th is lens has a ring-type Ultra Sonic Motor (hence the ‘S’ in its name) for quick and effi cient autofocus. Th e lens has 9 aperture blades for a smooth bokeh and an IF (Internal Focus) design due to which the physical length of the lens does not change during zooming or focussing. Th e front element does not rotate, making it convenient to use CPL and Graduated Neutral Density fi lters. On the left side of the lens are two switches – AF-MF on the top and VCM ON-OFF below.

ErgonomicsWe tested the lens using a Nikon D4 body. Th e combo felt heavy at 2460g but note that the D4 body alone is 1405g. Th e lens balanced perfectly well and was very easy to use. An accessory lens collar is available in case you need it but some users (like photojournalists) prefer to mostly shoot hand-held and as such a lens collar may not be of much use to them.

PerformanceOur tests were done using the JPEG format.

Autofocus was silent and reasonably fast in good light, a bit slower in poor light. AF could be manually overridden. Th is is not a macro lens but at the closest focussing distance of 1 meter, you get a magnifi cation ratio of little under 1:4, which is quite good for not-so-tiny subjects. When attached to the full-frame

✓ Lens ✓ Lens hood (BH-672) ✓ Front and rear lens caps

Inside the Box

` 91,000

has a 40mm wide textured rubber grip. Th e zoom ring has 25mm wide textured rubber grip and is clearly marked at 70, 85, 105, 135 and 200mm settings. A distance scale in feet and meters is covered under a clear plastic window. Th e Tokina AT-X 70-200mm f/4 PRO FX VCM-S lens off ers f/4 aperture throughout its focal range. Th e narrowest aperture is f/32. A very distinct white dot at the rear end helps to align the lens to the camera body. Th e lens is not weather-sealed.


Aperture: f/5.0 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec ISO: 400

sensor body (Nikon D4), images were adequately sharp in the centre but noticeably soft at the sides/corners. We felt that, overall, the maximum sharpness was achieved between f/8 and f/11. When attached to an APS-C body (Nikon D750), the sides/corners appeared definitely sharper as compared to the full-frame body. This of course is to be expected because with the smaller sensor, the camera uses only the central part of the lens. The Vibration Correction (VCM) increased the number of sharper images when the camera was hand-held but we have no way of confirming the 3-stop advantage that Tokina claim.

Slight corner darkening was observed with the lens wide open (at f/4) at 70mm and also closed-down one stop more, at f/5.6. There was no corner darkening at any other aperture setting. We did not notice

any distortion at 70mm and 85mm but slight pin-cushion distortion was noticed at 105, 135 and 200mm settings, which was easy to correct in post-processing. Some flare was observed in strong against-the-light shots but there was no chromatic aberration, which is very good.

Note: The shots were taken in JPEG. The camera automatically reduces/removes CA from JPEG files. Since the feature is available, why not use it?

Value for MoneyThe Tokina AT-X 70-200mm f/4 PRO FX VCM-S lens is available at an MRP of Rs.91,000. We say that it is fair value for money.

77%Design and Build Quality 16/20

Key Features 15/20

Ergonomics 16/20

Performance

Autofocus 3.5/5

Sharpness 4/5

Distortion Control 4/5

Aberrations 4/5

Darkening 4/5 of Corners

Extra Features 3.5/5

Sub-Total 22.5/30


FINAL SCORE

One more lens for the shortlist. If you are looking for a 70-200mm lens, the Tokina should be in your radar.

VERDICT

PLUS• Overall, good image quality• Good build quality• 9-bladed diaphragm provides good bokeh

MINUS• Heavy• Nikon’s 70-200mm f/4 offers 4-stop VR advantage

Focal length : 70-200mm

Max. Aperture : F/4

Min. Aperture : F/32

Construction : 19 elements in 14 groups

Coatings : Multi-layer

Angle of view : 34.45 - 12.42 degrees

Min. Focus distance : 1.0m (3.3ft)

Macro ratio : 1: 3.57

Zooming system : Rotary zoom

Aperture blades : 9

Filter size : 67mm

Width x Length : 82 x 167.5mm

Weight : 1055g with hood (actual measured weight)

SPECIFICATIONS

COMPACT Review Olympus Tough TG-3


` 27,990

A Hiker’s Buddy Sujith Gopinath

Tough or weather-proof cameras could be treated as specialist equipment, similar

to various camping equipment. Th ese cameras are constructed to survive in extreme conditions and ‘safely’ bring back precious images you shoot. Th e Olympus TG-3 is an upgrade to the TG-2 that we reviewed last year. Th e TG-2 thoroughly impressed us, and now it is time for the 16-megapixel TG-3 to prove its mettle.

Design and Build QualityTh e ‘Tough’ designation of the TG-3 speaks volumes about the build quality of the camera. We have tested the TG-2 in the past, and have found it extremely resistant to rough handling (yes, we do actually drop, dip, and stamp on the camera to see if it lives up to the promises). Th e TG-3 is no diff erent. Th e camera has an engineering plastic exterior, but a metal plate is attached to the front to

minimise impact. Similarly, the LCD is shielded with a thick transparent plastic layer. All slots are covered by double-locking mechanism that make them impermeable to liquids. Th e device is water-proof up to 15m (IPX8 standards). It is also dust-proof (IPX6 standards), shockproof up to a drop from 2.1m height, crush-proof up to 100kgf, and freeze-proof up to -10°C. Th e camera has a plastic tripod receptacle, but since it is not very heavy, we wouldn’t complain.

Key FeaturesOlympus has not provided many details in the camera’s ‘detailed’ specifi cations, but we will attempt to list down the most important ones here. Th e Tough TG-3 sports 16 million pixels, up from 12 million in the TG2. We believe that the sensor is a 1/2.3-inch (6.60 x 8.80 mm) one. All we know is that

✓ Olympus Tough TG-3 camera ✓ Li-ion battery ✓ Battery charger ✓ Power cord ✓ CD-ROM ✓ Wrist strap ✓ Manual ✓ Warranty card

Inside the Box


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COMPACT Review Olympus Tough TG-3


Microscope. Th e Art Filters provides seven diff erent types of fi lters for creative eff ects. In Photo Story, you can combine images with various fun templates. Microscope is the name for Super Macro mode, which allows you to focus very close to the subject. Scene modes include Portrait, e-Portrait (Smooth skin-tone to view on HDTV), Landscape, Interval Shooting, Hand-held Starlight, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Sport, Indoor, Self Portrait, Sunset, Fireworks, Cuisine, Documents, Beach and Snow, Underwater Snapshot, Underwater Wide 1, Underwater Wide 2, Underwater Macro, Snow, Panorama, and Back-lit HDR. Th e TG2 featured only selectable fi xed apertures, and hence the inclusion of Aperture Priority mode is a good move.

Th e camera features GPS and Electronic Compass along with built--in Wi-Fi. Th e GPS function on the TG-3 is compatible with GLONASS (Russian satellite navigation system) and QZSS (Japanese regional satellite

it is a back-lit CMOS sensor. Th e camera features mechanical (sensor-shift ) image stabilisation. Th e sensor is supported by a TruePic VII image processor. Th e camera off ers a focal length equivalent to 25-100 mm. Th e lens has a folded optics design, which allows it to maintain the same length while zooming and focussing. It includes DSA (Dual Super Aspherical), HR (High Refractive Index), and Aspherical lens elements. Th e aperture ranges from f/2 to 8 at the wide-angle end and f/4.9 to 18 at the telephoto end. In Normal mode, it focusses from 10 cm to infi nity, while in Super Macro mode, it can focus as close as 1cm. Th e TG-3 uses a 3.0-inch, approximately 460,000 dot LCD. ISO sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 6400. Shutter speed ranges from 4 to 1/2000 sec.

Shooting modes available are iAuto, P, Custom, Photo Story, Art, A (Aperture Priority), SCN, and

ISO 200

ISO 800

ISO 3200

ISO 400

ISO 16 00

ISO 6400

NOISE

navigation system) for improved positioning accuracy.

Th e TG-3 can capture HD movies, High-Speed Movies, and Time Lapse Movies. High-speed movies can be captured at 120 fps, up to a top speed

Mahesh Reddy

SharpnessAperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/25sec. ISO:100


of 240 fps. This can be played back in normal speed to get detailed view of high-speed action. Please note that the movie size drops down to 640 x 480 at 120 fps and 320 x 240 at 240 fps. HD videos can be recorded at 1080p (1920 x 1080). Still images are recorded in JPEG format, while videos are recorded in MOV/H.264 or AVI/Motion JPEG standard. The camera has an internal memory of 36MB, and accepts an SD/SDHC/SDXC card for external storage (UHS-I supported). The camera weighs 247g including battery and card, and has dimensions of 111.5 x 65.9 x 31.2mm.

ErgonomicsThe Olympus TG-3 is comfortable to use. It has a rubber grip in the front and a textured plastic thumb rest. Though the controls are small, they are easy to use. The double locks make it a little slow to change the memory card or take out the battery, but these locks are very much needed in a waterproof camera. The menu is easily comprehensible and images appeared crisp on the LCD.

PerformanceThe Olympus TG-3 provided mixed results in our tests. If you consider its positioning as a tough all-weather camera that can withstand all harsh situations, the camera performs very well. We did not notice any water ingress after the camera was kept in a tank of about 5ft water for 15 min. It also withstood a drop from a few feet on to a hard surface.

Effective pixels : 16 Million

Removable memory : SD/SDHC/SDXC Card (UHS-I Supported)

Internal memory : 36MB

Lens focal length : 25-100mm equivalent

iHS : Yes

Focus range : Normal: W/T: 10cm to infinity

Super macro: 1 to 10cm f=5.5-18.0mm

Monitor : 3.0 Inch, approx. 460,000 dot LCD

ISO sensitivity : ISO 100 to 6400

Art filters : Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light, Grainy Film, Pin Hole,

Diorama, Dramatic Tone

Body in panorama : Yes

Photo Story : Standard, Speed, Fun Frames

Image stabilizer : CMOS Shift

AF mode : Face Detect iESP/Spot/tracking

AF Tracking : Yes

Face Detection : Yes (up to 8)

Movie Recording Format : MOV/H.264, AVI/Motion Jpeg

Best Movie recording size : 1080p (1920x1080)

Battery : LI-92B Li-ion battery

HDMI : Yes(TypeD)

GPS : Yes

Waterproof (Class) : 15m/50ft: JISC0920/IEC60529 IPX8

Dustproof (Class) : JISC0920/IEC60529 IP6X

Freezeproof : -10°C

Crushproof : 100kgf

Shockproof : 2.1m/7ft

Dimensions : 111.5x65.9x31.2 mm

Weight : 247 g (Including batteries/card)

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

The Olympus TG-3 is one of the most rugged compact cameras in the market today. This would be your perfect companion for adventure trips and casual outings with friends and family. The TG-3 may not provide you professional quality images, but will stand the test of time and last comparatively longer even when subjected to extreme conditions.

VERDICT

80%FINAL SCORE

Design and Build Quality 19/20

Key Features 17/20

Ergonomics 17/20

Performance

Autofocus 4/5

Metering 4/5

Noise Control 2.5/5

Sharpness 2.5/5

LCD/EVF 4/5

Auto W/B 3/5

Sub-Total 20/30


PLUS• Rugged construction• Water-proof• Freeze-proof• Crush-proof• Dust-proof• Shock-proof

MINUS• Rather poor noise-control• Optical performance needs improvement

Coming to the image quality, AF was fast and precise, and it did not have any problem locking on to the subject even under low light. Images appeared reasonably sharp, though we did not compare it to any other camera. Metering worked as expected. The TG-3 produced slight barrel distortion up to about 50mm equivalent focal length. Slight darkening was observed at the corners at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open, though we wouldn’t consider this a major problem. Auto White Balance performed well under natural light. Though it left distinct cast under artificial light, this could be corrected easily in post-processing.

The lens produced prominent flare and chromatic aberration in strong against-the-light images at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open. Native image size was 15.36 x 11.52 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent of the screen size, images were free of noise up to ISO 1600, but all images were perfectly usable. Viewed at 50 percent, we observed noise from ISO 400 onwards, but the images were usable up to ISO 3200. At 100 percent, all images showed some noise, but we wouldn’t hesitate to use it till to ISO 200.

Value for MoneyThe Olympus TG-3 retails at an MRP of Rs.27,990. The rugged construction and fool-proof weather-shielding makes it a competitive price.

LENS REVIEW Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO


Gem from Mount Olympus!

Olympus PRO-series lenses have been extremely versatile with their rugged

metal construction, superior optical performance and compact footprint that Micro Four Th irds standard demands. Th e M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO joins the 12-40mm f/2.8 in this series to provide a complete range of professional grade lenses along with the Premium series that feature the prime

help the lens to provide superior image quality by eliminating optical aberrations. Th e lens elements are coated with ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Refl ection Optical) coating to eliminate ghosts and fl ares caused due to internal refl ections. Th e lens does not feature Optical Image Stabilisation since Olympus uses in-body Sensor-shift type Image Stabilisation, which makes any lens an image-stabilised lens.

Th e 40-150mm lens features an inner focusing system that allows it to maintain the same length while focussing and zooming. Focussing is done internally, and the front element of the lens does not rotate. Th is also eff ects minimal change in centre of gravity (or the weight balance) of the lens while focussing and zooming, making it easier to handle the lens. As if this is not enough, the lens uses a fl oating focus system with a dual Voice Coil Motor (VCM) which, Olympus claims, is the world’s fi rst dual VCM focussing system. Th is method involves two lens groups moving simultaneously with the help of two linear motors. Th is results in faster focus, especially while shooting close-ups. Th is is useful even in movie mode.

Th e M.Zuiko 40-150mm can focus as close as 70cm from the imaging sensor at all zoom ranges. Th e lens provides an angle of view of 30 to 8.2 degrees and a maximum magnifi cation of 0.21x (0.42x equivalent). It features a circular aperture diaphragm with 9 blades. Th e lens has a fi lter size of 72mm (dia). It weighs 760g and has dimensions of 79.4 (dia) x 160mm.

ErgonomicsTh e Olympus 40-150mm lens is very comfortable to hold and use, especially

✓ M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens

✓ Lens Cap ✓ Lens Rear Cap ✓ Lens Hood ✓ Lens Case ✓ Instruction Manual

Inside the Box

` 105,000

lenses. Here we put to test the 40-150 f/2.8 PRO.

Design and Build QualityTh e Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 40-150mm lens is professionally built with a rugged metal exterior. Like all Micro Four Th irds lenses, this one is compact and lightweight compared to the Full Frame and APS-C lenses of comparable specs. Th e dedicated lens hood (supplied) has a lock mechanism that allows you to slide and retract the hood while attached to the lens. For this, you need to twist a ring on the hood and

pull it towards the base of the lens. Th is is very useful

since the normal hoods need to be mounted in reverse when not in use. Th e lens has special sealing that makes it dust, splash and freeze-

proof. Olympus provides a metal

tripod collar along with the lens.

Key FeaturesTh e M.Zuiko 40-150mm lens provides a 35mm equivalent focal length of 80 to 300mm and has widest aperture of f/2.8 throughout the zoom range. Th is is a very useful focal length for wildlife and sports photography, especially with Olympus’ optional 1.4x tele converter, which makes the tele end 420mm with a maximum aperture of f/4. Th e minimum aperture is f/22. Th e lens is constructed with 16 elements in 10 groups including one aspherical ED (Extra-low Dispersion), two aspherical, one SED, three ED, and one HD (High Defi nition). Th ese special elements

Sujith Gopinath


Aperture: f/3.2 Shutter Speed: 1/500sec ISO: 400

Mah

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with professional models such as OM-D E-M1 and E-M5. The compact and lightweight lens is easy to carry around the whole day, and I would certainly prefer to carry this on long trips in place of heavy equivalent full-frame lenses. The lens has a manual focus clutch that allows you to instantly switch between auto and manual focusing. This is quite useful when you need quick fine-tuning without taking your eyes off the subject. The lens has an L-Fn button, which can be assigned various functions through the camera menu and thus serves as a quick access function button. Overall,

Olympus has made the lens keeping user-comfort in mind.

PerformanceThe Olympus 40-150mm PRO lens performed like a true professional on our test bench. Autofocus was fast and precise on the E-M1 body that Olympus had provided. We observed very minimal darkening of corners at f/2.8 at the wide-angle end in our test images of a uniformly illuminated wall, though this was not detectable in other images. We noticed flare in very strong against-the-light shots along with a tinge

86%Design and Build Quality 19/20

Key Features 18/20

Ergonomics 18/20

Performance

Autofocus 4/5

Sharpness 4/5

Distortion Control 5/5

Aberrations 3.5/5

Darkening 3.5/5 of Corners

Extra Features 4/5

Sub-Total 24/30


FINAL SCORE

Olympus PRO series Micro Four Thirds lenses have been top-notch in their construction and performance. Olympus has done a great job once again, crafting the 40-150 PRO to perfection. It is near-perfect in build quality, features and performance. Need we say more? Best Buy indeed!

VERDICT

PLUS• Excellent build quality• Compact and Lightweight • MF Clutch system• Innovative Lens Hood• Function button on lens• Great performance

MINUS• None that we care about

Focal Length : 40-150mm (35mm Equivalent Focal

Length 80-300mm)

Lens Construction : 16 elements in 10 groups (1 aspherical ED,

2 aspherical, 1 SED, 3 ED , 1 HD)

Dust and Drip Proof : Yes

Focusing System : High-speed Imager AF (MSC) - Linear

Motor Drive System

Angle of View : 30 - 8.2 Degree

Closest Focusing Distance : 70 cm

Maximum Magnification : 0.21x (35mm Equivalent Max. Image

Magnification 0.42x)

Maximum Field Size : 82 x 62 mm

Number of Blades : 9 (Circular Aperture Diaphragm)

Maximum Aperture : f/2.8

Minimum Aperture : f/22

Filter Size : Diameter 72mm

Dimensions : Diameter 79.4x160mm

Weight : 760g

SPECIFICATIONS

of purple fringing (again, only a blink-and-miss appearance).

Images were very sharp with the sweet-spot at f/4 throughout the zoom range. Even at f/2.8, the images retained a high level of sharpness. This is highly desirable, particularly because this lens is very useful for wildlife and sports photography, where faster shutter speeds and shallow depth-of-field are the norm. The lens did not produce any perceptible distortion.

Value for MoneyThe Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO retails at an MRP of Rs.105,000. It is also available along with 1.4x teleconverter, in a kit form at an MRP of Rs.119,000. This is a very competitive price for this lens.

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TIDBITS TIDBITS

PC-FLASH CONNECTORS

The name is misleading because it has nothing to do with personal computers.

The PC-flash connector actually predates the advent of the personal computer by decades. PC stands for Prontor Compur and refers to the Prontor Compur Shutterworks in Germany where the connector was first developed. The PC-flash connector was invented by Gouthier and Deckle who were German leaf shutter manufacturers. (At one time, both Gouthier and Deckle were owned by Zeiss Ikon).

The idea was to connect an external flash to the shutter in a standardized manner in order that the shutter could synchronize with the flash reliably. The connector is, in effect a 3.5mm co-axial socket.

This socket is normally covered with a small plastic cover that needs to be removed when a flash unit’s link is attached to the socket. The Exakta was the first camera to be equipped with a PC-flash connector.

The PC-flash connector dates back to the day of leaf shutters. In those days, the leaf shutter had to be fully opened before the flash could be used. The connector has survived the transformation to focal plane and electronic shutters and today most pro and semi-pro cameras continue to feature a PC-flash connector. The PC-flash connector can also be connected to studio flash units and is therefore a versatile and inexpensive feature in a D-SLR camera.

The down side with a PC-flash connector arises if the connector gets worn out. Secondly, the plug and lead connecting to the flash should be of good quality to ensure consistent results. Thirdly, the plastic cap covering the PC-flash connector can be easily removed and lost.

With wireless flash systems becoming widespread, it appears that the days of the PC-flash connector are numbered. However, there are thousands of cameras and flash systems out in the market which need a flash connector and therefore this feature will continue to provide camera users a convenient, simple and cheap way to illuminate images.

H. S. Billimoria
