HOW TO TAKE PERFECT

PORTRAITS

FULL
TEP.7S5 T

GET MORE! SPEND LESS!

CAMERAS
LENSES
SOFTWARE
LIGHTING
STORAGE P.60

TOKINA 12-28mm
TESTED f/4 AT-X PRO

OLYMPUS PEN E-P5 TESTED FUJIFILM

55-200mm
Powerful 16.1MP PENTAX K-50 f/3.5-4.8
Micro Four Thirds Tough all-weather
in a pint-size 16.3MP DSLR with a
metal body shocking low price
Finding Portlandia P.44 Cool Bubble Tricks P.46 How to Get Infrared P.52 Portraits of a City P.22 New Look for Florals P.54
PROMOTION

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net

Invited
You’ re
A Weekend of Food & Photography
Join Popular Photography and SAVEUR, together with Sony,
on an unprecedented weekend that blends the worlds of travel,
photography and food. What better backdrop for this tantalizing
combination than Charleston, a city renowned for its picturesque
charm and culinary character?

Working alongside notable chefs, pro photographer Landon Nordeman,

and Sony Artisan of Imagery Andy Katz, you will enjoy a true hands-on
experience both behind the lens and at the prep station. With your
camera at the ready and these pros at your side for guidance,
travel from a meet-and-greet cocktail with a SAVEUR editor, to a
private session with a local chef, and on to visit some of the city’s
most historic and photogenic hot spots.

Save the date!

NOVEMBER 15-17, 2013

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Cost $1,499 - Includes a Sony NEX-3N camera (a $499.99 value), all the weekend’s events:
meet-and-greets, presentations, hands-on instruction, tour, meals (two dinners, one lunch
and one brunch), entrance fees, and transportation to each location during the event.
Space is limited. Reserve your spot today.

For the complete itinerary, additional information or to register, visit

imagingedge.com/workshops or call 888-647-2235

In partnership with

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
READERS’
2013photo 20th Annual contESt
The 20th Annual Popular Photography Photo Contest
gives photographers the opportunity to win prizes and
have their work recognized in the January 2014 issue of
Popular Photography, the largest photo magazine in the
world, as well as on our website, PopPhoto.com.

categories
• ACTION/SPORTS • LANDSCAPe/NATuRe
• ANIMALS • OBJeCTS/STILL LIFe
• CITIeS/ARChITeCTuRe • PeOPLe
• PeOPLe’S ChOICe - PopPhoto readers will vote for their
favorite image! All entrants will automatically be entered
in this category.

Submissions
The competition is open to work produced from June
2012 —October 2013. All submitted artwork should be of
reproduction quality.

ENTRY FEE: $10

DEADLINE: October 20, 2013

Credits (clockwise): MB Birdy, Ben Goode, Jacom Stephens, Jasmina007, Kent Weakley

For a complete set of contest rules, prizes or to enter,

please visit: www.PopPhoto.com/readerscontest2013
The Readers’ Contest, sponsored by Popular Photography magazine, a publication of Bonnier Corporation, is open only to individuals who are sixteen
(16) years or older at time of entry, excluding residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the province of Quebec, Sudan, Syria, and any other jurisdiction
WorldMags.net
where this contest is prohibited by law. To enter and for complete Offcial Rules, visit http://www.popphoto.com/readerscontest2013 between May 13,
2013 and October 20, 2013.
 WorldMags.net

How to maKe Great pictures september 2013 voLume 77, no. 9

FEATURES
60 the year’s
best deals
all photographers
love the idea of
better gear for
less, and our
bargain roundup
presents over
two dozen
budget-priced
deals to
die for.
By Dan
Richards

54 into the
mystic with rich color,
shallow focus, intimate
compositions, and graphic
power, magda wasiczek has
discovered a new approach
to capturing an ancient
subject: flowers.
By Peter Kolonia

68 effortless
portraits
seasoned pro George Lange
combines emotional truth
and quirky spontaneity
in portraits that are as
winning as they are unique.
By Debbie Grossman
POPPHOTO.COM WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
11 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MiRiAM LEuChtER
ART DIRECTOR Jason Beckstead

28
SENIOR EDITOR Peter Kolonia
SENIOR EDITOR Dan Richards
FEATURES EDITOR Debbie Grossman
TECHNICAL EDITOR Philip Ryan
TECHNOLOGY MANAGER Julia Silber
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matthew ismael Ruiz
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Linzee Lichtman
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Jae Segarra
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Laurence Chen, tim Fitzharris,
Lori Fredrickson, ian Plant, Jeff Wignall
POPPHOTO.COM EDITOR Stan horaczek
ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Dan Bracaglia

46
INTERNS Ashley Durkin, Adam Griffith, Justin Lai
IN MEMORIAM herbert Keppler

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ERiC zinCzEnKO

bonnier tecHnoLoGY Group
next 42 tips & tricks Train your eye
to see and capture abstract subjects.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sam Syed
ART DIRECTOR todd Detwiler

11 we want this Fujifilm’s

PHOTO EDITOR thomas Payne
MANAGING EDITOR Jill C. Shomer

MAgdA wASiCzEk (FlOwERS). NEwSSTANd COvER: MAgdA wASiCzEk. THiS PAgE: kHANT zAw (lANdSCAPE); SATOSHi (BuBBlES). PREviOuS PAgE: SATOSHi (lENS, CAMERA, ANd ligHT);
X-series cameras ramp up the allure. 44 traveling ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER AnthOnY M. RuOtOLO (212-779-5481)
photographer See what’s so CHIEF MARkETING OFFICER Elizabeth Burnham Murphy
12 just out New Sony and Pentax VP, INTEGRATED CORPORATE SALES & MARkETING John Driscoll

compacts, a bargain ultrawide, and more.
16 state of the art Studio
lights that adjust output by themselves.
18 closer look Revolutionary
Canon packs two photodiodes per pixel.
NEwSSTANd COvER: SATOSHi (PENTAX); BRuCE FORSTER (lANdSCAPE); SATOSHi (BuBBlES); NATHAN HAYAg PHOTOgRAPHY/gETTY iMAgES (iNFRAREd); JOHN dElANEY (MAN);
cool about photogenic Portland, OR. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, MARkETING Michael Gallic
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR tara Bisciello
46 lighting Master the art of PHOTO AND TRAVEL MANAGER Sara Schiano Flynn
lighting just the edges of your subjects. nortHeast advertisinG oFFice David Ginsberg, Shawn Lindeman,
Frank McCaffrey, Chip Parham
AD ASSISTANT Amanda Smyth
48 software workshop midwest MANAGERS Doug Leipprandt, Carl Benson
Try the power of Alien Skin Exposure 5.
AD ASSISTANTS Kelsie Phillippo, Mojdeh zarrinnal
west coast account MANAGER Bob Meth
AD ASSISTANT Sam Miller-Christiansen
52 you can do it Add surreal detroit MANAGERS Edward A. Bartley, Jeff Roberge

share
AD ASSISTANT Diane Pahl
special effects sans computer. ADVERTISING COORDINATOR irene Reyes Coles
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, DIGITAL Alexis Costa

21 photo challenge He
lab
DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Rochelle Rodriguez
DIGITAL CAMPAIGN MANAGERS Ed Liriano, Wilber Perez
turns the world on its head...and wins. DIGITAL MANAGER Elizabeth Besada

75 dslr test pentax k-50 A bit

SENIOR DIGITAL COORDINATORS Maureen O'Donoghue, Stephanie hipp
DIGITAL PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Linda Gomez
22 my project A nostalgic look noisy and slow-focusing, but its affordable GROUP SALES DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Alex Garcia
at one town’s mom-and-pop shops. SENIOR SALES DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Amanda Gastelum
price and weather-sealing really rock. SALES DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS Anna Armienti, Kate Gregory, Perkins Lyne, Kelly Martin
MARkETING DESIGN DIRECTORS Jonathan Berger, ingrid Reslmaier
24 i, photographer She 82 ilc test olympus pen e-p5 MARkETING DESIGNER Lori Christiansen
ONLINE PRODUCER Steve Gianaca
goes deep with every picture she takes. Not the highest res, but highly satisfying. GROUP EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Beth hetrick
EVENTS DIRECTOR Michelle Cast
26 letters Your thoughts on 86 lens test fujifilm xf 55– EVENTS MANAGERS Erica Johnson, Benny Migliorino
EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS MANAGER Eshonda Caraway-Evans
window lighting, viewfinders, and more. 200mm f/3.5–4.8 r lm ois The CONSUMER MARkETING DIRECTOR Bob Cohn
longest Fujinon is nearly distortion free. SINGLE-COPY SALES DIRECTOR Vicki Weston
28 your best shot Our PUBLICITY MANAGER Caroline Andoscia (caroline@andoscia.com)
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR Kim Putman
winners take the tele approach to scenics. 88 lens test tokina at-x 12– PRODUCTION MANAGER Betty Dong
28mm f/4 pro dx No vignetting, great GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Laurel Kurnides
33 tech talk The scoop on distortion control, and priced to move.
wireless flash triggers. This producT
is from susTainably

how Don’t Miss . . . managed foresTs

and conTrolled
sources.
MAgdA wASiCzEk (FlOwERS); gEORgE lANgE (PORTRAiTS).

39 creative thinking Ask 6 editor’s letter

subjects to say anything but “cheese.” 8 showcase
98 time exposure
40 fix it fast Explore these tricks 104 backstory CHAIRMAN Jonas Bonnier
for reviving faded photographs. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dave Freygang
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Eric zinczenko
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER David Ritchie
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Randall Koubek
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY (ISSN 1542-0337) (USPS 504-890), September 2013, Volume 77, Issue 09, is published CHIEF BRAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Sean holzman
VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARkETING Bruce Miller
monthly by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCTION Lisa Earlywine
additional mailing offices. Authorized periodicals postage by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, Canada, and VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Dean turcol
for payment in cash. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Popular Photography, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, GENERAL COUNSEL Jeremy thompson
FL 32142-0235; www.PopPhoto.com/cs. If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we
have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. Publications Mail Agreement No. For customer service and subscription questions,
40052054. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. SUBSCRIP- such as Renewals, Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status,
TION SERVICES: Visit www.PopPhoto.com/cs to manage your account 24/7 or call 1–386–246–0407. go to: popphoto.com/cs. You can also call 386-246-0407 or write to Popular
Photography, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235

4 popular photography SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM

 WorldMags.net

BLACK WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY?

Best-in-class highway fuel efciency and 7-passenger seating.*

And is better. The 2014 EXPLORER.
Only Ford gives you EcoBoost® fuel economy and a whole lot more. ford.com

*EPA-estimated rating of 20 city/28 hwy/23 combined mpg, available 2.0L FWD. Actual mileage will vary.
Class is Large Utilities, Non-Hybrid vs. 2013 competitors.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
editor’s letter

Embracing Limitations
I don’t always get the chance to practice what
I preach—nor report back on the experience.
But having made “A New Case for Compacts” in
this column in our July issue, I decided to take
a break from my interchangeable-lens cameras
during my summer vacation, and travel with
only a fxed-lens compact.
Not just any fxed-lens compact, though: I
brought along Sony’s new Cyber-shot RX1R,
a 24.3MP full-framer with a 35mm f/2 Carl Zeiss Sonar T* lens. The only
difference between it and the original RX1? The low-pass flter over the
sensor was removed for enhanced sharpness.
While an upcoming report from the Popular Photography Test Lab will
tell the full story, I can vouch for the images I shot—lots of fne detail, and
with none of the moiré that Sony warns may arise without a low-pass
flter to smooth it out. The camera was simply a joy to use—it felt great in
the hand and didn’t weigh me down, even after hours on the march. With
such a small, discreet camera, I could carry it in my hand, ready to shoot,
just about all the time (I always keep the strap wrapped around my wrist
to avoid dropping it). That’s the reason any large-sensor compact makes
such a good travel camera, and why even DSLR-loving pros are interested.
In my case, setting the aperture on a well-marked ring on the lens was
perfect for street shooting and candids of my friends. It let me preset the
RX1R without looking at the LCD or through the viewfnder (I’d also bor-
rowed an accessory electronic viewfnder, since the camera lacks a built-in
fnder). And being able to open up all the way to a true f/2 meant I could
get beautifully shallow focus and set a lower ISO than I would have been
able to with a slower lens.
Now if only my pictures lived up to the camera’s capabilities. At times,
I felt as if I were relearning the basics. Working with a single focal length,
with no choice of switching to a telephoto or going ultrawide, presents
challenges in composition and shooting strategy. I had to remind myself to
get physically closer to my subjects, repeating the old adage to “zoom with
your feet.” I quickly realized that some pictures weren’t worth trying to
get—architectural details, for instance. But least the RX1R’s ultra resolu-
tion will give me more freedom to crop when I fnally make time to edit.
The biggest lesson was, paradoxically, how liberating such limitations
can be. If I couldn’t get some obvious shots, I had to be more creative to get
something good—or simply put away the camera and enjoy living in the
moment. What a crazy idea!

NewsstaNd Pentax’s rugged and

bargain-priced K-50 comes in 120 color
combinations. Satoshi photographed it
looking red hot for our test on page 75.

subscriber Magda Wasiczek uses

selective focus and unexpected colors and
textures in the scene to turn gardens into
dreamscapes. See how on page 54.

WorldMags.net
6 popular photography SePTeMber 2013 POPPHOTO.COM
 WorldMags.net

At Canon, we see image-making
as a personal endeavor surrounded
by a vibrant, supportive community.
We’re here to help you develop
your skills, build your network and
fuel your inspiration.
SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS: With Canon Live Learning, receive top-
level instruction, gain technical knowledge and check out the latest
EOS gear first hand. Our intimate seminars and workshops are held
in a number of locations across the country. Visit us online for fees,
dates and locations.
CANON AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: The Canon Digital Learning Center
is a free online resource for enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Instructional content includes tutorials, downloadable guides and
interviews with the pros.

USA.CANON.COM/EDUCATION
©2013 Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon and EOS are registered trademarks of
Canon Inc. in the United States. All rights reserved.
WorldMags.net
 SHOWCASE *WorldMags.net
olyMpuS pEN E-p5

BACKYARD SPARKLER
Dan Bracaglia, our assistant Web editor,
shot this at a family barbecue using the
olympus pen E-p5; exposure, 1/800 sec
at f/4, ISo 2500. the lens? a 12–35mm
DAN BRACAGLIA

f/2.8 panasonic lumix g X Vario, zoomed to

23mm (46mm equivalent). he added some
contrast in adobe photoshop lightroom 4.
See our test of the Pen E-P5 on page 82.

8 popular photography SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM popular photography 9

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
WE WANT THIS
BABY X
THE BAR for entry into Fujifilm’s
X-series just got a bit lower.
Following up on the X-Pro1
and X-E1 interchangeable-lens
compacts, the new X-M1 ditches
the eye-level viewfinder for a
smaller (4.6x2.6x1.5 inches) and
less expensive body ($700, street).
Although the 16.3MP APS-C
POPPHOTO.COM
SONY’S RX100 COMPACT, PART DEUX
12
HIGH-TECH AUTOMATED STUDIO LIGHTS
16
NEW CANON SENSOR DOUBLES THE DIODES
18
Fujifilm’s X-series gets
a new kid brother
X-Trans sensor is the same as in The X-M1 debuts with two
FUJIFILM
X-M1
the X-E1, this new camera logs a complementary lenses; a
few firsts for the series: built-in 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 XC OIS stabi- 16.3MP APS-C
X-Trans sensor
Wi-Fi, a movie record button, lized zoom (bundled as a kit with Built-in Wi-Fi
and a tilting, 3-inch, 920,000- the camera), and a 27mm f/2.8 $699, street;
dot LCD with focus peaking. It XC. Less than an inch thick, this $799 with
also sports a 49-point autofocus pancake lens (a 41mm full-frame 16–50mm
f/3.5–5.6 XC
system, 1/4000 sec top shutter equivalent) is well suited to the OIS lens
speed, and a top ISO of 25,600. slim new entry-level model. fujifilmusa.com
WorldMags.net SEPTEMBER 2013 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 11
 NEXT * JUST OUT
WorldMags.net

TAKE
TWO
Sony’s updated RX100
From
the
INSIDE TECH

gets a boost in pixel size

Back-
WHEN WE first tried out the
Cyber-shot RX100, Sony’s first
compact camera with a 1-inch
side
The RX100 II’s
sensor, we were amazed at the
depth of field and sensitivity
The RX100
II sports the
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II new 1-inch sensor
afforded by its relatively larger same Carl $750, estimated street is the largest back-
imager. With the new RX100 II,
Zeiss T* sonydigitalimaging.com side illuminated
28–100mm
Sony manages to get even more (equivalent) Multi-Interface Shoe lets you (BSI) CMOS on the
light out of the same real estate f/1.8–4.9 add optional accessories such as market to date. BSI
zoom
by switching to a back-side lens as its an electronic viewfinder, clip-on sensors are built
illuminated (BSI) architecture predecessor. LCD monitor, or a more powerful with their circuitry
(see Inside Tech at right). Its T* coating external flash like Sony’s recently
helps reduce on the back, rather
While the new 20MP CMOS announced HVL-F43M ($400,
sensor should pull in more light
flare and
street) with its built-in constant
than the front. The
ghosting.
than its predecessor, Sony also LED light for video shooting.
extra room means
added a few other ancillary bells For those photographers who larger pixels can be
and whistles to this update. like to think in standard focal used, yielding lower
Built-in Wi-Fi and Near Field length equivalents, you can set noise at higher
Communiction (NFC) chips allow the RX100 II to zoom in steps: ISOs and better
for convenient connectivity When activated, the front zoom overall low-light
to compatible smartphones ring selects among 28-, 35-, 50-, performance.
and computers, and the new 70-, and 100mm equivalents.

MANY A wide-angle that mounts

on almost any camera
Rokinon 16mm f/2
$479, street

MOUNTS
rokinon.com
ROKINON, THE U.S. brand name
for optics manufacturer Samyang, 77mm filters as well as an > Thanks to
the new Mark
has released a string of fast, included petal-style hood. Roberts Motion
manually focusing prime lenses in The eight-blade aperture Control robot,
the recent past. This new 16mm diaphragm opens from f/2 to photographer
f/2 lens is the latest, and with f/22, and the 16mm equates Bob Martin was
able to capture
10 different mounts available, to 24mm on APS-C bodies and
images at
it’s likely the most compatible. 32mm on Four Thirds. And Wimbledon from
Housing 13 elements in 11 groups, we weren’t kidding about the the stadium’s
the lens has one element of compatibility: It’s available in roof. The system
extra-low dispersion glass, as Canon EF and M, Nikon F, Sony comprises an
MRMC SFH-30
well as one glass and one hybrid A and E, Pentax K, Fujiifilm X, swivel head and
aspherical element. It sports Samsung NX, and Micro Four a Nikon D4.
Rokinon’s anti-reflective UMC Thirds and Four Thirds mounts
coating to fight flare, and accepts for Olympus and Panasonic.
12 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM
 WorldMags.net

Your shoots aren’t always as If you shoot pro portraits like James Day, you know that capturing an
incredible image is often less glamorous than the fnished work. That’s
spectacular as your prints.
why you deserve fnal prints that stay true to your original vision. With a
Canon PIXMA PRO-100 professional inkjet printer, you can count on a
level of quality worthy of your efforts. All backed by Canon’s commitment
to provide professionals with fast, high quality service you can depend on.
Exactly As You Envisioned.

Learn more about PIXMA PRO printers at usa.canon.com/pixmapro

WorldMags.net
Simulated images. © 2013 Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon and PIXMA are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States and may be trademarks or registered trademarks in other countries.
 NEXT * JUST OUT
WorldMags.net

> Chilean
documentarian
Camilo José

Filter This
Vergara
was given
a National
Humanities
Medal from
DxO Film Pack 4
President Film may be on its last
Obama—
Customizable in 120 different the first
breath, but its tones,
The tiniest ILC gets a texture, and aesthetic
colors, the Q7 comes in a kit photographer
beefer backlit sensor ever to receive qualities are as hip as
with a 5–15mm f/2.8–4.5 “02 the honor.
PENTAX’S Q system is amongst standard zoom” lens; Pentax ever. DxO Film Pack 4
the world’s cutest, but the earlier also announced the release of > Want to ($49; www.dxo.com)
Q10’s tiny 1/2.3-inch sensor has an 11.5mm f/9 body-cap “Mount print your
serious drawbacks. The new Q7 Shield” lens, which streets at $80.
own SLR? can recreate the colors
seeks to alleviate them with a The larger sensor means new
Léo Marius,
a 24-year-old
and grain of more than
brand-new 1/1.7-inch 12.4MP equivalent focal lengths for French student, 60 analog films—like
back-side illuminated CMOS Q lenses; the 8.5mm f/1.9 “01 created a fully
functional
the famously extinct
sensor. Its larger pixels mean the standard prime” lens becomes a Kodachrome 64—on
3D-printed
Q7 should produce less noise at 39mm, and the standard (02) and
high ISOs than its predecessor. telephoto (03) zooms now equate
camera, your digital images.
making his
to traditional 24–70mm and instructions Used as a plug-in for
Pentax Q7 & 5–15mm f/2.8–4.5 lens 70–200mm ranges, suggesting available DxO’s Optics Pro,
$497, street online.
pentaximaging.com
that the Q system was always Apple Aperture, or
designed for this format. > Nokia has Adobe’s Photoshop
announced its
Lumia 1020 and Lightroom, the
smartphone, film pack can add

POCKET PIXI
a Windows
Phone device effects like frames
whose built-in and textures. such
camera boasts
a whopping scratches, spots, and
Manfrotto’s new palm- 41MP sensor. crumpled paper.
sized tripod for compacts A new Nokia
Camera Pro
THE PIXI, Manfrotto’s new app allows for
mini stainless-steel tripod, manual control
weighs barely half a pound over exposure
and focus.
and stands just 5 inches
THE LOWDOWN
tall unfolded. Its one- > The THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
button ballhead allows for quick load capacity of photography
It's too early to tell, but Sony may
adjustments, and its wedge- only 2.2 pounds, community
have taken the first step in radically
said farewell to
shaped legs form a convenient you’ll have Bert Stern, the
changing image sensor technology.
The company has filed patents
hand grip when closed. trouble supporting shooter behind that show plans for triangular and
It’s not quite a tank; with a any but the many celebrity hexagonally shaped pixels, arrayed in
smallest DSLRs—but portraits, most honeycomb-like patterns with cyan,
Manfrotto Pixi famously magenta, and yellow pixels in addition
this pint-sized tripod
$25, street Marilyn to RGB—a dramatic shift in sensor
is clearly aimed at ILC and Monroe’s “Last technology, possibly allowing for more
www.manfrotto.us compact camera owners. Sitting.” He pixels in the same 35mm frame.
was 83.
14 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM
 WorldMags.net

tipa award 2013

“Best Photo Lab Worldwide”

awarded by the editors of
28 leading photography magazines

157,000
satisfied customers

8,650
professionals rely on
WhiteWall

34 x
award winner
and Editor’s Choice

100%
satisfaction guaranteed

75 years
of brilliance –
original photo print

gallery prints mountings framed prints

LightJet and Lambda prints on On aluminum and under acrylic, Prints framed with passe-partouts, in Fine
Kodak and Fuji papers from $5.90 gallery quality from $12.90 ArtBoxes or shadow gap frames from $39.90

gallery grade for your photos

WorldMags.net WhiteWall.com
 WorldMags.net
next * state of the art toolbox

Day trip
Smart guy
The debut of self-
adjusting studio lights
> Giving both
snappers and
browsers the
option to post
Lowepro’s urban pack is
ready for your next sojourn
with itS easily customizable
interior and breathable straps,
public images Lowepro’s new Transit Backpack
we often describe studio on online AW350 ($120, street) is ideal for
lighting with words like forums, your next urban photo-walk.
Instagram
“bright” or “rugged.” Now, now assigns Weighing just 2.4 pounds, it's
we frequently find ourselves images with packed with pockets and holds
adding the word “smart.” an embed plenty of gear—the backpack
Quantum Instruments’ code that can hold a DSLR, two extra
automatically
most recent LED ringlights, the lenses, flashes, a 15-inch laptop,
includes the
Omicron OM3 and OM4 ($698 photographer’s and other accessories, as well
and $689, street), feature Auto handle on any as a compact tripod on an
Lighting Track (ALT). With the repost, helping exterior clip. Make room for a big
help of a built-in lightmeter, the brightening and dimming is to quash credit telephoto lens or transform it
battles.
ALT dims or brightens Omicron often subtle. ALT does, however, into a daypack
output as a subject moves noticeably expand a subject’s > Before you by simply
toward or away from the light. freedom of movement. duct-tape your switching
Because LED ringlight output A comparable system has GoPro to your around the
falls off rather rapidly, working evolved from a collaboration snorkel gear, padded
consider the
distances are fairly shallow, and between Phase One, the Danish Octomask, inserts. Plus,
maker of digital backs and a snorkeling the zippered
Quantum omicron oM 3 & 4 ringlights
image processing software, mask with side opening
$689 to $698, street a GoPro
and the Swedish lighting giant lets you get at
www.qtm.com mount on
Profoto. It requires a supported your camera
the forehead.
profoto pro-series power pack Canon or Nikon DSLR or a Streeting without
$1,000 and up Phase One digital back. This for $80, it putting the
www.profoto.com must be tethered to an Apple beats losing pack on the
computer running Phase your footage ground.
(and camera)
One’s Capture One Pro 2,000 leagues
7 software with the under the sea.

15
Profoto control plugin.
You’ll also need a > Phase One
has started
Profoto power pack
a leasing
with Wi-Fi control. program for
With these four photographers
elements in sync, as you to rent its high-
change the aperture or end camera
systems for Percentage of new cameras
ISO, the Capture One $379 a month. announced the first half of 2012
software automatically that have built-in Wi-Fi

33
instructs the Profoto > On the My
strobe(s) to brighten or Nikon World
dim output accordingly. Facebook
app, you can
While the Phase One/ compete
Profoto system has in photo
a limited audience, challenges,
it portends exciting upload
pictures, Percentage announced in the
things for the future first half of 2013 with Wi-Fi
and interact
of in-studio cross-talk with other
among devices. Nikonians. Source: Infotrends

16 popular photography SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM

 WorldMags.net
The moment a passion
becomes the love of your life.
This is the moment we work for.

// FASCINATION
MADE BY ZEISS

Touit 2.8/12 and Touit 1.8/32

Introducing the new ZEISS Touit lenses—for photographers who are passionate about their image
making. Designed for the Sony NEX and Fujifilm X Series cameras, these luxurious autofocus lenses
deliver the legendary precision and performance of ZEISS optics, for stunning images that go straight
to the heart.

www.zeiss.com/touitfascination
WorldMags.net
 next * closer looK
WorldMags.net
double take
Canon’s new approach to
AF on the imaging chip
When Canon recently
introduced its EOS 70D to
the press, what could have
been simply an update to the
popular but aging 60D turned
into an intriguing glimpse of
new sensor technology. Due
in stores in September, it may
not make much difference to
still photographers who use the
optical viewfinder (they’ll find
more to love elsewhere), but
video shooters—or anyone using
live view—are likely to benefit.
Besides upping the 70D’s pixel
count to 20.2MP from 18MP,
boosting the top ISO up a stop
to 25,600, and raising the burst
rate to 7 frames per second from
5.3, Canon doubled the number
of photodiodes in each pixel,
pairing them up in each one.
This allows the camera to use
phase-detection autofocus from
18 popular photography september 2013
each pixel site (though in this In phase-
detection
case phase detection covers just
AF, pairs of
the center 80% of the APS-C-sized photodiodes
frame) during live view and video compare the
capture; on most DSLRs, this type phase of the
light arriving
of AF is done by diverting some of at the AF
the incoming light from the lens sensor. This
to a second, dedicated AF sensor. tells the
camera how
Canon also kept its traditional far to move
AF system, but picked the one the lens
from the more expensive EOS elements
for a sharp
7D—19 AF points, all cross-type, shot. Canon
with the center one a dual-cross built this
when used with f/2.8 or faster capability
into the
lenses—a vast improvement over new image
the 60D’s 9-point system. sensor in
You’ll need this traditional AF the EOS
70D.
to track fast-moving subjects.
Because while the new Dual Pixel
CMOS AF on the sensor seems
to work well for most subjects,
Canon limited the speed with
which it drives the lens toward
focus to keep the focusing action
smooth and gradual for video
(for instance, to shift focus from
one subject to another within the
WorldMags.net
amateur pro
Canon eoS 70D
$1,199, street, body only
www.usa.canon.com
same shot). You won’t be able to
change the speed, though a Canon
rep speculated to us that focus
speed control might appear in
future generations of this nascent
AF system.
Other improvements? The fully
articulated, 3-inch, 1.04-million-dot
LCD now has touchscreen controls.
Built-in Wi-Fi offers the same
functionality we loved in the EOS
6D. Video capture includes the full
suite of H.264 recording in Canon’s
flagship EOS-1D X, allows for
capture at up to 1920x1080p30, and
the choice of ALL-I or IPB codecs.
The EOS 70D is available for pre-
sale at a street price of $1,199, body
only; in a kit with Canon’s EF-S
18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM lens it
goes for $1,349, and with an EF-S
18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM lens it
costs $1,549. —Philip Ryan
pOppHOtO.COm
 WorldMags.net

NOW EVERY
PHOTOGRAPHER
CAN GET
INTO HYBRID.

Photography by Lumix Luminary

Giulio Sciorio

Hybrid is changing photography.

These days, it’s all about the creative blending of photos and video. And with a Lumix G-Series
DSLM, everyone can easily get into it. Enthusiasts will like the built-in effects and autofocus
controls of the compact G6 for smooth, full-HD videos with simultaneous photo capture.
Professionals will like how the acclaimed GH3 expands their portfolios by integrating high-end
photos with the 1080/24p-Cini standard Full HD Video and Dolby Digital® Sound they need
to meet the demand for more multimedia content and eProducts. Like all Lumix G-Series
cameras, the G6 and GH3 come with easy, touch-LCD controls for creating and editing great
content on the fly. Now with more models to choose from, every photographer can get into
hybrid photography for fun or profit with a Lumix G-Series DSLM digital camera.
Set your creativity in motion with Lumix G-Series. The ultimate in hybrid photography.
Learn more at us.panasonic.com/hybrid
WorldMags.net
 PROMOTION

WorldMags.net
INSPIRATION FOUND!
Don’t miss out on this unique, one-day event to
fine-tune your skills and energize your imagination.
We provide models, sets, lighting, and a select group
of our pro photographers, so all you need is your
camera and your creativity. All skill levels welcome.
Half-day ($149) - Full-day ($199)
Full-day session includes a boudoir shoot and retouching class.

Phoenix Sep-7 | Los Angeles Oct-12 | New York Nov-24 | Atlanta Dec-7
© Jennifer Rozenbaum
OUR PROS

LINDSAY ADLER KEVIN AMES JESSICA LARK BENNY MIGLIORINO MARK REIS JENNIFER ROZENBAUM
Fashion Photographer Commercial/Portrait Boudoir Photographer Wedding/Portrait Photo Journalist Boudoir Photographer
Photographer Photographer

Enter one photo from each 2013 American Photo Model Shoot event you attend for a chance to win a
SIGMA DG 70-200mm F2.8 HSM/OS lens. The winning photo may be featured in an upcoming promotional ad!

REGISTER TODAY: Presenting Sponsor

AmericanPhotoModelShoot.com
1-888-243-6464
American Photo Model Shoot Come try out the new line of Sigma lenses
and Sigma SD1 Merrill DSLR camera!
Insta

@APMODELSHOOT WorldMags.net
 share
WorldMags.net Shooting the biggeSt digS

21
documenting old hoboken

22
your dramatic landScapeS

conversation, inspiration, contests, and your questions answered 28

photo challenge
Up is
down
A surreal subway exit tops
our image-flip challenge
if you’ve tried to capture New
York City’s iconic skyscrapers, all
the DSLR-toting tourists in mid-
town remind you that you’re not
alone. But when Manuel Cleofas,
51, a caregiver from Long Beach,
NY, decided he wanted a moody,
dramatic photo, he looked the
other way. To capture the unique
spirit of the Empire State Building,
he aimed not up towards the sky,
but down underground.
Noticing the tower’s refection
in a puddle at the bottom of a
subway stairwell, he aimed the kit
lens on his Canon EOS Rebel T3i
at the water, waiting for pedes-
trian traffc to subside. As soon
as he saw the tip of an umbrella,
he started shooting—this image
shows both the man’s feet and his
refection. Rotating the image 180
degrees, he gained new perspec-
tive, and won our challenge for
your best upside-down shots.
—Matthew Ismael Ruiz

In our profile of
george lange (page
48), he talks about
his light touch for
manuel CleOfas

portraits. Send us your best candids of family

and friends—you could win $100, and your
photo here. Rules: popphoto.com/contests.
pOppHOtO.COm WorldMags.net september 2013 popular photography 21
 share * my project WorldMags.net
Old World
Capturing a town’s
john delaney (6); otis Kriegel (headshot)
living history
Before he moved to Hoboken, NJ,
in 2007, John Delaney, now 50, had
little experience living in close-knit
communities—he’d spent most of
his career as a darkroom printer
in New York City. Immediately
fascinated by Hoboken’s historic
22 popular photography september 2013
businesses—butchers, bakers,
and comic book shops—he was
disappointed when many of them
closed soon after he found them.
“The economy was crashing, rents
were going up,” he says. “A lot of
these shops that had been here for
ages weren't surviving.”
Delaney’s photography work
was likewise in transition. He’d
WorldMags.net
had a successful darkroom
business, first as a master printer
for Richard Avedon—for whom John
Delaney
he'd worked as an assistant— lives in
then for such clients as Annie Hoboken
Leibovitz and Bruce Davidson. and works
in Brooklyn.
But the advent of digital led See more
him to a masters program in work at
digital printing at SVA. For his johndelaney
photo.com.
thesis project, now titled Hoboken
 WorldMags.net

Clockwise, Passing, he chose a subject close to quiet moments—learning some Delaney wrapped his thesis
from left: home. “I wanted to celebrate the interesting tales along the way. project in the spring of 2012. A
Giovanni
survivors who are making their At Dom’s Bakery, owned by few months later, Hoboken was
D’Italia Shoe
Repair; way through the recession.” Dom Castellito, he heard that dealt a new blow: Hurricane
Antique This also gave him a way to Hoboken native Frank Sinatra had Sandy. Many shops suffered
Bakery;
know his new community better. been such a fan of its bread that damage and some, including
Schnacken-
burg’s The shop owners he met were all supplies were regularly flown to Chickie’s, remain closed, unlikely
Luncheon- thrilled to hear about the project. him in Hollywood. At Chickie's to reopen. This makes his project
ette;
Delaney would usually take Luncheonette, a local news depot all the more dear to Delaney, and
Piccolo’s
Clam Bar; a few test shots with his Canon for 30 years, he got the scoop on he plans to keep working on it.
Babylon EOS 5D Mark II at each location, more recent events. He had to “These communities are a part of
Comics;
then return with his Elinchrom put one shoot there on hold so the city’s identity,” he says. “And
Giorgio
Pasticcerie Ranger Quadra lights for a that a Hoboken police officer, who each time one of the older spots
Italian scheduled session. To avoid refused to be photographed, could closes down, you lose part of that
disrupting business, he shot in the dine at his regular spot. history.” —Lori Fredrickson

WorldMags.net popphoto.Com popular photography 23

 WorldMags.net
share * I, PHOTOGRAPHER
Tunnel Lover
Documenting big
construction jobs
how did you start shooting
construction sites? I started
taking photos of a tunnel project
in Portland, OR, as part of our
construction work. Originally,
the photos were for internal
use. Then the City of Portland
hired me to document other
construction. I have since
photographed projects for
my current employer, Jacobs
Associates, and other clients.
It varies, but I visit about 15
to 20 sites per year. Although
Jacobs Associates values my
photography skills, engineering
geologist is my prime occupation.
What kind of access do you
get on a tunnel project?
Generally, I have access to
the entire site. The possible
exceptions are the front of the
tunnel-boring machine and
Leah Nash
where they are blasting. I climb
tower cranes—where I walk
24 popular photography sePTeMber 2013
out to the end of the boom to
photograph straight down—
ride up crane-lifted man baskets
to hang over a site, and have
shot from a small helicopter
turned sideways to get a better
vertical shot. I love heights.
The best shots are where you’re
not supposed to be!
What kind of safety training
do you need? On every job site,
there’s hours of orientation for
hand signals and emergency
response, like in case oxygen
levels drop. I usually have a guide
accompany me and make sure
nothing runs over me while I’m
looking through the viewfinder.
I have slipped while wading
through shallow water and fallen
in—camera equipment and all.
What is the biggest challenge
for your photography? Imagine
trying to autofocus or meter a
subject in pitch darkness along
a tunnel that extends for miles.
I switch to manual and shoot
WorldMags.net
focused near infinity with an
extremely wide-angle lens for
maximum depth of field. Setting
up strobe lights is dangerous
because of the very tight spaces
and an abundance of dripping
and running water. Plus, flash
might scare workers into thinking
something’s wrong.
What are the tools of your
photography trade? I have two
Canons: an EOS-1Ds Mark II and a
1Ds Mark III. I’ve submerged them
in tunnels, shot in driving rain,
and dropped them on concrete.
My lenses are Canon EF 16–35mm,
15mm fisheye, and 70–200 IS—all
f/2.8. The fisheye is spectacular
underground, especially in circular
tunnels, and lets me photograph
at f/2.8 with most of the image
in focus. The 70–200mm lens
compresses the construction
lighting down a tunnel and you
Sue Bednarz,
seen here at
get stacked rings of colorful lights.
No lens filters because they create
at the City
too much flare underground.
of Portland
Bureau of For above-ground work, I use
Environ- my 16–35mm and fisheye to
mental
Services’ capture the construction site and
Swan Island tall equipment. I also love my
CSO Pump 17mm tilt-shift lens to shoot tall
Station, construction equipment without
has shot
major tunnel distortion. My graphite Gitzo tripod
construction and Markins ballhead are critical.
projects I use a remote shutter release to
throughout
the U.S. See avoid my shadow and a hot-shoe-
more of her mounted bubble level to obtain a
work at level photo. I wear the two cameras
suebednarz
around my neck and have the rest
photography.
com and of the equipment in a Think Tank
PopPhoto. Shape Shifter backpack—my tripod
com/ attaches to the outside.
bednarz.
What happens with the photos
after the shoot? Since my
services are “work for hire,” I don’t
own copyrights. Still, I have enjoyed
seeing my photographs printed in
books, magazines, and posters. The
City of Portland even made one of
my photos into an umbrella!
—Interview by Elbert Chu
POPPhOTO.COM
 New York Institute of Photography
WorldMags.net
LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOME
HIGH QUALITY PHOTO COURSES. REAL-LIFE SUPPORT. FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES.

REQUEST YOUR FREE COURSE CATALOG

ONLINE: WWW.NYIP.EDU/POP | PHONE: 1.800.445.7279

Scan this image

with your phone
to watch a short
video about NYIP
Courses

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY NYIP STUDENT STEEN TALMARK.

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
share * LETTERS WRiTE To uS!
PoPPHoTo@BoNNiERCoRP.CoM
Down South
PROFESSIONAL
Durable, Affordable
I read with great interest the article “Window Fame”
by Peter Kolonia (You Can Do It, July 2013), in which
he gives advice on how to use window light. I assume
most readers live in the U.S., but photographers in the
Southern Hemisphere will find the advice on positioning
the subject beside a north-facing window incorrect.
South of the equator, the subject should be positioned
beside a south-facing window.
As I REAd the Olympus Pen E-P5
camera announcement (Just Out,
July 2013), I asked myself, “Does
it make sense to invest such
talented teams behind the design
and fabrication to build cameras,
that in the big picture of camera
development, will only satisfy
nostalgia for great cameras of the
past?” Why not create the new
cameras of the future? I am not
picking on this camera—I have
previously seen other similar ones.
Steven Brand
PRO 700 DX
Max Height: 74.8 in. Davie, FL
Max Load: 15.0 lbs.
PRO 330 DX Weight: 7.1 lbs.
I hAvE been taking dental
Max Height: 63.0 in. SUPER
Max Load: 8.8 lbs. A.M.T. photographs for 20 years. When
Weight: 3.5 lbs. ALLOY
shooting dental photos, typically
SUPER a 100mm macro is used for tooth
A.M.T.
ALLOY shots. When I was shooting
35mm film, I had an extension
SLIK PRO series tripods use Super
A.M.T. (Aluminum, Magnesium, Titanium) tube attached to get proper
alloy to make them stronger and lighter magnification. The current
than standard metal tripods. cropped APS-C sensors give a
The best selling SLIK PRO 700 DX tripod good approximation of this. If
is a versatile and professional full sized you use a full-frame DSLR like a
tripod designed to handle heavy camera
Nikon D700 or a Canon EOS 6D—
equipment. But despite it size it is very
light-weight and travels well. The SLIK as mentioned in “Smile Saver” (I,
PRO 330DX is a smaller light-weight Photographer, June)—you would
tripod designed for the photo enthusiast. have to revert to your extension
tube. Charles Young, D.D.S.
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION BY:
Seattle, WA
You plAcEd an emphasis on the
7642 Woodwind Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 size of the Samsung NX2000’s
Visit our website viewing screen (Just Out, July),
for more information at
www.kenkotokinausa.com
WorldMags.net
26 populAR photogRAphY SEPTEMBER 2013
Norberto Lemcoff
Simsbury, CT
saying it’s “good, because without
a viewfinder, you'll have to use it
to compose your shots.”
That grinds on me, and I’m sure
many other camera enthusiasts.
No viewfinder? Big viewing
screen? Sure it’s “good,” as long as
you can actually see the subject
in the viewing screen—but that is
seldom the case. Manufacturers
are selling what they want us to
have, rather than what we want.
Until they can fix the barely
viewable viewing screen problem,
optical viewers still rule.
John Henrick
St. Petersburg, FL
how to contact us weeks for a change of
Address your questions or address; include both your
comments on editorial
content to Popular
old and new addresses,
and if possible an address
Photography, 2 Park
Avenue, New York, NY
label from a recent issue.
Subscription prices: U.S.: 1
10016; e-mail, PopPhoto@ year, $14; 2 years, $28; 3
bonniercorp.com. years, $42. Canada: 1
Published letters may be year, $26; 2 years, $52; 3
edited for length and
clarity. We regret that we
years, $78. All other
foreign: 1 year, $38; 2
cannot answer all letters. years, $76; 3 years, $114.
Editorial contributions sent
by mail must include return
Occasionally we share our
information with other
postage and will be reputable companies
handled with reasonable whose products and
care; however, we assume services might interest you.
no responsibility for return If you prefer not to
or safety of photographs,
disks, or manuscripts.
participate, please contact
us at 386-246-0407 or
PopPhoto.com/cs.
subscriptions
Phone 386-246-0407 or reprints and
visit PopPhoto.com/cs for eprints
all subscription inquiries. For Reprints email
Please allow at least 8 reprints@bonniercorp.com.
POPPHOTO.COM
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
share * your best shot

Event Horizon
Want to
enter? Get
the official
rules and
upload your
images at
PopPhoto.
com/
This month, our readers take the long view with landscapes contests.

3rd Place $100 Prize khant Zaw, 39,

Mechanical engineer, Yangon, MYanMar “Mandalay Hill is
situated 15 minutes by car from downtown Mandalay; it’s a good spot
to take pictures of the town. Atop the hill at 6:00 one morning this
past winter season, I composed the golden pagoda on the lower-right
third of the frame and later cropped it a bit for more visual impact.
With the lens facing the sun, it was difficult to avoid the lens flare
and focusing. We were lucky that day was misty to get this effect.”
tech info: canon eoS 60D with 24–105mm f/4l canon ef iS lens and
graduated neutral-density filter; 1/125 sec at f/13, iSo 100. Minor edits in
adobe Photoshop cS6.

2nd Place $200 Prize Michael l. cable, 48, PhotograPher, tYaSkin, MarYlanD “This
image was two years in the making. Because of the tides at Roaring Point State Park in Nanticoke, MD, the sandbar looks
different every day. Wind would often ruin an otherwise good shot, and because people love to fish off the sandbar, I had
to concentrate on the area during the winter months, when visitors were less frequent. One cold winter’s night in February,
everything finally came together: The wind was calm, the tide was out, and the sandbar was free of fishermen. When a
Great Blue Heron flew into the scene and landed at the end of the sandbar, it seemed like fate.” tech info: canon eoS 30D
with 60mm f/2.8 canon ef macro lens on tiltall tripod; 0.6 sec at f/11, iSo 100 (–1.3 eV). Minor edits in Photoshop elements 7.

28 PoPular PhotograPhY september 2013 WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm

 WorldMags.net

RUN-AND-GUN
IN A BETTER LIGHT
MAKE ANY HOUR GOLDEN.
IMAGES ARE MOMENTS CAPTURED IN LIGHT. ON-CAMERA FIXTURES LIKE
THE CROMA AND LUMA PROVIDE THE VERSATILITY YOU NEED IN ORDER
TO CREATE STRIKING IMAGES IN EVERY ENVIRONMENT. DIAL IN THE CROMA
TO MATCH ANY AMBIENT COLOR, OR GRAB THE LUMA FOR A HIGH-POWERED
PUNCH OF DAYLIGHT. OWN THE MOMENT.

Litepanels®

A Vitec Group brand WorldMags.net

C ROM A B ALA NC ED F OR AN Y E N VI RO NME N T www.litepanels.com/croma
 WorldMags.net
share * your best shot

1st
Place
$300
Prize
JareD
roPelato, 34,
hiStorY
teacher,
VacaVille, ca
“There are a lot
of hidden
treasures in the
Columbia River
Gorge, and
Oneonta Gorge is
one of them.
There is no trail,
visitors must
hike up the creek
bed. I chose a
telephoto lens to
condense space,
to portray tunnel
vision so the
viewer can travel
through my
photograph in a
way that was
similar to the
experience of
hiking up this
beautiful gorge.”
(jaredropelato.
net) tech info:
tripod-mounted
canon eoS 5D
Mark iii with
70–200mm f/2.8l
canon ef iS lens;
0.3 sec at f/13,
iSo 800. raw
conversion in
Photoshop
lightroom 4;
minor edits in
Photoshop cS6.

32 PoPular
30 popular PhotograPhY
photography september
december 2011
2013 WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
IT RESISTS SAND, RAIN AND DUST

BECAUSE MOTHER NATURE

DOESN’T ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE HER PICTURE TAKEN.

Shot taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M5.

R UGGED DURABILITY. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 has a camera body light enough to take anywhere, yet durable enough to
withstand rain, sand and dust. Not only does the E-M5 allow trouble-free shooting in all environments, but it’s a camera built solely
to create images as stunning as its design. In addition, the award-winning E-M5 has the world’s first 5-Axis Image Stabilization system*,
which compensates for vertical, horizontal and rotational camera shake. It also features an Electronic Viewfinder, 9 fps High-Speed
Sequential Shooting, a 16-megapixel Live MOS image sensor and an array of digital lenses. So, get out and capture Mother Nature before
she captures you. getolympus.com/omd

WorldMags.net*As of February 2012 among Interchangeable Lens Cameras.

 WorldMags.net
share * TECH TALK
Rugged Durability
Whether you shoot on a rainy street
or a blustery day by the sea, the
E-M5’s multiple ring-shaped seals
protect the camera from the elements.
Also go splashproof and dustproof
with lenses such as the 12-50mm
f3.5-6.3 electronic zoom lens.
So you can focus on shooting,
not the elements.
WorldMags.net
POPPHOTO.COM
Unwired
Avoid unnecessary
entanglements
long Before consumers
entangled themselves in their
computer and home-electronics
connectors, wires were the bane
of photographers. They short out
and otherwise malfunction, get
disconnected, snap, and trip up
photographers and assistants.
No wonder that wireless triggers
for flash units and cameras have
become so popular.
Wireless triggers fall into three
categories: optical slaves, infrared
triggers, and radio triggers.
Optical slaves are devices that
trigger a flash unit when they
sense another flash firing. Optical
slaving is widely used in studio
flash photography, and virtually
all studio flash units today have
built-in slaves. Many accessory
hotshoe-mount flash units also
have built-in slaves.
Almost any flash can be fitted
with an accessory slave. Among
firms offering these, Wein (www.
weinproducts.com) is known for
its wide variety of slaves.
sePTeMber 2013 popular photography 33
The Priolite studio strobe has
a built-in optical slave (arrow).
The Nikon WR-1 (on the camera)
triggers other Nikons by radio.
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT, above
left, has optical, inrared, and
radio triggers built in.
For a slave to work, it must
be in the line of sight of the
triggering, or master, flash. Slaves
can also fire from a bounce off a
wall, ceiling, or studio reflector.
They can work over impressively
long distances, although your
yardage may vary depending on
the power of the master, light
path, or ambient light level.
Many accessory flash units use a
preflash to determine autoflash
exposure. If you use one of these
as a master, the slaved units will
be triggered from the preflash.
Many slaves, however, can be set
to ignore a preflash or preflashes.
Infrared triggers work invisibly,
as they operate in wavelengths
longer than those of visible light.
As infrared triggers can be sensed
 share * TECH TALK
WorldMags.net
by optical slaves, studio shooters
use hotshoe-mounted infrared
triggers to fire studio strobes.
Infrared triggering enables
wireless through-the-lens
(TTL) autoflash with single or
multiple accessory flash units.
The infrared trigger unit (the
camera’s pop-up, dedicated
accessory flash, or a dedicated
hot-shoe trigger) can not only
fire the remote units but also
automate output according to
your settings. Such systems
have proved a boon for serious
shooters who want alternatives
to bulky location flash units.
Infrared masters must also
be in the line of sight of the
slave units, or at least in bounce
range. They won’t work around
corners or through walls.
That’s where radio triggers
come in. Radio waves have no
line-of-sight limitation, so radio
slaves have become the choice
of location pros. You need a
transmitter to send the trigger
signal, plus receivers connected

colorize your world to cameras or the flashes to be

triggered. A transceiver can both
send and receive.
Many radio triggers are
available, but PocketWizard
(www.pocketwizard.com) is the
go-to choice for serious shooters.
A chart on its website sorts out
the dizzying array of PW units.
One thing about radio slaving:
Typically, you get no TTL
automation. This is no big deal;
in fact, many strobe shooters
find it easier to set manual levels
on their multiple units than to
work in auto. An exception is
FXtra PW’s FlexTT5 transceiver, which
can maintain TTL with Canon or
©connor walberg Nikon flash units. And Canon’s
latest Speedlite, the 600EX-RT,
unconditionally Guaranteed can be used in TTL as a radio
Made in usa trigger on a Canon EOS-1D x
camera, as long as the slaved
flash is another 600EX-RT unit.
B e c a u s e t h e y w o r k. —Dan Richards
lumiquest.com

WorldMags.net 34 popular photography september 2013

L ASE R ENGRAVE YOUR PHOTOS
WorldMags.net
REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS WITH AN
ENGRAVING SYSTEM FROM EPILOG LASER

Easy, Professional Photo Engraving

Engrave stunning photographs on wood, marble, acrylic and
much more in just a few easy steps with a laser system from
Epilog. Imagine being able to offer your customers a precious
wedding photo engraved on wood, or a priceless baby picture
on marble. Customization is in high-demand and by utilizing this
powerful and versatile tool you’ll be opening your photography
business to an entirely new product line!

Systems start at only $7,995 (US price only) and can also
be leased to own for as little as $150 a month with
approved credit.

For free samples, a dvd demo and brochures, call us

today at 888.437.4564
WorldMags.netor visit epiloglaser.com/popphoto
 WorldMags.net
January 31- February 2, 2014
S troll through the narrow streets of the
French Quarter, march to the sounds of
a brass band, and take a step back in time
to the era when jazz was born. Set against
the distinctive French Creole architecture
and a tapestry of cultural influences, join
the Mentor Series in February to experience
the soulful sounds and resilient spirit of
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Whether it is capturing sunset over the
Mississippi River, lighting up jazz musicians
on Jackson Square, capturing images of
revelers on Bourbon Street, or setting up
the perfect silhouette of St. Louis Cathedral,
Nikon professional photographers David
© Cheryl Gerber
Tejada and Dave Black will provide expert
advice on using the Nikon Speedlight
system to create timeless images during
your visit to New Orleans.
At Metairie Cemetery the elaborate marble
tombs and funeral statuary will leave you
captivated by the rich history and haunting
beauty that has been preserved in this city
for hundreds of years. This historic locale
will provide the perfect backdrop in which
to learn the rewards of using light to create
an intentional effect in your photos.
A visit to the Laura Plantation, a historic
Louisiana Creole location, will provide a
WorldMags.net
© Parker Waters
®
© Cheryl Gerber
picturesque setting for photographing
models dressed in costumes from the
antebellum period. This estate holds a
place in West African folklore as it is
known as the American Home of Br’er
Rabbit. We will also visit Oak Alley, a
National Historic Landmark named after
the canopy of giant oak trees that forms
an impressive entrance to the estate, also
located along the Mississippi River.
Capture the distinctive architecture,
Southern charm, and immutable spirit of
the Big Easy. Sign up today for the Mentor
Series Nikon Speedlight Workshop in
New Orleans!
 WorldMags.net
FOLLOW US ON
Mentor Series Worldwide Treks

© Cheryl Gerber © Cheryl Gerber

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.MENTORSERIES.COM

For more information, call toll-free at 888-676-6468.

SCHEDULED TO APPEAR Special thanks to our premier sponsor:

Limited to 9 Students per Instructor

DAVID TEJADA DAVE BLACK D7100 COOLPIX A D800

NikonNet Sports Illustrated
Fortune Newsweek
Come to New Orleans and try out
some of the latest equipment that Nikon offers
including their high-performance HD-SLRs,
Workshop fee: $1,425 NIKKOR lenses, the Nikon 1 System, and a variety
of COOLPIX compact digital cameras.
Includes in-the-field instruction, entrance fees, presentations, digital reviews,
and transportation to each shooting location.

With additional support from:

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net

It’s that fast.

Make changing orientation quick, easy and secure.

Just like our L-plate quick-release system.

WorldMags.net
For more info, visit ReallyRightStuff.com or call us at 1-805-528-6321 or toll-free in the US and Canada 1-888-777-5557.
 how WorldMags.net
Make easy abstracts and infrared speciaL effects

42
capture portLandia

44
Learn how to Light edges

expert tips and techniques For better photos 46 52

creative thinking

No Cheese,
Please

Add power to your portraits by ditching the grin

traditional photojournalism
shies away from having subjects
look directly at the camera
Porter Gifford
that convention, Boston-based For more of connect more personally with
photographer Porter Gifford finds Gifford’s child the subject,” Gifford says. “But,
portraiture
that his visual narratives grow and wedding a photograph of someone not

and smiling, since a photo stronger when he adds such photography, smiling is traditionally seen as a
story should seem as if the camera-aware environmental visit porter more serious.”
photographer were an invisible portraits to the story. “It’s a gifford.com. The enigmatic moment in
witness to reality. Yet despite way for viewers to pause and his photo above came from a

PoPPHoto.Com WorldMags.net sePtember 2013 popular photography 39

 WorldMags.net
HOW * creative thinking FiX it FaSt

personal project Gifford shot

in 2011. He spent three days
documenting the Farm School
in Athol, MA, where weeklong
summer camps are held to
introduce farming to school
groups. Gifford wanted to
capture “kids just being kids,” so
he kept an eye out for situations
where the students were left to
their own devices to explore.
On this day, a group was
working in a large garden. One
boy began fooling around with
a bundle of vines, making a
ball and tossing it in the air.
Recognizing the possibility of
something visual happening,
Gifford closed in. Suddenly, the
boy adorned himself with the
vines, and the photographer
was ready. “Hey, Ben, can you
look at me for a second?” he

Fade out
CoUrtesY of HeNri feCteAU

asked gently. Gifford quickly

composed and shot five frames
with his Canon EOS 5D Mark II
and 50mm f/1.2L EF lens. His
exposure, in aperture-priority,
was 1/2500 sec at f/2.2, ISO 200.
The boy, who had been in his
own world a moment before,
looked expressionlessly at
Gifford as if awaiting further
instructions, and receiving none
went back to business. Gifford
had weighed the value of asking
him to smile and decided
against it: He felt the mood of
a smile would clash with the
unusual graphic quality of
the vines around the eyes and
the chiaroscuro effect of the
overcast sky on the boy’s face.
“I didn’t tell him to put the
vines on his head—only a kid
would think to do that,” Gifford
says. “He literally entangled
himself in the environment,
and that reflects much of what I
wanted to explore in this story—
the environment, kids, learning,
and fun.” It’s hard not to smile
at something like that.
—Laurence Chen
Photoshop tools to the rescue
clovis henri thiS Month we do a genuine then duplicated that layer to pile
Fecteau, at fix—not a tweak or a fiddle. on even more density. When
the right of
a comrade, Reader Henri Fecteau sent us a we boosted the contrast with
was a scan of a badly faded photo of Curves, it turned the underlying
corporal in his father, Clovis Henri Fecteau yellow tinge a bright neon, so we
the French
army when (at right) and wanted to know if switched the Curves layer to the
this photo it could be restored. We decided Luminosity blend mode, resulting
was taken to see what could be done with in more of a monochrome image.
during
World War tools readily available to readers. We also fixed scratches with the
i. he died in In Adobe Photoshop CC, we Spot Healing Brush. Not perfect,
1998 at the made a duplicate layer using but not too bad for 15 minutes of
age of 100.
the Multiply blend mode, which fixing. —Dan Richards and
added density to the image. We Debbie Grossman
DiD YOU knOW? INFRARED LIGHT
thiS Month’S you Can do it (page 52) explores the exciting imaging that’s possible
with a digital camera configured to capture infrared light. a form of electromagnetic
energy, it’s immediately below red (“infra” is the latin prefix for “below”) on the scale
of radiant energy that spans from gamma rays at one end to tV and radio waves at the
opposite; ir light is nearest to visible light along that spectrum. to capture it, a filter
blocking visible light is required, either over the camera’s sensor or the lens. the filters
are calibrated by the wavelengths of ir light (in nanometers) they allow to pass; the
most common are 590-, 695-, and 720nm, each producing distinctly different looks.
For more background, visit www.lifepixel.com and kolarivision.com, from which most
of this information was culled.

40 popular photography sePtember 2013

WorldMags.net PoPPHoto.Com
 WorldMags.net
The all new Sunpak DigiFlash 3000.
A brighter idea for
your DSLR camera.
The all new Sunpak DigiFlash for DSLR cameras ofers all the power you need with the features professional
photographers demand. With complete TTL compatibility for Canon or Nikon DSLR cameras, the DigiFlash 3000
is perfect for portraits, groups, sporting events and stage productions. With more flash power than your DSLR’s
built-in flash, you can now capture spectacular shots using longer zoom lenses, with stunning results. And no
more running out of flash power when you need it.
The DigiFlash 3000 is packed with professional features, such as a bounce and swivel head, providing the
ultimate in lighting control and creativity. To customize flash coverage, its built-in manual zoom head matches
any 18 mm to 70 mm DSLR lens. And with a low light autofocus assist, you won’t miss another shot in the dark.
Big on power and high on features, the DigiFlash 3000 delivers what you need at a fraction of the price of a
comparable camera-brand flash.
For more info on the Sunpak DigiFlash 3000, go to: sunpak.com/DF3000.

Taken with built-in flash

Taken with the Sunpak

DigiFlash 3000

Unretouched photos

s u n p a k . c o m

Available at:

All product names shown are trademarked by their respective holders.

WorldMags.net
 HOW * TIPS & TRICKS WorldMags.net

CamRanger
What it is: A wireless
transmitter ($300,
QUICK TIP street) for remotely

Art Attack
controlling certain
Abstraction is DSLRs from Canon
easier than you and Nikon.
may think How it works:
Connecting to a
VINCENT SOYEZ wasn’t thinking of a great abstract painting. He Soyez used DSLRÕs USB port, the
about getting arty when he grabbed his camera and took a Fujifilm
pulled his rental car into an this shot before the rinse cycle
X-Pro 1 with CamRanger creates
an 18mm
automated car wash at the end kicked in. f/2 Fujifilm an ad-hoc Wi-Fi
of a vacation last year. Seated The trick to serendipitous XF R lens.
Exposure:
network that streams
behind the steering wheel, as abstractions, says Soyez, is to: 1/60 sec at a live-view feed to
a chain-drive slowly pulled • Always have your camera with f/5.6, ISO
his car through the wash, the you. Preset its exposure to the 1600. iOS, Android, Mac,
French-born, Brookyn-based prevailing light. or Windows devices
music, fashion, and advertising • Be alert. Train yourself to grab from up to 150 feet.
photographer looked up at the a camera whenever something The device operates
windshield and saw a picture. both visual and unusual occurs.
With its intense colors, the • Know your gear. These
on a rechargeable,
repeated S-curves of the waving opportunities can be short-lived, replaceable battery
sponges, and the lines and and if you are fumbling with thatÕs good for 3 to 6
VINCENT SOYEZ

shapes formed by descending buttons and dials you will miss hours per charge.
soap bubbles, the scene had all out. Soyez had only a minute to
of the visual energy and tension get this beauty. —Peter Kolonia
Why get it: In
addition to live view,
the CamRangerÕs iOS
30-SECOND SOFTWARE app offers almost
FREE CLOUD BACKUPS Now that Flickr offers full camera control,
a terabyte of free storage, here’s how to back up full-res JPEGs including focus,
with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 or 5. In the lefthand panel
of the Library module, scroll down to Publish Services. Click white balance, ISO,
the plus sign, choose Go to Publishing Manager, and set up exposure settings,
a new service for Flickr. Name it Backup, set it to the highest
quality, and don’t add sharpening. Set it to “private” to keep and shutter release,
the images off your Flickr page. Back in Library, highlight the plus focus stacking,
service you just made. Click the plus sign again, and under
Flickr: Backup, create a Photoset. Click on this set and hit the video capture, HDR
Publish button to put it safely it the cloud. ÑDebbie Grossman bracketing, and more.
42 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM
ADVERTISEMENT

WorldMags.net Sigma pro

PRIME TIME
SIGMA’S PRIME LENS SERIES
Lindsay Adler
relies on Sigma
prime lenses
to capture her
creative vision.

Sigma’s selection of four impressive prime lenses delivers

essential focal lengths and large maximum apertures for prime
shooting in low-light conditions making them a vital tool in
any photographer’s kit. Sigma has always leveraged the most
advanced optical technologies to offer photographers the
highest level of lens performance. With the addition of two new
lenses to the line, Sigma offers substantial range, remarkable
sharpness and images that will take your breath away.

SIGMA 35MM F1.4 DC HSM | ART
A TRUE FLAGSHIP OF ARTISTIC
EXPRESSION
One of Sigma’s finest creations
yet, this lens sets a new
benchmark for performance
offering quality that
exceeds expectations.
The first lens in the all-new
ART line of products: the Sigma
35mm F1.4 DG HSM is a wide-
angle F1.4 lens delivering the
highest level of brightness
and beautiful bokeh effects.
Designed for full frame
cameras it can also be used
with APS-C sensors.
Compatible with the Sigma
USB dock and Optimization Pro
software to adjust and fine tune
focusing parameters. Under
the Global Vision standard,
every lens will be tested before
shipping using the Sigma A1 MTF
system to ensure the highest
degree of quality possible.
SIGMA 30MM F1.4 DC HSM | ART
A BEST SELLER MADE EVEN BETTER
This large aperture standard digital SLR
camera lens in APS-C format is ideal for
many types of artistic expression.
Sigma pioneered the large-aperture APS-C
format standard lens category with its
famous 30mm F1.4 lens. After having
reorganized all the lenses into three
product lines, they are proud to introduce
the fully updated SIGMA 30mm F1.4 DC HSM,
which offers an angle of view equivalent to
45mm on a 35mm camera. With an angle
of view and sense of perspective extremely
close to that of human vision, this lens
stimulates the desire to create and is ideal
for many different types of photographic
expression. It is a superb go-to lens for
artistic photography.
Compatible with the Sigma USB dock and
Optimization Pro software to adjust and
fine tune focusing parameters. Under the
Global Vision standard, every lens will be
tested before shipping using the Sigma A1
MTF system to ensure the highest degree
of quality possible.
SIGMA 50MM F1.4 EX DG HSM
THE PERFECT STANDARD PRIME
Tried and true, there’s a reason
this lens remains in the Sigma
line and a top seller.
You’ll recognize the overall high
quality and professional optics
with your first photograph. In
the past few years, camera
manufacturers have overlooked
the need for a fast prime lens
that is compact enough for
everyday use, yet provides the
necessary image quality to
meet the highest expectations.
The 50mm F1.4 is that lens.
Now, with the advent of the APS-C
camera, the long popular 50mm
focal length takes on double
duty as a portrait length lens of
approximately 90mm on most
of the small chip cameras. At a
fraction of the size, weight and
cost of comparable lenses, this
is a lens that you might have on
your digital SLR at all times.
SIGMA 85MM F1.4 EX DG HSM
THE ULTIMATE WEDDING AND
PORTRAIT LENS
Sigma’s 85mm F1.4 EX DG
HSM lens is a large aperture
medium telephoto lens
optimized for use with digital
SLR cameras and is especially
ideal for portrait and low
light photography.
Fast, quiet and sharp,
the Sigma 85mm lens is
everything a photographer
dreams about. With a large 1.4
aperture, the 85mm is great
in low light and also creates
beautiful bokeh with a very
shallow depth of field. When
photographing weddings and
portraits, having the right gear
is vital because those special
moments can pass so quickly.
Defining Failsafe, the Sigma
85mm 1.4 is often the lens
a photographer puts on their
camera and never takes off.

For more information, visit sigmaphoto.com

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
how * traveling photographer

Bruce
Forster shot
this cloud-
shrouded
sunrise view
of Portland
with Mt.
Hood in the
distance
from the
Portland
Aerial Tram’s
terminus at
the Oregon
Health and
Science
University.
He used
a Nikon
D200 with
18–200mm
f/3.5–5.6
Nikkor lens;
exposure,
1/180 sec at
f/8, ISO 200.

Portland Proud
“portland is a photographer’s
paradise,” says horticulture
But, she says, for Portland’s
true flavor, explore outside of
How Oregon
does urban

photographer Janet Loughrey

(loughreyphoto.com), who calls
the city home. “It offers many
green spaces, as well as a fun
mix of traditional and quirky
neighborhoods.” The mild climate
keeps the city green year-round,
and September lures with dry
days and fewer tourists.
For lofty city views with Mount
Hood in the distance, Portland-
based pro Bruce Forster (www.
bruceforsterphotography.com)
recommends late-afternoon views
from the Pittock Mansion, situated
1,000 feet above the city. For views
of Mount Adams, Mount Hood,
Mount St. Helens, and evening city
views, he suggests the Portland
Aerial Tram (gobytram.com).
For skyline views with
BruCe FOrsTer
downtown. The close-lying
Hawthorne, Alberta, and
Mississippi neighborhoods attract
more alternative-minded people
with colorful backdrops and
interesting culinary options.
As Loughrey hinted, Portland
is also heaven for flower lovers.
The Portland Japanese Garden
(japanesegarden.com), says
Loughrey, is often described as
“the most authentic Japanese
garden outside of Japan.”
Photography is best on overcast
days—shoot early or late on sunny
days to avoid contrast issues.
Also of note: the Inter-
national Rose Test Garden
(rosegardenstore.org) in Wash-
ington Park, and Forest Park,
northwest of downtown, with
What’s haPPening
Photography never seems to stop in Portland—
here some of the photogenic events you can
capture in September.
● OregON STATe FAIr. august 23 to september 2 Oregon
state Fairgrounds in salem, Or (49 miles south of Portland).
Celebrating all things Oregon and agricultural since 1861.
exhibition of note: Gifted Oregon photographers competing in the
Oregon salon of Photography. oregonstatefair.org
● DAHlIA FeSTIvAl AT SwAN ISlAND DAHlIAS. aug. 24–26
and aug. 31– sept. 2; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Canby, Or (25 miles
south of Portland). More than 400 indoor floral arrangements
(the largest display by one grower in the u.s.) and 40 acres in full
bloom available for strolling with your cameras. www.dahlias.com
● THe COlOr rUN 5K. POrTlAND INTerNATIONAl
rACewAy. sept. 7; multiple start times beginning
at 9 a.m runners in white shirts are liberally doused with colorful
dyes as they complete a 5k race. Think Chariots of Fire meets
the Indian Holi festival. Better keep your underwater housing and
goggles handy. thecolorrun.com/portland
● el grITO De INDePeNDeNCIA (MexICAN INDePeNDeNCe
DAy). sept. 14; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. A free day-long festival held
in Pioneer Courthouse square (downtown Portland) POPPHOTO.COM
celebrating
Mexico’s independence from spain. Folkloric and Aztec dancers
in colorful costumes and lots of food and music. elgritonw.com

● SIDewAlK CHAlK ArT FeSTIvAl. sept. 14 Forest Grove,

the Willamette River in the 5,100 acres, it’s the largest
Or, (just west of Portland) For even more color, check out the
foreground, Loughrey suggests forested city park in the country. photogenic work of hundreds of sidewalk Picassos creating
strolling the Eastbank Esplanade. —Jeff Wignall temporary masterpieces. valleyart.org

44 popular photography sePTeMBer 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 how * lighting WorldMags.net

Bubble Wrap
How to highlight just the edges of objects
the work of New York studio side of this lord of lighting: his
For more
of Satoshi's
amazing
architectural look.“I knew not
to front-light the bubbles,” the
photographer explains. “It would
studio
pro Satoshi is well known to Pop ability to capture liquid in its photography, have created busy highlights,
Photo readers—his killer product many forms. visit drawing attention to the
shots grace “The Year’s Biggest Bubbles have always fas- satoshinyc. bubbles’ surfaces, not to their
com
satoshi

Deals” (page 60). But with the cinated Satoshi, and for this crisp edges.”
photo above, we present another project he wanted a distinctly Instead, he chose a form of

46 popular photography september 2013 WorldMags.net

 WorldMags.net
Dramatic backlighting
simple complex

D
F
A

B E

kris holland/mafic studios (illustration)

F G H J

I
C

To emphatically highlight just the edges of the bubbles in a rectangular flower

vase or bubble chamber (A), Satoshi placed four Broncolor 1600 Watt-second
strobe heads (B) powered by two Broncolor powerpacks (C) behind a large
1/8-inch thick sheet of translucent Plexiglas (D). (Only two of the heads are
visible here.)He positioned the strobes above, below, and to the left and right of
a sheet of matte-black flocking paper (E), sized slightly larger than the bubble
chamber and taped to the Plexi. He suspended the Plexiglas with clamps and
lightstands (F) and set the chamber on a glass-topped table (G). His camera was
a Sinar P3 (H) with a Sinar 75H digital back and Rodenstock 120mm f/5.6 Macro,
which he mounted on a camera stand (I) and shot tethered to a nearby computer
(J). To light the bubbles evenly, Satoshi played with the positioning of the lights
around the black flocking paper, and he adjusted the relative distances of
lights, Plexiglas, and vase. The four heads were all set to the same output.

Broncolor Broncolor Broncolor

Pulso G 1600 P70 Scoro S
J strobe reflector 1600 pack
($2,663, ($180, ($6,325,
street) street) street)

backlighting typically used for
glass products such as cosmetic
packaging and glassware. “It’s
especially good for subjects that
have crisp edges to define and a
minimum of midtone detail to
record. This type of lighting from
behind gives you maximum
control over edge highlights,”
Satoshi says. The setup sidebar
explains how.
Photographing bubbles is a
specialized art. Satoshi offers
Satoshi these tips for meeting its unique ● choose the right container.
exposed the challenges: A narrow blowing chamber
bubbles at
● refine the bubble solution. produces interesting polygon
1/60 sec and
f/16, ISO 50. Start with a child’s soapy bubble shapes instead of more common
He prefers liquid. Its oiliness will produce smooth, convex bubbles.
mid-range
the signature rainbow-like sheen ● form the bubbles. Use a
apertures
(f/11–22), in this photo. By adding glycerin, plastic straw; connect several
which he you can extend the life of the if one is too short. To fine-tune
considers
the sharpest bubbles, but glycerin’s viscosity bubble shape and distribution,
when tends to produce uniformly large alternate short puffs with longer
shooting bubbles. For variety in bubble continuous blowing as you move
digital.
size, thin the soap and glycerin the straw through the liquid in a
solution with tap water. zigzag pattern. —Peter Kolonia

WorldMags.net popphoto.com popular photography 47

 WorldMags.net
how * software workshop
AftEr
Fast and
Filmic
Alien skin Exposure 5 is a
great plug-in for adding film
and film-like effects to your
images. As serious software,
it’s more than just filters. It
starts with a huge array of
presets, both black-and-white
and color, to transform your
debbie grossman
photograph according to preset
film types and processes. There
are archaic ones like calotype,
cinematic ones like Polapan,
48 populAr photogrAphy september 2013
simple complex
Try this plugin
for quick, editable
transformations
and more recent (discontinued)
favorites like Kodachrome.
The software can be used as bEforE
a standalone or as a plug-in for
Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Alien Skin Lightroom, your finished file
Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, Exposure will land back in Lightroom
5 is way
and works essentially the not as a RAW but as the
more than
same way no matter what just a tool file type you select under
program you use to open it. for adding the External Editing tab in
This article demonstrates it presets. Lightroom’s Preferences. In
using Lightroom 5. Note that this case, we’ll process it as a
if you start with a RAW file in TIFF. —Debbie Grossman
WorldMags.net
 1

Step 1
WorldMags.net
Make your adjustments in
Lightroom first. This one
is a bit overexposed in the
highlights and needs a
little bit more detail in the
shadows. (Even if you plan
to go for a high-contrast
look using Exposure, it’s
good to have a wide range
of tones in the image for
maximum editing leeway.)
Then right click on the
image to bring out the
pop-up menu, and choose
Edit In > Exposure 5. In the
menu that appears next,
choose Edit a Copy with
Lightroom Adjustments,
and, if necessary, adjust the Copy File 2
Options according to your preference.

Step 2
When Exposure 5 opens, you’ll see a very
long list of presets at left. You can enlarge
the window to see bigger previews of each,
or click through them to see how each
affects your image writ large in the main
window. To narrow down your preset
options, click a button to choose a category
or try a search. Since this was shot in
decent light, type 100 in the search box
to pull up options for a film at ASA 100.
Then choose your favorite; Ilford Delta 100
works well with this image.

3
Filter Adjustments
You can fine tune the density and color of
the filter you add, or just tweak it using the
Cool/Warm slider.

Step 3
Click the small triangles on the left and
bottom panels to minimize them; this will
give you the maximum size preview as you
make subsequent adjustments. In the panel
on the right, much like in Lightroom, begin
at the top and work your way down. Use
the pulldown menu under Color Filter
to add a green filter, which brings out
the mist on the pool’s surface. Keep
Preserve Luminosity checked to avoid
darkening your image.

WorldMags.net poppHoto.Com populAr photogrAphy 49

 how * software workshop WorldMags.net
4
Step 4
Head down to the Tone Curve to make a
fine adjustment to contrast. Use one of the
presets from the pulldown, adjust the
curve directly, or use the slider to add a
bit more contrast to the scene. Then zoom
in to adjust the grain. You can individually
choose the amount to add to the shadows,
midtones, and highlights. And, best of
all, you can tailor the grain size to your
simulated film. If you plan to crop to a 4x5
ratio, or if you just prefer smaller grain, call
your image large format and set the grain
size accordingly (it will appear smaller the
larger the film size you choose).

Step 5 5
Scroll down to Borders & Textures and check
the box to add one. Choose the basic black
border for this image so as
not to get in the way of the
photograph. There are some
crepuscular rays already, but
emphasize the dreamy light
by adding more. Check the
box for Light Effects, then
scroll through until you
find the High Sun Flare.
Lower its opacity so that it
doesn’t totally wash out the
trees at the top of the image.
When you’re finished, click
Apply to process your image
and head back to Lightroom. 6

Adding Borders and Textures

There are so many options here that
it makes sense to search by category.
After adding one, use the fine controls to
change its size and orientation.

Bonus Step
Exposure 5 also does great things
with color and can simulate all
kinds of vintage color films, too.
Here’s a contemporary DSLR portrait
made over to look like a 1960s
snapshot. We used the Kodachrome II
preset plus a print border and, under
Dust & Scratches, chose a paper
texture for more realism.

50 populAr photogrAphy september 2013 WorldMags.net poppHoto.Com

 THE BEST QUALITY OR THE BEST PRICES?
WorldMags.net
I WANT BOTH! TM

PROFESSIONAL PRINTS PANORAMIX

Lab corrected, true photographic prints, LA B CO RR EC TE
D
LA B CO RR EC TE
D not inkjet, on Kodak® Endura Premier
30 X 90
8X10 ON LY
Luster or Metallic professional paper.
Photographic prints up to 10 feet long.
PH OTOG RA PH IC

$89.99
PR IN T

$14. 9

LA B CO RR EC TE
D

11X14 ON LY

$3.99
3 seperate images shot handheld 1/250 at f6.3;
Oly EPL1 micro 4/3 with 14-42 kit lens. Composited
in photoshop CS5 (file> automate> photomerge).
LA B CO RR EC TE
D 5 X 15

$2.99
Kesler
Photo by Rex

Stop worrying about how your

images will print. Our lab corrected
workflow is the easiest route to
great looking prints. This is not
computerized auto-correction. Trained
technicians view each image, making 1:3 ASPECT RATIO PRINTS
individual adjustments to color, SIZE LUSTER METALLIC
density, and contrast. 5×15 $2.99 $4.99
New compositing techniques, plus 6×18 $3.49 $5.49
Your choice of “Lab Corrected” or improved in-camera panoramic 8×24 $9.99 $11.99
“No Correction” at the same price. technologies, are making panoramic 10×30 $14.89 $19.99
8 wallets 1.75 11 x 14 3.99 images increasingly popular. To help 12×36 $18.95 $23.99
4x6 .29 16 x 20 13.50 showcase your panoramic images, we 16×48 $48.99 $53.99
5x7 .99 20 x 24 19.99 offer Panoramix™ — our line of wide 20×60 $69.99 $76.99
8 x 10 1.49 20 x 30 24.99 format photographic prints. 30×90 $89.99 $98.99
10 x 10 2.49 30 x 40 49.99 Prints up to 48 inches are shipped flat 1:4 ASPECT RATIO PRINTS
and have a variety of mounting options SIZE LUSTER METALLIC
This is only a small sample, we offer
available. Sizes longer than 48 inches 5×20 $3.99 $7.99
over 80 print sizes, from wallet to
are shipped loosely rolled and include a 6×24 $5.49 $8.49
30 ”x120” (true photographic prints, 8×32 $11.99 $15.99
not inkjet, as large as 10 ft. long). protective laminate backing provided at
no additional charge. 10×40 $17.89 $22.89
We use Kodak® Endura Premier 12×48 $22.95 $28.95
Luster and Metallic professional 16×64 $69.99 $77.99
papers. 20×80 $79.99 $87.99
30×120 $99.99 $111.99

Great Prints. Great Prices. Easy Ordering. It’s that Simple.

WorldMags.net
www.meridianpro.com | 800-544-1370
 WorldMags.net
HOW * YOU CAN DO IT

INFRARED EYE
Stunning effects are yours, no Photoshop required
NATHAN HAYAG PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES

GLANCING AT this surreal land-
scape, you might think that it
required hours of editing. But you
would be wrong. Conjuring the
magic of infrared imaging can be
done with minimal assist from a
computer. Created in the camera
during exposure, these special
effects depend on capturing light
waves that are outside of the
Because IR visible color spectrum, and you
exposures can produce them with almost
are often
long, a tripod any digital camera.
is a must. Nathan Hayag, a 34-year-
Exposure old pro photographer based in
data: 1/50
sec at f/9, Singapore and the Philippines,
ISO 100. shot this photo at Singapore’s
Japanese Garden using an
infrared-converted Sony Alpha
230. Many conventional digital
cameras, says Hayag, “can be
converted for infrared use by
removing the image sensor’s low-
pass filter and replacing it with
an infrared filter.” Conversion is
a tricky business, so he suggests
leaving it to companies that
specialize in it (see Step 1).
While conversion can cost
several hundred dollars,

52 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net

 WorldMags.net
Step 1
conventional lens-mounted
infrared (IR) filters can also work
for cameras that are sensitive to
IR light. To test yours, aim a TV
remote control at the camera,
photographing its emitter as you
press any button on the remote. If
the emitter glows in your pictures,
the camera will capture IR light.
The problem with IR filters?
SIMPLE COMPLEX
Get your IR capture device.
A Option 1: Convert a DSLR, ILC,
or compact to IR capture. Some
firms that will do this are Lifepixel,
MaxMax, or Spencer’s Camera.
Option 2: If your camera “sees” IR
light (see main text for how to tell),
get an IR filter such as the Hoya
R72 or Cokin P007. Option 3: Scour
the used market for an IR-sensitive
B camera such as the Fujifilm IS Pro
or Sigma SD10.
Step 2
Choose a subject. “The best
subjects for color infrared are
foliage and people,” says Hayag.
“Healthy green leaves strongly
C
reflect IR light, and IR can do
ghostly things to human skin.” For
lighting, he recommends shooting
on bright cloudless days with the
sun at its zenith or at your back.
For this otherworldly Step 3
landscape, Hayag
mounted a Sigma Set your camera. Capture your
10–20mm f/4–5.6 EX images as RAW files, with your
DC HSM (A) on an white balance set to Auto and ISO
IR-converted Sony
Alpha 230 body, to the lowest sensitivity possible.
since replaced by Hayag shoots in aperture-priority
the A58 (B). Without mode at f/9.
converting a camera
for IR capture, you
would need an
infrared filter such as Step 4
the Tiffen #87 Infrared
filter (C). Focus with care. Infrared light
focuses to a different plane than
visible light. Converted cameras
are often recalibrated to focus at
the IR wavelength, but if you're
using a threaded IR filter, focus
before mounting it, then test with
They block all visible light, turning For more the filter in place, touching up
your viewfinder completely black, of Hayag’s focus manually.
infrared
which makes composing and magic, visit
focusing a challenge, though live
view offers a work-around.
nathanhayag
.wix.com/
photography
Final Step
Interested in IR? The web can Touch up in processing.
help. Try myinfrared.com, Hayag fine-tunes the color in his
www.lifepixel.com, and landscapes by clicking on leaves
kolarivision.com for a fascinating with the Sony RAW converter’s
introduction. —Peter Kolonia Custom White Balance eyedropper.
WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 53
Into the WorldMags.net

Mystic Photos by Magda Wasiczek;

text by Peter Kolonia
Magda Wasiczek doesn’t worry
about accuracy—she feels
that “realistic treatment is for
encyclopedias.” Instead, with
a powerful blend of bold color
and selective focus, her foral
studies conjure up a magical world
of fairy tales, spirits, and sprites.
Come fall under its spell.

summer
Flowers
and rain
wasiczek
often includes
rain, mist, fog,
snow, or frost.
she made
this with a
nikon d300
and Pentacon
50mm f/1.8
lens at 1/250
sec and f/2,
iso 400.

54 popular photography september 2013 WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net jazzing uP
her back-
grounds
wasiczek’s
backgrounds
are as inter-
esting as
her flowers.
here, she
employs her
mirror lens’
distinctive
donut-shaped
bokeh. shot
with the
nikon d300
and a rubinar
300mm f/4.5
mirror lens.

WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm popular photography 55

 h WorldMags.net
Er photographS
are foral dreams-
capes—ready made for Oberon,
Titania, and their sailboats of
walnut shells and gardenia petals.
And her work has been widely
recognized, winning prizes and
being shown in books, galleries
and magazines around the world.
Magda Wasiczek, (magdawasiczek.
pl) a self-taught, 40-year-old pho-
tographer from southwest Poland,
interprets foralscapes with a
magical vision that many fnd all
but intoxicating.
Wasiczek’s photographic story
started with a 1998 business trip,
from which her husband returned
with a Nikon N70 flm SLR. A gift
celebrating the birth of the frst
of their three children, the N70
quickly became an expressive tool
in Wasiczek’s hands. She captured
her child’s frst years with such
sensitivity that soon other parents
were hiring her to photograph
their kids, and now she’s made a
career of it.
As her camera skills improved,
Wasiczek made the journey from
children’s nurseries to meadows
and gardens near her home,
where a more unusual photo-
graphic vision evolved. “My photos
aren’t literal representations of
fowers,” she says, “but are the
record of impressions that I expe-
rience, impressions of color, light,
and shape. I look for visual effects
to represent those impressions.”
These effects might be
background highlights that will
defocus into stars, rings, or moons,
as well as colors that can be satu-
rated or otherwise tweaked into
something otherworldly.
Instead of individual blossoms
or tidy bouquets, Wasiczek is
drawn to chaotic meadows and
gardens with unkempt wildfow-
ers that live up to their name.
sAtOsHI (LeNs)
These are places that evoke
memories of dashing around her
grandmother’s garden as a child.
56 popular photography september 2013
wind in The
weeds
unlike most
flower
“I really miss the old picturesque
fower gardens with typical Polish
natives like mallows, nasturtiums,
sun of late afternoon beautifully
illuminates the plants and gives
them warm, golden colors,” she
specialists, sunfowers, poppies, and helleni- says. She’s inspired by this light,
wasiczek ums,” she says. Now everything especially after rain.
doesn’t shy
away from is mowed, pruned, aligned, and “The very low-contrast light cre-
wind. made contained, she laments, within ated by a cloudy, gray sky is also
with a nikon neatly trimmed borders. good, but its effect is different,”
d300 and
rubinar “When I go into the meadow she continues. “It’s best for making
300mm f/4.5 or garden, I look around. I often bright, pastel photos. I don’t like
mirror lens; sit there to sharpen my eyes,” strong sun, and the only thing
exposure
Wasiczek says. “Within the jungle that will draw me out of the house
unrecorded.
of grass and plants, I try to fnd a at noon is a fock of butterfies
dream theme that will inspire me. I soak passing through.” Wasiczek avoids
weaVer up the smells of the meadow, its fash, and prefers to refect ambi-
For the spider
portrait, sounds, its light, and I wait. Maybe ent light onto backlit or shadowed
wasiczek a butterfy will fap by, or I’ll notice subjects with a compliment of
added color a ladybug climbing a leaf, or drops small refectors and mirrors.
by pulling a
toy into her of dew will sparkle in a shaft of As much as she likes the golden
background. sunlight.” hour, Wasiczek will also wake
she shot with When this happens, she picks before dawn to shoot. In these
a nikon d300
and Tamron up her camera and plays. moments, insects are just stirring
90mm f/2.8 Wasiczek’s favorite time is from and not as likely to fy off, and dew
sP aF macro late afternoon until sunset, drops put on amazing light shows.
lens, and mainly for the light. “By nature I “On mornings bathed in dew, the
exposed for
1/80 sec at am an owl, not a lark, so for me fowers look like they’re studded
f/5.6, iso the perfect time is when the low with diamonds that shine in the
200. a special frst rays of the sun. The views of
effects filter
produced this spectacular phenomenon can
the circular be breathtaking, but they’re not
highlights. for sleepers. In summer, you have
Flowers in to be up and out on the meadow
winTer by 4 a.m. Otherwise, you miss it,”
wasiczek she warns.
often
She rarely mounts camera on a
contrasts
fore- and tripod, and her technique is loose
background and freeform. As noted, Wascizek
color palettes starts by sitting, and then stretch-
to draw
attention to ing out prone among the greenery.
her subjects. oPTical oPTions Unlike most fower specialists,
at bottom
right an
the lens for the look she eschews knee pads or ground
unsaturated Besides contemporary glass such cloths, and “when I return from
background as Tamron’s 90mm f/2.8 and the meadow, I look like a mud
sets off the Lensbaby’s Composer Pro and man,” she laughs. Her point of
poppies. Sweet 35, Wasiczek favors older,
made with a
view is usually at or below foral
nikon d300 manual focus Russian and Eastern level, and she quite often tilts her
and Tamron European lenses for their softness camera to add dynamic lines to
90mm f/2.8. and tendency to flare (she mounts
fower stems and horizons.
them using M42 adapters). Such
Wasiczek treats her own garden
glass is rare in the U.S., but older
as a laboratory for her photog-
Japanese lenses like Pentax’s
raphy, nurturing fowers she
35mm f/2.3 Auto-Takumar (above)
are easy to acquire and share remembers from her childhood
similar qualities. and planting butterfy bushes,
sweet peas, and other fowering
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm popular

pOppHOtO.COm photography
popular photography57
49
 WorldMags.net
species that attract the photogenic
insects like dragonfies, lady bugs,
and butterfies that often “co-star”
with the flowers in her photos. “In
my garden, everything is interwo-
ven and tangled, and at frst sight
may seem like a chaotic mess. But
for me, it’s an artistic mess!” she
exclaims. Such chaos contrasts
starkly with the simplicity, purity
and beauty of her subjects, and,
defocused, it can make for visually
dynamic backgrounds as well.
In fact, Wasiczek’s backgrounds
often threaten to upstage her sub-
jects with their mysterious depths,
rich colors, and graphic energy.
She almost always includes visu-
ally stimulating swirls or swaths
of pure, saturated color that
contrast—sometimes dramatically
and sometimes subtly—with the
blossoms in her foregrounds.
If the photographer can’t fnd
an angle that presents such
a background, she will drag a
brightly colored plastic toy, ball or
other object behind her subject,
58 popular photography september 2013
making sure it’s far back and com-
pletely defocused. Her favorites
are objects with refective metal
elements, which she places in
good light so they appear as bright
background highlights in the
imagethat suggest distant moons
or lamps of a nearby dwelling.
She achieves these backgrounds,
of course, by shooting mostly with
fast macro lenses and shooting at
or near maximum aperture. The
result is shallow depth of feld, and
deep planes of mysterious defocus
before and behind her subjects.
“Shooting at f/2.8, the biggest diff-
culty is catching the right focus. It
requires a lot of patience, and tak-
ing several shots [while bracketing
focus] to make sure I have a good
one,” she says.
Another dimension to Wasic-
zek’s fower pictures grows out of
her creative use of atmospherics
to convey something intimately
sensual about her garden and
its mise en scene. More than most
fower shooters, she’s drawn to
WorldMags.net
hanging frost, mist, dew, snow, falling rain,
on a sun
Flower wind, and fog for the way they com-
a master municate feelings of wet, motion,
of drawing chill, or warmth. The elements add
attention
an almost physical immediacy,
to her
subjects with while hinting at the photographer’s
selective unwillingness to let a bit of inclem-
focus, ent weather stand between her and
wasiczek
does it with great photographs.
tools like the Wasiczek’s color palette is
lensbaby unabashedly unnatural. Her violets
composer
Pro and are rarely violet, but showcase
sweet 35 colors tweaked and twisted by
optic used for the sensitive application of select
this ladybug.
her camera:
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom tools.
the nikon She dynamically plays the effects
d700. of saturation, white balance, tint,
hue, contrast, and vibrance sliders
off each other until the overall color
scheme works. “It can take fve or
twenty minutes to get the look I
want. Often when I fddle longer
than that, the picture usually gets
worse, and will ultimately end up in
the trash can,” she laughs.
“I have no special Lightroom
tricks or techniques,” she sighs.
“I simply play.”
pOppHOtO.COm
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
The Year’s Biggest

Deals
Everybody loves a bargain, but
photographers in particular thrill at
the prospect of great gear for less.
In our annual roundup, we pres-
ent equipment that we deem
top value, whether you’re
shopping for travel shooting,
everyday use, or studio work.

Tamron SP
70–200mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
This latest addition to the class of
pro-grade, weather-sealed, f/2.8
constant-aperture telezooms
wowed us in our March 2013 lab
test. With excellent sharpness,
low distortion, and Vibration
Compensation that gave us an
edge of 3.5 stops on average, it
was a winner. And at a price of
$1,499, this full-frame optic
comes in $900–$1,000 less than
the equivalent Canon or Nikon
zooms. Also available in Sony
Text by Dan Richards Alpha mount, with no VC—most
Photos by Satoshi Alpha DSLRs have sensor-shift IS.

60 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net

TRAVEL/ADVENTURE
WorldMags.net
AR PARROT DRONE 2.0
This quadcopter may be toylike,
but at $300, it can be a fun
intro to drone photography.
Controlled by FreeFlight 2.0, an
Android Wi-Fi app (no iOS), it
has two onboard cameras, one
for 720p HD video, the other for
lo-res stills. Stream images to
your phone or tablet, or send
them to social media sites.
SAMSUNG NX300 WITH
20–50MM F/3.5–5.6
LENS This nifty retro-look ILC
is jam-packed with quality and
capabilities. Its 20.3MP APS-C-
size sensor put up Excellent
image quality in our lab tests.
You get a 3.31-inch tilting
touchscreen, 1920x1080p60
video, speedy hybrid contrast/
phase-detection autofocus,
built-in Wi-Fi connectivity to
smartphones and social
media—plus Adobe Photoshop
Lightroom 5. That’s plenty for
$750 with the kit lens.
PENTAX Q WITH
5–15MM F/2.8–4.5
LENS It's a fun, really tiny
camera with a full set of
controls, and at $250 with a
27.5–83mm equivalent lens, it
costs less than many com-
pacts—and more than $500
less than when it was first
introduced. And you can swap
the lens for the Q line’s “toy”
optics, or even K-mount lenses
with an adapter.
WorldMags.net
SIGMA 18–35MM F/1.8
DC HSM ART With an
approximate 28–56mm
equivalent range, this APS-C
optic is perhaps the perfect
travel lens—and as the first and
only f/1.8 zoom, it’s unique.
That alone makes the $799
price sound worth it, but you
also get five SLD elements.
internal focusing and zooming,
and super-quiet HSM focusing.
Now, if only it were stabilized.
TOKINA AT-X 12–28MM
F/4 PRO DX This new APS-C
zoom, favorably priced at
$599, made our all-star team
of f/4 constant-aperture zooms
last month. See it and check
out its test results on page 88.
POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 61
NIKON COOLPIX S31
Waterproof, shockproof, and
dustproof, it’s a perfect kid’s
or beach camera. There’s
not much else to it, but that's
kinda the point—at $117,
you won’t worry entrusting it
to your little darling(s).
DOMKE F-10
RUGGEDWEAR
MEDIUM Easy to carry
and easy to access, this
$70 lightweight shoulder
bag can hold a DSLR with
standard zoom, plus a
second small lens and flash.
ADORAMA
FLASHPOINT DG600
Lightweight but durable, this
300-Ws strobe has an LED
modeling light and internal
cooling fan, and for $310
you can get it with a
portable battery pack
for location shoots.
TREK-TECH
TREKPOD XL
Great for shooters on
the go, this $270
carbon-fiber unit
functions as a
monopod, tripod, and
hiking stick. Weighing
just 1.5 pounds (with
the included ballhead),
it can support up
to 13.5 pounds.
EVERYDAY
WorldMags.net

RICOH GR A $797
price seem steep for a
fixed-lens compact? It’s a
positive bargain compared
with others in the APS-C
sensor class. The GR put up
very strong numbers in our
lab tests, and in the field, its
controls are just plain cool.

NIK COLLECTION BY
GOOGLE A massively
discounted plug-in pack: For
$149, you get all five Nik
apps (including Silver Efex
Pro 2), a savings of
$150–$350 off the original.
The downside: Apps are no
longer available à la carte.

SIGMA 19MM F/2.8
DN A An Art series lens for
ILCs in Micro Four Thirds or
Sony E-mount, this elegant,
tiny lens scales up to 38mm
or 28.5mm equivalents,
respectively. Linear AF motor
is designed to be quiet
enough for video shooting,
and price is nice at $199.
SPINLIGHT 360
SYSTEM These modular
modifiers use a circular
mount that fastens onto
most shoe-mount flashes
and accepts numerous
accessories:
gels, half
domes, etc.
Kits start at
$73.
CANON EOS 60D
It may be long in the tooth, but
it’s still a very good tooth. As
Canon’s EOS 70D, the
replacement for the 60D, has
been announced, the venerable
60D is going for $899, street,
and is sometimes rebated as
much as $200 below that. Run,
now: that’s a larcenously good
deal for a stoutly made, 18MP
DSLR that aced an Excellent
image quality rating from ISO
100 through 800 in our lab
tests—still an exemplary
performance nearly three years
later. You may be able to nab a
good deal in a kit with a lens,
like the one with the
18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 EF-S IS
lens for $1,099, street.
NIKON 24–85MM
F/3.5–4.5 AF-S VR
Nikon added Vibration Reduc-
tion, exotic glass, weather-
sealing, and a superquiet AF
motor to the third generation of
this full-framer, and they add up
to make this $597 lens a fine
deal for Nikonians. While it has
a slowish variable aperture, the
faster alternative, the non-
stabilized 24–70mm f/2.8G
AF-S Nikkor, will whack your
wallet for nearly $1,300 more.
MANFROTTO MK394-H
TRIPOD KIT A great light-
weight ’pod for all-around use
at a great price, $100. The
four-section aluminum legs use
thumb-operated flip locks—our
favorite type. Maximum height
is 56.7 inches, and the
7.7-pound load will suit most
entry- or mid-level DSLRs with
not-too-big lenses. Of the three
MK394 models, we like the H,
whose quick-release head is
suitable for stills or video.
SONY ALPHA NEX-3N
WITH 16–50MM F/3.5–
5.6 LENS The lowest-price
entry into the NEX line at
$498, the 16.1MP NEX-3N
makes a nice family camera,
with its tilting 3-inch LCD, full
HD video, and clever, useful
auto modes. While not a
resolution monster, it’s a
noise-buster—it hits unaccept-
able noise only at ISO 16,000.

62 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
Sony Alpha 58
with 18–55mm
f/3.5–5.6 SAM II
lens Sony consistently produces
genuine bargains in DSLR kits, and
this year is no exception. While its
$598 price might say entry-level, the
specs say step-up: 20.1MP APS-C
sensor; 2.7-inch tilting LCD; bursts of
5 fps; ISO 100–16,000; sensor-shift
IS; 1920x1080p60 video; 1.44-
million-dot EVF. The transmissive-
mirror technology promises extra-fast
autofocusing in all modes. (Watch for
good deals in two-lens kits, too.)

WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 63

 WorldMags.net
Elinchrom D-Lite RX One
Budding strobists looking for an entry-level flash with
a pro-level build should consider this $226 unit from
top maker Elinchrom. Its 100-Ws power can be varied
over 5 stops in 1/10-stop increments—unusual at this
price. The built-in Skyport receiver allows wireless
triggering and control to almost 400 feet. (You’ll need
to get a transmitter for this.) Optional apps and a Wi-Fi
module allow for wireless control from iOS devices.
Light and compact (2 pounds; 7 inches deep) the
fan-cooled unit accepts most Elinchrom modifiers and
softboxes all the way up to the 53-inch Octabox.

64 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net

 STUDIO
WorldMags.net
ROKINON 24MM F/3.5
TILT/SHIFT LENS In what
is shaping up to be (perhaps)
the Decade of the Tilt/Shift
Lens, more and more makers
are introducing new versions
of these optics, including a
company we would have never
expected in the game: Korean
upstart Samyang, which
markets under the Rokinon
label in the U.S. This full-frame
optic has rotation at both tilt
and swivel, index scales, and
lock knobs galore, just like
more expensive makes. Our
yet-to-be-published SQF tests
indicate excellent sharpness,
and at $999, it’s more than
$1,000 less than the equi-
valent Canon or Nikon lenses.
FOTODIOX PRO
LED100WA It looks like a
strobe, but the $325 Pro
LED100WA is a cool-operating
LED light whose Bowens S-type
bayonet mount accepts strobe
snoots, barn doors, softboxes,
and grids. Available in
daylight- and tungsten-
balanced versions, it’s equally
suited to still or video
applications, and its brightest
power setting is equivalent to a
600-watt incandescent blub.
WorldMags.net
OBEN BA-2 BALLHEAD
This beautifully made
aluminum BA-2 from the B&H
photo store is rated for up to
26.4 pounds, sports four
bubble levels, and rotates 360
degrees with index marks. The
locking quick-release plate has
a rubberized surface, and a
slot allows vertical camera
placement. Purists might sniff
that the head should have a
second knob for tension
control, but a single knob
makes for simplicity in field or
studio. Besides, given its
pricetag of $90, we will keep
quibbles to a minimum.
POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 65
HITACHI TOURO
DESKPRO 4TB
You can’t afford not to have
hard-drive backup, and, at
$185—less than 50 bucks
a terabyte, this Touro model
is cheap insurance indeed.
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
ELEMENTS 11
Don’t want to rent the latest
Adobe Photoshop via the
Creative Cloud service?
Elements has many of its
retouching features—such as
Layer Masks—for $85.
POCKETWIZARD
PLUS X
TRANSCEIVER
This $99 ticket to enter
the PocketWizard
radio-wireless system can
trigger flashes or cameras,
works with all PW units.
ZEIKOS EXTENSION
TUBES Okay, you give up
autofocus and autoexposure,
but at $24.80 (Nikon) or
$13.40 (Canon), these
manual extension tubes give
you bargain entrée into the
macro world. Use them with
a normal lens or short tele.
 SHOPPING GUIDE
WorldMags.net
1
THE REBATE GAME
Rebates offer opportunities
for big savings, but you have
to look for them. Companies use
rebates when a product will soon be
discontinued, to cut down on excess
inventory, or as an inducement for
buyers to get into a camera system.
They can be the mail-in type, but
these are being supplanted by the
instant rebate (especially at online
retail sites), by which the buyer gets
the rebate on the spot. Instant
rebates are less unwieldy than
mail-ins, which are administered by
third-party fulfillment companies.
Rebates may come in cycles; some
companies are known to offer a spate
of rebates in the spring and fall. But
beware the non-rebate rebate—for
example, a camera priced at $1,100
eligible for a $100 rebate—but which
was $1,000 before the rebate offer.
“PRICED TOO LOW
2
TO ADVERTISE”—
GIMMICK OR LEGIT?
No, it’s not a gimmick or a come-on.
Manufacturers may establish
“minimum advertised prices” (MAPs)
for their products, and retailers are
contractually obligated to adhere to
them. (A 2007 U.S. Supreme Court
decision ruled that these “vertical
price restraints” were legal.)
Manufactures can—and do—retaliate
against retailers who undercut
MAPs, even by withholding
merchandise from them.
But that doesn’t stop retailers from
discounting from MAPs. You just have to
add the item to your online cart, click on
a pop-up, or email or phone the retailer.
And it’s worth your while to do so.
66 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013
3
WE ❤
DISCONTINUED!
Discontinuation is
a boon for bargain hunters (if
the company isn’t going out
of business). With product
cycles so short, a discontinued
model may be a great deal if
you don’t need the latest features.
Of course, bargain hunters are
on to this, so these items can sell
out fast. With the introduction of
Canon’s EOS 5D Mark III, for
example, Canonites were ready to
pounce on a price drop on the
EOS 5D Mark II. And indeed, as
we went to press, one retailer
was selling that camera with a
24–105mm f/4L Canon EF IS
lens for $2,699—a cool $1,400
less than with the Mark III.
SALES CYCLES
4
Promotions by
camera makers come
at the year-end holiday season,
and Dads and Grads in late May
through mid-June. These sales
and/or rebates may be good
deals—but monitor prices before
these seasons to make sure.
Once upon a time, camera gear
followed fairly predictable cycles—
most introductions occurred at the big
photo trade shows, notably Photokina
in Germany. Not anymore. If there’s
any kind of cycle, it’s technological—
when one camera maker introduces a
new capability, you know other brands
will follow. Case in point: Nikon
introduced DSLR video in the D90 in
2008. Canon came out with the
video-capable EOS 5D Mark II three
months later.
WorldMags.net
1
5
SHOULD YOU BUY
THE EXTENDED
WARRANTY?
Extended warranties come in two
flavors: One type, usually offered
by manufacturers themselves,
extends the same warranty
protection. The other, offered by
third-party companies,
expands coverage to
include damage through
2 accident or negligence. There
is debate on their value; some
consumer advocates recommend
never to buy them. But if you’re an
outdoor adventurer, or if you’re
buying a camera for your kid, or if
you’re just clumsy, these may be a
good value. But buy them from a
3 reputable retailer, and check
online reviews before purchase.
IF IT SOUNDS TOO
6
GOOD TO BE
TRUE...
... it probably is. Any online entity
4 that offers photo gear at prices
substantially lower than those
offered by established discount
retailers should be suspect. We have
received reports of outright fraud and
thievery by some of these dealers, and,
in other cases, misrepresentation of kit
components—a third-party manual-focus
lens in Nikon mount being called “a
Nikon lens,” etc. And watch out for
steeply discounted name-brand memory
cards; they may be counterfeit.
Epson’s Stylus Photo R2880 printer
(1) is often rebated from its $600
street price. We spotted the 50mm
f/1.8D AF Nikkor (2) at a “price too
low to advertise” on Amazon.com.
The discontinued Canon EOS 5D
Mark II (3) may be gobbled up as you
read this. And will the Olympus OM-D
E-M5 (4) be refreshed? No official
word, but that’s the buzz.
POPPHOTO.COM
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
Effortless
Portraits
Fleeting
moments
this page:
sifting flour
onto the Cake
Boss for tlC.
Facing page,
clockwise
from top left:
An intimate
post-wedding
moment made
better by
bad weather;
Jonah Hill
blowing
petals against
the wind;
the photog-
rapher’s son
pauses in
some good
light while his
dad waits for
the shark.

68 popular photography september 2013 WorldMags.net

 WorldMags.net

Seasoned pro George Lange has photographed everything from the

cast of Seinfeld to the births of his sons with a lighthearted touch
that makes his thoughtful and emotional pictures appear completely
spontaneous. We talked to him to fnd out how he does it and got his
tips so you can try it yourself. Photos by George Lange; interview by Debbie Grossman

WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm popular photography 69

 WorldMags.net
How did you get started sUn BAtHing
shooting? I was born in Pitts- lange
captured
burgh in 1955. I started taking actress
pictures from when I was about Jessica
seven years old and I’ve taken love in a
pictures every day since. I went to maplewood,
nJ backyard;
the Rhode Island School of Design, a vintage
graduated from there, moved to swimsuit
New York and worked with Duane helped set
the tone.
Michaels and worked with Annie
Liebowitz for a year; the last six mAn on tHe
months she was at Rolling Stone street
and frst six at Vanity Fair. I did on
assignment
everything for her—I was the main for
assistant. I traveled all over the microsoft,
world with her. Annie was 1,000% this model
was photog-
invested in the work that she did. raphed
It was powerful to be around and in new
inspiring. After Annie, I decided I York City’s
would never assist again, and I left meatpacking
district,
to start my own career. where lange
loves the
How do you approach a morning
light.
portrait? My door in is always
personal. I am always trying to FArm BoYs
fnd out: Who is this person? they look
What is their story? How do they posed,
but this
tick? I want to know who you foursome
are, I want to know who you’re ran off a split
sleeping with, and I want to know second after
staring down
everything about you. We only
the photog-
have these precious moments rapher.
together, and I couldn’t care less
what you look like. sweet
exCHAnge
lange fell
How do you make the in love
portraits seem so natural? with Jeni’s
splendid
I totally clear my mind. I try to
ice cream in
have very little in my head and Columbus,
not think about how the fnal oH four
thing is going to look—I love the years ago,
and began a
process of discovering something still-ongoing
special while I’m shooting. Most of project
the time I just want to let it steer documenting
the company,
toward something that I never
in exchange
even thought of. I don’t want to for their
restrict the possibilities of the pic- dessert.
ture by planning too much ahead.

What do you shoot with?

I’m really into this Canon EOS-1D
X that I got a year ago. It’s basically
a high-end sports camera, but I
don’t use it that way. It gives me a

70 popular photography september 2013 WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
couple of extra f-stops, and I’ve
gone from shooting 1,000 pics a
day to 3- and 4,000 pictures a day.
It’s changing the way I see—you
can shoot the arc up to the hero
shot and the arc down from the
hero shot. I’m getting pictures
that I’d never seen before, and I’m
shooting lots of pictures of my
kids moving at 1/1000 sec that
I could never have gotten years
ago. And there’s no “not enough
light” anymore, which is also very
liberating. Now even a match is
more light than you need.
Do you have a favorite
lens? I mostly use the 24–70mm
f/2.8L; I rarely use a lens longer
than a 50. I like to be able to
touch subjects when I’m photo-
graphing them. I don’t like being
much further than arm’s length.
So between 35mm and 50mm I
take most of my pictures.
How does that distance
affect the way you
photograph? I don’t want to
be screaming across the room at
my subject, but I don’t want to
be uncomfortably close either—
my shooting distance is about
the same as having dinner with
someone. And I never crop a
picture in post. I make it in the
camera intuitively, and it’s rare
that I will look later and say I
should have moved closer.
How do you set your
camera? I am really like a
child—I like taking pictures like
I’m still seven years old so I could
care less about the settings. If it’s
a little dark the ISO is generally
between 1200 and 1600. I make
super-fast decisions: I’ll just take
an exposure and look at it on
the screen and then adjust off
that. Lots of times I won’t even
get it right, but it doesn’t matter
because you’re shooting RAW
and you have so much leeway.
WorldMags.net
In the end, I don’t even care that
much if I don’t get the picture. I
still had the experience. It’s about
that process of seeing and want-
ing to remember.
How do you edit when
you take 3,000 exposures
a day? It’s a nightmare, espe-
cially when you are also person-
ally invested in all the pictures!
I’m turning in sequences to cli-
ents that work as animated GIFs
or stop-motion HTML videos. For
the most part, my work—and
most people’s these days—is
seen on the computer screen,
unless it’s on my mother’s wall
in Pittsburgh. You’re editing for
media that people are not spend-
ing that much time with, so I try
to work as fast as I can.
How do you get that great
natural light? You have to
know the light in your house. Not
if you’re living in a basement in
Brooklyn, maybe—but so many
people live out in the country,
and there’s all sorts of light that
does special things. We are hav-
ing these incredible dusks out
in Colorado, and every evening
we go out and take pictures in
that light for 10 minutes. In my
house, when there’s a light on in
the bathroom and it rakes across
the bed, the light is ridiculous! It’s
not like I’m some genius that I’m
taking these pictures—it’s just
that I’m aware that there’s good
light and I use it.
You photograph your
family a lot. How do
you balance between
photographing and
being present?
My wife is super nice about it. My
wife and I are both artists—my
job is to mine that part of my
life and explore that part of my
life, and she does that, too. So
there is a certain understanding
pOppHOtO.COm popular photography 71
 WorldMags.net sUnrise and a real trust between us. Still,
View
every time I pick up my camera
says lange,
of this photo it’s like: Do I want to photograph
of his son, this or do I want to experience
awed by the this? You have to photograph very
beauty of the
sunrise from quickly—the time that the camera
his hospital is in front of my face is measured
room: “this in seconds. It’s a very quick thing
is one of that’s happening, and then it’s
those places
you rarely gone. The way I’ve taught my kids
bring your and taught myself is that, when
camera— I’m photographing, we are for a
who wants to
remember? moment appreciating how special
Yet we were what’s going on is. It doesn’t feel
together like it’s detracting from the live
and it was event. Instead it’s taking one step
a moment
full of more back and saying how lucky we are.
wonder than
sadness.” What do you think are
dAnCing the biggest mistakes that
HAnd photographers make?
A member I think the biggest mistake is pho-
of dance tographing what’s already been
company
Aszure done and what’s obvious. Duane
Barton & Michaels used to say, “Tell me
Artists, for something I don’t know.” I know
which lange
is company
what the view out of the Empire
photog- State Building looks like; don’t
rapher, show me the destination, show
during a run- me the journey. I used to take my
through per-
formance. son into New York from Maple-
wood, NJ every Sunday. We’d go
swAmp do one thing and then come back.
dAnCer
Years
I realized it was the journey that
into his made those experiences so special
friendship and not the thing that we went to
with choreog- see. In a picture, I want to know
rapher
Aszure what you aren’t telling me. Photo-
Barton, graph a secret. Photograph some-
lange and thing you see, but you’d never
Barton made
think to photograph, or something
this picture
together in you feel but you’d never think to
the swamps photograph. One of the advan-
at white oak tages I have is that the way I
in Florida.
photograph is almost a refex of
muscle. I can see something and I
don’t have to think about it; before
I know it, I’ve taken the picture.

George Lange’s book with Scott

Mowbray, The Unforgettable Pho-
tograph (Workman) comes out in
September. See more of Lange’s work
at langestudio.com.

72 popular photography marCH

50 20102013
september WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
FULL TESTS: OLYMPUS PEN E-P5 & FUJIFILM XF 55–200MM F/3.5–4.8

86
82
TEST: TOKINA 12–28MM F/4 PRO AT-X

88
DSLR TEST

COLOR IT
TOUGH

PENTAX
K-50
PentaxÕs latest rugged DSLR gives new 16.3MP
APS-C-sized
meaning to Òcolor gamutÓ CMOS sensor
ISO 100–51,200
THE PENTAX WAY, for a long while also showcasing a new find a 16.3MP APS-C-sized CMOS Weather-sealed
Sensor-shift
time now, has been to offer up Pentax Way: offering a vast sensor that can be ramped up
image
rugged, weather-sealed DSLRs array of color combinations for to a sensitivity of ISO 51,200, a stabilization
priced well below comparably the cameraÕs shell and grip. In shutter that can slice time at up $777 street,
with 18–55mm
built competitors. Its latest this case, you can choose from to 1/6000 sec, and a powerful
f/3.5–5.6 lens
DSLR, the K-50 ($697, street, 120 (!) color combinations. Prime M processor that lets pentaximaging.
body only), continues this trend, Inside that colorful shell, youÕll you capture in bursts of up to com

POPPHOTO.COM WorldMags.net SEPTEMBER 2013 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 75

 lab * DSLR TEST
WorldMags.net
PENTAX K-50 AmAteur pro

6 frames per second. We ran it

through the Popular Photography
Test Lab and field tests to see how
its performance stands up.

In the Test Lab

It’s rare for a 16.3MP camera to
rack up enough lines per picture
height to achieve an Excellent
rating in our tests. The K-50 fell
just shy of that top award, earning
a still-impressive Extremely High
rating from ISO 100 through 400 in
overall image quality.
Resolution measured 2470 lines
at the camera’s lowest sensitivity
of ISO 100—about the same as
the Olympus E-P5 tested on page
82 of this issue. These are, of
course, two very different kinds of
cameras. A better comparison to
the Pentax might be Nikon’s D5200,
as it illustrates the tradeoffs Pentax
makes to produce such a rugged
camera at this attractive a price.
The D5200 turned in 2770 lines of
resolution at ISO 100, but it can’t
match the K-50’s weather-sealing,
Live view Drive and tops out at a burst rate of 5 fps.
button mode
button If your print is 13x19 inches or
smaller, you should be fine with the
Pentax, unless you plan to do some
severe cropping. And we’re sure
that most shooters making larger
prints will choose a more advanced
camera than those in the K-50 and
D5200’s price range.
In part due to Pentax’s minimal
use of noise reduction in the default
settings of its RAW conversion
software (a modified version of
Silkypix), the K-50 holds a lot of its
resolution as the sensitivity rises.
At ISO 800, it served up 2450 lines;
at ISO 1600, 2380 lines; and by ISO
6400, 2300 lines. Past this point,
pentax k-50
what’s hot
Affordable, weather-sealed DSLR
philip ryan (lCD image)

what’s not
AF a bit sluggish in low light
who it’s for
Shooters looking for a well-performing,
rugged DSLR at a reasonable price

76 popuLAr photogrAphy september 2013 WorldMags.net pOpphOtO.COm

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 lab * DSLR TEST
WorldMags.net
PENTAX K-50
TesT ResULTs
imaGe QuaLity ISO 100-400
Pentax raises the noise reduction and ISO 200, though, it scored for info
setting to half power from zero. So an Extremely Low rating. That on how we
test DsLrs, EXTREMELY HIGH
at the the camera’s top sensitivity rises to Very Low at ISO 400, and go to POOR EXCELLENT
of ISO 51,200, noise reduction then to Moderately Low at ISO popphoto.
obscures enough detail to allow 800. Beyond that the K-50 got com/reviews. resoLution ISO 100
for only 1850 lines. Unacceptable ratings, although 2470 EXTREMELY HIGH
The Pentax’s color accuracy prudent application of noise 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
scored an Excellent rating with reduction would let you rein in POOR EXCELLENT
an Average Delta E of 4.8. This noise to acceptable levels without CoLor aCCuraCy
rating assumes the use of a gray too much loss of resolution at up
card for white balance; in our to at least ISO 3200. EXCELLENT 4.8
field testing, we found that the One place that the K-50 lags HIGH EXCELLENT
camera’s automatic white balance a bit is autofocus speed in dim noise AT ISO
sometimes needed a tweak later. lighting. In the brighter half of
Since Pentax’s RAW converter our AF test, the camera did a EXTREMELY LOW 0.9 100

doesn’t apply default noise fine job of locking on target and

EXTREMELY LOW 1.0 200
reduction to RAW files until the capturing an image. At EV 12, it
sensitivity is extremely high, does so in a speedy 0.38 sec, and VERY LOW 1.5 400

the camera doesn’t fare very at EV 8, virtually the same. But it MODERATELY LOW 2.3 800
well in our noise test at middle slowed quite a bit by EV 2, where
and higher ISOs. At ISO 100 it took more than a second to UNACCEPTABLE 3.6 1600

UNACCEPTABLE 4.4 3200

UNACCEPTABLE 6.7 6400

The K-50’s
UNACCEPTABLE 8.8 12,800
sculpted grip
UNACCEPTABLE 13.7 25,600
and swooping UNACCEPTABLE 22.9 25,600
ridge on the 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5

UNACCEPTABLE EXTREMELY LOW

back feel very hiGhLiGht/shaDow DetaiL
comfortable in VERY HIGH

the hand. LOW EXTREMELY HIGH

Contrast

HIGH

LOW EXTREMELY HIGH

imaGe staBiLization AT 300MM

2 STOPS
1 2 3 4 5 6
EXT. FAST

af speeD

0.2
0.38 0.39 0.39
0.4 0.54
TIME (SECONDS)

0.6
0.78
0.8

1.0
1.19
1.2 1.26
1.38
1.4
EXT. SLOW

1.6 1.48

12 9 6 3 0 –3

78 popuLAr photogrAphy september 2013 WorldMags.net BRIGHT (LIGHT LEVEL) DIM

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 lab * DSLR TEST
WorldMags.net
PENTAX K-50
focus and fire. At the dimmest
light level that the AF is rated to
handle, EV –1, the camera slowed
to 1.48 sec. At the lowest light
levels, the Nikon D5200 handily
outperformed the Pentax.
In the Field
The K-50 feels very comfortable
in the hand, with a wonderfully
sculpted grip and a little swooping
ridge on the back to give your
thumb leverage while angling
the camera. A pair of command
wheels make manual shooting
more convenient, and though
there aren’t a vast number of
dedicated buttons, the most
important settings have buttons
to provide direct access. There’s
also a dashboard-style menu
that lets you see the settings
and change them by navigating
through that screen. You can
also press and hold the center
Leave the baggage.
button on the direction pad on the While the doesn’t have a built-in AF motor
camera back to quickly access AF efficacy of (such as one of Pentax’s Limited
the K-50’s series prime lenses), AF becomes
point selection.
sensor-
The K-50, as expected, has a shift image quite loud. While the video that we
rugged magnesium-alloy chassis, stabilization captured looked nice, the built-in
with 81 seals on the body to will vary microphone is monaural, and
some based
ward off moisture and dust. on the lens there’s no microphone input.
So, if you have one of Pentax’s used, our Burst photographers should
WR (weather-resistant) lenses testers got
be pleased with the K-50’s 6-fps
two stops
attached, such as the 18–55mm of shutter rate. Though it takes only 8
f/3.5–5.6 DA kit lens, you can speed RAW images to fill the camera’s
shoot with reckless abandon advantage
buffer, you can grab up to 30 JPEG
when
while it’s raining or snowing shooting shots before you hit the limit. AF
The 3-inch 921,000-dot LCD with a tracking reliably kept up with the
doesn’t tilt; we found ourselves 55–300mm
burst speed—although not quite as
f/4–5.8 lens
missing the articulated LCD of zoomed to well as you’d expect from a more
the Nikon D5200 while shooting 300mm. expensive pro body, so expect a
video and, occasionally, stills. But misfocused shot here and there.
the K-50’s 100-percent-accurate The K-50 can merge three shots
pentaprism viewfinder made into HDR images, with exposure
framing a joy. brackets of up to +/– 3 EV. It can
The contrast-detection AF used also make multiple exposures of
by the K-50 in video and live-view up to 9 frames, while automatically
shooting was remarkably fast, adjusting for exposure. A built-in
though if you are using a lens that intervalometer can capture up
Ask about
our new
product kits!
Take the power.
The NEW PHOTOGENIC ION…
LITHIUM-ION PURE SINE WAVE INVERTER
You never have all the luxuries of the studio when you
shoot off-site. But now you can lighten your load with a photogenic.com | 800.682.7668
highly compact and portable power supply. Compatible
with most monolights, produces over 1,000* flashes
and recharges quickly. A standard USB port, LED power
monitor and dual 3 prong AC outlets provide maximum Ask About Our
versatility on any budget. Portable power wherever you $25 Rebate
need it!
*Based on performance of 320 WS Monolight per charge.
WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net astro to 999 shots at intervals from 3 the limit on pixel count nor jams
shooters
seconds up to 24 hours. in as many video capabilities as
specIFIcaTIons
can use the
k-50’s astro possible. Instead, it offers a DSLR
tracer mode The Bottom Line that can stand up to the elements
imaGinG: 16.3mp effective, aps-C- if they have
sized CmOs sensor captures images at the o-Gps1 Pentax’s cameras are always hard and deliver a high-end shooting
4928x3264 pixels with 12 bits/color in ($199, to compare to those from other experience, yet won’t place undue
raW mode. street) manufacturers; it opts for more burden on your finances. For
storaGe: sD, sDhC, sDXC. stores module
attached to rugged designs and often eschews many photographers, we think
Jpeg, Dng raW, or raW + Jpeg files.
ViDeo: records up to 1920x1080p the camera. the trendy features du jour. With that may be a winning formula.
30fps in mpeg-4 h.264 format; built-in the K-50, Pentax neither pushes —Philip Ryan
mono microphone; no microphone input;
approx. 25 min. maximum clip size at
highest quality.
Burst rate: Full-sized Jpegs (Fine),
up to 30 shots at 6 fps; raW (12-bit), up
to 8 shots at 6 fps using a Uhs-i
compatible sD card.
af system: ttl phase-detection with
11 illuminated focus points (9 cross-
type points); single-shot, continuous,
predictive focus tracking, auto selection
between single-shot and continuous
modes available; tested sensitivity to eV
–1 (at isO 100, f/1.4).
LiVe View: Contrast detection with
fixed center point, selectable area, face
detection, or subject tracking.
shutter speeDs: 1/6000 to 30 sec,
plus b (1/3-eV increments); shutter life
not rated; flash sync to 1/180 sec.
meterinG: 77-zone ttl metering;
evaluative, center-weighted average, and
spot; range, 0 to 22 eV (at isO 100).
iso ranGe: isO 100–51,200 (in 1-,
1/2- or 1/3-eV steps).
ViewfinDer: Fixed eye-level
pentaprism.
LCD: Fixed 3.0-in. tFt lCD with 921,000-
dot resolution, 15-step brightness
adjustment.
output: hi-speed Usb 2.0 and
composite video.
Battery: rechargeable D-li109 li-ion;
Cipa rating, 410 shots; D-bh109 ($30,
street) holder allows use of aa batteries.
size/weiGht: 5.1x3.8x2.8 inches, 1.4
lbs with a card and battery.
street priCe: $697, body only; $777
with 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 al Wr
info: pentaximaging.com

ViewfinDer test: accuracy, 100%

(excellent); magnification, 0.92X (Very good).

september 2013 popuLAr photogrAphy 81 WorldMags.net

 lab * IlC TesT
WorldMags.net
aMatEur pro

P for Peerless
olympus pen e-p5

BEForE olyMpuS introduced the

OM-D line of interchangeable-
lens compacts, its Pen series
cameras were the flagship Micro
Four Thirds bodies. Now, the new
16.1MP Pen E-P5—with its metal
A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE OLYMPUS PEN chassis, 1/8000-second top shut-
ter speed, tilting LCD, fve-axis
sensor-shift image stabilization,
and built-in Wi-Fi—presents a
compelling fnderless alternative
to the highly acclaimed (and a
bit long in the tooth) OM-D E-M5.
While the Pen E-P5 lacks the
OM-D’s extensive weather-sealing
and lovely electronic viewfnder,
we appreciated the small size,
especially when using it with its
petite 17mm f/1.8 kit lens (the
camera streets for $999, body
only; $1,449 with this lens and
VF-4 electronic viewfnder). Plus,
the P5’s images provide plenty of
detail and well-controlled noise.

Command wheel Rear command in the Test Lab

function lever wheel The E-P5 fell just shy of top hon-
ors in our resolution test, thereby
earning an overall Image Quality
rating of Extremely High from ISO
100 through ISO 1600 in our tests.
As is common, the E-P5 aced
our color accuracy test with an
average Delta E of 7.9—not quite
as impressive as we’ve seen in
some cameras lately, but still an
assurance that colors will be very
faithfully reproduced.
In our resolution test, the E-P5
turned in 2460 lines per picture
height at its lowest sensitivity
of ISO 100. That puts it at the
top end of the Extremely High
rating band on our scale. By
ISO 1600, its resolution score
dropped fewer than 100 lines
OLYMPUS PEN E-P5
WHAT’S HOT
low noise to Iso 1600; sensor-shift Is
pHILIp rYAN (LCD ImAGe)

WHAT’S NOT
no built-in viewfinder
WHO IT’S FOR
shooters who want a small, powerful
camera with swappable lenses

82 popular photography september 2013 WorldMags.net

ShoWN WIthout lENS
 WorldMags.net
to 2375, slipping to 2300 at ISO
3200, and 2270 at ISO 6400. From
in more casual situations. And
given their skill and experience,
Since the
E-P5 follows TesT ResULTs
Olympus’ IMAGE QUALITY Iso 100–1600
there, noise dropped off more serious photographers will still trend of
sharply, ending up at 1780 lines be able to work within the E-P5’s using EXTREMELY HIGH
at the camera’s top sensitivity limits to make amazing images. sensor-shift
pooR eXCellenT
image
of ISO 25,600. While this looks
stabilization, RESOLUTION Iso 100
like a steep drop, it’s likely due in the field you’ll benefit
to Olympus’s aggressive noise Each generation of Olympus’s from its 2460 EXTREMELY HIGH
reduction at higher ISOs. So, if P-series cameras brings more steadying 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
affect with
you fnd yourself in a situation refnement to the shooting pro- pooR eXCellenT
any lens you
where you absolutely need to cess. This time we see a solidly mount on COLOR ACCURACY
crank up the ISO just to get any built body that bears even more the body. For
image, you should end up with resemblance to the company’s our image EXCELLENT 7.9
stabilization
a shot that you can print at a flm-era Pen half-frame cameras test, we shot HIGH eXCellenT
small size or share on Facebook. than the original digital Pen had. with a
NOISE AT Iso
Noise is kept to impressively The shell on the metal body has 40–150mm
low levels throughout the extremely tight seams between f/4.0–5.6
zoomed to EXTREMELY LOW 0.7 100
camera’s sensitivity range. As parts, with no visible screws, 150mm
noted, this comes at the expense except on the camera bottom (300mm EXTREMELY LOW 1.1 200

of resolution at the high end of and behind the tilting 3-inch, equivalent).
VERY LOW 1.2 400
the ISO scale, but it also makes 1.04-million-dot touchscreen.
it easy for anyone who buys the The result is a body that feels VERY LOW 1.4 800
camera to get great results from extremely solid and looks down-
RAW images. Note, though, that right sleek. There’s even a silver/ LOW 1.6 1600

the Olympus Viewer software black two-toned version if you

MODERATELY LOW 2.1 3200
that comes with the camera go for that retro look.
doesn’t offer the same level of One of the big differences MODERATE 2.8 6400

adjustments you can perform
with such editing programs as
Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom.
When a camera’s resolving
power remains within one rat-
ing band and color accuracy is
excellent, we use noise as the
limiting factor (specifcally, the
range at which noise scores a
Low or better rating) to deter-
mine the range of ISOs for our
image quality rating. The E-P5
keeps noise to Low or better up
to ISO 1600. At ISO 100 and ISO
200, the camera got top honors
of Extremely Low noise—some-
thing of a rarity for ILCs. Noise
didn’t reach an Unacceptable
rating until ISO 12,800.
Most amateur photogra-
phers will be impressed with
the images that the E-P5 can
produce. Pros will notice some
compromises compared with
gear that costs thousands of dol-
lars more, but for them this will
likely be a second body for use
between the E-P5 and OM-D is the
UNACCEPTABLE 4.2 12,800
new camera’s lack of a built-in
viewfnder. For some this will be a UNACCEPTABLE 5.1 25,600
detriment, though for an increas- 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5
ing number of shooters, it isn’t a unACCepTABle eXTRemely loW
deal-breaker. We shot without a
IMAGE STABILIZATION AT 150mm
fnder for about half of our feld
testing, and although it’s not 3 STOPS
nearly as steady a way to shoot 1 2 3 4 5 6
compared with eye-level viewing,
HIGHLIGHT/SHADOW DETAIL
we found ourselves more often
trying odd angles that would be HIGH
impossible otherwise.
loW eXTRemely HIGH
Most of the time, between the
image stabilization—which netted CONTRAST
our testers an average of 3 stops of
VERY HIGH
shutter-speed leeway when shoot-
ing handheld—and the camera’s loW eXTRemely HIGH
impressive noise performance
at higher ISOs, we were able to of detail and, though it blanks out
compensate for the less steady some during burst shooting, it has
camera position. (If all else fails, a fast enough refresh rate that you
there’s always the pop-up flash.) might not fnd it a hindrance when
For the other half of our feld tests, panning along with subjects mov-
we attached Olympus’ optional ing at slow or medium speeds.
VF-4, a 2.36-million-dot LCD EVF If you are a fan of burst
($279, street). The view has plenty shooting, you should take note

WorldMags.net pOppHOtO.COm popular photography 83

 lab * IlC TesT
WorldMags.net
olympus pen e-p5
that the 9-frames-per-second
setting keeps the same focus
and exposure settings through-
out the burst, while the 5-fps
setting meters and focuses
for each shot. Continuous
autofocus was able to keep up
with moving subjects very well
during burst shooting.
Furthermore, AF was very
speedy overall. Paired with prime
lenses, such as the aforemen-
tioned 17mm f/1.8, or with larger
zooms, such as the Panasonic
Lumix G X Vario 12–35mm f/2.8
(a 24– 70mm full-frame equiva-
lent), the E-P5 locked on its target
as fast as you can expect any
ILC to do so—it rivals what most
DSLRs can do in this area.
As far as the camera’s controls
go, there’s more to talk about
than usual. Not only has Olympus
done away with the vertical con-
trol wheel and tiny scroll wheel
found on its earlier Pen E-P3, it
has replaced them with very nice
command wheels positioned
so you can use them with your
thumb and forefnger. And you
can assign various functions
to these wheels, depending on
which shooting mode you’re in.
You can also use a lever on the
back of the camera to change
between two sets of functions for
the wheels—a really great way
to change ISO, white balance,
or AF mode, or to activate video
capture. During our feld tests, we
used it mainly to control aper-
ture and exposure compensation
while shooting in aperture-prior-
ity mode, occasionally switching
to access white balance and ISO.
(This lever was inadvertently
switched in our camera bag a
few times, so take a quick gander
before you start shooting.)
As is the growing trend in fan-
cier cameras, the P5 has built-in
Wi-Fi. Download Olympus’ app
to let you transfer images to your
smartphone for easy sharing. You
84 popular photography september 2013
can also use the app as a remote
control of sorts, though this is
available only in the camera’s
iAuto mode. We prefer an inter-
face along the lines of Canon’s
Wi-Fi, which lets you control
aperture and shutter speed from
your phone. But, this is likely
something that could be added in
later iterations of Olympus’ app, if
the company sees ft to do so.
The E-P5 includes in-the-cam-
era RAW conversion, multiple
exposure shooting, a slew of
flters you can apply to images
after the fact or while shooting,
and focus peaking, to help with
manual focusing. We’re a fan
of focus peaking, which traces
colored outlines around objects
and surfaces that are in focus
at any given time. We especially
like to use it in conjunction with
magnifcation.
Both are available on the
E-P5, and can be linked when
using a lens that controls focus
electronically. But you’ll have
to assign magnifcation to one
button and peaking to a second
if you want to use both of these
features simultaneously when you
switch to mechanical focusing on
an Olympus lens that includes
real focusing helicals, such as
the 17mm kit lens or 12mm
f/2—or when shooting with a lens
mounted on an adapter. It was a
bit of a bother to fgure this out,
but that the camera lets you work
around this limitation speaks to its
versatility. We hope that Olympus
can update the frmware to let you
assign simultaneous magnifca-
tion and focus peaking through a
single button press.
The Bottom Line
Olympus’ Pen E-P5 is a well-
thought-out, elegant little cam-
era with enough imaging and
performance prowess to satisfy
a huge number of shooters. It
might not deliver the most reso-
WorldMags.net
If you like to
shoot in specificaTions
particularly IMAGING: 16.1mp effective,
bright Four thirds-sized Live mOs sensor
conditions, captures images at 4608x3456 pixels
the P5's top with 12 bits/color in rAW mode
shutter STORAGE: sD, sDHC, sDXC slot stores
speed of JpeG, OrF rAW, rAW + JpeG files
1/8000
second will BURST RATE: Full-sized JpeGs (Fine
give you an mode), up to card capacity at 5 fps; rAW
extra stop of (12-bit), up to 18 shots at 5 fps
light control AF SYSTEM: ttL contrast detection
compared to with 35 selectable focus areas; single-
previous shot and continuous AF with face
Olympus detection and subject tracking
ILCs. SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/8000 to 60 sec,
plus b (1/3-eV increments); shutter life
not rated
METERING: ttL metering with 324-area
multi-pattern (evaluative), centerweighted,
spot (size of spot not specified);
eV 0–20 (IsO 100)
ISO RANGE: IsO 100–25,600 (in 1/3-eV
increments)
VIDEO: records at up to 1920x1080p30
in H.264 format; built-in stereo
microphone; no mic input. maximum clip
length 22 min. in Fine quality mode.
FLASH: built-in pop-up; GN 23 (feet, IsO
100); flash sync to 1/320 sec (built-in) or
1/250 sec (external flash). Wireless flash
control with Olympus external flashes.
MONITOR: tilting 3-inch LCD with
1,037,000-dot resolution; 15-step
brightness adjustment
OUTPUT: Usb 2.0, micro HDmI video,
composite video
BATTERY: rechargeable bLN-1 Li-ion,
CIpA rating 330 shots
SIZE/WEIGHT: 4.8x2.7x1.5 inches, 0.9
lb with a card and battery
STREET PRICE: $999, body only; $1,449,
with 17mm f/1.8 lens and VF-4 eVF
INFO: olympusamerica.com
lution you can get from an ILC, but
it certainly delivers suffcient reso-
lution to make prints large enough
to satisfy most people’s needs, and
it makes sharing your images elec-
tronically particularly simple.
Along with its compact size and
the large number of lenses avail-
able for the Micro Four Thirds
system, we think that the E-P5 is a
ferce competitor in the ILC game. If
you’re looking for a small, inter-
changeable-lens camera, this new
Olympus defnitely deserves serious
consideration. —Philip Ryan
pOppHOtO.COm
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

LAB * LENS TEST
WorldMags.net
FUJIFILM XF 55–200MM F/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS
Tele Ace
AMATEUR
FUJIFILM BUILDS
OUT ITS ZOOM
CATALOG
IN APRIL 2013, this 55–200mm
f/3.5–4.8 OIS zoom ($699, street)
joined the Fujinon 18–55mm
f/2.8–4 zoom ($699, street) to
round out a relatively fast and
useful XF-series optical system for
Fujifilm’s impressive X-series of
ILCs (see We Want This on page
11 for the latest X body). How
good is it?
An 84–305mm full frame
equivalent, the 55–200mm
f/3.5–4.8 includes a built-in
stabilizer, two ED and one Super
ED elements for controlling
chromatic aberration, and has a
unique soft-sided lens pouch that
doubles as a cleaning cloth.
Cosmetically, the 55–200mm
is strikingly plain-Jane, with
no subject distance scale,
ornamental brand markings,
or even f-stop numerals on its
aperture ring (they appear on the
LCD screen). It does, however,
sport a unique auto/manual
aperture switch that’s actually
quite convenient.
In the field, the lens balanced
awkwardly on our X-E1, espe-
cially racked out to 200mm.
Autofocus was wonderfully
fast and very quiet, but manual
focus, of the electronic sort,
was compromised by a too-long
turning radius (230 degrees) and
FUJIFILM XF 55–200MM F/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS
WHAT’S HOT
Optically excellent, fair price
WHAT’S NOT
Oversized and undermarked
SATOSHI
WHO IT’S FOR
Fujifilm X-cam shooters craving reach
86 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013
2.88 in.
PRO
0.60 in.
4.66 in.
no hard stop at either end.
In the Popular Photography
optics lab, the lens put up
6.98 in.
Excellent-range SQF numbers,
with sharpness and contrast 1.47 in.
slightly below that of comparable
Canon, Sigma, and Sony APS-C
zooms. In DxO Analyzer Version
5.0 tests of distortion control,
however, the lens performed
spectacularly, presenting the
most impressive distortion control
of any recently tested zoom.
The same for edge falloff: none.
Another bonus: the additional 3.3
stops of sharp handholding made
possible by the on-board image
stabilization system (OIS).
As Fujifilm’s only current XF
tele zoom, this favorably-priced,
optically excellent lens, while By APS-C must-own optic for most X cam
a little unwieldy, is almost a standards, shooters. By the way, Fujifilm has
this XF announced a pending X-camera
lens is
firmware upgrade that promises
quite large.
SPECIFICATIONS Canon’s
comparable
to significantly boost the already
fast focusing speeds. Yes, defin-
55–200MM (57.25–199.98mm tested),
f/3.5–4.8 (f/3.57–5.14 tested), 14 elements
55–250mm itely must-own. —Julia Silber
f/4–5.6
in 10 groups. Focus ring turns 230 degrees. EF-S IS, for
Zoom ring turns 50 degrees. Focal length example, is
marked at 55-, 70-, 100-, 135-, and 200mm. shorter by
DIAGONAL VIEW ANGLE: 29-8 degrees more than
WEIGHT: 1.32 lbs FILTER SIZE: 62mm an inch and
MOUNTS: Fujifilm X-mount lighter by
INCLUDED: Lenshood, lens wrapping cloth almost half a
STREET PRICE: $699 pound. And
WEBSITE: fujifilmusa.com it reaches
250mm!
TEST RESULTS 55
MM
DISTORTION: At 55mm, 0.02%
(Imperceptible) pincushion; at 100mm,
0.01% (Imperceptible) pincushion;
at 200mm, 0.01% (Imperceptible)
100
pincushion MM
LIGHT FALLOFF: At 55mm, none;
at 100mm, none; at 200mm, none
CLOSE-FOCUSING
DISTANCE: 40.33 inches 200
MAXIMUM MAGNIFICATION RATIO: MM
At 55mm, 1:14.33; at 100mm, 1:8.04;
at 200mm, 1:4.72
KEY
WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 LAB * LENS TEST
WorldMags.net
TOKINA AT-X 12–28MM F/4 PRO DX
AMATEUR
Wide Star
TOKINA FILLS OUT
THE FOCAL LENGTH
OF A POPULAR
FAVORITE
TOKINA HAS recently shown
remarkable success in controlling
distortion at ultrawide focal
lengths, while keeping prices low.
This new 12–28mm f/4 AT-X Pro
DX wide-angle zoom for Canon
and Nikon APS-C bodies ($599,
street) continues that fine trend.
The successor to Tokina’s hard-
to-keep-in-stock 12–24mm f/4
PRO DX II of 2003, the newcomer
boosts the focal-length range—
our Nikon-mount test lens is
the full-frame equivalent of an
18–42mm; for Canon it would
be about 19–45mm. It also has a
new autofocus motor and sensor,
plus two aspheric elements
and one element of super low-
dispersion SD glass.
Dimensionally, the lens is
similar to its progenitor, though
almost two ounces lighter—
noteworthy, given its longer
reach. Average in size for the
class, the lens is long enough to
cast a shadow in images made
at wider focal lengths when we
used our Nikon D300’s onboard
flash. Despite the newly designed
SD-M (Silent Drive-Module) AF
motor, autofocusing—while
quiet—is not the quietest we’ve
TOKINA AT-X 12–28MM F/4 PRO DX
WHAT’S HOT
Unusually well-controlled distortion
WHAT’S NOT
Somewhat noisy autofocus
WHO IT’S FOR
SATOSHI
Wide-angle Canon and Nikon APS-C
shooters who hate linear distortion
88 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013
3.30 in.
PRO
0.64 in.
3.57 in.
used lately. It did, however, focus
very quickly, probably because of
the its new focus control system,
which benefits from a sensor
being moved closer to the drive
motor for faster communication.
On our optical bench, the 0.63 in.
Tokina put up uniformly
Excellent-range SQF numbers, and
in our DxO Analyzer 5.0 distortion
tests, it significantly topped the
scores of the earlier 12–24mm f/4
(0.32% barrel distortion compared
with 1.22% barreling at 12mm,
for example.) The Imperceptible-
range pincushion distortion at 20 Tokina’s zoom. but offers more reach,
and 28mm and near absence of signature superior distortion control, and
push/pull
edge falloff were remarkable. collar switch greater subject magnification,
Like the 12–24mm f/4 before that quickly for example.) Speaking of subject
it, the optical superiority and toggles magnification: The Tokina’s
pricing make this wide-angle between is best-in-class, allowing for
manual- and
almost irresistable. (It’s $500 less autofocus dramatic close-ups with tons of
than Nikon’s 12–24mm f/4 DX is now background detail. On the fence?
even more See our eight-page ode to f/4
convenient,
zooms (“Constant Companion”) in
thanks to
SPECIFICATIONS improved
markings.
last month’s issue. It may just win
you over. —Julia Silber
12–28MM (12.39–27.99mm tested), f/4
(f/3.42–4.54 tested), 14 elements in 12 For $599, we
consider this
groups. Focus ring turns 80 degrees; zoom
lens one of
ring turns 60 degrees. Focal length marked
the year’s
at 12-, 16-, 20-, 24-, and 28mm.
best buys.
DIAGONAL VIEW ANGLE: 99–54 degrees See page
WEIGHT: 1.16 lbs FILTER SIZE: 77mm 60 for more
MOUNTS: Canon AF, Nikon AF bargains.
INCLUDED: Lenshood
STREET PRICE: $599
WEBSITE: tokinalens.com
TEST RESULTS 12
MM
DISTORTION: At 12mm, 0.32% (Visible)
barrel; at 20mm, 0.03% (Imperceptible)
pincushion; at 28mm, 0.04%
(Imperceptible) pincushion 20
MM
LIGHT FALLOFF: At 12mm, gone by f/5.6;
at 20mm, none; at 28mm, none
CLOSE-FOCUSING
DISTANCE: 9.58 inches
MAXIMUM MAGNIFICATION RATIO:
28
MM
At 12mm, 1:9.68; at 20mm, 1:6.21;
at 28mm, 1:4.78
KEY
WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
092013
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 WorldMags.net
TIME EXPOSURE * SEPTEMBER 1953
potential of the “lowly” box camera
in a major feature. This photo
shows how a stack of books can
be used as a makeshift support for
time exposures.

Enlargements on a Budget
Photographers low on funds were
offered this Store-Away Federal
Model 240 enlarger at the
very low price of $24.95.
Taking negatives of up
to 2¼x3¼ inches, this
model was not very
durable, but it provided
a handy, economical
introduction to home
darkroom work.
Federal was probably
the best-selling brand
of low- and medium-
priced enlargers
at the time.

Rewriting “Made in Japan”

This Airesflex twin-lens reflex
effectively put an end to Japan’s
reputation at the time for
producing low-quality imitator
cameras. It was paired with a
high-quality Nikkor f/3.5 lens
and equipped with a precision
Seikosha-Rapid shutter, with
speeds up to 1/500 sec and features
comparable to the Rolleicord. Its
price: an incredible bargain at
$164.50 with the Nikkor lens—$15
higher than the Rolleicord IV. While
not a bestseller, the Aires was a
harbinger of things to come.
—Harold Martin

60
Endless Summer significant are the two magazine
Peter Gowland provided yet logos appearing here. Popular
another stimulating pin-up on Photography incorporated two of
the cover—this time, Barbara YEARS the oldest and most respected
Osterman in a bathing suit of her AGO photo journals in the U.S., American
own design. The picture, taken Young Photography, dating from 1889, and
in Paradise Cove, Malibu Beach, photographer Camera, launched in 1899.
CA, was made with a 5x7 view Robert
Christopher
camera, 14-inch Commercial told of Handy Box Camera
Ektar f/6.3 lens and Daylight shooting Despite the glamorous
Ektachrome. The exposure: 1/25 across the 35mm and reflex cameras
globe on a
sec at f/14 using flash at 7 feet shoestring. of the time, Pop Photo gave
from the subject. Possibly more its readers a look at the

98 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldMags.net POPPHOTO.COM

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
 backstory WorldMags.net
Flight of Fancy Adrian Cook’s unreal
avian composite
I’m not an animal specialist, but a few
years ago I shot an ad campaign for a
local wildlife park, then called the Syd-
ney Wildlife Fund. It was based on the
idea of animals interacting with the city.
AdriAn Cook
I tend to shoot everything in one go
and don’t do much retouching. But this
image required a composite of three
104 popular photography September 2013
photos, as the center bird, a cassowary, is
quite tall and would never ft on a tele-
phone wire. I photographed the city view
from a Sydney rooftop, the pigeons at a
local park, and the main bird at the zoo.
The cassowary is considered the
world’s most dangerous bird. It’s very
aggressive and territorial, also quite fast,
WorldMags.net
and known to kill people who run across
it in the wild. I was only allowed to shoot
it from outside the exhibit. It was ter-
rifying, even behind glass, when the bird
would notice me and run up to the win-
dow. The photo for this image was made
during one of the quieter moments.
—As told to Lori Fredrickson
poppHoto.Com
 WorldMags.net

© Mike Moats

Experience the full power of Macro.

SP 90mm F/2.8
Di VC USD Portrait/Macro
Matchless performance plus extreme 1:1 close-up capability.
State-of-the-art optical and image stabilizing technologies combine to
create a new masterwork lens in the 90mm. With images of astounding
sharpness, augmented by natural blur effects, Tamron’s classic high
resolution 1:1 macro lens lets the photographer capture the moment’s
atmosphere at will. Features include rounded 9-blade diaphragm to
deliver spectacular bokeh; new eBAND (Extended Bandwidth &
Angular-Dependency) Coating that reduces undesired flare and ghosting
to a new level to deliver sharp, crisp images; Tamron VC (Vibration
Compensation) image stabilization; and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)
autofocus system.
Model F004
Di (Digitally Integrated) lens designed for digital APS-C and full-size Canon, Nikon, Sony* cameras
*The Sony mount does not include VC, as Sony digital SLR bodies include image stabilization functionality.

www.tamron-usa.com
WorldMags.net
Small flash. Big results.
WorldMags.net
"Lastolite accessories are essential for my shoots.
The Ezybox is my go to speedlight softbox,
it produces fantastic soft light for portraits,
and packs up tight for easy transport.
Trigrips are always in my pack. Having a grip
handle makes these reflectors very easy to use."

Image on left taken with Ezybox Hotshoe shown

above, designed to work with most flash guns.

Tom Bol and Lastolite Professional.

Don’t let your flashgun control your photography. Our comprehensive range of speedlight accessories
let you control the light so you can explore the full potential of your small flash. Whether you want
to bounce, diffuse, reshape the light or you simply want to be more creative, Lastolite has the solution.

For more information: info@lastolite.us

WorldMags.net www.lastolite.us