Tuesday 21 March 2023

OS R6AIF.I..
Canon r,Eim
New senso proved
als?
TESTED is this enough to see off its riv

Passionate about photography since 1884

Capturing
butterf lies
Andrew Fusek Peters shares his
tips for breathtaking butterfly shots
Fujifilm 56mm
F1.2 R WR
Is this the perfect portrait
lens for X-mount users?

Your rights
How to protect your
copyright – a guide

Saul Leiter
A new book of unseen
£3.99

images reveals his genius KELSEYmedia

Plus Harry Borden meets Bob Mortimer • Bluetti portable power supply on test
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 7days
Inside this week’s issue
Welcome
3 7 days
8 It’s good to share 22 If it wasn’t for the
fact that I’ve seen
12 Creative butterfly butterflies in real
photography life, I’d probably
think that they are
22 Unseen mythical creatures
Saul Leiter from some fantasy realm, like
28 When Harry met unicorns. Around 60 species of
butterfly can be found in the UK,
32 How to protect from late March, as well as over

© SAUL LEITER FOUNDATION

your copyright 2,000 moth species. Many of them
37 Inbox are extraordinarily beautiful, but
getting good pictures of them can
40 Reader portfolio be tricky – unless you’re Andrew
42 Canon EOS R6 Fusek Peters, who has just released
Mark II 28 42 a book of his stunning butterfly
images. This week he shares his
49 Fujifilm XF techniques with us. Speaking of
56mm F1.2 R WR stunning, we test the hugely
52 Accessories impressive Canon EOS R6 Mark II
and the update to one of my
55 Tech talk favourite lenses, Fujifilm’s 56mm
57 Buying Guide: f/1.2. Finally, don’t miss our
best buys essential guide to protecting your
copyright online.
66 Final analysis Nigel Atherton, Editor

49

COVER PICTURES © ANDREW FUSEK PETERS / © SAUL LEITER FOUNDATION

12
© ANDREW FUSEK PETERS

This week’s cover image is by Andrew

Fusek Peters. See more of his amazing
butterfly photos and learn his trade
secrets in our feature on page 12
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS
Connect with us
@ EMAIL US at ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk with your
letters, send us a link to your online gallery, or
attach up to 5MB of low-res sample images
JOIN US ONLINE in one of these AP communities:
WEBSITE: www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
ANDREW FUSEK DAMIEN JOSHUA WALLER ANDY WESTLAKE HARRY BORDEN AMY DAVIES FACEBOOK: amateur.photographer.magazine
PETERS DEMOLDER Online Editor Technical Editor Features Editor TWITTER: @AP_Magazine
Award-winning
The top pro shares There’s a new book Joshua gives you In his latest review, portrait Amy reviews the INSTAGRAM: @AP_Magazine
technique tips celebrating street sound advice on Andy assesses photographer Harry Fujifilm XF 56mm FLICKR: flickr.com/groups/amateurphotographer
for taking legend Saul Leiter, how to protect your Canon’s full- tells us about his F1.2 to see if its
more-creative finds former AP image copyright frame mirrorless shoot with Bob performance lives
butterfly images editor Damien online EOS R6 Mark II Mortimer up to its billing
 Canon Professional The winning image of the British Wildlife
Services will Photography Awards 2023, taken by
become a paid Charlie Page
scheme

Canon boosts
membership schemes
CANON Europe has announced that its
Canon Professional Services (CPS)
scheme is evolving into a membership
programme for professional photographers
and videographers.
The new programme will feature an annual
membership fee, starting at £85 (excl VAT)
business coaching and more. Depending on
their CPS membership tier, eligible firms can
also request back-up loans. The changes
to CPS will come into effect later this year,
with the exact date to be confirmed. See
www.canon-europe.com/pro/cps/change/
For non-pros, Canon set up the ‘Canon
© BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS/CHARLIE PAGE

per year, with silver, gold and platinum plans
tailored to different business sizes and the
number of Canon products they own.
Benefits include fast-track servicing, an
annual maintenance service allowance,
discounts on maintenance and upgrade
services, access to a ‘priority’ helpdesk,
Club’ last year. ‘Since its launch, the platform
has formed a lively online community of
like-minded creatives sharing ideas and
advice with each other – all the while earning
points as they move through membership
tiers,’ said the company.
See www.canon.co.uk/canon-club/

Leica plays the long game

LEICA has announced the Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f/5-6.3
lens, a telephoto zoom for full-frame L-mount cameras which
Fox news
becomes the longest lens in its SL-series line-up. CHARLIE Page has been named
Featuring built-in image stabilisation, it shares its optical design winner of the British Wildlife
and major specifications with the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN Photography Awards 2023 for his image
OS, but gains dust- and splash-proof metal construction. The lens of a fox moving through woodland being
includes a detachable, Arca-Swiss compatible base that can be cleared for an industrial site. The 2024
clamped directly onto many tripod heads, and which fixes onto a competition is now open for entries at
lockable rotating collar for quick changes between landscape and bwpawards.org, and invites photographers
portrait formats. of all experience levels to submit their
It’s also compatible with a new Leica photos of Britain’s nature at its best.
Extender L 1.4x, with the two combining ‘(I wanted) to show the devastation
to give a 140-560mm f/7-9 optic. caused to this local woodland that the fox
 The Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm calls home,’ said Charlie. ‘I hope that
f/5-6.3 is on sale now for £1,910, while wildlife photographers aren’t faced with
the Leica Extender L 1.4x is £785. The 1.4x extender and 100-400mm f/5-6.3 lens similar scenes in years to come.’

4
Bristol food masterclass Canon student
MPB has teamed up with the Pink Lady Food Photographer of
the Year competition to offer a food photography masterclass
programme opens
with top pro Rob Wicks in Bristol on 3 April. Rob will be teaching the CANON’S Student Development
the art of lighting, styling, storytelling, texture and post-production, Programme for aspiring
and participants can then get photojournalists is open, offering
practical experience at an mentorship from industry experts
award-winning sustainable local and Canon ambassadors to 100
restaurant. All proceeds will be selected students. Up to 30 students A striking image by 2022
donated to the Square Food will take part in a five-day workshop alumni Vasilis Tsiolis
Foundation, a Bristol-based in Girona, including a visit to the Visa
charity that works to reduce pour l’Image international photojournalism festival. The final five
© JROB WICKS

hunger, improve health and bring mentees will then be given the chance to attend Hamburg Portfolio
people together through food. Review, and will receive a €2,000 grant and Canon equipment.
See bit.ly/bristolfoodphoto Spaces are limited, so book now Submissions close on 16 April. See bit.ly/canonstudentscheme

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 5
 Viewpoint Improve your
photography
Rod Lawton
When it comes to cameras and creativity, a
skills
bad camera you love is better than a good Subscribe today and
camera you hate, argues Rod Lawton
get 13 issues for £13,
saving 75%

W
here does the value lie in
your photos? Does it lie
with your unique ‘take’
on the world and your
individual vision, or does it lie with the
technical quality of your images? Most
photographers would say you need both
and might assume you can have your
cake and eat it, with camera kit that both
releases your creative instincts and
offers the best possible technical quality. 
For me, creative instinct and ‘mood’
are highly elusive. I can be technically
correct all day long. That’s not creativity,
that’s a process. But ‘seeing’ images is
different. This is where I find that some
cameras work for me, and some don’t.
© ROD LAWTON

And I would rather have a photo that

inspires and excites me than one that’s
technically correct and boring.  Rod took this with his iPhone 13 Pro Max
I am a scientist by training and
background, but I am also obsessed with
images and their visual, graphic and
emotional effect. I understand everything
needed to produce technical excellence,
but I’ve realised this doesn’t necessarily
translate into exciting imagery.
So my best and most satisfying
images, from my perspective, have not
been taken with the best equipment.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE OR KELSEY MEDIA LIMITED
seen it in the same way. Similarly,
my Olympus OM-D E-M5 III lets me shoot
‘responsibility free’. I especially love the
Art Filters. Yes, you could do better later
in Lightroom with raw and presets and
heaven knows what else, but by then you
have lost the instinct and immediacy. And
isn’t that what photography is about? 
JUST
£1
I kept using my ancient Sony A6000

Some of my favourite shots are from my purely because it had a wonderfully

iPhone, my Olympus Micro Four Thirds metallic shutter ‘clack’. I think any
gear or my old Nikon DSLR kit. None of camera maker that doesn’t put the
these is the best technically, but they power switch around the shutter release
have helped me ‘see’ shots in a freer, has never met someone who likes to AN ISSUE
more intuitive way.  hold a camera in one hand and I’ll always
I bought a Sony A7R II because of its regret selling my Nikon D7200 because
resolution, and I bought some excellent everything about it was wrong and out of

lenses to go with it. But persevere as I
might, it just leaves me a bit cold. It’s as
if its technical capabilities are a
responsibility, not an advantage. 
The opposite example is my iPhone
13. I just feel creatively ‘freer’. I shoot
what looks right, and very often it is
right. Often I’ll think, ‘I wish I’d taken that
with a proper camera,’ but the fact is I
wouldn’t have done, as I wouldn’t have
Do you have something you’d like to get off your chest? Send us your thoughts in around
500 words to the email address on page 3 and win a year’s digital subscription to AP.
date except how it felt in my hand. 
Photography is emotive; it’s not about
logic and measurements, it’s about
instinct and responses. If we forget that,
then it really is the end.  
Rod Lawton has been taking pictures since the
1980s and has been writing about cameras, lenses,
accessories and photo editing since the dawn of
digital imaging.
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 THE EISA PHOTOGRAPHY
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AP will choose the top 3 and publish them The winning entries from all the 16
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 Our favourite photos posted by readers
on our social media channels this week

AP picture
of the week
50 Shades of Green
by Lesley Thornton
Canon EOS 6D Mark II, Canon 24-105mm lens,
1/15sec at f/10, ISO 200
‘I was on a small group photography tour travelling
around Costa Rica in January this year. It was a rainy
day and I was a bit “wildlifed out”. So I had a stroll
round the grounds just looking for texture, shape and
colour. A change of focus for a few hours.’
Instagram: @lesleythornton99
Photography tour: juliesadventures.co.uk

#appicoftheweek
Win!
To congratulate the AP Pic of the Week winner, Fujifilm is giving
*NOTE: PRIZE APPLIES TO UK RESIDENTS ONLY

the winner a £25 voucher* to spend on any photo prints or gifts

at myFUJIFILM.co.uk, so that they can print their image any way
they like! Simply go to myFUJIFILM.co.uk, select what you want,
then enter your given voucher code at checkout. The voucher is
valid for 6 months and can be used in multiple transactions. No
monetary eligibility or exchange. Need help using your code?
Contact myfujifilm_uk@fujifilm.com

8 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 The Intersection
by Alexander Howard
Nikon Z6, Sigma 14mm F/1.8 Art, K&F Concept
tripod, 8sec at f/13, ISO 100
‘I started doing night photography in October 2020. I’ve
always been interested in long-exposure photography
and this photo was taken on my most recent night
walk. It is definitely up there as one of the best long
exposures that I’ve ever taken. For this shot, I placed
my camera and tripod on the edge of the pavement to
get the best result, avoiding any distractions.’
Instagram: @_al3x_ph0t0graphy_
TikTok: @alexhphotos

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 9
Snowflake by
Julia Harries
Canon EOS 7D Mark II,
1/640sec at f/1.8, ISO
100
‘A spring flowering
Leucojum vernum or
Spring Snowflake found in
a local park.
Instagram:
@juliaharriesphotography

We also liked... Waves in

the Rocks
by Margaret
Tweedlie
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon
24-70mm at 55mm, 1/800sec at
f/5, ISO 100

‘Near where I live is a beach called

Skerral. I spend hours just there
taking in the different colours,
patterns, textures and shapes of the
stones. Each day they look different
depending on the light and the
weather. A place where I love to
practice mindfulness and I’m never
without my camera.’
Instagram: @buteographygirl

Want to see your pictures here? Share them with

our Flickr, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook
communities using the hashtag #appicoftheweek.
Or you can email your best shot to us at
ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk.
See page 3 for how to find us.

10 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
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 Technique CREATIVE BUTTERFLY PHOTOGRAPHY

12 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
ALL PICTURES © ANDREW FUSEK PETERS

Andrew Fusek Peters

Andrew Fusek Peters is a wildlife and landscape photographer based in
South Shropshire. His photos regularly appear in the national papers and
magazines, and he is on commission to the National Trust documenting the
wildlife on the Long Mynd. His books include Hill & Dale, My Shropshire Year,
Upland and Butterfly Safari. Andrew is an OM System brand ambassador. See
www.fusekphotos.com and follow him on Instagram @andrewfusekpeters

When
imagination
takes flight
Pushing the boundaries of technology, and his own capabilities,
has led Andrew Fusek Peters to create a butterfly book like no
other. Here he talks to Tracy Calder about fragility, flight and the
importance of hairy eyes

A
s I sit down to chat with
Andrew Fusek Peters about
his new book, Butterfly
Safari, there are many
questions I want to ask him, but
one in particular has been bugging
me since I saw one of his extreme
close-ups of a Speckled Wood. ‘Why
do some species of butterfly have
hairy eyes?’ I blurt out. ‘There’s a
theory that because they like faeces
they don’t want to be dunking their
eyes in it, so the hairs prevent them
from getting too close,’ he laughs.
‘They’re so weird.’ There’s so much
we still don’t know about butterfly
behaviour, but books like Andrew’s
are perfect for sparking curiosity
and, ultimately, aiding conservation
efforts. Having spent the best part of
five years travelling around the UK
observing and photographing these
slim-bodied insects, Andrew
is clearly bewitched. ‘I know
butterflies are called lepidoptera,
which means scaly wing, but when
you look closely at the antennae of
a Small Tortoiseshell even that is
covered in thousands of scales,’ he
explains. ‘It’s insane!’
Idea for a project
Andrew began his butterfly odyssey
in 2018, in the midst of a serious
health crisis. ‘I had been
diagnosed with bowel cancer,

Left: Single
exposure of a
female Common
Blue against the
Milky Way, The
Bog, Stiperstones
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 15mm,
30sec at f/4, ISO 2000

Right: Chequered
Skipper flight
sequence,
Fineshade wood
OM Digital OM-1, 80-300mm,
1/4000sec at f/8, ISO 1000

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 13
 Technique CREATIVE BUTTERFLY PHOTOGRAPHY
and I was really quite ill,’ he Green Hairstreak under
reveals. ‘While I was waiting for the rising moon,
surgery, I sat in my garden and Stiperstones
watched the butterflies come and OM Digital OM-1, 40-150mm,
go.’ As he observed these fascinating 1/100sec at f/4, ISO 2500
animals, he identified a correlation
between his own condition and their
wonderful blend of strength and
vulnerability. ‘There was a fragility
about them, but there was also life,
flight and hope,’ he recalls. This
observation proved inspiring, and it
wasn’t long before an idea for a
project began to form in his mind.
‘I started to wonder why nobody was
photographing butterflies in flight,’
he recalls. ‘I’m not saying it had
never been done before, but I hadn’t
really seen it.’ Andrew’s question was
answered when he attempted the
technique himself. ‘Butterflies can
take off in any direction,’ he laughs.
‘It’s a total nightmare!’ In the
beginning, he was firing off
thousands of frames just to get one
in focus, but the odds improved
greatly once he started to observe
and understand the insects’
behaviour.

Importance of fieldcraft
Once Andrew had pictures of single
butterflies in flight, he decided to up
his game and record flight
sequences, eventually moving on to
wideangle flight shots, which
allowed him to include plenty of the
insect’s natural habitat. It has taken

ANDREW’S TOP TIPS

Research behaviour Keep the eyes sharp Provide context

Butterflies might seem unpredictable
(especially when in flight), but if you spend
time studying their behaviour you will begin to
notice patterns. Time spent ‘in the field’ is
the best way to learn. There are no shortcuts.
Make sure the eyes of the butterfly are sharp.
Depth of field is seriously limited when you’re
shooting this close to a subject, but if the
eyes are sharp, it doesn’t matter as much if
the wings or antennae are out of focus.
Photographing a butterfly in its natural habitat
can be rewarding, but it’s also challenging.
Backgrounds can be messy, with unwanted
vegetation in the frame. Don’t let this bother
you – the benefits of shooting ‘in the field’
outweigh the drawbacks.

14 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 Swallowtail flight
sequence, the Doctor’s
Garden, Strumpshaw Fen
Olympus E-M1X, 150-400mm,
1/4000sec at f/5.6, ISO 1000
Check the weather
When you’re photographing butterflies in
flight, you need warm weather because that’s
when they’re most active. For portraits you
might need a cooler day. When it starts
raining butterflies seek shelter, but there are
still picture opportunities to be had.
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
Ask for help
Members of the butterfly fraternity are really
helpful and friendly, so feel free to contact
them (Andrew uses Facebook and Twitter) and
ask for advice. These people are often
involved in conservation work, so help out
where you can.
him years to perfect his technique,
so when people ask him to reveal his
secrets, he’s understandably
reluctant! ‘People ask me about the
camera settings I use, and I say, “If it
were that simple, we would all be
butterfly photographers,’” he laughs.
For him, the camera is a tool, albeit a
good one, and the secret to
obtaining successful flight sequences
lies in hours and hours of watching
and waiting. ‘There are no shortcuts,’
he says. ‘Every one of the pictures in
the book was very hard won.’ But,
not wanting to discourage, he
advises starting with an
understanding of how fast butterflies
move. ‘The smaller ones are so fast
that you need a shutter speed of
1/5000sec or more, but you can get
away with less for the larger ones,’
he says. He makes the most of the
impressive burst rate on his Olympus
cameras to record the flight path of a
butterfly and then layers these up to
show, ‘Movement through space and
time in a single final shot’.
Conservation efforts
Time spent in the field proved
cathartic for Andrew and he has very
fond memories of afternoons lying
on hot hillsides, his eyes trained on
butterfly habitat. ‘When I was in the
Scottish Borders looking for a Scotch
Argus, I had an entire estate to
myself,’ he sighs. ‘Afterwards I
jumped in the river for a swim.’
Push the boundaries
The flight sequences in Butterfly Safari are at
the edge of what technology can do and,
according to Andrew, at the edge of his
skillset too! Going that extra mile can result
in fresh, innovative work.
15
 Technique
KIT LIST
Olympus OM-1
At the start of the project Andrew was
using an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II, but
soon progressed to a Mk III, an OM-D
E-M1X and, more recently, an OM-1. He
enjoys, among other
things, the in-camera
focus stacking
capabilities and
burst rate.

Olympus 90mm f/3.5

Macro lens
When people ask Andrew what his
‘butterfly lens’ is, he laughs and replies,
‘All of them!’ His kit includes
a 12-100mm, 40-150mm,
150-400mm and a 60mm
Macro. Recently, however,
he’s been using the Olympus
90mm f/3.5 Macro and
believes it to be a
‘game-changer’.

Paramo Katmai shirt

Andrew learnt the hard way that a
long-sleeved shirt and a pair of long
trousers are essential when it comes to
photographing
butterflies ‘in the
field’. The first
time he ventured
out in shorts
and a T-shirt
Above: Chequered
he came Skipper flight
home sequence,
‘wearing’ Fineshade wood
three ticks. OM Digital OM-1, 80-300mm,
1/4000sec at f/8, ISO 1000
Godox LED64 video
light Left: The eye of a
Speckled Wood
While Andrew used available light for Olympus E-M1 Mark III,
most of the images in Butterfly Safari, he 60mm, 1/400sec at f/5, ISO
did occasionally supplement this with 1000
extra light from a
small LED panel Right: Glanville
(especially on Fritillary
cloudy days). In the wideangle flight
coming months sequence,
Compton Bay, Isle
Andrew will be of Wight
venturing into the OM Digital OM-1, 12-100mm,
world of flash. 1/5000sec at f/8, ISO 1600

White Rock Men’s

Outback Classic Hat
Butterflies are most active in sunny
weather (which is great for flight
sequences), but hanging around for hours
in open, sunny spots can lead to serious
sunburn. Andrew advises
wearing a sunhat and, if
possible, finding a
safe spot for a
swim afterwards!

16 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 The book, he hopes, will help
people to see the wonder of
what’s underneath their noses, while
also highlighting the conservation
issues many butterflies face. ‘We’ve
got the Big Five in Africa, and I think
the conservation work there is really
important,’ he says, ‘but I’ve seen a
million pictures of rhinos, as well as
tigers. In fact, I’ve seen a tiger
playing Rachmaninov with three
penguins on its back, if you know
what I mean!’ Andrew fears his book
will become an epitaph to butterflies
if people fail to act. ‘When I think
about it, I start crying,’ he admits.
‘I don’t think you can work as a
wildlife photographer for many
years without getting involved in
conservation or trying to raise
awareness. If you’re not adding
anything to the equation, then it
strikes me as slightly narcissistic.’
The power of citizen science
Andrew is incredibly grateful for the
help he received while working on
the book and is keen to stress that
members of the butterfly fraternity
were generous when it came to
sharing information. As a ‘pay-it-
forward’ gesture, he decided to
include location details alongside
the pictures that appear in Butterfly
Safari. ‘To be honest, if you visit the
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
Isle of Wight and ask a bus driver
where to find a Glanville Fritillary he
or she will immediately say
“Compton Bay”,’ he laughs. ‘These
places don’t tend to get busy, and
unless you get your eye in and know
exactly what you’re looking for you
won’t see anything.’ What’s more,
citizen science has an important role
to play in butterfly conservation.
‘There’s so much work to be done,
particularly in terms of finding out
where certain species roost,’ he adds.
What’s next
Andrew is a busy man: he squeezes
our conversation in between
photographing Marsh Fritillary
larvae in Wiltshire and Purple
Emperor larvae at an undisclosed
location. His excitement is palpable,
and his enthusiasm will soon be
channelled into another butterfly
book, due out next year. ‘This one
will feature poetry, myths and facts
as well as photography,’ he explains.
‘The goal for me is not to have a
single picture from Butterfly Safari in
this new one. It’s going to be fun!’ As
Andrew and I say our goodbyes, I
can’t help thinking about all those
afternoons on sun-baked hills that
await him. It seems a fitting reward
for someone who has been
through so much.
Butterfly Safari by
Andrew Fusek Peters
(published by Graffeg
Books) is out now
17
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 A typical Saul Leiter
‘from inside a car’
view that gives us a
feeling for what it
was like to live in
the city in the ’50s.
Shot on
Anscochrome

22
 STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Unseen
A new book of 76 images we haven’t seen before begins to uncover the
treasures hidden away in the Saul Leiter archive, says Damien Demolder,
and reveals a whole lot about the great man’s life

M
ost of us think of Saul Leiter as a street
photographer. We probably know him for
his stylish documentary of the atmosphere
that existed in parts of the New York of
the fifties and sixties. He did though spend much of his
working life as a professional photographer working for
fashion magazines such as Elle, Vogue, Queen, Esquire and
Harper’s Bazaar, and his street work was something of a
hobby he pursued in his spare time. His fashion work
has for the most part disappeared into the mists of time,
while his personal passion project propelled him – late
in life, it has to be said – to the attention of the world.
To date we’ve been able to see only a fraction of the
street images he recorded but the Saul Leiter Foundation,
headed by wife and husband team Margit Erb and
Michael Parillo, has been sorting through the 60,000
images he left behind so the rest of the world can get to
see what it has been missing.
This book, The Unseen Saul Leiter, is the fruit of five
years of work focusing on the thousands of boxes of
slides they found in Saul’s apartment and in another
apartment he rented just to store his pictures. In the
book’s introduction Margit says the 76 new images in
the book come from a selection they made of 10,000 of
the slides in the archive. The foundation has
painstakingly catalogued what they have uncovered,
and recorded in detail what they can work out about
each frame – film type used, date of the picture, the
subject, and where it was taken. Some slides are over 70
years old and have been shifted around the city with
Saul as he moved from one neighbourhood to another.
Saul had sorted some of his collection – of a fashion
– and had labelled some he’d intended to come back to;
others have been taken from their original mounts and
put into mounts that give no indication of which film
was used. While most of his prints are labelled with
ALL PICTURES © SAUL LEITER FOUNDATION

information few of his slides, we are told, hold many

clues. So it’s been quite a task putting this book together.

Background into focus

I was expecting to see a collection of Saul Leiter pictures
in this book that I hadn’t seen before – and that is what
I got. What we also get though is quite a lot more
background on Saul and his way of working, from a Reflections feature a good deal. Shot on Kodachrome

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 23
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
couple who knew him very well. Margit, founding
director of the Saul Leiter Foundation and one of
the authors of this book, met Saul in 1996 when he
came to the gallery in which she worked to show a set of
40 prints he’d had made of his colour slides. Ilford had
given him funding to get a set of Cibachrome prints
made, as he couldn’t afford to get them done on his
own. Margit says colour photography was not generally
seen as fine art in those days, but the gallery loved his
work and held an exhibition for him the following year.
The show went very well, and Margit was assigned to
him by the gallery to help Saul put a book together. He
was 74 at the time and the book took a further nine
years to come to fruition.
That book was Early Color, the book he is best known
for and the book that propelled him to prominence in
the art world in 2006. ‘With the publication of Early
Color, Saul quickly went on to receive worldwide
attention,’ says Magrit. ‘I was endlessly thrilled by
watching him receive the recognition he deserved. He
was 82 at this point, and sharper and more curious than
anyone I had ever met.’ Suddenly his print sales went
from occasional to producing a steady form of income.
We know Leiter for the film images recorded in that
24
Above: A colour
book, and the atmospheres of the emulsions and the
slide being
projected on to way he used those historic colours to play a significant
the wall of Saul’s part in the appeal of his images.
studio in New York Ironically the year before his book was published Saul
had completely switched to digital photography, using
an E-series DSLR given to him by Olympus. Magrit had
to take the handbook home to study, so she could
explain to Saul how to operate the camera – which he
picked up in no time at all, she says. He advanced
through other digital cameras, which he took
everywhere. ‘They followed us on our trips to Europe.
He never deleted, and he loved being able to see his
images immediately after taking them. He gave a
show-and-tell whenever we were together, often right
after he had taken a photo.’
Margit travelled with Saul to his shows and talks
throughout the US and Europe, and in the final year of
his life spent one day a week with him working through
his slide collection. He died in November 2013 at the
age of 89, leaving Margit and the Saul Leiter Foundation
to really get going on the endless boxes of slides. And
this book is the result of where they have got to so far.
The story has echoes of that of Vivian Maier, as the
foundation searches through the piles and boxes of
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

Above right: Leiter
often seems to
combine two
views into one
Above far right: He
was drawn to the
interaction of life
in the street with
graphic elements
of architecture
Right: This is a
pretty unusual
Leiter. It takes a
while to notice the
person in the tree.
Kodachrome 1966
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
‘Once again Saul Leiter shows us
how to take a range of disparate
elements in the street and arrange
them in a way that suddenly makes
graphic sense’
images to bring to life pictures we’ve never seen before.
The big difference though is that Leiter found
recognition before he died – though they were both
about the same age when they rose to fame.
An added element in this book, that we didn’t get in
Early Color, is the behind-the-scenes look at Saul’s
apartment and the rooms stashed full of packs of
printing paper, boxes of slides, cassettes of unprocessed
film, his paintings leaning against the walls and what
looks like a glorious mess of papers, prints, cameras and
‘stuff’ littered across every surface. It appears to be chaos.
Less early, less colour
I’m a big fan of Saul Leiter, and his Early Color is one of
my favourite street photography books. I love not only
the ‘Color’ but how early it feels with those
Kodachrome, Ektachrome and Anscochrome hues filled
with sooty greys. While Early Color seems filled with
warm summer days and direct sunshine reflecting off
the colours of the city, The UnSeen Saul Leiter feels much
cooler. The selection does include some images in which
the sun is out, but the pages are dominated by winter
scenes with snow on the ground, wet streets and greyer
skies. They made me realise how much the weather
conditions in Early Color play a part in the
25
 Above left: Many
atmosphere of Saul’s work and my perception of it.
of the pictures in
Retrospektive – this book are
much cooler than
I had to look over these new pictures a few times to
adjust my expectations as the book presents an
a wider view those in Early
Color and present
impression that’s very different to how my head tells me
a Saul Leiter picture should look.
Leiter initially wanted to be a painter, quite a different Once I’d got used to the greys and cool blues though,
and carried on painting throughout his feel. 1961 I was able to see clearly identifiable signs that these
life while working as a fashion Kodachrome images were made by the same man. We look through
photographer and practising his street work around New Above middle: A gaps in fences, into reflections in mirrors and window
York. While The Unseen Saul Leiter concentrates on his theme in Leiter’s panes, we look around foreground obstacles such as
colour slide street work, readers who would like a broader work is the trees, bushes and bits of buildings, through frames and
idea of the man might refer to a book that catalogued work blocking of large we view New York from the back of a taxi. His keen eye
shown at a retrospective in Hamburg’s Haus der parts of the frame. for not-much-going-on scenes in which there’s a whole
Photographie in 2012. The show contained examples of his Kodachrome lot of stuff happening is there for us all to see, and once
fashion photography as well as his black & white street again he shows us how to take a range of disparate
Above right: City
work, his paintings and a collection of his black & white people framed in elements in the street and arrange them in a way that
nudes. There is also a long interview piece with Leiter – as the windows of suddenly makes graphic sense. There is still that quiet
he was still alive at that stage – in which we get a little their bus, with the observational feel to his images – he doesn’t get in
more flavour of what the man was like. It also has an essay windows of the anyone’s face, doesn’t barge around but slithers about in
by Margit Erb, the main author of The Unseen Saul Leiter. building echoing the shadows where no one will even register his
Saul Leiter: Retrospektive is published by Kehrer (ISBN the shapes presence. We view from his viewpoint and look at the
978-3-86828-258-0), and is now in its third edition. world from shop doorways, pavements, inside buildings,

26 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
from the passenger seat of cars – but always from a slight
distance. We’re not in the action, but usually viewing it
from across the road. That makes for a relaxing and
stress-free experience, but as the pictures don’t shout to
get our attention we have to stop and give it to them.
And when we do, the rewards come.
Margit says in her passage in the book that in choosing
the images for The Unseen Saul Leiter the foundation
kept in mind the pictures that had already become
iconic and ‘based the selection on Saul’s distinctive style,
but we also followed him down his many paths of
outlandish, radical, and playful experiments.’ It is
certainly evident that the formula of previous successful
images has influenced the selection for this book –
though it might just be that Saul’s style is powerful and
comes through in all his work. It might also be the case
that there are fewer standalone ‘iconic’ images in these
pages than we saw in Early Color, but it is packed with
the fabulously atmospheric incidental images that work
together to build a real sense of the way Leiter viewed
the world. There are many pictures that are really very
good, a lot of abstraction, some humour and a lot of
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
careful observation. The iconic images though are
definitely iconic and, combined with the additional
first-hand accounts we get of Saul’s later life, make the
book worth having on their own. Margit says that Saul
trusted her to select the best of his work, and comparing
this book to Early Color it seems that trust was well
founded – we are looking at images that Saul himself
would probably have chosen. If these 76 slides are the
cream of a collection of the 10,000 Saul Leiter pictures
catalogued at the time, and if there are 50,000 more
The Unseen Saul Leiter slides to go through, we may see five more books yet
is published by Thames made from his collection.
and Hudson and costs I look forward to them, and hope they are produced as
£35. ISBN: 978-0-500- beautifully as this volume. The print quality in The
54556-0. Unseen Saul Leiter, and the paper choice, really shows the
thamesandhudson.com work off in the best possible way. When I began this
piece I only had a PDF of the book and was a little
disappointed with the image selection. Seeing them in
print when the book arrived though completely
transformed my perception of the publication, as the
images look fabulous on the page and their colours
really shine through. God save printed media!
27
When Harry Met...

Bob Mortimer
Harry Borden looks back on a shoot with the popular
comedian, actor and author

L
ooking back at portrait and trusting my instincts. had a career as a solicitor before
shoots I did much earlier It was a kind of creative scattergun beginning his partnership with Vic
in my career, it’s interesting approach. The resulting pictures Reeves (real name Jim Moir) and
to see how my shooting didn’t tell you very much about the co-starring in Vic Reeves’ Big Night
style has changed over the years. subject’s personality and I was less Out in 1989. Since then, he’s
Back in 2000, for example, when inclined to get amazing authentic appeared in numerous television
I photographed Bob Mortimer, moments, but that’s the way things series, including Gone Fishing, in
I would have taken a range of were back then. which he and fellow comedian Paul
equipment to the shoot and tried as In this case, I was photographing Whitehouse reflect on their lives
many different things as possible in Bob for Later magazine, a men’s while on fishing trips around Britain.
the time available. magazine published by IPC that was I have photographed Bob with
Over the years I had hit on a way aimed at a slightly older audience Vic Reeves, and dealing with the
of working that suited the magazines than Loaded, one of the company’s two of them together was a very
and newspapers that commissioned other publications. My brief was different experience. On the shoot
me. Here I would have been simply to shoot a range of images there were several people, including
directing Bob’s poses, asking him to that would illustrate an interview assistants and agents, and because
stand in a certain way, make an with him, and one of those images Vic and Bob had an audience, they
expression or perhaps do particular would go on the cover. were bouncing off each other in
things, making it up as I went along Bob was then 40 years old. He’d the same way that they do on
Left: Harry took
this with his
manual Polaroid
195, which
produced beautiful
black & white
negatives, and
really likes this
image because he
wasn’t relying on
Bob doing
something
outlandish to get
a good picture

Right: Harry asked

Bob to pose in
various ways with
the clothes he
was given, and he
went through his
repertoire of
expressions

29
 stage. At one point, Bob said to
me, ‘I like your head, it looks
like a peanut!’ Everyone started
laughing. It was fair comment, but
very disarming.
Bob on his own was much more
thoughtful and quieter. However, he
has a very characterful and
expressive face and was very happy
to do whatever it took to create a
good picture. The shoot took place
at Curtain Road Studio in Hoxton,
London, which offered good natural
lighting. It was a big production
with a stylist and a hair and
make-up artist. I had a couple of
hours with him, so it was a situation
where I could take my time and try
different things.
For most of the shoot, I used my
Hasselblad 500C/M and colour
negative film – in this case Kodak
Portra VC 160. I asked Bob to pose in
various ways with the clothes he was
given, and he went through his
repertoire of expressions. The colour
shot I liked most showed him in a
yellow jumper with his mouth open
as if he was astounded.
A couple of years ago, I posted this
image on my Instagram page and
tagged Bob. I didn’t get a reaction
from him, but he must have liked it,
because a year later the publishers of
his autobiography, And Away…
contacted me and said they wanted
to use it on the cover. The book
designer de-saturated the colour in
Bob’s face and changed the colour of
his jumper to orange, but I was
happy that the image had a new life,
20 years after the shoot.
Around the time I made these
portraits, I would often take a
Polaroid 195 camera to shoots if I
thought I might have time to use it.
It was the best-quality Polaroid
30
camera you could get – a lovely Above: The shoot
was back in 2000
camera with a very sharp 114mm and Harry had
lens and it shot 3 ¼ x 4 ¼ inch time to take
instant film. It was fully manual, and several pictures
you had to have a bucket of sodium
thiosulphate (fixer) solution Above left: Bob
available in which you’d put the has a very
film. It produced beautiful black & characterful and
expressive face
white negatives, but of course the and was very
downside was you could only shoot happy to do
one frame at a time. whatever it took
One of the shots I took using this to create a good
camera shows Bob in the studio, lit photograph
by daylight and standing next to a
very tall wooden ladder. I really like
it because it’s not contrived and I’m
not relying on him doing something
outlandish to get a good picture. Nor
am I simply stamping him with a
photographic technique to get a
particular visual effect.
In that sense, it’s more like the sort
of shot I’d aim to take now. Bob is
only around 5ft 7in and the tall
ladder accentuates his smallness; he
looks strangely awkward and very
different from his on-screen persona,
and that appeals to me. To me, it’s
the most successful picture
from the shoot.
As told to David Clark
Harry Borden
Harry Borden is one of
the UK’s finest portrait
photographers. He has
won prizes at the World
Press Photo awards
(1997 and 1999) and Right: This is the
in 2014 he was awarded colour shot that
an Honorary Fellowship Harry liked most,
by the Royal Photographic Society. The and 20 years later
it ended up being
National Portrait Gallery collection holds used on the front
more than 100 of his images. His book of cover of Bob’s
portraits of lone fathers, Single Dad, was autobiography,
published in 2021. And Away...
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 ‘I had a couple of hours with
Bob, so it was a situation where
I could take my time and try
different things’

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 31
© AILBHE FLYNN - UNSPLASH

How do you protect your images online?

Joshua Waller explains everything you
need to know about image copyright

H
ow do you manage your images, and protect your
copyright? Copyright is designed to protect your work
so that you control who uses your images and, where
applicable, get paid for your work. It’s worth noting
that whilst copyright laws vary from country to country, this
guide should still apply to most countries.
Image copyright is to do with the legal ownership of the image
or photo, and it’s safe to assume that every image you see online is
copyrighted, unless otherwise stated! The person who has created
the image owns the rights to copy or reproduce the image, and
this is something that comes with every image, whether the image
has been registered with a copyright office or organisation.

1 How can you find out if someone

© UNSPLASH

is infringing your copyright?

You can use Google Images for reverse image search.
This example image is from Unsplash, and as such,
has been (legally) used on a number of different
websites. Copyright infringement is when your images
or work are used without permission; to see if your
images are being used by other people online, you can
use something called a ‘reverse image search’ to see
if the same image has been posted on other websites.
To use reverse image search to find copied images, go
to Google Images (images.google.com) and upload your
image. Google will search the internet to see where the
image appears and from here, you’ll be able to see if
it’s on other people’s websites.

32

2 What to do if you find your image
being used by other people online 3 Mediation and court options
Contact the website (have a look for a ‘Contact us’ or
‘About us’ page) to ask them to remove the image.
They may be unaware of copyright laws or been given
bad advice such as ‘simply use Google image search
to find some images’. If you don’t receive a response,
there are additional steps you can take, such as
contacting the hosting company, or site where the
images are being used. For example, if they’re being
used on Facebook or other social media site then you
can raise a complaint. If someone uses your image
without permission, even if they subsequently take it
down, you can still pursue them for payment.
IMAGE COPYRIGHT Technique
If you make money from your photos, and feel you are losing out due to people
using your images without compensating you, then you could also look into
mediation, if the advice in box 2 (see left) is unsuccessful. However, you may decide
it’s not worth the time (and money). If you’re in the UK, then the IPO (Intellectual
Property Office) offers this service: Intellectual property mediation – GOV.UK.
Depending on where you live, it’s likely there will be a similar service in your country.
Another option is to go to court, with the small claims court being an option.
While this may not be that expensive, it can be time-consuming. If this doesn’t
resolve the issue, then there are likely to be additional costs that will soon rack up,
particularly if you need legal representation. We’d recommend seeking legal advice
on this. For more information, look at the GOV.UK website: Enforcing your copyright
– GOV.UK. Additional resources: Wikipedia/Copyright – go to Wikipedia.org and
search for Copyright_infringement. 

© OGUZHAN AKDOGAN - UNSPLASH

4 How to copyright images

COPYRIGHT TILES, © JOSHUA WALLER

copyrighted to you. For example, ‘Image

online
The images you take are automatically
copyrighted to you, fact. Unless you give
your copyright away for free, or sell that
to someone else. Simply uploading your
images to the internet, doesn’t remove
the copyright on the image. However,
there are some people that think images
on the internet are free to use, so some
people use watermarks to signify that
the image is copyright. You can also
make a note next to the image or on the
page to explain that all images are
copyright: Joshua Waller 2022.’ I don’t
need this notice here, and it would still
be copyright to me, but I’m labelling this
image as such to make it clear who the
image is copyrighted to, who the image
is owned by, and without permission of
the owner, you should assume that the
image is not free to use elsewhere.
By clearly stating that the image is
copyright, it reminds anyone reading this,
that the image is in fact copyright, even
though it’s unlikely that you’re going to
want to copy it.

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 33
 Technique IMAGE COPYRIGHT

5 Using someone else’s image

If you want to use an image taken by someone
else to illustrate something you’re working on, then
before using the image, contact the photographer (or
image maker) to see if it is available for purchase or
use. You may find that the prices are reasonable, or
that they’re available to purchase or license through a
stock photography website. If the image isn’t available,
then you’ll need to find a different image.
© GALYMZHAN ABDUGALIMOV - UNSPLASH
6 Leave it to someone else… stock photography
If you sign up to a stock image library, such as Getty, Alamy or another stock
library, then you can generate money from your image, by licensing your images for
use by others. All whilst still maintaining your ownership of the images as the
copyright holder. These stock libraries will often take care of ensuring that images
are not being copied and used without permission, as they protect your copyright.
And, if you sign up to the right one, you’ll still be able to license it to other people as
well. There are also companies like Pixsy.com set up to find and ‘fight’ image theft
online – in fact it’s why they exist, to protect your copyright.

7 How to protect your Disclaimer –

© JOSHUA WALLER / KELSEY MEDIA

copyright online this is not legal

One way of protecting your copyright is to advice:
watermark your images. Whilst these do This article is not intended to
detract from the appearance of your image, be a substitute for legal or
and may not be to everyone’s personal financial advice and is
taste, they can be a good way of ensuring intended to be general
images can’t be easily used by others. information only. For any legal
You can also make sure your images matters, please seek out
have all your copyright information in the professional legal advice.
EXIF data. You can do this using Windows
or Mac file browsers, or alternatively you
can set this up in image management
software like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Use unique file names, because finding
an image called ‘york_in_the_rain_654321.
8 Other circumstances to consider
However, the owner of the copyright can be different in certain
circumstances – for example, if images are created whilst in
jpg’, say, is going to be much easier to find employment. So, as I’ve taken this photo (above) whilst working for
than an image simply called ‘photo1.jpg’. If my employer, then copyright would therefore be owned by my
you live in the US there are additional steps employer Kelsey Media (parent company of Amateur Photographer)
you can take, such as registering your and should therefore be labelled as such.
images with the US Copyright Office.

34 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 Wildlife, wine
and white sharks
Enjoy amazing photo opportunities in South Africa this May with award-
winning photographer Tom Svensson and AP Editor Nigel Atherton
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
l Explore Cape Town, and
take the cable car to the
top of Table Mountain
l Visit the Cape of Good
Hope, stopping at Seal
Island and the Penguin
colony at Boulders Beach
l Photograph the ‘Big Five’
on safari at Pilanesberg,
famous for its big cats
l Experience a Great White
Shark encounter by boat
(with optional chance to
go down in a cage)
l Enjoy wine tasting at two
Western Cape wineries
l Lectures, tutorials and
advice by Tom Svensson
and Nigel Atherton
l An article in Amateur
Photographer featuring the
best photos from the trip

For more details of the tour, which runs

from 14-21 May 2023, please visit
www.zoomphototours.com/south-africa/
 The world’s
best-selling
gadget magazine

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 YOUR LETTERS

Inbox
Amateur Photographer
Email ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk hard currency into the
GDR, the bi-monthly
Editorial
Group Editor Nigel Atherton magazine, with its useful
Deputy Editor Geoff Harris articles on subjects such
Technical Editor Andy Westlake
Features Editor Amy Davies as bird photography or
Technique Editor Hollie Latham Hucker
Online Editor Joshua Waller uprating film speeds,
Deputy Online Editor Jessica Miller remains useful 50 years
Online Writer Isabella Ruffatti
Staff Writer Musa Bwanali Write to the Editor at ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk and include your full postal address. Please don’t send letters in later. In one sample issue
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Design
Jacqueline Porter
atg-media.com (Calum Booth) the post as there is no one in the office to receive them. Replies are from the Editor unless otherwise stated from 1976 there was an
Photo-Science Consultant advert for a whole day’s
Professor Robert Newman
practical course on
Advertisement sales & production
Head of Investment: Photography LETTER OF THE WEEK creative portrait and
glamour photography
Mike Pyatt
Production Manager Nick Bond which offered nine hours
Management
Managing Director
Publishing Director
Publisher
Kevin McCormick
Oswin Grady
Liz Reid
Digital slideshows better than prints of intense instruction for
£8 including lunch (!), and
there were numerous
Retail Director Steve Brown
Subscription Marketing Manager To print or not to print – the debate other print and slide
Hayley Town rumbles on! For me, it’s not about lectures being promoted.
Print Production Manager Georgina Harris
Print Production Controller Hayley Brown cost but the fact that digital is so There were also organised
Subscriptions
much more versatile. I have been trips to Romania,
51 issues of Amateur Photographer are taking photographs for over 60 years Bucharest and the
published per annum.
UK annual subscription price: £152.49 and have a collection of many Carpathians, and the
Europe annual subscription price: €199 thousands of pictures. In the ‘old’ Danube Delta among
USA annual subscription price: $199
Rest of World annual subscription price: £225 days, there was no option. You had to other destinations.
UK subscription and back issue orderline print. A few might be printed big and I am confident that
01959 543 747
Overseas subscription orderline framed, some went into an album and Pentacon users were
0044 (0) 1959 543 747 were rarely seen again, and the offered far greater
Toll free USA subscription orderline
1-888-777-0275 majority simply languished in the assistance to improve
UK customer service team 01959 543 747
Customer service email cs@kelsey.co.uk proverbial shoe-box. Mike is a big fan of the Nixplay photo their photography than is
Customer service and subscription postal Digital has changed all that. I have frame as an alternative to printing offered by more modern
address Amateur Photographer Customer
Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, nine digital frames of one sort or camera manufacturers
Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court,
Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone,
another scattered around my house: The world has gone digital. As the and clubs, and it would be
Kent ME18 6AL a combination of the excellent Nixplay local blacksmith vanished when interesting to hear from
Find current subscription offers on
our website shop.kelsey.co.uk/AMP frames plus Alexa devices and even society transitioned from the horse to today’s readers who used
Already a subscriber? two old iMacs now serving as large the motor car, so the home printer will the guidance offered by
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Manage your subscription online at

shop.kelsey.co.uk/site/loginForm digi-frames. My TV, when not in use, be relegated to a very niche market. the Pentacon club.
becomes a large digital frame too, It’s called progress. Bill Fisher
Classifieds
Telephone 0906 802 0279. Premium displaying a slideshow running via Mike Dodman
rate line, operated by Kelsey Publishing Apple TV from my Lightroom collection. Most camera brands
Ltd. Calls cost 65p per minute from a BT
landline; other networks and mobiles may Whichever room I’m in, I’m greeted by About 90% of our family’s TV viewing today do provide similar
vary. Lines open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm
Email ads@kelseyclassifieds.co.uk a slideshow of photos both old and is streamed through our Apple TV, assistance, the Nikon
Kelsey Classifieds, Kelsey Media, new which bring back happy and within a couple of minutes of our School being just one
The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill,
Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL memories. I have also bought Nixplay selected film or programme ending, example. Sadly their
Distribution in Great Britain frames for my son and daughter, so our 65in TV screen is filled by a events cost more than £8,
Seymour Distribution Limited
2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT they too can now see my photos – or randomised screensaver of over but £8 in 1976 equates to
Telephone 020 7429 4000 their own if they prefer. A print on the 1,000 photos from my iCloud family about £80 today.
www.seymour.co.uk
wall soon becomes ‘part of the archive. I completely agree that it’s a
Distribution in Northern Ireland
and the Republic Of Ireland
Newspread. Telephone +353 23 886 3850
wallpaper’ and eventually no one great way to keep these old photos Confused by digital
(even you!) notices it. Not so with a alive and seen. We’d never be able to I’m just returning to my
Kelsey Media 2023 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media constantly changing slideshow on a display more than a tiny fraction of hobby after a 20-year gap,
is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction digi-frame. them as prints. but things have changed
in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in
writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles so much it’s almost

Win!
submitted for consideration by the editor must be the unrecognisable now. I’d
original work of the author and not previously published.
Where photographs are included, which are not the achieved quite a bit back
property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them then, including training
must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The Samsung EVO Plus is reliably quick, offering
The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all
superfast U3, Class 10 rated transfer speeds of up to courses with the BFP
letters and emails received. The views expressed in the
magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the 130MB/s, 6x Multi Proof protection and a limited 10-year warranty. (Bureau of Freelance
Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for Visit www.samsung.com/uk/memory-storage-devices/ Photographers), and
products and services offered by third parties.
achieving an LRPS. How
Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For
more information of our privacy policy, please visit www. things have changed since
kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy. If at any point you have any
queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our
The Pentacon Club Pentacon Club was CZ Scientific Instruments then though.
Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk. The recent look at formed for Praktica users Ltd who were the sole Being a bit of a tech
Praktica cameras made and it was heavily Pentacon distributors. idiot I bought a little
me dig into my archives. supported by VEB Accepting that it was Panasonic TZ70 to slowly
www.kelsey.co.uk In the mid 1970s the Pentacon in Dresden and possibly aimed at getting dip my feet into the digital

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 37

The Benro Theta is the world’s first self-levelling tripod. You can back it on Kickstarter
age, having just about
mastered a smartphone
and social media over the
years. Whilst considering
myself a modestly
competent photographer
I find there is still so much
to learn and find myself
some considerable
distance away from my
comfort zone most of the
time. How do I move
forward from where I am
now? If anyone has any
hints or tips, or has been
where I am now and found
a way out, I would love to
hear their thoughts...
Craig Timson
Obviously we would
recommend you take up
a subscription to AP as a
good starting point and
there is lots more advice
on our website (www.
amateurphotographer.
com) among others.
YouTube is also a great
resource for video
tutorials.
Self-levelling tripod
Tripods are a necessary
evil in many aspects of
photography. I have
bought, been given and
gifted many tripods, each
one with pros and cons
but I recently noticed an
advert by Benro for its
brand-new invention of a
self-levelling tripod. What?
Soon the camera will
leave the house on its
own and come back with
photos at this rate. I must
say I was quite intrigued
by this, so I investigated it
38
further. This tripod needs
a battery, it has its own
app for the phone, and it
has a hefty price-tag too.
I mentioned it to a good
friend of mine, a highly
skilled photographer, who
uses an old, battered
tripod with his Nikon
D750. Dunc’s response?
‘If you can’t set up a
simple thing like a tripod,
go home and have a look
at yourself in the mirror.’
Would the money be
better spent on a training
course, or a new lens?
After all NASA made a pen
that could write in space,
when the Russians just
used the humble pencil,
just like my friend Dunc.
Adam Law
The Benro Theta is billed
as the ‘world’s first
intelligent modular travel
tripod’ and at the time of
writing has attracted over
£700k of investment from
over 1,600 backers on
Kickstarter. Visit www.
kickstarter.com/projects/
benropolaris/benro-theta
for more details.
Happy in their work
It’s difficult to respond to
Ross Samson’s objection
to female nude pictures,
because he’s partly right
YOUR FREE APOY ENTRY CODE
Enter the code below via Photocrowd to get one
free entry to Round Two – Travel. Go to
amateurphotographer.co.uk/apoy to enter
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YOUR LETTERS
In next week’s issue
© KERRY UNWIN
(Inbox, 24 Jan). There are
some people who treat
the genre as some sort of
strip show. And he’s also
right that we live in an
unequal, patriarchal
Pro spring
society, where being born
white and male confers
unwarranted advantage.
But I am sure that he is
secrets
in error with his dogmatic
view that ‘nipples are not
art’ – certainly they are
often not art: sometimes,
they are the means of
putting milk into babies.
Yes, I have an interest in Expert photographers from
this, as I shoot a lot of various genres share their
nudes. I thus know quite a
few models, and many of techniques
them seem to be
© ALISON JACKSON
empowered by what they
do. A few have become
wealthy enough not to
need to care what people
think of them.
There are issues of
freedom here: and also an
uncomfortable
comparison with most
other occupations and
professions. Most models
I know are happy and
fulfilled in their work. How
many of us can say the Alison Jackson
same? It’s a rare person Peter Dench talks to Alison about her
who has never had to spoof lookalike photos of celebrities
compromise their
personal integrity in their William Klein
CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
employer’s interests. In a new book, David Campany
John Duder celebrates the influential William Klein
Fujifilm X-S10 field test
Jessica Miller finds out if the X-S10 is a
good upgrade for a DSLR user
On sale every Tuesday
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 In association with ● Quality workshops to top UK and worldwide destinations
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Reader Portfolio
Spotlight on readers’ excellent images and how they captured them
Thomas Vincent,
Pennsylvania, USA
About Thomas
Thomas is primarily a
landscape photographer, but
also shoots occasion and
wedding photographs. See
thomasrossvincentphotography.
mypixieset.com
Favourite subjects
I love to hike, so waterfalls are one of
my favourites. You need to hike to get
to most waterfalls, and once there, the
payoff is taking the perfectly
composed shot, whether it means
getting your feet wet or not. Waterfalls
are beautiful and powerful, and are a
true display of nature’s splendour.
How did you get into photography?
I started taking photos in high school,
as it was an elective I could take in
order to get enough credits to move on
to the next grade. I enjoyed being
creative with an old film camera and
black & white film, processing shots in
a darkroom then displaying them.
What do you love about photography?
The ability to allow your creative juices
to flow. I don’t subscribe to any rules
(i.e. rule of thirds), but I try to
compose what I feel is pleasing to the
eye. If other people like it too, that’s
great, but it’s not who I’m taking
40
1
photographs for. I also love that it High-Wind
causes me to travel to places I may Haifoss
never have normally gone to, like 1 I took this picture
Iceland and Death Valley, for instance. in Iceland because it
Current kit was breathtaking
Nikon D850, Nikon Z 7II. scenery. I was going
for a “middle earth”
Favourite lens
feel, like Lord of the
Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8.
Rings. The major
Favourite accessory challenge was very
Singh-Ray Lighter Brighter ND Polariser.
high wind and me at
Dream purchase the precipice of a
Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens. 1,000ft drop.
What software do you use for editing? Nikon D850,
Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, 17-35mm f/2.8,
Nik Collection. 6sec at f/9, ISO 45
Where do you find inspiration?
In nature, but sometimes the city too. 3
My inspiration comes from searching
then planning for the shot. Where will I
stay? What lens(es) will I use? Should
I bring my drone? What filters might I
need? Where else can I travel nearby?
Favourite photographers
John Weatherby, Nigel Danson,
Nick Page.
Favourite tips
Ask questions, get to know other
photographers. Take lots of pictures
and hone your technique through trial
and error. Don’t get frustrated; if you
love photography enough, you will get
better – it just won’t happen overnight.
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 YOUR PICTURES IN PRINT
NOTE: PRIZE APPLIES TO UK AND EU RESIDENTS ONLY

Reader Portfolio winners will receive an annual subscription Submit your images
to Skylum Luminar Neo, worth £99. www.skylum.com Please see the ‘Pictures’ section on page 3
Designed for photographers of all skill levels, Luminar Neo is an advanced but fun-to-use photo editor for Mac and PC, available for details of how to submit. You could see
also as a plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom. Blending pro-level tools with remarkable ease of use and an award-winning user your photos here in a future issue!
interface, its wide range of editing possibilities plus a suite of AI-powered technologies will make any image stand out.

Skogafoss Dream Spelunkerer

2 A composite of a foreground and a background. Taken at 3 Taken in Iceland,
Skogafoss waterfall, Iceland, during blue hour. I was going for the main challenge
a calming blue hour shot with a prominent reflection. was in getting here.
Nikon D850, 17-35mm f/2.8, 20sec at f/8, ISO 280 It involved a 1-mile
ride on super
off-roaders followed
by a 1+ mile hike to
the cave.
Nikon D850, 17-
35mm f/2.8, 1/5sec
at f/2.8, ISO 3200

The Vikings
Have Landed
4 A composite of
two pictures to
reduce grain. This
was along the
Iceland coast at a
tourist fishing
village. The boat had
just arrived a few
days prior.
Nikon D850, 17-
35mm f/2.8, 20sec
at f/2.8, ISO 3200

Sky’s on Fire
5 Taken in Death
Valley, California. I
used a 3-stop split
ND filter. I wanted to
show off the
splendour of the
fiery sunset.
Nikon D850,
16-35mm f/4, 6sec
at f/20, ISO 45

4 5

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 41
 Testbench
Canon EOS
R6 Mark II
Canon’s updated full-frame mirrorless model gains a
24MP sensor and improved AI subject detection.
Andy Westlake gives his detailed assessment
For and against
Superb design and
handling
Rapid continuous shooting
Highly effective subject-
detection AF
Impressive image quality in
JPEG and raw
Excellent viewfinder and fully
articulated screen
Electronic shutter brings visible
rolling shutter distortion
Still/video switch is easy to
knock accidentally
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICES
No third-party RF-mount
autofocus lenses available
42
CAMERA TEST
At a glance
£2,779.99 body only
£3,129.99
with RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM
£3,999.99
with RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM
l 24.2MP full-frame sensor
l ISO 100-102,400 (standard)
l Up to 40fps shooting
l 4K 60p video recording
l 3.69m-dot, 0.76x OLED EVF
l 3in, 1.62m-dot vari-angle screen
I
Data file t’s only a little over two Sony Alpha 7 IV (£2,400) and the
years since Canon promising-looking Panasonic
Sensor 24.2MP CMOS, 35.9 x 25.9mm introduced its original Lumix S5 II (£2,000). Canon will
Output size 6000 x 4000 enthusiast-focused EOS no doubt be hoping that its
1x
Focal length mag R6, alongside the 45MP EOS R5. impressive headline specs,
Lens mount Canon RF While its high-resolution sibling including 40fps shooting and a
Shutter speeds 30-1/8000sec (mechanical), grabbed all the headlines, the sophisticated subject-recognition
30-1/16,000sec (electronic) more affordable model set about AF system, will tempt its existing
Sensitivity ISO 100-102,400 (standard), ISO establishing itself as the realistic DSLR users to stay loyal and buy
50-204,800 (expanded) choice for most photographers. into the R system. But does the
Exposure modes PASM, Fv, B, Scene Now the firm has given it a major EOS R6 Mark II really offer
Metering Evaluative, partial, spot, average update, with the EOS R6 Mark II enough to justify its price-tag?
Exposure comp +/-3 EV in 0.3EV steps gaining a new 24MP sensor in
Cont shooting 12fps (mechanical), 40fps place of the previous 20MP chip. Features
(electronic)
Screen 3in, 1.62m-dot vari-angle LCD
There’s also an array of feature Firstly, let’s consider the new
Viewfinder 3.69m-dot OLED, 0.76x, 120fps updates, plus a few small but 24.2MP Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
significant design tweaks. sensor. While it has the same
AF points 4897
At £2,779 body only, the EOS resolution as the high-end EOS
Video 4K 60fps; Full HD 180fps
R6 Mark II comes to market for a R3, it doesn’t employ the same
External mic 3.5mm stereo
moderate premium over its stacked architecture for ultra-fast
Memory card 2x UHS-II SD
now-discontinued predecessor, readout. However, Canon claims
Power LP-E6N Li-ion
which cost £2,500 at launch. This that it delivers low-light
Battery life 450 (EVF), 760 (LCD)
places it up against some strong performance to match the EOS
Dimensions 138.4x98.4x88.4mm
competitors that cost rather less, R6’s 20MP chip, with a standard
Weight 670g with battery and card
most notably the excellent 33MP sensitivity range that runs all the
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

way up to ISO 102,400 and is
extendable to ISO 204,800.
On the subject of autofocus,
the EOS R6 Mark II builds on the
subject-detection AF system
previously seen in the EOS R3,
with the camera now capable of
recognising aircraft, trains and
horses, as well as humans, cars,
animals and birds. AF tracking is
available in all focus modes, and
Canon says autofocus functions
in light levels as low as -6.5EV.
This is also the quickest-
shooting camera in its class,
being capable of 12 frames per
second in full-resolution raw using
its mechanical shutter, and a
remarkable 40fps with the
electronic shutter. Select Raw
Burst mode, and the camera can
shoot at 30fps with up to 15
frames buffered before the
shutter button is fully depressed,
which should allow you to capture
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
fleeting moments when you
wouldn’t otherwise have time to
react. The buffer is impressively
deep too, at 190 JPEG or 140
CRAW files in a single burst. On
this note, Canon’s CRAW format
produces unusually small raw
files without any apparent loss of
quality, which means you can fit
more onto a card. It’s a seemingly
minor feature with a real benefit.
Another boon for low-light
shooting is the in-body image
stabilisation, which is now rated
for up to 8 stops of shake
correction. In principle the system
works with adapted manual-focus
lenses, such as Canon’s old
FD-mount optics. But as with the
original EOS R6, the process of
entering the lens’s focal length to
make the system work properly is
unnecessarily clunky.
Another area where the specs
impress is with regards to video.
The camera offers 4K recording
at 60fps from the full sensor
width, with 6K oversampling for
increased detail. It can output 6K
60p ProRes raw to an external
recorder over HDMI, while Full HD
recording is available at 180fps.
Interesting new video features
include focus breathing
compensation to correct for any
change in the angle of view when
pulling focus between different
distances, and ‘face only AF’
where the camera won’t attempt
to refocus when a human subject
walks out of shot. There’s even a
movie pre-recording option, where
either 3 or 5 seconds of footage
can be buffered before you start
filming, so you don’t miss a key
moment of action.
Updated connectivity includes
Bluetooth 5 and 5GHz Wi-Fi,
which can be used to connect the
camera wirelessly to either a
The EOS R6 Mark II’s new 24MP
sensor gives fine image quality,
with plenty of dynamic range
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, RF 24-105mm F4 at 37mm,
1/80sec at f/11, ISO 100
smartphone, tablet or computer.
Canon’s free Camera Remote app
for Android and iOS offers all the
usual features, including the
ability to operate the camera
remotely over Wi-Fi. You can also
copy photos across to your phone
for sharing, even when the
camera is powered off and
packed away in your bag.
Other useful options that you
don’t always get elsewhere
include a quick and easy
Bluetooth remote control, and the
ability to update the camera’s
firmware via your phone. It’s
possible to connect the camera
to a mobile device via its USB-C
port for a more stable connection
and use Camera Remote that
way, which in effect allows a
phone or tablet to be used as an
external monitor. It’s a mystery
why more cameras don’t
allow this.
43
 Canon’s in-camera processing
gives reliably attractive results.
This is an unedited JPEG direct
from the camera
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, RF 24-105mm F4 at 43mm,
1/200sec at f/8, ISO 100
Build and handling
Externally, the EOS R6 Mark
II is very much like its
predecessor. This is a good thing,
as the R6 handled exceptionally
well. In terms of build, you get the
same magnesium alloy chassis
and glass fibre-reinforced
polycarbonate shell. Thanks to
the tall, deep grip, the camera
gives a secure hold and feels well
balanced in your hand, even with
relatively large lenses such as
the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS
USM. As we’d expect, the body is
weather-sealed.
The control layout is derived
from Canon’s EOS DSLRs, but
with some significant updates.
Along with the familiar front and
rear control dials for changing
exposure settings, there’s an
additional thumb dial on the top
plate dedicated to ISO. Uniquely,
and extremely usefully, Canon
allows this to be used to shift the
ISO setting in Auto ISO mode.
There’s a conventional exposure
mode dial and an AF joystick,
which at long last is enabled by
default. Canon’s RF lenses also
have control dials that can be set
to change exposure settings.
Compared to the original EOS
R6, there are a couple of
updates. Most notably, what was
previously the on/off switch on
the top left is now a stills/video
44
mode selector. This has the
advantage of giving easy access
to all the exposure modes for
movie recording. However, I found
this switch was a bit too easy to
knock accidentally when removing
the camera from my bag, and
wish it were either firmer or had
an interlock button.
The power switch has moved
onto the right side of the top
plate, where it’s slightly easier to
reach. It now has a central lock
position similar to many Canon
DSLRs, replacing the R6’s lock
button. This can be used to
disable any combination of the
camera’s control dials, joystick,
and touchscreen, or the lens
control ring. If you deselect all of
these, you can effectively disable
the lock position.
Canon has updated its Dial
Function option, so that pressing
the tiny M-Fn button beside the
shutter release now allows you to
change pairs of settings at a time
using the front and rear dials.
Rotating the top dial chooses
between pairs of functions. By
default, this gives quick access
to white balance and metering;
drive and focus modes; flash
exposure compensation and ISO;
and picture style and AF area.
You can reconfigure this to suit
your preferences, but the only
other option you can add is
exposure compensation. It’s a mechanical/electronic shutter
shame you can’t use it to choose selection and raw burst mode,
the subject-detection mode. are otherwise only selectable
Other key settings can be from the main menu.
changed using the onscreen
quick menu, activated by pressing Viewfinder and screen
the Q button on the back. This When it comes to composing and
button sits in the middle of a viewing your images, Canon has
dense cluster of ten controls, all used the same 3.69m-dot EVF
of which are operated by your and 3in, 1.62m-dot articulated
right thumb. In practice, this isn’t touchscreen as before. With
as bad as it might sound, as 0.76x magnification and a 120fps
you’re unlikely to be using many refresh rate, the viewfinder is very
of them at any given time. good indeed, though it can be a
However, I found it almost little difficult to see in very bright
impossible to distinguish the trio
of magnify, Q and Info buttons
with the camera up to my eye.
Most of the controls can be
customised, but I saw little need
to do so, as all the buttons do
useful things, and the default
control layout works very well.
One useful option, though, is to
re-assign the video record button
in stills shooting mode.
As usual, Canon provides a
touchscreen interface that covers
every aspect of the camera’s
operation, complementing rather
than replacing physical controls.
Canon’s menus are clearly
labelled and relatively logically
laid out, and there’s a user-
configurable My Menu where you
can group your most-used
settings. This is handy, as certain
useful options, such as the

light. Canon previews colour,
white balance and exposure
compensation by default, making
it easy to visualise how your
images will come out. You can
also overlay grid lines, electronic
levels and an RGB live histogram.
Move your eye away from the
viewfinder and the camera will
automatically switch to the LCD
below. Again, this gives an
accurate preview, while its fully
articulated design aids shooting
from a tripod or at awkward
angles. It can also be set facing
forwards for selfies or vlogging.
There are a couple of small but
useful updates. Firstly, the Mark
II gains the OVF View Assist mode
from the EOS R3, which brightens
shadows and reproduces colours
neutrally to give a more SLR-like
viewing experience. You can
assign this to a function button to
toggle between the two modes.
By default, depth-of-field
preview is provided via a button
on the camera’s front, much like
a traditional DSLR. However,
Canon has added a menu setting
to provide full-time DOF preview,
with the lens always stopped
down to the selected aperture. I’d
be tempted to use this mode in
daylight, but when light levels fall,
it can reduce the viewfinder’s
refresh rate excessively, giving a
disconcertingly choppy view.
Autofocus
Like Canon’s other cameras,
autofocus is provided by the
firm’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 at 500mm,
CAMERA TEST Testbench
allows every sensor pixel to be
used for phase detection
autofocus. There are 4,897
user-selectable points arranged
across almost the entire frame,
Focal points
and you can choose between Canon has taken the excellent EOS R6 and added a
multiple sizes of focus area. This number of welcome improvements
includes three custom options
that allow you to specify the Lenses Connectors
height and width of the focus Canon’s RF lens range Canon has included 3.5mm stereo microphone and
zone, which is handy if you know now includes 29 headphone sockets and a 2.5mm E3-type remote
your subjects will appear in a full-frame optics, release connector, all placed so as not to block the
particular region of the image, for covering everything from articulating screen. There are also Micro HDMI and
example cars on a racetrack. It’s budget-friendly zooms to USB-C ports. However, infrared remote release is no
particularly easy to cycle through
pro ultra-telephoto longer supported.
primes. EF lenses can
area modes, by pressing the AF also be used via an
area button followed by M-Fn. adapter. Power
As we’d expect, for single-shot Canon’s standard LP-E6N
AF on static subjects, the EOS R6 battery is rated for 450 shots
Mark II is essentially flawless, when using the viewfinder, or
focusing quickly, silently and 760 with the LCD. It can be
reliably. Its conventional tracking charged in-camera, and an
external mains charger comes
mode also works well, and is
in the box.
especially easy to activate just by
pressing the SET button.
However, the latest AF systems
are all about AI-based subject
recognition and tracking,
particularly with continuous AF.
On the EOS R6 Mark II, Canon
88.4 mm
has deployed what is, on paper,
its most advanced system to
date. It now gains the ability to
recognise a wider range of
animals, along with vehicles such
as cars, trains and planes.
There’s even a spot recognition
setting, in which the camera will
home in on the most important
part of the subject – for example Storage Multi-function shoe Vertical grip
a vehicle’s windscreen. Files are recorded to two Canon’s new multi-function The Mark II is
You can pre-select the UHS-II SD card slots. It’s shoe is compatible with a compatible with the
type of subject you’re possible to use them range of digital audio same BG-R10 battery
either simultaneously or accessories and the firm’s grip as the EOS R5
sequentially, or to record latest flash units including and the original R6,
I captured this precise moment of different file types to the Speedlite EL-5. which costs £419.
splashdown using raw burst mode
each one.
1/1000sec at f/7.1, ISO 2500
98.4 mm
138.4 mm
45
 expecting to shoot, most
easily via the Q Menu. But
you can also leave the camera to
detect automatically what it’s
looking at, which is useful in
situations when you’re switching
rapidly between different kinds of
subjects. It’s also possible to set
a function button to cycle through
the options.
The subject-detection system
works extraordinarily well,
allowing you to concentrate on
composition while the camera
keeps the subject sharp. With
large, predictably moving subjects
such as vehicles, it’ll get things
right almost all the time. However,
with small, erratic subjects such
as birds, I found that it lost track
more easily. But it’s possible that
spending a bit of time tweaking
and fine-tuning the AF system
would give better results.
Auto subject selection isn’t
foolproof, either. For example,
when I was photographing birds
perched in trees, it decided more
than once to outline and focus on
branches instead. Overall,
though, the autofocus is still
incredibly impressive, and far
beyond that offered by any DSLR.
Performance
As befits a camera aimed at
serious enthusiasts, the EOS R6
Mark II is extremely quick and
responsive. However, having
Bluetooth enabled can slow down
High ISO performance is very good
indeed; this was shot at ISO 51,200
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 at 500mm,
1/2000sec at f/8, ISO 51,200
46
its otherwise instantaneous
start-up, so it’s important to
update to the latest firmware and
consider disabling Bluetooth.
Operationally, the camera is very
quiet and discreet, with the
shutter firing with just a quiet
snick. Switch to electronic shutter
mode and it’s completely silent.
Metering, auto white balance
and colour are all very typically
Canon. The standard evaluative
metering mode is closely linked
to the focus point, which means
that if you focus on a dark area of
the scene, you’ll risk clipping
highlight detail irrecoverably. This
is worth looking out for and
applying exposure compensation
if necessary. Auto white balance
is generally well judged, meaning
that out-of-camera JPEGs are
usually good for sharing directly
from the camera with just a little
tweaking. You will, however, get
best results shooting raw,
especially when you want to
make major tonal adjustments.
In this regard, the EOS R6 Mark
II’s new 24MP sensor offers a
good degree of dynamic range,
allowing you to pull up shadow
detail by at least 3 stops without
any problem. Go much further,
though, and you’ll run into visible
artefacts, where Canon appears
to be applying noise reduction to
the darkest tones in the raw file.
This means that you don’t get
quite the malleability of the very
best full-frame sensors, but it’s The EOS R6 Mark II works
still plenty enough for most perfectly with EF-mount DSLR
real-world situations. lenses via an adapter
Continuous shooting Canon EOS R6 Mark II, EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
performance is impressive, but via Viltrox EF-EOS R adapter, 1/320sec at f/8, ISO 100
as usual, the devil is in the detail.
Using the mechanical shutter at
its highest 12fps frame rate, you
don’t get live view between
frames (just a quick review of
recorded images), which makes it
difficult to track moving subjects.
If you want live view between
frames, you’re reduced to 7fps,
but with a vast 230-shot buffer.
The camera’s headline 40fps
top speed requires switching to
the electronic shutter, which
means a trip into the menus. As
the sensor isn’t stacked, there’s
an appreciable rolling shutter
effect. While this isn’t bad
enough to make your subject
obviously distorted, it can make
vertical lines in the background
appear slanted when you’re
panning. Raw burst mode is also
accessed via the menu. Here the
camera shoots at 30fps, with up
to 15 frames buffered before you
fully depress the shutter button.
Bursts are captured as a single
file, from which you extract
frames as raw or JPEGs in
playback. It works, but it’s clunky. shots at shutter speeds close to
The in-body image stabilisation a second, and got the occasional
is very effective. Using the Canon usable frame at even longer
RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM speeds. This can be useful for
towards its wide end, I found shooting handheld in low light, or
I could get consistently sharp for experimenting with long
shutter speeds for creative effect.
Current Canon DSLR users will
find that the EOS R6 Mark II
works seamlessly with their
EF-mount lenses via the EF-EOS R
mount adapter. Both image
stabilisation and autofocus
operate perfectly; indeed with
fast primes, chances are it’ll
deliver a rather higher percentage
of properly focused shots. This
means that you don’t have to buy
a whole new set of RF lenses
straight away.
Canon’s RF lens line-up now
covers most bases, with a good
range of affordable options
alongside premium L-series
lenses. However, Canon is the
only company that’s still blocking
third-party lens makers from
using its full-frame mirrorless
mount, which means there’s a
much better choice of lenses
available for Sony E-mount
in particular.
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 CAMERA TEST
ISO and noise
With its new 24MP sensor, the EOS R6 gains a 10% increase in linear
resolution over its predecessor. The sensor delivers very clean images
at low ISOs, and extremely usable results at moderately high settings,
too: I’d have absolutely no hesitation in using ISO 3200. Beyond this,
noise starts to have a more obvious impact on fine detail and colour,
and each photographer will have their own cut-off point where it
becomes unacceptable. Personally, I was happy with the images I shot
The crops shown below are taken at ISO 25,600 and would consider ISO 51,200 usable at a pinch.
from the area outlined above in red But I’d steer clear of the higher settings.
RAW ISO 80 RAW ISO 400 RAW ISO 600
RAW ISO 6400 RAW ISO 25,600 RAW ISO 51,200
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
Testbench
Verdict
GOLD
AFTER a couple of weeks shooting with the
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, my overriding
impression is of a camera that’ll do pretty
much anything you ask of it. It takes the
already excellent EOS R6 and makes it
even better, with even faster shooting and
impressive subject-detection AF. It’s difficult
to appreciate just how useful this type of
autofocus system can be for tracking
moving subjects, but once you’ve tried it,
you may be reluctant to go back to a
conventional set-up again.
Like its predecessor, the Mark II also
handles extremely well. It’s not quite as
small as its rivals from Nikon, Panasonic or
Sony, but this provides space for a large,
deep handgrip and extensive external
controls. Add to this its excellent image
quality, and you have a seriously impressive
all-rounder. You’ll have to pay considerably
more to get significantly higher
performance in any given area, without
compromising elsewhere.
For current Canon DSLR users, the EOS
R6 Mark II represents an extremely
tempting option for switching to mirrorless
while still being able to use their existing
EF lenses. Those using the original EOS R
will find it a considerable upgrade, too,
despite its slightly lower resolution. There’s
rather less incentive for EOS R6 users to
update, though, unless they need a
specific feature that it offers. For brand-
agnostic buyers it’s an extremely strong
alternative to the likes of the Sony Alpha
7 IV, with the main gripe being the lack of
third-party RF lenses. But this is the only
real blot on the copybook of a superb
camera that’s an excellent update to its
illustrious predecessor.
FEATURES 9/10
BUILD & HANDLING 10/10
METERING 9/10
AUTOFOCUS 9/10
AWB & COLOUR 10/10
DYNAMIC RANGE 9/10
IMAGE QUALITY 9/10
VIEWFINDER/LCD 9/10
47
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 LENS TEST Testbench
The sharpness of this lens
is fantastic, leading to
beautiful results
Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm F1.2 R WR,
1/550sec at f/1.2, ISO 125

Fujifilm Fujinon XF
56mm F1.2 R WR
With a super-large aperture and 85mm equivalent focal
length, is this the perfect portrait and still-life lens for
Fujifilm users? Amy Davies finds out

D
esigned to pair
perfectly with Fujifilm’s
high-resolution
cameras such as the
X-H2 and X-T5, the XF 56mm F1.2
R WR provides a full-frame
equivalent focal length of 85mm,
which is a classic option favoured
by portrait photographers. It
has an f/1.2 maximum aperture
too, another huge tick in the box
for this type of work.
The focal length is also quite
versatile for other subjects,
including street photography,
still life, and perhaps picking out
details in landscape or
architecture scenes. The very
large aperture also makes it well
suited to low-light and night
photography, too.
This lens is an upgrade to the
previous XF 56mm F1.2 R. In
comparison, it boasts an all-new
optical construction, and now
features weather-sealing.
Coming in at £999, this is by
no means a cheap lens. If you’re
keen to save cash but want
something similar, then it’s worth
looking at the Sigma 56mm F1.4
DC DN, which has recently been
made available for X mount. You
lose two-thirds of a stop with
respect to maximum aperture,
don’t get the same level of
weather-sealing, and nor do you
get an aperture ring. But you do
make a significant saving, as you
can pick it up for just £379. It’s
also 165g lighter than the Fujifilm
lens, making it better suited to
those concerned about
saving weight in their bag.

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 49

If you want to stick with
Fujifilm, you might also
consider the 50mm f/2, which is
significantly smaller, lighter, and
cheaper at £409. But it obviously
doesn’t have that lovely f/1.2
aperture. At the other end of the
scale for bokeh fanatics, there’s
the XF 50mm F1.0 R WR, but this
will set you back £1,450.
Features
The 56mm F1.2 lens is the first
Fujifilm lens to include 11
aperture blades, which promises
50
to deliver perfectly circular bokeh,
even when shooting at mid-range
apertures such as f/4 or f/5.6.
As indicated by the WR in the
lens name, this is a weather-
resistant lens, making it ideal for
working with outdoors. It has nine
rubber seals to keep out dust
and moisture, although it should
be noted that it’s unlikely to
withstand a full immersion in
water. The front of the lens
features a fluorine coating to
repel water, fingerprints and dust.
Although this is not a macro
Its 0.5m minimum focus distance
makes the lens reasonably
well-suited to close-ups
Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm F1.2 R WR,
1/80sec at f/1.2, ISO 2000
lens – its maximum magnification
is 0.14x – the focal length makes
it suitable for some typical
macro-type subjects, such as
flowers and the like, aided by a
close-focusing distance of 0.5m.
There’s no optical image
stabilisation featured in this lens,
which is perhaps a little
disappointing. But it’s probably
not a deal-breaker if you’re mainly
drawn in by the wide aperture and
rarely expect to shoot at slow
shutter speeds. If you’re using
the lens with Fujifilm cameras
that have in-body stabilisation,
such as the X-H2, it’s not an
issue, of course.
This is one of Fujifilm’s lenses
that doesn’t use a linear motor.
Although the company claims that
focusing is rapid, it doesn’t claim
to be quiet – more on that later
– which is worth thinking about
for video users.
Build and handling
The 56mm is a relatively chunky
optic, as is to be expected of
something with a super-large
f/1.2 aperture. Weighing in at
445g, it’s not insubstantially
heavy either, but in comparison to
full-frame equivalents, particularly
for DSLRs, it’s relatively
Being able to use very large
apertures makes the lens
ideal for night-time shooting
Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm F1.2 R WR,
1/80sec at f/1.8, ISO 5000
lightweight. It’s interesting to note
that the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 is
only 280g. The Fujifilm pairs very
well with the firm’s chunkier
cameras, such as the X-H2 I’ve
been using for this test. It’s likely
to feel well-balanced on other
similarly weighted models, such
as the X-T4 or X-T5. But it may
feel a little off on smaller models,
such as the X-T30 II or X-E4.
As with many Fujifilm lenses,
the design is relatively minimalist,
with no switches or large buttons.
There are two rings around the
lens. The larger of the two is the
manual focusing ring, found
towards the front of the lens. It
doesn’t feature hard stops at
either end, but has a satisfying
amount of resistance to help with
making precise adjustments.
Being able to use helpful
functions like focus peaking in
the viewfinder is all but essential
when working with manual focus
at f/1.2, so we’d recommend
having those switched on.
The smaller ring of the two
controls the aperture. It is
marked in full stops starting at
f/1.2 and ending at f/16. You
also have the option to set it to
an A (Automatic) position,
enabling program or shutter
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 LENS TEST Testbench

Verdict
JUST like the previous Fujinon
56mm f/1.2 lens, this evolved
optic is capable of producing
stunning, sharp imagery with
beautiful bokeh.
If you’re somebody who shoots
portraits, or typical portrait-type
subjects, such as weddings and
events, then it’s a fantastic
addition to your kit bag. It’s worth
being aware of the slightly slow
autofocus if you think you’ll need
very rapid responsiveness,
although it is an improvement on
the previous version.
It’s great to have weather-
Beautifully rounded sealing added to this lens too, as
bokeh is another it gives you greater flexibility to
appealing aspect
Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm F1.2 R WR, photograph outdoors in less-than-
1/1700sec at f/1.6, ISO 125 perfect conditions, especially if
for example you enjoy street
photography, or low-light and
priority exposure. But you’ll need ‘The lens is impressively sharp when night-time cityscapes.
to push a button on the side of While the lens is undeniably
the ring to do so, ensuring you shooting wide open at f/1.2’ great in many respects, it comes
don’t accidentally set it when not at quite a premium. That’s
looking at the ring. You’ll also Better news is that it’s rare for displeasing effect. In fact some especially true when you can pick
have to push the button to false confirmations of focus to may even quite like it and up a similarly specced optic from
release it from A mode. be shown, while close-focusing choose to include it. Sigma for just over a third of the
at 0.5 metres makes it suitable Based on our experience, it price. That said, if you’ve got your
Autofocus for capturing detail shots from appears that the Fujifilm lens is heart set on that ultra-wide
Super-fast autofocusing is not reasonably close range. capable of producing sharper aperture, think you’ll benefit from
the forte of this lens. In the images than the Sigma 56mm weather-sealing and enjoy using
majority of instances, this Image quality f/1.4 mentioned earlier. If you’re an aperture ring, you might well
probably won’t be an issue, but This is a lens which Fujifilm somebody that craves ultimate consider the outlay to be worth it.
for professional users who might promises delivers exceptional sharpness then it’s perhaps For many photographers, this is
be photographing something sharpness, and by using it worth the extra outlay – however one of those ‘(very) nice to have’
quick-paced – such as weddings paired with a high-resolution it’s also worth considering both lenses. But for some Fujifilm
– it can be a little frustrating camera like the X-H2, we can the model of camera you have, users – like professional portrait
waiting for the lens to lock into really see exactly how well it and how you typically view your and wedding photographers – it’ll
focus. That’s especially true if does indeed perform. images. If you tend to print or be close to essential.
you’ve focused on something There’s a great level of share your images at normal
close, then moved to photograph sharpness across the frame, as sizes (A4 or below), the overall
something in the distance. The well as through the various impression of sharpness Data file
time it takes to refocus can be aperture settings. The lens is between the two is similar. If you
the difference between getting a impressively sharp when have a lower resolution Fujifilm Price £999 Min. focus 0.5m
shot and not getting it. shooting wide open at f/1.2, but camera, you won’t be taking Filter diameter Length 76mm
It’s also not the quietest when since the depth of field can be advantage of the sharpness in 67mm Weight 445g
it comes to autofocusing. very slim, it’s important to be as quite the same way as Lens elements Lens mount
Audible whirring and mechanical accurate as possible when something like the X-H2. 13 Fujifilm X
movements can be heard, which focusing. For example, switching Bokeh is rendered beautifully, Groups 8 Included
again isn’t likely to be a big on subject or eye detection when with those 11 aperture blades Diaphragm blades accessories
problem for many, but in very photographing people or delivering very pleasing, rounded 11 Caps, hood, lens
quiet conditions might be animals, to ensure you get the highlights, and and providing a Aperture wrapping cloth
distracting (such as during a eye perfectly sharp. natural drop-off in focus. f/1.2 - f/16
church ceremony, for instance). Impressively, there’s virtually Distortion isn’t a problem with
It’s also likely to be an issue for no evidence of vignetting when a lens like this – not that we’d
video users if they’re not using shooting at f/1.2. If you switch expect it to be so. Meanwhile
an external microphone, as the off the automatic lens profile there’s no evidence of
sound is picked up when corrections when checking the problematic fringing, even when Recommended
recording audio with the internal raw files, you can see a very photographing in relatively
microphone. small amount, but it’s not a high-contrast conditions.

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 51
 Testbench ACCESSORIES

Bluetti EB3A Portable Power

Station + PV200 Solar Panel
Could a portable power supply and
solar panel be useful for photographers?
LED
Richard Sibley finds out An LED torch light is
built into the device, which
● £798 ● bluettipower.co.uk Wireless could be helpful on location Info
or when camping, or in a The current input
WHETHER for financial or environmental reasons, charging home power cut. and output are
everyone is trying to be more careful with their There is a wireless displayed, plus battery
energy consumption. Solar power is one way we can smartphone charging spot life and the time it will
all harness some green energy, and the Bluetti on top of the Power take to charge or run
EB3A Portable Power Station and PV200 Solar Station. out of power.
panel kit might be an option for photographers to
capture and use some of that power.
The Power Station has an AC Pure Sine Wave
600W inverter. This means it can power equipment
that runs at less than 600W, including sensitive
electronic equipment such as computers. The
battery has a capacity of 268 Watt hours; if you are
powering something that consumes 268W, it will
last for an hour. If you power something that
consumes the maximum 600W output, it will last
Recommended
around 26 mins. Charging is via either a 12-24V
8.5A DC socket which is used with the solar panel,
or a standard 3-pin mains ‘kettle lead’. Mains
charging takes 80mins, or 72mins when combined
with the solar panels for Dual Charging. 
The PV200 solar panels measure 59x60cm when
folded, extending to 59x226.5cm unfolded. Stands
on the back angle them at 45 degrees to maximise
light-gathering. It’s worth noting that the panels
weigh 7.3kg, which, when added to the 4.6kg of the
Power Station, may count as portable if you are
driving, but not when hiking with photo gear. 
In practice, I found it difficult to get the potential
200W output of the panel, but I could easily get
100W in bright winter sunlight. With this input, the Outputs
EB3A display said it would be around 2.7 hours
Numerous outputs
include a standard UK 3-pin
until the unit was fully charged, which is entirely
socket, a 12v DC car type
practical, especially given the potential for it to be
socket, 2x USB A sockets
even faster in the summer. 
and, notably, a USB-C
One interesting application was being able to socket.
power photo/video lighting. I tried a generic 100W
LED video light and, running at 100% power, it
consumed 183W, so I could run it for over an hour.
This could be useful for shooting photos or videos,
MORE PORTABLE ALTERNATIVES
especially as a fill light on a bright day.  At a glance
If you just need to charge
Verdict ● 600W AC Pure Sine Wave smaller devices and don’t need
The Bluetti EB3A and PV200 panels were simple to Inverter so much capacity, cheaper and
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICES

set up and use, and I found them to be a helpful ● 268Wh Capacity more portable solutions are
addition to my household. It would be a handy kit ● 430W Dual Charging available. A USB-C power bank
for a weekend away in a camper van. But purely for (Solar+AC) with 65W power delivery, which
charging camera kit, a smaller and cheaper device ● LiFePO4 Battery with 2,500+ will power many laptops, can
would make more sense. Those wanting external cycles cost around £100. A small
power for lighting will find it helpful, but with more ● Solar panel Max Output: folding 60W solar panel can
than one light, the power supply will quickly drain. 9.7A, 20.5V also be found for £100.

52 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
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shop.kelsey.co.uk/issue/list/publication/AMP
 Tech Talk
Professor Newman on…
Grounded
This issue, a look at the intriguing design of a new
Voigtländer 50mm f/1.0 lens
R
ecently my eye has
been caught by the
appearance of a new
lens, which seems to
be quite a departure from the
norm. The lens is the Voigtländer
50mm f/1.0 Nokton Aspherical,
to give it it’s full title. Optically the
design of this lens follows well-
established patterns for such a
fast lens. The front of the lens is
a six-element double-gauss
design, which could have been
found in any fast normal lens
since the 1950s – with one
exception, of which we will talk
later. Built into the rear of the
lens is what has become
misleadingly known as a ‘speed
booster’ with three elements in
two groups. The front lens will
have been designed with a longer
focal length than the 50mm
marked on the lens while the
back part reduces that focal
length to 50mm thereby reducing
the f-number to f/1.0. This is a
similar design to the 1966 Zeiss
Planar 50mm f/0.7 famously
used by Stanley Kubrick in his
film Barry Lyndon, though not as
ambitious, at least so far as the
f-number is concerned.
So, the basic configuration is
not novel. It is the front element
that is notable, as its front
surface is aspherical. But the
usual manufacturing processes
for aspheric lens surfaces are not
suitable for use in this exposed
location in a lens.
Aspheric surfaces are a lens
designer’s dream. At a stroke
they can overcome spherical
aberrations that can take many
traditional spherical surfaces to
correct. However, manufacturing
them in quantity has always been
very expensive, until recently.
Bob Newman is currently Professor of Computer Science at the University of Wolverhampton. He has been working with the design and development of
high-technology equipment for 35 years and two of his products have won innovation awards. Bob is also a camera nut and a keen amateur photographer
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
Two processes have been
developed to overcome this
problem. The first is ‘hybrid
aspheres’. Here a resin (plastic)
veneer is moulded with one face
spherical, to match a glass lens,
and the other aspherical. When
this veneer is bonded to a glass
lens the result is a lens with an
aspherical surface.
The second technique is
precision glass moulding, where
a glass lens is pressed from an
exact mould with the required
surfaces. Both these techniques
have problems for low volume
lenses, given that the set-up
costs for the precision mould is
very high. In terms of their utility
as a front surface, the problem is
the material used. Neither optical
resin, nor the special glasses
necessary for precision moulding,
have the durability required.
Hence the Voigtländer lens’s
front element is ground and
polished just like a conventional
spherical surface.
This production method has in
the past been so prohibitively
expensive that it has been
restricted to only the most
esoteric, high-price lenses. The
Voigtländer is not cheap at
£1,650, but even this price is a
breakthrough in affordability.
Leica Camera makes its
aspherical surfaces this way.
It can do so because of the
prices charged for its products.
Leica’s nearest equivalent lens is
the 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux with a
price of £10,230, or more than
five times that of the Nokton.
Grinding spherical surfaces is
‘It is the front element that is notable,
as its front surface is aspherical’
Improve
your
photography
skills
Subscribe today
and get
13 issues for £13,
saving 75%
The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm
f/1.0 contains a game-changing
innovation
low cost because of simple
geometry. The only surfaces that
fit together exactly as they move
in relation to each other are
spheres, thus if a piece of glass
is ground against a compliant
tool the two will adapt to each
other as the grinding proceeds
and the result is a spherical
surface. Grinding an asphere
requires very close control of the JUST
grinding tool to get exactly the
surface required. This can be
done using specialised computer-
controlled tools, but until recently
£1
AN ISSUE
the results were not statistically
predictable enough for mass
production. Clearly Cosina,
manufacturer of the Voigtländer 2 EASY
lenses, has mastered this piece
of production engineering
WAYS TO
sufficiently well to allow the SUBSCRIBE
building of this lens. Visit
By the way, from the few test
reports I have seen, the shop.kelsey.co.uk
Voigtländer lens performs at least /AMP123P
as well as, and maybe even Call us on
better than the Leica. 01959 543 747
and quote AMP123P
Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am to 5.30pm. Calls are
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55
 In association with MPB

Amateur Photographer
of the Year Competition
© BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: TOM PONESSA, ANDREW KNIGHT, EDWARD PAYNE. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ADAM NEUBA, TINA BUI, ANGI WALLACE, AZIM KHAN RONNIE

of MPB prizes to be won

Enter the UK’s oldest and most prestigious photo competition for
amateur photographers. There are ten rounds, so you have ten chances
to win some great cameras and lenses from MPB!

Visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/apoy
 IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Olympus Tough TG-6
l £399 l www.olympus.co.uk
Olympus’s Tough compacts have habitually
won our underwater camera group tests,
and this latest model is still the best of its
type. It’s waterproof to 15m, shockproof
against a 2.4m drop, crushproof and
freezeproof. The 25-100mm equivalent lens
is paired with a 12MP sensor, and viewing
is via a 3in LCD. This is also one of the few
rugged cameras that can record raw files.
★★★★★ Reviewed Dec 2022
Ricoh GR III
l £949 l ricohgr.eu/en-gb
A favourite of street photographers, the
GR III combines a 24MP APS-C sensor and
a sharp 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens in a
slim, pocketable body. It offers sensitivities
up to ISO 102,400 and 4fps shooting, while
in-body image stabilisation helps keeps
image sharp. Viewing is via a fixed 3in rear
LCD or an optional optical viewfinder that
slots onto the hot shoe.
★★★★★
Reviewed
3 Aug
2019
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
A round-up of the AP testing team’s favourite
and most highly rated kit, including both
cameras and all kinds of accessories, across
a wide range of price points
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
l £1,140 l www.canon.co.uk
This unique zoom compact offers excellent
image quality by employing the same
24.2MP APS-C sensor as several of Canon’s
DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, along with
a 24-72mm equivalent lens. A central
viewfinder, fully articulated touchscreen and
comprehensive external controls round off a
superb little camera for enthusiast
photographers.
★★★★★
Reviewed
3 Feb 2018
Sony RX100 VII
l £1,050 l www.sony.co.uk
Sony has somehow crammed a 24-200mm
equivalent zoom, pop-up electronic
viewfinder, tilting screen, 20 fps shooting
and 4K video recording into a body that you
can slip into a jacket pocket. With the firm’s
latest AF technology also on board, it’s
without doubt the most accomplished
pocket camera on the market.
★★★★
Reviewed
5 Oct 2019
Fujifilm X100V
l £1,349 l www.fujifilm.eu/uk
Fujifilm’s charismatic rangefinder-styled
compact employs a fixed 23mm f/2 lens,
APS-C sensor, traditional analogue controls
and a unique hybrid optical / electronic
viewfinder. In this latest version the lens
has been redesigned for improved
sharpness, and the back is now adorned
with a tilting screen. It’s a truly gorgeous
little camera.
★★★★★ Reviewed
25 Apr 2020
Sony RX10 IV
l £1,500 l www.sony.co.uk
This sets a new standard for superzoom
cameras, with a 24-600mm equivalent lens,
20MP 1in sensor, and 24 fps continuous
shooting. Its SLR-shaped body hosts a large
electronic viewfinder and a decent set of
physical controls. It’s the best all-in-one
camera for wildlife or
travel photography
that you can buy
right now.
★★★★★
Reviewed
2 Dec 2017
57
BEST BUYS REVISITING GREAT KIT FROM OUR TEST ARCHIVES

Canon EOS 250D Canon EOS M50 Mark II Fujifilm X-S10

l £650 with 18-55mm IS lens l www.canon.co.uk l £700 with 15-45mm lens l www.canon.co.uk l £999 with 15-45mm lens l www.fujifilm.eu/uk

One of the smallest DSLRs around, the EOS This likeable little camera is simple and Fujifilm’s latest model brings a distinct
250D strikes a great balance between approachable for novices, while offering change in design. It looks much like a
portability and usability. It’s equipped with a plenty of manual control for enthusiasts. Its conventional DSLR, with electronic dials for
novice-friendly Guided Mode, while Canon’s central electronic viewfinder is joined by a changing exposure settings. But you still get
Dual Pixel CMOS sensor provides excellent fully articulated touchscreen, autofocus is Fujifilm’s signature fine image quality, along
autofocus in live view. Image fast and accurate, and it’s capable of with in-body image stabilisation. The result
quality is very good, producing consistently fine is a camera that’s
delivering vibrant images. The updated perfect for
colours and Mark II version APS-C DSLR
plenty of fine adds a few users looking
detail. minor extra to upgrade to
★★★★★ features. mirrorless.
Reviewed ★★★★★ ★★★★★
7 Sep 2019 Reviewed Reviewed
22 May 2021 23 Jan 2021

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Panasonic Lumix G9

l £749 with 14-42mm lens l www.olympus.co.uk Fujifilm X-T30 II l £900 body only l www.panasonic.com/uk

With a charismatic retro design, fine l £899 with 15-45mm lens l www.fujifilm.eu/uk The finest Micro Four Thirds stills camera
handling, highly effective in-body This lovely little camera provides excellent Panasonic has ever produced, the G9 backs
stabilisation and attractive JPEG output, performance, while preserving the charm up its sturdy construction with a winning
Olympus has made a camera that’s more and charisma of the X-series. It’s a great combination of high-speed shooting, fast
pleasant to use than its entry-level all-rounder, and handles exceptionally well focusing and effective in-body stabilisation.
competitors. Its 20MP sensor delivers good thanks to an intuitive interface based Boasting a control layout as complete as
results up to ISO 3200 at least, and its around traditional analogue dials. Image most pro-level DSLRs, it’s an
tilting screen can be set to face forwards quality is superb in both raw and JPEG, extremely versatile
beneath the camera. aided by camera that’s
The 16MP Fujifilm’s capable of
Mark III is peerless Film dealing with
also still a Simulation any subject.
great buy. modes. ★★★★
★★★★ ★★★★★ Reviewed
Reviewed 26 Reviewed 27 Jan 2018
Sep 2020 8 Feb 2022

Fujifilm X-T5 Panasonic Lumix GH6 OM System OM-1

l £1,699 body only l www.fujifilm.eu/uk l £1,949 body only l www.panasonic.com/uk l £1,999 body only l www.olympus.co.uk

Fujifilm’s latest X-T model is a great choice Panasonic’s flagship Micro Four Thirds It may be nostalgically named after a
for serious enthusiast photographers. It camera is aimed at videographers, but classic 35mm SLR, but there’s nothing
boasts a 40MP APS-C sensor housed in a holds its own when capturing stills as old-fashioned about this high-speed
retro-styled body covered with traditional well. Its 25MP sensor delivers plenty of powerhouse. It’s capable of shooting at
analogue control dials. Subject-detection detail, while enabling 5.7K recording at 120fps with focus fixed, or 50fps with AF.
autofocus, in-body stabilisation and 60fps, or 4K at 120fps. Pro-spec video AI subject detection recognises vehicles,
Fujifilm’s lovely colour modes functionality and highly effective in-body animals and birds. It’s also rugged, with
round off an stabilisation round off IP53-rated weather-
extremely a fine package sealing, and
desirable for content includes
package. creators. class-leading
★★★★★ ★★★★ stabilisation.
Reviewed Reviewed ★★★★★
3 Jan 2023 26 Apr 2022 Reviewed
15 Mar 2022

58 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Nikon Z 6II Nikon Z 7II Sony Alpha 7R V

l £2,099 body only l www.nikon.co.uk l £2,999 body only l www.nikon.co.uk l £3,999 body only l www.sony.co.uk

This upgraded full-frame mirrorless Nikon has delivered a sensible update to its With its 61MP full-frame sensor, the A7R V
all-rounder boasts a 24.5MP sensor, flagship high-res model, with an additional provides class-leading image quality while
273-point autofocus and rapid 14fps burst SD card slot and slightly faster shooting. As adding a whole array of improvements over
shooting. It also gains an SD card slot, before, its 45.7MP sensor gives stunning its predecessor. These include subject
alongside XQD/CFexpress. Its excellent image quality, backed up by 5-axis in-body detection AF, a larger, more detailed
viewfinder is complemented by a tilting image stabilisation and fast, accurate viewfinder, and a more flexible rear LCD
screen, and both image quality and handling autofocus. The viewfinder is superb, and design. For those whose needs are more
are superb. The older F-mount SLR lenses can be about image quality than speed,
Z 6 remains used via the it’s probably the best
a good buy FTZ adapter. full-frame camera
for £500 ★★★★ you can buy.
less. Reviewed ★★★★★
★★★★ 6 Feb 2021 Reviewed
Reviewed 17 Jan 2023
9 Jan 2021

Sony Alpha 7 IV Nikon Z 9 Leica M10 Monochrom

l £2,399 body only l www.sony.co.uk l £5,299 body only l www.nikon.co.uk l £7,400 body only l uk.leica-camera.com

Sony’s latest enthusiast-focused full-frame Without doubt Nikon’s finest camera yet, the Within its own specialist niche, this
mirrorless model sets a new standard in its Z 9 combines high resolution, breathtaking monochrome-only manual-focus
class. Its 33MP full-frame sensor delivers speed, subject-recognition autofocus and rangefinder is almost perfect. Its build
excellent image quality, and it can shoot at pro-level build. It’s capable of shooting quality is stunning, and the pared-back
up to 10fps. Its practically foolproof 45.7MP raw files at 20fps for 1,000 frames, design allows you to immerse yourself
subject-detection AF can now recognise and 11MP JPEGs at 120fps. It can also completely in the process of taking
birds as well as humans and record 8K video. With its pictures. Most importantly, the 40.9MP
animals. A large, superb viewfinder sensor produces fantastic results,
clear viewfinder and tilting rear reaching a new
and fully articulated screen, it’s pinnacle in
touchscreen round probably the black & white
off the package. most capable image quality.
★★★★★ camera around. ★★★★★
Reviewed ★★★★★ Reviewed
11 Dec 2021 Reviewed 22 Feb 2020
22 Mar 2022

Nikon D780
l £2,299 body only l www.nikon.co.uk Canon EOS R6 Mark II Fujifilm GFX100S
l £2,779 body only l www.canon.co.uk l £5,499 body only l www.fujifilm.eu/uk
This highly accomplished 24MP full-frame
model shows that there’s life in the DSLR Based around a 24MP full-frame sensor, Fujifilm’s second-generation super-high
yet. It’s superbly built with extensive this brilliant all-rounder will do almost resolution camera places a 102MP medium-
weather sealing, handles brilliantly, and anything you might ask it to. It combines format sensor in a body the size of a full-
gives excellent results in any conditions. It’ll reliable subject detection AF, rapid frame DSLR. On-chip phase detection
provide top-level service to continuous shooting, and effective image provides rapid autofocus; in-body image
photographers who want to stabilisation in a body that handles well and stabilisation allows the camera
keep using their gives great results. It also to be used handheld
F-mount lenses works well with with confidence. It’s
and still prefer adapted perfect if you need
an optical EF-mount to shoot in the
viewfinder. DSLR lenses. field without
★★★★★ ★★★★★ compromising on
Reviewed Reviewed image quality.
4 Apr 2020 21 Mar 2023 ★★★★★
Reviewed May 2021

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 59
BEST BUYS REVISITING GREAT KIT FROM OUR TEST ARCHIVES

Tenba DNA 9 Slim Messenger
l £110 l uk.tenba.com
If you’d like a small shoulder bag to carry a
camera and a couple of lenses, this is
among the best you’ll find. Measuring 28cm
wide by 20cm tall, it’s well suited to holding
a mirrorless camera or a compact DSLR.
The quality of materials and construction is
excellent, and there are plenty of handy
pockets for organising accessories.
★★★★★ Reviewed 26 Apr 2022
NiSi NM-180 Macro Rail
l £105 l www.nisioptics.co.uk
Arguably the best macro focusing rail
available right now, the NM-180 combines
excellent quality build with super-smooth
operation. It’s easily capable of supporting a
full-frame SLR while offering up to 130mm
of travel, with a fold-out handle providing
fine adjustment. It also boasts extensive
compatibility with the Arca Swiss quick
release system, with a dovetail profile along
its base and a rotating clamp on top.
★★★★★
Reviewed
24 Oct 2020
Benro Rhino 24C tripod
with VX25 head
l £250 l uk.benroeu.com
Benro has got pretty much
everything right with this sturdy,
well-designed tripod and head that’ll
support a substantial load. This
four-section carbon fibre model
offers a maximum height of
almost 1.7m, while folding
down to 49cm and weighing
1.74kg. It’s easily capable
of supporting a full-frame
DSLR with a telephoto
zoom. Quite simply, it’s a
fantastic kit for the money.
★★★★★ Reviewed
28 Nov 2020

NiSi True Color ND-Vario

Cullmann Rondo 460M RB8.5 1-5 stops
Vanguard Veo Select 46BR l £75 l www.transcontinenta.co.uk/cullmann
l £89-£189 l www.nisioptics.co.uk
l £120 l www.vanguardworld.co.uk
If you want a fully featured tripod kit on a This high-quality variable neutral density
This backpack is capable of swallowing a budget, this is a great filter is ideal for regulating the amount of
substantial amount of kit while retaining a choice. Four-section light entering your lens, without introducing
travel-friendly 28cm slim profile. An array of aluminium legs provide a any colour cast. It’s optically excellent,
access points allow max height of 160cm, while boasts an oil and water-repellent coating,
you to get at your kit packing down to 43.5cm. and includes a
from the back, top or It’s rated to support a 4kg handy and
either side. It’s load, weighs 1.46kg, and accurate density
capable of holding a one leg can be combined scale. It’s available
full-frame DSLR with with the centre column in sizes from
4-6 lenses along with to form a monopod. 40.5mm to 95mm.
a 13-in laptop. ★★★★
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Reviewed Reviewed
Reviewed 21 Mar 2020 24 May 2022
6 Jul 2019

MeFOTO RoadTrip PRO Benro SupaDupa

Wandrd Prvke 31 l £225 l uk.benroeu.com Pro MSDPL46C
l £279 (photography bundle) l eu.wandrd.com Few tripods come close to l £190 l uk.benroeu.com
This spacious backpack offers an excellent matching this one for sheer It may have a ridiculous name,
combination of uncluttered style, rugged versatility. It extends to but this five-section carbon fibre
construction and a selection of genuinely 152.5cm, folds down to model might just be the best
useful pockets. The roll-close 38.5cm and weighs 1.37kg. monopod we’ve ever tested. One
top section is the One leg can be detached for clip leg lock provides easy length
icing on the cake that use as a monopod or boom adjustment, while the lower twist
always seems to allow arm, and there’s even a locks are waterproof. On the top
just one more item to small desktop stand stowed there’s a clever bowl head with
be squeezed in. inside the centre column. an Arca-compatible clamp. It’s a
Crucially, it’s It’s sturdy enough to great choice for those who
comfortable to carry support a full-frame regularly shoot with large
over long distances. mirrorless set-up. telephotos.
★★★★★ Reviewed ★★★★★ ★★★★★
11 Sep 2021 Reviewed 12 April 2022 Reviewed 24 April 2021

60 www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Nissin i40 Datacolor SpyderX Pro Kase Wolverine K9 100mm

l £159 l www.kenro.co.uk l £159 l www.datacolor.com Entry-Level Kit
A compact flashgun that’s designed for If you like to post-process your images, you l £385 l www.kasefilters.com
mirrorless cameras, the i40 stands out for need to be sure that your monitor is showing With this top-quality filter system, Kase has
its high specification, compact size and colours accurately. Datacolor has carefully rethought every component. The
ease of use. Its auto-zoom head covers designed the SpyderX to slimline, low-profile holder benefits from
lenses from 24-105mm equivalent. With a calibrate your display faster extensive light-sealing, while the 82mm
powerful output that then ever before, with the polariser clips into place magnetically; it’s
belies its size, and process taking about two also easy to adjust from behind the camera.
a built-in LED video minutes. For most All of the filters use top-quality glass, and
light, it’s available photographers the everything fits together
for most brands of Pro package makes into a single case. The
camera. most sense. result is a top-quality
★★★★★ ★★★★★ set-up that’s easy to
Reviewed Reviewed 6 Apr 2019 use and delivers
3 May 2014 superb
results.
★★★★★
RØDE Wireless Go II Rotolight NEO 3 Reviewed
l £549 (Ultimate Kit) l www.rotolight.com 5 Dec 2020
l £309 l en.rode.com
LED lighting technology has advanced in
RØDE’s compact wireless system makes it
leaps and bounds over recent years.
easier than ever to get high-quality audio for
Rotolight’s compact on-camera NEO 3 offers
video recording. This dual-channel wireless
a unique feature set thanks to its full colour
Intrepid Compact Enlarger
mic kit includes two transmitter units and a l £280 l www.intrepidcamera.co.uk
RGBWW LEDs, with the ability to provide
receiver (a single-transmitter set is also
either continuous light or flash in 16.7 For film photography enthusiasts wishing to
available for £200).
million colours. This firm has also make prints at home, this compact and
Key features
programmed in the affordable unit includes lots of handy
include built-in
characteristics features. Based around full-colour LED
rechargeable
of 2,500 colour technology, it supports both mono and
batteries lasting
filters. Power is colour printing. It’s perfect for those who
up to 7 hours,
provided by an don’t have
onboard backup
NP-F type Li-ion space for a
recording, and up
battery. permanent
to 200m range.
★★★★★ ★★★★ darkroom.
Reviewed
Reviewed ★★★★★
5 April 2022 Reviewed
15 May 2021
17 July 2021
Hoya Ultra-Pro Circular
Hahnel ProCube2 Polariser Fujifilm Instax Link WIDE
l £80 l www.hahnel.ie l £47-£179 l www.intro2020.co.uk l £140 l www.instax.co.uk

This dual battery charger boasts a sturdy Hoya’s premium range of circular polarisers This brilliant portable printer produces
metal shell and interchangeable plates that is available in 13 sizes from 37mm to great-looking 6x10cm prints on Fujifilm’s
each accept a pair of batteries. An LCD 82mm. These filters feature 16 layers of Instax Wide film. It connects to your
display shows progress, and a 2.4A USB anti-reflective coatings, high transmission, smartphone via Bluetooth and is controlled
output allows phones or tablets to be and are designed to repel water and oil using an attractively
charged once the while being scratch designed and
camera batteries and stain resistant. intuitive app.
are full. An ultra-thin Powered by a built-in
Versions are aluminium frame rechargeable battery
available for all prevents vignetting and available in
the main when used with white or grey, it’ll slip
camera brands. wideangle lenses. easily into a bag.
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Reviewed Reviewed Reviewed
24 Feb 2018 3 Mar 2018 25 Jan 2022

www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 61
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Square Filters Most filters available for 67mm & 84mm systems Circular Filters Sizes from 25mm to 105mm depending on filter

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0.3 ND Soft Grad Pro Glass £34.95
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SAVE OVER £10 Filter Set £95.95 Circular Polarisers ND1000 Filters Neutral Density Filters
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0.3 Full ND £19.95 0.3 Soft ND £19.95 0.3 Hard ND £19.95 SRB 6 Stop £49.95
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Final Analysis
T
here’s a word
which is in
use regularly
today which,
quite frankly, drives
me up the wall.. That
word is ‘backstory’. It is,
sadly and annoyingly, a
word often used when
describing a photograph.
It is particularly
beloved of landscape
photographers, when
showing you yet another
grainy image of some
mountains in Scotland
in the mist and rain.
They will bang on
endlessly about how
they had got up at dawn,
put their large format
camera and their dark
slides loaded with out-of-
date colour neg film (it’s
always one of the ‘I only
shoot film’ brigade) in
their rucksack, humped
their tripod over their
shoulder and yomped up
the side of a mountain,
braving hordes of
midges and wasps to
get their shot.
Ocean of mediocrity
My (often unsaid)
reaction is usually, ‘I
don’t care if it’s not an
interesting picture’ (you
may be getting some
idea of my attitude
towards the oceans of
mediocre landscape
photography which I see
and, yes, you’re right).
For me, in the vast
majority of cases, if a
picture needs
explanation or backstory
it means that it’s weak.
Tim Clinch is an award-winning professional photographer with over 40 years’ experience. Over the years Tim has worked in most areas of the profession, has had his work published in
magazines worldwide, and has had more than 30 books published featuring subjects as varied as interiors, travel, food and portraits. To see his work, visit www.timclinchphotography.com.
66
Photo Critique
Tim Clinch considers... Picture of a 1950’s Shure
microphone, shot by Andrew Shaylor for his book
Rockin’ (The Rockabilly Scene), 2011
Very occasionally
© ANDREW SHAYLOR
though, a backstory can
be interesting, and as we
all know, in photography
as in life, rules are made
to be broken.
I wrote a ‘Final
Analysis’ a few weeks ago
about a seemingly
ordinary picture of a
young couple on a beach
in summer. As a photo it
was not particularly
interesting until you
realised the couple were
the just married JFK and
Jacqueline. The youth,
the innocence and
the pathos captured in
the image took it to
another level.
Just the same with
this image.
I should declare an
interest at this point and
tell you that the
photographer, Andrew
Shaylor, is a close friend
of mine and I consider
him a fine photographer.
So let’s look at this
image. Beautifully shot
(as I expect with him)
but a simple and,
seemingly, almost
throwaway shot…
Until…until… has been sung into by simple yet, once you room with it.’
You realise that this is Elvis Presley, Carl know, so perfectly shot. ‘Andrew,’ I said
the ‘house microphone’ Perkins, Johnny Cash, My one hopefully, ‘Please tell me
at the legendary Sun Howling Wolf, Jerry Lee disappointment came you sang into it?’ Dear
Studios. In Memphis, Lewis and many, many about it when I was reader. He said ‘no’.
Tennessee. To quote more. It is utterly iconic talking to Andrew My disappointment in
country music legend and used on so many recently. He told me my great friend
Marty Stuart, ‘Sun records that were part of about his trip around remains to this day!
Studios was where so my childhood and part Sun Studios and all the
much of the great of all of our lives. music history that filled To see more of Andrew’s work
American music I have known this the place. ‘I was amazed,’ please visit his website:
exploded from.’ picture for a long time he said… ‘when I was www.shaylorphoto.com. Rockin’
Still very much in use now, love it and it still shooting it, they even (The Rockabilly Scene) was
today, this microphone gives me the shivers. So left me alone in the published in 2011 by Merrell.
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. OM IS (RE)BORN.

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