make & gift PERSONALISED PICTURE POSTCARDS cREATING INNOVATIVE SELF PORTRAITS

(Total 186 pages)

April 2013

ll na y e o da uid t to s G ke er' ar uy m e B the tiv in us s ha era ex m An he ca t

de insi

www.betterphotography.in

A basic guide on how to get rid of camera shake

focus
e d insi ER T S FREE PO
EXCLUSIVE TESTS Canon EOS 1D X Panasonic GH3 Samsung Galaxy Camera Sigma 18250mm OS
VISUAL MUSINGS
Sachin Kalbag discusses why photojournalism is still strong

simple WAYS to achieve perfect

Sureshot techniques to ensure that the subject is always in perfect focus

IY & FUNDBES! U PHOTOC

5 steps to make the shot that's in your mind

MARKET SENSE
How Twitter can help your photography business grow Amit Mehra talks about his silent notes from Kashmir

GREAT MASTERS

Chronicling the times of the masterful Roman Vishniac

PROFILE

editorial

There Are No Secrets

How does one make money through photography, and how does one make lots of it? Atthe recent iClick Symposium in Bengaluru, thisseemed to be a recurring question amongst a lot of young hobbyists. After having interacted with many masters of photography from India and abroad, Ithought of putting down six rules that form a chain of thought about becoming a successfulphotographer. Rule #1: It is not about the money. There are other, easier ways to get rich. So,the motive to make money from photography must come from a powerful, raw need to release the shutter for otherreasons. Rule #2: Therefore, as clichd as it sounds, it is about a craving hunger to make excellent photographs because of a deep-rooted love for something beyond the camera. Rule #3: Conversely,when perfect frames are required, internalising the craft becomes an indispensable prerequisite. Rule #4: To learn the craft, making a lot of mistakes early on and quickly learning from them becomes very important. Thus, being curious and experimental is equallyimportant. Rule #5: Mistakes help you discover things about yourself. They help you put yourself into your own images. In essence, this helps you create your own identity and style. Rule #6: Building an identity takes time, effort and, most of all, discipline. Amongst all the qualities that are essential for success, discipline usually wavers first. This happens because discipline needs the conviction of a bigger purpose. If it does waver, you need to go back to Rule #1 and ask yourself why you are doing photography in the first place. That said, the secret for success is actually not really a secret, regardless of which profession you choose. Success needs passion, knowledge, dedication, discipline, willpower, resourcefulness (as opposed to resources), money and effort. And if you think about it, the only part of this equation that can possibly be transposed or interchanged... iseffort for money. Everything else needs to be there, unequivocally.

Amongst all the qualities that are essential for success, discipline usually wavers first.

K Madhavan Pillai

editor@betterphotography.in

Kashmir
by Amit Mehra
It took some time for Amit to realise that he was reacting to Kashmir just as a photojournalist would. After observing the valley for a while, without his camera, he decided to restart the project. Aphotographer is only a witness. He is not a judge. He is not there to change any opinion. Butif his body can create a debate, a dialogue, a discourse, that is the greatest reward, hesays.

To read more about Amit Mehras quest to capture the eerie silence ofKashmir
Turn to page 106
Better Photography april 2013

V o l u m e

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i s s u e

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a p r i l

2 0 1 3

Founder & Editor, Network18

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Group CEO, Network18

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Get Published in Better Photography

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Share your best images, tips and techniques with us and get your work noticed. Follow these simpleguidelines:

Editorial
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For PhotoCritique and Your Pictures:

Digital files should be a minimum of 1800 x 2700 pixels at 300dpi and prints should be of 6 x 9-inches Include a 100-word note on how and why you shot the image with the following information: Your name, address, and contact details. Title for the Image. Name of the section for which you are sending theimage Details: camera, lens, aperture & shutterspeedused.

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Send in a synopsis, with low-resolution images for viewing, to contribute articles to the following sections:
On Assignment, Step-by-Step, PhotoFeature, Tips & Tricks, Shooting Technique, History, Story Behind the Picture To have your images reviewed by our panel of experts: photocritique@betterphotography.in To showcase your best photographs: entries@betterphotography.in To contribute articles and for questions on photography: editor@betterphotography.in For your suggestions, appreciation and criticism on the magazine: feedback@betterphotography.in To send any of the above by post, send us a CD or prints to our Head Office in Mumbai.
Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed by Mohan Gajria and published by Lakshmi Narasimhan on behalf of Infomedia18 Limited and printed at Network18 Media & Investments Ltd Plot No. 3, Sector No. 7, Off Sion Panvel Road, Nerul, Mumbai - 400 706, and published at Network18 Limited, Ruby House, A Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. Readers are recommended to make appropriate enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisment appearing in this publication. Better Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers, products or services. The printer, publisher, editor or members of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. Editor K Madhavan Pillai Published by Network18 Media & Investments Ltd
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Better Photography

april 2013

April 2013

72
SnapShots

76
GearGuide BetterPictures
Book Review Okavango: Africas Last Eden by Frans Lanting Look Whos Shooting Alok Rai Visual Musings by Sachin Kalbag

34 40 41

44

test

Canon EOS-1D X Canon redefines speed with its latest flagship

72

SHOOTING TECHNIQUE

Arriving at the Photo Create the perfect picture in five easy steps

50
vanguard photo-video Booklet
INS IdE

ON THE COVER
MAKE & GIFT PERSONALISEd PICTURE POSTCARdS CREATING INNOVATIVE SELF PORTRAITS
April 2013 Rs. 150
all on ay de d Gui et to r's rk ye a Bu e m ive in th ust s ha era ex m An e ca th

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3 Broadcast quality video in a mirrorless system Samsung EK-GC100 Does one really needthis Andriod camera?

76

(Total 186 pages)

56

Dont Lose Focus! Simple techniques to get crispphotographs

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY learn to avoid camera shake how to achieve perfect focus simple waYs to create personalised postcards vol. 16 no. 11 april 2013

www.betterphotography.in

A basic guide on how to get rid of camera shake

focus
SIdER IN FREE POSTE
eXclusive tests Canon EOS 1D X panasonic Gh3 samsung Galaxy camera sigma 18250mm os
VISUAL MUSINGS
Sachin Kalbag discusses why photojournalism is still strong

Simple WAYS to Achieve perfect

Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo

Sureshot techniques to ensure that the subject is always in perfect focus

58
dOES MIRRO THEIR FIRST RLESS MAKE THE CU T?

& FUN dIY BES! PHOTO CU

Sigma 18250mm f/3.56.3 DC Macro OSHSM Will this superzoom fulfill its promises?
micro test

5 steps to make the shot that's in your mind

MARKET SENSE
How Twitter can help your photography business grow Amit Mehra talks about his silent notes from Kashmir

GREAT MASTERS

Chronicling the times of the masterful Roman Vishniac

PROFILE

60

Photograph: Mukesh Srivastava Design: Santosh D Kamble

Lexar Card Reader, Tamrac Backpack, Vanguard Camera Bag & Vanguard Tripod

80

Say Goodbye to CameraShake Tweak your camera settings to avoid shake

InFocus

82 82 86
ON ASSIGNMENT

106
ShowCase
Im Not Here What if you remove the you and only keep the shadow? Im Here Now Finding yourself wherever you go

PhotoFinish

106 Amit Mehra

Profile

And his silent notes onKashmir

182 Click, Click,

market sense

Tweet,Tweet! Using Twitter effectively

STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE

184 ThePhotographers
Divine Muse

112 114 90 98
Digital Technique

MY BEST SHOT

Mahesh Shantaram
GREAT MASTERs

Make Personalised Picture Postcards How to make lovely gifts from your photographs
TIPS & TRICKS

Roman Vishniac Chronicling the life of alegendary storyteller

CALL FOR ENTRIES TO INDIAs BIGGEST PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS!
For more details, turn to page no 64

Photographing trees, buses and parenthood

Regulars

122 Sayed Asif Mahmud

PHOTOFEATURE

Documents the tobacco industry in Bangladesh

Feedback............................................................ 20 Photocritique................................................... 94 Q & A..................................................................102 1000 WORDS........................................................120 Your Pictures...................................................128 BP Buyers Guide............................................... 174

Feedback

Send your feedback to The Editor, Better Photography, Network 18 Publishing, Ruby House, A Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai-400 028, India Email: feedback@betterphotography.in

Would Love a Calendar!

It was a delight to receive two posters in the February 2013 issue of Better Photography. Iloved the cheatsheet but found the poster with the quotes, a little boring and would have preferred a calendar instead. Nikita Joseph, Chennai, via Twitter

The New DSLR Trend

Recently, a cousin of mine insisted that she wanted a DLSR for her birthday. I do not know her photography habits or whether she wants to simply photographcasually. What I fail to understand is the fascination behind DLSRs. People are made to believe that great photographs can only be created with the help of great cameras. They think that the more expensive the gear, better is the quality. This ignorance does not just end here. There are many who believe that by owning a DLSR, they have mastered the art of photography. What they fail to understand is that the real legends have spent years mastering this skill. Everyday, I see people creating their own Facebook photography page which is flooded with mediocre photographs of sunsets, insects and flowers. At this rate, I think that the quality of photography is only going to deteriorate. Priyanka Surve, Mumbai, via post

Dr Amit Vakil

Best Issue so Far!

20 The March, 2013 issue of Better Photography is one of the best that I have read in the past one year. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the On Assignment articles, From Day to Night by Stephen Wilkes and A Small Wonder? by Christopher Boffoli. These photographers not only employed genius techniques but their photographs are fine examples of creativity at its verybest. However, the Shooting Technique Dare to Shoot Against The Light was the most impressive. I enjoyed reading all eight techniques but Playing with Silhouettes was the best. Thearticle inspired me to experiment and shoot silhouettephotographs. Dr Amit Vakil, Chamba, via email

BP reader Dr Amit Vakil sent us this image he shot after reading Dare to Shoot Against The Light (March 2013).

Amateur-looking Photographs
Over the years, the articles in Better Photography have become even more informative, addressing several issues. However, the only department where I have seen a dip, are the photos that are being published in the Shooting Technique section. While some of the images are good, I think that better pictures can be published. Shobhit Das, New Delhi, via Twitter

Underage for Competitions

I am disappointed with the lack of photography contests for people under 18 years of age. The last time BP had a contest addressing this category of photographers, was the Young Photographer of the Year award, back in 2009. Since then, there has not been a single contest. Being a 17-year-old, Ifeel that minors have very little scope of participating and showcasing theirwork. I urge BP to bring back the YPOY awards or introduce some other competitions for youngphotographers. This would help give us an early start. Prithwish Karforma, Kolkata, via email

I hope BP organises competitions for minors who are unable to participate in most contests.
Better Photography

More Cell Phone Photography!

I find the magazine to be very educative and informative. However, the thing that I find missing is a separate cell phone photography section. Althoughthere is a regular mention about shooting with cell phones in articles, I think that it deserves much more attention and importance.
APRIL 2013

FEE DBACK

Twitter: twitter.com/betterphoto Facebook: facebook.com/betterphotography Youtube: youtube.com/betterphotoindia Website: betterphotography.in

Find us Online!

On Finding the Artist in Me

I dont think I would call myself an artist but I do enjoy sketching frequently. I would draw whatever came to my mind, until a friend asked me if my doodles meant anything. I tried to reason out that not every work of art must have meaning attached to it, but she did have a point. Then I was introduced to photography in college and before I knew it, I was drawn to it. Whilephotographing, I constantly asked myself if there was any way Icould combine both my passions. Better Photography introduced me to two photographers, Ben Heine and Christy Lee Rogers. I thought that Bens photograph sketches were ingenious. Atthe same time, Christys images were nothing less than paintings created underwater. I also learned that she previsualised her shots, with the help of the sketches she drew. This made me wonder if these were the only two ways I could combine photography and drawing. Then, an idea struck me! I began to shoot pictures of friends and family. Once I would photograph, I would print it out on paper and trace it. I was able to draw things that did not exist in the picture and could finally give my drawings a context. I still do not know if this is what it means to combine photography and art. But I am glad that I get to photograph people in different situations and then convert their photos into art.

Write in to Better Photography with your feedback, and if your letter wins the Letter of the Month, you will get a Envie Speedster charger!

Christy Lee Rogers work was published in the December 2012 issue of Better Photography

Audrey Fernandes, Panaji, via email

22

Cell phone photography is not as easy as it looks. Just like the camera, there is a lot more that needs to be kept in mind.

I say this with regard to my recent smartphonepurchase. It has completely changed the way Iphotograph. While shooting on the streets, I liked that neither I nor my smartphone attracted attention. Being a shy person, my phone allowed me to be part of the crowd and I could take better pictures. However,Ilearned that cell phone photography is not as easy as it looks and there is still so much to explore and know. This is why I think that apart from the current Tips and Tricks section, another section that focuses only on cell phone photography techniques should be included. Even a Pocket Guide covering this topic would be great! This would really benefit beginners like me. Hetal Kumar, Patna, via post

Different Strokes Will be Missed

Each time a new edition of Better Photography hits the stalls, I find my heart literally pounding with excitement. My anticipation usually leads me to reading the magazine within a couple of days. However, I am saddened with the discontinuation of Gabriel Fuchs column. I used to look forward to it and enjoyed his take on photography and the manner in which he penned down his thoughts. Dr Samrat Ray Chaudhuri, Kolkata, via email

Laidback Attitude
I have a few questions, rather observations that I would like to make. Why is that so many photographers including professionals seem to be so dependent on postprocessing? Isit difficult to create photographs today without adding final touches to it using software? More so, why are photographers becoming laidback and not wanting to make an effort to photograph correctly in the first place? Jhanvi Karkera, Indore, via email
B ette r P h o t o g r ap h y

Gabriel Fuchs column, Different Strokes, was last published in the January 2013 issue.
APRIL 2013

w h at s ne w

Sony SLT-A58 and NEX-3N

Sonys new A58 features a 20.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor in a DSLR-style body. Theupgraded translucent mirror camera will replace the A37 and A57. TheNEX-3N is a compact mirrorless camera with a 16.1MP APS-C sensor. Sony claims that this camera is the worlds smallest and lightest interchangeable camera with a APS-C-sized sensor.

Nikon COOLPIX A: APS-C Sensor in Compact Body F

ollowing the footsteps of Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and Olympus, Nikon has finally launched a compact camera with an APS-C sensor. TheNikon COOLPIX A is built around a 16.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, same as the D7000, a 3-inch high-resolution TFT LCD monitor, features a 18.5mm f/2.8 fixed lens and offers an ISO range of 100-6400 which is expandable to 25600. A built-in hot shoe lets you attach Nikon Speedlights. COOLPIX A can shoot images in 14-bit and 16-bit RAW too. Moreover, the camera has a manual focus ring, offers full manual controls and comes with multiple SceneModes. A major disappointment is the absence of an electronic or optical viewfinder in spite of the huge price tag.

Adobe Photoshop Touch

Adobe has finally brought its photo editing application, which was earlier restricted to only tablets, to smartphones. PhotoshopTouch lets you create layers and use selection tools and filters. Priced at USD 5 (Approx. Rs. 270), you can download the app for both iOS and Androidphones.

24

Pelican 9460RS and 9470RS RALS

Pelican Products, Inc has announced two new versions of remote controlled, multi-terrain versions of their Remote Area Lighting Systems. Both Pelican 9460RS and 9470RS RALS lighting systems are designed to provide convenient and ecologically responsible alternatives for wasteful generator powered lights whil shooting outdoors.

Nissin Di700
Third-party flashgun manufacturer Nissin announced a new flash available for Nikon, Canon and Sony mounts. The Di700 model has range of 24200mm and can achieve a maximum output of GN50 at 200mm. It is also equipped with an external slot for a battery pack that reduces its recycle time and gives it more power.

ell known photographer K J Vincent police, he risked his life by standing on passed away on 26 March 2013 the railway tracks to take photographs of after he was knocked down by a the festival. Thisraises the much running train. The 59-year old debated question-to what extent photographersuffered multiple should photographers risk their head injuries in the accident lives for making pictures? which turned fatal. At the time of In his 55 years of photography, the accident, Vincent was in the Vincent, a resident of Kodungallur, pursuit of taking photographs Kerala, won over 65 national and of fireworks of the Uthralikavu international photography awards. K J Vincent Pooram festival in the rural Amongst his many achievements, This image by KJ Vincent part of Thrissur District, Kerala. won a special mention in the most prestigious one was the BP Fun Frames Awards. India Press Photo Award. Despitebeing warned by the

Award-winning Photographer Passes Away W

Mansi Midha and Rudra Sharan Bag NFI Fellowship N

ational Foundation for India has announced Mansi Midha and Rudra Raksha Sharan as the two photographers for the annual NFI Media Fellowship. Thephotographers will each receive a grant of Rs. 1,00,000 to produce a body of work on the issue of gender. Thefellowship is supported by United Nations Women. While Rudra will be documenting the life of women beyond public spaces, Mansi plans to highlight the issue of lack of education for the girl child. NFI also organised an exhibition of the work done by last year recipients.

Unpredictability. Accidents. Not good when youre engaging in, say, brain surgery. But when lighting... wonderful!
JOE MCNALLY
Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed photographer who is known for his magic with light and his ability to create stunning images with flashguns. He has been a photographer at magazines like Sports Illustrated, LIFE and a long time contributor to National Geographic. He was listed by American Photo as one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography and is one of the most versatile photojournalist today.
Image source: Kodak

Better Photography

april 2013

s naps hots

what s n e w

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, HX300 andTX30

Sonys latest addition to their line-up are, the DSC-HX300 a 20.4MP 50x superzoom with a 241200mm equivalent lens, whereas the WX300 is an 18.2MP WiFi compact superzoom with a 25500mm equivalent lens. TheTX30 is a tough, waterproof, card-style camera that is built with a 26130mm equivalentzoom.

ssociated Press photographers David Guttenfelder and Jean Lee are one of the first few people to share rare glimpses of North Korea with the world. With the countrys newly launched Koryolink 3G network, which is available only to foreigners, David and Jean became the

Stories From North Korea Now On Instagram A

first few people to use Instagram and share images of a reclusive North Korea. Thecountry only recently lifted the ban on foreigners use of mobiles. Theimages have already been receiving a lot of appreciation and give us an intimate glimpse into a country that has for long been in

Fotopro Camera Accessories

Camera accessories manufacturer Fotopro has a wide variety of new products to help photographers shoot better. The new launches include P Series, T Series and CT Series of tripods, TT-1 backpack and WH-30 and RH-10ballheads.

Vizelex RhinoCam
26
Fotodioxs new mount system turns a Sony NEX E-Mount mirrorless camera into a digital back for full 645 medium format photography. The kit, named RhinoCam allows NEX owners to shoot with classic medium format camera lenses that capture 140+ megapixel photos.

You can find both the photographers on Instagram and follow them at @dguttenfelder and @newsjean.

New Tumblr Site Revives Old Nat Geo Photos N

ational Geographic has started a new Tumblr site titled Found which aims to publish long lost photographs in celebration of the magazines 125th anniversary. Theinitiative was the brainchild of William Bonner who curates National Geographics extensive photo archive. The tumblr site breathes

Phase One IQ280, IQ260 and IQ260

Phase One unveiled WiFi enabled IQ260, IQ260 Achromatic and IQ280 medium format digital camera backs. Digital back users can now take pictures wirelessly and view them from their iOS devices. The company also launched Capture One Express 7. A stripped-down version of Capture One Pro, with features including HDR processing, lens correction and digital asset management tools.

a new lease of life into old photographs, most of which have never been seen or publishedbefore. This is a great move from Nat Geo as these pictures share interesting stories about events, culture and lifestyle from the past. You can see the images at www.natgeofound. tumblr.com.

Empowering Women Journalists in J&K D

elhi-based photojournalist Mansi Midha trained women reporters of the Global Press Institute J&K desk, last month. GPI is a social venture that uses journalism to educate, em and empower women in the developing world, to produce local news coverage that elevates global awareness. According to Mansi, Thereporters at the GPI desk have incredible access, being women and Kashmiri. The kind of stories that any photojournalist would

Solar Lab Celebrates 40 Years of Existence S

olar Lab which was founded in 1973 turned 40 last month and is the oldest Indian photo lab still in existence. Thelab has continuously reinvented itself to keep up with the changes in the technology. Celebration plans included new services for photographers as well as a tie up with Ricoh for better and higher quality prints.

die to have access tothey have it. So while writing is their strength, imagine if they were empowered with cameras and some training. This is why I was there, to put their own stories into a visual context. In an age where photography is becoming more democratic, it is most rewarding when the medium is used to empower people and foster change. AtBetter Photography, we applaud the initiative and hope it Aliya Bashir sets the tone for more.
april 2013

Better Photography

Ev e n ts
20 February1 May

Zen of Photography
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Zen of Photography is a series of workshops conducted by photographer Achal Kumar. The workshop is meant to teach partcipants to capture the unnoticed
6 March6 April

P r o ta l k Tethered Shooting is the option to control your camera via a computer to take pictures. You can view and save images directly on the computer.

Iconic Photographs by Roman Vishniac Rediscovered N

ever seen before images by legendary photographer Roman Vishniac are on display in an exhibition at the International Center of Photography, USA. The rediscovered work at Roman Vishniac Rediscovered consists of vintage prints, film footage, personal correspondence and exhibition prints made from Vishniacs recently digitised negatives. The exhibition is on display till 5 May 2013 and puts together over four decades of his work, most of it being published for the first time. It highlights the versatility and innovative work by the iconic photographer. To read more about Roman Roman Vishniac Vishniac, turn to Page 114.

Parsis

Chemould Prescott Road Gallery, Mumbai

Sooni Taraporevalas images highlight the daily life and simplicity of the Parsi community in Mumbai. Thephotographs span over two decades and capture parsi families, charming old Bombay streets, parsi aunts in floral dresses andmore.
21 March 18 April

Delhi Photo Festival 2013 Open For Submissions T

he second edition of Delhi Photo Festival is now calling photographers and curators to submit entries for the 2013 festival. You can send in your work for consideration as print or digital exhibitions, photo-based installations

Noida Soliloquy
30
Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai

or multimedia and film. Submissions for print exhibitions must be based on the theme of the festivalGrace. The deadline for submission is 20 April 2013. For more details on the festival, visit www.delhiphotofestival.com.

These images by Dhruv Malhotra capture

Ca l l f o r e n t r i e s
Dhruv Malhotra

(Approx. Rs. 2,16,000) and their work will be exhibited in a group show in Vienna. Website: www.thevipawards.com Entry Fee: 35 Euros (Approx. Rs. 2400) Deadline: 30 April 2013

the anatomy of an aspiring metropolis and its in-between spaces. Beinga chronic insomniac, he has consistently photographed the night resulting in this collection of images.
6 April

Photobook Dummy Award 2013

The competition: As a part of the 6th International Photobook Festival, photographers can submit photobooks that is not already a printed body of work. Prizes: A complete book production from German publishers seltmann+shne, presentation in European Photography magazine and showcase of their work at multiple photo festivals across Europe. Website: www.2013.fotobookfestival.org Entry Fee: 34 Pounds (Approx. Rs. 2800) Deadline: 2 May 2013

Bird Photography Trail

Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary, Mysore

If you have always wanted to show your work as a photobook, take part in Photobook Dummy Award 2013.

Dorothea LangePaul Taylor Prize

The competition: Center for Documentary Studies (CDS), UK is looking for photographers with an ongoing documentary project. The work needs to be created with methods such as research and interviews. Prizes: Cash prize of USD10,000(Approx. Rs. 5,40,200) and a featured exhibition at CDS, UK. Website: www.documentarystudies.duke.edu/awards/ dorothea-lange-paul-taylor-prize Entry Fee: USD 65 (Approx. Rs. 3500) Deadline: 30 April 2013

Adobe Design Achievement Awards Contest

The competition: Open to 18 years old or older students of higher education from across the world, ADAA Contest calls for entries to showcase their photography skills. The images must be photographic in nature and then digitally enhanced or manipulated primarily (over 50%) with Adobe tools. Categories: Individual and Team. Prizes: Each category winner will receive USD 2000 (Approx. Rs. 1,08,000), a winners certificate, a 3D award and a 24-month Adobe Creative Cloudmembership. Website: www.adobeawards.com Deadline: 21 June 2013
a pril 2 0 1 3

BPW is organising a one-day bird photography trail to the Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary in Mysore. Participants will be a part of ranger-guided boat tours of the isles. This is the best way to watch and photograph birds, crocodiles, otters andbats. Contact: +91945153005.

VIPA 2013
The competition: Vienna International Photo Awards calls documentary photographers to submit digital entries for the 2013 edition of the awards. Categories: Professional, Amateur and Smartphone. Prizes: Professional category winner wins USD 4000

E ve n ts
6 7 April

A Comprehensive Lightroom Workshop

Mumbai

P r o ta l k Lens Drive System refers to the mechanism that drives the lenss autofocus system to the required focus point. It can be in the camera or within the lens.

Photocaddy teaches you the nuances of Adobe Lightroom in this two day workshop. The workshop will teach students how to organise and manage all their images as well how and how much to edit any photograph. Visit: www.photocaddy. in
15 24 April

Nikon D7100 Gains 51-point AF from D800 N

ikon announced their latest offering for serious photography enthusiasts the Nikon D7100. As the successor to the Nikon D7000, it is the new flagship model of Nikons DX-format DSLR lineup. The camera packs a 24.1MP sensor which omits the optical low pass filter, an interesting decision coming close on the heels of the D800E.

This may make the quality different enough from the D5200, but one can only speculate on whether the difference would be stark. The big change in the D7100 is a 51-point AF system, similar to the one seen in the D800. This is the first time that we will see such an AF system in a camera at this price point. Nikonalso announced an update of the Nikkor AF-S 80400mm f/4.5-5.6 decadeold telephotolens.

Inner Space
Patrizia Guerresi NCPA, Mumbai

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Italian photographer Patrizia Mamouna Guerresi will present an intimate perspective on the relationship between women and the society through this exhibition. This is her first exhibition in India and the new body of work has been created as a response to Indiasculture.
17 21 April

New Canon Sensor Can See In Extreme Darkness C

anon unveiled a new 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor that is specially designed to shoot videos in low light. Thesensor can capture details even in extreme darkness. However, we wait to see if and when this sensor will be used in a consumer camera. Watch the sample footage at www.canon.com/news/ media/20130304mov.mp4

Through The Lens

Penguin Books India and Visual Arts Gallery together organised Through The Lens, an event to launch Amit Mehras new book titled Kashmir. Thebook was launched by renowned photojournalist Raghu Rai. The launch took place on 20 March at India Habitat Center, New Delhi and was followed by a conversation about the book with Uma Nair.

France Heritage
On display between 1621 March, this exhibition held at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad highlighted the elegant French architecture and the cultural influence of the country. The exhibition on display included the works of photographers Anay Mann, Gigi Scaria, Serena Chopra, Rishi Singhal, Isabel Saij and Jean Pierre Dubois. Additionally,the photography project was built around the work done by Aishwarya Tipnis, an Indian conservationarchitect.

Land Of The Lion

Gir National Park, Gujarat

Toehold is organising a four-day wildlife photo tour to the Gir National Park in Gujarat. Thetour will give wildlife photographers to test their skills and take stunning pictures. Visit www.toehold.in fordetails
4 May

A Village in Bengal
Mumbai-based photographer Chirodeep Chaudhari showcased images from his latest book in this exhibition held at Project 88, Mumbai between 1426 March. The series puts together over 24 years of his work based on his ancestral village in Bengal. Chirodeep was also a part of a Q&A session with Sooni Taraporevala where he spoke at length about the process and motivation behind this body of work.

iClick Symposium 2013

Bengaluru hosted Indias first photography symposium from 1617 March 2013. It brought together both hobbyist and professional photographers and was dedicated to explore the power of photography. Participants had the opportunity attend seminars, discussions and live photography sessions from photographers, editors and curators under one single roof.

Somnathpur: One Day Photography Workshop

Bangalore

Interested in photographing the rich cultural and architectural heritage of India? This one-day workshop organised by BPW is a great chance. Contact: +919483518811

A Fantastic Legacy: Early Bombay

A collection of original images of Bombay dating from 1850s to 1900s were on display from 1327 March 2013 at Max Mueller Bhavan in Mumbai. The images, put together from public and private collections, are displayed throughout the gallery in various formats. Thephotographs are some of the first few images taken of the city and are a mix of the architectural beauty and portraits of residents of Mumbai.

A visitor looks at the images from A Village in Bengal that were on display at Project 88 in Mumbai.

Chirodeep Chaudhari

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I n d u st ry Vo i c e

Photo Caf is a revolutionary concept with HP and Caf Coffee Day to make printing photographs more fun.
Solar Lab has completed 40 years of successful existence in the photography industry. Enthusiasm and passion for photography from people across all professions is the reason we have managed to Mahendra Visarai survive for such a long Founder, time. When we began, Solar Lab colour film was still a novelty. Today, it has almost died out. However,digital photography has opened up new avenues of its own for photo labs to exploit. Forany photo lab that aims to survive for such a long time, it is necessary that they keep adapting to the latest technology while still delivering good qualityprints. In the year 2012, we introduced the concept of Photo Cafs. Today, photographers can visit our stores, relax and have a cup of coffee while they get their photographs printed. At the moment, our main aim is to open over 100 Photo Cafs in the western region of India by the end of 2013. Eventually, we are looking to have more branches countrywide. A major credit for our success and our ability to stay up-to-date with the latest technology goes to the government. We have had the freedom to import raw materials as well as the machinery to deliver best quality prints. Thoughtaxes still account to 35% of our total production costs, we still hope that in the coming years, the government will offer a few exemptions on the multiple taxes levied. As told to Ketan Kundargi

Mumbai Gets its First Photography Festival S

preadover two weeks, from 1327 March 2013, the first ever photography festival for MumbaiFOCUS was organised by Asia Art Projects in collaboration with curator Matthieu Foss. The festival celebrated the photography medium with over 22 exhibitions, artist talks and free workshops across two dozen venues that included gallery spaces, cafs, shops, boutiques and even garden spaces in the city of Mumbai! In its debut edition, FOCUS was themed The City and the photographs throughout the festival showcased the city in urban as well as in its traditional landscape. The festival was all about sharing, and exchanging dialogue on photography. Photographers and photography aficionados and people from various forms of media came together to share their thoughts and ideas, Matthieusaid.

Chandni Gajria

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Olympus Brings New SanDisk Celebrates Silver Jubilee Year Cameras to India O S
lympus India has recently launched eight new compact cameras in the Indian market. Some of the prominent cameras in this list include the XZ-10, SH-50 and the TG-2 all of which were announced this year at CP+ and CEF. This is a great move by Olympus as other cameras companies often avoid or even delay launches in India. MrKenichiro Mori, the newly appointed MD of Olympus India said, This year, we want to be at the forefront of advanced compact camera race.

anDisk completed 25 years of existence in the flash memory technology in March. The company celebrated at a social evening with the members of the photography industry on 4 March 2013 in New Delhi. The event was an opportunity for the members to interact with Mr Sanjay Mehrotra, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of SanDisk Corporation India. At the event, SanDisk also offered insights into the future of Consumer Electronics and Flash Memory technology.

B o o k R e vi e w

Title: Okavango: Africas Last Eden Author: Frans Lanting ISBN: 978-3-8365-3415-4 Publisher: Taschen Price: USD 39.99 (Approx. Rs. 2100)

Into the Wild

Dutch photographer Frans Lantings Okavango: Africas Last Eden was first published in 1993. The book documented a year-long journey that Lanting undertook in the Okavango Delta in Southern Africa. The book was widely appreciated then and became a reference point for photographers working with nature and wildlife. Almost 20 years later, Lanting along with his wife and editor of the book, Christine Eckstrom have compiled an updated version of this classic work. The new edition of the photography consists of more than 170 photographs, with at least a dozen new images. Lantings painstaking efforts to document Africas pristine beauty are evident with full colour photographs that make you fall short of words. With this book, one can clearly see the diversity of wildlife and nature found in the vast Okavango wetlands and across Botswanas arid plains. The volume is divided in chapters and an introductory text supports each chapter. Lions,hippos, herd of elephants, hyenas, giraffes, African fish eagles, spoonbills, flamingos, swamps, marshes and lagoons...Lanting has photographed every aspect of the Okavango Delta with ultimate skill and imagination. Okavango: Africas Last Eden is a visual delight for photography, nature and wildlife lovers. Inmore ways than one, this book truly manages to unite the reader with the vivacious life force that is common to all living beings on Earth. written by Priyanka Chharia

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Photokipa 2013: More Interactive. More Entertaining. More Photography. T

he 2013 edition of Photokipa will be held between 1921 April 2013 at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall, Kathmandu, Nepal. Photokipa 2013 is Nepals photography trade fair which is being organised by Creative D Pvt Ltd and marketed by Workspace Nepal. This year, the objective of the fair is to provide an international exposure for thelocal industry. Photokipa 2012 saw the participation of some big brands such as Samsung, Sony, Elinchrom, Canon, Mimaki, Sharp, Apple and GoPro. This year, thenumber of exhibitors is only set to increase with many more domestic manufacturers from India and China all set to take part. Over 50,000 visitors are expected to be present at the fair. Unlikeother fairs, Photokipa 2013 will also see multiple trade associations coming together to appreciate the contribution

of various individuals in the field ofphotography. The three-day fair will also showcase works by renowned photographers from Nepal, India and China. Apart from this, exhibitions, fashion shows and workshops will form a major part of this fair.

36 Over 50,000 visitors will be participating at the fair. Photokipa 2013 will see photo associations and industry members from India, China and Nepal, come together.

The second edition of the fair has a wide range of events scheduled for photographers to test their photography skills.

Multiple workshops have been planned for all three days.

US Students Teach Photography in Rural India Nat Geo Photography Show Now on Indian TV M T
any cultures in rural parts of India are slowly vanishing due to the changing environment and technology. A unique program Children Learning International Cultures (CLIC) Abroad has undertaken an initiative to teach Indian rural children how to use a camera. This way they can photograph and create an archive of their own homes and disappearing cultures. CLIC Abroad was founded in 2009 by photographers Bhaskar Krishnamurthy and Frank Christian in collaboration with the University Lake School, USA. ByMarchend, students from Wisconsin, Georgia and Missouri, USA, will travel to Pragpur, Himachal Pradesh and get acquainted with 50 rural children. With60 digital cameras donated by Nikon, the program will educate young rural kids to photograph their own daily lives. Additionally,the program has previously donated shoes and computers for rural schools and coolers for an orphanage.

he first photography based reality TV show, Mission Covershoot will follow and document the journey of eight Indian amateur photographers in Sri Lanka. The photographers will battle with their SLRs to have a photograph shot by them as the cover of National Geographic magazine. The show premiers on 25 March at 10 pm on National Geographic Channel.
april 2013

Better Photography

Website Review

www.fototazo.com
Fototazo is an interesting website launched by Tom Griggs, a photographer and educator based in Medelln and Philadelphia, US. The site combines photography with a social cause and raises funds for young and emerging photographers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds of Columbia to help them purchase a piece of photographic equipment. Thegrant is applicable to those who are already building a career in photography and whose growth is hindered by the inability to purchase equipment. Visitors on the website can take a look at the work of the photographer chosen for the grant and chose to donate any desired amount they wish. Apart from this, the website features in-depth interviews and projects of several contemporary photographers. Anonline gallery on the website is regularly updated with single images along with a statement from thephotographer. With the format of the website, one gets to look at new photo projects everyday. Chandni Gajria

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S o f t wa r e o f t h e m o n t h

Lost Photos
Just as the name suggests, Lost Photos is a simple software that digs out all your forgotten pictures from the decades of emails lying in yourinbox. With Lost Photos software, one can easily search for any picture that you may have received or sent from your email account. You may argue that you dont need the software since you never felt the need to search for that particular image. But only after using the software did I remember that the image evenexisted. To find old images, simply enter the email Id and password of your email account. Thesoftware then searches through various emails in your inbox and gives you the results of the photos it has searched. You can browse through these pictures and most likely, you will find a photo that you had completely forgotten about. You can share the picture on facebook, twitter or even email them once again to a friend! Chandni Gajria

hat if you could share a video simply picture is embedded with a hidden video. by passing a print of a photograph? Using the app, point the phone at the Live The new HP Live Photo mobile application Photo print and you will be able to see does exactly that! Thefree app for Apple your photograph come alive! iOS devices (mainly iPhone and iPad) works on augmented reality to view videos that are stored in photograph prints. Creating a Live Photo print is easy. Download the HP Live Photo app on your iPhone or iPad and choose a video which is 45 seconds or less in length. Then,select a still from the wide variety provided by the app. Add a frame from the templates available and just hit print. A blue icon on the Live Watch the video at www.youtu.be/CDXDjWIGYlc to see the magic of HP Live Photo Photo print indicates that the

Watch Your Photo Come Alive into Videos W

Chandni Gajria

Dove Launches Campaign Against Photo Editing S

kin care products manufacturer Dove launched an interesting and unique marketing campaign. The campaign challenges the concept of using editing softwares in order to fake beauty of models and people. And it is doing so by launching a new Photshop action that undoes any editing that might be done by a retoucher on a photograph. Dove decided to prank photo manipulators by launching a fake

action that claimed to add glow to portraits. However,when someone applies it to a photo, the image is reverted back to its original, untouched state. It also overlays a banner with the messageDont manipulate our perceptions of real beauty. While the action was not very effective and only a few retouchers fell for it, Dove has definitely brought out a new and fun way to promote its message.

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Photography Workshops by Tamron Across India New Photography & Multimedia School T T
Thefive winners will showcase amron India, as a part of its Tamron their images and also get a hands-on Challenge campaign will be conducting experience with various Tamron lenses photography workshops for hobbyists and at the workshops. The Tamron Challenge serious enthusiasts. From March till June was a two-month 2013, 12 workshops nationwide photo across different cities competition which in the country will aimed at identifying be conducted by five photo enthusiasts. three professional The winners were photographers. announced at CEIF Assisting these 2013. Bhaven Jani, Eesh professionals will Dewan, Ravi Dhingra be the five winners and Adarsh Anand are of the Tamron The winners of the Tamron Challenge 2012 pose with partners with Tamron Challenge 2012 Nitin Goyal of Tamron India at CEIF 2013 in New Delhi. India on this project. photocompetition. k W ho s s hoot i n g Loo

he One School Goa is now accepting admissions for its three year Photography and Multimedia courses starting 1 July 2013. Renownedphotographers Shantanu Sheorey, Mahesh Bhat, Dinesh Khanna, Prashant Panjiar, Mahesh Shantaram, Suresh Natarajan and Rafique Sayed will be a part of the teaching faculty. Theschool aims to teach young photographers why to photograph rather than simply concentrating on the technical details. Therelaxed and creative nature of Goa, make it a great location for a photo school.

Alok Rai
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Indian Photographer Wins Scholarship at Foundry Workshop

Alok Rai is a 29-year old Pune-based photographer. For him, the medium of photography is just another way to relive the journeys he has been through. Hesays, Thetexture of life within a photograph helps to reconstruct the memory and thereby the experience that is associated with making thefinal photograph. His series of images of the Pushkar fair, won him a full scholarship to the seven-day 2013 Foundry Photojournalism Workshop to Sarajevo. Magnumphotographer, Peter Van Agtmael judged the entries. Winningthe scholarship feels good. It is reassuring to know that my work matches up to the strictest standards in the industry. It also makes me confident of the fact that I am doing the right thing by following my own style rather than getting trapped into the trends. Most of his images in this series have not been published anywhere yet. When asked why he stayed away from showcasing his pictures on the social media, he replied saying that they only offer instant gratification. Alok hopes to publish these images in the format of a book someday. This way, the viewer can always come back to the memories. Alok loves to travel. He photographs his experiences sometimes using a DSLR and at times with his iPhone. Written by Ketan Kundargi

To me, photographs are like breadcrumbs. They help me navigate mymemories.

Alok Rai

One of the images from Aloks winning series. Here, workers at the Pushkar fair set up a roller coaster ride.

Better Photography

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Visual Musings

A Thousand and One Words:

Why Photojournalism is More Important than Ever

Sachin Kalbag

Atul Kamble / MiD DAY

umbais iconic Azad Maidan saw a few hundred people on 11 August, 2012, protesting the inhuman treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Police investigations are painfully slow, so we will, perhaps, have to wait a long time before beginning to unravel why, around 3 pm, the crowd swelled to thousands and went on a rampage burning buses, private vehicles, attacking policemen and journalists, even molesting female police personnel. Two people died, and 54 were injured, including 45 policemen and seven journalists. In the middle of the mayhem, MiD DAY photographer Atul Kamble shot what became the symbol of the riot and the basis of a nationwide manhunt for the two men who destroyed the Martyrs Memorial. Over the next fortnight after MiD DAY published them, the photographs went viral across several media outlets and were shared close to a million times on Facebook and posted almost an equal number of times on Twitter. They were shown on television channels and made it to international newspapers and websites. Everybody had just one question: Who were these two men? Two weeks later, they were arrested by the Mumbai Police. Atuls pictures were instrumental in tracking down the two rioters; a classic case where news photos not only resulted in great journalism but also had a massive impact on society and law enforcement. If Atuls photojournalism was literally one of courage under fire, it was perhaps the same courage that led six personnel at Mumbais Mantralaya building to climb to the terrace and save the national flag from burning. If not for MiD DAY photographer Bipin Kokate, their valour while the Maharashtra government headquarters was on fire, would have never been highlighted. Overnight, they became national heroes. They had kept the flag safe for over two hours and it was only when the chief ministers office told them to climb down with the flag did they do so. As editor of a tabloid, I am often asked about the importance of photography to making stories more effective. The examples I mentioned are proof enough. Over the years, top-class news

photography has brought down governments, created revolutions, stopped wars, changed laws, made us smile, and even brought tears to our eyes. Richard Drews photograph of a man plunging to his death from the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept 11, 2001; Pablo Bartholomews picture of a boy buried in sand during the Bhopal gas tragedy in December 1984; Steve McCurrys much talked about picture of an Afghan girl every single photograph has had an indelible influence on our minds. Often, the counterargument is that it is television that feeds on social or political unrest and is the catalyst of change. But television is really a series of moving images strung together. Therefore, it is the sequence that stays with us, never the moment. Admittedly, this helps in several ways. For instance, if there were no moving images of the planes hitting New Yorks World Trade Center on Sept 11, 2001, wed never have been able to understand the terror in its worst form. Or, for that matter, the battle between the NSG commandos and the Pakistan-trained terrorists who attacked Mumbai on Nov 26, 2008. However, in both instances, it is that one momentthe photographs of the planes hitting the North and South Towers of WTC in 2001 and Sebastian DSouzas chilling close-up image of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Qasabthat defines the event for us. Photographs have always had that impact. It is this that makes photojournalism the most exciting and effective storytelling tool. In the age of smartphone-photography and social media sharing, it is not impertinent to ask the question whether photojournalism is still relevant. To be sure, the relevance never diminished; it just got democratised further with the inclusion of citizen journalistson Twitter, on Facebook, on blogs, just about everywhere. Consequently, there are millions of photographers serving a larger cause, and potentially, each of them could go public with their pictures. And change lives. That, to me, is a good thing. That, to me, says that photographs now speak a thousand and one words.

41

Bipin Kokate / MiD DAY

As the Executive editor of one of Mumbais leading tabloids, MiD DAY, Sachin Kalbag strongly believes in the power of the photograph. In the past, he has stood behind his staff photographers, whenever a photojournalists freedom has been questioned or compromised. He is active on Twitter as @SachinKalbag.
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GearGuide

How We Test
Product Categorisation
We first segregate products into categories for the purpose ofequitability in testing. The DSLR is divided into entry-level, semi-professional and professional categories. For compacts, we distinguish between advanced and basic compact cameras. Similarly,we also test consumer and pro lenses, flashguns, printers, and other photographic accessories andgear.

The Process
We primarily test for features, performance, build, ergonomics, warranty and support. Whilethis remains constant, the weightage we give to these parameter differs from category to category, because different types of consumers have diverse expectations from products.

Final Ratings
Under each main parameter, 44 welist out hundreds of individual variables (for eg. colour accuracy for individual colours in different lighting, individual features, dynamic range, center-to-edge definition, light falloff, etc) against which we either give points or simply mark yes or no. Thus,we arrive at a score for that parameter, and then, the final score, denoted as a percentage. Additionally, based on the current pricing of a product, astar rating for Value for Money is considered. Value for Money does not affect the final percentage, because prices for products change constantly.

Canon EOS-1D X

An Ode to Speed
Weightage of parameters 5% 15% 15% 20% 45%

Our Seals of Approval

Any product that scores 80% or higher in individual tests gets BP Recommendeda seal of approval from our team. Incomparison tests, we also tag products as BP Best Performer and BP Best Value for Money.

Featuring the most sophisticated AF/AE system yet, the Canon EOS-1D X is a whole lot more than a speed demon, as K Madhavan Pillai discovers.

BP Excellence Awards
At the end of the calendar year, the highest rated products in each category automatically win the Better Photography Excellence Award. This is BetterPhotographys recognition of the very best products launched in the course of the year, and the companies that madethem.
Better Photography

Features Performance Build Quality Ergonomics Warranty & Support

erging two parallel lines of previous flagship DSLRs the high-speed APS-H sized EOS-1D Mark IV and the high resolution full frame EOS-IDs Mark IIIinto a single DSLR was a bold move. The loss of the 1.3x crop (which may seem minimal, but is considerable for wildlife photographers) is now offset with a18MP full frame sensor that can blaze away at 12fps. In terms of features and control layout alone, the 1D X is an improvement over the previous flagships, giving Canon users an immediate reason to upgrade.

Features
One of the recurring questions that users in India have is... why just 18MP? After all, compact cameras now sport a minimum of 14MP. For full frame sensors today, 18MP marks the perfect sweet spot in terms of superb sensor quality (dynamic range and extreme high ISO performance) and high enough resolution for most users. Everything in the 1D X is about speed. Under the hood, the 1DX is a shooting, AF and image processing monster. It uses three high speed processorstwo Digic 5+ processors (17 times faster than Digic 4) for
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Test

TEST

Panasonic GH3 High quality video meets mirrorless

50

Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100 Fun all the way?

56

Sigma 18-250mm t e st f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO A jack of all trades?

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Colours at higher ISO settings reproduced extremely well, without having to manipulate images after theywereshot.
Exposure: 1/80sec at f/16 (ISO 12,800)

image processing and AF, and a third Digic 4 processor only for metering. Toenable a maximum continuous shooting speed of 12fps, the mirror mechanism has been redesigned and the shutter blades are made up of carbon fibre (tested for 400,000 shutter cycles). Thecamera can shoot upto 290 JPEG and 34 RAW images continuously before it begins to slow down for data to be written to the media card. The new AF system has 61-point AF with up to 41 cross-type AF points (like the 5D Mark III), and boasts a greatly improved tracking and low light focusing capability. The central five of points have diagonal Dual AF elements for improved precision. One can now also customise the way the camera uses these points to focus, from using individual points, to clusters of points around a single point, to Zone AF or full Auto. With the latest firmware update, cross-type AF supports apertures up to f/8.

AF is now given its own independent space in the menu system of the 1D X, unlike earlier flagships. There are six AF presets, called Cases. Cases range from versatile multi purpose to erratic subjects moving quickly. Each Case defines the cameras three main AF responses...tracking sensitivity, acceleration or deceleration, and how rapidly the autofocus point will switch from one to another. These responses can be fine-tuned using sliders in theMenu. The difference between the 1D X and the 5D Mark III is in the way metering system links with AF. The 1D X has 100,000-pixel RGB metering that can be used with Automatic AF point selection when tracking subjects around the AF area. Calledthe Intelligent Tracking and Recognition system (EOS iTR), the camera can now detect faces and colour when tracking subjects. Personally, I have yet to come across a camera with more detailed AF /AE functionality.

Whats in the box EOS-1D X body Viewfinder eyecup Battery charger USB Cable Stereo AV cable Camera strap Body cap Accessory shoe cap Lithium battery Software CD-ROM Instruction manual 45

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All photographs by K Madhavan Pillai

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Controlling image parameters at high ISO, without worrying about losing detail or bad noise, is nothing short of liberating.
Exposure: 1/80sec at f/22 (ISO 16,000)
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Canon was, and continues to be a pioneer in movie capture in DSLR cameras. Thereare plenty of video features in the 1DX, like 1080p at 30, 25 or 24fps , stereo microphone input, ALL-I compression at 24fps. Although AF isnt available while shooting (making the 1D X a choice only for expert users), it is possible to adjust aperture and other settings live. There are some serious omissions though. There is no headphone output, or HDMI out for uncompressed recording or previwe to an external device. Allof these could have easily been included and are available in the Nikon D800 and D4, and the Sony Alpha 99. Infact, Canon has just announced a firmware upgrade that allows the 5D Mark III to output uncompressed video. To me, the sole purpose of restricting the 1D X seems to be to differentiate it from the more expensive, cinema oriented 1D C.

Handling
Solidly built to withstand tough shooting environments, the EOS-1D X is both larger and heavier than its predecessors. Yet,it has not compromised on handling comfort. After a couple of days of use, I found myself enjoying the weight and heft of the camera, even over long durations of time. There are several new additions to the control layout, including mini joystick controllers to move through options, a direct live view button, and a Q button to jump to the Quick function menu. Canonhas improved the vertical grip considerably, with a three button layout and joystick similar to the main grip. Customisation options abound in the EOS-1D X. Both the control layout and the way the AF and metering behaves in different shooting conditions can be set according to user preferences. For most action, sports and wildlife photographers, these customisations will revolve around the quick changing of focus points, modes and Cases, and all of these are easy to set. For example, I could registered a custom AF function, like Zone AF, to the DOF button so that I could easily switch between Single Point AF and Zone AF whenever the situation demanded. Thatsaid, there are two ways to get to grips with all the various options the 1D X has to offer. Either simply set the
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Test Shots

Colours and Grain Reminiscent of Transparency Film

Remember the quality of transparency film being projected? The camera can be tweaked for nice, punchy colours. The tinest details were captured brilliantly.

Extremely Responsive and Accurate Focusing

I particularly enjoyed using cluster points with the Single Point AF. Extremly accurate and superbly quick, I very rarely missed critical focus at shallow depth of fields.

aLSO LOOK FOR Nikon D4

48

camera options based on the descriptions of the shooting scenarios and let the camera handle things from there. Or,one could get into the various sliders and sensitivity settings, and experiment more to understand exactly what changes... which is what I did. It took me a good two weeks of extensive trials to discover the best settings under various situations before I customised sensitivity, settings and controls to exactly the way I wanted it. This is not to say that the camera does notperform extremely well in all of its default user settings. Yet, the 1DX is a perfectionists camera. The best handling experience and results at the highest shooting speeds depend on thesecustomisations.

I found myself being a little disappointed with the life of the battery, especially considering the shooting speeds possible. It drains out after about 1400 shots. Serious widlife or sports photographers often spend the entire day in the field and rake in the frames. Buying a second battery is recommended.

P lu s Speed! Image quality Low light performance AF/AE control Minus Battery life Price

Performance
Thecamera is extremely quick to start up and getshooting. In terms of performance, just as in its features and handling, the camera shows plenty of improvement over its predecessors. Themost significant, immediately noticeable changes are in terms of AF accuracy, image quality and overall speed.

Ergonomics Front
Shutter release DOF preview

Top
Metering modes

Light for Focus point top LCD modes

Rear
Live view button

Mini joystick

Remote IR signal receiver

Vertical grip

Lens release button

Shooting\AF\drive modes

Hot shoe

Exposure compensation button

High resolution LCD

Rear command dial

Vertical grip buttons

The Canon EOS-1D X is made up of tough magnesium alloy and is weathersealed against the elements. Thoughheavy, the camera is better contoured than its predecessors, and is comfortable to hold over long periods of time.
Better Photography

The top of the camera would be familiar to older Canon users. The flash exposure lock button from earlier flagships is now a customisable button right next to the command dial. WhiteBalance can also now be directly accessed.

The AF toggle switch and mini joystick on the vertical grip for moving AF points is a welcome addition. A new Live View button has found a place near the viewfinder while the playback and review buttons have moved just below the LCD.
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Noise Test
ENDE D
There are so many different ways to customise AF and AE that it is well nigh impossible to go wrong. Evenat 12fps, the camera maintains AF almost perfectly, with hardly one out of twelve frames goingawry. However, the best results at the fastest speeds also depends on the user being able to anticipate and set the camera for the shooting condition. In good light, images were wonderfully clean. Both dynamic range and critical detailing were excellent, with the RAW files showing substantial recoverable details in the shadows and highlights. Lowlight performance is where the EOS-1D X outshines every other camera in the Canon line-up. I was using ISO speeds up to 16,000 regularly! Even without noise reduction, the images were brilliant and perfectly usable straight out of the camera at its highest resolutions. Extreme low light AF was slower than normal, but locked quitesatisfactorily.

MM RECO

ISO 6400

Model name MRP Effective pixels Max. resolution Sensor size, type Sensor cleaning Focusing modes AF type AF points Metering Shutterspeed range Exp. compensation Colour space ISO White balance

Canon EOS-1DX Rs. 4,29,995 18.1MP 5184 x 3456 Full frame CMOS Yes Single-point, AI Servo, Manual Phase Detect 61 Evaluative, Center-weighted, Spot 301/8000sec -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps sRGB and Adobe RGB Auto, 10051,200 Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent, Flash and Kelvin Yes, 12fps 14fps with AE/AF Lock No Yes, hot shoe E-TTL II Auto Flash, Metered Manual E-TTL II Auto Flash and Metered Manual NA 1/250sec 3.2 inch 10,40,000 pixels Pentaprism (100% coverage) JPEG (Extra Fine, Fine, Standard), RAW (14-bit), MPEG-4 AVC No Yes Yes, Optional Yes, 2 or 10sec Dual Slots. Type I or II CF card, UDMA mode 7-compatible. Yes Yes Yes Yes, mini HDMI Type C Lithium-ion 158 x 163.6 x 82.7mm 1530g

ISO 12,800

ISO 25,600

ISO 51,200
With good exposures, luminance noise is barely visible until ISO 1600 and chrominance noise till ISO 3200. Images are surprisingly clean all the way up to ISO 25,600. The grain is pleasantly film-like. There is no colour shift all the way up to ISO 51,200. Opening badly underexposed shadows by three stops showed progressive colour noise at higher ISO, but this is easily correctable in software.

Drive modes Built-in flash External flash Flash modes

Conclusion
The Canon EOS-1D X is clearly meant for the high-end pro action, sports and wildlife photographer who can use the advanced feature set, excellent image quality, low light performance and speed. While the camera excels in every area of our review, it must be said that a large part of the performance delivered by the camera heavily depends on the expertise of the user too. This is true for every flagship DSLR by Canon or Nikon, but it holds especially true for the EOS-1D X. Which would be the better camera between the Canon EOS-1D X and the Nikon D4? The answer to that is subjective indeed because the differences between them, though diverse, are extremely close (except in video recording features). Abuying decision at this level would, in all likelihood, be based simply on which lens system a user alreadyowns or whether a user is already familiar with Nikon orCanon. For Canon users, the 1D X is a significant leap, in technology and image quality, over its predecessors, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the EOS-1D Mark IV. Despitea steep price tag of Rs. 4,29,995, it will prove to be an attractive, worthy proposition for manyprofessionals.

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Flash range Flash sync speed LCD size LCD dots Viewfinder File format

FINALRATINGS
Features
Dual card slots, highly advanced linked AF/AE system, lacks some critical video features

13/15 42/45 15/15 17/20 4/5

Performance
Average battery life, superlative image quality even at high ISO, extremely quick AF

Build Quality
Weather sealed magnesium alloy build meant to withstand tough shooting situations

Image stabilisation Live View Remote control Self-timer Storage types Timelapse recording Movie clips USB HDMI Battery Dimensions Weight

Ergonomics
Large and heavy for most users but feels great, needs to be customised for results

Warranty & Support

Two-year warranty, widespread service network in India

OVERALL 92%
Who should buy it? High-end professional
photographers who are into action, sports or wildlife. Extremely high image quality and AF at 12fps! While it needs a lot of user customisation for optimal results, Itdelivers excellent overall quality.

Environmentally sealed Yes

Why?

Value for Money

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The New Benchmark

Weightage of parameters 5% 15% 15% 20% 45%

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3

P
Features

The Panasonic GH3 sets the standard for what a hybrid camera that shoots both stills and videos should be. Shridhar Kunte sees if it is worth its price.
were hoping for an upgrade in terms of megapixels, you will be disappointed. Just like the GH2, the LUMIX GH3 also has a 16MP sensor. However, the company says that though the resolution is the same, the sensor has been modified to provide a wider dynamic range and a 1EV gain at the high end of the ISO sensitivity scale. Thedefault aspect ratio is 4:3, and the camera crops pixels to get 3:2 and 16:9. While this is similar to the working of most other cameras, the GH2 had something called a multi-aspect sensor, one that gives full 16MP images in all aspect ratios. TheGH3, unfortunately, loses this. But from here on, it is mostly positive. The camera boasts of a new Venus Engine VII FHD, which not only speeds up
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Features Performance Build Quality Ergonomics Warranty & Support

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anasonics flagship mirrorless cameras have always been great hybrids. Both the GH1 and GH2 were universally accepted as competent still cameras with excellent video functionality. The GH3 is now here, and with this new camera, the company has taken giant strides to give a pro-like feel to their flagship. That was the first thing I noticed when Iremoved the camera from its box. With a larger-than-usual body, this is a camera that can match even a high-end DSLR in terms of its build.

Before we elaborate more on its pro aspirations, lets quickly see what kind of new features this update sees. If you

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The GH3 has one of the best Micro Four Thirds sensors to date, capturing excellent quality even in low light.
Exposure: 1/20sec at f/2.8 (ISO 3200)

startup and shot-to-shot time, but also enables extremely high bit rates while shooting video. The camera has an impressive burst speed of 20fps in the Super High speed mode, making it the fastest Micro Four Thirds camera in the market for JPEG shooting. Thats right, this high frame rate is not available while shooting RAW, which only allows 6fps. The camera gains dedicated modes for HDR, Interval Shooting and Multiple Exposures. The camera is equipped with WiFi, and has a dedicated app on iOS and Android. TheGUI of this app is very simple to use and concise. With the help of this, you can not only transfer your images wirelessly, but also control the camera remotely. You can make the smartphone into an off-camera viewfinder. What was great to see was that

you can even control the lens if the camera is fitted with a power zoom. Professionals will be happy to see that the GH3 has a PC Sync socket. It also has several other jacks, including a 3.5mm mic input, a headphone jack and compatibility with an optional battery grip. It is the video features in which the camera takes a big leap. Its predecessor, the GH2, had a hack that was not official, but became really popular, as it allowed the camera to record video at much higher bit rates than the competition. TheGH3 has an option of recording video at 72Mbps straight out of the box. This is a big deal, considering that several broadcast corporations worldwide, including the BBC, consider a camera good enough for broadcast use only if the data rate is higher than 50MBps. The GH3 becomes the only camera of its kind to

Whats in the box Battery charger with AC cable Battery pack Body cap USB cable Shoulder Strap CD-ROM PHOTOfunSTUDIO 8.5 PE SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.1 SE LoiloScope (trial version)

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All photographs by Shridhar Kunte

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Test Shots

Excellent Dynamic Range

The GH3 improves on older Panasonic sensors and delivers fantastic dynamic range, better than other Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Faithful Colour Reproduction

Colours are pleasing and reasonably accurate. The amount of detail captured by the GH3 sensor with the 1235mm lens is excellent.

Plu s Weather sealing Superb video Highly customisable Minus Not-so-great EVF Only one card slot

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record such high bit-rate video, and that is bound to make it a favourite of professional cinematographers. Like the GH2, the camera has an Extra Tele Converter mode, which shoots video at a 2.6x crop, but without downsampling any pixels. This basically implies far superior quality. Uncompressed video through HDMI, slow motion capabilities and professional camcorder features such as Time Code round up the GH3s exhaustive video expertise.

Handling
We tested this camera with the Panasonics new high-end 1235mm f/2.8 lens. TheGH3 is undoubtedly the heaviest camera in the

Ergonomics Front

mirrorless camera segment. In fact, the body design is very close to the entry-level APS-C size DSLR. The overall body weight is 470g which is close to Nikon D5200. The use of magnesium alloy frame and weather sealing gives a clear signal that this is a pro tool. In a day and age where every mirrorless manufacturer is trying to make their camera smaller, I think Panasonic has done a good thing by not conforming. TheGH3 is much easier to handle for those with average to large-sized hands. Forthose who are looking for smaller cameras, there are several options like the GF5, G5 and the OM-D. The screen is not flushed with the body, which results in your thumb touching the

aLSO LOOK FOR Sony Alpha 77 Olympus OM-D

Top
Flash Mode dial Front exposure dial

Rear
Drive mode dial Electronic viewfinder Focusing mode switch Rear exposure dial

Textured rubber grip Lens

PC Sync socket Drive mode dial Hot shoe

Mode dial Customisable Fn button

Tilt-and-swivel OLED touchscreen

Customisable Fn button

The handgrip of the camera is considerably larger than that of its predecessor, the GH2. Amajority portion of the body is covered with textured rubber. A PC Sync socket can be seen at the front.
Better Photography

The camera looks just like any entry-level DSLR. Onthe top, there are four buttons, one of which can be customised. There are two microphones placed around the hot shoe.

All over the body you will find as many as five customisable buttons. Due to this and the extremely effective touchscreen and Quick Menu, one rarely needs to go into the menus.
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RECO

DE MMEN

D
corner of the screen each time you press the video-record button, but this is not a major problem. The touchscreen implementation is quite good. If you tap the screen in the Playback mode, the camera jumps to a 100% view. The viewfinder and tilt-swivel screen have been upgraded to OLED. TheElectronic Viewfinder is better than other MFT cameras, but not as good as Sonys EVFs.

Noise Test

ISO 1600

Model name MRP Effective pixels Max. resolution Sensor size, type Sensor cleaning Focusing modes AF points Metering Shutterspeed range Exp. compensation Colour space ISO White balance

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3 Rs. 99,990 (body only) 16.05 megapixels 4,608 x 3,456 pixels 17.3 x 13 mm, CMOS Yes AFS (Single) / AFF (Flexible) / AFC (Continuous) / MF Contrast AF system Multi, Centre-weighted, Spot 601/4000sec +/- 5EV (in 0.3 steps) sRGB, Adobe RGB Auto, ISO 20012800, expandable to ISO 25600 Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Incandescent / Flash / White Set 1, 2, 3, 4 / Colour temperature setting 6 fps in full resolution (max 18 consecutive shots of RAW+JPEG Yes Yes Red-Eye Reduction, Red-Eye Reduction with Slow Sync, Slow Sync, Rear-curtain Sync 12 (in meters at ISO100) 3-inch TFT OLED 6,14,000 pixels Yes, 100% FOV RAW, JPEG, MPEG-4 AVCHD/H.264 Yes Yes Yes Yes, 2, 10sec SD/SDHC/SDXC card No Yes Yes, USB 2.0, Mini-B connector Yes, Type-C Lithium-ion 575g (body only)

ISO 3200

Aspect ratio (w:h) 4:3

Performance
The focusing on GH3 is real quick and accurate. This holds good even when the light levels falls. For JPEG shooters, the images straight out of the camera show good colour balance and excellentcontrast. Sharpness levels are low, but that is not too bad a thing. It simply means that one can sharpen in post, without artefacts appearing. The quality of RAW photographs is even better. Dynamic range at base ISO is excellent. Images captured under tungsten lighting showed a warm cast. I was very impressed with the video quality of GH3. The high bit rates and the ETC mode, ensure that the quality of the footage is really good, even while shooting in really low light. The AF works very well during video, and the footage is tack sharp, with brilliant colours. In fact, we would say that the GH3 has better video capabilities than any hybrid camera in the market... the only reason why a full frame DSLR may be more enticing for some, is if they want far shallower depthof-field (though the GH3 with an f/1.8 lens does provide a lot of bokeh).

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800
The sensor seems to perform quite similarly to the Olympus OM-D E-M5, and if shot and processed carefully, even ISO 6400 can give good results. Thisis a good improvement, as compared to the GH2.

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Drive modes

Built-in flash External flash Flash modes

Flash range LCD size LCD dots Viewfinder File format

FINALRATINGS
Features
20fps, 75Mbps video shooting, PCSync socket, no in-body IS, 1/160sec Sync speed

13/15 41/45 14/15 16/20 3/5

Performance
Fast AF, good noise control at ISO 3200

Image stabilisation Not in Body Live View Mirror lock-up Remote control Self-timer Storage types Timelapse recording Movie clips USB HDMI Battery Weight
april 2013

Build Quality
All-weather design, magnesium alloy body

Conclusion
For still photographers, the GH3 is very goodit is fast, handles better than any Micro Four Thirds camera, and produces excellent images. But it is too expensive. The body costs Rs. 99,990... if video is not your prime concern, you will get far better cameras at much lower price tags. Cinematographers ought to seriously consider this though. There are very few options available in the market that will even come close to the video performance of the GH3. With the extensive amount of control and the fantastic data rates, it is a filmmakers delight.

Ergonomics
As many as 5 customisable buttons

Warranty & Support

Three year warranty with limited service network

OVERALL 87%
Who should buy it? Filmmakers who do not want to
compromise anything in terms of video functionality. While being a competent camera for stills, the GH3 is the best video interchangeable-lens camera, in terms of features, data rates and on-field performance.

Environmentally sealed Yes

Why?

Dimensions (W X H X D) 133 x 100 x 79mm

Value for Money

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Need? Or Want? C
ameraphone technology has been evolving at breakneck speeds. Cell phones are striving to offer better sensors and more megapixels. Thepoint-and-shoot market is being eaten into, and the latest wave of revival seems to be cameras which run the Android OS system and offer the facility to connect to the web instantly via WiFi or 3G.

Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100

Ambarin Afsar tells you about the only question you need to ask yourself while considering the Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100.
with a 4.8-inch high definition capacitative touchscreen, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and a 1.4GHZ quad core processor. Allthese essentially make it a Samsung Galaxy SIII phone with a superzoom lens, slightly larger sensor, a popup flash and an inferior screen. You can use a 3G microsim or use a WiFi hotspot to do everything that a smartphone does, except make actual voice calls. The camera has the usual suspect PSAM modes, 15 Scene modes and 15 Effects or Art Filters. I found the Galaxy camera performing really well when it came to effects like Old Photo, Gothic Noir, P lu s Instant connectivity Third-party apps Minus Lacklustre image quality and detail Too large

Features
Weightage of parameters 5% 15% 30% 15% 35% Features Performance Build Quality Ergonomics Warranty & Support
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The Samsung EK-GC100 is a 16MP compact offering 21x optical zoom (23483mm),

Annoyances Within the Galaxy Cameras Interface

Camera controls are provided in the form of a virtual lens barrel which covers half the screen while shooting, making one miss what is going in the frame.

The most frustrating thing about the Effects line-up is that every time you get back to shooting, from playback, the camera forgets which effect you had chosen.

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Impressionist and so on. But when I viewed the images on the PC, I realised that they had all been downsized from 16MP to 2MP without so much as a warning! The camera can record Full HD 1080p video well as slow motion video at up to 120fps.

Handling
The camera is very large and it weighs a whopping 300g! This is considerably heavier than most point-and-shoots and smartphones. The design of the camera is quite minimalist. The rear is only dominated by the 4.8-inch touchscreen. Surprisingly,this did not deter me too much. The interface is fairly easy to understand and the camera is not sluggish.Third-party apps as well as native apps work quite well. Battery life lasts around 2-3 hours of continuous shooting. The CIPA rating given to the camera is around 340 shots, which more or less matched up to what I found. However, regardless of whether you are a moderate or heavy app user, be prepared to charge the camera by evening.

that, it is disappointing. There is ruthless noise reduction at almost ISOs, and even at ISO 100, images soften up, display oversharpening and artefacts. All of this gives the images a mushy appearance when viewed at 100%. The colours are punchy and contrasty straight out of the camera and Auto White Balance does a good job in almost all situations. Autofocus is also fairly decent and intuitive at the wide end, while at 21x, it gets slightly slow. The touch focus and touch shutter features are quite responsive. The lens functions smoothly throughout the zoom range, however, it shows some fringing in high contrast situations.

S p e c i f i cat i o n s

Model name MRP Sensor size, type Resolution LCD Aperture range Shutterspeed ISO range Optical zoom Metering modes File formats Battery Storage Dimensions (W x H x D) Weight

Samsung EK-GC100 Rs. 26,520 1/2.3-inch, BSI CMOS 16.3MP, 4608 x 3456 pixels 4.8-inch, HD TFT f/2.85.9 161/2000sec Auto, 1003200 21x Multi, Spot, Centre-weighted, Face Detection AE Still: JPEG, Movie: AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV Lithium-Ion MicroSD (upto 64GB) 70.8 x 128.7 x 19.1mm 300g

Conclusion
The EK-GC100 has plenty of glitches to be ironed, in terms of the interface and image quality. In order to be a true convergence device, the camera needs to be at par with the smartphone experience, which has not happened. Priced at Rs. 26,520, you have to ask yourself whether you really need this gadget. If you really want good image quality, you could simply opt for the Canon SX50. But if you have your heart set on this camera, then wait for the WiFi version.

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Performance
The image quality of the Galaxy camera is much like that of a basic compact, and in

FINALRATINGS
Features
Android 4.1, Good 3G/WiFi connectivity, touchscreen, 21x zoom, no voice calling

25/30 21/35 12/15 7/15 2/5

Performance
Aggressive NR, soft edges, mushy images

Build Quality
Stylish, minimalist, sturdier than the Galaxy phones, but needs to be handled with care

Ergonomics
Too quirky an interface, requires some back and forth

Warranty & Support

Two-year warranty, limited service network

OVERALL 78%
Who should buy it? Someone interested in investing
in yet another cool toy.

The Vintage filter lent a nice cool blue tint to my images. The cameras strengths lie in its filters.
Ambarin Afsar april 2013 Exposure: 1/320sec at f/4 (ISO100)

The device is still not a true convergence device. Thecamera capabilities require a lot of finetuning. On the other hand, the touchscreen experience is perfect.

Why?

Value for Money

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Sigma 18250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO

Jack of All Trades

Ambarin Afsar finds out whether Sigmas latest superzoom offering, the 18250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM, lives up to the promises it makes.
18270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD, also offers a ratio of 1:3.8. The lens features a maximum aperture of f/3.5-6.3 and 16 lens elements in 13 groups. It also features a Hypersonic Motor for quiet focusing, and focuses on entry-level Nikon bodies. It is optically stabilised, and the manufacturers promise a 4-stop advantage. Sigma has also limited the minimum aperture to f/22, in order to help prevent degradation of image quality. On the other hand, Tamron offers f/40 at the telephoto end.

S
Weightage of parameters 5% 15% 25% 20% 35%

uperzoom lenses are always very interesting for me. I like the freedom to go from wide to tele in a matter of seconds. These allin-one lenses are something that third-party manufacturers keep updating and reworking, so much so that they end up giving better value than proprietary lenses. The Sigma 18250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM is one such update.

Features
The 18250mm Macro OS HSM offers two main updates over its predecessor, the 18250mm DC OS HSM. These are improved close-up capabilities and a much reduced size and weight. Theupdated lens offers a magnification ratio of 1:2.9 while its predecessor offered a ratio of 1:3.8. Its competitor, the Tamron

Features Performance Build Quality Ergonomics Warranty & Support

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Handling
The 18250mm reminds me a lot of the Tamron 18270mm in terms of design, size and build quality. The lens is lightweight, with a solid plastic barrel.

The sharpness suffers at the telephoto end of the zoom. But, the price, close-up capabilities and the compactness make this seem acceptable.
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The zoom and focus rings operate quitesmoothly. The lens also features a depth-of-field scale and an image magnification scale. The lens features two switches on the left side of the barrel. These control AF and OS, while there is another smaller button located on the zoom ring to lock the lens at 18mm for transport and to avoid zoom creep. All three buttons can be reached quite easily. I did find the lens suffering from a lot of zoom creep, when pointed downwards. Sigma would do better to make the zoom ring more resistant to this. Additionally, what I found unnecessarily lacking was a full time manual focus override option. I do not know why this could not have been included and seems quite irksome to me, especially since the lens has macro capabilities.

Performance
The autofocus is very quiet and impressively fast, even at the telephoto end. I found the Sigmas AF system to be faster than competing lenses from thirdparty manufacturers. My observations about the sharpness of the lens are slightly mixed. At 18mm, sharpness is average in the centre and quite soft towards the edges of the frame when the lens is wide open. However,stopping down to f/5.6 improves centre and corner sharpness drastically.

If you want optimum sharpness at 135mm, it would be best to further stop down to f/8 and f/11. At 250mm, detail suffers a little, and if you want peak image quality, you will necessarily have to stop downtof/11. Vignetting is apparent only at the maximum apertures throughout the zoom range, and stopping down by one stop eliminates it entirely. What was surprising was the amount of pincushion distortion that I observed at 35mm. This gets better as you progress towards 135mm and 250mm. There is the usual barrel distortion, which is to be expected at 18mm. Chromatic aberration is reasonably low. It is most noticeable at the wide angle, where there is some red and purple fringing towards the corners of the frame. This lessens when you move to mid-range focal lengths and becomes apparent at the extreme tele end again.

S p e c i f i cat i o n s

DED MMEN RECO

Model name MRP Lens construction Closest focusing distance Max. Magnification Diaphragm blades Filter diameter Dimensions Weight

Sigma 18250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO HSM Rs. 30,500 16 Elements in 13 Groups 0.35m 1:2.9 7 62mm 73.5 x 88.6mm 470g

P lu s Close-up abilities Price Minus Slow apertures Zoom creep 59

Conclusion
Priced at Rs. 30,500, this lens is complete value for money. It offers you macro capabilities, a good autofocus system and a large zoom range. While its Tamron rival is also a wonderful performer, it is priced a little too expensively. On the other hand, you have to make do with slow aperturesa trade-off, which seems palatable, given the price.

FINALRATINGS
Features
Magnification ratio of 1:2.9, 4-stop OS advantage, no full time MF override

17/20 30/35 22/25 13/15 2/5

Performance
Responsive AF, image quality could have been sharper, pincushion distortion

Build Quality
Solid plastic build, feels sturdy

Ergonomics
Zoom creep, DOF scale

Warranty & Support

Two-year warranty, limited service centres

OVERALL 84%
Anyone looking for a decent performer within an affordable budget.

Who should buy it? Why?

Shot at 62mm, this image displays a lot of pincushion distortion.

Exposure: 1/1000sec at f/8 (ISO 400) Ap r i l 2 0 1 3 Ambarin Afsar

Superzooms are often full of compromises, but in this case, the compromises are few and far between. Thislens is a good all-in-one travelling companion.

Value for Money

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Vanguard Kinray 53 Camera Bag

Lexar Multi-Card 25-in-1 USB 3.0 Reader

Not The Best Option

Multipurpose and Fast

Lexar adds more slots to its top-of-the-line USB 3.0 memory card reader.
hen in October 2012 we reviewed the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot USB Reader, we mentioned how we missed slots for multiple cards in it. Lexarseems to have heard us because they soon announced an updated version with just that. With this, Lexar seems to have covered everything that any photographer might need from a card reader. The Lexar Multi-Card USB 3.0 Reader supports as many as 25 types of memory cards with the six built-in slots that it sports. So whether you want to transfer images from a high end UDMA 7 CF card or from the microSD card in your mobile phone, the device is a one stop solution. Lexar has carried forward the unique pop-up design and which is their new exclusive feature. Notthat we are complaining. It ensures that no dust enters the card slots when not in use and safeguards it from any possible damage. However, with this reader, we are not completely convinced about the build quality of the pop-up mechanism given the much bigger size and weight. On a USB 3.0 computer, you can transfer data at speeds as high as 150 MB/sec when using a high speed memory card. Even with a normal CF card, the speed is considerably better, and often, almost double than the speed offered by a USB 2.0 card reader. Youcan use the device on a USB 2.0 computer as well, but that is compromising its high-endcapabilities. If you are a photographer who wants to accelerate his workflow, then this is the perfect reader for you. At only Rs. 40 more than the dual-slot reader, it is great value for the money. If you are not using a superfast memory card or a USB 3.0 enabled computer, it makes more sense to opt for a simple USB 2.0 reader that is half the price. S p e c i f i cat i o n s Product name: Vanguard Kinray 53 MRP: Rs. 14,990 Warranty: Lifetime, but limited

K
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You can carry a spotting scope or a long lens comfortably. But that is about it.

inray 53 is the first in the latest line up of camera bags from Vanguard. It is a camera bag and backpack combined in one. Vanguardhas sure made a colourful entry with the bag available in combinations of Purple-Grey and Green-Grey. The Kinray 53 is specially designed for bird and wildlife photographer. You can easily carry a spotting scope or a long telephoto lens. However, the rather catchy colours of green and purple are going to make it distracting when out in the wild. Removable inner compartments means you can turn this bag into a backpack with ease. It is even equipped with extra straps to carry a sleeping bag and a rain cover making it a reliable option in any weather. Vanguardhas given special attention to the ergonomics. Wide and padded shoulder strap, durable back support, adjustable chest harness and a secure waist strap make carrying the very comfortable, safe and reliable. The bag can hold upto two DSLR bodies, three lenses, a flash unit and tripod. However,the camera compartment is vertical and along the back rather than the base of the bag. Thismakes one fear that all the gear will fall out each time you open it. Theaddition of two security straps along with the zip to lock the camera compartment helps photographers breathe a sigh of relief when carrying their equipment. Except for a small pouch to carry memory cards and other accessories, the bag misses out on any other compartment to carry small everyday items. No space to carry a laptop is a big letdown. Overall, the bag does not do justice to the high price tag it carries. In a bid to be a great wildlife-cum-daily backpack, it fails to be good with either.

S p e c i f i cat i o n s Product Name: Lexar Multi-Card 25-in-1 USB 3.0Reader MRP: Rs. 1999 Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.9 x 2.5 x 1inches Warranty: Limited Five-year Warranty

Product source: Nikita Distributors, Pune Tel: +91-2030500614 R at i n g

Product source: Fastrack Communications, Delhi Tel: +91-9871388886 R at i n g

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Vanguard Auctus 283CT Tripod

Tamrac Jazz 83 Backpack

High Performance, Delivered No Nonsense

Innovative new features in a rock-solid The camera bag is designed to do one professional tripod makes it one of the best. simple thing and it does a decent job at it.

hile buying a tripod, a photographer has to consider the stability it offers, ease of use and how feasible it is to carry around. The Auctus 283CT packs the best from all these three in a single tripod and within an affordable budget. The tripod is the latest high-end professional offering from Vanguard and sports some never-seenbefore features. The tripod has a load-bearing capacity of 14kg and can extend to a height of 67 inches. Yet, it weighs only 3kg itself due to its lightweight but durable carbon-fiber legs. However,the centre column of the tripod itself is conspicuously not made of carbon-fiber. The three legs can be locked at different angles for use in uneven terrain and to shoot from extreme low heights. Eachsection of the two-fold legs can be locked using special locks that resist dust or sand from getting lodged in the joints. Vanguardhas designed the tripod such that it stays solid, irrespective of what terrain you are shooting in. Whetheron a sandy beach or a rocky terrain, I was surprised by its ability to adjust itself with ease. Thefeet can be switched between normal base, anti-rust spikes or angled rubberised shoes depending on where you are using the tripod in. The best feature is the dual 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch locking screws that can be easily switched from one to other without having to take either of them out. The Auctus 283CT is a great option for professionals who are looking for extreme stability and versatile features. Itmight be a little bulkier than a full carbon-fiber tripod but it comes at half the cost.

S p e c i f i cat i o n s Product name: Vanguard Auctus 283CT MRP: Rs. 28,990 Warranty: Lifetime, but limited

Product source: Nikita Distributors, Pune Tel: +91-2030500614 R at i n g

he Tamrac Jazz 83 is a compact and easy-to-use backpack that photographers can carry around on a daily basis. Designedfor the urban photographer with multiple gadgets, the bag lets you carry all your equipment in a lightweight bag. Theexcellent build of the bag makes sure that the weight is distributed properly and avoids making it feel like a burden. The bag fits in a camera body, three lenses and a flashgun. While a camera like Canon 6D fits in easily, a camera like Nikon D7000 takes some effort before it can be accommodated. The lens clinch strap ensures that your lens attached to the camera body is secured safely in its place. Removable internal compartments help you customise the bag to your liking and equipments. The bag also features two internal pockets to fit in extra accessories such as a charger, card reader, lens cleaning equipment or a portable hard drive. Infact, it can accommodate all of them together at the same time. The outside compartment has a foam-padded sleeve to carry a 10-inch tablet around. A range of pockets in the compartment help you organise and store a wide variety of personal items with ease. Tamrac has provided mesh pockets on either sides of the camera bag. Whileone can be used to carry a water bottle, the other can be used to carry a small tripod or a gorillapod. The camera is a great value-for-money option for photographers who lug around with multiple cameras, lenses and accessories every day. But while the bag can fit in all the photography equipment you own easily, do remember that it does not leave out space to fit in any bulky personal belongings.

S p e c i f i cat i o n s Product Name: Tamrac Jazz 83 Photo/iPad Backpack MRP: Rs. 3500 Dimensions (W x H x D): 2.4 x 9.8 x 2.4inches Warranty: Limited Five-year Warranty

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Product source: Shetala Agency, Chennai Tel: +91-44-42125148 R at i n g

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B e tt e r P h o t o g raph y

Sho ot ing T echnique

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shooting technique

on assignment

digital technique

Say Goodbye to Camera Shake No more blurry photos!

80

Im Not Here The self represented as a shadow

82

Personalised Sho ot ing PicturePostcards Creativity with images

T echnique

90

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Arriving at the Photo

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Ketan Kundargi lists five things you need to consider while setting the exposure for the image you have in mind.

aking a stunning photograph is all about planning right. Irrespectiveof whether you shoot in the Manual mode or in the Program mode, you need to think about certain settings before you dial in the aperture or set the shutterspeed. If you believe in simply making a picture and moving on, stop right

there! Here are five things that you need to think about before you release the shutter.

Think Before You Shoot

Before you make a photo, you need to previsualise the moment you wish to capture, before the action actually takes place. Once you have figured out what you want to photograph, think about what you

Exposure: 1/250sec at f/16 (ISO 200)

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John Byer

When there are plenty of colours in the frame, pay special attention to the exposure as it will decide how each colour is eventually rendered in the final image.

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Ned Horton

If you are in a tricky lighting situation, use exposure bracketing in order to retrieve shadow or highlight detail, ifrequired.
Exposure: 1/60sec at f/2.8 (ISO 200)
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Even if you are shooting in plain daylight, using the Cloudy WB will help you make your images more warm.
Samten Kabo

Exposure: 1/320sec at f/5.6 (ISO 400)

To be Safe
If you are still unsure about getting the exposure right, play it safe. Shoot in the RAW mode and use Auto Exposure Bracketing to be able retain details later.

want it to look like an work on its aesthetic appeal. Basically, every time you lift the camera, stop. Think. Rethink. Shoot.

Do You Need to Adjust Exposure?

Need the image to be brighter? Overexpose! Want to avoid highlights getting blown out? Underexpose. Do not always go by the cameras default reading. Experiment by varying exposure by a stop or two next time. Go through these steps each time you shoot. Gradually, they will become ingrained and will help you make good pictures instinctively.

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Multiple Colour Tones or a Simple B&W?

We live and see the world around us in various hues. However, how many tones you capture depends on the saturation value you set in your camera. Do you want varied tones of a single colour or do you want to mute them, and make a B&W photograph instead?

When faced with backlighting, if you want the subject to be well exposed, then simplyoverexpose!
Exposure: Not Available

The Contrast Consideration

Harsh light can help you make high-contrast images which are graphical and impactful. On the other hand, therange of tones offered by soft, diffused light can help you create magical lowcontrast images. The Contrast setting within the camera can enhance the lighting conditions further, and be used wisely to create a certain mood.

Once you tweak camera settings Playing with White Balance with these Every light source has a certain colour five factors in cast that affects all the hues in the scene. mind, even the WhiteBalance presets simply help you achieve the correct shade of white in every Program mode lighting situation. But you can also use these can help you get presets creatively for a cool or warm tone for great images. your images.
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Richard Sweet Better Photography

Supriya Joshi presents simple points you should keep in mind to make sure your images are always in focus. Keep calm and shoot!

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Sharpness is a critical aspect of macro photography. Aslight movement and you could lose your focus. In such cases, use a tripod.
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Aji Jayachandran

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When shooting portraits, make sure you focus on the eyes.

hat is life without focus? Imagine going through life unfocused. Feels strange, doesnt it? Similarly, think about the best photograph you have seen... the point of the image would have been lost if the cameras focus was off even by a little bit. So, how do you make sure your images are always in focus? Here are little things you can ask yourself before and while shooting, for perfectly sharp images.

Did You Click too Soon?

In a hurry to shoot, we sometimes click the shutter-release button a little too fast. For the camera to achieve focus, you must first half-press the shutter-release button. When the camera makes a beep sound, or when the AF point turns green, you know that camera has achievedfocus.

Do You Know How AF Works?

The default focusing system of your camera tends to focus on the

Small, fast-moving birds are often difficult to capture. Zoom in and useContinuous AF to follow their quickmovements.

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brightest and closest subject to the lens.Thissystem is usually called Multipoint AF. If your main subject does not meet these criteria, switch to Single Point AF, where you can decide where you want the camera to focus.

Soinstead of focusing on the subject beyond the window, it will focus on the dirt. To avoid this, you can get close to the window and then try focusing. Alternatively, switch to manual focus.

Are You Shooting Through a Window?

Specs of dirt or moisture on a window can confuse your cameras AF system.

Is it too Dark?
Poor lighting conditions confuse the AF system of most cameras, so you may face difficulties while focusing. Make sure that the AF-assist lamp is switched on, as this will throw light on the subject and let youfocus with relative ease.

While shooting fireworks at night, switch to the Night Landscape mode. Thefocus will automatically be set at infinity and you will get sharp results.

Are You too Close?

The minimum focusing distance of every lens is different, and if you get too close to a subject, it becomes impossible to focus. However, most compact cameras have a Macro mode, which allow you to get as close as 1cm to the subject.

Is The Subject Moving too Fast?

If you want to shoot a fast-moving subject, switch to the Continuous Autofocus mode. In this mode, the camera will refocus if the subject hasmoved. However, compact cameras and mirrorless cameras are not so good at doing this. So, keep these limitations inmind while you are shooting.
april 2013

While photographing birds and animals, focusing on the eye is essential. If the subject is off center, first lock the focus, reframe andshoot.
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Snehal Brahmbhatt

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Here Are A Few Situations Where You Should Choose Manual Focus

Jesse Therrien

Deba Prasad Roy

Andrey Gorshkov

In Low Light
In very low light, your cameras AF might not work well, which is when you should switch to manual focus. It comes in handy while shooting star trails.

While Prefocusing for Action

Manually prefocus at the point where you expect your subject to pass. Then, shoot when the subject enters the frame, capturing the moment!

To Experiment with Bokeh

If there are a lot of light sources around you and you want to achieve beautiful out of focus blurry lights, switch to manual focus.

Are You Shooting a Group of People?

In such cases, switch on Face Detection. Likethe name suggests, this feature will detect all the people present in the frame and focus onthem. The camera will also meter off the faces of the people in the group, thereby ensuring that the faces in the frame are wellexposed. Learn about hyperfocal distance and depth-of-field in order to get sharp landscapeimages.

is rendered sharp. Due to this, you need to be a lot more critical while focusing.

Are You Expecting Too Much?

Before you shoot, learn the various idiosyncrasies of your cameras AFsystem. What are the things it is good at? What are some things it cannot achieve? Of course, some subjects like street lights look great when they are out of focus! Infact, you can go completely creative and do whatever you want in order to make the most effective photograph.

How Critical do You Need to Be?

Wide apertures like f/2.8 make the depthof-field (DOF) really shallow. This means that only a small part of the overall scene

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say goodbye to
Switch on the cameras flash to freeze the moment. This will ensure that you will have a shake-free photograph.

Camera shake eating at your patience? Confused about what settings to use ? take a look at this list of the things you could be doing wrong, and how
Fire the Flash

Most cameras today are capable of producing good quality images at high ISOs. Anoisy image is still better than a shaky one.

Boost the ISO

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Wide apertures like f/2.8 allow more light in, thereby giving you faster shutterspeeds that can reduce camera shake.

Shoot at the Widest Aperture

Touch Shutter, though handy, can result in camera shake. Avoid it during problematic conditions and stick to the regular shutter-release button.

Be Careful While Using Touch Shutter

The more you zoom in to the scene, the higher the shutterspeed should be. This is because the camera is more prone to shake at the telephoto end. Try to keep the minimum shutterspeed 1/60sec. At the extreme end of a 3x zoom compact camera, use at least 1/125sec. The same applies for the kit lens of a DSLR.

Increase Shutterspeed When You Zoom In

Improving Posture to Reduce Camera Shake

Use Both Hands

While using a compact camera or a cell phone, hold the device with both hands using a sturdy grip. Usethe wrist strap for further stability.
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Support the Lens

Specially in the case of heavy lenses, make sure that you hold the lens from one hand to maintainbalance.

Mind the Elbows

Hold your elbows close to your body. Pulling them tight towards the inside of your body will further help to keep you centered.
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camera shake
Before you get angry at your camera and give up on making images, to rectify the mistakes. Supriya Joshi tells you how.
Pay Attention to the Handshake Icon
The handshake icon suggests that the camera settings are not optimal for handholding the camera. So, use a tripod or a steady surface.

Switch on Image Stabilisation

IS uses motion sensors to detect movement and automatically stabilises the frame. However, IS does not help freeze fast moving subjects.

Switch to the Burst Mode

When you are shooting in quick succession, the images in the middle of the burst will be the sharpest. Therefore, if you are facing camera shake issues, just shoot three or more images in Burst Mode.

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Underexpose the Settings

If none of the other points work, underexpose your image in such a way that the shutterspeed given by the camera is fast enough for you to handhold the photo. The picture may be dark, but you can recover some amount of details in a postprocessing software. This can be done with any camera while shooting JPEGs. However, if your camera allows so, switch to RAW so that there is minimal loss of quality while brightening the image.
Anonymous

Take a Deep Breath

After you have made your frame, take a deep breath and breathe out completely. And hold it. And shoot. Itwill help you steady yourself as you photograph.
april 2013

Balance Your Weight While Shooting Vertical Frames

Divide your weight between both your legs and stand firmly, while pulling your elbow towards your body. Thiswill help you stand steady.

Use Your Elbows as a Tripod

Not only will this give you a totally new frame and way of seeing, you will also have the added stability of the surface to reduce camera shake.
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Im Not Here
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What happens when you separate the person from the shadow, the self from the whole? Pol beda Hervs explores this in a series of self portraits.

I use my shadow and a pair of running shoes to express an absence withinmyself.

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This series taught me that introspection can take various forms.

T
Duration Notes

here was a point in my life where I hardly recognised myself. These pictures came to my mind naturally, as a means to reflect the way I feel about myself. The name, too, came in quite naturally because the real me was just not there.

My Assignment
Description
To portray a metamorphosis that occurs within ones life, at a particular point in time. It is an on-going series which I started in February and continued till August 2012. I will resume it sometime in the future, if the need arises. This series actually acted as catharsis for me. Immersingmyself in these photos was therapeutic.

How do we accept that we are changing? How do we accept that we hardly recognise ourselves in certain situations? I am changing at this very moment of my life. I do not the react in the same way that I used to. I am surprised by this. Isthisme? These pictures display the way Isee myself now. My shadow is there, but Ierase myself because I do not know who I am any longer. The shoes remain only to make sure that there is something more than... a shadow.

My Perspective
I was not really inspired by some other project or an accidental shot. The idea behind the images emerged just from a need to express myself.

How do we accept that we hardly recognise ourselves in certain situations?

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TheProcess
To me, this image conveys a sense of loneliness typical of urbanareas. Ialways carry a camera along with me so that when I see a place that appeals to me, I shoot there immediately. It is important for a location to strike the right chord

with me. All the locations where I make these pictures are not really spots I have scouted for previously. I just chance upon them on the go. I am quite quick with each shoot. Isimply make three or four pictures per location and then move on. I do not make a whole bunch of pictures simply because I do not need more. The reason behind this is that I began photography with an analog camera.The experience of shooting film makes one much more focused. Yourealise what you really want to achieve and how to go about it. In a

The colour palette is important. The subtle pastels of the series further helped establish a certain kind of mood.

Tips on Creating a Series of Shadow Photos

Neat and Simple Backgrounds: Play with different possibilities regarding where the shadow will be projected. Try different surfaces like water, stone, concrete, tarmac, bricks, different patterns on floors and so on. The Time of the Day: Shoot the pictures soon during the morning or around the time when the day is ending. This will help you capture a shadow with a length similar to your own height. The Pose: Ask yourself how you want your shadow to act. I chose a static pose
that was common for all my photos, however, a dynamic pose would be interesting.
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One of the things that this project taught me was how shadows change and lengthen during different times of the day.

My Equipment
I usually use a Nikon D800 with a 2470mm f/2.8 lens. When I am travelling, I use a Leica M8. However,the only thing you need is a reason to make pictures. Alwayskeep this reason in yourmind.
april 2013

way, it also makes you realise the true worth of every picture youmake. It is always hard for me to know where to stop making a series. So, in this case, Idecided not to take more pictures till I felt the same way again. This may happen in a few days, a few years or maybe even never. It is important to think this way because while the series is easy to attempt, I do not want it to merely be reduced to an exercise. I do not want the photos to lose their significance for me. As far as the technique goes, I will keep it a secret. However, I will just say this much, if you observe my pictures closely, and try making a couple of shots, you will hit upon the idea yourself. It is quite simple, reallyjust think of it as removing yourself from your shadow. How would you go about achieving this in a software? Needless to say, this series was an enlightening experience for me, I found out a lot about myself and how people

change. This is exactly what I needed when I started this project. To see more of Pols work, you can visit his Flickr page, www.flickr.com/photos/polubeda

Maintaining a static shadow throughout the series helped me create a distant, aloofatmosphere.

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Raj Lalwani peers into mirrors wherever he goes, in an effort to find the perfect Facebook profile picture.

Im Here Now

P
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ersonally, I believe that if a photographer is honest, then every single photo that one makes, is a self portrait. It may not have you in it, but it still portrays something about you, your background, your influences, likes, dislikes and all such things.

Several years ago, I told my friend this. She laughed her head off, dismissing my thoughts as intellectual rubbish. Youare always in front of the camera, where are your photos? So, in a bid to prove her wrong, I started including myself in a lot of my frames... only because it was fun.
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My Assignment
Description
To remember the places I have been to, while adding a hint of myself in the frame.

Duration
I shot the first frame four years ago, and see new ones, everyday.

Notes
The most vital aspect to self portraits is to have fun.

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Mirrors and reflective surfaces are all around. There is a picture waiting to happen, almost everywhere.
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Were these My Perspective self portraits After all, isnt that what most of us seem to forget? Photography is meant to be about me? fun. Sometimes, a picture is worth it, not Butwouldnt because it will stand the test of time, but as that be boring? something that you want to share with all Id rather that your friends, even if it is for the infamous Likes on Facebook. they be, about A lot of these self portraits have been the places born out of sheer boredom. But the entire Igosee. exercise of looking into mirrors and
searching for shadows has helped me be

on my toes all the time, thus keeping my vision fresh and my camera, always ready.

The Process
All sensible talk left aside, the first time Idecided to follow my friends advice was when I encountered Kareena Kapoor. No,not the real one, I saw a kitschy poster of the actress amidst a lot of crazy artefacts. It was almost a I have to have a picture with that kind of moment. Themoment I shared the picture with my

I get weird reactions from passersby when I point my camera at mirrors, but the photos are often worth it.

My Equipment
Does it really matter? I used whatever camera I had on me at that point of time, from compact cameras, to DSLRs and cell phones. Igenerally enjoy wider focal lengths as the story conveyed is more wholesome, with the entire scene around me being framed.
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When the kind of photography you do is an exercise in narcissism, a bit of humour is neverabad thing.
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Going Beyond with Self Portraiture

Find Out What You Want to Say: Is it only about you? When You Should Shoot: It depends on whether
you want to plan a structure or just enjoy a picture at a time. Or you you want to convey your relationship with a person, place or an idea?

 Look up the Masters: From Lee Friedlander to

Cindy Sherman, study how the masters have dealt with this challenging genre.

I often park myself wherever I need to be in the frame, and just wait for things tofalltogether.

friends, everyone was curious to know where I had spotted this sight. That got me thinking... wouldnt this be an awesome way to photograph places that leave an impression on me? Sowhether it was a a mountaintop in the middle of Himachal, or my favourite downtown cafe, I started looking for ways to bring myself in. Sharing these photos not only tells me how my friends react to environmental self portraits, it is also a status update of sorts... a statement that this is where I am. The Kareena photo happened four years ago, and as my style has changed, as have my self portraits. The early ones were obvious, with a mirror being dead in the centre. I now

enjoy transparent surfaces, since they show a hint of me and the world beyond. I dont want to call this a series... it is not shot with any agenda, apart from the sheer enjoyment of being in a particular place at a given point of time, much like apersonal diary. Rajs work is online at www.rajlalwani.com. Heoccasionally blogs at rajlalwani.wordpress.com.

Shadows may be clich, but in front of some scenes, they are just tootempting.

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Personalised Picture Postcards

Have you ever wondered how to creatively reuse your old photographs? In less than six easy steps, Aditya Nair shows you how to make different styles of postcards.

D
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o you have a bunch of casual snapshots of friends, family and all the tourist destinations that you visited over the years? Such photographs are in fact the perfect images to convert into postcards. They make great souvenirs to distribute among friends or hang on your wall. The first known picture postcards date back to the middle of 19th century, and were used as a way to share stories or gather souvenirs. At a time when travel was difficult, these postcards allowed people to share the adventures and experiences of the traveller. In fact, British photographer Martin Parr has time and again confessed his fondness for

collecting postcards. Hecompiled a book called Boring Postcards, which consist of his best postcards from the 1950s-1970s. The following tutorial will help you understand the technique of making digital postcards. You will be to create two very different contrasting postcardsa sepia toned photo collage and a dramatic vibrant one.

Original

The Back of a Postcard

The back of a postcard is usually where the recipients address is added. While it is customary to keep this space clean, there are a few things you can try to make it distinctive. For instance, you can experiment with various typographies for writing the message you want to send. You could add a thumbnail of the picture used in front of the postcard. Additionally, if you plan on mailing a series of such postcards, add a thumbnail of the image you will send next as a sneak peak.
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d i g i ta l T ec h n ique

An Old World Photo Collage

Learn how to recreate sepia toned photo collage with a set of five images, while using the Hue/Saturation slider in Adobe Photoshop.

Tools Used
Free Transform Layer Blending Modes Canvas Size Hue/Saturation Marquee tool (in Photoshop CS or higher)

Skill Level
1 2 3 4 5

his tutorial makes use of five images that were shot at a wedding. It recreates the original photographs into a sepia toned photo collage that doubles up as a memorable gift for the newlywed couple. The technique relies on the use of basic Photoshop functions such as Hue/Saturation and Marquee Tool for selection. While a sepia tone is used for this tutorial, you can give your images any colour tint that suits the postcards by merely dragging the Hue/Saturation sliders around. Inaddition, you can add a texture or a vignette to this tutorial.

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RESIZE IMAGES: Go to File > New. Create a custom file Width 3 inches, Height 2 inches, Resolution300 pixels/inch. Drag one image of the collage into Photoshop. Adjust it to fit the canvas size. Save this image and then follow the same procedure for the other images.

CREATE A CANVAS: Create a document of Width 6 inches, Height 4 inches, Resolution 300ppi. Placethe resized images on the canvas. With the centre image layer on top, select the Marquee tool. Goto a layer of an image in the background. Ctrl + Left click the thumbnail next to the layer name to select it.

ADD A WHITE BORDER: On the image, go to the selection and right click on it. Select Stroke from the dropdown menu. Choose a suitable width, change the colour to white and select the tab that reads inside. This will create a white border for that image. Do the same for the other three images.

CREATE THE CENTRE OVAL IMAGE: Select the centre image layer. Choose the Elliptical Marquee Tool. From the centre of the image, hold down the Alt key and draw an oval selection. Go to Select > Inverse to inverse the selection. Hit the Delete key to erase the rest of the image.

ADD THE CIRCULAR BORDER: In order to add a border to the photo collage, you need to inverse the selection again. Stroke the selection like in Step 3. However, choose the Outside tab in the Stroke menu. Transform the layer and increase the size of the image if you feel it is necessary.

ADJUST THE TONES: Select the Create new adjustment layer icon at the base of the layers palette. Choose Hue/Saturation. Check the Colorize button. Change Hue to 40, Saturation to 45 and Lightness to 5. Press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E. Changethe Blending Mode to Soft Light and adjust the opacity.
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digi tal Techni que

After

Dramatising a Picture Postcard

Use gradient mapping to transform a simple portrait into a dual toned digital postcard.

T
Tools Used
Gradient Map Free Transform Layer Blending Modes Canvas Size (in Photoshop CS2)

Skill Level
1 2 3 4 5 92

his tutorial uses Gradient Map to create a colorized Pop Art like postcard. Using textures and Layer Blending, the postcard gets a more dramatic and graphic effect. You can refer to websites such as sxc.hu, as they are a helpful resource for obtaining royalty free textures that you can add to your images. Additionally, you can make use of the internet and a stock image of a postal stamp and digitally add it to the postcard, simply by changing the Blending Modes. However, do this only if you do not intend to actually mail the postcard. By the end of the tutorial, you will be able to transform the orignal image and resize it to the exact size needed forprinting.

Before

USE A GRADIENT MAP: Change the foreground colour using the Color Picker Palette to red and the background colour to green. Duplicate the Background Layer by pressing Ctrl+J. Go to Image > Adjustments > Gradient Map. Reduce Opacity to 50%.

Aditya Nair

ADD A TEXTURE: Download a texture that you would use for the postcard. Place the texture over the gradient map layer. Press Ctrl+T to transform the texture. Drag the edges of the selection till it fills the frame.

CHANGE THE BLENDING MODES: Change the Blending Mode of the texture layer to Soft Light. To further highlight the texture, duplicate the layer. Change the Blending Mode to Linear Burn. Reduce the Opacity of the layer till you get a pleasing effect.

5 Ways to Use Postcards Creatively

Post a Portfolio: Create a pocket-sized portfolio using photographs as postcards. You can add your contact details on the back of the postcard. A Box Full of Memories: A collection of postcards can serve as a precious visual memoir. You can use it as a gift for friends and family. Innovative Field Notes: Postcards can be used as visual reminders while working on the field. Theycan double up as your very own photo diary!

REDUCE THE IMAGE SIZE: Double click on the Background layer to unlock it. Select all four layers. Press Ctrl+T to transform the layers. Press and hold the Shift and Alt keys, and drag one of the corners inwards. The entire image will become smaller.

FIT IT IN: With all layers selected, set a suitable size for the postcard by going to Image > Canvas Size. Then, keep all layers selected and press Ctrl + T. With Shift and Alt keys pressed, drag the corner of the Transform selection to fit the image to the postcard.

In the Mood for Business: Use postcards to create personalised business cards. Add an element of fun to the otherwise boring business card. Festive Decorations: Postcards are compact and light weight. They can be used to customise the decorations of your next Christmas tree!
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PhotoCritique

Want your photographs reviewed? Send your photographs to

The Editor, Better Photography, Network18 Publishing, Ruby House, A Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai - 400 028, India E-mail: photocritique@betterphotography.in

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These blown out highlights are quite distracting and could have easily beenavoided.

The snail appears slightly underexposed. Firing the on-board flash at a reduced power would have filled in light.

The low angle vantage point is unique and presents the world from the point of view of thesnail.

The textures and the natural colouring of the snail have been rendered beautifully. The bright catchlight is also perfect.

Including the soil has lent a sense of place to the image. But, zooming in would have helped eliminate distractions.

By Vikas Sarolia, Renukoot

Camera: Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Aperture: f/2.8 Shutterspeed: 1/50sec ISO: 80

A Snails World
Kedar Bhat: This image shows great use of a wide angle macro shot in order to display the snail in its native environment. However, the subject has been placed in the dead centre of the image. I would have composed the image with the Rule of Thirds in mind. For me, an off-centre placement would have been more aesthetic. Additionally, the snail looks dark. Eitheryou could have fired the flash or tweaked the image in postprocessing. Dodging or even using layer masks would have helped bring out vivid details. Amrita Ganguly-Salian: I love the juicy-ness of the frame. The subject, background, foreground, available light and even the moment have all come together fto make a splendid image. The snail looks like it is contemplating a leap. Storytelling aside, the decision to move in for a really short focal length was a good call. Nature lends itself to myriad experiments with photography. Thechancesof getting a great picture are high. So it becomes that much more important to take that extra moment to stretch yourself for a signature picture.

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The Panelists

This red area further adds a dash of colour to the image and creates an interesting colourcontrast. These areas seem glaringly out of focus. Crisp focus throughout the image would have been ideal. The lines of these leaves draw the viewer ino the centre and make the frame very geometric. While the colours are indeed far too saturated, there was potential to make this a vivid graphical image. These droplets make the image look very refreshing. But, the exposure could have been controlled to avoid blown out highlights.

is a Physics graduate and a freelance photographer with nearly two decades of experience under his belt. He has worked with Outlook, The Times of India, The Indian Express and Hindustan Times. He loves photographing nature and wildlife.

Kedar Bhat

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Amrita GangulySalian

befriended the camera 22 years ago, and continues to inspire many students of photography. Her critique is rooted in classical theories and balances the photographers opportunity with the use of technique.

By Sayan S, Kolkata
Camera: Canon EOS 1000D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutterspeed: 1/125sec ISO: 400

Refreshing Droplets
Kedar Bhat: Since you have shot this at 230mm, the shutterspeed should have been faster (at least 1/250sec). This would have helped achieve critical sharpness. The highlights seem to be washed out and the image look over saturated and way too contrasty. As for the composition, I would have opted for a roughly square crop, in order to avoid the red areas that can be seen in the background. Ambarin Afsar: Most people would consider this a cooked image. ButI like the vibrant colours. Whatirks me is the loss of detail throughout the image, which could have easily been avoided. This seems like an indoor shot to me. So,you could devoted some time to perfecting the composition. The act of composing is not just limited to framing. Focus and sharpness are key factors as well.

Ambarin Afsar

is a writer with the BP team. Sheexudes an infectious zest for almost everything around her. Consequently, everything is a possible subject for photography and she is more than happy to appreciate new ways ofseeing.

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This is an interesting place to end the frame. The unending rows of teeth make the image lookmenacing.

Including slightly more headspace would have been a good idea idea. Currently, the eyes of the reptile are far too close to the frames edge.

The out-of-focus areas in the frame echo the rugged appearance of the crocodile and convey information about his habitat and environment.

The line of the jaw leads the viewer into the frame. Nature offers the best textures and patterns. This photo is evident of the same.

The most striking part about this photograph is the brilliantly green eye. The hint of a catchlight makes it seem as if the crocodiles eye is glinting.

By Kaushik Mitra, Kolkata

Camera: Canon EOS 550D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutterspeed: 1/4000sec ISO: 400

The inclusion of this tiny blade of grass or some other element could have easily been avoided.

The Eye of the Crocodile

Kedar Bhat: This is a simple close-up photograph. However, there is a slightly out-of-focus region on the left of the frame, towards the area where the snout of the crocodile ends. You could have used a narrower aperture setting to get greater depth-of-field. Paying attention to these little details is what makes a greatmoment. I would also like to ask you whether it was possible to include more space above the alligator than below it. I would have included the jaw and the snout of the crocodile completely rather than making this choice of a crop. Amrita Ganguly-Salian: I am a big fan of extreme close-ups, and so, I often attract ire from purists who feel that traditional portraits should have enough neck/nose/ head space around the profile. While I agree with that logic for documentation purposes, one should allow for creative cropping. Youhave got fantastic detail in the eye and it would have made for a superb extreme close-up as well. You even have enough play of depth with the back of the head to pull off a super-tight frame. However, this crop is lop-sided. Go tighter for more drama! I also noticed the high shutterspeed... wondered how sunny had it really been!

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A Rocky Perch
Kedar Bhat: It seems as if you have used a cool White Balance preset such as Incandescent, or probably set it in such a manner manually. Whatevermay be the case, it looks good here. I also like the soft, out-offocus background. Additionally, the dragonfly is sharp from end to end, which is commendable. However, the crack in the rock and the blown out highlights on the top right corner of the image are distracting. They could have easily been avoided by a simple change in position or framing. Ambarin Afsar: Whenever I think of tiny insects like dragonflies or glow worms, I think of my childhood and the magic of summer. To me, these creatures seem like something out of a fairytale. With the glimmering bokeh in the background, you have managed to evoke this magic in my mind. However, I wish that the frame was tighter and that there was more light on the dragonfly. That said, I am glad you moved away from the conventional green-yellow colour palette and tried something so different. It is refreshing to see an attempt like this.

Critics Choice Award

Send your pictures to us, to be featured in the PhotoCritique section. If our judges select yours as the best photograph, you can win the Critics Choice Awarda Sony USB Portable Power Supply of 4000mAh!

The out-of-focus background creates a sense of depth. Theblue colour palette is also commendable.

This overlapping of the dragonflys wing and the edge of the rock could have easily been avoided by a change in position.

The most magical part about this image is the soft shimmering bokeh. It acts as a wonderful secondary element.

Off-centre placement would have worked better. You could have cropped the frame from the bottom and the right.

By Jinish Matthew, Ernakulam

The texture of the rock is distracting and keeps drawing the viewers eye away from the dragonfly.
Camera: Nikon D90 Aperture: f/5.6 Shutterspeed: 1/160sec ISO: 200

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THE BEAUTY OF TREES The Lonely One

A great way to photograph a tree is to seclude it from its surroundings. Look for a lone tree or try to compose the frame in such a manner that the surrounding area is clean and simple. In comparison to the vastness of the landscape and the background, the tree will seem solitary and will stand out beautifully.

Autumn is a great season to photograph the changing colours of the leaves.

Make Dream-like Frames

Photograph trees at night and use long exposuresleaves fluttering in the wind against the night sky create a surreal haze. In fact, paying attention to the sky during a clear night will help you capture striking star trails with the tree in theforeground.

The Human Touch

You can easily evoke the feeling of solitude by concentrating on a singletree. While trees are wonderful subjects to photograph as is, include a person in the frame to make the viewer aware of scale. There are several people who take shelter under trees. Weary travellers on a sunny day,

Tell Their Story

Trees can live through hundreds of years. If there is a tree that strikes you as particularly interesting, or even one that is growing in your backyard, make it a point to photograph it every day. Explorechanging seasons and their effect.

Look for Patterns

Trees are full of intricate patterns and textures. You can make close-ups of the bark, dry leaves or even bare branches. Another thing to try if there is a park or forested area nearby, is to simply stand under a tree and look up. You will notice that the branches create a surreal jigsaw puzzle. These dark zigzagging lines and curves contrast beautifully with backlit green leaves and the bright sky.

Subhodeep Banerjee Michael & Christa Richert april 2013

tired pedestrians looking for a short break and even animals can be seen finding solace in the shade of a tree. You could even build an interesting photo series around people taking shelter under trees. In fact, if your friends or family are enthusiastic about climbing trees, you can even ask them to do so. Along with invoking memories of childhood thrills, you will also be making some very memorable images.

Buses are often scrawled with amusing messages, which can help you create wittyjuxtapositions.

Raj Lalwani

There are chances that you will be left with several motion blurs. Butdo not despair! You can create a very unusual series with a collection of these blurryphotographs.

THE HUMBLE BUS Through the Window

During bus journeys, especially during long hauls, you get to see several unique sights. Take this opportunity to point your camera at the scenes outside the window. Anticipate and frame your shot. You can also shoot in Burst mode to capture the moments outside the bus.

The Passengers
The best part about using the public transport system is just thatyou get to be in close proximity to the public! Youwill encounter several kind of people from various walks of life. You can photograph the hapless passenger holding on for dear life in a packed bus, or the groups of people who choose to sit on the roof of the bus when no seats are available.

Quick Tip
Make your landscape photographs stand out by adding a point of interest in theforeground.

Sometimes buses break down. Capture the spirit of camaraderie in your fellow passengers with a quick snapshot. 99

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At the Bus Stop

You can find several photos even while you wait for a bus. The waiting area and the hustle and bustle that occurs when people are trying to buy tickets can provide great opportunities. Youcan also photograph the long winding lines of commuters as they wait for the bus to arrive. Capture the myriad of expressions on their facesfrom impatience, to anger and annoyance.

THE JOY OF PARENTHOOD Be Natural

Just like any genre of photography, photographing parents is great when it is a completely candid affair. Dont ask them to pose. Let them get on with their daily activities, while you become almost invisible to them. You can choose a spot and shoot with a telephoto lens, and get truly natural moments.

Bus stops often provide shelter to even those who do not travel by one, often providing funnyresults.

Photographs like this will be a hilarious reminder about how your child was as a baby.

The Highlight
Why not try photographing the bus itself? Make various frames of the bus from unique angles. You can even experiment with a fisheye lens for added effect. Before you begin your journey, you could also ask your copassengers to pose in front of the bus as well!

Be Vigilant
Do remember that there can be several miscreants who may have an eye on our gear. Be very smart about the way you travel with your equipment and make sure you are always aware of your surroundings. Keep your equipment well concealed when you are not shooting. Also store your money in different places. Then, you can truly photograph with ease.
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Poses Work Too

If they are not comfortable with candid photography, a posed photograph of them can serve as a wonderful memory too. If you are shooting at home, find an uncluttered space and seat your father and mother together. Guide them on how to pose and try to capture the chemistry that they share.

The Choice of Light

The most viable source of light is natural light. Ask your parents to stand or sit next to a window for good directional light. A piece of white thermocol can act as a handy reflector, while simply drawing the curtains can help you diffuse strong afternoon light. You can even head outdoors for ashoot. Whileexternal flash units are ideal for illuminating your frame, you can do just as well with your cameras onboard flash.
Arpan Mukherjee

Thedemeanour of an adult also drastically changes when they are around children. Photograph them playing games or even when they are trying to pacify the child with a toy.

Let children interact freely with their parent. Candid captures speak a lot more than posedones.

Involve Yourself
Since it is your own parents who you are photographing, you have plenty of freedom when it comes the treatment of your images. Make it a point to feature yourself in these photographs too! These will serve as lifelong memories to be cherished forever. Use your cameras self-timer to quickly become part of the frame. Use silly props, make ridiculous poses... just have fun!

Wonderful Moments
If there is a newborn baby or a toddler in the family, you can have the little child scampering around. Involving them with the shoot can help you capture tender as well as funny moments. Children are capable of giving the most remarkable and curious expressions.

Quick Tip
To get a starburst effect in your images, set your aperture to a narrow setting such as f/16 and shoot the light source.

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Readers Tip Capture Tiny Creatures

The world is filled with creatures big and small, and it is a fulfilling experience to photograph them. Sometimes, we are confronted with such creatures on a daily basis, yet do not think about photographing them. These tiny frogs used to come into my bathroom during the rainy season. Using only a Canon EOS 450D, the onboard flash and an 1855mm kit lens, Iwas able to photograph this tinything. The gear that you use is not important, but context is. The frogs eyes and the texture of its skin were of essence. So, the composition was made to bring out these characteristcs. When it comes to small creatures, it is best to prefocus your lens before they enter the frame. In the end, the image is what matters... remember to ask yourself what has made you photograph a particular frame. Even the simplest of gear will allow you to create stunning macro photographs.

Arpan Mukherjee
Arpan Mukherjee

I made this image from the eye level of this unusual frog sitting on a bucket.

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Want your doubts cleared? Write to The Editor, Better Photography Infomedia18 Limited Ruby House, A Wing, J K Sawant Marg Dadar (W), Mumbai-400 028, India. E-mail: editor@betterphotography.in

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What is the Difference?

Why is there such a huge cost difference between the 50mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.8. Isthe difference only because of the aperture or is there more to it? Abhishek Reddy, Bengaluru, via email Any two lenses, even of the same focal length, differ from each other on a variety of factors. While focal length and maximum aperture are the obvious ones, there are others that one does not realise immediately. Theseinclude build quality, the optical construction of the lens, minimum focusing distance, image stablisation and the focusing system. The cost of any lens is decided on the basis of all these factors put together. But, a costlier lens does not necessarily mean better image quality. Even an inexpensive lens can result in better sharpness at certain apertures compared to the costlier alternative.

What is a writeprotected memory SD card?

SD cards are equipped with small switch on the left. When switched on, the card is write-protected, thus preventing you writing, erasing or accessing any data on the card.

Full Frame Sensor

APS-C Sensor

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Explaining Field of View

I often come across the term 35mm equivalentwhen you refer to lenses in your magazine. What does this mean? Mohan Kumar, Delhi, via email The field of view offered by a particular lens depends on two factorsone is its focal length and the other is the sensor size of the camera being used. For example, the 1855mm kit lens gives a field of view similar to the one given by a 2884mm lens on a 35mm full frame

The same lens may give different fields of view on different cameras, since its 35mm equivalent focal lengthmay differ.

camera. This is why people use the term 35mm equivalent to help convey the actual field of view that the lens offers.

Cloud Storage for Backup

How safe are online storage options for backup of data? Which is a good option? Pankaj Kulkarni, Nashik, via Facebook The past few years have seen a considerable increase in the number of websites that offer to back up your data on the internet. Whilethe technology is still new, it is now reliable and affordable, and is an easy way to access your data from anywhere in the world. Youcan select a folder on your computer and sync it to the online server for continuous

H ow to

Check Whether Your DSLR Sensor Has Dust

Have you noticed unexpected dark spots in your images lately? Do they seem to be in the same place in multiple images? If yes, then chances are that dust has settled on your cameras sensor, resulting in these spots. When you are using a digital interchangeable-lens camera, you are going to face this problem at some point of time or the other. use a narrow aperture such as f/11 or f/16 and shoot a picture. Point your camera to the sky or a white surface and overexpose by a stop. Inspectthis photo at 100% on acomputer. Always remember that prevention is better than cure. Always change lenses when in a dust-free environment. When storing your camera, keep it in a clean area, whether it is in your bag or outside.

Cleaning The Dust

If you spot any dust, use the Sensor Cleaning option within the camera. Mostdigital cameras have a built-in option that shakes off dust from the sensor. Whilethis is safe, it may not be effective in extreme situations. If the amount of dust is high, take your camera to an official service center. We do not recommend you clean the sensor on your own. The slightest of errors may damage the sensor, and also make the warranty null and void.

Checking for Sensor Dust

Just because you notice dark spots, it does not mean that the dust is accumulated on the sensor. Clean the front and back element of your lens to check for any dust or marks that it might have. If the problem still persists, switch to the Aperture Priority mode, set a low ISO,

Use a narrow aperture and take a picture of a white surface to check the sensor for dust.
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Is Editing RAW Ethical?

When I shoot in RAW, I have to open the files in Adobe Photoshop and make a few edits to make them usable. Is that considered unethicalpostprocessing? Vikas Poonia, Mumbai, via email What would you prefer? A simple, untouched image of the moment you just witnessed, or a more dynamic image with increased contrast, better shadow detail and high tonality? Digital photo editing tools are easily available now and one can correct practically anything in their image. But there is a fine line between aesthetic beauty and ethical editing. A digital RAW file is just like an old film negative. Editingsoftwares are the new age darkrooms. They let you correct exposure, contrast and the white balance. Usually, such basic manipulations are considered ethical. In most photography competitions, as long as an actual pixel has not been moved, the image is allowed and not considered photoshopped. This has been a much debated topic for quite a while now and there seems to be no end to it. As a photographer, you need to decide for yourself what extent of manipulation you are comfortable with. Ultimately, decisions about the truth of a photograph, misrepresentation and ethics are entirely subjective.

Send in your queries to Better Photography. If your letter wins Question of the Month, you stand to win a Lexar 8GB 100x SDHC media card!

A service like Dropbox offers one-click applications that let you access data from anywhere in the world. backup. Withoptions like Box and Dropbox, not only can you access the data stored on other computers or a laptop but also on a smartphone. Eachprovider offers either a trial period or around 2GB of free storage space. Try any service before you select a plan that suits your budget and data size. Alternatively, you can use your own website as an archive for yourimages. Keep in mind that online data storage is only a secondary backup. Do not completely depend on it as a server crash might lead to loss of data. Always use an external hard drive to have a local and primary backup of your data.

While third-party flashguns are reliable to be used with your DSLR, they are not the best option. While they are cheaper, they have their own disadvantages. Most manufacturers make proprietary flashguns for their cameras because a lot of information needs to be communicated between the flashgun and the camera. Thismight not be possible with a thirdparty flash and may require you to use the flash manually. If you are using a manual flash, make sure that the trigger voltage is compatible with the hot shoe of your camera. It is important to know that many camera companies consider the warranty null if you use a third party flash.

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How do I bracket exposure?

If your camera does not have built-in auto bracketing, take three different images at -1 EV, +1 EV and at the correctexposure.

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One Card in Two Cameras

Can I reuse a memory card that I used to shoot with a certain camera, in anothercamera? Ramkumar Salian, Lucknow, via email While you can swap memory cards between two cameras, it is not advisable to do so unless it is extremely urgent. Every camera manufacturer has a different file structure for saving images. Sometimes, conflict between two different folders may result in corruption of data and render your card useless. It is always a good idea to format a memory card before using it with another camera.

Third-party Flash
Are flashguns from third-party manufacturers safe to be used with myDSLR camera? Mehek Adnan, Hyderabad, via post

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ShowCase

Amit Mehra

His documentary aesthetic stems from his early training years with the legendary S Paul. His favourite photographer is Nadav Kander. Ibreathe his work, he says. Amongst his contemporaries, he deeply admires the work of Swapan Parekh. He stresses on the importance of the edit. Show your cards one at a time, almost like a movie, he says. 106

The Notes of Silence

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Amit Mehras photos are as much a collection of his personal observations, asthey are an understanding of human psyche. Raj Lalwani finds out.
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PHOTOFEATURE

Mahesh Shantaram Talks about his favourite photo

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Roman Vishniac The many lives of the legendary storyteller

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Sayed Asif Mahmud Profile The grim reality of the tobacco industry

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mit Mehras Kashmir is as much of a conversation with the land, as it is a personal monologue between the photographer and his thoughts. It is a kind of work that made several thoughts run concurrently through my mind, when I saw it in Delhis Photoink gallery, on two consecutive days. One viewing is not enough.

A Bunch of Pauses
As someone who loves photography and writing, I constantly seek to draw parallels between the two. Images are often like punctuationthe dramatic ones are like exclamation marks and the connecting photos in an essay, like commas. Amitswork in Kashmir, though, is like a bunch of ellipses. Three dots that make you wonder what lies next... whether something is about to happen. Somewhere along the way, a photo or two later, the punctuation changes to a question mark. The frame draws you in, and makes you wonder, makes you ponder. When you are talking about an issue as layered as Kashmir, there are no right answers. Amit consciously decided that he wasnt looking for any. A photographer is only a witness. He is not a judge, he says. He is not there to change any opinion. Butif his body can create a debate, a dialogue, a discourse, that is the greatest reward.

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Finding the Vision

The manner in which we perceive a place, if we havent experienced it for ourselves, often depends on the way it is represented in photos. Any media coverage or references to Kashmir, for instance, are either about its magical vistas or the political conflict. When Amit started this project, he found himself falling into the same trap. Myphotos were getting stuck into the realm of the obvious. A friend of mine recommended that I visit Kashmir without a camera. Iwas not sure how to react. Iwondered whata photographer would do, travelling without his eyes. But Amit mulled over the suggestion and went back, not as a photographer, but a fellow human being. Ispent days just observing silently, from a distance. Ispent time at chai tapris and just indulged in conversations. There was no camera that was blocking my vision, he said.
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Amits photos in Kashmir are a rejection of the beautiful, with an eerie sense of silence thatenvelopes.
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G adg e ts & G e a r In the age of automation, Amit is a strong believer that the choice of lens is the most important factor that will influence your pictures. He loves the 35mm focal length.

Silence that Deafens

Silent photos have always fascinated me, but in Amits work, the quietude is not one of calm. It is almost eerie, filled with silent cries and a sense of dread. You seem to hear whispers, but dont really know where they come from. I wanted to bring out the kind of pain and alienation I felt, staying in Kashmir. My work is not about azaadi, but about the common man and his feelings. It is not about whose side you are on. There are equal number of wounds on all sides, filled with regret and suspicion.

Aftermath of a Love Affair

For me, the body of work is fascinating because the tension has been portrayed without any gimmickry, within the realm of traditional documentary photography. Amit seems to play with visual motifs, with barriers within the frame portraying the psychological distance between him and his subjects. He isnt exactly an insider, not quite an outsider. The faceless entities, play of space and the muted colours make the photographs cold and unsettling. It is like a love affair gone wrong. Amit says, When you start living in a conflict zone, you get so deeply affected that it changes the way you see. I saw a thicket of trees, and the branches stretching out, resembled hands. To me, it looked as if even the trees were protesting to what has happened to the land. The unsettled frame dominates a large part of this work, almost as if something made Amit want to shake things up.

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Uncomfortable and Numb

Just around this time, a nanny brought his daughter, Naazo. We paused our conversation as Amit broke out into a broad smile, with all the pain seeming to get lifted. But as we sat awhile later, he spoke of times that he would play with his daughter in his head. I had grown silent myself. I had forgotten how to make regular conversation. That is why I ended the project in 2011. Myvision was growing narrower. Ihad to undergo counselling for awhile.

The Need for Debate

If an honest photographer who throws himself into his subject can get so affected, one can only speculate how numb someone who belongs to the region would be.
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One of his favourite spots in Kashmir, Amit made several visits to this tree, to finally make this photograph.

Amitsays that as Indians, we need to be a lot more warm towards Kashmiris. We say that Kashmir humaara hai. Sure, that is the reality, it is ours, but you cant force anything, can you? Thodimohabbat toh dikhaiye (show a little love, at least). Photographic considerations left aside, Kashmir is an important body of work that needs to be seen, appreciated, criticised, questioned and debated. It is the only way one can create more awareness, more empathy. In fact, Amit strongly believes that a photographers work must go beyond the photographic fraternity.

That is why he felt the book demanded a different edit, as compared to the exhibition. Ghalibs poetry was complex, but he also had some simple lines, which the tawaifs and fakirs would identify with. Earlier, my journey would end at the ecstatic moment of having got the frame. This was the first time I was involved in the entire bookmaking process. It is like having a baby, he says.

The Octopus
It is difficult to imagine that the bystander who has carved silent whispers in Kashmir
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It is not about azaadi, not about whose side you are on. It is just about trying to understand the human psyche.

He believes that the suffering is of the collective, and individual faces often distract fromthat reality.

is the same photographer who shot the exuberant India: A Timeless Celebration. Amits older book was much appreciated, but Ipersonally didnt connect with it asmuch. Amit half smiles at my opinion and says, I will redo that book some day. Iam a different person now, after Kashmir. Out of

the 70 pictures in the book you are talking about, I think only seven or eight stand the test of time. Itis very important for a photographer to be ruthless about his own work. With an ongoing project that traces the roots of Sufism, Amit likes to keep his

Metaphors surround his work, with intermingling wires depicting the tangled lives of the people.

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The omnipresence of graveyards and animals gives an unsettling Kafkaesque feel tothephotos.

canvas large. But he has also been revisiting the house where he grew up, in old Delhi. A typical day often involves a commercial architectural shoot early morning, a visit to Nizamuddin dargah after that and a portrait of a friend at night. I am like an octopus

who likes to deal with different things at the same time. You can probably call me a schizophrenic photographer. To see Amits other work, you can visit his website, www.amitmehra.com.

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The portraits within this work have a weird sense of intimacy combined with distance.

Tips by AMIT Be open to different experiences. I have learnt from flowers that jitna khuloge, utna khiloge. A subject may often take a year or two to just reveal its nuances. But always have a time frame in your head, or you may lose focus. Make prints. It will help you put your work in perspective.
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My Best Shot

Mahesh Shantaram

Why it is my best shot What does one say about water and electronics? Not much as not many devices live to tell the tale. I was firing the flash in complete darkness before it stopped working. Despite all the chaos happening right in the middle of the sea, I still managed to get thisphotograph. Where and when I shot this image This couple had planned a crazy two-day beach wedding in Goa just before Christmas 2011. It was packed with plenty of surprises to keep guests and photographers on their toes at all times. The highlight of the event was the grand finale where they dragged their family members into the sea, in full wedding attire! How I achieved it It all happened very quickly and I was not fully prepared for this picture. In fact a lady guest even helped me get to the shore. I owe the exciting feel of this shot to the videographer and his halogen lamp. Hewas, for once, behind the scene instead of in front of it. Four shots with an external flashgun into the splash fest and the game was over for me. The saline water got in contact with the cameras hotshoe and Icould not shootanymore. The gear I used to get the shot For any wedding scenario, I use a Nikon D3S along with Nikkor 2470mm f/2.8G ED and Nikon SB-900 Speedlight. Bengaluru-based Mahesh Shantaram is a documentary and wedding photographer who is known for his storytelling approach. With a diploma in photography from the Speos Institute in Paris, he is also a member of the international Wedding Photo JournalistsAssociation.

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Roman Vishniac
(18971990)

Ambarin Afsar tells you about the extraordinary experiences of Roman Vishniac, a versatile photographer, microbiologist, art collector and teacher.
he location is a concentration camp where Jews await deportation to Poland. Theyear is 1938. It is the dead of night. Aman jumps out from the second floor of a building. He creeps away, avoiding broken glass and barbed wire. He has with him photographs that prove the existence of these camps, photos that he will send to the League of Nations. This man is Roman Vishniac.

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Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, Vishniac Portrait Studio, New York, early 1950s. 114

The Story So Far

But, the story doesnt begin here. It begins in 1897, when a boy is born to a wealthy Jewish family in a country house in Russia. Thisboy has a reasonably privileged childhood, he is gifted a camera and a microscope at the age of seven. He uses these to make microphotographs of tiny insects. Thefamily lives in Moscow at a time when most Jews have been expelled.

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All photographs copyright Mara Vishniac Kohn. Images courtesy: The International Center of Photography

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Window cleaner, Berlin, mid-1930s.

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His photos guided the visual interpretation of Schindlers List. - Yoshefa Loshitzky, Editor, Spielbergs Holocaust

Theboy grows up to a university education and doctorates in Zoology and Oriental Art.

(little Jewish towns) in Eastern Europe, to help raise funds. And so, he sets out.

A Commission Comes His Way

Troubled by blatant discrimination, the family moves to Berlin. In 1935, when anti-Semitism is gaining an ugly hold over Germany, Vishniac is commissioned by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to document life in the shtetlekh

Being Jolted into Reality

These shtetlekhs shocked the young man with an affluent background. Vishniacdiscovered that there were places where Jews werent allowed to own cameras. Inother places, they were only allowed to buy two rolls of film at a time. Boy with kindling in basement dwelling, Krochmalna Street, Warsaw, Poland, approximately 193538.

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People didnt always welcome him. Hewas an outsider, and to many, his photography seemed to violate the Torahs prohibition against engraved images.

The Escapades of a Young Gun

This quest took him to the shtetlekh of Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, and so on. Persecution grew each day. Vishniac learned to disguise himself as a travelling fabric salesman and would bribe anyone who got in his way. He would hide a Rolleiflex beneath his coat for outdoor photos, and would even conceal a Leica in a scarf wrapped around his neck. Gradually, he learned to use a kerosene lamp in low light situations, keeping his back to a wall for support, and holding his breath.

Vishniac A Wish to Preserve Memories and Faces displayed a After completing his commission, Vishniac rare depth of decided to continue the project on his own. understanding Decades later, he said, I felt it was my duty and a native sons to preserve a world that might cease to exist. I wanted to save the faces. I especially warmth and love wanted to take pictures of children, since for hispeople. Hitler eventually killed more children than - Edward Steichen old people. He wanted to destroy the young.
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Interior of the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway terminus near Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany, late 1920searly 1930s.

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Recalcitrance, Berlin, Germany, 1926.

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Despite his precautions, he was detained 11 times on the suspicion of espionage.

A Haven in New York

After many near escapes, his family fled to New York in 1940. Out of the 16,000 images made in Eastern Europe, only 2000 photos reached America. In 1983, two hundred of these photos were published in an iconic

People behind bars, Berlin Zoo, Germany early 1930s.

book titled A Vanished World. Life returned to normal and Vishniac , to microphotography. He passed away in 1990. This year, the International Center for Photography has made available to the public the unseen images of a man who put his life on the line. Vishniacs story tells us that heroes are born not only out of adversity, but out of their desire to preserve life and its essence.

I met him in 1966, and discovered how undiscovered hewas. - Cornell Capa

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A selection of some of the best images from the Indian mainstream media

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Rajendra Gawankar,
DNA

The Way it Should be Played!

Despite the scorching heat, a group of young boys are seen enjoying a game of cricket in Thane, Maharashtra. The sheer exuberance and thrill of the game is evident in the expressive silhouettes of the boys.

Too Crowded to Breathe

On 25 February, a stampede-like situation took place in the general compartment of the Sampark Kranti Express at Anand Vihar Terminal in New Delhi. By photographing a similar situation, the photographer throws light on the difficulties faced by commuters on a dailybasis. Money Sharma,
DNA
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Vishal Srivastav,
The Indian Express

The Long Road Ahead

On 26 January, thousands of devotees crossed the pontoon bridges at Sangam, Allahabad for the Paush Purnima Shahi Snan, a religious bath on the day of the full moon at the Maha Kumbh Mela. The frame is mesmerising, forming an endless view of bridges and pilgrims. Sanjay Hadkar,
The Times of India

An Epic Journey
Over 15,000 flamingos fly thousands of kilometers to reach the marshlands surrounding Mumbai and Navi Mumbai every winter. This image, though serene, is also a reminder of how dozens of them die when they hit the high tension electric cables that power the city. 121

APRIL 2013

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Photo
Feature

Sayed Asif Mahmud is a documentary photographer based in Bangladesh. A graduate from Pathshala, South Asian Media Institute, he portrays issues in the urban environment around him with a very personal perspective. You can see his work at www. sayedasifmahmud.com.

Tobacco Tales
Sayed Asif Mahmud documents the cycle of destruction of people and environment, a bizarre reality in the tobacco industry of Bangladesh.

122

he 100-odd beedi factories of Bangladesh are known to dehumanise people to mere tools of the trade. At the same time, the environment is stripped naked for money. A stretch of 80km on either side of the river Matamuhuri is under tobacco cultivation in spite of an injunction by a district court on its cultivation. Thisamounts to 80%of all arable lands in the Bandarban district ofBangladesh. Beedi is a locally produced cigarette made of tobacco flakes rolled in tree leaves.

Asingle pack consists of 25 sticks and costs 6 Taka (approx. Rs. 4). Several people work at the same time in dark, poorly ventilated, cramped factories without any protective equipment. Most of the workers are women and children. Employingthem is profitable for the owners as they are paid a minimal amount and at times, no salary. This photoessay depicts the story of the workforce in this industry. Their lives are similar to this tale which is a continuous cycle of lush green forests being crushed to golden tobacco dust.

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P h o t o F e at u r e

123

Reports suggest that 50 million beedis are produced annually in 117 factories acrossBangladesh.
april 2013 Better Photography

P h o t o F e at u r e

124

Children working in the factories start smoking at an early age because of easy access.

Beedi workers often work long hours in inhuman conditions exposed to tobacco dustandchemicals.
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Forests are being cut down to be used as firewood for curing tobaccoleaves.
april 2013

P h o t o F e at u r e

Last year, three workers were shot dead during a protest demandingan approx Rs.1.50 increase in theirwages.

Child labour is rampant in these factories. There are more children working as labourers than those studying inschools.

Tips on Documenting Issues Related to Human Rights

Workers from different ages and classes will have different issues. Explore their daily routine and capture all aspects of their difficulties. Getting access can be the biggest challenge when documenting sensitive issues. Buildcontacts, approach related NGOs and contact journalists working in the area to shoot without difficulty. Respect your subjects right to privacy. Do not shoot images that will reveal their identity if they do not want you to. It might put their lives at risk.

Family members of the workers often settle close to the industries in spite of the health and environmental hazards. 125

april 2013

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Y ourPictures

Want your photographs showcased? Send in your photographs to

The Editor, Better Photography, Network18 Publishing, Ruby House, A Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai-400 028, India Email: entries@betterphotography.in

128

Tones of Green
Debashis Tarafder, Kolkata
From where I was standing, the entire tea plantation was magnificently green. Afew women were picking leaves. When one of them was distinctively clear, Ireleased the shutter. Camera: Nikon D200 Lens: Nikkor 18200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Aperture: f/8 Shutterspeed: 1/125sec ISO: 200
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mp a ar ric lh2 0 21 03 13

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Yo u r P i c t u r e s

Burst of Light
Baiju Abraham, Bengaluru
I was shooting at Cubbon Park in Bengaluru one winter morning when I noticed the effect of sunrays. Tome, the presence of a person amidst the rays of light brought a sense of solitude and loneliness in thisframe. Camera: Nikon D3100 Lens: Nikkor 1855mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Aperture: f/5.6 Shutterspeed: 1/250sec ISO: 100

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Dive into the Sea

Saran G S, Thiruvananthapuram
While walking along a bridge, a group of children caught my attention. They were about to jump into the sea fearlessly. Iphotographed them while they were still in midair. Camera: Nikon D90 Lens: Nikkor 18105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Aperture: f/5 Shutterspeed: 1/800sec ISO: 200

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april 2013

Returning Home
Sumanta Podder, Kolkata
It was the weekend after Holi in Pandabeswar, West Bengal, where the villagers participated in singing folk songs all night. I made this picture when these women were returning home the next morning. The zigzag appearance of the blue river and the man sitting afar lost in thought made this frame an interestingone. Camera: Nikon D3100 Lens: Sigma 70300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro Aperture: f/8 Shutterspeed: 1/25sec ISO: 100

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A Scenic View
Varun Bondwal, Hyderabad
The view from the Black Mountain Tower in Australia was breathtaking. Iwanted to include the river, land and sky in the frame. The curve of the railing further inspired me to try thiscomposition. Camera: Canon EOS 600D Lens: Sigma 1020mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Aperture: f/10 Shutterspeed: 1/160sec ISO: 200

april 2013

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ted Upda st smo

India hensive e compr s guide r buye

BuyersGuide
These cameras offer serious enthusiasts many features like speed, great image quality, and the option of changing lenses. Dimensions (mm) Shutterspeed (sec) Weight (Grams) Storage Media Price-Body only (Rs.) Sensor Size (mm) Resolution (MP) 25,295 K 29,990 K 30,995 1,24,995 56,295 35,990 55995 2,06,950 87,995 4,29,995 49,995 72,009 1,04,999 2,89,950 84,950 24,250 32,250 5,24,950 3,49,950 34,450 41,450 135,950 1,29,950 64,450 1,69,950 1,84,950 43,450 24,950K 38,950K 24,990 K 34,990 K 41,990 K 44,990 K 66,990 10.1 12.2 18 20.2 18 18 18 22 18 18 18 16.3 16.3 12.1 12.3 14.2 24.2 24.5 16.2 16.2 24.1 24.3 12.1 16.2 36.3 36.3 12.3 10.1 10.1 12.3 12.3 12.3 16 16 16 12.1 12.1 16 14.6 16.1 22.2 22 22.3 35.8 22.3 22.3 22.3 36 22.3 36 22.3 23.6 23.6 36 23.6 23.1 23.1 35.9 36 23.6 23.5 35.9 36 23.6 35.9 35.9 23.6 13.2 13.2 18 18 18 17.3 18 17.3 17.3 12.1 17.3 23.4 23.4 14.8 14.7 14.9 CMOS CMOS CMOS 100-1600 100-3200 100-6400 30-1/4000 30-1/4001 30-1/4000 Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF Canon EF-M Fujifilm X Fujifilm X Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon F Nikon CX Nikon CX Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Samsung NX Mount Sony A 450 495 530 675 675 515 575 950 820 NA 262 350 450 1240 840 455 505 1260 1340 509 505 850 995 690 1000 1000 620 277 383 265 313 369 325 425 392 265 267 272 353 448 126.1 97.5 61.9 77.9 75.3 71.2 78.6 79.7 78.8 76.4 73.5 82.7 32.3 38.3 42.5 87.5 74 74.5 76.5 88 90.5 78.7 78 82 77 77 81.5 81.5 77 29.8 43.5 34 37.3 34.3 38.2 43 75.8 32.8 37 39 39.8 84.7 85 75 87 80 85 79 Jan 13 Jun 12 Sep 10 Aug 09 July 12 May 12 Aug 10 90 Dec 08 87 90 91 Nov 12 Oct 08 Jan11 90 95 91 90 83 96 93 83 Jun 12 Jan 10 Nov 09 Nov 10 July 12 Mar 09 May 12 Jun 11 87 82 81 90 93 Jan 11 Jun 10 Sep 12 Jun 12 Dec 09 86 88 86 Sep 08 May 11 May 10 129.9 99.7 128.8 97.5 23.9 CMOS 14.9 14.9 14.9 24 14.9 24 14.9 15.6 15.6 CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS 100-25600 30-1/4000 100-6400 100-6401 100-6400 30-1/8000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 144.5 110.5 144.5 105.8 133.1 133.1 152 133.1 99.8 116.4 Review Month Lens Thread Sensor Type MicroDrive Iso Range Rating (%) CF Type II Micro SD CF Type I Breadth Length Height Depth SDHC Width MMC SD xD

Cameras
Interchangeable Lens Camera
Camera Name Canon EOS 1000D Canon EOS 1100D Canon EOS 550D Canon EOS 6D Canon EOS 60D Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 650D Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS 1D X Canon EOS M Fujifilm X-E1 Fujifilm X-Pro1 Nikon D3S Nikon D300S Nikon D3100 Nikon D3200 Nikon D3X Nikon D4 Nikon D5100 Nikon D5200 Nikon D600 Nikon D700 Nikon D7000 Nikon D800 Nikon D800E Nikon D90 Nikon 1 J1 Nikon 1 V1 Olympus PEN E-PM1 Olympus PEN E-PL3 Olympus PEN E-P3 Olympus PEN E-PL5 Olympus OM-D E-M5

100-25600 30-1/8000 200-6400 100-51200 100-12800 200-6400 200-6400 30-1/8000 30-1/8000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000

148.2 110.7 158 163.6

108.6 66.5 129 74.9

139.5 81.8 159.5 157 147 124 125 160 160 128 129 141 147 132 146 146 132 106 113 114 96 96 157 156.5 96.9 98 113 123 105 123 123 103 61 76

23.9 CMOS 15.8 15.4 15.4 24 CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS

200-12800 30-1/8000 200-6400 100-3200 100-6400 100-3200 100-12800 100-6400 100-6400 100 - 6400 200-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-3200 100-3200 30-1/8000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/8000 30-1/8000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/8000 30-1/8000 30-1/8000 30-1/8000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000

23.9 CMOS 15.6 15.6 24 CMOS CMOS CMOS

23.9 CMOS 15.6 24 24 15.8 8.8 8.8 13.5 13.5 13.5 13 13.5 13 13 13.0 13 15.6 15.6 CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS Live MOS CMOS CMOS

200-12800 60-1/4000 200-12800 60-1/4000 200-12800 60-1/4000 200-25600 60-1/4000

109.5 63.7 109.5 63.7 122 110.6 122 124 69.1 63.7 89 89.6

200-12800 60-1/4000 160-12800 100-6400 100-6400 160-12800 100-3200 100-16000 60-1/4000 60-1/4000 60-1/4000 60-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2 1,09,990 Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF2 29,990 Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF5 40,990 Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX1 45,900 K Samsung NX10 Sony Alpha 37 44,990 K 35,990 K

112.8 67.8 108 116 123 67 68 87

124.4 92

BP Recommended, NA: Not Applicable, NR: Not Reviewed, K: Price with Kit Lens (Mount C: Canon, M: Minolta, N: Nikon, Q: Manual Film Cameras, S: Sigma, So: Sony, X: Fujifilm)
Better Photography april 2013

Using the BP Buyers Guide:

This directory is a handy reference to more than 500 products from 15 manufacturers currently available in the Indian market. You will find information on various cameras, lenses, flashes, tripods, and tripod heads. If you wish to read in-depth reviews of these products, refer to the Review Month. Products have been listed in an alphabetical order for easy reference, and all the relevant information related to the product category is available alongside.

500+ products listed here

Storage Media Review Month Aug 12 May 12 Dec 10 Review Month MicroDrive Rating (%) 84 84 86 Rating CF Type II Micro SD CF Type I

Interchangeable Lens Camera

Price-Body only (Rs.) Resolution (MP) Camera Name

DLSRs offer serious enthusiasts a host of shooting features, speed, good image quality, and the option of changing lenses. Dimensions (mm) Weight (Grams)

Shutterspeed (sec)

Sensor Size (mm) Sensor Type

Lens Thread

Iso Range

Breadth

Breadth

Length

Length

Height

SDHC

Sony Alpha 57 Sony Alpha 65 Sony Alpha 77 Sony Alpha 99 Sony Alpha NEX-3 Sony Alpha NEX-5 Sony Alpha NEX-7

45,990 K 59, 990 K 69,990 1,79,270 19,990 K 24,990 K 79,990 K

16.1 24.3 24.3 24.3 14.2 14.2 24.3

23.5 23.5 23.5 35.8 23.4 23.4 23.4

15.6 15.6

CMOS CMOS

100-12800 100-16000 100-16000

30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000

Sony A Sony A Sony A Sony A Sony E Sony E Sony E

539 543 653 812 297 287 291

132.1 132.1

97.5 97.5

80.7 80.7 80.9 78 33 38 42.6

25.6 CMOS 23.8 CMOS 15.6 15.6 15.6 CMOS CMOS CMOS

142.6 104 147 117 111 119.9 111 63 59 66.9

100-25600 30-1/8000 200-12800 30-1/4000 200-12800 30-1/4000 100-16000 30-1/4000

Advanced Compact Camera

A bridge between DSLRs and compact cameras, these cameras allow you to shoot in RAW and/or have a hot shoe for an external flashgun. Focal Range in mm (35mm equivalent) Maximum Image Size Sensor Size (Inches) Storage Media Shutter Speed (Sec) External Hot shoe

Aperture Range

Resolution (MP)

Breadth (Pixels)

Length (Pixels)

Camera Name

Raw Shooting

Memory Stick

Canon Powershot G1X Canon PowerShot G12 Canon PowerShot SX50HS Canon PowerShot SX40HS Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR Fujifilm X10 Fujifilm XF1 Fujifilm X-S1 Fujifilm FinePix X100 Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Olympus XZ-1

47,995 31,995 29,995 22,995 24,995 26,999 44,999 33,988 59,999 76,999 22,950 26,990

14.3 10 12.1 12.1 14.1 16 12 12 12 12.3 10.1 10.1 14.1 14.1 10.1 20.2

4352 3648 4000 4000 4320 4608 4000 4000 4000 4288 3648 3648 4320 4320 3648 5472

2904 2736 3000 3000 3240 3456 3000 3000 3000 2848 2736 2736 3240 3240 2736 3648

1.5 1/1.7 2.8 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2 2/3 2/3 2/3 APS-C 1/1.7 1/1.63 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1

28-112 28-140 4.3-215 24-120 24-840 24-720 28-112 25-100 24-624 35 28-200 28-112 25-600 25-600 24-90 28-100

100-12800 80-3200 80 - 6400 100-3200 80-1600 100-12800 100-3200 100-3200 100-3200 100-12800 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 80-12,800 80-6400

60-1/4000 15-1/4000 15 - 1/2000 15-3200 15-1/3200 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 60-1/4000 60-1/200 60-1/2000 60-1/2000 60-1/4000 30-1/2000

f/2.8-16 f/2.8-8 f/3.4-8 f/2.7-8 f/2.7-8 f/2.8-5.6 f/2-2.8 f/1.8-4.9 F/2.8-11 f/2 f/2.8 - 8 f/1.8-2.5 f/2.8-5.2 f/2.8-5.2 f/2-8 f/1.8-f/11

Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No Yes No

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion

MS Pro Duo

Price (Rs.)

CF Type II

CF Type I

Battery

SDHC

MMC

Iso

SD

xD

MMC

SD

175

85

Dec 11

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 20,990 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 29,990 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 29,990 34,990

A Few Things to Think of Before You Buy

1. 2. 3. 4. Always remember that your cameras, lenses and accessories are all tools: The picture is eventually made by you. Perfect composition, using light well, and capturing just the right moment is far more important than the kind of camera you use. Some of the worlds most renowned photographers use very basic equipment to capture the most beautiful frames. The photography you do most dictates the kind of equipment you buy: There is no reason to purchase equipment for things you intend to do in the future or just because it seems to be a good buy. Photographic equipment improves in quality and technology every few months. When you feel continuously constrained by what you have: First, try moving beyond your constraints by using every possible feature and function of your existing equipment, and by being creative. Once you exhausted your options, it is time to make your next purchase. Spend on the right accessories: While you can make your own accessories, some of them are quite important for a serious photographer. For instance, spend on a light but sturdy tripod, or a good set of creative filters, or a small flashgun, or a lenshood. They will radically improve your photography and offer you a range of creative techniques you can try out with them.
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april 2013

BP Buyers Guide
Basic Compact Camera
This compact shooting device offers automation and numerous creative features for basic, everyday shooting situations. Maximum Image Size Sensor Size (Inches) Storage Media Focal Range in mm (35mm equivalent) Shutter Speed (Sec) Breadth (Pixels)

Aperture Range

Resolution (MP)

Length (Pixels)

Camera Name

Canon Digital IXUS 115 HS Canon Digital IXUS 1100 HS Canon Digital IXUS 125 HS Canon Digital IXUS 220 HS Canon Digital IXUS 230 HS Canon Digital IXUS 240 HS Canon Digital IXUS 310 HS Canon Digital IXUS 510 HS Canon PowerShot A1200 Canon PowerShot A2200 Canon PowerShot A2300 Canon PowerShot A2400 IS Canon PowerShot A3200 IS Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Canon PowerShot A3400 IS Canon PowerShot A4000 IS Canon PowerShot A800

8,495 12,995 16995 10,995 13,995 18995 10,995 22,995 4,495 5,495 6995 7995 5,995 7,495 9995 11995 3,995 5995 9,995 19,995 22,995 5,499 5,999 5,499 6,499

12.1 12.1 16.1 12.1 12.1 16.1 12.1 10.1 12.1 14.1 16 16 14.1 16 16 16 10 16 14.1 12.1 12.1 14 14 14 14 12 12

4000 4000 4608 4000 4000 4608 4000 3648 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000 3648 4000 4000 4000 4000 4288 4288 4288 4288 4000 4000 4608 4608 4608 4608 4608 4288 4288 4288 4288 4000 4288 4288 4288 4288

3000 3000 2592 3000 3000 2592 3000 2048 3000 3240 3456 3456 3240 3456 3456 3456 2736 3456 3240 3000 3000 3216 3216 3216 3216 3000 3000 3456 3456 3456 3456 3456 3216 3216 3216 3216 3000 3216 3216 3216 3216

1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3

28-112 28-336 24-120 24-120 28-224 24-120 24-105 28-336 28-112 28-112 28-140 28-140 28-140 28-140 28-140 28-224 37-122 28-140 28-336 28-392 28-392 32-96 33-165 33-165 27-270 27-270 24-360 24-360 24-360 24-360 24-720 24-720 36-108 28-140 26-130 25-200 28-504 28-504 28-504 24-624 24-720

80-1600 100-1600 100-3200 100-1600 100-1600 100-3200 100-3200 100-3200 80-1600 80-1600 100-1600 100-1600 80-1600 80-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-800 100-1600 80-1600 100-3200 100-3200 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-3200 100-3200 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 64-1600 100-1600 64-1600 100-1600 64-1600 64-1600

1-1/1500 1-1/4000 15-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 15-1/2000 1-1/1600 15-1/4000 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 15-1/2000 15-1/2000 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 15-1/2000 15-1/2000 1-1/2000 15-1/2000 1-1/2500 1-1/3200 1-1/3200 8-1/1400 8-1/1400 8-1/1400 8-1/1400 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 30-1/4000 30-1/4000 8-1/1400 8-1/1800 8-1/1400 8-1/2000 8-1/200 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000

f/2.8-8 f/3.4-6.3 f/2.7-17 f/2.7-8 f/3-9 f/2.7-17 f/2-8 f/3.4-9 f/2.8-8 f/2.8-8 f/2.8-20 f/2.8-20 f/2.8-8 f/2.8-8 f/2.8-20 f/3-18 f/3-9 f/2.8-20 f/2.8-8 f/3.1-8 f/3.1-8 f/2.9-5.2 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.6 f/3.5-5.3 f/3.5-5.3 f/3.5-5.3 f/3.5-5.3 f/2.8-5.6 f/2.8-5.6 f/2.9-5.2 f/2.6-6.2 f/3.5-6.3 f/2.9-5.9 f/3.1-5.6 f/3.1-5.6 f/3.1-5.6 f/3.1-5.9 f/3.1-5.9

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA AA AA AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA AA AA AA AA

176

Canon PowerShot A810 Canon PowerShot SX150 IS Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Canon PowerShot SX260 HS Fujifilm FinePix AV200 Fujifilm FinePix AX300 Fujifilm FinePix AX500 Fujifilm FinePix AX550 Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR Fujifilm FinePix F300EXR Fujifilm FinePix F500EXR Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR Fujifilm FinePix HS25EXR Fujifilm FinePix JV200 Fujifilm FinePix JX300 Fujifilm FinePix JX500 Fujifilm FinePix JZ100 Fujifilm FinePix S2500HD Fujifilm FinePix S2950 Fujifilm FinePix S2980 Fujifilm FinePix S3300 Fujifilm FinePix S4000

18,999

16 16 16 16 16

6,499 7,499

14 14 14

8,499

14 12.2

10,999

14 14

15999 18,999

14 14

BP Recommended, NA: Not Applicable, NR: Not Reviewed, K: Price with Kit Lens (Mount C: Canon, M: Minolta, N: Nikon, Q: Manual Film Cameras, S: Sigma, So: Sony, X: Fujifilm)
Better Photography april 2013

Review Month

Memory Stick

MS Pro Duo

Price (Rs.)

Iso Range

CF Type II

CF Type I

Battery

Rating

SDHC

MMC

SD

xD

Basic Compact Camera

Resolution (MP) Camera Name

This compact shooting device offers automation and numerous creative features for basic, everyday shooting situations. Sensor Size (Inches) Shutter Speed (Sec) Maximum Image Size Breadth (Pixels) Length (Pixels) Storage Media Aperture Range Review Month

Focal Range in mm (35mm equivalent)

Memory Stick

MS Pro Duo

Price (Rs.)

Iso Range

CF Type II

CF Type I

Battery

Fujifilm FinePix S4200 Fujifilm FinePix S4500 Fujifilm FinePix SL260 Fujifilm FinePix SL300 Fujifilm FinePix T200 Fujifilm FinePix T350 Fujifilm FinePix Z800EXR Fujifilm FinePix Z900EXR Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Nikon COOLPIX P500 Nikon COOLPIX P300 Nikon COOLPIX P310 Nikon COOLPIX P500 Nikon COOLPIX P510 Nikon COOLPIX P7000 Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Nikon COOLPIX P7700 Nikon COOLPIX S1200Pj Nikon COOLPIX S2500 Nikon COOLPIX S2600 Nikon COOLPIX S30 Nikon COOLPIX S100 Nikon COOLPIX S9100 Nikon COOLPIX S9200 Nikon COOLPIX S9300 Nikon COOLPIX S8200 Nikon COOLPIX S6200 Nikon COOLPIX S6300 Nikon COOLPIX S6400 Nikon COOLPIX S800c Nikon COOLPIX S8100 Nikon COOLPIX S6150 Nikon COOLPIX S4150 Nikon COOLPIX S4300 Nikon COOLPIX S3100 Nikon COOLPIX L120 Nikon COOLPIX L24 Nikon COOLPIX L23 Nikon COOLPIX L25 Nikon COOLPIX L26 Nikon COOLPIX L310 26,999 20,950 14,950 16,950 20,950 23,950 19,950 22,950 24,950 14,950 5,950 5,950 4,990 12,950 18,950 15,950 16,950 15,450 10,950 9,950 12,950 20,950 13,450 9,950 7,950 7,950 6,950 13,950 5,450 4,490 4,490 5,450 11,950 11,999

14 14 14 14 14 14 16 14 10 12.1 12.2 16.1 12.1 16.1 10.1 10.1 12.2 14.1 12 14 10.1 16 12.1 16 16 16.1 16 16 16 16 12.1 16 14 16 14.0 14.1 14.0 10.1 10.1 14.1 14

4288 4288 4288 4288 4288 4288 4608 4608 3648 4000 4000 4608 4000 4608 4608 3264 4000 4320 4000 4320 3648 4608 4000 4608 4608 4608 4608 4608 4608 4608 4000 4608 4320 4608 4320 4320 4320 3648 4000 4320 4320

3216 3216 3216 3216 3216 3216 3456 3456 2736 3000 3000 3456 3000 3456 3456 2448 3000 3240 3000 3240 2736 3456 3000 3456 3456 3456 3456 3456 3456 3456 3000 3456 3240 3456 3240 3240 3240 2736 3000 3240 3240

1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2 1/2 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/1.7 1/1.7 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1//3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.9 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3

24-576 24-720 24-720 24-576 24-720 28-280 28-140 35-175 35-105 22.5-810 24-100 24-100 22.5-810 24-1000 28-200 28-200 28-200 28-140 27-108 26-130 29.1-87.3 35-175 25-450 24-450 25-450 25-350 28-196 25-250 25-300 25-250 25-300 28-196 26-130 25-156 26-130 25-525 37-134 28-140 28-140 26-130 37-134

64-1600 64-1600 64-1600 64-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-3200 100-3200 100-1600 160-3200 160-3200 100-3200 160-3200 100-3200 100-6400 100-1600 80-3200 80-6400 80-3200 80-3200 80-1600 125-3200 160-3200 125-1600 125-1600 100-3200 80-3200 125--3200 125--3200 125--3200 160-3200 80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 80-6400 80-1600 80-1600 80-1600 80-1600 80-1600

8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 8-1/2000 1-1/1000 2-1/1500 4-1/2000 1-1/2000 2-1/1500 1-1/4000 60-1/4000 1-1/4000 1-1/4000 1-1/1500

f/3.1-5.9 f/3.1-5.9 f/3.1-5.9 f/3.1-5.9 f/3.1-5.9 f/3.4-5.6 f/3.4-5.6 f/3.9-4.7 f/3.7-8 f/3.5-5.7 f/1.8-4.9 f/1.8-4.9 f/3.5-5.7 f/3-5.9 f/2.8-8 f/2.8-5.6 f/2-4 f/3.9-5.8 f/3.2-5.9

AA AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion

Rating

SDHC

MMC

SD

xD

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1-1//2000 1-1//2000 1-1/1500 1/1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/1600 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000

f/3.2-6.5 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.9-4.8 f/3.5-5.9 f/3.5-5.9 f/3.5-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.2-5.8 f/3.2-5.8 f/3.1-6.5 f/3.2-5.8 f/3.5-5.6

1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000

f/3.2-5.8 f/3.2-6.5 f/3.5-6.5 f/3.2-6.5 f/3.-5.8 f/3.1-6.7 f/2.7-6.8

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion AA Li-ion AA Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion

1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000

f/2.7-6.8 f/3.2-6.5 f/3.1-6.7

april 2013

Better Photography

BP Buyers Guide
Basic Compact Camera
Resolution (MP) Camera Name This compact shooting device offers automation and numerous creative features for basic, everyday shooting situations. Sensor Size (Inches) Shutter Speed (Sec) Maximum Image Size Breadth (Pixels) Length (Pixels) Storage Media Aperture Range Review Month april 2013 Focal Range in mm (35mm equivalent) Memory Stick MS Pro Duo Price (Rs.) Iso Range

CF Type II

CF Type I

Battery

Nikon COOLPIX L810 Nikon COOLPIX S01 Nikon COOLPIX AW100 Olympus SH-25MR Olympus SP-620UZ Olympus SP-720UZ Olympus SP-810UZ Olympus SZ-14 Olympus SZ-31MR Olympus VG-150 Olympus VG-160 Olympus VG-170 Olympus VR-350 Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5

13,950 9,950 14,950 21,990 12,990 12,990 12,990 16,990 25,990 4,990 6,490 8,990 9,990 5,990 6,990 7,990 8,990 11,990 9,990 10,990 15,990 17,990 17,990 27,990 8,900 12,400 6,400 15,990 6,490 8,490 11,990 14,900 7,900 12,400 12,900 15,900

10.1 10.1 16 16 14 14 14 14 16.0 12 14 14 16 12.1 14.1 14.1 16.1 16.1 14.1 16.1 14.1 14.1 12.1 12.1 16 16 14 16.1 14.2 14.2 14.2 14.2 16.1 16 14.2 14.2 10.1 12.1 12.1

3648 3648 4608 4608 4320 4320 4320 4320 4608 4000 4320 4320 4608 4000 4320 4320 4608 4608 4320 4608 4320 4320 4000 4000 4608 4608 4320 4608 4320 4320 4320 4320 4608 4608 4320 4320 3648 4000 4000

2736 2736 3456 3456 3240 3240 3240 3240 3456 3000 3240 3240 3456 3000 3240 3240 3456 3456 3240 3456 3240 3240 3000 3000 3456 3456 3240 3456 3240 3240 3240 3240 3456 3456 3240 3240 2736 3000 3000

1/2.9 1/2.9 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3

28-140 29-87 28-140 24-300 25-525 26-676 24-864 25-600 25-600 27-108 26-130 26-130 24-240 28-112 28-112 28-112 28-112 28-224 35-140 35-140 28-448 29-464 24-120 28-128

80-1600 80-1600 125-3200 100-6400 80-1600 80-1600 80-1600 80-1600 80-6400 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-1600 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 100-6400 80-1600 80-3200

1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/1500

f/2.7-6.8 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.9-4.8

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion

8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 8-1/1600 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/2000

f/3.1-6.5 f/3.1-6.5 f/3.1-6.5 f/3.1-6.5 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/2.5-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.5-5.9 f/2.5-6.3 f/3.5-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.5-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9 f/3.3-5.9

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3 Samsung DV100 Samsung DV300F Samsung ES90 Samsung MV800 Samsung PL20 Samsung PL120 Samsung PL210 Samsung SH100 Samsung ST66 Samsung ST200F Samsung WB150F Samsung WB700

27-135 26-130 27-135 26-130 27-270 26-130 26-416 24-384 25-500 27-870 36-105 35-105 28-112

80-3200 100-3200 80-1600 80-1600 80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 100-12800 100-12800 100-12800 100-3200 100-3200 100-3200

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2000 6,490 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W310 6,990 7,990

1-1/2000 1-1/2000 1-1/1600

f/3.1-5.6 f/3.1-5.6 f/3-5.8

AA AA Li-ion

Updated Indiasmost comprehensive buyers guide

BP Recommended, NA: Not Applicable, NR: Not Reviewed, K: Price with Kit Lens (Mount C: Canon, M: Minolta, N: Nikon, Q: Manual Film Cameras, S: Sigma, So: Sony, X: Fujifilm)
Better Photography

Rating

SDHC

MMC

SD

xD

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W320 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W360 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H90

9,990 11,990 12,990 14,990 22,990 14,990 13,990 12,990 14,990 24,990 13,990

14.1 14.1 14.1 10.2 10.2 10.2 14.1 14.1 14.1 9.1 16.1 18.2 18.2 18.2 14.1 14.1 14.1 16.1 16.1 16.1 18.2 18.2

4320 4320 4320 3648 3648 3648 4320 4320 4320 3456

3240 3240 3240 2736 2736 2736 3240 3240 3240 2592

1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.4 1/2.4 1/2.4 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.4 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3

26-105 26-105 26-105 35-140 25-100 24-120 24-120 34-238 25-250 28-560 28-140 28-140 25-500 27-870 28-140 28-140 28-140 25-250 25-125 26-156 25-125 25-125

80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 125-3200 125-3200 160-3200 80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 125-3200 100-3200 100-3200 100-3200 80-3200 100-3200 100-3200 100-3200 80-3200 80-3200 80-3200 100-12800 100-12800

1-1/1600 2-1/1600 2-1/1600 2-1/1250 2-1/1600 2-1/1600 2-1/1600 2-1/1600 30-1/1600 1-1/4000 30-1/1600 30-1/1600 30-1/1600 30-1/4000

f/2.7-5.7 f/2.7-5.7 f/2.7-5.7 f/3.5-7.1 f/3.5-4.6 f/2.4-5.9 f/2.4-5.9 f/3.6-5.6 f/3.5-8 f/2.8-8 f/2.6-8 f/3.3-8 f/3.2-8 f/2.8-8 f/3.2-9.1

Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion Li-ion 85 Aug 09 76 Apr 10 77 80 Dec 09 May 10

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 17,990 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S5000/B Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W610 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W620 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W630 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W670 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50 22,990 27,990 5,490 6,490 7,990 8,990 7,990 10,990 11,990

4320 4320 4320 4608 4608 4608 4608

3240 3240 3240 3456 3456 3456 3456

1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3 1/2.3

1-1/1600 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 1-1/1600 1-1/1600

f/2.8-8 f/2.8-5.9 F2.6-8.0 f/2.6-3.6 f/2.6-8 f 2.6-6.3 f/3.2-3.3

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 14,990

Camera Myths Busted!

The Best Cameras are the Most Expensive Ones: There is no best camera. Depending on the kind of photography you wish to do, a certain camera may be the most appropriate one for your needs. Higher the Megapixels, Better the Quality: A higher-megapixel camera is not
always better than a lower-megapixel one. The only thing that the megapixel count refers to, is the largest print size one can make using the camera. Even an 8MP camera is good enough to make an 12 X 18-inch print.

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There are times when simple facts about cameras and lenses are overlooked or misunderstood. We list out a few common myths that are often propagated by the marketing releases of camera manufacturers.
Digital is Better than Film... or Vice Versa: Both film and digital have their
advantages. While film offers better resolution and dynamic range, digital scores highly in terms of convenience and low light shooting.

Automatic Modes are Good Enough: Auto modes are reasonably intelligent and
can help make good pictures. However, if you wish to get really creative, you ought to look beyond the Auto mode.

Sensor Size Does Not Matter: A camera that has a larger sensor has larger pixel
sites, which basically ensures better quality, dynamic range, as well as better image quality at higher ISOsettings.

You Should Shoot Only in RAW: Shooting in RAW is a worthwhile option if you are able to spend a good amount of time, editing the images so that they can be converted to usable JPEG or TIFF files. Higher Frame Rates Are Needed for Action: You do not need an 8fps or 10fps to shoot sports and action. It is all about anticipation and timing. Moreover,the frame rate of a camera is not entirely indicative of its speed. Other factors like startup time, responsiveness, general ergonomics and AF speed are alsoimportant. You Need High Speed Storage: For most general users, even an Extreme III card is an overkill. Before you buy a new memory card, try borrowing memory cards of different speeds from friends. This will help you evaluate if a slower card really slows down your camera. Third-party Products are Inferior: Every company has some good and bad products. Sometimes, a third party lens may actually be superior to the one produced by the original camera company!

Compact Cameras Cannot Make Good Pictures: Some of the best photographs
in the world are shot with point-and-shoot cameras and even cell phones! Also,they are convenient and discreet.

Digital Zoom is Better: All that digital zoom does, is crop the image to a slightly closer frame, and interpolate causing a severe loss of image quality. Stabilisation Helps Shoot Sharper Images in Every Situation: Image Stabilisation
only reduces camera shake, and does not have any effect on motion blur. It does not freeze moving subjects.

You Need a High ISO Machine: If you are someone who enjoys shooting from dawn to dusk, an ISO setting up to 1600 is good enough for most situations.

april 2013

Better Photography

Caption This!

Provide a caption for this picture, photographed by Vivek Menon, to get a chance to win Camelion batteries and charger worth Rs.1455. The selected entry will be published in the May 2013 issue of BetterPhotography.

! Win

Last months winning entry

Peter Parker! Is that you? Kousik Bhowal, via SMS

181

Send your captions to

E-mail: entries@betterphotography.in, or SMS BP Apr <your caption> <your name> to 51818 (for eg. BP Apr Fly away with me Niharika Sen) Last date to receive entries

5 April 2013

B lo g o f t h e M o n t h

Did You Know?

A Constellation of Photographs
New Delhi-based photographer Akshay Bhoans blog Constellation Cafe is an interesting space that brings together photobooks, photographyrelated articles and conversations with different photographersall under one roof. An engineering graduate, Akshay is a selftaught documentary and editorial photographer. Unlikeother blogs where bloggers only promote their own work, Akshay presents content in a refreshing way. One of the sections on this blog is dedicated to photobooks. Under this section, Akshay lists down the photobooks that he has read or is currently reading. Eachpost is accompanied by a brief summary of what the book is about. Theyare not reviews but instead Akshays personal opinion about them. Apart from this, he includes a few photographs from the book, makingthe blog visually appealing. Youcan read a number of
april 2013

constellationcafe.wordpress.com

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

casual conversations between Akshay and various photographers on this blog. Theseinterviews are inspiring for anyone who likes exploring new work and is interested in reading experiences of others in the field of photography. Moreover, the blog offers so much new content that it will take more than one visit to fully appreciate Akshays efforts.

The First Camera Phone Was Invented in The Year 1997

On 11 June 1997, Philippe R Kahn, a technology innovator and entrepreneur built the first camera phone. Sittingbeside his wife who was in labour at a hospital, Philippe decided to put his laptop, cell phone and digital Phillipe Kahn camera to use. He hurriedly made a couple of trips to purchase soldering wire for the makeshift device. Just as his newborn daughter Sophie, arrived, Kahn was ready with the camera phone he had just made. Heinstantly made a picture of the baby girl and wirelessly shared it with over 2000 of his relatives. Kahn then created PictureMail, a system that would allow a cell phone to make a photo and email it to people.

M A RK E T SENSE

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Click, Click, Tweet, Tweet!

Supriya Joshi tweets about how Twitter can be a great tool for your photography business, apart from being a lot of fun.

T
Be etter t t e r P h o t o g rap raphy

witter has become a go-to social media network for a lot of people. But did you know that you, as a photographer, can use it to do great things with your business? In the spirit of the website, here are the secrets to harnessing the power of Twitter, in 140 characters or less.

Talk to Clients @ihateemails

Twitter can replace email, if you think about it. You can communicate with your clients on an immediate and personal level using Twitter. 3 days ago Retweeted by Better Photography

#Dont An Interesting Bio @betterphoto What one sees on your Twitter profile first #Hashtag is your bio, so make it interesting! You have #Everything 160 characters, so utilise them to the best. #On#Twitter! 2 secs

Make Contacts @betterphoto

Twitter lets you be in direct contact with your fellow photographers. Youcan network with the big guys as well as establish new contacts. 10 mins
april 2013

M ARK A RK ET E T SENSE

Showcase your Portfolio @checkmypix

You can use Twitter to display your work. Post photos regularly. It will reach a wider audience and make more people aware of your work. 12 mins Retweeted by Better Photography

Find Assignments @betterphoto

Keep an eye out for people who require services that fall under your expertise and you can offer help. This way, you can bookassignments. 1 hour

RT = ReTweet DM = Direct Message #FF = Follow Friday

Sell Your Work @betterphoto

Twitter is a great place to hold an online auction. Your work will receive exposure, and you will also be able to make some money with ease. 13 mins

Use Hashtags @i_lovehashtags

Hashtags allow you to keep abreast with people sharing their views on a certain topic. Use them wisely. 10 days ago Retweeted by Better Photography

Integrate All Social Media @betterphoto

Twitter can be a hub for your social activities. You can make people aware of all the media you are on. 15 mins

A Teaching Tool @betterphoto

Share the knowledge you have amassed about photography with your followers itwill increase your credibility. 2 hours

Participate in Contests @betterphoto

Several Twitter handles hold contests. Participate in them and you can win some good merchandise! 22 mins

Be Patient @betterphoto
Rome wasnt built in a day, and neither will your follower count. Mastering Twitter takes a lot of time and patience. 3 hours

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Sponsor Giveaways @betterphoto

Generate interest in your handle through contests to give away prizes. 30 mins

Just Have Fun! @supriya_joshi

Like any other social media website, Twitter is a form of self expression. Havesome fun with it! 12 days ago Retweeted by Better Photography

Keep Tweets in Check @betterphoto

Tweet frequently, but dont spam. Toomany tweets can look unprofessional. 35 mins

Whom to Follow?
l Photographers: Some of the best photographers are on Twitter. Here are the handles you shouldfollow: 1. @chasejarvis: Chase Jarvis 2. @strobist: David Hobby 3. @JoeMcNallyPhoto: Joe McNally 4. @davidalanharvey: David Alan Harvey 5. @FotoWala: Sephi Bergerson 6. @PicSeshu: Seshu 7. @zarias: Zack Arias 8. @chromasia: David J Nightingale 9. @maheshbhat: Mahesh Bhat 10. @photowallah: Ritesh Uttamchandani 11. @StacyPearsall: Stacy Pearsall 12. @bmoorevisuals: Brad Moore l Others: A list of what makes Twitter fun! 1. @petapixel: A photoblog for the Web 2.0 generation! 2. @pdnonline: Breaking photography news 3. @PhotoshopTips: Tips, tricks and tools of Photoshop 4. @Photojojo: Making photography awesome 5. @reuterspictures: Photos from the news agency 6. @PopPhoto: Dedicated to all things photography 7. @nikonrumors: Where theres smoke, theres fire 8. @Alltop_Photo: Photography news from Alltop.com 9. @LIFE: A comprehensive collection of iconic images 10. @NatGeoPhotos: Images from around the world 11. @digitalrev: Tweets of the popular YouTube channel 12. @MagnumPhotos: The works of legends 13. @betterphoto: Thats us! l Us!: Some of the BP team in on Twitter as well! 1. @YawnBabyYawn: Ketan Kundargi 2. @lookdoyousee: Raj Lalwani 3. @BlackLineDoodle: Conchita Fernandes 4. @violinraindrops: Chandni Gajria

Interact with Followers @photos_time

If you are starting a new photo project, involve your followers in it. Ask for their opinions, or simply ask them to participate. 4 days ago Retweeted by Better Photography

Live Updates @betterphoto

While working on assignments, live tweet them! It will make your followers curious about your work. 40 mins

No Fighting! @betterphoto
Do not pick fights with your fellow tweeters. It is a waste of time and it can be harmful for your image. 55 mins
april 2013

B etter e t t e r P h o t o g rap raphy

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Photograph by: Flix Nadar Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Photographers Divine Muse

orn in 1820, Flix Tournachon or Nadar was a student of medicine, who dabbled in caricature, theatre, writing and ballooning, before he eventually turned to photography in 1851. In the second half of the 19th century, Nadar became the most sought after portraitist in France. In 1861, he acquired a new studio at Boulevard des Capucines that marked a new era of mass production in photography. Nadars new studio was grand, audacious and unlike any other in France. It employed more than 50 workers, and produced up to 10 portraits a daya feat that was unheard of until then. In addition, it transformed itself into acommon meeting ground for the Parisian elite, and a photograph by Nadar became amatter of socialprestige. Therefore, in order to reinvent her failing career and social standing, Sarah Bernhardt, an aspiring actress, visited the studio in 1862. Nadar photographed Sarah over a period of time and documented her phase as a struggling actress. In fact, this portrait of Sarah Bernhardt has been considered to be one of Nadars best works. While he produced three versions of Sarahs portrait, there exist no contemporary prints of the images. In all the three photographs, Nadar chose to present the actress in a simplistic and unadorned manner, which highlighted her natural beauty. However, Nadar stopped photographing his long term muse shortly after she acclaimed the status of a legend. Sarah Bernhardt went on to become the most popular French actress of the 19th century, and was nicknamed Divine Sarah by her admirers.
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Better Photography