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Текст
FROM THE EDITOR
This issue’s special
contributors…
Gary Jones
PAGE 6
Wildlife photographer Gary takes
this issue’s Apprentice under his
wing to photograph birds of prey
fighting and feeding.
PAGE 38
Portrait pro Paul tells a
cautionary tale of how he
came to the rescue when a
wedding shoot went wrong…
Tom Mason
PAGE 42
Tom is never happier than when
abseiling up a tree to set camera
traps for owls. He explains how
you can shoot remotely too.
Samir Hussein
PAGE 60
Photographer of rock royalty
– and actual royalty – Samir
tells how he carved out a career
shooting the rich and famous.
Ray Spence
PAGE 68
Fine-art ’tog Ray converted a
Nikon to infrared to photograph
out-of-context shop mannequins
for a forthcoming exhibition.
Nigel A Ball
PAGE 84
Nigel tells how he put his new
Z 8’s astonishing 120fps shooting
rate to use to freeze the flight
path of a fluttering butterfly.
Image: © Shutterstock
Paul Wilkinson
100 brilliant tips and tricks for
shooting the great outdoors in
our lead feature – see page 26.
Welcome to issue 154
As the harsh light of summer begins to subside,
there’s never a better time of year to get out and
about with your camera to shoot the great outdoors.
In this issue’s lead feature, we’ve collated 100 tips
to help you get the best images of everything the
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zlogolih/#dvwur/#pdfur#dqg#sodqwv#dqg#ľrzhuv1#
We treat our apprentice to a day out at the Gigrin Farm red kite
feeding centre in Wales, as she learns to shoot these incredible
raptors as they swoop at dizzy speeds to feed on the wing.
Lq#rxu#Elj#Whvw/#zh#wu|#d#vhohfwlrq#ri#vtxduh#vorw0lq#Ľowhu#v|vwhpv/#
beloved of landscape photographers, and we test Sigma’s 16mm f/1.4
DC CN | C wide-angle lens for crop-sensor DX Z-mount Nikons.
Elsewhere, we reveal how there’s more to the battery that powers
|rxu#Qlnrq#wkdq#phhwv#wkh#h|h>#vshdn#zlwk#d#Ľqh0duw#skrwrjudskhu#
about shooting mannequins in infrared; reveal the results of the
‘low light’ round of our NPOTY competition (where there’s a Nikon
Z 9 up for grabs, no less!); and bring you our usual selection of photo
shooting and editing projects to try your hand at. Enjoy the issue!
Adam Waring, Editor
adam.waring@futurenet.com
WORTH
£52
SUBSCRIBE TO N-PHOTO & GET
YOUR FREE LOWEPRO ADVENTURA
GO SH 160 CAMERA BAG
Take out a subscription to N-Photo and get the magazine delivered to your door plus a free bag! SEE PAGE 24
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3
Contents
38
Shoot the great outdoors!
100 tips for shooting pretty much everything the
natural world has to offer, including landscapes,
wildlife, astro, macro, and plants and wildlife
06
16 Lightbox
Shoot the great outdoors
26
Go Pro
38
Nikon Skills
41
Apprentice Our reader learns to
capture a birds of prey feeding frenzy
Winning images from the
2023 Environmental Photography Award
100
tips for photographing the natural world
Paul Wilkinson saves the day
when a wedding shoot goes wrong
Camera traps, backlit
portraits, waterfalls, aviation and more!
81
Nikon Z 9 up
for grabs!
Enter your best images into our
monthly NPOTY competition to
be in with a chance of winning
Nikon’s flagship professional
mirrorless camera! Turn to
page 81 to find out more
4
26
60
68 On Assignment
Nikopedia
70
N-Photo POTY
76
Win a Nikon Z 9!
81
Interview Meet Samir Hussein,
photographer of royalty and rock stars
Behind-the-scenes
on Ray Spence’s ‘Mannakin’ shoot
There may be more to your
Nikon’s battery than you first thought
Good heavens above,
it’s our NPOTY comp’s low-light round!
It could be yours –
but only if you enter our competition
Paul Wilkinson gets to the
point about biting off
more than you can chew
84
Creepy-crawlies
captured on the
new Nikon Z 8
82
84 Your Stories
Back Issues
105
Next Issue
111
Parting Shot
114
Letters Put pen to paper – or fingers
to keyboard – and have your say…
A reader uses his new
Z 8 to shoot incredible insect images
Fill your shelves with
any missing copies of N-Photo
Coming up in the next
edition of your fave photo mag…
Mike on condensing
complex subjects into two-line tips…
SUBSCRIBE!
How to get your hands on
a free Lowepro Adventura
GO SH 160 camera bag!
SEE
PAGE
24
WORTH
£52
www.digitalcameraworld.com
CONTENTS
NikonSkills
Master your Nikon today!
60
Samir Hussein on his right royal
portfolio of the rich and famous
06
42 Lay a camera trap
44 A fall’s errand
Expert tips for remote wildlife shots
How to use an ND filter to slow the flow
Spray and pray to
capture super shots
of birds of prey
BEFORE
48 Plane sailing
50 A perfect blend
Tips and tricks for ace aviation images
15 free textures for Affinity Photo blends
BEFORE
Gear Zone
88 New Gear
Sigma 16mm f/1.4
90
Slot-in filter holders
92
Buyer’s Guide
106
Our round-up of the latest and
greatest kit to enhance your photography
It’s wide, it’s fast,
and it’s for DX-sensor Z-series Nikons
Five fab starter
systems that make using filters easy
An up-to-date list of
Nikon cameras and compatible lenses
www.digitalcameraworld.com
AFTER
AFTER
52 Explore adaptive presets
54 The beauty of backlighting
Get to grips with new Adobe CC tools
Shine a light behind your subjects
VIEW THE
VIDEO
Whenever you see this logo you’ll know
there’s an accompanying video that
you can watch online.
The videos and information provided are 100% independent and not
endorsed or sponsored by Nikon Corporation or Adobe Systems Incorporated
5
APPRENTICE
THE APPRENTICE
NAME: Rebecca Elliott
CAMERA: Nikon Z 8
Becky works as a legal translator, but is
also fluent in photography. She caught
the bug at just 14, learning the ropes
using a selection of camera books her
dad bought her. It’s been her main hobby
ever since, but it wasn’t until a trip to
Canada in 2008 that she decided to pick
up her first decent digital camera. She
then migrated to the Nikon Z 50, before
spiralling down the Z-Series rabbit hole
with incremental upgrades in the form
of a Z 6II, followed by a shiny new Z 8.
THE PRO
NAME: Gary Jones
CAMERA: Nikon Z 9
Gary resides near the Snowdonia
National Park in North Wales. He’s
been enamoured with animals and
photography all his life. And although he’s
travelled all over the world photographing
wildlife, perhaps his biggest passion
is raptors. When he’s not following
wildlife subjects to far-flung places –
and even scaling mountains – he runs a
busy workshop schedule and regularly
presents at camera clubs across the UK.
Find out more via: www.gjwp.co.uk
6
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Our apprentice photographs one of Wales’
finest wildlife spectacles with pro Gary Jones
T
he reintroduction of red kites
in England and Scotland is one of
the UK’s most incredible
conservation success stories.
Go back roughly three decades
and this magnificent bird of prey
had been reduced to a dangerously
www.digitalcameraworld.com
small population in Wales. Despite citing the
species as a ‘valued’ asset in medieval
Britain, the RSPB highlights the 16th
century as the turning point; the raptor was
considered ‘vermin’ and hunted until the
early 20th century. Such was the
Victorians’ vilification, they drove the birds
7
APPRENTICE
TECHNIQUE
ASSESSMENT
1
EXPERT INSIGHT
A NICE, CLEAN FLIGHT
Gary says… Try to photograph subjects
on a clean background. This will make
them ‘pop’, since there’s nothing to
detract the viewer’s attention. A good
method is to sight a bird in the sky and
track it until it passes against a clean
background, like a bank of trees. A long
focal length and a wide aperture will
then blur the backdrop into obscurity.
RING-A-DING-DING
Gary says… I almost always use
Manual mode, but I like to pair it with
Auto ISO. I can then use Exposure
Compensation to quickly control my
exposure. This is made more effective
by assigning the function to my
100-400mm’s control ring, so I can
alter Exp Comp with a flick of the wrist.
2
WIDEN THE FIELD
Gary says… AF-C is a given, but I like
to set my AF-area mode to Wide-S or
Wide-L, depending on the subject, but
use Wide-L the most. I then set AF
subject detection to Animal Detection.
You can then move the box around like
a single focus point, but if the bird
moves out of it, the camera will track it.
3
to extinction in England and Scotland.
Today – following a reintroduction
programme in 1989 – red kites have been
brought back from the brink. So much so,
they are now becoming an increasingly
frequent sight beyond their Welsh
stronghold, but ‘red kite country’ is still
the best place to witness these majestic
birds of prey.
And there’s perhaps nowhere better to
see them up close than the red kite feeding
station at Gigrin Farm (www.gigrin.co.uk).
This 160-acre site is situated near
Rhayader, in the heart of Powys, a county
that proudly bears the silhouette of a red
kite on its logo. The wild birds are fed daily
in a wild staging area, flanked by a terrace
of permanent hides. Gigrin has become a
haven for wildlife photographers, catered
for with several specialist photo hides.
The centrally positioned Gateway Hide
would be Becky and Gary’s office for the
duration of the three-hour shoot. And even
before the food had been spread across
the staging area, the kites were circling.
HIDE AND SEEK
BLOCKED SHOT
Gary says… The ‘Focus tracking with
lock-on’ custom setting’s ‘Blocked shot
AF response’ is how long the camera
waits to refocus if an object comes
between you and your subject. If I’m
shooting in a forest with obstacles,
I’ll increase the delay. Birds are erratic,
so I set ‘Subject motion’ accordingly.
8
“There’s a lot up there already,” said Becky
as she wiped the front element of her
Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S with a lens
cloth. “Does it always draw a crowd?”
“It can vary depending on the weather,”
said Gary. “Heavy rain brings worms to the
surface, and sometimes you get fewer
kites because they’re feeding elsewhere.
Usually, when the food is first put out it’s
a great free-for-all.” With his tripod set up,
the pro began to attach a gimbal head.
“The better shots are when they thin out,
after the initial feeding frenzy,” he said.
“For one, it’s easier to track a bird and
then you have a much better chance of
capturing an individual or pair against
a clean background.
“We’ll see some buzzards as well; they
spend a lot of time on the ground. The kites
won’t attack them, but they will swoop past
them to pick up food. I’ll often hover
around a buzzard, knowing that a kite
might swoop down near it at any moment.
“And if we’re really, really lucky, we might
see a rare, leucistic red kite.”
“What are they?” asked Becky.
“Kites with leucism, which reduces the
pigmentation in their plumage, making
them look very pale or near-white.”
Gary attached the Nikon AF-S 500mm
f/4E FL ED VR to his gimbal and secured a
Z 9 onto its mount. He attached the same
100-400mm as Becky’s to a second Z 9 for
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SUPER
SHOT #1
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure:
1/2500 sec, f/5, ISO560
handheld shooting. “I use that lens a lot,”
he said. “I like to shoot in Manual mode
with Auto ISO. I then assign Exposure
Compensation to the lens’s control ring.”
At that moment a tractor rumbled onto
the staging area, pulling a bucket laden
with scraps of meat. The driver then left
the cab and began shovelling the meat out
onto the field, spreading it far and wide.
As more kites arrived, a few brazen birds
swooped down to pick up the first morsels.
“It’s about to get very crowded,” said Gary.
“This is the point where I find it’s best to
stand off the camera and let the birds thin
out for a few minutes. This might be the
perfect time to go through your settings.”
Becky was already used to the pro’s
preferred Manual mode, but switched to
Auto ISO and set up her control ring
accordingly to match his setup. She then
set her AF-area mode to Wide-L and the
AF subject detection option to Animal
www.digitalcameraworld.com
9
APPRENTICE
SUPER
SHOT #2
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure:
1/2500 sec, f/5.3, ISO2800
PRO KIT
GIMBAL
HEAD
Gary says… When
you’re using a big
lens like my Nikon
AF-S 500mm f/4E
FL ED VR, hand
holding isn’t really
an option. Using a
standard tripod
head is fine if your
subject isn’t
moving much or you’ve framed your composition, pre-focused and are waiting to fire
the shutter, but if you’re photographing fast-moving subjects like birds in flight,
a gimbal head provides the best of both worlds; stability and freedom of movement.
10
Detection. Gary held up his Z 9 and pointed
at one of the Fn buttons on the front: “I also
like to set a function button to single-point
AF, so I can switch to it at will, should a
particularly busy scene cause Animal
Detection to struggle.”
Becky’s first task was to capture a
conventional portrait of a bird in flight
and, with the initial brawl for food having
subsided, she started picking out subjects.
“Pick a bird in the sky and track it as it
swoops down,” said Gary. “Once it flies
past a clean backdrop, fire the shutter.”
Becky was having no trouble using Gary’s
AF setup and was already capturing sharp
portraits of kites on the wing.
“Try lingering on a buzzard for a while,”
said the pro. “They feed on the ground, but
one will take off eventually.” Sure enough,
after a few minutes of sighting a buzzard,
it spread its wings and took flight. Becky
locked onto the big bird of prey and
www.digitalcameraworld.com
RED KITES
HOW TO:
EDIT BIRDS OF PREY
1
A hide offers shelter from the elements and
reduces the chance you’ll spook subjects.
captured two images. Super Shot #1 would
be a frame-filling, head-on image of the
buzzard with its wings spread wide.
IN-FLIGHT CATERING
“That was a great shot,” said Gary. “But as
we aim for more elusive moments, I’d aim
to capture a longer sequence. The beauty
of the Z 8/9’s 20fps burst mode is that you
get a second, third, fourth, fifth chance to
select the sharpest image in a sequence or
the one with the perfect wing position, for
example. This time, try to capture a kite
with a piece of meat in its beak or talons.”
“I’m shooting at 1/2500 sec,” said
Becky. “Would you be happy with that?”
“With kites, it’s as fast as you can get it.
Obviously ISO is the trade off. Some people
try to stay below ISO1000, but with Nikon’s
current pro-level cameras I think you can
hit around ISO2500 and not be worried.”
Becky nodded before stepping up to
the hide’s opening and sighting another
subject through her Nikon Z 8’s EVF.
Capturing a feeding bird wasn’t easy. If
she waited for one to snatch a piece of
meat, there was barely enough time to
react, let alone track it as it flew away.
EXPERT INSIGHT BIRDS BEHAVING BADLY
Gary says… Once you’ve mastered the techniques required to consistently capture sharp
shots of birds in flight, you can focus your attention on what you’re capturing. To build up
a well-rounded portfolio of any species, you’ll need to capture a variety of behaviours.
Even during this one
scenario, Becky was
able to capture a
well-rounded selection
of images: birds eating
on the wing, scrapping
mid-flight, strafing the
ground for food. Burst
shooting helps too,
ensuring you don’t
miss something good
and allowing you to
choose the best image
from a sequence.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
MASK YOUR SUBJECT
Gary says… Lightroom’s Select
Subject feature within the Masking tool
is really powerful. At the click of a
button, it gives you the ability to
process your subject without affecting
the rest of the image. It worked well for
this bird-in-flight image, where there
were dark shadows beneath the wings.
2
HSL/COLOR PANEL
Gary says… Many wildlife images are
set against a background dominated by
green foliage; sometimes this can look
over-saturated. Rather than reduce the
overall saturation with the Saturation
slider, I like to target only the green
tones, by using the Green Saturation
slider in the HSL/Color panel.
3
GLINT IN THE EYE
Gary says… For close-up bird
portraits, it’s essential that the eye is
pin sharp, with a beautiful catchlight.
You can enhance this by clicking on the
Masking tool and selecting Brush. Paint
a mask over the eye and then tweak the
Clarity slider accordingly to add punch.
11
APPRENTICE
As soon as the food is flung onto the staging area, a
wake of red kites descends to the delight of onlookers.
She remembered Gary’s advice to follow
a circling kite in the sky and hope it would
soon make a strafing run.
“It’s been theorized that there’s a
hierarchy and the dominant birds feed
first,” said Gary. “But I don’t know how true
that is. With that in mind, I’d stick with a
bird for a while and if it doesn’t swoop down
to feed within a minute or two, move on.”
Becky had locked focus on a kite that
was moving through the sky at pace –
EXPERT INSIGHT
TAG, YOU’RE IT!
Gary says… I don’t avoid or clone out
bird rings. When I photograph a ringed
osprey, I’ll pop onto social media and
research its story. I once discovered an
individual had been ringed two years
prior – just a couple of miles down the
road from where I’d photographed it.
This was likely the first time in its adult
life it had returned to the UK.
12
finger pressed down on the back-button to
maintain constant focus. Suddenly, it
dived. Becky tracked it as far as the tree
line, but let out a frustrated sigh: “I lost it,”
she said, “they’re really quick.”
Gary glanced at the 100-400mm’s
barrel: “You’re maxed out at 400mm. Try
zooming out to 300mm to give yourself a
little breathing room by allowing the bird a
little more space to move within the frame.
An upside of that massive 45.7-Mp sensor
is the ability to crop in post.”
This did the trick. The next time Becky
tracked a kite to the ground, she was able
to keep up with it through the viewfinder.
“It’s got something,” she said under her
breath as she followed it back up to the
treeline. With a clean background and a
side-on angle that clearly revealed the
morsel hanging from the bird’s beak, she
fired a burst and captured Super Shot #2.
FLIGHT CLUB
Capturing a bird in flight is often
considered one of the hardest techniques
to conquer in photography, but Becky was
having no trouble capturing sharp shot
after sharp shot. “You decide what
behaviour you want to capture this time,
and keep an eye out for that leucistic kite,”
said Gary with a light-hearted grin.
“Capturing a pair of birds would be nice,”
said Becky. “Which reminds me, what are
your thoughts on aperture?”
“Usually, as wide as I can get. But if
you’re trying to capture two birds on
different focal planes, you could stop down
to f/8 if the light is bright enough. You’ve
been hovering around f/5, which is a good
middle ground if you want a little bit of
extra play when focusing, while keeping
your shutter speed suitably quick.”
As Becky continued taking photos, Gary
commented on the wind direction: “It’s
blowing to our right and slightly behind so
the birds are flying across and towards us,
which is ideal as they fly into the wind.”
“It’s definitely easier with fewer birds in
the sky,” said Becky as she tracked a kite.
Gary pointed to a neighbouring hide:
“Most people have left now, but this is the
best time to photograph them. It’s
definitely... there. Did you get that Becky?”
In a blink-and-you’ll miss it moment a
kite and buzzard had a coming together,
with the latter spinning partially in midair.
“I did. I was tracking that kite,” said the
apprentice as she showed the pro the
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SUPER
SHOT #3
image on the Playback screen. The
20fps burst helped her capture the
exact moment the birds passed each
other on nearly the same focal plane.
“Fantastic,” said Gary. “Not sure how
we can top that – that’s Super Shot #3.”
THE GHOST OF GIGRIN
Gigrin Farm had one more surprise in
store for the pair of photographers as their
allotted time in the hide was drawing to an
end. Becky was still searching for her final
Super Shot, while Gary was taking a few
photos from his gimbal. Suddenly, he
pointed towards a copse at the far end of
the staging area: “There, leucistic kite.”
Becky momentarily looked up from her
Z 8’s EVF in a bid to zero in on the elusive
bird, but lost it in the diffused white of the
overcast sky. “I’m sure it’ll come
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure:
1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO560
EXPERT INSIGHT FLIGHT SCHOOL
Gary says… You have to react very quickly when photographing birds in flight. Learn to
adjust your settings
without leaving the
viewfinder. The
moment you look
down, you’ll miss
something. It’s muscle
memory – when you
get a new camera you
have to put the hours
in so using it feels like
second nature. Spend
hours photographing
garden birds, pigeons
or gulls if you have to.
13
APPRENTICE
SUPER
SHOT #4
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure:
1/1600, f/5.3, ISO560
A 100-400mm lens (35mm equivalent) provides enough
reach to sight faraway subjects and a versatile zoom range.
14
around again,” said Gary. “We want to
really show off its plumage so try
photographing it in front of those dark
trees. Dial in a little negative exposure
compensation to make the background
really dark. You’ll end up with a low-key
effect that will make the kite stand out.”
Becky dialled in a couple stops of
negative exposure compensation and
scanned the sky, while Gary searched
through his binoculars. “It’s by the trees,”
he said. Becky located the bird before
looking through her EVF. She zoomed out
to the wide end, which provided a little play
when locating the kite, before zooming in
further. “I’ve got it,” she said as she tracked
the soaring raptor. “Hopefully, it’ll make
another pass or two,” said Gary as Becky
followed her subject up into the sky.
This time, she managed to keep up with
it, even as it briefly flew out of sight over the
hide. When it emerged from the left-hand
www.digitalcameraworld.com
RED KITES
PRO
PORTFOLIO
GARY JONES
Observation is an important part of wildlife
photography and so a good-quality pair of
binoculars are a mainstay within Gary’s kit bag.
EAGLE-EYED ATTACK
BE OUR NEXT
APPRENTICE!
This encounter left me amazed at the
lengths birds will go to protect their
young. The golden eagle was happily
feeding, but a pair of jays – nesting close
by – kept dive-bombing it. The action was
incredibly fast, and it became evident,
upon reviewing the images, that the jays
were actually targeting the eagle’s eyes.
We’re looking for future Apprentices!
So if you would like to appear on these
pages and get top one-to-one
professional tuition into the bargain,
send an email headed ‘Apprentice’ to
mail@nphotomag.com and make
sure that you include the following
information: your name, address, a
contact phone number, the camera
and kit you use, and the subject that
you’re interested in shooting.
ROMEO THE PUFFIN
side, the apprentice was waiting to track it
back past the trees. Slowly letting out an
intake of breath, Becky calmly held down
the shutter and captured a sharp
sequence. Remarkably, Super Shot #4
was the elusive leucistic red kite.
I was watching a big group of puffins on
Skomer Island when this guy flew in with a
flower in his mouth and duly paraded it
around the group. We were convinced he
was looking for a mate, and was trying the
flower approach, so we named him
Romeo. We never did see if it worked!
Using Gary’s AF settings was a
game changer. Confident with
focusing, I could worry about
the subject and composition.
This made all the difference when I had
only a few tries to capture the white kite.
GARY’S VERDICT
Once Becky’s Z 8 was set up,
she was unstoppable, there
were so many shots to choose
from. The feeding couldn’t
have gone better: good weather, plenty of
birds and that stunning leucistic kite.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Image: ©Paul David Smith
BECKY’S COMMENT
NEXT ISSUE: our apprentice dives
into the world of environmental
portraiture, quite literally!
SEA EAGLES FIGHTING
I love images of raptor behaviour. I was
lucky enough to witness two white-tailed
eagles come together, high over a loch, in
a territorial dispute. The action was fast
and noisy. My main concern was keeping
both birds in focus and using a fast
shutter speed to freeze the action.
15
Our favourite Nikon images from the
2023 Environmental Photography Award
16
© Kallol Mukherjee / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
2023 ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
Falling Leaves
are Blue
KALLOL MUKHERJEE
1st place, Into the Forest
The photographer captured a snowstorm in the
Indian Himalayas at an altitude of 4267m, just as
a flock of grandala birds invaded the landscape,
offering a superb view of their synchronized
flight or murmurations.
Camera:
Nikon D850
Lens:
300mm f/4
Exposure:
1/800 sec, f/5, ISO2000
17
LIGHTBOX
© Knut M. Selmer / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
The Polar Fox in
the Arctic Winter
KNUT M. SELMER
2nd place, Polar Wonders
The Arctic fox, sometimes called the polar fox,
is commonly found in Spitsbergen, Norway.
In order to find food in all seasons, the animal
has to cope with the Arctic’s extreme
conditions. But its small size and its thick fur
enable the fox to withstand the extreme cold.
18
Camera:
Nikon D850
Lens:
500mm f/4
Exposure:
1/4000 sec, f/5, ISO400
www.digitalcameraworld.com
2023 ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
© Clément Fontaine / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
Predator versus
Predator
CLÉMENT FONTAINE
3rd place, Into the Forest
The jaguar is an emblematic animal of Brazil;
it is also a super-predator, essential for
ecosystem balance. A victim of deforestation
and hunting, it has almost disappeared from
the Atlantic forests of the Brazilian coast and
even in the Amazon is increasingly rare.
Camera:
Nikon D850
Lens:
150-600mm f/5-6.3
Exposure:
1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO500
www.digitalcameraworld.com
19
LIGHTBOX
© Pratik Chorge / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
Risking Life
for Thirst
PRATIK CHORGE
3rd place, Humanity Versus Nature
The 20,000-litre water tanker takes two hours
to fill but when it enters the village, it gets
emptied within five to seven minutes. From
elderly people to families to young children,
all huddle in the massive crowd to fill their
buckets with water.
20
Camera:
Nikon D810
Lens:
20mm f/1.8
Exposure:
1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO200
www.digitalcameraworld.com
2023 ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
© Simon Biddie / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
My Kingdom
SIMON BIDDIE
1st place, Ocean Worlds
California sea lions enjoy protected status in
Espiritu Santo National Park in Mexico. The
region is a no-fishing zone, which provides
them with an environment rich enough in
food, and limiting human activity benefits the
stability of their population. The only threat
that remains is that of climate change.
Camera:
Nikon D850
Lens:
8-15mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure:
1/250 sec, f/11, ISO1250
www.digitalcameraworld.com
21
LIGHTBOX
© Tommy Trenchard / 2023 Environmental Photography Award
Wildlife CSI
Academy
TOMMY TRENCHARD
2nd place, Change Makers: Reasons for Hope
Forensics students from the UK and the
Netherlands at a rhino poaching mock-up
in Buffelsfontein, South Africa.
Camera:
Nikon D750
Lens:
24mm f/1.4
Exposure:
1/320 sec, f/3.5, ISO640
This third edition of the Environmental Photography Award saw 10,000 images entered, submitted by over 2300
photographers from across the globe. The five categories – Polar Wonders; Into the Forest; Ocean Worlds; Humanity Versus
Nature; and Change Makers: Reasons for Hope – were judged by a jury of professional photographers, and in addition a
Public Award was chosen from over 5000 public votes, and the Students’ Award was chosen by the high school students of
Monaco. A total prize fund of €11,000 was shared among the winners. For more information see: www.fpa2photoaward.org
22
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25
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.
to
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p
i
100 top t
Shoot the
great outdoors
Become one with nature and your Nikon with N-Photo’s guide
to capturing the great outdoors. Supercharge your shots with
tips and tricks for landscapes, wildlife, astro and more…
M
26
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27
100 top tips…
Landscapes
Luck’s got almost nothing to do with it – here’s how
to capture sprawling vistas in glorious conditions
PRO ADVICE
Canvass a landscape expert, and this
is what they’re likely to tell you…
WEATHER REPORT
Always check the weather or tides
ahead of travelling to your location and stay
informed – not just for when the conditions
will be ideal, but for personal safety.
1
STAY FREE OF FAFF
From clean lenses and full batteries to
empty memory cards, make sure you’re ready
to go on the day, so you don’t have to faff
around and risk missing the moment.
2
DRESS SMART
Rather than looking sharp, we mean
wearing layers of outdoor clothing you can
add or remove to suit the weather conditions
to prevent getting too cold or overheating.
3
BE PATIENT
Shooting landscapes can often be a long
game, so make sure you’re provisioned for
more time in the field than you envisaged.
Image: Shutterstock
4
SHOOT RAW
Raw files allow you to use your Nikon’s
sensor to its fullest and are essential for
maximum editing latitude in post-production.
5
Top techniques for cracking compositions
TRY ONE OF THE CLASSIC
RULES OF COMPOSITION
If you’re not familiar with the rule of thirds or
golden ratio, make sure you educate yourself.
They’re by no means the only way to compose
a landscape, but they’re often a good starting
point, especially if you find yourself stuck.
6
28
DON’T LET A GOOD FOREGROUND
FEATURE GO TO WASTE
While it’s never a good idea to spoil the
foreground of an image with clutter that
doesn’t add anything to the composition, a
complementary – and relevant – object or two
can help guide the viewer’s eye into the image.
7
Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock
A trinity of methods for you to employ on your next outdoor shoot
USE LEADING LINES TO
GUIDE YOUR VIEWER’S EYE
Whether they’re naturally occurring like a
stream or man-made like a road, leading lines
are an effective way to guide viewers towards
your subject. For the best results, place them
at the base of the frame and work upwards.
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Image: Getty
LANDSCAPES
TOP TIPS
FOR SUPER
SCENICS
Image: Shutterstock
Buena vistas every time…
CAMERA CRAFT
Two essential technical tips you should always bear in mind
MAXIMIZE MIST
Get into position early to
make the most of this moody
phenomenon as daylight breaks.
13
GO HYPERFOCAL
If your lens has no distance
scale, focus roughly one third of
the way into the frame for
maximum depth of field.
14
GO CONTRE-JOUR
Shoot into the sun to vary
the look of your captures – it will
certainly produce distinctive,
high-contrast results.
KEEP THE ISO LOW
For images that would suit a large print,
aim to shoot around ISO100. Any recovered
shadow detail will look more natural.
9
15
READ THE HISTOGRAM
Histograms are more reliable than rear
screens. If the reading touches the graph’s
left- or right-hand side, clipping has occurred.
10
MAKE IT MONO
Black and white is the go-to
for minimalist landscapes – use
the Monochrome picture control
to preview this in Live View.
16
Top kit you can’t do without
There’s so much to mention, but don’t leave the house without these…
SMOOTH MOVE
Use an ND filter to shoot a
long exposure of running water
and marvel at its beauty.
17
GOLDEN HOURS
The hour after sunrise and
the hour before sunset produce
soft, golden rays of light that will
flatter landscape scenery.
18
FIGURE IN A LANDSCAPE
Frame a person in your
scene to add a sense of scale or
a clear subject to compositions
with no obvious focal point.
19
INVEST IN A STURDY TRIPOD
Pick up a cheap tripod and risk stiff leg
releases and drifting ball joints, so it pays to
invest in a good one. Aluminium is generally
cheaper and carbon-fibre is lighter, but a
quality tripod made of either should serve
you well. Just be mindful of the load capacity.
11
www.digitalcameraworld.com
GRADUATED ND FILTERS
ND grads tame bright skies in-camera,
without underexposing the ground. They’re
clear at the bottom, and from roughly the
half-way point, get darker towards the top. On
reverse ND grads, the darkest bit is near the
middle, ideal when the sun is on the horizon.
12
BLUE HOUR
20 Hang around after sunset to
witness the blue and violet light
that cloaks the landscape.
29
100 top tips…
Wildlife
Bolster your wildlife portfolio with our top
tips from animal-loving pro photographers
SHOOT LIKE A PRO
Essential pointers to help you capture
your best photos of fauna in the field
INVEST IN GOOD GLASS
Wildlife is a genre where you’ll see a huge
improvement when using decent optics. So
splash out on the fastest glass you can afford
to separate subjects from backgrounds and
avoid camera shake at longer focal lengths.
1
YOU CAN ALWAYS HIRE A LENS
Can’t justify picking up premium glass
just yet? Hiring lenses can prove a more
palatable way to experience the best optics.
2
KEEP PRACTISING
The local nature reserve or even duck
pond are viable training grounds that will allow
you to hone your ability to capture tack-sharp
shots of fast-moving subjects in flight.
3
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Use online search engines to find hides,
wetlands and nature reserves close to you.
There’s a wealth of options beyond zoos.
4
GET AN IDENTIFICATION BOOK
Slip a bird, insect or general wildlife book
into your kitbag to help you identify species,
so you can label your images accurately.
5
Top techniques for wildlife photos
Get set up to capture fantastic animal antics with these easy-to-learn skills
FAST SHUTTER SPEEDS
For fast-moving animals, such as birds
in flight, you’ll want a shutter speed of at least
1/1000 sec to stand a chance of capturing a
pin-sharp shot. You can do this by shooting
wide open and bumping your ISO up until you
have a fast enough shutter speed to work with.
6
30
CONTINUOUS AUTOFOCUS
Switch to AF-C to continually focus on
your subject via your active AF point or cluster
of AF points. Nikon’s most advanced Z
cameras feature deep-learning AI technology
that’s capable of automatically locking onto
the eyes of particular species.
7
STAY OUT OF SIGHT
The best practice with wildlife photos
is to patiently wait for subjects to enter the
frame, but you’ll have more success if you use
a hide. You can purchase pop-up hides, DIY
one out of some old camouflage material or
visit permanent structures at nature reserves.
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Image: Dan Mold
Image: Dan Mold
WILDLIFE
CAMERA CRAFT
Quick tips to improve any wildlife composition
TOP TIPS
FOR ANIMAL
MAGIC
Expert insight to elevate
your wildlife photography
AVOID AUTO ISO
When photographing birds
in flight, the background and lighting
will change very quickly as you track
subjects, making Auto ISO unreliable.
13
KEEP YOUR KIT CLEAN
Regularly clean your front
lens element and take care when
swapping lenses to avoid having
to remove dust spots in post.
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
Getting down to your subject’s eye level
will often form a stronger composition, helping
to blur the foreground and background too.
14
9
SHOOT WIDE OPEN
Fast lenses with a wide aperture, like
f/2.8, allow you to capture a shallow DoF to
separate your subject from the background.
10
RESPECT NATURE
Never spook, stress or endanger
the animals you’re photographing.
15
Top kit you can’t do without
Essential gear for making the most of your telephoto lens
BREAK THE RULES
You can get great wildlife
pictures with wide-angle lenses
and not just super-telephoto optics.
16
VIBRATION REDUCTION
Quality Nikon lenses often
have different VR modes, which are
better for handholding or panning.
17
GOLDEN HOUR
This isn’t just the magic hour
for landscapes, wildlife also looks
incredible bathed in rich, golden rays.
18
TRY A GIMBAL HEAD
Long lenses can end up becoming quite
heavy over the course of a day-long shoot. So
to take the strain off your back, while also
helping you achieve a buttery smooth panning
action, a gimbal head on a sturdy tripod is an
excellent solution when shooting in a hide.
11
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USE A TELECONVERTER
Teleconverters provide more reach at
more affordable prices. For example, a 2x
teleconverter (or ‘doubler’) multiplies the
focal length by two, so a 200mm focal length
effectively becomes 400mm. Be aware, this
will also reduce your aperture by two stops.
12
KEEP GOING BACK
Revisit locations to build up
a picture of your subjects’ habits.
19
SHOOT IN YOUR GARDEN
20 Gardens are a hive of animal,
avian and insect activity throughout
the year. If you have one, use it!
31
100 top tips…
Astrophotography
Capture exquisite imagery in the dead of night
with our pro advice for star-studded astro photos
PRO ADVICE
Expert insight to help you take your best
astro shots with beautiful starry skies
FOCUS IN THE DARK
Our favourite way to focus in the dark is
to have a friend point a powerful torch at your
foreground, so you can lock on easily via AF.
1
DARK SKY LOCATIONS
Have a look online for dark sky locations
that are closest to you. These sites will give
you the best astrophotography opportunities,
thanks to their low levels of light pollution.
2
TURN THE NOISE DOWN
Enable Long Exposure Noise Reduction,
if your Nikon has it. This will create cleaner
astro images, but will cause a delay between
shots, so it’s unsuitable for star trails.
3
THE 500 RULE
Divide 500 by your focal length to work
out the max number of seconds you can shoot
to capture sharp stars. DX users must work
out the FX-equivalent focal length first.
Image: Shutterstock
4
FOCUS USING LIVE VIEW
When focusing on a bright star, to make
the starry sky pin-sharp, zoom into Live View
mode so you can refine your focus accurately.
5
Top techniques for astro shots
Three out-of-this-world tips for taking better photos of the night sky
SET UP ON A TRIPOD
A tripod is an astro essential. It will allow
you to accurately compose and lock off the
framing for the long exposures needed to
achieve good results in low light. Extend the
thickest leg sections first and hang your kit
bag off the centre column as a counterweight.
6
32
WIDE, LONG AND SENSITIVE
Switch to Manual mode and open the
aperture as wide as possible. Here, we set our
aperture to f/2.8, while extending the shutter
speed to eight seconds and boosting the ISO
to 6400, which makes the sensor more
sensitive to light, essential at night.
7
DIM THE LIGHTS
Bright lights can affect your natural night
vision, so turn down your rear LCD or EVF
brightness. We also suggest wearing a head
torch with a red filter, which is said to impact
night vision less than white light. Some Nikons,
like the D850, have buttons that light up.
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Image: Dan Mold
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
TOP TIPS
FOR AMAZING
ASTRO IMAGES
Stellar advice for celestial shots
CLEAR NIGHTS
Check the weather to make
sure it’s going to be a clear,
cloud-free night at your location.
9
NEW MOON
The new moon phase
reflects little to no sunlight, so it’s
the perfect time for night shoots
thanks to the low light pollution.
10
SPARE BATTERIES
11 Charge your batteries and
take plenty of spares; shooting in
cold weather drains them quicker
and temperatures drop at night.
FIGHT LENS FOG
You can get electric heat
bands to wrap around your lenses
to help maintain temperatures
and prevent condensation.
12
STAR TRAILS
Take a continuous stream of
30-second (or longer) exposures
for at least an hour, and merge
them together to create a
fantastic star-trail image.
15 secs, f/4, ISO25,600
CAMERA CRAFT
Get your exposure spot on with these
tried-and-tested celestial strategies
TAKE A TEST SHOT
Always take a test shot and amend your
settings accordingly to ensure everything is
set, before committing to a long exposure.
17
PAINT WITH LIGHT
If your foreground is looking very dark
and silhouetted, shine a torch over it to ‘paint’
with light, or fire off your flash to illuminate it.
18
4 secs, f/8, ISO6400
13
Best kit advice
Essential low-light kit that doesn’t cost the Earth
COMPOSITES
Take a shot with your
foreground in focus and another
of the starry sky, and then merge
them together to create a
super-sharp astro composite.
14
GO REALLY WIDE!
An ultra-wide-angle lens is
perfect for astrophotography, as
you’ll be able to fit even more of
the night sky into the frame.
15
TIME IT RIGHT
It’s easier to shoot in winter
as the nights are longer – but the
Milky Way is less visible in the UK.
16
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SELECTION OF TORCHES
It’s essential to have an assortment of
torches when you’re working in low light.
They’re great for seeing where you’re stepping
en route to your location, for illuminating your
foreground to balance the exposure, or for
creative light-painting projects.
19
SMARTPHONE APPS
20 You’ve a plethora of apps at your disposal
to make shooting at night easier. Some, like
SkyView, use augmented reality so you can
easily identify constellations and celestial
objects. Others, like PhotoPills and The
Photographer’s Ephemeris, help you plan.
33
100 top tips…
Macro photography
Bring tiny critters to life with extraordinary detail using
macro lenses, camera hacks and close-up imagery
PRO ADVICE
Pull these expert moves to help you
get up close and personal with nature
USE A TRIPOD
For less-skittish subjects – like roosting
butterflies – it’s worth using a tripod to help
eliminate camera shake and make it easier to
refine focus, especially if working manually.
1
BOOST THE ISO
Don’t be afraid to boost your ISO so you
can reach shutter speeds of 1/200 sec or
faster, helping you to avoid camera shake.
2
HANDHOLDING
VR is often essential when handholding.
Brace yourself against a wall or your camera
bag to help further mitigate camera shake.
3
HEAD HONCHO
Shoot at an angle where you can frame
your subject’s head; this will create eye
contact and make for a more engaging shot.
Image: Getty
4
REVERSING RINGS
A reversing ring is a lens
mount that screws onto a filter
thread, so you can attach the
optic to your camera backwards.
This allows you to shoot close-up
images without having to invest in
a dedicated macro lens. Kit lenses
work well, but a 35mm or 50mm
prime will perform even better.
EXTENSION TUBES
These are another
affordable macro lens alternative.
They fit between your lens and
camera to shorten the minimum
focusing distance. Our tubes
came in three sizes: 12mm,
20mm and 36mm. You can use
one, all three or a combination to
get the perfect working distance.
Get fantastic
macro shots
on the strictest
of budgets
7
Image: Getty
6
Best kit
advice
CONTINUOUS AF
Use continuous AF and place a single AF
point over the eye of your subject, to maintain
focus until you’re ready to take the shot.
5
TOP TIPS FOR MAGNIFICENT MACRO
Learn these useful
tips and tricks to
supercharge your
macro skill set and
bag your best bug
shots ever
RISE EARLY
OR STAY UP
Insects tend to be
inactive at sunrise/
sunset, so they’re
easier to shoot. And
the golden light will
look fantastic!
13
STAY LOCAL
Find a nature
reserve close to you
that you can regularly
visit so you can get to
know the insects that
are there, while you
practise your skills.
14
www.digitalcameraworld.com
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
TOP TECHNIQUES
FOR MACRO SUBJECTS
Easy-to-overlook skills that will make
your macro journey that much easier
FOCUS PEAKING
Some Nikons feature Focus Peaking, a
neat visual aid that helps take the guesswork
out of focusing manually. It indicates sharp
portions of the frame via a coloured overlay in
Live View or via a Z-series camera’s EVF.
10
TRY USING A CLAMP
You can buy articulating clamps that
attach to tripods, with jaws that hold twigs and
stems to prevent them swaying in the breeze.
11
CAMERA CRAFT
Fieldcraft essentials to help you get framefilling shots of minuscule minibeasts
GET THE GOOD SIDE
Struggling with your macro lens’s
shallow DoF? Photograph your subject sideon to render as much of it in focus as possible.
8
FILL THE FRAME
Make use of your macro lens’s short
minimum focus distance and fill the frame
with your subject. If it’s sharp and you have
pixels to spare, don’t be afraid to crop in post.
ROCK THE RIGHT FOCUS
A macro lens’s shallow DoF can make
refining focus tricky. Try gently rocking back
and forth instead of turning the focus ring, or
go a step further and try using a focusing rail.
9
LOW WIND
Plan to head
out on clear mornings
with still wind
conditions to give
yourself the best
chance of capturing
sharp subjects.
15
RESPECT
NATURE
Always move slowly,
don’t over trample
wildflowers and avoid
creating loud noises
that might scare away
your subjects.
16
www.digitalcameraworld.com
12
BE PATIENT
It takes time
to find an insect in
an ideal position.
Alternatively, frame
the perfect spot and
wait for them to move
into your composition.
17
NATURAL
LIGHT
Flash can sometimes
be too harsh, so use
reflectors to
manipulate the
available natural
light instead.
18
TEXTURE
LIBRARY
Use your macro
lens to capture any
interesting textures
you find, as these are
brilliant for creative
close-up composites.
19
SHARP SHOTS
20 Go narrow – like
f/16 – to get a larger
DoF to work with, but
avoid noticeable
diffraction. Or focus
stack for front-to-back
sharpness.
35
100 top tips…
Flowers & plan ts
Capture the wonders of nature in all its
glory with your Nikon and our expert advice
SHOOT LIKE A PRO
Tips to help you take better nature shots
when you’re out shooting with your camera
CAPTURE CHANGING SEASONS
Nature is brimming with photographic
opportunity all year round, so plan ahead to
make the most of the changing flora.
1
CLOSE-UP FILTERS
Close-up filters screw onto a filter thread
to reduce a lens’s minimum focus distance.
They’re cheap, easy to use, small and light.
Just don’t expect the best image quality.
2
TURN OFF STABILIZATION
When shooting on a tripod, turn off any
image stabilization for the sharpest shots.
3
OVERCAST LIGHTING
Clear, sunny days produce bright,
high-contrast lighting, which isn’t flattering.
Wait for overcast days or use a diffuser to
bathe your subject in soft, attractive light.
4
DIY BACKGROUNDS
Try placing a DIY backdrop behind
subjects when shooting flower portraits
to provide a clean background. Have fun
experimenting with different textures and
colours that complement your subject.
Image: Getty
5
Top techniques for nature shots
Shutterstock
Image: Dan Mold
Three ways to work in tandem with the natural world and get the best results
NATURE’S LEAD-IN LINES
Look for natural lines that you can use to
lead the eye to the focal point of your subject.
The tightly bunched-up petals of this rose
make brilliant leading lines that swirl around
the frame, directing the eye to the heart of the
flower and creating an obvious focal point.
6
36
FOCUS ON FUNGI
Mushrooms and fungi make for
fantastic subjects. You can backlight them
with off-camera flash or LED panels, or use a
small reflector to bounce some of the available
sunlight back onto them. An articulating LCD
screen will help you get low to the ground.
7
INVEST IN A MACRO LENS
A true macro lens with a reproduction
ratio of 1:1 offers the best results. It will render
your close-ups ‘life size’ – in other words, the
same size as if you’d laid your subject on your
camera’s sensor – so you can get frame-filling
shots of even the tiniest subjects.
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Image: Shutterstock
FLOWERS & PLANTS
TOP TIPS
FOR FAB FLORA
Grab great flower shots
inside or out in your garden
USE A TRIPOD
A tripod doesn’t just keep
your camera steady, it keeps your
hands free to hold a reflector or
brush aside an obstruction.
Image: Dan Mold
13
CAMERA CRAFT
Carefully placed water droplets can transform
your flower portraits into something special
SCREEN TIME
Your Nikon’s Live View
allows you to refine your
composition and zoom in
to check critical focus.
14
SLOW SHUTTER
Convey movement –
plants swaying in the breeze –
by slowing your shutter speed.
15
ADD WATER DROPS
Use a mister or spray bottle to coat your
subject with tiny water droplets, or use a pipette
to place larger drops with more precision.
9
FLASH CONTROL
Flash too bright? Turn
the power down, move the unit
further away, diffuse it, or swap it
for a continuous LED light source.
16
CLEAR FOCAL POINT
A single large drop of glycerin,
carefully placed with a pipette, will add a
shimmering focal point to your flower shots.
10
Top kit you can’t do without
Bend natural light to your will with a five-in-one reflector
BLACKOUT
A set of blackout curtains
will help to block sunlight when
using studio lighting to create
floral still-life setups at home.
17
BUY A BUNCH
Not much of a gardener?
You can get great results with
an arrangement of store-bought
flowers for as little as £5/$5.
18
SHUTTER RELEASE
A remote shutter release
allows you to take an image
without pressing the shutter
button, to avoid camera shake.
19
BOUNCE LIGHT BACK IN
Reflectors are fantastic for bouncing
light back at your subject, whether it’s natural
light or flash. A five-in-one reflector comes
with gold, silver and white sides, giving you
options to change the quality of the light. They
also come with a black side to take light away.
11
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SCRIMS FOR SOFT LIGHT
Five-in-one reflectors usually come
with a translucent scrim layer that acts as a
diffuser. This can be held between your light
source and your subject for softer light,
diffusing direct sunlight or bare flash. This
creates flattering lighting akin to a softbox.
12
CLEAN YOUR KIT
Clean your lens’s front
element and take care when
swapping lenses so your images
are dust-spot free.
20
37
Paul
Wilkinson
Go Pro
Paul Wilkinson FMPA FBIPP FSWPP is a multiaward-winning international photographer and
co-author of the best-selling book Mastering
Portrait Photography, and shares his skills
through the free companion site
MasteringPortraitPhotography.com. In this
monthly series he shares his experiences and
stories as he talks about the trials and
tribulations of becoming a pro photographer.
Take the time to
learn your craft
It’s always good to drive yourself to develop but beware of pushing too far and too fast
hen I sat down to write
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have the skills and ideas to
overcome those challenges
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www.digitalcameraworld.com
GO PRO – PAUL WILKINSON
Photography: © Paul Wilkinson
As a photographer, you never
know what is coming your way;
make sure you have the tools to
deal with whatever you take on!
www.digitalcameraworld.com
39
Ingenious recipes for stunning shots
42
Lay a camera trap
Tom Mason’s expert tips for remote wildlife
shots with your Nikon and an infrared trigger
44
A fall’s errand
Use different strengths of ND filter to slow the
flow, for silky-smooth images of waterfalls
54
48
The beauty of backlighting
Plane sailing
How to shoot a minimalist masterpiece, plus
more tips and tricks for ace aviation images
Shine a light behind your subjects for a gorgeous rim-lighting effect
BEFORE
AFTER
VIEW THE
VIDEO
50
52
A perfect blend
Explore adaptive presets
Use our 15 free-to-download textures for
creative portrait blends in Affinity Photo
Get to grips with new Adobe CC tools for
applying localized enhancements using AI
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Whenever you see this logo, it
means there’s a video to accompany
the tutorial, taking you through
things step-by-step. If a tutorial has
accompanying project files, there will
be an accompanying download link too.
41
P rojec t one: Se t up a camera trap
Lay a camera trap
Tom Mason has a hoot setting up a camera trap so
he can capture a wide-eyed subject with a wide lens
When it comes to wildlife photography, most
people immediately think of long lenses: supertelephotos of 300mm or more used in order
to capture close-ups of elusive subjects. It’s well
known that these types of lenses are the bread
and butter when it comes to photographing
wildlife, but they’re far from the only solution.
With good fieldcraft, subject knowledge,
creativity and a bit of a DIY attitude, remote
42
cameras can be a fantastic way to produce truly
unique wildlife shots. I’ve been working with
camera traps for half a decade now and simply
love the possibilities they offer.
I’ll take you behind the scenes on how
I capture shots like the above, delving into the
surprisingly cheap gear I use and the technical
tips for making these images work, so you’ll be
well placed to give remote photography a go.
Expert Tip
Aperture Priority allows
the camera to change the
shutter speed and
maintain exposure as the
light dims. I set -2 stops
exposure compensation
to ensure I don’t clip the
highlights. You can add
flash to your remote
setup when working in
low light, but this isn’t
necessary in daylight.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
CAMERA TRAPS
How to capture remote wildlife
out your subject
1 Stake
The key to a successful camera trap
image is knowledge – gear is irrelevant if
you don’t know your subject. You’ll need to
get your binoculars to understand where it
perches/passes on a daily basis. Once
you’ve built up a picture of your subject’s
movements, you can pin down where best
to build your set-up and frame your camera.
and cheerful
2 Cheap
For most of my camera traps I use
cheap secondhand DSLRs, as I’m leaving
them out in the elements. Wide-angle
lenses are best. I work from DX-format
10.5mm fisheyes to 35mm, but an
18-55mm kit lens is a great place to start.
The key thing here is that the DSLR must
have a wired remote release port.
happy
3 Trigger
You need a way to trigger your
camera remotely and the answer is an
infrared sensor. I use a beam sensor
connected to my Nikon’s remote port. This
device emits a beam of light that triggers
the shutter when broken. The one shown
here is a Scout Trail Monitor from Cognisys,
designed for extensive outdoor use.
Camera:
Nikon D3300
Lens:
10.5mm f/2.8
Exposure:
20 secs, f/8, ISO200
Photography: © Tom Mason
Above: A wide-angle field of view doesn’t
just look good, the inherently large DoF
means focusing is more forgiving.
and focus
4 Framing
Framing is key, since you won’t be
around to change it. Think about where you
want your subject to be and pre-focus; stop
down to f/8-f/11 to maximize the depth of
field. Enable manual focus to prevent
refocusing or hunting when triggered.
Always trigger a selfie before you leave, to
make sure everything is working!
in plain sight
5 Hidden
Camera traps need to blend into the
environment so as not to unsettle the
wildlife. I build custom weather-proof boxes
that provide environmental protection and
can be spray painted to blend in with the
habitat. If I know the weather is going to be
dry, I’ll wrap the camera in camo material.
43
44
www.digitalcameraworld.com
WATERFALLS
BEFORE
P rojec t two: Waterfalls
A fall’s errand
Don’t go chasing waterfalls
without an ND filter – Mike
Harris goes with the flow…
VIE W THE
VIDEO
If you own a neutral density (ND) filter, you’ve almost
certainly photographed a waterfall. They’re often the first
image budding landscape photographers turn to when they
start to learn about long-exposure photography, and it’s not
difficult to see why. There are hundreds of waterfalls and
weirs up and down the country; fast-flowing water looks
incredible blurred and people are quite simply enamoured
with long-exposure photographs of waterfalls.
While you don’t have to travel to the Isle of Skye’s Fairy
Pools or the Brecon Beacons’ Sgwd yr Eira to capture a
great waterfall image, you do need to learn to wield your ND
filters like a pro. So, whether you’re thinking of dipping your
toe into blurred waters for the first time or consider yourself
a seasoned waterfall veteran, read on to find out what stop
ND filter to use, how to nail the correct exposure and why
blending multiple images together in post can enhance
your photos further. It’s time to get your feet wet.
www.bit.ly/np154falls
www.digitalcameraworld.com
45
it down
1 Lock
You’ll need to use a tripod to avoid
camera shake when shooting long exposures.
Make sure you extend the thickest legs first and
refrain from raising the centre column – unless
absolutely necessary – for maximum stability. If
your tripod is standing in water, we recommend
leaving the legs extended until they dry out, to
help prevent trapping moisture within the
locking mechanisms. Wiping the legs down may
help too. We shot at 24mm. Depending on the
size of the waterfall, refrain from going too wide
as you could diminish your subject.
46
slap & hunt
2 Shake,
To avoid tripod camera shake, turn any
settings
3 Camera
Attach your filter mount, but not the
Vibration Reduction off and either use a remote
shutter release or Exposure Delay Mode to
avoid physically pressing the shutter button.
The latter is a good shout if you’re using a
DSLR, as it will flip up the mirror prior to firing
the shutter to prevent mirror slap. Consider
using back-button focus so AF is assigned to
the AF-ON button only. This allows you to fire
the shutter when you’re ready, rather than
having to switch to manual focus to avoid
hunting or refocusing with an ND filter attached.
filter – we used the NiSi V7 for 100mm filters.
If you’re purchasing filters for the first time,
ensure the filter system can be attached to your
lenses, natively or with a step-up ring. Most
Nikon-fit lenses will have the filter thread
etched onto the inside of the lens cap. Switch to
Manual mode so your settings remain constant
when you add the ND filter and select your base
ISO. Input an aperture of f/8 to f/11 and the
shutter speed required, so your light meter
is underexposed by roughly one stop.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Exposure blend
A neat trick is to combine different
exposure lengths in the same image.
Import each image into the same
Photoshop document, before selecting
Edit > Auto-Align Layers and then using
layer masks to paint various exposures
in or out at various points throughout
the waterfall. We recommend choosing
the image you’re most happy with as the
main image and then positioning the
exposure layer you want to blend on top
before hitting the ‘Add layer mask’ icon
and then holding Cmd+I to invert it. You
can then paint the layer back where
desired using a soft, white brush. Keep
tabs on the mask you’re revealing by
hitting ‘\’ to activate a red overlay.
your filter
4 Fit
Select your chosen neutral density
filter, and hold the edges between your thumb
and forefinger to prevent fingerprints forming
on the glass surface. Use an air blower to
remove any loose deposits from the front and
back of the filter – this will help to mitigate
scratches on the surface – and then follow up
with a lens cloth (we used our NiSi Clever
Cleaner). Gently slot the ND filter in the holder.
If there are multiple slots, select the one that’s
closest to the lens. Finish with a final check of
the filter’s front element, to ensure it’s clean.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
the math
5 Avoid
If you’re using a Z-series camera,
ensure ‘Apply settings to live view’ is switched
on in the Custom Setting Menu. The vibrant EVF
and Live View screens should enable you to slow
your shutter speed while ‘eyeballing’ exposures
of up to 30 seconds. If you’re using a DSLR or
having trouble selecting the right exposure, use
an exposure calculator app like Long Exposure
Calculator (iOS/Android) to determine the right
shutter speed. You simply input the base
shutter speed from step three, along with the
ND filter you’re using to calculate the exposure.
stop it!
6 Oh,
The strength of ND filter that you use
will depend on the speed of the running water
and the available light, although you’re perhaps
most likely to find yourself using a 3- or 6-stop
filter. That said, we always recommend trying
out various strengths, so you can settle on the
perfect flow of water. If you keep your framing
consistent, you can blend multiple exposures
to create a more enthralling image. Our main
image had a shutter speed of 8 secs, which we
blended with a 1 sec exposure of the river below
to add texture to the slower-moving water.
47
P rojec t three: Avia tion
Plane sailing
Nigel Wood explains how he
shot his stunning NPOTY
winner, along with general
aviation photography advice
This image of a de Havilland Vampire was taken at last year’s
Midlands Air Festival. The aircraft’s beautiful, silver finish
contrasts against the dark, dramatic clouds that had formed.
But what separates the plane further is a small break in the
cloud cover, allowing bright rays of light to stream through
to backlight the subject. Here’s how I captured the moment.
it on the weatherman
1 Blame
While UK weather is unpredictable and changeable,
try using it to your advantage. Take the time between flights
to think about the available light, where it’s coming from and
whether the sky is clear or cloudy. This will influence your
composition and exposure settings. For example, exposing
for the highlights enhanced the mood of my image.
to zoom
2 Room
Safety precautions at modern displays mean the display
line is some way back from the crowd line. This makes a supertelephoto zoom an essential part of your kitbag. A 100-400mm
zoom range is the minimum I’d recommend, with the wider end
proving useful for display teams, but a 150-600mm lens’s
extra reach will certainly come in handy.
blur matters
3 Prop
I recommend using a high shutter speed of 1/1250 sec
or higher to freeze a fast jet. But if you’re shooting a propellerdriven aircraft, you’ll want to come down to at least 1/640 sec
so you can capture a sharp plane, but blurred propeller. Prop
blur is essential to convey movement, otherwise, a frozen
propeller looks like the plane is simply suspended in midair.
space
4 Negative
It can be tempting to crop an image so the aircraft fills
the frame, but by leaving some negative space you can convey
a greater sense of movement, while encouraging the viewer to
think about the aircraft leaving the frame as part of the wider
display. Unless you’re making a statement, negative space
should be placed in the aircraft’s direction of travel.
bin it until the edit
5 Don’t
Always play around with your photos in your chosen
editing software. If you don’t like what you’ve done, reset the
edit and start again. I played with colour-gradient masks but
just wasn’t happy, so I reset and tried converting the image
to monochrome. Suddenly, it looked more evocative. If I had
not spent the time on this image, I might have passed it by.
48
Expert Tip
Aviation photography is a
great way to practise the
exposure triangle. You
can’t modify the light
so you must learn how
shutter speed, aperture
and ISO interact with
each other to avoid
blown-out skies and
blurry aircraft, all while
inputting the settings
quick enough to keep up.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
AVIATION
This image wasn’t working until
Nigel converted it to mono and it
became a minimalist masterpiece.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Camera:
Nikon Z 6II
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-6.3
Exposure:
1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO100
49
BEFORE
AFTER
P rojec t four: Affinity Photo
The perfect blend
VIE W THE
Choose from an array of 15 free textures and learn
how to enhance your portraits with James Paterson
Affinity Photo offers all kinds of tools for
blending images together, from layer
blending modes to masking and more. In
this project we’ll take advantage of clipping,
which allows us to position one layer inside
the shape of another. This way, we can
break down our portrait into several simple
shades of grey then clip textures to each.
We begin by using the Posterize effect,
which allows us to simplify the image into
just a few shades of grey. We’ve chosen to
50
create four levels from white to black.
From here we can select the four areas of
brightness using the Magic Wand tool and
create separate layers for each. Then the
fun begins, as we can simply copy in
different textures and colourful abstract
images, then drag them on top of each layer
so that the texture is confined to the shape
of the layer. Effectively, it lets us fill in each
area of brightness with an image of our
choice. We’ve supplied a set of 15 free
VIDEO
www.bit.ly/np154blend
textures for you to experiment with. There’s
an array of colourful soap bubble images,
rusty old trays and close-up details.
Not only are textures like this useful
for this effect, they’re also a fun way to get
creative with image blending for all sorts of
interesting results. Try copying a texture
on top of any photo then simply go to the
Layers panel and experiment with the layer
blend modes. The Overlay, Multiply
and Screen modes often work well.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
AFFINITY PHOTO
the portrait
1 Posterize
Open the image into Affinity
Photo. Go to the Layers panel, click the
Adjustment icon and choose Black and
White. Tweak sliders to control the mono
conversion. Next, click Adjustment again
and choose Posterize. Set the Levels
to 4 to create four levels of brightness.
the whites
2 Select
Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E to
merge a copy of all the layers. Set Magic
Wand Tolerance 20% and uncheck
Contiguous in the tool options. Click on
the whites to select them. Click the Refine
button and set Smooth to 5px. Apply, then
hit Cmd/Ctrl+J to copy to a new layer.
layers for each
3 Make
Double-click the layer name and
rename it ‘Whites’. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+D to
deselect then highlight the merged layer
below. Use the Magic Wand to select
the next brightest range of tones. Make
separate layers for each, renaming them
‘Highlights’, ‘Midtones’ and ‘Shadows’.
the
4 Remove
background
We need to remove the background from
the effect. Highlight the bottom layer,
grab the Selection Brush, click ‘Snap to
Edges’ in the options and paint over the
background to select it. Click on the top
layer and hit Delete, then repeat for the
four layers below.
Expert Tip
a texture
5 Add
Open up a texture image, hit Cmd/
Ctrl+C to copy then go to the portrait and
hit Cmd/Ctrl+V to paste. Drag the layer on
top of one of the layer names – ‘Whites’,
‘Highlights’, ‘Midtones’ and ‘Shadows’.
This will clip the texture to the layer so that
the shape of the layer confines the texture.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
it off
6 Finish
Experiment by moving the layer around
with the Move tool to find the best position, or
use the bounding box to resize it. Copy in more
textures and drag onto the other layers to build
it up. You can lighten or darken the textures
with Curves (Cmd/Ctrl+M) to fine-tune tones.
The Magic Wand tool quickly
selects areas of similar
pixels. The Tolerance slider
picks the range of similar
pixels the tool will seek out;
a low tolerance means it will
only search for the exact
same shade of colour, while
a high tolerance expands the
range. The other key setting
is Contiguous. With this
checked you can confine
the search to pixels
connected to one another.
51
VIE W THE
VIDEO
www.bit.ly/np154ai
BEFORE
AFTER
P rojec t five: Adobe CC
Explore Adobe’s
adaptive presets
Get to grips with this new functionality in
Lightroom and Photoshop’s Camera Raw
The latest updates to Adobe
Lightroom and Photoshop include
an exciting new approach to using
presets. By building artificial
intelligence into presets, Adobe
has now taken things a step further.
Available in Adobe Camera Raw,
Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic
(v11.4), the new adaptive presets are
powered by machine learning. They
function in a similar way to normal
presets, but rather than altering the
entire image, they zero in on either
the subject or sky, before applying
52
tailored tonal effects to the area.
Additionally, a new control lets us
fine-tune a preset’s strength and
new premium preset sets offer
a host of effects that are tailored
towards dealing with different
subject matter.
With these improvements, Adobe
continues the trend in implementing
AI into its photo applications. Aided
by machine learning, complex edits
are gradually getting easier and
quicker, which is great news all
round for Nikon enthusiasts.
Preset basics
Presets let you apply tonal effects
to your photos with a single click.
You can use them in both Lightroom CC
(shown here) and Lightroom Classic, and
in Photoshop’s Camera Raw. As well as
making use of the inbuilt presets, you
can find thousands of sets online. What’s
more, you can create your own custom
presets. After making a tonal effect,
click the plus icon in the Presets panel
in Lightroom (or the new Presets icon in
Camera Raw). Choose the tools/settings
you’d like to include and hit Save.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
ADOBE CC
presets
1 Adaptive
Adaptive presets work by employing
Strength slider
2 Preset
The new Preset Strength slider gives
AI to isolate either the sky or subject before
adding tonal settings to boost the selected
area. You can make powerful selective
adjustments to parts of your photo with a
couple of clicks. Here, the ‘Blue Drama’
preset isolates the sky and pulls out some
of the delicate cloud detail, while the
‘Warm Pop’ preset identifies the bronze
car and boosts the colour and contrast.
you control over preset effects by allowing
you to change the strength of the tonal
change. If you think an effect is too strong,
lower the slider to tone it down. It works with
both normal universal presets and the new
range of adaptive presets. Here, it enables
us to increase the strength of the Warm Pop
preset. Like all sliders, the function can be
reset simply with a double-click.
panel
3 Masks
After adding an adaptive preset to
boost your subject or sky, you can delve into
the Mask panel to adjust aspects of the
image. Masks will have been generated for
your presets. You can add or subtract from
the initial AI mask with the brush. You can
also tweak the tonal sliders to adjust the
effect. Here, the sky adjustment has
also amplified the noise, so we have
added a touch of noise reduction.
3
4
5
2
1
6
custom
4 Create
adaptive presets
You can now sync AI masks from one photo
to others, so you can sync local edits to your
subject across a set of photos. You can also
use AI masks in presets you create yourself,
so you can effectively make your own
custom adaptive presets to alter the
subject or sky in any way you choose.
Here, we have created a preset to
include a touch of warmth to the sky.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
premium presets
5 Use
Premium presets are included in the
paid version of Lightroom/Photoshop.
The latest updates include five premium
sets: Portraits: Black & White; Portraits:
Edgy; Portraits: Group; Subject: Concerts;
and Video: Creative. These features are
created by pro photographers and editing
experts, so they’re great for learning
about the tools and techniques used
by pros to enhance the final image.
presets
6 Video
Another new feature in CC is the
option to edit video using Lightroom’s
tonal tools, as well as trim the start and
end of video clips. It’s only possible in
Lightroom CC, but if you’re a Classic user
there’s a workaround to apply presets and
tonal changes by using the Quick Develop
panel in the Library module. There’s a new
set of premium presets for toning video
clips – you can apply these to stills, too.
53
P rojec t six: The big projec t
The beauty of
backlighting
Some may think it’s as simple
as lighting the subject from
behind – but there’s more to
using glorious backlighting in
portraits, says James Paterson
Place a light behind a person and to one side – or two lights
either side – and the light glances off the edge of the subject
in the most wonderful way. This is one of the simplest yet
most powerful lighting skills you can learn. Get to grips with
backlighting, and you can craft sensational portraits.
We’ve used a set of lights from a home studio kit here,
each fitted with a softbox. But you don’t necessarily need to
go and buy a whole load of new kit. Any light source can be
used for backlighting. A Speedlight and a cheap white
umbrella will give amazing results, but even a household
lamp can be used to great effect.
Then, of course, there’s the sun. When it’s low in the sky,
it can create lovely warm backlighting if you position your
subject with the setting sun behind them.
Backlighting is ideal for side-on poses, because it
highlights the edge of the body. As such, it’s perfect for a
pregnant subject like Kelli here, highlighting her beautiful
bump and glancing off the edge of her face in profile. It’s
also ideal when you want your subject to stand out from
their surroundings, or to give them a heroic, cinematic feel.
(Backlighting is used all the time in movies and TV.)
Over the next few pages, we’ll look at how to shoot and
edit quality portraits like this. From exposure settings to
light placement, you’ll learn the best way to backlight your
subjects for beautiful low-key photos.
VIE W THE
VIDEO
www.bit.ly/np154backlight
54
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BACKLIGHTING
A soft backlight is a simple but
effective way to generate mood
and atmosphere in your shot.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
55
Get set up for backlit portraits
LEARN HOW TO USE A HOME
STUDIO KIT FOR STUNNING RESULTS
source
1 Light
The key piece of kit for backlighting is
backdrop
2 Dark
A dark, uncluttered backdrop will help
a movable light source, ideally with a light stand.
We’ve used an Elinchrom home studio head
here: a mains-powered light like this is perfect
for a home studio setup. The lights can be
triggered either with a wireless trigger or
optically after detecting another flash.
to focus attention on your subject, and will
contrast with the edge highlight created by the
backlighting. We’ve used a roll of vinyl that is
white on one side and dark grey on the other,
but a plain wall or a blanket strung up will work
just as well.
settings
3 Camera
Here’s a good stock setting for a studio
flash setup like this. Set your camera to Manual
exposure mode with ISO100. Set the shutter
speed to 1/200 sec and the aperture to f/8.
Take a test shot, then either increase or
decrease the power of the light source, or
open or close your aperture until it looks right.
1
2
6
4
5
3
light
4 Rear
The positioning of the rear light is
crucial. We want to lift the edge of the body, and
we usually want to leave the front of the subject
in shade. There’s no right or wrong. Start by
placing the light source just behind the subject
to one side, angled towards the camera, then
experiment by moving it forwards or back.
56
5 Posing
Posing your subject is vital. You don’t
exposures
6 Bracket
Here, a fill light is positioned to the left
want them to be looking at the camera, because
their face will be in deep shade unless you have
a fill light to lift the shadows. Better to have
them looking off to the side, or with eyes down.
This creates more of a thoughtful pose that’s
perfect for our pregnant subject here.
side of the subject to lift the shadows in the
face. It’s set at a lower power than the light used
to backlight the subject on the right. You can
see that it lifts the hair and the subject’s left
shoulder. If you prefer to keep things dark
and moody, though, stick to a single light.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
BACKLIGHTING
Top tips for backlighting
light vs softbox
1 Hard
In general for portraiture, it’s better to use a
large light source, like a softbox, rather than a small
light source, like a bare flash. Look at the difference
here between the bare flash used in this image and the
softbox lighting in tip 3. The larger the light source is,
the gentler the shadows become, making it much
more flattering. You want a soft, diffuse light source.
flash power
2 Setting
Once you have your camera
the light in close
3 Get
You’ll often get the best results if
the angles
4 Work
A slight change in the position of
settings locked in, don’t change them –
instead, alter the power of the lights
to suit your exposure. With one light,
work out the power and position for it
by taking test shots, then add a second
light and build it up from there.
you bring your backlight in close to the
subject: this makes the light larger in
relation to the subject, and causes the
light to wrap around them. It also means
less light will spill onto the backdrop. You
can remove the light itself in Photoshop.
the light can have a big impact. Look at
the difference here: on the left, the light
is more side-on; while on the right, it’s
moved a metre back, resulting in more
moody light. The further back the light
is, the thinner the edge highlight will be.
the aperture
5 Open
Backlighting can also be used to
create a bright, airy feel in this shot of Kelli
and her partner. We’ve not done anything
different with our lighting setup here: it’s
exactly the same as the dark shots. All
we’ve done is widen the aperture to f/3.2,
which blows out the backdrop and creates
overexposed edges around the subjects.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
the lighting
6 Build
If you want to add in a second light,
you can create edge lighting that wraps all
the way around the subject, or subjects.
Here we positioned a second backlight
behind and to the left (you can see them
in the edges of the frame). Now we have
an edge light for each face in profile.
57
Edit your backlit portrait
to mono
1 Convert
Backlighting creates a wonderful sense
of mood and depth, which often goes hand in
hand with a black-and-white treatment. Colour
can be a distraction, and you can emphasize
the subject and expression by removing it.
The Black & White panel in Camera Raw and
Lightroom is the ideal place to convert to mono.
SIMPLE TIPS AND TRICKS FOR
TIDYING AND ENHANCING YOUR PHOTOS
stray hairs
2 Fix
Backlighting shows up distracting
stray hairs around the edge of the head.
There’s no quick fix for this in Photoshop: you
simply have to get stuck in with the Healing
tools to remove unwanted hairs. The new
Remove tool is great for getting rid of larger
objects like lights, or for extending a backdrop.
light leaks
3 Try
Backlighting can lend portraits a
dreamy, thoughtful mood that can sometimes
be enhanced with simple post-processing
tricks, like adding a light leak. We’ve used the
Nik Collection, a fantastic plugin for Photoshop.
It includes Analog Efex Pro, which offers all
sorts of retro effects and an array of light leaks.
Experiment with gels
COLOURED GELS CAN TAKE YOUR BACKLIGHTING AND EDGE LIGHTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Why not try fitting coloured
gels over your light sources?
A simple shift in colour can
create an entirely new mood.
Here we fitted our backlight
with an orange gel, and our
frontal fill light with a blue
gel. Complementary colours
like this can work well
together, so pick colours
that sit opposite one another
on a colour wheel.
The fun thing about using
orange and blue is that we
can also get creative with
our white balance to make
the image cooler or warmer,
so the balance shifts
towards vibrant oranges or
blues. We adjusted the white
balance so that the blue gel
has a minimal cast, which
makes the warm light from
behind even more vibrant.
As well as tinting the light
sources that illuminate your
subject, you can also colour
the background by directing
another gelled light on it.
58
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All images: Samir Hussein
THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW
60
From Royal Ascot to Lady Gaga,
Buckingham Palace to Glastonbury,
you’re likely to find Samir Hussein
taking the official pictures. A day
after photographing King Charles,
he made time for an exclusive
audience with Keith Wilson in
this month’s N-Photo interview...
SAMIR HUSSEIN
Samir
Hussein
Profile
● Samir Hussein is one of the
world’s most widely published
royal photographers. He regularly
travels abroad with the Prince and
Princess of Wales.
● His images have been published
on the covers of top international
titles, including Vanity Fair and
Paris Match, as well as gracing
royal stamps and coins.
● Samir has shot for some of the
world’s biggest music artists while
on tour, including Taylor Swift, Adele
and Lady Gaga.
● Represented by Getty Images, Samir’s
client list includes Soho House, MTV,
IWC, Vogue, Ralph & Russo, Mouton
Cadet and Freuds.
● Samir’s numerous awards include
Arts and Entertainment Photographer
of the Year on three occasions at
the prestigious Picture Editors
Awards, and Royal Photographer
of the Year in 2021.
www.samirhussein.com
Instagram: @samhussein1
61
THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW
ooking at Samir
Hussein on my
screen as we
speak via
Zoom, I’m
struck by
how relaxed
he looks.
He’s casually
dressed in a
plain T-shirt and
leaning back in his
chair as we talk about
summer (it’s raining outside) and
forthcoming holidays.
It’s such a contrast to his profile
photo on his website, which shows
the royal photographer in black tie
and designer sunglasses on the
Cannes Film Festival red carpet,
looking just like one of the A-listers
he normally photographs for a living.
When I look back at the man on the
screen, I am reminded that this is
what Samir looks like on those rare
occasions when he can get some
downtime from photographing the
great and the good. The day before,
Samir was at Sandringham
photographing the King. I bet he
wasn’t dressed then like he is now!
As a royal and entertainment
photographer, do you ever get
a chance to switch off?
It’s difficult to switch off because I’m
so passionate about photography.
I’m always thinking about the next
picture, the next job. Thankfully,
there are periods during the year
when it does get a bit quiet. August
is one of them, when the royals go
away and there’s not many jobs,
so I tend to take August off; and
the same for the second half of
December and January. Outside of
those periods, it’s full-on, with events
and shoots throughout the year. I am
quite fortunate I’m freelance, and
I can still choose when I work and
spend time with the family.
How do you pick engagements?
Are official duties with the royal
family always scheduled a long
time ahead?
Well, it is to some degree, in that you
have the big royal events the same
time every year; let’s say Royal
Ascot, Trooping the Colour.
The same goes for showbiz stuff
like the Cannes Film Festival or
Previous page:
Taylor Swift
performs live at
Wembley Stadium,
22 June 2018, as
part of her 53-date
Reputation tour.
Below: This playful
portrait of Queen
Elizabeth II was
used as a
promotional photo
for the Oxford
Films documentary
Queen of the
World, broadcast
in 2018.
Right: Lady Gaga
makes a dramatic
entrance to the UK
premiere of House
of Gucci, at the
Odeon Luxe,
Leicester Square,
November 2021.
You probably know
about a big royal tour
about a month in
advance, sometimes
two months
Glastonbury, the BRIT awards, the
BAFTAs; so you have those in your
diary, but there are some things
that come up very last-minute.
What about royal tours?
You probably know about a big royal
tour about a month in advance,
sometimes two months. But you
probably won’t know the specific
details of it – how long you’re going
to be away, what dates, and what
that will involve – until a month
before, sometimes less than that.
Which of the big events do
you most look forward to?
Something like Trooping the Colour
is always a great event to shoot. You
know you’re going to get all the royals
62
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SAMIR HUSSEIN
there, including the kids. You can
shoot them coming down in the
carriages, you get them on the
balcony, you usually get
spontaneous moments from the
kids, and you have all the pomp and
grandeur that the royals bring. I like
variety too: I like going from that to
shooting something like Glastonbury,
which is completely different.
That’s quite a contrast: Trooping
the Colour and Glastonbury! And
they happen within a week or so
of each other?
This year it was Trooping the Colour
then straight into Royal Ascot.
Normally they don’t clash, but this
year Royal Ascot clashed in the same
week as Glastonbury, so from
www.digitalcameraworld.com
HARRY & MEGHAN’S RAIN CHECK
SAMIR HUSSEIN’S 2020 IMAGE OF MEGHAN AND
HARRY WALKING THROUGH THE RAIN WENT VIRAL,
AND HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE MOST
ICONIC ROYAL PHOTOS EVER TAKEN...
The weather was not ideal, with rain and lightning,
so how did you react in time to get this shot?
It was one of their last engagements as working royals. It was
pouring with rain and it was at night, so I had to use flash. There
was so much that could go wrong. When they got out of the car,
I saw a light in the background – I think it might have been a TV
camera crew – which acted as a strong backlight. I moved a few
inches, just enough to position the lighting so it created this
halo effect. It’s one of those moments where you react to what’s
in front of you and everything comes together.
63
THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW
shooting Royal Ascot in my suit,
I drove straight to Glastonbury.
That was a huge contrast, but
things like that happen quite a lot.
A couple of weeks ago, I was
shooting Prince William playing polo.
As soon as it ended, I had to drive to
shoot Bruce Springsteen in Hyde
Park, a mad dash across London
with just five minutes to spare!
Variety is the spice of life, is it not?
I love it. I love the variety of shooting
high-profile people in different
scenarios: it keeps you on your toes.
I think it makes you a better
photographer when you have to
adapt to these different situations.
Live music is very different to
shooting the royals.
Speaking of music, are there
favourite artists you always
look out for?
It’s funny, but some of the music
I like, which might be just a guy with
a guitar, doesn’t always make for the
best pictures. I now do the big arenas
and all the top stadium gigs, so the
artists that spring to mind are
Florence and the Machine – I always
find her amazing to photograph
because of the way she moves
around on stage and dresses.
Stormzy is another one I’ve
photographed a number of times;
Taylor Swift, the pictures are always
amazing; Madonna, Lady Gaga.
Those are the ones that every time
you photograph, they give you
something else, they’re going to
produce something spectacular;
so I get really excited when I get to
shoot them.
Is there a celebrity who you
always enjoy photographing?
I don’t know that I could say that
I have a favourite, but the Princess
of Wales is the person I have
photographed the most, without
a doubt. I’ve been photographing
her for so long, and travelled all over
the world with her and in so many
different scenarios, whether it be
engagements, the wedding, or all
around the world, from small places
in the Pacific to up a mountain in
Bhutan. They are the sort of pictures
I hold most dear to me, and because
of the access I’ve had and the
library of pictures, she’s my most
photographed; so I guess that’s
someone that’s important to me.
Yes, and with that comes the
photos of the children. They say
you shouldn’t work with children:
is that also true of royal children?
I really love photographing the
children, because it’s so different.
With the royals, it’s usually very
Below: Charles III
waves to the crowd
from the balcony
of Buckingham
Palace after his
coronation in May.
Right: The Duke
and Duchess of
Cambridge (now
the Prince and
Princess of Wales)
share a moment
together at 2017’s
Royal Ascot.
Below right: On a
tour of Bhutan in
2016, Kate has a fit
of giggles after her
attempt at archery,
the country’s
national sport.
Below far right:
A four-year-old
Princess Charlotte
greets the Cowes
Week crowd before
the presentation
ceremony for the
King’s Cup, 2016.
I love the variety of
VKRRWLQJKLJKSURȩOH
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scenarios: it keeps
you on your toes
well-planned and quite formal, so
when the children are around, it adds
that spontaneity to things you don’t
normally get. At the end of the day,
they’re still children, royal or not, so
there are going to be times when
they play up, there are going to be
times when they don’t play ball; but
I think that’s great to see, and I think
people love seeing that side of it.
Kate has developed a reputation
as a photographer herself. Has she
received any coaching from you?
Not coaching as such, but I’ve
definitely had a chat with her about
photography. There was one time
in Bhutan where she walked up the
mountain and she took her camera
to take some pictures. When I do
have the opportunity, usually on tour,
to have a drink and a chat with her,
that’s where we can have some nice
common ground and we can talk
about photography.
She’s improved a lot: I can really
see a difference in her pictures from
when she released her first-time
pictures of family. They’re really
good, so you can see that she’s keen
and she’s been photographing a lot.
Could she have a second career?
Yeah! She could do.
How old were you when you
started taking the idea of being
a photographer seriously?
My father (Anwar Hussein) was
a photographer. He used to
photograph Princess Diana back in
the day, and showbiz going back
to the 1960s, so I was brought up
surrounded by photography. But
it wasn’t something I wanted to do
growing up. It’s not something that
my dad pushed me towards in
any sort of way. If anything, he
discouraged me. I was more
interested in journalism, and
that’s what I did at university.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
66
Where and when was that?
It was in Southampton; I graduated
in 2000. I did a degree in journalism,
and in one of the modules we had
the opportunity of doing some
photography. We were shooting and
developing film, and I really loved it;
so that’s what piqued my interest.
The lecturer at the time was very
encouraging. He said, “Actually,
you’ve got a great eye,” and that was
the first time when I started thinking,
“This is something I really do enjoy.”
the Nikon system. I’ve always loved
their stuff, particularly their lenses.
Has it always been Nikon for you?
It has, actually. When I first started
taking pictures, I managed to buy
one of my dad’s old cameras off him,
and he was always Nikon. So, from
the very beginning I started with
Nikon, and built up numerous lenses
over the years. You get entrenched in
Pick someone who’s
at the top of their
game, and try to get
to their standard.
That’s what I did
Do you have a favourite lens?
It’s different lenses for different
scenarios. I love their prime lenses,
the new Z 85mm f/1.2. It’s amazing
for portraits. For red-carpet events,
I love the 200mm f/2: it gives
beautiful pictures, and it’s one I use
Above: A family in
mourning: Prince
George, Queen
Camilla and the
Princess of Wales
arrive at the
funeral of Queen
Elizabeth II,
September 2022.
a lot for the royals, because we aren’t
always able to get too close to them.
But the lens I love is the Z 400mm
f/2.8, which is absolutely amazing.
I’ve been using that for the past
six months. It’s got the built-in
teleconverter that gives it a longer
focal length, so that’s a fantastic lens
for shooting portraits from a
distance. I have pretty much every
focal length up to 600mm, because
I’m shooting at all sorts of distances,
depending on the job and the access.
When you go on tour with the
royals, do you pack everything?
You have to because they have the
pool system, so the photographers
take it in turns. If, say, you’re indoors
and they’re meeting someone and
there’s not much room, only one or
two photographers are allowed. In
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SAMIR HUSSEIN
REMEMBERING TONY
LEGENDARY CROONER TONY
BENNETT PASSED AWAY THIS YEAR. SAMIR
RECALLS HOW HE WAITED FOR THE RIGHT
MOMENT TO MAKE HIS STYLISH PORTRAIT…
It could have been a typical formal portrait of a
big-name artist, but how did you approach a shoot
like this to get something that stands out?
For me, lighting is the most important aspect of
photography. One of the things I’ve learned is how to
use the best lighting in any scenario. I don’t think you
can go in too premeditated. I like my photography to be
about spontaneous moments that show a bit of
humanity. With Tony Bennett, it was at the Royal Albert
Hall, where he was doing a gig, and they had some stage
lights set up. I didn’t have long, but he just put his hand
on his chest and looked up at the light. It captured that
little bit of emotion, rather than just that standard
picture of somebody looking around before the show.
It’s that split-second
where he drops his
self-awareness?
Exactly, and that’s
what I’m always
trying to look for. I
speak about light, but
I think another skill
set is knowing when
that moment is going
to come, knowing
when to anticipate
that, and be ready
to capture it.
I suppose switching to the Z series
has helped in terms of the weight?
Yes, definitely. I use the Z 9, which is
fairly bulky compared to some of the
mirrorless cameras, but they are
lighter. What has been a big help is
the longer lenses are much lighter;
you can handhold them easily, so
I don’t have to use a monopod.
I can be a lot more mobile with
them. That has definitely helped.
I shoot everything in colour. When
I go into post-production, when I’m
doing my editing process, there are
certain images when something
goes in my head: “Black and white;
that will work in black and white.”
Even yesterday, I was taking pictures
of King Charles on a big set in
Sandringham, and as I was going
through the images, I thought, “Ah,
let me see that in black and white.”
I don’t do it for the sake of it.
It’s because of the tones, the
atmosphere of the picture, and it
can give a classic, timeless look.
I think it works more for slightly
older characters, often more for
men than for women.
You create both colour and mono
portraits, so where do you stand
on black-and-white imagery?
What has been your most
memorable moment?
Something that springs to mind,
that case you pool those pictures,
so you might need a 24-70mm or
a 70-200mm. Or you could be a long
way away and shoot on a long lens to
do some portraits. So you bring a lot
of equipment with you.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
obviously, would be when the Queen
died. From the moment it was
announced in September 2022…
It was actually at the time of my
wife’s birthday. The kids were coming
home from school and we were going
to have a party with them. Then the
news started breaking that the
Queen was very ill, and it became
evident she wasn’t going to make
it, so I went to Buckingham Palace.
I was there when the flag was
lowered, and the scenes will always
stick in my mind. There was silence
all around Buckingham Palace for
at least five minutes before people
started breaking out into ‘God Save
the Queen’. It was surreal to be
capturing those moments.
Historic moments…
Just a few minutes before that,
there was a rainbow just above
Buckingham Palace, so I got some
shots of that. That whole evening
I was there photographing the
reaction, and it didn’t stop after that.
I went straight up to Scotland to get
the coffin leaving Balmoral and then
covering everything in Edinburgh,
then arriving back at Buckingham
Palace; and in between you had King
Charles and Camilla coming to
Buckingham Palace to look at all the
flowers, William and Kate in Windsor.
I had a black suit on the whole time
because I was going to so many royal
engagements. That whole two weeks
was non-stop, and I didn’t have
much time to take it in. It was hugely
historical, and it will stay in my mind.
Any advice for someone who
wants to follow in your footsteps?
You cannot beat going out there and
shooting. It’s fine if you want to go to
university to study photography, but
nothing can beat going out there and
shooting and learning the hard way.
Get a mentor, or get to know
people in the industry you want
to work with, whatever type of
photography you want to do, and
speak to them about what it takes.
Pick someone who’s at the top of
their game, and try to get to their
standard. That’s what I did.
That’s how you make mistakes,
that’s how you learn. By doing that,
you develop your own style and
learn what you really want to shoot.
You can only do that by shooting
lots, and learning from the best.
67
ON ASSIGNMENT
1
$ȨQHERG\RIZRUN
Fine art photographer Ray Spence combines
his fascination with mannequins and infrared
imagery for an upcoming exhibition
first photographed shop window
mannequins in Athens in the
1970s and have always had
a fascination with them.
I have several in my house
and garden, and I have
forever been interested in
the way we use mannequins
and dolls, aimed not just at
displaying clothes or childhood
play, but sometimes in a far
more sinister context.
This Mannakin series is a small part of the
work done and will eventually find its way
into a larger exhibition and book. It is surreal
but has a direct reference to many aspects
of society and the issues facing us. The use
of mannequins to reflect the human
condition is a recurring theme in my work.
I often work collaboratively with my friend
and photographer Clare Acford. We tend to
work with mannequins, particularly in
conjunction with the human figure, to
produce a visual narrative. She is great at
searching out unusual locations and it was
Clare who found this location. It was a
mannequin repository in Lincolnshire,
68
which refurbishes and hires them out for
film, photography and events.
I approached the shoot with an open
mind, but it was one of those situations
where the possibilities were endless.
I looked for scenarios that could be
translated to some of the events happening
now and in the past in our society.
An infrared convert
These were the result of a single day’s
shoot over about four hours. I had
upgraded to a Nikon D810, and so this was
a great opportunity to make use of my D700
by having it converted to infrared. I used it
along with a Nikon AF-S 24-120mm lens.
I like to work with the minimum of
equipment, so the use of a single body and
lens allowed me to concentrate totally on
the subject matter. Most shots were
handheld, but there are also a number of
interior shots that required the use of my
trusty 40-year-old Benbo tripod.
The subject matter and location was
rather surreal, so the use of infrared was the
ideal way of translating this surreal feeling.
It has led to a body of work that I am still
reflecting upon. It was an exciting day,
finding a unique location that could have
been made for my style of work.
With such an overwhelming location, the
main challenge was to isolate compositions
that told a story and had some underlying
meaning that went beyond pure recording.
Technically, being able to recognize how
infrared translates colours and tones
comes with experience but – unlike my days
of infrared film photography – the ability to
see the images on the digital camera back
and check the histogram makes life so
much easier.
For the Responding to Light exhibition at
MAKE Southwest, I had the images printed
onto 70x50cm acrylic using Permajet’s
PermaLux. For me, the way images are
presented is so important, and these
materials are ideal for this subject matter.
Ray Spence is exhibiting in Responding
to Light – a group show of seven leading
photographers celebrating the diversity
of modern photography as a medium
that straddles fine art and craft. The
exhibition runs from 16 September to
4 November at MAKE Southwest,
Bovey Tracey, Devon, and entry is free.
See: www.makesouthwest.org.uk
I approached the shoot with
an open mind, but it was one
of those situations where the
possibilities were endless
www.digitalcameraworld.com
RAY SPENCE
3
2
5
4
[1] An image of chaos
and discarded bodies of
all ages, gender and colour.
[2] Even in such dire
circumstances, there is love
and affection to be found.
[3] Ranks of identical
figures that have lost all
sense of identity.
[4] Figures standing defiantly
at the border fence. Are they
trying to get in or keep us out?
Images: © Ray Spence
[5] The discarded pile of limbs
is reminiscent of the horrific
images from World War II
concentration camps.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
69
The only camera manual you’ll ever need...
70 Nikon Academy Your Nikon’s
74 Ask Matthew Nikon niggles
battery does more than you think…
nullified by our resident tech-head
NIKON KNOW-HOW
Power to the people!
Despite all its fancy features and sophisticated imaging technologies, your
Nikon is nothing more than an expensive doorstop without a simple battery…
We take it for granted, but you
simply can’t take pictures with
digital cameras without a
battery. And while some
old-fashioned film cameras can
use human mechanical power
to cock the shutter, lift the
mirror and wind on the film, all
digital cameras have so many
electronic components that
they become little more than a
paperweight when they run out
of electricity to run on.
Although the rechargeable
lithium-ion pack that you get
with your Nikon lasts for
hundreds of shots before it
needs to be topped up from the
mains, it is put under a fair bit of
strain. Powering the LCDs,
processors and circuitry is one
thing, but the cells also provide
power for a number of highdrain motors, as your camera is
still a very mechanical machine.
The shutter, image stabilization,
lens focusing and mirror (in
DSLRs) are all powered from
this one battery.
If your Nikon has a pop-up
flash, this drains a significant
amount of power from the cells
to fill the high-voltage capacitor
needed to provide the charge
that creates its spark of light.
A flash-lit picture takes almost
twice the power of a flash-free
image to create.
70
WHERE DOES YOUR BATTERY POWER GO?
It’s surprising how many parts of
your camera rely on the battery
in order to produce images
5 FIRING THE SHUTTER
The camera’s focal plane shutter
mechanism is powered by the battery.
1 FOCUSING
Your lenses’ autofocus systems
use motors driven by the battery
in the camera body.
2 STABILIZING
Both IBIS and lens-based VR stabilize
the image using gyroscopic sensors
and motors driven by the camera.
3 IMAGE PROCESSING
Inside all Nikons is a mini-computer,
a processing engine for turning
light values into digital data.
4 DISPLAYING
The rear LCD display – and
EVF in mirrorless cameras
– consume a considerable
amount of power, and not
just in Live View but for
menu display and info screens.
CHEMISTRY LESSON
So what goes on inside that vital
grey block? It’s important to
realize that all batteries,
including the lithium-ion packs
used in Nikon cameras, create
electricity through a controlled
chemical reaction. Temperature
affects this reaction; use your
pack on a cold day and it will not
allow you to take as many shots
as on a warm afternoon. The
6 RAISING THE MIRROR
On a DSLR, a motor flips up the mirror that
directs the light path to the viewfinder,
exposing the image on the sensor.
1
7 SHOWING STATUS
The status display on the top panel of some
models consumes less power
than the rear LCD, but still
relies on the battery.
2
9
8
5
3
6
7
4
voltage produced by the battery
drops off as it is used. Once it
reaches the cut-off limit set by
the camera, the battery
indicator starts flashing and
the shutter button and LCDs
soon stop working. A rise in
temperature (putting the
battery in your pocket) can
bring the pack back to life for
a shot or two, but ultimately
the cells will need recharging
8 BACKLIGHTING
The status panel backlight
and light-up buttons use
small lamps, for visibility
in the dark.
9 FLASH LIGHTING
The pop-up flash on some
models uses the camera
battery as its power source.
– a process that reverses the
chemical process, so that the
ions in the battery are ready to
power your camera once again.
Although we might think of
rechargeable batteries as a
renewable energy source with
a low running cost, they do not
last for ever. Typically, you can
expect your battery pack to last
for around 500 charge cycles
before it will need to be
www.digitalcameraworld.com
NIKON KNOW-HOW
CAMERA CONTROLS
Inside a Nikon battery
Take a look inside one of Nikon’s lithium-ion batteries – it’s rather sophisticated
For something so vital, your Nikon’s battery is
a wonderfully compact component. If you’ve
ever wanted to look inside one, we definitely
don’t recommend pulling a real battery apart,
so we’ve uncovered its secrets here for you…
SIZE MATTERS
Different Nikons use different
batteries – an important factor
to consider when it comes to
upgrading. (See the battery
type and life data in our
table on page 73).
TWIN CELLS
Your Nikon’s battery
contains not one cell but
two, each with a nominal
output of 3.7 volts and
giving a combined
output of 7.4 volts.
HEAT VENT
Each individual cell
has its own heat vent
and terminals, and
they are linked
together in series
to create a
connecting circuit.
ON-BOARD
COMPUTER
Hidden inside your
rechargeable battery
pack is a circuit board that
helps regulate the output
of the battery and ensures
correct charging. It also
has safety features, such
as a heat sensor, built in.
LAYERS
The battery is made
up of alternating
layers of two
chemicals, between
which the reaction
occurs. Each of these
layers is separated by
a micro-perforated
plastic so they don’t
touch, but through
which the ions can
pass freely.
MAKING CONTACT
These areas make contact
with the terminals inside the
camera’s battery compartment
and the battery charger. These
need to be kept clean and should
be kept away from metal objects
to avoid a short circuit.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The anode chemical is normally graphite,
and the cathode material is most often
lithium cobalt oxide. An electrolyte material
is also added to aid electrical flow.
ON THE BUTTON
&ORFNLQJRȨ"
Your Nikon has a clock battery. Here’s what to do when the ‘clock’ display flashes
1
2
3
4
Don’t let it run down
Time zone and date
Set your time zone
Date and time
The clock battery recharges
from the main battery and can
last several months. It’s fine to
remove the main battery for
charging, but don’t leave it out
or you’ll need to reset the clock.
To reset the clock, use the ‘Time
zone and date’ option in the
Setup menu. It’s important to
set this correctly because this
information is embedded in the
image file and can prove useful.
Check the Time Zone setting,
and make sure you pick the
right home location. If your
camera has forgotten the time
and date, it will have forgotten
your time zone, too.
Setting the correct date is most
important, since this will ensure
your software can sort your
images chronologically. The
time setting is less important
but still worth getting right.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
71
NIKOPEDIA
NIKON KNOW-HOW
What the lamps on
your charger mean
MH-26
You plug in your battery and the lights start
blinking... but how do you know when it’s charged?
CONSUMER CHARGERS
PROFESSIONAL CHARGERS
The chargers for Nikon’s non-professional
cameras are quite straightforward
The charger for pro Nikon models is a much more complex beast
01 TWIN CHARGING BAYS Many
pros carry a fully charged spare battery
on assignment – you can charge them
individually or two at a time.
01 BLINKING LAMP This
means the battery is still charging.
It takes around two hours with
most models.
02 BLINKING LAMP Like on the
‘consumer’ chargers, a blinking lamp
means the battery is still being charged.
02 SOLID LAMP This means
the battery is now fully charged –
though you can also remove a
part-charged battery and put
it back in the camera if you’re
in a hurry to start shooting.
replaced, but this longevity can
vary significantly in practice.
Lithium-ion cells will lose
about five to 10 per cent of the
charge a month even if they are
not used, and if they are left idle
to self-discharge they may not
recover, so try to use spare
batteries in rotation. One of the
big advantages of lithium-ion
batteries is their lack of
‘memory’ effects. You don’t
need to charge your battery
fully before using it, or
discharge it fully before
MH-25
charging it. Complex monitoring
circuitry in the charger and the
battery ensures that the
charging process is optimized
and typically takes a couple of
hours. Don’t worry about
overcharging; the circuitry will
detect when the battery is full.
Temperature plays a role here
too. In warm climates, a battery
will not give you as much
service as in a cold one. If you
live in a hot country, it may pay
to ensure you keep your
batteries cool when not in use!
03 SOLID LAMP When the lamp
stays on all the time it means the
battery is fully charged and ready to go.
SIZE MATTERS
Some Nikons come with a
bigger battery than others, and
size is a pretty good indicator of
how long this will last between
charges. However, for a
scientific measure you need to
look at the battery’s capacity,
which is measured in
milliampere hours (mAh).
In addition to carrying a spare
battery, one way of increasing
your available portable
electricity supply is to use a
battery grip. These are available
04 50%, 80%, 100% LAMPS
These let you know how far the charging
has proceeded – very useful for busy
professional photographers who might
need to grab batteries in a hurry!
05 CALIBRATION Professional
photographers need to know exactly
how much charge remains in the
battery, and this option is used to
recalibrate batteries which are
reporting battery power incorrectly.
for ‘enthusiast’ DSLR and
mirrorless cameras. The D6
and Z 9 don’t need them
because the ‘grip’ is effectively
built into the body.
Your Nikon also has a second,
‘clock’ battery. This is a small
rechargeable cell built into the
camera, and it ensures that you
do not have to reset the time
and date every time you remove
the battery to charge it. It gets
its power from the main battery,
and can last for up to three
months when fully charged.
Step by step Make your battery last longer
Concerned about running out of power? A few simple precautions will help you shoot for longer
1
72
2
3
4
Don’t use Live View
Avoid using flash
Image review off
Auto off timers
Live View on DSLRs uses a lot
of power. If your battery icon
glows red, turn if off – there
will be enough power to shoot
for a while using the viewfinder.
Shooting with flash uses twice
the power of a regular exposure,
and quite often you’ll get a more
attractive picture by increasing
the ISO setting instead.
If your camera displays the
image you’ve just shot on the
LCD, image review is enabled.
It uses extra power, so switch
it off if you can do without it.
Many features stay active for
some time after taking a shot.
Change this with the Auto off
timers in the Setup menu or
Timers in Custom settings.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
NIKON KNOW-HOW
Nikon mirrorless
& DSLR batteries
Your at-a-glance guide to batteries, battery
life, and chargers for current and recent
Nikon mirrorless and DSLR cameras
MODEL
BATTERY*
NUMBER OF SHOTS**
CHARGER
Z 30
EN-EL25
330
MH-32
Z 50
EN-EL25
300
MH-32
Z fc
EN-EL25
300
MH-32
Z5
EN-EL15c
390/470
MH-25a
Z6
EN-EL15b
310
MH-25a
Z 6II
EN-EL15c
400/450
MH-25a
Z7
EN-EL15b
330
MH-25a
Z 7II
EN-EL15c
380/440
MH-25a
Z8
EN-EL15c
340/370
MH-25a
Z9
EN-EL18d
740/770
MH-33
D3500
EN-EL14a
1550
MH-24
D5600
EN-EL14a
970
MH-24
D500
EN-EL15
1240
MH-25a
D7500
EN-EL15a
950
MH-25a
D780
EN-EL15b
2260
MH-25a
D850
EN-EL15a
1840
MH-25a
D6
EN-EL18c
3580
MH-26a
*
Cameras are backwards-compatible with ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’ and ‘d’ variants, but later batteries generally
offer greater capacity and may enable features such as the ability to use the camera while charging.
**
When two figures are stated for ‘number of shots’ on mirrorless cameras, the first figure refers to
using the electronic viewfinder, the second using the rear LCD.
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
Get a grip or call for AA
A slot-in battery isn’t the only power source
Battery grips offer a more comfortable grip for vertical
shooting and extend your shooting time. You can get battery
grips for Nikon’s enthusiast cameras. You may also get a
choice of power sources – lithium-ion cells of the type used
in the camera or widely-available AA batteries.
BATTERY GRIPS
*
MODEL
GRIP
BATTERIES
Z 5/6/6 II/6/7/ 7II
MB-N10*
1 or 2 x EN-EL15/a/b/c
Z 6 II/7 II
MB-N11
1 or 2 x EN-EL15a/b/c
Z8
MB-N12
1 or 2 x EN-EL15/a/b/c
D300/300S/700
MB-D10
EN-EL3e, 8 x AA, EN-EL4a**
Nikon D7000
MB-D11
EN-EL15, 6 x AA
D800/800E/810/810A
MB-D12
EN-EL15, 8 x AA, EN-EL18**
D600, D610
MB-D14
EN-EL15, 6 x AA
D7100, D7200
MB-D15
EN-EL15, 6 x AA
D750
MB-D16
EN-EL15, 6 x AA
D500
MB-D17
EN-EL15, 8 x AA, EN-EL18**
D850
MB-D18
EN-EL15, 8 x AA, EN-EL18**
Does not have a shutter release or buttons for vertical shooting. ** With battery chamber cover.
NIKON SPEEDLIGHTS
Nikon Speedlights all use AA or AAA batteries. The basic
SB-300 uses two AAA cells, the SB-500 uses two AAs,
whereas the more powerful SB-700 and SB-5000 each use
four. The type of battery is important because outright
capacity is not the only criterion. Your Speedlight may
sit unused in your bag for days
– even weeks – at a time,
so you
also need
batteries
with a good
shelf life.
AA BATTERY TECHNOLOGY
5
6
Auto info display
Check Battery info
Nikon’s D3xxx and D5xxx-series
cameras use the LCD to show
shooting information, yet the
main exposure settings are also
displayed in the viewfinder.
Enthusiast and pro Nikons have
this option on the Setup menu.
It displays the battery charge,
number of shots since the last
charge, and overall condition.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Alkaline AAs provide longer, more
consistent performance than zinc-chloride
batteries, which should be avoided. Lithium
AAs are more expensive but last many
times longer and last well in storage.
Older rechargeable NiCad batteries
suffer from ‘memory’ effects, have limited
capacity and tend to give up with little
warning. Rechargeable NiMH cells are
better, but lose power in storage. Newer
NiMH battery designs, such as Sanyo’s ‘Eneloop’ cells, last
much better in storage.
73
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Ask Matthew...
Our resident Nikon expert Matthew Richards answers your
questions and solves your problems. If you have a Nikon-related
question, email it to mail@nphotomag.com
jealous of the
Q I’m
vehicle-detection
autofocus option in the Z 8
and Z 9. What’s the best
setup for tracking cars and
motorbikes with my Z 6II?
Zack Wolff
For tracking moving vehicles with
my Z 6II and other Z-system
cameras, I tend to use AF-C
(continuous autofocus) mode with the
Auto-area AF option. This makes autofocus
available across almost the entire image
frame, so it can track objects if they stray
away from the central area of the frame.
But the camera can initially autofocus on
something other than the vehicle or object
that you’re interested in. You can stop this
happening by pressing the OK button on the
A
rear panel. A small white square will be
displayed in the centre of the viewfinder or
rear screen image. Align it with the object
on which you want to autofocus, then press
the AF-ON button or lightly press and hold
the shutter button to track it.
after a wide-angle
Q I’m
zoom for landscapes
and long exposures of
waterfalls with my LEE100
filter system. Would the
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm
f/2.8G work for me?
Martin Dunsmore
The Nikon AF-S 14-24mm has a
fixed petal-shaped hood that
precludes the direct fitment of
screw-in filters or a filter holder for square/
A
Another bonus of the AF-S 16-35mm is that
it features optical VR, so you’ll only really
need a tripod for taking long exposures.
rectangular filters. I’d go for the Nikon AF-S
16-35mm f/4G ED VR (£1149/$1097).
It’s a strong performer with a generous
maximum field of view – and at 83x125mm
and 685g, it’s ideal for trekking off the
beaten track. It has a separate hood and a
regular 77mm filter thread. However, you
may need to a LEE100 Wide Angle Adaptor
Ring (£53/$75) which sits closer to the
front element and reduces the risk of
vignetting at the widest 16mm focal length.
have a D5600 with
Q IAF-P
DX 18-55mm
and Sigma 150-600mm
lenses. Would a Nikon AF-S
18-140mm fill the gap?
David Kitchinman
As we mentioned in last month’s
Big Test, Nikon has now
discontinued all of its DX format
DSLRs, bar one, and most of its DX format
lenses. Only the D7500 is still in production,
and it’s offered only as a kit option with the
AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR.
I’m glad it’s still around, as it has
a very versatile ‘effective’ zoom
range of 27-210mm in full-frame terms,
stretching from good wide-angle coverage
A
After pressing the OK button, the small white AF square will turn yellow to indicate that
it’s locked onto your chosen object and prevents the autofocus making the wrong selection.
74
www.digitalcameraworld.com
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Secondhand superstar
inexpensive standard
Q Which
prime lens would you
recommend for a D3500?
Sandra Fisher
Matthew recommends…
Due to the 1.5x crop factor of DX format
cameras, you’re best off with a 35mm lens.
Nikon makes a DX 35mm prime that fits the bill.
A
Measuring 78x97mm and weighing in at 490g, this versatile superzoom lens
is very convenient for travel photography and shooting images on the move.
to fairly powerful telephoto reach.
Considering the extended zoom
range, compared with typical
standard zooms, there’s fairly little
compromise in image quality.
Sharpness is impressive at both
the short and long ends of the zoom
range, although it drops off a bit in
the middle sector. Autofocus is brisk
and VR lives up to its 4-stop billing.
All in all, the lens is a very good
buy at around $599/$497.
there a typo
Q Was
in issue 150’s
macro lens Big Test?
You said there was 4cm
between the front and
back of the model bus.
Should that be 4mm?
Alan Pryor
Apologies for any confusion
but, as we said at the time,
the example shots for depth
of field at f/2.8, f/8 and f/22 were
taken at a distance equating to 0.5x
macro rather than full 1.0x
magnification. That naturally gives
quite a lot more depth of field.
For example, if you shoot with a
105mm macro lens at f/22, at its
minimum focus distance of around
30cm, you’ll get a total depth of field
of roughly 7mm. Conversely, for 0.5x
magnification, you’ll be shooting at a
focus distance of around 70cm. At the
same aperture, you’ll get a much
larger depth of field of about 51mm.
The upshot is that, if you’re
shooting three-dimensional objects
and don’t need maximum resolution
for large-format printing, it can be
easier to shoot from a little further
away and crop your images
afterwards, as necessary.
A
As with this image of a matchbox-sized model taken at f/22, shooting at 0.5x
rather than full 1.0x magnification gives about seven times more depth of field.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
UNLIKE MANY DX FORMAT F-MOUNT LENSES,
THIS ONE’S STILL AVAILABLE TO BUY NEW,
BUT WHY PAY MORE AND MISS A BARGAIN?
RELEASED: 2009
PRICE NEW: £169/$197
SECONDHAND PRICE:
‘Excellent’ £97/$87
‘Good’ £85/$75
Key points
Full-frame photographers
often say that a ‘nifty fifty’
is the most essential prime
lens. This 35mm lens gives
an almost identical
‘effective’ focal length of
52.5mm on DX format
cameras, giving an entirely
natural perspective. That’s
coupled with a bright f/1.8
aperture that helps to give
a tight depth of field for
blurring the background
in portraiture, as well as
maintaining quick shutter
speeds under low lighting.
Thanks to only needing
to produce a relatively small
‘DX’ image circle, it’s
compact and lightweight. It
offers nice image quality
and has good all-round
performance. Bargain!
2. Optical path
The optical path includes
one aspherical element
and Nikon’s trusty Super
Integrated Coating to
reduce ghosting and flare.
1. Autofocus system
The ring-type ultrasonic
autofocus system is quick
and whisper-quiet.
3. Build quality
The construction feels
pretty robust and features
a metal mounting plate,
complete with a rubber
weather-seal ring.
Elements/groups: 8/6
Aperture diaphragm:
7 blades
Min focus distance: 0.3m
Max magnification: 0.16x
Filter size: 52mm
Dimensions: 70x53mm
Weight: 200g
VR: No
75
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023
76
1
The search for the world’s best Nikon photographer
of 2023 continues! Each issue the monthly N-Photo
POTY 2023 photo contest’s top 10 images are selected
by the N-Photo team. This issue’s competition has
the theme of low-light photography…
NPOTY is powered by
www.digitalcameraworld.com
LOW LIGHT
2
3
1. Electric Landscape
2. Lonely Night
3. Hare Brawl
BY ALEXIUS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
BY TONY NORTH
BY KNUT M SELMER
This incredible lightning storm was captured from
the top of a multi-storey car park. Initial efforts
seemed fruitless, as the lightning was too far away,
but Alexius didn’t give up, and the bolts soon
moved towards his position. Three shots were
blended in post, spreading the lightning across the
frame and balancing the composition. We like how
the bolts are brightly rendered, but not blown out.
Buttermere’s lone tree is one of the Lake District’s
most popular subjects, and this Milky Way image
is a stunning take on a beloved scene. Tony had
to plan his April shoot meticulously so that the
core loomed over the lake and the conditions
enabled an unobstructed view of the night sky.
The galaxy and ground were captured in separate
shots before blending them together in post.
These boxing mountain hares were captured in the
dead of night. A backlight was positioned behind
the brawl, with a secondary light source used to
illuminate the subjects from the front. The result is
a striking contre-jour effect, pulling the hares from
the black background and outlining even their tiny
strands of fur. ISO3200 enabled a fast shutter
speed, freezing this jaw-dropping moment.
Camera:
Nikon D750
Camera:
Nikon D500
Camera:
Nikon Z 9
Lens:
24-70mm f/2.8
Lens:
11-16mm f/2.8
Lens:
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure:
3 secs, f/8, ISO50
Exposure:
15 secs, f/2.8, ISO6400
Exposure:
1/1000 sec, f/5, ISO3200
WIN! A WhiteWall Photo Lab voucher Worth £100!
Witness your work as a glorious gallery-quality print from award-winning online photo laboratory WhiteWall. The winner,
as judged by the N-Photo team, will receive a £100 WhiteWall voucher to have their entry printed in a range of stylish
options including acrylic, aluminium, giclée and canvas in a huge array of sizes. See www.whitewall.com/uk
www.digitalcameraworld.com
77
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023
4
4. Astro Array
5
BY JOSEF VALENTA
Framing a large subject beneath the night sky
is a great way to add interest when you capture
astrophotography. Few objects are as relevant as
this radio telescope from an array in New Mexico.
The lack of light pollution has allowed for a
beautifully defined sky, and pinpoint focusing
has produced a crisp Milky Way core, tastefully
teased out from among the stars in post.
Camera:
Nikon Z 7II
Lens:
14-24mm f/2.8
Exposure:
30 secs, f/2.8, ISO800
5. Purple Lagoon
BY FREDERIC ALLEGRINI
This deep sky image of the Lagoon Nebula was
captured by mounting a D750 onto a telescope.
It’s a 10-shot composite, each requiring a threeminute exposure. Perfect conditions and a remote
location were essential. Frederic calls the nebula
“a reasonably easy and satisfying object” for astro
beginners, but it still takes a huge amount of
dedication and planning to get an image like this.
78
Camera:
Nikon D750
Lens:
Telescope and mount adaptor
Exposure:
180 secs, ISO1600
www.digitalcameraworld.com
LOW LIGHT
6
6. Island, Ice and Stars
BY DONEY D
Ogoy Island on Lake Baikal, Siberia, is a popular
photography subject, and this image is a fine
example. The distinctive shard-shaped rock is
sandwiched between the Milky Way and a thick slab
of ice. A prominent crack through the frozen lake
acts as a leading line, guiding the viewer towards
the subject and the starry sky beyond.
Camera:
Nikon D810
Lens:
16-35mm f/4
Exposure:
20 secs, f/4, ISO3200
7. On the Night Trail
BY WILLEMK
This 90-minute exposure was captured in the
rugged South African landscape of Richtersveld.
The long exposure caused the stars to trail due
to the Earth’s rotation, while forming circular
curves thanks to the frame being lined up with
the southern hemisphere’s pole star. The remote
location also resulted in virtually no light pollution.
Camera:
Nikon D800
Lens:
17-35mm f/2.8
Exposure:
90 mins, f/8, ISO200
8. Moonscape
BY ALEXANDER GALKIN
A full moon and the epic landscape of Red Rock
Canyon State Park in California combine to create
a moody night scene that wouldn’t look out of
place as the establishing shot in a classic horror
movie. We like how the moonlight catches the
rocks, with dark clouds adding texture to the sky.
Camera:
Nikon D810
Lens:
24-70mm f/2.8
Exposure:
1/100 sec, f/3.5, ISO400
7
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com
79
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023
9
9. Light up the Floor
BY KATIE HEYKOOP
It can be hard to anchor light painting within
a wider image. Here the dancer’s silhouette
combines with light streaks to create an abstract
dress. The ‘painter’ had to guess the end result,
making this level of precision very impressive.
Camera:
Nikon Z 6II
Lens:
28-75mm f/2.8
Exposure:
8 secs, f/5.6, ISO400
10. Night Shift
BY STEVE JAMES
The light source has created a moody film-noir
vibe, while the re-enactor adds to the vintage feel.
A wide field of view adds context, and the subject
gazing out of the frame is a compelling narrative.
10
80
Camera:
Nikon D850
Lens:
24-70mm f/2.8
Exposure:
2.5 secs, f/5.6, ISO800
www.digitalcameraworld.com
NPOTY 2023
3
4
WORTH
£5299!
2
GOLD
AWARD
5
1
WIN! A Nikon Z 9
6
The overall winner of N-Photo’s Photographer
of the Year 2023 will receive the grand prize of a Nikon Z 9!
When we reviewed the Nikon Z 9, we called
it: “Simply the best camera ever!” And now,
together with Nikon UK, we’re giving you the
chance to win the flagship Z camera. It’s
an incredible prize that’s worth a whopping
£5299/$5499. All you have to do is enter
any of the 12 rounds of NPOTY 2023 to be
in with a chance of taking Nikon’s most
advanced camera home and being crowned
N-Photo’s Photographer of the Year 2023.
Mirrorless behemoth
The Nikon Z 9 features some truly ferocious
specs, as you’d expect from a pro-grade,
full-frame, flagship camera. It boasts
a stacked 45.7Mp CMOS sensor and runs
via Nikon’s EXPEED 7 image-processor.
It also packs Nikon’s most advanced AF
system and can shoot bursts at an
astonishing 120fps, making it the most
powerful Nikon camera on the market.
It’s the first pro-grade camera to feature
an all-electronic shutter, allowing for those
incredible burst speeds and 1/32,000 sec
maximum shutter speed. At full 45.7Mp
resolution, the Z 9 can capture JPEGs at
a jaw-dropping 30fps and Raws at a stilllightning-fast 20fps. The new AF system
can detect nine kinds of simultaneous
subject and boasts five times more autoarea AF points than the Nikon Z 7II.
The back-side illuminated sensor results
in superior low-light performance and the
EVF is the world’s brightest, and offers
blackout-free shooting. The Nikon Z 9 has
a deep grip with duplicated essential
www.digitalcameraworld.com
controls for comfortable vertical shooting.
The camera is fully weather sealed to
withstand extreme temperatures and
records data to a pair of CFexpress Type B
(or XQD) card slots. It comes with built-in
Ethernet port, in-camera Wi-Fi FTP, as well
as 5G smartphone connectivity via USB-C.
The Nikon Z 9 is also a powerful tool for
video capture. It can shoot at an astounding
max resolution of 8K 60p and 4K 120p,
while a built-in microphone can capture
24-bit PCM linear audio. You can also
capture 4K 60p UHD footage oversampled
from 8K, to boost quality without having
to store and work with huge 8K files.
Z 9 Features
1 The deep grip extends to the underside, and
duplicated controls allow vertical shooting.
2 There are no fewer than four programmable
Fn buttons for customized camera setup.
3 On the inside, a revolutionary sensor and
fast processor enable a shutter-free design.
4 There are oodles of direct-access controls,
along with a mode dial.
5 Unlike on the Z 6/7 line, there’s a dedicated
AF mode button for switching focus modes.
6 A dual-axis flip-out touchscreen comes
out in both horizontal and vertical planes.
The Nikon Z 9 is
quite simply Nikon’s
most powerful
camera ever!
How to enter
HOW OUR COMPETITION WORKS
● Each issue, the N-Photo team sets
a theme – we next want to see your
best autumn images. You can enter your
chosen photograph(s) by visiting:
www.photocrowd.com/npoty23autumn
● The deadline for entries is 28 Sept 2023.
The top 10 gallery will appear in N-Photo
156, on sale 26 October 2023.
● After the Autumn round, only two rounds
remain before we crown N-Photo’s
Photographer of the Year 2023:
Food Opens: 21 Sept Closes: 26 Oct
www.photocrowd.com/npoty23food
Winter Opens: 19 Oct Closes: 23 Nov
www.photocrowd.com/npoty23winter
● It goes without saying that all images
must be shot on Nikon cameras!
● Please ensure your entry does not
contain a watermark and is submitted
with the necessary EXIF data: the model
of the camera and lens, and the shutter
speed, aperture and ISO used.
● 12 competitions will appear throughout
2023, and the overall N-Photo
Photographer of the Year 2023 –
and winner of the grand prize – will be
crowned in the January 2024 issue.
So get out there and start shooting
your best photographs today!
81
READERS’ LETTERS
Readers’ letters
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the mag and all things photographic! You can write
to us, message us or share your images in the following ways:
mail@nphotomag.com
twitter.com/nphotomag
facebook.com/nphotomag
instagram.com/nphotomag
Star Letter
A time for
reflection
Images: © Allan Godfrey
I
’ve been reading your
magazine for many
years now, and in
the October 2022
issue (N-Photo 142),
I was very keen to read
the 25 Ways to Shoot
Autumn lead feature, by
Ross Hoddinott.
I thought that the image
that went with tip number
seven, of the mallard duck
reflection on water, was
particularly impressive.
I had to wait for the autumn
season to come around
(I’m in New Zealand), and
managed to capture my own
version, with a black swan
rather than a duck, on a lake
in McLaren Falls Park,
Tauranga, New Zealand.
I had a Nikon P900 at
the time and took the
shot handheld.
I’m also including an
infrared photo, which was
Allan was inspired by our ‘reflection’ tip but had to wait until
autumn in New Zealand for the opportunity to take his swan shot.
WORTH
£49
taken on my Nikon P950.
The infrared image was
achieved with a Hoya R72
Infrared Filter, which works
well with any Nikon Bridge
Camera, including the P610,
P900 and P950 – all of
which I have owned.
Yes, I know that I should
try to use my DSLR more
often, but it would be nice
to see more about the
forgotten Nikon cameras,
like the models I have used.
Allan Godfrey
The best camera is always
the one you have with you
at the time, Allan! We have
featured bridge cameras
from time to time, but many
of the techniques we print for
interchangeable-lens DSLR
and Z-series mirrorless can
be applied to your cameras.
We’re planning a new autumn
photography feature for our
next issue – with tips for you
to try when the season
eventually comes around to
the southern hemisphere!
Allan used an infrared filter on his Nikon P950 for this image,
proving that ‘bridge’ cameras are capable of cool camera tricks.
WIN! A copy of Affinity Photo 2
Write our star letter and you’ll win a copy of the amazing Affinity Photo* for Mac or PC from Serif. This
feature-packed software is just as powerful as programs that retail for many times its price – and all
without having to pay a monthly subscription fee. With full support for Raw files, layers and ‘professional’
features such as Curves and live filters, it also boasts top-class focus stacking, HDR merging, panorama
stitching and batch processing. Affinity Photo is available for Mac, PC and iPad, and files can be easily shared
between devices so you can continue editing on the move. It opens Photoshop files, too. www.affinity.serif.com
*Winners will need to create an Affinity user account to download the app. The prizes are issued in accordance with the standard Affinity EULA and there’s no cash alternative.
82
www.digitalcameraworld.com
READERS’ LETTERS
www.DigitalCameraWorld.com
Image: Future
Image: © photools.com
The best from our companion website
Darwyn recommends IMatch digital asset management software,
which has handy tools for searching thousands of images quickly.
Darwyn Sumner
www.digitalcameraworld.com
1. New entry-level DSLRs are not what they seem
Image: Liam Dunkley / Artefact Studios
For a long, long time we’ve been recommending the Nikon D3500 as one
of the best cameras for beginners. But the Nikon D3500 is no longer
available and new low-cost mirrorless cameras, such as the Nikon Z 30,
have arrived as replacements. Most of the best Nikon cameras are now
mirrorless, so what exactly is the problem? https://bit.ly/3Kl6fM2
My photo skills
are flowering
I seem to have developed the
skill to focus thanks to ‘Live
View explained’ in the April
2023 issue (N-Photo 148).
This is the first reasonable
photo I’ve managed to shoot
with my new D3500 and
Nikon AF-S DX 40mm f/2.8G
Micro. My missus grows
flowers, so I’ll be using my
new skills to photograph
them from now on. Thanks
for an entertaining mag!
2. Shooting pro portraits made me a better model
It’s almost an unwritten rule that photographers hate being on the other side
of the camera. Behind the lens they might be calm, confident and collected,
but put them in front of it and they have no idea how to act. But have I always
loved being in front of the camera and I’ve become a better model since
I started shooting portraits professionally. https://bit.ly/3OAnStv
Kevin Lazenby
Were glad to be of service! It’s
a great shot, Kevin, with sharp
focus in all the right places!
Image: Nikon
Presumably your star letter
correspondent Paul Markides
(‘What a dilemma!’, Letters,
N-Photo 151, July 2023)
was looking for image
management (or digital asset
management) software in his
second dilemma.
While the various photoediting software packages
reviewed in your March 2023
issue (N-Photo 147) do a bit of
this task as an add-on to their
main job, they are no
substitute for software
dedicated to the task of
image management.
This is readily resolved by
acquiring Photools’ IMatch
(www.photools.com/imatch).
What’s not to like about
IMatch’s face recognition,
GPS mapping, full metadata
reading, unlimited user
categories and much more?
The software contains so
many useful features: it works
with any brand of camera
linked to a PC; it remembers
which images have already
been downloaded from a
card (only transferring the
new ones); it can autorename downloaded images
(sequentially if you wish, I’m
past 40,000 now); and can
be configured to place
images into folders and
subfolders, where IMatch
automatically detects them.
It is the ideal companion to
use in combination with
Nikon’s free Nikon Transfer 2,
and would be worthy of an
N-Photo review!
Thanks for your advice,
Darwyn. While we’ve not tried
IMatch, we have recently
reviewed Mylio Photos+,
which is also digital asset
management software aimed
at photographers. N-Photo
readers can save 25% off
a year’s sub with this link:
http://mylio.com/N-Photo
3. The unloved Nikon Z 50 versus the Nikon Z fc
Image: © Kevin Lazenby
Perfect match
Kevin finally mastered manual
focusing with a macro lens after
learning to shoot in Live View.
The Nikon Z 50 arrived with all the warmth of a guest’s plus-one at a party.
Everyone was happy to make a new friend, but nobody was fawning over it.
Contrast that with the arrival of the Nikon Z fc, greeted with the kind of joy
that would occur if Jesus had walked into the party with a six-pack. What’s
so curious is that they’re almost exactly the same. https://bit.ly/3YmvIKD
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest
Nikon news! Simply scan this QR code
or go to https://bit.ly/dcwnews
83
YOUR STORIES
[1] Nigel used the setting sun
to backlight his subject,
providing a warm, orange
glow that complements the
butterfly’s colouring.
7KHEXWWHUȩ\HȧHFW
The Nikon Z 8 has allowed Nigel A Ball to
capture close-ups of butterflies and other
insects he previously never thought possible
MISSION: Capture the spirit of nature by
photographing insects in their natural habitats.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Nigel A Ball
LOCATION: Nantwich, Cheshire
KIT USED: Nikon Z 8, Z MC 105mm
f/2.8 VR S and Z 24-120mm f/4 S
WEBSITE: www.nigelaball.com
TWITTER: @NigelABall
INSTAGRAM: @nigelaballphotography
try to capture the spirit of
nature, so I can share its
beauty with others. All my
images are taken in natural
habitats. I never move or
relocate subjects for better backgrounds
and tread lightly to respect the habitat I’m
privileged to experience. The images are a
gift to me by nature herself. I believe
I
84
photographers have an important part to
play in conservation, sharing the wonders of
nature to a wider audience and thereby
increasing awareness of the beauty we
could potentially lose.
I was introduced to photography by my
late father in the early ’70s; we used to
develop and print our own photos in a home
darkroom. We then got into macro
photography. Our field kit was a macro lens
on bellows with a pistol grip and cable
release. Fast forward and I’ve been using
Nikon cameras for many years. My first
DSLR was the D70. The last, my D850, as
I’ve just received a brand-new Nikon Z 8.
My interest in butterflies has become
much more serious in recent years, and I’m
now studying their behaviour at my local
nature reserve. The Z 8’s high frame rate
has given me the chance to photograph
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
105mm f/2.8
Exposure:
1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO200
courtship displays and subsequently
decode behaviour patterns the D850 just
couldn’t, consistently. Having viewed the
first few images from my Z 8, I realized just
how far optics have progressed.
The Z 8 has enabled me to get much
sharper images. Combining in-body VR and
lens VR means I can use lower ISO settings.
The high frame rate of up to 120fps means
I can get in-focus sequences of insects in
flight, much easier. Focus stacking is also
much quicker than the D850, which means
less chance of the insect moving or a breeze
interfering with the sharpness of the shot.
It’s a wing-win situation
I wanted to capture the essence of a
summer’s evening – a butterfly in a
meadow bathed in golden sunshine.
Butterflies roost in the early evening,
often where they’ll catch the dawn sun.
As a volunteer at my local reserve, I knew
a secluded meadow with the right grass.
The challenge was to find a solitary
butterfly, catching the sun with its wings
,JRWP\VHOIVHWXSDQG
ZDLWHG,WKDGVHHQPH
DQGSURPSWO\PRYHG
www.digitalcameraworld.com
INSECT CLOSE-UPS
[2] It took two attempts and several
insect bites to capture an image of this
skittish dragonfly. But it was worth it!
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
24-120mm f/4
Exposure:
1/2500 sec, f/8, ISO1600
YOUR STORIES
[3] Nigel used a Novoflex
MagicBall ballhead and Novoflex
CASTEL-Q focusing rail to frame
and focus this incredible image.
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
105mm f/2.8
Exposure:
1/100 sec, f/11, ISO800
not fully closed and no wind. The small
heath butterfly [1] closes its wings as
soon as it settles, hiding the ‘eye’ and
orange colour of the forewing, so I had to
fire the shutter before it settled.
Dragonflies are skittish subjects [2]. I’d
watched this one for a while and realized it
favoured sitting on the same stick. I got
myself set up and waited. It had seen me
and promptly moved to another stick... I
crawled towards it – silhouette below the
skyline. Bingo! It landed and I got the shot.
I’ve taken images like this [3] before on
my D850 and wanted to see how the Z 8
86
Camera:
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
24-120mm f/4
Exposure:
1/3200 sec, f/5.6, ISO3200
Nikon Z 8
Lens:
105mm f/2.8
Exposure:
1/60 sec, f/11, ISO200
[4] Nigel has assigned the Fn
button on his 105mm macro lens
to zoom 50% into the image, so
he can quickly check the focus.
Camera:
[5] Nigel blended
multiple images in
post to create this
take-off sequence.
Camera:
and Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S would
compare. I arrived just after dawn, mist
hanging in the meadow and the sun
peeping above the horizon. Research
meant I had a pretty good idea where the
silver-studded blues roosted. I eventually
found a pristine female covered in dew and
not obscured by heather stems. Once the
sun crept above the trees behind me, it
illuminated the butterfly and added golden
sparkles to each of the dew drops. Perfect!
The six-spot burnet [4] is a day-flying
moth. It can be seen on a summer’s day,
painting the sky with black lines, edged in
red. I recced a few locations and waited for
a calm evening with subdued lighting. I
found four roosting on a thistle bloom, but
as soon as I got set up they fell into the
undergrowth; an effective defensive
mechanism. I waited and, sure enough,
they crawled back up their stems. I used
Focus Peaking to ensure the nearest point
was in focus and then used Focus Shift.
The butterfly in this image [5] is
smallish in size and very ‘flighty’. I wanted
to capture it in its natural environment,
where it often skips among the brambles.
It’s also known as the hedge brown due to
its propensity to frequent hedgerows. I
used back-button focus with the Z 8’s PreRelease Capture so it recorded images
when the shutter button was only half
depressed, compensating for my slow
reactions as the butterfly took off.
SUBMIT
YOUR IMAGES!
7RVHH\RXULPDJHVKHUH
VHQGDVPDOOSRUWIROLRWR
PDLO#QSKRWRPDJFRP
ZLWKȅ<RXU6WRULHVȆ
DVWKHVXEMHFW
Nigel’s Top Tips
• Get to know your subject, where they
roost, which flowers they visit and how
they fly. The latter is particularly
important when capturing insects in
flight. Predicting the flight path can
make or break an image.
• Use a fast shutter speed when
photographing insects in flight, ideally
1/8000 sec. This will freeze your
subject’s beating wing movements.
• Insects are more dormant late in the
evening or early in the morning. The
latter is preferred, as dew will often
settle on potential subjects, especially
if there has been rain overnight.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
New gear, buying advice and the world’s toughest tests
Lab tests explained
Sharpness
A chart with multiple sharp boundaries
is photographed, the extent of blur at
the centre, mid and edges showing how
many line widths per picture height the
lens can resolve. Simply put, the bigger
the numbers the sharper the lens.
NEW GEAR
REVIEW
Our round-up of the latest and
greatest kit to enhance your photography
It’s wide, it’s fast, and it’s available
for Nikon DX-sensor Z-system cameras
88 New stuff for your Nikon 90 Sigma 16mm f/1.4 | C
Fringing
Chromatic aberration is visible as
purple or green fringing around
high-contrast boundaries, caused by
different wavelengths being focused on
different areas of the sensor. The larger
the number, the worse the score.
Distortion
BIG TEST
92 Slot-in filter systems
Five square starter kits to make
using filters a breeze for landscapes
BUYER’S GUIDE
106 Camera & lens list
Every current Nikon camera, plus
our exhaustive guide to compatible lenses
Our scoring system
Our awards in a nutshell
BEST ON
TEST
The best
performance,
design and value
www.digitalcameraworld.com
A lens that bulges towards the edges of
the frame produces barrel distortion,
shown as a negative score. Pincushion
distortion produces a positive score.
A score of zero indicates no distortion.
GREAT
VALUE
A product that
gives you more
for your money
GOLD
AWARD
The very best kit
that really sets the
standard
1.0
Forget about it!
2.0
Below average
3.0
Good for the money
4.0
Excellent product
5.0
Best-in-class
87
GEAR ZONE
New gear
Here’s what caught our eye this month
Crucial X10 & X9 Pro SSD
From: £83/$90 https://uk.crucial.com
rucial has added two
entirely new product
lines to its range of
mobile SSDs (solidstate drives). The X10 Pro and the
X9 Pro will be competing squarely
with the likes of the SanDisk
Extreme Pro V2 mobile SSD and
the Samsung Portable SSD T7 in
the mobile SSD market.
The X10 Pro is Crucial’s new
flagship mobile SSD. It boasts
impressively fast read/write speeds
of up to 2100/2000MB/s, making it
marginally faster on paper than the
SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD
V2. Like the SanDisk drive, the X10
Pro is only able to operate this
quickly thanks to its use of the
cutting-edge 20GB/s USB 3.2 Gen-2
2x2 interface.
It’s worth remembering, however,
that very few laptop or desktop
computers support this USB
revision at present – you’re more
likely to find a computer with the
latest USB4 connection, which is
C
backwardcompatible with
Gen 2x2. In order
to get a USB4
port that’ll allow
the X10 Pro to
perform at its
fastest, you’ll need
a new or very recent computer.
This extreme speed comes in a
device that’s exceptionally compact.
The drive measures only 65x50mm
and weighs a featherweight 42g.
Compare that with the rival SanDisk
Extreme PRO Portable SSD – hardly
a bloated device itself – which
measures 110x57mm and is twice
the weight of the X10 Pro.
Both the X10 Pro and the X9 Pro
combine Micron TLC NAND flash
memory with what Crucial calls
“a revolutionary single-ASIC
portable storage architecture”.
Crucial says the X10 Pro and the X9
Pro have the most storage capacity
per square millimetre of any SSD in
the industry.
The drive’s metal enclosure is
IP55-rated against water, dust and
sand ingress. Like all current Crucial
mobile SSDs, the X10 Pro is built to
survive a drop of up to two metres.
Expect to pay £120/$130 for the
1TB X10 Pro or £195/ $210 for the
2TB capacity. The range-topping
4TB version is priced at £315/$340.
The X9 Pro is the same size as the
X10 Pro, and is marginally lighter
at 38g. It’s also slower, with its
1050MB/s max read/write speed
matching the existing X8 Pro. That
said, unless you have a computer
with a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 or USB4
connection to get the most out of
the X10 Pro, the X9 Pro is already
fast enough to max out the more
commonplace USB 3.2 Gen 2
connection, and is therefore a
smarter choice today for most
users. As with the X10 Pro, the
X9 Pro is available in 1TB, 2TB and
4TB capacities, and features the
same rugged credentials.
The Crucial X9 Pro is available
now, with prices ranging from
£83/$90 (for the 1TB model) to
£268/$290 (for the 4TB model).
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The new Crucial X10 Pro and X9 Pro
pack serious performance while
being unbelievably compact and
light. While the X10 could be the
fastest mobile SSD yet, most will
be better off with the X9.
CEWE Photobook with recycled paper
From £18.99/$24.49 www.cewe.co.uk
his sustainable new
CEWE Photobook
(CEWE’s print-to-order
photo album) consists
of inside pages that have been made
from 100-per-cent recycled paper,
while the endpaper is FSC-certified
paper (which ensures that it’s made
of responsibly sourced wood fibre).
The brilliant white base of this
new recycled paper forms the
perfect canvas for an eco-friendly
photo book. The silky semi-matte
finish results in natural colours and
a contrast that works well for most
popular genres of photography,
T
88
including landscapes, portraits
and lifestyle images.
We were supplied with a sample of
a book printed with the new recycled
paper, along with the same book
printed on CEWE’s Classic stock.
Both were pleasingly glossy and
bright, and we were hard-pressed
to see any difference, even viewing
them side-by-side.
The recycled paper for the inner
pages were made from scraps and
trims of paper that would otherwise
go to landfill. Reusing and
repurposing scraps enables CEWE
to reduce the amount of virgin pulp
used in the
production of their Photobooks,
while also reducing energy and
water usage, thus helping the
company’s reforestation and
conservation efforts.
CEWE says that the new stock
has been developed after customer
feedback, suggesting that they
wanted a more sustainable
photobook option that didn’t
compromise on quality. The quest
for the right paper proved to be
demanding, as the paper need to
have a
smooth, bright-white surface
with as few colour streaks
as possible.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
There is a modest price increase
for a CEWE Photobook with
recycled paper compared with
the Classic stock, but it’s a small
price to pay for conserving the
planet’s precious resources.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
GEAR ZONE
Zhiyun Molus G200
Benro Cyanbird
£369/$369 www.zhiyun-tech.com
hiyun is making a huge
play to be the most
exciting name in lighting
right now. Its latest
Molus G200 light can produce up
to 300W of lighting power in its
boost mode, despite its small size.
The Zhiyun Molus G200 is an
evolution of the Molus X100, keeping
the compact design that made that
light so interesting, but now offering
a standard 200W of lighting power.
This power can be boosted to 300W
using the G200’s new MAX settings.
At peak brightness and at 1m, the
Molus G200 can output 9460 lux
(without reflector) or 61,500 lux with
Zhiyun’s standard reflector. In MAX
Extreme mode, it offers 13,800 lux
(without reflector) or 85,800 lux
(with a standard reflector). The CCT
(colour-correlated temperature)
Z
£235/$190 www.benro.com
range is 2700K to 6500K, with
a colour rendering index (CRI)
score of ≥95 and a television light
consistency index (TLCI) score
of ≥97.
The Molus G200 cannot run on
battery power or USB-C PD like the
previous lights in the Molus range;
instead the Molus G200 comes with
a separate 0.91g wired controller
that also throughputs power to the
light. The controller has a display
screen and two buttons for setting
brightness and colour temperature
as well as accessing music sync
mode, which matches the light’s
output with the beat of a song.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
With the Molus G200 offering up to
a huge 300W of lighting power, this
is Zhiyun’s most powerful light yet.
enro’s new lightweight
travel tripod Cyanbird is
apparently named after
a legendary bird – an
imaginative simile for a humble
camera tripod!
Designed with a firm focus on
portability, the Cyanbird weighs
just 1.05kg and folds down to 46cm
in length. Its maximum height is
155cm, and the tripod can support
up to 4kg. Arch-profile legs fold in
tight to the centre column, enabling
a super-slim 6cm folded diameter.
This should make it easy to slip the
Cyanbird into even a small backpack
or camera shoulder bag. Included
with the tripod is a rollup padded
carry case in which you can store
the tripod and small accessories.
Ocean-blue anodized castings
with satin aluminium lever leg locks
B
help the Cyanbird stand out from
the crowd. Unusually, the legs are
constructed from a mix of materials,
with top leg sections made from
carbon fibre, while the lower
sections use aluminium. A weight
hook is incorporated into the base of
the centre column to help stabilize
the shooting platform on uneven
terrain, or in windy conditions. The
centre column is also designed to
split in half, enabling a minimum
shooting height of only 17cm.
The Cyanbird kit comes with
Benro’s Arca-compatible N00P ball
head, which uses a single locking
knob for the ball motion, with an
independently controlled pan base.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Benro’s latest travel tripod looks
to be a triumph of compact design.
TTArtisan Tilt-Shift 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro
£317/$389 www.ttartisan.com
hinese lens specialist
TTArtisan has launched
its first tilt-shift lens
for Nikon Z mount. The
TTArtisan Tilt-Shift 100mm f/2.8 2X
Ultra Macro is a telephoto macro
lens with a maximum 2:1
magnification, making it ideal
for photographing insects and
other miniature subjects.
The new lens joins the tilt-only
TTArtisan Tilt 50mm f/1.4, but
offers shift and macro-focusing
capabilities, to give it more appeal to
wildlife and product photographers.
The lens offers up to 6mm of shift,
C
www.digitalcameraworld.com
and up to 8° of tilt, and can be
rotated by up to 90°.
Tilt-shift lenses allow you to move
the lens’s position relative to the
sensor – up and down, side to side,
and at an angle. This allows you to
correct for or exaggerate distortion
in the image, and lets you adjust
depth of field without having to
change the aperture value.
The lens is supplied
with a detachable cold
shoe, which screws into
the top of the lens and can
be used to provide targeted
lighting for macro subjects.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Marrying a tilt-shift mechanism
with super-macro optics essentially
gives you two fun lenses in one, and
the price is attractive, too.
89
REVIEW
4
1
3
2
6
5
Sigma
16mm f/1.4 DC DN | C
Lens mount: Nikon Z (DX)
Elements/groups: 16/13
Angle of view: 83.2º
Diaphragm blades: 9
£449/$499 www.sigma-global.com
Minimum aperture: f/16
Go wide without going large with Sigma’s 16mm
f/1.4 DC DN | C fast wide prime, engineered for
Nikon Z-mount DX-sensor cameras!
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.1x
ount this dinky new Sigma
16mm f/1.4 DC DN | C lens
on a Nikon Z-series
DX-sensor camera, and
you’ll get an effective
focal length of 24mm in
full-frame terms. That
puts it in the territory
of being anything from
a seriously wide-angle
prime to an ideal lens
for street photography,
landscapes and interiors.
Build and handling
Whereas Sigma’s 28mm f/1.4 Art lens
designed for full-frame DSLRs weighs in at
nearly a kilogram, its Contemporary lenses
are built to a more space-saving, lightweight
90
Specifications
ethos. Compared with the 28mm, this
16mm model gives a similar effective focal
length and fast aperture rating for cropsensor mirrorless cameras, but it’s less
than half the weight, at 420g. It’s
refreshingly small for such a fast, wideangle lens too, measuring 72x94mm with
a 67mm filter thread.
The lens feels solid and well-built.
Handling is completely straightforward but
very refined. The only moving part is the
focus ring, which is nice and wide, and
operates with supreme smoothness. That’s
mainly because instead of a mechanical
linkage, it’s electronically coupled to the
virtually silent stepping motor that drives
the focusing system.
Although small, the lens packs in no fewer
than 16 optical elements. These include
Minimum focusing distance: 0.25m
Filter size: 67mm
Dimensions: 72x94mm
Weight: 420g
three top-class FLD (Fluorite Low
Dispersion), two SLD (Special Low
Dispersion) and two aspherical elements.
The overall aim is to maximize sharpness
and contrast, while keeping chromatic
aberrations and distortion to a minimum.
Super Multi-Layer Coating is also applied
to minimize ghosting and flare.
As we’ve seen with an increasing number
of Sigma lenses for Nikon DSLRs, this new
Z-mount lens is preloaded with data for
enabling in-camera corrections for
aberrations like peripheral illumination,
chromatic aberration and diffraction,
where featured in the host camera.
Performance
Naturally, there’s not a whole lot of point
in having a fast f/1.4 lens if the image
www.digitalcameraworld.com
SIGMA 16MM F/1.4 DC DN | C
Sharpness
Our close-up lab-test results show nothing
special, but the Sigma proved impressively
sharp in our real-world testing.
Fringing
Sharpness remains very good across the whole image frame, right into the corners.
quality doesn’t hold up while you’re
shooting wide-open. As it turns out,
sharpness and contrast are maintained
very well, even at the widest aperture.
Another bonus is that the wide aperture
and the short 25cm minimum focus
distance enable a fairly tight depth of field
and good bokeh, enabling interesting
perspective effects.
Even when uncorrected in-camera,
vignetting is pretty minimal for such a fast,
wide-angle lens. Stop down to f/2 and it
becomes fairly unnoticeable. Ghosting and
flare are also well-controlled, and the same
goes for barrel distortion.
We found autofocus to be speedy and
highly accurate for stills, while enabling
smooth autofocus transitions during movie
capture. As with other Sigma lenses in the
series, there’s no optical image stabilization
on offer here.
At short focus distances, the f/1.4 aperture
enables a fairly tight depth of field, with
good smoothness in defocused areas.
High-quality optics with fast aperture
ratings generally come with a big build and
a high cost. This Sigma lens is beautifully
built, handles really nicely and delivers
sumptuous image quality. Everything’s
packed into a compact and lightweight
package that’s utterly in keeping with the
mirrorless crop-sensor cameras for which
it’s designed. It simply ticks every box.
There’s virtually no colour fringing – and
automatic corrections are enabled anyway,
in most Nikon Z cameras.
Distortion
Despite the wide viewing angle, barrel
distortion is no worse than in Sigma’s
companion 30mm lens.
Features
1 The lens packs in 16 elements, including
specialist FLD, SLD and aspherical glass.
2 Image quality is superb, dipping only slightly
at the extremes of the aperture range.
3 It’s compact and lightweight, weighing in
at just 420g and measuring 72x94mm.
4 The lack of an image stabilizer is partly
N-Photo verdict
Wide-angle lenses with fast aperture ratings
can be notoriously big and heavy, quite at
odds with slimline mirrorless camera bodies.
Now available in Nikon Z mount (having been
previously released for other manufacturers’
mounts), the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN | C from
the company’s Contemporary line-up proves
that smaller really can be better.
offset by the fast f/1.4 maximum aperture.
5 The sole control is the manual focus ring,
which handles beautifully smoothly.
6 A Super Multi-Layer Coating applied to the
front element minimizes ghosting and flare.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Features
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
4.5
Overall
91
BIG TEST
Slot-in filter
holder systems
Looking to take creative control of your
exposures? Then you’ll need one of these
convenient and versatile accessories
L
ens filters are particularly useful
for getting the correct exposure
in landscape photography,
as seen in this image. But
if you’re looking to invest
in a filter system, with a
range of filters for different
occasions, buying a decent
filter holder is essential.
Filter holders make it quick and
easy to change between individual
filters, and you can stack filters on top
of each other. While they may seem
more cumbersome at first glance,
square filter holder systems can be
much easier to use than a collection
of screw-in circular filters, as you can
switch the holder between differentsized lenses with ease.
Some types of filter work much
better in a square system – for
example, graduated neutral-density
filters, where the photographer needs
the flexibility to be able to move the
gradient up and down in the frame.
Here are our five best-buy filter
holders, some of which are also
available in kits with filters.
The contenders
92
£79/$116
£100/$100
£143/$150
£146/$139
£175/$189
Image: © Getty
Lee Filters LEE100 Holder
Cokin NX Series Filter Holder
Marumi M100 100mm Magnetic Filter Holder
Kase Wolverine Series K9 Filter Holder kit
Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
93
BIG TEST
Specifications
Filter size:
100mm type filters
Mount: Via adapter rings
Construction: Injectionmoulded composite
Kit options: Three are
available, including
Landscape and Long
Exposure variants
Lee Filters
LEE100 Holder
£79/$116
Lee’s 100 Filter System is one of the bestknown and most widely used filter systems,
so how does the LEE100 Holder shape up?
https://leefilters.com
ee Filters is one
of the bestknown names in
photographic filters,
and its 100 Filter System is very
popular. In March 2019, the
company introduced a new
filter holder and polarizer; some
photographers were surprised
because the old holder had
served them well for years.
The new LEE100 Holder looks
and feels more modern, and
does away with the need to
use fiddly little screws to attach
the filter guides. The LEE100
Holder is compatible with all
existing LEE100 filters, as well
L
as same-sized filters from other
brands. However, the old-style
Lee Filters 105mm Landscape
Circular Polarizer Filter can only
be mounted via the 105mm
Polarizer Ring (£39/$59).
Note that if you own a Nikon
Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens,
there is a separate LEE Filter
Holder (£150/$188) and filters
made specifically for this
ultra-wide-angle zoom.
Key features
Lee Filters makes the LEE100
Holder from injection-moulded
composite, and has given it
clip-in filter guides in place of
While it doesn’t feel as tough as the earlier
Lee Filters 100 series holder, the LEE100
Holder looks more refined and modern
94
the screw-on type of the older
holder. The company supplies
the holder with three pairs of
guides that enable it to hold
one, two or three square or
rectangular filters, in addition to
a circular polarizer at the front.
The new guides just click into
place, and a tool is provided to
help slide them out of position
when you want to use one with
a different number of slots. We
opted to use the two-slot guide,
as this enabled us to use both
a Lee Big Stopper ND filter (or
similar) and a graduated filter.
In addition, the polarizer filter
mount is integrated into the new
holder. The downside is that the
new LEE100 Polarizer has a
bespoke clip mount instead of
a screw thread, so you can’t use
it without the filter holder.
The LEE100 Holder mounts
onto a lens via an adapter ring,
and it’s compatible with all of
Lee Filters’ existing adapter
rings. It has a spring release
catch, with a lock that can be
set to one of three positions:
• Neutral: The holder can
be rotated and removed – or
dislodged if caught by clothing
or something similar, thus
protecting the camera and
lens from a fall.
• Half-lock: The holder can be
rotated, but can’t be removed
while in this position.
• Full-lock: The holder cannot
be rotated, and it’s locked in
position, so it can’t be removed.
Build and handling
While it doesn’t feel as tough as
the earlier Lee Filters 100 series
holder, the new LEE100 Holder
looks more refined and modern.
It has a weave pattern that
looks like carbon-fibre, but it’s
actually made from injectionmoulded composite.
Once an adapter ring is fitted
on a lens, the holder is mounted
by hooking its two fixed tabs
into the ring’s notch, then
pulling back on the catch’s
release knob as the holder is
eased back towards the ring.
The knob can be released as
soon as the holder is in place.
The release lock is the blue
ring at the base of the release
knob. If the knob is on the right
when you’re behind the camera,
the lock is in the neutral position
when the largest tab on the ring
is facing towards the camera.
Rotating the lock ring clockwise
through 90°, so that the large
tab is facing upwards when
the camera is in landscape
orientation, sets it to half-lock.
From that position, rotating
the lock through 180° anticlockwise (it won’t move
clockwise), so the larger tab
is facing downwards, sets the
lock to full-lock.
Performance
It’s easy to attach the LEE100
Holder onto a lens once the
adapter ring is in place, and
Lee’s square and rectangular
www.digitalcameraworld.com
FILTER HOLDERS
Key features
FOR
Lightweight design
Attaches securely to
a lens when locked
Compatible with many filters
What to look for with the
Lee Filters LEE100 Holder
Clip-in guides
The holder is supplied with
three pairs of guide blocks,
plus a removal tool.
AGAINST
Adapter required to fit Lee’s
older 105mm polarizer filter
Tricky to remove the polarizer
No markings on the holder’s
locking mechanism
Refined and modern
The holder is made from
a composite material.
Bespoke clip mount
Lee’s 105mm CPL can
also be mounted, via a
cost-option polarizer
ring (£39/$59).
filters slip in smoothly. Lee
Filters recommends that you
remove the holder from any lens
before mounting the LEE100
Polarizer, but we found it
snapped on pretty easily and
without much force, so we
usually attached it when
the holder was on a lens.
Removing the polarizer,
however, is another matter
– there’s a knack to it. We found
that the easiest way to remove
the polarizer from the LEE100
Holder is to take the holder off
the lens, hook our index finger
under the catch on the inside,
then reach our thumb over the
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Release knob
Use this to select
neutral, half- or
full-lock positions.
release knob and press the tip
onto the ridged tab of the
polarizer and push forwards.
It takes a little pressure rather
than extreme force, so if it
doesn’t move, you haven’t got
the technique quite right. You
should only press one of the
polarizer tabs, not both.
Despite watching a video
about using the LEE100
Holder, it took a while to find
a technique that worked
consistently for us. When the
holder lock is in the neutral or
half-lock position, it can be
rotated around the lens fairly
freely until any graduated filters
are in the correct position. With
that done, the knurled front ring
of the polarizer allows it to be
rotated to give the desired
degree of polarization.
Verdict
The Lee Filters LEE100 Holder
is light, so it doesn’t add much
to your burden in the field. With
the right-size lens adapter ring,
it fits quickly onto a lens, and
square and rectangular filters
slide smoothly into position.
The lock is a real bonus when
you’re using a graduated filter,
because it prevents any
accidental movement after
you’ve carefully aligned the
transition. Because there are
no filter frames or geared
controls, when you’re adjusting
the rotation of the polarizer or
repositioning a rectangular filter,
take care to avoid putting
fingerprints on the optical
surfaces as you reach around
with your hand.
Features
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
4
Overall
95
BIG TEST
Specifications
Filter size:
100mm type filters,
Cokin L (Z-Pro series)
Mount: via adapter rings
Construction: Aluminium
Kit options: Five are
available; all include
the holder and a
circular polarizer
Cokin NX Series
Filter Holder
£100/$100
Cokin’s NX Series Filter Holder is built to last,
with features that should make it a popular
choice among discerning photographers
https://cokin.com
okin offers three
series of filter
holders – Creative
and Evo holders,
which are available in a range of
sizes, and the newer NX Series.
The latter is designed for use
with 100mm-type square and
rectangular filters from a range
of brands, including Cokin.
What sets the NX Holder apart
from most other filter holders
is that each filter needs to be
mounted in an aluminium frame
before it can be used. Cokin
makes frames to fit square
100x100mm filters and
rectangular graduated filters.
C
In an odd quirk, Cokin’s
graduated 100mm filters are
143.5x100mm, while most of its
competitors’ filters are 150 x
100mm. Consequently, Cokin
makes two sizes of rectangular
filter frame and one square
frame in the NX Series, so it’s
important to ensure that you
have the correct-size frames
for your filters. Cokin sells the
frames separately and as part
of a kit.
Key features
The NX Series Filter Holder is
made of aluminium and is able
to accept a Cokin circular
Any frustration with mounting the filter
frames is forgotten because they make
the filters much easier to handle
96
polarizing filter (CPL) plus up to
two square or rectangular filters
in their frames. Before the
holder can be mounted on a
lens, an adapter ring must be
screwed onto the filter thread of
the lens. The low profile of the
holder and the filter frames
mean that the system is suitable
for use with lenses with focal
lengths as short as 16mm.
Build and handling
The NX Series Filter Holder is
made from aluminium; while it’s
light, it feels strong and looks
well-made. Most filter holders
have slots for accommodating
the filters, but the NX Filter
Holder has two rows of four ball
bearings on either side. These
ball bearings fit into slots in the
filter frames so that the filters
slide smoothly into place.
Before you use a filter, it
needs to be mounted in one of
Cokin’s filter frames. This is not
something you want to do out in
the field; it’s also something you
really only want to do once, so
it’s well worth ensuring that you
have a frame for every filter that
you’re likely to use.
The filter is held in the frame
by a small aluminium tab that
must be removed to allow the
filter to be slipped in. The tab is
secured on the frame by two
tiny screws; they are easy to
remove, but refitting them is a
frustratingly fiddly job. We lost a
screw or two in the process
– thankfully, Cokin provides
a couple of spare screws with
the frames.
Once an adapter ring has
been mounted on the lens filter
thread, the holder can be
clipped onto the adapter. It’s
held by two metal tabs, one of
which is sprung to allow it to be
pulled back while the holder is
aligned on the adapter before
the clip is released. It keeps the
holder securely on the lens.
With the holder on the lens,
it’s time to mount a filter. If you
want to use a polarizing filter,
mount this first, as it pushes
neatly into a dedicated circular
area in the holder and sits close
to the lens. A small metal cog in
the filter holder engages with
teeth in the CPL filter’s frame
so that it can be rotated easily
while you look in the viewfinder.
Now you’re ready to slide a
framed filter into the holder. We
found it helpful to touch the end
of the filter frame onto the top
of the holder, then slide it onto
the row of ball bearings closest
to the lens. This avoids any
misalignment or straddling the
two rows of ball bearings. If you
want to insert a second filter,
rest its frame against the first
filter’s frame, then slide it in.
Performance
As soon as you start using the
NX Series Filter System, any
frustration with mounting the
filter frames is forgotten,
www.digitalcameraworld.com
FILTER HOLDERS
Key features
What to look for with the
Cokin NX Series Filter Holder
Adapter rings
72, 77 and 82mm rings
come in the Starter Kit, or
can be bought separately.
FOR
Low profile and robust build
Frames make filters easier
to handle
Suitable for use with
wide-angle lenses
AGAINST
Requires filter frames
NX filter frames are
very fiddly to fit
Tricky to remove the polarizer
Get framed up
Filters must be mounted
in a frame.
Fine adjustments
Turn this cog to rotate
the polarizer.
Well-manufactured
Made from aluminium
and low in weight, the
holder still feels strong.
because they make the filters
much easier to handle. The
broad tab at the top makes an
ideal holding point so you can
easily adjust the filter position or
remove it, and with less chance
of covering it in fingerprints than
with many other filters.
We used the holder both with
Cokin Nuances Extreme filters
and with filters from Lee Filters;
aside from the difference in
the length of the two brands’
graduated filters, there was no
difference in how they slipped
into the filter. They pushed in
easily and were held securely,
yet were easy to adjust.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Cokin claims that the NX
Series Filter Holder is suitable
with lenses as short as 16mm.
We found no reason to question
this when we used the system
on ultra-wide lenses, with just a
little vignetting at 14mm or so.
The Cokin NX Series CPL
works very well with the holder.
The cog mechanism makes
it easy to adjust the rotation
precisely, and there’s no danger
of touching any of the filters in
the process. The only hiccup is
that it’s awkward to remove the
CPL from the frame: you either
have to hook it out with a
fingernail or poke it through
from the back after the holder
has been removed from the
lens. In a pleasing touch, the
filter holder has a light seal that
does a good job of excluding
light when an ND filter is fitted
for a long exposure.
Verdict
While circular filters, especially
those with a magnetic mount,
are quicker and easier to use, a
holder is required for the proper
use of a graduated filter. The
Cokin NX Series Filter Holder
makes a great choice, offering
delightful build quality and
holding the filters securely.
There are only really two
issues that count against the NX
Series Holder: the fiddly screws
for mounting the filter frames,
and the awkward way in which
the polarizing filter has to be
removed. After using the NX
filter system, these points
seem a small price to pay for
its performance in the field.
Features
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
5
Overall
97
BIG TEST
Specifications
Filter size:
100mm type filters
Mount: Screw-fit
via adapter rings
Construction:
Aluminium
with magnets
Kit option: No
Marumi M100 100mm
Magnetic Filter Holder
£143/$150
Marumi’s use of magnets in its M100 holder
means that it’s very quick and easy to swap
between different filters
www.marumi-global.com
arumi may not be
the best-known
filter manufacturer,
but the firm has
been in the optics industry for
over 85 years. It produces a
huge range of filters, with
screw-in, round magnetic
and square filter options.
The company’s square and
rectangular filters are produced
in collaboration with H&Y, and
feature an H&Y frame that
allows them to be mounted in
the Marumi M100 100mm
Magnetic Filter Holder. You’ll
see H&Y branding on the holder
alongside the Marumi logo.
M
As well as the standard
graduated neutral-density
(ND) filters, Marumi offers
more exotic options like
reverse-graduated ND and
centre-graduated ND filters,
which can be useful when
you’re photographing sunsets
or sunrises.
Marumi sells the M100
100mm Magnetic Filter Holder
filter by itself, but the Circular
Polarizer for M100 is specifically
designed for use with it and the
holder. The polarizer fits within
the raised edge of an adapter
ring, which has a dedicated
section for it in the holder.
The magnets are strong, but it’s still fairly
easy to push a filter up or down if you need
to adjust the position of a graduation
98
Similarly, the filter holder needs
filters that are in a frame, each
of which is designed to mount
by magnetic attraction.
Key features
Marumi supplies the M100
100mm Magnetic Filter Holder
with 72mm, 77mm and 82mm
adapter rings, but the holder
can be mounted on lenses with
other filter threads via an
optional step-up ring. Each
adapter ring has a wide, smooth
rim that enables it to be
threaded easily onto a lens,
and a slightly recessed knurled
section that can rotate
separately from the outer part.
Because the filter holder uses
magnets to hold square and
rectangular filters, there are
no guide rails or filter slots to
thread the filters into. This
means the holder is slimmer
than the holders in several
other filter systems.
A cog in the bottom of the
holder knits with the knurled rim
of the Marumi adapter rings to
enable the Circular Polarizer to
be rotated without touching the
filter itself. It’s good to see a
light seal around the aperture
in the Marumi 100mm Magnetic
Filter Holder, as this prevents
light leaks from occurring
during long exposures.
Build and handling
Marumi makes the filter holder
from aluminium, and it has a
fairly chunky main section
that gives it a solid feel overall.
The filter holder is held on the
adapter ring by two screw-down
retainers, one on either side of
the back of the adapter ring.
These prove tricky to use if the
adapter ring is already on the
lens: it’s better to mount the
adapter ring on the holder
first, then screw the whole
thing onto the lens.
Once an adapter ring has
been mounted on the holder,
the polarizer can be moved into
position. Fitting the polarizer
reveals a little surprise: unlike
the other filters, it isn’t
magnetic. Fortunately, when
it’s screwed into the correct
position, the polarizer is held
pretty tightly, but it doesn’t
always slip straight into the
right place, and it’s a bit fiddly
in practice.
Consequently, it’s important
to be very careful with the fit,
especially if the lens is tipped
forwards and no other filters are
in use. If a square or rectangular
filter is in use, it will keep the
polarizer in the holder, even if
it isn’t screwed in properly.
The M100 holder is designed
to be used with Marumi’s filters,
which feature a magnetic frame
made by H&Y. These are pulled
magnetically onto the holder
and are held securely. The
magnetic attraction is strong
enough for up to three filters
to be stacked together.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
FILTER HOLDERS
Key features
What to look for with the M100
100mm Magnetic Filter Holder
Easy to transport
The filter holder and
three adapter rings come
in a handy soft pouch.
FOR
Strong magnets keep
square filters in place
Metal construction
Graduation marks help
with filter positioning
AGAINST
The polarizer filter
isn’t magnetic
The holder is fiddly to mount
Requires framed filters
Magnetic attraction
Rectangular and square
filters attach in a snap.
Circular argument
The polarizer isn’t
magnetic, so it screws
into position.
Performance
The square filter-holding section
of the Marumi 100mm Magnetic
Filter Holder is only the depth of
one filter, but you can stack one
or two on top, using the
magnetic attraction to keep
them in place. The magnets
are strong enough to hold
everything still during use, but
it’s still fairly easy to push a filter
up or down if you need to adjust
the position of a graduation
while you shoot.
There’s a small screw in one
side of the holder that can be
tightened to prevent a filter from
being moved up or down. This
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Adapter rings
72, 77 and 82mm
sizes are included.
only acts upon the first filter in
the holder, although it does keep
that filter in place well.
When the polarizing filter is in
position, the cog at the bottom
of the holder makes it easy to
rotate it into the correct position
to give the desired level of
polarization. If there’s a
graduated filter, this can be
rotated by moving the whole
holder on the adapter ring,
and the polarizer can be
moved again to compensate.
Verdict
The Marumi M100 100mm
Magnetic Filter Holder is robust
and well-made. Thanks to its
use of magnets, it’s very easy to
mount and adjust square and
rectangular filters. However,
we’d feel more confident using
a polarizing filter by itself if the
Marumi Circular Polarizer for
M100 was also magnetic. Its
screw-fit design isn’t as easy
to use as you’d like.
In addition, while the fixing
mechanism enables the holder
to be held very securely on a
lens, the holder needs to be
attached to the adapter ring
before it is screwed onto the
lens. This isn’t especially
problematic unless you want
to change between lenses with
different filter thread sizes on
a frequent basis while you’re
out in the field.
It would be quicker if each
lens had its own adapter
already mounted, but instead
you have to put the differentsized adapters onto the holder
before it can be mounted.
Features
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
3.5
Overall
99
BIG TEST
Specifications
Filter size:
100mm-type filters
Mount: Screw-fit
via adapter rings
Construction: Aviationgrade aluminium;
plastic filter guides
Kit option: Yes
Kase Wolverine Series
K9 Filter Holder Kit
£146/$139
Kase’s 100mm K9 filter holder is well
made, easy to use and relatively
affordable. What’s not to like?
https://kasefilters.com
ase has an extensive
range of filters,
offering everything
from 150x170mm
filters to rear-mounted filters
that slot into the back of some
lenses. There’s also a choice
of circular magnetic filters and
square or rectangular filters
that fit into one of the
company’s holders.
Kase offers two differentsized filter holders: a small one
for 75mm-type filters, which
are suited to lenses made for
small mirrorless cameras; and
two holders that are designed
for 100mm-type filters. These
K
are the Kase Wolverine Armour
100mm Filter Holder system,
which has magnetic frames to
surround 100mm rectangular
filters; and the more widely
known Kase Wolverine K9
100mm Filter holder, which is
the one we’re testing here.
Key features
Although Kase offers the
Wolverine Series K9 Filter
Holder by itself, it primarily
sells it as a kit with the 90mm
magnetic circular polarizing
filter, as the two items are
designed to work together.
The polarizer frame has a
magnetic rim that holds it onto
the magnetic geared adapter
ring; this has a knurled edge
that knits with the cog in
the side of the holder. The
combination of mechanisms
allows you to use the cog to
rotate the polarizer without
touching it, which avoids the risk
of getting fingerprints on it.
The holder is designed to
take 100mm-type square or
rectangular filters. In the US, the
holder comes with two different
sizes of slot: 2mm and 1.1mm.
The 2mm slots are fitted as
standard, as that’s suitable for
most 100mm-type filters. In
the UK, only the 2mm slots are
provided, but 1.1mm slots can
be supplied by special order
should you need them.
Kase supplies the holder with
two geared adapter rings for
mounting it on a lens: 77-90mm
and 82-90mm. This means they
can be mounted on lenses
with 77mm or and 82mm filter
threads. There are also two
step-up rings in the box,
however, which enable the
holder to be mounted on lenses
with 67mm or 72mm threads.
Build and handling
The Wolverine K9 filter holder is made from
aviation-grade aluminium, and it has a
pleasing matt-black anodized finish
100
The Kase Wolverine Series
K9 Filter Holder is made from
aviation-grade aluminium,
which is CNC-machined, and
it has a pleasing matt-black
anodized finish. The filter slots,
two on each side of the holder,
Take greater creative control with
a neutral-density filter, which has
enabled a long exposure to smooth
the flow of a waterfall here.
are made from plastic, and
there are graduation marks on
the front to help guide the
positioning of a graduated filter.
Should you need it, a third set of
filter slots is provided in the kit;
this can be added to the holder
using the supplied hex tool and
longer screws. The use of
aluminium means the holder
is light but strong.
Once an adapter ring is
threaded onto the filter thread
www.digitalcameraworld.com
FILTER HOLDERS
Key features
FOR
Lightweight metal construction
Kit includes a magnetic polarizer
Accepts a wide range
of 100mm filters
What to look for with the Kase
Wolverine Series K9 Filter Holder Kit
In the box
Two adapter rings and
two step-up rings are
included, plus a
magnetic polarizer.
AGAINST
Including the polarizer
increases the cost
Filters by Lee Filters don’t
thread as smoothly as Kase’s
The holder clip isn’t sprung
Secure mounting
Wind this knob to fix
the holder to the lens.
Smear-free tuning
Use this cog to adjust
the polarizer without
touching it.
A great match
The 90mm polarizer is
designed to complement
the K9 Filter Holder.
of a lens, the holder is mounted
by turning the small red knob
until the red tab is withdrawn.
Then it’s just a case of fitting the
holder over the adapter ring
before turning the knob in the
opposite direction to move the
tab back into position.
It would be good to have a
sprung clip that can be pulled
back and released, but the
screw-close clip is very secure.
It can also be tightened
sufficiently to prevent the holder
from rotating, which is handy
when you’re using a graduated
filter and need to keep it firmly
in place for a long exposure.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Performance
The Kase Wolverine K9 filter
holder fits easily onto an
adapter ring on a lens and, as
mentioned, winding the red
knob fixes it securely. Once the
holder is in place, the magnetic
polarizer snaps into position
when it’s offered up. There’s
room for the polarizer to rotate
around in the holder, as it’s
the geared adapter ring that
meshes with the cog on
the holder’s side.
Kase’s Wolverine K9 filters
have a fairly wide curved
chamfer at each corner. This
makes them easy to slip into
the filter guides, then to slide
them up or down into position.
Lee Filters rectangular filters,
which we also tested with the
Kase holder, don’t have such a
wide curve, and they don’t slip
as smoothly into position as
a result – in fact, we found that
they are prone to catching on
their way in, and needed a little
wiggle to send them fully home.
makes it easy to mount the
polarizing filter, and the cog or
dial lets you adjust the degree of
polarization while you look in the
viewfinder without touching any
of the filters. The Wolverine
Series K9 holder is compatible
with any 2mm-thick 100mmtype filters, but works especially
well with Kase’s own.
Features
Verdict
The Kase Wolverine Series K9
Filter Holder is very well-made.
It’s light in weight and not as
bulky as some other holders,
but it’s also robust. The magnet
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
4.5
Overall
101
BIG TEST
Specifications
Filter size: 100mm
type filters
Mount: Via magnetic
adapter rings
Construction: Metal with
plastic filter guides
Kit option: Yes
Formatt Hitech Firecrest
100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
£175/$189
This system combines the convenience of
magnetism for a polarizer with the flexibility
of slots for square filters
www.formatt-hitech.com
K-based Formatt
Hitech is not the
most widely known
filter manufacturer,
but it’s a well-respected brand
by those in the know. The
Firecrest 100mm Magnetic
Holder is an update to the
Firecrest 100mm Holder
Mark II: it introduces a magnetic
attachment for the polarizer,
which was hard to unscrew in
the cold on the old system.
U
Key features
Like other filter holders, the
Formatt Hitech Firecrest
100mm Magnetic Holder
mounts onto a lens via a
magnetic adapter. The supplied
circular polarizer is mounted
via magnetic attraction, while
the holder for square and
rectangular filters is attached
mechanically. Formatt Hitech
supplies two magnetic adapters
in the kit: one for lenses with
an 86mm filter thread, and
another for lenses with an
82mm filter thread. There are
also two step-up rings in the kit
to allow the 86mm adapter to
be mounted on lenses with
77mm or 72mm filter threads.
The Firecrest 100mm Holder
is made from aircraft-grade
The holder grips the filters securely,
which means there’s little chance
of them falling to the ground
102
aluminium, while the filter
guides are made from plastic.
Slots enable up to two square or
rectangular filters to
be mounted in the holder, but
Formatt Hitech provides an
extra pair of guides, plus longer
screws, to enable up to three
filters to be mounted.
To prevent light from hitting
filters from behind while they’re
mounted in the holder, there are
two sets of covers that can be
slotted onto the top and bottom
of the holder. One set is ‘closed’
for use with square filters, while
the second set is ‘vented’ to
enable rectangular graduated
filters to be moved up and down
in the holder.
The holder, polarizing filter
and the rings or another filter,
plus a magnetic lens cap, can
be stored in the supplied pouch,
which can be used to cover the
polarizer whether the holder is
or isn’t mounted, provided
that there are no filters in the
holder slots.
Build and handling
The use of lightweight
aluminium for the holder
means it feels solid without
being heavy. It is mounted on
a lens adapter by hooking its
two fixed tabs onto one side
of the adapter ring; pushing it
back onto the ring; and then
screwing closed the third (blue)
tab on the opposite side of the
first two.
Unlike some filter holders,
there’s no spring in the Firecrest
100mm Holder’s mounting
mechanism. This means there’s
no satisfying snap as the holder
clips into place; instead, you just
have to ensure that the tab is
wound down tight. It makes for
a secure grip, but when we first
used the holder, we didn’t have
it in quite the right place on
a couple of occasions.
Square or rectangular filters
can be slid into the filter guides
without a polarizer in place on
the magnetic adapter ring, but
if you want to mount or remove
the polarizer, you have to
remove the holder. A fuzzy light
seal around the inside edge of
the holder butts up against the
first square or rectangular filter
mounted in the holder, and the
provided covers also slot on
snugly to ensure no light gets in.
The ‘vented’ covers, which
have a rectangular aperture to
allow rectangular filters to pass
through, are such a snug fit that
they need to be mounted after
the filters. It’s possible to adjust
the position of a graduated filter
while the vented covers are in
place, but we couldn’t get a filter
to thread into the slots when
they were in position.
Performance
Once the magnetic adapter
ring is on a lens, the circular
polarizer snaps neatly into
place. Then, with the holder
www.digitalcameraworld.com
FILTER HOLDERS
Key features
FOR
Easy polarizer attachment
High-quality construction
Compatible with many filters
What to look for with the Formatt Hitech
Firecrest 100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
Flexibility is key
Two magnetic adapters,
plus a pair of step-up
rings, are supplied.
AGAINST
As the polarizer is included,
the kit is expensive
Holder must be removed before
the polarizer can be removed
Care needed to ensure
the holder is mounted
In-cog-neato
Turn the cog to adjust the
degree of polarization.
Versatile holder
Up to three square
or rectangular filters
can be mounted.
fixed on, the cog on the side
of the holder allows you to
adjust the degree of polarization
without having to touch the filter
and risk leaving fingerprints.
The position of any graduated
filters slotted into the holder
can be adjusted by rotating the
holder on the adapter ring, with
the polarizer cog being turned
to compensate if necessary.
It means you can adjust the
respective positions while
looking through the viewfinder.
The holder grips the filters
securely, which means there’s
little chance of them falling to
the ground, but there needs to
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Reassuring build
Metal construction
inspires confidence.
be support from the opposite
direction to the movement when
you’re adjusting their position
to prevent the camera from
moving. Formatt Hitech
provides an Allen key with the
Firecrest 100mm Holder to
enable the supplied extra filter
slots to be added if necessary.
Most photographers are likely
to be satisfied by the ability to
mount a polarizer and up to two
square or rectangular filters; for
those who need a third, it only
takes a few minutes to insert the
extra slots. Just keep an eye on
the position of the polarizer
adjustment cog.
Verdict
Formatt Hitech’s Firecrest
100mm Holder is well-made,
and its metal construction gives
confidence that it will last. The
polarizer mount is assured and
the holder mounts securely.
Unlike the Lee Filters LEE100
Holder, this design doesn’t
have a locking or half-lock
mechanism, but it does have
a slick means of adjusting the
rotation of the polarizer. It’s also
good to have a magnetic lens
cap that can be popped into
position between shots, once
any square or rectangular filters
have been removed.
Recently, we’ve tested a few
filter systems that use frames
around the filter; while the initial
set-up of the filter seems a faff,
the approach does avoid getting
fingerprints on the filter. With
the Firecrest 100mm Holder,
though, you need to have a lens
cloth at the ready to keep the
filters clean.
Features
Build &
handling
Performance
Value
4.5
Overall
103
BIG TEST
The results are in…
%HVWEX\ȩOWHUKROGHUV
he use of magnets and filter
frames is transforming filter
holders and the way we use
filters. There’s some short-term
pain in fitting a frame to your filters, and it’s
advisable to have a frame for every filter
you use rather than swapping them around;
but the long-term gains soon become
apparent, as the filters are easier to handle.
The Cokin NX Series Filter Holder is our pick
of the bunch here – it’s very well-made and
enables precise adjustments of the filter.
However, if you prefer to avoid using filter
frames, the Kase Wolverine Series K9
holder makes an excellent choice.
Good
Better
Best
T
Formatt Hitech Firecrest
100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
Good value for money, and the holder’s
rugged build quality inspires confidence.
How the
filter holders
compare
Contact
Filter size
Mount
Construction
Kit option
Price
Kase Wolverine Series
K9 Filter Holder Kit
Light in weight but robust; the included
polarizer is easy to mount and rotate.
Cokin NX Series
Filter Holder
Filter frames are essential, but the filters
are held securely. Delightful build quality.
Lee Filters
LEE100 Holder
Cokin NX Series
Filter Holder
Marumi M100 100mm
Magnetic Filter Holder
Kase Wolverine Series K9
Filter Holder Kit
Formatt Hitech Firecrest
100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
www.marumi-global.com
www.formatt-hitech.com
www.cokin.com
www.kasefilters.com
www.leefilters.com
100mm type filters
100mm type filters,
Cokin L (Z-Pro series)
100mm type filters
100mm type filters
100mm type filters
Via adapter rings
Via adapter rings
Screw-fit via magnetic
adapter rings
Screw-fit via
adapter rings
Via magnetic
adapter rings
Injection-moulded
composite
Aluminium
Aluminium with magnets
Aviation-grade aluminium;
plastic filter guides
Metal with plastic
filter guides
Three are available, including
Landscape and Long
Exposure variants
Five are available; all include the
holder and a circular polarizer
No
Yes
Yes
£79/$116
£100/$100
£143/$150
£146/$139
£175/$189
Features
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
104
www.digitalcameraworld.com
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105
BUYER’S GUIDE
Nikon cameras
The current range of Nikon DSLR, Coolpix & Z-series mirrorless cameras
NIKON D7500
AN ADVANCED DSLR that’s easy to use, the D7500
delivers superb performance and image quality, plus
great value. The D7500 steals most of the best bits
from the now-discontinued pro-grade D500, and
squeezes them into a smaller, lighter body at a
much more affordable price.
DX DSLRS
Sensor
EXPEED 5
Viewfinder
Pentaprism, 0.94x, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Memory card
NIKON D780
Sensor
51-point (15 cross-type)
3.2-inch, tilt, touch
8fps (50 Raw)
SDXC UHS-I
24.5Mp, FX (6048x4024)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
Pentaprism, 0.7x, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON D850
100-51,200 (50-204,800 expanded)
51-point (15 cross-type)
3.2-inch, 2359k, tilt, touch
7fps (68-100 Raw)
Two SDXC UHS-II
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £2599/$2797
THE HIGH-RES D850 can turn its hand to pretty
much anything, and is arguably Nikon’s most tempting
DSLR camera. It’s capable of stunning images with
immense fine detail. For live view and video capture,
however, the contrast-detection autofocus system is
inferior to that of Z cameras and the D780.
Sensor
45.7Mp, FX (8256x5504)
Processor
EXPEED 5
Viewfinder
Pentaprism, 0.75x, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON D6
64-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded)
153-point (99 cross-type)
3.2-inch, 2359k, tilt, touch
7fps (29-200 Raw)
One XQD/CFexpress, one SDXC UHS-II
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £6799/$6497
GEARED MOSTLY TOWARDS action sports and
wildlife photography, the D6 is a high-performance
DSLR but only features a 20.8Mp sensor. All the same,
stills performance is exhilarating: the fast continuous
drive rate and AF system help you to nail the definitive
moment, no matter how fast-paced the action is.
COOLPIX
SMALLER & LIGHTER than the
P1000, the P950 has broader
appeal, but a smaller full-frame
equivalent zoom range of
24-2000mm. Like all bridge
cameras, image quality is the
pay-off for unrivalled versatility.
£849/$797
Sensor
20.8Mp, FX (5568x3712)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
Pentaprism, 0.72x, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
100-102,400 (50-3,280,000 expanded)
105-point (105 cross-type)
3.2-inch, 2359k, touch
Max burst (buffer)
14fps (105-186 Raw)
Memory card
Two XQD/CFexpress
NIKON P1000
ANOTHER BRIDGE CAMERA,
the P1000 offers a zoom range
equivalent to 24-3000mm in
full-frame terms, so it’s ready
for any shooting situation. The
camera has a 16Mp sensor and
supports Raw photography.
£1049/$997
NIKON Z 30
DX Z-SERIES
106
100-51,200 (50-1,640,000 expanded)
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £2099/$2197
THE D780 IS a highly capable and entirely naturalfeeling DSLR for shooting stills in viewfinder mode,
coupled with the same kind of accuracy and
performance as a mirrorless camera in live view and
for shooting movies. Despite its strong credentials,
though, it looks overpriced compared with the Z 6II.
NIKON P950
20.9Mp, DX (5568x3712)
Processor
Max burst (buffer)
FX DSLRS
Current market prices are checked regularly with reputable stores to serve as a guideline. Body-only prices quoted unless stated. Different lens bundles are available. Prices correct at time of going to press.
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £1049/$997
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £699/$657
THE Z 30 IS aimed at vloggers, for which the
vari-angle touchscreen works much better than
the tilting screen of the Z 50, however there’s no EVF,
which isn’t such good news if you primarily shoot
stills. There’s virtually no difference in image or video
quality between the Z 30 and the Z 50 and Z fc.
Sensor
20.9Mp, DX (5568x3712)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
None
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
100-51,200 (100-204,800 expanded)
209-point
3-inch, 1040k, vari-angle, touch
11fps (30-35 Raw)
SDXC UHS-I
www.digitalcameraworld.com
NIKON CAMERAS
NIKON Z 50
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £899/$857
DX Z-SERIES
SMALL AND SIMPLE but power-packed, the Z 50 is
capable of fabulous results, and it’s a real joy to use.
The slimline build makes the most of the compact
mirrorless design ethic and firmware updates have
added Eye-Detection AF capabilities, bringing it
in-line with more recent DX Z-camera releases.
Sensor
20.9Mp, DX (5568x3712)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
OLED, 2360k, 0.39-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON Z FC
100-51,200 (100-204,800 expanded)
209-point
3.2-inch, 1040k, tilt, touch
11fps (30-35 Raw)
SDXC UHS-I
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £879/$957
IT’S NOT JUST its retro chic styling and direct-access
dials that makes the Z fc so alluring. Far from a case
of style over substance, this DX-format Z camera is a
pleasure to operate and captures quality images to boot.
Matching ‘SE’ lenses complement its good looks and the
Nikon Store offers exclusive colours like the Z fc Black.
Sensor
20.9Mp, DX (5568x3712)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
OLED, 2360k, 0.39-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON Z 5
100-51,200 (100-204,800 expanded)
209-point
3-inch, 1040k, vari-angle, touch
11fps (30-35 Raw)
SDXC UHS-I
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £1299/$1297
Sensor
FULL-FRAME PHOTOGRAPHY starts here, with
Nikon’s most affordable FX Z camera. Despite its low
cost, it boasts plenty of top-notch features including
IBIS, the EXPEED 6 processor and dual card slots.
Add to that great image quality and 273-point hybrid
AF, and this is a very capable FX Z-series camera.
24.3Mp, FX (6016x4016)
Processor
EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
OLED, 3690k, 0.5-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
100-51,200 (50-102,400 expanded)
273-point
3.2-inch, 1040k, tilt, touch
Max burst (buffer)
4.5fps (100 Raw)
Memory card
Two SDXC UHS-II
NIKON Z 6II
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £1999/$1997
Sensor
OFFERING AN IDEAL balance of price and
performance, the Z 6II delivers superb quality for
stills and 4K video, and is a brilliant all-rounder. With
fewer megapixels to process, the Z 6II beats the Z 7II
with a 14fps rather than 10fps drive mode and it can
focus better in low light, down to -6 EV.
24.5Mp, FX (6048x4024)
Processor
Dual EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
OLED, 3690k, 0.5-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON Z 7II
100-51,200 (50-204,800 expanded)
273-point
3.2-inch, 2100k, tilt, touch
14fps (19-200 Raw)
One XQD/CFexpress, one SDXC UHS-II
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £2949/$2997
FX Z-SERIES
WITH ITS 45.7MP sensor, the Z 7II matches Nikon’s
similarly priced D850 for megapixels. But, especially in
handheld shooting and for movie capture, the Z 7II can
yield even better results, thanks to features like IBIS. It
also boasts 493 focus points to the Z 6II’s 273. If you
want a mirrorless powerhouse for stills, this is it.
Sensor
45.7Mp, FX (8256x5504)
Processor
Dual EXPEED 6
Viewfinder
OLED, 3690k, 0.5-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
NIKON Z 8
64-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded)
493-point
3.2-inch, 2100k, tilt, touch
10fps (46-82 Raw)
One XQD/CFexpress, one SDXC UHS-II
TESTED IN ISSUE 151 • £3999/$3997
BILLED BY NIKON as a “baby Z 9”, the Z 8 inherits
the vast majority of the flagship mirrorless’s specs
– including its blisteringly fast electronic shutter
and EXPEED 7 processor – in a more compact and
manageable body that forgoes the bulky bottom
grip. It costs a good deal less, into the bargain.
Sensor
45.7Mp, FX (8256x5504)
Processor
EXPEED 7
Viewfinder
OLED, 3690k, 0.5-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
64-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded)
493-point
3.2-inch, 2100k, v/h tilt, touch
20fps Raw (79-1000 Raw), 120fps JPEG
One XQD/CFexpress, one SDXC UHS-II
TESTED IN ISSUE 141 • £5299/$5497
THE FLAGSHIP MODEL of Nikon’s Z series blows
the D6 out of the water for resolution, speed and
all-round performance. A key factor is that it ditches
the mechanical shutter and uses a purely electronic
shutter. It boasts Nikon’s best video specs too, and
can shoot 12-bit Raw 8K 60p via a paid update.
Sensor
EXPEED 7
Viewfinder
OLED, 3690k, 0.5-inch, 100%
ISO
AF
LCD
Max burst (buffer)
Memory card
www.digitalcameraworld.com
45.7Mp, FX (8256x5504)
Processor
64-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded)
493-point
3.2-inch, 2100k, v/h tilt, touch
20fps Raw (79-1000 Raw), 120fps JPEG
Two XQD/CFexpress
107
BUYER’S GUIDE
Nikon-fit lenses
St
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Fi
Ap
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Is
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ev
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Ra
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FX
DX
DX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
DX
FX
DX
FX
DX
DX
DX
FX
FX
1.9x
2x
2.4x
1.7x
2.5x
2.3x
1.7x
2.1x
1.65x
2x
2x
0.19x
1.9x
1.5x
2.4x
2x
1.5x
1.8x
1.4x
1.7x
2x
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Ultrasonic
Pulse
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Modulated
Ultrasonic
Electric
Ultrasonic
Electric
Electric
Electric
485g
230g
460g
1000g
680g
205g
650g
485g
450g
555g
1150g
1150g
810g
940g
440g
1100g
555g
560g
735g
940g
569g
0.16m
0.22m
0.24m
0.28m
0.28m
0.19m
0.28m
0.28m
0.19m
0.24m
0.24m
0.26m
0.28m
0.28m
0.24m
0.28m
0.3m
0.28m
0.28m
0.28m
0.28m
0.34x
0.17x
0.2x
0.15x
0.25x
0.21x
0.13x
0.16x
0.19x
0.13x
0.2x
0.19x
0.23x
0.23x
0.19x
0.2x
0.09x
0.12x
0.12x
0.19x
0.2x
None
72mm
77mm
None
77mm
67mm
112mm
82mm
67mm
72mm
None
None
72mm
82mm
77mm
None
77mm
82mm
82mm
None
82mm
7
7
7
9
9
7
9
7
9
7
9
9
9
9
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
149
149
77
122
149
152
149
149
145
89
149
149
£989/$1070
£229/$250
£1919/$2400
£579/$500
£1069/$1097
£329/$307
£449/$397
£2099/$2300
£799/$997
£969/$1097
£859/$897
£1149/$1299
£639/$899
£1199/$1200
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
F
DX
DX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
5x
3.1x
2.9x
3.5x
5x
3.1x
2x
2.9x
2.9x
5x
2.7x
2.9x
4.4x
2.9x
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
480g
205g
1070g
465g
710g
135g
195g
805g
500g
630g
565g
1020g
885g
905g
0.35m
0.25m
0.38m
0.38m
0.45m
0.2m
0.35m
0.38m
0.3m
0.35m
0.39m
0.37m
0.45m
0.38m
0.22x
0.38x
0.27x
0.22x
0.24x
0.2x
0.17x
0.22x
0.3x
0.39x
0.34x
0.21x
0.22x
0.2x
72mm
55mm
82mm
72mm
77mm
46mm
52mm
82mm
72mm
77mm
67mm
82mm
82mm
82mm
7
7
9
7
9
7
7
7
7
9
9
9
9
9
138
125
138
88
153
153
153
138
153
153
153
153
153
88
£900/$1400
£2119/$2350
£295/$347
£385/$397
£629/$597
£2299/$2300
£10499/$9500
£10999/$12397
£7599/$7000
£1399/$1400
£289/$377
£1299/$1247
£2399/$2600
£2419/$2700
£1799/$1697
£999/$1100
£1699/$2000
£1099/$1380
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
F
FX
FX
DX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
2.9x
2.9x
4.3x
4.3x
4.3x
5x
2.5x
2.2x
2x
2.5x
5x
2.6x
2.9x
4x
3.3x
2x
10x
2.9x
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
850g
1430g
400g
415g
680g
1570g
3250g
3500g
3360g
2300g
405g
795g
1140g
1355g
1955g
1490g
2700g
1805g
1m
1.1m
1.1m
1.1m
1.2m
1.5m
2m
2m
1.95m
2.2m
0.5m
0.27m
0.5m
0.75m
1.3m
0.95m
0.6m
0.95m
0.27x
0.21x
0.22x
0.22x
0.25x
0.2x
0.16x
0.25x
0.27x
0.22x
0.23x
0.48x
0.2x
0.38x
0.25x
0.15x
0.3x
0.21x
67mm
77mm
58mm
58mm
67mm
77mm
112mm
Drop-in
52mm
95mm
62mm
67mm
77mm
77mm
95mm
82mm
105mm
82mm
9
9
7
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
11
118
118
148
148
148
137
118
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
WIDE-ANGLE ZOOMS
Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR
Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM | A
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM | A
Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
Tokina atx-i 11-16mm f/2.8 CF Plus
Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8
Tokina AT-X 14-20mm f/2 PRO DX
Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF
Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5–5.6G VR
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
Nikon AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR
Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3
Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S
Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S
Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | A
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM | A
Tamron SP AF 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
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FX
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TELEPHOTO ZOOMS
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR
Nikon AF-P DX 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED
TELEPHOTO ZOOMS
108
135
142
32
135
■
STANDARD ZOOMS
Nikon AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
STANDARD ZOOMS
Current market prices are checked regularly with reputable stores to serve as a guideline. Prices correct at time of going to press.
Tokina atx-i 17-35mm f/4 FF
ic
e
Nikon AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
s
M
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Nikon AF-P DX 10-20 mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
rd
DX
/
£1449/$1246
£299/$308
£949/$900
£1619/$1749
£1149/$1097
£379/$357
£2099/$2497
£1149/$1347
£1099/$1200
£599/$700
£1259/$1299
£1269/$1299
£699/$800
£729/$950
£500/$500
£1279/$1300
£480/$449
£500/$529
£625/$630
£700/$700
£560/$599
KEY: ■ BEST ON TEST ■ GOLD AWARD ■ GREAT VALUE
Aw
a
M
Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED
n
WIDE-ANGLE ZOOMS
Pr
Your at-a-glance guide to the current crop of Nikon-fit lenses
Nikon AF-P DX 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR
Nikon AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR
Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
Nikon AF-S 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR
Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4E ED VR TC1.4
Nikon AF-S 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II
Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR
Nikon Z 70-180mm f/2.8
Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S
Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM | A
Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | S
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | S
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www.digitalcameraworld.com
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Ra
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F
F
F
F
F
F
Z
F
F
F
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
4x
2.5x
4x
4x
2.5x
2.9x
4.3x
4.3x
4x
4x
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
1160g
3390g
1930g
2860g
15700g
1500g
580g
765g
1115g
2010g
1.6m
1.5-2.5m
2.8m
2.6m
2-5m
0.95m
0.8-1.5m
1.5m
1.5m
2.2m
0.26x
0.12x
0.2x
0.2x
0.13x
0.16x
0.11-0.2x
0.25x
0.28x
0.26x
67mm
105mm
95mm
105mm
Drop-in
77mm
67mm
62mm
67mm
95mm
9
9
9
9
9
9
7
9
9
9
148
118
137
137
£599/$500
£629/$700
£990/$1000
£579/$650
£749/$900
£275/$400
£370/$580
£500/$630
£235/$250
£699/$650
F
F
F
Z
Z
F
F
F
F
F
DX
DX
DX
DX
FX
DX
DX
DX
DX
DX
7.8x
16.7x
16.7x
7.7x
8.3x
11.1x
16.7x
18.8x
11.1x
22.2x
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Electric
HLD
490g
550g
830g
315g
570g
430g
585g
540g
400g
710g
0.45m
0.48m
0.45m
0.2m
0.5m
0.39m
0.39m
0.39m
0.49m
0.45m
0.23x
0.32x
0.31x
0.33x
0.28x
0.33x
0.33x
0.34x
0.25x
0.34x
67mm
67mm
77mm
62mm
67mm
62mm
72mm
67mm
62mm
72mm
7
7
9
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
27
136
74
136
136
99
136
115
136
136
£560/$480
£1140/$1100
£640/$775
£1599/$1900
£765/$1000
£3699/$3400
£799/$720
£749/$680
£1899/$2000
£2099/$2200
£649/$700
£1999/$1997
£529/$530
£159/$177
£1799/$1700
£980/$1047
£289/$279
£959/$1000
£479/$499
£229/$300
£799/$850
£299/$280
£429/$400
£465/$500
£339/$349
£499/$800
£900/$730
£350/$350
£499/$580
£559/$550
£599/$800
£499/$500
£699/$900
£599/$520
£1399/$1599
£600/$610
£449/$499
£779/$900
£629/$850
£629/$799
£449/$500
£349/$399
£699/$800
£629/$799
£829/$900
£649/$600
£458/$459
£280/$320
£239/$279
£2419/$2700
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Z
F
F
F
F
Z
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
F
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
DX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
DX
DX
FX
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
None
None
Body-driven
Body-driven
Body-driven
None
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
None
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Electric
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Electric
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
None
653g
747g
305g
670g
290g
885g
355g
355g
620g
730g
330g
645g
305g
200g
600g
505g
135g
450g
125g
160g
370g
435g
600g
530g
810g
474g
791g
560g
488g
680g
680g
660g
400g
475g
1170g
370g
405g
950g
665g
865g
435g
265g
665g
1200g
805g
480g
420g
300g
270g
880g
0.28m
0.17m
0.14m
0.2m
0.25m
0.25m
0.2m
0.23m
0.25m
0.21m
0.25m
0.28m
0.25m
0.3m
0.3m
0.2m
0.18m
0.25m
0.2m
0.19m
0.25m
0.3m
0.25m
0.2m
0.28m
0.2m
0.28m
0.28m
0.2m
0.25m
0.2m
0.3m
0.14m
0.14m
0.27m
0.15m
0.25m
0.28m
0.25m
0.28m
0.25m
0.3m
0.3m
0.4m
0.3m
0.2m
0.22m
0.3m
0.4m
0.25m
0.1x
0.17x
0.2x
0.15x
0.1x
0.18x
0.23x
0.2x
0.18x
0.37x
0.22x
0.17x
0.24x
0.24x
0.2x
0.23x
0.19x
0.18x
0.19x
0.2x
0.19x
N/S
N/S
N/S
0.08x
0.15x
0.08x
N/S
N/S
N/S
N/S
0.2x
0.22x
0.11x
0.1x
0.26x
0.1x
0.14x
0.19x
0.18x
0.15x
0.14x
0.19x
0.15x
0.3x
0.4x
0.1x
0.1x
0.1x
0.11x
95mm
82mm
None
None
None
None
77mm
72mm
77mm
77mm
67mm
77mm
58mm
52mm
67mm
77mm
42mm
72mm
52mm
52mm
62mm
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
77mm
82mm
77mm
None
None
None
None
67mm
77mm
77mm
77mm
62mm
52mm
67mm
82mm
72mm
67mm
67mm
52mm
52mm
95mm
9
14
7
7
7
9
7
7
9
9
7
9
7
7
9
9
7
9
7
7
9
6
6
7
6
7
9
6
7
8
8
8
6
7
9
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
142
138
12
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | S
Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD
Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD
Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
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Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C
118
148
109
148
137
s
DX
/
£699/$699
£2699/$3600
£849/$900
£1330/$2000
£14999/$25999
£1449/$1200
£699/$699
£325/$450
£799/$799
£1279/$1400
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | S
rd
M
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C
KEY: ■ BEST ON TEST ■ GOLD AWARD ■ GREAT VALUE
Aw
a
TELEPHOTO ZOOMS
Pr
NIKON-FIT LENSES
■
SUPERZOOMS
Nikon AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
SUPERZOOMS
Nikon AF-S DX 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR
Nikon AF-S DX 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C
Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro
Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
Tamron AF 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD
■■
■
■
WIDE-ANGLE PRIMES
Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone
Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift
Nikon AF DX 10.5mm f/2.8G ED Diagonal Fisheye
Nikon AF 14mm f/2.8D ED
Nikon AF 16mm f/2.8D Diagonal Fisheye
Nikon PC 19mm f/4E ED (tilt & shift)
Nikon AF-S 20mm f/1.8G ED
Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.8G ED
Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED
Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED (tilt & shift)
Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.4E ED
Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G ED
Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G
Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S
Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7
Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S
Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8
WIDE-ANGLE PRIMES
Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8
NIkon Z 35mm f/1.8 S
Samyang 8mm f/3.5 IF MC CSII Dh Circular Fisheye
Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Diagonal Fisheye
Samyang MF 14mm f/2.8 Z
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 AF
Samyang 14mm f/2.4 XP
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC
Samyang 20mm f/1.8 ED AS UMC
Samyang 24mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC
Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC (tilt & shift)
Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC AE
Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye
Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye
Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A
Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC CN | C
Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM | A
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 Z
Viltrox AF 23mm f/1.4 Z
Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 Z
Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 ZF.2
www.digitalcameraworld.com
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12
116
116
59
25
87
125
111
25
149
153
116
150
134
125
12
113
142
105
142
70
116
104
25
125
12
12
149
12
154
116
116
■
■
■
■
■■
■■
■■■
111
152
125
111
125
142
144
152
■
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■
■
109
St
W
ei
M
M
Fi
Ap
er
tu
re
bl
ad
Is
su
es
er
ev
ie
we
Ra
d
ti n
g
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
DX
FX
FX
FX
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
None
None
None
None
None
None
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
None
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Ultrasonic
Electric
Stepping
Stepping
None
None
675g
735g
1350g
650g
606g
740g
185g
190g
280g
385g
170g
415g
1090g
2000g
575g
815g
280g
540g
950g
320g
417g
875g
970g
0.25m
0.22m
0.3m
0.3m
0.57m
0.25m
0.45m
0.45m
0.45m
0.58m
0.29m
0.4m
0.45m
0.5m
0.45m
0.4m
0.5m
0.29m
0.4m
0.6m
0.45m
0.45m
0.5m
0.1x
0.2x
0.2x
0.19x
0.13x
0.5x
0.15x
0.15x
0.15x
0.13x
0.17x
0.15x
0.15x
0.19x
N/S
0.18x
0.14x
0.29x
0.18x
0.1x
0.15x
0.15x
0.15x
77mm
82mm
95mm
58mm
58mm
77mm
58mm
58mm
58mm
72mm
52mm
62mm
82mm
82mm
77mm
77mm
55mm
67mm
72mm
52mm
58mm
67mm
77mm
9
9
9
9
13
9
7
7
9
9
9
9
9
11
8
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC
£489/$430
£1699/$1600
£1799/$1980
£2099/$2200
£6299/$5700
£1819/$2000
£6299/$5500
£12999/$11200
£10999/$10300
£3229/$3600
£12999/$12300
£18999/$16300
£699/$800
£2999/$2797
£13499/$14000
£2815/$3250
£15499/$15497
£6299/$6500
£320/$300
£550/$530
£319/$399
£449/$500
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
Z
F
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
None
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
SSVCM
Stepping
Stepping
Stepping
None
None
None
None
350g
595g
635g
985g
2930g
755g
2900g
3800g
3090g
1460g
3810g
4590g
470g
1160g
2950g
1245g
3260g
2385g
539g
480g
730g
830g
0.8m
0.85m
0.39m
1m
1.9m
1.4m
2.3m
2.6m
3.6m
3m
4.4m
5.9m
0.8m
0.85m
2.5m
2.5m
4.3m
5m
1m
0.9m
1.1m
0.8m
0.12x
0.12x
0.5x
0.13x
0.12x
0.24x
0.16x
0.14x
0.15x
0.18x
0.14x
0.15x
0.12x
0.11x
0.17x
0.16x
0.14-2x
0.16x
0.11x
0.11x
0.09x
N/S
67mm
77mm
77mm
82mm
52mm
77mm
52mm
40.5mm
40.5mm
95mm
40.5mm
52mm
67mm
82mm
Drop-in
95mm
Drop-in
Drop-in
72mm
77mm
72mm
77mm
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
11
9
9
9
9
8
9
8
9
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
£929/$949
F
FX
None
No
Ultrasonic
815g
0.85m
0.12x
86mm
Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
£1249/$1600 F
£1099/$1399 F
£2599/$3400 F
£4699/$6000 F
£4999/$6600 F
£209/$229
F, Z
£439/$399
F, Z
£320/$379
Z
£980/$1285
F
£1400/$1800 F
£3180/$4490 F
£1760/$2200
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
None
None
Stepping
None
None
None
None
1645g
1130g
2400g
3310g
4900g
355g
310g
405g
570g
1210g
1140g
1060g
1m
0.87m
2.5m
3.5m
7m
1.15m
1.7m
0.8m
1m
0.8m
0.8m
0.8m
0.12x
0.2x
0.13x
0.15x
0.11x
0.4x
0.34x
0.13x
0.1x
0.13x
0.13x
0.28x
105mm
82mm
46mm
46mm
46mm
67mm
72mm
58mm
72mm
77mm
86mm
77mm
£449/$495
£569/$499
£519/$499
£299/$280
£459/$557
£579/$647
£939/$1047
£429/$490
£339/$569
£424/$429
£1300/$1840
FX
FX
FX
DX
DX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
FX
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
None
None
None
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic
Stepping
Stepping
None
Ultrasonic
Electric
None
831g
619g
650g
235g
355g
260g
630g
715g
725g
515g
807g
0.35m
0.21m
0.25m
0.16m
0.29m
0.16m
0.29m
0.31m
0.31m
0.3m
0.44m
1x
2x
2x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
0.5x
77mm
67mm
67mm
52mm
52mm
46mm
62mm
67mm
62mm
55mm
67mm
11
13
7, 13
7
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/2 ZF.2
7Artisans 50mm f/1.05
Nikon PC-E Micro 45mm f/2.8D ED (tilt & shift)
STANDARD PRIMES
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G
Nikon AF-S 58mm f/1.4G
Nikon Z 40mm f/2
Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S
Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S
Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct
Samyang 50mm f/1.4 AS UMC
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN | C
Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF
Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4Z
Yongnuo YN50mm f/1.8Z DF DSM
Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2
Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4
ize
at
io
rs
fic
l te
ni
ag
in
gh
fo
t
cu
s
s
to
Au
ab
ili
fo
ze
cu
r
om
zo
ax
FX
nt
ic
ou
e
Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 ZF.2
s
M
F
F
F
F
Z
F
F
F
F
F
Z
Z
Z
Z
F
F
Z
F
F
Z
Z
F
F
Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZF.2
rd
DX
/
£1999/$2300
£1449/$1850
£3759/$5000
£1699/$1200
£450/$349
£1899/$2050
£229/$220
£159/$280
£459/$450
£1699/$1600
£229/$280
£499/$700
£2099/$2099
£8299/$7999
£350/$370
£649/$950
£449/$499
£499/$550
£879/$999
£263/$299
£288/$359
£1160/$1200
£2900/$4000
KEY: ■ BEST ON TEST ■ GOLD AWARD ■ GREAT VALUE
Aw
a
M
Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8 ZF.2
n
STANDARD PRIMES
Pr
BUYER’S GUIDE
116
87
152
25
130
130
40
140
140
122
108
■
■■
130
152
130
152
152
130
■■
■
TELEPHOTO PRIMES
Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G
Nikon PC-E Micro 85mm f/2.8D (tilt & shift)
Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED
Nikon AF-S 200mm f/2G ED VR II
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II
Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR
Nikon AF-S 500mm f/4E FL ED VR
Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
Nikon AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR
Nikon AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR
TELEPHOTO PRIMES
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S
Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S
Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S
Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S
Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF UMC
Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 F
Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4 Z
Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A
Sigma APO 300mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM | S
Sigma APO 800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM
Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm f/8 Reflex MF
Tokina SZ Super Tele 500mm f/8 Reflex MF
Yongnuo YN85mm f/1.8Z DF DSM
Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 ZF.2
Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 ZF.2
Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 ZF.2
Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2 ZF.2
140
124
25
124
29
63
14
143
143
143
143
■
■
■
124
151
143
143
146
141
40
140
152
■■
■
■
■■■
9
124
■■
9
9
9
9
9
None
None
7
9
9
9
9
124
143
■■
■■
148
152
■
MACRO
Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 Dragonfly
Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro APO
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro APO
MACRO
Nikon AF-S DX 40mm f/2.8G Micro
Nikon AF-S DX 85mm f/3.5G ED VR Micro
Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8
Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S
Samyang 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro
Tokina atx-i 100mm f/2.8 FF Macro Plus
Zeiss Milvus Makro Planar 100mm f/2 ZF.2
110
F
Z
F, Z
F
F
Z
Z
F
F
F
F
150
150
150
110
150
150
150
110
150
150
■■■
■
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Don’t mi
N-Photo ss
155
See
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•Contents subject to change
PARTING SHOT
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Editorial
Editor Adam Waring
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Contributors
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Tip bits
Mike Harris shares his top tips for
consuming top tips guides, clearly he’s
running out of things to write about...
t doesn’t matter whether you’re
a photography journalist, tutor
or experienced enthusiast
passing on your knowledge to
the next generation. We’re all
guilty of offering up snippets of info without
context. Let’s give ourselves the benefit of the
doubt: it’s usually correct, more often than
not useful, and always well intentioned, but
the danger is that it becomes unnecessary
or unhelpful when applied out of context.
I
From a certain point of view
A good example is exposure compensation.
Did you know that it only works in Manual
mode if you’re also using Auto ISO? I’ve seen
quite a few photographers merrily fiddling
with the exposure comp button to no avail.
Heck, when I first started out, I was one of
those photographers. Why? Because
somebody told me about the function but
neglected to elaborate further...
Let’s try another: expose for the
highlights. Again, a great piece of advice in
many situations but not all. There are times
when highlights are naturally blown out and
if you expose for them, only to boost the
shadows in post, you’ll end up with an
unflattering, muddy image that looks like
a poorly blended HDR. Similarly, portrait
114
photographers working in natural light will
often expose for the subject. This might
blow out the background, but in this
instance, the subject’s skin tones and
features are more important.
Photography can be complicated. When
you condense a technical topic into two
lines of text, you’re going to miss the
minutiae of the original source. I realize that
I couldn’t have picked a worse issue. I was
heavily involved in this month’s main
feature, a compilation of 100 bite-size tips to
learn at your leisure (page 26). That’s right,
a century of technical topics, compressed
into a paper-thin sentence or two.
I am, of course, being intentionally
flippant here. There’s nothing wrong with
top tips round-ups at all. They’re a fantastic
way to supercharge your photography
knowledge. In fact, I used to jot down my
favourite tips from photography magazines
to create my own, bespoke tips guides. I’d
fold them up and slip them into my camera
bag, so I had crib sheets out in the field.
Just don’t treat every tip like it’s gospel.
Never stop experimenting and questioning.
Use this month’s lead feature as a starting
point before delving deeper. And if you’re
using exposure compensation in Manual
mode, remember to switch on Auto ISO.
Cover image Getty
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