Photography News

 

When buildings are illuminated at night their shapes and features are enhanced in a very different way than by daylight and it's a great time to take photographs. The most challenging thing is getting the exposure and colour balance right, which we'll help with, otherwise, the standard rules of composition apply which we'll cover briefly first.

 

1. Composition - Don't Forget The Basics 

When shooting upwards expect the building to slope inwards at the top, especially when a wide-angle lens is used. Move to a higher position to reduce the distortion or use a special shift lens that's designed to correct perspective but these are expensive and aren't really a sensible option for the casual shooter.

Try to include the whole building by using a wider angle lens or stepping back to a more suitable viewpoint. Choose the position carefully. The same building could be shot head-on, at an angle of, say, 3/4 or by using a telephoto to capture a section with a more graphical feel. Don't forget you can zoom with your feet as well as your lens, too. When it comes to focusing, manual is your best option. 

  2. Exposures

When the sun goes down the light changes in two ways; firstly the exposure time required increases and secondly the colour of the light becomes warmer. Let's first look at the exposure. In low light, the shutter speed that's necessary to ensure a good exposure will usually be too long to avoid camera shake when hand-holding the camera. Using a tripod enables you to shoot at these long exposure times of between 1/15sec and several seconds or even minutes. If you don't have a tripod you can usually find a wall, lamppost or tree to support the camera, which can help considerably. Or you can try switching to a higher ISO as most cameras now cope well in the higher ranges. This means that in low light situations, such as shooting buildings at night, you can take photos with minimal noise or blurring. You'll also want to put your camera's self-timer into action or use a remote release if you have one as even pressing the shutter button can introduce shake that'll leave your with blurry shots. Consider using the Mirror Lock-up function, too which can be accessed via your camera's menu. 
 

3. Metering

Low light can also fool the camera's meter and this happens because it looks at the mass of dark and tries to compensate to make it mid-grey. By doing so, you get an exposure time that is too long for all the illuminated parts of the scene, such as neon lights, street lights or spotlit areas of a building as they become grossly overexposed.

To avoid this, you need to compensate for it. As a guide, use your exposure compensation setting to reduce the exposure by a couple of stops when most of the area is in darkness and by one stop when the building has a medium coverage of illumination.

 

4. Colour Balance

Illuminated buildings offset against a dark sky can look great, but you have to be careful with the colour as there can be a slightly orange or yellow cast created. Buildings illuminated by artificial light can also be problematic, depending on the lighting used in them. Two popular types are Fluorescent and Tungsten. Fluorescent tend to be used inside in offices and Tungsten in spotlights that part illuminates buildings.

With digital cameras, you can preview the image to check the colour balance and if it doesn't look right, just change the white balance setting you're using. Cloudy will warm your shots up while the Tungsten options will give your images a more blue tone. 

  5. Security

Take care when carrying a camera around at night, especially if you're venturing off the beaten track. Keep alert and where possible, take a friend with you.

  6. What To Capture 

Look for tall buildings you can shoot from. From up high you'll be able to shoot skylines as well as focus on single buildings. For something different, try to shoot the same location in daylight and in the evening. You'll soon see how buildings have a very different feel at night. Cropping in on illuminated buildings can make the image more striking and reduce the black from the surrounding, unlit areas. To give streetlights a 'starburst' use a small aperture which will also give you front-to-back sharpness in your shots too. Exposure times will be longer but if you have your tripod, this won't be an issue. If people are still exploring the city you can use them to add more interest to your shots. Get creative with silhouettes against well-lit structures or how about using slightly longer shutter speeds, say 1/2 a second, to blur the movement of people who pass through your shot. Don't increase your exposure times too much if you want to keep the patterns people create passing through your images though as anything above 15 seconds will probably remove them from your image. Bridges can be used to draw the eye through the image to a particular structure or focus your attention on famous buildings and landmarks which are guaranteed to be lit-up at night.

 

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Editing mistakes can lead to images that don’t look polished or professional. Editing is not just about pushing sliders around—it's about recognizing and correcting issues that might not be obvious at first glance. This video addresses some of the most common editing mistakes in Lightroom and how you can fix them.

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Black and white photography has a unique way of bringing out the essence of a scene. It’s not just about eliminating color—it’s about mastering light, contrast, and texture.

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Why is it so hard to move from a stable 9-to-5 job to a full-time photography career? Many people, especially those passionate about turning their creative skills into a living, struggle with this. If you've ever considered making the leap, you're likely familiar with the challenges. It’s a big move that takes more than just skill behind the camera—it requires time, energy, and a bit of financial risk.

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1. Gear Suggestions

• Wide-angle lens
• Polarising filter – Helps boost colour
• ND Grad filter – Balances the exposure of the sky and foreground
• Waterproofs – It rains a lot in the UK!

  2. When To Take Your Shots

Early morning or the end of the day is perfect for autumnal photography as the warm colour temperatures of the setting or rising sun boost the autumnal shades. The end of the day tends to be warmer than early morning too which is good news for those stuck in offices all day. Keep an eye on the weather forecast for the evening before you plan on heading out as a cool night helps the autumn shades develop.

Another advantage of heading out of the door early in the morning or later in the evening is the light is more diffused which means the difference between light and shadow areas isn't as extreme. It's still worth keeping an eye on your histogram, something which can be done in Live View on many cameras which means you can see the histogram display change as the scene in front of you alters or as you make tweaks to the exposure. This not only saves times but is a lot easier than making changes, taking a shot then checking the histogram. 

If the sky's proving to be a problem as it's too light, fit an ND filter to your lens to balance the exposure. Of course, if you're not an early riser and don't fancy heading out after your tea you can use editing software to boost the autumn colours in your shots too.
 

3. Where To Go

The Lakes, Peak District and the Brecon Beacons look particularly impressive during autumn but really you just need to go somewhere that gives you a little bit of height and a few breath-taking views.

 

 

4. White Balance

Switch from auto to cloudy or shade to add an extra level of warmth to your shots that really boosts the autumn shades.

5. Look For Contrast

If you're shooting sweeping shots of a forest canopy from a hillside have a look for spots where the oranges and yellows are broken up with greens. Lower down, shoot at the forest's edge, using the shades of a field to contrast with the orange tones of the forest.

Golden coloured leaves pack some punch when framed against a blue sky but don't dismiss dark skies either as overcast days can give you moody, richer looking images. Rain clouds look great on the horizon and once the rain has passed, colours naturally become more saturated. If there's a breeze blowing have a go at using slower shutter speeds to capture the movement of leaves and branches as they blow in the wind to give your images a more abstract feel.

 

6. Foreground Interest

For sweeping scenic shots, it's important to have foreground detail to add depth and to fill what can be a big empty space in front of the lens. It can also add a sense of scale to a shot but don't fill it too much as your shot will end up looking too busy and it'll be hard for the viewer of your shot to find a single point of focus on.

Large rocks and tree stumps work well as foreground interest or you could try setting up your composition with an object that can lead the eye from the front to the back of the shot. Paths created by walkers, streams, walls, fences and bridges all work well. Just remember to use a small aperture (bigger f-number) such as f/11 to keep front to back sharpness.

If you don't want to shoot wide pick up the telephoto lens and use it to focus on a particular point of interest, using its pulling power to isolate your subject.

Remember: Get out of bed early or be prepared to stay out later if mornings aren't your thing, use foreground interest, keep it simple and think about composition before hitting the shutter button.
 

.photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } A wideangle lens allows you to include all the elements of this street scene, but the aggregation doesn’t make a great picture – it’s most useful as a description of the place. But there are lovely pictures to be made of details – the columns of the old courthouse (white building behind the bus), the elaborate redbrick building, and the ironwork on its roof, the lights and louvres on the bus. Even the coloured road surface and markings offer pictures, with a standard or short telephoto lens.  

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins for Christians, and I hope to show you that it is also a photographic sin. It can take several forms, but the word was applied to pictures by one of the photographers who came along to my Sunday photo walks. She used it to mean trying to fit too much into the frame, and this is certainly something that I’ve been guilty of at times. Occasions when there are just so many lovely elements in a scene that one is left trying to decide what to omit, what to edit out. Although the picture is really about the breakwaters and the waves, the sky above has lovely clouds in it and it is very difficult indeed to decide to crop them out.

I’ve written before about the importance of paring the image down to the bare essentials, and my admiration for those photographers who can do this. This process starts with taking the image, and continues in editing as we realise which elements of the image may not be essential, and which may be a positive distraction. Part of the art of making any picture is to give the subject a degree of isolation from its surroundings, even when those very surroundings provide the context in which the subject needs to be seen.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Hungarian professional model Fanny Mueller, photographed at Basford Hurst Cottage Studio, using a Sigma 105mm f/1.4 lens at full aperture to separate her from the wood panelling behind her. The wide aperture has allowed detail in the background to blur, even though it’s less than three feet behind Fanny.  

How to achieve that isolation? One way that I love a lot is to use a wide aperture lens and throw the background out of focus. This is one of the reasons (but only one) why portrait photographers prefer to use a short telephoto for faces, because they offer greater defocussing of the background than lenses with shorter focal lengths. Another is that a more distant camera position means that different parts of the subject’s head are all similar distances from the camera, which gives more natural perspective. A wideangle lens very close to the face may mean that the ears are twice as far from the camera as the nose, giving the model a very large nose indeed.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Three views of the Kelpies in Falkirk (although the right-hand image is simply a cropped version of the middle picture). A wideangle lens close up minimises the size of background objects, and thus makes them less prominent in the picture.  

Another is to look very carefully at the available angles and distances for shooting the subject, and to choose as plain a background as is possible. There’s no substitute for knowing the territory if you want to shoot in a hurry: in one day, my friend Roy (whose screen-name is kaybee on this site) showed me excellent and unusual vantage points for the Kelpies, the Falkirk Wheel, and the three bridges over the Firth of Forth. I won’t say that a keen shooter couldn’t find all the vantage points we used, but I reckon that it would have taken a couple of days to do so.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } You might walk down the right street to see the two houses with a see-through garage space allowing a view of the Forth Bridge – but my friend Roy knew that it was there, and led me to it…  

A second form of greed is to want to take all the possible photographs of a subject before leaving it. Sometimes, that’s entirely justified – most Apollo astronauts didn’t get the chance to go back and take another shot of Earthrise! But usually the photographer has the chance to take many more pictures than are necessary: As our mothers taught us when we were learning to feed ourselves, it’s important to know when to desist. It’s important to work the scene (as Gil Grissom always said in CSI), but once we’ve been thorough it’s time to stop (can you hear William Petersen’s American pronunciation? That’s a real mark of an excellent TV series!).

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Too many similar shots, and none of them any good: my attempt at ‘spray and pray’ with an unfamiliar action subject. I’d have done far better to take a couple of single shots. But at least this was a moving subject: so often, I’ve seen a photographer taking the same shot time and again, rather than stopping and trying to find a slightly different way to make a picture. It’s a particular risk with newcomers to studio work with female models.  

There’s a subset of this form of greed which comes into play when there’s a popular subject, and only one place to stand… I’ve heard tales of the places where there are rows of photographers seeking the same landscape with their tripods interleaved. At that point, why bother? All of the pictures are going to be substantially the same, and it’s not a matter of finding a different way of seeing... A very similar thing can happen at group shoots and workshops, where, if one person finds an innovative pose or angle, everyone else wants to copy it. As the person running a workshop, I’ve found this both time-consuming and annoying – if it isn’t dealt with quite firmly and rapidly, it can end up with everyone getting two runs at each setup or idea, and a general loss of direction.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } I’m not sure exactly who I was copying with this shot… there have been so many images of similar subjects stacked up, and I’m sure that someone else has taken a row of Post Office vans in early sunshine. It’s always worth a frame or two, even if you don’t think the results will win a club competition. Every image is a learning experience.  

An aside: when you’re starting out with any given genre, it’s obviously a good learning tool to copy someone else. How many art and craft classes at school do you remember where the teacher showed you an example, and you then copied it in every detail to learn the techniques that you could go on to apply to your own ideas? I still have the tray that I made at school, with the oak sides and ends dovetailed together, and just like all the other trays (so much like each other that someone swapped his wood for mine, because my joints were a little better than his…)

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } The English Lake District is full of beautiful places, and of tourists, many with cameras. But you don’t necessarily have to rush to the hot spots: there is beauty to be found anywhere there’s a tree that stands out and adds punctuation to the landscape.  

And that leads on to a further form of greed, prevalent with landscape and wildlife photographers, who want to visit every one of the places that have become famous for the images made there. Yosemite National Park in the USA, Ashness Bridge in the Lake District, and Lofoten come to mind. With all such places, it may be an entirely valid desire to go and experience the place – but does one need a camera for that? And even then, in our increasingly climate-challenged world, is that a responsible choice as opposed, for instance, to a week in Scarborough or Tenby?

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } A small religious community in a remote Italian village? It’s actually Caldey Abbey, on the lovely island of Caldey, 25 minutes’ boat ride from Tenby. ‘The road less travelled’ (to quote the title of Robert Frost’s poem) is often rewarding, and frequently surprising. And that has made all the difference…  

Maybe if one is visiting any of these tourist traps, the challenge (should you wish to accept it) is to find a different image, maybe of the people. And I wonder if it would deter the flocking photographers if there were Disney-style signs saying ‘Take your photographs from HERE’? Maybe Greenpeace will start erecting them in the interest of protecting the landscape from erosion…

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } What is ‘too much’ equipment? Each of the lenses in this bag has a purpose and particular applications, but on any given occasion, I’m likely to take only one or two of them with me.  

A final form of photographic greed is the desire to have every lens or every flash modifier in our possession. More than once I have admitted to being too much of a collector of equipment, But with advancing years, I am slowly learning that most of the time I don’t need very much kit at all. Some people are born collectors, and they find it really difficult to own less than the full range of this or that. This tends to lead to an excessively heavy camera bag, with consequent back problems. What is less obvious is that in the time that it takes to decide on and fit the ideal lens, one could have taken a really good picture with the lens that’s on the camera already.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } I own a number of camera systems, and that means that certain focal lengths are duplicated between systems. It’s unlikely, though, that any photographer would want to take all of these out on a shoot. The Alpha 7 is the mainstay of my shooting these days, and the Alpha 900 shows deficits in several areas compared with the newer design, as does its Planar 85mm lens.  

To make matters more complicated for the equipment addict, there are sometimes multiple lenses of the same focal length available in the same range: do you really need a massively wide aperture with a 24mm lens? For some people, the answer will be yes, definitely, nothing else will do. But for many of us (including me), a shorter lens allows lower shutter speeds, and differential focus isn’t much needed with wider views, so my Samyang f/2.8, weighing less than 100 grams and reasonably sharp, is a no-brainer for my camera bag. If I had a Sigma f/1.4 Art lens (three times the price, five times the weight), I’d probably leave it at home quite often! Choosing the lens that is good enough is often the sensible choice.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Trudy UK at PGD Studio in Leicester. I turned up with three or four bags of equipment (as I usually do), but I could have shot everything with my normal standard lens, an 85mm f/1.8.  

I know one or two photographers who routinely turn up with one body and one or two lenses, and then proceed to use them with immense talent. They don’t need more. I find that sometimes, it works like this (it certainly did when I first met TrudyUK in a traditional studio – no sets, just various coloured paper backgrounds, one or two props and chairs. We spent the time experimenting with poses and lighting, and if I had not made a deliberate effort to use three other lenses, the 85mm that tends to live on my camera would have worked for everything). But mostly, I find employment for at least half a dozen different lenses over a couple of hours, and often more.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Who could resist a Hasselblad at the right price? It’s blessed (or cursed) with a quite complex set of controls, all of which have a purpose. And it remains a superb tool for medium format film shooting.

I suppose that if we take a slightly sideways look at our hobby, there may be a different sort of greedy… I own two cameras that have been described as ‘camera porn’ – they have the same things as other cameras, but there are just more and bigger everything. The term was originally used to describe my Hasselblad C/M 500, which always makes me wish that I had three hands, because the controls are so intricate and different from anything else most people have seen. You can’t release the shutter without a film back attached, and film inserted, and even loading the magazines is far more complex than in other rollfilm cameras… (Not to mention being unable to release the shutter with the darkslide in the magazine, and unable to remove the magazine from the camera WITHOUT the same darkslide in position!)

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } As a left-hander, I loved the idea of the Exakta with winding lever and shutter release on the left of the body from the start. Like the ‘Blad, it’s a wonderfully tactile object to use for making pictures, although the ergonomics are singularly poor. It’s not a camera for action shooting!

The other camera that confounds expectations is my Exakta – it’s left-handed, has two shutter speed dials, and has the shutter release on the front of the camera instead of the top. I’ve written about it at length, and it continues to delight me, so long as I don’t think about the ergonomics. It’s full of interesting solutions to problems that you might not have realised exist…

I have to admit that modern cameras can go to the opposite extreme. Rather than wondering what various knobs and dials are for, you might well enquire where and how you can change this or that which you’re used to having easy access to. Typically, this is because the adjustment can only be effected through the menu… a mark of a serious camera, these days, is that it has more dials and buttons than the entry level models. The cynic might suggest that this is a manifestation of a different kind of greed – the kind where the buyer is offered less than she may want, but at a similar price to the previous model.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Kym Williams at Bodyline Studios, for a lighting workshop. This picture could have been more brightly lit, could have shown all of Kym’s face, more of her tattoos, and could have included her nipples. But all of these things would make it a different picture, and might have made it less involving.

And I have one late addition to the list of greedinesses: wanting clarity, to see it all. In my specialised area, studio work with models, there’s often too much: too much light, when darkness can add mystery (and propriety!); too much revealed, when a more effective picture is all about teasing and concealing. Capturing the right mood depends on giving enough, but not too much information.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } Choose your place, and find a relaxed way to look around the area. It’s fine to shoot when you first see a subject – but make sure that you then think, and go back to see if you can do better…

To sum up: it’s worth giving a little bit of thought to your photographic aspirations, and how to achieve them. If you want spectacular landscapes, find a good area, plant yourself for a couple of weeks, and explore on foot, looking for detail, and waiting for the light.

If you hanker after a full set of lenses, think how much they cost, and how much they will weigh, and maybe hire one for a week before deciding to buy it.

And, whatever you shoot, with whichever camera and lens, take pictures with care, making each one count, either in terms of either beauty, or learning.

Then, when you get home and process the pictures, see how finely you can hone them, gently shaving away unnecessary bulk and distractions, so that your subject can shine in an unpolluted sky.

  .photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; } It’s the Lake District – but my poor choice of an overcast day to take the image means that the colour version is not especially appealing, and I had to work hard to make an image with a reasonable amount of appeal. A photographer who knows an area and its weather will do far better, matching light and mood in a way that I failed to manage: a wise newcomer would spend time in the landscape, exploring the changes during each day, and in different weathers. John Duder

John continues to keep hold of his old cameras, including the Contax RTS that he bought in 1976, selling two Pentax bodies and taking a year's HP agreement out to do it. These days, it’s usually loaded with very fast film to give strong grain.

Occasional lighting workshops divert him, and with a bit of luck interest other photographers enough for them to go along and pay. He particularly likes spectacular, angular low key setups, with deep shadows retaining a few secrets.

As well as still shooting a bit of film, John particularly loves using some of the more characterful film-era lenses on his digital cameras. Almost without exception, they are lenses that their manufacturers are probably rather ashamed of.

.photo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 15px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 20px; } .photo small { display: block; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px; }

What happens when you combine just about every feature and size into a line of camera bags? You end up with a pretty great bag (and a long review)! In this review, I’ll be taking a look at PGYTECH’s 40L Flex bag from their new OnePro line.

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As a professional photographer, the issue of over-editing is a topic that holds significant importance in our work. In this case, the term over-editing refers to the excessive use of post-processing tools and techniques, often resulting in images that deviate from the natural and authentic representation of the subject. While we cannot deny that the process of editing is an essential aspect of photography, overprocessing images can sometimes compromise the integrity of the image and do more harm than necessary. Here are several reasons why one should refrain from over-editing their images.

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As a go-to set of focal lengths, the 70-200mm totally hits the spot, from portraiture to sports and beyond. Here, Leica's beyond includes compatibility with the two Leica Extenders L, the 1.4x and the 2x. Supplied with the lens for review is the Leica Extender L 2.0x, so we have the potential for a 140-400mm f/5.6 lens that extends not only the focal length but the versatility to bring wildlife into the range of our photography. This is an exciting set of possibilities, so we set forth to try it all out, using the full frame 60MP Leica SL3 mirrorless camera body. Will the Leica promise of the highest quality be borne out in practice? Let's find out.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Handling and Features

The Leica SL3 is big and bulky and the new lens is also big and bulky, weighing in at a hefty 1540g without the metal hood or 1670g with. Without the hood, the dimensions are 207mm x 89mm. With the hood this becomes 259mm x 97mm. The Extender L 2.0x adds another 223g and 30mm in length. The provided round metal lens hood bayonets securely into position. The Magnesium/aluminium lens body is dust and splash protected and the external lens elements are coated with Leica's Aqua-Dura coating to repel dust, grease and moisture. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a conventional 82mm filter thread.

 

 

First up is the zoom ring, and this is an internal zooming action that does not change the dimensions of the lens. There are very clear markings at 70mm, 90mm, 120mm, 160mm and 200mm. The settings appear to be accurate, and setting an intermediate value of 140mm, for example, gave an actual setting of 141mm, which is pretty close. Handling-wise, the positioning of the zoom ring is probably less than ideal and it would be better suited closer to the camera. As it is, the grip becomes slightly awkward, but as with all things it improves with practice.

The manual focus ring is electronic, and focusing is again internal and there is no change in lens dimensions. At 70mm, closest focus is 0.65m, for a maximum magnification of 1:7. At 200mm, closest focus is 1.00m, for a maximum magnification of 1:5.1 - if we use the Extender L 2.0x, then the focal length is doubled, but the neat trick is that the minimum focus point remains the same. This means that we double the magnification, which is great in itself, but also consider how close we are anyway for a 200mm lens. This gives amazing close up capability especially for small birds and other wildlife. A 400mm f/5.6 lens that focuses down to 1.00m is a wonderful thing indeed. In that context, even how the bulk of the lens is perceived changes emphasis and it can be experienced as relatively compact.

 

 

Optical construction is 20 elements in 15 groups, including 3 Aspherical and 7 with low refractive index and especially low dispersion. To help keep things sharp, the built in OIS and the camera IBIS give around a 6 stop advantage. This works well. The AF system also works well, operating virtually silently with excellent speed and accuracy.

There is a tripod clamp and a tripod shoe that also allows rotation of the camera for vertical shots when tripod mounted. This is always useful. There are click stops on the rotation to mark the horizontal and vertical positions.

 

 

Apart from the slight feeling of unbalance with the zoom control being too far forwards on the lens, Leica have produced an optic that is great to use. Combine the lens with the extender and the result is a powerful 140-400mm lens of compact dimensions that is ideal for not only wildlife but also for close ups. The Leica experience proves to be a very satisfying one and the results speak for themselves.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Performance

At 70mm, central sharpness is very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent at f/5.6 and f/8, very good at f/11 and f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are good at f/2.8, very good from f/4 right through to f/16 and good at f/22.

At 140mm, central sharpness is very good at f/2.8 and f/4, excellent from f/5.6 to f/11, very good at f/16 and fair at f/22. The edges are very good from f/2.8 to f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22.

In essence, the lens maintains performance very well throughout its range. Add the Extender and there is a significant drop in bald resolution figures which suggest fair to good performance throughout, but the images in the field at more normal distances are much better and the extender is absolutely viable. The 2.0x extender loses the usual 2 stops and has an aperture range of f/5.6 to f/45, but the smallest apertures have limited photographic merit as sharpness suffers badly from diffraction.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Leica SL3 using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

Distortion is very low for a zoom lens, measuring +0.02% pincushion at 70mm  +0.04% pincushion at 70mm with the extender added and +0.15% pincushion  at 140mm. This is as close to rectilinear as we could hope for. 

Bokeh is rather pleasant and smooth, helped of course by the longer focal length but also by the lens design. Impressively well graduated backgrounds can be used to enhance many different sorts of subject matter.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Leica SL3 using Imatest.

 

Flare is well under control, with even the most severe lighting being well handled. 

Vignetting is low for a zoom lens, and especially impressive at 70mm, where it is within a whisker of being zero.

 

Aperture 70mm 70mm + 2.0x 140mm f/2.8 -0.4   -1 f/4 -0.2   -0.8 f/5.6 -0.2 -1 -0.8 f/8 -0.2 -0.9 -0.6 f/11 -0.2 -0.9 -0.5 f/16 -0.2 -0.9 -0.5 f/22 -0.2 -0.9 -0.5 f/32   -0.9   f/45   -0.9  

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH|Leica+Vario-Elmarit-SL+70-200mm+f/2.8+ASPH[/AMUK] lens is priced at £2780.00

The [AMUK]Leica Extender L 2,0x|Leica+Extender+L+2,0x[/AMUK] is priced at £800.00

Alternative lenses could include:

• [AMUK]Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports|Sigma+lens[/AMUK], £1499
• [AMUK]Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS|Panasonic+Lumix+lens[/AMUK], £2099

To show how other marques pitch their prices, some lenses that will not fit the Leica SL3, but are just provided as a comparison of price levels:

• [AMUK]Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II|Sony+FE+lens[/AMUK], £2479
• [AMUK]Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S|Nikkor+Z+lens[/AMUK], £2499
• [AMUK]Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM|Canon+RF+lens[/AMUK], £2999

All these lenses can be somewhat expensive, but the Leica is not the highest priced and is looking reasonably good value.

 

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Verdict

There is much to like about this new Leica lens. It produces great images, not always of test charts perhaps but out there in the field shooting real subjects in real settings. Whatever it is, the idea of there being a "Leica look" to images is a real one, just as with some lenses from some other marques. Lenses have a character and that is a good thing for images, but not such an easy thing to demonstrate with lab tests. Like many of these things, defining the aesthetic qualities of a lens may defy the written word, we know it when we see it.

The Leica Vario-Elmarit 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH lens can be Recommended, the same rating applying to the optional but very advantageous Leica Extender L 2.0x.

 

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Pros

• Very good to excellent sharpness
• Versatile focal length range, especially with extender
• Excellent CA control
• Virtually no distortion
• Lovely bokeh
• Virtually no vignetting
• Close focusing, especially with extender
• Splash and dust protection
• Fast and silent AF
• Well made
• Low flare

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH Cons

• Heavy and bulky
• Expensive

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4|R_handling=4|R_performance=4|R_value=4|R_overall=4|A_level=4|A_text=Recommended – A versatile choice for portraiture, landscape, wildlife, sports and much more|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

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The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2024, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

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Photographers tend to have passionate opinions about their craft, and some of those opinions can spark heated debates. Certain topics, though, repeatedly surface in the photography world, leading to complaints that can feel redundant.

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When using a tripod on terrain that is rocky, uneven, or hilly, there are a few things that you can do to make sure your tripod is as stable as it can be. Some of these tips may seem like common sense, but they will hopefully help prevent any accidents such as your camera taking a plunge in a river!

 

1. Weight And Load

Before you venture out make sure you're using a tripod that can support the weight of your gear. Also, if you're buying a new tripod and are planning on getting larger heavier lenses in the future do take this into consideration when making your purchase. Look for a light tripod rated for the highest weight as you'll soon notice the weight of your tripod once you're halfway up a wet, uneven hillside. 

 

2. Assess Your Environment

It's always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure that the area is stable enough to stand your tripod on before setting up. If you're working on very rocky terrain or near the edge of a big drop, make sure the tripod is not liable to slip.

It can also take a while to set your tripod up so it's always a good idea to find your location and have some ideas about composition before putting your camera on its support. 

 

3. Legs Before Column

When setting up, extend the legs before extending the centre column. Extending just the centre column is one quick operation and you are ready to shoot, but it is not good technique and can leave you with an unstable base to work with.

 

 

4. Adjust The Legs

Extend the fattest leg section first and keep the thin, spindly legs till last for when you really need the height. Having a wider base to work with is always a wise decision as they are more stable. Many tripods now offer various angle settings that lock at different degrees.

 

5. Ensure Your Tripod Is Level

Many tripods and tripod heads have built-in spirit levels to help you keep the tripod level. If your tripod hasn't, buy a spirit level to fit onto the camera's accessory shoe.

 

6. Position Of Your Tripod's Legs

Point one of the legs towards your subject so you have room for your feet between the two other legs. This will mean you have one less thing you have to worry about falling over when working on tricky terrain. 

 

 

7. What Feet Does Your Tripod Have?

Most tripods have rubber feet which absorb shock and offer good grip, but some do have spiked feet. Spiked feet can be bought as optional accessories or sometimes you can get both types in one. They're particularly useful for outdoor photographers as most of the time you'll end up working on loose soil, dirt, and other surfaces that will be uneven. 

8. Keep It Stable On Windy Days

Some tripods have a hook which you can feature a centre column hook, you can hang a bag of stones or other weighty objects off it to balance the tripod. Another option is to take a heavy camera bag and wrap the strap(s) around the tripod's head to add extra weight. For lighter tripods, use your body as a shield from the wind. Sticking spiked feet into the ground will also help keep the tripod still, they're particularly useful when working at the coast to stop waves knocking your gear into the sea. 

Another option is to use a piece of string or some nylon webbing can add extra stability. Tie one end to the centre column and have the other tied in a loop. Next time in a strong wind, have the string/webbing hanging down and slip your shoe into it and lean down. Your body weight will give extra stability.

   

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition  

 

ePz member mlseawell’s ‘In the Earth’ has been crowned our ‘Photo of the Week’ (POTW) winning image on ePz this week.

The team is captivated by the striking monochrome tones in this stunning capture from Arizona. The patterns of the rock formations create a compelling lead-in, drawing one deeper into the scene. The natural light enhances the beautiful black & white treatment, bringing out the beauty of the landscape. The composition is excellent, with each element perfectly placed to tell a story of nature’s wonders. A truly remarkable shot that showcases the beauty found in the earth. Great subject, great execution, and a well-deserved POTW.

All of our POTW winners will receive a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter offering memory storage across multiple devices. Plus, we will also announce our 'Photo of the Year' winner who'll win a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield in January 2024 courtesy of Samsung.

 

As the weather's getting cooler and trees are losing their green tint to shades which are much warmer we thought it would be a good idea to bring ten of our popular autumn photography tutorials together in one place. That way when you're planning a day of autumn photography you don't have to go all over the web searching for ideas and suggestions.
 

1. Autumn Macro Tips With A Compact Camera

Just because you're using a compact camera doesn't mean you can't shoot some interesting, autumn-themed macro shots. Here are some tips and hints to help compact users perfect their technique.

 

2. Photographing Reflections During Autumn

With such bold colours on offer, autumn's the perfect season for capturing reflections. We have tips on capturing a mirror-like reflection as well as advice on shooting more abstract style shots.

  3. Autumn Garden Photography Tips

Your garden is full of autumn photography subjects which means you can stay close to home and still capture the season with your camera and lens.

 

4. Tips On Shooting Autumn Landscapes

Capture the autumn season with your wide-angle lens and you'll soon have a collection of autumn landscapes that really pack some punch.

 

5. Autumn Shooting at Arboretums

Here are a few tips on photography in an Arboretum. With trees all around and wildlife and flowers abundant, there's no excuse not to break the camera out!   

 

The beauty with photography is you're not restricted with how you can take a photograph. You can play with as many lights as you can afford, add filters, gels and play with numerous other gadgets to alter the look of your photograph. But even though there are all these toys waiting to be played with, one of the simplest ways to change the way your image looks is to get up high.
 

1. Gear Choices

A telephoto lens is useful for pulling distant scenes to you while a wide lens is great when you're trying to get a whole town/city in the shot. A tripod's also handy if you're using longer lenses but not always a necessity and they won't be allowed in some locations. If shooting at night, a camera with good low-light capabilities will come in handy. 

  2. Locations

Don't look for your nearest skyscraper, get in a lift, ride to the top floor and start snapping shots of the city. You'll cause more trouble than it's worth, and there are plenty of other places that don't have huge panes of glass between you and the view.

If you're away you probably have a balcony you can get a few shots from or if your hotel has a roof terrace head up there with your kit and set up somewhere out of the way. Just ask if it's OK to do this first otherwise you could raise a few eyebrows. Look out for observation decks, bridges and even the big wheels that are popping up in cities. These usually take an hour to complete a full circle giving you ample time to get a few cracking shots.

 

3. New Look

Shooting straight down on a building that's been photographed hundreds and hundreds of time will instantly make your shot stand out and it will give you the opportunity to include the nearby streets to highlight the shapes and patterns not usually seen. You'll also be able to see how shadows are elongated and help add texture to your image. If you're not far enough away from the town/city all the buildings could appear to be all on the same level so you'll have nothing that distinguishes between foreground or background interest. To combat this problem look for something you can have in your foreground to help break up the shot.

 

 

4. Not So High

If heights aren't your thing why not try climbing a few steps or even standing on a wall to escape the standard view we usually see in shots. Looking over the bannister of a spiral staircase, for example, works well but it is something that's overdone and a little clichéd so be warned. Try taking a walk up a hill in the countryside near a city and you'll be able to shoot down to capture a cityscape.
 

5. Close-Up Work

Look out for buildings which stand out and use your telephoto lens to home in on them. These could be well-known landmarks, churches or even football stadiums.
 

6. Keep Your Feet On The Ground

If you want a series bird's eye view why not try a spot of kite photography? Some have even tried throwing their camera up in the air to put a unique twist on photography from a height. Although, this isn't something we'd recommend doing! 

   

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition  

It’s one of the more popular vintage lenses: the Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2.8. It’s famous for its soap bubble bokeh. You either love the effect, or you hate it. I decided to buy one and used it on a Canon EOS R5. I want to tell you about my findings.

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If you're considering the Canon EOS R5, R5 Mark II, or R3, you’ve likely wondered which one fits your needs best. Each camera brings distinct advantages, from advanced video capabilities to top-tier autofocus. Here's which is best for you.

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Every photographer encounters issues like motion blur or exposure mishaps, and it’s not always possible to fix them in-camera. Fortunately, Photoshop offers powerful tools to correct these common problems.

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Foggy mornings offer an unparalleled opportunity to capture moments that feel otherworldly. The mist transforms everyday scenes into something more mysterious and peaceful, making it the perfect time to head out with your camera.

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Macro photography lets you dive deep into nature’s hidden details, capturing the beauty in things most people miss. Whether it's the delicate textures of mushrooms or the subtle play of light, getting the techniques right can make all the difference.

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