DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

Samsung is generously offering 3 prizes of a special package containing the 256GB PRO Ultimate SDXC memory card.

These exclusive Memory Card Gift Packages contain a 256GB Samsung PRO Ultimate memory card, the flagship UHS-I SD card tailored for professional photographers.

This useful memory card has multiple features and we’ve listed them below.

Compatibility - works seamlessly with DSLR, mirrorless, or digital cameras, as well as PCs and laptops.

Capacity - capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB.

Performance - sequential read and write speeds of up to 200MB/s and 130MB/s.

Strengthened reliability - enhanced ECC (Error Correction Code) Engine with 240bit/2KB(LDPC).

Multi-proof protection - comprehensive 7-proof protection (6-proof protection for microSD cards)

 

 

For more information about Samsung’s range of memory cards visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/memory-storage/memory-card/

  How to Enter

How can you be in the running to win one of 3 fabulous PRO Ultimate SDXC Memory Card packages? It’s spring, and with the season’s April showers, we’d like to see your best ‘Umbrella’ images. 

Get outside, rain or shine, to have fun with your photographic device and find inventive ways to photograph umbrellas. Carry your umbrellas wherever you go and use them to create unique settings for imaginative photos. Surprise us with your creativity!

To enter for a chance to win the feature-filled Memory Card Gift Packages containing a 256GB Samsung PRO Ultimate memory card, simply submit your entries to the Samsung ‘Umbrellas’ photo competition forum topic. You can add entries by scrolling down the page and clicking on the camera icon at the top of the comment box.

Enter Competition

 

Closing Date & Entry Details 

The competition closes at midnight on 11 May 2024. Entries added after this time will not be counted. 2 entries are allowed for free members and up to 4 entries are allowed for Plus members. Anyone who submits more images than they are allowed to will be disqualified. Entries posted on the bottom of this article will not be counted! Please use the competition forum topic.

April showers bring May flowers! Good Luck!

 

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T&Cs:

By entering the competition, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out on ePHOTOzine.

• The following people are excluded from entering the competition: (1) Direct and indirect employees, staff and their relatives of the supplier of the prize or prizes (2) The publishers of ePHOTOzine (3) Advertisers or sponsors of ePHOTOzine.
• Only two entries per competition are allowed per free member, 4 entries are allowed per Plus member.
• We reserve the right to remove images that have not been submitted correctly, ie too small. There isn't a maximum file size or dimension restriction for entries.
• All entries must be submitted through the ePHOTOzine competition forum web page and will not be accepted via any other means, eg, post, fax or e-mail.
• No responsibility is accepted for incomplete entries due to server error or other causes beyond our control.
• One winning entry will be chosen, by an ePHOTOzine or guest judge. This will be the image which, in the judge's opinion is the most original and of the highest quality and meets the theme. The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• ePHOTOzine reserves the right to disqualify incomplete or illegal entries.
• The prize winner will receive the prize as featured in the corresponding month's competition. There is no cash alternative to the prize as stated.
• Prizes are only available to UK members, but we look forward to enjoying wonderful photo submissions from everyone.
• The deadline for entering the competition is midnight (GMT) on 11 May 2024.
• The winner or winners will be notified by e-mail within 28 days of the end of the competition. Winner's details will be posted on ePHOTOzine within 28 days of the end of the competition.
• The winner must acknowledge his or her win within three weeks of being notified via email or the prize may be re-allocated to the next-placed winner.
• All entrants agree that their name and images can be displayed and used in promotion for future competitions on ePHOTOzine. The winning entry may be used by the sponsor as a promotional image. The terms of this would be agreed with ePHOTOzine and the sponsor before the prize is announced. By entering the competition you have confirmed you have authorised this.
• The name of the winner may be published on ePHOTOzine after he or she has acknowledged their win.
• We reserve the right not to hold a competition in any given month.
• ePHOTOzine only provides the means of entry to the competition and does not normally supply the competition prizes. The sponsors are therefore liable for the prize.
• We reserve the right to modify these rules without notice. (Last modified: 12 Apr 2024)

 

 

1. What Gear Will I Need? 

• Telephoto zoom lens – Gets you close to the window without having to climb a ladder
• Wide-angle lens – Useful for when the window's particularly large
• Tripod – In dark churches you need a sturdy tripod
• Remote release – minimise shake

 

2. Support

When you walk through the doors of a church you instantly notice how dark the interior is and as flash is banned from most historical buildings you'll be relying on long exposures to get your shot. As a result, a tripod and remote release are essential pieces of kit but if you're out for the day with the family and didn't plan on stumbling across a stained glass window you just had to photograph you need to look for a wall you can put your camera on or find a pillar you can rest against while you take your shot. Just remember to keep your arms tucked into your body and hold your breath while you fire the shutter to minimise shake.

 

Not all churches will allow photographers to use tripods or if they do there may be a fee so it's best to double-check before you start taking your shots.
 

3. Position

In an ideal world, you'd be able to use a ladder or even scaffolding to get you directly in line with the window to minimise distortion but as people would be a little upset if you started erecting poles in the middle of a church, you need to find a spot further back from the window and use a longer lens to zoom into the stained glass. If you can't find a position that lines you up with the centre of the window take the shot anyway as you can edit this as well as problems with converging verticals once you're back home.
 

4. Size

Some stained glass windows are so big that even with a wide-angle lens you can't get the whole window in-frame. You can take several shots of the window and stitch the images together when you're back home or you could forget about the big picture and focus in on the colourful detail.

Due to the size of the window and as you'll be looking up at them you will probably need a small aperture to ensure everything from the bottom to the top of the window is in focus.
 

5. Exposure

A bright window surrounded by dark interiors will confuse the camera's exposure system and you'll either get a shot where the window is too bright as the camera has compensated for the surroundings or a shot of a perfectly exposed window with black surroundings as the camera has taken its reading from the window light. One way to solve this problem is to take two shots, one exposed for the window and the other for the surroundings, then once you're back home you combine them to make one perfectly exposed shot. You must use a tripod and ensure the camera doesn't move if you do this as the slightest of nudges will mean the final shots don't line up correctly.

If you don't want to include any of the building's structure in the shot you can usually rely on the camera to meter correctly unless it's a really sunny day then you'll need to use exposure compensation.

 

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

 

You can use any lens you like for landscape photography as with many things in life, it is not what you have got, it is how you use it.

Your choice of focal length entirely depends on how you want to interpret a scene. It is true that if you put two photographers in front of a stunning scene, one will fit a wide-angle and move in closer and the other will fix a telephoto and take a few steps back. Basically, there is no right or wrong when it comes to lens choice so long as it has produced the image you imagined in the first instance.
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1. Standard Zoom

 

Your standard zoom will find plenty of uses for landscape shooting, and you probably know that already. Its focal length coverage from moderate wide-angle through to short telephoto makes it a perfect partner for general photography.

Using a standard zoom is straightforward enough and the two sections on wide-angle and telephoto lenses cover the key techniques you need to know at the two lens extremes.
 

2. Wide-Angle Lenses

 

Wide-angle lenses have a wide-angle of view so get more into the frame. That is pretty straightforward and that is how such lenses are used, ie to get more in. But wides are also great at letting you get in much closer to the subject, giving greater intimacy.

There is a knack to getting the most from wide-angle lenses. The most important technique is to fill the frame, especially the areas directly in front and directly above the subject. A common mistake of inexperienced wide-anglers is to include too much blank foreground or too much bland sky. To stop this, just look around the whole viewfinder before you take the pictures, and if you think there is too much emptiness use the zoom to alter the crop. Or simply move your feet. It is too easy to be rooted to the ground when taking a stride or two closer to the subject or finding some foreground to fill the frame will improve the picture.

 

3. Telephoto Lenses

 

While wide-angles include more, telephoto lenses let you be much more selective in what you include in your frame. For landscape shooting, a telephoto lets you isolate details and it will also make it easier to crop out a blank sky and compressed perspective.

For landscape work, being able to isolate detail and to compress perspective is a very powerful tool in your armoury. Picking out strong lines, textures and features like trees, barns and so on is incredibly useful. As the saying goes 'less is more'. On days when the sky is not very interesting, a telephoto also makes it much easier to crop it out.

  4. Macro Lenses

 

You might think that a macro lens is not much use for landscape, but you'd be wrong. A typical macro lens is a short telephoto so it has plenty of general uses, but being able to focus really closely can be a real bonus in certain circumstances such as when the light isn't great and you have a very bland sky.

If you have a day like this, turn your attention to micro landscapes where you can use the close-focusing ability of a macro lens to get you right into a scene. With a macro lens, you can explore clumps of moss and lichen or patterns in leaves or flowers.

When working with macro lenses you do have a very limited amount of depth-of-field available even at very small apertures. With this in mind, focus very carefully and use the camera's depth-of-field preview to check what is going to come out sharp at different apertures. If you use the preview, allow your eye to get used to the darker viewfinder image before making an assessment.

Once you are this close, the camera's autofocus can struggle and it will end up searching back and forth for sharp focus. If this happens, just switch to manual focus. Have a tripod handy too as it will help avoid camera shake and allow you to make very precise and repeatable compositions. 

 

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

 

Portrait photography is a very popular subject and with so many ways you can capture a brilliant photo of a person, it's easy to see why it's one of the most uploaded genres to the ePHOTOzine Gallery. From capturing images outdoors with natural light to indoor shoots with a full lighting set-up, close-ups, candids and professional model shoots, there are plenty of themes and methods to keep a photographer occupied!

To get you off on the right path, we've put together 10 top tips all on portrait photography and, please, if you have any top tips of your own, we'd love to see them in the comments below. 

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1. Look Your Subject In The Eye

Make sure the eyes are sharp and breathe more life into your shot by adding catchlights into the eyes.

If you're photographing children get down to their eye level. This leads to a more natural posture as they don't have to look up. The shot will also be more personal and intimate, particularly if you crop in close so they're looking directly out of the frame.

2. Simple Backgrounds

Take a good look around your shot before you hit the shutter button. Make sure there are no lampposts growing out of your subject's head and that cars or rubbish bins aren't stealing your attention. Plain backgrounds will always work best, as they help place emphasis on your subject, however you can't always find a plain wall to take your shots against so make use of your camera's wider apertures and throw the distracting background out of focus.

 

3. Use Flash Outside

Bright sunlight will create ugly shadows on your subject's face so use a pop of flash to eliminate them. Try using the flash from the side as this will give the image more dimension. While on cloudy days you can leave your flash in your camera bag as the soft, diffused light the clouds help create is perfect for portraiture work.

For more tips on using flash outdoors take a look at our previous article – flash outdoors.

 

 

4. Play With Backlight

By placing the sun, window or studio light behind your subject you'll be able to create hair/rim light that lights the edge of your subject. This can really make your subject 'pop' out of the image as the outline of light acts as an extra layer keeping your subject separate from the background.

 

5. Be A Director

Most people won't know what pose works best or what light works where so make sure you talk to them, giving direction when needed. If you make the effort to have a conversion they'll become more relaxed in front of the camera too.

 

6. Don't Centre Everything

Standing centre stage may work for an actor but off the boards and in a photo that's not cropped you want your subject to be slightly to the left or right of the shot. This gives the shot a more pleasing perspective and interest. If your subject's not looking directly into the lens give your subject room to look into and if they're moving through the shot make sure there's space for them to step, run or cycle into.

Imagine a rule of thirds board that looks similar to a naughts and crosses board sat over your scene can help with composition. Take a look at our rule of thirds advice.
 

 

 

7. Create Candids

Candids are shots of people who aren't posed. This could be children playing with their toys, a groom chatting to his new bride quietly in a corner or your mum making a cup of tea. The key to candids is not taking your shot straight away. Wait until the person you're photographing has forgotten about the camera so they're focused on their activity before you take your shot. If you're out on a planned shoot try taking a few photos while you're on a break as your subject won't feel as self-conscious and you'll be able to capture a few natural-looking shots.

If you're working with children make sure they're having fun because the minute they get bored they'll turn unco-operative. Don't forget the odd prop such as balls and sweets. They'll rarely get turned down and they'll soon have them so occupied they'll have forgotten you're there with your camera.

8. Make A Frame

When something gets in the way of your shot the first thing you think to do is move but this isn't always necessary. Finding spots where branches, walls, fences, flowers and other objects can add colour and interest to your composition by creating a frame. Just remember to use a longer focal length to blur your frame so all focus still falls on your subject.

 

9. Get Closer To Your Subject

Using longer zoom lenses will let you crop tighter on your subject without distortion or having to invade their personal space. This bit of extra space will leave your sitter more relaxed and as a result, you'll end up with a more pleasant portrait. As well as having a pleasing perspective your shot's background will be nicely thrown out of focus, even if you're using a smallish aperture and your backdrops only a few feet behind your subject.

Filling the frame with your subject will create a shot that has more impact, is more intimate and if you're using a longer lens, it will help flatter their features for a more pleasing shot.

10. Shoot Reflections And Silhouettes

Your subject's reflection will give you an image that's more visually interesting. For example, getting your subject to place their hands and head on a table with a reflective surface will add depth to a shot. Be creative with the surfaces you use and look for walls and objects that are reflective as well as using the more obvious reflective surfaces such as puddles and glass.
 

All photos by Joshua Waller.
 

 

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

  Take a walk around your town and you'll soon realise there's plenty to make a photographic project from. You'll have a collection of buildings housing a variety of businesses all with their own architectural quirks and highlights. Even if you live in a small village with a pub, a post office and a few small shops you'll still find plenty to photograph.

 

1. Gear Suggestions

A zoom will let you capture details and a wide-angle lens will give you a bigger depth of field to help the viewer understand the location. A tripod is useful but as you're on the move a monopod is even better as is a bag that will give you quick, easy access. Spare batteries are always handy, too.

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2. Time Of Day

As you live there you'll have a rather good idea about what's around your town but do you always go there at the same time? By taking a walk during different times of the day you'll be able to see how the light/angle changes and how many people will be there. If you go early morning you'll find that the light is more diffused whereas twilight will give you a dark blue sky and detail from the lights in the town/city. If you don't want people in your shot then early morning is better and the streets are cleaner, less cluttered. If you want people in your shots, the town at nine o'clock in the morning will have those on the commute while three hours later you'll have shoppers. Also, people do draw attention away from the surroundings so unless they add to the composition of the image do you really want them in the shot?

  3. Patterns, Textures And Reflections

Contrasting architecture, colours and textures work well and all towns feature buildings built in different years, even centuries. A brand new, metal and glass tower block will contrast an old, pub well for instance. 

Reflections in buildings, in puddles or even water features, can add a twist to an architectural image. You should take your time to see what angles work best and if glare gets too much use a polarising filter.

 

 

4. Themes And Stories

Why not shoot to tell a story or pick a theme? You could choose to photograph the theme of food suppliers, for example, and this could be anything from greasy spoons to greengrocers and supermarkets. Or how about a project on shop windows, or numbers, or signs? If there's any construction going on, make a series out of the building work. If you know of a major renovation you could do a photo a day from start to completion.

Look for shots that show how your community live. Meeting places, parks or even washing lines full of washing outside someone's house can all make for good pictures - and have a social element.

 

 

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If you've ever taken photographs with the sun in front of you, you're likely to have experience flare, which probably spoilt your photograph. However, there are several things you can do to remove it or if you're feeling creative, you can use it in your shots to add a little romanticism, mystery and warmth to your work.

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1. What Is Flare?

Flare is caused by direct light entering the lens, which then bounces around the glass elements causing a reduction in the photograph's contrast. Sometimes this will just make the picture look washed out and lacking vibrant colours, but often you would also see a series of coloured shapes across the photo. The shape is an image of the lens' aperture or diaphragm and will often be hexagonal. This is joined with streaks of coloured light crossing the picture. Modern lenses have multicoated lens elements and are designed to reduce flare but even with the most expensive products, it can still occur.
 

2. How Can I Stop It?

The easy way to prevent flare is to shoot with your back to the sun - a method that was always suggested in camera manuals before multicoated optics. The trouble with this suggestion is that there are many occasions when you cannot control where the sun is in relation to your subject. It's easy, for example, to ask a person to turn direction or change the angle that you shoot a flower from, but try shooting a castle on a hilltop or boat out at sea and you're usually stuck with no other choice than to face the sun.

Fortunately, there are things that can be done. First, make sure the sun is at least out of the frame. If this is not possible to adjust the position so that a nearby building or tree shields the sun from the camera position. Alternatively, shield the lens from the sun using your hand or a piece of card. Take care to avoid this creeping into the frame. Better still, use a lens hood.

 

3. What If I Want To Use Flare In My Shot?

 

It's easier to get flare with less expensive lenses and be prepared to work lower to the ground, laying down if it's needed to get the sun in the right position. Remember, you're trying to get the camera to do something it's designed not to do so work in manual and trust your own judgement as your camera will keep telling you your shot is blown out. Position yourself so you're shooting into the sun, just before it starts setting and remember to adjust your exposure so your subject doesn't come out as a silhouette. Don't be afraid to use overexposed backgrounds as this will add to the effect and switch to manual focus if your lens keeps searching for a focus point, which it might do as the background will be the lightest part of your shot so it probably won't want to focus on your subject. If you want to shoot some indoor portraits this technique works just as well with your subject positioned against a window or patio doors.

 

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

Affinity CEO Ash Hewson and Canva Head of Europe Duncan Clark

Company reinforces its focus on the enterprise in a step to build an all-in-one platform for every type of designer.

Canva, the world’s only all-in-one visual communication platform, announced the acquisition of Affinity, the award-winning creative software suite for professional photo editing, illustration, graphic design and page layout.

The acquisition significantly bolsters Canva’s vision to build the world’s most comprehensive suite of visual communication tools. While the last decade has seen rapid growth for Canva amongst the 99% of knowledge workers without design training, the integration of Affinity’s professional design software now unlocks the full spectrum of designers at every level and stage of the design journey.

As visual communication becomes the status quo in teams and organizations around the world, the acquisition also accelerates Canva’s enterprise ambitions, unlocking a future where professional designers can craft designs and templates with Affinity to scale across organizations with Canva.

“Visual communication is now ubiquitous in the workplace and investing in strategies that enhance our B2B offerings is core to the future of our business," said Canva co-founder and COO, Cliff Obrecht. “From sales and marketing, to brand and creative teams, the need to create effective and engaging visual content is on the rise. The Affinity team comes with an incredible caliber of talent and technology and we're delighted to welcome them to Canva as we enter our next phase together.”

 

Empowering professional designers

Affinity stemmed from a vision to empower designers to produce high quality content in an effective and affordable way. In 10 years, the Affinity suite of creative products has become beloved and renowned for delivering powerful experiences for professional designers. This includes offering extremely fast and highly responsive tools which deliver on all the photo and vector editing tasks required by professionals.

Today, more than 3 million users around the world trust Affinity to create everything from complex multi-layered graphics to detailed technical diagrams, art and illustration, logos, mockups, documents, magazines and much more.

Designed for the latest hardware and packed with features to simplify real-life professional workflows, Affinity’s all-inclusive photo editing, graphic design and desktop publishing products serve as a powerful, cost effective and subscription-free solution for photographers and designers requiring versatility and precision.

Their core products - Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher - have been lauded for their lightning-fast performance and seamless cross-platform compatibility across macOS, Windows and iPadOS. To date, Affinity has won a number of industry awards, including an Apple Design Award, Apple App of the Year for Mac and iPad and the Microsoft Application Developer of the Year.

 

Affinity Team Photo

 

Canva growth surge continues

Now entering its second decade, Canva has pioneered the model for simple and effective design and is now used by more than 175 million people across 190 countries and in more than 100 languages. As visual communication becomes an imperative for every kind of industry and organization, the last few years has seen Canva make significant strides in this arena, bolstered by the introduction of Canva’s Visual Suite in September 2022.

Since then, the company has added more than 90 million new users, experiencing nine years’ worth of growth in just 18 months. The acquisition of Affinity will increase Canva’s offering of design tools by expanding into the professional design market.

Canva will continue to invest in the Affinity suite to ensure it not only meets the needs of professional designers, but also enhances their experiences and empowers them to do their best work. Together, Canva and Affinity will be a powerhouse combination built to supercharge the goals of every type of designer.

“Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish," said Ashley Hewson, CEO of Affinity. “We've worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable. Canva’s commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with those values. We couldn't be more excited about becoming part of the Canva family and can't wait to see what we will achieve together.”

 

Europe Based Acquisitions Continue To Fuel Canva’s Product Strategy

Acquisitions from Europe’s startup ecosystem have elevated Canva’s technology and continue to play an important role in expanding the company’s physical presence in the region. Over the years, Canva has found high caliber talent and compatible technology in Europe with a number of acquisitions that have become key to the company’s product strategy. Affinity marks Canva’s latest Europe-based acquisition, joining Flourish (2022), Kaleido (2021), Smartmockups (2021), Pexels (2019) and Pixabay (2019). Canva opened their first European HQ in 2023, based in London.

 

Please visit the Affinity website for more details.

For the latest news and updates, you can visit our news section.

As the above image shows, with lenses designed for macro photography attached to a more advanced camera, you can capture great outdoor flower shots. However, just because you're a compact user doesn't mean you shouldn't shoot outdoor flower shots. In fact, with these few tips, you'll soon be on your way to capturing an excellent example of flower photography. 

  1. White Balance

Compact cameras come with various white balance presets that tell the camera what type of light source you are taking your photographs under. Some settings vary from camera-to-camera but there are four you'll see on all models which are: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten and Fluorescent. When working outdoors, try the Daylight setting (usually a sun symbol) when working on bright days and the Cloudy setting for overcast days. 

  2. Use Macro Mode

If you want to make one flower your subject rather than focusing on a group, switch to macro mode. The Macro mode, which has a flower head icon, can be found either on the mode dial if your camera has one, or, in your camera's menu system. Some compacts focus within millimetres of your subject while others have a minimum focusing distance of a few centimetres. However, results can still be excellent. 

 

 

3. AF Mode

If you struggle to get the camera to focus on the point you want then switch your focus mode. Various modes are available and different modes suit different purposes. Spot can be useful when you have one specific flower to focus on as this mode is fixed more towards the centre of the screen. You can position your camera so the target marker is over your the subject you want to focus on then all you have to do is half-press the shutter button to focus then take your shot. 

 

4. Try Using Exposure Compensation

Dark backgrounds are great for shooting lighter coloured flowers against as it'll allow them to 'pop' from the frame. However, a large dark background which only has a small area of highlight in can fool your camera into thinking the scene is darker than it actually is and as a result, it can end up looking overexposed. Switching to spot metering can help with this but you may also need to have a play with exposure compensation to produce a more balanced exposure.

 

 

5. Think About Distance

By Zooming in closer to your subject, it'll fill the foreground of the frame and chances are the background will be thrown nicely out of focus so it's blurred. This is because the depth of field becomes shallower. Ensuring there's distance between your subject and background will also make it easier for your camera to throw the background out of focus. By doing so, the background won't be a distraction and all attention will fall on your flower rather than what's around or behind it. 

 

6. Learn To Use The Histogram

LCD screens can be used to preview images on but when it's sunny it can be hard to judge if the exposure is correct and this is where the histogram comes in useful.

Basically, you don't want the graph to be touching the left or right border and you want it to peak more in the middle and get lower towards either end. There are times when this won't apply but generally, it works. 

 

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

Image Credit: Sigma

 

Capture portraits with beautiful depth-of-field effects, moody low-light landscapes and expressive travel shots with the new SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art for L-Mount and Sony E-mount mirrorless systems. The bright F1.2 aperture, reliable auto focus and lightweight construction make it a versatile photographic tool to use in any situation. Designed with 13 rounded diaphragm blades and optics that effectively reduce aberrations, the SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art produces ultra sharp images with outstanding bokeh. Its weight of 745g*, compact size and internal focus system with dual HLA motors allow for rapid and reliable focus for both still and video. Perfect for use on lightweight gimbal setups.

 

*L-Mount specification

  Key features   Bright F1.2 aperture with outstanding optical quality

The SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art features a bright F1.2 aperture with a 13 rounded diaphragm blades that produces beautiful bokeh effects. Utilising the latest optical design techniques, the lens produces sharp images across the whole frame with exceptional contrast and colour. Focus breathing is also heavilysuppressed allowing videographers to capture creative shots with ease.

Impressive optical quality through the entire focusing range

By correcting spherical aberration, sagittal coma flare, axial chromatic aberration, and other aberrations such as double-line bokeh, the lens produces a natural bokeh with a smooth blur and without colour bleeding from the focal plane. The lens also implements a floating focus system that improves its short-range performance. This ensures a high-level of optical quality throughout the entire focusing range.

SIGMA’s first ever 13 diaphragm blade lens

New to the SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art is the implementation of a 13 rounded diaphragm blade design. When shooting subjects at F1.2, the aperture maintains its circular shape. Photographers can effortlessly create portraits and still life shots with impressive background separation and pleasingly round bokeh balls.

Designed to minimise focus breathing, flare and ghosting

The lens has been optimised through its optical construction and focus group arrangements to significantly suppress focus breathing. Focus shift is also minimised, creating a natural focus shift look when recording video. Flare and ghosting are also effectively reduced, even when shooting in heavily backlit environments such as street and event photography.

Image Credit: Sigma

  Lightweight design suitable for a wide range of applications

Designed to be used anytime, anywhere, the SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art has been constructed using new design techniques and technology to produce an incredibly lightweight and portable lens. Perfect for photographers who require lightweight kit without compromising on quality.

Dual HLA motor

Effortlessly and reliably focus on your subject thanks to the newly revised focusing system. The lens features a floating focusing system that uses dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors. The use of these motors reduces the lens’s size without compromising performance. Focusing is fast, quiet and accurate, perfect for every situation.

Unique lens and mechanical design

By utilising state-of-the-art production technology at SIGMA’s manufacturing base in Aizu, Japan, each glass element has been reduced in size whilst retaining elements with a high refractive index. Four aspherical glass elements and a floating focus system are also implemented to further reduce the lens’s overall size and effectively reduce aberrations. These reductions make the SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art the lightest lens in its class, with a weight of 745g*. It is 30% lighter than the SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN | Art which shares the same aperture.

 

*L-Mount specification. As an AF 50mm F1.2 interchangeable lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras.(As of March 2024 by SIGMA)

 

A variety of shooting assist functions

The lens is equipped with an AFL button which can be assigned to a range of functions via the camera menu on supported cameras. L-Mount users can customise the button further using the UD-11 USB Dock. Effortlessly control the depth-of-field using the built-in aperture control ring and make your images stand out from the crowd. The aperture ring lock switch prevents the ring from accidental knocks. Use the aperture click switch to turn the click of the aperture ring on or off. Ideal for when shooting video and quiet scenes.

Dust and splash resistant structure

In addition to a dust and splash resistant structure, the front element of the lens features a water and oil repellent coating, allowing photographers to shoot without concern even in harsh outdoor environments.

 

*The structure is designed to be dust and splash resistant, but not waterproof. Be careful not to bring the lens in contact with a large amount of water. Water inside the lens may cause major damage and even render the lens unrepairable.

 

Including a petal-type hood with lock

A dedicated petal-shaped hood is supplied. A locking mechanism is provided for secure attachment.

Image Credit: Sigma

  Feature summary  

• Lens construction: 17 elements in 12 groups (4 aspherical elements)

• Inner focus system

• Compatible with high-speed autofocus

• HLA (High-response Linear Actuator)

• Compatible with Lens Aberration Correction

 

*Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections or auto correction functionality may vary depending on the camera model.

*On cameras where lens aberration correction is controlled with‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ in the camera menu, please set all aberration correction functions to ‘ON‘(AUTO).

 

• Supports DMF and AF+MF

• Compatible with AF assist (for Sony E-mount only)

• Super Multi-Layer Coating

• Water and Oil Repellent Coating (front element)

• Aperture ring

• Aperture ring click switch

• Aperture ring lock switch

• AFL button

 

*Function available on supported cameras only. Available functions may vary depending on the camera used.

 

• Focus Mode switch

• Support for switching between linear and non-linear focus ring settings (for L-Mount only)

   

*Function available on supported cameras only.

 

• Dust and Splash Resistant Structure

• Petal-type hood with lock LH782-03

• Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only)

• Designed to minimize flare and ghosting

• Every single lens undergoes SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system

• 13-blade rounded diaphragm

• High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount

• Mount Conversion Service available

• “Made in Aizu, Japan“ craftsmanship

 

Image Credit: Sigma

  Key specifications (The figures below are for L-Mount)  

Lens construction: 17 elements in 12groups (4 aspherical elements)

Number of diaphragm blades: 13 (rounded diaphragm)

Minimum aperture: F16

Minimum focusing distance: 40cm

Maximum magnification ratio: 1:6.2

Filter size: 72mm

Dimensions (max diameter x length): 81.0mm x 108.8mm

Weight: 745g

 

The SIGMA 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art lens’s on-sale date is on 18 April 2024 with a UK SRP of £1,299.

For more information, please visit the SIGMA website.

Today, we thought we'd take a look at some photography tutorials members can have a go at while enjoying the outdoors, plus with these particular tutorials, you probably won't have to venture far from home with your camera to capture some top shots.

As we're taking a walk in the woods, trees are an obvious subject but don't forget to look for small details such as leaves and then later in the year, fungi and berries can make interesting photos. If you're not too noisy, you might spot wildlife with a wide variety of birds making woodland areas their homes along with squirrels and, of course, you might see a friendly dog out for a walk with its owner, too. 

 

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1. Photographing Trees 

 

It's an obvious one we know but as you'll be surrounded by them, it makes sense to pick up some tips on how you can photograph trees a little differently.

Here are three of ePHOTOzine's top tutorials on this subject: 

• Ten Top Ways To Photograph Trees
• Tree And Leaf Photography
• Photographing Long Lines Of Trees

 

2. Drag Landscapes

 

Why not give your woodland shots an abstract twist and shoot a drag landscape? This can be done in-camera or if you prefer, shoot your 'normal' image and then apply the drag effect in Photoshop. 

 

 

3. Capture Sunbeams Through Trees

 

Capturing sunbeams bursting through a treeline will add an extra level of interest and an almost magical/fairytale feel to your woodland shots. However, for the shot to work, you need a few elements to come together at the right time and you can find out what these are in this tutorial: How To Shoot Sunbeams Through Trees

 

4. Have A Go At Macro Photography 

 

From fungi to insects or close-up shots of bark, wooded areas are full of macro photography opportunities. Have a look at these macro photography tutorials for inspiration:

• Dew Drops On Spider Webs
• How To Photograph Lichen
• Photographing Fungi
• Photographing Bees And Other Insects

 

5. Photograph Wildlife

 

If you're patient and don't mind sitting still for a while a spot of bird or even squirrel photography could be something you want to try. Just don't forget your long lens and wrap up warm if heading out early as mornings can still have a bite to them at this time of year. For more tips, have a read of these tutorials:

• 10 Quick Tips On Photographing Garden Birds
• Photographing Red Squirrels

 

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

 

Gear Suggestions 

• Standard zoom (35mm-80mm range is fine) – wide enough to get the whole boat in but long enough to focus in on the detail.
• Longer lens (80-200mm) - shoot small detail on boats further away. 
• Polarising filter – reduce reflections on the water and in paintwork and deepen blue sky.
• Tripod - extra support when working on uneven surfaces such as wet sand.

 

Pick A Sunny Day

If you want to capture the postcard shot of colourful boats lined up, reflecting in the water while a bright blue sky frames them from behind you'll have to head out on a sunny day when there's not much of a breeze in the air so the water's still. Make sure you use a polarising filter to saturate the colours and enhance the sky.

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The Tide Is Out

If you get to the harbour and find the tide is out don't think you need to head for fish and chips while the water trickles back in. Instead, photograph the boats which are now stuck in the mud and take advantage of the mooring ropes which are now fully visible, using them as lead-in lines for your photograph. A small aperture is needed to ensure everything from the front of the rope to the distant boat(s) or other objects are sharp.

 

 

Don't Clutter Your Scene

Harbours are bursting with photographic potential but don't make your scene too busy. If you can, single out one boat and place it near the foreground of your shot as this will give the photo more impact and will certainly be better than a shot of several boats that are fighting for your eye's attention.

Further Inland

Away from the coast, you'll still find plenty of boats on canals, rivers and in reservoirs waiting to be photographed. Canals create leading lines that will help with composition while the winding curves of a river will guide the viewer through the image to a boat making its way through the bends. If there's a bridge find a position where you can use it to frame a boat passing under it, just watch your exposure as the light under the bridge will be lower than the outside and it's easy to end up with a shot that's underexposed if the camera's meter reads from the brighter part of the scene. Switch to spot metering where possible, taking a meter reading from the sidewall of the bridge and use that as the starting point.

 

Activities On And Around The Boat

Barges found on canals are often very colourful and feature flower pots and other accessories that are worth a quick snap. Just remember to use a wide aperture to blur the background. Round the harbour, you can crop in on sails, boat hulls, lifebuoys and fishing nets.

 

  Action

For those who like things to be a little more fast-paced head for a water-sports centre where water-skiing, jet-skiing and other adrenalin-pumping activities take place. A camera which has fast autofocus will help you capture action shots where your subject is pin-sharp. A little blur in the background can enhance the sense of movement/speed in your shots, however. 
 

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

 

Stone circles are scattered around the country, often in remote locations occasionally surrounded by village developments. There are more than 1000 of these monuments catalogued in the British Isles and Western Europe. It's thought that the circles were constructed for ceremonial use and today they provide subjects for photographers to explore their creative side.

 

Here are ten Stone Circles you should visit and photograph in the UK:   Castlerigg, Cumbria

The circle is one of the oldest in Britain and comprises of 40 stones (as stated by the National Trust) in a 30-meter diameter with the tallest stone being 2.3 meters high. With a backdrop of Skiddaw, Blencathra and Helvellyn peaks this is a very impressive location for a very impressive circle. It's best either photographed on a sunny day for clarity of the distant mountains as a backdrop or when there's mist around for an atmospheric alternative.

Avebury, Wiltshire

This Neolithic monument is situated in several fields with an inner and outer circle. It's hard to get a shot of the entire circle so pick sections and focus on one of the stones as the main subject with several others tailing off. Choose a day with a bright blue sky and use a polariser to darken the sky to provide incredible contrast and definition. The site is owned by the National Trust but it's currently free to visit.

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Nine Stones, Devon

The Nine Maidens, also known as the Seventeen Brothers comprises sixteen stones ranging in height from 0.5 to 0.8m. You have to work hard to get an atmospheric shot of these stones as they are smaller than some, but it's possible, and with a wider angle lens you can frame the whole circle. Shoot from a higher point to get some perspective.

 

Callanish, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

Next to a road and loch, but from the right position both can be excluded to get a very dramatic set of shots. Shoot from a low viewpoint to exclude near rooftops.  The circle is approximately 13m in diameter and comprises 13 tall and slim stones that are more jagged than most circles and provide opportunities for haunting imagery.
 

Duloe, Cornwall

A circle of approximately 11 meters diameter made from eight quartz stones placed in a grassy field. The highest stone is about 2.6m tall. The surrounding landscape isn't that interesting for this circle, so shoot from the ground up using a wide-angle for most dramatic results.

 

 

 

12 Apostles, Yorkshire Moors

As this circle is situated on Burley Moor, Ilkley, you need to do some walking to get to it so travel light and also do some research with a map first to pinpoint its location as it could easily be missed. It's a ruin with just 12 stones remaining and is in a 16m diameter. The highest stone is 1.2m so you have to work hard to get dramatic results. A distant shot can work better. In a short fall of snow, the stones stand out well against the white covered heather.

 

Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Without doubt, this is the most famous of all the stone circles (it's on many people's bucket lists) and looks very impressive, but sadly for photography purposes, it's now not possible to go close to the stones and shoot from a creative low viewpoint. It's managed by the English Heritage so there's an entrance charge and there's also a small fence rope that needs cloning out from distant shots. But you can walk all the way around and get lots of profile shots and some viewpoints are much more balanced than others. You'll need to use a slightly less wide angle for here - a standard zoom is fine.

 

 

Hurlers, Cornwall

A group of three stone circles situated on the edge of Bodmin Moor, near the village of Minions. It's a group of quite small stones, but several of them are impressive shapes and can make for interesting creative shots. You can walk up the incline onto the moors and photograph the whole circle. The central circle is the largest with a diameter of 41m. You can include distant tin mines in some viewpoints. 

 

Arbor Low, Peak District, Derbyshire

This would have been a brilliant stone circle but it has either collapsed or was never actually erected. The stones are arranged in a circle and there is a small entrance fee now in place to get up-close to the stones. Fortunately, the terrain, which includes a circular ditch, is such that you can still take some impressive shots and include several stones in one scene.  A distant clump of trees on the horizon adds balance to the photo.

 

Merry Maidens, Cornwall

One of the few stone circles that are well preserved and most likely in its original state. The stones form an almost perfect circle with a 24m diameter and a height of about 1.2m. The shapes of the stones are less interesting than some but the site does offer a fair bit of potential in the right light. Shoot from the ground to make them look more dramatic.  It's worth taking a panoramic shot of the whole circle too.
 

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

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to ChrisRPhoto (Day 2 - Rainbows).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 1

Bad Weather Landscapes

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  Day 3

Beach

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Day 4

Shallow Depth Of Field

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Day 5

Shoot From The Hip

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Day 6

Floral Abstract

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Day 7

Drag Landscapes

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

A captivating scene of camaraderie and farewell has won ePHOTOzine’s ‘Photo of the Week’ (POTW) accolade.

The photograph, aptly named ‘Cruise Ship Neighbours’, was taken by pink during their departure from Antigua. This image encapsulates a unique moment where the quay neighbours bid adieu to the photographer, fostering a sense of camaraderie in the midst of the boundless sea.

The composition of the image is particularly striking. The cruise ships, with their towering stature and grandeur, act as the primary subjects. Their recurring designs and balanced lines establish a rhythm that is evident throughout the image, all set against the serene backdrop of the clear blue sky and peaceful waters.

The strategic placement of the ships, along with the interplay of light and shadow, intensifies the patterns in the image. More than just capturing a moment, the image also tells a story of departure, adventure, and unexpected connections.

It’s a fascinating snapshot of life at sea, beautifully captured - great work!

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 2025 courtesy of Samsung.

Motion, movement and action are wide and varied photographic subjects and as a result, there are many ways a photographer can create a sense of action, motion or movement in their shots. ePHOTOzine has written many tutorials that cover motion/action in some shape or form and as a result, we've decided to group the most popular tutorials together so you can find all of the inspiration you need in one place. 

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Our 10 Top Action, Movement & Motion Photography Tutorials:

 

1. A - Z Of Light Trail Photography Tips

Night + city = the perfect opportunity to capture light trails. Plus, you get to practise your long exposure photography technique while shooting the colourful lines created by traffic weaving through the city streets. 

 

2. Tips To Help You Shoot Sharp Action Shots

When it comes to action and sports photography, one of the main problems you face is your subject moves quick and they don't tend to stay in the same place for very long. As a result, it can be a bit of a challenge to try and get a sharp photo where your subject is in focus, however, there are a few things you can do to capture your moving subject perfectly.

 

3. Tips On Shooting Water Sports Photography

 

Head to the coast on a sunny day or even to your local reservoir and you'll probably find someone skimming along the water, holding onto a sail fasted to a windsurf board or getting pulled along by a boat on a board. The pros make it look easy and their jumps, turns and sheer speed make water sports a great photographic subject.

 

4. How To Capture The Action At Running Events

 

Many sports take place some way from the spectators which makes taking decent pictures without long lenses a challenge. However, accessible sports photography comes in the form of road running events. Something which can be captured right up and down the country. Plus, good action shots can be captured with modest gear at local events because you just stand by the roadside - often there are no barriers or anything to get in the way.  

 

5. 7 Top Tips On Using Blur To Create A Sense Of Action In Your Photos

 

Contradictory to what you're told when you first pick up a camera, it is OK to have blur, and quite a lot of it, in your shots when you're photographing the right subject and want to emphasise speed or create a sense of motion. When we say it's OK we don't just mean a shot you accidentally took out of focus will pass off as something creative, you have to deliberately adjust your camera's settings or know how a quick twist of your lens will give you the blur that's needed to add a sense of action to your shot.

 

6. Photographing Fairground Rides At Night

 

If you want to shoot general wide shots of the fair then head out just as the lights are coming on when there's still a touch of colour in the sky. That way you'll be able to get the lights, stalls and other foreground interest of the fair set against a deep blue sky. Leave the flash at home though as it can kill the atmosphere you're trying to create. For more abstract images, wait until the sky's a little darker and turn the rides into streams of light patterns. Look for rides that spin quickly or are bursting with colour as these tend to produce the better results. 

 

7.  Top Long Exposure Subjects For You To Photograph

 

See how long exposures can turn what can be described as ordinary into something much more interesting. From atmospheric shots to northern lights and, of course, blurry water, plenty of topics are covered in this tutorial. 

 

8. Waterfall Photography Tips: 3 Ways To Photograph Waterfalls

 

When it comes to photographing waterfalls, you can either capture the power and intensity of every cascade or you can slow things down and make the movement the focus of your photo.

 

9. 10 Top Tips On Adding Blur To Water For A Creative Effect

 

Love it or loathe it, blurred water can look great in the right situation so it is always worth a try. For those who are new to the technique, here are 10 tips to get you started in turning even small cascades can look like raging torrents. 

 

10. 5 Top Ways You Can Add Creative Movement To Your Landscape Shots

 

The idea of movement isn't usually a thought that first springs to mind when you try to describe what a landscape shot is. However, when you start to think of popular landscape topics such as waterfalls, rivers, trees, clouds and the sea, you suddenly realise movement, which makes shots more dynamic, crops up more often than you think.

 

Bonus Top List: Best Action And 360 VR Cameras

To help you capture all of the action, an Action or 360 camera might be useful and as there are so many action cameras available, we've put a handy guide together which talks you through action cam features as well as what's currently available on the market. 

 

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

 

Piers are strong structures that stand along the coastline of many of our favourite seaside resorts and they're a brilliant subject for a photographer. Not only can you photograph them as a whole, but you can also get in close with a macro lens, focus on patterns, point your lens at passers-by or wait for the sky to change and capture these historical structures at sunrise/sunset. 

With so many ways you can photograph piers, you really can keep yourself busy for quite a few hours so with this in mind, here are our 5 top ways you can photograph a pier next time you're at the coast.  

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1. What Photography Kit Do I Need For Pier Photography?

 

Wide-angle lenses will always be useful when photographing piers as you'll be able to capture shots of the beach, sea and pier as well as interesting sunsets or sunrises, depending on what time of the day you're visiting the coast. Close-up lenses or better still, macro lenses will allow you to get detailed shots of textures in the wooden boards, patterns in rust and more. Don't forget your tripod and pack a polarising filter to reduce glare and increase saturation so blue skies appear to be even brighter. This doesn't mean you can't shoot on a dull day, however as rain clouds building in the background of your beach landscape will add mood and create a different feeling in your pier shots.  

 

2. Go Wide On The Beach

 

Shooting from the beach will give you a cracking shot of the pier in its surroundings that works particularly well at sunrise/sunset. For added atmosphere try slowing your shutter speeds down to blur the movement of the sea as it crawls up the beach.

 

3. Get On The Pier, Guide The Eye

 

Take a walk along the boards early morning before the tourists arrive and the empty pier can be used to guide the eye out to sea. If you want to emphasise the bustle of the seaside resort try using slower shutter speeds to blur the movement of the people walking up and down the pier.

 

4. Walk Under The Pier 

 

If it's safe to do so go and have a walk under the pier as you'll often find a symmetrical structure that creates a strong graphical shot when photographed from the beach. The supports closer to the sea will often have interesting tide line patterns, seaweed and creatures worth a quick snap with your macro lens too. Just keep an eye on the tide if you venture under as you don't want you and your kit getting wet or worse still, swept out to sea.
 

5. Patterns Can Be Perfect 

 

When you've photographed the popular pier angles, the patterns in the wooden boards, rust on bolts and peeling paintwork on railings make great texture shots you can blend into other images in Photoshop.
 

Bonus Tip: When you're back at home remember to wipe down all of your gear to remove sand, sea salt etc. and leave it to dry out completely. 
 

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

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to NDODS (Day 17 - Towns At Night).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 18

Macro Photography

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  Day 19

Low Light Photography

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  Day 20

Moon

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Day 21

Rivers & Waterfalls

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Day 22

Seascapes

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Day 23

Faces

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

When you look out of your window and you see your lawn covered in morning dew, sparkling in the sunlight you need to get out of your PJs, pick up your camera and get outside to photograph it. If you can't face getting up quite so early you can try using a spray bottle on your plants and shrubbery as this will create the same kind of effect.

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1. Macro Lens Is A Must 

You'll need a macro lens as you're going to be working at close focusing distances but if you're a compact user you should switch to macro mode (usually a flower symbol on your mode dial) to let your camera know you're going to be working close to your subject).
 

2. Find Your Tripod 

If you have a tripod with a centre column that can be turned horizontally or upside down, set it up, otherwise, you might find a bean bag more useful. If you have one, use a cable release or remote release as even the slightest touch on the camera can cause enough camera shake to blur your image. Alternatively, a two-second self-timer gives you enough time to press the button and let go or, if your camera supports it, use your Smart Device to trigger the shutter.
 

3. Aperture Choices

A mid-range aperture will give you a decent depth of field, throwing the background out of focus while the subject stays ultra-sharp. Keep an eye on your shutter speed as you don't want a blurry photo. Do try a larger aperture too but if you find it blurs more of the shot then you intended, just change the size.
 

4. Focus On The Drop

Make sure your focus is on the drop(s) so you get a nice clear shot of them. You may have to sacrifice foreground sharpness as a blurry drop will just distract the viewer.
 

5. Refraction Photography

Dewdrops falling down blades of grass look great but another cool and simple trick is to get an image inside the dewdrop. To do this take another flower or grass blade and move it behind your subject until you can see it in your viewfinder. Do remember that everything you see is reversed in the dewdrop though so if you want to centre the object that's to the left you need to move it more to the right.

 

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

 

1. What Are Drag Landscapes? 

When you look outside and see the sky's grey and dull you may think your day of landscape shooting is ruined but you're wrong. OK, capturing pin-sharp vistas may be out of the window but you can have a go at drag landscapes. Now, when we say drag we don't mean they're boring! In fact, they are quite the opposite. A drag landscape is about finding a scene with strong lines, pressing the shutter button and as the exposure processes, drag your camera up, down left or right. By doing so, your final landscape will have an abstract or even painting feel to it and you'll be glad to hear that the grey, boring sky is well disguised! The technique also works in harsh contrasty light normally regarded as being no good for photography.

 

2. Flowers As Drag Landscape Subjects

Drag landscapes are something that can work all year round on a variety of subjects but as we mentioned this technique back in March when talking about photographing Daffodils, we thought they'd make the perfect subject.

 

 

3. Drag In One Go

You need to move the camera in one clean, steady movement. Using your arms is a good way to control the movement with freedom or you can use a tripod if you prefer a more structured movement. Make sure you've packed your telephoto zoom lens and if you're venturing quite away from home, don't forget the essentials such as spare batteries and memory cards. 

You can think of drag landscapes a bit like a zoom burst except instead of twisting the lens you're moving the entire camera. You need to find your subject, focus up, then move so your lens is pointing away from it. When you're ready, pan back in and when your subject comes into view hit the shutter button.

Don't stop panning until you're past your subject as your shot won't have the blurry, streaks of lines we want to create if you do. You may have to turn Image Stabilisation off as it will want to create a sharp image and this isn't what we are trying to do.  If you look at the screen and see you have diagonal lines it's because you moved to the side slightly as you moved your arms down which you may like the look of but if you don't, the beauty of digital means you can delete it and just try again. Getting the right exposure can be tricky, we found a 10th or 6th of a sec was just about right but if you do need to slow it down, even more, try fitting a polarising filter.

 

4. Change Direction

Once you have the hang of it try panning in different directions, paying attention to the shapes and lines of the object you're photographing. If your subject's a waterfall, for example, pan up or down following the flow of water. Lines of trees and bright colours such as fields of Poppies and Rapeseed also work well.
 

5. Less Drag

If you want the image to be slightly more recognisable start the exposure and pause before you begin dragging. If your subject doesn't have any hard edges you can create an abstract shot that's more about texture. Dragging your lens in a circular motion rather than in a straight line will further enhance the abstract feeling but it's not something that will work with all subjects. 
 

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

 

The L mount system now offers quite a range of different lenses at very different price levels; some might say quite disparate price levels. From the extremely low cost all the way up to what can only be described as premium lenses, the full gamut is there. Right at the top of the pile are the Leica SL lenses, now added to by the Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH, billed by Leica as the widest and fastest 21mm apo lens in the world. The cost is high, so the lens has to have a very special performance to justify itself in a highly competitive market. Let's see how it handles and how the technical tests work out, using the new 60MP Leica SL3 full frame camera body.

 

Leica Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH Handling and Features

The lens weighs in at 789g without the hood, and 839g with. The hood is a bayonet fit petal design that is supplied with the lens. It does not have a release catch, nor does it need one as it clicks firmly and precisely into place. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a conventional 67mm filter thread. Dimensions are 73mm x 105mm, or 102mm x 133mm with the hood fitted. The lens is relatively slim, so it feels surprisingly heavy for its size. Construction is dust and water resistant. The front and rear elements are also water and dirt repellant, thanks to the hydrophobic Leica “Aqua Dura” coating.

 

 

There is a wide manual focus ring that is electronic in operation and very even in its action. However, it is quite firm and possibly could do with being just a tad less so. This is a small point, though and not of huge handling significance. Focusing is down to 21cm or 8.27”, for a maximum magnification of 1:5.3, which is usefully close. The dual synchro drive AF system is fast, accurate and virtually silent. Choosing AF or MF is via the camera menus as there are no other controls on the lens itself.

Optical construction is 14 elements in 11 groups, including 3 aspherical. Most of the elements use custom glass with anomalous partial dispersion.

 

 

The lens has an under-stated feel of quality about it and has no controls to interrupt its simple, smooth lines, apart of course for the manual focusing ring. Apertures are selected via the camera, with a choice of one third stop or half stop intervals. AF/MF selection is also via the camera. This leaves us merely to see the 21mm field of view without hinderance and intrusion from the lens itself, a pure window on the world. There is a certain freedom in this, and the new lens offers an ideal tool for landscape, street photography, events, architecture and photo journalism as well as creative use with other genres.

 

 

Leica Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH Performance

Central sharpness is excellent from f/2 right through to f/11, very good at f/16 and good at f/22. The edges are very good from f/2 to f/4, excellent at f/5.6, very good at f/8 and f/11 and softening at f/16 and f/22. This is an excellent performance and images across the frame are crisp.

 

Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21 f/2 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?

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is virtually banished at the centre of the frame and although higher values are recorded at the edges there is little by the way of colour fringing in most images. If necessary, further correction can be made in software.

Distortion is very close to zero, but -0.02% barrel distortion can be measured. This is better than most macro lenses so is indeed a very impressive result with an ultra-wide lens. This makes it ideal for architectural photography.

Bokeh is very smooth and attractive, the out of focus areas showing smooth gradation and enhancing the parts of the image that are in focus.

 

Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21 f/2 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 handled, again impressive for an ultra-wide lens, and only the severest lighting shows any sign of artefacts.

Vignetting is also modest and in any event a slight amount of corner darkening can be quite attractive in many images, including darkening blue skies where a polariser for the same purpose can show an uneven effect.

 

Aperture   f/2 -1.4 f/2.8 -1.3 f/4 -1.2 f/5.6 -1.2 f/8 -1.2 f/11 -1.2 f/16 -1.2 f/22 -1.2

 

Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21 f/2 ASPH. Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Leica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21 f/2 ASPH. Aperture range Previous Next

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Leica Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH|Leica Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH[/AMUK] lens is priced at £4700.00

This is a unique lens in many ways and the alternative prime lenses around 21mm are all priced at such a different level that a VFM assessment in terms of cost just does not work. However, here goes with a selection of L mount lenses:

• [AMUK]Panasonic Lumix 18mm f/1.8|Panasonic Lumix +lens[/AMUK], £799
• [AMUK]Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary|Sigma +lens[/AMUK], £649
• [AMUK]Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art|Sigma +lens[/AMUK], £899

Clearly there is a huge difference here, and it is a choice that for most will not be a choice at all. Those who want the unique Leica look and quality will know what their choice is.

 

 

Leica Super-Apo-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH Verdict

A truly magnificent 21mm lens that handles superbly and produced exquisite images, the new 21mm is a really attractive proposition. Yes, it is a shame that it costs what it costs, but that is the same dilemma as always with the premium marques. An ultra-wide of 21mm is a wonderful lens in use, with wide interiors, vast sweeping landscapes or even close up street photography all within its remit. Out on the street, getting in close increases the intimacy of the images and the sense that the photographer is involved and not just a distant observer. The handling is also superb, with no distractions from the lens operation itself. Overall, it is a great ergonomic experience and the lens has to be Highly Recommended.

Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art Pros

• Excellent sharpness
• Excellent CA control
• Virtually no distortion
• Lovely bokeh
• Modest vignetting
• Close focusing
• Splash and dust resistance
• Fast and silent AF
• Well made
• Low flare
• Great handling

Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art Cons

• Price

 

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