Asian Photography - April 2016

EDITORIAL
Its time to travel
ith the winters already receded and the summer heat

becking on us already, the coming few months will present
ample opportunities to travel with the vacations around
the corner. And summer vacations are a great time to sharpen up
your travel photography bugs. So for this month we have circled
our content around Travel Photography, highlighting topics that
will provide you with the best information before your trips.
For instance, the interview with Richard IAnson features
extensive coverage about what a photographer needs to keep in
mind while shooting picture at different locations. The sheer body
of work that Richard has is mesmerising, and looking at images like
these, I wish we had more pages to dedicate to photographers like
him.
The issue also focuses on a variety of Tips & Techs, which offer
a range of topics that can be useful for amateurs, as well as semiprofessionals or serious hobbyists. Articles like Travel Portraits,
Astrophotography and Shooting Vacation Pictures are some of the
examples of the same.
We also have the latest line-up of products in the reviews section
this month and already have lined-up some special products for the
coming months. In this issue we have featured the Fujifilm XT-10
and the latest offering from Canon in the mirrorless range with the
EOS M10. Add to this the new Tamron SP-90mm lens and we have
a packed reviews section to read.
The trade section this month features a round-up on the recently
concluded CP+ expo in Japan, as well our visit to the Canon Oita
factory, which is very interesting to read.
EDITOR / PUBLISHER
Trilok Desai
GROUP HEAD
Bhavya Desai
DIRECTOR MARKETING
Aruna Desai
SENIOR
CORRESPONDENTS
Abhishek Desai
Fred Shippie
Lester Ledesma
NEW DELHI BUREAU
Amitabh Joshi
Toprit Saifi
Palak Sharma
EDITORIAL TEAM
Souradeep Roy
Pratik Chorge
Kartik Avatani
Mrinmoy Choudhury
BHAVYA DESAI
SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT
Lopamudra Ganguly (Delhi)
DESIGN
Goraksh Kokate
Rajendra Gaikwad
MANAGER ADVERTISING
Laila Rupawalla
DY. MANAGER
ADVERTISING
Kora Ganguly
So Until Next Time..

Happy Reading!!!
MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Ragini Desai
Laukik Pawar
Ritesh Thakkar (Delhi)
COPY DESK
Sameer Gadkari
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Manoj Surve
w w w. a s i a n p h o t o g r a p h y i n d i a . c o m
Travel Special
JOIN US ON
www.asianphotographyindia.com
APRIL 2016
` 100 US$9
MUMBAI OFFICE:
509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers,
Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road,
Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053.
Tel: 91-22-40401919
Fax: 91-22-40401927
E-mail: info@sapmagazines.com
DELHI OFFICE:
F-22, Green Park, New Delhi - 16.
Tel: 91-011-26863028/26532568
Fax: 91-(011)-26532568
E-mail: info@sapmagazines.com
SINGAPORE OFFICE:
SAP Media Singapore Pte. Ltd.
E-mail: k_ganguly@sapmagazines.com
Tel: 0065-90625120
Vol. 28 - No.4
TIPS & TECHS
A Beginners
Guide to HDR
Photography
Is Travel
Photography
Right for You
Astrophotography
Shooting
Monuments and
Old Building
Taking Stunning
Travel Portraits
Taking better
vacation picture
Shooting Long
Exposures!
REVIEW
Canon EOS M10

Fuji X-T10
Tamron SP90mm
F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1
VC USD
ROUNDUP
CP+ 2016
Roundup
PRO-PROFILE
Wanderlust
- Richard IAnson
A SAP MEDIA
PUBLICATION
Cover Design: Rajendra Gaikwad

Image: Richard IAnson
Published by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt.

Ltd., 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road,
Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA
Printed by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd.,
509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri
(W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA
Printed at Indigo Press India Pvt Ltd, Plot No 1 C/716, Off Dadoji Konddeo Cross
Road, Between Sussex & Retiwala Industrial Estate, Byculla, Mumbai, Published
at 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road,
Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA Editor - TRILOK DESAI.
All material covered by copyright; No part of the contents of this journal may be
published or reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission
of the publisher. The views and opinons expressed by the authors do not
necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the editorial staff.
Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd. and ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND
IMAGING is not responsible and liable for any comments and articles published by
its contributors and will not be liable for any damages. All disputes are subject to
the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai, India.
APRIL 2016

NEWS
Adobe announces new Camera Raw 9.5 update with a

new user interface that matches to the Adobe Photoshop
Apple iPhone SE; a new powerful mid range addition to
the Apple family of smartphones
Nikon 1J5 receives iF Design Award 2016
Canon aims to boost women employee numbers from a
present 12% to 20% by 2018
Canon EOS 1300D entry-level DSLR launched starting
`29995
Tamron to start trading in India
20
APRIL 2016
PRO-PROFILE
Richard IAnson
Richard IAnson
Ask Your Expert
SHOOT MY CITY
Japan
ROUNDUP
CP+ 2016
Roundup
6
APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com
TIPS AND TECHS
46 A Beginners Guide to HDR Photography

52 Is Travel Photography Right for You
58 Astrophotography
62 Shooting Monuments and Old Buildings
66 How to keep your equipment safe
during Travel
68 Taking Stunning Travel Portraits
CAMERA REVIEW
Canon EOS M10
Fuji X-T10
Tamron
SP90mm
F/2.8 Di
MACRO 1:1
VC USD
92
Photoscape
96
Photomontage
APRIL 2016
of the month will

receive a gift
from Uniross
Readers Comments and Suggestions...
Feedback
Feedback
The
Letter
The
Letter
Dear Editor,
It is rightly stated, It is very difcult to shoot nude art, as therethis w
on a illvery
of thetompassion
ne line between art and vulgarity (Refer to Profession
(AP
receive a gift are
March 2016). Some of the near nude photographs in this feature
from Uniross
artistic not vulgar well presented. Ms Padma Lakshmi says A womans
body is one of the most beautiful things in the world and you can still
make a nude shot look classic and elegant. And there are some women
who look cheap even when dressed Let me add here that nudity has
nothing to do with sex! The
most
beautiful creation of God is human
Dear
Editor,
body. And no human being is born with clothes on. But unfortunately,
I have been reading your magazine for a while now and must comment that your team
most people wrongly believe
and associate
withthe
sex.
Alas!
This
is changes that you have brought t
been doing
a great job.nudity
I have seen
simple
and
subtle
a sorrowful situation. and the fine balance that the magazine has been achieving lately.
Yours faithfully,
Mahesh Kumar, New I also like the reader columns like My Story, Ask Your Expert and Shoot My City. I am ha
Delhi
are looking at sections in the magazine that make them more reader interactive and I thin
SPECIAL FEATURE
Profession
to Passion
way forward for any magazine. From the December issue I loved the interview of Dabboo R
Starting out as a wedding and event photographer, today he is a well-known fashion
photographer. He has worked with many a models, reputed designers and several leading
magazines. The industry has appreciated his work time and again, accolading him for
his constant quality work. This month we speak to Mumbai-based fashion photographer
Chandrakant Shah, and find out more about his work.
DSLR shootout also provided a lot of valuable feedback on the cameras and their performa
Dear Mr. Kumar,
Its good to knowthe AP team renewed success and great yearCahead.
handrakant Shah started with
wedding and event photography
in 1977 for a living. As the years
went by, his interest started building up
more towards fashion photography and
now it has become his passion. Talking
about the photography scene back then,
Shah says that it was the age of film
photography. The photography scene
in Mumbai back then was film, which
progressed into digital only by 2003.
Photography in those days was not as
complex as compared to todays age,
he said.
Reminiscing his first shooting
experience, Shah said that he was
nervous on his first assignment.
However, I got well-acquainted with the
model, and it was a relatively smooth
ride. Starting out as an enthusiast
photographer, he took his passion
for photography to another level after
establishing a studio at Sewri in Mumbai
in 2003. Since then it has been no looking
back for him. His studio is updated with
equipment of highest quality.
When he first started out he had to
shoot for living, it was his bread and
butter. Now that he is settled, he does
it more as a hobby at this studio named
Angel Photo Studio. I now shoot for my
passion and to keep updated with the
digital world, he says. When asked about
how the transition has been, Shah says
that the adrenaline rush he experiences
that you liked the article Regards,

and the interview that Vishal Shah
we put up in the March Ahemdabad,Gujarat.
2016 issue. In fact we
have been one of the Dear Vishal,
protagonists for many We are always happy to know that the readers are appreciating our work since it takes
years to avoid anyto put all the things together. Apart from the same I also have a great team that works rea
vulgarity on the pages ofensure that we keep that fine balance in our content going.
the magazine and even when it comes to ne art and nude photography, we have been very
careful in walking that line. In the months to come you will see some more initiatives that are reader driven so tha
more
of theused
readers
andfew
also pictures
interact with
on a regular
basis.and
Which is the reasonengage
why we
have
very
in them
the spread
as well
couldnt agree with your thoughts more. But any sort of photography is a perspective of the
photographer depicting theirDear
subjects
Editor, in a particular way and there is an audience for it. In
fact, internationally, images I depicting
strong vulgarity to many are considered as art and
want to convey my thanks and regards to you for reviewing my photos in the link tha
also appreciated by many
viewers.
I express my gratitude for providing me with your most valuable feedback and reviews on
So as you can understand
that
onmore
the on
level
of exposure
of and
the try
viewer
and the
promise
thatitIdepends
will practice
shooting
techniques
to improve
my compositio
society as well on these your
sortsadvice
of subjects.
I have already started to experiment on different subjects and I am getting bett
18
18
MARCH 2016
FEBRUARY
2016
However, I want to improve my compositional skills and give my pictures a more profe
I am currently using a Nikon Coolpix L110 camera and looking forward to buy a DSLR after
12. It would be very kind of you to provide me, as well as the readers, tips on composition.
Dear Editor,
takephotographer
up the subject. and am looking for a job in photography. Would
I am not a professional
request you to look at my Regards,,

portfolio and then decide if I am worthy of the job on your
esteemed magazine?
Sabyasachi Talukdar
Assam
Also, I am interested in Nagaon,
Photojournalism.
Please let me know if there are jobs at your
magazine that I can be a part of. Awaiting your reply.
Aditya Shah, Bangalore Dear Sabya,
It is good to know that our feedback has helped you in improving your photography sk
you would like to learn more and more from the magazine. I will discuss this in our upcom
and we will ensure that we do something comprehensive on the Composition side so that
can benefit from it.
Feedback
The
Letter
of the month will

receive a gift
from Uniross
Dear Aditya,
Thanks for your email and from the looks of it you seem like an enthusiastic person. But since
you are not a professional photographer and havent even done any course in photography,
I cant tell if you are serious about this industry. Also there is no information attached in your
emails for the portfolio or a CV.
You might have sent both but it has not come through. But knowing that this has come
through from our website, it doesnt allow the user to attach any pictures to it.
So I suggest that you send across all the information and then we can talk. But I would
take this opportunity to inform to you that at any given time we have 3 internship spots in
the magazine and at this point of time all of them are taken.
Dear Editor,
I must congratulate you on the beautiful information that has been provided in the article
on The Festivals Holi (March 2016) magazine. I have had immense pleasure to go through
all the material published in the current issue. Holi is one of the most colourful festivals in
the world and one can undoubtedly get some memorable shots if one gets in amongst it.
Colour powder and water are thrown and painted on people which is the most beautiful to
photograph.
The article on Jaisalmer the Golden City has recalled memory of my recent visit to
Jaisalmer. Really there is something infectious about Rajasthan that keeps attracting a
person. Jaisalmer presented a different look that made it very much enjoyable to see the
spread. I would like to say that one must experience different places in Rajasthan where
everything is vibrant and photogenic.
Vinod C. Dixit, Ahmedabad
Dear Mr. Vinod,
I couldnt agree with you more on the topics that you have spoken about. We thought
an opportunity like Holi shouldnt be lost to any photographer, especially this one since it
is pitted to be one without the use of water, considering its paucity in India currently. This
presents a beautiful opportunity to actually play Holi with the gorgeous colours. And tips like
these are great for all the readers who would like to relish these opportunities.
As for Jaisalmer, I know exactly what you mean. I was also blown away by the images
and the essence that we were able to capture in them. We will have more coming your way
soon.
TIPS & TECHS
SHOOT MY CITY
Photographing the
Festivals HOLI
JAISALMER
THE GOLDEN CITY
oli is a spring festival, also known

as the festival of colours or the
festival of love. It is primarily
observed India, Nepal, and other regions
of the world with significant populations
of Hindus or people of Indian origin. In
recent years, the festival has spread to
parts of Europe and North America as
a spring celebration of love, frolic, and
colours.
India is a country where colours
are an integral part of any festival or
occasion. May it be colourful decoratives
or Rangolis, or a festival that celebrates
colour itself. Holi is a riot of colours
and happiness. Friends and foes come
together, and celebration is the priority.
In the midst of all these events and
happenings, the people who take all the
risk and pain to capture all the emotions
and action are the photographers. May
it be professionals, or hobbyists and
enthusiasts, photographing Holi is a
thumbs-up from all the people in love
with photography. But the only one
thing which is vulnerable to all is the
camera. Holi and the camera do not go
hand in hand. In fact, Holi is the only
festival where a camera might actually
be dead if exposed to all the colours
and water which are out of control of the
Jaisalmer is
called as the
Golden city not
Just because it is
covered in yellow
sandstone that
is still used for
construction in
the city, or for
the yellow sand
of thar desert,
but because of
the people who
are livinG there
and welcominG
tourists with a
Golden heart.
10
MARCH 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com
Preparing for the big day
You will definitely need to prep yourself

up for shooting outdoors in Holi. We
have summed up some points which will
be helpful for you:
Clothing on the occasion of Holi,
one can hardly escape from the
colours. Try as much as you can

but people will throw colours at
you. The idea is to wear something
full-sleeved. Cargo/denim pants will
give you the ruggedness and a cap
would keep some colour away from
your hair. Shoes are as important as
your camera. You dont want to have
your feet stepped on endlessly by
an enthusiastic crowd. Do not wear
open footwear/sandals.
Eyes Be careful of the flying colours
everywhere. The colours consist of
chemicals which wouldnt kill you,

but are severe enough to give you
an allergy or a rash. You dont want
sore eyes. Try wearing sunglasses/
spectacles which will shield you to a
large extent.
Skin The colours might also cause
skin irritations and rashes as well. As
mentioned full-sleeved clothing will
keep a lot of colours away from your
skin at least.
Overall Be safe, travel together
with other photographers or friends.
Arrange everything well in advance
in case you are going to any remote
area to shoot. Carry extra water
bottles and some light food also. You
dont know when you might just feel
dehydrated out in the hot sun. Carry
a portable phone charger as well.
You dont want to go out of reach.
Preparing the camera for the

big day
Everyones weapon of choice, may it
be a small point and shoot camera or
a DSLR, needs to be protected fully.
The camera is what takes the most of
the hits of colour and water splashes
as well. You have to make sure to tie
out all the loose ends before you can
take the challenge of shooting brilliant
72
28
photographer.
With Holi knocking on the doors
soon enough, this month we share some
useful tips about keeping you and your
camera safe and sound.
MARCH 2016
29
MARCH 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com
MARCH 2016
73
NEWS
Adobe announces new Camera Raw 9.5

update with a new user interface that
matches to the Adobe Photoshop
dobe announces the latest update of the Camera Raw

with a new user interface that matches to the interface
of the Adobe Photoshop. With this new Camera Raw
9.5 update comes with a support to a dozen new cameras
including the new Nikon D5 and D500 and Canon EOS 80D.
New update xes some useful bugs and adds for support new
lenses like Sony FE 85mm 1.4 and 24-70mm F2.8 GM.
These are some of the Bug xes in Camera Raw 9.5
It xes the crash/hang problem on some of the Mac systems
when saving the multiple images.
Fixes the bug for Sigmas 50mm F/1.4 art series lens where
Exif metadata for this lens on canon was incorrectly identied
as Zeiss Milvus 50mm F/1.4.
New update now shows the Histogram and RGB colour
readouts by using the colour space of the corresponding
Photoshop document.
These are the new camera support in Camera Raw 9.5
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
Canon EOS 80D
Canon EOS 1300D (Rebel T6, Kiss X80)
Nikon D5
Nikon D500
Olympus PEN-F
Olympus SH-3
Panasonic DMC-CM10
Panasonic DMC-GF8
Panasonic
DMC-ZS100
(DMC-ZS110,
DMC-TZ101, DMC-TZ110, DMC-TX1)
Samsung NX3300
Sony Alpha a6300 (ILCE-6300)
Yuneec CGO4
DMC-TZ100,
Apple iPhone SE; a new

powerful mid range
addition to the Apple
family of smartphones
pple has introduced its new

and powerful mid-range iPhone
SE with a four-inch display, in a
compact aluminium shell design that
has been updated with matte-chamfered
edges, a color-matched stainless steel
Apple logo, and four gorgeous metallic
nishes, including rose gold. iPhone
SE offers exceptional performance
with the same 64-bit A9 chip offered in
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus for blazing
fast speeds, longer battery life, faster
wireless, a 12-megapixel iSight camera
14
and features like Live Photos, 4K video

and Touch ID with Apple Pay as seen in
the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus.
iPhone SE users can reportedly
browse, download and stream content
even faster with Wi-Fi up to three times
and LTE up to 50% faster than iPhone
5s. The iPhone SE also includes more
LTE bands for better worldwide roaming
and supports Voice over LTE and Wi-Fi
calling for high-quality wideband calls.
The iPhone camera has received a
major update with the iPhone 6s and
iPhone 6s Plus which now boasts a

12 MP sensor and 4K video recording
providing the camera phone lovers a vast
area to experiment on their photography
without having to shell a lot of money on
the expensive iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.
The new iPhone SE will begin
shipping to countries including India in
early April and will be priced from $399
for 16Gb model.
NEWS
Nikon 1J5 receives iF Design Award 2016
he annual international industrial

product design awards present the
Nikon 1 J5 with recognition for its
design. The iF Design Award is a globally
prestigious design award sponsored by
iF International Forum Design GmbH
since 1953. The iF DESIGN AWARD
provides participants with opportunities
to achieve worldwide success with their
works in the categories of Product,
Packaging, Communication, Interior
Architecture and Professional Concept.
According to the company, the Nikon
1 J5 incorporates an effective pixel
count of 20.8-million pixels, backside
illumination CMOS sensor, and the
EXPEED 5A image-processing engine
in an elegantly simple and modern
design. It is a model that offers full-scale

specifications and superior operation
with the high-speed continuous shooting
rate of approximately 20 fps with AF,
support for 4K movie recording, and a
tilting LCD monitor that enables capture
of self-portraits. It is a delightful moment
for Nikon to be rightfully recognised for

the design and build capabilities that we
endow our cameras with. Our cameras
are conceptualised with the most
appropriate designs to facilitate userfriendliness for our loyal customers,
said Mr. Kazuo Ninomiya, Managing
Director, Nikon India Pvt. Ltd at the
occasion. According to Nikon India, The
judging criteria for this years awards
were comprised of several disciplines
including
product,
communication
and packaging design of each entry.
The awards committee had evaluated
5,295 entries from 53 countries. Various
awards were presented to a total of
1,821 products, with 75 of them being
awarded the iF Gold Award.
Canon aims to boost women employee

numbers from a present 12% to 20% by 2018
anon takes forward their legacy

of commitment to the country
with dedicated efforts to boost
women employee, nurture them and help
them grow within the system and the
company reports state that they aim to
boost women employee numbers from
a present 12% to 20% by 2018. With
strong professional and social ethos,
Canon proactively indulges in policies
and activities that ensure a safe, secure
and inspirational workspace for women.
According to Canon, with dedicated
efforts
to
support
performance
management,
employee-management
relations and resource planning, Canon
HR policies offer an array of solutions.
One such unique initiative, Ladies
Power Lunch with CEO is a platform
where women employees are provided
an opportunity to interact with the CEO
of the company. Under its HR practice,
women employees of Canon are
motivated to engage and evolve through
various company activities. One such
campaign is Women Empowerment
where women from various Canon
offices go to the adopted villages under
their flagship initiative Adopt a Village
16
to interact with women and girls of the

villages. Canon employees educate the
village females about topics like personal
hygiene, significance of sanitation, ways
to judge people and situations and most
importantly self-defence and safety.
The company also reported that
to celebrate the spirit of womanhood,
Canon India has planned an array of
activities to acknowledge and respect
the efforts of its women employees.
March 8, 2016, International Womans
Day will welcome women colleagues
in the company with a motivational
programme in which a special session
only for women employees will be
conducted by a motivational speaker and
a Life Coach. During the course of this
programme, Canons women employees
will be encouraged to develop a positive
attitude towards life. In this two hour long
session, they will get the opportunity to
interact with the speaker to understand
and explore the methods to strike a worklife balance.
The company also stated in their
reports that on March 13th, photography
workshops will be organised across
the country. The first leg will witness
workshops at India Habitat Centre in

New Delhi, The Chancery Pavilion in
Bangalore, Holiday Inn in Mumbai and
The Park in Kolkata. Highlighting Canons
commitment towards making technology
accessible, particularly to women.
According to Canon, comfort,
security, equality, work life balance and
evolvement are key aspects of Canons
HR policies for women. Comfortable work
hours, flexible timings for new mothers,
transport facility for all employees,
relaxed leave policies and much more
stand testimony to Canon Indias efforts
to promote a culture of growth and
gender equality. Reportedly Canon also
organises special workshops like wellness
workshop and self defence training for
is female employees on regular basis
which helps them to optimise personal
well-being to learn effective techniques
to counter any form of abuse.The women
at Canon are considered pillars of power,
who enable the brand to achieve its
market position. With the vision to offer
the most gratifying yet productive and
dynamic environment, Canon continues
to support the emergence and success
of women power.
NEWS
Canon EOS 1300D entry-level

DSLR launched starting `29995
anon India recently launched

the EOS 1300D, an entry-level
DSLR priced at an accessible
level, to help beginners and photo
hobbyists discover greater possibilities
in photography. Equipped with an 18.0
megapixel CMOS sensor and ISO speed
expandable up to 12,800, the new EOS
1300D is reportedly capable of capturing
high quality images and Full HD movies
and easily share them on the go through
its connectivity features. According to
media reports, built-in Wi-Fi and NFC
support are also included in the EOS
1300D as an all-inclusive package to
address the needs of ever increasing
social media savvy users.
Mr. Andrew Koh, Vice President
of Consumer Imaging and Information
Centre, Canon India said, Photography
as a hobby and sporting a DSLR camera
is quite the rage in India presently. So is
social media, and everybody wants to
share their images online with their friends
immediately. With this a precursor, we are
thrilled to launch the EOS 1300D - a DSLR
camera with inbuilt Wi-Fi & NFC. The EOS
1300D creates great looking images and
allows instantaneously sharing them as
well - thus meeting the requirements of
first time users, social media junkies and
hobbyists alike.
Through the Camera Connect app,
users will be able to shoot remotely. Upon
connecting the EOS 1300D with a smart

device, users can adjust camera settings
such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
speed, and then capture the shot on their
smart device. Reportedly, the EOS 1300D
comes with five creative filters to deliver
different creative expressions soft focus,
grainy black and white, toy camera effect,
fish-eye effect, and miniature effect. Apart
from filters, strength level, colour tones
and focal points are also customisable for
some of the filters.
For users accustomed to using
cameras on smart devices and are
beginning their foray into DSLR
photography, the EOS 1300D is said to
provide new avenues to explore on their
photography journey. Powered by a
DIGIC 4+ dedicated image processor and
an 18.0 megapixel APS-C size CMOS
sensor (approximately 25 times larger
than a standard smartphone), the EOS
1300D is said to render higher resolution
images with lesser noise, even under
low-light conditions.
The EOS 1300D is also said to come
with a high performance optical viewfinder,
which enables faster framing and higher
focusing precision, essential factors to
capturing fleeting moments. The optical
viewfinder also reportedly, provides a
more accurate representation of what
the camera sensor sees, for a better idea
of the final image. With an enhanced
920,000-dot LCD monitor, Canon hopes

the users will find it easier to check on the
focus during Live View shooting.
The EOS 1300D is equipped with a
9-point Auto-focusing system that aims
to allow fast and accurate auto-focusing
on the subject. The cameras AI Servo AF
constantly tracks and focuses on moving
subjects such as pets and children, even
as the subject moves towards or away
from the camera. With this AF system,
every moment will be captured in pictureperfect clarity.
The company also stated that as a
part of Canons range of DSLR cameras,
the EOS 1300D will provide full access
to Canons extensive range of EF/EF-S
lenses to suit a variety of occasions. Over
70 lenses in Canons EF/EF-S range can
be used with the EOS 1300D to achieve
the optimum composition.
The EOS 1300D will be available at
a price point of `29,995 inclusive of the
EF-S 18-55 IS II kit lens, while the double
zoom variant (including EF-S 18-55 IS II
& EF-S 55-250 IS II lenses) is priced at
`38,995. Both variants will be available
from April 2016 onwards.
Tamron to start trading in India
amron, have been operating in

India as a marketing company till
March, 2016. According to latest
reports, they will now start trading from
April, 2016 onwards functioning as a
wholly owned subsidiary of Tamron Co.
Ltd, Saitama, Japan.
With this new strategic move,
Tamron India aims to thrive, enhancing
customer experience and expand
its overall network pan-India. In
India, there is a rise in purchase of
DSLR cameras and lenses due to
increasing disposable income, social
18
media, tourism, advertising, wedding

photography and consumer awareness.
Under such scenarios, Tamron India,
foraying into trading will accelerate
its market penetration resulting in
improved focus for Indian market,
customer service and better availability
of product by increasing their coverage
throughout India. Tamron India might
be one of the only photo accessory
company to come-up with such level of
operations in India.
According to Mr. Nitin Goyal President & CEO says, The Indian
market has been conducive to growth

in last few years for us. We have
witnessed growth in business in terms
of revenue and market share. To ensure,
that we keep having a sustainable
growth in future too, trading would
be the way forward. Through this we
would be able to cater to our channel
partners and customers effectively and
efficiently. Consumer will get the benefit
of seamless supplies and experience
of our complete line-up at major retail
outlets and through our events across
India.
Send in your Questions to

askyourexpert@asianphotographyindia.com
I am a graduate from Calcutta University in

Molecular Biology. But side-by-side I have
completed everything about DSLR study
and also travelled to many places for street
shooting also taking creative frame in different places. So I am very passionate about this
career line and now I want to start a part time
or full time photography job. So what should I
do now? Please suggest me.
Nirjhar Chakraborty
Kolkata
Dear Nirjhar,
I have seen your email and am puzzled about
the term completed everything about DSLR
study. I am not sure what does this mean but
I am assuming that you have read about the
DSLR and used it for shooting pictures? If that
is a yes then I am not sure if it is enough to get
a job, unless your images and talent is extraordinary.
But if you are serious about this then I suggest
you can try and do an internship with a photographer to learn the finer nuances of the work
and also get the hands-on experience that you
might be looking for.
20
Answered by
Bhavya Desai
Editor, Asian Photography
I wanted to know about the summer internship programme in Photography provided by

this magazine (If you do provide it). If yes,
would you be kind enough to tell me about
when and how can I apply?
Syed Hashim
New Delhi
Dear Syed,
We constantly try to give
young and upcoming talent
an opportunity to get a firm
ion
Quest
onth
M
e
grip while joining the indusof th
try, which has led us to take
in interns from time to time.
While we do not have a fixed internship programme date we do give opportunities
to people who are smart, bright and talented
at photography. You can send us your CV and
links to your portfolio and we would be happy
to look at it.
AP
When using flashgun to shoot at night, how

much ISO to keep for less grains?
Saravanan Selvaraj
Mumbai
I am a regular reader of your magazine and I

love to shoot peoples portraits but recently I
have gained interest in shooting landscapes and
seascapes and I want to know how to capture
a water look nice and smooth in photograph?
Gurpreet Singh, Mumbai.
TIPS & TECHS
What is long exposure photography?
Long exposure photography is taking
photographs by using longer exposure
times than needed to correctly expose a
photograph and to sharply capture the
stationary elements of the images while
blurring the moving elements. It can be
executed at the day time with the use
of filters or during the night time with or
without the use of filters. Long exposures
can be typically divided into different
genres such as- Landscapes, Seascapes,
Architecture and People.
The following tips will help you
comprehend and execute long exposure
photography effortlessly-
Check your equipment
Dear Saravanan,
Your question poses a lot questions in itself
as there are a few variables to this. There is
no definitive answer to this since not many
details are provided in the question. The light
conditions at the moment of shooting, the
mode that you use on your flash, your cameras
ISO sensitivity etc will change the answer to
your question variedly. Ideally, in low light
conditions keeping the ISO from 100 to 400
is advisable while using an external flash.
However, the ISO might have to be changed
according the aforementioned conditions.
I have been using my Canon 550D since I

started out with learning photography. I am
sure to have exhausted near to the company
rated shutter count as well. My question is if I
will be able to use the camera for a long time
without losing performance?
Jyotirmoy Deka
Jorhat, Assam
Hello Jyotirmoy
Something interesting that you have already
shot near to the shutter count. Well the
company rating for the shutter actuations is
a mean calculation and is approximated to a
certain number say 100000 to 150000 actuations. But in practical use many DSLRs due to
their better build of mechanism and components exceed the calculated approximate
numbers. A through servicing for your camera
will set the minor bends straight and I hope
you will be able to use you camera for some
more time before it actually retires.
The intention of capturing moving

objects with longer exposure times
than necessary makes a long exposure
photograph. Essential equipment for long
exposure photography are: Any camera that
has a bulb mode or a maximum exposure
time of 30 seconds, but 30 seconds are not
long enough most of the times for taking a
long exposure photograph. The bulb mode
allows you to go past 30 seconds. Second
essential equipment will be a sturdy tripod,
dont go for the cheap ones as exposures
can easily extend to greater than a couple
of minutes, so it is vital that your tripod
is as sturdy as it can be. Third essential
equipment will be an ND filter. The only way
a long exposure photograph can be shot in
day light is by using ND filters of at least 10
stops. A neutral density filter or an ND filter
is used to reduce or modify the intensity of
all wavelengths or colours of light equally,
giving no changes in hue of colour rendition.
While shooting long exposure prefer using
a wide angle lens so as to cover more
elements in the surrounding.
Shooting Long
Exposures!
Visualise
As you find a location, try visualising

without the camera. Look for elements
around, look for a foreground, look for
perspectives. Observe and then place
your camera to check the composition
according to the field of view of your
lens. Dont just think about the technical
part of it, get your composition right and
always remember, it takes time to create
an interesting and dramatic image.
Long exposure photography is a genre that is often associated with fine art
photography, due to those surreal effects we can create in a photograph. It
is different and demands patience, with a understanding of composition. It
has become very popular in the last couple of years.
Photo: Davejdoe
78
APRIL 2016
79
Dear Gurpreet,
Firstly, its great that you are trying out new
techniques and genres in photography. The
kind of effect you want in your photograph
isnt as difficult to achieve as you might first
think. You simply need to shoot long exposure.
And also this month we have written an article on shooting long exposure where you will
get all the tips on shooting landscapes with the
long exposures.
N OF
THE QUESTIO
WINS
THE MONTH
1 YEAR
N
SUBSCRIPTIO
(12 ISSUE)
APRIL 2016
21
ROUNDUP
The inauguration ceremony of CP+ 2016
CP+ 2016
Roundup
Japans CP+ is one of the biggest

photography and imaging event in
Asia. This year we had a chance to
attend the events, and dive right into
the heart of the photography action
in the East. Here is the low-down
from the various things showcased
by manufacturers at the event.
CANON
Having a massive presence at the event this year, Canon
showed off and showcased a plethora of products for visitors,
including new DSLRs and a powerful new compact. Visitors
were thronging the stall to check out the new products on
displays, and the booth saw long queues. The biggest highlights
at the Canon stall were their newly launched EOS-1D X Mark
II and EOS 80D. Also, creating a lot of buzz was the Canons
latest PowerShot G7 X Mark II. There was a long queue of
excited visitors waiting to get their hands on these cameras for
live-demonstrations.
While we already had a chance to check out the EOS-1D X
Mark II in our office, when the Canon team gave us an exclusive
Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1
24
G7 X Mark II
Canon lenses on display
preview, it was great to try out the new EOS 80D. Featuring
a new 45-point AF system, and a 24.2-megapixel CMOS
sensor, the camera features Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus (DAF)
EOS 80D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens
technology coupled with an intuitive touchscreen capability for

easy focusing when shooting video. The camera feels sturdy
to hold and Canon informed that it has focussed on making
an enthusiast-friendly camera packed with features for both
videos and stills. The newly developed 24 MP APS-C CMOS
sensor coupled with the latest Digic 6 Image processor and a
45-point all cross type auto-focus system is aimed to deliver
high quality stills and videos and is said to show an improved
ISO range of 100-16000 (Still) and 100-12800 (Video). Canon
said that the Dual-pixel CMOS AF takes care of the subject
tracking while shooting at high burst rate and making smooth
focus shifts during video. The Canon 80D shoots stills at 7fps.
Along with the camera, Canon also showcased a new lens Canon EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, and a new Power
Zoom Adapter PZ-E1. The new lens is paired as a kit lens with
the EOS 80D. Canon informed that the new lens is the first lens
to be equipped with Nano USM technology. Explaining Nano
USM, Canon executives said that it is a new type of focussing
motor that combines the benefits of a ring USM (ultrasonic
motor) for high-speed AF during still photo shooting and leadscrew type STM (stepping motor) for smooth and quiet movie
AF, and improved AF speeds. The lens also provides up to four
stops of optical image stabilisation. Canon also announced a
hot-shoe-mounted shotgun microphone. The mic is compatible
with any camera with a 3.5mm (1/8) socket.
Another big crowd-favourite was Canons latest entry in
the compact camera segment, PowerShot G7 X Mark II. The
new camera pairs a 1.0-inch, 20.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor
with Canons new DIGIC 7 Image Processor to help reduce
noise and deliver outstanding image quality, even in low light
shooting situations. The camera is the first Canon camera
to feature the manufacturers new DIGIC 7 Image Processor.
The digital camera features a fast startup and improved RAW
continuous shooting speed of up to eight frames per second
(fps) with short intervals between shots. The camera has f/1.8
(W) f/2.8 (T), 4.2x (24100mm equivalent) optical zoom lens
with Canons Image Stabilizer (IS) and a 9-blade iris diaphragm.
It has a multi-angle 3.0-inch capacitive touch panel LCD with a
screen resolution of 1.04 million dots and tilt options of 180 up
and 45 down. The camera can capture 1080p Full HD video in
MP4 format with stereo sound.
A unique demonstration at the interactive Canon booth was
its impressive 8K Experience. It featured an exceptional Canon

8K Ride Experience where attendees could see the future
of visual imaging and experience, firsthand. In a dark room,
an 8K video was projected on large screens surrounding the
room simulating a physical journey. It was quite enthralling to
experience this.
NIKON
With a large booth, Nikon was in full-force at the camera
expo. The camera manufacturer had its line-up of devices, from
the DSLRs and lenses, to compact cameras and accessories.
The biggest draws at the booth were the live-demonstrations of
the latest Nikon DSLRs D5 and D500. The company debuted
them at Consumer Electronic Show 2016 in Las Vegas, earlier
this year, and was showcasing them at CP+. Visitors were
thronging to try their hands on the latest gear.
The new D5 is Nikons flagship camera a long-awaited
successor to its highly successful D4. The camera features
Nikon-developed 20.8-megapixel CMOS sensor, an all-new
153-point AF system, 4K UHD video capture and EXPEED 5
image processing. The D5 offers native ISO range, from 100
to 102,400. For extreme low-light ability, the ISO range is
expandable from 50 (Lo-1) to ISO 3,280,000 (Hi-5). Nikon claims
that this is their most powerful camera till date.
The D500, a DX format DSLR, is the successor to the D300S.
The camera is equipped with new features like Multi-CAM 20K
153-point AF system and 4K UHD video capture, and a new way
to share photos with Nikon SnapBridge built-in. The camera
has a 20.9MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 5 image processor.
Its ISO range is 100-51,200 expandable to Lo 1 and Hi 5 (50
1,640,000 equivalent). The camera can Shoot cinematic 4K
UHD video, and has dual card slots - XQD and SD media.
The other little wonder at the Nikon booth was their debut
in the action camera segment - KeyMission 360. A new
rugged-looking camera is capable of capturing 360-degree
video in 4K UHD. Nikon explained that the camera features an
image sensor and lens on opposite sides of the device, with
images from each combining to create a single immersive,
ultra-high-definition 360-degree video and still image. The
camera is waterproof (approx. 100 ft./30m), said to withstand
dust, shock and low temperatures. The KeyMission 360 also
features electronic Vibration Reduction (VR), enabled through
applications during playback that reduces the effects of camera
shake to help produce sharp and crisp video quality.
Nikon D5
APRIL 2016
25
TIPS & TECHS
A Sony G Master Series lens
SONY
While camera giants battled it out at the expo, Sony
was nowhere lagging behind when it came to get the crowd
buzzing. The booth was packed with excited visitors, trying out
demonstration pieces of the newest Sony gear. The Japanesemanufacturer displayed their newly launched a6300 and their
latest G Master lenses.
The Sony a6300 is new entrant to its mirrorless lineup.
The camera is an update to its previous model the a6000, and
features a newly developed 24.2 MP APS-C sized Exmor CMOS
sensor that works together with a BIONZ X image processing
engine. It has an ISO sensitivity range of ISO 100 51200. It
can also shoot and record 4K video. The cameras highlight
is the impressive 425-point on-sensor phase-detection AF
system. The camera can capture images at 11 fps continuous
shooting (8 fps continuous live view), has a max ISO of 51200,
and features 4K video capture up to 100 Mbps.
Sonys other major draw were the brand new G Master
lenses. The three new E-mount full frame lenses include
a 24-70mm constant F2.8 standard zoom, an 85mm F1.4
prime and a 70-200mm constant F2.8 telephoto zoom. The
new FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM (model SEL2470GM) features a
9-bladed aperture that maintains a near circular shape at all
settings and is coated with Sonys original Nano AR coating to
suppress reflections and ensure contrast and clarity. It has a
direct drive SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) focussing system,
and an ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) glass element and Super
ED glass element keep chromatic aberration to a minimum
while maximising resolution and bokeh without any unnatural
colouration. The FE 85mm F1.4 GM telephoto prime lens
(model SEL85F14GM) is designed as a portrait lens. It features
a new XA (extreme aspherical) element as well as three ED
glass elements that work together to ensure that the in-focus
areas are captured in high resolution while the surrounding
out-of-focus areas dissolve into a soft backdrop. It has a
circular aperture with 11 blades the most ever used in an
lens that ensures bokeh is smooth. Externally, the new model
has Sonys original Nano AR Coating, which reduces flare and
ghosting. The FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens includes a ring drive
SSM motor system, and is equipped with two position sensors
to support focus control of the large, heavy lens elements. The
new FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS telephoto zoom lens (model
SEL70200GM) has three advanced lens elements including XA,
26
Super ED and ED glass components, as well as its Nano AR

coating. It features a floating focusing system that contributes
to an impressive minimum focussing distance of merely 0.96m
and ensures AF performance is optimised during both still and
video shooting.
The company also displayed their newest action camera
HDR-AS50R. The new cam comes paired with a LiveView Remote. This Remote, which now boasts new intuitive
controls, gives one full control over the Action Cam from a
distance, including its power functions. It shoots full HD/60p
video recording, and has SteadyShot image stabilisation.
New features in this model include 4K time-lapse effects and
underwater shooting capabilities up to 60 metres below the
surface, when used in conjunction with the underwater housing
included in the package.
SIGMA
The Japanese camera and lens manufacturer was in full
form at CP+ 2016. They displayed their massive line-up of
lenses, and their newest mirrorless cameras.
Sigma Sd Quattro H & Sigma Sd Quattro
Sigma showcased their latest Sigma sd Quattro and Sigma

sd Quattro H mirrorless camera systems with Foveon Quattro
sensors. Building on the concept of the SIGMA SD1 Merrill,
the SIGMA sd Quattro and SIGMA sd Quattro H feature a
mirrorless structure and use interchangeable lenses. The two
new cameras are as compact and lightweight as cameras
in the SIGMA dp Quattro series and offer the same level of
outstanding image quality. While the SIGMA sd Quattro features
an APS-C size sensor and offers medium-format image quality
with 39 megapixels, the SIGMA sd Quattro H features an
APS-H size sensor measuring 26.6 x 17.9mm. The new larger
Foveon sensor delivers high resolution of 51 megapixels, for
even more detailed expressive power. Featuring the SIGMA
SA mount, the two new cameras are compatible with all of
the SIGMA lenses in the Contemporary, Art and Sports lines,
and they are designed to take full advantage of these lenses
superb optical performance.
The manufacturer also showcased some new lenses at the
show, including their 30mm F1.4 DC DN in their Contemporary
series and 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM in their Art series.
Also, creating excitement was their latest convertor, Mount
Converter MC-11. The new piece of equipment allows you to use
your Sigma SA mount and Sigma EOS mount interchangeable
lenses with the Sony E-mount camera body. This is said to
be the first convertor of its kind. Mount Converter ER MC-11
incorporates the digital data necessary to provide fast and

smooth AF for compatible lenses as well as OS features and
functions of the camera that help control peripheral brightness
and correct transverse chromatic aberration, distortion, and
more. In addition, since Sony E-mount camera bodies do
not require mechanical integration with lenses for aperture
control, the Mount Converter MC-11 makes SIGMA SA mount
interchangeable lenses and SIGMA interchangeable lenses for
Canon cameras fully compatible with the automatic exposure
control of Sony E-mount camera bodies.
TAMRON
The Japanese-lens manufacturer showcased two new
lenses in their SP series prime lenses, besides their line-up of
lenses at the expo. The two new lenses SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC
USD (Model F016) and SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD
(Model F017) were grabbing eyeballs.
RICOH
While Pentax showcased a wide-range of products, their
biggest draw was the Pentax K-1. With many years of hardwork
and development, Ricoh has finally unveiled their full-frame
DSLR, and it was on display at the show. There was a touchand-try demonstration of the new full-frame camera.
The PENTAX K-1 has a large, full-frame AA-filterless CMOS
sensor with 36.4 effective megapixels. The camera has a
compact, yet high-performance weather-sealed and dustproof
body. It features SR II five-axis shake-reduction system,
and the newly developed SAFOX 12 (AF sensor module)
with 33 AF sensor points with 25 cross-type points. The K-1
features a 3.2 1.04M-dot Flexible-tilt LCD monitor, which tilts
horizontally, vertically or diagonally with a single action, without
deviating from the lenss optical axis. 35 degrees of horizontal
and 44 degrees of vertical adjustment can be achieved. When
it comes to the viewfinder, the camera has an optical viewfinder
with nearly 100% field of view, said Pentax. It can capture 17
images in the RAW format (or a maximum of 70 images in the
JPEG Best format) in a single sequence, at a top speed of
approximately 4.4 images per second.
The manufacturer also displayed their new WG-M2 action
camera, an update to their previous WG-M1 model. The
newest, rugged action cam has a design and shape quite
similar to the previous model, but the new camera packs in
the ability to record 4K video at 30 fps. It has an ultra-wide
204-degree lens, can be submerged to the depth of 65 feet,
shock-resistant against a fall from 6.5 feet, and able to operate
in temperatures as low as -10C. The new model also now
offers video-orientation, a new feature that ensures video is
recorded upright if the camera is mounted sideways or even
upside down. For remote control and image/video transfer, the
WG-M2 is controllable via Wi-Fi with a smartphone or tablet
using the free Ricoh ImageSync app.
Ricoh WG-M2
SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD and SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD
Tamron informed that the new 90mm macro has been

enhanced with advanced features, as the XY-Shift compensation
has been newly added to reinforce VC functionality, further
improving image stabilization from infinity to macro.
Advancements in USD control software have also been done
to increase AF focusing speed. On the other hand, SP 85mm
F/1.8 Di VC USD is being touted by Tamron as the worlds
first fast-aperture lens with VC (Vibration Compensation). The
85mm SP lens uses LD (Low Dispersion) and XLD (Extra Low
Dispersion) glass elements in the optical design to minimise
colour fringing and to achieve sharp and clear image quality
with high-fidelity colour.
In addition, to both lenses, moisture-proof and dustresistant construction has been added to prevent intrusion of
dust or moisture, and Fluorine Coating has been applied to
the top element surface to prevent condensation and repel
smudge-causing substances.
PANASONIC
Panasonic
exhibited
their latest Lumix G Vario
12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH
Power O.I.S. (35 mm
camera equivalent: 24-120
mm) lens at CP+. The new
zoom
interchangeable
Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6
lens, is for the LUMIX G
ASPH Power O.I.S.
line of Micro Four Thirds
System cameras. The lens features a splash/dust-proof
design, and offers a versatile 5x zoom range of 24-120mm
(35mm camera equivalent). The lens incorporates an inner
focus drive system and a stepping motor, and has Dual I.S.
(Image Stabilization) compatibility. It comprises of 11 elements
in 9 groups, and features three aspherical lenses and an ED
(Extra-low Dispersion) lens to suppress spherical distortion or
chromatic aberration. It will be available from May.
Overall this years show was quite enthralling, with a wide
range of new and exciting imaging technology on display. We
hope to get our hands soon on these new products showcased
at the show and review them for our readers, so stay tuned for
our upcoming issues!
TEXT: ABHISHEK DESAI
APRIL 2016
27
SPECIAL FEATURE
A visit to the
Canon Oita Factory
This year, we were invited by Canon to visit their HQ and the Canon mother factory in Oita. We had a
chance to get a look into what goes on inside the biggest production factory of Canon, and get a firsthand look at the EOS assembly line! We also interact with Canons top executives about their latest
products, views on mirrorless cameras and future strategies.
Canon Oita Factory
Canon Oita Factory

While we had visited the factory once before, about
three years ago, the second visit was equally, if not more,
fascinating. The Canon Oita Factory is a sight to behold. We
were welcomed by Ritsuo Mashiko, president of Canon Oita
Factory. The mammoth manufacturing unit is Canons main
digital imaging product plant, and is around 7.6x times the
size of Tokyo Dome. The site consists of two buildings: one for
assembly and packaging, the other for fabrication and lenses.
The factory is extremely clean, organised and an ultra-modern
space. Established in 1982, the factory has around 3010
employees (2260 male and 750 female).
We were given a detailed, guided tour of the factory by Canon
Oita employees and Mashiko-san. The factory manufactures
digital cameras, digital video camcorders, EF lenses and few
other products. The area is designed as a pillar-less unit, so
28
that it is easier to change layout to fit the changing demand.

There are panels on the floor, and clean air is circulated from
ceiling to floor to prevent the presence of any dust particles
in the facility. The factory in 2003 was a cell production, with
no conveyor belt anymore; in 2013 it was a man-machine cell,
and in 2016 it has automated adjustment and inspection, with
several technicians manning the stations.
A sample video of the assembly procedure, with an explanation
from Canon employees puts the process in perspective. The first
few stages of the highly-automated process are the assembly of
the camera, and then the body goes through a giant machine
for calibration and inspection. The machine performs inspection
tests, for example, if the body is securely screwed in.
Explaining the estimate amount of time taken to assemble
a camera today, Canon informed that in 2003, 540 units of a
DSLR would take 42 personnel, in 2014, it was 4x times the
productivity with 600 units requiring 12 personnel, and the
same in 2016 shows 10x productivity, with 600 units requiring
five personnel, they informed. Last year, Canons production
surpassed 80 million EOS and 110 million EF units. Talking
about the objective of the factory, Mashiko-san said, The
objective of the factory is to deliver high performance, high
quality and high reliability to customers worldwide.
It was definitely an educating visit to the factory and to find
out what all goes-in to make the camera that we hold in our
hands every day.
Canon Inc Shimomaruko HQ

We also had a chance to visit the worldwide headquarters of
Canon Inc, and interact with the executives of Canon. We were
given a brief presentation and demonstration about Canons
current market overview, and their latest, newly-launched
products 1DX Mark II, 80D and G7 X Mark II.
Speaking about the worldwide market share by category in
2015, Tatsuo Yoshioka, Senior General Manager, ICP Strategic
Management Planning Center, Image Communication Products
Operations informed that Canon has 44% share in DILC and
24% share in digital compact camera market. The ICPO net
sales ratio by region (consolidate basis) revealed an increase in
Asia from 10% in 2005 to 30% in 2015, 28% in USA, 12% in
Japan and 25% in Europe.
Canon executives with the newest Canon products at the HQ
According to reports, Canons annual net profit fell 13.6%

last year. The company reported a 220.21 billion yen ($1.86
billion) net profit for the year to December, while operating
profit slipped 2.3% to 355.21 billion yen, and sales went up
2.0% to 3.80 trillion yen. The reasons stated for these were
Chinese slowdown and less camera demand in emerging
economies. When asked about what the future held, the
company said that they did not have anything to worry about.
Go Tokura, Group Executive, ICP Group 2, ICPO, said, The
camera market is growing worldwide. Emerging markets
still have a lot of potential; India itself shows huge potential.
Advanced economies are recovering too. The company added
that the yen is strong, and the organisation is very stable, and
the revenue profit will gradually increase this year.
While Canon has been focussing on their new 1-inch type
sensor compact cameras, including their latest G7 X Mark
II, 4K still seems to be missing. Yoshiyuki Mizoguchi, Group
Executive, ICP Group 3, ICPO, said, Yes, we are definitely
seeing that there is a demand. We are observing the needs of
our users and accordingly will add the features.
Canon recently launched two new mirrorless camera M3
and M10. While the M3 is seeing a demand, it still might not be
what Canon enthusiasts who were eager for a new mirrorless
from Canon were expecting, as it still lacks a viewfinder and
4K capabilities. We were very eager to know from Canon
its strategy when it came to mirrorless cameras. Yoshiyuki
Mizoguchi said, Canon would like to meet the needs of the
interchangeable lens camera users as a whole, as we see ILC
as one total line-up. Users are looking for better performance
in terms of autofocus, battery duration and optical viewfinders,
these are the weaknesses and technical challenges that
mirrorless cameras have to overcome. We see that there is a
demand and are very aware of it. Canon would like to overcome
the technical difficulties of mirrorless cameras autofocus and
tracking performance, improve the quality, and then would like
to include that in mirrorless cameras.
When asked about the market share, Canon was tightlipped and said that the 44% market share which was cited as
DILC market share also include mirrorless camera shares as
well. However, Canon said that it was ranked number three in
the mirrorless segment of the Japanese market, and Canon is
aiming to be number two this year.
When questioned about the onslaught of smartphones
on digital cameras, Canon said that it is focussing on
improving compact camera quality so users can take
pictures that they are not able to take from smartphones.
More specifically they are focussed on higher zoom
capabilities incorporated in compact cameras and also
incorporating 1-inch sensor, which is not possible with
smartphones. When asked if a smartphone was in the
works, or offering digital cameras with smartphone camera
features, they said that it was related to future business
strategy and they could not answer that question.
Overall, we had an exciting visit, and it was great to
learn so much about the history of the company, peek
behind-the-scenes of a DSLR being made, and meet the
makers as well!
APRIL 2016
29
PRO-PROFILE
30
Wanderlust
From shooting his rst image in Canary Isles as a 10-year old to working at
a local camera store, shooting weddings, and then later becoming a worldrenowned travel photographer, he has come a long way. Building his career
on his twin passions for travel and photography,over the past 34 years he has
travelled the world, amassing a substantial and compelling collection of images
of people and places in more than 90 countries on all seven continents.His
images have been published worldwide in books, magazines, newspapers,
and he has published eleven books including Lonely Planet Guide to
Travel Photography. This month, we speak to Sydney-based photographer
Richard IAnson, about the A-Z of travel photography. He shares with us his
experiences of shooting around the world, from an overwhelming experience
chasing the Northern Lights to the capturing Antarctica in extreme weather
conditions.
Richard IAnson
APRIL 2016
31
How did photography happen to

you? When did you decide to take it
up professionally?
I received my first camera as a
birthday present from my parents
when I was 16. I shot a roll of colour
negatives over the weekend and was
hooked. From the moment I saw the
prints a few days later I knew I wanted
to be a photographer. Within 3 months
I had a darkroom set up in my bedroom
and I was reading every photography
magazine I could get my hands on. As
soon as I started developing and printing
black and white film, I went berserk with
the camera, often shooting 60 frames
32
and then processing and printing till late

at night. At age 21 I started shooting
weddings of my friends, and then I
set up a wedding and portrait studio.
It was a five year plan to allow me to
start travelling and build a collection of
images. During that time I did a seven
month overseas trip and lots of travelling
in Australia. Then I closed down the
studio and travelled for two years in Asia.
By the time I returned to Australia, I had
a comprehensive collection of images to
show picture editors.
Do you remember your first
experience of shooting? Could you
share it with us?
The first photograph I ever took was

a travel photo. I was in the Canary Isles,
Id ridden from the port to the town in a
horse drawn cart, and when the driver
had been paid I took a shot of him and
his cart and my family I was 10 and
on my first big overseas trip sailing
from England to Australia. I still clearly
remember taking the photograph and
the click of the shutter. I only took five
photos on my parents camera for the
entire trip but each one remains special.
Did you have any mentors or
someone who inspired you during
your early days of photography?
No, Im very much self-taught.
However, I had a part time job at the

local camera store and the owners
had been in the business for years.
They started the first oneday mini lab
in Melbourne and we processed a lot
of film for professional photographers.
The business then became an
accredited Kodak Professional Reseller.
Consequently, I was involved very early
with the wider photographic industry
and people. Talking to photographers,
customers and equipment wholesalers
and developing and printing other
peoples photos provided a great source
of information, inspiration and lots of
different perspectives on both image
capture and photography as a business.

Ive been inspired by the work of
many photographers Galen Rowell,
Steve McCurry, Sebastio Salgado,
Raghu Rai and my friends Michael
Coyne and Art Wolfe to name just a few.
They all consistently produce work of
the highest standard that motivates and
challenges me to keep working at and
improving what I do.
Being a travel photographer, what
would you say your aesthetic or
style of photography is?
Because I shoot so many different
subjects its difficult to define a specific
style. My aim is to match the subject
with the best light, and then to compose

the elements to produce vibrant images
that capture the reality of the moment.
I aim to take strong individual images,
but am always conscious of how the
pictures can build on each other to
create a comprehensive coverage of
a subject, event or destination, so that
viewers get a sense of what it might
be like to experience it for themselves.
Ideally, Im aiming to add something new
to how people perceive a place and the
people who live there.
What sparked your interest in this
genre of photography, over other
genres?
APRIL 2016
33
I soon realised that not only was

there a wonderful connection between
travel and photography, but that I
loved to travel just as much as I loved
photography. I really enjoy the process
of discovering and photographing
new places, but equally thrive on
the challenge of delving deeper and
deeper into destinations and subjects
that Ive photographed before. Travel
to me means intensive photography. It
allows me to focus 100% on the most
important part of my work, the capturing
of images. All the other things that are
part of making a living as a photographer
are left back in the office and I can do
what I do best without distraction. And
its pretty hard to beat a job where you
get to see the world in its best light (quite
literally most of the time).
How did Lonely Planet happen?
34
After two overseas trips totalling

nearly three years and lots of travelling
in Australia I had built a comprehensive
collection of images covering most of
Asia and Australia. At that point I went
knocking on doors. The timing with
Lonely Planet was just right as they had
recently made a decision to start using
images from sources other than their
authors and I had the kind of images
they were after.
What equipment did you learn on?
The camera I received as a present
when I was sixteen was a Yashica 35mm
rangefinder. A year later I bought an
Olympus OM-1 SLR with a 50mm lens.
How important is equipment in
travel
photography?
Currently,
what are your weapons of choice?
(camera, lens, lighting, supplementary equipment etc.)
Choice of equipment is important.

Its the first building block in a series
of creative decisions that leads
to capturing images that reflect a
personal photographic vision. A good
photographer can take good pictures
of any subject on any camera with any
lens.However, matching your gear to
the kinds of shots you want to take
and the kind of travel you prefer makes
photography more enjoyable and more
productive. I am out and about for many
hours at a time, sightseeing, walking,
climbing steps, getting in and out of
vehicles, all the time watching and
sometimes waiting for that great shot,
so I like to keep my gear to a minimum.
My gear is as follows:
Two Canon EOS 1Dx MkII DSLR
camera bodies
Canon EF 16-35mm f4 L II USM
zoom lens
Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8 L II USM
zoom lens
Canon EF 70-200 f2.8 L II USM
image stabiliser zoom lens
Canon EF 200-400 f4 zoom with built
36
in 1.4x converter
Gitzo G1228 carbon-fibre tripod with
Induro ball head.
I take the same gear on all my trips
except for the 200-400mm zoom, which
I use mainly for wildlife photography. My
choice of equipment is aimed at giving
me the flexibility I need to capture the
wide range of subjects I cover while
being easily manageable and accessible
so that I can shoot quickly and efficiently.
I rarely leave the hotel without both
DSLRs - one with the 24-70mm zoom
and the other with the 70-200mm zoom.
However, the majority of my pictures are
taken on the 24-70.
A good tripod is an extremely
important piece of equipment for the
serious travel photographer. All my
landscapes and cityscapes are shot with
a tripod allowing me to achieve images
with minimum noise, maximise depth of
field and to use slow shutter speeds for
creative effect.
What are some of the key things
one must keep in mind when doing
travel photography?
I observe all potential subjects

with an eye to giving an insight into
the diversity of the destination and the
people who live there. The first thing I
always check is the dates of important
festivals, public holidays and market
days. Ill then check the expected
weather conditions. I will create a shot
list of all the places and subjects that Id
like to photograph and this allows me to
come up with a rough itinerary which in
turn informs me as to how long I need,
and on what days of the week I should
be at a particular destination. This
pre-trip research means I have enough
time to cover all the important sights,
places and events, but also allows time
to explore and discover lesser known
subjects and to experience the daily life
of the people.
What role does post-processing
play in travel photography?
I shoot raw files so every image has
to be processed (I use Adobe Lightroom)
to create a finished and useable file. My
aim is to produce images that faithfully
portray the subject or scene as I saw it.
I do preliminary processing of the raw

files as Im travelling, mainly so I can see
how Im going and to enjoy the images.
The real work happens on my much
more powerful computer and large Eizo
monitor at home.
What are the main challenges in
this genre of photography? What
are the rewards?
One of the biggest challenges is
that of time, there is never enough of
it and its annoying only being able to
be in one place at a time! Im travelling
with a purpose, just as anyone does
on business, and I have very clear
goals and high expectations of what I
want to achieve. These have to be met
in whatever time has been allocated,
regardless of all extenuating factors
such as unfavourable weather, transport
issues, misleading information etc.
As for the rewards, I am truly
privileged to have seen so much of
the world and to have experienced the
incredible diversity of environments,
landscapes, cultures and celebrations.
The mix of travel experience and
photographic endeavour that culminates
in new images in such different settings,

cultures, time zones and climates is
exciting to say the least and sums up
best why Im as driven as ever in my
constant quest for the next photograph.
Although Im shooting photographs

commercially, I love that every picture
has a personal story: about the subject
or the journey or how the photograph
was taken. Often its all three and I get
APRIL 2016
37
to relive my experiences time and time

again as I work with the images.
What according to you are the extra
skills that this genre of photography
calls for, that an aspiring travel
photographer must work at?
Apart
from
being
a
great
photographer it certainly helps if youre
organised and disciplined to create and
then execute shots lists, flexible so as
to be able respond to new things that
werent on the original plan, stamina to
keep walking, deal with the long days
and patience to wait for everything to
come together. You also have to be
comfortable with your own company,
confident to step into unfamiliar settings
and open minded and respectful of what
you see.
What have been some of your most
memorable shoots and why? Give
us some stories, wed like hearing
them. Which has been the most
challenging shoot so far? Why?
Chasing the northern lights. It is
right up there with my best ever travel
and photography experiences. But
38
that was only after it threatened to be

one of the worst. I allowed four days in
Tromso, Norway and pre-booked with a
local company to be taken out for three
nights with a spare night just in case.
They pick you up at 5.30 pm and you
go looking, after which they drop you
back 10-12 hours later. The first two

nights were cloudy, cold and drizzly, we
saw nothing. On the third night things
werent looking too good either, but just
as deep despair was about to set in
the guides got very excited and started
yelling Auroras here, there she is. Sure
enough a faint green glow appeared in a

small break in the clouds. After two, long
cold nights totally 26 hours of nothing,
it was certainly better than nothing.
However, I thought the guides were just
doing their best to keep me interested.
But then the clouds started to clear,
the sky lit up with green bands of light,
a rare red corona formed overhead,
multi-coloured rays appeared over
the mountain range, the water turned
green; it was simply breathtaking. Its
hard to describe the excitement (and
relief), but it truly was a hair standing up
on the back of your neck; tears in the
eyes moment, and minus 20 didnt feel
so cold anymore.
One of the most challenging
shoots Ive done was an assignment in
Antarctica. The main challenge being
the total lack of sleep due to the long
days as the sun was setting around
midnight and rising around 2.30 (and not
getting dark in between), consequently I
just didnt go to bed for 4 days straight.
But the real challenge came because
napping during the day was also out of
the question as there was so much to

photograph from the ship and during
the two shore landings each day, that
I couldnt imagine missing any of it by
falling asleep.
Are
there
any
places/cities/
countries on your dream-list to
travel to?
Im in the very fortunate position
to decide where and what I want to
photograph. I always have a list of places
and subjects I want to get to next, and
as I photograph one I add another to the
list. Ive travelled pretty extensively over
a lot of years, but the list of places to go
and subjects to photograph is still longer
that the list of places Ive already seen.
At the top of my list at the moment are:
Iran, Alaska, Ethiopia, Greenland and
Rwanda.
What are you currently exploring,
any upcoming projects?
Ive just put the finishing touches to
the fifth edition of Lonely Planets Guide
to Travel Photography and continue
to work on various longer term book
projects including one on the Himalaya.
What would you like to advice to

youngsters who are interested in
entering the field of photography?
Travel photography is arguably the
most competitive of photographic genres
thanks to the fact that the subject matter
is the preferred subject matter of nearly
everyone with a camera, especially
when they are on holiday. Aspiring
photographers need to understand that
travelling to take photographs with the
aim of making a living is very different
from taking photos while travelling.
Professional travel photography is about
commitment to the image. Nothing gets
higher priority than being in the right
place, at the right time, all of the time
which will give you the best chance of
building a large collection of images with
broad geographic and subject coverage.
You also have to be prepared and able to
invest time and money in travel to build
a substantial collection of high quality
images to license as stock and to prove
to potential clients that you can do the
job.
APRIL 2016
39
SHOOT MY CITY
40
MEMOIRS
OF NIPPON
ast month I had a chance to visit

Japan. While I have been to quite
a few countries in the East, from
Vietnam to South Korea, Japan has
always been a dream destination. When
I got an opportunity to visit the country, I
was ecstatic to say the least.
My journey started off in the southern
city of Fukuoka. Located in the Fukuoka
Prefecture, Fukuoka is its capital city,

and is situated on the northern shore of
the island of Kyushu in Japan. Kyushu is
the third largest island of Japan and most
southwesterly of its four main islands.
Fukuoka is the most populous city on the
island, and is Japans sixth largest city,
having passed the population of Kyoto.
I was staying in the Hakata Ward
of Fukuoka. Fukuoka has a humid

subtropical climate and it has hot humid
summers and relatively mild winters.
When I arrived in the middle of February,
the weather was quite pleasant during
the day (around 8-10 degree celsius in
the day), but it was relatively quite cold
at night (below 5 degree celsius at night).
APRIL 2016
41
SHOOT MY CITY
Fukuoka has many attractions,
including the Fukuoka Castle located
adjacent to Ohori Park, featuring the
remaining stone walls and ramparts
left after a devastating fire during the
upheaval of the Meiji Restoration. In the
1950s and 1960s there was a trend in
Japan to rebuild damaged castles, and
this was also preserved along with some
reconstructed prefabricate concrete
towers. hori Park is also the location of
one of Fukuoka Citys major art galleries.
There is a newly opened Kyushu
National Museum in nearby Dazaifu. I
had a chance to visit the Fukuoka Asian
Art Museum which was quite close to
my hotel, and the artwork on display was
quite an eyeful.
For tourists from other parts of Japan,
local foods such as Mentaiko, Hakata
Ramen and Motsunabe are associated
with Fukuoka. I had a chance to try the
local Hakata Ramen at nearby ramen
restaurant. The dish has a delicious
broth, and I gorged on the succulent
noodles and the tender meat.
The next day, I was off on a day-trip
to the nearby Dazaifu Tenman-g shrine.
A Shinto shrine in Dazaifu, Dazaifu
42
Tenman-g is located just on the outskirts

of city of Fukuoka at a 30-minute drive.
We were fortunate to have a great guide,
Miyuki-san, with us on the trip, and she
informed us that the shrine is built over
the grave of Sugawara no Michizane and
is one of the main shrines dedicated to
Tenjin, the deified form of Michizane.
According to legend, Michizane was
a gifted student who composed many
poems dedicated to his favourite plum
trees. Michizane was popular with the
gods, raising the ire of the Fujiwara clan,
who exiled him to Kyushu. Michizane
spent his exile studying, and died at the
age of 57.
When Michizane died, his body was
carried by an ox that stopped near a
Buddhist monastery. Unable to move
the body along, Michizane was buried
there by his follower, Umasake no
Yasuyuki, and the shrine was built there.
Today, a statue of an ox stands nearby
to commemorate the event. One tree,
known as Tobiume, stands directly to
the right of the honden (main shrine).
Legend has it that after Michizane left
Kyoto in exile, he yearned so much for
this tree that it uprooted itself and flew to
Dazaifu Tenman-g, and that it is always

the first plum tree to bloom in Japan.
I was lucky enough to be there as it
was just the beginning of the blooming
after winter, and I could see my first ever
plum tree, and it was quite a beautiful
sight. The shrine is also known for its
6,000 ume (Asian plum) trees belonging
to 197 varieties. The grounds also
contain two ponds, a bridge and a
treasure house. One pond is a traditional
garden style, shinji ike, named for being
shaped to resemble the kanji character
for heart.. The guide informed us
that as Tenjins reputation became
associated with literature and education,
today every year before the beginning
of school year, many students visit the
shrine to take blessings. We did see
some groups of students at the shrine
as well!
After my time in Fukuoka, I was
headed to Tokyo, but I had a one night
stopover in a city known as Beppu,
in the ita Prefecture, on the island of
Kyushu. Located between the sea and
the mountains, Beppu is a quaint and
quiet city with a population of about
120,000. However, it is popular with
many travellers because of its hot

springs, also known as onsen. Being
a volcanically active country, Japan has
about 27,644 hot spring vents scattered
across the country, however, as per our
guide, Beppu has the most number
of them, amounting close to 3000 hot
spring vents in the city. The volume
of water discharged is the largest in
Japan, and second in the world, with the
Yellowstone National Park in the United
States being the first.
It was a one hour-ride to get there,
and I was booked into whatwas a
Japanese-style hotel, also known
as a Ryokan. The hotel provided a
Yukata, a casual Japanese kimono,
which all guests typically wear in the
hotel premises. While there are many
attractions in Beppu, I was only staying
overnight, so I decided to make the

most of the onsen. I was fortunate that
the hotel had an onsen as a part of its
premises. While I was very excited to
try the onsen, what I did not know was
that to enter the onsen, one had to be
bare naked. When I questioned the
guide, she said that, while the Japanese
are otherwise extremely shy people,
when it comes to onsens, they shed all
inhibitions and are very comfortable, as
they believe in the virtues of hadaka
no tsukiai or naked communion, for
breaking down barriers and getting
to know people in the relaxed homely
atmosphere of a ryokan with an attached

onsen. Onsens are very popular with the
Japanese families, colleagues, couples,
who like to get away from the hectic life
of the city to relax.
I shed all inhibitions, not to mention
my clothes, and decided to try it out,
and I was more than glad I did. As the
temperature at night was quite low (about
2 degree celsius), it was great to be in
the warm hot spring waters. The most
significant characteristic of Beppus hot
springs is said to be the richness of its
resources, and I can vouch for that! The
water relaxed my body and it truly was a
refreshing and de-stressing experience.
In fact, I even woke-up really early the
next day for round-two!
That night, I had a chance to do
a sit-down authentic multi-course
Japanese-style dinner, and it was
scrumptious to say the least! As I am
comfortable with eating varied meats, I
was happy to try the different Japanese
dishes. I had a chance to sip on some
sake, Japanese rice wine, and Shch,
a distilled beverage made from different
ingredients, like sweet potato, brown
sugar etc, as well.
The next morning I was off to Tokyo,
the capital city, and also the largest
city, of Japan. The city is one of the
most highly-populated metropolitan
cities in the world, and mesmerising is
an understatement. While it was clearly
impossible for me to explore the whole
city in a short span of a couple of days,
APRIL 2016
43
I decided to do my best. As I arrived by

night time, it was glorious to see the city
with its flashing lights.
I was dining at the famous Gonpachi
44
restaurant in Roppongi area the next

evening. The restaurant is special
because it was the inspiration behind the
set of the famous Crazy 88 bloodbath
scene from Quentin Tarantinos Kill Bill:

Volume 1. It has seen an impressive
clientele in the past, from George Bush
to Lady Gaga, and I was ecstatic to be
there, mainly because I am a big fan of
the movie!
Post-dinner, I headed to Shibuya,
one of the 23 wards of Tokyo. Shibuya
is famous for its scramble crossing, the
busiest street crossing in the world,
located outside Shibuya Station. The
crossing has been featured in many
Hollywood movies and TV shows,
including Lost In Translation, The Fast
and the Furious: Tokyo Drift etc. The
chaotic, yet organised, crossing is to be
seen in person to be believed.
The next day my tour started off in
Akihabara, the anime capital of the world.
It is the most popular hopping quarter
for electronics, video games, manga and
anime in Sotokanda, Chiyoda in Tokyo.
Akihabara is also the center of otaku
culture, a Japanese term describing
obsessive interests, commonly the
anime and manga fandom. Manga and
anime characters from popular series
are displayed on the shops and the

large building facades, throughout the
streets, and many maid cafs are found
throughout the district. As I walked
through the streets, I entered many
eccentric stores, selling everything from
cosplay gear and wigs, to videogames
and manga novels. There are many toy
vending machines as well that dispense
quirky toys, keychains, etc. The street is
one of the most colourful in the city.
Japan is known for its peculiar cafes,
from maid cafes to owl cafes, but being
a feline enthusiast, on my list next was
a cat caf. As soon as I spotted one, I
beelined to the door, and the next one

hour was pure furry joy. The theme
caf, whose attraction is cats, charges
a minimum fee, and you spend the time
just hanging around the caf, petting,
watching and playing with cats. This
caf had 16 highly-groomed cats, and
it had various rules, from hygiene, to
not picking the cat off the ground etc.
Nevertheless, I had a great time with
these furballs.
After the cat caf, I headed to the
634.0 metres (2,080 ft) high Tokyo
Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan, the
tallest tower in the world and the second
tallest structure in the world. By the time
I was at the top, the sun had already set,
and I got a magnificent view of the whole
city from the 360o observation deck. It
was spellbinding to observe the city from
an elevation, all-lit up, and you could
really see how big it was.
This was my last evening in Japan,
and I realised I still had not had any
Sushi in my whole time here! I headed to
a sushi-go-round restaurant, a conveyor
belt restaurant. This is a type of a sushi
restaurant where the plates with the sushi
are placed on a rotating conveyor belt
and moves past every table and counter
seat in the restaurant. Customers can
choose to place special orders from a
menu, but most customers simply pick
a plate from the oncoming fresh sushi
moving along the belt. The restaurant
then simply scans the plates, which are

differently coloured according to cost of
different types of sushi. Needless to say,
I consumed quite a few plates, as it was
going to be my last meal in Japan, and it
was definitely a memorable one!
In my few days in the country, I did
as much as I could, but it was barely a
fraction of what this country has to offer.
While I was heading back home smiling
at the memories I made to last a lifetime,
I cannot wait to fly back and make some
more.
TEXT AND IMAGES: ABHISHEK DESAI
APRIL 2016
45
TIPS & TECHS
46
R
E
N
N
I
G
E
B
A
O
T
E
D
I
U
G
Y
H
P
A
R
G
O
T
O
H
P
R
HD
I
f you want to take advantage of the

latest technology and add some wow
factor to your vacation photographs
then HDR photography is a good place
to start. In this article we are focusing on
giving you tips on how to take great HDR
photographs and process them with the
help of HDR processing software.
What is HDR?
HDR stands for high dynamic range.
As per the name, this technique aims
to add more dynamic range to your
photographs. The dynamic range is the
ratio of light to dark in the photographs.
So in this technique rather than clicking
only one photograph, you need to click
at least three photographs at different
exposures of a same frame. You can
then use the image editing software to
stack these images together to get the
final HDR image.
Where to use HDR?
Many times while shooting some
scenes you face the problems as there
is too much contrast in the scene and to
capture those scenes correctly exposed
is a very difficult task. So in such

situation HDR will be very helpful. Here
are some of the situations where you can
use HDR:
Landscapes
Huge wide landscape photos usually
have a lot of contrast between the sky
and land, which is very difficult for your
camera to capture with just one photo.
But with HDR you can capture sky
details without making land look too
dark and vice versa.
Portraits in harsh light
Lighting is one of the important
aspects to click a good photograph. But
too much light on someones face (Harsh
light) can cause dark shadows and bright
glare. Using the HDR technique one can
even the all out and make your subject
looks better.
Low-light or Backlit scenes`
If you are getting very dark photoswhich often happens when you are
shooting backlit scenes. In such
situation HDR technique can brighten up
APRIL 2016
47
the foreground without overexposing the

well lit portion of your photograph.
Where not to use HDR?
As you can learn now when to use
HDR technique, but there are some
drawbacks too in using this technique.
Sometime HDR actually makes your
photos look worse.
Here are some situations where you
should avoid using HDR technique:
With the moving subject:
If any of your subjects are moving then
using the HDR technique increases the
chances of getting blurry photographs.
Because HDR takes multiple photos with
different exposures. So if your subject is
moving in one of the frame then the final
image wont look good.
Shooting Techniques:
Follow these steps to capture a
perfect HDR photograph.
Discover the Auto exposure mode
in your camera. Auto exposure mode
is the main components while shooting
HDR. If your camera doesnt have this
feature then you have to set exposure
manually for every photograph you take.
For HDR you have to take photographs
on at least EV -2, 0, +2. You can take
more than three photograph as per your
wish but at least three photos are must.
Set your camera on AV mode and
determine the aperture. AV mode will be
easier and most convenient setting to
start with. This setting will let you select
the aperture you want for the exposure
and let camera decides to take the shutter
speed. While shooting HDR you have to

consider what needs to stay the same
during the brackets. So after selecting
the AV mode you have to decide what
aperture you want to shoot in. Again
aperture values depends on what scene
are you shooting. For landscapes you
want to get focus the entire scene with
no blur in the background, so when
selecting aperture remember that higher
the aperture greater the depth of field.
After selecting the exposure there
is one more major component is to set
your white balance. White balance is
very important to your photos colour
balance. Auto white balance will work
most of the time. But you need to know
the different white balance settings
too. If your camera couldnt capture
the colours in the scene like you see
them. Its time to change your white
balance settings.
Select your ISO. ISO is simply your
cameras sensitivity towards light. The
higher the ISO, the more sensitive it
PHOTO: KARTIK AVATANI
High contrast situations:

Some photographs looks good if
there is high contrast in it. Situations like
if you want to highlight a dark shadow
or a silhouette in your photograph, then
using the HDR technique will make the

photograph look less interesting.
Shooting HDR photos have two
major components. One is shooting and
another is post processing.
48
PHOTO: DIEGO DELSO
TEXT AND IMAGES: X
APRIL 2016
49
50
becomes. But the downside of the ISO is

the more the ISO, the lower the quality of
the photograph. High ISO produces lots
of noise. So you need to set your ISO as
low as possible. 100 ISO will be ideal for
HDR photographs.
With the higher aperture and low
ISO settings shutter speed going to
become slower. And shooting handheld
in such situation can cause some shake
in your photographs. So to get the
sharp shot in such situation, using the
tripod is must. The type of tripod you
need is simply depends on you and
your shooting style. If you dont do so
much travelling and drive to the location
directly and setup then you may invest in
a strong, heavy tripod legs. If you love to
travel, hike then you will need something
light weight, compact tripod.
Another way to get rid from the
camera shake is to use a self timer. This
gets rid of the possible shake from holding
down the shutter with your finger.
Now that you have learned all the
techniques and ready to shoot, one
major thing can make a big difference
is to get use of the manual focus. Auto
focus is an amazing technology but it
isnt so great while shooting landscapes.
If you really want to get everything in

focus then you have to switch to manual
focus. AF mostly pick certain spots of
the frame usually centre and make sure
it is as sharp as possible. With manual
focus you can set your focus point to
infinity to get the entire frame in focus.
Take the shot.
Post processing
Now that you have taken series of
images in different exposure, you need
to stack them together and edit it in the
HDR image processing software. Given
below are the few techniques with the
use of Photomatix pro software that
will help you get closer to your desired
result.
Open the Photomatix pro software.
Click on the load bracketed photos and
then click on the browse and select the
series of photos you took for the HDR
and click Ok. If you dont have bracketed
images, you can still process like HDR
using Load single image option. But this
will not give you that much impact which
you will get through bracketed images.
If you have any moving elements
such as cars or people in your frame.
Photomatix allows you to isolate and
correct the ghosting. But we cant

give you assurance that it can isolate
the ghosting 100%. So to reduce the
ghostings check the show option to
remove ghosting. If you want to reduce
noise or chromatic aberration then
check these two options too. You can
change your white balance settings
too if you shot photos in RAW format.
Then after doing all click align and show
Deghosting.
There are two option for removing
the ghosting. One is selective deghosting
and other is automatic deghosting. Auto
deghosting works well most of the time.
After deghosting is done press Ok.
There are inbuilt presets in this
software but ideally we would not
suggest you to use them. Choose the
default presets and process the HDR the
way you want to. After you are happy
with the result click Apply button and
save the final image.
Conclusion
While these are not an in-depth list of
HDR tips, it is a good start to get you on
the right track to capture your first high
dynamic range photos.
TEXT AND IMAGES: PRATIK CHORGE
APRIL 2016
51
TIPS & TECHS
IS TRAVEL PHOTOGRA
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St. Augustine
here is absolutely nothing wrong

in going on a holiday or a vacation
but it is completely different to
travelling. To travel is to exploring,
meeting different people, interacting with
locals, understanding the culture and a lot
52
more. Travel photography encompasses

this. It can also include photographing
destination hotels and resorts, tourist
attractions, scenery, outdoor adventures,
local events, cultures and customs.
Images are mostly used for, travel guides,
coffee table books, tourism, advertising

and print sales. Travel photography is a
mixture of different genres of photography
such as, landscape, wildlife, architecture,
food, fashion and reportage. This article
aims to identify the key essentials to
PHY RIGHT FOR YOU
help you understand more about travel

photography.
Choose the right place to stay
Each place has its own ambience and a
look. If you want your photographs to be
interesting, then its a must to understand

these pointers and capture the flavour
of the place in your photographs. While
choosing a place to stay, look for a room
or a dormitory in the heart of the city,
it will help you to cover the overall city
as everything will be equally close or

far. Dont try and cover everything in a
day, plan your trip and use your talent
to capture it better. As you will be taking
a lot of pictures, dont forget to carry a
hard drive and extra memory cards.
APRIL 2016
53
Talk to locals
Telling a story is the ultimate way to
take great travel photos. Shooting with
a point of view helps you understand
and learn more about the city as well as
the culture. There is nothing better than
starting a conversation with the local
people who have been staying in the city
for years. Gain some knowledge, walk
and explore every single corner of the
city and dont just shoot the obvious.
54
Research
When you choose a place to photograph
and travel, first ask a question to yourself
that why did you choose this place out
of so many out there. It can be because
of anything like culture, people, hills,
mountains and food. To photograph or
to show that what you think of this place
in an image will all depend on how deep
you research. Select the right subject,
right place, right timing, right day and
the result will be mesmerising.

Be Flexible
The most important thing while travelling
is to be flexible. When you arrive at your
destination, be open, get up early, say
hello to locals in their language, talk
to different people, try the local food,
hear local music, this will help you gain
more information to tell your viewers
something fresh and new.
Get Inspired
You start thinking more when you
start seeing more, there are many
photographers who travel. Look for
such photographers, go through
their photography portfolio. Look for
books, go to art galleries, and attend
photography workshops. All this will
help you get new ideas and motivate you
to travel and shoot more.
APRIL 2016
55
Be Patient
The deeper you travel, the more varied
the people you will encounter. It can
be interesting to see different cultures,
but can also be dangerous. Be patient,
observe, with the hope that your images
will make a positive impact. Sometimes
leave your camera behind to understand
the situation. Dont be in a hurry to cover
everything. Staying calm will get you the
best results.
Offer your services

The travel photography business is
not easy, whether youre selling your
services or offering a trade. The pressure
of creating new and fresh images
combined with a challenge of worldwide
travel requires full dedication towards
the art. When you think that you have
a good collection of images around a
particular people or place, consider
hanging it in a gallery or selling prints
or photo books online. Share you work

online for exposure, no matter where you
live, observe and try to see the beauty of
the place you live in.
A good travel photographer will keep
his portfolio alive, shoot more, edit more
and display more. Show your point of
view, write about your experiences.
Dont shoot people from a far distance,
go close to your subject, talk to them
and then photograph them.
TEXT AND IMAGES: KARTIK AVATANI
56
TIPS & TECHS
ASTROPHOTOG
58
PHOTO: PRATIK CHORGE
Equipment
Astrophotography in its simplest form is increasing in accessibility,
especially with todays affordable large sensor, high signal-tonoise ratio digital cameras. It is a common misconception that
you need an expensive camera body and lens to make a great
Astrophotograph but the fact is that it can be achieved with
any DSLR or interchangeable lens camera body, you dont need
to start out with a professional model that costs a lot more
than an entry level camera body. As one will be shooting in low
light condition, a fast lens will be one of the requirement. This
means you will have to look for lenses that have a large aperture
which will help you let in more amount of light. One can also
photograph the milky way or the star trails by using a kit lens
GRAPHY
hen we photograph during the daytime, there is

enough light from the Sun to illuminate our subjects.
But, what about the night? and the obvious answer
will be use a flash or shoot with slow shutter speed with the
aperture wide open and highest ISO to correctly expose your
subject. And not just once, but, several times you must have
noticed that big dark sky above us at night which seems to
offer a little that we see or can photograph. Astrophotography
is the name given to the process of taking photographs
of anything not on the Earth, but out there in the space in
difficult terms astrophotography relates to photographing of
astronomical objects and large area of the night sky. It is without
a doubt the most technically challenging and demanding kind
of photography out there. Astrophotography doesnt require all
that much equipment and its likely that you already have most
of the items. This article is for the photographers who has not
yet explored the world of night sky photography.
The first photograph of an astronomical object (the moon)
was taken in the year 1840. But now technology has advanced
to the point where night sky photography is not only possible
but affordable as well, for many people out there who wish to
photograph the objects such as moon, sun. Astrophotography
also has the ability to capture objects invisible to the human
eye such as dim stars, nebulae, and galaxies. The following are
the things that one needs to be ready with before he/she starts
shooting.
APRIL 2016
59
the milky way also because of the light

pollution which also reduces contrast.
Unless, one is lucky enough to live
in a remote location with super dark
skies. Search for locations nearby your
place which is free from light pollution
and is dark. If you can find a location

which allows you to see milky way,
then you have found a great location.
You will probably need to make a trek
out somewhere in order to photograph
astronomical objects.
Choosing the right location

For the location, the very first thing one
should look for is that it should be dark!
City lights make it difficult to shoot at
night because they wash out the sky.
Many people are unable to see stars or
(18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 or similar) as well.

As it is said quality comes with price, so
as you start spending or investing more
you start getting more such as, a sensor
with better low light performance, a wide
angle lens with a big opening or a larger
aperture. For the moon or planets you
will want a lot more zoom that means
a higher focal length. A minimum of
300mm is recommended for lunar or
planetary photography. Also make sure
that you carry a tripod which is stable,
but at the same time light enough to
carry. You may prefer carrying a few more
things which will make things easy for
you, such as- a flashlight or headlamp, an
intervalometer, a smartphone app to look
for astronomical objects and dark skies.
60
achieve once you understand the timing

and the area it will be showing up in. For
photographing a milky way, you will need
a wide angle lens, as wide as possible
and shoot with the widest aperture. An
exposure of 20-30 seconds will yield you
the best results, depending on how wide
is your lens to cover that beautiful sky.
Shooting at the right time from the right angle

As you start setting up your camera,
you also need to decide what your
requirement is, are you going to
photograph milky way or startrails or
moon or can be any other astronomical
object. Use an smartphone app to
locate the following. Milky way is easy to
Keeping the settings right

The earth rotates on its axis at about
1/2-degree per minute so the stars will
appear to rotate that same amount
overhead. If you have been shooting in
automatic modes until now, it will take
time to figure out the exposure controls
like shutter speed, ISO and aperture.
After you understand about the manual
mode, you may start shooting by
following the tips mentioned below:
- Shoot Raw, this will allow for greater
flexibility in post processing
- Zoom out to the widest angle of view
- Experiment with the angles and
exposure depending upon your requirement
- Manual Focus, likely to be at infinity
as focussing will be toughest part at night
- Choose the right white balance,
again depending on your requirement.
I hope this will help you understand
the possibilities of astrophotography
and develops your interest for the same.
So, dont think that now its dark and I
cant shoot, go experiment! And thats
how you will learn and master the art
someday.
TEXT: KARTIK AVATANI
APRIL 2016
61
TIPS & TECHS
SHOOTING
MONUMENTS AND
OLD BUILDINGS
T
his month we are going to focus more on the Travel

Photography as its the month of April and people plan
to go for the holidays. And travel to any destination
is incomplete without visiting the historical monuments
around the place. As a tourist everyone wants to take the
photographs of themselves with the monuments. People
want to capture every square inch of the monuments as a
memory. But photographing monuments can be sometimes
very challenging. So in this article we are giving some tips for
how to shoot monuments.
62
Choosing the right gear

It is good if you have a good DSLR camera for shooting
the monuments. If you are planning to buy the new camera
then choose the one which performs good in low-light too.
Because many monuments have a lot of shadow areas and
to capture that will be a challenging task. And cameras with
good low-light performance will be helpful in such cases. Also
you need a wide angle lens to capture the whole monument in
single frame. As well as you need a standard telephoto lens if
you want to capture the detailed wood carving and stone work
PHOTO: SANKET KHUNTALE
is also very good for your photographs as it gives nice dramatic

look with good amount of details in your photographs. If you
are shooting on a bright sunny day, you will get very harsh
shadows and blown out areas which can ruin the details of
the lovely monument. Also in the early morning there will be
very less crowd so you can shoot peacefully and you wont get
distracted by the people coming into your frame.
of the monuments. A flash can be useful to fill in the dark areas.

If the building has a glass window or lot of reflective surfaces
then a polarising filter will be useful to cut the reflection. But in
many historical places things like flash, tripod are banned so
you have to check whether it is allowed to carry or not.
Choosing the right time to visit
The best time to shoot the monuments will be during the golden
hours, which is before the sunrise and after the sunsets. The
ideal time to go and shoot will be from (6:30am to 9am and
4:30pm to 6:30pm) to get the best light possible. Diffused light
APRIL 2016
63
64
PHOTO: SHILPA VENKAT
Have patience
Places like monuments are mostly
very much crowded, so if there are
people cluttering up your shot, position
yourself, look through the viewfinder
and wait. Keeping your other eye open
will give you sense of when people may
be dispersing. As soon as you find the
frame is clear-shoot then. Also you need
to be careful of the shadows of people
coming into the frame and ruining your
photograph.
Look for a vantage point
A lot of monuments are so huge that we
never get to see them in their entirety
to realise their grandeur. So capturing
the entire monument from vantage
point really helps in getting a beautiful
photograph that can convey the
grandeur in an inspiring manner. Walk
and look for the best possible angle you
can get to shoot.
Take interior shots
First check the opening timings of the
building/structure/monuments
you
wish to shoot and if any permission are
required. Plan your visit in early morning
or late afternoon as this is the ideal

lighting condition for shooting. A wide
angle or Ultra wide angle will help you to
get dramatic compositions. A tripod for
long exposure shots will be helpful. Keep
your composition as clean as possible
and try to avoid distracting elements. Try
to capture the dramatic point of view. Go
low angle and shoot the domes. Add a
human touch into your photograph.
Take panoramas
Try taking panoramas to capture the
entire scene in one frame. Now a days lot
of cameras come with a inbuilt panorama
feature. If you dont have that feature in
your camera then you can do it manually.
Stand straight with your feet apart and
click, turning from your waist. Overlap
the photos so that it is easier to stitch
them together in the software.
Camera Position
While using wide-angle lens if you
position your camera by going close to
the monument can give you dramatic
effect in emphasising the size of the
objects in the foreground compared
to the objects in the background. But
wide-angle lens from very close can give

you lot of distortion so if you want such
results then it is fine otherwise go further
away and use higher focal length to bring
the objects closer together.
Take numerous shots
When you are visiting any monument
which is once in a lifetime visit, then
make sure you take lot of shots from
various different angles. Also if possible
visit the monument at different times of
the day. Make sure you have enough
memory cards so that you can take as
many shots as you want.
Conclusion
Ultimately, these are few shooting
tips, which will help you in shooting
monuments. But undoubtedly you will
make your own unique shots when you
visit these kinds of places. The most
important thing is to absorb as much of
the place (and its history) as possible,
not only for your own pleasure, but to
improve your photographic capture so
that your images may fascinate others
too.
TEXT AND IMAGES: PRATIK CHORGE
APRIL 2016
65
TIPS & TECHS
How to
keep your
equipment
safe during
Travel
Although travelling provides an awesome opportunity to capture mesmerising photos, keeping your
cameras and lenses or any kind of gadget safe and secure is one of the most pressing concerns.
Travelling as a photographer requires research and planning before visiting a place. Summer is
coming, and many photographers are ready with their travel plans. So, follow these tips to ensure your
photography equipment stays safe.
Make a list
66
Always carry your gear with you
When packing your equipment, make a list of all

the gadgets you are about to carry, from memory
cards to your laptop. You shouldnt let anything put
you off taking photos. Most travellers carry some
combination of gadgets and some dont carry any
technology with them at all. It totally depends on your
requirement. Jotting it down will help you manage
all of them and will also help you notice if anything
is missing. Also, before heading out on a trip, write
down the serial number and model numbers.
Dont trust the people around when its about

your expensive equipment. Carry it everywhere, dont
leave it in a bus or train as you walk around. I always
keep my camera bag with me whether I am travelling
via train or a plane or a bus. As you go to sleep, keep
your bag right next to you and be sure to pack your
photography equipment correctly to avoid damage.
This isnt only for during transportation but also when
you are carrying it.
Get a good and old bag
Do regular photo back ups
Do not simply pack in your camera in any kind of

backpack. Getting a good camera bag is crucial to
keep your equipment safe. Try not to carry a flashy
new camera bag; if the bag looks old, it will attract
less attention of anyone around you. If it looks flashy
and new, you can make it look worn out. When
it comes to choosing a good bag, there are now a
number of really good options on the market. Many
photography bags come with removable sleeves that
help you organise your cameras and lenses.
Just imagine, you photographed a city for 4-5

days, met different people, covered different stories
and in the end you end up losing your memory cards
or hard drive. How will you feel? Save a back for
everything, from videos to photographs. Copy it in a
hard drive and your laptop as well. Ideally you and the
drive will not be in the same place if you are worried
of your personal belongings being stolen. Leave your
drive back at the hotel most likely in your bag.
Knowing the climate of your destination is vital

in packing your equipment. If youre travelling to a
warm and humid climate, you should probably stash
silica gels in your bag for moisture control. If your
destination is known for intermittent rains, know
which protective casing to get for your camera. If its
freezing weather, take care of the bag youre packing
it in. Knowing where youre going and what weather
to expect can make or break your pictures.
Keep your eye open

When shooting in crowded places, keep your
non-shooting eye open, always be aware of your
surroundings. If you are travelling with a friend, walk
together. I know its easy to get distracted when
you find your subject but keep checking around.
Sometimes it is also good to keep your camera in the
bag and just walk around the place and as soon as
you find your subject, pull it out and start shooting.
Wear dull colours
This worked for me a lot of times. Wearing flashy

colours can get you into trouble. It doesnt matter that
you are rich or poor, one must carry himself depending
upon the surrounding. Like we suggested earlier about
carrying an old bag, and the bag need not be decrepit,
just worn-in and not appearing to be a camera bag.
Colours matter, you dont need anyones attention,
that will also help you discreetly start a conversation
with someone. People should feel that you are living
a similar life, discuss about their lifestyle, and also tell
them about you to build an interesting conversation.
Ultimately, your main motive is to keep your gear
safe, when youre not in full control of it. If you take
enough care, just lock up your stuff in your hotel/hostel,
go outside carrying only what you need, trust in your
fellow mankind and enjoy yourself. Carrying expensive
equipment might force you to think more about them,
but in the end, you should not forget that you want to
take back Good quality work.
Photo: Kartik Avatani
Know your destination
APRIL 2016
67
TIPS & TECHS
Taking
stunning
Travel
Portraits
Capturing portraits requires some specific skills,
but when mixed with travel there are a wider
range of factors to consider. Travel photography
is the perfect mix for any photo enthusiast who
likes to shoot different styles, like landscape,
wildlife, architecture and street scenes. But the
most defining sub-genre of travel photography is
portraiture. Its the people of a certain place who
define its cultural, ethnic and social structure. But
how can one make portraits in a creative and more
meaningful way, rather than just mere pictures of a
person? Whether it be the neighbouring state of a
different country all together, for a travel photography
lover with a passion and focus on making stunning
people portraits, this month we shall discuss some
important techniques and ideas that can be applied
while travelling and photographing people.
Let us begin with the greetings

Interacting with strangers: At the start, it might seem
difficult to approach strangers and ask them if you can take their
photograph. But after some time, you might discover that more
people are willing to have their photo taken rather than saying
no. To increase your chances, the best way is to somehow
communicate or interact with people before bringing out the
camera. But its the facial expressions and actions that are most
important when you dont speak the same language. Making eye
contact with people, smiling, joking and interacting is the key.
After an initial connection, people will usually feel comfortable
when you come around to asking if you can take their photo.
68
Photo: Pedro Alves
APRIL 2016
69
Photo: Eliel Freitas Jr
Approaching with a proposal:

Approach the locals with a proposal to
photograph them. This has its benefits,
as you can get access to people
dressed in traditional clothes that you
might not have been able to find or
approach otherwise under different
situations. Examples include tribal
groups, cultural performers such as a
dancers, and workers of a job which
requires them to act out their work at
your direction for the sake of a good
composition. If you let the locals know
what you are going to do, it will make
them happy to be in sync with you,
resulting into chances of you taking
wonderful portraits of them along
with their environment. Remember
people are generous enough to share
their culture and tradition with you.
Respecting them and their traditions
will definitely get you a lead.
Getting to know your subject:
This is probably the most important
tip. Even though you have taken a
70
candid portrait, you should approach

your subject and talk to them before or
after you photograph them. Getting to
know them by their names is important
as it eases the person you are having
the conversation with. Listen to what
they have to share. Tell them about
you. Everyone has a story, and most
are happy to tell it, as long as you get
to know them a little first. Be respectful
and show some courtesy. Respect the
location, the person, and their beliefs
and traditions. After you have taken a
photo of a subject, always show it to
them. Sometimes, you may even have
someone ask you to not take their photo
or delete a photo you took of them. It
is very important to respect what they
say. Following this idea will ease your
portraits taking session and will give
you time to think about the photography
angle rather than just thinking how to go
for the approach.
Shooting
Documentary
style:
Perhaps the most common style of
photographing people is to shoot

without any interaction with the person
in a documentary or reportage style. Yes,
for some people, this might be easier
than meeting and engaging with people.
But the downside is that it becomes very
hard to capture the facial expressions
which the viewer will respond to.
Documentary or reportage style photos
can be very powerful in terms of visual
representation and content, of course.
But it is more difficult to do it well
because it requires a lot of time out in
the field trying to find the right scenes
and the decisive moments. When youre
out and looking for scenes to capture,
composition is paramount. If you feel the
scene is powerful enough, its a good
idea to wait in one place for as long as
it takes until the right person or people
come into the frame to complete the
composition as you have thought of it.
People walking in front of interesting old
walls, crossing a bridge, walking through
an alley or past a temple premise are all
Photo:2016
David Rosen
APRIL
71
Photo: Konrad Lembcke
TIPS & TECHS
good examples of imagining a shot and

patiently waiting to execute it.
Using the light: Portraits are best
shot at specific times of the day. A
wide shot of a scene showing a person
in their regular environment should be
captured in the golden hours of the
day. The early morning or late afternoon
is the suggested time for a good natural
light. If there is cloud covering the sun,
you can get lucky with evenly diffused
at an odd time of the day when the sun
is actually harsh. But if youre shooting
outdoors, and the sun is up high and
shining brightly, it will create harsh
shadows on the subject making the
picture unflattering. Therefore, try to be
in the scene in the early and late hours
of the day, when the sunlight is lower
and coming in from the side, creating
smooth looking shadows on the subject.
Alternatively you might also want to use
external light sources to even out the
uneven light or create a light source.
A few small accessories like a small
soft-box for external flash or a small
72
reflector can give you amazing results.

Though many people want to keep it
simple and are not a fan of carrying such
equipments.
Close-up portraits can be shot in the
middle of day by positioning the subject
under the shade, with no direct sunlight
hitting surfaces anywhere in the photo
which would result in nice soft lighting
on the face. There should not be direct
sunlight on the skin. This approach
will create very dynamic and engaging
catch-lights in the subjects eyes, as
you can see the sky, your silhouette,
and other objects reflected in the eyes,
which accounts for sparkling eyes in a
photo, and can be further enhanced with
software. If you use a flash, you would
only get one circular catch light in the
eyes and the interesting patterns would
be missing then.
Going Wide: There is something
about wide angle photos that hold a
documentary feel. This is why there
is no surprise that most documentary
and street photographer frequently use
24mm prime lenses while on assignment.

At wider focal lengths, youll able to tell a
more compelling story by fitting more of
the surrounding scenery into the frame.
Prime lenses can be very compact in
size, allowing you to photograph the
action without actually interrupting their
routine and giving you the mobility and
the choice of including or excluding
elements in the frame by moving in or
out of the scene.
Capturing Routines: Often, portraits
look very similar. A subject standing
in front of the camera with intense
eyes gazing straight into the camera.
These portraits are powerful, but when
trying to capture a person in a candid
manner doing their regular jobs, what
they are doing in that moment is what
takes centre stage and makes the
photograph interesting. While travelling,
it is important to tell the stories of the
people you encounter, and capturing
them simply going about their business
can be an impactful and unique look into
lives of people in a distant land. This will

Photo: Amirul Hilmi Ariffin
engage the viewers and put them in your

shoes, and make them feel like they are
right there at the scene with the subject.
Using the background: Sometimes,
it isnt the actual subject that tells the
story, but rather the intimate details that

surround them, their environment. The
surrounding details fill in the missing
elements. The backgrounds or the
environment has small vital details
which when put in all together in a

frame makes the story telling easier.
The viewer engages himself with the
subject and the environment tells the
rest of the story. Sparking discussion
with your photograph is a key indicator
that lets you know that you have told
an important story, rather than simply
taking a photograph.
Journeys and travel will be a part
of human lives for as long we live.
Photographing or documenting in the
end is all a part of the journey we take
up at some point of time, may it be on
a self level or professional level. Making
the journeys meaningful and worthwhile
is the main intention behind the travel.
The photographs you take will share the
tales of the people youve come across
with and their lives. No matter what, a
good travel story with stunning pictures
of the people and places will definitely
leave a mark behind for both the artist
and the viewer.
TEXT: MRINMOY CHOUDHURY
APRIL 2016
73
TIPS & TECHS
Photo: Benjamine Scalvenzi
TAKING BETTER
VACATION PICTURES
Travelling to see the country or the world is just an indispensable part of a persons life. Sooner or later
mostly everyone gets an opportunity to travel, across the city, country or the seven seas. People not
only enjoy the culture, tradition and food, but the journey itself becomes eye-opening and refreshing. It
is always great to travel along with family or friends. The necessity of shooting pictures of the vacation
you take is as important as the travel itself, because later the pictures are what we look at and take
ourselves back in time to the amazing memories made while travelling. No travel goes without pictures
being taken. In this issue we shall share some tips so that you dont end up with taking just random
shots and have a well-shot travel photo series. In this article we shall focus on general tips for taking
pictures. May it be a camera phone, digital camera or a DSLR, the visual quality of the images always
matters. You might not be a pro, but who said you cannot take good pictures.
74
Photo: Lina Smith
The gear
Photo: Lina Smith
The first and foremost requirement is a

camera. Be it a super amazing camera
phone, a point and shoot digital camera
or a DSLR. A camera as a whole is the
requirement regardless its features, If
you are carrying an interchangeable lens
camera, suggestions are that you carry
only one multipurpose lens. For example
a kit lens which usually has focal lengths
ranging from wide to medium telephoto.
Do not weigh yourself down with all
that heavy gear unless you are totally
responsible for carrying all that.
Having the camera always with

you
Carrying the camera to all the locations
you visit is very important. That actually
the whole point of making pictures. This
will ensure that you wouldnt miss any
particular scene or moment. Keeping
the camera with empty memory cards
to ensure you can shoot without having

to worry about the battery or storage
running out. If you are just a casual
hobbyist, be sure you have gone through
the settings and functions of your camera

to make it easier for you to shoot quickly
and effectively. Imagine fiddling with the
settings while you are in the middle of
APRIL 2016
75
some action and the shot you thought to

take just closes its door on you.
Knowing the light

This is something which you should
76
actually think about before you shoot.

Mere observation is the key to effectively
understand the ambient light. Getting
underexposed dark images even
when the sun is shining bright? That is
because you have chosen the wrong

direction to shoot. For portraits and
group photographs, place you subject
facing towards the sun. Sunrise and
sunsets are the times when the light is
Photo: Lina Smith
surface is a good source of indirect light.

Remember light is your friend.
Check your background

A lot of people come home with a huge
number of from their vacation. Look
closely and you will see distracting
elements ruining the photographs.
Trees, people, poles sticking out of
peoples heads merged figures with the
background and all sorts of distractions.
You wouldnt like it if the best picture
of yours has a pole sticking out of the
head. Check for the background always.
Change or angle or position. Shallow
depth of field cuts out the distracting
background to some extent but make
sure you always look for the odds.
Photo: Nick Kenrick
Learn to shoot in the dark
just right. Cloudy days are good because

all that harsh sunlight through the day is
softened by passing through the clouds.
Similarly sunlight filtering in through
the trees or getting reflected off a shiny
In situations with low ambient light

or commonly termed as low light, the
cameras fail to capture bright images
as you would expect. But night shots
are as important as your other pictures
and your vacation as well. Try some
basic low-light shooting. With the
recent cameras and tech under the
hood of the cameras low-light shooting
has improved a lot. Be prepared to be
amazed.
Stop shooting tilted pictures

Yes, no one wants to tilt their head to look
at your tilted pictures from your recent
vacation. Tilted or not straight photos
look horrible in general, unless the angle
itself is complementing the picture.

Always try taking straight photographs.
Use the grid marking on your camera
or just the imaginary horizon line. Take
vertical shots, take horizontal ones. Also
avoid out of focus shots if using a point
and shoot or a DSLR camera. You do not
want to be upset after you return from
the amazing vacation of yours.
Shoot a lot
Gone are the days of film restricting you
to take pictures every now and then.
Digital gives you the freedom of shooting
as many pictures as you want. The more
you shoot the better you get. Shoot
everything you find interesting. Catch
the locals doing their daily routine stuff,
shoot portraits, their culture, food and
events and celebrations if any. Sunsets,
your friends having fun, the birds
flying and the beautiful location. Just
let yourself free. Make your vacation
worthwhile making some amazing
memories for life.
Vacations are the breaks people
take from their normal daily lives to
enjoy a slice of life itself. Exploring the
beauty of places and capturing them in
frames regardless of the quality of the
instrument used. The feeling of going
through pictures after you haven been to
a place is the best way to keep the spirit
and the memories alive. If you have read
this article then definitely try it for your
next vacation. You will be amazed with
yourself.
TEXT: MRINMOY CHOUDHURY
APRIL 2016
77
TIPS & TECHS
Shooting Long
Exposures!
Long exposure photography is a genre that is often associated with fine art
photography, due to those surreal effects we can create in a photograph. It
is different and demands patience, with a understanding of composition. It
has become very popular in the last couple of years.
78
What is long exposure photography?

Long exposure photography is taking
photographs by using longer exposure
times than needed to correctly expose a
photograph and to sharply capture the
stationary elements of the images while
blurring the moving elements. It can be
executed at the day time with the use
of filters or during the night time with or
without the use of filters. Long exposures
can be typically divided into different
genres such as- Landscapes, Seascapes,
Architecture and People.
The following tips will help you
comprehend and execute long exposure
photography effortlessly-
Check your equipment

The intention of capturing moving
objects with longer exposure times
than necessary makes a long exposure
photograph. Essential equipment for long
exposure photography are: Any camera that
has a bulb mode or a maximum exposure
time of 30 seconds, but 30 seconds are not
long enough most of the times for taking a
long exposure photograph. The bulb mode
allows you to go past 30 seconds. Second
essential equipment will be a sturdy tripod,
dont go for the cheap ones as exposures
can easily extend to greater than a couple
of minutes, so it is vital that your tripod
is as sturdy as it can be. Third essential
equipment will be an ND filter. The only way
a long exposure photograph can be shot in
day light is by using ND filters of at least 10
stops. A neutral density filter or an ND filter
is used to reduce or modify the intensity of
all wavelengths or colours of light equally,
giving no changes in hue of colour rendition.
While shooting long exposure prefer using
a wide angle lens so as to cover more
elements in the surrounding.
Visualise
As you find a location, try visualising

without the camera. Look for elements
around, look for a foreground, look for
perspectives. Observe and then place
your camera to check the composition
according to the field of view of your
lens. Dont just think about the technical
part of it, get your composition right and
always remember, it takes time to create
an interesting and dramatic image.
Photo: Davejdoe
APRIL 2016
79
Photo: Jake Cook

Get the composition right
Wait for the right time

Long exposure photography is
different, it demands patience. Choosing
the right conditions for long exposure
such as during dawn or dusk or during
strong wind to get the movement of the
clouds and at the same time getting the
exposure right. Everything takes time,
its all about capturing the movement,
increasing the contrast, setting up the
right ISO, right shutter speed, right

aperture. So, if you dont want things
to get messed up, be patient and think
and then photograph. Before you start
shooting, study your location! You
will be more frustrated if the resulting
photograph after a long exposure
is not what you expected. Can be
anything such as poor in composition,
overexposed or a camera shake!
Imagine your frame in separate

layers, use grid lines to set a perfect
composition, use virtual horizon to
check that the horizon is straight. It is
also important to close the viewfinder
shutter, or at least cover the viewfinder,
to ensure accurate light metering. Make
sure your camera is tightly secured on
your tripod head and the tripod head is
tightly locked. Also make sure the lens
is set to autofocus and turn off image
stabilization. If you leave it on, then your
image will be unsharp and blurred, due
to the image stabilization.
Long exposures are getting a lot of
coverage in landscape photography
magazines and are also very popular
amongst
amateur
photographers
or hobbyists. When you start
photographing long exposures, the
most important thing to remember
is to relax. Once you start practicing
and experimenting you will gradually
understand more about it. Taking long
exposures often requires more planning
and research, it takes a while to get
the hang of it, but once you start the
process and start visualizing, the results
will be breathtaking.
APRIL 2016
81
CAMERA REVIEW
SpecificationS
PRICE
`39,995
Canon EOS M10

T
he latest mirrorless addition

from Canon, the EOS M10, is
focussed on targeting the entrylevel user. Someone who doesnt have
a lot of experience with cameras but
wants a beginner camera that offers
more functions than a simple point
and shoot and has the flexibility to
take interchangeable lenses. Its 18MP
sensor and user friendly controls are
great for beginners wanting to gain
some confidence in their shooting.
In this issue we have reviewed the
Canon EOS M10. Let us find out how
the camera is and how it has actually
performed.
Look, Body and Feel
Despite having an APS-C format sensor
that the M10 houses, it feels compact
and lightweight, even with the new
EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens
mounted. It feels well made with a good
quality textured coating, like the other
EOS M cameras. However, handling
may be a problem as the camera doesnt
sport any grip or any rubber texture or
82
coating, although a small thumb-rest

can be found on the back of the camera.
The camera tends to slip away from the
hands. People with big hands might find
it a little too small while using. But overall
the compact size is a plus.
Sample Image
Max resolution
5184 x 3456
Effective pixels
18 megapixels
Sensor size
APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor type
CMOS
ISO
Auto, 100-12800 (expandable to 25600)
Lens mount
Canon EF-M
Focal length mult.
1.6
Articulated LCD
Tilting
Screen size
Screen dots
1,040,000
Min shutter speed
30 sec
Max shutter
speed
1/4000 sec
Storage types
SD/SDHC/SDXC
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Weight (inc.
batteries)
301 g (0.66 lb / 10.62 oz)
Dimensions
108 x 67 x 35 mm (4.25 x 2.64 x 1.38)
Surprisingly the M10 doesnt have a

mode dial, so you have set the exposure
mode via the screen, like the original
EOS M. Its not quick to change the
settings but sure its easier, an added
advantage for a beginner user.
Theres also the option of switching
to Smart Auto mode on the shooting
mode switch found at the top of the
camera, which enables beginners to
choose from 58 scene modes.
This camera offers a simplified
number of controls. On the top of the
camera youll see the power and video
record buttons, the shutter release,
a shooting mode switch and a dial for
Sample Image
making setting adjustments, which

makes the M10 look very user-friendly.
On the back you will find a navigation
pad that offers a shortcut to four essential
features (exposure comp, exposure lock,
information and flash) along with usual
playback, menu and Q Set buttons.
With a quick press of the Menu or
Q Set buttons you can access a whole
screen full of settings, which can be
selected and adjusted through the
main LCD screen. Canon has added
touch screen to the EOS M10 making it
easier to navigate through the available
options as quick as possible. The touch
sensitivity is great and you can tap on
the screen and swipe between menu
tabs. The overall touchscreen feedback
is good.
This also extends to swiping between
images in playback mode and tapping
the screen to set the AF point. With the
absence of a viewfinder composing
images can only be done using the LCD

screen, which produces a clear, detailed
view even in low light.
Performance
Shooting with the EOS M10 is relatively
very easy. The absence of the mode dial
is felt but you can change the modes
just by pressing the Q button in the
centre of the of the scroll keys. As the
device features a touchscreen, touching
the menu item on the screen takes you
inside the sub menus. Shooting in low
light is a challenge but thanks to the
in-built auto-focus illuminator the focus
is comparatively quicker. The top plate
features the switch to swap between the
auto mode, shooting mode and the video
mode. The shutter button is surrounded
by a rotating dial which is used to change
the settings while in Av, Tv or Manual
mode. The camera supports video up to
1080p at 25 fps and 720p at 50fps and
VGA. Movie servo AF also works fine

with the kit STM lens. Full time manual
focus is available, but one has to turn
it on inside the menu. The max shutter
speed goes up till 1/4000th of a second.
Nothing extraordinary about that. The
M10 lets you take full resolution JPEGs
and RAW images as well
The 49 point autofocus system is
a good improvement but the low light
shooting still encounters some focus
hunting. ISO ranges from 100 and goes
up till 12800, (25600) when extended.
The addition of Wi-Fi and NFC and ability
to transfer images using a Smartphone
via a dedicated application for the phone
makes it easier to transfer the images to
a phone and for sharing. The battery life
however failed to impress as it will run
out with some hours of rigorous shooting
and reviewing. Image stabilisation is
missing both from the body and the
kit lens. The absence of the viewfinder
APRIL 2016
83
ISO Performance
ISO 100
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
is felt but the 1.040k dot LCD screen

allows you to compose your shots. The
image quality and colour reproduction
is impressive in well lit situations, but
the low light images do not disappoint
though.
Conclusion
The Canon EOS M10 despite its small
size and weight is definitely a run for
the money. The overall image quality
and the beginner like approach to
settings is what makes it a very useful
tool for the starters or those who have
just promoted themselves from a point
and shoot or a phone camera. those
who want to carry a light and portable
camera for daily shooting and dont
want to get noticed with a large camera
in hand, this definitely would give them
the edge. For a price of `39,995 it is not
a major leap over the huge catalogue
of CSCs and mirrorless offerings from
the rival camera manufacturers but it is
definitely a good buy for those who want
decent performance and portability.
ISO Performance
The APS-C sensor surprisingly handles
ISO and noise levels pretty well. Starting
from ISO 100 till ISO 3200 is pretty
usable with little noise showing up at
3200. ISO 6400 is where things slowly
start dissolving but only when viewed
in a 100% crop. ISO 12800 shows
evidence of noise and lost details all
over the picture. The sample images
were taken in a well lit environment and
may differ from actual real life scenes.
84
Look, body and feel rating

Good compact design; lacks a grip but easy
operation for beginners
Performance rating
Good performance for an APS-C sensor, slower
autofocus in low-light
Overall rating
Nice compact design; makes beginner
photography easy and enjoyable
TEXT AND IMAGES: MRINMOY CHOUDHURY
CAMERA REVIEW
PRICE
`74Y,9ON9LY9
)
(BOD
Fuji X-T10
F
ujifilm has been known to bring

out good mirrorless cameras for
a long time now. The X-T1 was
a landmark camera which gave the
company solid ground to stand on in
the mirrorless market. The successful
X-T1 is followed by the launch of a
stripped down, less expensive version
of itself X-T10. We got our hands on
the camera and gave it a try. Lets see
how it performed!
Look, Body and Feel
The cameras look is bound to steal
some hearts. People who have used
rangefinders and old film cameras will be
driven by nostalgia to buy this camera
86
or at least give it a try. The camera

body and design looks and feels like a
film camera from the 80s and 90s. Its
rangefinder-ish styling is on the spot. The
magnesium alloy body makes it heavy
but it also makes the camera sturdy and
durable. The camera loses the weather
seal feature of its predecessor X-T1
and the overall looks have changed as
well. We wouldve loved for it to have
the similar camera grip as the X-T1 but
unfortunately it has a much smaller grip
which makes it a little difficult to hold
and shoot, especially when shooting
a video. The camera body has a lot of
buttons on it as well. Some buttons are
customisable. The button placements
are quite well thought out and one will

not have difficulties while shooting.
While there are a lot of features that
needs getting used to, it can be a
seriously fun camera to use. The top of
the camera has three dials. To the left
of the viewfinder is the drive mode dial
that has options to shift to panorama,
double exposure, drive- high, low and
standard etc. There is a small lever that
activates the pop up flash as well. To
the right of the viewfinder is the shutter
speed control dial along with the bulb
mode options. To the extreme right is the
exposure compensation dial. There is
also the shutter button and on/off lever
in between them. The video button is
Sample Image
APRIL 2016
87
Sample Image
SpecificationS
88
Image
Sensor
20.20 megapixels Approx. 22.4 x 15.0mm

CMOS sensor
Storage
media
SD memory card / SDHC memory card /

SDXC (UHS-I) memory card*1
Number of
recorded
pixels
L: (3:2) 4896 x 3264 / (16:9) 4896 x 2760 /

(1:1) 3264 x 3264
M: (3:2) 3456 x 2304 / (16:9) 3456 x 1944 /
(1:1) 2304 x 2304
S: (3:2) 2496 x 1664 / (16:9) 2496 x 1408 /
(1:1) 1664 x 1664
Lens mount
FUJIFILM X mount
Sensitivity
AUTO (Control available up to ISO 6400)

Equivalent to ISO 200 - 6400 (Standard
Output Sensitivity)
Extended output sensitivity : Equivalent ISO
100, 12800, 25600 and 51200
Exposure
compensation
-3.0EV - +3.0EV, 1/3EV step

(movie recording : -2.0EV - +2.0EV)
Continuous
shooting
Approx. 8.0 fps (JPEG : max. approx. 8 frames)

Approx. 3.0 fps (JPEG : up to the capacity
of the card)
* Recordable frame number may vary
depending on the type of memory card used.
* The frame rate varies with shooting
condition and the number of images recorded
Focus
Single AF / Continuous AF / MF
Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase
detection AF), AF assist illuminator available
AF frame selection
Single Point AF : 49 areas on a 7x7 grid
(Changeable size of AF frame among 5 types),
Zone AF : Selectable with 3x3 / 5x3 / 5x5 areas
from 77 areas on an 11x7 grid, Wide/Tracking AF :
Automatic selection from 77 areas on an 11x7 grid
Flash
Manual pop-up flash (Super Intelligent Flash)

Guide number : approx. 5 (ISO100 m) /
approx. 7 (ISO200 m)
Viewfinder
0.39-in., approx. 2.360K-dot OLED color viewfinder

Coverage of viewing area vs. capturing area
: approx. 100%
Diagonal angle of view : approx. 30
(Horizontal angle of view : approx. 25)
Built-in eye sensor
LCD monitor
3.0-inch, aspect ratio 3:2, approx. 920K-dot, Tilt

type color LCD monitor (approx. 100% coverage)
Movie
recording
Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p,

Continuous recording : up to approx. 14 min.
HD 1280 x 720 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p,
Continuous recording : up to approx. 27 min
Dimensions
118.4mm (W) x 82.8mm (H) x 40.8mm (D) /

4.7 in. (W) x 3.3in. (H) x 1.6in. (D)
(Minimum Depth : 31.9mm / 1.3 in.)
Weight
Approx. 381g / 13.4 oz. (including battery and

memory card)
placed right beside the on/off lever and

is quite easy to access while shooting.
The aperture control is on the lens which
can also be set to auto for shutter priority
mode. There is also an auto exposure
lock and auto focus lock button at the
back of the camera along with a mode
dial, menu button, display button and
function button. The viewfinder is
centrally placed as most vintage or
film cameras would have. A view mode
button toggles between viewfinder and
screen display apart from a proximity
sensor that automatically switches off
the display once it senses that the user
is using the viewfinder. There are also
command dials both in front and at the
back. The front command dial can be
used to choose the desired combination
of shutter speed and aperture, change
the shutter speed by 1/3rd stops or
even view photos in playback mode.
The rear command dial can be used to
adjust aperture, select options in the
quick menu display, choose the size of
the focus frame, zoom in or out in full-
frame or thumbnail playback, or select a

scene in auto mode. It can also be used
to zoom in on a photo in photo viewing
mode. In manual focus mode, it can
be used to choose a focus display by
pressing and holding the center of the
dial.
Performance
The X-T10 might seem to be a cheaper
version of the flagship X-T1 with fewer
features but it is certainly not. It is definitely
a separate camera of its own. The 16MP
X-Trans CMOS II sensor is retained from
the X-T1. The EXR Processor II also
remains the same. The cameras overall
performance is quite good. The colours
are quite vibrant and the processor
handles the 8fps burst decently. The
2.36M dot OLED electronic viewfinder is
clear and sharp even though the 0.62x
magnification seems to be quite less
compared to its competitors. The image
quality was quite well, even though the
usability of the camera takes time to
learn. It is packed with features and the
ISO Performance
ISO 100
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
ISO 15600
ISO 51200
menu itself needs some time to learn

in order to be able to use to its fullest.
The shadows and highlights are quite
accurate to the original scene and the
vibrant colours make it a good camera to
be able to use. We used a 90mm f2 lens
on the camera and the experience was
seamless. The aperture ring on the lens
makes things easier and faster as you
can now use both your hands to control
exposure while shooting, thus increasing
efficiency.
The
ISO
performance
went
surprisingly well. The camera performed
quite well till ISO 6400. Visible grains
started to appear at ISO 12800 and
became severely grainy at ISO 25600.
The highest ISO image, i.e. ISO 51200
was completely unusable due to huge
amounts of grains and loss of sharpness.
This is a lot in terms of mirrorless camera
performances thus proving that this
camera would perform quite well in

low light situations and the user can
comfortably go up to ISO6400 or even
ISO12800 without having to worry about
a very grainy photograph.
Conclusion
The Fuji X-T10 is a brilliant camera in
the mirrorless segment. It is compact in
size, provides decent pictures and has a
good low light capability, apart from its
great vintage camera styled design. The
camera also has a variety of X-mount
lenses available ranging from wide angle
to telephoto to prime lenses which are a
definite plus point in a market with very
few cameras offering good mirrorless
lens options. The 920K-dot tilting LCD
is easily viewable even under harsh
sunlight and small features like film
simulation are definite plus points for the
camera as well.

The elegant design is an instant eye
catcher for camera enthusiasts and merges
technology with the old styling seamlessly.
Performance rating
The Fujifilm X-T10 has a good colour output,
a fast burst mode along with good video and
decent ISO performance.
Overall rating
The Fujifilm X-T10 is overall a great camera to
own, especially at such an enticing price range.
TEXT AND IMAGES: SOURADEEP ROY
APRIL 2016
89
LENS REVIEW
ver the yearsTamron has been

constantly manufacturing some
great lenses for all major camera
brands. Their line-up vary from wide
angle lenses to telephotos and mid
zooms. The newest addition to their
premium prime lens segment is the
Tamron SP90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1
VC USD. The official Tamron moniker for
this lens is F017 which is an upgrade on
the previous F004 model with the same
focal length. We got our hands on the
lens and tested it, read on to find.
The Tamron SP90mm F/2.8 Di
MACRO 1:1 VC USD is a stabilised full
frame macro lens for Canon, Nikon and
Sony mounts which is an upgrade on the
previous 90mm macro that was launched
sometime in 2012. The new lens boasts
of better image stabilisation due to the
newly added XY-shift compensation and
better weather sealing. Lets get into the
details of the new lens and find out more.
Look, Body and Feel

The lens design looks quite similar to its
predecessor. The lens feels bulky and
is quite heavy but at the same time it
feels solid and balanced when attached
to a full frame camera body. Its 4.6
inches in length and 610g in weight for
Canon mount and 4.5 inches in length
and weighs 600gm for Nikon the mount
Sample Image
PRICE
`54,000
Tamron SP90mm F/2.8

Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD
with a filter size of 62mm. It features
an optical construction of 14 elements
in 11 groups, including one LD (Low
Dispersion) and two XLD (eXtra Low
Dispersion) glass elements. It has three
distinctive buttons which have a special
rubber seal on them to make them
weather resistant. The rubber focussing
90
ring feels soft and responsive. While

shooting macro and using manual focus
this is very important as the slightest
unwanted movement in the focus ring
can change the focussing distance
drastically. The three buttons on the
lens are the vibration compensation
on/off switch, the auto focus on/off
Sample Image
switch and the focus limiter switch. The

switches are quite well built and there is
a distinctive click sound when turned on
or off. Overall the lens seems to be very
meticulously thought out and built and
screams of quality.
Performance
Image
stabilisation
is
extremely
important for fixed high focal length
lenses but nowadays lenses with lower
focal lengths are also utilising this
technology and benefitting from it. The
Tamron 90mm Macro performed quite
well in the test. The lens is easy to
use and has a very fast and accurate
focussing system. The buttons are well
placed on the lens which makes it easier
to switch between settings without
having to look at them every time one
wishes to change any of them. The
image stabilisation works wonders too
with the new XY-Shift compensation.
The images are sharp and the colours
are vivid when used with a Nikon
D7000. The manual focussing ring is
quite sensitive and smooth. There is
no observable flare or ghosting either

because of two types of coating on
the glass the eBAND (Extended
Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency)
layered on top of BBAR (Broad-Band
Anti-Reflection) which makes the lens
a delight to use. There is no noticeable
sound while focussing either, because
of the USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)
motor that has been optimised for
macro photography, which is a plus
point for people who shoot macro
regularly. The lens produces beautiful
portraits as well with nice soft bokehs.
Conclusion
Overall the lens is great for people
who are interested in shooting macro
or portraits. The lens is handy, durable
and has features like weather shield,
USD, Full-Time Manual Focus Override
Mechanism, Internal Focusing (IF)
System, eBAND and BBAR coating
etc that are added advantages for a
photographer. Priced at `54,000 this
lens is a good buy indeed.

The design is simple and elegant. The lens
is weather resistant which is an added plus
point but the lens is a bit on the heavier
side which makes it a bit difficult to hold it
handheld while shooting macro.
Performance rating
The lens is aimed for a specific audience who
love shooting macro and portraits and it delivers
well. Even though the price is on the higher side
it still is an amazing lens to buy and use. The USD
works like a charm and the focusing is quick and
accurate as well.
Overall rating
The lens is beautifully built and a real pleasure
to use. Even at a price of `54000 it is a great
investment for macro or portrait photographers.
TEXT AND IMAGES: SOURADEEP ROY
APRIL 2016
91
PHOTOSCAPE
Photo-Scape
Send in your entries to photoscape at asianphotographyindia@gmail.com
Picture by: Manish Jaisi

Camera: Canon EOS 600D
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
F-Number: F/11
Focal length: 18mm
ISO: 400
92
The Pic of the

Month in the
PHOTOSCAPE e
section will receiv
1 Year
Subscription
(12 Issue)
Picture by: Akash Ghosh

Camera: Nikon D7100
F-Number: F/4.5
Focal length: 18mm
ISO: 800
Picture by: Santu Adhikary

Camera: Nikon D7000
F-Number: F/3.8
Focal length: 24mm
ISO: 100
Picture by: Debraj Dey

Camera: Nikon D7000
F-Number: F/22
Focal length: 18mm
ISO: 400
APRIL 2016

Picture by: Karthi Keyan
Camera: Canon EOS 550D
F-Number: F/5
Focal length: 105mm
ISO: 400
Picture by: Krishnendu Palit

Camera: Nikon D5200
F-Number: F/5.6
Focal length: 105mm
ISO: 560
Picture by: Indrajit Debnath

Camera: Nikon D7000
F-Number: F/5.6
Focal length: 18mm
ISO: 100
The Pic of the

Month in the
PHOTOSCAPE
ea
section will receiv
ss
ro
ni
gift from U
Picture by: Sayan Bhattacharya

Camera: Nikon D7000
F-Number: F/10
Focal length: 60mm
ISO: 200
Picture by: Suman Das

Camera: Nikon D3200
F-Number: F/6.3
Focal length: 40mm
ISO: 100
Picture by: Navin Vatsa

Camera: Sony SLT A77V
F-Number: F/3.5
Focal length: 11mm
ISO: 200
APRIL 2016
95
PHOTOMONTAGE
Photo-Montage
Looking to get your portfolio featured??
Send your entry to asianphotographyindia@gmail.com and tell us why we should feature it
The most celebrated Holi is in the Braj region locations connected to Lord Krishna: Barsana, Nandagaon and Vrindavan. Holi at Barsana,
the birthplace of Radha, a village, 42 kms away from Vrindavan, is of particular interest. Here, men from Nandgaon, the land of Krishna
come to play Holi with the girls of Barsana and hope of raising their flag over Shri Radhikajis temple. But, instead of colours they are
greeted with sticks by the gopis. Hence, this Holi gets its name Lathmaar Holi. Smart enough, men come fully padded as they are fully
aware what kind of welcome awaits them and also the fact that they are not allowed to retaliate on that day. In this mock battle of sorts,
they try their best not to be captured. The unlucky ones however, are forcefully led away and get a good thrashing from the women. All
in the spirit of Holi. Various ways of playing Holi are seen across the country, ranging from traditional temple religious ceremony to modern
parties with Dhol, DJs, bhang and lots of colours.
-Kshitij Mishra, Ajmer, Rajasthan
96
The Featured
portfolio in the E
PHOTOMONTAGive
section will rece
1 Year
b
u
S scription
(12 Issue)
APRIL 2016
97

Asian Photography - April 2016

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Asian Photography - April 2016

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

EDITORIAL

Its time to travel

ith the winters already receded and the summer heat

So Until Next Time..

TIPS & TECHS

Canon EOS M10

Cover Design: Rajendra Gaikwad

Published by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt.

Adobe announces new Camera Raw 9.5 update with a

Ask Your Expert

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

TIPS AND TECHS

46 A Beginners Guide to HDR Photography

of the month will

Readers Comments and Suggestions...

Readers Comments and Suggestions...

that you liked the article Regards,

request you to look at my Regards,,

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

Readers Comments and Suggestions...

of the month will

oli is a spring festival, also known

MARCH 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

Preparing for the big day

You will definitely need to prep yourself

colours. Try as much as you can

chemicals which wouldnt kill you,

Preparing the camera for the

MARCH 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

Adobe announces new Camera Raw 9.5

dobe announces the latest update of the Camera Raw

Apple iPhone SE; a new

pple has introduced its new

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

and features like Live Photos, 4K video

iPhone 6s Plus which now boasts a

Nikon 1J5 receives iF Design Award 2016

he annual international industrial

design. It is a model that offers full-scale

for Nikon to be rightfully recognised for

Canon aims to boost women employee

anon takes forward their legacy

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

to interact with women and girls of the

workshops at India Habitat Centre in

Canon EOS 1300D entry-level

anon India recently launched

connecting the EOS 1300D with a smart

920,000-dot LCD monitor, Canon hopes

Tamron to start trading in India

amron, have been operating in

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

media, tourism, advertising, wedding

market has been conducive to growth

Send in your Questions to

I am a graduate from Calcutta University in

APRIL 2016 www.asianphotographyindia.com

I wanted to know about the summer internship programme in Photography provided by

When using flashgun to shoot at night, how

I am a regular reader of your magazine and I

Check your equipment

I have been using my Canon 550D since I