172 pages of technique, ideas & expert advice for digital SLR and CSC photographers, including:

•    Understand Your Camera: This new series covers your camera's basics, starting with metering and exposure overrides.

•    Budget Photo: This month's budget photo explores a portrait essential – the humble reflector! We discover surprising results from spending just £10!

•    Ultimate Guide to Portraits: Part One of our new extensive portrait series kicks off with all you need to know about sharpness and exposure.

•    Creative Eye: Three photographers are put to the test using coffee as their subject.

•    Practical photo techniques covering a range of subjects including flash child portraiture with imagination, shooting spring landscapes, rainy-day portraits, a creative eco-conscious composite and how to capture stunning spring blossom.

•   Cutting Edge: we speak to fashion photographer Miss Aniela and Sports Photographer of the Year Adrian Dennis.

•    Test Centre: The new Nikon D7100 gets a grilling and the first of our authoritative lens tests looks at replacement standard zooms.

The June 2013 issue is on sale Tuesday 14 May.

Print Back Issues:
Back issues for the UK cost £5 (inc. p&p). To order by credit card phone 0844 249 0482 or send a cheque stating which issue you'd like and made payable to Dennis Publishing Ltd to:

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Digital SLR Photography Back Issues


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With a focal length that’s ideal for portraiture and a compact design, this impressive CX-format lens combines superior image quality with convenience. And, as the first 1 NIKKOR flagship lens to be announced this new lens marks an expanding line-up. 

Lenses don’t get much faster; whether indoors at a dinner party, or outside making the most of natural light, this lens allows you to capture striking portraits that you can be proud of. From candid shots to staged compositions, you can bring your subject into sharp focus with smooth bokeh, and capture crisp images and movies when you shoot in low light.

Simon Iddon, Product Manager for Nikon 1 Compact System Cameras, Nikon UK says: “Nikon 1 owners will enjoy exploring the creative effects of this new flagship lens and will appreciate the advantages that come with the f/1.2 aperture, such as shallow depth-of-field.” He continues: “Nikon is dedicated to developing lenses that make the most of the Nikon 1 system and we’re excited about the potential of this new 1 NIKKOR 32mm f/1.2lens that also gives serious portrait photographers a brilliant portable option”. 

Where the magic happens

Offering speed and range without sacrificing portability, this new 1 NIKKOR makes an excellent portrait lens. The 32 mm focal length is equivalent to approximately 85 mm in 35mm film format, a classic portrait length that allows for tight head and shoulder shots with extreme detail. The ultra-fast f/1.2 aperture enables super-smooth bokeh, so you can single out subjects beautifully, and creates a clear advantage in low-light situations. Ideal for everything from candid portraits to staged shots, this lens lets you catch the best of people in any situation.

Optical Brilliance

Comprising nine elements in seven groups, this lens offers superb image quality. A seven-blade rounded diaphragm opening ensures beautifully rounded bokeh and this is the first 1 NIKKOR lens to feature Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat, which greatly reduces ghosting and flare even in backlit situations. The dedicated Silent Wave Motor (SWM) enables smooth and accurate autofocus, and helps ensure quiet movie recording. For photographers that like to shoot in manual control, this is the first 1 NIKKOR lens to feature a focus ring that lets you control focus while looking into the camera’s viewfinder or monitor. 

Portraits from anywhere

Remarkably compact for such a large-aperture lens and boasting a high-quality metallic exterior, this lens is a stellar addition to the Nikon 1 system. Available in high-gloss silver and semi-gloss black, the compact new lens combines portability with high-quality performance for stunning portraits that can be captured on the go.

The lens is supplied with a front lens cap and the HB-N107 bayonet lens hood, which helps reduce stray light and minimise flare for images with better contrast and colour saturation. Optional accessories include the CL-N101 soft lens case.

1 NIKKOR range

1 NIKKOR lenses capture life with exceptional sharpness. Combined with the portability, power and speed of Nikon 1 cameras, the small size of 1 NIKKOR lenses truly sets the Nikon 1 system apart. Designed with active lifestyles in mind, the growing range currently includes nine lenses that cover a wide range of scenes, and each lens is optimized for movie recording. For photographers who want to use F-Mount NIKKOR lenses on their Nikon 1 camera, the dedicated FT1 Mount Adapter allows them to do just that.

RRP: £799.99 / €979

Sales start date: 13th June 2013

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 14 May 2013 – Canon today adds a new category to its range of high-performance super-telephoto lenses, with the introduction of the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x to Canon’s acclaimed L-series. The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x features a flexible 200-400mm focal range with a fixed f/4 aperture, 4-stop optical Image Stabilizer and for the first time in a commercially available lens, a built-in 1.4x extender. These features combine to provide an outstandingly versatile lens for professional sports or wildlife photographers. A robust magnesium alloy design, environmental protection and specialised lens coatings also make it ideal for mobile use, combining with the finest quality optics to deliver exceptional results, even in the harshest conditions. 

Get closer to the action with superior image quality

The reach of the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x is boosted by its internal 1.4x extender, which is engaged or disengaged at the flick of a lever to provide an extended focal length of 280mm to 560mm – allowing photographers to get even closer to distant action. Ensuring the highest image performance, the optical design includes both fluorite and Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens elements, which help minimise chromatic aberration and eliminate colour blurring. Advanced anti-reflection SubWavelength Structure Coating (SWC) and Super Spectra Coating also reduce ghosting and flare. Thanks to the use of the latest optical technologies, image performance is unaffected when the integrated extender is used. 

With a fixed f/4[i] aperture the use of high shutter speeds to capture fast-paced action or a low-light scene is possible. A newly designed optical Image Stabilizer, which provides users with a four stop advantage, while IS ‘Mode 3’ applies image stabilisation only at the time of exposure – ensuring that photographers can pan with fast-paced action without IS overcompensating for movement. This feature is ideal for sports photographers, who typically have only a split-second to capture a subject in front of them.

Powerful, flexible focusing

The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x features Canon’s pioneering ring-type Ultrasonic Motor providing fast, silent autofocusing. For those who prefer to fine-tune focus themselves, full-time manual override allows photographers to manually focus at any moment when using AF. The Power Focus (PF) mode also increases versatility during movie shooting with the EOS-1D C or EOS-1D X, enabling photographers to achieve an accurate pull-focus effect at one of two speeds, simply by twisting the focus recall ring and stopping at a pre-set distance. 

High-performance design for professional demands

Designed to answer professional demands for superior image quality and versatile zoom range, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x a boasts a premium-quality design befitting Canon’s industry-renowned L-series lenses. 

The tough magnesium alloy chassis ensures that, despite the inclusion of the 1.4x extender, the lens is a similar weight to lenses of comparable focal length. Fluorine coatings on the front and rear lens elements also reduce the ability of dirt to cling to the lens surface, while a dust and water-resistant construction allows photographers to shoot in challenging weather conditions. The combination of outstanding optical performance, versatility, weight and tough construction will make it an essential part of any professional sports or wildlife photographer’s kitbag. 

EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x key features:

·        Built-in 1.4x extender, for extra magnification when you need it

·        Shoot in low light with four-stop Image Stabilizer

·        High image quality using Fluorite lens elements 

·        Fast AF with USM technology 

·        Robust design for use in the toughest environments

Pricing and availability

The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM will be available from June with an RRP of £11,999.99 / €13,999.99

www.canon.co.uk

[i] F5.6 aperture when the internal 1.4x extender is activated

SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM

What makes a standard lens ideal for you?

Certain important qualities are required, such as a fast maximum aperture, versatility for snap shots, portraiture and indoor photography plus a good combination of a wide range of focal lengths in a compact design.

The Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is the first zoom lens ever to achieve a maximum aperture of f1.8 throughout the zoom range. It is a wide aperture, standard zoom-lens for digital single lens reflex cameras with APS-C size sensors. ^*1

The lens has a focal range equivalent to 27-52.5mm in a 35mm format and it can cover the angles of view of multiple fixed focal length lenses. This wide aperture, standard zoom lens enables the photographer to expand creative possibilities on any occasion.

_{*1 – As of April, 2013.}

^{● Angle of view differs on cameras to which the lens is attached.}

Launching Date: TBD

Accessories: Case, Petal type Lens hood (LH780-06) supplied.

_{* The Appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.}

[Special Features]

1. Our Art line delivers high-level artistic quality

Sigma is organizing all its interchangeable lenses into three product lines; Contemporary, Art and Sports. Designed with a focus on sophisticated optical performance and abundant expressive power, our Art line delivers high-level artistic expression. Developed with the maximum emphasis on artistic touch, they are designed to meet the expectations of users who value a creative, dramatic outcome above compactness and multifunction. Along with landscapes, portraits, still-life, close-up and casual snaps, they are perfect for the kind of photography that unleashes the inner artist. Ideal for studio photography, they offer just as much expressive scope when capturing architecture, starry skies, underwater shots and many other scenes.

2. Excellent Usability

A zoom lens is very convenient as it offers various angles of view just by rotating the zoom ring. However, the down side was that no zoom lens ever offered a faster aperture than f2.8 which led photographers to select fixed focal length lenses for brighter images. While the aperture value of prime lenses is superior to zoom lenses, their field of view is always the same, and therefore it was always necessary to carry many fixed focal length lenses. The Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is a new generation lens that can deliver images at f1.8 aperture throughout its focal length. The bright viewfinder is very helpful for checking the focus and composition of the image. If it is compared with a lens of F2.8, the faster shutter speed and the shallow depth of field of F1.8 further expands creativity. From wide to standard range this lens offers the excellent versatility and performance of multiple fixed focal length lenses.

3. Fruit of cutting edge technology

To achieve a wide zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, various technical problems need to be overcome. As the aperture value gets larger, the depth of focus becomes shallower, thus it makes the lens design extremely complicated in order to compensate for various distortions, such as spherical, axial chromatic and astigmatic aberration along with curvature of field.

In order to compensate for astigmatic aberration across the entire focal range, we have relied on the experience and know how gained when designing our super wide angle zoom lenses such as our 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 II DG HSM and 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM. In addition, the technological innovation at our Aizu factory also contributes to better lens production. It has enabled us to develop a wide glass-moulded aspheric lens, and the incorporation of SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass has optimised power distribution of the optical elements and compensated for various aberrations as well as field curvature at the widest angle. Thanks to our knowledge of lens design accumulated over a long period of time plus the latest lens manufacturing techniques, Sigma has finally made the dream of a zoom lens with F1.8 throughout its entire focal range come true.

4. Convenient handling

Convenient handling is achieved by incorporating internal focusing and zooming which prevents any change in the length of the lens when focusing and zooming. It is possible to use a specialist filter, such as a Circular Polariser, as the front part of the lens does not rotate.

5. Designed to minimize flare and ghosting

Flare and ghosting were thoroughly measured and monitored from an early stage in the lenses development to establish an optical design which is resistant to strong incidental light such as backlight. The Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions. Attaching the matched petal type hood, which is supplied, will provide extra protection from flare and ghosting.

[Other Features]

Minimum focusing distance of 28cm

With a minimum focusing distance of 28cm and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.3, this lens is excellent for close-up photography.

Hyper Sonic Motor

The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures a silent, high-speed AF function. By optimising AF algorithm, smoother AF is achieved. It also enables full-time manual focusing capability which allows sensible focus adjustment by simply rotating the focus ring.

Rounded diaphragm

The 9 blade rounded diaphragm creates an attractive round bokeh at large-aperture settings.

Design concept

The new product lines incorporate rubber for the attachment part of the provided lens hood. For better usability, the designs of the lens cap and AF/MF changeover switch have been improved. In order to ensure high accuracy of the product, all metallic parts and the new compound material, TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), which has a high affinity to metal parts, are housed internally. On the lens barrel, the last three digits of its release year are engraved so the lens can be identified according to the year of its launch.

Brass made bayonet mount

This lens incorporates a brass made bayonet mount which has both high accuracy and durability. A special treatment to reinforce its strength is applied to the surface giving it greater strength and making it highly resistant to long-term use.

Newly developed “USB DOCK” exclusively for new product lines

Attaching the lens to an optional USB DOCK plugged to your computer and using dedicated software “Sigma Optimization Pro”, you can update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus.

Evaluation with Sigma’s own MTF measuring system “A1”

We used to measure lens performance with MTF measuring system using conventional sensors. However, we've now developed our own proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system (A1) using Foveon 46-megapixel direct image sensors. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of our quality control inspections. All Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM lenses will all be checked using “A1” before they are shipped.

_{* “A1”: Aizu 1}

“Made in Japan”

All Sigma’s manufacturing processes - right down to moulds and parts, with a few exceptions, are carried out under a single integrated production system entirely in Japan. We like to think our products are somehow imbued with the essence of our homeland, blessed as it is with clean air and water, and focused, hard-working people. We pride ourselves on the authentic quality of Sigma products, born of a marriage between highly attuned expertise and intelligent, advanced technology. Our sophisticated products have satisfied professionals and lovers of photography all over the world, because our manufacturing is based on genuine craftsmanship, underpinned by the passion and pride of our experts.

[Specification] For Sigma

Lens Construction: 17 elements in 12 groups | Minimum aperture: F16 | Filter size: ø72mm | Angle of view (SD1): 76.5°-44.2° | Minimum focusing distance: 28cm/11.0in. | Dimensions (Diameter x Length): ø78mm x 121.0mm/3.1in. x 4.8in. | Number of diaphragm blades: 9 (Rounded diaphragm) | Maximum magnification ratio: 1:4.3 | Weight: 810g/28.6oz