Practical Photography

More documents

Recommendations

Info

GetIntoGear #10 #9 LEICA Leica has a reputation for topquality cameras and top prices too. The TL costs a cool £1450, but this is affordable for a Leica camera – the M costs £5000 and the SL, £5870. The TL is identical in size to the T, which it replaces, though its edges are now slightly chamfered (sloping). Its internal memory has been doubled to 32GB and it has the same 16MP APS-C sensor as the T. It’s not the highest resolution, but this could mean cleaner pictures at high ISOs. There are six TL (APS-C) optics available and seven SL (full-frame) lenses for the T mount. But with lens prices starting at £1280, you’ll need deep pockets. A large 3.7in touchscreen sits on the back, though it’s surrounded by a large border, so doesn’t make the most of this space. Adjusting settings relies predominantly on finger gestures and tapping to navigate the user-friendly touch menu system. Dials and buttons are sparse, but this lo-fi approach gives it a very modern feel. Leica is keen to stress a better performance in the continuous AF mode. There’s no built-in electronic viewfinder, but an optional Visoflex hotshoe EVF is available for £360. The TL looks sublime, but its 5fps burst rate and lack of 4K video hinder its value for money. uk.leica-camera.com Above The TL is machined from a single block of aluminium for a simple, clean look. PROS Solid build Large touchscreen Looks great CONS Screen can’t be flipped or tilted EVF costs extra 5fps max burst No 4K video SPEC Sensor size: APS-C Pixels: 16MP OLYMPUS TL £1450 PEN-F £999 The Pen-F takes full advantage of its mirrorless design by being one of the lightest and most portable cameras on test. Its Micro Four Thirds sensor is smaller than an APS-C chip, but its maximum resolution of 20.3MP is very respectable. Adding to this, the whole sensor is stabilised on 5 axis, so camera shake can be reduced with any lens you attach. Inside, you’ll find a TruePic VII processor, which will fire off RAWs at 10fps – twice as fast as Leica’s TL. The autofocus is limited to just contrast detect, but the 3in LCD has touch functionality, so you can tap it to quickly place the active point. You can also bunch AF points into a group of nine, which is great for tracking fast-moving subjects. The resolution of the screen is fairly low at 1037k-dot, but it can be flipped out and tilted to help you frame up. The EVF is detailed and offers an alternative to the LCD. The Pen-F is speedy, shooting as quick as 1/8000sec, though it’s not the fastest on test. There’s no pop-up flash, but an external FL-LM3 hotshoe flashgun is included. Built-in Wi-Fi allows shooting through a smartphone and movies can be recorded in Full HD. Sadly, there’s no 4K. The Pen-F is a great budget option packed with features and retro charm. olympus.co.uk Above Styled around the 1963 film Pen-F SLR, this camera has loads of character. PROS Stabilised sensor Flip-out screen Clear EVF Retro charm CONS No 4K video No NFC Small MFT sensor SPEC Sensor size: Micro Four Thirds Pixels: 20.3MP RATING RATING 138 PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS UNDER £1500 #8 #7 PA NASONIC A large build and chunky handgrip give the GH4R excellent handling. It can shoot at a respectable 12fps – a feat unmatched even by top APS-C DSLRs. One downside is its 16.05MP resolution, which falls behind many of its rivals. That said, the GH4R can impressively record 4K footage internally, which is a huge must for videographers. Its 3in screen is a joy to use and the touch interface is very intuitive. It’s a little low in resolution at 1036k-dot, but can be flipped out and rotated. Tapping to set the active AF point is quick and you can resize the point by pinching the screen too. The Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) is really clear and responsive, and makes the GH4R feel more like a DSLR. It also has a sensor that engages it when brought up to eyelevel. The autofocus system is contrast detect, though this is very speedy at acquiring a subject, thanks to its Depth from Defocus (DFD) technology. We noted a small amount of hunting when searching for focus on a subject with low contrast. The GH4R is not the most portable camera here, but it has some brilliant features and similar handling to a DSLR. It’s a solid choice for videographers. panasonic.com/uk Above Chunky buttons and dials are found all over the GH4R, making it easy to set up. PROS Tilt touch LCD 4K video 12fps RAW shooting Wi-Fi & NFC CONS Quite large for a mirrorless camera Resolution is fairly low at 16MP SPEC Sensor size: Micro Four Thirds Pixels: 16.05MP FUJIFILM GH4R £999 X-PRO2 £1349 Fujifilm’s flagship CSC, the X-Pro2, comes packed with features. The 2nd generation model comes with an APS-C sensor and sees a resolution increase of 51%, taking it to 24.3MP. The 3in 1620k-dot LCD has an incredible level of detail. But it’s fixed in place, so cannot be tilted or rotated. It also omits touch functionality. The Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder performs well and is also highly detailed at 2360k-dot. The autofocus is now an Intelligent Hybrid AF system with phase and contrast detect for faster subject acquisition. It has more AF points, a total of 77, but this is fairly scant compared to the likes of the α6500, which has 425 phase detect points. The X-Processor Pro engine grants a top burst speed of 8fps. This would be considered quick in the DSLR realm, but there are faster CSCs on test, such as Fujifilm’s 14fps X-T2 and Sony’s 11fps α6500. Wi-Fi is included and a secondary SD slot is a good addition, though a tiltable touchscreen or 4K video would be more useful for most scenarios, so Fujifilm’s X-T2 may be the better choice. Admittedly, the X-T2 doesn’t have the rangefinderstyle retro charm, so you’ll have to weigh up substance against style. fujifilm.eu/uk Above The top is reminiscent of old film cameras with chunky knobs, buttons and dials. PROS APS-C sensor High resolution Dual SD slots Viewfinder CONS No 4K video LCD has no touch functionality LCD cannot be tilted or rotated SPEC Sensor size: APS-C Pixels: 24.3MP RATING RATING PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 139
Page 1 and 2: NOW INCORPORATING 32 PAGES OF THE B
Page 3 and 4: 148 Photoshop Genius 68 Add creativ
Page 5 and 6: Tree of life by Ahmed Altoqi l I to
Page 7 and 8: TIP USE AN INTERVAL TIMER The natur
Page 9 and 10: PHILIP LEE HARVEY TRAVEL A young mo
Page 11 and 12: Creative Reflections NO FILTER WITH
Page 13 and 14: ELEMENTS STEP-BY-STEP Sharpen using
Page 15 and 16: What do the buttons on my triggers
Page 17: This image has all of the elements

Practical Photography

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?