PhotoPlus_Issue_128_July_2017

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No.1 for canon dslr users
Issue 128 • July 2017
best dslr for enthusiasts
new canon eos 77D
77 reasons why Canon’s new camera is better than yours!
summer
scenes
How to take great
landscape photos
best
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tutorials
& tests
canon school
l Become a
portrait pro
l We answer your
Canon queries
l Master manual
focus easily
To be a good
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need to see the shot
in your mind’s eye
Marc Aspland – Sports Photographer
supertest
super
zooms
8 all-in-one
travel lenses
pro advice
family
photos
Capture artistic
portraits on location

Summer
Scenic shots
Learn how to take
great landscape shots
this summer – like this
beauty by Francesco
Riccardo! – by following
our ten-step plan on
Page 28
Peter Travers
Editor
Welcome
Summer, summer, summertime… Summer lovin’, had me a blast…
In the summer time, when the weather is hot… there are lots of
songs celebrating summer as it’s such an stimulating and exciting
time of year. When the days are brighter, warmer and longer, it’s also
an inspirational time for landscape photography. As the light is much
more evocative, from sunrise to sunset, it creates so many colourful
scenes worth capturing. To help you improve your summer landscape
photography skills, we’ve put together a tip-packed ten-step plan,
backed up with amazing landscape photography. From page 28.
This issue we fully test Canon’s new EOS 77D. Aimed at enthusiasts
but with features and specs to rival recent semi-pro DSLRs, we reveal
77 reasons why this new Canon camera is better than yours! See page 96
for all the facts and stats, and our final test verdict.
Also inside, our Apprentice heads to some beautiful botanical gardens
with award-winning family photographer Nina Mace to learn how to
improve his portrait techniques (page 8). We have some great and varied
photo projects to try out, from colourful close-ups of tiny pets and using
misty filters for atmospheric seascapes to long-exposure traffic light trails
and ‘ring of fire’ lens flare effects, from page 45.
We also chat to the creative talent that is Marc Aspland, chief sports
photographer for The Times. His eye for an original sports shot has won
him Sports Photographer of the Year award four times (page 64).
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3

CONTENTS
28
Top 10 tips
SCENES
SUMMER
Learn how to take your best-ever
landscape photos this summer
88
Essentials
20 Inspirations
More fantastic winning Canon
imagery, this time with the theme of ‘shapes’
28
4
Summer scenes
With long and dreamy days, the
summer season is perfect for landscape
photography – follow our ten-step plan!
42
Great subscriptions offer
Don’t miss our exclusive deal where
we’re offering you a Manfrotto monopod
worth £29.95 when you sign up
72
Photo Stories
This month, a four-page special on
Chris Porsz’s unique Reunions project that
has been over three decades in the making
125
130
Next Issue
Find out what new tips, tutorials
and techniques you can expect next month
Focus Point
Have your say on all things
PhotoPlus – or anything else, really. Send
us a letter for the chance of winning a prize
Canon pros
The Apprentice
8
40
Award-winning pro Nina Mace teaches
our reader how to take great family portraits
David Noton On Location
He just can’t sit still, this bloke! This
time David heads to rolling hills of Exmoor
64
The Pro Interview
Pro sports photographer Marc Aspland
on the highs and lows of his career to date
76
My Kit
Mountain man Markus Rohrbacher
talks about his top gear for Alpine action
Canon SchOOl
Cash with your Canon
80 How to make money from your
Digital SLR Essentials
84
the easy way to master manual focus
EOS S.O.S
88
photos – this month, become a portrait pro
Struggling to focus manually? Learn
We answer your tough techie questions
New tests
Gear Update
94
96
New gear and upgrades to spruce
up your camera and photography arsenal
Canon EOS 77D test
Find out what we think of Canon’s
new enthusiast camera in our big eightpage
test, plus 77 reasons why this new
DSLR is better than yours!
104
Mini Test
Is your sensor
absolutely filthy? We check
out six cleaning kits to
make it sparkle
106
Super Test:
Superzooms
Eight all-in-one wide-angle
to telephoto zooms get our
real-world and lab test
treatment – which is best?
118
Buyers’ Guide
106
Every current Canon EOS
DSLR, plus every conceivable lenses
from Sigma, Tamron, Tokina and more
96
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Issue 128 July 2017
8
64
7 ways to improve your photography today
46
Project 1 Fake hazy
landscapes with a little
help from a mist filter
Photoshop elEMEnts
50
Project 2 Learn how to
capture cute portraits of
your little furry friends
56
Project 4 Transform passing
vehicles at night into bold
streaks of colour and blur
Photoshop CC
58
Tutorial 1 How to remove an
unwanted photobomber from
those special photographs
Lightroom
52
Project 3 Generate circular
lens flare with direct sunlight
and a bit of copper pipe
20
60
Tutorial 2 Edit summer
portraits to create a fresh
and sun-kissed look
62
Tutorial 3 Produce panoramas with Lightroom’s Merge
Panorama command – in just four simple steps
READ THE TUTORIALS… THEN WATCH OUR EXPERT VIDEOS
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THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THESE VIDEO TUTORIALS ARE 100% INDEPENDENT
AND NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY CANON OR ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
The Canon Magazine 5

Meet the team...
Print 18,468
Digital 3,985
The ABC combined print and digital
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22,453
A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations
Who we are, what we do, and our choice content from this issue…
This issue’s contributors…
Nina
Mace
Award-winning
pro Nina helps
our reader to take better
family portraits with her
expert guidance. Page 8
Markus
Rohrbacher
Not just a cool
dude, Markus
reveals six bits of top gear
he takes on his epic sports
and scenic shoots. Page 76
Peter Travers
Editor • 5D Mark III
peter.travers@futurenet.com
“As a dedicated family man, it was
a pleasure to spend a day with
Nina Mace and our Apprentice
taking great portraits on location
using only natural light.” Page 8
Lauren Scott
Staff writer • 7D Mark II
lauren.scott@futurenet.com
“It was a joy to share my advice in
this month’s summer landscapes
feature, even if I didn’t quite
make it on that exotic trip to the
Caribbean…” Page 28
Rod Lawton
Head of testing • 6D
rod.lawton@futurenet.com
“Of the two new DSLRs launched by
Canon recently, it’s the EOS 77D
that gets my vote – it’s like
getting the power of the 80D in
a pint-sized package.” Page 96
David
Noton
Staying closer
to home for
once, David pops to Exmoor
in search of rolling hills and
golden light. Page 40
Marcus
Hawkins
Magic Marcus
reveals several
easy ways to master manual
focus in this month’s
in-depth guide. Page 84
James
Paterson
Creative
genius James
explains how to take long
exposures to turn traffic
lights into trails. Page 56
Brian
Worley
Brian solves
more of your
technical problems and
queries with his incredibly
detailed answers. Page 88
Adam Waring
Operations editor • 7D
adam.waring@futurenet.com
“As a Bath Rugby fan, it was ace to
see hunky England and Bath fly-half
George Ford grace the opening shot
of our interview with pro sports
shooter Marc Aspland.” Page 64
Martin Parfitt
Art editor • 600D
martin.parfitt@futurenet.com
“I like Chris Porsz’s Reunion photos.
The John Lewis shot is great, but
I remember being asked to move
on if I looked at any toys for too
long when aged 10.” Page 72
Matthew Richards
Technical writer • 760D
photoplus@futurenet.com
“When it comes to convenience and
compact lenses, reviewing do-it-all
superzooms on my trusty 70D for
this month’s Super Test has been
a real eye-opener.” Page 106
Marc
Aspland
The incredibly
talented Marc
reveals how he always
strives to get a unique
sports shot. Page 64
Ben
Andrews
Bonafide clean
freak Ben likes
his kit spick and span – so
was ideal to test six sensor
cleaning kits. Page 104
PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine
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ISSN 1754836
Our contributors Ben Andrews, Marc Aspland, Joe Branston, David Clark, Ollie Curtis, Peter Gray,
Phil Hall, Marcus Hawkins, Paul Lapham, Rod Lawton, Nina Mace, David Noton, James Paterson,
Matthew Richards, Markus Rohrbacher, Brian Worley
6
www.digitalcameraworld.com

TheApprentice
Modern
Family
Award-winning family photographer Nina Mace helps
our Apprentice improve his family portrait techniques
8
www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO
Canon pro
Name:
Nina Mace
Camera:
Canon EOS 5D Mk iii
Nina, 40, is a professional family
portrait photographer based in Hemel
Hempstead. She won the 2014 Children,
Family & Lifestyle Photographer of the
Year award with the Guild of Professional
Photographers, and runs Masterclasses
for the Society of Wedding and Portrait
Photographers (SWPP). She offers 1-2-1
mentoring and photography workshops,
details and her stunning portfolio are at:
www.ninamacephotography.com
APPRENTICE
Name:
Paul Lapham
Camera:
Canon EOS 70D
Paul, 60, is a law lecturer at
Kingston College, and lives in
Richmond. Three years ago he
began taking photography evening
classes once a week. He started
out with a Canon PowerShot
compact but wanted more from his
camera, so he upgraded to a
Canon EOS 70D and hasn’t looked
back. Paul’s into all types of
photography, but wanted our help
to take better family portraits.
The Canon Magazine 9

TheApprentice
TECHNIQUE
ASSESSMENT
Nina helped PhotoPlus Apprentice Paul set up
his camera ready to capture family portraits
Paul’s comment
After trying a few
shots of the family’s
two boys together, we got
each one to separately lean
over the back of a park bench
that was perfectly placed for some shaded
light, with a large expanse of sky to look into to
light up their faces and eyes. Nina helped me to
compose the shot so the blurred background
behind is darker to contrast with the boy’s
skin tones and light blue clothing she’d
asked his parents to dress him in.
Av to mAnual mode
“Paul was used to shooting in Av mode, only going
to Manual mode when using lights,” says Nina,
“However, I was keen for him to use Manual so he
could take charge of his aperture, shutter speed and
ISO for more control over his results. I asked him to
set a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 sec to freeze
fidgety kids and avoid motion blur in limbs, and a
wide aperture, such as f/4, to blur the backgrounds,
then adjust ISO to expose for skin tones; on our
overcast day in the shade, this was 400 to 640.”
HOT
SHOT
#1
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
1/640 sec, f/4, ISO400
Warmer whites
“When it comes to portraits, photographers need
to find a white balance to suit their image style. For
me, I set my white balance on my Canon 5D Mark III
to 6400 K – warmer skin tones are my preference,
whether indoors or outdoors. This also means the
white balance stays consistent so images look good
together for client’s galleries. I sometimes even go
up to 8000 K in the golden hour! For Paul’s 70D,
however, we found that 5500 K was much better for
accurate colours that still had warmth, so see what
works best for your camera,” advises Nina.
10
EXPERT inSIGHT
What is the best natural light?
Nina likes to keep things
simple on location shoots, and
she never uses a reflector, let
alone flashguns. “Avoid direct
sunlight, otherwise you’ll get
harsh shadows and squinty faces,
also avoid top lighting – when the
sun is directly overhead – as it is
during the day in summer,” says
Nina. “The best spots are under
trees in shade, but with diffused
– not dappled! – light. You don’t
want too much shadow though;
you need to find the sweet spot
under overhanging foliage with a
clear section of sky lighting the
face. You want soft light on faces
and so the eyes are bright.”
www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO
Ride the
shutter
“When shooting,
I tend to leave the
aperture wide open
at f/2.8 and ISO on
100-800, depending
on light levels, then
ride my shutter speed
if the sun is dipping in
and out,” says Nina.
“This can be up to
fours stops difference,
starting at 1/500 sec
and up to 1/4000 sec.
I constantly check
images on the LCD,
adjusting the shutter
speed if I need to.”
Top gear #1
Luxury lenses
Nina uses a range of fast telephoto lenses
to capture her dreamy, atmospheric portraits.
“I carry three main Canon EF lenses: the 200mm
f/2.8L and 135mm f/2L primes, and 70-200mm
f/2.8L zoom – which I keep almost permanently
on 200mm for lovely background separation for
my subjects to stand out clearly,” she says.
The Canon Magazine 11

TheApprentice
Top gear #2
Full-frame DSLRs
“The EOS 5D Mark
III is fantastic for
portraiture,” says
Nina: “It’s full-frame,
which helps with beautiful background blur when
I use my telephotos lenses wide open; the image
quality is great, with lovely natural colours; and I
have no trouble with noise, even when shooting at
high ISO settings. I carry two bodies in case my
main camera fails me – it hasn’t yet!”
Autofocus mode
“I prefer to use the AI Servo AF mode
as my family subjects are always moving
around, so use I this focus tracking
method for a better hit rate. I set
back-button focus, then constantly hold
down the (AF-On) button so my camera
is continuously adjusting the focus for
sharp shots,” says Nina.
HOT
SHOT
#2
Paul’s comment
The little girl
was quite shy
so we got her to pick
flowers and she was
much happier. The
shade under the tree has created a lovely
diffused light. The flowers add some
lovely colour to both the foreground and
background, as well as adding depth,
without distracting the eye from our
pretty little subject. I shot this at 150mm,
so knelt down from afar to include some
of the surroundings, and, at f/4, it’s
blurred the background artistically.
HOT
SHOT
#3
Paul’s comment
With the kids
happy, we
brought in mum and dad
for a group shot. We got
them to squeeze in nice
and close, and Nina engaged with them
brilliantly so they have great expressions.
The only thing I’d want to improve on is
the position of the little boy with his body
covered by a flower in the foreground,
but I still think it’s a great shot.
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO400
12
www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO
EXPERT inSIGHT
Paparazzi mode!
Most Canon cameras have two
burst modes; Continuous and
High-speed Continuous, which,
on Paul’s enthusiast-level EOS 70D
DSLR, offers seven frames per
second – ideal for family portraits.
“I encouraged Paul to use the highspeed
burst mode – or paparazzi
mode as I call it! By firing off multiple
shots, it gives you more choice for
successful shots, and means that,
even if somebody blinks or pulls a
face, you’ll likely have a few winners in
each set up,” smiles Nina.
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
1/640 sec, f/4, ISO640
Top Ten
porTRAIT TipS
1
Fast
telephoto lens
Use a combination of a wide
aperture and long lens to blur the
background – eg f/2.8 at 200mm.
2
Paparazzi mode!
Use High-speed Continuous
mode to increase your chances
of capturing great portraits.
3
Overcast is okay
On an overcast day, the sky works
like a giant softbox – you still
need to avoid top light, though,
so head under tree canopies.
4
Background checks
Get to know the local countryside,
and where the best photo ops are
– under overhanging trees, with
darker, contrasting backgrounds.
5
Engaging with subjects
Chat to, encourage, and make
subjects laugh so they’re relaxed
and having fun. Offer direction
on body and hand positions, too.
6
Read the seasons
Each season, from spring to
late summer, offers different
colourful blossom backgrounds;
from bluebells and wild garlic to
cowslips, rapeseed and poppies.
7
AI Servo AF
Subjects constantly move so use
this focus-tracking method for
a better hit rate of sharp shots.
8
Reduce AF points
Nina sets up her 5D Mark iii so
only the cross-type AF points are
active; so she can access them
quicker than using all 61 points.
9
Green grass of home
Sunlight reflecting off green grass
can make people look like the
Incredible Hulk! Move people to a
different spot so their skin tones
don’t have a green cast.
Removing colour casts
10 But if you do get colour casts, use
Photoshop to fix them selectively
with layers and masks, so
people’s skin looks natural while
the surroundings remain green.
13

TheApprentice
Paul’s comment
For our next set of
family photos, we
moved into the main part of
the park, where we utilized
these lovely long paths lined
with huge horse-chestnut trees. With the
three children huddled together on the
middle of the path, I composed so the path
disappears behind them. The tree created
nicely shaded top light, with sunlight
reflecting off the path just in front of them.
Shooting at 135mm at f/4 has blurred the
background nicely, but not so much
that it’s completely unrecognizable.
Nina entertains the kids to
obtain good expressions for
better portrait shots
HOT
SHOT
#4
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
1/500 sec, f/4, ISO400
14
www.digitalcameraworld.com

SHOOT WITH A PRO
Top gear #3
Camera bag
“I got this Lowepro
Off-Road LP 106 camera bag
for £10 from a charity shop.
I prefer this shape of bag,
and it’s easy to access all my
kit – with two big lenses in
each end, and a spare body
in the middle. It’s not too
huge, and I can wear it as a
giant bumbag if I want to
commit a massive fashion
faux pas!” laughs Nina.
AF point display
Nina set up Paul’s
camera so he was
using Single-point
AF mode, and got
him to compose
with his AF point
over the subject’s
eyes. “This ensures
sharper shots than
if you focus with the
central AF point
then recompose,
which at f/2.8 can throw your focusing off after the slight
movement as you reposition the camera. I also switched
on AF Point Display, so when you’re reviewing images on
your LCD, you can check to see what you’ve focused on.”
Make the most
of group shots
“When photographing
the family as a group, get
them to squeeze tightly
together for a better pose
and shape that’s not so
spread out. Get the family
to mess about – dad
tickling the kids works
well, rather than posed,”
says Nina. “When in a pile
together, it’s a good
opportunity to grab some
close-up headshots of
each subject, especially
if the kids look more
comfortable sat with the
family so you get better
facial expressions. These
can look nice in blackand-white,
as the faces
stand out against
everybody else’s clothes.”
EXPERT inSIGHT
Back-button
focus
“I use the back-button
focusing method as I find it’s
faster and more accurate as
I’m constantly refocusing as
families move around and
kids fidget,” says Nina. “In the
Custom Function menu on Paul’s 70D, we set up his camera so the AF-On
button is exclusively used to focus – you need to disengage focusing from
half-pressing the shutter button, so that it’s only used for metering. Once you
get used to back-button focusing, I guarantee that you’ll never go back!”
Top gear #4
Memory
cards
“I keep my
memory cards
in this trusty
blue box. As
my 5D Mark III cameras have dual slots,
I use the CF card to record Raws, and
the SD card to record JPEGS as backup.
I rarely look at the JPEGS, but they’re
available should I never need them.
And if a card ever lets me down I’ll bin
it straight way,” advises Nina.
15

TheApprentice
Nina’s
beautiful
portraits
Brilliant professional family
photographer Nina Mace
shares three of her top photos
Bluebells
“One of the biggest challenges
of shooting in bluebells is the
light, so this was shot as late
as possible. I allowed some
movement into the dress by
slowing down the shutter speed.”
Blossom
“Taken on my 5D Mark III
with the EF 135mm f/2L, I was
experimenting with how much
bokeh I could create at f/2 by
moving my subject away from the
pink blossom tree. To get height
I had her stand on a park bench.”
Spring
“I love spring flowers but the
light was very bright on this
session, so I placed my subject
into the tree line to ensure that
she wasn’t squinting. I shot on
the EF 135mm f/2L at f/2.5.”
16
HOT
SHOT
#5
Paul’s comment
This shot was one Nina had been waiting to get all day – with our subject backlit
by the sun that’s now lower in the sky, while her face is in diffused top light. It’s
so simple, yet so effective, as the rim light around long hair makes her really stand out
from the contrasting background. It was shot on Nina’s 70-200mm lens at the long end
and wide open at f/2.8. Nina suggested a black-and-white conversion; she explained
that by removing any colour the eye is drawn straight to the girl’s face and happy expression.
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO400
www.digitalcameraworld.com

HOT
SHOT
#6
SHOOT WITH A PRO
EXPERT inSIGHT
Colour wheel &
clothing choices
Ahead of our shoot, Nina supplied the
families with a Pinterest board for inspiration
on what to wear (https://uk.pinterest.com/
ninamace/what-to-wear-spring-shoots).
She explained to Paul that, ideally, her family
would be dressed using complementary colours.
“Analogous colour schemes use colours that are
next to each other on the colour wheel. They
usually match well, are often found in nature,
and are harmonious and pleasing to the eye,”
she explained, “Ideally, I choose one colour to
dominate, a second that supports, and a third
colour is then added (along with black, white or
grey) as an accent. The dominant colour is that
of the backgrounds we intended to use outdoors,
so at this time of year it’s green, which means that
blues and yellows work especially well, alongside
neutrals like greys and whites.”
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO400
Paul’s comment
Nina found a great spot where a pool of light was falling
in amongst some birch trees. Shooting at f/2.8 here
has blurred the trees nicely. By getting dad to lift up his son, both
of their faces are on the same level so I could get in closer for
a more pleasing composition. Nina was great at having
fun with them, and her encouragement has resulted in the relaxed poses.
Dress your subjects in shades that sit next to the
dominant background colour on a colour wheel
Posing and expressions
People often worry if
their subjects aren’t
looking directly towards
them, however you can
sometimes capture more
evocative shots by doing
the opposite, as Nina
explains: “Here, you can
see that you don’t always
need people to be looking
down your lens – it works
well when they’re looking
at each other instead, as
if it’s a shared moment,
caught on camera.”
The Canon Magazine 17

TheApprentice
Paul’s comment
The sun was much
lower in the sky by
now, and Nina explained this
meant it was softer and more
flattering for portraits. We still
had our family under the shade of trees, and we
sat them on a blanket in front of a patch of yellow
buttercups. The long focal length and wide
aperture has blurred these nicely, as well as
the dark, contrasting green background behind.
As Nina gave them direction and got them
to smile in unison, I captured this winner!
Nina’s verdict
Paul had a good
understanding of his
Canon camera and just need a
little help with finding the best
spots for the best light, and
building up a rapport with people to get good
portraits. He’s put everything he’s learned
together here for a deserved Shot of the Day.
Shooting at f/2.8 for group shots like this is fine
if, as we’ve done here, the family are all positioned
together on same focal plane. The flowers in the
foreground add some colour, and a hint of birch in
the background adds to the scene. Getting the
family in tight together and in a triangle
shape really makes this shot. Well done!
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO400
18
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Next Month SPORTS
SHOT
of the
day!
Be our next
apprentice
Do you need some help to take
your Canon photography to the
next level? Let us know what you’d
like help with and we could pair
you up with a top pro for the day!
Email photoplus@futurenet.com
with ‘PhotoPlus Apprentice’ as the
subject, and include your phone
number and address.
The Canon Magazine 19

Stunning imagery from the world of Canon photography
20
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Fantastic canON photography
01 Spiral staircase to heaven
by Marco Tagliarino
“A canopy located above provided
the necessary light to illuminate this
double helix staircase. Having two
staircases allows people to ascend
without meeting people descending.
It’s located at the end of the Vatican
museum and all visitors leave by this
route,” explains Marco.
Lens
Exposure
Tokina AT-X PRO 11-16mm f/2.8 DX
1/13, f/5.6, ISO640
The Canon Magazine 21

INSPIRATIONS
02
02 Grater by Richard Sayles
“This is a shot of the Cheese Grater
car park in Sheffield, UK,” says Richard.
“It sits in the middle of the city centre.
I decided to get right up to the building
to try and accentuate the shapes and to
capture the building differently.” By getting
close and shooting upwards he has created
a wonderfully abstract image that has the
viewer questioning the sense of scale.
Lens
Exposure
Tamron af 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di ii VC ld [IF] Macro
1/1000 sec, f/4, ISO400
03 dry Land by Sigal Cohen
The composition, with these fish breeding
pools stretching into the distance as far
as the eye can see, combined with the fact
that the shot is sharp from front to back
thanks to the depth of field afforded by the
narrow aperture, shows good technical
ability. But what intrigued us most about
this image was that these strange circular
shapes were naturally formed.
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/250 sec, f/13, ISO250
All the images in this gallery
were entrants to the
PhotoPlus ‘Shapes’
competition hosted on
Photocrowd – a website
where a public vote on the
best-liked images is pitted
against expert opinion.
To enter our current contest,
and vote on your favourite
photos, simply visit
www.photocrowd.com
03 04
22
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Fantastic canON photography
04 Power by Mark Chamberlain
“I’d had a vision of this image for months,
but trying to get the symmetry right was
the most difficult,” Mark says. “The cloudy,
windy day gave the perfect chance for a
long-exposure shot.” Mark converted his
power pylon shot to black and white using
Silver Efex Pro.
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
31 secs, f/11, ISO100
The Canon Magazine 23

INSPIRATIONS
05
24
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Fantastic canON photography
06
05 Sphere collection by Paul Nash
“I shot this group of spherical objects
combined, as I wanted to make a single
image that fascinates and reminds you of
the old Victorian collectors,” says Paul.
“This still life stimulates the imagination
and makes you wonder about such an odd
combination of objects.”
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
1/250 sec, f/25, ISO100
06 denkmal by Stefan Nielsen
This shot is a great example of how
effective repetitive architectural
patterns can be when they’re used as a
compositional tool. Stefan took the image
at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin,
Germany, and used a focal length of
105mm to compress the perspective.
07
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/500 sec, f/7.1, ISO200
07 frozen bubble by Zeltner Evelyne
“I shot this soap bubble resting on a frozen
surface at sunrise,” Zeltner says. “The
most difficult part was to deposit a bubble
on the frozen surface without it bursting.
The walls froze in seconds to create
beautiful patterns.”
All the images in this gallery were entrants to the
PhotoPlus ‘Shapes’ competition hosted on Photocrowd – a
website where a public vote on the best-liked images is pitted
against expert opinion. To enter our current contest, and vote
on your favourite photos, simply visit
www.photocrowd.com
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
1/400 sec, f/7.1, ISO100
The Canon Magazine 25

INSPIRATIONS
08
08 lines and Repetition by Humphrey
We loved Harvey’s front-on capture of
the NYC Fashion Institute of Technology.
Filling the whole frame with repetitive
patterns makes for an abstract result, and
enhances the striking tones. Parallel lines
are comforting to the eyes, and Harvey has
recognized this with his composition.
Each issue, our favourite
image wins a Manfrotto Pro
Light RedBee-210 backpack
(worth £140), and a
selection from our top ten
choices will be printed in
these gallery pages.
www.manfrotto.co.uk
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
1/640 sec, f/4, ISO100
09 la Pyramide Inversée
by Mark Krutiak
“I had to use a long exposure – with no
tripod – to make the afternoon crowds
disappear,” says Mark. “My camera was
placed on the floor and a 10-stop ND filter
was used.” By blurring out tourists, our eye
focuses entirely on the haunting shape of
the Louvre’s skylight.
Lens
Exposure
Canon ef 17-40mm f/4L USM
30 secs, f/10, ISO100
09
26
www.digitalcameraworld.com

seasonalphotoskills
10
steps to
stunning
summer
landscapes
With long and dreamy days, summer is a fantastic season for
photography – follow our 10-step plan for your best captures ever!
30 Gear up!
Get kitted out and make
a plan of action
32 Use the whole day
Shoot from dawn till dusk
and tackle tricky lighting
34 Embrace bad weather
Keep at it, even during
stormy conditions
36 Nail your exposure
Capture high-contrast
scenes with success
38 Be different
Change your perspective
for a new view
28
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Summer landscapes
Shutterstock
The Canon Magazine 29

1
The
seasonalphotoskills
right kit
For the best chance of success you
need to look, feel and dress the part
Donning the trendiest outdoor clothing won’t elevate your
photography, however it does pay to invest in some practical
outdoor garments. The right clothing will protect you against
the elements and enable you to shoot for longer in comfort.
Summer isn’t always sunny, so think about dressing for wet and
stormy weather, as well as heat and humidity. Whatever your
budget, opt for versatile, water-resistant and lightweight clothes.
Look at how well ventilated they are and whether they can be
packed away in a camera bag. Pockets are a great asset too,
providing easy access to filters, cards and smaller lenses.
Bright
& sunny
01
A standard baseball
hat will keep the sun off
your head at midday.
02
A good waistcoat or
gilet will protect you
from sun and wind, and
provides easy access
to kit. This Páramo
Halcon Waistcoat is
ideal for warm weather
shooting, and has 12
pockets to stash stuff.
03
Base layers should be
stretchy, fast-drying
and lightweight.
Opt for breathable
materials, such as
cotton, or technical
fabrics with sweatwicking
properties.
04
Bottoms should help
you stay cool but
provide protection
from UV and insects.
These Atca trousers
can be worn cropped
or full length.
03
02
01
04
Camera kit
05
06
The equipment you’ll
need to get started
• Canon DSLR
• Wide-angle lens
• Comfortable bag
• Waterproof bag cover
• Sturdy tripod
Handy extras
• UV filter
• Polarizing filter
• Lens cloth
Dark &
stormy
05
You might want a
warm hat for early
morning shoots,
or to give protection
in strong winds.
06
There’s no point in
keeping kit dry if you’re
so wet and miserable
you can’t concentrate.
A waterproof jacket
or coat is essential
for rainy conditions.
This Páramo Velez
Adventure Light
Smock is waterproof
and breathable in
humid weather, but
only weighs 575g.
Some companies,
such as Páramo
(www.paramoclothing.com),
design
outdoor garments
specifically with
photographers in
mind. They’re often
worth paying a bit
more for, as they’ll
last you for years
and make shoots
more comfortable.
30
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Summer landscapes
2
Seek
inspiration
Where can you look for new shooting locations?
Be inspired, but try to be original too…
The world is a big place, so it’s best to have a rough shooting
area in mind when you start your research (whether this is a
holiday destination, or somewhere closer to home). Your local
area might seem dull and familiar, so try looking at it from
another point of view. What spots would you recommend to a
fellow photographer if they were visiting? If you’re able and
willing to head somewhere more exotic, you can glean location
ideas from travel brochures and guides. Make use of online
photo communities for inspiration too. The Flickr World Map
(www.flickr.com/map) allows you to scroll around and find
photos that have been uploaded and geotagged, and you can
enter your own location to narrow the results down. 500px
(www.500px.com) is a stunning inspiration source, but don’t
feel like you have to travel to far-flung places for great results!
It’s easy to get carried
away with wanderlust.
Scale back shoots to suit
your budget and time
3
Do your
homework
The Photographer’s Ephemeris is
available as a desktop or mobile
app (www.photoephemeris.com)
Traditional maps, such as Ordnance
Survey, provide a helpful overview of
an area and highlight other picturesque
spots that might be nearby
Francesco Richardo
Make use of popular apps as well as traditional
maps to make your pre-shoot preparation count
Forward planning is key for landscape photography, as
you’re reliant on the weather and light direction being just right.
By researching locations thoroughly at home, you’re more likely to be
rewarded with favourable conditions when you arrive with your camera.
The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) and The Photographer’s Transit
(TPT) are two apps that are ideal planning companions. TPE displays
how the light will fall on the land at any time of day in any location, so
why not use it to work out the time and direction of sunrise and sunset
in your chosen spot? TPT also provides a great way to check if your
planned focal length will capture your scene effectively. Don’t neglect
paper maps – as well as Google maps – in your logistical quest. Although
they’re not as pocketable as a phone, they can be spread out on a table
to really help you visualize a landscape in more detail.
The Canon Magazine 31

seasonalphotoskills
4
Use the
whole day
There’s more to shooting in the summer
than getting up early and staying out late
The great thing about shooting in the summer
months is the long days and amount of daylight
available for you to take advantage of. During the day,
however, metering can become tricky. Have you ever
looked onto a glimmering ocean view, gone to capture
it with your camera, and been disappointed by the
result? This is because the human eye can see the
equivalent of about 14 f-stops of dynamic range, while
Canon DSLRs are limited to around eight. Don’t be
disheartened though. As long as you choose the right
subject to photograph (under the right conditions), the
season can be just as rewarding as any other. Here,
we’ll encourage you to use the whole of the day
– including in the harsh, high and bright midday light.
You could try to shake up your composition to avoid
contrast completely, or use shade to your advantage.
It’s time to make friends with midday…
Shooting summer scenes
with a longer focal length
simplifies the composition.
Excluding a bright sky can
make exposure easier, too
Sunrise Midday Sunset
Early-morning light tends to be cooler. Arrive at
least 30 minutes before actual sunrise to set up
Light in the middle of the day often makes
landscapes look a bit flat and two-dimensional
Late evening light leans toward pleasingly
warm colour casts of orange and red
TOP
TIP
How to shoot a sunrise
The reward of capturing the sun rising over the
horizon almost always makes up for the lack of sleep.
Research carefully to check the direction of sunrise,
and scout your location beforehand so you can set up
a good composition without faff. Arrive in plenty of
time, and mount your camera onto a tripod. Opt for
a low ISO, an aperture of around f/8-f/11 and a longer
shutter speed to compensate.
32
Morning light is cooler
in tone, so you might
want to set the white
balance to Shade
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Summer landscapes
TOP
TIP
The Sunny 16 rule
The Sunny 16 rule is a way to meter for a
correct exposure during the middle of the day
without using your Canon’s light meter. The
basic idea is that, in daylight at an aperture of
f/16, the correct exposure can be achieved with
a reciprocal shutter speed to the ISO speed
you’re using. For example, ISO200 would
require 1/200 sec. As the conditions change,
you simply alter the aperture. Use this table as
a guide and try it out on your next shoot. Even
the most sophisticated camera meters can be
fooled in certain conditions, so this is a handy
concept to keep at the back of your mind.
Aperture
Light
Francesco Richardo
f/16
Sunny
At midday
Be patient. A passing cloud
can be enough to soften the
light hitting the landscape
On a lovely sunny day, shooting at noon can be a photographer’s worst
nightmare. It’s the time when the sun is highest in the sky, and this generates
high contrast between the foreground and the sky. If you meter for the land,
you’ll usually find the sky is completely blown out, whereas exposing for the sky
leaves the land too dark. If you have to shoot at midday, try ditching the wideangle
lens and zoom in on the scene with a telephoto lens. This way, you’ll
eliminate the large amount of contrast that’s evident in broader shots, meter
more effectively, and give the viewer’s eye something to focus on.
f/11
f/8
Slightly Overcast
Overcast
Use shade
If the midday sun is too high for your
DSLR to handle, move to a spot of shade.
This could be under a palm tree (if you’re
lucky!) or building. Try not to worry
about how ridiculous you might look
crouching down in bushes. Shaded light is
softer, shadows are weaker and the
contrast is lower. If you’re completely in the
open and can’t get around it, make use of your
lens hood to avoid flare and glare.
f/5.6
f/4
Heavily Overcast
Open Shade/
Sunset
Your ISO and shutter speed should be
reciprocal for the correct exposure
The Canon Magazine 33

seasonalphotoskills
5
Embrace
bad weather
Too inclement to go out shooting? Change your outlook for moody results
Framing an image with summer
flowers in the foreground will
draw the eye into a murky scene
There’s no such thing as bad weather
(for landscape photography, at least).
Even in the rain, it’s possible to capture
stunning images that still have a hint
of summer about them. Try to include
seasonal clues in the foreground of
your images, such as floral details or
vegetation. Poppies and sunflowers are
quintessential summer blooms, which
will add a bold splash of colour. Despite
its sunny disposition, the summer season
also has a darker side – thunderstorms.
Lightning presents dynamic photo
opportunities, but only if you can capture
it quickly enough. The specific camera
settings needed depend on the time of
day and your location, but as a general
rule, set your lens to manual focus and
focus it at infinity. In Bulb mode, start
with an aperture of around f/8 and ISO
of 100. Then, keep the shutter open long
enough to capture the strike!
TOP
TIP
I’m shootin’ in the rain
When yOU get caught up in a rainstorm, start shooting immediately after the
rain stops. As the sun emerges and peeks through darker storm clouds, you’ll be
presented with stunning photo opportunities. Clouds after rain are very dramatic,
and the still air will give way to pristine reflections in puddles. In torrential weather,
though, don’t get carried away and damage your kit in the process. Many camera
bags come with a waterproof cover, so use them if it really starts to pour down.
You can protect your lenses to a certain degree with a lens hood, but it’s worth
investing in a basic rain cover so that you can carry on shooting, even in storms.
Dress you
– and your
camera – for
the weather
34

Summer landscapes
Cliff-sides are striking on a sunny day, when
foliage contrasts with the sea beyond
summer scenes
to photograph
We couldn’t tackle the season
without exploring the coast, but we will
try to take you beyond stereotypical
seaside scenes of hot beaches…
Waves are great fun to dive into with a camera
(inside a waterproof housing, of course!)
Coastal fishing villages perched on the edge
of the water have a quaint, summery charm
Francesco Richardo
Francesco Richardo
Francesco Richardo
Hit the coast
Go beyond traditional beach images
6next time you’re beside the seaside
Piers and groynes make striking subjects. Try
a central composition for an abstract result
Summer days can seem endless and dreamy,
reminiscent of childhoods spent roaming the beach
under a hot sky. A wide-angle lens is the go-to choice for
photographing coastal scenes, and even a kit lens can be
put to good use here. Don’t feel limited to these expansive
views of sand and sea, though. Why not use a telephoto
lens to hone in on footprints in the sand, or boats bobbing
about on a sparkling ocean? The light quality can indicate
to a viewer where and when an image was shot, so you
don’t always have to include obvious visual clues.
Wider scenes, with the sea in the background,
look punchy when shot with a polarizer
The Canon Magazine 35

seasonalphotoskills
7Nail your
exposure
Heed these hints and tips to really get
the most from tricky lighting situations
It would seem as if everything is on your side in summer:
fair weather, clear skies and long days. However, as soon as the
sun does rise, it rises high and fast in the sky. The morning
shadows quickly retreat, and this diminishes any sense of depth
in the landscape. At the same time, contrast can be a big
challenge for accurate exposure. There’s nothing inherently
wrong with photographing in high-contrast
conditions, but they can be very hard to
meter for. In an Evaluative metering
mode your Canon’s meter will
measure the light intensity across
the whole frame, then come
up with an average value.
In bright, contrasty conditions,
this often renders your actual
subject too bright or dark. If
you switch to Spot or Partial
metering mode, bear in mind
that you’ll need to be able to judge
tones accurately to get the most
from them. Follow the three step
tutorial, below, to take back control of
the way you expose such scenes.
Francesco Richardo
High-contrast scenes
Try taking several readings then shoot with the average
01 camera settings
Switch to Manual mode for full control of
your exposure and Spot metering. Dial in
your desired ISO and aperture. These
values will depend on the scene, but
start at around f/10 and ISO200.
36
01 take the readings
Use a manual AF point selection, and
start by positioning the focus point over
an area of shadow. Note the given
shutter speed. Repeat this step to meter
the brightest point of the scene.
01 find the average
Find the middle shutter speed between
the two readings. For example, between
1/160 sec and 1/640 sec would be
1/320 sec. Shoot at this exposure and
then review the image histogram.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

8 Filters
High-quality filters are a must-have accessory
for improving your landscapes in-camera. When used
properly, a filter not only enhances scenes, but saves
you time editing your shots later, and is also useful for
protecting your expensive lens’s front element from
accidental damage. We’ve listed the most important
filters for photographing summer landscapes below,
explaining the conditions where you’ll want to use each
one. Companies like Lee Filters (www.leefilters.com) offer
premium options – at premium prices – but choose a filter
system that matches your budget.
Summer landscapes
Know your ND from your UV? Here’s
our quick guide to using filters
Ultraviolet filter
A UV filter is often overlooked, but as ultraviolet
radiation can create haziness in photographic
images it’s a handy accessory to keep on your lens
in summer. UV radiation increases with altitude, so
use a filter if you’re going to be climbing. A UV filter
also protects the front of a lens – it’s a lot cheaper
to replace a filter than a scratched front lens element…
TOP
TIP
High-contrast scenes can play
havoc with your metering when
using Evaluative mode
Avoid dust spots
Dust spots become very obvious when
you’ve stopped down to narrow apertures
(higher f-numbers) and are shooting a bright
sky. Make sure that your lens, filters and sensor
are clean. This way you won’t spend hours
removing dust spots in post-processing.
Neutral-density filter
Neutral-density filters, such as the Lee Big Stopper,
reduce the amount of light entering the lens across
the whole frame. This means you can use much
slower shutter speeds than normal. Attach a 10-stop
ND filter if you want to use a wide aperture, or really
long exposure for creative effect on a bright
summer’s day, such as blurring moving water.
Graduated neutral density filter
Graduated neutral density filters have a dark or grey
coating at the top, and blend to clear at the bottom.
By placing the dark part over the sky, you can bring
its exposure value closer to that of the landscape
below. This filter therefore becomes very useful
when you’re shooting very bright skies against a
darker foreground, and you need to balance the two.
Circular polarizer
A polarizer is highly effective on sunny days, adding a
rich and velvety quality to blue skies. Once attached
to your lens, simply rotate the front section to
increase or decrease the effect. A polarizer will also
boost contrast on damp, overcast days. On a shoot,
you can judge the strength of the effect by rotating
the filter slowly as you look through the viewfinder.
The Canon Magazine 37

seasonalphotoskills
9Be While a warming summer landscape is pleasing to the eye, there’s
always scope to try something more dynamic. We’ve already touched
upon using a telephoto lens to compress the perspective of the
landscape, but bear in mind how your shooting angle also effects the
result. Crouching down low in foliage or flowers gives a much more
intimate feel. So, too, does widening the aperture and throwing the
background out of focus. For a really drastic feel, give infrared a go.
Blue skies and fluffy white clouds look great with this effect, as the
harsh and contrasting sunlight creates a surreal, bleached look.
different
Take an alternative approach
to your seasonal image-making
TOP
TIP
Try infrared
The easiest and cheapest way to get
started is to attach an infrared filter
to the front of your lens.
You won’t be able to
see anything through
the viewfinder once
it’s screwed on,
so it’s best to
compose the scene
first. Where
possible, look to
include plenty of
greenery in the frame.
mrtotophotos
Francesco Richardo
Get abstract
Don’t be scared to
fill the frame with
land and ignore the
sky completely.
With a longer lens,
use repetitive lines
to lead the eye into
the composition.
Francesco Richardo
Include people
Photographing
figures in the
landscape works
to add depth and
interest. In vast
expansive scenes,
it also adds a muchneeded
sense of
scale to the view.
38
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Summer landscapes
10
Follow these quick tweaks to really polish off your shots
WHEN you find yourself shooting in
bright sunlight, a good technique is to
underexpose slightly so that you retain
highlight detail in the skies. As you can
see from our starting shot, however, this
approach often renders the overall shot
very dark, drab and dull. The good news
is that it’s easy to liven up the final photo
when editing, even just with a few quick
tweaks to the highlight and shadow
levels, to recreate the gorgeous summery
scene that your eye saw in a jiffy!
After
Edit to
perfection
Before
TOP
TIP
Camera Raw methods
Shooting your landscapes in Raw mode
gives you a fully uncompressed file or ‘digital
negative’ to work with when it comes to the
editing stage, and any changes you make can
be tweaked again later. Photoshop’s Adobe
Camera Raw plug-in is a good place to start…
FIRST tweaks
Open the image up in Adobe Camera Raw and
begin with general changes. To start with, we
brightened up the exposure and shadows
BOOST the sky
Make use of gradient filters to boost selected
portions of the image. Here, a filter was
dragged across the sky to add saturation
TONE CURVES
We transformed this flat landscape shot by
boosting the shadows and vibrancy levels
Use a Tone Curve and add points for a more
targeted edit. We lightened the highlights and
shadows again slightly to liven up the shot
The Canon Magazine 39

DAVIDNOTONonlocATION
Exmoor Gold
Bossington Hill, Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. 20:52 local time. 19 August 2013
On the rolling hills of Exmoor in late summer, and
David Noton is wondering: How low can I go? What
degree of motion blur? And why is my back killing me?
The rolling hills and moorland of Exmoor National
Park come alive with colour in late summer. The
purple and mauves of the heather and the bright
yellow of the western gorse mix with the gold of
the long dry grass in an explosion of colour that
defies belief, especially when bathed in the low
warm light of a summer’s evening. Contrast all
that with the lush green of the valleys below and it’s a scene
that pulls me back time and again.
I’m crouched by the low tripod, straining with a protesting
spine to see the camera back. With such a low viewpoint
composing is tricky, I wish my 5D Mark III had a flip-out screen.
I know why it doesn’t of course; too flimsy for a pro-spec body,
it wouldn’t last a month on the road in
Australia. Except I’m not in Karajini, I’m
in Somerset, and my back is killing me.
Well, we have to suffer for our art
I suppose, and we all know the
advantages of getting low; a whole new
world of compositions opens up. Here the
front element of my tilt-shift lens is just
millimetres from the bell heather, I’ve
a little bit of droop tilt dialed in to
optimize my depth of field, and the
light is just getting better and better.
After much grunting I’m happy with
my composition. It will be one of those
images with almost infinite depth made
by the strong foreground interest, but the
patchwork of fields below and the interest
in the sky are also key. A strong breeze
is blowing; rendering the swaying grass
sharp will be nigh-on impossible, so as
I can’t fight Mother Nature I might as well
join her and go for some motion blur.
The big question is how much?
I reach for my polarizer; with the angle
of the light as it is sidelighting the scene
it will really saturate the colours of the
DAVID NOTON
Pro travel & landscape photographer
David is an award-winning Canon
photographer with more than 30 years’
professional experience. During his career
David has travelled to just about every
corner of the globe. In 2012, Canon invited
him into its Ambassador Program by
designating him an Official Canon Explorer.
Info and photos at www.davidnoton.com
heather and make the blue in the sky pop. The problem is,
however, with such a wide angle of view its effect on the sky
will not be even, producing an unsightly donut effect. I think
though there’s just enough cloud in the sky to mask the effect;
it’s got to be worth a go. Now I need to consider additional
filtration; having decided to let the grass sway while my shutter
languishes open I could opt for an exposure stretching into the
minutes if I deploy my Lee Filters 10x Big Stopper, or I could use
the 6x Little Stopper, or a more modest 0.9 (3x) neutral density.
Which to go for?
It’s easy to fall into the trap when considering motion blur
to assume that the longer the exposure and the more blur the
better. Breaking waves, bending trees, babbling brooks, swaying
grass, streaking clouds all take on a
dreamy look with long exposures. But
here on Bossington Hill I’m looking at
those traces of high altitude cirrus in
an otherwise unbroken blue sky. They
are artful; I want them in my shot.
Skies make landscapes, it’s as simple as
that. I know if I now fit the Big Stopper
and leave my shutter open for some
90 seconds they’d be rendered as
indistinct streaks, barely visible. No,
I want motion in my foreground, but
not in the sky, meaning an exposure of
just a few seconds is called for. I reach
for my 0.9 ND; combined with the
polarizer and an aperture of f/16 it’ll
do the job. I shoot a test frame, adjust
my exposure using the histogram
display, double check-focus and depth
of field again, and press the button on
my remote release. The light will only
continue to get better, but that cloud
will soon drift out of frame. Now is
my decisive moment.
Next month Canada
40
www.digitalcameraworld.com

DAVID NOTON COLUMN
Coastal heath on Bossington Hill in late
summer, with Dunkery Beacon beyond
Lens
Exposure
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L
5 secs, f/16, ISO100
As I can’t fight
Mother Nature I might as
well join her and go for
some motion blur

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The Canon Magazine 43

canon skills
Sharpen up your photography skills with
our all-new photo projects and expert guides
Lauren Scott
Staff Writer
lauren.scott@futurenet.com
Welcome...
hello! Photography, as
you’ll have heard a million
times, is all about light. The
best pros can enhance
lighting conditions with their
own special tips and kit, and
as usual we’ll be showing
you how to do the same.
First up we’ll be at the
beach, using mist filters to
add mood to early morning
scenes. For something
closer to home, why not
work with a Speedlite and
focus on your furry friends
in our pet portrait project?
Later in the day, discover
how to add romantic rings
of flare to your portraits.
Then, once the sun has truly
set, there’s a project for
turning passing cars into
terrific traffic trails.
We haven’t neglected the
editing tutorials this month:
’tis the sunny season, so
learn to edit your daylit
portraits with ease; remove
unwanted people from
friends and family groups;
plus, use Lightroom to
merge shots for stunning
panoramas. Get out (or stay
in) and work that light!
New projects with video guides
Follow our Canon DSLR walkthrough guides and Photoshop editing videos
Misty minimalism
46 Fake hazy landscapes and
add mood and atmosphere with
some help from a special mist filter
Play with traffic
56 Transform passing vehicles
into bold streaks of colour with this
simple long-exposure technique
Cute pet portraits
50 Use a Speedlite to capture
cute and colourful portraits of your
favourite little furry friends
Remove distractions
58 Unwanted people driving you
to distraction? Remove a photobomber
from your special shots
Produce a panorama
62 Discover how to create truly epic landscapes by stitching images
together into a panorama with Lightroom’s Merge Panorama command
Ring of fire faces
52 Want to make better use
of bright sunlight? Grab a metal pipe
and introduce creative lens flare
Edit sunny portraits
60 We show you how to boost
your summer portraits and come
up with a fresh sun-kissed look
View the videos
Whenever you see
this icon you’ll find
an accompanying
video – tap the
link and the video
will ‘pop-out’ of
the page (as long
as you have an
internet connection).
You can also download
project files to your computer.
View the video
The Canon Magazine 45

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_1
view the video
Project 1
The Mission
Use a mist filter and
blend the sea into
the sky for
minimalist images
Misty minimalism
Lauren Scott simplifies the frame by using specialized filters
Time needed
1 hour
Skill level
Intermediate
Kit needed
Lee Mist Filter Set
• Tripod
Shooting in foggy and
murky conditions can
help to isolate subjects
and add atmosphere to
landscape shots. Mist lends
itself perfectly to fine art, abstract
scenes where the composition is
purposely pared down to create a
simple and soothing frame. That
being said, you can meticulously
plan a landscape shoot for mist,
only to find out that the weather
has other plans. Don’t despair if
you turn up to your chosen
location and find the conditions
wanting. Here, we’ll show you
how you can use specialist filters
to achieve a sense of space and
simplicity in your frame.
It’s possible to add misty effects
in post-production, but the results
are rarely as convincing as if you’d
shot them in-camera. Mist filters
may sound like a gimmick, but
they’re professional accessories
that you use in the same way as a
polarizer or neutral density filter
to enhance scenes while shooting.
The set we’ve tried came from
Lee Filters (www.leefilters.com),
and there are three different
options you can choose from.
We started off with the Mist stripe
filter – this one is excellent for
placing on the horizon and
blending the sea into the sky for
subtle, abstract landscapes. Pop in
a filter, follow our easy shooting
and editing tips, and mystify
yourself with these gorgeous
abstract results. Then, when the
mist you had hoped for doesn’t
materialize, you won’t be left
feeling gloomy (or without any
decent shots)…
46
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Mist filters
Filter options to get misty-eyed
Looking for special effects that still look natural? Check out these glassy accessories
There are three different types of
filters in this particular set, and they can
be used either alone or stacked upon one
another. Of course, the setup you choose
will depend on the desired density and
the scene in front of you. To get started,
it makes sense to scout out a shooting
spot. Waterside locations, such as lakes
or beaches, make a great choice, as you
want to avoid making your photos look
gimmicky. These areas are where mist
and fog would naturally gather, and the
horizon lines found at the beach also suit
the stripe across the filter. For our shoot,
we headed out to the seafront in the early
morning. It doesn’t matter if the skies are
clear or cloudy – great results can be
found in both conditions.
Quick Tip!
These filters
aren’t limited to
landscapes. Try
using the Clear
Spot Filter to add
a vignette to
portraits
01 Mist Clear Spot
The clear spot on this filter is great for
directing the viewer’s eye to the most
important part of the frame.
02 Mist Graduated
In the same way as a graduated ND filter,
this option gives a mist effect to either the
top or bottom of the frame.
03 Mist Stripe
There’s a band in the centre of the filter.
When it’s positioned in the foreground,
it gives a sense of the depth of fog.
Essential Kit, tips and Camera tricks Skills for Top the tips best for results HDR
01 tripod
For sharp shots, a sturdy
tripod is vital. If it’s
particularly windy, bury
the legs in the sand or
weigh it down. A built-in
spirit measure is handy
(but not vital) for checking
if the horizon is straight.
02 Steady on
If you’re shooting in early
morning low light, the
chances are you’ll be using
a relatively slow shutter
speed. Avoid camera
shake by using a remote
release or timer delay
to fire off the shutter.
03 filter system
The filters we were using
fit into the 100mm system
from Lee Filters. This
meant we also needed
a lens adaptor ring of the
right size and a holder.
Make sure you’ve got the
right extras for your filters.
04 manual focus
It’s best to focus manually,
as autofocus will be
thrown off by the mist
coating on the filter. Zoom
in to a portion of the scene
in Live View mode, then
rotate the focus ring and
judge sharpness visually.
05 composition
Take time to put together
a dynamic frame. Turn on
the grid display, as this will
help you to compose the
shot when using Live View.
Change the aspect ratio,
too, if you’re in the mood
to experiment.
The Canon Magazine 47

Project ????
1
Step by step on location
Here’s how to get started with mist filters on the Great British seaside
EDITING Tips
You’ll probably find that
your misty landscapes
look a little dark straight
out of the camera. While
some gloom can add to
the mood, avoid ending
up with exposures that
appear ‘muddy’. Open
up your images in Adobe
Camera Raw, and boost
the Exposure, Whites and
Contrast. You might want
to desaturate shots by a
small amount, too.
01 the arrival
When you arrive at your location, start by mounting
your camera on a sturdy tripod. You can perfect the
composition once you’ve attached the filters, but
think about focal points you might want to include.
02 find a frame
Move about until you’re happy with the frame,
zooming in a little so that you’ve got both water and
sky in the scene. We choose to use an 18-200mm
lens, so that it was easy to readjust our composition.
03 slide the filters
Next, screw on the attachment ring to your lens and
add on the holder. Position the filter in the holder so
that the stripe sits just over the horizon line. You can
use the viewfinder to do this, but Live View is easier.
04 set up your camera
In Aperture Priority mode, set your camera to a low
ISO, such as 100, and an aperture of around f/8. Then
switch to manual focus. Using Live View, zoom in and
focus with precision on your main point of interest.
Next month
on safari
48
05 start shooting
Fire the shutter with a remote or cable release or
timer delay. Review the exposure and composition of
your first images. We narrowed the aperture, moved
away from the sea and lowered the tripod height.
06 layer up
Add in a graduated mist filter on top of the stripe filter
for an even hazier result. You might need to dial in
some more positive exposure compensation here,
as you start to block out the light reaching the sensor.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Mist filters
Idea 2 monochrome
Go greyscale
Removing colour is another way to simplify
compositions and add mood. Here, we used
Adobe Camera Raw to create a greyscale
conversion of the shot, also adding in a
vignette to draw the eye into the frame.
A square crop suited this symmetrical
structure best.
Filter used: Mist stripe and mist
graduated
Exposure: 1/8 sec, f/13, ISO100
Edit: Exposure -0.45, Blacks -20,
Contrast +18, Shadows -65
Idea 3 timing it right
Out at midday
Morning light might be lovely and soft,
but you can’t always get out first thing.
Fog and mist can appear at any time of
day, so don’t be afraid to use a filter in
the middle of the day. Here, overcast
light and a central composition creates
an incredibly simple shot that’s calming
to behold. We used a focal length of
28mm to compress the scene. The
final effect looks slightly surreal, but
it still illustrates the effect well.
Filter used: Mist stripe
Exposure: 1/160 sec, f/14,
ISO100
Edit: Exposure +0.45, Highlights
+38, Contrast +90, Shadows -78
The Canon Magazine 49

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_2
View the video
Project 2
The Mission
Take great pet
photos at home
Time needed
One hour
Cute pet pictures
Hamster whisperer Peter Travers on how to photograph pets
Skill level
Intermediate
Kit needed
Background paper
• Two flashguns
• Radio triggers (or
use pop-up flash)
Never work with
children or animals,
they say – and they are
often right! However,
that didn’t stop us trying our best
to grab some great pet portraits
for this project.
We decided to photograph our
little pet hamster, Cloudy, and it
instantly threw up challenges, the
main one being able to get a
decent shot before she scurried
off. Hamsters move very quickly,
and aren’t in the habit of staying
still and posing in your direction,
but with a few key techniques,
and being ready and in position,
with our lights tested and set up,
we were finally able to get a
winning shot (see right) after
using her play tube to keep her
stationary for a couple of seconds
before escaping.
We set up a small home studio
using a piece of blue background
paper stuck to the wall and on
the top of Cloudy’s cage, plus two
off-camera flashguns set on low
power so as not to scare the little
rodent. Read on to learn more.
STEP BY STEP How to capture animal magic
Learn the Canon camera and flash settings to take great pet pictures in your home
01 home studio setup
We set up a simple mini-studio by taping
a piece of blue background roll to a wall
and allowing it to curve gently onto our
hamster’s cage to create a smooth and
seamless backdrop. We then let the
hamster crawl around on top of the paper.
02 flashgun settings
To light our hamster, we set two flashguns
to a low 1/128 power, one positioned at the
front at 28mm zoom, the other to the side
at 50mm zoom, fired via wireless triggers
(if your camera has a pop-up flash,
trigger your flashguns optically instead).
03 Standard lens
We used a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
USM standard zoom on our full-frame
camera, at 70mm so we could focus close
enough for a frame-filling composition as
the hamster is so small. For a crop-sensor
Canon, an 18-55mm kit lens will be fine.
04 dePTh of field
It might be tempting to use your widest
aperture for creative blur, but when
focusing closely on small subjects, depth
of field is extremely shallow at f/2.8, so we
shot at f/5.6. Our shutter speed was
1/200 sec to meet the flash sync speed,
and we set ISO640 to boost the exposure.
05 do feed the animals
The best way to attract animals of all
shapes and sizes is to bribe them with
their favourite food; Cloudy loves nuts.
An assistant comes in very handy here, as
they can entice the pet to (a) stay still, and
(b) balance on their hind legs for a better
pose. Patience goes a long way here…
06 add some colour
To inject some colour we tried using a
plastic green tub that also stopped the
hamster escaping! We also tried various
items for our hamster to clamber over and
pose on, and found a cardboard tube was
perfect to keep her facing the camera for
the few seconds it took to take our shot.
50
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Quick Tip!
Using off-camera
flashguns not only
lights animals
evenly, they also
create a catchlight
in otherwise-black
eyes to add a little
extra sparkle
The Canon Magazine 51

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_3
view the video
Project 3
The Mission
Learn how to shoot
lens flare rings
using a metal pipe
Time needed
One hour
Skill level
Intermediate
Kit needed
Prime, wide
aperture lens
• Copper pipe
Ring of fire
Lauren Scott explains how to introduce sizzling circular lens flare
Many modern lenses
are so well designed
that they all-buteliminate
lens flare.
Specially coated glass elements
stand up against even the
brightest, harshest sunlight, and
for everyday use, this is a good
thing. Unwanted flare, caused by
light bouncing off lens elements,
is unpredictable, not to mention a
pain to remove in post-processing.
But what if you could make and
control camera flare on command,
with the ability to move and shape
it to suit your subject? Well, you
can, and we’ll show you how…
Shooting through a piece of
metal pipe in direct light –
sunlight is ideal – creates instant
in-camera flare. The pipe shape,
colour, position and texture will
all affect how your flare looks,
and every result will be unique.
This creative effect is best used
in moderation, but play around,
and with a little practice you’ll
soon get the hang of it. Read on
for our take on introducing
deliberate lens flare…
Shooting skills flare with flair
Use a piece of pipe to add a glowing golden ring to your portraits
01 what you’ll need
The best lens to use here is a prime with
a focal length of 50-100mm and a wide
maximum aperture, such as f/1.8. You’ll
also need a piece of metal pipe that’s
around an inch in length and diameter. Cut
it to size with a pipe cutter if you need to.
02 subject choice
As we’re demonstrating a technique here,
the subject isn’t so important. That being
said, portraits look gorgeous with added
lens flare. Shoot your subjects with the sun
(or light source you’re using) behind them,
as this is when flare will appear.
03 camera settings
There’s not an ideal setting for all scenarios,
but we used Aperture Priority mode, so
we didn’t have to worry about constantly
changing the exposure at the same time
as moving the pipe. Most of our shots
were taken at ISO100 and around f/2.8.
04 see the light
You can utilize any light source for this,
including the sun, street lamps, bulbs
or flash. Bright sunlight is easy, effective,
and free to boot. It also creates particularly
good-looking flare when low in the sky
during the afternoon and early evening.
05 use live view
Switch to Live View so you can easily assess
how shots (and flare) will look. Rotate the
pipe back and forth in front of the lens and
move around your subject to reposition
yourself in relation to the light source. Fire
the shutter when you’re ready. Flare-tastic!
06 pipe dreams need practice
You won’t magically get a flare as soon as
you hold the ring in front of your lens.
Consider where the sun is in the sky, and
the position of your subject in relation to it.
Practice makes perfect, so keep tweaking
until all the elements line up.
52
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Lens flare
CUT TO siZE
Copper piping usually
comes in lengths of a
minimum of a couple of
metres, so we cut a
longer piece down using
a tube cutter. This nifty
tool was only a couple of
quid, but could cut piping
up to 28mm in diameter.
Plus, it meant we could
create a few rings of
different lengths – all the
better for experimenting
with! Using both chrome
and copper versions for
experimentation, we
cut down our 25mmdiameter
piping to about
an inch in length.
Quick Tip!
A clear acrylic or
Perspex tube could
also be used. Hit
the internet, order a
tube, then cut
it to the right
size yourself
The Canon Magazine 53

Project 3
Take it further with a QUick edit
Use a few quick Photoshop sliders to set your shots alight
01 start in camera raw
It doesn’t take much tweaking to enhance
these portraits. Because direct sunlight
can often result in images that are slightly
underexposed, your main aim is to
brighten up the face without blowing out
the definition of the ring itself. To begin,
we took down the Whites and Highlights.
02 Local adjuStmentS
Next, we opened up our image in the
main Photoshop editor. First, we used the
Dodge tool to selectively brighten up areas
of the face, with the Range set to Midtones
and the Exposure to 50%. Then, we set
the Range to Highlights and brightened up
the rim lighting outlining our model’s head.
03 Finishing touches
The last step was to add a few subtle
adjustment layers to our shot. We ramped
up the Brightness and Contrast ever so
slightly for a punchier result, as this suited
the high-contrast shooting conditions. In
some situations, you might find that you
actually want a flatter, more subtle result.
Final inspiration TO Get the glow GOING
Try out different pipes, lighting and shooting situations
left look up
If the sun is still very
high in the sky, find an
open space to shoot
in, crouch down low
and position it behind
your model’s head.
right forget
the ring
This technique creates
gorgeous flare effect,
but you don’t have to
make them circular.
Next month
catch a wave
54
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_4
view the video
Project 4
After
Before
56
The Mission
Capture vehicle
light trails at night
with a long
exposure
Time needed
30 minutes
Skill level
Intermediate
Kit needed
Tripod
• Photoshop CC
Play with traffic
James Paterson explains how to capture and combine images
that transform passing vehicles into glorious streaks of colour
We photographers
have a bit of a love/
hate relationship
with movement.
Sometimes it’s a real pain and we
strive to keep it to a minimum. At
other times, we want to celebrate
it in all its blurry glory. The
motion of traffic at night falls into
the latter category. By using a long
exposure in the low evening light,
the smooth motion of their lights
creates wonderful streaks of
colour through the frame.
This is one of those camera
skills that reveals the magic of
photography – and anyone with a
DSLR and tripod can do it. As
such, it’s a great way to get started
with long-exposure photography
as there’s no need for extra filters
or even a cable release. The
challenge is finding an interesting
composition for your shot. On a
recent shoot in Norway we found
these mountains and winding
roads that worked perfectly, but
why not try a busy motorway,
city street, or a knotty junction?
Another challenge is timing – we
want a decent array of lights but
at night, especially, traffic can be
rather sparse. However, you can
always shoot several frames then
combine them with simple editing
skills, as we’ll explain...
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Traffic Trails
STEP BY STEP Be a trailblazer
How to set up your DSLR for a series of long-exposure light trails
01 Get set up
Fix your DSLR to a tripod. Look for an angle where the
winding road begins close up then recedes into the
distance, as this’ll make more interesting lines than,
say, a side-on view. Try a low-down or high-up view, and
frame loosely to account for different-height vehicles.
02 Switch to manual
Rather than shooting in pitch dark, try just after sunset
so there’s still detail in the sky. Even so, autofocus can
struggle to lock on in low light, so focus on a point a
third of the way into the scene, then switch to manual
focus to lock it. This’ll prevent hunting between frames.
Using
Manual
exposure
If you find you usually
stick to the auto exposure
modes, a project like
this offers a gentle
introduction to Manual
exposure mode. In order
to get the long shutter
speeds we need, we
have to adjust our other
exposure settings to
compensate. Firstly
we can use a high
f-number like f/16. This
decreases the size of the
opening in the lens and
restricts the flow of light.
Secondly, we can use a
low sensitivity, such as
ISO100, so the sensor
requires more light for a
correct exposure. Both
factors help to restrict
the amount of light,
which means we can use
a longer shutter speed
that will blur any motion.
03 Set your exposure
Switch your DSLR to Manual exposure mode. All
scenes are different, but here’s a good starting point
for exposure: set the aperture to f/16, shutter speed
30 secs and ISO100. If the image is too bright or
dark, try adjusting the aperture until you’re happy.
05 Combine several images
Open the images you want to use (we blended seven) in
Photoshop. Choose one frame as the base image, then
go to another image, Select All (Cmd/Ctrl+A), Copy
(Cmd/Ctrl+C) then go back to the base image and
Paste (Cmd/Ctrl+V). Repeat for all the other images.
04 Time it right
Shoot lots of frames as vehicles zoom by. Differences
in height make the trails more varied (as will flashing
lights, which appear as dashes). Take care not to nudge
the camera between shots, as we need all the frames
to be in alignment if we intend to blend them together.
06 Blend the layers
Go to the Layers panel (Window>Layers) then change
the blending mode of all layers to Lighten, which
effectively overlays the trails on top of one another.
If any other areas, like the sky, look messy, use a layer
mask or the eraser to remove them from the mix.
Quick Tip!
Use a 2-sec selftimer
drive mode
if you don’t have a
remote control so
you can start the
exposure without
nudging the
camera
The Canon Magazine 57

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_5
view the video
Photoshop Elements
Before
After
The Mission
Remove people in
the background of
your photos
Time needed
20 minutes
Before
Editing portraits
An unwanted ‘photo bomber’ needn’t spoil your cherished photos,
allow James Paterson to explain how to remove pesky intruders
Skill level
Intermediate
Kit needed
Photoshop
Elements
Download project files
to your computer from:
http://downloads.
photoplusmag.com/pp128.zip
It’s happened to the best
of us; we think we’ve
captured the perfect
moment only to discover
later on that someone has
unintentionally muscled in
on the action and spoiled
the composition.
In this case I was at a wedding
and there came a split-second
moment where everything gelled
perfectly. The just-married couple
were sharing a loving look,
framed perfectly on either side by
the bride’s onlooking mother and
sister. I’d even managed to catch
the groom – not known for his
displays of emotion – shedding a
few quiet tears. It was the moment
of the day. Then, to my horror, I
saw the woman in the background
– the ultimate photo bomber.
Everything in the composition
leads towards her. She’s not even
a guest, just an interested gawper
that chanced upon the wedding
party as they left the church.
Upon showing the photos to the
couple, they loved this one above
all others. But, they asked, could
anything be done about the
random person?
The answer is usually yes, but
with a few caveats. Successfully
removing an unwanted photo
bomber depends on what lies
elsewhere in the frame – or in the
frames taken either side. To cover
something up, we need to find a
piece of image that looks natural
in its place. We can then replace
the offending area and tidy up it
for seamless results. Thankfully
I’d fired another frame where the
hapless intruder was offset just
enough to be less of an eyesore.
Photoshop Elements – with
its layer controls and retouching
tools – has everything you need,
even when faced with tidying up
cluttered backdrops like this...
58
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Remove distractions
Step by step Delete distractions
Learn how to get rid of people in the background to improve your composition
01 Find replacement pixels
In Expert mode, open bomber_before01 and 02. Go to
the second image. We’ll use the middle section to hide
the distracting lady. Grab the Rectangular Marquee
tool from the toolbar and drag a box over the middle
portion of the frame, top to bottom.
02 Position the copy
Hit Cmd/Ctrl+C to copy the selection, then go to the
other image and hit Cmd/Ctrl+V to paste it over. Go to
the Layers panel and drop the opacity to about 50%.
Grab the Move tool and drag the layer into position,
lining up the people in the background.
Clone tool
or lAyers?
The Clone tool lets us
copy pixels from one area
to another, so it’s useful
for removing unwanted
people from otherwiseclean
backdrops. But
things get more tricky
with a cluttered backdrop
like this. Here’s where
Layers prove more
useful. We can copy part
of an image to a new
layer, then reposition it
elsewhere. This gives us
greater control, as we
can fine-tune exactly
what’s visible or not by
adding a layer mask to
the copied pixels. So in
effect, layers can be used
to perform exactly the
same task as the Clone
tool, but with greater
control and finesse.
03 Select the people
Set layer opacity to 100%. Highlight the ‘Background’
layer and hit Cmd/Ctrl+J to make a copy. Drag it to
the top of the stack then grab the Quick Selection tool.
Paint to select the figures between the couple. Hold
Alt and paint to subtract if the tool goes wrong.
04 Improve the selection
Hit Refine Edge in the tool options. Increase Radius to
improve the selection. Paint over messy areas along
the edge with the Refine Radius tool. Set Output:
Layer Mask. Next highlight the layer mask thumbnail
in the Layers panel and hit Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert it.
Quick Tip!
It’s easier to get rid
of photo bombers
in-camera! Shift
your perspective
slightly or open up
your aperture
to blur them out
05 Perfect the mask
Grab the Brush tool, with a soft-edged brush tip, and
zoom in close. With the mask thumbnail highlighted
we can paint white or black to reveal or hide parts of
the layer until the mask perfectly isolates the faces.
Hit X to flip between black and white as you paint.
06 Clone to tidy
Make a new layer then grab the Clone tool and check
‘Sample All Layers’ in the tool options. Sample a
source area then paint to clone over messy parts.
Don’t worry about cloning precisely; add a layer mask
and paint white or black to fine-tune what’s visible.
Next month
Repair your
old photos
The Canon Magazine 59

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_6
View the video
Photoshop CC
The Mission
Learn how to liven
up your sunlight
portraits
Time needed
10 minutes
Give me sunshine
Are your sunlit shots getting you hot and bothered? Lauren Scott
shows you how to liven things up without going overboard
Skill level
Easy
Kit needed
Photoshop CC
Download project files
to your computer from:
http://downloads.
photoplusmag.com/pp128.zip
Whatever the genre,
we all start to feel
inspired and snappy
when the sun is out.
Unfortunately, photos taken in
bright daylight can end up looking
either flat and dull or too bright
and harsh. This is because when
the sun is higher in the sky, it
throws areas – such as sides of the
face or under the eyes – into deep
shadow. That isn’t to say that
whipping out your camera on a
summer’s day is inherently wrong.
Perhaps you’ve been tasked to
shoot a summer clothing
catalogue, or you just want to
photograph friends and family at
the beach. Either way, sometimes
you have to work with the
conditions that you’ve been given.
In this tutorial we’ll show you
how to make the best of your
sunlit lifestyle shots with a few
tweaks. We’ll start in Adobe
Camera Raw and then finish off in
Photoshop CC. There’s nothing too
complex here. For example,
adding a vignette can lead the
viewer’s eye toward your subject,
deepen the background tones and
add a natural frame. As for your
subjects themselves, brightening
the eyes and highlights in the hair
will inject energy into any
portrait. More often than not,
you’ll be trying to fill in shadows.
Although our starting portrait
straight out of the camera wasn’t
too unbalanced, there were still
a few adjustments we could make
to give it a professional sun-kissed
look and bring our model to life.
The aim here isn’t to recreate a
Caribbean scene, but to enhance
portraits in natural light. Quick
tweaks to the white balance and
contrast can really make all the
difference to the final result. As
with all good editing, the key is
to keep things subtle...
Before
Step by step for a sun-kissed look
Play around with this technique next time you’re editing a sunlit shot
Adjustment
brushes
It’s possible to edit your
images completely in
Adobe Camera Raw. To
adjust a specific area of
a photo (the face or eyes,
for example) select the
Adjustment Brush tool
from the toolbar, choose
to adjust the exposure or
brightness, specify brush
options, then paint with
the Adjustment Brush
tool over the chosen area.
60
01 use camera raw
Open up the image in ACR. Start by taking the
Exposure up to +0.10, the Contrast to +15, the
shadows to +10 and the Whites down to -10. The
Vibrance levels should also be boosted to +20. The
values are specific to this image, but sunlit shots
generally benefit from added contrast and vibrance.
02 add a vignette
Head to the Lens Correction tab, go to Manual and
take the Lens Vignetting Amount down to -40, with
the midpoint at 50. In images where the subject is
larger in the frame, you might find that a smaller
vignette is more effective. Drag the sliders around
to suit different scenes and compositions.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Sunny portraits
After
Quick Tip!
Brighten up
shadowy faces on
a shoot by using
a reflector. Look
for pocket-sized
versions that can
fit in a bag
03 add some warmth
Camera meters can often render scenes on the cool
side, so the next stage is to warm up the shot from the
Basic tab. Camera Raw usually defaults the white
balance to ‘As Shot’ or ‘Auto’, but we’ll set it to
Custom. Take the Color Temperature up to around
6200. If you go any higher, the eyes start to yellow.
04 Brighten the face
The final stage is to selectively lighten the image.
Open it up in Photoshop and select the Dodge tool.
Set it to Highlights and 30% exposure, then use a
soft brush to paint over the face once or twice. Use
a smaller brush to paint over the eyes. You might
want to carry out this step on a duplicate layer.
Next month
textural
portraits
The Canon Magazine 61

Video also online
http://bit.ly/pp_128_7
View the video
Lightroom
The Mission
Stitch a scene with
Lightroom’s Merge
Panorama tool
Time needed
15 minutes
Skill level
Easy
Kit needed
Lightroom 5 or later
Produce
panoramas
James Paterson uses Lightroom’s
Merge Panorama command to
combine several frames
After
Download project files
to your computer from:
http://downloads.
photoplusmag.com/pp128.zip
Lightroom’s Merge Panorama command
stitches several horizontal or vertical frames
together to create a panoramic Raw file
– perfect for those times when your lens
can’t fit the whole landscape in, or if you want
to pack in extra detail.
The Merge Panorama command offers three Projection
modes, and as you’d expect these stitch the frames in
slightly different ways. Spherical maps the frames as if on
the inside of a sphere. It’s ideal for very wide panoramas, or
ones that have several rows to them. Perspective maps the
segments as if they were on a flat surface, and this keeps
lines straight. For this reason, it’s great for architectural or
city scenes, but can lead to extreme distortion and warping
at the edges when used in the wrong way. Cylindrical maps
the frames as if they are on the inside of a cylinder. It’s ideal
for wide panoramic landscapes because distortion is
minimal and vertical lines stay straight.
Before
Before
Step by step start the merge
Discover Lightroom’s Radial Filter tool and edit images with subtlety
Shooting
skills
When shooting the
frames for a panorama,
use a tripod to keep the
camera position fixed
and make sure that
the panning motion
remains perfectly level
by checking the horizon
as you pan (a spirit level
comes in handy here).
Shoot with your camera
in vertical orientation
to record the maximum
amount of detail and
allow for a generous
overlap between each
segment.
01 start merge panorama
First, use Cmd/Ctrl-click to select all the frames to
stitch into your panorama, then go to the Develop
module, scroll down to the Lens Correction panel,
click Profile and Enable Profile Corrections. Next, to
begin the merge, select Photo>Photo Merge>
Panorama, or right-click the images and choose
Photomerge, or simply press Cmd/Ctrl+M.
02 choose a projection
There are three projection modes to choose from:
Spherical, Cylindrical and Perspective. Each maps out
the frames in a different way. Spherical places them
as if on the inside of a sphere, Cylindrical as if on the
inside of a cylinder, and Perspective as if placed flat.
Experiment with each mode depending on your shot.
We’ve used Cylindrical mode here.
62
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Create panoramas
Before
Before
Before
Before
Before
Quick Tip!
To create an HDR
panorama, merge
three frames for
each segment into
one HDR shot, then
combine the HDRs
into a panorama
03 auto crop messy edges
Tick the Auto Crop check box to automatically remove
any messy edges to give you a tidy rectangular image.
It’s non-destructive and can be changed later with
Lightroom’s Crop tool. Try unchecking the box just to
see what’s being cropped off. With Perspective
Projection mode here, you can see the extreme
distortion at the edges.
04 enhance the panorama
When you’re happy with the settings, click Merge.
The panorama will show up alongside the originals
with the suffix ‘pano’. It’s a DNG Raw file, so you can
process it like any other Raw file. Take it into the
Develop module to make any changes you like. Here
we’ve boosted the colours and added a gradient to
darken the sky a little.
Next month
graduated
filter tool
The Canon Magazine 63

Theprointerview
All images ©Marc Aspland/The Times
64
www.digitalcameraworld.com

MARC ASPLAND
Marc Aspland is a
multi-award-winning
photographer who
loves the challenge of
summing up an entire
sporting event in one
image. He talks to
David Clark about his
memorable career
hen Marc Aspland was
awarded an Honorary
Fellowship of the Royal
Photographic Society in
2014, it was a public
recognition of what most
people in the business
already knew: that he’s
one of the best sports
photographers around.
Three years after surviving a lifethreatening
accident, he’s still taking the
creative, eye-catching and distinctively
off-kilter sports images that have defined
his career. In this interview he talks
about his style, what it’s really like
photographing major sporting events and
how there’s nothing he loves more than
being pushed out of his comfort zone…
Marc
Aspland
How did you get into photography?
I grew up in Newbold-on-Avon, a village
near Rugby in the Midlands. There was
no artistic bent in my family at all, but a
chap who lived two doors down from my
parents, Bob Ingram, was a keen amateur
photographer. He loved Formula One and
motorsports and, when I was about 13, he
took me and my brother to the Le Mans
24 Hour race. For me, it was just an
unbelievable world of glamour. He gave
me a camera and encouraged me to take
pictures, then later taught me to process
01 GEORGE FORD
The England rugby fly-half celebrates his
try against South Africa in 2016. Marc only
noticed the arc of water afterwards
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 IS II USM
1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO2000
The Canon Magazine 65

Theprointerview
02
I like the fact that
I’ve got no control over
what’s happening in
front of me
66
02 COOK’S CATCH
Marc focuses on the fans as England’s
Alastair Cook catches Australia’s Mike
Hussey out in the First Ashes Test in 2010
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
1/2000 sec, f/5, ISO250
03 BILLY MORGAN
A multi-image of Billy Morgan of Great
Britain, competing in the Men’s Slopestyle
at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
1/4000 sec, f/4.5, ISO125
04 RIO SUNSET
The opening day of the Rio 2016 Olympics,
Netherlands vs Russia in Beach Volleyball
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 II USM
1/400 sec, f/4.5, ISO1600
and print. From nowhere at all, I found a
medium where I could capture what was
in front of me and which utterly captured
my imagination. Photography found me,
not the other way around.
Did you do a formal course?
Yes, after doing my A levels, which
included photography, I was lucky enough
to go on a one-year National Council for
Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
photojournalism course in Sheffield.
One of the tutors, Paul Delmar, had great
enthusiasm for picking up this group of
very raw kids and literally just shoving us
out of the door. I was there just at the end
of the Miners’ Strike in the 1980s, which
caused huge upheaval in the city. For me
there weren’t enough hours in the day to
go out and take photojournalistic pictures
of picket lines or miners on their hands
and knees looking for lumps of coal to
heat their houses. From a learning point
of view it was just the most fabulous year.
Did it lead directly to a job?
I went to the Watford Observer. There was
a photographic team of six at that time,
with me as the junior. There I met
another mentor, Mike Dellow. I was doing
10 or 15 assignments a day, everything
from photographing couples having their
wedding anniversaries to taking pictures
of the mayor of Watford. Mike taught me
that when you go into a room, you have
to impose your personality and your ideas
on those people, and you have to make
those people work for you. I’ve carried
that thought with me ever since.
When did you start photographing
sport professionally?
I’d always been into sport, and it was part
of my newspaper life to photograph
Watford Football Club, as well as school
sports. After I’d been on the paper a few
years, Mike Dellow phoned a friend at
The Times and said, “We’ve got a young
lad here who has completely outgrown
us, can he show you his pictures?” I went
along, feeling totally overawed, and they
sent me on a couple of jobs, then I started
freelancing for them. This was in 1988.
I worked there for two years without
a day off, just to get my foot in the door.
If they sent me to shoot a businessman’s
portrait, or a Millwall match in the
evening, I always jumped at the chance.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

MARC ASPLAND
03
How did you become Chief Sports
Photographer at The Times?
I did my fair share of the big news stories
of the day, such as the Kegworth Air
Disaster in 1989 and Royal weddings and
births. But I’d always be the first one to
put my hand up and say I’d do football
matches. I suppose my style of
photography set me slightly apart. It
wasn’t obvious or like stock photography
and it suited the then-sports editor. When
the sports photographer job came up, I
went for it. I’m still doing it 24 years later.
What is it that appeals so much
to you about shooting sport?
I particularly like the fact that I’ve got no
control over what’s happening in front of
me. I can’t say to a sportsperson, the
light’s not very good here, can you just
turn towards the daylight? I can’t ask
Jonny Wilkinson to re-drop that goal in
2003 in Sydney because I happened to
be looking somewhere else. I like the fact
that, when I’m at a football match for 90
minutes, my sports editor expects me to
sum up that whole match in one image.
That might not be a shot of the winning
goal, but it sums it up in my own
particular way, which is the off-kilter,
sometimes slightly quirky way.
What do you like about Canon kit?
My first serious camera was a Canon F1,
which I got when I was doing my NCTJ
course, and I’ve never changed
manufacturer since. Many of my
colleagues have flitted between Canon
and Nikon, but I’ve just stuck with Canon.
I’m very comfortable with knowing
everything about the way the cameras
work, and with their high quality. I now
use the EOS-1D X Mark II and have three
of them. That camera really is the peak of
the evolution. When I photographed the
Anthony Joshua fight in April, I pushed
the ISO to 8000. There’s hardly any noise
in those images, even though I was on the
balcony, shooting on a 500mm f/4 lens
04
and the light was really poor. I think they
are the very best cameras available.
Which lenses are in your kit bag?
My lenses range from a 15mm fisheye all
the way to a 500mm f/4, but I particularly
use the 16-35mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8
and 70-200mm f/2.8. My main ‘standard’
lens is my 400mm f/2.8 II, then I’ll use
1.4x or 2x convertors. I’ll also use the
200-400mm f/4 with the built-in 1.4x
converter, which is a magnificent
creation. It’s very light and goes all the
way from 200mm to 560mm; it’s perfect
for golf, for example.
How have technical advances in
equipment affected your work?
Cameras are so advanced today that I’m
able to make them work for the picture
The Canon Magazine 67

Theprointerview
05
05 RONALDO CELEBRATES
Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Portugal in
the Euro 2016 semi-final vs Wales, as Real
Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale looks on
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM
1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO2000
06 JESSICA LONG
In 2007, when American Paralympic
swimmer Jessica Long was 15, she already
held 12 World Records and 12 Gold Medals
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/500 sec, f/3.5, ISO800
06
07 WHITE TURF
Taken in 2008 at the 101st running of
White Turf, a race that takes place on the
frozen lake at St. Moritz in Switzerland
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO250
I particularly like
sports that take me out
of my comfort zone. First
I have to find out what
they are all about
68
I have in my head. They’re so
sophisticated that you almost don’t
have to be a photographer to take good
pictures. When I’m at football matches,
the freelance photographers alongside me
at the side of the pitch are using pretty
much the same cameras as me. They can
press an autofocus button and the
pictures are super sharp, and use
Program mode and the exposure is
perfect. You don’t have to have any
education or grounding because the
cameras are so good. But to be a really
good photographer, you need the ability
to see something in your mind’s eye. It’s
all about seeing; that’s what sets great
photographers apart from all the others.
Which sports do you most enjoy
photographing?
You’d expect me to be able to photograph
a football or rugby match with my eyes
closed, because it’s the staple diet of a
Times sports photographer. I particularly
like sports that take me out of my comfort
zone, like those in the Winter Olympics
– sports like speed skating, curling,
snowboarding and half pipe skiing. First
I have to find out what they are all about.
Once I’m there, I’m looking at where the
light is and I’m thinking that I need to
record it, but also to step back and get a
good picture out of it. For the superfast
downhill, I literally walked up the course
twice three or four days before, just to
www.digitalcameraworld.com

MARC ASPLAND
07
find a spot through the trees that would
give a beautiful clear background.
What do you aim to achieve
when shooting those sports?
Sports photography for me is not about
shooting action at 16 frames a second and
just capturing a stock image. It’s about
finding, seeing and then taking a creative
image. That could be done using a slow
shutter speed, a pan blur or a mega-fast
shutter speed. For example, if I was
photographing an ice hockey match I
might use a super-long lens that would
just capture the eyes of a player, or a
massive wide-angle view taken above the
pitch on a remote camera. I’m there to
make an interesting picture out of these
situations. That’s the challenge.
Can you give an example of when
you’ve deliberately avoided
taking the obvious image?
When Usain Bolt ran the 100 metres in
9.69 seconds at the Beijing Olympics, he
was running straight towards me because
I’d stood in the photographer’s stand for
three hours before the race so I had the
position. But I made sure I didn’t do a
stock picture of a man running towards
me – I took a wider view with all the
other runners in the shot. Afterwards, the
sports editor said, “Where’s the picture of
Bolt beating his chest as he crosses the
line?” and I said, “I didn’t want to do that,
boss, that wasn’t the point!”
It’s a knockout
Marc Aspland on one of his most memorable sporting shots
“After spending a great deal of time charting the career path of
boxer Ricky Hatton, we had become great friends. His career led to
a huge fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas, late in 2007.
I was crammed under the neutral corner in my ringside photo
position. In Round 10, Mayweather felled Ricky like an oak tree. The
back of his head bounced off the canvas about 12 inches from my
camera. I was screaming at the top of my voice, ‘Get up Ricky, just
get up!’ During the mayhem, I shoved my camera through the ropes
at arm’s length, directly above Ricky’s face. I must have pressed the
shutter release and this single frame of referee Joe Cortez removing
Ricky’s gum-shield was captured. Ricky’s life took a different
direction after this moment. Thankfully we are still friends.”
Story BEHIND THE SHOT
The Canon Magazine 69

Theprointerview
08
08 BOLT’S RECORD RUN
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt takes the Gold Medal
in the Men’s 100m final in 9.69 seconds at
the Beijing Olympics – a World Record time
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/1000 sec, f/2.8, ISO800
09 FALL AT BECHER’S
This dramatic remote shot was taken when
jockey MJP Kendrick fell on Sam Cavallaro
in the 2017 Foxhunters’ Steeple Chase
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
1/2500 sec, f/3.2, ISO800
10 McILROY’S MOMENT
A victorious Rory McIlroy holds a hand to
his ear after sinking a crucial putt at the
Ryder Cup in Minnesota in October 2016
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM
1/1600 sec, f/5, ISO400
Honestly, I’ve
missed ‘the moment’
hundreds of times,
usually because I’m
looking sideways at
something else
70
A few years ago, you were injured
in a road accident. What happened
and have you fully recovered?
In 2014 I was cycling home after playing
five-a-side football in Harpenden on a
Thursday night. I have no memory of the
accident at all, but I had a serious brain
trauma and broken collarbones. I was in
hospital for quite some time and my
memories of the three or four months
after the accident are very vague.
Because of the severity of the trauma, it’s
a four-year process to find out how much
of the old Marc I’m going to get back. My
memory still isn’t particularly great, but
I’ve learned to live with the differences.
How did you feel about the get
well messages on Twitter from
people like Rafael Nadal, Jonny
Wilkinson and Elton John?
At the time, I didn’t know what day of the
week it was and had no memory of those
people. My wife and children loved the
messages and took great comfort from
them, but when I looked at these people
holding up a card with ‘get well soon’ on
it, I didn’t really know what it meant. It
was only afterwards, when I looked back,
that I could appreciate those messages.
You’ve won many awards during
your career. Which one gave
you the biggest thrill?
Putting aside the four Sports
Photographer of the Year awards,
becoming an Honorary Fellow of the
Royal Photographic Society was a real
shock, more than anything. So many
amazing photographers have been given
Honorary Fellowships and I never
thought an editorial sports photographer
from The Times would receive one. Even
now I have to pinch myself when I think
about it, because it was a great honour.
Have you ever missed a great shot?
Good God, honestly, I’ve missed ‘the
moment’ hundreds of times, usually
because I’m slightly looking sideways at
something else. Sometimes I also miss the
moment because something unexpected
happens. For example, at the 2003 Rugby
World Cup Final, I had no control over
the big Australian prop forward who ran
across my frame just as Jonny Wilkinson
caught the ball and kicked the winning
drop goal. For one reason or another,
I’ve missed too many pictures to mention.
What are the best and worst things
about photographing sports?
One of the best things is being at
memorable sporting events, such as the
Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko
heavyweight title fight. Afterwards,
people said to me, “It was the most
amazing fight, you’re so lucky you were
www.digitalcameraworld.com

MARC ASPLAND
Profile
09
Marc Aspland
Sports Photographer
52-year-old Marc was born and brought
up in the West Midlands. After leaving
school he took an NCTJ course in
photojournalism. His first job was working
for the Watford Observer before joining
The Times as a freelancer in 1988. He has
been the newspaper’s Chief Sports
Photographer since 1993.
He has covered most of the major
sporting events of the past 30 years,
including six summer Olympic Games and
four FIFA World Cup Finals, plus every FA
Cup Final and Wimbledon final since 1988.
10
He has been awarded Sports
Photographer of the Year four times and
he published a book of his best work, The
Art of Sports Photography, in 2014. In the
same year he was awarded an Honorary
Fellowship of the Royal Photographic
Society. He is member of the Canon
Ambassadors Programme.
there.” But my abiding memory is that I
didn’t particularly enjoy any of it, because
I was concentrating so hard, every single
round. You’ve got to anticipate everything
and you can come away from those 11
rounds absolutely exhausted because you
cannot take your eye off it for one minute.
So the worst thing about it is that you
can’t enjoy these events as a fan, you
have to be absolutely in the zone.
What advice would you offer
someone who wants to be a
pro sports photographer?
I would offer this advice: believe in
yourself. Believe in your own ability.
Don’t look at everybody else’s pictures of
an event and think, “Oh no, I’ve missed
the winning goal.” It’s not about that.
Just have faith that you’re seeing things
differently to anybody else. Aim to
capture the image on the back of the
camera that you have already seen in
your mind’s eye. Go out and practice and
if you get it wrong, find out why and try
again. As long as you believe in your own
ability, sure enough, that style, your own
individuality, will come through.
Next issue: Liquid motion specialist
David Lund splashes his secrets
The worst thing is
you can’t enjoy these
events as a fan, you
have to be absolutely
in the zone
The Canon Magazine 71

PHOTOSTORIES
Photo essays from PhotoPlus readers
and professional photographers alike
Join in
the fun!
One of the great things
about photography is
being able to share your
view of the world. This
issue we reveal the story
behind a project to recreate
street images taken
decades ago by reuniting
the original subjects.
We want your photos
and stories! For your
chance to show off your
images in PhotoPlus, send
three to five high-resolution
JPEGs, along with a brief
synopsis – explain why you
took the shots, the location,
whether they’re part of an
ongoing project or a one-off
shoot, and anything else
unusual or interesting. Also
include Canon DSLR, lens
and exposure details.
Email
photoplus@futurenet.com
Online
www.facebook.com/photoplusmag
www.twitter.com/photoplusmag
Post
PhotoPlus: The Canon Mag
Future, The Ambury
Bath BA1 1UA, UK
PROJECT INFO
Name: Chris Porsz
Location: Peterborough
Mission: To find characters and
recreate the images I took so
long ago
Kit: Original pictures taken on
Canon AE-1, Canon 50mm f/1.8
and Canon 28mm f/2.8. Reunion
pictures taken on Canon EOS
1000D, EOS 60D and EOS 5D Mk
III with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS
USM and Canon EF 24-70mm
f/2.8L II USM
www.chrisporsz.com
Reunions
Chris Porsz’s unique project has been
over three decades in the making
I
n the early ’80s
I wandered the
streets and turned
my camera on society.
I found it quite magical,
as I still do now. Completely
self-taught, I was inspired by
the work of Bert Hardy and
Bill Brandt in Picture Post, and
Harold Evan’s seminal book
Pictures on a Page. Because
I was busy with family and my
new career as a paramedic,
I hardly picked a camera up
for the following 25 years.
My passion was rekindled in
2009 when the Peterborough
Evening Telegraph gave me a
column Paramedic Paparazzo.
Incredibly, some readers
recognized themselves, and
so I began my mission to
recreate the images. I had
lots of setbacks with people
01
72
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Your Photo stories
01 John Lewis TOy department
Original shot in 1985. Reunion in July 2016
Lens Canon ef 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Exposure 1/50 sec, f/5, ISO1000
02 Cathedral CLOISTERS aRCHaEOLOgy
Original shot in 1982. Reunion in July 2016
Lens Canon ef 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Exposure 1/200 sec, f/10, ISO500
02
Feedback
Chris’s project shows real determination and perseverance, and it’s
fascinating to see how people and environments have changed all these
years on. This story is less about the techniques and settings behind
the images, and more about the mental challenges you need to
overcome to create strong street images.
The Canon Magazine 73

PhotoStories
03
04
not replying, refusing or no
longer friends. Others had
moved away and some had
sadly departed. Despite many
failures, the successes drove
me on. Having no contact
details, I never dreamed I’d
reunite 134 sets of people.
It was difficult fitting in my
day job at the same time, and
I once drove a 200-mile round
trip to be told I had got the
wrong person. I was really
surprised by the national and
international media attention
and, rejected by publishers,
74
it was a massive challenge to
self-publish and distribute
my book Reunions.
Street photography puts
many off but I’m lucky as a big
part of my job is gaining the
trust of strangers. Being ready,
thinking on your feet and
responding quickly to the
unexpected complements
my street photography well.
Amazingly, a couple of 999
calls led to reunions! I wanted
to do the original images
justice by faithfully recreating
them, but that was often
Being ready, thinking on your feet
and responding quickly to the unexpected
complements my street photography
impossible, and if they were
mediocre, I wanted to bring
them up to date and alive.
It was fantastic to see old
friends who had not seen each
other for over three decades
united again. It was often very
emotional with some tears,
hugs and kisses, and although
these people were once
strangers to me, some have
become good friends. I would
love to do a Reunions
exhibition and I am now busy
on a third book featuring my
latest street work.
05

Your Photo stories
03 wORLd PIzza-eating COmPETITIOn
Original shot in 1985. Reunion in July 2016
Lens Canon ef 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Exposure 1/500 sec, f/8, ISO800
04 gLadstone STREET BOys
Original shot in 1980. Reunion in October 2010.
Lens Canon ef 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Exposure 1/400 sec, f/4, ISO400
05 Out from BEHInd THE curtains
Original shot in 1980. Reunion in January 2013.
Lens Canon ef 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Exposure 1/160 sec, f/5, ISO400
Feedback
The book Reunions took almost 40 years to make. Chris didn’t know
that he was going to create this series all those years ago, but having
foresight and planning ahead is key to tackling many social
documentary photographic projects. Reunions is on sale now.
The Canon Magazine 75

My Kit
Professional photographers reveal their top six
tools of the trade they couldn’t shoot without
I need to minimize weight
and take kit that’s reliable in
any conditions
What do I do?
Markus Rohrbacher
Outdoor pro Markus needs kit to be hardy and reliable when shooting epic
sports and landscapes. Discover the gear he uses for scaling mountains
As an outdoor
photographer,
I can’t avoid long
hikes and climbs
to get to locations.
This makes me consider which
gear is really necessary and
what can stay at home. I need
to minimize weight and take
kit that’s reliable in any
conditions. My main workhorse
is a Canon EOS 5D Mark III,
combined with the Canon EF
24-70mm f/2.8L II USM and
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
lenses. I shoot 80% of my
photos with this combination.
When it comes to sport, I often
76
take a Fisheye 10-17mm from
Tokina with me as well. It’s
affordable, produces a decent
quality and fits on crop and
full-frame cameras. I have
a couple of other lenses for
low-light situations, a wideangle,
converters, and a
backup camera, but I only add
this equipment when I’ve got
easy, short access to locations.
I still carry some Lee Filters
with me. Obviously you can
edit in graduations, but by
using a real filter your Raw file
becomes richer. A grey full ND
filter is powerful for shooting
water or moving clouds.
Last year, I also jumped
onto the drone game with the
DJI Phantom 4. It offers so
many possibilities for new
perspectives, and now there’s
no need to rent a helicopter
or a plane. I also use it for
scouting tricky areas. In the
winter, it’s hard to move
around in deep snow; I can
use a drone to have a look
around the next mountain
ridge. Beside this hi-tech gear,
I still carry my old Polaroid
SX-70 (it’s just fun to play
around with). The F-Stop
backpack is just the best for
any outdoor photographer.
Markus
Rohrbacher
I’m a self-taught freelancer
based in the Austrian Alps. After
graduating as an architect, I took
a year off and focused on action
photography. The mountains near
my house became my playground
and resulted in a quick
progression of my skills. In 2011
I turned my interest into a career
as a staff photographer at Nitro
Snowboards and was a finalist in
the Red Bull Illume contest.
Photography gives me the chance
to travel the globe, discover new
genres and keep life challenging.
www.markusrohrbacher.com
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Canon pros & their kit
IN MARKUS’s BAG
03
06
01
05
04
02
01 02 03 04 05 06
F-Stop Ajna
backpack
Web: www.fstopgear.com
My most prized
piece of gear is not
my camera, it’s my
backpack. Often,
it takes me longer to
get to locations than
I actually spend
shooting. Therefore
it’s important that
I have a properly fitting
backpack, which is
perfectly designed for
mountaineers, while
fulfilling all a
photographer’s wishes
at the same time.
Canon EOS
5D Mark III
Web: www.canon.co.uk
The 5D is a real
workhorse and I’ve
been shooting with
it for four years. No
matter how bad the
conditions are, I can
always count on it.
There are smaller and
lighter cameras on the
market, but no matter
if it rains or you have
to shoot with big gloves
on at -30ºC, it’s always
great to work with.
LEE Filters
100mm
System
Web: www.leefilters.com
These are definitely
not cheap, but they’re
a great investment.
I always take a ND 0.6
hard grad, a ND 0.9 soft
grad and a 10-stop full
ND filter with me. With
this set I’m prepared
for any circumstances,
no matter if I have to
darken the clouds, or
if I want to get some
blur into a waterfall
during the day.
Canon
EF 24-70mm
f/2.8L II USM
Web: www.canon.co.uk
If I could only bring
one lens with me it
would be the 24-70mm.
Even if you need a wider
angle, you can easily
make a panorama in
post-production. When
I look at my best or
favourite photos, they
mostly where shot with
this focal length range.
DJI Phantom 4
Web: www.dji.com
I was thinking about
getting one of these
drones for a long time
and definitely don’t
regret it. Beside it being
a fun toy to play with, it
gives you so many new
possibilities and you
discover familiar places
from a new angle. It
is definitely a game
changer in my work.
Polaroid SX 70
Web: www.polaroid.com
My grandpa’s
Polaroid was lying
around for a long time
and couldn’t be used
anymore since they
stopped producing film
for it. In 2010, the
Impossible Project
started to sell film
again, and that’s when
I reactivated this old
camera. It’s fun to play
around with. I don’t
take it too seriously,
but it’s cool to have
your photo in your
hands right away.
The Canon Magazine 77

Your ultimate photographic reference guide
to the complete Canon EOS DSLR system
DIGITAL SLR ESSENTIALS PAGE 80
How to earn some extra cash
on the side by moonlighting
as a portrait photographer
WITH
Peter travers
Canon expert
Peter’s been a passionate
photographer for well over
20 years. He’s worked on
PhotoPlus since the very
first issue, back in 2007,
and has been the magazine’s
editor for the past six years.
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS PAGE 84
Slide the autofocus switch on your lens to the off position
and master the art of focusing manually. Go on, be brave!
WITH
Marcus Hawkins
Photo expert
ISO
WB
SET
AF
Marcus has been passionate
about photography for more
than 25 years. A former editor
of our sister publication Digital
Camera, he has written about
photography for Canon
and Jessops, and uses
a Canon EOS 5D Mk III.
EOS S.O.S PAGE 88
Another sackful of your prickly
photography problems solved
by our resident Canon know-all
WITH
BRIAN WORLEY
Camera expert
Brian has unrivalled EOS
DSLR knowledge after
working for Canon for over
15 years. He now works as a
freelance photographer
and photo tutor
in Oxfordshire.
The Canon Magazine 79

CANONSCHOOL
MAKE CASH with
YOUR canon
In this latest instalment of the series, we reveal all you need
to know to get started as a pro portrait photographer
Peter travers
Canon expert
Peter’s been a passionate
photographer for well over
20 years. He’s worked on
PhotoPlus since the very
first issue, back in 2007,
and has been the magazine’s
editor for the past six years.
Shoot portraits part-time
Portraits are a great way to earn money from your photography – we help you get started
If you enjoy shooting
subjects that talk
back, maybe it’s time
you started making
cash from your portraits.
You don’t need much
equipment if you start by
taking outdoor portraits in
natural light.
Any Canon DSLR will be up
to the job, although the higher
resolution of the latest models
will give you the option of
producing larger prints than
some of the older models.
You also need to think
about your lenses. While a
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
that typically comes with
crop-sensor Canons can
produce great results, a
wider-aperture standard
zoom, such as the 17-55mm
f/2.8, will allow you to
achieve shallower depth of
field than the f/5.6 maximum
aperture at the longest
end of most standard zooms.
Another lens worth investing
in is a 50mm f/1.8, as this will
give you even shallower depth
of field and allow you to shoot
in low light without having to
increase the ISO.
Stepping up to full-frame,
again any Canon is capable
of professional results with the
right lens. The high-resolution
models will give the option
of huge prints, but even shots
from an older camera, such as
the original 5D, will print up
Take promoting yourself online – if people can see how good your photos
are, they’ll know that a session with you will be worth the asking price
to A3. When it comes to lenses
the 50mm is a good starting
point, but the focal length is
a little too short for head-andshoulders
shots. An 85mm
f/1.8 gives more flattering
results, or if you can live
with the smaller maximum
aperture, a 24-70mm f/2.8
or 70-200mm f/2.8 are
versatile (if pricey) options.
People skills
Along with your photographic
skills, taking successful
portraits relies on your ability
to get the best from the people
you are shooting. There are
many ways to do this, from
cracking jokes to simply
chatting with the subject to
find out what their interests
are. But the key skill is being
able to put subjects at ease
at the same time as you are
shooting amazing images.
This means that you need to
be completely confident in
your photographic technique,
so you can concentrate on the
person and not have to think
about your composition or
camera settings.
This ability comes naturally
to some, but if your people
skills don’t quite match your
photographic ones then you’ll
need to spend plenty of time
practising this on any willing
subjects (try friends or family)
You don’t need masses of kit if
you’re shooting outside with
available light
if you’re going to make it as a
portrait photographer.
Getting the best out of your
subject is only part of your job,
though. If you’re going it alone
as a portrait photographer
you’ll also need to be able to
sell yourself and your services
before you can get the work
and, depending on your
business model, you may also
need to sell the prints to the
customer after the shoot in
order to make money.
Find a style
From using available light and
wide apertures to give a soft,
80 www.digitalcameraworld.com

Cash with your canon
For outdoor portraiture, you don’t
even need a studio (though pretty
nearby fields are handy)
dream-like appearance,
to underexposing the
background and using
off-camera flash to light the
subject for a harsher, highcontrast
look, the style of your
images will have a huge
influence on the success or
failure of your business. Take
a look at the images by many
successful portrait
photographers and you’ll
notice that they will often
have a particular style of
shooting that is immediately
recognizable. This
recognizable style helps them
attract clients who want that
‘look’, and also makes their
images stand out from those of
other portrait photographers.
So look at your images and see
if they share any particular
style or technique, and try to
make this a feature of your
portfolio and business.
Identifying your style of
portrait photography will also
help you market and promote
your services to the right type
of customer. The light,
informal look of shooting into
the light and using flare,
for example, won’t suit
a customer looking for a
more serious, business-style
portrait, while the strong look
of overpowering daylight with
off-camera flash won’t appeal
to many families or those
looking for a brighter, lighter
portrait to hang up at home.
Marketing matters
You’ve got the photography
skills, and you’re great at
getting the best from your
models, but these alone won’t
turn your portrait
photography into a business
if nobody knows about you.
So you’ll also need to spend
plenty of time promoting and
marketing your services to
make it successful. You can
start by word of mouth, as
even in this digital age there’s
nothing like a personal
recommendation to help get
you clients. Then there are the
traditional marketing tools
such as business cards and
leaflets. Although these aren’t
as essential as they used to
be it’s still worth having some
made, particularly cards, as
they are a great way of getting
your name and details into the
hands of potential customers.
These traditional methods
can work well, but they will
work much better if they are
backed up with a professionallooking
website and presence
on social media. When it
comes to using social media,
such as Facebook or Twitter,
if you already have a personal
account then it’s possible to
use this. But if this account is
full of unprofessional images
and comments you’ll need
to set up separate accounts
specifically for your business.
Pet photography
Along with traditional portrait
photography, there’s also a
dos and don’ts
Do
• Practise your skills on friends
and family, as the less you need
to think about the mechanics of
shooting portraits, the more you
can interact with your subject.
• Get insurance for both your kit
and public liability, particularly if
you are shooting in public areas.
Don’t
• Underestimate the time it will
take to edit your pictures, and
take this into account when
deciding how much to charge.
• Expect to get loads of bookings
immediately, it can take time for
customers to hear about you.
• Forget that you will need to
declare any earnings, and pay
the relevant taxes.
You need to be completely confident
in your photographic technique, so you
can concentrate on the person and not
have to think about your settings
The Canon Magazine 81

CANONSCHOOL
Portraits part-time
If you’re building your
portfolio, it’s worth seeing
if a model will trade time for
shots – you get experience,
they get good images
growing market for pet
portraits, from cats and
dogs to larger beasts such as
horses. Along with a love for
photographing animals, you’ll
also need similar people skills
to shooting normal portraits
when dealing with the owner
of the pet. This can often take
a lot of patience, as you’ll have
to be ready to deal with both a
potentially unwilling subject
and their owner!
How to charge
There are two typical business
models when it comes to
charging for portrait shoots.
You can either charge a set
rate for the sitting, which will
include a set number of prints
and digital files, depending on
how long it will take, or you
can charge a small (or zero)
fee for the sitting and then
charge extra for prints or
digital files afterwards.
The single-fee model is best
for those who like a consistent
income from each portrait
shoot. You’ll know beforehand
how much money you will
make, approximately how
much time it will take, and
don’t have to spend as much
time ‘selling’ the prints to the
client afterwards. You should
have an agreement with the
client about how many prints
or digital images they would
get for this fee, with an option
to buy more on top of the basic
fee. This approach is much
simpler if you’re more
interested in photography
than selling, particularly if you
are a ‘one-man band’.
The lower (or zero) fee plus
charging for prints option is
ideal if you are prepared to do
a bit more selling to your
customers. With this approach
you’ll need to be confident of
selling enough prints to make
up the value of the time that
you take for the shoot and any
post-production. Not having to
pay up front will appeal to
many potential customers, so
it’s a good way to get this type
of client. But this can be
time-consuming and not every
photographer is happy with
this more ‘high street’
approach to selling their
images and time.
How much time will it take?
Setting up the initial elements
of a portrait photography
business will only take a few
weeks in your spare time,
but building it up to become
genuinely successful and
profitable will take much
longer. It will usually take
anywhere between six months
and a year to get all of the
elements in place to get
regular bookings and for your
marketing to have time to
reach a good range of people.
In the know: Take better portraits
Our ten top tips to help you capture better portraits
01 Use a long focal length as the compression
effect is more flattering; a 70-300mm at the
long end is perfect.
02 Use Av mode and set a wide aperture (low
f-number) for a shallow depth of field to
isolate the subject from the background.
03 For more dramatic full-length shots when
using a long focal length, shoot from a low
viewpoint (in other words, lie on the ground).
04 Avoid shooting in midday sun as the harsh,
overhead light is unflattering and causes
dark eyes (but if you must, use a reflector).
05 Focus on the closest eye to the camera.
06 Position your subject against a background
that contrasts with their skin tone (pale
subject/dark background and vice versa).
07 For the best results, shoot on an overcast
day (but avoid getting the sky in the shot)
or during the golden hour, just before
sunset, when the light is softer and warmer.
08 Don’t ask the subject to smile; make them
smile by saying something funny and you
will capture their true personality.
09 Use Partial metering rather than the default
Evaluative to read the light on the subject.
10 Avoid distractions in the frame, like signs.
82 www.digitalcameraworld.com

Cash with your canon
we buy any
camera.com
Pets don’t know how to pose for photographs and can behave erratically,
which can make them rather trickier subjects to pose than people!
Work out what your style and specialism is – are you great with children?
Or perhaps more formal photos for business use will be your forte?
Once you start taking
bookings, most portrait shoots
will take between two and
four hours, plus travelling
time if you go to them rather
than having your own studio.
On top of the shoot you’ll also
need to factor in around the
same time to sort through and
process the images, and then
finally some time to produce
prints and package them. So,
remember to take this extra
time into account when you
decide on your pricing
structure, as for a simple
two-hour shoot you could
easily end up working an
extra half a day or more.
How much can you make?
The prices charged for portrait
photography can vary hugely,
so you will need to assess your
market, skills and
expectations when deciding
on a reasonable rate. If you are
charging for your time, rather
than just the prints, then you
should be able to charge
around £100 to £150 for
a half-day at the lower end
of the market. If you target
higher-end customers then
you’ll be able to charge more
like £200 and upwards for
a half-day rate.
There’s a similar range
of prices when it comes to
charging for prints, rather
than a higher up-front fee.
To cover your costs you should
be looking at making at least
100 per cent on top of the
material costs, so for a high
quality 10x8-inch print you
could charge around the £40
to £60 mark.
transform your un-used
or un-wanted
photographic gear in
to hard cash.it’s quick,
easy and safe.
Subject toterms and conditions and item evaluation.
webuyanycamera.com
Wilkinson
Cameras
www.wilkinson.co.uk
FREE COLLECTION SERVICE
for equipment worth £500.00 or more
ASK FOR DETAILS.
The Canon Magazine

CANONSCHOOL
DIGITAL SLR
ESSENTIALS
In this instalment of Digital SLR Essentials, we look at
techniques for faster and more accurate manual focus
Marcus Hawkins
Photo expert
Marcus has been passionate about
photography for more than 25
years. A former editor of our sister
publication Digital Camera, he has
written about photography and
cameras for a wide range of clients,
including Canon and Jessops, and
uses a Canon EOS 5D Mk III.
Master focusing manually
There are times to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in to manual focus
A
though you’re able
to set one of three
different autofocus
modes on a Canon
DSLR – One-Shot, AI
Servo or AI Focus – you
won’t find a Manual
Focus option. Instead, you
have to use the AF/MF slider
on the lens: set it to MF
(Manual Focus) and you’ll see
MF appear on the Quick
Control screen. If your camera
has a top-plate LCD, you’ll see
‘M Focus’ in the readout.
Despite the advances in
EOS autofocus systems, there
are plenty of reasons why
you’d choose to go manual.
For instance, there are some
situations in which an
autofocus lens will
continuously ‘hunt’ backwards
and forwards for the subject
without ever detecting it. This
typically happens when there’s
not enough light available or
when there’s not enough of
a contrast between the subject
and the rest of the scene.
Shooting through
obstacles, such as long grass
or branches, can also prove
frustrating with autofocus
as the camera will tend to
latch onto the object closest
to it; when you photograph
at the zoo you may find that
it’s the wire of a cage or your
reflection on a glass tank that
pops into focus, rather than
the critter beyond.
Speed is another challenge.
Maybe the subject arrives too
quickly or is moving too fast
for the autofocus system to
pick it up. In this case,
pre-focusing the lens on the
spot where you anticipate the
action happening – such as the
racing line on a Formula 1
racetrack – and switching to
manual focus leaves you to
concentrate on composition.
Focus first
For the largest
magnification,
manually focus
at the closest
distance, then
move the position
of the camera to
change the point
of focus.
Macro focus technique
Get ready for your close-up
Macro photography is one area where manual focusing shines. With autofocus,
one of the camera’s small AF points might cover a relatively large area of a tiny
subject and be unable to pick out the precise detail you want to be sharp. Manual
focusing enables you to place the focus exactly where you want it to be. A macro
lens is capable of capturing 1:1 life-size images when it’s focused as close as
possible, but the magnification changes as you change the focus distance. The
trick here is to turn the focus ring to roughly set the magnification you want, then
nudge the camera back and forth to position the sweet spot of sharpness.
84
Move the camera
The closer you focus, the narrower
the depth of field becomes. To make
more of a subject appear sharp,
move the camera further away and
refocus, then crop the photo later.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Digital SLR Essentials
Viewfinder focusing
Manual focus through
the viewfinder
You’re not on your own when focusing manually – the
camera will still tell you whether an object is in focus
T
rying to manually
focus through the
viewfinder can be
challenging – if your eyes
are anything like mine, at
any rate. It can be hard to
discern where the sweet spot
of sharpness is as you turn the
focus ring, especially if you’re
shooting with a wide-angle lens
where pretty much everything
looks sharp most of the time!
The trick here is to use the
focus indicator in the bottom
of the viewfinder; this becomes
a solid green dot when the
camera detects that the object
covered by the active AF point
in the viewfinder is in focus.
The AF point that detects focus
will also blip red.
There are a few things to
bear in mind: to activate the
function, you’ll need to keep
the shutter release halfpressed
as you focus. It makes
sense to manually select a
single AF point so that you can
target areas more precisely.
If there’s not enough light or
contrast for the AF sensor to
detect focus, the viewfinder
indicators won’t appear.
A lens’s ‘focus throw’ – the
extent to which its focus ring
has to be rotated to shift the
focus from its minimum
distance to infinity – is
something to consider when
focusing manually. Lenses that
have a short focus throw can
make manual focusing quicker,
but those with a long focus
throw – typically macro lenses
and telephotos – enable you to
adjust the focus distance in
smaller increments. This is
certainly of more use when
it comes to close-up
photography, where even tiny
changes in the focus distance
can have a huge impact on
which sliver of the subject
pops into focus.
The solid focus indicator will appear in the bottom of the viewfinder
when the area covered by the active AF point is in focus
This is the one
time that I’d
recommend
activating the
in-focus beep,
as it can be
easier to react
to a sound
rather than
looking for a
green dot
Full-time manual focus
Change the focus distance without leaving AF mode
Many lenses offer what’s known
as ‘full-time manual focus’. This
means that you can twist the focus
ring even when the lens is set to AF
and fine-tune the point of focus. You
can do this at any point before,
during or after the camera’s
autofocus routine. Not all lenses offer
this feature, and you risk damaging
these if you manually focus while the
lens slider is set to AF.
It only makes sense to do this
when the camera is set to One Shot
AF mode; in AI Servo or AI Focus
mode the camera will simply try and
refocus the lens if it detects that the
area under the active AF point isn’t
sharp. One way around this is to use
back-button focusing so that
pressing the shutter release to take
a photo won’t trigger the autofocus
system. The Custom Controls option
in the Custom Functions menu
enables you to set up your DSLR so
that holding one of the buttons on
the rear of the camera will either
activate the autofocus or deactivate
it. Either way, it means that you can
suspend the camera’s continuous
autofocus and tweak focus manually.
There is a compromise to
focusing manually without sliding the
switch on the lens to MF: the focus
indicator in the viewfinder won’t
indicate when the manually focused
image is sharp.
Ring USM
You can use full-time manual focus
override with all Canon’s L-series
autofocus lenses as well as some
‘consumer’ models.
STM
These lenses also offer full-time
manual focus override, although the
shutter release has to remain
half-pressed to make it work.
Micro USM
Lenses with this type of motor
don’t offer manual focus override,
with the exception of a few that
use a clutch mechanism.
The Canon Magazine 85

CANONSCHOOL
Live View
Going MF in Live View
Activate the rear display and blow up the most
important details for super-accurate focus
L
ive View and manual
focusing go together
like coffee and
cream. Not only does the
larger illuminated screen make
manual focus much more
practical in low light when you
can barely make out anything
through the optical viewfinder,
but being able to magnify the
image means that you can
ensure that the focus is
positioned correctly on the
smallest details.
To magnify a detail, first
position the Live View focus
point over it, then tap the
button with a magnifying glass
icon to cycle through the
options. Pressing it once
magnifies the area covered
by the focus point five times.
Pressing it again magnifies the
area ten times, while a third
press returns the full image
to the screen again.
It’s not all plain sailing: unlike
shooting with the viewfinder,
it’s harder to keep the camera
still when you’re shooting in
Live View mode without a
tripod, and any nudge
backwards or forwards will
change the point of focus. You
may also end up with the odd
exposure error if you don’t
remember to return the Live
View screen to the full image
once you’ve finished focusing
in magnified view – although
the aperture and shutter speed
will be highlighted in orange
as a warning.
Finally, in low light the image
on the Live View screen will
look decidedly choppy. This
noise won’t be recorded in the
final picture, but it can make it
hard to judge whether details
are in focus or not. Our tip is
to shoot in Raw and set
Monochrome as the Picture
Style; this removes the ugly
colour noise on the screen
without affecting the image.
5x
10x
ISO
WB
SET
AF
Creative ideas
Manual focusing opens up a range of creative opportunities
There will be times when you’ll
want to switch to manual focus for
creative reasons. If you’re looking
to produce an image that requires
several shots to be stitched or
sandwiched together, such as when
building a panorama or a high
dynamic range (HDR) shot, then
you’ll be looking for consistency
between each frame so that they can
be blended seamlessly. In these
instances, setting the lens slider to
MF effectively locks the focus
distance for the entire sequence
– as long as you don’t inadvertently
jog the lens’s focus ring.
When you’re trying to get the
‘model village’ effect with a tilt-shift
lens or a Lensbaby, then you’ll have
no option but to use manual focusing
as they don’t have an autofocus
motor. There may be times when you
want to take intentionally out-offocus
shots – as opposed to
accidentally blurred! – in which case,
manual focus gives you the control
you need.
86
www.digitalcameraworld.com

RATE
START/
STOP
LOCK
SET
AF-ON
Digital SLR Essentials
Hyperfocal focusing
To infinity and back a bit
Use this technique to make more of a scene appear sharply focused
A
lthough you can only
focus a lens at a
single distance, that
doesn’t mean that
everything in front of and
beyond this point is blurred.
Sharpness appears to drop off
gradually, with the depth of
apparent sharpness – aka the
depth of field – being
determined by the aperture
setting and focus distance,
amongst other things.
Approximately one third of
the depth of field falls in front of
the point of focus, with
two-thirds extending behind it.
This means that if you focus on
the closest part of a scene then
you’ll essentially be wasting the
depth of field available in front
of it and losing some behind.
That’s not necessarily a
problem when you want a
Check the depth
Press your camera’s
depth of field button to
view the scene at the
aperture you’ve set, and
check if the background
is sharp enough.
subject to stand out from a
background, such as when
you’re shooting a portrait. But
when you’re photographing a
landscape or any other general
scene, you’re more likely to
want to squeeze as much as
possible into the depth of field.
The trick here is to manually
focus the lens at the
‘hyperfocal’ distance;
everything from half the
hyperfocal distance to infinity
will then appear acceptably
sharp. There are plenty of
depth of field apps that can
calculate the hyperfocal
distance for you once you’ve
input your camera, lens and
aperture details – all three will
help to determine the distance
you need to focus at – although
working with a lens that has a
distance scale on the barrel is
going to make life much easier.
The distance markings on
modern lenses aren’t typically
very detailed, but at least you
can place the focus point
somewhere in the ballpark
of the hyperfocal distance.
Infinity
200mm lens
at f/16
Hyperfocal
distance: 83.53m
Acceptable
sharpness from: 41.8m
70mm lens at f/16
Hyperfocal distance: 10.28m
Acceptable sharpness from: 5.1m
20mm lens at f/16
Hyperfocal distance: 0.85m
Acceptable sharpness from: 0.4m
Camera: 0m
School tip Get in the zone
Zone focusing can speed up your reaction time for
shooting from the hip for candid street photography
An alternative take on
hyperfocal focusing, zone focusing is
a technique that’s more suited to
candid street photography than
landscapes. The principle’s the same:
switch to manual focusing and
pre-focus the lens at a certain
distance. Based on what you know
about hyperfocal focusing, you’ll
have an understanding for how large
the depth of field ‘zone’ will be for
your choice of focal length and
aperture, and you can grab shots as
the subject enters this zone and gets
close to the preset distance – or
when you manoeuvre the camera
close enough to it. Using a prime
lens, rather than a zoom, means that
the depth of field is consistent for a
given aperture, and you can shoot
from the hip, without even looking
through the viewfinder.
Try using a moderately wide lens – 28mm to 35mm – and set a
mid-range aperture of f/8 or f/11, pre-focusing around 3m to 5m away
The Canon Magazine 87

CANONSCHOOL
EOSS.O.S
Our technical guru is here to help. No Canon conundrum is too
big or small. Get in touch today at EOSSOS@futurenet.com
BRIAN WORLEY
Canon Pro
Brian is a freelance photographer
and photo tutor, based in
Oxfordshire. He has unrivalled
EOS DSLR knowledge, after
working for Canon for over
15 years, and is on hand to
answer all your EOS and
photographic queries
www.p4pictures.com
Why is my 77D ‘forgetting’ how much
exposure compensation I’ve set?
Andrew McCully, Wilmslow
Brian says… Congratulations on the new camera. I have
been working with the EOS 77D for a few weeks myself and
found the same behaviour. If you shoot with exposure
compensation, then switch off the camera, it is reset to stop
photographers who use a camera infrequently from getting
unexpected exposures the next time they use their camera.
To retain exposure compensation, you’ll need to set C.Fn 3
Exposure Compensation Auto Cancel to Disable. The EOS
800D also has this same new behaviour.
Wildlife and sports photography needs a lens with longer reach. This
bird was photographed with a 70-300mm lens on an APS-C camera
Can you suggest a reasonably priced
telephoto zoom for my 6D and 100D?
Mike Gosling, Northamptonshire
Brian says… You’ll need to have a
lens that fits both APS-C and fullframe
cameras. My suggestion is
something that covers a 70-300mm
range, which has the reach of a
480mm lens on the EOS 100D. With
such a reach, it will be important to
have a lens that has an optical image
stabilizer to allow you to use the
camera handheld.
Given the small size and weight of
the EOS 100D I would avoid the bigger
and heavier models as the camera can
feel unbalanced. It shouldn’t be such
an issue with the EOS 6D though.
From Canon’s lineup, I suggest the recently launched EF
70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM, priced around £500/$550. This
latest version has good optical performance and a 4-stop
stabilizer too. From the independent makers, the Tamron SP
AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD at £300/$450 picked up
Best on Test and Best Value awards in PhotoPlus 125.
88
This landscape needed underexposure to saturate colours, the 77D
would automatically reset exposure compensation when switched off
www.digitalcameraworld.com

EOS S.O.S
Speed up AF setup
Ask Brian!
Confused with
your Canon DSLR?
Email EOSSOS@
futurenet.com
You need to be able to move AF points
around the frame when capturing fast
action using AI Servo tracking focus
Faster focusing
Tweak your camera focus settings for quicker performance
E
OS camera focusing systems
are highly developed tools with
a myriad of options to suit them
to a huge range of subjects. All this
flexible capability means that you might
not be working with the focus system
as efficiently as possible and missing
pictures as a result.
When your subject is unpredictable,
fast-moving and only appears briefly,
you need to have the camera ready and
set up properly. If not then you’ll take a
while to get the right settings and miss
the photo opportunity. For me this
means I can readily change the location
of my AF point, and on the right
cameras change the AF area too.
One of the best configurations is to
change the multi-controller to provide
direct selection of the AF points. You’ll
usually find it in the camera’s custom
controls. Direct selection of AF points
means that your thumb on the back of
the camera can change the AF points
whilst the camera is in front of your
face. If you’ve got an EOS 7D Mark II or
EOS 5D Mark IV you can also have the
AF Area Selection lever set to change
between the different AF areas easily.
These two settings speed up the way
I take pictures with my cameras.
With so many choices of AF area
it can be a lot of taps on the AF Area
Selection lever to get between the AF
areas that you want to work with. Of
course, this is faster if you disable any
AF areas that you don’t use. On the
5D Mark IV there are seven different
arrangements of the AF points. I mostly
use just three of them. I turn off the
ones I don’t use, which means I’m
faster at changing the AF area. With
only three areas active I must press the
AF area selection button just three
If there are too many AF area selections to
choose from it can be slow to move between
the ones that you prefer to use
times, instead of seven, to get around
all the AF area selections that I use.
First seen on the Canon EOS 7D,
orientation-linked AF points can be
another incredible timesaver. Simply
change the camera from landscape to
portrait orientation and the AF points
move automatically. There are three
different orientations: level, grip-up and
grip-down. One some cameras you can
also have different AF areas for each
orientation too.
I continue to be amazed at the
number of photographers I meet who
have never optimized their camera for
their kind of photography!
The Canon Magazine 89

CANONSCHOOL
Capturing clearer sound for your movies requires an external
microphone that is positioned closer to the source of the sound
The sound when shooting video on my
70D is poor, would a microphone help?
Alan Wilson, Edinburgh
Brian says… You’ve just discovered two of the most
important things for movies: first, sound is often more
important than the actual video; and secondly the camera’s
built-in mic is not the right tool for the job. The built-in mic
usually picks up any noise you create by changing controls or
holding the camera while filming to add to the trouble.
To capture much better sound you need to position a mic
closer to the subject. The type of mic you use will depend on
the kind of sound you need to record. For a person speaking
on camera the common choice is a tie-clip mic, usually
called a lavalier mic. Because it’s near to the sound source
the voice will be much clearer. Think of a mic a bit like a lens
and don’t skimp on the quality; top brands like Røde and
Sennheiser are worth looking at.
Can I apply the latest firmware
update for my EOS 7D Mark II if my
camera is many versions behind?
Francois Malherbe, South Africa
Brian SAYS… Virtually all EOS cameras have
a firmware update at some point. It’s best to keep
your camera up to date with the current firmware as
frequently they improve the performance of the camera,
or correct unexpected behaviour. For most updates you
can just install the latest version regardless of the
version on your camera.
So if you have v1.0.2, then
you can install the latest
v1.1.1 without doing all
the versions in-between.
You can find your
current firmware here:
http://bit.ly/eosfirmware
Upgrading your firmware is
straightforward and only
takes a few minutes
Can I use the
Canon Extender
1.4x with my EF
100-400mm
f/4.5-5.6L IS II
USM and 70D?
Stephen Phillips, Devon
Brian says… Adding a
Extender 1.4x to any lens
will reduce the maximum
aperture by 1-stop. This
makes your 100-400mm
lens a 140-640mm lens
with an f/6.3-8 aperture.
Your EOS 70D’s AF system
needs at least f/5.6 to
operate so autofocus
won’t work properly.
What is the point
of the lock switch
on the back of
the EOS 80D?
Sarah Higgins, Bristol
Brian says… The lock
switch will stop the rear
control dial from
inadvertently changing
camera settings. If the dial
is accidentally nudged
there could be a change in
exposure settings that
would affect your next
shot without you realizing.
Why don’t my
radio-triggered
studio lights flash
using Live View?
William Coulton
Brian says… The first
shutter curtain is already
open to uncover the
sensor for Live View. This
makes it not normally
possible to trigger any
non-dedicated flashes on
the hotshoe. However, the
Silent LV shooting setting
changes how the shutter
curtains work and should
be set to Disable. Once
this is done your radio
trigger will be able to work
with your studio flashes.
The 800D has a new style of displays, but you
can go back to a more familiar look
I’m considering an EOS
800D, but I’m worried the
new-style display will take
some getting used to…
Sheila Watson, Lincoln
Brian says… It is possible to switch
both the shooting displays and the
menu navigation to the old style. I like
the new shooting screens, but prefer
the old menu displays. To make the
switch press Menu, and then use the
touchscreen to access Display Level
Settings. Change the Shooting Screen
and Menu displays from Guided to
Standard to look like your older EOS.
Panning at 1/320 sec, 100mm focal length,
motorbike travelling at approximately 60mph
What shutter speed
should I use for panning
shots of motorbikes?
John Mears, Hull
Brian says… The shutter speed
depends on several factors including
focal length, the speed of the bike and
the distance. In the picture 1/320 sec
was used and this will limit the blur of
the rider on a rough motocross track.
Racers on a tarmac track will be faster,
but smoother. My approach is to start
from 1/250 sec with a 200mm lens
then make a 2-stop change in shutter
speed between shots as this is enough
to see a change on the camera screen.
90
www.digitalcameraworld.com

EOS S.O.S
Flash COMpatibILIty
My ST-E3-RT transmitter triggers my
600EX-RT flashes, but not my Mecablitz
58 AF-2 flash, is it possible?
Graham Hobbs, Peterborough
A Speedlite in the
lampshade couldn’t be
triggered optically, but
radio triggering worked
Brian says… The ST-E3-RT
communicates with the
Speedlite 600EX-RT using
radio wireless. Radio has the
advantage that it doesn’t
need line of sight between the
flash and transmitter, or care
how bright the ambient light
is. However, your Mecablitz 58
Optical wireless can be unreliable
in daylight, but radio wireless can
trigger the flash, even in a softbox
Rate my PHOto
Paddle Boarding by
Roger Willoughby
Roger says… I visited Hunstanton in
Norfolk and had gone out to try and take
a photo of the sunset. I was planning on
using my Lee Little Stopper for really long
exposures, so had my EOS 6D on a tripod
and used a hard graduated 2-stop ND
filter to hold some of the brightness back
in the sky. When I saw the paddle boarder
come into view I decided to take photos
without the Little Stopper. Even though
this was captured at 1/13 sec there’s no
real effect on the boarder’s sharpness.
Brian says… Sunsets are a difficult
subject to photograph; the range or
brightness often means filters are
needed but, even then, it’s just another
sunset. This picture is a bit different due
AF-2 flash doesn’t have a
radio receiver built in.
This leaves a couple of
options, you can stop using
the ST-E3-RT to control the
other flashes, and use one of
the Speedlite 600EX-RT
flashes as a master using
optical wireless. Optical
wireless is less reliable in
bright light and over longer
distances, and is much less
reliable if the Speedlites are
fitted inside a softbox.
Another possibility is to
trigger your Mecablitz with
an additional radio receiver.
I have used Yongnuo YNE3-RX
and Phottix Laso receivers to
trigger Speedlite 580EX II
flashes with the ST-E3-RT
transmitter. However, due to
the age of your Mecablitz flash
I suspect that these radio
receivers will not work fully
with your unit and give E-TTL
automatic flash. The Yongnuo
receiver can just trigger the
Lens
Exposure
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/13 sec, f/22, ISO100
Mecablitz in manual mode,
though you’ll need a cable to
link the receiver and flash.
As an alternative, you might
try one of the independent
radio wireless compatible
flashguns, such as the
to the arrival of the paddle boarder
in the frame. The colours feel realistic,
yet warm and peaceful.
I like the letterbox crop; it works well,
though I think it can be cropped a little
more to remove some of the darkest
parts of the frame in the lower-left
Yongnuo YN600EX-RT. For
relatively little money these
make handy additional flashes
and I have successfully used
them in conjunction with
Canon radio wireless
Speedlites and transmitters.
Get
critiqued!
Email photos to
EOSSOS@
futurenet.com
with the subject
‘Rate My Photo’
corner. There are also two people in the
shadows on the shore that would be
eliminated with a tighter crop, and the
paddle boarder will appear larger in the
frame. As an alternative, you could crop
the bottom 25% off the height to make
a panoramic image.
The Canon Magazine 91

94 Gear Update
Dispose of your
disposable income
118 Buyers’ Guide
Every EOS and
Canon-fit lens
The latest Canon DSLR and photo gear tested.
Independent advice to help you buy smarter
Welcome...
Superzooms are popular
because they cover such a
wide focal range. It’s tricky
to get the right balance
between optical quality,
autofocus performance,
handling and value for
money, though. I won’t spoil
it by naming the winner, but
I did use Canon’s 18-135mm
STM while testing the EOS
77D, and was impressed; it’s
fast, quiet, compact, and
makes a versatile kit lens.
How we test
Rod Lawton
Head of testing
rod.lawton@futurenet.com
PAGE 106 Superzoom lenses
PAGE 96 Canon EOS 77D
PAGE 104
Sensor cleaners
Lens tests are carried out with
Imatest suite, with specially
designed charts and data
analysis to test lens performance
We test cameras in laboratory
conditions using DxO Analyzer
hardware and software to check
dynamic range and image noise
Tests & awards
When IT comes to testing Canon DSLRs, lenses, photo gear
and services in PhotoPlus, we tell it like it is. We’re 100%
independent and we use our in-depth lab tests to find out how
kit really performs and compares. Here are our main awards…
Buy for the best combination
of quality and value
Only the best of best win
our coveted award
The Canon Magazine 93

Update
03
02
Our round-up of the latest digital photography must-haves
05
01
94
www.digitalcameraworld.com

New CANON-FIT KIT
06
04
01 Lastolite Joe McNally
Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 Plus
Flashgun modifier gets a pro makeover
£60/$79
www.manfrotto.com
This development of Lastolite’s Ezybox
Speed-Lite 2 has been designed in
conjunction with world-renowned
photographer Joe McNally and features
his preferred white interior for even softer
illumination. The 22x22cm outer diffuser
has also been tweaked, now recessed by
45mm to help control light spill. Thankfully
the original pop-up design remains, with
its ingenious mechanism that enables the
softbox to fold flat in seconds. It’s just as
easy to attach to your flashgun, with a
silicone strap and twist-lock clamp combo
ensuring a secure fit.
02 Manfrotto Manhattan Collection
Bags that’ll cut it in the urban jungle
From £80/$100
www.manfrotto.com
Designed for city slickers and
commuters, Manhattan bags put flexibility
centre-stage. A Flexy Camera Shell divider
system will wrap snugly around your gear,
and the entire camera insert is easily
removable for when you need a regular
bag. The range includes the Mover
50 backpack designed for a 5DS with
attached 70-200mm f/2.8, plus five extra
lenses and a 15in laptop. The Speedy 10
messenger bag is best suited to a small
APS-C DSLR setup, while the Changer
20 shoulder bag can convert between
a shoulder bag, tote bag or backpack.
03 ONA bags & accessories
Uncompromising quality, timeless style
From £139/$149
www.onabags.eu
Based out of New York City, ONA bags
can be had in backpack, messenger and
shoulder bag flavours, with the latter
designed with female photographers
in mind. All come with reassuringly
substantial price tags, reflecting quality
exterior materials like full-grain leather and
waxed canvas. Inside most models you’ll
find practical interiors with customizable
padded dividers, while larger bags have
slots for a laptop or tablet. ONA also offers
premium accessories, like the Beacon
Lens Case that echoes vintage lens
cases of yesteryear.
04 Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 264CT
Design maximizes rigidity and convenience
£300/$340
www.vanguardworld.com
Vanguard has gone back to the drawing
board for its new Alta Pro 2 Plus tripods.
This 264CT model tops the range and will
top out at 1.5m tall, yet weighs just 1.7kg,
thanks to carbon construction that’ll stand
strong under a 7kg payload. Vanguard’s
Multi-Angle Center Column can be pivoted
from vertical to lock horizontally – or
at any 15-degree increment in-between
– helping you to nail the perfect
composition every time. New twist-lock leg
extension clamps make for quicker, more
streamlined setup, and you can chose
from four leg angle settings.
05 WhiteWall Acrylic Minis
Shrunken acrylics for expanded appeal
From £13/$20
www.whitewall.com
Forget the idea that acrylic prints need
to be big; WhiteWall’s new Acrylic Minis
are a mere 18x13cm, or 13cm-square.
They’re designed to be wall-hung from
an integrated hook, placed on a table or
shelf using the included plexiglass stand,
or stuck to your fridge with a built-in
magnet. Great as gifts, or for displaying
multiple themed images in a small space,
Acrylic Minis are ideal for showing off your
shots without worrying about framing
or mounting, and they’re backed by
WhiteWall’s award-winning print quality.
06 Wireloose Pix camera straps
Traditional handcrafted quality accessories
From £50
www.wireloose.co.uk
In a world of mass production and
synthetic man-made materials, these offer
a refreshing take on the humble camera
strap. 100% hand-made in England from
real leather, these slim 10-15mm wide
straps are an ideal complement for an EOS
M. Several strap, stitching and split ring
colours are available, or for an even more
eye-catching look, opt for the version that
attaches to your Canon with decorative
woven knots. While no two straps will be
completely identical, you can always spec
your own colour and fixing combo for
ultimate exclusivity.
The Canon Magazine 95

dslrTEST
Canon EOS 77D
Canon’s new enthusiast DSLR offers the technology of the
EOS 80D in a smaller, cheaper body. Phil Hall gives it a test
Acouple of years ago,
Canon launched the EOS
750D and 760D at the
same time. While the two
cameras were virtually identical to
look at, and sported pretty much the
same internal feature set, the 760D
offered more body-mounted
controls and a small LCD display on
the top, designed to appeal to more
experienced users.
Fast-forward two years and
Canon has done the same thing
again, launching the EOS 77D
alongside the more beginnerorientated
800D. Things are a little
different this time, though. The EOS
77D may share the same internal
features as the 800D, but Canon has
opted for a more distinctive and
slightly larger design for the 77D to
differentiate the two models.
The EOS 77D is the
grown-up version
of the EOS 800D.
The technology is
the same, but the
77D’s controls are
designed for
enthusiasts
If you look under the skin of the
EOS 77D it’s pretty much identical
to the EOS 800D. That means it gets
the new 24.2Mp APS-C CMOS
sensor, which uses Canon’s latest
sensor technology based on the
same on-chip analogue-to-digital
conversion tech as seen on the likes
of the EOS 5D Mark IV, thus
producing cleaner images at higher
ISOs compared to the older sensor
in the 750D and 760D.
Even without this, the EOS 77D
promises to handle noise better at
higher sensitivities, thanks to the
arrival of a new DIGIC 7 image
processor with a native ISO range
of 100-25,600 that can be pushed
77 reasons
to upgrade...
If you have an older EOS camera,
find out how far Canon DSLR
technology has moved on…
01
24Mp resolution
Enough for a print 20
inches wide at a print
resolution of 300dpi, and
lots of leeway for cropping.
02
Shoot a slo-mo
Shoot Full HD video at
60/50p for top-quality 2x
slo-mo, and with an STM
lens you’ll get smooth AF.
03
Guided mode
Now your gran can take the
pictures at the kids party;
the optional Guided mode
makes settings simple.
04
Wi-Fi remote control
Take pictures of that cheeky
squirrel in the garden
without scaring it off via
the Camera Connect app.
05
Always-on Bluetooth
Facebook your holiday pics
while you’re taking them
– the 77D can send them
straight to your phone.
06
Remote flash
The built-in flash can fire
Speedlites wirelessly – use
it for fast fashion shoots or
slow-sync sports.
07
6fps shooting
Capture the kids in their
soapbox race – the 77D can
keep shooting JPEGs until
the card is full.
08
Pick your focus point
Need to focus off-centre?
Press a button, turn the
control dial or tap the LCD
to choose the AF point.
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Full test EOS 77D
The EOS 77D
promises to handle
noise better thanks
to a new DIGIC 7
processor
image stabilization system, but
IS optics will be able to work in
tandem with the in-camera system
for video if you want.
The EOS 77D supports Wi-Fi and
NFC connectivity, while there’s also
the option to set up a low-energy
Bluetooth connection so you can
always be connected to the camera.
This enables you to remotely wake
the camera from its sleep mode
(provided you haven’t turned the
camera fully off), as well as browse
photos and operate the camera
remotely from your smart device.
another stop further to an ISO
equivalent of 51,200 (you’ll have
to dive into the menu to access this
setting). In addition, the DIGIC 7
processor also offers improved
autofocus performance when
compared to the DIGIC 6 chip.
Like the EOS 800D, the EOS 77D
uses a three-inch, vari-angle
touchscreen display with a
resolution of 1,040,000 dots. It’s
disappointing not to see 4K video
on the EOS 77D, especially given
Canon’s heritage in this area – and
considering 4K video is becoming
an increasingly standard feature at
this level from other brands.
Instead, you get Full HD capture
up to 60p, while the EOS 77D also
sports Canon’s new five-axis image
stabilization system for shooting
handheld footage. This in-camera
system is designed for videos only
– Canon isn’t ditching its lens-based
This was taken
with Canon’s
18-135mm stM
lens, showing just
how close you can
get at its minimum
focus distance
Build and handling
If the EOS 800D and more
enthusiast-orientated EOS 80D
had a baby, the EOS 77D would be
it, sitting neatly in between the two
in the range. The build and finish of
the EOS 77D is most closely related
to that of the 800D, though, with a
similar combination of aluminium
alloy and polycarbonate resin – in
fact, it only weighs 8g more than
the 800D.
It shares the 800D’s ultra-smooth
finish on the majority of the
exterior, which feels quite plasticky
to the touch and at odds with the
camera’s price. That said, the grip is
comfortable and the textured finish
has a nice tactile feel. The number
09
11
13
15
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Vari-angle display
Shoot from ground level or
above head height for an
unusual perspective or just
to get above the crowds.
Focus track movies
Keep your subjects in focus
even when they’re moving
– perfect for subjects that
won’t stay still!
Time-lapse movies
Capture speeded up
cloudscapes or rush-hour
in the city. You can choose
the speed and duration.
Pack your BAGs
The 77D and its kit lens are
super-compact – so you
can fit more into your bag,
or use a smaller bag!
Creative blur
Use a slow shutter speed
and pan with your subject
– the lens image stabilizer
helps keep subjects sharp.
Custom WB
Not sure of the lighting?
Measure a neutral scene
and store a Custom white
balance setting.
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Pinpoint focus
Get pixel-perfect focus for
macro shots with Live View
– just tap the screen where
you want to focus.
5-axis stabilisation
Keeps your movies steady,
even when you’re shooting
action in a Hollywood runand-gun
style.
Top-plate lcd
Check your settings,
including battery level,
shots remaining and EV
compensation.
Back-button focus
Lets you shoot like a sports
pro by separating the
autofocus activation from
the shutter release.
Pick a Picture Style
Choose the perfect ‘look’ or
make your own by adjusting
sharpness, contrast,
saturation and colour tone.
Use the self-timer
It’s not just for selfies. Set a
shorter delay for hands-free
tripod shots when you don’t
have a remote control.
The Canon Magazine 97

dslrTEST
BEFORE
AFTER
of body-mounted controls is where
the real differences between the
EOS 77D and 800D become
noticeable, starting with the
top-plate LCD display, which
the cheaper camera lacks.
It’s smaller than the top-plate
LCD on the EOS 80D, but still
provides a handy quick reference
point for a host of key shooting
information, including ISO setting,
aperture and shutter speed,
exposure compensation, battery
level, Wi-Fi activation and the
number of shots remaining.
In front of this display are
dedicated controls for ISO and AF,
as well as a button to illuminate the
LCD in poor light. The positioning
of the LCD display means the
Mode dial moves to the left of the
viewfinder, and unlike on the 800D
You can reveal
plenty of highlight
and shadow detail
from the 77D’s
Raw files: straight
out of camera shot
on the left, the
image with detail
recovered in
Adobe Camera
Raw on the right
The touchscreen interface
is nicely integrated, works well
and is one of the most polished
examples we’ve seen
it features a locking mechanism;
you’ll need to press and hold the
central button to spin the Mode dial
around to the desired setting.
Moving round the back, there’s a
dedicated AF-On button for backbutton
focusing, which can be really
handy if you regularly shoot using
continuous focusing. Rather than
the 800D’s four-way control pad,
the EOS 77D features a multidirectional
control pad encircled by
a scroll wheel; this mirrors some
higher-end EOS DSLRs, enabling
you to quickly toggle key settings,
The Dual Pixel CMOS
sensor offers fast Live
View autofocus as well
as the convenience of
touch control
and it’s handy when the camera is
raised to your eye.
Then there’s the EOS 77D’s
touchscreen interface. We may have
liked to have seen something a bit
larger, and/or with more resolution,
but there’s no quibbling about its
functionality. It’s nicely integrated
into the camera’s interface, works
really well and is one of the most
polished examples we’ve seen.
There’s also an optical viewfinder
with 95% coverage; this is typical
for an entry-level DSLR, but with
the EOS 77D having loftier
77 reasons
to upgrade...
23
Spot the difference
If your subject is in different
lighting to the rest of the
scene, use Spot metering
to get the exposure right.
25
Change the program
Use Program Shift to get
the aperture or shutter
speed you want without
having to leave P mode.
27
ISO25,600
Don’t be scared of high
ISOs – they allow handheld
photography in lighting you
just wouldn’t believe.
29
Second-curtain sync
The flash fires at the end of
a slow exposure to produce
realistic blur trails with
moving subjects.
21
22
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26
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30
Zone AF
Choose a zone, and the
camera focuses on the
nearest thing in it – very
useful for moving subjects.
Manual focus
For best depth of field focus
between two subjects, not
on one or the other – use
Live View for precision.
Old-school exposure
Switch to Centre-weighted
or Partial metering, swap to
Manual mode and use the
exposure indicator.
EV compensation
Some subjects are lighttoned,
some are dark
– that’s when you need
exposure compensation.
HDR Backlight
It’s a simple scene mode
that merges three different
exposures to produce an
HDR image in-camera.
Light painting at night
Use a low ISO, set the shutter
speed to 30 sec then use
a flashlight to ’paint’ the
scene with light.
98
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Full test EOS 77D
FEATURES
77D vs 760D
01
Battery life is 600
shots with the
viewfinder, 270
shots with Live View
02
This handy LCD
status panel is
missing on the
cheaper 800D
03
The main Mode dial
has a locking button
in the centre
04
The viewfinder uses
a pentamirror rather
than a pentaprism
01
02
03
03
Signal-to-noise ratio (dB)
Raw * signal-to-noise ratio
The 77D produces slightly better noise
figures than the 760D, but the difference
is so small as to be insignificant
Dynamic range (EV)
Raw * dynamic range
05
The AF-On button
should be popular
with sports fans
Dynamic range is where the EOS 77D’s
sensor shows its superiority, with much
better results at lower iso settings
06
The articulating
screen is also
touch-sensitive
04
05
Raw * resolution (at iso200)
06
The older 760D appears a fraction
sharper but the difference is very small
Colour error
The 77D’s colour rendition is much
more neutral than its predecessor’s
31
33
35
37
39
41
No Flash mode
Taking pictures in a
theatre? Don’t use Full
Auto, switch to the No Flash
option on the Mode dial.
Multi-Shot NR
Shoots four high-ISO
images in succession and
merges them in-camera to
produce a low-noise shot.
Tilt-shift effect
Use the Miniature effect
to create the illusion
of a miniature scene
photographed from above.
Interval timer
Use the 77D’s interval timer
to take shots automatically
at set intervals even when
you’re not there.
No wonky horizons
The 77D can display an
electronic level in Live View
mode that warns you when
the camera's not level.
Make your mark
Add your copyright data to
each image you shoot. That
way, people can check who
owns the picture.
32
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36
38
40
42
Protect highlights
You can use Highlight Tone
Priority mode to reduce the
risk of blown highlights in
high-contrast scenes.
Improve your lens
Kit lenses suffer distortion,
chromatic aberration and
vignetting, but you can
correct these in-camera.
Freaky fish-eyes
Shoot with an eerie fish-eye
effect, without a fish-eye
lens, thanks to the built-in
Fish-eye creative filter.
Exposure histogram
You could rely on old-school
methods for an exposure,
or use the live histogram in
Live View mode instead.
Set your aspect ratio
The 77D’s native ratio is 3:2,
but you can also shoot 4:3
or 16:9 images – useful for
different print formats.
Watch a slide show
Why swipe through
pics when your 77D can
play them back for you
automatically… with music.
The Canon Magazine 99

dslrTEST
aspirations it’s a little disappointing,
especially with similarly priced
rivals offering 100% coverage.
While it might not seem that much
of a difference, you’ll be surprised
at how unwanted elements can
encroach on the edges of the frame
when you review your images.
The Mode dial
offers a variety
of scene modes
for beginners,
but the EOS 77D
is really aimed at
more advanced
photographers
Autofocus
Like the 800D, the EOS 77D takes
advantage of a 45-point AF system
with all cross-type sensors, which
are sensitive in both the horizontal
and vertical planes to deliver more
accurate focusing. The setup here
is a welcome boost over the EOS
760D’s modest 19 AF points.
The EOS 77D’s autofocus system
is also sensitive down to -3EV, so
when light levels drop you should
still be able to lock focus on poorly
lit subjects. Of those 45 focus points,
27 are sensitive down to f/8, and
Focusing was very prompt,
locking on briskly to our
target, even in poor light
Using the Landscape picture style setting in camera enhances the greens naturally
while it might not be a key selling
point for a lot of photographers,
this can be handy if you’re shooting
with a lens that has a maximum
aperture of f/4 and you’ve paired it
with a 2x teleconverter, as you’ll still
be able to take advantage of those
27 points.
As we’ve found with the 800D,
which uses the same phase-detect
AF system, this array does a very
good job. Focusing speed was very
prompt, locking on briskly to our
desired target in One Shot AF mode,
even in poor light with the new
18-55mm STM lens fitted.
When it comes to shooting in
continuous (AI Servo) AF mode and
tracking a moving subject, there’s
a noticeable boost in performance
over the 760D’s 19-point
arrangement. It’s more reliable than
the older 19-point system, and the
EOS 77D also uses its 7560-pixel
RGB+IR metering sensor to help
track subjects across the frame.
It will still mis-focus the odd shot
in a sequence, though, and there’s
77 reasons
to upgrade...
45
Who needs Adobe?
You can use Canon’s own
Digital Photo Professional
4 software to process your
Raw files, and it’s free!
47
Where did you shoot?
Your phone knows where
you took each picture, and
with the add-on GP-E2 GPS
adaptor, so will your 77D.
49
Remote Controller
Announced at the same
time as the 77D, the BR-E1
remote needs no line of
sight and works 5m away.
51
Perfect portraits
Set a long focal length and
wide aperture, move your
model from the background
and focus on the eyes.
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46
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50
52
DON’T DELETE shots!
Lock individual pictures so
they can’t be deleted from
the memory card – useful if
culling pictures in-camera.
Make your own menu
You know which settings
you change most, so bring
them together in My Menu.
It can be real time-saver.
Mic me up
You can make a massive
difference to your video
sound quality by plugging
in an external microphone.
Manual control
In Manual mode the top dial
controls the shutter speed,
while the rear dial controls
the lens aperture.
Optical space-saver
The 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS
STM isn’t just smoother
and faster than the old 18-
55mm lens, it’s smaller too.
Mirror lockup
For best sharpness, mount
the 77D on a tripod and use
its Mirror Lockup mode to
reduce vibration.
100
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Full test EOS 77D
Let the Canon 77D be your guide
Beginner-friendly cameras
are always popular with first-time DSLR
users, and the EOS 77D goes the extra mile
with its Guided mode. This graphical
interface is also found on the cheaper EOS
800D, but the difference is that while it’s the
default control system on the 800D, on the
77D you need to activate it, if required, from
the menus. It’s the most helpful settings
guide we’ve seen yet, with interactive sliders
and icons that explain the effect that
different settings will have on your pictures.
For example, in Aperture Priority (Av) mode,
the screen displays a slider for the aperture
setting and visual representations of the
depth of field at the opposite ends of the
aperture range. Below this are other settings,
including focus point, shooting mode and
EV compensation, which you might want to
change as well. In Shutter Priority (Tv) mode,
the screen shows the effect of different
shutter speeds. Owners of the EOS 77D
might not need this level of simplicity, but
it could be useful to have it there if you need
to share the camera with another family
member, for example.
The EOS 77D’s optional ‘Guided’ interface makes
technical camera settings easier for novices to grasp
no real customization on offer – for
instance, it’s not possible to tell the
EOS 77D’s AF system that you want
the bias to be towards the front or
rear of the frame. While models
higher up the EOS food chain
feature a dedicated joystick for AF
point selection, the EOS 77D relies
on the multi-directional control
pad and scroll wheel to do this.
For Live View and video
recording the EOS 77D uses Canon’s
proven Dual Pixel AF technology,
which offers 80% coverage of the
frame. We’ve seen this system in
a host of recent Canon cameras,
such as the EOS 5D Mark IV and
EOS M5, and we’ve never failed to
be impressed by how well it works.
It’s easily the best system in a DSLR,
delivering snappy focusing, even if
you want to track a (moderately
fast) moving subject.
camera treading on the toes of the
EOS 80D’s 7fps. Battery life is good
at 600 shots, although you’ll want
to keep a spare handy if you plan to
shoot predominantly with the rear
display activated, as this will see
battery life drop to 270 shots.
Also like the 800D, the EOS 77D
takes advantages of Canon’s new
clean-looking graphical interface,
which is designed to help
inexperienced users get to grips
with some of the camera’s key
controls. Where the cameras differ
is that you have to turn this feature
on in the display settings of the EOS
77D, whereas it’s the default mode
of the 800D.
The EOS 77D sports Canon’s
tried-and-tested 7560-pixel RGB+IR
metering sensor, which we’ve seen
in numerous Canon DSLRs (it’s also
in the EOS 800D), with 63-zone
Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted
and Spot metering options.
For the most part the Evaluative
ISO100 ISO100 ISO800 ISO6400
Performance
Like the EOS 800D, the EOS 77D
can rattle off shots at 6fps –
anything faster would risk the new
To check the EOS 77D’s noise performance, we shot
the same subject across a range of iso settings
At low isos, noise is hardly visible, but even at iso
6400 it’s tightly controlled, and detail remains good
53
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A nice touch
Fine-tune the touchscreen’s
responsiveness – or disable
it altogether – in the Touch
Control menu.
Show pictures on TV
The camera’s screen is a
bit small for showcasing
photos, so why not hook it
up to your TV set via HDMI?
Lock your settings
Use the Lock lever on the
back to prevent accidental
adjustments with the dials
or the touch-screen.
Interface choice
The 77D displays a regular
interface by default, but
you can swap to the Guided
interface seen on the 800D.
Grid display
Can’t get your verticals
vertical? The 77D can
display a helpful grid in
its viewfinder.
Fly-by-wire focus
Found on some STM lenses,
manual focus is controlled
electronically – and you can
override autofocus mode.
54
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Quiet now
Turn off the sound to shoot
in quiet environments – you
can find the Beep settings
in the Settings menu.
Selfies made simple
We all love a selfie. It’s easy
with the 77D because you
can simply flip the screen
around to face the front.
Light up the LCD
Shooting in the dark? Press
a button for a few seconds
of LCD backlighting so that
you can see your settings.
Quick Control screen
You can view and change
most settings easily with
the Q screen, either with
the dials or touch control.
Set your Ambience
The Ambience options are
designed to preserve a
mood, and include Vivid,
Soft, Warm and Intense.
Self-timer sequences
Make sure of a great group
shot! You aren’t limited to
one shot with the self-timer,
you can shoot up to 10.
The Canon Magazine 101

dslrTEST
mode will be the one you’ll be using,
and it does a good job. As we’ve
found with other EOS cameras
though, because the system is
weighted to the active AF point you
can run into issues in high-contrast
situations, as simply shifting the AF
point can throw up two different
exposures – some of our shots were
a little overexposed for our liking.
The white balance system performs
very well, while the option of an
Ambient Auto White Balance mode
has its uses, delivering slightly
warmer results that can be
DUAL PIXELS DELIVER!
The EOS 77D’s
pop-up flash offers
a Guide Number of
12 at iso100 and
works as an
Integrated
Speedlite
Transmitter
DUAL PIXEL autofocus technology makes a big
difference to the EOS 77D’s Live View performance. It’s
Canon’s most advanced sensor design and effectively
splits each photosite in two. These two halves can then be
used to provide much faster phase detection autofocus
than the contrast autofocus traditionally used by DSLRs
in Live View. The older EOS 760D also offered phase
detection autofocus in Live View mode, but via Canon’s
less advanced Hybrid CMOS AF III technology. Thanks to
Dual Pixel CMOS AF, the EOS 77D is almost as fast in Live
View mode as it is in regular viewfinder photography.
welcome, while the default White
Priority can deliver clean, neutral
results even under artificial lighting.
Canon’s new 24Mp APS-C CMOS
sensor, as we’ve seen with the
800D, performs very well.
Resolution is pretty much identical
to the results from the older 760D
– which is hardly a surprise when
you consider that they share the
same pixel count – but it’s elsewhere
that the new sensor design shines,
particularly the way the camera
handles noise.
At lower sensitivities shots
appeared very clean with good
levels of saturation, but it’s when
you start increasing the ISO that the
EOS 77D’s sensor really impresses.
Looking at Raw files edited in
Adobe Camera Raw, our test images
looked very pleasing to the eye,
even at ISO6400. Granted, there’s
some luminance (grain-like) noise
present, but it’s well controlled and
has a fine structure. There’s hardly
any chroma (colour) noise present,
and while saturation suffers a touch
at this sensitivity, the overall result
is very good.
Knock the sensitivity up another
couple of notches, to ISO25,600,
and saturation and detail
deteriorate, while noise becomes
very noticeable. We’d avoid
using this setting where possible,
although images will still be just
about usable if you have to shoot in
poor light and it’s your only option.
Dynamic range is better than we’ve
77 reasons
to upgrade...
67
sRGB or Adobe RGB?
sRGB is best for sharing,
Adobe RGB might be best
for print or publication –
the 77D can shoot both.
69
Partial metering
This metering mode is more
precise than the Evaluative
mode but less pernickety
than Spot metering.
71
Face-tracking AF
You don’t just get facedetection
AF, you get facetracking
too – for subjects
that won’t stay still!
73
Digital zoom
If you run out of zoom
range in movie mode, this
will give you a 3x or 10x
magnification boost.
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70
72
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Optimize Lighting
In dull lighting, pictures
can look flat. The Auto
Lighting Optimizer corrects
brightness and contrast.
Anti-flicker option
Some artificial light sources
flicker and cause uneven
exposure – the 77D’s antiflicker
option can fix this.
DoF preview button
For an idea of what will
be in focus at different
apertures, use the Depth
of Field Preview button.
Final Image Simulation
Live View offers Final Image
Simulation to show how the
shot will look with all your
camera settings applied.
Video Snapshots
These are a great way to
capture moments, and they
can be combined in a video
snapshot album later.
Image review
Briefly displays the photo
you’ve just taken, and you
can change a setting to
make them display longer.
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Full test EOS 77D
The VErdict
The EOS 77D is a good camera, but is there really a gap for it?
T
he EOS 77D is a very capable DSLR. It does a lot of things well:
image quality is very good, while the Live View performance is the
best we’ve seen in a DSLR. There’s also the polished touchscreen
controls, helpful interface and decent 45-point AF system. However,
there’s no 4K video capture, the viewfinder offers only 95% coverage
(and it’s a cheaper pentamirror design as opposed to pentaprism) and the
plasticky finish doesn’t quite chime with the price right now. The EOS 77D
risks being caught in a kind of no man’s land – if you want an entry-level
DSLR the Canon EOS 800D – or even one of Canon’s older but still current
models – might be the one to go for, while those looking for something
more advanced should spend the extra to get the EOS 80D.
seen from the older 760D, and the
EOS 77D delivers pleasing JPEG
colours, though they can perhaps
look a little muted when up against
rivals with punchier colour output.
If you want to give your JPEGs a
little more ‘bite’, opt for one of the
picture styles, or shoot Raw for
complete control.
With 24 million
pixels, the EOS 77D
offers the most
resolution you can
get from a Canon
dslr without
going full frame
At lower sensitivities shots
appeared very clean, but when
you start increasing the ISO the
EOS 77D really impresses
760D SpecificATions
Sensor 24.2Mp APS-C (22.3x14.9mm)
Hybrid CMOS AF III
Image processor DIGIC 6
AF points 19, all cross-type
iso range 100-12,800 (25,600 exp)
mAX image size 6000x4000 pixels
mETEring zones 63
HD video 1920x1080 up to 30fps
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 95% coverage
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC, UHS I
LCD 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen
Top-plATE lcd Yes
mAX burst 5fps
Connectivity Wi-Fi, NFC
ShuTTEr speeds 30-1/4000 sec, Bulb
Size 131.9x100.9x77.8mm (body only)
Weight 565g (with battery and card)
Web www.canon.co.uk
Price (strEET) £559/$699 (body only)
77D SpecificATions
Sensor 24.2Mp APS-C (22.3x14.9mm)
Dual Pixel CMOS AF
Image processor DIGIC 7
AF points 45, all cross-type
iso range 100-25,600 (51,200 exp)
mAX image size 6000x4000 pixels
mETEring zones 63
HD video 1920x1080 up to 60fps
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 95% coverage
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC, UHS I
LCD 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen
Top-plATE lcd Yes
mAX burst 6fps
Connectivity Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth
ShuTTEr speeds 30-1/4000 sec, Bulb
Size 131x99.9x76.2mm (body only)
Weight 540g (with battery and card)
Web www.canon.co.uk
Price (RRP) £829/$849 (body only)
75
Customize your 77D
Make it work how you want
it to with custom functions
– you’ll be amazed what
you can change.
76
In-camera processing
The 77D can apply a whole
range of Creative Filter
effects to photos you’ve
already taken.
77
Start again!
Now that you’ve changed so many settings
you’ve forgotten what you’ve done, you can
use the Reset command to restore the 77D
to its default settings. Phew!
VERDICT
Pros: Excellent image quality, 45-point
autofocus system, great Live View AF
performance, touchscreen interface
Cons: A little plasticky for its price,
no 4K video, good but not stellar
continuous shooting speed
We say: Make no mistake, the EOS 77D is
a great camera. The picture quality is first
rate and it has all the features and controls
needed to satisfy photo enthusiasts. We
particularly love its performance in Live
View mode, where it feels as fast and
responsive as the latest generation of
mirrorless cameras. However, it does feel
like a range-filler rather than a genuinely
new camera, using tech already available
in the EOS 80D. It’s not cheap, either.
Features
Build & handling
PerformanCE
Value
Overall
The Canon Magazine 103

MINiTEST
Sensor cleaners
Sensor cleaning can be daunting, but there
are plenty of products that’ll make it painless
Y
ou’d be forgiven
for thinking that
modern
interchangeable lens
cameras can keep dust
at bay using their
integrated sensor
cleaning systems. But
shoot in dusty environments
or change lenses frequently
and it’s only a matter of time
before your sensor will need
to be cleaned manually.
You’ll know when to break
out the cleaning products as
images of clear blue skies or
plain backdrops will begin to
feature unwelcome dark
spots, especially obvious at
narrow apertures. But don’t
despair, as with a steady hand
and the right cleaning kit you
can restore your sensor to its
former glory. DSLRs are
slightly trickier to clean than
mirrorless cameras, as you’ll
need to first lock the mirror
up to access the sensor, and
don’t forget to fully charge
your camera’s battery
beforehand. Then it’s just
a matter of using a squeezy
blower, brush, or a sticky pad
to remove loose dust, while
more stubborn dirt can be
dislodged using swabs and
cleaning solution.
Of course it helps to have
a decent view of what you’re
doing, and though a good old
head torch and magnifying
glass will do the job, a
cleaning kit with a dedicated
LED magnification loupe will
reveal even the smallest speck
or stain.
FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT For
Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to banish that
pesky dust from your sensor quickly, effectively and safely
01 Wet or dry?
If carefully used, specially designed swabs and solution will remove
most gunk from your sensor, whilst a simple air blower puffs dust
and debris away for a quick clean.
02 The perfect view
A kit with a magnifying loupe and light will really help you see where
needs cleaning. Some ingenious designs also allow you to clean while
the loupe rests on the lens mount.
03 Plan ahead
A basic blower will never run out of puff, but if you plump for a wet
cleaning kit, the included swabs and solution will only go so far. Make
sure replacements are readily available and don’t cost a fortune.
04 Fit for purpose
Camera sensors are delicate, so only use swabs and solution designed
specifically for cleaning imaging sensors, not just optical glass.
05 Less is more
Squeezy blowers may be safe for a sensor, but don’t be tempted to up
the ante with a compressed air canister. Their high pressure and
freezing propellant can cause serious damage.
LensPen
SensorKlear
Loupe Kit
£50/$60
www.lenspen.com
LensPen proudly asserts that
its cleaning equipment is used
by NASA on the International
Space Station. This kit includes
a range of gadgets for
performing a dry sensor clean.
Identifying any dust is a cinch
thank to the SensorKlear Loupe
with LED illumination. Its focus is
adjustable to cover different
sensor sizes and it rests
securely on the lens mount.
There’s also a very useful
opening on the side so you can
clean with the loupe in place.
But while you get a great view,
cleaning performance is hardly
out of this world. The included
Hurricane Blower will dislodge
loose particles, however simply
blasting air like this can result in
dust being blown onto the
sensor. A better tactic is to use
the SensorKlear II cleaning pen.
Its hinged tip ensures a good
contact with the sensor, though
it doesn’t attract debris quite as
effectively as the SpeckGrabber
or Dust-Aid Platinum tools.
VERDICT
Pros: Decent loupe gives a perfect
view for cleaning
Cons: Blower isn’t always effective;
won’t remove oil or stains
We say: A reasonable kit for the
money, but you can do better
Overall
VisibleDust
Arctic Butterfly
724 Super Bright
£100/$100
www.visibledust.com
Here’s an electric brush
designed to attract dust away
from your sensor via the
wonders of static charge.
The brush’s ultra-fine bristles
are attached to a rotating shaft
driven by a pair of AAA batteries
in the handle. Ten seconds of
spinning prior to cleaning
causes a centrifugal force that
both ejects dust from the brush,
and, with the help of the fibres’
nano-coating, recharges the
bristles’ static attraction. Then
with the brush stationary again,
lightly drag it across your sensor
to pick up any loose particles.
A pair of LEDs light your way,
which is especially important as
you don’t want the bristles to
contact areas surrounding the
sensor, due to the risk of debris
or mirror lubricant getting
dragged onto the sensor.
Loose dust is picked up pretty
well, but the brush doesn’t hold
on to particles as reliably as the
SpeckGrabber, making the high
price hard to justify.
VERDICT
Pros: Easy and fun to use; fairly
effective for removing dust
Cons: Premium price, yet will only
clean dry debris; no loupe included
We say: It’s a novel concept, but
the cost is high for limited versatility
Overall
104
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Sensor cleaners
Dust-Aid
Platinum &
Dust-Wand Combo
£47.50/$70
www.cameraclean.co.uk
Delkin
SensorScope
Travel Kit
£80/$90
www.delkindevices.com
Kinetronics
SpeckGrabber
Pro
£7.50/$7
www.cameraclean.co.uk
VisibleDust
SwabLight Kit
£38/$40
www.visibledust.com
The Dust-Aid Platinum slips
easily into a kit bag and has its
own compact travel case. It’s
a simple device consisting of
a wand with a silicone pad on
the end measuring roughly
10x15mm, plus six adhesive
cleaning strips. Press the pad
onto one of the cleaning strips to
remove any contaminants, then
dab your sensor to pick up loose
dirt. No residue is left, but you
can get a sticky outline if you
rock or twist the pad while it’s
in contact with the sensor.
For stickier stains, there’s the
Dust-Wand kit. This is a liquid
and swab combo, but unlike
most, you make your own swabs
by wrapping a small cloth
around a plastic handle. This can
be a faff, but you do get 50 cloths
and replacement packs don’t
cost a fortune. What’s more, the
bundled cleaning liquid doesn’t
leave streaks. But with no loupe
and all that folded cloth creating
a relatively bulky swab, it’s not
the easiest cleaning experience.
Delkin’s kit is equipped to
remove loose particles and
more stubborn contaminants.
The SensorBulb blower puffs
dust away, albeit in the same
uncontrolled manner as any
blower, meaning dust can just
be blown around the sensor,
not necessarily off it.
Should this happen, you can
always switch to the included
cleaning swabs and solution.
You get 15 double-ended wands
and a decent supply of streakfree
fluid, but the results are
mixed. The wands have a
tendency to simply move some
particles across the sensor,
rather than picking them up.
An LED loupe is included and
shines brightly into the chamber,
however we found the sensor
surface to be slightly out of
focus and there’s no focus
adjustment. It doesn’t have a
cutout, either, so you can’t clean
with the loupe in place. A lens
cloth and travel bag rounds off
the cleaning collection.
Often the only dirt that ever
reaches your sensor is a few
specks of dust, making a full-on
wet clean overkill. For a quick
touch-up, the SpeckGrabber
is ideal. This is simply a plastic
stick with a small 2mm-square
soft pad on the end. It works like
the Dust-Aid Platinum, but
instead of pressing the pad
against a large portion of the
sensor, you dab precisely on
each particle to remove it. Two
cleaning wipes are included so
you can ensure the grabber is
spotless before use, although
Kinetronics maintains it can be
cleaned with soap and water.
We weren’t expecting much
for a device so basic and cheap,
but the SpeckGrabber actually
works. Particles stick effectively
to the cleaning tip, and it doesn’t
leave any residue on the sensor.
The SpeckGrabber provides
much better dust removal than
a similarly-priced blower, just
don’t expect it to deal with more
stubborn grime and stains.
There isn’t much to this kit; just
four swabs, a tiny 1.15ml phial of
cleaning liquid, and the
SwabLight. This tiny torch slots
onto a swab and shines down,
so wherever you clean, the light
follows. The SwabLight’s grippy
casing is much easier to hold
than a spindly swab handle. A
proper magnifying loupe would
give a better view, and though
VisibleDust sells a Quasar Plus
Sensor Loupe, this isn’t cheap.
You can spec the kit with one
of three formulations of cleaning
solution, designed to shift water
or oil-based stains, or a
combination. We went for the
multi-purpose fluid – VDust Plus
– applied to super-soft Orange
Vswabs that are available to suit
full-frame or APS-C sensors.
The result? A flawless clean with
no streaks, no stains, and no
dust left behind.
It’s a pity there are only
enough swabs and fluid for four
cleans, and a dozen extra swabs
will set you back around £/$35.
VERDICT
Pros: Compact, cost-effective and
removes all types of dirt.
Cons: Dust-Wands are a bit fiddly
to make and use; no loupe
We say: This kit gives a
comprehensive clean at a fair price
VERDICT
Pros: Contains wet and dry
cleaning tools, plus a loupe…
Cons: …but none work particularly
well and the kit isn’t cheap
We say: Stacks up well on paper,
but misses the mark in practice
Overall Overall Overall
VERDICT
Pros: Great at removing individual
dust particles; small and cheap
Cons: Not suitable for heavy-duty
cleaning; you’ll also need a loupe
We say: A handy tool that performs
better than its price suggests
VERDICT
Pros: Unrivalled performance;
useful SwabLight illumination
Cons: High price per clean; extra
consumables aren’t cheap; no loupe
We say It’s not perfect, but a stellar
clean gives this kit the win
Overall
The Canon Magazine 105

Canon EF-S
18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
£380/$400
Canon EF-S
18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
£430/$600
Canon EF-S
18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS
£470/$700
Sigma 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 DC
Macro OS HSM C
£290/$400
Sigma 18-300mm
f/3.5-6.3 DC
Macro OS HSM C
£370/$500
Tamron
18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
£190/$200
Tamron 18-270mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II
VC PZD
£300/$450
Tamron 16-300mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
PZD Macro
£430/$500
106
www.digitalcameraworld.com

superzoom
Lenses
Not just for holidays, a wide-angle to telephoto
superzoom lens can turn its hand to anything.
Matthew Richards picks the top performers
Often referred to as ‘travel lenses’,
superzooms are ideal for holidays
and for going on trips near and far.
They can stretch from generously
wide-angle viewing to serious
telephoto reach, and cover
everything in between. Without the need to
carry multiple lenses, you can save on space
and weight, but that’s not the only advantage.
For general shooting, you might find you
often need to swap between wide-angle and
telephoto shooting. It’s naturally much more
convenient to apply a quick twist of a zoom
ring with the flick of a wrist, rather than
rummaging around in a bag for another lens,
then waste time swapping the lens on the
camera before you’re ready to shoot. In
some situations, the time saved by using
a superzoom lens could potentially make
the difference between getting the shot
and missing it altogether.
Superzoom lenses for APS-C format
cameras have grown in popularity over
the past few years, while research and
development from major manufacturers,
like Canon, Sigma and Tamron, has seen
an increase in performance, often with a
reduction in size and weight. The relative
compactness of some of the latest designs
further adds to the attraction. So, let’s take
a closer look at what the current contenders
have to offer, and pick out the best buys.
The Canon Magazine 107

SUPERTest
Canon EF-S 18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS STM £380/$400
A relatively modest zoom range for a superzoom
01
FEATURES
01
The filter thread is
larger than in some
competing lenses,
at 67mm.
Apopular kit option sold
with the likes of the
750D and 80D, this lens
represents a significant
upgrade over Canon’s original
18-135mm, with more refined
handling, mainly due to it
having an STM (Stepping
Motor) autofocus system
rather than a basic electric
motor. Advantages include
the focus ring remaining fixed
rather than rotating during
autofocus, and the addition of
manual focus override without
having to switch from auto to
manual focusing mode.
Autofocus transitions when
shooting movies are also much
smoother, and the AF system
is almost silent in operation.
The lens feels well
engineered but, typical of this
class of Canon lens, it lacks
weather-seals and you have
to buy the hood separately,
as an optional extra. There’s
no focus distance scale, either.
Despite having the joint
smallest zoom range among
the lenses on test, along with
Canon’s revised ‘USM’ edition,
it’s actually bigger and heavier
than the Sigma 18-200mm,
which boasts rather greater
telephoto reach. The Tamron
18-200mm is about the same
size as the Canon, but nearly
20 per cent lighter in weight.
Performance
The inclusion of a UD
(Ultra-low Dispersion)
element helps to increase
sharpness and contrast while
keeping colour fringing at bay.
A plus point of the relatively
limited zoom range is that
wide-angle barrel distortion
at 18mm is less noticeable
than in some of the other
lenses on test, even though
it’s telephoto reach that you’re
really missing out on.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
02
04
05
03
02
The EW-73B hood is
sold separately at
around £26/$30.
03
The manual focus
ring is electronically
coupled, Like in
other STM lenses.
04
The ‘dynamic’
image stabilizer has
auto-detection for
panning and works
well for movies.
05
Like in many EF-S
lenses, there’s no
focus distance scale.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
How we TEST
To evaluate performance, we combine
real-world shooting with technical lab
tests to get the full picture
108
T
o test real-world performance, we use lenses in all sorts
of lighting conditions, both indoors and outdoors. We
check for good build quality and handling, smooth and
precise operation of all controls, and we test the speed and
accuracy of autofocus. We typically test full-frame compatible
lenses on a range of full-frame and APS-C format bodies,
whereas lenses that are designed specifically for APS-C format
bodies are only tested on cameras like the 80D and 7D Mark II.
In-camera corrections for chromatic aberrations and
peripheral illumination are disabled throughout all testing, to
better reveal the true performance of each lens. We also run a full
range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest
Master and DxO Analyzer suites. Photos of test charts are taken
across the range of apertures and zoom settings, then analysed
for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Superzoom Lenses
Canon EF-S 18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS USM £430/$600
The latest EF-S 18-135mm has upgraded autofocus
Both Canon 18-135mm
lenses on test have very
similar styling, from
their metal mounting
plates to the configuration of
zoom and focus rings, and the
lack of a focus distance scale.
They’re identical in size, both
have 16 elements arranged in
12 groups, and apertures with
seven-blade diaphragms. The
main difference is in the
autofocus system.
Whereas the previous
edition of the lens has STM
autofocus, this one has a
newly developed Nano USM
system. The aim is to combine
the super-fast performance of
ring-type USM autofocus for
stills photography, while also
enabling smooth focus
transitions and silent
operation for movie capture.
As in the previous lens, the
image stabilizer is optimized
for shooting movies as well
as stills, but the new lens also
enables the fitment of an
optional PZ-E1 Power Zoom
Adaptor (£100/$150). In
addition to movie-friendly
power zoom functions via a
rocker switch, it also enables
you to control zooming
remotely, when used with a
Wi-Fi compliant camera body.
Performance
The STM edition of this lens
is no slouch when it comes to
autofocus speed but the new
Nano USM version is
incredibly fast for stills, while
still maintaining smooth
transitions when shooting
movies. The image stabilizer is
equally effective in both lenses
and image quality is very
similar. However, sharpness at
the centre of the image frame
proved slightly less impressive
from the new lens, at both
ends of the zoom range.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
02
05
04
01
03
FEATURES
01
Even the lens hood is
updated, the EW-73D
costing around
£40/$35.
02
The filter thread of
67mm is the same
as in the previous
edition of the lens.
03
Autofocus for stills is
lightning-fast, thanks
to the new Nano
USM system.
04
‘Fly-by-wire’ manual
focusing is retained,
via an electronically
coupled focus ring.
05
Connections on the
barrel enable fitment
of a power zoom.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Distortion
Levels of distortion vary between the contending lenses on test
S
uperzoom lenses are notorious for distortion, ranging from barrel
at the short end of the zoom range to pincushion at mid to long
zoom settings. For barrel distortion, the worst offenders are the
Canon 18-200mm and all three Tamron lenses. However, we can easily
forgive the Tamron 16-300mm lens’s greater barrel distortion, as it gives
greater wide-angle viewing than any other lens. The amount of pincushion
distortion at medium and long zoom settings is very similar from all of the
lenses, although the Sigma 18-200mm is technically the worst.
Negative results of higher values indicate greater barrel distortion
The Canon Magazine 109

SUPERTest
Canon EF-S 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS £470/$700
Unlike Canon’s 18-135mm lenses, this looks outdated
Whereas the Canon
18-135mm has
undergone two major
revamps, this lens
remains unaltered, with a
comparatively old-fashioned
autofocus system. Based on
an electric motor, autofocus
is relatively slow and noisy
in operation. The focus ring
rotates during autofocus,
which impairs handling as you
have to be careful to keep your
fingers clear of the focus ring,
and there’s no full-time
manual override. Unlike with
Canon’s STM and Nano USM
systems, autofocus transitions
when shooting movies are
comparatively jerky, as they
are with all of the Sigma and
Tamron lenses on test.
Naturally, the 18-200mm
beats the 18-135mm lenses for
outright zoom range. But the
Canon lens is less travelfriendly
than the latest Sigma
and Tamron 18-200mm
designs, as it’s noticeably
bigger and heavier. The
aperture is based on six rather
than seven diaphragm blades,
and is less well-rounded as
a result. The optical path
doubles up on aspheric and
UD elements, this lens using
two of each whereas the
Canon 18-135mm lenses only
have one of each type. Again,
the image stabilizer is rated
at four stops and includes
automatic panning detection.
Performance
By today’s standards, the
zoom range isn’t extravagant,
yet the lens’s image quality is
unimpressive. Sharpness
towards the edges and corners
of the frame are particularly
poor in wide-angle shooting,
where barrel distortion is very
noticeable. All in all, the lens
is overdue for a revamp.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
02
04
01
03
05
FEATURES
01
The 72mm filter
thread is the joint
largest in the group.
02
Canon sells the lens
hood separately, the
EW-78D costing
around £30/$35.
03
The focus ring
rotates and full-time
manual override is
unavailable during
autofocus.
04
Image stabilization is
worth four stops and
includes automatic
panning detection.
05
The mounting plate
doesn’t have a
weather-seal ring.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Zoom ZOOM!
How much zoom range is enough?
hile a large zoom range is nice to
have, it can have a detrimental
W
effect on image quality, degrading
sharpness and exaggerating distortions.
Lenses with bigger zoom ranges are often
physically bigger and heavier too, making
them less desirable as ‘walkabout’ lenses.
This series of shots shows how the
extremes of the zoom ranges compare, for
both wide-angle and telephoto shooting.
16mm
18mm
110
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Superzoom Lenses
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-
6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C
£290/
$400
Small and light, but with a respectable zoom range
Typical of the Sigma’s
Contemporary lenses,
this 18-200mm is
designed to be small,
lightweight and stylish.
Despite matching Canon’s
much heftier lens for zoom
range, the Sigma measures
a mere 71x86mm, making it
the smallest in the group, and
the second lightest at 430g.
Despite the lightness in
weight, the lens features a
metal mounting plate, unlike
the plastic mount of the
directly competing Tamron,
although the Sigma omits
a weather-seal ring. As in
the larger Sigma lens on test,
the focus ring rotates during
autofocus, but the ring is small
and positioned right at the
forward end of the barrel,
so handling isn’t impaired
too drastically. As usual
with ultrasonic motor-driven
autofocus systems, there’s
no full-time manual override.
The Sigma is based on
16 optical elements, with
multiple aspherical and SLD
(Special Low Dispersion)
elements, all wrapped up
in TSC (Thermally Stable
Composite) barrel sections,
formed from a tough, highgrade
plastic that’s resistant
to size fluctuations during
temperature changes.
Performance
Autofocus is fairly quiet but
clearly audible, as well as
being slower than the virtually
silent systems featured in the
Canon 18-135mm lenses.
Optical image stabilization
is as effective as in the Canon
lenses and, again, features
automatic panning detection.
Sharpness is less impressive
than in Sigma’s 18-300mm,
but other attributes of image
quality are impressive overall.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
04
02
03
01
05
FEATURES
01
At 71mm diameter,
it’s the slimmest
lens on test.
02
The focus ring is
small but rotates
during autofocus.
03
A focus distance
scale is printed on
the focus ring, and
there’s a macro scale
on the inner barrel.
04
There are switches
for auto/manual
focus, stabilization
and zoom lock.
05
The mount is metal
rather than plastic,
but has no
weather-seal ring.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
135mm
200mm
300mm
The Canon Magazine 111

SUPERTest
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-
6.3
£370/
DC Macro OS HSM C $500
The bigger Sigma lens offers extended reach
01
FEATURES
01
Compared with the
Sigma 18-200mm,
the filter thread
diameter rises from
62mm to 72mm.
Outclassing every other
lens in the group, apart
from the Tamron
16-300mm, this Sigma
goes all out for telephoto
reach, equivalent to a mighty
focal length of 480mm on
a full-frame camera. The
trade-off is that it’s noticeably
bigger and heavier than
Sigma’s 18-200mm lens on
test, at 79x102mm and 585g.
In style and build, this
‘Contemporary’ class lens
is very similar to its smaller
18-200mm Sigma sibling.
Again, it’s based on TSC
barrels and a metal mounting
plate, has a seven-blade
diaphragm, and is compatible
with Sigma’s optional USB
Dock for applying firmware
updates and fine-tuning. Both
lenses also have a 0.33x macro
rating, available at the closest
focus distance of 0.39m.
Sigma also offers an optional
‘close-up lens’, which screws
into the filter attachment
thread for increasing macro
magnification to 0.5x.
As well as aspherical and
SLD elements, also employed
in the Sigma 18-200mm,
this lens adds top-grade
FLD (Fluorite-grade Low
Dispersion) elements with
the aim of further boosting
sharpness and contrast, while
driving down colour fringing.
Performance
As in the Sigma 18-200mm
lens, the motor-based rather
than ring-type ultrasonic
system helps with downsizing
but is a little sluggish and
audible in operation. Living
up to its claims, however,
the addition of FLD elements
really does help to boost
sharpness, which only drops
at the longest extremity
of the zoom range.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
03
02
04
05
02
An optional ‘AML
72-01’ close-up lens
can screw into the
filter thread.
03
The manual focus
ring rotates during
autofocus.
04
Focus distance and
macro magnification
scales are printed.
05
An optional USB
Dock attaches to the
mounting plate for
firmware updates.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Full-frame OPTIOns
Superzooms for full-frame cameras are much less
popular, but a couple of notable options are available
S
uperzooms for full-frame cameras are big and bulky, as
the image circle they need to produce is comparatively
large. They’re therefore less popular as travel lenses, as
it can literally be a pain walking around for hours on end with a
heavy body and lens hanging from your neck. The two full-frame
superzooms on the market are the Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3
Di VC PZD at £600/$600 and the relatively huge and expensive
Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM at £2250/$2450.
The Canon 28-300mm weighs
a whopping 1.67kg and has
an equally heavyweight price
112
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Superzoom Lenses
Tamron 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC £190/$200
This Tamron is a lightweight with a price tag to match
Not to be confused
with Tamron’s
original 18-200mm,
this recent edition adds
VC (Vibration Compensation)
stabilization and a redesigned
autofocus system. Tamron’s
proprietary stabilization
system works well and,
while still based on an electric
motor, the new ‘DC motor-gear
train integration’ autofocus
system is much quieter than in
the previous lens. Even so, the
manual focus ring still rotates
during autofocus, which does
hamper handling a little,
considering the fairly small
build of the lens.
Despite being 4mm wider
and 11mm longer than the
directly competing Sigma
18-200mm lens, the Tamron
is 30g lighter in weight and,
at just 400g, is actually the
lightest lens in the group. The
most significant factor in the
weight reduction is that the
mounting plate is made from
plastic rather than metal. Even
so, it’s still very durable and,
unlike the metal mounting
plates in all but the Tamron
16-300mm lens, this one
features a rubber weather-seal
ring, which helps reduce the
ingress of dust and moisture.
Performance
Autofocus speed is a little
pedestrian. Sharpness is
generally better than from
the older Tamron 18-270mm
that’s also on test, at all
equivalent zoom settings,
although corner-sharpness
suffers noticeably when using
the widest aperture in the
middle sector of the zoom
range. On the plus side, colour
fringing at mid-zoom settings
is very negligible. Overall,
the lightweight Tamron is
unbeatable value at the price.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
03
05
02
01
04
FEATURES
01
Downsizing includes
a 62mm filter thread.
02
The manual focus
ring rotates during
autofocus.
03
Minimum focus
distance stretches
from 0.49-0.77m as
you extend through
the zoom range.
04
The Vibration
Compensation
system works best
for static rather than
panning shots.
05
The mounting plate
is plastic but is
durable and features
a weather-seal ring.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Colour fringing
Fringing can be noticeable around high-contrast edges
ith superzoom lenses, fringing (coloured lines around
high-contrast edges, especially towards the corners of
W
the frame) is typically worst at both ends of the zoom
range, but less of an issue at mid-sector zoom settings. The
amount of short-zoom colour fringing is very similar from all
the lenses in the group, apart from the Tamron 16-300mm in
which fringing is rather more evident. This lens is also worst for
fringing at the long end, with the Tamron 18-270mm performing
only slightly better. Automatic in-camera corrections are
available in recent DSLRs, when using own-brand Canon lenses.
The Canon Magazine 113

SUPERTest
Tamron 18-270mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
£300/
$450
A veteran superzoom that goes large on zoom range
Updated back in 2010,
this newer version of
Tamron’s 18-270mm
boasts a downsized
design with fewer optical
elements, an upgraded VC
stabilization system, and
launched as the first Tamron
lens to incorporate PZD (Piezo
Drive) autofocus. Like in the
two Sigma lenses on test,
autofocus is based on an
ultrasonic motor-driven rather
than ring-type actuator. The
advantage is that the system
can be smaller and lighter, but
it tends to be slower and less
quiet, and the focus ring
rotates during autofocus.
The lens is remarkably
compact and lightweight,
considering its 15x zoom
range. At 74x88mm and 450g,
it’s actually smaller than the
Tamron 18-200mm lens on
test, and only 50g heavier,
mostly due to having a metal
rather than plastic mounting
plate. The weather-seal ring
featured on the two other
Tamron lenses in the group
is absent from this lens. Like
all of the other Sigma and
Tamron lenses in this test
group (but not the three
Canon lenses) it’s supplied
complete with a hood.
Performance
Capable of good results,
boosted by the stabilizer,
the Tamron 18-270mm
nevertheless runs out of steam
a bit towards the long end of
the zoom range. Compared
with the newer 16-300mm
lens, wide-aperture sharpness
is poor near the 270mm mark,
where it’s soft in the centre
of the frame and downright
disappointing towards the
edges. On the upside, colour
fringing and distortions are
slightly better controlled.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
04
01
03
02
03
05
FEATURES
01
Given the generous
zoom, the 62mm
filter thread is small.
02
Rotating during
autofocus, the focus
ring includes a
distance scale.
03
The optics include
LD (Low Dispersion)
and XR (Extra
Refractive Index)
elements.
04
This was Tamron’s
first lens to include a
‘PZD’ ultrasonic
autofocus motor.
05
The metal mounting
plate lacks a rubber
sealing ring.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Added STability
Image Stabilization is a ‘must’ in superzooms
uperzooms can deliver powerful telephoto
reach of up to 300mm (equivalent to
S
480mm on a full-frame body). This is often
combined with a relatively narrow maximum
aperture of f/6.3, resulting in pedestrian shutter
speeds in anything other than very bright lighting.
To avoid blurred images from camera shake, all
current superzoom lenses feature stabilization that
typically enables you to shoot at shutter speeds
that are four stops slower than usual.
114
IS OFF
IS on
Stabilization can be a huge help in getting sharp handheld shots, especially at telephoto
zoom settings, enabling you to shoot at up to four stops slower than you normally could
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Superzoom Lenses
Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5
-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro
£430/
$500
Tamron’s superzoom goes extra-large in a new way
01
FEATURES
01
The big zoom range
is packed into a fairly
slim build, with a
67mm filter thread.
Tamron has a history
of ‘world firsts’ for the
outright zoom range
of its superzoom lenses,
and this is a case in point, with
an unparalleled 18.75x zoom
range. While matching the
Sigma 18-300mm for
maximum telephoto reach,
it also goes extra-large in
wide-angle viewing, with
a 16mm focal length. This
is equivalent to 25.6mm in
full-frame terms, compared
with the 28.8mm of the other
lenses. There’s a noticeable
difference in how much you
can squeeze into the frame.
The PZD autofocus is much
more refined than in the older
Tamron 18-270mm. It’s still
a motor-driven ultrasonic
mechanism but the manual
focus ring remains stationery
during autofocus, which
greatly improves handling.
Equally unusual is that
full-time manual focus
override is available, and
there’s an up-market focus
distance scale beneath a
viewing panel. The high-class
feel of the lens is further
enhanced by quality plastics
and a metal mounting plate,
complete with a weather-seal
ring. Other weather-seals built
into the lens complete the
‘splash-proof’ design.
Performance
The optical path includes
LD, XR and hybrid aspherical
elements, which help to boost
sharpness and contrast while
keeping the size and weight
to manageable proportions. In
this case, however, sharpness
is better throughout the entire
zoom range, although colour
fringing is a bit worse at either
end. As you’d expect, barrel
distortion is slightly worse at
the wide 16mm focal length.
Centre
Edge
Sharpness
05
04
02
03
02
The focus ring at the
rear is more typical
of up-market lenses.
03
Multiple weatherseals
in the design
enable a ‘splashproof’
construction.
04
The focus distance
scale beneath a
viewing panel is
unique in the group.
05
With its 16mm focal
distance, the
Tamron reigns for
wide-angle viewing.
VERDICT
FEATURES
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
Autofocus TECHnOLOgy
There’s a variety of autofocus systems in the latest lenses. Which is best?
M
ost older superzooms use a fairly
basic ‘micro motor’, which are
typically a bit sluggish and rather
noisy, though the revamped motor in the
Tamron 18-200mm is an exception to the
rule, being faster and quieter.
Some superzooms use ultrasonic
motors but, unlike ‘ring-type’ ultrasonic
systems based on large electromagnetic
rings, they still rely on motors with drive
shafts and gearwheels. Operation tends to
be less than quick and clearly audible, and
the manual focus ring usually rotates
during autofocus. This time, the Tamron
16-300mm is an exception.
Canon’s 18-135mm lenses use either
STM (Stepping Motor) or Nano USM
systems. Both give smooth autofocus
transitions when shooting movies, but
Nano USM gives faster performance.
The Nano USM in Canon’s latest 18-135mm lens
is great for movies as well as stills, and there’s
also an optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1
The Canon Magazine 115

SUPERTest
Comparison taBLE
Name
Canon EF-S
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
IS STM
Canon EF-S
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
IS USM
Canon EF-S
18-200mm f/3.5-5.6
IS
Sigma 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro
OS HSM C
Sigma 18-300mm
f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro
OS HSM C
Tamron 18-200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
Tamron 18-270mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
PZD
Tamron 16-300mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
PZD Macro
Contact www.canon.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.canon.co.uk
Street price
(UK/USA)
Effective zoom range
(APS-C)
www.sigma-imaging-uk.
com
www.sigma-imaging-uk.
com
www.tamron.co.uk www.tamron.co.uk www.tamron.co.uk
£380/$400 £430/$600 £470/$700 £290/$400 £370/$500 £190/$200 £300/$450 £430/$500
28.8-216mm 28.8-216mm 28.8-320mm 28.8-320mm 28.8-480mm 28.8-320mm 28.8-432mm 25.6-480mm
Elements/groups 16/12 16/12 16/12 16/13 17/13 16/14 16/13 16/12
Mounting plate Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Plastic, weather-sealed Metal Metal, weather-sealed
Diaphragm 7 blades 7 blades 6 blades 7 blades 7 blades 7 blades 7 blades 7 blades
Optical stabilizer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Focus type Stepping motor Ultrasonic (Nano) Electric (motor) Ultrasonic (motor) Ultrasonic (motor) Electric (motor) Ultrasonic (motor) Ultrasonic (motor)
Focus ring during AF
Front element
during focusing
Stationary/manual
override
Stationary/manual
override
Rotates Rotates Rotates Rotates Rotates
Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed
Stationary/manual
override
Min focus distance 0.39m 0.39m 0.45m 0.39m 0.39m 0.49-0.77m 0.49m 0.39m
Max reproduction
ratio
0.28x 0.28x 0.24x 0.33x 0.33x 0.25x 0.26x 0.34x
Filter size 67mm 67mm 72mm 62mm 72mm 62mm 62mm 67mm
Included accessories None None None Hood Hood Hood Hood Hood
Dimensions
(dia x length)
77x96mm 77x96mm 79x102mm 71x86mm 79x102mm 75x97mm 74x88mm 75x100mm
Weight 480g 515g 595g 430g 585g 400g 450g 540g
Features
Build & handling
Performance
Value
Overall
The winner is... Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C
The Sigma 18-300mm delivers epic zoom range and best all-round performance
A
remarkable superzoom, the Sigma
18-300mm delivers an enormous zoom
range with surprisingly little
compromise in image quality. It’s impressively
sharp, only really dropping off at the very
longest zoom setting, while keeping distortions
and colour fringing down to relatively low levels.
The Tamron 16-300mm also has a lot going
for it, with superior handling and the bonus of
weather-seals that enable a splash-proof
construction. It’s also the only lens to feature a
focus distance scale under a viewing panel.
For compactness and value for money, the
Sigma and Tamron 18-200mm lenses are both
good buys. The Sigma is slightly smaller,
whereas the Tamron is a little lighter in weight,
and there’s no beating the Tamron for value.
If you’d rather stick to a Canon lens, the latest
18-135mm IS USM is the best performer, while
the 18-200mm is the least impressive.
116
www.digitalcameraworld.com

BUYERS’
GUIDE
With prices ranging from a couple of hundred quid to
several thousand, Canon has a DSLR to suit everyone,
from the complete beginner to most demanding pro…
What to look for
Canon EOS DSLRs
Canon splits its EOS lineup into
entry-level, enthusiast and professional ranges, and the fewer digits
the more upmarket the camera; so the 1300D is the most basic,
the 800D for intermediates, while the 80D is for more advanced
enthusiasts, and the 7D/6D/5D and 1D lines for pros. Expect greater
ease of use (with thumb-operated scrollwheels replacing cursor
keys), more robust build quality (with weather-sealing and tough
magnesium-alloy shells), more advanced functionality, and full-frame
(rather than APS-C) image sensors with more expensive models.
Canon EOS 1300D (Rebel T6)
Canon’s entry-level, budget-friendly EOS DSLR
gets up a minor upgrade over its predecessor
with added Wi-Fi and NFC to make it easy to
instantly share images online. A basic 18Mp
sensor, ISO6400 and 3fps are all specs ideal
for a beginner’s first ‘proper’ camera.
DSLR/CSC prices quoted are body-only unless stated
Tested In ISSUE 120 Price: £289/$449 (US price with kit lens)
Sensor 18Mp, APS-C (5184x3456 pixels)
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 0.8x, 95%
ISO 100-6400 (12,800 expanded)
AF 9-point (1 cross-type)
LCD Fixed, 3-inch, 920k-dot TFT
Max burst (buffer) 3fps (6 Raw/1100 JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Entry level CSC
Canon EOS 100D (Rebel SL1) Tested In ISSUE 120 Price: £379/$549
It’s smaller than any other Canon DSLR but
Sensor 18Mp, APS-C (5184x3456 pixels)
is big on features and is something of a step up in
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 0.87x, 95%
sophistication from the 1200D, with a newergeneration
ISO 100-12,800 (25,600 expanded)
image processor, high-res touchscreen
AF 9-point (1 cross-type)
and ‘hybrid CMOS AF’ for effective continuous
LCD 3in touchscreen, 1040K dots
autofocus during movie capture.
Max burst (buffer) 4fps (7 Raw/28 JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
EOS 750D (Rebel T6i) Tested: 120 Price: £549/$749 EOS 760D (Rebel T6s) Tested: 108 Price: £579/$849
Headline attractions include a
24.2Mp high-resolution image sensor
and DIGIC 6 processor, plus a 19-point
autofocus system, along with Wi-Fi
and NFC connectivity for easy image
sharing and printing.
Canon EOS 800D (Rebel T7i) Tested In ISSUE 126 Price: £779/$749
Canon has shoehorned much of the tech of the
Sensor 24.2Mp, APS-C (6000x4000 pixels)
enthusiast-level 80D into a beginner body. The
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 0.82x, 95%
800D inherits its bigger brother’s 24Mp Dual Pixel
ISO 100-25,600 (51,200 expanded)
sensor for superior Live View autofocus, uses the
AF 45-point (all cross-type)
same 45-point module for viewfinder autofocus,
LCD 3in touchscreen vari-angle, 1040K dots
and betters its ISO performance.
Max burst (buffer) 6fps (27 Raw/unlimited JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
A 24.2Mp sensor, DIGIC 6 chip and
1,040,000-dot touchscreen LCD are
inside this diminutive compact system
camera, but the electronic viewfinder
is an optional add-on and Live View
focusing is hit-and-miss.
Building on the features of the
750D, the 760D adds a secondary info
LCD on the top and Quick Control Dial
on the rear. This improves handling
and makes it feel more like an
‘enthusiast’ model.
Canon EOS M3 Tested: 102 Price: £359/$429 Canon EOS M5 Tested: 122 Price: £999/$929
The EOS M5 really opens up the
DSLR vs CSC debate. It shares much
of the tech as the 80D, but swaps the
optical viewfinder for an electronic
version, making this compact system
camera a pocket rocket.
118
www.digitalcameraworld.com

Buyers’ Guide CAMERAS
Canon EOS 77D Tested In ISSUE 128 Price: £829/$849
the key specs are identical to the 800D, but the
Sensor 24.2Mp, APS-C (6000x4000 pixels)
extra top-plate LCD gives at-a-glance access to
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 0.82x, 95%
vital shooting info, while a rear control wheel
ISO 100-25,600 (51,200 expanded)
makes dialing in exposure settings much quicker,
AF 45-point (all cross-type)
promoting it to Canon’s ‘enthusiast’ range. Great
LCD 3in touchscreen vari-angle, 1040K dots
image quality – even at high ISOs.
Max burst (buffer) 6fps (27 Raw/unlimited JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS 80D Tested In ISSUE 113 Price: £999/$1199
The 80D builds upon its 70D predecessor with
Sensor 24.2Mp, APS-C (6000x4000 pixels)
25% more pixels, 45 cross-type AF points,
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.95x, 100%
improved ISO performance and retains the ability
ISO 100-16,000 (25,600 expanded)
to capture 7fps bursts. It can record movies at
AF 45-point (all cross-type)
double-speed 50/60fps for slow-motion, and has
LCD 3in touchscreen vari-angle, 1040K dots
NFC data transfer in addition to Wi-Fi.
Max burst (buffer) 7fps (25 Raw/110 JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS 7D Mk II Tested In ISSUE 108 Price: £1449/$1349
Here’s the king of action-packed APS-C format
Sensor 20.2Mp, APS-C (5472x3648 pixels)
cameras. A long-overdue revamp of the original
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 1.0x, 100%
7D, it has 65-point AF with advanced tracking,
ISO 100-16,000 (51,200 expanded)
10fps continuous drive, dual DIGIC 6 processors
AF 65-point (all cross-type)
and GPS, all wrapped up in a tough, weathersealed
LCD 3in, 1040K dots
magnesium alloy shell.
Max burst (buffer) 10fps (31 Raw/unlimited JPEG)
Memory card CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS 6D Tested In ISSUE 124 Price: £1399/$1269
Amazingly good value for a full-frame EOS
Sensor 20.2Mp, full-frame (5472x3648 pixels)
DSLR in a medium-sized body, the 6D combines
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.71x, 97%
a respectable 20.2Mp sensor with super-high
ISO 100-25,600 (50-102,400 expanded)
sensitivities of up to ISO102,400. Image quality is
AF 11-point (1 cross-type)
excellent and there’s built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, but
LCD 3in, 1040K dots
the 6D has a fairly basic AF system.
Max burst (buffer) 4.5fps (17 Raw/1250 JPEG)
Memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS 5D Mk IV Tested In ISSUE 124 Price: £3349/$3499
A Superb all-rounder, the pro-level weathersealed
Sensor 30.4Mp, full-frame (6720x4480 pixels)
full-frame 5D Mk IV combines a stunning
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.71x, 100%
hi-res 30Mp sensor with a swift 7fps frame rate.
ISO 100-32,000 (50-102,400 expanded)
Its impressive specs list includes 4K video, a
AF 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross)
touchscreen LCD, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, and
LCD 3.2in touchscreen, 1620K dots
GPS to automatically geotag images.
Max burst (buffer) 7fps (21 Raw/unlimited JPEG)
Memory card CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS 5DS (5DS R) Tested In ISSUE 124 Prices: £3099/$3499 (£3299/$3699)
The world’s first 50Mp full-frame DSLR delivers
Sensor 50.6Mp, full-frame (8688x5792 pixels)
huge and amazingly detailed hi-res images. The
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.71x, 100%
higher-cost 5DS R adds a ‘low-pass cancellation
ISO 100-6400 (50-12,800 expanded)
filter’ for marginally sharper shots. As expected
AF 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross)
with such a high-res sensor, max ISO and drive
LCD 3.2in, 1040K dots
rate are lower than with the 5D Mk IV.
Max burst (buffer) 5fps (14 Raw/510 JPEG)
Memory card CompactFlash + SD/SDHC/SDXC
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Tested In ISSUE 124 Price: £4799/$5999
Canon’s Mark II flagship full-frame pro-level EOS
Sensor 20.2Mp, full-frame (5472x3648 pixels)
boasts ultra-fast 14fps shooting (16fps in Live View)
Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.76x, 100%
and super-high ISO, along with sublime handling.
ISO 100-51,200 (50-409,600 expanded)
It sports 4K video, body build quality is rock-solid,
AF 61-point (41 cross-type, 5 dual-cross)
yet its 20Mp image resolution is relatively modest
LCD 3.2in, 1620K dots
when compared to the 50Mp 5DS/R.
Max burst (buffer) 14-16fps (170 Raw/Unlimited JPEG)
Memory card CompactFlash + CFast
EnthusiaST ProfESSIonal
The Canon Magazine 119

BUYERS’
GUIDE
With over 150 lenses available for Canon DSLRs,
picking the best for the job can be a minefield. Here’s
the lowdown on all currently available EOS-fit glass
Choosing lenses
Key factors to watch out for
The main factors to consider in a lens are its focal length,
maximum aperture, and whether or not it’s full-frame compatible.
We’ve categorized lenses by focal length range – from wide-angle
to telephoto. The larger a lens’s maximum aperture, the ‘faster’
it’s considered to be – allowing you to control depth of field more,
and offering better options in low light. Zooms are more flexible
than primes, but tend not to have such fast maximum apertures.
Full-frame lenses will also work with ‘crop-sensor’ EOS D-SLRs,
but crop-sensor lenses aren’t compatible with full-frame cameras.
WIDE-ANGLE zooms TELEPHOTO zooms
KEY: ● BEST VALUE AWARD ● BEST ON TEST AWARD
WIDE-angle zooms
Price
Full-frame
Max zoom
Image stabilization
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM £1120/$1250 Yes 1.9x No f/4 540g 0.15m 0.34x None 7 90 HHHH
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM £215/$280 No 1.8x Yes f/4.5-5.6 240g 0.22m 0.15x 67mm 7 113 HHHH ●
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM £470/$650 No 2.2x No f/3.5-4.5 385g 0.24m 0.17x 77mm 6 113 HHH
Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM £2700/$2800 Yes 2.2x No f/4 1180g 0.28m 0.16x None 9 116 HHHH
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM £2100/$2200 Yes 2.2x No f/2.8 790g 0.28m 0.22x 82mm 9 120 HHHH
Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM £880/$1000 Yes 2.2x Yes f/4 615g 0.28m 0.23x 77mm 9 116 HHHHH ● ●
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM £720/$750 Yes 2.4x No f/4 500g 0.28m 0.24x 77mm 7 113 HHHH
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM £600/$700 No 2.0x No f/4.5-5.6 555g 0.24m 0.13x None 7 113 HHHH
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM £330/$450 No 2.0x No f/3.5 520g 0.24m 0.15x 82mm 7 113 HHHH
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM A £1400/$1600 Yes 2.0x No f/4 1150g 0.24m 0.2x None 9 122 HHHH
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 II DG HSM £650/$950 Yes 2.0x No f/4.5-5.6 670g 0.28m 0.16x 82mm 9 113 HHHHH
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM A £760/$900 Yes 1.5x No f/2 940g 0.28m 0.23x 77mm 7 113 HHH
Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD £460/$500 No 2.4x No f/3.5-4.5 406g 0.24m 0.2x None 9 113 HHHHH
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD £930/$1200 Yes 2.0x Yes f/2.8 1100g 0.28m 0.2x None 6 87 HHH
Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X DX Fisheye £430/$530 No 1.7x No f/3.5-4.5 350g 0.14m 0.39x 82mm 9
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX II £480/$500 No 1.8x No f/2.8 560g 0.28m 0.12x 77mm 9 87 HHH
Tokina 12-28mm f/4 AT-X Pro DX £450/$400 No 2.3x No f/4 530g 0.25m 0.2x 82mm 9 116 HHHH
Tokina 14-20mm f/2 AT-X PRO DX £850/$800 No 1.43x No f/2 750g 0.28m 0.12x None 9
Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO FX £580/$690 Yes 1.8x No f/2.8 950g 0.28m 0.19x 82mm 9
Tokina 17-35mm f/4 AT-X PRO FX £570/$450 Yes 2.1x No f/4 600g 0.28m 0.21x 82mm 9
TELEPHOTO zooms
Price
Full-frame
Max zoom
Image stabilization
Max aperture
Weight
Min focus distance
Max magnification
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM £270/$300 No 4.5x Yes f/4-5.6 375g 0.85m 0.29x 58mm 7 123 HHHH
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM £2000/$1950 Yes 2.9x Yes f/2.8 1490g 1.2m 0.21x 77mm 8 116 HHHHH
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM £1330/$1250 Yes 2.9x No f/2.8 1310g 1.5m 0.16x 77mm 8 64 HHHH
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM £1050/$1100 Yes 2.9x Yes f/4 760g 1.2m 0.21x 67mm 8 107 HHHH
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM £670/$650 Yes 2.9x No f/4 705g 1.2m 0.21x 67mm 8 123 HHHH
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM £400/$650 Yes 4.3x Yes f/4-5.6 630g 1.5m 0.26x 58mm 8 123 HHH
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM £500/$550 Yes 4.3x Yes f/4-5.6 710g 1.2m 0.25x 67mm 9 125 HHHH
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM £1030/$1350 Yes 4.3x Yes f/4-5.6 1050g 1.2m 0.21x 67mm 8 117 HHHH
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM £1380/$1400 Yes 4.3x Yes f/4.5-5.6 720g 1.4m 0.19x 58mm 6 90 HHH
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III £210/$200 Yes 4.0x No f/4-5.6 480g 1.5m 0.25x 58mm 7 15 HHH
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM £260/$190 Yes 4.0x No f/4-5.6 480g 1.5m 0.25x 58mm 7 70 HHH
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM £1880/$2000 Yes 4.0x Yes f/4.5-5.6 1640g 0.98m 0.31x 77mm 9 117 HHHH
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x £10,500/$11,000 Yes 2.8x Yes f/4 3620g 2.0m 0.15x 52mm 9 77 HHHHH
Sigma 50-500mm f4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM £1100/$1660 Yes 10.0x Yes f/4.5-6.3 1970g 0.5-1.8m 0.32x 95mm 9 117 HHH
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM £900/$1150 Yes 2.9x Yes f/2.8 1430g 1.4m 0.13x 77mm 9 107 HHHH
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro £130/$140 Yes 4.3x No f/4-5.6 545g 0.95m 0.5x 58mm 9 123 HHH
Sigma APO 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro £180/$180 Yes 4.3x No f/4-5.6 550g 0.95m 0.5x 58mm 9 123 HH
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S £2700/$3400 Yes 2.5x Yes f/2.8 3390g 1.5-2.5m 0.12x 105mm 9 98 HHHH
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C £800/$990 Yes 4.0x Yes f/5-6.3 1930g 2.8m 0.2x 95mm 9 117 HHHH ●
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM S £1330/$2000 Yes 4.0x Yes f/5-6.3 2860g 2.6m 0.2x 105mm 9 117 HHHHH ●
Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG £15,000/$26,000 Yes 2.5x No f/2.8 15,700g 2.0-5.0m 0.13x 72mm 9
Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM £6500/$6800 Yes 2.7x No f/5.6 5880g 6.0m 0.14x 46mm 9
Tamron SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD £1100/$1500 Yes 2.9x Yes f/2.8 1470g 1.3m 0.13x 77mm 9 107 HHHH
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 £1350/$1300 Yes 2.9x Yes f/2.8 1500g 0.95m 0.16x 77mm 9 127 HHHHH
Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro £130/$160 Yes 4.3x No f/4-5.6 458g 0.95m 0.5x 62mm 9 123 HHH
Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD £300/$450 Yes 4.3x Yes f/4-5.6 765g 1.5m 0.25x 62mm 9 123 HHHH ● ●
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD £830/$1000 Yes 4.0x Yes f/5-6.3 1951g 2.7m 0.2x 95mm 9 117 HHHH
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 £1340/$1400 Yes 4.0x Yes f/5-6.3 2010g 2.2m 0.26x 95mm 9 121 HHHH
Max aperture
Weight
Min focus distance
Max magnification
Filter size
Filter size
Iris blades
Iris blades
Issue reviewed
Issue reviewed
Rating
Rating
Awards
Awards
120
www.digitalcameraworld.com

KEY: ● BEST VALUE AWARD ● BEST ON TEST AWARD
Standard zooms
Wide-angle primes
Price
Full-frame
Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM £2000/$2100 Yes None No f/2.8 645g 0.2m 0.15x None 6
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L (tilt & shift) £2000/$2150 Yes None No f/4 820g 0.25m 0.14x 77mm 8 90 HHHHH
Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM £450/$540 Yes None No f/2.8 405g 0.25m 0.14x 72mm 5 114 HHH
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM £1500/$1550 Yes None No f/1.4 650g 0.25m 0.17x 77mm 8
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM £430/$550 Yes None Yes f/2.8 280g 0.2m 0.23x 58mm 7 114 HHHH
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM £140/$150 No None No f/2.8 125g 0.16m 0.27x 52mm 7 110 HHHH
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (tilt & shift) £1690/$1900 Yes None No f/3.5 780g 0.21m 0.34x 82mm 8
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM £420/$510 Yes None No f/1.8 310g 0.25m 0.18x 58mm 7 67 HHH
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM £390/$500 Yes None Yes f/2.8 260g 0.23m 0.2x 58mm 7 114 HHHH
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM £1800/$1700 Yes None No f/1.4 760g 0.28m 0.21x 72mm 9 116 HHHH
Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM £470/$600 Yes None Yes f/2 335g 0.24m 0.24x 67mm 8 114 HHHH ●
Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye £250/$215 Yes None No f/3.5 400g 0.22m 0.13x None
Peleng 17mm f/2.8 Fisheye £290/$290 Yes None No f/2.8 630g 0.3m None
Samyang 8mm f/3.5 IF MC CSII DH Circular £240/$260 No None No f/3.5 435g 0.3m N/S None 6
Samyang 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS £350/$400 No None No f/2.8 600g 0.25m N/S None 6
Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Diagonal £360/$470 Yes None No f/2.8 530g 0.2m N/S None 7
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC £300/$330 Yes None No f/2.8 560g 0.28m N/S None 6 74 HHH
Samyang 16mm f/2 ED AS UMC CS £330/$360 No None No f/2 590g 0.2m N/S 77mm 8
Samyang 24mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC £480/$470 Yes None No f/1.4 680g 0.25m N/S 77mm 8
Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC (tilt & shift) £680/$760 Yes None No f/3.5 680g 0.2m N/S 82mm 8 90 HHHH
Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC AE £430/$480 Yes None No f/1.4 660g 0.3m N/S 77mm 8 100 HHHH
Schneider 28mm f/4.5 PC-TS (tilt & shift) £4980/$6000 Yes None No f/4.5 1560g 0.15m 0.16x 122mm
Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Circular Fisheye £700/$900 No None No f/2.8 470g 0.14m 0.17x None 6 87 HHHH
Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye £700/$900 Yes None No f/3.5 400g 0.14m 0.22x None 6 87 HHHH ●
Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye £600/$600 No None No f/2.8 475g 0.14m 0.11x None 7 87 HHHH
Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye £600/$610 Yes None No f/2.8 370g 0.15m 0.26x None 7 44 HHHH
Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM A £700/$900 Yes None No f/1.4 950g 0.28m 0.14x 77mm 9 114 HHHHH
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A £650/$850 Yes None No f/1.4 665g 0.25m 0.19x 77mm 9 114 HHHHH ●
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM A £650/$900 Yes None No f/1.4 665g 0.3m 0.19x 67mm 9 100 HHHHH ●
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD £600/$600 Yes None Yes f/1.8 480g 0.2m 0.4x 67mm 9 114 HHHH
Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar SL II £505/$500 Yes None No f/3.5 240g 0.2m N/S 52mm 9
Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar £440/$480 Yes None No f/2.8 230g 0.22m N/S 52mm 9
Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 ZE £2330/$2700 Yes None No f/2.8 947g 0.25m 0.11x 95mm 9
Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 ZE £1090/$1395 Yes None No f/3.5 510g 0.3m 0.08x 82mm 9 44 HHHHH ●
Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8 ZE £1850/$2300 Yes None No f/2.8 721g 0.25m 0.1x 77mm 9
Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZE £1400/$1850 Yes None No f/2.8 851g 0.22m 0.2x 82mm 9
Zeiss Distagon T* 25mm f/2 ZE £1270/$1700 Yes None No f/2 600g 0.25m 0.17x 67mm 9
Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2 ZE £980/$1285 Yes None No f/2 580g 0.24m 0.21x 58mm 9
Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 ZE £3500/$5000 Yes None No f/1.4 1350g 0.3m 0.2x 95mm 9
Max zoom
Image stabilisation
Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 ZE £1300/$1845 Yes None No f/1.4 850g 0.3m 0.2x 72mm 9
Zeiss Milvus f2/35 ZE £830/$1120 Yes None No f/2 702g 0.3m 0.19x 58mm 9 114 HHHH
Max aperture
Weight
Buyers’ Guide LENSES
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM £600/$800 No 5.7x Yes f/3.5-5.6 575g 0.35m 0.21x 72mm 7 84 HHHH
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM £750/$800 No 3.2x Yes f/2.8 645g 0.35m 0.17x 77mm 7 127 HHHH ●
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II £170/$200 No 3.1x Yes f/3.5-5.6 200g 0.25m 0.34x 58mm 6 110 HHH
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM £200/$250 No 3.1x Yes f/3.5-5.6 205g 0.25m 0.36x 58mm 7 110 HHHH
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM £1900/$1700 Yes 2.9x No f/2.8 805g 0.38m 0.21x 82mm 9 127 HHHH ●
Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM £800/$900 Yes 2.9x Yes f/4 600g 0.38m 0.7x 77mm 9 93 HHHHH
Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM £380/$600 Yes 4.4x Yes f/3.5-5.6 525g 0.4m 0.3x 77mm 7
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM £1065/$1000 Yes 4.4x Yes f/4 795g 0.45m 0.24x 77mm 10 127 HHHH
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM £330/$370 No 2.9x Yes f/2.8 565g 0.28m 0.2x 77mm 7 127 HHH
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM C £350/$500 No 4.1x Yes f/2.8-4 465g 0.22m 0.36x 72mm 7 127 HHHH ●
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM A £650/$800 No 1.9x No f/1.8 810g 0.28m 0.23x 72mm 9 90 HHHHH
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM £590/$750 Yes 2.9x No f/2.8 790g 0.38m 0.19x 82mm 9 93 HHHH
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM A £600/$900 Yes 4.4x Yes f/4 885g 0.45m 0.22x 82mm 9 127 HHHH
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC £380/$650 No 2.9x Yes f/2.8 570g 0.29m 0.21x 72mm 7 127 HHH
Tamron SP AF 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD £800/$1300 Yes 2.9x Yes f/2.8 825g 0.38m 0.2x 82mm 9 127 HHHH ●
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di £450/$500 Yes 2.7x No f/2.8 510g 0.33m 0.26x 67mm 7 57 HHH
SUPERzooms
Price
Price
Full-frame
Full-frame
Max zoom
Max zoom
Image stabilization
Image stabilization
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM £380/$400 No 7.5x Yes f/3.5-5.6 480g 0.39m 0.28x 67mm 7 128 HHHH
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM £430/$600 No 7.5x Yes f/3.5-5.6 515g 0.39m 0.28x 67mm 7 128 HHHH
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS £470/$700 No 11.1x Yes f/3.5-5.6 595g 0.45m 0.24x 72mm 6 128 HHH
Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM £2250/$2450 Yes 10.7x Yes f/3.5-5.6 1760g 0.7m 0.30x 77mm 8 6 HHHH
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C £290/$400 No 11.1x Yes f/3.5-6.3 430g 0.39m 0.33x 62mm 7 128 HHHH
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM £350/$350 No 13.9x Yes f/3.5-6.3 470g 0.35m 0.34x 62mm 7 92 HHHHH ●
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C £370/$500 No 16.7x Yes f/3.5-6.3 585g 0.39m 0.33x 72mm 7 128 HHHH ●
Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro £430/$550 No 18.8x Yes f/3.5-6.3 540g 0.39m 0.34x 67mm 7 128 HHHH
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC £190/$200 No 11.1x Yes f/3.5-6.3 400g 0.49m 0.25x 62mm 7 128 HHHH ●
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD £300/$450 No 15x Yes f/3.5-6.3 450g 0.49m 0.26x 62mm 7 128 HHH
Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD £600/$850 Yes 10.7x Yes f/3.5-6.3 540g 0.49m 0.29x 67mm 7
Max aperture
Max aperture
Weight
Weight
Min focus distance
Min focus distance
Min focus distance
Max magnification
Max magnification
Max magnification
Filter size
Filter size
Filter size
Iris blades
Iris blades
Iris blades
Issue reviewed
Issue reviewed
Issue reviewed
Rating
Rating
Rating
Awards
Awards
Awards
STANDARD zooms
SUPERZOOMS WIDE-anglE PRIMES
The Canon Magazine 121

BUYERS’
GUIDE
Contacts
Canon www.canon.co.uk
Peleng www.digitaltoyshop.co.uk
Samyang www.samyang-lens.co.uk
Schneider www.linhofstudio.com
Sigma www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Tamron www.tamron.co.uk
Tokina www.tokinalens.com
Voigtlander www.robertwhite.co.uk
Zeiss www.zeiss.co.uk
STANDARD PRIMES
TELEPHOTO PRIMES
KEY: ● BEST VALUE AWARD ● BEST ON TEST AWARD
Standard primes
Telephoto primes
Price
Price
Full-frame
Full-frame
Max zoom
Max zoom
Image stabilization
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM £200/$180 Yes None No f/2.8 130g 0.3m 0.18x 52mm 7 126 HHH
Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 (tilt & shift) £1200/$1400 Yes None No f/2.8 645g 0.4m 0.16x 72mm 8
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM £1370/$1350 Yes None No f/1.2 580g 0.45m 0.15x 72mm 8 103 HHHH
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM £350/$330 Yes None No f/1.4 290g 0.45m 0.15x 58mm 8 126 HHHH
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM £105/$125 Yes None No f/1.8 160g 0.35m 0.21x 49mm 7 126 HHHH ●
Samyang 50mm f/1.4 AS UMC £310/$350 Yes None No f/1.4 575g 0.45m N/S 77mm 8
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM A £360/$500 No None No f/1.4 435g 0.3m 0.15x 62mm 9 100 HHHH ●
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM A £600/$950 Yes None No f/1.4 815g 0.4m 0.18x 77mm 9 126 HHHH
Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD £600/$600 Yes None Yes f/1.8 540g 0.29m 0.29x 67mm 9 126 HHHH
Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2 £950/$1200 Yes None No f/1.4 922g 0.45m 0.15x 67mm 9
Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZE £560/$725 Yes None No f/1.4 380g 0.45m 0.15x 58mm 9
Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 £2700/$3990 Yes None No f/1.4 1030g 0.5m 0.15x 77mm 9
Image stabilization
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM £1770/$1900 Yes None No f/1.2 1025g 0.95m 0.11x 72mm 8 116 HHHH
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM £340/$350 Yes None No f/1.8 425g 0.85m 0.13x 58mm 8 126 HHHH
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 (tilt & shift) £1240/$1400 Yes None No f/2.8 565g 0.5m 0.29x 58mm 8
Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM £410/$500 Yes None No f/2 460g 0.9m 0.14x 58mm 8 46 HHHHH
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM £940/$1000 Yes None No f/2 750g 0.9m 0.19x 72mm 8
Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM £5400/$5700 Yes None Yes f/2 2520g 1.9m 0.12x 52mm 8 98 HHHHH
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM £700/$750 Yes None No f/2.8 765g 1.5m 0.16x 72mm 8 98 HHHH
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM £5800/$6100 Yes None Yes f/2.8 2400g 2.0m 0.18x 52mm 9 54 HHHHH
Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM £1140/$1350 Yes None Yes f/4 1190g 1.5m 0.24x 77mm 8 117 HHHH
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM £9900/$10,000 Yes None Yes f/2.8 3850g 2.7m 0.17x 52mm 9 54 HHHHH
Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM £7000/$6900 Yes None Yes f/4 2100g 3.3m 0.13x 52mm 9
Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM £1180/$1180 Yes None No f/5.6 1250g 3.5m 0.12x 77mm 8 117 HHH
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM £8400/$9000 Yes None Yes f/4 3190g 3.7m 0.15x 52mm 9
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM £11,350/$11,500 Yes None Yes f/4 3920g 4.5m 0.15x 52mm 9
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM £11,900/$13,000 Yes None Yes f/5.6 4500g 6.0m 0.14x 52mm 8
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF MC £300/$270 Yes None No f/1.4 513g 1.0m N/S 72mm 8
Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC £370/$530 Yes None No f/2 830g 0.8m N/S 77mm 9
Samyang 500mm MC IF f/6.3 Mirror £125/$150 Yes None No f/6.3 705g 2.0m N/S 95mm 0
Samyang 800mm MC IF f/8 Mirror £170/$190 Yes None No f/8 870g 3.5m N/S 30mm 0
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM A £1000/$1200 Yes None No f/1.4 TBA 0.85m 0.12x 86mm 9 126 HHHH
Sigma APO 300mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM £2600/$3400 Yes None No f/2.8 2400g 2.5m 0.13x 46mm 9 98 HHHH
Sigma APO 500mm f/4.5 EX DG HSM £3600/$4400 Yes None No f/4.5 3150g 4.0m 0.13x 46mm 9
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S £5000/$6000 Yes None Yes f/4 TBA 3.5m 0.15x 46mm 9 9
Sigma APO 800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM £5000/$6600 Yes None No f/5.6 4.9kg 7.0m 0.11x 46mm 9 21 HHHH
Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD £750/$750 Yes None Yes f/1.8 700g 0.8m 0.14x 67mm 9 126 HHHHH ●
Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 ZE £1380/$1800 Yes None No f/1.4 1280g 0.8m 0.14x 77mm 9
Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2 ZE £1900/$2200 Yes None No f/2 1123g 0.8m 0.28x 77mm 9
Max aperture
Max aperture
Weight
Weight
Min focus distance
Min focus distance
Max magnification
Max magnification
Filter size
Filter size
Iris blades
Iris blades
Issue reviewed
Issue reviewed
Rating
Rating
Awards
Awards
MACRO
MACRO
Price
Full-frame
Max zoom
Image stabilization
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM £400/$400 No None No f/2.8 335g 0.20m 1.0x 52mm 7 118 HHH
Canon MP-E65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro £980/$1050 Yes None No f/2.8 710g 0.24m 5.0x 58mm 6 50 HHHH
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM £460/$600 Yes None No f/2.8 600g 0.31m 1.0x 58mm 8 118 HHHH
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM £860/$800 Yes None Yes f/2.8 625g 0.3m 1.0x 67mm 9 118 HHHH
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM £1330/$1400 Yes None No f/3.5 1090g 0.48m 1.0x 72mm 8 69 HHHH
Sigma Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM £320/$620 Yes None Yes f/2.8 725g 0.31m 1.0x 62mm 9 118 HHHH ●
Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM £780/$1100 Yes None Yes f/2.8 1150g 0.38m 1.0x 72mm 9 118 HHHH
Sigma APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM £1250/$1700 Yes None Yes f/2.8 1640g 0.47m 1.0x 86mm 9 102 HHHH
Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II LD (IF) Macro £350/$525 No None No f/2 350g 0.23m 1.0x 55mm 7 118 HHH
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro £350/$500 Yes None No f/2.8 400g 0.29m 1.0x 55mm 9 102 HHH
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro £600/$650 Yes None Yes f/2.8 610g 0.3m 1.0x 62mm 9 118 HHHHH ●
Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro £800/$740 Yes None No f/3.5 985g 0.47m 1.0x 72mm 7 69 HHH
Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO Macro £350/$410 Yes None No f/2.8 540g 0.3m 1.0x 55mm 9 118 HHHH
Zeiss Makro Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZE £950/$1285 Yes None No f/2 570g 0.24m 0.5x 67mm 9
Zeiss Milvus Makro Planar 100mm f/2 ZE £1300/$1840 Yes None No f/2 843g 0.44m 0.5x 67mm 9 50 HHHH
Zeiss Makro Planar 100mm f/2 T* ZE £1400/$1545 Yes None No f/2 680g 0.44m 0.5x 67mm 9
Max aperture
Weight
Min focus distance
Max magnification
Filter size
Iris blades
Issue reviewed
Rating
Awards
122
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In the next Canon Skills chapter…
■ Shooting a wave ■ Creative pier shots
■ DIY light table ■ Tilt-shift portraits
■ New Photoshop CC, Elements
& Lightroom tutorials
Plus all this...
■ The Apprentice: sports
photography techniques
■ Super Test: travel tripods
■ Profile: David Lund
■ Canon School: correcting
exposure problems
ISSUE 129 ON SALE 25 JUly
* Content subject to change

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To search for past tests and articles, download
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FocusPoint The
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the mag and all things
photographic! Email us at photoplus@futurenet.com
Inspired to improve
I have only just started reading
PhotoPlus after buying myself my
first Canon camera, an EOS 80D,
and wanted to say a big thanks
for finally giving me the confidence
to start shooting in Manual mode
after being an auto lazybones for
years! I shot this photo while on
a hiking trip to the northwest of
Scotland last week and climbed the
Stac Pollaidh to catch the sunset
(average results due to hazy light
conditions). I had just turned onto
the main road, and on the shores
of Loch Cul Dromannan I was met
with this view.
I shot this on Manual with 1/8
sec shutter speed, f/4 aperture and
ISO100, and only needed to slightly
tweak it in Lightroom.
I’ve just started seriously getting
into the intricacies of photography
and still have a lot to learn, but you
have put me on the path. Thank
you very much for the inspiration
5
secs – the perfect amount
of time for the right blur
for David Noton (p40)
68
shots to get a decent photo
of a hamster (p50)
10
steps to taking better reasons
summer scenic shots (p28)
585
grams weight of Sigma’s
winning superzoom (p106)
4
times winner of Sports
Photographer of the Year
Marc Aspland (p64)
77
why the EOS 77D is
better than your DSLR! (p96)
and I’m looking forward to keeping
up to date with Canon from now on.
Lindsay Brunton, Fife, Scotland
Great to hear we helped you improve
your photography – keep it up Lindsay!
STAR LETTER PRIZE!
Each issue, every letter printed
wins an Experience Seminars
EOS training DVD. More info at
www.eostrainingacademy.co.uk
The month in numbers
What are you looking forward to photographing
the most this summer?
13%
Sport
12%
Portraits
Vote in our next poll at
http://bit.ly/pplus_poll129
Have we
also inspired
you to push
your Canon
DSLR skills?
34%
Summer
scenes
41%
Wildlife
Social
Network
The most popular stories
found on the web this month
104-year-old camera
Pro photographer Joshua Paul,
instead of using top-of-the-range
cameras to capture fast-paced F1
racing, used a 104-year-old Graflex
4×5 view camera. The results are
incredible. http://bit.ly/104-year-old
via PhotoPlus Facebook page
The 10 best full-frame Dslrs
Our pick of the best full-frame
DSLRs in 2017 from Canon, Nikon,
Pentax and Sony – which is best?
http://bit.ly/10bestfullframe
via PhotoPlus Facebook page
Live for the story_
We’ve partnered up with Zoë Kravitz
to launch 365 Days of Summer, a
competition which will see one of
you go on a trip of a lifetime
http://bit.ly/2rhNx0c Canon UK
via PhotoPlus Facebook page
www.boredpanda.com
www.canon.co.uk
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