Popular Photography - December 2016 PDF

BEST
GEAR
NOW! P
2016 PO
AWARDS
Thrill to
Hawaii
How to capture
the islands wild side
Freeze Action
With Flash
Have Fun With
Instant Prints
Shoot Raw
With Your
Phone
Close-Up
Studio At
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A MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER FINDS HIS PRINTER:

THE INCOMPARABLE CANON IMAGEPROGRAF PRO-SERIES
KEN SKLUTE, AN INTERNATIONALLY
acclaimed photographer with a portfolio

ranging from high-speed action to
exquisite landscapes, is one of only 41
top photographers worldwide honored as
a Canon Explorer of Light. He moved to
Phoenix, Arizona in 1996 inspired by the
awesome landscapes of the Southwest.
Heres how he finally found the printer
that can do justice to his spectacular
night landscapes.
Nighttime desert landscapes convey
something magical and timeless , says Ken
Sklute, but printing them in all their glory
is challenging. Most printers block up the
nuances and details in the critical shadow
areas. Thats why I was astounded when
I saw my first prints come off the Canon
imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer. The
detail in the shadow areas is astonishing.
My imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 also

turns out prints with an extremely wide
color gamut. With its advanced LUCIA
PRO 12-cartridge inkset and state-ofthe-art print head, its able to reproduce
every color and detail with phenomenal
accuracy, notes Sklute. Its really fast
too - it can turn out a print in just over
4 minutes, and the paper feed is easy
to use and reliable. The built in Wi-Fi
connectivity also allows me to print
from anywhere in my studio. In short,
it gives me the ability to seamlessly
produce fine art prints that meet my
exacting professional standards.
The Canon imagePROGRAF PROSeries is a real game changer that
delivers unsurpassed performance on
paperwhere the rubber meets the
road.
imagePROGRAF PRO-1000
imagePROGRAF PRO-2000,
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Lindsay Adler
MANY OBSESSIVE DECISIONS GO INTO CREATING THE PERFECT PRINT.

FOR YOU AND US BOTH.
To introduce the stunning printing power of the new family of Canon imagePROGRAF printers, we asked award-winning photographer
Lindsay Adler to give us an inside look at the countless choices she obsesses over to create the perfect image. In the end, theres only
one name in printing she trusts to take her obsession further.
usa.canon.com/proprinters
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Printed images simulated. 2016 Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon and imagePROGRAF are registered trademarks
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DECEMBER 2016
56
VOLUME 80, NO. 11
Gear of
the Year
After a year of trying out a ton of equipment,

our editors selected the best of the best for
our 2016 POP Awards for Photographys
By Dan Richards
Outstanding Products.
COVERS: BRIAN KLUTCH (GEAR); KORY LIDSTROM (FOREST, LAVA). THIS PAGE: BRIAN KLUTCH (GEAR); JON CORNFORTH (SEASCAPE);
JENNY SKIBO/PASSION FOR LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY (FAMILY, BABY). OPPOSITE PAGE: TYLER HAUGHEY (MOTEL); NICHOLAS REUSENS (BAT).
48 Aloha Adventure
Dramatic coastlines, fiery lava, lush
rainforests: unimaginable beauty awaits
in Hawaii. Four photographers share their
secrets for photographing the island states
most glorious landscapes. By Jennifer Chen
66 Get Together
If you have a bunch of family and friends
gathering for the holidays this season,
why not mark the occasion with a fun and
memorable photo project? We thought up 10
ways to capture and share the joy.
By Debbie Grossman
4 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY DECEMBER 2016
PHOTOGRAPHYS
OUTSTANDING
PRODUCTS
14
20
44
DEPARTMENTS HOW
36
NEXT
10 Just Out The end of the year
brings cameras and lenses of all sizes,
plus a drone and more goodies.
14 Closer Look Fujifilm goes

medium-format digital with the new GFX
systemcoming in 2017.
16 Roundup Shoot instant prints

with these sweet cameras and a mobile
printer that fits in a purse.
SHARE
You Can Do It Backlight a

dandelion seed head and sprinkle it with
dew for a tight macro closeup.
38 Traveling Photographer
Take the High Road from Santa Fe to
Taos to capture a taste of New Mexicos
Hispanic and Native American heritage.
40 Software Workshop Shoot

and edit Raw files on Apple iOS 10
devices with Adobe Lightroom for mobile.
44 Lighting Freeze a fast-flying critter
with a set of hotshoe flash units and an
infrared trigger.
20 My Project With winter around

the corner, what better time to look at a
beach towns motels in the off-season?
LAB
24 Photo Challenge An artfully
Its three-layered, APS-C-sized Foveon X3

sensor captures tremendous image detail.
Will you learn to love this cameras quirks?
blurry bicycle racing shot takes the prize

for our panning challenge.
72 ILC Test SIGMA SD QUATTRO
26 Mentor Series A photographer
80 Lens Test ZEISS MILVUS

18MM F/2.8 ZF.2 A wide-angle prime
heads to San Francisco and comes home

with an evocative photo of an historic fort.
for full-frame DSLRs delivers awesome

optics in a bullet-proof barrel.
29 Your Turn Readers takes on
DONT MISS . . .
diversity, lens adaptors, and sports.
30 Your Best Shot This months

winners found inspiration in the beauty of
natural surroundings.
6 EDITORS LETTER
8 SHOWCASE
82 TIME EXPOSURE
86 BACKSTORY
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY (ISSN 1542-0337) (USPS 504-890), December 2016, Volume 80, Issue 11, is published monthly (except
combined January/February, March/April, and June/July issues) by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. Copyright
2016 by Bonnier Corp. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or in part is forbidden except by permission of Bonnier Corp. Periodicals
postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Authorized periodicals postage by the Post Office Department, Ottawa,
Canada, and for payment in cash. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Popular Photography, P.O. Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593;
PPHcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless
we receive a corrected address within one year. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40052054. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Visit www.PopPhoto.com/cs to manage your account 24/7.
POPPHOTO.COM POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY 5
EDITORS LETTER
Speaking Volumes
PETER HURLEY
The holidays come early for those

of us who make magazines. And
this fall, my ofice illed with
stacks of packages. Inside is pure
delight: Lots and lots of new
photography books, all out now.
This season, Ive unwrapped everything from the Museum of Modern
Arts Photography at MoMA: 1920 to 1960, the second volume of its complete
collection catalogue, to Senior Dogs Across America, photographer Nancy
LeVines environmental portraits of elderly canines. But the box of books I
was most excited about was Get the Picture: 150+ Ways to Make the Most of Your
Camera by Dan Richards.
Yes, that Dan Richards. Our former senior editor retired in 2014 after 25
years at Pop Photo, but he continues to write for us from time to time as a
contributing editor. Indeed, when we were deciding who on our staff should
write up all 24 of the editors picks for our 2016 POP Awards (page 56), we
decided instead to assign this 10-page feature to our favorite gear writer.
Similarly, when Lucie Parker, the senior editor at our book publisher
Weldon Owen, came to me with a great idea for a new book under the Popular
Photography brand, I knew immediately that Dan was the author we needed.
In Get the Picture, his first book, Dan demystifies DSLRs and mirrorless
interchangeable-lens compacts for photographers stepping up to their first
real camera or just looking to get off of the Auto setting more often. He
explains all of the different factors that affect your photographyexposure,
color balance, focal length, quality of light, etc.and how to control them.
He writes authoritatively, but with a clear and friendly style that welcomes
everybody. I can hear his voice on every page.
And glorious pages they are! Lucie and her design team created a highquality paperback with gorgeous, heavy paper stock that shows the photos
beautifully. Youll recognize many of the pictures on these pages. A few are by
big-name photographers, a few were shot by our staff, and many more come
from readers like you, winners of our monthly Photo Challenge and Your Best
Shot competitions, as well as our Annual Readers Photo Contest (this years
edition closes December 31, by the way).
In many ways, this book is yours as much as ours. I hope youll enjoy it and
pass it along with your love of photography
to the neophyte shooters in your life.
NEWSSTAND: Brian Klutch posed
three POP Award winners (page 56)
that would make great gifts: the
Olympus Pen-F, Sony Cyber-shot
RX100 V, and 360Fly 4K.
SUBSCRIBER: When lava hits the
ocean, drama ensues. Kory Lidstrom
captured the dance of fire and water
on the coast of the Big Island of
Hawaii, on page 48.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIRIAM LEUCHTER

ART DIRECTOR Jason Beckstead
FEATURES EDITOR Debbie Grossman
SENIOR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Philip Ryan
ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Adam Ryder
ASSISTANT EDITOR Sara Cravatts
GROUP PHOTO EDITOR Thomas Payne
PHOTO EDITOR Fiona Gardner
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Richard Bernabe, Tim Fitzharris,
Peter Kolonia, Harold Martin, Ian Plant,
Dan Richards, Julia Silber, Jeff Wignall
POPPHOTO.COM EDITOR Stan Horaczek
ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Jeanette D. Moses
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Glenn Orzepowski
IN MEMORIAM Herbert Keppler
BONNIERS LIFESTYLE GROUP

VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
GREGORY D. GATTO
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Tara Bisciello
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jeff Timm
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Christine Sendelsky
ACCOUNT MANAGER Chip Parham
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DETROIT SALES DIRECTOR Jeff Roberge
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED MARKETING Brenda Oliveri
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ASSISTANT BRAND INTEGRATION MANAGER Vanessa Vazquez
CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Ingrid M. Reslmaier
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DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER Steve Gianaca
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RETAIL SINGLE COPY SALES:
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HEAD OF BUSINESS AREA, MAGAZINES Lars Dahmn
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VICE PRESIDENT, INTEGRATED SALES John Graney
VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING John Reese
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GENERAL COUNSEL Jeremy Thompson
This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.
FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS, such as Renewals,

Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to: PopPhoto.com/cs.
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Popular Photography, P.O. Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593
Focal Length: 600mm Exposure: F/7.1 1/1250sec ISO: 1600
Youre never too far from a great close-up.

Discover the next generation ultra-telephoto
zoom lens from Tamron.
SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2

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For Canon, Nikon and Sony* mounts
Di: For APS-C format and full-frame DSLR cameras
www.tamron-usa.com
*Sony mount model without VC
SHOWCASE PHOTOGRAPH BY LUIS FABINI
Home
on the
Range
For 10 years,
photographer Luis
Fabini has explored
a fascination with
real-life cowboys
from behind the
lens for his series
Cowboys of the
Americas. During
a visit to Pitchfork
Ranch in Texas,
he observed the
annual spring
roundup by a crew
of 15 cowboys and
their 150 horses.
While watching
ropers catch
horses amid the
herd, Fabini was
inspired to start
photographing.
The light, the
early morning,
the energy of the
horses, the skills
of the cowboys,
the starting of
a new day, he
remembers. He
shot handheld with
a Nikon D700 and
a 2470mm f/2.8G
Nikkor AF-S lens
zoomed to 48mm
and later converted
the image to
black-and-white to
highlight the play of
light and shadow.
Fujifilm goes
medium-format
P.14
Instant-print
cameras P.16
JUST OUT
Full-Frame Flagship
SONY ALPHA 99 II Sonys new A-mount
DSLR has a backside-illuminated full-frame CMOS
sensor with 399 autofocus points integrated into
a five-axis stabilization system, all while capturing
42.4MP images. An additional AF sensor with 79
phase-detection AF points maintains focus while
automatically tracking subjects and shooting up to
12 fps. Theres no optical viewfinder, just a high-res
EVF. $3,198, street, body only; sony.com
Wide Or Die
ALPHA
ALPHA
ROKINON AF 14MM F/2.8 FE

No longer confined to manual-focus lenses,
Rokinon recently released a number of
autofocus optics, including this wide-angle
prime for Sonys full-frame E-mount ILC
include three aspherical and two extra-lowdispersion elements to reduce spherical

aberration and color fringing. A multicoated
design reduces ghosting and enhances
contrast. $849, street; rokinon.com
High Flier
POP
POWER
GOPRO KARMA DRONE

for its Hero 4 and 5, has several
for handheld shooting, and the
camera; gopro.com
POPPHOTO.COM
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NEXT JUST OUT

Fast Glass
BOKEH
MASTER
SIGMA 85MM F/1.4 DG HSM ART Portrait

shooters and shallow depth-of-field junkies should enjoy this
telephoto autofocus lens in mounts for Canon, Nikon, and
Sigma DSLRs. Promising the high performance of Sigmas
Art appellation, its 14-element, 12-group formula includes
three specialized optics to improve color rendition and
sharpness. $1,199, street; sigmaphoto.com
HASSELBLAD
debuted its V1D
4116 modular
concept camera
at Photokina in
Germany. This
medium-format
digital is slated
to shoot square
75MP photos and
its top and sides are
designed to accept
swappable controls,
handles, and
viewfinders.
Edition Addition
INNOVA EDITIONS RANGE U.K.-based Innova
has released six new surfaces. The papers ship in
sheets up to 17x22 inches and rolls up to 60 inches
wide. The Exhibition Cotton Gloss, seen
here, weighs 335 GSM and is free of
acid, lignin, and optical brighteners.
$73, street, for the Exhibition Photo
Baryta 310gsm pack of 25 13x19-inch
sheets; innovaart.com
SANDISK
showed off a
working prototype
1TB SD card,
keeping pace with
higher-resolution
sensors and the
increasingly
popularity of the
SD format among
pro shooters. Dont
hold your breath
for one, though;
the company has
said nothing about
availability or
pricing yet.
Ready, Steady
CANON EF 70300MM
F/4.55.6 IS II This variableaperture full-frame tele zoom
covers a versatile focal range;
on APS-C-format Canon bodies
it provides the equivalent of
a longer 112480mm. To
reduce distortion, one low
dispersion optic is included in its
17-element, 12-group formula.
The Nano USM autofocus motor
provides the quiet focus needed
for video, while integrated image
stabilization gives four extra
stops of hand-held shooting.
$549, street; usa.canon.com
SNAPCHAT
follows up Googles
Glass headset,
teasing its Snap
Spectacles, as
cool looking as the
Glass was nerdy,
with two lenses
on each pair of
shades. Youll have
to wait for these,
toofull release
info is forthcoming.
Pint-Sized Power
PANASONIC LUMIX LX10 This compact integrates a
2472mm (equivalent), f/1.42.8 lens and its body houses a
1-inch 20.1MP MOS sensor. Optical image stabilization and a
sensitivity range topping out at ISO 25,600 help in low-light. 4K
video can be had at 30 fps, and you can select 8MP stills from
footage at any time. Built-in Wi-Fi and a customizable control ring
round out the new features. $698, street; shop.panasonic.com
Compact Capability
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 MARK II This Micro Four Thirds
ILC has a 20.4MP Live MOS sensor, built-in Wi-Fi, and accepts two
SD memory cards. Its image stabilization system provides an extra
5.5 stops of hand-held shooting. The image processor allows for
15-fps RAW capture with continuous autofocus and auto-exposure
with the mechanical shutter, and up to 60 fps with the electronic
shutter. Price not yet announced; getolympus.com
SPEED
DEMON
DJI and Epson

have partnered up
to launch a pair
of OLED smart
glasses, called
Moverio, that will
allow drone pilots
to overlay realtime quadcopter
footage in the
wearers line of
sight. The glasses
and a mobile app
are due to arrive
before the end of
the year.
POPPHOTO.COM
Rediscover Incredible Color

with FUJIFILM X Series
NEXT CLOSER LOOK FUJIFILM GFX 50S
HAPPY MEDIUM
Fujiilm enters the digital
medium-format world
AFTER YEARS of rumors that

Fujifilm would make a digital
medium-format camera, the
company has finally announced
its new GFX system, starting with
the 51.4MP GFX 50S body, due
out in early 2017. The first three
of the six announced lenses will
arrive at the same time: the GF
63mm (50mm equivalent in 35mm
full-frame) f/2.8 WR; GF 120mm
(95mm equiv.) f/4 Macro R LM OIS
WR; and 3264mm (2551mm
equiv.) f/4 LM WR. Fujifilm plans to
release 23mm f/4 (18mm equiv.),
45mm f/2.8 (35mm equiv.), and
110mm (87mm equiv.) f/2 lenses
by the end of 2017.
Like most medium-format
sensors, the one in the GFX 50S
is smaller than medium-format
film. It measures 43.8x32.9mm,
STANDOUT
SPECS
SENSOR: 51.4MP
43.8x32.9mm CMOS
AF: Contrast-detect
SENSITIVITY:
ISO 10012,800
STREET PRICE:
Not yet announced
INFO:
fujifilmusa.com
the same size as the sensors in

Pentaxs 645Z and Hasselblads
X1D and smaller than the sensors
in Phase Ones IQ3 digital backs.
Theres no mirror, so you cant
call the GFX 50S a DSLR. And,
while the electronic viewfinder
isnt built into the body (instead it
slips into the cameras hotshoe),
it will be included in the box. An
optional accessory will make
it possible to twist and tilt the
finder for different viewing angles.
There will also be a vertical grip
available. If you dont want to use
the finder, you can frame your
shots on the tilting LCD.
Like Fujifilms X-series
cameras, the GFX 50S has shutter
speed and ISO dials, and there
are rings on the lenses to control
aperture. Unlike some medium-
format lenses, which include

leaf shutters, the GF lenses have
no shutter. Instead, the body
employs a focal-plane shutter
with a top speed of 1/4000 sec to
govern the length of exposures.
Slightly larger than a Canon
DSLR, and around the same
weight if not lighter, the
prototypes of the GFX 50S
we handled at the Photokina
trade show in September were
comfortable to hold and the
contrast-detect AF system,
though not as fast as phasedetect or hybrid systems, was not
annoyingly slow, either.
While pricing has not been
announced yet, Fujifilm has said
that the camera body and 63mm
f/2.8 lens will cost well below
Philip Ryan
$10,000.
POPPHOTO.COM
NEXT ROUNDUP INSTANT PRINTERS
WHY WAIT?
Perhaps because theyre tangible objects that cannot be
reproduced or shared online easily, instant prints are growing in
popularity. Here are some of the newest cameras and a printer
to get you started. (Youll find another, the Fujifilm Instax Share
SP-2 printer, among the winners of our POP Awards on page 56.)
HP Sprocket $129 This portable photo printer will

create 2x3-inch prints from your favorite social media feeds. The
device exposes images using pulses of heat to activate layers of
crystallized dyes in Zink paper. Thanks to Bluetooth and NFC
wireless connectivity, you can print through an app for Android and
iOS devices. HOT: Can print on adhesive-backed paper for sticker
fun. NOT: Cant print directly from a memory card; near-range
wireless only.
LomoInstant Automat $149 Lomographys
latest has adjustable exposure settings and a range of specialized
accessories. Automatic, bulb, and exposure compensation modes
give you control, while macro, wide-angle, and fisheye lens
attachments provide a range of focal lengths. It uses Fujifilm Instax
Mini film and comes in yellow, red, white, and black. HOT: A small
mirror helps you compose selfies. NOT: Additional lenses cost extra.
Michael Kors x Fujifilm Instax Mini
70 $150 This limited-edition model, created in collaboration
with a popular fashion label, is ready for the catwalk. A selfie mode
adjusts the output of its flash for close-range portraits, and an
electronic shutter release automatically adjusts exposures
between 1/2 and 1/400 sec. It takes 10-shot Instax Mini film
cartridges. HOT: Small enough to fit in a purse. NOT: As a
limited-edition camera, it wont be around forever.
Polaroid Snap Touch $179 Make instant

prints on Zink paper while simultaneously storing a digital version
to a microSD card. The Touch has a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, a
big improvement over the small pop-up viewfinder of the original
Snap, as is the higher-resolution 13MP CMOS sensor. It comes in
red, white, blue, and black. HOT: It can record 1080p video.
NOT: Zink prints may not be as sharp as other instant photos.
Impossible I-1 $299 This oddly shaped camera
has five-zone electronic zone focusing, an LED ring flash, exposure
comp, and wireless functions. An app for iOS or Android lets you
adjust aperture, shutter speed, focus, flash outputand shoot.
Takes Impossible Projects 600-Type and I-Type instant film for
3.1-inch square photos. HOT: You can trigger it remotely by
clapping your hands. NOT: Pricey for a camera with plastic optics.
Leica Sofort $299 Leicas first instant camera has a
fixed equivalent 34mm lens and a narrow f/12.7 aperture. It gives
you three zone-focus settings, with exposure comp and bulb mode
for exposure control. Its battery provides about 100 shots per
charge. It takes Instax Mini film and comes in white, orange, and
teal. HOT: The viewfinder integrates parallax compensation for
framing in macro mode. NOT: Its pretty expensive.
POPPHOTO.COM
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CONVERSATION, INSPIRATION, CONTESTS, AND YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
TYLER HAUGHEY (MOTEL)
GHOSTS IN WINTER
The remains of
summers past
MALIBU, SAHARA, Monacoit
sounds like an exotic world tour,
but you can go to all three in New
Jersey! These mid-century modern
motels named for sunny locales
pepper a five-mile stretch of the

Jersey shore, just north of Cape May,
known as the Wildwoods. Tyler
Haughey first visited the area one
January, after the throngs of people
had packed up their beach towels
and dusted the sand off their feet,
leaving these architectural gems to

sit lonely and shuttered.
Haughey grew up 100 miles
north, near Asbury Park, where
he witnessed summer tourists
vacationing down the shore as
well as the stark transformation
MAGGIE HOPKINS
MY PROJECT
Tyler Haughey
When not trespassing
shuttered motels,
the photographer
lives in Brooklyn. See
more of his work at
tylerhaughey.com.
POPPHOTO.COM
A WIDER PERSPECTIVE.
Top 12mm ultra wide-angle performance
welcome to the world of zero distortion.
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All made in Japan. Our entire line-up on sigmaphoto.com

SIGMA Corporation of America | 15 Fleetwood Court | Ronkonkoma, NY 11779, U.S.A. | Tel: (631) 585-1144
Follow us on Twitter @sigma_photo and Facebook.com/sigmacorporationofamerica
TYLER HAUGHEY (9)
SHARE MY PROJECT
of these beach towns in the offseason. [Im] embracing it as part

of my identity, the photographer
says. Looking like abandoned
film sets in winter, the charming
architecture of Wildwoods motor
courtsthe Waikiki Motel, the
Lollipop, and the Jolly Roger
captivate Haughey. For the past
two years, he has been researching,
interviewing historians and
townsfolk, and documenting
these candy-colored relics in
frozen conditions devoid of people,
dubbing the project Ebb Tide.
These structures with futuristic
flourishes and sparkling pools have
OFF-SEASON
SCENES
Haugheys Ebb Tide
series includes
wintertime faades
and details from
Wildwood motels
such as (left-toright from top) the
Lollipop, Chateau
Bleu, Monaco,
Barcelona,
Singapore,
Caribbean (two
views), Lu Fran, and
Malibu. Previous
page: The Gold
Crest Resort Motel.
been tempting visitors since 1954,

when the opening of the Garden
State Parkway brought 350,000 cars
to the area each year. Overnight,
hundreds of motels sprung up to
accommodate the influx. Their
glamorous names and tropical
details were inspired by Miami
Beach and the fantasy of vacations
families couldnt afford.
Today, a little over 150 doo-wop
motels are left, protected by the
National Register of Historic Places.
I aim to show these historic sites in
a new light while at the same time
bringing awareness of them to a
wider audience, Haughey says.
When selecting a subject, he

looks for a site where there are
as few distractions as possible,
highlighting the uniqueness of each
motel. Its like shooting portraits
of people, he says of details like
towering plastic palms flanking a
lobby entrance or a giant concrete
elephant overlooking a pool.
Haugheys work captures the
dreamy leftovers of a time so often
idealized today. His images remind
us that nostalgia is something to be
visited for a short amount of time,
and then left behind. What lingers
are just the shells of that bygone
Vanessa Mallory Kotz
era.
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LEW ABULAFIA
SHARE PHOTO CHALLENGE PANNING
POPPHOTO.COM
BIKE BLUR
LEW ABULAFIA, a retired oral
surgeon from San Diego, California, has been photographing as
a hobby for more than 20 years.
When asked by a friend to come
capture the weekly Tuesday night
bicycle races at the San Diego
Velodrome, Abulaia set out camera in hand.
Standing on the edge of the
track, he had a front row seat
for the action. I love the intensity
of the riders and their skill as
they circled the banked track at
speeds approaching 30mph, just
inches from each other, Abulaia
says of the races. I attempted
to photograph several riders
bunched together for maximum
visual impact.
To capture the excitement and
speed of the race, the photographer decided to compose an ab-
A long exposure captures

speeding cyclists
stract shot based on motion and

color instead of getting caught
up in the details. Rather than
pushing the ISO to freeze the action, I tried going the other way
and used slower shutter speeds
combined with panning, Abulaia says of his technique. I tried
different speeds and both vertical
and horizontal compositions, a
technique Ive used before when
photographing running wildlife.
The photographer shot using
the guess-and-check method
by quickly snapping shots and
adjusting his settings as he
went. This is a technique that
requires experimentation. You
never know exactly what you
will get, but by reviewing the
images you can modify camera
settings and reine your technique
on the spot, he says.
FRONT ROW
Lew Abulafia
used a panning
technique
to transform
a cycling
photograph
into a beautiful
abstract.
Abulaia shot after sunset

using only the light illuminating
the track. He shot with a Canon
EOS-1D Mark II and a 100400mm
f/45.6 Series 1 Canon lens
zoomed to 235mm. To produce
the captivating blur of this image, the photographer physically
moved his camera as he shot.
As the riders approached, I
focused on one of the leaders of
the group, with continuous focus,
and follow them as they passed
with my shutter continuing to
Sara Cravatts
ire, he says.
Get Together
on page 66
suggests a
slew of family
portrait ideas for the holidays.
Send us your best family portrait by
December 31 and you could earn
$100 and your story here. Read the
rules at PopPhoto.com/contests.
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SHARE MENTOR SERIES SAN FRANCISCO
EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE

PHOTO ADVENTURE WHILE
ENHANCING YOUR VISUAL
CREATIVITY AND SKILL.
RICHARD FINN (FORT); OLLIN MILLS (HEADSHOT)
TOUR DE FORT
A structural shot pops

in black-and-white
HISTORY LESSON To let enough light

through his lens in the shadowy Fort Point
National Historic Site, Richard Finn relied
on a long exposure.
ORIGINALLY FROM Berkley, CaliforHands-On Learning

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nia, Richard Finn embarked on a San

Francisco Mentor Series trip that would
take him across the bay from his old
stomping grounds. An avid photography
hobbyist for the past 10 years, Finn was
ready to explore familiar geography with
a better-trained eye.
During a visit to Fort Point, a Civil Warera fort nestled at the base of the Golden
Gate Bridge, Finn rushed inside the
structure to capture a few frames before
it closed for the day. When they said
they were closing in 10 minutes I ran
upstairs and took some long exposures
because of the darkness, Finn recalls.
The interior is actually quite spooky.
Once upstairs, Finn quickly assessed
his surroundings in order to choose the
best spot to set up his tripod. With composition in mind, he igured out where to
shoot. I liked the long distance looking down the hallway that makes you
wonder where it goes off to at the end. It
draws you in, the photographer says.
He set a long exposure to combat the

dim light of the interior using a tripodmounted DSLR and 28300mm lens
zoomed to 34mm. His framing captured
an array of wonderful details, from the
old stonework to the mysterious halls to
the track marks left from canons being
dragged across the floor long ago.
Once he had the shot, he decided to
convert the image to monochrome in
postprocessing, an edit that highlights
the dynamic architecture and adds
depth to the image. I think making the
frame black-and-white gave it even
more of an old-time look, says the phoSara Cravatts
tographer.
Richard Finn
Richard Finn is
now retired and lives
in Livermore, California.
He has also gone on a
Mentor Series trek to
Portland, Oregon, and
plans to do more.
ders
a
e
R
l
a
u
n
n
23rd A
The Readers Photo Contest gives photographers the opportunity to

win prizes and have their work recognized in the March/April 2017
issue of Popular Photography, as well as on PopPhoto.com.
CATEGORIES
Action/Sports
Animals
Cities/Architecture
Landscape/Nature
Objects/Still Life
People
SUBMISSIONS
The competition is open to work produced in 2016.
All submitted artwork should be of reproduction quality.
ENTRY FEE: $10

DEADLINE: December 31, 2016
For a complete set of contest rules and prizes, or to enter, please visit
PopPhoto.com/2016PhotoContest
2015 Readers Contest winners clockwise from top left: Coriolana Simon, Ramesh Chandar, Slobodan Blagojevic, Braxton Wilhelmsen, Krista Long, Shane Wheel
SHARE YOUR TURN POPPHOTO@BONNIERCORP.COM
MONOCHROME
Saw staff photo (Editors
Letter, October). Looks like
its all white people. You
do realize that us black
folk buy cameras too, dont
you? Im black and Im a
long-term subscriber. This
is the 21st century. You
ought to be ashamed of
James Morton
yourself.
Philadelphia, PA
I VERY MUCH ENJOYED The Flooded

Forest by Paul Marcellini in the October
issue. However, his information is
insufficient for me to do what he did. As
anyone who has bought Metabones or
other adapters for using various lenses
on other manufacturers cameras, it
gets very tricky. For those who know,
sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.
HOW TO CONTACT US
Address your questions or
comments on editorial content
to Popular Photography, 2 Park
Avenue, New York, NY 10016;
email, PopPhoto@bonniercorp.
com. Published letters may be
edited for length and clarity.
We regret that we cannot
answer all letters. Editorial contributions sent by mail must
include return postage and will
be handled with reasonable
care; however, we assume
no responsibility for return or
safety of photographs, disks,
or manuscripts.
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POPPHOTOMAG
Could you please ask Marcellini which

Metabones adapter (full name and
number) he used for his Sony Alpha 7R
and Nikon 1424mm lens [for the photo]
on page 46? The same question for pages
4849 with his Sony A7R and Canon tiltshift lens? Was this the 17mm or 24mm
lens? I assume the 24mm since he
names it on page 50.
Steve Wilson
Fletcher, OK
EDITORS NOTE: We forwarded these

questions to Paul Marcellini, who
responded, For Canon lenses on the Sony
A7R, I used the Metabones Canon EF Lens
to Sony NEX Camera Lens Mount Adapter
Mark III. For Nikon lenses to a Canon
mount, I used a previously owned Novoflex
Nikon G to Canon adapter. So for the one
shot where I used the Nikon lens on the
Sony, I photographed using both adapters.
He did indeed use the 24mm tilt-shift,
a detail that we accidentally omitted in
editing the caption. We should also have
noted that the photo was a stitched image
of two horizontal frames taken at different
exposures, implied but not clarified by the
exposure data in the caption.
ON FACEBOOK
WE ASKED for your favorite

sport to photograph. A few of
the many responses:
Ive had the opportunity as an
amateur to shoot rodeo, soccer,
hockey, football, and golf. The
excitement was there for the rodeo...
but the most fun was the golf.
Rick Bavone
Rowing has to be one of the most

photogenic sports out there. Im
usually the rower, but when I get
the chance, Im out on the launch
with my camera.
James Stephenson
Curling. Its a slip-sliding bunch of
fun.
Leslie Hoerwinkle
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SHARE YOUR BEST SHOT
SHADES OF GREEN
This months winners turn to the beauty of the
environment for photographic inspiration
Want to enter?
Get the rules
and upload
your images at
PopPhoto
.com/contests.
3rd Place $100 Prize

GEORGIO GEORGIEV, 45, GYMNASTICS COACH, HUNTERSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
During one of multiple trips to Botany Bay Plantation on Edisto Island in South Carolina, Georgio Georgiev walked the
grounds to find inspiration for his photography project. After moving from Seattle, Washington, to North Carolina in
2016, Georgiev became intrigued with researching and learning about the South. That research led him to photographs
of Southern plantations, and he could not shake the images from his head. With the goal of making a large film print for
himself, Georgiev studied the wooded path of the Botany Bay Plantation in preparation for shooting. I drove to the area every
weekend for two months. I researched and planned and did test shots at different times of day, he recalls. Then I waited for
a rainy daythe colors are more saturated and the light is softer. TECH INFO: Mamiya RZ67 PRO II with 180mm f/4.5 Mamiya
lens, shot with a B&W polarizing filter on Fujifilm Velvia 50; exposure, f/11, ISO 50, shutter speed not recorded. High-res scan made
of the film negative; minor adjustments made in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
POPPHOTO.COM
2nd
Place
$200
Prize
MACIEJ BEDNARZ,
39, INTERIOR
DESIGNER,
WARSAW, POLAND
On a visit to Bornholm, a Danish island off the coast of
Sweden, Maciej Bednarz explored the
coastline illed with
green algae-covered
granite that. Every
day at sunrise and
sunset I moved to
another part of the
island, photographing new locations,
says Bednarz. It was
beautiful and peaceful at the end of the
day, as the suns last
rays illuminated the
bright green color of
the plants. Inspired
by the beautiful
algae, Bednarz set up
his tripod as low as
possible on the slippery granite rocks
and took 64 separate
exposures that he
would later stack
into the inal image
to get the effect of
the mist.
TECH INFO: Sony Alpha
6000 with a Rokinon
12mm f/2 NCS CS; exposure, 1/8 sec at f/14,
ISO 100. Basic adjustments in Lightroom 6.
POPPHOTO.COM
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1st Place
$300
Prize
MARCELA NOWAK,
23, STUDENT, NEW
YORK, NEW YORK
While taking a road
trip around Iceland,
Marcela Nowak
tracked Aurora Borealis forecasts with
an aim to capture the
naturally occurring
miracle on camera.
I drove ive hours
through the night to
photograph the sky,
she remembers. Totally worth it. When
Nowak irst caught
a glimpse of the
breathtaking lights,
she was camera-ready
at the edge of the
ocean in Bldudalur,
Iceland. It was the
irst time I had seen
the Northern Lights,
I didnt know what to
expect or what they
look like in real life.
I was so amazed by
what I was looking at,
I accidentally stepped
right into the freezing
ocean trying to get
the perfect shot! Her
perseverance was well
worth it, and her gorgeous long exposure
captured irst place.
TECH INFO: Tripodmounted Nikon D3 with
a 1424mm f/2.8 Nikkor
lens; exposure, 15 sec at
f/2.8, ISO 2500. Adjustments made to clarity and
noise in Lightroom.
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Take a road trip in

New Mexico P.38
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Freeze action with
accessory flash P.44
EXPERT TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER PHOTOS
LORRAINE SPAUWEN
YOU CAN DO IT
BLUE
DEW
Turn dandelions
into diadems
36
WHEN HER LCDS live view image

sharpened and its simple water
droplets seemed more like polished
gemstones, Dutch photographer
Lorraine Spauwen was getting close. A
single water drop can be an exquisite
world of its own, she says. You can
experiment endlessly with colors,
backgrounds, and objects refracted
through the jewel-like droplets. The

process engages her for hours.
A non-practicing psychologist from
the lower Netherlands, Spauwen
first discovered the photography of
dandelion seeds and water droplets
on the internet and immediately
wanted to try it herself. She liked
that it required no highly specialized
CROWN JEWEL
Spauwen exposed
her dandelion at
1/3200 sec and a
surprisingly wide
f/4, ISO 400, using
a Canon EOS 7D
and 100mm
f/2.8L Canon EF
Macro IS lens.
equipment or super sophisticated

techniques. No multi-image
focus bracketing or focus
stacking softwarejust a 1:1
macro lens, a DSLR, an atomizer,
tripod, and plain water.
In a nutshell, the process goes
like this: Spauwen starts with
getting the lighting right. Here, she
backlit her subject with sunlight
filtered through an opaque
glass window. For this type of
backlighting, you could also use
a little strobe kit and shine its
brightest light through a white
backdrop, she offers. For other
photos, she finds patterns on the
Internet, displays these on her
computer screen, and uses the
monitor to backlight her seeds.
(See more of her work at flickr
.com/photos/69711006@N07.)
After finding the dandelion seed
head, then styling and propping
it up, she composes her shot and
determines the exposure. Finally
she applies the water. For many
smaller droplets as in this photo,
I use a spray bottle and give the
THE
GEAR
CAMERA
Lorraine Spauwen
used a Canon EOS
7D for, among
other strengths, its
live view mode.
(Live view ensures
the best possible
[focusing]
accuracy, she
says.) You can
make dandelion
and water drop
close-ups, however,
with any DSLR or
interchangeablelens compact that
accepts the
close-up
accessories
mentioned below.
OPTICS
Glass that can get
you close enough
to dandelion seed
heads with
adequate
magnification
include dedicated
1:1 macro lenses
and close-up
filters. Of course, a
lens with greater
than life-size
magnification will
work wonders on
such a tiny subject.
OTHER GEAR
Other close-up aids
that could be
helpful here
include macro
focusing rails,
extension tubes,
and focusstacking software
such as Helicon,
Zerene, and
Photoshops Photo
Merge/Stack
Images tool.
seeds a squirt from about a foot

away. For larger drops on the seed
tops, I use a very small syringe with
a tiny needle, and carefully place
each droplet. I prefer plain water for
maximum clarity, but you can add
some glycerin for better adhesion,
she says.
Other tips for getting the shot:
SHOOT INDOORS. If you work
outside, the delicate dandelion seed
heads will move, even under windfree conditions. Indoors, make sure
the air in the room is still.
GET THE SEEDS. Now, in late fall,
you have two choices: dandelion
seed heads or individual seeds.
Southern photographers can
attempt the former because seed
heads are still available in warmer
U.S. states now. Shooters in colder
climes can ask friends or family
living in the south to mail loose
seeds in plastic boxes. (Most will
arrive in good condition.) Or just
use a more autumnal seedpod.
Step 2
Style the seed head. If youre
shooting a dandelion head, pluck
enough seeds so that the remaining
ones can be sharply captured
within the most limited depth of
field possible with your macro lens
focused at 1:1. Spauwen slims her
heads to just three rows of seeds.
Step 3
Build your set and test
exposures. Tape the dandelion
seed or seed head to the edge of
a pane of glass and place it in
front of your backlit background.
Because Spauwens macro lens has
a 1-to-2mm depth of field when
focused at 1:1, she typically sets f/8
for individual seeds and smaller
apertures for seed heads. Take a
test shot and adjust your camera
settings, focus, or subject placement
until youre satisfied with the results.
PRACTICE AND PRACTICE SOME

MORE. Especially if youre new to
close-up work, your first attempts
will probably look nothing like
the photo here. Dont be deterred.
Patience and viewing the many
online tutorials available will
ultimately pay off. Peter Kolonia
Step 1
Set up your gear. Almost any
camera and 1:1 macro lens will
work. Youll also need a sturdy
tripod and a remote shutter release
to avoid camera vibration and
motion blur. Spauwen recommends
using your DSLRs mirror lock-up
function for a similar reason. You
may want an off-camera flash to
light your background, depending
on the available light, she says. In
any event, dont front-light your
seeds. The water drops will pick
up hotspots, which prevent the
background from refracting through
them, and the tiny seed filaments
will record as white.
Step 4
Fire away. Experiment with
background brightness and the
relative distances between the
camera, subject, and background.
Try rotating the seed head, swapping
out backgrounds, and dimming
down the room youre working in to
dramatically darken reflections that
highlight droplet edges.
Final Step
Edit your image. Since the seeds
and background are monochromatic,
you will end up, essentially, with a
black-and-white shot. Import the
photo in your image editor and
experiment with levels, saturation,
and color balances until you arrive
at hues that please you. If you shot
individual seeds, now is the time to
clone out evidence of the glass and
tape. The cloning will be easier if
you shoot against single-tone, evenly
lit backgrounds, Spauwen suggests.
HOW TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHER NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE &
ENVIRONS
FOUR BEAUTIFUL
AND HISTORIC PLACES
GEORGIA OKEEFFE MUSEUM
217 JOHNSON STREET It would be
unthinkable to go to Santa Fe and not
visit the biggest collection of OKeeffes
work anywhere. The museum also
maintains her two homes and studios
in northern New Mexico (tours available
March through November only). Museum
open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays until
7 p.m. okeeffemuseum.org
BANDELIER NATIONAL
MONUMENT 15 ENTRANCE RD.,
LOS ALAMOS Some 11,000 years ago,
the cliff dwellings and masonry structures
of this 33,000-acre site, decorated with
petroglyphs, was home to the Ancestral
Peublo people. Open year-round, 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., weather permitting (access is
by shuttle bus only, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
every day). nps.gov/band/index.htm
SANTA FE WALKABOUTS 310

READ STREET Carve your own path
in winter by cross-country skiing or
snowshoeing. This outfit offers crosscountry tours of the 2.5-mile Norski
Trail (10,000 feet) that last 4 hours.
Snowshoe options will take you through
aspen forests and Ponderosa pines.
santafewalkabouts.com
ROAD TRIP
ALAN ROSS
Take a drive through

a living heritage
THE FEELING and richness of the
Spanish heritage in New Mexico is
tremendous, and even Ansel Adams
was taken with that, says Alan Ross,
a longtime Adams assistant who
has lived in Santa Fe for 23 years.
December, he notes, is glorious.
Santa Fe is at 7,000 feet, so we get
several six-inch snows a season.
A great way to dip into the Spanish
and Native American heritage is to
take what locals call the High Road
north from Santa Fe to Taos. You
can drive it in half a day, he says, but
theres plenty to shoot, so plan to
spend more time along the way.
First stop: the sacred village of
Chimayo, home to the El Santuario
de Chimay church, one that Adams

photographed many times. Look
through the great old doorway arch
into the face of the church, with two
towers rising above, Ross advises.
Its really quite moving.
From there you go quickly into a
landscape of mesas and arroyos to
the village of Truchas. Its wooded
and its a wonderful old town, very
quiet, with a little general store, he
says. Its very popular with artists.
Next comes the village of Las
Trampas, with the lovely old church
shown here. When it is open you
can go inside, and the carvings in the
ceilings are magnificent. Its a very
rich spiritual place, Ross says.
Shortly after, youll pass through
another beautiful village, Peasco,
with a rich culture. The road then
SAN JOS
DE GRACIA
Alan Ross
photographed the
entryway to this
historic landmark
church in Las
Trampas with a
4x5 Wista Field
camera and a
65mm Schneider
Super-Angulon
lens. He processed
his Kodak Tmax
100 film in Kodak
Xtol 1:1.
PICURIS PUEBLO SCENIC

HIGHWAY 76, PEASCO Located
in the Hidden Valley of the Sangre de
Christo Mountains, about 60 miles north
of Santa Fe, this community is known
for its arts, crafts, and pottery. Highlights
include a restored 200-year-old adobe
church (San Lorenzo de Picurs) and a
growing bison herd. picurispueblo.org
heads up into Alpine-like territory with
great vistas down into the Taos valley.
In Ranchos de Taos youll find the
famous San Francisco de Ass Mission
Church that Adams photographed
(and Georgia OKeeffe painted). The
architecture is fabulous, says Ross.
Finally, youll be rewarded with
the very famous Taos Pueblo where
Adams photographed his eponymous
book in 1930. Now make it your own.
Jeff Wignall
POPPHOTO.COM
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HOW SOFTWARE WORKSHOP ADOBE PHOTOSHOP LIGHTROOM FOR MOBILE 2.5
Step 1
To start shooting in Raw, download
and open the Lightroom Mobile app.
Log in with your Adobe ID if you have
one. If you create a new account, youll be
automatically enrolled in a 30-day trial of CC.
Step 2
Tap the Lr logo in the upper left to set
up preferences. I prefer to have Load Full
Resolution and Sync Only Over WiFi enabled.
Tap on the right side of the menu to return to
the main screen.
AFTER
RAW TO GO
Shoot and edit DNG
files in Lightroom
for iOS
DEBBIE GROSSMAN
WHEN ALL YOUVE got with you

is the camera on your phone, its
nice to be able to control it. Some
Android devices have allowed Raw
capture for a while now, and with
the release of iOS 10, its possible
on Apple devices, too. The more
recent iPhones and iPads that have
a 12-megapixel camera can now
shoot and edit Raw DNG files using
Adobes Lightroom Mobile 2.5. If
you have a CC account, you can
sync your edits with Lightrooms
desktop version. This tutorial is

for iOS, but editing Raw images in
Android works similarly.
Theano Nikitas
BEFORE
Step 3
To start shooting Raw images, you can tap the
camera icon in the bottom-right of the main
screen, but that will send your pics into the
catchall Lightroom Photos folder. Youll be
better organized if you create a collection first.
Click the plus (+) sign in the upper right

to create a new collection. Type a collection
name, and click OK. Open the collection, then
tap the camera icon to start shooting to it.
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HOW SOFTWARE WORKSHOP ADOBE PHOTOSHOP LIGHTROOM FOR MOBILE 2.5
Step 4
To make sure youre shooting
Raw, check the top of the camera
interface to see that it says DNG; it
will read JPG otherwise. The LR Mobile
camera allows you to adjust exposure
compensation as you shoot: Tap the +/
icon to tweak and view the results live.
Step 5
LRs camera also allows you to
adjust the flash settings, add
gridlines to your preview, and set
an automatic timer. Most useful is
the ability to change white balance
settings. AWB (auto) is the default;
tap it to see options for the usual
WB presets. Tap the dropper to set a
custom white balance. If you have
something neutral in your

scene or if you have a gray card
on hand, fill the frame with it
and then tap the checkmark.
Step 6
After shooting, go to your collection
and tap the image you want to edit
to open it. On the top right, click
the ellipses to reveal more

options, such as show/hide
information or histogram.
Or use a two-finger tap to cycle
through display options.
Step 7
Tap the Edit icon at the
bottom of the screen to reveal
the editing tools. For this image,
I clicked the White Balance tool
and changed it to Shade for slightly
more warmth (or use the Selector
dropper to sample the image and
set a custom white balance). Tap
and hold with three fingers to see
before/after views.
Step 8
In the lower right, tap Local Adjust (note: works
only with CC subscription and iOS). Choose
either the Linear or Radial selection tool

and place it on the image. I used a linear
selection set to 0.45EV to lower the exposure
in the top-right portion of the image. You can
add multiple linear and radial selections. Tap
Local Adjust again to return to the main screen.
Step 9
To get rid of the slight
haze in the picture,
open additional
tools by tapping
the Adjustment
Groups icon on
the far left of the
editing tools (circled).
Tap Dehaze and

move the slider
to +7.
Final Step
When youre done, tap Share and
choose image size. Choose your preferred
method of sharing (tap on ellipses and more
to find other options.) Tap the gear icon to
the right of Share to choose options such as
whether or not to share with metadata.
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HOW LIGHTING STOP-ACTION
TOOL
TIPS
FREEZE
FRAME
Use hot-shoe
flash units to
stop motion
SHARPLY CAPTURING anything in

flightbird, bat, or bugis a tricky
photographic task that can require
specialized lighting equipment
and techniques. The good news?
The gear wont cost you too much
and you can easily master the
techniques. Nicolas Reusens, an
award-winning Swedish nature
photographer now based in
Barcelona, teaches stop-action in a
series of popular seminars.
To light high-speed subjects
like this Geoffroys tailless bat
that Reusens captured in Costa
Rica, the photographer needed
his strobes to produce very short

flash durationsi.e., the time in
milliseconds that the flash tubes
emitted light. With longer bursts,
the subject would have shown
motion blur. The faster the bat, the
more intense the blur.
But theres a hitch: Quick
flash durations dont produce
much light, and without bright
light Reusens couldnt have used
an aperture small enough for
adequate depth of field. That this
bat is dark-hued only increased his
need for brightness.
So, rather than use a big, fast
E
A
PHOTOTRAP
INFRARED
CAMERA TRIGGER,
MODEL 33
With ports for
camera and flash
firing, the kit has an
IR transmitter,
receiver, and
controller. The
controller fine-tunes
firing with
sequenced delays
when the subject
breaks the IR beam.
$460, direct
LUMIQUEST
SOFTBOX III
This mini softbox
produces a softer
light source than
direct flash. The
closer a subject is to
the flash, the softer
the light. $49, direct
YONGNUO
YN560-III
SPEEDLITE
Reusens used four of
these flashes with
the Yongnuo
YN560-TX transmitter
($39, street). $63,
street (each)
A
C
KRIS HOLLAND/MAFIC STUDIOS
To light this Central American bat, Nicolas Reusens mounted four shoemount flashes [A] on Impact light stands. He aimed his Yongnuo flashes
to light the front, back, and underside of his subject, setting each at 1/16
power. Then he fired flashes and camera with a customized infrared
triggering system that consisted of an IR transmitter [B], receiver [C],
and controller [D]. The front flashes were modified with Lumiquest mini
softboxes [E], while the flash behind the bat used a customized snoot
[F] to narrow its output and prevent lens flare. This backlight was
the hardest to place, says Reusens. I wanted it to add volume to my
subject, but I couldnt allow its light to hit the lens, adding halos to the
final image. If you try this setup, he suggests making sure your flashs
batteries are charged, that you bring extras, and that if its cold, you have
socks to slide over the flash units to extend battery life.
studio strobe, Reusens piled on

the little accessory flashes. Notice
in the diagram here how three
of his units front-lit the bat from
about the same anglein fact, the
subject seems illuminated by a
single source. Since he used more
than one flash, the photographer
had multiple times the amount
of light that a single source could
produce. But because he set
each light to 1/16 power, he got
relatively short flash durations,
NICOLAS REUSENS
a well-exposed subject, and no

motion blur.
Timing is also an issue here.
His four flashes had to fire
simultaneously. To control the
instant that his flashes and camera
fired, Reusens used a customized,
infrared stop-action trigger similar
to the PhotoTrap shown here.
The device consists of an infrared
transmitter, receiver, and controller.
Reusens directed the transmitters
beam across the bats expected
WING THING
Nicolas Reusens
shot with a
Canon EOS 5D
Mark III and an
100mm f/2.8L
Canon EF Macro
lens, exposing
for 1/50 sec at
f/10, ISO 160,
with four flash
units at 1/16
power.
flight path. When the bat flew

in and broke the IR beam, the
flashes and pre-focused camera
simultaneously fired.
For this to work, Reusens studied
the bats habits and behaviors. A
day before the shoot, he positioned
bait (the fruit of a nightshade plant)
and then observed when the bat
would feed, the flight patterns it
used, how fast it would come in, and
where it would hover before eating.
From this, Reusens learned when to
be ready, where to place his camera,

lights, and motion sensors, and at
what point he should prefocus.
A complicated process, yes, but
taken in bits, its doable. Practice,
practice, and more practice,
says Reusens. It helps to create a
checklist that includes the factors
you have to consider, such as sensor
and flash placement and settings,
camera modes, lens prefocusing,
and so on, and then work your way
down item by item. Peter Kolonia
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FLASH DANCE!
Top Pro Captures Poetry In Motion with the
Nikon D500 & SB-5000 wireless flash system
Joe McNally is an internationally

renowned photographer and Nikon
Ambassador acclaimed for his versatility,
mastery of lighting, and great eye. His
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including National Geographic and Sports
Illustrated, and hes shot cover stories for
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Heres the remarkable story of how he
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Once I started experiencing what
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The thing that strikes me about the
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This freed me up compositionally
even when I composed radically, the
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The D500/SB-5000 ash setup
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Sizzling
lava, hidden
waterfalls,
dramatic waves...
unimaginable
beauty awaits
in Hawaii. Four
photographers
divulge their
best secrets for
capturing the
islands majestic
landscapes.
By Jennifer Chen
KALAPANA, THE
BIG ISLAND
Kory Lidstrom
captured lava
hitting the ocean
using a Canon
EOS 5D Mark II
with a 70200mm
f/2.8L Canon EF
IS lens set to
100mm. Exposure:
1/160 sec at
f/2.8, ISO 800.
WAIPIO VALLEY,
THE BIG ISLAND
Lidstrom
photographed
this waterfall with
a Canon EOS 5D
Mark II and
1635mm f/2.8L
Canon EF lens set
to 20mm.
Exposure: 1.3 sec
at f/16, ISO 200.
49
magine visiting a place

where you could photograph
untouched snow-capped
mountains and only a few
hours later capture a sunset
over a black sandy shore with
a sea turtle as your photo assistant.
Sure, Hawaii is known for its
sunny beaches, tropical breezes,
and relaxed vibe. But its unusual
microclimates allow you access
to some of natures best beauties.
The crystal blue waters are home
to fascinating underwater subjects,
chirping native birds live in the
forests, active volcanoes spew
out glowing molten earth, and, if
youre lucky, you can watch the
red-hot lava pour directly into the
ocean for an unparalleled sight.
We spoke with four photographers who are experts on the
islands to learn what makes
Hawaiis diverse environments so
intriguing. They shared their tips
for uncovering gems in one of the
worlds most photographed places.
Getting Around
The main airport in Hawaii is
Honolulu on Oahu, but there are
direct flights to the Big Island,
Maui, and Kauai as well. All four
photographers agreed that the Big
Island is the best place for photographing Hawaiis varied microclimates; Kory Lidstrom counts it as
his personal favorite. Youve got
snow-capped mountains, lava, rain
forests, and desert areas all in one
place, says Lidstrom. In particular, he encourages photographers
to explore the Puna region of the
island, which he deems the Wild
West of Hawaii. The region is the
least populated, and, he adds, its
undiscovered.
The photographers recommend
flying to Kona on the Big Island
and then heading over to the Hilo
side, which is rainier and offers
more ready access to volcanoes,
waterfalls, and rainforests. Staying
in the same hotel the whole time
is easiest, says Lidstrom. Since its
OCEAN IN
KILAUEA, KAUAI
Jon Cornforth
captured this
ocean scene
using a Sony
Alpha 7R and
1635mm f/4
Canon lens
(mounted using
Metabones
adaptor) with a
Singh-Ray 3-stop
reverse
graduated ND
filter. Exposure:
1/2 sec at f/18,
ISO 50.
KAMOAMOA,
HAWAII
VOLCANOES
NATIONAL PARK
G. Brad Lewis
captured ferns
growing out of
lava rocks on
Fujifilm Velvia 50
film using a
Pentax 6x7
camera. Exposure:
1/30 sec at f/22,
ISO 40.
an island, youre never more than

a few hours from anywhere. Jon
Cornforth advises taking a weeklong trip, focusing on one island,
and renting a car to hit all the sites.
You really need to rent a 4x4, says
Lidstrom. Some of the best locations are only reachable by 4x4.
Lookout points abound on
the islands, but getting off the
beaten path is one way to photograph images that are unique.
If you have your camera with
you all of the time and go along
the little side trails or spend the
day on the beach wandering,
its incredible what you can get,
says Varina Patel. Cornforth, who
recently made Kauai his home,
pokes around on Google Earth
for potential shoot locations, and
admits that perusing postcards
at the grocery store will give him
ideas of places he should check
out. Lidstrom adds, For landscape
photography, scouting is always
crucial. Some of my mentors have
said that for every hour you spend

shooting, you should spend four or
ive hours scouting.
When venturing out to shoot
hot lava, Lidstrom recommends
taking a boat tour. A boat is
actually the safest way to shoot
it. Nothing is going to happen to
you. Guidebooks and researching locales online are some ways
to ind the right spots, but when
Lidstrom wants the inside scoop,
he asks the locals.
What to Bring
With such varied terrain, you want
to bring the best equipment you
can while still packing sparingly.
That means light-as-possible
tripods, an array of ilters, zoom
lenses, and durable bags.
Lidstrom likes zoom lenses for
their versatility. He shot Kalapana
on the Big Island using his imagestabilized 70200mm f/2.8 lens. I
was at the widest aperture you can
get, f/2.8. A lot of experts on lava
will say not to bring a fast lens,
but when youre shooting on a
boat, you need to keep that shutter
speed up, Lidstrom explains.
For his waterfall image on page
49, Lidstrom opted for his Canon
1635mm f/2.8L because he
wanted a classic wide-angle landscape shot. Lidstrom waited until
the mist in the background was in
the right position before he pressed
the shutter. In landscape photography, youre always trying to create depth out of a two-dimensional
medium, says the photographer.
Varina Patel, who captured the
bluff and wave on pages 53 and 54,
respectively, advises using graduated neutral-density ilters. For the
Steaming Bluff image, Patel used
one to reduce the amount of light
coming in through the upper half
of the frame without affecting the
lower half. She also used a graduated ilter for the wave on Cape
Kumukahi to balance the bright sky
with the turquoise ocean.
WAIPIO
VALLEY,
THE BIG ISLAND
Lewis
photographed
this eroded
beach stone
on black sand
using his Nikon
N90 and Fujifilm
Velvia 50 film.
Exposure:
1 sec at f/16,
ISO 40.
HAMAKUA
FOREST
RESERVE, THE
BIG ISLAND
Kory Lidstrom
captured these
rainbow
eucalyptus trees
with a Canon EOS
5D Mark II and
70200mm
f/2.8L Canon EF
IS lens set to
155mm.
Exposure: 25 sec
at f/22, ISO 100.
Lidstrom recommends carrying standard neutral-density

ilters, too, especially when
shooting moving water like
waves or streams in bright light.
It allows you to increase your
shutter speed to capture the
level of texture in the water that
you prefer, he says.
And a polarizing ilter is a must.
Lidstrom adds, Polarizers are
incredibly useful for making jungle
greens look lush and they take the
glare off of the water, which one is
constantly shooting in Hawaii.
For toting equipment, Conforth
uses an rugged camera backpack,
a waterproof duffel bag, and he
packs a small umbrella and paper
towels, too. These are all essentials
in wet conditions, and it can be
very wet in Hawaii, he says.
Island Secrets
The untouched snow Cornforth captured at the summit
MAUNA KEA,
THE BIG ISLAND
Jon Cornforth
photographed this
pristine snowfall
with a Canon EOS
5D Mark II and
28mm f/2.0 Zeiss
Lens with
Singh-Ray LB
Warming Polarizer.
Exposure: 1/20
sec at f/16,
ISO 100.
CAPE KUMUKAHI,
THE BIG ISLAND
Varina Patel caught
this wave using a
Canon EOS 5D
Mark III with a
70200mm f/2.8L
Canon EF lens and
a 1.4X multiplier
and V graduated
ND filter. Exposure:
1/1600 sec at f/8,
ISO 200.
of Mauna Kea (above) was an

image 10 years in the making.
He waited for a storm to dump a
ton of snow on the summit and
then ventured out. The radical
elevation changegoing from
sea level to 13,500 feetisnt
for the faint of heart. It took
Cornforth 30 minutes to walk
a few hundred yards. I could

only take ive or ten steps in the
soft snow before I was out of
breath, her recalls. He hiked to
a section of snow where nobody
else had stepped, looked around
for the kind of composition he
wantedclean and simple with
no distracting elementsand
shot it with his Canon EOS 5D

Mark II, a Zeiss 28mm lens, and a
Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer.
Near Cornforths Kauai home,
theres a sinkhole that ills with
incoming waves. Sometimes it
can be a dangerous spot, particularly during the winter, because
of wave heights, and other times
of the year, the area has no
waves at all. Look at the weather
KILAUEA
CALDERA,
VOLCANOES
NATIONAL PARK
Varina Patel
captured
Steaming Bluff
using a Canon
EOS 5D Mark III
with a 2470mm
f/2.8L Canon EF
lens. Exposure:
1/160 sec at
f/18, ISO 400.
and surf forecast. If theres going

to be 30-foot waves crashing, do
not go there. If youre contemplating going, ask some locals
what they think. Ive set the gold
standard for myself that if I dont
see local people in the area, its
probably not safe for anybody.
Chatting with native Hawaiians can lead to wonderful,
hidden areas otherwise unknown
Rainforests Lewis also encourOur four photographers

reveal the best places to
photograph in Hawaii.
Volcanoes
Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park is a must for capturing
amazing lava. Varina Patel shares, Its
the only place on any of the islands where
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ZKHQDQGZKHUHWKHODYDLVRZLQJHDFK
day. Take special note of when the lava
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question, its the most incredible thing you
will ever see in your life, she says.
Jon Cornforth suggests hitting the lava
RZVDWWZLOLJKWWRVHHWKHPJORZLQJ%UDG
Lewis, who has spent 30 years photographing Kilauea, the most active volcano
on Earth, warns that shooting volcanoes
can often damage camera equipment
because of the acid steam, which can fry
electronics and ruin lenses.
ages photographers to check out Molokai.

Its an incredible rainforest like none
other on the planet, says Lewis.
2QWKH%LJ,VODQG\RXOOZDQWWRKHDGWR
the rainier east side of the island, which
contains several tropical rain forests.
Find the waterfalls, such as Rainbow
Falls and Akaka Fallsthey are breathtaking, Patel advises.
Beaches Cornforth suggests hitting

Secret Cove, a famous beach on Maui
ZKRVHORFDOQDPHLV3DDNR%HDFK:LWK
pristine, clear water, panoramic views, and
lava rocks, this is a picturesque destination for a reason. Conforth recommends
visiting the not-so-secret Secret Cove at
sunset, particularly after a storm has
passed, for dramatic cloud formations.
Patel says that all beaches in Hawaii are
public land. It doesnt matter how fancy
the hotel is, there has to be beach access
so you can get to any beach.
to tourists. Lidstroms image of

Monet-esque rainbow eucalyptus
trees on page 52 came about after
a local saw him setting up his
tripod. He mentioned to me that
there is a cool spot where there
are a whole bunch of these trees
right in a row.
For the photo, Lidstrom used
his Canon EOS 5D Mark II and a
telephoto lens (70200mm f/2.8L
Canon EF IS lens) to compress
the depth of ield. He used an f/22
aperture to make sure all of the
trees were in focus. He shot it at
25 seconds with a tripod.
Hawaii offers a huge variety of
terrains to explore, from rocky
beaches to rainforests. While
you might not be able to capture
every single thing on your bucket
list, with the right equipment
and a sense of adventure you can
surprise yourself with the number of different images you can
get. Just keep an open mind, and
take the roads less traveled.
Hawaiis beautiful beaches vary from

black-and-white sand to rocky areas, and
black lava. On Kauai, Cornforth suggests
H[SORULQJ.HH%HDFKORRNLQJGRZQWKH
Pali coast. Its usually the best during the
winter time because the sun is further to
the south, so the sun sets closer to the
coast, says Cornforth.
Mountains The snowy summit

RI0DXQD.HDRQWKH%LJ,VODQGWKDW&RQforth shot was not one that comes around
often. The road to the summit is often
closed because of adverse conditions
DIWHUDVWRUP%XWLILWLVRSHQ&RUQIRUWK
suggests making the trek there, though
he warns that the steep elevation gain is
UHDOO\GLIFXOWIRUDORWRISHRSOH
He adds, Ive managed to tough it
out a few times, but there are health
concerns people need to think about
before going up there. At the summit,
Cornforth found quite a crowd, so he
hiked around a crater rim to the other
VLGHWRQGDFOHDQSDWFKRIVQow.
POPPHOTO.COM
MetalPrints
Tis the Season for Stunning Vibrance

Annie K Rowland
Were here for you!
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Learn more at bayphoto.com/metalprints
PHOTOGRAPHYS
OUTSTANDING
PRODUCTS
Throughout the year

we examine, evaluate,
and test a ton of
equipment, then
make careful note
of the products that
can help make your
photography better
and more fun.
And now we give
the best of them
POP Awards for
Photographys
Outstanding
Products
for 2016.
Text by Dan Richards;
display photos
by Brian Klutch
A GREATEST HIT, PART 4
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
You say you want a revolution? Dont look for it in the 5D Mark IV, which continues Canons tradition
of making sensible, incremental improvements to the very popular 5D full-frame line. Sensor
resolution goes up to 30.4MP from the 22.3MP of the 5D Mark III, for an Excellent-rated picture
resolution of 3130 lines at lower ISOs in our lab test. The flip side is that it takes a hit in noise
performanceit maintains a Low or better rating to only ISO 3200, as opposed to ISO 12,800 for its
predecessor. Video capture also gets a bump up to 4K at 30 fps, up from 1080p HD of the Mark III.
And with this Mark IV, we finally have a 5D with Wi-Fi. $3,499, street, body only; usa.canon.com
MONSTER ILC ZOOM
Fujiilm Fujinon XF
100400MM F/4.55.6 R LM OIS WR
Just for reference, this focal length on Fujifilms APS-C
ILCs works out to the equivalent angle of view of a
150600mm lens on a full-frame camera, making
it ideal for sports, action, faraway scenics, and wildlife.
That it produces excellent sharpness, imperceptible
distortion, and virtually no light falloff across all
tested focal lengths doesnt hurt either. Nor does the
stellar performance of the Optical Image Stabilization,
which averaged four stops of additional handholding
BUFFER BLAST
Sony
CYBER-SHOT
RX100 V
In a world where we rarely see
innovative compacts, Sony
remains committed to pushing
them farther. The fifth iteration
of its RX100 can capture video
at up to 960 fps to allow up
to 40X slow motion for up to
8 seconds. It also captures
4K footage. The 20.1MP
camera has a buffer for up to
150 full-sized JPEGs at 24 fps
with AF tracking and metering
still in effect. The RX100 V
has a 2470mm equivalent
f/1.82.8 lens, and a pop-up
2,359,296-dot OLED EVF.
In other words, this is a little
camera for big-time shooters.
$998, street; sony.com
SUPERIOR STEP-UP
Nikon 1680mm
F/2.8-4 AF-S
NIKKOR DX ED VR
SPHERICAL SENSATION
360ly 4K
OK, so the 360fly doesnt make a perfectly spherical
capturethis single-lensed device will take in 360 degrees
horizontally, yes, but only 240 degrees vertically. It makes
up for this by capturing 30 fps at 4K-pixel densityin this
case, a 2880x2880 square formatwhich made for great
resolution and color in our field test. And its water- and
shock-resistant. Transfer videos from the 64GB internal
memory to a smartphone via Bluetooth or to a computer via
the included USB dock. $500, street; 360ly.com
If youve been looking to step up

from the kit zoom on your APS-C
model Nikon, the time is now. This
baby exceeds the previous Nikkor
step-up zoom in every wayits faster,
sharper, lighter, and has fluorine
coating on the front and rear elements
to resist grime and smudges. Scaling up
to a full-frame equivalent of 24120mm,
with good close focusing, and Vibration Reduction
for three stops of extra handholding leeway, it makes
for a great walking-around lens. Visible distortion at
16mm, yes, but its in line with competitive optics.
And priceybut may be well worth it to you.
$1,067, street; nikonusa.com

LOVELY AND TALENTED
Olympus Pen-F
The beautiful Pen-F reprises the look of the Olympus Pen F film
SLR of the 1960s, down to a film rewind knob (now the on/
off switch). But the modern 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds pulled
an Excellent resolution rating in our lab test, and its five-axis
sensor-shift image stabilization adds an average of four stops of
handholding leeway. View through the 2.36-million-dot EVF, or
on the touchscreen LCD. With its small size and light weight it is
a fine choice for a street shooter or traveler. $1,199, street,
body only; olympusamerica.com
TTL LOCATION MASTER
Adorama
Flashpoint
XPLOR 600 HSS TTL
Want a powerful monolight,
say 600 Ws? Check. Also want
location shooting with built-in
battery power? Check. And you
want TTL flash control? You got it with this
monolight, as long as youre a Canon or Nikon
shooter. The wireless transmitter will work up
to just about 32 feet in outdoor settings, and
built-in optical slaving lets you do multi-light
setups, too. And the Li-ion battery pack is
rated to up to 450 full-power pops.
$749, street, for single head and

transmitter; adorama.com
AB FAB PHONE CAM
Apple iPhone
7 PLUS
The iPhone 7 Plus piles on
upgrades: Its the first iPhone
with two lenses, a 28mm
f/1.8 and a 56mm f/2.8
(35mm equivalents), which
cuts down on digital
zooming for better picture
quality; optical image
stabilization for 4K video and
stills; digital flicker reduction
under fluorescents; and
an increased color gamut.
Note, these goodies are
available only in the 7 Plus,
not the smaller 7.
From $769, direct;

apple.com
SUPERSPEED PORTRAIT TELE
Rokinon 50mm
F/1.2 AS UMC
Designed for smaller-than-full-frame ILCs,
this lens from upstart Rokinon is available
in mounts for Canon M, Fujifilm X, Sony E,
and Micro Four Thirds. Depending on sensor
size, it works out to an equivalent of 75mm
to 100mmideal for portraits and candids.
Making it even more ideal, the lens tested with
excellent sharpness, imperceptible distortion,
and extremely well-controlled light falloff.
Whats missing? Autofocuslike most all Rokinons,
its manual-focus only. But focusing is silky smooth
and well damped, and the price is definitely right.
$429, street; rokinon.com
CRAZY-WIDE EYE
Venus Optics Laowa 12MM f/2.8

Our Pop Photo Test Lab team was highly skeptical when they got in this lens,
developed with funding from Kickstarter (!) by the Chinese firm Venus Optics. They
were gobsmacked by the test results: This full-frame orthoscopic (i.e., non-fisheye) lens
slam-dunked the tests, with excellent SQF, light falloff gone by f/4, and, most notably,
only slight barrel distortionreally, really good for a wide-angle with a 121-degree
angle of coverage (thats a third of the horizon). In mounts for Canon, Nikon, Pentax,
and Sony A and E; manual focus only. $949, street; venuslens.net
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Fujiilm Instax Share

SP-2 SMARTPHONE PRINTER
Hows this for a twist on instant prints? This pocketable printer, about the size of a biggish
smartphone, makes 2.4x1.8-inch prints on Instax Mini film from your smartphone (or from
Instagram or Facebook) via Wi-Fi. It uses RGB OLEDs to print in color, black-and-white, or
sepia. Hit the reprint button to make duplicate prints. It runs on CR2 lithium batteries;
10-print packs are about $8, street. $200, street; fujiilmusa.com
PEAK PACK EXPERIENCE
Peak Design
EVERYDAY BACKPACK 20L
Another Kickstarter baby, the Everyday Backpack pretty
much eliminates the need for a rain cover, as its Kodra
(a relative of Cordura) exterior is double-coated on each
side with polyurethane. The dual
side-access panels open to
an interior with three padded
dividers that fold out to
smaller sub-dividers, enabling
you to fit a big DSLR body and
three lenses. No rear access
panel, but clever anodized
magnetic hardware allows
the bag to expand while
staying securely fastened.
WHAT A DISH
Westcott Rapid
BOX BEAUTY DISH
Its a beauty dish! No, its an
umbrella! Stop, its two light
modifiers in one! This highly
portable, collapsible gadget
opens up like an umbrella to
form a 24-inch-diameter dish,
and comes with a diffusion panel
that lets it mimic a small softbox.
Its available in mounts for the
major studio strobes.
$300$350, street,
depending on strobe
mount; fjwestcott.com
$219, street;
peakdesign.com
BEST DXER YET
Nikon D500
AN 85 WITH EXTRAS
Tamron SP 85MM F/1.8 VC

Ho hum, another 85mm f/1.8 lens. But when we
looked at the specs and test performance of this
full-framer, we promptly stopped ho-humming. This
is the first fast 85mm lens with image stabilization
Tamron calls it Vibration Controland it garnered an
average of three stops extra handholding leeway for
our testers. Distortion was imperceptible, and light
falloff was nonexistentthats none, at any aperture. Its
sealed against moisture, has fluorine coating on the front
element to resist goop, and, borrowing a page from Sigma,
can connect with a TAP-in Console for firmware updates and
AF adjustments. In mounts for Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
$749, street; tamron-usa.com
Its been a whileseven

yearssince Nikon last
introduced a pro-grade DX
(Nikon-speak for APS-Cformat) DSLR, but boy was it
worth the wait. With 20.9MP,
the D500 aced an Excellent
image quality rating from
ISO 503200 in our lab
test. From the top-of-theline Nikon D5 it inherits the
153-point autofocus system,
2.4-million-dot touchscreen,
180,000-pixel metering
sensor, and 30 fps 4K video
capture. The full ISO range
goes from 50 to 1,638,400
(yes, thats ISO 1.64 million),
but the stratospheric ISOs will
give you lots of noise. Sports
and action shooters note: The
D500 can crank along at 10
fps, up to 200 JPEGs, and
one of the two card slots is
for super-speedy QXD cards.
Have a set of DX lenses? This
may well be the upgrade body
youre waiting for.
$1,997, street, body

only; nikonusa.com
RETRO ROCKET
Fujiilm X-Pro2
The X-Pro2 builds on the X-Pro1 without messing with
success. The chief upgrade is the 24.3MP X-Trans APS-Cformat sensor, up from the 16MP chip of the X-Pro1. The
hybrid viewfinderwhich can go from an optical finder
to an EVFnow switches near-instantly via a single lever.
To aid manual focusing, you can also superimpose an
enlarged electronic view in a lower corner, and, in the
EVF or LCD, impose a split-image focusing
aid. AF has been beefed up with
more focusing points, and the
already ergonomic body has
been made more so. If youre
comfortable limiting yourself
to an EVF instead of the
X-Pro2s hybrid finder, you
can save about $100 and
opt for Fujifilms X-T2.
$1,699, street, body

only; fujiilmusa.com
LIGHTNING SCANNER
Epson FastFoto
FF-640 HIGH SPEED PHOTO
SCANNING SYSTEM
Get those shoeboxes full of photos out of the closet! This
device is designed for digitizing old family photos, and can
blaze through 60 4x6-inch prints per minute at 300 dpi (and
at a max of 600 dpi at half that speed). Moreover, with two
scan heads, it can scan the back of prints simultaneously
for hand-written notes or date stamps. It can handle prints
up to 8.5 inches wide and 120 inches long, so it wont choke
on panoramic prints. Mac- and Windows-compatible, it can
auto color-correct and be configured to scan in grayscale for
enhanced speed. $650, street; epson.com
SPEEDY TELE-ZOOM
Sigma 50100mm
F/1.8 DC HSM ART
If a 2X zoom range doesnt impress you,

this other numberf/1.8should, because
thats a constant wide aperture on this
APS-C- format lens, making it a superlative
choice for portraits, low-light candids, and
action. Available in mounts for Nikon,
Canon, and Sigma DSLRs, it translates into
a full-frame equivalent of 75150mm or
80160mm, depending on camera make.
As part of Sigmas Art series of high-end
lenses, its chock full of exotic glass, uses
the super-quiet HSM motor for autofocus,
and can mate with Sigmas USB Dock for
firmware updates and AF adjustments.
And yes, its big (6.3 inches long) and
heavy (3.3 poundseek!), but repeat over
to yourself: f/1.8, f/1.8...
$1,099, street; sigmaphoto.com
CABLE-FREE MONOLIGHT
Broncolor Siros 800 L
Portable battery power for monolights is now commonplace, but the Siros 800 L showcases
the latest trendbuilt-in Li-ion battery power that eliminates the separate power pack and
cables for a truly all-in-one strobe. This unit impressed us with its power, 800 Ws, variable
over a nine-stop range; accurate output; and consistent color temperature throughout the
range. It will give you 220 full-power pops, and you can swap in another battery ($290,
street) to keep on shooting. A Broncolor app lets you control the unit from a smartphone.
Whats missing? TTL control, which were seeing on more and more studio strobes.
$2,347, street, for single head; $4,699 for two-head kit with umbrella, softbox,
relectors, and rolling backpack; bron.ch
PROVOCATIVE PACK
Wandrd Prvke 21
The Prvke (pronounced provoke) is another Kickstarter-funded adventure backpack obviously

designed with photographers in mind. To wit: tough tarp and dobby fabric construction, side access
panels, weather-resistant zippers, a sling strap with a 1/420 tripod-mount screw that lets you
ditch the camera strap, and an accessory gear cube that you can customize for your cameras and
lenses. And an FAA-approved sleeve for laptops up to 15 inches.
$165, direct; $270 for photo bundle with gear cube, accessory straps, and rainly;
wandrd.com
POWERFUL PRO PRINTER
Canon Image
PROGRAF PRO-1000
In our lab test of this printer, we
liked some un-pro-like things about
it: the setup was very easy, and
the pared-down menus made for
less complicated operation. But we
liked the pro qualities too: excellent
color rendering on prints up to
17x22 inches (sheet media only),
the built-in color density sensor,
and the 12-cartridge Lucia pigment
inkset. One of those cartridges
is Chroma Optimizer, designed
to counteract the color shift
that can occur with glossy
papers. Relatively fast
for its class: six minutes
for a 13x19 at best
quality. Not for the faint
of back, thoughthis
monster weighs
70 pounds.
FRINGE FIGHTER
Canon EF
35MM F/1.4L II USM

Version II of Canons high-speed full-framer ups the
ante with a new type of optics said to substantially
reduce chromatic aberrationthe optical nastiness
that can produce color fringing and blurry
edges. We tested it, and found the claim to be
truefringing was practically non-existent. Same
was true for optical distortion, which was rated
imperceptible. And as for sharpness, it turned
in excellent SQF numbers. Its expensive, and
relatively heavy, but its one L of a lens.
$1,699, street; usa.canon.com
$1,300, street;
usa.canon.com
FAST WIDE-ANGLER
UPGRADE TO A CHAMP
Sony Alpha 6300

The Sony a6000 is a hard act to follow, but Sony managed it with the
a6300. While the pixel count is about the same, the 24.2MP APS-C
sensor is new, employing copper wiring for faster data throughput.
Combined with a tweaked image processor, it speeds up autofocus,
allows 4K video at 30 fps, and 11 fps continuous shootingwith
metering and AF between shots. Image quality proved Excellent
through ISO 3200. Sensitivity gets bumped up to ISO 51,200, and
the new model has nearly three times the number of AF points as
the a6000. As far as the design, Sony did littlefine by us.
$998, street, body only; sony.com
Tokina AT-X
1420MM F/2 PRO DX

An extra-wide-angle zoom with an
f/2 constant aperture! This APS-C format zoom is the
equivalent of 2130mm (Nikon) or 22.432mm (Canon),
the two mounts in which its available. In our lab, it came
through with Excellent SQF numbers at all
tested focal lengths, and stellar light falloff performanceas
in none at 16mm. At the widest focal length, it did show
visible barrel distortion, although not that unusual and on
par with competitive lenses. Note to Tokina: How about a
version in Sony and Pentax mounts?
$799, street; tokinalens.com

JENNY SKIBO/ PASSION FOR LILFE PHOTOGRAPHY (9)
Get Together
Have a whole bunch of family
and friends gathering for the
holidays this winter? Dont miss
the chance to capture the experience.
Here are 10 projects that will
help you remember the people you
love just as they are right now.
By Debbie Grossman
Family Photo Booth
A popular choice at weddings and events,

photo booths (such as the one photographer
Jenny Skibo used to make the images above) are
simple to set up and bring out the joy and silliness
in even your grumpiest relations. WHAT YOU NEED:
To capture everyone, ind a big white wall or, better
yet, hang a backdrop. Bring a light stand, a flash
or strobe, and a big umbrella to bounce the light
(a 7-foot parabolic can be had for around $100).
TIP: Gather goofy holiday-appropriate

props for added fun. Use a tripod to get
yourself in the picture, or take the camera
off the tripod and use a zoom lens to get
closer or farther depending on the number of subjects.
Portraits of All
Dinnertime 360
A twist on the photo booth but

scaled down: Rather than the
quick silliness of the booth, have each subject sit on a stool (this makes lighting easier
on youless height variation!) and sit for
a portrait. When youre done, convert to
black-and-white in post and compile them
all into a book. WHAT YOU NEED: A backdrop is ideal, but a white wall will do ine
in a pinch. Bring a strobe or powerful flash
plus a single medium-sized softbox.
TIP: Set your light source above and slightly
off to the right or left of your subject. But
dont create too much of an angleif you
do, youll end up with Rembrandt lighting.
Want to remember exactly what

it was like to gather with your
friends and family at the table? Make
your centerpiece a 360-degree camera and
capture video that will immerse you in
the moment for years to come. WHAT YOU
NEED: A camera such as the 360Fly 4K
(see Pop Awards, page 56) or Ricoh Theta S.
TIP: If it can capture a full sphere (as the
Theta can), place the camera on the table,
dangle it from the chandelier, or mount it
on the ceiling. With a single-lens camera
like the 360Fly, youll get better results if
you mount it above.
Instant Photo Book
Make a one-of-a-kind record of

your gathering by combining
instant prints and handwritten words in
a scrapbook. WHAT YOU NEED: Use a small
instant printer to print from a phone (such
as the Fujiilm Instax Share SP-2, page 56),
or better yet, get an instant camera (see
Roundup on page 16); the pictures take
on extra magic without the preview. Get a
blank album from a craft store and a few
pretty pens. TIP: If you opt for an instant
camera, take the pictures yourself or ask
one of the party guests to do so. Since its
hard to tell without a screen if youve got

yourself in the shot, avoid wasting ilm on
failed selies.
Generational Groups
At family gatherings, you can often

bring together memorable groups:
grandmothers, mothers, and daughters;
all the cousins; all the babies. Set up your
camera to capture environmental portraits
of these subsets. WHAT YOU NEED: Lighting these can be as simple as bouncing a
hotshoe flash off the wall or the ceiling. A
50mm lens (or equivalent) is great for these
shots because it minimizes distortion but
is wide enough to allow you to shoot in
smaller spaces. TIP: Use a chair as a posing
device, and have your oldest subject sit
down, while younger generations lean or
stand around them. Remember to set your
lens at f/5.6 or smaller so that you keep
all of your subjects sharp. Think in terms
of printing when you composegrandma
will inevitably want an 8x10-inch print to
frame, so make sure to leave enough room
around the edges for cropping.
The Everyone
Panorama
Remember those long, old-timey

pictures of huge groups of people all
lined up in a row? They were taken using
panoramic cameras. You can get the same
effect by shooting a bunch of overlapping
frames and stitching later. WHAT YOU NEED:
Just use your usual camera and choose a
lens that doesnt distort much. TIP: Line
everyone up, set your camera to manual,
focus, and turn off autofocus. Then walk
along the group of guests in as straight a
line as you can, taking plenty of overlapping shots. Put them together in postproduction using your favorite stitching
software, or use the one that comes with
your usual image editor.
Mini Documentary
Use your cameras video function

to capture your guests current
mood. Have them sit in front of your
camera and ask them each the same three
questions. Go cheesy or silly, have them
make predictions, or ask them what they
remember most about the year that just
passed. WHAT YOU NEED: Your quality will

vastly improve if you get a lavaliere microphone (usually available for less than $10),
which allows you to record sound to your
smartphone phone or other audio recorder.
Set the camera on a steady tripod.
TIP: Shooting this is a great task to give to
the surly teenagers at your gathering.
Time Lapse
Pet P.O.V.
Make a time-lapse video to tell the

story of your holiday. You can show
a pile of neatly wrapped presents going
from order to chaos, candles going from
burning bright to burning out, or a buffet
going from laden to empty. WHAT YOU
NEED: An action cam or an old smartphone
loaded with a time-lapse app (so you dont
have to let your real camera out of your
hands for long). Youll also need a small
flexible tripod or other mounting device.
TIP: Just mount it somewhere, hit record,
and forget about it. If you try to direct,
youll end up taking the fun out of the day.
But do run a test to make sure its working!
Another great use of an action

cam? Mount it to your pet for a
unique view of your gathering.
WHAT YOU NEED: A willing petdogs
are usually the best bet for this, but any
animal friendly enough and large enough
to wear an action-cam harness will do.
TIPS: You dont want to make the animal
wear the camera the whole time. Try to
choose a moment when somethings
going on that will interest your pet.
For a dog that likes people, consider
mounting the camera during the time
that guests arrive. For a food-driven pup,
start ilming during dinner.
10
#HashtagFamily
Keep track of all the photos

your family shares on
social media by giving your gathering a
hashtag. WHAT YOU NEED: If you want to
get fancy, print the hashtag on cards ahead
of time. But its just as easy and eficient to
simply text or tell your guests!
TIPS: Pick a unique tag and include the
year, which will make it easy to change it
up and keep the thread going next year.
Free Creative Education

youtube.com/AdoramaTV
01. Olympus Pen F
03. Canon EOS-1DX Mark II
20MP Live MOS Sensor
20.2 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor

4K video up to 60 fps,
Built-in GPS
Optional Wi-Fi Transmitter WFT-E8A
50MP High Res Shot Mode

2.36M-dot OLED Electronic Viewnder
1,199.00 SKU: IOMPFB
5,999.00 SKU: ICA1DXM2
05. Hasselblad
X1D-50c 50MP
CMOS, 50 megapixels
Dual SD card slots
Hasselblad Natural Color Solution
3.0 inch TFT type, 24 bit color
8,995.00 SKU: HSX1D50C
02. Leica Q
04. Pentax K-1
06. Canon EF 11-24mm
Full-frame 24 MP CMOS Sensor

Video recordings in Full HD
Integrated Wi-Fi and Leica Q-App
Fastest autofocus
36.4 effective MP
High Sensitivity 204,800 ISO
33 Point Auto-Focus System
Professional H.264 Full HD video
L-series ultra-wide zoom lens

Super UD element and one UD lens
Subwavelength Coating (SWC)
Air Sphere Coating (ASC)
4,250.00 SKU: ILCQ
1,946.95 SKU: IPXK1
adorama.com/TradeST
2,999.00 SKU: CA11244
07. Nikon D5 FX-Format

20.8MP FX-format CMOS image sensor
4K Ultra High Denition
12 fps continuous shooting with full AF
and AE performance
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Zeiss Milvus 18mm

f/2.8 P.80
AUTHORITATIVE TESTS, REVIEWS, & BUYING ADVICE
ILC TEST
ONE OF A KIND
An interchangeablelens compact like
no other
SIGMA HAS MADE its name
by creating some of the best
lenses at reasonable prices.
For many years now, the
company has also been making
cameras. Sigmas owners have
said that they do so partially
to gain a better and deeper
understanding of imaging so
that they can continue to make
better lenses. Lately though,
Sigmas cameras have also used

interesting designs, forcing
photographers to think about
what the concept of a camera is
and how it might evolve.
Sigmas latest, called the sd
Quattro, presents a take on the
mirrorless interchangeable lens
camera (ILC) thats quite unique.
Like the dp2 Quattro we tested
in our November 2014 issue, the
sd Quattro uses an APS-C-size
Foveon X3 sensor. The sensor
has three layers of pixels, using
the top layer for most of the

image detail information and the
bottom two primarily for color
information. When put together,
the result is a 5472x3648 image,
but while thats just about a
20MP image in terms of pixel
output, the sd Quattro can resolve
significantly more fine detail than
a typical 20MP sensor would.
In addition to its funky design
and unusual sensor, the sd
Quattro has a 2,360,000-dot
LCD electronic viewfinder, plus
SIGMA SD
QUATTRO
KEY SPECS
SENSOR: Foveon X3
CMOS sensor with one
19.7MP and two 4.9MP
layers (APS-C)
SENSITIVITY: ISO
1006400
BURST RATE: 3.7 fps
AUTOFOCUS: Hybrid
phase- and contrast-detect
PRICE: $799, street,
body only
INFO: sigmaphoto.com
POPPHOTO.COM
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keeps us constantly striving for perfection.
See more about all of our AdoramaPix Ambassadors at adoramapix.com/ambassador
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3.7 in.
LAB ILC TEST SIGMA SD QUATTRO
3.6 in.
5.8 in.
PHILIP RYAN (LCD IMAGE)
SHOWN WITHOUT A LENS
a 3-inch, 1,620,000-dot LCD on

the camera back. Autofocus
is handled by a hybrid phase/
contrast-detect system. Plus, the
magnesium-alloy body resists dust
and splashes, and its Sigma SA
mount makes it compatible with a
very wide array of existing lenses
originally made for DSLRs.
When the opportunity arose,
we couldnt say no to running
the sd Quattro through our full
array of tests in the Popular
Photography Test Lab and in realworld shooting in the field.
In the Test Lab
Whats Hot
While early versions of Sigmas

Foveon sensor didnt deliver
amazing resolution in our tests,
the Foveon X3 sensor has shown
solid performance at lower
ISOs. The sd Quattro earned an
Excellent rating at its lowest
sensitivity of ISO 100. Our strict
standards for noise performance
limit that Excellent rating to ISO
100, but some shooters might not
find the noise to be too excessive
at ISO 200 or ISO 400. Converting
to black-and-white, with some
The best imaging

Foveon has in an
ILC body with a
unique design
Whats Not
Noisy at high ISOs
Who Its For

Foveon fans who
want to make
the most of their
collection of glass
with an ILC body
allowance for graininess,

can make higher ISOs more
appealing.
In our color accuracy test, the
sd Quattro sneaked in just under
our cutoff for top honors for an
Excellent rating with an average
Delta E of 7.9. Fans of Foveonequipped cameras often point
to color rendition, especially
the smoothness of transitions
between colors as something that
they like about the sensor.
Like the dp2 Quattro, the sd
Quattro delivered impressive
results in our resolution test.
The camera captured enough
detail for an Excellent rating at
all sensitivities except its highest
setting of ISO 6400, where it fell
just below our cutoff of 2500
lines per picture height for our
highest rating. At ISO 100 the sd
Quattro captured 3140 linesan
impressive result. It essentially
ties Canons 30.4MP EOS 5D Mark
IV, which captured 3130 lines at
its lowest sensitivity of ISO 50.
The Canon beats this Sigma
when it comes to noise, offers
sensitivities well beyond ISO
6400, and has numerous other
features that the sd Quattro
doesnt, but it also costs about
$2,800 more. If, like many Foveon
enthusiasts, you want a lot of
resolution and dont need higher
ISOs for your shooting style, the
sd Quattro might appeal to you.
As sensitivity increases, the
resolving power of the sd Quattro
remains solid, though toward
the top end of the ISOs, youll
be looking at all that resolution
through a snowstorm of noise.
The camera captured 2900 lines
at ISO 400, falling to 2625 by ISO
1600 and 2475 lines at ISO 6400.
Indeed, noise control isnt the sd
Quattros strong suit. At ISO 100
the camera garnered a Low noise
rating in our test. Stepping up to
ISO 200 resulted in a Moderate
rating. At ISO 400 the camera hit
POPPHOTO.COM
TEST RESULTS
IMAGE QUALITY
ISO 100
In the Field
NOISE
EXCELLENT
POOR
EXCELLENT
RESOLUTION
ISO 100
3140 EXCELLENT
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
POOR
4000
LOW 1.8
ISO 100
MODERATE 2.4
ISO 200
UNACCEPTABLE 3.0
ISO 400
UNACCEPTABLE 4.4
ISO 800
UNACCEPTABLE 6.0
ISO 1600
UNACCEPTABLE 11.1
ISO 3200
EXCELLENT
COLOR ACCURACY
UNACCEPTABLE 20.5
EXCELLENT 7.9
HIGH
EXCELLENT
HIGHLIGHT/SHADOW DETAIL
3.0
2.5
2.0
UNACCEPTABLE
ISO 6400
1.5
1.0
0.5
EXTREMELY LOW
CONTRAST
HIGH
LOW
AT ISO
HIGH
EXTREMELY HIGH
LOW
Unacceptable, though just barely. By

ISO 800 it was solidly in Unacceptable
range and you really start to see the
noise in most images. Beyond ISO
EXTREMELY HIGH
800 noise becomes heavy, though as

mentioned earlier you can probably
get acceptable black-and-white shots
depending on your taste.
The sd Quattros body has an

unusual look, with a bottom that
swoops up under the grip. That
grip is quite deep, though its still
comfortable to hold if you dont
have large hands. A single SD card
slot is embedded in the right-hand
side of the grip. The two command
wheels on top of the camera
let you swap their functions
in each of the four shooting
modes. Theres not a whole lot
of customization of controls
available beyond that.
While the grip feels nice in the
hand, the balance of the camera
can be off, especially when using
longer lenses. We used Sigmas
excellent 1835mm f/1.8 Art zoom
for the majority of our field testing
and found that the camera pulls
down and to the left more than
wed like. Also, since Sigma made
the mount to accommodate its
own DSLR lenses, theres a tube
more than an inch long that

separates the mount and the
rest of the camera body. This
makes up for the area that
the reflex mirror in a DSLR
would occupy, and the size
somewhat negates the benefit
of going mirrorless in the first
place. With that 1835mm
lens mounted, the sd Quattro
becomes somewhat bulky.
In addition to the LCD
that you can use for menu
navigation, framing your shot, or
playback, theres a status display
to the right that shows you
exposure compensation, ISO,
metering mode, and shooting
mode, along with shutter speed,
aperture, battery remaining, and
how many more shots you can
fit on your memory card.
Five buttons to the right of
the status display let you adjust
those settings or turn the status
display off if you dont want the
SPECIFICATIONS
IMAGING: Foveon X3 Direct Image CMOS
sensor with one 19.7MP (5440x3616) and
two 4.9MP (2720x1808) layers sensitive
to blue, green, and red (respectively) with
14 bits/color in Raw mode
STORAGE: One SD/SDHC/SDXC slot. Stores
JPEG, X3F Raw, or Raw + JPEG files
BURST RATE: Full-sized JPEGs (Fine mode),
up to 12 shots at 3.7 fps; Raw, up to 12 shots
at 3.7 fps (14-bit); Raw + JPEG, up to 12 shots
at 3.7 fps
AF SYSTEM: Hybrid phase-/contrastdetection with 9 selectable and resizeable
focus areas; single-shot, continuous with
motion prediction; face detection; effective
range, 1 to 18 EV (at ISO 100, f/1.4)
SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/4000 to 30 sec,
plus B (1/3-EV increments); shutter life not
distraction when shooting in dark
environments. The QS button just
behind the shutter release lets you
access a dashboard-style menu for
other commonly used settings, such
as white balance, image size and
rated; flash sync to 1/180 sec

METERING: TTL metering; evaluative,
centerweighted, and spot (size of spot not
specified); range, 0 to 17 EV (at ISO 100)
ISO RANGE: ISO 1006400 (in 1/3-EV steps)
VIEWFINDER: Fixed eye-level LCD with
2,360,000-dot resolution; 100% accuracy;
1.10X magnification
LCD: Fixed 3.0-in. TFT with 1,620,000-dot
resolution, seven-step brightness adjustment
OUTPUT: USB 3.0, mini-HDMI video
BATTERY: Rechargeable BP-61 Li-ion; CIPA
rating, 200 shots
SIZE/WEIGHT: 5.8x3.7x3.6 in., 1.5 lb with
SD card and battery
STREET PRICE: $799, body only; $999 with
30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art lens
INFO: sigmaphoto.com
quality settings, and drive mode.

Burst shooters wont be doing
backflips over the cameras
continuous drive mode of 3.7 frames
per second with a maximum of 12
shots until the buffer fills. If you

step down to Low or S-Low image
size the rate increases to 4.3 fps
with a 24-shot buffer capacity,
though thats a lot to ask for a
burst speed below 5 fps these days.
That said, we doubt that most
Sigma shooters, who tend to favor
landscapes, will mind. Similarly,
we doubt that theyll mind that the
sd Quattro doesnt shoot video.
Autofocus isnt as slow as it
was with earlier Sigma cameras,
though its not as fast as other
mirrorless systems weve
used. And it provides only nine
selectable areas. You can adjust
the size of those areas to be small,
medium, or large, but it'd be nice
to have more areas to choose from.
The EVF can show plenty
of detail, but if you try to pan
quickly or even at moderate
speed, the image will distort.
This likely has to do with the
slow refresh rate of the EVFs
COMING SOON
In addition to
this camera,
Sigma has
announced the
sd Quattro H.
That camera will
use an APS-H
sensor with
more pixels
instead of the
APS-C sensor
in this camera,
resulting in a
1.3X lens factor
instead of the
1.5X factor of
the sd Quattro.
LCD. Also, the EVF is located

slightly to the right of the lens
mount, which means that your
nose will probably touch the rear
LCD while shooting, which isnt
ideal when it comes to reviewing
the shots youve captured. If you
like to keep both eyes open while
shooting, though, youll find your
view blocked by the camera body.
We expect that there will be some
Sigma shooters irked by this since
its not uncommon for street
shooters to shoot with both eyes
open and we know that there is a
good contingent of street shooters
among Sigma camera fans.
The Bottom Line

Fans of Sigmas cameras will
likely embrace the sd Quattro.
The image quality is quite good
and, from what weve seen, Sigma
shooters dont often demand
super-fast bursts or extremely
Go everywhere.
Be ready.
Technical camera carrying systems

for all photographers
cottoncarrier.com / 1-877-852-9423
high ISOs. For their style of

shooting the sd Quattro delivers
what they want.
If youre not already a fan of
the system and are used to what
most other DSLRs offer, though,
changing to a Sigma camera can
be a bit of a jolt. Especially if
youre used to robust autofocus
and burst capabilities or shoot
handheld in low light.
As usual, Sigma has made a
camera that should appeal to its
loyalists, but may leave others
scratching their heads. We do
respect the fact that the company
keeps trying to honor its founders
desire to make camera bodies and
that its engineers keep exploring
interesting new design ideas
even if they seem odd to some
photographers. The sd Quattros
ability to resolve fine detail may
be enough reason to prize it.
Philip Ryan
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Publisher: Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Avenue, New York,
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of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Greg
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Tis the Season

to Share Something Special!
Quality. Service. Innovation.

Were here for you!
LAB LENS TEST ZEISS MILVUS 18MM F/2.8 ZF.2
PRIME WIDE
BRIAN KLUTCH
ITS BEEN a century since Zeiss irst

produced camera lenses, but it has
managed to make its classic manual-only primes feel supremely up to
date. Case in point: the new Milvus
18mm f/2.8 for full-frame Canon
and Nikon DSLRs. (On APS-C-size
sensors, its the equivalent of about
a 29mm or 27mm, respectively.)
We tested the Nikon (ZF.2) version,
which retails for $2,299 (street).
An update of an earlier Zeiss
18mm f/2.8 that we never tested,
this Milvus has 14 elements in 12
groups, including two aspheric elements; its floating element design
helps compensate for imaging errors
at different distances. The Nikonmount version has a de-clicked
aperture function for video shootingit comes with a small key that
easily turns a screw 180 degrees on
the lens mount to give you access to
the full range of interim apertures.
Its a nice added feature.
This handsome lens boasts a
metal barrel and weather-sealed
construction built to last. Its rubberized focusing ring is comfortably
large and easy to grip, and it turns as
smooth as butter. The focusing scale
has the brightest, whitest numbers
weve seen on a lens, but they are
very close together, making the distance markings at the near end hard
to read. We like the extensive depthof-ield scale that covers f/422,
along with the IR mark at f/4.
At 3.32 inches without the petalshaped metal bayonet hood that
comes with it, the lens is short in
length. Its much smaller than fast
zooms that span its focal length, and
more than an inch shorter than the
Zeiss Distagon 15mm f/2.8. The only
comparable glass weve tested thats
smaller is Nikons older 20mm f/2.8D.

The same pattern holds for weight:
Its incredibly light for a metal-barrel
lens, weighing just 1.36 pounds. Only
the 0.62-pound Nikon weighs less.
As expected, sharpness and contrast measured by our SQF system
in the Pop Photo Test Lab was in
the Excellent range at our 11x14
benchmark. It did slightly better
than Canons 1124mm f/4 EF lens at
18mm, Nikons 1424mm f/2.8G at
18mm, and Tamron 1530mm f/2.8
at 20mm. It also slightly outperformed both the aforementioned
Nikon 20mm and Zeiss Distagon
15mm. Its results were similar results
to those of the Canon 14mm f/2.8
and Tokina 1628mm f/2.8 at 16mm.
Our tests using DxO Analyzer
6.1 found Slight barrel distortion
(0.26%), a very good result for such
a wide angle and better than both
of those primes, which were in the
Visible range. However, the zooms
measured in the Slight and Imperceptible distortion range: The Canon
measured 0.05% at 18mm and the
Tamron 0.04% at 20mm (we didnt
assess it at 18mm), and the Tokina at
16mm scored an incredible 0.04%.
Vignetting was well controlled,
gone by f/5, the same as the Zeiss
Distagon and slightly better than the
SPECIFICATIONS
18MM (18.40), f/2.8 (f/2.81 tested),
14 elements in 12 groups. Focus ring turns
150 degrees.
DIAGONAL VIEW ANGLE: 98 degrees
WEIGHT: 1.36 lbs FILTER SIZE: 77mm
MOUNTS: Canon AF, Nikon AF
INCLUDED: Lenshood, de-click key
STREET PRICE: $2,299
WEBSITE: zeiss.com
3.32 in.
A superb manualfocus full-framer
3.51 in.
0.84 in.
others. (The Tokina again won this

competition with no light falloff at
all at 16mm.) Usually close focusing
and maximum magniication are
Whats Not
not Zeisss forte, but this time close
Close-focusing
numerals jumbled focusing came in at 9.62 inches. A
together
decent maximum magniication at
1:6.70 outperformed the others with
Who Its For the exception of the Canon 14mm at
Photo and video
1:5.70 and the Tamron at 1:5.72.
shooters who
Sure, this new 18mm Milvus is
want a wide-angle
lens for the ages
expensive, but in this pack, its not
the priciest. (The Zeiss 15mm streets
for $2,950 and the Canon zoom for
$2,899, while the Nikon 20mm and
Tokina zoom go for less than $700.)
But for a lens with unquestionably the
best sharpness and a body that might
last forever, this Zeiss Milvus 18mm
f/2.8 lens ills a critical niche in the
Julia Silber
wide-angle market.
Whats Hot
Optics are
top-notch
SUBJECTIVE
QUALITY
FACTOR
TEST RESULTS
DISTORTION: 0.26% (Slight) barrel
LIGHT FALLOFF: Gone by f/5
CLOSE FOCUSING: 9.62 inches
MAXIMUM MAGNIFICATION: 1:6.70
18
MM
POPPHOTO.COM
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Size
8X8
$27.00
8X10
$29.00
10X10
$35.00
10X20
$49.00
11X14
$45.00
12X12
$42.00
16X20
$74.00
16X24
$89.00
20X20
$94.00
20X24
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24X36
$195.00
Prices are subject to change
TIME EXPOSURE DECEMBER 1956

Unusual TLR
Japans Kowa Optics
Corp. came up with
a unique design for
its new Kalloflex
twin-lens reflex
camera: a coaxial
film wind and
focusing requiring only
one hand to operate the controls.
Features included a four-element
Prominar (Tessar-type) f/3.5 lens,
convex viewing screen for brighter
images, and a moderate price of
$119.50. Later this camera was
taken into the Graflex product line.
Color Top Prize

This subtle photo was selected
over thousands of transparencies
for the color photo contest. Though
submitted as a 35mm slide, it was
taken with a 3 x 4-inch Graflex
C with a 165mm f/2.5 Cooke
lens. A dark slide permitted four
small transparencies to be made
on a single 3 x 4-inch sheet
of film. The
photographer,
Richard
Mitchell,
used Kodak
Ektachrome
Daylight
film and an
exposure of
1/20 sec at f/2.8.
Black & White Top Prize
Wonderful Boy
It pays to have a neighbor with a camera. This cover

shot of four-year-old Paul Kelly was taken by his
neighbor Erle S. Myers of Salem, Massachusetts.
Myers, who had been taking pictures for about three
years, took the portrait using a Praktiflex FX with a
58mm f/1.9 Primoplan lens and Kodachrome Type
A film, plus a Type A filter in order to use indoor
(tungsten-balanced) film outdoors by daylight. His
exposure was 1/100 sec at f/4.
60 YEARS AGO
A pair of pro photographers debated the

question, Should you always carry a camera?
When Carl Bakal of New York City

was asked by Coronet magazine to
photograph the four oldest doctors
in the U.S., one of the subjects was
101-year-old Frederick Streeter.
Bakal shot in Streeters home in
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The exposure
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film was 1/60
sec at f/6.3 using
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Harold Martin
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BACKSTORY PHOTOGRAPH BY HAMID SARDAR
EN ROUTE
A traveller with a
spiritual companion
I TOOK this in Mongolias far western
province of Bayan-lgii, an area primarily inhabited by the Kazakh eth86 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY DECEMBER 2016
nic minority. The subject is a Kazakh

boy named Bakhtiar who was riding
towards the annual Eagle Festival
with his family. Birds of prey are a recurring motif in ancient nomadic art;
birds play important roles as spirit
WINGED
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From Hamid
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nomadic
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animalscompanions to great heroes and warriors, connecting them

to the heavens. I asked this boy to
remove the hood from his falcon so
I could capture an image of the pair.
In my photographs man becomes
just one element of the scene.
Without an animal companion, life
would not be possible and he would
be lost.
As told to Sara Cravatts
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