SPECTRUM Nov/Dec 2014

The Photo and Film Expo Edi�on

◊ Report on 2014 Photo & Film Expo

◊ Looking to Upgrade?

◊ Samsung NX30 Mirrorless Camera

◊ The Exposure Triangle

◊ Canon 7D Mk II review

◊ Ligh�ng Your Image

◊ Club News, Hints and Tips

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Hi Rocks

I cannot believe that this is the last edi�on of Spectrum for 2014! In a short while it will be Christmas and then a

brand new year!

Looking back, 2014 has seen the Club grow strongly in terms of membership. It has also been a year for firsts—

the first �me we entered the KZN PSSA regional interclub, our first club challenge against Sco;burgh, our first

weekend away as a club (to Umzimkulu River Lodge) and more.

We would like to take the Club to the next level in 2015. Plans are in place to launch our bi-monthly technical

evenings that will focus on photographic techniques. It would be fantas�c to see more members join PSSA and

become involved in the salon scene. We have already received posi�ve comments from judges on the standard

of our members’ work, so let’s raise the bar!

Regards,

Kevin

Rockin’ Chairman

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Contents Page No

> Photo and Film Expo—Coca Cola Dome 3

> So you want to upgrade? 5

> Samsung NX30 review 7

> The Exposure Triangle—Ge'ng it Right 8

> Canon 7D Mk II—The return of the King? 10

> Strobist Ligh2ng Solu2ons 11

> Club News 13

- Coastal Challenge: OTRCC vs Sco6burgh

- Promo2ons

- New members

- Ou2ngs and events

- Salons and Awards

The OTRCC CommitteeThe OTRCC CommitteeThe OTRCC CommitteeThe OTRCC Committee Chairman:- Kevin Mullins 082 437 1410 otrcameraclub@gmail.com

Secretary:- Arlene Mullins 082 707 0370 otrcameraclub@gmail.com

Treasurer:- Julie Naylor otrfinance@gmail.com

Ou(ngs:- Prakash Bhikha 082 072 3793 architectkzn@gmail.com

Steve Petersen 083 401 8567

Cover Image

This month we showcase

“A'tude” by OTRCC chair-

man Kevin Mullins

3

Photo and Film

Expo 2014

30th Oct—2nd Nov 2014

Coca Cola Dome, Gauteng

The annual Photo and Film Expo was held from Thursday 30th October to Sunday 2nd November at the Coca Cola Dome in the

northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Arlene and I managed to a;end this event for all four days, so got a very good feel for

things. Our previous visit to the Expo was in 2012. Other On the Rocks members spo;ed at the 2014 event were Pierre Re�ef,

Anton Mar�naglia and Robbie Aspeling, the la;er conduc�ng one of the many lectures on the programme.

The much-hyped Samsung product ac�va�on was the star of the show. Announced on local radio and consistently at the Expo,

the “Ditch the DSLR” event promised a brand new Samsung NX30 mirrorless camera and 18-55mm lens to the first 100 people

to give up a fully func�onal DSLR camera and lens on the Saturday of the Expo. One person camped out overnight to be sure of

being first in the queue, with others arriving as early as 3.00am. We got there just before 5.00am and were numbers 48 and 49

in the queue, promoted to numbers 44 and 45 because some of the people ahead of us didn't meet the criteria. By 10.00am

we were the owners of brand new NX30’s!

The transparent box in the image on the right above contains the dumped DSLR’s which included Nikon D90’s and 5100’s, my

Canon 40D, a Canon 1D, Sony Alpha models and many others. The cameras in the box are all going to be crushed to remove

them from the market. A bit sad for my 40D that has served me so well, but there is a �me to move on! I have wri;en a review

on the new Samsung NX30 that appears later in this issue.

The Expo certainly wasn’t just about Samsung and the NX30 ac�va�on. There were a number of excellent lectures to a;end

and many products to view and try out. As always, the Expo was a good market for those looking for equipment at discounted

prices. It was not uncommon to be able to purchase tripods, cameras, lenses and studio light kits at R1,000 or more off the

recommended retail price. Those readers that have not a;ended the Expo before are advised to save up and make a plan to

visit in 2015 if you are looking to upgrade or invest in new equipment.

In 2012, the bulk of the lectures were oriented to wildlife, sport and ac�on

photography. This year, the emphasis was on boudoir, fashion and portrait

photography with a good mix of wildlife, ac�on and technical subjects (such

as ligh�ng and night photography) thrown in. Everybody was able to get val-

ue from these lectures that were presented on six different stages spread

throughout the Dome. This provided the opportunity to choose between

almost eighty lectures, including “Avian and Lifestyle Photography” present-

ed by our own Robbie Aspeling, which I couldn’t a;end due to work. Others included Morkel Erasmus, noted wildlife photogra-

pher who is shown above, and who spoke on “Cap�va�ng with Context and Crea�vity” in wildlife photography.

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The image on the right shows Robbie and Arlene at the Manfro;o

stand nego�a�ng a good deal!

New products that caught the eye were the Fujifilm XT-1 and the

Olympus OMD E-M1, arguably the two most capable of the many

mirrorless cameras on the market. The various drones for aerial

photography, the latest range of Art-series lenses from Sigma, the

latest in camera supports (including gimbel heads and gyroscope

systems), and the array of ligh�ng solu�ons also were worthy of a

good look.

The advantage of a;ending the Expo lies in geOng to speak to the various brand representa�ves and trying out their products

before you make a decision to purchase. Even if you don’t buy anything at the show, it gives you a good frame of reference for

when you are ready to buy. Staff at most of the stands were knowledgeable and eager to assist. Spending quite some �me at

the Samsung, Fuji and Olympus stands, I now have a be;er understanding and apprecia�on of mirrorless technology and its

advantages. The unfortunate absence of both Nikon and Canon from the Expo was a bit of a let-down, as neither of these DSLR

stalwarts were there to showcase their latest products. As irrita�ng as this was, it did not detract from the advantage of

a;ending the Expo and, inadvertently, opened a space for the mirrorless brigade to present their products to an audience that

may otherwise have been distracted. However, it is understood from the organiser that a;endance was only 14,000 in 2014,

down from the 22,000 people that a;ended the 2013 event! Perhaps due to the Canikon absence?

Interac�on on the stand of our good friends Broadcast Ligh�ng. The view over the Expo from a ligh�ng lecture.

Another view of the Expo area from the mezzanine level.

PS: Watch the press for a Samsung NX30 ac�va�on at Gateway on 13th December 2014!

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Walking into a camera store these days is like a kid walking into a candy shop! Faced with a dizzying array of brands and mod-

els, the aspirant photographer can be excused for feeling a li;le more than a tad confused. Which camera is best? How do I

make the right choice? If I buy now, will this camera serve my needs in a few years �me.

IT’S A WAR AND EACH SIDE IS WAGING A PROPAGANDA OFFENSIVE!

Okay, this is going to be controversial and I may step on some toes, but don’t be taken in by the propaganda. The marke�ng

ba;le is being waged by camera manufacturers and each wants you to think that they are the best choice. The DSLR heavy-

weights, Canon and Nikon, are locked in an offensive to gain an extra percent of the mul�-billion dollar market. Neither has

invested significant money or resources in developing a flagship mirrorless op�on. Why not? They don’t want to cannabilise

their DSLR products. This has leR a gap in the defences that Fuji, Sony, Olympus and Pentax can exploit. None of these brands

has any significant share of the global DSLR market (sorry Robbie!), which is dominated by Canon, with Nikon entrenched in

second place. Fuji has no DSLR op�on, Olympus has all but discon�nued the E-series and the Pentax K-series has not exactly

taken the world by storm. Only Sony has made some inroads. These brands do not need to protect a strong DSLR range and

can therefore pour all their resources into developing their mirrorless ranges. The result—the rise of the mirrorless threat to

DSLR global supremacy! But are these cameras superior or merely different?

The obvious marke�ng strategy by the mirrorless manufacturers is to a;ack the exis�ng DSLR shares of Canon and Nikon by

trying to convince the mul�-billion dollar photography market that their products are superior. Their aim is to convince the

DSLR user to convert to mirrorless … and the propaganda is working! Superior or not, the mirrorless revolu�on is impac�ng

DSLR sales for both Canon and Nikon worldwide. So, what camera is best for you?

MY TAKE ON UPGRADING

Let me start by saying that the Canon 7D MkII that I have ordered will be the first new camera that I buy! Up un�l now I have

only bought cameras second-hand. My first was a 40D that came with a used 70-300 Sigma lens. The lens sells for under

R2,000 new and I bought the combo for R4,000 five years ago. This was my first semi-pro camera and I took some pre;y good

pics with it. However, I became frustrated with the lens because the image quality was not as good as I wanted and it didn’t

focus quickly enough for my triple passion of sport, wildlife and ac�on photography. Fortunately in 2011 I got a decent tax re-

fund and I used the cash to buy a new Canon 100-400 L-series lens. My images showed instant improvement.

I later bought a second-hand 7D, Arls bought me a new Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L lens, a second-hand Sigma 10-20 wide angle lens,

and I inherited a Canon 100mm MkI macro lens when Arls upgraded. That’s my kit! Why hadn’t I upgraded my cameras before

ordering the new 7D MkII? Simply because I didn’t need to … my level of skill didn’t jus�fy spending the extra money on tech-

nology I could not use because I had not yet mastered the basics. This may sound strange coming from a 5-star worker, but I

s�ll consider myself a journeyman photographer.

That leads me to my three golden rules for upgrading:-

1. Don’t think of upgrading before your level of skill meets or exceeds your camera’s capability—I’ve just been looking at

the most stunning wildlife images taken by a photographer with a Canon 550D and 100-400 L-series lens. Both are more

than five years old!

2. Find your photographic passion—today’s cameras, DSLR or mirrorless, are designed with a specific func�on in mind.

What is it that you most want to photograph? That will be a major deciding factor.

So, you

want to

upgrade?

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3. Invest in the best lens you can afford, not the best cam-

era—Manufacturers try to push sales by launching a new

version of an exis�ng camera that has only minor tweaks,

and then to convince the market that those tweaks are indis-

pensable to their photography. That’s why I like the 7D. It

was launched in 2008 and has remained a reliable workhorse

for sport, wildlife and ac�on photographers for six years! The

MkII has some really meaningful improvements. This can’t be

said for the Canon 700D that replaced the 650D only a year

aRer the la;er’s launch, or the Nikon D3200 that replaced a

rela�vely new D3100.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE UPGRADING

Will buying a new camera improve your photography? This considera�on relates to whether your skill level has overtaken the

capabili�es of your camera. If your images are not pin-sharp, it is more likely the lens and not the camera. Rather consider in-

ves�ng in be;er glass, like the Canon L-series professional lenses shown above. Nikon and Sigma have similar ranges. These

lenses are equipped with excellent glass, engineered to reduce chroma�c aberra�ons and increase sharpness. They are also

fi;ed with state-of-the-art image stabiliza�on (vibra�on reduc�on) systems which contribute to sharpness in low light condi-

�ons when shu;er speed is low. A 100-400mm L USM IS lens on an older Canon 40D will yield be;er results than a Sigma 70-

300mm lens on a more expensive and modern camera like the Canon 6D.

What will you be photographing most of the (me? Is your passion sport,

wildlife, ac�on, landscape, portraits, macro or street photography? There is

li;le doubt that if your are going to be carrying your camera and lens combo

for long distances on foot, then a smaller and lighter camera like the mirror-

less op�ons may be the right choice. If shu;er speed and focus tracking is

important, as in sport, ac�on and wildlife photography, then a semi-

professional DSLR with APS-C sensor is the cost-effec�ve op�on because the

crop-factor will allow you to achieve greater zoom. If you are into studio or

landscape work, then a full-frame camera is probably best because they de-

liver the best image quality and low-light performance.

Does the cost of upgrading make sense? If you are heavily invested in lenses for one par�cular brand, changing to another

brand or format of camera (eg. mirrorless, micro four-thirds) may not make financial sense. You will not recover your invest-

ment on the second-hand market and you will have to replace all the lenses with equivalent glass that fits the new camera.

This can be very expensive!

MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT YOU’VE GOT

I was standing in the B-seeded group, wai�ng to start the Argus Cycle Tour in the 1990’s. The chap next to me was bragging

about the Italian carbon-fibre frame that he had imported at a cost of R20,000, because it was 1.5kg lighter than my semi-pro

Cannondale Black Lightning that cost me R2,500 (which was quite a lot in those days!). The other cyclist was about 5-7kg over-

weight and I couldn’t understand why he just didn’t lose 1.5kg because he would have been in the same posi�on, but financial-

ly be;er off. When the gun went we sped off and dropped the Italian stallion on the first climb up to Groo;e Schuur. I finished

in a good �me of 2:58 for the 105km. He came in at 3:20-odd!

The moral of the story is that you don’t have to have the latest and most expensive equipment to do well. Rather work on your

technique and be sure that, when you upgrade, you have exhausted the capabili�es of your current camera.

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Samsung NX30 Mirrorless

Smart Camera

Samsung’s new offering aimed at the enthusias�c photog-

rapher comes in below the flagship NX1, but s�ll offers

many features expected in a more expensive camera.

The NX30 was launched at the Photo and Film Expo in Jo-

hannesburg with an innova�ve “Ditch the DSLR” product

ac�va�on which saw 100 of these cameras given away by

Samsung to the first 100 people who were prepared to

ditch their current DSLR.

The NX30 giveaway happened on Saturday 1st November, but some people queued from the previous evening to ensure that

they got their hands on this camera which comes boxed with an 18-55mm lens and copy of Adobe Lightroom®. To qualify, one

had to ditch a DSLR that was in working order, with a lens and ba;ery. The idea was to replace current DSLR technology with

the latest Samsung mirrorless technology. Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax cameras were given up by the lucky recipients who

seemed happy to go the mirrorless route. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an NX30 by giving up my trusty 40D.

One of the features that a;racted me to the NX30 was the significant handgrip (see the image above) which gives it a similar

ergonomic feel to a smaller DSLR. For someone with bigger hands this is a comfor�ng feature. Some of the new mirrorless

cameras are so small that I feel like I have too many fingers when handling them! The NX30 feels comfortable to hold, whilst

providing the size and weight saving advantage of the latest mirrorless technology.

Specifica(ons:

20.3 megapixel CMOS APS-C sensor (23.5mm x 15.7mm) with 1.5x crop factor; Hybrid autofocus technology; 3-inch swivel and

�lt rear screen; Pull-out-and-�lt electronic viewfinder that allows it to be used for low-angle work and when shoo�ng video;

1080x60/30 HD video in MP4; AF points = 105; Shu;er speed = 1/8000th to 30 sec; Burst rate of 9fps; i-Func�on bu;on on

lens allows scrolling and adjustment of seOngs with eye to viewfinder; ISO range = 100 to 25,600; Pop-up A-TTL flash.

Tes(ng

The tes�ng of the NX30 at the �me of wri�ng was limited to shoo�ng inside the Coca Cola Dome during the Expo (effec�vely a

low-light test) and a water polo match in variable overcast condi�ons. The camera performed well indoors without the flash at

ISO 1600. This enabled shu;er speeds of up to 1/80th sec which, with a steady hand, produced quite sharp images from the 18

-55mm kit lens, with li;le noise. Using the onboard flash, images were sharp and splashes in the underwater photography pool

were frozen. The camera was capable enough outdoors to generate shu;er speeds of 1/1600th sec at f/5.6 and ISO 200, effec-

�vely freezing the ac�on in the water polo pool. The 18-55mm kit lens has an aperture range of f/3.5-5.6. I did note a slight

shu;er lag which demanded good an�cipa�on in knowing exactly when to release the shu;er to capture the ac�on. When

opera�ng at 18mm and f/3.5, shu;er speed of 1/2500th sec was able to freeze a dandelion in the strong breeze.

Conclusion

Whilst this camera is not in the same league as the Fuji XT-1, the Olympus OMD E-M1 or even the Samsung flagship NX1, it is

quite well suited to general photographic use. It should find its niche with photographers looking for a mirrorless camera

whose design and ergonomics are similar to a small DSLR, at a reasonable price. It also has a full range of compa�ble lenses.

Trusted Reviews rated it 9/10 by both reviewer and user.

As far as applica�on is concerned, I see this as a camera best suited to travel, street and landscape photography, although it

has the poten�al to be used in studio as well because the hot-shoe will accommodate standard triggers for flash photography.

It has a limited applica�on in fast-moving sports and ac�on, wildlife and avian photography. Price is around R11,000 with lens.

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The “exposure triangle” is a term used to describe the rela�onship between three important seOngs on your camera—ISO,

ShuFer Speed and Aperture. It explains how these seOngs interact with one another and how changes to them affect your

image. To fully understand the exposure triangle, you must firstly understand each of these seOngs.

ISO—Before the digital age, film was rated according to ASA to indicate the “speed” of the film. Film of 100 ASA was consid-

ered a general purpose film, suitable for landscape and other types of outdoor photography in bright light. In contrast, 400 ASA

film was “fast” film, primarily suited to high speed sports and low light condi�ons. With the advent of digital cameras, a similar

ra�ng system was employed to indicate the (adjustable) sensi�vity of the sensor. Hence ISO 100 is the least sensi�ve seOng

and is suited to the same applica�on as 100 ASA film. It produces the best image quality with li;le digital “noise”. A seOng of

ISO 400 or above has the same applica�on as 400 ASA film. Its greater sensi�vity enables the capture of fast-moving subjects

and subjects that are in low light. The compromise that one makes for this enhanced sensi�vity is the introduc�on of digital

“noise” (especially at ISO 1600 and above), that degrades image quality.

What is the “Exposure Triangle”

APERTURE—Commonly referred to as “f-stop”, aperture seOng controls the amount of ambient light that is permi;ed to pass

through the lens and reach the sensor. This seOng sends a signal to the lens to adjust its internal diaphragm to permit more or

less light to pass through. Understanding aperture seOngs is counter-intui�ve, because the higher the “f-number”, the smaller

the aperture and the less light that is allowed to pass through. A seOng of f/16 results in the diaphragm blades closing the ap-

erture to a small opening that allows only a small amount of light through to the sensor. This would obviously be used in very

bright condi�ons, or where a wide depth of field is desired (i.e. everything in focus). The opposite is true for a seOng of f/2.8

which would be used in darker condi�ons, or where a narrow depth of field is desired (only the subject in focus).

SHUTTER SPEED—This refers to the speed at which the camera’s shu;er opens and closes to record the image. Faster shu;er

speeds of 1/125th sec or quicker tend to freeze dynamic ac�on, which makes them useful in elimina�ng camera shake in hand-

held shots and for fast ac�on images. Slower shu;er speeds allow the shu;er to remain open for longer, thereby promo�ng

inten�onal blur that can convey an idea of mo�on. Most cameras will allow a slowest shu;er of 30sec, which is useful in cap-

turing the mo�on of water or light trails. When using flash, shu;er speed also controls the amount of ar�ficial light from the

flash that is allowed to reach the sensor.

The diagram above illustrates the rela�onship between ISO, aperture and shu;er speed.

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How does the triangle help with understanding exposure?

The first point to remember is that each of the three seOngs is linked to the others, and a change in one seOng will have an

effect on the image exposure that must be compensated for by a reciprocal change in another seOng. Huh? Okay, let’s have a

look at another principle of photography that will allow you to grasp this.

The “Sunny 16” Rule

This is a “rule” that is said to achieve perfect exposure of an image taken on a bright, sunny day. Assuming that you want the

best image quality, you would set the ISO to 100. This leaves the other two seOngs to be adjusted to achieve the op�mum

exposure. You will have to turn the shoo�ng mode dial to “M” (manual) so that you can set the aperture and shu;er speed

separately. Because it is bright, you set your aperture to f/16 (hence the name of the rule) to close down the lens diaphragm

and let less light through to the sensor. Now we know that a fast shu;er speed will allow only a brief �me for light to reach the

sensor and a slow shu;er speed will have the opposite effect. If we set the shu;er speed to 1/500th sec, the image will be dark

(under-exposed) because the small amount of light passing through the narrow aperture will only have a short �me to enter

and reach the sensor. If we set the shu;er speed to 10 sec, the long dura�on that the shu;er is open will let too much light

through and the image will be too bright (over-exposed). To achieve perfect exposure, the correct shu;er speed seOng would

be 1/125th sec. This is the “Sunny 16” rule:- ISO100; f/16; 1/125th sec.

The principle of the “Sunny 16” rule can be used to calculate the seOngs for perfect exposure if the condi�ons are such that it

is not a bright, sunny day. This can also be done automa�cally by the camera using its electronic exposure meter, or by using a

hand-held light meter, but some�mes these methods are not reliable in tricky light condi�ons (such as very contrasty bright/

shade). The “Sunny 16” rule is actually the result of a mathema�cal equa�on. If you shoot at f/16, the shu;er speed must be

the reciprocal of the ISO. Now that would work out to 1/100th sec but, because your camera probably doesn’t have a 1/100th

sec seOng for shu;er speed, the closest is 1/125th sec. Based on the above calcula�on the following table of seOngs is arrived

at using the same principle, for variable light condi�ons:

As can be seen from the above, by keeping a constant ISO and shu;er speed value (eg. ISO 100; 1/125th sec), the only seOng

that needs to be changed for the differing light condi�ons is the aperture.

This method of calcula�ng the correct combina�on of ISO, aperture and shu;er speed will result in well exposed images with

few blown-out highlights or clogged shadows. Once you have se;led on the appropriate aperture (f/stop) for the scene, simply

select the ISO seOng that you want to use and set the shu;er to the reciprocal of that value (or its closest equivalent speed).

Light Condi(on Full Sun Full Sun Partly Cloudy Full Cloud Heavy Overcast

Shadows Bright sand Dis�nct SoR Barely visible None

Aperture f/22 f/16 f/11 f/8 f/5.6

ISO 100 1/125th sec 1/125th sec 1/125th sec 1/125th sec 1/125th sec

ISO 200 1/250th sec 1/250th sec 1/250th sec 1/250th sec 1/250th sec

ISO 400 1/400th sec 1/400th sec 1/400th sec 1/400th sec 1/400th sec

ISO 800 1/800th sec 1/800th sec 1/800th sec 1/800th sec 1/800th sec

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“The King is dead! Long live the King!”

The long-awaited launch of the successor to the original Canon 7D may

prompt the avid fan to uFer these words. But is the latest professional

crop-sensor camera to come out of the Canon stable as good as it is hyped

to be?

The original 7D’s appeal when it was launched in 2008 lay in the fact that it offered pro-level

specs in a crop-sensor format, that were previously reserved for high-end, full-frame cameras. The 8 fps burst rate made it a

firm favourite with sport, ac�on and avian photographers because no camera in a similar price category could match this per-

formance. Other advantages were the lens fine-tuning facility and the auto focus tracking ability of the 7D.

Over �me, these features were equalled or improved in other brands and models and the original crop-sensor king lost its

unique appeal. “Noise” at higher ISO became a reason to slate the 7D at a �me when “lesser” models like the 70D had such

impressive low-light creden�als. Fans have long been calling for an uprated replacement and many rumours circulated about

the probable specs. The specula�on ended at Fotokino 2014 when the Canon 7D Mk II was launched amid much expecta�on.

Specifica(ons

Canon have delivered a truly inspiring piece of equipment that boasts a 20.2MP sensor and ISO range of 100-16,000

(expandable to 25,600). Performance at ISO 1600 is remarkably be;er with li;le discernible noise. The burst rate has been

improved to 10 fps, an advantage that will delight ac�on and avian photographers. Although the Mk II has a similar ergonomic

layout with recognisable placement of controls, the menus are completely revamped and will take some �me to get used to for

the 7D Mk I user. The look is the same, but the Mk II is definitely bulkier in the hand and feels like a proper professional DSLR

camera. At a launch price of R20,500.00 (body only) the new 7D comes in just under the retail price of the 6D full frame cam-

era, reserving for itself the top spot in Canon’s crop-sensor range. With the addi�on of so much new technology, the rela�vely

low price was a pleasant surprise! For those interested in a fuller spec list, see the comparison panel below.

The 7D Mk II will appeal to the sports, ac�on and wildlife photographer and the extra weight and bulk is a small sacrifice for

the addi�onal features that Canon have delivered in this cost-effec�ve offering. Buffer depth of 1090 JPEG or 31 RAW files is

bound to cause excitement amongst incurable shu;erbugs!

Canon EOS 7D II Canon EOS 7D

Effec(ve Pixels • 20.2 MP • 18.0 MP

ISO Range • 100-16000 standard

• 25600 expanded

• 100-6400 standard

• 12800 expanded

Movie op(ons • 1080p/60/50/30/25/24

• MP4 or MOV

• All-I, IPB, IPB-Lite

• 1080p

• MP4

No of AF points • 65 (All cross type, center double-cross) • 19 (All cross-type)

Metering sensor-assisted AF tracking • Yes • No

AF in live view • On-sensor phase detec�on • Contrast detec�on

Maximum shuFer speed • 1/8000th sec • 1/8000th sec

Flash Sync speed • 1/250th sec • 1/250th sec

Screen • 3.0" 3:2

• 1,036,800 dots

• (720 x 480 px, RGB)

• 3.0" 4:3

• 920,000 dots

• (640 x 480 px, RGB)

Viewfinder • 100% coverage

• 1.0x magnifica�on

• 100% coverage

• 1.0x magnifica�on

Con(nuous drive • 10 fps • 8 fps

Buffer depth • 1090 JPEG

• 31 Raw

• 130 JPEG

• 25 Raw

Storage • Compact flash

• SD/SDHC/SDXC

• Compact flash

Weight (inc baFeries) • 910g (2.0 lb) • 860g (1.9 lb)

GPS • Built-in • Op�onal

11

Strobist Lighting SolutionsStrobist Lighting SolutionsStrobist Lighting SolutionsStrobist Lighting Solutions

The word “strobist” refers to the use of speedlights instead of studio flash units to light a subject. Some people are of the opin-

ion that one needs proper studio lights to do a portrait shoot, but advocates of strobist photography maintain that speedlights

can do the same job. There were compelling demonstra�ons of the power of speedlights at the Photo & Film Expo that rein-

force this la;er view.

Both of the above images were shot using speedlights, not studio flashes. One of the advantages for these types of outdoor

shoots is that strobist photography is en�rely portable. You don’t need to rely on A/C power, because you are using ligh�ng

units powered by AA ba;eries. The only issue is ensuring that you have sufficient units and a ready supply of ba;eries!

The image on the leR above shows a typical strobist shoot setup. This is a simple, two speedlight setup by Jason Collin that can

yield the edited result above right. Note that the one light is on a tripod and the other one on an extended light stand. You can

buy strobist kits and generic speedlights from retailers like Broadcast Ligh�ng in Pinetown for a frac�on of the cost of a studio

light kit. These kits normally include light stands, shoot-through umbrellas and perhaps other light modifiers. You would need

to buy a trigger and receiver set, as well as the speedlights if you don’t already own them.

Ligh�ng modifiers available for strobist photography include soRboxes, beauty dishes, octo boxes, strip boxes, barn doors,

grids and various others. You can even turn any Bowen mount studio light modifier into a speedlight modifier with an adapter

kit. This offers aspirant professional photographers a viable alterna�ve to expensive studio ligh�ng at a really affordable price!

Speedlights were used to capture and freeze the ac2on in these two images.

12

It is important to understand the importance of the “Guide Number” (“GN”) ra�ng of flash units. As can be seen from the table

below, the GN of a flash indicates its power. This GN is used to calculate the distance at which a par�cular flash unit will cor-

rectly expose a subject for a given aperture value. The formula that is used is: Distance = GN ÷ f/number.

Conversely, if you have a flash unit with a par�cular GN and you wish to photograph a subject at a specific distance, the aper-

ture value can be calculated as follows: F/number = GN ÷ distance.

It is important to bear this in mind when purchasing a flash unit as it will have to cope with your photographic needs. The table

below shows that the Canon 580EX (GN39) has a maximum range of 13.9m at f/2.8 and ISO 100. By increasing the ISO, the

effec�ve range of the flash increases. So at ISO 400 and f/2.8, the same flash will correctly illuminate a subject at 27.8m.

13

Club News

Coastal Challenge:- OTRCC vs Sco�burgh Camera Club

The theme of the challenge was “Nursery Rhymes and Fairytales” and each club had to submit twenty images, with a limit of

three images per member. The entries were judged by three independent judges, live at OTRCC on Sat 25th September. The

final result was OTRCC 198—198 Sco;burgh … a draw! Well done Rocks for your contribu(on!

Promo�ons

Congratula�ons to the following members who were recently promoted:

Anton Mar�naglia 1 to 2 star

Pierre Re�ef 3 to 4 star

Arlene Mullins 4 to 5 star

Kevin Mullins 4 to 5 star

New Members

Welcome to the following new members who joined

since the last issue of Spectrum:

Ugo Surian and family

Denise Buckley

We trust that you will enjoy your new club!

Salons

Congratula�ons to Prakash Bhikha on his acceptance in the Brandpunt Camera Club Salon, and to Kevin Mullins for his ac-

ceptance in the El Argen�no 2014 Interna�onal Salon. If anyone else has had acceptances to salons, please let us know. We go

according to the informa�on provided by Photovault, which does not record all salon results.

Published and Lecturing Members

Once again, congratula�ons to Prakash Bhikha for having his image “Yaaawn” published in the Outdoor Photo book “On Safari

in Africa”. Also to Robbie Aspeling for being invited to give a lecture at the recent Photo & Film Expo, and to Arlene Mullins for

her talk on flower photography which is in high demand amongst other camera clubs. You all bring credit to OTRCC.

Ou�ngs, Set Subject and Technical Evenings in 2015

The commi;ee has been working on a calendar of events, including ou�ngs, set subjects and technical evenings for 2015. The

idea is to have bi-monthly technical evenings in addi�on to our club mee�ngs where an aspect of photography will be dis-

cussed/demonstrated in depth. The ou�ngs will be arranged to offer the opportunity to use the technique/s discussed, and we

will try to integrate the set subjects too. The calendar will be published soon so watch the FB page and website.

Julie Naylor 18th November

Shan Charter 22nd November

Arlene Mullins 23rd November

Melissa Palmer 21st December

Roger Fonseca 29th December

Jenny Meaker 25th January

Apologies if we missed your birthday, but

some of you have not recorded it with us!

Birthday WishesBirthday WishesBirthday WishesBirthday Wishes