GROUP TEST PHOTO ANSWERS Britain’s best-selling photography mag! WIN £4000 OF GEAR IN OUR BIG COMPETITION TAKE BETTER ACTION SHOTS WITH YOUR D�SLR LENSES FOR HIRE Make stunning pictures that’ll amaze your friends & family – we show you how to... � Set up your camera the right way � Use Layers in Photoshop � Create exciting pics today! RAW CONVERSION SOFTWARE GROUP TEST PAGE 86 IT’S EASY! DISCOVER THE NEW WAY TO USE YOUR D-SLR! NEED A SPECIAL LENS? SAVE CASH BY HIRING ONE! SEE P98 How to freeze subjects, master panning and get quality shots with the kit you already own! Get your hands on a pro-spec lens this weekend! PLUS SONY’S EXCITING NEW NEX-5 TESTED ISSUE 132 AUGUST 2010 £4.99
Transcript
GROUP TEST
PHOTO ANSWERS
Britain’s best-selling photography mag!W
IN
£4000 OF GEAR IN
OUR BIG COMPETITIO
N
TAKE BETTER ACTION SHOTS WITH YOUR D�SLR
LENSES FOR HIRE
Make stunning pictures that’ll amaze your friends & family – we show you how to...
� Set up your camera the right way
� Use Layers in Photoshop
� Create exciting pics today!
RAW CONVERSIONSOFTWAREGROUP TESTPAGE 86
IT’S EASY!
DISCOVER THE
NEW WAY TO
USE YOUR
D-SLR!
NEED A SPECIAL LENS? SAVE CASH BY HIRING ONE!SEE P98
How to freeze subjects, master panning and get quality shots with the kit you already own!
Get your hands on a pro-spec lens this weekend!
PLUS SONY’S EXCITING NEW NEX-5 TESTED
www.photoanswers.co.uk ISSUE 132 AUGUST 2010 £4.99
Cover Aug 2010 KH.indd 1 28/6/10 10:24:45
DIGITAL PHOTO22 WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
IT’STHE NEW
WAY TO
MAKE
SUPERB
PICS!
YOUR D-SLRYOUR D-SLR++PHOTOSHOP=GREAT PICSNEW SKILLS!
0123456789
main feature trick photos KS KH ja.indd 22 25/6/10 16:41:17
DIGITAL PHOTO 23WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
LEARN THE SECRETS OVER THE PAGE
VIDEOLESSONS ON THECD!
Got a D-SLR? Then we’ll let you in on a secret – using Photoshop and your D-SLR together it’s easy to create eye-catching images that’ll stun your friends & family!
As you’ll fi nd by completing the projects in this guide, your camera and software are inseparable parts of the creative process. So read on and discover the secrets of getting the best from both...
WHAT YOU NEED ANY D-SLR & PHOTOSHOP OR ELEMENTSWHAT YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO MAKE AMAZING IMAGES
WE MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO LEARN
main feature trick photos KS KH ja.indd 23 25/6/10 16:42:39
After combining a number of shots with the Lighten Blending Mode, we toned the image blue with an Adjustment Layer and then brought back the red colour of the wine by painting into the Layer’s mask.
FINAL IMAGE
MAKE
SUPERB
PICTURES
WITH YOUR
D-SLR!
DIGITAL PHOTO30 WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
0123456789
main feature trick photos KS KH ja.indd 30 25/6/10 16:47:35
TURN OVER & GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY
PAINT WITH LIGHT & CREATE AMAZING EFFECTS
YOU WILL LOVE THIS PROJECT! Not only will you come away with a fabulous image, but you’ll also be taking complete control of your camera by using Manual exposure mode, and you’ll be exercising your lighting skills using a very portable lighting kit. Once the shoot’s over, you’ll then be exploring Layers and Blending Modes to assemble the picture, and even better, you get to choose which of your great lighting eff ects you want to blend together for the fi nal image.
In many ways, this project is like a photography and Photoshop course in miniature, and all you need is a D-SLR (or compact with creative controls), a solid tripod to put it on, and a small torch. A mini
Maglite (around £10 to £12) is perfect as you can focus the beam and even remove the lens unit to expose the bare bulb – but if you don’t have one, any torch will work.
The other thing you need is complete darkness, so pour yourself a glass and prepare for a late night of imaging discovery...
Shoot with Layers in mind and you can create studio-style lighting with a simple torch!TECHNIQUE BY JON ADAMS
VIDEOLESSON ON THECD!
Believe it or not, this is the ‘real world’ shot, before we got the torch out and applied some Photoshop magic!
We shot various lighting e� ects by playing a torch over the wine glass and using long exposures of 4secs. The light spiral was created by exposing the bare bulb of the torch.
DIGITAL PHOTO 31WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
WHAT YOU NEED ANY D-SLR & PHOTOSHOP OR ELEMENTSWHAT YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO PAINT WITH LIGHT
main feature trick photos KS KH ja.indd 31 25/6/10 16:48:03
ACTION SPECIAL!
Photo Answers is not only the name of our website, it’s also the place to come to for help if you have a photographic issue that needs sorting!
PHIL HALLTechnical Editor Phil runs DP ’s Gear section, so he knows exactly what kit you need and how to take great photos.
SUBMIT A QUESTION
MEET THE EXPERTS
VIA THE FORUMS ON WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UKJoin in the online chat where you can swap ideas, talk about gear, and help other photo enthusiasts out with photo-related queries.
BY E-MAILSend your gear, camera or imaging queries and supporting pics to: [email protected] Please put ‘Answers’ in the subject box.
BY POSTWrite to us at this address:‘Photo Answers’, Digital Photo, Media House, Bauer, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA
We get a raft of questions seeking advice on how to shoot great action pics, so we’ve dedicated eight pages to helping you get the best shots possible
PAUL CARROLLTechnical Writer Paul has a wealth of knowledge to share on all aspects of digital photography and Photoshop.
MICHAEL TOPHAMTechnical Writer Michael’s extensive camera and software skills mean he’s able to answer all your imaging queries.
DIGITAL PHOTO44 WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
D-SLR & SOFTWAREADVICE!
Q Though the 18-55mm zoom lens that came with my Canon EOS 550D is great for general shooting, I’m fi nding that I
can’t zoom in enough when I try to shoot sports – my subjects are too far away in my pics. I’ve seen pros using some massive, expensive-looking lenses when I watch football on TV, but I’ve got a pretty limited budget of around £250 to invest in a lens for sport – is this realistic or do I have to go and see my bank manager? Tom Miller
A There’s no denying that pros do use some pretty expensive glass for sport – a prime 400mm f/2.8 telephoto lens from
either Canon or Nikon will set you back over
£6500, but this kind of focal length will allow you to get in nice and tight on the action. These lenses are also incredibly well made for heavy-duty use, optically excellent, and the fast maximum of f/2.8 is great for isolating the subject. This kind of price puts them out of reach of most people (unless you fancy hiring one for a day or two – see our review on hire fi rms on page 98), but there are some more aff ordable options available for everyone else in the shape of telephoto zooms.
Though not off ering the same fast maximum aperture or ultimate optical quality as a prime telephoto, telephoto zooms are much more compact and off er a broad focal range for a variety of shooting situations. With a budget of £250, you’ve got a couple of options available to
What kit do I need for action photography?
GET STARTED
044-051 Photo Answers special KH ja.indd 44 25/6/10 10:49:17
PHOTO ANSWERS
HOW DO I GET INTO SPORTS EVENTS?
Q I live very close to a Premier League football club and see other photographers sitting there shooting
away and wondered how easy it is to get the same sort of access? I really want to have a go at some sports shots and it seems an ideal place to start. Rich Harrison
A Unless you’re an accredited photographer and have public liability insurance cover, it’s going to be tough, and that goes for
most major sports. Instead, try shooting local grass-root clubs to hone your skills – while it won’t be quite as glamorous, the action and the way you have to shoot will be exactly the same.
Get there early to get a good spot up the front, though it’s important to phone ahead to the club to see if they’re happy with you taking a camera along. Log on to www.thefa.com/GetIntoFootball/FindAClub and you’ll be able to search for a local club. Think further afi eld as well, as there are probably lots of active clubs and teams right on your doorstep that’ll allow you to get closer to the action. Try out these websites to get you started:Rugby Football Union: www.rfu.comHockey: www.englandhockey.co.ukAthletics: www.uka.org.ukCycling: www.britishcycling.org.uk
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY KIT FROM RAIN?
Q I mainly like shooting motor rallies, but as I haven’t got a pro-spec D-SLR, I worry about my camera getting a
soaking when the heavens open, while there can be a lot of mud thrown-up, too. Can you recommend any protection for my kit?John Frew
A While a bin-liner with a hole cut in it is one option, for something more
durable, try a purpose-made protective cover like the KATA E-702 (£49). Mostly made from transparent plastic, it allows you to clearly see the rear screen and viewfi nder, while it has two armholes to let you control and hold your camera. It will accommodate most D-SLRs – from a small budget option up to a pro-spec model with a vertical shutter release and a telephoto zoom attached. For a small outlay it beats a hefty repair bill.
QUICK QUESTIONS
DIGITAL PHOTO 45WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
While a bin-liner with a hole cut in it is one option,
Mostly made from transparent plastic, it allows you to clearly
– from a small budget option up to a
get you started. Our fi rst choice would be Canon’s excellent EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens at around £220. This lens won a DP Gold award in the November 2009 issue. Thanks to your EOS 550D’s 1.6x crop factor, you’ll experience a 35mm focal length equivalent of 88-400mm, which will get you close enough to the action for most subjects, while just as impressively for a lens of this price is the optical quality – it’s capable of resolving super sharp detail and delivering great contrast.
Cheaper alternativeIf you want to hold on to a bit more of your budget, then the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super DG lens at £175 is well worth a look (DP Silver award-winner in our January 2009 issue). Off ering a 35mm focal length equivalent to 112-480mm on your EOS 550D, it gives a bit more range than the Canon 55-250mm, but doesn’t off er the handy anti-shake feature, while it’s ultimately not quite as sharp either.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LENS FOR THE JOBA telephoto zoom with a focal length of 55-250mm will allow you to get in really close to the action, making it perfect for shooting a range of sports.
CANON EF-S 55-250MM
F/4-5.6 IS £220
SIGMA 70-300MM F/4-5.6 APO DG £175
NIKON 400MM F/2.8G ED VR AF-S £6500
044-051 Photo Answers special KH ja.indd 45 25/6/10 10:52:52
DIGITAL PHOTO52
PhotoshopMasterclass
» Your expert guide to the tips, tools & techniques that really matter...
LEARN
ALL-NEW
SKILLS
START IMAGE
FINAL IMAGE
HOW WE CREATED OUR FINAL IMAGEThe start image EMILY.dng was taken in tricky lighting conditions. The sun moved behind a cloud moments before the shot was taken, leaving the main subject under-exposed and the sky slightly over-exposed. We’re going to work out the areas that need adjusting using the Shadow and Highlight Clipping Warnings in Camera Raw. The start image is found on the CD, so you can give our technique a try before using everything you’ve learnt with your own RAW � les.
Camera Raw EDIT RAWS PRECISELY IN ADOBE’S CAMERA RAW INTERFACE
VIDEO LESSONS ON THE CD!
Camera Raw Camera Raw PART1
52-55 Masterclass MT KH ja .indd 52 24/6/10 11:26:03
DIGITAL PHOTO 53WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
WHAT YOU NEED PHOTOSHOP CS OR HIGHERWHAT YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO EDIT IN CAMERA RAW
W HEN YOU WANT to edit images precisely and need ultimate control
at your fi ngertips during post-processing, you’ll need to set your D-SLR to RAW at the capture stage. This is because shooting RAW ensures images are recorded in an unadulterated way, exactly as the camera’s sensor captured the
data at the moment you fi red the shutter. RAW fi les are often referred to as ‘digital negatives’ – partly because they’re the foundation and starting point of the creative imaging process, off ering levels of adjustment and control like no other fi le format. When you start using RAW and discover just how many variables can be controlled in the Camera Raw interface, it’s easy
to become addicted! When you consider all the pros and cons of shooting RAWs, you’ll fi nd few reasons to turn back to the more limiting JPEG format other than the sheer convenience of fi tting more shots on your memory card!
The different tabsThe range of tools in the toolbar and the number of tabs on show below the histogram will depend on the Camera Raw plug-in you’re using. Two tabs that have been available since the early days of RAW are the Basic and Detail tabs – both of which are located directly beneath the histogram.
The Basic tab greets you every time you load a RAW fi le and permits control of important imaging
variables such as White Balance, Exposure, Contrast, Clarity and Saturation.
The Detail tab allows you to sharpen RAWs non-destructively and remove grayscale and colour Noise with the Noise Reduction sliders. As easy as it is to move sliders around to see what eff ect they have on an image, this is more guesswork than judgement.
If you want to be a profi cient RAW user you need a solid understanding of how the sliders adjust the various elements of your image. This month we’re going to study every control in both tabs with two separate images. Before we use both tabs, though, we’ve labelled them so you can familiarise yourself with the layout and their appearance.
GET TO KNOW THE CAMERA RAW INTERFACEOpening a RAW fi le in Photoshop will load the Adobe Camera Raw (ACR ) interface. On fi rst glance there are a lot of sliders and controls to look at, so to make it all a bit clearer for you, we’ve added descriptions for every control in the Basic and Detail tabs. Learn all of these and you’ll soon have a better understanding of which controls you’re most likely to use for your type of pictures.
Shooting in RAW gives exceptional control at the post-processing stage. We look at Camera Raw’s Basic and Detail tabs to see what they off er…BY MICHAEL TOPHAM
BASIC TAB DETAIL TAB
TURN OVER TO TRY OUT THESE TOOLS YOURSELF
Camera Raw
RADIUSDictates the radius around a single pixel where the sharpening takes place.
DETAIL Increasing the Detail value gives you control of how much detail is brought out around subject edges.
MASKING Gives you control of how strong the Amount, Radius and Detail values act on the image.
LUMINANCE The Luminance slider is used to minimise the eff ects of unwanted Noise.
COLOUR – Reduces the eff ects of colour Noise spoiling your shots.
AMOUNT Dictates the strength of sharpening applied to the image. Usually an amount between 70-120 will suffi ce.
TEMPERATURE & WHITE BALANCE There are 9 White Balance presets from the drop-down menu. For precise, manual WB control, use the Temperature slider.
EXPOSUREUnder or over-exposed images can be rescued with the Exposure slider.
TINTThis is used to fi ne-tune the White Balance setting.
RECOVERY Highlight detail can be recovered using this slider.
FILL LIGHTThis is used to return detail to the darkest shadows.
BLACKSTo darken the shadows only, increase the Blacks.
BRIGHTNESSBrightens everything between the set white and black points in your RAWs.
CONTRAST Great for lightening the bright areas and making dark areas even darker.
CLARITY Great for increasing the contrast in any Midtones, the Clarity slider can also be used to soften any hard outline edges.
VIBRANCEVibrance boosts the least saturated colours in RAWs.
SATURATIONGood for boosting global colour in your RAW fi les.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS RIGHT HERE!
52-55 Masterclass MT KH ja .indd 53 24/6/10 11:26:54
Technique of the Month
MAGRITTE.JPG VIADUCT.JPG
RENÉ MAGRITTE was one of the most famous surrealists of the 20th century and his hugely popular paintings have become part of our artistic culture. You’ll probably be familiar with his extraordinary pictures, but have you ever thought about making something similar yourself?
You don’t need to be a surrealist genius to get in on the act – just follow the steps below and use the template on this month’s CD, and you can quickly create an outstanding Magritte-style image using your own pictures. Once you’ve seen how easy it is, take a look at this month’s main feature to see how you can shoot and Photoshop your way to even more stunning images.
Use your own shots with our surreal template to make the ordinary look extraordinary! TECHNIQUE BY GAVIN HOEY
Make a surreal digital image
STEP-BY-STEP MAKE SURREAL PICS
CUT AND PASTE. Go to Select ➔Inverse and then go to Edit ➔
Cut to remove the fi gure. Open VIADUCT.jpg and go to Edit ➔
Paste to add the fi gure onto the new image. Use the Magic Wand tool to select one of the black areas inside the newspaper, and then hold Shift and click inside the other black area to select that, too.
2START MAKE A SELECTION. Open MAGRITTE.jpg and using the Magic Wand tool (W) click anywhere on the green background. Add any areas that have not been selected by clicking them while
holding the Shift key. Click Select ➔Feather and use a value of 1 pixels, then click Select➔Modify➔Expand and enter a value of 2 pixels.
1
The start imagesUse the MAGRITTE and VIADUCT pics to follow this project – you’ll fi nd them in the Start Images folder on this month’s cover CD.
surrealists of the 20th century and his hugely popular
VIDEOLESSON ON THECD!
WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UKDIGITAL PHOTO
136
“ You don’t need to be a surrealist genius – just follow the steps ”
136-137 TOTM j KH ks.indd 136 23/6/10 17:40:33
DIGITAL PHOTO WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK 137
FINISH OPTIONAL EXTRAS. Click Select ➔ Reselect and then hit Ctrl+C followed by Ctrl+V. You now have the centre of the newspaper on its own Layer and can adjust it as you wish.
Experiment by pressing Ctrl+Shift+U to remove the colour or apply a favourite � lter e� ect such as Filter ➔ Artistic ➔ Colored Pencils.
4INVISIBLE PAPER. Go to Select ➔ Feather and use a value of 10 pixels. Now click Select ➔ Modify ➔ Expand and use a value of 2 pixels. To complete the surreal e� ect, go to Edit ➔ Cut and
you’ll be able to see the viaduct through the paper. To complete the project go to Layer ➔ Flatten image.
3
WHAT YOU NEED PHOTOSHOP OR ELEMENTSWHAT YOU’LL LEARN MAKE A SURREAL IMAGE
136-137 TOTM j KH ks.indd 137 23/6/10 17:40:55
WITH THE ARRIVAL of the NEX-5, Sony is muscling its way into the growing Compact System Camera (CSC) market. The NEX-5’s compact design and lack of a built-in viewfi nder puts it up against the likes of the LUMIX GF1 and Olympus PEN range, notably the E-PL1. It’s currently the smallest CSC out there, but in an eff ort to reduce its size, has there been a compromise in terms of performance and handling?
FEATURES & BUILDThe NEX-5 is a new system from the ground up and features a freshly developed 14.2Mp APS-C sized CMOS sensor – so it’s the same physical size as those
found in most Sony D-SLRs and bigger (by roughly 50%) than the Micro FourThirds sensors found in both the Olympus PEN and Panasonic G-series models.
The lens mount is also completely new, too. The new E-mount is only a few millimetres shorter in diameter than Sony’s Alpha D-SLR lens mount, but unlike the Alpha mount, the E-mount is 100% electronic. With no AF motors in the body and the fl ange-back distance (the distance from the front of the mount to the sensor) reduced to just 18mm compared to 44mm on an Alpha D-SLR, it’s allowed the body to be incredibly compact, with a depth of only
25mm at its narrowest point. Though the lens mount is new, the multiplication factor of 1.5x remains the same as other Sony D-SLRs with an APS-C sized sensor. As a result, the supplied 18-55mm lens will off er a 35mm focal length equivalent of 27-82.5mm.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the NEX-5 is incredibly compact – even more impressive when you realise that the rear screen can be angled outwards and downwards – while even with the handgrip, the footprint is just 111x38mm. The design probably isn’t quite as engaging on fi rst viewing as the original Olympus PEN E-P1 or
Panasonic GF1, but it looks stylish nonetheless. One obvious thing is the lack of buttons and dials placed around the body – not including the on/off switch, there are only six buttons and a small scroll wheel.
It may be small, but it’s still comfy in the hand thanks to a well-proportioned handgrip, while the magnesium body adds to the high-end feel. It’s also worth mentioning that the supplied 18-55mm kit lens has a decent fi nish, too. There’s a metal lens mount at the rear, while the fi nely grooved zoom and manual focus ring also add to the quality. If there’s one downside it’s lens size – compared to the body it’s fairly hefty and not much smaller than a D-SLR lens of the same focal length range.
The newly-developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor off ers an
WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UKDIGITAL PHOTO 82
GEAR
SONY ALPHA NEX-5» £589 �WITH 18�55MM LENS� » 14.2MP APS�C SENSOR » 1080i HD VIDEO » WWW.SONY.CO.UK
Not much bigger than a point-and-shoot compact, but featuring a sensor the same size as a D-SLR and interchangeable lenses, is Sony on to a winner with the NEX-5?TEST BY PHIL HALL
“ There’s no getting away from the fact that the Sony NEX-5 is an incredibly compact camera ”
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SONY NEX-5KNOWLEDGE
3in vari-angle screenThe 3in 921k dot TruBlack LCD screen can be pulled outwards for waist-level shooting or downwards for shooting in overhead situations.
Accessory socketInstead of a hotshoe, there’s a concealed accessory socket where a supplied miniature external � ash or an additional external microphone can be screwed in.
18-55mm kit lensThe 18-55mm kit lens does look large on the compact body, as its dimensions aren’t much smaller than the same focal length on a D-SLR lens.
0123456789
082-085 TESTED NEX-5 PH KH ja KS.indd 82 28/6/10 16:27:34
impressive ISO range of 200- 12,800, while the NEX-5 can shoot up to a maximum of 7fps (frames per second) in Speed-priority Continuous mode, though the exposure and AF is locked at the fi rst shot.
In an eff ort to reduce size in the body, there’s no built-in anti- shake system. This is now incorporated in the lens, with the 18-55mm model featuring Sony’s Optical SteadyShot to reduce camera shake.
The 3in screen at the rear is the sole option for composition – there is an optical viewfi nder available but it’s only suitable for
the 16mm pancake lens. As with all other CSC cameras, the NEX-5 uses a contrast-detect AF system, with a choice of three AF areas to choose from – Multi, Centre and Flexible Spot. The NEX-5 also features HD video, allowing you to record up to 1920x1080 at 30fps in MPEG-4, though AVCHD is available, too.
PERFORMANCE & HANDLINGSony makes no bones about the fact that the NEX-5 is aimed at those wanting to make the step up from a compact, so even though the NEX-5 has a D-SLR
sensor, its handling has been inherited from the compact sector. Almost every shooting option is set via the NEX-5’s menu, rather than the various buttons dotted round a D-SLR.
Once you’ve fi red-up the NEX-5 (which isn’t instant) and hit the Menu option (highlighted on the rear screen), you’re presented with six options: Shoot Mode, Camera, Image Size, Brightness/Color, Playback and Setup. Shoot Mode gives you access to the NEX’s core shooting modes that
include M, A, S, P, Scene, Intelligent Auto and Sweep Panorama – all done via a slick animated dial navigated with the scroll wheel. Set to Intelligent Auto, pretty much everything is set automatically, but those using the more creative shooting options have them spread over three sub-categories. Camera has access to AF settings and other minor options, Image Quality lets you set the quality for both still and video capture, while Brightness/Color features
83 DIGITAL PHOTO WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
SONY NEX-5 GEAR
Street price: £589 (with 18-55mm)Resolution: 14.2Mp (4592x3056 pixels)Lens mount: Sony E-mountFocal length magni� cation: 1.5xFocusing: Continuous, Single, Direct Manual Focus, Manual FocusBurst rate: 7fps (7 RAW & 100 JPEG)*Write times: 1.5secs (RAW), 1sec (JPEG)ISO range: 200-12,800
Shutter range: 30secs-1/4000secsMonitor: 3.0in, 921k dots TruBlack LCD Live View: YesHD video: Yes: 1920x1080 @ 30fpsStorage: SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo/PRO-HG Duo Weight (body only): 229gDimensions: 111x59x38mmVisit: www.sony.co.uk
AT A GLANCE SONY NEX-5
TURN OVER & FIND OUT HOW THE SONY NEX-5 PERFORMED
SEE OUR TEST RESULTS AT WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK/NEX5If you want to check out the image quality for yourself, click onto our website and view the test pictures.
082-085 TESTED NEX-5 PH KH ja KS.indd 83 28/6/10 16:28:05
DIGITAL PHO98
LENS HIREGEAR
WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
CANON 70-200MM F/2
.8
COST NEW £2149
DAY HIRE £60
WEEK HIRE £99
NIKON 10-24MM F/3.5-4.5COST NEW £639
DAY HIRE £44WEEK HIRE £56
CANON 200MM F/2
COST NEW £4838
DAY HIRE £100
WEEK HIRE £141
CANON 14MM F/2.8
COST NEW £1899
DAY HIRE £65
WEEK HIRE £107
0123456789
Lens Hire MT KH ja ks.indd 98 24/6/10 12:27:31
DIGITAL PHOTO 99WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK
Fancy using a pro-spec lens for a one off shoot? Then why not hire one?
We rented lenses from six diff erent companies to assess their service
TEST BY MICHAEL TOPHAM
IN AN IDEAL WORLD you’d have a camera bag full of all the pro-quality lenses you’d ever need, from wide-angles to telephoto zooms, ready to use with your D-SLR. Sadly for most, this will always remain a dream, so back in reality, what are the options when you want a lens that you don’t already own? Asking a friend if you can borrow theirs is one option. More often than not, though, they’ll be unwilling to part with a valuable optic for fear of you accidently damaging it.
The best – and often overlooked – option is to hire one. There are many hire companies out there willing to rent out lenses at a fraction of the price that they cost to buy, but which off ers the best service? To fi nd out, we placed an order with six companies to test their services, so you know where to spend your money.
Six lens hire companies that offer a good selection of lenses to photographers on a rental basis.
