Review Digital Camera World 08-21-2013

Digital Camera World

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Best waterproof photography kit: 6 key accessories for any outdoor photographer Aug 20th 2013, 23:01, by jmeyer Any keen outdoor photographer will tell you that keeping your camera safe and dry is one of the biggest challenges you will face. We’ve tested 6 of the most essential accessories you’ll want in your go-to waterproof photography kit. When it comes to photographing outdoors the weather is a major factor, and even if you carefully watch the forecast and plan your shoots accordingly, there's always a chance that you'll get caught in a downpour. Keeping yourself – and more importantly your kit – dry in wet and miserable conditions is essential; getting soaked is no fun, and getting the bill for water damage to an expensive camera or lens will only add to your misery. So while it's perfectly possible to get good shots whatever the weather, it's important to be prepared for the worst. While it's all very well – and safety-conscious – to wear brightly coloured waterproofs on a shoot, this isn't such a good idea if you're photographing wildlife. If you're trying to capture birds, deer or other easily-spooked creatures in their natural habitat you need to be able to blend in with the terrain – otherwise they're likely to spot you and run a mile. So for wildlife photography you need kit that's both waterproof and camouflaged. If you're a landscape photographer concealment is less of an issue, and water resistance and ease of use become the key considerations. Whatever you're shooting, there's a wide range of protective gear available to suit every budget and all requirements, from covers for your camera and kit bag to waterproof suits and pop-up tents and hides. Best waterproof photography kit: D12 Camouflage Rucksack Cover Price: £29 Wildlife Watching Supplies offers both single-colour and reversible rucksack covers, in two sizes – up to 40 litres and 40-70 litres. They're waterproof, lightweight and have an elastic fit, making them quick and easy to put on and take off. They're available in a variety of patterns, from camouflage to white for snowy conditions, and a day-glow yellow. We tried out the 40-70-litre camouflage cover. Our first impressions were how compact this cover was for stowing away. It comes with a small bag to pack it in, and when folded it's the perfect size to fit in the side pocket of my rucksack. And it's extremely versatile; as well as protecting our bag from rain, it will protect it from mud and dirt when we put it down on the ground. It'll also come in handy if you need something to kneel on when taking photos! It's a simple but a clever design – it slides over the rucksack and the elastic holds it in place. What’s more, it didn’t get in the way of any of our straps either. Verdict Pros: Versatile – not only does it protect your bag from rain, you can use it as a kneeling mat Cons: Would be more useful to have the reversible option, as you can change the pattern to suit different terrain Score: 88% PAGE 1 – Best waterproof photography kit: D12 Camouflage Rucksack Cover PAGE 2 – Best waterproof photography kit: C80R Reversible Camera & Lens Cover PAGE 3 – Best waterproof photography kit: Jack Pyke Waterproof Suit PAGE 4 – Best waterproof photography kit: Kata E-702 PL Pro Light Rain Cover PAGE 5 – Best waterproof photography kit: GN16-005 Tall Camo Pop Up Hide PAGE 6 – Best waterproof photography kit: B29 3D Leafy Suit READ MORE 10 common wildlife photography mistakes we’re all guilty of (and how to fix them) Wildlife photography made easy: simple techniques for pro-quality pictures Free bird photography cheat sheet Wildlife photography in any environment: free photography cheat sheet Best aperture for outdoor portrait photography? Aug 20th 2013, 13:27, by jmeyer What is the best aperture for outdoor portraits? Taking control of your camera’s aperture is crucial for shooting portraiture in which your subject stands out. With outdoor portrait photography, it’s even more important you set the best f stop for your subject and scene. So how do you know what that is? It depends how much of a background you want to show to add context, or how much you want to blur it to make the subject stand out in shot. In our examples, shot on a Canon EF 50mm f/1/4 USM, you can see how a wider aperture (eg f/1.4) captures a shallow depth of field – so less of the scene is in focus; whereas a narrow aperture (eg f/16) captures a greater depth of field – so more of the scene is sharp. So which is the best aperture for outdoor portraits? For our shot, with the beach houses in the background, we felt an aperture of f/4 was about right – the houses are nicely out of focus, while our model is completely in focus, from her hands to head. At f/1.4 the houses are so blurred it's not obvious what they are, whereas at f/8 and above, they're too clear and distract the eye. Bear in mind that your distance from the subject and focal length also affects depth of field. For a really shallow depth of field, get in closer, use a wide aperture, and shoot at a long focal length such as 200mm. By doing this less of your subject will remain sharp too, so your focusing accuracy has to be spot on – otherwise their nose could be sharp, but not the all-important eyes, for example. The widest aperture or shallowest depth of field isn't always best! READ MORE Summer portrait ideas: how to use natural light for atmospheric people pictures 10 portrait photography mistakes every photographer makes (and how to fix them) 14 portrait photography tips you’ll never want to forget 54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide

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