Review Digital Camera World 02-13-2014

Digital Camera World

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Monochrome photography: make striking images using your camera's mono mode Feb 13th 2014, 00:01, by jmeyer Why set your camera to its mono mode for monochrome photography when you can simply convert a regular colour image into monochrome on the computer? It's because you need a black-and-white 'eye' to shoot good black and white photography in the first place, and being able to see the results on the spot is a huge advantage. Shots which work in colour don't necessarily convert well to black and white, but if you only shoot in colour you won't find out how they convert until you get home, when it's too late. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to set up your camera and compose strong monochrome photography using your camera’s black and white mode. We see the world in colour, we respond to colours and modern DSLRs can reproduce colour with amazing fidelity and depth. So why shoot in black and white? Monochrome photography can be used to give pictures an 'antique' look, but it has creative benefits too. The lack of colour means it's already one step removed from reality, so that people are more likely to look at the way you've made the photograph and less likely to be distracted by the subject matter itself. Also, if you remove colour from the equation, it becomes much easier to explore shapes, lines and tones and turn them into satisfying compositions. SEE MORE: The 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) This is where your DSLR can help you. The Nikon DSLR we used for this tutorial has a Monochrome Picture Control, and most other DSLRs offer the same. Canon, for instance, offers Picture Styles. Your camera’s mono mode then turns your photographs into black and white and can help you visualise the world as shades of grey.   We went to Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds to show how this works. The gritty textures and simple shapes made a great subject for monochrome photography, even on a dull and overcast day. Apart from changing the camera's mono mode, shooting black and white is technically no different to shooting colour. What you do have to change is how you 'see' and compose pictures. Monochrome photography depends on shapes, tones and textures, but most of us are attracted by colour, so it takes a little while to learn how to switch this off – you have to change the mode in your head as well as the one on your camera! The simplest shapes often make the best subjects, and you should make the most of contrasts in both tone and lighting. Finally, don't expect to get every image perfect in-camera. Even the greatest monochrome-shooting photographers needed a little help in the darkroom… Setting up your camera for monochrome photography 01 Go Mono Your camera's Picture Controls (or whatever name for your camera’s brand of art filters) don't change any of the camera's key exposure or focus settings, but they do alter the way the image is processed. With the Monochrome Picture Control selected, your shots will be displayed in black and white.   02 Try a tripod A tripod is not essential, but putting your camera on one does leave your hands free to experiment with the camera settings and the Picture Control options. If you use the viewfinder to compose your shots, you'll still see the scene in full colour, but when the picture appears on the LCD on the back of your camera it's in black and white.   03 Train your eye This is one of the big advantages of digital monochrome photography – straight away, you can see if your shots are working or not. Even better, try switching to Live View mode, because that enables you to compose your pictures in black and white too. Keep an eye on the battery level, though, because Live View drains it faster. SEE MORE: Live View mode – how to use it on any camera 04 Be bold with angles Black-and-white photography relies on visual impact, so try using your widest lens to get in close for strong angles and perspectives. The converging verticals in this shot have produced a picture with a striking trapezoidal composition. In black and white, shapes and lines become much more important.   05 Change your settings On a dull, overcast day, black-and-white pictures can lack contrast, but we used the multi-selector to access the Monochrome Picture Control's advanced settings. You can increase the Contrast value for a start, but there are also options for adding black-and-white filters and toning effects to add more punch to your shots.      06 Process in-camera There are so many in-camera options that you may not have time to try them properly while you're shooting, but you can do it later. Some newer DSLRs offer in-camera raw processing, where you can produce any number of JPEG copies from your RAW files – here are sepia and cyanotype versions of one shot.   Raw in reserve When you're shooting in black and white, make sure the camera's set up to shoot raw files. If you use the Monochrome Picture Control, your camera will still display the image in black and white, but it will save a full-colour raw file to your memory card – you get the advantage of shooting and visualising in black and white, but the ability to choose different conversion options on the computer later if you need to. READ MORE The black and white photographer’s guide to light and contrast The 55 best photographers of all time. In the history of the world 8 alternative ways to convert to black and white in Photoshop The black and white landscape: make a mono masterpiece Make an Ansel Adams landscape: try this workflow for classic black & white images Sony A6000 hands-on review Feb 12th 2014, 11:53, by jmeyer Sony A6000 hands-on review: Sony’s 24.3-megapixel APS-C version of the Sony A7 boasts a number of interesting features. We take a look at some of the signature specs in our Sony A6000 hands-on review video. The Sony A6000 is the latest addition to Sony’s Alpha compact system camera range, and while it doesn’t replace the now discontinued NEX-6 it will sit in a similar slot in the new range of Sony CSC’s. Here Amy Davies of our testing team takes a look at what the camera has to offer in her hands-on Sony A6000 review video. SEE MORE: Sony A7R vs Nikon D800: which full-frame camera should you buy Sony A6000 Hands-on Review Video Transcript Hi, I’m Amy Davies from Future Publishing’s photography portfolio and I’m here at the launch of the brand new Sony a6000. This camera sits in the same kind of slot as the NEX-6 or the NEX-7 previously occupied, although Sony has decided to drop the NEX branding from its compact system cameras. There are quite a few similarities between this camera and the NEX-6, which it basically replaces, while it also shares some features of the full-frame A7 and A7R. The a6000 features an APS-C sized 24.3 million-pixel sensor though. Those photographers which appreciate a lot of dedicated dials and buttons will probably enjoy using this camera – as you can see, there are plenty available. The A6000′s grip is fairly pronounced, making it nice and easy to hold, especially if using it one handed. The metal construction and textured coating of the a5000 also help to lend it an air of quality. Where the NEX-6 had two stacked dials on top of the camera, the a6000 instead has two dials next to each other on the top of the camera. While this takes up more room overall, it makes the shooting easier and less prone to accidental settings changes. This dial here, which controls aperture or shutter speed, is very easily reachable by the thumb, which is handy for making quick changes. As with most other Sony cameras of late, most of the buttons on the a6000 are customisable. There’s also a type of quick menu available by pressing the function button – everything that appears in this menu can be swapped out for something you find you use more often. Finally, this small custom button here can be set to quickly access one particular setting. The camera has a tilting screen, but, as with the A7 and the A7R, it’s not touch sensitive, which is a bit of a shame. The screen is joined by an electronic viewfinder, which is the same as found in the recently launched premium RX10 bridge camera – it’s very bright and clear, with this eye sensor here making it a seamless transition. This is a camera which should appeal to those who are tempted by the A7 or A7R, but can’t quite stretch to its high asking price. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can get hold of a full production sample of the a6000 to put image quality to the test. For now, take a look at my hands on review at Techradar.com. READ MORE 77 photography techniques, tips and tricks for taking pictures of anything 99 common photography problems (and how to solve them) How to set up a camera for the first time: 11 things you need to do first What camera should I buy: pros and cons of each camera type

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