Review Digital Camera World 05-01-2014

Digital Camera World

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Camera Jungle: the REAL reason you should buy used equipment (Sponsored) May 1st 2014, 05:00, by jmeyer We’re living in a golden age for photographers, where vast improvements in technology have opened up new realms of creative possibilities. From capturing fast-moving action sequences to taking pictures in extreme low-light, there’s not a whole lot we can’t do with our cameras these days. But all this technology can come at a steep price. Thanks to Camera Jungle, it doesn’t have to. Save money buying used Did you know that upgrading to a more professional camera like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II could cost you significantly less if you bought it second-hand? Many exceptional cameras can be purchased for just a fraction of their original price when you buy a used model. For instance, the Canon EOS 7D would cost you the same amount of money if you bought it used as it would if you bought the lower-spec EOS 700D new in the box. There are loads of great cameras, such as the full-frame Nikon D700, which offer fantastic features and image quality, and can be had for a fraction of their original price when purchased second-hand. Camera Jungle specialises in sniffing out these bargains and bringing you the best deals on the best second-hand cameras and lenses. And Camera Jungle doesn’t just sell any used camera. Each item is fully tested, professionally cleaned and photographed before being sold. What’s more, you can zoom in on the hi-res images on Camera Jungle’s website giving you the closest possible experience to physically handling the product. Each product comes with a 6-month guarantee; this is the equivalent of a manufacturer’s guarantee, which covers faults not incurred by the user. What’s more, every camera is sold with a complete set of accessories. As well as cameras, Camera Jungle also stocks lenses and a host of other accessories and gear. And if you prefer to buy new, Camera Jungle also stocks brand-new, UK-sourced cameras, lenses and accessories. Click here to visit Camera Jungle’s website Or click here to catch up with them on Youtube Trade in your old cameras You might also consider trading in your own used camera or lens before upgrading. Camera Jungle promises a fast and easy, three-step trade-in system which will give you an online quote in mere seconds. Click here to find out how to get a quote And if you want that hands-on experience, you can visit Camera Jungle’s new showroom in Surrey. 9 creative photo ideas to try in May Apr 30th 2014, 23:01, by jmeyer As part of our ongoing series to help you get more creative with your digital camera, each month we publish some fun, seasonal, creative photo ideas to help inspire your imagination. Along with some amazing images, we've also provided some quick photography tips by both amateur and professional photographers who are experts in these fields. We’re kicking off May with a slew of fun projects like time stack landscapes, photographing spring lambs, indoor wild flowers, changing coastal light and many other creative photography projects that are perfect for this time of year. On each page you’ll find a stunning image and an explanation from the photographer on how it was made. If you attempt any of these photo ideas, don’t forget to share them on our Facebook wall! SEE MORE: 77 photography techniques, tips and tricks for taking pictures of anything Creative photo ideas for May: 01 Shoot a time stack image Better weather means more chances to take great landscapes, but it can be hard to come up with a fresh take on scenics. A great technique for creative landscape photographers to try is time-stacking. It's basically a time-lapse shooting and editing procedure that can give you wonderfully dramatic skies, like something from an Impressionist painting. The idea is to layer multiple still images, and it's a technique that has been used for many years, particularly to create star trails. US-based photographer and image-editing wizard Matt Molloy has become a specialist in time-stacking. "Once I made a few star trail images, I wondered why I've never seen this technique used on daylight time-lapses," Matt explains. "I tried it and, after a little tweaking here and there, I was astounded by the resulting images! They are kind of like a super-long exposure, showing a large chunk of time in a single image." To get these stunning effects, Matt uses an intervalometer, a device that allows your camera to shoot repeatedly at a given interval. As a Canon user, he uses some free software called Magic Lantern, but most cameras are able to use a remote control with an intervalometer function. You then need a tripod for shooting multiple images; Matt further weighs his down with a stone block, especially when it's windy. Once Matt has the images, he changes over to Photoshop. "Open the first photo of your time-lapse sequence, which will be your bottom layer," he explains. "Then add the second photo on a new layer. Change the top layer's blending mode to Lighten and merge both layers together. “This adds only the parts of the second image that are brighter than the same area on the original image. You then repeat the process with as many photos from the time-lapse as you like. “It takes some practice, but you will get used to selecting the right number of pictures for the effect you want." SEE MORE: 13 photo editing mistakes every photographer makes (and how you can avoid them) Get started today… * Try shooting a scene with both fixed and moving elements – a church or tower against fast-moving clouds, for instance. Sunset is a great time to try this technique. * You need to expose for the brightest moving elements – apart from the sun, these will usually be the clouds in a daylight scene. If you over-expose the clouds, you'll end up with pure white streaks in the sky. * You need to experiment with the shooting intervals – with faster clouds you need a shorter interval between the shots, and vice versa for slow clouds, otherwise you will capture very little movement. Creative photo ideas for May: 01 Shoot a time stack image Creative photo ideas for May: 02 Shoot a dramatic seascape Creative photo ideas for May: 03 Shoot the changing light on the coast Creative photo ideas for May: 04 Shoot spring lambs Creative photo ideas for May: 05 Shoot wild flowers indoors Creative photo ideas for May: 06 Shoot empty buildings Creative photo ideas for May: 07 Shoot with your smartphone on city breaks Creative photo ideas for May: 08 Shoot pedestrians with slow shutter speeds Creative photo ideas for May: 09 Shoot with a fisheye lens READ MORE 99 common photography problems (and how to avoid them) Vertorama tutorial – make enormous landscapes with extra impact Panoramic photography: tips for making high-res images from multiple pictures 14 photo editing tricks and tips every landscape photographer must know Bridgestone reveals Spring Colour winner, new B&W round in landscape contest (Sponsored) Apr 30th 2014, 09:00, by jmeyer The votes have been tallied, and Duncan McNeill has been named the winner of the Spring Colour round of Bridgestone’s new landscape photography competition. Duncan McNeill (Winner) The opening round of the five-round contest drew hundreds of amazing entries, but judges felt Duncan’s breathtaking view of the English Lake District was the clear winner. By day, Duncan, from Cumbria, runs a home maintenance service for older people and vulnerable adults, but in his spare time he uses his Nikon D3000 to photograph his children. “This photograph was taken three quarters of the way up Dodd Wood in the English Lake District,” Duncan says. “My wife had decided to march me up there to burn off some winter weight. I’m glad she did as the Spring sunshine was just starting to melt the snow and I got an image of Spring chasing Winter away. I don’t usually do landscapes but this was too good an opportunity to miss!” Sean Wright (Runner Up) Runner-up this round was grid engineer Sean Wright, from Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Judges loved his use of long exposure to capture movement in the water. Duncan will receive £50 in vouchers to spend at WEX, along with a bag of goodies from Bridgestone. He will also advance to the final pool of judging with a chance to be named the overall winner at the end the five rounds. Click here catch up on the latest rounds and for information on how to submit your own entry. Introducing Round 2: Black & White Bridgestone is now accepting entries for the second round of its competition. This month the theme is black and white landscapes. As before, entries can be submitted via Bridgestone’s Facebook app before the closing date on 26 May. The competition is open to UK-based photographers over age 18. You may enter as many images as you like to each round. To enter, simply visit Bridgestone’s dedicated competition gallery on its Facebook page and upload your image(s) before the closing date on 26 May. Click here to enter

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