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The photographer was shaking,
the image stayed sharp.
 Introducing Anti-Shake, the sharpest thing in digital photography.

Minolta’s innovative Anti-Shake system marks a revolution for low light and long lens
shooting, with incredible stability for pin sharp shots. Using the new DiMAGE A1, it’ll be far less The essentials of imaging
necessary to turn to your tripod or fumble for your flash.
The secret of Anti-Shake lies in a CCD sensor that shifts two dimensionally along the X
and Y axes compensating for shake during hand-held shooting. Put simply, it delivers the
stability of 1/200th of a second when lighting conditions only permit 1/25th. Never before has the
camera had such control over a single moment - whether it be a simple sunset or staring at the eye
of a tiger.

The fastest autofocusing in its class.

Like the subject pictured, the DiMAGE A1 has lightning-fast reactions. Autofocusing starts as
rapidly as a fifth of a second, and with all that speed comes agility too – the new Minolta has an extra
wide 11-point Auto Focus area. To optimise any photographic opportunity, the camera
utilises a middle row of seven focusing areas, with three above and one below. Metering
is performed using a high precision algorithm that detects your subject within the
autofocus area.
For added refinement an enhanced stepping motor moves the focus mechanisms ultra-quietly.

Innovative predictive focusing for moving subjects.

As the cat creeps forward, Minolta’s unique 3D AF captures every stealthy step towards the
camera with unprecedented accuracy. That’s because autofocusing starts the very moment you grip
the camera and look through the viewfinder. Even fast moving subjects are kept firmly in
focus. The split second you’re ready to shoot, the predictive focus control accounts for
any time lag between shutter release and image capture, and the shot is yours.

High quality continuous shooting.

Hi-speed mode enables fast, high resolution continuous shooting. In this mode you can
continuously shoot RAW or TIFF images at full resolution (2,560 x 1,920 pixels). Up to 5 RAW
images can be taken in immediate succession, or if JPEG Fine is selected, you can repeatedly
capture 3 shot sequences.

A new breed of digital system camera.

The new Minolta DiMAGE A1 is the most advanced digital SLR type camera available at under
£1,000. Prominent features include a high resolution 118,000 pixel LCD monitor. This can be
tilted through 110 degrees. So whether you are holding the camera at waist level or above your
head you can see 100% of the field of view.
Optional dedicated accessories include the pictured BP-400 grip. This improves vertical
control and gives a choice of power supplies, including Lithium-ion and AA Ni-MH rechargeable
batteries.
And that’s what the new Minolta DiMAGE A1 is all about - stunning quality with unrivalled
control.
In fact, with a digital system putting you so much in charge of the action, the future for some
systems looks decidedly shaky.
The Dimage A1.
It lives at the sharp end.

*The Dimage A1 £999.99. Camera shown with optional accessory grip/battery pack BP-400. www.dimage.minolta.com
THE OLYMPUS C-750 ULTRAZOOM. CLOSE ENOUGH FOR YOU?

The Olympus C-750

C Ult
0 Ultrazoom
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t e first
f irst digital
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br ight

F2.8 aperture
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exactly
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details
ails freephone
f reephone 0
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2 0070
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www.olympus.co.uk
Welcome
We’ve already had a great response to our Photographer of the Year competition, but
don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to enter – you could be our £1,000 prize winner!

I
can’t tell you how delighted I am with
The photographs we wish the response to our new Digital Camera

we’d taken this month! Magazine Photographer of the Year

competition. We announced it in last month’s issue and

Adam Evans
Editor
This is just a fantastic
image. From the action-
packed sharp silhouette in
the foreground to the
graduated greys of the
people in the background,
it’s sheer class.
SEE THIS GREAT
IMAGE ON PAGE 12
Liz Raderecht
Operations Editor
Douglas Kirkland’s striking
portrait of Audrey Hepburn.
Although the hat and glasses
look dated, Kirkland has
captured her elegance and
timeless beauty.
we got our first dozen entries on the first day of sale –
check out page 53 for a sneak preview! As well as being impressed (though not
There’s still
surprised) by the quality of entries, I was particularly pleased by the number of
you who entered, given that we hadn’t yet released details of the prizes!
plenty of time
Your trust in us was well placed, though – I can now reveal that the grand to target that
prize for the overall winner is a whopping £1,000 in Jessops vouchers.
Someone, somewhere, will be a very happy snapper in six month’s time! In huge first prize
addition, the winner of each issue’s competition gets £200 of vouchers, with
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF
two runners-up prizes of £50 each. THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES ON OUR FORUMS
If you’re worried that it’s too late to enter, don’t be – there’s still plenty of
WWW.DCMAG.CO.UK
time to target that huge first prize. We keep track of all your entries and
average your best four in order to calculate your final score. This means that
you only need to enter four stages in order to be in with a shout of £1,000
in vouchers! Meet the team…
Best wishes
Adam Evans Editor
r N

SEE THIS GREAT

ito SO

or
or
Ed P

editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk

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IMAGE ON PAGE 146

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Our promise to you Meet your experts

■ We will show you how to capture and create better pictures, give clear, TIM DALY Photographer and writer ROD LAWTON Camera expert
independent buying recommendations on the latest kit, and deliver two CDs or one Tim is one of the UK’s leading digital photography Rod has reviewed virtually every digital camera ever
DVD packed with the best PC software. experts. He’s written numerous books on the released. A self-confessed technical nut, he reviews
subject, and his photos have exhibited across Europe five new cameras each and every month for us
■ We use boxes, tips, quick fixes, quality photography, walkthroughs and diagrams
to show you how to improve your photographic and image-editing skills. STEVE BAVISTER Photographer and editor CHRIS STOCKER Magazine cover guru
■ We have a cast-iron policy of editorial independence. All our kit is reviewed as- Steve is one of the UK’s best-known photographic Chris is one of the country’s leading image experts.
writers. He has edited Photo Answers in the past, His tutorials are packed with the kind of experience
sold. We discourage our journalists from accepting gifts from advertisers. and now writes for us every month that only 100s of magazine covers can provide
■ We welcome your opinions on the magazine, ideas for articles, photography,
AIDAN O’ROURKE Technical expert
thoughts and questions.
■ Send them in today – see the email addresses opposite.
Aidan is a freelance photographer and contributor to
the Manchester Evening News. He lectures on digital
photography around the UK
Get in touch...
■ Articles/ideas for publication and general enquires
editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
GEORGE CAIRNS Image-editing guru
■ Customer services/subscriptions departments
George is an expert in producing amazing artwork
customerservice@futurenet.co.uk
using Photoshop. He welcomes your suggestions for
future creative projects… Visit us online at www.dcmag.co.uk
 Contents DCM#13
What’s hot inside your magazine this November

SHOOT AMAZING
SUNSETS
Your complete guide to taking better sunset photos! STARTS PAGE
MASSIVE 10-PAGE GUIDE How to get richer colours ■ Capture
dramatic clouds ■ Best exposure settings ■ Enhance in Photoshop 20
PC & INTERNET p107 Buyers’ guide
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
SHOPPING AROUND
Getup&go PULL OUT
Photo PAGE 113 Golden autumnal forests, beautiful
buildings and fungi forays
SECTION
FIND IT AFT
Impact 6 Some features and functions are must-haves
for the creative digital photographer. We’ve
trawled our review pages to give you the
PLUS: 4 free tip cards p98
ER
PAGE
Create amazing images and
108 polish your photographs to most comprehensive buyers’ guide to
perfection with this month’s full digital cameras on the market
PAGE
software giveaway – Ulead’s
108 superb PhotoImpact 6!
* UK editi

Create videos! PicaLoader 1.25 SE

ons only

PAGE
Make your own mini-movies
110 using your digital camera’s
built in video functions!
PAGE
Get picture-perfect results: this
111 essential web utility searches the
net for the images you need, fast!

008 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 REGULARS
HotShots The best photos we’ve seen this month p12
Eyewitness The latest breaking news p16
4 FRE
TIPS CAREDS
Trailblazers Travel shots from around the world p50
Viewfinder Reader letters p52
FOR YOU TO Subscribe Save money and don’t miss an issue! p64
COLLECT AN Back issues Complete your collection p78

REVIEWS p33 KEEP!

D
Next month The lowdown on issue 14
Back page The big picture
p145
p146

Independent testing NEW NEW

SECTION SECTION
PHOTOSHOP GET CREATIVE
PHOTOSHOPIN p57 PAINT SHOP PRO GET CREATIVE
PAINT SHOPIN
PRO
p79
Toddler terror! All about layers
George Cairns shows you how to create a Lori Davis explains how adjustment layers
picture that’ll leave King Kong in the shade and blend ranges work in the second part
of our A-Z layers guide, and shows you
how to create a ‘hand-tinted’ image

PAGE

80
The Pentax *ist D is the SLR that sets new
standards for size, control and capabilities p34
Your photos
PAGE
Take a look at a showcase of
85 your photographs, all cleverly
enhanced in Paint Shop Pro
PAGE

58 Combining images
Photoshop plug-ins Joe Apice helps you paint a scene,
PAGE

86 placing a new subject against a

PAGE Chris Schmidt shows you different backgrond

A-Z of layers 88 how to use them in PSP

Derek Lea explains how to use layer sets and
merge functions to create a fantasy image

We check out six of the best A4 high-speed,

photo-quality inkjet printers p44
PAGE
SHOOT p91
66
Camera controls Camera controls
Tim Daly takes you through the ins
PAGE
Tim Daly exposes everything you
Photoshop Lighting and outs of the aperture
92 need to know about making the
best use of your camera’s aperture
Add a brilliant backlight to give your images
a dynamic touch
Photo clinic
PAGE
Our very own resident expert,
FUJIFILM FINEPIX MICROSOFT DIGITAL PAGE 96 Andrea Thompson gives her expert
F700 p38 IMAGING SUITE p48 PAGE 92 advice in her photography surgery

REVIEWED THIS MONTH...

Pentax *ist D p34
72 Top 10 landmarks Home studio
Tim Daly reveals how to set up a
PAGE

Fujifilm FinePix F700 p38 100 studio on a budget, and what

Minolta DiMAGE S414 p40 equipment and techniques are essential
Olympus mju 400 p42
Canon I470D p45
Canon I950 p45 Q&A
Epson 900 p45 PAGE
Aidan O’Rourke tackles your digital
Epson 950 p46 PAGE George Cairns scours the land 102 photography problems and queries
HP 5150 p46 94 for his favourite landmarks with the help of his trusty team of experts
Lexmark P707 p46
Microsoft Digital Imaging Suite 9.0 p48

The eye’s the limit Your photos

Chris Stocker reveals his beauty tips on
how to enhance a subject’s eyes
We cast an eye over this month’s
reader photos TURN OVER FOR
FULL CD CONTENTS
PAGE PAGE

76 75

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 009

 Your discs
More videos, full software, project files and plug-ins than any other magazine!
PHOTOSHOP
VIDEO TUTORIAL

PhotoImpact 6
Everything you need to create
stunning digital images
■ Doesn’t need complex filter settings
■ Extensive image-editing tools
■ Easy to use FULL 01 Kid Kong at the
London Eye
Digital artist, George Cairns, shows you
TUTORIAL how to create a fantasy image of a
ON PAGE toddler causing chaos in London

108!

02 Combine the
three elements
All the elements that you need to

DVD BONUS!Your exclusive extras... create your own terrible toddler are on
the cover CD/DVD.

500 Hemera Photo

Objects FREE!
• PicaLoader Download free photos
from the internet quickly and easily FULL 03 The final
toddler image
• Photoshop book Full companion SOFTWARE Once you’ve followed the tutorial and

software to this month’s free guide! WORTH created your image, why not send us
in your efforts?

£49
010 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
YOUR COMPLETE ON-DISC CAMERA SERVICE…
EXCLUSIVE PICTURE READER PHOTO ON-DISC
COMPARISONS GALLERY BUYERS’ GUIDE!
View the images from Be inspired! Take a look Check the specifications
each featured camera at the showcase of your and performance for
and compare the photographs, and send every camera we’ve
performance for yourself us your best shots ever reviewed

RESOURCES AND TRIALS THIS MONTH’S TUTORIALS DISC CONTENTS

PC and Mac Plug-ins Files on the disc
Lunarcell (Dual)
Create planets and terrain instantly with this plug-in
from Flaming Pear. DVD only
Toddler
terror!
Forget King Kong. Kid Kong
makes a far more interesting
shot, especially against
the contemporary setting
of the London Eye.
Full software Trial software
Discover how to create Ulead PhotoImpact 6 Ulead PhotoImpact 8
this fantastic scene

BONUS DVD FILES

AliveColors (PC)
Make your pictures more vibrant with this digital
colour-correction tool. DVD only
Photoshop skills Full software
PicaLoader 1.25 SE
Plug-ins
Pxl Smartscale
A-Z of layers AliveColors
Create a moody, mystical scene Trial software Lunarcell
using Photoshop’s layer sets and Ulead PhotoImpact 8 FocusFixer
Picaloader 1.3 MRWFormat
merge functions. Everything you PhotoMix 3.2.5 Flood
need is on the coverdisc Pixarra Sketchbook Xenofex 2
Imagematics Photo Plugin Galaxy
Beauty secrets Slideshow Color Darkroom
Minolta DiMAGE Panopticum PhotoFX
Become a virtual Messenger
beautician, and ABC Image Videos
create the perfect Browser 4.4 Kid Kong 1
PhotoDruid 1.0 Kid Kong 2
eye make-up for
Plus trials of these plug-ins: Photo2VCD Kid Kong 3
FocusFixer, MRWFormat, FLood, Xenofex 2, Plugin Galaxy, a model. We show Professional 2.66 Kid Kong 4
Color Darkroom and Panopticum PhotoFX. DVD only you how Shutterfly Express 3.0
Alivecolors 1.0.30 Photoshop Focus

Paint Shop Pro

Guide
Mac Library Adobe Photoshop 7.0
EasyBatchPhoto 1.2.5
30-DAY Cumulus
TRIAL Filling the generation gap ThumbsUp 3.2 Electroplate
Adobe Photoshop 7.0 Use Paint Shop WE ImageSurfer 2.0 Sphere Warp
Full working trial of the Pro to place a
subject against
GIVE YOU PStill 2.8
Toyviewer 4.4
Wreckage
Zephyr
industry-standard image-
a different
EVERYTHING PDFCompress 4.2 Total Training Video
editing application. DVD only
background –
YOU NEED ON
follow our step- THE DISCS DISC SUPPORT
by-step guide In the event of a disc fault, please see the back
of your disc case for help and contacts

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 011

Hotshots
Images with impact

03

SHOT OF THE MONTH

RANDY S CORBIN 4522 FOUNTAIN
“This image was shot at the fountain at the Seattle Center.
I positioned myself for the strong backlighting, in order to
silhouette the subjects coming around the fountain. I got
a series of shots that I'm quite happy with – the boy came
into the frame as I was setting up the shot.”
Canon EOS D60 with a Canon ef70-200 2.8L IS lens
[e] rsc01@earthlink.net

POST YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE!

www.dcmag.co.uk/hotshots13
 02

02 COLIN MINTON Black Watch

“This was taken on the Isle of Mull in January this year, near a beach at
Torloisk. The conditions were windy: just after a gale, the sun was setting,
throwing the shapes into sharp relief. I think that it’s a change from the usual
Highland cattle pictures on postcards…”
Canon D60
[e] CCMinton1@aol.com

03 QUENTIN ROBINSON Pastoral rainbow

“This panorama image consists of eight frames that encompass about 180
degrees of the horizon. When I took the shot, it had been overcast and raining all
afternoon. At sunset, the weather began to clear and the result was a bright,
setting sun casting a double rainbow in the east. I took a series of panoramas, all
handheld because I didn’t have my tripod with me. I learned a long time ago
that it pays to take a lot more images than you think you’ll need…”
Fuji S2 Pro, AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm lens. Photoshop 7.0/Panorama Factory
[e] rqrobinson@insightbb.com

NEXT 04 GERALD RODGERS Golden playground

“This image is a combination of two sunrise shots; both were taken on

MONTH! misty mornings. Sunrise is my favourite time to shot, especially when there's
mist on the water. I also like to capture waterfowl because they always take
flight when the sun rises. This lakeside setting is near my home, and it offers a
Black & white wide variety of landscape and wildlife pictures, allowing me to showcase the
beauty of nature.”
special issue Nikon Coolpix 990
[e] tt@comcast.net

04

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 013

05 FRANK WHITTLE Rotten banana
“This is an owl butterfly taken at the Felinwynt Rainforest
Centre, in Cardigan, Wales. Anyone who has tried to photograph
butterflies will know that they’re not the most cooperative subject,
but this one couldn’t resist a rotting banana, and it posed for me
while it had its lunch.”
Canon EOS 10D. Clour adjustment; contrast and levels;
sharpened in Photoshop
[e] omeyas@f2s.com

06 HEATHER MCFARLAND It’s lonely at the top

“There is a small ski hill near my home. With the skiers
permission, I’m able to stand on the back of the jump to shoot
them as they fly overhead – I’m amazed by the daring and skill of
these athletes…”
Nikon D1X, Nikkor 35-70mm F2.8 lens
[e] farland@covad.net

07 ILONA WELLMANN Church on a hill

“This was taken near Scheßlitz in Germany. I used a Canon G1
with a Hoya R72 infra-red filter and a tripod. The photo is the
unmodified digital file, with just the contrast adjusted. The colours
are achieved using the custom white balance on the G1.”
Canon Powershot G1
[w] IlonaWellmann.meinatelir.de

@
NOW SEND US YOURS!
Email us a JPEG (max 500K) of your best shot! Include your
name, the title of the shot and the digital camera you used.
The best photo each month wins a 128MB Crucial memory
card (all types available) and Crucial USB card reader!
gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk

05

06

07

014 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar lens
5 effective megapixel image resolution
Gets up at 4am for a good sunrise

With full manual control, a rotating Carl Zeiss lens and 5 x optical zoom,
the Sony DSC-F717 has features that mark it out as a serious camera
for serious photographers. Alas, the ability to use these features to take
a great photo is not one of them, but luckily, you can do that.
32mb Memory Stick supplied. ‘Sony’, ‘Memory Stick’ and ‘Cyber-shot’ are trademarks of the Sony Corporation, Japan.

www.sony-imaging.com
 EyeWitness Got a news story? Email editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
CANON’S NEW
DIGITAL SLR
EOS 300D expected to grow an
unexploited segment of the
digital camera market
ADOBE’S NEW
KILLER SUITE
Adobe has released a design
and publishing one stop
shop with its Creative Suite
BEHIND THE IMAGE:
NUDE PROTEST
Naked anti-globalisation
activists spell out their
message in sunburnt flesh

Canon’s new digital QUICK

SHOTS
Plug-in promises
clearer pictures
SLR snaps consumers NEW DUO
STORAGE FROM
SANDISK
A couple of new
storage devices from
AutoFocus enables you to repair
blurred snaps
AutoFocus is a new plug-in for full-
blown Photoshop, Photoshop Elements
Brand new and affordable 6-megapixel SLR now a reality with EOS 300D SanDisk have and Paint Shop Pro, which offers a trio
been created with of features designed to sharpen
SOFTWARE

C
anon has launched the EOS 300D, a camera is fronted with a lens system totally
EOS 300D IS 6.3-megapixel digital SLR aimed squarely compatible with Canon’s renowned EF lenses of
smaller, high-capacity
consumer devices
imperfect images. Kicking off with
DeBlur, why not try cleaning up your slightly blurred
THE BEST at a previously unexploited consumer which there are currently 60. This fact will no in mind. The digital snaps? If noise is more of a problem, one of the

PROOF end of the digital market. Retailing at £1,000 with doubt tempt any analogue snappers making the
MemoryStick Duo
and the Pro Duo
other two functions of AutoFocus may be the ticket:
DeNoise removes the grain, while preserving the edges
CANON CAN a custom-built lens (£900 without the lens), it’s on
sale now.
move to digital, although be aware that the lens
included in the box, the EF-S, has been made
cards suit new-
generation mobiles
of the image; the advanced version of Sharpener works
without creating grain all over your sharpened image.
GIVE TO THE The camera combines high-end technologies, specially and solely for the 300D. as well as digital This powerful new plug-in is selling for $70 from
MARKET such as seven-point high-speed predictive auto- The 6.3-megapixel CMOS sensor on this cameras and come in
sizes from 32MB to
www.humansoftware.com

THAT THE focus, 2.5 frames per second burst rate, 35-zone desirable-looking camera is almost identical to 512MB, with prices
AGE OF metering and Canon’s DIGIC image processor with that found on the award-winning and rather

2
ranging from $34.99.

3
Information
a price point that the imaging giant believes is more high-end EOS 10D, and the 300D supports Go to www.sandisk.
DIGITAL SLR affordable to everyone. Canon’s PictBridge print standard, which lets com for more detail.
supplied by
www.dabs.com

HAS ARRIVED In Europe, Canon owns 40 per cent of the SLR users print directly from camera to printer,
BAG A SAFE Best sellers
market and it expects to see at least 400 per cent eliminating the need for a computer. Using AND STYLISH
growth in the digital SLR segment between 2002 the model’s 1.8-inch LCD screen, you can set CAMERA
CARRIER Top camera in
and 2003. “History will remember the launch of print variables and review the snaps you want the market
Airbag has come up Canon Powershot A70
the EOS 300D as the point in time to send immediately to the printer. And there
with some rugged 3.2MP
when the imaging is an APS-C sized digital sensor on the 300D, bags for fashion- £254.99
market shifted giving the camera 1.6x magnification over 35mm conscious gadget
irrevocably from film format. owners. Urban styling
is mixed with top- Sub-£150
analogue to digital,” The 300D’s DIGIC imaging processor is claimed Kodak Easyshare CX6230
notch protection
The EOS 300D is a lot claims Alessandro to deliver superb image quality and results in 2MP
systems to make sure
Stanzani, Head of faster camera performance, faster AF, faster £129.99
lighter than previous your camera is
digital SLRs, although Marketing for continuous shooting and extended battery life. carried in style and
Canon Consumer DIGIC replaces the process that used to occur in safety. Find out more
it has the same about the range of Sub-£300
quality feel in use Imaging Europe. the analogue darkroom and deals with complex Canon Powershot A70
backpacks and bags
The body functions such as white balance and colour at www.coluco.com 3.2MP
of the rendition. As Hiroshi Komatsuzaki, Head of Canon or bag one for £254.99
new Consumer Imaging Europe says: “Superior lens yourself at PC World.
and sensor technologies ensure the best raw
CAMERA FOR Sub-£500
ingredients. It is what DIGIC does with these that
THE GREAT Sony DSC-V1 Cybershot
gives the EOS 300D the edge.” OUTDOORS 5MP
The black and silver body of the camera Ricoh’s new 300G, £465.99
is well shaped, reminiscent of EOS priced at £349.99,has
been released. This
predecessors but considerably lighter in
beast of a camera is
weight than those that have gone before. best suited to rainy,
Stanzani continues: “The EOS 300D is the Over-£500
sandy and dusty
Canon EOS 300D SLR
best proof Canon can give to the market environments. It can (body only)
that the age of digital SLR has arrived.” We even survive and £879.99
perform at depths of
can’t wait to get our hands on it – look out
1m underwater for
for the review in next month’s issue, on up to 30 minutes!
sale 30th October. www.ricoh.com
Adobe’s creative
one-stop shop is here
New version of Photoshop is bundled with all Adobe’s big-name
creative titles in Creative Suite
Aficionados have been waiting for Adobe is continuing to sell each component palettes. It also PRICING
the release of Photoshop 8.0 for individually, but its pricing structure makes its means that Premium edition
most of the year (it’s expected to strategy crystal clear: its future lies in the suite you can Full version £949
SOFTWARE
arrive this autumn), but Adobe has and it wants to discourage people as much as exchange Upgrade version £565
brought something new to market in the form of possible from buying standalone apps. With the artwork Standard edition
its Creative Suite. A complete design and release of Creative Suite, Adobe has aligned the between Full version £775
publishing solution, Adobe claims its Creative point product releases of all its main creative Illustrator and Upgrade version £409
Suite is more than the sum of its parts. It not products (all versions are called CS now) and Photoshop Educational edition
only includes a new version of Photoshop, but introduced some invaluable new features to all Adobe’s new Creative more easily than ever, and you can Special edition £330
also Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive, Acrobat and a of them. It has also used those products to Suite design package is rely on more intangible shared, yet core
new file management and workflow utility create a one-stop shop for design and publishing out this autumn… technologies like the Adobe Color Engine for
called Version Cue. professionals – and at really reasonable prices. consistency. You can buy the suite this autumn
In the past, Adobe has trumpeted itself as We give pricing information for the suite although exact dates are as yet unconfirmed.
a step ahead of its rivals is the integration below but the upgrade path is more than
between its creative products, and that generous. Adobe’s Mark Hilton says: “90 per cent
integration is the raison d’etre for the new suite, of Adobe’s customers own a copy of Photoshop,

with the common interface and toolset, native
file format support, shared core technologies,
automated web production and packaging print
pages for the web.
Behindtheimage
so making the upgrade path via Photoshop
seemed the easiest catch-all solution.”
This means that owners of any version of
Photoshop can upgrade to the Creative Suite for
£500 (Standard Edition lacking Acrobat and
GoLive) or £700 (Premium edition). Even with
the Standard iteration, the bang per buck is huge
when you consider the benefits of integration.
Maybe the launch of Creative Suite marks the
beginning of the ascendancy of Adobe to total
domination of the creative-software market.
Adobe looks set to deliver the tight integration
it promises with this suite, primarily by virtue of
the fact that it has invented and evolved each
component itself. Tight integration means that
you can switch applications without slowing
down, thanks to common commands, tools and

Creative Suite includes new versions of Photoshop,

Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive and Acrobat

KILLERFEATURES PHOTOSHOPCS
WEB DESIGN FILTER LAYER COMPS ENHANCED FILE 9th September 2003, Cancun, Mexico
USER INTERFACE PREVIEWS Capture multiple BROWSER
Select, group and Use the Filter Gallery in design variations as Customise keyboard A group of naked anti-globalisation activists write in the sand the sentence
manipulate multiple order to browse and individual Layer Comps shortcuts. Search, edit
‘No to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’. They are demonstrating against
objects using automatic plan stacked effects in a single file, then and customise file
Smart Guides and with a new and quickly output them to metadata. Also features the WTO’s latest global summit.
organise nested object larger preview. provide alternates for on-screen lightbox and

2
groups up to five client review. track edits.
levels deep. SHADOWS/
HIGHLIGHTS TEXT ON MATCH THE

TALKBACK
16-BIT A PATH COLOUR

1
Modify shadows and
All core Photoshop highlights while Create and manipulate Apply the colour
features are now preserving existing fully editable text on scheme of one image
available to 16-bit image midtones and any path, or inside to another, or one layer Tell us what you think! Our website forum at dcmag.co.uk
images, including correcting over- or any shape, for some to another, to easily is just the place. Add your comments, ideas and more and
layers, filters, painting, under-exposed areas in really eye-catching achieve a consistent join the Digital Camera Magazine club!
text and shapes. any image. typographic designs. look between shots.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 017

 Straight to the heart of the chatter

SPARROW’S At last – a camera

My friend Reg is a bit of a stick
in the mud. For years now he’s
been snapping away with his
Canon EOS 1n, clicking through
countless rolls of film that
he then takes to his local
camera shop to have dipped in
ARROW
Mark’s friend, Reg,
gets the digital bug…
picture. You see, Reg isn’t the
most computer literate of
souls and approaches technology
with the sort of deference that
Alan Bennett reserves for a
macaroon and a nice cup of
tea. He doesn’t like technology
on a keyring!
Philips unlocks the problem of digital photo storage on the move
You can store MP3 audio files or
THAT’S A digital images on the new keyfob
MASSIVE devices from Philips. But you can
1,600 HARDWARE also do a lot more besides.
IMAGES ON With the same footprint and the similar styling
to the other USB storage devices, the KEY007
A CAMERA and KEY008 have in-built 1.3-megapixel equivalent
THAT FITS cameras and store 64MB and 128MB of photos,
ONTO YOUR respectively. For the latter, that’s a massive
KEYRING 1,600 images on a camera that fits onto
your keyring. Both cameras
example, the KEY006 offers 128MB of flash
memory capacity, which is enough for four hours of
WMA music files or two hours of MP3 audio. All the
controls are integrated into the neck strap, which
means the controls are always within convenient
reach. The KEY004 has the same neck strap remote
control but with 64MB of flash memory.
The KEY005 and KEY003 have 128MB and 64MB
of flash memory, respectively, and include a five-
key in-cord remote control, which means that

smelly chemicals and turned into
colour photos.
“You can’t go on like this,” I
told him recently over a pint in
the Rat and Ferret. “You’ve got
to go digital.”
Reg snorted and screwed up his
face. Reg doesn’t really like
change very much. However,
after some gentle nagging I
eventually managed to drag him
into a camera shop to see a
digital camera in the flesh… so
to speak.
“Have a look at this one,” I
urged, passing him a Minolta
DiMAGE 7.
“What do I do with it?”
he asked.
“You take pictures with it. Just
like your film camera,” I
explained gently.
“But where does the film go?”
Aah… poor Reg. It took him a
little while to grasp the concept
of filmless photography, but once
I’d explained about CompactFlash
cards and showed him how easy
it was to transfer photos to his
computer he began to get the
Mark Sparrow is an experienced film
and digital photographer. Billions of
years ago, when he was 18, he
qualified as the youngest ever
all that much and only has a
computer because he writes
words for a living. Reg is an
old-school journalist, brought
up in newsrooms filled with
ranks of manual typewriters,
clouds of cigarette smoke and
miserable Scottish subs with
blue pencils behind their ears.
Getting Reg to go digital wasn’t
going to be easy.
But we managed it…. eventually.
Once he’d got his head around
the fact that he wouldn’t need
to buy or process film any more
he took to it like a duck to water.
Soon he was firing off photos
to the editors of every local
newspaper he could find
an email address for. In fact,
the digital bug bit Reg so hard
that he went out and bought
himself a Canon EOS 10D and
several lenses to go with it.
Now he calls every other night
for advice.
“Do you think I ought to go
for an EZ or EX SpeedLite?” he
asked me on the phone the
other evening. “I thought I’d go
for the EX so I can have TTL
metering. What’s your view?”
My view… I wish I’d never
handed Reg that DiMAGE 7.
Member of the Master Photographers’
Association. Discuss the column at
www.dcmag.co.uk/forums or email
mark.sparrow@futurenet.co.uk
use VGA picture-capture
technology, allowing
the images to be
converted to 1.3
megapixels resolution
on the PC for
MOBILE enhanced picture quality.
SNAPPER Their size and
convenience makes the new
products ideal for those on the move who The new Philips mini camera takes the well-
want to transfer picture files to and from exploited idea of USB storage a step further
their computers and digital cameras. Plugging
straight into a USB port without the need users on the move can keep the player out of
for drives and no bigger than a pack of harm’s way in a pocket or bag while easily
chewing gum, you can attach them to a accessing its functions. All models from Philips run
keyfob or lanyard. on rechargeable batteries that can be charged via
Philips doesn’t miss a trick, and ultra- USB although you can also buy an extra clip-on
portable digital cameras are not the only things it pack for AA battery extended life. Prices for the six
FESTIVAL SCENE
It must be love, at has produced from a magician’s hat. These devices models range from around £79 to £119.
least according to Nick come in the form of solid state MP3 players. For www.thingstodoyourthing.com
Jones and his mobile
Energizer rechargeables
A new range of high-tech battery packs and charges from Energizer
Digital photography is a no-no Three types of charger unit, used with a series of
unless you get yourself fully loaded adaptor plates, cover the whole photographic
up with loads of rechargeables and range. The same charger charges camcorder and
HARDWARE a charger. Well, an amazingly large digital camera batteries and if you change digital
THE SHADOWS range of rechargeable batteries and chargers have camera equipment in the future, you need only
Liam Barris took this now been launched by Energizer. buy a new adaptor plate to become compatible.
moody street scene.
Nice lens glare, Liam!
The company claims the range includes
batteries for every digital camera, camcorder and
cordless phone made in the last 15 years – there
are over 200 different battery types for digital
cameras and camcorders alone.
The batteries are made from state-of-the-art
technologies, including Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-
Send us your mobile
phone photos and MH) and Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) along with Nickel
we’ll print them! Cadmium (Ni-Cd) and Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA).
Email to editor.dcm Energizer also provides an ingenious solution for Energizer’s Managing Director, Arvind Patel,
@futurenet.co.uk promises to clean up his office soon
all camcorder and digital camera charging needs.

018 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

QUICK
SHOTS
A80 heads Pentax WHAT’S ON
HP PROMISES
DIGITAL
PowerShot releases three Mark Harris rounds up the latest exhibitions, events and training to
get you out from behind your PC.
NIRVANA
HP has launched 60
new consumer
range new digicams EXHIBITIONS
Kyoichi Tzuki: Happy Victims
technology products What: Innovative artist, Tzuki, has his first
in a bid to increase Canon claims new mode is ideal Optio range expands with new solo UK exhibition with this intimate
glimpse into the lives of shopaholics in his
seamless integration for developing skills high-performance models native Japan
between devices and
Where: The Photographers’ Gallery,
make digital imaging Canon has launched the PowerShot A80, Pentax has launched three new Optio Newport Street, London
accessible to all. a 4-megapixel flagship camera which digital cameras. First, the Optio 555 When: Until 16th October
There’s the boasts a newly designed 3X optical (£500) is the successor to the 550 and Price: Free
Photosmart 945 Details: 020 7831 1772
HARDWARE zoom with fast f/2. aperture, vari-angle HARDWARE excels in high performance in a compact
digital camera, a 5.3- LCD monitor and state-of-the-art artificial and lightweight enclosure. It boasts 5 © Kyoichi Tzuki 2003
megapixel unit intelligence auto focus. The first of Canon’s compact effective megapixels, a powerful 5X optical zoom and Boyle Family
bursting with features digital still cameras to do so, the A80 is compatible with looks cool, cloaked in aluminium with stylish, circular What: The Boyle bunch take their film,
and with enhanced PictBridge which enables PC-free printing via direct grooves on the front. photography and extraordinary ‘earth categories – People, Places, Still Life and
manual controls. surfaces’ north of the border in this first The Natural World – plus a Special Award
camera to printer connection and it also has the ability Second up is the 4-megapixel Optio 54 (£380), again
major retrospective for image manipulation. The overall winner
Then there’s the HP to take three minutes of movie clips with full sound. a slimline and stylish camera, it has a myriad features,
Where: Scottish National Gallery of will receive £2,000, with £250 for each
Photosmart 7960 You can take advantage of any one of 14 shooting functions and filters, plus loads of brilliant shooting Modern Art category winner
8-ink photo printer, modes, but the one that most caught our attention modes, including night scenes and panoramas. When: Until 9th November When: Until 19th November
which claims to offer was Stitch Assist, a mode that enables you to precisely And finally, the Optio 33WR (£300) is perfect for the Price: £4/£3 concessions Price: Free, but students must enter
the ultimate in colour align multiple snaps for panoramas. You can buy great outdoors as it’s not only waterproof but manages Details: 0131 624 6200 through their college or university
photo quality, as well an optional waterproof case that is submersible to to operate through the entire zooming range without Fay Godwin: Landmarks Details: www.ici-imagedata.com
as the first true black- 40 metres and you can also buy a bayonet mount protruding from the body. Loads more info to be found What: Another chance to see a stunning
and-white prints. It adaptor to fit this groovy camera so that you can extend about all three cameras at retrospective of one of our best (and most TRAINING
uses HP’s new grey its use with a choice of zoom or macro lenses www.pentax.com political) photographers
Royal Photographic Society
ink cartridge and as add-ons. Where: Scottish National Portrait Gallery Digital Photography Course
When: 10th October to 1st February 2004
if you combine it What: An introduction to digital
Price: TBC photography, with one day spent
with two new A4 Details: 0131 624 6200
papers, you’ll get investigating and experimenting with your
Anderson & Low: Form camera, and one day manipulating your
photographic The A80 is in This camera What: A beautiful series of images from images in Photoshop
results like the shops from likes a dip Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low Where: Royal Photographic Society, Bath
never before. Where: The Photographers’ Gallery, When: 9am to 5pm, 25th and 26th October
October, priced in the water
Newport Street, London Price: £120 for two days but spaces limited
SMALL at £349 When: Until 11th October Details: www.rps.org
SIZE, BIG Price: Free Kodak Photoshop Training
PERSONALITY Details: 020 7831 1772 What: Kodak is offering two-day, entry-
Hitachi’s new Photojournalism 1930-1970 level courses in Digital Imaging
Microdrive has a 4GB
capacity in just a
Email your weird images to What: A show focusing on key areas such
as celebrity, the photo story, politics and
Where: Kodak Imaging Training
Centre, Harrow
one-inch diameter editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk! modernity to chart the rise of topical
photography using hand-held cameras
When: Digital Imaging 1 on 11th
November; Digital Imaging 2 on
drive and transfer Where: Victoria & Albert Museum, South 24th November
speeds have risen by Kensington, London Price: £390 (TBC) for two-day course
an amazing 70 per When: Until 2nd November Details: wwwuk.kodak.com
Freakyscene

cent from the Price: Free Nikon Digital Imaging Training

previous incarnation.
The brand new 3KS
series is expected to
hit the shops in
November for the
equivalent of $499.
FUJIFILM MAKES
A SPLASH
Fujifilm has released
a smart underwater
casing for its FinePix
F410 and F401 Zoom
cameras. You can
dive down to a depth
of up to 40 metres,
whilst maintaining
the photographic
clarity you expect
from your camera.
The casing is also
ideal for sailors and
those who’ve been
bitten by the annual
skiing bug. More info
at www.fujifilm.co.uk
Details: www.vam.ac.uk
Terry O’Neil: Celebrity
What: Intimate portraits of celebrities,
spanning 40 years. O’Neil’s double portrait
series features David Bowie and Elizabeth
Taylor; Peter Cook and Dudley Moore; and
Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins
Where: Porter Gallery, The National Portrait
Gallery, London
When: Until 14th March 2004
Price: Free
Details: www.npg.org.uk
COMPETITIONS
Lumix Awards 2003
What: Fantastic digital-only competition
with monthly prizes of Panasonic FZ1
cameras and Tungsten T PDAs, plus a Lumix
LC5, more PDAs and a photo workshop. This
year’s theme is ‘Man and Machine’
When: Until 30th November
Price: Upload your images to the Lumix
website for free
Details: www.panasonic-europe.com/
lumix/awards
This month’s FreakyScene is courtesy of Ray Houser. Student Digital Photographer
Ray, what on earth were you doing to that cat? Of The Year 2003
What: A competition rewarding the
creative use of digital technology in four
What: Learn how to make the most of your
Nikon camera with a selection of three-
hour seminars and one-day digital imaging
courses this autumn.
Where: Nikon House, Richmond Road,
Kingston upon Thames
When: Throughout the autumn
Price: Seminars are from £30, whole day
courses between £120 and £160
Details: 020 8541 4440
EVENTS
Paris Photo 2003
What: Over 93 galleries and 10 publishers
from 15 countries celebrate pioneers like
Eugène Atget
Where: Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
When: 13th-16th November
Price: TBC
Details: www.parisphoto.fr
MacExpo 2003
What: All the latest hardware and software
for the Apple mad. The exhibition includes
several digital photography seminars (free)
and masterclasses (£60)
Where: Business Design Centre, Islington
When: 20-32 November
Price: £10
Details: www.mac-expo.co.uk
DCAM13.feature 16/9/2003 6:32 PM Page 020
COVER FEATURE SHOOTING SUNSETS AND SUNRISES
The sky’s the limit
Whether you're an early bird a night owl, photographing sunrise and sunset is a sure-fire
way of adding some scorching images to your collection, says Steve Bavister
hat’s the main difference between
W photographing a sunset and a sunrise? A
good night’s sleep! Joking apart, the fact
that you have to drag yourself from your bed at some
ungodly hour to capture the splendour of the sun
peeping over the horizon is surely part of the reason
why sitting patiently with a drink while you wait for
it to go down is a lot more popular.
That said, in practice it’s no big deal getting up for a
sunrise. No worse than when you have an early holiday
flight. All you have to do is turn in at a sensible
time, set your alarm clock, have everything packed,
and know where you’re going. The advantage of
shooting a sunrise in autumn and winter is that you
don’t have to get up quite so early. The disadvantage
020 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
is that it’s more likely to be cold and damp. In
summer you may have to rise in the wee, small
hours, but it’s often warm and pleasant. Besides, if
you pick a day when you’re not at work, you can
always go back to bed afterwards.
Of course, you do need to be at your location and
have everything set up before the sun rises. But it’s a
magical time, which few people these days manage to
experience. It goes without saying that it’ll be dark, so
you may need a torch to adjust the settings on your
camera, and then everything happens quickly. And it’s
soon all over. Once the sun is a few degrees above the
horizon, its warmth disappears and it’s time to pack up.
If you’re more of a night owl than an early bird, then
sunsets are for you. There’s no need for an early start,
you’re working in daylight, and you’ve got plenty of
time in which to take your pictures. The colours are
often richer and more dramatic too. And during autumn
and winter the sun sets relatively early, so you can get
your sunsets in the bag and still be home for dinner.
You still need to plan, though, where you’re going to
go to get the best results.
The ideal time to shoot sunsets is when you’re
having a holiday, because you’ve got time on your
hands and may be in an interesting and photogenic
location. No set of holiday snaps is complete without a
sunset or two. But you don’t need swaying palm trees
to bring your sunset and sunrise images to life. With a
little thought and imagination you’ll be able to produce
some stunning pictures wherever you are.
DCAM13.feature 16/9/2003 6:32 PM Page 021

www.photolibrary.com

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 021

Sunsets
The basics

www.photolibrary.com
Shooting sunsets is easy; shooting excellent sunsets and
sunrises demands a little more care and attention…

ABOVE It’s essential to choose a
location where you have a clear
view of where the sun will set
BELOW RIGHT The ‘afterglow’
period, once the sun has
slipped below the horizon
T
he first question is where to find the best
locations to shoot. It goes without saying
that you’ll need to have a clear view of
where the sun is going to rise or set – and that’s
difficult, though not impossible, in many built-up areas,
because of all the clutter in the way.
Obvious places to go are the east and west coastlines,
where you’re guaranteed sunrises and sunsets. And
‘afterglow’ period, the sky is still illuminated, and the
earth only receives indirect lighting from it.
Another question to ask yourself is what colour
you’d like your sunset to be. If you don’t think about
it, you may get a shock when you check your pictures
later. Many digital cameras have an auto white-balance
system, which automatically compensates for the
casts caused by different light sources, such as
the difference between artificial tungsten and natural
sunset – they’re both the same colour temperature –
and if you’re not careful the atmospheric colours
that made you want to take the picture will all be
removed. So override the system if necessary to
ensure the colours are faithfully reproduced.
While nature is wonderful most of the time,
sometimes it doesn’t quite deliver. And if a sunrise or

0 EXPERT TIP
there’s little to beat a blaze of colour over a stretch of
water – not least because you often get double value
household lamps Unfortunately, the system can’t tell sunset doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can

thanks to the reflection. Inland, there are lots of lakes

STEVE BAVISTER’S
PRO ADVICE and rivers where you can achieve the same thing.
In general, any vantage point that’s raised off the
GET OUT YOUR ZOOM!
If you want the sun to appear ground – whether it’s a hill or a skyscraper – will be
large in your frame, you’ll need a perfect, providing you have a clear view of the horizon.
decent zoom As with most subjects, there are many ways you can
compose a sunset. If the sun is hanging like a ball of fire
in the sky and you want it to be the focal point of the
picture, you’ll need to use your longest telephoto setting
or lens – and even then you may be disappointed how
small it looks when you bring it up on screen. Do take
50mm lens care, though, when photographing the sun in this way,
as the optical system of the camera can act like a
magnifying glass and you can blind yourself.
© Laurence Bowen 2003

Often you’ll want to show the sun as part of the

overall scene, with plenty of sky and some foreground
interest, so experiment with the full range of focal
lengths at your disposal to find out what works best.
300mm lens In fact, some of the best sunsets are actually taken
after the sun has slipped below the horizon. In this

022 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


Since you’re shooting towards the light
source, there’s a serious risk of underexposure –
dial in some compensation if necessary
always give it a helping hand – either with an orange
warm-up or special Cokin sunset filter over the lens, or
later in the computer.
Since you’re shooting towards the light source,
there’s a serious risk of underexposure. So check one
or two shots as you’re getting set up, and dial in some
compensation if necessary. And if you’re still not sure,
do some ‘brackets’. Shoot at a range of exposures, and
choose the best one later. You can’t always tell from the
camera’s preview screen which is best.
And, finally, don’t just think of sunsets and sunrises
as subjects in themselves. The warm, soft light they
produce is perfect for a wide range or pictures –
everything from buildings to people.
The techie bit
Have you ever wondered why sunrises and sunsets
are orange? Or perhaps you know already. It’s a result
of what’s known as Rayleigh Scattering, named after
Lord Rayleigh, no less. When sunlight enters the
atmosphere, it gets scattered by particles. For obscure
scientific reasons, the blue wavelengths gets scattered
more than the red wavelengths, which is the reason
the sky is blue most of the time. However, during
sunset and sunrise, the sun’s light has to pass through
a greater thickness of the atmosphere before reaching
the ground, which causes multiple scatterings of blue
www.photolibrary.com
2 Sunsational shots
You can experiment using filters with the camera, or
using the computer once the shot is taken
Sunsets give you more
time to experiment. This
silhouette set against
glowing waters was
captured before the sun
reached the horizon
a Whatever you do, don’t look directly at the sun through any kind of lens, even when
it’s low in the sky. It can blind you in moments
light, but little scattering of red light – so the sky glows
orange and red. Why are sunsets generally more vivid
than sunrises? Because there’s more airborne pollution
at the end of the day, which scatters the blue light
even more. And the reasons the sunsets you get
while on holiday in the tropics are so awesome is
thanks to the humidity, which has a similar effect.
That’s all well and good, but saying that light is
slightly orange or rather blue is a rather vague way of
going about things. Which is why a more scientific
description has been developed – the Kelvin Scale. This is
based around noon daylight, which has a temperature of
5,500K (Kelvins). Most digital cameras are calibrated for
use in this light, as are the majority of photographic
films. As the red content of the light increases, so the
temperature falls. At sunrise, the colour temperature is
often 3,500K, and around 3,000K at sunset – nearly as
warm as household tungsten lighting
On a bright summer’s day with vivid blue sky, or at
high altitude in mountainous regions, the colour
temperature can be as high as 10,000K. Images taken in
such conditions can exhibit a strong blue cast. One of the
www.photolibrary.com
great things about digital photography is that such casts
are quickly and easily removed – or enhanced.
The warm, soft light produced by a sunset is perfect
for capturing buildings, such as this Greek church
Without these cumulus clouds, this shot would be
somewhat ordinary. The fiery clouds contrasted by the
indigo sky make it something extra-special

www.photolibrary.com

How to shoot
Cloud formations
Cloudy skies needn’t spoil a shot – they can provide a
dramatic touch to a sunset, adding focus and interest
C
louds are often thought of as a problem in
photography, especially in landscape work.
And while you don’t really want heavy, grey
overcast clouds, a sky that’s nothing but solid blue
can be rather boring. It’s great if you’re looking to
shoot stock images that you’re hoping to sell –
because that’s what buyers usually want – but if your
aim is to produce a range of appealing photographs,
then more variety is essential.
Probably the most valuable cloud type is the
cumulus. Sitting low in the sky, these fluffy, cotton wool
clouds make most subjects instantly photogenic. Crisp,
white, and with sharp outlines, they’re often luminescent
when illuminated by the sun. A great way of making
the most of them is to fit a polarising filter over the lens
to deepen the blue of the sky, and so increase the
contrast with the clouds. Or you can produce a similar,
though not identical, effect on the computer.
To make the most of cumulus formations, use a
wide-angle lens and tip the camera back. This will
exaggerate the perspective, and make it look as if the
clouds are zooming off into the distance.
As cumulus clouds pass over the sun, they also cast
atmospheric shadows on the ground. This ‘dappling’
effect makes the landscape a lot more interesting than
unfiltered sunlight.
a A ‘big sky’ landscape is where digital SLRs really score. Being able to fit an ultra-wide-angle
zoom enables you to open up the perspective enormously
© Steve Bavister
High cloud types, such as cirrus, are more delicate
0
ABOVE Stunning colours together with the birds
and less defined. Often there are wispy streamers wheeling above give this image a feeling of depth EXPERT TIP
threading across the sky. Sometimes these clouds BELOW The dipping sun gives a ‘halo’ to these clouds
add mood, but sometimes they’re just a pain in the STEVE BAVISTER’S
PRO ADVICE
neck – especially when they occupy a sizeable at equal intervals – say one minute. On some cameras
proportion of the sky. you will need to time this manually. On others it may THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
Photograph interesting skies when
However, they are good news when it comes to the be possible to set things up so it happens automatically. you see them – you can always
end of the day, because they’re often still lit up some All being well, the exposure for each shot will be copy them into other images
30 minutes after the sun has actually gone down. This identical. If it’s not, tweak any images that need it in where the sky’s not so good.
makes it easier to shoot silhouettes, because the land your image-editing program and then stitch them
and everything on it is not directly illuminated, but the together to create your animation.
sky is still bright. Because they’re so much lower,
www.photolibrary.com
cumulus clouds only remain lit for about 10 minutes
after sunset. Clouds that are above cumulus and below
cirrus, such as altostratus and altocumulus, don’t usually
add much to the picture. They tend to clump together,
and can look greyish and uninviting.
Animations
The problem with sunsets is that one image can never
begin to capture the sheer majesty of the experience –
so why settle for just one? Why not shoot a sequence
of images, and then stitch them together in your
favourite image-editing program. To make sure they’re
all taken from exactly the same spot, start by mounting
the camera on a solid tripod. Then take a series of shots
 BELOW It may take many shots to capture the perfect
one when your silhouetted object is on the move!

DCMAG.CO.UK
READER
TIPS
dcmag.co.uk/
sunsets

How to shoot
Silhouettes

www.photolibrary.com
Sunrise and sunset are an ideal time to shoot silhouettes –
you get the richness of colour that helps bring them to life

I
ABOVE People, such as this f you want to photograph successful
fellow photographer, make silhouettes – dark subjects, often in profile,
ideal subjects for silhouettes with no detail – you need to start by
finding a scene in which the background is much
BELOW RIGHT If you’ve got brighter than the main subject. Without something
interesting clouds, you can do in the foreground, those early and late shots can
away with the land... easily lack a sense of depth.
What’s essential is to choose the right subject. You
need something with an interesting shape which,
when reduced to pure black, will produce a dramatic
and appealing graphic composition. Don’t wait until
there’s a vivid sunset before looking round for
something to use as a silhouette, however. As you
travel around, keep your eyes peeled for suitable
subjects – a statue, such as the Angel of the North in
Gateshead, a crane on a building site, or the bare
winter branches of a tree. When you notice something
with potential, you’ll need to check which direction it
faces. When the best angle to shoot from has you
looking eastwards, you can put a sunrise behind it.
When you’re pointing to the west it’s clearly a sunset.

0 EXPERT TIP
STEVE BAVISTER’S
PRO ADVICE
TOP 3 ESSENTIAL IMAGE-
EDITING TECHNIQUES
Once you’ve taken your sunset shot,
follow these tips for the best result:

[1] DYNAMIC RANGE

To get the full range of colours in the
image, use Auto Levels for a quick fix.
This may dull down the colours,
though, so make sure you...

[2] GET THE COLOUR RIGHT

If your colours come out a bit wishy-
washy, boost them in Photoshop. Go
to the Channel Mixer tool and boost
the red channel for cool effects.

[3] SHARPER SILHOUETTES

There’s nothing quite so dramatic as a
© Steve Bavister

sharp sillhouette against a colourful

sunset. To sharpen without affecting
the sunset, create a selection around
the sillhouette and sharpen its edges.

026 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 Of course, with a little imagination you can create ABOVE A thoughtful figure, contemplating the scene
your own silhouettes by placing something suitable in adds added focus to a sunset-scape
front of the scene. If you can find a willing subject, the RIGHT This child running on a sunset-lit beach
nude human body can make for a great composition, makes the perfect, atmospheric silhouette

2 THE LIGHT FANTASTIC or you can use a simple object such as household fan.
Generally, you won’t have to adjust your meter. The
camera will expose for the background, and your
subject be recorded without detail – which is what
you’re after. In addition, the colours of the sunrise
or sunset will be rich and vivid, which is also what
you want. Small errors can be tweaked in the
computer, but if the exposure is badly out, make
www.photolibrary.com
curves and textures of the earth. And while such
pictures are often successful, there’s another way
of thinking about your scenic work – and that’s
by concentrating more on the sky element.
Such ‘big sky’ landscapes often have a sense
of expansiveness that better captures the experience
0 EXPERT TIP
we have when we’re in a place. Because the STEVE BAVISTER’S
panoramic vision of our eyes takes in so much around PRO ADVICE

adjustments at the time you take the shot. us, the results from even a wide-angle lens can SUNRISE & SUNSET TIMES
When shooting silhouettes, you need to take sometimes be disappointing. There are lots of internet sites that
good care to avoid flare. Because the light is pointing Generally, the land element takes up at least half, allow you to check the sunrise and
sunset times for a specified location.
directly at the camera, it can bounce around inside and often two-thirds of the composition. But simply
Here are a couple worth checking out:
the lens and reduce contrast. To minimise the risk reversing the ratio, so there’s two-thirds sky, changes
of this, fit a good lens hood. the dynamic completely. Of course, you need the http://www.timeanddate.com/
Colour temperature describes thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx warmth of a scene. While you don’t actually want flare, because it’s right kind of landscape, and there usually has to worldclock/astronomy.html?n=136
Most digital cameras are calibrated at 5,500K, which Nice, straightforward website that
xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
is why colours can sometimes appearxxxxxxxxxxxxx
washed out. difficult to control, the effect can be appealing. Some be something interesting happening in the sky for
gives you sunrise and sunset times
software programs have a ‘flare’ filter, which lets it to work – a sunset or a strong cloud formation. Flat
in the UK.
Kelvin Source you, at the click of a mouse, produce the effect areas, such as The Fens or The Netherlands, offer
10,000K Blue Sky in a controlled way. particularly good potential, but it’s an approach you http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/
7,500K Shade under blue sky can use pretty much anywhere. docs/RS_OneDay.html
7,000K Shade under cloudy sky Big sky landscapes Obviously you’ll need to use your widest lens You can obtain the times of sunrise,
sunset, moonrise, moonset, transits of
6,500K Deep shade in daylight Maybe it’s the ‘land’ in the name – but most setting, and finding a vantage point where you can
the Sun and Moon, and the beginning
6,000K Overcast weather landscape images seem to concentrate on the look down on the subject can also help. and end of civil twilight, along with
5,500K Noon Daylight/Electronic Flash information on the Moon’s phase by
4,500K
4,000K
Afternoon sunlight
Fluorescent tube
Because the panoramic vision of our eyes specifying the date and location.

3,5000k
3,000K
Morning/evening sunlight
Sunset
takes in so much around us, the results from http://www.sunrisesunset.com/
custom_srss_calendar.asp
Does just what it says on the tin.
2,500K Tungsten lighting even a wide-angle lens can be disappointing
028 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
Create a magical landscape with the
clever use of filters and just a few
tweaks in a photo-editing program

www.photolibrary.com
 a To see more examples of Laryl Hancock’s photography, visit www.laryl.com.
Personal messages can be emailed to Laryl at info@laryl.com

Expert Eye
Laryl Hancock
© Laryl Hancock 2003

Arizona-based pro, Laryl Hancock, began her obsession with sunsets after experiencing her first Mexican
Monsoon. Andrea Thompson finds out why tropical thunderstorms make for such sensational sunsets

L
aryl Hancock runs a successful photography
business in Yuma, a small agricultural town
located in the Sonoran Desert of South
Western Arizona. Renowned for her magnificent sunset
photography, Hancock uses a Nikon D1x with anything
from a wide-angle 18-35mm up to an 80-200mm zoom.
Laryl freely admits that she’s achieved her best results
since switching to digital back in 1999, because of the
sheer freedom to shoot and experiment more.
What do you think is the key meteorological
ingredient that makes a great sunset?
For me, it’s the height of the clouds. Unless I’m hiking
up in the mountains, if the cloud cover isn’t good then
I don’t even try. We have very little water here as
we’re in the desert, so aside from the clouds there’s
nothing else to reflect the light and create colours,
patterns and texture. Because of the air currents here,
the clouds build and grow, and blow away really fast,
sometimes within an hour, so I travel everywhere with
my camera, just in case.
Did the unique climate extremes in your area fire
your interest in sunsets?
Yes. I started my real fascination with sunsets when I
lived in Tucson, because of the Monsoon season in late
summer. Every evening at four o’clock it would bring in
the most amazing cloud formations, which would build
next will be deep golden yellow and orange, and the
next a deep purple. We even get green sunsets.
From July through January is the only time to shoot
sunsets here. In Spring and early Summer there aren’t
any clouds, so the sunsets are kind of boring.
Do you find that pollution helps to create more
spectacular sunsets?
I live in a really small town in the middle of nowhere,
and there is no city pollution. If we have a particularly
windy day, the farm fields are being turned over and I
know there’s a lot of dirt in the air, I do expect to get
more intense colours in the sky.
Overall, though, it’s pretty unusual to get any effects
from pollution, and our skies are normally very clean
and clear – it’s just the light and the clouds that are
going to give you any colour.
How do you overcome the metering problems
caused by shooting into the sun?
If I have a really bright sun that’s not quite down yet
I’ll spot meter alongside it, or put it slightly off the
frame and shoot alongside it. If I can look at the sun
with my naked eye, then I’ll point the camera at it.
I never shoot directly into a bright sun unless clouds
thickly veil it, and then I’ll reduce the aperture to really
filter it down. By doing that, I can also make sure that
I keep as much highlight detail as possible.
© Laryl Hancock 2003
So you must use Photoshop to enhance your shots?
Yes, I do use Photoshop to apply some basic curves,
levels and intensity, but that’s because I shoot in RAW
mode so that the camera isn’t predetermining those
things. My saturations and hues are actually done
afterwards, so if I want to enhance say, the reds, I’ll
grab the red channel and intensify or apply a curve
to it, or use a graduated filter on that area.
Do you play around with white balance when
shooting sunsets?
I shoot in RAW mode so it doesn’t really matter – I
can apply the white balance later, but I will change
the white balance from the cloudy to the fluorescent
or incandescent settings to bring out the reds or the
blues, depending on what’s in the sky.
Do you keep shooting after the sun goes down BELOW This moody sunset
below the horizon? appears in Hancock’s 2004
Usually I’ll wait for the light to totally go through its Sunset Snapshots calendar,
cycle, because some of the prettiest light from a sunset which showcases a selection
is well after the sun has gone down, when it will of her best sunset shots from
bounce and come back up and around and bend over – the last four years. Laryl prints
totally different colours. I’ll start watching anything up and puts together all the
to two hours before sunset to see what the sky is doing, calendars by hand, using
and I won’t leave until nightfall. The sunset itself only Epson’s double-sided matt
lasts about a half hour of real prime time, where you white inkjet paper and an
get the sun on the horizon. Epson 1280 printer

I’ll start watching anything up to two hours

before sunset to see what the sky is doing,
and I won’t leave until nightfall
and change really quickly. Then you’d get the sunset
colours coming through the thunderstorms at the same
time, together with white billowy clouds and streaks of
lightning – it was really wild.
Here in Yuma we don’t get as much extreme
Monsoon weather, but late summer is still the best
time of year to shoot sunsets, because we’ll get so
many different shapes and types of clouds, all coming
in at different heights. With a really low cover that’s
thin, the light will bounce through them and turn
through all kinds of vivid colours. It’s a real
kaleidoscope – one night we’ll get a fiery red, the
Do you ever use coloured grads or neutral density
filters to enhance your sunset photographs or to
help control the light ?
No, no, I really never use anything like that when I’m
shooting sunsets. I completely rely on my own exposure,
which is really nice because people often ask me
“How do you do it? You must have a lot of fancy
equipment”, and the answer is “No, you can do it with
a little 2-megapixel camera with no filters. You just have
to meter really carefully and shoot in the highest
resolution you can, and then a do little post-processing
to pull out what’s there.”

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 031

 SECTION #01 REVIEWS

KIT REVIEW Section highlights…

PENTAX *IST D
SEE PAGE 34 PENTAX *IST D
THE SLR THAT SETS NEW STANDARDS PAGE
The digital SLR camera that sets new standards
for size, control and capabilities 34
FUJIFILM FINEPIX F700
THE FULLY-FEATURED £500 CAMERA PAGE
The first camera to use Fujifilm’s new HR SuperCCD
has been a long time coming. Was it worth the wait? 38
LAB TEST
JET SET PRINTING PAGE
Photo-quality inkjets deliver high-speed, high-quality
prints. We check out six of the best 44
SOFTWARE
MICROSOFT DIGITAL IMAGING SUITE 9.0 PAGE
Is the latest incarnation of Microsoft’s image-editing
program a threat to Elements and Paint Shop Pro? 48

PAGE PAGE PAGE

40 44 48

Kit reviews
CAMERA TOURS ON OUR CD
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reviewed each month in 3D,
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CAMERA RANGE GUIDE
We show you where each
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range, and whether it’s worth
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COMPARISON STRIPS
See how each camera
performs against the others
in our reviews – pull back
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f
Reviews you can trust!
Our aim is to inform you fully about a product’s
best and worst features. To this end, we guarantee
each review is Independent: We have a cast-iron
policy of editorial independence. Suppliers never see a review
until the magazine hits the newsagent Authoritative: Every
review includes the manufacturer’s range, other options, test
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# Contact our reviews team CAMERA
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 REVIEWS 6.1-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA

The Pentax rounds off its

impressive features with a set
of dimensions that put the
shed-like properties of its older
rivals into stark perspective
034 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
 PENTAX *IST D
Price
Resolution
Lens
Memory
Battery Life
Contact
Pentax *ist D
Pentax enters the digital SLR arena with a camera that sets new standards for size,
controls and capabilities…
T
he digital SLR market is hotting up. Nikon’s
been soldiering on for some time with the
D100, Fujifilm’s been doing well with the S2
Pro and Canon’s replaced the D60 with the 10D.
However, two cameras are poised to upset the apple
cart in spectacular fashion: one is the Canon EOS 300D,
the first sub-£1,000 digital SLR (see our review next
month); the other is Pentax’s first digital SLR, the *ist D.
The Canon EOS 300D is going to make its own splash
because of its price, but the *ist D will do it with a
subtler blend of qualities.
At £1,400 – or £1,530, including an 18-35mm
zoom providing a sensible focal length range (27-42mm
equivalent) for a 23.7 x 15.6mm CCD – the *ist D
is certainly very competitively priced. And then
there’s the build quality – the *ist D gives you
a serious bit of engineering for your money. The feature
set is another major plus point, with Pentax slotting
everything but the kitchen sink into this camera
(we’ll be looking at this in more depth shortly). And
finally, the Pentax rounds off its features with a set of
dimensions that put the shed-like properties of its older
rivals into perspective.
PENTAX *IST D KEY POINTS
2 2
SIZE AND BUILD QUALITY
The size of the *ist D makes you
wonder why its digital rivals are so
bulky. The quality of the build and
controls belies its price
£1,400 body only, £1,530 with 18-35mm zoom
6.1 megapixels
Various (Pentax 18-35mm f4.0-5.6 tested)
CompactFlash (not supplied)
450 shots (NiMH)
01753 792 731 www.pentax.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD/DVD
The *ist D is aided by a fast and responsive
11-point AF system that makes action and
* ON
OUR
COVERDISC
candid shots much easier to capture
Digital lenses compared with its rivals and, indeed, Pentax is claiming
It looks like digital SLR makers have settled on the that it’s the world’s smallest, lightest digital SLR body.
smaller-than-35mm CCD size used in the *ist D, EOS 300 What’s more, its controls are designed to avoid reliance
and other more affordable SLR models. And digital- on menus during shooting – one of the bugbears of
designed lenses are now appearing from Nikon, Canon compact digital cameras.
and Pentax that give the wide-angle zooming ranges ZOOM & COMPARE
Check out our brand new image
that SLR owners have come to expect, without the Old-style build comparison system on the disc!
astronomical price tags. The *ist D feels solid and ‘dense’, as if it’s been cast out
The *ist D is, nevertheless, compatible with the of iron rather than screwed together. The controls are
ON OUR
full Pentax SLR lens range, and it’s available with other
lens bundles. There’s the focal factor (1.5x) to take
solid, positive, devoid of any kind of sloppiness and they
reinforce the impression that you’re handling a real
C WEBSITE
into account, but that won’t trouble wildlife or camera, rather than a box full of electronics. OPINIONS & SHOPPING
sports photographers looking for longer focal lengths, Even the shutter/mirror response sounds ‘right’ – a Post your views, see what other
readers think then buy this camera!
and with the inexpensive 18-35mm in their kit bags, really crisp but well damped action with a metallic edge.
dcmag.co.uk/pentax
photographers will have a full lens range. Whether it’s a characteristic of the mechanism or it’s
We’ve mentioned the compact size of the *ist D been ‘dialled in’ by the engineers, it’s very satisfying.
The *ist D is aided by a fast and responsive 11-point DIGITAL RANGE
AF system that makes action and candid shots much PENTAX
easier to capture. It really throws the sluggish reactions *IST D
of compact digital cameras into perspective and it’s one Price: £1,400
of the best reasons for upgrading from a compact to a Megapixels: 6
digital SLR. The focus points are highlighted in red in the
OPTIO 550
viewfinder, and they’re selected automatically by the Price: £500
camera or manually by the user. Megapixels: 5
Exposure options OPTIO 450
Price: £450
However, the Pentax’s metering system is, on the face
Megapixels: 4
of it, less sophisticated than a compact’s. It uses a 35-
zone system that’s a long way short of the 250-zone OPTIO 430RS
matrices in many compacts. It does a good job, though, Price: £350
following the usual digital SLR tendency towards slight Megapixels: 4
underexposure. It means more tweaking in Photoshop,
2
OPTIO S
LENSES CONTROLS but safeguards highlight detail much better.
The *ist D is compatible with the Designed like a film camera rather £ Price: £350
5
existing Pentax film SLR lens range than a digital compact, the *ist D If you don’t quite trust the meter reading, there’s Megapixels: 3.2
– it’s the digital body Pentax handles brilliantly, and you scarcely plenty that you can do about it. You can switch to the
owners have been waiting for need to access the menu system
during normal shooting
centre-weighted metering option, for example. It sounds REVIEWED! Go to p113
See Buyers’ guide for full rating
cockeyed, swapping from a sophisticated multi-segment
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 035
 REVIEWS 6.1-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA
IN FOCUS PERFORMANCE
[01] EXPOSURE VARIATIONS
Auto-exposure control is good but not
exceptional – and anyone who tells you
that any SLR, digital or otherwise, is
perfect needs to take more photos. The
*ist D will underexpose if the shot has
bright areas. A bit of curves adjustment
works wonders, though, as with most
digital shots.
[02] DYNAMIC RANGE
Another strong point in this camera.
Bright highlights can blow out, but not as
easily as they do on many rivals.
[03] GROT ON THE CCD
A perennial problem with digital SLRs is
the collection of dust and dirt on the CCD
chip, which really shows up on a bright
blue skies like this. You can clean the CCD
with the Pentax, but it could become an
obsession. Instead, a few moments with
06
the Clone Stamp tool will fix it.
7 7
LENS
The 18-35mm zoom is an
extra but recommended as
a comparatively
inexpensive (on a digital
SLR) wide-angle zoom
036 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
02
03
05
04
01
pattern to a cruder one, but the point about centre-
weighted metering is that it’s much easier to predict the
situations where the camera will be fooled, and to work
out what you need to do about it. Failing that, there’s
the spot-metering mode for spot-lit performers and
other tricky subjects.
What’s good is that swapping metering modes is very
straightforward – you just rotate a collar under the main
mode dial at the far left of the top plate. The mode dial
itself is a masterpiece of simplicity. There are no scene
modes to clutter it up, just PASM settings for the
program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority and manual
modes. Actually, the program mode and manual mode
are ‘hyper’ modes (more on these below). Also on the
mode dial is a raised green auto-everything setting. And,
separated from the rest, ISO, quality and white-balance
settings. You switch to these, then use the camera’s
front-mounted control dial to alter the parameters.
Hyper modes
Now then, these ‘hyper’ modes. We’ll start with the
hyper-program mode, where the camera sets the
aperture and shutter speed combinations, as you’d
expect, according to the light levels. But if you turn
the front control wheel, you can change these
combinations towards faster shutter speeds or smaller
FLASH HOUSING apertures. This kind of ‘program shift’ function is far
The built-in flash is from unique and has been a fixture on SLRs for some
effective, especially in fill-
flash mode. time. It’s worth exploring properly, though, because it
does much of what you’d use the shutter-priority and
[04] SHARPNESS AND DEFINITION
The *ist D captures fine detail fairly well,
but edge definition could be a lot better.
However, you can afford to sharpen up
images still further using the Unsharp
Mask in Photoshop before the artefacts
start creeping in.
[05] DIGITAL NOISE. WHAT NOISE?
At the standard ISO settings, tones are
very smooth. Noise increases with higher
ISO ratings, but it’s better than camera
shake and with six million pixels you can
afford a little speckling.
[06] COLOUR REPRODUCTION
In ordinary daylight conditions the Pentax
performs excellently, with less of a
tendency to murkiness than the Nikon
10D and without the occasional green
shifts of the Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro.
However, in other situations you’ll
need to adjust the white balance
carefully and not rely on the automatic
white-balance setting.
aperture-priority modes for, while staying within the
aperture/shutter speed combinations allowed by the
prevailing light levels.
The hyper-manual mode is more interesting. On a
basic level, it works as you’d expect. You turn one wheel
to change the shutter speed and the other to change
the aperture, all the while watching a bar graph in the
viewfinder to check when the exposure is ‘correct’. You
just press a small, green button on the top plate to set a
‘correct’ shutter speed/aperture combination for the
light levels, then adjust both manually from there. Hold
down the AE Lock button while you’re in hyper manual
mode, adjust the shutter speed or aperture, and the
other is adjusted automatically to maintain the current
exposure. It can take a little while to get your head
around some of these ‘hyper’ operations, but it’s worth
the effort because they introduce some real flexibility
and speed of operation to your photography.
Neat touches
The Pentax is crammed with neat little touches. The
power switch is a collar around the shutter release, with
an extra, spring-loaded stop beyond the ‘on’ position.
This activates the lamp for the mono LCD panel on the
top plate (it switches off again after a short delay), and
it stops down the lens to the currently-set aperture for a
depth-of-field preview. Remember those?
Other aspects of the Pentax’s control layout are less
convincing. You have to press a small button on the top
plate repeatedly to cycle through the camera’s various
 PENTAX *IST D
TURN THE PAGE TO PERFORMANCE
COMPARE TEST SHOTS

2 SKIN TONES
7
MODE DIAL
The ISO, white balance and
image quality can be
adjusted quickly via the 1
mode dial

5 PRO The skin tones are warm and natural looking,

and the Pentax doesn’t oversharpen facial details

6 CON The colour balance can go awry in

challenging lighting conditions

3 2 OUTDOOR SHOTS

7 7
LCD CONTROL WHEEL
3 The *ist D’s LCD is clear
and functional, but
This is paired with one on
5 PRO Vibrant colours, good exposure accuracy and
high levels of sharpness

6
the front to offer quick
displays some sporadic and intuitive control over CON Like other digital SLRs, the Pentax’s weak
point is overcast skies
rippling effects many functions

your image editor before edge effects and artefacts

2 INDOOR SHOTS
It does offer fine detail that will stand degrade the image. It delivers good contrast and

sharpening in your image editor before edge saturation, too, and generally accurate colour
rendition. It slips up now and again (we’ve got some

effects and artefacts degrade the image
‘drive’ modes – single shooting, continuous (2.6fps),
self-timer and remote. Wouldn’t this be better
situated on a rotating dial, like the metering
locks both. On the *ist D it only locks the focus. To
lock the exposure you need to press the AE Lock
button, which actually makes a good deal of sense.
greenish-yellow shots), but so do its rivals.
The Canon EOS 10D is prone to heavy, gloomy
results, while the Fujifilm S2 Pro can generate some
distinctly odd greenish tints. The Nikon D100’s
images can look on the soft side, too. The Pentax’s
shots can definitely hold their own against this
5 PRO The slow flash mode did a great job of
balancing the flash against daylight in this shot

patterns? Moreover, the five-way control pad at the
back is extremely clunky and fiddly to use, and not
conducive to quick and easy menu navigation or
selection. The white-balance options seem to get
more prominence than usual, too, with a row of
icons under the LCD on the top plate. These are
quoted in terms of common conditions (cloud, sun,
tungsten and so on) rather than in degrees Kelvin,
which is the scale usually favoured by pros.
The EV compensation control is easy enough to
operate – you hold down a button on the back and
rotate the front command dial. The AE/focus-locking
system doesn’t follow the usual pattern, though. In
most cameras, half-pressure on the shutter release
Other sensible features include Pentax’s use of AA
batteries. They might not last as long as lithium cells
or have the same reliability, but they’re cheaper and
easier to find in an emergency, and affordable to
buy as spares, too. The remarkable thing, though, is
how energy-efficient this camera is. Pentax quotes a
life expectancy of 450 shots for freshly-charged
NiMH cells, and this goes up to around 1,000 shots
with photo-lithium AAs and CR-V3 cells.
Image quality
All these clever features are fine, but it’s the image
quality that’s going to make or break the *ist D. It
does offer fine detail that will stand sharpening in
6
particular bunch, and does so through a balance of CON The fairly murky f4 aperture means available-
light shots need higher ISO settings
qualities. The 18-35mm lens no doubt has to take
some of the credit, though it is a little prone to flare
when shooting into the light – ignore the lenshood 2 IMAGE QUALITY
supplied at your peril.
The *ist D is a good buy for two types of
photographer: owners of Pentax film SLRs will be
over the moon at an opportunity to go digital while
retaining their existing lenses; and those people
looking to upgrade from a compact digicam to a
digital SLR that’s crammed with features, and fully
equipped for both studio and location work. That
said, at this price we’d be inclined to hold fire – just
until we road-test the EOS 300D next month… 5 PRO The physically larger size of the CCDs in digital
SLRs makes a big difference to image definition

6 CON Few visible sharpening effects. If anything,

they’re a fraction on the soft side for most tastes

PENTAX *IST D FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 This camera’s

features and
FEATURES
IMAGES
97
90
1
1
Verdict

Sensor 6.1-megapixel, 23.7mm x 15.6mm 6.31MP CCD Other features Flash sync socket, cable release socket
Lens Tested with Pentax 18-35mm f4-5.6 Image storage CompactFlash BUILD 92 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Dependent on lens
Program AE, shutter-priority, aperture-priority,
Batteries
Battery life
4x AA or 2x CRV-3
450 shots (no flash, NiMH cells) design set new VALUE 92 1
‘hyper-manual’ AC adaptor Yes
SLR standards

94%
Metering
Monitor
Matrix, centre-weighted, spot
1.8-inch, 118,000 pixels
Weight
Dimensions
550g body only, without batteries or memory card
129mm(w) x 94.5mm(h) x 60mm(d) FINAL
AE compensation
Flash
+/-3EV in 0.5 (default) or 0.3EV steps
Auto, on, off, SlowSync, red-eye
Transfer
Software
USB
Pentax Photo Lab, Pentax Photo Browsers, RAW
The Pentax *ist D isn’t just a terrific SCORE
Video output PAL or NTSC file converter Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac
camera to use, it produces very
Movie recording No OS 8.6 or later good results, too. At its price point, only
the Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro is better, and

2
OLYMPUS E-1 NIKON D100 FUJIFILM FINEPIX S2 PRO CANON EOS 10D
WORTH £1,820 £1,350 £1,300 (body only), 6MP £1,250
then only just…
A LOOK (inc lens), 5MP (body only), 6MP (12MP output) (body only), 6MP

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 037

 REVIEWS 6-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA

FUJIFILM FINEPIX F700

Price £500
Resolution 6 megapixels
Lens f2.8 3x zoom
Memory 16MB xD Picture card
Battery Life 135/270 shots LCD on/off
Contact 0207 7586 1477 www.fujifilm.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD/DVD

Fujifilm FinePix F700

The first camera to use Fujifilm’s new HR SuperCCD has been a long time coming.
Was it worth the wait?

F
ujifilm’s F700 is the first camera to use the
* ON OUR
COVERDISC company’s revolutionary ‘HR’ SuperCCD chip. It
uses not one, but two sensors at each
photosite. There’s a main, ‘primary’ sensor for recording
the majority of the image information, and a smaller,
‘secondary’ sensor for capturing extreme highlight detail.
The camera then combines the data to produce an
image with a higher dynamic range and better highlight
rendition than conventional cameras can manage.
ZOOM & COMPARE
Check out our brand new image
Highlight rendition is indeed a problem for all digital
cameras. The longer you spend with them (especially if
2
comparison system on the disc!
you’re an ex-film user), the more you notice their
tendency to produce blanked-out highlights – and no
ON OUR 2
C WEBSITE
amount of Photoshop fiddling can restore detail that
was outside the CCD’s dynamic range in the first place.
OPINIONS & SHOPPING Admittedly, it’s a bit of a surprise to find such
Post your views, see what other revolutionary technology in a compact camera. We
readers think then buy this camera!
might have expected Fujifilm to launch it in a higher-
dcmag.co.uk/fujifilm
end enthusiasts’ camera first.
There’s a possible source of confusion we need to
DIGITAL RANGE clear up, too. Strictly speaking, the HR chip has three 7 7
FUJIFILM million photosites and, in usual Fujifilm fashion, the LENS
FINEPIX F700 SuperCCD data is processed to produce six-million pixel CONTINUOUS AF BUTTON The F700 comes with a Super
Hold down this button and EBC Fujinon 3x zoom, but the
5

Price: £500 files. The confusing part is that the HR CCD really does
Megapixels: 6 have six-million picture sensing elements. Hence why
we refer to it in the specs table as a 6-megapixel CCD.
FINEPIX M603
Price: £430 Also, although the F700 might look initially like a
Megapixels: 3.1 high-class point-and-shoot snapshot camera, there’s an
awful lot more to it than that.
FINEPIX F410
Price: £330
Megapixels: 3.1 Design and features
The slick, all-metal exterior of the F700 incorporates the
FINEPIX A303 usual auto-everything exposure options, but adds
Price: £250
shutter-priority automation, aperture-priority and full
Megapixels: 3
manual control. That’s not unique among high-end
FINEPIX F401 compacts like this one, but while rival cameras offer
£ Price: £230 these features within menus and sub-options, they’re
5 Megapixels: 2.1 directly accessible via the main mode dial. Like the rest
of the camera’s controls, the mode dial is firm, positive
REVIEWED! Go to p113 and well-weighted. This camera exudes class and,
See Buyers’ guide for full rating
despite its small size, it’s easy and efficient to handle.
the F700 will maintain
focus on a moving subject
The F700 does share one oddity with other current
Fuji models – the mode dial has a scene setting at one
end, with further icons indicating the scenes available.
You can’t turn the mode dial to these settings, they’re
purely illustrative. In fact, you have to set the dial to
scene mode, then use the menus to change them. This
is very confusing. So much so that Fujifilm’s had to add
a sticker to the top plate to explain it…
It’s a minor black mark in an otherwise impressive
list of qualities. There’s a high-resolution, high-speed
movie mode (640 x 480 pixels at 30fps) for those
interested in movie clips, a sophisticated and effective
multi-point AF system and a USB picture cradle for
charging the battery and transferring images.
real star is the new HR
SuperCCD inside
Mean on memory
The F700 can store RAW images, capturing the
maximum possible image information for you to process
manually later. This does highlight another shortcoming
in this particular bundle – the size of the memory
card supplied.
The 16MB xD Picture card supplied with the camera
is so small as to be almost derisory. It can manage ten
high-quality JPEGs and no more, and you can forget
about saving RAW files until you’ve invested in a much
bigger card. Indeed, if you buy this camera, you
shouldn’t even leave the shop without getting one.
It’s easy to forgive the F700 for flaws like this,
because it’s such a nicely designed camera. And the

038 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 FUJIFILM FINEPIX F700
TURN THE PAGE TO PERFORMANCE
COMPARE TEST SHOTS

2 SKIN TONES
7

SCENE MODE
The confusing
labelling of the
scene mode

5
markings has led
1
PRO Saturated tones are pleasing, and The HR
Fujifilm to add a SuperCCD has controlled the contrast very well, too
warning sticker

3 6 CON Colour rendition with this camera veers

towards the lurid on occasion

3 2 OUTDOOR SHOTS

7 7
LCD F BUTTON

5
The F700’s LCD is extremely The ‘F’ (Photo Mode) button
PRO The increased dynamic range of the F700’s
good, both in daylight and dim controls some shooting SuperCCD pays off out of doors

6
indoor lighting. It’s sharp, crisp settings, though others are
CON Sometimes the colour rendition is a little too
and colourful and especially accessed using the menu
enthusiastic – the reds in this shot are luminous
impressive during playback button instead

But the F700’s imaging technology is the key, and

2 INDOOR SHOTS
The HR SuperCCD hangs on to highlight detail it really does make a big difference. The HR

well beyond the point where rival cameras SuperCCD hangs on to highlight detail well beyond
the point where rival cameras simply give up. Take a

simply give up
start-up time (1.2 seconds) is awesome. The AF
system is fast and reliable, too. It takes about half a
second to ‘lock on’ to your subject both indoors and
close look at the front bumper on the model 4x4
shots on the CD. The F700 shows highlight detail and
reflections, where the others don’t.
accessible and both are only active while you’re Elsewhere, the F700 displays an excellent,
holding them down. dynamic range, good contrast and very powerful
The F700 in use
colour. The colour’s typical of the SuperCCD chips,
5 PRO Ultra-fast start-up time, slim design and easy
operation – the F700 is a take-anywhere camera

out at the wide-angle end of the zooming range,
and no longer than a second at the telephoto end.
The 1.8-inch LCD is larger than most makers
provide these days, and it’s exceptionally bright,
sharp and colourful. It’s particularly impressive in
playback mode. The optical viewfinder’s less
impressive. Not only is it a bit small, but for some
reason, you keep finding yourself putting your eye to
the green LED alongside it instead.
Elsewhere, the F700 has buttons for two functions
normally consigned to the menus: press one button
on the front to activate the continuous focusing
system; and one on the top plate for continuous
shooting. It’s quite smart because both are very
The navipad’s a bit on the small side but, like the
rest of the F700’s controls, very positive. Oddly, the
shooting functions are split between the menu
button (self-timer, WB, focusing mode, bracketing,
sharpness, flash compensation) and the blue photo
mode button marked ‘F’ (image quality/size, ISO,
image effect). There seems no obvious reason why
these functions should be split like this, but you soon
get used to it.
Even without the HR SuperCCD you’d have to say
the F700 is a nice camera. It incorporates high-end
photographic controls in a user-friendly compact
design, without making them inaccessible or fiddly.
6
and occasionally it’s a bit too much. Reds can be CON Some shots show warmish/pinkish tinge, but
it’s far from objectionable
very lurid and lacking in tonal separation, while
overcast scenes can take on a bluish hue that’s not
unattractive, but not exactly representative either. 2 IMAGE QUALITY
The detail rendition is extremely good. The
camera’s 6-megapixel files are generated from
3-megapixel data, but the SuperCCD is designed
specifically with this in mind. Detail rendition is very
much what you’d expect from a good 4-megapixel
or 5-megapixel camera.
Frankly, for £500, it’s doubtful you can do better
than this. Cheaper, yes, but you’d be sacrificing build
quality, design, image quality or all three. This is a
very good camera. 5 PRO Highlights are very well controlled, and the
camera captures details that others will miss

6 CON The SuperCCD’s 6-megapixel output isn’t really

on a par with that of a real 6-megapixel model

FUJIFILM FINEPIX F700 FULL SPECIFICATIONS

1 The HR SuperCCD
does exactly
FEATURES
IMAGES
95
93
1
1
Verdict

Sensor 6-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch 6.2MP SuperCCD SR Other features Docking cradle, HR CCD
Lens Super EBC Fujinon f2.8 3x zoom Image storage xD-Picture Card BUILD 95 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, 9cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter priority,
Batteries
Battery life
Lithium ion rechargeable (NP 40)
135/270 shots LCD on/off what it says VALUE 89 1
manual, scene modes AC adaptor Yes

93%
Metering
Monitor
Multi-pattern, average, spot
1.8-inch, 134,000 pixels
Weight
Dimensions
170g (without battery or card)
108mm(w) x 54mm(h) x 28mm(d) FINAL
AE compensation
Flash
+/-2EV in 0.3EV steps
Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye
Transfer
Software
USB
FinePix Viewer, ImageMixer VCD, RAW File
SCORE
Video output PAL or NTSC Converter LE
The extended dynamic range isn’t this
Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30fps with sound OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac) S8.6-9.0, OSX camera’s only merit. It’s also an
extremely well made, well designed

2
OLYMPUS CANON MINOLTA SONY
WORTH CAMEDIA C-50 POWERSHOT S50 DIMAGE F300 DSC-P12
camera that’s a pleasure to use
A LOOK £430, 5MP £500, 5MP £380, 5MP £500, 5MP

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 039

 REVIEWS 4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA

MINOLTA DIMAGE S414

Price £300
Resolution 4 megapixels
Lens f3.0-3.6 4x zoom
Memory 16MB CompactFlash
Battery Life 160 shots with LCD on
Contact 01908 200 400 www.minolta.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD/DVD

Minolta DiMAGE S414

Fed up with dainty little digital cameras? The S414 offers a beefy alternative that’s also
capable and rather good value…

* ON M
inolta produces some very dainty, and
OUR
COVERDISC very advanced cameras. The F200 and
F300 offer high-end photographic tools in
compact bodies, while the Xt is just about the smallest
and slickest digital camera you can get. And then
there’s this camera.
The S414’s got a big, hefty body and an even
bigger, heftier handgrip on one end of it. It’s not big
in absolute terms – not when compared with traditional 2
ZOOM & COMPARE 35mm film compacts, for example – but it dwarfs most
Check out our brand new image
of its rivals.
comparison system on the disc!
That’s no bad thing. If you’re fed up with trying to 2
press tiny buttons with your big, fat fingertips, the S414
ON OUR
C WEBSITE will be a welcome relief. Not that the buttons are any
bigger, but they do have room to spread out.
OPINIONS & SHOPPING
Post your views, see what other
readers think then buy this camera!
Value for money
You get more than just bulk for your £300 – it’s a pretty
dcmag.co.uk/minolta
good price for a 4-megapixel camera, but it looks even
better when you examine this camera’s specifications.
DIGITAL RANGE
MINOLTA
There’s the lens, for a start. It has a 4x zooming range 7 7
(equivalent to 35-140mm) where its rivals can only DESIGN LENS
DIMAGE F300 manage 3x, and the lens has a fast f3.6 maximum Significantly bulkier than many of The Minolta’s lens offers a 4x zooming
its rivals, the S414’s chunky feel range (which is unusual at this price),
Price: £380 aperture at the telephoto end of the range, so your might be a disadvantage to some, and a fast f3.6 maximum aperture at
Megapixels: 5 sports and action shots come with a far lower risk of but an attraction to others the telephoto end of the range
camera shake.
DIMAGE F200
Price: £350 There’s more sophistication inside the camera. Take
Megapixels: 4 the 270-segment metering system, for example, and Cutting corners? concern. The alkaline AAs supplied with the camera
the 5-point AF system. As well as program AE exposure, Something’s got to give, of course, and the most started to fail even in the early stages of testing – like all
DIMAGE S414 the Minolta also has an aperture-priority mode and a expensive thing to incorporate in any camera is build other cameras that can run on AAs, it’s certain that the
Price: £300
manual mode to go with it. quality. The S414 is chunky and solid, but it’s also S414 will prove much more reliable if fed NiMH
Megapixels: 4
There are limitations, mind. You can only choose from cheap feeling in places. The mode dial is clear and rechargeables instead.
DIMAGE XT two different apertures, so the control’s not as positive, admittedly, but the navipad on the back is The start-up time won’t break any records, either. At
Price: £300 sophisticated as it might be, but it’s better than having very poor. There’s too much movement, it’s too spongy around three seconds, it’s bearable, but not especially
Megapixels: 3.2 no aperture control at all – at least you can arrange and it’s too easy to press it in the wrong direction, quick. The AF system is good but unremarkable, taking
shallow depth of field for portraits, for example, and especially when you’re trying to press it dead centre to around half a second to focus at the wide-angle end of
DIMAGE E223
extra depth of field for landscapes. ‘OK’ an action. the range and a second or so at the telephoto end. The
£ Price: £150
Megapixels: 2.1 The 1.6fps continuous-shooting mode and real-time The battery compartment door is a definite weak zooming action isn’t very fast, but perfectly usable,
histogram add to this camera’s credentials for serious spot. It fits badly and it’s very difficult to get it back on while in playback mode, the image cycling, zooming

5REVIEWED! Go to p113
See Buyers’ guide for full rating
users. For £300 you’re getting a lot of camera, in more
ways than one.
properly. Normally this wouldn’t be a big issue, but the
S414’s appetite for batteries gives some cause for
and panning are all good without being great. The S414
doesn’t feel especially responsive but, to be fair, it

040 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 MINOLTA DIMAGE S414
PERFORMANCE

2 SKIN TONES
7

MODE DIAL
The mode dial is big
and clearly labelled. 3
The aperture-priority
mode is limited to
just two aperture
1 3 5 PRO Digital noise and sharpening effects are
barely visible, so skin tones look smooth

settings, though
6 CON A little undersaturated, maybe, and the fine
detail could also be a little crisper

2 OUTDOOR SHOTS

7 7
LCD NAVIPAD

5
Like other Minolta LCD The navipad’s a weak
PRO The Minolta’s metering system seems to
panels, this one has a high spot on the Minolta, as favour shadow and mid-tone areas

6
resolution (122,000 pixels) it is with so many
CON The metering system can be very accurate,
but a slightly ‘woolly’ look other cameras. It’s just
but it can also be a little unpredictable
about it too vague and stodgy

£300 cameras. Actually, it takes rather good shots. It

2 INDOOR SHOTS
It’s a pretty good price for a 4-megapixel did trip up occasionally, particularly in our indoor

camera, but it looks even better when you tests, where its metering system proved a bit too
susceptible to bright windows and the slow flash in

examine this camera’s specifications
performs typically for a camera in this price range.
The LCD looks good on paper, both in terms of size
and resolution. In practice, though, it’s got a slightly
The trouble (if you can call it that) starts when
you switch to manual mode. Now the menu system
expands to include metering mode options (multi-
night portrait mode was far too weak.
Otherwise, though, it turned in some well-
exposed, sharp shots. The colour rendition’s not as
punchy as, say, that of current Olympus compacts,
but it’s accurate and provides a good basis for any
subsequent tweaks in your image editor. Take a look
5 PRO You can take slow sync shots by using the
S414’s night portrait mode

flat, soft look that we’ve seen on other Minolta LCDs.
It does the job fine, especially when compared with
those fitted to similarly price rivals, but it’s not great.
Ease of use
The Minolta is quite straightforward to use, but you’ll
have to spend a little time getting your head around
the control system early on. In the full auto mode,
you can press the mode button to cycle through the
camera’s various scene modes (macro, portrait,
landscape, night portrait and text) but the menu
options available are limited to image size, image
quality, voice memo, date imprint, digital zoom
on/off, instant playback on/off.
segment and spot), autobracketing, colour mode,
sharpness, white balance, focus mode and more.
However, at the same time the scene modes are
deactivated – the mode button now just switches
the camera in and out of macro mode.
EV compensation is easy to apply – you hold
down the button and use the navipad – and there’s
a drive button for the self-timer, sequence shooting
and bracketing. Actually, putting the autobracket
option here makes it much more accessible than it is
on most cameras (the bracketing option in the
menus simply sets the EV interval).
The key point is image quality. Is the S414 really a
bargain, or are the results no better than any other
6
for yourself, using the new shot-comparison system CON Our test shot revealed a pretty lacklustre
performance, though. The flash power’s too low
on our coverdisc.
Definition is good, too, and well up with other
4-megapixel cameras. If the Minolta’s not sharp 2 IMAGE QUALITY
enough, the next big leap would have to be to a
6-megapixel digital SLR.
Overall
Minolta has done with the S414 what it does with
other cameras in its range – produced a well
specified, well built camera with good performance
at a low price. However, the S414 has some rough
edges and, value-wise, it’s not as impressive as the
(slightly) more expensive F200 and F300 models. 5 PRO Pretty sharp images and, given its price,
you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results

6 CON Occasionally unpredictable exposures can trip

you up, but you can’t expect more from a 4MP chip

MINOLTA DIMAGE S414 FULL SPECIFICATIONS 1 The S414 gives

you a lot of
FEATURES
IMAGES
80
81
1
1
Verdict

Sensor 4-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Image storage CompactFlash

Lens Minolta GT f3.0-3.6 4x zoom Batteries 4x AA BUILD 74 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, manual, 10cm in macro mode
Program AE, aperture-priority, manual
Battery life
AC adaptor
160 shots using 1850mAh NiMH cells, LCD on
No camera for VALUE 83 1
Metering Multi-segment, spot Weight 335g (without battery or card)
the money

80%
Monitor
AE compensation
1.8-inch, 122,000 pixels
+/-2EV in 0.3EV steps
Dimensions
Transfer
113.5mm(w) x 64.5mm(h) x 58.5mm(d)
USB FINAL
Flash
Video output
Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye
PAL or NTSC
Software
OS
DiMAGE Viewer
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2.2,
SCORE
Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with sound OSX 10.1.3-10.1.5, OS 10.2.1-10.2.2
A bit crude in places, the S414 takes
Other features None good shots but isn’t especially rapid. A
camera you’d buy on price rather than

2
SAMSUNG MINOLTA KODAK OLYMPUS
WORTH DIGIMAX V4 DIMAGE F200 DX 6440 C-4000
for its innate charm
A LOOK £300, 4MP £350, 4MP £300, 4MP £300, 4MP

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 041

 REVIEWS 4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERA

OLYMPUS MJU 400

Price £380
Resolution 4 megapixels
Lens f3.1-5.2 3x zoom
Memory 16MB Xd Picture card
Battery Life Not quoted
Contact Olympus 0800 072 0070 www.olympus.co.uk SAMPLE IMAGES ALL THESE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR CD/DVD

Olympus mju 400

With prices falling, Olympus’ award-winning mju 400 grows ever more tempting by
the day. But is style and quality enough…?

* ON OUR
COVERDISC
ZOOM & COMPARE
Check out our brand new image
comparison system on the disc!
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readers think then buy this camera!
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O
lympus’ highly-successful mju film cameras
first appeared in 1991, introducing a new,
compact and stylish camera to the photographic
world. It was only a question of time before the mju
design came to the company’s digital cameras too.
The mju 400 is the 4-megapixel version of the mju
300. Apart from the resolution, the only way to tell
them apart is the gold finish on the front of this camera,
compared to the silver of its 3-megapixel stablemate.
The mju 400 has to appeal on a number of levels,
because its dinky little dimensions are no longer
2
enough. Tiny though it is, the Pentax Optio S, Casio
Exilim Z3 and Minolta DiMAGE Xt are smaller still. They
2
don’t have this camera’s resolution, of course, or its
wonderful combination of build quality and practicality.
The mju 400 is weatherproof, you see. Not waterproof,
but ‘splashproof’. You needn’t worry about taking the
odd snap in the rain, but don’t go falling in any rivers.

Speed and design

DIGITAL RANGE Like other Olympus compacts, the mju 400 has a sliding 7 7
OLYMPUS lens cover which doubles as the power switch. The SLIDING LENS COVER LENS
OLYMPUS C-50 startup time isn’t especially impressive at three seconds The lens cover protects the lens The Olympus’ 3x zoom may
when the camera’s not in use, look diminutive, but there’s
Price: £430 or so, especially when compared to the Fuji F700 and powers it up when you slide nothing wrong with its
Megapixels: 5 reviewed in this issue. The focussing isn’t fast by today’s it out of the way resolving power
standards either, taking about a second to lock on under
µ[MJU:] 400
indoor lighting, though it seems a little quicker outdoors.
5

Price: £380
Megapixels: 4 However, it’s just as fast when you set the zoom to its
maximum telephoto setting, (105mm equivalent).
µ[MJU:] 300 Zooming speed and control is average – the mju
Price: £270
Megapixels: 3.2 400’s performance is distinctly mid-range, but the design
and styling is in a higher bracket altogether. The playback
C-350 mode’s a bit niggly, too. The camera takes about a second
Price: £200
to load saved images, and while you can zoom in on
Megapixels: 3.2
saved images and pan around, checking their fine detail,
C-220 it’s a bit fiddly, because you have to keep clicking the
£ Price: £170 buttons to do it – you can’t just keep them held down.
5 Megapixels: 2 But there are compensations, and one of these is the
LCD. It’s only 1.5 inches but it’s fantastically sharp, clear
REVIEWED! Go to p113 and bright. It’s one of the camera’s high spots, whether
See Buyers’ guide for full rating
you’re composing shots or browsing through them later.
Control layout
The mju’s control system is extremely good, too. This
is one area Olympus has been developing constantly,
and in the mju 400, the company has designed one
of its best compromises yet between simplicity and
accessibility. The back of the camera is notable for its
‘bareness’. The controls are four navigational buttons,
all separate, but arranged in a circle to mimic a
conventional navipad. Because the buttons are
separate, they’re much more positive, and you
make far fewer mistakes.
These navigational buttons have other functions
while you’re shooting photos. You press left to switch
in and out of macro mode, right to cycle through the
flash modes and press up to access the camera’s
various scene modes. In each case your choice is
displayed on the LCD.
These three buttons don’t cover all the options,
of course. For these, you’ll need to press the Menu
button. Here, Olympus’ clever control layout reveals
more smart design. This displays a four-way option
‘wheel’ on the LCD, controlled now by the navipad
buttons. Press left to change the image quality, up
to apply EV compensation, down to adjust the white
balance and right to access the full menu system.
Explained on paper, this probably sounds quite
complicated. But when you actually use the system, its
multi-layered design proves easy to grasp and quick to

042 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 OLYMPUS MJU 400
PERFORMANCE

2 SKIN TONES
7

SHUTTER RELEASE
The only thing you’ll
find on the top of
this camera is the

5
shutter release. It’s
1
PRO Taken in overcast lighting, the Olympus turns
neat, clutter-free 3 in a warm-toned, but natural-looking result
and easy to use
6 CON There’s enthusiastic contrast rendition when
your subject’s face is in shadow – try fill-in flash

3 2 OUTDOOR SHOTS

7 7
LCD NAVIGATIONAL BUTTONS

5
Measuring just 1.5 inches What, no navipad? These
PRO The mju 400 gives colourful, contrasted images,
from one corner to another, separate buttons do the same with accurate exposure and a good dynamic range

6
the Olympus’ LCD is job, but much more reliably.
CON Overcast skies can influence the mju 400’s
nevertheless wonderfully Note that the back of this
meter reading a little too much
crisp, bright and saturated camera is uncluttered

include areas of bright sky. Many cameras will be

2 INDOOR SHOTS
The mju 400 contrives to make its numerous overinfluenced by the sky, and underexpose the

functions far more accessible than its rivals foreground to a degree that’s hard to fix – such as
the Pentax *ist D. Some metering systems,

do, using fewer buttons in the process
navigate. The mju 400 contrives to make its
numerous functions far more accessible than its
rivals do, using fewer buttons in the process.
opens (you lift a lug at one end), you stand a good
chance of breaking a fingernail doing it. It’s an oddly
crude feature in a camera that’s otherwise built like
meanwhile, will be a little too clever and expose for
the foreground, leaving the sky to fend for itself –
the Minolta DiMAGE S414 can be guilty of this. The
mju 400, on the other hand, chose an excellent
compromise that maintained useful tonal detail in
both exposure and the maximum possible dynamic
5 PRO The straightforward design and ease of use
make it a good indoor snapshot camera

This is one of the things that’s hardest to get
across in a camera review. The specifications are
incontrovertible, and can easily take over as the
basis for any buying advice. But more intangible
aspects of the camera operation can prove just as
important. Here, the mju 400 is really strong.
It’s strong in other respects, too. Olympus doesn’t
quote a life expectancy for the camera’s lithium-ion
cell, but it seems to hold up well during a day’s
typical snapshotting. More to the point, it’ll recharge
in as little as two hours. That’s handy.
The camera does have its niggles, mind, and one
of the worst of these is its bizarre and fiddly
card/battery cover. Once you’ve worked out how it
a little jewel.
Picture quality
The picture quality is what really stands out with this
camera, however. Detail rendition is really crisp and
clear – you won’t find a compact digital camera
much better than this. It does have a tendency
towards purple fringing around highlights, though.
This is a feature of nearly all digital cameras, but the
Olympus suffered a little more than most in our
high-contrast test shots.
On the other hand, the exposure system, colour
rendition and colour saturation are all bang on. Our
outdoor test shots are especially tricky because they
6
range. If there are situations that will trip the mju CON You have to use night flash mode to get a
slow sync effect with the mju 400
400 up, they didn’t crop up in our tests.
It’s a similar story with colour rendition and
saturation. The mju takes colourful, saturated shots, 2 IMAGE QUALITY
but avoids some of the more lurid tendencies of the
Fuji F700, for example. The Fuji model doesn’t
produce ‘wrong’ colour, but its does ‘massage’ reds,
to the point where they can look a little overdone.
Yes, you can get cameras with more features
than the mju 400 for the same money or less. If it’s
specs you’re after, you should look elsewhere. This
camera’s principally designed for those who want
style, pocketability, simplicity and top results. And it
achieves those things very well indeed. 5 PRO You might expect to sacrifice definition in a
camera as compact as this, but it doesn’t happen

6 CON There’s some prominent, purple colour

fringing around very high-contrast outlines

OLYMPUS µ[MJU:] 400 FULL SPECIFICATIONS

1 It’s not the tiniest,
and not the
FEATURES
IMAGES
78
90
1
1
Verdict

Sensor 4-megapixel, ?.5-inch 4.2MP CCD Image storage xD-Picture Card

Lens Olympus f3.1-5.2 3x lens Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, LI-10B BUILD 96 1
Focus
Exposure modes
Auto, 20cm in macro mode
Program AE, scene modes
Battery life
AC adaptor
Not quoted
Yes cheapest, so what VALUE 86 1
Metering Digital ESP, (multi-pattern), spot Weight 165g (without battery or card)
can the mju offer?

88%
Monitor
AE compensation
1.5-inch 134,000 pixels
+/-2EV in 0.3EV steps
Dimensions
Transfer
99mm(w) x 56mm(h) x 33.5mm(d)
USB FINAL
Flash
Video output
Auto, on, off, red-eye, slow
PAL or NTSC
Software
OS
Olympus Camedia Master 4.1
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.0 or
SCORE
Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps higher, OSX 10.1
In a word, design. It’s small, smooth,
Other features 2 in 1 and panoramic modes and pocketable. It’s robust, practical
and easy to use. What’s more, it’s

2
NIKON COOLPIX MINOLTA SAMSUNG KODAK
WORTH 4300 DIMAGE F200 DIGIMAX V4 DX6440
image quality is very good indeed
A LOOK £380, 4MP £350, 4MP £300, 4MP £300, 4MP

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 043

 REVIEWS A4 PHOTO PRINTERS

Labtest
HOW WE TEST…
MARK HARRIS
CAMERA AND
PRINTING EXPERT

The first colour test card contained

JET-SET PRINTING
Photo-quality inkjets deliver high-speed, high-quality prints. Mark Harris sets his stopwatch on six of the best
skin tones, plus subtle variations in
light tones and colours, including
fine detail. This image was printed

at maximum resolution on the
recommended glossy premium
paper using original inks. The
second, text page contained
different font sizes and styles. This
was printed at standard resolution
on 80gsm bright, white paper.
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readers think!
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P
rinting an A4 colour photo used to be a good
excuse to go and have a cup of tea, but some
modern printers can now output full-size high
resolution images before you’ve even got to the kitchen.
They’re also becoming cheaper, with six-colour photo
inkjets available for under £100.
But look before you leap. With 4MP CCDs and large
memory cards becoming affordable, it’s never been
more important to choose a printer that can make the
most of your large image files, in terms of both quality
and speed.
We’ve rounded up six A4 printers over a wide price
range, with a variety of features. All the models on test
claim to be ‘photo quality’, so they should deliver good
photo prints as well as crisp text. Beyond this, you’re
generally paying for print speed, build quality and
features such as built-in card readers, six-colour inks and
bundled software. When looking at the price, bear in
mind that if you do any serious quantity of photo
printing, your main expenses will be ink and good
quality paper, so buying a budget printer won’t save you
a huge amount in the long run.
The test
In our tests, prints were assessed for colour accuracy,
sharpness, grain and dithering (how visible the tiny dots
used to create the image are, which is especially
important in solid blacks). We also measured the time
taken to produce each print. We then rated the features
that each printer has and combined these figures at an
overall percentage rating for each printer.
Print speed is quoted in pages per minute (ppm) but
never believe manufacturers’ figures – there are no
reliable standards and the performance you get also
depends on your computer. Resolution is important, but
even 2,880dpi can give great looking images from large
files, so don’t worry about it too much, except as a way
of speeding up printing.
All but the Lexmark are capable of printing borderless
prints. This gives a huge range of paper size and printing
options – the best place to select these is in the printer
driver. The EPSONs come with roll paper holders for

044 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 CANON Price £150
CANON Price £265
EPSON Price £200 ? EXPLAINED
Manufacturer Canon Manufacturer Canon Manufacturer EPSON
I470D Web www.canon.co.uk I950 Web www.canon.co.uk 900 Website www.epson.co.uk DITHERING
This is when the tiny ink dots
making up a photographic image
are visible to the naked eye. It
looks worst when seen in solid
colours and blacks.

PPM
Although print speed is quoted in
pages per minute (ppm), most of
the printers take more than a
minute to print photo quality
images that are larger than 6 x 4-
inch. Never trust the
manufacturer’s figures!

Canon’s direct printing i470D arrives in an impressive
package – a smart, cream fascia sprinkled with buttons
and a large 9cm (mono) LCD. The lightweight paper tray
is the only flimsy note in an otherwise solid, well-built
unit. The i470D has the widest connectivity of any
printer on test, capable of printing images via USB, from
a range of memory cards or even direct from a
compatible (Canon) digital camera.
Setting up the 4,800dpi Canon is simple enough,
although you do have to perform the print head
alignment manually, via an easy wizard. You can access
simple features (borderless printing, date-marking)
when printing from a memory card. For cropping and
editing, a one-touch button opens up the Photo Viewer
on your PC. Speedwise, the i470D was average, taking
50 seconds to output our text pages and just under five
minutes for the test card.
Despite being the only four-colour printer on test, the
i470D held its own against other budget models. The
photo page suffered from a fine grain and slight, yellow
tint, but text printing was superb, with solid blacks.
The more you pay, the less you get. The less gimmicks
and flashing lights, that is, for the i950 is unashamedly a
photo printer. It’s not a card reader, a scanner or a fax
machine. It’s not even much of a text printer, taking a
lethargic 68 seconds over our three-page test file. But
what you do get is a 4,800dpi bubble-jet and six-colour
printing, with a mighty 512 ink nozzles per colour, in a
tough, metal-clad casing.
It connects via USB 2.0 and is also the quietest in use,
topping out at 37dBA (noise in use). Thanks to Canon
printers’ separate print heads, the i950 is the cheapest to
run, with black ink around £7 and the coloured tanks
only a pound more. The i950 was the fastest on test for
A4 photo printing, outputting our large test in a zippy 66
seconds, and above average for text printing, too. The
Canon delivered the best photo print on test, with crisp,
noise-free whites, rich colours and excellent levels of fine
detail. The colour balancing and accuracy was especially
impressive. The only concern was some very faint
banding, visible under magnification. Text printing
produced superbly sharp letters and thick blacks.
PRINT HEAD
Most printers combine the print
head with the ink cartridge,
making for more expensive
The 900 is a substantial offering from EPSON, both in
consumables but few printing
terms of features and sheer bulk. It boasts the highest problems. Some (notably Canon)
vertical resolution of the printers on test: 5,760dpi when have a separate print head –
used with official EPSON media. Six-colour printing is this keeps the price of new
managed via two ink tanks and six sets of 48,000 cartridges low.
nozzles. While it doesn’t offer modern card printing, it
does feature dual ports (USB 1.1 and parallel) for
compatibility with older PCs.
EPSON is keeping up with the times by bundling a
handy CD media tray for printing directly to some (check
first!) CD or DVD faces, as well as borderless printing.
There’s also a roll paper holder for easy 6 x 4-inch
enprints and panoramic prints. The 900’s size is reflected
in its measured print speed, as it took around 90 seconds
for the text test and a sluggish six and three quarter
minutes for the A4 photo print. Photo print quality was
above average, and the 900 was particularly good at
reproducing subtle colours and complex detail. We did
notice a few noisy pop-ups, though, and some faint
horizontal banding. Text printing was a touch too bold,
leading to some smearing at the edges of letters.

Great build quality and connectivity, but An extremely sound choice for anyone A solid and reliable printer with good
four-colour printing might not suit the most serious about photo quality printing. colour accuracy, but it’s over-priced for
demanding users Highly recommended what it offers

1
5
70% 5
88% 5
70%
PRO Easy, direct printing FINAL PRO Low running costs. FINAL PRO Excellent paper- FINAL
and cheap inks SCORE Fast, high-quality printing SCORE handling options SCORE

6 CON Colours can

lack subtlety 6 CON Expensive
6 CON Sluggish printing

producing quantities of 6 x 4-inch enprints. This is the

only way to output true, panoramic prints, but it’s tricky
to load and use, and can be difficult to get flat again.
Paper handling is more important than you might
think – you only have to have a couple of premium
glossy sheets mangled and the cost starts to mount. The
EPSON 950 is the only printer to come with two
separate paper trays (one for A4 and one for 6 x 4-inch
paper), although both EPSONs have an insert for printing
directly onto the faces of suitable CDs or DVDs. The
Lexmark has an automatic paper sensor so that you
can’t accidentally print with ‘plain’ settings on expensive
photo paper. Although all the standard paper feeders
can accept at least 100 sheets of paper, you should add
paper in smaller quantities to avoid it getting dusty.
Always feed glossy paper through one sheet at a time.
Card sharp
The Lexmark and Canon i470D have slots for
CompactFlash, Microdrive, Smart Media, MemorySticks
and Secure Digital/MMC cards, allowing you to read
data into your PC. The i470D lets you print direct from
the cards, using a small mono LCD to select printing
quantities and options. This is useful if you want instant
results and don’t need to edit your shots.
Inkjet printing traditionally uses four inks: cyan,
magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). When set at
different distances from each other, these four colours
All the models on test claim to be
‘photo quality’, so they should deliver
good photo prints as well as crisp text
can reproduce the entire spectrum, although all the
printers on test, except the Canon i470D, use extra cyan
and magenta tones to provide even more accurate
reproduction of subtle tones.
Printers with more ink tanks will be more economical
in the long run, as you can replace only the colours that
have run out, rather than three inks in a combined tank.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 045

 REVIEWS A4 PHOTO PRINTERS
? EXPLAINED
DPOF
Direct Print Order Form lets you use
your digital camera to select which
(and how many) images to print.
The information is stored alongside
the images on the memory card.
BORDERLESS PRINTING
Some printers can print all the
way to the edge of the paper;
the rest leave a small white
border on all four sides. Borderless
printing always takes longer than
normal printing.
0 EXPERT TIP
MARK HARRIS
PRINT EXPERT
RESOLVING ISSUES
If you want to create photo quality
images, the minimum resolution
you should look for in a printer is
2,400 x 1,200dpi (dots per inch).
Printers with 4,800dpi+ vertical
resolution will generally only
deliver that resolution on the
correct media – normally the most
expensive available – and this is
especially the case for the 5,760dpi
figures quoted for the EPSON
printers. It’s worth printing a rough
(draft) copy of A4 photo images on
plain paper first, just to check the
margins, orientation and colour
balance. It can be extremely
frustrating to waste expensive ink
and paper by accidentally printing
your masterpieces in landscape
rather than portrait format.
046 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
EPSON Price £305
Manufacturer EPSON
950 Web www.epson.co.uk
When I first unwrapped the 950, I was sure that EPSON
had sent me an A3 printer by mistake, so bloated is the
half-metre long, 7.5kg all-black unit. Adding the roll
paper holder and cutter supplied adds another kilogram
and a few more centimetres.
The 950 has seven ink tanks containing five colours
(cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, light yellow) and
two helpings of black. The 950 has by far the best
media management on test, with all you need for
banner and panoramic prints, CD printing, a dedicated
6 x 4-inch paper tray, as well as borderless printing on
the full range of paper up to letter size (216mm). It’s no
slouch in use, either, delivering the fastest text printing
on test (31 seconds) and a high-quality photo print in
just over three minutes. Producing clear, white areas is
one of the toughest tests for an inkjet printer and the
EPSON 950 passed with flying colours on test, outputting
smooth, noise-free highlights. Colours were spot on, too,
although a critical eye might notice a sprinkling of fine
dither. The 950 was heavy-handed when it came to text
printing; the extra black caused hesitant edges.
A wide range of paper-handling options
make this high performance monster the
most flexible printer on test
1 1
5
84%
PRO Great paper handling; FINAL
high-quality photo printing SCORE
6 CON Big, heavy
and expensive
The Canons have a separate print head, which means
that their cartridges are half the price of others on test.
All the printers on test are a similar size, but by the
time you’ve added paper feeders and output trays, they
can take up a large amount of your desk. The HP’s front
feeding mechanism takes up more space than the
others. Inkjets are noisier than laser printers, with the
Canon i950 and HP 5150 the quietest on test. All the
printers come with driver software for PCs and Macs and
at least a basic image editor.
Test results
Fastest at A4 photo printing was the Canon i950 which,
at just 66 seconds, was nearly three times faster than its
HP Price £80
Manufacturer HP
5150 Web www.hp.com
How can HP make a six-colour, 4,800dpi photo printer for
just £80? Perhaps using the world’s dullest, grey plastics
saved a few pennies, although, to be fair, it does feel
tough enough to withstand everyday bumps.
The 5150 continues HP’s fascination with front-
feeding paper trays, so allow for access to the front of
the machine when you’re measuring up your desktop. It
does keep paper out of sight (and away from dust or
spillages), but we can’t help feeling nervous when
feeding delicate photo quality paper in, face down. The
5150 splits its six inks between just two tanks, although
note that it claims the lowest printing capacities of any
model on test (between 150 and 450 pages).
A good optional extra at this price is an adaptor that
allows duplex (double-sided) printing. Connection is via a
USB 2.0 port and the 5150 comes with 8MB of internal
memory. These helped the 5150 have a good print
speed of 94 seconds for the text pages and just under
four and a half minutes for the photo test. Print quality
was average: noisy blacks and patchy detail detracted
from the excellent whites; text was a bit grey and soft.
If you can’t afford any more, the HP is a
sound entry-level choice, but the print
quality is average
5
64%
PRO Sturdy and FINAL
reasonably priced SCORE
6 CON Front paper feeder
requires more desk space
nearest rival (the EPSON 950) and 20 times faster than
the Lexmark. The other Canon and EPSON took between
five and seven minutes, with the budget HP performing
well at four and half minutes. The EPSON 950 was
quickest at delivering text (30 seconds), closely followed
by the Canon i470D (50 seconds). The others all took
between 60 and 90 seconds, except the Lexmark, which
limped home last in over three minutes.
All the printers we tested are capable of producing
good quality images that will do justice to your
photographic skills. It’s when you start demanding more
of them – discriminating between similar shades, high-
contrast scenes or monochrome prints – that differences
emerge. The Canon i950 and EPSON 950 gave the best
LEXMARK Price £80
Manufacturer Lexmark
P707 Web www.lexmark.co.uk
Although you can siphon data into your PC or Mac from
the Lexmark’s prominent forward-mounted
CompactFlash, Microdrive, Smart Media, MemoryStick
and Secure Digital/MMC slots, you can’t print directly
from the media themselves. Happily, this isn’t a huge
drawback, and the P707 remains good value, if you
don’t already own an all-in-one reader.
Printing is managed with six inks in two tanks,
feeding into 416 nozzles for black and 300 for the other
colours. Lexmark has put real thought into ease of use,
from the automatic print-head alignment and media
sensor, to the bundled printer cable (saving you a tenner
or so). You can swap out the photo tank for black ink if
you do a lot of mono printing, and the P707 also ships
with a basic image editor and solution centre. When our
photo test print eventually emerged (after 24 minutes!),
it was a little warm, with dithering and noisy whites.
However, levels of fine detail were as good as any
printer on test. Text printing was even and sharp but the
Lexmark was the slowest on test, taking twice as long as
the nearest printer.
Great value for the features, but consider
carefully whether you’ll be happy with a
printer that’s this sluggish
1
5
54%
PRO Easy to use and a FINAL
handy built-in card reader SCORE
6 CON Print speed is
painfully slow
images, with crisp whites, plenty of detail and rich
colours. The EPSON 900 was close on their heels, but
the remainder had minor problems, such as banding or
excess dither. All the printers were very competent at
outputting text, but the two Canons delivered especially
rich, dark blacks.
We couldn’t test lightfastness without waiting 20
years or so, but current opinion is that if you use the
manufacturer’s recommended premium photo paper
and inks, inkjet prints should last at least 15 years and
probably a lot longer. We found no serious paper
handling problems (tram lines on prints) with any of the
printers, although the HP did print our photo test image
at a slight angle.
SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
CANON CANON EPSON
I470D I950 900
Price £150 £265 £200

Telephone 0800 289622 0800 289622 0800 289622

Web www.canon.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.epson.co.uk

Maximum vertical res (dpi) 4,800 4,800 5,760

Inks CMYK CMYK, light magenta, light cyan CMYK, light magenta, light cyan

Ink tanks 2 6 2

Cards accepted CF, MD, SM, MemStick, Secure Digital/MMC None None

Min/max paper size (mm) 90 x 120 to 216 x 594 90 x 120 to 216 x 594 89 x 89 to 216 x 3,275

Memory 56KB 80KB 32KB

Interface/cable? USB 2.0, direct print USB 2.0 USB 1.1, parallel

Borderless printing Yes Yes Yes

Weight 4 4.8 6.9

Noise in use (dBA) 41 37 45

Black cart price £7 £7 £17

Colour/photo cart price £12 £8.22 x 5 £19

Other PhotoViewer one-press editor Separate print head Roll paper holder, CD face printing

SPECIFICATIONS
AT-A-GLANCE
EPSON HP LEXMARK
950 5150 P707
Price Street inc (ex) VAT £305 £80 £80

Telephone 0800 289622 0870 5474747 01628 481500

Web www.epson.co.uk www.hp.co.uk www.lexmark.co.uk

Maximum vertical res (dpi) 2,880 4,800 4,800

Inks CMYK, light magenta, light cyan CMYK, light magenta, light cyan CMYK, light magenta, light cyan

Ink tanks 7 (inc. 2 black tanks) 2 2

Cards accepted None None CF, MD, SM, MemStick, Sec Dig/MMC 0 EXPERT TIP
Min/max paper size (mm) 89 x 89 to 216 x 3,275 77 x 125 to 216 x 355 76 x127 to 216 x 432 MARK HARRIS
PRINT EXPERT
Memory 256KB 8MB Not stated
CABLE TALK
Interface/cable? USB 1.1, parallel USB 2.0 USB 1.1 For some reason, printers never
come with interface cables – all the
Borderless printing Yes Yes No
models on test need a USB cable.
Weight 7.6 5.4 2.2 Buy a long one (around £10) for
maximum flexibility in placement.
Noise in use (dBA) 45 39 40 Always leave plenty of room
around your printer: if the output
Black cart price £11 £17 £14 path of the paper is blocked, it will
back up inside the unit, damaging
Colour/photo cart price £9.50 to £12 x 5 £29/£21 £26/£32
the print and possibly even fouling
Other Roll paper holder & cutter, CD face printing Optional duplex (double-sided) printing Auto media sensor, optional black tank the feeder.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 047

 REVIEWS NEW PRODUCTS

Microsoft Digital Imaging Suite 9.0

SOFTWARE This new version is geared firmly towards beginners. But Mark Harris wonders whether it’s mature enough to challenge the big boys…

0 INFO
DIGITAL IMAGING SUITE 9.0
Price £69.99
Manufacturer Microsoft
Tel 0870 6010 100
Website www.microsoft.co.uk
✔ Windows
✘ Mac
W
hether they know it or not, every new
purchaser of a digital camera is in the market The interface in more detail
for an image editor. And it doesn’t take most
of them long to realise the enormous gulf between the
cut-down packages bundled with consumer compacts
3
and the complexity of Photoshop. The version 9 tag on
Microsoft’s Digital Image Suite reveals that this is not a
4 1
brand-new product, but rather an update of its
consumer-friendly Picture It! series. It sits somewhere 2
above the happy-clicky simplicity of Roxio’s Photosuite
but a long way beneath the flexibility of Paint Shop Pro.
The first thing to note is that the Suite comprises two
distinct programs: Digital Image Library 9 and Digital
Image Pro 9. The Library component is a straightforward
image-management package, with a main browse
6
window, preview pane holding picture data and a
navigation tree on the left-hand side. You can sort this
tree by folder, date or keyword, and Library
automatically populates itself with all the images in your
My Pictures folder. Adding star ratings and keywords to
individual images is easy, and batch adjustments include
file conversion, compression, resizing and renaming.

5
Focus on features
Library also has some fun features not normally found
on consumer packages. Find Similar… trawls through
[01] STACK WINDOW [02] PAN PALETTE [03] QUICK LINKS [04] COMMON TASKS [05] WORK AREA [06] FILE WINDOW
all the indexed images for pictures with a similar
This shows all Click on the hand These icons give Click on the Common Zoom in and out of Import images from
composition or colour theme, which is useful for finding the objects and icon in the top right- instant access to the Tasks button in this pane, using the a camera, scanner,
all your cathedral shots or night-time portraits, for layers in the current hand corner to Smart Eraser and the toolbar and this slider above it or the file or image library
document. Click- call up this useful automatic fixes menu pops up, Photoshop keyboard program, and the
instance. The familiar slideshow function has been and-drag to change navigational aid. for levels, contrast giving access to shortcut (Ctrl +/-). thumbnails will
developed here into a Photo Story wizard (Windows XP their order. and red-eye. dozens of features. appear here.

only), where each ‘slide’ can include mouse movements

for emphasis as well as voice commentaries, music
and titles.
Clicking on Edit in Library calls up the main Digital
Imaging Pro package (or even Photoshop, if you prefer).
This has only a tiny Files window for browsing, so you
might find yourself switching between the packages
more than you’d like. Above Files is the Stack window,
showing the image layers in order, and there’s a left-
hand tool bar that occasionally intrudes into the main
work area.
The Image Pro interface is well enough designed,
so that you rarely get confused. The Common Tasks
pop-up menu contains nearly all the program’s main
functions, from image formatting and manipulation, to
effects, paint and text additions. Automatic fixes are
supplied for levels, contrast and tint, although you can
always tinker with them manually using graphical
sliders. Selection tools include an Edge Finder and Magic
Wand and there are plenty of up-to-date filters
(including compatibility with Photoshop 6 and earlier
plug-ins). However, the lack of sophisticated layer-
management tools makes working with complex
documents a headache.
There are some fantastic tools in here, though. The
Smart Erase function is simple and reliable, automatically
cloning over a selection you define using elements from
the surrounding area. This makes cloning out a lamp
post, for example, ridiculously quick and easy. The Suite

x KEY FEATURES
seems stable and it’s impossible to do anything drastic
to your images without a warning message flashing up.
■ Minilab A one-stop batch-adjust Online help is good and the 275-page manual has
function that can tweak levels, plenty of hints, but few walkthroughs, and the
contrast, colour and much more. newspaper-quality paper and mono reproduction don’t
■ Digital Image Library A
do the sample photographs any favours. Overall, though,
standalone browser that combines
categorisation and search functions it’s an extremely impressive package for newcomers to
with archiving and output choices. digital photography. If you want

84%
■ Smart Erase Just sketch round an FINAL
something easy to use that does SCORE
offending object and a single click
The Find Similar function in Digital Image Library is Fixing crooked shots is as simple as drawing a line the basics well, you should
eliminates it forever.
fun, and ideal for locating themed images through the picture along the real horizon definitely consider this suite.

048 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 Trailblazers
Travel the world, see interesting things and shoot them
02 Photographed by:
Matthew Whittingham
Location: Nida, Lithuania
Camera used: Canon EOS 10D
Trailblazers
050 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
WINNER! MIKE HOBBS KINGSCOTE HARBOUR, KANGAROO ISLAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
“You have to set your watch back 20 years when you arrive here” Fujifilm 6900
02
03 Photographed by:
Colin Minton
Location: Tewin, Hertfordshire
Camera used: Canon EOS D60
03
 06

07

06 Photographed by:
Matthew Whittingham
Location: Vilnius Cathedral,
Lithuania
Camera used: Canon EOS 10D

07 Photographed by:
Johan Moerman 08
Location: Sandworld,
Lubeck/Travemunde,
Germany
2 This month, you have mostly been to…
Camera used: Nikon 5700

08 Photographed by:
05 07302
3
3
Mark West
Location: Santorini , Greece 3 306
Camera used: Olympus 4040 03 3
04 08
3
04
3
04 Photographed by: 01
Stephen Gisborne
Location: Angostura Bridge, Trailblazers
Venezuela
Camera used: Olympus EOS E10
= Get your picture framed!
05 Photographed by:
Send them in and the best gets framed and returned. We’re looking for
Johan Moerman
landmarks, unusual events or just something fabulously composed. Start
Location: Lubeck, Germany
planning that trip away! ■ Email us at gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Camera used: Nikon 5700 05

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 051

 Viewfinder
We want your letters! Email us at letters.dcm@futurenet.co.uk and we’ll print the best
>
Interact
From our online forum
Our website forums offer a wide range of
topics, advice and tips for newcomers and
experienced photographers alike. This month,
talk turned to the use of flash...
Lee Clayton: I have a D100 with the
24/85 autofocus lens. I have a DX80
flash that I have on a tripod pointed into a
umbrella on the same tripod. I have a SC-17
cable connecting the flash to my D100
hotshoe so the D100 flash does not fire. I have
the camera set for centre metering and the
camera and flash are the same distance from
my portrait subject. However, I am
overexposing the photo every time (I am
using Program mode). Anyone have any
suggestions on how to get a better exposed
shot?
Paul Holden: If the camera cannot talk
to your flash gun then the flash will set
itself to maximum power. Try to compensate
your flash by setting your camera to
underexpose by 2 f/stops or so (see manual
under flash compensation or EV
compensation). Alternatively use a light meter
and set you camera up manually?
Jonathan Ryan:If the camera cannot
talk to your flash gun then the flash will
set itself to maximum power. Try to
compensate your flash by setting your camera
to underexpose by 2 f/stops or so (see
manual under flash compensation or EV
compensation). Alternatively use a light meter
and set you camera up manually?
Stan Walker: Oh what needless pain we
bear. All I do is set the camera to
manual, a reasonable speed for sync 1/60 to
1/125. Set the aperture to smallest, then take
a few test shots. If its to dark, open up, try
9 Now it’s your turn!
To join this discussion and others like it, go to
our website forums at
www.dcmag.co.uk/forum
052 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
NOT SO ELEMENTARY
Having recently purchased a new PC and a Sony
Digital Camera, I was looking for a magazine to
help me get the most out of both. Scanning the
shelves for a suitable guide, your magazine leapt
out at me. It wasn’t so much the free CD and
software (although this would be a bonus) it was
more a case of being able to produce ‘clever’
pictures (I refer to the fairies in the book). I spent
the evening reading through the pages in
anticipation of what I could soon be producing.
But no! Being new to the game, I hadn’t
accounted for the need to have a specific piece of
software. I, foolishly perhaps, had interpreted
Photoshop to be a section within the magazine,
not a £70 box of software. Despite this. I found
the magazine very informative and full of the kind
of projects I was looking forward to tackling.
Unfortunately, it may be a few months before I
can buy future editions. as I am now saving to buy
Adobe Photoshop Elements!
Mark Alden, by email
DCM Luckily for you and everyone saving up for
Elements or Paint Shop Pro, we’ve got the
fantastic full version of Ulead’s PhotoImpact 6
on this month’s disc – once you’ve had a
chance to try it out, why not email us your
results at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk?
RESOLVING THE ISSUES
This may seem a stupid question but I am not so
sure that it is. Let me explain. Like a lot of ex-35mm
camera addicts, I have gone from 2.3-megapixel
cameras to 3.24-megapixel cameras, and now
Our free version of
PhotoImpact will help
you save your pennies
await the delivery of a new 5-megapixel camera. and all the things that were the key points
All have been good quality and top of the semi when film was king?
professional range. Yet, as we now see adverts David R Lewis, by email
for the 6-megapixel camera and simulations to
greater figures, there’s a little gremlin in my DCM While we can all get great A4 prints
head that says “are you wasting your money?”. from 4-megapixel cameras, the increase
Is all we need 4-megapixel cameras, but a good in resolution is definitely still a benefit.
range of them – waterproof, robust, small, control We’ve got a great example on this month’s
everything, and so on? Are the higher megapixel disc, in the form of our new test shots
cameras really just a selling point? I have a car with comparison system.
a claimed to speed of 143mph but I will probably Compare the Pentax *ist D with a lower-res
never get to two thirds of that, so can I expect the camera on detail and you’ll see that the
same from my new 5-megapixel camera. higher-resolution Pentax has far better detail
Should we just call it a day at 4 megapixels despite each of the shots being taken from
and then start concentrating on the lens quality the same place with the same zoom.
Star letter Shooting children
Where do we draw the line between what is permissible and what is
I’d like to reply to the Editor’s column in issue not? Should the government step in with official guidelines?
10, about photographers being unjustly
accused of photographing other people’s
children. I went to the park with my one
year old and my camera, intent on taking
pictures of him having fun in the park.
When I got there, I felt I couldn’t.
I was the only father there with plenty
of mums, and didn’t want there to be
any chance of being accused of being a
paedophile, so I left my camera in my
pocket. What is it coming to, when a
father feels guilty about taking a picture
of his own son in a public place, just in
case there happens to be someone
else’s child in the background?
Paul Gillard, from the forums
DCM We’re having an extremely interesting discussion about this topic at dcmag.co.uk/deate.
While everyone who has contributed to the topic recognises the need to be safe, there are
serious concerns about the way amateur photographers are being portrayed by the mass
media. Think of all those happy snaps you have of yourself as a child, taken by a loving
relative – do we really want to deny our own children these precious photographs? Join in
the debate online and let us know what you think.
STAR
LETTER The Star Letter wins an HP Photosmart 935
digital camera, worth £399.99! Sporting a
PRIZE superb 5-megapixel resolution and 3x
optical zoom, it comes complete with a
32MB memory card. Find out more about
the Photosmart 935 at www.hp.com.
 In association with

New competition!
DCM PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Multimedia Card
Two early entries from last
month’s portrait competition 64MB-128MB

Compact Flash
64MB-1GB

Over the next six months, we’ll be running a
ground-breaking competition, giving you the
opportunity to become the Digital Camera
Magazine Photographer of the Year. Each issue
features a different subject for you to photograph.
Each issue’s winner will receive £200 of Jessops
vouchers, and two runners-up will get £50
worth of vouchers each. The overall winner will
receive a staggering £1000 worth of Jessops
vouchers to spend as they see fit, plus the
kudos of being our photographer of the year!
How it works
To qualify for entry for the grand prize, you
need to enter a minimum of four out of the
six stages, so don’t worry if you missed out
last month. Every entry will be awarded a mark
£1000
STAR
PRIZE!
Secure Digital
out of 100. The people who score the top 64MB-512MB
marks for a particular month are, clearly, the
winners of that issue’s competition. The scores SmartMedia
from all six individual competitions will then
64MB-128MB
be added together, and averaged, giving the
final positions. So, by simply entering a photo
for each stage, you’re already going to be in
Want to ensure your photos or important files
with a great chance of snatching the coveted
DCM Photographer of the Year title!
are stored forever? PNY has developed a cost
And so you can see how you’re doing, effective range of Flash media products to suit
we’ll be printing the leading contenders in all your needs. With Compact Flash cards
the magazine each month, with the full table ranging from 64MB right up to an impressive
available on www.dcmag.co.uk. For this reason, 1GB, you can store valuable data quickly,
it’s essential to you include your full name and
address with every entry that you send us.
easily and safely.

Special offers available at

THIS MONTH’S COMPETITION: SUNSETS
In conjunction with our massive Sunset feature in this issue, this
month’s competition is all about sunsets. We want your best shots of
glorious skies. The decision on how much image editing to apply to
the image is entirely up to you, but bear in mind that we’ll be judging
the quality of such work just as strictly as the initial photography. The www.currys.co.uk www.dixons.co.uk
winners for this first round will be announced in our Christmas issue.

Send your entries to with the subject line ‘Sunset comp’. A file size of around 1MB is ideal. Only
one photo per email, and a maximum of three entries per person per month. Entries for this
issue’s Sunsets category must be received on or before 1st of November 2003.

You may enter up to three photographs each month but only the best one will count towards your points total. A cash alternative to the prizes is
not available. We reserve the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
Do not send CDs, memory cards, printed materials, etc – this is an email-only competition, and we cannot be held liable for the loss of any materials. www.pcworld.co.uk
By entering the competition, you agree to grant us an exclusive three-month licence to publish your photographs in any manner we see fit, in any
medium, in conjunction with the competition. After three months, this changes to a non-exclusive licence on the same terms. All entries to the
competition must be previously unpublished (exceptions will be made for photographs published on hobbyist websites, where no fee was involved).
Prizes are courtesy of Europe’s leading photographic retailer, Jessops. Visit any of over 240 stores across the UK, call Jessops Direct on 0800 652 6400, Visit www.pny-europe.com for the full range of PNY products
or buy on-line at www.jessops.co.uk.
 ADVERTISING FEATURE

Product Showcase
HP's advances in imaging technology have fed directly into its newest products. DCM gets an exclusive first peek at what it’s got in store…

HP Photosmart 945
DIGITAL CAMERA HP’s latest flagship digicam combines a 5.1MP sensor with new image-processing technologies to deliver stunning photo quality

H
P’s Photosmart range just got a whole lot
0 INFO smarter, with the launch of the 5.1MP
Photosmart 945 digital camera. Inside its
HP PHOTOSMART 945 tough, black casing lurk a variety of unique systems
Price £399
Manufacturer HP designed to combine SLR-quality images with the ease
Website www.hp.com/uk/create of use of a compact camera. These include manual 2
controls, a digital flash to improve high-contrast images,
✔ Windows plus optimised white-balance and exposure algorithms
to capture even the most complex scenes perfectly.
✔ Mac At the heart of the camera is an 8x optical zoom lens
(37-300mm equivalent) with a bright f2.8 maximum
aperture. such a long zoom benefits from an electronic
viewfinder to enable accurate framing, and the 945’s
clear microdisplay comes with diopter adjustment. The
main display is a colourful 2-inch LCD with 180,000
pixels, giving almost twice the viewing area of a
standard 1.5-inch screen. The camera can focus down to
10cm in macro mode, although you can always turn off
the TTL system and focus manually instead.

Photo power
The Photosmart 945 offers the full range of creative
photo features, from spot metering and aperture priority,
2
to burst mode and exposure compensation. Digital

HP’s Adaptive Lighting technology

permits photos that correspond more
closely to what we see with our eyes
enthusiasts will appreciate manual control over
7 7
DIGITAL RANGE
sharpness, colour saturation and contrast, plus a choice 5.1MP CCD 8X OPTICAL ZOOM
HP of white-balance settings and sensitivity up to ISO400. A large sensor with custom The long zoom lens has an
white balance and exposure f2.8 maximum aperture,
But the real innovations in the Photosmart 945 come algorithms to ensure faithful with a 10cm macro and
945 colour reproduction manual focusing
Price: £399 into play after the shutter has fired. The 945 is the first
Megapixels: 5.1 camera to take advantage of HP’s patented Adaptive
Lighting technology. This breakthrough permits digital
935 cameras to produce photos that correspond more
Price: £349
closely to what we see with our eyes. It balances dark, for example, the tone map will brighten the photo While the HP Photosmart 945 comes with a high-speed
Megapixels: 5
brightness relationships between bright and dark areas without losing highlight details. PPR also performs USB 2.0 connection for your PC, for maximum simplicity,
735 in a photo, preserving subtle difference but compressing adaptive colour processing to enhance vibrancy and you can use the optional HP Photosmart 8881 docking
Price: £199 harsh contrasts. Some local areas in a photo might be clarity, and maintain a natural appearance. Because PPR station for photo sharing and battery recharging. HP
Megapixels: 3.2 lightened and other areas left alone – leading HP to dub adjusts each photo, it minimises the need for exposure Instant Share enables simple and swift sharing of photos
the new system Digital Flash. compensation or adjustments in image editors later on. straight from the camera, printing images directly to
320
Digital Flash works alongside another advance: a selected HP printers, tagging them with email addresses
£ Price: £100
Direct delight
5 Megapixels: 2.1 photofinishing algorithm called Preferred Photographic and more. As with all HP digital photography products,
Reproduction (PPR). After measuring the scene for With its 5.1MP CCD creating huge images up to 2,608 x the HP Photosmart 945 comes complete with easy-to-
REVIEWED! Go to p113 brightness and dynamic range, PPR calculates an 1,952 pixels in size, it’s a good job that HP has bundled learn and easy-to-use HP Photo & Imaging software for
See Buyers’ guide for full rating
optimal tone map for processing. If a scene is generally the camera with a generous 32MB Secure Digital card. sophisticated photo editing and management.
HP Photosmart 7960
INKJET PRINTER Pioneering eight-ink printer promises pro-quality colour and mono output with unbeatable convenience

I
nkjet printers have always been good at
0 INFO producing punchy colour prints in a fraction of
the time and cost of colour lasers. But where
HP PHOTOSMART 7960 they’ve traditionally been less impressive is in black and
Price £249
Manufacturer HP white printing, suffering from patchy text and weak,
Website www.hp.com/uk/create monochrome images.
The HP Photosmart 7960 photo printer aims to
✔ Windows rewrite the rule book with its unique eight-ink HP
Photoret Pro print technology. HP’s top-of-the-range
✔ Mac inkjet prints at up to 4,800dpi using three cartridges: a
standard tri-colour cartridge, a photo cartridge and a
new, grey photo cartridge that contains light grey,
medium grey and photo-black inks. Together, these can
output an extensive colour gamut of 72 million colours,
from bold primary hues to subtle skin tones and
enhanced shadow accuracy and detail. The grey
cartridge enables true greyscales and rich blacks for true
black and white photography.
As a direct photo printer, the 7960 can work without a
computer connection. Just plug in your compatible HP
camera or insert almost any memory media
(CompactFlash Type I or II, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia,
Secure Digital/MultiMedia card, Sony Memory
Stick/Duo/Pro and xD-Picture Card) into one of its built-in
slots. Then either preview images on the 6.4-cm colour

x KEY FEATURES
■ Ability to print straight from a
camera’s memory card
■ Eight-colour printing gives up to
72 million colours
■ Photo-quality images up to A4
■ Use with HP Premium Plus
photo paper for up to 73 years
fade resistance
LCD screen or swiftly print out a thumbnail proofsheet.
Photo editing
The HP Photosmart 7960 then lets you edit your images;
rotating, zooming, cropping and choosing from a library
of frames. If required, an auto red-eye reduction function
improves flash portraits, and mono, sepia and antique
filters are easily applied.
The HP Photosmart 7960 is one of the fastest inkjets
on the market, with a print speed of up to 21ppm black
or 16ppm colour for everyday documents, and as little
as 36 seconds for 10 x 15cm colour photos. There’s even
an ink back-up mode for completing print jobs if the
cartridge runs out mid-way through.
HP has enhanced its Premium Plus photo paper to
work specifically with its new printers and inks. The
paper now offers an increased glossiness, thickness and
weight to replicate the look and feel of traditionally
processed photos. High-resolution digital images are
rendered with the same brilliant colours or subtle
gradations of grey found in film prints.
In the past, there has been some concern that inkjet
prints may be prone to fading in sunlight, but you’ll
have no such worries with the HP Photosmart 7960.
When used with HP inks and Premium Plus photo paper,
Wilhelm Imaging Research Inc found that HP’s inkjet
printers produce images that can resist fading for up to
73 years.

HP Scanjet 5530
SCANNER Speed up your scanning with this auto-feeding high-resolution model from HP

U
nless you’re a complete newcomer to
0 INFO photography, you’re bound to have a film
camera – and prints – gathering dust in a
HP SCANJET 5530
Price £199
cupboard. Sooner or later, you’ll start thinking about the
Manufacturer HP improvements you could make to those images if you
Website www.hp.com/uk/create could just get them into your favourite image editor –
and this is where the HP Scanjet 5530 Photosmart
✔ Windows scanner comes in. As well as scanning prints individually,
the HP Scanjet 5530 comes with an automatic photo
✔ Mac feed (APF) that can scan an entire pack of 24 photos in
less than five minutes, at the touch of a single button.
The APF can accept either 9 x 13cm or standard
10 x 15cm size prints, with a smooth vacuum feed to
keep your originals in perfect condition. The HP Scanjet
5530 scans at up to 2,400 x 4,800dpi resolution and in
48-bit colour to create photo-quality image files with
rich, vivid colours and clean, crisp detail.
But the HP Scanjet 5530 is as flexible as it is
powerful, with the ability to scan 35mm slides,
transparencies, negatives and even 3D objects.
One-touch controls allow you to scan directly
into digital albums, copy documents and
share your images via email. To complete a
superb package, a comprehensive software
bundle includes Adobe Photoshop Elements,
OCR for text recognition and HP Memories Disc
Creator to store and share images, with music
and titles.
 SECTION #02 PHOTOSHOP

TODDLER TERROR! Section highlights…

LEAVE KING KONG CREATIVE PROJECT
IN THE SHADE… ATTACK OF THE GIANT CHILD!
SEE PAGE 58 Geroge Cairns shows you how to blend different PAGE
elements together to create a fantasy image
58
IN-DEPTH GUIDE
A-Z OF LAYERS
In part three of our series, Derek Lea explains how PAGE
to make the most of layer sets and merge functions
66
DIGITAL TECHNIQUES
CAST A SHADOW
Derek Lea shows you how to create convincing PAGE
shadows using layers, masks and the liquify filter
72
PHOTOSHOP SKILLS
THE EYE’S THE LIMIT
Revitalise tired eyes and apply a touch of make-up. PAGE
Chris Stocker is your ‘virtual’ beautician!
76

PAGE

72

PAGE PAGE

76 66

MORE EXPERT

Photoshop
PHOTOSHOP
TECHNIQUES!
Check out our sister title for
even more expert Photoshop,
Elements and Paint Shop Pro
solutions. In issue 5 (on sale
October 16) we give you 50
Photshop tricks to improve your
photos, plus a special montage
project for family portraits.
Inspirational projects and expert digital darkroom advice

Tutorials you can trust! Contact our editorial team

f #
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and image files, and full or trial software so you can try the If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or
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Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field Clear Our large page size means we can add extra email us at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk Visit
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 PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE PROJECT

VIDEO!
See it done
in video on
your disc!

Toddler terror at
the London Eye
Digital artist, George Cairns, shows you how to blend a variety of photographic elements to create a fantasy image
CONTACT US!
GEORGE
CAIRNS
George@georgecairns.com

PROJECT
KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
All the elements you need are
on your cover CD/DVD in the
‘Kid Kong’ folder
All images on discs for
non-commercial use only
2 SKILL LEVEL
6 thought we’d combine a kid with the ‘giant on the
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
B
ooks and films have long been preoccupied
with the fantasy of giants on the rampage –
think Jack and the Beanstalk, King Kong and
so on. And what do giants like to do to pass the time?
They head straight into town to demolish the nearest
landmark. King Kong couldn’t help monkeying around on
the Empire State Building. Even Kitten Kong in The
Goodies TV show was compelled to topple over a dodgy
model of the Post Office Tower.
In whatever media we read or watch, giants usually
mean big trouble. Toddlers can mean trouble, too, so we
rampage wrecks a landmark’ concept to create this
month’s special effects image.
unlike many other landmarks, it hasn’t been wrecked in
the movies yet.
This tutorial will get you combining studio-shot
pictures with a location-shot background to create
a photo-realistic image. As the kid in our image is
after his own Eye Pod, the image will be augmented
with computer-generated 3D pods for the toddler
to hold.
Once you’ve had a crack at creating the image using
our components (they are on your cover CD/DVD),
there’s nothing to stop you photographing your own
terrible tot, and making it a star in its own scene of
movie-style mayhem. Check below for our tips on
shooting the toddler so that he fits in with the other
TOOL SCHOOL
MAGNETIC LASSO TOOL
FIND IT in the toolbar
USE IT to draw selections around objects
in your scene.
MASTER IT as the tool creates anchor
points that automatically stick to the
outline of your chosen subject…
We want you to send us your attempts at recreating
this image. The best one will get printed in a future
edition of DCM and we’ll send you £100 in prize money.
We’ll even frame it and send it back to you so you can

4 HOURS Our landmark of choice was the London Eye because, elements in the scene. enjoy it for years to come…

HOW WE
PHOTOGRAPHED
THE CHILD
PAUL O’CONNOR

8 8
PHOTOGRAPHER

THANK YOU
TO LIZ MURIAS AND HER SON,
JOE, AND ALSO PAUL HAMES AT
WALCOT STUDIOS, BATH
THE KID (KID.PSD)
A To control the lighting, we shot our tot in the
studio. As he needed to match the lighting in
the nighttime background, we lit him from the side with a
blue-gelled light. The camera’s tripod made a handy
London Eye substitute for our kid to lean on.
THE LONDON EYE (EYE.PSD)
B We decided to shoot the London Eye at night
to get some attractive interactive lighting
bouncing off the pods and the toddler. The reflections in
the Thames are more attractive at night.
THE PODS (POD01.PSD)
C To give the terrible tot something to hold,
we recreated the London Eye’s pod as a
computer-generated model. We lit the model with
blue light to make it fit with the studio and location
shot elements.

058 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

Techniques used
to create this image
Two key tools and techniques that this
project will help you master...

MAGNETIC
LASSO
The Magnetic Lasso
tool is invaluable for
selecting well-
defined but irregular
objects in images

GRADIENT
EFFECTS
The Gradient tool
applies a graduated
colour to an image.
Particularly powerful
when used with
transparent layers
 PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE PROJECT
TOP TIP When shooting your model, try to match the lighting to the final image. Don’t forget, however, that the boy is the subject of the piece, so make sure there’s enough detail for us to see him!

STAGE 1 2
CUT OUT THE KID
Let’s kick off by removing our
would-be Goliath from the
unwanted studio background.

LABEL THE LAYER INCREASE THUMBNAIL SIZE CHOOSE A LASSO

01 Open the Kid.psd. At this stage the background
layer is locked. Double-click on the layer
thumbnail in the Layers palette. A New Layer window will
open. Label the layer ‘Kid’. Click OK and you have an
unlocked, editable layer. Right-click on the thumbnail and
use the Layer Properties to colour the layer yellow.
02 Increase the size of the layer thumbnails. A
quick way to do this is to right-click in an
empty section of the Layers palette. A small pop-up menu
appears with various thumbnail size options. Alternatively,
go to the icon on the top-right of the palette and open
the Layer Palette Options window.
03 Normally we’d create a path to cut out the kid,
but this month we’ll use the Magnetic Lasso
tool (which should be faster, too). Hold down the mouse
on the Lasso tool section of the toolbar. You’ll get a pop-
up window with several lasso options. Select the
Magnetic Lasso tool.

? EXPLAINED 06 IN FOCUS MAGIC MAGNETS

FREQUENCY
Frequency describes the amount of
Anchor Points the Magnetic lasso
Say goodbye to the Pen tool?
tool uses to create its path around
the selected object in the scene. ON TARGET RETRACE STEPS NO FANCY FOOTWORK
The higher the frequency, the more The Magnetic Lasso creates its If the tool seems to stray too far As the kid is going to be
detailed the path. own anchor points. To stop the from the path, move it back to standing in water, you don’t
tool from getting lost, click to the last anchor point it created need to be too fussy about
place the odd anchor point and follow the outline of the accurately selecting his
manually. This will help the tool child. The tool should then stick feet – it won’t be seen in the
stay on track. to the kid’s outline fairly easily. finished piece.
EDIT THE LASSO
04 Once you’ve selected the Magnetic Lasso tool,
go to the toolbar at the top and set the Width
to 5 pixels, the Edge Contrast to 10% and the Frequency
to 50. This will help the tool stick to the outline of the boy
like a magnet.

0 EXPERT TIP
GEORGE CAIRNS’
PHOTOSHOP TIPS
SPEEDIER SELECTION
The Magnetic Lasso tool acts like
an intelligent version of the
regular Lasso tool. Indeed, it would
be virtually impossible to select
STICK LIKE GLUE
the outline of the child using the
regular Lasso tool. Get used to
05 Click by the kid’s head to start the selection.
using this tool and you should find Using the mouse, follow the edge of the child
it a much faster way to cut out the with the cursor. The Magnetic Lasso tool creates anchor
kid than using the traditional Pen
points that automatically stick to the outline of the child.
tool to create a path.
A path is drawn between these points.

060 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 SELECTING AREAS CUTTING AND PASTING

4
USING USING PAINT SH0P Use Paint Shop Pro’s Lasso tool Cutting and pasting is simple in Paint Shop Pro, but
LAYERS IN… PRO TIPS to draw around your model don’t forget to feather the selection when pasting

0 EXPERT TIP
GEORGE CAIRNS’
PHOTOSHOP TIPS
RIGHT CLICK
You can access many of
Photoshop’s tool options by right
clicking on the screen when the
tool is active. This gives you a
handy pop-up menu wherever
your mouse happens to be,
enabling you rapid access to the
menu items without having to go
to the main menu bar.

COMPLETE THE SELECTION FAB FEATHER ADD A MASK

07 Continue drawing the path round the outline of
the kid until you come back to the point you
started at. This will complete the path. Be sparing with
your anchor points – we only placed ten points manually;
the rest were placed automatically by the Magnetic Lasso
tool (let the Photoshop do the work!).
08 When the Magnetic Lasso tool has made its
selection, you’ll get the animated ‘marching
ants’ dashes around the outline of the child. Right-click
(on Macs, it’s control-click) on the ‘marching ants’ to
get a pop-up menu. Choose Feather and type in a value
of 2 pixels.
09 Click on the Add a Mask icon in the Layers
palette. A Layer Mask will be created by the
selection. Everything outside the selection will disappear,
hidden by the mask. The selection’s feather value will
give the kid nice, soft edges, enabling him to blend in
with the London Eye background.

12 IN FOCUS MARVELLOUS MASKS

Finish the mask
X-IT!
To quickly swap the brush from
white to black (enabling you to
restore or hide layer elements),
press X. This swaps the
foreground and background
? EXPLAINED TIDY THE MASK
colours in the toolbar.
FINE-TUNE THE MASK
On the mask, spray a white brush around the area where
the hand is holding the tripod, to make sure that you can
see all his hand. Swap the foreground colour to black and
carefully spray out the tripod, leaving as much of the
hand as you can. Use this technique to restore strands of
hair that might be hidden.

FEATHER
10 The Magnetic Lasso tool isn’t perfect and will
Normally a selection created by a have missed the odd bit of the boy’s outline.
Lasso tool or path has a sharp, In our example, we’ve chipped off his left thumb. Luckily
jagged edge. Soften this edge by
the Layer Mask is non-destructive so we can edit it, and
typing a value of two or more
pixels into the tool’s feather option tidy up problem areas missed by the Lasso.
in the menu bar. This will give you
softer more effective cutouts.

? EXPLAINED
EDGE CONTRAST
The Magnetic Lasso tool looks at
THUMBS UP
the contrast between the pixels it
has been told to select and the
11 Choose a soft-edged brush from the Brush
surrounding area. Adjusting the pre-set picker. Make it around 13 pixels in
edge contrast makes it more or less
diameter. Set the foreground colour to white. Click on the
sensitive to changes in the image,
helping you choose a selection. Layer Mask thumbnail to select it, then spray on the
missing thumb and watch it magically reappear.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 061

 PHOTOSHOP CREATIVE PROJECT
TOP TIP If this month’s special effects spectacular has got you in the mood for more of the same, check out the world’s foremost journal on the subject – Cinefex (www.cinefex.com)

STAGE 2 2
UNLEASH THE TODDLER
Now to let the tot loose by
the banks of the Thames.
We’ll need to do a lot to
anchor him in the image in
a believable way.

ADD THE KID TO THE BACKGROUND
13 Open the file Eye.psd from the CD/DVD. Select
the open kid document. Drag the Kid’s layer
thumbnail onto the London Eye image. It will add the
masked kid to the London Eye file as a separate layer.
SCALE THE GIANT
14 Select the kid’s layer. Go to Edit8Transform8
Scale. Drag the handles on the corner of the
box to scale the kid down to size. Hold down Shift to
constrain the layer’s shape. Position the child using the
Move Tool [V], with his right hand overlapping the wheel.
CREATE NEW MASK
15 We’ll need to create a New Layer mask to
make the child’s feet fade into the murky
waters of the Thames. To keep the transparent effect of
the its current mask, go to Layer8Remove Layer
Mask8Apply.

? EXPLAINED 18 IN FOCUS REALISTIC REFLECTION

GROOVY GRADIENTS
The Gradient tool draws a pattern
that mixes gradually between Fake it!
foreground and background colours.
When applied to the Layer mask, RADIAL BLUR ADD RIPPLES LAYER BLEND
this allows you to have objects on Select the reflection using a Added a cloud filter to the To make the reflection
the layer fade smoothly from being
solid to being transparent. This is
Rectangular Marquee. Go to Layer mask to break up the more subtle, change
how we’ll create the soft edge to Filter8Blur8Radial Blur and choose reflection. Then go to its Layer Blend mode
the lad’s legs as they fade into the Zoom. This will give the reflection a Filter8Distort8Ocean Ripple to to Overlay.
Thames in Step 16. bit of perspective. fine-tune the reflection effect.

GRADIENTS
16 Add a new mask to the kid’s layer. Select the
Gradient tool (G) from the tool bar. Make sure
that it is set to a linear gradient by clicking in the relevant
box in the menu bar. Draw a short gradient in the Layer
mask to make the boy’s feet vanish into the water.

FLIP IT
17 Drag the kid’s layer thumbnail onto the Create
New layer icon in the Layers palette to
duplicate it. Go to Edit8Transform8Flip Vertical. Use the
Move Tool to position the ‘reflection’ underneath the boy.
Label the new layer ‘Boy Reflection’.

062 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 If this month’s feature has given you a taste for a trip to the London Eye, check out its

4
FURTHER site (www.londoneye.com) for more information. Just make sure you take your digital
INFORMATION camera with you to capture the stunning views

STAGE 3 2
SPECIAL EFFECTS
If the kid’s going to play with the
3D pods he’s torn from the Eye,
we need to remove some of the
real pods from one section.

CLONE OUT THE PODS STRIKE A POSE POD PEOPLE

19 Use the Clone Stamp tool to remove some of
the pods on the wheel. The best way to do this
is to look for patterns in adjacent sections of the wheel
(like the rungs of a ladder), and Clone Stamp these over
existing pods.
20 We’ve supplied you with the finished 3D pod
images, but you might find it useful to see
how they were created. To fill the 3D pods with some
alarmed tourists, we used Poser to create and render out
basic characters. (More info at www.curiouslabs.com)
21 Poser supplies each rendered picture with an
Alpha channel. Using this, apply these images
to simple 2D planes in Maya, a 3D package that’s popular
with the movie industry. The Alpha channel makes the
relevant parts of the planes transparent, enabling us to
position the characters inside the 3D pod models.

0 EXPERT TIP 24 IN FOCUS FINISHING TOUCHES

GEORGE CAIRNS’
PHOTOSHOP TIPS

GO WITH THE GRAIN

The computer-generated pods are
too ‘clean’ and clinical compared
with the grainier digital photos.
Apply a noise filter to them to
rough them up. When adding
grain to your computer-generated
elements, double-click on the
Magnifying tool. This enlarges the
picture view to 100%, enabling
you to see the grain in the source
images. You can then experiment
with using the noise filter to get
the elements to mimic the source
image’s grain.
Depth and colour
FLOATING POD TRUE BLUE HAND SHADOW
Add a pod to the foreground On the boy’s layer, go to Use the Pen tool to draw a path on
(ForegroundPod.psd), Image8Adjustments8Hue/ the child’s hand. Fill the selection
and add a reflection using Saturation. Select the Blue with black to create shadows from
the same technique that channel and increase the the pods. This helps sell the illusion
you used for the boy. saturation a little. that he is holding the pods.
COMPOSITE THE PODS
22 Open the pod image (Pod01.psd). The Alpha
Channel has made the relevant parts of the
model transparent – much like a Layer Mask. Copy the file
into the main scene. Scale down the pods to fit in the
palm of the giant’s hand.

MASK THE PODS

23 Use the Magnetic Lasso to select the fingers that
should be obscuring part of the pods. Go to
Select8Inverse. How go to the pod layer and click the Add
a Mask icon. The lower section of the pods should
disappear, as if hidden by the hand.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 063

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 PHOTOSHOP A-Z OF PHOTOSHOP LAYERS PART 3

We’ll use layer sets, layer set masks, a range of merge

functions, and some of the tricks you’ve learned in
parts one and two in this series to turn these average
images into a compelling, fantasy scene

A-Z of Photoshop layers Part 3

Layer sets and merge functions can help you manage your layered files – in part three of our series, Derek Lea explains why we should use them

PROJECT
KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
All the elements you need are
on your cover CD/DVD in the
‘Learn Photoshop pt 3’ folder
All images on discs for
non-commercial use only
W
elcome to part three of the complete guide
to Photoshop layers. Last time around
we took you on a guided tour of layer
masks, showed you the inner workings of the blending
options, and explained how layer styles work. This time
around we will explore the wonderful world of layer
sets, how they are created, what their potential uses
are, and how they can be used to create extra layer
masks. We’ll also walk you through the intricacies of
the merge functions, as well as the concept and
EXPLAINED LAYER SET DIALOG BOXES
There are three basic dialog boxes you’ll encounter frequently when working with layer sets. Here, we’ll show you
how they are accessed and what their uses are
A. New Layer Set B. Layer Set Properties C. Lock All layers In Set
This dialog box is presented when you The layer set properties dialog appears This dialog box is accessed by first
choose New Layer Set from the Layers when you select a layer set in the selecting a set in the Layers palette,
palette menu or Layer8New8Layer Set layers palette, and choose Layer Set and either choosing Lock All layers In
from the main menu. You’re prompted Properties from the Layers palette Set from the Layers palette menu or
to name your layer set, adjust the menu. This dialog allows you to name choosing Layer8Lock All layers In Set.
opacity, specify a colour, and choose a or re-name your set, and again you The dialog presents you with the four

2 SKILL LEVEL procedure of linking layers. blending mode. When you click on the
Create A New Set button at the bottom
can specify the colour of the layer set
icon. The unique thing in the Layer Set
layer locks available: transparency,
image, position, or lock all. Enabling
6 Layer sets of the layers palette, this dialog is Properties dialog is that you can enable any of these will apply this lock to all

2
bypassed, and a set is created using or disable the blending of individual of the layers within the set.
TIME TO COMPLETE A layer set is essentially a little folder that you can all of the Photoshop default settings. colour channels here .

40 MINUTES create in the Layers palette. You can add layers to a

layer set and group them together. Layer sets are an
excellent organisational tool for your Photoshop files,
helping you to reduce the amount of layers visible in
the palette, and making large multi-layered files appear
less daunting. They can help you manage your layers
as a group, as well as add layer masks and vector
masks to your layers as a group.
Adding a mask to a layer set is done in exactly
YOUR EXPERT the same way as adding a mask to a layer, which
DEREK LEA we discussed in last month’s Layers tutorial. It’s
derek@dereklea.com
also possible to add a vector mask to a layer set.

066 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

PHOTOSHOP A-Z OF PHOTOSHOP LAYERS PART 3

MERGING LAYERS
Whether you’ve finalised part of the content of your layered image, or simply want to make your file smaller, merging can help you combine and simplify the layers
in your images. Have a look at the layers palette in these before and after images to get an idea of which function will best suit your specific needs The layer and vector masks are exactly the same as
those applied to normal layers and can be edited or
MERGE DOWN deleted in the same manner.
Merge down takes the layer Like many of the other Layer functions in Photoshop,
you’ve currently selected and there’s more than one way to create a layer set. You
merges it with the layer can simply click on the Create a New Set button in
underneath it in the Layers the bottom of the Layers palette. You can also choose
palette. Beware of odd results Layer8New8Layer Set from the menu or from the
if the underlying layer doesn’t Palette menu you can choose New Layer Set.
have a normal blending mode. If you choose either of the menu options for
Also, if the bottom layer has creating a set, you will be prompted to name the
a layer mask, you will be set and specify attributes like name, Blending mode,
prompted by a dialog box to colour and opacity in the resulting dialog box. It is
either preserve or apply it. possible to change the name and colour of a set at
any time by selecting the set and choosing Layer Set
Properties from the Palette menu. Here, you can also
enable or disable the blending of individual channels.
MERGE LINKED By default, when you create a new layer set, the
Merge linked will merge any Blending mode of the layer set is set to Pass Through.
group of linked layers together This is a blending mode that is available only to layer
into a single layer. Again,
beware of odd results if the
bottom layer doesn’t have a Make sure you’re
normal blending mode. Also, any
linked layers that have their
certain that you wish
visibility turned off will not
appear in the final merged layer.
to discard all of your
working layers and
sets before you
MERGE VISIBLE
Merge visible merges all visible
flatten the image
layers in the image into one
layer, leaving untouched any sets, and not to individual layers. Pass Through is
layers that have their visibility essentially a non-existent Blending mode: it allows
switched off. That way, you the Blending modes of layers within the set to interact
can enable the visibility of the with those outside of the set, as if the set weren’t
layers at a later time if you like, there. However, it is possible to change the Blending
since they aren’t discarded. mode of the set to any of the other Blending modes
Blending modes of base layers available, making the group of layers within follow
are less of an issue when using suit. Opacity of the set as a whole can be adjusted
the merge visible option. using the opacity slider in the Layers palette.

Add the layers

Adding layers to a set is as simple as dragging their
FLATTEN IMAGE icons onto the Layer Set icon. When you drag a layer
Flatten image takes all visible icon onto the closed set icon, it’s added to the layer
layers and merges them into set at the bottom of the group. When you drag
the background layer. All invisible another layer onto the set icon, it goes to the bottom
layers are discarded, and any of the group, and so on. You can expand the Layer
remaining transparent areas set in the Layers palette by clicking on the triangle
are filled with white. This is the to the left of the Layer set icon. This will reveal all
most final merge function that of the layers inside the set. You can collapse the layer
you can perform, so be sure set at any time by clicking the same triangle.
that you’ve finished editing Duplicating a Layer Set is as simple as selecting
your individual layers before the set and choosing Duplicate Layer Set from the
you even think about using menu or from the Palette menu. The resulting
the flatten image option. dialog box will prompt you to name the duplicate
set, as well as specify a destination file. To delete
a layer set you can simply drag its icon to the trash
Next month, in part four, we’ll look at locking, grouping, rasterizing and matting layers, as well how to use adjustment layers

or select the set and choose Delete Layer Set from
the palette menu or, alternitavely, Layer8Delete8Layer
Set from the main menu.
Link the layers
It’s possible to link two or more layers or layer sets
in Photoshop. Linking enables you to move the
contents of the layers and sets together. In addition
to basic movements, it’s also possible to apply
transformations to groups of linked layers as well
as a number of other functions like merge and align.
Linking layers is as easy as selecting a layer in the
Layers palette, then on any layers that you want to
link to the active layer, click in the column immediately
to the right of the visibility icon for that layer. A link
icon will appear in that column indicating that the
CREATE A SURREAL IMAGE
BRING IN THE SKY
01 Create a new file 266mm wide by 300mm
high. Open the file: sky.psd, and drag the sky
layer into your new file. Use the move tool to position it
at the top of the image. Duplicate the layer, change the
mode multiply and the opacity to 65%.
DUPLICATE THE CLIFFS
04 With the path selected in the Paths palette,
choose Layer8Add Vector Mask8Current
Path from the menu. Reduce the opacity of this layer
to 69%. Duplicate your first cliffs layer and drag it to
the top of the Layers palette. Change the mode to
overlay, and reduce the opacity to 83%.
4
ONE
* CLICK
FIX
By holding down the control key and clicking on a layer set, you can access a pop-up menu that allows
you to duplicate or delete the current set, as well as access the layer set properties.
layers are linked. The principle is the same with
layer sets. To unlink layers you simply need to click
on the link icons to remove them.
Merge the layers
When your layered files are nearing completion or simply
becoming too large, merging layers will enable you to
finalise portions on your image by combining existing
layers. A merged layer combines the content of several
layers into one. Transparent areas of all merged layers
retain their transparency after intersection.
A variety of merge functions are available in the
Layers menu or the Layers palette menu. Depending on
your combinations of blending modes and specific
needs, you can choose between: merge down, merge
linked, merge visible, or the ever-so-final flatten image.
Combine the new functions, merge, and
link with what you’ve learned
CREATE A SKY LAYER SET
02 Duplicate that layer and change the mode
to overlay. Reduce the opacity to 55%. Add
a layer mask, select the brush tool, and use a large soft
edged brush to mask the outer edges of this layer. Create
a layer set, and drag all three sky layers into it.
MERGE THE CLIFFS
05 Select the path you drew earlier, and choose
Layer8Add Vector Mask8Current Path from
the menu. Link the three cliffs layers and choose
Layer8Merge Linked from the menu to merge them.
Choose Layer8Add Layer Mask8Reveal All from the menu.
Generate a selection from your existing path, and invert it.
Flatten the image
When you flatten an image, all layers are merged with
the background. All layers that aren’t visible are
discarded, and any remaining transparent areas are filled
with white. Make sure you’re certain that you wish to
discard all of your working layers and sets before you
flatten. Unless you keep an eye on your history states
while working, there may be no turning back once you
flatten. What a lot of users will do is to make a duplicate
of the file and flatten that, while preserving your original
layered file. Although flatten can be useful and efficient
while working, it’s always good to keep a back up copy
of your image with all of the layers, masks, channels,
and sets intact. This is especially important if you a
working on a professionally commissioned image. More
often than not, clients will want to make changes.
0 EXPERT TIP
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
ADDING TO SETS
When you create a new layer set it
is important to keep in mind the
order of your layers when you’re
adding them to your set.
Remember that when you have a
stack of layers and you want to
add them to your set in their
current order, you must start from
the top and drag it onto the layer
set icon first. Then the second layer
down, then the third, etc. Make
sure you add your layers to the set,
starting with the top layer and
working your way down. Every
INTRODUCE THE CLIFFS
03 Open the file: cliffs.psd. Drag the layer into your
time you drag a layer onto a layer
set icon it will automatically be
working file and use the Move tool to position added to the set at the bottom.
it. Duplicate the layer and choose Image8Adjustments8
Desaturate from the menu. Use the Pen tool to draw
EXPANDING AND
closed paths around both the large cliff and the small rock.
COLLAPSING EFFECTS
By clicking on the triangle to the
left of a layer set icon in the
Layers palette you can expand or
collapse your layer set. Holding
down the option key while
clicking the triangle will expand
or collapse all effects that have
been applied to individual layers
within the set as well.
MASK THE HORIZON
06 Select the layer mask in the Layers palette,
and choose the gradient tool. Specify a
linear gradient with a foreground colour of 100%
black, and a setting of foreground to transparent.
Draw a short vertical gradient, from top to bottom,
ending just where the water meets the sky.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 069
 PHOTOSHOP A-Z OF PHOTOSHOP LAYERS PART 3
0 EXPERT TIP CREATING A SURREAL IMAGE, CONT…
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT
DUPLICATING
You can duplicate any layer set
by selecting it in the Layers
palette, and choosing Duplicate
Layer set from the Layers palette
menu or from the main Layer
menu. Another shortcut is to
hold down the control key while
clicking on a set, and selecting
Duplicate Layer Set from the
resulting pop-up menu. In the
Duplicate Layer Set dialog you
can create a duplicate within any
open file. You can also create a
ADDING THE CASTLE MERGE DOWN THE CASTLE ADD A CLOUD CHANNEL
new file by selecting new from the
destination pull-down menu. If you
07 Open the file: castle.psd. Generate a selection
08 Duplicate the layer, and change the mode
09 Open the file: clouds.psd. Select all and
do this, your selected set will be from the path included in the image. Use the to overlay. With the top castle layer selected, copy. Create a new channel in the channels
duplicated in a new file that has a Move tool to drag the contents of the selection into your choose ‘merge down’ from the Layers palette menu. palette and use free transform to increase the size of
transparent background, and is the
same size as the original.
working file as a new layer. Use free transform to resize You will be asked whether you wish to apply the the clouds and position them lower in the image.
the castle and position it. Add a layer mask and use a small, bottom layer’s layer mask or whether you want to Generate a selection from the channel and create a
LIMITATIONS soft edged brush to mask where it overlaps the clifftop. preserve the existing one. Click Apply. new layer in the Layers palette.
Sets are basically containers for
your layers. Even though they
offer many layer functions like
masks, opacity, and blending
modes, it’s important to keep in
mind that as they aren’t actual
layers, there are certain things that
can be done to layers that can’t
be done to sets. You can’t apply
an effect to a layer set, but you
can apply an effect to a layer
within a set. You can only use the
lock all option on a set, but you
can lock the individual attributes
of layers within a set. And you
cannot create a set within a set.

CLOUDS IN THE FOREGROUND ADDING THE TOWER DUPLICATE TOWER LAYERS

10 Fill the active selection on the layer with
white, and deselect it. Duplicate the layer,
then change the blending mode to soft light. Link the
two cloud layers together, and use Free Transform to
horizontally scale the two linked layers to make them
both a little wider.
11 Choose New Set From Linked in the Palette
menu to create a new set out of your two
cloud layers. Open the file: tower.psd, and drag the image
into your working file as a new layer. Draw a closed path
around the tower, and generate a selection, then choose
Layer8Add Layer Mask8Reveal Selection from the menu.
12 Duplicate the layer, change the blending mode
to screen, and change the opacity to 19%.
Duplicate this layer, and change the blending mode to
overlay. Generate a selection from your tower path again,
and create a new layer with a colour blending mode. Fill
the selection with a blue colour sampled from the castle.

DUPLICATE THE CLOUD SET FLATTEN THE IMAGE THE FINISHING TOUCHES
NEXT MONTH 13 Create a new layer set and add all the tower 14 Choose Layer8Flatten Image from the menu 15 Use a large, soft-edged brush to paint with
LAYERS PART 4 layers to it. Select the clouds set in the Layers to flatten all the layers. Duplicate the resulting white on the Layer mask around the outside
Next month we’ll palette and choose Duplicate Layer Set from the Layers layer, select Filter8Blur8Gaussian Blur from the menu edges, revealing the contents of the Multiply layer and
look into the vast and Palette menu. Specify the current file as the destination and enter a radius of 5 pixels. Change the Blending mode making the edges look burned. Create a new layer with a
nebulous world of file and drag the duplicate set to the top of the Layers to multiply, and choose Layer8Add Layer Mask8Hide All Colour Blending mode. Select a grey colour from the Picker,
Adjustment layers
palette. Use the Move tool to position the set. from the menu. Change the blending mode to multiply. and fill the entire layer. Reduce the opacity to 55%.

070 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


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LIGHTING EFFECTS PART 2

Casting realistic shadows

in Photoshop
Create these convincing shadows by making use of Photoshop’s layers, masks, and the almighty Liquify filter.
hen shadows are cast on an object they light in the shot, and the room is dark, except the across her back. Layer blending modes make it possible

W
LIGHT EFFECTS
reveal a little bit more about the image. highlighted areas on the model. for us to use only the dark areas of our source photos,
KEY DETAILS Shadows can give an idea of the environment Traditionally, an effect like this would be achieved in and layer masks make it possible for us to hide any

2 SKILL LEVEL
7
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
in which the subject is sitting. They can also help
determine what time of day it was, or what sort of light
sources or other objects were in the immediate area.
In the case of this image, we have cast a shadow
the studio. There would be a lot of work involved setting
up lighting and placing the shadow objects in front of
the lights to cast them on the model. It may even have
been necessary to use multiple exposures to get things
areas that we don’t want to appear in the image. Also,
by duplicating layers and using the blur tools we’re
able to enhance the realism of the shadows.
The importance of the liquify filter is paramount in an

1 HOUR of a window frame and trees across the model’s back.

The first thing it tells you is that she is indoors, perhaps
a stately home in the country with a multi-paned glass
window and trees outside. The second thing this
shadow tells you is that it is night time outside, and
she is illuminated by moonlight. There is very little
looking just right. The advent of Photoshop certainly
makes this task easier for us. We can pick and choose
our windows and trees from separate images, and bring
them into the main image as layers. Using Photoshop’s
free-transform functions, we’re able to resize and skew
the new layers to exactly the right size and shape to run
image like this. It allows us to smudge and distort the
content of our shadow layers so that the tree and the
window frame shadows follow the contours of the
model’s back. This is the part of the effect that makes or
breaks the image. If it doesn’t follow the contour of the
subject, then it simply won’t be convincing.

072 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 ONE
*
Add a Mesh to help you to see and keep track of Liquify distortions. To do this,
CLICK choose Mesh in the View Options section of the dialog box, and choose a Mesh
FIXES size, Colour and Freeze colour. To hide the Mesh, simply Deselect it.

CREATING THE IMAGE It’s time to cast some convincing shadow effects over our image by making the most of layer
blending modes, layer masks, as well as the powerful Liquify filter controls.
0 EXPERT TIPS
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT

DON’T FEEL LIMITED

Just because we’re mimicking
reality with these shadows, it
doesn’t mean that we’re limited by
reality. You will notice that in our
main image we don’t have any
shadows on her face. We simply
removed them by masking out the
shadows on the appropriate layers
so that we could see her face. Not
because it looked real, but simply
because it looked better.

DARKEN THE SCENE BRING IN THE WINDOW DUPLICATE THE WINDOW

01 Open the file: woman.psd from the CD. Duplicate
the background layer, and change the blending
mode to Hard Light. Create a new levels adjustment layer,
and adjust the input levels until they read: 0, .84, 255.
Adjust the output levels until they read: 0, 231.
02 Open window.psd and drag it into your file as a
new layer. Change the mode to Multiply and
the opacity to 71%. Select Edit8Free Transform from the
menu. Grab the handles of the bounding box and increase
the size of the layer and skew it so it leans to the left.
03 Duplicate the layer, and use the move tool to
drag it to the left so it looks as if there are more
panes of glass. Link the two layers in the Layers palette,
and choose Merge Linked from the Layers palette menu.
Change the mode to Multiply, and reduce opacity to 79%.

0 EXPERT TIP
DEREK LEA
PHOTOSHOP EXPERT

TRANSFORM OPTIONS
When using Free Transform, a quick
way to get to the functions that
aren’t immediately apparent is to
click anywhere within the existing
bounding box while holding down
the control key. When you click
using the control key inside the box,
a pop-up menu will appear,
showing you all of the various
USE THE LIQUIFY FILTER USING THE WARP TOOL PUCKER AND BLOAT
04 Choose Filter8Liquify from the menu. In the 05 In the tool options, set the brush size to 64, 06 Now, use the Pucker tool to pull the shadow
transform functions available.

View Options, enable the visibility of the
backdrop, choose Background from the list of visible
layers, and increase the opacity to 100%. Select the
Warp tool from the toolbar at the side.
and set the brush pressure to 20. Using a large
brush with a low pressure setting creates a more
believable result. Paint the shadow using the Warp tool
to make it follow the contour of her body a little more.
inward in areas where it would curl around DUPLICATING LAYERS
her arm or her neck. Use the Bloat tool to swell areas Like many functions in Photoshop,
that would be raised, like her shoulder and her hips. Use there’s more than one particular
way to duplicate a layer. The
a variety of size and pressure settings. Click OK. simplest is by selecting a layer
in the Layers palette and choosing
Layer8Duplicate Layer… from
the menu. This same function
can be accessed in the Layers
palette menu too. Alternatively,
you can hold down the control key
and click on Layer Title, and the
duplicate function will appear in this
pop-up menu. Also, you can simply
drag a layer onto the Create New
Layer icon in the Layers palette.

ADD A LAYER MASK
07 Add a layer mask to your liquified layer. Select
the Brush tool, and use a variety of soft-edged
paint brushes, large and small, with a black foreground
colour and various opacity settings, to mask out areas of
the shadow that are too drastic, especially around the edges.
ADD THE TREE SHADOW BLUR THE TREE SHADOW
08 Open tree.psd and drag it into your file as a new 09 Enter a radius of 5 pixels. Duplicate the layer,
layer. Change the blending mode to Multiply and and choose Filter8Blur8Motion Blur from the CONTACT US!
reduce the opacity to 15%. Use Free Transform to resize the menu. Enter an angle of –21 and a distance of 60 pixels. DEREK
tree, and reposition it so part of the branches cover her back. Now feel free to add a mask to either of the tree layers, LEA
derek@dereklea.com
Choose Filter8Blur8Gaussian Blur from the menu. and mask out any areas that appear overpowering.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 073

 PHOTOSHOP LIGHTING EFFECTS PART 2

Adding a radial backlight

Create a dazzling light source behind your central subject in four easy steps

NEXT MONTH
IN PART THREE:
Learn how to create
realistic light flares, and
how to hand-tint photos
A
backlight can add a dynamic feeling to a
stagnant image, and when you break up your
backlight into beams, it draws the viewer’s
eye towards the subject. An underwater scene is the
perfect place to use an effect like this. When looking up,
the light will always be behind the subject, whether it’s
a person, fish or another type of marine life. And beams
of visible light are perfect for the undersea realm, where
light passes through all sorts of microscopic organisms
and particles, making it visible.
The beams of backlight are easily achieved in
Photoshop. The first step is to create basic selections.
Then we’ll make use of adjustment layers and blending
modes to create light within the selections. Next, we’ll
soften the masks to soften the edges of our light beams.
And finally, we’ll add all of the layers to a set, and
create a layer set mask to control where the effect
appears within our scene.

RADIAL LIGHT BEAMS Adding beams of backlight adds a dynamic feeling to your image, and draws the viewer’s eye towards the subject.
In Photoshop, it’s easy to create a marine scene with spectacular lighting – just follow the steps below

CREATE THE BEAM SHAPES
01 Open the file: diver.psd from the CD. Use
the polygonal lasso tool to draw a series
of triangular selections in the image that points to
the centre. Be sure to vary the thickness of your
triangles. With this selection active, choose Layer8
New Adjustment Layer8Levels from the menu.
LIGHTEN AND SOFTEN THE
02 BEAMS
In the levels dialog box adjust the input
levels until they read: 0, 1.83, 255. Click on the
adjustment layer’s mask icon to select it, then
choose Filter8Gaussian Blur from the menu. Enter
a radius of 50 pixels, and click OK to blur the mask.
CREATE DUPLICATE LAYERS
03 Duplicate the adjustment layer, and
change the blending mode of the
duplicate layer to Hard Light. Duplicate this layer, and
change the blending mode of the new layer to Soft
Light. Create a new layer set, and add the three levels’
adjustment layers to it. Add a layer mask to the set.
MASKING THE LIGHT
04 Select the brush tool. Select a black
foreground colour, and choose a large, soft
brush. Starting with an opacity of around 50%, paint
within the mask to soften the outer edges of the light
beams. Use a smaller brush with a higher opacity
setting to mask the light that overlaps the diver.

074 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

THE PANEL YOUR
Adam Evans
The illustrious editor of
Digital Camera Magazine
Tom Ang
Prolific author of many
digital camera books
PICTURES
SEND IN YOUR BEST SHOTS TODAY! PHOTOSHOP

fJena Troelsgaard DCMAG.C

O.UK
NAME OF PICTURE Shy Butterfly ACTIVE
Here is a photo of a shy butterfly I saw in my garden today. I
waited for ages for it to open its wings but it never did! I used
TH READ!
macro and then unsharp mask in Photoshop to bring out the dcmag.c
detail in the image. My camera is a Canon Powershot G3. jtroelsgao.uk/
ard

TOM This is neither a snap of a butterfly nor of

a flower – this picture cries out for clarity. Overall
it’s too yellow and a touch over-exposed.

ADAM Steady on there, Tom! All the picture

needed was a closer zoom into the butterfly,
to make it the focus of the image.

fFrank Haynes fRoger Scott Have your say!

NAME OF PICTURE Bookworms NAME OF PICTURE Mother Nature
Tell us what you think of this picture.
Like it or loathe it, we want to know!
I accepted your invitation to submit an attempt at your ‘Kids on After faithfully following George Cairns’ video on the ‘Mother

Book’ project from issue 11. What do you think?
f
Nature’ project in issue 10, I thought you’d like to see my Stuart Monk This photograph was taken with a Fujifilm S304
offering – I would be grateful for any comments! on a summer’s day in Dunfermline Glen. It’s undergone a
few Photoshop manipulations to create a very arty picture – well,
I think it’s cool, anyway! Let me know what you think!
REACTION

f Mike Phillips The overall

effect is nice, but the
blurring is a little over done
f Sarah Grant I don’t know
why but I quite like it –
it’s quite a wistful effect

f Jon Fleming It’s nice

enough, I suppose but,
quite frankly, it’s pretty dull!
f Peter Osmond The
foreground and sky are so
dull, no filter can save it!

TOM Nice tones and colours in the girl,

but the different elements here do not add TOM It’s a nice idea, with the blend done
up to a particularly realistic image. well. But try darkening the bright leaves,
which distract from the main event.
DCMAG.C
O.UK
ADAM It’s a good effort at producing our ADAM I agree. It’s very well executed, although ACTIVE
project but, while the girl looks great, the
lighting on the boy is all wrong.
I’d like to see a face in there, in order to make
the image look a little more human. TH READ!
dcmag.c
o
stuartm .uk/
onk
Cloning is a very acquired art and every one has a slightly different technique. Some people choose to dab areas to avoid patterns; o
PHOTOSHOP ENHANCING EYES PART 1
sample, where you spray and the direction in which you spray with the clone tool are important: a professional pre-press operator will

Revitalising tired eyes

Looking slightly worse for wear after a hard night out? Chris Stocker reveals his tips on how to soothe tired eyes in Photoshop

PROJECT
KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
All the elements you need are
on your cover CD/DVD in the
‘Chris Stocker pt 3’ folder
All images on discs for
non-commercial use only

2 SKILL LEVEL
7
2 TIME TO COMPLETE

30 MINUTES

0 EXPERT TIP
CHRIS STOCKER’S
PHOTOSHOP TIPS BEFORE & AFTER
THE CLONE TOOL The darkness beneath the eye has been
Cloning is a very acquired art, and removed, and the slight lumpiness on the
everyone has a slightly different eyelid has been smoothed out. The result
technique. Some people choose is a natural, but enhanced look
to dab areas to avoid patterns;
other people choose longer
strokes – it depends on the area
to be reworked. Where you take
the sample, where you spray, and
the direction in which you spray
with the Clone tool are important:
a professional pre-press operator
will make even the most difficult
areas look easy to achieve. The
key is experimentation…

REVITALISE TIRED EYES SMOOTH THE UPPER EYELID ADVANCED BLENDING

01 Open the girl.pds and zoom into the left eye.
Choose the Clone tool and select Use all Layers
CONTACT US! from the top bar. Create a new layer. With this layer active,
CHRIS choose the Clone tool, and select a brush size of 35 pixels.
STOCKER Take a sample using the Alt key, click from under the eye,
editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
and start to clone onto the darker part of the eye.
02 Create a new layer as before, but this time set
the Blending mode to Lighten. Set a brush size
to 21 pixels; click a sample point to the right; and click to
the left a small distance, following the contour of the eye.
Start again a little higher up, and do the same again until
all the dark pits have been removed.
03 Double-click the layer, and go to the Advanced
Blending section. Within the Underlying option,
choose the white triangle. Alt click-and-drag the right-hand
side of it (this will split the triangle in two), and drag it to
32/162. Make another layer, using the Darken Blending
mode, and clone over the lid again as before.
other people choose longer strokes – it depends on the area to be reworked. Where you take ONE
make even the most difficult areas look easy to achieve. The key is experimentation.
How to apply eye make-up
No time to do your eye make-up before a photo shoot? Don’t worry – Chris Stocker shows you how to become a virtual make-up artist for the day
BEFORE & AFTER
Photoshop lets you add virtual eyeshadow,
eyeliner and mascara to any model. Whether
the colours you chose are subtle and sophisticated
or loud and punky, the effect can be dramatic
APPLY EYESHADOW TO THE EYELID
01 First create a new layer in Photoshop, and
choose Colour as the Blending mode. Select
a brush size of 17, and double-click the swatch to change
the colour. Type 100 into cyan, 50 into magenta and 0
into yellow and black. Start to paint onto the new layer
around the eyelids.
the
CLICK
FIX
APPLY EYESHADOW TO THE SOCKET
02 Double-click the swatch, and change the
magenta to 90%. Create a new layer and
choose Soft Light as the Blending mode. Paint this in quite
roughly, then choose the Eraser tool with a brush size of
100 and a hardness of 0. Remove some of the colour
using the edge of the Eraser tool to give a soft gradient.
*
Once you’ve painted on your eyeshadow, simply move the
Hue slider bar in the Hue and Saturation dialog box to
quickly view and make adjustments to the eyeshadow colour
0 EXPERT TIP
CHRIS STOCKER’S
PHOTOSHOP TIPS
THE CONTEXT-SENSITIVE
OPTION
Check out the Context-sensitive
option on the Mac by clicking
on the screen with Control held
down. PC users will probably be
aware of this already, as its
context-sensitive menus are much
more on the surface. Go through
every tool to see all the short-cuts
are available, and pay special
attention to paths and selections.
APPLY EYELINER
03 Click on the Eyedropper tool and select Point NEXT MONTH
Sample, then take a sample from one of the IN PART TWO:
bottom eyelashes. Create a new layer and change the Learn more professional
Blending mode to Multiply in order to double up on the techniques and tricks to
touch up and enhance
darkening effect. Paint with a brush of 17 pixels and eyes even further
remove the overspill with an Eraser brush of 12 pixels.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 077
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 SECTION #03 PAINT SHOP PRO

CREATIVE COLOUR
Section highlights…
USE LAYERS TO ADD IN-DEPTH GUIDE
A TOUCH OF COLOUR A-Z OF LAYERS
PAGE
SEE PAGE 80 In the second part of our series, Lori Davis shows you
how to master blend ranges and adjustment layers
80
YOUR PICTURES
SEND IN YOUR BEST SHOTS
Want to improve your photographs? Send them in so PAGE
Adam Evans and Tom Ang can give you their verdict
85
CREATIVE PROJECT
A CHANGE OF SCENERY
Learn how to place a new figure on a background. PAGE
Joe Apice helps you ‘paint’ a different picture
86
PAINTSHOP PRO TUTORIAL
PHOTOSHOP PLUG-INS AND FILTERS PAGE
Discover how to use Photoshop plug-ins and filters in
Paint Shop Pro 8. Chris Schmidt reveals all 88

DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
TECHNIQUES
Check out our sister title for
even more expert Photoshop,
Elements and Paint Shop Pro
solutions. In issue 5 (on sale
PAGE PAGE October 16) we give you 50
Photshop tricks to improve your
86 88 photos, plus a special montage
project for family portraits.

Paint Shop Pro

Get the best from your software with our complete creative guides and expert advice

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 PAINT SHOP PRO A-Z OF PAINT SHOP PRO LAYERS – PART 2

Paint Shop
Pro Layers Part 2
Blend ranges and adjustment layers might seem arcane, but
Lori Davis shows you how to master them in minutes

LAYERS
KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
Paint Shop Pro plug-ins are
available on CD/DVD in the
‘Layers pt 2’ folder
All images on discs for
non-commercial use only
2 SKILL LEVEL
5
X Layer on the Layers palette, or choose Layers8New
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
I
n the second part of our guide to PSP layers
we’ll look at adjustment layers, which
adjust the brightness, contrast and colour of
a layer or group of layers. We’ll learn about blend
ranges, which you can use to restrict layer blending,
based on the brightness values of a layer’s pixels.
Quick layer review
An image’s layers are stacked one on top of another,
with transparent areas on upper layers allowing the
‘paint’ on lower layers to show through. To add a new
raster layer to your image, click the Add New Raster
Raster Layer on Paint Shop Pro’s menu bar.
An image’s layers are represented on the Layers

45 MINUTES palette, where each layer has a labelled Layer button

and set of controls. One of these controls is the layer’s
Opacity slider, another a Blend mode drop-down list.
Blend modes
You use Blend modes to modify how pixels on the layer
brightness, say only to shadows, or only to highlights, or
only to midtones and highlights. Pixels outside the DECONSTRUCTED:
specified ranges become transparent.
THE LAYERS PALETTE
To access the Blend ranges’ controls, go to a layer’s

? EXPLAINED are blended with pixels on lower layers. When Blend

BLEND RANGE
A range of brightness values that
limits the pixels that a blend mode
affects. Pixels outside the range
become transparent and so
produce no effect.
COLOUR CHANNEL
Each pixel in a colour image is a
combination of primary colours,
each colour stored in its own
bitmap or channel. In the RGB
colour model, there are three
channels: red, green, and blue.
YOUR EXPERT
LORI
J. DAVIS
loriweb@pair.com
mode is set to Normal, any fully opaque pixels on the
layer completely cover pixels on lower layers. Other Blend
modes have more complex blending effects. For example,
when a Blend mode is set to Difference, the colours of the
pixels on the layer are converted to their opposites (with
green becoming magenta; blue becoming yellow; black
becoming white, and so on). With a Blend mode set to
Color, the colour of the layer’s pixels are applied to lower
layers. With a Blend mode set to Luminance, you get the
inverse of Color: the layer’s brightness values are applied
to lower pixels, but not hue or saturation.
You can modify a Blend mode’s effect by lowering the
layer’s Opacity. For instance, setting a Blend mode to
Multiply darkens an image. Lower the layer’s Opacity,
though, and the darkening effect is lessened.
Blend Ranges
You have even more control over how pixels on one
layer blend with those on lower ones. In addition to
setting a layer’s Blend mode and Opacity, you can set
Blend ranges for the layer. By specifying Blend ranges,
you restrict blending to pixels of a certain range of
Properties dialog by double-clicking its layer button on
the Layers palette. Alternatively, right-click the layer
button and choose Properties, or choose Layers8Properties
on the menu bar. You’ll see the General tab; most controls
here provide an alternative way of making adjustments
that you can make on the Layers palette, such as
modifying Opacity and selecting Blend Mode. To get to
the Blend ranges controls’, click the Blend Ranges tab.
Controlling Blend Ranges
On the Blend Ranges tab you’ll see three controls. The
first is the Blend Channel drop-down list. Choose Grey
Channel if you want the Blend ranges settings to affect
opacity, based on brightness values. The other options
restrict the Blend ranges’ settings to
one of the RGB colour channels of the
layer. (We’ll cover this another time.
For now, we’ll stick to Grey Channel.)
The next control is a bar labelled
This Layer, and the last control is a bar
labelled Underlying Layer. Each of
B C D
these bars has two pairs of arrows.
The pair on the left controls how
A. NEW RASTER LAYER Creates a new layer with
raster data – that is, pixels arranged in a grid
B. NEW VECTOR LAYER Adds a new layer with
objects, text or groups composed of lines and
shapes
C. SHOW ALL Shows all layers
D. DUPLICATE LAYER Copies an existing layer to use
as a starting point for a new one
E. DELETE LAYER Removes a layer from an image
F. TOGGLE AUTO ROLL-UP Controls auto roll-up
G. LOCK TRANSPARENCY Enables you to apply tools
and effects only to areas of a raster layer with data
H. BLEND MODE Contains Blends drop-down list
I. OPACITY Controls visibility of underlying layers
J. VISIBILITY TOGGLE Enables you to show or
hide layers
F
G
H
I
E J
A

080 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 PAINT SHOP PRO A-Z OF PAINT SHOP PRO LAYERS – PART 2

THE LAYER TOOLS The Layers palette displays your image’s structure, showing you Adjustment Layers
each layer, and providing controls to manipulate the layers Use adjustment layers to modify an image’s colour,
brightness, or contrast

LOOKING ROSY ADJUST BRIGHTNESS

NEW RASTER LAYER
Set a layer’s Blend ranges on the Blend Ranges tab
of the layer’s Properties dialog box by
double-clicking its Layer button on the Layers
palette. Alternatively, right-click the Layer button
and choose Properties from the context menu, or
choose Layers8Properties on the menu bar.
Create transparent and semi-transparent areas
on the layer, based on its brightness (Grey
Channel) or the values on one of its color channels
(Red, Green or Blue Channel). Set ranges within
the given channel to limit opacity of the layer to
certain pixels, based on their levels of brightness.
Here’s a pinkish rose against a The simplest way to adjust
blue sky and green leaves. In your image's brightness and
each examples, we'll use an contrast is Brightness/Contrast.
PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX OVERLAY TOGGLE adjustment layer to modify There are much better tools
colour, brightness and contrast. for this purpose, however.
Except for Invert, which applies immediately, each To see what lies on an adjustment layer, toggle
of the adjustments available as an adjustment the layer’s overlay on. (The Overlay toggle is on
layer has an associated Properties dialog box. The the Layers palette, the control to the far right of a
CHANNEL MIXER
Use Channel Mixer to
General tab of the dialog is like the General tab on layer’s Layer button.) change the colour
the Properties dialog of a raster layer; you can set When the Overlay toggle is on, the proportions. Here, red’s
properties such as the layer’s name and opacity adjustment layer data is represented as a increased, green and
there. For adjustment layers, there’s also an semi-transparent coloured gel placed on your blue decreased. You can
Adjustment tab, where you’ll find the adjustment’s image. Painting or modifying the adjustment layer also create monochrome.
controls. And there’s an Overlay tab, where you produces changes on the overlay. Black paint
can change the colour and opacity of the layer’s removes the effect of the adjustment layer and
COLOR BALANCE
overlay. (An overlay can be toggled on to reveal makes the overlay transparent; grey lessens the Use Color Balance to
the adjustment layer’s data.) effect, and white yields the full effect. adjust colours in an
image's shadows,
midtones, and
highlights separately.

0 EXPERT TIPS
LORI J. DAVIS
PSP EXPERT
SATURATION AND
CONTRAST
When you increase the brightness
values in an image, the colours
tend to become washed out,and
you'll probably also lose some
contrast, making your image look
dull and flat. You can compensate
for this by slightly increasing
saturation and contrast.
SELECT AREA OF
ADJUSTMENT
You can restrict the area affected
by an adjustment layer by using a
selection. Before adding the
adjustment layer, make a selection.
Add the adjustment layer, then
turn off the selection. Only the area
that was selected shows the effect.
much of the shadow range is included in the blending
and how much is made transparent. The pair on the
right controls how much of the highlight range is
included and how much is made transparent. The upper
arrows in each pair determine where 100 per cent
opacity begins, and the lower arrows determine where
0 per cent opacity begins. The opacity for pixels with
brightness values in-between paired arrows gradually
increase from 0 to 100 per cent.
Setting ranges on the This Layer bar affects the
current layer’s opacity, based on the layer’s own
brightness values. Setting ranges on the Underlying
Layer bar affects the current layer’s opacity, based on
the brightness values of lower layers.
Adjustment Layers
Unlike a raster layer, an adjustment layer seems to
modify the brightness, contrast, or colour of pixels on
lower layers. The word seems is important here. No
pixels on lower layers are changed; it only appears that
they are. This is a crucial distinction – it means
adjustment layers enable you to fine tune your
adjustment at any time, even in a later editing session.
To add an adjustment layer, choose Layers8New
showing its Adjustment tab. There, you set the controls
for the adjustment, previewing the results in the
CURVES
Preview windows or, if you click the Auto Proof button
below the preview windows, on the image itself. When Use Curves to adjust the
brightness and contrast of
you’re finished, click the OK button to return to your
image, and apply the effect.
an image. Curves
provides much greater
Notice that an adjustment layer’s properties dialog has control and better results
two other tabs besides Adjustment. One is labelled than Brightness/Contrast.
General, and is just like the General tab on a raster
layer’s Properties dialog. The other tab is labelled Overlay.
You can edit an adjustment layer by painting it with HUE/SATURATION
Use Hue/Saturation/
black, white, or shades of grey (black removing the
Lightness to adjust any
effect from certain areas, grey lessening the effect, and combination of the
white for the full effect). However, you can’t normally three. You can also
see the data on an adjustment layer, only the layer’s colourise an image
effects on lower layers. To see a representation of the with this adjustment.
adjustment layer’s data, click the layer’s Overlay button
on the Layers palette. By default, a red overlay is
INVERT
displayed that is 50 per cent opaque in areas that are
Invert seems to create
completely affected, with lowered opacity in areas a negative version of
where the effect is lessened, and complete transparency your image. Black
where the effect is not applied. Sometimes this overlay becomes white,
makes it hard to see the image, and in that case you magenta becomes
can change the colour and opacity of the overlay on the green, and so on.

Adjustment Layer and choose the adjustment you want.
There are nine possibilities: Brightness/Contrast, Channel
Mixer, Color Balance, Curves, Hue/Saturation/Lightness,
Invert, Levels, Posterize, and Threshold. Each is equivalent
to the same-named adjustment in the Adjust menu. But
by using an adjustment layer, you have the freedom to
dynamically tweak the adjustment at any time.
Once you choose the adjustment you want, the
adjustment layer’s properties dialog box is displayed,
082 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
Overlay tab of the adjustment layer’s Property dialog.
And when you want to turn the overlay off completely, POSTERIZE
just click the Overlay button again. Posterize eliminates
Whenever you want to change the adjustment some of the colour
layer’s setting, call up its Property dialog. You do gradations in your
this just as you do for a raster layer: double-click image, simulating
what you might get
the layer’s Layer button, right-click the Layer button
in a colour poster.
and choose Properties, or choose Layers8Properties
from the menu bar.
Next month, we’ll take an in-depth look at adding and
editing layer masks, as well as grouping and merging layers
 ONE
*
If you want to bypass the Properties dialog when adding a new raster layer, hold down the Shift key
CLICK while clicking the Add New Raster Layer button on the Layers palette
FIX

COLOURISING A PHOTO Give a black and white photo a nostalgic touch with a sepia tint 0 EXPERT TIP
and hand-coloured effect. It’s simple, using raster layers LORI J. DAVIS
PSP EXPERT
WAYS TO COLOURISE
There are quite a few ways to
colourise black and white photos:
Hue/Saturation/Lightness
adjustment layers set to Colourise;
Blend Mode set to Color;
Adjust8Hue and Saturation8
Colourise; or even Adjust8Color
Balance8Black and White Points.

INCREASE COLOUR DEPTH ADD A NEW LAYER LET IT BURN

01 Begin by opening girl_bw.pspimage, available
on the disc. We’re going to darken the image’s
midtones and highlights, and then subtly colourise the
image to give it the look of an old-fashioned, hand-tinted
photo. Begin by increasing the colour depth with Image8
Increase Color Depth816 Million Colours (24 bit).
02 Add a new raster layer to the image by
clicking the Add New Raster Layer button
on the Layers palette, or by right-clicking on the
Background’s Layer button on the Layers palette and
choosing New Raster Layer. Alternatively, choose
Layers8New Raster Layer.
03 Now choose the Flood Fill tool from the
menu bar, then on the Materials palette,
set the Foreground colour to black. Fill the new raster
layer with black by clicking in the image canvas with
Flood Fill. Set the layer’s Blend mode to Burn, and its
Opacity to 20.

0 IN DETAIL
LORI J. DAVIS
PSP EXPERT
ADJUSTMENT LAYERS
An adjustment layer is a greyscale
bitmap. That is, its data is stored as
256 shades of grey (including black
and white). This means that any
operation that can be used on a
greyscale image can also be used
on an adjustment layer, including
making selections and adding
ACCESS BLEND RANGES SET THE RANGE GET ADJUSTED
04 Open the black layer’s Properties dialog box 05 Use Blend ranges to restrict the effects of the 06 Make the black layer the active layer by clicking
special effects.

by double-clicking the layer’s Layer button
on the Layers palette, or by right-clicking its Layer
button and choosing Properties. Alternatively, choose
Layers8Properties on the menu bar. Now go to the
Blend Ranges tab.
burning to the highlights and lighter midtones.
Set the left arrows of the Underlying Layer bar to 150
(top arrow) and 33 (bottom arrow). The pixels on the
black layer covering the darker areas of the Background
become transparent, and so have no effect.
its Layer button on the Layers palette. Add a
Hue/Saturation/Lightness adjustment layer by choosing
Layers8New Adjustment Layer8Hue/Saturation/Lightness.
Select the Colourise checkbox. Set Hue to 35, Saturation to
45, and Lightness to 0. Keep the layer’s Opacity at 100.

FINE TUNE THE TINTING BE SELECTIVE OVERLAY IS YOUR FRIEND

07 The entire layer is now colourised. Let’s
eliminate the tinting in some areas. Paint
on the adjustment layer with black over the girl’s eyes,
teeth and sweater to entirely get rid of the tinting there.
Paint with grey over the tassels and light areas of the
hat to lessen the tinting there.
08 With the adjustment layer still the active layer, 09 Again, remove colour from the girl’s eyes, NEXT MONTH
select the girl’s face and hand using the teeth, and sweater by painting those areas on MASK LAYERS
Freehand Selection tool, then add a second Hue/Saturation/ the adjustment layer black. As you paint, toggle the layer’s We’ll explore
Lightness adjustment layer. Select the Colourise checkbox. Overlay on and off as needed. Afterwards, add more masking a figure
and placing it on a
Set Hue to 34, Saturation to 23, and Lightness to 7. Set the adjustment layers to colourise other areas of the image, new background
layer’s Opacity to 78 and Blend Mode to Lighten. De-select. editing the adjustment layers as needed.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 083

THE PANEL YOUR
Adam Evans
The illustrious editor of
Digital Camera Magazine
Tom Ang
Prolific author of many
digital camera books
PICTURES
SEND IN YOUR BEST SHOTS TODAY! PAINT SHOP PRO

fScott Mawson DCMAG.C

O.UK
ACTIVE
NAME OF PICTURE Get the bug
The bug was selection-sharpened, and had some colour auto-
TH READ!
enhancement as well. The bug was shot in macro mode with dcmag.c
a digiscope and tripod, as it was too skittish to get in close with scottma o.uk/
a regular lens. I was actually on the river bank to try some wson
landscape shots (issue 10 tips) and spotted some bugs and
their unusual shadows (from issue 11). The landscape shots are
still in need of more work!

TOM Beautifully caught in lovely light and very

nicely sharp. Can’t really be faulted, though you
could retouch the hairlines by the right leg.

ADAM The detail in the shot is excellent, but the

whole thing would benefit from tighter composition.
The dark shadows to the right are a distraction.

fMalcolm Pugh fRobert Clark Have your say!

NAME OF PICTURE Comma butterfly
Here’s a photo I took in the wild (Thetford Forest, Norfolk) in July.
I used an HP Photosmart 850, using optical zoom only. I then
used Paint Shop Pro 8 to select areas and reduce the file size.
Although it’s not ‘macro’ as in your article, it shows what you
can do in an hour’s walk in the sun.
BEFORE
NAME OF PICTURE Tic-toc
Further to your Paint Shop Pro sharpening tutorial, here’s my attempt.
All the elements of the clock face (hands, minute ring, bezel,
background, text) were copied to their own layers and enhanced
separately – I spent over three hours on it (must get a life!).
AFTER
Tell us what you think of this picture.
Like it or loathe it, we want to know!
f Paul Iddon This shot of a statue has been altered in Paint
Shop Pro to bring out the colours of the wood, making the
statue more natural looking. What do you think?
REACTION
f to think of this. The flash fimposing photo but I
Rob Grant Not sure what

is quite harsh and the statue

Chris Hyatt It’s an

don’t think I’d have it on my

itself is quite menacing wall, to be honest!

f Sandra Jones I think a bit

less flash would have
captured better detail in the
f Lucy Swift I really like this
shot. The catchlights in
the eyes make the statue look
texture of the wood almost human!

TOM Is the picture missing something?

TOM Be more patient: wait for them to be Whatever it’s about – only a record
perfectly positioned and you’ll have a magical perhaps – the reflections are distracting.
shot. The image is rather over-sharpened.

DCMAG.C
ADAM The shot has really caught the colour ADAM While this is a good example of O.UK
and the texture of the wings, but the sharpening, Tom makes a good point – the ACTIVE
composition lets the whole thing down. photo itself is pretty uninspiring, isn’t it?
TH READ!
dcmag.c
o
paulidd .uk/
on
 PAINT SHOP PRO COMBINING IMAGES

Filling the
generation gap
If you’ve ever wanted to put someone in a different background, and couldn’t
decide what to use, try something different. This tutorial will show you how

W
henever I’m chatting about image-editing
software, one of the things I’m usually asked
is, "If I give you a picture of myself, can you
put me in a different setting?” To those of us familiar
with photo-editing techniques, this may seem like a
tired old trick, and yet few people can do it convincingly.
More often than not, novice users of photo-editing
software concentrate on object selection and forget
some of the key elements necessary to combine two or
more images together, these being image resolution
and lighting. It’s intuitively evident that blending very
high-resolution objects with low-resolution images will
produce less than convincing results. Likewise, putting a
brightly lit subject in a night scene will produce results
similar to those we achieved in our childhood years
when we cut out pictures from magazines and pasted
them together to make a collage.
When two images differ in resolution, the answer is
rather simple. Reduce the higher resolution image in
increments until the eye cannot distinguish between the
two images. With lighting, the answer is a little more
complex as there are other issues that may need to be
looked at, such as the time of day that each photograph
was taken, the presence of shadows, whether the
subject was lit from the front or back, and how the
saturation of the colors in the two images compare.
This isn’t to say that if the lighting conditions are not
ideal, you shouldn’t attempt to merge the images
COMBINING IMAGES
KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC
■ IMAGE FILES
COMBINING IMAGES When combining images, we must first establish a location where the objects will be place, and
then we can choose our subject and make the selection
together. Paint Shop Pro offers a variety of tools for
manipulating almost any kind of effect you can imagine.
You should always pay attention to detail if you want
the end results to be convincing. In this tutorial, we will
demonstrate how to combine two images together by
merging a modern day image of a young girl with a
painting of the early 1700s. The girl will first be
extracted from her background. We’ll apply some effects
to give her a painted look, then we’ll place her in the
painting along with the other subjects, as if she was
painted there by the original artist.
EXPLAINED
TOOLSCHOOL
A. MOVE TOOL Moves an item around
B. MAGIC WAND Makes a selection based on colour,
brightness or opacity
C. EYEDROPPER Sample a colour from the image with this tool
D. LASSO TOOL Create a hand-drawn selection
E. PAINTBRUSH TOOL Paint on to the image using this tool
A
B
C
D
E

All the elements you need are

on your cover CD/DVD in the
‘Paint Shop Pro repair’ folder.

All images on discs for

non-commercial use only

2 SKILL LEVEL
5
2 TIME TO COMPLETE

20 MINUTES

THE BASE IMAGE POSITIONING THE SUBJECT MAKING THE SELECTION

01 We’ll use this scene as our base, and seat the
CONTACT US! subject by the fire. When we place her in the
JOE APICE chair, parts of it will be covered. We’ll need to duplicate
apice@homestead.com
these and put them back once the subject’s in place.
02 Keeping the the painting in mind, I shot the 03 Select the subject by clicking the Lasso icon on
subject in a direction away from the camera. the tool palette. Then open the Tool Option
When the images are merged together, her position will window and choose Smart edge for the selection type.
provide the illusion that she’s part of the conversation. Keep the Feather value at zero and check the Antialias box.

086 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


ADJUST THE LIGHTING
04 Save the selection to an alpha channel or disc.
Now give the subject a painted look to help it
blend into the painting. The first step in applying the effect
is to adjust the lightness levels slightly. On the Main menu
bar select Colors8Adjust8Levels and move the Right Input
level slider to the left, until the whites are pure white.
BALANCE THE LIGHTNESS
07 At this point we need to check the subject
against the light in the painting. This is done
by displaying both images on the screen and adjusting
the lightness as needed, using the Levels command. In
this case, sliding the middle input level diamond to 1.50
and the right input levels slider to 2.50 produced the
balance we needed.
SUBJECT PLACEMENT
10 Using the Edit8Copy and Edit8Paste8As New
Layer command, the subject was copied onto
the image of the oil painting. Using the Deformation tool
the subject was resized to fit proportionally into the
painting, and then moved as needed to achieve an
acceptable seated position.
SOFTEN THE IMAGE
05 To soften the image, without losing too much
detail, we can use the Salt and Pepper filter.
On the Main menu bar select Effects8Noise8Salt and
Pepper filter. In the dialog box set the Speck Size and
Sensitivity to Specks to 3. Include the Lower Speck size,
and use Aggressive Action.
A PAINTED LOOK
08 We can now enhance the look of paint in our
subject by sharpening the high contrast edges
using the Unsharp Mask. On the Main menu bar select
Effects8Sharpen8Unsharp Mask. In the Unsharp Mask
dialog box, set the Radius to 1.5, the Strength to 115,
and the Clipping to 5 in order to make the object appear
as if it were stroked with a brush.
ADD SHADOW DETAIL
11 To add shadow detail we need to paint it
manually, because the shadow effect built into
PSP is a three-dimensional effect, and will lift the subject
from the image. A soft round brush with an opacity setting
of 25 will work well. To select a shadow colour, sample an
area near the subject. This produces more natural results.
ONE
*
To add shadow detail,l use a medium soft brush to apply the shadow, rather than
CLICK the shadow effects filter. This will avoid creating a three dimensional effect that will
FIXES make the embedded object appear to be floating on the image.
0 EXPERt TIP
JOE APICE
PSP EXPERT
COLOUR ADVICE
When combining two or more
images together, pay close
attention to the colour saturation
of your subjects. Uneven colour
saturation can also produce less
than convincing results. PSP 7
offers two ways to adjust colour
saturation, manually and
automatically. Use the auto
BRINGING OUT THE DETAIL
06 To bring out the highlights and details in the
saturation feature to obtain quick
and easy results and the manual
girl’s hair and clothing, we’ll use the Clarify saturation adjustment when you
command. Before we do, we need to clear the selection. want a little more control.
On the Main menu bar, choose Selections8Select None.
Then select Effects8Enhance Photo8Clarify. In the Clarify
dialog box set the Strength of Effect to 5.
ARMCHAIR SELECTION
09 In the image of the painting we need to
select the part of the chair that would
normally be in front of the subject sitting in it. The
selection is made with the Lasso tool in Freehand mode,
and that portion of the image is saved as a separate
image. Once the subject is in position, this image will
be copied back into its original location.
0 EXPLAINED
JOE APICE
FINISHING TOUCHES ON PSP TOOLS
12 Open the image file containing the chair arm. SAMPLING
Using the Edit8Copy and Edit8Paste8As New The term sample, as used in this
Layer command, paste the arm of the chair back into the tutorial, refers to copying pixel
image of the oil painting, and use the move tool to colour from an area of the image
so that it can be replicated in the
position it in its original location. Merge all the layers to
colour palette.
finalise the image. “Hey, how about another Brew-skee!”
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 087
 PAINT SHOP PRO PLUG-INS AND FILTERS

Plug-ins and filters

Photoshop has unrivalled support for plug-ins and filters. Chris Schmidt explains how these can be used in Paint Shop Pro…

PLUG-INS AND FILTERS

KEY DETAILS
2 ON OUR DISC BEFORE & AFTER
■ IMAGE FILES The lightning effect here was added through
Paint Shop Pro plug-ins are
one of the effects available in the
available on the CD/DVD in the
‘Paint Shop Pro Wow’ folder Alien Skin Xenofex 2 filters

All images on the discs for

non-commercial use only

2 SKILL LEVEL
35
2 TIME TO COMPLETE 5
20 MINUTES

0 EXPLAINED
CHRIS SCHMIDT’S
PLUG-IN TIPS

SYSTEM FILES
You may need to install a couple of
direct link library files into your
Windows/system folder, depending
on the version and how up to date
your operating system is. For
detailed troubleshooting advice on
installing filters, check out the
Resource Centre pages of the Paint
Shop Pro User Group at
www.pspug.org
CONTACT US!
CHRIS
SCHMIDT
www.dcmag.co.uk
P
hotoshop’s long-standing dominance of the
image-editing market has led to huge
developments – not only in the title itself, but
also in third-party tools, such as plug-ins and filters that
have been developed to enhance the functionality of
the software.
Although Paint Shop Pro has its fair share of such
third-party support, its developer, Jasc, has had the
foresight to recognise its position in relation to its more
established rival, and improved its support for many
Photoshop-compatible plug-ins.
Installing extensions
Paint Shop Pro 8 now has full support for the .8BF file
format, which is native to Photoshop. This means
that it’s possible to make use of plug-ins and filters
produced by specialist software companies, such as
Flaming Pear (www.flamingpear.com) and Alien Skin
(www.alienskin.com). They can be integrated easily into
Paint Shop Pro 8: whereas installing such components in
Photoshop would require a copy of the file being placed
within the plug-in folder before booting the software,
Paint Shop Pro enables you to store your plug-ins
independently from the title before configuring it so that
it recognises where it’s located.
Getting filters
Some .8BF plug-in files may require you to install them
manually; while others will automate the task through
an .EXE file that recognises any compatible software and
enables you to choose the title into which you want to
install the features.
With a .8BF file saved on your computer, you’ll need
to head to Paint Shop Pro’s Preferences under the Edit
menu and choose the File Location option. Within
the dialogue box that appears, choose the Plug-Ins
option to the left and add a new folder location
before browsing through your system to locate the
file. Once completed, there’s no need to reboot the
software – your additional filters will become available
under the Effects menu, ready to use. It’s a good idea to
create a plug-ins folder into which you can create
multiple sub-directories to contain your filters, otherwise
Paint Shop Pro will have problems determining
individual effects.
As you can see on the opposite page, plug-ins and
filters can provide some incredible effects. All this
at the click of a button, and with many providing
comprehensive management of any attributes, the
effect should employ you’ll soon find your creativity
reaching new heights...

088 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 ONE
*
If you're applying a filter to an original image chances are you'll need to make a
CLICK selection first to determine the region the filter will apply to – use the Selective filter
FIXES to to this

0 EXPLAINED
CHRIS SCHMIDT’S
FILTER TIPS

LIGHT SOURCE
Whether you’re applying single or
multiple filters to an image, you’ll
need to be aware of any light
sources in the original image. Adjust
those required by the effect,
otherwise things will soon start to
look unnatural if your shadows and
highlights don’t match up between
your original image and the
BALLS AND BUBBLES (JASC) FLOOD (Flaming Pear) TELEVISION (Alien Skin)
rendered effect.
01 The puzzle filter is part of Paint Shop Pro 8. This 02 The Flood filter from Flaming Pear provides full 03 This filter is part of the Alien Skin’s Xenofex 2
one converts an image into a jigsaw-style control over various aspect of the results. The suite and incorporates more than enough
image through a series of bevelled paths. You can view can be controlled by specifying the horizon and options to emulate the effect of TV scan lines. The linea
determine various features, such as the number of perspective; the altitude (which is useful for determining strength and thickness can be determined, plus the vertical
columns used and the connector length and width. There the most appropriate height for the subject); and how the shift for those bad aerial days. Detail is further supported
are further options for randomising the connector shapes. waves are modifyed. with controls for static, ghosting and breakup.

06 IN FOCUS ZOOM
The zoom effect explained
The pluginsite.com provides a range of filters, many of which are compatible with Paint Shop Pro 5
upwards. The zoom effect illustrated here comes as part of the Plugin Galaxy suite of 159 filters

WHEN TO USE THE ZOOM ZOOM CONTROLS

The effect is particularly good, for example, Controls are provided to vary the amount of zoom
when you have a detail shot that will benefit used and the size of the magnifier, while the
from an enlarged area. position of the effect can be adjusted by right-
CONSTELLATION (Alien Skin)
04 The Constellation filter provides a range of
clicking on the preview that’s presented.
options for creating a star-filled sky. Star size
and variation are available, plus controls over the density of
distribution and individual star edges. You can increase the
Twinkle amount to get some real Disney-style results!

* WEB LINKS
JASC
www.jasc.com
Family of digital imaging products,
including Paint Shop Pro, Photo
Album and Virtual Painter.

FLAMING PEAR
www.flamingpear.com
Plug-ins and filters.
ALIEN SKIN
www.alienskin.com
Filters for Photoshop, Elements,
Macromedia Fireworks and PSP.
MELANCHOLYTRON (Flaming Pear)
05 This filter subdues colour and focus before
applying colour changes and sepia-like effects
to make an image appear moody and nostalgic. The focal
area can be specified, and unusual effects can be created
by damping the saturation and applying sepia controls.

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 089

 SECTION #04 SHOOT

Section highlights…
CAMERA CONTROLS PAGE
APERTURE
Aperture helps you emphasise all the right elements
of your photos. Tim Daly shows you how it all works 92
TOP TEN
LANDMARKS PAGE
George Cairns takes a photographic tour of
the UK and shares his favourite locations 94
PHOTO CLINIC
IMPROVE YOUR PICTURES PAGE
Our resident expert Andrea Thompson helps
you make the most of digital photography 96
YOUR PICTURES
GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT PAGE
CAMERA CONTROLS
APERTURE
SEE PAGE 92
Adam Evans and Tom Ang hand out the verdicts
on your submitted photographs 99
HOME STUDIO
SETTING UP A STUDIO ON A BUDGET PAGE
In the first of a new series, Tim Daly goes through
the equipment you need for your own studio 100
HOTLINE PAGE
YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED
This month Aidan O’Rourke looks at night
photography, digital zoom, glow, and more… 102
PAGE PAGE

94 100
DIGITAL

Shoot
CAMERA
SHOPPER
Issue five of Digital Camera
Shopper is on sale now for just
£3.99 at all good newsagents.
With 196 pages of the best
photographic advice, a CD
packed with full software, filters
Take better photographs… and everything you need for
cityscape shots, it’s the best
value digital photography mag
around. So if you’re looking for
a second opinion about kit,
come to the experts…

Tutorials you can trust! Contact our editorial team

f #
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and image files, and full or trial software so you can try the If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or
quick fixes you can use in your own work. tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package. submission you would like to make, please
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field Clear Our large page size means we can add extra email us at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk Visit
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial. our website at www.dcmag.co.uk
Depth of field can be used to get
some creative effects, softening
and emphasising different parts
of an image

Aperture
www.photolibrary.com

By far the most creative camera control, aperture helps you to emphasise all
the right elements of your photographs. Tim Daly shows you how it all works

092 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 a
This month, issue 7 of our sister magazine, Digital Photography Shopper, shows you how to
use aperture to take better portraits. On sale 9th October

1 SHOOTING CLOSE-UP SUBJECTS 1 SHOOTING PORTRAIT SUBJECTS 1 SHOOTING LANDSCAPE SUBJECTS * WEB LINKS
DEPTH OF FIELD
Shot with the largest With all subjects With the white tree
aperture value of f2.8, sitting in the same lying close to the lens, CALCULATOR
this image has a plane, this shot was this image was
www.outsight.com/
shallow depth of field captured using an captured using
and little recognisable aperture value of f4 in an aperture of f22, hyperfocal.html
background detail order to render the which makes the A useful site that helps you to
background unsharp background sharp at measure depth of field before
the same time committing to the shot.

THE ART OF DEPTH

OF FIELD
http://johnlind.tripod.com/art/
Shot with an aperture With two subjects With all subjects lying
value of f11, the sitting at different more than ten metres artdof.html
background in this distances away from away from the camera Plenty of clear-cut explanations on
image is starting to the camera, this lens, this image would aperture and depth of field.
become sharper image was shot with reproduce the same if
an aperture of f11 an aperture of f2.8 or
f22 was employed HYPERFOCAL FOCUSING
www.minoxlab.com/Don_
Krehbiel/mpl/dkdof.htm
Maximise every centimetre of DOF
with this in-depth technique.

Shot with the smallest Faced with the deep An aperture of f22
aperture value of range of subject and a focus point
f22, background detail matter, this image one third of the

3 IN DETAIL
is recognisable was shot using an way in from the
aperture value of 22 foreground was
chosen to maintain
focus throughout
this vista view
TIM DALY’S
ISO TIPS
APERTURE AND
ISO SETTINGS
If you’ve only ever used your
camera on auto exposure mode,
the precise nature of the

U
nlike shooting in the studio, taking
photographs in natural daylight can be a
challenging process – due to the varying levels
of light. Cloud cover, time of day and seasonal
differences can all change the amount of light that’s
available for successful photography. To help counteract
this situation, camera lenses are designed with a variable
opening called an aperture.
Found in both conventional film and digital camera
lenses, the aperture is a circular opening that determines
the quantity of light that strikes the sensor. Just like the
iris in the human eye, the aperture can be controlled to
expand and contract to let in exactly the right amount of
light in ever-changing shooting situations. In addition to
framing and focusing an image, the photographer also
has to work out a balanced quantity of light called
exposure. By selecting the right combination of shutter
speed and aperture values, a perfect exposure showing
detail in both bright highlights and darker shadow areas
is achieved.
Common values
Unlike older film cameras, where aperture values could
be selected by rotating a mechanical ring around the
lens itself, modern cameras control aperture through
the use of a dial or button on the camera body. All
cameras conform to a universal aperture scale that
follows this sequence: f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, f16, f22.
Small aperture numbers like 2.8 result in bigger lens
openings and allow the most amount of light through
your lens. Bigger aperture numbers like f22 make tiny
lens openings and let the least amount of light through
the lens. These precise quantities of light are common
between different lenses across all manufacturers. In dim
lighting conditions, aperture values such as f2.8 and f4
are used to compensate for the lack of light, but in bright
conditions aperture values such as f16 and f22 can be
employed to limit it. On budget compact cameras, the
range of aperture values is rarely present – they just have
two or three settings for average shooting situation.
Aperture and depth of field
Aperture has an impact on the range of sharp focus
within a photograph, known as depth of field. Depth of
field can be described as the range of sharp focus
from the foreground of a photograph receding to the
background. At aperture values like f22, maximum
depth of field is achieved, which enables both objects
in the foreground and background to be rendered
sharp at the same time. With this effect your range
of sharp focus could run into many miles. At the
other end of the scale, aperture values like f2.8
may only create a shallow depth of field, running to a
matter of centimetres.
Points of focus
In addition to your choice of aperture, depth of field is
also influenced by your choice of focus point. Surprisingly,
depth of field doesn’t just occur beyond the focus point
in your image, but in front of it, too. Setting your focus
on the nearest object in your scene will often waste
Just like the iris in the human eye, the aperture
can be controlled to expand and contract to let in
exactly the right amount of light
valuable depth of field in front of the object itself, so it’s
interrelationship of shutter speed,
better to choose a focus point about a third of a way aperture and ISO will not be
between the foreground and background. In theory this evident. Better digital cameras
sounds easy but, in practice, this can be tricky to judge have a variable ISO setting that
without shooting several versions. calibrates your sensor against a
set range of light, so you can
shoot in very bright and very dark
Aperture and shooting situations conditions. If you’re trying to
Different photographic subjects will largely determine the achieve a depth of field effect, with
way depth of field is used to create emphasis. Out a particular aperture and you run to
the end of your available scale,
on location, most subjects beyond ten metres away
simply increase your ISO value to
will be rendered in pin-sharp regardless of the focus reduce the amount of light needed
point or aperture used. But between three metres and for a correct exposure.
ten, you will need to pick your focus point carefully.
Aperture values like f2.8 will blur out fussy backgrounds,
but values such as f16 and f22 can be used to make the
background sharper.
The golden rule to remember is that the closer your
subject is to the camera lens, the smaller the maximum
depth of field can be. In fact, when shooting really close
up in macro mode, your maximum depth of field will
shrink to a couple of centimetres, even when using
apertures like f22. For portrait subjects, focus on the
nearest eye and work with a mid-range aperture setting,
such as f8 and f11. If you’re still unsure about which
setting to use, try shooting three versions of an image
with different aperture values and preview these on your
LCD before getting into the shoot.
NEXT MONTH
SHUTTER SPEED
We show you how to stop
the action – or turn it into an
artistic blur
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 093
 SHOOT TOP 10 LANDMARKS

DCMAG.CO.UK
ACTIVE
THREAD!
dcmag.co.uk/
landmarks

Landmarks
Britain boasts a huge variety of photogenic landmarks that
make superb subjects for creative shots. George Cairns, in
conjunction with our readers, reveals the techniques you
need to capture some digital delights

T
he huge variety of submissions for this
month’s feature prove that British landmarks
come in all shapes and sizes. So how do
we approach capturing the perfect shot with such a
diverse subject? In photography, there’s a school of
thought that says that the secret to taking the perfect
photo is to press the camera’s shutter at the ‘decisive
moment’, and this concept can certainly be applied to
photographing landmarks.
YOUR EXPERT You may have framed your shot to obey the rule
GEORGE CAIRNS of thirds, resulting in a decent picture, but if you hold
george@georgecairns.com
your horses and wait for that ‘decisive moment’, you’re
likely to get a better result. The optimum time to take
NEXT MONTH the picture might come when a flock of birds passes in
TOP TEN front of the landmark, adding an extra sense of scale
UK CASTLES and depth to the shot.
Find out more at This isn’t always easy to achieve, because of the
dcmag.co.uk/castles limitations in technology. On a mid-range digital camera
we may miss our decisive moment as a result of shutter
delay – by the time the camera clicks, the birds will have
flown out of your shot!
Post production
If your camera isn’t fast enough to capture the ideal
moment in time, you can, like many of our readers, use
subtle photo manipulation to fine-tune your landmark
shots. Ian Perrin’s Angel of the North (above) is a nicely
composed shot with two silhouetted figures providing a
sense of balance and scale. Ian cloned an additional
figure out of the shot to achieve this ideal composition.
While purist photographers may feel that this is cheating,
all that matters to the average viewer of the photo is
the finished result. Is it an image that evokes a sense of
To tackle a tall landmark, position yourself to add extra
elements to the frame adjacent to the landmark. This
balances the shot and gets rid of empty space. Shoot
into the sun to add a dramatic lens flare to the shot

094 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

 FOR
MORE
INFO
Cartier-Bresson. Indeed his exhibition, called the Decisive Moment,
was considered significant enough to be displayed in the Louvre
Think outside ‘point and shoot’ pictures and be as
creative as you can with your approach to capturing
the character of the landmark
place or a feeling? Most viewers of the photo won’t be
aware of any post-production techniques that went into
improving it.
Creative camera work
Some landmarks are photographed so often that pictures
can appear familiar and clichéd. Approach the subject
creatively to capture a unique shot, and try to photograph
the effect the landmark has on its environment, rather
than shooting the landmark itself. On a sunny day,
distinctively shaped landmarks will cast a recognisable
shadow on their surroundings; and if the weather is wet,
photograph the landmark’s reflection in adjacent puddles.
Tackling tall towers
A tall, thin landmark, such as Nelson’s Column or Big
Ben, usually needs to be shot in portrait mode. The
shape of the towering landmark forces you to have
empty space either side of the subject. Balance out the
shot by framing a person or object in the foreground, so
that they are positioned to one side of your subject.
Alternatively, use the glare of the sun to fill in the empty
part of the frame to balance out the shot.
02
01
03
The most famous practitioner of the ‘decisive moment’ was Henri
Readers’ top 10 shots
Again, we had a great response to our request for this feature. Here’s our pick…
Separating the wheat from the chaff
As a digital photographer you’ll have more opportunities
than traditional photographers to get the perfect shot as
you aren’t constrained by a limited number of expensive ART
film rolls. A large memory card will enable you to EDITOR’S
capture dozens of shots. You’ll be able to delete and
refine your collection there, and then to improve the
CHOICE!
chance of taking the perfect shot home with you.
Traditional photographers can’t really criticise photo
manipulation anyway as it’s an age-old technique. 01 Eileen Donan Castle by Adrian Panton
Well before digital technology existed, photographers You can't beat the combination of sunset, castle and loch for a romantic postcard-style
lurked in darkrooms, improving their shots. Indeed, many shot. At this time of day, a slow shutter speed is needed, increasing the risk of a blurry
of the manipulation tools in Photoshop are direct result. By exposing for the sky, the rest of the scene is in semi-silhouette, creating dark,
descendants of traditional techniques, such as the dodge dramatic shapes against the skyline.
and burn tools!
02 03
02 Brighton West Pier
By Brian Minkoff
This well composed shot shows that even
a derelict landmark can be a worthy
photographic subject.
03 Smeaton's Tower
By Paul Scott
The position of the sun behind the
lighthouse creates a sense of the light 04
being on during the day.
04 Canary Wharf
By Richard Harris
3 LIGHT & SHADE
Taking the shot at the decisive moment,
Richard has used a passing gull to fill
empty space and balance the composition.
For dramatic contrasts between light and shadow,
shoot early or late in the day when the sun is low
in the sky. 05 06 07 08 09 10
01 Compose your shot so that other structures
create a frame for your landmark 02 Expose your
shot to keep the bright sky. This maintains detail
in the brightest parts of the shot while giving you
05 Eden Project by Frances Piper 06 Tower Bridge by By Jon Pink
some dramatic contrasts in the shadowed areas
07 Trafalgar Square by Colin Harvey 08 Falkirk Wheel by Neal Mealey
03 Water adds attractive light and reflections 09 Lloyds Building by Gwynne Penny 10 Edinburgh Castle by John Hastings
 SHOOT YOUR PHOTOS

Photo clinic
Send us your photos and our technical expert, Andrea Thompson, will tell you what she thinks! The best
submissions each month win a full copy of Adobe Photoshop 7, so what are you waiting for?
THIS MONTH’S
CONTENDERS Logick Lily
Logick from Brian Andrews goes all Harry Cutts attempts to
out to create a magical rescue a portrait of his
Brian Andrews illusion, in this unusual baby daughter with a
homage to 17th Century Photoshop blackout
Lily from Harry Cutts Flemish painting

HOW TO
SUBMIT YOUR
PHOTOS
You can submit up to five
photos each month, but you
must include the following
details with each entry:
1) The make and model of
camera used, plus any lens
attachments and filters.
2) The exposure settings
used (EXIF data).
3) What prompted you to
take the picture.
4) What image-editing
effects and techniques you
applied, and why.
Save photos as high-res JPEGs,
TIFFs or PSD files. Submit your images and FIRST
Email all text and images PRIZE!
to: andrea.thompson@
futurenet.co.uk, including
win a copy of Photoshop 7!
the subject heading Yep, if we like your image, a free copy of Photoshop, worth
‘Photo clinic’.
£595, could be yours!

THE RULES
A cash alternative to the prizes is
not available. We reserve the
right to substitute prizes of equal
or greater value. The editor’s
decision is final. By entering the
competition, you agree to grant
us an exclusive three-month
license to publish your
photographs in any manner
we see fit, in any medium,
in conjunction with the
competition. After three months,
this changes to a non-exclusive
license on the same terms.
Are you looking for an independent, honest of the professional image-editing suite,
and constructive diagnosis of your images? Adobe Photoshop 7, worth a cool £595!
Then why not drop into our friendly Photo Our runner up will win a hardback copy
clinic, and pick up some expert technical
advice and essential tips to help you get
of Tom Ang's superb Digital Photographer's
Handbook – an accessible, jargon-free book RUNNER
even better results from both your digital
camera, and your image editor.
that covers cameras, computers, peripherals
and image-editing software.
UP
Each month the winner of our 'Star
photo' award walks away with a full copy
So what are you waiting for? Get those
entries sent in on the double!
PRIZE!
YOU’RE Succeed or fail?
Visit our forums, take a gander at
next month’s Photo clinic entries
We’ll print out the most entertaining,
well-informed, scabrous or helpful
THE JURY! We want to know what you think of your
fellow readers’ photos!
and email your thoughts to
andrea.thompson@futurenet.co.uk.
comments in next issue. Head over to
dcmag.co.uk/photoclinic
www.dcmag.co.uk/photoclinic

096 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

PRIZE
WINNER!
PHOTOSHOP
7 WORTH
£595!
Logick
Brian Andrews dabbles with Photoshop
alchemy in this painterly image
Equipment used Olympus Camedia E20P
I
t's easy to conjure up an elaborate visual
fantasy in the mind, but translating that
fantasy into a 2D reality takes a lot of time,
effort, skill and preparation, as this brilliantly staged
image sent in by Brian Andrews readily demonstrates.
Brian derived his original inspiration from studying the
work of 17th century Flemish painters and artists such
as Joseph Wright of Derby, who were intrigued by the
mysteries of science and alchemy.
Stage one of the process involved persuading a
friend to don a pair of antique spectacles, wrap
himself in black cloth and adopt a suitably crazed
expression whist cupping a plastic, foil-lined bowl. The
bowl was lit from within by an ordinary 60-watt lamp,
and this was the only light source employed. A black
cloth was also draped over the background. Despite
the ultra-simple lighting equipment used, covering
everything but the face and hands in light-absorbent
YOU’RE THE JURY!
Succeed or fail?
“I’m no master in Photoshop, but
this effort is very convincing!”
Steven Hall, Poole
“I love this image. The way it was
constructed is really imaginative.”
Bill Kirbie, Birmingham
YOUR VERDICT? SUCCEED
3
IN FOCUS
01 The simple, yet highly effective lighting is one of
the biggest strengths of this image 02 Brian went to
a great deal of trouble to gather together suitable
antique props for the piece, and obviously took care
to choose a convincing-looking model 03 Shoddy
Photoshop work means that the hands don’t really
look as though they are holding the orb
01
03
02
black cloth has produced a soft and warm, yet
surprisingly high-impact lighting effect that creates real
atmosphere and drama.
Authentic props
After converting the lamp into a soft, overhead light
source, Brian carefully arranged a pile of dusty old
tomes, an inkwell borrowed from a local museum and a
goose quill. These were shot against the same black
backdrop to make it easier to paste them onto the base
of the image, but closer inspection reveals that the join
could do with tidying up. The arrangement of the props
looks somewhat staged, too, but they do play a vital
role in adding historical authenticity and visual interest.
The final stage was to create the illusion of the
glowing orb, which was in Photoshop. First, a new layer
was created and a circular marquee fitted over the curve
of the bowl. This was filled with various colours using a
large, soft brush, the Spherize filter applied and the layer
blurred and lightened. Brian then used the Eraser to
remove the parts of the orb covering the fingers.
Sadly, rough and ready Photoshop work has left some
fingers cut off by black obstructions, and others
surrounded by ghost images of the original bowl.
Because the hands don't look as though they are really
holding the orb, the entire illusion breaks down, which is
an enormous shame considering how much thought,
care and attention to detail was put into the creation of
the photographs, and how well the image works in
almost every other way.
THE VERDICT
An intriguing, thoughtfully constructed image
spoilt by slapdash Photoshop work.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 097

RUNNER
UP
Lily
Harry Cutts turns to Photoshop to help
rectify compositional problems
Equipment used Fujifilm FinePix 4700Z
H
arry took this shot of his four-month old
daughter Lily from about four feet away,
whilst lying on the living room carpet, and
decided to black out the background clutter in
Photoshop. The result is rather disconcerting to say the
098 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
least, as Lily looks as though she’s being drawn into a
black hole. Black is the worst choice of colour for a
baby and should be avoided at all costs. A far simpler
and more effective solution would be to place Lily on
a light-coloured blanket, and drape a plain, light sheet
over the background.
Minimal patterns and whites or pastel shades reflect
the light best and detract less from the subject.
Textured and slightly crumpled blankets work best, too,
and can be laid down on carpets, beds and settees or
even over a parent’s shoulder. To blur the background,
maximise the aperture and zoom in from further back
with a longer lens.
YOU’RE THE JURY!
Succeed or fail?
“I don’t like the harsh contrast
between the peachy tones of
the baby’s head and the dense,
black background. Perhaps a
softer, grey background would
have worked better.”
Sophie Mackenzie, Devon
YOUR VERDICT? FAIL
3
IN FOCUS
01 The black effect looks completely fake, and doesn’t
complement the baby’s delicate, innocent nature. The
tips of the ears are covered in black paint, too 02 Use
of fill-in flash at close range has produced a harsh,
shadowy effect. Using undiffused flash on babies is
also unadvisable 03 Getting down to Lily’s eye level to
take the shot has worked really well, and her
expression is both relaxed and appealing
01
03
02
Over the next five months, Lily should start sitting up
and taking a real interest in the world, so provided
she’s well fed, rested and comfortable the photo
opps should be plentiful. You’ll still have to decide on
lighting, exposure and composition, and whether
you want a formal, informal or candid portrait, but
with careful pre-planning you’ll be able to concentrate
on capturing the expression. Take plenty of shots, but
allow for plenty of breaks and never force your baby to
pose. Here, Lily is sharp and fills the frame. She looks
totally relaxed and content, and the way her hands are
folded is really cute.
Using direct flash has resulted in harsh shadows and
high-contrast, and shouldn’t be used with babies this
close because it can cause eye damage. It also
intensifies skin redness. You’ll get much softer, more
flattering results if you bathe your baby in diffused
natural light – the kind you get on an overcast day or
through a net curtain. Freeze the action with high
shutter speeds instead of flash, moving to a brighter
area rather than using faster ISOs (the noise can make a
baby’s skin look rough). If you must use flash, move
back and diffuse or bounce it.
THE VERDICT
The baby’s expression is great, but this portrait is
fraught with problems that Photoshop editing has
exacerbated rather than solved.
 Getup&go

8
UNFOLD
THIS 8-PAGE
SECTION!
■ Map of sites
■ Top photo tips
■ Places to visit
■ Pocket guide

Where to go, what to shoot NOVEMBER 2003 FREE!

4 TIPS CAR
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY
MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02

Fold out this se S

D
THIS MONTH ct
now to find yo ion
ur
tear-out guides

AUTUMN FOLIAGE
Autumn foliage shoots well
in most weather – be
inspired by the New Forest

FANTASTIC FUNGI
Take a woodland walk and
capture the world of
mushrooms and toadstools

DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Forests of gold
See why Durham Cathedral
was recently voted Britain’s WOODLAND COLOURS
LANDSCAPE The New Forest is the perfect place for autumn
8

Overcast conditions are perfect in woods,

favourite building deepening the colours and creating a sense of
pictures full of colour, reckons Colin Varndell the mysterious

FOUR TIPS CARDS
We continue our new
series of reference cards for
you to cut out and collect
Detach this section and take it on your travels!
utumn is the golden time of year, drawing
A out photographers to record the passing of
the seasons. For some people it's the light, for
others the misty mornings, but for most it's the
fabulous technicolour autumn foliage.
Arboretums like Westonbirt in Gloucestershire
have spectacular autumn displays of exotic
specimens like Japanese maples, but these are
incredibly popular, making photography a
crowded experience. Luckily, Britain is still blessed
with many ancient deciduous forests, with
traditional beech and oak woodlands, such as the
New Forest and the Forest of Dean. The end of
October generally guarantees good shooting,
and many autumn trails are documented locally
and well signposted.
Luckily, autumn foliage shoots well in almost
any weather. When it's bright and sunny, gold
and russet leaves look vibrant, contrasted against
blue skies. Early morning or late afternoon sun is
perfect around woodland edges. Deeper in the
forests, only the overhead midday light
penetrates. Backlit pictures of massed trees are
effective at this time of day, but make sure that
you hide the sun, in order to prevent lens flare.
Fog and mist can be atmospheric, especially as
the sun starts to burn through it; and overcast,
drizzly days give deeply saturated, yet soft and
muted colours that evoke the mysterious nature
of woodland. Although you should forget windy
days for foliage closeups, wind-blown groups of
trees can look good at slow shutter speeds.
Many of our best forests are a mixture of open
woodland and heathland. Brackens and heathers
turn a fabulous, golden colour during autumn,
and offer a wider range of habitats and wildlife
than you might expect. In sunny glades and open
heaths of the New Forest, keep an eye out for
deer and its famous ponies.

8 8 8 GET SOME INFORMATION www.the-woodland-trust.org.uk Online magazine and database of woods dedicated to preserving and enjoying our woodland heritage
 Getup&go to… THE NEW FOREST
TOP TIP
8
LESS IS MORE
Keep images simple. When faced with
stunning colour, it's tempting to shoot
every bit you can find, but less is
often more. Examine the scene to see
what makes it so good, and concentrate
on this element.
GETTING IT RIGHT
Long lenses give an attractive
perspective in woodlands, making
trees appear denser (a 70-210mm
zoom is particularly useful). Wide
Colin Varndell
is a angles are better for relating, say,
professional a close up of attractive leaves to
natural history
photographer their wider environment. A tripod
will permit apertures of f16 and
above to cope with the shallow
depth of field of telephotos.
Avoid windy days for foliage
closeups: bright sun can be difficult
to meter because heavy contrasts
between the sun and woodland
shade cause loss of detail. Use a
polariser against blue skies to take
the sheen off wet leaves and
deepen the colours.
HAMPSHIRE
8
GOLDEN
ALL IMAGES © Colin Varndell 2003
THE NEW FOREST
8
BLUE
Golden
foliage looks great
contrasted against deep,
blue skies
FERN
8
BRITAIN
The forest
floor has plenty of AIM FOR LYNDHURST
close-up subjects Take the A337 from Junction 1 on the
M27 to Lyndhurst or Brockenhurst.
HOW TO GET THERE
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
DETAILS
8
WHAT IS IT?
Sprawling across much of Hampshire,
the New Forest is the largest area of
GOLDEN BROWN lowland forest in Europe and the single
8
Backlight is very effective in woodlands as the afternoon sun largest forest in Britain. Created as a
sinks. Make sure that you keep flare under control, either hunting land by William the Conqueror
with a lens hood or by shading it with your hand in 1079, its 150 square miles are a
mixture of ancient medieval woodland,
heathland and plantations. It’s still
coppiced and grazed, both by deer and
the forest’s famous ponies, and it’s a
popular natural attraction. Bolder Wood
near Lyndhurst and the Rhinefield
ornamental drive near Brockenhurst
have the most outstanding displays of
autumn colour.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Nothing – it’s free.
LOCATION
The New Forest, Hampshire.
WOODLAND WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?
8
WILDLIFE There are several visitor centres around
Many of our great
the area – the main one is in the town
ancient woodlands are common
centre car park in Lyndhurst. Visit
land used for grazing, and you may
www.thenewforest.co.uk for
come across ponies and deer in
accommodation links.
the glades and forest edges
POST-SHOOT
8
INCREASE THE COLOUR
8
POWERFUL The colours of autumn are intense, but
COLOUR they can be punched up that little bit
Use a polarising filter to more by increasing the colour saturation
remove the gleam from wet leaves in Photoshop. Don't overdo this or you
and enhance their extraordinary might cause colours to 'posterise' or
colours at this time of year. This will break up when you make a print –
add a couple of stops to the about 10% is plenty.
exposure, so take a tripod
 Side A
8 8
around into a sq in half horizontally
STEP 3: Now fold STEP 2: Fold this side
reach of London
woodland that are within easy
of heathland and ancient
show you four beautiful areas
5 We
SIDE B: WOODLAND
2 ROUTEPLANNER
cathedrals and churches
the do and don'ts of capturing
better shots of architecture, plus
5 Our top ten tips for getting
■ Dos/don
■ Equipme
■ Tips
INDEX:
SIDE A: HOW TO
2 PHOTOGRAPH BUILDINGS
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE
TOPICS COVERED
NOVEMBER 2003
Getup&go
Getup&go HOW TO SHOOT BUILDINGS
You'd think that a
church or building
would be easy to
photograph – after all, it's not
going anywhere and tends to
stay still while you take your
picture. But photographing
buildings brings its own set of
problems that have to be
solved if you’re going to
produce great images. Here are
our tips for getting better shots
of architecture…
VERTICAL VERTICALS
1 Get close to a building
and look up at it: you’ll notice
that the effects of perspective
cause its upper parts to
converge. The brain
compensates for this, and
perceives the building as
having parallel walls. But the
camera has no such
compensation, and in your
picture the building will appear
to fall backwards, particularly
when shot with a wide-angle
lens. To cure this, you need to
ensure that the camera back is
vertical at all times, which may
mean that you don’t get the
whole building in shot.
Assuming that you can’t afford
a specialist ‘perspective shift’
lens, move back (using a
longer lens if necessary) or
look for a higher viewpoint,
such as an upstairs window.
Side A This is side A. Turn over for side B
to fold this booklet:
8 How
from rest of section
STEP 1: Detach sheet
how to get there
■ Detailed maps of
2
TEAROUT FACTSHEET NO.13
BREAK THE RULES
2 Sometimes it’s
necessary to throw away the
rule book and let those
verticals converge. But don’t be
half-hearted about this – fit a
wide-angle lens, get in close
and let rip. Tall buildings work
well for this treatment,
especially skyscrapers. Consider
exaggerating the effect by
tilting the camera or choosing
your viewpoint to create a
strong, central vanishing point.
PATTERNS
3 Buildings are generally
regular structures. Enhance this
by looking for repetitions and
patterns within their facades.
Long lenses enhance patterns
by condensing the various
elements into seemingly flatter
planes, producing more
graphical images.
USE THAT TRIPOD
4 Architectural shots
demand the use of a tripod
wherever possible, to allow
longer shutter speeds and thus
smaller apertures for better
front-to-back sharpness.
However, it also helps to
ensure that verticals are
upright and horizons level by
slowing down the process,
leaving you time to consider
the image before shooting.
about the shoot, and we'll reply!
with your name & a few words
gallery.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
Email a small JPEG to
■ Now send us your pictures!
the light will be better.
the day, and come back later if
assess where the sun will be in
day progresses. Use a compass to
around a building as the
The light changes 03
Compass
to your architectural images.
blue skies, adding more interest
glass windows and to deepen
control reflections in
Use a polariser both to
02
Polarising filter
down the process.
the composition better by slowing
of field. It also helps you consider
longer exposures for better depth
will enable you to select
Use of a sturdy tripod
01
Tripod
>
better results
three items for
EQUIPMENT:
GETTING IT RIGHT: CATHEDRALS
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE SECOND
FOLD ALONG THIS LINE FIRST
.
GOOD DAY tripod and long exposure are
5 Blue skies enhance any all you need to photograph
building and don’t cause the these, but you’ll need to assess
same general background flare the lighting to ensure that its
and loss of detail that a bright, colour is faithfully recorded.
white sky will create. If a sky is Many modern digitals have a
bland and featureless, look for host of white-balance settings
overhanging trees or a nearby to deal with artificial lights but
doorway or arch to hide it. it’s generally best to use a
basic daylight mode or you run
FLOODLIT COLOURS the risk of ‘correcting’ the very
6 Many public buildings feature that you’re trying to
capture. Generally, buildings
are transformed at night by a
little artistic floodlighting. A are lit with tungsten lights,
RIGHT ANGLE
7 Any building
depends on a combination
of camera position and
lighting to look its best.
Think of it as a cube and
you’ll realise that it looks
more solid when viewed
from an angle rather than
straight on, and that a
suitable lighting direction
can enhance its appearance.
As with landscapes, a low
sun can add to a building,
skimming across and
highlighting the detail.
Northern aspects never see
the sun, so consider other
options, such as silhouetting
this view against the setting
sun or shooting at night
when it may be floodlit.
crosses around churchyards. or archways.
gravestones, gateways and with overhanging foliage
extra information. There are If necessary, hide them
main building and provide and flatten the image.
foregrounds to frame the which can cause lens flare
Do look for interesting Do avoid bland, white skies,
FOREGROUND INTEREST BLAND SKIES
editing program.
them your image-
lens; or by correcting
and using a longer
point, by moving back
finding a higher view
Do correct verticals by
VERTICALS
Dos and don’ts
DETACH HERE
6
while streets are illuminated series as the sun drops. So take
with sodium, a difficult source plenty of pictures at different
to correct for at the best of times, from about half an hour
times. Dusk is the best time, before sunset to at least 15
providing a deep, rich blue to minutes after the sun’s sunk
the sky to contrast with the beneath the horizon. The
subject. Meter off the building afterglow can produce stunning
and bracket around the result. effects, especially if you’re
A good starting point is 2 secs near the sea, so don’t turn
at f5.6 for ISO 100. your back and walk off. And
remember to re-meter the
SUNSET scene every couple of minutes.
8 A sunset isn’t just one
picture, but an ever-changing ALL IN THE DETAIL
9 Details can often be
more effective at summing
up a building than getting
the whole edifice in shot.
Use the interplay of light
and shadow to highlight
IMAGE © Mike Kipling 2003
gargoyles, intricate carvings
and buttresses on churches
or old houses; or highlight
the colour and materials on
modern buildings.
VERTIGINOUS
10 VIEWPOINTS
When you’ve shot the obvious,
look for something different.
One useful technique that can
produce a whole new raft of
creative options is to seek
access to the tops of buildings.
Climb up church towers or take
a lift to a skyscraper’s viewing
platform for rooftop cityscapes
and images looking down the
building itself.
 Getup&go Pocket reference guides 05 Getup&go Pocket reference guides 06

Better photos Kit corner

LENS HOODS
All lenses should have one!
HOW TO IMPROVE WHAT IS LENS FLARE? Direct light falling onto many digital cameras, especially those where

YOUR METERING your lens causes flare – multi-faceted

aberrations. This happens when the sun is in
the picture, or when strong sidelighting is
the lens doesn’t retract into the body. The
hood should be dedicated to your lens, and
clip or screw to the lens rim.
EXPOSURE Top tips for perfect lighting used. It’s caused by stray light catching the FREE REMEDIES Try shading your lens with
With no mid tones to
meter from, it’s Your camera’s built-in exposure is calibrated as if all the tones surfaces of the glass elements inside the lens, your hand or a piece of card. Alternatively,
necessary to add a in your picture will average out as 18% grey, and it exposes creating specular reflections across the picture position yourself in the shadow of a nearby
compensation of accordingly. Faced with a white, winter landscape, the meter and generally degrading it. building or tree. Use the same process if the
1.5 to 2 stops to
reproduce the snow attempts to expose snow as if it’s 18% grey, turning that WHAT’S A LENS HOOD? A simple bit of black sun is in the picture, hiding it behind a
as brilliant white. pristine whiteness to dirty sludge. Turn over to find out how plastic that stops light falling on your lens. All convenient object, in order to prevent it
to counter this problem… SLR lenses can be fitted with one, as can shining straight into the lens.

Getup&go Pocket reference guides 07 Getup&go Pocket reference guides 08

The knowledge Fix factory

DEPTH OF FIELD
This is important in
HOW TO FAKE
nature photography,
where animals and
plants often need to
DEPTH OF FIELD
be separated from Don’t let a distracting background
their environment for
them to be seen. get in the way of a great shot
ent
n’ts

DEPTH OF FIELD
Control the zone of sharpness in shots
d
This is the area of sharpness either side of the point of focus.
quare It varies with the focal length of the lens and the aperture in
use: wide angles and small apertures produce a wider zone;
longer lenses and larger apertures produce a narrower one.
It’s also affected by the distance between you and your
subject: closer focusing gives less depth of field.
 Getup&go to… DURHAM CATHEDRAL
ARCHITECTURE CATHEDRAL HEIGHTS
Mike Kipling puts on his walking shoes, for the best shots of Durham Cathedral
ew places are as commanding as
F
Durham’s great cathedral, voted
Britain’s favourite building in a recent poll.
Firmly anchored on a large wooded loop in
the River Wear, known as the Peninsula, its
huge bulk and three massive towers
dominate the city skyline for miles around.
The secret to photographing this
Norman masterpiece is to put in the leg
work, timing it to coincide with the
HILLSIDE COLOUR
8
The classic Durham photo is even
better shot in the autumn
www.durhamcathedral.co.uk Official cathedral website with opening hours and exhibition costs
NORTH FACE
8
Overhanging foliage disguises a bland
sky and prevents flare
8
DISTANT SPIRES
The cathedral is visible from all over
Durham, so get walking!
afternoon light. There are interesting shots
in the approach streets, but the quiet
cloisters and original monastery beyond
the cathedral around College Green allow
the most intimate views. Unfortunately,
photography is not allowed inside the
cathedral itself, though it would be churlish
not to visit the interior, with its superb
Romanesque architecture.
Returning to the outside, wander down
through the woods to the riverside walk
between Prebends Bridge and
Framwellgate. From here there are classic
views of the west face, towering above
little Fulling Mill at the edge of the
weir. It’s a fine picture at any time, but
superb on an autumn afternoon as the
leaves turn. Surprisingly, the riverside
shopping centre at Framwellgate is also an
excellent place to capture both the castle
and cathedral rising above the 12th
century bridge. Modern developments
now intrude on the Gothic east face.
As the sun sinks, it’s time to relocate to
COUNTY DURHAM
ALL IMAGES © Mike Kipling 2003
DURHAM CATHEDRAL
8
AIM FOR DURHAM
Follow the A690 into Durham from the
A1(M). There is parking in Palace Green;
and a park and ride along A690.
HOW TO GET THERE
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
DETAILS
8
WHAT IS IT?
Regarded as the perfect example of
late Romanesque architecture,
Durham Cathedral was started in
1093. Finished in just 40 years, it
stands on the site of an earlier Saxon
church. For many centuries the abbey
was home to a community of
Benedictine monks, and is now, along
with the castle, a World Heritage Site.
Much of the interior featured in the
first Harry Potter film.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
A donation is requested for the
cathedral. Tower (10am to 3pm) £2;
Shrine of St Cuthbert (10am to 4pm)
adults £2, children 50p.
higher ground. Silhouette the cathedral’s LOCATION
Durham, County Durham.
towers against the sunset from Gilesgate
to the east of town, or head west towards WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?
South Street and the railway station for Undercroft restaurant open 10am to
evening views across the rooftops. 4.30pm daily for snacks and meals.
BEST RESULTS
8
TOP TIP
8
DURHAM CATHEDRAL
A standard zoom is suitable for most
vistas around Durham Cathedral,
WHEN IS IT BEST TO
with perhaps a wider lens for the
PHOTOGRAPH TREES?
Trees obscure lower parts of the
narrow medieval streets nearby.
cathedral in summer and early
Telephotos are largely redundant
autumn. If it’s the architecture that
until evening for sunset shots from
particularly attracts you, come in
further afield, when a tripod is
late autumn or winter when the
advisable. Pay particular attention to
views are less broken up. In any case,
the verticals, especially with wide-angle
pick a sunny day with blue skies to
lenses, shooting from further back on a
make the most of the golden sandstone
longer focal length wherever possible to
keep these upright.
of the cathedral.

SIDELIGHT
A combination of a
lens hood and a
convenient tree out of
shot to prevent strong
afternoon sidelight
from striking the lens.
Get equipment advice at www.dcmag.co.uk/kitcorner
Blurring out background detail
Prevent your main subject getting lost in distracting detail…
SELECT YOUR SUBJECTS
01 Begin by selecting your main subjects.
Draw a rough loop around one with the
Lasso tool and click the Quick Mask button. Choose a
brush and paint up to the edges – an airbrush gives a
soft edge to the selection.
USE THE GRADIENT TOOL
03 In the background layer, hit the Quick
Mask button again and choose the
Gradient tool from the Tool bar (it’s under the Fill
bucket). Pick Foreground To Background in the Option
menu’s pull-down list (the top-left option).
For blurring techniques, go to www.dcmag.co.uk/fixfactory
METERING MODE The secret is
to select a metering mode to
deal with the shortcomings of
built-in meters. Rather than
expose for the whole scene
with an average reading,
select a centre-weighted or,
better still, a spot-meter mode
and look for a mid tone in the
picture to take a reading from.
If there isn’t one, find a similar
BRIGHT REFLECTIONS
Look out for bright one nearby in the same light –
reflections when fresh, green grass and red brick
shooting into the sun are both about 18% grey in
near water – they can tone. As for the snow scene on
cause lens flare… STOP OVEREXPOSURE
Zoom into fill the the front of this card, you could
frame with the view, meter as normal then
take your reading and compensate for its whiteness
trap it with your
by adding an extra 1.5 to 2
camera’s exposure
IS SUN IN THE FRAME? lock, then reframe stops to your exposure. Set this
Hide the sun behind and take the picture. manually or use your exposure
a tree or other item compensation control.
in the picture to
prevent it striking the
lens directly. TOP TIP Many photographers
use an incident light meter
instead of relying on their
camera’s reflective meter.
Rather than measure the light
reflected from the subject, this
computes the light falling onto
it, so that it’s unaffected by its
tone and gives a true reading.
AVERAGE METERING
Measuring the exposure from
The shadow and
your subject’s position may not highlight tones
always be possible, in which balance, making it
possible to expose a
case place yourself in a similar
complex picture
light. And remember to point
with an average
the meter back towards your metering mode.
camera and not at the subject!
Find expert tips online at www.dcmag.co.uk/betterphotos
TELL ME MORE Once all prime lenses
had a depth of field (DOF) scale
etched alongside the focusing ring,
with aperture settings either side of
a central cursor. You focused on your
subject, then referred to the scale to
tell you how far either side of this
was also sharp. Focusing a 24mm
lens set at f8 to 1.5 metres, for
instance, produced a band of
sharpness that extended from three
metres down to one metre; closing
the aperture to f16 extended this
SHARP FOCUS The
from infinity down to 0.8 metres.
small aperture and
Modern zoom lenses rarely have this wide-angle lens
information printed on them, making enables sharp
SAVE THE SELECTIONS
02 When you’ve finished, save the selection
it more difficult to employ. focus to be maintained
from foreground
HOW DO I USE IT? Strict control over
and repeat step one for the other subjects. right through to
DOF enhances any picture. Employ a distant background.
Then load in your previous work, choosing the Add To
shallow DOF, and subjects stand out
Selection option. With your main subjects selected,
from a background. A wide DOF can
click Control + J to paste them into a new layer.
make an entire picture pin-sharp,
which is useful when you’re shooting
in a busy environment where exact
focusing may be difficult. Set a small
aperture of, say, f16 on a wide-angle
lens and it probably won’t matter
where you focus!
DIGITAL DEPTH OF FIELD Due to their
smaller sensor sizes, lenses in most
digital cameras have a larger DOF-to-
aperture ratio than 35mm cameras, INFINITY POINT When
making it more difficult to use DOF all the image lies
FINISHING TOUCHES as a creative tool. The upside is that beyond the infinity
04 Draw a line from the centre of the bottom front-to-back focusing is easier to
point on the focus
ring, wider apertures
edge, about one fifth of the way up. achieve, which is perfect for can be used to allow
Choose Select8Inverse, then Filter8Blur8Gaussian landscape work. If you want to use shorter shutter speeds.
Blur. Input an amount of about 6 and the background DOF creatively, move to an SLR digital
will blur, leaving your main subjects pin-sharp. system or use image manipulation.
Find expert advice on depth of field at www.dcmag.co.uk/theknowledge
 Getup&go... routeplanner
PULLOUT NO.13

An autumn trail
Autumn is a great time of year for a walk in the woods – just don’t forget to take your camera

Y
ou don’t have to drive to the back of beyond to experience the
simple pleasures of a walk in the woods. The beauty of nature
isn’t restricted to wild, faraway places. If you live in our great capital city,
here are four spectacularly colourful and beautiful areas of heath and
ancient woodlands within easy reach, which are all great for autumn
colour. And what if you don’t live in the great metropolis? Well, visit
2 2 EPPING FOREST
them anyway – you’ll have a great day out and take home some
brilliant pictures to boot!

2 1 BURNHAM BEECHES
One of the finest and best known
tracts of ancient woodland and heaths
left in the south of England, the
Nature Reserve of Burnham Beeches,
near Slough, may be relatively small
(500 acres) but it attracts half a
million visitors every year. Even so, it’s
a tranquil place, with a rich diversity
of wildlife, and spectacular golden
foliage and forest floors that are at
their best in late October.
HOW TO GET THERE The main car park
is off the A355, a few miles south of
Beaconsfield at junction 2 of the M40.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Nothing –
it’s free.
WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES? There are
refreshments available in the wood
and the nearby Jolly Woodman serves
pub lunches and snacks.
LOOK OUT FOR The ancient pollarded
beeches, many over 500 years old, for
which the woods are famous.
3 4
Epping Forest is the largest public
open space in London, with nearly
half of its 6,000 acres easily accessible
woodland served by London
Underground. Ancient beeches, oaks
and hornbeam make this a superb
day out to capture the colours of
autumn. It’s reckoned that the ancient
art of pollarding here has extended
the life of some of the trees in the
2 forest to as much as 1,000 years.
WHERE TO GO The A104 runs the
length of the forest, accessed from
Junction 26 of the M25 via the A121.
There are plenty of car parks along
this road.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Nothing –
1 it’s free.
WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES? Information
centre and Green Tea Hut at High
Beach, off the A104, plus the nearby
Kings Oak Hotel.
LOOK OUT FOR The fallow deer that
roam in the forest, and the ghost of
Dick Turpin who once plied his
nefarious trade along the forest roads.
2 4 WINKWORTH ARBORETUM
More a 100-acre
woodland garden
than a traditional
arboretum,
Winkworth was
created in 1938
from existing
woodlands where
Gertrude Jekyll played as a child. Now managed by
the National Trust, it’s a beautiful landscape of exotic
trees and shrubs planted on a hillside around a pair of
lakes. Gently winding paths and cobbled steps guide
you around stands of Japanese maples, birch, oaks
and larches that are spectacular in autumn.
HOW TO GET THERE Leave the A3 at Guildford and the
arboretum is two miles south east of Godalming on
the B2130.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Adults £4.

2 3 DEVIL’S PUNCHBOWL WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES? Open dawn to dusk;

tearoom open 11am to 4pm. Telephone 01483 208
The deep natural amphitheatre in the lowland heaths of Hinhead Common, 477 for more details.
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02

known as the Devil’s Punchbowl, is awash in autumn with the colours of LOOK OUT FOR: The newly restored boathouse and the
dying brackens and heathers. excellent views over the North Downs.
HOW TO GET THERE The A3 between Godalming and Petersfield cuts
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY MCLAUGHLIN

Hinhead Common in half, an unfortunate state of affairs hopefully soon to

be rectified by the building of a tunnel to divert the road.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Nothing – it’s free.
WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES? Pay and display car park £2 (National Trust 2 KEY
members free).
LOOK OUT FOR The mists rising after a hot day to fill the great depression – they helped give the place its name. Food/drink Toilet Wildlife Historical Parking
available facilities habitats interest facilities
 Getup&go to… ABERFOYLE
ALL IMAGES © Laurie Campbell 2003
NATURE FUNGI FORAYS
Take an autumn walk with Pete Martin into the woodland world of mushrooms
ungi are nature’s recylers. Neither
F FLY AGARIC
plant nor animal, over 3,500 species
inhabit the UK, many living off the debris
and leaf litter of our broadleaf woodlands.
Whether your interest is in pictorial
photography or ‘collecting’ every species,
the best time to go hunting is after a damp
spell, preferably in autumn!
The photogenic part of any fungus is its
fruiting body, which takes a number of
forms: mushrooms, puffballs, brackets, corals
or slimes. The most colourful mushrooms –
the poisonous fly agaric – occur at ground
level in conifer woods; some, like shaggy ink
caps, prefer woodland edges; and button
mushrooms are found in meadows.
Mushrooms damage and decay quickly so
take immediate advantage of attractive
specimens. Many are small and grow in a
busy environment, so it’s important to
get close to fill the frame. A 50 or 60mm
macro lens is fine, but take care not to
work in your own light. Many species grow
WAX CAP
5 Get in close to the underside gills of
attractive specimens for cracking
abstract texture shots
www.agarics.org Online database with pictures to help with fungi identification www.mushroomrecipes.com Great ways to eat your subject matter
5 The prettiest of mushrooms is also one
of the most toxic, so take care not to
touch it while photographing it
TROOPING CRUMBLE
5
You won't need a macro lens to fill the
image with close-packed fungi. Aim to
keep everything in focus
in good sized clumps, allowing wider
lenses to show both subject and habitat, a
particularly effective technique with bracket
fungi, which grow like stacks of plates from
dead timber.
Get down low for the best viewpoints. Try
to keep backgrounds simple, either with
controlled depth of field or carefully chosen
colours. Even standard lenses will allow you
to crop closely into the abstract patterns
produced by tightly packed groups or
8
brackets; while macros take you close into
details, such as the texture of gills beneath
a mushroom’s cap.
BOG BEACON
5 Sometimes the colours can be rather
startling – as shown by this yellow bog
beacon fungi
STIRLINGSHIRE
ABERFOYLE
8
AIM FOR STIRLING
It’s on the A81 north of Stirling, which lies
just past the junction of the M9 from
Edinburgh and the M80 from Glasgow.
HOW TO GET THERE
8
© CROWN COPYRIGHT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: AM134/02
BASED ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING
DETAILS
8
WHAT IS IT?
Known as the gateway to the
Trossachs, the village of Aberfoyle lies
within the Lomond and Trossachs
National Park, and is renowned for its
annual Mushroom Festival, held this
year 24th to 27th October. Alongside
the various edible attractions and
entertainments, there are guided
fungi forays in the picturesque Queen
Elizabeth Forest Park, which surrounds
the village. The woods here –
especially Loch Ard Forest – are good
hunting grounds for mushrooms and
plenty more.
LOCATION
Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Nothing – it’s free.
BEST RESULTS WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?
Café at the visitor centre in the Forest
GETTING IT RIGHT Park. See www.aberfoyle.co.uk for
Light is sparse on the forest floor so details of accommodation, or try the
decent camera support is essential. If Forth Inn in Aberfoyle for rooms and
your tripod won’t go low enough, use a some of the best food in the area.
bean bag or change to the versatile
Benbo system. Cameras with swivelling
LCDs, such as Nikon's Coolpix, can prove
useful. Overcast days or woodland
POST-SHOOT
8
shade give the best results, producing
images with deeply saturated colours,
sunlight merely serving to increase the CLONE TOOLS
contrast. Flash is rarely of use, but a Use your Clone tools to ‘clean up’ a
small reflector made from card and tin background. It can be thrown out of
foil will punch extra light into shadows. focus by selecting the main subject,
Long shutter speeds are not really a inverting it to select the background,
problem, allowing you to select then making a copy layer and applying
apertures for creativity rather than Gaussian Blur. Don't overdo this,
necessity. Use a cable release or the self
timer to avoid shutter shake.
especially if the transition from
foreground to background is continuous.
THE PANEL YOUR
Adam Evans
The illustrious editor of
Digital Camera Magazine
Tom Ang
Prolific author of many
digital camera books
PICTURES
SEND IN YOUR BEST SHOTS TODAY! SHOOT

fMike Zagorski TOM It’s a clean panorama but do

you really want to deny a focus for
ADAM Yes, it’s very nicely shot and
stitched together but it just doesn’t
NAME OF PICTURE Panorama
the viewer? Try to compose future quite work as a photograph. I’d love
This is a panorama I took after reading your advice on shooting shots with a point of interest included to see some more panoramas from
this kind of photo. It was taken with a Sony S75, then stitched DCMAG.C
in the landscape. you, though, Mike. O.UK
together in my image-editing software. Hope you like it!
ACTIVE
TH READ!
dcmag.c
mikezago.uk/
orski

fRay Houser fDavid Steen Have your say!

NAME OF PICTURE Red Dragon Tell us what you think of this picture.
NAME OF PICTURE Dan the Vampire Like it or loathe it, we want to know!
I took this shot with a Fuji Finepix 3800 in telephoto, not macro,
mode. I particularly like the shadow of the wing detail on the Following your
blade of grass below the wing. The only tweaking was a slight
increase in contrast and saturation.
article on
photographing f David Graham I am rather pleased with this shot of a
dragonfly drying its wings. My wife saw it crash land into
the water and crawl out onto this leaf to dry off. I dashed off to
children, in issue 10,
here’s a photo of get my camera and took several pictures getting closer each time.
my son for your I managed to get it to crawl on to my hand at one point!
consideration. It
was taken with REACTION

f it’s a shame that the end fquite look right – maybe

an Olympus C5050 – Robin Scott I like it but Claire Hudson It doesn’t
don’t worry, the
teeth are fake! of the tail is missing rotate it 90 degrees?

f Mary Steen A nice photo

thanks to some good f Amanda Higgins The
detail on this shot is
composition and sense of depth amazing! Well done

TOM A pretty portrait, but the background TOM Why not go further – hairy face, furry
is almost too beautiful, too distracting. Try ears? Hold the camera the other way: the
to avoid over-sharpening. shadow will be less obtrusive.

DCMAG.C
O.UK
ADAM I think that’s nit-picking, Tom! A tighter
crop would help but overall it’s a beautifully
ADAM This is a fun image, but a few extra
seconds of preparation, say to wrap a fake cloak ACTIVE
detailed image. Nice one, Ray. around him, would have made it even better.
TH READ!
dcmag.c
davidgrao.uk/
ham
 SHOOT SETTING UP A STUDIO ON A BUDGET PART ONE

Setting up a studio
on a budget If you want to push back the boundaries of your portrait
technique, why not invest in a home studio? Tim Daly looks at
the essential kit and techniques in this new, three-part series

01

02
3 THE STUDIO BASICS
Setting up a studio doesn’t have to be expensive,
03
but your shopping list should include the following
basic items…

01 Diffuser A gadget that softens the quality of

ABOVE
This is a very simple and inexpensive indoor
studio setup – it’s perfect for taking an
informal portrait like this
light 02 Reflector A device designed to reflect
04 light into a scene 03 Backdrop A material or fabric
background 04 Sync lead A cable that’s used to
connect a flashgun to a camera, it triggers the
camera’s shutter fires.

100 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


U
nlike location photography, shooting in the RIGHT
studio is a certainty. There’s no waiting around The garage studio is an ideal environment for starting
for the right kind of light effect or struggling off and you don’t have to pack your kit away
with a wealth of distractions. With a studio setup, you’re between shoots…
the boss, and you alone can match the character of your
sitter to a photographic style. Moving up from a basic battery-powered pack, limiting the distance. Both are
camera and portable flash unit kit to a full-blown studio manufactured in different strengths, measured in Joules,
setup doesn’t need to be expensive, as there are plenty with a basic 500J head offering enough output for all
of budget options to choose from. types of studio portrait. Weaker strengths like 250J need
to be used closer to the subject and may not allow you
Flash lighting to shoot using smaller aperture values.
Unlike portable flashguns, which fire on and off without Throughout shooting, the light unit is connected to
a preview, studio lights are fitted with an extra light the camera via a synchronisation cable, attached to the
bulb, called a modelling lamp. The modelling lamp stays camera at one end, and the PC or X sync socket at the
on all the time and it can help you judge the quality and other end. For cameras without these sockets, a cheap
atmosphere of your lighting style. adaptor can be inserted into the hotshoe and then
Flash units are supplied in two forms: cheaper, connected to the flash synchronisation cable.
Monobloc lights have their own built-in power supply
and can work independently from other light sources, Flash meter
sometimes at a great distance; more expensive At the heart of a studio exposure calculation is the hand-
Powerpack flashlights are plugged into a single mains or held flash meter. Unlike shooting on location with
continuous daylight, the
camera meter doesn’t
respond to studio flash, so an
independent meter is used
instead. With the camera set
to manual exposure mode,
the flash meter determines
the aperture value required
for making an accurate
exposure. As all studio
portraits are shot in a blackout
room, there’s no need to take
account of a shutter speed
setting for your camera. Set
your camera to 1/60th
LEFT
IMAGE © Lastolite
A reflector should be high
on your home photo-studio
shopping list…
CONTROLS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
CHOOSING A LIGHT MODIFIER FLASH HEAD SETTINGS
01 The quality of light from a studio flash unit can 02 Light output is controlled by independent
be modified by the attachment of various stepless sliders for both flashtube and
heads, including umbrellas. Umbrellas are made as shoot- modelling light. Basic flash heads have full, half and
through or reflector types and can help to soften down the quarter power output options, but much better control can
quality of light. be gained with stepless sliders.
FIND
*
Studio flash can rebound off your sitter’s spectacles if you position the lights incorrectly.
OUT If hotspots do occur, get your subject to tilt their head slightly downward or move the
MORE light to a sideways position
0 EXPERT TIP
TIM DALY’S
STUDIO ADVICE
GARAGE STUDIO
The only drawback with setting up
a portrait studio at home is the
amount of space you need to
do the task. Portraits are best
shot with a longish telephoto lens,
used at some distance from the
sitter. In a normal 12 x 12-foot
second and leave it there. The flash meter detects light
domestic room, full-length head to
levels through a fixed, white dome called an invercone, toe shots of adults are virtually
which must not be obstructed. impossible. A alternative option is
It’s only necessary to take a reading at the start of the to convert your garage…
shoot, or whenever you change the position of your
light or sitter. In use, the flash meter is connected to the
camera end of the synchronisation cable, where it
communicates with the flash unit. Positioned as close to
the subject with the invercone pointing at the camera
lens rather than the light, the flashmeter triggers the
burst of flash and creates an aperture value reading.
Backgrounds and reflectors
Professional photographers use a range of paper and
fabric backgrounds for portrait and fashion work. A much
better system for home use is the fold-up Lastolite
system. Backgrounds of every shade, colour and paint * WEBLINKS
effect can be bought in a wide range of sizes. Lastolite
backgrounds are lightweight and fold up ingeniously, so ELINCHROM AND
you can assemble your studio in seconds. PROLINCA FLASH LIGHTS
www.elinchrom.com
Reflectors are designed to absorb photographic
Used by the professionals and
lighting and not produce unwanted visible seams, folds amateurs alike, Elinchrom and its
or shiny reflections, a basic Lastolite should be the first budget brother, Prolinca, offer
item on your shopping list. In addition to backgrounds, excellent value for money.
Check out the Style 600 series kit.
Lastolite also makes portable circular reflectors that are
essential for controlling the contrast of your flashlight.
SEKONIC LIGHT METERS
Held near to the subject, the reflector bounces light back
www.sekonic.com
onto the face and can help to avoid unflattering Designed to fit all budgets, Sekonic
shadows. Better models are two sided, with silver and flash meters offer accuracy and
gold for an option between cool and warm tone. ease of use.
Here’s a simple three-step guide to the important
controls in your basic studio kit
CONTACT US!
TIM DALY
tim@photocollege.co.uk
HOLDING A FLASHMETER NEXT MONTH
03 Light levels are detected by the circular white SETTING UP
invercone at the top of the unit, giving an A STUDIO
aperture read-out. Always check that you’re not standing in Next month’s tutorial is on
the passage of light when you take a flashmeter reading. light quality
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 101
 Q&A YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

HotLine
Welcome to the UK’s complete help service. We’ll tackle any problem – our unique HotLine
Network means no problem is too hard. Email us today at hotline.dcm@futurenet.co.uk
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next to it is a member of our HotLine
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is pleased to recommend their
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YOUR EXPERTS
APERTURE AND SHUTTER SPEED FOR NIGHT SHOTS
TAKING NIGHT SHOTS OF
NEW YORK
I’m interested in photographing nightscapes,
such as the beautiful, tall buildings of New
York City at night. I own a Canon A70 digital
camera that has a fully automatic control button.
However, I don’t know how to set the correct aperture
and shutter speed to get that picture-perfect shot.
Can you please tell me what aperture and shutter
speed professional photographers use to make the
buildings come out like sparkling jewels in the night sky?
■ Samson Fuentes
How lucky you are to live in New York. I made
my first tentative steps in photography there
aperture and as long an exposure as possible
– say F32 and 30 seconds. The reason for this
is that at the smallest aperture, the lens
gives the sharpest results, allowing only a
tiny flow of light to enter the camera,
building up to a perfect exposure over 30
seconds or longer. Unfortunately, with most
consumer digital cameras you can’t have an
exposure of longer than a few seconds, due
to the problem of noise (see next question)
or a minimum aperture smaller than F7 – on
yours it’s F4.8.
It’s better to shoot at dusk, when there is
still some light in the sky. Mount the camera on
a tripod and shoot using the self-timer with the flash
Shots like this one, of the Urbis Centre in Manchester, are better
off. The camera may tend to overexpose – compare
what you see on the LCD with the scene in front of
taken at dusk if you’re using a consumer digital camera

AIDAN 22 years ago with my first film SLR camera. you, and use the exposure compensation to darken the select the right shutter speed. You’ll need to fine tune,
O’ROURKE As for the aperture and shutter speed settings used image if necessary. using the exposure compensation.
HotLine Network
Editor by professional photographers, it depends whether you To optimise the performance of your lens, set the For truly glittering night shots of Manhattan that are
Aidan is a photographer who works are using a compact digital or prosumer SLR camera. aperture to the narrowest value – you can do this as good enough to enlarge as posters, a professional
for the Manchester Evening News
With SLR cameras the technique is to use as small an the A70 has aperture priority – and let the camera camera may well be required! See you in New York!
www.dcmag.co.uk/aidanorourke

BARRY
JACKSON
HotLine Network
Expert
Phantom pixels of the night DCMAG.CO.UK
Barry is a published photographer
Noise caused by over-exposure
ACTIVE
Grainy night pictures THREAD!
and Photoshop artist
www.dcmag.co.uk/barryjackson

NICK dcmag.co.uk/
MERRITT I have taken a couple of photographs at night, anyway. If they are more widespread, then nightshots
HotLine Network
Expert using the self-timer. They are extremely one method in Photoshop would be to set
Nick is an editor, writer and grainy and dark. I’ve tried to brighten and Photoshop Actions to record and carefully
Photoshop expert
despeckle, but it hasn’t helped. Any suggestions? clone out each pixel. You could then re-use
www.dcmag.co.uk/nickmerritt
■ Andrew Davies this on other pictures. But Jonathan Ryan
has an altogether more cunning and
ALL SKILL LEVELS A major drawback of digital cameras is their intelligent solution for this problem – see
WELCOME!
tendency to produce noise at exposures of On The Forums, page 105.
over a second. This is visible as a pattern of If the pictures are grainy and dark, it
dots or hot pixels. The longer the exposure, the more could be that the camera simply isn't up to
BEGINNER MEDIUM ADVANCED
dots are produced, until you have snow – similar to taking night shots. Alternatively, you could
what you seen when a TV isn’t tuned to any channel. find night subjects that are brighter – for
CONTACT US Although the scatter of hot pixels looks random, example, neon signs, illuminated
We’re here to help! Contact HotLine it’s actually identical in every shot. Every camera windows and facades – and see how the
in one of the following ways:
By email help.dcm@futurenet.co.uk produces its own unique signature of ‘phantom camera copes with it. But the chances are that Grainy night pictures can be improved using various methods
By website www.dcmag.co.uk pixels’. If there are just a few here and there, the on a cheaper camera, you won’t be able to in Photoshop, but some digital cameras simply aren’t up to the
By letter HotLine, Digital Camera Magazine, task of taking them in the first place
cloning tool will remove them without any problem. expose for longer than a second or so without
Future Publishing Ltd, 30 Monmouth St,
Bath, BA1 2BW UK In light areas of the picture they’ll be concealed getting a storm of phantom pixels!

102 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


GIVE YOUR PHOTOS THE EDGE
EDGES AND FRAMES
I want to add a frame or edge to my photos –
the black, slightly uneven frames that are often
offered with film printing. I don’t fancy
spending $200 on a program like Extensis Photo-Frame. I
just need one type of frame. I use Photoshop 7 for editing.
■ Rafi Bryl
There are many different ways of creating
an edge of this type. One of them is to use
your image-editing software to make an
LARGER PIXEL DIMENSIONS MEAN GREATER DETAIL
Image size vs image quality
I am trying to figure out the relationship
between image size, image quality and file
size. With my Minolta 7hi I can set the image
size at, say, 2,560 and 1,920 pixels, with the image
quality between standard to super-fine. However, the
image quality setting apparently does not affect the
number of pixels in the image. How then is the image
quality affected, if the PPI is not increased?
■ Peet Marais
The two important factors to bear in mind
when considering digital images are, as you
say, image size and image quality. Confusion
arises from the different words people use to describe
these factors. They often talk about shooting at the
camera’s highest ‘resolution’, or ‘quality’, and also
describe file size in terms of number of ‘megs’,
without reference to the amount of JPEG compression.
A lot of confusion could be saved if standard terms
had been agreed in the early days of digital
photography, and then we wouldn’t be mystified by
‘megs’, ‘hi-res’, ‘low-res’, ‘big size’ or ‘small size’.
The most important factor in
any digital photograph is its pixel
dimensions. The larger the pixel
dimensions of the camera
sensor, the greater the
amount of detail captured.
Multiplying the two
together gives you the
HOTLINE
NETWORK
MEMBER
uneven or jagged edge. Here’s one method: use the
rectangular marquee to select the four edges of the
photo. Do this by selecting the inner part of the photo
– minus the edges – and invert the selection. Use
Distort8Wave to create a wavy edge.
Clare McFadden gives a useful link to a website
with many tips and tutorials for making frames. The
example above is taken from there.
Another way you could do it would be to make a
rough edge using a random pattern – I often use
Filter8Noise8Add Noise. First draw an edge around
number of pixels in the image – for example, 4.91
million. Multiply this by three for the red, green and
blue values – nearly 15 million bytes.
The other key factor is compression. Without
compression, each photo would take up 15 million
bytes (megabytes) of disk space. Compression reduces
the size of the file when stored, saving precious disk
space. If you apply only mild compression – the super-
fine setting on your camera – you get a larger file on
JONATHAN RYAN
When you’re on the forums, looks out for Hotline Expert, Jonathan Ryan. He’s full of
useful tips and tricks – and is often on hand to solve even the most demanding problem
?
The frame on the left is created by Extensis
PhotoFrame, and the frame on the right is
created in Photoshop on a separate layer, by
PROFILES
using a combination of brushes and filters to
achieve the same, if not better result! WHERE CAN I GET MORE
INFO ON MAKING
EDGES?
Pages and pages of links to
ingenious techniques for making
edges and frames. See a review of
this excellent website in
Recommended Reading.
the picture on a layer of its own, in ■ www.retouchpro.com/forums/
any colour, and then add Noise. This showthread.php?s=&threadid=3244
has the effect of adding pixels of
many different colours. Use the
Magic Wand to select pixels of one
colour plus neighbouring colours,
and then delete. Use the Gaussian Blur filter to
defocus the pixels, giving an uneven edge around
the picture. Now create an inside edge by using the
Magic Wand to select the blank area in the middle.
Select inverse, delete the random pixels and fill the
area with black. You now have a rather nice random
edge. Experiment with different settings.
In my opinion, if you really want the edge to look
authentic, the best way to do it is to make a copy
of an edge taken from a scanned photo. Digital
imaging effects can often look very artificial.
DCMAG.CO.UK
disk – maybe a third of the size of the file on screen,
and a higher quality image. If you apply greater
ACTIVE
compression – the standard setting – the picture shrinks
to a smaller size, but you’ll notice a loss of picture
THREAD!
dcmag.co.uk/
information and a lower quality image. imagesize
I recommend setting the camera to the largest
image size (pixel dimensions) and highest JPEG quality
(lowest compression). You can always downsize a
larger image, but you can’t upsize a smaller image.
The image on the left has been
sampled up in size and has suffered
dramatically in quality. The image
on the right, however, has been
reduced from a much larger file
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 103
 Q&A YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
MasterClass
HotLine Network Expert Aidan O’Rourke shows you how to use Glow
Uses of glow Glow recreates the effect of a halo – a ring of
glowing light around a subject. Many people use it
for text, but it can also be used with people. Even
the least saintly subject can be given a heavenly aura – try it
on a police wanted poster or your favourite politician! It can
also be added to objects.
Here I’ve used it on a photograph of the Penshaw Monument
near Washington, in northeast England. It’s a recreation of a
classical temple that stands on a hilltop, not far from the A1.
Using Photoshop I have cut out the background sky and placed
the structure on a layer of its own. On the layer below I have
placed a different sky that we can see through the gaps between
the pillars. To add a mystical effect, I decided to use glow. The
glow effect appears around the outer edge of the shape – here,
inside the pillars.
To access the dialog, go to Layer8Layer Style8Outer Glow.
In Photoshop 7 there are three parameters:
[1] Structure
With choices of blend mode, opacity and noise (which appears as
a spatter effect, see right).
[3] Elements
With a choice between Softer and Precise (see right for an
example), spread and size.
[3] Quality
Quality gives you a control over the glow contour, range and jitter,
which varies the application of a gradient’s colour and opacity.
104 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
COMPRESSION-FREE FORMAT
OPENING RAW FILES
I’ve been trying to open RAW files taken on
my EOS 10D in Photoshop, but I can’t find
them in the folder. I can find them when
using the Canon software supplied with the camera.
How can I open them up in Photoshop?
■ Hole John
RAW is a special file format that stores the
exact output of the CCD, without any image
processing or compression. When you take a
photograph using the TIFF or JPEG file formats, the
picture information is processed, compressed and
Glow styles saved in a file format that any image editor can open.
RAW files are designed to be opened in the camera
You can use the dialog box to achieve any manufacturer’s own software. The reason for this is
combination of glow styles you require, and that there are different types of RAW file for different
save the settings for use later. camera manufacturers.
One of the first things that you’ll notice about a
[1] Opacity RAW file is the complete absence of jaggies or
Works the same as layer opacity – or how visible artefacts. You can see this when you zoom to the
the glow is – from 0 per cent to 100 per cent. highest magnification. For this and other reasons,
the RAW file is your gateway to extremely fine
[2] Noise quality at pixel level.
Adds random pixels to the glow, giving a ‘spatter’ Most people, myself included, find that the
or coarse airbrush effect. standard JPEG setting on the camera is perfectly
adequate for most purposes, but it’s worth trying
[3] Colour out the RAW file format for those extra-special,
Lets you select the colour of the glow – by default extra-fine photographs.
it’s yellow. On the forum thread you’ll find some excellent
explanations of the advantages of RAW files from
[4] Technique: Precise various forum members.
Makes the glow reproduce the contour of the shape.
1
Don’t miss
2
next issue…
In the next Hotline we’ll be looking at
successfully printing your digital images and
3
shooting small, distant subjects in low light.
PLUS The pick of your digital photography
queries answered by our experts, so get in
touch and let us know how we can help!
We can see from these
screenshots of RAW files,
viewed at pixel level, that
there are no compression
artefacts. Re-saving as a
Photoshop file will preserve the compression-free image
and help to ensure the highest image quality
 ?
EVEN Check out our sister camera DIGITAL CAMERA SHOPPER DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
MORE titles for specific hardware Number one for camera and NEW TITLE! Tons of Photoshop &
HELP! and image-editing advice! accessory solutions! Paint Shop Pro ideas, tips and advice

me, ask the person who paid me £25

for an A4 size copy of this photo (misty view of ONTHEFORUMS
Manchester and Salford) to frame and put on her wall. www.dcmag.co.uk/forum
Most forum members don’t agree with me.
GETTING RID OF NOISE
AVOIDING FLASH WHEN PHOTOGRAPHING ANIMALS I have taken a couple of
photographs at night using
WILD-EYED HOUND the self-timer. They are
extremely grainy and dark. I’ve tried to
I’m very new to photography and am learning
brighten and despeckle but it hasn’t
fast. I am attempting to photograph my dog
helped. Any suggestions?
with my Pentax Optio 550 cam. What settings
■ Andrew Davies
do I need to look at to avoid getting a glaring white eye
reflection when photographing indoors? Here’s a solution for next
■ Daniel Gwalter time. Immediately after
HOTLINE taking the shot, note the
NETWORK
Photographing animals with flash can MEMBER duration of the exposure.
produce weird results. Instead of red-eye, Put the camera in manual, set the
you get yellow-eye or green-eye, caused by exposure to the same length of time,
the special characteristics of an animal’s retina. The PUT THE LENS CAP ON, and then take
another shot.
same principles apply as with avoiding red-eye in
Then when you get back home, in
humans. The best way to avoid glowing eyes is not to
Photoshop, drop the second picture
use flash at all. In many cases, people don’t need to on top of the first and set the layer
I had to take this misty view of Manchester and Salford using the digital zoom, as I had forgotten to bring my teleconverter lens.
Despite the fuzzy edges, the picture is still effective, and has been quite successful use flash because there’s enough available light. mode to exclusion. This should take
If you must use it, try to increase the ambient light out most of the hot pixels.
DIGITAL VERSUS OPTICAL ZOOM quality glass, ground down to a smooth convex or levels as much as possible. Using an off-the-camera ■ Jonathan Ryan

DIGITAL ZOOM – WHAT’S concave surface to tolerance levels within microns!

THE POINT?
What is the point of digital zoom? Surely it is
better to shoot the picture at the longest
available optical zoom with high
resolution/quality and then crop it later at your leisure?
Nick Ramsden
However, I would still maintain that there is a use
for digital zoom. First of all, it’s nice to be able to zoom
in on a scene and frame it on the LCD. Without digital
zoom you would have to visualise the framing in your
mind. Secondly, the camera will correctly expose the
picture for whatever is inside the frame. Without
digital zoom you’d have to set the camera to centre –
flashgun or flash set up should ensure there’s no
reflection out of the eyes. If, despite all this, you
have obtained glowing eyes, you can use the same MORE HELP
www.dcmag.co.uk/nightshots
red-eye removal techniques as used with human
eyes. I wouldn’t say ’never work with animals’, but
if you can, avoid flash.

Yes, digital zoom is often put forward as an

extension or even substitute for optical
zoom. Some cameras have only digital zoom
– after all, you can do anything with a digital image,
can’t you? No; you can’t take a small rectangular
selection of pixels in the centre, then stretch them to
fill the entire frame. What you get is a fuzzy,
soft-edged mess. There’s no substitute for premium
weighted or spot metering, and it may still not get it
right. Thirdly, and most interestingly, the digitally
Recommended reading
Key websites and photo books
zoomed picture will look smoother and have fewer
artefacts than if you took the centre of a non-digitally www.retouchpro.com
zoomed image and enlarged it. The reason for this is A resource for anyone interested in photo restoration,
that the enlargement of the pixels takes place before retouching and manipulation, with a forum where you can
the file is saved and JPEG compression is applied. share ideas and talk to others with the same interests. The
It’s not perfect, but for some subjects digital zoom floating left hand menu is a neat feature. Created by
can produce very good results. And if you don’t believe professional photo restorer, Doug Nelson.

Digital Image Making:

A Complete Visual Guide for
Photographers
by Les Meehan Amphoto Books £16.99
A large format softback introduction to
digital imaging for people who
know the basics and
DCMAG.CO.UK would like to go

ACTIVE further. There are good

explanations of basic

THREAD!
dcmag.co.uk/
concepts and useful tips,
with plenty of well-composed
images to inspire readers,
animaleyes
though some of the fantasy
composite images tread a fine line
Even in dull daylight, with the animal’s pupils quite small, there is still a reflection from the eyes, in this case a blue-green colour. between beauty and banality.
I removed the red-eye in the usual way by drawing over the glowing area in black

DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 105

 SECTION #05 PC & INTERNET

CD TUTORIAL Section highlights…

PHOTOIMPACT 6.0
SEE PAGE 108 CD TUTORIAL
PHOTOIMPACT 6.0
PAGE
Create stunning works of art with this easy-to-use
program that doesn’t require complex filter settings
108
CAMERA TIPS
DIGITAL CAMERA VIDEO PAGE
Make your own mini-movies using your digital
camera’s built-in functions!
110
PRINT TECHNIQUES
PICALOADER 1.25 SE PAGE
This useful web utility helps you search the net for
the images you need and peruse them at leisure
111

PAGE PAGE

111 110

PC & internet
Expert advice on using hardware, software and the web

Tutorials you can trust! Contact our editorial team

f #
Our aim is to bring you creative ideas, expert tips and image files, and full or trial software so you can try the If you have a comment, suggestion, idea or
quick fixes you can use in your own work. tutorial for yourself, delivering a complete package. submission you would like to make, please
Authoritative A leading professional in his/her field Clear Our large page size means we can add extra email us at editor.dcm@futurenet.co.uk Visit
writes every tutorial. Value-added We try to include elements, explanations and detail to each tutorial. our website at www.dcmag.co.uk
 PC AND INTERNET
PhotoImpact 6.0
Create stunning-looking works of art from your photographs with this easy-to-use
program that doesn’t rely on complex filter settings
PHOTOIMPACT
KEY DETAILS
2 PUBLISHER
Ulead
2 PRODUCT STATUS
Full product
2 CONTACT
www.ulead.co.uk
2 SERIAL NUMBER INFO
Register at www.ulead.co.uk/
events/pi6register.htm
2 SKILL LEVEL
3
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
30 MINUTES
BEFORE
The composition’s okay, but
lack of flash means the subject
is too muted to catch the eye,
even though the backlighting’s
reduced by the trees
0 EXPLAINED
CHRIS SCHMIDT’S
PHOTOIMPACT TIPS
MASKS
Masks allow you to paint over
an image to determine the
selection, rather like a template
might. By creating a mask, you
have much more control as you
specify complex areas of an
image than might be possible
through regular selection tools.
108 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
CD TUTORIAL
AFTER
With the subject selected, we can
adjust lighting and colour balances to
add life to the subject. By making use
of PhotoImpact’s EasyPalette, we’ve
framed the image with a soft border to
enhance the magical feel that the
subject and lighting are suggesting
N
o one said digital photography was an
inexpensive hobby. For the best equipment,
the average Joe will need to consider a
small loan for the camera alone. With software like
Photoshop only adding to the financial burden, you
may be forgiven for re-evaluating your new-found
indulgence as you consider whether train-spotting
may be a more viable option…
However, some impressive results are still possible
with some of the lower- to mid-range cameras, and the
range of image-editing software is now diverse enough
for you to find the right title at the right price, offering a
good balance of features for your needs. Photoshop may
be the reserve of the pros, in terms of cost and
complexity, and Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop Elements
may offer some powerful features, but the cost of even
these budget titles can cause some concern as you find
the best image-editing solution for you.
FREE
on this month’s
coverdisc!
Your flexible friend
Fortunately, those nice people at Ulead have been kind
enough to allow us to give you a fully-functional copy
of PhotoImpact 6.0. The software has a very different
approach to other established titles, but once you’ve
got into the swing of things, you’ll soon find it flexible
enough to deal with most situations that your images
demand. Extensive image-editing tools provide control
over your work, while vector graphic-editing support
will ensure you keep your text clarity as you experiment
with variations in your designs and layouts.
It also has some novel web tools, allowing you
to take your work to new levels as you distribute
your imagery on the internet, with the software
considering that fine balance of image quality against
file size that’s essential for your work to be seen reliably
over the media platform. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll
come across PhotoImpact’s complementary titles, Ulead
Gif Animator 4.0 and PhotoImpact Album for taking
your web-authoring options into new areas or just to
keep tabs of your ever-growing image collection.
Interesting effects
The walkthrough recreates the image effect above,
bringing out some of the detail in the original photo,
which suffers a little, due to lack of fill-in flash. It also
provides a tasteful artistic frame effect, making use of
PhotoImpact’s EasyPalette feature to add interesting effects
to your work as you master your new installation.
Once you’ve gone through the steps, you’ll no doubt
be itching to find out what else the title can do, so
why not experiment with your own images, and make
use of the extensive documentation available through
the help menu? Next month we’ll be showing you how
to put your work online in the form of a web gallery,
courtesy of your free software.

By making careful adjustments to the colour balance and lighting, and
LIGHTEN UP by making the most of the mask mode, you’ll bring your picture to life
GET TO KNOW THE INTERFACE
01 PhotoImpact takes on a little more identity
with an image available, so open the
muse.jpg image and familiarise yourself with the
interface elements of the tool bar, the floating panels,
and so on. To make any changes to the default layout
use the View8Toolbars and Panels option.
SELECT THE MODEL
04 Click and hold the mouse button over the
standard selection tool for related tools,
including the magic wand. Select this and click within
the model to make a region selection based on colour.
Click on the + symbol in the attribute toolbar to continue
adding to the selection, to select the entire model.
VIEW AVAILABLE OPTIONS
07 With the focal point of our image adjusted, we
can now enhance the final image through
other methods. If the EasyPalette isn’t visible, activate it
through View8Toolbars and Panels, and select Mask Library
to view available options in the right-hand preview pane.
ONE
*
CLICK
FIXES
THE MAGNIFYING GLASS TOOL
02 Select the magnifying glass tool, and you’ll
notice that the options available at the head
of the interface adjust accordingly, to provide options to
the current tool. Either use the slider or the drop-down
options to alter the image magnification to best fit
your screen resolution.
REFINE THE SELECTION
05 To refine the selection, select the Mask Mode
option found in the status bar in the very
bottom-right of the software interface, or through the
Edit menu. You can now add or remove sections of your
selection by using the paintbrush or eraser tools to remove
any background areas that may have been included.
INVERT THE MASK
08 Drag the Square03 mask onto the image and
you’ll notice the outline presented. Choose the
resize tool and drag the mask’s bounding box to surround
the subject neatly. Invert the mask through the Selection
menu and hit the delete key to soften the image’s edges.
The options available under Format8Autoprocess contain quick fixes to common problems, such as
image adjustment, as well as sharpening, straightening and cropping, reducing the amount of
repetition such routine actions often require
0 EXPLAINED
CHRIS SCHMIDT’S
PHOTOIMPACT TIPS
IMAGE ADJUSTMENT
The Format menu contains all the
image adjustment tools which, as
a photographer, you’ll undoubtedly
be making full use of. These
include options to adjust the white
points, levels, hue and saturation
of an image to get the best results
out of an original image that may
not have been captured as well
as you’d hoped.
SOFTWARE IMAGE ADJUSTMENT TOOLS
03 The software image adjustment tools can be
found under the Format menu, which contains
all the expected features, such as colour balance, hue and
saturation, along with more advanced features. There’s
also a range of automatic processes available for one-click
fixes of common problems. * UPGRADE!
ULEAD®
PHOTOIMPACT® 8
Liked version 6? Why not upgrade
your copy to version 8 for as little as
£29.99? New features include:
■ Ulead® Photo Explorer® 7 – a
complete image-management tool
that also burns photo slideshows on
CD to play in DVD players.
■ Ulead® GIF Animator® 5, the
world’s most powerful standalone
GIF animation tool.
■ One-click auto-enhance tools, such
as Focus, Straighten, Crop and Level.
■ Professional camera filters (Lens
MAKE FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS Distortion, Zoom Blur, Star, Diffuse
06 With the appropriate selection made, we can Glow) that apply lens techniques
now exit Mask Mode to continue refining the without expensive lenses.
adjustment levels of the darkened model to bring some ■ New, robust Paint, Path, Text and
3D tools.
life back into the focus of our image. Experiment with the
■ Complete set of Web tools for file
different tools available under the Format menu, making size optimisation, JavaScript™ menus
use of their dialog boxes to preview your changes. and slideshows, image mapping
and slicing, and more.
For full product information and
upgrade details, please visit:
http://www.ulead.co.uk/pi/
runme.htm
REVEAL YOUR FINISHED IMAGE NEXT MONTH
09 You can now lose the selection by choosing ONLINE
@ GALLERY
None from the Selection menu, to reveal your
completed image. The EasyPalette provides further creative Discover how to
create an online
options, including image, shape and path libraries, so why image library
not experiment and bring new life to your old images?
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 109
 PC AND INTERNET VIDEO TUTORIAL PART ONE

Using digital camera video

You’ve probably experimented with your digital camera’s
movie mode, but what if you want to take things further?

* WEB LINKS
MICROSOFT MOVIE
MAKER
www.microsoft.com/
windowsxp/moviemaker
As well as allowing the free
download of the software, the site
provides some useful advice for
new filmmakers.
IMOVE
www.apple.com/imovie
The Apple equivalent is more
powerful and aimed at DV content,
although the process is similar.
THE ART & CRAFT OF
MOVIE MAKING
www.bbc.co.uk/education/
lzone/movie
Learn from the masters and discover
some tricks of the trade that will
enhance your movies.
M
ost digital cameras have basic support
for creating short movies of about a
minute. They enable you to produce
clips of around 320 x 240 pixels at ten frames per
second, which is roughly half that of a dedicated
camcorder. Although this isn’t large or smooth
enough to play back without pixellation through
your TV, movie mode might be just the thing to
help you bring to life a holiday moment or
capture an occasion that might otherwise be
missed. Think of it as an additional bonus to a
still camera.
And, if you want to keep your audience
entertained for longer, you can record a
sequence of clips that can be easily edited
together to form a more cohesive whole. There
are various software titles around that
will do this for you, from entry-level programs,
such as Apple’s iMovie and Microsoft’s Movie
Maker (which you’ll probably have installed
on your system), to dedicated professional
titles, such as Adobe’s Premiere and Apple’s
Final Cut Pro.

Which program to use

Movie Maker and iMovie are much easier to get to grips this – we’ve used a skateboard to move around a Movie Maker enables you to import your camera’s
with if you’re a novice user, allowing you to import clips subject in the past, and it enabled us to produce some AVI clips and insert them into your preferred
from your camera, before deciding on the order that surprisingly stable motion shots! sequence, using the simplified timeline at the
you want them to be organised. Both titles enable you bottom of the interface. Scene transitions, titles and
to drag and drop common transitional effects between Get creative credits can also be dragged into place
clips, add titles and credits, plus they let you include And once you understand the rules (see the web links
music and a voice-over to enhance the final sequence. opposite), you can start to bend them for some more
The audio capabilities of these titles is a real bonus imaginative shots. The shot illustrated above is from a
because the sound quality from most cameras is pretty video sequence taken while on a fairground ride, using
poor at the best of times. And even if your camera does a Fujifilm s304. The camera was
support an external microphone, it’s unlikely that you’ll held stable against the ride’s
be organised enough to have this at your disposal when carriage, while the other car’s
little Millie decides to speak her first words. position help to maintain a
sense of location.
Like a pro Making movies with
As a stills photographer, you’ll instinctively turn your your digital camera might
camera on its side for portrait shots, but movies need to not provide spectacular
be landscape. Using editing software to rotate a moving results, but it can bring a
image is nowhere near as straightforward as it is for still new angle to your
images, so unless you want your viewers to get a sore creative output. Just
neck, keep things horizontal. make sure that you’ve
This isn’t to say that camera movement is always a got a decent-sized
bad thing, but digital cameras don’t have the motion- memory card to contain
CONTACT US!
stabilising features that camcorders have to smooth a all those movie clips –
CHRIS tracking shot and, inevitably, any jolts and shudders will they’ll soon take over
SCHMIDT
www.dcmag.co.uk
appear exaggerated when the clip is viewed back. A even the biggest
little common sense and creative thinking can overcome card’s capacity…

110 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE


PICALOADER 1.25 SE
PicaLoader 1.25 SE
Get picture-perfect results every time: this useful web utility helps you search the internet for the images you
need and lets you flick through them at your leisure…
W
hile the internet is a rich
tapestry of information, it
appears to have been
crudely stitched together with threads
of sheer uselessness. To help you
unravel the tangle, it’s handy to have
a utility to scour your selected
area, teasing out the little pieces of
information you require and promptly
disposing of the remains. PicaLoader is
a step in the right direction, trawling
the internet for the images you need
and enabling you to flick through them
at your leisure.
Simply choose the area to be
searched (this can be confined to a
single web page or an entire website
and all its links) and begin searching.
It’s possible to specify what sort
of images you wish to search for,
using either preset defaults, such as
1,024 x 768 wallpaper and thumbnails,
or by creating a custom-sized search
criterion. To narrow down the search,
you can specify keywords to be
included or excluded from images and
URLs searched.
Results are displayed as thumbnails
and can be deleted, modified in your
default image editor or set as wallpaper
PICTURE PERFECT
CHOOSE YOUR WEBSITE
01 We began by choosing a website of royalty-free
images to have a look at, in this case www.free
images.co.uk. Click the New Task button and input the URL
of your chosen site. Also specify the Picture Filter Profile
you require. We chose the 1,024 x 768 wallpaper.
ONE
*
To speed up searching, limit your searches to specific areas of
CLICK
FIXES
the web and use keyword filters
directly from the preview.
Each project can comprise
several tasks – for example,
FREE
on this month’s
if you are searching for coverdisc!
pictures relating to a
movie, you may wish to
include tasks that search
for the film, its director PICALOADER 1.25 SE
and its stars. If you KEY DETAILS
want to keep your
photo searching to 2 PUBLISHER
VOW Software
yourself, the password-
protection function 2 PRODUCT STATUS
enables you to keep your Full product as sold for £21
search results hidden.
Much easier than
2 CONTACT
www.vowsoft.com
scanning through your
Temporary Internet Files 2 SERIAL NUMBER INFO
folder every five minutes… None required
ABOVE
2 SKILL LEVEL
Use detailed search 3
criteria to make sure you
only download what you
2 TIME TO COMPLETE
really want 15 MINUTES
LEFT
Admire your findings as
thumbnails or double-click
to view in full-screen glory
Use Picaloader to search for pictures, getting exactly the results you want. And once
you’ve found your pictures, you can quickly download and manage them…
* UPGRADE!
30-DAY TRIAL
Had fun scouring the net for new
pictures? Then consider upgrading to
PicaLoader 1.3, a 30-day trial of
which is included on our disc. Not
only will you enjoy free access to
future versions of the software, but
there’s also unlimited image
downloads, frequent upgrades and
priority email support. There’s also a
queue browser to enable you to
SPEED LIMIT FILTER UP eliminate URLs while searching and
02 Select Followed Links to specify the depth of 03 The Page URL Filter and Picture URL Filter enhanced search capabilities. DCM
your investigation, by identifying which pages enable you to specify keywords to narrow readers can upgrade at www.reg
soft.net/purchase.php3?productid=5
are to be searched and to limit linking to the immediate down your search. When you’re all done, click OK and 1241&pc=V6N57 for £18.42, saving
domain or site. Limiting the number of pages to be watch your new task appear in the Project Window. Click £12.30 on the usual price.
searched can help you get more precise results. the Play button and PicaLoader begins searching for you.
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 111
 SECTION #06 BUYERS’ GUIDE
5 steps to safe shopping PENTAX *IST D
To prevent or handle the unlikely event of receiving faulty or THIS SLR SETS NEW STANDARDS
damaged goods, why not follow our checklist below – you’ll WITH ITS SIZE, CONTROL AND
reduce whatever slight chance there is of problems:
CAPABILITIES PAGE 118

1 CHOOSE YOUR SITE OR RETAILER

Overleaf, you’ll find pages of camera retailers who offer
competing prices and levels of service.

2 USE A CREDIT CARD

If you are buying goods worth more than £100 in total, use a
credit card. This is because in the event of any problems, you are
entitled to claim against the credit card company as well as the
seller (you won’t get your money back twice but the company is
there to claim against if the seller has gone bust.) You might also
get extra insurance, so check with your credit firm.

3 NEVER PAY IN CASH

If you can’t pay by credit card, use a cheque or postal order
instead. Don’t send cash through the mail, even by registered
post. Apart from the risk of theft, you can’t stop payment if you
need to, and it’s impossible to prove how much you sent.

4 KEEP A RECORD
Keep records if you’re paying by credit card over the phone. Print
off web pages after you have entered your details on them. Keep
notes of exact times and the name of the person who took your
order, if you’re paying by phone. Always keep your receipts.

5 DON’T USE A DEBIT CARD

Many debit cards don’t have the protection or insurance options
afforded to credit cards, so avoid using one.

PAGE PAGE PAGE

115 116 117

Buyers’guide
Turn the page for in-depth reviews of over 85 top digital cameras

How to use the Buyers’ guide

Over the page, you’ll find info on over 85 top products, To advertise in our Dealerbank section contact
all of which have been reviewed in Digital Camera Magazine. Once you’ve
decided on the camera you want to buy, flick through our packed advertising
our sales team on 020 7317 2600 or email
section to find yourself the best deal on price and service. dcamclassifieds@futurenet.co.uk
 Buyers’ guide
£200 – £300
CANON
POWERSHOT A300
£200 | 3.2 megapixels | www.canon.co.uk
You can maybe get more for your £200 than this
if you shop smartly, but the A300 still represents
a good performance, quality and value
FULL REVIEW: issue 09
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Canon f3.6 fixed focal length lens Focus Auto, 5cm
in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE
Metering Evaluative, centre-weighted, spot Monitor
1.5-inch 67,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in
0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video
output No Movie recording 640 x 480 at 15fps
with sound Other features Stitch Assist panoramic
mode Image storage CompactFlash Batteries 2x AA
Battery life 75/210 shots LCD monitor on/off AC
adaptor No Weight 175g (without battery or card)
Dimensions 110mm(w) x 58mm(h) x 36.6mm(d)
Transfer USB Software ImageBrowser EX,
PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch OS Windows 98/Me, 2000
or XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2, OSX 10.1 or 10.2
Features 78 1 FINAL SCORE
1
83 % 1
Images 80
Build 82 1 Build
Value 90 1 Value
NIKON
COOLPIX 3100
£280 | 3.2 megapixels | www.nikon.co.uk
Robust and reliable, with good image quality but
if you’re expecting class just because it’s a NIkon,
you’ll be disappointed
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/1.27-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Zoom-Nikkor f2.8-4.9 3x zoom Focus auto, 4cm in
macro mode Exposure modes Program AE, scene
modes Metering multi-pattern Monitor 1.5-inch
110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV
steps Flash auto, on, off, red-eye, Video output
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 640 x 480 at 15fps
Image storage Memory Stick Other features 4
Scene Assistance modes Batteries 2x AA or CR-V3
AC adaptor No Weight 150g (without battery or
card) Dimensions 87.5mm(w) x 65mm(h) x
38mm(d) Transfer USB Software Nikon View
Software OS Windows 98SE/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac
OS9.0-9.2, OSX 10.1.3
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
1
78 % 1
Images 88
Build 74 1 Build
Value 71 1 Value
114 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
HP PHOTOSMART 735
£200 | 3.2 megapixels
www.hp.com
One of the best entry-level cameras on the
market right now. It’s solid, well made and
produces really good-looking shots
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/1.2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Pentax f2.6-5.0 3x zoom Focus auto, macro Exposure
modes Program AE, Scene modes Metering
Averaged, spot AE compensation +/-2 EV in 0.5EV
steps Flash auto, red-eye, on, off, night flash Video
output PAL/NTSC Movie recording with sound
(duration depends on card capacity Other features
Optional camera dock Image storage Internal, Secure
Digital card Batteries 2xAA AC adaptor No Weight
235g (including batteries) Dimensions 105mm(w) x
46mm(h) x 71mm(d) Transfer USB interface
Software HP Photo & Imaging software, HP
Memories Disc OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac
OS9.1, OSX 10.1.5 or later
Features 75 1 FINAL SCORE
84 % 1
Images 83
81 1 Build
1
98
PENTAX OPTIO 33L
£280 | 3.2 megapixels
www.pentax.co.uk
A rather ungainly design but it takes very good
pictures and incorporates more photographic
features than you’d expect at this price
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 3.2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Pentax f2 6-5 0 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 10cm
in macro Exposure modes Programmed AE,, scene
modes Metering Multi-segment, spot, centre-
weighted Monitor 1.5 inch AE compensation +/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, on, off, red-eye Video
output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240
without sound Other features 3D mode Image
storage compact flash Batteries 2 x AA or Lithium CR
V3 AC adaptor no Weight 180g Dimensions 105(w)
x 63(h) x 41.5 (d) mm Transfer USB Software
ACDSee, ACD Photostitcher, Photos on CD OS Windows
98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6 or higher
Features 861 FINAL SCORE
86 % 1
Images 82
80 1 Build
94 1
KONICA REVIO KD-310Z
£250 | 3.2 megapixels
www.konicaeurope.com
Other 3-megapixels offer these features but its
construction and build quality is out of the
ordinary, and its startup time is breathtaking.FULL
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 3.2-megapixel 1/1.8 inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Hexanon Focus auto, 10cm in macro Exposure
modes Program AE Metering Centre-weighted, spot
Monitor 1.5 inch AE compensation +/-1.5EV, 0.3EV
increments Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye, night flash
Video output No Movie recording 320 x 240 up to
15fps Other features Dual memory card formats
Image storage SD card, Memory Stick Batteries
Lithium-ion rechargeable, DR-LB4 Battery life
100/200 shots LCD monitor on/off AC adaptor Yes
Weight 198g (without battery or card) Dimensions
94(w) x 56(h) x 29.5(d) mm Transfer USB Software
Documentation only OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP,
Mac OS 9, 0-9.2, OSX 10 4-10
Features 75 1 FINAL SCORE
85 % 1
Images 80
91 1
Value 921
CASIO EXILUM EX S3
£300 | 3.2 megapixels
www.casio.co.uk
The Exilim's tiny dimensions bring compromises –
namely, price and versatility – but its charm and
convenience are perfect for taking snapshots
FULL REVIEW: issue 09
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 3.4MP CCD Lens
f4.2 fixed focal length Focus Fixed focus, 80cm-
infinity Exposure modes Program AE Metering
Multi-pattern Monitor 2.0-inch 85,000 pixels AE
compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on,
off, red-eye Video output No Movie recording 320 x
240 with sound Other features Docking cradle, world
clock and alarm Image storage 10MB internal, SD
card slot Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, NP-20
Battery life 80 minutes/480 shots (continuous
snapshots) AC adaptor Supplied Weight 61g
(without battery or card) Dimensions 109mm(w) x
38.5mm(h) x 57mm(d) Transfer USB Software
PhotoLoader, PhotoHands OS Windows 98/Me, 2000
or XP. Mac OS7.6.1-8.5, 8.6, 9, OSX 10.1 or 10.2
Features 78 1 FINAL SCORE
85 % 1
Images 78
97 1
Value 87 1 Value
OLYMPUS C-350Z
£250 | 3.2 megapixels
www.olympus.co.uk
£250 is a rock-bottom price for a 3-megapixel
camera, and while it feels a little plasticky, it’s
solid, easy to use and produces great images
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 3.2 megapixel 1/25-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Olympus f3 1-5.2 3x zoom Focus auto, 20cm
macro Exposure modes auto, program, scene
modes Metering evaluation and spot Monitor 1.8
inch 85,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.5EV
steps Flash auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video
output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 at
15fps Other features 2 in 1, panoramic modes
Image storage xD-picture card Batteries not
quoted Weight 170g Dimensions 108mm (w) x
57.5mm (h) x 40mm (d) Transfer USB Software
Olympus Camedia master 4.1 OS 9.0 or higher,
OSX 10.1
Features 79 1 FINAL SCORE
84 % 1
Images 84
Build 80 1
Value 93 1
KODAK LS633
£300 | 3.1 megapixels
www.kodak.co.uk
There’s a lot to like in the LS633: the build quality,
punchy images and LCD. It is flawed though, with
awkward controls and pricey tag
FULL REVIEW: issue 09
Sensor 3.1-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Schneider-Kreuznach f2.7-4.6 3x zoom Focus Auto,
13cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE
Metering Multi-pattern, centre-weighted, centre spot
Monitor 2.2-inch 114,000 pixels AE compensation
+/-2EV in 0.5EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye
Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording 320 x
240 at 15fps Other features Optional camera dock
Image storage 16MB internal, SD card slot Batteries
Lithium-ion rechargeable Battery life 180 shots
approx. AC adaptor Supplied Weight 210g (without
battery or card) Dimensions 114mm(w) x 31mm(h)
x 56mm(d) Transfer USB Software Kodak EasyShare
software OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6
or 9.x, OSX 10.12 or later
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
81 % 1
Images 79
Build 84 1 Build
80 1 Value
RICOH CAPLIO G3
£250 | 3.2 megapixels
www.ricoh-cameras.co.uk
The Caplio G3 is by no means a bad camera, but
its worst problem is its general lack of appeal
when it’s up against some seriously tasty rivals
FULL REVIEW: issue 08
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD
Lens Ricoh f2.6-4.7 3x zoom Focus Auto, 1cm in
macro Exposure modes Program AE, Scene
modes Metering Multi-pattern, centre-weighted,
spot Monitor 1.6-inch 80,000 pixels AE
compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto,
on, off, slow, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
Movie recording 320 x 240 + sound Features
Time-lapse mode Image storage 8MB internal,
SD card slot Batteries 2x AA Battery life Up to
350 shots AC adaptor No Weight 170g (without
battery or card) Dimensions 123.9mm(w) x
56mm(h) x 36.4mm(d) Transfer USB Software
Image transfer software OS Windows 98/Me,
2000, XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2.2, OSX 10.1.2 or later
Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE
79 %
Images 80
Build 65 1
Value 90 1
CANON POWERSHOT A70
£300 | 3.2 megapixels
www.canon.co.uk
The PowerShot A70 is well made, well designed
and easy to use. It’s brimming with functions
usually only found on far more expensive cameras
FULL REVIEW: issue 08
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
f2.8-4.8 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 5cm (macro)
Exposure modes Program AE, manual, Scene modes,
aperture-priority, shutter-priority Metering Evaluative,
centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5-inch 118,000
pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash
Auto, on, off, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie
recording 320 x 240 + sound Other features Stitch
Assist panoramic mode Image storage CompactFlash
Batteries 4x AAs Battery life 250/800 shots with
LCD on/off AC adaptor No Weight 215g (no
battery/card) Dimensions 101mm (w) x 64mm(h) x
31.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software ImageBrowser
EX, PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch OS Windows 98/Me,
2000, XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2, OSX, 10.1 or 10.2
Features 93 1 FINAL SCORE
92 %
Images 92
88 1
96 1
 £300 – £350
MINOLTA DIMAGE S414
£300 | 4 megapixels
www.minolta.co.uk TURN TO
PAGE 40 FOR
FULL REVIEW
.
A bit crude in places, the S414 takes good shots
but isn’t especially rapid. A camera you’d buy on
price, rather than for its innate charm
FULL REVIEW: issue 13
Sensor 4-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Lens
Minolta GT f3.0-3.6 4x zoom Focus Auto, manual,
10cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE,
aperture-priority, manual Metering Multi-segment,
spot Monitor 1.8-inch, 122,000 pixels AE
compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on,
off, slow flash, red-eye Video output PAL or NTSC
Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with sound
Other features None Image storage CompactFlash
Batteries 4x AAs Battery life 160 shots using
1850mAh NiMH cells, LCD on AC adaptor No Weight
335g Dimensions 113.5mm(w) x 64.5mm(h) x
58.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software DiMAGE Viewer
OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2.2,
OSX 10.1.3-10.1.5, OS 10.2.1-10.2.2
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
1
80 % 1
Images 81
Build 74 1 Build
Value 83 1 Value
CASIO EXILIM EX-Z3
£350 | 3.2 megapixels
www.casio.co.uk
There’s a lot to admire in this camera: Its size,
huge LCD, Best Shot mode, speed, ease of use,
and even its docking cradle/recharger…
FULL REVIEW: issue 08
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.5-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Pentax f2.6-4.8 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 6cm in
macro mode Exposure modes Program AE, Scene
modes Metering Multi-pattern Monitor 2-inch
85,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps
Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye Video output PAL or NTSC
Movie recording 320 x 240 without sound Other
features Cradle/camera dock Image storage 10MB
internal, SD card slot Batteries Lithium-ion
rechargeable, NP-20 Battery life 450 shots
(continuous snapshots) AC adaptor Yes Weight 126g
(without battery or card) Dimensions 87mm(w) x
57mm(h) x 22.9mm(d) Transfer USB Software Photo
Loader, Photo Hands OS OS: Windows 98/Me, 2000
or XP. Mac OS9, 0-9.2, OSX 10.1
Features 84 1 FINAL SCORE
1
86 % 1
Images 75
Build 92 1 Build
Value 90 1 Value
PRAKTICA DCZ 3.2
£300 | 3.2 megapixels
www.praktica.uk.com
The Praktica brand’s become known for rugged,
honest value. It’s crude in many areas, but its
results are good…
FULL REVIEW: issue 07
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
f2.8 3x zoom lens Focus Auto, 7cm in macro mode
Exposure modes Program AE Metering Not quoted
Monitor 1.5-inch AE compensation +/-1.5EV in 0.3EV
steps Flash Auto, off, fill, red-eye Video output PAL or
NTSC Movie recording No Other features
Microphone and voice annotations Image storage
CompactFlash Batteries 4x AAs Battery life Not
quoted AC adaptor Yes Weight 245g Dimensions
112mm(w) x 44mm(h) x 77mm(d) Transfer USB
Software MGI PhotoSuite, DigiMax Viewer 2.0 OS MGI
PhotoSuite III, PhotoVista (both Windows only)
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS8.6-9.1, OSX
Features 68 1 FINAL SCORE
69 % 1
Images 78
71 1 Build
60 1 Value
MINOLTA DIMAGE F200
£350 | 4 megapixels
www.minolta.co.uk
If you’re looking for a stylish 4-megapixel camera
that offers more than just point-and-shoot
photography, the F200 is unbeatable
FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 4-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Lens
Minolta GT f2.8-4.7 3x zoom Focus Auto, 14.5cm in
macro mode Exposure modes AE, Aperture-priority,
Shutter-priority, Scene modes Metering DMulti-
segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5-inch,
110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV
steps Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye, Video output PAL
or NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps with
sound Other features Automatic Digital Subject
Program Selection Image storage SD Card Batteries
2x AA or CR-V3 Battery life 230/140 shots using CR-
V3/NiMH cells AC adaptor No Weight 185g
Dimensions 110mm(w)x52.5mm(h) x 32mm(d)
Transfer USB Software DiMAGE Viewer OS Windows
98/Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2.2, OSX 10.1.3, 10.2.1
Features 1 FINAL SCORE
93
92 % 1
Images 89
901
1
95
SONY DSC-P72
£300 | 3.2 megapixels
www.sony.co.uk
The Sony DSC-P72 is well made and well
designed, and it does grow on you. And yet,
for £300, we think you can do better
FULL REVIEW: issue 09
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens
Sony f2.8-5.6 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 10cm in
macro mode Exposure modes Program AE, scene
modes Metering Evaluative, spot Monitor 1.5-inch AE
compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on,
off, slow, red-eye Video output PAL or NTSC Movie
recording 640 x 480 with sound Other features
Smart Zoom Image storage Memory Stick Batteries
2x AA Battery life 300/500 shots LCD monitor on/off
AC adaptor Yes Weight 259g (including batteries and
Memory Stick) Dimensions 101.3mm(w) x
57.7mm(h) x 32.6mm(d) Transfer USB Software
Image Mixer OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac
OS8.5.1-9.2, OSX 10.1 or 10.2
Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE
83 % 1
Images 83
90 1 Build
80 1 Value
OLYMPUS µ[MJU:] 300
£350 | 3.2 megapixels
www.olympus.co.uk
You can get cheaper 3MP cameras, but we doubt
you can get a better one. Superb build, controls
and performance make the µ[mju:] 300 desirable
FULL REVIEW: issue 07
Sensor 3.2 megapixel, 1/2.5-inch 3.34MP CCD Lens
Olympus f3.1-5.2 3x lens Focus Auto, 20cm in macro
mode Exposure modes Program AE, scene modes
Metering Digital ESP, spot Monitor 1.5-inch 134,000
pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash
Auto, on, off, red-eye, slow Video output PAL or NTSC
Movie recording 320 x 240 at 15fps Other features
Splash-proof exterior Image storage xD-Picture Card
Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, LI-10B Battery
life Not quoted AC adaptor Supplied Weight 165g
Dimensions 99mm(w) x 56mm(h) x 33.5mm(d)
Transfer USB Software Olympus Camedia Master 4.1
OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.0 or later,
OSX 10.1 or later
Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE
90 % 1
Images 93
Build 94 1
Value 92 1
MINOLTA CANON DIGITAL IXUS 400
DIMAGE XT £349 | 4 megapixels
£330 | 3.2 megapixels | www.minolta.co.uk www.canon.co.uk
The DiMage XT has a ‘folded’ light path to produce Lots of manufacturers are producing beautifully
the slimmest digital camera yet. Results are good, crafted, miniature cameras and the Ixus 400 isn’t
operation is simple and the price tag modest. the only all-metal, pocket-sized on the market
FULL REVIEW: issue 10 FULL REVIEW: issue 08
Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens Sensor 4-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Lens f2.8-
Minolta f2.8-3.6 3x zoom Focus Auto, 15cm to infinity 4.9 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 5cm in macro
Exposure modes Program AE Metering multi- Exposure modes Program AE Metering Evaluative,
segment Monitor 1.5-inch AE compensation +/-2EV centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5-inch 118,000
in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, night flash, red-eye pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash
Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 Auto, on, off, slow, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC
at 15fps with sound Other features Non-extending Movie recording 320 x 240 + sound Features Stitch
lens Image storage Secure digital card Batteries Assist panoramic mode Image storage CompactFlash
Lithium-ion rechargeable, NP200 AC adaptor Yes Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, NB-1LH Battery
Weight 120g (without battery or card) Dimensions life 190/440 shots LCD monitor on/off AC adaptor
85.5mm(w) x 67mm(h) x 20mm(d) Transfer USB Supplied Weight 185g (no battery/card) Dimensions
Software Minolta DiMAGE Viewer OS Windows 87mm(w) x 57mm(h) x 27.8mm(d) Transfer USB
98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2.2, OSX Software ACDSee, Photos on CD OS ImageBrowser EX,
10.1.3, 10.2.1
PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch OS Windows 98/Me, 2000
or XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2, OSX 10.1 or 10.2
Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
86 % 1
81 %
Images 82 Images 89
89 1 Build 88 1
91 1 Value 67 1
PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-F1 PENTAX OPTIO S
£350 | 3.2 megapixels £350 | 3.2 megapixels
www.panasonic.co.uk www.pentax.co.uk
This handles surprisingly well given its small size, Other 3-megapixels with similar specs cost £100
and the accessibility of the EV compensation and less, but this model is so beautifully made, and so
bracketing controls are especially good tiny, that many will be happy to pay the extra
FULL REVIEW: issue 10 FULL REVIEW: issue 08
Sensor 3.2-megapixel 1/2.5-inch 3.3MP CCD Lens Sensor 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.5-inch 3.3MP CCD
Leica f2 8-4.9 3x zoom Focus auto, 10cm in macro Lens Pentax f2.6-4.8 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual,
Exposure modes Program AE, scene modes 6cm in Super macro mode Exposure modes Program
Metering Multi-pattern, spot Monitor 1.5-inch AE, 'scene' modes Metering Multi-pattern, centre-
114,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV weighted, spot Monitor 1.6-inch AE compensation
increments Flash auto, on, off, slow red eye Movie +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye
recording 20 x 240 at 10fps Other features Voice Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording Yes
memos in record and playback mode Image storage Other features Panorama Assist and 3D modes
SD Batteries Lithium-ion, CGA-S001E Battery life Image storage 11MB internal, SD card slot Batteries
120/150 shots LCD AC adaptor Yes Weight 160g Lithium-ion rechargeable, D-L18 Battery life 160
without battery or card Dimensions 104mm(w) x shots (LCD on) AC adaptor Supplied Weight 98g
50.9mm(h) x 32.1mm(d) Transfer USB Software (without battery or card) Dimensions 83mm(w) x
Arcsoft Software Suite, SD viewer OS Windows 52mm(h) x 20mm(d) Transfer USB Software
98/Me, 2000, XP ACDSee, Photos on CD OS Windows 98/Me, 2000, XP,
Mac OS9.x, 10.1 or later
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
86 % 1
89 %
Images 84 Images 89
Build 90 1 Build 96 1
Value 88 1 Value 90 1
DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE 115
 Buyers’ guide
£350 – £550
SAMSUNG DIGIMAX V4
£350 | 4 megapixels
www.samsung.co.uk
With nice build quality, very good performance and
great photographic controls, the Digimax tops it all
off with remarkable value
FULL REVIEW: issue 07
Sensor 4-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 4.1MP CCD Lens
Schneider-Kreuznach Varioplan f2.8-5.0 3x lens Focus
Auto, manual, 6cm in macro mode Exposure modes
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual,
'My Set', night scene, portrait Metering Multi-pattern,
spot Monitor 1.5-inch 117,000 pixels AE
compensation +/-2EV in 0.5EV steps Flash Auto, on,
off, slow, fill-flash, red-eye Video output PAL or NTSC
Movie recording 288 x 208 at 24fps with sound
Other features Voice annotations Image storage SD
card Batteries 2x AA or CR-V3 Battery life 280 shots
AC adaptor No Weight 165g Dimensions
105.5mm(w) x 54.6mm(h) x 38mm(d) Transfer USB
Software MGI PhotoSuite, DigiMax Viewer 2.0 OS
Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS 9.x or later
Features 80 1 FINAL SCORE
1
88 % 1
Images 86
Build 83 1 Build
Value 96 1
CANON POWERSHOT S50
£499 | 5 megapixels
www.canon.co.uk
The PowerShot S50 might be compact, but it’s so
sophisticated it’s hard to imagine what else could
be included. Images are crisp, sharp and colourful
FULL REVIEW: issue 07
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5MP CCD Lens Canon
f2.8-4.9 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 10cm in macro
mode Exposure modes Program AE, aperture-
priority, shutter-priority, manual, ‘scene’ modes
Metering Evaluative, centre-weighted, spot Monitor
1.8-inch 118,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in
0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain,
red-eye Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording
320 x 240 at 15fps with sound Other features
Panoramic mode Image storage CompactFlash
Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, NB-2L AC
adaptor Supplied Weight 260g Dimensions
112mm(w) x 42mm(h) x 58mm(d) Transfer USB
Software ImageBrowser EX, PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch
OS Win98/Me/2000 Mac OS 9.0, OSX 10.1 or 10.2
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE
1
88 % 93 1
93
Images
Build 87 1 Build
Value 81 1 Value
116 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE
OLYMPUS MJU 400
£380 | 4 megapixels
www.olympus.co.uk TURN TO
PAGE 42 FOR
FULL REVIEW
.
In a word, design. It’s small, smooth, and
pocketable. It’s robust, practical and easy to use.
What’s more, it’s image quality is very good indeed
FULL REVIEW: issue 13
Sensor 4-megapixel, ?.5-inch 4.2MP CCD
Lens Olympus f3.1-5.2 3x lens Focus Auto, 20cm in
macro mode Exposure modes Program AE, scene
modes Metering Digital ESP, (multi-pattern), spot
Monitor 1.5-inch 134,000 pixels AE compensation
+/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, red-eye,
slow Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording 320
x 240 at 15fps Other features 2 in 1 and panoramic
modes Image storage xD-Picture Card Batteries
Lithium-ion rechargeable, LI-10B Battery life Not
quoted AC adaptor Yes Weight 165g (without
battery or card) Dimensions 99mm(w) x 56mm(h) x
33.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software Olympus
Camedia Master 4.1 OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP.
Mac OS9.0 or higher, OSX 10.1
Features 78 1 FINAL SCORE
88 % 1
Images 90
1
96
Value 86 1
FUJIFILM FINEPIX F700
£500 | 6 megapixels
TURN TO
www.fujifilm.co.uk PAGE 38 FOR
FULL REVIEW
.
The extended dynamic range isn’t this camera’s
only merit. It’s also an extremely well-made,
well-designed camera that’s a pleasure to use
FULL REVIEW: issue 13
Sensor 6-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch 6.2MP SuperCCD SR
Lens Super EBC Fujinon f2.8 3x zoom Focus Auto, 9cm
in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE,
aperture-priority, shutter priority, manual, scene modes
Metering Multi-pattern, average, spot Monitor 1.8-inch,
134,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps
Flash Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye Video output
PAL or NTSC Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30fps with
sound Image storage xD-Picture Card Batteries Lithium
ion rechargeable (NP 40) Battery life 135/270 shots
LCD on/off AC adaptor Yes Weight 170g (without
battery or card) Dimensions 108mm(w) x 54mm(h)
x 28mm(d) Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer,
ImageMixer VCD, RAW File Converter LE OS Windows
98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac S8.6-9.0, OSX
Features 1 FINAL SCORE
95
93
Images % Images
95 1
89 1
HP PHOTOSMART 935
£400 | 5.1 megapixels
www.hp.com/uk/create
A plain and simple camera that does exactly what
it sets out to but it’ll need discounting to make it
more attractive that its premium-brand rivals
FULL REVIEW: issue 12
Sensor 5.1-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens
Pentax f2.6-4.8 3x zoom Focus Auto, 14cm in macro
mode Exposure modes Program AE, aperture-priority
Metering Centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.6-inch,
85,000 pixels AE compensation +/-3EV in 0.5EV
steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye Video
output Via optional docking station Movie recording
with sound (duration depends on card capacity)
Other features Optional docking station Image
storage SD card Batteries 2x AA AC adaptor No
Weight 230g (without battery or card) Dimensions
97mm(w) x 45mm(h) x 67mm(d) Transfer USB
Software HP Photo & Imaging software, Memories
Disc OS Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP. Mac OS9.1, OSX
10.1.5 or later
Features 72 1 FINAL SCORE
78 % 1
Images 87
Build 78 1 Build
Value 75 1 Value
MINOLTA DIMAGE F300
£500 | 5 megapixels
www..minolta.co.uk
A good revamp of an excellent camera – great
value too, especially with the bundled 64MB SD
card. Advanced controls can be slightly fiddly
FULL REVIEW: issue 06
Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Minolta
GT f2.8-4.7, 3x optical zoom Focus auto, manual,
macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, shutter
priority, aperture priority, manual Metering 256
multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot Monitor
1.5inch 110,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV,
0.3EV increments Flash auto, red-eye, slow, on, off
Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240
at 15 fps with sound Other features automatic
digital subject program selection Image storage SD
Batteries 2x AA AC adaptor not supplied Weight
185g Dimensions 110mm(w) x 52.5mm(h) x
32.5mm(d) Transfer USB Software Minolta DiMAGE
viewer OS Windows98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS8.6-
9.2.2, OS X 10.1.3 or higher
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE
1
87 % 1
90
Build 81 1 Build
Value 88 1 Value
SONY CYBERSHOT DSC-P10 KYOCERA FINECAM S5
£450 | 5 megapixels £450 | 5 megapixels
www.sony.co.uk www.yashica.com
It’s neat and nice to use, but it’s not exceptional. Everything about the FineCam S5 is modest: its
You can get the same performance and price and its dimensions, but also its feature set
capabilities elsewhere for less money and ultimate detail rendition
FULL REVIEW: issue 12 FULL REVIEW: issue 07
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens f2.8- Sensor 4.9-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.25MP CCD Lens
5.6 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 10cm in macro Kyocera f2.8-4.8 3x zoom lens Focus Auto, manual,
mode Exposure modes Program AE, Scene modes 12cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE,
Metering Multi-pattern, spot Monitor 1.5-inch, aperture-priority, long exposure Metering Evaluative,
123,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.6-inch 85,000 pixels
steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye Video AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV increments Flash
output PAL or NTSC Movie recording 640 x 480 at Auto, on, off, fill, night flash, red-eye Video output
16fps with audio Other features Optional 3:2 aspect PAL or NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 with sound
ratio Image storage Memory Stick Batteries Lithium- Other features ‘Day-Fine’ LCD, customisable startup
ion rechargeable, NP-FC11 AC adaptor Yes Weight screen Image storage SD card Batteries Lithium-ion
206g (including battery or card) Dimensions rechargeable Battery life 160/200 shots (monitor
108mm(w) x 51.5mm(h) x 35.8mm(d) Transfer USB on/off) AC adaptor Supplied Weight 165g
Software Pixela Image Mixer OS Windows 98/Me, Dimensions 92mm(w) x 57.5mm(h) x 33mm(d)
2000 or XP. Mac OS 8.5.1, 8.6, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2 Transfer USB Software ImageMixer v1 OS
Win98SE/Me, 2000, XP; Mac OS 8.6 or later
Features 78 1 FINAL SCORE Features 75 1 FINAL SCORE
79 % 1
82 %
Images 80 Images 80
84 1 Build 80 1
75 1 Value 941
SONY DSC-V1 PENTAX OPTIO 550
£550 | 5 megapixels £550 | 5 megapixels |
www.sony.co.uk www.pentax.co.uk
A good camera but its design and handling make Good value in terms of features and its 5x optical
it more fiddly to use than it should be. Its rivals zoom is tempting but its design and handling
are just too good in comparison don’t match up to that of its closest rivals
FULL REVIEW: issue 12 FULL REVIEW: issue 10
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens Carl Sensor 5-megapixel 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens
Zeiss Vario Sonnar f2.8-4.0 4x zoom Focus Auto, Pentax f2 8-4.6 5x zoom Focus auto, manual, 15cm
manual, 10cm in macro mode Exposure modes macro, 2cm super macro mode Exposure modes
Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual, Programmed AE, aperture priority, shutter priority,
scene modes Metering Multi-pattern, spot Monitor manual, Scene modes Metering Multi-segment,
1.5-inch, 123,000 pixels AE compensation +/-2EV in centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.5-inch AE
0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye compensation +/-2EV, 0.3EV steps Flash auto, on, off,
Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording 640 x 480 red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording
at 16fps with sound Other features NightFraming/ 320 x 420 with sound Other features Panoramic and
NightShot infrared Image storage Memory Stick 3D modes Image storage SD card slot Batteries
Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, NP-FC11 AC Lithium-ion rechargeable D-L17 AC adaptor Yes
adaptor Yes Weight 298g (inc. battery and card) Weight 205g (without battery and card) Dimensions
Dimensions 99mm(w) x 65.2mm(h) x 56.9mm(d) 100mm(w) x 59mm(h) x 39.5mm(d) Transfer USB
Transfer USB Software Pixela Image Mixer OS Software ACDSee, ACD Photostitcher, Photos on CD
Windows 98/Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.5.1, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2 OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Mac OS 8.6 or later
Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE Features 90 1 FINAL SCORE
86 % 1
82 %
89 82
Images Images
83 1 Build 81 1
80 1 Value 76 1
 Buyers’ guide

£600 – £7,640 REVIEW FOCUS

MAKE/MODEL £ MP ISSUE SCORE
NIKON COOLPIX 5400 OLYMPUS CANON POWERSHOT G5 FUJIFILM FINEPIX CANON
£600 | 5.1 megapixels CAMEDIA C-5050 £680 | 5 megapixels S602 PRO POWERSHOT A40 £230 2.0 2 85%
www.nikon.co.uk £650 | 5 megapixels | www.olympus.co.uk www.canon.co.uk £700 | 3.1 megapixels | www.fujifilm.co.uk POWERSHOT G3 £700 4.0 5 81%
DIGITAL IXUS V2 £329 2.0 3 75%
CASIO
QV-5700 £600 5.0 4 84%
CREATIVE
PC CAM 300 £85 0.3 2 82%
PC CAM 750 £110 0.3 2 75%
FUJIFILM
@XIA SLIMSHOT £80 0.3 1 82%
FINEPIX A101 £140 1.3 1 84%
FINEPIX A303 £280 3.2 4 87%
FINEPIX F402 £300 2.1 5 85%
A brilliant design and build, although the Coolpix A classic Olympus shape with excellent finish, The image quality of the PowerShot G5 is fine and A great camera – in particularly for professionals
FINEPIX F401 £400 2.1 1 84%
5400 is let down a little by its inconsistent image layout and design coupled with first rate results there’s a good range of features, but the build who will embrace the studio flash capability and
increased storage capacity FINEPIX F601 £490 3.1 2 90%
quality – it’s just not as sharp as some of its rivals make the C-5050 the best in its class and ergonomics are rather disappointing
FINEPIX M603 £700 3.0 5 78%
FULL REVIEW: issue 12 FULL REVIEW: issue 06 FULL REVIEW: issue 12 FULL REVIEW: issue 06
Sensor 5.3-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD Lens Olympus Sensor 3.3-megapixel 1/1.7-inch SuperCCD Lens HP
Sensor 5.1-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens Sensor 5 megapixels, 1/1.8-inch 5.3MP CCD Lens
f2.8-4.6 4x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 1cm macro f1.8-2.6 3x optical Focus auto, manual, macro, super- Canon f2.8-4.9 3x zoom Focus Auto, manual, 5cm Super EBC Fujinon f2.8-3.1 Focus auto, manual, macro, PHOTOSMART 320 £150 2.0 2 90%
Exposure modes Program AE, shutter-priority, scene macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, aperture macro Exposure modes Program AE, scene modes, super-macro Exposure modes Programmed AE, PHOTOSMART 720 £300 3.3 2 71%
modes, manual, aperture priority Metering Matrix, priority, shutter priority, manual, scene modes aperture priority, shutter priority, manual Metering aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, scene PHOTOSMART 850 £400 4.0 5 72%
centre-weighted, spot, AF spot Monitor 1.5-inch, AE Metering digital ESP, spot, multi-spot Monitor 1.8-inch Evaluative, centre-weighted, average, spot Monitor modes Monitor 1.8-inch 110,000 pixels AE KODAK
compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, on, 114,000 pixels AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV 1.8-inch AE compensation +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash auto, EASYSHARE DX4330 £300 3.1 2 63%
off, night flash, second-curtain slow sync, red-eye increments Flash Auto, on, off, slow, slow 2nd curtain, Flash Auto, on, off, slow flash, red-eye Video output on, off, slow, red-eye, slow with red eye Video
DX4330 £300 3.1 1 63%
Video output PAL or NTSC Movie recording 640 x red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 at15sec with output PAL Movie recording 640 x 480 at 30 fps
with sound Other features dual media slots, external KONICA
480 at 15fps with sound Other features Flip-out x 240 at 15fps Other features multiple memory card sound Other features Fold-out LCD Image storage
swivelling LCD Image storage CompactFlash slots Image storage x-D Picture Card, SmartMedia, CompactFlash Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, BP- flash sync Image storage CF, SM, MicroDrive KD-100 £100 1.3 2 67%
Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable, EN-EL1 AC CompactFlash Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied 511 AC adaptor Yes Weight 410g Dimensions Batteries 4x AA AC adaptor supplied Weight 150g KD-400Z £400 4.0 1 90%
adaptor Yes Weight 320g (without battery or card) Weight 380g Dimensions 115mm(w) x 80mm(h) x 121mm(w) x 69.9mm(h) x 73.9mm(d) Transfer USB Dimensions 121mm(w) x 81.5mm(h) x 97mm(d) MINOLTA
Dimensions 108mm(w) x 73mm(h) x 69mm(d) 70mm(d) Transfer USB Software Olympus CAMEDIA Software FileViewer, PhotoStudio, RemoteCapture, Transfer USB Software FinePix Viewer, DP Editor, DIMAGE F100 £400 3.95 2 86%
Transfer USB Software Nikon View, Elements 2 OS Master OS Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS 8.6- PhotoRecord, ZoomBrowser EX, PhotoStitch OS Win98, VideoImpression OS Win98/Me/2000/ XP. Mac OS DIMAGE 7I £799 4.95 2 89%
Win98SE, Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2, OSX 10.1.2 9.2.2, OS X 10.0.4 or higher Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS9.0-9.2, OSX 10.1, 10.2 8.6-9.2, OS X
DIMAGE 7HI £1,000 5.0 4 92%
MUSTEK
Features 96 1 FINAL SCORE Features 93 1 FINAL SCORE Features 95 1 FINAL SCORE Features 95 1 FINAL SCORE GSMART MINI2 £80 1.3 1 71%
1
91 % 1
96 % 1
86 % 1
90 %
Images 78 Images 96 Images 93 Images 81
NIKON
Build 98 1 Build 98 1 Build 82 1 Build 89 1 COOLPIX 2500 £260 2.0 2 70%
Value 93 1 Value 95 1 Value 75 1 Value 95 1 COOLPIX 4300 £450 4.0 3 82%
COOLPIX 4500 £550 4.0 5 91%
COOLPIX 5700 £1,000 5.0 3 88%
CONTAX TVS DIGITAL CANON EOS10D PENTAX *IST D TURN TO
SIGMA SD9 DIGITAL SLR OLYMPUS
£800 | 5 megapixels £1400 | 6.3 megapixels £1400 | 6.1 megapixels PAGE 34 FOR £1640 | 3.4 megapixels C-120 £170 2.0 2 75%
www.contaxcameras.co.uk www.canon.co.uk www.pentax.co.uk FULL REVIEW C-300 ZOOM £300 3.3 2 90%
www.sigmaphoto.com
. C-730 £445 3.2 4 88%
C-4000 ZOOM £449 4.0 1 90%
C-50 £550 5.0 4 88%
PANASONIC
LUMIX DMC-F7-S £280 2.0 2 74%
LUMIX DMC-LC40 £470 4.0 3 82%
DMC-LC5 £600 4.0 2 89%
PENTAX
OPTIO 430RS £450 4.0 2 79%
PHOTOCLIP
5-IN-1 £200 1.3 1 75%
It’s a prestigious brand but you can get some The EOS 10D is well made, fast, ergonomically The Pentax *ist D isn’t just a terrific camera to use, The image technology has clear potential and it’s
well made, well designed compacts for a lot sound and produces high-quality images. It’s the it produces very good results, too. At this price, RICOH
clear what the Foveon chip is capable of but users
less than this. Good but not good enough… obvious digital choice for EOS camera owners only the Fuji FinePix S2 Pro is better – but only just may be disappointed with image quality CAPLIO RR-30 £225 3.2 5 77%
FULL REVIEW: issue 10 FULL REVIEW: issue 09 FULL REVIEW: issue 09 RDC-I500 £610 3.2 3 73%
FULL REVIEW: issue 06
Sensor 5-megapixel, 1/1.8-inch, 5.3 MP CCD Lens Sensor 6.3-megapixel, 22.7mm x 15.1mm CMOS chip Sensor 6.1-megapixel, 23.7mm x 15.6mm 6.31MP CCD Sensor 3.5-megapixel Foveon X3 CMOS chip Lens not SAMSUNG
Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f2.8-4.9 3x zoom Focus auto, Lens No Focus Dependent on lens Exposure modes Lens Tested with Pentax 18-35mm f4-5.6 Focus supplied Focus n/a Exposure modes Programmed DIGIMAX 130 £130 1.3 2 83%
manual, 15cm in macro mode Exposure modes Program AE, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual, Dependent on lens Exposure modes Program AE, AE, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual SIPIX
Program AE, aperture priority, Metering multi-pattern, Scene Metering 35-zone evaluative, centre-weighted, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, hyper-manual’ Metering Metering 8 zone evaluative, centre-weighted, centre STYLECAM BLINK £40 0.3 1 73%
centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8 inch, 85,000 pixels spot Monitor 1.8” 118,000 pixels AE compensation Matrix, centre-weighted, spot Monitor 1.8-inch, 118,000 Monitor 1.8-inch 130,000 pixels AE compensation SONY
AE compensation +2/-2EV, 0.3EV increments Flash +/-2EV in 0.3EV steps Flash Auto, slow, red-eye Video pixels AE compensation +/-3EV in 0.5 (default) or 0.3EV +3/-3EV, 0.5EV increments Flash not supplied Video DSC-U10 £200 1.3 1 85%
Auto, on, off, night portrait, red eye Video output output Pal Other features 3fps for 9 shots Image steps Flash Auto, on, off, slow sync, red-eye Video output PAL/NTSC Movie recording n/a Other
PAL/NTSC Movie recording 320 x 240 with sound storage CompactFlash/MicroDrive Batteries Lithium- output PAL/NTSC Movie recording No Other features CYBER-SHOT DSC-P71 £300 3.2 2 90%
features interchangeable lenses Image storage
Other features voice annotations and image resizing ion rechargeable, BP-511 Battery life 650 shots AC Custom camera functions Image storage Compact Flash Compact Flash, MicroDrive Batteries 4x AA, 2x CYBER-SHOT DSC-P9 £430 4.0 2 86%
Image storage SD card Batteries Lithium-ion adaptor Yes Weight 790g Dimensions 149.5mm(w) Batteries 4x AA or 2x CRV-3 Battery life 450 shots (no CR123A for camera functions AC adaptor supplied DSC-F717 £850 5.0 2 84%
rechargeable AC adaptor Yes Weight 210g (without x 106.5mm(h) x 75mm(d) Transfer USB Software flash, NiMH cells) AC adaptor Yes Weight 550g (without Weight 580g Dimensions 152mm(w) x 120mm(h) TOSHIBA
battery or card) Dimensions 112mm(w) x 66mm(h) FileViewer, RemoteCapture, ZoomBrowser EX, batteries or memory card) Dimensions 129mm(w) x x 79mm(d) Transfer USB and FireWire Software PDR-T20 £300 2.0 1 73%
x 33mm(d) Transfer USB Software Imaging software PhotoRecord, PhotoStitch, Photoshop 5.0LE OS Win 94.5mm(h) x 60mm(d) Transfer USB Software Pentax Sigma Photo Pro OS Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP. PDR-3310 £400 3.2 2 74%
OS Windows 98/Me, 2000, XP, 2000 or XP. Mac OS 98/Me, 2000, XP. Mac OS8.6-9.2, OSX 10.1, 10.2 Photo Lab, Pentax Photo Browsers, RAW file converter Mac 9.2.1, OSX 10.1.1 or higher
9.0-9.2, OSX Windows 98/Me, 2000 or XP, Mac OS 8.6 or later

Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE Features 98 1 FINAL SCORE Features 961 FINAL SCORE Features 81 1 FINAL SCORE
1
75 % 1
94 % 1
96 % 1
79 %
Images 78 Images 90 Images 94 65
Images
Build 901 Build 93 1 Build 991 Build 77 1
Value 52 1 Value 95 1 Value 91 1 Value 94 1

118 DIGITAL CAMERA MAGAZINE

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THE BIG PICTURE

Audrey Hepburn
Wearing Courreges Hat
By Douglas Kirkland
Date November 1965
© Douglass Kirkland/Corbis

Audrey Hepburn wears a

white Courreges hat and and
holds a pair of sunglasses. A classic example of

01
the studio photographer’s art, this wonderful shot
of Hepburn in her prime captures the essence of
the sophisticated, playful 60s.

THE BIG PICTURE