editorial Journeying into our 20th Year in Print

“I have yet As you read this, Better Photography has completed 229 issues in print,
having never missed a single monthly edition in the past 19 years.
to meet a Oddly enough, for all the effort that has gone into it, I could not help
passionate feeling that it seems to be a rather small number. There is so much more
photographer to explore! Perhaps, the familiar excitement of waking up to something
who isn’t young interesting and wonderful everyday, just as it did so many years ago,
has something to do with it. Photography does that. I have yet to meet a
at heart and
passionate photographer who isn’t young at heart and spirit, regardless of age. So, as teenagers
spirit, regardless often do, we decided to dig up a few numbers for us to boast about. Here they are.
of age.” We have 54 subscribers who are still with us from the very first issue in June 1997. The most
senior of them is now 92 years old and he sends letters to the magazine regularly. Over the
years, we have interviewed 614 photographers or featured them in depth. Of these, 141 greats
are extremely significant or legendary on a worldwide level, including the very biggest names
you can think of. We have reviewed and tested 1047 cameras, lenses, and accessories (including
film and a lot of analogue gear). We have featured over 5200 photographers (we lost exact
counts here on), their opinions, and their images, in other features and articles.
On to bigger numbers... we have had over 14,000 participants in workshops all over India,
most of which were conducted by the editorial team. Speaking of the magazine, over 34,000
pages have been filled by us, collectively. We estimate that we have introduced the joys of
serious photography to over 8,00,000 people, through the print edition of the magazine,
of which we have printed approximately 67,70,000 copies so far. And yes. In Mumbai, the
rare secondhand copy of the magazine commands a street price of at least Rs. 50, if pages
8 have not been torn out of it.
Here’s to reaching our next magic number, our 250th issue. Cheers!

K Madhavan Pillai
editor@betterphotography.in

T S Eliot
by Cecil Beaton,
the Cecil Beaton Studio
Archive at Sotheby’s

Beaton’s virtuosic
command over
photographic technique,
and his indomitable need for
the gradiose saw him make
portraits of celebrities in
ways that were considered
unthinkable in the mid-
1900s. Speaking on fashion
photography, he is famously
known to have said...
“Never in the history of
fashion has so little material
been raised so high to
reveal so much that needs
to be covered so badly.”

To read about Cecil Beaton

and other photographers who
redefined fashion photography,
‘Fashion Stories’—
Turn to page 78

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 V o l u m e 2 0 • i s s u e 1 • j u n e 2 0 1 6

Ceo-neWs and GrouP editor-in-ChieF Chief human resources officer, network18 Get Published in better PhotoGraPhy
Rahul Joshi Girish Naik Participate in online contests, share your best tips
and techniques to get your work noticed. Follow
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Chief editor Sanjeev Kumar Singh Visit http://betterphotography.in/contests and
K Madhavan Pillai register yourself on the website
neWsstand & subsCriPtions Participate in the relavant contests on the page.
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Features Writers north: delhi: Kamal Bisht, Kamakhya Pandey the image
Conchita Fernandes Winners of all the contests get featured on our
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Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 June 2016

79 96
90 90
SnapShots GearGuide CellphonePhotography
30 Book Review
‘The Middle of 46 test
Canon EOS 80D 70 test
VivoV3Max
Somewhere’ by A budget alternative to A fast and
Sam Harris the EOS 7D Mark II? efficient shooter

32 Remembering Ravi
An ode to Ravi Kanojia

36 TIPA Awards 2016

52 Olympus PEN-F
A digital revamp of the
iconic half frame camera
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www.betterphotography.in

58 Sony Alpha 68 On capturing daily

19th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL • FAShION & PORtRAItS: : VOLUME I OF II • GREAt MAStERS: LILLIAN BASSMAN, CECIL BEAtON, tONI FRISSELL

Pathbreaking AF for an snapshots from Iran

upper entry-level camera
19 anniversary

62
special C all
ICONIC WORKS : Lillian Bassman, Cecil Beaton,
Swapan Parekh, Manoj jadhav, toni Frissell
FOR EN
INdIa'S TRIES
WE BIggEST
ddINg
PhOTOg
BenQ SW2700PT
A good choice for the
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cOllecTOr's eDiTiOn: vOl i

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discerning printmaker?
& portaits Mercedes-Benz CLA 200?

xploring 'Frame the Star' challenge

64
The definitive fashion issue: 40 pages
of insights on craft, skill and vision
Canon Pixma G2000
The company’s first
MFD to feature ink tanks
VOL. 20 • NO. 1 • jUNE 2016

BOOK REvIEW gREaT MaSTERS yOUNg vOICES gEaR REvIEWS

Deeply personal: Sam harris Lillian Bassman's profound Our pick: Fashion and portrait the verdict on the Sony A68,
in 'the Middle of Somewhere' influence on fashion editorials photographers to look out for Olympus PEN-F and more

PHOTOGRAPH: LILLIAN BASSMAN

DESIGN: SANTOSH D KAMBLE
 InFocus

104 110
BetterPictures ShowCase PhotoFinish
78 sHooting tecHniQue
Fashion Stories 104 Our pick of promising
Young Voices
164 MemoirsofOldParisby
storY beHind tHe Picture

A journey through the voices in fashion and Eugène Atget

mesmerising fashion portraiture today
photographs of:
Cecil Beaton
Manoj Jadhav 110 great masters
Lillian Bassman
Toni Frissell The forgotten hero of
Swapan Parekh fashion photography

Regulars
Feedback ............................................................16
1000 Words .......................................................120
 Feedback
Send your suggestions, thoughts, and feedback letters to...
feedback@betterphotography.in
Every month, the ‘Letter of the Month’ will win a special gift from

“No subject is
ordinary if the
SH O O T IN G T E CHNI Q UE SH O O T IN G T E CHNI Q UE

The Psychology of Photography

It’s very Photographs always speak the language
photographer’s
satisfying when
I receive photos
of gum from
people who
follow my project
of their makers, and Anie Castillo’s work
vision is
on Instagram.
It feels good
to know that
my series has
is an example of it. Surrealism indeed
extraordinary.”
inspired them
to observe the
environment
around them.
is a cathartic expression of emotions
As a photographer,
I am often drawn
to subjects that are
residing within the recesses of the

All photographs by Sanne Couprie

viewed as waste.

unconscious mind that a photographer

In this case, I have
not just developed
92 a liking for a 93
subject considered
wasteful, but one
that most people are

articulates with the help of images.

annoyed by.

The Afterlife of Gum

The street is home to several elements, but none as misunderstood and
underappreciated as the humble chewing gum, mentions Sanne Couprie.
The connecting dots between the field of
Psychology and Photography are vast and
T
he chewing gum has a shortlived prefer the more solitary pieces which
but fascinating existence. I photograph from above.
What begins as a burst of flavour Sometimes, it’s the colour of gum that
in your mouth, eventually finds its captivates me, and at other times it’s the Finding Inspiration

unexplored plains, full of the promise of

way in a street corner, or between texture. Shoes and tire prints also lead to Most often,
The idea for the
photographers
Chewing Scum series the crevices of bricks, or becomes a final uniquely formed patterns, as well as the are so caught up
came to me a few years resting place for a curious family of ants. changing weather. When it’s cold, the gum with the specifics
ago in Milan, where
However, the most enthralling bit is to see cracks and loses it’s colour and when it’s hot of the art that they
I found three pieces
simply forget the

tiny rivulets of wisdom. I loved that this

of chewing gum neatly how it’s constantly evolving to keep up with it gains colour and becomes super flexible.
simple joy of making
arranged in the corner the environment. People get curious seeing me kneeling pictures. So don’t
of some steps to a
down photographing the ground. fuss over little details.
museum. It was after this
encounter that I decided The Changing Nature of Gum Some check the spot to see what’s so Instead, take a walk
down the street and
to actively document I couldn’t help myself from consciously interesting. Others ask what I’m doing, to
just shoot.

relation was touched upon in the April

discarded pieces of gum. looking out for these hidden gems. I usually which I gladly refer to my Instagram account.

Based in Netherlands, Sanne Couprie holds a Masters degree in Sociology and has been involved in the field of development and cooperation. He has also
been freelancing as a photographer since 2006. You can find his work on his website www.photocouprie.com and on Instagram (@chewingscum).

2016 issue of Better Photography.

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY JA N UA RY 2 0 1 6 JA N UA RY 2 0 1 6 BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY

Yukti Sharma, Kolkata

Astounding Food Photographs The story,
‘Gastronomica—
Never have I appreciated food more Delightfully Delectable Chronicling Childhood
than I did after reading the January 2016 Ways of Creating Iman Al–Dabbagh’s toddler has crawled
issue of Better Photography. In the story, Deliciously Deceptive her way straight into my heart and how!
Food Photos’ was
‘Gastronomica—Delightfully Delectable published in the January After reading the article, ‘Where is Layla’
Ways of Creating Deliciously Deceptive 2016 issue. It explored in the May 2016 edition of BP, I couldn’t
Food Photos’, the photographs that unconventional ideas decide what was more captivating, Layla
resonated with me the most belonged used in modern-day or her mother’s undeniable sense of both
16 food photography.
to Sanne Couprie. I was surprised to see aesthetic and timing.
his eccentric choice of subject, and how Iman has managed to shroud Layla’s
he turned an ordinary and blasé object face in ambiguity that serves a dual
like chewing gum into a fascinating and purpose—to maintain her daughter’s
popular series on Instagram. Not only privacy and also keep the viewer curious
was his choice of subject unconventional, enough. Her photographs are not only a
but it also inspires the mind to conceive reminder of how much a mother dotes
such offbeat ideas. on her child throughout the tantrums
Atharva Sankhe, Mumbai and play dates of childhood, but also
Iman Al Dabbagh’s
‘Where is Layla?’ an example of the impact and utility of
Not So Bright Future story was published visually documenting these memories.
Thank you Better Photography for in the May 2016 issue, Reading the interview has opened up a
and spoke of her journey
dedicating the April 2016 issue to the treasure trove of childhood memories
photographing her
problems associated with water and waste daughter who is full and emotions.
management in the country. The feature of surprises. Nadia Miranda, Bengaluru
(‘Running Through the Heart’ by M S
Gopal) on the Mithi River was both PROFILE PROFILE

disturbing and eye-opening. The denizens

of Mumbai have conveniently and
selfishly muddled the identity of a river Iman Al-Dabbagh

into that of a drain. And not just any drain,

• While shuttling between
Jeddah and Sarajevo,
Iman works on personal
documentary projects
that relate to ethnic
and national identity,

but the largest and most populated one,

displaced people, and
women in Saudi Arabia.
• Besides documenting the
everyday shenanigans She talks about how But not in the case of three-year-old Layla, filled bubble baths to frequent visits to She finds Instagram’s
of her toddler, she one shouldn’t be fooled censorship policy to be
whose mom, Iman Al-Dabbagh, has been the lake, from chasing bugs in the garden
also does commercial into thinking that her life hypocritical. She says,

on whose banks the city expands.

assignments, busy creating a photo journal for her. to more. But after a while, you notice that
is perfect, based on her “It is incredible how
photographing children, Instagram feed. “At best, something is different, and this is when it it’s okay to have highly
weddings and life is a beautiful mess at Now You See Her, Now You Don’t hits you that you don’t quite know what suggestive photographs
maternity shoots. home,” she says. floating around, but
• She has a special Iman’s Instagram feed gives you a glimpse Layla looks like, even though you have
not innocent pictures
fondness for dystopian Bredun always wanted into a toddler’s life. From elaborate, fun- seen several pictures of her. It feels as if the
of children.”

If viewed against the backdrop of the

48 themed movies and to be a writer, just like 49
books like Animal his father, who was a
Farm, 1984, and journalist. However, he
also Kahlil Gibran’s felt that he could
Spirits Rebellious. “There are only so never match up to his
many pictures of father’s caliber and so,

recent drought-like condition that has toes and fingers I can took to learning to be
put up,” says Iman a cameraman.
on the need to come
up with new ways of
photographing her

enveloped the entire state of Maharashtra,

daughter without
revealing her identity.

our mismanagement and disrespect of the

natural environment is highly alarming
Where is Layla?
Iman Al-Dabbagh gives Conchita Fernandes an intimate and humorous
view of what it’s like, running behind a toddler who is always full of surprises.

and a clear indicator of the dreary future

T
he best time to be a child is when
you are just about learning to walk,
and are on the threshold of forming
FIND IMAN HERE!
words in your mouth. You are the
out monosyllables, hoping that someone
comes running and picks you up. You are
adventurous and quite the traveller too, Cellphone photography
has made it easier for
crawling and finding your way along the
Iman to photograph

that awaits us.

Instagram: bravest at this time, trying to flex various nooks and crannies of your home. people around her.
@photosbyiman your muscles into letting your tiny legs lift All of these are important milestones It also puts them at ease
Website: www. you inch by inch, till you stand upright. that unfortunately turn into fuzzy and and makes them feel
photosbyiman.com less intimidated.
You are also the most eloquent, screaming irretrievable memories, the older we grow.

Pahul Ahuja, Surat

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY M AY 2 0 1 6 M AY 2 0 1 6 BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 Twitter: twitter.com/betterphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/betterphotography
Youtube: youtube.com/betterphotoindia FIND US ONLINE!
Website: betterphotography.in

My Tryst with Photography

Being the family drama queen and the eternal poser
amongst friends, I never had to scrounge around
for pictures to put up on social media. However, this
behaviour took a backseat when I entered college.
I remember sitting in the back of the classroom,
as our seniors briefed us about the world of media
and advertising and the journey of self-discovery and
self-reinvention that lay ahead of us. I was sure that
my only area of interest was writing, and so everyday
I would sit in a quiet corner of the college and write.
However, out of the corner of my eye, I would
quietly observe my friends and seniors moving
around the campus, photographing routine life.
Why they would spend time shooting trivial things
was beyond me, until the day I was assigned my first
photography project, that required capturing what
I felt through portraits of others. We believe that the
Using a DSLR borrowed from a friend, I shot joy of a family photo
my first picture. It was blurry, out of focus and is in displaying
I loved it! Because, somewhere in the blurred it. To make your
lines of the photograph, I recognised my thoughts
special memories
materialising into an image and that’s when it
stand out, this
hit me. Photography, much like writing, is but a
way of expressing oneself. It’s not about being a Letter of the
master photographer or making distinguished Month wins a
photographs; it’s simply a way of documenting special Photo Frame
one’s thoughts. Photography is not just a from Red Moments!
profession or an art, it is a passion and a way
of communication.
Sonakshi Pandit, Nashik

“A photograph is Photography and Storytelling it, and their inevitable relation with
but a reflection It is the artist in a photographer that each other.

of its maker, captures not just a moment in time, The article spoke of the pioneering
but the entire story that led to that ideologies and works of Mikhail
because it moment’s existence. Kaufman, Dziga Vertov and his wife
gives a voice Composition, framing, the art of Elizaveta Svilova, whose magnum opus The story, ‘Man
to his thoughts lighting; are all chapters of the story that Man with a Movie Camera is a classroom with a Movie Camera’
was published in 17
and feelings.” the photographer wishes to capture. of learning for any photographer. It was
the May 2016 issue,
While these technological aspects of the interesting to learn about the origin and and showcases the work
picture are important, they must not take evolution of techniques like Double of Russian filmmakers
away from its larger story. Editing and Exposures, Match Cuts, and Dutch Dziga Vertov, Mikhail
Kaufman and Elizaveta
filters must be used like a story’s lexicon, Angle, that are now used abundantly by
Svilova and their crucial
only to enhance the basic understanding ‘men with movie cameras’. contributions to the
without changing its meaning. Hence, the Kunal Sumeet, Hyderabad field of cinematography.
photograph becomes a narrator; for
it must survive the timeline of the story, BetterPictures
SHO OT ING T ECHNIQUE SHO OT ING T ECHNIQUE

so that it exists even when the storyteller

I
“We proclaim magine having to sit through a silent Such was the premise behind Man with
movie that has no story, and no a Movie Camera, released in 1929 while
the old films, subtitles—just a message from the the process of filmmaking was still in its
based on the

is long gone.
director informing you so. You might
romance, find some music to accompany it, but
theatrical films in all possibility, the director had not
intended to provide you any. For the next
and the like, to sixty-odd minutes, you are told, the camera
fledgling stages. Dziga Vertov, a filmmaker
who swore by the limitlessness of the
reach of the camera, put together footage
gathered from four cities over a period
of four years. He calls it ‘an experiment

Ronica Sharma, Jaipur

be leprous. would do all the talking, giving you the in cinematic communication’, and what
Keep away opportunity to witness one day in the lives follows is a record of stupefying feats of
from them! of the people through its eyes. cinematic genius.

Keep your eyes

off them!
They’re mortally

A Movie to Learn From

dangerous!
Contagious!”

The article ‘Man with a Movie Camera’, 62 Dziga Vertov

Denis Kaufman adopted the name
Dziga Vertov, which translates to
Mikhail Kaufman
Kaufman was Vertov’s younger
brother. He served in the Red
Elizaveta Svilova
Svilova started her film career at
the age of 14. After working as a
63

‘spinning top’ in Russian. He began Army during the Russian Civil War. features editor at the USSR State

which appeared in the May 2016 issue of

his career editing the weekly film
series of the Moscow Cinema
Committee. He founded the group
of Kinoks (“Cinema Eyes”) in 1922.
Vertov’s philosophy and style would
later influence several filmmakers,
Upon his return, he worked as
chief cinematographer at Vertov’s
studio. Incidentally, the brothers
fell out over artistic differences
while making Man with a Movie
Camera, and would never work
Committee for Cinematography
for four years, she joined Vertov’s
studio as chief editor. The duo got
married in 1924. Svilova would go
on to serve as chief editor and
assistant director for all of Vertov’s

Better Photography, ended with the words,

notably Jean Luc-Godard. together again. subsequent movies.

“Vertov aptly called his movie an excerpt

from a camera operator’s diary”. To me,
these lines were the beginning of a new Man with a Movie Camera
Kaufman, the
cinematographer,
also appears as the
eponymous cameraman
seeking shots, often in
For the geopolitical historian, Man with a Movie Camera is a cinematic time capsule from precarious positions.

understanding I had of films, of the

In another shot, he is
the Soviet Union. For the photographer, it is a documentary about photographic and shown riding a bike with
cinematographic techniques. Sachin Sai follows three maverick filmmakers on their one hand, and turning
the crank of the camera
six-reel journey through Kharkiv, Kiev, Moscow, and Odessa. with the other.

various frames and shots that constituted

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY M AY 2 0 1 6 M AY 2 0 1 6 BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNE 2016 BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY

 w h at ’ S n e w
Leica M-D
The M-D is Leica’s first full
production model that does
not feature a rear LCD.
It features a 24MP CMOS
sensor, a viewfinder with 0.68x magnification
and an ISO range of 200-6400. Also, users can
only shoot photographs in the DNG RAW format.
The camera retails for USD 5995 (approx.
Rs. 4,00,250).
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4
Samyang has
announced two
lenses—the 14mm f/2.8
ED AS IF UMC and the
50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC.
Both the lenses will be
available for Sony’s E-mount cameras and will
be able to make use of phase detection AF and
contrast detection. The lenses also offer 67mm
filter threads.
Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8
18 The Batis 18mm wide lens features
11 elements in 10 groups and is
weather sealed. It also includes
an OLED to display focus distance
and depth of field, and features
a minimum focusing distance of
0.25m. The lens retails for USD 1499 (approx.
Rs. 1,00,410).
Vivo V3 and V3 Max
Both the phones feature a 13MP
rear camera and an 8MP front-
Steve McCurry Slammed for Digitally Altered Images
S teve McCurry is perhaps one of
the most renowned photographers
from National Geographic, whose iconic
pictures have captured some of the most
beautiful and hostile regions of the
world. Moreover, his photographs have
been known to have an almost perfect
timing, where the framing is just right
and the colours punchy, defining his
genre for decades. Unfortunately, it came
as a surprise when photographer Paolo
Viglione called attention to the fact that one
of the photographs at McCurry’s recent
exhibition in Italy, appeared to be digitally
altered, and quite badly at that.
The botched image from the exhibition
is from his personal body of work which
was shot in Cuba. It has led to many people
questioning the authenticity of McCurry’s
photographs and his ethics during post
production. In response to this public
criticism, he issued a statement to PetaPixel
which stated, “I try to be as involved as
I can in reviewing and supervising the
printing of my work, but many times the
prints are printed and shipped when
I am away. That is what happened in this
case. It goes without saying that what
happened with this image was a mistake
for which I have to take responsibility.
I have taken steps to change procedures at
my studio which will prevent something
like this from happening again.” He went
on to add that while he allows himself
creative freedom with personal works, he
would never authorise any such change
in projects, especially those dealing with
reportage work.
After the initial discovery, several other
altered images from his personal work
have cropped up all over the internet.
A few altered pictures taken in India and
Bangladesh, which were featured on
Magnum’s website, have been taken down
since the incident.

All photographs by Steve McCurry

facing camera. While the V3 comes
with a 5-inch HD display, an Octa-
core Snapdragon 616 processor,
3GB RAM and a 2550mAh battery,
the V3 Max features a 5.5-inch
Full-HD display, an Octa-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, 4GB
RAM and a 3000mAh battery. The two phones
also have 32GB internal storage, that is
expandable to up to 128GB. The Vivo V3 and
V3 Max are available at Rs. 17,980 and
Rs. 23,980, respectively. the photograph (Bangladesh, 1983) on the left is the original and was taken from his blog, while the one on the
right, as seen on his website, is altered. a boy has been removed and there is possible manipulation of elements.

I write with this photograph not to tell you what you

can see, rather to express what is invisible. I write to
express these feelings. We are our feelings.
www.adcglobal.org

Duane MichaLS (1932)

Duane Michals started as a fashion photographer for magazines like Esquire, Mademoiselle and Vogue. However, what set him apart was his
philosophical ideas on death, gender and sexuality that reflected in his non-commercial work. He would include handwritten text in his sequences,
thus giving them a story and direction. Homage to Cavafy (1978); Nature of Desire (1989); Duane Michals: Now Becoming Then (1990); Questions
Without Answers (2001); The House I Once Called Home (2003) are a few of works inspired by his musings.

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 s naPs hots
w h at ’ S n e w
SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive
With its 128GB storage, the
iXpand Flash Drive helps
clear space on the iPhone and iPad. It features
a USB 3.0 flexible lightening connector, provides
password protection for files and can back up
data from social media sites. Also, the iXpand
drive app has a camera function to shoot and save
on the drive.
SanDisk extreme PRO microSDXc
uhS-ii card
The card is available in 64GB and
128GB variants and allows a transfer
speed of up to 275MB/s. It is
backwards-compatible with UHS-I host devices,
and enables users to capture Full HD and 4K Ultra
HD videos.
Samsung evo Plus 256GB MicroSD
The card offers 256GB, the highest
external memory space compatible
with smartphones, tablets, action
cameras, 360° video recorders and
drones. Falling under UHS-1 Class 10 speed, it has
a 95MB/s read speed and 90MB/s write speed,
records 12hrs 4K UHD, or 33 hours full HD and
46hrs HD videos without renewal. The card will
20
be available June onwards at USD 249 (approx.
Rs. 16,700)
Manfrotto advanced Rear Backpack
Manfrotto’s new backpack is
designed to conceal its main
camera compartment, present in
between the bag’s shoulder straps.
It can carry a DSLR and three
lenses, and also features a tripod
compartment. All the zips on the
backpack are magnetically locked.
MindShift Gear Multi-Mount
holster Bags
MindShift has launched the Multi-
Mount Holster 10, 20, 30 and 50 bags
with features like a removable LCD
screen protector, seam-sealed rain
cover and inbuilt weather protection. Also, all the
bags are usable in five different ways—belt around
the waist, over the shoulder, over the chest, in front
on a harness and as a fanny pack. They are priced
between USD 90 and 120 (approx. Rs. 6000-8050).
Better PhotograPhy
Ravi Kanojia from The Indian Express Passes Away
R avi Kanojia,
the principal
photographer at
In 2014, he won the National Award, for
his documentation of the people affected
by the Muzaffarnagar riots. He was also
The Indian Express, one of the newspaper’s most sought-
lost his life while after photographer. To his friends and
photographing a colleagues, Ravi was known for his cool
water train, for the and relaxed temperament. He is survived
newspaper’s drought coverage in Jhansi. by his parents and three sisters. Turn to
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, announced page 32 to read his retrospective written by his
an ex gratia of Rs. 20 lakh for his family. friend and fellow photographer Tashi Tobgyal.
Sony World Photography Awards Unveils its Winners
I ranian photojournalist Asghar
Khamseh, won the prestigious L’Iris
d’Or Professional Photographer of the
Year award, for his project Fire of Hatred.
The series consisted of portraits made of
acid attack victims in Iran.
Aaghar Khamseh
Other winners included Sepehr
Jamshidi Fard (Culture category), who won
for his work Salt Cleansing, Anais Stupka
(Environment category) for Mount Kazbek
in Frame and Sam Delaware (Portraiture Sony World Photography Awards received
category) for his series Sam. This year, the a staggering 2,30,103 entries.
Alexia Foundation Announces Winners of its Grant
A aron Vincent Elkaim’s series, Where
the River Runs Through, was awarded
the Alexia Grant under the Professional
USD 20,000. He will utilise the money to
pursue the project further and document
the consequences of the hydroelectric
category, for which he received a sum of dam in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, and
its effect on the indigenous communities
living there.
Under the Student category, Nathaniel
Brunt received the grant for his work
Aaron Vincent Elkaim
#Shaheed, which depicts the ongoing
conflict in Kashmir. He plans to use
the grant money to get a Phd and later,
produce a book featuring his photographs
from the region.
june 2016
 e V e n tS

21 March–21 June
the Garden
underground
indian habitat center, new Delhi

P R O ta L K
New Vintage Camera Museum Opens in Gurgaon
Tony Clancy

honeycomb Grid

Curated by Tony
is made of different
channels about the A ditya Arya has spent most
of his life collecting vintage

Image courtesy: Hindustan Times Photos

Clancy, the exhibition size of a drinking straw cameras and other photography
has three panels of and is used to create
photographs by Tony curios, that were all carefully
focused beams of light,
Clancy, Aarti-Kumar
accommodated by its arranged in his basement.
Rao and Juhi Saklani, This collection has finally found an
and are mounted at
black color that helps
the Jor Bagh Metro reduce any diffusion. avenue to reach a larger audience
Station. The pictures through a vintage camera museum
depict the gardens from called the Museo Camera. It has
various cultures.
been made possible owing to a
18 april–31 May
partnership with the Municipal
hyderabad Vintage Corporation of Gurgaon. Most of Arya’s cameras were either
Photographs
the Gallery cafe, hyderabad The museum includes over 1000 cameras obtained from junk dealers or were received
Raja Deen Dayal

from makers like Kodak, Leica, Ansco, as gifts. He has also travelled far and wide
Zeiss, Graflex and Thornton Picard, and to countries like Japan, Switzerland,
have been manufactured between 1880 and Germany and France, to procure these
1990. It also houses other photographic antique cameras, most of which are in either
Being the Nizam’s court
photographer, Raja equipment like the different materials working condition or can be repaired.
Deen Dayal captured used to print and develop images, along Arya feels excited about this latest
rare photographs of the with an invaluable collection of 20,000 development and hopes that the new
architectural beauty of
late nineteenth century original silver prints chronicling India’s museum will be a great benefit to those
Hyderabad. The limited freedom movement. passionate about photography.
22 edition prints are being
exhibited as a joint
celebration of World
Heritage Day.
call for entries
28 april for the grand prize winner. The Open category winner
Photography aDDa will receive USD 3000 (approx. Rs. 2,00,430) and
e-MaLL, Kolkata the Amateur category winner will receive USD 1500
Sankar Ghose will be (approx. Rs.1,00,215). In addition to this, winners will
hosting a talk, which also receive equipment from Epson.
will revolve around entry Fee: USD 22 (approx. Rs. 1470) for the Open
his photographs that category and USD 18 (approx. Rs. 1203) for the
are a part of exhibits Amateur category.
abroad and in India. website: www.thepanoawards.com
His work has also been Deadline: 10 July
recognised by the likes
of National Geographic,
Photovogue Italy the howard chapnick Grant
and others. the competition: The grant encourages and supports
leadership in fields ancillary to photojournalism,
20 May–3 June which includes editing research, education
Figures in time and management.
tasveer Gallery, new Delhi Prizes: The recipient of the grant will receive
Participate in hiPa’s hariban award USD 5000 (approx. Rs. 3,34,050).
Samuel Bourne

contest and you could the competition: Photographers from around the world website: www.smithfund.org/howard-chapnick-grant
win prize money worth are invited to submit their monochromatic images. Deadline: 15 July
over Rs. 80 lakhs! Prizes: The winner will have the opportunity to travel to
Kyoto and participate in the collotype printing process hamdan international Photography awards
for two weeks. the competition: Now in its sixth season, HIPA is inviting
Samuel Bourne and
Charles Shepherd’s website: www.benrido-collotype.today/collotype- photographers from around the world to participate
nineteenth century competition in its new contest with the theme The Challenge.
vintage photographs Deadline: 30 June categories: The Challenge, Digital Manipulation,
include a series Portfolio, General—Black and White and Colour
of architectural ePSOn international Pano awards 2016 Prizes: The grand prize winner will receive
views, portraiture the competition: Participants are invited to submit their USD 120,000 (approx. Rs. 80,17,200) and the winner of
and landscapes. photographs of panoramas to two categories—Open The challenge category will win USD 25,000 (approx.
The exhibition is a and Amateur. Rs. 16,70,250). Other category winners will receive
part of the gallery’s theme: Nature and Built Architecture USD 15,000 (approx. Rs. 10,02,150).
decade long
Prizes: There is a total prize pool worth USD 60,000 website: www.hipa.ae/en
anniversary celebration.
(approx. Rs. 40,08,600), including USD 25,000 in cash Deadline: 31 October

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 e V e n tS

29 May
Basic Photography
workshop
electronic city Phase 1, Bengaluru

A Crowdfunding Project Initiated for Publishing a Book

Abhishek Virendra will
be conducting a basic P R O ta L K
photography workshop
on how to use a camera’s Beauty Dish is a
manual mode for fashion
photography, with the
help of models.
parabola shaped dish
that creates a soft
light by reflecting the
V iren Desai, a Mumbai-based fine
art and advertising photographer,
has initiated a crowdfunding project to
photographs capturing Indian musical
geniuses. It includes some of his most
iconic photos of musical ustads like
source light off its high publish his coffee table book. Titled The Allarakha Qureshi, Zakir Hussain and M S
5 June
sides that create a
DcP expeditions soft but focused effect. Grand Maestros of Indian Classical Music, Subbulakshmi, amongst others.
Photo workshop available in varying it chronicles over three decades of The book spans over 288 pages and is
nKM’s Grand, hyderabad
Saritha Dattatreya

sizes, the bigger the divided into 22 chapters, each dedicated

dish, the softer is the to a single artist and their inspiring
light it produces.
words. Most of the 158 colour and 130
black and white photographs have been
Saritha Dattatreya shot exclusively for the book. Priced at
will host a three- Rs. 6500, Viren has decided to self-publish
day workshop on
the fundamentals of the book, and aspires to print it in a
photography, beginning 12 x12-inch size.
from theoretic learning You can contribute anything from
indoors on day one,
followed by applying Rs. 100 to Rs. 1 lakh to help fund the book.
your new skills to make If the project doesn’t meet its requirement,
outdoor pictures on day the money will be returned. If you are
two and three.
interested in making a contribution visit
7 June www.fueladream.com/home/campaign/90
a Photography trip
to Bangkok
the Fisheye world institute of
24 Photography, Mumbai
H Satish Honoured by International Distinctions
The event offers a
B engaluru-based photographer H Satish
was honoured with the tittle of Master
ICS by The Image Colleague Society of
glimpse at wonderful
shots of Thailand’s California, for his series of 25 digital images
most scenic places, of Indian birds. He was also presented with
followed by discussions
and a workshop a Master Distinction by The Federation
on how to capture of International Art of Photography.
such photographs.
This makes him the only Indian to have

H Satish
11–12 June received two master distinctions in
corporate Photo nature photography.
exhibition
nehru centre, worli, Mumbai

Instagram Revamps its Iconic Logo

The exhibition
will showcase the
photography of
employees belonging to
participating companies.
There will also be
multiple stalls with
I nstagram has done away with its
‘Vintage One Step Polaroid’ logo,
despite its iconic status in popular
while maintaining the same basic design.
While the new logo appears more youthful
and bold in its representation of the
corporate discounts
on accessories. culture. Instead, it has shifted company’s ethos, it has received a mixed
to a sunset hued minimalistic approach, response from users all over the world.

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

Tasveer Digital Press Installs Xeikon 8500 Sony Launches New
S urat-based Tasveer Digital Press,
installed the Xeikon 8500 press. It has
printing, weddings, oversized photo
albums, graphics and corporate marketing G Master Lenses
a 1200 x3 600 DPI with 4-bit variable
dot density and an imaging width of
19.8 inches. It can print on substrates
materials such as brochures, posters,
leaflets, catalogs, packaging and other
commercial requirements.
T he new Sony G Master series of
full frame interchangeable lenses
comprises of the FE 24–70mm f/2.8 GM
ranging from 40 gsm to 350 gsm and can Standard Zoom lens, the 85mm f/1.4 GM
handle a monthly duty cycle of upto five Telephoto Prime lens and the 70–200mm
million pages. f/2.8 GM Telephoto Zoom.
The first of its kind in India, the Xeikon Designed specifically for their Alpha 7
8500 has a width of 20 inches, which allows range of cameras, the 24–70mm f/2.8 is
an incredible size in digital CMYK prints. priced at Rs. 1,54,990 and the 85mm f/1.4
This will enable the Surat-based press to is priced at Rs. 1,29,990. The price of the
expand their services into more market 70–200mm f/2.8 will be announced in
segments like photobooks, commercial August 2016.

LO O K w h O ’ S S h O Ot i n G

In Despair and In Hope

For the last eight years, Showkat Nanda has been
documenting the conflict in Kashmir and the pain,
suffering and hope of its people. Titled The Endless
Wait, this year, the project received the prestigious
Magnum Emergency Grant.
The primary focus of the project deals with the
struggles faced by the women in Kashmir, who await
the return of their loved ones, consumed in the throes
of the conflict. “It was a challenge photographing these
women, as they were very skeptical and reluctant.
But since I knew some of them personally, I was
Showkat nanda able to persuade them to let me make pictures,” he
says. Also, growning up in the midst of the turmoil
and experiencing it first hand has allowed him to
develop a very strong connection with the people
he photographs.
With the grant, Showkat hopes to bring about a
change in the lives of these people. He also plans
on constantly revisiting his work during future
projects, in order to ensure that his photojournalistic
work maintains the perspective of someone who
is a part of the society that is being represented in
the photograph.
— written by Dimple Soni

“the images
are just as
much about
me as they
are about the
struggle of
Kashmir and
its people.”

Ruqayya and her

Showkat Nanda

sisters are amongst

several others who have
lost their loved ones in
the conflict in Kashmir.
 re t r ospec
osPec t i v e

Image Courtesy: The Indian Express

32

Remembering Ravi
Ravi Kanojia of The Indian Express passed away in an unfortunate accident, while he was
on top of a water train in Jhansi, where he was covering the drought. Tashi Tobgyal looks
back at his life, and the various qualities that made him a much loved figure.

F
rom the time Ravi joined The
Indian Express in 2009, one could
immediately tell that he was hungry
to learn. He was very disciplined
too, and this was evident in the
He believed way he carried himself, about the kind
in keeping of equipment he used and the nature
suggestions and of investments he made. Even during
assignments, Ravi was always one step
critiques close ahead of the reporters he would accompany,
to the heart and always came back with the best
and eventually photographs. This meticulousness and
incorporated dedication did not go unnoticed by his
peers, who often commended him on his
them in work. This mattered a lot to Ravi because he
his future valued everything he did. Eventually in 2014,
assignments. he would be rewarded for his efforts in the
form of a National Award, for his coverage of
the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Although he did not have a steady plan
to carry him along the different twists and
turns that life took him through, one thing
he was certain of, and that was his end
destination. To most of us, it seemed like
he was headed in the right direction too,
and had even considered opening his own
studio. But above everything else, Ravi will
be best remembered for his charismatic
smile. Even under situations of extreme
pressure, I have seen him carry himself with
a certain calmness and maturity. As I write
this, I find myself at a loss, knowing that
I won’t be in his presence anymore. He will
be dearly missed for a long, long time.

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 re t r osPec t i v e

“Every reporter wanted to work “I was always relaxed around

with him and I wish I had several
Ravis to send for assignments with
each one of them. He was extremely
hardworking, organised and never
shied away from taking up any work.
I will miss him dearly and hope that
he rests in peace, for he left us way
before his deadline.”
—Neeraj Priyadarshi, Photo Editor,
The Indian Express
Ravi. I knew I could count on him
to come back with great-looking
photographs, and this was without 33
even accompanying him to the event.
He understood your needs and what
was required of him. Moreover, he
was extremely fond of food and we
bonded really well over this.”
—Somya Lakhani, Reporter,
The Indian Express

“Since we shared
the same name,
people would
always confuse
us. On the day
he passed away,
I received several
calls from
colleagues telling
me that the
confusion would
All photographs by Ravi Kanojia

sadly not be
there anymore.”
—Ravi Choudhary,
Photographer,
Hindustan Times
june 2016 Better PhotograPhy
 Click to the World of Photography with

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 t IPa 2 0 1 6
TIPA Awards 2016
The Best Imaging Products of the Year
TIPA celebrated its 26th year of honouring the most distinguished photo
and imaging contenders present in the industry. Sakshi Parikh reports.
T
he Technical Image Press
Association (TIPA) unveiled
their prestigious awards on 18
April 2016 in San Fransisco, USA.
The TIPA awards are presented
to the best photo and imaging products
launched by the industry over the last
one year. The actualy voting took place
on 1 April where the association selected
40 products from the pool of over 100.
36 Amongst 30 leading member magazines,
Better Photography, the only Indian
member of TIPA, was represented by
Deputy Editor—Technical, Shridhar Kunte.
Since 1991, the members meet once a
year at the General Assembly to discuss
projects, share opinions and comment
on industry innovations and trends.
TIPA Awards
endorsement
is the highest
accolade for
any photo and
imaging product.
Better PhotograPhy
During these meetings, TIPA editors
select the best imaging products through
an independent voting procedure,
which is done on the basis of novelty,
use of vanguard technology, design and
ergonomics, convenience, as well as price/
performance ratio.
The categories are upgraded every
year according to the dynamic market
trends. The voting committee comprises
of top photography magazines, varying
in their content and goals. As a result,
the TIPA Awards are bestowed through
a majority of votes by very experienced
editors. The trophies for this year will
be presented to the winning companies
during Photokina in Cologne, Germany
on 20 September.
Representatives
from the TIPA
member magazines
gather together for a
group photograph.
JUNe 2016

Best DSLR
Entry Level
Sony Alpha α68
The Sony Alpha α68 has a 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor with an ISO 100
-25,600 range. Its 4D FOCUS system uses a 79-point dedicated phase detection AF
sensor with 15 cross points. It can deliver accurate focus in light as low as -2EV, plus
constant AF tracking at 8fps. For video fans the α68 can record Full HD in XAVC-S
format with a bit rate up to 50 Mbps and continuous autofocus with accurate focus
tracking. Other features include SteadyShot Inside image stabilisation, a 100 percent
frame coverage and a 2.7-inch LCD monitor.
Best DSLR
Full Frame Expert
Pentax K-1
Pentax has entered the full-frame sensor field with the weatherproof and dust
sealed K-1. The 36.4MP CMOS sensor has a “simulated” anti-aliasing filter achieved
through minute sensor vibrations. The motion sensor also supports Ricoh’s Pixel
Shift Resolution system. It features 5-axis sensor shift image stabilization, a near
100 percent optical viewfinder, The rear LCD, a 3.2-inch 1.04 million dot LCD, is highly
flexible and allows for vertical, horizontal and diagonal movement.
Best DSLR
Professional-High
Resolutionl
Canon EOS 5DS /
EOS 5DS R
The 50.6MP full frame CMOS sensor of the Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R (with low
pass cancellation filter) can deliver 5fps full resolution still images, and Full HD 1080p
videos. They feature Dual “DIGIC 6” image processors and a newly developed Mirror
Vibration Control System that further suppresses camera shake. The cameras have
a 3.2-inch 1.04 million dot, approx. 100 percent coverage ClearView II LCD and a
150,000 pixel RGB-IR metering sensor. AF performance is enhanced with a 61-point
high-density reticular AF sensor and Canon’s iTR.
Best Medium
Format Camera
Phase One XF 100MP
The Phase One XF 100MP is a full frame medium format CMOS sensor camera.
It features 16-bit colour depth and an unparalleled 15 stops of dynamic range, plus
delivers an ISO range of 50-12,800 with no significant loss of image quality at the
extremes. The system allows for up to 60 second exposures in full 100MP resolution
and Electronic First Curtain Shutter technology, which greatly reduces any adverse
vibration effects on high-resolution images. It automatically gets activated while
shooting in Vibration Delay or Mirror Up modes.
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Best DSLR
Aps-C Expert
Nikon D500
This Nikon DX format camera features a 20.9MP CMOS sensor teamed with the
Expeed 5 processor. ISO range is 100-51,200, expandable to 50-1,640,000. The D500
can deliver up to 10 fps shooting with AF and AE, with an enhanced buffer for up to
79 shots of uncompressed RAW (NEF) images. It also features 4K video and can
record on both XQD and SD card. It is compatible with SnapBridge feature.
Best DSLR
Professional-Action
Nikon D5
The Nikon D5 delivers low noise and high-speed processing required for 4K video
and stills up to 12 fps with full AE and AF with an extended buffer that can capture
up to 200 frames of uncompressed RAW (NEF) files. The Multi-CAM 20K AF sensor
module has 153 AF points including 99 cross-type sensors. The camera has an ISO
range of 100 to 102,400 and its AF system can work in near darkness.
37
Best DSLR
Photo and Video
Professional
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
With a newly developed 20.2MP 35mm Full Frame Canon CMOS sensor, the EOS-1D X
Mark II offers continuous shooting speeds of up to 14 fps and up to 16 fps in live view
mode. The Dual “DIGIC 6+” processors offer high-speed transfer for up to 170 RAW
images and unlimited JPEGs per burst. The camera is capable of shooting 4K and
also supports the new high-speed wireless standard. Focusing speed and accuracy
has been enhanced with an improved 61-point viewfinder AF and an improved AI
Servo II+ predictive AF algorithm for better accuracy.
Best CSC
Entry Level
Fujifilm X-T10
The Fujifilm X-T10 is a viable option for hobbyists who want to become involved in
quality imaging and extensive lens offerings at an affordable price. The camera has
a 16MP X-Trans CMOS II APS-C size sensor and Fujifilm’s EXR Processor II inside
its magnesium alloy body. Its native ISO is 200 to 6400, expandable to 100-51,200.
Viewing options include a 2.36 million dot OLED EVF and a tilting 3-inch 920k dot LCD.
The camera can record Full HD videos and has a built-in stereo microphone along
with WiFi and an option for remote control operation from a smartphone.
Better PhotograPhy
 t ipa 2 0 1 6
Best CSC Advanced
Olympus OM-D E-M10
Mark II
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II is a Micro Four Thirds camera. It features a 16MP
Live MOS sensor and TruePic VII processor with an ISO sensitivity up to 25,600. The
camera can deliver full-res framing rates of 8.5 per second that take advantage
of its 81-point “FAST” AF system. Other attractive features include Full HD video
capability at 60 fps, an AF targeting pad that can be traced on the rear touch
screen, a simulated optical finder that delivers a high dynamic range image, in-body
5-axis image stabilisation and a 3-inch tilting and touchscreen LCD.
Best DSLR
Professional
Sony Alpha α7R II
The Sony Alpha α7R II has a 42.4MP “Full-frame” Exmor R CMOS sensor housed
inside a full magnesium alloy body. It features a hybrid AF system with 399 on-sensor
phase detection points and 25 contrast detection points that allow still shooting at up
to 5 fps at full AF and AE. The α7R II can deliver 4K video with in camera processing
and recording. It offers fully customisable colour and gamma controls. Its ISO range
is 100-25,600, with extendable ranges to ISO 50 to 1,02,400.
38
Best Compact
Camera Expert
Canon PowerShot G5 X
The Canon G5 X is a 20.2MP camera with a 1-inch High Sensitivity CMOS sensor
and DIGIC 6 processor that can deliver nearly 6 fps still images and Full HD video.
The integral 24-100mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.8 that drops to only f/2.8
at the telephoto setting. the camera has a 9-blade aperture and close focusing of
5.08cm. Its EVF has 2.36 million dots and 100% coverage, with a refresh rate of up
to 120 fps. A built-in eye sensor switches to the touchscreen on the 3-inch variable
angle LCD. The hot shoe is compatible with all Speedlite flashes in the EOS system.
Best Superzoom Camera
Panasonic LUMIX DMC
FZ300/FZ330
The Panasonic FZ300 has an integral 25–600mm Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens and
splash-proof and dustproof construction. It offers a 12.1MP 1:2.3 inch High Sensitivity
MOS sensor and a powerful image stabilisation system for both stills and HD
video recording. There are numerous still and video shooting and creative modes,
including 4K and RAW still modes. The camera sports a large 1440K dot OLED Live
Viewfinder as well as a tiltable rear screen and AF technology that yields AF speeds
up to 0.09 seconds and burst shooting with AFC up to 6 fps.
Better PhotograPhy
Best CSC Expert
Fujifilm X-Pro2
The Fujifilm X-Pro 2 is a rangefinder style camera that features an Advanced Hybrid
Multi Viewfinder. It allows users to instantly switch between optical and electronic
finders. The camera has a new 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor that teams with a
new X-Processor Pro to deliver an ISO range up to 12,800, extendable to ISO 100
and 25,600/51,200. The X-Pro2 has a splash and dust resistant body with more than
61 points of weather sealing. It delivers Full HD video 1080p at 60 fps and continuous
stills up to 8 fps.
Best Easy
Compact Camera
Canon IXUS 285 HS /
PowerShot ELPH 360 HS
The Canon IXUS 285 HS is a pocketable yet full-featured compacts that offer many
more options and higher photo quality than camera phones. The IXUS 285 HS
sports a 3-inch LCD and a 12x optical zoom lens with built-in optical Image Stabilizer.
Keeping connected is easy with a dedicated Wi-Fi button and NFC. The 20.2MP CMOS
sensor and DIGIC 4+ image processor deliver excellent quality even in low light along
with 1080p Full HD video and an ability to create a “highlight reel” in camera.
Best Full Frame
Compact Camera
Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II
The Sony RX1R II has an integral ZEISS Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens. The sensor has an
impressive 399 phase detection AF points that work in conjunction with 25 contrast
AF points to achieve fast and efficient focus. The camera has the world’s first optical
variable low pass filter that can be set to off, standard or high, with low pass filter
bracketing also available. Viewing is via a four-glass element in-built EVF or a tiltable
7.5cm 1.2 million dot LCD. The RX1R II can also deliver Full HD video with a choice of
various framing rates.
Best Rugged Camera
Olympus Stylus Tough
TG-870
The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 can be submerged up to 15 metres, withstand
drops up to 2.1 metres and functions in temperatures as low as -10C. A 180-degree
tilting monitor means images can be made with virtually any point of view. The 16MP
BSI CMOS sensor and TruePic VII processor handles stills as well as full HD 1080/60p
video, plus there is built-in WiFi and an upgraded GPS feature that can position in
under 10 seconds. The TG-870 has numerous exciting shooting modes, including
Nighttime Live Composite, Sportcam, TimeLapse Movie, and Sport Burst modes.
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Best CSC
Premium Camera
Leica SL
This L-mount Leica has the classic form and ergonomics associated with the brand
and a weather-resistant body made from two blocks of solid aluminium. It offers
a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor coupled with Leica’s engine from the Maestro II
series and delivers an impressive ISO 50-50,000 range. The camera can shoot full
resolution images at a rate of 11 frames per second and has a 2GB buffer that allows
for up to 33 DNG or unlimited JPEG bursts. It can also capture 4K video at 30 and 25
fps and DCI 4K recording at 24 fps in Super35 mode.
Best Actioncam
Sony HDR-AS50
The Sony HDR-AS50 is a durable and highly portable POV video camera.
The lightweight camera is supplied with an underwater housing that can be used
down to 60 metres and can be linked with a new Live-View Remote with full
camera command functionality that can be mounted virtually anywhere. It features
SteadyShot image stabilisation, 4K Time Lapse, a built-in stereo microphone, and a
ZEISS Tessar lens. The angle of view can be varied between “Wide” and “Narrow” in
two levels, plus zoom mode allows the user to zoom while shooting.
40
Best Design
Ricoh Theta S
The slim and wearable design of the Ricoh Theta S matches its unique image capture
system. The Theta S has a 14MP 1:2.3-inch sensor that delivers stills or videos with
a 360° spherical look. It can record Full HD videos for up to 25 minutes and offers
manual control of shutter speeds for settings up to 60 seconds. Its built in memory
can store up to 8GB of images. The camera allows easy sharing with incorporated
WiFi and can also be used for live streaming.
Best Telephoto
Zoom Lens
Sigma 50–100mm f/1.8
DC HSM Art
The Sigma 50–100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art is a constant aperture APS-C zoom lens
offers an effective focal length of 75–150mm. It is constructed with a total of 21
elements in 15 groups including three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) and one SLD (Special
Low Dispersion) elements. It contains a slimmer Hyper Sonic Motor for accurate
and fast AF performance. The lens has a nine blade, rounded diaphragm and has
a close-focusing distance of approximately one metre. This lens is also compatible
with the Sigma USB dock for future firmware updates and focus calibration.
Better PhotograPhy
Best CSC Camcorder
Panasonic HC-WXF991/
WXF990/VXF990/VXF999
Panasonic’s 4K Ultra HD Camcorder has an integral Leica Dicomar 20X optical zoom
lens with 5-axis Hybrid Optical Stabilisation. It features 4K Cinema in-camera editing
and effects, including Slow/Quick Motion and Post Cropping. It also offers in-camera
downsampling for 1080p Full HD displays and built-in WiFi links up to three mobile
devices to capture multiple scenes simultaneously with the Wireless Multi Camera
function. The camcorder has a 1.5 million dot EVF or a 3-inch LCD monitor and an
exclusive HDR mode that handles high contrast conditions.
Best Camera Drone
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K
The Typhoon Q500 4K comes with a “Personal Ground Station” remote control
featuring 2.4 Ghz RC and 5.8 Ghz Wifi transmission. The setup includes an integrated
3-axis precision 4K gimbal camera that delivers 4K/30 fps and a 5.5 winde inch
screen. The unit can also deliver 12MB stills. A clever “Watch Me” mode can be set
up to follow the photographer in action when he or she is on the go. The ProAction
SteadyGrip in the unit’s mobile app for mobile devices allow the handheld use of the
camera on the ground.
Best Entry Level Lens
Tamron 18–200mm
f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
The Tamron 18–200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC is a perfect lens for photographers who
are beginning to look beyond their kit lens. It is constructed with 16 elements in 14
groups. This lens for APS-C format cameras yields a 35mm equivalent of 28–310mm.
It is a compact camera is said to be the world’s lightest at 400g, in its class.
Vibration reduction helps users get steady pictures, particularly at the longer focal
length ranges.
Best Wide Angle
Zoom Lens
Sigma 24–35mm f/2 DG
HSM Art
The Sigma 24–35mm f/2 DG HSM Art is the world’s first full frame wide angle zoom
lens at a constant aperture f/2. It is constructed with 18 elements in 13 groups, has a
9-blade, rounded diaphragm, and premium FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements
and 7 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements of which two are aspherical
lenses. The minimum aperture is f/16 and the close focusing distance is 28cm.
An updated AF algorithm delivers smooth, accurate and fast AF plus the Super Multi-
Layer Coating controls flare and ghosting.
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Best Prime Lens
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di
VC USD
The Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 is a full frame lens constructed with 10 elements in
9 groups. It utilises two moulded glass aspherical elements with one LD (low
dispersion) and one XLD (extra low dispersion) element, which greatly reduces
chromatic aberration. The lens has excellent resolution from corner to corner,
avoids vignetting even at full aperture, has a minimum focusing distance of 0.2
metres and Tamron’s VC (vibration compensation) system. Full time manual focus
override is always available, a great aid when doing close-ups.
Best CSC Entry
Level Lens
Panasonic LUMIX G 25mm
f/1.7 ASPH
The Panasonic LUMIX G f/1.7 25mm is a fast, Micro Four Thirds lens that supports
high speed digital signal exchange at 240 fps and works smoothly with the LUMIX
G’s contrast detection AF system and Depth from Defocus technology. It offers a
close-focusing distance of 0.25 metres and has seven aperture blades plus uses two
aspherical elements and an Ultra-High Refractive Index element. The lens joins the
family of f/1.7 primes that include 20mm, 15mm and 42.5mm focal lengths.
42
Best CSC Wide Angle
Zoom Lens
Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL
ED 7–14mm 1:2.8 PRO
The Olympus ED 7–14mm PRO is a lightweight lens constructed with three Super
ED elements, one ED lens and two aspherical elements to minimise peripheral
chromatic aberration. This constant aperture zoom is weather sealed in 11 areas,
which makes it weather resistant. The lens has an L-Fn button with 27 assignable
functions and a Manual Focus Clutch with a built-in Hyper Focal Scale. Those who
enjoy close-up photography will enjoy the 20cm close focusing capability and the
creative freedom an f/2.8 aperture affords.
Best Mobile
Imaging Device
DxO ONE
Using an iPhone as a viewfinder and connecting the small, lightweight DxO ONE gives
a portable imaging solution that delivers superior picture quality while retaining
all the connectivity features of the smartphone itself. This begins with the unit’s
1-inch type BSI-CMOS sensor, which offers high dynamic range and superior low
light capability. The f/1.8 aspherical lens has six elements and a six-blade aperture.
There is also an option to capture images without the iPhone and to save them on
the DxO ONE’s internal microSD card.
Better PhotograPhy
Best Professional Lens
Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG
HSM Art
The full frame Sigma 20mm f/1.4 lens incorporates a total of 15 elements in 11 groups
including two FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements and five SLD (Special Low
Dispersion) glass elements. It has a Super Multi-Layer Coating, which diminishes
the effect of strong backlighting. The lens has an optimized AF algorithm for
accurate and smooth AF functioning, and incorporates Thermally Stable Composite
compound material allows it to perform in extreme temperatures. It has a nine
blade, rounded diaphragm, and a brass bayonet mount for long term performance.
Best CSC Telephoto
Zoom Lens
Fujinon XF 100–400mm
f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
The Fujinon XF 100–400mm is constructed with 21 elements in 14 groups and includes
5 ED lenses and one Super ED lens. It has a fluorine coating for further protection
in outdoor shooting conditions resulting in a weather resistant feature. The lens
is designed for handheld shooting with a 5-stop image stabilization system and
twin linear motors for fast AF. It features a rounded nine blade aperture and is
compatible with the XF1.4X TC WR teleconverter.
Best CSC Prime Lens
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
The full-frame Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens has a new XA (extreme aspherical)
element plus three extra low-dispersion elements that can provide a fascinating
combination of extremely high resolution of focused areas with a pleasing, soft
bokeh in the background. The lens has a circular aperture with 11 blades plus Sony’s
Nano AR coating, to reduce ghosting and flare. It contains a Super Sonic Wave
Motor that helps in focusing, and two position sensors for enhanced focus control.
Constructed with 11 elements in 8 groups, the lens is dust and moisture resistant.
Best Photo Printer
Canon imagePROGRAF
PRO-1000
The Canon PRO-1000 uses 11-colour (plus Chroma Optimizer) LUCIA PRO inks, which
are delivered via a FINE print head with a tubular ink delivery system. This results
in faster print speeds and enables stable high quality printing. There is a newly
formulated Photo Black ink, both Photo and Matte black have their own channels so
no ink swap is needed when changing papers. The vacuum paper feeding system
keeps paper flat during printing, thus more accurate ink placement regardless of
paper weight and type.
june 2016

Best Inkjet Photo Paper
ILFORD GALERIE Prestige
Gold Fibre Gloss 310gsm
The ILFORD Galerie Gold Fibre Gloss offers an ideal surface and look for black and
white images as well as reproducing a wide gamut for colour images. The paper
range is available in both roll and cut sheet, is made with 100 percent cotton rag and
no optical brighteners, yet has a crisp white and deep black response. The 310gsm
weight means a durable surface that is perfect for framing and presentation
portfolio prints. The paper can be used in dye and pigment ink printers, the latter
will certainly deliver both the best quality and longevity the paper can offer.
Best Tripod
Manfrotto 190GO!
Carbon Fiber
Manfrotto’s new 190 Go! Carbon is a full featured tripod that is light and collapses
down to a very portable size. When fully extended the tripod can achieve a
maximum height of 147cm yet it can be collapsed down to a bit over 47cm. The new
model weighs only 1.4kg. It features twist lock legs, a 90° centre column that can be
used for horizontal and macro work, and a low shooting height of 7cm. The tripod
can support up to 7kg.
Best Professional
Flash System
Phottix Indra 360 TTL
Flash System
The Phottix Indra360 TTL (360 Ws) has a built-in Phottix Odin Flash Trigger/Receiver
for up to 100 metres radio coverage and 12 metres indoor optical coverage with
Canon and Nikon systems. The unit’s smaller Li-ion battery makes for an ideal setup
for wedding and event photographers who generally have to move about with some
ease during the job. Its high-speed sync capability allows it to be handy during
ambient lighting situations. The units offers eight stops of power adjustment, from
full power to 1/128th with TTL exposure levels adjustable in +/-3EVs.
Best Photo Monitor
BenQ SW2700PT
BenQ’s SW2700PT 27-inch monitor is aimed specifically at photographers who want
IPS technology and 99 percent Adobe RGB colour space coverage, as well as a
brightness level of 350 lux and high contrast for rendering deep blacks. Its other
remarkable assets include inputs and outputs such as Display Port, DVI and HDMI,
with USB 3.0 ports, SD card reader and a unique OSD controller. The SW2700PT can
be hardware colour calibrated which is essential for serious photo retouchers and
graphic designers alike.
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Best Imaging Software
Serif Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo is an affordable, non-subscription based software that offers
various options for image processing and creative effects. The software includes
comprehensive RAW file format editing, numerous colour space options,
compatibility with the most common file formats, and live previews as effects are
applied. Other options include photo stitching, new alpha selections, black point
selection, advanced lens corrections, and more, including a large range of high-end
filters such as lighting, blurs, shadows and tilt.
Best Storage Media
Toshiba TransferJet
SDHC Card
The Toshiba Class 10 SDHC card features a TransferJet system that allows any
camera to become a wireless transmitting device. TransferJet is a close proximity,
wireless transfer technology that offers a safe and simple connection with a high
data throughput. Touching two such devices together automatically initiates transfer.
These adapters are available for USB, micro USB and Lightning ports to allow
compatibility with numerous devices.
43
Best Portable Flash
Nissin i60A
The Nissin i60A is a shoe mount flash that can be used with Canon, Nikon, Sony, and
Fujifilm cameras. The flash has an integral 2.4GHz radio receiver that is compatible
with the Nissin Air System and Air 1 radio Commander unit. The i60A has a Guide
Number of 60 metres and can be zoomed to optimize coverage in a 24–200mm
range. The back of the unit has a colourful LCD display and two control dials. It can
be battery powered with a high voltage powerpack port connection. The i60A also
has a TTL Optic Wireless Slave Mode as well as settings for 8 channels.
Best Imaging Innovation
Nikon SnapBridge
Nikon SnapBridge offers a seamless, one-time setup and energy efficient Bluetooth
Low Energy powered connection. Once installed, it enables the continuous and
immediate transfer of images from the camera to up to five paired mobile devices
as they are captured while not hampering mobile connectivity during transfer.
Pictures are transferred to devices as 2MP Full HD images in JPEG format with an
ability to include two types of embedded information, including copyright. Its remote
shooting function can be also used as a viewfinder and control panel for settings.
Better PhotograPhy
 GearGuide
tE
tEst
st

HOW WE TEST
Product categorisation
We first segregate products
into categories for the purpose
of equitability in testing.
D
The DSLR is divided into
MM ENDE
entry-level, semi-professional
RECO
and professional categories.
For compacts, we distinguish
between advanced and basic
compact cameras. Similarly, we
also test consumer and pro
lenses, flashguns, printers, and
other photographic accessories
and gear.

The Process
We primarily test for features,
performance, build, ergonomics,
warranty and support. While this
remains constant, the weightage
we give to these parameter
differs from category to
category, because different
types of consumers have diverse
expectations from products.

Final ratings
Under each main parameter,
46
we list out hundreds of individual
variables (for eg. colour
Canon EOS 80D

Controlling the Midfield

accuracy for individual colours
in different lighting, individual
features, dynamic range, center-
to-edge definition, light falloff,
etc) against which we either give
points or simply mark ‘yes’ or
‘no’. Thus, we arrive at a score
for that parameter, and then,
the final score, denoted as a
percentage. Additionally, based
The Canon EOS 80D seems to be a significant step up above the
on the current pricing of a successful EOS 70D, Shridhar Kunte puts this mid-level DSLR through its
product, a star rating for
‘Value for Money’ is considered. paces, to judge whether it would satisfy a semi-pro and pro audience.

Value for Money does not affect
the final percentage, because
prices for products change
constantly.
Our Seals of Approval
Any product that scores 80%
or higher in individual tests gets
‘BP Recommended’—a seal of
approval from our team.
Top 30 cameras
At the end of the calendar
year, we evaluate the Indian
market and choose what we
think are the 30 best cameras,
across price ranges. This is
Better Photography’s recognition
of the very best products
launched over the course of
the year. Our list becomes an
interesting reflection of how the
camera market is constantly
growing and evolving.
W
ith the arrival of the Canon
EOS 80D, it seems that
the company is trying
fast to catch up with
its competitors in the
mid-level camera segment. While the
nomenclature may make it seem that this
is a replacement of the EOS 70D, I think
it goes much beyond that, and is probably
creating a new segment between the 70D
and the APS-C flagship, the 7D Mark II.
Features
The most heartening aspect being that the
company seems to be finally addressing
the parameters where it was falling short,
to have a much better, well-rounded
product. The EOS 80D is built around
an all-new 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor
that offers an ISO range from 100–16,000,
which can be further expanded to
ISO 25,600.
The AF system has been completely WEIgHTAgE OF
revamped, and what’s fantastic is that the PArAMETErS
80D borrows technology from the 1D X
series, where the camera has a separate 5% 15%
processor just to handle AF calculations. 15%
The camera has a wide-area 45 point AF
20% 45%
system. All the 45 points are crosstype
and sensitive to both horizontal and
vertical lines when used with lenses
Features
of f/8 or faster. This allows tracking Performance
accuracy and quick AF performance Build Quality
even when shooting extended bursts. Ergonomics
When coupled with teleconverters Warranty &
support
there are as many as 27 crosstype sensors

BEttER PHOtOGRAPHY JUNE 2016

 tEst tEst
Olympus PEN F Sony Alpha 68
A reprisal of the old classic Surpisingly fast AF in an
half frame camera otherwise mixed bag
52 58
that are capable of focusing down to f/8.
There are four types of AF area selection
modes that can be selected based on
number of possible shooting situations.
These include user-selectable Single-
point AF, Zone AF (where users can select
from one of nine predefined AF zones),
Large Zone AF (where one of three zones
can be selected) and a 45-point AF auto
selection, where the camera detects the AF
point automatically. The centre point also
features a separate diagonal pair of line
sensors which automatically comes in play
when lenses with aperture of f/2.8 or faster
are used.
WHAT’S In THE BOX According to the company, the central
AF point is extremely sensitive even in low
• LP-E6N Lithium-Ion light, with an excellent sensitivity of -3EV.
battery pack
In our tests, this fared very well, with even
• LC-E6 charger
• EW-EOS80D wide slow kit zooms managing to lock focus in
camera strap unimaginably low light.
• Eyecup Eb The large 100% coverage viewfinder has
• RF-3 Body Cap for holding the camera at
Canon EOS a new Dual Axis Electronic Level which
• Cameras software helps to ensure perfect horizons in your
CD-ROM images, available both via the LCD and
• Instruction manual the viewfinder. An all-glass prism and
• Warranty card
advance coating technologies make the
JUNE 2016
tEst
Benq Monitor tEst
Visual solution for
the discerning pro
62
viewfinder brighter than predecessors,
AlSO lOOK FOr
but it does not have the option of using
interchangeable focusing screens. • Nikon D7200
Instead, it makes use of a Transmissive • Sony Alpha A6300
LCD Screen in which various important
shooting parameters like AF points, spot
metering circle and composition grid can
be displayed on demand. This is quite a
unique thing, and greatly facilitates the
picturemaking process.
Video has always been Canon’s strong
point, and the 80D carries the legacy
forward. Full HD video with AF, full manual
control and variable frame rates apart, there
is a new HDR Movie mode. In this mode,
the camera captures a series of HD frames
at different exposures, one normal and one
underexposed, in short succession at up to
60 fps. And during playback it plays at 30fps
to create a movie with a wider appearing The tilt-swivel lcD
dynamic range. A DIGIC 6 processer works with touch control helped
in conjunction with the CMOS sensor to frame this image while
offering quick Dual Pixel CMOS AF during
waist-level, the response
Live View and while capturing both Full from the touchscreen AF
HD and Full HD HDR movies. We would and shutter release was
recommend the use of STM lenses if you very quick.
Exposure: 1/100sec at f/11
want to make best use of this technology. (ISO 1600)
All photographs by Shridhar Kunte
BEttER PHOtOGRAPHY
 Handling a light drizzle or an occasional splash. The The dynamic range is
Canon users should have no problem lack of dual card slots is disappointing. considerable more than
the EOS 70D. Even while
finding their way into the 80D. The overall There is a textured area on both the deep
shooting against the light,
P lu S dimension is similar to the 70D and is handgrip and around the thumbrest on the I was able to retrieve
48 actually a little lighter. Not much has rear of the camera, which is larger than the good amount of details
• AF performance changed otherwise. The form factor of the 70D. A rounded rubber grip sits nicely in the with postprocess.
• Touchscreen Exposure: 1/3200 sec at f/11
• 100% viewfinder camera is ideal for anyone with normal hand and offers a comfort to hold and carry (ISO 100)
coverage to large-sized hands. The body is built for longer periods. A user with bigger palms
around rigid magnesium and polycarbonate can put his little figure under the camera’s
MInuS
resin, feels sturdy enough to take some battery compartment for additional support.
• Occasional highlight kind of beating. There is some kind of Majority of buttons and dials are located on
clipping in JPEGs weathersealing that is provided with the the right side of the camera on two different
• No 4k video help of seals and gaskets, but not to the planes, either on the top or on the back.
• Single card slot
extent of pro level camera bodies. That said, This makes easy to access buttons with the
you should be safe enough using an 80D in right hand while holding the camera steady
ErgOnOMIcS
Front Pop-up flash Top rear
lens Thumbpad
Shutter-release release Mode dial AF point
Menu button
button lock Focus area selection
button
selection

SD card
slot
Self timer Vari-angle
control lcD Playback button
indicator lens Touch Screen
Hot Shoe

There are two separate microphones placed around the The mode dial is on the left below which is the ON/OFF The major buttons on the back of the camera are arranged
periphery of the lens for recording sound while capturing lever. Upper right surface is dominated by a detailed LCD vertically down the left side, with ample spacing. The LCD
videos. On the handgrip is the IR sensor that will capture information screen. Four function buttons run along the top covers the major part of the back. Just above the top right
the signal transmitted from IR remote control. side of the LCD screen out of which three are dual function. corner of LCD is the live view/video recording button.

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S P Ec I F I cAT I O n S

Model name Canon EOS 80D Noise Test

MRP Rs 78,995 (body only)
Effective pixels 24 megapixels
Max. resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels
sensor size, type 22.5 x 15 mm, CMOS
sensor cleaning Yes
Aspect ratio (w: h) 3:2
Focusing modes One shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI
Focus AF, Manual focus
AF type TTL-CT-SIR CMOS sensor
AF points 45 focus points (45 cross-type)
Metering TTL full aperture metering
with 63 zone Dual Layer SPC,
Evaluative metering Partial
metering, Spot metering, Centre
weighted average metering
Shutterspeed range 30–1/8000sec
Exp. compensation +/- 5EV (in 0.3 and 0.5EV steps)
Colour space sRGB, Adobe RGB
ISO Auto, ISO 100-16000 (Extended
Mode: 100-25600)
White balance Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy,
Tungsten, White Fluorescent
light, Flash, Custom, Kelvin
(2500–10000 K in 100K
steps)
Drive modes Max. Approx. 7fps. (Speed
maintained for up to 110 images
(JPEG), 25 images (RAW)
Built-in flash Yes
External flash Yes
Flash modes Red-Eye Reduction, Red-Eye
Reduction with Slow Sync, Slow
Sync, Rear-curtain Sync
Live View Yes
Mirror lock up Yes
Dimensions (W X H X D) 148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5mm
Weight 650g (without battery, card,
body cap and eye cup)
f/1.8 lens. I took the camera on streets, in
the studio and in the jungle. The camera
produced high quality images throughout
our review. I was very keen to test the new
ISO 1600
enhanced AF system offered by EOS 80D.
And it worked very well in all the challenges
that I threw at it. The Zone AF system
was quick to respond and bang on target.
The zones effectively function as AF clusters
at the left, right, top, centre, and bottom
of the frame. The focus tracking does a
ISO 3200
very good job in tracking moving subjects.
My only concern is that the AF system and
module is a little complicated. It takes quite
some time to master it though.
In Live View, the camera focuses faster,
the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system changes
focusing seamlessly while capturing video. ISO 6400
The tilt-swivel LCD was responsive enough
The noise is very well controlled till ISO 3200.
in helping the touch focus and touch shutter Luminance noise is visible at ISO 3200 but there
to be used with any problem. The metering is no alarming colour noise. The images captured
system shows up an occasional problem at ISO 3200 are still useable with post processing.
The dynamic range is also greatly improved over
of highlights getting blown out while
EOS 70D. The JPEGs showed great efficiency and
shooting bright, frontlit scenes. I needed did a balanced job of removing noise without greatly
to underexpose the images by 2/3 to 1 stop affecting texture and detail in the images. 49
to avoid a clipped histogram. The dynamic
range is significantly better than the 60D and
70D, but the exposure latitude is still a tad
lesser than competing products from Sony
and Nikon.
This camera produces noise-free images
right from ISO 100 and all the way up to
ISO 1600, with some noise appearing at
ISO 3200. The images shoot at ISO 3200 are

with the left. You can select the AF point

with either front or rear dials, but have to
press the AF point selection button first.
The camera has a fantastic touchscreen.
If you are still puritan about the
implementation of touch-sensitive
LCDs in cameras, you should spend
some time experiencing the way Canon
manages it. You may change your mind.
The touchscreen is particularly useful while
shooting video, taking waist-level photos
still usable after some postprocessing. It is
better to keep in camera noise reduction
FINALRATINGS
Features 14/15
off as it polishes off the details. 45 cross-type AF points, DIGIC 6 processor
Performance 42/45
conclusion Fast and accurate AF, Improved dynamic range
Canon has done an excellent integration Build Quality 18/20
of stills and video in one single package. Weather sealing, Magnesium alloy
This is probably the most refined hybrid Ergonomics 13/15
DSLR if you consider the perfect balance of Easy handling and controls and buttons are
well laid out
quality, functionality and value for money.
This, despite the exclusion of 4k shooting. Warranty & Support 4/5
Large number of service facilities
The AF system is the best that you would

and while using a tripod. There are two
different sensitivity modes one is for normal
usage and the other is a high sensitivity
mode, particularly helpful while wearing
thin gloves.
Performance
We tested the camera with the Canon EFS
18–135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and the EF 50mm
june 2016
OVErAll 91%
see at this price point, and the image quality,
almost at par with the equivalent Nikon and
Sony cameras. Its MRP of Rs. 78,995, a mere
Rs. 4000 more than the 70D is what makes Who should buy it? An wildlife photographer who
this camera a fantastic upgrade. If speed is wants a relatively inexpensive alternative/backup for the 7D
Mark II, or an action shooter who often uses teleconverters.
of essence to you and you would want a less
expensive version of the 7D Mark II (and Why? The fantastic new AF system and excellent buffer
system complement the much improved sensor.
spend what you save on good optics), the
Canon EOS 80D is a real winner. Value for Money
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Olympus PEN-F

A Substantial Digital Reboot?

52

With the Olympus PEN-F, Natasha Desai goes old school, while testing a digital makeover
of a film favourite. But is it just faux retro or does it make itself relevant? She investigates.

W
hen legendary Olympus Features
designer, Yoshihisa Maitani, The PEN-F has a new 20.3MP Live MOS WHAT’s In THE BoX
made the PEN-F in 1963, sensor and is equipped with 5-axis in- • Lithium-ion
it revolutionalised the body stabilisation. It also comes with the rechargeable
camera industry with capability to shoot a 80MP RAW file in battery
• battery charger
its frame-saving capabilities. The half its Multi-Shot mode and 50MP in JPEG.
• uSb cable
frame SLR camera was the first of its The caveat with this feature that we also saw • Shoulder strap
kind as it produced double the number in some of the recent OMD cameras, is that • Lens cap
WEIgHTAgE oF of exposures in a roll of film, which was you need to use a tripod. • Hot shoe cap
PARAMETERs • fL-LM3 flash
extremely cost-effective. It was also one The PEN-F features a 1/8000sec
of the smallest SLRs made because of the mechanical shutter and a 1/16,000sec
5% innovative changes it brought to the internal electronic shutter. It has a 2.36 million dot
20%
15% mechanism. OLED viewfinder and a 1.04m dot vari-
35% Interestingly, legendary photographer angle touchscreen display, which has the
25% W Eugene Smith appeared in an ad in ability to focus with touch and release the
1965 for the original PEN-F. Fast forward shutter as well.
to 2016, Olympus releases the PEN-F in a While there is no 4k present, the camera
features
Performance digital avatar, with the highest resolution does shoot video in Full HD with the option
build Quality offered by an Olympus Micro Four Thirds of an Art Filter Movie effect. 4k shooting
ergonomics camera yet. For the purpose of this review, is available while making timelapses.
Warranty & the camera was tested with the 14–42mm With ergonomics that are definitely
Support
f/3.5-5.6 lens. targetted at the serious enthusiast, the

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camera includes four custom sets on the
P lu s
mode dial, a much underrated feature that
• 50MP High res helps you save appropriate settings for
Shot mode different shooting situations. Just like the
• 81 points af OM-D E-M1, the camera has a dedicated
• eVf
lever that can fine tune the tonal curve of
MInus a JPEG file on the fly. Olympus cameras
provide the most amount of control
• absence of when it comes to fine tuning the exact
microphone input
tonal response of a JPEG file, and if one
spends some time doing this right, it can
completely minimise the need to spend
too much time in postprocessing. Like any
aspect of printmaking, this also helps a
serious photographer previsualise the
photo and decide his settings accordingly.
Handling
Retro controls have been in vogue ever
since Olympus announced their first MFT
camera, another PEN, the E-P1. With both
Fujifilm and Nikon having made attempts
in the same direction, it has to be said that
f e b r ua ry 2 0 1 6
teSt
the choice to go old school in handling,
is a delicate one. Some cameras do so
fantastically, others falter.
The PEN-F does a decent job of
recreating the look of the original film
camera. But the retro exercise is more
of a design choice, rather than one of
functionality. This basically means that
in actual operation, the camera actually
resembles the other digital PENs. It’s only
a slightly boxier body and the inclusion
of a built-in EVF that’s different from the
E-P series of cameras. There is another
difference though. Much like the film
camera, this one, too, has a big dial at the
front, beside the lens. In the film days,
this was a shutterspeed dial. Here, the
shutterspeed-aperture operation is largely
I liked how all the
restricted to the regular exposure dials, subtle hues in the blues
and instead, the front dial allows you select of this images were
between six JPEG presets (or six kinds of captured pleasingly.
exposure: 1/1000sec at f/11
film, if you wish to make a retro connect). (ISO 200)
For a JPEG shooter, this, along with the
All photographs by Shridhar Kunte
The RAW capture gave
me a good amount of
recoverable detail in both
highlights and shadows.
exposure: 1/250sec at f/2.8
All photographs by Natasha
(ISODesai
100)
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54

tonal curve control we mentioned, makes the camera. The dedicated exposure The face detect mode
Also looK FoR was able to accurately
the PEN-F an extremely intuitive camera compensation dial is useful, but would
detect the bus driver’s
• fujifilm X-t10 with a lot of control. sometimes accidentally get engaged, face and lock on.
• Panasonic LuMIX That said, it would have been interesting when the camera was in the bag. The on- exposure: 1/60sec at f/3.5
DMC-GH8 had this actually remained a shutterspeed off button, particularly, is clumsy and
(ISO 200)

dial, as that would have completely cumbersome. and oddly placed, to the far
changed the design philosophy of left at the top of the camera.
ERgonoMIcs
Front Top Rear Fn2 button
Thumb grip
shutter-release camera strap Rear dial
button eyelet Video record
button EVF

shutter
release button

Power
lens release switch Vari-angle
creative mode lens Hot shoe shooting mode Four-way
button articulated lcD
dial dial controller
Olympus has tried to nod to the old PEN-F as much The top is much sleeker compared to the old PEN-F and A lo of the customisable options are found on the back of
as possible. For instance, the old camera had a front have all the creative controls of the camera. The internal the camera. The thumb pad is nestled comfortably along
dial dedicated to shutterspeed, whereas the new one menu can be quite confusing if one is not used to it, but the buttons keeping everything within easy reach. I found
features art modes. the customisable options make it easy. the grip comfortable enough to shoot with one hand.

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s P Ec I F I cAT I o n s

Model name Olympus PEN-F Noise Test

MrP Rs. 81,990
effective pixels 20.3MP
Sensor size, type 4/3” Performance
Processor Olympus TruePic VII The camera’s autofocus system is excellent,
recording formats Stills: RAW, JPEG even while shooting in low light. It does
Movie: MOV, AVI struggle a bit while tracking moving
Iso 1600
focussing Modes Single AF, Continuous AF, subjects, and isn’t as efficient as the A6300
Manual Focus, Single AF+MF, or the Nikon 1s, but it performs reasonably
AF tracking
well. The new sensor is interesting.
af Points 81-point AF
The spike in resolution is not much to
Continuous Shooting (H+ silent shutter mode) 20fps, speak of, an extra 4MP shows barely
(H) 10fps, (L) 5fps
any difference in linear resolution, but
Metering Digital ESP metering, center-
considering how good most MFT lenses are,
weighted average, spot Iso 3200
metering with highlight and every bit counts. The JPEG files, if the right
shadow control settings are chosen, are excellent, but if you
Shutterspeed range Bulb–1/8000sec (Mechanical wish to recover any blown-out highlights,
Shutter), 1/16,000sec
you need to shoot RAW. Video quality
(Electronic Shutter)
is decent, but nowhere near as good as
exp. Compensation +/- 5 EV, at 1/3 stops, (+/-3 EV
for video) Panasonic or Sony.
ISO Auto, ISO 100–12,800 What I really like about the PEN-F is its Iso 6400
(expandable to 25,600) battery life, but if you are picking it up for
White balance 7 Auto presets, 4 Custom street photography, which one guesses
flash/hot shoe No built-in flash, hot shoe would be its prime use, you may want to
present invest in a spare.
LCD size, dots 3-inch vari-angle, 2.36m dots
Viewfinder Electronic conclusion
A price tag of Rs. 81,990 is quite steep, Iso 12,800 55
Image Stabilisation Yes
Video resolutions 1920x1080 (HD) no mic input especially because the weather-sealed Upto ISO 800, noise is barely visible. 3200 onwards
present OM-Ds are available for lesser. But while has noise creeping in. But shooting RAW and
Storage types SD, SDHC, SDXC the price may largely be for the retro effort, exposing correctly will give you decently usable
prints up to ISO 6400.
Other features iAuto, P, A, S, M, Live Bulb, this is, at this point of time, the best MFT
Live Time, C1-4(Custom), sensor available. That said, the competition
Scene Guide, Creative
is quite stiff, considering that the Sony
Control, WiFi
A6300 and Fujifilm X-T10, both cameras
battery Li-on battery
with similar features and superior sensors,
Dimensions, Weight 125mm x 72mm x 37mm, 427g
are priced lesser.

FINALRATINGS
Features 18/20
20MP sensor, multi-shot RAW images

Performance 38/40
Fast and responsive AF, good image quality

Build Quality 12/15

Metal body with solid feel

Ergonomics 17/20
Good grip with thumbrest, allows one hand
shooting, several customisable options

Warranty & support 3/5

One year warranty, limited service network

oVERAll 88%
Who should buy it? A street photography enthusiast
who travels a lot. Video enthusiasts have nothing here.

Why? Stylish design, good guts and great handling with a

good line up of lenses

Value for Money

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58 Sony Alpha 68

On Your Marks, Get, Set...

The Sony Alpha 68 may have the best autofocus system seen till date in an entry-level body,
but it has an odd range of features, plusses and minuses. Raj Lalwani puts it to the test.

W
ith the sheer number autofocus points, including 15 crosstype
WHAT’S in THE BOX
of new cameras and points, and also a dedicated f/2.8 AF sensor
technologies that Sony point to facilitate low light autofocus. • Lithium-Ion
has introduced for the The AF points are well distributed across Rechargeable
E mount, especially in the frame, and according to the company, Battery
• AC Adapter
full frame, one may be forgiven for being 4D focus also enhances predictive tracking. • Micro UsB cable
skeptical about the future of the A mount, In our previous tests, we had realised • shoulder strap
WEiGHTAGE OF especially considering how quiet things that while it does improve tracking to a • Lens cap
PARAMETERS were in A mount land. The Sony Alpha large degree, the AF speed and maximum • Hot shoe cap
• Lens hood
68 comes at a welcome time, thus, as it aperture of the lens being used are also • Eyepiece cup
5% not only inspires some confidence in the crucial, and f/3.5-5.6 kit lenses aren’t the
20%
15% company’s commitment to the A mount, most ideal tools to track a moving subject.
35% but also offers budget users a kind of Of course, this is not an SLR, it’s an SLT,
25% focusing speed that is unparalleled at this which basically implies the company’s
price point. proprietary Translucent Mirror Technology,
which enables 8fps continuous shooting
Features
Performance Features (5fps in RAW). Other features include
Build Quality Sony chooses to call this 4D focus, a a 24MP sensor, in-built sensor-shift
Ergonomics technology that we had tested in the more stabilisation and a mic input. For video, the
Warranty & expensive A77 II and the E mount A6000. camera uses the efficient XAVC S format,
support
With this technology, the A68 has 79 with bit rates up to 50Mbps.

Better PhotograPhy JuNe 2016


Handling
P lu S
The Alpha 68 is a mixed bag in terms of
• Excellent AF handling. First, considering it is an upper
• Good image sensor entry-level camera, it is a surprisingly
• Dual exposure dials large camera. Think almost A77 II or
MinuS D7200 size, and not what you’d expect
from a camera that’s taking on (in terms of
• No touchscreen price) cameras like the 760D and D5500.
• Low resolution LCD
I don’t find this to be a problem at all.
• Plastic mount
The grip is excellent, and the camera
feels great to use, especially if you are
someone like me, who has large hands.
I also welcome the top LCD panel, which
is large, detailed and extremely useful.
The A68 has two exposure dials, one
at the front of the camera, and another
rotating thumb dial. This is invaluable for
a serious photographer, and makes the
camera far more enjoyable to use, than
competing cameras like the Canon 760D
and Nikon D5500, both of which have one
dial. There are dedicated buttons for ISO,
WB, Drive modes and a large number of
f e B r ua ry 2 0 1 6
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customisable buttons. If you take time
out to choose the right functions for these
buttons, you can erase the need to delve
into the menus completely.
The shutter-release button of the
camera is a little odd. There is no real
tactile feedback when one tries to half
press the button to focus. As someone who
always keeps the AF confirmation sound
off, I found the sensitivity of the shutter-
release button disconcerting. While using
the focus-and-recompose technique, I
often found that the camera would fire a
frame before one would get a chance to
recompose. The 1.44 million dot Electronic
Sony’s sensor in the
Viewfinder is decently usable, but the LCD, A68 is excellent, and while
at 2.7 inches and 460k dots, is surprisingly you would want to shoot
archaic at a time when 920k dots is the RAW to get the most out
of it, the Auto Dynamic
norm even in compact cameras! Modern- Range Optimiser function
day LCDs allow you to confirm focus and actually does a good job in
sharpness quite accurately, but the A68 falls bringing out a lot of extra
short in that regard. The visibility of the detail in deep shadows.
Exposure: 1/320sec at f/16
screen is also problematic in broad daylight. (ISO 800)
All photographs by Shridhar Kunte
Conchita Fernandes
The RAW capture gave
me a good amount of
recoverable detail in both
highlights and shadows.
Exposure: 1/250sec at f/2.8
(ISO 100)
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Raj Lalwani

The lens mount is made of plastic, sadly. excellent, both in terms of dynamic range, The High Contrast
AlSO lOOK FOR
Startup time is a little slow, definitely slower across the ISO range, as well as the amount Monochrome setting does
• sony Alpha 6000 than a DSLR, but once it’s fired up, the of headroom you have and how forgiving a good job, but is not
• Canon EOs 760D available while shooting
operation is very fast. the files tend to be, even if you are making in RAW + JPEG.
• Nikon D5500
extravagant changes. The tonality in the Exposure: 1/60sec at f/4.5
(ISO 3200)
Performance JPEGs is excellent, but the competition
Much like the Sony sensors that we are does a better job in terms of sharpness
seeing in plenty of other APS-C cameras, and detail. The A68’s JPEGs do not do
this one, too, is excellent. Image quality justice to the sensor’s capability, because
when shooting RAW particularly is of aggressive noise reduction and other
ERGOnOMiCS
Pop-up flash
Front Top Rear Video
Record AE/AF lock
Camera strap
Menu button Button Focus mode dial
eyelet
Shutter-release
button Exposure Thumb grip
dial

Mode dial
Top lCD panel
Flash button 460k dot tilting Quick Menu
Multi Accessory
lens lCD screen button
Hot shoe
The Alpha 68 is not a very small camera. The grip of The top has the Multi Accessory hot shoe and a top LCD, Not only is the LCD screen small, the borders that outline
the camera is excellent and will inspire confidence even another rarity at this price point, something that’s only it mean that the actual image viewing area is tiny. On a
while using larger telephoto lenses. There is no AF-assist found in the Canon 760D. The layout of information within positive note, the button layout is intuitive and almost
lamp and the camera uses the flash for the same. the top panel is detailed and logical. every button can be customised separately.

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S P EC i F i CAT i O n S

Model name Sony Alpha 68 Noise Test

MRP Rs. 55,990
Effective pixels 24MP
sensor size, type APS-C type CMOS Faster optics would make the autofocus
Processor Bionz X experience even more refined.
Recording Formats Stills: RAW, JPEG The video performance is excellent.
Movie: AVCHD, MP4, XAVC S Of course, the footage isn’t as good as
iSO 1600
Focussing Modes Single-shot AF, Continuous AF, Sony’s full frame counterparts, but in
Automatic AF, Eye-start AF, good light, the video is crisp, smooth and
Eye-AF
professional looking. The only thing that
AF Points 79-point AF
takes away from the video experience is
Continuous shooting 8fps, 5fps, 2.5fps the size of the LCD and the inability to tap
Metering Multi, Center Weighted, Spot on the screen to focus.
shutterspeed Range Bulb–1/4000sec, Battery life is decent, allowing me at
Movies: 1/4–4000sec iSO 3200
least 500 photos, with a liberal use of
Exp. Compensation +/-5 at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV stops flash. That is the obvious advantage of
IsO Auto, 100-25600 using an A mount camera, over an E or an
White Balance 9 Auto presets: Auto, Daylight, FE mount one.
Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent,
Fluorescent, Flash, Color
temperature (2500 to 9900K), Conclusion
Color Filter (G7 to M7, A7 to If you are someone who photographs a lot iSO 6400
B7), 3 Custom. Bracketing: 3
of fast-moving subjects, and especially if you
frames, H/L selectable
intend to invest in some telephoto optics,
Flash/hot shoe Built-in flash, hot shoe present
there is no doubt that the A68 is the best
LCD size, dots 2.7-inch tilt type, 4,60,800 dots
option at this price. For other users who are
Viewfinder Electronic
happy using a kit lens or restrict themselves
Image stabilisation Sensor-shift to wide-angle or normal primes, there are
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (HD) mic a lot of other options in this price range. iSO 12,800 61
input present
The similarly priced Nikon D5500 and The camera produces good results up to ISO 1600,
storage types SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick
Canon 760D may not have as refined an AF after which noise starts getting visible. That said, it’s
Pro Duo
system and also suffer a little on ergonomics, not very obtrusive and ISOs up to 6400 are usable.
Other Features Auto, P, A, S, M, Creative The high ISO quality seems to be a little behind
Video, Scene Guide, but they offer superior build quality,
cameras like the A6000 and D5500.
Smartphone control, Multi- touchscreens and optical viewfinders.
micro USB control
The latter could be a dealbreaker for
Battery Li-on battery some, either against the Sony or for,
Dimensions, Weight 143 x 104 x 81 mm, 610g depending on whether you prefer the
traditional choice of an optical finder, or FINALRATINGS
artifacts. Moreover, if you are buying the enjoy the automation/preview of an EVF. Features 16/20
A68 to make best use of its sensor, you may The optical versus electronic debate is 4D autofocus, in-built sensor-shift stabilisation,
phase-detect AF in video, no WiFi
want to skip the kit lens and invest a little unending, and eventually about personal
more in optics, instead. The kit lens doesn’t choice. The older Sony Alpha 6000, too, is Performance 37/40
Excellent sensor, inadequate kit lens,
reach optimum sharpness in the corners an excellent alternative for street and travel extremely fast autofocus
until f/11, and this is a fantastic sensor that photographers, with a size, weight and
Build Quality 12/15
deserves more. price advantage (the lenses in this system Plastic lens mount, liberal use of plastic in
Autofocus performs as well as the are more expensive, though). the outer chassis
on-paper specifications suggest. The lack It’s eventually the camera’s guts, its Ergonomics 15/20
of an AF-assist lamp, and the manner in autofocus capabilities and its sensor, that Two exposure dials, large grip, low resolution
LCD screen, sensitive shutter release
which the flash fires a burst to focus, can be make the A68 such an interesting camera,
disconcerting for your subjects, but I was and its subpar LCD screen that dampens Warranty & Support 4/5
One year warranty, limited service network
happy to see that the -2EV sensitivity of the the spirit a bit—especially considering that
camera’s AF ensured that one did not need this is an SLT camera, one that targets users
the assist lamp or light anyway.
Focus tracking is excellent for subjects
who would want the same kind of AF speed
and functionality while using Live View.
OVERAll 84%
whose line of movement is linear and The lack of a touchscreen reduces the video Who should buy it? Action and wildlife
photographers who want a budget alternative to the A77 II.
predictable. It falters a little with erratic advantage, as well. If you are willing to
movement, but I still got a good hit rate overlook these negatives and want a DSLR- Why? The A68 has an excellent AF system, which despite
the camera’s ergonomic inconsistencies, makes it a joy to use.
of in-focus shots. Excellent performance shaped body with super-fast AF, the Alpha
for an entry-level camera with its kit lens. 68 is an excellent option. Value for Money
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62

Benq SW2700PT

Do You See What I See?

BenQ may be a surprise entrant in the world of photographer-targetted monitors, but the
SW2700T largely delivers on its promises. Raj Lalwani puts it on the test bench.

T
he BenQ SW2700PT is a 27-inch the stark difference in the monitor’s Indian
P LU S
monitor that directly targets pricing—a hefty Rs. 75,000!
the discerning professional • Holds calibration
photographer. A relatively Promises a Lot rather well
WEIGHTAGE OF
• Useful presets
PARAMETERS new entrant to this specialised A QHD display and a ppi setting of 109,
product category, the BenQ seemed like the SW2700PT has a true 10-bit display. MINUS
5% a promising prospect on paper, as it has
20% • Very pricey in India
15% a great deal of functionality that you S P E C I F I CAT I O N S

35% would otherwise find only in far more

Model name BenQ SW2700PT
25% expensive screens like Eizos. With a price
MRP Rs. 75,000
of merely USD 690 (approx. Rs. 48,000),
Resolution 2560x1440
the SW2700T seemed to be the least
Features Aspect Ratio 16:9
Performance expensive monitor amongst those that
Response Time 12ms (Tr+Tf), 5ms (GtG)
Build Quality cover an impressive 99% of the Adobe RGB
Colour Gamut Adobe RGB 99%
Ergonomics colour space. However, when we received
Warranty & Input Connectors DVI-DL, HDMI, DisplayPort
this exciting product for review, we had to
Support Colour Temperature 6500K, 5000K, 9300K, User
reevaluate our expectations, considering

BetteR PHOtOGRAPHY JUNe 2016


The differences betwene 8-bit and 10-bit
are subtle, but 10-bit ensures that the
tonal gradations are way smoother and
colour transition is also relatively smooth.
I was particularly impressed by the low
reflectance of the screen. Unlike some
of the other monitors in the market, the
anti-reflectance coating does not affect
the amount of detail that is perceptible,
and this is an area where the BenQ does
quite well. Coupling with the included
lens shade can help ensure that ambient
light does not adversely affect the
user experience.
Impressively Accurate
The ergonomics of the monitor are a
bit of a mixed bag. The connectors are
placed in a very cumbersome position.
Setting up is simple, but the stand feels a
little flimsy. The Palette Master Element
proprietary software is efficient enough,
but a dedicated hardware calibrater gives
significantly better results.
Like all high-end screens, the SW2700PT
is a hardware calibration equipped screen,
and also comes precalibrated out of the
box. Personally, I have never regarded
precalibration as something that must
be trusted for serious use, but a quick
calibration process with the X-Rite i1
helped set up the screen. In terms of
accuracy of colour reproduction and tonal
range, the BenQ performs rather well.
The standard deviation from the norm, or
Delta-E, is impressively low.
june 2016
test
The Adobe RGB gamut
An interesting feature of the BenQ is is significantly larger than
a set of preset buttons that can shuffle sRGB. Very few monitors
between Adobe RGB, sRGB and B&W can even show 80% of the
views. While a purist may find a feature Adobe RGB gamut, and
the fact that the BenQ
like this amateurish, it can actually be of comes close to displaying
great value. A quick switch to sRGB view 99% is fantastic. 63
helps proof your images for the web, and a
one-touch B&W conversion can only help
you previsualise whether a certain frame
works in monochrome, before you actually
set out to postprocess it with precision.
Value for Money, or Is It?
With Delta-Es below 2 being extremely
difficult for most human eyes to discern,
two other factors become very crucial
while choosing a monitor. One, value, and
two, consistency. Almost always, these FINALRATINGS
are two factors that tend to be inversely
proportional to each other, as reliability
Features 17/20
Preset buttons, 99% Adobe RGB display
comes at a price. The BenQ SW2700PT
Performance 32/35
is one of the most exciting products at Quite accurate, minimal reflectance
its US price, but considering an INR cost
Build Quality 22/25
of Rs. 75,000, it starts getting some stiff Reasonably well built, flimsy stand
competition. The Apple monitor is only Ergonomics 11/15
slightly more expensive, and while the Cumbersome connector placement
BenQ holds its own, it would be difficult Warranty & Support 4/5
for the company to challenge the brand Two-year warranty, excellent service support
perception that the Apple monitor gives.
More so, while the holy grails of Eizos are
much more expensive, a significant price
OVERALL 86%
premium in India means that a slightly Who should buy it? Discerning photographers who
wish to make a lot of prints.
smaller Eizo monitor is not much more
expensive. The SW2700PT gets a thumbs Why? The BenQ is an excellent monitor that delivers on
accuracy, but wait for its prices to stabilise.
up for what it delivers, but the company
really ought to reconsider their pricing. Value for Money
Better PhotograPhy
 mi cr o test
Canon Pixma G2000
Simple, Straightforward, and Effective
The company’s very first ink tank based multi-functional printer, the
Canon Pixma G2000, surprises K Madhavan Pillai with its performance.
A
With its small dmittedly, multi-functional
64
footprint, cost devices have never been in my
list of favourites and it has been
effectiveness and a very long time since I tested
reasonably good one. The Canon G2000 came as a
performance all pleasant surprise. This is a standard 4-colour
round, this is an A4 printer (printing at a respectable 1200 x
4800dpi and capable of borderless printing)
excellent MfD integrated with a flatbed scanner (48bit
for homes and RGB, 600 x 1200dpi optical resolution).
small businesses. Without being attached to a PC, it acts as
a quick, independent photocopy unit.
The control panel is simplistic, with a power
button, scan buttons (separate ones for
colour and grayscale), a stop button, and
two LED indicators for problems (jammed
paper, low ink, and the like). Simple though
it may seem, there is a lot more to the G2000
than meets the eye.
The G2000 and it’s higher end sibling,
the G3000, are Canon’s first printers to
incorporate refillable ink tanks instead of
using ink cartridges. A set of four ink bottles
are supplied with the printer. On readying
the printer, the print heads, separate for
K and CMY, need to be first installed into
place. The advantages of this system are
much larger ink capacities, replenishment
of single tank rather than buying entire
sets of inks, and an easy, cost-effective way
to replace malfunctioning components.
All of these reduce operational and printing
costs quiet significantly. The closest
Better PhotograPhy
competition to the G2000 comes from the
Epson L220, similar in price, based on ink
tanks and featuring an integrated scanner.
However, while the ink tanks on the L220
are outside the device, the G2000 has them
within, while still being visible from the
outside for checking ink levels.
The performance of this device is split
by its various components. The photocopy
function is quick and mostly accurate, of an
acceptable level of quality best used with
normal paper.
Canon scanners have a reputation for
producing good results. From old family
photos to important documents, a scanner
is very handy. Both bit depth and dynamic
range is excellent, and the resolution is high
enough for digital archiving.
What caught me by surprise was the
quality the G2000 delivers on photo paper.
The levels of tonality and the depth of blacks
were, of course, not in the same level as S p e c i f i cat i o n S
dedicated printers with more than 4 colours. • Product Name:
Yet, this printer is capable of delivering Canon Pixma G2000
prints that would be accepted by most and • MRP: Rs. 10,900
rivals regular prints made in a photo lab. • Gl-790 Ink MRP per
bottle: Rs. 499,
The Canon Pixma G2000 is a no- K: 135ml C,M,Y: 70ml
frills MFD that does not offer advanced • Dimensions: 44.5 x
options or connectivity. Yet, at Rs. 10,900 33 x 16.3cm
(including a set of ink bottles) it is affordable
and performs well, making it quite an R at i n g
attractive proposition for homes and small
photographic businesses.
june 2016
 Cellphone

INTERPRETING CULTURE
A glimpse into the various stories that make Iran, as seen through the
keen and observant eye of Khashayar Sharifaee
Editorial
“Everytime Looking for Happiness
we find
that happiness The relationship I share with my grandmother has always been a little
hard to explain. I am not overtly fond of her, but I don’t dislike her either.
eludes us, we
Recently, however, things changed when she came over to stay with me.
go back looking Over the course of a few weeks, I managed to work around her presence.
for it in the Now, instead of feeling indifferent, I began to engage in conversations, and
photographs we soon enough, I found myself making pictures of her.
made of family For someone who rarely photographs her family, the fact that I reached out for my cellphone
to make portraits of my grandmother, is both unusual and surprising. At the time though, I did
members.” not realise this, and the thought only occurred to me much later, when a friend was curious about
the photographs I had shot. He wanted to know about my grandmother and the nature of our
relationship, to which I had nothing sentimental or interesting to offer. Being a photographer
himself, he found it intriguing, that despite the distance, I was at some subconscious level trying to
connect with her.
This statement really got me thinking about why we photograph our families, even though
we sometimes don’t share a very close relationship with a few of its members. And when we do
make the pictures, what are the circumstances like. Most often, I have found that the situations are
usually happy ones, so that when the picture is made, the maker has nothing but good memories
of the person. These are also the photographs that we go back to, every time that happiness eludes
us. I suppose by making portraits of my grandmother, I was trying to save a good moment we
shared. In a way, the cellphone allowed me to connect with her in more ways than one. May be the
next time someone asks me to describe our relationship, I will have something worthwhile to say.

69

Conchita Fernandes
Instagram: @schmoochita

santana demello
by Conchita Fernandes
From the time I was
born, I have been my
grandmother’s favourite.
For years, I have enjoyed
this status, but have been
unable to reciprocate
the emotion. To a
certain extent, I have felt
guilty about it, and my
photographs are a way of
acknowledging her love
towards me.

Through his visuals,

khashayar sharifaee gives
you a taste of Iranian
culture —
‘Portraits of Iran’
Turn to page 72

Cover photograph by
Khashayar Sharifaee

I don’t like captions. I prefer people to look at my pictures and invent

their own stories.
josEF koudElka (1938)
Josef Koudelka has spent his life as a nomad and wanderer, qualities which have led him into enriching experiences. He is part of
Magnum’s prestigious agency and over the years has published more than a dozen books namely, Exiles, Koudelka Gypsies and others.

june 2016 Better PhotograPhy

 TEST

Vivo V3 Max

A Promising
D
MM ENDE
RECO

Shooter
Conchita Fernandes puts the Vivo V3 Max,
to the test and finds out how it fairs.

L
ike most Chinese manufactured
phones today who are trying to
emulate the iPhone’s design, the Vivo
V3 Max is no exception. It’s stylish,
well-designed and features a 13MP
rear camera and an 8MP front-facing camera,
along with 1080p video. The phone also
offers a bunch of camera modes like the
Professional mode, HDR, Panorama, Night
70 mode, Ultra HD, Motion Track, and others.
Fast and Efficient
From my very first experience with it, the
V3 Max was promising. It photographed
well and did the job quick. I was pleasantly
This photograph
was possible because surprised with the phone’s ability to
of the camera’s fast shoot well, in both daylight and low light.
burst speed. It let me But what surprised me the most was the
shoot 20 images at a amount of detail that the camera managed
stretch and another 20
immediately after, without to capture in low light, evident in a shot
any lag. I made of a cutting board, at a fish market
illuminated with bulb lights. The camera
The phone’s
produced bright and punchy colours
too, and lets you lock focus and change
fingerprint
exposure simultaneously. sensor is
However, when you switch to any of the extremely
camera’s modes, it doesn’t let you shot in quick when you
burst, even when using the camera’s manual
option. But this did not make any difference
want to shoot
to my shooting experience. On the other photographs
hand, I also found that photographs shot in succession.
during the burst mode were of a lower file However, it
size, without any changes to the image’s
resolution. There wasn’t any visible
doesn’t let you
reduction in the quality of the photographs. shoot in burst.
A Better Younger Sibling
Although the Vivo V3 Max (priced at
Rs. 23,980) barely gave me anything to
complain about, you may want to look at
its younger sibling, the V3. It’s priced at
Rs. 17,980 and offers the same camera specs
as the V3 Max. It comes with a slightly
smaller screen and RAM than the V3 Max.
If this doesn’t bother you, then the V3 is
definitely a better option.

AT A GLANCE
SPECIFICATIONS 13MP, 8MP front camera, 5.5-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 652
Octa-core 1.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 32GB storage, Rs. 23,980
WHAT WE LIKE Stylish UI, fast shooter, good in low light

WHAT WE DISLIKE The phone did not give me anything serious to complain about

WHY BUY IT? As an overall device, the V3 Max is a good-looking phone that shoots at an
incredible speed without any lag

FINAL RATINGS 87%

CAMERA FEATURES 13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera 22/25
Conchita Fernandes
Conchita Fernandes

IMAGE QUALITY Good in ambient light and low light 27/30

VIDEO QUALITY Good quality 1080p videos 12/15
HANDLING Lightweight, clean UI 13/15
SPEED & RESPONSIVENESS Very responsive, fast shooter 13/15

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY JUNE 2016

 ProFILe

Khashayar Sharifaee
• He began his career as
a press photographer
working for local
and national news
agencies in Tabriz.
But in 2012, he left it to
focus on documenting
social issues.
• Khashayar has had his
pictures published in The
Guardian and tIMe.
• Some of his favourite
authors include Bijan
Najdi (The Leopards Who
Have Run With Me),
J D Salinger and Edgar
Allan Poe. for khashayar, the
• In Praise of Love by device that he shoots
72 Jean-Luc Godard, with hardly makes
The Hunt by Thomas a difference to his
Vinterberg, and the Fish photography. in fact,
Tank by Andrea Arnold before he took to
are a few of his all-time the cellphone, he
favourite movies. would shoot with his
brother’s iPod.

Portraits of Iran
Khashayar Sharifaee talks to Conchita Fernandes about the importance of
giving his viewers a wholesome view of Iran and its daily occurrences.

M
ost of my understanding of
Iran has come from words put
down by Azar Nafisi, Marjane
Satrapi, Mahbod Seraji and
Kader Abdolah. Their vivid
description of the country’s lush landscapes,
of its dreamy hills and abundant mountains
are filled with a kind of whimsical romance.
find khashayar here!
Interspersed in between these grand vistas
Instagram: exist inhabitants with strong familial bonds
@sharifaee and lasting friendships, a kind of love that
Website: www. is not bound by time or space. And so,
sharifaee.com
I find myself constantly looking for visuals
to validate these words. Luckily, I found
them in Khashayar’s Instagram feed.
You can’t help but be involved with his
subject’s dilemmas and share their grief and
happiness, or even enjoy a warm cup of tea
with them.
detached But Observant
Having grown up in a modest household,
Khashayar has always felt a strong affinity
towards the working class in Iran. It helped
him gain a better understanding of their
social and economic conditions, of which

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 ProFILe

“i enjoy following he is a part too. “It was instinctive. As soon

the work of Balazs as I began photography, I knew I wanted to
Gardi, Matt Black, tell their stories, which often go unnoticed
Teru kuwayama and by the majority of people,” he said.
krisanne Johnson. Moreover, he wants to show the world the
i not only find their daily life of Iranians and familiarise them
stories inspirational, with his culture.
but also enjoy He chooses to do this in a slightly
looking at their take personal and non-confrontational
on contemporary way. Even when it comes to his choice
social issues.” of subjects, Khashayar looks beyond
photographs of burqa-clad women against
graphical backdrops, or of old men in
fedoras crossing busy streets or images
of imposing structures, elements which
make up much of the country’s urban
environment. At various points in his

When he started
shooting, khashayar
wasn’t sure if he was
doing a good job of
conveying his thoughts
through his pictures.
But a certain incident
was instrumental in
letting him make the 73
plunge into photography.
“i was at a private pool
at my aunt’s apartment
complex, where i saw a
teenager sitting quietly on
a chair, completely lost in
his thoughts. There was
something about the
scene and the atmosphere
which triggered feelings.
i then knew what
i wanted to do.”

although there is a lot

of talent in iran, he feels
that there aren’t enough
of mentors and curators
to inspire and guide
beginners in the medium.

june 2016 Better PhotograPhy

 ProFILe

74

There is a kind of Instagram feed, he accompanies you, the
easiness in khashayar’s viewer, into private spaces—inside people’s
pictures, the way he
homes, of a quiet moment shared amongst
navigates through
people’s personal stories. two friends or an intimate exchange
surprisingly, not many between a couple in a car. Although he
have questioned his is close, there is an obvious detachment,
presence during such
probably his way of not prying into his
moments, except for
a handful. subject’s lives. On the other hand, I also like
how he portrays relationships, especially
the equations between his family members,
most visible in the photographs he shot
of his grandparents. In the portraits,
he has reflected their strong and fragile
relationship, the latter being a consequence
of his grandfather’s death.
a Vision of another iran
Khashayar’s photographs also contradict
the stereotypes that people have formulated
about Iran, and of the restrictions imposed insTafOLLOW nOW
on its women. “A large portion of the news
Follow Andrew Quilty
and visuals coming out of the country deal (@andrewquilty), as he
with executions, acid attacks and of young makes his way through
Afghanistan’s varied
people doing drugs and alcohol. I am not terrains, to bring you
denying that this does not happen, but it personal stories of
its inhabitants.
constitutes only one tiny facet of Iran and

Better PhotograPhy june 2016

 PROFILE

therefore cannot be an accurate portrayal of to read poetry verses from Hafez in a café,
the entire country.” or gather at a friend’s residence to chat
While women are banned from attending and unwind.
sporting events at stadiums and the moral When uploading his
work on instagram,
police continue to be in the pursuit of keeping Traditions alive he is usually picky
those who don’t conform to their rules, A large chunk of Khashayar’s cellphone with photographs that
his photographs tell a different story. photographs are shot in Tabriz, the city have an extensive back
story. Otherwise, he is
That despite the baseless decrees, young he resides in. But apart from his urban
quite laid-back when
men and women continue to make trips to explorations here, he has also travelled it comes to putting up
the beach or the river side, or get-together to the rural interiors of Iran, and has daily pictures.

When she joined

instagram, iman enjoyed
the interaction she has
helped her develop as a
photographer.

75

june 2016 BEttER PhOtOgRaPhy

 PROFILE

76

it’s his intent to show documented its rapidly changing landscape. He feels that it’s important for Iranians
as much of diversity in Visuals of picturesque trails and hamlets in to be aware of the existence of such
iran as he can. Like this the heart of the country are symbolic of an places. “I have a lot of respect for rural
one, of people wearing
various ethnic outfits Iran cemented somewhere in between the areas. These places are like custodians of
native to the country. old and the new. the country’s age-old traditions, which is

BEttER PhOtOgRaPhy junE 2016

 PROFILE

slowly ceasing to exist in the fast-paced and
evolving culture present in cities and towns.”
as Long as you have intent
“I am still fascinated by how a photograph
can convey its maker’s most intimate
thoughts to complete strangers. How it does
it, I suppose, will always be a mystery to
me, or something that may reveal itself with
time. This shouldn’t matter though, because
as long as you have purpose, your pictures
will always be extensions to your thoughts.
But don’t worry if you haven’t found it. according to
Be patient, and continue shooting as much khashayar, a lot of the
young photographers in
as you can. You are bound to find it at some iran choose to shoot in
point, like I did when I saw a teenager sitting the B&W medium without
quietly on a chair, completely lost in his really understanding
its specifics, when
thoughts. That moment set off something
they should instead be
inside me, and since then I haven’t been able focusing on developing
to stop.” their style and aesthetic.

junE 2016 BEttER PhOtOgRaPhy

 BetterPictures

78

The great Irving Penn had once said that a fashion picture is a portrait, just as a portrait is
a fashion picture. But what is fashion, in the first place? Is it about the clothes?
Or is it about models? Beauty, perhaps? Or allure? Avant-garde designers? The industry?
Or is it, much like photography itself, about all of this, and none at all? Is it, like
picturemaking, about mood, about vibe, about the way something feels like?

Always changing, always in flux, something that is ‘in fashion’ today, will cease to be,
tomorrow. That which is imagined today, will soon be relegated to memory, even history.
Photographers over the years have chased this elusive concept, trying to comprehend,
interpret and reinterpret the world of fashion.

As Better Photography enters the last year of its teens, we have decided to break a few rules.
There will be a party and an afterparty, this special showcase of fashion photography,
and another, in the second volume of this two-issue special, next month in July. But this
isn’t just about fashion photography. Some of the greatest fashion photographs through
history have been shot by practitioners whose core practice was dedicated to other
genres, other philosophies. And so we present this issue, with some groundbreaking
work in the realm of fashion and portraits, made by the ones who broke the rules.
Better photography june 2016
 anniversary special anniversary special anniversary special
Manoj Jadhav Toni Frissell Swapan Parekh
The role of analogue in his Transforming the way Fashion, with a
intensely creative process the genre was perceived documentary aesthetic

84 90 96

Cecil Beaton
Natasha Desai finds herself transported to a world of high society and the
glamour of the West in the twenties through Cecil Beaton’s portraits.

T
here is a 1962 BBC interview, in
which Sir Cecil Beaton is asked
which from his roles as author,
designer, photographer, painter
and so on, gives him most artistic
satisfaction. To which he replied, “I don’t
know. All I know is I don’t get stale.”
The Way of the Stage
As he describes himself in his
Photobiography, he was “completely
stagestruck” from a very early age. His love Beaton despised
for grandiose indulgence and study of Marilyn Monroe, in
spite of some of her
Edwardian and Victorian photography portraits being his most
seeped into his sets, designs and dramatic famous photographs.

“There are many

months when
I forget about
photography
entirely, and I do
that on purpose. 79
I want to try
and remain an
amateur at it.
So that I bring
an amateur’s
freshness and
spontaneity to
my images.”

june 2016 Better photography

80
 anniversary special

“I’m after imagery. He would also be regularly
commissioned by The Metropolitan
expressing Opera, the Royal Ballet of London, the
my instinct... American Ballet Theatre for his set design.
My goals have His Vogue editorial assignments saw
nothing to do him at his peak indulgence, prompting
the statement, “His baroque is worse
with others. ”
than his bite.” In that time, he completely
changed the way the world saw fashion
photography. He would often juxtapose
his elegantly clad models against half-
Beaton was also
an avid scrapbooker.
done brick and mortar backgrounds, pose His scrapbooks
them with egg-beaters and other random featured images by
contemporaries, rivals,
objects—which were considered bizarre
protégés, sketches,
for his time—and also alluded to his love
contact sheets
and understanding of surrealism. and cards.

81

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82

Better photography june 2016

 anniversary special

The First Celebrity Photographer Beaton had an intense energy that was
While he was pathbreaking in terms forever unsatisfied unless doing something Cecil Beaton was a
of his aesthetic, he was also one of the new and creative. He would change hats keen diarist, and kept
several notes about
first ‘celebrity photographers’, regularly with ease and his advice to artists stood his interactions with
photographing the Royal family, making true until his death, where he taught celebrities and subjects.
him much sought after in high society. himself to shoot and paint, in spite of These volumes were
With the outbreak of World War being paralysed at the age of 68. “Be daring, filled with ruthless
observations during
II, he proved his prowess as a skilled be different, be impractical, be anything his time as a top
documentary photographer as well. His that will assert integrity of purpose and celebrity photographer.
image of a 3-year-old who was affected by imaginative vision against the play-it- Pictured below is
an air raid made a poignant statement as it safers, the creatures of the commonplace, Mick Jagger, whom
he called “sexy, yet
appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine. the slaves of the ordinary.” completely sexless.”

“Beaton was
a virtuoso of
found light.
He understood
backlight,
sidelight,
open shade.
No photographer
had a longer or
more intense 83
romance with
the window.” —
Annie Leibovitz in
the prologue to
the book Beaton:
Photographs

LIFE magazine
had once described
Sir Cecil Beaton as
“England’s crack society
photographer.” Ironically
enough, he went on to
shoot five of their cover
images and well as have
several photographs
featured in the magazine
as well.

Sir Cecil Beaton had an illustrious career for over 50 years and his portraits always showed his subject in the best possible light. All the images featured here are
©The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s. His exhibition is currently on at Chatsworth , UK and will continue until 3 January, 2017.

june 2016 Better photography

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84

Better photography june 2016

 anniversary special

Manoj Jadhav
Natasha Desai falls headlong into the raw and ethereal images of Manoj Jadhav, to
understand what makes him one of the most distinct visual artists today.

O
ne of the things that draws
people to Manoj Jadhav’s
portraits is the sheer intensity
of emotion that they exude.
Throughout his life, he has
sought connections with people unlike
Witnessing emotions, himself, people who would inhabit
expressions, interactions domains much different than his and forged
that touch one deeply,
interesting links with them. As a result,
and being able to express
these feelings was what these interactions have become a deep
Manoj lives for. part of him and are one of the key factors
influencing his aesthetic today, driving him
to seek emotion, the extraordinary in the
ordinary and beauty in everything.
Already Out of Fashion
Although his work
More than anything, Manoj considers is much different, he
himself to be a visual artist. His tool, has always been a fan
photography. “By the time a person of Mary Ellen Mark,
because of the way she
views my image, it is already obsolete.
would involve herself in
In the sense that, I have moved on from her projects and bring
it. The biggest high for me is in creating out their soul.
85

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86

In his series, Portrait the image. The actual image itself is
of a Culture, Manoj a byproduct of my experiences, my
has put together what
expression. It is like a leftover thought, a
he captured from
his impressions and slice of time in the past,” says Manoj of his
observations of various startlingly beautiful imagery.
people. A single portrait He finds it almost incredulous that
of his, is a montage of
several people. when he tries to portray something real
through his portraits, he is met with such
awe and wonder. “We are constantly
bombarded with images of perfection,
which is not what I’m trying to do at all.
Which is why when I do something so
real, it feels like the exception when it
should be the norm,” he says. “I’m not
doing anything great. I’m just shooting
what I see and believe in.”
Manoj’s collaborations with brands
usually stem from his interpretation and
understanding of them. Rarely does it
follow a set brief where he is directed
about what to shoot. Often, one will find
Manoj indulging in designing his set, and
working with the fabrics too. “I’m very
difficult to please,” he say with a hearty

Better photography june 2016


chuckle. “I like collaborating with people
who bring their own flavour to the work.”
On Constantly Creating
Belief in one’s ability is something Manoj
cannot stress on enough. From the very
june 2016
anniversary special
beginning, he has believed in his own
ability to translate his vision with finesse.
As a fledgling, he admired the works of
“Any type of
Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Nobuyoshi
photography that has no
Araki, Diane Arbus, Raja Deen Dayal and emotion in it, just serves
Raghu Rai amongst others, but never to bore me.”
87
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88

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 anniversary special

“If you want

to be a
photographer,
then forget about
photography.
Develop other
interests,
immerse yourself
in other art
forms and
these tendrils’
inspiration
willl find their
way into your
photography
naturally.”

89

“I like using a lot of

rustic elements in my
work. These ideas come
from everyday sights,
whether it’s the flowers
adorning the hair of
the househelp, or the
traditional jewellery
found in weddings, or the
way my mother’s saree
is draped with grace
around her shoulder.”

sought to be like them. He just wanted
to create. And create he did. Manoj, the
constant experimenter, works with different
film, emulsions, mediums all with the aim
of translating his vision. He is however,
partial to analogue. “With film, you load it
into your camera, carry on with your heart,
soul and plan. The physical connection to it
is palpable.” Looking at his images, however,
one is unable to discern what medium he
has chosen to express himself through and
there is an immense learning in that.

Manoj Jadhav (@imanojj on Instagram) is a visual artist based in Mumbai. His influences come from typography, calligraphy, graphic art, fine art, cinema and more.
He believes in honing his vision not only through photography, but a wide range of visual art. You can see more of his stunning work at www.manojjadhav.com.

june 2016 Better photography

anniversary special

Shot as far back as 1947,

Toni Frissell’s submerged
girl photograph has
been on three album
covers and is probably
one of the most popular
and even most imitated
visuals of all time.

Better photography june 2016

 anniversary special

Toni Frissell
Raj Lalwani looks back at the pioneering
work of Toni Frissell, at her time, the world’s
foremost female fashion photographer.

T
oni Frissell is one of those giants
in fashion photography, who
despite a dedicated practice
of only six years, turned the
medium around on its head.
Fashion photography had reached a
certain lull in the late twenties, when
most of the imagery in Vogue was
dominated by the studied restraint of
Baron de Meyer and Edward Steichen.
Both legends, of course, but it needed
a Frissell to enter the system and shake
it up. Stumbling into photography
after having trained as an actress, Toni
considered herself to be a progressive 91
woman, who wanted to portray feminity
in a less passive way. A photoshoot,
according to her, was a conversation
between equals.

Fashion, Beauty & Energy

In 1932, Vogue ran a near prophetic
headline that was called ‘The Undressed
Life and How to Live It’, for which,
Alexander Liberman, the magazine’s
Editorial Director, wrote, “We can no
longer think of beauty without motion.
These human beings, these women who
fascinate, hypnotise us, are rendered more
desirable by their mobility, their energy.”
Toni became the greatest advocate
of the snapshot aesthetic, a hitherto
unheard concept in the carefully
constructed world of fashion. This was at
a time when Martin Munkacsi, a former
sports photographer was exploring the
intermingling of action and fashion, but
Toni took over the mantle from him,
starting to work with an unassuming
roll-camera (unlike Munkacsi who
was using slow and laborious glass
plates). The shackles of the studio were
broken and she became one of the first
photographers to actively plan fashion
shoots on location.

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92
Greatly influenced by
cinema, Frissell always
strived to get a sense of
the immediate in fashion,
which before her, was
classical but often static.
Better photography
A Woman’s Place is in the Darkroom
There was a mutual sense of freedom and
there was a gender connect, perhaps,
for Frissell caught an unselfconscious
spontaneity that made the models
women (and human) first, and models
later. Her search for realism would make
her constantly experiment in terms of
locations and composition, seeking bold
diagonals within her frames. Using wide-
angle lenses and low-angle perspectives
against neutral backgrounds, Toni Frissell
would elongate the human form and seek
drama within the human body, a visual
language that the legendary Jeanloup
Sieff would make his own, a few decades
later. Her rise is also parallel to the rise of
beauty photography, a subset in the world
of fashion that signifies an emphasis on
the appearance of the model herself (or
himself), as opposed to what she (or he)
was wearing.
june 2016
 anniversary special

“Here are faces Coincidentally, Vogue showed a lot

of commitment to women taking up
that I have found photography at this time, the camera as a
memorable. tool of empowerment. In an article titled
If they aren’t ‘A Woman’s Place is in the Darkroom’,
all as happy Frank Crowninshield, Editor of Vanity Fair,
as kings, it’s referred to her “beautifully animated
shots... photographing young girls for Vogue,
because in informally and en plein air; showing them at
this imperfect racetracks, country clubs, swimming pools,
world and these horse shows, golf links and tennis courts.
hazardous times,
The Personal & The Photographed
the camera’s Toni had a life well lived. She had been an
eye, like the eye actress. She had also done some copywriting.
of a child, often She later photographed war and shot often
sees true.” for LIFE, Look and Sports Illustrated. But it
was the combination of these experiences

In the early seventies,

Toni began to have trouble
with her memory (she
would eventually die of
Alzheimer’s in 1988).
To counteract, she
began to write a memoir,
one that turned into 93
almost a thousand page
manuscript.

Only a fraction of
Frissell’s work has
been seen by the world.
Her entire archive was
donated to the Library of
Congress, but because
of its sheer volume, it
hasn’t been completely
digitised yet. Sadly, the
excessive nature of her
picturemaking also meant
that because of the lack
of ‘rarity’, the art world
hasn’t really given her
legacy its due.

june 2016 Better photography

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that she brought to her fashion imagery Just a few years later, an inspired young For Frissell,
that stays incredibly fresh, even eighty years Lillian Bassman joined Harper’s Bazaar, photography was part
engagement, part
later. Her photograph of the submerged on her route to becoming one of the most
activism and part
girl, faceless in anonymity and grace, is influential fashion photographers of her catharsis. She originally
shockingly contemporary even today, and time. We explore Bassman’s story a few took up the camera to
one has to doublecheck the dateline of pages later in this issue. But one cannot cope with the illness of
her mother, the death of
1947, to realise that the contemporary is in forget that while there were a few women her brother and the end
the traditional. All that has to be done, has who preceded Toni Frissell in fashion of her engagement.
been done before, but it takes questioning photography, she was undoubtedly the first
practitioners like Toni Frissell, to challenge to achieve real prominence, paving the path
the status quo and strive to go beyond. for several others.

Toni Frissell started working in fashion in 1931. According to her, she did not shoot indoors primarily because “I don’t know how to photograph in a studio. I never did know
about technical points and still don’t.” In 1941, she covered World War II as a freelance photographer, and later, was the official photographer of the Women’s Army Corps.

june 2016 Better photography

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96

Swapan Parekh
Better photography june 2016

Swapan Parekh’s fashion campaigns, much like his other
commercial work, have always been against the grain,
creating photographs that seem instinctive, languid
and startlingly real. Raj Lalwani explores the echoing
connections between his parallel worlds.
june 2016
anniversary special
S
wapan Parekh is not as much
a storyteller, as he is a visual
illusionist. He may tell you little
about the product, but in creating
an entire tangential world around
it, he interweaves tiny details that explore
its very essence. His fashion is decidedly
anti-conformist without being anti-fashion,
away from the studios, away from the tight
and bright, a hovering, wide-angle view that
embraces a documentary aesthetic, that
reflects his early years. The characteristic
wit, like the Killer jeans campaign and its
compositional wizardry, could only have
been born in the street. Even with intricately
produced campaigns, the rare one that had
dizzying budgets, the effort was in making
it effortless, in creating a vibe around a
young couple in Jaisalmer and making you
a part of their moment, making you believe.
In stark contrast to the overtly glossy world
of today, the allure of fashion in the world
of Swapan Parekh is in staying within the
periphery of the real, and yet wandering
into the outrageousness of the imagined. 97
The photos are surrounded by a sense of the
immediate, but the reality is manufactured.
Visual Journeys & Intermingling Narratives
It is the journey, or in his case, the
concurrently running journeys of
documentary photography in his early
years, and advertising and personal
work after that, that feed off each other.
It’s tempting, for instance, to think of
his fashion campaign for Easies, a man
buttoning his shirt and in the process, his
face obscured by a flower on a tree, and
then connect it to a couple of images in
his personal work, where spontaneously
occurring elements have obscured identity
in a near-surreal way. Visual lexicons,
these, that are part of the larger narrative,
his bigger picture.
“I thrive in the pure visuality of
the medium, however simplistic that
sounds,” he had once said. His way of
seeing is a significant case study, in that
it remains fiercely individualistic even
while communicating a client’s brief.
More interestingly, in the way each single
image correlates with the other, in the
jigsaw of his vision. Sometimes it’s not
about the story that’s told, it’s about
the storyteller.
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june 2016 Better photography

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Whether it was a
lifestyle campaign for
Jaisalmer cigarettes
(previous spread) or
the celebrity portraits
(on this page) for TOI,
Parekh’s work has always
been driven by a strong
sense of authorship.
With unparallelled
freedom, he would
conceive, produce, shoot,
process the film and
print on his own terms,
with the image being
used without cropping or
manipulation, often with a
photo credit.

100

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june 2016 Better photography

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“Photography
of calibre is
an ability, not
an unending
discussion.
Just like merely
talking about
exercise is never
going to give you
a great body.”

102

Even his personal

explorations in fashion
(like the picture on the
previous page and this
one of actress Kitu
Gidwani, both shot when
he was just out of his
teens) show a constant
effort of revelling in sheer
visuality. His practice is
governed by a keen sense
of respect for where the
medium’s coming from,
so that there’s always an
effort to take it forward.

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103

With a career spanning over three decades, Swapan Parekh is widely acclaimed to have brought in a documentary aesthetic to Indian advertising photography whilst
simultaneously pursuing contemporary bodies of personal autonomous work. “Photography happens to me a picture at a time.”

june 2016 Better photography

 Showcase
Young Voices
in Fashion & Portraiture
BhumIka BhaTIa

When I began shooting on a whim

over seven years ago, I was making pictures
of what I thought people wanted to see.
But then, I came to realise that it has to be
about me. Over time, I have become clearer
about the kind of photography I’d like to do.

I tend to write down words and phrases

104 that signify the thoughts and feelings within
me. Then, I try to portray the words visually.
If I am experiencing negativity, I try to
convert it into something positive.

In terms of visual language, surrealism

is something I have always been drawn
to. If ever I feel uninspired, I watch
Tim Burton’s Big Fish. There’s nothing
like a dose of that movie to get me out
of a rut. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with
Ingmar Bergman’s films and hope to
shoot a series inspired by The Seventh Seal.
I am also influenced by the narratives
that Sally Mann and Tim Walker weave
through their photography.

Bhumika Bhatia (@bhumikab on Instagram)

is based in Gurgaon. While her practice is self
taught, her affinity for art goes back to her childhood.
She also pursues wedding photography and
art direction. You can find more of her work
at www.bhumikab.carbonmade.com .

Better PhotograPhY june 2016

 great Masters 1000 WorDs storY BehinD Picture
Lillian Bassman The best images from the The iconic Eugène
An oft unsung legend mainstream media in the Atget’s view of Paris
in the world of fashion last month in the twenties

110 120 164

june 2016 Better PhotograPhY

 Young Voice s

106

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h Yy june 2016
 Young Voice s

Young Voices
in Fashion & Portraiture

aman makkar
I was once told, “the day you feel that your
aesthetic is formed is the day you can put
your feet up.” This has stayed with me and
consequently, I always find my vision and
aesthetic in a state of flux. Paying immense
attention to detail, understanding the
different demands of each shot and partying
hard after a job well done are qualities that
I find myself constantly honing. 107

As an outsider in the fashion industry,

I am driven to understanding it better and
pushing myself to create more. For me,
fashion is constantly evolving.

There is a lot of cinematic influence in

my picturemaking. I find the vibrant
symmetry in Wes Anderson’s work lovely
and inspiring. The Swedish classic Wild
Strawberries by Ingmar Bergman is my
current favourite. I’m also inspired by the
work of Guy Bourdin, Terry Richardson
and Juergen Teller. For me, the beauty of
each frame, painting or work of art lies in
the emotion it conveys. Pure aesthetics can
hold the interest
Growing of the
up in Laos, viewerIké
Nigeria, for only
Udé’sa
short period
family wouldof time.
have Add emotion,
formal and the
group portraits
photograph
taken becomes
every time theytruly enchanting.
htayed with him
as he moved to New York City in the 80s,
where he began incorporating elements
of fashion and breaking the conventional
dress codes for men in his seriesad new
clothes made for themselves. This stayed
with him as he moved to New York City
in the 80s, where he began incorporating
elements of fashion and breaking the
conventional dress codes for men in his
Aman Makkar is a self-taught fashion
series Sartorial
photographer Anarchy.
based in New Delhi. In the past, he
has assisted Tarun Khiwal, which, he says, served
as an immensely valuable experience. To see more
of his work, visit www.amanmakkar.in.

june 2016 B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h Yy
 Young Voice s

Young Voices
in Fashion & Portraiture
rema chaudhary

I am very drawn to structure and

geometry. Lines and shapes, textures
of walls and fabrics, movement and
stance...all come together to give my
pictures a particular narrative.

Composition, for me, is key. If you

look at the work of Arnold Newman
108 or Henri Cartier-Bresson, you see a
compositional tension that I find brilliant.
There is a perfect relationship between the
background and the subject. Their work
has been a huge influence in the way I see.

Having said that, I do enjoy

spontaneity. Sometimes the most ordinary
and banal objects can look so glorious in
the right light or if you just go in closer.

I don’t consider myself a fashion

photographer. A mood or vibe
photographer perhaps, always looking
for something that invokes a feeling, the
extraordinary in the ordinary, the surreal
in the real and possibly the ‘oooh’ in oops!

Rema Chaudhary hails from Mumbai. She has

graduated from the Hallmark Institue of Photography
in Massachusetts, USA. In her own words, “I create
because I must! Inspiration for me changes on a daily
basis. It comes from music, the internet, travelling and
the people I choose to surround myself with.”
B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h Yy june 2016
 Young Voice s

109

june 2016 B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h Yy
 gre at master s

Lillian Bassman
Sakshi Parikh ponders over the life of Lillian Bassman, one of
the most influential fashion photographers of the last century.
(1917–2012)

L
illian Bassman is the unsung
revolutionary of fashion
photography. Her vast archive of
photographs, shot largely between
the forties and the seventies, broke
new ground as compared to the fashion
photography of the day. The photos were
not about models standing awkwardly in
costumes, but explored the way they evoked
emotions. She added meaning to these
photographs by reaffirming what women
wanted to feel when they wore the clothes
she projected. She directed her subjects
with precision and finesse, transforming
the ordinary into extraordinary, one frame
at a time. Her photographs were more than

110

A Report to Skeptics,
Suzy Parker, 1952.
Bassman’s photographs
are romantic and turn
blur into a surprisingly
focused expression of
feminine feeling.

Better PhotograPhy
g r egat
r e at
m ast
m aster
e rs s

111

Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

 gre at master s Night Bloom, Ball Gown

Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

by Haute Couture
Givenchy by John
Galliano. Anneliese
Seubert, Paris.
The New York Times
Magazine, 1996.
The women in her
images have the
kind of seductive
expressions that come
from keeping secrets.

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 g r e at m ast e rs

Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

Left & Right: Mink a documentation of beautiful women. own work,” says Martin Harrison, her Margie Cato,
Royal Pastel and They were a description of her ideal society. historian. Lillian aimed at creating different Junior Bazaar (White
Midnight Blue, Barbara Gloves/White Dress),
A free-spirited daughter of bohemian versions of images from what the camera
Mullen, dress by 1950. Her photos capture
Jacques Fath and gloves parents, Lillian began her career by joining could actually see. And she achieved a piece of twentieth
by Viola Weinberger, a fashion illustration night class at the Pratt this through her outrageous darkroom century social history.
1950. Reinterpreted Institute in 1939. There she was introduced
1994. Centre: Black
and White Coat, model to Alexey Brodovitch, the legendary art
unknown, 1950s. director of Harper’s Bazaar, who gently
steered her interest towards graphic design,
an influence that’s well apparent in her
subsequent photographic work. He also
hired her as his first ever paid assistant.

A Walk through the Bazaar

In 1945, Bazaar generated its new spinoff
called the Junior Bazaar, where Lillian
was asked to be the art director, a title
she shared with Alexey. As a discerning
art director, Bassman rejected much of
the fashion photography of that time,
choosing only to work with Richard Avedon,
“The women
Robert Frank and Louis Faurer, three young
in her picures photographers who she launched. “She was
are inaccessible the pleasant half of Brodovitch,” remembers
in a way that Frank. To translate her own editorial vision
is very sexy. and being inspired by these future icons,
she picked up the camera herself.
Even though they She began by developing George
are posing, you Hoyningen-Huene’s images in the darkroom
get a feeling that during her lunch breaks. When Avedon
they don’t know left for Paris, he handed the keys to his
studio and darkroom, giving her free
they are being reign to experiment as much as she would
watched.”—
Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

like. This is where she not only learnt to

Samira Bouabana be a photographer, but also how to get
& Angela Tillman exactly what she wanted out of her prints.
Her darkroom methods matured before she
Sperandio, was actually compelled to shoot.
founders, Hall “One thing she inherited from Brodovitch
of Femmes was her constant dissatisfaction with her

june 2016 Better PhotograPhy

 gre at master s

114

Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

Dress by Thierry Mugler,

German VOGUE, 1998.
Lillian used fine paint
brushes to develop
her images. Her vision
in the darkroom
was more painterly
than photograpic.

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 g r e at m aster s

“As an art
director, Lillian
changed the
way we see
fashion. As a
photographer she
changed the way
we see women
and as an artist
she changed
the way we see
the world.”
—Glenda Bailey,
Editor-in-Chief,
Harper’s Bazaar

115

Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

experiments. Her alchemy involved using
tissues, gauze, cigarette smoke and double
exposure for diffusion along with potassium
cyanide to bleach and burn for deeper tones.
She expressed her true self through these
processes that removed the hardness out of
the pictures, and added obscurity, mystery
and a timeless elegance. Her sophisticated
imagery included photogenic drawings that
exude a fluidity of movement.
As a photographer, Lillian always
maintained great chemistry with all her
models, and groomed them with dexterity. Barbara Mullen,
She made them comfortable during shoots Harper’s Bazaar,
by asking them questions about their lives,
New York, 1958.
She may be the only
which gave her permission to enter their photographer who can
world as a friend rather than an intruder. make a hat seem less like
“Lillian truly lived through her eyes. a fashion prop than an
extension of a woman’s
Her sureness was in her mind, through
emotional state.
which she created magic. She helped
people know their true self by freeing their
emotions. She had this real communication
with the models, and the pictures prove it,”
says American model Carmen Dell’Orefice.

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 gre at master s

116

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 g r e at m aster s

“I asked the
models that
posed for me
to tell of their
beauty through
their hands, as if
those hands were
holding a special,
unique moment.
I was always
interested in an
immediate way of
communicating,
and the hands
do just that.”—
Lillian Bassman

117

Lillian photographing
an advertising campaign
Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

for Chanel perfume,

New York, 22 November
1963. It was during
this photoshoot when
Lillian and her crew
received the news of
President’s John F
Kennedy’s assassination.

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 gre at master s

118
Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

Mary Jane Russell, She worked her way around intimate the end it’s up to the photographer to
Harper’s Bazaar, angles, seeing a side of the model that not find it.”
New York (Hat), 1950.
many photographers saw, a side that was A strong connection with dance is
As someone who often
photographed women powerful, intense and extremely feminine. apparent in her practice, both as an elated
wearing hats, this Lillian always said, “Glamour is the way form of recreation and something that
image is described as that a woman moves. It’s the way her chin helped her understand subtle gestures.
her most hat-centric,
with the pose being a comes out of her throat and the way she After more than two decades of working
stark departure from holds her shoulders and her body. It’s the as a photographer, constant frustration
the norm. feeling that a woman feels about her. But at with the disillusioned state of the industry

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 g r e at m aster s

several years later, in 1990. After much “You can make

persuasion, she started reprinting digitally.
a statement in a
The Regeneration of Bassman work of art, but
The reinterpretation of her fashion you can make an
work received a brand new generation even stronger one
of admiration. The offers started
rolling again, and she continued doing
by destroying a
commercial fashion assignments even work of art.”—
in her latter years, until 2004, at the age Deborah Solomon,
of 86. Her vision, of several decades author of Lillian
ago, continues to remain fresh and this,
Bassman: Women
combined with her printmaking, started
gaining attention from curators across
the globe.
Lillian’s images are a mixture of
substance and photography. They are
a perfect conglomeration of elements
Der Star In Mir, Kasia,
like drawing, caricature, theatre and ensemble by Yves Saint
surrealism. True to her conviction Laurent, 1999. The irony
that ‘passion hates compromises’, her is that Lillian Bassman’s
iconic work introduced the world to fashion photographs can
look surprisingly free
ever-transient women who projected and spontaneous, despite
subliminal grace. being staged.
119

caused her to drastically destroy almost

all her commercial work. She completely
Estate of Lillian Bassman ©

moved away from fashion and focused on

making Cibachrome photographs of fruits,
of cracks in the streets and distorted male
torsos. Lillian also packed more than 100
negatives of her work in trash bags and
stacked them away in her old apartment,
which were discovered by Harrison

june 2016 Better PhotograPhy

 A selection of some of
the best images from the
Indian mainstream media

120

Aadesh Choudhari, Entangled Water Woes

DNA A man looks over the pool of intertwined
water pipes running in to a small stream
in Latur. The wide frame, poignantly
metaphorises the extent of the drought
faced by several regions of Maharashtra,
this year.

Political Ties
A truck driver stands on the divider to
greet Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister
during one of his rallies in Punjab. As he
reaches out enthusiastically, it symbolises
Kejriwal’s efforts to get a footing in Punjab
in the 2017 state elections.

Bharat Bhushan,
Hindustan Times

Better PhotograPhy june 2016


Embracing the Present
To mark the one year death anniversary of
9000 people who were killed in the Nepal
earthquake, residents release balloons as
a part of the the commerative ceremony
in Kathmandu. The plethora of colourful
balloons in the air reflects how the people
are letting go of their sorrows and are
making their peace with the harsh reality.
june 2016
Salman Ansari, Holy Technology!
DNA A group of young Jain priests are seen
posing for a selfie at Girgaum Chowpatty.
This image shows a paradoxical side of the
orthodox community. According to Jainism,
the sadhus are supposed to refrain from
using technology in any form and instead, 121
embrace humanity and humility.
Tashi Tobgyal,
The Indian Express
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164

Photograph by:
Eugène Atget Memoirs of Old Paris

E
Image Source: ugène Atget tried his hands at more than one vocation before taking up
J Paul Getty Museum photography and starting his lifelong project of documenting his beloved Paris,
before it was consumed by the throes of modernisation. However, unlike the
pictoralist trend that dominated photography aesthetics of the time, he adopted
a documentarian approach while recording the city’s undiscovered landscapes,
culture, history, artefacts and architectural splendours. In this inventory, he also included
multiple shop windows and displays from around Paris, many of which featured vivid
mannequin and product displays.
It was also during this time, in the mid 1880s, when haute couture made its way into
women’s fashion and Paris became the world’s fashion capital. Yet, keeping true to his style
of documentation, Atget avoided photographing subjects related to fashion or individual
display. Instead, he focused on making pictures of storefronts and how shopkeepers
showcased their products, like in this image shot in 1912. But, to simply say that Atget
photographed shop windows would be undermining his work. The reflections of Paris’
old buildings and structures on the glass displays, along with the stationery mannequins,
provided a juxtaposed view of the city’s spiral into consumerism and its dominating hold
on the fashion industry.
Although Atget strived to create documents and not art, the metaphorical meanings
in his later photographs got him the admiration of Man Ray, who went on to publish his
images. He also purchased multiple prints and urged many more of his fellow Surrealists to
take note of Atget’s pictures of the storefront mannequins, and their dreamlike comparison
to the human form. Unfortunately, while he was alive, Atget did not receive the kind of
acclaim he deserved for his work. He became widely known, only after Berenice Abbot
brought his work into the public eye in 1930.

Better PhotograPhy june 2016