Vol 1 No 4 photoworld Spring 2005

Photo by David Kilpatrick 10% off repairs and servicing for Photoworld club members

he Photoworld TClub Camera Check Scheme Information on this page is printed in each General Insurance Company. Some runs all year round, taking the sea- Checks & parts for older models are now no sonal load off the service department. issue for your benefit – please use it. longer available, and Konica Minolta Service will give Club Checks have to restrict these warranties to ‘absolute priority’ and these Call 0870 242 1222 Option 3 for service! the list below. If your equipment is will normally be accomplished more recent, but now out of warranty, within 3-4 days of receipt. Warranties call the Service Dept for advice on This is great news but please film transport, AF operation, self Extended Warranty 0870 242 1222 Option 3. If you wish be sure to allow a little more timer, flash synchronisation and to find out more about the warranty time – and please do not send all other key operational aspects The Minolta Extended Warranty terms, ring Domestic & General’s equipment to the Kelso address. of the camera. External cleaning Scheme is available on new equip- Helpline on 0181 944 4944. As a Photoworld subscriber you of camera and lens is undertaken, ment. However, you may be able to Please note this is NOT the have a permanent 10% discount along with loose dust removal. take out an warranty on a camera same number as for our Camera off all repairs and servicing if you Equipment which passes the which has just been repaired, or Equipment Insurance facility. deal directly with Konica Minolta tests will receive a Test Certificate overhauled. The warranty is an Please enquire to the Service Dept Photo Imaging (UK) Limited. and may qualify for the Extended optional extension of the usual about earlier Konica products. We The Service Address is: Warranty (right). If problems six-month repair guarantee to a full shall be publishing details for Konica Konica Minolta Photo needing repair are found, you will two years. This offer is administered owners in future Photoworld editions. Imaging (UK) Ltd be contacted with an estimate – the and underwritten by Domestic & Á Service Department Club Check cost is deducted from Unit 7 Tanners Drive the cost of the repair if you decide KONICA MINOLTA EXTENDED WARRANTY SCHEME Blakelands to go ahead. You also get your 10% Milton Keynes MK14 5BU. discount. See also new informa- SLR BODY AF 35-70/3.5-4.5 Dimage RD-3000 Tel 0870 242 1222 Option 3 tion about direct repairs, below. Dynax 9, 7 and 5 ACCESSORIES Dimage RD-175 If you ask for the discount, your 800si, 700si, 600si VC-600, VC-700, Dimage 2330 membership status will be checked Direct Repairs 500si & Super VC-7, VC-6, VC-9 Dimage 2300 and validated. If this is disputed, you 505si Super Dimage V may ask the Service Department to If you know your gear needs to be 300si, 303si MD LENSES Dimage 1500EX check with us, and we will confirm repaired, remember that a repair 404si MD 100/4 macro Scan Multi, II, Pro your paid-up status or enable you always includes a full service X-700, X-370S MD 50/3.5 macro Scan Elite, II to renew your subscription if has and a 6 month guarantee on the MD 135/2.8 tele Scan Speed lapsed not more than six months ago. whole item. If you have equipment COMPACT MD 28/2.8 Scan Dual, II Equipment under 1st year which you think needs repair, Zoom 70, 70EX MS 100-300/5.6-6.7 Quick Scan, Plus warranty can be sent in directly, you can send it for a Club Check Zoom 90, 90EX MD 35-70 accompanied by any document show- service, enclosing your payment. Zoom 105, 105EX MD 70-210 PHOTOMETERS ing the date of purchase, including You can also send items Zoom 115 MD 50/1.7 Flash Meter V Colour credit card statements etc, even if directly to the service department Zoom 125 also 220X flash Meter II Colour Meter you have not returned your guarantee for repair estimates outside Zoom 150 IIIF Flash Meter III, IV card. But you should always this scheme. Konica Minolta Photo Zoom Pico VECTIS Spotmeter F complete and return warranty Imaging (UK) Limited will accept AF-25, AF-35 Vectis 40, 300, 300L, Spotmeter M documents after buying equipment. equipment directly from readers F-25, F-35BF 3000, 2000, 30, 25, Autometer IV-F and provide estimates, it is not F 35ST Super 260, 200, 20, 100BF, Autometer III, IIIN Club Checks necessary to go through a dealer. If Weathermatic, GX-1, Autometer III Flash the estimate is not accepted then a AF FLASH GX-2, GX-3, GX-4. Vectis The cost of a Club Check, inclusive of charge of £8.22 is payable for return. 5600HS S1, S-100, V lenses BINOCULARS VAT and return insured carriage, is: There is a difference between 3600HS 400RF, 22-80, 50 macro, Activa: 8x42DWP, £18.68 for camera + lens the Photoworld Club Check and 5400HS 28-56, 25-150, 56-170, 10x42WP, 7x35W, £25.85 for all video a Service. The check may show 1200AF Macro 80-240, SF-1 flash 7x50, 8x40W, 10x50W, and digital products that your shutter speeds and so 12x50W, 7-15x35, Club Check tests include shutter on fall within ISO tolerances, but AF LENSES DIGITAL 8-20x50, 8-22x27, speed accuracy, aperture accuracy, a Service may allow adjustment to AF 100-300 (D) Dimage 7, 5 10-30x27, Pocket metering accuracy, and focusing better than ISO standards. It also AF 24-105 (D) Dimage S304 8x25WP, Pocket accuracy. They also include checks allows lubrication, tightening of AF 75-300 (D) Dimage E203 10x12WP, 8x25FM, for correct electronic operation, screws, cleaning and adjustments. AF 28-80 (D) Dimage E201 Î photoworld 2 Vol 1 No 4 photoWORLD Spring 2005 Contents Vol 1 No 4 Spring 2005

Page 7 Page 29 Lens Review – 17-35mm ƒ2.8-4 AF (D) Club Walks & Talks 2005 and 28-75mm ƒ2.8 AF (D). Shows and workshops with Duncan McEwan and Peter Karry. Page 11 Technique – Getting the Light and Page 30 Exposure Right. Quest Workshops

Page 12 Page 32 Photoworld Gallery, our space for Software – Dimage Master. A brief Photo by David Kilpatrick your own pictures… with prizes of overview of the high-end utility. photoworld4cover.indd 1 5/4/05 11:55:24 pm Konica Minolta film, inkjet supplies and Naturalised wallflowers at Maxwell Place CD-ROM media. Page 34 – Dynax 7 Digital photograph with the All the Fun of the Fête 28-75mm ƒ2.8 AF (D) lens by David Page 16 John Fryer shoots a seasonal outdoor Kilpatrick. A memorial, since by next Konica Infrared 750 event for his local paper. Spring all this will be gone; the vegetable A last look at this great – discontinued garden is to be a housing plot. No more – creative tool. By John Boyes. Page 37 crops of photographs! Dimage Scan Elite 5400II Page 19 A first look at the updated scanner. Page 2 Infrared Digital Service and Repairs Information. Emmanuel Agbaraojo demonstrates Page 38 digital infrared monochrome. Magicolor 2430DL – Konica Minolta’s Page 4 highly affordable colour laser printer. Who’s Who – Konica Minolta Photo Page 22 Imaging (UK) Ltd and Photoworld Club. Portfolio: Inside the Spectrum Page 40 Barbara Nash delights in the colours of Photoworld Club Postal Lens Hire Page 5 the Luminarium. MotoGP – Konica Minolta sponsors top Page 41 speed bike racing. Page 26 Battery Buster From Colour to Mono Page 6 Using Dimage Master and Photoshop Page 43 Products – Z5, Z20, E50, DT lenses. software to create powerful b/w. Free Subscriber Small Ads

KONICA MINOLTA photoworld Published by With the support and assistance of Icon Publications Limited Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd Maxwell Place, Maxwell Lane Plane Tree Crescent Kelso, Scottish Borders TD5 7BB Feltham, Middlesex TW13 7HD Tel: 01573 226032 Fax: 01573 226000 SERVICE DEPARTMENT: e-mail: [email protected] Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd Service Department PICTURE EDITOR & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Unit 7 Tanners Drive Shirley Kilpatrick MSc (Colour Science), BA Hons (OU) Blakelands North Milton Keynes MK14 5BU TECHNICAL EDITOR & CLUB DIRECTOR David Kilpatrick FBIPP AMPA Our thanks to Paul Genge, Bernard Petticrew and colleagues at Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd for ADVERTISING MANAGER their help and support. Richard Kilpatrick – 01450 371169 Whilst every care is taken of MSS and photographs submitted all submissions remain the responsibility of the sender. Return postage and packing must be included. The SUBSCRIPTION £19.95 PA (UK) views expressed in this magazine are those of individual contributors and do not represent the views or policies of Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd unless Tel: 01573 226032 otherwise stated. All offers and arrangements made by the Club are subject to Fax: 01573 226000 availability and limited to paid-up subscribers of KONICA MINOLTA PHOTOWORLD unless specifically stated otherwise.

Subscription to KONICA MINOLTA PHOTOWORLD This issue © 2005 Icon Publications Limited. provides free membership of: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any Konica Minolta Photoworld Club UK means without permission.

3 photoworld Who’s Who @ Konica Minolta Photo Imaging UK and the Photoworld Club

he headquarters of Konica with any queries about repairs Plane Tree Crescent to members available free on the Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) or service in progress (it is not Feltham Icon Publications Ltd direct web site TLtd are the former Konica necessary to telephone before Middlesex TW13 7HD – www.iconpublications.com. The offices at Feltham, Middlesex, close sending equipment in for a Club and the main switchboard password for printing any locked PDF to Heathrow Airport, the M25 and Service Check). He is on 0870 number is 0208 751 6121. files is normallyhypo or hypo1. London. In the most recent changes, 242 1222 Option 3 – alterna- We shall keep you updated There is also a European owner warehousing has been moved from tively, email service.help@ph. on services for owners, contact club site called Konica Minolta Milton Keynes to Feltham. From 1980 konicaminolta.co.uk. names and telephone numbers. Photo World which requires regis- on, Minolta (UK) Limited was based The Konica Minolta Photoworld Please use the Konica Minolta tration (a simple process of filling in in Milton Keynes and the Service Club continues to be free to subscrib- web site, if possible, to look for an on-screen form) to use. This is at: Department remains there. ers to Konica Minolta Photoworld solutions before calling directly. www.konicaminoltaphotoworld.com For Club members, your (formerly Minolta Image). For mem- and is available in English, French two most important contacts bership queries or advice on photo The Photoworld Club and German. There are monthly remain at Milton Keynes on a technique and camera use, call David competitions which can be entered new 0870 telephone number: Kilpatrick on 01573 226032 or email The Minolta Club of Great Britain on-line, together with all the latest Bernard Petticrew is Technical [email protected]. was founded in the mid-1960s by product information, a range of Support Manager, and has a database Paul Genge, who has dealt with Japanese Cameras Limited, and technical background articles and of information on Minolta products digital technical help in the past published its magazine Photoworld some profiles of Konica Minolta users. going back to the SR system and and will be known to many readers, until shortly after the formation You can join a Minolta discus- beyond. Bernard’s personal knowl- is now Product Manager of Konica of Minolta (UK) Ltd, when the title sion group at www.yahoogroups. edge of the earlier systems is unri- Minolta UK, and digital help lines was changed to Minolta Image. com; fill in Yahoo membership, valled. He is also now able to supply are 0870 0104107 for the UK, 1850 With the merger of Konica and which is free, and you will find replacement instruction manuals. His 946478 for Eire. Feltham is now HQ Minolta the magazine has been this group founded in 1998 now phone line is 0870 242 1222 Option 4. for both the UK and Southern Ireland. returned to its original name has nearly 5,000 members. John Baker is Service Centre The address for Konica Minolta and the club is now the Konica There is another Web Minolta Manager. You should contact John Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd is: Minolta Photoworld Club UK. mailing list called the Minoltians, Organisers David and Shirley available at www.theminoltians. Kilpatrick are independent of com, with on-line galleries. Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd and are directors of Icon Copies of manuals Publications Ltd, based in the Scottish Border town of Kelso. Bernard Petticrew is once again in You can email David via charge of the archive of instruction [email protected], or manuals which can be supplied telephone 01573 226032 during to replace missing ones. While office hours, for subscription some older camera manuals may help and general photo advice. be available, others are not and it is essential to telephone first. Web sites and email Compacts – £3.50 SLRS – £5 There are Konica Minolta web Digitals – £10 sites operated in the UK, Europe, Call him on 0870 242 1222 option the USA and Japan. The cor- 4 if you need a replacement manual. rect web address to use is: Á http://www.konicaminolta.co.uk/ but since the merger the sites con- tinue to develop, and separate areas Technical Help still exist for Minolta and Konica. At Digital – UK 0870 0104107 the time of going to press you can Film – 01908 208 325 also access www.minolta.co.uk and www.minoltaeurope.com directly. Brochures/Stockists Technical support, software stockists 0208 751 6121 and firmware downloads, product news and information are all available on-line. Service and Repairs You can download digital camera 0870 242 1222 Option 3 samples taken by David Kilpatrick by visiting http://www.pbase. Camera Manuals com/davidkilpatrick. You may 0870 242 1222 Option 4 need a password to access the galleries – this is hypo1 or hypo. Photoworld Club There are Portable Document 01573 226032 Format versions of articles of interest photoworld 4 Dynax 7 Digital Konica Minolta sponsors wins DIWA Gold 300 km/h race action Medal award

onica Minolta is to spon- sor top racing K– one of the most photogenic subjects because of the human aspect of visible riders. Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. is to sponsor a new racing team “JiR” (Japan Italy Racing) participating in the world’s most prominent igital Imaging Websites motorcycle road racing, the World Association (DIWA), an Championship MotoGP Class this Dinternational organisation year. The new team will be named of websites focusing on digital “Konica Minolta team,” and imaging, has announced a DIWA Gold the Japanese rider, , Award to the Konica Minolta Dynax will race with this team. Tamada was 7D. The gold medal represents the successful in taking two wins at the highest level of performance and is a World Championship MotoGP class summary of numerous rigorous tests last year, and there is an expectation and ranked 11th with powerful racing conducted by DIWA camera experts. that the team is challenging to win from the debut year. In 2004, he took Their news announcement the annual championship in 2005. two wins – the first in the Brazil GP, summarises the decision: Through this sponsorship, Konica and the second in Japan GP. He is “With the Dynax 7D, Konica Minolta aims to show its active corpo- one of the most promising riders to Minolta makes their debut into rate image worldwide and increase its mark high ranking this year as well. the fast growing market of digital brand recognition and brand image. In 2003, he made a debut in system cameras. Founded on a The MotoGP is one of the top the World Championship MotoGP long history as high quality camera three sporting events in Europe Class, ranking in 11th. In 2004, and optical manufacturers, the together with F1 and football. In he was ranked 6th in the World high performance Konica Minolta Japan, its popularity is growing with Championship MotoGP Class Dynax 7D comes as no surprise. Tamada’s success in the Japanese (won twice, placed second once, “It continues the legacy of the GP last September giving it a boost. won prizes several times). highly successful and reputed The internationally recognized He will be riding for Japan Italy analogue Dynax SLR cameras, MotoGP has the top class exposure Racing, a Monaco-based team, with distinct design resemblance in terms of broadcasting, audience, whose president is Tetsuo Iida and to make the conversion from film and visitors (approximately 1.6 General Manager Gianluca Montiron. to digital as smooth as possible million). Backed by such popularity, Tamada will ride just one machine, a for any experienced Dynax enthu- and teaming up with equally high Honda RC211V with Michelin tyres. siast. Supporting the full range of profile Honda machines, Konica existing AF lenses, the Dynax 7D Minolta looks to have picked a MotoGP Calendar 2005 also eases the financial aspect. good vehicle for publicity. Top: action shot on the track with “Regardless of its background, Tamada riding. Above: Tamada at the Date Grand Prix Circuit the Dynax 7D makes an impressive About MotoGP European launch of the team colours. April 10 Spain Jerez performance, all by itself. Its exterior April17 Portugal Estoril is robust and solid as a professional MotoGP, promoted by FIM The machines compete in maximum May 1 China Shanhai camera, introducing a huge 2.5" LCD (Federation Internationale de speed of more than 300km per May 15 France Le Mans screen with an innovative, rotating Motocyclisme), is the world’s most hour, which is the same level as F1. June 5 Italy Mugello camera settings display. Professional prominent series of annual motor- This calls for a fusion of top-notch June 12 Catalunya Montmelo is also the 6.1 Megapixel resolution cycle road racing event held in five engine and machine technologies, June 25 Holland Assen with RAW or RAW+JPEG file formats. continents. Its official name is “FIM and exceptional skills on the part of July 10 USA Laguna Seca Yet, the most revolutionary feature is Road Racing World Championship the rider. It is widely broadcast in July 24 Britain the built-in CCD Anti-Shake image sta- Grand Prix,” and the Konica Minolta about 200 countries and viewed by July 31 Germany biliser, the first ever in any SLR cam- Honda team will participate in the 5.2 billion enthusiastic racing fans. Aug 28 Czech Rep. Brno era. Add to this a highly efficient AF highest MotoGP Class. This year, the Sept 18 Japan system, fast overall camera response racing events will take place in “Twin About Tamada Sept 25 Malaysia Sepang and burst shooting, as well as the new Ring Motegi” in Japan, and such Oct 1 Qatar Losail CxProcessTM III image processor circuits as Sachsenring (Germany), Makoto Tamada, 28, began riding a Oct 16 Australia Phillip Island for outstanding image quality. Jerez (Spain), and Assen (Holland) pocket bike at the age of nine, quali- Oct 23 Turkey Istanbul “The conclusion from the DIWA in Europe. The race will also be fied as an international A class rank Nov 6 Valencia Valencia experts is that Konica Minolta’s held for the first time in Shanhai in 1994, and since 1995, started his late D-SLR debut was well worth (China), and for the first time in career in All Japan Championship and There is a website with updated waiting for. Fierce competition eleven years in Laguna Seca (USA). constantly ranked in high positions. news and photographs from the is no threat to the Dynax 7D. It MotoGP is the world’s premium From 2003, he moved to the world latest events as they pass. stands out from the crowd and is motorsports for its speed, high stage to join the most prominent http://konicaminolta.com/motogp bound to win many new friends”. technology, and internationality. motorcycle road racing MotoGP Class Á Á

5 photoworld Z5 cures the shakes – and Dynax 7 Digital gets the ‘DT’s… HE ‘Z’ line of Konica Minolta New DT zooms digital cameras has moved New lenses and cameras launched Ton and up to 5 megapixels Three brand new DT zoom lenses for with the new Dimage Z5 and Z20. the Dynax 7 Digital and future DSLRs The Z5 has a CCD-Shift Anti- with the APS-C sensor size have been Shake System, 12x optical “Mega announced by Konica Minolta. ‘DT’ Zoom”, Fastest-in-Class rapid AF, means they do not cover the entire and large, easy-to-View 2.0 inch film frame, and should not be used LCD. The Z20 has an 8X zoom, on film SLRs. They are a favourably no Anti-Shake, but exceptional priced 18-70mm ƒ3.5-5.6(D), economy with batteries at 450 shots an ultra-wide angle 11-18mm on a set of four AA alkalines. ƒ4.5-5.6 (D), and a wide to long tele The 12x optical zoom and 4x dig- range 18-200mm ƒ3.5-6.3 (D). ital zoom of the Z5 combine for a total Konica Minolta has “laid down 48x zoom. Anti-Shake – the same as new development principles for used on the Dynax 7D and Dimage interchangeable lenses for Dynax A200 models – is particularly effec- Series”. Plans are to launch the DT tive at high zoom factors. It allows lenses in summer to autumn of 2005. shutter speeds four to eight times Here are the principles, which longer for steady, shake free images look very encouraging for owners of evening or other low light subjects of SLRs whether film or digital, and as well as extreme tele views in nor- confirm the future development of mal light, without a flash or tripod. high-end optics with SSM-like AF: Focusing in only 0.2 second 1) Establish a lens line- (approx.) at wide angle and only up that covers both APS-C 0.3 second (approx.) at telephoto, and 35mm formats the Z5 is ideal for capturing any Above: Konica Minolta will develop subject, moving or static. Both new the new both wide-angle lenses for APS-C models are very fast in operation. Dimage format and conventional 35mm The Z5 2.0 inch LCD Z5. format lenses so as to meet wide monitor makes navigating menus variety of consumers’ needs. easier and allows you to see Left: 2.5 2) Develop lenses with exactly what you’re shooting. inch unique features realized In addition to Rapid AF, the Dimage LCD by only Konica Minolta Z5 has fast startup, short shutter screen Konica Minolta will develop release time lag, Ultra-High-Speed on the lenses incorporating such features Continuous Advance, Progressive E50. as seen in the large aperture Capture, and Real Motion monitor “G lenses” and “STF” lens. for smooth display on the LCD. its available capacity. The Z20 has Big screen E50 With its unique body-integral High-resolution VGA movies can be movie recording but without sound. Anti-Shake function, Konica Minolta shot that look as good as TV images. Both cameras have special The new E50 – a shirt-pocket style will develop a variety of lenses These movies are also shake-free features for action photography, 5 megapixel model with 3X optical which enable you to expand your thanks to the Anti-Shake function. includes a Progressive Capture zoom – has one compelling feature, photo-shooting opportunities. The Z5 optical zoom delivers a mode where you keep shooting until a 2.5 inch LCD screen similar to 3) Always research and focal range equivalent to a 35- a sequence ends, and only the last the Dynax 7 Digital, allowing a develop new technologies 420mm range and the Z20 equals few images are recorded to card. very large view of each shot (for Research and develop new 36-290mm. 26mm wide-angle The Z20 has the unusual feature composition as well as review) ideal technologies such as an actuator to shooting (35mm equivalent) is of 14.5mb internal storage and can for users with less critical eyesight. enable noiseless drive by new prin- possible with the optional Wide shoot without a memory card loaded. It has many of the features of the ciple of operation, with which we Angle Converters ZCW-300 and There are four exposure modes new 5 megapixel Z series models make effort to equip our products. ZCW-200 respectively. In Super Macro – Program, Aperture Priority, too, including a movie capability The DT Lenses are of a new mode, you can position the lens as Shutter Priority, Manual – on both and PictBridge compliance, but it standard that adopts an optical close as 1 cm from your subject. cameras. The new cameras can be not aimed at fast action sequences system optimised for digital SLR The Dimage Z5 also offers connected directly to a PictBridge or extreme macro and telephoto cameras, including the Dynax 7D improved AF accuracy through compliant printer for direct printing. situations. It’s a much more portable, that incorporate an APS-C size CCD. 5-point Area AF and records movies The Z series has now matched pocketable camera for travel and All three lenses have sufficient image in VGA resolution (640x480) at 30fps the earlier Dimage 7Hi and its general family or business use. circle to work with the Anti-Shake with sound. You can also choose predecessors in many ways, but The E50 is priced at £199.99, system, and incorporate the ADI. from other, lower resolution movie remain able only to shoot JPEG the same as the Z20, while the Z5 “Konica Minolta will continue to image sizes. The Anti-Shake function images – they do not produce raw in black or silver is £349.99. The develop digital SLR camera bodies works with the movie function. The .MRW files. For many users this is Dimage A1, Z2, G600 and G530 and interchangeable lenses, and XR (Extended Recording) Movie no disadvantage and the cameras are all now discontinued. The sequentially upgrade systems”, their function lets you record movie clips can be recommended as general X50 is now available in Blue and March press statement concludes. onto the SD memory card as long as all-purpose ‘walkabout’ digitals. Gunmetal Grey colour choices. Á photoworld 6 A perfect pair: using the new 17- 35mm and 28-75mm lenses

Above: the 17-35mm used at 17mm has excellent straight line rendering and illumination across the frame at full ƒ2.8 aper- by David ture; with a shutter speed of 1/10th, Anti-Shake played its part. Photograph by Andy Johnson. Below: New Zealand Photoworld Kilpatrick with reader Alan Kerr shot the rapids below using the 28-75mm, exposure at 75mm was ƒ8, 1/800th. Photoworld reader pictures

UCH was the demand for the new 17-35mm ƒ2.8-4 and 28-75mm Sconstant ƒ2.8 AF (D) lenses – launched at photokina 2004 with the Dynax 7 Digital – that our test sam- ples only arrived this month (their lens caps still living in the offices of some national photo magazine!). In the meantime, I have been view- ing many images from Photoworld readers sent in as a response to email requests for examples. The 28-75mm, as I have now found, has superb fast focusing and the 17-35mm excellent geometry – as this page should show. With the lenses at last on my desk – and cameras – I can see good reasons to move on to a new generation if you own

7 photoworld older AF optics and have invested in We shall have to wait and see. I the Dynax 7 Digital. I know this is expect the 18-70mm to be a budget almost heretical. Surely one of the kit lens, favourably priced, and with great benefits of the D7D is that it can a performance similar on the digital use all your lenses back to 1985? format to the existing 28-100mm on In my report on the D7D, I film. That will mean pretty good and hinted that results with modern not bendy. The 11-18mm wide angle is ADI (D) lenses and higher end a purpose built wide angle and again, specifications such as the 100- I would expect a high performance. 300mm Apo zoom might well be The 18-200mm? Well, I might buy superior to those from older lenses one, because of the convenience of which are excellent on film. a 28-300mm single lens. But unless After several months of D7D use, Konica Minolta can work miracles, I can confirm this. My 50mm ƒ2.8 this extreme range will mean more macro is very sharp but in the studio, distortion and vignetting (light large white backgrounds create a fall-off) than the 17-35 and 28-75mm. central flare spot because its rear ele- Light fall off in a lens is impos- ment was never designed to cope with Emmanuel Agbaraojo sible to avoid, but generally speaking reflections off a CCD sensor. My 70- took the shot above with designs with very large front elements 210mm ƒ4 original has a lovely image the 17-35mm at 17mm. are better than those which aim to be quality but produces purple fringes Because the lens has compact. The 17-35mm has a 77mm from twigs against bright sky if used excellent geometry, an filter thread and displays excellent wide open on the digital sensor. architecturally perfect illumination even on the full 24 x And so on! version can be made by 36mm frame. Used on the D7D, there The two new lenses are full distorting it in Photoshop really is no fall off at all. Considering frame. They are not to be confused (left) to produce the its ƒ2.8 aperture at 17mm, half a with the ‘DT’ lenses about to be final image below. stop faster than reasonably expected, available, which just cover the it’s an outstanding design. digital sensor. The 17-35 and 28-75 The 28-75mm has the same advan- are ideal for film use as well. tage but its strength lies in speed and Both focus with far greater image quality. The circular aperture accuracy on my D7D than any produces very attractive out of focus of my older non-D lenses. They imaging (‘bokeh’) which makes it appear to be matched to the the perfect portrait lens. The focal autofocus system of the camera. length range is equal to 42-112.5mm They also focus extremely rapidly. in 35mm frame terms, with a constant Anti-shake performance appears maximum aperture of ƒ2.8. to be considerably improved, It would be hard to find a especially when comparing results better portrait lens and it’s great for from the 28-75mm set to around wedding photographers, who also 50mm and used at close range, have the benefit of the D7D’s ‘High’ with the old non-D 50mm macro. key shooting mode which ensures I have also tested several perfect detail in wedding dresses. independent lenses for digital sensor Á coverage (APS-C format) over the last few months on other systems, and can comment that the economy While fairly expensive and substantial in size, the 17-35 and 28-75 offer in price is often reflected in economy a premium performance, comparable to earlier G series zooms but of performance. Generally, they are optimised for digital SLRs to cut internal reflections and colour fringes sharp – lenses for digital use HAVE to be sharp – but geometry can be unsuitable for architectural work. A typical 18-125mm lens for APS-C will have a strongly curved image at telephoto settings as well as wide. The 17-35mm and 28-75mm have a combined cost three and half times that of the particular lens I have in mind but the final image is simply in a different league entirely. With a lens yielding good straight lines – such as the 17-35mm used at its 17mm focal length – simple perspective corrections in Photoshop (see the centre panel on this page) are rapid and perfect. A lens with poor geometry needs a special plug-in for Photoshop to cancel its dished or bulging straight lines. The next question must be: will The 28-75mm with petal lens hood Konica Minolta’s DT lenses be better? is ƒ2.8 maximum all the way photoworld 8 Above: photographs by Emmanuel Agbaraojo using the 28-75mm ƒ2.8 lens. The main picture is at 75mm, ƒ4 aperture, displaying superb colour from the Dynax 7 Dig- ital and a very smooth out of focus image. The portrait is at 60mm, ƒ3.5, the same aperture as used for the daffodils and wood at 28mm. Performance is very consistent through the range and the fluid look of the images matches the best that film can achieve. Below: the 28-75mm is an ideal lens for mountain country landscape photogra- phy with its effective 42-112mm range. Alan Kerr (www.southernlightsphotography.net) shot this view at Paradise, near Queenstown, NZ.

9 photoworld Pract_Photograhy_Konica_P82.qxd 1/2/05 6:24 pm Page 1

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The Dynax 7 SLR series one of the Dynax system has been consistently lenses*, you will get £100 applauded by the world’s cash back - and/or buy the photographic press for their * camera with the Program innovation. Flash 5600 HSD and you’ll The Dynax 7D continues get £50 cash back. that tradition by being the £150 All you have to do first System Digital SLR with is send off your VAT *UP TO £150 OFF LENSES AND FLASH GUN the award-winning receipt, together with your Anti-Shake system guarantee card, to us**, built into the camera’s body. showing the purchase of A system far more sensitive and responsive than any the Dynax 7D body, together with a lens and/or flash lens centred camera shake reduction technology. purchase, and we will send you a cheque for up to £150. And if you buy this incredible camera together with It really is that simple to join the system.

7digital.konicaminolta.com

*The Dynax lenses qualifying for the offer are: 17-35mm F2.8-4 (D), 20mm F2.8, 20-35mm F3.5-4.5, 24-105mm F 3.5-4.5 (D), 28-75mm F2.8 (D), 50mm F2.8 Macro (D), 50mm F1.4, 70-200mm F2.8 APO G (D) SSM, 85mm F1.4 G (D), 100mm F2.8 Macro (D), 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 APO (D), 100-400mm F4.5-6.7 APO, 200mm F4 Macro APO G, 200mm F2.8 APO G, 300mm F2.8 APO G (D) SSM, 600mm F4 APO (G). The flash gun is the Program Flash 5600 HSD. **Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd. Plane Tree Crescent, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 7HD Promotional period from 14th February - 15th April 2005. Any receipts dated after this will not be valid. Getting the light and exposure right Timing your shot, and using controls, for better results

5.00pm Auto White Balance

igital pictures have latitude stone more sympathetically, though in just the same way that probably not as accurately. 5.05pm Daylight White Balance Dfilm images so. The ‘raw’ If either of these pictures had image which comes from the sensor been taken using RAW+JPEG or just of a camera like the Dimage A2 RAW setting on the camera, it would or Dynax 7 Digital contains far have been possible to make the same more information than a JPEG adjustments later. The JPEGs remain file, but like a negative, it can not fixed, with any exposure errors be viewed until processed. permanently uncorrectable. The RAW When you shoot JPEG images only files offer scope for adjustment. – with no raw .MRW file – you must The two images at the bottom be extra careful to get exposure and right are a JPEG and a RAW file colour settings right. It is like using from the Dynax 7 Digital. The shot slide film where bracketing, careful was badly overexposed, and the top metering, and use of colour balance result is what you would get on a filters can fine-tune the end result. JPEG. There is no way to alter this. The two shots above are taken By using Adobe Photoshop CS using the Dimage A2 as JPEGs. The Camera Raw Plug-In to read the Overexposed JPEG auto exposure has been influenced by .MRW file of the same shot, the a dark area right in the middle of the bottom result was produced. A setting shot – where the camera bases most of -4 (minus four) stops was used in of its exposure reading. So the normal the Exposure control. Very few digital shot on the left, in Program mode cameras have this kind of latitude without adjustment, has a burned- – the Dynax 7 Digital is one of the out sky and bleached highlights. best. Its raw files contain a great deal Setting an exposure correction of -2 of highlight and shadow information produces the perfect result on the which can be extracted using various right. If you shoot JPEGs, you need to methods. The supplied Dimage make corrections like this for some Viewer software limits this function, situations. Check the image on the as inexpert use can lead to odd effects camera’s screen, adjust the ± com- and colours. Dimage Master allows pensation setting, and shoot again. a normal level of highlight recovery. The pair of pictures top right For maximum exposure correction, shows how the white balance setting the plug-in supplied by Adobe for and patience with the light can Photoshop CS and Elements 3.0 is RAW corrected from same shot improve a picture in a more subtle the best choice we have found. way. The top example is a normal However, even when shooting Dimage A2 shot taken at 5.00pm RAW, it is best to adjust the exposure using Auto White Balance. The in the camera. Use the screen to second example below was taken review your shots and spot over or at 5.05pm – just five minutes for under exposure, and shoot again for the sun to move round and pick a perfect result. This always results out more of the stonework – with in the best colour, lowest image the white balance set to Daylight. noise and ideal camera settings. This means the warmer colour Perhaps you will see from the last of the late afternoon sunshine is example why RAW is an insurance recorded properly, instead of being policy against exposure mistakes! compensated for and neutralised. – David Kilpatrick It also shows the colour of the Á

11 photoworld photoWORLD gallery Earn Konica Minolta film, inkjet paper & CD-R media with your pictures

eing a seasonal magazine, we kick off with a Spring Bshot – of course – which we all hope to find and too often miss getting before it’s too late! You may now enter pictures taken on Konica equipment as well as Minolta, and this is retrospective – vintage Minolta pictures were always eligible, and the same goes for vintage Konica. You may also enter pictures from other camera brands made on Konica films and (if colour negative rather than slide) processed and printed by a Konica photofinisher, normally a High Street mini-lab using Konica paper and chemicals. See the new entry rules on page 13. Each picture used will receive a prize of Konica Minolta supplies – E6 35mm slide film, 35mm colour nega- tive film, inkjet paper or CD-R media. Film entry winners will be sent films, and digital winners will be sent paper or CD-Rs (or both). The prize packs are at the discretion of Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) Ltd. As always, all entries remain your own property and we require only single rights use in the context of the Photoworld Gallery pages. Slides are returned (you must send return p&p); prints and digital entries are only returned if you ask for them to be, and enclose return p&p.

Left: timely for some of you, late for others, as blossom and daffodils can surprise us in February or linger into May in different parts of the country. A good springtime shot by Tony Jones, us- ing a Dimage A1, 1/1000th at ƒ4.5 (ISO 100). Tony, from Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, preset -0.7 exposure compensa- tion to get the correct density for this shot at 180mm equiv. zoom. photoworld 12 Above: Snow Deer, by Steve Bright. Scanned from film and submitted on CD – a seasonal subject submitted in September, just the right time to do so. Below left: the qual- ity and capabilities of the Dimage A2 are shown clearly in this shot by Barbara Mellor, a moth through a conservatory window in Devon. ISO 125, 200mm focal length equivalent, 1/200th at ƒ3.5. Bottom right: Hibiscus close-up by Tony Jones, Dimage A1, tele macro setting, ISO 100, ƒ5.6, natural light, Anti-Shake used.

Michael Dalhousie shot the Roman baths in Bath using the qualities of gas flare light on daylight colour balance setting with his Dimage 7i. The exposure was 2/3rds of a second at full ƒ2.8 aperture, ISO 200. David Jenkins used correction and diffraction grating filters for his light bulb on slide film – X-700 camera with a 90mm macro lens, 1/30th at ƒ8. Two very different uses of artificial light! Gallery Rules digital entries should be accompanied You may enter a maximum of three by return post and packing only if you slides, three prints and three digital require their return. Otherwise, they images every quarter. Slides must may be filed or destroyed as seen fit. be in non-glass mounts, clearly Konica Minolta Photo Imaging (UK) labelled with your return address Ltd and Icon Publications Ltd accept on each slide, and protected in a no financial responsibility for the plastic sleeve or wallet. Prints must receipt, safety or return of entries. be no larger than 12 x 8"/A4, on We suggest entries are sent in glossy photographic paper NOT inkjet within two months after receiving paper, unmounted, with name and your magazine at the latest, but it’s address and caption details on the best to enter shortly after getting reverse. Digital images should be your edition. You may send digital on a Mac/PC readable CD-R, in RGB entries consisting of high qual- JPEG or TIFF form, file resolution set ity JPEGs from digital camera or to 300dpi and should be a minimum scanner to [email protected] of 1600x 1200 pixels in size. A stating ‘Photoworld Gallery Entry’ printed contact sheet, or reference in your email subject header, and prints, must accompany your CD. including your postal address and Slides must be accompanied by all caption details in your email. return post and packing; prints and Á

13 photoworld Backlight – especially on subjects like spider webs and fountains as shown above – calls for care with exposure. It is almost essential to use minus compensation for such shots against the most effective dark backgrounds. On the left, webs on fir tree by Michael Dalhousie of Milton Keynes. Dimage 7i, 1/180th at ƒ4.5, -0.3 exposure, 190mm equivalent focal length. Right, fountains from a slide by D Sheldrake of Norwich, Dynax 600si with 28-135mm zoom. Below left: simple close-up impact from Barbara Henry of Walls, Shetland Isles. The Galley Head at the Up-Helly-Aa festival in Lerwick. “A ‘Norse’ galley is burned after almost a thousand guizers, led by the Jarl squad dressed as Vikings, hold a parade through the streets carrying flaming torches. The festival celebrates our Norse ancestry, and traditionally marks the end of the long dark winter nights, meaning Spring is on the way”, says Barbara. Dimage A200, 1/200th at ƒ5, ISO 50, AS, about 24mm equivalent focal length. Below right: Dravidian temple, Tamil Nadu, India, by Peter Karry; Dynax 5, 24-105mm AF, Kodachrome. Dimage 7i, 1/180th at ƒ4.5..

photoworld 14 We have selected two images from Chris Mole of Danehill, Sussex, for this Gallery edition – both the black and whites on this page. The quality Chris achieves from his Dim- age A1 is exceptional. He used a ball-stopping 1/4000th of second at ƒ7.1 for ‘Chip Shot’, taken on a cliff top near Broadhaven, Pembrokeshire… but the ball was added later with Photoshop! ‘Wind Shape Sea’ was shot using 1/320 at ƒ6.3 at Freshwater East, Pembrokeshire, and both shots were translated into b & w using Photoshop.

15 photoworld Shooting Ghosts

n 1997 I read an article in John Boyes shows the effects today is probably Maco 750 IR Practical Photography about film from Germany, sold on-line IKonica’s IR 750 infrared emul- possible using the infrared black by Retro Photographic – www. sion. I was already a keen black & retrophotographic.com. They also white landscape photographer but the and white film which made make an even more extreme infrared images I saw of ghostly creamy white film sensitised to 820nm and can foliage, white fluffy clouds, deep black Konica a fine art favourite supply infrared filters. The previously skies and a beautiful grainy tonality mentioned Ilford SFX 200 is still made me want to try out infrared available but do not expect the same (IR) photography for the first time. dramatic results as shown here. ‘Ghostly’ IR images are unique to these emulsions. The effect is due to Exposure the capture of infrared light waves which are invisible to the human eye. Wratten Filter Number ISO to set on handheld meter The Konica emulsion was rated at an Of course, focusing and metering None 32-50 ISO of 32-50 with no filter in place! something your camera or meter can’t Red 25A (8X Red) 8-12 That’s slow by anyone’s standards and see presents its own difficulties! Red 29 8-12 so the use of a tripod was mandatory. IR series 89B 6-8 The effective ISO will vary depending Film stock IR series 88A 4 on the filter used – see table (left), IR series 87 2 I decided to use my Wratten #25a At that time there were only two IR series 87C Not recommended filter to give me IR plus the red wave- choices for black & white IR work, lengths of the visible light spectrum Kodak’s High Speed Infrared in the shots. With a filter-factor of 8 (HIE) emulsion or Konica’s 750 IR on a 25a this means an extra 2-3 stops emulsion. For me, and I expect for exposure to compensate for. Metering many of us, 1997 was “pre-internet”, with an external meter therefore gives so all research on the handling of an effective ISO of 8-12 but if using these emulsions was gleaned from TTL metering, setting the camera to magazines and textbooks. Although I ISO 50 is a good start for a bright had a darkroom set up I was wary of sunny day. However, IR photography diving in with both feet and trying the is a much less precise science than Kodak HIE. It was reported as being visible wavelength photography and a bit troublesome to handle (needs some wide experimentation is called loading in complete darkness) and for! IR light is outside the visible spec- also needed a Wratten #87 or #89 trum, and both intensity and strength filter to bring out the IR spectrum of the IR light can vary with the which meant a nearly opaque filter weather, time of day, and even time that would make focusing with the of year. Bracketing exposures is the filter attached nigh on impossible. order of the day with IR photography. Konica’s 750 on the other hand, was said to be more forgiving and The location easier to get started with. You can load the Konica in subdued light At the time I lived on the Surrey/ without fogging it and it is a sharper Sussex border and I had the ideal emulsion than the Kodak. I also candidate for a series of IR land- liked the fact that the Konica 750 scapes about 10 miles away: Petworth would give IR results with a standard House & Deer Park, located on the Wratten #25a red filter, something A283 just north of Petworth village I already had in my arsenal. in West Sussex. It is a magnificent The IR effect is not as strong as 17th Century National Trust managed Kodak HIE but it is much better than House set in a vast park landscaped the Ilford SFX200 ‘far red’ emul- by Capability Brown and immortal- sion introduced a few years later. It ised in paintings by J M W Turner. The also has finer grain than the Kodak John’s subject was Petworth Park in West Sussex. Top: 35mm and 120 Konica Deer Park is open 24/7 all year round HIE and the 25a filter would allow Minolta Infrared 750 film, and its sensitivity to blue light plus 750-820nm infra- and the house is open to visitors focusing and composing with the red, with a gap. This means an ordinary red filter can be highly effective. from March to October all week filter in place. As I was going to shoot (excluding Thursday/Friday). Entry landscapes well stopped-down, I used focusing IR and visible light waves. the 35mm 24exp size in stock. IR to the Deer Park is free and current the standard hyperfocal distance According to the article, the 750 also came in 120 format. admission prices for the House can be focusing technique. However, if Konica 750 emulsion was only made The film was last made in 2004, found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk you’re shooting an element of a in small quantities once a year and though some dealers continue to have I had the film, the filter and the scene close up you should use the was quite hard to get hold of. I rang deep-frozen stocks – and it remains base for experimentation; all I needed IR marker if present on your lens round a few dealers from the back possible that future batches will now was the right weather! A beautiful (normally an offset red line) as pages of the photo magazines and be made (none has been produced May day with strong sunlight, blue a guide to the difference between found one who had a few rolls of in 2005). The closest equivalent skies and fluffy cumulus clouds photoworld 16 17 photoworld saw me pack up the equipment and Early summer deciduous tree foliage is often the brightest in infrared light – this Conclusion head for the park about 10am. After willow tree is a classic example of an ideal IR subject at just the right time of year reading as much as I could about in May. As summer progresses, leaves become much darker in IR shots. I had great fun experimenting with the emulsion I decided to set an this film and I wish I’d tried the ISO of 16 with the 25a filter. The 120 format too. As someone who reason for this was that I wanted Is your camera OK for Infrared? shoots digitally these days IR is the to hold the detail in the highlights. only effect that digital can’t really I planned to bracket a whole stop MANY modern autofocus, motordrive SLRs are not suitably reproduce identicallty, though both either side of the metered exposure the Minolta Dimage 7 (original) anyway so I figured that one of the for infrared because they use an infrared light sensor to and the Konica Minolta Dynax 7 exposures would nail it on the head! control the film advance. If your Dynax SLR has this type of Digital are capable of seeing near I used a handheld meter dialled infra-red and users have developed down to ISO 16 in incidence mode frame counting system, Kodak High Speed Infrared (HIE) methods for filtering and convert- to meter the light falling on the black and white may not be usable (it also can not be used ing the files to give a convincing scene and set the shutter speed and with camera where the pressure plate has dimples or dots on image. Its almost worth getting a aperture. I metered 1/8th second film camera again just for using the at ƒ16 and because I was metering it). This is because the Kodak HIE film has no anti halation IR emulsion if you can obtain any. manually, I varied the shutter speed dye in the backing, which is clear Estar and transmits light. (Editor’s Note – we have included to bracket. If you meter through The light from the frame counter in the Dynax 4, 5 and 7 can articles on digital IR in this issue). TTL, start at ISO 50 and bracket by If you decide to have a go at IR shifting the ISO to 25 and 100. fog Kodak’s film enough to affect the image. However, Konica photography now the better weather I spent a good 3-4 hours there, IR 750 and similar ‘750’ film has a highly effective anti-halo is nearing then follow the tips here walking for what seemed like and if you have access to the Internet miles and waiting for the sun to layer, an opaque base until processed, and the frame counter you’ll find a lot of IR sites with good break through the clouds to get will just fog parts of the sprocketed area. So, it will be safe to advice and alternative materials too. the maximum IR effect. I only use in almost all cameras even with IR film control sensors. But however much you read, bracket shot one roll of 24-exposure film and experiment like crazy. Shooting that day, choosing to compose The same quality of this film makes it suitable for use with Konica 750 IR was a challenge carefully and wait for the light. dimpled pressure plates. Minolta used to offer a replacement but very rewarding. Remember, you are shooting and metering plain smooth pressure plate for the 7000AF camera, to Dev & printing something that’s invisible. I liken overcome the tiny reflections of the dimples which happen it to shooting ghosts. Who knows As with exposure, developing IR film when Kodak HIE film is used. This effect is not seen with what you may find when you see the is also a case for experimentation. My negatives emerge from the rinse! developer of choice was Ilford ID11 Konica IR 750 film and a standard pressure plate is OK. The Á (the same basic formula as Kodak same goes for infrared colour slide film. D76) diluted 1+1 at 20°C. I normally John Boyes is a Fuji Distinctions shot FP4, HP5 and Tri –X and I chose The Konica Minolta 8X Red (25A) filter obtainable from award-winning photographer and to develop as if the film was FP4. This The Photostore (see page 40) is ideal for general purpose IR the owner of In Camera Photography. produced a very good tonal range photography. Based in the North of England, John in the negatives, if a touch on the is a member of the Association of contrasty side. Others have reported but don’t try the same for other films. beautiful mix of highlight detail Photographers and works for large good results by using Agfa Rodinal at I printed onto Ilford Multigrade and shadow definition. If you corporates, government, designers, 1:50 for 11 minutes or D76 1:1 at 13 IV FB and RC with standard MG need to send away for processing, ad agencies, PR companies, charities min and the film packaging suggests developer diluted 1+9 using a check with your local pro-lab to and small businesses across the UK. some other combinations. If you find Grade 2/3 filter and burning/dodg- see if they handle this emulsion Website: http://www.incam- Konica 750 available, use this guide, ing as necessary. The result is a first. Most will have no problem. eraphotography.com photoworld 18 Digital infrared: the Dimage 7’s secret

bout four years have passed The original Minolta Dimage 7, shutter speed possible. The relatively since I bought my original slow shutter speeds meant limiting ADimage 7 and up until mid alone in its series, has the ability myself to taking most of the photos 2003 it was used heavily. For the during the shoot with the lenses set to last two years or so the camera has to shoot genuine infrared. wide-angle. All the photos I took were been left on the shelf in favour of captured in the RAW format to ensure more recent Dimage cameras.. Emmanuel Agbaraojo tells how. maximum image quality and added The Dimage 7 was known for versatility during post processing. having some trouble handling The image displayed in the highlights, which had a tendency camera’s EVF or the LCD monitor to ‘blow out’ white white objects looks rather strange initially as appeared in contrasty sunlit scenes. everything is in a rather bright orange One of the causes of this was due colour. Objects that readily reflect IR to the camera’s sensitivity to near light are represented in lighter shades infrared light. Although this was such as grass and trees (though this not a benefit for standard metering is not always the case). Interestingly, and exposures, it meant the camera a black T-shirt can be displayed as could be used to capture infrared white! A clear blue sky tends to come images with the aid of a suitable filter. out quite dark when displayed. All CCDs are infrared sensitive, Because the Dimage 7 with the but most cameras – like the later IR filter attached is only looking Dimage 7i, 7Hi, A1, A2 and A200 at a fairly narrow bandwidth of – have an infrared cutoff filter light, I found instances where it installed because IR content of light appeared the camera was seeing is unpredictable, and accurate though some opaque material. The colour rendering harder to achieve. photo of the conservatory is a good However, those early digital example of this where the plants cameras which combined top inside can be clearly seen. A normal level performance with IR sen- colour photo would show more glare sitivity are now in high demand from the glass structure making it just for this one application. more difficult to see the interior. During a recent photo shoot I find one of the great advantages at Kew Gardens I attached a Hoya of digital IR photography was that R72 Infrared filter to the camera, scenes or objects that under the which resulted in a significant drop wrong lighting I consider to be in the metered light levels. With a dull or uninteresting come alive normal film camera, you can’t even when viewed through the IR filter. see through this filter to compose. With digital IR photography, The Dimage 7 has an auto gain for taking the photos is only half of the its electronic viewfinder and can story. Careful post processing is shoot in near total darkness, so essential to achieve a decent viewable it is ablke to amplify the residual image. As I shot all my photos in image and provide a view good .MRW format I used a RAW converter enough for focusing as well. (in this case RAWShooter) to process The reduced light levels meant the images. The first order of day was I had to increase the camera’s ISO to remove the colour content and setting, which on average was ISO 400 I did that by setting the saturation to obtain decent hand holdable shut- control to its minimum (you can ter speeds. Using either program or do this in Adobe Photoshop using aperture priority mode I was on aver- the command Desaturate). age achieving shutter speeds of about The resulting monochrome 1/20 second (ISO 400) in decent sun- image looked rather flat and lit scenes. The aperture was basically lifeless. I adjusted the exposure left wide open to ensure the fastest compensation to ensure the highlights were kept under control, then I tweaked the contrast to give the image more impact. I’ve found that applying duotone processing in Photoshop can add a bit of arty Three of Emmanuel Agbaraojo’s colour to the finished image infrared Dimage 7 shots of Kew The ability of the Dimage 7 to Gardens show much the same qualities capture infrared light has added as Konica Minolta Infrared 750 film. another dimension to this first- See overleaf for the next chapter… IR generation 5 megapixel camera and the Dynax 7 Digital. Can it shoot and because of this it has received infrared? We asked Emmanuel to try an extended lease of life. to out. Á

19 photoworld Infrared with the Dynax 7 Digital ike the majority of modern initially remove the infrared filter digital SLRs, the KM Dynax 7D Too early in the year for ideal and set up the focus manually each Lwas not designed as a digital time I prepared to shoot a new scene camera for infrared photography. In conditions, Emmanuel Agbaraojo and then carefully replace the filter. fact, because of potential metering, Post processing was carried out colour and exposure problems, it has explored the residual infrared with a RAW converter and Photoshop. been designed to block infrared light. All the images to some degree suf- Having said that, not all infrared sensitivity of the new DSLR fered from what looked like internal light is blocked which makes digital reflections inside the camera which infrared photography with this resulted in uneven images (rather camera possible to some degree. like shooting through glass and get- For the infrared digital photos ting reflections). The longer the shut- made use of my old style Minolta ter speed or the brighter the ambient 50mm ƒ1.4 and a Hoya R72 infrared lighting the more uneven the images filter. With the filter attached to the became. The reddish/pink colour was camera it was difficult to see clearly easily removed by de-saturating the out of the viewfinder even in well-lit images. The contrast was adjusted or sunny conditions despite the very each change of scene or subject being setting was about ƒ4 at 4 seconds at to give more life to the images. fast lens. Some quick test photos photographed (the pink example ISO 400. A cable release was used for The finished images looked made it obvious that I required the above shows what you should expect). all photos. I experimented with vari- better than I thought they would. aid of a tripod as the shutter speeds I made use of the histogram to deter- ous shutters speeds from 1 second Taking infrared photos with the necessary for correct exposure were mine correct exposure – fairly central to 30 seconds. All captured images Dynax 7D was rather a different rather slow (too slow even for the or with a slight bias to the right. had a reddish/pink look to them. I experience than I had previously Anti-Shake feature to be of help). To What was very apparent was that the preferred to capture all images in encountered with the Dimage 7. optimise image quality I preferred contrast level of the infrared images RAW with the RAW+JPEG mode used The Dimage 7 was more straight- to keep the ISO as low as possible. was limited compared to a non- to allow me to verify correct focus. forward and the Dynax 7D’s lower Unlike the Dimage 7 where infrared version of the same scene. Although the cameras autofocus infrared sensitivity made the overall the effect of exposure settings can I found it was best to use manual seemed to work and lock on to the process much slower and more immediately be seen in the EVF or exposure as the other exposure subjects with the filter in place, complicated. However, the experience LCD monitor, it was necessary to modes resulted in underexposed because of the dark viewfinder I was still enjoyable and overall the take test shots with the Dynax 7D to images even when exposure compen- could never be sure what was in results were well worth the effort. determine the correct exposure for sation was applied. A typical exposure focus. I decided it was best that I Á photoworld 20 Manfrotto DIGI 718B

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Above: the low contrast and odd tones of DSLR infrared might have a use for portraits as well as landscapes. Again, conventional and IR versions. Brochure Line Helpline 0870 420 5112 0870 21 photo 420world 5113 Inside the spectrum

ast summer on the banks of the of children were most rewarding, River wye below the beautiful The Luminarium by Architects of as you could see the wonderment Lmarket town of Ross-on-Wye, in their poses and their faces. the Summer Festival was a two- Air is a remarkable experience week extravaganza of music and Technical notes comedy from around the world. As – as Barbara Nash discovered part of this celebration Architects The exposures, with the camera of Air erected a Luminarium. setting ISO 200 automatically for all From the outside, the structure the shots inside the Luminarium, is impressive, but inside you will ranged from 1/15th at ƒ2.8 to 1/45th be completely amazed – I saw at ƒ3.5 and all were hand-held. No people go in a bit nervous but come flash was used, and the files were our very happy and impressed. saved as High quality sRGB JPEGs. The Upon entering you instantly notice camera’s Auto White Balance has not vaulted ceilings that arch towards been fooled by mixtures of colours, heaven creating a sense of grandeur but both exposure and AWB make the and space. The air is washed in tones in some shots (like the example colour – reds, blues, greens and on the facing page) very unusual. yellow deepening from soft tints to “This effect will not be obtained lustrous tones. As you walk through using film”, said Club director David the tunnels you enter coloured rooms Kilpatrick. “We have received similar whilst listening to gentle music, a shots in the Luminarium on film womb-like experience. It is pure in the past, and while very strik- delight for children, who liken it to ing, they are more literal than the walking inside a huge bouncy castle. digital images. The digital camera It is a photographer’s delight seems to react more like the human and with time and experience some eye, trying to adjust the colour but wonderful images can be captured. ending up overwhelmed by it. I used a Dimage 7i set on automatic, “Remember, once we have and positioned myself where I used a feature like this, we knew I could capture silhouettes will not be likely to use similar of people as they wandered from images in the near future”. room to room. I think the pictures Á

photoworld 22 23 photoworld All Luminarium pictures by Barbara Nash of Ross-on-Wye, taken using a Konica Minolta Dimage 7i 5 megapixel digital camera on Program setting with Auto ISO and White Balance. No adjustments have been made to the original camera JPEGs for reproduction other than cropping if beneficial, resizing and unsharp masking. photoworld 24 Inside the spectrum

25 photoworld From colour to mono Using Dimage Master or Photoshop Channel Mixer, ‘filtered’ black and white images can be made from colour originals

he infrared articles in this issue touch on conversions Tfrom colour to black and white, working from scans or digital camera images. By changing a colour original to monochrome using Dimage Master, Adobe Photoshop or a similar application, impact can be given to pictures which would have been bet- ter taken using black and white film. The use yellow, orange and red filters on panchromatic (fully colour sensitive) black and white film does not alter the actual colour of the picture; this can be done by toning prints, for example sepia, or when making prints from black and white negatives on colour papers. Instead, the filters cut parts of spectrum which normally record as even shades of grey, making some colours darker (normally those at the blue end of the spectrum) and others lighter (at the red end). This

Top: the original colour shot. Above and right: the two main steps needed in Dimage Master to make the black and white version, top of facing page. A contrast boost was also added. Bottom strip of pictures: the process for Photoshop – Channel Mixer, select B/W, and manually set channels to imitate a red filter. can look almost like infrared black overall effect created can be stronger and white when taken to an extreme. – similar to a deep red tricolour filter Dimage Master comes with a rather than the standard 8X Red. built-in set of filters and conversion If the original is fairly flat in to monochrome from RAW. To create contrast, like this example, it will a dramatic effect, it is also necessary be necessary to adjust exposure to use the exposure, contrast and and contrast in either program. tone curve controls. In Photoshop, When contrast is increased, there assuming you start with a regular is a tendency for light tones to burn colour scan, the Channel Mixer out, so exposure may have to be is very much harder to master but reduced. In this example, the sundial offers a wider range. It is easy to on the corner of Aberdour Castle go too far and lose detail but the (a Historic Scotland property) is photoworld 26 The Dimage Master software conversion, above, uses the Red filter plus changes to exposure, contrast and the tone curve. Exposure was set to -0.9, and Contrast to +100 (maximum) while a very slight lift was given to the shadows as the tone curve reproduced on the facing page shows. Master has retained very good detail in the highlights with a good tone quality to the sky and clouds. Below are two of Photoshop’s ‘instant’ methods for black and white conversion: on the left, the original image after changing the mode from 8-bit Colour to Greyscale; on the right, the image after applying Desaturate. Both these conversions are rather flat compared to Dimage Master’s method for changing from Colour to B/W, which is found in the Filter and Colour Effects menu. It also includes toning or tinting the output file if required.

the critical feature. It is the one it would be easy to ‘burn in’ the element in the picture which will sundial and ‘dodge’ the clouds – or be lightened most by a red filter even to apply a bleach solution locally effect. Dimage Master has retained to the print to clean up the clouds. a good realistic level of detail. The Dimage Master conversion does Our Photoshop conversion not really need any afterwork but is more extreme than this, and the Photoshop treatment – more you can see from final image in extreme – suffered from rather the sequence on the left that the heavy clouds and a bald sundial. sundial is showing signs of bleached To correct the sundial and also highlights while the clouds are not give a great tonal impact, the outline as light as would be desirable. was selected using the Lasso tool In the photographic darkroom, in its polygon mode. This is easier

27 photoworld The Photoshop ‘ultra deep red’ filter conversion left the sundial very light compared than drawing with a mouse, as you adjusted using the slider control (see to the rest of the shot and the clouds fairly grey. Both these have been adjusted click from point to point to make screen shot). I selected 750 pixels individually for the final image above. up the shape. There is little risk of radius, Highlights to be lightened ending up with a jagged outline, only, and a 25 per cent effect. By as the next step after making the dragging the circular dodge tool selection is to Feather it – in this area over the clouds and pressing case, by 5 pixels. This softens the the mouse button (this activates the edge of the selected patch (including tool) a few swipes across the parts of any jagged steps produced by using the image involved make the clouds the polygonal lasso method). really stand out without affecting the The Levels control is then darker midtone sky around them. opened, and because a small part The end result of the Photoshop of the picture is selected, it will variation is more dramatic, and only affect this patch. A big adjust- resembles a high contrast hand Selecting the sundial using the Polygonal Lasso, Levels are applied locally to just ment in levels pulls a much more print from a negative. In contrast, this patch. The adjustment is very strong – the mid tone moved to 0.2, and the detailed, contrasty rendering of the final image below is a straight black point reduced to 38 to avoid excessive contrast in this area. the sundial’s features into view. Yellow filter conversion byDimage To clean up the clouds, the Dodge Master – no other adjustment. tool (small black paddle) is selected, – David Kilpatrick and a suitable soft edged Radius is Á

A very large ‘brush’ has been created for the Dodge tool – very soft edged, at 0% hardness, and 750 pixels in diameter. It has been set to lighten the highlights only, by 25 per cent with each pass. A pass is a swipe of the tool over the image area while pressing the (left) mouse button to activate the dodging. photoworld 28 ƒ2 is the new magazine for silicon and silver imaging alike and we intend to make it Subscribe to… visually and technically excellent. It will put you ahead of the game and hopefully we shall keep up our record of being ahead of the monthlies – and even the weeklies – in bringing you news and proper tests reports. If you subscribe to ƒ2 you will receive a free copy of a back issue (as shown with Dy- nax 7 Digital test) plus a subscription starting with with Issue 5, February/March 2005. If you do not want to destroy this copy of KONICA MINOLTA PHOTOWORLD, make a copy of this page and mail this form by FREEPOST with your cheque or credit card details. Send to ƒ2 Subscriptions, FREEPOST, Icon Publications Ltd, Maxwell Lane, Kelso TD5 7BR. Alternatively visit www.f2photo.co.uk or www.freelancephotographer.co.uk

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���������������������� faith alike! ��������������������� ��������� we launched a new photographic maga- IN 1989 ��������������� zine called PHOTOpro. It was an entirely different �������������������� kind of magazine and inspired an identically named ��������������������� quarterly in the United States. In 1996, following ��������������� the success of our website PHOTON, the magazine ������������������� changed name. Three years later, the website was ������������� bought and we joined forces with the Bureau of ������������������ Freelance Photographers to change the maga- ���������������� zine again, this time to the title FREELANCE ��������������������� PHOTOGRAPHER. The spirit of the magazine ���������������������� remained much the same. At the same time ����������������� we had a separate digital magazine. ����������� ��������������������� In 2004, we realised that digital and ������������������ conventional photography had merged entirely in the world of the freelance, ������������� fi ne art photographer, solo professional, ����������������� stock shooter, exhibition and competi- ������������ tion entrant. Freelance was expanded ������������ to become ƒ2 – Freelance+Digital. ��������������������������������� We will continue to cover all types of �������������������������������������� photographic process as long as you continue to use them! 51

insidebackcover.indd 51 21/12/04 2:58:42 pm Mastering RAW file conversion: Dimage Master software

hen Konica and Minolta combined forces over a With the emphasis on colour quality and batch Wyear ago to create the new company, one thing we were prom- processing, Dimage Master is a powerful utility for ised was a blend of skills in colour management. Minolta had, for many converting .MRW files. David Kilpatrick assesses it. years, been the leading manufacturer of colour measurement equipment and had the science of accurate color- imetry; Konica, as a film manufacture constantly monitoring the tastes of consumers, had the know-how to turn the number-crunching into a more photographically familiar rendering. When Konica Minolta digital camera products are tested, they are found to be amongst the most accurate for mapping colours within their colour space. The A2, A200 and Dynax 7 Digital have all been praised for the natural colour they yield and the lack of a digital ‘look’ to their results. Dimage Master software is a powerful (and paid-for) alternative to the Dimage Viewer program supplied free with the cameras. It is also a viable alternative to using Photoshop Camera Raw or other third-party utilities. After testing Master, my own view does not reveal this structure, Dimage Master’s workspace on a 20 inch Apple Cinema Display. The controls, is that it is focuses on maximum and may look considerably better histogram and EXIF data (left hand column) are comprehensive and the Group colour quality above everything else. than a conversion from raw which function (above the thumbnails) allows selective batch processing. This means the emphasis is not on has ‘cleaner’ detail sharpness. ultimate extraction of fine detail The sensor in your digital sharpness, and that noise suppression camera or SLR has a pattern of red, becomes important. Both give the green and blue elements in a grid. finalMaster image when viewed at If you are willing to put up with a 100 per cent pixel scale on screen monochrome picture and discard a slightly mushy and ragged look. all the colour values, then each of However, the final print (made at these coloured cells can be used to roughly 30 per cent magnification) show a single corresponding point on an inkjet or magazine page on the image. This gives you the maximum possible detail sharpness from your camera – but no colour. To produce a colour image, the data from a group of at least nine RAW pixels (a 3 X 3 square centred on the final pixel position) is used to calculate the colour and brightness value of each final RGB image pixel. In fact digital cameras also use Anti-Aliasing filters which diffuse the sharp lens image over a wider group of sensor pixels, and raw conversion utilities can take some extra values from further out, and Above: the two sharpening func- not necessarily a square area, tions of Master, detail emphasis since the filter spreads light in a (Spatial Filtering) and Unsharp circular patch. It is not unusual for Mask which can improve printed over 20 raw sensor pixels to make results. Right: Auto Precision contribution to each final RGB pixel. Analysis is an advanced auto The job of the software writer white balance option. photoworld 32 Dimage Master conversion

For final output Master offers freely variable interpolation (top) and a wide range of colour profile conver- sions (above). is to balance between accurate and full extraction of colour, Photoshop Camera Raw conversion good sharpness and lack of image artefacts such as moiré patterns and aliased (jagged) diagonal edges. Photoshop CS or Elements 3.0 Camera Raw is biased towards detail with relatively low contrast and colour values. It is very forgiving with Konica Minolta .MRW files, and useful to have. But when you run a raw conversion side by side using Dimage Master, the far wider gamut of colours produced by the Konica Minolta program is easily seen. Yellows, in particular, are rendered in a way which creates far superior inkjet prints – and skin tones are far healthier looking. Master also allows very detailed control of tone and exposure and two different types of fully controllable sharpening. Once you have set up the different parameters, you can save them and apply them to a whole batch of files. You can even make four ‘groups’ of raw files and use a differ- ent batch process on each group. One of the best features of Master, missing from both the Photoshop raw PS C Raw Master Dimage Master handles colour and converter and from Viewer, is freely density by default in a different way and continuously variable resizing up to Photoshop’s raw conversion. Top, an to 245 per cent size from 8 megapixel A2 image processed using Master (note camera files. Combined with 16-bit the higher contrast but vibrant yellows TIFF output and a wide choice of final and greater colour discrimination), colour profiles,Master can process with a Photoshop version below – both files ready for wide format inkjet given -0.3 exposure correction. Far left, output – well beyond the familiar A3 a default Photoshop conversion of a size maximum of home printers. Dynax 7 Digital shot, with the Dimage Whether you need the program or Master default conversion, near left. not will depend on your ambitions. While both images could be adjusted, If you want the best possible colour the colour response and flesh tones prints the answer is probably ‘yes’. make Master a very attractive program Á for portrait photographers.

33 photoworld All the fun of the fête

btaining commissions from Well, what about the “Fun local papers can be very Local newspapers can’t always Day”? The paper wanted a photo Odifficult, especially when of the boy’s mother and sister they seem to have an abundance find a photographer to cover in addition to half-a-dozen of of staff photographers. However, I children enjoying themselves. have found that the summer months every event when the outdoor In an earlier Minolta Image offer the best chance, as staffers , (Summer 2002) I wrote about like the rest of us, do take holidays, season gets under way – it’s the the possible problems faced when and the work still has to be done. photographing children.On this occa- I was commissioned to cover a one time they may use outsiders, sion I appreciated that some parents Fun Day for this very reason. Well, may not want their children in the “Fun Day” was to some extent an says John Fryer LBIPP. local press, so I introduced myself unfortunate term, as it was organised and asked if they minded. They all to raise funds for a memorial garden knew the local paper and were very for a five year-old boy who had been pleased to cooperate. In fact, the only knocked down and killed while refusal I received was from a very crossing a road near his home. shy child! The only time I did not ask The local paper was very keen to individual parents was at the bouncy give the event a good spread, but castle, and in this case I told the none of its staffers was available. organisers of that activity who I was. You may wonder why they choose I was well aware that the paper me, as they wouldn’t just go to the likes close-ups of cute and happy Yellow Pages for a photographer. faces, and this is what I concentrated Well, I have been doing their sports on. I was also aware that any used photography for over ten years, so were likely to result in requests they knew the standard of my work, for additional prints. I included a but how was it that I was their sports couple of pensioners to show that photographer? Again, they wouldn’t the event was of interest to all ages. have picked me at random, and this All pictures were taken on a is the crucial point. If they do not Minolta 700si with a 24mm ƒ2.8 know of you, you will never hear from them. That is obvious, so you have to make yourself known. All those years ago, when I had been developing my interest and skill in sports photography, I noticed that the local paper did not use action pic-pic- tures. I took some in; they liked them; and the rest, as they say, is history.

John’s scans from negatives were the right format and resolution for his local newspaper to use photoworld 34 on an iMac. Those emailed to the the little boy. I was surprised that with a Minolta 5400HS used paper were saved at 200dpi compared none of the bouncy-castle shots on TTL. Film was my usual 400 with 300dpi for this feature, though was used, though this may have speed colour negative fiolm. the cropping is virtually identical. been because I had not supplied lens, which allowed me to get in The pictures supplied with The paper was true to its word names. All I had to do afterwards really close and communicate this article were scanned and and used seven pictures, including was deal with requests for prints! with my subject. Fill-in flash was cropped/adjusted in Photoshop 6 one of the mother and sister of Á

35 photoworld Faster better scans with the mark two version of the Elite 5400

completely new scanning gone for good – it will calibrate utility for the Mark II version with the film holder in place. Aof the Dimage Scan Elite 5400 Preview and index scan times are breaks with Konica Minolta’s recent a tiny fraction of the earlier model, tradition of one program – Dimage with superior colour right from the Scan – operating all Minolta start. Final scan times at maximum and Konica Minolta scanners. resolution with ICE, GEM, and The user interface is greatly Pixel Polish plus 2X oversampling improved. For example, the Preview are around 7-8 minutes per slide strip is a separate tear-off window producing 8-bit RGB TIFF files up which can be placed anywhere on to 120mb. The actual resolution of your screen (or even on a second the new scanner appears slightly screen for those with twin moni- higher as the full available film frame tors). Adjustments and settings no makes a file some 10mb larger. longer crowd a single window, but This compares with scan times function more like the palettes around 10-12 minutes with the same and tool windows of Photoshop. parameters on the original 5400. All the familiar preferences However, the new Mark II autofocuses and controls remain in place; the each slide with absolute accuracy. colour management, auto exposure The holder has three of its cross and focus functions, Default saved bars cut away – maybe this helps settings, resolution and output keep the film strips flatter? Whatever file size controls are unchanged the case, AF did not need manual and will be instantly recognised targeting, and nor was manual focus by owners of earlier scanners. needed as has been the case much A major change is that Pixel of the time with the original 5400. Polish, the optimisation control Overall productivity for scanning unique to Konica Minolta, is no strips of slides is probably doubled, longer an exclusive choice which combined with a visible improvement locks out other controls. You can in quality. The ICE removal of dust select any of the four parts of Digital and scratches is perhaps a touch ICE4 with or without Picture Polish reduced in effectiveness but still and indeed with either manual or much superior to some implementa- auto exposure. Unlike the same tions; again, no ‘scars’ were left control on the earlier 5400, Pixel in place of dust, but a few types of Polish did not overdo adjustments blemish the original 5400 seemed and result in burned highlight to deal with remained visible. colours; it simply transformed dull A new light source, Digital ICE4 Digital ICE4™ includes ICE images into very usable, bright, well – the infrared dust removal so saturated and adjusted scans. improved USB 2.0 speed and new vital for perfect scans; ROC, which The new 5400II uses a completely restores faded old originals; GEM, different type of light source. Instead software make the revised 5400II which reduces granularity; and of the cold cathode tube of the 5400, also SHO, which is a shadow and it has LED illumination. The cold highly productive highlight detail enhancer. All but cathode had a high infrared content, SHO have been available in other which made Digital ICE dust removal Minolta and Konica Minolta scanners, exceptionally efficient – dust which but never all together. This is the left ‘scars’ on transparencies scanned first scanner to have all of them with some other makes was healed plus the Pixel Polish function. without any visible trace on the 5400. The build of the Mark II is The downside of this was long certainly lighter – plastic not metal exposure times, and a tendency – and it lacks a FireWire interface, to emphasise reds and flatten off having only USB 2.0/1.1. The price yellows, making colour adjustments remains unbeaten for the highest essential for some film types. true resolution 35mm film scanner The new LED cold light source made. We shall be looking more in the 5400II does not wear out or at its performance with different change with time as much, as the films, and negatives in particular, scanner is EnergyStar compliant in the next Photoworld edition. and shuts down its light when not With some of the functions turned in use. Calibration takes very little Top: the Dimage Scan Elite 5400II next to our Western Digital MediaCentre (a card off, scanning can be even faster time, and the old message asking reader and 250gb hard drive combined, ideal for storing large scans). Above: the and we’ll test this aspect as well. you to eject the film holder has floating palettes transform the familiar control software. Á

37 photoworld All the proof you need: Konica Minolta’s budget photo laser printer

nkjet printers are now so good We got ours for under £250 with pounds; we had one spare from a that you can’t tell a home printed computer of about four years vintage. I6 x 4 inch glossy from a photo lab VAT and carriage. It’s fast and With the convenience of quick product. However, inkjet prints are reference prints from our Dynax very expensive. A full set of official each photo print costs under 20p. 7D and excellent page proofs the inks for our latest Epson R300 printer Magicolor 2430DL has replaced with special photo gloss paper can inkjet printing for 99 per cent of mean costs of £1.50 to £2.00 per A4. our demand. It is fully Macintosh And the little R300, while a bargain and Windows (current versions) with its built-in card reader and mon- compatible, the supplied installation itor screen at around £130, can take CD runs with no need for specialist many minutes to produce each print. know-how, and the print quality is The Konica Minolta Magicolor as good as you can possibly expect 2430DL A4 laser printer is now from a toner based machine. on sale at under £300 – for the first time a colour laser is a viable The finished result alternative to home inkjet. On the MISCO web site we found it at just Using a gloss paper, full toner density £211 + VAT and carriage in March. and putting a laminate on the print We need colour page proofs. For using one of the new low-cost office the last few years we have used a CLC laminators you get something which copier and RIP system which cost is almost as good as a gloss inkjet over £10,000, weighs 260 kilograms, Above: the 2430DL is compact but all. Below: sample prints showing its use for with the great advantage of light occupies a quarter of a room, makes page proofs, photo prints, and also the neutral quality of b/w results. permanence. The polymer toners a noise like an armed invasion, used in these printers don’t fade. takes 15 minutes to warm up… I tested the printer from and will cost us over £500 to have Photoshop printing a monochrome removed now the lease has ended! RGB image and was delighted to get The little Magicolor 2430DL does a totally neutral black and white the same main job (A4 pages), and print. There seems to be no colour cost less to buy than six weeks of profile installed on my computer, the copier lease. A toner kit at £250 and no option to use anything except provides about 4,500 prints in colour ‘Printer Colour Management’. This (5 per cent coverage) but I reckon works. End of story – nothing to it will make around 1,500-2,000 A4 set, no adjustments to get wrong. photo prints of normal density going The maximum paper size of the on usage so far. The printer comes 2430DL is larger than A4, at 8.5 x with a low-capacity starter kit good 14 inches. It can print attractive for 1,500 office density pages. panoramic prints on ‘Legal’ size While per print costs of around paper and A4 page proofs which 5-7p might be claimed for office expanded to work as a wireless reader, or PictBridge camera. almost show the entire page area. use, it looks as if photographic network device, to take a high This is not inkjet quality, but Normal A4 prints have a 5mm white use would put this up to 20p. capacity paper tray, and do automatic the 2430DL will take surprisingly margin, but you can trim a full Changing the toners and supplies duplex (two sided printing). heavy weight paper stock including bleed 10 x 8 from this – or a full is very straightforward and clear gloss, and the ultra-fine random bleed 12 x 8 from ‘Legal’ paper. instructions are provided. You need Direct printing tone pattern with no lines or dotted It also prints on postcards and to be able to lift about 20 kilos to rosettes looks at least as good as adhesive labels, which has allowed unpack and set up the printer, but it But it has something else too – a the best printed magazine page. us to print packing labels easily. only takes up the same desk space USB port on the front for connect- PictBridge functions only with The Royal Mail ‘SmartStamp’ as this magazine opened out. ing PictBridge compatible digital sRGB files which have a .JPG exten- downloadable postage impression It sits on the desktop next to my cameras. You simply set the camera sion, not AdobeRGB JPEGs with a .JPE system would be ideal to use with the Mac screen, and it is totally silent up for PictBridge use, plug in the extension. If you set the camera to 2430DL, printing our own customis- when the EnergyStar power saver cable, switch the camera on and you shoot RAW+JPEG and select sRGB, able full colour postage labels. system puts it to sleep. Print from get a screen to print any JPEGs on it is only the JPEG which is in this Just a year or two ago, a colour the computer via a standard USB your memory card directly through colour space. You can still export an laser printer with this specification 2.0 connection, and it wakes and the 2430DL. The printer menu AdobeRGB image from the raw file. and camera-friendly PictBridge warms up in seconds. It turns out provides choices about output size To be used with the PictBridge would have been a dream – let 20 b/w or 4 colour pages a minute. and arrangement. Colour manage- printing feature the 2430DL requires alone one at this price. And it’s from Uniquely at this price, the ment is fully automatic using Print a memory upgrade. It comes with Konica Minolta – the business Magicolor 2430DL not only has Image Management II, and the results 32mb, enough for printing when a equipment division, not photo- USB 2.0 for direct connection to the are out of the printer in about a host computer does most of the work. graphic, but still in the family. computer, but also Ethernet 10/100 tenth of the time any inkjet printer A further 128mb DIMM module is – DK for wiring to a network. It can be takes to run from a memory card needed, and these only cost a few Á photoworld 38