Monday 9 May 2011

Macro Seminar: Nikon Owner South Coast: Close-up & Macro Photography


May Meeting
Saturday 14th May, 2011
Close-up & Macro Photography

Following the success of the HDR evening, co-organiser of the Nikon Owner South Coast Group, Adrian Cochrane has kindly offered to lead our May meeting on the subject of Close-up and Macro photography.


Adrian says:

"I do not profess to be an expert but hopefully I can offer a few helpful hints and tips. I will be giving a short talk on close-up photography which will be followed by a practical session."

This will be a unique evening which will specifically focus on close-up and macro photography, one which will provide you with the opportunity of finding out about various techniques as well as putting that information to practical use.

There will be several set-ups in the room to use to make it possible for you to try your hand at close-up photography, as well as at least one laptop with a tether, running Nikon Camera Control Pro2, enabling you to see the results immediately. Please bring your camera and a flash unit if you have one.

Venue

The Duke of Wellington, Southampton

The Duke of Wellington
36 Bugle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2AH

Telephone no. +44 (0)23 80339222

The Duke of Wellington is situated in the centre of Southampton, about a 20-minute walk from the railway station and located close to ample parking available at the nearby shopping centre. Visit their website for more details.

Click here for map

PLEASE NOTE:

There is a £2 cover charge per person attending to cover the cost of the hire of the room.

If you are planning on coming along please post a reply on the Nikon Owner Message Board here and let us know if you will be ordering food on the night so we get an idea of numbers to let the landlady know. Additionally, please arrive by 6:00pm to place your order so that dining can be completed before the presentation and practical sessions can begin at 7.00p.m.

Friday 6 May 2011

Nikon Lens: The new Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens

 Evolution of the Classic


RRP: £199.99
Sales start date: 2nd June 2011

Nikon announced the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens, a fast, compact lens that affords photographers the versatility of the classic 50mm focal length and the benefits of a fast aperture for photos and D-movies. Whether a new D-SLR enthusiast or a seasoned pro, users will appreciate the tack-sharp image quality, extreme low-light performance, shallow depth of field and Nikon core technologies that improve upon the original to make a great lens even better.

Zurab Kiknadze, Product Manager Lenses, Accessories & Software, Nikon Europe says:

"This 50mm is an ideal second lens. It's a great chance for curious D-SLR enthusiasts to venture out beyond a kit lens and explore the creative possibilities that fast aperture can offer, like pleasantly blurred backgrounds in portraiture and comfortable low-light shooting."

Fast and bright The fast maximum aperture of f/1.8 makes Nikon's new 50mm lens an excellent choice for low-light situations or when shallow depth-of-field is required. You can single out subjects to produce portraits with smooth bokeh or shoot with available light and still capture striking, sharp images. The fast aperture also provides a bright viewfinder image, making it easier to compose your shots.

All-new design The all-new optical design comprises seven elements in six groups, including one aspherical element for superb image quality. The dedicated Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures discreet but accurate autofocus. Compatible with Nikon FX-format D-SLRs, it offers a 75mm (equivalent) focal length when used with Nikon DX-format D-SLRs.

Go light Weighing in at only 185 grams and boasting a weather-sealed metal mount. This remarkably lightweight and compact 'take anywhere' lens is perfect for portraiture or general photography. With its strong combination of classic focal length, speed and quality optics, it easily deserves a place in every photographer's bag. The lens is supplied with a lens hood HB-47, and a soft pouch CL-1013.
AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G

KEY ATTRIBUTES:
  • 50mm FX-format standard lens (75mm when used with a Nikon DX-format SLR).
  • Fast maximum aperture of f/1.8.
  • Ideal for shooting in low-light situations or when shallow depth of field is required.
  • Aspherical lens element for superior image quality.
  • SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for fast, quiet autofocus.
  • Two focus modes: M/A (manual-priority autofocus) and M (manual focus).
  • Remarkably lightweight and compact body.
  • Weather-sealed metal lens mount

The Definitive Simon Stafford Photography Flash Seminar

Grays of Westminster presents
The Definitive Simon Stafford
Nikon Flash Seminar, Saturday 21st May


For a number of years, Grays of Westminster has presented and hosted a number of comprehensive photographic seminars, workshops, tutorials and events covering a wide variety of subject matter including wildlife and natural history, flash, general photographic technique, portrait, macro and many more.

Following the sold-out success of the Definitive Nikon Flash Seminar last year, we are delighted to be able to repeat this comprehensive training session on Saturday, 21st May in central London, at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX.

The seminar will be presented by Simon Stafford, technical director of Nikon Owner magazine and respected author of many Nikon books, and will take place from 2.00 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. The cost of the session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber. To book, please send an email with your full name, (as well as your user name if you are a Nikon Owner subscriber), daytime landline and mobile telephone number to: gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk

Agenda for the session

Part One: Flash basics
  • Introduction to Nikon Speedlights and the Nikon Creative Lighting System
  • Understanding light, sync speeds, flash modes, and flash sync modes
  • Shooting with one Speedlight on your camera
  • Modifying light, its colour, quality, and direction
  • Taking the flash off camera, using a cable
  • The Advanced Wireless Lighting system
Part Two: Digging deeper
  • Advanced Creative Lighting System features: FV Lock and Auto High-speed Sync
  • Shooting with multiple Speedlights using wireless control
  • Controlling light: get creative with filters and light modifiers
  • Practical considerations for location shooting
Part Three: Shooting with one light
  • A practical demonstration of setting up and shooting a still-life photograph, using a single Nikon Speedlight and the few simple lighting accessories
There will be ample opportunity to ask questions throughout the event.

Please note: We are anticipating a very high level of response, so please do reply as soon as you are able to to ensure you have a place.

About Simon Stafford

Simon Stafford

Simon Stafford is one of the foremost technical Nikon experts in the UK. With over twenty-five years of experience using the Nikon system, he brings his considerable expertise to bear both as technical editor for Nikon Owner, and as author of a number of comprehensive books on the Nikon system, including his best-seller series of Magic Lantern Guides on the Nikon D70s/D70, the Nikon D80, the Nikon D40, D40X, D50, D60, D200, D300, D700, D90, D3. The series includes a Magic Lantern Guide on the Nikon AF Speedlights & Creative Lighting System, and he is currently working on a fully updated, second edition to include the latest Nikon SB-900.

Special Nikon Owner discount off the price of the course

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price of £95
with the discount of £60 off the normal price of £155 for the session.

Nikon Owner Subscription

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price.


Standard Annual Subscription - special price: £59
  • 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
  • 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
  • Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
  • Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
  • Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
  • 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
  • 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
  • Special trips and events
  • Discounts on events and training sessions
  • 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK
Silver Subscription - launch price: £129 (normal price: £179)
  • 2-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
  • 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
  • A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
  • Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
  • Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
  • Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
  • 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
  • 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
  • Special trips and events
  • Discounts on events and training sessions
  • 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK
Gold subscription - launch price £349 (normal price £450)
  • 5-year subscription to Nikon Owner
  • 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
  • 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
  • Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
  • A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
  • Special offers to Gold subscribers throughout the period of subscription
  • A signed copy of Grays of Westminster - In the Company of Legends, or if you have one already, a Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
  • A Grays of Westminster umbrella (in store only)
  • Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
  • Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website which includes forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery
  • Gold subscription card
  • Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
  • 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
  • Special trips and events
  • Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops , Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses.
  • 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK