Samsung’s NX200 is the electronic ‘giant’s’ latest flagship mirrorless camera; and one which they hope will be taken seriously as a photographic tool for beginners in order to compete against the likes of well-established brands such as: Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Sony, and Nikon (all of whom have many more years experience as camera manufacturers). The NX200 has a 1.5x APS-C-sized sensor. The only other mirrorless cameras to feature sensors that big are Sony’s NEX range. Panasonic and Olympus both have a 2x crop sensor and Nikon opted for an even smaller 2.7 crop. At 20.3MP, the NX200 also has the 2nd highest megapixel count for a mirrorless camera. Only Sony’s range-topper (NEX7) has more (with 24MP). At the moment, Samsung’s sensor is in fact one of highest resolution cameras on the market; regularly out-resolving many pro-level DSLR’s. On paper then: Samsung’s 2nd generation flagship mirrorless camera looks good.

First Impressions
The Samsung’s body is well built; consisting mostly of a metal construction, with solid and smooth controls. It has a very modern geometric shape which is surprisingly comfortable to hold but because the edges of the body are quite sharp, it can sometimes put uncomfortable pressure on the user’s hand (though I didn’t find it to be a major concern). The control layout is very intuitive, with well placed buttons and dials. Unfortunately, I was sad to see that the build quality of the lenses doesn’t quite match up to that of the body. I’ll talk more about the lenses later…

Due to the fact that Samsung are an electronics giant who manufacture everything from high definition TV’s, to cellphones, they are not strangers to making graphic user interfaces. The NX200 is no exception to that. Simply put: it has the most attractive graphics in a user interface that I’ve yet seen in a camera and it is also easy enough to use. The menu system looks more like that of a smart phone than a camera. Beginners should grasp it quickly.

Unlike many mirrorless cameras which I have recently tested, the NX200 has a hotshoe mount for the connecting of speedlight flashes. The downside of this is that there is no built in/pop-up flash in the body (although a flash unit does come standard when you purchase the camera with kit lens, so it will not have to be purchased separately).

In Use
Setting up the camera is easy enough to do with its easy-to-read menu system. This means that getting up and running doesn’t take much time at all. Autofocus is fast and accurate and can be switched off for precision work in manual focus mode.

One of the few problems that I had with the camera had to do with flash syncing. Even though it has a hotshoe mount, it only recognises original Samsung flashes. If any other flash or wireless trigger is connected, it does not read it; and therefore does not activate the hotshoe mount, making it very difficult to use an off-camera flash. Strangely, it did recognise Elinchrome’s Skyport triggers, but it did not recpgnise anything else that we tried.

The kit lens is quite sharp. It is not quite tack sharp, but is better than I expected (though only when shooting in JPEG). The processing applied to the JPEGs must be quite high as shooting in RAW has an alarming amount of chromatic aberration; the most I’ve ever seen in a modern digital camera. I wouldn’t suggest shooting in RAW unless you are prepared to spend a substantial amount of time post-processing in order to get the most out of the images. Speaking of the lenses; and as mentioned earlier, I was somewhat let down by their build quality. They are not bad by any means, but they do not match up to the solid feel of the body. The Samsung’s lenses are not comparable to their competition. For example: the build of Sony’s NEX range of lenses is more solid; with smoother zoom- and focus-rings.

High ISO noise quality on the NX200 is decent. It is not quite great, but is better than that of other cameras of its type which I have recently tested. I get the feeling that – had Samsung used a lower resolution sensor instead of the massive 20.3 megapixel count sensor – the camera might have been better equipped to create images that would be better at higher ISO’s.

Conclusion
I was impressed more than what I initially thought that I would be by the NX200. Considering Samsung’s short track history of advanced cameras – though they still have some way to go in some areas – it is plain to see that Samsung want to be taken seriously in the mirrorless market. Local support by dealers is not yet of the requirement needed by users who wish to expand on accessories. Third party lenses, flashes, and other various accessories are neither available, nor do many dedicated camera dealers stock original accessories such as spare batteries; making it difficult to grow on the system. However, Samsung already have several lenses available such as: standard lenses, a fast aperture wide prime, and a macro lens. This means that a few options are available for prospective buyers. The resolution is needlessly high; sacrificing high ISO image quality which is an area in which most camera brands should be and are advancing. It would perhaps have been better if Samsung had kept the accessory port below the hotshoe mount – used for connecting the optional electronic viewfinder – that was available on the NX200’s predecessor (the NX100), but Samsung omitted that from their latest model. It is good to see that Samsung opted for an APS-C-sized sensor when other brands are choosing to go for smaller sized sensors. The NX200 is a good option for users who want to become more advanced in their photography, without becoming as specialised as what a DSLR system would allow for. [o]

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• Arriving Soon, the Samsung NX200
• Quick Post: Samsung Galaxy Tab Review
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This is not a breaking story but it is one that has caught my interest recently and was wondering if there are some more technically or scientifically minded readers that could share with us how they see this new camera technology benefiting consumers in the future. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have created a high speed camera that shoots at a trillion frames per second and is able to capture the movement of photons which obviously move at the speed of light. Check it out on their site here. Also see the story where we found it at Peta Pixel.

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• Hasselblad Launches H4D Camera System
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We have just returned from the South African launch of the Nikon 1 series and got to go hands on with the new J1 and V1. Nikon claim this is the most important announcement they have made in 14 years when they first announced their entry to digital cameras, but is it all they hope it to be? Read on for our first impressions.

The System

Nikon 1 is a new system with a new mount and a whole new experience in some way to what Nikon is accustomed to. I take my hat off to a brand like this that has stuck to the same formula for all intents and purposes, for over 50 years, in fact since the day they launched the Nikon F mount.

The Nikon 1 range of cameras sport a new size sensor – CX is the Nikon term for it. Larger than a compact camera but smaller than the current smallest changeable lens sensor – Four Thirds – the crop factor on the Nikon 1 is 2.7x and in many ways it enters uncharted territory. When I first heard that this was the sensor size I was anticipating a smaller camera than I found at the launch, but that is not a bad thing, a camera that is too small can be a problem for extended shooting.

My other concern was in image quality from the smaller sensor and while we did not get take home pictures from the cameras, what we saw was surprising good. Sharp and free of visible noise on the camera’s LCD screen.

The V1

While the V1 feels like a bit of a chuncky cameras, the build quality is far more welcome than a smaller body would have been. One advantage of the V1 over it’s smaller sibling – the J1 – is the inclusion of an electronic viewfinder which is surprisingly good. While I wont say it is equal to Sony’s latest OLED EVF in the new A77, the V1 is definitely better than the Sony A33 which has the same resolution viewfinder so hats off to Nikon on that one.

The accessory shoe on the V1 is another plus point and it looks really good with the newly launched SB-N5 Speedlight flash on top. We await the chance to try it out in the real world soon.

The J1

The baby in the range is and feels a lot smaller than the bigger V1. Well made and easy to carry, I cannot help but wonder is perhaps this camera is short changed by the absence of the accessory shoe however the built in flash will likely make up for that for most people.

Features and Lenses

To wrap up, the features on the Nikon 1 cameras need to be experienced to be truly understood and appreciated, it is just difficult to explain. What we can say is they work and from the brief hands on we had, they seem to work really well.

The lens range is also good and the 10-100mm with power zoom will be great for videographers from what we could see – again we look forward to putting it to the test.

Perhaps Greg summed it up best on the way home from the launch Ï want one”. It certainly is very good.

Related posts:

• First Impression: Nikon D7000. New SB700 & Lenses
• Nikon D3100 – First Impressions
• Nikon D300s Hands on First Thoughts

There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t see someone on Twitter asking what camera they should buy, and where possible we like to help out with advice based on the cameras we get to review. At the same time, its difficult to give full reasoning in 140 characters. This post then is a more detailed answer to the question asked by @bakedbyjoanna on the topic of what camera to buy.

Differing Geography, Models and Currency

Let me first make a note that I am writing this from our home base of South Africa so there are some slight difference in model number from country to country ( largely a Canon thing) and pricing due to currency difference etc. For the purpose of answering @bakedbyjoanna’s question more directly I will focus on USA models and pricing though certainly somethings will apply to most readers in differing budgets as well.

Purpose For The Camera

Wherever possible I suggest people ask themselves what their new camera will be used to photograph most and their budget. In this case @bakedbyjoanna gave us the following further information

@photocomment this will be my 1st slr, so I don’t want to exceed $600. I will be using it for food photography if that makes a diff. Thx!

I am going to argue here that the need to photograph food does make a difference, less so on the camera than it does on the lens and that is an important thing to think of. All too often I see people get the supposed best camera they can for their money and find that the kit lens it came with does not meet their need.

To double check my view I checked with a familiar face here at PhotoComment, Rikki Hibbert, who has done a fair bit of food photography for clients including work for a recipe book not to long ago. She second my thinking saying that she would get a good macro lens first and then the best body with whats left even looking at stuff second hand.

That brings me to my next point, don’t pull your nose up at quality used gear. Much of my photographic life I have shot using used cameras and lenses bought from a reputable second hand camera store. Much of the time the gear I bought was owned by enthusiasts who used the gear little but could afford to upgrade with each new camera, or they simply lost the interest to pursue photography.

So What Are The Options?

Okay, I did a little search on B&H Photo Video and Amazon to see what we could do in the $600 budget, here are some of my recommendations based on what I found at the time of writing.

New Cameras

I came up with the following in a search on B&H as options.

The Canon EOS Rebel XS – also known as the EOS 1000D and Kiss F in other parts of the world – is another of Canon’s dominating models. While most other cameras in this price range use CCD sensors, the Canon offers their famous CMOS sensor technology in this entry model that tends to perform better in low light than CCD sensors do. I also feel that Canon’s entry level cameras offer benefits which their competitors lack in this price. For example this model can take a cable release, where the other competitors I will mention shortly don’t. Canon also offer a Battery Grip which not only offers place for a second battery to power the camera but have a Vertical Release which basically means that when using the camera for shooting portraits and having to hold the the camera with your hand above or below – usually meaning you cannot tuck that elbow and your arms can tire faster – the vertical grip duplicates the camera control on the bottom of it meaning your hand is on the side as if you were shooting in landscape. Hope that makes sense.

Other options:

Nikon D3000, a popular camera but which I feel falls short a bit against the Canon, its beaten in almost every area.

Sony A290, this camera comes in at $429,95 giving it an upper hand in price. What sets it apart from the Nikon D3000 is support for wireless TTL flash photography – check out TTL Strobist Flash Lighting.

Sony A390 coming in at $449.99 after rebate, this camera has a brilliant Live View system with a tilting screen and quick autofocus even in live view.

In all of the above there would be money left over to put towards a macro lens in the hopefully not to distant future which is more important than over spending on the camera body.

Used Camera Gear

Here I did things differently, I first went in search of a used macro lens and then for the camera body on B&H Photo Video. I found two Sony 50mm Macro lenses both listed under $400.00. I then went to look at the camera bodies and saw that the best deal was a Sony Alpha A200 in good condition for under $300. While the A200 is an older camera and the predecessor of the A290 mentioned above in the new section, it is in many way more equal to the Canon Rebel XS sporting the ability to use a cable release and a Battery Grip with vertical controls. In fact the A200 is the camera I used to capture the birth of my son just less than 2 years ago.

Mix It Up

One could opt to get a new Sigma 50mm Macro lens which is listed at $369.00 and if you can squeeze the budget to equal that amount or below on a camera you would find option like the Fuji S3 Pro which is based on a Nikon camera or the Sony Alpha A200. If you looked around a bit you might find a Canon EOS 20/30D, Nikon D80 body only as well though that may be a little harder to find from the brief research I have done at this time.

Bugger the Macro Lens, What Can I Find

I would only suggest this approach on second hand goods where you may find a more versatile lens than the 18-55mm kitted with most new cameras in this price range. If you do that then you are looking at options like the Nikon D80 with 18-135mm which was the only option on a list of 27 cameras worth considering.

Conclusion

I have come to realize one thing in particular while writing this article, used cameras in America seem to retain their value better than they do in South Africa. In some cases a used camera here sells for less than it does in the USA and our new prices are generally higher than in the States.

That point aside, the variety in this price bracket is not huge perhaps, but there are still some capable machines in the range and while some may pull their nose up at something like the Canon Rebel XS, in the hands of any skilled photographer it would do practically anything that a camera twice its price would. Remember that the camera is be out of date and in need of replacement far sooner than your lenses will and the camera impacts your ability to shoot most subjects far less than having the wrong or right lens for a job will as well.

Related posts:

• Sony DSLR Cameras All to have Translucent Mirror
• New Sony Full Frame DSLR for Photo Entusiasts
• New Entry Level Pentax K-m DSLR

Let’s Run Through Them Quick

The Sensation has a great screen, 1.2ghz dual core processor, and as a photographer, the 8mp sensor for the camera is amazing. It also applies creative filters like Black and White, Sepia, Negative etc for stile and video. This will launch in South Africa in June with Vodacom having exclusivity at first.

Tablets are coming out from everyone so to make a mark you need to do something different, the HTC Flyer does just that. The Scribe technology allows you to make notes with a Bluetooth Tethered Pen on screen grabs, it’s great. You can also record voice notes while scribbling notes on the digital pad at the same time. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab and I have the iPad but neither appeal to me the way this Flyer does.

Other phones launched are the Wildfire S, Incredible S but nothing is quite as exciting for the socially conscious market as the Salsa and Cha Cha which have a specific Facebook button for quickly updating your status. This little button also flashes and vibrates when you take a picture or listen to music so you can quickly post it to your Facebook stream.

All in all there are some great products out and we cannot wait to get our hands on them.

Related posts:

• Launch of KIKI – A Community for Photographers
• Sony South Africa – Alpha Launch
• Olympus Launch

Ed Norton at SIFF Screening

A great way to get some photography experience, as well as getting out of the house, is to volunteer as a photographer to cover events, functions and conventions. It is simply amazing how many of these groups rely on whomever has a camera or on people in attendance covering the events. No matter the size of your town, there are always things going on that could use someone to capture the event.

What do you need? Some of the bigger events like film festivals and conventions require a minimum of a digital SLR with at least 10 mega pixels and a flash. Smaller places like art shows, parades, town meetings, etc. won’t necessarily need more than a 3-5 mega pixels and a point and shoot will work just fine. Make sure you check with them ahead of time to make sure you have what they need. This is often covered on the website.

How does one become a volunteer photographer? Easy. Ask. Seriously. It is that simple. I have volunteered for several organizations and all I did was send an email to get started. I have been turned down, but only because the demand was high and I missed the deadline or the event was so small and they already had someone who was covering it. When I started with the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), I had to come in for a brief meeting where I showed them I had a camera and some of my work. At that point, I had never even done any work aside from just taking photos from the sidelines for myself. I was put on the list. None of the other events even asked for that much.

What are the perks? Usually, you get free entry into the event and a special pass that allows you access. Access can range from cutting lines and allowed to be up front to being the only one allowed to use flash to getting to be back stage to take pictures of any celebrities or even the best spot in line with all the other professional photographers covering the event for magazines.

Director Chaz Oldham with a Morris dancer

Who owns the images? Since this is a volunteer event and you are not being paid for it, you retain the rights. ALWAYS check about this, but I have yet to run into an event that didn’t allow me to keep the rights. Instead, all they usually ask is that they get copies of all the photos that they get to use for free on their websites, mailings and anything else in order to promote the event. These images are usually burned onto CD/DVD or they ask that you upload them to their servers. Some photographers have a hard time doing this for free, but it is a great way to get experience and build a portfolio.

Plus, you get free advertising as they list your photo credit. Now some places, like the SIFF, have sponsors. If a sponsor likes a photo you took, they can contact you and offer to buy the photograph from you. Your photos were taken for the event, not for the sponsors. This is a nice way to make some money if you get that great shot of Brad Pitt enjoying a bag of Doritos or something. I haven’t had this yet, but others I have shot with did make some cash. Another way is sometimes people in attendance to the event might really like the photo you took (usually of them) and will want to buy it off you. You can set the price and the details and don’t have to go through anyone else.

Some of the photos I took from the SIFF got picked up by news blogs who didn’t have any photographers there to cover it. I took pictures of the Morris dancers who performed at the opening of a film as well as the director who was there promoting it. A couple of those photos then got blasted all over the world by websites devoted to Morris dancers. My name spread with those photos. This was great and only the second or third film I took pictures for ever. Then the following year, I picked up the freebie flier promoting the festival and found that four of the eleven photos were in there and this was distributed all over the city. Not to mention one of the photos making it into the paid booklet that people kept as a keepsake for the festival. One of the photos was the very first photo I ever took for the festival. It was super exciting as I had just started shooting with my digital SLR weeks before.

In the next installment, I will cover the reasons to do this beyond the freebies, perks and potential fame and fortune described here.

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• Photo Tip: How to be Wedding Guest & Photographer
• adventure – part 2
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We picked this up on Canon Rumours and thought we should pass it on. It seems there may be an issue with Canon’s EF-S 18-200mm IS lens.  To quote from the service advisory:

We have discovered that some EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens products may have screws that come loose inside the lens and which may interfere with zoom operation of the lens.

You can get more details over at the Canon Rumours website here.

Related posts:

• Shortage of New Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens
• Sigma Launches 18-200mm for Nikon’s D40 / D40x
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Related posts:

• UPDATE: 12 Feb 2011 – Valentine Photo Walk in Parys
• Update: Photo Walk Pretoria CBD 22 Jan 2011
• PhotoComment Pretoria Photo Walk – 22 Jan 2011

Over the next 24-48 hours our servers will be undergoing an upgrade. While we hope that there will be no major interruptions in our service there may be times that the website is not fully functional. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope that the upgrade will improve future visits to PhotoComment.

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A very big thank you to all the photographers who came out to the second PhotoComment Photo Walk which was held last saturday in the Pretoria CBD. Although the weather didn’t look as though it was going to cooperate we gathered outside at Capello’s outside the State Theatre and then set off in a light drizzle. After a while the sun came out and all was well.

Fuji sponsored the walk with Disposable camera’s so we each tried our hand at getting a perfect shot with a disposable camera where you have absolutely no control over exposure. The best image from the disposable camera will win a R250 voucher to use at a Foto First store. We will have the films processed (no they are not digital) and scanned and put them in the gallery later today. Should be interesting.
A great time was had by all. Head over to the PhotoWalk Gallery page here to view the images from the walk or upload your images from the walk.

The next PhotoComment Photo Walk will be on 12 February 2011 in the ‘City of Love,’ well kind of, Parys. Watch photocomment.net for more details.

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• Update: Pretoria Photo Walk Competition
• PhotoComment Pretoria Photo Walk – 22 Jan 2011
• PhotoComment Photo Walk – 4 Dec 2010

CES is done and dusted but there was so much there that we are still getting bits of news. Like the story from Engadget of a 14MP camera on a cellphone, or is that a cellphone with a 14MP camera?

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/aigo-a8-leo-14-megapixel-cameraphone-hands-on-video/

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That’s right, Nikon’s Camera Control Pro has an open source competitor if you will. From what I am understanding, it offers more support on more models. Be sure to check out the story as we found it on the Crunch Gear link below or at Nikon Rumours.

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/01/11/nikontrol-3k-tethers-your-camera-to-your-pc-for-free/

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Where do you begin with Sony at CES 2011? Some of the new Handycams are to exciting to pass by with 3x 3D models, others with built in projector and speakers for instant sharing. A 3D Bloggie that has us excited and I lost cound on the compacts. Here are just the ones that we think are different enough to mention.

First to let you know what is similar on all of them. A 16.2MP Backlit CMOS sensor, 3D stills (not sweep panoramic, stills with a single lens by shooting two images at different focus points, roughly) and a Dual Record mode which allows the shooting of stills images while shooting HD video, and yes we are still talking about a compact camera not a camcorder.

Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V
This camera claims to be the first compact digital which shoots full HD video of 1920×1080/60p. This is also the first Cyber-shot to use a 3.5inch OLED touch screen.

Cyber-shot DSC-TX10
Dustproof, waterproof, shockproof, freeze proof and stylish with 3inch touch screen.

Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
The replacement of our favourite little HX5, the new one is the same 10x zoom and the features common amoung all these new models listed at the top.

Cyber-shot DSC-WX10
A very nice 7x optical zoom starting at 24mm with an f2.4 aperture. Very keen to play with this one.

Cyber-shot DSC-WX9
Essentially a 5x zoom version of the above WX10.

Thats the exciting ones, the rest are really just a lot of updates on the rest of the range. Well done to Sony for overwhelming us.

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The guys at Engadget have picked out a few of the camera rumours doing the rounds leading up to CES next week which could make for some interesting reading http://tinyurl.com/3aoae4e

We can tell you what what we are fairly certain we will see and which Sony Alpha Rumors has hinted at. Things like the Cybershot HX1 which is really in need of an upgrade now. It will most likely have a bigger zoom, Exmor R sensor, AVCHD video with 3D Sweep Panoramic. While we dont expect a new NEX camera just yet we really are holding thumbs on the announcement at long last of the Alpha 700 replacement, be it the A77 or what ever they want to call it.

Its a given to expect some consumer 3D video cameras but what would be very cool is a 3D Bloggie.

Lastly, we expect some kind of light shedding on the high end camera front from Nikon and Canon. We know of some people going over to CES by invitation of at least one of these two brands which leads us to believe that there is more than some new Powershots bwing launched. Oops, does that give away who it is?

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Have you registered as a user on PhotoComment? Have you subscribed to receive updates from our website?

Malcolm of Johannessburg registered on our site and automatically qualified for an entry into our first website comeptition. He is now the proud owner of an Olympus FE-4000 Compact Digital Camera. Congratulations Malcolm!

Register now to automatically qualify for some of our website based competitions.  You can be sure that we will have many more.

Competitions on photocomment.net are currently only open to residents of South Africa.

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• Register on PhotoComment and Win

A very big apology to all our readers, we are in the process of improving PhotoComments Website. Check back regularly to see the changes take place.

We apologise that the site has been down for the past 2 days, We will endevour to keep the site ’live’ while we iron out the last few kinks of the switch over.

If you were previously registered on the old photocomment site, you should receive an email with your new temporary password, if you have not received it, please contact admin, or try to register again.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

All the best

PhotoComment Team

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Canon has announced a new digital SLR in the form of the Canon EOS 500D. The new camera offers consumers and new SLR buyers a 15.1 MP APS-C size CMOS sensor, 3.0 inch 920,000 pixel LCD screen, ISO sensitivity to 12800 and with the inclusion of the recently launched DIGIC 4 processor the new EOS 500D can record video at full 1080P HD. The question now left to be asked is how long till the EOS 50D is replaced with something that shoots video?

15.1 Megapixels and Full HD – tell the full story with the EOS 500D

Telling the full story often means finding an extra angle on your subject. With 15.1 Megapixels and Full HD video capability, the EOS 500D is a digital SLR for those who want to capture more than one side to life’s significant moments.

A resolution of 15.1 Megapixels records each moment in rich, intricate detail, ready to turn into poster-size prints or crop to perfection. When light levels fall, an ISO range of up to 3200 – expandable all the way up to 12800 – lets you carry on shooting in the darkest of conditions, while Canon’s DIGIC 4 processing ensures that noise doesn’t spoil images. This is particularly ideal for when you can’t, or don’t want to, use flash.

Alternatively, switch to Movie mode and record events as they unfold. Capture every last detail of a wedding, a day out with friends or your baby’s first steps by shooting in stunning Full HD (1080P), then simply connect via HDMI to any HDTV to watch the results. For times when the action just won’t stop, a choice of 720P and VGA resolutions allows you to shoot and store longer movies on your memory card.

The EOS 500D’s high resolution 3.0” ClearView LCD screen enables detailed checks on stills and video footage in playback mode; or shooting from awkward angles using the high quality, real-time feed provided by Live View mode.

As part of the EOS system, the EOS 500D delivers full compatibility with Canon’s world-leading range of lenses and accessories; this is complimented by Canon’s free, powerful imaging software. A new flash, the Speedlite 270EX, offers a powerful addition to any EOS 500D photographer’s kitbag.

Features at a glance:

* 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
* Full HD movie recording with HDMI connection
* ISO 100-3200 (expandable to 12800)
* 3.4 frames per second
* 3.0” ClearView VGA resolution LCD with Live View mode
* 9-point wide area AF
* DIGIC 4 processor
* EOS Integrated Cleaning System

Related posts:

• New Canon EOS 50D
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PhotoComment attended the Profoto Award’s Gala Prize dinner on Thursday 19 March 2009 and was suitably impressed by the standard of photography awarded by the PPSA and their panel of judges. Watch out for our April issue of PhotoComment magazine to see the winning images and learn more about the photographers behind each lens.

Here is the official press release from Sony SA.

Sony News Release – 19 March 2009

Top photographers in Southern Africa awarded

Top professional photographers and photography students were presented with the 2008 Profoto Awards, presented by Sony, at the Wanderers Club in Illovo, Sandton on 19 March.

At a gala dinner, attended by many luminaries in the photographic industry, 152 single entries were awarded gold, silver and bronze 2008 Profoto Awards certificates in 16 different categories, and 140 portfolios were awarded gold, silver and bronze certificates in the professional and student categories. Photography students could only enter portfolios.

The 2008 Profoto Awards, the only competition for all categories of professional photography in Southern Africa, is a combined effort of Sony South Africa and the Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA) to promote professional photographers, and to acknowledge their talents and dedication.

It attracted the largest number of participants since its inception in 1989, with more than 4 000 images being submitted, fully justifying its reputation as the most prestigious and influential photographic competition on the continent. Also, for the first time in the competition’s history, entrants had to register online and post their photographs digitally.

The gala dinner was the culmination of a series of electronic messages that created much excitement and interest within the photography industry, and enabled the organisers to keep participants up-to-date with the evolvement of the competition, such as the call for entries, the closing date, the announcement of the judges and the judging process.

The public was also involved in the competition, as they were invited to predict the ‘Image of the Year’ online. Maritsa Botha voted for the correct image and by doing so won a Sony α350 DSLR kit, which included a camera body and lens.

The electronic format of the Awards enabled judges to view and judge entries anywhere in the world. Four international judges formed part of the judging team, which comprised specialists in various fields. The top finalist images, selected from over the 4 000 images, were selected on Saturday, 7 February 2009. The final judging was conducted live on Sony High Definition BRAVIA LCD TVs at Sony South Africa’s head office in Midrand.

The 2008 Profoto Awards “Image of the Year” was also selected during the final judging process. This image, a monochrome toned image of a tree frog’s foot, was taken by Hansie Oosthuizen, a professional photographer from Hermanus in the Western Cape.

According to PPSA President, Pieter de Ras, the 2008 Profoto Awards came at the right time, as many photographers hadn’t had the opportunity to have their work judged by their peers.

He added that it became very apparent at the live judging of the Profoto Awards that there are two distinct camps with regards to where professional photography is going.
“On the one side, there is the ‘traditional’ outlook where some of the judges totally dissociated themselves from any form of manipulation of the image. The other camp felt that the final result was what counted, with total disregard to ‘image manipulation’.

This is, and is going to be more of a debate, as we move further into the digital era. If a photograph has been manipulated, can we still call it a photograph, or should it then be referred to as an image?”

De Ras continued: “The judging was however a success and only the best have made it to the top.”

Following the awards ceremony, the finalists’ images will be exhibited at shopping malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where members of the public will be able to view the work of Southern Africa’s top photographic talent.

From 21 to 28 April, the winning 2008 Profoto Awards images will be on show in the Banking Mall Court at Sandton City, and will also be exhibited in the Upper Stuttafords Court at Canal Walk, Cape Town from 26 May to 1 June. These images will also be promoted in leading print publications, as well as on the internet and on the Profoto Awards website www.profotoawards.co.za.

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Start: 02/22/2009 – 17:00End: 02/22/2009 – 20:00Timezone: Etc/GMT+2

Major photo exhibition reaches Johannesburg

A HIGHLY acclaimed photographic exhibition featuring the work of eight South African documentary photographers will be shown in Johannesburg from 22 February until 15 March.

Entitled ‘Then and Now’, the collection comprises photographs taken both before and after South Africa’s transition to democracy.

The project has been initiated and curated by the photographer Paul Weinberg. The other contributors are David Goldblatt, George Hallett, Eric Miller, Cedric Nunn, Guy Tillim, Graeme Williams, and Gisèle Wulfsohn.

Almost all of them were members of Afrapix, the collective photo agency that played a central role in documenting the political conflict in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The exhibition will hang at the relaunched PhotoZA Gallery at KAMERAZ Centre in Rosebank. It is travelling South Africa as well as the United States, Europe and Australia.

Weinberg explains the project as follows: ‘During the 1980s, the overriding priority of South African documentary photographers was to record political conflict, and more personal forms of photographic expression were kept in the background.

‘The transition to democracy freed them to explore other, less political subjects, broaden their scope of their work beyond South Africa’s borders, and re-examine their approach to photography.

‘The purpose of this project is to record the contrasts — and the continuities — between their earlier and later work. The result is a fascinating record of a country in conflict, and then in a state of reconstruction and rediscovery.’

A video documentary featuring interviews with the contributing photographers will be shown at the exhibition. A book featuring the entire collection of photographs, a critical essay, and extracts from the interviews will be on sale.

Riaan de Villiers of The Highveld Press, the book’s publisher, believes the exhibition is one of the most significant photographic collections shown in South Africa in recent years. ‘It celebrates the work of eight remarkable photographers who have made a massive contribution to South African documentary photography in our time.’

• The Then & Now project is managed by the Centre for Curating the Archive in the Michaelis School of Fine Art of the University of Cape Town. It has been funded by the Conference, Workshop and Cultural Initiative (CWCI) Fund, a partnership programme between South Africa and the European Union; and the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library at Duke University in the United States.

For more information, contact:

Janet Wilhelm: 082 408 1917, janetwil@iafrica.com
Paul Weinberg: 082 772 2656, paul.weinberg@uct.ac.za
Riaan de Villiers: 083 702 6347, riaan@acumenps.co.za

Photographs from the exhibition are available for publication. Contact Janet Wilhelm or Riaan de Villiers, and state required size and resolution.

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