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MoU signed between FTII and Canon to promote short courses in Film & Television

Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore has reportedly said that Technology has played a critical role in defining the contours of professional photography and art of film making. The exposure of budding young talent to the nuances of technology has a positive impact on their learning curve. This initiative would ensure the perfect blend of technology and young talent through the platform of FTII. The Minister stated this on the occasion of signing of an MoU between Film and Television Institute of India, Pune and Canon India Private Limited. Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO, Canon India was also present on the occasion. 

According to media reports the MoU between Film and Television Institute of India, Pune and Canon India Private Limited would promote film education through short-term courses across several towns and cities in the country. Under FTII’s unique initiative SKIFT (Skilling India in Film and Television) several short courses, mostly of skill-oriented nature have been proposed to be held in collaboration with State Governments, Universities and Educational institutions. 

FTII Pune, one of Asia’s leading and India’s foremost institute in film and television education has been preparing to break new grounds by pushing to democratise cinematic education by offering quality and affordable training to general public and practitioners alike at locations where there is a demand for such courses. According to reports, FTII is also in the process of aligning some of the short courses with Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) under National Skill Development Council. While speaking on the occasion Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi said that Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) was one of the most reputed institution across the world and Canon was proud to announce the partnership for SKIFT which has been designed to spread the art of cinematography and film making, across the length and breadth of the country. As a technology partner for this initiative, Canon India was delighted to add value to the program endeavored to scale skill development in film and television to greater heights. 

Canon, as ‘Technology Partner’ of SKIFT would be providing high-end cameras and accessories free of cost for the courses. This support would be a major contributing factor in keeping the course fees affordable while offering an opportunity to course participants to use cutting-edge equipment. According to the reports, the courses are proposed to be held in non-metros such as Guwahati, Jaipur, Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Chandigarh, Raipur, Bhopal, Leh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands to begin with. Initially SKIFT would conduct courses such as Digital Cinematography, Documentary Film Making, Screenplay Writing, Acting, Film Criticism & Journalism and Film Appreciation.

Sony introduces new Super 35mm / APS-C Professional lens

Sony India has recently introduced a new Super 35mm / APS-C format power zoom lens. Promising the uncompromising image quality, the power zoom lens starts at 18mm wide angle and extends to 110mm at the telephoto end (27mm – 165mm equivalent in 35mm format), with 6.1x high zoom ratio even with inner focus; while maintaining a constant F4 aperture throughout for depth of field effects and stable exposure control across the entire standard zoom range.

It consists of 18 elements in 15 groups, including 6 aspherical elements and 3 Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements. It is also said to feature a highly intricate 7 blade circular aperture design that delivers extremely high resolution image quality, particularly suited to professional 4K movie shooting.


According to Sony, the SELP18110G is the second lens to benefit from Sony’s Smooth Motion Optics (SMO) design and construction. It has been reportedly developed to eliminate unwanted image shifts while operating the lens during movie shooting. Sony also stated that the SMO addresses three particular aspects on lens operation that can have a significant impact on movie quality: Focus Breathing, where shifts in angle of view during focusing are minimized by an internal focus mechanism; Focus Shift, where small shifts in focus that can occur while zooming are eliminated by precise focus tracking adjustment; and Axial Shift, where axial image shifts while zooming, are minimized by a constant length design.


The reportedly high level of operatability and quiet operation of the new lens make it a compelling proposition for its integration into professional movie production environments. Its three separate rings are said to offer control over focus, zoom, and aperture, with optimal torque for a satisfying responsive, professional feel. Both servo and responsive manual mechanical zoom are fully supported and the zoom ring direction is switchable to match individual user preferences. Sony has also informed that the lens length will remain constant during any changes making it easy to use with matte boxes and other lens accessories. A first for α lenses, the SELP18110G has a 0.8mm pitch focus gear built right onto the lens, providing direct compatibility with standard focusing accessories.


The SELP18110G is said to offer extra versatility thanks to Optical SteadyShot technology that will provide in-lens image stabilization during handheld shooting. Making the lens ideal for outdoor use, it is reportedly complemented by a dust and moisture-resistant design.


Sony has revealed that the SELP18110G Super 35mm / APS-C power zoom lens for professional movie-makers and photographers will be available in select Alpha Flagship stores and select Sony Center across India. The price of the SELP18110G ₹ 2,69,990 and the lens will be available from 10thMarch 2017 onward.


Developing Your Creative Style

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When we look at photographs on the internet or in magazines and newspapers sometimes some photos instantly grab our attention. ‘Something different’ we say. In a world where millions of photographs, maybe more, are taken every year and it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out in terms of subject matter, editing styles, finding inspiration and so on. So, how do we stand out? The answer is in finding your own creative style.



Master the basics

One needs to learn how to walk before they can run. The basics are the foundation to photography. Before getting all philosophical and artsy about creative styles and everything else, a photographer needs to learn the basics like framing, composition, using a DSLR, depth of field, ISO, shutter speed, aperture etc. How does that help, one might ask. The simplest explanation is comparing a human being from the early 1980s and a human being from 2017 trying to do the same task on a smartphone. The person from the present will be able to do it much faster and efficiently- in fact the person can have more time to do the job at hand and also some other things in the stipulated time given. This means that if a photographer knows the basics of photography he or she can concentrate on the creativity, take more number of shots from different angles etc without having to guess the shutter speed, aperture and all. The basics should be on the edge of your fingertips, so that for all kinds of lights – be it natural, ambient or artificial set-ups, you can instantly guess the correct camera settings and start shooting right away. Photography being a mix of science and arts needs special attention and care, and mastering your basics will help you do just that!



Get involved

Now that you have learned the basics well and can shoot without having to keep on calculating and guessing the exposure in the back of your mind try to go on the field and start shooting. Try out every genre and see which one attracts you. If you feel the need for different equipments for different genres then ask your friends for a lens that suits your needs. Don’t invest a lot of money to shoot one genre before trying out everything as you might lose interest in the genre after a little while. Once you have extensively shot for all genres, and known the genres in and out you, can make a decision then. When you start feeling good about a genre, start getting involved in it. Learn about it, work on it. For example, if you feel you feel good shooting wedding photos then start shooting for weddings professionally. Intern from a well-known and experienced photographer in the field. It is the best and also the fastest way to learn from the best.



Analyse your image

Just as shooting an image is important, analysing the shots later on is important too. Make sure you do not chimp while you shoot as there is a high possibility that you will miss out on a few frames. Analyse your images and look for mistakes. Look at the composition, the framing, the exposure, the moment and try to ask yourself how you could’ve made it better and made the photograph stronger. Do not just analyse if the image is good or bad. Go into the details and try to understand how it would have been better. From imagining adding foregrounds or a different background, to considering a shallower depth of field or changing the angle. Learning from your own mistake is the best way to learn. Remember that it is okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from it. You can only analyse your images if you know the basics well. You can always break the basic rules of composition as long as you can justify it with a valid reason. Try to work on a series of photographs and test yourself. Shooting single images is good but shooting a photo essay will improve your storytelling. See if your content is strong or not, try to find extremes. For example if you are doing a story on the visually impaired, find an interesting angle like the village in Maharashtra where a large percentage of the population is visually impaired. Since photographs are a visual medium it is always best to find extremes.



Find your inspiration

Many great people have worked hard in every field and have set examples for people to follow. Photography has also seen some forefathers who have paved the way for people to follow. Finding an inspiration is a good way to not lose hope when, at one point in your life, you will face a creative block. Look at photos in your genre of interest which are shot by masters. Try to look at their composition, their framing and their ‘treatment’ of the image so to speak. In the age of the internet it is extremely important that you surf the web and see what other photographers in the genre are doing – both so that you can get inspired by them as well as you know what other styles contemporary photographers have adopted. Do not try and imitate them as you will just become a clone of the photographer. Try to draw inspiration and make your own style. We will talk about what a ‘style’ is in the next pointer.



Style of shooting

What fonts are to words is what style of shooting is to photographs. It does not necessarily affect the content of the photograph but makes it more appealing and adds a little bit of personal touch to them. Your style of shooting is what will separate you from the rest of the photographers. Emulating other people’s style is not going to work as your body of work will start resembling other photographs. Try to find your style of shooting – whether playing with colours is your thing, or playing with shapes, patterns, repeating a certain object or idea in every frame. Make it relatable so that the common people understand. Storytelling should be straightforward. If you want to be contemporary then try to be different in that as well. It’s fine if others are shooting staged portraits and you feel one of your stories require that. Keeping the base idea similar, it is okay as long as your approach and your final output is not eerily similar.


Style of editing

Another important aspect of finding your own style is the post processing. Professional photographers often employ other post processing professionals to edit their photographs. But for a beginner or a new professional who is just starting to find their own style of photography and discover the different aspects of it, post processing your own photographs become extremely important. Keeping the style and tone similar for all photographs can be beneficial in a sense that people who look at a photograph can associate you with it. It becomes like a signature, which is unique for everyone. Try playing with your photographs in Photoshop or any other editing software and see which editing style best suits you. The correct amount of shadow, highlight, mid-tones, contrast, offset etc in all your photographs will definitely create that signature that you were looking for!





Nikon’s Ultra-Limited Edition 100th Anniversary DSLRs and Lenses

Nikon is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And part of the celebrations involves putting out some seriously limited edition DSLRs and lenses that will have all the Nikon users craving for them for sure.


The kits were revealed at the CP+ show, and they include two DSLRs and three lenses done in a gorgeous gunmetal gray and sporting 100th anniversary markings. According to news reports the cameras and lenses picked are the Nikon D5 and Nikon D500 DSLRs, and the ‘holy trinity’ Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, and 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lenses.


According to some rumors, only 100 of each of these kits the D5, D500, and the lens trio will be made available for purchase. Pricing is not yet available, but they’ll cost a pretty penny more than the standard versions. After all, Nikon will only turn 100 once.


Colours are not scary

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We have come a long way since black and white film photography. Ever since colour films came in the market people have used it to create images that look and feel more natural. But in recent times we have seen photographers avoiding colour and opting to shoot or edit images in black and white. In this article we try to understand the implications of the recent spike in the use of black and white and why photographers should not refrain from shooting in colour.


Finding inspiration 
Finding inspiration from legendary photographers who shoot black and white images is one thing, but trying to emulate or copy their style is completely wrong. Many amateurs today, due to lack of guidance end up following and imitating the masters, thus losing out on creating something new. Establishing one’s own style is extremely important and sticking to shooting or editing black and white photos is not going to help. There are many well-known photographers who shoot colour. Following their work closely can lead to a lot of ideas which can in-turn help a photographer develop his or her own style of shooting. One should always remember that drawing inspiration is one thing, but blindly imitating frames and composition is unacceptable. There is a fine line between the two and the photographer needs to perfectly balance himself or herself. 


Analysing images 
Analysing images taken by other people is also an important task. Look at the colour schemes. See which colour gels well with which environment. Read about the colour wheel and learn about complimentary colours. Colours are very easy to handle and getting scared of taking colour photos will only restrict your photography. Colour photos make for much more appealing pictures and catches the viewer’s eyes instantly. The colour wheel will help you to mix and match colours in the environment or in a studio setting to bring out the best in your photo. Learning more about primary colours will help you look at your frame from a completely different perspective. Once you start shooting keeping the complimentary primary and secondary colours in mind, using colour in your photographs will become easier. Looking at images shot by other photographers will help in developing your eye to seeing and observing colours in your environment. The biggest challenge in shooting great colourful photos is actually noticing the colour. Since our eyes are used to looking at the world in colour, we take it for granted and do not notice the colours around us in everyday life. 


Always shoot colour 
No matter what the surrounding is and what the frame is, if you are shooting JPEG images always shoot in colour. Even if you feel that you will want the frame to be black and white, do not shoot black and white in-camera. Shooting in colour will provide you with flexibility and a lot of scope to edit in post production. Do not restrict yourself to shooting black and white as a photograph might look much better in colour. Decide what you want the end product to be, once you have seen it on your monitor. There are times when you will change your mind about it and shooting in in-camera black and white will restrict you from changing it further. 


Colour correct your monitor 
There will be times when you will see that the hours spent on editing one image has gone to waste because the photo looks completely different in other screens or even in print. Remember to colour correct your monitor if you want to see the true colours. Different monitors will show different shades of colours for the same image thus rendering your editing useless if your monitor is not colour corrected. There are various colour correcting tools and software available in the market. Spyder 5 by datacolor is one such tool that creates a unique colour profile according to your monitor’s display thus calibrating your monitor to display true colours.


Practise 
Like any other fear, be it fear for driving, swimming or even fear of studying, practice helps with getting rid of fear. Colour is not scary at all if you know how to use it to your advantage. The beauty of colour is incomparable and if used correctly can make for astounding images. While it is okay to shoot black and white images and sometimes, undoubtedly it might work better than colour, it does not mean colour should be avoided. Human eyes love and are generally attracted to colour. Right from our childhood we perceive colour as something alluring and this holds true for photographs as well. So practise shooting colour photographs and you will eventually get things right.
 

Exclusive preview of three new Canon cameras: EOS 77D, EOS 800D, EOS M6

Canon has released two new DSLRs and a new mirrorless camera today – the EOS 800D, EOS 77D and EOS M6. We had an exclusive chance to get our hands on all three cameras and check them out.



Aimed at serious hobbyists, the Canon EOS 800D sits at the top of the line among the entry level DSLR’s from the Canon stable. On the other hand the Canon EOS 77D targets the enthusiasts and serious hobbyists giving them a series of features. According to Canon, the EOS 800D is an upgrade over the EOS 750D and EOS 760D and has a host of features that will surely make the EOS 800D a choice for those who are buying their first DSLR or are looking to upgrade from the basic entry level. Canon said that the newly launched DSLR’s will focus on catering the needs of the beginners and also serious amateurs by giving them the flexibility of a DSLR with no compromises to performance and image quality.
 

We had a chance to meet the Canon team a week before the launch and were given an exclusive preview of the upcoming cameras. Under the hood, both the EOS 800D and the EOS 77D share similar architecture in terms of hardware and specifications. The Canon team informed us that both the DSLRs have the same 24.2 MP sensors, reworked for better performance along with a new 45-point all cross-type focus points. Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF makes its way into both the cameras making focus tracking during photo and video possible. Canon also has claimed that the cameras have the world’s fastest AF for still shooting in live view mode of just 0.03 sec.


The cameras also feature electronic stabilisation that works for video modes. Canon claims that the cameras will provide up to 5-stops of stabilisation when paired with Canon’s lenses which have Image Stabilisation built in. The processing capabilities of the EOS 77D and the EOS 800D are undertaken by the new DIGIC 7 processor. Both the cameras have an impressive ISO range of 100 to up to 25600. The video department is preceded by Full HD 1080p @ 60fps and the burst shooting allows shooting 6 frames per second.
Apart from the usual, the cameras also feature HDR videos and Timelapse movies which now allows users to control the change of exposure according to the scene. Also the Bluetooth technology now makes its way into the cameras, making it smart to switch between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to save power. The user interface has also seen some revamp making it easier to navigate the menu.
 
The main difference between the cameras however is minimal. The EOS 77D features a top LDC plate which the 800D misses. Also the scroll buttons of the 800D have been swapped for a turning multi-functional dial that rotates and also works individually and directional scroll buttons. The EOS 77D has a dedicated customisable AF-ON button which the EOS 800D misses out on. In a nutshell Canon has launched two different cameras with identical hardware but targets two entirely different audiences. The 800D will cost Rs. 56,995/- (body), whereas the 77D will cost Rs. 59,995/- (body)

The new mirrorless EOS M6


The new Canon EOS M6 is Canon’s latest entrant in it’s mirrorless EOS M series. According to Canon, the new mirrorless camera is the successor of the Canon EOS M3. A 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor camera, the EOS M6 will feature a DIGIC 7 processor. It will have 49 AF Points, 7fps (AF Fixed 9fps), an ISO range of 100-25600. We were disappointed to see that the camera did not feature an EVF. However, Canon informed that they are releasing a new removable EVF named EVF-DC2 with the camera body. 

The camera can record Full HD video, and features a 3.2-inch touch, tilt LCD Panel. There is built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. The camera will come with a EF-M 15-45mm kit – EF-M 18-150mm kit, however, Canon informed that the price for the camera has not been decided yet.

We will be doing full reviews of the cameras in our upcoming issues, so make sure you don’t miss them out!

Asian Photography Awards 2017

First organised about 18 years ago in 1999, Asian Photography Awards have come a long way and become one of the most important events in the industry’s calendar. Being one of the most awaited and prestigious awards in this industry, the idea is to recognise and appreciate the excellence of the photography industry and its individuals who either work behind the cameras or simply create them! The objective is to honour the best products and services of the industry, featuring different set of parameters for judgement in each category. Here is the lowdown of awards this year!


PRODUCT CATEGORY

Every year our awards are based on the product shootouts, reviews and comparisons that we conduct throughout the year in order to help our readers make an informed decision about investing in new photography gears and accessories. Driven by performance and quality, we at Asian Photography believe in putting products against each other. So who are the winners this year?


Awards in the Media Storage Category


BEST SECURE DIGITAL (SD) MEMORY CARD 



Winner: Kingston SDHC UHS-I 32GB

The Kingston consistently performed toe to toe in every test. It tied with the Transcend in the Crystal Disk Mark test and fared quite well in the folder transfer test. The Kingston SDHC UHS-I 32GB Card aced the in camera test with 1.73 shots per second exceeding its competitors’ performance significantly. The card comes with a lifetime warranty and is priced at ₹1699 which is significantly lesser than the Transcend. If you are looking for a quality product with a consistent performance at a reasonable price the Kingston SDHC UHS-I 32GB Card, the winner of this year’s secure digital (SD) memory card shootout, most certainly is the way to go.


BEST MICRO SD CARD 



Winner: SanDisk Ultra 32GB microSDHC UHS-I

In the Crystal Disk Mark test, SanDisk had a better read speed of 34.82MB/s, but a lower write speed of 17.99 MB/s. In the folder transfer test, SanDisk had a slower read time of 87.48 seconds, however, had a faster write time at 71.07 seconds. In the in-camera performance test SanDisk card recorded 4.36fps. performing decently in almost all parameters, and retailing at a low price of ₹750, SanDisk Ultra 32GB microSDHC UHS-I is this year’s MicroSD card shootout winner.


BEST CF CARD 



Winner: SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash 64GB

The SanDisk card performed consistently throughout the shootout. In the CDM test, SanDisk CF Extreme Pro aced, with read speed of 34.91MB/s and the write speed of 27.23MB/s. In the Folder Transfer test, SanDisk had the best write speed at 48.44 seconds, but a slower the read speed of 30.94 seconds than Kingston. In the in-camera performance test, SanDisk scored 2fps. At the price range of ₹4800, SanDisk is definitely a strong contender and wins the shootout.


Awards in the Printing Category


BEST ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER 



Winner: Epson L360

The EPSON L360, performed well in most categories with good quality prints, but in some tests took longer time than the Canon PIXMA G3000. However, Epson’s output in most tests was better than the Canon printer, and with a price tag of ₹11,599, it costs less than the Canon G3000 as well, making it the winner of the All-In-One Printer Shootout this year.


Awards in the Rechargeable Battery Category


BEST AA RECHARGEABLE BATTERY 



Winner: Uniross 2700mAh Rechargeable

The Uniross 2700mAh Rechargeable performed better all throughout the shootout. Though the counts of the flashes fired were less than the GP batteries but more than what the Envie could deliver, the consistency of the Uniross batteries between the flashes fired after the heat up have been steadier. The price also being about the same, the charge time taken by these batteries is a little lesser, which is 8 hours and 25 minutes. So taking into consideration the charging time and the consistency of the fl ashes fired; the Uniross performs slightly better than the competition. The shootout this year was extremely close and with a price of ₹900 for four batteries, the Uniross rechargeable wins this year’s AA battery shootout.


Awards in the Lens Category


BEST ALL-IN-ONE LENS 



Winner: Tamron 18-200 AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 DiII VC

The Tamron lens, priced significantly lesser than the Tamron lens at ₹17,900, was quite well built. While we would’ve liked the focussing ring to be a little wider and have more resistance the lens was very easy and comfortable to use. The colour output of the lens was superior to its competitor and produced least distortion. The Tamron beat it’s competitor in the chromatic aberration department as well as produced better colours hands down, thus making the Tamron 18-200 AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 DiII VC lens this year’s winner for the All-in-one lens shootout.


BEST FIXED FOCAL LENGTH LENS 



Winner: Canon 24mm f/1.4L II USM

The Canon 24mm f/1.4L II USM is a balanced lens with a good build quality and great photo output quality. The lens even though a little bigger, is fast to focus and comfortable to use. Even though it lost to the Sony in chromatic aberration test it faired well in the other tests. The Canon, priced at ₹1,12,995 is reasonably priced, given the quality of optics used in them. Keeping in mind the minimum f-number on the lens being 1.4 the lens will be substantially more useful in low light situations. The Canon 24mm f/1.4L II USM also has better and more believable colours which one would expect from such a lens. Overall the lens performed really well compared to the Sony’s overall performance, thus making it this month’s winner in the fixed focal length category.


BEST DSLR KIT LENS 



Winner: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS USM

Priced at ₹37,995, Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS USM looks very good in terms of construction and optics. The buttons, focus and zoom rings are very smooth to operate and the focussing was quick and precise. Works well with a newer body and delivers good quality images. However, the colours produced are somewhat fl at but nothing to be very worried about. The distortion and chromatic aberration was decent and it exhibited the least amount of both. Canon wins the shootout this year.


Awards in the Photo-Imaging Category


BEST INNOVATION IN DSLR/ MIRRORLESS CAMERA TECHNOLOGY



Winner: Panasonic GH5

Panasonic, who have been known for it’s innovation, produced the Lumix DC-GH5 which boasts of being the first mirrorless single-lens camera in the world with 4K/60p, 4:2:2 10bit recording. The camera can also take 4K-quality still photos (approximately eight megapixels) at up to 60 frames per second, and it can handle 6K images (approximately 18 megapixels) at up to 30 frames per second. The 20.3 Megapixel camera also has a Venus Engine processor and has features like 5-Axis Dual IS2, free angle touch screen, double SD card slot etc. The Dual I.S.2 5-axis stabilization system can coordinate the correction functions of the camera and the lens, while advances in DFD technology have greatly improved the autofocus field recognition capabilities. Awards 2017



BEST ENTRY LEVEL DSLR 



Winner: Nikon D3400

It is a tough decision for people who buy their first DSLR, especially beginners who would stick to a brand after they have purchased their first DSLR. Since one has or plans to invest in the same brand eco-system, it is advisable to stick to a brand which you have been using or are probably going to use. Both the Canon 1300D and the Nikon D3400 are great entry level cameras, although the Nikon D3400 had a slight edge over the Canon when it comes to ISO performance and image quality at high ISOs. The Nikon D3400 comes for ₹31,450 (body only) and the Canon 1300D comes with a kit lens (18-55mm) and is priced at ₹29,995 which is lower than the Nikon. If you want image quality and slightly better performance like faster burst mode, go for the Nikon D3400.


BEST SEMI-PROFESSIONAL DSLR 



Winner: Canon EOS 7D Mark II

The Canon 7D Mark II is a steady performer and the image quality is superior to most of the cameras that are trying to match up with it now. It’s image quality was fairly balanced, and it performed really well in the ISO performance as well. The Canon 7D mark II costs ₹128,795 for the body only which is on the higher side but for a camera that is marked by its performance, and hence is a pretty good deal, thus making the Canon win the shootout.


BEST PROFESSIONAL DSLR CAMERA 



Winner: Canon 1DX Mark II

The Canon 1DX Mark II comes with a C-Fast card slot and a CF card slot and is priced at ₹4,55,995. The performance of the camera is impressive and the burst mode is brilliant. The image quality and ISO performance which is delivered proves its performance. Although the Canon is slightly higher in price for body-only, the Canon 1DX Mark II proves to be the winner of this professional DSLR shootout.


BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA 



Winner: Canon EOS M5

The Canon M5 was underexposed a little for portraits and the skin tones accuracy was average. However, the Canon impressed in low-light and with its colour reproduction which was the closest to the real life situation of the scene itself. The ISO was decent in daylight and usable enough for night time shooting. Priced at ₹81,995 (with 15-45mm IS STM kit lens) it is higher than both the Fujifi lm and the Sony but you also get a kit-lens bundled to start off with. The overall performance of the Canon is impressive and so the Canon M5 wins the mirrorless camera shootout this year.


Photographer of the Year



Winner: Sudharak Olwe

Hailing from Akola district in Maharashtra, and overcoming poverty, Sudharak Olwe has been documenting stories around India since 1988. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Olwe’s lens has captured the grittiest of stories that narrate accounts of resilience, courage and change. His ground-breaking series on the Mumbai’s conservancy workers exposes their inhumane working conditions, whereas his Kamathipura series with the sex workers reveals the city’s dark underbelly. His empathetic approach is what is unique in bringing out emotions through photographs. In 2016, he was awarded the Padmi Shri award, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for his work. Olwe’s work has been featured and exhibited in Mumbai, Los Angeles, Dhaka, Amsterdam, Kassel and Malmo.

Top 10 Most Influential People in Photography Unveiled

One of the most sought after award trophies in the industry is the Most Influential People in Photography, organised as part of the Asian Photography Awards ceremony. The category introduces you to the 10 Most Influential people/institutions in the photographic fraternity of India. The process, participants and the jury for this award call for something special. Adjudged by a jury outside the industry and is tabulated by an independent auditor to ensure the awards are unbiased and impartial. The nominees for these awards are judged not only on the basis of achievements, but also on their contributions and impact towards the industry in the last one year.

10. Symbiosis School Of Photography


The objective of Symbiosis School of Photography is to successfully educate and graduate professional image-makers with the technical, artistic and business skills necessary for success. Their programs are presented through a combination of intimate classroom lectures and demonstrations, practical hands-on assignment work in studios and labs, and real-world experience through the fulfillment of actual contract work for clients. They conduct study tours for students to various places across India, one day tours to culture events, and other industrial visits as well. The institute also houses a research lab where hybrid technologies are taught, and students can publish research papers on photography. The institute has a guest faculty from Royal College of Art London who regularly conducts lectures for students, and professionals from Europe who give seminars at the institute. Students also get a chance to conduct their own photography exhibitions. Headed by Vishal Bhende, the institute is redefining photography education.

9. Bishwarup Mallick, Business Head, Camera and Binocular Division, Ricoh India


Bishwarup has been influential in helping Ricoh establish their business in India, widen their customer base, improve sales, create a category which was non-existent during the time it was introduced. He has help build a strong forum to interact regularly through various social networking platforms, and increase exposure through word of mouth, and customer satisfaction and loyalty. As a marketing head, he introduced a major international marketing activity in India called Photomarathon. He’s been instrumental in successful introduction of 360 degree image and video category in India, and all India service collection facility for Pentax, Ricoh camera.

8. Rajesh Gupta, Country Manager, India and SAARC, SanDisk


As the Country Manager, Rajesh Gupta has led the SanDisk sales and marketing team to deliver various projects and maintain strong business record for SanDisk in India. He has worked collaboratively with the management at the regional and HQ level to position India as a strong emerging market and get higher visibility for the new launches in India. He also worked closely with the team to build reach for SanDisk in Tier II and III markets across India, in emerging cities through roadshows, incentive programmes for partners, enhanced level of retail visibility and co-marketing programmes to reach out to the channel partners in the upcountry markets.

7. Nitin Goyal, President and CEO, Tamron India


Under Nitin Goyal’s leadership, Tamron has been able to develop their own set of distributors across India from different industries. He has helped the company with key marketing activities like Dealer Activations, Wedding events, Exhibition Participation, Associations with all imaging committees across India, Mentor programme to bring photographers hidden talent on open platforms like workshops etc. He played a vital role in idea generation, brainstorming, team making and motivation, fine-tuning projects and successfully executing them. These efforts have helped Tamron to penetrate major cities, and has been rewarding in terms of brand recognition, brand visibility and business growth.

6. Udaan School of Photography


A conglomeration of photographers and artists, Udaan prides itself on its learning modules, as they are original and created by a common think tank. The renowned institute recently moved to a new expansive premise of over 10000sqft purely dedicated to photography, in the heart of Mumbai. Their aim is to provide better facilities, huge studios, extensive computer lab, libraries, lounges and even a cafeteria and a proper learning environment to our students, without an increase in fees. The institute has involved many photographers (and even students), from different streams in the management of the institute. The institute is setting high standards in area of photography education.

5. Sephi Bergerson


Sephi Bergerson has 12 years of experience as a commercial photographer in Israel and 15 years of documentary experience in India. He is an award-winning photographer, and specialises in lifestyle photography, and destination weddings. Sephi’s work has been featured in books and publications worldwide and has won international acclaim. His most inspiring photo projects address cultural and humanitarian issues, from polio and HIV to rural development and education. Last year, he helped organise SILK INSPIRE 2016, India’s first wedding photography festival, and SILK Awards, India’s first-ever recognition platform for documentary series in wedding photography.

4. Dabboo Ratnani


With more than 20 years of experience shooting the Indian entertainment and fashion industry, Daboo Ratnani is a name to be reckoned with. He has shot numerous Indian and international celebrities including Brett Lee, Chris Gayle, Borris Becker, Nelson Mandela, Michael Jackson, and Dwayne Bravo. He also conducts numerous workshops all over India for aspiring professional photographers. He is part of Nikon’s Pro Panel, wherein he conducts seminars and interactive workshops for Nikon School.

3. Sudhir Shivaram


With his undying love for wildlife, Sudhir Shivaram is among the most well-known and respected wildlife photographers in India. With a strong technical background, Sudhir’s work has won various prestigious awards, including the National Geographic’s ‘Yellow Border Award’. He was a brand ambassador of Canon for a period of 8 years, and is also the founding member of the non-profit photo sharing site India Nature Watch. He has launched an online video based photography tutorials. He also started a photography-related Facebook chats that have gone on to become hugely popular. In the last one year, around 3.5 million people over the world have viewed his various live videos broadcasts on Facebook, including the ones from various National Parks from around India and Kenya/Tanzania. He was the first person in the world to do a live broadcast of the great migration from the Masai Mara on Facebook in 2015.

2. Kazuo Ninomiya, Managing Director, Nikon India


Taking the role as the Nikon MD in 2015, Kazuo Ninomiya has helped the brand reinforce it’s presence in India. With key projects like Nikon schools, the brand has been able to contribute to the proliferating photography culture in India, and come up with a YouTube channel with tutorials in English and Hindi. He has also worked closely with potential partners, media and corporate consumers, and reinforced Nikon’s policy of “consumer first” to evaluate customer feedback, and change for the benefit of the customers. In making social contributions, CSR initiatives to aid students with education, transport and healthcare were undertaken.

1. Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India


With over 36 years of experience with Canon and during this tenure of half a decade with Canon India, Kazutada Kobayashi has played a role in bringing about several changes in the market, customer expectation and technological development, and ensure Canon India has stayed a step ahead of it all. Understanding the brand’s DNA, he has led a team that has diligently, towards the growth and success of the brand, and as a leading digital imaging company in India. He has contributed, directly or indirectly, to all of Canon’s projects, and helped expand the company’s product portfolio and focussed on improving customer education and awareness with pan-India activities like Canon Photo marathon, Photo-walks and photography workshops.

Nikon Strengthens Its Retail Presence In The Western Region Of India

Nikon India inaugurated a new Nikon Experience Zone in the city of Mumbai last month, to bring their products to their customers. Launching the company’s 38th Experience Zone in West India, the centre was inaugurated today by Mr. Kazuo Ninomiya, Managing Director, Nikon India and Mr. Sajjan Kumar, Sr. Vice President – Corporate Sales and Strategy, Nikon India inThane (West), Maharashtra.

According to the company, with the ever increasing presence of Experience Zones in the country, Nikon aims to provide a matchless ‘touch & feel’ experience to its customers, enabling them to make a purchase decision. The company stated that the photography enthusiasts of Solapur will now have greater accessibility to the entire range of Nikon D-SLR cameras along with Nikon’s COOLPIX range, Nikon 1 series, select array of NIKKOR lenses, Nikon accessories and Nikon Sport Optics range.

At the store inauguration, Mr. Kazuo Ninomiya, Managing Director, Nikon India said,”At Nikon, we take pride in enhancing our services to better meet the varied requirements of our customers. The launch of the new Experience Zone in Thane clearly showcases our vested interest in promoting photography in the region. We will continue to expand our presence in the splendid state of Maharashtra to offer the best of camera technology to all photography enthusiasts.”

Mr. Sajjan Kumar Division, Sr. Vice President – Corporate Sales and Strategy, Nikon India added,”As a company, Nikon invests heavily in strengthening the retail base, including investments in Tier 2 and 3 cities. The launch of the Experience Zone in Thane reiterates our efforts to continue to support and promote emerging markets. We are confident that today’s announcement will boost the demand for both the Compact Camera as well as D-SLR categories by ensuring the direct availability of devices to our esteemed customers in Thane.”  

Kodak to bring back film

To the delight of all the film-phoptography enthusiasts around the globe, Eastman Kodak Company has announced it’s plans to bring back one of its most iconic film stocks. According to the company over the next 12 months, Kodak will be working to reformulate and manufacture KODAK EKTACHROME Film for both motion picture and still photography applications. 

KODAK EKTACHROME Film has a distinctive look that was the choice for generations of cinematographers before it was discontinued in 2012. The film is known for its extremely fine grain, clean colors, great tones and contrasts.
Steven Overman, Kodak’s chief marketing officer and president of the Consumer and Film Division said, “It is such a privilege to reintroduce KODAK EKTRACHROME Film to the cinematography community,”. “We are seeing a broad resurgence of excitement about capturing images on film. Kodak is committed to continuing to manufacture film as an irreplaceable medium for image creators to capture their artistic vision. We are proud to help bring back this classic.”

According to Kodak, the company will produce EKTACHROME at its film factory in Rochester, N.Y., and will market and distribute the Super 8 motion picture film version of EKTACHROME Film directly.

Kodak Alaris, an independent company since 2013, also reportedly plans to offer a still format KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film for photographers in 135-36x format. KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film is a color positive film, also known as “reversal,” “slide,” or “transparency” film.  The availability is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.