You can find more on the NIK website www.niksoftware.com

There is more in this video. www.niksoftware.com/silverefexpro/help/usa/videos.htmltml

Nix also makes  Snapseed which comes with ipads and can also be used on computers.  It has broad applications for colour, black and white, framing, etc.

What I like about the lens

Its relatively light on the shoulder, weighing in at just over 2kg. Considering that baggage  is often limited to 15kg on charter flights the weight is a big issue. I think its a great lens for people that do not manage the weight of bigger zoom lenses that can weigh 4kg and upwards.

At R42,00 the cost is almost exactly half that of the Nikon 200 – 400 which is the obvious contender if you are a Nikon user.

As a wildlife photographer its great to be able to switch from 120 for wide shots and then to 300 for portraits at the twist of a wrist. So often animals move quickly and you need to change to a wider option.

With the 1,4 converter, at an effective f4, you can shoot in low light and also enjoy shallow depth of fields which is great for close ups.

The focus was fast and accurate. The stabilizer also seemed to work very well.

The lens stays fixed in length no matter the zoom and does not suck in dust like some prosumer lenses that have telescoping actions.

A great value lens with great optics.

What I did not like.

Not much — although if I had to say something I found the zoom action (it works opposite to my Nikon lenses) a little awkward.

It is a tad bit short on the zoom for birding without a converter.

Facts about The Sigma 120-300 F2.8 DG HSM OS

New coating reduces Ghost and Flare
The new multi layer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghost, which is a common problem with digital cameras and also creates an optimum color balance through the entire zoom range.

Hyper sonic motor
The AF drive for Sigma SA, Canon and Nikon cameras is equipped with a silent, responsive and high speed HSM , which also provides full-time manual focus function.

Inner Focusing and Inner Zooming
Since focusing and zooming do not change its overall length, this lens is easy to hold and use. In addition, since the front of the lens does not rotate, a circular polarizing filter can be easily attached and use.

Converters

By adding an APO tele-converter, which is sold separately, you can use this lens as a 168-420mm F4 AF tele-zoom lens with a 1.4x tele-converter, or as a 240-600mm F5.6 AF ultra-telephoto zoom lens with a 2x tele-converter.

Price 

R42000 in South Africa. Available through Cameraland who are agents for Sigma in South Africa

Images below taken with 120- 300 lens of the same subject with the same lens setup.

at 300 mm

at 120 mm

at 420 mm with 1,4 and cropped

I think that many photographers will find it of interest to know that there are very good deals to be had at game lodges if you are flexible about when you travel. I am a huge proponent of the “green season” which is usually from December to May — a time when few people seem to travel. This is when the migrant birds are around, the air is clear and there are flowers and insects aplenty. I just have to look back through my photographic library and its so often these shots with their moody skies that create the most interest. Many lodges offer good rates at this time.

Another thing to consider are last minute specials. If you are flexible and are prepared to travel at fairly last minute notice there are often very good deals to be had. As a tour operator specialising in photographic tours I am often notified of these offers. So if you are thinking of visiting Africa three months from now and want to look at your options let me know. As a registered tour operator, I can get better rates than Joe Public so even if I get paid something to act as your agent you will not pay any extra.

If you want me to travel with you as a photographic guide that would be wonderful too presuming I am not already on the road. With 3 or 4 people in a group the costs of having a guide are not usually very steep and its much less expensive to get a private vehicle.

“I got slapped in the face by a Great White Shark…” this is the news my son Liam is telling his buddies at school today. As a 9-year-old he is prone exaggeration, but today his tall stories are true.

The story began on Saturday when we (myself, Jen, Liam and Dane) headed to Gansbaai, which lies two hours east of Cape Town close to Africa’s southern tip, to keep a date with Marine Dynamics and the Great White Sharks of Dyer Island.

At 09h00 after a safety briefing, we boarded Slashfin – a large aluminum catamaran – built specifically for shark viewing. Four 300 hp outboard engines propelled us at 50 kilometers an hour towards the Shark Alley – a place made famous by National Geographic and Discovery.

When we reached Dyer Island, we kitted up in wetsuits and neoprene booties to take our turn – eight at a time – in the five-metre-wide cage that was readied beside Slashfin’s starboard bow. But before getting wet, we had to call in the sharks.

Litre upon litre of fishy chum was tipped off the back of the boat and we watched the slick as it trailed away on the wind with its oily fingers beckoning sharks to come and investigate. “We are not changing their behavior,” said Oli, a Marine Biologist on board. At this time of year (May to August) Great White Sharks are attracted here by seal pups, which are fattened by a diet of mothers’ milk, into irresistible shark protein rich snacks.

Suddenly a single dorsal fin appeared and the first eight divers took to the cage and the bait handler began his game of yo-yo as he threw and retrieved an offering of fish heads on a rope, and in this way, drew the sharks within inches of their goggled faces.

The cage was rattled and bashed against the side of the boat as the shark swished and swirled in excitement. “Holy sh*t,” came the shout from the cage. Camera in hand on the top deck, I was too busy to say a word.

And so it continued over the next two hours as wave after wave of shark came in to investigate the cause of the slick. In total, 7 different individuals ranging from 4 to 5 metres came and then quite quickly disappeared again.

There were 4 marine biologists on board and they described each of the individuals according to the marks on the fins and flanks. “We have recorded more than 500 sharks in this area,” said Oli “Without chumming, this sort of research is impossible.”

As a Cape Town-based guide, who spends much time making people aware of the wonders of the wilds in Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, I was reminded of just how much is on my doorstep and worth protecting.  It’s not only the sharks of the southern Cape that make this  area special. In August and September, 100s of Southern Right Whales and calves come lob-tailing off the cliffs here in what is arguably the best shore based whale watching in the world. Furthermore, Kogelberg, which is the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, is also just a short hop from this point with a staggering array of endemic flowers.

The diversity does not end here. The wines are also out of this world and so is the architecture and dining with a fascinating melting pot of French and Dutch heritage all flourishing at the foot of some of the grandest mountains you can imagine.

Anyone keen on a photo workshop…?

Grateful thanks to Marine Dynamics for their excellent service. http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

1. Offline editing is now possible even when RAW files on an external drive are not plugged in. LR remembers the changes until hard drive is connected at a later date.

2. Page numbering is now enabled in the book module!

3. More sophisticated horizontal distortion and gradient tools.

4. Ability to combine stills and video in slideshow module.

5. More advanced healing brush getting closer to Photoshop clone tool.

It is always exciting to get new tools to work on images and I look forward to sharing insights with others.

Here is a general review and one from dpreview

3 – 12 April 2014 | 10 days | $ 5693 sharing | $ 6322 single

Join David Rogers and 6 to 8 other photographers on a tour of Tanzania from 3 – 12 April 2014. This 10-day trip is timed to coincide with the Great Migration as it gathers in the southern short grass plains near Ndutu. We have chosen at time during the green season when the air is crisp and the landscape is in flower. We will be based in our own private tented camp and have assembled some of the greatest guides in Tanzania to make it even more special. There will be a maximum of 4 people per vehicle in especially adapted Land Rovers.

The itinerary

3 April

We meet at Hatari Lodge inside the Arusha National Park – one of the only areas where you can see flamingos in front of Kilimanjaro.

4 April

Drive to Lake Manyara and then Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge on the rim of the crater.

5 April

We have an early start and spend all day on the Crater floor and have a picnic lunch before returning to Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge for dinner.

6 – 11 April

6 nights in our private tented camp from which we explore Ndutu, Lemuta, Gol as well as Moru and Gol Kopjes.

The camp is being set up and managed by Amazing Tanzania — a small family owned company. Colin has been working in the area for 8 years and Laura managed the Cheetah Serengeti Project for 3 years and also worked at Ndutu Safari Lodge. Their guides are handpicked for their skills.

12 April

After breakfast return to Arusha and Kilimanjaro airport. Or enjoy one of our add on itineraries.

Costs include:

All accommodation and meal. In the Amazing Tanzania camp, drinks and laundry are also included. Unlimited game drives in safari prepared vehicles (2 cars for a minimum of 6 people). Flying Doctor Insurance. Costs exclude:  Visas, Medical & travel Insurance, Staff gratuities (voluntary). Items of personal nature.

Timing

In a typical year the wildebeest move back up north in June – so first week of April is a fantastic time of year to be at Ndutu. The crowds (that come to see the wildebeest calving) leave in March giving you more privacy at sightings and you don’t have the risk of cars in our pictures. In April & May the light is much sharper due to the fact that there’s some rain and no dust in the air.  The wildflowers also start to bloom around April, depending on the rains. Ndutu has been keeping rainfall records for over twenty-five years and April has about 11 days with rain.  Even in the wet season, rain is usually short lived and does not stop play. As they say in Tanzania, remember that rain means game.

Kathy Richardson – my friend from Canada has just produced another photo book which just blew me away. You can take a look at it here.

I have travelled with Kathy and her husband David Richardson on some great safaris and she has documented them most beautifully in some full sized photo books – every one a fantastic record of our adventures to Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Last year I asked Kathy to give me some tips for people making books and her blog made really interesting reading.

Kathy used Apple Aperture for her book productions previously but for her latest book on Namibia she tried  Lightroom 4′s Blurb plug in for the first time. I am a Lightroom user and was very interested about her account of the experience.

Over to Kathy…

1.  Quality of both is very good.  Blurb doesn’t offer the image wrap cover + dust jacket as apple does but I thought the linen cover was quite fine.  (I went with the standard black, tho’ the premium oatmeal colour was appealing.) Paper quality is very good in both.  Colour reproduction also very good in both, altho’ the text on the cover of my Namibia book turned out to be pinker than I wanted (it was supposed to match the blowing sand on the dunes below it) and I had just calibrated my monitor.

2.  Price of blurb books (even without using the discount codes I received) is considerably cheaper than the equivalent apple product.  (About half price with the discount code!)

3.  Shipping – Blurb’s willingness to ship worldwide is a very BIG plus to me.  Apple will at present ship only to an address within the country where the book is ordered.  So, even for our friends in the US, I have to order the book (from the US), have it shipped to me and then turn around and ship it back to the US to whoever I’m sending it to.   Shipping costs and delivery times were comparable between the 2 products.  Blurb’s shipping to you in SA quite amazed me … I ordered it on March 19th (Tuesday) and by the following Monday it was on a FedEx truck in SA for delivery to you.  (Actual delivery was a couple of days later b/c no one was home.)  And the delivery cost from Blurb for that service was about 1/3 of what we paid to send the last book to you via Canada Post, and that one took at least 6 weeks to arrive!

4.  Interface with Lightroom – I loved the way LR and Blurb interface.  In the past, I’ve always edited a bunch of photos (always far more than I end up using) in LR, then exported them and re-imported them into Aperture, where I made the book.  And if I needed to fill in a few gaps I had to do that all over again.  But this time I started with just a couple of hundred photos and found it easy to return to my originals to grab a few more and do a quick edit on them, as I needed them.

5.  Layout – There are plusses and minuses to both systems in terms of layouts.  I liked the fact that in Blurb I could put in any colour of background page I wanted.  Aperture has a few set colours, depending on the theme you choose, and that’s it.  I missed the ability to inset a small pic or two onto another larger one, as I could with Aperture.  I know there is a Blurb layout that allows this but there are no frames around the smaller photos and I didn’t really like the result so ended up never using it.   Aperture allows you to frame any photo and also determine the colour and width of the frame. (I think this is probably possible in Blurb too, by doing a layout in the LR print function, but that seems too cumbersome to me.)  Overall, I found the Blurb layouts less flexible than the Aperture ones, but perhaps that is because I had figured out a way with Aperture to clear all the layout off a page and then insert whatever size boxes I wanted.  Text too I found more difficult with Blurb.  For example, I couldn’t get the text on the spine of the Namib book to go sideways, but I’m onto another book now and it went in that way w/o a hitch.  I know that there’s a fair amount of flexibility with Blurb, in terms of sizing and aspect ratio of the photos as well as with placement of the text.  I just need more experience with the program, I expect, to figure it all out.

6. I thought of a couple of other things about Blurb that I really like too – first, the ability to share an electronic version of the book with friends & family – not everyone is nearby and can see the hard copy; and secondly, the ability to buy an iPad version of the book for under $10.   Both great (non-traditional) ways to share the book with others.

In summary, I’d say I was very satisfied with the Blurb experience.  (Had a little hiccup placing my first order but customer service was fast and responsive so I was happy.)  I’m making another book now and began by thinking I’d do it quickly using Apple, but after toying around a bit there I decided Blurb was really a better way to go.  I doubt if I’ll ever go back to using Apple again.

I was recently given an M9 to play with. If you don’t know this camera it’s a Leica rangefinder camera that is modeled on the analogue M series. It’s a spectacular camera – small and compact – which produces simply stunning results. Hand built in Germany with the latest digital technology, it offers a retro Magnum feel and devastatingly good results.

It takes time shooting without autofocus, AE modes and of with no SLR through the lens view, but once you get started shooting from the hip, it unlocked a playful creativity in me. The results however were no kids matter.

I showed  similars  to Jenni (my most wonderful in-house critic) taken with my beloved Nikon D800 and and she chose the Leica  again and again. “Its got a different feel, its sharper, the colours are better”.

It was probably not enough to make the Nippon engineers in Japan reconsider their career choices and I was  able to recreate similar effects in post production, but I had to admit this dinky, rock solid camera had me in its grip.

There is a new Leica on the way — and it seems to be catching the feature creep bug with live view, bigger sensor and other add on’s that will make it bigger, better and slightly more chubby too. It will be called “M” (like Bond’s technical mentor) and while its fun to see it stripped of its extra digits, there will be plenty more after the $ signs.

The M9 was a wonderful experience for me — but like all the great things in life it could not last forever. At R60 000 for the camera and R40 000 for the lens (very good prices too, I am told) I took it back to Cameraland in Cape Town before I did anything silly.

I am going to need to find new ways to make myself feel like a digitally upgraded retro shooter. The first of these is the acquisition of a new 50mm 1,4 G lens from Nikon. I have shot off a few shots and it was a bokhea bonzella ….

So until next time…