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MINI TESTS

LENS

Sigma 35mm

f/1.2 £1459

IN A SHOCK TO PRECISELY NOBODY,
Sigma has done it again. This ultra-fast
35mm prime is an exquisite piece of glass
that delivers in buckets wide open. Under
the rather large, rugged body you’ll find
17 elements in 12 groups that include Paramo Halkon
11 rounded diaphragm blades, three SLD Traveller £170
(super-low dispersion) elements and two
aspherical optics. There’s also a water and This lightweight summer jacket
oil-repellant coating on the front lens, which features a stylish design, using
works perfectly with the weather-sealed a quick-drying Nikwax cotton/
body to challenge any gloomy conditions. fabric finish. With photographers
As you’d hope for the price, this lens is in mind, it comes with 15 pockets,
an incredible piece of kit, albeit with the accuracy were all stellar, giving the kind of both internal and external, and
usual weight and size caveats that Sigma confidence and results users crave. has been designed for freedom
has become known for. The sharpness is There are a couple of downsides though. of movement. There are a brace
outstanding across the frame, even at f/1.2 You’d be forgiven for mistaking this for of side vents to circulate air when
Though the depth-of-field is incredibly a 100mm optic. Weighing a touch over a carrying kit bags, and a pocket
shallow, even on a 35mm, it does a great kilogram, this is one of, if not the largest on the sleeve earmarked for
job rendering both the in and out-of-focus 35mm on the current market. It does risk memory cards. It’s an excellent
areas, with the 11-blade diaphragm lending dwarfing either the smaller Sony or Sigma jacket that understands the
a hand for creamy bokeh. Likewise, the FP bodies. On the same subject, this lens needs of the adventurer, though
coatings do well at keeping imperfections at has only been made available for the Sony it is on the expensive side.
bay, with virtually no chromatic aberration, E mount, as well as the shared L mount paramo-clothing.com
vignetting or flare. In fact, even shooting system. This is a lens that deserves more
towards the bare sun yielded astonishingly mounts for bokeh-hungry pros.
clean results. The AF speed is equally sigma-imaging-uk.com
impressive. Shooting on a Sony α9 II,
we noticed the tracking, acquisition and

SOFTWARE

Luminar 4.2 £69

3 Legged
The latest free update to Luminar builds
the previous version’s famed AI tools. A Thing Ellie £44
well as the usual suspects that allow you
to create complex edits with minimal fus This universal L-bracket is
it’s the new AI Augmented Sky filter that designed to accommodate most
deserving of praise. It works alongside t types of DSLR or CSC. It has
AI Sky Replacement filter, which does a dual Arca Swiss mounting,
brilliant job of replacing bland skies with allowing for landscape or portrait
something more visually appealing. The orientation, and a brace of hex
Augmented Sky feature lets you take it bolts to extend or remove the
a step further and add elements to your side to fit your camera. There are
image. A single click will import one of a two 1/4in threads on the vertical
variety of included images, from an auro side for adding accessories and
to a mountain range or flock of birds. mounts, and a large gap that’s
It allows you to resize your shot, relight i ideal for trailing cables to your
and play with the opacity. Masking means it camera. It even has a point to
easily sits behind any complex area without the Above Luminar’s attach your strap for extra
need for selections. You can even add your own shots, but update brings convenience. It’s incredibly
this isn’t quite as slick, and flawless results will be harder more power to strong and even larger cameras
to achieve. That said, it works perfectly compositing feel secure. 3leggedthing.com
and is ideal for beginners. skylum.com beginners.

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