6 24 August 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113
CORELhasrefreshedits
PaintShopProimage
editingsoftware.New
featuresof the 2020 version,
whichis soldat a fixedprice
ratherthanviasubscription,
includea Photography
workspaceforbeginners,
whichgivesaneasy
introductiontothetools
andfeatures.There’salso
a SmartClonefeaturefor
objectremoval,a Refine
Brushforrefiningselections,
a fastertexttoolandextensive
supportforlayersandmasks.
UpgradetotheUltimate
edition,andyoualsogetthe
GRFX Studio, with thousands
of photoeffects,PhotoMirage
Expressforturningstill
imagesintoanimations
andPainterEssentials6 for
turning photos into paintings.
It is onsalenowfor£69.
forthestandardedition
and£89.99forthe
Ultimateversion.See
http://www.paintshoppro.com.
ACCESSORY
makerKenko–
nottobeconfused
withKenro–
hasreleased
a motorised
flashheadthat
automatically
determinesthe
optimumanglefor
bounceflash,like
theCanonSpeedlite
470E X-AI.The
KenkoAB600-R
incorporatesan
‘AI’Auto - Bounce
functiontoworkout
thebestangleof light
bouncefromthewall
(leftorrightside)orfromtheceiling.
‘Thisfunctionis invaluableforwedding
photographersoranyoneshootingportraits
toa tightschedule,’saysUKdistributor,
Intro2020.AnAutoLockfunctionalso
remembersthisanglewhenthecamera
is turnedfromhorizontaltoverticalformat.
Theunithasa maximumguidenumber
60 (ISO 100 at 200mm),andthebuilt-in
radiotransmittingandreceivingunitallows
a masterflashtocontrolthebounceangle
of theslaveflashremotely.Thelightcoverage
angle,meanwhile,is equalto the18-200mm
range,with18mmachievedwhenusedwith
thewidediffuserpanel.Powercomesfrom
4 AAbatteries,withanoptionalbattery
packforlongershootingsessionsand
fasterrecyclingtimes.TheNikonversion
is availableimmediatelyfor£399,with
CanonandSonyversionstofollow.For
more information visit http://www.intro2020.co.uk.
Flashheadworksout
best bounce angle
Big makers under
continued pressure
Visitamateurphotographersubs.co.uk/44AB,or seep62. For the latest newsvisit http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
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As DSLR margins shrink, makers will be forced to keepinnovatingin thecompetitivemirrorlessmarket
Corel releases refreshed Paint Shop Pro
The latest Paint Shop Pro package includes a wealth of new tools
THElatestresultsfromJapan’sbigcamera
makersrevealthattradingconditionsare
tough,tosaytheleast.Nikon,forexample,has
recordeda sobering71%plungein earnings
initsfinancialresultsforthefirstquarterof
2020 withrevenuedown14.92%(from
¥79.1billionto¥67.3billion),andearnings
down71.77%(¥12.4billionto¥3.5billion).
Whilesalesof itsfull-framemirrorless
camerasandlensesappeartoberobust,
thecompanyhasbeenhithardbyfalling
salesof entrytomid-rangeDSLRsin Asia,
particularlyin theimportantChinesemarket.
Thecostof developingnewmirrorlesslenses
hasalsobeena factor.‘Althougheffortswill
becontinuouslymadetoexpandthesales
of (mirrorless)camerasandZ mountlenses,
decliningsalesof entry/midDSLRandcompacts
areexpectedtosuppresstheoverallrevenue,’
thecompanysaidin a presentation (read in full
at bit.ly/nikonresults).
Canon,meanwhile,recentlyreportedthatunit
salesforthesecondhalfof thisyearhadfallen
22%to 1.08million.‘DSLRmarketcontraction’
wasblamed,alongsidetheimpactof prolonged
US/Chinatradefrictionandthegeneral
economicslowdownin ChinaandEurope.
Badnewscomesin threes,anda report
issuedon1 AugustbyJapan’sCameraand
ImagingProductsAssociationshowscamera
salesdroppedbyalmosta millionin June.
Howthebigmakerswillrespondtocontinued
economicuncertainlyandthegrowingthreat
of advancedsmartphonecamerasis notclear;
theymighttrytopushmorecompetitively
pricedfull-framemirrorlessmodels,orfocus
onprofitable,higher-endniches,in anattempt
toconvincesmartphoneusersorusersof older
DSLRcamerastoswitch.Orwemightbe
seeingfewerandfewernewentry-levelor
mid-rangeDSLRsasmakers focus research
budgets elsewhere.