FRAME - A Photography Magazine by PhotoCommune - issue 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

As we find ourselves at the cusp of change, a likely paradigm shift in the way we perceive all of our nature and its existence, these once-in-a-lifetime experiences pertaining Covid-19 has undeniably led all of us to look inward and beyond. It has probably been a blessing in disguise, a much-needed jolt from the mundaneness of our robotic lives to pause and decode what life truly means to all of us. We all have so much yet we are always hungry for more. And thanks to the social media, the more we see, the more we seek, when in all honesty, it all truly lies within us.

In this time of isolation, we want to bring stories about what makes us, what connects us, the challenges we face and the moments when we rise to meet them. Our December issue is all about chasing dreams and being original. The lives and works of Param Singh, MadPaule, Neeraj Mahajan and Maria Tirkey only validates this further and sets the right tone to self-love. The featured photo techniques and product reviews ensure you instantly jump out of your comfort zone and try some really cool stuff with best ever productive time on hand.

So, as we approach a new dawn, let’s promise to ourselves to love what we choose and to choose what we love, let’s not hesitate if we think differently, let’s not stop if we have a different pace, let’s not quit because the world cannot make sense and let’s not stop believing in ourselves just because someone has given up on us. Let’s always remember, in a world that is constantly trying to make us something else, to be ourselves is indeed the greatest accomplishment. Let’s never underestimate our ability to make a difference. It’s only one life. Let’s make ours count.

We made precious memories while making this issue. Hope you too start your journey soon. Cheers!!!

Dimple Choudhary

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” – Rumi

CONTENT

COVER STORY

FRAME Param Sahib

INTERVIEW MadPaule

Neeraj Mahajan

PHOTO FEATURE

Low key by Yeashu Yuvraj

FEMALE IN FOCUS

Maria Tirkey

REVIEW Tamron 35mm f1.4 Di USD

Olympus OM-D E-M 10 Mark IV

Tamron 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD

CREDITS

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Dimply Choudhary

CONTRIBUTERS

Idris Ahmed

Dimple Choudhary

Savi Bhushan

Published by : Photocommune

DESIGN & PRODUCTION DESIGN

Amit Kumar Gangal

PRODUCTION TEAM

Amit Kumar Gangal

Yeashu Yuvraj

Puneet Jain

COVER STORY

Photography- Idris Ahmed

Garments- Param Sahib

Styling - Dimple Choudhary

Retouching- Amit Kumar Gangal

Shot at Studio Photocommune

HE CREATED HIS OWN NICHE OUTSIDE OF CONVENTIONS

Featuring PARAM SAHIB By Dimple Choudhary

They say sometimes, you must get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand back up taller than you ever were. A man who simply wanted to design, express and help others towards self-belief and love was once forced to walk the path of forgotten dreams

Outcast & bullied as a schoolboy for being ‘different,’ shamed & discouraged as a young artist for being too honest, thrown out of a posh club for dressing up too colourful and threatened as a designer for bringing shame to the Sikh community.

These may be just a few of the things that became a part of his journey but as they say difficult roads only lead to beautiful destinations, he created his own niche outside of conventions.

At 28, Param Singh is an inimitable Indian designer, stylist and influencer known for his maximalist fashion.

One look at him and you instantly connect with the fun side of him. Someone who believes in walking the talk, Param has always been a vocal and expressive soul.  Fortunate as it was, Param met the artist within him early on which helped him in self-discovery. From casually styling his mother and aunts when it

was not even a recognised profession to now being on national television as a contestant on Myntra superstars, it has been a therapeutic journey for him with art at the heart of it all.

Going back in time, Param feels that art was an escape gate for him, away from the bullying he faced while growing up. Having identified himself as Queer while in School, it was a long road ahead to self-confidence and acceptance. “When I was young and was experiencing mental and physical changes within myself, ones that did not comply with society’s idea of normal, I walked the path of a repressed childhood. I was called by titles like Chakka, Hijra, Sixer and was counted amongst the girls in my class. I wanted to stop attending the school at once, but I didn’t give up as all that I wanted was some answers and a person to confide in and talk about the voices in my head. Luckily, college gave me wings beyond my orientation and preferences and the idea of friendship wasn’t bound by norms. I realised the gift of Queer is options because you don’t have to fit into any one thing.” Says Param.

©

Param Sahib

Entering the world of fashion was his first step into a larger world. He was always fascinated by unexplored places, people and cultures. But as a designer and artist, he felt immensely inspired by women who were fearless, opinionated and had a clear sense of what they wanted. This is also something you will observe in his controversial illustrations and artworks over the years. “I feel a visual is the easiest global language to convey a message, sometimes relevant, sometimes hard-hitting but always personal for someone, somewhere.” Says Param

“Fashion is sometimes my armour to be myself and express my character without having to introduce myself. I was lucky to find my calling in fashion and I knew I could write stories, create conversations, revolutions and even instil feelings through clothes.” He adds.

However, just when life seemed like a celebration with his brand Param Clothing being talked about, he had to pay a price for

being a non-conformist. He was bombarded with hatred and trolling on social media. Many a night were spent crying. “You know I had moments of feeling broken and shattered. Expressing myself meant shaking some age-old beliefs and for that I was abused, attacked, and threatened many a times. A mob of around 50 Sikh men barged in my studio and broke furniture and threatened my staff about dire consequences if they continued with me. That was the lowest point in my career, and I decided to chop off my hair. But the next moment I realised I don’t have to give up on who I was and what I believed in just to please people and since then there has been no looking back.” recalls Param.

The determination to follow the path he chose for himself helped him find great support in activists, NGOs and massive following on the social media. “The social media has the power to make or break. So, while you cannot ignore it, use it to

© Param Sahib

your advantage to have a voice. After all, I chose this life and gave them that right to command over me sitting at a point. I learnt that when you are in the public eye, you have to learn to take the criticism as dearly as embracing the applaud” says Param with a smile.

Param agrees that with power comes responsibility and so he wishes to set an example by giving back in simple ways. He recollects an incident when he was refused an entry to a posh Delhi club due to his colourful attire. When this became headlines in all the leading papers, the club was forced to apologise. Param instead came with a kind suggestion and made the club organise a langar for 100 poor kids. “Not only did they serve the needy, but they also understood where they were wrong. This was liberating.”

Says Param.

Today, far away from the expectation of being accepted by the society, Param has found his

own calm amidst the social media tempest. Speaking of his controversial illustrations and artwork, he says “I feel Digital Illustrations help me in becoming a voice of thousands of people just like me. I could be anyone without being apologetic about it and that is the fun part.” My first Karvachauth, the Transgender bride, the art of Shame, Mothership, Kinnar, Naaari Naari & Quarantine Love have been some of his recent works defying the old school.

And while he may be writing his own rules now, it has been hell of a rollercoaster ride, one that he is immensely proud of. He is quick to add that one must evolve and enjoy the process as it is the journey that matters more. “We keep discovering ourselves until the end. We relate to behaviours and characters, that tend to define us. Also, life is never going to be stable forever and you need people (family and friends) to have your back. You can only be happy when you feel love and can give love.” says Param

©

Param Sahib

Being asked about a take home line for our readers, he says, “It is the simplest thing to say but the toughest to really understandJust be yourself.”

Retouching-

Photography- Idris Ahmed

Garments- Param Sahib

Styling - Dimple Chaudhary

Amit Kumar Gangal

In Conversation

with Photographer Neeraj Mahajan

Think of advertising photography and you probably won’t look beyond him. From being awarded by the India Habitat centre as “photographer of the year for his series Gypsy Souls, to winning hearts at the reputed “Wilfrid Israel Museum” with his documentary work, Neeraj Mahajan is one of the most celebrated commercial photographers of our times. Having worked with some of the largest F&B chains in the world like Delmonte, KFC, Taco Bell and Dominos to name a few, Neeraj’s body of work is a school in itself with extremely moody images, whether taken inside a studio or on location.

Let’s meet the man of the hour, through conversation with Idris Ahmed

I fondly remember your proof sheets from Gangasagar, Allahabad & Nashik from 15 years ago and I still feel your series ‘sinners’ & ‘Gypsy Souls’ are few of the most emotive photographic works one can come across. I have been longing to know what happened to those series?

Neeraj - Wow! 15 years is a long long time Idris… I was an angry young man then (laughs). But on a serious note, back then I had more time and energy to channelize. I had always believed in doing things wholeheartedly but when I realized I wasn’t giving it my best, I shifted my focus to commercial work and that has been extremely demanding and stressful. Moreover in my head, I have already completed the ‘sinners & Gypsy souls’ but knowing myself, I won’t be surprised if something reignites my desires to do free flowing work again!

Oh, I shall wait for that to happen. But we would like to know more about your initial steps into professional photography?

Neeraj - God bless, I was born to a photographer father and so luckily I had access to all the amazing journals & magazines from an early age. They were a part of my growing up years and unknowingly

might have had an effect on me.

After school, I was all set to study hotel management in Australia and before leaving, I did a course in color printing just to earn myself a certificate in extracurricular activity. Though I had plans of taking up photography in Australia after my management degree, life had other plans and I was back home in India owing to some family crisis. I was looking for work and after chasing legendary Pradeep Dasgupta for a long time, I finally landed up working with him. That was the beginning of it all and I knew where my heart belonged and then I never looked back again.

Which photographers influenced you initially and how did they shape your thinking, photographing, and career path?

Neeraj - I was greatly impressed and influenced by the works of Elliott Erwitt, Sebastião Salgado and Raghu Rai. Overall speaking, pictorial works in photography never impressed me, as these were too flawless for my liking, instead dark-stark & imperfect images enthralled me. However, I have no clue if their work ever guided my thought process ☺

I remember, you were a big ‘film’ fan! Given a chance would you still shoot on film and why or why not?

Neeraj - Hmmmm! Idris Bhai, I guess a lot of people have misconceptions about me ☺ It might surprise you but I am not at all a fan of any particular style or technique. I love shooting and equipment doesn’t matter much. I am as pleased and hands on with a 8x10 negative sheet as I am with a phone camera. Frankly my liking for film was because I used to buy film rolls often and load them into film cassettes as per my liking while also processing my films. So, my love for film was more the love for how economic and accessible they were back then.

I feel that black & white film had this subtle imperfection due to uneven range of grains, which made the results look very interesting. Digital, on the other hand, is perfect, smooth and being instant, makes for a perfect choice for the modern day style of photography.

How would you describe your body of work?

Neeraj - Well, that is a tricky one ☺ but come to think of it, since I like to do strong compositions, I would say it is composition based stark work. It isn’t soft nor melodic but is in fact dynamic & layered –precise and pre conceived. And yes composites are an integrated part of my work.

You have worked with the biggest and best clients. How would you suggest a change in artistic direction when a client has explained their ideas?

Neeraj - Luckily for me, since my forte is food & products, the craft becomes more important than the idea and that makes my life easier. However, it is important to understand the needs of a client when you take up commercial projects. The main goal is to deliver certain numbers of images, in a given time frame and within a defined budget. Also remember, budget controls everything and some clients demands’ can put you under a lot of pressure. I sometimes feel like a warrior myself ☺ (laughs)

Do you perceive photography to be an art form or simply a way of communication?

Neeraj - In my opinion, photography is an effective mode of communication but certainly not an art form. Although with so many new mediums of communication, photography is not a stand-alone medium anymore, it relies heavily on other genres like music, motion pictures, positioning & graphics.

What according to you, makes a good picture standout from an average one?

Neeraj - Oh, I believe it is all about perception as there is no such thing as a good or bad picture. Especially in this day and age where images have nothing to do with the skill & craft, to me, it is all about how well one can perceive and ruminate over an idea! A good image is one that stands tall with head held high and doesn’t depend on leaning on the shoulder of a verbal story.

A picture is a good picture if it emotionally influences a number of people in a certain fraternity!

Are you satisfied with what you have achieved as a photographer?

Neeraj - Satisfaction is not my trait (laughs)! If you observe my work, it screams dissatisfaction. I have a strong urge to go deeper and explore layers beneath layers. In fact, I feel an artist or a creative person can and should never be satisfied.

What is the best learning that you’d like to pass on with young photographers?

Neeraj - I would say that the greatest fear in the world is the opinion of others, either create something and bring your potential to actuality or go inwards to find yourself, but whatever you do, do wholeheartedly! And don’t just stop at learning technical stuff, go learn some ‘business of photography’ to help you go a long way.

In Conversation

“ A beautiful story is never complete without a tinge of darkness, satire and madness” believes MadPaule! He has showcased his art works in reputed galleries worldwide. Featured

Illusion 360,Nature

Focus, Better India,

& Peachfuzz . MadPaule is currently represented by Tsukuba Art center, Ibaraki, Japan and ALF( A Little Fly), Mumbai, India.

with Photographer MadPaule

How did you develop an interest in photography?

Well, I was always interested in drawing and I studied fine arts which helped me in expressing myself a lot better. My early inspirations were the likes of Joel-Peter Witkin and Gottfried Helnwein and even though I was using images earlier, these two inspired me a lot, to look at my work and express in a different way. Slowly, I started marrying images with my drawings and working with mix media which gradually led to a lot of photography and videography. And ever since these have been the primary mediums for my Artworks.

Your images are very intimate and somehow they look very warm! Is it a deliberate effort or these come naturally to you!

Intimacy is the major theme of my work, though the warmth may be missing at times. Sometimes I use cool colours as detachments or contrasts.

There is a mystery in most of your images and a veiled layer of longing! What is it you are searching for?

Honestly, nothing in particular. I think more than longing, it is the curiosity and my search for new stories and people that keep me going. I often travel alone, and such trips always surprise me.

How would you describe your work?

A lot of my work (I would say most of it) is based on my personal celebration of intimacy, nostalgia and finding beauty in deterioration and slow growth. I try to use the same aesthetics in my commercial as well as personal work whether in my illustrations or photography.

Do you agree with the adage ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’?

Although it is very subjective, I do tend to somewhat agree with it. Photographs do have the power of creating their own world and stories within themselves and are often Self-explanatory. Documentary photography on the other hand need a context or photo essay in words to bring the photo-series and the audience on the same page. Most of the fine art on the contrary leave your artwork open ended with enough food for thought, imagination and interpretation and I like that.

“The camera creates such a beautiful illusion, an illusion so similar to what we see with our eyes, it seems as though we’re looking through the surface.” Are you happy how your images communicate?

The best thing about creating art is that you are merely representing an idea. Whether It is drawing a portrait or taking a portrait using a camera. The

result which comes out on the paper is the idea of how the artist views that person. It is not a fact, and not probably a reality. and that indeed is the beauty of it. Everyone experiences it in a different way. Creating images not only makes me happy but amuses me how they communicate with different people in different ways. Isn’t that exciting?

Any suggestions to the photographers who want to take up photography as a career?

A - If aesthetics is the face of it, technique is surely the backbone. They both go hand in hand so work hard on both. Always spend more time with the art side of it. Read as much as you can. Observe, not just other photographers work but different genres of artists too - musicians, dancers, actors etc.   That process will help in creating your individuality as a complete photographer. And that is what people will value in you.

YEASHU YUVRAJ

I tend to notice more of the greys. In my life, relationships, or in the truth, I hear or tell people. I want my photography to reflect the same.

I found similar grays in low-key photography and chose to work with that as my expression. In my opinion low-key photography leads to every person viewing the image with his or her own interpretation, just like the life I am used to living.

Being a professional musician first, I was always inspired by seniors from the frat, who were comfortable with who they were

even if that meant being different from the norm. Their art was an extension of their personality, their thoughts expressed in a tangible manner. I have always strived to be that. When photography happened to me, my old habits took over to shape me into the photographer I am today.

I wouldn’t say I am a master at what I do but I certainly like the direction I see myself moving towards and would like to keep evolving my style in the same direction.

Maria Tirkey

An important aspect of travel is exposure to the Socio-cultural fabric of the country or city you are visiting. And ever evolving art forms are the best way to catch these sentiments. ‘Street Art’ has always intrigued me as a genre of artistic expression encompassing a diverse range of works and mediums. Street art is like good fiction - it speaks out on behalf of everyone, for everyone.

FEMALE IN FOCUS

Blank walls are a shared canvas and over the years various artists have made this canvas come alive. While there have been discussions around graffiti, street art and murals being different art forms in terms of expressions and medium. But art is subjective and ‘Expression’ is what intrigues me and captures my interest as a photographer. Therefore, my work titled ad ‘Street Art’ is a collective showcase of all the three.

My first exposure to the graffiti happened about six years back when I accidentally came across a beautiful graffiti work in Hauz Khas Village sprawled across almost four storeys. I had never seen an art work so big and so vibrant before. This kind of set the wheels in motion and I decided to come back and explore more.

It was an overwhelming experience as walking through the narrow lanes now all I could see was beautiful art work at almost every nook and corner in Hauz Khas Village i.e. the walls along the lanes, the houses, the doorways, narrow passages. It was like getting transported to an art exhibit only it was not in a traditional gallery

The first graffiti I came across was of a ‘pointing finger’ with vibrant color as if asking me to channelize my vision outward and pointing me in a new direction to start my journey. That was a day well spent capturing, observing, trying to hypothesize and understand the artist’s thought process behind their work.

Cinema has been an integral part of our lives.

Mumbai has made Bollywood, but in many ways, Bollywood makes Mumbai too. And the most celebrated work that I have come across is the ‘Bollywood Art Project’ abbreviated as BAP started by graphic designer and artist Ranjit Dahiya with an aim to popularize Hindi cinema through murals on buildings. The mural of Ankarkali and Saleem marked the beginning of the BAP and painted next to it is the picture of eternal beauty Madhubala with her captivating smile from Barsaat Ki Raat. Another mural immortalizes the ‘Angry Young Man’ of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan with all his mirth, waiting for Peter to come and fight him

While cinema has found its way to many art works, ‘faith’ as a theme has also inspired artists over centuries. While many renowned artists have based their body of work on this, it has also been incorporated by many unknown in street art in their own way. My next favorite work is from Venice, painted on the back side of a house. Though the red paint

on the wall had faded over the years it seems lending a certain finality to material things, the graffiti around the photo of ‘Mother Mary’ symbolizes the flow of messages/wishes into the infinite universe.

While walking down the lanes in the serene city of Florence, I came across this beautiful work on the shutter of a closed shop. Graffiti depicts the dome of the famous Cathedral in Florence [Duomo di Firenze] and it harmonizes perfectly with the telephone booth next to it. To me it was a visual treat as the both focus on a need to connect and symbolizing themselves as an enabler of the process.

The last one in the series was taken just outside the ‘Colosseum’, Rome. It seemed to be a perfect frame from a composition point of view - graffiti on the metal door perfectly balanced by the man standing next to it. To me the scribbles on the metal door are messages and the man just next to it with his mobile symbolizes a form of communication.

Introduction

This gorgeous looking camera by Olympus aims at the amateurs and beginners who want to have a better range of controls and better optics and is much more powerful than their smartphones! The fourth version of the Olympus OM-D E-M10, the Mark IV, is Olympus’s latest Micro FourThirds camera, and is the entry-level OM-D in the range with an electronic viewfinder. This one promises a host of new improvements, several of which are not typically available in the entrylevel segment. Most notably this one has a large 20 Megapixel sensor and the latest ‘TruePic’ processor along with an updated stabilization.

To provide you full manual controls and raw shooting, the E-M10 IV camera has all professional modes like Aperture priority, Manual, Program, Shutter speed priority and along with these it has Auto, Scene Modes, Art Filters, and an AP/Advanced Photo mode. The Advanced Photo mode is where you’ll find a range of creative shooting modes designed to make it easier to get highquality results without necessarily being an expert Live Composite, Live Time, Multiple exposure, HDR backlight, Silent, Panoramic, Keystone Compensation, AE bracketing, and Focus bracketing. Live composite and Live Time are both excellent features to

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

help get long-exposure and low-light (night) photographs exposed correctly, without the guesswork usually required.

E-M10 has 12-bit RAW images, which delivers excellent detail and great dynamic range, easily matching Olympus’ higher-end cameras. The JPEG engine also provides natural rendering and latitude when using the built-in filters. Overall, the 4MP bump is a welcomed change that makes the camera quite competitive in this segment. The updated processor also yields marginally faster continuous shooting speeds. It now provides 8.7 fps in the high setting and 15 fps when using the electronic shutter. But, its buffer depth has nearly doubled; now providing 42 RAW images in the high setting and virtually unlimited RAW images in the low setting.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark-IV obtains many of the same video capabilities as the predecessor. With that, it records 4K UHD video up to 30 fps and 1080p FHD videos up to 60fps but surprisingly, Olympus has added the slightly wider Cinema 4K resolution at 24 fps. Otherwise, it still shoots to the MOV format using IPB compression with a data rate of 102 Mbps and like most cameras in this category; video recordings are limited to 29 minutes.

Ergonomics

The camera uses a full polycarbonate construction, which makes it slightly lighter; it now weighs 335g (for body). Nevertheless, it still provides the same premium feel as the predecessor. It also has a dedicated video record button, which starts movies without first setting the Mode dial position.

The front grip has been improved, with a deeper and more noticeable groove to hold on to, and this works well with the rear thumb grip, letting you get a firm grip of the camera. The rubber coating provides ample texture to hold on to, and this feels like a nice compact camera in your hand.

There is a built-in pop-up flash that is activated when you push the on/off switch beyond the on position. It also has a dedicated video record button, which starts movies without first setting the Mode dial position.

In Olympus EM10 Mark-IV Highresolution 2.36m-dot electronic

viewfinder is available for eye-level monitoring, and it offers a 0.67x maximum magnification for clear, distortion-free viewing.It also has a 3.0inch tilting touchscreen LCD for good color reproduction and clarity with a resolution of 1.04M dots. This screen tilts up 80º and down 180º, which, so that it faces forwards, making it suitable for selfies, and vlogging. And it’s a significant improvement over the predecessor, which employed the standard tilting screen.

Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth permits wireless image sharing and remote camera control from a linked smartphone or tablet when using the dedicated O.I.Share app for iOS and Android.

Special Features

As mentioned earlier Olympus EM10 Mark-IV has 20.3MP, Live MoS sensor and TruePic VIII image processor to support fast shooting. It also offers extensive in-camera RAW and JPEG processing. You can select

picture modes and make individual adjustments to contrast, sharpness, art filters, crop, and resize, among many others.

It has a built-in 2x digital teleconverter, allowing you to zoom digitally, which is helpful when you can’t physically get closer to your subject. Also powered by built-in HDR, which captures four separate images and combines them into a single high definition image.

EM10 Mark-IV has a Live Composite mode, which is a unique as it allows a photographer to gradually build up an exposure over time without overexposing key elements within the frame. This mode works to only record newly detected light sources over time, and allows you to watch as an image develops, making it ideally suited for

Conclusion

photographing star trails or other moving light sources.

One of the most powerful things about this camera is its 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization which helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to 4.5 stops with any lens in use and compensates for camera movements that become especially noticeable when working with telephoto shots, macro imagery, and long exposures. Furthermore, this advanced image stabilization system works across five axes to compensate for vertical angle rotation, horizontal angle rotation, horizontal shift, vertical shift, and rolling camera shake movement. This range of detected movements serves to benefit traditional still image shooting as well as movie recording and working with moving subjects more effectively.

Olympus EM10 Mark-IV is an entry-level camera packed with some of the typical Olympus features. But then you get what you pay for! So it’s obvious that it lacks features like Pro-capture, focus stacking & high-resolution. Weather sealing along with the microphone input and headphone output is also missing. But having said that Olympus EM10 Mark-IV is still a power packed camera considering its size, weight and price!!

TAMRON 35MM f1.4 Di USD

Review by IDRIS AHMED

Tamron 35mm f1.4 Di USD is a tough and intelligent guy with a brilliant built and superior sharpness output. Launched on the 40th anniversary of the ‘SP’ (Super Performance) line-up, this one had to be special!

As we know 35mm is a popular wide-angle lens category particularly for documentary, travel & wedding photography. Keeping professionals in mind Tamron designed this one for photographers who are not ready to compromise even a bit when it comes to quality.

Fast lens comes handy while shooting in low light for instance this image was shot on 1/30 sec handheld at f5

I used it for my travel work as well as in the studio and the results were impressive (frankly more than I expected). One of the most impressive qualities of this lens is its ability to deliver images with excellent contrast and sharpness with minimal chromatic aberration. There is however a minor barrel distortion which I believe can be easily corrected in post-production.

It has 14 lens elements in 10 groups- in this combination 3 elements are aspherical and 4 elements are with extra low refractive index glass. The lens elements have a BBAR-G2 coating, and the front element has an extra fluorine coating, which has excellent water- and oil-repellent properties. This also makes it less vulnerable to damaging effects of dirt, dust and moisture.

Superior lens quailty results in no visible barrel distortion or chromatic aberration even on zooming in close.

Tamron’s 35mm has an electromagnetic diaphragm system for precise diaphragm and aperture control, it is possible because the 9-blade diaphragm is driven and controlled by a motor through electronic pulse signals.

Tamron 35mm f1.4 Di USD is a tough and intelligent guy with a brilliant built and superior sharpness output. Launched on the 40th anniversary of the ‘SP’ (Super Performance) line-up, this one had to be special!

Conclusion

Tamron 35mm f1.4 Di USD provides splendid image quality, especially in the frame center and its controlled lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration is just awesome! It also has a very smooth and effective auto focus.

Only con is its weight (Weighing little more than 800 grams for Nikon & canon mounts) and wide aperture f1.4 is available only for DSLR’s, unfotunatele large aperture (f1.4) is missing for all mirrorless mount.

Auto focus is precise and swift resulting in sharp and crisp images with fine contrast.

TAMRON 85MM f1.4 Di VC USD

Review by IDRIS AHMED

Tamron 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD lens has been around for almost 4 years yet it is one of the most interesting len available, purely because of its focal length which is a must have for any professional photographer. It is used widely across genres - be it wedding, events, fashion, documentary, lifestyle and portraiture.

I used it for both my studio and outdoor shoots on my Nikon D-850. I was highly impressed by its performance on the field, as it is incredibly sharp, has a wide aperture that allowed me to shoot in low light and captured portraits with a pleasant bokeh.

I am sharing sample images shot with this lens; you zoom them closer and realize the uniformity in resolution at all aperture settings, including wide-open at f/1.8. I vouch for this focal length for portraits as its results in precise compression & controlled dimensions, which leads to a very natural looking headshot.

Ergonomically very sleek design with strong barrel frame on outside and superior eBAND & BBAR coating makes this one an overall performer. USD (ultrasonic silent drive) delivers precise and quick focusing. Also available is Manual Focus override at any point during the autofocus operation for deliberately shifting focus without switching the AF-MF mode selector.

Vibration compensation ‘VC’ and a wide aperture allow photographers to use a handheld camera even in low light conditions. Wide aperture (f/1.8) provides a bright viewfinder and provides a significant amount of light to the AF system, activating the high-precision mode in some cameras.

What I loved most about this lens is its ability to produce portraits with correct proportions to give them a very natural feel. Also, the 9-blade aperture produces interesting and pleasant looking bokeh.

Minimum Aperture F/16

Image Stabilization Performance

Standard Accessories

3.5 Stops (CIPA Standards Compliant)

Lens hood and a Lens cap

Compatible Mounts Canon & Nikon with VC and Sony-without VC

Conclusion

Tamron 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD lens is a must have if you like shooting portraits! It’s incredibly sharp, has a wide aperture that allows you to shoot in low light and capture portraits with a smooth, blurred background. The image stabilization helps in steady handheld shots and videos.