Like it or not, Canon is one of the most dominant forces in the camera industry, and their bodies and lenses can be found in the hands of countless professionals and hobbyists. Of course, that does not mean the company is infallible, however. This interesting video discusses the good and bad of Canon cameras and what they can do to be even better in the future.
While 85mm lenses are generally the classic choice of focal length for portraiture, 135mm lenses are a popular second choice that offer a different look and a bit more compression than their shorter cousins. If you are looking for one of your own, check out this fantastic video comparison that looks at four options: the Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE, Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art, and Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8.
The early 2000s were a golden age for digital cameras. Companies like Olympus, Nikon, Sony, Canon, Ricoh, and others seemed to release an endless stream of unique, quirky, and often excellent cameras. I was lucky to work at a large camera store at the time, and almost every day, I remember unboxing some new gadget that was pushing the boundaries of design and resolution. The most fun days were when a new DSLR arrived.
The electronic viewfinder is one of the greatest advantages of mirrorless cameras, offering the ability to preview your exposure in real-time, leaving behind the days of miscalculated shots. However, as this informative video details, it can easily mislead you and cause you to mess up important photos.
There is a saying that zoom lenses can make you a lazy photographer. And that might be true if you use them the wrong way.
A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is a classic choice for a wide range of applications. With a wide but still mostly neutral focal length and lots of light-gathering and subject-isolating power, it is equally at home in the studio, at a wedding, or on the street. For Sony shooters, the top option is the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM, and this excellent video review takes a long-term look at the lens and how its price, performance, and image quality stand up to other options.
24-70mm f/2.8 lenses are the workhorses of choice for a lot of photographers and filmmakers, as they cover a range of the most commonly needed focal lengths and pair them with a wide maximum aperture, making for a versatile combo. However, such lenses are rarely cheap. The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN makes a few smart compromises to bring its price way down, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens was widely respected for being a versatile hidden gem in the company's offerings, bringing with it 1:1 macro performance, some of the best image stabilization in any lens, and, of course, extremely sharp images. The RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is its successor, and it brings with it some worthwhile improvements, most notable being its increased magnification. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it.
One of the most useful accessories any photographer can have is a tripod, suitable for anything from allowing you to get sharp images at longer exposures or to take some of the weight and strain off your neck and back. There are a ton of options out there, however, and if you are wondering which one is right for you, check out this awesome video that will give you five tips for choosing the correct option.
It used to be that if you wanted to change the color of an object, you generally needed to jump into Photoshop to do it effectively. However, Lightroom has gained some quite advanced features in the last few years, and it is now possible to convincingly change the color of many objects without having to resort to Photoshop. This great video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to do it.
Hopefully, these videos help readers de-stress, and maybe you’ll learn something new along the way.
High-quality zoom lenses are expensive, usually running over $2,000, and as such, most of us are always looking to get more mileage out of what we already own. The thought of doubling your zoom's reach with an affordable 2x teleconverter is definitely appealing, but will it work in practice? This great video review takes a look at the situation for Sony shooters.
For my entire life, I've been not only a Windows user but a MacOS hater. I've loved Mac hardware but I could never get past the annoying limitations of their software. All of that changed when I bought the new M1 MacBook Pro.
I'm a long-time Apple fan. I'm thoroughly in the ecosystem, with MacBook M1 Max laptop, a Studio Mac, iPad Pro, and iPhone. I've also had the Apple Watch since the first edition and now have a Series 7 Apple Watch planted on my wrist.
If you have ever used a wide angle lens to photograph a building from ground level, you have probably encountered a frustrating dilemma: either you include way too much foreground in the shot or you angle the lens upward and make all the buildings look like they are about to fall over. A lens with a shift function can correct that issue, and one relatively affordable option is the Venus Optics Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it.
Nikon has kicked it into high gear with the likes of the Z 9 and NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, keeping the pressure on Sony and Canon to continue innovating and pushing the envelope. This great video features two photographers testing out the latest from Nikon and discussing how it compares to some of their best DSLR cameras and lenses.
100-400mm zoom lenses are some of the most popular out there, offering a versatile focal length range that can tackle a wide range of scenarios including everything from sports to wildlife photography and more. The Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is one of the more affordable options among such lenses, though it still offers some impressive performance and features, and this excellent video review takes a look at just what you can expect from it in practice.
As a photographer and videographer, I need a lot of fast, redundant, widely accessible storage. Let me show you my setup.
Australian Dylan O'Donnell's over-the-top astrophotography adventure videos often introduce us to new equipment. But his "HOTTEST New Astrophotography Products in 2022" video caught my eye. At the very least, it's a bit presumptuous to think that the hottest products come out in the first half of the year!
With video capabilities on par with the best available options for moving images, Nikon’s Z 9’s has gone from a hopeful purchase to a critical part of my photography and filmmaking.
The 24-70mm zoom range is versatile, and for many photographers and videographers, it's probably one of the best starting points when building out your lens collection for a new mount.
A tripod can get dirty over time, especially if used in water, sea water, sand, and mud. A regular cleaning will extend its lifetime. I have cleaned my Gitzo tripod after heavy use at sea, and I will show how it can be done in five easy steps.
Street photographers have had a wealth of great lenses across many different systems to choose from over the years. Two of the most common lenses available for this are 28mm and 35mm lenses, often the preferred tool for many. But, which one is better?
Shallow depth of field is a popular technique for genres like portraiture, but when it comes to landscape photography, deep depth of field with most or all of the frame in focus is the standard. That does not mean you can't shoot with a shallow depth of field, though. This neat video follows a photographer as he shows how shallow depth of field can be a powerful creative tool for landscape work.
When it comes to supertelephoto zoom lenses, Canon mirrorless shooters have two options, the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM and the RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM. With different prices and feature sets, these two lenses fill different needs, and this helpful video comparison will help you choose the right option for your work.
Every time we make the leap to the next expensive purchase, there is a lingering thought in our head: will I regret it later? Well, at least in my head. Nonetheless, if I need to make a purchase, I do it. Here are some purchases that I wish I didn’t make.
Canon has been pushing ahead with vigor in the full frame mirrorless market, releasing a wide variety of competitive cameras and innovative lenses. The company shows no signs of stopping, as patents for more high-level lenses have appeared.
Samyang has long been known for creating very sharp and affordable manual focus lenses, but in the past few years, they have started offering autofocus-capable options while still keeping those budget prices. One such lens is the AF 135mm f/1.8 FE, which offers a lot of bokeh at a popular portrait focal length, and this great video review takes a look at if it can unseat first-party options with its performance and image quality.
With the Nikon Z 9 on the market, the competition for best mirrorless camera is a three-horse race again, with Nikon's option competing against the Sony a1 and Canon EOS R3. All three cameras offer highly impressive feature sets that can tackle just about anything you can throw at them, and this great video discusses the pros and cons of each and which edges out the other.
One of the first devices I bought for my office when I started with photography was, in addition to a proper monitor, a calibration device. Editing my photos with accurate colors and brightness has always been a priority for me. And the use of a colorimeter and monitor calibration software is a requirement for achieving those. In this article, I explain how to use such a calibration system.
A 24-70mm f/2.8 is the workhorse of choice for a huge number of photographers, suitable for a wide range of scenarios and needs. Sony recently released the second version of theirs, the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, and this excellent video review takes a look at the improvements and new features in the new lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it.
50mm lenses can cost anywhere between less than $100 to over $2,000, with every level of image quality and performance imaginable. At $179, Canon's RF 50mm f/1.8 STM sits at the lower end of the price spectrum, but it still brings with it a range of quite useful features. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Using filters for any kind of photography and filmmaking has always been an extra process to consider. This new filter system from H&Y just might be the most innovative one to date.
The Fujifilm X100V is a popular and widely respected camera that offers a unique shooting experience and excellent image quality. With a fixed 35mm-equivalent lens, however, you might sometimes wish for a bit more versatility. The WCL-X100 II Wide Conversion lens allows you to turn that 35mm lens into a 28mm lens, and this great video review takes a look at the device and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it.
The newly released Profoto Clic Softbox is a modifier that is designed to fill in the void that the A1 system had: no soft modifiers. Find out now how Profoto created the first Clic softbox that you can assemble in one second and whether this softbox is even any good.
Most modern cameras have ergonomic considerations built into them but are primarily designed to get results without getting in your way. However, the Fujifilm X100V mirrorless camera marries capabilities with an inspiring and fun to use design, making it quite the desirable and unique option. This great video review takes a look at the X100V and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Canon's mirrorless camera has filled out nicely in the last few years, with powerful models like the EOS R5 and EOS R3 offering professional-level performance and options like the EOS RP and EOS R6 offering more affordable pricing with reasonably balanced feature sets. Missing in all of that is an advanced APS-C mirrorless camera, but thankfully, that will likely change later this year.
Nikon's Z 9 turned the mirrorless camera competition into a three-horse race again, keeping the pressure on Sony and Canon to continue innovating. Furthermore, Nikon just released firmware 2.0, which makes the camera even more powerful. This great video review takes a look at the camera with the latest firmware installed and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it.
The new Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G lens has turned quite a few heads as a portable, versatile, and relatively affordable wide angle zoom. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Using a phone to shoot professional work isn't new, but most instances involve situations where the photographer has almost full control. But how would a phone stand up to the same test if the photographer had little to no control over the lighting and environment?
Wide-aperture 85mm lenses are the classic choice for portrait photography, but, of course, they are not the only focal length you can use. 135mm lenses have long been a popular alternative choice, and several companies make impressive options. This great video review compares the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE, and Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lenses.
70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are highly popular workhorses, suitable for a huge range of genres and applications. That being said, they are both expensive and rather bulky. If you do not need that extra aperture to stop, but still want the versatility of that focal length range, a 70-200mm f/4 can save you both bulk and money. This excellent video review takes a look at Sony's option, the FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS.
For the last couple of months, Patrick and I have been moving into our new homes in Puerto Rico and building out personal studios in each. Let me show you what I've built.
Creating a successful landscape photo takes creative vision, solid technique, and often, a bit of luck. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you seven helpful tips sure to help you improve your photography.
One of the best tools you can use to progress as a photographer is one that anyone can obtain without a single dollar being spent.
Do you occasionally transfer many memory cards at the same time? Do you also need a Thunderbolt dock that allows you to attach multiple peripherals to a computer with a single cable? Well, I have the perfect product for you.
Shooting landscapes at night often calls for gear that isn’t entirely essential for shooting during the day. Here are some suggestions for shooting single images, as well as star trails and time-lapse photography.
Is this the king of flash? Well, very likely, yes. The Profoto Pro-11 is the world’s most expensive flash, that behaves like the world’s most expensive flash. I had the Pro-11 unit to review and here are my thoughts.
I have a cage for my iPhone. But I thought about how I could it to rather use MagSafe instead of clamping it in each time I wanted to shoot a video. And now Moment has released the perfect MagSafe-equipped Mobile Filmmaker Cage. They’ve sent one over for me to test, and here are the results.
Once they got serious about mirrorless cameras and lenses, Canon wasted little time expanding the RF mount's offerings, but one standard lens that is still missing is a fast, premium 35mm prime. No doubt, that lens is coming eventually, and it looks like we can expect it later this year.
