A few months ago a company called F&V sent me their latest flagship light to test and review. Since then I've been using it regularly for some of my photography and all of my recent YouTube videos. Here are some of my thoughts on what I think could be the best LED light currently on the market.
When shooting action sports I’m always looking for ways to get shots that the other photographers aren’t, but lots of times due to safety concerns by the promoters, I can’t get to places I want to shoot from during the event. This is where the CamRanger Mini comes into the picture, by giving me the ability to remotely place a camera before the event starts and then triggering the camera remotely from a safe location.
Olympus has released the world's most expensive Micro 4/3 camera, the E-M1X. Is it worth $3,000? Let's find out.
If you spend a lot of time under the night sky, you already understand the challenges: weather, setting up in the dark, and processing. Astro Panel 2.0 is a nifty Photoshop Plug-in that can automatically ease a lot of processing challenges and greatly improve your night sky photos.
Chinese lens manufacturer Zhongyi Optics have released some excellent lenses in their Speedmaster series for various systems over the past few years. Recently, they have added an f/1.4 lens for the Fujifilm GFX system to their lineup. Today, we'll take a look at the Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 65mm f/1.4 for Fujifilm GFX.
I thought I'd seen iPhone camera capabilities stretched just about as far as they could go with add-on apps, but I was wrong. Focos for iOS does a bunch of interesting things, including real bokeh effects, focusing a photo after shooting it which mimics light field photography, and selective diaphragms to give you different bokeh spot effects and 3D lighting, far more powerful and sophisticated than what Apple provides.
Ten years ago I decided to start using filters for my landscape photography again. In those days the best choice was Hitech or Lee, and I chose the latter. I was very content with those filters and I shot many beautiful landscapes with it. But ten years left some serious traces of use. It was time to replace the filters… I chose Kase filters.
In a previous article, I reviewed the Prince Street by ONA and for the most part, I had some very positive things to say about it. More recently ONA sent me The Big Sur to review and I've been using it quite extensively for the last few weeks.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the team at Interfit just took the crown for "Best Affordable Strobe With A Nature-Inspired Name" from the longtime champ Alienbees.
Fujifilm have placed themselves squarely at both ends of the sensor-size war, skipping 35mm full frame altogether and instead concentrating on APS-C and medium format. In this review we'll be taking a look at the second addition to their GFX series of cameras, the rangefinder-styled GFX 50R.
For a long time, Leica was known for producing some of the best cameras on the market. Some of the most iconic images in history have been shot on a Leica and the M series has remained one of their most sought after and almost idolized series of cameras. Recently I had the immense pleasure of testing the Leica M10-P and here are some of my thoughts on the camera.
As a photographer who definitely likes to push the thin depth of field envelope, the announcement of the 105mm f/1.4 Art from Sigma was a dream come true. With the release date getting pushed back numerous times and my hopes dashed with each delay announcement, I am pleased to review the real world working features of this magical piece of glass.
Have you ever noticed that your camera's autofocus is consistently back or front-focused? It may not be your fault. Check out this review and how-to on calibrating lenses using the Datacolor SpyderLensCal.
This is a really good idea, and as far as I know it's an original one. The folks at Skylum, who have given us the Luminar and Aurora image editors, are today offering AirMagic, a Mac or PC app designed to apply AI (artificial intelligence) to any drone or aerial-based image you drop into the app, either a single image or a bunch of images. The app will be released March 21, but I got an early review copy and I'll share my impressions below.
They say the third time’s the charm, and that’s certainly the case with Fujifilm’s new X-T30. I got a chance to take a hands-on look at a pre-production X-T30 and put it through its paces recently. How did it do?
Ultra wide rectilinear lenses are not very common and the few existing options are expensive. But the Irix 11mm f/4 combines non-fisheye design with a friendly price. Is it too good to be true?
It's rare to find a camera bag that ticks all the boxes when it comes to function, durability, comfort, and price. If I'm looking to only carry a camera and a couple lenses plus some accessories, the HEX Raven DSLR Mirrorless Bag is my go-to choice.
Not so long ago, if you wanted to produce super smooth looking footage on the move, you'd have had to spend an immense amount. These days the number of options available to us is simply fantastic. There are so many gimbals currently available at various price points and personally, I think this is quite wonderful.
Sigma recently sent me its new 40mm f/1.4 Art lens. Read more for an in-depth review.
Sony has announced the ninth addition to their G Master series, the FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, and it's the sharpest lens I've ever used. Check out all the details and download my raw photo files in this first-impressions review.
My favorite drives of the last several years have been these newer, compact, portable SSD drives, especially as they’ve become more affordable. But G-Technology’s G-Drive Mobile Pro SSD is in a class of its own for those that need real speed.
Believe it or not, the most popular sound bar in America is made by Vizio. At $150 it's incredibly cheap, but I have to admit, it sounds surprisingly good. Does it make a good computer speaker system? Let's find out.
As consumer 360 cameras enter a second generation for many manufacturers, a lesser known name is joining the fray with a unique offering. Kandao’s QooCam bills itself as the “World’s First interchangeable 4K 360° & 3D Camera,” bringing some interesting tricks to the party. How does it measure up?
In certain situations, having a rechargeable and portable constant light source can really come in handy. In this review I look at the Smith-Victor Edge Light, a powerful and versatile LED light stick.
Whether you're a world-class photographer working with a world-class model, or a hobbyist doing time-for-prints with an aspiring model from Purpleport, everybody can use some posing inspiration from time to time. The Study of Pose aims to be the ultimate solution.
I've gotten to play with the Sony a6400 for the last couple of days and although it's not exactly what I'm looking for, it still may be the best camera for sale currently under $1,000.
For 2019, there were a few things I wanted to do differently. One was to shed some weight, and by that, I am referring to how much I carry with me. It was time to change bags and go with something a little lighter.
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens is the oldest piece of kit in my work camera bag. As I get ready to upgrade all of my gear, I thought a lifetime review was in order.
The popularity of adapting lenses from one system to another is undeniable. One thing you might want to do is adapt a lens designed for a larger sensor to a small-sensor camera. For example, adapting a full-frame lens to an APS-C sensor. This is where focal reducers like the Zhongyi Lens Turbo II come in.
When it comes to high-quality camera bags, Billingham continues to be one of my all-time favorites. A fellow photographer and close friend of mine Imran Mirza introduced me to their bags when I first started in photography and I've been buying and using their bags ever since.
The Lowepro FreeLine is a versatile backpack for small to medium-sized gear and compliments the run-and-gun-style shooter. But is it the right backpack for you?
The year 2018 will be known as the year Canon and Nikon introduced their first mirrorless full-frame camera. It was their first step into a world that has been dominated by Sony for years. The cameras of Canon and Nikon have been mocked and laughed at, but how do they compare in real life? I got a chance to find out.
The days of slinging back your closed tripod and gear over a shoulder are over. Check out the new LensCoat LegWrap Pro.
Of course, that's not to say your photos aren't already great, but Prisma for iOS or Android is pretty amazing.
$419. Let's just get that out of the way up front. The ONA Clifton Camera and Everyday Backpack costs $419 and it doesn't hold an extraordinary amount camera gear. Yet is it still worth every penny?
Last week, Sony announced the 24.2-megapixel a6400 APS-C mirrorless camera and I first got my hands on it. Here's a rundown of all my thoughts on it so far and how it performed with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens.
With the new year comes an opportunity to set some goals and make some decisions as to how to make improvements to your career. Learning new techniques and developing skills is a fundamental part of being a photographer and a filmmaker, and Skillshare has an abundance of classes that cover everything from frequency separation to bookkeeping.
Obsura 2 has been out for a while, but somehow I missed it. Now that I've connected to this photo app I'm happy to sing its praises.
There was quite a bit of buzz about the Arsenal Smart Camera Assistant some months ago. It's a hardware device that can plug into many DSLR or mirrorless cameras (though there are some important exceptions which I'll detail later.) It's designed to automate a lot of shooting situations, and make AI based decisions about camera settings to get you the best possible images.
For this article, I am going to be looking at a lifetime review of the Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 lens for Canon. I purchased this lens within the first week of its release.
I am about to buy my new cameras, so I thought a review of my trusty fleet of Canon 5D Mark II cameras was in order.
Sony’s G Tough series of SD cards may just be my favorite yet, as they do away with those pesky write protection tabs and give more confidence with a more rigid structure. They're also guaranteed for professional, high-speed recording.
Formatt-Hitech is a company that's been making ND filters for quite some time now. There are a large number of photographers that consider them to be the only choice for them and Formatt has worked hard to develop that reputation. With several new companies entering the market recently, I wanted to see how Formatt-Hitech filters performed.
I'm a big user of Content Aware Fill in Photoshop. It's hard to take a photo and not want to remove something. But if I'm shooting with my smartphone, I usually don't want to transfer an image to my computer for serious editing unless I have to. My smartphone photos are usually casual and quick, but often retouching is needed on those photos too.
Most gimbals that have been released in the last few years have had a similar design and aesthetic. For the most part, they've had a long handle where the batteries go in and the gimbal head on top. Recently, Zhiyun-Tech released their latest gimbal and I believe this will have quite the impact on the gimbal industry as a whole.
Sometimes, when you are looking for a versatile camera backpack, they tend to lack in the style department, or on the other hand, you may sacrifice space and utility for a more fashionable bag. But, what if BAGSMART has combined both? Take a look at our review!
I've been a fan of LandscapePro since it came out a few years ago. Like a lot of imaging software or Photoshop plug-ins, it's best used lightly so things don't get out of hand.
Intellytech’s RGBW LED panel is something I’ve dreamed of for years. It’s finally here, but do we even need RGB lights?
Being a great photographer doesn't guarantee success in the photography industry. On one hand, some of the best photographers struggle to keep up a sustainable business, and on the other, some average (and even below average) photographers do well for themselves.
You're probably wondering how much can really be said about a backpack. However, if you're frequent reader here then you're probably similar to most of us staff writers in that you just love a good backpack and you know exactly how easy it is to have a lot to say about one.
