A Review of the Olympus XA
Few cameras have been able to reach the same level of cult following that the Olympus XA has built up in recent years. Does the camera deserve the hype?
Few cameras have been able to reach the same level of cult following that the Olympus XA has built up in recent years. Does the camera deserve the hype?
Laowa is a company that never stops amazing me with their creative approach to lens design and cornering of a market sector that appreciates their unique designs. Today, we’ll be taking a look at their latest offering for APS-C cameras, the ultra-fast Laowa Argus CF 33mm f/0.95 APO.
Okay we are finally back! It's been a few months since our last live Critique the Community but we are excited to finally be back checking out incredible images from our readers. Since it's been so long since this critique wrapped up, we did something a bit different and combined these submissions with another critique we recently announced featuring baby photography.
Congratulations to Alexandr Balakin for your awesome photo and feel free to pick out a tutorial from the Fstoppers Store as a winning prize.
On1 Photo Raw 2021 has come a long way over the last few years. Is it now a viable alternative to both Lightroom Classic and Photoshop?
Some of the most meaningful photographers most of us will ever take are of families and babies, both our own and those around us. But it's far from an easy niche, so here is a behind-the-scenes demonstration and tutorial.
Atmosphere in images is both important and difficult to attain, particularly when the weather isn't obeying your desires for interesting conditions. Here is a tutorial on how to create your own fog brush for Photoshop and turn a bland image into something more moody.
I use Lightroom, in some capacity, for everything I shoot. Without it, my workflow would be entirely different, and probably not for the better. While some of the recent feature updates have been fine, I still can’t believe these three features haven’t made it into the software after all this time.
It seems like the mirrorless/DSLR realm operates in a different dimension to phone cameras. Sony’s new a1 body boasts a 50-megapixel full-frame sensor and is cutting edge, yet Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra claims to have a 108 MP sensor — and now there are some wild rumors about upcoming 200 MP phone sensors.
Fuji's medium format mirrorless line has rewritten the market, bringing its price range to the point that it competes with upper-end full frame options and offering photographers an entirely new format to choose without breaking the bank. The latest in the series is the GFX 100S, and this great video review discusses the camera and the sort of image quality you can expect from it.
Landscape photography is hardly of any benefit to society, nature, or the world in general. For most people, the commercial value is quite low as well. So why would you do it?
The Canon EOS R5 has been in the hands of photographers for several months now, allowing them to get a real feel for how it holds up in long-term usage. This excellent video review takes a look at the EOS R5 after six months of usage and how it performs in a variety of genres.
Good photography is much less about the gear you don’t have and much more about using the gear you do have.
“I only shoot natural light. I’m a natural light photographer.” I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve heard some variation of this statement. It doesn’t get any less silly each time I hear it, though. Why would anyone want to box themselves into doing only one thing?
The Samyang 24mm f/1.8 AF is a remarkably compact lens at a very reasonable price that still offers impressive image quality for Sony E mount shooters. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.
The inverse square law is one of the most fundamental and important concepts in lighting, and as such, any photographer working with artificial light should have a good understanding of it. If you are new to it, this helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know, from the way the law works to the practical consequences it has on your photos.
Being a successful artist can sometimes mean being both determined and flexible at the same time. But how can such a duality exist over the course of a career?
Events like concerts and professional sports are some of the most exciting and desirable things to photograph, but they almost always require a specialized pass for access. If you are wondering how to get one, this excellent video essay discusses when you will need one and how to go about obtaining it.
While things like choosing camera settings are fairly objective, composition is a bit more nebulous and is often something that gives photographers a bit of trouble. If you have been struggling with your portrait compositions, this excellent video will give you six helpful tips that will improve your photos.
Modern cameras are highly advanced machines, often with dozens of features and customization options to help you get the shot. With so many features, it is easy to overlook some of what you can do. Here are five camera features you might not know about that can help you take better photos.
Fujifilm's GFX series brought medium format to the masses, with prices that competed with the upper end of full frame cameras. The GFX 100 took things further, pairing a 102-megapixel medium format sensor with modern features for under $10,000. Now, there is the GFX 100S, which keeps almost all of the GFX 100's features but costs about half as much, and this great video review takes a look at how it performs in the real world.
Lenses are getting faster and cheaper, and Laowa's newest prime is really pushing that to the limit! Check out this hands-on review with example images.
Over the history of mankind, the best way found to archive data was to carve it into stone, then bury it in the sand. Photographically, the most stable form of archiving is probably a black-and-white silver-based image on a glass plate. For digital data storage, there is no perfect permanent storage option. Most digital storage media can’t be confidently recommended to be dependable beyond 5-10 years.
Sunrise photography is no easy task and takes some real dedication to pull off. Here's why one landscape photographer loves getting up at 3am to shoot epic sunrises.
When Canon confirmed the EOS R3 recently, it highlighted specs that went toe to toe with Sony's flagship a1: 30 fps continuous burst rate, eye-controlled autofocus, a vertically integrated grip, ultra-weather-resistant body, and a sensor with much faster readout times. As such, it might seem like the EOS R3 is meant to be Canon's flagship, but that's not the case, as something even better is coming.
Canon has been releasing some mightily impressive lenses ever since they first dipped their toes into the professional mirrorless market, and it looks like they are showing no signs of stopping. The company recently filed patents for three new lenses, with one of them being yet another that pushes the boundaries of design.
Every few years, some brilliant young mind at an ad agency decides that the best way to promote the imaging capabilities of the latest and greatest upcoming smartphone is to create a series of campaign images on the phone. At this point, it’s a convention but proves the point: “This camera is so great that anyone can take great images with it. You know you want to be that person!”
Scranton, PA: A local photographer drained his son's college savings to purchase a new camera.
One of the neatest capabilities of modern editing software is the ability to automatically replace skies in a convincing manner with just a few clicks, something that used to be a rather tedious and involved process. Nonetheless, there is still a lot of creative control over the process and things you can do to improve the final result. If you are using Luminar AI, this excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know.
There is a lot of new tech showing up in monitors the last few years higher. With higher resolutions, HDR support, multiple color spaces, and ultra-wide panels, it can be difficult to find the monitor that meets your specific needs. If you're looking for productivity and a clean look, the MSI Prestige PS341W 34" WUHD IPS 5K2K might be worth checking out.
Landscape photography is a genre that rewards patience and perseverance. If you are just getting started or have been struggling with your work a bit lately, this excellent video essay discusses three important lessons a seasoned professional wishes he had learned earlier in his career.
Occasionally, I'll come across a camera that really excites me as a photographer. This offering by Fujifilm may be the weirdest camera I've ever seen, and I love it!
Multiple exposures are a relatively straightforward and fun way to make interesting and unique photographs. While you can easily blend images during the editing process, creating successful multiple exposures in-camera can be a good challenge and a way to flex those creative skills.
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers fans of the company's micro four thirds cameras the chance to jump into the system at a very affordable price. What kind of features and performance can you expect out of the body? This excellent video review takes a look.
We have all made mistakes and assumptions about photography that we have eventually come to realize were wrong, and the sooner we can recognize those and correct them, the better. This excellent video essay features a professional photographer discussing 10 things he got wrong about photography and what he did to fix them.
Early on in our photographic career, it seemed as though every photo we took was a new masterpiece. It was clear that I was meant to be a photographer by the awe-inspiring photos I was taking of the streets of New York. Fast-forward a few years, and you couldn't pay me to admit those photos were mine, much less show them.
We've all heard before the advice that in order to succeed we should wow our customers by over-delivering through the services we provide, but is it actually worth going above and beyond?
The beauty of landscape photography is there are so many ways to shoot the same scene and to express your creativity. If you have been struggling with your landscape photography a bit, check out this fantastic video that discusses five techniques that can improve your work.
Standing at the edge of Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park I didn’t feel an immediate connection with the iconic tableau. It wasn’t that the scene, El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome, wasn’t spectacular, as it was. It is among the most captivating scenes in the world. In spite of the beauty, my camera remained in its bag. I couldn’t conceive of a shot that felt personally connected to the scene. Instead, I only saw vignettes of Ansel Adams' deep love for the place.
Professional landscape photographer Michael Shainblum shares this incredible 8K UHD time-lapse featuring amazing light at many of the best locations in New Zealand for landscape photography, including Milford Sound. Be sure to check out the full-size image gallery as well.
Medium format is known for producing some of the best image quality. Companies like Hasselblad offer some of the best cameras currently on the market. Its latest lenses for the Hasselblad X1D II are brilliant, so we decided to see how well a full frame camera system such as the Canon EOS R5 would fare against it.
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lenses are highly popular among photographers, as they offer the reach of supertelephoto focal lengths and the versatility of a zoom, all in a package that is significantly more affordable than professional supertelephoto prime lenses. This excellent video review takes a look at Sony's option, the FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens.
A lot of modern photography is very intricate, multilayered, and complex, with every space in the frame filled by an element that balances other aspects. On the other hand, however, a photo that makes good use of negative space can be equally compelling. This excellent video essay discusses how to use negative space effectively.
It was big news when Adobe introduced a super-resolution function in Adobe Camera Raw. Although this kind of enlargement is not new, many photographers were excited. I know four ways to get super-resolution. Which method do you prefer?
Do you charge for your photography? For the photographers who want to use their passion as a revenue opportunity, you will have to figure out what works best for you.
Anyone familiar with Karl Shakur's work is aware of his creativity, extreme attention to detail, and recognizable style. This video he produced during the COVID shutdown takes a quick dive into how he achieves his consistent color grading and clean aesthetic using Lightroom and Photoshop (although I was able to accomplish all of these things using Capture One Pro).
One of the greatest things to happen in recent years for photography is the huge increase in incredibly well-designed budget lighting systems. Although most of them come from the same factories as the premium brands, offer similar specs on paper, and often have alarmingly similar looks, what is the real difference?
Fuji's Instax line of products — the legacy of its film heyday — is successful. They've sold more than 50 million cameras, with 10 million alone in the 2019 business year. However, more than that, it's the financial powerhouse for its Imaging division, turning over twice as much money as its digital counterpart. It's strange to think that film is where the money is, but for Fuji, that is the case. So, why is it making digital cameras?
The newly announced Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art DG DN is the updated version of the previous and popular DG HSM version. With a greater number of elements, more aperture blades, and weather-sealing, all contained in a lighter design, the new lens seems like it could be a brilliant option. However, how does it compare with some of the other options on the market?
Whalebone Magazine (the self-proclaimed ninth-best magazine in the world) just wrapped up their Second Annual Whalebone Photo Contest, leading up to the release of their aptly named Photo Issue. Categories included Water, Adventure, Human, Motion, Joy, and Weather — whatever those things mean to you.
Composition in photography is deep if not fairly abstract subject matter, and beyond the Rule of Thirds and Golden Spiral, things can get very subjective or in need of contextualization. This video offers quite a different way of approaching composition, using a technique developed by graphic designers.