Recent Gear Articles

The New RODE i16 Mic Is A Gamechanger For Audio Capture?

Since the inception of DSLRs, RODE Microphones have never been far behind when it comes to making accessories to capture better audio for our filmmaking projects. Their iXY Mic for the iPhone came out recently and was well received, but this new product is quite a step forward. The i16 Mic from RODE captures a staggering sixteen tracks simultaneously at 24-bit/96kHz.

Extending the Operating Time of Your Sony Alpha Camera Without Changing Batteries

When you hear "Sony Alpha" and "battery life" in the same sentence, it tends to be followed with a groan or sigh, because if one article has covered it, a dozen have covered it and made a big deal about how quickly the small batteries in the Alpha cameras run out. For me, 90 percent of my time with my Sony a7S II is spent doing video work, frequently during fast-paced events or sequences or racing the clock with lighting conditions. There's nothing more frustrating than being mid-shot and seeing that dreaded "Battery Exhausted" display pop up on your screen after draining your last battery after a long day of production. So, what options do you have to help extend the life of your battery?

B&H Photo Holiday Deals Are Up!

As holiday season officially approaches, some of the first season deals are coming in as well. B&H Photo Video is one of the first ones out and they have some great deals on some stalwart Canon items, as well as others. Links are in the article!

Apple Introduces Rose Gold MacBook With Feather-Light Design, Faster Chips, and Best Battery Life Yet

For those Apple consumers looking for a laptop with a Midas touch, Apple’s newest addition to the Macbook family has officially gone from pre-order to available for same day shipping. Apple has made some significant changes with their newest model, most notably being the rose gold finish. This color first debuted on the iPhone 6s Plus in September 2015, with those models selling out internationally within days. Regardless of the memory or size you wanted for your phone, Apple had a three-to-four week wait to restock this color option. I can only foresee this newest computer model selling out with the same passion.

A Quality Video Crane/Jib For Only $125

Just stumbled upon another great video by OliviaTech which showcases a pretty high quality jib. That in itself isn't very exciting until you realize that this thing only costs $125! If you know anything about the cost of jibs, you know how good of a deal this is. Head over to eBay and buy one at this incredible price... mine is due to show up in a few days.
When Fourthplace Is Best: Fuji's Game Plan

Fuji sits in an odd place in the camera industry — beloved by camera enthusiasts for their retro styling and image quality, they continue to develop desirable cameras, but have never managed to break in to the realms of the top three manufacturers. Is this perceived failing actually a part of their game plan?

2.5 Million Dollar Vlog: Go Big or Go Home With Drone and Bush Pilot Trench Palmer

This video first caught my attention when I saw the absurd number $2.5 million. I asked myself what could make a vlog so expensive and if it was so expensive to make, then how good would it be? From there, I clicked the link and landed on a video that was actually pretty awesome. So here, in this video, you will see what a few million can do to help you film.

Don’t Worry, APS-C Isn’t Going Anywhere

With the explosion of full frame cameras over the last few years, speculation has mounted as to the future of APS-C and micro four-thirds. In this quick video, photographer Dave McKeegan offers his insights in the camera industry and gives his thoughts as to why APS-C is here to stay.

Gnarbox 2.0 SSD: A Huge Upgrade

GNARBOX recently launched their latest Kickstarter campaign for the GNARBOX 2.0 SSD. This portable hard drive allows you to backup, store, and, even edit your photos and videos. Their version 1.0 which also launched on Kickstarter gained a huge amount of popularity and the campaign for version 2.0 is doing extremely well.

Is Canon's R3 Enough to Challenge the Sony a1 and Nikon Z 9?

The Sony a1 has arrived and the Nikon Z 9 was recently been announced, so it's now Canon's turn to make an announcement about its forthcoming top-end camera, the R3. Last month, I compared Canon's then top-end R5 to Sony's and Nikon's offerings, commenting on the different strategic approaches of the three companies. Now that the R3 has arrived, what does it say about Canon's approach to the burgeoning mirrorless market, and what are the portents for Sony and Nikon?

Debao SU800 Flash Commander Review

Nikon has not updated their master commander (SU800) for their CLS system for 9 years. Lucky for us, a Chinese company has made a knock off that is cheaper, has a ton more power and takes AA batteries. For Nikon users looking for a way to remotely control the power of your speed-lights or just have a decent backup, this might be the remote trigger for you. (They also make a Canon version that I did not review.)

Five Different Light Modifiers Compared With Natural Light

Controlling light is one of the most difficult challenges a photographer must master. Even if you have years of experience under your belt, it can still be difficult to decide which light modifier to use with your strobes or if you should even be using strobes at all. In this video and article, I'm going to share with you five of my favorite light modifiers and how they can produce drastically different results.

Non-Photography Gear That Every Shooter Needs

The focus often stays on cameras, lenses, and gear directly tied to capturing images. But there are plenty of non-photography essentials that can make your work smoother and more efficient. These tools might not be designed with photography in mind, but they can become indispensable in your kit.

Five Reasons to Hate the Sony a7R IV

Sony took the industry a little bit by surprise when it suddenly announced the launch of the a7R IV, especially given that the a7S III has yet to see the light of day. No doubt, the a7R IV is an amazing camera, but there are still some fundamental issues that Sony failed to address in its latest camera.

Is This the Perfect Camera for Street Photography?

Micro four thirds is enjoying a bit of resurgence right now, with its lighter and smaller size, lower cost, and array of excellent lenses making it a fantastic choice for a wide number of genres and applications. Is it the ideal system for street photography? This great video makes a case for why that might be so.

How Do You Choose the Right Lens for Landscape Photos?

Focal length is one of the most crucial choices in making a landscape photo and can drastically alter the look of the final image. How do you choose the right focal length for a given scene? This excellent video the importance of foreground elements and how to create a balanced composition through the correct choice of focal length.

Don't Disregard Sony's New Action Camera

It's easy to just toss aside the news of the new Sony action cam as "late to the game" or "too late to matter." However, I beg that you give this little guy a chance, and maybe think a little bit about what it means for the industry.

A Review of the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II Lens

A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is useful for a huge range of applications, including portraits, landscapes, astrophotography, events coverage, and more. However, such a lens can easily cost over $2,000. As such, at $799, the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II is quite an intriguing option. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Lens: Three Days of Shooting and I'm Impressed

When I moved to Sony, part of the appeal was the smaller body. However, the idea of being able to replace my big, heavy wide-angle zoom with something light and fast seemed impossible. Last month, Tamron released its 17-28mm f/2.8, and I just spent three days using it to photograph a parkour event in central London. Ahead of a thorough review, here are my first impressions.

Is the Profoto B1 Underpowered? Testing the Profoto B1, B10, and Godox AD200

Testing lighting is usually for those photographers who are a bit more on the “nerd" side of photography, but we always need to know if we have the ability to work through or overcome a lighting situation. I did a quick dive into testing two lighting brands most people either use or are familiar with, and discovered some interesting information for those looking at any of these lighting options.

[BTS Video] Tips On Combining Reflectors And Strobes

Last time, photographer Jay P Morgan gave us tips on the best way to use a reflector. This time he shows us how he combined a Hensel 1200w Porty Pack with a beauty dish attached and the photoflex 5 in 1 reflectors. Click the full post to see the behind the scenes video.
Will Canon’s Next EOS M Camera Be a 'Pro' Model With In-Body Stabilization?

Speculation is increasing that Canon has two new EOS M cameras due to appear later this year, with suggestions that one of them might be an entirely new model. Given that Canon seems to have shifted its attitude towards in-body stabilization, could one of these new cameras feature IBIS?

Uncompromising Quality: A Review of the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens

Canon has been on a roll with its RF line of lenses, pushing the boundaries of optical design, with many reviews noting their stunning optical quality as well. This great review takes a look at one of the best of the bunch, the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens.