Recent Gear Articles

Think Tank Announces New Apple-Centric Bags for Laptops and Tablets

Think Tank announced a new bag and accessory case today that focus specifically on jiving with your favorite Apple products. The "My 2nd Brain" bag comes in three sizes for iPads and the different sized laptops, while the PowerHouse is an accessory bag to keep cords and whatnot in place. It's an interesting direction for the camera bag maker, to say the least.

Nikon Z50 II Review: Perfect for Travel and Everyday Shooting

The Nikon Z50 II is a compact APS-C mirrorless camera designed for versatility. Whether you’re starting your photography journey or looking for a lightweight second body, this camera packs the features needed to adapt to a variety of shooting styles.

FREE Frequency Separation Action From Elena Jasic

Yesterday I posted a tutorial on frequency separation from Elena Jasic. In case you missed it you should go check it out! Well today she hit me up to tell me she had quite a few questions still regarding the preparation of the layers for frequency separation, so she made a handy little action, and asked me to pass it on to all of you. Who doesn't like free right?!

Five Useful Tricks for Sony a7 Photographers

The Sony a7 series has won a lot of acclaim from photographers, but like any camera system, it's not perfect. This great video will give you five tricks and tips for getting more out of your a7 series camera.

How Good Is the Affordable the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR Lens?

One of the calling cards of the Fujifilm X Series is professional features and image quality in significantly smaller packages, and the XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR continues that by giving photographers a useful wide angle focal length that fits in the palm of the hand. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

How to Build a Charging Station for Photographers and Videographers

The arsenal of equipment modern-day photographers and videographers have is large, with gadgets left and right. This does create some difficulties, however, and one irritant is the need to charge everything pre-shoot. Here is how to build a DIY charging station.

Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 Review: The Best Kit Lens Ever?

The Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR is the company’s latest standard zoom lens, replacing the aging XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS. With updates in optical performance, autofocus, and weather resistance, it’s positioned as the new kit lens for select Fujifilm cameras. The removal of optical image stabilization and a shorter telephoto reach, however, raise some important considerations.

11 Things Every Photo Studio Needs

We spend a lot of time talking about camera gear and lenses, but of course, a photo studio needs more equipment than that — a lot more, in fact. If you are outfitting a new studio space or looking to add a bit to yours, check out this great video that discusses 11 things every photo studio should have.

Setting Up a Motion Day-to-Night Traffic Photo Time-Lapse

Photographer Mark Thorpe has made a major course change with his move to Japan, replacing wide open spaces, wildlife, and amazing scenes for the bright lights and sometimes claustrophobic life of mega cities. He's replaced his award-winning images of mass migrations and underwater beauty with his new challenge to document vibrant cityscapes through time-lapse photography and shares his knowledge with other photographers in this new video tutorial.

The Great Debate: Why Gear Doesn't Make You a Better Photographer

In the modern world of photography, it's easy to be lured into the belief that owning the latest and most expensive gear will automatically elevate your skills as a photographer. However, the truth is far from this misconception. While high-quality equipment can undoubtedly enhance certain aspects of your photography, it is essential to understand that gear alone does not make you a better photographer. In this article, let's delve into the reasons why true photographic prowess lies in the photographer's skill, creativity, and vision rather than the equipment they possess.

Affordable Lighting for your Home Studio: We Review the SmallRig RC120B

Constant lighting has dropped dramatically in price, with companies like SmallRig making excellent products — along with accessories — that are refreshingly accessible. How good is the SmallRig RC120B, a bicolor packing a decent amount of power and coming in at just $259?

Leica Announces the Leica X Vario Digital Camera

Leica has always been known as the Mercedes-Benz of cameras. With their unparalleled quality of build, and beautiful designs, they've been able make and sell cameras at the premium price tags exceeding $7000. With their latest creation, the X Vario, Leica looks to bridge the gap with Leica's quality, zoom lenses, and a sub-$3K price tag.

dji-matrice-600-drone-ronin-mx-gimbal

If you're like me and you've already purchased a Ronin-M gimbal, hearing news of its replacement is terrible news. Luckily, the new Ronin-MX brings new features to the table, and it's a whole new beast.

When Does Gear Matter in Photography?

We often hear the refrain that gear does not matter and a talented photographer should be able to create good images no matter what they are using. And while the advice is well intentioned, it is incomplete at best, and it is important to consider the situations in which gear actually does matter and how carefully thinking about your needs and budget can lead to better images. This excellent video examines that exact issue.

Today The iPad Takes a Professional Step Forward and Adds Multitasking

The iPad may work as a laptop replacement for casual web and email surfers, but for us photographers, it's not really a professional tool. Many photographers still own an iPad as a digital portfolio or for casual use, but its simplified operating system makes using it professionally very difficult. Apple is taking a big step forward with the iOS 9 update which finally allows multitasking and it's available right now.

Nikon Coolpix A and D7100 Discounted Before Pre-Orders Hit Shelves

Even before the cameras ship, Best Buy looks like they're discounting the D7100 DSLR and Coolpix A models, the latter of which has been the center of recent criticism for its high price in addition to that of compatible accessories. Save $200 on the Coolpix A and $100 on the D7100, officially beginning Thursday.

Which Apple Computer Is Right for You?

The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. The M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max. There is certainly no shortage of options when it comes to Apple computers. If you are looking at the vast array of models and wondering which one is right for your work, check out this great video that will give you an overview of the lineup and help you pick the computer for you.

Photography and Video Backup with the QNAP TR-004

As creatives, finding a cost and time-efficient way to keep our files safe is possibly one of our more mundane but necessary tasks. For years, I have been purchasing hard drives and running my backups manually for the most part with Backblaze being used for off-site backups. As my archive grew, however, this became cumbersome. After much searching, I settled on the QNAP TR-004 as my new solution and I’d like to share my experience with you today.

Wacom Says MacOS 10.13 High Sierra Support Coming by Late October

Despite nearly four months passing after Apple released the MacOS 10.13 High Sierra developer beta on June 5, Wacom apparently needs more time to sort out their tablet drivers for the new operating system. High Sierra was released today to the public, however Wacom is advising not to upgrade just yet to keep your tablets working.