Recent Gear Articles

Can You Really Edit A Wedding On An iPad?

Shot entirely on a Nikon D7000, wedding photographer Dieter Chaney did something I never thought was possible. Having free time during the dinner break, he was able to edit his favorite images using the Snapseed App (from Nik Software) right on his ipad. He later displayed them in a slideshow for all of the wedding guests to see. How's that for instant gratification?

What Is Color Depth and Why Does It Matter?

Color depth (also known as bit depth) is one of the properties of photos and video that is discussed less often than marquee features like resolution, but it has a deep impact on the quality and appearance of your work. If you are new to photo and video work, check out this great video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know about color depth.

[Video] What You Didn't Know About The Nikon D4

Called the BEST movie camera to date, the Nikon D4 features full HD 1080p (and 720 at 60fps). Not only is there a microphone in with 20 different adjustment levels, but for the first time you're able to hear the audio that you're recording. They've also included for the first time an HDMI feed out. Watch the video with James Banfield for a demonstration on the secret features of the new Nikon D4.
[Gear] A Camera that Creates 3D Models of Rooms in Minutes

Creating 3D images of interiors, with furniture, colors and textures is a time consuming process to say the least. But now Matterport, a device prototyped from an Xbox Kinect, uses twin lenses on a hand held unit to render a three dimensional space. This tech obviously has a way to go but the preliminary results are impressive none the less.

Tips on Traveling with Film: Don't Be Naive, X-Ray Scanning Kills Film

Airport authorities officially say that film at or above ISO 800 may be damaged by X-ray scanning. But they really should tell you that ISO 800 film will be damaged and that less sensitive film still could be affected. I found this out the hard way. Here's how I learned an important lesson along with a few other tips for avoiding issues while traveling with film.

[BTSV] A Wedding Deconstructed

You may remember R.J. Kern and Amanda Tipton from a shoot we featured on here before - well they're at it again and this one is pretty awesome too. Using the PhaseOne 645Df camera and the Capture Pilot w/Camera Control photo app they got some really cool images. They had the models lay flat on a white seamless background while they shot a typical wedding day in a 2D approach. To see more images click here.

A Review of the Impressive New Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. Lens

The new Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. lens offers users the promise of tremendous focal length range suitable for a huge range of applications, making it an appealing option for many users. This excellent video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Are You Buying Camera Gear For the Wrong Reasons?

Camera manufacturers excel at tempting us to buy their latest gear, teasing us with headline features like faster autofocus. These are the features that generate a buzz about new gear and get names on pre-order lists, but this video suggests they could also encourage us to buy cameras for the wrong reasons.

5 Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for Photographers

Christmas is almost upon us and many people are still struggling to find a thoughtful and useful gift for friends and family. If they're an avid photographer, that might seem like a path to a successful present, but it's a minefield. Here are five last-minute ideas.

How Good Is the Nikon Z 5 as a Camera for Wedding Photography?

In July, Nikon announced the Z 5, an entry-level, compact, mirrorless full frame camera. It doesn’t ditch too many of the high-end specs of its more expensive siblings, but how does it perform as a tool for shooting weddings?

Why IS Lock on the Panasonic GH5 Is so Important

If you don’t quite understand what’s going on under the hood of your Panasonic GH5, then you may miss out on the best situational uses of the built-in image stabilization.

A Review of the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Lens

A sharp, wide aperture portrait lens is one of the workhorse optics for a large number of photographers, and while 85mm is often thought of as the classic focal length for such work, some prefer something a bit longer, like a 135mm lens. This great video takes a look at just such a lens, the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM.

Kodak's New Helpful Film App!

Today, Kodak released a new mobile application that helps film shooters pick a film for various occasions, giving hints on how to shoot it and where to get it developed locally. I love film and absolutely love that Kodak is taking a step like this. I think it'll help professional shooters while also making it easier to bring new photographers into the world of film. Check it out on iTunes!

Profoto Announces the Profoto B10 Plus: Is the B1X Finished?

Profoto has just launched the B10 Plus, a 500w/s on-location strobe that outmatches the recently released B10 while retaining most of the previous strobe’s design cues. With a well developed back panel display, a svelte body design, and a more powerful light output, is there any room for the B1X in Profoto’s lineup?

A Nostalgic Look at the Canon EOS D60

The Canon EOS D60, released in 2002, represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of consumer cameras, combining affordability with advanced features for its time.

Polaroid Pop Brings the 3x4 Instant Film Format Into the Digital Age

Despite the company's unfortunate demise with the advent of a number of technologies that were simply cheaper and better, there's something to a Polaroid photograph that you can't get anywhere else: that tactile, one-copy, 3x4-inch film image seconds after taking the picture. Of course, companies such as Fujifilm with Instax or even Polaroid with some recent releases have seen a comeback with instant-print cameras or mini mobile printers, but now Zink's zero-ink prints come out of a compact digital camera in the iconic 3x4-inch format for the first time with the Polaroid Pop.

A Review of the Impressive New Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens

The new Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art offers users a unique optical instrument with the promise of top-level image quality. What kind of performance can you expect from the lens in real-world usage? This fantastic video review takes a look.

Nikon D800 Video Bitrate Comparisons with NikonHacker Firmware

To date, Nikon users haven't enjoyed the benefits of Magic Lantern hacks appreciated by many Canon shooters. However, this is slowly changing as NikonHacker has added firmware hacks for a variety of Nikon DSLRs. Using recent NikonHacker updates, Lars Steenhoff has shared his own 54Mbps sample, albeit without comparisons for the moment. NikonHacker user, LPowell, however, has shared a series bitrate comparison videos with the Nikon D800.

[App] Get Slow Motion 60fps On Your iPhone 4S

While some apps might say that they can record slow motion, chances are they are using software to blend frames together and interpolated pixels are created to simulate slow motion. This technique often appears stuttery and quite as smooth as a real high-speed frame rate. A new iPhone app called SloPro claims to actually record 60 frames per second on the iPhone 4. The results looks solid, but check it out for yourself. The app is free but will cost you $2 to ditch the watermark.

Easily Upgrade The Audio From Your DJI Osmo Gimbal

The DJI Osmo gimbal has been getting some pretty favorable reviews. It hits the sweet spot for a portable "run and gun" style gimbal when you consider many of its features and price point. That is not to say it has no downsides, and the audio quality just so happens to be one of them. Here is an easy way to add some good audio to your Osmo while still maintaining its portability.

Our Hands-On Preview of Profoto's Connect Pro Flash Trigger

If you are a Profoto user who has always dreamed of the day you could see the actual power settings of your strobes directly on the remote, today, your dream has come true. I was one of the first photographers to test the new Connect Pro in my own studio, and I have to say, this is a very welcome upgrade for any Profoto user.