Recent Gear Articles

Carl Zeiss Announced a New 50mm f/2.8 for E-Mount & X-Mount

Fan of the E-Mount or already an owner of the pretty sweet Fuji X-mount systems? Then you might like this: Zeiss just announced a 50mm f/2.8 macro lens for both mounts that sports the styling of the Zeiss lenses we've come to love over the years. It will be available at the end of March for $999.

Samsung Jumps Out into the SD / microSD Card Space with Color-Coded Line

For quite some time now Samsung has seemed content to sell their SD card tech unbranded and basically unknown to the public. You might be unaware you're using a Samsung SD or Micro SD right now, either locked away in your phone or branded under a different name. But starting today, Samsung has decided to change that, offering three new levels from consumer to pro, with the pro 64 GB card showing impressive specs for a first-time seller.

The Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH.: A High-Quality Lens with Some Drawbacks

The Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH lens has been highly anticipated by users who want quality optics without the bulk of larger telephoto options. For sports and wildlife shooting, it’s essential to have a lens that not only delivers sharp images but also handles well during fast-paced action. But does this lens really meet those needs?

Amazon Wants To Deliver Your Next Package Using Drones

Tonight Amazon unveiled that they are working on a new system called Amazon Prime Air. The delivery system will use drones that will be guided by GPS. The goal is to have delivery to the customer in 30 minutes or less. I wonder if they can deliver a pizza as well?

A Comparison of the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lenses

Sony's G Master lenses are the best the company has to offer, but Sigma's Art series often offers comparable performance at more affordable prices. If you are looking for a top-notch portrait lens and wondering which is right for you, check out this helpful video comparison between the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lenses.

Lee Filters Announces the Lee100 Tandem Adaptor

Lee filters announced a new addition to their Lee 100 filter holder system today. The new development is quite a unique idea that many landscape photographers may have wished possible for a long time. The Lee 100 tandem adaptor basically makes way for a second filter holder to be mounted on top of the first.

Light and Portable: A Review of the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens

There has been a trend toward bigger and bigger lenses, sacrificing weight savings and portability for ultimate image quality and mind-blowing apertures. And while few will argue against improved image quality, sometimes, you just do not want to lug around a huge chunk of glass. This great video review takes a look at a lens that embraces portability: the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary.

Is the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 Worth Buying?

If you use wide angle lenses, Sony's newest release in their full frame, mirrorless range for E-mount might be interesting to you. It certainly has its perks, but it's not without drawbacks.

PolarPro Launches Professional QuartzLine Filters

Well known in the drone world for its accessories, PolarPro announced a new series of filters called QuartzLine for photography and video applications. Here is a quick preview and unboxing of these filters.

New Panoramic 35mm Camera from Jeff Bridges and SilvergrainClassics in the Works

I'm a sucker for panoramic cameras. Over the last decade, I've shot on my share, having spent more than I should have on a collection of various bodies. They've followed me to space shuttle launches, riots, out the back of aircraft, and to the White House. But as the world shifted to digital, the number of functional panoramic film cameras out there in the wild has dwindled, driving the prices through the roof.

edelkrone Releases New Motorized Portable Camera Jib

Continuous static shots in videos can get stale pretty fast. Adding clean, smooth motion pans into your video work has gotten even easier with the latest camera jib release from edelkrone.

A Look at the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens

The 70-200mm f/2.8 is a staple lens for many photographers across a wide range of genres, but such lenses are rarely cheap to come by. If you are looking for a more affordable alternative, check out this great review of the new and highly anticipated Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens.

New Samyang AF 14/2.8 FE Lens for Sony Mirrorless Will Cost €699

In September, Samyang will ship a new full-frame 14mm f/2.8 autofocus lens for Sony E-mount. The lens will have Ultra Multi Coating, be compatible with contrast and phase detect autofocusing, and be shorter in length than the non-AF version. With the popularity and image quality of their 14mm f/2.8 manual focus lens, this is a welcomed addition to their lineup.

A Review of the Portable Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens

Sigma's Contemporary line of lenses offers a nice balance of portability, affordability, and image quality, with one of the most intriguing options being the 50mm f/2 DG DN, which offers a popular focal length in tandem with a fairly wide maximum aperture. Can it back that up with good performance and image quality? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.

A Review of the Fujifilm GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR Lens

Fujifilm's GFX line of medium format mirrorless cameras helped to rewrite the paradigm of the format with a combination of aggressive prices and modern features traditionally reserved for smaller sensor sizes. The GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR offers GFX users an enticing wide angle focal length range suitable for genres like landscape photography, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

[Video] Peter Jackson Explains How He Films The Hobbit In 3D

I'm not sure I believe that 3D is the way of the future but the current technology behind it does fascinate me. Check out the video below in which Peter Jackson takes us behind the scenes of his much anticipated film The Hobbit. In this video Peter and his team explain how they use 2 Red Epics to produce the most realistic type of 3D footage available today. How many of you guys actually own a 3D TV? Maybe we all will one day but at this point, I don't know a single person with one.
RØDE Announces New Lightning-Connected iXY Microphone

RØDE Microphones, makers of my favorite shotgun mics on the market, today announced the iXY with Lightning connector for iPhone 5, 5s and 5c, an update to their stereo mic series, that allows high-quality recording at sample rates up to 24-bit/96kHz.

How To Shoot a B-Roll Sequence From Start To Finish

There are a lot of keys that unlock great-looking video productions, and one, in particular, is your b-roll. Not only can it improve your story-telling and flow, but it can keep the viewer engaged and watching — something more important than ever in today's world of distractions. Here is how you can shoot a great b-roll sequence from start to finish.

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 R LM PZ WR Lens

Fujifilm's X Series of cameras and lenses have become increasingly versatile and feature-laden in the past year, with one of their most capable lenses being the XF 18-120mm f/4 R LM PZ WR, which covers the most popular focal lengths and includes a power zoom mechanisms for filmmaking applications. How does it hold up in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the lens.

Will the RF 500mm f/4L IS Telephoto Be the First "Big White” Lens For Canon Mirrorless? [Rumor]

The rumor mill is always turning and the future of RF and Canon’s full-frame mirrorless offerings is where many photographers are keeping their accumulated attention. For those who shoot the “big white” lenses, this just might be the turning point for those whose talents extend to wildlife and sports photography with lenses that many times average more than $10,000 to purchase.

'Grip Tips' Videos Are a Great, Free Resource for Learning Tools to Light a Film Set

If you're a fan of the informational videos put out by folks like The Slanted Lens, Film Riot, and theC47, then you'll also want to check this one out. Grip Tips focuses on tools of the trade for grips and electricians working on a film set, but the equipment that's explained could also be found in a photography studio as well.

Looking for a Better Video Tripod? You May Want to Watch This

If you are into videography and you feel the tripod is not a tool to just hold your camera in place, you are not alone. Getting a tripod that is sturdy enough, smooth enough, and easy to work with enough is a worthwhile investment.