Recent Gear Articles

GoPro Breaks into Virtual Reality with Acquisition of Kolor

GoPro today announced it has plans to acquire the virtual reality software company Kolor. The France based company develops tools for spherical 360-degree videos and panoramas. With the rise in VR technology hardware like the Oculus Rift, purchased by Facebook in 2014 for $2 Billion, it's easy to see what GoPro has planned for their acquisition.

Fstoppers Review: Lensbaby's Velvet 28, Your New Favorite Creative Tool

Since 2004, Lensbaby has been an industry innovator, designing outside-the-box creative lenses and accessories. While other manufacturers chase the expensive, high-tech, spec-fixated market, Lensbaby pursues something entirely different: helping artists find a new creative approach through unique effects delivered by fully analog products.

The Panasonic Lumix G85: The Best Budget Video Camera?

I’ve been a longtime Panasonic Lumix shooter, and while even though it may seem like Micro Four Thirds may be a standard that’s in its twilight, there are still a lot of good deals to be had for filmmakers on a budget: Witness the Panasonic Lumix G85.

Video Preview of Samsung's New NX300 & 2D/3D Lens

Samsung announced their new NX300 and 2D/3D lens last week in anticipation of CES 2013, so we had them take us through a quick rundown of the new NX300 mirrorless camera as well as their new 2D/3D lens, a first of it's kind.

Does Your On-Site Workflow Have Sufficient Data Backups?

At this point, I don't think anyone is not aware that they need to have multiple backups of their data, but at what point in your workflow does your backup process start? Depending on the type of work you shoot you may need more backup options and you might need to start your backups on location.

Nikon Announces a 32mm f/1.2 Lens for Mirrorless Camera System

Fans of the Nikon 1 series mirrorless cameras will wake up to a nice little bit of news today with the announcement of the 32mm f/1.2 lens. The lens itself equates to about an ~86mm field of view, finally giving the 1 series a great portrait lens to use. It also features silent wave motor technology, making it the fastest autofocus lens Nikon has ever made.

A Look at the New iPhone 15 for Photography

The new iPhone 15 is here, and it brings with it some major camera upgrades that should be quite exciting for photographers and filmmakers alike. How do all these improvements and new features perform in practice? This fantastic video takes a look at how the phone performs for photography work.

A Look at the Astrophotography-Oriented Canon EOS Ra

The Canon EOS Ra is a specialized camera, but one that is quite intriguing for anyone interested in astrophotography. This great video takes a first look at it to see if it is right for you.

Today Only: Refurbished Nikon D7000 For $580

The D7000 is an amazing camera. I shot weddings with it exclusively for 2 years and during that time we also filmed every Fstoppers video with them as well. Today only Adorama is selling refurbished versions of them on eBay for just $580! If you need a mid level DSLR, don't let this deal pass you by.

Fstoppers Reviews the Tether Tools Case Relay System

From time-lapse photography to video, many photographers need more battery power than their camera system can adequately hold on board. Whether it’s due to weight of the system creating three-axis time-lapse, the size of the camera with a grip, or the need for uninterrupted shooting, there is an answer for those looking to create images and video: the Case Relay from Tether Tools.

Do You Have a Backup Plan?

We all know things can go wrong and sometimes they might be due to circumstances out of our control or due to a simple mistake. I'm certain we also know how important it is to be prepared for those unfortunate but inevitable situations. Clients, however, may not be as understanding and this is why it's important to have measures in place to ensure continuity.

Canon Patents More Interesting Lenses

Canon has produced some mightily innovative and unusual RF mount lenses in the last few years, and it seems they have no intention of stopping. New patents show the company is dreaming up more lenses with extreme designs.

GoPro Introduces a New Way to Shoot Videos With Its Mobile OverCapture App

A few months ago, GoPro announced a new camera named the Fusion that would allow users to capture 360-degree videos. now, the company introduce Mobile OverCapture for the Fusion bringing a new way to shoot video to the world. Combined the two products will let you live the moment, capture the whole scene in 360 degrees, and then compose your video in postproduction.

Shooting Weddings With the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens

Shooting weddings is stressful, mostly because you only have one opportunity to really make your clients happy. That being the case, you need to use gear that you can rely on to get you exactly what you and the client envision. Does the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM lens fit into that category?

A Review of the Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 ZE Lens

Zeiss lenses are well known for their contrasty, sharp, and nearly flawless renderings with smooth bokeh, making them highly sought-after portrait instruments. This great video review takes a look at one of the company's more reasonably priced options, the Milvus 85mm f/1.4 ZE and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Pentax 17 Review: Fun and Quirky Film Photography

The Pentax 17 is here, bringing a fresh take on film photography. This half-frame camera uses 35mm film but gives you 72 exposures per roll, giving you more shots and a unique portrait orientation when looking through the viewfinder. For film enthusiasts, this camera could offer a fun and cost-effective way to enjoy shooting.

Profoto Shows Off New Medium and Small Sized Deep Umbrellas

Profoto extends their existing 12 model12-model umbrella lineup with six new 6 variations. The new models are available as a deep parabolic in translucent, white, and silver. The S model is 33” while the M model is a bit bulkier at 44”, which is still significantly smaller than the 51” L model. The umbrellas will also be available with a variety of diffusion socks as accessories, which effectively turning them into something like an octabox.

Your Camera's Auto Mode Is Not Evil

A lot of photographers think that using automatic modes on a camera is a sign of a lack of technique or ability, but it is not such a black and white issue. Here is why you should consider using automatic modes in certain situations.

Chase Jarvis Shoots Nikon D7000 Ad

Nikon just announced a bunch of new gear and one of the new cameras is the new D7000. While I'm personally a little disappointed in it's lack of 720 60fps the camera does finally put 1080 video into a moderate Nikon body. All my wishful thinking aside, Chase Jarvis was approached by Nikon to shoot a short video showcasing the new video feature. Here is a little short behind the scenes promo video of Chase playing with the new camera and putting it through the ringer. Let's hope we get our 60fps on the D300s/D700 replacement so we can stop having to borrow Canon gear to shoot our videos :) Click the full post to see Chase's short film Benevolent Mischief and get on the Pre Order List first at Amazon.com or here at BHvideo.com <
Memoto Lifelogging Camera

"Swedish startup Memoto today announced the availability of its self-titled flagship product, a tiny camera you clip to your shirt that captures a 5MP picture every thirty seconds. Unlike GoPro, which has a tight hold on the mobile video recording market, Memoto seeks to bring effortless capture of life's less extreme moments to consumers."

Crazy Cheap "FD" Lenses For Your Canon DSLR

When Canon first started producing lenses they used the FD mount. In 1987 they switched to the current EF lens mount. This change made the FD lenses plummet in price but not in value. Check out Caleb Pike from DSLRVideoShooter.com shooting incredible video with his 5DM2 and 7D with these $20 Lenses. How do you do it? It's easy, you simply need this adapter that happens to be 63% off for just $30.

DSLR Episode #11: Using FD Lenses With HDSLRs from Caleb Pike on Vimeo.

A Detailed Review of the Sony a7S III

The Sony a7S III finally made its way to the market this year, and it has been receiving generally good reviews. If you have been considering purchasing the camera for yourself, this excellent video review takes a detailed look at the camera and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

Samyang 10mm f/2.8 Prototype Introduced For APS-C

Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is a prototype of the ultra wide-angle prime lens designed for use with cameras fitted with APS-C/DX sensors. Its extremely short focus length and rectilinear imaging system ensure extra wide angle of view amounting to 110 degrees (~107 degree for Canon version). As a result the lens is a comprehensive tool for architecture and landscape shooting. New Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is similar to the 35mm system lens with 15mm or 16mm focal length in the case of Canon APS-C cameras.