Recent Opinion Articles

If Fuji's Instax Is the Cash Cow, Should It Produce Digital Cameras?

Fuji's Instax line of products — the legacy of its film heyday — is successful. They've sold more than 50 million cameras, with 10 million alone in the 2019 business year. However, more than that, it's the financial powerhouse for its Imaging division, turning over twice as much money as its digital counterpart. It's strange to think that film is where the money is, but for Fuji, that is the case. So, why is it making digital cameras?

Stop Buying Cheap Photography Equipment, Buy Value

We’ve all heard the saying "buy cheap, buy twice," but does this mean that we should only buy the more expensive equipment? I'm sure we've all purchased some equipment at some time and ended up wishing we had paid a little more for a better piece of equipment. To me, the word 'cheap' should never be used to describe photography equipment.

Fstoppers Answers - What is Your Favorite Light Modifier?

In our newest series, we're inviting you the viewer to ask a weekly question for the writers of Fstoppers. Last week, we touched base on what we each individually believe commercial photography to be. Coming from different fields of photography, we all shared similar thoughts on the subject, but with different arguments and approaches.

For the second installment, we're asking each of our staff 'What is The One Light Modifier You Couldn't Live Without?'.

Is APS-C/Full Frame the Best Sensor Strategy for Camera Manufacturers?

Manufacturing a product range focused upon APS-C and full frame (FF) ILCs is one of those strategic decisions that seems set in stone. If Canon and Nikon think it's a good differentiator for consumers, then it must be an industry standard that is broadly followed by everyone. However, the camera market is more nuanced than this and has some surprising origins. So, what is the best strategy?

Why Doesn't Sony Sell a Pro Mirrorless Body?

If there's one thing that's certain with Nikon and Canon's product lines, it's the availability of a professional specification camera body. With their pivot to mirrorless, it's understandable that they haven't released a MILC version yet. So why doesn't Sony have a pro-spec body?

Why You Should Email Photos To Your Baby

Have you ever thought what will happen in 10 or 20 years to all those digital images you take every day? Have you ever thought what photos the younger generation of your family will have access to when they grow up? We all pretty much stopped printing photos and making real photo albums because we just don't need to do it anymore (and because we are lazy). So what can be done to make those photos available and easily accessible to next generations? Here is my solution.

Photographers: Stop Trying So Hard

I’m not going to lie, sometimes I feel like photographers try too hard. Don’t get me wrong, we all need to try to improve ourselves, and that I completely agree with. It’s a new year, and with that comes new challenges and new opportunities for us to better ourselves as creatives. Challenges aren’t supposed to be easy, and are certainly supposed to push you to step outside your comfy little box.

The WD My Passport Pro Thunderbolt HDD is Beastly in Weight & Performance

WD, of the Western Digital Company, released what I thought to be an outstanding addition to their line: a thunderbolt-powered dual hard drive that promised speeds of up to 233 MB/s. No additional cables, small, user-selectable RAID and fast? The My Passport Pro looked like it could easily be the road-version of my Lacie d2. But it's more than that. It replaced my Lacie.

How Much Does Dynamic Range Matter?

Dynamic range is sort of like the new megapixels in 2019: it is the camera spec that a lot of photographers use as a benchmark to compare different bodies. But how much does it really matter when it comes down to it? This great video examines the concept and if it is something you should obsess about.

How to Buy Photography and Video Gear on a Budget

Buying the right gear for you is not only a question of money. Sometimes the wisest decisions are made within a tight budget, while the stupidest choices may be made when finances are abundant. In this article I'd like to share with you my process of buying new gear for my photography and video projects.

Lowepro Finally Builds Hard Cases... Would They Make Me Give Up My Pelicans?

Though they are excellent for photographers, Pelican seemed to fall into the industry rather than build specifically for it. But with options between the ubiquitous Velcro inserts and foam, there hasn't been a lot to complain about in the design and function. They do exactly what they claim to, extremely well. However after using Lowepro's first attempt at hard cases, I can now see room for improvement. I think the perfect hard case is somewhere in between the two brands' offerings, but Lowepro is closer to the mark.

Thinking Of Crowdfunding Your Next Video Project? Learn From My Failed Attempt

I recently wrapped up a kickstarter project that was trying to raise $10,000 for the production of a documentary film. During its 30-day run, and weeks of planning that went into it beforehand, I got my own crash course in fundraising and marketing. I’ll share what I learned in this article.

Trade Secrets: How Much Knowledge Are Photographers Obligated to Share?

Trade secrets exist in every industry known to man. In most industries, trade secrets are common, expected, and understood. No one gets all bent out of shape about Coca-Cola keeping their formula a mystery. No one stops using Google because they don't share their search algorithm. Without these secrets, a vast number of companies wouldn't even exist. The whole primus of having a trade secret is having the ability to do or create something no one else can recreate. With that being said, are we as photographers allowed to have trade secrets or are we obligated to share our knowledge with everyone?

Fake Supermoon

OK, I’ll say it: the majority of the supermoon photographs on social media are not very good. When I began working on this article, I was truly looking forward to writing about the “10 Best Supermoon Photographs on Social Media.” But at the intersection of Instagram and Twitter, I took a wrong turn and just kept going... straight into the full-on dumpster fire that is the world of supermoon photographs on the Internet.

Why a Drone Is My Favorite Purchase That I Did Not Need

Drones are appealing to a wide gamut of people, from creatives to tech-heads, to aviation enthusiasts. For me, it was perhaps a blend of all three, but something I couldn't easily justify. Nevertheless, I bought one anyway, and it turned out to be the best poor decision I've ever made.

The World's Smallest 1-Inch Sensor Camera by DxO Is Now Available, and It's Pretty Incredible

DxO (yes, the company best known for creating a rating system for cameras) has just released what seems to be the world's most powerful compact camera. Available today you can now pick up this incredible device that includes a 20.2-megapixel 1-inch CMOS sensor, 32mm fixed lens, and an outstanding f/1.8 aperture for perfect low light conditions. I have to admit, in my first week testing out the camera this might be one of the best compact cameras I have ever used and here are my first impressions.

From Zero to Niche in One Hour

Building a respectable name for yourself as a photographer can oftentimes feel impossible, especially in a market saturated with other photographers. In an industry with so much competition, you need to differentiate yourself and your work from the rest your competitors if you really want to stand apart from everyone else. That sounds extremely overwhelming, but there is a very practical and efficient way to carve out your own niche in this market.

These 'Game of Thrones' Photos From Time Magazine Are Colorful to Say the Least

Allow me to put on my curmudgeon hat for a moment, but do you ever feel like photographers shooting for big publications will sometimes go for wild off-the-wall creative concepts that seem to just fall flat? That's how I feel about these portraits of "Game of Thrones" actors for Time magazine from British Photographer Miles Aldridge.

My Three Wishes for Nikon

It’s the time of year again for my 100% non-scientific, not-based-on-actual fact, purely speculative wonderings about the future of my main camera brand.

What Can We Expect After Canon's Data Breach?

The most depressing year in recent history has set its sights on Canon. As with most 2020-related problems, it's never just one thing. The biggest problem that Canon is facing is the potential loss in trust.

Your Emails Might Be Losing You Jobs

One of the biggest frustrations any new professional photographer has is obtaining clients. I’m going to assume that at this point you have sufficiently nailed down your technique, you’ve built up a decent portfolio, and you have a website that is easy to navigate and shows off your work. So why are you not getting replies from your prospective clients? Well the answer may have NOTHING to do with your photography.

5 Reasons to Buy the Original Leica M Monochrom is 2022

Leica has a rich history in photography and while their cameras are polarizing based purely on price, their pedigree isn't up for dispute. In this video, Mattias Burling discusses why the original Leica M Monochrom is a great purchase in 2022.

Pye Jirsa Explains Why These Are the Two Lenses You Should Own First

When we think of "need to own" lenses, sometimes we ignore the utility for the aesthetics. Other times, when looking at new equipment it really comes down to the usability of a lens and whether it should be taking up space in your bag. If you’re trying to make those decisions now, Pye Jirsa may be able to help.

Documentary Film Explains Why Apple Killed FCP7 - But Will It Be Anything More Than a Promo for Final Cut X?

There’s an interesting documentary in the works if you’re a video editor. With an obvious pun for the title, "Off the Tracks" interviews professional editors, trainers, and application developers to dig into why Apple made such a shift, when their existing app suite was already successful. I’ll provide some background, but also some editorial commentary below, as I feel like this documentary has potential to either be very interesting or completely pointless.

Are Sneak Peeks Hurting Your Photography Business?

The sneak peek has been an indispensable part of my photography business, providing clients with a few quick photos right after a shoot to "whet their appetite," so to speak. But is it a bad idea overall?

Perfectly Iceland, Part 1: The Photographer’s Zoo

When you’re planning a trip to visit Iceland’s majestic countryside, chances are that you are probably following the ring road in one direction or another. And with good reason. Almost all the major sights are dotted around this single road. Or are they? Should we even be chasing these well-known compositions to get a copy of our own on the wall?