Photography Gear

Mainland China-based Godox Photo Equipment (also sold under FlashPoint in the United States) announced the latest in their series of challengers to the dominant flash makers, the Wistro Pocket Flash AD200. As with the other units in the series, the AD360 and AD600, the AD200 offers stable color temperature across all power levels and fast recycle times. It packs 200 Ws of power, which makes it significantly more powerful than any unit in its size or price range. Perhaps the most interesting feature, however, is the dual flash heads (more on that after the jump).

The video world is changing. If you thought you'd never be able to have a cinema lens because you couldn't afford it, think again, because Fujifilm just released their Fujinon MK 18-55mm T2.9 zoom glass. It will surprise you with its features and price tag.

This week I was invited to the head office of Rotolight in Pinewood Studios, London to check out one of their flagship products, the Rotolight Neo. This is an LED light that can mount to your camera or can be used off camera using boompoles or light stands. This constant light source that can run off six AA batteries claims to be industry leading in areas such as brightness and color accuracy. But at $399.99, is it a worthy investment?

Earlier this week Sony announced that they will be debuting the world's fastest SD cards with amazing read and write speeds of 300 MB/s and 299 MB/s, respectively. Not only do the new SF-G series cards claim to be the fastest currently on the market, they are also backed by Sony’s File Rescue software which is a simple data recovery software that you can use free of charge.

Photography has come a long way since my 35mm high school days. We've seen it go from film, to prohibitively expensive, low-resolution digital, to stunning high-res cameras in every phone. But the method of viewing digital images has been limited to print and computer screens. Since my very first Canon 5D I've been on the hunt for a digital picture frame that could display images with the same brilliance as print.

One of my goals for this year is to start working on videos again. A few of the projects I have in mind require a microphone to help capture better audio, since we know the built-in mics are not really that great. Jay P. Morgan's latest video from The Slanted Lens hits the web and couldn’t come at a better time for me.

Following Sigma's announcement this morning of four new lenses, Zeiss slashed prices by up to nearly $1,000 on three of their popular full-frame lenses — all without even knowing the price Sigma will charge for its new lenses.

Prism photography isn’t exactly a new thing. In fact, many photographers have been taking advantage of the unique, light bending properties of glass and clear resins to add an artistic flare to their images for some time now. The issue previously had been finding a prism that would work for you and fit neatly into your kit. Fractal Filters has recently released their latest set of prisms designed specifically for photographers that meet the need for convenient photo-prisms.

Developing your own film might be the cheaper (and more amusing) way to go, but with all the preparation and lab space required, that simply hasn't always the best option. Ars-Imago's Lab-Box hopes to solve these problems in a small, light-proof container that enables you to develop your own film at home or even while traveling – yes, it's that easy and compact. The best part: it's not all that expensive, either.

Today is the day that Sigma fills out its Art-series lens lineup to offer what could easily be considered everything you'd really need since its most recent release of the 85mm f/1.4 Art. Four new full-frame lenses cover the gamut from an ultra-wide, ultra-fast 14mm f/1.8 Art, a similarly fast 135mm f/1.8 Art portrait lens, to the wedding photographer's favorite 24-70mm f/2.8 Art and sports shooter's 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary "compact" super-zoom. If you've been waiting for that next Sigma lens, odds are it's one of these.

How did technology make "Planet Earth" so much more cinematic? If we go back to how it was done back in the day and compare it to the technology we have today, it's quite a leap. Back in the day 35mm was the broadcast standard. The 35mm cameras were bulky and heavy, they were perfect for studio and not for the shots that they needed. In the filming circles and the BBC insiders saw 16mm film as being for amateurs. But, thanks to David Attenborough first taking his 16mm camera out to shoot abroad and coming back with footage of animals never filmed before, it changed opinions. This made the program that later became one of the best wildlife documentaries of all time.

Keeping your gadgets charged on the go is essential if you travel a lot and expect to get any work done on the road. Thanks to the millions of battery packs that are out there, charging your phone is easy enough. But what if you need to keep your laptop charged while off the grid for a day’s shoot or while on a long flight without an outlet? Omni 20 is one of the only, and most recent, solutions that will charge anything you throw at it, including that ultra-powerful new MacBook Pro.

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.

In 2012, Leica created a stir in the photographic industry with the release of its Leica M Monochrom. Half of the Internet was up in arms about the ridiculousness of the concept (and, of course, the price tag), while the other half praised Leica for its bold move in the modern market of high-contrast, over-saturated camera phone images. With names like "poor man's Leica" and "the new Leica" being thrown around Fuji forums all over the Internet, the question was put to Fuji asking if they would consider a monochrome-only version of one of their cameras.

As many of you I'm sure, I have boxes full of various grip gear: magic arms, C-clamps, A-clamps, ball heads, Studs, and more. I love grip gear. I absolutely love the versatility and functionality each piece has both in its dedicated uses or how you can always come up with new and imaginative ways to solve any problem. There are a ton of items out there made specifically for photography and cinematography but some of my favorite lesser-known grip supports are Ram Mounts. Cheesycam.com seems to feel the same way in one of their newest videos. 

In today’s age, it’s safe to assume that more people are taking pictures with phones than with actual cameras. I’m not here to say that the practice is wrong or that it’s right. I am just here to identify Amazon’s number-one selling mobile printer so you can bring some of those images stored on your phone to life.

We Photographers sure love our lenses! So much so that the previous article of a rather similar name received so much love that I couldn't help but write a follow up. The world is filled with amazing glass that doesn't have to completely bust the bank. Sure we all want that new Nikon 105mm f/1.4 and certainly the enormously priced brand new Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E but do we really need them? I'd argue probably not, the market has an enormous selection of great lenses, many of which are cheaper and offer exactly what many photographers need.

Polaroid is a brand many have forgotten, a true classic of yesteryear, but today they seem to continue to push out new and innovative products that can be used by any type of photographer. Last week I reviewed the Polaroid Snap Touch and today, I am checking out the latest BrightSaber. A powerful yet portable light in a form factor many find appealing to those on the go or wanting to simplify their gear. 

For me, storage is a huge pain. On one hand, it’s simple. Buy a bunch of hard drives, back everything up, repeat. But I want to simplify it further. I hate having one system that’s speedy for in-office editing and another that’s slow, but network-connected. I couldn’t find anything that offered both a network connection and fast thunderbolt-like speeds when attached locally until I came across QNAP’s TVS-871T networked-attached storage solution that also features dual Thunderbolt connectivity.

Camera sliders are often one of the first accessories that independent filmmakers purchase, just after a tripod and microphone. The simplicity in their design and valuable ability to create subtle motion instantly add production value. Cinevate recently updated its Duzi slider to its fourth version, and I got a chance to review one this past week.

Although words like "best" and "ultimate" are fun to throw around, of course there is no objectively best camera out there for a beginner. But to me, the Yashica Mat 124G is pretty close for a variety of reasons. From its handling to price, there is a lot to appreciate in this little gem. Here are some of my favorite features and why I think a person starting out in film photography might be in hog heaven with the little Yashica.

There are two types of motions in video that look similar, but are accomplished in different ways, each having a unique effect on the audience. One of them incorporates moving the camera on a track. The other uses the optical zoom of the lens. In this video tutorial you will learn what's the difference between those techniques and when to use them.

TTL, HS, and HSS have pretty much become a standard across the flash industry today. Every manufacturer is releasing new units on a regular basis with more features than any photographer could ask for or even need in. Following the trend, Nissin just announced a new TTL transmitter, the Air10s.

I recently traded my Nikon DSLR for an unbranded mystery camera for a few days to test out an entirely new concept: camera as a service.

Polaroid has been an iconic brand for over 80 years in the photo community. Even though they have had a few recent slips to adapt to the fast-growing tech world, it's finally finding its grass roots in the latest generation of photographers. Their latest offering comes with the incredibly fun and portable Polaroid Snap Touch. The Snap Touch is an all-in-one camera and printer just like the original, but this time it comes packed with a 3.5-inch LCD touch screen and full video capabilities.

There are several lists and articles covering what you should carry in your bag for a photoshoot, but they mostly cover items for yourself, models, and a few small accessories for your camera. One thing I haven't noticed in many of them is items or even a kit covering your equipment and the screws you made need. Jay P. Morgan with The Slanted Lens shares his two camera equipment emergency kit cases that he stored in his truck for shoots.

I began my journey as a portrait photographer quite obsessed with the premise of blasting large studio strobes through giant modifiers. It was my workflow for years. In studio, I'd usually be washing my model with giant waves of light and on location I'd lug big, powerful strobes along with huge lengths of extension cords so that I could plug in and not bother with heavy battery packs. About a year and a half ago I stopped using my big strobes completely and eventually ended up selling them in favor of completely switching to small flash.

While it certainly wasn't my first time using one, a recent shoot I did for TEDx at the Ohio State University made me realize how much easier life is with a light meter. For almost all the time I've spent behind cameras, I've been creating portraits. And for most of that time, I've been using flash. Starting out, I would just shoot and tweak power settings and my aperture and the light placement until I got what I wanted. As an amateur, it worked. But once I decided that photography was a career for me and as I began picking up client work, this method became quite ineffective, forcing me to get the one tool I never realized I needed.

Moment Lenses has been on the scene of mobile photography for a few years now and truly separates themselves from the crowd of phone lens attachments in many ways. First, their products are of damn good quality. Having shot with my Moment Lens since their first Kickstarter a few years ago, it's been a great addition to my bag of tricks while out and about shooting. Today, they are announcing their new Kickstarter to help build the next line of incredible products including a new 18mm lens, as well as a battery case and basic photo case. 

I remember when I first started photography, I'd try and find out what lens and camera had been used for every photograph I liked. I was convinced that if I had that combination of glass and mirrors I would be creating masterpieces. Unfortunately, that train of thought is closer to smoke and mirrors, and I soon knew better. Curiously, however, I now think there's some truth to it, and that truth was revealed to me by a lens that is now my secret weapon.

Today, Sony has revealed two new prime lenses joining their full-frame outfit with the FE 100mm f/2.8 GM and FE 85mm f/1.8. The focal lengths of these two lenses are highly popular for portrait photography. The FE 100mm f/2.8 GM is aimed towards imaging perfection, while the new FE 85mm f/1.8 offers a more affordable and lightweight 85mm option in the Sony full-frame lineup.

I'll be the first to admit that even though I've used them, I've never owned a professional-grade Tamron lens. I've stuck with Nikon through the years based on a probably-unfounded feeling that Nikon cameras would work better with Nikon lenses, and also because I really like the five-year warranty that comes with them. I may have to change that philosophy soon, though, because there have been some great third-party manufacturer lenses released in the past few years. Tamron has just announced two new lenses. Will they be up to snuff, or is it all talk? Here's what's new.

“The best camera is the one you have with you.” To an extent, that quote is correct, and with current cell phones having pretty good cameras built into them, this is usually a camera we all have with us most of the time. Sometimes, we find ourselves wanting more out of our cameras in the phone. With the current lineup of available add-on lenses for our mobile devices, we can capture some macro or even wider shots.

Just earlier this week, I was writing about going over x-sync speed with your flashes. This ability is a true game changer for any photographer who relies on artificial lighting. Between February 1st and April 30th, Profoto is running a sale that can make that step up a bit lighter on your wallet.

ONA, the premiere camera bag and accessories company born out of New York City, has progressively released unique and well made photography gear for nearly seven years with great success. They have just released and announced a few new products that are in line with the more affordable sector of their product lineup that all seem very interesting for anyone looking to keep minimalistic with their gear organization. 

The Canon Digital Learning Center just released their newest guidebook and it's for the EOS-1D X Mark II. The downloadable PDF is 148 pages entirely on the camera's 61 point AF system.

eBay and the like are veritable treasure troves of interesting old lenses. One of the common issues with these lenses, however, is the presence of fungus. This helpful video makes it easy to clean the inside of the lens and get it working like new!

There are countless hard drives of all shapes, sizes, types, speeds, and capacities flooding the market now. As professionals, it's often quite a task to wade through the hype about every new offering and decide what's really the best drive for us. For users of the new line of MacBooks, things got a lot more difficult recently, as drives with native USB Type-C ports are few and far between so far. A few scattered offerings are around, and the Caldigit TUFF is a drive squarely aimed at being compatible with future devices, as well as a good option for professional on-location use.

For the majority of my life, I was a soldier in the United States Army. As a part of military life, I learned how valuable it was to be prepared for all the things that could go wrong. Many soldiers will build a bug-out bag, also known as a go-bag. A bug-out bag is essentially a bag full of items one might need when in a pinch. Now as a photographer, my bug-out bag is full of all the little items I often am asked if I have or things that can make any shoot go easier. These things have often meant the difference between success and failure on a shoot. Here is the list of stuff I put in my bag.

Landscape photography brings with it its own special set of challenges and risks. But beyond your filters and spare batteries, you're going to want to carry some extra non-photography gear to make sure you're in tip-top shape to capture those beautiful shots.

Here at Fstoppers, we will get you information on the newest announcements, the most exciting technological developments, the most jaw-dropping photo shoots. But you're not just on this site for that. You also come here for a host of perspectives on anything that has to do anything with the art of photography and things related. You come here for news, gear, pictures, and stories about how photos are made. And you come here for the little things. We do care about the little things. Here's a review of a little thing, The Peak Design Field Pouch.

Chinese drone manufacturer DJI turned heads in 2016 with the release of the Osmo Raw, the world’s first handheld steadicam system with raw video capabilities. The appeal was obvious; the ability to capture enough data for effective color grading in post production, whilst utilizing the portability and effective steadicam technology from the original Osmo. But at $3,699, it’s an investment decision not to be taken lightly since one could pick up a DJI Ronin-M for 1/3 of the cost. We spent three months with the Osmo Raw, and despite some success, major issues piled up.

As photographers, many of us are obsessive gear heads always on the hunt for the holy grail of glass. No lens is good enough, we have this mysterious idea of a perfect lens in our imagination that no company could possibly ever actually create. There are, however, a ton of fantastic lenses out there that many photographer would never give a second thought that are more than capable of bringing magic to your next shoot. In this post I'm going to cover three of my favorites.

They compare the usability to that of the X-T2 but with a larger sensor. The camera boxes a 51.4mp Bayer sensor and not an X-Trans sensor like you will get in the X-Pro and X-T camera line-ups. It looks well-built, just like what you would get from Fujifilm, and it looks usable in many photographic environments, in studio or on location.

Most photographers have a ton of gear, making it difficult to keep track of it all, which can lead to costly mistakes. Today, Jared Polin of FroKnowsPhoto released MyGearVault, a one-stop app for inputting, tracking, and insuring your gear.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting Adorama in NYC, for a deeper look at Panasonic’s groundbreaking camera. While there, I discovered some interesting specs that aren’t being talked about. Let’s take a look at the innovations and pitfalls of the camera at a deeper level.

What happens when you lose track of a few extra boxes of some film cameras, and then find them again a few years later? You sell them, of course! And that's exactly what B&H is doing with a number of Fujifilm GF670 cameras that Fujifilm found in its American warehouse. It's still a fairly recently produced camera, but seeing as it was discontinued in 2014, this is likely the last chance you'll have to get a new one. 

If you're in the market for two of Canon's most popular and highest quality zoom lenses, now is a great time to pick them up. 

Well, so much for always needing the latest and greatest gear. Even the president's official portrait was shot on a decade-old camera.

We've briefly covered the release of this very special filter before. It blocks out the artificial light of our modern world, light pollution. STC's Astro-Multispectra Filter is designed to block out the orange and green hues from sodium and mercury street lamps. But what's really intriguing for any Nikon full-frame shooter is that this is the first and only option when you shoot wide-angle landscape shots.