Gear

The Canon 6D Mark II has not been the most well-received camera thus far. But how does it actually perform, and are the complaints justified?

Sporting the D5's 153-point autofocus system and metering sensor allows the D850 to take full advantage of the sensor inside it to produce stunning results. However, Nikon also added a number of new software-based features to really take advantage of this system. Below you can watch a series of videos that show these various features, from Focus Stacking and Focus Peaking to focusing at -4 EV. Also, get a peak through the viewfinder to see the electronic vibration reduction, and more.

The Tamron 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD lens is the only normal focal length lens you can get for Canon or Nikon that has image stabilization built in. It's a unique lens that has been generally well received, and with this deal, it's an excellent bargain.

Back in 2015, the “Throw-And-Go” Lily Robotics drone was building steam and making waves. Its Kickstarter campaign centered around its ability to launch out of water and to be thrown off a cliff to immediately rescue itself and follow its adventurer as they traveled quickly over any terrain. The Lily drone had massive appeal and was slated to be an incredible way to capture and film outdoor enthusiasts and people who just wanted a durable drone to take with them on their adventures.

The Sony a9 is a pretty exciting camera, as it's the first mirrorless camera to take square aim at the two highest-level DSLRs, the Canon 1D X Mark II and the Nikon D5. It's made waves for many features, not the least of which is its insane continuous shooting rate of 20 fps. This video highlights just how fast that is using a clever method.

So you bought a gimbal! Great! But now you're wondering why your gear is still coming out slightly shaky and why the gimbal isn't doing as promised and creating a buttery-smooth video for you like magic! Odds are you're not quite using it right. But thanks to Christian Santiago, we can get a great virtual lesson on what you should be doing to shoot like the pros.

When was the last time you backed up your iPhone photos? For many people, taking the time to back up what are often some of our most cherished photos rarely gets done consistently. Sandisk recently tried to solve this problem with the release of their iXpand Base, a flash drive and charger made specifically for iPhones.

As a former computer scientist, I’m all about finding efficiencies in my workflow and making my life easier. Some people might call it laziness. Logically, after years of shooting with a traditional DSLR kit, I was ready to ditch it in favor of moving to a small and light mirrorless set up. However, no other camera body appealed to me as much as my Nikon bodies for professional shooting. The combination of the great grip and ergonomics, fast and accurate autofocus system, solid battery life, and great image quality makes them a delight to use professionally. I didn't want to let go of the camera bodies so I decided to try something else first…

Nikon Ambassador Dixie Dixon got the chance to shoot with a pre-production D850 for a few days. She used a few fashion shoots to break in the D850 and shared some of those images with us here, explaining her experience "shooting in beast mode," as she called it in a recent live stream with B&H.

Sony is the most exciting camera brand right now. There I said it. They just keep bouncing from field to field making huge leaps and bounds in technology and the latest example of that is the entirely new, exciting Sony RX0—Sony’s first foray into the action sports world. But it's not exciting for the reasons that you might imagine.

Olympus packed a big punch into a tiny camera today with the announcement of its OM-D E-M10 Mark III. The camera features a 16-megapixel sensor and can shoot at 8.6 fps. These features, added to the 3-inch touchscreen and even the 5-axis in-body stabilization, are nothing new. The treat here is the addition of 4K video with a respectable 102 mbps bitrate and a new 121-point autofocus system — all for the same price that the Mark II sold for yesterday technically still sells for today.

I’ve been to the New York State fair for more years than I can count. It’s a great time. There are carnival rides, animals, music, and lots to photograph. Oh, and of course, corn dogs. But in recent years, I’ve found myself carrying less and less photographic gear to the fair and just enjoying the moment. Except that I wasn’t really enjoying the moment because I wasn’t making photos. That's why this year I decided to challenge myself to make different photos of the same event.

Camera bodies and lenses are factory calibrated by default, but sometimes they require further adjustments to achieve better results when focusing. With the Nikon's AF fine tune feature on supported models, you can manually make precise adjustments to fix any focusing problems.

Along with the new 85mm f/1.4L IS, Canon recently announced three new tilt-shift lenses with macro capabilities, an intriguing combination that should excite product, food, macro, and portrait photographers alike. Here's a first look at working with the lenses and some scenarios where their unique capabilities really come to the forefront.

I have to admit that the new Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS lens has me fairly excited. The prospect of a modernized, wide-aperture 85mm lens with image stabilization and first-party autofocus is very intriguing, and if it performs up to hype, it should be a real winner. The video takes a first look at the lens and shooting with it.

Panasonic just published the full release notes of the promised free firmware update for the GH5. Upon release earlier in the year, early adopters of the camera have been blown away with its performance, yet have come across some several teething issues that have been fed back to Panasonic. This release aims to correct some of these issues while also introducing improved All-I modes for higher bit-rate video recording.

When first getting started, photographers often become mesmerized but also overwhelmed by the sheer scope of learning they must do to figure out all the various new gadgets and doohickeys that they have recently acquired. Usually, this focus tends to be towards more expensive photo-related tools, while some of the seemingly trivial tools end up being cast aside with the thought that they simply aren't worth the effort and can't possibly be all that important. When I was first getting started I wish someone had given me a good shake and simply told me to spend a few dollars and pick up the following tools as they would be invaluable for the indefinite future.

I’m sure everyone at this point has explored the vast array of articles discussing all the technical aspects of the newly announced D850. If you haven’t here is one from your very own Fstoppers writer, Adam Ottke. You can read the announcement here. While I agree with most of the assessments that I’ve read or watched so far in that the camera will be a powerhouse with really innovative features, my thoughts come back to what was in the news just a few months ago. What is the financial health of Nikon? Do they still need help from other companies like Fujifilm? Most importantly, should I invest in new equipment from a company whose financial standing is in question? With all this in mind, I did some research.

The Hasselblad X1D-50c is the company's most affordable medium-format camera and represented a major shift as the world's first mirrorless medium-format camera. Hasselblad released a new firmware update that brings two new features users have long asked for: electronic shutter capture and more, multiple, user-selectable focus points. How well do these features work? I'll tell you, firsthand. While you can look out for a full review of the X1D-50c in a bit, I took the liberty of loading the new firmware update onto the camera and took it for a quick test drive.

If you try to pinpoint a single reason that the D850 is creating as much buzz as it is, it would be nearly impossible. This isn’t an amazing camera that has a singular standout feature. It’s the precisely and perfectly juxtaposed array of many new features, big and small, that culminate in the D850's success as a standout camera. Here’s a quick dive into some of the top, more obscure tricks the sold-out D850 brings to Nikon’s top line, how much they’ll really help your photography, and what limitations these features have.

The Nikon D850 features a completely new sensor developed in-house by Nikon. It's also the first backside-illuminated sensor in a Nikon full-frame DSLR. That allows it to perform up to one stop better than the D810, despite the higher pixel count, according to Nikon. But the latest tests look even better. It's now possible that the wealth of positive reviews of the D850 are about to get another, albeit small, addition.

Hang onto your seats, folks. Canon just announced the widely anticipated 85mm f/1.4L IS, the first non-third-party 85mm lens with image stabilization, three new tilt-shift lenses, a new flash, and a new mirrorless camera.

There's no doubt that the Nikon D850 has photographers excited — a lot of them. The demand for the camera is skyrocketing, so much so that Nikon has already issued a statement that it may not be able to fill all preorders in the first batch.

I started using Syrp for time-lapse and motion control almost a year ago and I find the system very good for what it is; a way for photographers to step into motion control at a relatively low price point. The first piece of Syrp kit I purchased was their Genie Mini and having the ability to pan was a way to add more interest in any time-lapse I wanted to create. After a month I went ahead and purchased the rest of their 3-axis kit including the Syrp 5.2' Magic Carpet Long Track Slider which has been great to use. The only issue is if you want a longer slider, Syrp doesn't make a way for you to connect two of their metal sliders together. With very little ingenuity, you can connect as many metal sliders together as you'd like at a relatively low cost.

After enough time in the broadcast industry, it's hard not to have a soft spot for Portabrace. They are incredibly well made. However, outside of generic television and news gathering, I would say that Think Tank, Lowepro, and Pelican are the top dogs. I never found a Portabrace bag suiting my needs entirely, nevermind that they can cost a small fortune — until now. I managed to pick up an amazing backpack for just $99 after instant savings from B&H.

The Nikon D850 has more people excited about its release than any other camera for quite some time. With a plethora of features and a wickedly competitive price point, it looks to be quite possibly the most complete all-around camera ever released. This hands-on first look examines if that translates well in real-world usage.

I absolutely love flying my DJI Phantom 4 Pro. This is my first quadcopter, and from talking with other pilots, the Phantom 4 Pro clearly evolved from previous generations. I am continuously implementing my Phantom in my still photography work and by no means is this a desire for obsolescence. The Phantom 4 hasn't been on the market that long and there are a ton of great accessories available that make it even better, too. This is part review of the Phantom 4 Pro and part feedback for what I hope inevitable future updates bring for so many pilots. While there is still time ahead of the next release, here is my wishlist for features that the Phantom 5 Pro might carry.

EISA recently named the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art as the best DSLR lens for 2017-2018, and based on my experience with this lens, I have to agree. It is a fantastic lens and performs at a very high level, with incredible detail rendering capabilities and beautiful bokeh. For the longest time, the 135mm focal length had a little bit of a gap that really needed to be filled. Canon has their version, which although is a great performer, it just can't match the likes of the Zeiss 135mm f/2. However, due to having autofocus, many tend to choose the Canon version over the Zeiss. With the release of the Sigma version, it would seem that one may no longer need to compromise.

NASA has a long history of sending cameras to space. Most notably, Hasselblad medium-format and Nikon SLRs and DSLRs have been NASA's go-tos for decades. But in a recent order that must be amongst the largest in its history for a single order of camera bodies, NASA just bought 53 Nikon D5 cameras worth over $340,000. What off Earth could NASA be doing with all those D5s?

The new Nikon D850 is a monster of a camera, so much so that even this Canon shooter is longingly peering over the fence a bit. In a recent interview, the company revealed a bit more information about the soon-to-be-released camera.

As photographers, we’re often on the bleeding edge of technology, and these days, the bleeding edge often includes an app for that. However, manufacturers are increasingly relying on apps to control their hardware at the expense of dedicated physical controls — and it’s a practice that must stop.

Through its Deal Zone, B&H currently has the B+W Kaesemann Circular Polarizer MRC Filters for about more than half off for the rest of the day (until midnight ET). The 77mm size is just $49.95 (58% off of $119.95 normally) while the 58mm size is also available for $29.95 (67% off of $89.95 normally). The B+W brand is a well-known, high-end filter brand, and its multi-coated Kaesemann filters are its own gold standard.

The Nikon D850 was announced tonight. With an extremely high-resolution 45-megapixel sensor, 7-plus fps shooting, and a ton of professional improvements to its predecessor, this really is the camera to do it all — and the price is on the low end of previous estimates at $3,296.95. Pre-orders are now up and are promised to begin shipping in September with free expedited shipping.

We'll have to wait to get our hands on one to see if this camera really can be the Swiss army knife of DSLRs that it seems to be, but we now have details from Nikon's official D850 announcement, including the U.S. price.

Like the Nikon D750, the Canon 5D Mark IV is the parent brand’s attempt at making what’s arguably the most versatile professional full-frame camera system that fits the needs of most professional photographers, except that it beats the D750 on nearly every metric that matters, as it should for a newer camera. Still, Nikon’s D850 easily strips the versatility title from Canon for plenty of reasons, not the least of which is resolution. The 5DS line, however, isn’t the only thing at which Nikon is taking aim with the new D850.

An updated version of the Biotar 58mm f2 will join the already announced Biotar 75mm f1.5, as the first two pieces in Oprema Jena’s lineup of modern remakes of classic lenses, the company announced today. Oprema is offering 58 people the chance to get the Biotar 75 and Biotar 58 – both originally produced by Carl Zeiss -- as part of a special rewards bundle in the current Kickstarter campaign for the Biotar 75. The 58 Biotar 58s will be pre-production models with serial numbers between 1 and 58. A pledge of $1,999 USD would allow someone to get both lenses at $2,500 less than the combined projected retail price for the lenses. The Biotar 75 is expected to go on the market next summer at a projected retail price of $2,499, with the Biotar 58 following by the end of 2018 at a projected retail price of $1,999.

A color calibrator was perhaps the best non-photographic photographic purchase I've ever made. If you're not calibrating your displays, this helpful video will show you exactly why you should reconsider that.

There will always be a lot of heated debate between photographers regarding who manufactures the best camera. While Sony, Canon, and Nikon all have their pros and cons, which of their flagship models actually takes the crown?

The eclipse is coming. You know the one — it’s been the topic on most photographers’ lips for weeks. Have you thought about how you’re going to shoot it yet? On August 21, 2017 (this coming Monday), North America and some parts of South America, Africa, and Europe will get to experience one of the most spectacular sights available to us down here on earth: a solar eclipse.

With the solar eclipse almost upon us, it is important to remember that there is a real reason why it can be dangerous to photograph. If somehow you missed all the articles and news stories talking about how to watch and photograph the eclipse safely and you are planning to go out and shoot it last minute unprepared, here is one last example of what not to do.

Live streaming on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook is nothing new in the age of social media. It’s a fantastic tool for marketing or just showing how much fun you’re having on a fun new adventure. What if you were able to completely immerse your viewers in the environment you're streaming? InstaAir 360 is one such a camera and I was given the opportunity to work with it.

You may have heard Morten Rustad’s name being bandied about alongside words like “time-lapse,” “Norway,” and “that’s-so-fricken-cool.” That last one might not be an actual word, but you catch my drift. Morten’s pretty good at what he does, and he’s teamed up with film equipment company Syrp to let you in on how he does it.

It's becoming increasingly apparent that Canon will be announcing an 85mm f/1.4L lens with image stabilization fairly soon, and as the time draws nigh, more detailed specifications are beginning to emerge. The lens is sure to be a hit and a major competitor to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art.

Since the arrival of digital photography almost 20 years ago now, the photographer’s workflow and its equipment have changed quite significantly. While investing in a solid camera, tack sharp lenses, and reliable storage equipment is a very good idea, one piece is often misunderstood or underrated: the monitor. Having a poor monitor is kind of like looking at your work while being color blind. I know that for a fact because I have been relying on poor screens for a long time. Recently, I’ve been given the opportunity to try the ViewSonic VP2768 for you, and I think it’s an amazing screen. Here’s why I think you should consider it if you don’t already own a great monitor.

I've reviewed the earlier version of Samsung's T-series SSD drive, but today, they've announced a new version with better performance across the board. Up from 450 MB/s, the Portable SSD T5 now offers up to 540 MB/s read and 515 MB/s write speeds. It also comes in new colors. The 250 GB and 500 GB sizes will come in Alluring Blue while Deep Black will be reserved for the 1 TB and 2 TB capacities.

To filter or not to filter, that is the question. Photographers will argue until they're blue in the face about the issue of using protective filters. Luckily, Lens Rentals is here with science to tell you exactly how good a slew of options are.

Maha Powerex AA and AAA batteries have been my go-to choice for nearly a decade. Their longevity is crazy reliable and they really hold their own in the long term. Maha recently updated their battery lineup with the Powerex Pro while adding some new accessories at the same time. Check out the new goodies after the break.

There’s an incredible amount of excitement going into next weeks solar eclipse here in the United States. If you’ve been planning to watch the eclipse yourself and have “solar eclipse” glasses that you bought from Amazon, then check your email. TechCrunch is reporting that over the past 24 hours, Amazon has sent out recall notices to tens of thousands of buyers of the glasses because they were not able to verify the glasses were safe and met the certification standards to view the eclipse safely.

You probably don't need someone to tell you to pack your camera, lenses, and a few spare batteries (if you do, we need to talk). But there are some little accessories and non-photography items that can make your shooting life vastly easier and often save you a lot of time. Here are 15 such items to keep in your bag.

In the quest to achieve smooth panning shots for cinematographers everywhere, there are several different methods and tools to use. Usually, if you want to do a targeted curved panning shot around your subject, you would have to set up a track and dolly system. With the advancement in drones, you can now use those for outdoor shots, but what if you wanted something that didn’t require as much space and work indoors?