Photography Gear

Fujifilm might not be a part of the top 3 camera manufacturers based on sales, but they are a titan in their own right and growing at a rate of knots. Here is a buyer's guide for all budgets. 

Samyang has begun to expand their lens lineup into the realm of autofocus while trying to retain their reputation for being sharp and affordable. One of their latest lenses, the 75mm f/1.8 for Sony E mount cameras, provides a unique focal length great for portraits combined with a wide aperture, all in a small package.

This is probably one of the more frequent questions that I hear. For the most part, I get asked this question by beginner photographers, which is fine of course. Unfortunately, it's not always easy for me to give a straight answer, because there are a lot of factors to consider. Despite this, I think this video may help provide some answers. 

Astrophotography is a genre with a lot of specialized equipment designed for very specific purposes, but a lot of photographers still use normal consumer cameras to create their images. What sort of images can you create with a camera specialized for the task? Check out this great video to see what is possible. 

It happens to all of us: you take some fantastic photographs, get home, and realize a camera setting was insane. Use these five checks every time you start a shoot, and you'll avoid making those mistakes. 

Dell announced two new XPS models with optional 4K Ultra HD screens, supporting 100% Adobe RGB and 94% DCI-PC color gamuts. In terms of specs and performance, the 17-inch model will be the biggest rival of the new 16-inch Macbook Pro. 

Ultra-wide angle lenses can be a fantastic creative tool and a lot of fun to play with, but they are also some of the trickiest focal lengths to shoot with. If you struggle to take good photos with yours, this helpful video will give you lots of great tips to improve your work. 

The 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is the workhorse of choice for many photographers across a variety of genres, providing a versatile range of focal lengths combined with a useful maximum aperture. This excellent video review takes a look at the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens for Nikon mirrorless cameras. 

The MacBook Pro is the laptop of choice for a wide range of professionals who need to be able to work on the go. The latest version of the MacBook Pro comes with a bevy of new improvements and features, and this excellent video review takes a look at it and what you can expect from it in practice.  

The Nikon Z 6 has been on the market for a while now, and the Z system has begun to work its way into the hands of more and more professionals. This great video features a photographer discussing his thoughts on the camera after logging 250,000 images on his Z 6. 

Photographer and filmmaker Matthew Vandeputte is perhaps one of the most respected time-lapse and hyperlapse creators out there. Given how often he’s asked what the best camera is for producing his style of content, he’s put together a short video explaining his choice and listing all of the features that make it so perfect. 

There’s been lots of (digital) ink spilled about how great Fujifilm cameras feel to use. While I share many of those sentiments, there’s another seemingly oddball camera brand that I find myself reaching for, even when I have (ostensibly) much better options available: Olympus. Here’s a look at why I often find myself reaching for the company’s pint-size powerhouses. 

With excitement about Canon's impending release of its new EOS R5 model reaching ever greater heights, there is now perhaps an equal level of anticipation building for the EOS R6, which many see as a cheaper, yet high quality alternative to the EOS R5.

When working on location, softboxes are not always the best choice as they can be quite cumbersome to assemble. Umbrellas tend to be a lot faster to set up. Thanks to Elinchrom and its Snaplux range, you won't have to choose between the light quality of a softbox and the ease of use an umbrella.  

Having recently released a batch of new lenses for Fujifilm cameras, Viltrox has been forced to issue a warning, as its 23mm, 33mm and 85mm X-mount lenses may cause damage when used with the Fujifilm X-Pro3. 

Cleaning a lens is an essential skill that every photographer and videographer must have to keep their equipment in top shape and their images as good as possible. This great video will show you how to properly clean your lenses and how to, well, destroy them.  

The Dell XPS 15 has been my favorite laptop for many years. The new update looks amazing, but I personally can't buy one based on one simple flaw.  

One of the most useful and common creative tools a photographer can have in their bag is a neutral density (ND) filter. ND filters come in a variety of different strengths that can have diverse effects on your photos, and this great video will show you how the various options will change your images. 

It was the year that Osama Bin Laden was killed, Barack Obama was President, the Space Shuttle was retired, and "Game of Thrones" was premiered. Meanwhile 2011 turned out to be one of the most pivotal years in camera history, putting us on the path to where we are today. Here's what happened.  

Whether as an alternative or as an add-on, a friction arm has so many uses for any photographer inside and out of the studio.  

If you struggle with getting sharp photos, this is for you, and even if you are experienced, there might be a tip or two to pick up. 

RGB LED lights are becoming more and more popular, for good reason. Have we finally got some affordable RGB tube lights? 

We often tell beginners that gear does not matter for the sake of preventing people from falling into a trap of spending money on equipment instead of improving their technique, but it is not a simple black and white issue. This great video discusses the situations in which the gear you are using actually does make a difference.  

A wide aperture 50mm (or equivalent) lens is a workhorse for lots of photographers in many genres, offering a versatile focal length and useful low-light and depth of field capabilities for a variety of applications. If you are looking for such a lens for your Fuji camera, this excellent video review takes a great look at the ultra-affordable Viltrox 33mm f/1.4 lens. 

Birds are notoriously difficult to photograph, because they're flighty (pun intended) and far away. Fixed focal length telephoto lenses are great at cropping in close to your feathered friends, but the decent, sharp lenses are incredibly expensive.

Sigma's lenses have become quite popular for offering fantastic image quality at prices far below first party options. As Canon's RF mount continues to gain momentum, rumors of Sigma releasing a lens lineup for Canon mirrorless cameras have begun to emerge. 

Several generations in, the Fujifilm X series is highly refined and a serious tool for lots of working professionals. This great video review takes a comprehensive look at the latest entry in the series, the X-T4. 

Fujifilm's X and GFX cameras and lenses are on sale at B&H. With dozens of items receiving some sort of special pricing, it's a great time to check out the product lines. Want to know my picks for the best deals? 

I decided to compile a list of the best cameras outside of the "big three" manufacturers for all budgets that are currently purchasable brand new. 

After Nikon School, PPA, and others offer their online courses and tutorials for free, Photography Life follows suit with their own range of free online courses to help their community during coronavirus. 

DJI makes a variety of great drones at various price points and with different feature sets, with the Mavic Mini being one of the most inexpensive, making it an intriguing option for lots of new drone users. This great video review takes a look at the Mavic Mini and how well it performs, particularly how it has improved with new firmware updates.  

The newly announced Microsoft Surface Book 3 is reportedly their most powerful laptop ever. So could it be good enough to destroy the competition? Namely, the new Apple Macbook Pro 2020. Photographers and creatives alike love Apple products for editing workflows, but could this be the beginning of the end for Apple's domination of the creative market? 

Photography gear is expensive. However, thanks to the used market and how good cameras have been for the past decade, for under $1,250, you can buy a really solid food photography camera setup. 

I am often wrong, and my initial impression of this rather cool looking light was no exception. I couldn't for the life of me work out why you would spend so much money on a USB lamp. A few weeks later, all became clear. 

Last month, Fujifilm quietly revealed that it would be opening up the API around its lens autofocus to allow other manufacturers to start making lenses. Following on from the well-received and affordable 85mm f/1.8, Viltrox has created a 33mm f/1.4 — in effect, a nifty fifty — and the early reviews are starting to appear. 

Even before the economic disaster of COVID, the camera industry was contracting. The software industry has adopted SaaS pricing, with Adobe Creative Cloud being the most recognizable example. That pricing model, or one like it, might be the next big change coming to camera hardware. 

Whether you’re working remotely or recording videos for YouTube, producing a high-quality video can require some smart gear decisions. Your Macbook’s built-in webcam and mic are fine, but spending just a small amount can translate to a huge improvement in quality.

There is no shortage of 24-70mm lenses for full frame cameras, but of course, when it comes to medium format, the landscape is a bit different. Fuji's GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR lens fills that gap, and this excellent video review takes a look at how it performs in practice.  

The fast 50mm lens is a staple optic for a wide variety of photographers and videographers, with a useful, neutral focal length and wide maximum aperture, making it great for anything from portraits to events work. This great video review takes a look at the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S lens for the Z mount and what you can expect from it in practice. 

Aperture is one of the most fundamental and crucial parameters in photography, and having a complete mastery of it will give you greater technical and creative control of your images. This excellent video will introduce you to aperture, what it does, how it works, and how you can use it to make better photos. 

Digital photo frames were hailed as a leap forward for presenting your images, a technology to go hand in hand with digital cameras. So, what happened? 

Tamron's new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens completes the company's holy trinity of f/2.8 zoom lenses, following in the footsteps of the wildly popular 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD and 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lenses. Can it keep up with the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS?

In the last few years, monitor technology has gone in a number of new and unique directions, with technology like ultra-wide aspect ratios, HDR support, and 8K resolution. Each of those features appeals to a particular user, but it almost seems like content creators have been left out.  

Current digital medium format cameras offer some of the best in image quality. One of the big advantages that these large sensor cameras have is dynamic range. Most currently medium format cameras offer around 15 stops worth of dynamic range when shooting raw. How does medium format film compare to that? 

Like the rest of the country, even presidential candidates find themselves sheltering in place during this global pandemic. Unlike the rest of the country, those candidates still need a way to get their message out. Enter Joe Biden’s fascinating home studio setup. 

Canon's RF 28-70mm f/2L lens has been lauded for its great image quality and for pushing the boundaries of optical design. It seems the company may not be done with such lenses, as rumors of an RF 70-135mm f/2L have emerged.  

Despite coming in at under $1,000, the cheapest 2020 MacBook Air still offers some advanced features that can make it a great option for photographers on the go who want a portable work laptop without lots of bulk. This great video takes a look at the laptop and what you can expect from it. 

Fuji have some superb lenses, but is this the sharpest of them all? 

The Canon 1D series is the company's flagship line, and it brings with it state of the art technology in an ultra-durable package that can step into any photographic scenario and excel. This fantastic video review takes a look at the camera in the real world and the kind of performance you can expect.  

This week I spoke with professional motorsports photographer Drew Gibson to find out what 10 things he couldn't live without in his camera bag.