Joby has released their latest products aimed towards mobile content creators with the GripTight PRO Video Mount and GripTight PRO Video GP Stand. The new mount is designed to be used with smartphones for on-the-go video filming, live steaming, or creating vlog content. Here are some of my first impressions.
This week is an awesome time to check out some of the most popular cameras and lenses out there. Whatever you shoot, B&H has some great deals waiting, including many discounts on camera kits and lenses.
BlackRapid has been making unique, useful camera straps for a while, but recently released an updated product line. For this review, I took one of their more popular straps out into the field for a rock climbing photoshoot, as well as used it on a location scout.
So, you're thinking of dropping that stack of cash you've been saving up on that light-guzzling bokeh monster of an 85mm you've been eyeing. But how do you know it's the right lens for you? This great video will give you a model to follow.
There’s nothing quite like being able to materialize your photography by printing a stunning, professional-quality print. From a business standpoint, it can also be quite profitable to cut out the middleman and produce your own prints for your clients. B&H has an incredible offer going on right now that makes printing your images easier and more affordable than ever.
Backing up files is always easiest at home or at the office, but it's when we're on the go that data is the most vulnerable. Whether it's image or video files, documents or other projects you are working on, or even photographing tethered to a computer, backing up data can often be an afterthought. Here's a quick and easy strategy to help you maintain backups of your files on a notebook computer while you're at work or on the go.
"If I want to shoot great video in the future with my 4K, video enabled DSLR, what should I buy first?" This is a question a get a lot of the time from photographer friends. Given they already own a tripod, my first answer is always to start with a cage. Here is why.
As someone that always seems to be on the hunt for that perfect camera bag for every occasion, I know there is no shortage of options. But in my everlasting search, one bag I have always been lacking is a good camping backpack that could also carry some camera gear. The backpack style bag I have had in the past have either been great camera bags, or great camping bags. When I saw the Tahquitz backpack though, I got excited.
In the ongoing debate of filtered versus naked lenses, Roger Cicala makes a compelling argument over on his Lensrentals blog as to why, when it comes to filters, you either go big or you don’t go at all.
It's a great time to be a Sigma user. With the release of numerous exciting and innovative lenses priced competitively, the company is changing the lens market in a big way. Now, the 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary is available for preorder.
Color grading is one of the most powerful tools you have when it comes to elevating your images and video. One of the most frustrating and intimidating things about working with color is that it can often feel tedious and un-intuitive. Video editors often employ physical editing panels when color grading their work and now Tangent, one of the leading makings of video editing hardware have brought support for Capture One Pro 10 to their system.
A new month brings a new Sony announcement, or at least that’s the way it seems to be going as of late. I’m not complaining. The company has been noticeably scrappy for the past two years in an attempt to take over the interchangeable lens camera market, largely based on releasing innovation after innovation one right after another. Today’s announcement brings a satisfying completion to the “trinity” of G Master full-frame lenses with the FE 16–35mm f/2.8 GM, along with a new ultra-wide-angle G Series lens, the FE 12–24mm f/4 G. I had a chance to shoot with both lenses yesterday, so read on for my initial findings.
This week is an excellent time to check out some of the most popular cameras and lenses out there. Whether you shoot Canon or Nikon, B&H has some great deals waiting.
There has been a ton of excitement drummed up around the Sony a9, and today, there seems to be another reason to anticipate the camera's release. A Japanese camera tester posted a video of the camera's eye-tracking autofocus in action, and the results are highly impressive.
When it comes to using camera gear, our carrying and mounting systems are truly paramount to being efficient in many shooting scenarios. While many brands have attempted to perfect a “one-size fits all” system, only one in my opinion hits the nail on the head for all my needs. In his latest video, fellow YouTuber and Sony shooter, Jason Vong, agrees with me that the Peak Design system flat out works. Individually the products are great and high quality, but used together they provide a seamless experience found with no other product line on the market.
There is nothing quite like observing wild animals in their natural habitat from the back of a jeep on a game drive. Whether you are on the market for a camera for your upcoming safari trip, or need help getting the most out of your existing camera on safari, then read on.
Let us take a moment of silence to respect the venerable 70-200mm lenses in our midst. The workhorses that they are have kept many a working professional with their rent happily paid, and many a serious amateur smiling at their results. The collection of several useful focal lengths, 85mm, 135mm, and 200mm, plus everything in between and a fast aperture of f/2.8 has made it the go-to lens for many. Up until recently, it was all but missing from the Fujifilm X System lens lineup as Fuji focused on creating spectacular primes one after another. But, Fujifilm rectified that with their announcement of the XF 50-140mm R LM OIS WR lens in September of 2014.
A while back I reviewed the Platypod Max and recently had a chance to test out the new Platypod Ultra and Multi Accessory Kit. The Platypod system is a must have for any tripod-wielding photographer and is relevant in a limitless number of applications. It's a staple in my kit and gets more use than a tripod in my commercial, event, and journalism work. Here's the latest piece of gear you didn't know you needed to enhance your photography and video work.
As photographers and videographers, we can get really caught up in our tech. After all, gear is fun. But gear is the means, not the end. This great video serves a reminder to always return to the pursuit of better storytelling.
Fuji is, at this point, the last major manufacturer to not have TTL, high-speed sync, and wireless control support from most major lighting manufacturers. Profoto and Elinchrom have now made wireless remotes specific to Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus. Fuji, even with their new medium-format monster, the GFX 50s, has yet to get such love from the lighting community. While I can imagine that something is in the pipeline from these manufacturers for Fuji, nothing is certain and many of us need something to work with right now. Enter the Nissin Air system.
Phase One announced today their new, first-of-its-kind 101-megapixel achromatic medium format digital back. The IQ3 100MP Achromatic, which is manufactured without a Bayer filter, does not record any color information which allows “all available light to be captured unaltered and unobstructed.”
If you're in the market for some new gear, be sure to check out these deals of the week for some great savings, including some spectacular discounts on camera bodies.
There’s plenty of great advice for packing camera equipment on a trip. However it's not often that the trip involves motorcycling for two weeks and packing this much gear.
With the introduction of new features such as TTL, HSS, HS, and the likes, flash manufacturers have been forced to develop a different remote for each camera brand. Profoto has its Air TTL system for Sony, Canon, and Nikon, but was lacking micro four third systems compared to Elinchrom. It’s now a thing of the past with the release of the Air TTL-O remote.
I've always been a Windows desktop user, but until this point I've never built my own desktop from scratch. I finally decided to teach myself how to build the ultimate PC for video and photo editing and I'm bringing you along for the ride.
Wacom has renewed its Intuos tablet lineup with two new models, including the paper edition in medium and large sizes, while still offering the old Intuos Pro model in small size. The new design seems like bringing some novelty, but in fact, innovation might not be always safe. Because as a long time user, my disappointment was the same like the time Apple started ignoring its core users' needs.
The Panasonic GH5 is my dream camera. It's like having a pro level video camera in the palm of your hand. It's almost perfect, but there are just a few strange quirks about this camera that could and should be fixed by Panasonic in the next firmware update.
Do you feel the need to constantly widen your aperture? Do you feel inadequate until you drop five figures on that medium format body? If so, you may have Gear Acquisiton Syndrome (G.A.S.). Luckily, Noventus is here to cure it.
The Nikon KeyMission lineup was announced in January 2016 at the Consumer Electronics Show and left many people scratching their heads. Hadn’t GoPro tried this action camera thing before? Overshadowed by the confusing press around the KeyMission 80 and the KeyMission 170, however, was a gem in the otherwise oddball KeyMission lineup, something unique that got lost in the shuffle, the KeyMission 360. It’s a true 360-degree camera that captures spherical video without any gaps in the footage, something that wasn’t as common in consumer 360 cameras at the time. So after many months with the camera, how good is it, and how does it compares to its nearest competition, the Samsung Gear 360?
For years we wondered why external hard drives didn't come with multiple USB ports so that two or more computers could work off of the same drive at once. Sadly, there isn't a simple way to connect two computers to a single hard drive, but we've found a better solution.
As you probably know, Fstoppers has recently switched over our video system from Nikon D750s to Panasonic GH5s. The GH5 is absolutely perfect for our style of shooting and I really don't have much to complain about... Except the lenses. Why do they cost so much?
We're always on the lookout for good camera deals and this definitely caught our attention. There is currently a highly rated eBay seller providing brand new Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Camera Bodies for only $2,199.99. That's $500 better savings than any other major camera distributor is providing online right now. Usually we give a little caution with gray market cameras but the seller says these are direct import cameras and they come with a one year US Warranty through the seller. That's a hard price to beat. The cameras come in a limited supply so make sure to act quick.
Welcome the newest member of Microsoft's Surface family, the Surface Laptop, along with the new Windows 10 S and an updated version of the Surface Arc Mouse. The Surface Laptop falls right between the Surface Pro 4, a powerful tablet made to replace your laptop, and the Surface Book, a laptop that can function as a tablet. This new device serves as Microsoft's first clamshell-style laptop and is a clear response to Apple's MacBook built with both the latest hardware and plenty of style.
One place I never recommend cutting corners is memory cards. Your images and video are too important to risk losing to cheaper cards. Lexar's Professional line aims to provide speed and reliability for working pros. Check out our review of their latest CFast 2.0 and microSDXC memory cards.
Right now, B&H is running some awesome specials on Nikon cameras, Sigma Art lenses, and more. Now is a great time to pick up some new gear!
Last week at NAB, G-Technology announced upgrades to a range of its products that combine Thunderbolt 3, USB C, and their highest capacity drives yet with the addition of 12 TB, 7,200 RPM single drives that give products such as the dual-drive G-RAID system at a staggering 24 TB storage allotment.
If you work in tough conditions and need something a bit more rigorous than the standard USB flash drive, the Lexar JumpDrive Tough could be the ticket. Built to withstand some pretty crazy ordeals, it could be a great option for photographers who frequently work in less-than-stellar environments.
Anyone that has dabbled in the world of color grading knows it's a complicated art and science that can require a certain level of dedication and obsession to really get that perfect look to your videos and work. In order to do that with as little strain on you and your psyche as possible, there are a few things that you can do that will definitely aid in your work, but none are as valuable as setting yourself up with a dedicated monitor for your grading work. While setting up a fully rigged coloring studio is not a trivial expense, thanks to Aram K, you can learn how to create your own setup on a budget and still get accurate results.
For anybody that's been looking to get a good quality camera setup all in one basket, now's the time to do it. The team over at B&H Photo have listed the Sony a6500 for a whopping $400 off the normal price tag. But wait, there's more. Included with the camera in this package deal are a 64 GB SD Card, shoulder bag, extra battery, and most importantly, two lenses.
When on the go, a working photographer needs to balance portability, versatility, and power in everything they carry. The choice of computer while away from the home base is critical because it can dictate your capabilities and work potential over these periods of time. In this hands-on review, I take a look at the 12.3-inch VAIO Z Canvas tablet-laptop hybrid as a mobile workstation for photographers.
I thought I was a fairly apt DIY'er, but then I saw this next-level achievement. This man built his own lens from scratch, right down to machining the glass himself.
Last week, I posted an overview and review of the Godox Witstro AD200, and there were quite a few questions about the unit and things that I wanted to clear up with a follow-up article. So, this week, we'll dive a little deeper into the unit and have a look at some of the issues raised and make a more detailed comparison of the two heads that it comes with.
Getting into medium format is quite costly. It’s difficult to know if the investment is going to be worth it and if it’s going to match your current workflow. Medium format has a tendency to slow you down, kind of like film. When I tried my first Phase One, I couldn’t afford one. So I went with the cheapest alternative I could find, the Mamiya RB67 Pro-S. Here’s why I’m glad I made that move but also why it doesn’t replace a digital medium-format system.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been given the opportunity to try out one of the widest Micro 4/3 lenses out there, the Venus LAOWA 7.5mm f/2.0. After testing it for some time, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on how it performed and what I liked and didn't like about it.
The Broncolor Scoro was initially released in 2012 by the Swiss flash manufacturer. Five years later, they introduce a new release of the high-end power pack and it’s called the Scoros S WiFi/RFS2. Along with it, the bronControl app is made available for Mac and PC to make remote control of your units easier than ever.
Samyang introduced a new cine lens to its VDSLR line-up. It's an affordable wide-angle lens suitable for filmmakers using DSLR or mirrorless cameras with a 35mm sensor. Samyang's VDSLR 16mm T2.6 offers quiet and smooth de-clicked focus and aperture gear rings. Distance scale and T numbers are marked on both sides of the lens for optimal convenience when filming.
Last week Sony unveiled their most ambitious Alpha camera to date with the a9. The 24.2-megapixel mirrorless camera takes on the general form factor of previous a7 II bodies and packs in their latest photo technology with a strong emphasis on autofocus, speed, and removing distractions such as shutter noise and screen blackout in continuous shooting. This all adds up to a product that has the potential to make a large impact on the sports photography scene. Today I'm excited to share a number of images I shot with the Sony a9 of a range of track and field events plus hockey and ice skating.
Your phone takes the best pictures, right? That’s why you bought it.
Not so fast, says tech vlogger Marques Brownlee in a YouTube video, where he pits the top five smartphone cameras on the market in a blind test against one another to see which one comes out on top.
As the number of people interested in wildlife photography continues to grow, and the capabilities of modern equipment expand the boundaries of what is possible, many of us are seeking new ways to produce work that is fresh. This has meant exploring new techniques and searching for untapped frontiers in wildlife photography. This trend has led to a rapid increase the number of people interested in using camera traps.
When you hear about the Atomos monitors, most of you will think about their portable small and rugged monitor-recorders many amateur and pro filmmakers use. This time they leveled it up by creating a big 19-inch monitor-recorder with exciting features many other monitor brands in this category still lack.
