Gear

Since the days of film, medium format has been far from reach for many photographers. Even working professionals can have trouble justifying the high price point of these systems: when used, they can be $8,000-10,000. Medium format film bodies, while cheap now, were always several thousand away from even the most exorbitantly priced 35mm bodies. Factor in the inconvenient size of just about every medium format camera ever, and it's easy to put the idea of working with these monsters far from mind.

Last week I picked up Intellytech's version of a flexible LED panel. It's crazy thin, light, and portable. How does it stack up against a regular panel?

Last week, the plethora of photography announcements from Photokina was incredible. One product that was introduced, but got barely any attention, was a new strobe from Impact, the Venture TTL-600. It personally stood out to me as something I could possibly add to my own kit immediately if it does what it says it does and more importantly, does it reliably. So right now, it currently sits at the top of my list of new gear to try out.

Many people have interesting stories of how they started photography; I do not. One of my chief motivators for starting was being a part of a car community in which a few members used to take macro photographs of insects. I was fascinated by the detail and intricacies of things I'd previously ignored, and so, I bought a cheap second-hand DSLR with a kit lens and a macro filter. After establishing that photography was the expensive mistress I'd always dreamed of, I decided to buy a proper macro lens and sought out advice on the right purchase for me. Then I bought the wrong one.

Snapchat is no more. Long live Snap Inc. Snapchat pulled a double whammy today by announcing both the new name of their company and their first foray in camera hardware with the connected sunglasses they're calling Spectacles.

It seems that almost all the major brands of the photography industry have something new to share at Photokina 2016, and Arca-Swiss is no exception. The France-based company announced several new and improved camera support products this week that you’ll want to check out.

While camera manufacturers seem to focus on resolution, high ISO, and dynamic range, in the strobe industry the past few months have been all about fast shutter speeds synchronization. However, Broncolor still didn’t have any in-house solution to offer to their client until Photokina and the new RFS 2.2 transceiver.

For most people in the industry, the name "Hasselblad" is synonymous with quality and high resolution. The company has been around since the 1940s and whether you remember it or not, many moons ago, a lot of cameras did not shoot the familiar rectangular format so many of us are accustomed to. They in fact shot in a square format, and that's exactly what Hasselblad is doing with this new camera concept, going back to a square format with a 75-megapixel back.

Stabilizing a video camera used to be a heavy, cumbersome, and expensive task. Today, with the help of smaller cameras and electronic gimbals, stable 4K footage has becoming increasingly affordable and compact. DJI has taken this idea to the max and created a handheld stabilized camera that can shoot 4K raw footage.

A few days ago MIOPS posted their new project up for funding on Kickstarter, the MIOPS Mobile DSLR/mirrorless camera trigger system. Fundamentally, it's an enhanced version of their previous trigger, the MIOPS Smart Trigger. It has all its same modes plus a cool brand new feature that is the central idea behind the new trigger system, which is the ability to use your smartphone as a triggering sensor.

I've always seen SanDisk and Lexar as the two main companies when it comes to camera media. Having used Lexar for some time now, I'm always excited to see what the company releases given my success with them in the past. This week they have shown a few new products for a variety of uses from CCTV to action cameras, to still photography and filmmaking.

SanDisk broke yet another record. Western Digital, its parent company, just unveiled the highest storage SD card in the world with a capacity of 1 terabyte.

Believe it or not, the iPhone is a professional choice for many videographers today. If you're looking to stabilize your iPhone's video footage, we've found one of the cheapest and most convenient options available.

As Photokina is kicking off, almost every brand is releasing new products. The Danish medium format manufacturer is no exception and is introducing a new digital back, the IQ1 100MP, along with two new Blue Ring lenses and Capture One 9.3. One might wonder why Phase One decided to have two 101-megapixel backs in its product line, so let’s dive into the specs and see what the reason(s) may be.

Yesterday, Profoto announced their Air Remote TTL-S and mentioned an unknown Pro-10 in their press release. It was not long before it was made official as the press release came in today. It’s a 2,400 Ws studio pack, and it’s fast — extremely fast! Not only that, but it’s the first of its kind, as it offers TTL and HSS capabilities.

Three months ago, Elinchrom released the Skyport HS for Sony. Back then, many seemed to complain there was no version for smaller bodies. It’s not the case anymore with the introduction of a new Skyport HS specifically designed for Olympus cameras, making it the fourth version of this pioneering flash trigger.

Lately it’s been a road of uncertainty for A-mount system users, as Sony remained quiet on specific plans for their DSLR line while making leaps and bounds in the mirrorless world. Today Sony has made their intentions clear by announcing the new Alpha 99 Mark II, a 42.4-megapixel camera with 12 fps continuous shooting, internal UHD 4K video, 399-point autofocus, and 5-axis in-body image stabilization.

GoPro has brilliantly teased us with its careful, controlled releases of Karma drone videos. Today, they've launched the new Karma alongside a pair of Hero5 cameras that are as wonderful to see as the Karma itself. Advanced stabilization looks impressive in the videos (see the mountain biking scene at 1:53), but something to note is how cinematic the image quality now looks. It won't be as easy to tell GoPro footage from other high-quality cameras. And about that Karma: does $799, remote, backpack case, and gimbal handgrip included get you excited?

Your eyes do not deceive you. Sigma has gone for the triple crown, not only announcing the long-anticipated 85mm Art lens, but updating their ultra wide angle zoom and introducing an optically stabilized supertelephoto lens. Things just got interesting.

We created the Fstoppers Flash Disc two years ago as the most portable and convenient softbox for speedlights on the market. We currently sell Flash Discs on Amazon US, B&H, and Amazon UK, which ships to the entire EU. Amazon UK only has 11 Flash Discs left in stock. When they are gone, the Flash Disc will no longer be available in Europe.

"The world does not fit conveniently into the format of a 35mm camera." Fujifilm quoted W. Eugene Smith as they unveiled their first digital medium format camera system. Featuring a custom-designed sensor and a complement of six new lens, Fuji is dead serious about turning the medium format market on its head.

With the new trend of including features such as TTL, HSS, or Hi-Sync, it’s now become common to see flash manufacturers release multiple versions of a remote. Each of the release being specifically optimized for a different camera brand. Well, today Profoto introduces a Sony version of their TTL trigger, the Air Remote TTL-S.

We all love big sensors, affordable glass, and cheap camera bodies, but is DSLR videography a dying breed? If so, what are the alternatives that we should be looking at?

The rumor mill in Panasonic user groups has been buzzing the last few months, speculating on what the next iteration of the very popular GH4 would look like. Today at Photokina 2016, Panasonic came through and announced some major specs and release dates for the highly anticipated GH5, and even had a prototype to show.

Pentax is a bit of an underdog these days. Often overlooked for Canon or Nikon and not nearly as popular as the Sony alternatives. While they might fly a bit under the radar those who have had the pleasure of using a Pentax camera know how rugged, ergonomic, and feature-rich their cameras are. On top of that they usually come in at the lowest price point. The Pentax K-1 is the company's first full-frame DSLR and not only does it follow the value-packed tradition, but DXOMark is claiming it to have the best sensor in its class and the third best sensor among all full-frame DSLRs on the market.

The latest member joining the beautiful Zeiss Loxia line of manual focus lenses is the 85mm f/2.4. Much like the other lenses in the Loxia family, the new 85mm is suited for both stills and video users of the Sony E-mount cameras. Shipping in early December, the telephoto lens will be priced at $1,399.

The world's most popular camera is the iPhone. That isn't news anymore, but it does highlight a number of interesting points about how people consume photography these days. Firstly, if people have a camera on their person that's readily available, they'll take pictures. Although this is somewhat obvious, it does draw the eye to one of the drawbacks of DSLRs and ILCs: size. They are both invariably too big to have on your person at all times, but what if that could be overcome?

You heard right, an entire year of Adobe CC Photography Plan for free with the purchase of an Intuos tablet. This deal is only good until September 17, so you might want to act fast before the weekend hits. Though it might not seem like a deep discount, for those photographers out there that find retouching and fine tuning imagery with a physical pen the way to go, this might be perfect for them so don't wait and miss out on a solid deal.

Until now, mirrorless bodies have been more of a side project for Canon, with the company declining to compete on the level of Sony and Fuji. However, today, Canon has announced the EOS M5 and EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens, which represent its first serious attempt at an upper level mirrorless option.

For Sony E-mount and micro four thirds (MFT) users looking for wide and fast lenses, look no further. Venus Optics has released two new lenses to help assuage your needs. Their new 15mm f/2 E-mount is the world's fastest E-mount rectilinear lens with a 110-degree field of view, and a fast wide open f/2 aperture promises to be an extremely fast and sharp lens. The 7.5mm f/2 is the widest rectilinear lens ever designed for MFT cameras, lending itself to extremely wide fields of view and wide aperture use for everything from cameras to drones.

After owning the DJI Osmo for about six months, I’ve come to realize how handy it can be when filming certain things. Usually a steady shot requires a huge gimbal or rig but with the Osmo it becomes simple and doable with just one hand. For me it is ideal for real estate and other little side projects I do, however it isn’t much of an everyday camera. DJI now introduces the Osmo Mobile, the Osmo handle with gimbal that can hold your smartphone.

Earlier today, DxOMark released their evaluation of the Canon 5D Mark IV, concluding that it has made notable strides in sensor performance. Anecdotally speaking, I can corroborate their results based on my time with Canon's latest generation of bodies. For years, many have bemoaned the company's sensors as lacking in dynamic range and being generations behind those of Nikon and Sony, but it seems now that they have essentially caught up to their rivals. However, for the everyday work of photographers, the story is a bit more complicated.

In the United States, you might know them better as Rokinon. Samyang Global, the Korean optics manufacturer, has announced two new lenses that may come as a bit of a surprise. While they have been producing quality manual lenses for a variety of mounts, they haven't done much that the mainstream manufacturers haven't already in terms of focal length, aperture, or cinema capability, though their price points have always been far more reasonable. With these new releases however, that has changed.

For the last 10 days, I have been on easy street. Floating on a cloud. My photography life expertly hacked. Thanks to a Facebook video, my single biggest frustration with my Nikon D750s has been alleviated.

If you're curious to see what a brand new Canon 5D Mark IV looks like on the inside, here is you chance. LensRentals has already done one of their popular teardown articles on the new camera, and taken one apart before most people who preordered it even received it yet. This post obviously won't help your photography in anyway, but it sure is interesting and fun!

Some things are too good to be true. But every now and again, the world offers you an opportunity to feel like you got the lucky ticket for two on an all-expenses paid vacation to Disneyland. This isn’t quite that good, but I don’t know many people who would say, “No,” to a free iPhone, let alone one that can make you money. Here’s how you can have cash left over after upgrading to an iPhone 7…

Meyer Optik has been on a mission since last year to reintroduce some of its classic lenses to the new digital age. The manufacturer has been using Kickstarter to revive several lenses from their Trioplan line, notably the 100mm f/2.8 and the 50mm f/2.9. After finding incredible success Meyer Optik has decided to relaunch another line, the Primoplan, starting with the 58mm f/1.9.

The iPhone 7 has been announced and the rumors were true; they've removed the headphone jack. Now you'll need an adapter to use your standard headphones. This is probably fine for the majority of iPhone users but it's impractical for me.

Expanding upon the high-end manual focus line of Milvus lenses for DSLR cameras, today Zeiss announced they are adding three new additions. These new lenses — a 15mm f/2.8, 18mm f/2.8, and 135mm f/2 — will feature the same solid optical quality housed within a beautiful barrel design that the Milvus line is known for. Created for both high-resolution photography and videography, the new lenses will begin shipping at the end of October.

Apple just finished their keynote announcing the new iPhone 7. The new 7 and 7 Plus include some pretty awesome (sounding) camera upgrades that should be another step forward for mobile photographers and videographers.

We're live now, come humor me as I mock the company that takes all of my money!

Continuing their approach of creating high-value products that people can’t seem to get enough of, Sigma has introduced a whole new line of CINE lenses specifically designed for cinematographers. The new lenses come in three different categories: the High Speed Zoom Line, the FF Zoom Line, and the FF High Speed Prime Line. In total, eight new CINE lenses have been announced and we have all the details right here from the announcement.

In an industry where product differentiation is tough because everyone has to meet similar standards, G-Technology continues to show that it can innovate on top of simply promising higher-quality products. Through partnerships with companies that creatives work with every day (such as RED Camera and Atomos), G-Technology continues to help filmmakers and photographers at every step of the creative process from capture to delivery.

One of the biggest hits at a wedding reception (or any event) is the photobooth. It’s an area where guests can gather around and make ridiculous faces, dress in silly props, and have an overall great time. When running a photography business that shoots events, we are always asked if we offer photobooth services, so I think it's a natural evolution to want to incorporate one into your packages. When I first found the booth from Photobooth Supply Co, it instantly stood out from all the other options.

Peak Design’s last Kickstarter for the Everyday Messenger was the most successfully funded photography product on the crowd-funding platform. With two days to go, its latest for the Everyday Backpack, Tote, and Sling just beat that record with nearly $5 million in pre-orders. These are my first impressions after a week with a pre-production version of the highly anticipated Everyday Backpack.

While most of the photography and videography world has been pining over the 5D Mark IV, Canon has released a second camera that promises a whole lot more. The C700 is the successor to the wonderful C500. It boasts some seriously impressive specs. But is it too late?

First launched in December 2013, the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD ultra-telephoto lens is now seeing its first update. The second generation (G2) lens will feature improvements to several areas including faster speed and better accuracy. Canon, Nikon, and Sony A mount versions of the lens start shipping September 28 at a cost of $1,399.

Chances are, if you're serious about this industry or have been doing your homework, you've heard about the importance of having color-accurate monitors in order to produce the best quality images possible. This point cannot be driven home hard enough: you can have all the correct techniques and execution, but if you're working on a monitor without a correct color calibration, your final image will not deliver the same impact as what you see on your monitor. The answer? A color calibration system.

Now admittedly, this particular device probably won't see much use in a commercial sense due to a few limiting factors. However, that being said, for those in need of fast moving aerial footage in the 1080p range, this may be worth checking out. The Parrot Disco is a fixed wing, single operator, first-person perspective flight drone that can record up to 32 GB of 1080p video on an internal storage system. It's able to reach speeds up to 80 km/h, a 2 kilometer range, and 45 minutes of flight time. This could be an interesting step forward in the direction of other high-speed aerial recording that won't require the use of full-size planes or helicopters.