Gear

UPDATED: Estimated arrival date released. In a stunning development, Sigma has placed the rumored 24-105mm on their website. I say stunning, because the whole of the Sigma USA team is on holiday today and we were never briefed on this lens officially (which is HIGHLY unusual, eg. this is the first time it's happened). This story is still developing, but the page is live and you can look at it yourself.

With so many options out there for off-camera flash gear, how do you know which is best for you? More importantly, how do you learn how to use it in a real life situation? Maybe my techniques and approach are just what you've been waiting for!

Do you remember the last time you were shooting at a less than ideal time of day, or maybe a less than ideal location for light? Think back to it. What did you do?

If you've been following Fstoppers, you might recall the Benro S2 and S4 video monopods that we reviewed in the spring of 2013. They're solid, and despite an abundance of plastic parts that could be a turn off, the larger S4 was a great monopod. Seeing the need for one just a bit larger, Benro today announced the S6 video monopod.

A couple of months ago, I created a video tutorial to show how camera movement can affect your story. The take away from the video and article was that filmmaking should be about the sexiest camera movement, but instead the focus should be on camera movement that fits your story. Learning how to put my story first was something repeatedly drilled into my head while attending a workshop by filmmakers “Stillmotion” last year. Stillmotion's story-first approach has been the key to their success and has helped them land huge contracts shooting the Superbowl, Callaway Golf and Canon just to name a few.

In this useful video by Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens he walks you through how to pack your gear to be ready for airplane travel whether it be within the United States or overseas. Jay explains the proper paperwork you should have for your gear when traveling internationally and what gear he typically packs when flying and most importantly why. The video and the advice that Jay gives you is very detailed and extensive. It's a great resource to watch every time you're about to fly out to your next location and might just save you a headache or two.

Canon Rumors is reporting an image of what appears to be a legit image of the rumored 24-105mm f/4 that Sigma has purportedly been working on. It will supposedly be heavier and larger than the Canon 24-105, but that's not unexpected given the build of the previous pro lenses Sigma has released.

I certainly wasn't expecting this from Leica today: The new Leica Ultravid Colorline collection of compact, high quality binoculars. In addition to the classic models with black leather trim, the Leica Ultravid 8 x 20 and Leica Ultravid 10 x 25 are now also available in vibrantly colored leather trim: apple green, Aztec beige, dove blue, Capri blue, cherry red and lemon yellow.

The X100s has pretty much been sold out since it's release, but B&H has a few back in stock! The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L is back in stock as well. Plus they also have the Fujifilm X-E1 with XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens for sale with a $200 instant savings! The used department also has refurbished D600s in stock.

Induro is one of those companies that had a really slow start, but has worked extremely hard to climb their way to being a household name. My first few experiences with Induro (although brief) were not great. The build quality of their products left a lot to be desired. Oh how things have changed! Today I'm going to give you the rundown on an Induro CT-114 Carbon Fiber Tripod.

The Fujifilm X-A1 with 16-50mm lens is back in stock at B&H as is the Wacom Intous Pro in Medium! The X-A1 is a little guy that packs a nice punch, it's available in Indigo Blue and is awaiting your add to cart click. It also comes in black and is available for pre-order. It packs a punch at 16 megapixels and has a 1.5 crop sensor. It comes in at a mere $599, so it's a cost effective alternative for those who are in love with the X100 and X100s but don't want to drop the cash. It still has the ability to shoot auto and manual but the best part is unlike the x100 and x100s, the lens can be swapped.

When Nikon released the D610, I’m sure that many of you (myself included) initially reacted with joy. “Hooray!” we said. “They’ve fixed the problem of the D600! Nikon made things right!” But then I let things sit for a few hours and I realized, Nikon did no such thing. They didn’t fix anything, no more than Canon “fixed” the T4i when they released the T5i. Hooray? No. Not hooray.

Designed by Apple's Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson, Leica's one-of-a-kind M for RED will be auctioned off at Southeby’s on November 23rd 2013 to raise money for The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The hallmark of Ive design is on display with the rounded anodized aluminum outer shell and machined aluminum body. The camera has s a full-format CMOS sensor, high performance processor and new Leica APO-Summicron M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens.

The rumor mills have been buzzing, and Nikon has finally answered the rumors with the announcement of the Nikon D610. The main upgrade for the D610 is the shutter mechanism, after addressing the “oil-like leak” on the sensor from the D600 model. Other enhancements include a small jump in burst speed, and some new weather sealing advancements.

Zeiss, makers of some of the most outstanding glass on the market, announced a new member of their Canon and Nikon connected lenses: the 55mm f/1.4 Otus Distagon T* Lens. It is a standard focal length premium lens optimized for full-format DSLR camera sensors. If it's anything like the 135mm f/2.0 APO SONNAR, there is a lot to be excited about.

As cell phone companies continue to improve their cameras, users are finding it increasingly easy to take better photos. Aside from resolution and low light capability, most phones now offer some sort of Automatic Image Stabilization. The technology works by either moving the sensor or lens to counteract unwanted movement before the image is converted to digital information.While some companies struggle to communicate how the image stabilization operates, LG has found a hilarious alternative to technical jargon.

Have you ever found yourself thinking: “If only I had <insert expensive camera body/lens/lighting gear>, I would be shooting better images/be winning bigger jobs/get better and higher paying clients”?

If you’ve never had this thought, congratulations, skip this article and move on because you’re already part of ‘The Enlightened’ few.

If you are like me your work computer is one of your most prized possessions. It does the heavy lifting in post production, and it's also there in times of need, like "needing" to waste four hours on Facebook instead of finishing your retouching. So, what is the best way to keep that fine piece of machinery in tip top shape? Well, honestly there are a lot of ways, but I'm only going to tell you about my favorite apps, all 6 of them. Unfortunately for you Windows and Linux peeps I'm an Apple user, so most of these apps are Mac only. *womp womp*

On Tuesday, Apple quietly (and I mean VERY quietly) released the newest update to the iMac line of personal computers. It's curious why they (Apple) didn't make any sort of major announcement, or even blend this into the September 10th announcement of the iPhone 5S. I personally think that this update is fairly newsworthy, not only because the iMac has become one of the staples in a lot of professional studio's digital labs and Tech carts, but it's a huge leap in performance over it's predecessor, if you believe the info on Apple's website that is.

Miley Cyrus is just becoming the talk of the town lately, but the one time she does something completely normal, everyone has to make a big deal out of it. Which is why she posted a plain old Nikon N80 35mm camera on eBay and it's currently up to $13,300 $80,100 $92,000 with plenty of time left to go.

Often as photographers we put in long hours on our feet, walk quite a bit, bend, crouch, shimmy and shake all while carrying heavy gear on our shoulders and back. At the end of the day my feet would be sore, my legs tired, my thighs chaffed and my back aching. If you have felt the same way, here are three things that will help you be more comfortable and pain free while out on long shoots.

I use PASS for my gallery systems. I use it because it’s pretty on both the computer and on mobile devices, something that Smugmug and Zenfolio sometimes fail on. The system is pretty expensive ($30 per gallery), and gets a lot of criticism for completely hustling photographers over with their print system and prices. To top it off, Pass creator has had his share of controversy. Introducing Pixieset, everything that PASS SHOULD be, and at a reasonable price.

There are an endless amount of options to help organize your daily tasks. Whether you are a working professional or simply a procrastinator, we have all felt the suffocating feeling of projects as they slowly begin to pile up. Some folks might be lucky enough to inherit a photographic memory or super human organizational skills, but if you are like me, you possess neither of those. Here is the best $15 I have ever spent to help keep myself organized.

From selling belts out his van to inventing one of the most popular cameras of our day – it must be surreal for GoPro founder Nick Woodman to look back at his companies growth. Not only is GoPro the go-to for the filmmaking community, but Woodman has successfully spread into a much wider market. In the same way that the iPhone has spawned an entirely new generation of photographers, GoPro has empowered athletes to become their own camera men.

Remember the Phottix Mitros speedlight? I loved this flash, and I wasn't the only one. Despite some complaints regarding the interface, generally there was only one other disappointment: no built in wireless receiver for their Odin transmitters. Phottix has now built them in, wiping aside the only place of complaint and making the Mitros+ instantly a speedlight you should seriously consider.

Adobe, in addition to announcing Q3 earnings which look to be a little lower than anticipated (but the stock is still doing quite well), also announced the availability of the Photoshop Photography Program that was revealed a couple weeks ago. To remind those of you who missed it, you can get a bundle specific to photographers for $9.99.

Earlier this year at MAX, Adobe announced Project Mighty and Project Napoleon, new cloud-based hardware tools that were somewhat overshadowed by the Creative Cloud announcement. Today Adobe has revealed that their prototype concepts for Mighty and Napoleon will indeed become full fledged products.

These days, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the advertising hype surrounding a new cinema product. All it takes is a slick promo video and clever marketing for companies to set the Internet ablaze. As the hype and expectations build, words like “game-changer” and “revolutionary” are thrown into the mix.

Did you catch the big news coming out of Apple this week? I’m not talking about the new phone announcements. I’m talking about Phil Schiller, Senior VP Marketing for Apple claiming that you no longer need to learn about photography to take better pictures, you just have to buy the new iPhone because (apparently) it does it all for us.

Many of you probably love the Vagabond/Einstein combination, and for good reason: it rocks. That said, constant lighting for video can still be a pain when you want to take the show on the road. LitePanels, who make some pretty great LED fixtures, has attempted to address this by combining one of their lights with Anton/Bauer’s portable power solutions to go beyond normal limitations.

It is insanely difficult to bring an idea for a product to market. One of the biggest impediments is, of course, cost. That's why I have the utmost respect for folks who put it all on the line to follow their dream, folks like Chris Field. Chris has invented the Lens Apparatus, a universally compatible lens controller for timelapse and DSLR videography follow focus control that looks like something all of us DSLR videographers will love.

Well first off, I am not positive anyone actually retained what the specs on the new iPhone 5S are going to be. Mostly because I'm sure the only thing running through their minds was 'I love goldddddd' from Austin Powers Goldmember. But lets push aside the fact that you can rock a phone that will glisten in the sunlight like a shiny olympic medal and talk about some of the much needed upgrades on the new 5S.

When you ask most filmmakers what their next purchase is, you'll like hear an answer like "A new camera body, some lenses and better audio gear". It's always easy (and fun) to lust over new and expensive gear, but often we forget to buy the little things that make our life on set much less stressful. Although these tools are extremely affordable, they will often be the ones that make you a hero on set. Here are some tools that every filmmaker should have in their gear bag:

Remember the Olympus E-5? If you don't, I can't say I blame you. It was Olympus's last attempt at a "professional" DSLR that was anything but. Everything about the E-5 felt outdated as soon as it was released. It's been years since the E-5, and Olympus is finally ready with its successor, the micro four thirds OM-D E-M1.

Think Tank announced a new bag and accessory case today that focus specifically on jiving with your favorite Apple products. The "My 2nd Brain" bag comes in three sizes for iPads and the different sized laptops, while the PowerHouse is an accessory bag to keep cords and whatnot in place. It's an interesting direction for the camera bag maker, to say the least.

The D7000 is an amazing camera. I shot weddings with it exclusively for 2 years and during that time we also filmed every Fstoppers video with them as well. Today only Adorama is selling refurbished versions of them on eBay for just $580! If you need a mid level DSLR, don't let this deal pass you by.

Ever taken a photo only to find dust and small hair particles on your sensor. It can be quite aggravating. Here is a quick and easy way to clean up your sensor and only spend $8 doing it.

Canon rather quietly snuck a new lens onto the market today, announcing the CN-E35mm T1.5 L F single-focal-length Cinema prime lens designed for large-format single-sensor digital cinematography cameras employing Super 35mm or full-frame 35mm imagers. This brings Canon's cinema lens family up to six.

Advertised as the "first consumer 4K camera by Sony," the FDR-AX1 is now available for pre-order at a (consumer friendly?) price of $4,499. It shoots 3840 x 2160p video at 60 fps on a 1/2.3" Exmor R 8.3MP CMOS Image Sensor through a Sony G Lens with 20x optical zoom. Sony says it has packed technology developed for their professional video cameras to create a compact, easy-to-operate 4K consumer model that's designed to make 4K video and professional-quality audio available to the masses.

Sony's highly discussed and hotly debated cell phone cameras (accessories?), the DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100 are now available for pre order. These camera/lens combo devices attach to Android and iOS devices using WiFi, but can also store images on a microSD card of up to 64 GB capacity. The products have been the subject of a lot of speculation and rumor over the past few weeks and they are finally available to order.

Beginning now until September 7, B&H Photo is offering $200 off of the Canon 35mm f/2.0 IS lens. Normally it goes for almost $800 but right now it's $599.00. In our review of the 35mm, we found it to be pretty on par with the L glass in terms of performance. It's tack sharp, has image stabilization and is equipped with a quiet, fast and reliable autofocus motor. Also on sale for a limited time are the Canon 24mm f2.8 and the Canon 28mm f/2.8 lenses.

Cell phone makers are really pushing the envelope with image quality in phones these days. It seems like new phones can't be released onto the market without some totally new and crazy feature enticing you to buy it. First was the Nokia Lumia 1020, now the Acer Liquid S2 which is the first smartphone to record 4K video.

One of RED digital cinema’s biggest strengths is building up hype around an upcoming product. The company is praised as innovators by the film community, for building cameras like the Epic and Scarlet. When other companies were content with 1080p, RED was building cameras with 4 times the resolution. Years later, RED users can’t help but chuckle as companies like Sony are developing 4k televisions – technology that RED’s competition once thought to be excessive.

Umbrellas have been a staple light modifier for decades. But if you’ve ever wondered why there are so many types, or how the light quality from your strobe is affected by the size, lining, fabric or shape of the umbrella, then this post is for you.

Red Rock Micro recently had the chance to interview Captain Hook, the person behind the latest BlackMagic Pocket Camera footage, and answer a couple of questions about the BMPC and it's performance. For you that do not know about the BMPC check out our earlier post on it.

Phottix has been steadily working its way up the ladder when it comes to reliable and affordable photography equipment. Much like Yongnuo, Phottix started in the marketplace as somewhat unreliable, but in recent years has done a lot to turn that around. Introduced a few months ago, the Phottix Luna collapsible beauty dish caught many an eye as a perfect answer for beauty lighting on the go. But the question remained: does it produce the same results as a real beauty dish?