If you're like me, the thought of touching, let alone fully cleaning your precious glass or even worse, your sensor, strikes fear into your heart. It's a skill every photographer should have, however. Learn how to do it safely here.
Another day, another drone is now available from DJI. You have heard of the Phantom 3 Advanced and the Phantom 3 Professional but the "standard" version is now available as well. Let's break down everything you need to know about these 3 quadcopters.
Some photographers like that soft, ethereal feel as they specifically seek out types of plastic to stick in front of the lens, or even go so far as to buy defocus control lenses and LensBabies that will allow them to distort an otherwise true image. That has its value. But this isn’t for that.
When you're shooting a wedding, every minute is valuable. There is often a compromise between the amount of time you spend on a shot and the level of quality you can achieve from that shot. That's partly what makes Fstoppers member Paul Keppel's ring shots so great. They take him almost no time to shoot and they look fantastic.
Nikon's newest AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR isn't any ordinary lens. Aside from the obvious addition of VR, the lens features a number of other features, including a new 82mm filter size and increased weight. While it's hard to consider those last two qualities "features," if you thought it was a bit odd, you were right.
While this is more than your average lens announcement on all counts, Nikon's updated 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR with electromagnetic diaphragm and vibration reduction technologies certainly reigns supreme on fans' hit lists of lens replacements for 2015.
Welcome to the first installment of Fstoppers’ Gear Tuesday! Below, you will find the answers to last week’s questions, including great topics such as walk-around lenses, magnesium vs. plastic bodies and the future of APS-C.
Another deal is up on eBay for those amongst us who pinch every penny like they're our moments before a match with Ronda Rousey. This time the deal is for us Canon loyals.
You may have heard of "Skyfire" last year, a web-based platform that used custom weather forecasting models to predict the best times to shoot sunrise and sunset. Now, there is a new mobile app available for iOS that uses the Skyfire platform, called "The Photographers Ephemeris," that brings this service to a new level.
Building on the wild popularity of the X-T1, Fujifilm has announced the X-T1 IR, which features the same X-Trans CMOS II sensor found in the X-T1, with expanded sensitivity to wavelengths between 380 and 1,000 nm. Those who love Fujifilm's X Series of bodies and lenses and are looking to expand their creativity are in for a treat.
The EOS-1D X DSLR has been Canon's flagship camera since its release in March 2012. It started with a hefty price tag of $6,799.00 and has since seen a price drop to $5,299.00 and most recently down to $4,599.00.
Canon's answer to the wildly popular Nikon D800/D810 is here and it is named the 5DS R. This camera is the same as the 5DS but the low pass filter on the sensor has been removed. In theory this camera should be sharper than the standard 5DS but Chris Niccolls decided to put it to the test.
Yes, you've read that correctly. Nokia, the former maker of my favorite cell phone in which I could play "Snake" during high school math class, has entered the hot new virtual reality camera market.
I am probably going to piss off Lee Morris and Patrick Hall and probably some of you with this post but there has been a lot of conversation lately, including multiple posts on Fstoppers.com, about ‘discounted,’ ‘gray market’ and ‘on sale’ cameras dramatically priced lower than their manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).
Gear, of course! Camera bodies and lenses galore! Nothing makes you a better photographer than dumping thousands of dollars on the latest technology! Right? No? Ok, I digress, I guess blowing all your hard earned (or borrowed) cash on the latest and seemingly greatest in camera equipment is probably about the least effective thing you can do to improve the quality of your work.
That is not a typo. Canon's newest camera is its first "multi-function" camera and is capable of something entirely refreshing (and maybe even a bit scary): capable of shooting 1080p at an equivalent of over four million ISO, the ME20F-SH can shoot objects that even the naked eye cannot see (objects lit by less than 0.0005 lux of illumination) in Full HD.
Beginning in 1995, consumer electronics giant Sony and high-end optics company ZEISS entered into a partnership that is still going strong. Today on the market you will find Sony, Sony/ZEISS, and ZEISS branded lenses. So what’s the difference between all of these, or are they actually quite similar?
A few years ago I started this blog for my photography students to help re-enforce the most fundamental aspects of photography. Understanding how your camera works and all the variables that make up a proper exposure is as essential to photography and breathing is to life. I've now decided re-transcribe these for Fstoppers.
A few months ago I featured a hot deal on the Nikon D750 DSLR camera being sold by a reputable ebay seller. Today Canon users can get in on a similar deal. Right now you can save $700 on a brand new flagship Canon 5Ds on Ebay.
With July coming to an end, summer in the North East is in full swing and what better time to get out and shoot than the present. Whether you are shooting portraits or landscapes, in the daylight or under the stars, sometimes the best way to stay motivated and make sure you are having fun with your photography is to keep things simple.
Let’s be honest, there are a lot of advantages to using speed lights.
Last week I wrote a post about how Nikon really needs to jump on the 4k bandwagon. I got a few comments that basically said; "Why do you care about 4k? nobody even owns a 4k TV at this point." They were right, 4k TVs aren't very popular, but I have no interest in producing 4k videos right now. I want to shoot 4k footage to enhance my 1080p videos.
This morning I found myself aimlessly surfing through Vimeo and I ran across a great video by Photographer/Videographer Alex Cornell. In this 14 minute video Alex takes us through all of the gear that he brought to Iceland to capture both still images and 4k video.
In 2015, I can transmit photos to my wire service from the field using my phone, seconds after the images were shot. Back in the 80s however, it took a case of equipment weighing upwards of 80 pounds to get that job done. As the poet wrote: times they are a-changing.
Metabones, best known for their magical lens adapters that actually make cameras more sensitive to light, has added another adapter to their micro four-thirds lineup. Along with this new adapter, (aimed at users of the Panasonic GH4) autofocus functionality will now be available for certain Canon adapters as well.
Ultra wide-angle lenses are a staple for landscape photographers but most cannot accept a regular threaded filter due to their protruding front glass elements. As such, photographers need to use a filter box which clamps to the outside of the lens and holds a large glass filter in place.
Nikon has a long history of venerated products, many of which are still just as useful today as they were in generations past. Here's a list of some of the best products of yesteryear.
When I first looked at placing my camera into the water I noticed that there was a lot of different options. The most practical and safe method was the big and very expensive dive housings that are used for scuba diving. The cheapest, most dangerous option was the little plastic zip lock bag-type housings that can be found on eBay for $100.
A few months ago we posted a deal on Fstoppers that appeared to be too good to be true. Brand New D750 cameras were selling for $1500, or 35% off retail. We bought 4 cameras and it ended up being legit. That deal is back again.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't know who Trey Ratcliff was until a few months ago. Being that I was engulfed in landscape photography for the last 10 months of my life, Trey's name eventually came up in conversation. If you didn't know, Trey is "the most followed photographer in the world" and now he has created a camera bag.
Are you shopping for a new lens? Wondering what the difference between a CMOS and CCD sensor is? You've come to the right place.
Still cameras have gotten so good that professionals are now starting to purchase smaller camera systems rather than the high megapixel monsters that have owned the market for years. We may have reached the edge of diminishing returns when it comes to standard still cameras and their functions but we have only scratched the surface when it comes to video.
B&H is offering a pretty hefty discount on the Comodo Orbit Handheld Stabilization Rig at $900 off their normal price. The unit normally has a whopping price tag of $1,299. The Orbit is designed to carry up to 11 pounds, meaning it works will with just about every DSLR/lens combination and most light to medium weight camcorders.
Venus recently released the KX-800 Twin Flash for macro photography which updates their previous KR-800 model. The new KX-800 model features stronger articulating arms that promise to hold their position better than before. In this review, macro photographer Thomas Shahan examines the Venus Twin Flash and goes over how to get the best results in real-world application.
Z Camera is a new startup that has come out with a camera they call the E1. What makes the E1 so special is that it is the smallest micro four thirds camera at the present moment. It shoots 16MP stills, offers 4K video recording, and has incredible low light performance. All in a package not much bigger than a Go-Pro.
The photo gear bag market is saturated with so many options of style and size that new products within this space really need to come out swinging with never-been-better looks and features in order to catch interest.
Fujifilm's lineup of fast primes is what sets it apart in the world of mirrorless cameras. Starting with the amazing XF 35mm f/1.4, and following up with the XF 23mm f/1.4 and XF 56mm f/1.2, Fuji have continued to impress with their small, lightweight, fast, sharp primes.
I'm not one to get caught up in hype. The camera world is constantly inundated with new, interesting products and technologies, many of which scream of excitement before their release, but arrive with nary a whimper. The Sony a7RII is a rare product that has caught my attention before its release.
The world's first full-frame coverage, f/2 zoom lens makes history as Sigma prices the 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art lens at a very fair $999.00. Moreover, Sigma promises it will feature similarly excellent optical performance as the other lenses across their new Art-series, Global Vision lenses.
It has always driven me insane that I had to stock multiple sets of softboxes that are largely identical but designed for use with either studio strobes (of a specific brand) or speedlights (via some sort of proprietary bracket).
I’m outdoors a lot and I post images and video of my adventures to social media all the time. But one of the biggest problems I have is if it’s anything more than a snapshot on my iPhone, or a video on my GoPro I can pull over to my phone via WiFi, I have to wait till I get home to edit on my laptop, slowing down the time it takes from getting the shot to sharing it with my followers.
Just last week, GoPro announced a new a camera in their ever-expanding lineup of action-POV cameras. The new camera is called the HERO4 Session, and as Doug Sonders posted last week, it's smaller and lighter than the previous series of HERO cameras.
In September of 2014 Patrick and I met Elia Locardi totally by chance in the basement of a German beer house during Photokina. That night we learned that Elia had sold all of his possessions and had been traveling the world nonstop for 3 years taking landscape & travel photographs.
Portland-based Lensbaby announced a new mobile photography kit aimed at bringing their unique lens esthetics to the mobile platform. This new creative mobile kit includes two lenses and a magnetic kickstand.
Nikon has just issued a service advisory for owners of the D750 DSLR, specifically those manufactured in October and November of 2014. The shutter in affected bodies has been shown to "not function normally," sometimes resulting in shading of a portion of images. Nikon will repair affected cameras free of charge, even those with expired warranties.
Canon just announced their latest Speedlite, the 430EXIII-RT. The update to the Canon 430EXII will be released in September 2015 at an estimated retail price of $299.99. Also announced are new accessories that will be familiar to Nikon users, the SCF-E2 Color Filter, and the SBA-E2 Bounce Adapter.
Some highlights of the third-generation flash include:
Jay P. Morgan of the Slanted Lens has recently created an image for Dynalite that is being used in their advertising. The concept for the image was to showcase a lot of motion, and the Dynalite Baja's motion stopping power.
While looking for a new shoulder bag to use for family sessions and travel assignments, I came across Gura Gear's Chobe 19-24L expandable bag. It checked all the boxes I needed; airline carry-on-friendly, reasonably lightweight, laptop sleeve, configurable dividers, plenty of storage pockets, and room for things other than camera equipment.
Addicted to Canon gear, but not to Canon prices? Canon has a long history of producing some extremely impressive products. If you find yourself looking for some new gear, but trying to stay within a budget, consider these gems of Canon yesteryear.
The morning of a shoot has arrived and you are running around frantically loading gear trying to make sure that you haven’t forgotten a lens, power cable, or battery that will be the key to making the shoot a success.