Photography Gear

Gear isn't everything — but it's not nothing either. This section covers the cameras, lenses, accessories, and equipment that photographers actually use, with an eye toward helping you make smart decisions rather than just chasing the latest release. Expect news, analysis, hands-on impressions, and the occasional reality check on whether that upgrade is actually worth it.

Blackmagic Upgrades Firmware for Cinema Camera and Pocket Cinema Camera

Blackmagic Design today released Camera v1.9.3, a firmware update that adds histogram, audio meters and media time remaining indicators to the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Pocket Cinema Camera. These features were also recently added to the Production Camera. 

The updated firmware in v1.9.3 does the following:

ONA Releases New Bags: Prince Street and Berlin II

ONA, makers of some fine fashion-forward camera bags, has announced the availability of new camera bags: the Prince Street and Berlin II. The bags are designed to carry a camera, two lenses, an iPad and personal items. The Berlin II is a Leica collaboration and made for the Leica M-System. It features one signature red rivet and a red interior.  

DIY Diffusion Panels For Less Than $30

When it comes to diffusion panels, several companies have prefab "blades" intended for holding diffusion materials that fit nicely into grip heads and knuckles, but at nearly $100 a pop, buying several of them may not fit into everyone's budget. Earlier this week, fellow Fstopper Clay Cook put together an awesome post about building your own V-Flats.

How to Shape Light Using a Parabolic Reflector

In this video, Karl Taylor and Urs Recher experiment with and demonstrate the uses of a Parabolic reflector. Using a model who is wearing white against a white background, they produce a number of portraits demonstrating how to shape the Para light to separate the model from the background.

Syrp's New Magic Carpet Slider Adds More Functionality for Timelapse and Video

Syrp's timelapse machine, the Genie, rocks at what it does despite some limitations. You can read our full review of the unit here. Many of those limitations are made easier to swallow once you see what you can do with the new Magic Carpet slider, a tool with a lot of options for both video and timelapse.  

Maxell Revitalizes Its Brand with New Camera Accessories

Maxell Professional Media, in an effort to continue diversifying from its well-known CD/DVD manufacturing business, announced it will release various camera accessories including three-way power shoe adapters, USB and other power connectors, and an interesting shoe clamp that will let you add a cold shoe just about anywhere. 

The Studio Essential - How To Construct High-Quality V-Flats And Why

Ever since I started diving into studio photography the term “V-Flat” has been a big mystery to me. Google and YouTube have been the quintessential resource for photography knowledge and for whatever reason there isn't much detailed information on how to construct a V-Flat or what purpose they actually serve.

Microsoft Hyperlapse Project Aims to Make First-Person Videos Enjoyable at Last

First-person cameras, such as the ubiquitous GoPro, have been filming hours of footage from their owner’s journeys for years now. These lengthy uncut videos don’t hold much interest to most people, but a team of Microsoft Researchers are aiming to change that by using some remarkable technology they hope to release as part of an upcoming app. 

Nikon Is Giving Brand New D610 Cameras To D600 Owners

Remember the Nikon D600? It's a great camera other than the fact that the shutter would spray oil all over the sensor. The oil can't easily be seen at wide open apertures but it's a major problem when you stop down. Due to a class action lawsuit Nikon is replacing D600s with new D610... For some people.  

An Unforgettable Giant Ring Light and How You Can Make Your Own

The largest ring light I've ever seen consists of 27 bulbs and is four feet in diameter. Six months ago, I built it. With so many questions left unanswered, I put together a short film that explains how I built it, why it was built, and why it's the most amazing light I've ever used to date. 

Buy The Studio Gear We Used To Start Fstoppers And Our Photography Careers

12 years ago I assisted a commercial photographer and I fell in love with photography and decided to make it my career. I started little by little buying all of the gear from another fellow photographer in an attempt to go pro as soon as I graduated college. Tomorrow, all of that gear will be sold.  

Nikon D810 Review VS D800 VS 5D3 VS FS700

I believe that the Nikon D810 is currently the best all around camera you can buy for the money ($3300) even with competition from Sony's A7R. The more difficult question comes from current D800 owners like me; "Is this camera worth upgrading to?" The answer isn't cut and dry.  

RED Epic Dragon First Look and Dynamic Range Tests

Magnanimous Media posted a video detailing some of RED's newest technology as they go through the performance of the sensor in the new 6K-capable Epic Dragon. In what is perhaps one of the most interesting and visually appealing ways to display RAW and ungraded vs.

The Sigma dp2 Quattro Review: New Camera, New Sensor, New Heights

There are two things that immediately come to mind when we talk about the new Sigma dp2 Quattro: the new new Foveon X3 sensor (the book), and the shape of the camera (its cover). Do either matter? Are either necessary? Why do/don’t I like it? And overall, should we all go out and buy this camera today? I had some time to myself with the camera for a preliminary review this week.

Workflow Review: Backing Up and Delivering Content with WD MyPassport & My Cloud Mirror

Western Digital makes some of my favorite hard drives, and one drive in particular recently caught my interest: the My Cloud Mirror. The idea of the My Cloud Mirror was appealing: managing my own cloud network that could be accessed from anywhere and also shared out of, but without a monthly fee. Basically, it is a personal DropBox.

Watch This Startling Shark Attack and Appreciate All That Cameras Do

There is a good chance this video will make you jump.  You may even pee your pants just a little.  The REMUS SharkCam equipped with GoPro cameras gives us a clear view of what it would be like to be attacked by a great white.  Watching this video I couldn't help but appreciate how cameras have opened the world to us.

Dead Weight: Tony Irons’ Large and Medium Format Film Photography

I recently produced a documentary on fine art photographer Tony Irons, showcasing his new photography exhibit entitled “Dead Weight.” The collection includes images created in a studio setting on large format film and landscapes photographed in and around Taipei, Taiwan. 

Today is the Last Day You Can Grab Hasselblad Certified Pre-Owned Gear for 20% Off

Having recently moved from a DSLR into medium format digital, I can affirm the transition isn't a cheap one. Besides shelling out tens-of-thousands of dollars for a body and digital back, you've also got to buy a new set of lenses which average around $4k each. Add tether cables, tripod mounts, additional batteries, and filters, you're in the hole for the equivelent of a home mortgage.

Timelapse Machine Review: The Syrp Genie Gets a Lot Right

There is no avoiding it: timelapse is popular right now. With the ability to use relatively low-cost cameras to still generate extremely high resolution video, hardly a day goes by without a new, amazing timelapse video blowing up on Vimeo. The Syrp Genie is a Kickstarter success story, garnering over six times the original asking pledge amount.

Behind The Scenes – Up The Ante With A GoPro

I’ve always been enthralled with first person movie scenes, games and music videos. Clocking countless hours with Duke Nukem 3D in my parent’s basement on an old Packard Bell PC planted a seed that forever changed me. To this day I think The Prodigy's breakbeat electronic hit “Smack My Bitch Up” is one of the greatest first person videos of all time.

Zack Arias Debunks the Full Frame / Crop Sensor Debate

Zack Arias has always been an avid Fuji shooter (starting off with the fabulous X100) and was one of the biggest influences in my decision to finally take the plunge and co-purchase an X-Pro 1 this summer. In this video Zack knocks some sense into you about how silly the full frame / crop debate really is by reviewing the progression of different formats from eight by t

New High-End Remote Trigger Released By Ubertronix

If you think you've got a quick trigger finger, then you haven't used the new Strike Finder Touch (SFT) by Ubertronix. This sleek remote trigger boasts the ability to trigger your camera  shutter in less than 1 millisecond. The device has 5 different modes: Time Lapse, Lightning (or high speed flash), laser, sound and motion.

Bulletproof Backup Strategies For Digital Photographers

As your photography archive grows, so does the need to handle and protect that data. What happens if your computer doesn’t boot, or an image file won’t open? What if your home or studio gets robbed, or worse, catches fire? What if your backup drive fails, or your laptop gets stolen? These are all questions I ask myself when planning my backup strategy.

 

 

Photographers Build DIY Remote Controlled Submarine To Film Hippos Underwater

Drones are probably the hottest gadgets in the photography industry this year. We see them being used for commercial aerial shoots, for news coverage, for wedding photography and, well, just for fun. The guys at 'Earth Touch' recently decided to see if they can create a drone that instead of going up to the sky, will be able to go down under the water.

Finally, Pentax Gets It Right With Their Gunmetal-Grey K-3 Prestige Edition

Pentax has had a long fall in the industry since the digital era of photography. Once a major player in the film industry, Pentax now only touches on about 6% of the entire DSLR market and under 2% when you account all digital camera purchases in the last few years. But they did get one thing right, and that is the Gunmetal-Grey Pentax K-3 Prestige Edition. 

Evolution Of Me - 5 Investments That Changed My Career Forever

I have only been shooting photography for a little over 3 years now. Things have progressed so quickly during that period of time that I haven't really had the chance to look back at the evolution of my photography. I had to think thing long and hard about the investments I have made over the 3 years and the things that really changed the game for me.

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Firmware Update: Histogram, Peak Audio & Recording Time Added

Blackmagic Design today announced the release of Camera 1.9 software, a firmware update that will improve the Production Camera 4K with a "heads up display" on screen metering and show a histogram, peak audio meters and recording time remaining.  The update is free for Blackmagic Production camera users and you can download this update now and install it onto your

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art for Canon Back in Limited Stock

At the time of this post's publication, B&H has informed me that they have 20 of these coveted lenses left. If you've been wanting to grab one, now is the time. If you want more info on the lens, make sure you check out our review.  [Via B&H]

Fuji Reveals X-Mount Lens Roadmap Through 2015

Fuji has sent out a updated road map for X-mount interchangeable lenses through th efirst half of 2015. A large-diameter medium telephoto lens (the XF90mmF2.0R) features for the first time and the next available lens will be the XF50-140mm F2.8 R OIS WR. Following on from the XF18-135mm lens, this will be Fujifilm’s second weather resistant lens designed to partner its X-T1 camera.  

How to Brick Your MōVI and Then How to Restore Its Life

Last week FreeFly Systems sent out a rather critical announcement stating the new firmware (version 3.08) had been released with a new Configuration App, and it was imperative to update your devices by August 1st, 2014 because..."If you do not upgrade by the specified date your MōVI could cease to function." What follows is how despite my best efforts, I still managed to b

Freefly Shipping New MoVI Controller

Freefly systems, makers of the game-changing MōVI 3-axis stabilizer, is now shipping their MōVI Controller, designed to enhance and make a true two-person stabilizer setup. The second user can now control the pan, tilt, roll, focus, iris and zoom of a MōVI-mounted  camera while the main operator holds the system.

Fstoppers Reviews the FoCal Autofocus Calibration Software

There are few things we, as photographers, are more OCD about than tack-sharp focus. We invest so many of our hard-earned dollars into nice glass, painstakingly focus, then spend hours in post afterwards pulling our hair out when the eyes aren’t sharp. While of course sometimes OOF images are due to user error, small variations in the lens and camera can result in less-than-sharp images.

Hasselblad Launches the CFV-50c CMOS Back for V-System Cameras

Today, Hasselblad launched the CFV-50c -- a medium format back using the same 50-megapixel CMOS censor in the H5D-50c that can be attached to any existing V-system camera. With no external cables required to connect the backs, the back is incredibly well priced at €11,000.

Meet MIOPS, a Smartphone Controlled High-Speed Photography Trigger

Created for the creative, MIOPS is a promising new accessory used to easily trigger your camera or flash unit for high-speed photography scenarios. The MIOPS team have launched a Kickstarter to acquire funding for their new high-tech device in which they declare is “not the first trigger in the market, but it is going to be the best.” 

Behind The Scenes With The Nikon D810 For "Every Moment Counts"

Announced less than a month ago, the new Nikon D810 has made video DSLR shooters foam at the mouth with its long list of cinema-centric features. The crew from Cinescapes Collective got their hands on an early release of the D810 and put together a short film for Nikon Professional Services.