Introducing ShotKit, a fresh new take on a concept that people have been curious of for years. Sure, gear doesn't matter - we've all been battling with the concept for ages now. A great photographer can take a great photo with any camera, but that doesn't change all of our allure to new gear. ShotKit is now a service dedicated to showing you what's in your favorite photographers bag.
It hasn't even been a day since the Nikon D4s was released and we're already seeing pixel-peeping side-by-side comparisons of it and the D4.
Just under a month since Fujifilm announced the X-T1 in January, the highly anticipated mirrorless body is available in limited quantities for $1,299. B&H has likely fulfilled the pre-orders and has some left for those of you who did not.
Here at Fstoppers we featured many types and brands of camera straps and camera bags in the past. Now it's time to feature a product named Miggo that aims to combine the two: a camera strap that becomes a camera case when you're done shooting. This is could be a great solution for people who like to carry their camera as is, without carrying additional bags and more equipment.
Cinetics, originally known for their Kickstarter success story CineSkates, has just put a brand new product on Kickstarter yet again, this time aimed at motion control and time lapse. Called Axis360, it is "a compact, motorized tripod head and slider for dynamic video and time lapse photography."
On top of the new Nikon D4s annoucement, a new announcement came out about Nikon Capture NX-D RAW Processing Software. The software will allow you to maximize the Nikon camera and lens capabilities and create the "ultimate image quality that Nikon intended."
The Nikon D4s is FINALLY public! After months of rumors and random sightings of the camera, it has finally hit the market and is available for purchase. Everyone knew it was coming it was just a matter of guessing when it would be announced. Even Adobe leaked the D4s in the recent update to Camera Raw.
Sony seems to be joining in on the Smartphone camera revolution as they introduced the new Xperia Z2 today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. With a whopping 20.7MP for photo and 4k resolution for video, the little thing seems to pack a punch. Even though there is usually quite the uproar of smartphone hate, this new device is kind of interesting.
Late last year I wrote an article entitled “Why I Sold My RED and Downgraded to a C100.” The article, as you can imagine, was met with a bit of hostility. In short, Filmmakers and Red-users couldn’t seem to understand how I could give up the cinematic image capabilities of my RED Scarlet and settle for an entry level Canon Cinema camera.
We work in a field where, whatever we buy something for, we use for its intended purpose. Sometimes we just want to save money and dig through our stuff to see what else we can use it for. Here's a list of things you can use your gear for, either in a pinch or as a better replacement for something else.
The night sky is an astounding phenomenon that fascinates almost every individual. Stars have been around for thousands of years and yet, humankind is still mesmerized by their beauty. Despite the distance, we have such a strong connection and love for these great unknown entities. Capturing the magnificence of the night sky is highly rewarding and can be an exciting process as well.
A recent tutorial online shows us how we're able to take our video production with the use of a video slider. Often, camera sliders can cost hundreds of dollars, and can even break $1000 for a professional quality one. This latest tutorial shows you how you can make one in just an hour of time, and a mere $30 spent at your local Ikea.
It's not easy to determine which lenses to purchase when there are so many options. After all, lenses are a lifetime investment. There's a new camera every season, but the quality and craftsmanship of a good lens will never change.
According to Nikon Rumors, D600 owners might have an opportunity to seek compensation for their defective Nikon D600 camera.
EDC (everyday carry) items have always intrigued me. What people carry with them on a daily basis says a lot about who they are. Not to mention it's a great way to discover those can't-live-without items I never knew I needed. So I'm curious (and I know you are too): What do photographers carry with them on a day to day basis?
If you are a photographer specializing in kids and baby photography, or if you're just using your talents to shoot your own kids and family members, this product may interest you. Young kids have a very short attention span, and it's not always easy to get them to look directly to your camera. The 'Looky Loo' is a new product trying to solve this issue in a very simple way.
Last year Sigma released "Sigma Aizu," an unexpectedly captivating video showing how the company manufactures their products. It was not only a rare look into the process, but also done in such way that mirrors Sigma's recent change in their attention to detail and love of the craft. Part 2 was just released, and it matches the artistic integrity of the original.
In the wake of the announcement of the Fuji XT-1 and Sigma dp Quattro high-end mirrorless cameras, Nikon appears to be taking a second look at their new generation of 1-Series offerings. After lackluster sales of the original launch of the Nikon mirrorless models, it appears that Nikon might be turning its attention to the prosumer market to compete with Fuji, Olympus, and Panasonic i
It looks like Nikon is about to unveil its updated version of the D4 at The Photography Show in Birmingham, UK this upcoming March, but with slightly unexpected specs. According to an Adorama page just taken down, there are a few rumored improvements for the D4s that Nikon users can anticipate.
Though you can read more about the Powershot G1X here (since the info was leaked early by Best Buy who shortly thereafter removed the page), the Canon T5 experienced no such leak. The T5 is an entry-level affordable ($550) way for newbies to take ditch a point and shoot for a DSLR.
Sony just announced the release of new cybershot and mirrorless cameras along with the release of a new lens. There has been a lot of buzz about some of the products they announced and we are happy to finally get the official announcement.
It is true! Bestbuy posted the details to the currently unreleased Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II and we are here to keep the information public. The camera is currently for pre-order on their site for only $799, however Canon has not made any announcements for this camera. That’s not too bad of a price considering some of the information we have.
No AA's? No problem! Late last year Neewer, a company previously bashed for making fake MB-D11 battery grips, released the TT850 speedlight (you may also find this same flash branded as the Godox Ving V850). While not offered by B&H, they can be found on eBay and Amazon, for around $100.
Over the weekend Nikon announced new lens rebates for several popular lenses, but according to numbers we received this morning, Fuji is crushing Nikon in sales numbers, with hundreds more Fuji sold so far today than Nikon. The most popular lenses? The 27mm f/2.8, the 23mm f/1.4 and the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8.
So the much awaited Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is finally shipping, according to a press release put out by Blackmagic this morning. But on top of that, Blackmagic has announced a major price drop, down about $1000 to $2,995. That's a big deal for those of you interested in the camera, especially if you were impressed by prior video footage we've shown here.
Sigma today announced the new generation of high image quality compact cameras “SIGMA dp” that incorporates a newly developed Foveon X3 direct image sensor (generation name: “Quattro”).
The new Nikon "lens only" rebates are now live - a total of 15 lenses are now up to $400 off, and the good news is that you don't have to buy a DSLR body in order to qualify! If you were in the market for buying a lens, now is the perfect time. The best deals are:
GoPro, basically the name synonymous with action-camera mobile HD video, is one of America's most recent super-success stories.
Last night Panasonic revealed their new Lumix DMC-GH4 capable of producing 4K video and seemingly aimed directly at pro video shooters. There are some who are skeptical of cramming 4K video into such a small sensor and others who can't believe how amazing the camera reads on paper. Check out this sample footage from Lumix and you can draw your own conclusions.
I always thought the point of mirrorless was to make things compact, but Panasonic looks like they want to expand my mind and believe it also means raw power, as they have announced the Lumix DMC-GH4, a new camera that features 4K 24p cinematic video (4096x2160), plus 4K 3840x2160 30p/24p with 49 points of autofocus. The build is all metal, and it's obviously aimed at the professional market.
RODE downsized their popular Videomic with the new Videomic GO, half the size and can run without a dedicated battery through the use of in-line power. This looks like a perfect run-and-gun mic, but would the smaller size affect audio quality? You decide, as I compare the two against on-camera audio and a lav mic.
As far as digital products from Pentax go, the 645D Medium Format has always been the king of the hill for the company. Fans of Pentax, such as myself, have been anxiously awaiting an update to the original digital medium format offering from Pentax which was released nearly 4 years ago in 2010.
The Nikon D4s seems to be all the buzz lately. Nothing is official yet, but rumors are going around that match up across multiple sources.
Ahead of the Japanese trade show CP+, Tamron has announced two more mega-zoom lenses, the 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD (Model A010) and the 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO (Model B016). The lenses follow the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 announced in late 2013.
Right before Christmas a sale popped up for the FitBit Flex (a fitness tracker) and even though I didn't "need" it, the FitBit would help me stay in shape. So of course I bought it. Over the last couple of months I have been making a conscience effort to make sure I am active.
With modern technology within Adobe Camera Raw, you're limiting yourself considerably when shooting in JPEG. However, by shooting in Raw, you're removing the purpose of many of the features within the camera. Settings such as 'Picture Style' serve no real purpose when shooting in Raw, because all the adjustments added to photos, will be stripped when put on your computer.
Well despite the CMOS back announcement last month, Hasselblad hasn't done much in the ways of innovating (and it can be argued they haven't really done anything yet since the back was only announced, but no specs or information on it has been released). That didn't change yesterday when they announced the Hasselblad HV, a rebranded and reskinned Sony a99 that will retail for €8500.
I don’t know about you guys, but when Sigma announced the 24-105mm f/4 lens last year, I got very excited. The Canon 24-105mm f/4 was one of my favorite video lenses early on. It’s an extremely versatile focal length that, besides the slow f/4 constant aperture, was largely pretty usable in nearly any environment. Sadly, the lens was only good for video because it just wasn’t very sharp.
Last month we posted an article about a unique LED lighting solution called “Strahlen” that was crowdfunding. On paper, the specs of these lights look great, but how well do they perform in a real production setting? I got my hands on a kit of Strahlens, and after an interview shoot with them I found out that they were the real deal.
Over time every DSLR will collect dust on its CMOS or CCD sensor; there really isn't anyway around it. Cleaning your own camera's sensor with liquid wipes or other wet processes has always been a bit risky. Luckily the Sensor Gel Stick is a safe and easy product that top manufacturers like Leica, Nikon, and Canon have been using in their own factories for years. Now YOU can use it too!
If you don't like lav mics rearing their ugly heads in your video productions but love the sound quality (like we saw in a video from Wistia), then maybe Rode's latest product is the perfect solution. It's called the invisiLAV, and it adheres to the interior of clothing and skin and supposedly eliminates the need for those pesky lav clips.
Flashpoint’s 14” Fluorescent Dimmable Ring Light ($140) is by no means a perfect product. It’s not the sturdiest of creations; it seems to have about as much metal in it as a pair of sunglasses. It’s bright but not powerful; bright enough to want those sunglasses if you find yourself on the business end.
Fan of the E-Mount or already an owner of the pretty sweet Fuji X-mount systems? Then you might like this: Zeiss just announced a 50mm f/2.8 macro lens for both mounts that sports the styling of the Zeiss lenses we've come to love over the years. It will be available at the end of March for $999.
Early this morning Olympus announced the new OM-D E-M10 (that's a mouthful), combining aspects of two popular cameras the E-M1 and E-M5. It features the new TruePic VII image processor, the same found in the OM-D E-M1, 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor, Wi-Fi technology, a large, high-speed electronic viewfinder and 3-axis image stabilization.
As consumer electronics continue to improve in quality and price, there are more opportunities for professionals to save some money and create DIY solutions. I thought it would be worth sharing my latest DIY project (inspired by video director Joe Simon). I shoot quite a bit of commercial work and often have agency reps or clients that need to view takes and give feedback.
Fuji’s latest camera in their popular X-Series line up, the X-T1, has been officially announced. Although I wrote a brief summary of the features and spec’s being passed around the rumor mill, the official announcement has just been made so we can now confirm details.
If there was a camera that really got people talking in 2013, it was the Sony a7 and a7R. Hailed as a “game changer” and “camera of the year” by both PDN and PopPhoto, it’s gotten a lot of attention. A full frame, powerful and purportedly pro-level mirrorless compact, what’s not to love?
A while ago we wrote about the Kickstarter project aimed at bringing the historic Petzval Lens to modern day 35mm DSLRs. Shortly after another Kickstarter was launched to bring this Petzval to the medium format crowd. While off the shelf options such as these can appeal to the masses there remain a few inventive photographers such as Dr.
Lately we've been seeing a lot about the Nikon Df. Everything from Lee Morris' Nikon Df Hipster Review to Chase Jarvis' First Impressions, and it seems like the early popular opinion has judged the Df as lacking.
When it comes to shaping the light sources photographers use, there are a lot of modifiers available. Each lighting modifier has it's own characteristics which can make it difficult to determine the best light for your project.