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.

The Long-Awaited Canon 6D Is Now In Stock And Shipping From B&H

Just a quick heads up to the many of us who have been waiting for this camera: It's finally in stock and ready to ship! Just in time for a nice holiday gift to...yourself. Because let's be honest, if you're as excited about this camera as I am, you're not going to let anyone else in your family get their paws on it before you.

New Nikon DSLR Rumors Out for 2013

NikonRumors just gave us a few more rumors for new DSLR releases to come from Nikon next year. Among them is a claim that the D7000 and D300s lines will be consolidated into one semi-pro body APS-C camera that will sit just between the D5200 and D800... 

A Lion Goes to Town on a Canon 5D Mark II and Lens

Ed Hetherington was photographing animal life in Kenya from a remote on-the-ground setup when a lion approached and found it rather odd...and oddly tasty. The series of images that followed show the lion sniffing, carrying, and enjoying the camera for a while. The lens survived despite getting a little dirty, but the body wasn't so lucky... 

Fuji X-Pro 1 and Olympus OM-D E-M5 Discounts

Our second-place mirrorless camera, the Fuji X-Pro 1, is discounted up to $600 with the purchase of a lens on B&H, where the body is $300 off its original price and adding a lens takes an additional $300 off (that's essentially a free 18mm f/2 lens over the price a few weeks ago). Just add the items to your cart for the automatic deal.

Promise J4 Thunderbolt SSD and Hard Drive Enclosure Finally Available!

It's Cyber Monday, of course. And all those deals are pretty tempting. But Promise has their own treat for us today: the J4 4-bay enclosure that holds 2.5" SSD or normal hard drives for extreme speed over a Thunderbolt interface. Pre-order this enclosure now with or without four 500GB hard drives for $387 or $775 respectively. There's another bonus, too, though... 

Save a Little on Your Next Audio Purchase

If you've been looking to upgrade your video set up and get some higher quality audio, take a peek at the holiday savings for the TASCAM DR-40 4-Track Portable Digital Recorder. B&H is offering the fantastic price of $139 plus a $15 rebate. Although online ordering is unavailable till tomorrow afternoon, you can still stick it your cart for later.

Black Friday Deals on Adobe Lightroom + Elements

Adobe is having a sale at their online store for Photoshop Lightroom 4, Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11. Lightroom is discounted down to only $199, while the Elements are only $60 each. You can also grab both elements programs as a bundle for only $90. All great bargains, but only until November 28!  

LensRental's First Impressions of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4: "New World Order"

Roger Cicala of LensRentals (who really likes to be the first person to get something up whenever new tech hits his store) has published his initial feelings on the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4. The good news for me is that all of you who have called me a "Sigma fanboy" have one more person to lump into that group.

Time-Lapse of Dust Accumulating on Nikon D600 Sensor

We stumbled onto this video that points out the biggest issue with the Nikon D600 right now: the dust accumulation. Bloggers and reviewers across the internet are crying foul at the issue, and in case you are unfamiliar (unlikely) or just curious (most probable) about the issue, this simple video does a really good job of showing what a brand new D600 suffers from. Biggest deal to me?

Canon Posts Test Images Taken With New 24-70mm F/4 and 35mm f/2

Canon UK has published five images taken with the two new lenses announced earlier this month. Three images were posted for the 24-70mm f/4 and two for the 35mm f/2. A couple I recognize from the low resolution samples available on the day of announcement, but it's nice that now high resolution samples are available for inspection.  

Taken with the 35mm f/2:

DEAL: $400 Off Brand New Canon 5D Mark III

Right now, the Canon 5D Mark III is on sale on Ebay for $2,886, which is $400 less than other retailers even after the current $200 instant rebate. If you missed your chance to buy Canon before they cracked down on MAP pricing and are kicking yourself, it looks like you just got another chance. If you're shopping for the perfect gift, this is a great chance to grab it while it's discounted.

Depth of Field as a Creative Tool

With a simple change in focal length, we know that we can drastically change and control the depth of field. In this lesson from The Slanted Lens, Jay P Morgan shoots a fashion portrait at the Vasquez Rocks in California. Not only does he cover how to control the depth of field, but you'll also learn how he uses this tip to enhance his work. 

For Bird Watchers-The Newest Accessory for the Iphone and GoPro

If you're a fan of setting up bird feeders and watching the adorable little animals swoop into your back yard, you might want to look into this new piece of equipment designed by Bryson Lovett. Instead of hunting down your favorite avian wildlife at 200 mm, this little contraption allows you to view and photograph the birds up close and personal without invading their space.

 

Enjoy A No-Slip Finger Grip With Shutter Button Sticker Called "ProDot"

Every photograph that is taken with a traditional camera is more than likely going to require you to depress it's shutter button. If you're an action or wildlife shooter, you may have one of those super-fast trigger fingers where you lie in wait for the moment of the perfect shot. This little Kickstarter item might just give your fingers that extra edge for a faster push and better grip on it.

Canon EOS M Finally Makes Its Appearance

Well that was a longer wait that we originally anticipated, but the Canon EOS M mirrorless camera and all the accessories are finally in stock coast to coast. BorrowLenses.com got them in house on November 10 and B&H just confirmed stock of the camera today.  

Sigma Answers Your Questions About the New Lenses & Business

If you've been paying attention to Sigma over the past five months, you know that they have been producing better and higher quality lenses than ever before. I personally have been extremely impressed with the pro-level glass that Sigma is producing, with few complaints during testing.

Check Out These Hi-Res Samples Taken With Sigma's New 35mm f/1.4

Many of you were clamoring for some samples taken with the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4, and we got them for you. These six images, all taken with the new lens, show a lot of promise. I'm not going to say much more of my opinion here. I want to hear from you guys. Do you like what you see?  Click on the images to get the highest resolution for your eyeballs.

 

Picking the Best 24-70mm Lens by WOMP

Weapons of Mass Production's Kevin Good walks us through the in's and out's of four of the most popular lens brands on the market, in one of the most popular focal ranges... the 24-70mm. Brace yourself as only one of these lenses will be spared John Pellett's bat.  

Ever Want To Throw Your Camera? Here's Your Chance

If you've ever dropped your camera, and I have, you'll know that sickening sound of plastic and metal hitting concrete and the immediate surge of fear that follows when you realize that many thousands of dollars of delicate equipment could now be mangled beyond repair. In my case it was a Nikon D3 with a Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 attached falling from about 3 feet on to concrete. Ouch.

ONA Releases New Bags That Have Serious Visual Appeal

Today ONA released two new bags that, as far as I am concerned, just look freaking sexy: the Brixton and the Palma. Both bags are over-the-shoulder design and seem to be trying to appeal to our desire to not only shoot, but shoot in style.

Fotodiox's New WonderPana Systems Are Worth a Look

A little earlier this year, Fotodiox released a new series of filter systems for use specifically for wide angle lenses, lenses that traditionally are unable to accept filters due to a protruding front element. Though somewhat pricey, the WonderPana line addresses a need that I'm certain some of you have been looking for.  

Rack Focusing Made Easy With FocusMaker

Anyone getting started out in DSLR video production can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for them is changing focus during a shot. This is where FocusMaker comes in. It attaches to any lens and in just a few minutes you can have focus points marked on the big ruler, and easily jump back and forth from focus point to focus point.

New Leica Cameras Available Now

Leica's latest offerings, the V-LUX 4, the D-LUX 6 and the M-E Digital Rangefinder were part of a lot of buzz surrounding Leica back at Photokina. The cameras are now available for those of you looking to add a Leica to your camera collection.  

Leica D-LUX 6: $800

Large Format Film for Corporate Brochure

I teamed up with Luquire George Andrews, an ad agency in Charlotte, NC, to create four images for a corporate brochure for Lincoln Harris, a commercial real estate company with properties in 26 states.  LGA wanted to feature b/w photographs of executives in Lincoln Harris' properties. 

Sigma's New 35mm f/1.4 Pricing Released, Available Now

Sigma has just released the pricing of the highly anticipated 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens, something we have all been curious about since we first heard about this lens. It's available "immediately" for $900 MAP. Given the release of the Canon 35mm f/2 less than 48 hours ago, it is going to be hard to not to compare these two lenses.

Tamron Releases Pricing of New 90mm f/2.8 Macro and 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses

Tamron's updated 90mm f/2.8 1:1 macro lens that was announced at Photokina got a price tag today, and will ship on November 30 of this year. You can get this new lens for a pretty low $850, which is great considering the prices that Canon and Nikon can ask for their branded lenses. Tamron also released the pricing for their new 70-200mm f/2.8 lens released at the same time for $1500.

Canon's new 24-70mm f/4 Lens is Perplexing

When Canon released the upgraded 24-70mm f/2.8 II lens earlier this year, it was met with a serious mix of emotions. Why was it so expensive, and where the HECK was the image stabilization? And sure, the lens performs magnificently, but it left a lot to be desired.

Nikon D5200 DSLR Announced!

Nikon's newest update, the D5200, is now out. Replacing the D5100, the D5200 features a 24.1MP APS-C DX sensor, 100-6400 native ISO, and a fully variable 3-inch LCD screen... 

Also announced are the new WR-R10 and WR-T10 wireless transceiver and transmitter remote controls. Scroll down for full specs and more info...

Specs and analysis:

Handheld Lumix DMC-LX5 Now Only $250

If you've been looking for a quick and easy point-and-shoot that results in pretty darn good images, Lumix fans can't quite say enough about the DMC-LX5. Normally well-priced at $320, it is now on sale for a real bargain of only $250. It's a pretty good compromise if you don't want to go interchangeable compact lens camera, but you also don't want to lug around your DSLR.

Fstoppers Reviews the Custom SLR C-Loop and Glide Strap

When I test products, I like to have a plan. I put together what I think the product should handle and then carefully execute and document the situation. It's the easiest and best way for me to give a fair assessment of the gear.

Oops Olympus! Justin Bieber's New Music Video Was Also Shot With GoPros [UPDATED]

A couple of nights ago a close friend of mine, Jesse, gushed over Justin Bieber's new music video, 'Beauty and A Beat'. How it was entirely shot with the new Olympus TG-1 (a point-and-shoot camera) and how I should write a post about it for the site. So, taking his lead I went ahead and did some research on Justin's new music video.

Pentax K-01 Price Now Cut in Half!

Photorumors.com points out that the Pentax K-01 reviewed earlier is now half price! That makes it one of (if not, the) cheapest APS-C mirrorless cameras out there.  

The Pentax K-01 features image stabilization, a large-for-its-class APS-C sensor, and solid, smooth operation.

Canon Announces Firmware Update For The 5D Mark III Coming In April

Canon recently announced that their 5DMIII will be getting a firmware update, which will give it clean HDMI out without having to use Magic Lantern. Unfortunately it won't be made available until April of 2013, but it will give these cameras the ability to send a clean 4:2:2 8-bit image out the HDMI port for external recording systems like the Atomos Ninja. 

Adorama Charging Station For New York Power Outage

As most of you are aware, the lower section of Manhattan is still without power. Luckily our friends at Adorama have setup a charging station to help juice up your portable electronics. In this video Mark Wallace encourages everyone to spread the word since most of those residents won't be active online.

Mirrorless Camera Roundup: So Who's the Best?

Fstoppers Mirrorless Month really got me rethinking the entire small-camera strategy. I’m normally someone who doesn’t mind lugging a camera mounted to an 18th-century cannon, so long as it can take better photographs than the thing before it. But holding so many small cameras every day gets me thinking, is there another, better way to do this? And if so, what’s the best...?  

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 Mirrorless Camera Review

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 is a fine camera, if unassuming. But that quality might make it something you’d really enjoy using -- it’s a certain stealthy quality. At the very least, you’ll want to give this one a second look.  

The GX1 looks average from the get-go. But start shooting with it, and you’ll instantly notice Panasonic is not playing around.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mirrorless Camera Review

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 might have a complicated name, but it shouldn’t put you off in any way from considering it as a serious option for your mirrorless camera arsenal.  

The Good Stuff:

FS First Look: Sigma's Outstanding New Lenses

Last month we reported Sigma's total revamp of their lens lineup. Their new organization would place lenses in one of three categories: Art, Sports, and Contemporary. Those categories were then immediately filled by three new lenses: The 35mm f/1.4, the 120-300mm f/2.8, and the 17-70mm f/2.8-4.0 macro.

Assignment Photokina with the Olympus OM-D E-M5

Derrick Story of thedigitalstory.com has been a fan of the Olympus portable cameras for a few years now, and has really taken a liking to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 mirrorless camera. He recently traveled to Cologne, Germany armed with the micro four thirds compact camera, and his story proves that you can get a whole lot of bang for such a small package.  

Another Film Bites the Dust

A few days ago, Fuji unfortunately announced the end of one of its finest films, Reala 100. I've used it myself exclusively for a particular project -- very recently, in fact -- but now that the 120 format is kicking the bucket (35mm already did a while back), it's time to say goodbye to another film that will be remembered for its superbly accurate rendition of color.

Tiffen Introduces Lowel GL-1 Power LED Light

Being a photographer who loves using off camera lighting, I am always intrigued by new and innovative lighting gadgets. Tiffen unveiled the Lowel GL-1 Power LED Light at PDN this week, and it is definitely something different in comparison to the types of lighting I am used to.  

From the official press release:

Fuji X-Pro1 Mirrorless Camera Review

The Fuji X-Pro1 is an amazing piece of imaging equipment, hands down. Apart from the professional build and lens offerings, there are certainly other features to consider that set this one apart from the rest of the crowd.  

The Good Stuff:

Nikon's Newest Mirrorless Lenses for the 1 Series

Nikon recently announced the development of three new lenses for the 1 series cameras, including the 1 V2 just announced yesterday. The 10-100mm f/4-5.6, 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6, and a 32mm f/1.2. The announcement confirms Nikon's solid commitment to its mirrorless series, especially alongside its drastic changes to the V2 to make it a more professional mirrorless platform.  

Kodak's New Helpful Film App!

Today, Kodak released a new mobile application that helps film shooters pick a film for various occasions, giving hints on how to shoot it and where to get it developed locally. I love film and absolutely love that Kodak is taking a step like this. I think it'll help professional shooters while also making it easier to bring new photographers into the world of film. Check it out on iTunes!