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.

Memoto Lifelogging Camera

"Swedish startup Memoto today announced the availability of its self-titled flagship product, a tiny camera you clip to your shirt that captures a 5MP picture every thirty seconds. Unlike GoPro, which has a tight hold on the mobile video recording market, Memoto seeks to bring effortless capture of life's less extreme moments to consumers."  

Behind The Scenes Of Red Giant's 'Form 17'

Seth Worley, the director of ultimate short films, such as 'Plot Device' and 'Order Up' is back with another short film that he directed for Red Giant... 'Form 17'. The short film centers around a bomb defuser and his daughter while on a 'take your daughter to work day'.

Nikon 1 V2 Announced and Available for Pre-Order!

Just after my 1 V1 review this week, Nikon has their replacement 1 V2 ready for pre-order after an announcement last night. The V2 builds even further on what was already a fantastic, solidly built camera.  

New Nikon 70-200mm f/4 Available for Pre-Order Now!

Canon's had this one for a while, but Nikon's new 70-200mm f/4 is now available for pre-order for a cool $1399. 

The new lens features just about everything that the f2.8 version does, including nano coating, the quick silent wave motor, and the best VR system Nikon has to offer.

Blackmagic Cinema: The Camera That Surprised Us All

I can’t have been the only one caught by surprise when I first heard of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera earlier this year. Let’s be honest: to those of us in this field, there are only a handful of companies from whom we expect to see new cameras. Sure, once in a while we get a newcomer to the field, but they rarely capture our attention for long.

Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Camera Review

Nikon is one of the big names in the camera business. And they do have some competitors in the mirrorless market: the 1 series V1 and J1. We’ll be reviewing the V1, as it’s priced and featured as a more ‘professional’ or ‘prosumer’ line and will provide us results from the best of what Nikon now offers in the mirrorless market.  

Magic Lantern Update Brings Clean HDMI And HDR Video To The Canon 5DMIII

The Second Version of Magic Lantern for the Canon 5D Mark III has been released! Most of the hype with Magic Lantern lately has been about the crack of the Canon 7D's firmware, but attention has shifted with this announcement. This video shows the power of HDR Video on the 5DM3.

Hasselblad HTS1.5 Tilt/Shift Adapter Returns To US Market

"In 2011 the Hasselblad HTS1.5/ Tilt/Shift adapter was removed from the US market pending litigation involving a patent infringement claim. The legal process has been concluded in favour of Hasselblad. As a result the HTS1.5 Tilt/Shift adapter is immediately available for purchase in the US."  

Lomography's New 6x12 Multi-Format Metered Camera

The Lomography Store has a new camera available for pre-order, the BELAIR X 6-12 camera. Featuring multiple formats and auto-metering, the camera is perhaps the most flexible of its kind for an unprecedented price. Pre-order now for a 30% discount! 

MagFilter - Magnetized filters for your compact cameras

Have you ever wanted to put a filter on your compact camera but just never had a way to attach it? Well now you can. A company called Carryspeed just came up with this brilliant idea of putting magnets on the filters to attach them.  

They are currently available only in 36mm and 42mm sized circular polarizer and are available from Amazon.

Lytro To Add Parallax-Based 3D Effect By The End Of The Year

Later this year Lytro will introduce a "parallax-based 3D effect" for photos taken with their light-field camera via a software update. The company is also planning to add support for 3D monitors and TVs.  

What are your thoughts on this? Something that you would use?

Via - Photorumor.com

Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Camera Review

The Pentax K-01 is certainly the most unique system I’ll be reviewing this month in terms of aesthetics. But I’m not a form over function kind of guy. So what does that mean for the performance of this mirrorless camera?  

The Good Stuff:

Fstoppers Review of the Canon 24-70mm F/2.8 L II

Reviewing this lens has not been a simple task. As is the case with, say, a new Apple product, many can argue that the original 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens is so good that any improvement would or should simply be a minor enhancement or fix. A new version should just address what little quibbles we all have had over the past several years. Little things.

Upgrade Your Canon 1D-X Firmware!

Canon just released a firmware update for the Canon 1D-X, offering autofocus point illumination in red and a single, center cross-type AF point available at f/8. You can upgrade now, here.

Smoking Hot Deal On 5d Mark II Kit With 24-105 and Printer At B&H: Only $2199!

B&H just announced this incredible deal: $2199.00 after mail-in-rebate for a Canon 5d Mark II, 24-105mm f:4 L lens, and Pixma Pro9000 Mark II Printer Kit. On top of all this, they're also throwing in a LowePro AW 170 Shoulder Bag, a wireless IR shutter release, and a bundle of glossy photo paper.

Pentax Q Mirrorless Camera Review

From the start, the Pentax Q has one thing going for it: it’s the smallest interchangeable lens camera in the world. At first glance, this little guy seems like the photojournalist’s dream. But does it do better than your average point and shoot?  

The Good Stuff:

Canon EOS M Shipping Delayed Until October 31

We just received word from B&H that the Canon EOS M, which was expected to ship yesterday, was delayed until October 31. No word on why as of yet, but for those of you expecting the review from us or to pick one up for yourself, you'll have to wait a bit longer.  

Want a RED? Get One for a Massive Discount

Normally RED cameras can be purchased from the RED online store for $11,900 USD. However, due to a project where a large number of RED cameras were needed simultaneously for one shot, there are now a limited number of RED cameras that can be purchased at a $5K USD discount. They all have only a few minutes of footage that was ever shot on them. Talk about a deal!  

New Aokatec AK-G GPS receiver for Nikon DSLRs

Aokatec has released new AK-G GPS units for Nikon DSLR cameras (and also the Coolpix P7700) which are available on Amazon for $80. The pricing is in stark contrast to the Nikon's GP-1 GPS unit, which costs a rather hefty $194.95 (the GP-1A version for the D600 costs $312).  

Product info:

The Stow-Away Lens Cap Holder

The Stow-Away lens cap holder project on Kickstarter offers an accessory for SLR cameras that attaches to the tripod mound and holds your lens caps (varying from 52mm to 72mm in size) while shooting.  

Samsung NX1000 and NX210 Mirrorless Review

These cameras are incredibly similar. In fact, I’m going to treat this as the same camera review while pointing out differences as we go along. So why the $200 difference between the NX1000 and NX210? Let’s see if what's up and how these systems compare with the competition.  

SpinLight 360: A New Unique Speedlight Flash Modifier

Creating new ideas in the lighting industry isn't an easy thing. Even if you have a great new idea, getting people to accept that new concept is a long and tedious process. That said, I'm always excited to see innovation. New company SpinLight 360 is about to release a new line of products that look a little unusual.  

Ricoh GXR Mirrorless Camera Review

The Ricoh GXR is an oddball. It’s different than any other mirrorless camera out there -- with the GXR, you use the same base body, but switch out sensor/lens combinations. This format has some serious advantages and disadvantages compared to its competition.  

The Good Stuff:

Free iPhone App To Control Your GoPro Hero2 Camera Now Available!

UPDATE: 24fps firmware update has been released too! Ever since the Wifi BacPac was released, I've been waiting for this iPhone App to drop. This FREE App allows users of the HERO2 (the original HERO is not compatible, sadface) to preview their shot and control the camera's settings, all over WiFi. Eventually it will be able to upload and even stream clips to YouTube.

Which Strobe Has The Shortest Flash Duration: Profoto, Broncolor, or Einstein?

In a world filled with portable speedlights and 3200 watt power packs, photographers might overlook another critical feature of their studio lights: flash duration. Basically flash duration is the time your strobe light contributes to the exposure of your photograph (flash actually can act as "constant light").

Canon 650D Rates Worse Than Previous Models

While the new Canon 650D (Rebel T4i) does come with a few new features including a touchscreen display and a sensor-based hybrid AF system for improved focus, it seems that the camera itself might have fallen flat... on its sensor.

Promise Pegasus Portable Thunderbolt Drives Now Available!

It was quite a while ago that I did a piece on hard drives -- the inevitable non-photo, but techy part of every photographer's gear. It's been a while, but manufacturers have been hard at work, including Promise with their Pegasus J2 and J4 Thunderbolt drives. Today, after having been announced back in May, they're finally available to order!  

Eye-Fi Unveils New 16GB Pro X2 Wireless Memory Card

Eye-Fi released a new Pro X2 SDHC 16GB Class 10 wireless memory card. The price is set at $99.99, while the price of previous models is reduced by $20.  

Detailed specs and press release:

Will Canon's Big Megapixel Camera Be the EOS-1S?

Some new rumors are floating around as to the proposed specifications of the new 'big megapixel' camera from Canon. We have heard the number 46MP, but we haven't, until now, heard about pricing and naming...  

Sony NEX-7 Mirrorless Camera Review

Hop on a sightseeing tour in your local town, and undoubtedly, at least one person probably has a camera in Sony's NEX line. The mirrorless line has been wildly successful, and the Sony NEX-7 represents its top-notch contender. Let's see if the NEX-7 can stand its ground -- after all, comparing to the Leica we reviewed a few days back is quite the challenge...  

Five Unusual and Perhaps Innovative Camera Designs

Some might argue not to fix what ain't broken, but then again, where's the fun in that? Whether or not these designs actually result in a camera that works better than those we have become accustomed to, I'm happy that there are some out there who just aren't satisfied with resting on the design laurels of others. Check out these five interesting, and perhaps really innovative, camera designs.

Ultimate Lens Bokeh From The Canon 50mm F1.0

Many photographers don't know it, but Canon used to produce a 50mm lens with a F1.0 aperture. Yes, one-point-zero. At the time, this was the fastest SLR lens in production. While it was being made the lens retailed for $4,210. In 2000 the lens production was stopped and was eventually replaced by the F1.2 version. Why? The lens actually wasn't very good... except for the bokeh.  

How Does The iPhone 5 Camera Compare To A DSLR?

There was once a photographer who said the best camera is the one you have with you. Today that camera is probably the one built into your smart phone. But just how well does that old saying hold up when you compare say an iPhone 5 to a Nikon D3s or Hasselblad H4D? The guys over at Bammo have put all three cameras through the paces and the results might shock you.

Redrock Micro Announces the New 'lowBase' for Tall DSLRs and the RED

Redrock has announced the release of a pro-grade baseplate specifically for taller DSLRs and Red Scarlet/Epic called the lowBase. The lowBase is designed specifically for taller camera bodies so cinema accessories can be easily adapted and rigs can be quickly configured.

Kodak Discontinues T-Max P3200 Film

This is for all you film fanatics out there. Grab yours as its still in stock! Kodak announced that it is discontinuing the Professional T-MAX P3200 film due to "low sales volume". In the past few months Kodak stopped producing digital cameras, sold its sensor business, increased the price of film by 15%, and discontinued three slide films in an effort to reorganize its business.  

Did BH Video Just Leak The New Canon 3D DSLR Specs?

Because of some lucky searching, someone found a listing for the rumored Canon 3D that was briefly up last night on BHphotovideo's website. Recent rumors point to a full-sized body, and this is pre order listing is consistent with those claims. But could an imminent announcement be in store for us this month?  

Considering the Choice: To E, or not to E

Forgive me for the non-linear article to follow, but this is my first evaluation of the transitive properties of the figurative "E" and it's marginal utility in the life of the Nikon D800. Whereas others may tell you which camera can photograph grass or your pet Weimaraner, I would like to talk about the real life application the D800 has to those of us that call this hobby a job. 

Reviewing the 'Ultimate' Mirrorless Camera: The Leica M9

The Leica M-series has long been the standard for rangefinder photography -- or so I've heard. Since the Leica M9 is a rangefinder, we know it's also mirrorless. And thus, this will be the introduction of the camera to 'look up to' throughout this month's reviews.

Kenko Tokina’s New Macro Ring Flash KSR-EF10 Soluis

Kenko Tokina announced a new macro ring flash KSR-EF10 Soluis. The price in Japan is set to ¥18,300 (around $230).  

Specifications:

Arc tube Electric arc tube type flash ring

Guide number 10 (ISO 100)

World’s First: Metz Mecablitz 52 AF-1 Flash With Touchscreen

One product got a lot of attention during the Photokina 2012 show. The new 52 AF-1 touchscreen flash from Metz (a world’s first). The flash unit will come in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic, Leica and Sony versions. The estimated price is around €250. Full specs and features can be found in the press release:  

Sony Buys Shares of Olympus, Makes Good on Promise to Support Camera Division

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony is buying up a healthy share of Olympus stock, furthering on their previous announcement that the two companies would share tech and co-produce product. This is a huge, bold move that makes real Sony's promise to continue to build their camera division. Sony, I am impressed. You're on your way to making me a believer.  

Learn To Use The Canon Rebel T4i In Depth With John Greengo

For someone on the move, the Canon T4i is not a bad option. This camera is the smallest you can get without going mirrorless. From 9am-1pm today only, creativeLIVE will be hosting an intensive workshop with Photographer John Greengo. John will go in-depth with the Canon T4i and show you how to get the most out of what you have in the least amount of time.

How To Make Smoke Lay On Water

In this lighting lesson, Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens offers a very cool DIY effect; how to make smoke lay on water. Achieving smoke and wind in photography are two very difficult tasks that Jay P. made very easy by showing this step by step process. Have you guys ever experienced with smoke and wind? If so, share your images and how you did it in the comments below.  

Video Comparison Of The Blackmagic Cinema Camera Vs The Canon 5D III

With just under a week left for our Blackmagic Cinema Camera giveaway here at Fstoppers, we figured this would be a great opportunity to show you how impressive this camera is in comparison to the Canon 5D Mark III. This video, produced by One River Media, really shows how well the Blackmagic performs in every aspect.

Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/12, Planar T* 1.8/32 Lenses For Fuji XF And Sony E Mounts

During Photokina, Carl Zeiss announced their plans to create lenses for Sony NEX and Fuji XF mirrorless cameras.  

Here are few images of the first prototypes that are on display at the show. First, the Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/12 lens for Fuji XF mount:

Zeiss Planar T* 1.8/32 lens for Sony E mount:

via - www.photorumors.com

46.1 MP Canon EOS-3D X To Be Announced Before PhotoPlus ?

The Canon EOS-3D X has rumored for a long time, there are more new rumors about this big megapixel EOS. This EOS-3D X will use a 46.1 MP sensor. Rumors said this Canon EOS-3D will be previewed at PhotoPlus 2012 in New York City between October 24 – October 27, 2012.