Gear

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 ten through 4:3. Take a look.

DigitalRev Tv review and compare the latest standard prime lens from Sigma, The 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens, to it’s Canon and Nikon rivals, the Canon 50mm f/1.2L and Nikon 58mm f/1.4G.

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. All you need is 4 AAA batteries, your camera, and a great subject to get started.

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.

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. After planning on paper, they executed their idea and built a fully functional underwater 'drone' submarine. Check out the BTS and the final result.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 brick it.

One of our loyal readers, Rogier van Bakel, recently contacted us with an article suggestion that we decided to share with you. Rogier is a wedding photographer based near Bar Harbor, Maine and he has a custom tip on how to gel Profoto B1 or Profoto D1 monolights without the use of any tape, rubber bands, or Velcro. His method allows the lights use of modifiers since they're free of obstruction and keeps them looking good too, as tape and Velcro have a tendency to scratch at surfaces and leave unnecessary residues behind.

David Hobby, AKA the Strobist, appears to have uploaded an image from the yet-to-be-announced Fuji X100T, the next iteration of the vastly successful X100 line of high-end, fixed lens mirrorless cameras.

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. It is shipping for the M5, M10 and soon to be releleased M15 systems.

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. These discrepancies in camera / lens combination can be dialed in to get perfectly sharp images more consistently. Enter FoCal, a [semi]automated focus calibration software.

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. While we're not quite sure what that means for the US market, the new back seems poised to be an incredibly affordable 50MP CMOS medium format system.

In short, no it is not. But a few minor dealbreakers are all that stand between leaving this camera on the shelf, and making it best digital camera in its class.

After nearly a month of capturing video, stills, and timelapse media with the Panasonic GH4, I laughed, I cried, and I almost threw it off a mountain. At times it was a joy to shoot with, and other times it wouldn’t even power on with a full battery. I’ll give you a complete, unbiased rundown in my full review, complete with video samples.

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.”

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. Watch the BTS video to hear their thoughts on the Nikon D810, then read on for the final film and stills from the production.

What is Auto Exposure Bracketing? (AEB) is the setting on many DSLR cameras which allows you to take three different exposed images in quick succession. Often one image is under exposed, the second is mid range and the last is over exposed. AEB is commonly used for creating HDR (High Dynamic Range) images or giving you a range of options so that you are able to get the correct exposure in post processing.

When the MōVI came to market, it changed the video world instantly. It was, quite simply, an unimaginably amazing stabilization rig that looked to defy physics. We all wanted one, but at the asking price of $5000, many thought it was a bit too steep to rationalize. That's why the DJI competitor, the Ronin, had so many excited. Now there is even more to look forward to, as it's set to retail for only $1500 less than originally announced.

B&H is running some really great deals on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, which has to be the deal of the year so far. The camera is being marked down by the manufacturer to 50% off, making it really difficult to pass on it.

The Sony a7S has been the subject of a hotbed of conversation for the past four or five months as a camera with a lot of potential to really shake up the cinema world. This of course was extremely interesting to me as a videographer. I've finally gotten my hands on the camera and after a few days shooting with it on set, I'm not quite ready to write a review, but I do think it is important to address a feature about which I feel lied to: 4K.

Lighting isn't easy, a world-class-perfectly-lit studio portrait happens with a lot of instinct and experience. A strong grasp of lighting comes with experimentation and practice. Those that know my aesthetic know I'm a huge fan of one light photography. With that said, every image I produce I try and maintain the look of one light, even though it very well be lit with six lights. If I'm shooting for a hair, the hair needs to be well lit. If I'm shooting for makeup, the light needs to fill the face and really show detail. The same applies to product photography or fashion. I always give the client what they need, but always retain my dramatic lighting style.

Back in 2004 I was given the Nikon D100 digital camera for Christmas and I started making money with the camera within a few months. I fell into wedding photography and within 2 years I was making almost 100% of my income shooting them. In the last 10 years I never learned how to process a RAW file (effectively) or use Lightroom until last week.

RØDE Microphones, makers of my favorite shotgun mics on the market, today announced the iXY with Lightning connector for iPhone 5, 5s and 5c, an update to their stereo mic series, that allows high-quality recording at sample rates up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake over at The Camera Store take us to the Calgary Stampede to demonstrate the improved features of the Nikon D810. While "10 Amazing Changes in the Nikon D810" makes for a catchy title, the truth is Chris and Jordan provide a full-fledged, hands-on field test. They go into considerable depth about what you can expect from Nikon's latest offering.

I don't know about you guys, but I sometimes get some pretty questionable packing from Amazon, but this far exceeds anything I've ever encountered. Youtuber Ottar Gilason works for a camera store and the amount of packaging DHL included on an order for a single camera battery charger is downright hilarious.

Slow motion is, certainly, one of the most beautiful cinematic inventions of all time. It can show us so many things that are not normally visible and can make any "normal" scene look magical and unique. For the past few years the slow motion technologies have continued to improve, and just last year the Phantom Flex4K Digital Cinema Camera was announced introducing some groundbreaking slow motion abilities like shooting at 1,000fps at at 4K resolution. Shortly after its release, Director Brendan Bellomo and cinematographer Greg Wilson got their hands on the camera and took it for a test and created this beautiful video called "Let Me Know When You See Fire."

Regret is the worst feeling in the world but as humans, we feel it. There are times we all look back at, kicking ourselves thinking "if only I had known… I would've done it differently." I remember telling myself if I was ever given the opportunity to be heard, I'd collect a list of tips to share with others so they don't have to feel the frustration that often comes along with regret.