Finally, the last Nikon product announcement for the day: Nikon has just rolled out the new Nikon 1 S2 mirrorless camera system, an update to the 2013 Nikon 1 S1. The new S2 features a 14.2 MP sensor (up around 4 MP from the S1), shoots full-HD 1020p video, and fires at 20 FPS. It comes in four colors, and will have a price of $446.95 (including the kit 11-27.5 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens).
If you plan on picking up the newly announced Nikon 400mm f/2.8E you'll definitely be interested in looking into the new TC-14E III, Nikon's latest 1.4x teleconverter. This baby will boost the focal length of your lens by 1.4x, only reducing the light by one stop. This will effectively turn your 70-200 f/2.8 into a 98-280 f/4.0, or that new 400 f/2.8 into a crazy 560mm f/4.0.
In the wake of Canon revealing two new super-wide zoom lenses (here and here) Nikon has a nearly polar opposite announcement of their own. They just announced a new 400mm f/2.8 lens. It is likely that Nikon timed this announcement to allow for use of the new 400mm at the FIFA World Cup.
There has been significant chatter on both the Fstoppers staff and in the general comments we've been hearing and reading regarding Canon's move to introduce slower lens iterations, but with image stabilization, of their older faster glass. We've heard arguments on both sides of the table, but we're curious: what do you think?
During an initial meeting with local publication NFocus Magazine, the Editor-In-Chief asked for a unique aesthetic on Louisville's theater and arts community and wanted a massive group shot, but not your traditional group shot. I threw out the idea to shoot actors and their "characters" from directly overhead on a theater floor, as if they were action figures laid out and organized. Two seconds after I uttered the idea, I realized I had no clue how I would pull it all off.
When you’re backed by the likes of Silicon Valley superstars like Youtube co-founder Jawed Karim, Y-Combinator, and a half-dozen or so other techie entrepreneurs, you know you’ve got something good. That something good is Lumoid, which rents photo gear at unheard-of prices, especially when you add in a few perks...
Today, Nikon released a major firmware update for their D800 and D800E HDSLRs as well as minor patches for the UT-1 transmitter and a few CoolPix cameras. This is the first significant update for the D800(E) since about this time last year. The update (v. A 1.10, B 1.10) brings with it something that I wish all Nikon cameras had.
Announced tonight, Canon adds the 16-35mm f/4L IS to it's prestigious L series line of lenses. With an Optical Image Stabilizer system, the 16-35mm f/4 IS adds up to 4 stops of correction for great performance, even in low light. While this announcement is exciting for many of us, it also has many of us scratching our heads in confusion.
Canon has added another STM (stepping motor) lens to their lineup for those of you who are already fans of the 70D and Rebel T5i (though the T5i does not take advantage of the STM technology nearly to the degree the 70D Dual Pixel Sensor does). The 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 EF-S IS STM LENS has just been announced, and though it's not what many of us desire in a lens, being the unpleasant combination of variable aperture and slow, it does come in at a very enticing price point.
Edelkrone raised a few interested eyebrows with their unique slider design a while back, but with their recent add-on items, the latest of which is the "Action Module," both filmmakers and manufacturers alike are taking a long look at these innovate products. The Action Module not only brings timelapse and repeatable moves, it does so in a simple, intuitive way.
If you've been a long time reader of Fstoppers, you might recall one of my original editorial pieces: How China Changed the American Lighting Industry. At the time of its publication, I had just come off a recent spell of a few years at an American photographic lighting company and got to see first hand how American greed led to a Chinese takeover of the industry. In the years following that article, the problem hasn't gotten any better. If anything, it's gotten far worse, and to the detriment of you as a consumer.
Earlier this week Samsung showed me their new NX3000 consumer-level camera via video call. You might not know it, but Samsung is flying up the sales charts in the mirrorless interchangeable lens compact camera market. They're number two behind Sony, mostly because their aimed specifically at the very wide consumer market with well-priced items. The new NX3000 is no different at $529 and will fit into the current line between the NX300 and the NX Mini.
Photographer Sam Hurd is sharing yet another one of his artistic photography techniques with his followers. He mastered The Brenizer Method, he basically had all of Amazon on backorder for Prisming, he ripped the lens mount right off his 50mm for Freelensing, and then he did some convex Lens Chimping. This time around, Sam attached an old anamorphic movie lens to his 85mm in order to shoot a very cinematic wide field of view. Take a look at how it works!
Known for its top of the line outdoor adventure camera bags and backpacks, F-Stop Gear recently unveiled the Loka Ultralight, or "UL," a revision of the popular Loka backpack. In this review I’ll go over the differences between the UL relative to its older brother, and point out who this pack is and isn’t for.
Check out this footage taken at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Montery, California (my old stomping grounds!) from Cheesycam.com. The footage is, because it is on Vimeo, not 4K obviously since it's not supported, but you can download the original footage here. What do you think?
It seems that anyone can make a camera, but it takes a true visionary to craft a truly excellent camera. It's not the camera we want, but the camera we need. the WALLEY POS-86 is that camera, and it's going to redefine what we think of cinematography from this point forward. 16-bit RAW processing, 3D capabilities, beautiful on-camera light built-in, and all in a compact and well-built ergonomic design.
Sony has announced the successor to the α77 in the α77II. The camera, according to Sony, is designed for "advanced amateurs" and has enhanced features like "the world's highest number of AF points in a new phase detect autofocus system with 79 focal points" and can "shoot at up to 12 fps for 60 total frames with continuous AF." Sony has also purportedly increased the sensor sensitivity by 20%, which means better low-light performance.
You heard right! Fujifilm has officially announced the releaes of their new firmware update which will bring the Fujifilm X-T1 viewfinder better performance on top of more enhancements to the award-winning Fujifilm X-E2. The new functions and performance gains that Fuji has announced give many photographers a reason to pick up Fuji cameras for their bags and many a reason to open their bags back up and take them back out.
I've reviewed BlogStomp in the past, and decided it was a tool that all photographers should be using to create simple and beautiful collages. Announced today from the same team is AlbumStomp, containing all the features you've come to love from BlogStomp, but for the use of creating brilliantly beautiful and simple photo albums for your clients.
New York based wedding photographer Richard B Flores is taking his job very seriously. Like all of us, he works hard on the day of the event and of course the following days while he edits. But Richard is doing something maybe not many of us do: he spends the day before each event heavily prepping his equipment - from cleaning, to syncing and charging. Check out his BTS video showing the prep day and read his explanation for each of the steps.
It is that time of the year again! Canon and Nikon both have some awesome sales going on at B&H right now. There are a TON of different lens choices and bodies available for instant savings and mail in rebates. I purchased my Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS II in December during one of the last times this happened, and I saved $300. If you are someone who waits for the perfect deals to come out, now is your time to jump up and break out the credit card.
The much anticipated Panasonic Lumix GH4 has finally reached the store shelves today and is available for order. We've talked about this camera in the past, and impressed with it's 4K video capabilities, but more so on the fact that it's 10-bit 4:2:2 recording at the same resolution. At the reasonable price point of $1,698, the Panasonic GH4 may be the best camera choice available for videographers on a budget.
Tamron's VC technology can't be beat: it's simply the best option out there for any type of optical stabilization. I can't live without it when it comes to video, and it's so good it often makes using a steady cam unnecessary. Common complaints with Tamron is often the build quality and sharpness, so let's see how their latest super zoom, the 150-600 f/5-6.3 handled a wildlife shoot.
About a month ago, I traveled to Southeast Asia to put THE ULTIMATE, PORTABLE TRAVEL PACK (shortened name, rights still reserved) to the test. Several people asked for a follow-up. How did this tiny, travel kit work out? …Did I even get any pictures I liked? …And most importantly, did I lose everything gambling on a high-stakes Muay Thai tournament, only escaping with my life and seven fingers? Read on to find out.
For those who dabble in video but come from a photo background, you might not know the difference between a still lens and a video lens. If you do, you might not know why those differences exist. DSLR Video Shooter has this really informative video that breaks down the differences and shows you how to convert your still lenses into cinema glass.
In an instant, one can feel as though they are in another world. As a landscape photographer you have the power to transport someone in the blink of an eye and send them on a journey into your photography to see the incredible world we live in. Creating amazing landscapes goes far beyond just snapping photos using the HDR setting on an iPhone. Landscape photography can seem daunting, but after reading these secrets to landscape photography, there will be no excuse to why you can’t take mesmerizing landscapes yourself!
Ten years ago, time-lapse photography wasn't really a big thing. Fast forward to now, and it's everywhere. GoPros and point and shoot cameras come equipped with easy options and can be stuck on anything from panning egg timers to $6000+ time lapse rigs. In a market full of options, Cinetics Axis360 is forging a new niche that any photographer interested in the genre should take a look at.
It is official! Leica has announced their new Leica T-System camera which is available for pre-order at B&H right now! The camera really does have a lot of nice features that are packed into it and Leica seems to be pushing the phrase "easy to use, hard to forget" on their website. We are glad to finally get a look at "official" specifications even though we had a nice glimpse yesterday when they accidentally revealed it.
Thanks to an unfortunate accident, the Leica T website briefly went live today. Thankfully, the guys over at La Vida Leica were able to grab all the important bits before it was taken down. From what was archived, the Leica T is looking like a pretty sweet little MFT APS-C system.
Paul C. Buff recently released a brand new Vagabond battery pack, the Vagabond Lithium Extreme. With a price tag of $399.95 this might be the next product you end up buying tonight. There are a few great improvements from their older Vagabond models, and overall, it is exciting to see a new product release from Paul C. Buff.
