For those of you with Sigma cameras, today is a good day: Sigma has introduced Sigma Photo Pro 5.5 software, which includes upgrades and updates for both Mac and Windows platforms, as well as a new Monochrome Mode processing interface. This updated software is now available for download for both Mac and Windows operating systems.
Tonight, Nikon announced the much-anticipated D7100, the D7000 replacement. The new camera merges aspects of the D7000 and D300 in this updated body that's similar to the D600 in build. In a nutshell: 24MP, 6fps, no AA filter, professional-level AF performance -- all for $1,199.
Kickstarter product "LUMENATOR™" is a portable and battery powered LED light stick. The 1200 lumen bar has a dimmer on it so you are able to adjust the power. The bar will have attachments that allow you to change the white balance and even add on a color hue bar. Check out the Kickstarter video and see if this possible product will fit your needs and help back this project.
Guest Writer, Paul Monaghan is a self taught photographer based just out side of Glasgow in Scotland who has has been shooting for the better part of six years. When he first started, he would shoot everything around him from landscapes, people and concerts. Eventually, he found his way to birds.
I'm a lifelong motor head. I salivate at a great custom exhaust on a big block V8 engine, or a custom candy paint job on a 1957 Chevy BelAir. I literally dream of pro-touring modernized 1960's muscle cars. So as a photographer, it would only make sense that I would crave to customize my cameras, especially after recently investing in a Phase One digital medium format which I cherish like I would a car. For years, I've been looking for a cool rugged camera strap system that fit my style and functional needs. Thanks to Vulture Equipment, I think I've finally found it.
Canon and Nikon are both offering great discounts on some of their lenses. These aren't rebates, either -- they're instant discounts! Lenses range from higher-end fast, pro glass to even DX lenses in Nikon's sale. If you're a Nikon shooter, you might want to hurry: "Offer ends March 2nd." Canon's runs through March 30th.
I have been a fan of VSCO since their first film preset pack. Both VSCO Film 01 and 02 have a nice way of giving photos a subtle but believable film effect. This week I got the email that VSCO had released Film 03 and I was dying to check it out. It turns out that the effects seen in 03 are not quite as subtle as 01 and 02, because 03 emulates instant films. So I've decided to do a little review with some examples and share it with all of you.
Yesterday I posted a tutorial on frequency separation from Elena Jasic. In case you missed it you should go check it out! Well today she hit me up to tell me she had quite a few questions still regarding the preparation of the layers for frequency separation, so she made a handy little action, and asked me to pass it on to all of you. Who doesn't like free right?!
When Adobe launched the Creative Cloud more than a year ago, it was not met with much fanfare from actual users of the software. Those around me heard about it, shrugged and moved on. I’m pretty sure many of us didn’t really fully understand what it exactly was. Fast-forward to today, and Creative Cloud has turned into something that is obviously Adobe's future, begging the question, "Is it good for Adobe, good for consumers or both?"
Israeli based photographer Dima Vazinovich is specializing in news, documentary and wedding photography. One thing that separates him from other photographers in the industry is the unique and creative look his photography has. Recently Dima decided to try adding a new kind of look to his portfolio, and the results are truly amazing. The idea: “Freelensing” / tilt shifting with a cheap broken 50mm 1.8 lens to create magical images.
The internet has become a gold mine of resources for photographers of all different genres, experience levels and styles. It's so easy to find inexpensive Lightroom or Photoshop presets to help create interesting post-processing colors and effects without spending hours trying to create them yourself. The only problem is: which ones do you use? SLR Lounge has released an all-comprehensive Lightroom 4 Preset System that is user-friendly and takes the headache out of using presets.
Cokin has a new line of filters, the Pure Harmonie filters, that offer the lightest and thinnest solution for your lenses. They come in various sizes and promise to be amongst the highest in quality. Now, I've owned some "thin-line" filters before by top European brands and was already impressed by those...so seeing these would intrigue me...
Rob Dunlop, creative director and brains behind PrettyInWhite.com, just posted an interesting and also somewhat humorous account of his purchase of a Canon 5d Mark III through DigitalRev.com. Rob, spurred on by a series of bizarre coincidences, ended up doing some research on his new camera, only to find that it had not only been used, but used somewhat extensively by DigitalRev to create a review.
PocketWizard is to radio transceivers what Kleenex is to tissues. PW's have become the industry standard and the benchmark which all other radio transceivers/transmitter & receiver combos are measured. This week PocketWizard introduced the G-Wiz Vault Storage Solution... What is it? To me it would appear to be the fancy name for a lunch box...
Sigma's latest addition to their new lens lineup, the 17-70mm f/2.8-4.0, became available for purchase today from B&H. Along with the release, Sigma published a preview of what you can expect from the lens in terms of performance. If it is up to snuff, it will be a great option for those in the market for a wide-angle APS-C lens.
B&H is having a SanDisk 1-day sale that is offering some pretty good prices, like a 64 GB SD card for $41. Also you can grab a refurbished Nikon D600 or D800 for a bargain. Rounding out the product news, Sigma's new 17-70mm f/2.8-4 lens has arrived in stock for $500.
Ah the ProDot, tied for the win as recipient of the most baffled and confused responses from photographers along side Tiffen’s confusingly expensive flashlight. Many of you laughed aloud when you saw this product hit the market, and even more after you watched the launch video. But is it possible that you might actually like the ProDot? Actually, yes.
David Loftus has been working with food television star, Jamie Oliver, for over 15 years taking dynamic imagery of the culinary masterpieces that Jamie creates in his kitchen. In this behind the scenes video David is shooting with the Nikon D4. In a few short cuts Jamie is also seen trying his hand at taking his own food shots with the Nikon D3200.
For sports photographers everywhere, tonight is the night that you someday hope to be working. Super Bowl Sunday has basically became a national holiday for Americans. Whether you’re watching for the commercials, or the game, photographers everywhere want to see that lineup of camera bodies and lenses on the sidelines.
Recently I was chatting in a photo forum and mentioned that I am loving my new Canon 5D MK2. Someone noticed and said, "do you mean the MK3?" When I told them no, I recently bought a new MK2 I got flamed with questions of, "WHY?!?!" Well let me explain...
If you've been wanting to get an aerial perspective but dont have a clue how to fly an octocopter, check out the new LA100 by Lehmann Aviation. They've designed a drone that flies itself while an attached GoPro records the flight. After take off, the drone follows a preset flight pattern for five minutes and gives an excellent view of the surrounding area. While the usefulness for creative filming is severely limited by the lack of variety in flight path, it's a fantastic idea for hobbyists who want to get a birds eye view.
One of our favorite lenses for cropped DSLR cameras is currently on sale at BH Photo for a ridiculously low price of $289 (Next lowest price is Amazon at $349). If you've been looking at getting a nice wide angle lens for low light or super shallow depth of field, this lens is one to consider. We've shot a lot of Fstoppers Originals with this prime lens and it's a great choice for those wedding fusion videos in extremely low light situations. Comes in versions for Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
Fuji previously released firmware updates that upgraded the X-Pro 1's autofocus performance, among other things, turning it into another kind of beast. Now, they again promise AF accuracy improvements and more for the X-Pro 1, X-E1, and XF 35mm f1.4 lens.
Rokinon recently released a new offering in the 35mm lens range, and I was super excited to get my hands on it for a number of reasons. The great price, wide aperture, and popular focal length of 35mm makes for a great combo, but never having used a Rokinon product before I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After an extensive review covering nearly two months (thank you Rokinon, for lending it to me for that long!)
So this is pretty cool! MeCam is a tiny helicopter that follows you around capturing video of you "all day", or as long as the battery lasts I suppose. This new technology, which is still being refined by the creators Always Innovating, boasts that MeCam will be able to instantly upload the video to your social networks such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and more! This could be a great way to film yourself during a shoot, while setting up your lights or while stuffing your face full of Doritos while you're waiting for the "models" to "show up".
CP+ kicked off and has led to a ton of Nikon announcements, including the new 800mm super-telephoto beast, now available for pre-order, an AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G, firmware updates to the Nikon D4, and even updates to an array of smaller, compact and semi-compact Nikon cameras...
The micro four thirds format has really taken off in the past two years, and now that the market has shown staying power more companies are supporting the hardware. Adding to Sigma's news announced earlier, Tamron added to the party with their 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 Di-III VC.
Continuing on the internal restructuring found in the Sigma Global Vision, Sigma today announced the release of four new lenses for APS-C format, E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds lenses filed under the "Art" line. The four lenses are the 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM, the 60mm f/2.8 DN, the 19mm f/2.8 DN and the 30mm f/2.8 DN.
Telephoto lenses are a key part in nearly every photographer’s camera bag. Having a solid long telephoto lens in our arsenal lets us be prepared for numerous scenarios without having to switch out our primes and possibly miss the shot. Tamron’s latest lens revamp is the 70-200mm f/2.8 DI VC USD, and it’s a solid option for those looking at this focal length.
Lomography has been around for a while now, known and loved for its crazy light leaks and cool hipster style that Instagram has tried tried to emulate for years for mobile digital imaging networkers (smartphone users). They have great stuff not only for the hipster society, but also for anyone starting out in photography, as their cameras are extremely affordable. A new Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner and the Peacock 110 X-Pro film are among the newest products Lomography has to offer...
