Gear

I know many of our readers do not like being told how to shoot their images and many more even hate watching promotional videos for companies trying to sell them on a new way adjust their workflow. That being true, this video of photographer Seth Resnick explaining the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport made me stop and think, "are photographers who shoot RAW this obsessed with perfect color?" Maybe I just take for granted being happy with my tones and color enough to actually burn them in permanently by shooting JPEG. Most of the advertising photographers I see these days (and even many within the wedding scene) are taking very liberal approaches to color which I think is great. Obviously not everyone agrees with me, and many more still take the traditional approach to getting every detail perfect and clean. What do you guys think of Seth's approach and do any personal use this product? Nothing drives me more crazy personally than color space and color calibration and I've heard this actually works. Maybe I'm missing out?

Patrick and I have been in contact with LPA Design (the company that makes Pocket Wizards) for a few months now and we were excited to hear that they would be sending us a few beta units of the unreleased Nikon FlexTT5, MiniTT1, and AC3 units. Our website is not about reviewing gear but we did want to push these units. I called up Sigma and asked for a loaner 800mm 5.6 lens and Patrick planned a shoot that involved every SB-800 and SB-80DX that we own. Check out the video below, and then view the full post to read detailed info about the shoots and check out the high res images. If you enjoy this content, follow us on Twitter to stay updated when our next video is released.

Now I am not going to jump to any conclusions. Maybe these guys and gals had a VERY similar idea, and not one of them had seen the iPhone Fashion Shoot (which has been seen by about a million photographers so far). And even though this video is filmed in the exact same way and has all of the exact same information, MAYBE it is just a coincidence. And MAYBE this really is the worlds first and I am actually living in the Matrix. Still a good video though :) < The strangest part about this whole thing is that we actually used a super-clamp to mount the camera in my video but we changed it and went with the velcro because it was blocking the button on the phone and it was never actually shown in the video. It's like these guys were spying on me as I was doing it!

We usually try to keep the good camera deals that we find only on Twitter, but I think everyone deserves to hear about this one. Amazon is currently giving $100-$400 off when you buy any Nikon SLR and a lens. You can see all of these deals here. This is a pretty good deal in itself, especially if you were about to buy the new D7000 anyway but it gets better. Epson is currently giving you a $450 rebate when you buy their $385 R1900 Photo Printer and a Nikon SLR which means they are actually paying YOU $65 to buy their printer. You can check out the rebate form here. The deal above is just a random one that I put together. If you are only interested in a new lens then I would suggest buying the Nikon D3100 (Nikon's cheapest camera), getting the discount on the lens, getting the rebate on the printer, and then selling the camera and printer when they come. It's a bit of work but you could potentially save about $600-800 on a new lens this way. I have done my best to read all of the fine print and this all seems to be legitimate. Please don't count on me though, do your own research and hopefully we can all save some money.

Photography is all about lighting and it's important to learn what flattering light is. Once you do, you will find that the color temperature of that light makes a huge difference in the over all mood of that image. I can't tell you how many potentially great images that I see that were taken outside on a sunny day and the auto white balance makes everything blue, wrecking the image. Check out the video below where Jay P Morgan shows us how to set the white balance manually on a 5D Mark II. All you need is a White Balance Disc or a nifty White Balance Lens Cap. <

When Canon first started producing lenses they used the FD mount. In 1987 they switched to the current EF lens mount. This change made the FD lenses plummet in price but not in value. Check out Caleb Pike from DSLRVideoShooter.com shooting incredible video with his 5DM2 and 7D with these $20 Lenses. How do you do it? It's easy, you simply need this adapter that happens to be 63% off for just $30.

DSLR Episode #11: Using FD Lenses With HDSLRs from Caleb Pike on Vimeo.

While many Canon and Nikon users are bickering about whether DSLR cameras should even have HD video capabilities, the company RED is completely changing the game between both photography and motion video. If you have even been slightly interested in video then you have probably heard about their famous RED One camera (District 9, The Social Network) that shot in 4k resolution. Well very soon they are releasing a new camera called the RED Epic which will shoot 60% more resolution at 5K (up to 28K!) as well as being able to pull large 12 megapixel images directly out of video. There is no doubt the bridge between still cameras and video cameras is quickly narrowing, and innovators like RED are definitely at the forefront. Check out this video where Ted Schilowitz takes questions from fans in Vietnam where the RED One is already the primary video camera of choice.

RED EPIC CAMERA - TOP TEN QUESTIONS - TED SCHILOWITZ & TONACI TRAN from Tonaci Tran on Vimeo.

What if you could shoot 1080p video for just $300 with a camera that was waterproof, basically indestructible, and so small and light it could be mounted anywhere? What if that camera could also shoot 60fps for amazing slow motion? This camera is the GoPro HD and we own 2 of them. Watch this video and then check out the previous post. I'm not saying that the GoPro is better than a pro film camera, but it does bring up an interesting debate. Which style of video do you like more and why?

GoPro HD HERO camera: The Ski Move from GoPro on Vimeo.

Camera and Video equipment can be expensive! Whether you are just getting into digital media or are a seasoned professional, we are all looking for bargains and ways to justify dropping even more coin on photography gear. Everyday our email is full of readers asking about what gear we use/recommend and if there are any deals out there to be had. So we have created an Fstoppers Gear Guide that includes every piece of equipment we use for both photos and video separated into categories. You can also check out the latest Canon rebates (most end Jan 8) and Nikon rebates (most expire Dec 31st) through BHvideo.com which we find to have the best prices online. So check out the Fstoppers Gear Guide and if you want to get some new toys for Christmas, don't miss out on these Holiday rebates through Nikon and Canon.

Our cameras sync at a maximum of 200-250th of a second but in this video Chris OConnell strobes at 1/500th of a second with his Broncolors. How does he do it? Well the new Pocket Wizard TT1 and TT5s are the secret. Instead of trying to explain it all here, watch the video below and then head over to the full post for a second video with more details. <

As a photographer getting into DSLR video, I love it when a reader of ours emails us with a question we can answer or better yet a question we have not thought of before. Well FS reader Christian emailed us about how we sync our DSLR audio with audio we may have recorded in a separate unit (zoom, iphone, computer, etc). Until recently we used to just do it manually by lining up our wavefiles from both sources in Adobe Premiere. But there is a much much easier way now thanks to Plural Eyes by Singular Software. Plural Eyes simply analyzes each waveform and automatically aligns each and every camera angle and audio clip right there in your timeline. It's brilliant software and extremely inexpensive for what it does. Check out this little demo from the 2010 WEVA Expo and click the full post to see a well made tutorial on how to sync your files step by step.

WEVA News: Singular Software PluralEyes demo from WEVA on Vimeo.

Most people know Vincent Laforet as the guy that got his hands on the 5DM2 before it was released to shoot that amazing promo video. Well he is a full time photographer but in the video below he got to be the DP for a Famous Footwear commercial. The BTS is below and the final commercial is in the full post. Usually I like the BTS more than the actual commercial but in this case, I like the finished product more. It's stunning.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Famous Footwear "Neighborhood" from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.

Have you ever wanted to shoot aerial photos or video but thought that the cost would be too high? Well Tom Guilmette just did something that Patrick and I were considering doing in one of our upcoming Fstoppers originals. I'm glad he did it first though because now I realize our plan wouldn't work. For some reason I thought a single helium balloon would be enough to lift a GoPro... I would have been about 29 balloons short. Part of me thinks that Walmart helium is only about 10% helium and 90% air though.

"Skyfishing" with a GoPro HERO and 30 Helium Balloons from Tom Guilmette on Vimeo.

Over the holiday we received a few emails about a video we shot where we used a ringflash as the key light (SB-800 Flash Mod). Obviously you can't shoot video with the ringflash look unless you have an expensive flash with a modeling light. But what if you want to shoot stills and get that hard yet even lighting that is common in macro and fashion photographs? Well if you already own an on-camera speedlight then you can use a product called the Rayflash to produce ringflash style images on a budget. I actually own one of these and use it every now and then, and what I really like about it is that I can use it on location where I would otherwise have to have a huge battery pack. If this sort of thing interests you, check out this video that was clearly made for ExpoImaging explaining the product. Any other Fstoppers readers using this product or something similar?

I was just informed that there is a behind the scenes video on how the Doritos 360 Degree video was created. If you found that last post as interesting as I did, you will appreciate watching how they filmed it. What's going to be tough about shooting 360 video is that everything has to be done in one take. If you are as poor good as I am in front of the camera then it probably won't be a problem :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN--lp96SmI<

It's pretty hard for someone to come into the film and video industry and make a huge splash but that's exactly what the Dutch company Yellowbird has done. They are using a camera very similar to what Google uses on its Streetview cars to produce not only 360 degree photographs but for the first time 360 degree interactive video! Youtube has already jumped on board with this new technology so be prepared to see videos in the future with several storylines, multiple characters, and previously unseen coverage of live events and documentaries. These sort of things really get me excited...and Hollywood thought 3D cinema was going to be all the rage :) Click the full post to see what it is like to view a large music festival in 360 degrees!

Yes, this is an ad for Cinevate's Pegasus Carbon but this is worth watching. If you are into video, this ad gives some fantastic information about getting moving shots. The Pegasus isn't cheap at $900 but it is one of the best sliders money can buy for a DSLR.

Cinevate's Pegasus Carbon, DSLR Camera Slider from Cinevate on Vimeo.

I'm starting to realize how many of our readers enjoy the mix of sports cars, photography, and behind the scenes so this one is for you. I'm really not sure what is going on here but what happens at the very end is pretty remarkable! I wish the audio was a little cleaner but I'm sure if you are into drifting fast cars you probably can't hear anyways! And when you get done watching this, check out the awesome DSLR video gear over at www.cinevate.com

Canon 5D MK 2 Drift Car Commercial with BTS from Cinevate on Vimeo.

2010 is coming to a close and we are all starting to tally up our expenses for the year. It's always a shock to me how much I have spent on my photography business. Whether you are a pro or not, how much do you think you spend each year on photo or video equipment? This includes computers and software too as long as you have purchased them for image or video production. How Much Do You Spend On Photo/Video Gear Each YearMarket Research

Dave Black is a professional photographer who shoots some of the most stylized sports images I have ever seen. In this BTS video, Dave is pairing up 8 SB900 flashes with two Radio Popper PX triggers on two Lightware Foursquare brackets. Why does he use such a crazy setup when shooting motorcross? Often times with fast action sports you need to shoot with quick shutter speeds beyond the 1/250th of a second flash sync limit. The only way to do this is to use the FP high speed Sync mode Nikon (and Canon) flashes offer when hardwired to your camera. Luckily Radio Popper (and Pocket Wizard for Canon) have created wireless radio iTTL/eTTL syncing which gives you the ability to us High Speed Sync with your flashes off camera over long distances. This setup is about as complex as you can possibly get (and expensive) but Dave has made a great video showing off the setup. Unfortunately he does little to explain WHY this setup is necessary. Head over to his Lightware Foursquare / Radio Popper Post to read more about how it all comes together and be sure to check out Dave's portfolio as well. <

Dave Dugdale has been an Fstoppers reader for a while now but I had not come across his own useful site Learning DSLR Video until yesterday. He left a comment on one of our videos and I clicked on his site to check it out (yes we actually check out our reader's sites). When I saw one of his videos I immediately emailed him and asked if he would teach me how to colorkey footage in Premiere. Now Dave is not a photographer at all but rather an audio engineer, and what is so cool about his videos are that they document his progression into the field of videography. As a professional photographer myself, I feel like I'm in the same boat as Dave and I'm sure a lot of you guys feel that way too. Dave is filming on a Canon T2i and editing on Premiere CS5. If you are just getting into audio or video, stop by LearningDSLRVideo.com and check out some of his work. Hopefully you can use this information for your own BTS videos; I know we are going to do this soon on one of our FS Originals in the near future. <

So many times we photographers think we need to use every single strobe light we own just because they are there in our bag. I've been a victim of it and I'm sure you have too. Instructional photographer Tony Corbell has an old video he made for the folks at Profoto which really showcases the variety of light you can get from just one single light source. There is an old saying that goes the best light is the light you have with you but maybe it should go the best light is sometimes the simplest light. <

Camera and Video equipment is expensive! Whether you are just getting into digital media or are a seasoned professional, we are all looking for bargains and ways to justify dropping even more coin on photography gear. Everyday our email is full of readers asking about what gear we use/recommend and if there are any deals out there to be had. So we have created an Fstoppers Gear Guide that includes every piece of equipment we use for both photos and video separated into categories. You can also check out the latest Canon rebates (most end Jan 8) and Nikon rebates (expires Nov 20) through BHvideo.com which we find to have the best prices online. So check out the Fstoppers Gear Guide and if you want to get some new toys for Christmas, don't miss out on these Holiday rebates through Nikon and Canon.

I wish I had more info on this but all I know is that a guy named "Ben" made this electric dolly. With an automated dolly, you can create moving time lapse footage. You can view more pictures of his creation here.

DIY Dolly from Ben on Vimeo.

Adam Boozer is an amazingly talented videographer right here in Charleston, SC. His company Jewell and Ginnie has been making a big splash with very cinematic video here in the low country and throughout the southeast. Last night Adam emailed us a BTS video he created on how he sets up his camera for these incredible aerial shots. Besides having the access to a Robinson R44 Helicopter, the actual setup isn't that complicated: A Canon 5D MKII, a Zucato Follow Focus, a Marshall Monitor, and the piece that stabilizes it all together, the Tyler Mini Gyro. I've posted the highlight reel here so click the full post to see the BTS video on how Adam is getting these shots!

J&G 2010 Aerial Selects Reel from Jewell&Ginnie on Vimeo.

Jesse Rosten got his hands on $4500 worth of iPads and decided to do a photoshoot with them. You may be thinking that this is totally pointless and for stills I might have to agree that this is overkill but a single iPad could be used to add softlight to extremely low lit scenes; something a small strobe could never do. An iPad can also change color temperature to match the ambient light around it. I see this being used more for video that stills anyway. Don't believe me? Well you can buy this light panel for $500 and I'll stick to my iPad.

iPad Photoshoot from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Well not exactly but we can still get kinda close. The Phantom camera costs a staggering $118,000 for the body alone which puts it out of the average Joe's reach. The Canon T2i costs just $699 and it currently has a $400 rebate when you buy it with a Pro9000 printer (I love these "free printer" rebates they are doing). The T2i shoots 60fps but has great manual control. Once you shoot your super sharp 60fps you can use software called Twixtor to bring that framerate to Phantom levels. Twixtor costs about $300 and we have used it in a few of our FS originals. Very cool!

More Super Slow Motion [Water] - 550D from Rickard bengtsson on Vimeo.

For all you DIY hipster photographers out there who always wanted to shoot pictures with a Pumpkin...

How To Turn A Pumpkin Into A Camera from NPR on Vimeo.

We usually don't post good deals on the front page of FS but this is one of the best deals I have seen. Right now, if you buy a Nikon D7000 body (it literally just started shipping a couple days ago) and an Epson R1900 photo printer, you will get a $450 rebate, which is the full cost of the printer. Deals like this do pop up but never with a camera this new. I just got a chance to play with the D7000 at the photo Expo in NYC and the ISO performance is up there with the D3 and it has more mega-pixels and it shoots 1080p video and you get all of that for just $1100. If you needed an excuse to buy this camera, you're welcome. Details at BH here.

Like many of you, the most telephoto I typically shoot is 200mm. If you are David Bergman then you probably shoot at 600mm. But what if that still isn't enough? Well you need to buy the Canon 1200mm lens duh! And if this lens does not get you close enough to the action then you probably need to read the full post to view your last option. <