It's the holiday season, and that means that many folks are considering a new camera. That doesn't mean you should run out and by the cheapest DSLR or mirrorless camera, and photographer and YouTuber Tony Northup explains why.
Recently, Canon announced the EOS R6 Mark II mirrorless camera, and alongside it came the RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM lens, the update to one of the company's most popular lenses, the EF 135mm f/2L. As such, expectations are high for the new version. This great review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Samyang has long had a reputation for producing manual focus lenses that are sharp and very affordable, and recently, they have started to add autofocus options, making them viable for many more photographers and situations. One such option is the AF 85mm f/1.4 FE II, which offers photographers the popular combination of a portrait focal length and very wide maximum aperture, all at a price significantly lower than many other options. Can it compete with those more expensive options? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect.
Canon has clamped down tightly on the RF mount, disallowing essentially any third-party lenses with autofocus. This has been to the dismay of many photographers who embraced lenses from companies like Sigma and Tamron, which often offered options that were either cheaper or simply not available from Canon itself. At least one company is still highly interested in the RF mount, as recently confirmed by Sigma's CEO, Kazuto Yamaki.
Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should. In this world of photography gear and gadgets, sometimes, less is more. When it comes to filters and landscape photography, which do you really need?
The Canon 7D and 7D Mark II were two of the company's most popular DSLRs, as they offered professionals and advanced amateurs many of the features from higher-level cameras like the 1D series at much more affordable prices. Now that we are in the mirrorless era, the EOS R7 has picked up that torch and has brought with it a huge range of new features and upgrades sure to catch the eyes of a lot of photographers. This great video review takes a look at the camera from a photographer's perspective and the image quality and performance you can expect from it in usage.
Fujifilm's GFX line of medium format mirrorless cameras revolutionized the industry by including an array of modern features traditionally reserved for smaller-sensor bodies and putting them all together at extremely competitive prices. Perhaps the most intriguing option of the line is the GFX 100S, which brings the company's best sensor in a body that competes on price with top-level full frame options. This great video review takes a look at the image quality and performance you can expect from the camera.
After a year in my bag, it's time for a recap of the first 12 months with the best camera I’ve ever owned.
Lewis Potts picked up the cheapest camera he could find on Amazon and tried shooting alongside an Arri Alexa Mini LF.
Photographers love to talk about gear, but there is also a strong contingent of those who believe that all that discussion is a distraction from what really matters. The truth is probably somewhere in-between: gear does matter, and your choice of it can affect your workflow, but it is still the means, not the end. This interesting video discusses the matter and why gear matters.
Along with shutter speed and ISO, aperture is one of the fundamental parameters that helps you create balanced exposures and gives you a ton of creative control over the look of your photos. If you are new to photography and looking to improve your photos, check out this awesome video tutorial that will show you the ins and outs of aperture and how to use it to take better control of your images.
2022 has been quite the year for photo gear, with a huge range of impressive camera and lens releases. What has been your favorite? What failed to impress you? This hilarious video discusses the best and worst camera and lenses of the past year.
That's what one of the internet's most popular photographers and reviewers said about the rumored specs on the Canon EOS R5 II, due for release in 2023. Take a look inside to see why he made such a huge statement.
After many years of non-pro iPhones, Apple’s new 48-megapixel iPhone 14 Pro was enough to convince me to pull the trigger. I was ready to fall into the embrace of Apple’s AI-assisted ProRAW format. While it has its uses, in its current state it’s still kind of a mixed bag.
When it was first released, the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art was one of the most exciting and innovative lenses ever seen, being the only standard zoom with an aperture below f/2. Nonetheless, the lens is almost a decade old now, and in the meantime, sensor resolutions have increased. So, can this famous lens keep up with the demands of a modern camera? This excellent video review takes a look.
In recent years, Tamron has shown that they intend on creating impressively versatile and often innovative zoom lenses that can take the place of several others in a photographer's bag. One such lens is the 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD, which covers everything from normal to supertelephoto focal lengths. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Laowa now has a total of six lenses with an aperture of f/0.95, so how useful is it to have this aperture, and what are the results? As a landscape photographer mainly, this maximum aperture is something I had never really considered, although I do understand the usefulness of such an aperture for different types of photography, especially in low light and video. So, how does the lens perform throughout the apertures, and does it have the ability to provide results that are in line with or better than similar lenses in this price range? I tested it to find out.
When Fujifilm announced the new X-H2, I was immediately interested to test it out against my current camera, the Canon R5. Featuring a 40-megapixel sensor, much improved autofocus, and other advancements, on paper, it hits all the marks for my type of work.
If you're a steadfast Sony loyalist, you might want to look away now, because a dedicated Sony shooter just got his hands on the Canon EOS R5 and a bunch of Canon lenses and absolutely loved the ecosystem. Take a look to find out why.
Apple's MacBook Air line features some of the most popular computers in the world, and since the move to the company's own silicon, they have become legitimate tools for creative professionals, able to tackle demanding tasks formerly left for larger and more expensive options. The new M2 model has now been on the market for about five months, giving creatives a good chunk of time with the device, and this excellent video review discusses one such user's experience with the computer in that time.
Nikon has made their way into more specialized mirrorless lenses in recent months, with the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S being one such option. The 800mm f/6.3 might be one of the most competitively priced lenses in recent memory, and it offers top-shelf sharpness and portability on top of that. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in usage.
Technology often follows a path where it begins life large, slow, and expensive, and then gets smaller, faster, and cheaper as time passes. Digital cameras have not followed this trend for a number of reasons, and every time I think I can predict where the industry will go, a curveball is thrown.
This one will be a subjective post, but I will not make it a praise piece for my camera brand of choice. Instead, I'm talking about the pain points that led me to a particular brand over any other.
The last few years have been packed with some incredible cameras and the list keeps getting longer. Sony's newest body has seen rave reviews as both a stills camera and a video-centric body. So, is this camera the best choice for photographers creating YouTube content?
24mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are prized by many creatives for their versatility, as they are at home in a wide range of genres and applications. The Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM builds on that flexibility by adding macro capabilities and image stabilization to the equation, making it quite the intriguing lens for a lot of users. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
If you are new to photography, one of the most important distinctions you should learn is the difference between prime and zoom lenses. While neither is better than the other, they each have distinct advantages and disadvantages, which is why some photographers prefer primes and some stick with zooms. This helpful video discusses why one photographer prefers primes.
With the highest resolution available in a full frame camera, loads of dynamic range, and a host of other advanced features, the Sony a7R V might be the ultimate 35mm camera for photographers. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
TTArtisan has established themselves as a manufacturer of ultra-affordable lenses whose performance is often at a level above that dictated by their prices. Their latest lens, the 35mm f/0.95, offers APS-C shooters an ultra-wide aperture paired with a normal focal length, making it a versatile option. This excellent video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
TTArtisan has established themselves as a manufacturer of often astonishingly affordable lenses that still offer decent or even good image quality, often far outperforming their cost. The 27mm f/2.8 continues that trend by offering Fujifilm X Series users a wide angle lens with autofocus for just $149. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in use.
SmallRig has upped its game in the lighting department with four new affordable fixtures to take you filmmaking up a notch.
Olympus is well known for placing innovative and clever technology in their cameras, but that reputation goes back further than you might think. This neat video takes a look at a camera that is six decades old but features a fascinating automatic exposure system that allows it to function without any batteries needed.
There are expensive cameras, and then, there are really expensive cameras. The Phase One XT camera system definitely falls in the latter category, but with it, you get highly specialized features and superlative image quality. This neat video shows why the camera is tailor-made for landscape photography and some of the images you can create with it.
While the latest generation of cameras features some incredibly capable bodies, many photographers and filmmakers simply do not need all that power. Thankfully, the used market has a ton of options to fit just about every budget and set of needs. This great video discusses some of the best deals you can find on used cameras at the moment.
There are plenty of difficult lighting scenarios when conventional solutions simply can't deliver. Be it weight, space, or any other limitation, small lights are a must in any photographer's kit. Despite not being the most powerful, they are often most used on sets and locations. Among the sea of small lights, a few stand out. One such one is the Specular KYU-6. Here are my thoughts on this light.
Dell's XPS line has long been respected as some of the best Windows laptops out there, able to tackle many of the most demanding tasks professional creatives can throw at them. The latest model in the series is the XPS 13 Plus 9320, and this great video review takes a look at the laptop and the sort of performance you can expect from it in practice.
