While senior portrait season is still a few months away, the time to gear up for it is upon us, with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday deals just on the horizon. If you're starting out and looking to get into this style of photography, here are a few options from photographer and YouTuber Michelle Nichols.
Thanks to the popularity of mini touchscreen monitors, these little screens are more available and affordable than ever. For this reason, now might be a good time for photographers to add one to their existing setup.
Today, I’ll talk about one of the best values in my constant lighting kit.
There is a quiet rise of small, pocketable cameras when it comes to popularity. In this video, James Popsys gives his thoughts on the little Ricoh after spending some time shooting with it. So, if you're in the market for one, take a look.
85mm lenses with wide apertures are about as popular as can be, but they are often quite expensive as well. Thankfully, in the last few years, we have seen an influx of affordable yet impressive third-party options, with two of the most notable being the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 FE II lens and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. Which one is right for you? This excellent video comparison takes a look at the performance and image quality of both to help you decide.
The Fujifilm X-T5 mirrorless camera is here, and it brings with it a huge variety of upgrades and new features. This great video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
With shorter daylight hours and longer dark, cold, and wet nights, it's time to think about what to shoot indoors: something new perhaps? For myself, it's going to be trying something new, and that's macro with the Astrhori 85mm f/2.8 Macro Tilt lens.
Most dedicated macro lenses have a 1:1 maximum reproduction ratio, which means they can project an image of the subject on your camera's sensor up to the same size it is in real life. However, the Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro can project an image of your subject up to five times bigger than it is in real life, opening up an entirely new world of extreme macro photography. 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.
Nikon puts a stylish twist on a couple products in its Z family of mirrorless cameras.
I have long lamented the discontinuation of the absolutely tiny Panasonic Lumix GM series of cameras, and imagine my surprise in 2022 to find out that I'm not alone. The camera has proven to be a cult favorite, and YouTuber and photographer Robin Wong breaks down why.
If you value accurate colors and a high-quality computer display, Eizo is one of the better choices. The company released two professional 27-inch screens towards the end of 2022. One of them has 4K resolution and the other WQHD resolution. Let’s take a close look at the latter.
Samyang has been long known for creating sharp, highly affordable lenses, and in recent years, they have added autofocus capabilities to many, increasing their appeal. One such lens is the AF 85mm f/1.4 FE II, which offers the popular combination of a classic portrait focal length and a wide maximum aperture. And at $799, it is far more affordable than many comparable lenses. Can it keep up with those other options? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Fujifilm recently announced the X-T5 camera, which is the latest camera in the X Mount series. Despite the fact that the X-T5 is not the most feature-filled camera Fujifilm has ever produced, it does send a big message to its audience and customer base. Fujifilm has finally figured out its camera lineup for the X Mount.
The Microsoft Surface line offers a lot of versatility for creatives in the Windows ecosystem, and the new Surface Laptop 5 is here, pairing a high-quality touchscreen with the convenience of a portable laptop with all-day battery life. If you are looking for a new device for working on the go, check out this great video review that takes a look at the Surface Laptop 5 and the sort of performance and experience you can expect from it in usage.
The Fujifilm X-H2 brought the company's first high-resolution sensor to the X Series along with a variety of upgrades and new features, all with the classic Fujifilm experience, making it a desirable camera for a wide range of users. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of image quality and performance you will be able to expect from it in usage.
Unscrupulous manufacturers manipulate you to buy their products. It's much more severe than you can probably imagine. With Black Friday fast approaching, there are things we should be aware of before buying a camera.
85mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are wildly popular for portraiture work, offering a classical focal length in tandem with that shallow depth of field that a lot of photographers love. However, such lenses can easily run north of $2,000, which is what makes the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 FE II, which retails for $799, a breath of fresh air. Can it compete with lenses that cost double or even triple that amount? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect.
The Sony a7R V is here, and the company's newest resolution monster mirrorless camera has brought with it a wide array of impressive new features and upgrades. If you are wondering what you can expect from the camera, check out this great first impressions video that examines the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage.
Both the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens and 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens fill the popular role of the wide-aperture standard zoom and do so at prices that significantly undercut those of first-party options. So, which is right for you? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both to help you decide.
Controlling light is one of the most difficult challenges a photographer must master. Even if you have years of experience under your belt, it can still be difficult to decide which light modifier to use with your strobes or if you should even be using strobes at all. In this video and article, I'm going to share with you five of my favorite light modifiers and how they can produce drastically different results.
Tamron has continued to establish themselves as a company that creates both lenses that make smart compromises to get to affordable price points and others that push the boundaries of design. The new 20-40mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is quite the interesting option, sitting somewhere between a wide angle zoom and a standard zoom. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Coming in a relatively small and portable package and at a price that will not break the bank, the Canon RF 15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM offers photographers access to all the most common ultra-wide angle focal lengths along with a few extra useful features. Can it offer the sort of performance and image quality professionals need? This excellent video review takes a look.
The Sony a7R V was released just last week, and one of the interesting features about it is the AI autofocus feature. What exactly is that, and how is it going to affect how we shoot?
I've always been a fan of seascape and waterfall photography. I love these dynamic environments and don't shy away from getting myself wet while closing in on the subject matter. The only thing that could hold me back was the intense spray I had to face while getting close to a stormy sea or a thundering waterfall. But no longer. I found a solution against the limitations it imposed on my photography, and I share it with you in this article.
The 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is one of the most popular and important options out there, found in a huge range of genres and applications, where its combinations of a wide aperture and commonly used focal lengths make it a prized choice. That being said, such lenses tend to be rather expensive. Sigma's 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN brings the price down by a significant amount by making a few clever compromises. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Alongside the new EOS R6 Mark II mirrorless camera, Canon recently announced the RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM lens, an update to one of its most respected and loved lenses, the EF 135mm f/2L. The company's RF portrait lenses have set high standards — very high, in fact. Can the 135mm f/1.8 L keep up? This great first look video examines the lens and the sort of images it can produce.
Fujifilm has released the highly anticipated Fujifilm X-T5 camera featuring a back-illuminated 40.2-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, 5-axis IBIS, native low ISO of 125, X-Processor 5, 4K and 6K video capabilities, a whole host of other features, plus the return of the three-way tilting screen from the X-T3. So, who is the camera aimed at?
Canon has just released the new Canon EOS R6 Mark II, and it looks like a rather impressive camera. Check out these first impressions to see if this new, upgraded model is a genuine step-up and worth your money.
Sony has released the new a7R V camera body. It's laden with some incredible specs that you couldn't even have dreamed of in a camera a few short years ago, but is it really a game-changer?
There are two kinds of light sources for video: LED lights and panels. Both have advantages and drawbacks. Which is the best choice when you’re on a budget? Should you choose an LED light or an LED panel? I made my choice, but now, I have my doubts.
Fujifilm fans, rejoice! The company has announced the X-T5, the latest mirrorless camera in their popular and respected X Series, and it comes with some impressive new features and upgrades. They have also announced the Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro lens, offering a versatile focal length and high magnification capabilities.
The Nikon Z 9 has proven itself to be an incredibly capable piece of gear for both stills and cinematography. With the announcement of the MC-N10 Remote Grip, the system just got better.
Nikon has just announced their new Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S for the Z system.
In the last few years, I've found myself using my smartphone more and more as my video camera to capture life's moments. On an actual shoot, it's also not uncommon for me to use one as a b-camera. If that's you as well, here are nine great tools to help improve your smartphone videography (and a bonus tip).
