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Usman Dawood

Batley, GB
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Articles from Usman Dawood

Why Can't Sony Just Give Us a Flip-Out Screen?

Dear Sony, why is it so difficult for you to get the flip-out screen right? It's as though you're trying to do absolutely everything you can with your screen except give us what we've been asking for. How many times do we have to ask you Sony? Almost everyone asked for the flip-out touch screen, instead, you gave us a completely useless flip-up screen.  

Nikon Cameras 'Prove' the Earth Is Flat

When it comes to providing evidence for any claim, pictures and videos tend to go a long way. As photographers, many of us have access to some pretty high-end equipment; however, it seems only Nikon cameras can disprove fundament aspects of our reality. 

Fstoppers Reviews Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB Gimbal: Imperfect but Brilliant

Most gimbals that have been released in the last few years have had a similar design and aesthetic. For the most part, they've had a long handle where the batteries go in and the gimbal head on top. Recently, Zhiyun-Tech released their latest gimbal and I believe this will have quite the impact on the gimbal industry as a whole. 

YouTube Cheating: The Overuse of B-Roll Is Becoming a Problem

What happened to b-roll? It used to be the sprinklings on top of the proverbial cupcake, but now, we've forgotten about the cake. There are far too many occasions now where watching a tutorial is just difficult because of the amount of b-roll in the video.

Sigma Art Lenses Are Becoming Far Too Ridiculous

The Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Art is such a ridiculous lens. Whenever I've thought about 40mm lenses I thought about the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens. I'm sure many of us have owned one of these lenses; it's actually pretty good. The tiny form factor, relatively fast autofocus speeds, and great image quality. Obviously, this lens was just too small for Sigma.

Cinematic Camera Movements to Practice and Learn From

It's never been easier to produce cinematic looking shots than it is right now. The advance of technology has been incredible in the last few years and we really are spoilt for choice in the best possible way.

Fstoppers Reviews Fujifilm Instax Square SQ20: Good But Difficult to Recommend

A little over a year ago, Fujifilm released their first ever square format Instax camera, the Instax SQ10. This camera used a 1/4" digital sensor to take the image and then used that file to print on the square film. This year, Fujifilm released their latest update to this camera, the Instax SQ20. 

Ten Gear Suggestions for Beginner Filmmakers

One of the most frequent types of questions I see on social media is about gear or gear recommendations. For the most part, photographers and videographers who are relatively new to the industry tend to ask about what gear they should or shouldn't buy. I think it's always better to ask than spend money on something that may end up being a waste. 

Fstoppers Reviews The ONA Prince Street Leather Messenger Bag

When it comes to bags and backpacks, ONA isn't known for making anything cheap. Their premium bags have caught the attention of many photographers, myself included. I was very pleased when ONA sent me The Prince Street to review because aside from a few minor issues, this is without a doubt the best messenger bag I've ever used. 

How to Produce 65mm Sensor Sized 12k Footage With a Super 35mm Camera

Most of have probably created a panorama at some point by stitching several images together. Some of you may have even tried the Brenizer method to mimic the look and feel of a larger sensor. I wonder, how many of you have stitched video clips together to mimic large-format cinema cameras? 

The RED Hydrogen One: Disappointing, Overpriced, and Mediocre

RED is a company that's known for making some of the best cinema cameras currently in production. They're known for producing super-high-resolution cameras, but they're also known for their eye-watering price tags. RED has recently produced their first ever smartphone, and so far, the reviews don't look great. 

The Newly Announced Leica Q-P: Understated Excellence?

As a company, Leica Camera is one of the more reserved brands. They understand their respective market and also understand what kind of cameras appeal to their customer base. Their latest camera, the Leica Q-P, continues this by offering a high-quality, compact full frame camera in a more discreet body. 

Would It Be a Good Thing if Smartphones Replaced Our More Expensive Cameras?

Whenever a new iPhone is released, we start to see comparisons being made against "proper" cameras. Generally speaking, these comparisons are met with some hostility and the most frequent comment I see is about how iPhones will never replace proper cameras. I wonder, would it be a good thing if smartphones actually did replace our cameras? 

The Imminent Death of Micro Four-Thirds

Micro four-thirds is a sensor size with which companies like Panasonic and Olympus have developed a number of very popular cameras. The most popular being the GH series of cameras, namely the Panasonic GH5. Recently, Panasonic opted to develop a full frame camera system and many including myself feel that the days of micro four-thirds are now numbered. 

Feiyutech a1000: Still the Best Mirrorless Gimbal You Can Buy

With the sheer number of gimbals on the market today it can be difficult trying to decide which one you should buy. The innovation in gimbals continues and for the most part, manufacturers are trying to produce gimbals that can hold more and more weight. This may not be the best strategy especially considering mirrorless cameras are becoming mainstream. 

Wine Country Camera Releases Their First Circular Neutral Density Filters

Wine Country Camera is a company that produces some of the best 100mm neutral density filters currently available. The minimal color shifts and detail rendering capabilities make them the ideal choice; even with high resolution cameras. Wine Country has now released circular ND filters using the same high-quality glass that's found in their 100mm set.

Avoid These Mistakes Because They May Cost You

When I first started in the photography industry, I was fortunate enough to have a couple of mentors that guided me. Due to their mentorship, I was able to avoid some mistakes early on to help give me somewhat of a head start. Even still, I've had my fair share of "facepalm" moments, and some of the points discussed in this video feel uncomfortably familiar. 

Samsung Galaxy A9: A Smartphone With Four Cameras

The way smartphone cameras have been developing over the last few years, it may not come as a surprise that we now have a phone with four cameras. Trying to stand out in the fierce competition between the manufacturers is tough, but Samsung thinks they might just be able to make enough of a statement with their latest announcement, the Samsung Galaxy A9. 

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm Instax SHARE SP-3 Smartphone Printer

Not so long ago, I reviewed the Fujifilm Instax SQ6 ,and I absolutely loved it. Its compact design and medium format square film immediately made it my favorite Instax camera. Since then, Fujifilm asked me to review their latest printer, the Instax SP-3. Admittedly, I was a little skeptical at first, but this is definitely growing on me. 

The EOS R: Why This Mirrorless System Is a Home Run for Canon

After several years of Sony having its run of the mirrorless world, Canon and Nikon finally announced their full-frame mirrorless cameras. The initial sentiment may not be brilliant for both Canon and Nikon; however, I think Canon has done something absolutely incredible. 

Initial Reviews for Nikon Mirrorless Are Not Good

When Nikon first started with their teasers, there was a lot of excitement. Many people were intrigued about the larger lens mount and the potential for super-wide-aperture lenses. The excitement now seems to be fading and the reality of Nikon's mirrorless system is starting to set in.   

Nikon 105mm f/1.4 Vs. Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art: Which Is the Best?

When it comes to portrait lenses, the Nikon 105mm f/1.4 is possibly one of the best choices. At the time of its release, it was the first of its kind and was met with much praise. Since then, however, Sigma released their own version of this lens and many, including myself, wanted to know which lens is actually better.

How to Make Your GoPro Footage Look Awesome

GoPro cameras are some of the most versatile cameras on the market. The super compact size and lightweight design make them ideal for a lot of creative uses. Not to mention their durability and water resistance. This makes them ideal for those strange and somewhat crazy angles.

Fstoppers Reviews the Lensbaby Sol 45 f/3.5 Lens

Lensbaby is a company known for making interesting and somewhat unique lenses. Currently, all of their lenses are manual focus, however, this actually adds to the charm. Their latest lens is the Sol 45, a budget-friendly option for both DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Here's Why You Need to Take More Selfies

The photography community is generally quite snobbish when it comes to selfies. Selfies aren't even considered a proper form of photography by many individuals, which is obviously ridiculous. I, for one, think that we aren't taking half as many selfies as we should. 

What Is the Best Portrait Lens?

When it comes to portraits, two major factors determine how good a lens is for many photographers and they are focal length and aperture. Generally speaking, many photographers prefer to have a relatively long focal length with a wide aperture as this helps with both the framing of the shot and also the kind of background blur you can achieve.

Apple: Illegal Behavior and Anti-Consumer Policies?

Apple isn't known for being the most flexible company in the world and some could argue this is one of the reasons for their immense success. Unfortunately, this rigidity which can almost be described as stubbornness can cause a few issues. Linus Tech Tips discuss their frustrations with Apple in a recent video.

How to Record Your Camera's EVF

Being able to record your camera's electronic viewfinder might not be the most pressing issue for a lot of photographers and videographers, however it can be quite useful. If you're filming a YouTube video or you simply want to demonstrate something behind the scenes, recording your EVF may help illustrate your point far more effectively.

Getty's 'Sexiest Fans' Gallery: Is the Outrage Justified?

You may have read an article about how Getty removed their "sexiest fans" gallery due to receiving backlash from social media. What's interesting is Vogue Magazine posted a similar type of article about men, which didn't seem to receive much in terms of outrage. Is it more offensive to objectify women than it is to objectify men?