Michael Archambault

Technology Geek. Photography Enthusiast. Coffee Addict.

Articles by Michael Archambault

Here’s How a Photographer Saved $750+ by Repairing a Broken GH4 Himself

Shane Reetz is a photographer whose Panasonic GH4 developed an issue recently: the lens mount began to wobble in and out. After sending the camera to Panasonic’s repair service and finding out a fix would cost $762, Reetz decided he would try performing surgery on his camera himself. The total cost for fixing the camera turned out to be only $5, and Reetz learned quite a bit along the way.

Nikon Snags New ‘C’ and ‘V’ Trademarks for Software

Nikon recently registered two new trademarks: “C Nikon” and “V Nikon”. According to the information provided from the official US federal trademark (USPTO) database, both items appear to be for upcoming pieces of software (sorry gear junkies!). The trademarks were filed earlier this year in July along with the proposed logos for each item.

Red Dot Camera App Brings the Leica M Experience to Your iPhone

If you've always wanted to play around with the idea of using a Leica M rangefinder but don't want to shell out the cash, Lifelike Apps has a new app for you. Called Red Dot Camera, the iOS app aims to bring the feel of a Leica camera to your iPad or iPhone; it was “inspired by the retro craftsmanship of the classic M camera series” and does “without the interference of gimmicky filters.”

Video: How Aspect Ratios Help Convey Themes, Ideas, and Emotions

Directors have always utilized different ways to conveying themes and emotions through their work. Noted filmmakers such as Hitchcock were masters of cinematography: using camera angles and particular focal lengths to convey their messages. YouTube channel ‘Now You See It’ recently released the above video that delves into how aspect ratios can also have a profound effect on the content we are viewing.

GoPro’s 16-Camera 360° Rig is Called the Odyssey and Will Cost $15,000

Back in May, Google announced "JUMP", a new technology standard aimed at creating fully immersive content for virtual reality. At the time, Google showed off a demo camera rig that utilized over 16 separate GoPros. The folks over at GoPro have finally decided to release a production version of the apparatus that'll be available for purchase. Called the Odyssey panoramic capture rig, it features 16 synchronized GoPro HERO4 Black cameras recording 8K video at 30fps.

The CAMSLINGER Streetomatic is a Hip Camera Bag With Quick Access

German photography accessory company COSYSPEED has just introduced their latest creation on IndieGoGo. The CAMSLINGER Streetomatic is a sling strap and camera bag for mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and superzooms. Aimed to rest comfortably on your outer thigh, the CAMSLINGER promises one-handed operation while protecting against rain, bumps, and dust.

Kodak PixPro SP360 4K: A 360-Degree Action Camera

JK Imaging has announced the latest in their series of Kodak-brand action cameras. The new PixPro SP360 4K is a 12MP action camera with the ability to take 360-degree spherical images or 4K HD video up to 2028x2028 at 50fps. Positioned as a successor to the original SP360, the SP360 4K is promising to deliver higher resolution video and a 720p 120fps slow-motion capture mode.

Recently for iOS Turns Your Camera Roll Into a Print Magazine Every Month

Snapping a collection of photos on your iPhone and then having them disappear into your Camera Roll never to be seen again can be quite a common occurrence, but a new iOS app on the market wants to change that. ‘Recently’ is a mobile application for iPhones and iPads that allows you to automatically send your 100 most recent photographs off to be printed in a personal monthly magazine and delivered straight to your door.

Review: The Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is Solid But Has a Lackluster EVF

In 2008, both Olympus and Panasonic teamed up to create the Micro Four Thirds sensor standard for mirrorless cameras. Seven years later, I sit with the Olympus E-M10 Mark II in front of me. It's a more affordable camera than its older siblings, the E-M5 and E-M1, and today we'll be taking a look to see what the company’s ‘budget’ OM-D has to offer. There's an OLED viewfinder, Wi-Fi control, 8.5fps burst shooting, and five-axis stabilization -- we are expecting a smooth ride.

4 Tips for Posing Subjects by Wedding Photographer Lexia Frank

Earlier this year, wedding photographer Lexia Frank published a series of 4 short videos that teach how to properly pose models in order to minimize possibly undesirable features. The first video focuses on removing double chins, the second on hiding the upper body, the third on cutting inches off the waist, and the last on posing your model’s feet correctly.

How to Make Cheap DIY Reflectors From Silver Bead Foam Boards

Whether you are shooting outside or in a studio, reflectors help you make sure that light is hitting your subject exactly how you want it. Typically, reflectors will have a silver side and a white side for varying intensities of light -- they can also cost quite a bit of money. This short video by photographer JP Morgan of The Slanted Lens shows how you can go with a cheaper DIY solution.

This is an Airport Luggage System Through the Eyes of a Suitcase Camera

Photographers are often advised to carry their camera gear onto an airplane rather than check it in with luggage. If you'd like to see what goes on behind the scenes with checked-in luggage, check out this interesting video by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands, which strapped a camera to a piece of baggage and put it through the maze-like conveyor belt system.

Getty Images Forces Blog to Pay $868 Fee for Using ‘Socially Awkward Penguin’

Well, this is a bit... awkward. Getty Images recently threatened a lawsuit against German blog Get Digital, which had published the famous ‘Socially Awkward Penguin’ meme without first obtaining permission.

That is right: you technically need permission to use the meme. According to Getty Images, the meme contains an image originally shot by nature photographer George F. Mobley. The blog ended up paying Getty Images $868 for the copyright violation.

Olloclip’s Macro Pro Lens Gives Your iPhone 6 Camera 21x Magnification

Olloclip is a company that may need no introduction for many of you after their quick change lens system for the iPhone took Kickstarter by storm in 2011. Since then, the company has been kicking out a number of exciting and creative products for mobile phone shooters. The latest photographic toolset to emerge from Olloclip’s lab is the new Macro Pro Lens for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

This Leica M ‘Null Series’ Camera Kit Costs More Than a Luxury Automobile

How much would you pay to celebrate 100 years of Leica photography? The Leica Store in Miami recently asked that question and found over 100 people who were willing to pay out $55,000 for a limited edition ‘Leica M Set’. Now, Leica is asking that same question yet again, but with a pre-production camera set from an even more finite collection... and a much higher price tag.

Ricoh Theta S: A New 360° Spherical Camera With Live Streaming

Ricoh has announced the new Theta S, the latest in the company’s lineup of 360-degree cameras. The Theta S features two 12 MP sensors that interpolate with each other to output high-resolution 14.4 MP spherical still images or full 1080p HD video at 30fps. The device is also capable of streaming live video via its built-in USB or HDMI port and is compatible with Google’s Street View technology.

Google Street View Now Has Its Own App on Android, 360° Photo Sharing

Google set out in 2007 to create an ambitious effort called Street View: a project aimed at providing panoramic views of individual streets around the world. The unique feature, which has since been copied by other mapping services, has, on Android devices, lived within the Google Maps app. Now, however, Street View is breaking free into its own separate application, and it includes a few features for capturing and sharing your own photospheres.

Agree.com Helps Take the Pain Out of Photography Contracts

Nothing seems to be a more tedious task than the need to fill out paperwork. Especially if the paperwork has to be sent back and forth between you and a client multiple times. Luckily, Agree.com is a website that aims at making contracts easy to compile and sign for photographers (and videographers, designers, and more). Let’s take a moment to try out the service and is if it delivers on its promise of simplicity.

The Epic Images of a Mountain Bike Photo Contest

Every year, Crankworx Whistler hosts a Deep Summer Photo Challenge that pits six elite mountain biking photographers against each other. The shooters have three days to put together the best and most epic slideshow they can, and the results are judged by a panel of judges, the audience at the event, and online voters. Two photographers each walk away from Whistler, British Columbia, with a $3,500 prize.

The Narrative 2 Lifelogging Camera Gets 1080p Video

Being able to capture and preserve memories is at the heart of everyday photography. In 2012, Narrative (then called Momento) took to Kickstarter to fund their new "lifelogging" camera that clips to a user and automatically captures a photo every 30 seconds. The second generation of the Narrative was then unveiled earlier this year. Today, Narrative announced that its second camera will also offer 1080p HD video recording when it's available later this month.

Panasonic Unveils the Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 and New Matte Black Color Option

Panasonic has introduced a brand new lens to their Micro Four Thirds system lineup at IFA 2015 in Berlin, along with color tweaks for three of their existing pieces of glass. The new Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH is making its debut, while the company’s existing 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6, 45-150mm f/4-5.6, and 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 will soon all be offered in a ‘matte black’ color finish.

Panasonic Unveils ‘V-Log’ Firmware, New GH4R That Shoots Unlimited 4K

Videographers wielding the Panasonic GH4 will be excited to learn that the company will soon be making a compelling new update available. Firmware version 2.3 will allow GH4 cameras to shoot with a new ‘V-Log’ recording mode that enables the camera to capture an additional 2-stops of dynamic range. The technology was previously shown off at NAB 2015 and is finally landing on consumer devices.

GoPro Adds Built-In Trimming and Sharing to HERO4 and HERO+ Cameras

Today, some GoPro users are getting quite a nifty upgrade for their action cameras. The company has introduced a new firmware that allows HERO4 Black, HERO 4, and HERO+ with equipped LCD screens to trim video directly from the back of the device. In addition, you can now also trim and share videos directly from your smartphone.

Australia Wants to Help You Take the World’s Biggest Selfies

Whether we like it or not, our culture has become obsessed with selfies. Front facing cameras on smartphones are increasingly getting better and every other week another ‘selfie flash’ product seems to appear in the wild.

Now the Australian government wants to help tourists take bigger and better selfies that include the environments around them; they are being dubbed ‘GIGA Selfies’.

LTD.RUN Makes Printing Photos as Posters as Easy as a Few Clicks

What is your process for quickly printing out a piece of your work? If you currently use a website to get the job done then it probably involves uploading your images, surfing through menus, making adjustments, selecting paper types, and more - quite a lengthy process. Now, LTD.RUN is here to make printing as simple as possible. Simply visit the website, upload your photograph, and you are good to go.

This is Wedding Photographer Sam Hurd’s Impressive Backup Workflow

Washington D.C.-based wedding photographer Sam Hurd has quite a wild backup system for his clients' images. In an article and video Hurd posted on his blog, he explains the extensive setup behind his apocalyptical-style backup protection. If you thought you had your files well protected, you might feel otherwise after watching this (unless you're careful to the same degree).

CaptureLENS: Peak Design’s New Fast Lens-Switching System for Photographers

There have been different solutions developed over the years for quickly and easily swapping out lenses with a single hand. First, GoWing introduced the Lens Flipper and Clip, which allows photographers to quickly do swaps in only a few seconds. Now, the folks over at Peak Design have announced the CaptureLENS, a similar fast lens switching device with a few unique stand out features and a smaller price tag.

Easily Inspect and Organize Your Negatives with Light Box Loupe for iOS

Working with a collection of film negatives can be quite an overwhelming task that requires each photograph to be carefully loaded into a scanner for identification. However, when developer Bruce Johnson needed to go through his grandfather’s extensive collection of photographic work, he realized a better solution was needed. Light Box Loupe is the easy iOS solution for proofing negatives (and reversal film) in real-time.

This Precision Drone Navigation System is Great for Light Painting Photos

PRENAV is a company aimed at developing extremely sophisticated automation systems for small aerial drones. Recently, the company announced that they had acquired $1.2 million to help make their drone technology smarter. So, what better to do with a bit of the seed money than fly drones around, create precise light patterns for light painting, and photograph them?

infltr Lets You Filter Your Photos with Over 5 Million Color Hues

Disappointed with Instagram's limited selection of filters? Well, a new app on the block called ‘infltr’ is promoting the ability to give your photograph over 5.1 million unique hues. Throw in one of your favorite pictures and simply swipe your finger to begin moving throughout the color spectrum. For a small price, you can have more hue filters than you could dream.

Video: A Primer on Color Spaces and Having a Color-Managed Photo Workflow

For some photographers, no term strikes more fear into one’s heart than "Color Spaces." The idea that different devices, along with our eyes, perceive light differently can seem confusing. Anyone that has gone to print one of their photographs probably knows that it can take some know-how to ensure your images are correctly represented on paper.

If you're new to the world of color theory, photographer Forrest Tanaka wants to help: in the 13-minute video above, he explains color spaces in an easy-to-understand way.

AstroPad Mini Turns Your iPhone Into a Photo Editing Graphics Tablet

Last month we reported on the AstroPad App for the Apple iPad: a solution that allowed you to turn your consumer tablet into a professional graphics tablet when working with applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Illustrator. Now, the company is announcing a new app for the iPhone called AstroPad Mini -- it's everything you love about AstroPad... just minimized.

A Model Held Her Breath For 5 Minutes for this Single Take Music Video

Typically, tying a model up and throwing her to the bottom of a pool isn’t a recommended practice for both legal and moral reasons. However, this new music video for the song "Lydia" by Highly Suspect dares to do just that. You begin to realize something is a bit odd as the video rolls on and on -- there are no cuts, meaning Marina Kazankova actually had to hold her breath during the entire 4-minute-plus video.

Canon’s EOS M3 Mirrorless Camera Will Hit US Shores This October

Earlier this year, Canon unveiled their EOS M3 24.2 MP mirrorless compact camera with interchangeable lenses. Unfortunately for those in North America, the M3 was only launched in Europe and Asia at the time. Now, Canon’s mirrorless compact is making its way to American shores and will be launching in October of this year.