cheapgear

How to Capture a ‘Dramatic’ Food Photo Using Cheap Gear

Food photographer Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot has put together a helpful tutorial that shows you how to capture "dramatic food photography" using an extremely cheap DSLR. Specifically, she picked up a used Canon Rebel T2i with a kit lens for just $200.

An Ode to Vintage Lenses and How I Stopped Giving a Damn About Sharpness

As with a majority of newbies to photography, the obsession with gear and chasing the newest toys proved to be irresistible to me. I spent far more time reading reviews, comparing charts, watching youtube videos, and looking for deals than actually going out and shooting.

Budget Gear Guide: The Best Cheap Off-Camera Flash Set-Up

When photographer Scott Choucino of TinHouse Studio first got into off-camera flash photography, he found himself struggling to find good info on putting together a solid affordable setup. That's why he created this video: a beginner's guide to his favorite super-cheap off-camera flash set-up.

The Best Camera Kit You Can Get with a $500 Budget

Finding a $500 camera setup that can deliver stunning portraits as well as a wide range of other types of photography was a challenge, to say the least! First and foremost I had to put together some bare minimum requirements/standards.

$20 Work Light vs $900 Studio Strobe for a Food Photo

How does a $20 work light from a hardware store compare to a $900 studio strobe when it comes to food photography? Photographer Skyler Burt of We Eat Together recently decided to find out. He pitted a HDX 500w halogen work light against a $900 Elinchrom Pro HD 500W monolight.

How to Shoot a Professional Wine Photo with Speedlights and a Kit Lens

This simple step-by-step tutorial comes to us from Dustin Dolby of Workphlo, who's got a knack for shooting high-end product photography with minimal gear. This time, he's showing us how to quickly and easily capture a professional wine photograph using just two speedlights and a kit lens.

Sony’s Budget $600 85mm f/1.8 Lens Can Keep Up with $1,200+ Lenses

If you're looking for an 85mm portrait lens for your Sony full-frame e-mount camera, you should seriously consider the 'budget' FE 85mm f/1.8 Sony announced back in February. It might have seemed like an afterthought, but this $600 lens can keep up with glass more than twice its price.

Four Dirt Cheap Toy Camera Lenses You Should Try

Want to mix things up a bit, gear-wise, without breaking the bank? Photographer Mathieu Stern has an idea for you. In this short video he shares four cheap toy camera lenses that he thinks are worth your time.