firstimpressions

First Impressions: Using the Canon 1D X Mark III for Family Photography

It’s a brilliant start to the year for Canon with the full announcement of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. Updating their flagship DSLR in time for the Olympics, it’s an announcement eagerly awaited by photographers across different genres who are looking for the best camera on the market.

An Olympic Sports Photographer Tries the New 16-Inch MacBook Pro

Last Wednesday, Apple announced the new MacBook Pro with a 16-inch Retina display. I have been testing this new laptop computer (locked behind closed doors) for the last couple of weeks and am excited to share my findings with all of you.

Photography Newbies Try Using the $52,000 150MP Phase One XF IQ4

What happens when you put a $52,000, 150MP medium format monster of a camera into the hands of complete newbies? The folks at Gear Patrol wanted to find out. So they got some of the non-photographers on their staff to come in and try out the Phase One XF IQ4 before telling them just how expensive the camera really is.

Three Months with the Panasonic S1R

If you’re wondering why someone who loves Sigma cameras and gets called the ‘Foveon Wizard’ by his peers is writing about the Panasonic Lumix S1R, I need to take you back to 2007.

Sony a7R IV: First Impressions and Real-World Photos

A few weeks ago, Sony asked me if I wanted to do a quick test run with the (at that time) unannounced Sony a7R IV. I was pleasantly surprised as I (and I am sure many others) expected the a7S III to come out first. I agreed and was excited to be one of the first in the world to test the new camera.

Shooting Portraits with Sony’s $12,000 400mm f/2.8 G Master Lens

Photographer Miguel Quiles recently got his hands on one of the few Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lenses currently in existence (the $12,000 lens won't hit store shelves until late September). In the 6-minute video above, Quiles shares about his tests in using the super-telephoto lens for portraits.

Hands-On with the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art ‘No Distortion’ Lens

For Canon and Nikon shooters looking to get a fast ultrawide, the choices in the past have been the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8, and Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC. Or, go with an f/4 lens and get the Canon 11-24mm or Sigma 12-24mm. Sigma has now joined the mix with its own 14-24mm f/2.8, and we got a chance to use it for a few days to see how it performed.

Bokehlicious: This is What the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art Lens Can Do

Talk about luck. Before teaching a workshop, “Aperture In Action”, recently, I was handed a pre-release copy of the eagerly awaited Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art Series lens. What was already going to be a great class instantly got a lot better!

Fujifilm Medium Format GFX 50S First Impressions

Wow.

I typically have more to say in my first paragraph, but this camera blew me away and “wow” is one of the best ways to portray my first reactions.

First Impressions: My First Week with the Canon M5

It’s been a week now since I first got my Canon M5 and I can honestly say I’m in love. From its first announcement, I was intrigued by it, but I had the M3 and it seemed too soon to upgrade.

First Impressions of the Fujifilm X-T2

The launch of the Fujifilm X-T2 had many photographers excited, with the successor to the wildly popular X-T1 promising higher image quality, 4K video recording and faster autofocus. With its new release, Fujifilm hopes to convert more photographers to the X-system with the DSLR-like handling of the X-T2.

We had the privilege of interviewing wedding photographer Benny Ang on his first impressions of the new X-T2, which Fujifilm provided him prior to the launch.

Field Testing the Canon 5DS R in Botswana, Africa

Abraham Joffe of Untitled Film Works released this 3-minute video showing photographer Denis Glennon field testing the new Canon 5DS R by capturing wild animals in Botswana, Africa (he was likely using the first 5DS R to hit African soil).

A First Review of the $40 Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 ‘Nifty Fifty’ Clone

I will be the first to admit that I am not a street photographer, not a wedding photographer, and don’t generally shoot in low light, but I wanted to get a review out since I just received my two copies of Yongnuo's $40 clone of the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.

Hands On with the Samsung NX1: One Samsung Camera to Rule Them All

Samsung is making a statement with the recently announced NX1, and that statement is, "pros, we're ready for you." Up till now, any pros who wanted to use Samsung gear -- and there are some that do -- have had to settle for prosumer bodies designed more for the first time buyer than the seasoned pro.

With the introduction of the NX1, that status quo is no more, and a little bit of time with this incredibly powerful new body drives that point home splendidly.

First Look: Fuji 10-24mm f/4 Sample Photos and First Impressions by David Hobby

While in Dubai for GPP 2014, David Hobby (aka. Strobist) got a chance to play around with the yet-unreleased Fuji 10-24mm f/4 lens. He was kind enough to send us a link to his final images along with permission to share them, but we'll warn you: if you're a Fuji lover who isn't looking to spend money, you'll want to look away... she's a beauty.

The Camera Store and Nick Devlin Test Out the Fuji X-T1 in the Field

If we had to name the most exciting camera of 2014 thus far, Fuji's X-T1 would probably get the nod (although the Sony a6000 is no slouch). Some call it the Nikon Df done right, others are saying it's the camera that will finally take the X-Series mainstream, but general opinion about this camera seems to be very good.

There's only one problem... many of those opinions come from people who haven't had a chance to use it yet. And since a spec sheet and press release can only say so much, The Camera Store and photographer Nick Devlin decided to go hands-on and take you in the field with this exciting new shooter.

Sample Footage & Shooting Impressions: Panasonic’s 4K-Capable GH4

Panasonic is serious about the 4K-capable GH4 as both a video AND stills camera. But particularly in the stills category, a price tag that will likely push 2 grand and a sensor that is only Micro Four Thirds size makes for an uphill battle when it comes to convincing folks to jump on board.

Hands-Off First Impressions of the Fuji X-T1

Well, well. Fuji's done it again. They've simultaneously wowed fans and foes with the newly announced X-T1. There's a lot to learn here and a lot to discuss. Let's take a look at some of the details and perhaps more subtle or overlooked points.

Out on the Road: First Impressions of the Sony RX10

The Sony RX10 was in shorter supply than the other two cameras during my time with Sony in Nashville, so getting my hands on it was a little bit more challenging. But get my hands on it I did, and even though I spent less time shooting with it than I would have liked, what I found was a camera that really blew away whatever expectations I had.

Out on the Road: Getting to Know the Sony a7 and a7R

This last week, I had the great pleasure of joining many of my fellow writers from other major photo and tech news outlets for a week of fun and photography with Sony in Nashville, TN. Basically, the event gave us all a chance to test out the new mirrorless full-frame a7 and a7R cameras (as well as the RX10, which I'll hit on in another post) in a variety of situations, with Sony artisans and engineers on hand to answer all of our questions.

Hands-On With the Portable and Flexible Canon PowerShot N

Canon's attention grabber at this year's CES 2013 is a new compact camera designed to fight against the encroachment of smartphones: the PowerShot N.

The little guy is unlike most point-and-shoots you'll find on the market. It's extremely small, square, and simple. The design may seem gimmicky at first, but pick it up in your hands and your opinion might change.

Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Camera, the Voiceless Phonecamera

Played around with the new Samsung Galaxy Camera very briefly at Photokina last week. It's basically a camera-fied smartphone that doesn't do voice calling. It does have 3G/4G/Wi-Fi connectivity though, so it's one of the first -- if not the first -- compact camera you can add a data plan to.

Hands-on with the Fujifilm XF1: A Retro and Flexible Compact Camera

Fujifilm is a camera company that's going all-in on the idea of "retro design". We're not complaining. Its new XF1 compact camera brings the sleek design of X-Series' cameras to the world of "point-and-shoots", featuring a minimalist aluminum body that's covered with faux-leather. The camera feels very nice and solid in the hand. It's not as compact as other point-and-shoots (the Canon S110 is around 30% smaller and 20% lighter), so I'd say it's purse-sized rather than pocket-sized. What it lacks in portability, however, it makes up for in beauty and brawn.

Hands-on with the Fujifilm X-E1: Sleek, Small, and Very Solid All Around

We had a chance to play around with the new Fujifilm X-E1 at Photokina 2012, at a meeting attended by people who were the brains and hands behind the camera. Announced back on September 6, the X-E1 is the more affordable counterpart to the well-regarded X-Pro1. It's an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera with the same beastly APS-C sensor, shedding 30% in size, 21% in weight, the fancy hybrid viewfinder in favor of an all-electronic one, and 41% in price (from $1,700 to $1,000).

Hands-on with the Nikon D600, a More Affordable Full Frame DSLR

Immediately after handling the Canon 6D, we also got a chance to play around with the new Nikon D600. Unlike the 6D, Nikon's cameras were locked down to the display booth, making it more difficult to get a feel for the weight. However, based on the announced specs alone, we know that the Nikon camera is even lighter than the already-light 6D (760g vs 770g), though it is a bit chunkier in its dimensions. Despite being so light, the D600 also feels quite sturdy. It's cheap in its price but not in its build quality.