gear

The Most Unfair Camera Comparison Ever: iPhone vs $250K TV Camera

You'd have to look long and hard to find a more absurd camera comparison than this. After putting together a very useful video that explains why broadcast TV cameras are so huge and expensive, YouTuber Zebra Zone pit this $250,000 setup against its most obvious rival... the iPhone 11 Pro.

Ode to my DSLR: Why I Love the Nikon D610

I used my Nikon D610 to take the last photograph of my mom before she died. I’ve documented my children's lives nearly everyday. The rubber grip is wearing thin in spots. A rubber tab on the bottom is chronically flapping loose; my fingers push it back into place out of habit. This camera has become an extension of me, and I have grown to love it. But it has not always been that way.

The Truth About Lens Design: Trying to Separate Fact from Opinion

Photographer and YouTuber Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography just released an interesting video in which he tries to make some sense out of the world of optics. His goal is to try to separate fact from opinion, and give photographers a framework that might help them select the right lens instead of throwing money away on the "best" lens.

Take More Photos, Spend Less Money

Photography can be an expensive pursuit, and the cost of things (and the pressure to buy them all, buy them new, and buy them now) can get in the way of putting that money in better places.

Leica is Working On a New Monochrom Camera with a 41MP Sensor: Report

If you thought the Leica M Monochrom cameras were a gimmick that had already enjoyed their moment in the sun, it looks like you were wrong. According to the latest reports, the iconic German camera maker is working on a new Monochrom camera with a 41MP sensor and a design similar to the current Leica M10.

The Sony a7R IV is Now Available, but You Shouldn’t Buy It

The latest Sony flagship full-frame mirrorless camera is finally available (I say "latest" instead of just "the" because Sony insists they have at any given time up to three and sometimes four flagship cameras). And yet, I contend that a vast majority of those interested in the a7R IV shouldn't buy it.

Why I Got Rid of My Photography Gear, Revisited

I had everything I could ever need, all the dream gear. Broncolor lighting, the latest professional Canon cameras and all the faster canon lenses. I had the latest Apple laptop, tethering equipment, software, c-stands, tripods, light modifiers, Polaroid cameras, all the gear I could have ever dreamed of.

Two Focal Lengths Every Prime Lover Should Own

In the world of photography, you’ll find people generally prefer primes or zooms. The main benefit to zoom lenses is that you can cover multiple focal lengths in one decent sized package. In saying this, there are some prime lenses that can work well for multiple purposes. Two of these are the 35mm and 85mm primes.

You Don’t Need a New Camera

Recently I worked on an image of the sand dunes of the Namib. I had woke while it was still dark and made my way to the desert, each foot sinking into the sand as I battled the dunes. Morning had just broken by the time I got my camera out and the sun was so low that it really gave body and form to the landscape.

3 Questions to Ask Before Switching Camera Brands

It’s been an active few weeks in the world of new camera announcements. Between Nikon, Canon, and Fuji, there’s a slew of state-of-the-art camera choices available to entice photographers to switch brands. As I dug into the details associated with such an important decision, I set out to determine the most responsible way of identifying if making a brand change made sense for me.

Your Camera Already Has the Most Important Feature

There is something all-newcomer photographers tend to do: they either dream of camera gear or buy a lot of it. When I started in photography I went through the same thing. I thought that I needed all the lenses that my idols used. I believed I needed the highest megapixel camera, with all the video features just in case a potential client wanted video. But over time, with age came wisdom.

Your Camera is Better Than What Legendary Photographers Used

If you think that buying a better camera or lens will instantly make you a better photographer, consider this: it's likely that the camera you already have is better than what legendary photographers used to shoot history's most famous and beloved photos. That's the nugget of inspiration and encouragement that photographer Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography discusses in this 10-minute video.

The Expanding Universe of Crowdfunded Photo Gear

I confess: I’m a photo gear junkie. I’ve bought dozens of cameras and lenses, way too many tripods, camera bags and backpacks, and many thousands of dollars’ worth of filters, flash units, and other accessories. I’ve tempered my obsession over the last few years, mostly because there's only so much room to store these things, but from the flood of new products hitting the market recently I'd say I slowed down just in time.

A Forgotten Solution to the Problems of Zoom Lenses

For a few years now, I’ve had in my collection one very strange lens. I bought it primarily for its value as a collectible so, up until now, I haven’t really spent much time playing with it. Made in 1975, this manual focus Minolta MC Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 lens is one strange puppy.

Marketing vs. Reality: 10 Memory Cards Tested for Real-World Speed

High-speed memory cards can be pricey, so you want to know that you’re getting the performance that you are paying for before you lay down the cash. This 8-minute video from Tom’s Tech Time compares 10 microSD cards for their read/write performance, and the results show that the numbers used in marketing cannot always be trusted.

How Lightroom Can Tell You What Lens You Should Buy

Lightroom has a feature that can help you use your photography metadata to make informed lens buying and upgrade decisions. In my personal case, Lightroom proved to me that I don't need a 24-70mm lens. I'll show you how.

Reality Check: What Counts as ‘Pro’ Photography Gear?

The short answer: whatever works for you. In this short video/soliloquy, photography educator Matt Granger takes a break from looking at the best pro photo gear, to help define what exactly "pro gear" means to him, and what it should mean to you.

Don’t Forget to Tell a Story

It’s easy to obsess over gear. We all love new toys, and it’s natural to lust over that hot new mirrorless camera or convince yourself that a lens upgrade is going to take your photos to the next level. But amid the onslaught of pretty-looking shots and gear reviews, never forget: story is king.

Photographer Loses $20,000 in Gear After Airplane Carry-On Taken

If you're flying with pricey camera gear, it's often advised that you bring it with you in a carry-on bag instead of risking all the handling issues that could happen behind-the-scenes with checked-in luggage. But your carry-on isn't necessarily safe either, as photographer Sam Hurd recently discovered: he lost $20,000 in gear when a fellow passenger just walked off with his luggage.

Dear Nikon: Advice from One of Your Most Dedicated Users

Dear Nikon,

Hi. Long term user, first time writer. Firstly, congrats on your centenary, I'm really happy for you. And I really hope there'll be more hundred year celebration products to be announced other than those gray lenses and the corporate holiday gift style glass paperweights you release.

ISO 12,800. Huh! What Is It Good For?

Absolutely nothing?

Ten years ago, a Nikon D3 saved me while shooting a gig in a dimly lit club. It’s expansive ISO range of 200-6400 allowed me to shoot with a 24-70mm f/2.8 at about 1/20th of a second. Good enough for jazz as it was.

Burglars Steal Hundreds of Cameras and Lenses from Midwest Photo

The priceyness and portability of photo gear makes camera rental and retail outlets a popular target of burglars, and last week yet another big name in the industry was looted. The camera store Midwest Photo in Columbus, Ohio, was broken into on March 15th, and a huge number of items were stolen.