It's not just memory cards that are widely counterfeited in the photo industry: there are plenty of fake cameras and lenses floating around as well. Now Canon wants you to know about a quick and easy way to see if your 50mm f/1.8 II lens is a knockoff.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to buying a cheap, off-brand speedlight. But not all knock-offs are created equal, as photographer Tim Oxton explains in this short video comparing a flash he regrets buying, and one he can't recommend enough.
We reported at the end of last year that Yongnuo was planning to expand beyond Canon lens clones and begin offering thrifty lenses for Nikon DSLRs by the end of 2015. It looks like the lenses are just around the corner: Yongnuo is already showing off the new lenses over in China, and here's a first look at them.
This past weekend, we wrote about how one photographer received a counterfeit memory card from eBay and lost a number of important photos when the card got corrupted during the first use. Afterward, we had an interesting email exchange with the eBay seller that shed some new light on this story.
Yongnuo has had quite a busy few months. In addition to the Canon lens clones that have generated quite a bit of buzz, the company has also quietly created a cheaper version of the Canon 2X III teleconverter.
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.
Back in September, we reported that Chinese manufacturer Yongnuo has expanded its cloned gear business to include copycat lenses, starting with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. Now a new clone has emerged: the super popular "thrifty fifty" Canon 50mm f/1.8 II (also known as the "nifty fifty" and "plastic fantastic").
It’s no surprise that a market as vast and broad as photography is going to have problems with counterfeit gear, but the problem might be more prevalent than you think. According to a recent study commission by Canon, it's estimated that some 18% of consumers have purchased counterfeit goods without knowing it, despite the fact that companies like Canon often try to educate customers about this sort of thing.
Most everyone is familiar with knockoffs -- some might even own a couple -- but when it comes to the world of tech the general wisdom is to stay far away. A Prado purse or Foakley sunglasses aren't going to be much of an issue, but a fake Canon speedlight can become a serious problem.
Of course there's a big difference between a knockoff and what's referred to as a KIRF (keeping it real fake) product, and the most recent fake we've run across is just that: a Lumia 1020 look-alike that boasts '41-megaplxels' of audio performance where the PureView camera should be.
Canon recently launched a new safety initiative aimed at keeping dangerous knock-off gear out of your camera. The tag line for the initiative is "Play it Safe, Power your Canon with Canon Power," and the company is hoping that a mix of warnings and education will do the trick and keep you from buying counterfeit "Canon" batteries and chargers.
When Apple designed the iPad, they opted for simplicity and omitted things like a USB port or memory card …