Equipment

Photographers use all kinds of equipment to craft their art, from cameras and lenses to lights and accessories. We cover the latest news and information on the tools of the trade in the photography industry.

SteadXP Adds an Accelerometer to Any DSLR or GoPro for Better Image Stabilization

Image stabilization is a tricky business. There are a plethora of ways to do it: optical image stabilization, algorithmic stabilization and, more recently, hybrid options that combine the best of analogue and digital input.

A great example is Instagram’s new Hyperlapse app, which gathers data from the accelerometer built into your iPhone and uses that data to digitally correct for camera shake and give you smooth footage.

And now, an upcoming product called SteadXP wants to do the same thing for your DSLR or GoPro.

Review: Sigma’s 50mm f/1.4 is Simply Stunning, Stunningly Simple

In a world where there's an always-on march of forward progress driven by the notion that bigger is better, I find it refreshing to see that at least one company is keeping things simple.

Sigma is rumored to be releasing three new primes in the coming months: a 24mm, 85mm and 135mm. These would add to an already amazing set of standard prime lenses for full frame cameras, the superb 35mm f/1.4 and the 50mm f1.4. And it's that 50mm that I've been positively loving for the past month and is our focus today.

Sony Brings E-Mount Lenses and 30X Optical Zoom to Your Smartphone with New QX1 and QX30

People have been questioning the wisdom of the Sony QX so-called 'lens cameras' since before they even arrived. CNET mocked the news when it was still a rumor, saying it made no sense for Sony to release a camera accessory that made your phone just as bulky as a real camera... why would people buy that and not a real camera?

Well, we're not sure of the answer to CNET's question, but it seems Sony is pretty confident in them, because they just released the QX1 and QX30: two new smartphone-mounted lens cameras that augment your smartphone with an E-Mount and 30x optical zoom, respectively.

Leaked: Sony’s Next Smartphone ‘Lens Camera’ Will Let You Swap E-Mount Lenses

You get a leak! And you get a leak! Everybody gets a leak!

It looks like somebody (or a few people) in the know at Sony were feeling very generous this morning because we woke up to not one, but two separate sources of leaked photos showing a very exciting new product from Sony: the next QX, smartphone-mounted 'lens camera.'

And it's exciting because, in this case, the term 'lens camera' doesn't really work anymore. This isn't a whole camera contained in a lens... it's more of a smartphone-attachable E-Mount that will let you swap out lenses!

Check Out This Rare Red Curtain Leica IIIc with Nazi Engravings On It

Bellamy Hunt of Japan Camera Hunter recently stumbled across a very rare Leica IIIc Red Curtain Rangefinder -- rare because it comes complete with Nazi engravings on it. And though these Nazi symbols were not placed on the camera by Leica themselves -- the company actually helped Jews flee Nazi Germany during the Holocaust -- it's still a fascinating camera find.

Gorgeous and Very Rare Leica MP Titanium Available for the First Time Outside of Japan

In April of 2007, to commemorate their first anniversary, the Leica Store Ginza in Tokyo, Japan released the beautiful camera above: a Leica MP Titanium limited edition that was only created in a single run of only 150.

Since then, the only place to get one of these has been at the Ginza store in Tokyo. But now, buyers outside of Japan have the rare opportunity to grab one of these gorgeous shooters through the Leica Store Miami... assuming, of course, that you've got $40,000 to drop on a film camera.

First Pictures of Zeiss’ Rumored ‘Loxia’ Lenses Leaked, Will Arrive Early Next Week

Earlier this week we shared the reliable rumor that Zeiss was about to lift the veil on a new ‘Loxia’ lens lineup designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras -- at this point limited to the Sony a7, a7r and a7s.

Well, it seems that rumor was true, at least according to these leaked pictures of the 50mm f/2.0 and 35mm f/2.0 Loxia lenses said to be announced next week.

Pentax Pays Homage to Star Trek with Flashy, Futuristic-Looking K-S1 DSLR

If you're sick of retro, love cameras, and used to dream of installing 'underglow' on your souped up Honda Civic, then Pentax has a DSLR you will absolutely adore.

Jokes aside, the new Pentax K-S1 from Ricoh combines portability and powerful imaging capabilities with a status quo-shattering flashy design and simple UI that will undoubtedly appeal to a lot of first-time DSLR buyers.

Olympus’ Selfie Friendly E-PL7 Wants to Woo Smartphone Photographers Away from Their Phones

There's only so much you can do with a smartphone, and as more and more people begin exploring photography through the little device in their pockets, they inevitably bump up against those boundaries.

These are the people Olympus built the new PEN E-PL7 for, with its social sharing capabilities and selfie-friendly features, hoping to lure a few of the smartphone faithful over to the world of interchangeable lenses and sensor size wars.

$5 DIY Hack Gives Almost Any GorillaPod Magnetic Capabilities

GorillaPods are an incredible little photography accessory to have in your arsenal. You can pick up a model for cameras as small as a GoPro and as large as a DSLR with a 70–200mm lens attached. Heck, some even come with unique features such as magnets in the feet that allow you to more easily position them onto magnetic surfaces.

As cool as the magnetic ones are though, Instructables user tinstructable realized that Joby’s magnetic options are limited to only the smallest offerings in the GorillaPod lineup. And so, naturally, he came up with a DIY method to turn the larger model into a stronger, more capable magnetic version of his own.

Rumor: More Nikon D750 Specs Leaked

We’ve known for a few weeks that a Nikon full frame camera is in the works. In our previous coverage we’ve shared some of the initial specs and a reported confirmation of the name, but today we have a few more thanks to a screenshot acquired by Nikon Rumors.

All-New List of Canon 7D Mark II Specs Surface, Given 90% Confidence

It seems the major rumor sites were duped about the upcoming Canon 7D replacement. According to a new Canon Rumors report published last night, previously reported specs for the Mark II were incorrect. Fortunately, it seems they've gotten their hands on some new specs that they're "90% confident" are accurate this time around.

Hasselblad’s New H5D-200c Multi-Shot Spits Out Massive 200-Megapixel Files

Fair warning: your brain's buffer might have a hard time processing this one. Following in the multi-shot heritage of the old CCD H5D-200MS, Hasselblad has released a CMOS version of the multi-shot behemoth. And like its older brother, it can spit out gargantuan 200MP files thanks to Hassy's proprietary Multi-Shot technology that combines as many as 6 shots into one.

Sony Curved Sensor to Make Its Debut in Strange Perfume Bottle-Themed Selfie Cam

You know what they say: see a need, fill a need. Or, in the case of Sony's upcoming perfume bottle-shaped selfie camera, "see a fad, create a product." We assume that's written somewhere in the internal memo that first gave life to the camera you see above, a seemingly very real and definitely very strange camera that trusted sources tell Sony Alpha Rumors will be one of the first to feature Sony's revolutionary curved sensor.

Mirrorless Sports Photography: Capturing the Tour de France with the Sony a6000

I was under the spell of mirrorless ILCs from their birth in 2009 when Panasonic and Olympus literally tore up the rule book and started from scratch. Their debut models, the G1 and EP1, may have been a little rough around the edges, but I was immediately smitten: these were the future of cameras, at least as far as I was concerned.

At last an interchangeable lens camera with a sensor big enough to deliver high quality images, but a body small enough that I'd never leave it at home; the lens selection grew quickly and as for the full-time electronic composition, I embraced the positives, sold my full-frame DSLR and never looked back.

This is the First Leaked Photo of the Sony a5100, and It Comes with a Full List of Specs

Okay, maybe leaked is a misnomer here -- some publications have even come out and said they believe Sony (and others) are leaking stuff on purpose -- but regardless, we just got our first peek at the followup to Sony's a5000 mirrorless camera courtesy of Digicaminfo.

And what's more, that first peek comes with a full list of specs. If you're the type that likes to keep some things a mystery, we suggest you don't read on.

Check Out the Latest Rumored Specs for the Upcoming Canon 7D Mark II

It's safe at this point to say that a Canon 7D replacement is definitely on the way, and will almost certainly make its debut at Photokina. But whereas there's plenty of leaked info to corroborate this fact, very little more about the camera has come to light.

Still, some info is bound to come out and the spec list below is the most accurate information that has slipped through the few cracks left in Canon's anti-rumor shield.

This Beautiful Stripped Down Leica M3 is Totally Worthy of the Term “Gear Porn”

It's not often we get to use the words stripped and porn in one of our titled, but this gorgeous stripped down Leica M3 offered up one of those rare exceptions.

In a world were the term "gear porn" is used to describe pretty much any desirable piece of equipment, this camera takes it to another level by shedding its outerwear (if you will) and giving us a peek at the something that is at once incredibly intricate and beautifully simple.

Pro Tip: Some Airlines Have a Special Luggage Allowance for Media So You Can Pack More Gear

If you've ever shot on-location somewhere far away, you probably had to make this tough decision: what gear do I take and what do I leave at the studio? For big photo shoots you'd rather err on the side of caution and take it all, but airline luggage allowances make that impossible... or do they?

It turns out that some airlines have a special policy that allows media professionals to pack a whole lot more gear.

Canon Shares PSA to Help Protect Your Camera From Potentially Hazardous 3rd Party Batteries

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This isn’t the first time Canon has done this, but once again they’re sending out a PSA in regards to counterfeit gear, most often purchased online. This time, the PSA is in regards to batteries and the above video walks through the real versus the fake by taking a look at the outside, as well as popping it open and taking a look inside.

Why Polaroid’s Cube Action Cam is Special

Shopping for an action camera is like shopping for adhesive bandages: you either buy Band-Aids ... or you pick up something  called "Aid Plus Bandages" because they're on sale. And when you bring them home, you just call them Band-Aids anyway.

Kickstarter Brings Interchangeable Lenses to the Raspberry Pi Camera with Fun DIY Kit

The Raspberry Pi Camera module is a favorite of photography tinkerers. We've seen it used to create everything from GIF cameras to a balloon-powered, aerial picture-taking replica of the house from the Pixar movie UP. But through all this, one limitation has stayed true for the Pi camera module: you can't swap out lenses.

Well, no more. A new Kickstarter campaign is bringing interchangeable lenses and much more to the Raspberry Pi computer board/camera module in the form of a fun DIY camera kits.

Report: Nikon’s All-New Full Frame Shooter Will be Marketed as an ‘Action’ Camera

Nikon Rumors is reporting that the mystery full-frame camera Nikon is said to announce at Photokina next month, the one that some speculated would be a 'true' replacement for the D700, will actually be marketed as an "action" camera.

But don't take that to mean that this will be some sort of full-frame GoPro. It's not going to be an action camera in that sense. NR believes it will instead be a Nikon FF DSLR marketed specifically to action sports shooters.