Who Should Count as a ‘Student’ in Photo Contests?
The Sony World Photography Awards is arguably the most prestigious and largest photo contest. The 2024 edition is open to entries and some of its rules are under fire.
How Sigma Could Make the fp Great
I have always admired Sigma. It wasn’t regarded in the same league as it is today for its lenses until the Art series came out, but Sigma’s digital cameras have always been singular in design and purpose. The family-owned company has never been afraid to try something new, and honestly, that’s something we need to see a lot more of in the photography world.
The Sony a9 III’s Base ISO Reflects the Cost of a Global Shutter
The Sony a9 III is still months away from release but has already sent photographers into a frenzy. The positive buzz around the camera is as high as any camera reveal ever, and with good reason. The a9 III's global shutter system is a complete game-changer for a wide range of photographers and videographers and will enable shots that have long been impossible.
The DJI Wishlist: 6 Features We’d Like to See in Upcoming Drones
It’s been over two years since DJI released the DJI Mavic 3, an upgrade to their incredibly popular Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom series. In this new form factor, they redesigned the battery to offer a whopping 45-minute flight time, added Occusync 3.0 for better flight distance and stability, added 5.1K video resolution, added an onboard SSD (to the Cine version), and experimented with adding a Zoom lens to capture images and video at different focal lengths.
Sony’s a9 III Uses Last-Gen Memory Cards, Creating an Irritating Bottleneck
Sony's new a9 III is the first full-frame interchangeable lens mirrorless (ILC) camera to use a global shutter, which unlocks some serious performance like 120 frames per second shooting. It doesn't however, have support for the latest CFexpress specification.
GenAI and the Forced Evolution of Photography: From Artifice to Authenticity
The rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence has been nothing short of revolutionary, impacting every domain from finance to the arts. In the world of photography, GenAI has had a transformative effect, much like the impact photography once had on painting.
Critics Are Wrong: It Is Impressive Apple Shot its Latest Event on iPhone
This week's Scary Fast Apple event was significant in mostly expected ways. Apple debuted its new M3 series of chips, launched super-powered new MacBook Pro notebooks, and updated the iMac for the first time since 2021. However, Apple also did something unprecedented: it shot the entire event on the iPhone 15 Pro Max smartphone.
AI and Me: How Image Generation is Changing My Role as a Photographer
AI is all the buzz and it seems to be attaching itself to everything, everywhere, all at once. The canary in the AI coal mine? Images and writing.
The Baffling Allure of Staged Photos in Photography Competitions
Ah, the world of photography – where the line between candid images and artfully contrived scenes grows increasingly hazy. It’s as if the debate about staged photos and their place in photography competitions never quite loses its luster. But wait, we’ve got another gem to share: the revelation of a prize-winning staged photograph in yet another photography competition.
Smartphone vs Camera: The Best Camera is the One You Have With You
Previously, we made a video about when and why you would use a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera instead of a smartphone. It seems only fair to look at the opposite scenario too.
The Final Cut Pro Creative Summit Kicks-Off at Apple Park Next Month
The FMC 2023 Final Cut Pro Creative Summit is coming to Cupertino November 6 through 8, the first time since 2019 that it will take place on Apple's campus.
Google Pixel 8’s AI Features Start Conversation on Perfection
Among the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro's key new features are many functions and tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Many find the new AI features fantastic, while others wonder if some of them might go a bit too far.
No, Sigma Did Not Make Canon’s New 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM Lens
Late last night, Canon introduced a new wide-angle zoom lens -- the 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM -- that is unlike any optic it has ever produced. It's unique, and one publication published a story with quite an incendiary accusation: Canon didn't actually make it, Sigma did.
Sigma Should Make an L-Mount APS-C Camera (And Probably Will)
Sigma has not released a new camera since 2021 and doesn't currently have an APS-C camera, otherwise known as a crop sensor, in its lineup. In fact, it hasn't made one since the sd Quattro in 2016. That should change, and I believe it's about to.
$5,000 Pro Camera vs iPhone 15 Pro: Sometimes Closer Than You’d Think
I've just returned from a whirlwind tour of Idaho and it provided me with ample photographic opportunities. I figured if I always have a phone with me and I always have a mirrorless camera, why not test them out against each other?
Manufacturers Need to Stop Making New USB 3.2 2×2 SSDs: It Isn’t Helpful
A couple of companies have released new SSD products in the last few months and they carry one commonality: USB 3.2 2x2. They shouldn't, because all it does is overstate the performance a vast majority of users will ever see.
Why You Should Follow Lesser-Known and Local Photographers
Between 2008 and late 2016, I took tens of thousands of pictures and proudly vomited the vast majority of them online. While I’d toyed around with things like depth of field and long exposures, I didn’t understand anything about photography, so my camera rarely left ‘auto’. I’d checked out an online tutorial or two, but as far as I was concerned, ‘exposure compensation’ was something victims got after winning a public indecency lawsuit.
Dang, ProRes Log Footage Shot on iPhone 15 Pro Looks Phenomenal
Apple's iPhone has for several years now been the best choice for shooting video on mobile, but the recent addition of ProRes Log capture on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is taking that to another level.
Food or Fraud? Restaurants Are Selling You Lies With a Side of Fries
Between inflation and "shrinkflation," consumers are getting the short end of the stick these days. As the rich get richer, regular folks face a litany of anti-consumer practices, not the least of which are misleading food photos at restaurants.
Footage From Blackmagic’s New Cinema Camera 6K is Very Impressive
Earlier this month, Blackmagic announced its first full-frame camera, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K. On paper, the specifications looked enticing, and newly-released sample footage shows that it can live up to that hype.
The Best Thing About Every Camera Brand: 2023 Edition
Recently we made a video detailing the worst things that each of the major camera manufacturers was guilty of. It could have been a lack of foresight or a technological setback. It could have been a failure to update cameras, or a decision to cut off third-party manufacturers.
Rumors are Bad for Photography and I’m Tired of Pretending They’re Not
Rumors about upcoming cameras and lenses are a staple of the online photography community. Manufacturers nearly always hate them and photographers often love them. I land somewhere in the middle but tend more toward the idea that rumors, even when intriguing, can be damaging.
Why Drone ND Filters are Especially Important for Aerial Photos and Videos
The ability to capture stunning aerial footage has been made possible by drones, which have gained popularity over the past decade. I remember flying some of the earliest commercial drones and the emphasis was on the flight time and features but not image quality. Being able to capture areal footage was exciting enough that the cameras didn’t need to be particularly advanced to be impressive.
USB-C is the Biggest Improvement the iPhone Has Ever Seen
Ah, that new iPhone smell is in the air, which means two things. Autumn, probably the best season for photography, is just around the corner. And two, Apple has stoked its hype train's engine and sent it roaring down the tracks, spewing buzzwords and fancy graphics at everyone it passes.
The Apple Watch’s Double Tap Gesture Will Change My Photo-Taking Game
During Apple's Wonderlust event Tuesday, the company unveiled the new double tap gesture for Apple Watch Series 9. Double tapping lets users make two pinching motions in quick succession to activate something on the watch, like, say, taking a picture -- and this is where my inspiration was sparked.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max: There is a Lot to Unpack Here
Visiting Apple Park in Cupertino for the launch of the brand-new iPhone 15 series was quite the experience, and after a day getting to know the Pro and Pro Max series devices, I was left with a few answers and a lot more questions.
Does The World Need Images of Fake A.I. People?
We have all heard the arguments for and against A.I. imagery from the perspective of photographers. By now, most of us realize that these images are not photographs but some sort of graphic design created by artificial intelligence.
Sony’s Drone Product Strategy is Confusing and Inconsistent
Sony's Airpeak S1 drone has thus far been a rare misstep for the respected Japanese company. Despite some (expensive) improvements to the Airpeak S1 drone, Sony's support for its flagship aerial platform, first revealed in 2021, has been significantly undercut by yesterday's reveal of the Sony ILX-LR1 full-frame camera.
International Photo Contest Under Fire for Allowing Judges to Enter and Win
The International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards, hosted by Unleashed Pet Photography Education, has attracted criticism ahead of the competition revealing its winners next month because of its rules that allow judges to enter and win prizes.
Tolman Media May Be Back with a New Name (But the Same Staff and Issues)
Some of Tolman Media's branches, or franchises, have survived the wedding giant's epic collapse earlier this year. While Brennan Tolman himself appears as though he has tried to vanish, some of the businesses he oversaw persist under new names, but with familiar staff and reports of the same problems.
SanDisk’s Name is Now Mud
Due in large part to its abysmal response -- or rather, complete lack thereof -- to widespread reports of the failure of its portable SSD products, the SanDisk brand name is now mud.
How Much is a Photographer Worth? Is $300 Too Low For a Day’s Work?
It takes a lot of hard work to become a professional photographer. There are untold hours of toil to perfect the craft and lots of money spent to reach a pro level. So when you get there, how much should you be paid for a day's work?
The Canon EOS R1: What We Need to See From The Upcoming Flagship
When the Canon EOS R3 hit the market two years ago, we knew there would be a flagship R1 camera coming at some point. While we wait, we figured why not make a wishlist of the features and technologies we would like to see when the R1 finally arrives.
10 Reasons Why Flickr is the Best Site on the Internet for Photographers
Founded back in 2004, Flickr has changed owners several times through the years as the social media and photo-sharing landscape evolved. Here are 10 reasons why I believe Flickr is still the best site on the Web for photographers.
Police Are Putting More Drones in the Skies, But Are We Safer?
While PetaPixel editor-in-chief Jaron Schneider implores drone manufacturers to make drones compelling enough to jump through regulatory hoops in the United States, law enforcement and first responders in the United States are finding plenty of reasons to fly drones. However, some critics wonder if existing limits are sufficient to curtail the questionable use of drones, especially by police.
It Just Isn’t Worth the Effort to Put a Drone in the Air Anymore
Drones are not nearly as exciting nor popular as they were just a few short years ago as a combination of laws and incremental updates has made the flying them feel like too much effort for not enough payoff.
Less is More: How Minimalist Gear Changed My Photography
In my daily routine as a photographer and filmmaker, I work with two Canon EOS R5 cameras. Along with the standard f/2.8 zoom lenses, I also carry a few prime lenses in my camera bag, such as the RF 50mm f/1.2 or the RF 85mm f/1.2.
Team Headshots: AI vs. Professional Photographer
Have you Googled “headshot photographers" lately? The results are pretty eye-opening. Right before I sat down to write this, my Google search resulted in 4 sponsored ads, right at the top, for AI headshot generators. If that doesn’t concern you, it should.
Melania Trump’s Apollo 11 NFT Violates NASA’s Photo Rules
Melania Trump's latest NFT drop that celebrates the Apollo 11 lunar landing prominently uses a photo from NASA's archives, which is a violation of the space agency's image usage rules.
The Worst Thing About Every Camera Brand: 2023 Edition
It's time for a State of the Union, Camera Edition. In recent years, we have seen some dramatically positive changes from all the major camera manufacturers, but nobody is perfect. Let's talk about each one's weak points.