Apple states that the iPhone is the world’s most popular camera. But for the life of it, it couldn’t really do anything macro related unless you used the Digital Zoom function. But the new LensMag additions from Carson are looking to solve that. It mounts on without the use of glue or anything else but magnets. Plus, they come in different magnifications (10x and 15x) and store away in a small case.
The Lens Mags are available for the iPhone 5, iPad, and iPad Mini and will set you back $19 for what are essentially tele-conversion options for your iOS device. And we encourage you to not pull this thing out on a date.
The other day, Zeiss explained why they named their new lens lineup the Touit brand. And today, they’re announcing that the 12mm f2.8 and 32mm f1.8 optics will officially be launched. We played with the lenses a while ago at Photokina, and we’re also itching to get them in for review. The company will be coming to NYC soon for an official press event where we’ll get to fondle zee new glass.
But wait: there’s more! The company also announced that a 50mm f2.8 Macro lens will be coming soon too before the end of the year! It seems like Zeiss is really trying to get into the mirrorless camera game now, and honestly they belong there.
Tech Specs are after the jump.
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When you’re down to the macro focusing range, it is almost never recommended to shoot wide open. The reason for this is because you’re focusing so closely to the subject, very little will be in focus at any given aperture. So you’ll need to stop down the lens. But in order to also minimize your post-production, we recommend putting a flash on your camera to get it right the first time around. Set that sucker to TTL, and put a Rogue FlashBender on it and hover the modifier over the subject. The flash output will bathe the subject in beautiful soft light that will look extremely natural–perfect for shooting the rings at a wedding. Flashes can be affordable too, just take a look at this list! And when you’re ready for more, take a look at our lighting modifier guide.
Need extra help? Here’s a demonstration of how flash and apertures work together.
Gear Used: Canon 5D Mk II, Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC, Phottix Mitros, Large Rogue Flashbender
Want more Useful Photography Tips? Take a look at all of them right here.
Your flash and your lens’s aperture are directly correlated. First off, know that your shutter speed generally controls the ambient light in an exposure while your aperture controls your flash’s exposure. ISO controls overall sensitivity in an image. But then your flash’s power varies. Many people use TTL. But if you’re using manual flash output, then consider this: if your flash is fixed at 1/4 output, and you vary your aperture, the flash will either illuminate more or less of the image that your camera captures.
So how does this relate to TTL users? At a given ISO, your flash can only be so effective because it judges not only the distance that your subject is away from the lens but also your aperture. That’s why sometimes your image might be too dark despite using exposure compensation. The reason for this is because your flash only has so much power output–in fact it’s probably less than 1/10th of what a monolight (studio light) may have. The counter is to raise your ISO settings, but the veterans may tell you to never go above ISO 400 when using a flash. And in general they’re correct because that’s how you can capture the most specular highlights in an image. But sometimes you have to.
After the jump, we used the Phottix Mitros flash with the Odin TTL triggers in conjunction with the Canon 5D Mk II and Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC (which we’re currently reviewing.) The flash was in the same position fixed at 1/32 output while the camera was fixed at 1/200th at ISO 100. The only thing variable was the aperture. The results are just how much your aperture can affect an exposure.
Want more Useful Photography Tips? Take a look at all of them right here.
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Canon’s new EF 24-70mm f4L IS: where does it fit? What’s the point? Given that they already have the 24-70mm f2.8L II and even the 24-105mm f4L IS, I didn’t understand why they chose to make this lens. My initial reaction was the same as many when I first heard of it, but I wanted to give it a chance anyways to see if it was a worthwhile lens. Adorama Camera was kind enough to loan one to me, and the following is a summary of my experience with Canon’s 24-70mm f4L IS.
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