Cheap Photo: Fujifilm GF50mm f3.5 $499, Tamron F2.8 Primes Just $299

Fujifilm FUJINON GF50mm

If you shoot with Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, or Fujifilm, you do not want to miss out on these lens deals.

Looking to grab some new lenses to pair with your Fujifilm, Sony, or Micro Four Thirds cameras? If so, you’ll love these deals. The Fujifilm GF 50mm f3.5 for GFX series cameras is just $499 (that’s half its normal price), and the 56mm f1.2 RPD for X mount cameras has a discount of $500.95, bringing it down to $999! M4/3 shooters can grab the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 for $147.99 and the excellent Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro for just $399! Sony shooters can score the new Tamron 20mm, 24mm, and 35mm f2.8Di III OSD M1:2 lenses for only $299 each. Check out all these great lens deals and more after the break.

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DxO Brings a New Perspective to Their Plugins: Nik Collection 3 Review

Nik Collection 3 by DxO introduces a redesigned and more user-friendly user interface alongside the new Perspective Efex plugin.

It’s been nearly a year since DxO released version 2 of their popular Nik Collection of plugins for Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, and DxO PhotoLab. Today, the French software company is announcing the release of Nik Collection 3. Photographers that want to further reduce their dependency on Adobe will be glad to know that Nik Collection 3 now supports Serif Affinity Photo 1.8 as well. This new release also includes a number of changes, including an updated Nik Selective Tool, the introduction of non-destructive workflows (sort of), the addition of the Perspective Efex plugin, as well as the ability to simulate tilt-shift lens effects. They’re more or press taking the features from their previous Perspective program and merging it into Nik. But there’s more! We had the opportunity to test out Nik Collection 3 prior to its public release to see how these new additions fared.

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Print Your Landscapes: Red River Palo Duro Baryta Fiber Paper Review

With Red River Palo Duro Baryta Fiber Paper, the details in your photos will pop.

I’ve always admired how Red River created good paper at an affordable price point, but the Red River Palo Duro Baryta Fiber paper had me scratching my head despite the great details it rendered. The best way to describe it involves thinking a bit like watching an old school movie or even a more recent one shot on film. When you watch a beautiful movie shot on 70mm these days, you see specks and grain. That’s how Red River Palo Duro renders despite having a whole lot of detail. Why does it do this? To be honest, it beats the hell out of me. And even now I’m not sure I like it. But I respect the fact that it’s so different than anything else out there. The paper is said to mimic the look and feel of one of Ansel Adams’ favorites.

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Travel Photography: How to Keep the Dignity of Your Subjects

As exciting as travel photography is, there’s a way to approach and protect the dignity of your subjects.

I’ve been exploring the world for the better part of four years. Being able to combine photography and travel is a dream come true for me; discovering new lands, cultures, and experiences is fantastic. But as I leave my world and invite myself into the world of others, there are certain measures I take to be respectful – especially in countries less privileged than mine. Sadly, I see many photographers fail to apply the same approach, and whether they realize it or not, the dignity of their subject is often lost.

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Photography Gear: APS-C, M4/3 Continue Their Positive Trends in May

Judging by the photography gear our readers purchased in May, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras continue to do well, and lots of Tamron lenses found new homes too.

There’s nothing like buying new photography gear, and many of you have given new homes to plenty of equipment during May. Lenses were the big sellers this month, with primes being the flavor of the month. When it comes to cameras, we saw a few Full-Frame cameras get new owners, but APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras are continuing their upward trend in popularity. Join us after the break to see what photography gear your fellow readers purchased during May, 2020.

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Old and New: These Are My 7 Favorite Camera Designs

There have been some innovative camera designs throughout the years: here are my favorites.

I’m inclined to say that most cameras look very similar. That’s not a criticism; there’s only so much you can do when putting the ergonomics together. But, although the look of the camera isn’t the most important factor, it is appreciated when manufacturers go a step further than the traditional design. Our community often gets lost in spec sheets, obsessing over megapixels and autofocus points — I want to us to step away from that for a moment. Let’s instead focus purely on design, and see which cameras, old and new, have been the most eye-catching over the years.

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Designed for a Street Photographer: CosySpeed QUICK SALLY Review

The CosySpeed QUICK SALLY One-Hand Wrist Strap is a strap that gave me anxiety at first. But that changed later on.

When the CosySpeed QUICK SALLY came in, I had a few doubts only because of the magnet that’s built into it. Magnets aren’t good for digital cameras, but they aren’t too terrible for film cameras. Though it serves a function when using the rest of the Cosyspeed lineup of bags, some situations require more than what the Street-o-Matic or others offer to me. Most of the time, I need a backpack. And sometimes, you want both the comfort and durability that the CosySpeed QUICK SALLY allows you. Indeed, while I initially had my doubts about the strap, I was proven wrong with repeated use. 

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Does Your Phone Need This? PolarPro LiteChaser Filter System Review

The PolarPro LiteChaser Filter System is a nice way to add a circular polarizer into your workflow, but there are some flaws.

The cameras in modern smartphones are getting better and better. It’s no wonder that many people are ditching their dedicated cameras. One area that mobile photography needs help is in the accessories department. PolarPro has been making filters for traditional lenses for a long time, and they have decided to branch out into the mobile arena with their PolarPro LiteChaser filter system. While this system comes in many flavors, we had the chance to test and review the Photography Kit. Is this a system mobile photographers can’t live without? Let’s find out in our review.

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This Ultimate Bundle of LR Presets, PS Actions, and Tutorials is Just $59!

image editing

300 Photoshop actions, 175 PS overlays, 1,967 PS templates, 90 hours of video tutorials, 400+ Lightroom presets, and a ton more can be yours for just $59 if you grab this ultimate image editing bundle.

We see the term ‘ultimate bundle’ thrown around a lot, but rarely does the product you get ever live up to the name it’s given; this time, however, things are different. The Ultimate Photography Bundle that we have found here is genuinely a product worthy of the name. For a limited time, you can get your hands on all the post-processing goodies you could ever need for just $59. You’re going to get hundreds of presets, hundreds of actions, thousands of templates, overlays, workflow presets, tutorials, and more. If there was one image editing bundle to rule them all, this would be it. Find out all the details after the break.

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These 2 Camera Bags Reviewed Very Well, and Right Now They’re Cheap

For well under $100 a piece, these two camera bags from Portage Supply are must-haves for photographers everywhere.

Camera bags are one of the most overlooked pieces of gear around, and that’s a real shame. Good camera bags can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your equipment and ensuring your comfort. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get a great bag. Two of our favorite bags were under $100 to begin with. And right now, those two camera bags, the Mariner from Portage Supply and the 4th Generation Kenora Backpack from Portage Supply, are just $59 and $69, respectively. If you need a new camera bag that will serve you well and won’t break the bank, check out these two options. More details are after the break.

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The Sony a9s and Other Possible Thoughts on the Camera Industry

If the camera industry wasn’t hit by the effects of COVID 19, I think that a whole lot could have happened.

The year 2020 was lining up to be one of the most innovative in the camera and photography world until the effects of COVID 19 pretty much tanked the economy around the world. There was so much riding on this. Canon has a new 1DX ready for the Olympics. Sony had the Sony a9 II prepared for it. Nikon had the Nikon D6. But in addition to that, it’s also an even year. Traditionally, this is a Photokina year. But let’s be honest, if Photokina happened this year, no one would have cared because of when it was specifically taking place. So instead, the industry went silent. But I’d like to take some time to think about all the things that could have happened.

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Who Needs Hotkeys Anyway? The Loupedeck Creative Tool Reviewed

The Loupedeck Creative Tool allows for custom workflows for all of your photo editing and content creation needs.

The Loupedeck Creative Tool promises to make editing easier and more intuitive. This builds upon the foundation first introduced with the Loupedeck and Loupedeck+. Given our lukewarm reception of previous offerings, we were skeptical when the folks at Loupedeck sent their new Creative Tool for review. While you were able to streamline your post-processing workflow using the Loupedeck and Loupedeck+, support for applications outside of Lightroom Classic never lived up to expectations. Instead of a plasticky keyboard-like input device, the folks at Loupedeck have designed a brand new device from the ground up. The Loupedeck CT features two customizable touchscreens with haptic feedback, a wealth of customizable buttons, and plenty of anodized aluminum touchpoints. Judging from looks alone, the Loupedeck CT already appears to be a huge leap forward. They’ve nailed the form part for sure, but the true test lies in the CT’s function. Has the Loupedeck finally nailed it with the Creative Tool?

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PSA: If You’re Going to Shoot Street Photography, Please Wear a Mask

To those who shoot street photography during this time, please distance yourselves and wear masks.

Testing cameras has made it apparent that many of the traditional tenets of street photography need to go out the window right now. The best solution possible is to just not do it right now. But I sympathize, empathize, and relate to folks not wanting to stay in all day. They want to go out and shoot. So if you do, I urge you to please be careful. COVID-19 is real. Nothing Trump says will help, and here in the US, we are far behind most of the world when it comes to recovery. If you’re going to do street photography, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

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Tune in Tonight! Check Out How We Do High ISO Testing and More!

Join us for Pro Camera Reviews every Sunday night! Register here!

Pro Camera Reviews is a new web show by the Reviews Team of the Phoblographer. Join Gear Editor Brett Day, Reviews Editor Paul Ip, and Editor in Chief Chris Gampat as they candidly discuss the products they’re actively reviewing and the gear they’ve just reviewed. Open Q and A from the audience towards the end of the show. Every Sunday at 7pm EST.

Register for Sunday’s Episode!

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How To Choose the Right ISO Settings When Shooting With Flash

It’s no secret that we’re big champions of using lighting here at The Phoblographer. Obviously, natural light can produce excellent results. However, there’s no denying that the use of flashes provides significantly more control. It also allows us to create reliable results repeatedly. While lighting may seem daunting to photographers new to the world of on/off-camera flashes, the key to success lies in understanding the fundamentals. We’ve previously covered the use of flashes in general. Today, we’ll be focusing specifically on ISO settings in relation to shooting with flashes.

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135mm Lenses Are Perfect for Portraits and Here’s Why

In our latest infographic, we get down to brass tacks about why 135mm lenses are the perfect option when it comes to portrait photography.

When it comes to shooting portraits, many photographers tend to gravitate towards lenses with longer focal lengths. This is thanks to their ability to produce flattering images of their subjects. While 50mm and 85mm lenses are also popular choices amongst portrait shooters, it’s possible to produce even better results by opting for a longer focal length. We’re talking about 135mm lenses in this case. Thanks to the way lenses work, 135mm lenses have just the right amount of compression that ensures subjects of all body shapes will appear flattering and distortion-free. It’s also great for close up and full body shots as well. You’ll need plenty of room when shooting with a 135mm lens, of course, but that’s the only downside. Check out our infographic where we break down the key benefits of shooting portraits using a 135mm lens.

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The Winner of Our Street Photography Contest With Fujifilm Is…

Today, we’re announcing the winner of our Street Photography Contest with Fujifilm.

For the past month or so, we’ve hosted a contest with Fujifilm. This was a Photo Contest centered around Street Photography. What’s more, there was a lot to pick from. With over 2,500 entries from participants worldwide, we can see that lots of folks take street photography very seriously. The entry method used Facebook and Instagram, two popular platforms amongst many a street photographer. Facebook Groups, Instagram pods, and other places help to keep this culture continually evolving. Even better, we’re mostly impressed by how ethical folks are. Maybe three submissions overall included images of the poor and disadvantaged. And all three were done rather tastefully to show an actual problem. A few of you went out to shoot during COVID 19 and to document the human condition. We hope that you all did so safely. So without further adieu, we’re going to showcase the winner below.

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Video: Watch Us Show You How to Keep Your Autofocus Super Speedy!

Join us for Pro Camera Reviews every Sunday night! Register here!

Pro Camera Reviews is a web show by the Reviews Team of the Phoblographer. Join Gear Editor Brett Day, Reviews Editor Paul Ip, and Editor in Chief Chris Gampat as they candidly discuss the products they’re actively reviewing and the gear they’ve just reviewed. Open Q and A from the audience towards the end of the show. Every Sunday at 7pm EST.

Register for Sunday’s Episode!

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The Leica Digital Cameras That Will Become Classics

These slightly older Leica digital cameras are great performers, affordable, and bound to be classics.

Leica cameras are lusted after by many photographers. For most of us, though, the cameras put out by the legendary German manufacturer are out of our reach due to pricing, but what if we said you can get your hands on some slightly older Leica digital cameras that won’t break the bank? Not only are these Leica digital cameras affordable, but they’re also incredible performers that will help you create some truly gorgeous images. If you’ve always wanted to own a Leica, the slightly older Leica digital cameras that we have rounded up after the break are the ones you should go after.

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You Need to See These Powerful Documentary Projects That Focus on COVID-19

Photographers are doing some solid documentary projects right now, and we want to show them to you.

Here at The Pholographer, we love sinking our teeth into some good documentary photography. We appreciate the vision, time, and execution photographers put into sharing the world’s most important stories. And while some projects fail to hit the mark, many hit the sweet spot and make a substantial impact on society. With everything that’s going on the world, a deadly virus and quarantines, some photographers are capturing the moment wonderfully. So, while we could wax lyrical about our love for the genre, let’s move on to this round-up of fantastic documentary projects that you all need to know about.

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An Introduction to ND Filters for the Budding Landscape Photographer

ND filters are powerful tools that allow us to capture landscape scenes that would otherwise escape us.

If you’re thinking about starting up landscape photography, you need to familiarize yourself with some tools that can help take your images from good to great. You’ve splashed the cash on a camera, you’ve picked up a sturdy tripod, an excellent lens, and even a bag to haul your gear around, but you may have overlooked ND filters. These ‘sunglasses’ for your lens are a must-have for landscape photographers, but they are often overlooked because they seem complicated. In this introduction to ND filters, we cover what these filters are, what they do, and how you can get the most out of them.

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