3 Great Robust Workhorse Cameras For Documentary Photography

Documentary photography takes place anywhere, at any time; because of this, you need a camera that can stand up to abuse.

A documentarian’s job can be tough at the best of times. You never know where you might be or what the weather will be doing when you get there. It’s these reasons that make it absolutely necessary to have a camera that can stand up to high levels of abuse. Luckily for us, there are a number of robust cameras on the market today that can stand up to bumps, bangs, and the weather. These cameras boast excellent sensors, fast autofocus systems, and features that will make documentary photography easy. What’s even better is that a lot of these cameras won’t completely destroy the bank. That’s definitely the case for the cameras we have listed after the break.

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Why Every Wedding Photographer Should Get Paid and Not Work for Free

You should never do a wedding for free; always make sure that you’re shooting a wedding and getting compensated.

We’re going to get a lot of hate for saying this–we can feel it now. But no one should be doing a wedding for free these days. Wedding photography is a whole lot of work. Unless you shoot in a certain way, there’s a ton of post-production work. Then there’s also the budget. It seems like folks are trying to be cheaper about weddings and spend less money overall. But you’d be amazed at how much money is still involved in a wedding. So why shouldn’t a photographer get a chunk of that change? A good wedding photographer is a lot more than just their camera and a light. There’s a lot of work involved. I used to have to tell this to my aunt, who thought that what I did was simple. I’d retort that I’m instead just very skilled at what I do.

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Photographer Meg Loeks Creates a Nostalgic Feel in Her Photos

All images by Meg Loeks. Used with permission.

Photographer Meg Loeks hails from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She draws inspiration from the Dutch Master of light and color. This translates into her family portrait and lifestyle work. And naturally, it’s all about nostalgia. She teaches a lot of online workshops throughout the year. Meg is a mentor for Clickin Moms. Just when you think that’s enough, she is also a volunteer photographer for The Gold Hope Project, a nonprofit organization that gifts families battling pediatric cancer a free photo session.

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Peak Design’s Latest Video Distracts You from the Ironic Truth

Peak Design is playing into a scene of photographers who aren’t doing their research.

Some of the big news in the photo industry is how Peak Design is trying to rally the world. Specifically, they’re doing this about Amazon. They made a video about how Amazon is ripping off their Every Day Sling camera bag. Is it messed up? Totally. But there’s a lot that’s not being said here. And I’d like to give everyone a different point of view.

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The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Is a Great Tool, But a Mediocre Camera at Best

We recently finished putting the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max through its paces.

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is a powerful tool for many reasons. One of the big reasons why our EIC uses it is AirDrop, but it’s also an incredible camera and communication device. Apple released ProRAW a while back. And we decided to use it with a few other cool gadgets. We discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

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Clickasnap Offers Photographers Money Per View, But It’s Not Perfect

Clickasnap is on the right path but needs a 2021 upgrade.

The Phoblographer has written a lot about photo sharing sites that screw over the photographer. Unsplash is one of the biggest culprits, for example. They take a photographer’s work, strip them of all their image rights, and don’t pay them a single penny. Payment, in their eyes, is exposure. So it’s no surprise we don’t like them. But, in steps Clickasnap. It’s a company that wants photographers to get paid, but there are some flaws in its execution.

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Affordable Flexibility: Hybrid Cameras Perfect for New Content Creators

These hybrid cameras can capture gorgeous images, brilliant video, and won’t break the bank.

The world of content creation has gone through a massive change over the last few years. The cameras we use are now capable of helping creators make stunning images and wonderful videos. Not long ago, a camera that could help do both of these things would cost a small fortune. However, times have changed. For around $1,000, you can now get hybrid cameras with incredible sensors that can pump out 4K video and detail-rich images So, if you’re a photographer who also wants to break into videography, or vice-versa, this roundup is for you. After the break, we will share a few hybrid cameras that won’t anger your wallet or leave you wishing for more.

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Save on Photography Books, Learn New Skills, and Profit!

These photography books will help you take your images to the next level.

Do you know when the best time is to learn new things? The answer is NOW. The great thing about learning is that you can do it from the comfort of your home. Learn all about posing with Lindsay Adler for only $23.99. Scott Kelby will teach you all about landscape photography for $27.03. Do you want to learn about bird photography? You can for just $22. Maybe the world of Infrared photography interests you. You can learn about it for only $32.48! If you’d like to learn about the history and culture of photography. You can do that too! The World History of Photography 5th Edition is just $60! Photography Changes Everything can be yours for only $26.99. There are photography books here for everyone. See all the deals after the break.

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If You’re a Sony User, You’re Going to Love the Sony Xperia 1 II

Recently, we finished up our use of the Sony Xperia 1 II; and we’re really liking the phone.

It’s rare to experience a smartphone camera interface that gets who we are as photographers. But thankfully, Sony understands us the best. Borrowing ideas from their Alpha division, the Sony Xperia 1 II mimics a camera. Plus it shoots raw. And the lenses make more sense to us as photographers. We discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

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Nikon Has Filed Patents for Some Weird, Yet Interesting Lenses

It’s good to see that Nikon is keeping the lens pipeline full, even if it is with some rather strange lenses.

We have seen Nikon pop up in news-related posts quite a bit here recently. There have been some good news and bad news articles. Today, we have another good news post for Nikon fans out there. While the company is busy going through a huge organizational restructure, Nikon is still busy designing lenses. New patents suggest that three new lenses are being worked on, and they’re a little weird (to say the least). After the break, we’ll look at these new lenses and talk about what we think Nikon is playing at.

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Super Stars: 3 Digital Cameras with Astrophotography in Their Blood

gear doesn't matter

With features designed to make astrophotography easy, these digital cameras should be no-brainers for Astro fans.

There are cameras out there designed to make specific genres of photography easy. There are cameras designed for wildlife, sports, portraiture, and more. Believe it or not, there are even cameras designed just for Astrophotography. Whether you like capturing the Milky Way, deep space objects, or star trails, these cameras will help you do it all with ease. If you’re ready to shoot the stars, check out these three incredible cameras.

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Female on Film: The Best Women Film Photographers (NSFW)

Let’s take a look at some of the best women film photographers we’ve featured over the years.

If you’re a long time reader of The Phoblographer, you’ll know about our soft spot for film photography. Although we love the world of digital, there’s something about creating an image on analog that excites us! Thankfully, even in the modern era, there are plenty of women picking up a film camera. The best women film photographers have surely made it to our site.

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3 User Friendly Mirrorless Cameras That Make Photography Easy

These Mirrorless cameras are packed with tech that will help you create stunning images in no time at all.

Mirrorless cameras on the market today are capable of so many things thanks to the technology they pack. Many coming into Mirrorless cameras think that these handheld computers are more difficult to use than older DLSRs. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Advanced IBIS systems, cutting Edge autofocus, incredible ergonomics, and AI makes these cameras pain-free. After the break, we have rounded up three of our favorite user friendly Mirrorless cameras that will make your life a whole lot easier.

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The AI Photographer and Understanding the Role of the Creative

What are the implications for our future when art becomes utterly transient and immaterial?

Recently, my wife shared a link with me; it was photography-related, so she thought it might interest me. Sure enough, I clicked—and was gobsmacked. This site certainly had everything to do with photography, but not at all in the way I had expected. The link produced a page that showed nothing but a portrait: a fairly tight headshot with an oddly blurred background, in fact. There was no caption, no text to give a name, or any kind of context. If I refreshed the page, another portrait would be served up almost instantly. Intrigued, I reloaded the page a few times and stared at perfect strangers. It did strike me that there was something odd about these images, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Little did I know it was basically an AI photographer being used to produce the images.

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Remembering the Greatest Female Street Photographer to Ever Live

It’s Women’s History Month, and it’s the perfect time to remember a legend.

Of course, the title of the article will raise a few eyebrows. I mean, is there really “a greatest” female street photographer? In my opinion, there is. And while 2021 makes it constantly harder to separate the genders, can’t we have a little bit of fun? So, yes, we’re focusing on women. It’s their month, and if you’re not cool with that, ahh, what can we do? So let’s look back on the most outstanding female photographer ever to shoot the candid frame: Vivian Maier.

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Camera Lenses That Focus Via Heat Are Here, and They’re Fascinating

camera lenses

The future of camera lenses sounds like something from a Sci-Fi movie.

Camera lenses are incredible. The amount of design and engineering that goes into them will blow your mind. All we see is the outer shell and the front and rear elements, but inside is a complex work of art. Tiny tolerances and margins for error ensure your lens delivers razor-sharp images. It’s really no wonder some camera lenses cost as much as they do. Now, though, a new lens that obtains focus via heat transfer generated by lasers is here. No, this isn’t some far-fetched idea from a movie; this lens is real, and it’s here now. After the break, we’ll talk about this and what it could mean for the future of photography.

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Nikon and Sony Just Dropped Some Big Discounts On Mirrorless Cameras

If you want to move to Sony E or Nikon Z mount Mirrorless cameras, now’s the time to do it.

Oh, man! March is off to a great start when it comes to discounts on Mirrorless cameras. Both Sony and Nikon have some stellar deals on the table. If you’re looking for a capable APS-C Mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z50 could be for you. A kit with a lens is just $896.95! The Full Frame Nikon Z6 also has a huge discount of $400! It’s just $1,596.95! Sony has some great deals on Mirrorless cameras too. The 42 Megapixel Sony a7r II is only $1,598. The a7 III is a bargain at $1,698, and the resolution powerhouse a7r IV is just $2,998. Check out all of the deals on Nikon and Sony Mirrorless cameras after the break.

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The Leica 35mm F2 APO-Summicron ASPH Focuses Under a Foot

This is totally different from most rangefinder lenses.

Rangefinder camera users have long lived with one big problem. Unfortunately, most lenses don’t focus closer than a meter away. But Leica’s latest lens is slapping that notion in the face. With the Leica 35mm f2 APO Summicron ASPH, you can focus under a meter. In fact, you can focus to 0.3 meters. The world’s longest name aside, this lens is truly something special. Granted, you won’t be able to do that effectively while looking through the rangefinder. But you’ll get a lens that makes your M system so much more useful.

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Truth Bomb: Cameras Aren’t to Blame for Poor Photos

Bad cameras haven’t existed for many years, but poor technique and a lack of knowledge prevails.

We hear statements like, “That camera from (insert company here) is terrible. I tried it, and I couldn’t get a good photo from it, and I’ve been using cameras for decades,” and “Those cameras are terrible in low light; they’re worthless,” all the time, but the fact is that there is no such thing as a bad camera. For over a decade, digital cameras have been capable of producing glorious images. Now, with improved sensor technology, advancements in autofocus systems, and even AI, cameras are more powerful than ever, yet they still get blamed for poor images. Let’s talk about this and why you need to take responsibility for your pictures.

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Black Photographers Share Their Challenges in the Photo Industry

I spoke to black photographers to learn about their experience in the photo industry.

As February was Black History Month, my focus was predominantly on black photographers. Most people welcome that, and some don’t. My pieces celebrated black photographers and the work they produce. My pieces also highlighted some of the issues the black community is facing within the industry, which got me thinking, “Who am I, a white man, to tell people to care?” Of course, my voice is valid, but it’s far better to let black photographers share their experience.

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