Flow Chart: Do You Need an F2.8 or an F4 Zoom Lens?

Do you need an f2.8 or an f4 zoom lens? We’re answering this in today’s Cheat Sheet.

We’re sure many of you are trying to figure out whether you should go with f2.8 or f4 zoom lenses. Folks type this into our search engine reasonably often, and it’s clear that people aren’t sure what they need. Of course, there are pros and cons to each. Do you need the extra stop of light? Do you prefer a lightweight body? What subject matter are you photographing? There are a host of essential questions one should answer when they are considering the purchase. And today’s flow chat, otherwise known as our photography cheat sheet, is designed to help you figure that out.

Editor’s Note: We’ve written about this before, but people want more!

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Cheap Photo: Save $500 on Panasonic’s S1, GX85 Two Lens Kit $497.99

There are some massive deals on Panasonic cameras and lenses for you to snap up.

For the time being, many camera manufacturers have cut down on their camera and lens deals, but not Panasonic. There are some incredible deals on their cameras right now like the Panasonic S1, which has a $500 discount making it just $1,997.99. The G9 has dropped down to under $1,000 at $997.99, and you can pick up the GX85 with two lenses for only $497.99! That’s an $899.20 discount! There are also deals on lenses, too, like the Panasonic 25mm f1.7, which can be yours for only $147.99. Head on past the break to see all of the deals on Panasonic cameras and lenses.

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Tonight! Why You Only Need Three Small Prime Lenses and Nothing Else!

TUNE IN TONIGHT! Pro Camera Reviews happens every Sunday. Sign up to join us! Please 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.

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This Is Why People Hate Street Photographers

Street photographers get a bad rep for being creepy, and this photo doesn’t help our cause.

Street photography isn’t inherently creepy. The process of shooting candid moments, telling the story of humanity, is truly a beautiful thing. But (sadly there’s a but), there are some creepy street photographers, even if they’re not consciously trying to be so. And while I’ll defend the craft to the death, I cannot defend this photo.

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Forget Full Frame, These Small Sensor Cameras Are Great for Pros Too

Fujifilm X-T4

Stop believing that you must own a full-frame camera to be a pro: it’s simply not true and these small sensor cameras prove it.

You can’t be a pro unless you use Full Frame! You can find this kind of toxic rhetoric all over the web, especially on YouTube, where many self proclaimed photography overlords live. The truth is, you don’t need a Full Frame camera if you want to take professional-looking images. Professional looking images come from the person who uses the camera as a tool, and not from the camera itself. Any photographer worth their salt can create greatness with any type of camera, even small sensor cameras. After the break, we will look at some small sensor cameras that aren’t only the best in their class, they are some of the best cameras on the market. Period!

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Are Canon’s APS-C Sensors Really Worse Than the Rest?

eos m50

The Canon APS-C sensor is a 1.6x crop and smaller than the rest of the industry’s, but is it worse?

One of the more significant concerns of many photographers has always been about Canon’s APS-C sensors. Though their cameras are dwarfed by the likes of Fujifilm, Sony, and Nikon, they have always marched to the beat of their own drum. While the rest of the industry goes with 1.5x crop sensors, Canon has forever gone a bit smaller with 1.6x crop. It sometimes worked to their advantage when translating their focal lengths over. But has the quality always been worse?

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Sony and Fujifilm Users: You’re Going to Want to Check This Out

Pro Camera Reviews happens every Sunday. Sign up to join us! Please 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.

Please Register here

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Guys: Please Stop Objectifying Women in Facebook Groups for Likes

The real title of this should be, “Please stop objectifying women.”

Objectifying women has gone on for a very long time, but I feel like it’s gotten way worse in the age of Instagram and Facebook groups. It seems like the golden formula for success is to have an attractive woman with beautiful lighting, and that’s it. You’re then bound to get likes, comments, etc. It’s time that we, as photographers, start trying harder and stop reaching for low hanging fruit. We need to start coming up with creative ideas and reasons why a woman needs to be nude or barely clothed. And for that to happen, we have to really justify it to ourselves.

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These Tips Will Help You Master Shooting Wide-angle Portraits at 24mm

Did you know that you can shoot portraits using wide-angle lenses? Let us show you how to master portrait photography using the 24mm focal length.

Once upon a time, it would have been inconceivable to photograph portraits using something as wide as a 24mm lens. You may as well have bought a one-way express ticket to Distortion City. Thanks to advancements in modern optics design, however, that is a thing of the past. Portrait photography with 24mm wide-angle lenses is totally feasible nowadays. As long as you understand how best to utilize the focal length, it can lead to some truly creative possibilities. In our latest original infographic, we will be going over some important guidelines to keep in mind when creating portraits using 24mm wide-angle lenses.

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Windows PCs: 3 Great iMac and Macbook Alternatives for Photographers

There are a few Windows PCs on the market geared towards photographers and creatives that give the Macbook and iMac a run for their money.

For quite some time, Macbooks and iMacs have been favored by photographers and creatives due to their ease of use and excellent product support, but times are changing. Many PC manufacturers are now creating Windows PCs aimed directly at a market Apple has been cultivating for years. We have to say there are now some fantastic Windows laptops and desktops on the market that give iMacs and Macbooks a great run for their money. We have rounded up all of the Windows PCs we have reviewed so that you can see if the time has come for you to make the switch, or if you need to replace your older computer.

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Cameron McClarty Uses an Analog Powerhouse to Shoot Portraits

All images by Cameron McClarty. Used With Permission.

“I came to the conclusion that I would just shoot film instead of trying to force the film.” Cameron McClarty’s route to using film isn’t uncommon. For years, the digital market has tried its best to emulate the analog aesthetic. Some cameras have come close, but not close enough. Thankfully, McClarty found the right path, and he picked up the ball and ran with it. His portraits have a retro vibe that blends well with modern day creativity. In his hand is a powerhouse: an analog camera that sets the standard of what a quality camera should be. Excited by his work and his tool to create, we spoke to McClarty and put him under The Phoblographer’s spotlight.

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Deal Alert: Tamron F2.8 Prime Lenses (20mm, 24mm, 35mm) Just $299!

If you want to add some sharp, fast, and affordable glass to your Sony E mount lens library, check out these deals on Tamron prime lenses!

Tamron has made it their mission to create high quality, affordable lenses for Sony’s E mount cameras. The new 20mm, 24mm, and 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lenses have set a new standard for affordable, weather-sealed fast primes. For a short amount of time, you can pick up each of these Tamron f2.8 prime lenses for just $299 each! That’s right, the 20mm f2.8, the 24mm f2.8, and the 35mm f2.8 are only $299 each! We have reviewed all three and were incredibly impressed with them, and we’re sure you will be too. Join us after the break for all the details.

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Put a Ring on It: A Quick Intro to Ring Flash Photography

Although they have a pretty bad rap amongst purists, ring flashes can be very versatile light sources for photography when used properly.

When it comes to photographic lighting, ring light flashes rank pretty high on the list of contentious topics between photographers. The mere mention of them can be enough to trigger some strobists to the point that they end up breaking into tirades. Years ago, ring lights were en vogue amongst beauty, fashion, and editorial photographers, but fell out of favor as more directional lighting became de rigueur. Thanks to widespread use by beauty bloggers, YouTubers, and reality television confessionals (many are lit using ring lights), ring lights are having a bit of a renaissance at the moment. They’ve become so ubiquitous that even most non-photographers will recognize the telltale halo-like catchlights they produce. Regardless of your opinion on ring lights, it’s important to remember that all light behaves identically because they obey the same laws of physics. As long as you’re utilizing them properly, ring lights can actually be very useful for a variety of different genres of photography. Let’s dive deeper.

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Canon Just Made a Smaller Version of One of Their Best Printers

The new Canon ProGraf Pro 300 printer takes some of the ProGraf 1000’s best features and makes it smaller and more affordable.

While Canon is celebrating a lot today with their new EOS R5 and EOS R6, the truest bunch of photographers will probably be most interested in the company’s latest printer. The Canon ProGraf Pro 300 printer is aimed at advanced amateurs and students. It takes lots of the features from the ProGraf 1000, which is what we use to do all of our high ISO testing. Capable of printing at 13 x 19 inches, it uses a 10 color ink system with a new matte black ink. Plus, the photo black and matte black will have their own nozzles. That’s important, and the process starts when you tell the printer what paper you’re using. When we’re printing from Capture One, we always do this. Of course, it means you need to physically get up and dial in the closest Canon equivalent paper type.

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Here’s How The IBIS System in the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 Work

The Canon EOS R5 and the Canon EOS R6 were just announced today, and they have an IBIS system that is unlike any other.

Canon is saying that the Canon EOS R5 and the Canon EOS R6 can have up to 8 stops of image stabilization with the right lenses. That’s quite insane to hear! It more or less means that you can have all the coffee jitters and still possibly get a blur-free shot. But what happens if you don’t have an image stabilized lens attached? Indeed, two of the company’s best lenses are the RF 50mm f1.2 L USM and the RF 85mm f1.2 L USM–neither of which have image stabilization. Then who can forget their very innovative RF 28-70mm f4 L USM lens? Well, according to Canon, the image stabilization will all depend on the focal length that you’re using.

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Canon Closes the Telephoto Lens Gap with Several New RF Mount Lenses

The library of Canon RF mount Lenses is becoming more robust, especially in the telephoto section.

Along with the announcement of the highly anticipated Canon EOS R5 and the EOS R6, Canon also announced a slew of new lenses today as well. Joining the ranks of Canon RF mount lenses will be three new telephoto prime lenses and a telephoto zoom lens that will delight birders and wildlife photographers. With these new lenses, Canon has significantly closed the gap between themselves and Sony in this segment. After the break will take a quick look at the new Canon RF mount lenses and how the RF mount now stacks up against offerings from Sony.

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Here’s Why You’re Not Going to Want the Canon EOS R6

When comparing the Canon EOS R6 to its main rivals, there’s nothing that makes it stand out, especially not for $2,499.

Over the last couple of months, the amount of noise about the new Canon EOS R5 has been almost deafening, but when it comes to the Canon EOS R6, the noise hasn’t been quite as loud, and now we know why. The Canon EOS R6, which was announced today alongside its bigger brother, the EOS R5, and a bevy of new lenses, is an odd one. The spiritual successor to Canon’s 6D DSLR line comes in with a whopping price tag of $2,499 and specs that aren’t exactly awe-inspiring (a 20mp sensor for instance). Let’s talk about it and break the specs down a little more after the break.

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How the Canon EOS R5 Compares to the Sony a7r IV and Sony a9 II

The new kid on the block, the Canon EOS R5, will aim to take on two of Sony’s titans, but does it have enough about it?

Finally, after months of speculation, the Canon EOS R5 has officially been announced. While Canon had let all of us know about some of the key features of their new Mirrorless flagship, there were still some unknowns, but now, we can see that Canon has been aiming to kill two competing cameras with one stone. With an all-new 45MP sensor, killer video features, and a price that sticks it right in-between the Sony a9 II and the a7r IV, the Canon EOS R5 is going to be one heck of a camera. Take a closer look at it after the break.

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I Love This Lens: Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Review

The Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is quite a fun lens to use, but it’s not perfect.

I’ve learned something over the years; if anyone knows how to make a superzoom lens, it’s Tamron. They’ve made a few that were great in the past decade. And with the Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD, I’m impressed on a level I didn’t expect to be. Typically with superzooms like this, you sacrifice on image quality. But in Capture One 20, we couldn’t find any significant issues with distortion sharpness, etc. Throw in the fact that this lens is weather-sealed, lightweight, and small. Seems like a perfect lens, right? On top of all this, consider the fact that there’s only a two-stop difference between the wide end and the telephoto end. The focal length range with the apertures is very usable indeed. Despite all this, there’s one big problem that you’ll need to find a way past.

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Op Ed: There Is No Good, Safe Social Media Community for Photography

When it comes to social media communities for photographers, Instagram is the reigning, undisputed champion. Before Instagram’s dominance, the photo-centric social media landscape was a very different place. The photography social media space was much like the Wild West back then. Platforms like 500px, Flickr, Google+, and Tumblr were all gunslingers vying for dominance. Some of these platforms had their 15 minutes in the spotlight, managing to foster communities amongst their loyal userbases. Most of them have been barely able to hold onto their formal glory. We’ve also seen contenders like Daisie, Ello, and Vero pop up through the years as well. While they have all been touted to be the next big thing, none of them have gained the traction needed to dethrone the 800-pound gorilla that is Instagram. Despite the growing dissatisfaction with Instagram amongst many photographers, we’re doomed to suffer its reign until a viable alternative presents itself. Where did all these competitors go wrong?

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Make Your Own Golden Hour By Mastering This One Setting

Photographing during golden hour can produce stunning results, but Mother Nature isn’t always kind to us. Give this trick a go if she’s being temperamental.

Many photographers love shooting during golden hour because the ambient light imparts a soft, gorgeous warmth onto our subject matter. Those fleeting moments during golden hour often produce some of the most stunning images regardless if you’re photographing landscapes or portraits. Aside from the short window of opportunity, we’re also very much at Mother Nature’s mercy when photographing during golden hour. Weather conditions, cloud coverage, time of year, and a slew of other factors determine whether the ambient light is actually golden during its eponymous hour. All hope is not lost, however, if Mother Nature happens to be a cruel mistress while you’re out photographing. By mastering your camera’s white balance settings, you will gain the ability to control how intense golden hour’s effects appear in your image. You can even simulate the appearance of golden hour if Mother Nature is giving you the cold shoulder. Let’s dive right in.

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