Review: Canon RF 35mm f1.8 USM IS (Almost Worthy of Being L Glass)

The Canon 35mm f1.8 USM IS RF has a very affordable price point and the image quality to exceed said price point.

When the Canon RF 35mm f1.8 USM IS was first announced, I was excited until I learned that it didn’t have weather sealing. For those of you who have been fans of the site for years, you’ll know that I’m big on weather sealing. I’m of firm belief that every camera and lens these days should have it. And I’m also a big fan of small lenses for mirrorless cameras. The Canon RF 35mm f1.8 USM IS is just that. It surely isn’t an L lens but this is a lens designed for fun and a little bit of serious work. Most importantly, it has image stabilization built in.

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Does Everyone Really Need to Whip Their Phones Out During a Wedding?

A wedding will never be complete without a photographer or his team to immortalize the event — plus some dozens of smartphones clicking away alongside them. Maybe that has to change.

Back in the days before smartphone cameras, it was the sole responsibility of a wedding photographer (or his team) to make sure that there are great photos of the big day, from start to finish. But today, there could be as many cameras out as there are guests in a wedding — and those are just smartphones. But, is all that really necessary?

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Comparison: Sigma’s Lenses for Studio Portraits (Here’s What We Found)

We already know that Sigma’s lenses are fantastic, but which one is best for portraiture?

Portrait photographers these days enjoy using a multitude of focal lengths, and Sigma’s lenses offer a whole lot for the portraiture photographer. The company has spent years revamping their lineup with their Art series lenses and these lenses often top the charts on many proper lab tests. But we know that photographers don’t use lenses to shoot charts or brick walls and so we took them into a studio with models and lights to figure out which ones we liked the most. Our opinions may surely vary from yours and any professional working photographer will always lean towards a telephoto focal length. While this test has a lot of implications for professional photographers, it will also apply to lots of us who shoot and don’t demand the most professional needs.

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Cheap Photo: The Fujifilm X-T2 is Just $799 For a Few More Days + More

These red hot camera deals expire at the end of June.

If you want to score some bargains you’ve come to the right place. We have found some amazing camera deals, and sales on lenses and software for you. You have until June 30th to grab a Fujifilm X-T2 for just $799, and the Fujifilm 60mm Macro for only $399! The Nikon Z6 is down to just $1,796.95, and the Sony A7r III has a discount of $400. Sigma’s deep discounts continue through June 30th as well. There are also incredible deals on presets like the 4000 Lightroom Preset Bundle which is just $29, and on photography tutorials like Build Your Lightning Knowledge with Peter Hurley which is $84, and Master Capture One Pro 12 which is down to $84. Check out all of the camera deals, and huge discounts on lenses and software below.

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Ken Hermann Demonstrates Effective Color Usage in “From the Block”

All photos by Ken Hermann. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Copenhagen-based Ken Hermann has been one of our favorite portrait photographers in recent years, for his projects that range from the documentary (Flower Man, Leftovers from the War, Shaman, Coal Miners) to conceptual (Crash Landed, Hollywood Characters). However, he also does a great job of creating a picture of a place by photographing its people — a tried and tested approach to visual storytelling, as each place has its own face to show and story to tell, so to speak. Previously, we’ve seen him photograph the residents of Brumleby, a historic neighborhood in his city. For his latest work, From the Block, he photographed some residents of Vapnagaard, a neighborhood in Helsingør, another historic town in Denmark.

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Want Edward Curtis’s Original Glass Negatives from the American West?

These photogravures of Edward S. Curtis should especially be fascinating for print enthusiasts, photography historians, and patrons of old school photographic processes.

Looking for the next fine art print to display in your home, office, or workspace? We found a project you’ll surely want to support. The Curtis Legacy Foundation is keen on producing photogravures from the remastered original negatives of Edward S. Curtis, an American photographer, and ethnologist best known for his work on the American West and the Native American people. To make this happen, the foundation, led by John Graybill, one of Curtis’ great-grandchildren, is currently funding the project on Kickstarter.

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Loupedeck+ Update Enables Users to Edit Within Photoshop Camera Raw

loupedeck+

The latest update to the Loupedeck+ makes the peripheral even more attractive to photo editors and content creators.

Until today, Loupedeck+ users have been confined to the realms of Lightroom, Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Audition if they wanted to use their editing console, but a new update has just enabled the Loupedeck+ to be used in Camera Raw in Photoshop. This will no doubt please those who are more comfortable editing their photos in Camera Raw as opposed to Lightroom, and it means that the Loupedeck+ is even more compatible within the Adobe Ecosystem. Join us after the break for more details. Continue reading…

OP ED: This is the Year that Camera Manufacturers are Fighting to Survive

We haven’t seen anything like this from camera manufacturers in years; and it’s insane.

This piece is being written objectively from the point of view of a journalist embedded in the photo industry for over 10 years. At the helm of one of the largest photo blogs in the world, I can tell you with all certainty that it looks like every camera manufacturer is fighting to survive harder than they have in previous years. Not only are we seeing a lot of entries into the world of full-frame mirrorless, but we’re seeing partnerships, innovations, etc. to remind the general public that cameras are still relevant. You and I know better of course; but in a world where everyone is so incredibly satisfied with their phone’s convenience and an ILC camera that shoots in auto mode, I feel like camera manufacturers need to do even more to survive.

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The Canon EOS M50 Is One of Their Most Popular Cameras, But Why?

eos m50

In Japan, the EOS M50 is outselling competing devices at a furious pace.

The Canon EOS M series of cameras have been around for a while, and while they aren’t class-leading devices, and despite the fact that they use a lens mount with few lens options, they seem to be selling rather well in some countries. A recent report shows just how well; the numbers are mind-boggling, but also show why Canon’s financials aren’t exactly making their bank managers happy. Join us after the break to take a look at the numbers, and to see why perhaps the M50 is selling better than anyone anticipated. Continue reading…

Review: Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR Backpack (The In-Between Bag)

With the Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR Backpack, photographers get a slim and versatile bag.

When I first saw the Tenba Shootout 16L DSLR Backpack, I was at Ira Block’s apartment in Manhattan. Ira, who hails from National Geographic, designed the bag with the folks at Tenba. Though it’s marketed as a DSLR shooting option, it’s probably more correctly labelled as an offering for those who use bigger mirrorless cameras and have the lenses that go along with them. But the Tenba Shootout 16 DSLR Backpack is sort of an odd choice. It’s got the depth and length of most camera bags, but it doesn’t have the width, purposely. It’s designed to keep you minimal, sort of. Think of it as a bag for the in-between crowd–and there are a lot of you out there.

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Six Powerful PCs to Help Photographers with Speedy Post Processing

post processing

If your current PC huffs and puffs through post-processing, it may be time for a radical upgrade.

These days, computers are definitely something we take for granted, and we seem to think that the one we have is ‘good enough’ to get the job done when it comes to editing images or creating other forms of content, but my how times have changed. These days you need a pretty beefy PC just to even meet the requirements set forth by both Adobe and Capture One, and to get the absolute best performance possible you need a speed demon of a PC. If you’re finding that your current system sounds like a jet engine at full power when you’re editing images, it’s probably time for a new computer. Here we will take a quick look at some of the best PC’s (desktops and laptops) for post-processing and content creation. Continue reading…

X-Rite ColorChecker Family Now Comes in Nano to MEGA Sizes

X-Rite ColorChecker is now available in new sizes to make sure every photographer and filmmaker will have access to the iconic color management tool.

Still missing a color checker in your photography accessories? X-Rite Incorporated, currently one of today’s trusted companies for color management and measurement, has recently expanded its ColorChecker product line with new sizes for both the ColorChecker Classic and Color Checker Video targets. With sizes that now range from Nano, Mini, XL, to MEGA, every photographer and filmmaker will be able to use the right colors and save production time whatever the size of their shoot.

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Sevil Alkan on her Award Winning Street Photography with a Smartphone

All images by Sevil Alkan. Used with permission.

“It’s a great feeling really,” explains Sevil Alkan as she describes the emotions of her recent success at the LensCulture Street Photography Awards. Her eye-catching project, Stray Dog, came first place in this year’s 2019 series category. Sevil’s work is born through emotion and created with the intention of challenging those who view it. Her images make for great single frames. However, they really come to life when observed as a collection – highlighting her ability to tell visual stories. Although it’s true that success can be a career changer for many, Sevil wasn’t ready to get too carried away, “I was on summer vacation when the winner was announced, so I celebrated with my friends over a couple of drinks.” Rather, she continues to focus on the task at hand, ready to build on this stepping stone and continue to create amazing street photography for us all to enjoy.

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This US Navy Canon New F-1 Body Is Up for Grabs for $348

Fans and collectors of military cameras will certainly find this US Navy Canon New F-1 body a nice addition to their vintage camera collection.

It’s been a while since our last vintage finds, so we’re excited to share another interesting item we spotted on eBay. Today, it’s something for collectors of military memorabilia and military-issued vintage cameras: a Canon New F-1 35mm SLR body that is in working condition. If you’re keen on adding this to your collection, it’s all yours for $348.85.

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These Are the Best Apple Computers for Photographers Right Now

Photographers complaining about how awful Apple’s products are probably haven’t thought about these Apple computers for photographers.

A lot of photographers aren’t ready to let go of Apple. Though the company has been maintaining an abusive relationship with professionals for many years, their computers and their systems simply work. There isn’t a whole lot to complain about; things don’t go wrong often. The same can be said for PCs, but they’ll need more work to get there. So, for the photographer looking at a new Apple computer of some sort, we dissected the options currently out there and here’s what we think the best Apple computers for photographers are.

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This Cheat Sheet Will Help You Learn Manual Photography Better

If you’ve decided to take the manual photography route, Skylum has a cheat sheet to help you get started. 

Another day, another photography cheat sheet. There’s a lot of them out there, especially for those who want to break away from the auto mode and take full control of their camera settings. But we can never stress enough how important it is to learn how to shoot in manual mode to maximize your creative potential. With this cheat sheet from Skylum, you won’t have to dive blindly into manual photography.

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If the Sigma 35mm F1.2 FE Lens Is Real, it Needs to Be Kept Small

sigma lenses

The Sigma 35mm f1.2 FE will be a great lens if it’s real, but it will be spectacular if it’s not a humongous piece of glass.

Sigma makes some of the best lenses you can get your hands on. But, while the image quality from the lenses will make your jaw drop, the sheer size and weight of some of their primes is almost comical. There are some new reports that the next prime lens from Sigma may be the Sigma 35mm f1.2 FE, and while this has us giddy with excitement, we sure hope it’s not another repeat of the gargantuan 40mm f1.4 DG HSM. Join us after the break for more details. Continue reading…

Five Lightweight Mirrorless Cameras That Make Perfect Travel Companions

lightweight mirrorless cameras

These lightweight Mirrorless cameras are small, powerful, and fun to use.

If you’re in the market for lightweight Mirrorless cameras that will make the perfect travel companion, this roundup is for you. When we travel the last thing we want to do is add a ton of weight to our travel bags, nor do we want to have weighty cameras hanging around our necks while exploring new places. The great thing about these lightweight Mirrorless cameras is that, while they may be small in size, they pack a lot of power under the hood. In fact, you can even get Full Frame cameras that fall into the lightweight camera category now too. Join us after the break to take a look at five lightweight Mirrorless cameras that we’d take along with us on our travels. Continue reading…

The Leica M-E is the Most Affordable Brand New Digital M Yet

Leica M-E (Typ 240)

The New Leica M-E (Typ 240) is the perfect starting place for those new to the Leica platform.

Leica fans, and those who want to become Leica users listen up, we have some exciting news for you. Leica Camera has just announced that a new M series camera will be joining the ranks this July; The Leica M-E (Typ 240). This new camera is being billed as the perfect entry point into the Leica system, and it will offer some great specs. The new Leica M-E (Typ 240) is a Full Frame Mirrorless camera that will feature a 24 Megapixel CMOS sensor, a Leica Maestro image processor, and of course, the gorgeous Rangefinder design that we have all come to know and love. There have also been some improvements made over the Leica M, like a brand new anthracite-gray lacquered finish, which has been developed just for the new camera, and there is genuine leather covering the body which will provide users with excellent grip and premium styling.

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Apparently, We’ve Been Using TLR Cameras Wrong All This Time

If you’re curious about TLR cameras, make sure you wear your humor hat on before you proceed!

Twin Lens Reflex cameras continue to enjoy the interest and fascination of today’s film photographers because of their unique handling and features, as well as their ability to evoke vintage nostalgia. However, these very characteristics also seem to be perplexing for a good number of people; the first question that pops up has always been, “How do you shoot with this thing?”

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The Inside of The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 OSS GM Is a Pure Work of Art

The level of work that goes into making a Sony 70-200mm F2.8 OSS GM is ridiculous.

If you have ever wondered why some of the lenses you buy cost an arm and a leg, an image we’re about to share will help you understand a little bit more about why companies like Sony want top dollar for lenses like the Sony 70-200mm f2.8 OSS GM. A recent post on Reddit shows the cross-section of this lens, and to say it’s tech smut is an understatement. If you like to see the inner workings of things like I do, then you’ll enjoy the image after the break. Continue reading…