Did They Waste a Year? Leica SL2s Review Update

The Leica SL2s recently received a brand new firmware update. This update brings it more in line with a lot of modern cameras but ignores what could’ve been. Leica is focusing on making the SL2s a content creator’s camera. But when we tested it, we found it to be excellent for photojournalists. And it’s still one of my favorite personal cameras. However, after installing the new firmware update, I can’t help but feel like they wasted a year. And so, our Leica SL2s review update begins.

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5 Female Asian American Photographers You’re Going to Love!

Welcome to Asian American Heritage Month 2022. It’s the time of the year when we put a little extra focus on Asian Americans, further highlighting the incredible photography they create. We’ll be sharing a blend of new and already featured photographers, ensuring we get your eyes on the best work in the space. In this piece, we’re shedding light on some of our favorite female photographers within the demographic.

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Zayira Ray Enjoys Telling Unique AAPI Stories with Her Photos

“It is more important than ever for Asian-Americans to be seen,” opines Indian-American Zayira Ray about the increasing marginalization of her broader community in recent times. Using photography and visual arts talent, she creates unique photo projects. With a common theme underlying most of them, she tells us more about what drives her passion to break stereotypes.

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The New York Times Responds to Criticism from a British Photojournalist

Photojournalist and Leica Ambassador Emily Garthwaite has spoken about her experience as a potential photographer for a story pitched to The New York Times. Garthwaite alleges the original plan was for her to photograph a story covering a hiking trail in Kurdistan. Eventually, the NYT chose to pass it to a different photographer, something she says sent her into a “deep depression and [made her] almost quit photography.”

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Act Soon for These Nikon Instant Savings!

camera deals

Why not get the Nikon 40mm f2 that we gave an Editor’s Choice award to? There are lots of instant savings on Nikon gear happening now until May 31st! If you’re a Nikon shooter who hasn’t plunged into the Z series, why not? The new hotness is the Nikon Z5 with the 24-200mm kit on sale for $1,999. Of course, you could also just adapt your old Nikon lenses to the camera if you wish. Take a look at these savings after the jump.

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Change Your Angle for Better Intimate Portraits – Sensual Vs. Sexual

One of the things I enjoy most about our Phoblographer team is the constructive conversations we have. We were recently discussing how we can tell what boudoir images were photographed by a man based on the perspective of the photos. Men are usually taller than women, and they tend to shoot from up above. The camera angle is generally gazing down at the woman. They also tend to photograph their models straight-on. On the other hand, women tend to get lower and focus on elongating. They often choose angles of observation with the subject’s body angled away from the body. Editor-in-chief Chris Gampat then shared a post of our interview with boudoir photographer Kat Grudko for inspiration. Our team discussed how imperative camera angles are when shooting sensual vs. sexual imagery.

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I’ve Tested Dozens of Camera Bags. Here’s Why I Use the Wandrd PRVKE

I’ve always been a bit picky about camera bags. I’ve been known to return bags that didn’t meet my expectations. My hypercritical backpack standards have only intensified as I’ve reviewed dozens of options as the Reviews Editor at The Phoblographer. But, as I have completely changed camera systems and then grew that system a little more, I keet coming back to one bag — the Wandrd PRVKE.

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Finding the Beauty of Fujifilm Velvia Using One Lens

Velvia is likely one of the most popular Fujifilm film simulation. Folks love vivid colors and those Fujifilm tones always hit just right. It’s the perfect simulation to use on your vacation. Photographers have used Velvia for years to document the world around them. And using a lens like the Tamron 18-300mm f3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD lets you do it in the spirit of those vintage photos.

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The Canon F1 and Its Curious History in Cinema

The Canon F1 is well-known to many of us. But let’s be frank, it’s not as popular as the Canon AE1 that sits in attics and garages. The Canon F1 (also referred to as the Canon F-1 in this article) came out in the 1970s and was a mainstay for around 20 years. Today, you can find them used and in fantastic condition. These cameras are gorgeous–so much so that they appear as popular props in the movies. But if you know anything about the Canon F1, you’ll probably wonder why it’s in the movies.

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We Join Lensrentals to Discuss the Truth About Weather Sealing

Back in February, we record a podcast with the folks at Lensrentals on one of our favorite topics: weather sealing. In fact, it shouldn’t be called weather sealing; it should be referred to as weather resistance. The episode of their podcast was released this past month, and we discussed not only weather resistance, but a lot of the truth about lens manufacturing you don’t often hear about. Trust us, we think it’s going to be a very eye-opening episode.

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Here’s a Great Fuji Camera for Travel Photographers!

Are you a world traveler and love Fujifilm? Then consider the XT3 WW edition. They’re still moving and available! The Fujifilm XT3 WW is a special edition of the XT3 (sort of). Fujifilm basically removed the battery charger so that it could be a single SKU worldwide. So, you’re just getting the USB Port cable. And that’s fine if you charge your cameras via USB. If that interests you, they’re on sale right now in two different configurations. Check out our review! This sale ends on June 5th, so act quick!

3 Lightweight Lenses for Bird Photography That Photographers Will Love

If given the opportunity, we think everyone would love photographing birds. But not everyone wants to carry that much weight on them. Luckily, there are some fantastic lightweight lenses for bird photography out there. With the right settings, they’ll stand out from loads of other lenses on the market. And we’d know, since we tested them! So, in this roundup, we’re diving into the best lightweight lenses for bird photography. Check it out!

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That’s a Nice Camera. I’m Sure It Takes Great Photos

If you clicked this story, then this was probably said to you a few times. Photographers will let out a sigh of exasperation. Non-photographers will not have any idea as to why someone would be bothered by this. But yes, you have a nice camera. And it’s very capable of taking great photos. In today’s world, no one is making bad cameras. But there are tons of awful photographs made with the cream rising to the top in certain situations.

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The Sony a9 III Could Be Awesome! Our Wishlist

If you had to guess if the Sony a9 III is coming out, would you think it is? Or is the Sony a1 making it completely useless to release? Personally, I don’t think so. If Sony made a camera with a 50MP sensor a speed demon, they could do it with fewer megapixels too. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on where we think that the next Sony a9 could go. And there’s far more!

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3 Metal Lenses With Beautiful Image Quality

Very few things make us swoon like metal lenses. If it’s not the way that they feel in the hand, it’s the experience of turning a focusing ring to get something in focus. What’s more, they’re typically built incredibly well. So we’re sharing our love of metal lenses with you folks and recommending a few that we think you’ll truly appreciate.

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Why Everyone Uses Lightroom Classic Over CC. The Simple Answer

Lightroom Classic is, for better or worse, the industry standard for many photographers. Both new and experienced photographers alike often use Lightroom Classic instead of Lightroom CC. Introduced a few years ago, Lightroom CC was designed to address various speed and performance issues. It’s a lightweight version of the program. But that also means it’s not as powerful as photographers need it to be.

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