Understanding Contrast for Photographers Who Hate Histograms

No, HDR images and high contrast aren’t really the same thing.

Lots of new photographers picked up the hobby in the pandemic. And we genuinely think that that’s wonderful. However, there’s a lot of misinformation and a lack of understanding of what’s what. Some folks believe that if they go for higher contrast that they’ll get better photos. That’s not necessarily the case. And some folks also think that everything needs to be an HDR. They hate when something is blown out. And to those folks, you’re surely entitled to your own opinions. Some folks want a contrasty lens thinking that it’s always going to be sharper. But that’s wrong: sharpness is sharpness, clarity is clarity, and contrast is contrast.

Continue reading…

The Fujifilm X Pro 3 Has Something Uniquely Special About It

The Fujifilm X Pro 3 is the best camera on the market for anyone who doesn’t want to stare at a screen all day.

“Aren’t you just sick of all these zoom meetings,” is what a rep called and told me on the phone earlier in the pandemic. She called me out of the blue, and I completely agreed with her. But I didn’t realize how deep her words hit me. The entire staff has discussed how we’re all sick of staring at screens. And the Fujifilm X Pro 3 is the perfect answer to that. Yes, there are options like the Leica M10-D. But you’ll probably complain about its price more than you will the X Pro 3’s screen. 

Continue reading…

Save on New and Renewed Nikon Z Gear While You Can!

If you’ve been thinking about switching to the Nikon Z platform or want some cheap lenses, this one is for you.

If you’re looking for new and/or renewed gear in the flavor of Nikon Z, you’ll like this Cheap Photo. We have found deals on both Nikon Z cameras and lenses. You can grab the Nikon Z50 with a lens for just $896.95! A renewed Full-Frame Z5 with a 24-50m lens is only $1,279.95! That’s a big saving of $317! A Z6 with the 24-70mm f4 is just $1,989 renewed too. You can also save on both new and renewed Z lenses like the NIKKOR Z 20mm f1.8 that’s just $749! See all of the deals on gear from team yellow after the break.

Continue reading…

This Colorful Zoom Is a Tank: Fujifilm 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR Review

Weather-sealing, stabilization, and a small size make the Fujifilm 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR a worthy contender.

Telephoto lenses tend to get all the love — and by love, I mean stabilization. Yet the new Fujifilm 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR packs a stabilization system into one of the widest zooms you can get without breeching fisheye territory. Pair it with the Fujifilm X-T4, and get 6.5 stops of stabilization.

Continue reading…

These 4 Weather Sealed Lenses Won’t Fail a Demanding Photojournalist

There are stories about how these lenses have survived incredible odds.

The worst feeling is that of a lens or camera suddenly not working anymore. You don’t think you need weather-sealed lenses until you do. That’s why photojournalists always reach for them. They never know when they’ll be in the rain or the desert. But they’ll know that their sensors will be clean, their lenses will focus, and the quality will be great. So we dove into our Reviews Index and found some of the best. These weather-sealed lenses are all for full frame cameras. And you’ll be happy to know that they’ll always work no matter what!

Continue reading…

Sándor Kereki Kept His Photos a Secret For Half a Century, Until Now

Allow us to introduce you to the work of Sándor Kereki.

If you’re unsure who Sándor Kereki is, don’t worry. Born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1952, Kereki remained unknown for the best part of 50 years. He first came into contact with photography when he was 16 years old. Soon after, he taught himself to develop photographs and prints. After keeping most of his work to himself, he’s finally released it to the public. We’re delighted that he did.

Continue reading…

Check Out These Big M4/3 Lens Deals From Olympus and Panasonic

zoom lenses

Micro Four Third Shooters, you do not want to miss out on these incredible lens deals!

Sales on lenses are starting to heat up as we head into spring. Today we’re bringing you some of the hottest lens deals for Micro Four Thirds. The excellent Olympus 25mm f1.8 is just $299, and the fantastic Olympus 45mm f1.8 is only $279. One of Olympus’s bokeh kings is also on sale. The 75mm f1.8 is only $799. There are even Olympus pro lenses like the 17mm f1.2 Pro and the 45mm f1.2 Pro, both have discounts of $150 or more. Then there are lens deals from Panasonic as well. The versatile Panasonic 12-60mm f2.8-4 can be yours for only $897.99. Panasonic’s 25mm f1.7 is only $147.99, and the Panasonic 100-400mm f4-6.3 is just $1,597.99! Check out all of the Micro Four Thirds lens deals here.

Continue reading…

Capture One’s CEO Hints at an Exciting AI and Mobile Future

Capture One’s CEO Rafael Orta drops a lot of possible hints at what’s coming to Capture One in the future.

Capture One has a new CEO: Rafael Orta. His background begins as an engineer and evolved into critical technological advancements. It’s no surprise that folks have been asking more of Capture One. It’s not the fastest photo editor, but it’s still the one that gives the best colors. In an interview with us, he didn’t rule out a number of possibilities. In fact, we’re fascinated by Rafael’s responses. And there are hints of AI, support for video, and the long-overdue mobile workflow.

Continue reading…

Add Drama and Flair to Your Images Easily: Boris FX Optics Review

The Boris FX Optics suite is a powerful, easy-to-use photo editor that puts tons of effects at your fingertips.

There are dozens of photo editing suites on the market right now. Apart from Luminar, which offers AI editing features, the rest are just basic editors that allow you to change exposure values, remove blemishes, crop, and so on. Optics, from Boris FX, is different. While you can indeed make basic changes with Boris FX Optics, this package is more about adding flair and drama to your images through effects such as lightning, shadows, fog, stars, and more. We’ve had a short time to get to play with the Boris FX Optics suite. Is it right for you? Find out in our review.

Continue reading…

Battle of the 50mm f1.2 Lenses. Is Sony Better Than Canon?

The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master was announced today, but is it better than the Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM?

Before I go into this, I need to make a few things transparent. I’m the type of photographer who’s leaned more into my photojournalism roots recently. I don’t like doing a lot of photo editing. And that’s fine. If you’re the type who wants something perfect out of camera, then you’ll think like me. That will in turn affect my choice in gear. And quite honestly, the Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM and the Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master shouldn’t really be compared. But if you’re considering switching from one system to another, there’s some useful info here. So we put these two 50mm f1.2 lenses head to head. How’d they do?

Continue reading…

Details You Never Wanted. Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master Review

The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master will satisfy those who obsess over clinical sharpness with the bokeh to match and just a bit of lens flare.

I spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out the right title for this piece. The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master lens is here. And it’s obviously their best 50mm lens yet. It’s packed with 11 aperture blades, weather sealing, two custom control buttons, an aperture ring, and more. Of course, what would a Sony lens be without overengineering? And that’s where I was scratching my head. The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master lens is like a table hot sauce. Some of you may think Frank’s Red is hot. Others may adore Cholula. But to the elitist snobs among us, these are barely hot. However, they’ll satisfy the needs of most. And that’s what the Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master lens is doing. If it were a hot sauce, it would be a high-end product with a lot of bite but little flavor. Of course, we’ve come to expect that from Sony. And fear not, we compared it to the Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM Lens.

Continue reading…

Crispy Quality. Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Review

The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is an odd but good lens.

Even as I type this review up, I’m still not totally sure how I feel about the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary lens. It’s an easy lens to appreciate. Sigma is giving us options we’ve needed for years. They now offer three 35mm lenses to customers. And at the same time, they’re eliminating a big need for the 35mm f1.4 Art lens. The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is small. It also has a solid metal body. Best of all, it’s got a little bit of weather sealing at the mount. But at the same time, I wish Sigma had gone even further with this lens, but it’s nearly perfect so far.

Continue reading…

A Great Sony Alpha Companion Device: Sony Xperia 1 II Review

The Sony Xperia 1 II blends smartphone photography with the features of a dedicated Sony Alpha camera.

Smartphone cameras have come a long way in a small amount of time. Most reach for an iPhone or a Samsung device. However, you have other options. Sony makes smartphones too. Sony’s Xperia line of phones has been around for a while, but they tend to fly under the radar. However, they have a unique product in the Sony Xperia 1 II that we think photographers might like. The Xperia 1 II takes smartphone photography and mashes it together with the tech like human and animal eye autofocus found in Sony’s Alpha line of cameras. This all sounds great, but how does the camera perform in the real-world? Find out in our full review.

Continue reading…

March Madness: Save Big on Sony Lenses and Cameras While You Can!

fall landscape photography sony

If you’ve been thinking about jumping to Sony, now is the time as these deals on Sony lenses and cameras are hard to beat.

There are currently some killer deals on Sony lenses and cameras. Don’t believe us? Check out these prices. The Sony 24-105mm f4 is just $1,198. That’s $200 off! The fantastic 35mm f1.8 can be yours for only $698! A renewed Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM is a bargain at just $1,698. The classic Sony Nifty 50 f1.8 is also a steal at $198! Need a super-telephoto for wildlife and birding? The Sony 200-600mm can be picked up for only $1,998! You can also save on the Sony a7 III ($1,698), the a7r IV ($2,998), and the a7r II ($1,598). There are more Sony lenses and cameras on sale too! We have all the deals for you after the break.

Continue reading…

Nothing Special Here. Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary Review

The Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary Lens is to lenses what Nikon is to cameras these days.

“Why would I buy this?” is the question I kept asking myself. The Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary is quite a headscratcher. For the Sony E mount, there are better weather-sealed and cheaper 24mm lenses. For the Leica L mount, there isn’t much competition at all. However, that’s also one of the most ruggedly built systems. Yet somehow, the Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary isn’t up to par. Luckily, the image quality is outstanding. Either way, this lens is still one that will raise eyebrows.

Continue reading…

Get Great Deals on Tamron E Mount Glass During This Flash Sale!

These Tamron E Mount lenses offer fantastic value for money.

If you’re looking to add some incredibly great glass to your Sony E mount library, and you don’t want to break the bank, read on. Tamron has a new flash sale that will last just two weeks. The sale includes some of their most popular zoom lenses for the Sony platform. You can pick up the excellent Tamron 17-28 f2.8 Di III RXD for just $799. The versatile 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 is only $649! These are just a couple of the stunning deals on Tamron lenses. See the rest after the break.

Continue reading…

Want Your Photography Project Published? Here’s What You Need To Do

A good photography project is often spoilt by poor image selection.

As the Arts & Culture editor of a popular photography publication, I’m inundated with photography project submissions. Photography projects come in daily: some awesome and some, that need a little work. Aside from receiving pitches, I’ll also do my own research, trying to find the best work out there to share with our readers. But when photographers send in the images they wish to be published, it saddens me to see how many get their selection wrong. Certain images add to a project, but only a few make it amazing. So when photographers send in images that should be b-roll, I’m left pulling out my hair! To ensure others don’t make the same mistake, here are some tips and things to consider when sending your images into editors.

Continue reading…

Big News! The PPA and Pixsy Have Partnered to Fight Image Theft

Unfortunately, image theft is rampant these days, but this should help a lot of photographers.

Hopefully, you’ve never been a victim of image theft before. It’s a horrible ordeal to go through, and in many cases, it can be hard to win any case you might have. Especially if your images are not copyrighted. Sharing on social media has just made the problem worse because it’s just so easy for others to take your work. However, now that the PPA (The Professional Photographers of America) has joined forces with Pixsy, it’s easier than ever to take the fight back to those who rip us off. Find out all the partnership details and how you can become a part of this after the break.

Continue reading…

The Funleader 18mm f8 is for Those Who Want Character

We recently finished putting the Funleader 18mm f8 lens through its paces.

The Funleader 18mm f8 lens isn’t like a whole lot of other lenses on the market. In fact, it’s totally different. There’s no adjustable aperture. It also boasts a fixed focus. While that’s a bit quirky, there’s also a ton of character. The lens is also still capable of giving you a sharp image. We discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

Continue reading…

Tibor Simon Has Landscape Photos That Made Our Jaws Drop

All images by Tibor Simon. Used with permission.

“I thought a lot about how to take different, more interesting photos with a long shutter speed,” says Photographer Tibor Simon. “I once walked in a city when I remembered what it would be like if it wasn’t the subject moving during the exposure, it was me. I took some test shots as I moved and found the result interesting.” Tibor has some incredibly unique black and white photography that reminds us of drawings. But when you find out what he does to create these, you’ll be even more surprised.

Continue reading…

If It’s Real, Portrait Photogs Will Love This Nikon 100mm F1.4 Lens

A Nikon 100mm f1.4 prime would go along way in appeasing Mirrorless portrait photographers.

Nikon is experiencing somewhat of a resurgence of late. We went for what seemed to be forever without hearing a peep out of team yellow. However, that has all changed recently. We’ve heard speculation about new cameras, and we’ve seen Nikon’s new in-house sensor. We have also seen lots of patents for new lenses. Today, we have another patent for a new Nikon Z mount lens that will undoubtedly please Z mount portrait photographers. A Nikon 100mm f1.4. These are exciting times indeed. After the break, we’ll take a quick look at the lens and see where it could fit into the current lens lineup.

Continue reading…