The Cost of Being Different. Leica 75mm F2 SL Review

This is probably the best portrait lens the L Mount has.

It took me a while to figure out the right headline for this review. The Leica 75mm f2 SL is a beautiful lens with wonderful image quality. Technically it’s not an odd focal length. If you put a 50mm lens on most APS-C cameras, you’ll get a 75mm focal length. If you’ve used Leica lenses for a while, you’ve probably used a 75mm lens. This is one of my favorite lenses for the SL lenses. In my mind, it’s one of the best portrait lenses for the system. Make no mistake; comparatively speaking, you’re probably paying quite the premium. But, at the same time, this lens has no comparison.

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The Odd One. Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Review

The Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is a classically popular focal length with cinema but a bit odd with still photography.

Even after two calls with my Sigma rep talking about the Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary, I still don’t totally understand it. It’s a weird focal length, which I genuinely love. I think it’s great that Sigma is trying brave things. It’s also incredibly sharp and has stellar image quality. But using this lens isn’t the easiest. Every time I think I’m going to use it like a 50mm, I need to adjust. And every time I think to use it like a 75mm, I had to step forward a bit. This is in an odd spot. But believe it or not, the best place the Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary belongs is on a camera with a tripod.

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This Unusual Lens Is Oozing with Style: Leica Noctilux 50mm F1.2 Review

The Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH is a remake of a 1966 lens — and fans of the film look are going to want it.

Lenses are increasingly stamping out some of the most common technical issues. High-end, modern lenses push for sharpness all the way to the corners, eliminate aberration, and reduce vignetting. But as lenses become more technically correct, the optics also become more sterile. The new Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH is not one of those lenses. A remake of a film lens originally produced in 1966, the lens is nearly identical to the original except for a digital-friendly mount. Leica kept everything from the 16-blade aperture down to the aluminum build.

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Going Pro? Look at These 5 Professional Grade Mirrorless Cameras

These professional grade Mirrorless cameras are built tough and can do it all.

Are you ready to go pro? If so, you might be wondering if your current camera will be up to the demanding nature of professional photography. Your camera needs to perform in different situations, but it also needs to be as rugged as possible. Fortunately, a handful of professional grade Mirrorless cameras on the market fit this bill perfectly. All the cameras we’ve listed here are well suited to a professional photographer’s demanding role. They boast excellent autofocus systems, and have brilliant sensors that can help capture stunning images. They’re also built like tanks and will take anything you’ll throw at them, and have a great collection of lenses you can pair with them. If you think you need professional grade Mirrorless cameras, these are the five we recommend.

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Why Frank Jackson Probably Likes Photography More Than You Do

All images by Frank Jackson. Used with permission.

My name is Frank Jackson. My first photography job was in 1975 as a staff photographer for New York City Summer Work Program; it was all Disco Music, Sun Dresses, Music Festivals, and Block Parties that went on till the next day. I moved to Los Angeles in 1976 to work for IBM for three years; I quit IBM and started photographing for an architect after showing a portfolio of some houses with my 4×5 camera. 

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5 Minute Review: The Beautiful Leica 50mm F1.2 Noctilux

The Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux is an incredibly stunning lens according to Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis.

Why would you pay over $7,000 for a lens? Well, that’s what The Phoblographer Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis was trying to figure out. She’s spent a while with the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctliux lens shooting street photography, portraits, and documenting her life. It’s also her first Leica. Hillary is a seasoned Nikon shooter, and doing things with the Leica M system is much different. It’s a manual focus camera system. So what did she think?

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Hasselblad, Stop Living In the Past and Worry More About the Future

Hasselblad, a once innovative company, has been left behind by almost everyone.

The name Hasselblad resonates with force throughout the Photography community. Rightfully so. The company is steeped in heritage and lore. Their cameras were so good at one point that NASA decided their cameras should be used in space. In fact, their 501 EL made it to the moon. This thrust the Swedish company into the limelight, and the rest, as they say, is history. For years Hasselblad was one of the top camera and lens makers. Seen by many as the ultimate craftsmen, photographers paid top dollar for Hasselblad gear. Step forward to 2021, and Hasselblad still has a mighty reputation. Their cameras and lenses are still meticulously crafted. However, in terms of performance, they’re a shadow of their former selves. Fujifilm has shaken up the Medium Format market so much that Hasselblad has been in a tailspin. Let’s talk about what they need to do to course correct.

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Why a Camera’s LCD Screen Is More Important Now Than Ever

COVID 19 is probably going to make the way photographers shoot become tougher.

I’m still out of breath between my deviated septum and what I had to just do. COVID 19 is mutating, and we as a society are trying to keep up. Here in America, it’s strongly recommended that you wear two masks. If you’re taking things even further, you’re probably using eye protection. Your glasses aren’t enough, and if you’re like me and need your glasses for everything, it’s going to get tougher. But all of this has reaffirmed something massive in my head: the LCD screen of a camera is about to become incredibly vital Manufacturers can’t just ignore it anymore. They need to put the highest resolution screens into their cameras right now. More importantly, they also need to make their interfaces better—the keyword here being NEED.

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5 Mirrorless Cameras That Can Produce Beautiful Black and White Images

There’s something magical about creating black and white images, and these cameras will help you do those images justice.

There are plenty of Mirrorless cameras on the market that can produce beautiful color pictures. However, there aren’t many that can create jaw-dropping blacks and white images. The good news is that the few cameras that do black and white images in-camera come with price tags that make them available for every budget. So, whether you’ve got under $1,000 to spend or closer to $6,000, there’s a camera for you. After the break, we’ll take a closer look at five Mirrorless cameras that will help you create simply stunning black and white images.

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Leica Basically Put Adobe Upright Into Some of Their Cameras

Some of the Leica M Mount cameras will get the new perspective control.

If you’re the owner of certain Leica M cameras, you’re getting a surprise soon! Leica is basically putting Adobe Upright into these cameras. They’re calling it perspective control. That less distortion when you mount your 21mm f1.4 Summilux on the camera. Specifically, this is coming to the Leica M10R, Leica M10P, and Leica M10 Monochrom. Why these cameras specifically? It’s all in how it works.

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Why the New Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux is Such an Important Lens

The Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux is a reissue of the classic vintage offering from Leica that was super hard to make.

Good news: the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux is back! Today the company is announcing a reissue of the classic and much-loved lens. That, and the original is incredibly hard to get your hands on. The cool thing about the luxury world and the vintage world is that everyone is on the hunt. How many folks on eBay snipe the Contax T2? It’s why Rolex brought back the Submariner in the Tudor Black Bay. It’s also probably why Apple brought back the feel of their older devices. And the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux manages to do a few things that modern lenses don’t.

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You’d Never Guess What Cameras We’re Using for Fun

In Pro Camera Reviews, we recently discussed what cameras we use for fun.

We test cameras every month. But there are some that really, truly stand out to us more than others. These are the ones that we jive with. They’re our favorites. And specifically, we use them for fun. Being a professional camera tester isn’t easy, but we continue to love photography. So when we just want to have a bit of fun, we use a few key cameras. In this latest episode of Pro Camera Reviews, we show you what we’re smitten with right now.

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Old But Gold: 4 Digital Cameras You Should Hunt Down and Lust Over

These digital cameras may have a few years on them now, but they still have enough about them to stand out in 2021 and beyond.

There are plenty of fantastic cameras on the market today. So many, in fact, it has become all too easy to forget about the great cameras that came before them. Cameras have been released at such a rapid pace that some cameras simply didn’t have time to establish themselves as greats. That doesn’t mean that you can’t hunt them down and but them today, though. In this roundup, we’re going to take a look at some digital cameras that simply didn’t get the face time they deserved. These four cameras are masterpieces that should be hunted down and snapped up at the first opportunity you get. Their image quality will stun you. Their ergonomics will delight, and their overall performance will make you ask yourself why you didn’t look more closely at them when they were released. Join us as we look at four of our favorite older digital cameras.

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These High-Resolution Cameras Easily Capture All of Life’s Small Details

Capturing immense detail in your landscapes or picking up small details in product and fashion photography is easy with high-resolution cameras.

High-resolution cameras have come into their own over the last couple of years. Cameras with high megapixel sensors used to be hard to come by. Now, they’re everywhere. The great thing about this is that these high-resolution cameras can be relatively affordable due to the sheer number of options out there. If you need a camera that can capture an immense amount of detail in your landscape shots, or if you need to capture intricate details in product, portrait, or fashion photography, these are the cameras for you. After the break, we’ll take a quick look at five high-resolution cameras that will make capturing small detail as easy as 1,2,3.

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4 Fixed Lens Cameras That Will Help You Be a Better Street Photographer

These fixed lens cameras are just the right size and offer enough performance to make you a street photography ninja.

Gear isn’t everything, but having the right camera for a certain situation can definitely help. This is especially true when it comes to street photography. When you’re out on the streets, you need to be able to rattle off images quickly and sometimes discreetly. This is something that can be hard to do with much larger cameras. Being able to remain nimble and having a camera that helps keep attention away from you is a must, and this is where fixed lens cameras come into play. These small, power-house fixed lens cameras have gorgeous optics that help capture detail-rich images, and blazing fast autofocus systems that will help you nail the shot every time you hit the shutter. If you’re on the hunt for a camera that will help you become a street photography pro, check out this roundup.

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Challenge: Leica M10 Monochrom vs Kodak Tri-X Blind Taste Test

Think you can tell the difference between film and the Leica M10 Monochrom? Let’s see!

With digital photography, it’s become more accessible for folks to make their images look like film. Presets are great for this. But it gets a lot more complicated with black and white. I’ve rarely heard someone say, “Dem tones,” to a black and white photograph. So that’s why I’m so curious about output from the Leica M10 Monochrom. It’s a fantastic camera that has a black and white sensor. And even better, when shooting at a higher ISO setting, the noise will look perfectly like film. There’s a lot of advantages to it. And photographers should appreciate this. But lots also adore the look of black and white film. So we’re taking a closer look at film and the Monochrom. Can you tell which is which?

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Can We Regain The Lost Romance of a Camera’s Shutter Sound?

It’s gone, and it’s probably never going to come back.

*Click* The sound of a camera’s shutter is so incredibly iconic. I don’t believe I know a single photographer that wouldn’t agree. Actually, let me rephrase that. I don’t think I know a single camera lover that doesn’t have a favorite shutter sound. Passionate photographers come in all shapes, sizes, and professionals. But camera lovers really adore their products. And you can’t necessarily call them techies. Instead, they’re admirers in the same way that watch lovers appreciate a good automatic vs. an Apple watch.

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Will 2021 Be the Year of Super High Megapixel Cameras?

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Do we really need super high megapixel cameras? Truthfully, probably not. But the likes of Samsung and others try to do it with their phones. And it’s partially a selling point! Arguably, we’ve reached peak camera. In terms of tech, it seems like companies are probably running out of ideas. Inevitably, cameras will become luxury passion products. They’re already passion products for many. And some of those folks probably care a ton about megapixels.

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Vintage Camera Review: Leica R6 (Cheap Leica, Pricey Lenses)

Everyone complaining about Leica prices probably hasn’t used the Leica R6, and they know nothing about R mount glass.

If I were to track the popularity of the R series vs the M series, then I’d say the R6 is probably the most popular in the R lineup, but it’s nowhere near as popular as M mount options. However, while the R series cameras aren’t that raved out, their lenses are. Years ago, the cinema industry discovered those lenses and started buying and reformatting a ton of them. When that happened, the their prices began to skyrocket. And for that reason, owning and using a camera like the Leica R6 is a great honor. You get native access to a number of lenses that the cinema world goes crazy for. On top of that, the Leica R6 is the closest thing to the coveted Leica M6 in my opinion.

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Is the Report of a Cheap Leica M Film Camera Too Good to Be True?

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Something about the report of a new, cheaper Leica M film camera coming out in 2021 is intriguing. Maybe it’s the fact that their film cameras are still incredibly desirable. Or the fact that they last forever, basically. But Leica has never been known for making anything at a low price. They’re a company focused on sustainability. But something about this report actually seems plausible.

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The 10 Most Popular Cameras of 2020 Per Flickr’s Camera Finder

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Flickr has seen a bit of a resurgence in 2020. The photo-sharing platform has turned into a buzzing community again. I have been using Flickr to personally catalog my images and to interact with other photographers. So far, it has been great. After going through my account and getting things set up, I decided to dive into the website’s metrics to see what the most popular traditional digital cameras per Flickr’s camera finder are. Aside from smartphones (which take the top spots), you might be surprised to learn that DSLRs are still king. Mirrorless cameras are very much the flavor of the month, but there are so many DSLRs still out there. Still, Mirrorless cameras aren’t far behind. After the break, we’ll show you the ten most popular cameras in 2020 based on figures from Flickr.

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