Compact Camera Showdown: The Fujifilm X100F Versus The Leica Q

The Fujifilm X100F and the Leica Q go mano-a-mano in this compact camera showdown.

Both Fujifilm and Leica make quality compact cameras, but does the gulf in price between the two featured here mean that one is truly better than the other? Some would argue that Leica’s are the pinnacle, the creme de la creme, the best of the best, simply because, well, they’re Leica’s, but does it automatically mean that you’re going to get results from their cameras that simply cannot be replicated by models that cost significantly less? After the break we will share a Fujifilm X100F versus a Leica Q compact camera comparison video with you that Evan Ranft has put together. Continue reading…

The Leica Q2 Takes 10th Spot in the DXOMark Sensor League Table

DXOMark has been busy putting the Leica Q2 through its boot camp.

The Leica Q2 came out earlier this year and it won many over due to its good looks, massive 47.3 Megapixel sensor, and of course the gorgeous Leica glass attached to the front of it. The guys and gals at DXOMark have now had time to put the camera through its paces, and have given it their final grade. Join us after the break to find out more about what DXOMark had to say about this compact Mirrorless camera. Continue reading…

Street Photography: Our Favorite Gear and Accessories for 2019

If you’re looking to add to your collection of street photography gear – or just getting started – this guide is for you.

Great street photography can be some of the most compelling forms of art that the human eye can see. And while a photographer is only as good as his or her creative capabilities, having solid gear will certainly help them along their way. Quality accessories are essential too. There are many tools the enthusiastic street photographer can use to get better, more consistent shots. So here is a piece that includes our favorite gear and accessories for street photography. We loved putting it together and no doubt, you’re going to love it too.

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Review: Vi Vante Matador Noir (The Only Strap You’ll Ever Need)

The Vi Vante Matador Noir isn’t really a luxury camera strap; but more of a well built, nearly unbreakable option.

I didn’t really understand the Vi Vante Matador Noir camera strap until I held it. Then my dad, who was visiting my while I was sick, really understood it too. The former UN diplomat in him is almost as discerning as I am, but he completely understood why someone would spend $250 on a strap like this. The thing about leather straps is that they’re already pricey–and often the sailing rope and canvas straps can serve just as well. But what the Vi Vante Matador Noir is combines the best of both worlds. Is it expensive? Yes. But this is genuinely the only strap you’ll ever need.

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Eolo Perfido’s Clownville Goes Deeper Than His Subjects’ Masks (NSFW)

All images by Eolo Perfido. Used with permission.

“The first instrument of the portraitist is not the light, or the lens, or the camera,” explains Eolo Perfido. “It’s the subject.” The French-born, Italian photographer is a deeply thoughtful creator. His series, Clownville, offers a dose of innovation, a slice of controversy, and a generous handful of compelling concepts. Whether you’re amused or afraid of clowns, he has brought art to life that you won’t be able to look away from. For him, the series is not just an example of the creative mind; it’s a metaphor of life. The work shows a person prepared to push boundaries. It may shock or it may delight. What is for certain, however, is that it will grab your attention.

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I Don’t Understand Why Photography Is Such an Expensive Hobby

Before I got into photography, I was completely smitten with making music for over 10 years of my life.

There was a time when I decided that I needed to take up another hobby besides photography, video games, food, reading, and meditation–and so I went back to music. Before I was a photographer, I wanted to tour in a punk rock band. I had two different bass guitars, two different amps, spent lots of time training my brain how to sing and play at the same time, slaved for hours writing music and songs while channeling emotions into words, etc. With a bit of extra cash on hand after taxes, I realized something really insane.

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Extremely Rare Leica M3 Prototype Awaits at Leitz Photographica Auction

If you’re looking for an extremely rare Leica like the M3 Prototype, you don’t want to miss the upcoming Leitz Photographica Auction!

Not so long ago, we excitedly reported the sweet lineup of the greatest and rarest Leica cameras that await us at the 34th run of the Leitz Photographica Auction (formerly WestLicht Photographica Auction). If you’ve set your eyes on the precious Leica M3 No.700005, you might also want to keep your eye out for the Leica M3 Prototype!

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Are Fast Aperture Lenses Really Worth the Money? Probably Not!

Fast aperture lenses are all the rage for photographers who care about getting every little bit of light and bokeh. 

When you start out as a photographer, you probably go straight for the kit lens or small, fast aperture lenses like a 50mm f1.8 or so. There are reasons why some lenses are called Nifty 50–and it’s because at 50mms they can let in a lot of light and can help a photographer grow and improve for many years. In some cases they’re very affordable, but in other cases manufacturers will demand a premium for the lens. It all varies on a number of factors, so we’re going to take a look at a number of options out there.

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Leica Banned in Chinese Social Media for This Controversial Ad

The iconic “Tank Man” from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests was one of the conflicts depicted in the controversial Leica promo video.

Leica has been making the rounds again as of late, not for a specific camera but for a promotional video that got it banned in China. Titled The Hunt, the video features a cinematic depiction of conflict scenes around the world, including the iconic “Tank Man” from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. The video has since put the German camera company under fire from online commenters and was banned on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

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Sweet Lineup of Rare Leicas Up for Grabs in Leitz Photographica Auction

If your need is strong and your wallet is ready, there’s a bunch of rare Leica goodies waiting for you in the upcoming Leitz Photographica Auction.

We’ve been keeping an eye on rare Leica cameras on our vintage finds features, but the upcoming 34th auction of the Leitz Photographica Auction (formerly WestLicht Photographica Auction) is most likely your best bet for scoring some of the rarest. Chances are, you’re still missing one or two (or even all) of the items in the collection, so mark your calendars and make plans for Wetzlar, Germany on June 8th if you’re keen on checking them out.

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Just How Does the Weather Sealing on Higher End Cameras Stack Up?

We asked manufacturers to show us what they’re got when it comes to weather sealing their cameras.

Weather sealing is far more important than you’d think when comes to your camera’s operability. It’s one of the biggest variables that we test with cameras that boast this. With our 10 years of testing cameras and lenses, we asked each manufacturer to show us some of their best. With that said, we asked for weather sealing diagrams on some of their best cameras–and they provided, for the most part. We incorporated this with our real world testing to see just how each system is stacking up to one another.

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Review: Leica Q2 (Almost a Perfect Camera, But Still Not There)

The Leica Q2 on paper showed a whole lot of promise; but in real life practice it didn’t surprise as much as its predecessor.

When I first got the Leica Q2 in my hands, I really wondered if Leica had created a perfect full frame point and shoot. And in some ways, I think that they did; but in other ways I believe that it wasn’t thought out fully despite the big deal of it being given some of the best weather sealing on the market. Targeted as a backup camera for professional photographers and as a camera for photographers who want to travel a lot, the Leica Q2 offers a lot. In addition to the tank-like exterior, it boasts a 47.3MP full frame sensor in addition to a high resolution EVF. The focal length is still a 28mm f1.7 lens but this time it is not only weather sealed but offers optical image stabilization. The camera can also shoot at 10fps to help you capture the decisive moment. And while the Leica Q2 delivers beautiful images, I’m still not sure that I can give it a full stamp of approval.

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5 of Our Favorite Film Rangefinder Cameras (One for Everyone)

If you’re really looking for a solid film rangefinder camera, you should know that you don’t need to spend a whole lot.

When I went on my journey to grow as a photographer, some of the best tools that I had were film rangefinder cameras. I’m still very much of the belief that any and every photographer should shoot film and use cameras that don’t have metering built in to become better. They’ll move slower, they’ll have a lot more intent with their images, and they’ll create something much more unique to them. So we went into our reviews index to find some of our favorites film rangefinder cameras. And here they are!

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Someone Needs to Make a Full Frame, Rangefinder Style Camera with Autofocus

There are too many SLR style full frame Mirrorless cameras out there and not enough rangefinder style.

My biggest hope for years now were that Sony would take the form factor of their a6xxx series cameras and make it full frame with a few extra upgrades; but we never got it. Then I was looking to both Canon and Nikon to do it. And they never did it. Surely I thought that Panasonic, with their history involving Leica, would be the ones. But alas, I was again disappointed. Like some of you, I fall into the camera of photographers who like the Olympus Pen F, the Fujifilm X Pro 2, and the Fujifilm GFX 50R more so than the SLR style camera bodies. To me, they’re more familiar. Perhaps like you, I was trained on Leicas. The feeling of a Hexar AF, a Contax G2, and a Mamiya 6 appealed to me more than some of the most prolific film cameras of all time.

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The Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f2 ASPH Sweetens the L Mount

If you’re looking for a fast prime Leica SL lens to slap on your L-Mount Camera, your search might be over.

We all love prime lenses, and today Leica SL, and L Mount Alliance camera users should rejoice. Leica Cameras have just announced that a new fast prime will be joining their family; the APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f2 ASPH. This high performance lens may have a long name, but it’s short, wide focal length will make it popular with street, environmental portrait photographers, and documentarians everywhere. Continue reading…

This $750,000 Leica 35mm F1.4 Summilux-M AA Prototype Is Still Up for Grabs

Looking for the next rare Leica item to add to your vintage collection? This prototype lens certainly fits the bill — and is guaranteed to rip a hole through your wallet.  

It’s yet another day for a rare vintage Leica, so if you’re looking for one, today is your lucky day. But, maybe not so much for your wallet. This rare silver prototype of the Leica 35mm Summilux-M f1.4 Double Aspherical Lens has once again surfaced on our ebay radar, still with the hefty price tag. But, we’ll let you be the judge of whether it’s worth the $750,000 asking price!

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Sigma Updates 11 of Their Art Lens Primes for the L Mount

Sigma’s first L mount lenses are a conversion of their current lineup of DSLR Art Prime lenses.

Just in time for WPPI 2019, Sigma is announcing a conversion of a number of their lenses. In the same fashion that they did for the Sony E mount, Sigma is retooling and rehousing a number of their lenses for L mount. Sigma, along with Panasonic, joined Leica to create the L mount coalition in an effort to deliver more full frame mirrorless camera and lens variety to the current market. Just like they did with the Sony E mount, Sigma’s first offerings are a number of their very good prime lenses.

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RNI All Films Gets Updated to Support Nikon Z6/Z7, Leica DLux 7, and More

 RNI has updated All Films Lightroom presets to v4.0.9 and includes native support for new RAW file formats.

While digital images are great, many photographers (myself included) are still in love with the unique look of film. Fortunately, there are things we can do in post to recreate the look of films we love. We can either spend hours trying to recreate the looks ourselves, or we can use Lightroom presets. RNI’s All Films has presets for negative, slide, instant, black and white, and vintage films, and now the preset pack has been updated to work with the new Nikon Z line, the Leica D-Lux 7, and many more new cameras. Join us after the break to find out more. Continue reading…

This Rare Leica IIIf was Made for the Swedish Army in 1956

Feast your eyes on this rare Leica IIIf model if you fancy another military-issued vintage beauty to add to your collection.

It’s time once again for us to share our latest vintage find to those of you keen on expanding your camera collection with another rare addition. This time, it’s another early edition Leica which not only comes in stunning black color and some brassing here and there, but also with a fascinating military history. If military-issued cameras are your thing, you better make space — and find funds — for this beauty!

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Review: Leica 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron (Leica M Mount)

With the Leica 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron lens photographers are getting a bokeh render that they’re bound to appreciate.

Though I’ll admit that I’m more partial to the Summilux series of lenses, the Leica 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron is surely an option that many photographers using Leica or other cameras will want to consider in part due to its pretty darned affordable price point. Introduced just a few years ago, the Leica 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron and in general the 35mm f2 lenses from Leica have been a favorite of many photographers for the bokeh. But if you ask me, I’d like to think that the Leica 35mm f2 ASPH Summicron isn’t better than the Summilux version and that this option is really just for the film photographer that wants something on the more affordable side. It’s a nice lens for sure; but at the same time, it’s also, well, boring. By that, I mean that I don’t see or feel the magic of this lens that I have with many of the company’s other optics.

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A Warming Lens Filter vs a Warm Filter in Photoshop – Which is Better?

A lens filter can help you get images right in camera, but do they work as well as Photoshop filters?

There’s no doubt about the fact that programs like Lightroom, Capture One, and Photoshop have changed the photography world, but are the changes always for the better? The guys over at NegativeFeedback recently started applying a warming filter to their images in Photoshop, and for the most part the effect was liked. After thinking about things, and after doing a little research, a decision was made to buy a warming lens filter to see if the effect from the analog filter would be better than its digital counterpart. Continue reading…