The Best Photography Gifts – Holiday Gear Guide 2010
I regularly get asked for recommendations on what gear people should start out with, use, and upgrade to, so I thought that this year I’d put together a list for the holidays. Here’s my list of recommendations if you’re looking for ways to spend your hard-earned money on that best of gifts: photography equipment.
Review: Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR
Five-years after the release of Canon’s popular 24-105mm f/4 L zoom, Nikon has finally thrown a wide-range, constant-aperture contender into the ring: the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR. Following the introduction of the Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR, Nikon’s new wide-angle to telephoto 5x zoom packs a hugely useful range into a compact form factor. However, all the [...]
Review: Think Tank Airport International v2.0 Rolling Camera Bag
For years, I’ve relied on a modular backpack system by Kinesis for hauling my gear through the airports and cities of the world. To it’s immense credit: the bag is 100% customizable and has fit into absolutely every single overhead bin I’ve ever faced, from the cavernous storage of international jetliners to tiny bins of [...]
Comparison Review: Tamron 28-75mm VS Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
I often get asked about alternatives to the expensive pro lenses from Canon and Nikon. As I rely on the standard f/2.8 midrange zoom for much of my work, I thought that I’d take the time to look at some popular third-party options: the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms. Just like [...]
Comparison: Phottix Strato vs Yongnuo RF-602
After reviewing both the Phottix Strato and the Yongnuo RF-602, here’s the $64,000 question: Are the Strato worth the premium compared to the current reigning budget champ? Both offer very similar specifications (2.4GHz spectrum, four-channels, hotshoe receivers, etc), but there are important differences that set these two systems apart.
Review: Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S
Even with increasingly stunning high ISO performance in DSLRs, there’s just no substitute for fast glass. After years of neglect, Nikon’s introduction of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-S marked the start of a new era for F-mount primes. The new AF-S lens features a built-in Silent Wave Motor, drops the aperture ring, and features a [...]
New Nikon D7000, 35mm f/1.4, SB-700 Speedlight
Today Nikon has announced a lot of fun toys ahead of Photokina in Cologne, Germany next week. There’s just about something for everyone in the announcements, but what peaks my interest are the new Nikon D7000 DSLR, a brand new 35mm f/1.4 prime lens, and the SB-700 speedlight.
Review: Phottix Strato Wireless Flash Triggers
After a few months of mystery, Phottix recently announced the second generation of their Strato wireless flash triggers. While at first glance the Strato looks like your standard 2.4GHz wireless flash trigger, Phottix has included so many smart details that the system warrants serious consideration for any speedlight shooter looking to step up to the [...]
Nikon Announces new 85mm f/1.4 & 24-120mm f/4
Both the new Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S and Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR have long been rumored, and they’ve finally been officially announced along with Nikon’s new HD video-capable DSLR, the Nikon D3100. For me, the most interesting announcements are the pro-grade 85mm and 24-120mm lenses – my thoughts on these announcements after the jump.
Review: Yongnuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Triggers
As you may know, I’m a big fan of Nikon’s “Creative Lighting System” of wireless flash (CLS) for my portrait work. And with wireless TTL control of up to three remote flash groups without any additional hardware beyond your Nikon speedlights, there’s a lot to love. However, there are lighting situations and setups where IR [...]
Review: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII
The 70-200mm range has been a staple telephoto lens for decades, starting with manual focus 80-200mm f/2.8 zooms in the 1980s. The latest lens in Nikon’s stable is the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II, the successor to the popular Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR I that was introduced in 2003. Thanks to the good folks at [...]
Point & Shoot Cameras For Concert Photography
Everyone has to start somewhere, and countless music photographers working in the photo pits started out as fans in the crowd. Point & shoot cameras have the advantage of being compact, unobtrusive, and relatively inexpensive. Here’s a look at three quality point and shoots for the budding live music photographer.
Lightroom 3 Beta – Improved Camera Profiles, Highlight Rendering
Hot on the heels of the Beta 2 release, Adobe Labs has released new and improved camera profiles for the Nikon D3 and D700. Considering that those are the two cameras I shoot day in and day out, Adobe had my keen attention. So, how do these new profiles stack up to the gold standard [...]
Lightroom 3 Beta 2: Initial Thoughts
Adobe Labs has released the Lightroom 3 Beta 2, an update to the public beta of their latest photo management software. Here’s a quick look at some of the new features of the new Lightroom 3 Beta and what they mean for low light shooting and your digital photography workflow.
Nikon Announces 24mm f/1.4 & 16-35mm f/4
Nikon has just announced two new lenses – the Nikon 24mm f/1.4 and Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR. With the new 24mm f/1.4, Nikon has finally offered an update to fill the niche left by the discontinued Nikon 28mm f/1.4, but is it too little, too late? What do these lenses mean for music photography?
Lightroom 3 vs Nikon Capture NX 2
I’ve been a Nikon Capture NX user for years. Which means that I’ve suffered for years. But not out of any sense of masochism, but rather in the pursuit of the highest quality in converting my RAW files. As any casual user of Nikon software will swear (believe me, we all swear when using Capture [...]
Lastolite Cold Shoe Mod for Nikon SB-900
Any photographer using the Nikon SB-900 speedlight knows that flagship flash has a problem playing well with others. Specifically, Nikon changed the clearance between the flash body and the foot of the flash, such that the flash doesn’t fit into the cold shoes with a fatter design. Here’s a super easy mod I did to [...]
The Nooka Zirc is Here
The new Nooka Zirc NT arrived last week, thanks to the ever-gracious Matthew Waldman and the fine folks at Nooka. With it’s black on black details, I think it’s a watch any ninja – or concert photographer – would love.
Push Processing and Unity Gain
Explosions In The Sky. Nikon D3 and 14-24mm at 14mm. f/2.8, 1/60, and ISO 12800. Answers to the Pepsi Challenge of high ISO and push processing, and an introduction to unity gain.
High ISO Push Processing
Can you tell the difference between an image shot natively at ISO 12800 and one underexposed at ISO 6400 and pushed +1EV in post? Updated: Now includes samples converted with the RAW converter RPP.
The Nooka Zen H: Rockstar approved
Erykah Badu performing at the Fabulous Fox, August 1, 2008, sporting a gold Zot V. What do Erykah Badu, Lil Wayne, and the Go! Team‘s Nkechi Ka Egenamba have in common? Aside from being performers I’ve photographed, they all rock Nooka watches.
Canon 5D Mark II: High ISO Samples
You want full resolution, high ISO files from the Canon 5D Mark II? You got it.
Canon 5D Mark II Announcement, First Thoughts
Canon has announced the 5D Mark II, the successor to the groundbreaking 5D, which brought full-frame image-making to the masses three years ago. The new camera boasts a 21.03 megapixel CMOS sensor which, according to Rob Galbraith, Canon promises will produce the highest image quality and lowest noise ever from an EOS digital SLR. Bold [...]
Choosing Lenses for Concert Photography
Given the shooting constraints of concert photography, from song limits to bad lighting, the last thing you want to do is show up for a gig lenses that aren’t cut out for the job. If you’re just starting out with gig photography, here are a few suggestions for lenses that are up to the low-light [...]
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