gear

All posts tagged gear

All Kinds of New Gear Announced This Week!

Posted by scottbourne on October 22, 2009
Posted in: News. Tagged: .

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So far, here are the top three announcements in my mind…

Canon has announced the 1D MK IV. This new camera has a brand new 45-point autofocus system, 10FPS and a 1.3 crop sensor that offers 16.1 megapixels. They’ve also added pro-level 1080p, 24 FPS video to the camera. What’s most interesting is that Canon is claiming to match Nikon’s new DS3 with a top ISO of 102,400!!!

I haven’t tested this new camera yet and yes, I do have one on the way. But given Canon’s VERY difficult road with the previous sports camera, the 1D MK III, I’m taking a real wait and see approach. The autofocus will receive a great deal of scrutiny since Canon had so much trouble on the III. But to Canon’s credit, they seemed to have made significant improvements in their AF technology with the 7D. So I am hopeful.

This new $5000 body will in effect be a top-dog camera for Canon, meant to compete with the D3S. But here’s the rub. The D3S has a 12.1 megapixel sensor and the 1D MK IV has a 16.1 megapixel sensor. Canon claims to be able to achieve super low-light performance with this larger sensor due to some back-end processing in their Digic 4 processors. Sorry folks, but the math doesn’t add up. We’ve covered scenarios like this before. When you cram four million more pixels onto an even SMALLER sensor than the one used in the Nikon D3/D3S, there’s just no way the high-ISO performance can match up. I predict that Nikon will still lead the way in low-light performance offering a full-frame sensor to go with it, and Canon will continue to expand it’s already significant lead over Nikon when it comes to 1080p, high-quality video. Tests are coming from me on both cameras when available.

Lensbaby has expanded its line of optics with the new Fisheye Optic and Soft Focus Optic. Each is available for use with the Lensbaby Composer® and Muse®*. In addition, the Soft Focus Optic is compatible with the Lensbaby Control Freak™.

The new Lensbaby Fisheye Optic allows photographers to turn their Lensbaby Composer or Muse into a fisheye lens by swapping out the installed optic and dropping the new Fisheye Optic into the lens. This optic’s six element multi-coated optical design features an ultra-wide 12mm F/4 focal length capable of capturing a 160 degree fisheye angle of view from infinity all the way down to one-inch from the front of the lens.

Due to the extremely wide angle field of view, photographers who use a full-frame camera will generally see a black circle around almost the entire image, and smaller APS-sized sensor shooters will see black at the corners of their images. This black edge is typical for standard fisheye lenses. However, the Lensbaby Fisheye Optic features a creative lens flare effect that causes the edge areas that would ordinarily be black to glow with color whenever there are bright light sources in the image. The Fisheye Optic lens flare effect is particularly apparent when shooting with a full frame camera.

The images created by the Fisheye Optic are sharp throughout the image at darker apertures. While the Fisheye Optic creates some edge blur at brighter apertures, it does not feature the Sweet Spot of sharp focus and dramatic blur that are trademarks of the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics. Instead of bending the lens, photographers typically will point their Lensbaby straight ahead to achieve a classic fisheye look.

The Lensbaby Fisheye Optic is available immediately for $149.95.

The Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic works with Lensbaby’s Creative Effects SLR camera lenses, the Composer, Muse and Control Freak. Images created with the 50mm focal length f/2 Soft Focus Optic feature a soft and diffused appearance. The Soft Focus Optic’s multi-coated optical glass doublet creates a much flatter field of focus than previous Lensbaby optics, making this optic well-suited for a variety of soft focus applications. This new optic does not have the Sweet Spot of sharp focus and dramatic blur outside of that spot created by the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics.

The Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic is available immediately for $89.95.

I already have both products sitting on my desk and when I return home I’ll put them through their paces and offer a review here on Photofocus.

Lexar Media announced it will offer the Lexar® Professional 600x CompactFlash® (CF) card, a new memory card that provides enhanced speed and performance. The Lexar Professional 600x CF memory card will offer increased speed and performance, with a guaranteed minimum sustained write speed capability of 600x (90MB/s) when paired with a UDMA 6 enabled device.

In addition, the Lexar Professional 600x CF memory card increases workflow with minimum sustained read speeds of 533x (80MB/s), or faster when paired with a UDMA 6-enabled reader such as the new Lexar Professional ExpressCard™ CompactFlash Reader. Available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities.

The 16GB and 8GB versions of the new card and the reader will be available at the end of this month for US $299.99 and $199 respectively. The 32GB version will be able in November 2009. All capacities will include a free downloadable copy of the newest version of Image Rescue, Version 4.

Again, I have product on the way for testing and will report back as soon as I can.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Seven Tips for New Camera Buyers

Posted by scottbourne on August 11, 2009
Posted in: Tips. Tagged: .

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So you want to buy a new camera? Here are some tips to help you make sure you get the right one.

1. Buy the best camera you can afford if you’re really serious about photography and buy the least expensive camera you need to get the job done if you’re just a casual hobbyist.

2. If you want to put yourself on the best upgrade path, buy a DSLR.

3. Buy the camera that you think will meet your needs, not the camera that all the folks on the local camera club Internet forum think is new.

4. If you can’t decide between brands, pick the brand that your friends use or that your local store supports. That way you can get help more easily when you get stuck.

5. Buy a 50mm F/1.8 fixed focal length lens with your DSLR body instead of the kit lens. This puts you on the quality glass path early.

6. Buy a camera that shoots RAW and that gives you complete manual control – whether you plan to use it or not.

7. If you’re trying to save money, look for the most recent version of the top camera in your class that is available used. For instance, if you decided to buy a top of the line point and shoot camera like the Canon G10, the Canon G9 is a very good second choice and will save you money. (Some people even prefer the G9 to the G10 because it has better low-light performance and better video.)

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

It’s Not Easy Having Fun

Posted by scottbourne on August 9, 2009
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: .

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Image and Post by Rick Sammon – Follow Rick Sammon on Twitter

At a recent seminar, a woman asked my advice: “I am going on a trip and I am trying to decide on what photo gear to bring. What’s your advice?”

I suggested that she bring all her gear: cameras, lenses, flash, laptop, card reader, etc. (Not that much stuff, relatively speaking.)

“All that gear does not fit in my backpack and carry-on,” she replied.

“Uh, get a bigger backpack and carry -on,” I suggested.

“I don’t want to lug around all that stuff – too heavy, too bulky and too much to manage,” she sighed.

“Hey! It’s not easy having fun,” I said. “You have to work at it,” I smiled.

The point of this little homily: If you are serious about your photography and want to have fun with it, you often need to work at it – and that often involves lugging around more gear than you really want to lug. Been there, done that. However, all that lugging pays off when you have the right gear for the right situation.

Here’s a look at some of my digital photography travel gear. You may not need all this stuff, but I wanted to give you an idea of the gear commitment a serious on-location digital photographer needs to make.

• Laptop loaded with image-editing program

• Digital SLR, lenses and flash

• Battery chargers

• Memory cards

• Memory card reader

• Portable hard drive for backing up images

Not shown (only prime gear in this photo): Another camera body, additional lenses, flash diffuser, polarizing filter, batteries for flash, extra camera batteries, surge-suppressor power strip, tripod and camera bag.

Well, I gotta go. Need to pack all the necessary gear for my next shoot. If you see someone dragging around a lot of stuff in an airport, it could be me. Say hi.

Hey, they don’t call me “King of the Bag Drag” for nothing!

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Summer Gear Recommendations for Traveling Photographers

Posted by scottbourne on July 7, 2009
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , .

gear

Image and Post by Rick Sammon – Follow Rick Sammon on Twitter

Photographers certainly need the right camera to record their memories. They also need accessories to protect their gear – especially during the summer months, when quick rain and sun showers can show up in a flash.

In this quickie blog post, I’ll share just a few of my favorite accessories to keep you gear safe and sound – in and under water.

Small plastic bag

A small plastic trash bag is the most affordable accessory listed here, but it can save the day in the rain, sleet and snow. It can make the difference between a photograph and no photograph. Sure, store-bought camera protectors are available, and some are listed below. But if you keep a plastic bag tucked in your camera bag, you will never miss a shot during a sudden downpour.
I recommend using small bags to avoid too much bulk around your camera. Before you go in the field, cut a small opening for the viewfinder in the bottom of the bag.

Keepin’ Dry

A step up – a big step up – from a plastic bag is Kata E-702 Large Digital SLR Camera Raincover. This accessory protects your camera so you can keep shooting under any conditions. The transparent cover can be adjusted to fit any pro digital SLR using the pull cords and the PP hood accommodates a variety of lens diameters. The sleeves on either end are spacious, allowing you to easily access your camera’s controls.

Tote your gear in all weather

For the traveling photographer, the Lowepro Stealth Reporter D550 AW Camera Bag
shoulder bag allows you to quickly access your gear, which can be organized however you like it with the removable, adjustable dividers. An all-weather cover and hood wraps entirely around the bag for ultimate protection against the elements. The bag also includes a foam-padded shoulder strap and waist belt slots to distribute the weight more evenly.

Enter the Dry Zone

The Lowepro DryZone 200 Camera Backpack has a water-resistant exterior and a 100% watertight inner dry pouch, so even if you drop the bag into a running river, your gear is fully protected. Other great features of this rugged backpack include a well padded interior that can be customized to fit your equipment, adjustable shoulder straps, a tuck-away tripod holder, self-draining mesh pockets, and attachment loops for accessories.

Protection in rain, sleet and snow and even underwater

Ewa-Marine flexible camera housings are designed for photographing underwater, but can also be used to protect your camera from rain, ocean spray, humidity and sand. The housings are made of thick PVC and come in several variations to fit nearly all types of digital compact and SLR cameras. Secure and durable, they adjust to the water pressure and allow you to take your camera to depths of down to 150 feet. Contact: Ewa-Marine (RTS Photo), (631) 242-6801, www.rtsphoto.com.

Take a Dive

The underwater systems offered by Ikelite are heavy-duty, thick wall housings that are molded from clear polycarbonate material. You can choose from the many different models to fit your specific camera. The compact systems, safe to use at maximum depths of 200 feet, give you full access to the camera’s controls, sealing them with reliable Quad-Ring seal glands. The provided magnifier offers improved viewing while wearing a diving mask. Contact: Ikelite, (317) 923-4523, www.ikelite.com.

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How Safe is Your Camera Gear — And What Can You do to Protect it?

Posted by scottbourne on April 20, 2009
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , .

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Face it, if you have lots of camera gear, you at least need to think about what would happen if someone stole it.

What precautions can you take to help prevent this and what should you do in the event it happens?

Let’s start at the beginning. Have insurance. I’ve written about this before so brush up on insurance – then come back here for more

So we’ll assume you have insurance. What else can you do?

At home or at the studio, consider a burglar alarm. Depending on the amount of gear you have, you can get by with something as simple as a Radio Shack sensor alarm – all the way to the top-of-the-line military spec system. I just spent $20k installing a new system at my new office. There are the usual devices that notify me if someone breaks a window or opens the door. But there are more sophisticated tools you might want to consider adding to your system. I got 24/7 camera monitoring, pressure plates for key areas of the office/studio, audio and infrared sensors, motion sensors and heat sensors. There are other devices beyond these, but they are probably cost-prohibitive for most photographers.

If you can afford it, get a monitored burglar alarm. This means someone will call police or fire if the alarm goes off and they don’t get a challenge response code to stop the alarm. If you’re out of town, a loud bell going off at your place of business won’t help you. A monitoring company can call you on your cell phone and let you know the situation.

In addition to a good burglar alarm, good storage inside your home or studio is helpful. If someone got past our alarm and into our gear room, they’d find fire-proof file cabinets that are actually like safes. They won’t open with the usual burglar tools and provide an additional level of security.

There are things you can do just by changing your behavior to minimize your exposure on the road. When you stay at a hotel, make sure to either leave your gear in the front office safe when you go out or keep it with you at all times. I’ve been known to frequent many a dining establishment carrying all my gear. I want to keep it with me, not in the hotel room or the car In most cases, the car is safer than the room.

Try not to “gear up” in the place where you stay or in situations where people will easily take note of your possessions. When I return to the hotel at night, I try to make sure all my gear is packed into the bags well before I pull into the hotel parking lot. That way, anyone who sees me moving in and out of the room won’t necessarily know I am a photographer. When I check into the hotel, I don’t even tell the front desk I am a photographer. No need to advertise it.

Speaking of cars – I always try to park in full view of the hotel front desk, or alternatively, right outside my hotel room door if that’s available. If your vehicle doesn’t have an alarm, consider installing one. My alarm comes with a pager that will page me if the alarm goes off, in addition to sounding three very nasty, loud horns in the vehicle. Also make sure you park in well-lit areas and avoid high-crime districts if possible. Try to never let anyone see you walk away from a vehicle after you’ve just stored your gear inside.

Here are a few additional random security tips. I always keep an older, small CF card in my pocket. If a “security” official decides I am a terrorist demanding to see my pictures, I hand them the blank card and tell them I just got started. Nothing to see. I also make sure my name and phone number are written on all my memory cards, camera gear and camera bags.

Wrapping up. Take pictures of all your gear. This makes for a record on the condition of the gear. That will be important if you do not have replacement coverage. Also make sure you have a complete list of your gear, including serial numbers. This will be helpful in case you ever have a theft, the police and the insurance company will want this information. DON’T store this list with your gear – if you keep this list in your camera bag it won’t be much help once that bag is stolen.

Also make sure you contact local camera stores and notify any online photo communities in case you have a loss. Sometimes, the gear quickly makes it onto a web site or over to your local camera shop’s used desk. You might assume the police will check these places so you don’t have to, but you’d be wrong. Unless you live in a very small town, it’s unlikely the police will do anything for you other than hand you the form your insurance agent needs to reimburse you. The cops are too busy in most jurisdictions to even show up for a property crime report.

Like anything else, a little common sense goes a long way when it comes to your camera gear.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Is It Safe To Buy Refurbished Cameras?

Posted by scottbourne on April 8, 2009
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , .

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I get this question often. I always answer “Yes” with some words of warning. Know who’s selling that refurb. If a well-known, established company like B&H Photo sells a refurb, (that’s not a recommendation just an example) you can trust it. If a company you’ve never heard of, particularly one located in Brooklyn, NY offers a refurb, stay away. (To check the reports on a given reseller, try
http://www.resellerratings.com/
. It’s usually a very reliable indicator of the quality of the company you’re considering buying from.)

Refurbs that actually come from the manufacturer can be a great deal. Most come in non-descript boxes (Canon usually ships in white boxes) with all the items you’d get if you bought the camera new, including some sort of manufacturer’s warranty. I’ve purchased more than a dozen refurbished cameras and lenses and never regretted it.

Depending on who you buy from, be sure to ask if the accessories are included. Some of the less-reputable camera stores (again, particularly those located in back alleys of Brooklyn) will advertise a super low price on the camera but then lie to you and tell you it doesn’t come with a battery, body cap, strap, etc.)

I always buy USA refurbs. I always buy from a dealer I can trust. I always buy from a true manufacturer’s representative. (Contact the camera/lens manufacturer to check to see if the reseller you are dealing with is truly an authorized representative. Many companies that do business online make that claim falsely. Don’t trust the reseller. Check with the manufacturer. If that reseller is NOT an authorized reseller, you won’t have the promised warranty.

Pay with a credit card. That way you have certain protection if the goods are not as promised.

This is a great time to save money. Buying last year’s top-of-the-line gear at significant savings can get you a newer camera without bankrupting what’s left of your 401K.

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Lensbaby

All About the Ubiquitous Camera Eyepiece Cover

Posted by scottbourne on March 11, 2009
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , .

eyepiece

When you buy a new camera, you might find an oddly-shaped piece of plastic that comes in a small plastic package. Sometimes it’s attached to your strap. What is it? Probably a camera eyepiece cover. Some topline pro cameras have this feature built into the camera itself. Others provide this piece of plastic to cover the viewfinder when you’re shooting in a manner that takes your eye away from the camera.

Any time you take a picture without looking through the camera’s optical viewfinder, the eyepiece should be covered. If you don’t cover the viewfinder, your meter could be tricked by the light entering the back of the camera. This can throw off your exposure. While most photographers know light can enter your camera through the lens, many don’t realize it can enter through the rear of the camera. So if you’re shooting on a timer and you move your eye away from the camera viewfinder, use the cover. Otherwise you might just end up with an underexposed photo.