My pal Trey Ratcliff has done it again. He’s worked with Peak Design to take the advanced features of his Everyday Messenger Bag to a backpack. If you’ve seen one of the original Everyday Messenger Bags you will have a good idea of what to expect in the Peak Design Everyday Backpack model. Both bags were some of the most popular ever on Kickstarter being seriously over-subscribed in a matter of hours. Millions of dollars in orders later, I am not prepared to listen to criticism along the lines of “Nobody will buy that bag - it’s too … [Read more...] about Peak Design’s New Everyday Backpack
Reviews
Photofocus Products of the Year – Levi Sim
Editor’s Note: It’s time for something new. In the past, Photofocus has made it a practice of acknowledging a specific camera and/or lens as the “camera/lens” of the year. This year several of us are putting together a list including camera and lens choices along with a few other pieces of gear that we think you’ll like. While it’s not designed specifically as a holiday gift guide, this list does happen to be a resource for photographers (and their friends/family) who want to get the ball rolling on their holiday shopping. A few things … [Read more...] about Photofocus Products of the Year – Levi Sim
Photofocus Products Of The Year – Kevin Ames
Editor’s Note: It’s time for something new. In the past, Photofocus has made it a practice of acknowledging a specific camera and/or lens as the “camera/lens” of the year. This year several of us are putting together a list including camera and lens choices along with a few other pieces of gear that we think you’ll like. While it’s not designed specifically as a holiday gift guide, this list does happen to be a resource for photographers (and their friends/family) who want to get the ball rolling on their holiday shopping. A few things … [Read more...] about Photofocus Products Of The Year – Kevin Ames
The Drobo 5C’s performance, from a budget conscious perspective.
There's a new box on the block! It is a whole lot more affordable and all of what we'd expect in terms of quality from Drobo. Bottom Line: The 5C is an affordable, super simple and easy to use, expandable, directly-attached storage device that can hold up to five 3.5" drives of various brands and capacities for computers that may or may not use USB-C. This magic black box is purposefully featuring a USB-C port for all those who are early adopters, but also features backward compatibility with USB 3.0 over USB-A as well as many other … [Read more...] about The Drobo 5C’s performance, from a budget conscious perspective.
Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer Mini Review
If you'd like to make a real impression next time you're out with friends and family, then the Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer may be just the thing for you. Polaroid has long been synonymous with immediately sharing memories with friends, and this Zip printer carries on the tradition. I recently brought one to my family reunion and it was a hit, and I used it at the Photofocus Party at Photoshop World with great success. Let me show you how it works and why you might like it. It's Handy This little printer makes a tangible, real life … [Read more...] about Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer Mini Review
Reviewed: Fujifilm Instax SP-2 Printer
I’m old enough to remember the days of the Polaroid. But I’m young enough to appreciate the benefits of a digital medium in photography. The brilliant Fujifilm Instax SP-2 Printer blends both worlds perfectly. It takes the fuss and pixel peeping tendency out of digital and puts tangible little business card sized prints in your hot little hand. The printer brings good simple fun to photography. Overview This latest model, the SP-2, brings improved resolution, a rechargeable battery and a choice of colors. But to get hung up on the specs is to … [Read more...] about Reviewed: Fujifilm Instax SP-2 Printer
Book Review: Black and White Artistry, by Chuck Kimmerle
Black and white photography is a passion for me which I actively pursue. I've just read a good book on the subject by Chuck Kimmerle called, Black and White Artistry, The Creative Photographer's Guide to Interpreting Places and Spaces. Kimmerle's made a living in pictures first as a photojournalist at several papers and then as a staff photographer at a college and always as an artist. This book emphasizes that art and creativity are subjective. He doesn't try to teach elementary principles like form and pattern and texture by describing them … [Read more...] about Book Review: Black and White Artistry, by Chuck Kimmerle
Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
I just wrapped up installing a Seagate 2TB FireCuda gaming hard drive into a 2012 27" iMac, and boy is it worth it! The reason I chose this specific hard drive is due to the technology that this drive uses. Seagate, back in 2010, launched one of my favorite affordable upgrades for laptops-- a hard drive line called Momentus XT. This hard drive differs from the usual hard drives by combining the then new technology of solid state storage with the larger, more spacious, traditional platter hard drives. This combination drastically improved … [Read more...] about Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
Photoshop CC (November 2016) Adds New In-App Search Tool
https://youtu.be/Pw_IqRbCpWU Photoshop CC's New In-App Search allows you to quickly search Photoshop tools, panels, menus, Adobe Stock assets, help content and tutorials from within Photoshop using a new search panel that’s right at your fingertips. You can either hold down CMD+F (or Ctrl+F on Windows) to launch it, or click on the new search symbol in the upper right corner of the application frame to enable this new feature. Here's an additional video from Adobe Evangelist (and friend of Photofocus) Julieanne Kost explaining how she … [Read more...] about Photoshop CC (November 2016) Adds New In-App Search Tool
Brevitē, Camera Backpack Rolltop First Look
Lots of camera backpacks. That’s the first thing people see when they look into my closet. You can never have too many of them. And these days, there are more types and styles of camera backpacks than ever. Recognizing that “style” is more important to today’s camera bag buyers than it used to be, several companies are trying to cater to the photographer who needs to carry their kit but also wants to look good doing it. The Brevitē Rolltop features a removable camera-carry system that allows the backpack to be transformed from a camera … [Read more...] about Brevitē, Camera Backpack Rolltop First Look
Adobe Announces Project Felix
https://youtu.be/yaMjHn-RJYA Adobe has announced a new member of the Photoshop family, Project Felix. Project Felix gives designers easy-to-use 3D tools to help them create high quality images with photo-realistic effects without time-consuming workflows or 3D expertise. In the video above you can see the very easy workflow. In a nutshell, Project Felix delivers in 3 key areas: Easy access to assets. Project Felix comes with a library of models, materials and lights to help you get started the moment you open it on your desktop. Its … [Read more...] about Adobe Announces Project Felix
Real-world Review: ORCA Carry-On Wheeled Suitcase
I’m a sucker for camera bags. I don’t think of them as fashion statements, but you wouldn’t know by looking at my gear room. I’ve got a wide range of bags for all sorts of purposes, flying, studio work, street photography, backpacking, and more. The folks at Orca sent me.a new bag to review, which I’m always game for… so let’s jump in. Let's take a real-world look at the the ORCA OR-11 Rolling Suitcase for DSLR Cameras. Is it Sturdy? What I like about this bag is it seems well-built. Let’s go from the bottom up. Durable wheels. The … [Read more...] about Real-world Review: ORCA Carry-On Wheeled Suitcase
Adobe Portfolio: Initial Impressions
Adobe Portfolio, free with a Creative Cloud subscription, is a real gem. Even if you’re perfectly happy with your website, I recommend taking a look at it. For me, it’s a been a perfect tool to publish a broader selection of work while maintaining the narrow focus of my primary website—headshots. I’m of the opinion that you must be known for a specialization within photography. The website on your business card or in your Facebook Ads must make it very clear what you do. But marketing your speciality doesn’t mean you can’t publish other work … [Read more...] about Adobe Portfolio: Initial Impressions
Adobe Spark Page Adds a Sparkle to Your Storytelling
Adobe Spark Page is an amazing story-telling platform. It can be used as a travel journal to share adventures, a means to display a portfolio, or as a marketing or training tool. I am just getting my feet wet, having created a couple of on-line journals to share with friends, and am very excited by future possibilities. In a nutshell, Adobe Spark Page allows you to blend together different communication tools--photos, text, videos, links, and “glideshows," in one presentation on a “Page”. Once your Page is completed, you create a link to … [Read more...] about Adobe Spark Page Adds a Sparkle to Your Storytelling
Is the GoPro Hero5 Black any Good for Photography?
My nea rnGoPro Hero5 Black just arrived in the mail and the first firmware update has dropped as well. This made for the perfect time to start testing my camera. I headed out to an aquarium and science center for an afternoon with the kids to test out the camera’s lowlight, burst, and specialty modes. This is a make or break update for GoPro, which saw their stock tumble due to recent errors. The product line has been streamlined to effectively just two cameras. The GoPro Hero5 Black ($399 USD) and the GoPro Hero5 Session. … [Read more...] about Is the GoPro Hero5 Black any Good for Photography?
An Update On Plotagraph
Just under three months ago I was exposed to a new product called Plotagraph. The founders (Troy Plota and Sascha Scheider) spent time with me and the rest of the Photofocus team at Photoshop World in Las Vegas. We got a much deeper dive into the Plotagraph software and all I can say is WOW. As much as I was initially impressed I am even more so now. In the weeks since the company has moved from early BETA to nearly fully released software. Even when the product was officially in BETA status it was so well developed that it was really more … [Read more...] about An Update On Plotagraph
Polaroid BrightSaber First Look
We have written here in the past about portable light sabres - specifically the Westcott Ice Light. These lights can be very helpful in a variety of situations for both stills and video shooters. The problem with the Ice Light is that it costs nearly $500. Many of you have asked me about a less expensive alternative. For a while I found a Chinese knock off that I liked but as is often the case with the products from China, they come and go. But now there is a reliable alternative and it’s called the Polaroid BrightSaber. At $149.99 it’s a … [Read more...] about Polaroid BrightSaber First Look
MacPhun’s Intensify: Taking Images to the Next Level
I’m not one to rely too much on third-party plug-ins. I try to keep things simple, and usually stick with Lightroom and Photoshop. Macphun’s Intensify is an exception. I use it regularly in my workflow. A plug-in for Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and Apple Aperture, it is unfortunately only for Mac users. I use Intensify for three reasons—at times it is quicker than me figuring out similar enhancements in Lightroom or Photoshop; it provides greater controls over adjustments than other plug-ins I have experimented with, and … [Read more...] about MacPhun’s Intensify: Taking Images to the Next Level
Fixing Three Common Workflow Problems with the Drobo 5N
Well… It’s a pretty exciting day here at SharkPixel and Washington DC Headshots. I am finally upgrading my storage “situation” thanks to the amazing people over at Drobo. John Harrington once told me, there are two types of photographers in this world; people who have had a drive fail and people that will. So when I was asked to review the set-up process as a person who was completely unfamiliar with any of Drobo’s products previously in exchange for a Drobo 5N unit, I jumped at the opportunity. In this article, you’ll see how the Drobo 5N … [Read more...] about Fixing Three Common Workflow Problems with the Drobo 5N
First Look: New LUCiD Plug-ins for Photos for Mac
A few years back, Apple decided to slowly kill of Aperture and iPhoto. in their places emerged Photos for Mac. The app left something to be desired, but has kept maturing. One of its biggest changes was the support of Extensions (or what others would call plug-ins). Essentially these are small, dedicated apps that you can run on your Mac or as an add-on to the Photos app. LUCiD Apps/Extensions We're big fans of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. The tech behind this automated image correction is what powers these new LUCiD … [Read more...] about First Look: New LUCiD Plug-ins for Photos for Mac
Ten Reasons Why I Love My New Fuji X-T2
I am star-struck. My Fuji X-T2 just arrived, it was released September 8. I am reading through the manual and looking at the camera’s features. It is definitely an exciting upgrade from the Fuji X-T1 and in some regards even the Fuji X-Pro2. Here are my ten favorite Fuji X-T2 camera features, in no particular order: A focus stick on the back of the camera. I can move the focus stick with my right thumb, in a tilting or pressing motion, and change my focus point. So if I am focusing on the eyes of the person to the far left of my … [Read more...] about Ten Reasons Why I Love My New Fuji X-T2
Transcend’s New Ultra High Speed SD Cards
As a kid, I remember my parents asking me to pick up some RAM for our business while I was on a family vacation...I don't remember how much it cost...but I do remember that the 16k of ram that I had picked up was on two boards about the size of a Wacom Small Tablet each! So when I stop to think about where we've come from and where we're going with the amount of memory we're able to compact in these Hard Drives and Memory Cards now just blows me away. Looking back at some old articles about the first computers, it's pretty clear to see how … [Read more...] about Transcend’s New Ultra High Speed SD Cards
Drobo 5N User Review–It’ll Make You A Superhero
12You've probably had the experience of a client calling with an urgent need for a photo that you have in your image library (which, of course, is safely backed up using a Drobo or other RAID/NAS system). You'd be happy to help your client, but the picture is on the drive at the office, or at home, and you're traveling and won't be back for a week. Normally, you'd have to say, "I'm sorry, I can't help you until Monday." However, if you're using the Drobo 5N, you've got a solid way to help your client and solidify yourself as a superhero in … [Read more...] about Drobo 5N User Review–It’ll Make You A Superhero
Book Review: Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs.
I saw it on a table at a museum bookstore. A black paperback book, not too big. The title popped, with silver letters: “Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs," by Henry Carroll. This book had to be read--there was no doubt in my mind. It promised greatness. I took the book home and breezed through it in an afternoon. A perfect resource for the new or lesser experienced photographer, it is well organized and covers photography basics in a very succinct and entertaining style. The book consists of talking points on the ABC's of … [Read more...] about Book Review: Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs.
Photofocus Podcast August 28, 2016 — Mirrorless with Scott Bourne & Marco Larousse
On this episode of the Photofocus #Mirrorless Show Scott and Marco will discuss these new products and mirrorless topics: Photokina is just around the corner. It will be held from September 20th to the 25th in Cologne, Germany. Marco will be there to find out what's the latest and greatest in the photography industry. And for those who are planning on going and don't have a ticket yet: Our friends at Hahnemuehle Fine Art paper manufacturer have given Marco a few day pass tickets to give away. Listen to the episode to find out what you have … [Read more...] about Photofocus Podcast August 28, 2016 — Mirrorless with Scott Bourne & Marco Larousse
Lexar’s 633x 200GB microSDXC Card
I've had this card for over 6 months, and I get so baffled every time I think about it. 200GB in a microSDXC card! That's just ludicrous! Every time I think about what I could do with this card, I kind of freak out. It shouldn't really surprise me in this day and age, but I can't help it. A little tiny chip, the size of your pinky fingernail that weighs as much as a paperclip, can hold more than a base model MacBook Air or Pro and the top of the line iPhone at 128GB right now! Really, that's ridiculous. With this kind of storage, many people … [Read more...] about Lexar’s 633x 200GB microSDXC Card
The Seven Best Lenses Ever Made (For Mirrorless Cameras)
Okay - maybe that title was a little over the top. But these are MY favorite seven lenses for mirrorless cameras. Whether or not these are your favorites, you can rest assured that they are all spectacular lenses. If you buy (or are lucky enough to own) one or more of them, you can’t go wrong. By the way, these are typically expensive to very expensive lenses. You get what you pay for. It’s ALWAYS a great idea to buy the best lens you can afford. Lenses last longer in the photography eco-system than camera bodies, so if you have to choose one … [Read more...] about The Seven Best Lenses Ever Made (For Mirrorless Cameras)
Lightroom 2 Minute Tips from Nicolesy — Reviewed
Nicolesy’s new Two Minute Lightroom Tips, a comprehensive Lightroom training video series, is a fantastic option for teaching yourself Lightroom. If you’re looking to develop your skills or speed up your workflow, this course is a great resource. Why learn Lightroom? While it’s name hasn’t been turned into a verb like Photoshop, Adobe’s Lightroom is arguably the more important tool for digital photographers these days. Lightroom has become an industry standard, and is built to accommodate everyone from the working professional to the casual … [Read more...] about Lightroom 2 Minute Tips from Nicolesy — Reviewed
Drobo 5N setup
In this video I recorded "live" as I attempted to follow the instructions and set up the Drobo 5N to use as a networked backup drive. You won't believe what happens next (I always wanted to write that, but spoiler alert: it worked just fine). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gMO1zD1CZM … [Read more...] about Drobo 5N setup
Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD SP Lens – First Look
It’s been a while since I wrote about a Tamron lens but I have always thought that for the money, they offer good value. Recently, they seem to be upping their game and offering some real contenders that even pros will find tempting. Enter the Tamron SP 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD. It’s a weather resistant, stabilized full-frame short telephoto lens that works on Canon, Nikon, and Sony* cameras. I tested this on a Canon 1DX. While the lens is designed for full-frame cameras, it will work on (APS-C) cameras from Nikon, Canon and Sony and will … [Read more...] about Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD SP Lens – First Look
