I use gloves daily. Sometimes I get a little grief for it, but when I'm handling boxes and tripods and light stands and all kinds of thing that have been who knows where, the gloves protect my hands, keep them clean, and keep them from drying out. When I'm shooting outdoors, they also help me keep a good grip on my tripod and stay warm when it's cool and wet. I love gloves, and you'll always find a lightweight pair in my pocket or bag. B&H carries a big selection of set gloves, so I'm not alone in using gloves on a photo/cinema set. When I … [Read more...] about Mini Review: Glovax
Photography
Gear Review: Ruggard Card Case
For a while now, I've been on the lookout for a good, secure card case that can help hold all my memory cards during my upcoming travels. The Ruggard Card Case is just that — a secure, hard case that will keep your memory cards safe and secure. The Good This case has some beef to it! I wouldn't be surprised if it could hold up to constant drops, throws, stomps...you name it. I have no doubt in my mind that my cards will be kept safe with this case. Available in a variety of different formats, I tried out the 12 SD card version, which can … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Ruggard Card Case
Gear Review: Vello Ringbox Ringflash Adapter
I have often thought about investing in a ringflash after seeing that unique, cool look, photographer's get in the eyes of their subjects accompanied by even shadowless lighting across the face. But that dream was not enough for me to justify the considerable cost of those high end units. Along comes the Vello Ringbox Ringflash Adapter which acts as both a softbox, providing diffused light, and a ringflash for that interesting catchlight in the eyes with minimal shadows. This product easily mounts to your shoe mounted flash, folds up nicely … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Vello Ringbox Ringflash Adapter
Gear Review: Oben Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
Just Enough Tripod & Then Some At some point every photographer needs a tripod. How much tripod depends on the specific needs of the photographer—are you a landscape photographer, portrait photographer, still life, nature, or street photographer? Maybe you're all of these at one time or another. What kind of camera do you use? Do you favor big DSLRs, medium format, or are you old school, with a big-ass view camera? If you shoot with a giant , heavy camera, you probably already know you should have a big tripod—if you are in full-on Ansel … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Oben Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
Impact Flex Arm Super Clamp Kit, Tested and Reviewed
I recently put the Impact Flex Arm Super Clamp Kit through my rigorous testing process, which involves using it in a variety of photography situations, coming up with ways to put it to work getting the shots I want, and generally abusing the *bleep* out of it to see how it stands up to wear and tear. While it's not what I think of as the usual gear for nature photographers, I found it useful for a number of my photo pursuits both indoors and out in my backyard photo studio/nature sanctuary. What is It? Think of it as that third arm we all … [Read more...] about Impact Flex Arm Super Clamp Kit, Tested and Reviewed
Drobo’s Fast New Thunderbolt 3 Enclosure
Today, Drobo is shipping their newest model of protected storage device, the 5D3. It's a 5 bay enclosure that has two of the newest Thunderbolt 3 ports as well as a USBC port for desktop attached storage (DAS.) The 5D3, like all Drobos, is super easy to set up. Open the box, connect the 5D3 as shown in the quick start guide. Download and install the current version of Drobo Dashboard. Turn on the new 5D3. Drobo Dashboard updates the unit's firmware. Add at least two hard drives of any size and it's ready to go. What's new? The 5D3 has an … [Read more...] about Drobo’s Fast New Thunderbolt 3 Enclosure
Vello White Balance Disc
The Vello Universal White Balance Handheld Disc is a hand-held disc placed in front of a camera lens to manually set white balance. It is very simple to use. Just hold the disc up to the lens, pointing your camera to the light source, and take a custom white balance measurement per the instructions in your camera's user manual. Why Use It Light can be tricky. It can be made of light from different sources, such as the sun, a light bulb, or your camera flash. Skin tones can also be very tricky. The skin reflects colors around it. If the … [Read more...] about Vello White Balance Disc
Review: Legion 65 Messenger Bag by Ruggard
Why this Bag? I’m the kind of guy that likes to tailor my bag to my current shoot. I was looking for something a little larger than my go-to shoulder bag for tight quarters but a little smaller than my hiking back pack which is often cumbersome to get in and out of quickly. Throughout the school year I shoot a lot of high school sports and was specifically looking for a new bag to fit this need. The messenger type bag approach had a nice appeal to it. I decided to check out the Legion 65 Messenger Bag by Ruggard. This is a well thought … [Read more...] about Review: Legion 65 Messenger Bag by Ruggard
Gear Review: Vello FreeWave Plus Wireless Remote Shutter Release
For whatever reason, I've never chosen to invest into a remote trigger system. Whenever I did long exposures, I would just do a shutter delay on my camera, and it'd usually work out great! But once you want to take extra-long exposures (over a minute), that's when a trigger comes in handy. I recently tried out the Vello FreeWave Plus Wireless Remote Shutter Release for Nikon cameras, while in Raleigh, NC on vacation. Getting Setup The setup process is pretty simple. Connect the receiver to your camera's hot shoe, and the supplied cord … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Vello FreeWave Plus Wireless Remote Shutter Release
Gear Review: Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia Essentials Kit
The folks at B&H recently sent me a great filter kit to put through its paces. The Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia 100mm Signature Edition Pro Essentials Kit was a perfect companion on my recent trip to photograph the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas. I used it to shoot stills, HDR photos, and time-lapse sequences. While I shot on a Sony A7RII and a ZEISS Batis 2.8/18, the filter is designed to work with almost any kit. What's in the Box This kit is a B&H exclusive, and its very well thought out. Everything I needed, plus … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia Essentials Kit
Platypod Ultra – The Best Alternative to a Tripod
Let’s get a few things out of the way before I get to the review. I’ve bought five Platypod Pros and three Platypod Max units for myself in the past. I’ve stashed a Platypod in every camera bag and even my car’s glovebox. I’ve loved the original Platypod Pro (review) and the Platypod Max (review). I can call the inventor and offer feedback. I appear on the Kickstarter page and offer a testimonial because I believe in the products so much. What is It? The Platypod Ultra is a tripod alternative. It combines with virtually … [Read more...] about Platypod Ultra – The Best Alternative to a Tripod
Using the Platypod Ultra from a Car, “The Sling Mount”
Given the opportunity to test out the new Platypod Ultra, I started with the same question I ask with all new gear, "Do I really need this?" After all, my camera bag is already large enough to qualify for its own zip code. Is this going to join the pile of photographic stuff I don’t often use? Or, will it become an indispensable part of my photographic armory. I admit, at first glance, my reaction was "What is it? Some type of fancy bottle opener?" This was quickly replaced with the realization, “I can use this to put cameras and flashes … [Read more...] about Using the Platypod Ultra from a Car, “The Sling Mount”
Perfectly Clear Complete Version 3.0 – A Quick Look
As anyone who is remotely paying attention here at Photofocus already knows, Perfectly Clear is a sponsor of this site (this means they pay dollars so we can pay our authors and web bills). But long before they came on board to help us reach the photography audience, Photofocus Publisher Rich Harrington and I were using the software to perfect our images. It’s come a long way since those days, and it has made that journey in no small part because our team here at Photofocus (particularly Rich) have decided to chip in and work with the … [Read more...] about Perfectly Clear Complete Version 3.0 – A Quick Look
Two Skillshare Classes That Share a New Perspective on Wildlife Photography
As a wildlife photographer I am always interested in hearing what other photographers in my genre think of best practices. That’s why I jumped at the chance when the folks at Skillshare reached out to me and asked if I’d review a few of their classes. Skillshare is an online learning community with 15,000 classes. They have classes on everything from photography to design, to tech, crafts, film, and even writing. If you want to learn it, they probably have a class on it. Best part is they operate on an all-you-can-eat subscription model that … [Read more...] about Two Skillshare Classes That Share a New Perspective on Wildlife Photography
Fujifilm X100F – Star of the Street
The Camera that's Just Enough for Most Everything I had the great fortune to beta test the newest iteration of Fujifilm's X100, the X100F — the little camera that could! This camera occupies an odd niche in that its a fixed lens mirrorless, that is much more than just a point-and-shoot, but not an interchangeable-lens "system," with a cool, retro "old school" vibe reminiscent of the Leica rangefinders. The new X100F is pretty much the same size as the original, with the same 23mm ƒ2 lens. Most of the changes are under the … [Read more...] about Fujifilm X100F – Star of the Street
Update On The Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II Micro Four Thirds Camera
NOTE: All photos in this post are Copyright Scott Bourne 2017, All Rights Reserved and all were made with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II camera. On December 19, 2016 I wrote my first look at the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II M43 camera. Now it’s been a month and I’ve had lots more time shooting with it and want to update my original thoughts as well as provide some real-world sample images I’ve made from the camera. Autofocus Let me start by talking a little bit more on the new autofocus on the Olympus MK II. Birds in flight will … [Read more...] about Update On The Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II Micro Four Thirds Camera
Olympus M. Zukio Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro Lens First Look
The Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro lens has an equivalent focal length (EFL) of 14-28mm and is part of the Olympus Pro line. While I usually don’t prefer zooms I have decided that this one is a great compromise when I want to go super wide, but still be able to shoot a more normal wide angle like 28mm. It’s a solid lens made of metal, with a rubber seal around the mount. Attached to a weatherproof body (like the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II) it is weather tight. It has super fast autofocus on the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II … [Read more...] about Olympus M. Zukio Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro Lens First Look
Lexar Professional 128 GB 2000x SDHC™/SDXC™ UHS-II Mini Review
Okay we admit that throughout the years we have been a bit ambivalent about memory cards. We buy them, we use them and we don’t think much about them. All the major card makers do a good job these days. But all of them also eventually fail. When they fail we're unhappy and may grouse about it for a while but at the end of the day everything man-made will fail. Generally, we have no specific evidence (after buying and testing more than 100 different sizes, types and brands of memory card) that any of the major brands are more or less prone to … [Read more...] about Lexar Professional 128 GB 2000x SDHC™/SDXC™ UHS-II Mini Review
First Look – OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II – Micro Four Thirds Camera
(Micro Four Thirds Just Took A Big Step Up) DISCLAIMER: Crop factor and the associated focal length multiplier only affects field of view. I prefer to reference this as effective focal length but others use FOV. Feel free to use whichever term you like. --------------------------------------------- I love small, lightweight, inexpensive, powerful cameras. I became interested in the M43 format in the Summer of 2009 when these cameras first started shipping. By 2010 I had purchased my own Micro Four Thirds system and over the ensuing … [Read more...] about First Look – OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II – Micro Four Thirds Camera
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 First Look
It’s no secret that bird, wildlife, and sports shooters need big glass. It’s also no secret that big glass can cost an arm and a leg. If there’s anyplace in the world that third-party lenses are important it’s in the big glass arena. Tamron have been producing affordable, quality lenses for a long time and I’ve used both Tamron and Sigma third-party lenses (in addition to the big Canon glass) either as back up or supplement. I've even used these third-party lenses as primaries because they are often nearly as good (or in some ways better) … [Read more...] about Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 First Look
Microsoft Surface Studio From A Photographer’s POV – First Look
A friend of mine took the plunge and pre-ordered, sight unseen, a fully loaded Microsoft Surface Studio with an Intel Core i7 chip, 2TB storage, 32GB RAM and 4GB GPU. The price for this beauty? A whopping $4199! But hey they throw in the puck thing! (That is if you order before December 1.) As a photographer I was immediately intrigued by the new all-in-one, so when my friend offered me the chance to come play with his Surface Studio I jumped at the chance. I was immediately impressed. It is every bit as beautiful as it appears online. … [Read more...] about Microsoft Surface Studio From A Photographer’s POV – First Look
Peak Design’s New Everyday Backpack
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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)
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
