While Olympus and Panasonic are the big players in the Micro Four-Thirds space, Sigma has recently released a few lenses that are on par with their full-frame counterparts. I had the chance to try out the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, and there's nothing "third party" about this lens — it stands its own in the increasingly competitive Micro Four-Thirds world. With a quick look at the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, you'll see a very familiar style to Sigma's DSLR art lenses. Providing a 60mm frame of view, the image quality is superb, providing a creative and … [Read more...] about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Gives Micro Four-Thirds Shooters a Budget-Friendly Portrait Option
M43
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 for Micro Four-Thirds Captures the Artistic View of the World
Since my switch to micro four-thirds, I haven't been able to pick up a Sigma lens. When I checked out Sigma's new offerings in their global vision contemporary series — the 16mm f/1.4 and 30mm f/1.4 — I was intrigued. And after spending a few weeks with the 16mm f/1.4 (full-frame field of view at 32mm), I must say that it opens up a lot of possibilities. I took the lens on a photowalk last week to check out its capabilities. Wide open at f/1.4, this lens can only be described as dreamy, capturing the main subject with tack-sharp focus and a … [Read more...] about Sigma 16mm f/1.4 for Micro Four-Thirds Captures the Artistic View of the World
Everything You Need To Know About Micro 4/3 Lenses
Mirrorless cameras are wonderful tools, and I'm going to be writing regularly about their attributes. Quick intro to Micro Four Thirds, a.k.a. MFT, M43, Micro 4/3. The key characteristics are that they have interchangeable lenses, they are almost always smaller than DSLR's, they generally cost less than DSLR's for similar features, and they have a sensor that is smaller than DSLR's. The sensor is shaped in a 4x3 ratio, not a 2x3 ratio like DSLR's, which makes a picture that is less wide. One thing that makes Micro 4/3 cameras significantly … [Read more...] about Everything You Need To Know About Micro 4/3 Lenses
Pinball Heroes: How I Previsualized and Realized a Photograph
When I heard that Photofocus was renting the Pinball Hall of Fame for a party, my mind started going crazy with ideas. The plan was to host a party during Photoshop World in Las Vegas and invite Photofocus readers to join us for a live shoot with models and borrowable cameras from LensRentals.com. The party was a blast, and you've already seen some of the pictures posted here on the blog. I had a particular plan in mind, however, and I'll show you how I made it come to life, and maybe my method will help you realize a vision you've had in … [Read more...] about Pinball Heroes: How I Previsualized and Realized a Photograph
Super-Telephoto Killer: Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro Hands-on Review
The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens with its 1.4x teleconverter has helped me make a bunch of good pictures and allowed me to do a good job for my clients. Over the last few months, I've used it to shoot a variety of subjects from wild horses to aerial photos to portraits to college graduation. I'd like to show you how it performed for me, and make an argument for why you will never need to buy a $12,000 lens. Let's start with the horses. This Lens Will Tame Wild Horses The thing about these horses is they are fairly tame (people … [Read more...] about Super-Telephoto Killer: Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro Hands-on Review
Spider Pro Hand Strap
I don't use neck straps, and I generally advise everyone against them. I think they're a poor design and dangerous to your body--with as much shooting as I do, carrying a camera was damaging my neck. You may have read my review of the Joby wrist strap when I said it's the only strap I'll use. Well, I've got to take those words back: the new Spider Pro Hand Strap is now with me all the time and it's truly the only strap I'll ever use. It's perfect because it's secure, and well designed. Safety First Neck straps let you keep a camera handy, but … [Read more...] about Spider Pro Hand Strap
Powerful Environmental Portraits Need 3 Things
Environmental portraits show people in their place, their habitat. The environment sets the mood and the place of the story, and a single look at the photograph can tell you what the story is about. Let me show you three things I think about as I light the background to make an environment worth photographing. 1. It's Gotta Be Believable Lighting and posing a person so he looks his best is my primary concern. (Here are two other articles about lighting and posing to help people look great.) After that's under control, I've got to figure out … [Read more...] about Powerful Environmental Portraits Need 3 Things
Bad Music = Bad Video & How To Beat the Shakes
I attended a workshop tour put on by David Ziser a few days before my first DSLR arrived, and he got me hooked on hybrid slideshows. I used to use Animoto to make these, and more recently I prefer ProShow Web, but I also like to make my own productions using Photoshop (Richard Harrington has a good introduction for video in Photoshop right here). These hybrid slideshows are always a win for weddings and family and senior portrait clients, but I also make them for some non-profit clients. The thing is, nothing is more moving than powerful … [Read more...] about Bad Music = Bad Video & How To Beat the Shakes
Use a Polarizer for Purer Portraits and Less Retouching
We've frequently talked about using polarizing filters to make more striking landscape photographs, but they are at least as important for making more vibrant portraits, and cutting your retouching time in half. Let me show you how it works, as well as some general tips. What Does a Polarizer Do? Polarizers reduce the visible affect of reflections--that's it. The sky is full of water vapor and other particles which reflect sunlight, and most things that reflect sunlight appear white, right? The polarizer removes those reflections leaving behind … [Read more...] about Use a Polarizer for Purer Portraits and Less Retouching
Bokeh Showdown: Full-frame 70-200mm f/2.8 vs. MFT 35-100mm f/2.8
I recently rented a Lumix 35-100mm f/2.8 G Vario lens from LensRentals.com so that I could show you the difference between a 70-200mm lens on a full-frame Nikon and a 35-100mm lens on a Micro Four Thirds Lumix, as well as the value of such comparisons. First of all, let's define some things: Bokeh: The out of focuss-ness of the background in a photograph. Sometimes photographers use the word to describe the quality of the softness, and sometimes we use it to describe how deep the depth of field is. I'm sure this isn't the precisely correct … [Read more...] about Bokeh Showdown: Full-frame 70-200mm f/2.8 vs. MFT 35-100mm f/2.8
Panasonic Lumix GH4: Truly A Professional Camera?
Lumix GH4, Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens, f1.8, 1/5000s, ISO 200, JPG straight from camera. I'm working on a post that will explain why I'm in the market to replace my D800. In the meantime, I've been utilizing LensRental.com's excellent service to try out some of the hot cameras on the market right now. This week I was lucky enough to get my hands on the brand new Lumix GH4. I'm pretty sure I was even the first one to use this item. It's hard to tell, though, because everything I get from LensRentals is always in pristine condition. In fact, my … [Read more...] about Panasonic Lumix GH4: Truly A Professional Camera?
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Hands-on Review
Editor's Note: This is a guest post from Eduardo Angel, filmmaker and educator. The friendly waiter at the Turkish restaurant in Sohar, Oman, saw the camera on the table and asked Nikon? Canon? Which one is better? To which I replied, actually, this is a Panasonic GH3. He stared at me, and his expression turned from excited to perplexed to confused to annoyed within seconds. After an uncomfortable silence he finally asked, Are you ready to order? That was pretty much my reaction when, only two days before I started teaching a workshop in … [Read more...] about Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Hands-on Review
Meet The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
We're about to kickoff a series on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. This is a hot new camera that's on a lot of your minds as it combines a rich set of features at a very low price point. Wider Dynamic Range Micro Four-Thirds Mount Raw Video and Apple ProRes for less than $1000 In-camera time-lapse First up in our series... Scott goes straight to the source and asks the questions you want to know about this new camera. ______ … [Read more...] about Meet The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
