Westcott Basics LED Hands-On Review

An inexpensive and portable light that may be the ideal solution for many photographers

David Schloss

Lighting gear is essential to us as photographers, and one of the challenges we face is finding good, inexpensive solutions that are small enough for us to carry anywhere. Our portability and affordability problems are solved with Westcott’s Basics LED, thanks to the unique design of this LED light system—it uses standard “Edison” fixtures (those... Read more

Blackmagic Video Assist Hands-On Review

We take Blackmagic’s external video viewing, control and recording device for a spin in our video review.

By David Schloss

Anyone using their digital cameras to capture video has had the realization that the LCD screens built into the cameras might be good enough to review stills, but they’re woefully inadequate when working to compose video. While the portability of a digital camera is convenient, it takes a lot of work (and often a lot of reshoots) to ensure that the... Read more

Gear — Portraits

Our recommendations for the best gear to level up your portraiture work.

Thomas Boyd

Read our portrait how-to guide Cameras Most pros prefer full-frame cameras for portrait work, but whether you use a full-frame or crop-framed one like APS-C or Micro Four Thirds, you have the same needs. You want good image quality, a camera that feels comfortable and that makes sense to you. I use a Canon 1D X Mark II, but honestly, if I weren’t... Read more

Handmade Cub & Company Camera Straps Add Beauty To Your Camera

Handmade Cub & Co Camera Straps are made by hand in the U.S., and add retro-beauty to your camera gear.

David Schloss

Like many photographers, I have a drawer full of camera straps. With very few exceptions, I hate them all. Manufacturer straps with the company logo and camera name imprinted on the strap are my least favorite—I don’t want a piece of apparel to advertise to thieves how expensive the camera I’m shooting is. I have a variety of straps that are designed... Read more

Hands On Review: Sony G Master Lenses

New optics for a new generation of cameras.

David Schloss

It’s only natural that a camera platform as new as the Sony’s a7 series would be perceived as being a little bit short on lenses. When the first a7 shipped—only a few years ago—you could count the number of lenses that designed for its full frame sensor on one hand. The rest of Sony’s lenses were designed for their smaller APS-C sensor equipped... Read more

New Gear: April/May 2016

The 360-ws bare-bulb Flashpoint StreakLight TTL strobe works just as well off-camera as it does when mounted on a Nikon or Canon camera.

By The Editors

FLASHPOINT STREAKLIGHT TTL The 360-ws bare-bulb Flashpoint StreakLight TTL strobe works just as well off-camera as it does when mounted on a Nikon or Canon camera. Its versatility extends to the ability to use it as a Master or Slave, in addition to shooting high-speed sync, utilizing remote manual control and exposure bracketing, as well as remote... Read more

Gearing Up For The Great Outdoors

Be prepared for any shot, and whatever Mother Nature throws at you, with the right gear

By David Schloss

There’s nothing quite so invigorating as being outdoors, and no better place to be motivated to take great images than when surrounded by the splendor of nature. From sunsets to surfers, the variety of outdoor subjects available is nearly limitless, and when you’re done photographing everything on God’s Green Earth, you can point your camera upward... Read more

Hands-On Review: AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR

This budget-based extreme telephoto lens from Nikon is one of the best bargains in photography

By David Schloss

Judging by the name and specifications alone, the new AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm ƒ/5.6E ED VR from Nikon doesn’t seem like it’s going to be an exceptional lens—with a minimum aperture of ƒ/5.6 and a street price of under $1,400, even Nikon’s own press release doesn’t talk up the power of this new super-tele zoom. While the company often praises... Read more

Upgrading Your Gear

To upgrade your photography start by upgrading your equipment

By Ellis Vener

While it’s true that most people turn to their phones and mobile devices for their daily snapshots, the popularity of camera phones has sparked a vigorous nonstop evolution and proliferation of advanced amateur and professional gear. As masses of people embrace photography as part of their daily lives, it seems to be motivating large numbers to pursue... Read more

New Gear: March/April 2016

Lens filters don’t get any tougher than Sigma’s Water Repellent (WR) Ceramic Protector.

By The Editors

SIGMA WR CERAMIC PROTECTOR FILTER Lens filters don’t get any tougher than Sigma’s Water Repellent (WR) Ceramic Protector. This clear ceramic glass filter is shock- and scratch-resistant, with a water-repellent coating that not only protects the front of your lens, but also repels water, dust and oil, making it easier to clean stray fingerprints... Read more

B&W Toolkit

From cameras to printers to digital applications, a variety of contemporary imaging solutions are available to make black-and-white photography a more creative proposition

By Ellis Vener

The first thing to understand about black-and-white image making is that it starts with color. Whether recorded as a color or black-and-white image, whether we start with an image recorded on film or a digital capture, black-and-white photographic images exploit not just the contrasts between different amounts of light, but also how different colors... Read more

New Gear: January/February 2016

Constructed from peach-wax cotton canvas and leather, Tenba’s Cooper camera bag line elevates canvas to a whole other level.

By The Editors

TENBA COOPER COLLECTION Constructed from peach-wax cotton canvas and leather, Tenba’s Cooper camera bag line elevates canvas to a whole other level. It’s incredibly soft to the touch, but still rugged, and leather trim and accents add to its conservative good looks. Available in gray and in four sizes, the smallest, the Cooper 8, is designed to... Read more

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