Recently, Panasonic announced the newest Micro Four-Thirds, Mirrorless camera, the LUMIX DMC-G9. The G9 offers prosumers and enthusiasts a slightly cheaper alternative to the flagship GH5 camera with some compromises. The G9 boasts some substantial upgrades to the LUMIX DMC-G8 but is the newest in-between camera have the goods? Continue reading
We’ll be at PhotoPlus Expo 2017 for the next couple of days bringing you the latest in Photography Gear and this year, checking out the first ever AR/VR Expo. On the docket today will be coverage from the expo floor and checking out the latest from Sony (hint, hint, we’re going to fondle the new Sony a7R III) and checking out the new lenses from LensBaby and more.
Check back here throughout the day for more coverage from the show floor.
We shot some demo reels from the Sony booth and got a first look at the Sony a7R III. Some quick things to know about the Sony a7R III – it features a 42.4-megapixel Full-Frame sensor, 399 phase detection and 425 contrast autofocus points, 10 frames per second shooting speeds, a 3.9 million dot blackout-free electronic viewfinder, a ridiculous 100-320000 ISO range, and it carries over the a9’s larger battery – which boasts all-day shooting capabilities in the a7R III.
This is the Mirrorless camera that has already taken Nikon’s lunch is hot on the heels of replacing the Canon 5D Mark IV as the go-to camera for professional photographers. You can check out the walk through here.
The following syndicated post comes from Dreamstime photographers, Viorel Dudau, Catalina Zaharescu Tiensuu, and Rachael Murphey. If you’re intested in submitting a post for consideration, please visit our Contact Us page.
James Mattil | Dreamstime
Between wildfires, hurricanes and massive flooding, the U.S. is experiencing an onslaught of natural disasters that span the country. And if there is any bright side to the darkness of our weather forecast and smoky skies, it’s the opportunity to document through photos the great power and majesty that is Mother Nature.
But taking photos near a storm or fire is risky business, and should not be taken lightly. Photographers need to follow certain guidelines if they choose to document these events in order to stay safe and keep their equipment intact as well.
Don’t get too close
Find the best safe spot, use a telephoto lens if necessary. Don’t risk getting too close to the action if we’re talking about volcanoes, landslides, tornadoes or anything else extremely high-risk. Sometimes it’s just better to take pictures after the event and not during. Use your best judgment here. A good photo is worth a lot, but it’s never worth your life!
Dress for success
Gear up with the proper equipment and clothing to keep yourself safe, warm and dry. Rain coat and rubber boots for flooded areas, mask and fire proximity suit for photographing wildfires, etc. Take care of yourself first, and then worry about the camera and gear.
Find the right case
Roman Demkiv | Dreamstime
Protection comes first, so a waterproof case is mandatory for cameras in areas with hurricanes and flood conditions. Plastic cases should not be used in forest fires areas; the plastic might melt and damage the camera and the lens. As a bonus, find a case that is shock-insulated with foam to protect delicate equipment in transit.
Protect the lens
There’s a reason professional photographers keep a collapsible lens hood in their mobile cases. In bright conditions, they’re great for blocking glare, reducing lens flair, and producing captivating photos.
They also double as a guard against bad weather. If the weather turns during a shoot, a lens hood can block rain and snow from settling on the lens. In addition to keeping the lens dry, it ensures a slight change in the weather won’t force a cancellation.
It doesn’t matter if you’re caught in a monsoon in the forest or a pop-up storm during a wedding shoot: bad weather ruins equipment.
Savvy photographers guard against this sudden misfortune by keeping several dry bags in their cases. Cheaper versions are simple plastic bags, but more secure options include treated canvas and other fabrics safe for use on camera equipment.
Katser | Dreamstime
With any weather mishap, there comes a risk of losing your work. Backing up your photos might be the most important part of your job as a photographer. While sometimes in photography less is more, when it comes to backing up your work, more is never enough. Basically, you should have your work stored in at least 3 different places, one of them in a different location. I would recommend keeping important photos on your computer, on an external hard drive and on a cloud storage platform. From time to time, it wouldn’t hurt to burn some DVDs and mail them to a trustful friend or member of your family. If you’re shooting film, you should start scanning your negatives and store them exactly like I said above, in at least 3 different places.
When Olympus unveiled their latest flagship camera, the E-M1 Mk. II, it put the Photography community on notice. With the E-M1 Mk. II, Olympus was taking a direct shot at the pro photographer with a mirrorless camera that could perform as well (and in some cases better) than their larger full-frame competitors. Today, Olympus released their first major firmware update for the E-M1 Mk. II allowing for TTL-O and compatibility with Profoto Air Remote wireless triggers. Continue reading
What do you get the photographer and whiskey lover that has it all? If money ain’t a thing and rare cask whiskeys are your drink of choice, The Macallan Masters of Photography: Steven Klein edition may be one of the most coveted luxury boxes of the year. The box features the ultra rare liquor – only 100 bottles will be available in the U.S. – along with one of ten signed prints by iconic fashion photographer Steven Klein. The box also features a custom horse’s head bottle stopper and an array of custom barware to get a unique flavor experience that the nearly $3,000 price tag promises. Continue reading
The following guest post comes from Cotton Carrier, makers of the Cotton Camera Carrier System. Guest posts do not necessarily reflect an endorsement of a company or product.
Today Verizon reintroduced their Unlimited Data plan for their wireless customers. They also snuck in an asterisk for a little thing called a Data Caps, naturally we asked Michael to share his thoughts on Verizon’s return to unlimited.
Verizon Wireless, a company known for finding new and interesting ways to fuck over its customers, has announced that it is bringing back the Unlimited* plan. See that asterisk? That’s because it’s only unlimited until you hit the hilariously arbitrary soft cap of 22GB. After that, you “may be throttled”. Which you probably read as “Hey, ‘member 56k modems? I ‘member!” if you’ve ever used a throttled mobile network.
Back in 2015, I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 for Adorama and was very quickly convinced that Microsoft was definitely onto something. Possibly even make me consider making the switch from my Mac. In the year since that review, there’s been no shortage of new convertible/all-in-one’s available to consumers looking for the tablet/PC experience but many have fallen short of what Microsoft promised with the Surface line of computers. Vaio, the spin-off of Sony’s old PC business, recently released their very own two-in-one tablet/PC promising all the polish, portability, and power that made them once king of the PC hill, but does it deliver? Continue reading
Marvel films are always some of the most anticipated films of the year by many moviegoers, and Doctor Strange was no different. The film was the subject of a lot of hype because of a stellar cast and the fact that Marvel’s movies have been consistently enjoyable since the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008 with The Incredible Hulk. Of course, the quality of the movies has been inconsistent, and unfortunately, Doctor Strange is closer to the bottom tier of MCU movies than the top. The tier includes films such as Iron Man 2, Ant Man and the Thor movies, which are films that are enjoyable and fun,but aren’t what we have come to expect from Marvel especially after others such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
As someone who has loved Star Wars since his formative years, I could not be more excited for Rogue One. Based on the two trailers we’ve seen so far, it looks like everything any Star Wars fan could want in a spinoff film. It doesn’t feel like the adventures we’re used to seeing in the Episodes. Rogue One feels like a war film set within the Star Wars universe, and that’s what we fans need after The Force Awakens, a movie that feels different, especially after so many complained about how derivative The Force Awakens felt. Though it is important to note, had The Force Awakens not been so successful at the box office, Rogue One never would have been made. In fact, I believe Disney had to play it safe in order to rekindle people’s love for Star Wars after the prequels. Now we’re getting to see the risks and the expansion of the universe we wanted all along with new planets and new characters, and I couldn’t be happier. Continue reading