Fujifilm announced the introduction of the X-Pro1, which sports a new CMOS sensor that is supposed to provide resolution that is equal to, if not better than, a full size sensor. Three lenses, the “XF18mmF2 R”, “XF35mmF1.4 R” and “XF60mmF2.4 R Macro” will be available immediately. Techradar has done a full hands-on review that you should check out if you’re interested in this little gem. (Photo courtesy of Fujifilm.)

Sigma Photo revealed the APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens, which is the first lens of this focal length that maintains a 1:1 ratio with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It’s designed for full-frame cameras, but can also be used on crop sensor cameras for an effective focal length of 260mm. It also has optical stabilization for hand-held shots. I will be VERY interested to try one of these babies out. (Photo courtesy of Sigma Photo.)

Nikon revealed its new flagship D4, and is one of the few products to come out around the CES to state a price – a whopping $5,999.95 (why can’t they just make it $6k, really?). The ISO expands to 204,800. You read that right, TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED. You could find your way out of cave when your flashlight battery runs out, shot by shot. Other perks include an MP FX-format CMOS sensor, and 10 fps continuous shooting. (Photo courtesy of Nikon.)

Has anyone heard of Lytro? Yeah, me either. But they are releasing the world’s first light field camera, which has got the photography industry buzzing madly. As it is explained on the Lytro website, “…the Lytro camera captures the entire light field, which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space.” I am very, VERY interested in this camera. It’s currently retailing at $399 ($499 if you want red). (Photo courtesy of Lytro.)

So, friends! What neat gadgets came out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show that you’re particularly excited about? Share with us in the comments, or over on our Facebook Page!

* All pictures, trademarks and brand names owned by corporations and entities as noted.

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Let’s say you have what you consider to be the minimum amount of gear to begin your adventures into professional photography – a good camera, a couple of quality lenses, and good working knowledge of post-processing. From there, your wish list has grown to epic proportions and includes everything from a back-up camera body to studio lighting and lenses galore. So how do you know what you really need, and in what order do you prioritize your purchases?

1. Ask yourself the right questions.

What kind of a professional photographer do you want to be? Do you want to take studio portraits or work on-location? Do you want to capture landscape or wildlife photography? Are you going to be traveling great distances, or staying close to home? Will you have a home studio or a rented space, or will you be working out of your car? All of these questions are key aspects of discerning what kind of gear you need to prioritize.

2. Protect your client’s photos.

First and foremost, get yourself an external hard drive to back up your photos. Consider backing up your backup, too! Choose a reputable on-line backup resource like Mozy, CrashPlan, or Carbonite. Since you are now going to be providing a service to paying customers, it is ESSENTIAL that your photography projects are stored safely.

3. Get the colors right.

Make sure you are working with a calibrated monitor and printer – you can’t get the colors right for your clients unless you’re working with properly calibrated displays! Purchase color calibration software and tools, and repeat the calibration process occasionally to make sure your colors continue to be accurate.

4. Develop your Essentials Kit.

Your Essentials Kit should include a selection of memory cards, spare batteries, microfiber cloths, lens caps, white balance cards, UV filters, lens hoods, and other odds and ends. Make up a kit for every camera bag you use, plus an additional kit for your storage cabinet. As you use a battery and plug it in to charge, IMMEDIATELY replace it with a charged battery. As you pull out a memory card for post-processing, IMMEDIATELY replace it with a blank one. By doing this you will seriously decrease the odds of being without an essential item when you’re out in the field.

5. Achieve the bare minimum.

Understand the BARE MINIMUM amount of gear you absolutely need to have, and prioritize those purchases over anything else. For instance:

- Portrait Photography: A basic three-light setup is essential, or two lights and a good reflector. The bottom line is, for portrait photography you absolutely need off-camera flash. Buy quality equipment and resist the urge to purchase cheap, flimsy kits. Get a softbox and an umbrella that can act as either a reflector or a shoot-through diffuser. Purchase with an eye toward traveling with your gear, if that is the route you’re going to take. You’ll also need remote transmitter/transceivers, like those you can get from Pocketwizard. Finally, invest in a quality light meter.

- Wedding Photography: Invest in “fast” lenses that work well in low light – get a wide-angle and a medium-length telephoto (such as the oft-recommended 70-200mm f/2.8). Many wedding photographers swear by the “three lens prime kit” – the 28mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Accompany those lenses with a Speedlight or two, which are highly portable and flexible. Have a light stand and a light modifier for each Speedlight, and remote flash triggering. If you have a full-frame camera body, consider a crop-sensor body as your backup (and vice-versa).

- Landscape Photography: You’ll probably want to prioritize lens purchases to make sure you have a full range of focal length capability. Always purchase lenses with an eye towards quality – the better the lens, the better the photos. A backup camera body is also essential to be prepared for any mishaps. Full-sensor cameras are highly recommended for wide-angle landscape photography. You’ll need a rugged tripod, one that is designed to be used out in the field. Finally, you will need a hardy, weather-proof travel case or two in which to store your gear.

- Wildlife Photography: Once you have a quality DSLR in hand, it’s all about the lens when it comes to capturing photos of elusive wildlife. Start with a high quality telephoto zoom lens, then add on with telephoto prime lenses. Get a rugged tripod, one that is capable of resting on uneven ground. Consider a crop-sensor camera body as your backup – they have the added benefit of adding on to the effective focal length of telephoto lenses. Choose a light weight but sturdy weather-proof backpack for your gear.

- Architectural/Real Estate Photography: Prioritize the purchase of an extreme wide-angle lens, or a tilt-shift lens. Choose a couple of portable strobes and battery packs, with enough power to light dim corners and large spaces. Your tripod should have a ball head and spirit level.

- Product Photography: Get a couple of high quality macro lenses – one with a 1:1 ratio and one with more extreme magnification. Powerful light sources are essential, whether they be constant lights for use with light boxes, or studio strobes. Buy light boxes of various sizes, and consider getting something like a Lastolite 7′x8′ HiLite for larger subjects.

6. Take notes.

As you gain experience in your chosen genre of photography, you will quickly learn about what works and what doesn’t work. Take notes on every photo shoot that you perform, with an eye toward simplifying everything from the amount of gear you need, to the amount of time it takes to set everything up. Figure out the gear that you bring but DON’T use, or the gear that you left behind that would have come in handy. As the essentials become obvious, you will continue to re-prioritize your list of gear purchases to suit your circumstances.

Photo credits (in order of appearance):
- “Randi in Wedding Dress” by Walt Stoneburner on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Monument Valley” by Marco Bellucci on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Female Great Horned Owl” by Tiffany Joyce.
- “Spiral Stairs” by Icelight on Flickr Creative Commons.

Related posts:

1. Photography Gear Research
2. Stepping Up Your Gear
3. Traveling with your Camera Gear

So what’s wrong with them? The strap is designed to hang around the photographer’s neck. When you walk, unless you hold onto your camera with your hand, the camera bangs against your chest or abdomen, depending on how you have the strap adjusted. When you bend forward the camera swings forward, away from your body, threatening to impact against the closest immovable object. The biggest complaint, though, is that it’s flat uncomfortable. Especially if you’re carrying something like a Nikon D7000 with a 70-200mm lens mounted to the camera body.

I refuse to “wear” the strap that comes with a camera but I do wrap it around my wrist while holding the camera in my hand. That way the strap at least provides a small amount of security. The only problem is that either the strap becomes too tight to be comfortable or too loose to provide that tiny bit of security. You would think that somebody could design a comfortable camera strap that held the camera securely, kept it from banging against your body as you walked, was easy to keep the camera close to your body especially when bending forward and kept the camera within easy reach. Well, somebody did.

Enter the Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap . I know a couple of photographers that have this strap, love it and swear by it. I know at least one photographer who doesn’t have it and isn’t willing to try it because he thinks it would be too easy for the camera to come loose from the strap and fall on the ground. (I’ll get to that point a little later in the review.) Okay, there were two people raving about it and one thinking something bad might happen. I decided to give it a try.

Let’s first tackle the issue that one person didn’t like. Instead of attaching to the built-in “rings” on the sides of the camera body like most straps, the RS-7 attaches with a screw type FastenR-3 that screws into the tripod socket on the bottom of your camera, battery grip or lens.

The photographer I know who doesn’t like it is concerned that the fastener will work loose. I’ve used the strap numerous times and the fastener hasn’t loosened any at all. Yes, to be honest, I do double check it from time to time, but there haven’t been any issues.

The strap connects to the fastener using a locking swivel hook to connect it securely to the strap. When using the strap for the first time, once it’s connected to the camera it’s time to adjust the strap. Instead of me trying to explain the steps to complete the adjustments, watch this short video on the Black Rapid web site.

When adjusted to fit, the camera hangs at the photographer’s hip within easy reach. To use the camera think of a Wild West gunfighter reaching for his pistol. It’s that easy and that quick.

I have used the strap in the studio, at indoor events using an on camera flash, at crowded outdoor events like art festivals and while shooting wildlife outdoors. In each case the Black Rapid strap performed better than any strap I’ve ever used.

What I liked about it:

It’s unbelievably comfortable. I can’t imagine any other strap being as comfortable as the Black Rapid. I spent over four hours one day carrying a Canon 5D Mark II with battery grip and using a 70-200 f/2.8 lens and carrying the camera was as easy and comfortable at the end of the event as it was at the beginning.

It’s cool looking. Okay, it’s just a camera strap but it looks different and I get a lot of questions about it.

It’s simple to adjust. I once read a “review” post on Amazon.com saying that it was very difficult to get adjusted to where it fit properly and no one told them about the video I mentioned above. My experience – I purposely adjusted and used it without watching the video just to see how difficult it was to adjust. Trying to be nice here, I had it adjusted, attached to the camera and was using it in less than five minutes from the time I opened the package. Oh, and there was a reference to the video in the package.

What I didn’t like about it:

Actually, nothing. I’ve tried to find something negative to say about it and I keep coming up empty. I don’t think this is a negative at all, but because the camera hangs at your side about hip level when you’re not using it, I advise that you keep your hand on your camera if you’re in a crowd or someone will bang into it for sure.

I did see where one person complained that it didn’t work very well for left-handed people if you wanted to wear the camera on your left hip instead of your right hip. Maybe so, but the last time I checked, my camera didn’t work left-handed either. The shutter release button is on the right side of the camera as is the grip for holding the camera.

The strap was provided by Black Rapid for me to try and review. When a product is given to me to use and review, I always try to use it as much as I can and in a number of different situations so I can give a fair review.

I also got a Black Rapid bumper or back window sticker for my car. I wonder how many people have looked at the sticker and wondered what new rock band was named Black Rapid.

Tiffany has the model of the strap that is made for women that she will review in the future. I’ll let her explain why there’s a special model for women.

I give this strap my highest recommendation, so if you’re looking for something to buy for the photographer in your life during the holidays or if you want a hint to give to someone buying for you, this is an excellent product from my perspective.

Photo Credits:
All photos provided by Black Rapid

*The Author received complimentary products in exchange for mentioning the Provider’s products and/or services on this website. Such compensation received did not and will never influence the content, topics or posts made on this website. We will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

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Wildlife Photography

As I sit in my little white home away from home at art shows, and attempt to sell my photography to unsuspecting people, I am often inundated with a question that I consider kind of silly. I can see where this curiosity comes from, as I am often able to get within 20 to 30 feet from an animal or bird that one would rarely get within 100 or 200 feet in the wild. People see some of my bird shots and are curious as to how I got so close.

Coopers Hawk from 22 feet

That question is “Do you ever shoot in a zoo?” And that answer is no, but then I do stop and do a bit of explaining.

The vast majority of my wildlife shots are taken in public parks, most notably Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, in Micanopy, Florida. Micanopy is a small town 12 or so miles south of Gainesville, on US 441.

Bird Bridge in Paynes Prairie Preserve

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park was purchased by the State of Florida in 1971 and became a National Historical Landmark in 1974 because of its unique geographical and biological features. If you visit the Gainesville, Florida area, be sure to check out the park’s vast animal and bird species. It truly is a gem in the Florida State Park system. It has bison, wild horses, numerous bird species including eagles, and of course, alligators. As a matter of fact, lots of alligators.

Now back to the original question. In fairness to the people asking that question about taking pictures in a zoo, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and other parks are often similar to zoos.

How so? The animals and birds here are wild, and must be treated as such. But they are so regularly in such close proximity to humans, that they sometimes show a sense of familiarity and calmness that if approached in a quiet and respectful manner, you may be surprised at how close you can get to them.

One of my most memorable examples is early one morning I was walking out La Chua Trail, on the north side of the park. It was cold, and I think I was probably the first visitor out that morning. I spotted a raptor sitting on the guardrail of the boardwalk about 250 or so feet away. I stopped, shot a couple of captures with my camera. I stood there for a few seconds, and the bird, which turned out to be a Coopers Hawk, looked at me and then went back to surveying the brush, obviously intent on finding his breakfast.

Coopers Hawk from 250 feet

I slowly moved closer until I saw him (or her) turn and look at me again. I stopped, shot some more captures and let him calm down.

Coopers Hawk from 80 feet

I kept this up for about 15 or so minutes, until I was so close that my lens, a Nikon 600mm F4 would no longer focus. That minimum focusing distance is 20.6 feet. I sat there and just watched, honestly amazed. The Coopers Hawk must have known that I was no threat and went back to scanning the brush. After a few moments, I began to feel a little guilty perhaps that I was infringing on his space, and slowly began to back away. It was one of the neatest things that a wildlife photographer can do, to approach a wild creature and get close, but not too close.

On yet another day, I was on the observation platform on La Chua Trail, scanning the horizon, waiting for a photo ‘op’ to jump out in front of me. Little did I know that a really super photo opportunity was on the way.

Whooping Cranes from 200 yards

I was watching the surrounding wetlands and as I turned and looked back down the trail, I noticed two white headed birds in the grassland just north of the trail. It was two of the resident Whooping Cranes. For the non birders, Whooping Cranes are one of the most treasured and sought after birds to add to your life list. We are blessed as we usually have somewhere between 4 or 5 resident Whoopers. I don’t know the exact figure, but there are around 350 or so in the wild and perhaps another 150 in captivity used for egg production.

My attention was glued to the pair as they fed out of the tall grass areas and worked their way south to the trail proper. They continued walking, and I assumed they would cross the trail and continue out into the area southeast of the platform.

Whooping Crane from 75 feet

Not so. As they walked out onto the trail, they turned and headed towards the platform area. I was blasting away with my camera capturing every little nuance. They gradually got so close that I could no longer get them both in the frame with the 600mm. I watched as they came right under me to the bottom of the tower and began to feed on some seeds they were picking out of all things, bison dung. I carry two cameras and had a 70-300 zoom on the second body. I could not get both birds in the same frame at 70mm as they had gotten so close. My heart was pounding as these two creatures continued to eat not 15 feet below me. I had checked the time when I first spotted them, and one hour and 22 minutes later, they were still at the bottom of the platform eating. They knew I was there, as they looked at me often, but as I was moving very slowly and not threatening them, they tolerated my presence. Finally two park visitors approached on foot and the birds saw them and took off. The visitors approached me and were astonished that they had gotten to see the whooping cranes. They asked if I had seen the whooping cranes. I just smiled.

Whooping Crane from 25 feet

As far as the bison, those are regularly seen in Paynes Prairie also. But that’s another story.

I know that I am lucky to spend so much time in this park and in other wild places and get to see so many neat creatures up close. Are all creatures so cooperative? Obviously, no. And do we have a moral obligation not to disturb wild creatures with our presence? Yes.

I totally understand that there is a fine line as to my need to record, but not to disturb wild birds and animals. But, when some of those same people come into my booth and see that Coopers Hawk photo, they become a little more curious about photography and birding and the need to preserve our wild heritage. While I am a businessman and hope to sell images at the art fairs, my ultimate goal is to inform the public about the beauty of our wild birds and animals.

Come and visit us at Paynes Prairie or your local park. Or, become more familiar with your home park and explore the photo ‘ops’ they present.

___________________________________

I’m compelled to make a comment about Greg’s article. I can remember when there were only 40 Whooping Cranes living on the planet. The fact that there are so many of them alive today is a tribute to the hard work from many people to save this wonderful bird. That there are places like Paynes Prairie where photographers can photograph them in the wild is a gift we should greatly appreciate. Thank you, Greg, for sharing this with us.

All Photos by Greg Stephens

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1. 6 Tips For Wildlife Photography
2. Basic Wildlife Photography Tips
3. Wildlife Photography FUNdamentals

I’m going to start with what’s on my list. It’s was on my list last year and they’ll probably be on my list next year because I don’t really expect to get any of these items. Hey, it is a wish list and if you’re going to wish, you may as well wish big.

Steve’s Wish List

TheCanon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens is my dream lens. Unfortunately, even though Canon announced the lens in February of this year, it still hasn’t been released. My guess is that the tragic earthquake and resulting tsunami is the main culprit. Yes, I know that this lens is currently priced at $9,499 and that the current model of the 500mm lens priced at $6,799 is $2,700 cheaper but why buy an old model when you know a new model with better quality glass will be released in the not too distant future? Besides, remember what I said about wishing big.

Gitzo GT3541XLS Series 3 Long 6X Carbon Fiber 4-Section Systematic Tripod with G-Lock – Replaces GT3540XLSYes, I know that to many people paying $705.41 for a tripod is ridiculous. I agree that for many applications this tripod is overkill. However, try using a more modest tripod while using a 500mm f/4 lens and professional model camera with battery grip. I tried that when I went to the Everglades back in March. As I watched all the other photographers using this tripod and the next item on the list, a little light went on. Another great thing about this tripod is that it will extend to 78 inches in height. I’m 6′ 3″ and most tripods that are more reasonably priced are around 64 inches in height when fully extended and even with the ball head and the camera mounted, I still have to bend my back to see through the viewfinder. With the Gitzo that problem is solved. That’s why this tripod is on my wish list.

The Wimberely Gimbal Head makes working with super telephoto lenses like the 500mm a breeze. You can reposition the camera with one finger and it will remain in place. This head also allows you to easily track birds in flight or animals moving. It comes with a hefty price tag of $595 direct from the manufacturer, but it makes life much easier when shooting birds and other animals.

There are other items on my wish list but that’s enough gift ideas that are way out of the price range for most people. Here are a few more gift ideas for photographers.

Okay, the Apple iPad 2 MC916LL/A Tablet (64GB, Wifi, Black)is on my list as well. What I recently discovered while using my wife’s iPad is that in addition to everything else it does, it’s a wonderful device for sitting down with a client and reviewing proofs from a portrait session. Much lighter than a laptop, easy to flip through the images and the clients really seem to prefer holding the iPad in their hand instead of looking at the screen of a laptop. In my opinion, it’s over-priced at $800, so if you don’t want to spend that much money there are other tablets on the market.

Last week Tiffany posted an article about setting up an inexpensive speedlight studio. This book, Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers by Neil van Niekerk is a great guide and how-to for using off-camera flash and it’s only $23.07 at Amazon.

Two great cameras that are considered the “cross-over” models from amateur to professional are the Nikon D7000 16.2MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)currently priced at $1,199 and theCanon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only)currently at $1,484 at Amazon. These are both very high quality cameras with the rugged magnesium alloy body found in high-end, professional model cameras. If you, or a photographer you’re buying a gift for, are ready to move up a step in the camera equipment area, either of these cameras would make an awesome gift.

With the exception of the Wimberely Gimbal Head, all prices are those listed on Amazon.com at the time I wrote this article. Prices change, sometimes daily, so when you click on the link to one of the items, you may see a different price.

Most of the items I listed are quite expensive and not for everyone. But they are things that any serious photographer can use. Besides it’s nice to wish even if you know the wish will remain just that.

Photo Credit:

Christmas Presents by Q,A,O,P Spaces on Creative Commons

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For the Beginner DSLR Photographer:

The Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera is a fantastic beginner’s DSLR, and at around $550 is one of the more decently-priced entry level cameras. The learn as you grow guide mode is a great teaching tool, and will guide as little or as much as the photographer needs. As the photographer grows in skill, the D3100 has full manual controls ensuring years of usability.

Scott Kelby’s Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography Boxed Set is one of the first items I think of to buy a beginner DSLR photographer. I know I’ve mentioned this set quite a few times on this site, but as of this writing Amazon is offering all three volumes for just $40 bucks. I don’t know how long that deal will last, so you might want to check it out!

Every new DSLR owner needs a camera bag! Case Logic has a bunch of great, low-cost items, including this TBC-307 SLR Camera Backpack.

A 50mm lens like this Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II (or the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF) makes a great first lens purchase when the photographer is ready to move past the kit lens. The f/1.8 sells for a touch over $100 bucks but is a highly regarded and well-reviewed lens. You get a LOT of bang for your buck with this one!

Stuff Every Photographer Can Use (or use more of)

You can never go wrong with Compact Flash Cards and other memory cards specific to your photographer’s camera brand. Trust me, we ALWAYS need more of these.

Memory is getting cheaper and cheaper these days. You can get a 1TB external hard drive (like the Hewlett Packard HP Portable 1 TB USB 3.0/2.0 External Hard Drive shown here) for under $200 bucks. The Western Digital Elements USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive that I use at home – THREE TB, mind you – is currently $220. Keep an eye out for sales, because I bought the one I have for quite a bit less.

Buy microfiber lens cloths in bulk and be the hero of the day. I’m CONSTANTLY losing mine.

You know what else I lose all the time? My Lens Cap (here’s one for Canon). Pick up a couple of extras for the photographer in your life, because I doubt I’m the ONLY one that loses these things.

For the Photography Gear Head:

Any photographer that wants to get their flash off of their camera, but finds themselves limited to the range that the IR wireless system presents, needs Pocket Wizard. The PocketWizard MiniTT1 Radio Transmitter/Flex TT5 bundle for Nikon (here’s the one for Canon) is a must for doing some fantastic and creative things with a speed light. Then when the photographer is ready to go to studio strobes, he or she will find the Pocket Wizard lineup to be invaluable there as well.

The Westcott Apollo Strip Speedlite Kit doesn’t require a speed ring and fits almost any style of studio light. You just pop it open, mount it onto an umbrella stand, and you’re good to go. There’s an orb kit too, if you like your light modifiers round.

Lensbaby has done it again! Their new pro line of lenses, including the Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic for Canon cameras (here’s the Nikon) is solidly constructed and offers a wider field of view than the original Composer lineup. Pair it with a Creative Aperture Kit 2 and the photographer in your life will soon discover just how addictive a Lensbaby can be!

Software and DVD’s:

Photomatix Pro is an essential piece of software for the HDR addict in your life. It automates and simplifies the process of developing an HDR image, with flexibility in results that produce an image that is as realistic or as surreal as the photographer wishes. At only $100 bucks this is a great buy.

I highly recommend Studio Lighting Essentials for Portrait Photography. I own a copy myself and will be providing a review on this site in the coming weeks. The DVD is full of information on lighting basics, lighting setups, equipment essentials, color theory and more. If the photographer in your life is planning to journey into studio lighting, this is definitely a valuable resource to get them started.

Recommended Point and Shoots:

The Panasonic DMC-FH25K 16.1MP Digital Camera has 8x Wide Angle Image Stabilized Zoom and a 2.7 inch LCD. It’s tiny and can fit into a pocket or purse, for those occasions when you want to be able to capture the memories in photos but don’t want to lug around your big ol’ DLSR.

Canon’s wildly popular PowerShot series now includes the ELPH 100 HS 12 MP CMOS Digital Camera. This one’s got full 1080p HD video capabilities (including Super Slow Motion, which sounds like fun), performs well in low light, and comes in pretty colors! Personally, I like the blue.

Ashton Kutcher has the world hooked on Nikon Coolpix. The L24 14 MP Digital Camera features a 3.6x NIKKOR Optical Zoom Lens and 3-Inch LCD. This one is somewhat less expensive than other models, but still delivers the level of quality that we’ve come to expect from Nikon. The Easy Auto mode takes every bit of thought out of the picture taking process, other than pointing, composing, and shooting. A great stocking stuffer!

The Sony NEX-5N 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Touchscreen Camera boasts “DSLR quality in your pocket”. While I can’t see myself fitting this in my pocket unless I’m wearing REALLY baggy pants, this camera is still compact enough to take the hassle out of lugging around a camera. It can shoot up to 10 frames per second, has full HD video capability, a tiltable touchscreen, a bunch of picture effect modes including panorama, and is compatible with Sony E-mount lenses. As far as gadgets go, this thing will satisfy even the pickiest gearhead!

Gift Ideas that are Just Plan NEAT:

The Celestron 44340 LCD Digital LDM Biological Microscope. This is SO COOL. If you have a budding scientist in your household, or a teacher, this would be a PERFECT gift. This microscope/digital camera combo has the ability to capture 5MP images and video, a quadruple nosepiece with 4x/10x/20x/40x objective lenses, dual focus, and a SD card slot. The microscope is controlled by a touch screen with a stylus, has 1GB of internal memory card and USB slot, 4x optical zoom, LED’s to illuminate the slides, and is powered by 4 AA batteries or an AC adapter.

The MyStudio MS20J Complete Tabletop Photo Studio – 12-Piece Jewelry Photography Toolkit, Bonus Tripod for Product Photography. If you or someone you know is selling jewelry or other small products on Etsy or Ebay, this small product photography studio might be just the thing to add that extra level of professionalism to your product images.

If you feel like spoiling the photographer in your life, you can’t go wrong with the Olympus PEN E-P3 12.3 MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera. This thing is just plain cool, with impressive low light performance, fast auto-focus, a touch screen and in-camera editing capabilities. It shoots 1080 60i HD video and is expandable with interchangeable lenses and accessories. I would LOVE to get my hands on one of these babies, but it’s a bit pricey at around $875 bucks.

Do you have great ideas for Christmas gifts, or an item from your own wish list that you wish someone would give you? Please share in the comments or on our Facebook Page!

*The Author did NOT receive any products or compensation in exchange for mentioning the Provider’s products and/or services on this website. We will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. This is not an advertisement.

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Some of the Pro’s were using SLR film cameras when the digital revolution began and it was a logical step to convert to DSLR cameras and equipment. Others use DSLR’s for a myriad of reasons, but short of saying they’re the equipment you need to capture the best images, I’ll use myself as an example. Tell on myself if you will.

Through the 1980′s and early 1990′s I was an avid photographer. I owned and used two Canon F1s and one T90. The T90 was the first high end camera that had TTL flash and was really awesome when it came out. I shot so much that I bought film by the brick and kept it in the freezer until I used it.

However, I became very frustrated with the amount of grain when I attempted to enlarge a photo beyond 8×10 from print film negatives and the limitations with inter-negatives, Type R negatives and Cibachrome processing for slide film. Since I didn’t have enough money to purchase the latest digital equipment, I eventually put all my equipment on a shelf and forgot about it.

A few years ago I bought a top of the line Lumix 4 megapixel point and shoot camera and started taking more and more photos but didn’t really pursue it as a photographer. My next camera was a 12 megapixel Sony T-900 and I started shooting more.

Two years ago I re-entered the SLR world with my first DSLR camera and I was quickly back in the same mode I had been in during the 80s and 90s. My motivation to purchase a DSLR was twofold. I really missed the involvement in photography that I had experienced in the 80s and 90s and wanted to pick up where I had left off and even go beyond.

The second reason was I had been experiencing a high level of frustration with the limitations of a point and shoot camera. Because of the frustration I thought about what I wanted in a camera and concluded the following:

• I wanted a camera that released the shutter the instant the shutter release was pressed, not a couple of seconds later. That delay feature of the P&S while it sets the focus and exposure was driving me up the wall.
• I wanted to be able to actually get a proper exposure when using flash and the built-in flash on the P&S was extremely limited.
• I wanted to be able to change lenses. Sure, the P&S easily converts from telephoto to wide angle and back, but it’s nothing like shooting a bull elk in a meadow using a 500mm lens and then changing to a 16-35mm lens and capturing the entire scene with the mountains in the back ground.
• I wanted total control over shutter speed and aperture. I was tired of the camera deciding and then not capturing what I had imagined.

Those were my primary reasons for jumping, with both feet, into the world of DSLR. Still, it’s the same guy behind the camera. And, guess what, I have what I consider to be some really good images that I captured with my P&S cameras. I still carry a P&S camera. In fact I’m considering getting a new P&S camera. Frankly, there are times when a P&S better fits my photography needs and it’s great to have a good one available.

I spent some time perusing Flickr Creative Commons and I thought I would share some images I selected that were taken with P&S cameras to demonstrate that it is possible to capture good images without using a DSLR.

I selected images taken with three different brands of cameras – Nikon Coolpix, Canon Powershot and Apple iPhone. I also tried to find three different types of images –portrait, landscape and macro – with each brand of camera. My conclusion is that there are some really good photographers out there working with P&S cameras. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Lantana by littcool1 using a Nikon Coolpix

Golden Gate Bridge by Colette Simonds using a Nikon Coolpix

Truffes au Chocolat-Les Ingredients by Eric Delcroix1 using a Nikon Coolpix

Male Marmalade Fly by Gustavo using a Canon Powershot

Baja California Sud by Vik Cuban using a Canon Powershot

Pablo Fuentes by fotomaf using a Canon Powershot

Not Cannabis by Cocoabiscuit using an iPhone

iPhone Colorado Sunset by Jim Nix using an iPhone

iPhone Aquarium by Xevi-V using an iPhone

It’s okay to have camera envy but continue to use the one you have. As you can see by these photos, a $5,000 camera and lens combination isn’t required to capture great images.

Photo Credits:
Lantana by littcool1 on Flickr Creative Commons
Golden Gate Bridge by Colette Simonds on Flickr Creative Commons
Truffes au Chocolat-Les Ingredients by eric delcroix on Flickr Creative Commons
Male Marmalade Fly by Gustavo on Flickr Creative Commons
Baja California Sud by Vik Cuban on Flickr Creative Commons
Pablo Fuentes by fotomaf on Flickr Creative Commons
Not Cannabis by Cocoabiscuit on Flickr Creative Commons
iPhone Colorado Sunset by Jim Nix on Flickr Creative Commons
iPhone Aquarium by Xevi-V on Flickr Creative Commons

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When shooting with a Canon camera, turn on the High Speed Sync on the flash itself. Put the camera in Aperture Priority Mode (Av). Since Canon cameras have the ability to control background and foreground exposures separately using exposure compensation, simply dial down the exposure compensation in increments until the background light is at the desired level. The exposure of the flash and the exposure of the ambient light operate independently of one another, so the subject is consistently exposed while the background exposure adjusts up or down accordingly.

When shooting with a Nikon, go into the camera’s controls and turn on FP sync (Auto FP). In Nikon cameras changing the exposure compensation on the camera also changes it on the flash. So, you will need to shoot in Manual mode. Expose for the background by aiming the camera just past the subject to the background and pressing the shutter halfway to get an exposure reading from the camera’s meter. Set the aperture and shutter speed accordingly, take a shot, then adjust the shutter speed on the camera to change the exposure of the background. Increasing the shutter speed stops down the exposure, and decreasing the shutter speed stops up the exposure. Just remember that shutter speed controls ambient light and aperture controls the flash, and you will find extraordinary flexibility in controlling your photograph’s exposure.

This past weekend, I used my daughter as a model in order to demonstrate this concept for you all. We went out into the backyard at about 4:00 in the afternoon – it was about 110 degrees outside so we made it quick! I used my Canon EOS 7D and EF 50mm f1.4 lens (here is the equivalent Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens), and attached my Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash (here is the equivalent Nikon Speedlight).

This shot was taken at f/4.0, ISO 200, shutter speed 1/320, with no exposure compensation:

For this shot I kept the same aperture and ISO, but dialed down the exposure compensation by one stop, which set the shutter speed at 1/640:

For this shot I again kept the aperture and ISO the same, and dialed down the exposure compensation by two stops. This resulted in a shutter speed of 1/1250:

As you can see, the background in the first shot was somewhat overexposed, while the background in the third shot was somewhat underexposed. The middle shot, which was dialed down a full stop, seems to strike the right balance between the flash and the ambient light.

I love this handy little trick and I hope you find it to be useful in your own outdoor photography!

Related posts:

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Macro photography has long been one of my favorite approaches to photography. It’s possible to create stunning images with nice bokeh and most of all, create an image of something that allows the viewer to see the subject in a manner they’re not used to seeing.

For this article I decided to approach the subject from a somewhat technical perspective instead of an artistic one. I have included 18 images of the same orchid blossom, using various combinations of two lenses, extension tubes and tele-converter. The images are arranged by lens/extension tube/tele-converter combination and with each combination I captured an image with my Canon 7Dand my Canon 5D Mark IIand displayed them side by side.

If you’re not familiar with extension tubes, they are a hollow tube that is attached between the camera body and the lens. The tube increases the distance between the lens and the sensor and makes it possible to move the lens closer to the subject and still be able to focus on the subject.

The tele-converter, in this case a Canon 1.4X, increases the magnification of the lens thus capturing an image closer while still maintaining the same distance from the subject.

The reason for using two camera bodies is to demonstrate the difference between a crop frame sensor (the 7D that has a ratio of 1.6 and will always be the image on the left of the pair) and a full frame sensor (the 5D).

All the images are SOOC and are intended to demonstrate the approach and not to be fine art. Okay, enough talk.

This is a full frame image of the blossom that serves as the base line image. It’s taken with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens. For the image on the left taken with the 7D, the distance from the front edge of the lens to the blossom was 20″. The distance from the front edge of the lens to the blossom in the image on the right (the 5D) was 13″. Because I wanted the same size image with both camera bodies I had to move the crop frame sensor farther away from the subject.

All the remaining images were taken with the lens at the minimum distance from the subject that still allows for a focused image. Just to be clear, the lens controls the focusing distance. The sensor controls the size of the image. That’s why in the image above, the lens-to-subject distance had to be different for the two bodies to enable the capture of the same size image with each.

Note that there isn’t anything magic about the Canon lens other than it’s a great lens. You could expect similiar results with any other similiar size macro lens. For example, the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Lens

These images were both taken with the 100mm macro lens and a lens-to-subject distance of 5″.

This image was captured using the 100mm macro lens and a Canon 12mm Extension Tubeand a lens-to-subject distance of 4.5″

100mm Macro lens and a Canon 25mm Extension Tube and a lens-to-subject distance of 4″.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Lens with the lens zoomed to 200mm and a lens-to-subject distance of 45″.

200mm lens (70-200mm zoomed to 200) with a 1.4 tele-converter and a lens-to-subject distance of 45″. Note that the tele-converter doesn’t affect the lens-to-subject distance but does make the subject appear larger.

200mm lens with a 12mm extension tube and a lens-to-subject distance of 32″. Notice that the use of the 12mm extension tube captures an image that is roughly the same size as using the 1.4 tele-converter. The difference is the lens-to-subject distance of 45″ with the tele-converter and 32″ with the extension tube.

200mm lens with a 25mm extension tube and a lens-to-subject distance of 24″.

200mm lens with the 12mm and the 25mm extension tubes stacked and a lens-to-subject distance of 21″.

I didn’t address the impact of the various attachments on shutter speed and aperture. Just remember that anytime you put something between the lens and the camera or in front of the lens like an ND filter, you’re going to affect the amount of light passing through the lens to the sensor. For example, the 1.4x converter reduces the light by one stop. Keep this in mind when using extension tubes and converters.

With a true macro lens you can get a lot closer than with other lenses. However, using the 200mm lens that has a minimum focusing distance of approximately 4 feet and adding extension tubes or a tele-converter can still result in some very nice images. In fact, the 200mm lens with the 1.4 converter is ideal for photographing butterflies and other flying insects. You won’t get the multiple eyes of the house fly this way, but you can capture an image of a butterfly without scaring it away. Experiment with your equipment and see what kind of results you can achieve.

Photo Credits:
All photos by Steve Russell

Related posts:

1. Macro Photography Without a Macro Lens
2. Did you say Macro? Here’s a lil’ something about them macro lenses…
3. Macro Photography 101, Part 2

I frequently hear the same question asked about the combination of lenses and cameras. In the last week, I’ve either been asked the question or heard the question asked of another person on four different occasions. The question – should I buy lenses made by the same company as my camera or are third party lenses just as good?

The short answer is I believe that if you have an entry level DSLR and all you’re going to do with your images it view them or have others view them on the internet then it probably doesn’t make very much difference – Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc. all make good, serviceable lenses. What’s more, they are usually much less expensive than a Nikon or Canon lens. For example, if you wanted a good 70-200mm lens, here are your choices:

The top of the line

retails for $2,299.99

The equivalant

retails for $2,569.00

The same sized

is priced at $1,399.00

And, the

is priced at $769.00

The source for the prices was Amazon.com and as you can readily see there is a very wide range of prices for the same focal length lens. You would find similar difference in price ranges with other focal lengths, both zoom and prime lenses.

So why would anyone ever pay $2,569 for a lens that’s the same focal length as a lens that is only $769? The answer has to be the quality of the lens. If the Nikon and Canon lenses didn’t possess optics that were of a much better quality to justify the much higher cost no one would buy them. Even Nikon and Canon have lenses with different quality levels and they are very straightforward about it. A $750 Canon 70-200mm lens isn’t the same quality as the $2,500 lens and the difference isn’t just because the less expensive lens is one stop slower (f/4 vs. f/2.8) and that it doesn’t have IS. The main difference is in the glass, the image quality of the lens itself. There are other differences like the materials used to manufacture the lens, but optics is the main difference and optics is what the lens is all about in the first place.

So, if Nikon and Canon sell lenses that are comparably priced to the third-party lenses and they are up-front about the quality difference between their own lens line-up, what does that say about the third-party lenses? Remove your emotions and think about this in a logical fashion. I’m not saying that the $750 Canon or Nikon lens is necessarily superior to the $770 Tamron lens but there is a very noticeable difference between the $2,300 Nikon lens and the Tamron product.

If we have a lens, we obviously need a camera and this is where I see some things that puzzle me. Let’s take a quick look at camera bodies that we might buy to use with the lens.

An entry level

costs $469.95

A professional level

costs $2,699.00

Let’s say you have around $3,200 to spend on camera equipment and you want one of the cameras with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. Where do you spend the money? (I’m aware that there are many other possible combinations and the one’s I’m suggesting here are extreme and probably impractical but stay with me on this.) Do you buy the 5D Mark II camera and the Tamron lens or the Rebel XS camera and the $2,500 Canon lens?

I see a very surprising number of people that buy a high end camera and then a third party lens. That’s just backward on so many levels. Buy the best glass you can possibly afford and spend less money on the camera body if you have to make a choice. It’s the lens that sees the subject.

While somewhat of an over-simplification all the camera does is capture the image and write it to a memory card. If the lens isn’t of high quality, the best camera made today can’t do anything to improve the image and neither can Photoshop. A number of years ago when I lived in Seattle, some friends and I made wine together – pretty darn good wine too. There is an adage in winemaking – anyone can make bad wine with good grapes, no one can make good wine with bad grapes. It’s the same with photography, if you have a less than high quality lens you will always have less than high quality images.

In my opinion, buying an expensive camera and putting a cheap lens on it is like buying a Corvette and putting a four-cylinder engine in it. You’d be better off buying a Honda Civic and putting a souped-up V-8 in it.

If you think I’m all wet, watch the professionals. Next time you watch a sporting event look at the camera and lens combinations you see. It’s not as easy to discern the combinations with Nikon unless you’re close because all their lenses are black and don’t have the red stripe around them, but look at the gray colored lenses you see. Those are Canon L glass (professional grade) lenses with professional level Canon cameras. Watch the successful portrait photographers, wedding photographers, etc. I have never seen one with a third party lens. There’s a reason and the reason is the quality of the lenses. When someone is making their living in photography, they wouldn’t be using Canon or Nikon lenses if a third party lens was better.

Another reason to spend the money on the lens first if you have to choose is the lens will always be a high quality lens while cameras are constantly changing because of advancement in electronics. If, in the future, you upgrade your camera body, the great lens you purchased will still be a great lens.

If you’re considering upgrading and you can only afford one item, upgrade your lens and buy the best lens you can afford. I know that a new camera is a new whiz-bang toy with more megapixels and more gadgets and we all love new toys while a lens is just a boring lens that looks like the lens you currently have. The objective is supposed to be taking better photographs and the lens will help achieve that objective more than a new camera body.

To a degree, this is what I did. All my lenses are Canon L lenses which are the professional model lenses. Until recently the only camera body I had was a 7D (which is a really good camera) and the combination of great lenses and a really good camera enabled me to capture some of what I consider to be great images. Three weeks ago I purchased a 5D Mark II and I’m amazed by the quality of images. Because from the beginning I purchased the top of the line lenses, I’m getting the maximum out of the cameras and not hindering the performance potential of either camera because of the lenses.

In the end, it’s the photographer that takes great images, not the camera and not the lens. Those are just the tools the photographer uses. However, really good tools makes the photographers job a lot easier and so-so tools render so-so work no matter how hard you try.

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