Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

Every time I use Studio 2, the $99 photo editor from Topaz Labs, I find another reason to like it.

Even if you don’t snorkel, ski or engage in any outdoor activities that can be unfriendly toward cameras, you need a ruggedized, waterproof, compact zoom that can stay in your pocket through cloudbursts, snowball fights and a capsized canoe without fret or falter. They are the SUVs of the camera world, and they’re great for younger kids, too. (And if you’re looking for a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Graduation gift, these cameras…

Okay, so you aced the first quiz. Some of you even said it was easy. Cool! Let’s see how well you can do on the Darkroom Edition. Just like last week’s quiz, this is not a multiple guess test, so you gotta really know your stuff to get all of them right.

A 100mm f/2.8 full-frame lens that produces bokeh that looks like soap bubbles? Sign us up! But does the bokeh really look like suds?

Topaz Studio 2 provides the most creative fun you can have editing digital images for under $100, hands down. Experiment, build, adjust, edit and create your own personalized “Looks” for your photos, and save them for future use. Each Look functions as a customized filter for Photoshop within the Studio 2 plug-in. Topaz Studio 2 offers so many possibilities, you’ll never run out of creative options. And it’s soooo EASY. Here are the step-by-step instructions.

One of my favorite camera straps and a brand that’s widely used by professionals is going away. I’m sad to confirm the rumors that UPstrap production is ending soon, likely by the end of this year. The message today is simple and clear: if you want to buy one of the professional camera straps that I think are the best on this planet, order one now.

You say your older computer has only USB-A ports and the new external hard drive you’re eyeing comes with a USB-C cable? Do you keep searching for a drive that’s advertised as USB-A or what? It’s as confusing as 12^th grade calculus.