British pro Thomas Heaton’s latest video has a provocative title: “Throw Away Your Wide-Angle Lens.” Does he mean it? Not really, but Heaton, who is an acclaimed landscape and nature photographer, does have a point to make about lens choices when shooting outdoors.
So you have a bit extra cash to spend on photo gear, and you’re about to go shopping. Before you do we want to remind you of something we’ve stressed in the past; namely, it often makes far more sense to upgrade your optics than it does to invest in a new camera.
Most photographers turn to wide-angle lenses when shooting landscape photos. But every so often, depending upon the situation, it makes more sense to pull out the big guns. And if you’re new to telephoto nature photography, it’s easy to make mistakes that can spoil an otherwise great shot.
Wide-Angle lenses are typically the go-to choice for experienced landscape photographers. They enable you to easily capture expansive vistas with room for cropping, and they help to tell a story about the location with your images.
Canon has not one but two elite 85mm portrait lenses: Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II and Canon RF 85mm f1.2L lens. The main difference between these two portrait masters is that the EF lens is designed for Canon's DSLRs while the R lens is made for its new full frame mirrorless camera line.
Many, many years ago a coworker at Altman Camera in Chicago showed me that it was possible to screw a Vivitar +10 Macro Adapter into a partially disassembled set of Nikon K-series extension rings and thereby build a soft focus lens that practically exploded with delightfully horrendous aberrations. It was fixed-focus, you had to bob to-and-fro like a drunken sailor to use it, but it was sensationally unsharp and I’ve been hooked on this genre ever since.
Here is another helpful how-to designed to give landscape photos an uncommon look. Like others we’ve posted in the past, it will enable you to capture unique images and set you on the path toward creating a style all your own.
Nikon users love their prized Nikkor glass, which the company says is built “to the highest standards of craftsmanship to deliver images of unrivaled clarity and sharpness.” In this interesting video from the My Nikon Life YouTube channel, you’ll get a look at the optical and mechanical technology that goes into Nikkor lenses.
You’re all familiar with the popular adage that, “It’s the photographer, not the camera” that’s responsible for a great image. But is this totally true or is it an inspirational myth? Today we’ll attempt to answer that question and put YOUR eyes to the test!
"Exploring Light" is a new monthly Shutterbug column featuring tips, tricks, and photo advice from professional photographers in Canon's Explorers of Light education program
Sports photography shares much in common with capturing images of wildlife: You’ve got an active scene captured at a distance requiring specialized equipment and knowledge of the subject’s activities while anticipating what they are going to do next…or not. Sure, you’ll need fast, long focal length lenses but you will also need camera supports and other gear that along with specialized knowledge separates the virtuosos, like Regis Lefebure (regislefebure.com), from the wannabes. Here’s a look at some of our favorite tools of the sports trade.
With the availability of sky-high ISOs on digital cameras and VR on slower lenses, some have argued that it’s not practical or economical to work with fast, prime lenses anymore. On the other hand, lenses like the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED (list: $2200) and 50mm f/1.4G (list: $485) serve a distinct purpose for not only the obvious low-light advantages but also for the very, very shallow depth of field they can deliver.
There are two general classifications of lenses that define how you use them in the field—zooms and single focal length, the former being a variable focal length lens that has many convenient advantages, and the latter being a single focal length that, in the group we’re covering here, is what’s known as a “fast” lens. Fast doesn’t mean that it focuses quicker than its zoom cousins, though it might—it usually means that it offers a wide maximum aperture, anywhere from f/1.2 to f/2.8, and that aperture stays put, unlike some zooms where the aperture varies by going narrower as you zoom into longer focal lengths. And to help refine the group we’re covering here we’re also topping out the focal length at 50mm, which makes these lenses prime for street and low-light photography, candid and photojournalism work.
At the PhotoPlus Expo 2015 show in New York City this week, we met up with Billy Luong from Fujifilm who showed us all the key features of the brand new Fujinon XF 35mm F/2 WR lens in this short take video.