This morning we posted a story suggesting that high-quality vintage lenses often outperform modern mid-level or kit lenses when used with adapters on the latest DSLRs. The video below illustrates a possible exception to the rule, in the form of Canon’s inexpensive and versatile EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.
While there is no single “perfect lens” for all forms of photography, a few lenses offer more versatility, image quality, portability, and bang for the buck than others. One such lens is the 50mm “Nifty Fifty” we featured in a recent Shutterbug video, and as you’ll see in the video below, another is the 135mm f/2 short telephoto.
There’s been a growing trend among digital photographers to use vintage lenses on modern mirrorless cameras. Why would you want to do that? Among other reasons is that old manual focus lenses often sell for a fraction of the cost of their current autofocus counterparts, and the necessary adapters are both abundant and affordable.
Nikon just announced two new lenses for it’s FX-format (aka Full Frame) DSLRs: the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR zoom and PC Nikkor 19mm f/4E ED tilt-shift lens.
Nikon created quite a buzz Tuesday morning with the introduction of the high-speed AF-S Nikkor f/1.4E ED; a lens they say is the world’s fastest 105mm prime. And now, thanks to some great photographers and the folks at Nikon USA, we can show you the first sample images taken with this new tool for portrait and studio photography.
Last week we discussed the basics of depth of field, a key concept enabling you to capture better images. Today we’ll explore the topic further, through the eyes of an experienced pro.
Though it's a commonly used term in the photography world, opinions vary on how the word “bokeh” should be pronounced. The term is said to come from the Japanese word “boke,” which translates as “blur” or, in some cases, “senility.”
Lens diffraction is an important concept that’s not very well understood by many photographers, and it can have a big impact on your images. In the tutorial below you’ll find a simple explanation, and learn how to deal with diffraction for better results.
Landscape photographers walk a fine line when heading into the great outdoors, when it comes choosing the gear to pack. On the one hand, it’s important to be prepared for whatever you encounter. Conversely, it’s nice to minimize your load, especially if you plan a long hike.
Have you ever wished you could get precise autofocus when using vintage, manual-focus lenses on a modern digital camera? Well, now you can thanks to an innovative adapter from Techart that lets you use classic lenses on Sony E-Mount bodies. Our favorite Weird Lens Guru Mathieu Stern was even able to hack this adapter to deliver crisp AF with a 120-year-old camera. as you can see in the video below.
We’re right in the middle of Photokina frenzy, and you’re probably looking for news about groundbreaking new products, not cases or other more mundane accessories. Understood! So file this for later when the clamor from Cologne subsides. This is a lens case shopping guide with dos and don’ts and some personal brand recommendations.
A few weeks ago during a photo shoot, I dropped and fatally damaged one of my cameras. Since I live a good distance from any urban area with a camera shop, I always go online to buy camera and lenses.
My wide-angle lens was perfect when the late-evening shadows crept across the mountains of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The sweeping landscape, wide open and treeless, was suited to the wide field of view. Until, that is, the weather turned, and with it, my perspective on that wild place. I woke one morning to rain pattering intermittently on the nylon of my tent. Between showers, I emerged to find the mountains obscured by scudding clouds.
We thought we’d start the day with a fun short-and-sweet” technique for embellishing photos with sunstars captured in the camera. So pull up a chair, watch the two-minute video below, and see how it’s done.
The term bokeh refers to a photographic technique that creates soft out of focus areas in an image. The brief video embedded below shows how to use a Russian-made Jupiter 9 85mm F/2 lens and a tilt ring adapter on a mirrorless camera to create stunning videos with a beautiful bokeh background look.