Photographer Ryan Stout used his engineering skill to create “Arsenal” which he describes as “the world’s first intelligent assistant for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The idea is that with this compact, wireless device you can use an iOS or Android smartphone to control your camera and take the guesswork out of capturing great images.
“Over the last few years seeking monitor/display units that serve to perform with adjustment and color management to resolve the problems of too bright LCD displays causing too dark prints, my reaction has usually been mixed. I have to report that this was less so with this display than with even more sophisticated and expensive displays.”
Photographers should back up their image files—it’s as simple as that—and there are numerous services that offer their services today. In this article I’ll be looking at one, Carbonite (www.carbonite.com), that works somewhat differently from others. Many people have told me that their $59 per year for the Home Plan, unlimited backup, is a steal, so I thought I’d check it out.
Binoculars have only one purpose: they make distant objects appear closer. They all look pretty much alike, too. But don’t be fooled into thinking that they’re all the same. Here’s a straightforward, plain-talk guide to buying the binoculars best for you.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a flash photo and wished a) it wasn’t so washed out, b) it didn’t have those harsh, black shadows behind the subject, c) it wasn’t so bluish all over, or d) it were possible to do it all over again because the results just plain sucked. Does this picture sound familiar? You need a flash modifier. In fact, you may need a BounceLite.
We started looking for DIY skins for cameras and lenses and discovered a literal treasure trove of sticky things that are camera-related, at least remotely. We limited our search to AliExpress, an online merchant with whom we have had sporadic success. We think you’ll like some or all of them, so we’re sharing our findings here.
Wet happens. Having photography without protection in unstable climates is more than risky—it’s an invitation to calamity. Practicing unprotected video may seem like a safer alternative, but that’s a myth. Why take chances with something as precious as your camera? Here’s a look at five products you should have on hand when life deals up an unexpected cloudburst.
The cleverly engineered CapturePRO Camera Clip from Peak Design provides a secure and convenient way to attach a camera to your belt, backpack or other strap. It’s a quick-draw device that allows you to spring into action instantly—but locks down your camera safely when not in use.
Many people still use the wide camera strap that came with their digital camera, but I’ll never understand why. You wouldn’t wear the same shoes for all occasions and all weather conditions, would you? High heels to play softball? Moccasins with a tuxedo? Here are three unique straps from three excellent companies because one is not enough.
The Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 is extra-compact (3.4 inches long) and super-sharp. It focuses to 6.7 inches and covers the focal lengths street photographers, travelers, video content creators and landscape shooters want most. It’s a new kind of “everyday zoom” that exemplifies versatility and speed.
Camera lens filters and adapters are among the least expensive accessories that can make a big difference in your images, especially when shooting outdoors. In fact, many experienced landscape photographers never leave home without a selection of these tools.
If you’re interested in giving macro photography a try, or the images you shot in the past were disappointing, this detailed tutorial is for you. And if you think that shooting close-ups is reserved for spring and summer, think again!
A few years back, while waiting for a beautiful but thoroughly flakey model in the parking lot of a restaurant near Liberty State Park, my boredom was interrupted by a black Lincoln Town Car that slipped suspiciously past me and parked a few spaces away. After several minutes, two men exited the sedan. They were wearing tuxedos and looked rather serious. The trunk lid popped open. Ignoring me completely, they rummaged through the trunk. One of the men removed his tux jacket and strapped on a large black holster. A moment later, the other did the same. I slid down in my seat, wondering if I was about to witness some weird reenactment of High Noon, right there in Jersey City.
See a spot of color you like? Scan it with this $59 doodad and instantly your smartphone shows the RGB values – and a lot of other stuff, including what brands and shades of paint to buy to match that color accurately. The Datacolor ColorReader EZ DC10-3 even suggests a full palette of other colors that complement the sample scanned. For photographers it’s a chance to objectively identify colors numerically and replicate them in Photoshop.
One of the most common complaints about digital imaging is the lack of consistency when going from one device to another—most commonly screen to print. Dark prints are the typical complaint, but color shifts are also a contributor to choice language and lack of hair. Yes, we tweak the image until the sky is that perfect hue of blue, or the skin tones have just the right amount of warmth and vibrancy. When it’s all done, the image is posted online or printed and it looks nothing like what we expected. The image is too dark, skin tones are too red, any number of problems. Where did it go wrong?
In almost all cases, the culprit is an uncalibrated display. Back when CRT displays were the common screen type, color could be wildly different and it was usually pretty easy to detect when the display was at fault. With modern LCD displays that isn’t necessarily the case—color is often close to correct in hue, but luminance, or brightness, is where the problem usually lies.