Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

Just bought a 200mm f/2.8 lens for my Nikon D300s for $99! Incredibly it’s only 3.1 inches long and it’s as sharp as a handful of carpet tacks. It’s used, sure, and it’s manual focus. But hey! It was made by Nikon. It’s a real Nikon lens and it’s just one example of the fantastic bargains that are available to those who know what to look for.

You need a Table Top Tripod to hold your GoPro, Litra Torch, Rode microphone, flash unit, Lume Cube, cellphone, slave strobe, cue cards, etc., etc., and—oh yes—your camera. Whether you’re a vlogger, photographer, Zoom-connected work-from-home-employee (Hommuter) or just somebody who likes to take pictures of their food, you need one of these guys. Maybe two. So here are five good choices to consider.

To say that the photo backpack category is a little crowded is like saying that a few people try to board the subways in Tokyo during rush hour. If you’ve ever been to the Land of the Rising Sun and attempted to take mass transportation around 1800 hours (6pm) you know what I mean. Hand-to-hand combat is easier, but probably no harder than trying to find a niche for a new product in this overpopulated photo accessory category.

Tamron just announced the world’s first f/2.8 lens in the 17-70mm zoom range for Sony mirrorless cameras. Focusing as close as 7.5 inches and measuring just 4.7-inches long, the new zoom features advanced image stabilization that is AI-enhanced when shooting video. We tested the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 on Sony cameras with APS-C sensors and with Full Frame sensors. Here is what we found.

Here’s another ‘what is it?’ for you. Fish gills? Cooling fins on a car radiator? No—as you probably guessed—it’s a mushroom. Not the kind you can eat—it’s the kind that plagues your lawn when the sun shines after a rain.

There is nothing more invigorating for a zealous photographer than putting a brand new lens on a familiar, reliable DSLR body. The world looks different through a new lens, and the tableau of photo opportunities hits the reset button, refreshing all of the possibilities. My experience with Tamron’s new Tamron 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD tele zoom brought this realization into focus, no pun intended.