Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogLens NewsPhoto How To
Easy Photo Tip: Using a Lensbaby to Capture Fall Leaves and Holiday Lights
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 20, 2015  | 

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.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogNewsPhoto Bag Reviews
The Bag Man Reviews the Cooper Collection, Luxury Camera Bags from Tenba
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 13, 2015  | 

In a world where gadget bags are made of black ballistic nylon and closed-cell foam, Tenba has always boogied to slightly different beat. Their latest addition, the Cooper Collection, stands apart from anything you’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for a holiday gift for the photographer in your life—a gift that they’ll pass on to their grandchildren—get in line to buy a Tenba Cooper. 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogPhoto Bag Reviews
The Bag Man Reviews Newcomer TEKNIQ Photo's Modular 3-in-1 Camera Bag
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 06, 2015  | 

They are an American success story. TEKNIQ Photo launched its first camera bag in April of this year on Kickstarter. By June 27th, they had raised $73,874 and had 478 backers. Their product is unique—a modular camera bag that gives you three bags in one.

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Drone NewsJon Sienkiewicz BlogOpinion
What Is Our Fascination with Drones All About? (Thoughts On UAVs and Lily)
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 29, 2015  | 

I can’t understand the current love affair between photographers and drones. Like all kids I made paper airplanes which I anonymously launched toward unsuspecting substitute homeroom teachers, sure. Sometimes with uncanny accuracy. Is the current drone rage the ultimate technological evolution of the balsawood P-51 Mustang? Or are we channeling our inner Wright brothers? 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogSoftware NewsSoftware ReviewsSports Photography How To
Exploring the New Features of Adobe Photoshop Elements 14
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 29, 2015  | 

Adobe has released version 14 of Photoshop Elements and Premier Elements. Both are exciting and easy-to-use, and offer enough editing horsepower for most photo and video enthusiasts. Although Premier 14 is chock full of improvements, including some cool new things you can do with 4K video, I found the enhancements in Photoshop Elements to be more groundbreaking and fun. So that’s what we’ll focus on today. 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogLens NewsLens ReviewsNews
Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Edge 50 Optic Review
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 26, 2015  | 

Sometimes an old fashioned recipe and the latest modern technology don’t mix: zap-blasting your grandmother’s vegetable soup ingredients in a 10,000-watt microwave instead of slowly simmering them for six hours, for example. But other times strange bedfellows bring out the best in each other. Such is the case with Lensbaby optics on modern digital cameras.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogPhoto Bag NewsPhoto Bag Reviews
The Bag Man Looks at the Lowepro ProTactic Series of Photo Backpacks and Shoulder Bags
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 15, 2015  | 

Last year Lowepro launched the ProTactic Series of gadget bags. They immediately earned high marks in my book because they are durable, highly functional and provide superb protection for the gear inside. Initially just two bags, the lineup has grown to six in total, three backpacks and three shoulder bags. Here’s a quick rundown on what they’re all about. 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogPhotographer Profiles
An Interview with Alamby Leung, “That Girl” Formerly with the DigitalRev Photography Show
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 08, 2015  | 

Alamby Leung is known to millions of photo enthusiasts as the girl who used to be a background character on the YouTube channel DigitalRev TV. We caught up with her recently and asked her how life is after leaving that popular show. 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogNewsPhoto Bag Reviews
The Bag Man Reviews the Everyday Messenger Photo Bag from Peak Design
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 01, 2015  | 

What can you say about a camera bag that raised $4,869,472 on Kickstarter and won the hearts of 17,029 backers? Quite a bit, actually, starting with “Wow!”

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogLens NewsLens ReviewsNews
Tamron SP 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD and SP 45mm f1.8 Di VC USD Lens Review
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 17, 2015  | 

To make a better lens, one that avid photographers might even be inclined to leave on their DSLR camera permanently, Tamron set aside all of their former notions about lens design and construction and went straight back to the basics with the new Tamron SP 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD (Model F012) and SP 45mm f1.8 Di VC USD (Model F013) prime lenses, which are the subjects of this review. 

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogOpinion
Is Photography Art or Science?
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 10, 2015  | 

This question has been bugging me since I first looked into the waist-level viewfinder of a Yashica D twin-lens reflex camera more years ago than I care to admit. I haven’t been more than three feet away from a camera since then, and clearly I am neither artist nor scientist. Explore a couple differing points-of-view with me and then please leave a comment and share your opinion.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogLens News
Tamron Unveils Fast New 35mm F/1.8 and 45mm F/1.8 Prime Lenses with Image Stabilization, Close Focusing and High-End Designs
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 02, 2015  | 

Tamron has annouced two intriguing new prime lenses: the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD and a 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD. Both lenses offer close focus (7.9 and 11.4 in. respectively) and both are compatible with full-frame and APS-C sensor DSLR cameras.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogPhoto Accessory Reviews
The Bag Man Reviews Pacsafe Carrysafe 75 Anti-Theft Camera Neck Strap
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 27, 2015  | 

My best friend’s daughter just left to study design in Europe and was given the standard litany of safety precautions by her parents. One city she’s visiting is notorious for street thieves—pickpockets and their ilk—so she was advised to be extra vigilant. I won’t name the city for fear of maligning it as a risky place for tourists, but I will divulge that citizens there eat more pasta per capita than anywhere else in the world. Lots more.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogNewsPhoto Accessory NewsPhoto Accessory ReviewsTripod NewsTripod Reviews
Vanguard Veo 235AB Tripod Review
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 20, 2015  | 

I’m as bad as the next guy when it comes to tripods. I know I should know better—they’re the only accessory you can buy that has the potential to improve every single picture you take. I’ve written about tripods at least a hundred times. That said, there have been too many occasions when I’ve been two-legged when I should have used three.

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Jon Sienkiewicz BlogNewsPhoto Bag NewsPhoto Bag Reviews
Tamrac Anvil 23 Photo Backpack Review: The Bag Man Looks at Tamrac's New Pro Pack Line
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 14, 2015  | 

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.

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