Jon Sienkiewicz

Lens TipsPhoto How To
Buying Smart: New Life For Favorite Old Lenses: Micro Four Thirds Cameras Open The Door
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 17, 2012  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2012

When Olympus and Panasonic launched the Micro Four Thirds system they offered adapters that enabled the use of regular Four Thirds lenses. Smart move, because it immediately expanded the library of available glass. The goal of Micro Four Thirds is smaller and lighter SLR cameras. The unanticipated benefit is compatibility with tons of lenses we all thought we’d never use again.

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Photo Accessory NewsPhoto Accessory Reviews
Two “Must-Have” Filters: Lens Accessories For Digital Photographers
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  First Published: Nov 01, 2011

When I say filter, your first thought may be a Photoshop plug-in. That’s natural, especially if your first good camera was digital. But folks who cut their photographic teeth shooting 35mm film know all about the light-bending qualities of glass screw-in filters. Physical filters were once the best (and sometimes only) way to get certain types of creative shots. Although still as effective as ever, they’ve fallen from favor for several reasons.

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Tripod News
Image Stabilization & Tripods; The Picture Isn’t Always Clear
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 24, 2011  |  First Published: May 01, 2011

“Can you use a tripod and IS at the same time?”

 

Almost 20 years after the dramatic success of the first autofocus 35mm SLR, the Minolta Maxxum 7000, Minolta introduced “body integral” Image Stabilization (IS) to the world in the DiMAGE A1, and the game changed. Advanced photographers recognized the value of stabilization. That was back in 2003, but it wasn’t the first attempt to quell camera jitters. Previously, IS had been performed optically. Minolta did it in the camera body by physically moving the sensor to counteract camera movement. We called it Anti-Shake, and I was a member of the team that brought it to market.

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Jon Sienkiewicz Blog
Something New Under The Sun
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 10, 2011
Partly because I own some great Minolta glass (including a 17-35mm G-series zoom) and partly because one of my best friends in the whole world, Mickey Iwata, a former PMDA Technical Achievement Award winner, is in charge of the Sony Alpha DSLR/SLT accessories, I bought a Sony Alpha 55.
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Compact Camera NewsCompact Camera ReviewsNews
Serious Compacts; “Second Cameras” Even Pros Can Love
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 01, 2011

We all need a second camera, one that travels with us when the heavy artillery stays at home. There are many premium models to choose from, and most yield results on par with their larger brethren—under certain circumstances.

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Classic Camera Reviews
Classic Cameras; Minolta’s XD-11; Wait ’Til You See How Good You Can Be With Minolta
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 01, 2011

Long before the Mind of Minolta popularized autofocus SLRs with the introduction of the Maxxum 7000 there was the XD.

The year was 1977 and Minolta Camera Company, Ltd. was riding high. Fueled by the success of the SR-T series and the inimitable XE-7, Minolta launched the XD family, beginning with the XD-11 (labeled simply XD in Japan and XD-7 in Europe). The XD-11 was the first...

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Photo Accessory NewsPhoto Accessory Reviews
Notebook Computers; A Checklist For Photographers
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 01, 2010

For many photographers, the notebook computer has become nearly as essential as an SLR camera. But that doesn’t mean that photographers are just as savvy about their PCs and MacBooks as they are their cameras and lenses.

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Lens NewsLens Reviews
Buying Smart; Tele-Converters; TC? Or Not TC? That Is The Question
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 01, 2010

Back in the day when prime lenses ruled supreme and snooty purists decried zooms for lack of absolute sharpness, Tele-Converters (TCs) were popular accessories. Photographers wanted to bring distant subjects closer, and TCs provided a means to that end. Also known as tele-extenders, these thick slabs of metal and glass increase the focal length of a given lens while also decreasing the f/stop.

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Pro Techniques
Buying Smart; WARNING: Read This If You Use SD Cards!; The SD Compatibility Game
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  May 01, 2010

Many of the cameras used by Shutterbug readers use SD memory cards. SD stands for Secure Digital, and it’s the most popular type of media for digital imaging. SD has been around for so long that people use this identifier generically, and refer to all variations simply as “SD.” This practice can lead to problems. There are a couple of new kids on the block, and you should know...

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Pro Techniques
Buying Smart; Scanning Options For Negatives And Slides; Bring Out Your Shoeboxes!
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 01, 2010

For all practical purposes, you can narrow your film scanning options down to four choices. There are three types of scanners: drum, flat-bed, and dedicated film scanner. The fourth alternative is to have your film scanned by a professional lab.

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