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Post by Chris Gampat:
6 Tips for Taking Better Pictures With Your Cameraphone
Written on November 12th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Just because your camera doesn’t have a large sensor or a nice lens doesn’t mean that you can’t take great pictures with it. As much as I love taking my Canon 5D Mark II out with me, she (her name is Dahlia) can be a bit bulky at times in my messenger bag. On top of that, I can’t exactly fully justify the purchase of a Micro Four Thirds camera or a Leica X1 in this economy. So at times, I find myself turning to my T-Mobile G1. Here’s how to take better photos with a cameraphone.
Field Test Review: The Cotton Carrier
Written on November 11th, 2009 | 3 Comments
The Cotton Carrier is another product that is meant to help you with carrying your cameras around just like the Spider. Designed kind of like a lightweight vest, the advertising for the product will appeal most to wildlife and landscape photographers. However, it may also have some appeal to wedding or sports photographers. I used the Cotton Carrier while shooting in Central Park and while also shooting the recent Yankee parade celebrating their win during the World Series. My findings, after the jump.
Getting the Photos No One Else Has
Written on November 3rd, 2009 | 0 Comments
You’re a photographer, you hate seeing the same or similar photos over and over again even more than others do. That said, you also need to keep in mind that your photos need to stand out. Making them do that isn’t hard to do as long as you remove personal boundaries and think outside of the box. To start, the elements of photojournalism (the unusual, the newsworthy, the emotional and the intimate) may really help aid you in the your street photography. Here are some tips to help you do so.
Tips to Keep Your Inspiration Alive Through Photographic Exercises
Written on October 28th, 2009 | 1 Comment
Let your little light shine! As a photographer, you often can get either bored with what you’re shooting, totally demotivated, or may even run dry of your inspiration. If you shoot professionally, this is not good at all. If you’re a semi-pro or amateur, it can be a real drag for your hobby. I experienced such a problem recently after shooting for three years and I dedicated my time to ensure that the photographer in me doesn’t die out the way being a musician did for me. Here are my tips to ensure that you keep trudging and moving towards the light at the end of the tunnel during the hard times.
Nikon D3s Hands-On Review
Written on October 27th, 2009 | 0 Comments
The Nikon D3s is the successor to the Nikon D3. The camera is not much of a change from the previous model except for higher ISO settings and the addition of a new video mode. Nikon users will still appreciate that much of their beloved D3 has not been touched and that this camera is still meant for its intended audience. Sports shooters and photojournalists alike will very much so enjoy the capabilities offered to them on this camera.
Hands-on: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 85mm F3.5G ED VR
Written on October 27th, 2009 | 0 Comments
The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 85mm F3.5G ED VR that was recently announced received some fondling by me at this year’s Photo Plus. If you’re a Nikon shooter, you will appreciate quite a bit of the design, weight and engineering that went into the lens. Seemingly targeted more towards the lower-end prosumer audience, Nikon D300s users especially will love this lens. Read More »
Leica X1 Hands-On Review
Written on October 26th, 2009 | 6 Comments
The Leica X1 is a compact camera with a fixed lens and an APS-C sized sensor. The camera has the largest sensor in it’s class, dwarfing Micro Four Thirds and the Sigma Foveon. I received some personal hands-on time with the camera. While I wasn’t able to put a card in to take samples (I handled a prototype) the short experience with the camera was overall quite positive and, in fact, it may very well be a camera that will put more pressure on other companies to start really developing their technology to do just the same thing.
Leica M9 Hands-On Review
Written on October 26th, 2009 | 4 Comments
Since the announcement of the Leica M9, there has been much interest in the powerful but little camera. The main reason for this is the full frame sensor in such a small body. I had the pleasure and opportunity to finally fondle the Leica M9. I previously brought up the issue of really needing a rangefinder for street photography, and while I have not solved that question yet, I can tell you that the M9 has characteristics that surely can help with doing such things even at close range. However, it is not perfect. Read More »
Spider Holster Hands-On Review
Written on October 25th, 2009 | 5 Comments
The Spider Holster is a unique, new holster belt for a photographer. It allows them to mount their cameras safely and securely while enabling quick access should the need arise for it. It is great for wedding photographers, sports shooters, photojournalists, event shooters that carry a backup body amongst others. While I was at first skeptical, a hands-on demo quickly disproved my initial reservations.
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Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS Lens Hands-on Review
Written on October 24th, 2009 | 1 Comment
The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS lens is a consumer-oriented lens and is available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Sigma DSLRs. This lens is one that is relatively compact for its abilities. It feels very light in your hands and should be very enjoyable for amateurs, enthusiasts, etc. Granted, the lens is not an EX (Sigma’s top of the line) and it surely shows it. I received some brief hands-on time with the lens and was able to judge the Canon version’s abilities vs. something like my much older Canon 80-200mm F2.8 L.
