We all may have different types of cameras, but chances are we all use some sort of camera strap. There are those that swear by camera grips, but I like being able to sling my cam over my neck if need be so I haven’t tried a grip yet. I’ve had this strap for about 9 months so I’ve had plenty of time to put it through the ringer. Here are my thoughts on it below. Pros -soft & comfortable -easy to remove from camera body Cons -initial install on camera take a bit more time than a typical strap- item is made to order, so there is a bit of a wait after buying I found Action Custom Straps on Esty after looking around for a leather strap to replace my peeling synthetic one. I wanted something that was of high quality and would last me for years and can say I think I’ve found a winner. This strap is so incredibly soft and comfortable on your neck, but also rolls up nicely tucked away in your camera bag. There are easy-to-squeeze clips that allow you to remove the majority of the strap (but still […]
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One of the 1st L-series lenses that people recommend is the 24-105mm. I originally bought mine to use for filming videos because it’s much faster to re-frame scenes with a zoom lens than switching between prime lenses. I have used it for event shooting as well and here are my thoughts below. PROS – versatile – quality images produced CONS – pricy – biggest aperture only 4.0mm Because of the large focal range, you have the ability to capture wide & telephoto with the simple turn of a dial. This is a great lens for when you need speed, so think events, sports, animals etc. The photos you take are sure to be quality as well because of the L attached to its name. Unfortunately due to the L in the name, this is a more expensive lens to invest in. A beginner may be scared away by the up to $1000 price tag, but find once they have more experience may be interested in purchasing. The biggest downside to this lens is its aperture only goes up to 4.0mm. Not the best for lowlight so expect to use flash or some other exterior light […]
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Here we are with another biased title! I can’t help it. When it comes to products or tools that deliver, the world needs to know about them. In the beginning of the year I invested in my first “L-series” glass and I have noticed a tremendous difference. I still love my 85mm, but the 135mm allows me to fill even more of the frame with my subject’s face (kind of the purpose of headshots.) PROS – Beyond flattering for portraits – Very fast – Bokeh so creamy you can taste it CONS – Expensive – Heavy As mentioned above, this lens is PERFECT for headshots & portraits. When using a wider aperture, as on any other fast lens, you can really isolate your subject and make them pop. The compression is very evident due to the length and the creamy bokeh is so dreamy I smile every time I see it. A couple downsides to this lens are its price & weight. If you’re just starting out, $1000 is probably too much to spend. Honestly, if you are using a cropped sensor body, investing in the $350 85mm will give you similar results. The 135mm […]
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I was using thrifted/hand-me-down tripods since the beginning of my photographic adventures. I really didn’t have a problem with them until finally during some filming last year the middle tightening mechanism broke and almost had my camera tumbling to the ground. I realized then that these cheap things weren’t a good way to protect my investment, so I asked for a much higher quality tripod for Christmas. My brother & sister-in-law ordered exactly what I requested and I was so excited to start using it. I’ve had about 3 solid months of working with it, so here are my thoughts. PROS -Well made -Sturdy -Versatile CONS -Heavy -Bulky -Has specialized quick release plate Upon opening the box, I knew this was a quality piece of work. Everything was solidly put together, no wiggling handles or unstable joints. The legs are pretty stiff and you have to pull with a decent amount of force to get all three open. The legs are also covered with a thick foam so it makes gripping them even easier. There’s the additional option of using the middle column as a way to get flat-lays or close up macro shots as well. […]
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Woop here it is. If you’re looking for a 50mm lens that delivers and doesn’t cost an arm, leg, & a spleen, the Canon 50mm 1.4 is it. I decided on a whim to get this a few months after getting the nifty fifty. My excuse was this could be on my 5d mark IV and the nifty could be on my T3i. Looking back, I should have definitely bought this instead of the nifty, because the quality is noticeable for not much of a price difference. Pros – Great in low light – Compact – Nice image quality Cons – Sometimes hard to focus – Is extra if you already have the nifty fifty That extra stop really does help if you find yourself with less light. Its size isn’t much bigger than the nifty, so I usually keep this on my camera body for convenience. And as mentioned earlier, the image quality is excellent for the price (noticeably from the nifty too.) Depending on if the subject is low contrast or not, this lens occasionally has a hard time keeping focus. Because this is only 1 stop different and 3 times the price, […]
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Once again, I’m sure you’ve noticed my biased title. Since it’s already clear that I love this lens, I’ll delve into why below. PROS – Affordable – Compact – Nice image quality CONS – Close to 50mm focal length – Small This was actually the first prime I picked up years ago. I think the main reason I purchased this instead of the nifty fifty was because Best Buy had it on sale/in stock. For a beginner, the price point is just right. I also love how slim this lens is, it can be left on my camera body with no worry or tension on the attachment ring. And though this is a lower price compared to other Canon lenses, the image quality is excellent. I especially like using this for closer up views of makeup or product shots. Another reason I waited to get a 50mm for so long was because I already had this one. It’s slightly different but not enough to make a noticeable difference. The size is an advantage for leaving on the camera, but could be a disadvantage to people who lose things easily. This is slim & light and […]
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As my biased title reveals, I truly enjoy this lens. Unlike the nifty fifty, the praise surrounding the 85mm 1.8 is well deserved in my opinion. PROS – Very flattering for portraiture – The quality is excellent on both cropped sensor & full frame – Affordable CONS – Chromatic aberration – Focus is occasionally slow – Heavy The 85mm has been deemed THE portrait lens. And for good reason. This focal length is not so close that you make your subject uncomfortable, but far enough away to still hold a conversation & create flattering compression. I’ve used this on my cropped sensor for years (made the focal length around 128 which was bokeh-licious) and on my full frame this past year. I love that it consistently performs well in various situations. The biggest disadvantage to this lens is the chromatic aberration when shooting out on bright days. Purple fringing is unavoidable and must be fixed in post. Sometimes it takes a while to get the auto focus just right and this is a weighty lens due to all that glass. Currently this is my favorite lens & I definitely recommend picking it up because the […]
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Like when seeking out any sort of physical object to buy, I began looking for reviews and comparisons. Of all the reviews I read, the top two that came out were ProDPI & WHCC. I think while looking at particular print examples, I went with ProDPI for the color, quality, & price. When using this lab, you have to set up an account (it’s free) and download their uploading software. It does seem to be an extra step, but they probably have it that way to keep track of orders easier and not have giant files directly on their site. The images should be the exact size you want them to print, 300dpi as expected, but surprisingly in RGB color mode. I had them in CMYK but had to switch them when they weren’t “recognized” by the uploader. I find it a little strange that they want RGB color since every other time I’ve dealt with print it’s been in CMYK, but a friend told me many newer, high-end printers are able to recognize and reproduce RGB even better. This brings us to the most important aspect of all: image quality. I Was. Blown. Away. […]
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After years of saving, I have finally upgraded to a full frame DSLR: the Canon 5d MarkIV. I’ve had about a month to play with it and want to share my thoughts on it below. A couple years back, I was actually set on the MarkIII as it has such a great reputation and had friends who told me about how well it performed. But it was coming up on being 5 years old at that point & I suspected that Canon would be releasing its successor soon, so I waited and saved. The release was finally announced fall last year and I was so pumped to see the features it had so I scoured the internet for weeks reading & watching reviews. There have been a large amount of positive reviews on image quality though many videographers were upset with the way it uses jpg frames when recording 4K video. The thing is though; I was looking for primarily a still camera with excellent quality, so these particular comments didn’t faze me. (Once I jump back into video again, I’d want a dedicated video camera anyway.) The other reason why I decided to pick up […]
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Let me preface this by saying yes I fell for the hype. I had been using my trusty 40mm pancake lens for years now but I kept seeing this “nifty fifty” everywhere. Seeing how inexpensive it was, I thought heck, why not give it a try? I was not as amazed as many online voices seemed to be. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great little lens (that’s far better than the 18-55mm zoom that comes with most entry level rebels) but it didn’t give me the WOW factor that I had expected. In hindsight, I think I should have just waited and saved up a bit more to get the 50mm 1.4, but I’ll just plan on upgrading later once I have another camera body. I should also note that these are my experiences with my T3i. Things may be different on a newer cropped sensor or full frame body. So with that back story out of the way, I’ll list pros & cons of this lens and share my final thoughts. PROS -The focal length causes no distortion -The ability to have a shallower depth of field and congruently creamier looking […]
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