I've made it back from my trip to Death Valley, where I recently traveled to see (and of course photograph) a temporary lake that formed in Badwater Basin. I'll get back my developed 8x10 film in a few days, but in the meantime, I've been going through all the digital...
Post Archive By Spencer Cox - Page 10
Best Cyber Monday Deals for Photographers
Below is a list of the biggest Cyber Monday sales I’ve found in the photography world, including cameras, lenses, computers, and more. I’ve put my personal favorite deals in bold lettering. All prices and availability have been updated.
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Review
The Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro is a lightweight prime capable of 1:2 close focus photography. At $499, it is positioned as a value option rather than one of Canon's high-end L-series lenses, but it still has some tricks up its sleeve. Should you add the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8...
Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Review
This is an in-depth review of the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM, one of Sony's top wide-angle prime lenses meant to offer the highest image quality and brightest aperture available at 24mm. The 24mm f/1.4 GM lens incorporates many of Sony's most advanced lens technologies, including high-end coatings, multiple aspherical...
Nikon Z 70-180mm f/2.8 Review
One of Nikon's most intriguing decisions in the mirrorless era is to sell two different f/2.8 zoom trios - one set of professional, S-line lenses for $2000+, and another set for about half the price but with Tamron-designed optics. In the cheaper trio, the longest lens is the $1250 Nikon...
Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L Announced: The Holy Grail Midrange Zoom
One of my favorite long-running gags in the photography world is that, whenever someone wishes for an unrealistic lens, another photographer will chime in sarcastically asking for a lightweight 14-200mm f/2.8 with perfect optics, or something just as impossible. Apparently Canon took that as a challenge. The newly released RF...
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Review
The Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is an $898 wide-angle, wide-aperture prime lens for Sony full-frame cameras. As you’ll see throughout this review, this small and somewhat unassuming lens has extraordinary performance, making it a top choice for landscape, Milky Way, and other wide-angle photography.
Nikon’s Secret Macro Lens
I love using macro lenses, but that isn’t the only way to focus up close. Plenty of non-macro lenses, too, have enough magnification for small subjects like flowers or dragonflies. In fact, one Nikon lens can reach 1:1 macro capabilities without any third-party accessories, even though “macro” isn’t in its name!
Landscape Photographers – Are You Stopping Down Enough?
What’s the right aperture for landscape photography? Is it the sharpest aperture measured in the lab (usually f/4 or f/5.6), or is it “f/8 and be there”? Maybe something narrower? Of course, it depends on the photo. But, on balance, most landscape photographers don’t stop down enough!
Photographing the 2023 Solar Eclipse from Arizona
I just got back from a trip to the American Southwest where I photographed landscapes, the Milky Way, and a rare annular ("ring of fire") solar eclipse. My bag was filled with lenses that I'll be reviewing imminently - some from Nikon, of course, along with a few Canons and...