To what lengths will you go to get "The Shot"? A few weekends ago, I accompanied a good friend of mine (we’ll call him "Dave" mostly because that is... uh...well that what his mother called him!) to a large sporting goods store to shop for hunting equipment. I thought that...
Oben CTM-2500 Carbon Fiber Monopod Review
For low light shooting or when using a large lens, a tripod is generally your best bet but wildlife and sports photographers often will opt for a monopod when a tripod is not convenient or when they need a break from hefting a heavy rig. In this review, we will...
Apple iPhone 5 Camera Review
About a month ago, Apple announced the iPhone 5. It was released on September 21 and I was fortunate enough to receive mine that day, just in time for a trip to Seattle. This was not just a new iPhone for me, it was my first iPhone. The excitement of...
Hitech Pro Stop 10 ND Filter Review
This is a quick review of the Hitech Pro Stop 10 ND Filter, designed to dramatically decrease the amount of light that enters a camera lens. Why and when would one need such a filter? With less light passing through the lens and reaching the film or digital sensor, slower...
Lens Calibration Explained
On DSLR cameras, sometimes lenses don't focus exactly where they should because of the way a DSLR works. Moreover, various factors such as manufacturer defects, sample variation, insufficient quality assurance testing/tuning and improper shipping and handling can all negatively impact autofocus precision.In such cases, you may need to calibrate your...
What is a Mirrorless Camera?
While a DSLR camera uses a mirror mechanism to either reflect light into an optical viewfinder, or pass it through directly to the camera sensor, a mirrorless camera completely lacks such mirror mechanism (hence the name), which means that the light passing through the lens always ends up on the...
Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer Review
This is a quick review of the Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer, designed to decrease reflections, reduce haze and saturate colors in photography (see our article on how to use a polarizing filter). The filter is specifically created for the Hitech Filter Holder system to be used with a 105mm plastic...
Nikon D600 / D610 for Sports and Wildlife Photography
As I have pointed out in my D600 Review, I am quite pleased with the autofocus performance of the D600 and the D610. These cameras acquire focus quickly and accurately in most situations and in my opinion works more reliably than the AF system on the Nikon D7000. This past...
Mountain Photography Tips
Have you ever wondered how to create stunning photographs of mountains? In this article, Jack Brauer, a professional photographer from southwest Colorado who specializes on mountainscapes shares some excellent tips on mountain photography. Originality in the Grand Landscape I am a mountain photographer. Mountains are my greatest passion; whether I’m...
Nikon D600 Review
After many months of rumors of a budget full-frame camera, Nikon finally announced the Nikon D600 right before the Photokina 2012 show. Priced at $2,099 MSRP, the D600 was the cheapest full-frame DSLR from Nikon, around $900 cheaper than its bigger brother, the Nikon D800 at the time of announcement....