DIYPhotography.net

Benjamin Von Wong, Montreal Based Photographer here to bring you guys yet another post for DIY photography!

Recently, I’ve been looking for simple ways to improve the production quality of my Behind the Scene videos and one of the things I noticed that were lacking were some smooth rail pans that you see pretty much in any professional production.  Unfortunately, I did not have the 1000$+ required for a set of real professional sliders such as the Cinevate Pegasus so I began searching for affordable alternatives… which is where I stumbled upon the IGUS Camera Sliders. IGUS is a plastic development company and one of their products just happens to be an oil-free low friction camera slider with various DIY options… even better, they were extremely competitively priced varying between 130-210$ for a 3 foot piece of rail/slider system!

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You don't need to spend mega dollars to expand your collection of photography gear. The list below is my attempt in creating a 25 items list, all under $25 that any photographer will be happy to receive as a present. Click to continue ›

Hey guys!

Today, I would like to introduce you to a very interesting product that costs less than a 100$ that will (maybe) change you’re shooting lives - the LensAlign MKII. If you guys are like me and own a body (or more) plus a couple lenses, chances are you’ve experienced focusing problems here and there. At first, you might wonder if you’re just focusing badly, or that something’s just wrong with your shooting technique but after enough repeats you start asking yourself… could it be something else?

If you’re lazy like me, you bring your camera to your nearest Nikon or Canon service center and get told that they don’t take care of lens calibration issues. Or they test it out on the spot and insist that your shot is properly focused or that the difference is negligible. Or perhaps, you’re slightly more independent and find out that most semi-pro bodies have a nifty little tool called MICRO-ADJUSTMENTS that allows you to force your camera to focus slightly forward or backwards through a little software tweak!

From there, you think EUREKA, and either tries building some sort of 45 degree ruler system to attempt and calibrate your system following some forum on the internet only to realize that your results are inconsistent and somewhat unpredictable. There are improvements, but you just can’t quite seem to get things right…

Now if you’re stuck at this step (which I was for the longest time) … read on for THE solution. Click to continue ›

I am probably the last person anyone want to hand an “artsy” device to. I shoot quick, have not tolerance for fiddling around and I hate the canned look for most “alternate” processes that are inherent in a camera’s performance profiles. So maybe the owners of this site did the LensBaby people a big disservice and then again, maybe not.....

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When I was your age, we did not have no fancy zoom lenses, we used to zoom by walking. In the snow. Barefoot. Uphill.

OK, OK, I am just as young as you and my first lens was a Sigma 28-300 so I can't really say what I just said and mean it. But is sure felt good to write it down :) And since I am going to talk about a prime lens - the 50mm 1.8 (AKA the nifty fifty) it had to be said.

My welded-to-the-chassis lens nowadays is the 24-70mm/2.8 Nikon lens which really rocks for most of the things I do (indoor portraits). And when it comes off, it is usually replace with the 50mm/1.8 prime. Here is why: Click to continue ›

As I was telling a week ago, I got me some PocketWizards. Last week I shared why I thought that PWs were a good choice. There was quite an interesting debate on the comments whether this "industry standard" set is worth its high mark price - $169 apiece and you need two - and I recommend reading those comments and opinions before making any decisions.

In this post, I will share my thoughts on the PWs. My likes and dislikes. Now, this goes without saying (yet, I'll say it anyway) those are my opinions, there are not absolute truths (and my wife will testify to that). I am also aware of the fact that a lot has been written about this set, however, they are still considered the standard and for that alone deserve the attention. Click to continue ›

If you remember a while ago, I was full of pain about my crappy you-get-what-you-pay-for radio slaves. When they worked, it was a match made in heaven. Sadly, they did not always work.

Long story short. I made a change. In this two posts series,  I will first detail how and why I came to select Pocketwizard as my radio system and then share my first impressions after using it for more than a month. Click to continue ›

Lately I've been finding myself wanting more out of my all around umbrella. I've been using the Westcott double fold umbrella for a long time now as my main on location modifier. While I am generally happy with it as a softening device, I wanted to have some more options in my bag without giving up on portability.

The Softlighter II by Photek provides an interesting option for that sake. I've been using it for a few days and in general I am pretty happy.

The images on this review are from a recent shoot for Jim Ridolfo profile pic. Jim Ridolfo is an Assistant Professor of Composition and Rhetoric at The University of Cincinnati. Click to continue ›

Some time ago, I was contacted by B&H to do a review on Impact's Collapsible Background (Black and White 5' X 7').

I love using collapsible backdrops on location as they give me some freedom with regards to choosing a background. While I prefer working with existing walls / plants / fences to crate appealing backgrounds, this is not always possible. And this is where the collapsible comes in handy. Click to continue ›

Are you an "I love to carry stuff with ease" (AKA comfort carry) kind of photographer or a "I love access to my lenses" (AKA easy access) kind of photographer?

The comfort carry kinda photographers tend to take backpacks that have back systems, while the easy access types go for pouches and sling bags.

When I got the Rotation360 for review I was happy to see that you can have both comfort and access in the same system. Read on for my full review.

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