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About Paul Monaghan

Creative photographer based in Scotland, Sigma UK Ambassador.

Never screw again. First review of the Revoring CPL filters from H&Y

Over the years, I used optical filters quite a lot. They give me great control over the in-camera photo, so they are valuable tools. I have to admit, though, I hate that you need to screw them on and off your lens. It really takes the fun out of shooting. What if there was a better way?

The new Revoring CPL filter is a new addition to the award-winning Revoring family that debuted last year. If you have never heard of the revoring filter family before, prepare for something new and exciting. (And less prone to fingerprint smudges)

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The H&Y 100 filter is one clever magnetic system

I’ve had the great pleasure of using a few different types of filter holder systems over the years, but this one is different. Let’s take a look at H&Y’s version of the 100mm filter holder.

I just wanted to take a note of the box art. I find it rather pleasing. Possibly as they remind me of the various Sigma boxes, I’ve had over the years. But we are not here to look at boxes, so let’s get onto what’s inside.

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The must have tool for color addicts – the Rosco MixBook

Color.  Such an important tool to help bring a time, place, or even emotions into an image.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that makes working with color easier? Inside this little package is a new tool by Rosco called “Mixbook“. To help creators pre-visualize gel and LED colors.

Essentially Rosco has digitized the old gel swatch books, as you can see in my reenactment of a Rosco scientist at work. Note the old gels from my swatch book flying around as the new Mixbook arises from the smokey pot.

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Organic looking images? The K&F Concept Black Mist filter reviewed

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Can a filter really help make digital images look more organic/film-like?  We take a look at the new Black Mist filter from K&F Concept.

Essentially, the Black Mist filter is designed to add some atmosphere into an image. As if there was a slight fog or mist present. You can see it here in this shot of my son. Taken on a nice clear but overcast day. Using the Black Mist filter makes it look like there’s a slight haze in the distance.

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The best 105mm lenses for Speed, Macro or Zoom

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One of the great things about photography is the wide range of available equipment. Particularly with lenses.  But this can also leave people wondering what might be right for them, particularly as they can often overlap in many ways.

To help, we take a closer at three lenses that can all shoot at 105mm: a fast prime, macro, and a zoom.

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This light stand – tripod hybrid is my best stand yet

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Over the years, I’ve invested in many ways to hold lighting equipment, but recently I found a light stand that seems to get very little attention. The K&F Concept Heavy Duty Light Stand.

Now the name a little misleading.  This light stand is more of a sturdy travel light stand, and you should use it accordingly.

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This filter system is the ultimate variable ND solution

Have you ever wanted a set of filters that could offer 1 to 9 stops of light reduction without having to screw in different filters? Then check out the latest kit from Haida with their Nano Pro Magnetic Variable ND.

Variable ND filters have come a long way in the last few years.  They offer a great combination of image quality and versatility. While there are a few different types of variable ND filters, the most common normally come in two verities:

Ones that offer a very wide range of ND reduction. Say, for example, one to eight stops with no limitations on rotation.  These tend to cause image quality issues like the dreaded X pattern when you try to reach their advertised limit or surpass them.

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Half an Art. First images from the Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art DN GN

When Sigma started the global vision range the Art series, in particular, became a household name for high-quality lenses.

My personal favorite is the lovely 105mm f1.4 Art that is as wonderful as it is large! That is a common theme with the Art series.  As they often sacrifice size and weight for image quality.

So imagine my surprise when Sigma released a new 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art lens that is roughly half the weight of their original DSLR version, the 85mm f1.4 DG HSM Art.

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A funny lens hood to kill all window reflections

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Have you ever wanted to shoot out of a window, but the reflections ruin the shot?  Introducing the Haida super wide-angle silicone lens hood (Amazon, B&H).

As the name describes, this is a silicone hood for your lens. It’s has a designed contort to seal around a window to cut out unwanted reflections. It comes in two sizes, One for 50-70mm lens and another for 70-90mm lens. Most of my lenses are on the larger side, so I opted for the 70-90mm version.

The large hood is 210mm wide and is designed to stretch over your lens to hold in place. You can even do this while the lens is mounted. Check the photo above.

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