fbpx

DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

Search

Submit A Story

The Mavic Air 2’s object avoidance system looks like DJI’s best yet

by Leave a Comment

DJI recently announced the much anticipated Mavic Air 2 drone. It boasts an impressive feature set over its predecessor, with a whopping 48-megapixel 1/2″ sensor, 4K 60fps video, HDR video, a 10-kilometre range and a rather substantial 34-minute flight time. But how well does it actually work? How does it feel to use?

Well, with all the lockdown in place around the world at the moment, it’s difficult for those who have units to really get out and give it a good try. But in this video, iPhonedo does what he can, showing us what comes included with the kit, some footage shot with the camera and some tests of how the various tracking modes work (wich some very impressive obstacle avoidance).

[Read More…]

The IRIX CINE 45mm strikes a perfect balance between price and performance

by Leave a Comment

I’ve first seen the IRIX cine 45mm at PPE last year, when tradeshows were still a thing.  On paper, it looked incredibly impressive for $1,200 so I was really hoping to take it for a spin. A few weeks ago, I got my hands on one and took it for a ride. TL;DR – The IRIX 45mm cine in an amazing deal for its price, with some nice features and a look that reminds me of the Zeiss CP.2 signature look.

[Read More…]

First hands on review with the NiSi close-up lens

by 8 Comments

I was on thin ice again when I received the Nisi close-up Lens a few days ago. It meant that I had to immerse myself in macro photography, something which takes years of practice to master.

The close-up lens works as a magnifying glass that you can attach to a telelens. In practice, this means that you can get much closer to your subject and that you can shoot macro without having to invest in a more expensive dedicated macro lens.

In these corona times, macro photography is a great past time activity, and you can just walk into your garden to find interesting subjects and compositions.

[Read More…]

Godox’s lens-sized AD300Pro strobe is a portable power house

by 4 Comments

The Godox AD300Pro is the latest portable flash in the Godox X 2.4Ghz system lineup. It sits between the AD200Pro and AD400Pro in terms of power, but it seems to have the best bits of both. It has a decent amount of power when you need it, with colour consistency and fast recycle times, but it’s also small. Smaller than a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.

This review from Wes Perry goes through the features of the lens, with some practical tests and demonstrations offering up some of his thoughts of how the flash performs. It also has a few unique tricks of its own, that neither of its nearest siblings can perform – like a bicolour modelling light.

[Read More…]

First impressions from Tamron’s affordable 70-180 F/2.8 lens

by 2 Comments

I have been using the new Tamron 70-180 for almost a week now, and I have fallen in love with the lens. It took a few days of trial and error for me to feel confident with a long lens and autofocus, but it was worth the effort. I almost exclusively shoot landscape with a wide angle so this experience was like stepping into a new and foreign world.

[Read More…]

This is hands down the best dual use bag I’ve used so far

by Leave a Comment

We first met WANDRD in PPE in New-york and they showed us the WANDRD DUO – a dual-use travel bag for photographers.  The bag raked over $650,000 on Kickstater so we were curious to test it.

I was impressed with the bag build-quality and feel and fell in love with the zipper system (more on that in a bit). This bag is not big enough to hold all the gear I use for my usual shooting setup, but it’s just the right size for the casual walk with a camera, or a quick run and gun gig.

[Read More…]

My Canon EOS 1D X Mark III real world review

by Leave a Comment

As many of you know, I have been lucky enough to have a Canon EOS 1DX Mark III in my possession for more than a month now. People have been asking me to review this new top-of-the-line camera, but I really wanted to put it through it’s paces in order to do a fair review.

There are lots of photographers or tech reviewers who write reviews of a new product, basically looking at the spec sheets, or holding it in their hands for a couple of minutes. But in my mind, there is no better way to review a product than to use it as my primary camera for a while and really get to know it in detail.

Now that I have become pretty familiar with the ins and outs of this camera, it is time to share my findings with all of you.

So…on to the testing…

[Read More…]

Does the $119 Akaso v50 Pro action camera really stand up against the mighty GoPro Hero 8?

by 2 Comments

For all their ups and downs, GoPro is still at the forefront when it comes to action cameras. The latest iteration of their flagship camera, the GoPro Hero 8 Black, has received very favourable reviews since its release last October. But how do the low budget “knock off” action cameras really compare?

That’s what Gene Nagata, otherwise known as Potato Jet, wanted to find out. So, he pairs them up to challenge them side-by-side. Ultimately, it looks like the $349 Hero 8 Black does win, which you’d expect given the cost, although the $119 Akaso v50 Pro doesn’t look too terrible for the price.

[Read More…]

Lomomod No. 1 review: a fun and frustrating DIY cardboard camera with a liquid-filled lens

by 1 Comment

When the Lomomod No. 1 was first announced, I had the honor of covering the news for DIYP and I thought to myself: “Man, would I like to try this out!” Fast forward four months, and I’ve had the chance to play with this DIY medium format camera and do a thorough review.

The Lomomod No. 1 is a camera like no other I’ve seen or used. It comes in pre-cut pieces and you’re supposed to build it yourself, which is interesting on its own. It’s paired with a liquid-filled 80mm Sutton lens, which lets you change the tint of your images depending on the liquid you use. Sounds pretty cool, right?

In this article, I’ll share my impressions of the Lomomod No. 1. From initially opening the box to seeing my images for the first time, I’ll write about everything I liked and didn’t like about it. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

[Read More…]

Topaz DeNoise AI for night photos review

by Leave a Comment

Topaz has recently launched its newest version of DeNoise AI, and I have tested the software on a night image. Does this latest iteration of Topaz’ noise reduction program live up to the hype? According to Topaz, DeNoise AI has received several updates and improvements.

When you run the program you can choose between two modes: manual and auto. Auto comes with only one slider (Chroma Noise). In manual mode, you can also adjust the level of sharpening and noise reduction applied. In addition, you can also decide how the program displays the changes in real-time. I have only used the split-screen option when testing the software. The real-time preview isn’t very accurate. The processed image looks quite different from what the preview suggests.

[Read More…]

Recent Posts