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Why the iPhone has become the best travel camera for me

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Since I discovered photography, I have always had a camera nearby. Even if “the best camera is the one that’s with you”, I often have to think about what camera to carry. I don’t always need a professional body and lens to capture life around me. Ideally, the camera for everyday carry is small, lightweight, yet capable of shooting photos with great image quality.

I don’t claim to be the best iPhoneographer, nor do I want to anger the Android crowd, I’m sure the shooting experience would be similar to the latest flagship Android phone. I just never got to own one, sorry. This is my journey from the first iPhone to the latest iPhone X.

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Olympus releases selfie-friendly Pen E-PL9 mirrorless

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The selfie-centric Olympus Pen E-PL9 has been announced. This entry-level Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus has seen a couple of nice new updates over the previous generation Pen E-PL8. For a start, there’s 4K UHD video, as well as 120fps slow motion at 720p (a first for the Pen line of cameras). It has a redesigned grip to help get a more confident hold on the camera, especially when shooting selfies, with a new internal popup flash.

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Use a light stand with a boom arm to make an easy overhead camera rig

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There are so many different ways to mount a camera for overhead shots. But it always surprises me both how many people don’t know how they can do it, and whenever a video shows another method. We’ve posted about plenty of DIY options in the past for building fancy rigs, but this one utilises gear you probably already have.

Peter McKinnon’s recent video taking apart his Canon 1DX Mark II required an overhead shot. He wanted to be able to show the camera what he could see while he was doing it. So, he came up with this solution. All you need is a light stand, a boom arm, and a ball head.

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How to film yourself when nobody’s around to help

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Filming myself is probably one of the more difficult things I’ve ever attempted to learn with a camera. It’s so easy when you’re filming other people when you have all of the camera’s controls at your fingertips and are able to quickly adjust. Filming yourself, though, is an entirely different set of skills. But they’re essential skills if you’re looking to start vlogging, which I have.

I’m still no expert at it, and I still have a lot to learn. But you know who is an expert at filming themselves? Peter McKinnon, that’s who. In this video, Peter provides a whole slew of advice to help you film yourself. It’s full of lots of little tips and tricks to make life just that little bit easier and get you thinking a little bit differently about how you approach it.

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First hands-on experience with the Sony a7RIII

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Sony a7RIII was recently announced, and it has still been causing comments from photographers of all genres. While the first experiences were positive, there were also disappointments concerning astrophotography and the “Star Eater” issue.

But how does the a7RIII perform for portraits? Photographer Manny Ortiz has upgraded to the latest Sony camera and tried it out in different lighting conditions around his own home.

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Tenikle is not a creature from your nightmares – It’s a camera mount

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This has to be the weirdest yet coolest looking camera mount I’ve ever seen. It’s like a JOBY GorillaPod, but with suction cups. Despite obvious inspiration from a certain aquatic animal, the Tenikle has only 3 legs, not 8. Each of these legs is not only bendy, but also has several suction cups.

Combining bendy legs with suction cups certainly opens up more camera positioning options, with less gear. The Tenikle is currently on Kickstarter with just over a couple of days left, and it’s absolutely smashed its $15K goal.

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Manfrotto just bought out JOBY and Lowepro to expand into vlogging markets

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It looks like vlogging has turned from being the strange pastime of a select few “self-absorbed” individuals into a more mainstream pursuit. When companies like Vitec, owner of Manfrotto, start taking an interest in the genre, you know it has probably become a big deal.

Vitec today announced that they have acquired two of the companies most associated with vlogging equipment. JOBY, makers of the GorillaPod, and Lowepro, probably the most popular brand of camera bag out there amongst vloggers.

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Nikon KeyMission360 survives tiger-chewing torture test and keeps on recording

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The Nikon KeyMission cameras have had a bit of a tough time. First the KeyMission 360 suffered a long delayed launch. Then the line was split into three separate cameras, all of which felt a bit underwhelming. Finally they were unleashed on the general public, few of which seem particularly impressed by them.

One thing that’s not been mentioned much is the KeyMission’s durability. Chances are, this is because few have had one long enough to really put it to the test. But not so much for Russel Edwards at RSE Photography. He set one up in a tiger’s enclosure during feeding. One tiger, though, seemed a little confused about what was on the menu.

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DIY hacks for stabilizing video when you don’t have the right gear

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It’s hard to get smooth video without stabilizer, that’s for sure. But unfortunately, sometimes you’ll be stuck without it and you’ll have to improvise. There are various tricks for stabilization, and Ted Sim from Apurture shares six DIY hacks each of us can use. They involve readily available items, and some of them even involve relying only on your body and don’t require any props. So whichever situation you find yourself in, you will find at least one of these tricks handy for getting smoother footage.

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Chimp steals a 360° camera to take selfies with friends

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Despite not having an LCD that lets you review your photos & video, it turns out you can chimp with a 360° camera. The New York times were filming for The Daily 360 at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Laikipia, Kenya. A curious chimp came along to see what was going on. Quizzically looking at the camera stood on its, appropriately named, GorillaPod, it picks up a stick to poke it.

A keeper off to the side starts to laugh, amused at the chimp’s behaviour. Then as the chimp actually manages to get hold of the camera, they start trying to reason with the chimp to give it back.

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