If you only shoot digital, you may want to learn something new and try film photography for the first time. While it’s exciting (and nowadays kinda exotic) to shoot film, you might find it difficult to choose your first film camera. To make the decision easier and help you do it right, Casey Cavanaugh will show you the five most important things you should look for before you buy a film camera.
This guide will help you figure out what your next lens purchase should be
Which lens to buy next is the biggest issue facing many new photographers. You’ve got your camera and kit lens, but you’re not getting what you want. So, you want a “better lens”. Of course, just as with buying a new camera, buying a new lens isn’t going to make you a better photographer. You still have to learn what you’re doing. But, when you get to that point, how do you decide where to expand your lens selection?
This 14 minute video from photographer Peter McKinnon goes through the ins and outs of different lenses. Peter shoots Canon, so the lenses he has are also for Canon. But his advice holds true regardless of the brand you use. Peter talks about the three main points of picking any new lens. The focal length, the aperture, and the intended use of the lens.
Three tips for curing G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
Do you have an insatiable lust for the latest and greatest gear? If so, you probably have Gear Acquisition Syndrome, a made-up cheekily known as G.A.S. throughout the web.
While it’s fun to play and experiment with the newest gear that gets released month after month, the reality is it’s not the gear that will make you a better photography. It’s practice and knowledge, two things you can gain with even the cheapest of camera equipment.
If you’ve been bitten by the G.A.S. bug already though, don’t worry. Miguel Quiles and Jeff Rojas, known on YouTube as ‘These Guys’ have come together to share three tips to help cure G.A.S.[Read More…]
The Pros and Cons of using Cheap China Brand Lights
My first ever off-camera flash was a Nikon sb-24 speedlight (1988), which I got. After a while I bought my first ever Nikon speedlight an sb-600 (it was around $250 back then). I was very happy with it until I wanted to get a studio strobe. There weren’t many choices to pick from here in the Philippines; it’s either you get one that cost around $300 per strobe or you can buy a “kit” with 3 off brand studio lights, light stands and softboxes for around $220. I got the latter.
(As a reference, a 400WS Broncolor Siros 400 which is one fine branded strobe – yet one of the cheaper branded strobes – will set you back $1000. A Cowboystudio 400WS strobe will only cost $150. A Square Perfect 400W/S strobe will only set you back a $100 or so. Those 3 are obviously not comparable strobe)
CHEAP doesn’t always mean bad, I have used these lights for more than 6 years now, and I want to share with you the pros and cons of using cheap off brand lights.
