DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

Search

 

Submit A Story

This man repairs the cameras and lenses that no one else can

by 5 Comments

Even when all repair services discard your camera or lens as “irreparable,” there’s still a way to repair it. Mr. David Hilos can fix all the gear others can’t (or won’t). This 49-year-old Filipino based in Singapore is communications engineer, but he is also a hobbyist camera repairman who can save your gear no matter what happened to it.

Photographers know him as “camera whisperer” and he is a miracle worker when it comes to repairing photo gear. He converts digital cameras to black and white, “transplants” pieces of one camera to the other, and even brings drowned cameras back from the dead.

[Read More…]

Happy Anniversary, EOS

by 5 Comments

Whether you pronounce it “EE-os” (as in the Greek goddess of dawn) or prefer the three-syllable “E-O-S” (as in Electro-Optical System), Canon’s EOS system of automatic-focus cameras and lenses has been with us for thirty years now (March being the actual anniversary), and — I suppose this might fall into the category of “how time flies when you’re having fun” — I’m happy to say I’ve been “with EOS,” both film and digital, for 29 of those thirty years.

Not to the exclusion of other makes, mind you, for when it comes to (at least film) cameras, I am a man of many loves. But this little ramble has to do with my EOS (mostly film) cameras.

[Read More…]

Sony beats Nikon in full-frame camera sales in the U.S.

by 3 Comments

Today Sony has made an announcement about the increase in sales in the full-frame camera market. Thanks to this increase, they have beaten Nikon and now take the second overall position in the U.S., right after Canon.

The results of the research by NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service show the growth in sales of Sony cameras, and the overall growth in the full-frame camera market thanks to Sony.

[Read More…]

The ultimate guide for buying and selling gear online

by 3 Comments

Who doesn’t love buying new gear? Building up your collection of photography equipment is a terribly expensive habit. If you’re used to buying items new, the world of buying used from strangers on the internet can be a bit intimidating.

If you’re savvy, patient, and know where to look, you can save hundreds by buying used gear online. Buying used items from third parties online comes with an additional assumed risk, but I’d like to give you some tips on where to look, how to ask a fair price, and how to safely buy and sell items.

What kind of deals can you expect from buying used instead of new? Currently a brand new Canon 6D is $1,499 on B&H. In a 20 second search, I found one 6D with a 1.5k shutter count, like new condition for $995, and another with a 18k shutter count for $835. Sound worth it yet?

I’ll teach you how to save hundreds of dollars on new cameras and lenses that you can instead use for groceries, rent, bills, or even more camera equipment.

[Read More…]

Midwest Photo Exchange suffers burglary, hundreds of lenses and cameras stolen

by 3 Comments

After a massive theft in Veydra HQ, Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio suffered a robbery too. In the late night of March 15th, someone broke into their new facility, stealing hundreds of gear elements. As MPEX tells DIYP, it appears that the thieves planned the break in advance. It also appears that it was carried out by experienced individuals.

[Read More…]

Camera sales report for 2016: lowest sales ever on DSLRs and mirrorless

by 46 Comments

2016 wasn’t exactly the best year ever, and it appears it was also pretty bad for photography. LensVid has issued a report on the camera industry facts from 2009 to 2016. When you compare camera manufacturing, sales, and shipment, you will get pretty unexpected and drastic differences. 2016 seems to be the worst year for the entire camera market so far, with the total drop of whopping 81% when compared to 2010? So, what happened? What caused these enormous drops?

[Read More…]

The future of Nikon: “we plan to focus on medium to high-end DSLRs and mirrorless cameras”

by 14 Comments

Nikon is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, and they spoke up about their plans for the future. They didn’t start off very well, as they canceled an entire series of premium compact cameras. However, despite the bad start, the company has some big plans for the future. Also, they’ve made some radical decisions.

[Read More…]

Three systems go head-to-head in this camera & lens comparison with some surprising results

by 31 Comments

There are always new photographers trying to figuring out which system to buy into. There’s also experienced photographers considering switching. They post on Facebook and forums to ask the opinions of others. 99% of the responses will be suggesting the brand they themselves use. It’s inevitable, really. They promote what they know, without really knowing what the person asking the question wants to shoot. So, seeing comparisons can be a good way to get a little insight into how each system handles.

This video from The Slanted Lens is a bit of a departure from what we’ve come to expect. But, it can be a valuable one, especially if you want to shoot portraits.  Jay and his team put the Nikon D810, Canon 5D Mark IV and Sony A7R II head-to-head in a variety of real world shooting situations. They try not to come to any real conclusions, but just demonstrate how the different systems compare. This way, you can make up your own mind which is best for you.

[Read More…]

This man has spent almost 60 years repairing analogue cameras

by 7 Comments

On Via Paolo Lomazzo, in Milan, sits an unassuming shopfront. On the window are the words “Riparazioni Macchine Fotografiche” (“Camera Repair”) printed in simple bold letters. This is the workshop of 76 year old Gian Luigi Carminati, a man who has spent his entire working life repairing cameras.

Armed with little more than a set of screwdrivers and a lot of patience, Carminati has repaired countless cameras in his time. A technician more than a photographer, he has made some interesting observations on photography over the years. In this two minute short Master of Camera, from filmmaker David Drills, he talks about some of those insights.

[Read More…]

Recent Posts