How to Add a Quick Release Strap to a Camera with Arca Swiss Type Plates

Hopefully nobody out there is still manually screwing their camera onto a bare 1/4″ 20 thread on top of their tripod? Using a quick release plate is a much better option because it’ll save you valuable time, prevent wear on the camera and also offer a way to protect the bottom of the camera from scrapes and scratched when you put it on the ground. This final reason alone has always had the plates paying for themselves when it comes time to sell old gear on the second-hand market. The problem with these plates is that it can make it …

Read more

Fuji Lens Terminology and Abbreviations

Hello photography fans! Welcome to the latest in our series of manufacturer lens guides, where we take a headfirst dive down the rabbit hole that is lens terminology and abbreviations so that you don’t have to! Today ladies and gentlemen we will be attempting to unravel the nomenclature of stalwart industry giant Fujifilm! Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd was founded in 1934 with ambitions to become Japan’s first manufacturer of photographic films. In the 1940’s, having achieved their initial objective the company expanded into the optical glass and equipment industry, manufacturing various products including X-ray and printing equipment. Fuji remained …

Read more

The History of Canon, the FD Mount and the EF Mount

The origins of global electronics and precision optical giant Canon Inc. can be traced back to humble beginnings in the town of Roppongi, in Minato-Ku, Tokyo 1933. Takeshi Mitarai and three friends, Goro yoshida, Saburo Uchida, and Takeo Maeda founded the ‘Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory’ in a small street-side workshop, and set to work dismantling and examining cameras built by industry leading European manufacturers. Traditionally fetching a high premium in the Japanese market, Precision Optical Instruments dreamt of producing cheaper, Japanese made alternatives. In 1934, having conducted their research, Precision Optics prototyped Japan’s first domestically designed and manufactured 35mm focal-plane …

Read more

mirrorless vs DSLR

Mirrorless Vs. DSLR – Why I ditched my Canon gear for Sony

Switching from a DSLR to mirrorless So there are many articles out there covering photographer’s transitions from their beloved camera format to Sony, but I wanted to share my reluctant transition and obviously the ‘why’ for waiting and ultimately moving over. I was a hold out for nearly a year, very wary of the idea of moving to a smaller camera body that had a limited lens selection and would force me to really shake things up with the gear I was using. I split my photography interest between landscape photography and travel/humanitarian work around the globe so I need …

Read more

8 Pieces of Essential Macro Photography Gear

When I teach my photography workshops, it’s always fun to see a student’s face when they try out a macro lens for the first time. Invariably, all their shots for the rest of the day are explorations of the tiny world around us. It’s a fascinating perspective, but it’s a challenging form of photography to perfect. I’ve put together a list of macro photography gear tips for you to consider. Surprisingly, a dedicated macro lens is NOT on this essential macro photography gear list: There are several ways to shoot macro photos without needing to spend a ton of money …

Read more