Photoshop Contender - Affinity Photo (Mac only)
The European company Serif makers of Affinity Designer have announced the Beta release of Affinity Photo. Affinity Photo is slated as a Photoshop alternative and appears to be a very strong contender. Available only as a Mac platform software and when released will be much cheaper than Photoshop. Their Designer product sells for $60.Of significance is the claim that as it is all new code and developed for the new processors and graphics hardware, it is much faster and greater overall performance than Photoshop.CLICK HERE to go to the Serif site and to sign up for the Beta
Topaz ReStyle - February Promotion
Effective today through the end of February 2015 get Topaz ReStyle for $20 off its original price of $59.99, that is just $39.99).Use the coupon code: febrestyleReStyle is a plugin designed to alter the colors in your image with its unique array of toning effects. The technology behind ReStyle uses a cutting-edge process to map the color and tone statistics from a source image.With this, creative possibilities extend to many inspiring choices. Restyle is a useful tool for the photographer or artist looking to alter the overall feeling and mood of his or her image. The program can even be used to revamp the tone of graphics and textures.CLICK HERE to order
TWiP Episode 398 – Raiders of the Lost Art
In this TWiP episode Renee Robyn, Ibarionex Perello (The Candid Frame) and I join Frederick to tackle the hot question… is photography “art”, and are photographers “artists”?Your thoughts and comments will be most appreciated.CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EPISODEThe audio only version can be subscribed to on iTunes or via an RSS feed.
Subscribe: iTunes | RSS | More Subscribe Options
Speaking of Innovation - Olympus OM-D E-M5
Yesterday Olympus announced the OM-D E-M5 MkII - a 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera. I am not going into all the specs and details about this upgrade to the current E-M5 with one exception. I am referring to “Innovation” - the E-M5 is capable of creating a 40MP image by using a sensor shift technology. Sensor shifting is achieved using the same electronics and electromechanical functions of the 5-axis image stabilizer. The technology shifts the sensor in 8 steps in a pattern where the first four frames move the sensor in such a way so as to capture all colors at each pixel position. The sensor then shifts 1/2 a pixel width up and to the left, capturing full color information in the onset position. The entire process takes about 1 second. As a result it is not feasible to capture these high resolution images of subjects that may move. I guess they will perfect this technology over time but as it is it is impressive.It is worth reading an article on the Imaging Resource web site where they have compared images from the OMD E-M5 Mk II to the Nikon D810 (a 36MP camera) and some animated examples on the DP Review web site.On a side note - Canon today announced the M3 the third generation of its mirrorless camera - for the Asian and European market. I guess it is hard to compete against the strong foothold Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Fuji have in North America.
Canon 50MP EOS 5D S and 5D SR - my 2 Cents
Canon announces two 50MP full frame DSLR (mirror box) cameras, the 5DS and the 5DS R. Price for the S is $3,700 and the S R $3,900. The $200 price difference give you the ability to deploy a The only difference between the models is that for $200 more you get self-cancellinglow pass filter. It is stated that the 5D Mark III will remain in production along side these new models. Availability June 2015 but you can pre-order them now. So whats new and what have Canon taken away from the great 5D MkII that is approaching its 3rd birthday on March 2, 2015?
Co
mpare the 5DS and 5DS R to the 5D MkIII
- The 5DS has Gold lettering (top of the line EOS) the 5DS R on the other hand has white and red lettering more like the Rebel series vs all white on the 5D MkII
- 50.2MP CMOS sensor vs. 22.1MP
- 5fps continuous shooting vs. 6fps
- ISO 100-6400 (Extended ISO 12,800) vs. 25,600 (Extended ISO 102,400) Not a low light performer - Nikon and Sony are still on top.
- 61-point AF point with 41 Cross types and 5 double cross types (5D MkIII is the same)
- Metering 150k (RGB + IR) vs 63 segments (RG/GB)
- Digic 6 processors vs. Digic 5+
- Optical low-pass filter on the 5DS and the 5D Mk III. The 5DS R has a self canceling feature
- Motorized Mirror vs Spring loaded in the 5D Mk11I. This is refinement for Mirror lock-up to prevent mirror slap vibrations. When active it uses a single shutter release rather than the two for the 5D MkIII.
- Built in Intervalometer (Thank you) vs. none
- Video - all three have the same video capture capability. However, the new models do not have a headphone jack and no clean manuals HDMI output. None of them offer 4K. So for video the 5D MkIII is still on top. part of the reason is the USB3 port that is much longer than the old USB2 port so there was no space left. In my opinion - the 1D form factor would be the perfect body type for this introduction.
- USB 3 vs. USB 2. Fast UHS1 compatible card slots on the new cameras.
What else is missing
- No Touch Screen
- No Articulating Screen
- No focus peaking
- No Zebra Stripes
- No on-board stereo microphone
- No GPS
- No WiFi or NFC
- Innovation
So here are my thoughts on all this. Why rush to announce this 5 months before any signs of availability. Who really needs 50MP and particularly on a 35mm (full frame) sensor. 36MP sensors on the Sony A7R and the Nikon D810 are very unforgiving. Stability and accurate focusing are critical for a good image so if you want this camera, plan on getting a really solid tripod, a top quality ball head and learn how to use the combination well. These will not be a casual users camera. Studio and landscape photographers will or may benefit. The big questions I have are:What is the real low light performance - Reduced high ISO may indicate it not to be too greatWhat is the real dynamic range - will it be as good as the Sony sensors used in the Nikon D810 and the A7R.It will be great to see some test results and real life performance reports.
Think Tank February Specials
Great news from Think Tank Photo. For the month of February, whenever you order one of their rugged, multifunction, and secure backpacks* they will give you for free your choice of one of their popular AppHouse 8 or AppHouse 10 tablet cases. Their backpacks range from the field-oriented StreetWalker backpacks to their transportation-oriented Airport backpacks, as well as their expandable Shape Shifter and their “long glass” backpacks. The AppHouse shoulder/belt-mounted tablet bags are a great way to carry a digital portfolio or presentation, transmit images, or access your music, games, apps and more. And don’t forget, as a friend, whenever you order $50 or more of any Think Tank gear using my special link you can add yet one more free item to your order, as well as free shipping! To receive your free AppHouse follow the rebate download instructions on the backpacks’ product pages. [*Note: this special offer does not apply to Perception backpacks.]CLICK HERE TO ORDER
Panasonic releases firmware version 2.1 for the Lumix GH4
Panasonic released version 2.1 on January 26, 2015. Had to wait and test it all before posting this. As with any firmware update, please follow all instruction and do so with care. Here is the excerpt from the Panasonic web site and the links to the update:
- Time code can be embedded to the HDMI output signal.
- Selectable in Motion Picture menu : [Time Code]>[HDMI Time Code Output]* Available when DMC-GH4 or DMW-YAGH are connected with the products of ATOMOS Global Pty. Ltd. or the products complying with the extended specifications of ATOMOS Global Pty. Ltd..
- RSS (Recording Start/Stop) signal can be embedded to the HDMI output signal.
- Selectable in Motion Picture menu : [HDMI Rec Output]>[HDMI Recording Control]* Available when DMC-GH4 or DMW-YAGH are connected with the products of ATOMOS Global Pty. Ltd. or the products complying with the extended specifications of ATOMOS Global Pty. Ltd..
- FHD at 30p/25p native output via HDMI is available while recording video in FHD at 30p/25p.
- Selectable in Motion Picture menu : [HDMI Rec Output]>[1080/30p Set.] or [1080/25p Set.]
- Playback performance of recorded 4K video is improved.
- [Time Lapse Shot] Program is fixed to start recording at the designated time even when [summer time] is set.
A Image Size Test with the Panasonic Lumix LX100
To set the stage, the Lumix LX100 is a 12 MP camera that uses a 16MP sensor. As the camera can be configured for 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 and 16:9 aspect ratios, Panasonic has been successful is maintaining 12MP per frame utilizing portions of the 16MP sensor to its max. The LX100 is a small fixed lens camera and you can get the specs here.Many questions have been asked about Micro For Thirds (MFT) cameras and their ability to produce images ready for large prints. Keeping in mind that a majority of images these days are created and shown on computer screens and small portable devices. The maximum image size for the printed page for a magazine is 8.5 by 11.0 inches and for a double page spread 17.0 by 11.0 inches with a resolution of 240 to 300 DPI.So last weekend I shot a few images with the Lumix LX100 hand-held at a casual photo shoot. The lights were set for ISO 100 and f/8.0. Focal length 34 mm which is a 68mm equivalent.Here is one image cropped from the original size of 3456 by 4608 pixels to 2284 by 3416 (roughly 7.8MP or 2/3 the resolution of the effective sensor.Click on the image to see it full resolution.
Next, I up-sized this image to 30 inches by 44 inches at 300 pixels per inch. The following image is a 5 by 7 aspect ratio crop 1165 by 1631 pixels.
Feeling good, I resized the original crop to 60 inches by 90 inches at 240 pixels per inch. The final image is a 5 by 7 aspect ratio crop of a similar section 2148 by 3007 pixels.
Resizing was accomplished using OnOne's Perfect Resize. No post processing, sharpening or clarity adjustments were made to the resized images. All OnOne defaults were left as is. Some degradation is apparent but as a result of jpg conversion.Hope this dispels the myth that a MFT image can't be made into a large print.
Canon Firmware Updates and Earnings
Firmware updates for Canon's 5D Mark III and 1D X have been released. These updates primarily improve autofocus in Live View and a few orher small bugs.Links to the update pages are as follows:
Download Canon 5D Mark III firmware version 1.3.3
Download Canon EOS-1D X firmware version 2.0.7
Canon also released its earnings report for Q4 2014. Click here for the report.
Of significance is the fact that Canon's imaging sales in the America's had the greatest decline of nearly 12% year over year. From to 392,373 billion Yen in 2013 to 345,707 billion Yen in 2014.
Lightroom 6 - compatibility information
As per a post on the Adobe blog yesterday, Lightroom 6 when announced will only work on 64 bit platforms. This means Mac users must be on OSX 10.8 or above and Windows users must be on Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 64 bit.More info at http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2015/01/update-on-os-support-for-next-version-of-lightroom.html
Manfrotto's Nanopole Stand and Snap Tilthead
Manfrotto Nanopole Stand - MS0490A
If you are looking for a lightweight, compact and portable light stand for studio or location shoots using a speed light this is your answer. The Nanopole is a lightweight and compact stand for flash heads and and modifiers weighing under 3.5 pounds It will extend to 6' and has with a removable riser section that can be used as a boom-arm for hand held or clamped positioning. The stand has reverse folding legs allowing it to fold down 19.3" for packing.The Nanopole possesses a couple of features which make it stand out from many other light stands. It has a convenient hook to secure sandbags for additional stability. One leg is extendable to permit leveling on uneven surfaces. Note however, it will not level on stairs. The riser is easily detached from the legs by a simple push on a release button on the bottom of the pole.
The Nanopole is ideally suited for indoor and outdoor photography and has some visual appeal too. The red anodized accents and logo give this stand a bit of pizzaz. The Nanopole sells for under $80.
Manfrotto Snap Tilthead with Shoe Mount - MLH1HS
The Snap Tilthead with Shoe Mount from Manfrotto is new and unique yet very handy way to mount your flash off-camera. You can use the flash with an umbrella or a small softbox.Unlike most swivel adaptors the Tilthead does not have any large extended levers and locking handles and is easy to pack and store. The Tilted fits all nightstands with 5/8” stud and has a unique spring loaded locking lever. The Tilthead has an auto-locking knob for angle selection with a built in spring loaded counterbalance mechanism. This prevents the the flash from tipping into the stand. The shoe mount loosens and tightens via collar that requires a single twist. The Tilthead will accept all standard hot shoe flash heads.The Tilted sells for under $40.
The two devices together make an excellent portable solution.
Iceland - February 28 to March 7
With the exceptional Aurora Borealis activity in Iceland, I am doing a 1 week photo tour and workshop that will be exceptional.From the western peninsulas of Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes to the exceptional south coast including the exquisite black sand beaches and icebergs in Jökulsárlón and surrounding areas this trip is designed for all levels of photographers. This trip is limited to a maximum 7 participants.All Iceland photo tours and workshops in 2014 and 2013 were fully subscribed within days so please register as soon as possible.CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
Photography at CES 2015
CES 2015 officially opened today January 6, 2015 but most of the key product announcements were made yesterday. Here is a quick roundup of photography related products. Some WOW and Some (I don't know what to say). My big question once again is - What's up with Canon and Nikon.Sadly Canon announced not much. A camcorder update to three of its consumer targeted models. A round of PowerShots, 2 ultra compact cameras and 3 mega-zooms - Oh well so much for Canon and innovation. One more, a Connect Station that is 1TB media gizmo for offloading content from cameras. “Canon Connect Station CS100, a photo and video storage device that has the capability to connect to multiple compatible imaging devices allowing users to easily store, view and share images and videos” from the Adorama web site. Was this gizmo so important? Particularly since there are not many Canon Cameras that can take advantage of the NFC feature.Nikon too, lackluster, announced a D5500 3.2 inch touch screen and not much more with this model as the update to the D5300 - coming into the real world finally. In addition Nikon introduced a light 300mm f/4 lens the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f4D IF-ED. This is an image stabilized lens and uses technology that is similar to Canon’s DO (diffractive optic-element) lenses. Nikon also announced a slow collapsible 55-200mm f4-5.6 consumer lens.Fuji film announced their 16-55mm f/2.8 lens as per their lens introduction schedule. The lens is optimized for the XT-1 and is weather sealed. Unfortunately it is not image stabilized.Panasonic introduces the Lumix ZS50 with 30X zoom and follows Sony with downsizing megapixels from 18 to 12 for better low light performance. Also introducing a few camcorders and a few full featured 4K/UHD versions. Anther great introduction but shown in Beta is a 4K capable Blu-Ray player. Best of all the Panasonic Lumix CM-1 Smart Camera (A Camera Phone or a Phone Camera) introduced last year at Photokina will be released in the US this summer - more here.Sony blasted its own flurry of 4K video products. A prosumer 4K/UHD handy cam the FDR-AX33 that breaks the $1000 barrier. A new Action Cam the FDR-X1000V with 4K video and enhanced image stabilization.Though not a camera or camcorder but photography related, Wacom announced a few new models of its Windows 8 tablet/secondary desktop display along with a couple of larger desktop Cintiq displays.My picks for whatever it may be worth are the Panasonic CM-1 and the Wacom Cintiqs.
Fog Photography - a new article in "Tips"
After the fog this weekend and some of the questions that have been asked, I have written an article on Fog Photography that you may find useful. The article is posted in the "Tips" section of my web. Click Here for the article.
Fog - In the Dark
In continuation of yesterday's post, the second image I had pre-visualized was a barn nestled among some dark trees with a figure in some vintage clothing standing in the foreground. I wanted to light the figure for some added effect. Driving in a nearby town I notice this barn or shack, so my wife and I decided to check it out. It was close to what I was wanting to capture. My wife put on this vintage coat and trudged through the slush to the shack. I in the mean while took a few test shots to check out the light and composition. I had not worn proper boots and was wearing a pair of slip ons. In the rush to get out and shoot, as luck would have it, as I carried the light stand and soft box to the shack I realized I was ankle-deep in slush and freezing water. Next my pocket wizards decided they would limit their range so I had to get closer than I wanted as all I had taken with me was the 35 - 100 mm on my GH4. To get the full shot I would have to take two images and stitch them. The final image is composed of two images stitched in Photoshop and then textured.Please click on the image for a larger rendition.
5:00 PM – Panasonic Lumix Gh5, 35 – 100 mm f/2.8 at 35mm. Exposure triad – ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/6 sec.
Fog - January 4, 2015
Today was the first day in 2015 that I picked up a camera and stepped out to see if I could get two images that I have been envisioning. The first was a tall lone tree in fog or mist the other I leave for tomorrow. I wanted it to be a monochrome image, B&W or cyanotype - I settled on B&W. The snow against the dirt and rocks adds to the scene creating a strong foundation for the rest that is mainly an ethereal sky.
Photography Post-processing - Which Tablet would you recommend?
This post is in response to a question I was asked yesterday.In my opinion and having used a tablet for the past 12 years or more I would say that if you draw or retouch using your computer you need a tablet and a pen. Not only is the pen more ergonomic but it is far more natural in the way you position your hand and fingers compared to the award two or three button mouse.The mouse is fine for basic painting and clocking. Anything more and it just does not cut the mustard.Though the tablet and pen is not an essential tool for photographers it becomes essential if you do any retouching, masking and digital art.So the question about which tablet should a photographer get can be answered in a few ways. Undoubtedly the Wacom is the finest tablet in the market. There are others but I would stay away. You want a tablet that is well designed and works.For any peripheral device one of the key considerations is the software interface and the drivers. Here Wacom excels.
The size of the tablet you used should be based on whether you are a single or dual monitor user. For single monitor users, my suggestion is the small or medium Wacom tablets. For dual monitor users the choice is the large or the extra-large. The reason for the large are larger tablet is because you can map each monitor to two halves of the tablet.Wacom makes three tablet products. The Bamboo, The Intuos Pen and the Intuos Pro. As a photographer I would stay away from the Bamboo as I feel it is a touch pad and with the stylus great for doodling.So the choices are the Intuos Pen or the Intuos Pro. Both can be connected via USB or wireless. The Intuos has touch sensitivity in all models while the Intuos Pen has an optional touch version.Lets compare the two.
| Intuos Pen | Intuos Pro | |
| Interface | USB | USB |
| Tablet Dimensions | 10.75 x 8.75 x 0.4 in | 15 x 9.9 x 0.5 in |
| Active Area | 8.5" x 5.3" | 8.8" x 5.5" |
| Pressure Levels | 1024 tip | 2048 on tip and eraser |
| Resolution | 2540 lpi | 5080 lpi |
| Express Keys | 4 customizable | 8 customizable |
| Mutli-Touch: Yes | Yes | Yes 10 Fingers |
| Multi-function Touch Ring: no | No | Touch Ring: Yes - 4 customizable functions |
| Radial Menu | No | Yes |
| Pen | Nib and Eraser | Grip: Latex-free silicone rubber |
| Pen Nibs | 5 Standard | Replacement Nibs: 10 nibs : 5 standard, 1 flex, 1 stroke nib, and 3 felt |
| Pen Tilt | No | Yes +/- 60 levels |
| Pen Switches | No | 2 customizable |
Wacom Intuos Pro is highly customizable. It has 8 buttons and a multi-functional touch ring and two buttons on the pen. The Intuos Pen has 4 customizable buttons in the top panel. With the Intuos Pro each of them can be assigned a different custom feature - from scrolling, panning and zooming to keyboard shortcuts and changing brush size. You can also use the tilt feature to change brush shapes. A Shortcut Menu can be assigned to one of the buttons and when clicked a circular menu will show on the screen. This menu system gives access to several additional shortcuts than can be layered. Another great feature is the ability to set and customize buttons by application. So Photoshop can have its own custom buttons and Lightroom its own, etc.Pressure sensitivity is always questioned. If you use Photoshop that recognizes pressure sensitivity then the choice is the Intros Pro with higher levels. You will notice the difference only when comparing the two tablets side by side. If all you use is Lightroom then you do not need the greater pressure sensitivity and the Intros will serve you well.Intuos Pro also supports hand gestures that are customizable too. You can pan, zoom and rotate using gestures. This feature can be enabled or disabled as needed.In my opinion the Intuos Pen is ideal for beginners. This is a very good tablet for drawing, painting and photo editing. The Intros Pro on the other hand is one of the best in tablets. The difference in price is fully justifiable. This is a tablet for photographers who do a lot of post-processing, image retouching and work extensively with layer masks. Precision cloning, masking, dodging and burning, is controlled yet simplified. Of importance is the fact that you are unlikely to outgrow the features this tablet provides.Wacom also make the Cintiq family of high definition pen monitors that are exceptional.
2015 First Quarter - One Day Workshops
Wishing you and your families a Very Happy & Prosperous New YearThe One Day Workshops for the first quarter of 2015 have been posted.They are listed on the One Day Workshop PageORYou may go directly to the Registration Page to get details and register.All one day workshops include a Pizza Lunch
What else is in my bag and more - Part 2
Here are some additional items I find useful. Some for the bag and others that are just good to have.
- Remote Shutter Release (wired or wireless) - A must have for tack sharp photography. There are 5 types available:
- A wired version that physically connects to your camera with a cable. Good for most photography when you are close to your camera.
- An Infrared trigger that is used to trigger the shutter using an IR beam (this requires you to be in “line of sight” to the front of your camera. These are usually OEM products but a few third-party devices are also available. I find these limiting.
- A wireless radio trigger. This is a two unit device - one is mounted and connected to the camera and the other is the hand-held controller. Hahnel and Phottix are the ones I use.
- An iOS or Android wired trigger. The smart phone is physically connected to the camera to trigger the shutter.
- The IOS or Android trigger. Here you use your smart phone and connect to the camera in WiFi mode to control and trigger the camera.
- Filter wrench (pair) - These come in two sizes and based on the lenses you have you may want to get both sets. Amazing how screw-on filters just don’t come off. The plastic wrenches allow you to apply pressure at the right places and lever the filter off so easily. Adorama branded wrenches are less than $5 a pair.
- LED Head Lamp - a must have when you are in the dark. Always carry one in your bag.
- Intervalometer - A must have device if you do any timelapse. long exposure, or multiple exposure photography. From basic wired devices to wireless units these are made most cameras including ones that have built-in intervalometers. Phottix, Hannel, Canon all make great units. Promote Systems makes a product called Promote Control, one of the finest devices not just an intervalometer but a whole lot more. The Promote Control will do focus stacking, automatic brackets of up to 45 images, with up to 9.0 EV step between shots for HDR. It can even automatically step into Bulb for night-time HDR! More expensive than the others but the Promote Control is my first choice.
Flash Photography:
- Flash Gels Filter gels are a great way to modify the color of your light but more important, they can balance the color temperature to match the ambient light. Roscoe and Rogue make excellent gels. My personal choice is the full set with the case and elastic band from Rogue. The Rogue set is around $30.
- Rogue Flashbender - These flash diffusers and reflectors are the best I have used. The come in multiple sizes and when used with the front diffuser, that act like a small soft-box. The cam be molded to direct light as needed or rolled up to form a snoot. These start at $20 for the Flashbender bounce card..
- Rogue Grid - If you need more control with the direction of the light from your flash the Rogue Grid is an excellent tool. The design features stacking honeycomb grids that produce 16, 25 and 45 degree grid spots. In addition you can get a set of bells that match the shape of the grid collar. The grid is under $50 and the gels will cost under $30
- Kupo Off-Camera Flash Alli Clamp - The clamp has a jaw that can clamp onto items up to 1.57" thick. Rubber nubs on the inside of the clamp prevent damage to paint or furniture. The clamp has a 5/8" receiver for light-stands or a 5/8" stud for super clamps with matching receivers. The Alli Clamp is topped with a metal locking shoe mounted to a rotating ball for your flash. I use it to mount my flashes, action cams, video lights and any other objects that need to held in place. Cost under $50. A lighter version called the Kupo Alli Clamp is for under $15.
Macro and Close-up
- Focusing rails and racks - These are ideal for precise positioning of a camera in X and Y directional axes. These come in single axis (front to back adjustment and 2 axis where a left right adjustment is also possible. Prices range for under $100 to $600 plus.
- Diopters or Close-up filters - This is one of the least expensive method of doing close-up photography. These filters attach to the front of your lens allowing you to focus closer hence magnifying your subject. They are available in single and dual elect construction. I recommend the dual element as you will have better optics. Prices range from $30 and up.
- Extension tubes - If you like macro these will allow your lenses to focus closer to the subject. As they have no optical elements in there is no image quality degradation. Kenko extension tubes are what I have and love. They come in a set of 12mm, 20mm and 36mm. For the newer mirrorless cameras the tubes are in sets of two at 10mm and 16mm
- McClamp The Clamp - This clamps to a tripod leg and can hold such items as gray cards and 12" reflectors, and small delicate subjects in place. It has a 26" flexible arm with a spring-loaded clamp to hold your subject in place. Wimberly also makes a similar device and have a new version called the Plamp II. Both products are about $45.
- Light Tent or Cube - A great light modifier for your product photography, food photography and macro work. These come in various sizes and cost $40 and up.
- Triflip (Trigrip) 6 in 1 or 8 in 1 reflector/diffuser - The TriGrip from Lastolite has a triangular shape with a built-in handle that allows easy hand holding or for attaching to a stand.The TriGrip is 30" at its widest point and collapses storage. I prefer this to the typical round diffuser reflector kits.
A few for those who dabble with video:
- LED Light Panels - these come in various sizes - remember to get one that is disable and has the intensity you need for your kind of video shooting.
- Variable ND filter - for those bright days when you need to slow your shutter down and keep your aperture wide.
- Shotgun microphone - DSLRs are great at capturing video. The audio on the other hand really is pathetic. The minute in-built microphones are really bad. So get a good starter microphone. A shotgun mounts on the hot-shoe and connects to the mic input port of the camera. My choices for a starter microphone is the Rhode Video Mic Pro with the Dead Cat for around $210
Please use the comment link on the top of this post to share with us some of your special items.If you do plan on getting any of these items please use my affiliate links on the right column of this blog post or use the Products and Discounts Page for additional links.
What else is in my bag - Part 1
Apart from cameras, lenses, filters we as photographers carry a number of gizmos to help our image capture. This is part 1 of my list of gizmos. These are all reasonably priced and many are less than $10. Most on-line photography stores carry these items and you should check them out.
- Gray Card – Get your exposure right. Available in cardboard and durable plastic these are one of the most valuable tools for your camera kit. The camera may be smart but it is easily fooled. It will under or over expose very bright or very dark scenes. You should use a gray card to set the exposure for much more accurate results. Some of the newer cards come as sets with a black and white card. This can also help you set your white balance. A step-up would be the X-Rite Color Checker Passport.
- High velocity blower - Never clean your lens without first blowing off any dust, grit or lint. The last thing you want is to scratch your lens as your clean it with a lens pen or lens cloth. A good blower costs under $10 - the one I like is the Visible Dust Manual Blower. Adorama and B&H have these.
- Lens Pen - This is another must have tool for your bag. There are many manufacturers and models available. The ones with a carbon bad need to be activated before each use. Others like the Allsop have replaceable tips. I keep an Allsop in each of my camera bags.
- Lens Cleaning Cloth - A good lens cloth is a must in your bag. Zeiss makes some of the finest and can be purchased from Walmart and B&H for $3 and up.
- 1 or 1.5 inch natural bristle soft painter's brush - An ideal too to get lager dust and sand particles off your equipment. Keep one in your bag - you will be happy you have it on those dusty trips.
- Small micro fiber or cotton hand towel - You never know when you will need it. These are great for wiping of moisture from your gear on those wet days. Grocery stores and Bed Bath & Beyond carry these.
- Spray bottle - You may not always get a dewy morning but you can create dew on flower petals and spider webs with a handy fine-mist spray bottle. Fine mist spray bottles can be found for under $2 at Amazon.
- Bubble level - A three axis bubble level for your hotshot mount will keep your horizons level. If you have an inbuilt electronic level in the camera then you can skip this tool.
- Elastic bands and small ziplock bags - You will find many uses for this combo. A lost lens cap can be a problem but not if you can put a ziplock bag around the front element and secure it with an elastic band. If your zoom lens tends to creep the elastic band can help keep it in place.
- Large garbage bag - During any outdoor shoot I always pack one or two large garbage bags in my bag or in the car. They are great when you need some rain protection, need to keep your equipment on the salty sand, need to lay down at ground level when shooting low to the ground. A black garbage bag acts as a great gobo when needed, translucent bags make great diffusers.
- Gaffer's tape - 1 inch width in black, a small roll is perfect to secure items when needed. This is a must have to tape down your lens at infinity when doing any astro photography. A small piece can be used to cover the eyepiece of the viewfinder, preventing stray light from spoiling the exposure. It is also a great all around repair tool.
- Parchment paper, issue paper, or rip (stock) cloth - A small piece about 4 inches square is good but larger pieces can be useful for other situations. You can tape this (using gaffer's tape to your flash to diffuse the light. If you keep a larger piece you can have someone hold it to diffuse bright sunlight while doing close-up or macro photography. Get parchment paper any kitchen or grocery store. rip stock can be purchased from a fabric store or on-line.
- White foam-core - This makes a great reflector, if you need a silver reflector keep some kitchen foil and fold it over the foam-core. You can use the foam-core as a gobo or even as a white background for small subjects. Staples, Office Max, Michael’s or A.C. Moore are ideal for this.
- LED Flashlight - a must have when you are in the dark. A great tool for light painting and when you need just that added light for filling in shadows or adding a highlight. My favorites are Coast and SureFire (SureFire lights are available from the SureFire website and Amazon). Others can be purchased at Home Depot, Amazon or Lowes carry great LED Lights
- Small notebook and a ballpoint pen - Journaling is key. Write down locations, notes, day and time of best light, etc. Draw sketches of what there is so you can come back for better images. If nothing else - you can use it to jot down names and contact info of fellow photographers you meet.
In the near future I will follow-up with additional items I find useful. Some for the bag and others that are good to have. In the mean time, why don't you use the comment link on the top of this post to share with us some of your special items.If you do plan on getting any of these items please use my affiliate links on the right column of this blog post or use the Products and Discounts Page for additional links.