We’re now well into winter 2013-14, complete with polar vortexes, snow rollers, and assorted other crazy weather phenomenon. While these conditions can be truly dangerous if you’re not dressed for them, they can also produce some great winter scenes and some magnificent icy sculptures for those prepared to go out and capture them. If you’re […]
Category: Gear
PC Build, addendum
This summer, I put together a write-up on a PC I built for photo editing and software development. That article has been really helpful any number of times in documenting what I put together, but after a few months of living with this build and explaining why I chose each of the components, I think […]
Lowepro Nova 17L Preview
About a week and a half ago, I got an email from Lowepro telling me I won a Lowepro Nova Sport 17L AW bag — very cool. It showed up promptly this week, and I can’t wait to start using it. I’ll post a full review once I’ve put a few miles on it, but […]
Budget tripod shootout, Part 3
In Part 1 of this shootout, I previewed the three tripods I’m comparing and discussed some things I’ll be looking at in all three. Part 1 also covered the Velbon CX-300 — a typical “big box” store tripod that’s better than nothing, but just barely. Part 2 of the shootout looked at Dolica’s AX620B100, which turned out […]
A PC for photo editing
From time to time, I’ve seen “what kind of PC should I get” threads on various message boards, so hopefully there’s some interest in this. I’m currently in the middle of building a replacement for my old Core 2 Quad system — pretty much from the ground up. Here’s the shopping list, along with a […]
All about Image Stabilization
If you’re anything like me, one of the reasons you’ve upgraded gear over the years is to get sharper photos. It’s a never-ending quest, especially for those long shots, and Image Stabilization is one of the things that can really help you out — if you know how to use it. Unfortunately, quite a few […]
Budget tripod shootout, part 2
In Part 1 of this shootout, I previewed the three tripods I’m comparing and discussed some things I’ll be looking at in all three. Part 1 also covered the Velbon CX-300 — a typical “big box” store tripod that’s better than nothing, but just barely. As a reminder, if you’re just getting started looking at […]
Support your LCS
Camera shops have a tough time of it. Despite the fact that most camera buyers love to walk into their local camera store (LCS) and fiddle with cameras, lenses, and so on, these shops sell commodity products that you’ll almost always be able to find selling for a discount somewhere online. This phenomenon is often […]
Budget tripod shootout, part 1
Pro photography equipment is expensive — this shouldn’t be a news flash if you’ve shopped for gear for more than twelve seconds. For real pros, it’s a no-brainer to buy the best equipment available. The high-end stuff from most manufacturers tends to be remarkably reliable, durable, and it offers the best possible performance. If you’re […]
Tripod shopping 101
For some people, money is no object when buying photography equipment. If you’re one of those people, you can stop reading now — this column isn’t for you. If you’re still here, you’ve probably had to make some decisions as you’ve spent your hard-earned money on photography. You’ve probably researched camera systems and lenses. After […]