August~October 2019's News
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Nikon vs Canon vs Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless Mirrorless vs DSLR
Canon: EOS R RP 1DX III 1DX II 5DS/R 5D Mk IV 6D II 7D II 80D 77D SL3 SL2 T6 Flash Lenses
Nikon: Z7 Z6 Z50 D5 D850 D810 D750 D610 D500 D7500 D5600 D3500 F6 Flash Lenses
Sony: A9 II A9 A7R IV A7R III A7 III A7R II A7SII A7 II A7 A6600 A6500 A6400 A6100 A6000 RX10/4 RX100/7 RX100/6 Lenses
Fujifilm: GFX100 GFX50R X100F X-T3 X-T2 X-H1 X-T30 X-Pro3 X-Pro2 X-E3 X-T100 X-A5 Film Lenses
LEICA: Q2 M-E/240 M10D M10P M10 M240 M-E M9P M9T M9 M7 M6/TTL CLE M3 IIIf IIIa Lenses
All Reviews: Apple Audio Zeiss Tamron Sigma Tokina Hasselblad Contax Olympus Pentax
Recommended Cameras Best Cameras Gifts How to Take Better Pictures random
Links: Adorama Amazon B&H Crutchfield eBay Tutorial Videos Infrared
Adorama's Daily Deals Amazon's Deals-of-the-Day
Crutchfield's Sales B&H's Deals-of-the-Day B&H Holiday Specials
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31 October 1517, Reformation Day & Halloween
The Milky Way, Bridgeport, California, 7:34PM, 22 October 2019. iPhone 11 Pro Max, 4.25mm (26mm equivalent) ultra-wide camera at f/1.8 at 1 second (30 second composite time exposure mode tripod-mounted with XUMA MTA-300B Tripod Adapter) at Auto ISO 12,500 (LV -5.4). bigger or fill screen.
While the rest of our group on last week's trip frantically fiddled with mirrorless and DSLR settings in the cold and pitch-black night, all I did was shoot this in the time exposure mode of my iPhone, lighten it a bit later in Photoshop CS6, and voilà, the iPhone 11 Max Pro eats another segment of what phones didn't used to be able to do. Better than the time exposures on the "real" cameras, the iPhone even compensated for the rotation of the earth that leads to blurred stars in the other shots. (see also How to Shoot the Milky Way with old cameras.) I got results almost as good hand-holding; the tripod mount let me set 30 seconds of accumulation rather than just 10 seconds.
30-second exposures with the Fuji GFX100 and GF 50mm f/3.5 were too blurry; you need an astronomical clock drive (or the iPhone's clever compensated intelligent accumulation mode as seen here) to get rid of the blur from the earth's rotation.
27 October 2019, Sunday
Nikon D750 and 50mm f/1.4 G.
SALE: The Nikon D750 is now just $1,197!
What was the best deal in full-frame DSLRs just got a lot better, under $1,200 for a brand-new one.
25 October 2019, Friday
SALE: Canon EOS-RP now just $999!
The Canon EOS-RP is still my favorite full-frame mirrorless, even if it wasn't the least expensive. It has the best ergonomics of any full-frame mirrorless, it's the smallest, lightest, and its pictures look way better than anything from Sony or Fuji because its color rendition is superior to Sony and Fuji. Done!
EOS RP body: $999 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
EOS RP & RF 24-240mm kit: $1,499 at Adorama and at B&H.
EOS RP, EF 24-105 STM & EF Adapter kit: $1,699 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
EOS RP & RF 24-105L kit: $1,899 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
EG-G1 grip: $79 in black, in red and in blue.
Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS.
NEW: Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS Review.
NEWS: The Nikon Z50 is now also orderable at Crutchfield.
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
NEW: Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Review.
24 October 2019, Thursday
NEW: Canon EOS 1DX Mark III.
NEW: Canon G7 X Mk III Creator Kit.
NEW: Canon EOS M200 Creator Kit.
NEW: Canon EOS 90D Creator Kit.
NEW: Canon DM-E100 stereo mic for EOS cameras w/free fur coat!
NEW: Canon HG-100TBR Tripod Grip & Remote.
Busted again! I just got back from shooting in California's Eastern Sierra last night and will be updating these all day today.
We can order the 70-200mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.2 today, while the 1DX Mk III still doesn't exist; Canon just announced something we can't buy to keep people from considering the Nikon D6 that doesn't exist either.
In any case I need to get home after which I'll get to reporting on this after I get my new Canon lenses ordered. God bless Canon, they actually have the lenses we need for full-frame mirrorless while Nikon is still a big question mark.
Thanks!
Ken
Nikon vs Canon vs Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless
23 October 2019, Wednesday
NEW: Fuji X-Pro3.
Busted!
I've been out shooting my Fuji X-T30 and GFX100 (and Canon 5DS/R and iPhone 11 Pro Max!) in Yosemite all week and I'm still shooting in California's Eastern Sierra today, so I'm not by a computer to tell you all about the new Fuji X-Pro3 which you can see here.
It comes in black, and for a $200 premium also comes in a new Dura Black or Dura Silver finish.
When I get back I'll have a blast trying to figure out if you want to hear more about the X-Pro3, X-T30 or GFX100, along with real sample images for a change. The most amazing thing is that yes, I do have shots of the Milky Way from last night — shot on my iPhone 11 Pro Max!!! IT WORKS!!!!
NEW: Tamron 20mm f/2.8 for Sony Full Frame.
NEW: Tamron 24mm f/2.8 for Sony Full Frame.
NEW: Tamron 35mm f/2.8 for Sony Full Frame.
What makes these lenses spacial is that all three focus super-close, to 1:2 macro.
16 October 2019, Wednesday
iPhone 11 Pro Max!
Stairs at Dusk, 6:41 PM, 15 October 2019. iPhone 11 Pro Max, 1.54mm (13mm equivalent) ultra-wide camera at f/2.4 at 1/30 second at Auto ISO 1,250 (LV 3.8), Perfectly Clear. bigger or fill screen.
iPhone 11 Pro Max — under Moonlight!
Palms by Moonlight, 9:20PM, 12 October 2019. iPhone 11 Pro Max, 4.25mm (26mm equivalent) camera at f/1.8 at 1/4 second hand-held at Auto ISO 800 (LV -0.1), as shot. bigger or fill screen.
Night mode works! I have other shots under only moonlight hand-held, and it's crazy! This is a lot more colorful than the purely moonlit shots, and in this shot you can see the cool moonlight glinting off the tile roof — hand-held! I remember how on film this all took a tripod and a load of patience and bracketing trying to compensate for reciprocity failure and the fact that light meters wouldn't read in light this dark. Now I can grab these as I'm walking along; how things change in 50 years.
15 October 2019, Tuesday
Dynamic Range: Who Cares?
People keep asking me, and I covered this over a decade ago.
See Dynamic Range and Dynamic Image Quality.
It's unimportant. As an artist, you are always responsible for getting the results you already see in your imagination, and regardless of camera you and you alone are responsible to get the look you want. It always takes work and imagination; there is no free ride, and having more rated dynamic range doesn't mean much; these measurements are mostly fluff and as an artist you need to get your lighting right or the results will be garbage — regardless of whatever camera you use.
Technical Quality: Who Cares?
Non-professionals ask me all the time about technical things like if a great APS-C camera would be better or worse than a mediocre full-frame camera. They'll ask me, all flustered over minute technical differences between one camera brand and another, which is "better."
The real answer is you need to choose your camera brand based on how you want your pictures to look!
Minutiae like resolution, high-ISO performance and Dynamic Range have much less to do with how your pictures look than the brand you choose. Your choice of brand is far more important to how your pictures look than any technical specs or measurements, and all cameras of the same brand make pictures which look very similar.
Every brand, be it Sony, Fuji, LEICA, Canon, Nikon or whoever have very different looks. All cameras of the same brand look pretty much alike, while there are large differences (to the artist's eye) between brands. All Nikons and Canons since about 2007 when Nikon went to Picture Controls and when Canon went to ±4 for saturation adjustments have all been designed to look about the same — and they do. Be they APS-C or full-frame, or even a Powershot or Coolpix, look pretty close when set the same as any other camera from the same brand.
All the Fujifilm cameras, APS-C or medium-format, have lower saturation and contrast optimized for people shots. Pictures from my X100F or GFX100 look pretty much the same, while anything from my D850 or 5DS/R look very different from the Fujis. Likewise, Sonys all have their own look.
This is because there is a lot of secret sauce inside every camera. Color filters ahead of the sensor are the first step in defining a camera's look, and the color matrices, lookup-tables, white-balance and dynamic manipulations in the firmware do the rest. Each brand has a corporate "look" they believe to be the best possible look, and they program all their cameras to have that same look.
Just like brands of film, each is very different and you pick one or the other based on how you want your pictures to look. Unlike film where within each brand there will be many different kinds of film that look different, within each digital camera brand they all look the same, and all the presets (portrait, vivid, etc.) inside different cameras of the same brand will look the same as the same preset in a different camera of the same brand.
As any artist will tell you, the most important part of an image are its values (tonal rendition of grays, light, dark and contrasts) and color. Sharpness and noise are much, much less important — but those minutiae consume way too much brainpower for the less experienced.
I prefer the look of Nikon or Canon for nature and landscapes, and they also do great for people.
I use Fuji for the best people shots, and I find them too muted for nature and landscapes unless I amp-up color later.
Sony excells at the techincal side of mirrorless and its images do everything reasonably well, but excel at nothing. I always prefer the look I get from Nikon or Canon.
I use my my iPhone for everything.
I use my LEICAs for nothing. LEICAs are for people who want a nice camera, not those seeking nice pictures. Colors are usually iffy at best.
13 October 1999, Twentieth Anniversary
Twenty years ago today I put this website on the air, long before anyone had any idea what the Internet would become.
I'm the last remaining major one-man 1990s photography website. All the others have long sold-out to corporate interests and/or their founders have left this Earth for the great darkroom in the sky.
I rarely toot my own horn, but I will point today out that for over a decade I have been the most read photography author of all time. Since at least 2009 I've had more circulation than any in-print photo magazine (they were a thing back in 1999), and even the very largest photo websites haven't had more than a few times my traffic — but have dozens of writers. Wow!
When I went on-air back in 1999, "digital" meant scanning your slides into a computer; there were no practical DSLRs. The Nikon D1, the world's first practical DSLR, didn't ship until after I was on-air and took crappy pictures only suitable for 85 DPI newspaper use, and back then Facebook and YouTube wouldn't be invented until five years in the future! When I went on-air, the 35mm Nikon F100 was the hottest camera on the planet for which we were all on waiting lists (the digital D100 didn't come out until 2002).
Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 NOCT.
NEW: Nikon Noct-NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 Review.
11 October 2019, Friday
Nikon Z50 and Nikon Z 16-50mm DX VR.
NEW: Nikon Z50 Review.
10 October 2019, Thursday
NEW: Nikon Z 16-50mm DX VR.
NEW: Nikon Z 50-250mm DX VR.
Nikon's first APS-C DX mirrorless. Also comes as a kit with the new 16-50mm mirrorless lens, and as a kit with both the new 16-50mm and the new 50-250mm mirrorless lenses.
NEW: Nikon EN-EL25 battery (replacement).
NEW: Nikon MH-32 battery charger (replacement).
NEW: Nikon HB-90A hood for Z 50-250mm.
NEW: Nikon NOCT 58mm f/0.95.
NEW: Nikon HN-38 hood for 58/0.95: $260!!! (replacement)
NEW: Nikon CT-101 plastic trunk case for 58/0.95: $931!!! (replacement)
This is a huge manual-focus-only full-frame lens. Unlike the real 58mm f/1.2 NOCT, this new lens is more for collectors than actual shooting. This new NOCT is optically flawless, but not visibly more so than other 50mm lens for actual photography. It is styled after the original Holy Grail from The Last Supper from 2,000 years ago and likewise will be sought after for many years. The new 58mm will be great for astro and scientific shooting, but silly for news, sports, action, portraits or other real-world uses.
Be careful if you get the Nikon CT-101 case: it has foam on the inside and over the decades this sort of foam typically degrades back into mushy goo which would damage the lens if you don't check on it every so often.
NEW: Nikon MB-N10 battery grip for Z6 and Z7.
Takes two EN-EL-15B batteries.
Nikon's present and promized Z lenses. bigger.
NEW: Sigma fp w/45mm lens.
24MP full-frame mirrorless.
Who cares? The Sony A7 III is much better, for the same price.
09 October 2019, Wednesday
Next Week: Yosemite Trip!
Our Yosemite Fall Color Trip starts next Thursday afternoon in Yosemite Valley. There may or may not be space available if you'd like to come.
Our Eastern Sierra Fall Color Trip starts later the same day the Yosemite Trip ends, and we do have some spots open for the Eastern Sierra Trip.
Here's what I shot last year on these trips.
See you there!
Updated: I added the Apple Watch Series 5 to All Apple Watches Compared.
06 October 2019, Sunday
From last night's party:
Fire Dancer, 05 October 2019. Cropped from only a central 5MP of the original 12 MP iPhone 11 Pro Max image, shot with the 4.25mm (26mm equivalent) camera at f/1.8 at 1/7 of a second hand-held at Auto ISO 1,250 (LV 0.9), Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution as-shot uncropped file.
It's amazing how well the iPhone works in low light, and I haven't even shown anything with the new Night Mode yet. Fire dances are impossible to shoot, and this is the best shot I've ever gotten. We weren't expecting this at the party and my hands were full of drinks I was bringing from the other side of the pool, so I shot this with my other hand and without having the time to get close enough. Even cropped at high ISO in the dark the iPhone 11 Pro Max looks great!
05 October 2019, Saturday
Deal: Nikon D850: $2,399 (refurbished, regularly $3,297).
Deal: Nikon D750: $1,050 (refurbished, regularly $2,000).
Deal: Nikon 1 V3: $300 (refurbished, regularly $1,197).
Loving my iPhone 11 Pro Max
Just added this snap from last weekend to its ongoing review:
2012 Ferrari California 4.3 Litre Engine, 29 September 2019. iPhone 11 Pro Max, 4.25mm (26mm equivalent) camera at f/1.8 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 640 (LV 3.9), exactly as shot. bigger or full-resolution file.
One of the many things we all love about the iPhone is how it always gets color and exposure just right. Most cameras would see all the black, and brighten the image so much that the red intake runners would wash-out to orange, but the iPhone just nails it. Bravo!
04 October 2019, Friday
Sony A9 II and 24-70mm f/2.8 GM.
NEW: Sony A9 II Review.
As the name implies, pretty much the same as the old A9, with an added voice recorder and ability to save and load settings from a card, for $1,000 more.
02 October 2019, Wednesday
NEW: More iPhone 11 Pro Max Sample Image Files from over the Weekend.
Scroll down to the bottom of the Sample Images section.
NEW: Nikon Z7 Unboxing
27 September 2019, Friday
NEW: First iPhone 11 Pro Max Sample Image Files!
I'm so loving having a 13mm lens and camera system in my pocket.
I used to own the Nikon 13mm f/5.6 AI for over a decade, and I'll be perfectly honest: I never once used it to take a decent picture. I was always too scared to take it out in public, too scared I'd drop it, and even if I didn't worry about bringing a $30,000 lens into the wild, I didn't feel like carrying a giant lens the size of a grapefruit around all day. That's why I sold my 13mm a while ago.
25 September 2019, Wednesday
New APS-C Mirrorless from Canon
New Sony In-Stock
New from Phil Steele
Here's a video review of the Godox AD200 flash, Godox AD-B2 Twin Head, Godox XPro Flash Trigger and Godox 80cm octagonal softbox from my friend Phil Steele, who also does all sorts of superb tutorial videos.
See also Phil's excellent Off-Camera Flash Course and Speedlight Headshot & Portrait Course, both of which seem to be on sale today.
Deals
$600 off Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless Digital Camera with 28-70mm Lens and Accessories Kit
$530 off Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera with External Hard Drive and Shoulder Bag Kit
SanDisk Portable 2TB SSD: Half Price!!!
$100 off Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
20 September 2019, Friday
NEW: I just got my new iPhone 11 Pro Max!
It's the first video on my list; there are also about six new other videos about Fuji cameras.
Of course it will be a few days until I get it all configured and shoot anything interesting with it, but I'm very excited about the 13mm lens and the new ability to shoot in darkness, both of which significantly extend the range of conditions over which the iPhone works.
18 September 2019, Wednesday
Nikon D3 and Nikon 50/1.4 AF-D.
NEW: My latest Nikon D3 NCSETUP2.BIN File.
A reader asked, so I just added what's in my D3 as of this morning to my Nikon D3 User's Guide.
Laugh all you want, but I still use my over 12-year-old D3 every day. It's got 75,859 shots on it and works flawlessly. I share settings files from 2008 and 2011, and now there's one from 2019, which is probably the same except for my latest custom white balance for my studio strobes.
NEW: Fujifilm X-A7.
Small, light and inexpensive X-Series with flip screen - but no finder.
NEW: Profoto C1 & C1+ Smartphone Lights.
17 September 2019, Tuesday
NEW: Think Tank Airport Advantage XT Roller Bag.
The Airport Advantage XT rolling camera case is designed to meet increasingly restrictive international airline carry-on requirements. It weighs 7.5 pounds (3,400 g).
It holds two pro DSLR bodies with grips and several lenses. Its proprietary two-tone fabric lets it look cool without screaming CAMERA GEAR!!!
16 September 2019, Monday
Nikon F6 and Nikon 50/1.4 AF-D.
15 YEARS: Nikon F6.
The Nikon F6 was introduced 15 years ago today.
It is still the world's best 35mm SLR sold new today. It's quiet and refined and a top performer. It feels great in -hand and is a joy to shoot.
Fuji X-H1 and Fuji XF 16mm f/2.8.
DEAL: The incomparable Fuji X-H1 now sells for only $999 at Adorama, at Amazon and at B&H, and this includes the pro grip.
Oddly you can get the X-H1 with the VPB-XH1 Vertical Power Grip as a kit at a deep package discount for less than just the camera alone.
15 September 2019, Sunday
BIG SALE: Nikon D850 & Z7 kits, $500 ~ $800 off!
There are loads of different deals, most with $600 off and also an additional, optional $200 trade-in bonus.
Among some of the dozens of deals on lenses as well as cameras are:
DEAL: Nikon D850 w/free carbon-fibre tripod: $600 - $800 off!
DEAL: Nikon Z7 w/tons of free stuff: $600 - $800 off!
DEAL: Nikon Z7 w/24-70 & tons of free stuff: $600 - $800 off!
Here are all the other things on sale, including the D750, D5600, D7500, loads of lenses & more!
Friday the 13th of September, 2019
NEW: Fuji X-A7.
It comes in silver, in silver with brown, silver with green or dark silver with black, and all versions include the superb 15~45mm lens.
It has no viewfinder, but does have a 16:9 "chopped" flipping rear LCD.
10 September 2019, Tuesday
Next Month: Sierra & Yosemite Fall Outings.
Autumn Light in Yosemite: 17 ~ 20 October 2019, Thursday ~ Sunday
Panorama of Yosemite Valley View, 19 October 2018, 3:27 P.M. bigger, full-resolution or 4K 16:9 (3,840 × 2,160) screensaver.
Fall Color in the Eastern Sierra: Sunday~Wednesday, Wednesday, 20~23 October 2019.
Rainbow Shack, 15 October 2018, 4:57 P.M. iPhone Xs Max 6mm tele camera, f/2.4 hand-held at 1/58 at Auto ISO 16, Snapseed. bigger.
These two different trips run one right after the other. Registration is handled by two different organizations so they might forget to mention that if you're traveling to one, you really should register for the other since it only adds a couple of days and doubles the photo opportunities for no extra travel time to and from the area.We finish the Yosemite trip Sunday morning, then drive over the pass to start the Eastern Sierra trip that same afternoon.
9/9/19, Monday
LEICA M9 mit 50mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX.
TENTH ANNIVERSARY: LEICA M9.
05 September 2019, Thursday
Senal SCM-660.
NEW: Senal SCM-660 Microphone Review.
Now that everyone's into audio and video rather than just still photos, here's a mic to consider for your studio.
It's not like when I started my first music recording business back in junior high school in the 1970s; today even my 11-year-old knows all about microphones for plugging into her computer. She tells me that the Blue Yeti is the best you can get for computer use, and I don't disagree. Back in the 1970s you either spent thousands on real mics like Neumann, AKG, Telefunken and Schoeps, or used $20 mics from Radio Shack. Today we have everything in-between and can get great mics at moderate prices.
The SCM-660 ia an analog mic for serious recording; you'll need a USB audio interface to use it with a computer or about $20 worth of adapters and a preamp to connect to an iOS Lightning connector.
When I discovered this $200 version of a $3,600 classic, I couldn't resist trying a pair. I might even grab an 87 and do a comparison some day.
04 September 2019, Wednesday
Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S.
NEW: Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S Review.
01 September 2019, Sunday
Nikon D3500 with included 18-55mm VR DX AF-P.
NEW: Nikon D3500 High ISO Performance & Sample Image Files.
Just added this to my Nikon D3500 Review. I've been so busy getting Rockwell.TV on the air that I completely forgot to add these.
Here's the same thing formatted for 4K UHD TV:
Fuji X-E3 and XC 15-45mm PZ.
NEW: Fuji X-E3 Review.
Fuji's lightest X-mount camera, almost their cheapest camera, and a superb built-like-a-tank performer!
Fujifilm XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ.
NEW: Fuji XC 15-45mm PZ OIS Review.
Dinky plastic lens with optics just as good as the bulky XF lenses!
Fujifilm XC 50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS.
NEW: Fuji XC 50-230mm OIS Review.
Dinky plastic lens with optics just as good as the bulky XF lenses!
ZUMA MTA-300B iPhone/Smartphone Tripod Mount Adapter holding iPhone Xs Max in Apple saddle brown leather case on Oben CTT-1000 mini tabletop tripod.
NEW: XUMA MTA-300B iPhone/Smartphone Tripod Adapter Review.
A better way to stick my iPhone on a tripod for time lapse and self-portaits.
Auray TT-6220 Tabletop Mic Stand.
NEW: Auray TT-6220 Telescoping Tabletop Mic Stand Review.
Auray PFNY-6 Mic Pop Filter.
NEW: Auray PFNY-6 Mic Pop Filter Review.
30 August 2019, Friday
NEW: Rokinon AF 18mm f/2.8 for Sony APS-C.
IN-STOCK: Sony 35mm f/1.8 Full Frame at Adorama.
Full Sony 35/1.8 FE review.
28 August 2019, Wednesday
New from Sony
A6600 (also at B&H), also comes as a kit w/18-135mm lens and as a kit with the pro 16-55/2.8 G lens.
A6100, also comes as a kit w/16-50mm power zoom lens and comes as a kit w/16-50 PZ & 55-210mm lenses. (all also at B&H.)
70-350mm G OSS (also at B&H). A stabilized APS-C tele with an extra long105-525mm equivalent range (see crop factor).
16-55mm f/2.8 G (also at B&H). The most unexpected new item today, this is a pro-level 24-85mm equivalent APS-C lens. No one's made a pro-level APS-C lens since Nikon's 17-55mm f/2.8 of 2003!
New from Canon
Canon announced development back in February, and we now can order ours right now. These are a pro ultrawide and pro 24-70 (in addition to the ultra-pro 28-70/2.0 that came out last year) for the awesome EOS-R system, my favorite full-frame mirrorless system.
I'll have more on these world's-best mirrorless lenses throughout the day.
NEW: Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8.
NEW: Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8.
I'd get my RF 15-35/2.8 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.
I'd get my RF 24-70/2.8 at Adorama or at B&H.
NEW: Canon 90D.
Another great Canon APS-C DSLR with 10 FPS (and uncropped 4K/30) for better sports shooting than mirrorless. Canon's also my favorite DSLR brand as well; I grab my 5DS/R (world's highest-resolution DSLR) or 1DX Mk II (world's fastest DLSR) when I want the job done right.
NEW: Canon M6 Mk II.
New Panasonic S1H
Panasonic, latecomer to the full-frame game, offers 6K video as it's twist. To their credit, Panasonic has been a player in pro Hollywood video gear for many decades, as has Sony.
NEW: Panasonic S1H
24MP Full Frame
6K 10-bit video
V-Log/V-Gamut
14-stop dynamic range
Dust & moisture resistant
NEW: Panasonic 24-70mm f/2.8
NEW: Pansonic LEICA DG 25mm f/1.4 II
Micro 4/3; not full frame.
27 August 2019, Tuesday
Sony Buy-Back
Adorama wil pay $1,300 cash for Sony A7R Mk IIIs in E+ or better condition, even without the boxes.
You can use the $1,300 as a trade-in, or just take the cash and run.
26 August 2019, Monday
Nikon Trade-in Deals
You also can get these at Crutchfield, but you have to phone-in for all the details:
Z6 "filmmakers" kit with gimbal mount and mic.
22 August 2019, Thursday
NEW: Fuji Touch Screen Settings & User's Guide Tutorial at Rockwell.TV!
I always have felt like a complete idiot with my Fujifilm cameras that have replaced four-way rear controllers with a single nubbin and a swipe screen. They always did crazy things when I didn't touch them, and ignored me when I tried to get them to go.
Today I finally figured it out — and wrote it all down while I still had it working. Whoo hoo!
These links take you to Rockwell.TV, and you'll see this new video at the top of the list of uploads or newest videos.
21 August 2019, Wednesday
Now In-Stock: New LEICA M-A.
DEAL: $662 off Sony A7 II w/28-70mm & Accessories, $998 complete!
Today Only: $600 off 4K iMac.
19 August 2019, Monday
DEAL: Apple Watch Series 3: LESS THAN HALF PRICE!
ENDING: Apple Back-to-School Specials.
NEW: Fuji X-H1 deals from $999.95!
NEW: Nikon deals.
NEW: Sony Deals.
NEW: Canon deals.
NEW: Zeiss deals.
NEW: Sigma deals.
NEW: Panasonic deals.
NEW: Olympus deals.
17 August 2019, Saturday
NEW: SEVEN new videos at Rockwell.TV!
Two are new today about the Fujifilm X-T30 and the Nikon 200mm f/2 VR II , and two are new are about Sennheiser wireless lavalier microphones, a great way to get audio for your videos, and three other microphone videos are from back in 2014, but new to Rockwell.TV.
Be sure to watch in real 4K and sit close to your screen (I sit 3 feet from my 55" 4K monitor which is about ideal) to enjoy what's in these ultra-high resolution programs; especially the sample images.
These links take you to Rockwell.TV, and you'll see these videos towards the top of the list of uploads or newest videos.
16 August 2019, Friday
Nikon 200mm f/2 G VR II.
NEW: Nikon 200mm f/2 VR II Review.
15 August 2019, Thursday
NEW: LEICA APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH.
A beastly normal lens for the SL cameras.
Ein gigantisches Normalobjektiv für die SL-Kameras.
DEALS: Apple Deals ending 24 August.
14 August 2019, Wednesday
Say It's Not True!
I've written about how foolish and unusable menus are for things we need to change immediately, like aperture and ISO and shutter speeds and focus and shutter buttons. We need genuine, dedicated single-purpose controls for all of these; menus and touch screens won't work.
I alluded to having menus to set apertures is as foolish as having our cars' steering wheels and throttles replaced by menus, function buttons and touch screens. No one would ever be so foolish as to make a car with a menu-driven steering and throttle system; you need instant and direct access to these with real controls like a steering wheel and accelerator pedal.
I was astounded when I realized that the US Navy has done exactly this with some of our ships, and that this was likely the cause of some recent crashes. I haven't been on a destroyer since I worked on CICs (Combat Information Centers) in the 1980s, but apparently the USN had replaced wheels and throttles with touch screens! It looks like the people buying these ships ignored the people who sail them, and now are finally thinking that maybe those requests for functional, clear controls and indicators might have some merit. Duh; always listen to the operators. Details.
NEW: Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5. Also in Silver.
Für LEICA M.
NEW: Mindshift Urban Access Backpacks.
$500 OFF: Nikon 24-70/2.8 VR: $1,897.
$300 OFF: Canon 5D Mk IV w/free goodies: $2,799.
08 August 2019, Thursday
NEW: Five new videos at Rockwell.TV.
I've got one on the Nikon 200mm f/2 VR II's AF performance, another on How to Use the Nikon 200/2 VR II, and then Unboxing the Fuji X-E3, Unboxing the Fuji XC 14-45mm and Unboxing the Fuji XC 50-230mm.
Everything at Rockwell.TV is in full 4K native resolution, and if you're setup to see it in 4K it looks stunning when you see the sample images presented in my Nikon D3500 review. Additionally, I shot and present the Nikon 200mm f/2 VR II's AF performance at an astounding 60 frames per second so you can see how fast it goes.
To watch in full 4K, you need a 4K TV, and on Mac, you need to use the Chrome browser. As I understand it, Safari won't work at 4K from YouTube, and neither does the Apple TV 4K on YouTube — even though the Apple TV 4K will do 4K with iTunes and Netflix; YouTube apparently uses a CODEC that's incompatible with those inside Safari and inside the Apple TV.
Thus if you don't see the 4K option when you click or tap the settings gear in YouTube, try a different setup until you do.
06 August 2019, Tuesday
For Sale: Crazy collectible Nikon lens — glass only!
I found this on eBay: a Nikon 100th anniversary 70-200mm f2.8 lens - but this commemorative item only has the glass, with no barrel or electronics!
How crazy is this?
04 August 2019, Sunday
NEW: Rockwell.TV on YouTube.
Here's yesterday's D3500 review in glorious 4K video at Rockwell.TV:
Subscribe for more video reviews.
03 August 2019, Saturday
Nikon D3500 with included 18-55mm VR DX AF-P.
NEW: Nikon D3500 review.
It's been out 11 months, and came out the week after the Z7 and Z6, so I've been so swamped it was only this week that I've gotten to all the details.
It's a killer camera; ultralight and takes awesome photos, for only $447 complete with a great lens!
Dollar for dollar, the Nikon D3500 is the best camera you can buy.
02 August 2019, Friday
Sony A7R IV
We can now order the Sony A7R IV at Crutchfield.
Canon 5DS/R
Valley Floor Fog, October 2015, 8:18 A.M. Canon 5DS R, Canon 100~400mm L IS II at 400mm, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/80 at Auto ISO 320, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full 50 MP (20MB JPG) file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely can display this resolution properly).
Dawn at South Tufa, October 2015, 7:29 A.M. Canon 5DS R, Canon 16-35mm L IS at 24mm, f/10 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger.
Grocery & Market, October 2015, 12:34 P.M. Canon 5DS R, Canon 16-35mm L IS at 24mm, f/10 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger.
A reader asks if the 50MP Canon 5DS/R is still relevant, seeing how it was introduced four years ago.
YES!
While I have every camera under the sun, my Canon 5DS/R is still what I grab first for my own personal work when I want it done right.
While the newer 5D Mk IV is for general use where you have to settle for only one camera for everything from sports and action to interiors and landscapes, the 5DS is for where resolution is more important than frame rate. Also another pro secret: I've owned both the 5DS and the 5DS/R, and the images are indistinguishable from each other except for the EXIF tags of camera model! You can save money getting the 5DS, but know that when you go to sell it the price difference will probably be the same or greater, so you may as well get the 5DS/R.
The 5DS/R is the first and only DSLR with over 50MP, and far more important than resolution is that Canon cameras have by far the best handling and ergonomics over all other brands (although some may prefer Nikon or Fuji), and just as important is that I get the color quality I demand only from Canon and Nikon. Your artistic tastes may vary, but none of Fuji or Sony give me the brilliant, vivid colors I need when set to their most saturated settings.
So I get the best pictures from Nikon and Canon regardless of whatever else is in the news, and Canon has the best handling (mostly due to the preset programmable C1 C2 and C3 scene modes on the mode dial and the best menu system), so yes, for photos of nature, architecture, travel, real estate, still lifes, landscapes, and everything else I always grab my 5DS/R, 16-35mm f/4 L IS and 100-400mm IS L II and I'm good for anything and everything. If it's dark I'll grab my 50mm f/1.2 L or 50mm f/1.0 L or original 35mm f/1.4 L instead, or for light weight I'll just take my 50mm f/1.8 STM or my travel favorite the old 28-135mm IS, and I'm good — and today you can get all this top equipment for less used at eBay (see How to Win at eBay) if you don't want it new.
Holy cow, an even better advantage of it having been out a few years is that the gray-market price has plummeted: you can get your 5DS brand-new for $1,230 or your 5DS/R brand-new for $1,660!!!
01 August 2019, Thursday
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S.
NEW: Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 Review.
DEALS: New Sigma Deals start today.
DEALS: Vello Battery Grips for all brands. Today only.
What Was New in:
July 2019: Rockwell.TV on YouTube, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 Review, Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 Review, Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 Review, Canon RF 24~240mm IS, Sony A7R Mark IV, Sony RX100 Mark VII, Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 review, LEICA M-E typ 240, Hasselblad 907X Special Edition, Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR, ROBUS RC-5570 Tripod Review, Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 for Sony Eund für LEICA L, Sigma 35mm f/1.2 for Sony E und für LEICA L, Sigma 45mm f/2.8 for Sony Eund für LEICA L, Sigma fp mirrorless camera.
April ~ June 2019: Nikon Z6 Review, Nikon Z6 User's Guide, Nikon Z7 User's Guide, Nikon Z 14-30mm Review, Nikon NIKKOR 135mm f/2 AI-s Review, Nikon NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8 AI Review, Nikon NIKKOR✱ED 180mm f/2.8 AI-s Review, Nikon NIKKOR✱ED 200mm f/2 AI-s Review, Zeiss Otus 100mm f/1.4 Review, Sony E 20mm f/2.8 Review, Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro Review, Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Review, Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Review, Sony 200-600mm G OSS Review, Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Review, Tokina FiRIN 100mm f/2.8 Macro for Sony E, Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4 for Sony Full-Frame, Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 full-frame ultrawide for Sony E, Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM, Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 for Canon RF, Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 for Canon RF, Canon SL3 (EOS 250D), Fujifilm X-H1 Review, Fujifilm X-T30 Review, Fujifilm X-T20 Review, Fujifilm 8-16mm f/2.8 Review, Fujifilm 16mm f/2.8 Review, Fujifilm GFX 100 Review, Fujifilm GF 32~64mm f/4 R LM WR Review, Fujifilm GF 100~200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR Review, Medium-Format vs. Full-Frame Image-Quality Comparison, Apple iPhone Xs Max Review & User's Guide, Apple Watch Series 4 Review, All Apple Watches Compared, new 13" MacBook Pro, new 15" MacBook Pro, Olympus TG-6 Underwater Camera, Panasonic LEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX 10-25mm f/1.7, Panasonic DMW-STC14 1.4× teleconverter, Panasonic DMW-STC20 2× teleconverter, Think Tank "Digital Holster 150" for ultrateles, Oben CTT-1000 Mini Tripod Review.
March 2019: Nikon Z7 Review, Nikon Coolpix A1000, Nikon Coolpix B600, Sony E 16mm f/2.8 Review, Sony E 18-200mm OSS PZ Review, Sony E 18-200mm OSS LE Review, Sony RX0 II, Canon IVY CLIQ Instant Camera, Canon IVY CLIQ+ Instant Camera, Fujinon XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro OIS Review, LEICA Q2, LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH, Pixel X900 Flash Review, Rokinon Full-Frame ultra-ultra-wide 10mm f/3.5 for Canon EF, Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Ultra-Ultrawide for Canon RF, Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 for Canon RF.
February 2019: Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, Canon EOS RP Hands-On Review, Canon EOS RP User's Guide, Canon EOS RP vs EOS R, Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Review, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Review, Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS, Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM, Canon RF 24-240mm IS USM, Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM, Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM, Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, Fujifilm X-T3 Review, Fujifilm 23mm f/2 Review, Fujifilm 200mm f/2 Review, Fujifilm 50mm f/2 Review, Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 WR, Fujifilm X-T30, Panasonic S1 Full-Frame System, Polaroid POP cameras, Ricoh GR III, Ricoh WG-6 underwater, Ricoh WG-6 in Orange, Ricoh G-900, Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8, Tamron 35-150mm, Tamron 35mm f/1.4.
January 2019: LEICA M10-P Safari Edition, LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 Safari Edition, Verum 1 Planar Magnetic Headphones review, Olympus OM-D E-M1 X, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S review, Sony 10-18mm Review, Sony A6400 Review, Sony 18-135mm Review, Sigma 28mm f/1.4 ART, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S and Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro Review.
November & December 2018: Moment 18mm review, Photos from Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra, Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF Review, Adapted Rangefinder Lenses on Nikon Mirrorless, AlienBoard Hoverboard review, LEICA D-Lux 7, Why You Need an Apple Watch, Sigma 60-600mm Review.
October 2018: Loads of Canon and Nikon mirrorless revelations, First Chinese Nikon Z adapters, Canon EOS R Review, Canon EOS R User's Guide, Wimberley Gimbal Tripod Head Review, Sony 400mm f/2.8 Review, How to Photograph Air Shows, LEICA M10-D.
August & September 2018: Nikon vs Canon vs Sony Full Frame, Mirrorless vs DSLR, Do You Really Need Two Card Slots, Canon EOS-R Review, Canon EF to RF Lens Adapters, Canon RF 24-105mm Review, Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L, Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Review, Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM, Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS II Review, Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS III, Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM, Canon 580EX II Review, Canon 580EX II User's Guide, Sony 24mm f/1.4, Sony RX100 Mark 6 Review, Sony RX100 Mk VI User's Guide, Nikon's full-frame mirrorless system, Nikon Z7, Nikon Z6, Nikon Z6 vs. Z7, Nikon FTZ Lens Adapter, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4, Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8, Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8, Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF, Nikon D3500, LEICA M10-P, iPhone Xs Max Bokeh vs Full-Frame Professional Cameras, Tokina "Opera" 50mm f/1.4, Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2, Fuji XT-3.
June & July 2018: Nikon Mirrorless hinted at, Fuji 8-16mm f/2.8, Fuji 200mm f/2, Fuji XF10, Sony RX100VA, Nikon P1000, Tamron 100‑400mm Review, best 80-400 and 100-400mm zooms compared, How to Win Photo Contests, Tamron 18-400mm review, Sony 400mm f/2.8, Images of Yosemite in Springtime, Kodak Medalist II Review, Canon 70‑200mm f/4L IS II, Canon 70‑200mm f/2.8 L IS III and my Sony RX100 Mark VI review.
May 2018: Marc Silber's Secrets to Creating Amazing Photos, Sigma 105mm f/1.4, Fuji X-T100, Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 IS/VR Review, beyerdynamic Amiron Home Review, Sigma 70mm Full-Frame Macro Art Lens, Nikon D1 High ISO Samples, Vello MB-D18 (BG-N19) Grip Review, Sunpak RD2000 Review, Small Flashes Compared.
April 2018: Irix 11mm f/4 Review,Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, Canon 85mm f/1.4 L IS Review,Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VR/IS Review, Best 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses Compared, Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VR/IS Review, Best 24-105mm Lenses Compared, MindShift 18L Backpack, Fuji GF 250mm f/4, Fuji GF 1.4X TC WR Teleconverter, Fuji MCEX-45G WR Macro Extension Tube, Fuji MCEX-18G WR Macro Extension Tube, Sony RX10 Mk IV Review, Sony RX10 Mk IV User's Guide, beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless Review.
March 2018: Nikon 70-300mm AFP E FX Review, Nikon 28mm f/1.4 E FX Review, Nikon 10-20mm Review, Nikon D7500 Review.
February 2018: Sony A7 III, Yosemite Photos, Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Pancake-NIKKOR review, beyerdynamic DT1350 review, beyerdynamic DT240 review, Canon SL2 review.
Janaury 2018: Nikon 180-400mm, Canon 6D Mk II review, Canon 18-135mm USM review, Fuji X-A5, Sony 18-135mm.
December 2017: Canon 35mm f/2.8 Macro review, Sony A7R III review, Sony A7R III user's guide, Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS review, Sony FE 100mm STF G OSS review.
November 2017: Sony 50/2.8 Macro Review, Sony 90/2.8 Macro Review, LEICA CL, Sony 70-300mm G Review, Panasonic G9, iPhone X Review, How to Make Time Exposures with iPhone, 1X Photo Contest, Tamron 100-400mm.
October 2017: Nikon D850 review, Nikon D850 user's guide, Sony A7R III, Sony 24-105mm G, Sony 85/1.8 review, Canon G1X Mk III.
June, July, August and September 2017: Canon 6D Mk II, Canon SL-2, Canon 85/1.4L, Canon TS-E 50/2.8, 90/2.8 & 135/4, Nikon D850, Nikon 70-300 VR DX AF-P, Nikon 28/1.4E, Metabones Mk V Canon EF -> Sony E-mount adapter.
May 2017: Nikon 10-20mm DX VR, Nikon 8-15mm FX Fisheye, Canon 77D Review, Canon Rebel T7i Review, Canon 18-55mm IS STM Review, Springtime in Yosemite, Irix 15mm f/2.4 Review, Sony 16-35/2.8 GM, Sony 12-24/4 G, Fuji X100F Review, Laowa 12mm Review, Olympus TG-5.
March & April 2017: Nikon D7500, Nikon 19mm PC-E review, Nikon D3400 review, Sony A7 Mk II review, Nikon D5600 review.
February 2017: Canon 77D, Canon Rebel T7i, Canon EOS M6, Sony 24-70/2.8 GM, Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM , Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS, Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS, Sony FE 85mm f/1.8.
January 2017: LEICA M10, Fujifilm GFX 50S, Fujifilm X100F, Nikon D5600.
November & December 2016: Fuji X-A10.
September & October 2016: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL, Nikon 19mm PC-E, Sony A6500, Sony RX100 Mk V, Sony Alpha 99 II, Canon EOS M5, Canon EF 70-300 IS II USM, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro.
July & August 2016: Canon 5D Mk IV, 16-35 IS II, 24-105 IS II, Nikon D3400, Nikon 105mm f/1.4, Fuji XT-2.
Help me help you
I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.
If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.
If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!
If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.
The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. eBay is always a gamble, but all the other places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.
Thanks for reading!
Ken