Category: Gear
How Many Megapixels Do You Need?
If you are like me, you occasionally salivate over the new cameras coming out with high megapixel counts. I look at something like the new Canon 5DS and the Sony a7R2 with a combination of lust and envy. But then I think to myself, “What do I need all those megapixels for anyway?” I convince myself that… Continue reading How Many Megapixels Do You Need?
Drone Photography Basics
A Basic Intro to Using Drones for your Photography for Non-Geeks
How to Pick the Right SD Card
Once you buy a new camera and lens, the only thing you absolutely need is a memory card. As a result, choosing one of these cards is a subject all of us need to face at some point. It is sort of confusing because there are many different numbers on the face of these cards. What… Continue reading How to Pick the Right SD Card
Using a Tilt-Shift Lens to Maximize Depth of Field
You want to maximize the depth of field of your images. You understand, however, that shooting at very small apertures can negatively affect image quality because of diffraction. You also know that the “sweet spot” for most lenses is somewhere in the range of f/5.6 – 8.0. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use… Continue reading Using a Tilt-Shift Lens to Maximize Depth of Field
Buying a Graduated Neutral Density Filter
Elsewhere, we have covered how to deal with extreme dynamic range problems in outdoor photography. We have looked at solutions involving post-processing and even spent some time on HDR techniques. But what if there was a way to deal with the problem of dynamic range in-camera? Turns out, there is. It is called the graduated neutral density filter… Continue reading Buying a Graduated Neutral Density Filter
A Simple and Cheap Backup Strategy
Your photos are likely quite precious to you. When you ask most people what thing they would save if their house was on fire, the answer, more often than not, is: “my pictures, since they cannot be replaced.” And yet, the drives on which these photos are saved are destined to failure. If and when they… Continue reading A Simple and Cheap Backup Strategy
Should I Buy a Monopod?
A question I receive from time to time is whether it is worth it to buy a monopod. Many serious photographers use them, and they do provide support and stabilization while you are shooting. On the other hand, monopods limit your movements and do not provide anywhere near the stabilization of a tripod. So, should you… Continue reading Should I Buy a Monopod?
Is Full-Frame Worth It?
Back in the days of film cameras, 35 mm film was pretty well ubiquitous. We all used it. It was called 35 mm film because each strip took exposures that were 35 mm wide. It was actually considered small film in its time, and most professional photographers used larger format film. When digital came along,… Continue reading Is Full-Frame Worth It?
The Best Low Light Performance Camera
An important feature to consider when purchasing a digital camera is how well it performs in a low-light situation. The question is: how much can you crank up the ISO setting on your camera and still have a good picture? Digital cameras allow you to set how sensitive your digital sensor is to light, and that… Continue reading The Best Low Light Performance Camera
Comparing the Dynamic Range of Digital Cameras
Dynamic range is one of the most important considerations for choosing a camera in the digital age. If you are not familiar with dynamic range, it is the range of tones that your camera can capture between pure white and pure black. The wider the range the better. Dynamic range is particularly important to the… Continue reading Comparing the Dynamic Range of Digital Cameras
All About Polarizing Filters
You need very few filters in modern digital photography. One you should get, however, is a polarizing filter. Why? They just make your photos look a lot better coming out of the camera in many situations. They are a simple way to: make the skies in your pictures a deeper, richer blue make certain colors in… Continue reading All About Polarizing Filters
The First Things to Buy (After Your Camera and Lens)
You have a camera. You have a lens or two. You’ve taken some pictures. Now you want to improve your photography and are wondering if there are some things you ought to buy. But you don’t want to spend a fortune, or load up on stuff you won’t really use. Here are my recommendations for what… Continue reading The First Things to Buy (After Your Camera and Lens)
Getting Started in Photography with a $1000 budget
As a guy who has been pretty heavily involved with photography for several years, I get asked one question more than any other by far. I occasionally get asked about a technique used for a particular picture. Or perhaps about places I have taken certain pictures. But most of the time the question I get… Continue reading Getting Started in Photography with a $1000 budget
8 Tips for Purchasing a Tripod
“When it comes to tripods, you want one that is stable, light-weight, and inexpensive. You can have any two of these characteristics you want, but never all three.” Besides the camera and lens, the tripod is probably the most significant expenditure you will face in photography. Because of the different ways that people shoot, and… Continue reading 8 Tips for Purchasing a Tripod
Should I Start with a Prime Lens or a Zoom?
Which is better: a prime lens or a zoom lens? And which one will be best when getting started with outdoor photography? These are common questions and, while there may not be one set answer that fits everybody, we can go a long way toward answering these questions for most people. What are Prime and Zoom Lenses?… Continue reading Should I Start with a Prime Lens or a Zoom?