Breaking Down the Image: Tamron 15-30 VC
“Pristine” This is the word that comes to mind when I consider both the condition of the snow (just know that I had to trudge through some DEEP stuff to get this image…my ankles are still cold as I type!)…
Category Reviews
Senal SMH-1000 Studio Headphones Review
Headphones just never go away. It seems like the craze in our house right now is all about headphones. “So and so just got Beats…” There is just something about the immersive experience of a great pair of headphones that…
RØDE SmartLav+ Review
The Challenge of Sound Anyone who has done video on a DSLR is familiar with the challenge of getting good audio. The Canon 5DMKII started a DSLR video resolution, and people were floored by the quality of the video footage…
Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/15mm Review
High Challenge, High Reward In the fall of 2013 I reviewed a manual focus only ultra wide angle lens. I noted in that review that an ultra-wide lens is a challenging tool to use for many photographers because the extreme…
Metz 64 AF-1 Flash Review
Quality “speedlites” or compact flash units are amongst the most indispensible tools in any photographer’s arsenal. Photography is about light, and good photographers not only use light but through tools shape it to their purpose. I love using natural light,…
Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 Review
One More 50mm The Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/50mm is both the fourth 50mm lens I have reviewed in a year as well as the fourth lens from Zeiss that I have reviewed this year. So, from both perspectives I have…
Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Review
The Elephant in the Room Before we can get to the “what” of this lens, we first have to pause to answer the “why” of this lens, as the first question for many when they become aware of this lens…
EasyCover Camera and Lens Protectors Review
Introduction to EasyCover People buy cell phones by the millions every year, and one of the first thing that most everyone does when they buy that new cell phone is to find a case or sleeve to protect it…
Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 Planar T* Review
Worth the Hype? Expectations mingle with skepticism when you approach such an extreme instrument as the Zeiss Otus 85mm f Planar T* ZE. It more than doubles the price of its competitors (even those with larger apertures), and sets a…
Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZE Review
The Zeiss 50mm f Planar T* is an interesting lens. The last 12 months has been somewhat of the year for 50mm prime releases. Both the Sigma 50mm f ART and the Zeiss Otus 55mm f released to a lot…
Samyang/Rokinon 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Review
I was excited when the Samyang/Rokinon Tilt-Shift 24mm f ED AS UMC Lens was announced as it seemed like a perfect fit for the manufacturer. Tilt-shift lenses are, by nature, manual focus only, and Samyang/Rokinon have made their reputation by…
Rokinon 12mm f/2 NCS Review
Korean lens maker Samyang is the lens equivalent of another Korean brand – Kia Though being a relative newcomer compared to the established Japanese and German giants, Samyang has managed to cause quite a stir in the lens community…just as…
Tamron 18-200mm Di III VC Review
“I wanna have it all…” Can Tamron deliver on the promise of having wide angle and telephoto in one reasonably small package? Many amateur photographers want the image quality that DSLRs promise without the stunning expense and heavy weight of…
Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Review
Out of the Blue I participate in a few Canon communities on the internet, and the rumor mill is continually at work in these environments. People who love gear love to see new gear released. They will argue the merits…
Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Lens Review
The travel lens/superzoom category is a fairly hotly contested category in the crop sensor market. This stands to reason; a person can enter the DSLR crop sensor market at a fairly reasonable price. Even an entry level full frame camera,…
Quebec City and the Tamron 28-300 VC
I recently reviewed the new Tamron 28-300mm f Di VC PZD Lens, an all-in-one or “superzoom” lens for full frame sensors. I noted that this lens would be a great travel option, and intimated that I trusted it enough that…
Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD Review
Full frame camera users rejoice! You finally have an affordable (and viable) option in the all-in-one category. There have been a few budget options in the past (including one with an identical focal length from Tamron), but they offered what…
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 Filter System Review
I love using my Rokinon 14mm f Aspherical lens, but the single biggest shortcoming has been the inability to use filters with it. Samyang released a new filter system for the lens this year, although distribution in North America has…