Three Way Shootout Part 1: the Lenses
When I did my review of the Tamron 15-30mm VC last month, I did it without the benefit of having its direct competition (at least in a Canon mount) on hand. The review period was quick because of the demand…
How to Eliminate Mirror Hang with a SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4
Several years ago I (like many other photographers) discovered the joys of shooting vintage glass on my modern DSLRs. I’ve tried out a number of old lenses in various mounts, including M42, Contax C/Y, Pentax K, Tamron Adaptall, Konica, and…
Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21mm Image Gallery
I’ve just concluded my review period with another special lens from the Carl Zeiss company, the Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21mm. I’ve added a number of images to my portfolio during the review period that I am quite proud of. In…
Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21mm Review
I spent about six weeks with the big brother of the Distagon T* 2.8/21mm a few months ago (the Distagon T* 2.8/15mm – click for the review) and thoroughly enjoyed using it. I produced a number of images with it…
Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC Review
Samyang/Rokinon has entered uncharted waters with the release of the new 50mm and 135mm lenses (read my review of the 50mm f here). Previously they have primarily offered budget alternatives to a variety of large aperture primes that typically cost a…
Moody Day – Quick Processing Tutorial
Every photographer loves shooting when the conditions are easy and the light is great. Traditional portraiture has taken place in studios where the lighting and conditions are easily controlled, consistent, and repeatable. Once the initial investment of effort has been…
Canon EOS 5DS/5DS R Preorder Thoughts
Canon was leapfrogged by Nikon in a huge way in the megapixel wars when Nikon introduced its D800 body several years ago. The debate about the necessity of all of those MPs will continue to rage for the foreseeable future,…
Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC Review
Samyang/Rokinon has entered unchartered waters with the release of the new 50mm and 135mm lenses (both of which I am currently reviewing). Previously they have primarily offered budget alternatives to a variety of large aperture primes that typically cost a…
50mm Shootout
Which Fifty is the Most Nifty? People have been using 50mm “normal” lenses for most of the past century, and no focal length has been more popular. 50mm lenses are called “normal” because they roughly approximate the typical human field…
Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC Image Gallery
Here is a collection of images from the new Samyang/Rokinon 50mm f AS IF UMC lens. This recently released prime has great image quality with some vintage character and beautiful drawing. It does have some chromatic aberrations, but few other…
Samyang 135mm f/2 ED UMC Image Gallery
The new Samyang/Rokinon 135mm f/2 ED UMC lens has pretty incredible optics at a relatively inexpensive price. It is a beautiful portrait lens – provided you get things in focus. I will be sharing images here throughout my review process,…
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 VC USD Image Gallery
I have just completed my full review of the new Tamron SP 15-30mm f Di VC USD ultrawide zoom lens. You can read the review here or watch it here. This is a stunningly good lens, and is the second…
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Review
Every year there are a select number of lens announcements that I find personally exciting. I reviewed no less than 15 lenses last year, and this is the fifth already this year, so a lot of gear passes through my…
Horse Portrait Workflow Tutorial
One of the key challenges for the modern photographer is finding a way to distinguish their work from the homogeny of a million and one other photographers around them that are doing pretty much the same thing. I do believe…
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!)…