Reviews
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Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens review: Great rendering and build quality
Sigma’s range of ‘Contemporary’ series lenses, such as the Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary, are all about maintaining a balance between size, performance and price. They’re not smaller versions of the Art series lenses, which are meant to deliver the best possible image quality, regardless of size. With a 55mm filter thread, and weighing 215g ( 7.58 oz) its diminutive size in E-mount nicely complements the Sony a7/9 series and in the L-mount version, maybe also the larger Leica SL and Lumix S1 models, which it has also been designed for. At around £549 / $549 [advertiser links], this all-metal lens is beautifully made. It even comes with a…
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MindShift Gear Backlight 26L review: Versatile and comfortable
The MindShift Gear Backlight 26L is a medium-sized backpack for photographers made by the same company that makes the ThinkTankPhoto range. It’s priced at $249.99 (around £200 ex VAT). For me, like a lot of photographers, I imagine, finding the right carrying solution for your gear is a tricky proposition. And of course, it’s dictated by the gear you’re carrying and the location you’re working in. Rollers are great for working from out of a car when you get to the location easily, but as soon as you have to move away from it (which is often the case), then a backpack is the most appealing solution. However, most backpacks…
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LEE100 Filter Holder review
Lee100 Filter Holder – What is it? The Lee100 Filter Holder is a completely redesigned version of the popular and versatile 100mm filter holder for square (and rectangular filters). Like its predecessor, the Foundation holder which I have, the Lee100 Filter Holder also stands out for being one of the few that accepts a polariser – it fits to the front of the holder to allow the use of older, more affordable polyester filters, or ‘gels’ which would otherwise interfere optically. The holder attaches to the lens using a specific adapter ring, so you need only buy a ring for each different size diameter thread, instead of multiple filters of…
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Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S lens review: Nikon’s best 24-70mm to date
What is it? The Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S [advertiser link] is the first pro-oriented lens for Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless Z series cameras, currently the 24MP Z 6 and the high-resolution Z 7. Naturally, it’s a constant-aperture, high-speed standard zoom and has several features not found on the earlier consumer grade Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S [concise review]. Besides the larger initial aperture the new lens features 17 elements in total, two of which are ED glass to lower color fringing and four are aspherical to reduce distortion and spherical aberration. Like others in the S-series, it has Nikon Integrated coatings while fluorine coatings are used to help keep the front…
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Loupedeck+ review: The future of image editing?
It’s not just the ability to look at your images without taking your eyes off the screen which is reason enough to consider one of these, one key benefit that’s exclusive to consoles like this is the ability to adjust two parameters at once.
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Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 sample gallery
Update (06/12/2019): Read our review of the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S here. The Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 is Nikon’s first zoom for its mirrorless Z 7 and Z 6 full-frame models. Given the marketing spiel about it being high-end, it is really just a consumer-grade lens, and one that seems more geared towards filmmakers than photographers. That said, it’s quite a capable performer, and we put it to work on the Nikon Z 7 in London’s Canary Wharf – take a look and please leave a comment. All images are edited to taste in Capture One Pro 12. Please click on the thumbnails for an enlarged view.…
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Capture One Pro 12 review
Introduction to Capture One Pro 12 As a RAW converter and processor, Capture One Pro is highly regarded in the pressured professional circuit for its out-of-the-box colours and perfectly weighted sharpening. It’s also well-liked by studios for its unique job-by-job image management option called Sessions and the ability to tie these in with the most advanced tethering solution you’ll find anywhere. If the photographer has his camera tethered to a computer it will be running Capture One Pro. No question. Capture One Pro is also making inroads with enthusiasts and beginners. First, Sony and now Fujifilm is bundling the scaled-back version Capture One with their new cameras, and offering discounts…
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NEC MultiSync PA271Q monitor review
Update December 2022: NEC has pulled out of the pro-photo market completely. I now recommend the rival the Eizo ColorEdge CS (or CG with built-in colorimeter) range. NEC MultiSync PA271Q monitor review – Introduction With outstanding image quality, the 2560 x 1440 27-inch NEC PA272W is one of my favourite displays. So I was a little discouraged to hear that it was discontinued in all its guises; MultiSync, SpectraView and SpectraView Reference. My disappointment didn’t last long, however, as NEC has announced a single replacement for all three versions, the MultiSync PA271Q. Typically, there isn’t much between updates though; a new connection standard and perhaps one or two new colour modes for out-of-the-box colour control…
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Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens review: Outstanding performer
The Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art debuted earlier in the year, around May, and is priced around $1400/£1500. From the DG designation you can tell that it’s a full-frame lens, and it’s available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. It is of course targeting the superb but pricey Nikon AF-S Nikkor 105mm F1.4E ED, but would also appeal to Canon users, where a high-speed L-series model in that focal length is strangely absent from the line-up. It may also be possible that it becomes available in Sony FE mount; it is already suitable for mirrorless cameras. Sigma has recently introduced some Art series in Sony FE mount, that effectively…
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Capture One Pro: Top 10 Features You Should Know
Already the ‘go-to solution’ for high-end imaging pros, Capture One Pro is becoming increasingly popular with a much wider audience. Part of this could be the bundling with Sony and Fujifilm mirrorless cameras or that, arguably, Capture One has better color and sharpness over Lightroom using the defaults. It may even be due to offering a choice between a subscription model and traditional, perpetual licensing fee. Whatever the reasons for the growth in popularity, if you’re new to Capture One, there are several features you should know to help you improve your workflow. If you prefer, this is available on YouTube: 1 Auto Adjustments The Auto Adjustments feature (Auto Adjust – version…
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