Bershatsky.com

Goodbye Adobe aka Lightroom Sucks

It’s really been years since Adobe has really made any substantial updates to Lightroom. More importantly, their image processing algorithms aren’t up to par with a lot of their competitors. Also, their Lightroom software tends to bog down even the fastest machines. I’ve already been using competing video editing suites to Adobe for years due ...

Snow in May? Cottonwood Storm 2018

Earlier this week, the parking lot at my work was covered in cottonwood. It was even falling from the sky like snow! At lunchtime, I took some shots with my iPhone, but knew I needed a REAL camera. So, I grabbed my Canon 5D Mark IV and Tamron 90mm – the newest one with VC. ...

Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 Review – Again. This time on a Sony a7R III

Well, it’s been over a year and a half since I’ve owned and reviewed the Loxia 21mm, and since I’m back to it (purchased it new) with an a7R III, I figured it’s a good time to review my opinion of it. This time around, I’m coming from a Leica M system. Over on Leica, ...

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Review on the Sony a7R III on the Ballard Jazz Walk in Seattle

Last night was the Ballard Jazz Walk in Seattle. It’s a fun date night with lots of great music. You can read more about it over here. The first group we saw at the Peddler Brewing Company. It was the Brent Jensen Quartet. Brent was my saxophone and jazz band instructor from 1990-1994. He was an ...

Zeiss Batis 18mm f2.8 Video Autofocus Test on the Sony a7R III and First Images

The Sony a7R III is quickly becoming my favorite camera of all time. Stills wise, the image quality is top shelf. Video is something that I am just starting to play around with, and I realized very quickly, that I needed an autofocus lens for video (at least for vlogging and casual stuff). I found ...

ZEISS Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Lens Review on the Sony a7R III

Since I’m coming from a Leica system, I previously reviewed and absolutely love the Leica 75mm f/2 APO lens. Unfortunately, the 75mm APO won’t perform the same on a Sony as it does on a Leica so, the Loxia is the closest option. The Loxia 85mm is the closest thing to it in terms of focal ...

Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Review (Update) – This time on the Sony a7R III

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve owned this lens and reviewed it last. Initially, I liked the lens but wasn’t all that enamored with it. Well, times and opinions change. I bought this lens again (new) after coming back to Sony and Zeiss. I now have a new found appreciation for Zeiss Loxia ...

Laowa 15mm f/2 Initial Impressions on the Sony a7R III

In my other recent articles, I’ve been singing the praises of the Zeiss Loxia Lenses. However, the widest Loxia lens is 21mm. Sometimes, you just want wider. I’ve heard good things about the Laowa 15mm, so I decided to get one. Here’s my initial unboxing and impressions of the lens: After using it for an ...

Zeiss Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Review, Sony a7R III thoughts, and Farewell Leica – for now.

Over the past year, I’ve been primarily shooting with the Leica M262. It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve captured some great images, and I’ve really enjoyed using manual focus and compact lenses. During that time, I learned some interesting things about my shooting style and preferences: I like to be close to the subject ...

UW Cherry Blossoms – Panasonic G9 and 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Outing

The University of Washington in Seattle is known far and wide for their cherry blossoms on campus. This was the first time that we ever had a chance to go up and see them first hand. It was crazy weather! Snow, rain, sunshine, we had it all – except blue skies. Even though I have ...

Selling on Amazon and the A to Z Guarantee Scam

I’ve been selling my used photography gear on Amazon for a few years now. It’s been good, but it’s also been horrible! First, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of selling on Amazon. Pros of selling on Amazon.com Broad audience of customers. Listing of items is quick and painless. The sales process ...

Baking Snickerdoodle Cookies with Anya

Anya is a big fan of YouTube. She’s been asking me if she could put a video of herself on YouTube for quite some time now. Today was the perfect opportunity. It was wet and cold outside, Vanessa and Nadia were out of town, and it was just the two of us. It was a ...

I’m a Black Belt! Now What?

Preface Saturday, February 10, 2018, I earned my solid black belt in Shotokan Karate. It was exactly one year since I earned my probationary black belt. It’s a major personal accomplishment and something that I’ve been working toward for many years. I’ve been wanting to write about my karate experiences for a few years now, ...

1970s Leica Leitz Canada 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M f/2.8 Review – Part Two

This Presidents Day weekend, our family headed down to Long Beach, WA. Time to bring along the 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M f/2.8, and test out this lens some more. Previously, I wasn’t too impressed with the sharpness of this less wide open, nor it’s contrast. Granted, I’ve been spoiled with modern Summicrons like the 28mm, 50mm, and ...

1970s Leica Leitz Canada 90mm Tele-Elmarit-M f/2.8 Review

I already have a 75mm APO Summicron lens that I am quite pleased with. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to own a 90mm APO Summicron as well ($4,200 new). Since a new 90mm APO is out of my budget right now, that doesn’t mean I’m not on the hunt for one at a ...