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Category: Reviews

ON1 Photo RAW 2018 Review

Like many other photographers, I’ve had it with Adobe’s subscription model. It’s time to jump ship! I’m done paying them a monthly fee for software that hasn’t really improved much in years. The newest CC iteration of Lightroom (not the classic version) is too basic, too expensive, and settings quite often get lost in syncing ...

Rode VideoMicro vs Rode VideoMic Pro Plus

Surprisingly, there aren’t a lot of YouTube videos comparing the two of these mics. The ones that did are giving the nod to the Rode VideoMicro – this wasn’t my experience. I favor the Rode VideoMic Pro Plus for  for the high pass filter (this makes all the difference for me), +20 dB gain, and ...

SmallRig Cage for the a6500 and Zomei CK-30 Tripod Review

There are a a multitude of reasons to have a cage for your camera: Stabilization when carrying around – like a Fig Rig. Low carry option (i.e. top handle). Multiple mounting points for accessories. Ability to easily convert your camera to a serious video option. Easily mounts to a compatible tripod. Modular. In this video, ...

OBS vs XSplit Broadcaster

OBS is a free program used for screencasting and recording of tutorials, vlogs, podcasts, etc. It works, but it’s got issues and the audio and video tend to fall out of sync under heavy load. There are competing products, and XSplit Broadcaster is among the most expensive. Which one fares better under heavy processor load? ...

First Real World Test of the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 and Rode VideoMic Pro Plus shot on the Sony a6500.

Uncle Anthony is visiting this week, and we celebrated his 31st birthday last night. This was the first time I really I had a chance to shoot some stills (other than test shots) with the new Sigma 16mm lens. The lighting was indeed poor – only a CFL chandelier overhead, but the lens focused slower ...

Photolemur 2.2 Spectre Video Review

Post processing is my least favorite part of photography. It’s time consuming, takes a lot of time, and did I mention how long it takes? Quite often I shoot events with hundreds photos to be delivered. If this were my full time paid gig, then I would spend and budget quite a bit of time ...

The 2017 Northwest Chocolate Festival

This past weekend was the annual NW Chocolate Festival. It’s a wonderful event and the best place to go and “try before you buy” chocolate. Honestly, I can’t see buying chocolate any other way. As a preface to this article, let me say that I’m no expert on chocolate, but I do love to eat ...

Herschel Supply Co. Little America Mid-Volume Backpack and Koolertron Camera Insert Review

I originally learned about this bag and got the idea from John Barbiaux over at photolisticlife.com. You can see his article here. He’s got a wonderful blog and is very responsive to questions. I recommend giving him a read and a subscribe. It started when I was Googling for a camera backpack to use on ...

The best blog theme developer!

If you’re a blogger / photographer like me, you’d rather focus on your writing and photos than coding. I’ve tried a few themes — both free and paid. Most of the time, the support has been HORRIBLE. Quite frequently, there’s a lack of updates, the themes are bloated, and they don’t function properly. I’m happy to say, ...

My Leica 75mm f/2 Summicron ASPH arrived – Thanks Ken Hansen!

I’ve been looking for a good deal on one of these and ended up getting my used copy from Ken Hansen out of New York. Steve Huff Photo has recommended Ken for years, and so I gave him a shot. Ken promptly answered any and all emails, communication was good, and he delivered as promised. It’s ...

A Terrible Choice — 2017 Microsoft Surface Pro Review

PCs and their inner workings are nothing new to me. Many a time, I’ve assembled my own machines, overclocked them, and maintained them. However, I’ve been using Mac computers for quite some time now, and enjoy using them too. Microsoft’s newest iteration of their Surface Pro line successfully lured me into switching from a late ...

Lens Authority and Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux review.

The Leica bug strikes again! This time, I needed a fast 50mm to complete my kit. There’s a lot of choices for the M mount in regards to a 50mm focal length. However, really only one option for an f/1.4 aperture. That’s the Summilux. A brand new Leica M Summilux retails for about $3,900. In ...

Leica M (Typ 262) and Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 ZM Review

WARNING — ARTICLE INCLUDES CAT PHOTOS! Why am I writing about the Leica M262 in May of 2017 when the M10 is out? Well, it’s because of the M10’s lack of availability. My guestimate is that it’ll be about a year before they are readily available. Personally, I’ve been wanting a real Leica M camera (as opposed ...

Leica M 240 Review — My second Leica in less than a month.

Previously, I purchased and returned a Leica M8 (article here). I concluded that I needed to spend more money and get a newer model Leica M camera. The Leica M10 at the time of this writing is largely unavailable unless you want to buy it from a third party that has jacked up the price ...

My first Leica M camera — a Leica M8

There’s a lot of superfluous flatulence nonsense out there regarding Leica cameras, who buys them, what and how you are “supposed” to shoot with them, etc. The reasons that Leica cameras appeal to me are multifold: Other than Sony, it’s the only full frame mirrorless camera system out. Nothing wrong with Sony, but the lenses ...