Best Photo Purchase I Have Made

From my Photography Tips Blog

Best Photo Purchase I Have Made

Last week I posted an article about the Worst Photo Purchases I Have Made so now for one about the best purchases I have made.

50mm f/1.8

When I was starting out in photography I only had two lenses and those were the kit lens that came with the camera. While decent enough to get the job done after awhile I felt that I was being held back by them.

So after spending hours online watching videos and researching what a good upgrade would be, I decided on a 50mm f/1.8. What was nice starting with this lens was the price did not break the bank at $219.

With this lens, my landscape photography looked so much sharper and cleaner a much-needed improvement.

I still have this lens even though I do not use it as much anymore I always have it in my bag.

24-70mm f/2.8

My next best purchase was buying a 24-70mm f/2.8. This is the lens you will see on my Nikon D800 almost all the time. The only times I take it off are when I am doing wildlife photography or packing the camera in a smaller bag.

Again this led to much better landscape photos since I was able to go wider at 24mm over the 50mm. Another advantage this lens had over the 50mm was its range of 24-70mm.

That meant I could use it for everyday shooting and not have to worry about the subject being too close or too far away.

Sony A7R

Now I picked up this camera last year used for a good price. It had a low shutter count and no real flaws.

My main camera is my Nikon D800 but I wanted something just as good for a backup. Most people would probably go and buy another D800 but not me.

I wanted something different and I have been reading and hearing a ton about Mirrorless cameras. I already have the Sony A5000 that I use for some of my videos on YouTube.

At the start, the only lens I had for the A7R was the Sony 50mm f/1.8. Nice lens but like the 50mm Nikon has limited range.

After doing some more research I decided on getting a lens converter so I could attach my Nikon lenses to the sony camera. I also picked up one for Canon lenses.

Now I can use all my current Nikon and Canon lenses on the camera and the images come out looking great. The only downside to the converter is that you have to use manual focus.

Once you learn or relearn how to manual focus you will have no issues getting great photos.

Worst Photo Purchases I Have Made

From my Photography tips blog.

Worst Photo Purchases I Have Made

I am sure we all have at one time or another made a purchase we late regretted. I know myself have made a few of them over the years.

Ring Light

The first one I regret was a ring light. At the time I was interested in doing macro photography. As I soon found out lighting was a very important part of doing macro photography I started looking for a solution.

I did not have enough lighting in my room to keep the shadows of the lens off the subject. So I went to amazon and bought a cheap Polaroid ring light.

Now I will say there is nothing wrong with the ring light itself. It works as it was intended to. In fact, I still have it sitting in a box in my closet just in case I need it.

The issue I had with the ring light was the coiled cord. Whenever I put my Tamron 70-300mm macro lens into manual focus the cord would pull on the lens taking it out of focus.

The other issue I had with it was when I tried to use it for my YouTube videos to give me more lighting. It worked but around the whole video, there was blown out areas from the light.

The reason I regret the purchase was not because the item was faulty but I have only ever used it two or three times.

Polaroid 48 Macro LED Ring Flash

Filters

Another item that I bought and do not have much of a use for are a couple of filters. I bought these back when I was shooting film before I was able to get a 1-megapixel digital camera.

The two filters that I had purchased were a softening and macro filter.

The softening filter did just what it sounds like it would do soften the image for an artistic look. On the cover of the box, it showed a bride looking pretty that was supposedly taken with this type of filter. I have NEVER used the filter for any photographs.

Polaroid Optics 52mm 3 Piece Special Effect Camera/Camcorder Lens Filter Kit (Soft Focus, Revolving 4 Point Star, Warming)

Again another filter I never really used was the macro one. It has a clear hole in the middle and the rest is frosted out so only what is right in the middle will be in focus. Interesting idea but again I have never found a use for it.

I do not have an example of the Macro filter but you can check Amazon and you will see the new better versions there.

I have had tons of other items I have bought and never used but these are the ones that sprung to mind while thinking about this post.
What are some of your worst photography purchases? I know I am not the only one out there that has done this.
Let me know in the comments below!

DSLR vs. Mirrorless vs. Micro 4/3 Cameras

From my other blog http://www.thephotographytipsblog.com/dslr-vs-mirrorless-vs-micro-43-cameras/

In this article, we are going to briefly go over DSLR vs. Mirrorless vs. Micro Four Thirds Cameras. We will go over some the differences with each of them. Here are some links to some cameras of each type DSLR, Mirrorless, Micro four thirds.

DSLR Cameras

A common DSLR is different than the Mirrorless and Micro four thirds cameras due to it having a mirror inside (See image below). The reason DSLR's have mirrors is to reflect what the lens is seeing up to the viewfinder that you are looking through. When you take a picture the mirror flips up and exposes the sensor that catches the image. One of the issues with a mirror is that it can cause camera shake from the mirror flipping up that could possibly make the picture blurry (see video at the end of the post to see the mirror slap). I own two DLSR's the Nikon D800 and Nikon D5200. Both are great cameras and the D800 is my workhorse.

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Nikon D800 Mirror

Advantages:

1. If you get a Nikon or Canon interchangeable lens kit you have access to tons of lenses to choose from
2. Battery life is much better than in Mirrorless cameras (as of right now)

Disadvantages:

1. Heavy. The weight of a DSLR compared to Mirrorless or Micro Four Thirds is noticeable
2. The lenses can also add to the weight of the camera
3. Camera shake due to mirror "slap"
4. Noisy from the mirror slap

Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless cameras are just that, mirrorless. Unlike the DSLR they do not have a mirror inside the camera which eliminates the mirror slap and makes the camera much quieter. The only issue with no mirror is that it has nothing to reflect what your lens sees to your eye. This is why you see most mirrorless cameras without the viewfinder. You can find some with the viewfinder though they usually cost more. The upside is that it seems that people want viewfinders on mirrorless cameras so companies are putting out more with viewfinders like the Sony A6300.

The downside with the viewfinders is it is digital. They are awesome and I love them but they do eat batteries. Though the ones without the viewfinders also do that since you have to use the screen on the back to see what you are taking a picture of.

Another issue is if you get a mirrorless camera that has interchangeable lenses there are not many options at the moment compared to DSLR cameras. I own the Sony A7R with only one lens at the moment the 50mm f/1.8 FE. I hope to get some more lenses later and be able to make this one of my main cameras.

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Sony A7R Sensor

Advantages:

1. Lightweight
2. Smaller than a DSLR
3. No mirror slap
4. Quieter

Disadvantages:

1. Battery life
2. Fewer lenses available
3. Slower start up time

Micro Four Thirds Cameras

Micro Four Thirds are cameras with a really small sensor. The image sizes are smaller than a DSLR or Mirrorless camera but still come out looking great. Some of the best (IMO) companies making Micro Four Thirds are FujiFilm and Olympus. I personally own an Olympus Pen E-P1 and love it. I do not use it as much as I use to, though, but I always have it on standby. Most Micro Four Thirds cameras are smaller than both the DSLR and Mirrorless which make it nice for travel of family gatherings. Some of the Fuji cameras also have a retro style like the Fujifilm X-T10 giving it an old film camera look.

The battery life is usually pretty decent at least it is on my Olympus Pen E-P1. Also, it has interchangeable lenses, though not a ton of options, but still not bad.

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Olympus Pen E-P1 Sensor

Advantages:

1. Small size
2. Interchangeable lenses
3. Classic looks on some models

Disadvantages:

1. Small sensor size means smaller picture files
2. Small selection of lenses
3. Start up time

This is a quick video I made showing a DSLR, Mirrorless, and Micro Four Thirds shutters in action.

If I missed anything that you think I should have added please leave a comment and let me know!

Primes and Zoom Lenses what are they?

From my other blog http://www.thephotographytipsblog.com/primes-zoom-lenses/

In this article, I am going to go over the differences between primes and zoom lenses.

Primes

A prime lens has a fixed focal length. The common ones are 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm. There are also some longer ones like 300mm and higher. Primes are usually sharper than a zoom due to less moving parts. Another advantage to a prime is the aperture. Where "professional" glass is normally a f/2.8, a prime can go wide open to f/1.8 or even lower f/1.4.

I personally own the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 which was my first full frame lens, I love it and it has a home in my camera bag at all times. I also just bought a Sony A7R and the only lens I have for it at the moment is a 50mm f/1.8 and it's pretty awesome too.

Prices

Primes can range in price from a couple hundred dollars up to thousands. For example, I got a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 (The Nifty-Fifty) and it ran me about $219. Where the Nikon 85mm f/1.4 is about $1600. If you need the big glass for sport or wildlife you can be looking at $5000+++++ depending on the focal length.

Pros

1. Super-sharp images
2. Light weight and size (unless you get the big glass)
3. Low light capabilities
4. Shallow depth of field
5. You can get the full frame version even on a crop camera in case you upgrade later

Cons

1. No zoom you have to move your feet to zoom
2. Focal length is fixed

Zooms

Zooms are lenses that have different focal lengths. The "Holly Trinity" of lenses would cover all focal lengths. An example would be 14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mm. That would be an example of the "perfect" set up. Now if you do not need all those lengths you can replace some with the primes like we talked about above.

Lenses that zoom are just, that zoomable. Unlike primes, if you saw something happening in front of you and you didn't want to have to move to get close you just adjust the zoom ring and bam you are in the action.

Zoom lenses might not be as "sharp" as a zoom but a good zoom lens is no slouch when it comes to image quality. I leave my 24-70 f/2.8 on my camera at all times, and I have taken many many amazing photos with it.

Another thing to watch out for is variable aperture zooms. This means instead of a f/1.8 or f/2.8 the aperture would be f/3.5-f/5.6. So the more you zoom out the closer it gets to f/5.6 which means you are gathering less light. To fix it you would have to bump the ISO which could make your pictures a little more grainy. Outside in the sun or in a nice lighted room that you can control would help with the ISO issue. Still, if you are starting out and trying to stay cheap the variable aperture zooms are normally much cheaper.

My advice is, if you are really serious about your photography spent the extra money on good lenses right off the bat. It will save you money in the long run.

Prices

Most zooms can range from cheap to expensive depending on what you get. I have paid $175 for a Tamron 70-300mm (here is a video I made about this lens) and my Nikon kit zoom 55-200mm cost over $200 at the time (still have them, but do not use them as much). You can also find used lenses which can save you some money, but if you go the used route make sure you check it out of you can to make sure it work correctly.

The name brands like Canon and Nikon lenses can be very pricey especially if you are just starting out. Each lens of the "Holy Trinity" are over $2000.

So if you are just starting out you can get an off brand like a Sigma or Tamron which are usually a little cheaper and sometimes just as good, if not better than the main brands.

The company Tamron has a nice 150mm-600mm which can run around $1000 or less, which is great for wildlife if you can not afford a prime or just want the versatility of a zoom.

Pros

1. You can stand in place and zoom to your subject
2. With the "Holy Trinity," you can cover all of the focal lengths
3. Easy to travel with (take one lens like a 55-200 or 70-300)

Cons

1. Not as sharp as a prime
2. Not a macro lens
3. Focus can be slower on the cheaper zooms
4. Some are variable aperture

GoPro Hero 4 Night Time Lapse Test

This video was a test go the night-lapse feature on the GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition. As you can see in the video not everything came out good, but it was not to bad for the first attempt. I'll have another video out soon with the second attempt at getting the night-lapse feature to work.

GoPro HERO4 SILVER

$399.99

Buy on Amazon

GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition: Amazon - Rent

My new toy the Rode Podcaster USB Microphone

This video is to show off my new microphone, the Rode Podcaster USB Microphone. I will be using this to do videos while I am at home as well as voice over to some other videos I have in the works. I must say it is a ver nice microphone for the price and look forward to using it more in the future.

See the links below to check out the items talked about in the video.

PSA1 Studio Arm: http://bap.pics/RodePSA1StudioArm
PSM1 Shock Mount: http://bap.pics/RodePSM1ShockMount
Podcaster USB Microphone: http://bap.pics/RodePodcasterMicrophone

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RODE PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm

Too low to display

Buy on Amazon

Rode PSM 1 Shockmount For Podcaster

$39.00

Buy on Amazon

Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone

Too low to display

Buy on Amazon

Nikon D5200 Time-Lapse Test Decision

I just got my Nikon D5200 back from a friend that was borrowing it. I decided to take it out and shoot some time-lapse to see what the quality was like. I am trying to decide if I want to make this my time-lapse work horse to keep the shutter actuations down on my D800.

Take a look and let me know what you think. Thumbs Up to keep going with the D5200 or Thumbs Down to go with the D800. If you want to see a time-lapse from the D800 to compare let me know in the comments below.

Nikon D5200: Amazon - Rent

Nikon D800 : Amazon - Rent

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Brand New Nikon D800 Body Only Black

Buy on Amazon

Nikon D5200 24.1MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor Digital SLR Camera (Black)- Import Model with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR and Nikon AF Zoom Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Lens (Manual Focus) + Wide Angle + Telephoto + Full 32GB Deluxe Accessory Bundle

$689.00

Buy on Amazon

Review of Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens

This is my first attempt at a gear review. I recently bought a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens to replace my Nikon 55-300 DX lens.
I bought it due to upgrading to a Nikon D800 FX camera. The DX lens works on it but the results are not as good on that type of body.
So this is a real world testing of the Tamron lens. I have some pictures in the video but here is a link to them on my website so you can see them better due to YouTube compressing them in the video. http://bit.ly/Tamron70-300TestImages

I like the lens so far and its a good "upgrade" from the DX lens if your on a budget. So until I get the money for a better lens this will do for me. I paid under $150 for the lens which I didn't think was to bad. You can check it out here http://bit.ly/Tamron70-300Amazon

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Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR (Model A17NII)

$164.95

Buy on Amazon

New Lens

So last night I decided to get a new 300mm lens. I had to choose between the Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Nikkor Lens and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens. This is for my Nikon D800 which is a full frame camera. The lens I had been using up to this point was the Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Len which I bought with my Nikon D5200. The price of the Tamron was a little more ($10) but one feature it has over the Nikon was a macro feature which I am interested in seeing how that works.

This will be the first time I have used a third party lens and I will post a review about it after I get to field test it. Its suppose to arrive on Wednesday 12/3/14 which is tomorrow and I hope for good weather the next day so I can go out and use it.

Below I have provided links to the items I talked about for you to so you can check them out. If you decide to purchase them please do so through those links it will help me keep the site running for another year thank you!

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Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR (Model A17NII)

$164.95

Buy on Amazon

Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Nikkor SLR Camera Lens

$169.95

Buy on Amazon

Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR

$332.00 $396.95

Buy on Amazon

Brand New Nikon D800 Body Only Black

Buy on Amazon