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by Luke Rollins · Posted
The trick with any home studio is in creating a space that can be used to create images that do not betray the fact that you shot them in your living room, in your pajamas, using your pet dog as an assistant. Luckily, creating a home studio can be done fairly easily without breaking the bank. This article will help get you up and running.
Planning Your Studio
Before making any purchases, it is important to sit down first and answer some basic questions about what you want your studio to accomplish. First, what type of photographs do you plan
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
There’s an old adage that gear doesn’t make the picture, it’s the photographer. This is partly true. A super-telephoto prime with a fast aperture will make quick work of busy backgrounds, and the faster focusing systems of high-end full-frame cameras will more easily track a bird’s eye in some of the most challenging lighting conditions. But there’s another factor to consider. At the heart of the image is a creative eye and technical proficiency. High-end camera gear only serves a purpose once you know what you’re doing.
In this guide, we’re
by Luke Rollins · Posted
Content creation has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry with no signs of slowing down. While it’s true that anyone with a smartphone can become a content creator, the shift toward polished productions might have you browsing some more professional gadgets. Luckily, affordable, easy-to-use gear is widely available for every kind of content creator. Let’s explore some options you might consider snagging for your new hobby or upcoming project.
Best vlogging cameras for content creators
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Are accessories essential to completing a look? As a camera store, we're not exactly fashion experts. That said, we can confidently say that certain photo accessories are essential to getting the most out of your compact cameras. In this guide, we're looking at the must-have accessories that every compact camera owner should own—from absolute necessities to the more stylish options. Let's get started.
Memory Cards
When unboxing a point-and-shoot camera, expect to find a camera, battery, wrist strap, and a charger. What's usually not included
by Luke Rollins · Posted
What is it about the 2000s look that is so compelling right now? One could chalk it up to the eternal recurrence of 20-year nostalgia cycles, of which the retro digicam revival would be yet another instance. But this kind of historicism elides the character of what is missed, and why its retrieval is attempted in the first place.
Smartphone bad; we know this. Rejecting the smartphone, however, does not immediately lead one to retro digicams. One could just as easily move toward the nostalgia of film as toward the competent excellence of today
by Luke Rollins · Posted
It’s 2026, and we no longer have to pretend that film is dead; film is very much alive, with a robust number of film stocks available to try out, ranging from the classics to new and creative films from up-and-coming, smaller brands.
Here’s an overview of the current black and white films available right now.
Kodak
It’s hard not to start with mother Kodak in an article like this, and with all the history—the ups and
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
When it comes to choosing the best camera for sports and action photography, there are three factors to focus on. Speed, autofocus performance, and reliability are all essential to tracking, freezing, and nailing the shot time and time again. Speed and performance have become increasingly affordable with mid-tier cameras and even some entry-level ones can keep up with sporting events. In this guide, we’ve narrowed things down to the very best cameras in each class, from the pro-level flagships to everyday cameras that are right at home on your
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
If renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams were alive today, he would surely be astounded at the variety of cameras available. When compared to his hulking 8x10 view camera, today’s cameras look like child’s play. He would also be flabbergasted at the image quality these little devices produce.
This year, we have a bottomless well of cameras
by Steven Esposito · Posted
When it comes to preserving and protecting your digital photographs, choosing the right storage solution is critical. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the important factors to consider when shopping for a storage solution, including which specs to focus on and the different storage category types. We’ll also include some of our favorite storage options and explain what makes them so great.
Understanding Your Storage Capacity
A good rule of
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
If you've ever gone camera shopping, you've likely run into the term "mirrorless" more than a couple of times. After all, mirrorless cameras account for up to 90% of new interchangeable-lens cameras (according to Canon executives anyhow). But what does "mirrorless" actually mean? In this guide, we're going to explore what a mirrorless camera is, what makes it different from other cameras (hint: it's in the name), and how it can benefit
by Luke Rollins · Posted
Everyone and their mothers are in on the digicam trend, a fact reflected in the used-market prices found across most platforms. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, B&H Used--everywhere you look, the best-known models are selling for prices that often meet or exceed their debut MSRP.
Take that old favorite of mine, the Canon S95. Extraordinarily capable, exceedingly pocketable, I got it for a song ($130) back in 2023. Three years later, the going rate has more than tripled, with the average price sitting above $400 and pushing $500
by Luke Rollins · Posted
At first glance, studio photography and the compact camera may seem strange bedfellows. The type of work associated with the studio—still life, product photography, portraiture, macro photography—usually wants cameras with larger sensors and interchangeable lenses, especially in professional applications. Compact, point-and-shoot cameras, for their part, have their natural home in everyday, travel, nightlife, and street applications, where their discretion and size become virtues.
It might seem almost cruel to introduce the compact to the
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Ever find yourself still struggling to make out a bird, even when your binoculars are trained directly on it? No matter how steady you hold yourself, you simply just don’t have the reach. You could get a stronger pair of binoculars, but these come with inherent drawbacks, such as stability issues and, of course, a heftier build. What’s our solution?
It’s only natural that after using a pair of binoculars, some birders will find that they yearn for more, and the only way to practically get more reach is to use a spotting scope. These are
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
It's only natural that after using a pair of binoculars, some birders will find that they yearn for more, and the only way to practically get more reach is to use a spotting scope. These are essentially terrestrial telescopes, using one optical path to magnify an even greater distance than our typical handheld optics can manage.
As covered in our guide to choosing a spotting scope, finding the right scope can be as
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Solar eclipses are awesome spectacles of nature that are irresistible to photographers. Besides eclipses, the star at the center of our solar system is an amazing photographic subject—even when it is not being partially or totally blocked by the moon. If you want to photograph a solar eclipse, or just photograph the source of our fragile planet’s warmth and light, you need a solar filter for your