Search results for: photography buying guides film camera buying guide
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by Luke Rollins · Posted
Long dismissed as defunct, point-and-shoot cameras represent a larger share of camera purchases, new and used, in more than a decade. Fueled in part by nostalgia and the perceived shortcomings of smartphone cameras, today’s point-and-shoot options can make incredible images with little additional footprint. To that end, we’ve compiled a (non-definitive) list of some of the best point-and-shoot
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
There are many ingredients that make up a good photographic portrait, from foreground to background, setting, pose, expression, color, lighting, and so on. That said, one element that can be as important to the result as the portrait sitter is the lens used to capture the portrait and help create
by Luke Rollins · Posted
Buying used camera equipment remains a savvy strategy for cost-minded photographers, even as the crescendo of certain camera trends sent some prices higher. Yes, the past year saw seller’s markets emerge and entrench around cameras like the FUJIFILM X100VI, the Ricoh GR, and the Canon G7X Mark III, as well as rise of price floors among compact cameras for both film and digital. However, bargains persist, especially
by Luke Rollins · Posted
The rage for retro has yet to subside, with many of the season's most popular and stylish products arriving swaddled in the warm glow of yesteryear. If your to-buy-for list has physical media purists, analog aficionados, crate-diggers, or other lovers of old things, you might find the right item in the below gift guide.
Audio
Perhaps nowhere else is the yen for retro stronger than in the realm of music and audio. Physical media sales across all formats—vinyl, cassette, and CDs—continue to rise, while artists are releasing new material to the
by M. Brett Smith · Posted
For more than 50 years, B&H Photo has been the creative professional’s choice for photo, video, and audio gear. But did you know we’re also one of the most trusted resources when it comes to buying and trading used gear?
With the B&H Trade-In program, you can turn your pre
by Luke Rollins · Posted
FUJIFILM's beloved instant photography format instax recently surpassed 100 million cameras and printers sold, all while eyeing its 30th anniversary. In spite of brand recognition that still lags behind Polaroid, instax has both the people's vote and the lion's share of sales, expanding that popularity into a full-on ecosystem of films and formats, analog and hybrid cameras, smartphone printers and digital capture devices, and, coming soon, commercial photobooths and other event-oriented products.
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 Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
If you are stranded on a desert island and can only have one camera lens with you, which lens would you choose? That may depend on your specific area of expertise, but for the average photographer, the 50mm focal length is an essential tool to have in your kit. The 50mm prime lens, or “Nifty Fifty,” features a field of view close to that of the human eye, and delivers exceptional image quality, subject isolation, and background rendering, all in a compact package.
The Origin of the “Nifty Fifty”
In the bygone era of film SLR photography, many
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 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 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
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Bird-watching, known colloquially as birding, has quickly become one of the most popular past times for nature enthusiasts of all ages. In this fast-paced digital world we find ourselves in, getting outside and winding down to the sounds and sights of birds is quite therapeutic.
Every hobby has its fair share of essential gear,
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Traveling with camera gear can be a daunting experience, especially as we start expanding our arsenal of lenses. Picking the right lens for the job is a challenge in itself, and now we’re finding the space to pack it among our clothes, and other essentials. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had one lens to do it all?
Luckily, such lenses do exist, and these travel-ready all-in-one zooms come in a variety of mounts, some brand specific, and others available for many different cameras. In today’s guide, we’re covering the best travel zooms for APS-C or
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Let's face it: smartphone cameras are not the vibe anymore. What we want is a dedicated point-and-shoot camera, whether it be a classic hand-me-down model from the early 2000s or a more current spec'd out model with modern bells and whistles. These small point-and-shoot cameras may be made for travel but they excel in some scenarios more than others.
In today's guide, we're covering just a few of the best travel-friendly