Best Telephoto Lens: BIG LENS SHOOTOUT

It's time to turn that kit 18-135mm into a paperweight and get yourself a real telephoto lens. So you ask, what is the best telephoto lens? This is an important question because a good quality telephoto lens is a significant investment and should be preceded with a lot of research. Unlike choosing your next camera bag or lens accessory, the purchase of a telephoto lens is not something most of us can afford to get wrong.

A lens with a focal length of 135mm+ is typically considered 'telephoto' range, with 300mm+ being considered super telephoto

Seasoned professional photographers first, and YouTubers second, Chelsea & Tony Northrup break it down with 4 of todays best telephoto lenses for $1,000 to $2,500 in a wintery Big Lens Shootout.

Best Telephoto Lens for Canon, Nikon, & More

[embed]http://youtu.be/lgurGidoSJs[/embed]

Make sure to tune in every Thursday at 5pm eastern standard time to Chelsea & Tony's YouTube for their hour long live show with live portfolio reviews.

Telephoto Lenses Tested

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens | $2,499.00

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Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM ( S ) Lens | $1,924.67

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Tamron AFA011C700 SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom Lens for Canon EF Cameras | $1,069.00

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Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $1,339.00

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What is a Bridge Camera? Plus Bridge VS Superzoom

Well what is a bridge camera? Do you shoot bridges with it? - Sure you can, why not. A bridge camera is a classification of cameras that fall between point and shoot cameras and Digital Singles Lens Reflex cameras also known as DSLRs. There have been nearly 100 models of bridge or bridge-like cameras released since 2008 from most all major camera manufacturers. Due to its size and features, a bridge camera gets its name acting as an intermediate bridge between hobbyist point and shoot cameras, and professional DSLRs.

What is a Bridge Camera & How to Spot it

A bridge camera at a glance looks much like a DSLR. What sets is apart is that is has a smaller imaging sensor than traditional DSLRs and a non-interchangeable lens system (the lens is not removable). In fact the sensors in bridge cameras will most likely be the same types of sensors found in point and shoot style cameras. The above mentioned particulars that make up a bridge camera, and the core specifications or what cause people to love them or hate them. Whether a bridge camera is a worthwhile purchase all depends on your photographic background and what you are comparing it to.

Fujifilm S9900w "Bridge Camera" | $349.95

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Canon EOS Rebel T5i "DSLR" | $749.00

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Bridge Camera vs Superzoom

Superzoom cameras are cameras with a non-interchaneable lens system, where the single lens of the camera has a zoom performance that ranges from wide-angle to super telephoto. The average zoom range of superzoom cameras lie around a full frame equivalent of 28mm to 600mm, with several reaching beyond 1200mm.

Bridge cameras and superzooms are different classifications of cameras but can be easily confused as often most bridge cameras are also superzooms. Superzoom cameras often come in a point and shoot sized body, and can have very limited features with relatively low image quality - these would be solely considered a superzoom and not a bridge camera. Conversely there are a few bridge cameras such as the powerful and feature rich Sony RX10, that do not have super telephoto reach.

SONY DSC RX10 "Bridge Camera" | $998.00

What do Professional Photographers think of Bridge Cameras?

You will likely not find mass appeal to own a bridge camera among professional photographers and videographers. Interesting and promising, there is just not a huge need for one if you already have access to and knowledge of operating higher performing equipment. Still though with image quality increasing (but not sensor size), there is a slight appeal to a bridge cameras size and simplicity; and the super telephoto ranges it can provide. A common use a professional photographer or videographer my find is as a 'travel camera' or 'camera b' on a low budget video shoot where traveling light might be more important than magazine/cinema style image quality.

Pros & Cons of Bridge Camera

It's a fact for example that bridge cameras are typically larger bodied than point and shoots, whether that's a pro or a con for you depends what your looking for. Here are some other bullet points to consider, placed where they likely fall for most in this pros & cons of bridge cameras list:

PROS:

• More affordable than DSLR cameras
• All-in-one type camera, no need for extra lenses
• Sensors equal to or larger than most point and shoot style cameras
• Supertelephoto capability
• Professional looking size and form factor
• Viewfinder a standard feature

Cons:

• Single lens, lack of expandability
• Lesser imaging quality than DSLRs, no APS-C or full frame sensors
• Often low-quality viewfinders
• Higher minimum aperture values
• Possible but likely not a substitute for a DSLR or high end Mirrorless

Good for

• High quality hobbyist photography
• Travel
• Introductory professional video & photography work
• Basic wildlife photography

Not good for

• Sports photography
• Low light photography
• High end photography

FLASHBACK!

Olympus AZ 300 "Bridge Camera" | Release Date: 1988 | Olympus 38 – 105mm F4.5 -6 lens

Selfie Stick Bans, Trouble in South Korea, Italy, New York

News of more selfie stick bans have made the front page of the "am NEW YORK" this morning, this time at select museums across the metropolitan area.

"They can't pay attention when they're taking these selfies, and we have balconies and open water that can be very dangerous."

- SREE SREENIVASAN, Chief Digital Officer Metropolitan Museum of Art

In fact, the Brooklyn Museum which allows non-flash photography has a ban on selfies all together. Other museums with some for selfie bans or selfie shunning  include

• The Guggenheim
• Museum of Modern Art
• The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
• El Museo del Barrio

It seems New York museums are trying to take preemptive action to protect their art, though vocally they are spinning the bans as a safety precaution for patrons; both are probably true. If you remember last year at the Milan Art Museum, a Greco-Roman statue lost its leg as a guest attempted to sit on the statues lap to take a selfie. Granted they did "sit on the statues lap".

South Korean Government's 'Selfie Stick' Crackdown

In December of 2014 the South Korean government began cracking down on certain types of selfie sticks. It was found that the bluetooth communication on some selfie sticks used to trigger the shutter could interfere with industrial, medical, and scientific machinery. Retailers selling or importing selfie stick must have certification by the South Korean government, ensuring the selfie sticks did not exceed the standard bluetooth operating frequency of 2.4Hz.

[embed]http://youtu.be/bw5l1yWv2XQ[/embed]

That being said - get 'em before they're banned!

$19.99

Mpow® iSnap Pro 2-In-1 Self-portrait Monopod Extendable Selfie Stick with built-in Bluetooth Remote Shutter With Adjustable Grip Holder for iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus 5s 5c 5 4s 4,Samsung Galaxy S5 S4 S3, Note 10.1 8 3 2 Moto X, Droid 2, Google Nexus 4, 5, 7, 8

More Top-Rated Selfie Sticks on Amazon

Related articles: Panasonic Launches New LUMIX DMC-GF7 Mirrorless ‘Selfie’ Camera

New Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R 50.6MP 'Dual DIGIC 6'

Since 2010 the average Megapixels for a Canon interchangeable lens cameras had come to settle at just over 19 Megapixels, with the highest being 22MP. Today Canon smashes those statistics with the official release of the new Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R 50.6MP professional DSLR cameras.  Also unveiled is the world’s widest-angle retilinearzoom lens, the new EF 11-24mm f/4L USM.  

Sign Up to Pre-Order with Amazon Now | 5DS $3,699 / 5DS R $3,899

The "S" stands for sharpness presumably. Canon says the EOS 5DS and 5DS R are geared towards fine art shooters, landscape photographers, or anyone in need of getting the maximum amount of detail technically possible in a full frame DSLR.

[tabby title="Overview"]

London, UK, 6 February 2015 – Canon today transforms the EOS system with the arrival of the EOS 5DS and the EOS 5DS R – a new breed of ultra-high resolution full-frame DSLRs.

Breaking the boundaries of 35mm sensors,the new cameras offer the highest megapixels ever seen in a full frame sensor, an astonishing 50.6MP. Delivering unparalleled quality, the cameras provide an exceptional combination of resolution, responsiveness and durability, whether shooting landscapes, architecture, high fashion or portraiture, either personally or professionally. When nothing but the sharpest image is expected, the EOS 5DS R also features a low pass cancellation filter to maximise the sensor’s resolution and visible image quality.Alongside the new DSLRs, Canon also introduces the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, the world’s widest-angle rectilinear zoom lens(1), the perfect companion for landscape and architecture photographers.

[tabby title="Key Features"]

• 50.6 MP CMOS Sensor with Dual DIGIC 6 Processors
• 150K Pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor
• Up to 5.0 Frames Per Second
• 61-point AF
• Cropped Shooting
• EOS 5DS R Features Low-pass Cancellation Filter

[tabby title="Additional Features"]

• 3.2" Clear View II LCD Screen
• ISO 100-6400 (12800 Expandable)
• In-camera Crop Shooting Modes–1.3x, 1.6x and 1:1
• 19 MP Even when Cropped to 1.6x
• 100% Viewfinder with Electronic Overlay

[tabbyending]

[embed]http://youtu.be/uiKD2spGWk8[/embed]

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens

Sign Up to Pre-Order with Amazon Now

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens Features

• L-series ultra-wide zoom lens with an impressive 11mm starting focal length
• New optical design and the use of one Super UD element and one UD lens element
• Subwavelength Coating (SWC) and Air Sphere Coating (ASC)
• Inner focusing, ring USM, a high-speed CPU and optimized AF algorithms
• Full-time manual focus allows manual focus adjustment while in AF Mode

Canon EOS M3 Image Leaked [No EVF]

 

Canon EOS M3 Image

The Canon EOS M3 Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera is set to be officially released Friday February 6th. A few days away we now have the Canon EOS M3 image leaked. Only one image is floating around the web at this time but it looks very legitimate. You can expect this to be the new Canon EOS M3.

I've added the presumable features to the image above based on what we can see, they are as follows:

• M Lens Mount System
• No Electronic Viewfinder
• Improved Grip & Battery Life
• Articulating Screen
• No Audio In/Out
• Upper Custom Function Button
• Exposure Compensation Dial
• Mode Dial

For further specifications on the EOS M3 and other Canon cameras being released next week, read the previous post. Whether the Canon EOS M has got you all giggly or red in the face, head over the most popular EOS M forum at DPReview and join the discussion.

Thoughts on the Future of Mirrorless Cameras

I understand the Canon EOS M & others may not make you look like a pro. If you are new to the camera game or missed a few years, it will be valuable for you to understand that mirrorless cameras are as capable as DSLRs in most ways, though you'll find fanboys and fangirls on both sides of the fence. I'm not saying the particular comparison of the EOS M line vs a (say) 5D line is an equal one, but the days having the quality of your work being measured by the size of your gear are over.

Mirrorless cameras are forecasted to hit their peak in consumer interest thus far in Demember 2015. It will be interesting in the coming years to see if the miniaturization of the technology will be proven better and embraced as the computer was; or rejected and scaled back up as cell phones have.

It's the constant question of revolutionary or evolutionary.

Memes Only Photographers Will Understand

We've all been there at one time or another, things clients say or fellow photographers do that just make you shake your head. Often being a photographer means being more a teacher than an artist, educating your clients as to why $100 a day won't get them a 4 camera 10 hour shoot with lighting and wardrobe changes. So here's to those 'shaking my head' moments - a nice batch of "memes only photographers will understand" for your enjoyment!

Top Ten Reasons You Might Be A Photographer

10.  You have nightmares of people using the “P mode”  we won’t even talk about the “green mode.”  That’s just too scary.

9.  30,000 family photos neatly categorized in Lightroom.  Zero photos of you.

8.  When at a car dealership, you translate the price of a car in your head to “Six 5D Mark II’s.”  Your last power bill cost two monopods.

7.  Touchdown plays are somewhat distracting because you can see the white glass on the sidelines

6.  You are frequently greeted with “What are you taking a picture of?!?” instead of “hello.”

5.  You’d rather buy the shirt that more closely resembles 18% gray

4.  Your carry-on is heavier than your checked bags

3.  You describe disgusting old dilapidated barns as “beautiful”  (via Lori Anderson)

2.  Number of lenses > Pairs of shoes you own (Carsten Deutschmann)

1.  You actually believe a wizard could fit in your pocket

Top 10 Credit

Photos of NYC During JUNO Blizzard

The forecasted historic Juno blizzard of 2015 with a projected two to three feet of snow was pretty much a bust. Manhattan saw only 8 inches to a foot snow. Pretty significant if the media hadn't talked it up so much. Here is my personal batch of 'photos of NYC during Juno blizzard'. From Soho, to Midtown, to beautiful Central Park, these pictures encompass the stark evening and lonely streets before the storm, to the snowmen and sledding families the morning after.

Photos of NYC During Juno Blizzard: Evening of the Storm:

Photos of NYC During Juno Blizzard: Morning After:

In the afternoon before the storm, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced all vehicles would be banned from the road in conjunction with a full halt of the city's subway and bus system starting at 11pm on January 26th. Of all the residents in New York City less than 1/4th drive themselves around. With no way to get to work the majority of businesses had planned to not to open their doors come Tuesday morning.

The storm was a dud comparatively. With school and most work cancelled, and a lift of the travel ban come 8am Tuesday morning, New Yorkers headed out for a snow day.

My thanks to Tony Northrup for giving me the heads up on the birding scene in Central Park.

Thanks for viewing photos of NYC during Juno blizzard - please share if you enjoyed them!

Best Professional Camera Kit Under $1000

If you're looking for a professional camera kit under $1000, look no more. Most of us, especially beginners, spend the majority of our camera contemplation on the price of the camera itself. Once you find the right fit you'll find you need of course. At that point you've likely exceeding the budget you had in mind going into it. Here's a video that done all the legwork for you in finding the best turn-key camera kit for under $1000. Our comically knowledgable camera friends Kai Wong and Lok Cheung over at DigitalRev TV have broken it down for you.

 -Professional Camera Kit Under $1000 -

[embed]http://youtu.be/UA7dvdpTwtw[/embed]

Professional Camera Kit Under $1000 Breakdown A:

Canon EOS Rebel T5i Digital SLR with 18-55mm STM Lens

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens

Manfrotto 679B Monopod

Canon Battery Grip BG-E8

Professional Camera Kit Under $1000 Breakdown B:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera with 12-32mm Lens

Olympus BCL-0980 9mm f/8.0 Fisheye Body Cap Lens

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Some thoughts to leave you with on the subject of a professional camera kit under $1000:

I understand the Lumix may not make you look like a pro. If you are new to the camera game or missed a few years, it will be valuable for you to understand that mirrorless cameras are as capable as DSLRs. Though you'll find fanboys and fangirls on both sides of the fence. I'm not saying the particular comparison of the GM5 vs the T5i is an equal one, but the days having the quality of your work being measured by the size of your gear are over.

Mirrorless cameras are forecasted to hit their peak in consumer interest thus far in Demember 2015. It will be interesting in the coming years to see if the miniaturization of the technology will be proven better and embraced as the computer was; or rejected and scaled back up as cell phone have.

It's the constant question of revolutionary or evolutionary.

Mastering Exposure: Tips from Arthur Morris

There are really two elements to mastering exposure in your photography, the theory of exposure, and the real world application. Here's a great video by bird photographer virtuoso Arthur Morris, a Canon "Explorers of Light" program instructor. His expertise and tips on mastering exposure help you understand when to bend the rules and when to break them if what you already know isn't producing the results you know you can achieve.

Getting the Right Exposure

[embed]http://youtu.be/VzdaD3qAXbo[/embed]

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 Further Understanding of the Histogram

Some images produce a spike in the histogram grouped towards the center, others show more evenly spread from left to right. This is a visual representation of the dynamic range in the image - the total spectrum of dark to light in the image. High end cameras often have sensors capable of capturing a large dynamic range, this enables a larger broader spectrum of luminance to be captured without clipping on either end. 

If you cannot achieve a setting without having either end clip, this just means the dynamic range of the image is too broad for your camera's sensor to capture. Mastering exposure entails not only knowing how to solve the problem, but understanding the capabilities of your gear.

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More videos on Bird Photography by Arthur Morris:

Canon: Bird Photography with Arthur Morris: Arthur's Gear Bag

Canon: Bird Photography with Arthur Morris: Tele-Extenders

Canon: Bird Photography with Arthur Morris: One Shot and AI Servo AF

Canon: Bird Photography with Arthur Morris: Sunrise and Sunset Blurs and Silhouettes

Best Cameras for People Who Don't Know Photography

This is a great topic I am often asked for my advice on. Many people want a good camera without the having to enroll in a photography class to learn how to use it, and that's okay. Here's my list for the 6 best compact cameras for people who don't know photography but want a good quality camera that's intuitive and produces images you can be proud of. If you are interested in learning photography as a hobby or professionally, this list would be very different.

Of the top selling 1,800 compact cameras on the market today I have narrowed it down to 6 based my following criteria:

1. Built in Wi-Fi Connectivity. Best way to get your pictures from the camera to your phone or tablet without the use of a computer. Exceptionally useful when traveling and for day to day photography.
2. Image Stabilization. Without learning all about the exposure triangle, an image stabilized camera or lens is you best chance at getting sharp shots in low-light conditions.
3. Fixed Lens. A Fixed lens camera is a camera with one lens that cannot be removed. While interchangeable cameras provide endless possibilities, it's not a commitment most want to take on to get good photos.
4. Zoom Lens. All cameras in this list have a zoom lens which enables zooming for wide and tight shots.
5. Touch Screen. A touch screen is the most intuitive way for any beginner to  more easily master the usage of their new camera. Many professional cameras implement this feature as well. An all around plus.
6. Large Sensor for its class. On this list I have only included cameras with a Four Thirds, and Premium Compact (~1/1.7") sized sensor. This choice helps thin the herd and provides overall better images.
7. 1080p Video. Sorry but I rejected all cameras with only 720p video. It's 2015!

So here they are from least to greatest price, ranging from $170 to $800.

 1. Canon PowerShot S110, $179.99

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• Built-in WiFi for Image Transfer to Social Sites, PC, IOS and Android Devices

• 5x Optical Zoom with 24mm Wide-Angle Lens and 3" capacitive touch screen

• 1080p Full HD Video With a Dedicated Movie Button,12-bit Multi Aspect Recording in RAW + JPEG

• High-speed AF, High-speed Burst HQ for a maximum of 10 frames

• NB-5L Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, 3.7VDC, 1120mAh

• Built-in WiFi for Image Transfer to Social Sites, PC, IOS and Android Devices

• 5x Optical Zoom with 24mm Wide-Angle Lens and 3" capacitive touch screen

• 1080p Full HD Video With a Dedicated Movie Button

• High-speed AF, High-speed Burst HQ for a maximum of 10 frames

• 12-bit Multi Aspect Recording in RAW + JPEG

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 2. Canon PowerShot S120, $399.00

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• Built-in Wi-Fi technology allows you to wirelessly transfer your images to social networking sites through CANON iMAGE GATEWAY
• Upload virtually anywhere on your iOS or Android device with free download of the Canon Camera Window app
• Capture beautiful 1080p full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button, zoom while shooting and play back videos on an HDTV via the HDMI output
• 12.1 megapixel high-sensitivity 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor combined with the Canon DIGIC 6 image processor for exceptional low-light performance with an ISO range of 80-12800
• Bright f/1.8 lens with 5x optical zoom and 24mm wide angle view

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 3. CASIO EXILIM EX10, $520.00

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• 3.5inch tilting screen
• FullHD Video with stereo sound
• AdobeDNG raw shooting
• Control ring around lens
• Wi-Fi built in

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 4. Canon PowerShot G7X, $699.00

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• New 1.0-inch, 20.2 MP High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor combined with Canon's powerful DIGIC 6 Image Processor
• f/1.8(W)-f/2.8(T), 4.2x optical Zoom (24mm-100mm), 9-blade iris diaphragm and IS equipped lens
• Selfie-ready multi-angle capacitive 3.0" touch panel LCD
• Capture stunning 1080p/60p Full HD video with up to 60 fps
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC

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 5. Olympic Stylus 1, $699.00

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• Image quality and control comparable to pro cameras
• f2.8 fixed aperature i.ZUIKO lens with a focal length of 28-300mm (35mm equivalent), 10.7x zoom capability
• Eye-level control with a high-definition 1.44M dots interactive Electronic Viewfiner that allows you to preview Exposure Compensation, White Balance, Art Filters and more
• 3.0" high Resolution tilting LCD screen with super-fast touch-screen Autofocus
• Wireless Operation with the Olympus OI. Share app allows you to select the autofocus point, release the shutter button, and control the camera's shutter speed, aperture, ISO, Live Bulb shooting and more
• Choose from 11 in-camera Art Filters to apply artistic effects to your stills and HD videos

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6. Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, $799.00

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• 13.1 megapixel at 4:3 / 12.8 megapixel at 3:2 aspect ratio 1.5"-type CMOS sensor
• 24-120mm equivalent F2-3.9 lens with optical image stabilizer (5x optical zoom)
• ISO 100-12800
• Dual control rings
• 3" tilting touch LCD with 1,040,000 dots
• 1080/30p HD video
• Optional electronic viewfinder with 2,360,000 dots (sold separately)

• Raw and Raw+JPEG shooting
• SD/SDHC/SDXC memory
• Built-in Wi-Fi, NFC, and GPS

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If you'd like a camera that can potentially grow with you as you develop interest in photography, 4-6 on this list would be a great choice. Enjoy!

Looking for something different? Just ask!

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