Podcast: Embed
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Photography is really about lighting, composition, and subject, but in this episode we throw the creative stuff to the wind and spend some time nerding out on photo gear.
What's in this episode
- Recommendations for low cost wide angle lenses for Canon
- What are the REAL differences between Canon and Nikon cameras?
- If Canon photographers should use the Magic Lantern firmware
- Information about choosing a tripod collar for your lens
- Suggestions on whether it's better to upgrade a camera or buy a new lens
- and more!
Resources mentioned in this episode
- Jim's doodad of the week: The Light Blaster (You'll be entered to win a Light Blaster just by leaving any comment below!)
- The new Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS USM lens which was announced this week (inexpensive wide angle lens for Canon full frame cameras)
- The new Canon 10-18mm lens which was announced this week (landscape lens for crop sensor cameras) at only $300!
- The Tokina 16-28mm lens is a great option for extremely sharp results for a wide angle lens. See the Canon version here and the Nikon version here.
- Join the Improve Photography Travel Group specific to the Oregon trip here, or join the group for the Iceland trip here. Photography workshops are really expensive, so I'm going on these trips with readers of Improve Photography all around the world to give you a workshop-like experience for free! It doesn't cost anything to go on a trip with the travel group–just pay for your own travel expenses and come join us.
- Submit Questions for the Podcast
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Love the podcast…and free giveaways.
Great podcast Jim! Love the tips. I’m hoping to get my wife to take some pictures with me in them too! 🙂
I checked some videos about that blaster and it’s pretty cool indeed! Keep the great show!
Jim,
Please thank Udi Tirosh and the rest of the Awesome folks at Spiffy Gear, “Thank You,” for making one of their amazing Light Blaster projectors available as a give-away on your show to introduce it to your listeners (US!).
I just finished looking All Over their web site and think The Blaster is an exciting innovation.
Whether I am fortunate enough to win this on, or have to wait until my next paid shoot to buy one – I am looking forward to using one of these – the possibilities are endless:
– infant/toddler/youth portraits to add whimsical or sentimental surrounding ambiance and get away from those boring, standard backgrounds.
– sports team/player portraits to put a stadium of fans around them
– portraits at the prom venue – one light backdrop to lug, set up, and tear down, but every couple has a different background.
– executive portraits – 30 different locations in 5 minutes without ever leaving their office!
You get the idea…
Thanks for all your hard work, too, Jim. Much appreciated.
Hi Jim,
These episodes are always some of my favorites – getting into the gear is always fun but I also like hearing what crazy things some of the other listeners are up to.
The Light Blaster looks pretty cool. I’d love to use one in my shoots.
Cheers,
Nathan
Jim- Great podcast as always. The light blaster looks fantastic. Definitely will make boring backgrounds exciting! Looking forward to learning more and improving.
-james
Thanks for all of your recommendations, Jim. You’re right, too, about the excitement of seeing that Amazon box sitting on the front porch. I wonder what will be next on mine! 🙂
Fabulous podcast. So glad I’ve discovered it. Looking forward to joining the FB photo group.
Thanks for all your work.
Love this light blaster gear. Would love to use it.
Love the show, especially learning tips for getting great results on a budget. I am an amateur/hobby photographer, and love to experiment, but often have to find more affordable ways to improvise and come up with the effect I’m looking for. I’ve picked up a lot of these ideas from your show, so thank you and keep it up!
Thanks for a great show!
Awesome podcast, as usual!!
Just to re-iterate your comment to the question about the next bit of gear after a kit lens and entry-level telephoto. After my kit lens the first one I bought was the F1.8 50mm G, and use it for most of my pictures taken at parties and events. Indeed, at my nephew’s wedding a few weeks ago, that was the lens on my camera for most of the day.
Definitely recommended, allows lovely formal and informal portrait shots, and (unlike my zoom lenses) Darktable has to add very little lens correction in post-processing.
Hi Jim,
I am hoping that I am not too late to enter the contest as I just got around to listening to the podcast.
Love the show,
Jon
Thank for your podcasts. I enjoy listening to them and have learned quite a bit from them. I appreciate your passion and your diligence!
Would definitely love to try the Light Blaster – what a novel product!
Hi Jim , thanks for doing the podcasts they are interesting and the blog is great.
I am very new to photography. LOVING your podcast. Learning a lot!
Just started listening to your podcast and am really enjoying it. Thanks for the effort! Also could help throwing my hat into the ring for the Light Blaster! 🙂
Curtis
I’m far from being a pro, but the podcast has helped me out a lot on just getting better. Thank you for all the helpful info.
Thanks for the podcasts, great to listen to while I am stuck at work thinking about my next photo trip.
Just back from 4 days in the Lake District in the UK, where I followed your advice about concentrating on getting good photos in one area and not running around trying to photograph the whole area.
Keep up with the good work
Peter