Review Sigma 24-105 f/4 OS Lens

The new Sigma 24-105 f/4 OS lens from Sigma is exceptionally sharp and offers awesome image stabilization. Are those two features worth the drawbacks to shooting with a lens like this?Watch the Video Review of the Sigma 24-105: 

Sigma 24-105 Pros

• Exceptionally Sharp across the range from 24-105. You will not find a lens that is as sharp that covers this range.
• A very useful walk around range for full frame cameras. Useful for crop sensors too but there are other options that make more sense.
• Excellent Image Stabilization (OS as Sigma calls it) for video or lower light photography

Sigma 24-105 Cons

• Heavy (about 2 lbs)
• No weather sealing
• Image Stabilization (OS) cannot be left on when on a tripod*

*It generally is a good idea to turn Image Stabilization OFF when the camera is on a tripod or stable surface - some IS systems are intelligent enough to detect when on a tripod or stable surface and turn off. Systems like the Sigma 24-105 do not and longer shutter speed images will be ruined if you leave IS on.

Sigma 24-105 vs Canon 24-105

The Sigma is sharper and cheaper* than the Canon.Strengths of the Canon

• Large focus ring is good for video
• Weather sealed
• Cheaper if bought whitebox or used

Strengths of the Sigma

• SHARP, noticeably sharper than the Canon at most focal lengths
• Better build quality (except no weather sealing)
• Better resale value (at this time the Sigma is selling used for almost as much as it sells new - this is due to the build quality but mostly from the scarcity of the lens)

Sigma retails for $899, *Canon retails new for $1149 but can often be found as a whitebox (originally part of a kit now sold separately - legit and full warranty) for $700-800. Used the Canon sells for $600Support my work - Rent from Lumoid.com  or Buy from B&H Photo/Video or AmazonJeffrey Friedl's Lightroom Plugin mentioned in this video: http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/data-plot [He has a ton more so spend some time looking at all of the options.] Walk around options for owners of Crop sensor cameras - Canon T5i, 70D, Nikon D5300, D7100 etcAs sharp as the Sigma 24-105 is the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 Click to see my review and sample images. No IS and significantly less range.The Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4  offers a similar range, very good OS and good image quality/sharpness.[green_message]Source: http://ift.tt/1uFToXZ [/green_message] Follow me on Facebook at http://ift.tt/1uV7XXi

Canon 7D Mark II vs 70D Which is right for you?

Canon 7D Mark II and the Canon 70D - Which is right for you?I share my early opinion on the Canon 7D Mark II and outline the differences and similarities between the 70D and the new 7D Mark II.Corrections: 70D does allow some AF adjustments under custom functions.Buy the 7D Mark II from B&H Buy from AmazonBuy the Canon 70D from B&H Buy from AmazonAdd WiFI to your 7D Mark II via an Eye-Fi Card- Buy from Amazon | Buy from B&H Additional 7D Mark II Videos from Toby

Sony a7r Review & Samples

HOT: Adorama a7/a7R Trade in - ANY working interchangeable lens camera take a chunk off the price of the A7, A7 with 24-70 or A7r.In my search for a lighter travel camera I spent a few weeks with the Sony a7R. My video review is below along with some sample images.I found the a7R to produce gorgeous 36MP images with excellent dynamic range.

Sony a7R Pros:

• Beautiful 36MP files - Medium format like quality in something that isn't even DSLR sized.
• No Low pass filter for sharp detail
• Wonderful Dynamic range- detail in highlights and shadows that can be pulled out is impressive
• Small and light (A7R weight 1.03 lbs | 5D Mark III weight over 2lbs)
• Vibrant and tilting screen - rarely felt like I needed to put my eye to viewfinder.
• Good manual controls with decent customizability
• Useful focus peaking for manual focus
• Auto exposure dial works in manual mode when auto ISO is enabled
• 1080p at 60fps.
• Fun sony features like sweep panorama (with 36MP images you can make stunning panoramas!)
• USB Charging - Ability to charge battery in camera or from a USB battery (also a drawback, no charger included)
• Good Wifi connectivity for sharing and remote control.
• Ability to add apps in camera - Star trail app for example

Sony a7R Cons:

• Slow
  • to start up,
  • when new SD card is inserted - needs to create a recovery DB
  • focus
  • to clear buffer - camera locks up when clearing buffer
• Battery life is short 300-400 shots and without an included charger forced to charge in camera (buy 3rd Party charger & additional batteries)
• Crashes - I saw this camera crash way more than any other and at times would revet back to settings 15 minutes earlier - some I believe were a result of using the metabones adapter but other times it would just hang. UPDATE: I have heard from a few other A7R users and they don't experience crashes. I might have had a buggy copy.
• Lens selection - Native lens selection is small and f/4 fastest with a few exceptions that are coming soon.  Most of the weight savings are offset by these lenses - but the quality is awesome and multiple adapters exist to use with Canon, Nikon or other lenses.
• Loud shutter - with some rumors that causes blurred images at the slower shutter speeds. I didn't see that but for such a small body and mirror less camera it is loud.
• Video quality is good (why is this a con then? I was hoping it would be noticeably better than my 5D Mark III and I could use this camera for travel photos and video for my channel, but it is only as good as 5D Mark III or a tiny bit better - not the difference you see in photos between the two)

Watch my video review on the Sony A7R

Sony a7R Sample Images

Canon 10-18 vs Tokina 11-16 vs Canon 10-22

Battle of the WIDES! Canon 10-18 vs Tokina 11-16 vs Canon 10-22

Canon 10-18 f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

Pros of the 10-18

• small, lightweight(weighs less than the kit lens) and cheap, $299!
• Great quality- seriously impressed with how well it handles chromatic aberration (better than the others) and is sharp (though the differences between all is very slight)
• Image stabilization for handholding seriously low shutter speeds
• STM - absolutely smooth and silent video and full time manual focus* - half press of shutter required for manually turning the ring to have any effect.  If live view is on focus ring is always active.
• Close focus abilities - almost macro like!

Cons of the 10-18

• Slow (small maximum aperture) f/4.5 at 10mm and as soon as you zoom you hit f/5 and then f/5.6 shortly before 18mm
• No distance indicator - very hard to manually focus in low light (bad for starry sky photos)

Tokia 11-16 f/2.8 DX II

Pros of the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 DX II

• Constant f/2.8
• Built like a tank and includes a lens hood
• Distance indicator
• Will mount on a full frame camera!

Cons of the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 DX II

• Chromatic aberration very noticeable at wide apertures.
• Vingetting also present at wide apertures - also present in other lenses but not quite to the same degree gone by f/5.6
• I am not a fan of the big ring pull switch for AF/MF.
• 77mm filter size - getting expensive

Canon 10-22 USM f/3.5-4.5

Pros of the Canon 10-22 USM

• Big range for wide angle lens.
• USM with full time manual focus
• Distance indicator
• Good build quality

Cons of the Canon 10-22 USM

• What does it offer that the Canon and Tokina doesn’t?

Sigma 8-16 f/4.5-5.6 HSM (not reviewed in this video)

Pros

• Extremely wide with 8mm
• HSM for smooth and fast focus

Cons

• Expensive
• No filters - lens bulges like fisheye

Fuji X-T1 Review

 Support my work and review- Buy the Fuji X-T1 from B&H

Fuji X-T1 Highlights:

• 16.3MP APS-C Sensor
• 0.5" 2,360k-Dot 0.77x OLED Viewfinder (EVF)
• 3.0" 1,040k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
• 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity for remote shooting, image download and geotagging
• Weather-Resistant Body Construction
• Continuous Shooting up to 8 fps with AF and subject tracking
• Intelligent Hybrid AF and Focus Peaking
• Includes EF-X8 Shoe-Mount Flash Unit

Fuji X-T1 Pro:

• Manual controls- Smart and fully functional dials and the aperture ring on lenses makes the camera fun to use
• Image quality - Excellent image quality - see high ISO shots in gallery below
• Feels great in the hand, well built with a good amount of customizable options
• The EVF or Electronic viewfinder is huge, bright and snappy - I am not typically a fan of EVFs but this one I could be happy using.
• Some excellent lenses and enough of them- including some affordable 3rd party manual focus only lenses

Fuji X-T1 Cons:

• Battery life - 300-400 shots, double that if you buy the battery grip
• Controls - Yes a pro and a con-  they are lovely when you have time but I found them difficult if not impossible to use one handed
• No in body image stabilization (like the Olympus) Some lenses, including the excellent kit lens do offer IS
• The EVF is beautiful but the eye-cup could be better, Fuji is starting to sell a deeper one that blocks the light better
• Wifi is finicky to connect at times. I found the remote option to work well, image transfer to usually take two tries to connect and geotagging via phone was mostly a fail
• Video mode OK and continuous AF is not impressive in this camera - even with face tracking on.

Buy the Fuji X-T1 from  B&H or Rent from Borrowlenses.comBuy the X-T1 Battery Grip from B&H  

Hands-on with the Fuji X-T1:

When I first got my hands on the Fuji X-T1 I immediately loved the look and the feel. I did have some initial confusion about mode dials(there aren't any) when I was not shooting full manual. It retrospect it is quite simple - rotate the dial controlling ISO, shutterspeed or Aperture(on lens) to A and the camera will take care of that variable. If you want aperture priority, set ISO and shutter speed on A and rotate the aperture dial as needed.   I did spend most of the time with this camera in full manual mode and that is how it feels like it should be used, except when I wanted to use the camera one handed. I have gotten used to one handed operation with my DSLRs and the Sony a7 - the camera can be up to my eye and with a dial spin and/or button press I change what I need.  Shooting with the X-T1 was a more deliberate and often premeditated affair but at the same time I appreciate the top down view of all my settings at a glance.The actual performance of the camera was excellent. Focus in normal to good light levels was fast and accurate. (watch my Fuji X-T1 tips for additional focus related tips) I do wish there was a dedicated button for focus point selection but with the 7 or so buttons that you can customize it does just add one click before you use the directional pad to move the point.  On high speed continuous it is easy to fire off multiple frames with focus and subject tracking .  The EVF was big, bright and beautiful- When looking through the viewfinder I felt like I was standing in the doorway or a really nice home theater room, where one whole wall is a beautiful screen.  Up till now I haven't been a fan of EVFs and I still wouldn't say I am a fan but I would be quite happy to use the X-T1s EVF.   (why not a fan of EVFs? The lag and the blackout when taking pics both of which the X-T1 handles nicely- the refresh rate is fast and you can turn off image review).Image quality? Superb.  First let me say that both lenses I used Fuji 56mm f/1.2 and the 18-55 f/2.8-4 were a joy to use and are sharp lenses, even wide open.  Pixel peeping on the hundreds of images I shot and the camera/lens combos made excellent images.  There is some weirdness with Fuji's RAW files, if you want to work on them in Lightroom they drop any of the film simulation but both JPEGS and RAWs had great detail even at very high ISOs (see samples below)I had the opportunity to use the Fuji for a low light dance party. Light levels were really low with just flashing DJ lights and some light spilling in from outside. My 70D and 5D Mark III was still capable of focusing- The Fuji really struggled and the when it did get focus it was hard to tell from the noise in the EVF- this is certainly a downside but I need to stress that it was very dark in the room.  The actual images, when in focus, were better than the 70D and on par with 5D Mark III. Again the image quality out of this little camera was excellent.Overall The Fuji X-T1 is an excellent little camera that produces beautiful images. If you don't mind a slightly slower approach to shooting and some negatives when the light levels get very low. Take away my wedding work and I would love to have this as my daily camera. Additional info coming soon.  Video samples and images including comparison vs 70D.

Sony a7 Review

This is a Full frame mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses from Sony. The a7 produces 24MP images, the Sony a7r shoot 36MP and the Sony a7s shoots 12MP targeted at videographers with the 4K recording capabilities and amazing low light capabilities.Pros of the Sony a7

• Image Quality is on par with the 5D Mark III- Does well at the high ISOs and detail and colors are excellent.
• The price - this is a professional level camera with professional features for photographers and videographers starting under than $1700!
• Feature packed - from the professional features like AF microadjust to fun panorama mode, scenes, effects etc.
• The video features - a whole host of features supporting manual focus, peaking and magnification and mic jack and headphone jack.
• Feature packed on the inside and outside - 9 customizable dials so you can set this camera up the way you want and a completely customizable feature menu.
• Weather sealed- although I don’t see rubber gaskets everywhere Sony does claim some level of weather/dust sealing.
• A7 offers hybrid focus of contrast and phase - this helps it be a little snappier with the focusing, certainly not as fast a a true DSLR but not bad. With the phase turned off it does get slower and not something I would want to try to use to capture action.
• Connectivity - smart phone NFC communication and wireless make easy image transfer and control of this camera a breeze

Cons of the Sony a7

• Lens selection is lacking. Sony plans to release more lenses soon but currently there are just a few. You can use older NEX lenses (made for crop sensors) and lose some resolution or you can throw on an adapter.  I recommend the Metabones E to EF mount adapter and this works beautiful - full lens control, even IS works but focus becomes even more slow, so it really is only suitable for landscapes or use manual focus.
• With the slower focus and a frame rate that isn't pro level you won't be capturing sports or faster action with this camera.
• Battery life - This small camera use a smallish Sony battery and you really only get around 300 shots. Buy a spare and an external charger.
• Outside in bright sun the LCD can be a little difficult to view, use the viewfinder and battery life actually decreases faster, blackout time in the viewfinder is a little long too.
• Record button is awkwardly placed and if you have big hands the overall size/layout of the camera can feel cramped.

Reader/Viewer Questions about the Sony a7

Q: How does the video focus compare to the Canon 70D?A: Canon's Dual Pixel AF is faster and when you add in the touch screen on the 70D you have some amazing abilties with touch to focus and the camera responding so smoothly. The Sony a7 is smooth but not as fast and lacks a touchscreen. You also don't have completely silent lenses from Sony although they really are quiet, just not silent.A few ISO Samples

Buy the Sony a7 from B&H Photo

Canon Lenses Reviewed (Briefly)

Canon recently announced new rebates that cover a number of lenses - some are instant rebate, some are the yucky mail in but both save you money.  I took 42 minutes to run down the lits of them at B&H letting you know what I thought of almost every lens.  The video has now been watched over 1200 times but I thought it would be really nice to give you all a way to find and jump to the lenses you are interested in hearing about.  So below is the complete table of contents for the video.Buying one of these lenses? Start at B&H or AmazonINTRO - http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=42s50mm f/1.8 http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=1m55s50mm f/1.4 http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=5m43s24-70 f/2.8L II http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=6m52s70-200 f/2.8L IS II USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=9m42s85 f/1.8 http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=10m57sEF 16-35 f/2.8 II USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=12mMention of Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=13m05s40mm f/2.8 http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=13m50s100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=15m55sWhat does EF-S mean http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=17m47sEf-S 10-22mm f/2.5-4.5 USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=18m00s50 f/1.2L USM Lens http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=18m59sEF 17-40 f/4L USM lens http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=19m38s24-105 f/4L USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=20m19sEF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=21m42sEF 35mm f/2.8  IS USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=22m47sEF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=23m43sEf 35 f/1.4L USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=24m15sEF 70-200 f/2.8L USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=25m22sEF 70-200 f/4L IS USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=25m53sEF 135 f/2 L USM Lens http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=26m47sEF 100 f/2.8 USM Macro http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=27m40sEF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=29m15sEF 85 f/1.2L II USM http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=29m31sEF 50 f/2.5 Compact Macro http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=32m05sEF 70-200 F/4L USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=32m44sEF-M 18-55 f/3.4- 5.6 IS STM (M Mount): http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=33m21sEF 24mm F1.4L II USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=33m28sEF-S 60mm f/.8  Macro USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=34m1sWhich Macro should I buy EF-S 60mm vs EF-S 100mm: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=34m26sEF 400mm f/5.6L USM: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=34m50sEF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=35m2sEF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=35m30sEF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=36m2sEF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Autofocus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=36m36s EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=36m57sEF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=37m15sEF 20mm f/2.8 USM Autofocus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=38m9sEF 100mm f/2.0 USM Autofocus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=38m37sMP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Manual Focus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=38m52sEF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=39m26sWide Tilt/Shift TS-E 17mm f/4L Manual Focus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=39m45sEF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=40m2sTS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Manual Focus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=40m20sEF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus Lens: http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=40m34sFinal Thoughts:  http://youtu.be/OeiIEPlAFb8?t=41m01s

Canon SL1(100D) Review

My Final Review of the Canon SL1 (100D)

SL1 Compared to Canon T5i/T4i | First Thoughts and Feature Tour of the Canon SL1Canon SL1(100D) World's Smallest DSLR

Canon SL1 (100D) Pros

• Great image and video quality - same sensor as other recent Rebels.
• Performance is good, the camera is quick to start up, the touchscreen is excellent and general operation including focus are responsive.
• Focus tracking during video seems to be improved especially at the outer edges but the focus speed is still the same.
• Physical buttons are excellent and camera feels nice in hand despite it’s small size, generally nice ergonomics.
• External stereo mic port and non-proprietary flash hot shoe(allows for a range of mic and lighting accessories that you don’t have the option of using with many of the smaller 4/3 cameras.
• Additional scene modes including miniature movie mode

Canon SL1 (100D) Cons

• It isn't that small and as soon as you attach any lens other than the 40mm you have a pretty bulky system that really doesn't offer much difference in size or weight from the t4i/t5i crowd.
• No articulated screen
• No wireless flash control and slower burst/smaller buffer.
• Battery life is shorter than t4i/t5i - really only noticeable if you are doing lots of video.

My Thoughts on the Canon SL1 (100D):

I think this camera is right for people who have a collection of Canon lenses and are willing to sacrifice a little performance for minor weight savings,  I know those people are out there, I have heard from them.  I also think this is a powerful little video recording device- interviewers, using the 40mm, stick an external mic on the hot shoe or wire in a lav and you are going to get gorgeous HD video and low light capabilities that still can’t be matched by most of the mirror-less or micro 4/3 crowd.

But that target audience is pretty small and the rest of us looking for a small camera with better than P&S quality have a fair number of options including the excellent Olympus Pens, the Panasonic GF series and the Sony NEX all of which offer smaller packages, many packed full of fun features and small lens systems that keep the size of the entire package smaller and lighter.

Despite everything I wrote I like this camera and would consider owning it as I am one of those with a collection of EF lenses and at time would like to travel light. I also think it will sell fairly well with the Canon name attached.

Support this site- Buy the Canon SL1 from Amazon. Not in the US? use the links at the bottom of this post.

 Sample Canon SL1 Images