Fuji Announce the X-T1

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[gallery ids="4277,4278,4276"] Fuji has announced the X-T1Rumors and leaks have been swirling for weeks and now we get the official releaseThe Important Specs -

  • 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans II CMOS sensor
  • ISO 200-6400 (expandable to 51200)
  • 1080/30fps HD video (.MOV/H.264)
  • Water and dust resistant and freezeproof to -14C/+14F with weather resistant lenses
  • Up to 8 FPS continuous shooting
  • 3 inch tiltable LCD with 1,040,000 dots
  • OLED viewfinder with 100% coverage and 2,360,000 dots
  • Included hot shoe flash
  • Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and remote camera control via smartphone
  • Fujifilm X-Mount compatible
  • Raw, JPEG, and Raw+JPEG
  • SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory

The XT1 Explained Simply (aka - why all the buzz?)This is a mirrorless camera with a DSLR sized(APS-C) sensor and an electronic viewfinder packaged in a smallish DSLR like body. A retro style body festooned with physical controls.Dial Hungry? XT1 will satisfyBecause the camera is mirrorless you can shrink the body, you don't need to make room for the whole mirror assembly and the space for it to flip out of the way AND you can offer fast FPS, 8 in the X-T1 because you don't have to worry about the mirror flipping up in down.  The downside to losing the mirror is no optical viewfinder - something easily solved by using an electronic viewfinder which typically have had issues especially in low light but the one included in the X-T1 looks to be fantastic, incredibly high resolution and offers several modes allowing the user to customize what they see with a push of a button, something not possible with optical viewfinders. Another important note about the EVF - it is as large as the viewfinder on Canon's $6,000 camera!Fujifilm X-T1 back-1And focusing speed often takes a hit when you swap out the mirror - Fuji has phase detection(faster focusing system) on the sensor and will provide the fastest focusing in its class.  All of this tech is packed into a rugged body that is weatherproof, freeze proof and several lenses coming to market this year will also be weather proof making for a portable, high performing and rugged machine.  I have spent time with an earlier model sharing the same sensor and can report that image quality is excellent.   There are some that still get caught up in the MegaPixel war, please don't look at the 16MP sensor and assume it isn't as good as 18MP or 24MP from Canon and Nikon - it is that good and I have seen images pushed to ISO 6400 that look great.  I will be sharing more soon.Preorder from Amazon | Adorama | B&H- Release date March 7th ($1699 with 18-55 lens) ($1299 Body Only) Fuji has more in the official X-T1 press release   

Recommended Lenses for the Canon 70D and other Canon DSLRS

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Recommended lenses for Canon 70D, T5i(700d) and other Rebels.

I see two groups of people watching this video - those that haven’t bought a camera yet and are wondering if they should buy the camera with a kit lens(18-55 STM or the 18-135 STM) or buy body only and purchase a “better” lens separately and those that have the 70D or other Canon DSLRs and are wondering what they should add to their collection or upgrade to.

To the first group -maybe you heard from a friend or read on the internet that the kits lenses are bad. At times in DSLR history that has been true but the 18-55 IS STM and the 18-135 IS STM lenses sold with the 70D and current rebel models are actually quite good and their value when bought with the camera is excellent - if you are new to DSLRS the kit lenses ARE a good place to start and especially if you want to do easy video with either camera the STM lenses are necessary for that silent autofocus.  So if you haven’t bought the camera yet go ahead and buy with a kit lens - which one? 18-135 is a good travel and all around lens, nice for the family, capturing kids, vacations etc.  The 18-55 STM saves you some money and is a little easier to leave behind if you think you might want to upgrade sooner rather than later.  I do have another video that goes into the two choices in more detail 18-55 STM vs 18-135 STM.  Keep reading though as there is good info ahead.Those of you that already have the camera and are looking for the next lens - I am going to offer a recommendation or two in each of the following categories - Prime lenses (lenses that are fixed, don’t zoom), Walk-around lenses or general purpose lenses, telephoto and then your more specialty lenses like macro and wide angle.  I did keep budget in mind and picked lenses that I feel offer a great value.   I might throw out some terms or acronyms you are not familiar with -Use the following Lens Glossary if you need any more information on some of the acronyms and terms mentioned.Recommended Prime Lenses for Canon 70D (and other crop sensor cameras)

The question I hear from many new DSLRS owners is “how do I get those blurred background images?”  They are possible with the kit lenses but they are not always easy.  Using a lens with a wide maximum aperture is the easiest way to achieve those images AND cheapest way to get those images is by using a prime lens.   Canon’s 50 f/1.4 is excellent  - sharp, responsive focus and that amazing wide aperture.  An alternative is the 40mm f/2.8 - which is tiny,as equally sharp as the 50 f/1.4 but with a slightly wider focal length that if you are shooting indoors often you may find to be easier to work with and slightly more versatile.

 

Walk-Around Lenses 

Like I said the kit lenses do a very good job so to get MUCH better quality you have to spend a good bit more - there are lenses that are marginally better but few are better enough that their value outstrips the kit lenses- But when you add features and quality in the mix two stand out. The Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 about $500 offers a good range and it offers a constant aperture of f/2.8 over that range, this lets in lots of light and allows good control of your depth of field. You can get creamy bokeh at f/2.8 in the 50-75 range. And most importantly this is a sharp lens for the money and is as sharp as lenses that cost 2x as much. The Tamron doesn’t have image stabilization and I think that is fine but if you want something similar WITH IS the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 OS (sigmas version of IS) is about $570. Please know that IS only really helps with non moving subjects at those slower shutter speeds.

Telephoto Lenses

The recent refresh of the 55-250 STM has created another budget lens that offers a serious value - I have a separate review of the new 55-250 STM - short review-  the value is great, another STM so you have that silent AF for video and if you buy when you buy the camera and take advantage of the bundled savings you are getting a good zoom for less than $200! The next telephoto I’d recommend is a jump in price but the 70-200 f/4 is one of Canon’s most affordable L lenses - professional level lenses - very sharp, beautiful colors and contrast and versatile. 200mm at f/4 produces lovely bokeh.

Macro

With budget in mind the Canon 60mm macro is very good with excellent macro possibilities.  This lens can also be used as a lovely portrait lens/head shots for tighter shots.

Wide-Angle

 

There are more options out there - I have a 45 minute video where I share some thoughts on most of the current canon brand lenses - see the link below.  Do you still wonder what lens is best for you?  Give my Facebook page a like and let me know what type of photography you are into and how much you want to spend- I will respond with some suggestions.

Using those links to purchase the recommended lenses helps support my work and if you haven’t yet please subscribe that simple click click really does help this site grow and others to find my work.  Thank you! 

Nikon D5300 vs Canon 70D - Differences Explained Simply

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In some ways this is not a fair comparison - The 70D is a prosumer level camera and the D5300 sits just above entry level but they are priced similarly and the image quality is very similar and at the higher ISOs some of the files from the D5300 look better.    So which one is best for you?  Really depends on your needs- review the bullet points, keep in mind that not ever point carries the same weight and the review my summary below.Benefits of the Nikon D5300 (My Nikon D5300 Video Review)

  • Cheaper
  • GPS - though it isn't the best GPS it does offer it
  • Higher ISOs (above ISO 3200) look better from the Nikon
  • Smaller and lighter
  • More scenes and effects like selective color and miniature mode(works in video too)
  • Video 1080p at 60fps.  70D offers a max of 30fps at 1080p.
  • Weights about a 1lb (17oz) 70D weighs 1.7lbs (26oz)

Benefits of the Canon 70D (My Canon 70D Video Review)

  • Live view focusing and focusing during video is amazingly quick and silent(when paired with STM lens)
  • Faster all around focus and burst rate (7fps with big buffer compared to 5fps and smaller buffer on Nikon)
  • Well implemented touchscreen control
  • Larger/brighter viefinder
  • Top LCD with dedicated buttons for quick change of common settings
  • Longer battery life- approx 900 shots vs 600 from the D5300
  • Amazing live view focus (yes repeating myself)
  • No quirks like the aperture block
  • Full featured WiFi control including changing shutter speed/aperture/ISO as well as download to mobile device, laptop or send to hotspot. On the D5300 you can only see live view and take a photo and download photos
  • Wireless (using the built in flash) flash control
  • Quiet shutter that is very quiet, especially in live view
  • Some weather sealing
  • Additional bracketing 2,3,5 or 7 frames.  D5300 offers just 3 frames.
  • Microfocus adjustment for dialing in the most accurate focus for all your lenses

I didn't list the number of focus points or the difference in megapixels for either camera - those differences don't matter.The bottom line D5300 vs 70DI am very impressed with the Nikon D5300- on Auto mode it takes wonderful photos, some of the best I have seen out of any camera.    I wish the screen was touch capable and when you want to use this camera beyond auto it is less good, still good- just has a few quirks or annoyances- Without the touchscreen, navigating some menu items are slow, picking focus points and just using live view is nothing special, plus that aperture block and live view weirdness is annoying. Burst rate is good unless you are shooting at the highest quality files, 14-bit RAW, then it is MUCH slower.  It is packed full of features for a camera at this price level and paired with the 18-140 you have a wonderful travel and family camera, Pair it with the 35 f/1.8 and you have one of the most portable highest quality image and video* making machine available today.   *just be prepared to manually focus for video or you will hear the noise of the lens focusing and see the focus occur with that whomp-whomp effect.The 70D is a lovely blend of user friendliness and pro-level features all packed into a body that is capable of amazing live view/video focus.  It is an easy choice if you want easy camcorder like video - this camera delivers like nothing else - smooth focus with any lens and when paired with a STM lens like 18-55 or the 18-135 it is absolutely silent.  If you need to capture sports or wildlife on the move, again an easy decision- the 70D fast to focus, fast burst rate and large buffer even when shooting the highest quality files.  It also provides plenty of room to grow but you will be spending more and carrying around a noticeably heavier camera.  Don't need all of the speed and power of the 70D but want the touchscreen? Consider the T5i(700D) - recent price drops have made it an excellent value.Buy the Nikon D5300 with 18-140 - Amazon or B&H | Body only -  Amazon or B&H  (Recommended Lenses)Buy the Canon 70D - Amazon or B&H (Recommended Prime Lenses)Recommended accessories for both cameras  

D5300 Review

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D5300 Review in bullets.

Some points are vs D5200 some are just important points. Sample images and video below.

D5300 Pros

  • The body is redesigned - smaller than the D5200 and feels better in the hand
  • Large vibrant 3.2" articulated screen is lovely
  • Excellent sensor and processor- best image quality at this price point- images are sharp(with a good lens) and high ISO files are clean and usable up to ISO 4000, maybe even 6400 if you are careful and or apply a little post processing
  • On auto this camera take some of the best photos - consistently turns out nicely exposed images even when popup flash is used.  Downside - Nikon tends to have a slight greenish cast to many indoor(under artificial light) images - can be corrected in post easily or adjust WB but default setting is a little greener than I like
  • No AA filter or Optical Low Pass Filter means the images are sharp. Image are sharper than the D5200 but not a huge difference.
  • Speedy! I found the D5200 to hesitate at times and occasionally be slow to operate - none of that is present in the D5300 - focus is fast, general camera operations are snappy and it has a buffer that lets you fire off a stack of JPEGS and RAW - in some cases it can even shoot more images in a 10 second period than the D7100!
  • 14 Bit RAW files as an option gives you increased post processing latitude - they are big and slow the camera down but if you want to have the greatest latitude in post processing it is nice to be able to shoot in 14-bit.
  • Packed full of fun/amateur features including selective color, miniature effect (makes neat movies too)
  • Better battery life vs D5200 unless you turn on the GPS and select settings that make the GPS useful

D5300 Cons

  • Weak GPS - needs A-GPS file from Nikon to work better, annoying hassle and if you turn off GPS sleep timer so that ALL photos will be tagged your battery life is going to be significantly shorter and you run the risk of forgetting it is on there and a few hours later picking up a camera with a dead battery.
  • Wifi is limited - you can stream live view, take a photo and download photos - no control over the camera other than pressing the shutter button.  Not able to start or stop video with the WiFi.
  • Live view aperture block/exposure simulation hassle - Being able to control aperture is tied to manual movie settings and then that blocks shutter speed changes - watch my review to see this illustrated.
  • Live view focus is about the same as earlier models - still has that in and out as it grabs focus- lenses make noise on board mic can pickup. Nothing like the 70D video focus and even T5i is still smoother and silent with STM lenses.

Final Thoughts on the Nikon D5300

Overall- at this price point no other sensor matches this camera for pure sharpness and low light capabilities.Pair it with something like the Sigma 18-35 or just the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 prime and you will have an amazing photo machine that excels in lower light, I mean like dark alley photos at midnight.  It is being sold with 18-140 lens which I have found to be decent and convenient but not an amazing difference from the Nikon 18-105. Please don’t but this camera with the Nikon 18-55. I didn't’t think it was being sold with the 18-55 but heard from someone that picked up a bundle from a big box store - the 18-55 cannot resolve at the level of the sensor - You will have better results shooting through coke bottle glasses.

D5300 vs D5200:

Is the D5300 worth the extra cost over the D5200?

Yes. There is enough of a performance and quality increase over the D5200 to warrant paying the difference about $150. And you get the Wifi which limited is a nice feature for on the go sharing, you get a better battery and slightly smaller and lighter camera.

Is it worth it to upgrade?

It is very rarely a good investment to move up one body.  Despite all the PROs and the noticeable improvement in sharpness and high ISO quality you will have better results spending upgrade money on a new lens or two. These lenses will likely move with you to future bodies and be a better overall investment.  This is often where I encourage people who feel they have outgrown their camera to consider the next model line, like the D7100 but honestly in this case the D7100 doesn't offer much over the D5300.

D5300 vs Canon T5i(700d)

I found the T5i easy to recommend over the D5200, the D5200 offered slightly better image quality versus the T5i(700d) but was sluggish and quirky.  That image quality gap has widened noticeably with the D5300 and now that it offers responsive performance it becomes harder to recommend the T5i.  The D5300 still has that aperture live view annoyance and doesn't offer silent lenses for video but depending on your needs you may not care and on Auto mode for photos Nikon images look better to me 8/10 times. In video it is much closer - I like the look of the Canon files but this is more a personal opinion.

D5300 vs Canon 70D

A little unfair as we are matching what is basically an entry level model from Nikon against a prosumer model from Canon.  But prices are similar and image quality is very similar.  I give the Canon an edge in most use cases - the live view focus and video system of the Canon is amazing, after 3 months of use I absolutely love the 70D and for sports, video it just does an amazing job at the price point.  But it is bigger and it does cost more. The D5300 image quality is similar until you get up above ISO 4000 and then the D5300 files look a little better to me.Additional Videos -GPS & WiFi with Nikon D5300D5300 with 18-140 vs 18-105 ReviewD5300 with 18-140 and 18-150 Sample ImagesD5300 High ISO sample VideoMore Sample D5300 ImagesWhich camera is best for you?  Leave me a message on my Facebook page - tell me what is important to you and I can suggest which camera I think would be a best fit.If you want easy to use and excellent image quality the D5300 paired with the 18-140 is an excellent choice.If you want the absolute best performance out of this camera add something like the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8Additional Nikon Lens recommended for the Nikon D5300 and Best Budget Macro for Nikon DX cameras - Nikon 40mm F/2.8Buy the Nikon D5300 with 18-140 from Amazon  Buy from B&H(Includes freebies) Your purchase support this website and my work. 

Nikon 18-140 vs 18-105- Lens Review, Samples and Discussion

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When the D5200 came out and I started using it with the 18-55 kit I was stunned at how soft the images were. I thought for sure I had gotten a bad copy of the kit so I went down to the camera store and tried a different one and then I tried another and they were all equally bad. I popped on my favorite prime lens and the difference was huge- Grand Canyon huge. In the past I have not typically been a kit basher, there are those out there that say the kit lens is horrible, just buy the body and get a prime or other, better quality, lens and I often disagree with this approach, especially for people new to DSLRS. The kit lenses, while not the best lens around are certainly a great place to start: they offer some zoom, they are usually lightweight and don’t add much to the cost of the camera. BUT with these newer sensors, especially the very sharp sensors in the D5200 D5300, and D7100 the older kit lenses like the 18-55 just can’t perform well enough.After my experience I advised anyone buying the D5200 to skip the 18-55 and get the 18-105 or consider some alternatives(Recommended Lenses for Nikon DX Cameras). The 18-105 is a better lens, it out performs the 18-55 easily but especially now that Nikon has dropped their AA filter, a filter that actually blurs the image slightly to avoid moire, in the D7100 and now the D5300 - they really needed a good lens to include with these cameras. Is the 18-140 that lens? Before we answer that I thnk it is very telling that they don’t even bother to bundle the 18-55 with the D5300 now. It is 18-140 or nothing. That makes the entry level price a good bit higher(even with B&H discounted price) and I don’t think Nikon wanted to do that- they just didn’t have any other options at this time.So how does it compare to the 18-105?  The 18-140 is on the left and the 18-105 is on the right in all samples below. (Watch my video discussing the differences seen below)18-140 on left 18-105 on right at 100% f/3.5 - the 18-140 is noticeably sharper 50mm 100% crop the 140 is able to shoot at f/4.8, the 105's max aperture is f/5 - sharpness is near identical 105mm 100% crop at f/5.6 The older 18-105 looks a little sharper to me.Edge of frame at 105mm 100% crop. Toss up? Maybe 18-140One of the reasons I am not a big fan of these larger range lenses - Distortion. See the bending or bowing in the image? Can be corrected in camera or in software with slight image quality degradation. don’t buy this for the increased range - the difference in zoom or reach between 105 and 140 is small.  More sample images with the 18-140 and the Nikon D5300Final Verdict - Bought with the D5300 or D7100 this lens compliments the sensor of those cameras nicely and provides a good compromise between quality and convenience.  However, it is still a kit lens and you might consider other options if you need to frequently shoot in lower light or want to create those images with the blurred background . See my list of recommended lenses for Nikon DX cameras.Buy the D5300 with 18-140 at B&H | Buy the 18-140 Buy from Amazon

Cyber Monday Camera & DSLR Deals - 2013

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Black Friday 2017 Deal List Live - Photorec.tv/BF2017

Cyber Monday 2013 & Holiday Camera & DSLR Deals

Support this site and my work.  Use any of the links below or use these general Amazon, B&H or eBay links. Anything purchased via these links supports my work.The T5i with 18-135 STM $100 PRICE DROP now $899 - best price we will see before the holidays are over! Still includes freebies.70D Price Drop with 18-135 STM now only $1099! I did not expect another drop before the holidays!

BIG B&H Savings

Canon 600RT Flash $449- these are their Pro level flash with radio transmitters built in - excellent and a joy to use.Zoom H4n - incredible audio quality $169 - I paid $299 for this last year!!!Tascam recorder for $112 comes with Plural Eyes Audio Synch a $180 value Adorama deal for best pocketable P&S camera- Canon S110Adorama has Canon PowerShot S110 12.1MP 5x Wide Angle Optical Digital Camera w/ 1080p Video + 16GB SanDisk Extreme Memory Card + Lowepro Dublin 20 Camera Pouch + Pixma Pro-100 Printer + 50-pack Semi-Gloss 13"x19" Photo Paper (automatically added to cart) for $578 - $400 rebate = $178.  FREE SHIPPING. You do have to deal with rebates but could sell printer for additional savings.  

  1. Add the Canon PowerShot S110 (Black or White) to cart for $219 - this price is $30 lower than best black friday prices.
    • Note, be sure to also click on the 'Save up to $30 with bundle' link and add the free 16GB SanDisk Extreme Memory Card + Lowepro Dublin 20 Camera Pouch
  2. Click here and add the Pixma-Pro 100 Printer to cart and checkout.
  3. Total should be $578 - $400 rebate = $178 with free shipping

UPDATES:

To see these prices on B&H you need to add lens to cart and start checkout process. Rebate form. Remember that lens prices fluctuate occasionally and deals this good are rare but we do not see general decline of prices like we do with camera bodies.  My favorite example? I paid $75 for the 50 f/1.8 in 2005.  It occasionally has been under $100 since then but not often. These L class lenses hold their value very well. - Amazon is also matching some of these great lens prices.Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS $999 after mail-in rebate (Reg $1349)- This is a seriously good value!Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II $1699 after mail-in rebate ( I paid $2299 last year :/) This lens is like a swiss army knife - Sharp, versatile and if you don't want to go the route of several primes it is hard to find anything sharper.  Am I sorry I paid so much more last year?  After taking ten thousand images I have to say NO but it sure would have been nice to save that much!Canon EOS 6D Body With $145 in Accessories $1507 (Reg $1899) $1500 for a FF camera - What more needs to be said.Canon EF 85 f/1.2L II $1799 after mail-in rebate (Reg $2299) - ON a full frame camera this lens is an AH-MAH-ZING portrait lens.   Ask Christina - most weddings it does not leave her camera, it is in a class all on its own.  Just don't try to shoot moving objects- focus is slow! Amazon has dropped the price of Lightroom boxed versions to $69 - Fantastic Deal! This is cheaper than the usual upgrade price!FOR THREE HOURS ONLY 1pm EST to 4pm EST!! B&H has Lightroom for $89 Boxed or $84 Download - Lightroom 5 is my choice (and most professional photographers choice) for managing and editing their photos - RAW, JPEG it gives you the tools to easily work with your files and then share them out to the site of your choice. Or make a book, or print or map. . the list goes on.B&H Cyber Monday Computer DealsI will add anything new to this section- best deals will also be posted on my Facebook page, Like to be notified.Lighting Photo Deals on Amazon (Dec 1st - Dec 7th)B&H now has ALL their Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals in one placeB&H Nikon Deals- Serious rebates on most Nikon DSLRS and Lenses | Nikon rebates and savings now on AmazonCanon Lens rebates on Amazon - up to $300 savings on some lenses.  Lowest prices I have seen on some lenses in 18 months.  100mm f/2.8 L macro for just $725 and that doesn't include the 4% savings.Canon 50mm f/1.4 for $279!!Lightroom 5  - Full version for Windows or OSX on sale $99Ebay has a few good CyberMonday DealsAdorama Black Friday Deals - A few printer bundles with 70D worth looking at if you want a printer with camera Otherwise I think hassle of reselling printer isn't worth it.Save 50% on a Zenfolio subscription- Zenfolio is my image hosting choice- easy to setup and customize- Enter code cybersale at checkout to save 50% on your new account!!!The fine folks at ThinkTank have a November special order any one of their rolling camera bags and receive a $50 rebate.  And, if you order for a roller plus an Urban Disguise shoulder bag you receive a $100 rebate!  I own multiple ThankTank bags and find them all fantastic!  Very well made and designed intelligently for photographers.  The rebates are automatic - start here for your savings - ThinkTank Bag Rebates.  Watch my review of the ThinkTank Urban Disguise.Keep your eye on the Amazon offerings and follow me on Facebook- I will be posting any deals worth passing along and I will update this page.Found a deal you think should be included here? Please send it along- email, post on Facebook or just leave a comment below.  

Family & Group Photo Tips

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I thought I would take a few moments and offer some advice and tips for getting a nice group photo. I mostly had Thanksgiving and the Winter Holidays in mind as I wrote these but  apply to group photos anytime. Have some tips of your own? I'd love to hear, leave a comment below.Take the photo soon after everyone has arrived. Don't wait - people will drink, slop food on their faces and generally get more disheveled looking as the afternoon/evening goes on. Maybe this is just my family but timing leads into the next tip...If you all are gathering earlier in the day you should have good light - warm enough to be outside? Light will be the best out there. Gather everyone just inside shade -under a porch, near a pine tree - just make sure the shade is even - you don't want sun spots on people's faces and you don't want people facing into the sun. Chilly outside? Gather inside near a window - basically your popup flash should be last resort so any natural light you can find will be helpful. Not sure if the spot you picked will work well? Practice on a guinea pig...Copyright Tobias GelstonInstead of practicing on the whole group and struggling or feeling pressured, grab a guinea pig for a few moments of practice before you call everyone over. Younger kids that are old enough to stay still for a few are often willing - have them model for you while you get your settings right and after you take a couple of photos spend a moment pixel peeping, use the zoom button to enlarge the reviewed photos and make sure subject is in focus and light is good...I like manual mode where you are in complete charge of the camera. Set the shutter speed around 1/200 of a second - fast enough to make sure everyone is frozen. Now determine your aperture - one small row of people in front of you? You can safely shoot fairly wide(if your lens allows) but if you are nervous f/4 is a safe bet. Big enough group that you are dealing with more than one row of people? f/5.6 is better. Once you decide you aperture you should look at your exposure meter and adjust your ISO to center the meter or expose just to the right of center...Everything all set? bring in the whole group and get them to squeeze together. There is something about photos that emphasizes distance between subjects so what might seem like a friendly gap between two looks like a family feud / canyon in the photo so really get them squeezing and that often encourages some friendly laughter too.Do you need to be part of the group? Self timer is one option and many models will allow several photos to be fired off at the end of the countdown - this gives you options, the general rule of thumb is at least one photo per person in the group. The more you take the more likely you are to have one where everyone's eyes are open and no one is making that weird face. Have a camera with WiFi built in? Use it as the remote but again make sure everything is setup before you slip into the group photo.Got younger kids in the group - I trick them into looking at the camera by asking them if they see the bird in the lens- seems mean as I write it but always seems to help in getting their attention directed toward the camera. Bribes work too and are totally fare game - whatever it takes to get the photo :)Bonus Tips/Suggestions:- Make sure you turn IS (Image Stabilizer) off if the camera will be on a tripod- Get Candids too - don't just do the group photo and don't let everyone pose all night- Snap some photos of the food too

D5300 and 18-140 lens- Sample Images & Thoughts

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UPDATE: My Final Nikon D5300 Review is now published

I am editing "Very Early" out of the title. I have now had this camera for over a week- points below reflect my latest views

  • This camera is FAST- AF Servo easily captures a fast dog. Gone is the hesitation I saw in the D5200
  • The buffer is impressive, in fact the D7100 must be feeling a little inadequate- Using a SanDisk Extreme Card I can get 30 RAW shots in 10 seconds. The D7100 could only manage 23 with the same card!!! The D5200- 21 and to compare vs Canon- The Canon 70D gets 34. - Note with JPEGS the D7100 still has a faster FPS and can get in more shots but that doesn't matter in RAW as the D7100 very quickly fills the small buffer and slows down.
  • Auto mode produces VERY good images and flash exposure is excellent. The greenish tint is still present under some fluorescent light sources.
  • GPS is a mixed bag They offer a simple setup and a nice little track log option too. After using it for awhile I was very dissapointed at times when it took 10+ minutes to get a lock on location AND would lose location very quickly from one photo to another. Applying the A-GPS file provided on Nikon's website helps greatly and you risk draining your battery but you can turn GPS stand by to off which keeps a lock.  Overall I wish the system were a bit smarter, it seems you have a choice of missing GPS data when you let it sleep or draining the battery. I have a few examples where it didn't go to sleep and still missed marking photos with locations so more testing is needed here.
  • Wifi is painless to setup video functions are disabled when WIFI is ON and you can't even change camera settings - Basically it is a glorified remote(streams live view) that can download photos too.
  • 3.2" LCD Screen is gorgeous and looks good in bright sunlight - I wish it was touch sensitive, picking focusing points is a chore.
  • High ISO files(photos and video) are clean, very clean - a few sample images below - more coming soon.
  • Still quirky - shutter speed and aperture can change when you switch in and out of live view. In some modes you have control over aperture in live view - in others you don't. Manual movie mode needs to be on for exposure simulation to work and then you are limited to 1/30 of a second as your slowest shutter speed.

The 18-140 Lens is good - not an amazing improvement over the 18-105 but a nice balance of convenience and quality. Bought with a camera it offers good value. My Review of the Nikon 18-140 Lens.

  • 18-140 lens is convenient and quality is much improved over previous kit lenses - will have side by side vs 18-105 in a few weeks
  • 18-140 Focusing is similar to previous lenses on D5200/D7100, still not quiet or as smooth as an STM lens.

More info coming -

      • Is the buffer really larger? UPDATE- YES!!
      • How much sharper is the new sensor without the AA filter? Still testing. . .
      • How does 60fps look at 1080p compared to the max of 30fps on CanonSmooth - it may go without saying but the 1080p is a vast improvement over the 1080i offered by the Nikon D5200.
      • Is Moiré an issue?Early tests suggest not.
      • Bit rate of the files?About 40MBits/s

What else do you want to know about the Nikon D5300?

Buy the Nikon D5300 with 18-140 lens from B&H  - they have a $300 off deal that gets you the D5300 and the 18-140 for $1096

Your D5300 Questions from around the net- mostly My Instagram and Facebook

Q: How does it compare to the D5200?A: In terms of image quality they are VERY similar. I see in some images slightly sharper results, likely from the removal of the AA filter. At mid and low level ISOs differences are difficult to spot in many photos, higher ISOs the D5300 produces slightly better images.  (at this time I haven't taken any carefully controlled photos yet - My opinion may change) - I do notice the camera being a bit more responsive with a deeper buffer/more raw shots in a burst and of course it now offers built in WiFi and GPS.  Is it worth the upgrade over the D5200?  Only if you really want that built in WiFi and GPS.Q: Is it worth it to buy over the 700D/T5i (D5300 vs T5i(700D))?A: Depends - I still really like the all around performance of the Canon and as a learning tool the exposure simulation in live view on the T5i is fantastic but the D5300 produces better images and is a very feature rich camera with a good external control setup - nicely placed buttons. But without a touchscreen diving into the menu is a chore and picking a focus point on the D5300, after using the T5i and the 70D feels ridiculously slow.   Nikon still doesn't offer a silent lens for video and focusing isn't as smooth as it is on the T5i with an STM lens on.Q: How does it compare to the Canon 70D (70D vs D5300)A: This comparison isn't as fair as the D5300 vs T5i/700D. Despite the prices being close the D5300 is more entry level and the 70D is more professional level.  That said early tests do seem to show the D5300 having better image quality and of course GPS built in.    The 70D beats it on everything else - focusing system/speed, incredible live view/video focusing. Burst rate and buffer. Battery life, more robust WiFi with options to connect to a computer or hotspot (D5300 is limited to a phone or tablet running the Nikon wireless app)Q: How does it compare to the CanonD7100 (D7100 vs D5300)A: Similar to the vs the Canon 70D question - these cameras are in a separate classes except for image quality - so again image quality differences between these two seem very slight - the D5300 may squeak out a win in some photos but the D7100 offers performance! Dual card slots, serious focusing engine better battery life and more robust body.  If you are just looking for the best image quality D5300 is fine but if you need performance too the D7100 would be my pick.Q: I have heard that the D5300 GPS is not very good, can you elaborate?A: When I first glanced at the GPS section in the menu I was excited - not only could you tag photos but you could also record a track log in .log format which easily converts to a variety of formats that lets you see your path on a map.  And you had some control over the length of time between log points and it generally seemed like a robust system. You even have the ability to download AGPS data and use that to help the camera get a lock http://nikonimglib.com/agps2/index.html.en. I have since found that the camera's GPS can be very slow to get a location signal and quick to lose the signal, even when in clear view of the sky and even when it had a lock a few minutes earlier. At this moment it basically seems like Nikon used the weakest GPS chips on earth and I am disappointed.  I will try later with the AGPS data to see how much that helps. A few sample photos - mostly taken on auto mode.
Buy the Nikon D5300 with 18-140 lens from B&H  - they have a $300 off deal that gets you the D5300 and the 18-140 for $1096

Black Friday Camera & DSLR Deals - 2013

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Black Friday 2017 Deal List Live - Photorec.tv/BF2017

Black Friday 2013 & Holiday Camera & DSLR Deals

Support this site and my work.  Use any of the links below or use these general Amazon, B&H or eBay links. Anything purchased via these links supports my work.Leading up to Black Friday I will keep my general DSLR + Hot Deals page updatedI have scoured the Internet for the best Black Friday / Holiday deals on P&S cameras and DSLRS. Similar to last year there are no deals(YET) on the most recent models - The Canon T5i and 70D, along with the Nikon D5200/D5300 and D7100 are all absent from the flyers.  This doesn’t mean that Amazon and B&H won’t offering some savings on these cameras it just means that the big box retailers won’t and any savings we do see from Amazon and  B&H will likely be small.   If you are willing to go with a slightly older model can net you some pretty significant savings. Spending less money on a body leaves money for a prime lens (or two) and I feel strongly that everyone should use a prime lens for at least a little while. (why prime lenses)I have listed a few deals below and in some cases Amazon is already beating the price. For the rest I predict Amazon will be matching those prices on Black Friday.B&H has some solid Holiday Savings - several items in addition to being heavily discounted are offered with 4% rewards.  Not an insignificant savings.

UPDATES:

I will add anything new to this section- best deals will also be posted on my facebook page, Like to be notified.Lighting Photo Deals on AmazonB&H now has ALL their Black Friday Deals in one place *NEW*B&H Nikon Deals just went live- Serious rebates on most Nikon DSLRS and Lenses | Nikon rebates and savings now on AmazonLightroom 5  - Full version for Windows or OSX on sale $99Ebay has a few good deals <- click to see all ebay photo deals or links to the best deals (in my opinion)

Canon 24-70 f/2.8 Mark II for $1799. I paid $2299 for this lens last fall! We will not see this price again for many months. Does require Mail-in-Rebate.Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM for $1899. Again - I don't feel like sharing how much I paid for this lens THIS SUMMER. Let's just say it is enough to buy a nice prime lens. MIR required.  Incredibly good price that we won't see until next holiday season.Canon 50 f/1.4 for $319 on Amazon

 Adorama Black Friday Deals - A few printer bundles with 70D worth looking at if you want Save 20% on a Zenfolio subscription- Zenfolio is my image hosting choice- easy to setup and customize- use code Fall20

P&S Black Friday Deals

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Best Buy will be offering the SX280 for $199. Amazon is currently selling it for $215- Quick review - one of the most affordable pocket-able zoom cameras out there. A good value and I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon drops this price further.  The SX line has seen some serious discounts at Amazon in previous Black Fridays. $30 more at BB gets you a spare battery, 8GB SD Card and small camera case.

Walmart Black Friday Ad for Walmart Black Friday 2013 at BFAds.net - Page 24

Walmart will have the White Edition of the GoPro Hero 3 for $199 and throw in a $30 gift card which could be used to pick up the GoPro Grab bag. Amazon is currently selling the White Edition for $199(same as Walmart minus the giftcard).  How does the White compare to the Black?  Fewer frame rates and limited to 1080P. Black can record all the way up to 4K. The GoPro family of cameras is now the number one selling camcorder in the world.  The video quality out of these tiny cameras is amazing, and they stay small even after sticking them inside the waterproof housing.  They do photos, time lapses and video - preview the image from your phone or tablet and start and stop recording - it is all pretty slick.  Downsides - battery life isn't great and that is being generous.  I have more thoughts on the GoPro Black Edition I picked up last month.     I need to put together a little list of stuff to buy goPro owners - the list of nifty accessories is quite long.

Nikon Coolpix P520 Digital Camera Bundle

Costco will be offering the NIkon P520 for $299 - This includes 16GB SD card and carrying case.  Amazon is currently selling the P520 for $370 no extras included but honestly I would skip both and if you want a super zoom pick up the Canon SX50IS - Better quality in low light and Canon reliability.  Nikon makes excellent DSLRs but often struggles with P&S cameras and the P520 isn't very exciting.   Buy the Canon SX150IS from Amazon

Panasonic LUMIX ZS25 Digital Camera BundleAnother Costco Deal - this on the more pocket friendly Lumix ZS25. Fits in the pocket but gives you 20x zoom.  Will be selling for $179 and includes some no-name SD card.  Amazons current price is $224.    Personally I would watch the SX280 Price - I don't seem the Lumix offering much over the SX280HS.

DSLR Black Friday Deals

T3i_rakuten_389.99UPDATE: As far as I can tell this was a bait and switch or incorrent pricing. Rakuten is NOT offeirng the T3i at this price, only the T3.  Amazon has now dropped the price of the T3i with 18-55 and SD card + Bag for $449Rakuten (formerly Buy.com) will have the T3i with 18-55 IS II lens for $389.00 - If you are on a tight budget this really is a solid deal. Remember this is the same sensor that is in the T5i - and you sacrifice touchscreen, easy autofocus during video but the quality output will be the same and that leaves you some room to add a nice prime lens. See my list of Recommended Canon Prime lenses.  Amazon is currently selling the T3i for $449- that does include free SD card and bag.  There are a few cheaper Canon T3 options floating around out there - in general I think the few extra $ for the T3i is worth it - you get an articulated screen, a better sensor and more focus points plus burst a faster burst rate.bestbuy_D3200_499UPDATE - Amazon is matching the BestBuy Price. D3200 with 18-55 and 55-200 + SD card and Bag for $496Bestbuy(ugh) will have the Nikon D3200 with TWO lenses for $499.  This same D3200 bundle costs $684 on Amazon. The D3200 sensor is excellent and although I do miss the articulated screen of the D5200/D5300 the camera is beginner friendly and offers the absolute best quality at that price point.  I still strongly recommend you consider a prime lens like the Nikon 35 f/1.8 - adding this lens to your collection lets you go light and simple when you want and will let you MUCH better low light photos and those photos where the background is super blurred? SO much easier with the 35 f/1.8 because of that very large maximum aperture.Best Buy Black Friday Ad for Best Buy Black Friday 2013 at BFAds.net - Page 18SOLD OUTAnother pairing from BestBuy the potentially offers a great deal - the older but still excellent D7000 paired with the brand new 18-140 from Nikon for $799 - Currently this combo sells for $1400!!  Most places aren't even offering it as a combo - Scratch that - I can only find one other place in Canada selling these two together - quite strange. The D7000 has now been replaced by the D7100 but still offers competitive image quality in a higher performing body.  If you are trying to decide D5200 vs D7000? If any higher speed action photography will be in your future the speed and responsiveness of the D7000 will be very helpful.    I will have loads more to say about the 18-140 in the next few weeks - my review unit arrives soon. It is just a kit lens but Nikon badly needed an upgraded kit lens and the 18-140 seems to do a nice job on all these Nikons- providing the resolution the sensors need.  It is a convenient lens too - great for the travel photographer that doesn't want to carry a ton of lenses.   However if you are going to be serious about photography - maybe trying to make a few bucks - you will want to consider other options. See my recommended list of lenses for Nikon DX cameras. eBay Black Friday Ad for eBay Black Friday 2013 at BFAds.net-1Ebay will have a retailer (my guess is Buydig) selling the 5D Mark III body for $2445 - This is a $400 discount over the current price of $2800 and it only recently hit that low. I expect stock to be low and go VERY quick.  If this is interesting to you you better sit on the http://deals.ebay.com/. 

Other Deals

The fine folks at ThinkTank have a November special order any one of their rolling camera bags and receive a $50 rebate.  And, if you order for a roller plus an Urban Disguise shoulder bag you receive a $100 rebate!  I own multiple ThankTank bags and find them all fantastic!  Very well made and designed intelligently for photographers.  The rebates are automatic - start here for your savings - ThinkTank Bag Rebates.  Watch my review of the ThinkTank Urban Disguise.Wait - you made it to the bottom of the list and wonder where the T5i, 70D, D7100, D5300 are? You skipped that part at the top where I said "so far no signs" and that has been true for past Black Friday/Holiday shopping seasons - The current models, the ones released in the last year often see little to no discounts over the holidays. We may see some nicer bundles but no crazy deals.  Both Canon and Nikon enforce, like Apple, minimum price laws and if the company isn't offering a big discount the stores definitely won't. What we will likely see are some great deals on accessories- this does not include lenses. Keep your eye on the Amazon offerings each day this month and follow me on Facebook- I will be posting any deals worth passing along and I will update this page.Found a deal you think should be included here? Please send it along- email, post on Facebook or just leave a comment below.  

Yongnuo Flashes- Making sense of the 468 II, 568 II, 565

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If you just want to stick a cheap flash on your camera and have it work well- the YN 468-II is the flash for you.  Currently selling for less than $90. Canon Compatible 468 II | Nikon Compatible 468 II Note - your camera model may not be listed on the page but it will work with your camera if you buy the right brand and you have a DSLR made by that company in the last 10 years. 

YongNuo YN-468 II Speedlite With LCD Display E-TTL(Canon) or i-TTL(nikon)
YN468 This is the cheapest Yongnuo flash that does E-TTL/iTTL - this means the camera and the flash can talk to each other and the flash will adjust the output of light to create a proper exposure.  This is the easiest and most painless way to greatly improve your indoor photography.   Additional features include Manual mode with power adjustment from full 1/1 to 1/128 in 1/3 step increments.  Multi strobe mode  fires a series of flashes in one exposure (Example coming), Slave modes in S1 and S2. As far as I can tell the only difference between S1 and S2 - in S2 mode the Yongnuo will not be triggered by the test flash. Slave mode allows you to fire the flash when it is not attached to the camera.  You will need a camera that has wireless flash capabilities.  As I said in the opening this is the best value for generally better flash photos. Rotate the head over one should and point it up about 45 degrees - the room will be filled with pleasing light and your photos will look better.   You can manually zoom this flash from 24-85 or if you believe the camera settings 24-105.  And the flash does allow high-speed sync(I will explain this soon - it is useful for shooting outside in bright light or shooting higher speed action).Buy from Amazon Canon Compatible 468 II | Nikon Compatible 468 II

Yongnuo YN-565 EX TTL Flash Speedlite
YN565EX What does $20 more get you over the 468 II?  Slightly faster recycle time and the ability to power the flash from an external battery pack and wireless TTL - So the 565-EX is able to communicate with the camera when it is off or on the camera.  It does lack high speed sync.  I see more folks reporting problems with this flash versus the 468 II. It may be that they expect more or use the flash harder?  Still the reviews are generally positive.  The back of the 565 has more buttons and larger LCD screen.  The comparable Canon flash is the Canon 580EX which costs roughly $400.   Pretty significant difference.   Would I walk into a professional shoot using this as my only flash- it is unlikely. I think these flashes are great for personal use, family functions and I would certainly bring along one or two as backup but there are just enough reviews that say they can be quirky that it makes me hesitate to recommend for professional use.  In working with the 468-II idid have it freeze up on me once. In fairness I have used the 600RTs and had issues - no flash or product is 100% fail safe but the level of quirkiness is just high enough that it makes me hesitate.Buy from Amazon Canon Compatible 565 EX | Nikon Compatible 565 EX

Yongnuo YN-568EX II
YN568II These flashes cost $180 - The extra $100 over the price of the 468s gets you a flash that is powerful and capable of controlling other flashes along with very high speed sync  - up to 1/8000 of a second.   Reviews are less positive but still generally good, leading me to believe my theory of higher end flashes used by professionals that expect more.  And it comes with a diffuser cap and the head does rotate 180 degrees (this is actually quite beneficial and I mention this in my long video review)Buy from Amazon Canon Compatible 568EX II | Nikon Compatible 568 EX

 

Yongnuo RF-603C
RF-603C These are not flashes! These are wireless triggers that are capable of firing an off camera flash without using the on-board flash of the camera.  Watch my video discussing and showing how to use the RF-603C triggers.  Range is reported to be reliable up to 100 meters. These are manual only- you do not get ETTL or any wireless control of the off camera flash.  They are also capable of remotely triggering your camera. That is what the small cord is for in the photo. Be careful to buy the right set if you want to use it as a remote. For actually flash firing you only need brand to match. Price ~$30.  Watch my video discussing RF-603C and then Buy from Amazon Canon Rebel Series(t4i, t5i) including 60D/70D | Canon XD series and older 50D/40D etc | Nikon D3XXX, D5XXX, D7XXX series

Yongnuo YN-622C
 Screenshot 2014-08-29 12.37.27 These offer wireless control - Smart control of external flashes. Throw one on your camera and plug the flash into the receiver and you have the ability to control the flash as if it were sitting on top of your camera. I have these in hand and will be doing a complete review soon. Buy Yongnuo YN-622 from Amazon

 B&H Now carries Yongnuo Products and has a nice page listing ALL Yongnuo flashes, lenses and flash triggers. See Yongnuo on B&H Photo Video

Review Canon 55-250 IS STM Lens

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This is the newest version of Canon’s 55-250 lens, it replaces the 55-250 IS II which replaced an  even old 55-250 IS. I want to just touch on the highlights of the 55-250 IS STM lens and answer the question - is it worth the extra money versus the 55-250 IS or are you better off saving a little more and getting the 70-300 IS USM?  So this is partly a review and partly a Canon EF 55-250 IS STM vs Canon EF 70-300 IS USM vs Canon EF-S 55-250 IS II Battle. Very light emphasis on battle.

Quick Glossary of Terms.

  • IS: Image Stabilization - internal gyroscopes stabilize the lens when you are hand holding and allow you to shoot at slower shutter speeds without handshake causing blur in your images.

  • USM: Ultra Sonic Motor - A focusing system used by many canon lenses that offers quick focus and with some lenses full time manual focus.  This isn’t true of the 70-300 IS USM - it is not full time manual focus.

  • EF-S: Lens mount sized for Canon’s crop sensor cameras (APS-C) Examples include Canon T5i and Canon 70D.

  • EF: Lens mount appropriate for Canon’s full frame cameras like the 6D and 5D Mark III. Will also work on APS-C cameras

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The highlights -

  • Arguably the headline feature of this lens is now that this is an STM lens it means silent autofocus - this is a big deal if you are using it with a camera that allows continuous auto focus during video like the T5i or 70D it also makes a difference in smoothness of autofocus during video with T5i - The T5i really needs those STM lenses to achieve smooth focus and you can see a large difference in focus capabilities. The 70D is more capable in focusing, it is less dependent on the STM lenses but you still see an improvement and smoothness and speed and of course noise of focus.   The Verdict? The lens is completely silent - No sounds from focusing or the IS system.  The old 55-250 IS II does make noise and in quieter conditions the IS system of the 55-250 IS and the 70-300 IS is recorded by the cameras mic making them less desirable to use for video work, at least with IS on.

  • So the STM version is smoother and quieter in focus. Do photographers (not videographers) care?  I took all three lenses 55-250 IS II, 55-250 STM and the 70-300 IS USM to a recent cycling race and was really pleased with the speed of the STM in focusing on faster moving subjects,  noticeable improvement over the 55-250 IS II.  I was photographing some of these riders in servo mode as they were headed right toward me and the lens was quick enough to keep them in focus for more sharp shots than I expected.  Compared to the 70-300 IS USM the number of in focus shots was about the same.  One difference and this may be due to the slightly longer range provided by the 70-300, when that lens, the 70-300 loses focus it can really struggle to get it back.  I see less delay and struggle from the 55-250 STM. Verdict - the 55-250 STM is as capable as the more expensive 70-300 IS USM and yes, photographers (not videographers) should care.

  • Image Quality- The STM is sharper across the board - nothing amazing but a noticeable improvement across the range and these improvements bring it in line with the 70-300 and in some cases beats the 70-300. I was especially surprised by the results out at 250 and 300. The 55-250 STM was sharp enough that you could compensate for the decreased range by cropping the image/increasing the image size and you in many shots I still had a sharper image from the 55-250 even after that increase. Verdict - The 55-250 STM beats the 70-300 IS USM often enough that I see very few reasons to continue to recommend the 70-300 IS USM.

  • Build quality - The new version feels solid in the hand - offers full time manual focus if you half press the shutter, neither the older 55-250 IS II or the 70-300 IS USM offer full time manual focus. And compared to the 55-250 IS II the focusing is now internal, the older version had some rotation during focusing which made it difficult to use a circular polarizer. The new version solves that frustrating issue. Verdict: It is a budget lens and build quality reflects that but it does feel solid in hand and well constructed - focus ring is larger. 70-300 IS USM does offer two versions of IS - standard and a version for panning with action. 70-300 IS USM is also an EF lens, useable by full frame cameras, it also has a metal mount vs plastic with the 55-250 STM.

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In Summary you have a lens that has improved enough it makes the more expensive 70-300 IS USM obsolete - obsolete might be a strong word as the 70-300 does give you slightly wider apertures at those longer focal lengths and is still the cheapest/longest option from Canon that works on a full frame but ultimately I think this new 55-250 IS STM is a better value and it is a no brainer purchase if you want more zoom when buying a T5i or 70D because of the current $150 discount.  And it certainly is worth the small increase in price over the earlier 55-250 models. Videographers that use autofocus and want zoom - this is a no-brainer purchase - it does the job very well.

Support this site and my work.  Buy the 55-250 IS STM from Amazon | B&H

Save $150.00 on Canon EF-S 55-250mm STM Lens for every 1 Qualifying Canon EOS Digital SLR Camera you purchase offered by Amazon.com. Enter code RBYIJDFJ at checkout.

Best Canon 70D Deal (Savings on Amazon & B&H vs Costco)

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UPDATE 11-23-15 - Amazon and B&H have the BEST deal this week - Ends 11/30.

Add spare 55-250 STM lens for just $149!! This is an excellent deal for a versatile zoom lens.Best 70D bundle Costco deal is the same but comes with a crummy bag and SD card - The Amazon and B&H accessories are better and if you live outside of NY you don't have to pay sales tax with B&H PhotoNot sure if the 70D is right for you? My Full Review of the Canon 70DI am getting lots of questions about the best deal on the 70D - This camera is selling very well and it should. In my review I have found it to be an awesome device for photos and video, perfect blend of features and pro level performance in a reasonably sized and priced package. Watch my Canon 70D Review.Costco is offering a bundled deal with the Canon 70D - Looks good at first glance but it has a couple of issues:

  1. You can put this exact same bundle together on Amazon for almost $100 savings!! (scroll down for details)
  2. The card they are bundling STRUGGLES TO SUPPORT the higher bit rate video files the 70D is capable of producing and slows down quickly when shoot RAW. See my full test chart of SD cards in 70D. Or just skip to bottom and buy the SanDisk Extreme 80 or 45s for better results.
  3. The 55-250 Bundled is the older II version.  The new STM version would be worth your money if you plan to do video with the lens. In fairness Amazon is still bundling this lens too.  At this time the 55-250 STM (my review coming soon) needs to be bought separately.

On Amazon you can get the Canon 70D with 18-55 IS STM and the 55-250 for a savings of $105.  Add in the 2% rewards and in 35 days you will get $27.88 to spend on a spare 70D Battery or put toward a good tripod.  But more importantly those immediate savings need to be put toward an SD Card that WILL work well in your 70D.

70D_Order_Savings Support my work. Click this link to get the best deal on the Canon 70D on Amazon. B&H is also offering a better deal vs Costco on the 70D - Get the 70D with EXTRA battery, 16GB SD Card and Backpack for $1349.00. OR 18-135 STM for $1549.Not sure if the 70D is the best camera for you? Leave a comment below -tell me how much photo vs video you plan to shoot and your subjects.  I'd be happy to give you my thoughts.  I would also like to ask you to take a second and like my Facebook Page Facebook.com/Digital.Photo.Recommendations. Thanks! 

Nikon D5300 Preview & My Thoughts

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On the outside minor updates, redesigned grip should give you a little more room between grip and lens. Overall a tiny bit smaller (see table)

Model D5300 D5200
Dimensions 125 × 98 × 76 mm(4.9 × 3.9 × 3.0 in) 129 x 98 x 78 mm(5.1 x 3.9 x 3.1 in)
Weight (without battery) 480 g (16.9 oz) 505 g (17.8 oz)

It is the inside that is more exciting. The D5300 is now using the same sensor that is in the D7100 and they have ditched the antialiasing filter, you will also see this written as OLPF. Removing the AA or OLPF means sharper images and video. In my testing of the D7100 I found the images and video to be very sharp and it was basically impossible to produce moire(an optical illusion in finely repeating patterns) that is usually more common in sharper sensors, especially ones with out the AA filter.

Nikon D5300 - Will Moiré be more of an issue in the D5300?
Nikon D5300 - Will Moiré be more of an issue with the D300? It isn't with the D7100

Changes in D5300

  • Updated Processor, Expeed 4
  • 1080p at 60fps - D5200 was only capable of 1080i at 60fps
  • WiFi built in - simple and direct to a smartphone or device using NIkon's wireless app.  Does not work with video.
  • GPS - Battery hog but works well, tagging your location into the photos MetaData- will also record a track(your route) for display on a map
  • Bigger Battery/Better Battery life (as long as you are not using the GPS)
  • NOT sold with an 18-55 lens.  Body only or with new 18-140 Kit lens
We have an updated processor - Expeed 4, I expect this will help greatly with the general performance of the camera, I have found the D5200 to be very capable but somewhat slow, a very slight hesitation to take photos and to review images - something I haven't seen in other cameras in this class. The updated processor will also allow full 1080p at 60fps. The D5200 only offered 1080i. They have thrown in WiFi(now I can toss my dongle) and GPS and are claiming better battery life 700 shots(though I have seen 600 listed elsewhere) vs 500 shots, this better but not physically bigger battery will be backward compatible in D5200 and a few other cameras with a firmware update. And the older D5200 batteries will work in the D5300, just won't give you the same battery life.
So how much will all this cost? Here is where I think it gets interesting. My biggest complaint with the D5200 was that 18-55 kit lens. I am generally not a kit lens basher  - I think they are a fine place to start- cheap, convenient and quality is good enough. Except the Nikon 18-55 really held the camera back, the lens simply cannot resolve at the level of the sensor and the 18-105 was better but I feel like the D5200 doesn't really shine until you get a NICE lens on there. So Nikon heard my complaints (I am sure ;) and is bundling the D5300 with their new and improved over previous kit lenses, 18-140. But no new 18-55, I wonder if they have an improved 18-55 in the works but just couldn't get it out in time. So you can buy body only for $800 or with 18-140 for $1300 - that is steep! Users are going to look at that and see the T5i with touchscreen and basically same lens is $300 cheaper or with 18-55 STM lens is $500 cheaper I don't expect the D5300 to sell really well until the price drops or they get a shorter/cheaper kit lens in there. Not that it is in anyway a bad camera- this looks to be a fantastic upgrade from earlier models and a capable performer, it is just priced high for the level of the camera when sold with the 18-140 lens. OH and I almost forgot - it comes it colors- red, gray and black.Preorder now: Amazon | B&H  I will have hands-on of this camera soon.  Follow my Facebook page for future updates and/or subscribe to my newsletter. Nikon D5300 Product Tour

Canon Lenses Reviewed (Briefly)

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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

Nikon D5300 Announced

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 Preorder Nikon D5300 from AmazonNIkon has updated the D5200.  Shipping later this month or in early november depending on your location the D5300 will be available.  It looks very similar to the D5200 but has some noticeable differences inside.   The sensor will be the same used by the D7100(My D7100 Review), which in my tests is excellent- really top notch especially in low light.  The processor is upgraded, Expeed 4, and this should really improve the hesitation and slowness that I found in the D5200(My D5200 Review).  We now have full 1080p at 60fps, previously only interlaced video at 60fps and 1080.  And Wifi built in - goodbye dongle - and GPS. Nifty features.  Battery life is stated to be improved though as far as I can tell it is using the same battery and with WiFi and GPS on you are going to see a decrease in battery life.  Interesting they have completely ditched the 18-55 kit lens.  This camera will be available body only or with the new 18-140 lens.  I feel vindicated here - I couldn't believe how bad the 18-55 Nikon kit lens is on the D5200 - it really holds that camera back from image quality greatness and I am glad that it won't even be an option, though I am surprised there is no alternative other than the much more expensive 18-140 kit lens.   On a tight budget but want the D5300? Grab it with the 35 f/1.8 or pick up a used 18-105. I have additional lens recommendations for the D5300.

D5300 Specs

  • 24MP - Same sensor as in the D7100 (no OLPF/AA Filter)
  • 5 fps -same as the D5200
  • 39 AF points (9 cross points)
  • EXPEED 4 Processor
  • 1080P video recording at 60p/50p
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
  • Built-in GPS
  • 3.2" vari-angle LCD monitor

Will be available in Red, Grey or Black $796 for body only $1,396.95 (buy from Amazon or B&H) for camera and 18-140 kit lens. This will be an excellent travel camera with the GPS, Wifi and a kit lens that can match the quality of the sensor.[gallery ids="3997,3996,3995"] Preorder Nikon D5300 from AmazonFrom this angle the two cameras look very similar.

Nikon D5300 nikond5200

 Looking down on the D5300 you can see a small bump for the GPS and WiFi Antennas,D5300-Wifi_GPSBUMP Preorder Nikon D5300 from Amazon

Time Lapse with a DSLR - Canon 70D

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Work in Progress post. Updated as I add new material and followup video showing how to "develop" the time lapse into a video file rather than a series of images.Summary of video

  1. set the camera on a sturdy tripod and choose your composition and exposure (Manual Mode or AV Mode)
  2. Set file size to JPEG or smaller RAW(if an option) you don't want to deal with 3,000 plus RAW files unless you really want an ability to edit before creating the timelapse.
  3. Configure the intervalometer/TriggerTrap to take a picture each X seconds and X amount of  times
  4. Disconnect the lens while holding down the depth of field preview button to the "sweet spot" to avoid flickering in your TL
  5. Wait A LOT- e.g. if you set the DSLR to take a photo every second and run that back at 24fps.  1 minute of real time equals 3 seconds of video. Shorter intervals give smoother results. Longer intervals allow you to speed through time more quickly.
  6. Dump every photo into editing software, do a little magic (Video how to on this part coming soon)

Watch the example time lapse shot after the filming of this video: http://youtu.be/lbkM5ekaDl8?t=10m44sGear seen in the video: MeFoto Travel Tripod, Lowepro Photo Sport Pro 30L, Intervalometer, TriggerTrap Dongle Related: How to use an Intervalometer for family photos.

GoPro Hero 3+ First Thoughts

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A GoPro has been on my wish list forever and with the recent update to line I used that as an excuse to buy, along with the fact that I am currently reviewing the competitor model from Garmin, the VIRB.  I will have full reviews of both as well as a comparison of the two- quick thoughts. GoPro offers a huge ecosystem and sweet video quality. Virb offers really slick integration with a variety of ANT+ adapters letting you overlay info on the video, wouldn't we all like to see athlete's heart rates as the fly down the mountain side?  You also get a built in screen with the Virb - nice for quick composing of shots/footage.

Early thoughts about the new GoPro Hero3+

  • It is small, tiny really!
  • It doesn't come with a Micro SD Card? Not sure how I missed that, see list below for recommended Micro SDcards.
  • The user interface on the camera is not the best, thankfully the WiFi works well and in seconds I was connected to my GoPro, I renamed its wireless littlehero ;) and was controlling the camera with a nice live stream.
  • So many mount options and many of them are affordable.  See my list that I have ordered below.

20131004-IMG_676020131004-IMG_6761 

Early Thoughts on the Garmin VIRB

  • It is heavy and feels SOLID. Only waterproof to a meter, separate WP housing not included. I worry about the convex lens that sticks out - seems it screams for scratching.
  • The user interface is lovely and navigating it is dreamy
  • Mounts are hard to find and/or more expensive - to be fair it is a much newer product with smaller ecosystem
  • The integration with various Garmin GPS sensors and ANT+ devices is awesome and I have just barely scratched the surface - lots more thoughts soon.

 20131004-IMG_6763Recommended microSD Cards for the GoPro Hero3 or 3+ Black Edition

IMPORTANT- I have hard that when you use the SanDisk cards GoPro firmware limits the bitrate to avoid issues because of the super slow SanDisk Ultra cards.  Basically those cards suck(I haven't tested the Micro SD version of the Ultra cards but I have an SD version and it is the only card I have seen repeatedly fail during video) and as a result GoPro limits the speed for all SanDisk cards. It is difficult to wade through anecdotal evidence but I am forming a consensus that the Samsung 64GB SDXC card is going to give you some of the best results.  Now - all the cards listed above will work fine this really only becomes an issue when you want to use the higher bitrate ProTune mode.Mounts I have bought for the Go Pro

What else should I order?  Leave a comment below with your favorite GoPro Accessory.Buy The GoPro | Buy the Virb