June 2011

Taxes, Amazon, California and the Internet

Observant readers may have noticed the sudden disappearance of all the Amazon ads and search boxes from our sites. After over a decade and a well over a quarter-million in revenue generated for them we were given one hour notice that our relationship (like that of all California affiliates) was unilaterally terminated. There is plenty being written about the situation today but we wanted to share our perspective…


Sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM Lens: Wicked Fast and Not Just for Portraits

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens For Nikon Digital SLR CamerasUltra-wide-aperture lenses (roughly those capable of going to f/2 or wider) have always been favorites of portrait photographers because of their immense isolating power. The wider the aperture (indicated non-intuitively by a smaller “f-number”) the more shallow the depth of field and therefore the more out of focus the background. In the past I haven’t been too inspired by my 50mm f/1.4 so it usually sits at home. But when Sigma told me about their new 85mm f/1.4 the extra reach of the 85mm appealed to me both for its isolating ability and low light possibilities. I wasn’t disappointed. Read on to see how it performed and how it compares to the competition…

Panasonic Lumix LX5—The Ultimate Point & Shoot? (& Canon G12 Comparison)

The holy grail for photographers is a camera that is small enough to fit in your pocket but still takes great images, preferably with not only a reasonable on board flash but the ability to add a hotshoe flash as needed. And of course many of us also consider the ability to shoot Raw files and HD video a necessity in this day and age. This grail was unachievable until recently with the . But now Panasonic has introduced an even more compact camera that fits the bill, the . To find out whether it measures up I took it to Africa with me and used it for candids, environmentals and some wildlife shots for three weeks. Here’s what I found…

A Travel Vest That Works–Finally: SCOTTEVEST Field-Tested & Reviewed

After many years wearing a photo vest stuffed with lenses and film that made me look like a cross between an Empire Stormtrooper and a stuffed chipmunk I was thrilled to park it permanently in my closet with the advent of digital. For situations where I needed a few pieces of gear in the field the clever Thinktank Skin system belt and pouches were a lighter, cooler and frankly more comfortable solution.

Photo Storage on the Go: Picture Porter from Digital Foci

As camera resolution increases so does our need for photo storage on the go—especially on long trips like family vacations or photo safaris. Taking a laptop along isn’t always a great option and many of the fancy new laptops like the Macbook Air may not have enough space for your images even if you do travel with one. Purchasing a really large supply of digital film cards is one alternative, but in that case you might still want a backup or a way to quickly view your images to make sure your camera is working properly.