July 2016

Nikon D500 field-tested: Long-expected successor to the Nikon D300 worth the wait!

Submitted by David Cardinal on Wed, 07/27/2016 - 08:51

Nikon D500 DSLR Camera (Body Only)Few cameras have had a more loyal following than the Nikon D300 (and predecessor Nikon D200). For those who wanted a pro-quality Nikon without moving to the size and expense of full-frame, they represented an excellent combination of features at a reasonable price. However, as the years have gone by, the tech in those cameras has been left in the dust. Many owners have been forced to move either “down” to a more consumer-oriented, but newer, model like the , or up to a larger, more-expensive, model like the . No longer. I shot almost exclusively in Alaska for two weeks with a , and loved it. It is easy to hold, fun to use, and took photos that are as high quality as I’ve ever seen from a 21MP sensor.

Nikon D500
Review
APS-C
DSLR
Camera Body
camera_body
camera_review
Nikon D7200
Lexar XQD card
Alaska
Alaskan Brown Bears
Horned Puffin

Canon G9 X field-tested: Best camera you can easily fit in a pocket

Submitted by David Cardinal on Tue, 07/26/2016 - 08:21

Canon PowerShot G9 X Digital Camera (Silver)The appeal of a camera you can always have with you is obvious. For an increasing number of people that’s their smartphone. But if you want to have something with a bigger sensor and a zoom lens, a compact point-and-shoot is the way to go. That creates something of a Goldilocks problem – the cheap, small ones aren’t much better than a phone, and the high-end ones don’t fit in a pocket. Canon has done a good job over the years with its S series in finding a middle ground – reasonable sensor, good features, and Raw capability. I’ve been shooting with the newest version, rebranded as the , and have been impressed by the upgrade in image quality, while learning to like, or at least live with, the new Touchscreen-centric interface…

Canon G9 X
Canon G7 X
Sony RX100 IV
Sony RX100 III
Lumix LX100
Point-and-shoot camera
Review
camera _review
camera_body
Camera Body
Camera

Young bears play in the water on a hot day, just like people

Submitted by David Cardinal on Mon, 07/18/2016 - 18:58

 

Most of Alaska is having a streak of uncharacteristically balmy weather, not well suited to bears’ thick fur coats. As a result, cubs and juvenile bears alike have been taking advantage of the cool water as the site for their wrestling and play fights. These two young Brown Bears went at it for nearly an hour, with breaks to lay flat in the water and cool off before once again charging each other. A great week for our !

Moose Peterson backpacks revived and updated by MindShift

Submitted by David Cardinal on Mon, 07/18/2016 - 16:50

MindShift Gear and Moose Peterson Collaborate to Update Classic Moose Peterson Outdoor Photography Backpacks

I’m really excited to see the much-beloved Moose Peterson backpack line back on the market – chock full of improvements thanks to the folks at MindShift. The packs were my favorite for many years, but Moose stopped working on or selling them a while ago. The new versions, called MP-1 v2.0, MP-3 v2.0, and MP-7 v2.0 have the same form factor as the originals of the same name, but with improved straps, water bottle holders, and some other nice touches.