Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 06, 2019  |  0 comments

Leica just announced the SL2, a 47.3-megapixel mirrorless full-frame system camera, which is the successor model to the esteemed Leica SL (reviewed here), and Shutterbug was invited to take a preproduction model for an early spin. Let’s take a look at the Leica SL2's long list of new features before we recap some of our thoughts and impressions about this new Leica model in this first look review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 31, 2019  |  0 comments

Shooting incredible color infrared (IR) photos is fascinating and surprisingly easy if you use the right tools and techniques. In this two-part story we first look at the conversion of a DSLR to shoot IR photos, and then later in Part 2 we explore everything you need to know to get great infrared imaging results (setting White Balance, Channel Swapping and post-processing techniques). Ready for some mind-blowing colors? Read on…

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 24, 2019  |  0 comments

From Italy, the UK and good old New Jersey USA, here is a trio of camera straps that should be on your radar.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 17, 2019  |  0 comments

Guaranteed, you will be amazed how quickly and easily you can colorize old black and white snapshots, add life to classic public domain images, convert color infrared images into amazing works of art and more – automatically – with Photoshop Elements 2020. Here are step-by-step directions plus several examples to…

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 10, 2019  |  0 comments

Pssst! Got two minutes? Calibrate your monitor with the new Datacolor SpyderX Elite so that you’re not looking at your image gallery through a dirty screen door.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 03, 2019  |  0 comments

Adobe just released Photoshop Elements 2020, the most powerful derivative of Photoshop to date. Available for $99 (or bundled with also-new Adobe Premier Elements for $149 retail) the latest version features automation powered by Adobe Sensei, their amazingly potent AI engine, and three access levels to suit Beginners, Intermediate Users and Experts. If you haven’t seen Elements recently (and I suspect many of you fall into that category) you will be surprised by the range and capabilities of this inexpensive photo editor. What follows here is my recap.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 30, 2019  |  0 comments

It’s an annual event that never fails to please. Across most of the country, the leaves on deciduous trees do their fire dance, wither and fade, and then finally surrender to the sway of the autumn wind. It’s a great time to be a photographer, but capturing the fall color explosion at its peak can be frustratingly difficult. Right? So do what we do—take a look at this interactive leaf color predictor.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 26, 2019  |  0 comments

Sony offered to loan me an Xperia 1 mobile phone for 30 days. I thought it was a mistake at first. My (first) name is pretty common; I’m not a phone guy. My last cell phone had a rotary dial and a whip antenna. But I heard that the Sony Xperia 1 had some of the most sophisticated camera features around, so I cautiously accepted and approached the product the same way I approach cameras. Here is what I found.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 19, 2019  |  0 comments

This lens has me going in circles. I spent weeks looking for a well-rounded person to photograph. Every image I captured was pointless. Okay—enough of the circle jokes. Time to get a round to the review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 12, 2019  |  0 comments

British tripod maker 3 Legged Thing gives their products clever names, but I just call them awesome. In addition to some of the best tripods money can buy, they offer camera brackets, monopods and related accessories. Here’s my review of the morphable Ellie L-bracket and the DOCZ2, a combination monopod stabilizer plus heavy-duty tabletop tripod.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Sep 05, 2019  |  0 comments

Fisheye lenses abound, and many are priced under $199. Products like the Meike 6.5mm f/2 ($129) and 7artisans Photoelectric 7.5mm f/2.8 ($139) plus offerings from Bauer, Rokinon, Opteka, Samyang, Venus and some camera manufacturers are very affordable, exciting and—by and large—pretty damn sharp. But using one effectively can be tricky. Here’s what extensive hands-on practice has taught me so far.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 29, 2019  |  0 comments

The Domke bag. Affordable, functional and as durable as a 30-pound slab of stainless steel. Right now Domke is offering the popular F-2 (original) model and the F-5XB (my personal favorite) in a Limited Edition camouflage pattern that looks sensational and honors our troops—emotionally and financially.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 22, 2019  |  4 comments

Every zealous photographer I know would enjoy owning a compact camera that has a large sensor, full manual options and available Raw format. Throw in a wide-angle lens, great performance in high ISO/low light situations and a size that fits in your pocket and you have a winner anyone would relish. That brings us to the Fujifilm XF10. Or does it? I had a chance to use one for an extended period. Read my evaluation in this review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 15, 2019  |  0 comments

Leica recently announced the latest M-Series camera, a stunning anthracite gray full-frame digital rangefinder based on the Leica M which launched in September of 2012. The new Leica M-E (Typ 240) has a few welcomed upgrades and a nice surprise—a lower price. In fact, the new Leica M-E, priced at $3995 (body only), is the lowest-price full-frame Leica camera on the market.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 08, 2019  |  0 comments

We zip from Amsterdam to Japan to the Land Down Under to look at three multi-purpose photo backpacks. This trio represents the latest in style, performance and practicality.

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