Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  May 04, 2017  |  0 comments

If the used camera lens you see online is packaged with a leash and a bone, odds are very good that it’s a dog. But in the absence of obvious evidence, how can you tell a bargain from a bagel? It’s impossible to physically examine the merchandise before purchase. And you can’t always trust what you see in the listing photos. However, you can conduct a thorough inspection upon receipt. Here are 10 things to check the minute the used lens is delivered. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 27, 2017  |  0 comments

Just bought a 200mm f/2.8 lens for my Nikon D300s for $99! Incredibly it’s only 3.1 inches long and it’s as sharp as a handful of carpet tacks. It’s used, sure, and it’s manual focus. But hey! It was made by Nikon. It’s a real Nikon lens and it’s just one example of the fantastic bargains that are available to those who know what to look for.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 20, 2017  |  0 comments

Vacation season is approaching fast! Like millions of other Americans, you may be planning to travel to a destination where you can do a few of the things you really enjoy—including some inspired photography. Whether you’re headed to Tokyo, Toronto or Terre Haute, Indiana, here are a few tips that will help you enjoy your adventure.

Pssst! Hey – yeah, you. Share this story with your significant other and maybe they’ll take the hint that this year you both need a photo-perfect vacation.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 13, 2017  |  1 comments

I used to believe that the Auto setting on a camera was something to be avoided the way a tired waitress avoids eye contact when you’re signaling for a coffee refill—she can’t deny that you’re there, but she can ignore the hell out of you. I still feel that way about fully auto exposure, but my maniacally stubborn attitude toward Auto ISO is softening like marshmallow Peeps in a microwave.  

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 06, 2017  |  0 comments

Does a 5mm scratch in the center of the front element ruin a lens? We gouged a brand new, straight-from-the-box, $499 Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 zoom to find out. Then we shot some test subjects. Was the defect visible in the images? See for yourself…

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Mar 30, 2017  |  0 comments

President Eisenhower said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” I get that. It’s a truism that applies to things much lighter than D-Day, too. So as I watch March melt into April, I summon my highly analog paper Day-Timer calendar and begin plotting my summer. In pencil, of course. Here are the seven “must-do” activities I’ve strategized so far. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Mar 23, 2017  |  0 comments

Last fall we published a series of fun quizzes and thankfully no one took them, or themselves, too seriously. Well, we’re doing it again. They’re a bit easier this time except for the first four and the last nine. Tell us how you scored in the comments. And no peeking at Google. Ready?

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Mar 17, 2017  |  0 comments

There’s something here for everyone this week. We look at a retro tripod from a famous filter maker, a messenger bag from a famous tripod maker, a lens case from my favorite photo backpack maker and a new circular polarizing filter from a not-so-famous accessory maker—plus a knockout protective case for your MacBook. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Mar 09, 2017  |  0 comments

Hacking, wiretapping, malware downloads and televisions that watch us instead of the other way around—they’re all in the news and it sounds like they’re here to stay. We don’t want to give up our Amazon Prime memberships or Pandora tunes, but neither do we want to be plagued by viruses, Trojans and ransomware. There’s no magic pill, but it is possible to keep the bad stuff locked outside. Here are seven ways to protect your assets in an extremely connected world. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Mar 02, 2017  |  0 comments

Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March throughout most of the US. Despite the nonsensical grumbles about losing an hour of sleep, this annual event is a reason to celebrate. It heralds the first hint of spring—and if that’s not enough—it brings us an extra hour of useable light before dinnertime. It also stands to remind us to clean out the tackle box, as it were, to get things in order for another wonderful summer of photography.

 |  Feb 23, 2017  |  0 comments

Why do tripods have three legs instead of four? There is a reason, and we’ll get to it in a moment, right after we take a long, close look at a 3 Legged Thing from across the pond. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 16, 2017  |  0 comments

It was portrait shooter’s paradise with two new Sony lenses this week. The 100mm STF is a veritable bokeh machine, while the FE 85mm f/1.8 is a budget-friendly, professional quality portrait lens. Sony invited a small group of editors to a private studio and assured us that we were the first journalists in the world to shoot with this new glass.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 09, 2017  |  1 comments

If you’re into high quality glass, this is the kind of lens you can get lost in. Build quality is exceptional, performance is outstanding and…I’m getting ahead of myself, but you’ll see the world in a whole new way when you use this lens.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 02, 2017  |  0 comments

Unless you’re completely new to photography, you’ve heard about Lensbaby, the marvelously creative series of lenses that are best described as intentionally unsharp and stuffed with almost every imaginable aberration and distortion. The Lensbaby Trio 28 is the latest model, and it has a secret. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 27, 2017  |  1 comments

Ever drop a camera? Ever have a camera strap break? Or bust apart near the D-ring? Put those worries out of your mind. UPstrap offers a full lineup of some of the toughest camera straps you’ll ever wear. And, as the name proudly announces, they stay UP on your shoulder, too. 

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