Here we go again. That’s what Nikon owners might be saying to themselves now that another possible problem with a new DSLR from the company has surfaced. Several owners of the new Nikon D750 have reported that a dark shadowy band will appear in images with lens flare. The effect slices off the top of the flare, creating a distracting split between light and shadow across the top of the frame.

For those seeking a larger print size at an affordable price, the Canon PIXMA iP8720 ($299) provides fast output (under two minutes for a 13x19 print) with very good image quality. The unit fits comfortably on a desktop (about 2 feet by 1 feet, given that you need more space for the catcher up front) and at 18 pounds or so, it does not require lifting from the knees, as do some 13x19-inch printers. Canon makes it very clear in their marketing, and in the features the unit has, and in some cases lacks, that this is a consumer-oriented printer. It goes head-to-head in price with the Epson Artisan 1430, and while this is not a comparative review, it’s good to know the competitive landscape for your further investigations.

Rare and exotic camera lenses go on sale on eBay from time to time and they’re always fun to ogle over.

If the U.S. goes forward with its historic plan to open diplomatic ties with Cuba for the first time in 50 years, there will be a lot more photographers capturing this long isolated country. While Cuba hasn’t been entirely cut off photographically over the years, photo trips there have been limited and highly restricted.

Shoe-mounted flashes are handy tools. Where space or weight is a concern, a kit with two or three shoe-mounted flashes is much easier to carry than even the smallest power pack/head combo or a low-output monolight, and more versatile.

Photographers depend on the physical characteristics of light to apply their craft, yet the average Joe knows surprisingly little about how light works. It’s not necessary to be an optical engineer to take great photos, but having a basic grounding in the physics of light could help you understand some of the defects found in nearly all lenses (to one degree or another) and the effect that imperfections have on images.

Our Picture This! assignment this month was Panorama and thanks, in part, to some recent technical leaps in digital cameras, we received an array of impressive panoramic images. Some were created with panoramic “sweep mode” (in-camera stitch), which has made creating a panorama as easy as pressing the button and sweeping the camera in front of the vista before you. Others were comprised of a series of images that were stitched together in software on a computer. While there was really no wrong way to do it, because the process has become so easy, many images looked very similar. On the next few pages, check out the grand panoramic images we felt really stood out from the pack.

You all know the story of Jim Domke, the Philadelphia photojournalist who nearly 40 years ago (1975) developed a camera bag to suit his own needs and in the process created a product family that’s sold nearly one million units and is used by photographers around the world. If you stay interested in photography long enough, sooner or later you’ll own a Domke. Or two. 

maging drones are getting smaller and smaller but you still need something to haul them around in. Think Tank Photo is gearing up to release a travel-friendly and comfortable backpack for users of DJI Phantom 2, Phantom 2 Vision (and similar model) drones.

IInstagram has introduced five new creative filters for its popular, photo-sharing app: Slumber, Crema, Ludwig, Perpetua, and Aden.