The Pocket Toddy is a compact, double sided lens cleaning cloth that conveniently folds down into its own tiny pocket and includes a sturdy tab that lets you attach it to your key ring. It measures (unfolded) 5x7 inches and folds down to just 2x2½ inches, to easily fit in your pocket or handbag.
When photographers talk "resolution" they usually measure it in megapixels. Today we're talking about a different sort of resolution, the kind that involves goals, intentions and idealized plans. Whether or not we follow our resolutions is irrelevant in my mind. Outlining a carefully considered course of action for 2024 and exploring new photography options are what it's really all about.
If you recently purchased a Mac of any flavor, you no doubt discovered that your new computer has a ton a great features but darn few I/O ports. No USB-A, for instance. Yeah, it has a couple USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, but where do you plug in your USB-A memory card reader? Or maybe an HDMI display?
Countless things appear at photokina that are not cameras, lenses, tripods, bags, materials, or lighting and studio. It’s part of the magic of the place. Calling this category “accessories” won’t do, because for most of us, “accessories” consist mostly of small things in blister packs: cable releases, lens caps, that sort of thing. At photokina, it can...
One of the most misunderstood and overlooked of photo accessories is, without a doubt, the lowly lens hood. At best, most photographers simply take lens hoods for granted. At worst, they leave them in their camera bags where they serve no purpose except to take up valuable space where you could be storing filters or extra batteries.
Photokina 2014 in Germany has been covered widely on the Internet already—including our own extensive reporting on the show on Shutterbug.com—so there’s no need for me to rehash the major announcements from the event, such as the latest full-frame cameras from Canon and Nikon and the like. My photo report here is aimed at sharing some wider ranging thoughts and perspectives on this important biennial show and what it told us about photography today and where it might be heading tomorrow.
PhotoPlus Expo in New York City may not have featured as many blockbuster photo gear announcements as photokina in Germany had last month but there was certainly an ample amount of interesting new gear and software at the show.
Slik introduced the first pistol grip over 25 years ago, heralding an innovative adaptation of the ball socket head. Still in production, that head has not changed, but today there are numerous variations on this basic design. Several are fashioned along the lines of a video game joystick. Two other types included here are the collar lock ball head and what I call the “vice grip” head.
The unique Pixentu photography jacket is designed for street shooters and other outdoor photographers who prefer to travel light without a cumbersome pack hanging from their shoulders. It features a myriad of pockets for a camera, lenses, and accessories like batteries and memory cards, with other protected c
Exactly what is a Platypod Handle? It's a grip for vloggers. It's a tripod tool: a camera riser. It's a versatile attachment point for lighting paraphernalia, microphones, monitoring gear and other accessories. It pairs perfectly with any Platypod tripod alternative and the Platypod Grip ballhead. It's the brainchild of highly respected NJ physician and brilliant inventor, Dr. Larry Tiefenbrunn, CEO at Platypod Pro LLC.
In my review of the original Platypod Pro I suggested that it was “Quite possibly the coolest camera support around.” Well, here’s news: it just got bigger—and better.
Designed for professionals, enthusiasts, schools, and clubs, the OpticFilm 120 scanner from Plustek ($1999) can handle negative and positive film, including 35mm filmstrips, individual 35mm slides, and medium format film up to 6x12cm format. The scanner contains an eight-element glass lens and can deliver up to 10,600dpi optical resolution, with a claimed 4.01 dynamic range using the supplied SilverFast software’s Multi-Exposure function. The tabletop scanner is about the size of a six-slice restaurant toaster (about 8x14.5x7.5”) and is supplied with a complete set of very well-constructed film holders, an IT8 calibration target, and a full version (not a trial) of SilverFast Ai Studio 8 software.
A good example of how digital picture frames have changed from passive displays with looping slide shows to interactive devices is the “concept” frame system from Casio, dubbed the Digital Art Frame. The frame supports playback of Adobe’s Flash Lite 3.1 content, with future plans for network downloads. Currently you have access to different types of clocks and calendars for...
What’s new and different in gadgets and accessories this year? While digital has overtaken cameras it seems that many of the accessories we saw could be used as much on a film as a digital camera, proving that while there might not be much new under the sun there are certainly variations that bend with the technological tide.
It’s a competitive world out there, so studios have to differentiate themselves with unique offerings and setups. Having a special line of albums or frames, or simply some stylish methods for their customers to display their precious photographs can help. A different background or method of more rapidly changing the background to suit the next sitting also helps. Here are some items that...