Just posted: MindShift Gear Filter Nest Mini Review.
The next step in bettering the kit.
The MindShift Gear Filter Nest Mini has been backordered everywhere, but it just showed up in stock at B&H
Watch for the Filter Nest Mini to arrive at Think Tank Photo | Adorama | WEX
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Just posted: Pelican 1615 Air Wheeled Hard Case Review.
This case is nearly the same as the Pelican 1637 Air Wheeled Hard Case, with one significant exception — the dimensions.
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Time to start planning: a total supermoon lunar eclipse is coming on May 15-16, 2022 and, barring clouds, will be visible to a significant population, including most of the USA.
From EarthSky.org:
People in the Americas, Europe and Africa will see the total lunar eclipse during the night of May 15-16, 2022. Plus, on this night, the moon is close: a supermoon.
Penumbral eclipse begins at 1:32 UTC on May 16 (9:32 p.m. EDT on May 15).
Partial eclipse begins at 2:27 UTC on May 16 (10:27 p.m. EDT on May 15).
Totality begins (moon engulfed in Earth’s shadow) begins at 3:29 UTC on May 16 (11:29 p.m. EDT on May 15).
Totality ends at 4:53 UTC on May 16 (12:53 a.m. EDT).
Partial eclipse ends at 5:55 UTC on May 16 (1:55 a.m. EDT).
Penumbral eclipse ends at 6:50 UTC on May 16 (2:50 a.m. EDT).
Maximum eclipse is at 4:12 UTC on May 16 (12:12 a.m. EDT).
Duration of totality: About 85 minutes.
Note: This total eclipse is central. That means the moon passes centrally through the axis of Earth’s dark (umbral) shadow. The moon is in a near part of its orbit – close to Earth – during the eclipse. It’s a supermoon.
Because they are so deep, such eclipses typically have the longest total phases. In this case, the duration of totality lasts almost an hour and a half: 84.9 minutes!
Get the complete lunar eclipse details at EarthSky.org
Plan to participate in this event. Order your long telephoto lens now from B&H to ensure the ability to capture the lunar details in high resolution. You might want to also pick up a tracking mount.
Here is the story behind the Super Wolf Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse 2019 Progression Composite Image.
Use your favorite night sky app (such as Photo Ephemeris) to determine moon's elevation. You need to ensure that the shooting location does not have obstructions that will not block the view during the shooting period.
Many of us will find the moon high in the sky when the eclipse begins and will be shooting nearly straight up during totality. The How to Shoot Upward with a Large Lens While Using a Gimbal Tripod Head article may be helpful.
Just posted: Cartoni Focus 8 Fluid Video Head Review.
The Focus 8 is entry level into the high-performing Cartoni Focus series.
Order the Cartoni Focus 8 Fluid Video Head from B&H or Adorama.
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Image quality, vignetting, flare, and distortion test results along with specs, measurements, and standard product images are now available on the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens page.
This lens is available in Sony E and Leica L mounts. Order the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens from Lensrentals.
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Image quality, vignetting, flare, and distortion test results along with specs, measurements, and standard product images are now available on the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens page.
This lens is available in Canon EF-M, Sony E, Leica L, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds mounts.
Save $75.00 instantly via the current Sigma promotion. Order the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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Image quality, vignetting, flare, and distortion test results along with specs and measurements are now available on the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens page.
This lens is available in Canon EF-M, Sony E, Leica L, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds mounts.
Save $75.00 instantly via the current Sigma promotion. Order the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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Image quality test results are available on the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens page.
This is a sharp lens that is available in Canon EF-M, Sony E, Leica L, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds mounts.
Save $75.00 instantly via the current Sigma promotion. Order the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens from Lensrentals.
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Expectations and additional information are now available on the Sony FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G Lens page.
B&H is indicating that June 24th is the estimated ship date.
Order the Sony FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon | WEX
A considerable amount of information is now available on the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens page.
The version I and version II lens MTF comparison is especially interesting.
From a specifications perspective, here is the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens compared to the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens.
Preorders begin at 10:00 AM ET on Thu, Apr 28th. I expect this lens to be hard to get for a long time and recommend preordering immediately at that time.
Support this site by ordering the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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I spent part of last week cleaning up the currently available vs. out of stock and discontinued status of the lenses on the site, saying farewell to an especially large number of Canon EF lenses. While some of those lenses should have been discontinued a long time ago, it was sad and nostalgic to let others go.
The bottom line is that, as I said recently, it is time to make the move to mirrorless.
With the EF lineup significantly impacted, I thought it would be interesting to again sort out Canon's 10 oldest lenses. What has changed since the over-4-year-old and over-6-year-old lists?
Here is the bottom 10 list in oldest to youngest sequence.
Model | Year Introduced |   |
Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Lens | 1991 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens | 1992 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens | 1993 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens | 1996 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon MP-E 65mm Macro Lens | 1999 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Lens | 1999 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens | 2003 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens | 2004 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens | 2004 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Lens | 2004 |   B&H | Adorama | Amazon |
Perhaps my biggest surprise in the above list is that the Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Lens is still on the shelf. The Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8L Tilt-Shift Macro Lens has a feature superset and optical performance far surpassing the old lens. While the L lens's price also far surpasses the old TS-E 90, the 30-year-old lens that won't go away is still rather expensive.
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens has long been a great value portrait lens, offering good build and image quality and quick USM AF for a low price. 85mm image quality has come a long way since this lens's inception.
While the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens produces soft image quality at wide apertures, it is a small and affordable lens. For years, this was the best Canon lens available in this favorite focal length.
The Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens's ultra-wide aperture and fast AF made it a first choice for its low light and background blur performance. L-grade build quality combined with a relatively low price added to this lens's appeal. This lens's image quality was greatly loved but now surpassed.
The Canon MP-E 65mm Macro Lens is a unique, fun lens that has relatively low popularity.
The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Lens is a great (cheap) option for the manufacturer to add to a camera kit to make the buyer thinks they are getting a better deal.
We loved the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens when it arrived. Eventually, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens arrived with dramatically better image quality. The 17-40 should have been retired many years ago from an image quality perspective. However, it offers an ultra-wide-angle L-zoom lens option to the budget-constrained photographer.
Since its inception, the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens has been a good general-purpose lens option for the APS-C kit. This lens features good image quality, a great range of focal lengths, decent build quality, image stabilization, and USM AF.
The Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens was Canon's first APS-C lens to offer ultra-wide angles of view to the APS-C cameras. It remains beside the EF-S 10-18mm IS STM Lens in the EF-S lineup.
There is no Canon equivalent to the EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Lens. While this lens has L-series goodness, a size, weight, and image quality penalty is paid for the long focal length range.
That concludes the 2022 roundup of the oldest Canon lenses.
What was the newest Canon lens to be discontinued? That would be the Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens, formerly the optimal budget full-frame DSLR kit lens.
Just posted: Cartoni L507 Carbon Fiber 2-Stage SDS Smart Stop Tripod Review.
This is an impressively rigid tripod.
Order the Cartoni L507 Carbon Fiber 2-Stage SDS Smart Stop Tripod from B&H.
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Just posted: Cartoni Focus 10 Fluid Video Head Review.
This head costs substantially more than the recently reviewed Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Video Head, but the Cartoni's fluid motion is better.
This head in the with-tripod kits is on sale at B&H – save $308.00 - $500.00.
Order the Cartoni Focus 10 Fluid Video Head from B&H | Adorama
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Overall, Canon and Sony offer outstanding camera and lens line-ups. It is hard to go wrong with either choice, and with no unanimous winner declared, neither Canon nor Sony will be referencing this article. However, making Canon or Sony happy is not my job — advising you is — and advantages exist between the brands.
While my kit is primarily based on Canon gear, I maintain a full complement of Sony cameras and lenses to use during evaluations. Having a solid basis from both brands permits a best-of-breed approach.
Aside from a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III utilized to capture the site's standard lens product images in the studio, the kit is all mirrorless (I know, I should sell that last camera and process R5 images to the 1Ds III pixel dimensions). Most of the best cameras and lenses are mirrorless models; those starting out should opt for a mirrorless kit, and those interested in bettering their kits should begin the migration to mirrorless.
The Canon side of the kit foundation is built on a pair of EOS R5 bodies. The R5 is an outstanding performer, featuring general-purpose utility, outstanding AF performance, and excellent image quality, including high resolution.
A Sony Alpha 1 and a Sony Alpha 7R IV represent sony in the kit. The a1 is Sony's flagship model, featuring up to 30 fps continuous shooting with no viewfinder blackout, 50 MP resolution, and best-available specs and features throughout. The a7R IV's only advantage over the a1 is higher resolution. It would only take a moment of weakness to upgrade the a7R IV to a second a1.
Listing the cameras was easy, and most often, the which camera decision is answered by the lens needed.
Let's look at the lenses, starting with the zoom lenses and following with the prime lens options. The sort within those two categories will be the widest focal length and then the widest aperture.
Although it does not go to 11mm, this phenomenal zoom lens is smaller and lighter, has a 2x wider aperture, is at least as sharp wide-open as the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens, and has the same price. That Canon lens is another great option.
I primarily use this lens for landscapes, nightscapes, and interior architecture. Note that the Sony cannot utilize front filters, a detraction for certain needs, primarily those requiring a circular polarizer filter. The Canon lens has the same problem; however, the Drop-In Canon Mount Adapter adds full filter capabilities to this lens.
Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens
The RF 15-35 is my go-to landscape lens, and it works well for other needs, including capturing the big view at events, etc. Because this focal length range is so important to me, I also have the most equivalent lens on the Sony side, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens. If a Sony camera is under evaluation, I'll take the Sony option without hesitation.
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM Lens
Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens
The general-purpose focal length range tends to get a lot of use, and there are currently three superb-performing options in the kit. Initially, only the RF 24-70mm F2.8 had membership, and the results from this lens never disappoint. However, a wider aperture or lighter, more compact option was often needed.
The RF 28-70 F2 had been on the want list since it first arrived, but I waited long enough to ensure the high cost was justified. As it turns out, I waited too long, and this lens was still back ordered when a large indoor music festival assignment hit the calendar, providing the incentive to order. Unfortunately, the lens arrived about a month after the concert. Still, other needs for the f/2 lens are steadily arriving, especially the event coverage it is perfectly suited for.
While the RF 24-70 F2.8 is not a large or heavy lens, a modestly lighter option can make a big difference when hiking long distances, and the RF 24-105mm F4 recently joined the kit to facilitate some hiking needs later this year.
A phenomenal general-purpose zoom lens is arguably Sony's biggest opportunity.
Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM Lens
My uses for the 70-200mm focal length range include portraits, events, landscapes, and product images. Until recently, the relatively compact and lightweight F2.8 lens was the kit's solo 70-200mm option, but some distance hiking needs justified the F4 variant's entry into the kit.
The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Lens is an outstanding option for those with a sony kit, and this lens addition would help round out the Sony kit shared here.
Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens
The RF 100-500 goes almost everywhere with me. This lens is an outstanding choice for landscapes, wildlife, portraits, daytime field sports, and more.
The FE lens fills this important role when working with a Sony camera.
Those with Sony-based kits should also consider the Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens. This lens shifts the focal length range to the long direction, which noticeably increases the size and weight of the lens. Because I most often have a 600mm f/4 lens complementing the long telephoto zoom, I opted for the more compact and wider-angle lens option.
Now we look at the primes, starting with a combined discussion of the widest three lenses.
Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Lens
Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G Lens
Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens
These three lenses will outperform all others matching their focal length, and the ultra-wide apertures make them the ultimate astrophotography lenses. These three lenses are in the pack if I'm photographing the night sky.
A 35mm prime lens most often joins the pack when portraits are scheduled. The strong background blur and low-light capabilities of the f/1.4 aperture are extremely attractive features, with the 35mm angle of view facilitating a great perspective for full-body portraits.
Canon's EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM is an outstanding lens, both optically and physically. However, the Sony lens is smaller, lighter, and less expensive. I purchased the Sony lens to review and kept it.
When this lens arrived in the Canon USA refurbished inventory, I couldn't resist adding it to the kit. Reviewing the RF 50mm F1.2 revealed it the incredible-performing 50mm lens we had long waited for.
The focal length and aperture make the RF 50mm F1.2 an ideal portraiture and event lens.
Later, Sony introduced the FE 50mm F1.2 GM Lens. It is also an outstanding choice, slightly smaller and less expensive. In this decision, select the lens that matches your camera.
Especially with the RF 85mm F1.2 and RF 28-70 later joining the kit, my 50mm prime lenses do not see much use. Thus, I don't own models from both brands, and the RF 50mm lens is at the top of the consideration to sell list.
This lens joined the most wanted list immediately upon providing the image quality test results, where it showed a stunning improvement over its EF predecessor. This lens is so optically high-performing that it is currently used for image quality testing of Canon EOS R-series cameras.
If portrait photography is on your list, the RF 85mm F1.2 lens is an outstanding choice, one that makes low light a non-issue.
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
The only non-mirrorless lens in this list, the adapted EF 100mm L macro is an outstanding performer. I may upgrade to the Canon RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens someday, but I'm not yet over the RF lens's focus shift issue.
Similar to the RF 85 F1.2 to the Canon system is the FE 135mm F1.8 to the Sony system. The 135mm focal length is superb for portraits (and products), and the extremely high optical quality is the reason this lens is used for Sony Alpha camera image quality testing.
Canon RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
Periodically, I decide that I could get along without a 400mm f/2.8 lens in the kit. Then life happens, and I realize how important this lens is to the needs coming in. A 400mm f/2.8 lens is used primarily for sports and wildlife photography, but it gets called upon for portraits since it is already in the kit. This lens delivers differentiating results in all its uses, with the background blur strength surpassing nearly all other options.
Sony-based kits should opt for the also-superb FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens. I like the Canon option very slightly better, with better image stabilization performance being the biggest differentiator.
Canon RF 600mm F4 L IS USM Lens
Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS Lens
Wildlife and sports are among my primary photographic pursuits, the 600mm f/4 is the best option for those needs, and this option for both brands is covered in the kit.
The Canon lens's image stabilization system is better, but I'll pick the Sony option for a sharpness advantage if extenders/teleconverters are needed.
Canon RF 1.4x Extender
Canon RF 2x Extender
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter
Sony FE 2x Teleconverter
I like carrying and using the RF 1.4 with the RF 400 F2.8, and I like using the FE 2x with the FE 600 F4 when photographing the sun and moon. Otherwise, getting closer is usually better than using extenders, and in this kit, extenders and teleconverters are most frequently used for lens image quality testing.
Which lens will be added to the kit next? It probably has not been announced yet.
Sony astrophotography lens recommendations are now available on the Sony Lens Recommendations page.
While creating the Sony list was easy, the Canon line-up has more room for improvement. New to the Best Canon Lenses page:
Best Canon Astrophotography Lens (Mirrorless)
Best Canon Astrophotography Lens (DSLR)
Just posted: Sony a9 II Review page.
Order the Sony a9 II from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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There is a Sony Alpha 9 II in my hands, and it is time to set up this camera for use. Following are the 36 steps taken to prepare an out-of-the-box a9 II for use.
I make additional menu and other setting changes based on current shooting scenarios, but this list covers my initial camera setup process.
To copy this configuration means you intend to shoot as I do - including in RAW-only format. While this setup works great for me, you should adjust the setup to your needs.
If you can't remember your menu setup parameters, keeping an up-to-date list such as this one is a great idea. Anytime the camera is set to the factory state, such as when being serviced or when acquiring an additional camera, you will be ready to create your setup quickly, while ensuring that an important setting is not omitted. If you purchase another same or similar camera, setup will be fast and identical. Consider saving the camera settings to a card (Setup/Tools menu, tab 7, Save/Load Settings on card) for an easy restore.
More Information
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Just posted: Manfrotto 645 FAST Twin Leg Video Tripod Review.
Another high value product from Manfrotto.
Order the Manfrotto 645 FAST Twin Leg Video Tripod from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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Just posted: Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Video Head Review.
This head has a solid feature set and strong performance for the price.
Order the Manfrotto 608 Nitrotech Fluid Video Head from B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
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Image quality test results from the Canon EOS R5 are now available in the Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens Review.
To get your comparisons started:
Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens compared to the RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
Order the Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens from B&H | Adorama | Canon USA | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens from Lensrentals.
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