The launch of the new Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S II made me think. At $3,197/£2,999 at the time of launch, this is a seriously expensive lens that is surely out of reach for anyone other than a full-time pro who can treat this lens as a logical business decision.
Canon
Canon is one of the biggest names in photography, making compact PowerShots for the consumer market, EOS DSLRs for learners, enthusiasts and pros, and an EOS M line of mirrorless cameras for new users. It also makes a more powerful range of EOS R mirrorless cameras which are steadily replacing its DSLR line-up.
Best Canon RF lenses on a budget: these are the ones I bought with my own money – and why
Here are the Canon RF lenses I have bought with my own money, for my own work as a travel photographer, photography writer and camera and lens tester. Canon’s exotic L-series lenses might be the stuff of dreams, but when it comes to parting with my own cash, I find common sense starts to take over.
The new Canon RF 14mm f/1.4 L VCM fills a gap that maybe shouldn’t even have been there
Canon has done a good job in filling out its RF lens range since the introduction of its new mirrorless lens mount. That’s probably just as well, given its stranglehold on third-party licensing. The new RF 14mm f/1.4 L VCM is certainly a great addition, especially for astrophotography, landscapes, architecture and interiors – but why has it taken Canon so long to produce an ultra-wide prime lens of a type you would take for granted in other systems?
The new Canon RF 7-14mm f/2.8-3.5 L Fisheye STM has a 190-degree angle of view!
Canon has at last added a fisheye lens to its RF mount line-up, and it’s a zoom lens not a prime. The RF 7-14mm f/2.8-3.5 L Fisheye STM offers both a fully circular fisheye image that fits entirely within the sensor area and a full width diagonal fisheye effect that fills the frame. It’s kind of like getting two fisheye effects in one, depending on the focal length you use.
Which are the best cameras for manual exposure?
While all mirrorless cameras and DSLRs offer manual exposure controls, and some higher-end compact cameras too, they don’t all make it easy. So this guide is designed to highlight some of the camera features and designs you should look for if you want to reconnect with manual exposure techniques.
The three best beginner DSLRs you can still buy new
DSLRs still have a lot to offer compared to mirrorless cameras, especially for someone who is more interested in photography than video. Starter DSLRs are cheap to buy, easy to handle and easier to understand than most hybrid mirrorless cameras. The battery life is longer and there are large numbers of good-value DSLR lenses to choose from, both new and on the used market.
The new Canon RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 is incredibly cheap… for a reason
The Canon RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 is a VERY cheap full frame RF mount telephoto which has kind of appeared out of the blue. Its headline feature is surely its price – just £289 in the UK, with US pricing yet to be confirmed. So at that price, there’s got to be a catch, right? Oh yes.
Is the new Canon EOS R50 V a godsend to creators or just clever but confusing marketing?
The entry level vlogging/content creator market is looking very, very crowded right now. Camera companies aren’t just competing with each other, but with cameras in their own line-ups. And the Canon EOS R50 V seems a prime example, taking some things away from an existing model, adding some new things and creating an even more confusing set of choices than ever. It might be a great camera, of course, so let’s run through the specs to try to see what’s going on.
The Canon RF 20mm F1.4L VCM is the latest addition to Canon’s hybrid lens range
But just what is different about these hybrid Canon lenses compared to the regular ones we’re already using quite happily for video? A few things, as it turns out, including manual iris rings, electronic parfocal focusing, focus breathing suppression and optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2 and PZ-E2B add-ons.
Canon PowerShot V1 launched, with predictable design but impressive specs
The Canon PowerShot V1 is a video/vlogging compact camera with a vari-angle screen and no EVF and a fixed 3x zoom lens. How many MORE of these box-shaped ‘creator’ cameras can the industry churn out? A lot more, probably, so the PowerShot V1 does need to do things a little differently to stand out from all those that have gone before.