The Phoblographer

Toy photography allows adults to be kids again. It allows them to play around, experiment, jump into a world of fantasy, and document it all with their cameras. While it’s fun and games, executing good toy photography requires a high level of attention to detail and creative vision. When poorly executed, you have a bunch of toys that tell no story. However, you create an entirely new world that people demand you invite them into when it’s done well.

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Not all toy photographers behave equally. Some like to tap into their favorite childhood characters and give those figures a new birth of life. Others prefer to design, build, and photograph toy miniatures all by themselves. Motives differ too. Some toy photographers crave nostalgia, while others use toy photography as a way to brighten up their day job. Whatever the reason, we’re glad we get access to this type of photography. Reflecting on 2021, maybe we should have featured more toy photographers on the site. Each one we did publish has received rave reviews and is extremely popular. We can focus on bringing more in 2022. In the meantime, however, let’s look at three of the best examples of exceptional toy photography.

1. Gareth Mcgorman Doesn’t Use Photoshop for His Toy Photography

Gareth Mcgorman likes to keep himself low-key. He’s not one to plaster his face and thoughts all over social media. Instead, he likes to let his photographs do the talking. In an interview in early 2021, he told The Phoblographer, “I want people to see my photography first and see it on its own merits without knowing much about who I am.” Mcgorman dazzled us with his straight-to-the-point toy photography that came with no extra frills in post-production. He built narratives, played around with home appliances, and brought his army miniatures to life. To photograph his scenes, Mcgorman used the Canon EOS Rebel T6. It’s not the most high-end camera, but it proves you can make strong work even with a budget system. You can see more of Mcgorman’s toy photography here.

2. Bebe Wang Uses Toy Photography to Revisit Childhood

Every adult can recall their favorite childhood program. For most of us, they remain a thing of the past, something that crops up in our minds from time to time. Photographer Bebe Wang is different. He didn’t want to leave his childhood in the past; he uses toy photography to bring it to the present. “Doraemon is a fictional character in the Japanese manga and anime series created by Fujiko Fujio,” Wang told us. He added, “The story is full of positive energy, and it gives me a lot of inspiration to look at things positively and always remain curious about the future.” Bringing the series back to life, Wang created different scenes in the comfort of his home. He shot the series on the Sony a7 III, a camera known for its beautiful 24MP full-frame sensor and fast autofocus. Check out Wang’s series here.

3. Allan Teger Dedicated Decases to His Craft

Allan Teger combines still life with the human form for his toy photography. Thinking outside the box, Tegar made the miniatures the protagonists and the humans the world they exist in. “My Bodyscapes came directly out of my background in psychology,” said Tegar in an interview with The Phoblographer. He continued, “I wanted to show through art that there could be multiple realities existing together.” He blended his realities perfectly, and the interview continues to attract new eyes daily. Many years ago, Tegan used a Nikormat camera when he first began the series. He’s upgraded and now uses the popular Nikon D850. You can see more of his work here.

Send Us More!

Reflecting on the superb toy photography we published in 2021 reinforces that we need to share more of this type of work. We’ll work on that in 2022, and if you would like to help, send us your work by using the submission form below. Until then, be sure to enjoy the work fr...

We sincerely love receiving emails from our readers, especially when we’ve helped them and they’re curious to learn more. So that’s what happened recently with Bryan, who consented to me turning our email into a blog post. He’s owned the Canon 5D MK 4 for years, and after reading our Canon EOS R review update, he’s curious about making the move to mirrorless. But will it work for him?

How Good Is the Canon EOS R?

Here’s what Bryan said:

Chris,

I enjoy the Phoblographer site. Thanks for your work, there.

I read your updated Canon R review just after talking with Canon’s Customer Service department to arrange a cleaning/calibration for my 5d4, 7d2, and 70-200. I primarily shoot concerts and sports.

I’m not completely satisfied with the 5d4’s focusing ability in nasty concert situations (mainly smaller local venues). Prices are now such that I can sell the 5d4 and get the R with an adapter and still probably have a little left over. From your perspective, for concert photography, is that the best move? Anything I’d miss?

Thanks,Bryan

And here’s how I responded:

Dear Bryan,

Thanks for the email. Did you download our app for iOS, iPadOS, and Android? It’s got minimal banner ads there and for $24.99/year, you can get the content banner ad-free within the app. I’m strongly encouraging everyone to start moving over to there.

Man, I used to shoot concerts years ago. I loved the thrill of getting right up on stage and having artists perform right there. It was awesome.

To answer your question, yes. It’s worth it to move away from the 5D Mk 4 for sure. The autofocus with the Canon EF to RF adapter (the official one) is pretty darned good. It’s not your 70-200mm but it’s a Sigma in this post. And if a Sigma did well with how slow their performance is, then I’m sure others would. To help you out a bit more, I also tested the Canon EOS R with the 85mm f1.4 EF L lens. And in that review, I said it performed admirably. However, I tested it mostly for portraiture with models. I’m still pretty sure it can keep up. I also tested it in low light, and it worked well.

For a little bit more insight, a while back, Nissin did some sponsored content with us where I used the Canon EOS R to shoot a party in super low light. Out of that post, I made this comparison with Sony. And even then the Canon EOS R won. However, I think part of it could be that I’m using the Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L. That lens is seriously incredible and very reliable.

As far as what you’d miss?

The joystick, but honestly you can set the Canon EOS R to face detection, let it choose the faces, lock onto them, and then keep shooting. Switching faces might be a bit difficult, but it’s not impossible.

The lack of a drive mode button. This is an issue with the Canon EOS R5 too.

The back aperture wheel is gone. I set mine to have the aperture around the lens, the front top wheel to be shutter speed, and the back top wheel for ISO control. The EOS R only lets you change the ISO when metering is happening.

Maybe the heft and size? I sure as hell don’t miss it.

You can set the EOS r to have exposure preview in the viewfinder or you can set it to take off exposure preview. All cameras, regardless, focus fast with exposure preview off.

You might disable the magic touch bar. I set it to only give me star ratings when I’m reviewing photos on the back LCD. That way, I can pull them into Capture One, sort by starred, and then work on those immediately. The less time I’m spending in post-production the happier I am. From what I remember of shooting concerts, I’d totally do the same thing today.

Make sure your Canon EOS R is up to date with firmware. After the latest firmware updates, it becomes a completely different camera. Honestly, there’s not much else. I was ecstatic to move away from DSLRs. I’m legally blind and every time I asked manufacturers to make diopters that could cater to someone with kerataconus it fell on deaf ears.

I hope this helps.

In all honesty, I still use the Canon EOS R. If...

The great thing about the Leica L mount is that it’s incredibly adaptable. But more than anything else, you can adapt a ton of Leica M-mount lenses onto the camera bodies. Leica has an official adapter that boasts incredible build quality and reliability. But more than that, there are also tons of options available on the market. And you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg. We went into our Reviews Index to find some of the best Leica lenses to adapt to L mount cameras. Dive in with us!

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The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Table of Contents

Pro Tips on Choosing Leica Lenses to Adapt to L Mount

Mitakon 50mm f0.95 III

Leica 50mm f2 Summicron-M (Non-APO)

Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M

Pro Tips on Choosing Leica Lenses to Adapt to L Mount

Here are some pro tips on choosing Leica lenses to adapt to L Mount cameras:

You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg. The Mitakon lens here is only a few hundred bucks.

If you’re going to do this, we recommend using the official Leica M to L adapter. Its build quality is second to none. And that translates to lenses that don’t shake when they’re on the camera.

Is it worth it to buy Leica lenses? Sure. They’ve got a build quality and look that are unlike anything else. Zeiss comes close, but not when it comes to build quality.

Zone focus with these lenses. They’ve all got the scales on them to help you do it.

These lenses are great for general use overall. We think you’ll really like them.

Mitakon 50mm f0.95 III

Why This Lens? The 50mm f0.95 is amazingly affordable for what it is. You’ll have a difficult time getting things in focus. But you’ll enjoy the images for sure!

In our review, we state:

“Personally speaking, I really, really adore this look. However, to be fair, I could see how it would annoy someone. I tried to remove it easily in Capture One 21, and it’s surely going to take some work. These lens flares help me believe that the Mitakon 50mm f0.95 III has coatings that the Japanese manufacturers don’t use.”

Buy Now

Leica 50mm f2 Summicron-M (Non-APO)

Why This Lens? The 50 cron is truly something special. This is the non-apochromatic version. It’s more expensive brother has a bit more “pop” to it, but this one also has something really going for it.

In our review, we state:

“The Leica 50mm f2 Summicron M is a stunning beauty in the image quality department. If you’re a pixel peeper, you’ll probably be impressed here. But honestly, this site was designed for folks who don’t pixel peep. Instead, you’ll appreciate how sharp it is without using tricks like contrast or saturation to make it appear sharper than it really is. Sharpness isn’t everything, though. The bokeh is smooth. The colors are beautiful. And, of course, there’s lens character.”

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Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M

Why This Lens? The 35mm f1.4 is a great lens in almost every single occasion. It’s hard to find something that it can’t do right. If you get yourself a good copy of it, it will live on your camera. Trust us.

In our review, we state:

“The colors from this lens are wonderful. When I look at the image quality, this lens delivers something about how it renders certain tones that remind me of the Leica M9. So if you want something close to that look, consider this lens. Again, we tested the Leica 35mm f1.4...

Nikon’s Z lenses tend to be much sharper than the older optics, an improvement that had me itching to try the system’s first macro lens. The Nikon Z 105mm Macro, formally called the Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S, brings a true 1:1 ratio to the company’s full-frame mirrorless system. The 105mm can shoot from about a foot away. So how does the Nikon Z system’s sharpness translate when up close?

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I spent two weeks with the Nikon Z 105mm macro to see what the system’s first true macro could do. The sharpness from this lens does not disappoint, while that 105mm focal length and macro capabilities make depth of field look easy. And, it’s weather-sealed for shooting tiny snowflakes and water droplets. But, there are a few quirks that may not be for everyone.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Nikon Z 105mm Macro Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Autofocus

Ease of Use

Image Quality

Bokeh

Sharpness

Lens Character

Color Rendering

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Nikon Z 105mm macro produces some incredibly sharp close-up images with minimal distortion. Nikon photographers will also love the stabilization and weather-sealing. But, focusing on close objects is slow, so it may not be the best choice for moving macro such as bugs.

The Nikon Z 105mm macro produces some incredibly sharp, close-up images with minimal distortion. Nikon photographers will love the stabilization and weather-sealing. But, focusing on close objects is slow, so it may not be the best choice for moving macro subjects such as bugs.

Nikon Z 105mm Macro Pros and Cons

Pros

A true 1:1 macro

Not as heavy as it looks

Thin custom control ring

Digital display

Great stabilization

Super sharp

Minimal aberration and distortion

Cons

Macro focusing often requires some hunting

At 1:1, the widest possible aperture is f4.5

Build feels a little more plasticky than other S series lenses

Gear Used

I used the Nikon Z 105mm f2.8 VR S with the Nikon Z7 II.

Innovations

The Nikon Z 105mm f2.8 VR S is the first macro Z mount with a 1:1 reproduction ratio. It brings some of the features that I’ve loved about the S series of lenses into extreme close-up territory. Nikon says the lens uses a multi-focus system and is designed to reduce chromatic aberration.

Tech Specs

Nikon lists the following specifications for the 105mm Macro:

Mount Type: Nikon Z Mount

Focal Length: 105mm

Maximum Aperture: f/ 2.8

Minimum Aperture: f/ 32

Format: FX

Maximum Angle of View (DX-format): 15°20′

Maximum Angle of View (FX-format): 23°10′

Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1x

Lens Elements: 16

Lens Groups: 11

VR (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization: Yes

Lens shift using voice coil motors (VCMs)

Diaphragm Blades: 9

Rounded diaphragm opening

ARNEO Coat: Yes

Nano Crystal Coat: Yes

ED Glass Elements: 3

Aspherical Elements: 1

Fluorine Coat: Yes

Super Integrated Coating: Yes

Autofocus: Yes

AF Actuator: STM (stepping motor)

Internal Focusing: Yes

Minimum Focus Distance: 0.96 ft. ( 0.29m)

Focus Mode: Auto/Manual

Focus limit switch with two positions: FULL (∞ to 0.29m) and 0.5m to 0.29m

Filter Size: 62mm, P = 0.75mm

Approx. Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 3.4 in. (85 mm) x 5.6 in. (140 mm), Distance to end of lens from camera lens mount flange, Based on CIPA guidelines

Approx. Weight: 22.3 oz. (630 g), Based on CIPA guidelines

Micro: Yes

Lens Type: Prime

Ergonomics

Because of the longer focal length, S-line designation, and macro capabilities, the Nikon Z 105mm macro is not a small lens. At 5.6 inches long, it’s going to take up a decent-sized slot in your camera bag. Despite the size, it’s a lighter than I expected, weighing 22.3 ounces. It’s not a lightweight lens, but it doesn’t overwhelm the front of the camera. It’s actually a little larger than the F-mount 105 macro, but lighter. Wearing this lens and a body aro...

Let’s be very honest here, Zeiss lenses are fantastic. They’re capable in every single way. For years, they also had some of the best image quality you could ever get from a lens. Zeiss lenses were available for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Leica-M, and Fujifilm X cameras. But after a while, they quietly disappeared from the photo industry with more of a focus on the cinema world. So what happened? Well, I’d like to relay what I’ve seen in my 12 years of journalism and covering the Zeiss company.

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For many years, Zeiss has been known as a premium lens manufacturer that offered a wonderful look. They were popular among Leica photographers and a few Canon photographers that used 5D cameras. The lenses gave a look that the Japanese manufacturers just weren’t offering. Zeiss optics were better. They were sharper, more contrasty, more vivid, and delivered beautiful focus fall-off. It’s was sometimes pretty obvious to tell when a Zeiss image was being shown to you. We were reviewing not long after I started the site in 2009. My first experience with Zeiss lenses was back in 2010. That’s over a decade ago. And even when I look back at that very old blog post, I still get goosebumps about how nice those photos are. A few times, I’ve gone to eBay to find some of those old Zeiss gems for DSLRs. You’d be amazed at how well they still hold their value.

Back in 2013 though, the entire lens industry majorly began to change. This was a time when major tsunamis and other effects of global warming were wiping out factories. It was also a time when third-party lens companies really started to step up and create lenses that turned peoples’ heads. Zeiss announced the 55mm f1.4 Otus lens. They touted that this lens, when shot wide open, would be as sharp as their competition’s lenses stopped down. And as we saw, they were right. I think every photographer at the time was drooling over that lens but also hesitant because of the insanely expensive price. Zeiss touted this lens as a no-compromise lens to create the single best optic, but they neglected a few major points. A lens costing over $3,000 should have weather sealing and manual focus, but they didn’t have either of those. Still, the image quality really did prevail.

Around the same time, Sigma announced that they’d be coming out with a 50mm f1.4 Art lens with autofocus. Amazingly, it pretty much held its own with the Zeiss 55mm Otus lens at a far cheaper cost. Lots of folks decided to go with slightly worse image quality with full understanding that they could edit the images later on. They really wanted autofocus though.

Zeiss understood this–and found ways to press on. They delivered the Touit series of lenses for Fujifilm X mount and Sony E mount. We reviewed all of those and really liked them. But again, it was sometimes the price that held us back. Then Zeiss partnered with Sony on the full-frame cameras by delivering the Loxia and the Batis lens lineup. The latter had autofocus, but we haven’t seen anything from the company’s lens division since 2019. By that time, they had pretty much given up on DSLRs.

For the record, the Phoblographer has reviewed the most camera lenses of any publication in real-world reviews. We’ve done entire lens guides for their Milvus lenses while their Batis and Loxia lenses are rolled into our Sony FE Lens Guide. Trust me, if we could test them, we’d do so. Across the board, our staff tends to really like the challenge that manual focus lenses give us. It makes our jobs a whole lot less monotonous.

There are some very odd, dark secrets in the camera and lens world. Some manufacturers make lenses for others. Other brands have closed-door deals. But Zeiss never managed to get autofocusing lenses for Canon or Nikon. However, they all had autofocus contacts for manual focusing. If Zeiss ...

Most new photographers would never know or understand when the best time to shoot portraits is. But if you want an effortless time and even diffused natural light, then you’ll have to plan accordingly. Most important, though, you’ll need a subject that’s got the time to shoot too. Better yet, you don’t need a fancy camera or lenses for this method. As long as you just know and understand the timing, you’ll see that this is universally the best time to shoot portraits. So what is it? We’ll tell you after the jump.

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The Best Time to Shoot Portraits and Why

The best time to shoot portraits is during an overcast day when the sun is diffused behind the clouds. Some photographers and producers call this the softbox look in the creative industry. Obviously, this doesn’t mean that it will always happen during the golden hour. The Golden Hour is very nice, but if you don’t know how to use the light, it’s also useless. Instead, it’s much easier to just get naturally diffused lighting in all situations and from every angle.

So here are some specific reasons why the best time to shoot portraits is during a cloudy day:

You can shoot at a wider aperture and a lower ISO. This will give you sharper images and often a lot of data to work with in post-production. As you raise the ISO of a camera up, it tends to lose both color rendition and dynamic range.

You can use your camera’s spot metering methods to spot meter for a subject’s face.

No matter the angle, and as long as you’re exposing accordingly, no angle can look bad.

You’re not going to have deep, dark shadows under their eyes or under their chin. No one wants those. I purposely grow a beard to hide my chin, for example. Or, chins, rather! Ha!

Colors tend to pop more with soft, diffused lighting.

If you’re using auto white balance, it’s going to add warmth to the image to make the skin tones look more radiant.

You can do all this using just natural light. If you choose to mix in a flash, it will just make everything pop even more.

How to Do it

Here are a few ways and tips on utilizing a cloudy day. Once you try it, it will really hammer in why it’s the best time to shoot portraits:

Possibly consider bringing a reflector. It will bounce light back into someone’s face and under their chin.

Don’t want to bring a reflector? Change the pose up or shoot very tight.

Shooting a photo with a subject by a red brick wall will make your subject appear more red.

Use your camera’s natural HDR mode. It will raise the shadows and nerf the highlights. But it will do it to the point where a portrait will still look natural.

Grab a lens with a shallow depth of field and a fast aperture. A standard nifty 50 lens is just fine. At that previous link, you’ll find our reviews of lots of them.

Pose your subject. Even though there is all of this diffused lighting, you’ll still have to move them around a bit. Come up with a concept of some sort.

At the end of the day, just remember that you shouldn’t stress any of this. Look at the image, assess what’s going well and what’s not. Figure out a solution to what’s plaguing your photos. And always remember to be experimental.

Most photographers automatically protect their camera with a padded bag — but what about the tripod? My own tripod is, admittedly, a little beat up from just being tossed in the bed of my pick-up truck. When I saw Manfrotto had launched a dedicated tripod bag to go along with the new accessories to their Tough series hard cases, I decided to give my tripod a much-needed break from the bumps and test it out. The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod bag uses a roll-top design that allows the bag to expand to accommodate more tripod sizes.

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Made for attaching to Manfrotto’s Tough series hard cases, the bag can also be used as a stand-alone tripod carrying case. It sports both a shoulder strap as well as a handle, along with those hard case attachment points. Priced at $60, it’s one of Manfrotto’s more affordable options for tripod bags that can accommodate a 34-inch folded tripod.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough is great for both adding to a Tough hard case or as a stand-alone camera bag. The size is better suited for mid to large-sized tripods as small travel tripods have a lot of extra space. While I wish there was an extra pocket, it’s a good reasonably priced tripod-carrying solution.

Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag Pros and Cons

Pros

Three ways to carry — shoulder, hand, or attached to a Tough series hard case

Expandable design

Lots of room even for heads with larger levers

Comfortable to use

Durable, water repellant fabric

Cons

No extra pockets

Zippers are not water resistant

Gear Used

I tested the Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag with the Manfrotto BeFree travel tripod, as well as the Vanguard VEO 3T+ 264CB without reversing the legs. I also tested this attached to the Manfotto Pro Light Tough 55 hard case.

Innovations

Two key features set the Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod bag apart from other options: an expandable design, and compatibility with hard cases. The bag’s design allows it to accommodate smaller travel tripods as well as larger heavy-duty tripods. Four attachment straps are designed to attach to the front of Manfrotto’s Pro Light hard case line, but this bag can also be used as a stand-alone option.

Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag Tech Specs

Manfrotto lists the following specifications for the Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag:

Weight: 1.19 lbs

Minimum Weight: 1.19 lbs

Internal Dimensions: 7.09 x 3.94 x 34.65 in

External Dimensions: 7.87 x 4.72 x 36.02 in

Color: Black

Volume: 11.5 L

Material: Nylon, Synthetic Fabric

Tripod Compartment Dimensions: 7.09 x 3.94 x 34.65 in

Types Of Gear: Tripod

Type Of Bag: Carrying Solution

Ergonomics

The main compartment of the Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Tripod Bag can be just 30 inches tall or up to about 36 inches tall. That’s thanks to a roll-top at the top of the bag that’s secured with a slide-on clasp on the outside of the bag. With the top fully expanded, you can fit up to a 34.65-inch folded tripod inside. The bag is narrower at the bottom and wider at the top. That means video heads with larger handles and dials will fit, provided the head is smaller than about 7 inches by 3.9 inches.

A zipper runs three-quarters of the bag’s length down one side and all the way through the top end. Even with the roll-top folded, that leaves a large enough opening to easily pull the tripod out. If you use the bag for the same tripod, you can adjust the roll-top as needed and leave it. You don’t have to undo the roll-top to unzip the bag. But, you do have to thread the zipper underneath the roll-top clasp. Reversing the zipper so that it started at the ot...

The Sony E Mount has a ton of lenses available. But the cool thing is that Sony bought the Minolta camera division many years ago. To that end, they took over the Minolta A-mount. The Sony a99 II was the last A-mount camera. Despite that, all the old lenses can be given a lot of new life. We were around to review many of those lenses from back in the day. So we’re rounding up some of our favorite old-school A-mount lenses to adapt to Sony FE cameras. Dive in with us!

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The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Pro Tips About Lenses to Adapt to Sony Cameras

We’ve reviewed lots of lenses. So here are some pro tips on the lenses to adapt to Sony cameras:

This list is focusing on the old-school Sony A mount, otherwise known as Minolta A-mount.

If you use an official Sony adapter, you’ll be able to use most of Sony’s newer autofocus algorithms. Try it especially with face detection.

These lenses don’t have the fastest autofocus. But they’ve got a look you’re going to love with every shutter click.

The cool thing here is that there are tons of lenses to adapt to Sony FE cameras. But we’re focusing on the lenses that lots of other folks haven’t even touched.

We’re very confident that you’ll see totally different results, especially with the 135mm listed here.

Sony 135mm f1.8

Why this lens?: The 138mm f1.8 from Sony is really nice. There’s character. And the newer G Master lens is very clinical in comparison.

In our review, we stated:

“Portrait photographers will be very happy with the sharpness the lens can deliver When combined with your studio lights to add more specular highlights, you can enhance perceived sharpness even more in real life use. Wedding photographers may find similar results, but 135mm is very specialized as a focal length so you’ll probably be keeping this lens in the camera bag unless it really needs to come out. In general though, the Sony 85mm f1.4 might be a better choice due to the fact that it is a much more versatile focal length. But the 135mm f1.8 should still be valued for its sharpness.”

Buy Now

Sony Zeiss 50mm f1.4

Why this lens?: This lens will produce a great balance of sharpness, nice bokeh, and just enough smoothness to not make you want to retouch too much.

In our review, we stated:

“But anyway, in all seriousness, the Sony Zeiss 50mm f1.4’s bokeh is quite creamy. Add in the fact that it can focus pretty darn closely and you’ll get some beautiful images that bokeh fiends will froth at the mouth for. Of course, the best bokeh is at f1.4, but the best balance of bokeh and sharpness is at f2.8. Heck, we’d even say f2 if you’re really careful.”

Buy Now

Sony 85mm f1.4

Why this lens?: The bokeh and colors from this lens are pretty awesome. It was made in the early 2010s and gives this nostalgic look of a time before the world started going into lockdown.

In our review, we stated:

“Overall lens sharpness is exceptional and gets better down to f5.6. In our life tests, we saw excellent sharpness in the corners and center area. Additionally, the lens resolved tons of detail which sometimes made retouching a bit more work than we’d typically like.”

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Firmware Version 1.5.0 incorporates the following enhancements and fixes: 1. Improves head detection performance to support helmets or goggles in winter sports. 2. Adds [Vehicles] selection to [Subject to detect] selection in the [AF] tab to support the detection of automobiles and motorcycles in motorsports. Adds [Spot detection] when [Vehicles] is selected as the helmet of the driver or rider. Detection may not be possible for ordinary passenger cars or bicycles, or for motorcyclists performing stunts or kicking up dirt and dust. 3. Improves detection performance for eye detection when: -there are shadows on the face. -hair is hanging over the eyes. 4. Adds support for torso detection of a person. If the eyes, face or head are hidden or cannot be detected, a person's torso will be detected and tracked continuously. 5. Adds the ability to import manual white balance (MWB) data from the Quick Control screen when capturing still images. 6.

Eliminates the center press operation of the multi-controller to prevent accidentally transferring images during FTP transfer. 7. Adds the ability, when using EOS Utility for remote shooting with two cards inserted, to set the recording method and to select which card to be recorded to. 8. Adds [Suppress lower frame rate] to [Smooth] in [Disp. performance], enabling the shooting screen to be displayed with less drop frame rate even in dark locations. 9. Adds support for the RF 5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens. 10. Changes the default value of [FTP server] → [Passive mode] to [Enable]. 11. Improves operation stability during FTP transfer. 12. Optimizes controls of In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) when using specific EF lenses not equipped with the image stabilization function. 13. Fixes an issue, in which noise occurs along the edges of bright subjects when using Canon Log for movie recording.

The Canon EOS R5 is, without a doubt, currently one of the most popular cameras for photographers. It has pretty much everything a professional photographer could need. Further, there are lots of great lenses available for it. And in the end of 2021, the Canon EOS R5 received a couple of great updates and support features that made it even more valuable. You can check out our updated Canon EOS R5 review right here. Or you can head below to read some of the new changes.

Table of Contents

Major Updates to Our Canon EOS R5 Review

Ease of Use

Autofocus

What We Still Have to Test

Major Updates to Our Canon EOS R5 Review

Here are some of the big updates that we made to our Canon EOS R5 review:

Ease of Use

With the release of Capture One 22, the Canon EOS R5 got quite the upgrade. The software lets photographers tether the camera to C1. This is pretty simple to do. On the Canon EOS R5, you just need to enable Wifi, have it connect to your Wifi network, and then recognize the camera in Capture One. Below is Capture One’s official video on how to do this.

And there’s a lot more where that came from.

Autofocus

Here’s what we’re saying:

The Canon EOS R5 got a pretty big update with the inclusion of vehicle detection autofocus. As Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis says, it’s not as robust as it is with the Canon EOS R3. I have yet to actually test this in a practical scenario. Canon says it’s really designed for motorsports and car races. And here in NYC, that’s sort of hard to come by.

However, in our original review, I didn’t do much to test the Canon EOS R5 for animal detection because the lenses weren’t available yet. But the Canon EOS R5 has been used with both the 100-400mm and 100-500mm L lenses. In both scenarios, the Canon EOS R5 performed admirably. What’s more, Canon makes animal autofocus much easier than with Sony cameras as of this update. Walking around Forest Park in NYC and the New Roots Queens community garden, I encountered a ton of wildlife. The Canon EOS R5 can track butterflies, chipmunks, squirrels, birds, and cats with little trouble. Specifically, it can do all this while set to the Animal ...

When the package from Lowepro arrived at my home, I was surprised by the size of the rolled-up backpack. It crumples down to about the size of an extra-large burrito or rolled up bath towel. At just over 400 grams, the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L won’t weigh you down when you’re on a hike. And for those who are conscious of how earth-friendly a company is, this bag is made of 84% recycled fabric. It’s made to easily hold the Lowepro GearUp series of camera inserts. But how good is it for those who don’t own any of these?

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Innovations

Gear Used

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease Of Use

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

It’s ultra-lightweight for a backpack, and it can be easily rolled up and tucked into any storage area without much hassle. Without a padded camera insert, especially one from the Lowepro GearUp series, you can’t simply toss your camera gear inside and expect it to feel comfortable on your back. Best to throw in some thick articles of clothing which can transform into the inner lining of the backpack (as it lacks any padding inside). It’s got a decent number of outside and inside pockets, but what disappointed me were the shoulder straps. I loaded the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L with only 6kg of gear and clothing in total. The straps were painfully cutting into my shoulders about halfway through a 5km hike.

This one seems more suited for quicker hikes with lighter gear. If you tend to carry a lot of gear on your hikes, I would recommend the Lowepro PhotoSport BP AW III.

This one seems more suited for quicker hikes with lighter gear. If you tend to carry a lot more gear on your hikes, I would recommend the Lowepro PhotoSport BP AW III.

Pros and Cons

Pros

I like that bright orange colour

Extremely compact when rolled up

Weighs only 400 grams

Made of 84% recycled fabric

Comes with attachment points for hiking poles

Pockets on both sides for tripods, water bottles or other similarly sized accessories

Top drawstring as well as back zippered access to gear

Good for quick, short distance hikes without much load inside

Good for quick, short distance hikes without much gear inside

Cons

I thought the shoulder straps would eventually feel comfortable, but no luck after three hours of hiking

Even a minimal lining of padding inside might have tempted me to pack a camera without any other protection

Even a minimal lining of padding inside might have tempted me to put in a camera without anything else

I don’t think I’d put expensive cameras in here without a proper camera insert due to the lack of any inner padding

Innovations

Photography bags and backpacks often tend to use recycled materials inside them, but I’ve never heard of one being made with about 84% of recycled material. Top marks to Lowepro for doing this.

Gear Used

I tested the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L using the below gear (weighing around 6kg in total).

I tested out the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L using the below gear (weighing around 6kg in total).

Sony A7 III

Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens

Dji Mavic Pro 2 FlyMore kit

North Face padded winter jacket

Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

Coffee capsules

Huawei P40 Pro mobile phone

T-shirt

Wooden coffee cup

Two aluminium water bottles

Travel pillow

Filters for lens and drone

Tech Specs

As seen on the webpage for the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L

Weight0.4 kgInternal Dimensions24 x 16 x 48 cmExternal Dimensions25 x 17 x 50 cmTotal Volume18 LMain ColorOrangeExterior Material70D triple ripstop nylon (recycled)

Ergonomics

I often carry around a lot more weight on my shoulders with regular backpacks, and while I wasn’t expecting the same comfort level with the Lowepro RunAbout BP 18L, I didn’t think the straps would be weighing down this much. Despite tightening the straps to perch the backpack higher up on our model’s shoulders, they still kept weighing down heavily on him. Croydon is someone who hikes often, works out regularly and plays football eve...