The Phoblographer

Photographers now can take their pick of cameras that can shoot stills fast enough to actually be movies. But Canon’s approach to a speedy flagship is arguably the most different from Sony’s and Nikon’s. Instead of creating a camera that can shoot both fast and high resolution, the Canon EOS R3 uses a less-headline-worthy 24.1-megapixel sensor. Canon is taking a gamble that the photographers who want 30 fps are also the photographers who prioritize exceptional low light performance over high resolution. And, they’re trying to sweeten the deal with an autofocus system that will just focus on wherever you’re looking.

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Will Canon’s gamble pay off, or is the R3 going to lose out to a higher resolution foe? Does the AF in this headline mean autofocus or the Urban Dictionary definition of AF? I spent a few weeks with the Canon R3, shooting everything from wildlife to equestrian to low light portraits. I was blown away by both the autofocus and the noise reduction in the dark. And limited rolling shutter distortion may actually make the R3’s top speeds useful.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Canon EOS R3 Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Canon EOS R3 Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Autofocus

Eye Control AF

Ease of Use

Metering

Image Quality

High ISO Images

RAW File Versatility

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusion

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Canon R3 has a top burst speed that’s actually useful because of a great autofocus system and a faster processor to limit rolling shutter. This camera can not only shoot in the dark but print ISO 128,000 and still look good. While the R5 may make more sense for detail work, the R3 is an exceptional low-light and fast-action camera.

Canon EOS R3 Pros and Cons

Pros

Impressive autofocus performance with both action and low light

Face recognition works phenomenally, even on birds and in dark scenes

Reduced rolling shutter distortion and 1/180 flash sync with electronic shutter

Excellent noise reduction at high ISOs

Eye Control AF

Built-in vertical grip

Lots of great controls

Weather-sealed

Cons

Resolution is lower than competitors (but this is partially why low light quality is so great)

Higher learning curve

Hot shoe adapter recommended for weather-sealing with older flashes

Heavier and larger than the R5 and R6

Pricey

Gear Used

I used the Canon EOS R3 with the 70-200 f4, 85mm f2 Macro, and 16mm f2.8 RF mount lenses. I also paired the camera with both the EL-1 flash and the Flashpoint R2 Zoom Li-Ion III and a wireless trigger. I stashed the gear in the F-Stop Ajna backpack. The reflections you see in some of the night portraits were created with Lensbaby Omni wands.

Innovations

Canon wasn’t the first to announce a sports-focused mirrorless flagship; it competes with the speed of the Sony A1 and the Nikon Z9. But, there’s still a lot of innovation here. Canon has included Eye Control AF, which was previously on some of their film cameras. This moves the autofocus point to whatever part of the frame your eye is looking at. The processor that’s behind the 30 fps top burst speed also reduces rolling shutter distortion with faster image processing.

Canon EOS R3 Tech Specs

Adorama lists the following specifications for the Canon EOS R3, shortened for clarity:

Lens Mount: Canon RF

Sensor Type: 36 x 24mm (Full-Frame) CMOS

Sensor Resolution: Actual: 26.7 Megapixel; Effective: 24.1 Megapixels

Crop Factor: None

Aspect Ratio: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9

Image File Format: JPEG, Raw, HEIF

Bit Depth: 14-Bit

Image Stabilization: Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis

ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 102400 (Extended: 50 to 204800)

Shutter Speed:

Mechanical Shutter: 1/8000 to 30 Second, Bulb Mode

Electronic Shutter: 1/64000 to 30 Second in Manual Mode; 1/64000 to 30 Second in Shutter Priority Mode; 1/8000 to 30 Second in Aperture Priority Mode; ...

Italy— Sharbat Gulla will now call the Mediterranean country her home. For those unaware of who Gulla is, that’s likely because you know her as Afghan Girl. She’s the 12-year-old refugee who stared down the lens of world-famous photographer Steve McCurry. The portrait went viral in today’s terms, and National Geographic was the platform that spread its power. Any time Gulla comes up in the news, so does McCurry’s contribution to her story, and many people show their disdain for the success McCurry has been able to enjoy because of it.

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Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl

It was 1984 when McCurry shot what would become one of the most iconic images of a generation. In 1985 it made the front cover of the June edition of National Geographic. During a 2016 interview with CNN, McCurry said of the image, “When I developed the picture, I knew it was special. I showed it to the editor of the National Geographic, and he leaped to his feet and shouted, ‘That’s our next cover!'”

A year later, McCurry would become a member of Magnum, an organization many people still regard as the leading photography cooperative. His other milestones include global exhibitions, a stream of successful photo books, and a long list of awards. It’s unfair to say this was all because of Afghan Girl; McCurry has plenty of work that holds up against that portrait. But it’s hard to deny that Sharbat Gulla was the poster girl for the rest of McCurry’s glittering career.

Between 1984 and 2002, nobody knew what became of Gulla’s life after McCurry took her portrait. As is often the case for a subject like her, she was unaware of her iconic status in the western world. Much of the developed world knew she existed, but nobody knew who she was.

That changed when National Geographic’s television department tracked her down and reunited her with McCurry after 18 years. Not much had improved since their first meeting. Nat Geo described her day-to-day existence here. She looked tired and wore the mental scar of a child who grew up enduring 23 years of war.

What’s clear is that both people involved in that image went on to live very different lives. And, because of this, people are calling McCurry out.

Backlash Against McCurry After Afghan Girl

As news spread worldwide that the Italian government had given Gulla permission to live in Italy, McCurry’s image returned to the forefront of the conversation. Twitter, the digital home of all political and societal opinions, was the platform for people to voice their issues.

One Twitter user, Fatima Ayub, said:

“I think Steve McCurry should pay Sharbat Gulla royalties since he became a millionaire off her image while she remained a refugee.”

November 28, 2021

I think Steve McCurry should pay Sharbat Gula royalties since he became a millionaire off her image, while she remained a refugee.

Another Twitter user wrote:

“She should’ve been compensated for widely (sic) viewed photo.”

I understand why people feel this way. But I disagree that McCurry owes Gulla financial compensation.

The Role of Telling Important Stories

The role of a photographer is to tell stories. Those who venture away from the safe zones of photographic practice and enter a world of risk and sacrifice have especially important stories to tell. Photojournalism and documentary photography helps to keep people in society accountable. A photographer’s sensor records events people wouldn’t be aware of if the technology and the person skillfully using it didn’t exist.

Is it sad that McCurry and Gulla are total opposites in terms of life experience? Of course. But Gulla’s experience in the world isn’t because of McCurry. I would argue that McCurry’s photographs served a greater benefit than paying royalties to his subject. According to his 2016 interview with CNN, McCurry told the reporter, “People volunteered to work in the refugee camps because of that photograph.” He ad...

It’s hard to not like the Leica 50mm f2 Summicron-M lens. We’re not talking about the apochromatic version. Of course, there’s nothing like that magical Leica “pop” that an apochromatic lens gives. Instead, we’re zoning-in on the non-apochromatic version. Small, affordable, and filled with character. I mean, you don’t know bokeh until you see what this lens can do. And the Rare Camera Store has this lens for $1,800 over at Blue Moon Camera’s website.

Welcome to the Rare Camera Store: a joint initiative of The Phoblographer and the wonderful folks at Blue Moon Camera. We work to bring you some of the coolest and rarest items for a great price.

The Phoblographer has partnered with Blue Moon Camera for the Rare Camera Store initiative. 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 folks who don’t touch the product. Sometimes you can’t trust eBay, but we trust Blue Moon! Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Leica 50mm f2

This Leica 50mm f2 Summicron is going for $1,800 and that’s a great price! It’s in solid condition and it’s even missing the little red dot. Jokingly, you could call it the 50mm-p ;). But seriously, this is one of Leica’s most affordable lenses for M-Mount. It will fit all the digital M cameras as well as the analog one. Load your camera with some Kodak Portra 800 for a classic look and you’ll be in heaven! Here’s what Blue Moon is saying:

“The Leitz 50mm f2 Summicron-M Lens (serial number 3914683) fits the classic Leica rangefinder bayonet cameras such as the M2, M3, M4, and M6. This lens comes with its leather case and cap.

This lens was made in Germany, but is not 6-bit coded.

This lens is missing its red dot from the barrel.”

But there’s more to it.

Our review! (Yes, we reviewed a copy of this lens a while back!)

We reviewed a copy of this lens a while back, and here’s what we said:

“This is a lens I’ve been asking many brands to create. Lots of modern lenses lack lens character and are overly sharp; They’re way too clinical. The Leica 50mm f2 Summicron M reminds us that there’s a lot more to a lens than image quality. There’s the small size, the ergonomic handling, and the overall experience. And of course, there’s the feeling it gives you. You can sit there and scoff at a Leica, but I’d implore you to try one. Anyone who scoffs at a Leica without using one of their products is like a vegan giving recipe advice on carne asada. All I’ll say too is that if you give it time you’ll end up loving it. And indeed, this is probably my favorite lens in the Leica M lineup.”

So why get this lens? Well, it’s small for starters. And small lenses just feel better on Leica cameras or adapted to another body. Then there’s the bokeh and image quality. It’s tough to beat it and to get a look like this! I was really, really shocked by how much I adored what the images looked like right out of camera with both Kodak Portra and the Leica SL2S.

The holidays are here, and you may as well get yourself something nice like this lens!

It was Labor Day weekend of 2021. I, a small business owner and entrepreneur, couldn’t turn off the work mode: a fault many of us share. So for a little while, I took the Canon EOS R and Canon EOS R5 to the waterfront to do a bit of testing. A few questions rang in my head. Is the Canon EOS R5 really too heavy for a photo walk? Is the Canon EOS R even a good camera anymore? After all, the Canon EOS R is more or less a pivot from the Canon 5D Mk IV. It’s got the same sensor, far superior autofocus, the same build quality, but not all of the same ergonomic pleasantries. And when I bought mine years ago, I truly liked it.

My job, of course, requires me to use a variety of cameras. So there are times where I’ll go months without touching a single Canon product. On this photo walk, I made some conclusions to myself.

I should preface this by saying that I didn’t come to these conclusions over a single photo walk. No, it’s been something I’ve debated in my head and with friends back and forth. Many have similar feelings about the camera. But overall, the Canon EOS R is still a truly incredible camera. Lots of folks like to inflate the flaws. What are those flaws?

Single card slot

Rolling shutter issues with electronic shutter

It crops the video when you go to 4K video mode

No joystick; you have to use a D-pad instead

What the heck even is that magic touch bar?

No image stabilization. Though if you really know how to shoot, this shouldn’t be a major issue.

It’s using an old sensor, which arguably still shoots many award winning images

More so than any other brand, I feel Canon gets a lot of flak. I never hear Sony fanboys complaining about how they constantly need to clean their sensors. There was a time in the past decade that Canon absolutely deserved all the vitriol you could throw at it. But that time is more or less gone.

So in 2021, what are the strengths of the Canon EOS R that still make it a good camera?

Even with big, heavy L-glass, the Canon EOS R’s autofocus runs circles around Nikon, Fujifilm, and the L-Mount alliance.

It’s the perfectly balanced R-system camera. It’s small but still gives you everything you really need.

The image quality is still just as lovely as it ever was.

Access to some of the most innovative lenses on the market

Access to fantastic flashes like the Profoto B10 and the Elinchrom One. We literally had a discussion among the staff the other day. All of us shoot regularly, and we all agreed that LEDs still aren’t there.

Some of the best weather sealing we’ve tested

A truly useful display

USB-C charging

Professional performance. I’ve used this thing side by side with a Sony a7r III shooting a party, and it outperformed Sony.

You’re getting a lot for $1,799

Of course, it’s older. It’s showing its age. The autofocus in the Canon EOS R5 is better and more advanced. What’s more, you can fine-tune the autofocus a lot more in the EOS R5 and EOS R6. But if you’re shooting portraits or photographing people, the Canon EOS R is still one of the best cameras on the market right now. If you need to photograph an event in low-light, then it’s also fantastic. If you just want to photograph a landscape or cityscape, everything you need is right there in the camera. The Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 do all that and more.

This was a fun set of tests to do: more for me and less for the poor PNY PRO Elite Class 10 U3 V30 SD card. At The Phoblographer, we test weather sealing and weather-resistant claims by manufacturers. If you can stomach this, check out the video at the bottom of this page, where we did some major weather testing simulations. If a product is stated to have certain qualities, we’re of the firm belief that they have to be tested and proved. We don’t take anything for face value. The test with the PNY PRO Elite SD 512 GB card was a little different though. The “Extreme Performance” that they state under the properties of this card has to do with its read and write speeds. I read this only after doing my torture tests though.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

This test involved three extreme steps.

A 15 minute wash inside a front loading washing machine that was finished off with a 500 spin cycle

12 hours inside a 1°F / -17°C temperature freezer, followed by four hours inside a refrigerator

180 minutes of being strapped onto an outdoor metal pole that measured at 116°F / 46°C

I know most SD cards aren’t built for these kinds of tests and I was hesitant at first to do them. Noting could withstand three continuous hours of exposure to Dubai’s midday sun (even in winter).

You’ll just have to read on to understand how the card fared through these tests!

Gear used

I tested the 512 GB PNY PRO Elite Class 10 U3 V30 SD card using the below:

Nikon Z6 II

Sabrent Premium 3 Port Aluminum USB 3.0 Hub with Multi-in-1 Card Reader

Bompani BI2876 6KG Front Load Washing Machine

Bompani Freezer and Refrigerator

Thermoworks Super Fast Thermapen thermometer

Test 1 – The Washing Machine

But first, a quick check to see if the card worked before subjecting it to some of the most extreme tests any SD card would have been through in Dubai. It worked perfectly as any good SD card from PNY should.

I clicked a quick picture and even shot a snippet of 4K video onto the card.

I might be smiling here, but it’s really just to give some hope to the SD card I had to dupe into getting inside the washing machine.

There was a lot of hesitation before starting the washing cycle. But it had to be done for science (and because we thought we’d celebrate World Photography Day with some torture tests)!

15 minutes later, I carefully took it out. It was still in one piece. I hung it to dry for a short while before heading on to Test two. That’s right I didn’t allow it to relax much.

Test 2 – The Freezer and Refrigerator

I used a Giottos Q air blower on the card after I hung it to dry and before I put it into the card reader. The reader recognized the card and saw the folders in there, even after all those wet spins.

Time to move on to the first of two extreme temperature tests. Spending the night in my freezer at temperatures that went down to 1°F / -17°C

I collected as much information in a scientific method as I could for these tests. I didn’t want to risk subjecting the card to temperature shock, so after spending 12 hours in a freezer overnight, I put it in my fridge for four hours.

Test 3 – The Dubai Midday Sun

I was genuinely afraid that the PNY SD card would melt at the points where it was in contact with the metal railing on my balcony. If it were out there for a couple of hours more, it probably would have. But the card didn’t have to deform for it to stop functioning as expected. Extended contact with and temperature body could mess up the interior of the card anyway.

After three hours, I measured the temperature of the railing. It was 116°F / 46°C. And this is just before winter is set to begin in Dubai. Imagine what it would have gone up to in the peak of summer. There’s no way that the SD card was going to survive this. It was probably going to be the shortest-lived 512GB SD card on the planet.

Result

It didn’t stutter. There was no extra long wait to see if the 512 GB PNY PRO Elite Class 10 U3 V30 SD card would be read by the multi-card reader.

Just as it did when it was ...

All images by Han Chen. Used with permission.

“I don’t have my own Zinstax, believe it or not. If I had a spare one, I would always send it to the next customer on the waiting list”, says Han Chen. Currently a student based in Germany, Chen’s brainchild is the aptly named Zinstax – a 3D printed back made for shooting Instax film on a Mamiya RZ67. His love for photography and making new things came together to produce this unit. In 2019 he realized the lack of such a product in the photography world, so he designed and manufactured one himself. As with almost all film photography lately, the results are uniquely unpredictable. The finishing quality of the Zinstax alone has me considering the thought of getting an RZ67 someday.

The Phoblographer: How did you come up with the name Zinstax?

Han Chen: It’s pretty simple, but there are people who still don’t get it. Zinstax = RZ+Instax.

The Phoblographer: How long did it take you to design the Zinstax? Did you have more iterations than you expected before you arrived at the final design?

Han Chen: About a year. I knew from the beginning that I won’t be able to nail it just in one go. After I slapped the mount plate I took off a 120 back on the SQ6 and realized that the focus was off, I knew there’s a long way ahead of me, and yes, there were countless iterations before the design was finalized.

The Phoblographer: There have been instant film backs for various cameras for some years now. Why did you pick the RZ67 as your model of choice for this unique project?

Han Chen: Honestly, because Willem Verbeeck shoots an RZ. When I found his channel, the Pentax 67 and the Mamiya 7 were my go-to cameras for 6×7. Although I got brainwashed by him constantly about how great the RZ system is, I didn’t make up my mind to get it because of its weight and size. Until end of 2019, when I had the idea to shoot instant films with these professional cameras, I decided that the RZ would be my final choice, because it looks gorgeous, shoots 6×7, and Willem has it

The Phoblographer: Why Instax over Polaroid? Was that a technical choice or an artistic one?

Han Chen: Instax films are way cheaper than Polaroids, that was the only reason I went with Instax. I want to just shoot away and not think about how much I’ve spent on the film

The Phoblographer: Do you think you might do something similar in future for other medium format cameras or even 35mm ones? I would love to see something like this for my Nikon FM2.

Han Chen: I will make an instax for the RB, as it seems to be the most requested one. It’s much easier to make a back for a modular camera system, because you don’t have to modify the camera itself. A back for the FM2 is probably too difficult

The Phoblographer: Have you had a sizeable demand for this from around the world? Have there been requests for instant backs for other camera models from your followers?

Han Chen: Zinstax is for sure a niche product, so I am still able to meet the demand as for now. People have asked me to make a back for RB67, Mamiya 645, Bronica SQ series, Rollei SL66 or even the monstrous Fujifilm GX680.

The Phoblographer: Is the film loading and ejecting a straightforward process with this back?

Han Chen: Yes. You load the film as you would do with any other instax cameras. Turn the crank to eject, once you get a hang of it, it’s super easy and intuitive.

The Phoblographer: What was the most unexpected challenge you faced with developing and / or using this mechanism?

Han Chen: Making the light seal, for sure. You have to make sure no light gets to your unexposed film through the dark slide slot, when the dark slide is pulled out. How would you do that? I know there is an RB instax back on the market, and its solution to this problem is to insert another short “dark slide”, essentially a plug, into the slot. Perfect, right? No, it’s hilarious. Light is still able to get in when you’ve pulled out the dark slide and haven’t inserted the plug yet. Unless you can do it faste...

So you want to get into photography? Great! There are a couple of terms that everyone really needs to learn first before they get into this and beforehand. They are the most basic of terminology that is essential to photography. I will be using these terms throughout my pieces and this is a good reference guide for students that are taking a photography class as well.

Know this: these terms are very, very interchangeable in the photography world. Here’s the Sparknotes version of them all. You can refer to this list forever to find answers.

Rule of Thirds- This is the basic idea of composition. It is essentially dividing the image up into three horizontal and vertical sections.

These lines are available to see on most point-and-shoot cameras. On a DSLR, you can either change the filter in your eyepiece (viewfinder) or imagine them. Depending on who you ask (and I’ve been taught both ways by my mentors and in internships) you can either use the lines to ensure that your subjects (those you are photographing) are not centered or that they are centered.

For more interesting images, don’t center your subjects. However, there are times when it really is essential to do that.

Shutter Speed- This is how long your camera’s shutter stays open for and it can be read on either the back of your screen or within the viewfinder. It is typically a fraction or a whole number.

For example:

1/15 = a fifteenth of a second

1/1000= a thousandth of a second

1”= 1 second

15” = fifteen seconds

Here are the basic rules to follow:

The longer the shutter speed the more motion that will be captured and the stiller you need to remain. This is great for capturing nighttime scenes.

The faster the shutter speed the less motion will be captured. This is great for capturing fast moving objects like sports action.

On your camera, this can be seen with the S mode.

Aperture- This is also known as an F stop. It controls how much of your image is in focus or not (IE what is clearly and sharply seen and what is blurred out.) It also controls how much light comes into the lens of your camera and hits the sensor (the equivalent of film.)

In general:

f1.4 = Enables high shutter speeds, not much is in focus.

f2.8 = Enables almost as high shutter speeds, more is in focus. Great for portraits.

f11 = Needs slower shutter speeds, much more is in focus.

f22 = Needs the slowest of shutter speeds. Everything you point your lens at should be in focus. Best used with a flash unless there is tons of available bright light.

On your camera this is also known as AV mode.

Depth of Field- This is what is the range of distance within the subject that is acceptably and sharply in focus. It can be controlled using your F stops.

ISO- Light sensitivity of your camera’s sensor. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your camera will be to light and the grainier your images will be. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive the camera will be to light and the less grainier your images. Higher ISOs allow for faster shutter speeds.

ISO 100 = great for daylight use, no image grain.

ISO 400 = great for twilight use, a bit more grain.

ISO 1600 = much more suited towards low light or high action where you need to stop fast movement.

ISO 6400 = Even better suited to low light and fast action, but delivers grainy images.

Manual- A shooting mode on your camera that enables you to control every aspect of shooting. You can manipulate the shutter speeds, ISO settings, aperture settings and loads more. On your camera this is the “M” mode.

Exposure- This term is used very, very interchangeably in the photographic community. It can mean your shutter speed, a single photo and other things. Your camera has something called, “Exposure Compensation” that depending on the meter will either make your image brighter or darker.

The way it typically can work on your camera is by adjusting the shutter speed, ISO or aperture depending on what shooting mode (manual, aperture, shutter priority or program) that you are in...

The 28mm lens is a classic focal length for many photographers. It’s true that 35mm and 50mm lenses tend to see more of the spotlight and are romanticized more often. But the 28mm lens embodies the truth that if your photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough. If you’re shooting street photography, one of the best lenses you can grab is a Leica 28mm lens. In this guide, we’ll go through how to get the most from them!

This blog post is presented by Leica.

Why Zone Focusing Is Perfect for Street Photography

So, why is the Leica 28mm lens perfect for street photography? Well, that’s because it lets you zone focus. Zone focusing is awesome, and it makes street photography much easier. All you do is set the focusing on your Leica 28mm lens to a certain distance away, stop the lens down to get a workable area in focus, and shoot! That’s it. This means you can do things like work a scene! See some nice light? Cool! Focus into that area, wait for something photogenic to happen, and then shoot.

Otherwise, you can casually walk around and photograph too. Pay attention to anyone and anything happening in that preset distance away. Then just photograph it as it happens.

With a 28mm lens, you’re getting more of a scene in focus at a given aperture than you would a 35mm or 50mm lens. Be warned, this means you might have to get over your fears of getting close to subjects. You could crop in using the resolution of a camera like the Leica M10R, of course. Otherwise, you can aim to frame your scenes a bit wider. If you do that, just be careful of distracting elements.

The Leica 28mm Lens: Which One to Get?

PS We’ve got an entire guide to Leica 28mm lenses right here. But here are some critical questions to ask yourself:

Describe yourself and how you shoot. Do you get close up?

Do you shoot in low light often and need more of a shallow aperture? If so, you might want the Leica 28mm f1.4 Summilux!

Do you want something lighter and more balanced or bigger with more potential? Smaller lenses include the Leica 28mm f2.8.

Do you have a fear of getting up close and personal to people? Maybe the 28mm lens isn’t right for you. But a lot of us like getting up close.

Do you prefer to be connected to the shot and manually focus a lot, or is prioritizing getting the shot more important?

What’s your budget?

These are just a few questions you’ll need to answer.

Tips for Zone Focusing

Here are a few more tips for zone focusing with a Leica 28mm lens that you probably haven’t heard before:

The really sweet and balanced spot is around five feet away. At this distance you’ve got a workable scene. You can also stop the lens down to get subjects in focus while getting a lot of light to hit the sensor.

Start off by metering the scene off your hand. This will give you a great idea as to what the exposure needs to be. Shoot in aperture priority. Then figure out the minumum shutter speeds you can get and set the ISO to a stop faster than that. It isn’t uncommon to shoot street photography these days at ISO 1600 or ISO 800. This is what’s needed for when you stop the lens down. You want the shutter to minimize camera shake and motion blur, unless that’s part of your creative vision.

A lot of photographers use the Leica Visioflex to get their images. If you just want to stick with the rangefinder, just take notice of what’s on the same focusing plane as your subject.

If you’re taking the time to focus and recompose, don’t pivot the camera. Instead, focus on the subject using the center rangefinder patch, and slide it. This way, all the work you did you get the subject in focus won’t be undone. Pivoting throws off the plane of focus.

Get an idea of what the world looks like when you shoot from the hip. This is often similar to a child’s point of view. (Children can create some of the most remarkable photos.)

Sometimes it’s a good idea to stop and take a scene in. Look around at the light. Maybe set the camera down and do a long exposure of people moving a...

If you were to look at the 35mm lens lineup for Sony FE cameras, you’d be shocked. There are tons of 35mm lenses for them. That means there’s some overlap and a large variety of options. Want something cheaper? It’s available. How about something more premium? There are options for that too. We dove into our Reviews Index and our Sony FE Lens Guide to help you find you the best 35mm lens for Sony FE cameras. Take a look!

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 Using a 35mm Lens for Sony FE Cameras

Sigma 35mm f1.2 DG DN Art

Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary

Rokinon 35mm f2.8 FE

Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD

Sony 35mm f1.4 GM

Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8

Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art

Sony 35mm f1.8 FE

Zeiss 35mm f2 Loxia Biogon T

Sony Zeiss 35mm f1.4 ZA

Pro Tips on Using a 35mm Lens for Sony FE Cameras

Here are some pro tips on choosing a 35mm lens for Sony FE Cameras.

Sony has a few 35mm lenses that they make themselves. In fact, they make four 35mm lenses as of publishing this roundup.

35mm lenses for Sony FE cameras cover lots of different criteria. Need something weather-resistant? Well, our reviews literally go deep into covering this aspect.

Just because a lens is big and heavy doesn’t mean it will suit you. Editor in Chief Chris Gampat adores his 35mm f1.8 FE. He used to own the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art lens, but it’s too heavy.

Don’t get suckered into faster apertures. They don’t always mean you’ll get the image quality you want.

Sony’s lenses tend to be very clinical. So too are Sigma’s. Take that for what it’s worth.

Sigma 35mm f1.2 DG DN Art

In our review, we state:

“One of the reasons why you’d buy the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is the bokeh. Of course, the photographer who really enjoys bokeh will go for this lens. But for most of us, there is very little practical reason for it unless you plan on working with special lighting and delivering a unique look. Canon’s 50mm f1.2 RF provides an almost medium format look, but the Sigma doesn’t give me that vibe. Besides bokeh, the argument for an f1.2 lens would be to use it in low light. But with ISO abilities at 12,800 being fairly decent, I’d make an argument that this is rubbish. So why go for f1.2? Honestly, it’s the bokeh. You really want that slim sliver of the scene in focus. Again, couple this with off-camera lighting for a more unique look.”

Buy Now: $1,499

Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary

In our review, we state:

“The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is part of the I series of Sigma lenses. As part of the company’s contemporary lineup, it’s not at all innovative. There are tons of 35mm f2 lenses on the market. And they’re all very good. But nothing really makes the Sigma stand out.”

Buy Now: Usually around $594

Rokinon 35mm f2.8 FE

In our review, we said:

“The Rokinon 35mm f2.8 has very typical Rokinon colors. They’re saturated but not uber contrasty the way Sigma tries to make an image appear sharper than it really is. But Rokinon’s lenses have good color overall. The Rokinon 35mm f2.8 is no exception here.”

Buy now: $229

Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD

In our review, we said:

“The Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 (Model F053) renders colors accurately with buttery smooth bokeh and negligible chromatic aberrations. When it comes to sharpness, the Tamron 35mm f2.8 wins against the pricier Sony 35mm f2.8 Zeiss, hands down. If the Tamron were any sh...

The modern world of portrait photography is very sterile. Modern photographers often shoot with cameras and lenses that get rid of all the fun. And then a portrait photographer often needs to spend hours grinding away in post-production to get what they want. But seriously, you don’t have to do it. Want that cool vintage lens flare? Or what about just a softer look. Well lucky for you, we dove into our reviews index to find a bunch of great products from Lensbaby. It will give you the extra clove and bergamot that your photography has been lacking.

Reader Exclusive Deal: Lensbaby currently has 15% off on all products in their store. But if you use our links to their store and enter promo code phoblog you’ll get an extra 10% off, which totals 25% off their products.

This piece is presented in partnership with Lensbaby. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the products in this post already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you.

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 for the Portrait Photographer That’s Bored

Lensbaby OMNI System and Expansions: The Lens Flare You Want

Lensbaby Edge 35: Tilt-Shift Portraits!

Lensbaby Velvet 85: The Glow a Portrait Photographer Is Looking For

Lensbaby Sol 45: Tilt-Shift and Bokeh!

Pro Tips for the Portrait Photographer That’s Bored

Here are some pro tips for the portrait photographer:

All of these items are from Lensbaby. If you’re used to fast-paced shoots, it’s time to slow down. You’re going to shoot less photos, and shoot them with a more intention.

Forget about doing it in post-production. A portrait photographer can do everything in-camera with these lenses and accessories.

Experiment with all sorts of funky colors, projectors, and more to get the look you want.

All of these were independently reviewed using the Sony FE camera system. But these products are available for pretty much any system around.

Sick of Sony’s super sharp and sterile lenses? Why not give these a try?

Lensbaby OMNI System and Expansions: The Lens Flare You Want

How to Use It: The OMNI system is a series of prisms and crystals that can be placed in front of your camera lens. Observe where the light is hitting from and place the prisms directly over that angle.

In our review, we state:

“Many things in life are easy to use but challenging to master, and such is the case with the Lensbaby OMNI Creative Filter System. While the OMNI can effortlessly adapt to a variety of different camera setups, you will have the easiest time using the system with a camera that has excellent Live View functionality, or at least a high-res Electronic View Finder. Since you’re basically modifying the way light enters your camera, it helps to see what the various Effect Wands are doing as you’re repositioning them and making adjustments. You’ll also create the most impressive results using the OMNI Creative Filter System when shooting in well-lit environments, or have light sources directly facing your camera lens.”

Buy Now

Lensbaby Edge 35: Tilt-Shift Portraits!

How to Use It: Think about tilt-shift portraits! Imagine just the face in focus and not much else in a scene. It’s going to be so fun!

In our review, we state:

“If you’re using the Lensbaby 35mm f3.5 Edge, then you may be a bit put off by the slow f3.5 aperture of the optic. We completely understa...