The Phoblographer

Strobist lighting refers to using off-camera flash and isn’t usually known for using LEDs.

Ask any photographer that has worked in the past 10 years, and they’ll tell you about their strobist experiences. It all stemmed from David Hobby’s popular website. Then it became a huge deal on Flickr. Then on Instagram and YouTube. Some folks will tell you that you can do it all with LEDs and Photoshop. But honestly, that’s not true. A flash acts with a camera’s shutter speed and the laws of physics to actually shoot photos differently. They give you an extra pop that you really just can’t get with LED lights. And why would you bother spending extra time in Lightroom or Photoshop if you got it perfectly in-camera? We talked to a bunch of strobist photographers over the years. Here are a few of our favorite stories.

Kyle Kong Draws his Strobist Influence from Video Games

“Remember I said I wasted 4 years playing video games, and watching movies? Well maybe I didn’t totally waste those times. They are really the major part of my inspiration. I love drawing and bought lots of art books. I especially love those video game art books. Seeing how the those masters create their art from scratch. What they did on the composition for each painting, what background they used the make their subject stand out. What lighting effect and color they use to express the mood. These are very inspiring to me. Something even more interesting is they are either painting or 3D rendering. In order to create them in a photo, I have to really think hard about how I’m going light my subject or sometimes even the background. It’s not easy, but very rewarding.”

Olivier Valsecchi Uses Ashes and Strobist Photography to Tell a Survival Story

In our interview:

“Keep in mind that the series is about life and death in a same image. The paradox. The question : are they alive ? are they ghosts ? We’re talking about a mystical dimension here and our general belief is that Creation, and God, come from above. There are some religious references in those pictures, and it wasn’t intentional, I’m not a religious person, it’s just that they were the strongest pictures because they refer to art history. Religious art is a huge and very interesting heritage, and it’s impossible not to include that heritage in a body of work that talks about reincarnation, life after death. You see, ashes often symbolize the remains of a human being. Therefore, someone wearing those ashes could be interpreted as bringing his or her memory to a second life.”

Strobist Photographer Jaanus Ree Photographed Windsurfers

In our interview, he said:

“At first I did not know what lights to use Fast/slow, then transmitters- rather than using hypersync or 1/250 shutter. What lens to use- I had to choose between 200mm f2.8 with what I could get city closer but with higher ISOs or 85mm with an f1.4 aperture and nicer quality. In the end I found out it was the fast shutter with a wide aperture that created the best result.

Also as I dealt with a water I had to make sure that the transmitters worked, so I brought them away from every other piece of the technical stuff. This is why you can see me holding the transmitter with one hand while shooting with the other.”

Gretchen Robinette Used Flash at a Previous Afro Punk Festival

In our interview, she said:

“Every time, I just said,”Hi would you mind if I took your photo?” Afropunk is really a space for the freedom of self expression and feeling proud of your own uniqueness, and it was so gratifying to meet so many people who felt confident in their own individuality and wanted to be photographed.”

Brandon Kidwell Did These Double Exposures With Off-Camera Flash and No Photoshop

In our interview, he states:

“Photoshop is such an interesting thing for those that enjoy multiple exposures. For client work, it’s absolutely necessary as it is not likely you will pass all levels of approval in the first go. There are always adjustments and considerations. However, for the...

These cameras are pretty much brand new, and you can give them a good home today.

We took a bit of a deep dive into the Amazon refurbished pages. There’s a whole lot on there! For those who don’t know, refurbishing a product is like taking parts of it that are old and filling it with new parts. In general, they’re pretty much brand new products. Amazon has loads of refurbished lenses, Canon gear, Nikon gear, Fujifilm gear, and even stuff from DJI.

Renewed Fujifilm Cameras

We found a bunch of cameras for you to choose from. There are some as brand new as the Fujifilm X-T4 that we’ve reviewed. But then there are a few like the XH1 that are a bit older. Either way, you’re going to be very happy with whatever you buy.

Fujifilm X-T4 kit: $2,068.16

Fujifilm XT2: $949

Fujifilm X-T3: $949

Fujifilm X100v: $1,339

Fujifilm X-E3 Kit: $905.47

Fujifilm X-H1: $1,339.95

Renewed Fujifilm Lenses

The convenience of zoom lenses means that you don’t need to do as much walking. And these zoom lenses will work just fine on your Fujifilm camera. Be sure to check out our reviews index or our Fujifilm lens guide for more.

Fujifilm 10-24mm f4 R OIS: $683.57

Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 R WR: $839.99

Fujifilm 16-55mm f2.8 LM R WR: $1,126.21

Fujifilm 55-200mm f3.5-4.8 LM R OIS: $579.95

The Best Sony Lenses to Buy Renewed

Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master: $1,708.10

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master: $1,233.10

Sony 55mm f1.8 FE: $699.95

Sony 85mm f1.4 G Master: $1,424.79

Sony 24-105mm f4 G: $1,043.10

Sony 35mm f2.8 FE: $449

Sony 24-240mm f4.5-6.3 OSS G: $788

Sony 24-70mm f4 OSS: $637.02

Sony 12-24mm f2.8 G Master: $2,696.14

Sony 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro: $939.95

Sony 12-24mm f4 G: $1,379

Sony 35mm f1.8 G FE: $625

These pinhole photographers have foresight and thought to think ahead.

Pinhole photography is incredibly fun once you get the hang of it. It starts by throwing away the idea of absolute sharpness. Instead, you’re capturing a longer passage of time in a single photo. They say you can’t capture motion in a still photo, but they’re very wrong. We’ve interviewed tons of pinhole photographers over the years. And we’re rounding up just four of our favorites in this special post.

Interested in learning more about Pinhole photography? These books will probably teach you all you need to know.

Jon Wilkening Marries Street Photography with Pinhole Photography

“The camera’s f192 aperture meant that every image is a long exposure. Consequently, I began by focusing on subjects common in long exposure work such as a speeding traffic. I traveled down into Philadelphia armed with a sturdy tripod and a timer. However, the images felt like the standard boring images of speeding traffic with the pinhole effect slapped on top. I was then introduced to the blurry color work of Ernst Hass and it sparked the idea of embracing rather than fighting the blur. The freedom from the tripod allowed me to capture the energy that you feel on the streets that was missing from the previous images.”

Kenneth Leishman Was Burned out from Digital, So He Did Pinhole Photography

“I have always been drawn to color, but not vibrant colors. I love saturated, subtle colors like a Rembrandt painting. The great thing about film and pinhole, is the not knowing if it will come out; that to me is the exciting part. You don’t have a view finder to look through or anything to go off of. it’s all about exploring and adjusting to the scene, taking notes on what worked, what didn’t. I always have a pad with me to write down weather patterns, time of day, high tide low tide,metering, exposure time per every exposure etc. so I no what works, what doesn’t. How close I was to a rock, so I know the depth for next time. Film is not cheap, you have 12 shots to get it right. So slowing down and taking in the scene is huge. sometimes I won’t even shoot that day, if it’s not right.”

Bruce Postlewait Photographed an Escalator

In our interview, he said:

“Pinhole photography means slowing down. It means achieving a personal peace when there’s nothing left to do but lose myself in the horizon and the changing tide of a coastal scene as I wait for the camera to finish an eight-minute exposure at dusk. It means maybe making only two or three frames of film count for an entire day. It’s beautifully primitive and simplistically pure. I feel unbridled. I no longer fret about battery life or memory cards or spend a minute debating what lens to use next. It’s just a little wooden box, unfiltered, absorbing the world. And I’m by its side doing the same.”

Larissa Honsek Shoots Pinhole Portraits

In our interview, she said:

“The studio pictures usually follow a plan and many sketches of images and ideas that have arisen in my head. Then, I turn on the studio light and try to bring the idea to life through experimentation. [But] it always turns out differently… and always surprising. That is also the beauty of the process. The way (method) is the goal… Sometimes I think I should also document the process because it is so funny, but that exceeds my capacity in those moments. I have to focus.”

All images used with permission in our interviews. Want to get your work on The Phoblographer? Let us feature your photos!

Many photographers prefer messenger bags over backpacks–and these are some of the best we’ve used.

Sometimes all you need is a smaller bag than a backpack. That’s why lots of photographers love reaching for camera messenger bags instead. They’re positively perfect for mirrorless cameras. And if you’re not planning on bringing a whole lot around with you, why not get one? Of course, there’s a concern about weight distribution. But these bags are the most comfortable and ethical options we’ve used. We went through our camera bag reviews and our Reviews Index to figure out what camera messenger bags were best. Here’s our selection.

The Phoblographer’s various product round-ups are done by the staff. 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.

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020: The Tried and True Camera Messenger Bag

Weather sealed

Beautiful

Leather and canvas

Expandable pockets

Incredibly comfortable

Can pack a whole lot of gear, laptop, cords, and more.

Very well built

Nothing really, to be honest

Pro Tip: The key to using a camera messenger bag is to not overpack it. We have a tendency to try to stuff more gear in there than we really should. Even though the bag can handle it, it’s not good for your back. If you need to carry more gear, bring a backpack. But if you’re only bringing a camera, lens, and a few small personal items, messenger bags are great. Position the strap pad on where the weight is heaviest. Sometimes that’s your shoulder. At other times, it can be your chest. Move it around!

Tenba DNA 15 Messenger Bag: For the Working Professional

The DNA 15 provides quick access to your camera and lenses.

You can easily tote a 15-inch laptop, a 9.7-inch iPad.

The bag is comfortable to carry around for long periods.

The bag is TSA friendly and provides resistance to the weather.

It has a great design that doesn’t scream, “I’m a camera bag!”

The zipper ring pulls feel cheap compared to other parts of the bag.

The interior padding is on the thin side.

Closing the top zipper with one hand when fully open can be a challenge.

Portage Supply Mariner: An Impressively Comfortable Camera Messenger Bag

In our review, we state:

Pros

Weatherproof

Canvas and leather

It’s beautiful.

Heavy duty

Pockets exactly where I need them

The laptop sleeve is closer to the front, and so it keeps the balance of the bag when placed down on the ground.

The strap that makes it function like a suitcase is wonderful and removable.

This is the most comfortable strap that I’ve ever used on a messenger bag.

Cons

I wish that it had side pockets that were a bit more expandable.

Someone is bound to want to put more into this bag.

Buy Now

Fuji may be building the 18mm f1.4 to handle high resolution sensors.

Word on the Internet is that a Fujifilm 18mm f1.4 lens is super sharp. We tested a pre-production version. There has also been speculation about an X-H2 coming soon. The talk surrounding both of these subjects revolves around resolution. It sounds like Fuji may be preparing themselves for an 8k capable future. With Canon having jumped in already and Nikon following suit with the Z9, it wouldn’t be surprising. Not into video? Well, 8k will have an impact on you as well. Having an 8k camera means having a higher megapixel sensor. Will APSC be joining the 40 megapixels-and-over club now? Read on after the break for more.

Resolution Is a Theme for the Fujifilm 18mm f1.4

A post by Fuji Rumors points out that resolution was a priority in designing this new lens. Fujifilm manager Ueno apparently said that resolution was one of the main goals in design. As a result, it sounds like the Fujifilm 18mm f1.4 is future-proofed against high-resolution cameras. Otherwise, there would be no reason to mention resolution as a priority. This does seem to back the theory that Fuji may be gearing up to produce an 8k capable camera soon. It also gives weight to speculation that Fuji is revamping many of its lenses in the future. If Fuji produces a 40-plus megapixel camera, they are definitely going to need lenses to compliment that.

Is a Megapixel War Coming for APSC?

Marketing departments have done a fine job selling higher and higher resolution cameras for years now. It seems like they are not ready to stop yet. Canon had to be the first Mirrorless camera to ship with 8k video. Sony’s A7RIV boasts a 61-megapixel Full-Frame sensor. However, for a long time now, APSC has seemed to settle in around the 24-megapixel mark. Canon recently bumped that up a bit with the M6 Mark II and the EOS 90D. Those cameras are now boasting a 32.5-megapixel sensor. If Fujifilm is priming up to release a 40-something megapixel camera, the war could ignite in APSC.

Sizing up the Competition

The Fujifilm 18mm f1.4 seems to confirm that Fuji will be going high-resolution in the future. Fujifilm already has a tight hold on the APSC market. With that in mind, who would be the competition? As mentioned previously, Canon has already made the leap with the EOS 90D and M6 Mark II. However, Canon’s support for EF lenses is waning. Canon has also never had a competitive lens lineup for their M cameras. It’s not likely they will be dumping a ton of money into that system. But, since Canon has surprised a lot of people with their new RF lenses, perhaps we shouldn’t write them off for APSC yet.

It seems likely that Sony would dive into high-resolution APSC cameras also. They likely will build whatever sensor ends up in the next generation Fujifilm cameras anyway. As a result, it isn’t a stretch to imagine that Sony will be on the frontlines of this war. Sony also has an advantage over Canon: their APSC cameras use the same lens mount as their Full-Frame cameras. They have a decent showing of APSC lenses already and a huge range of choices in general. If Sony starts taking APSC more seriously, they could be a stiff competitor to Fujifilm.

Like Sony, Nikon chose to use a common mount for APSC and Full-Frame cameras alike. Their first entry into the field, the Z50, made a decent showing. While it didn’t wow anyone, it is a solid camera. It stands to reason that if a Z50 Mark II came about, Nikon would want to keep up. However, Nikon hasn’t exactly shown they’re willing to heavily invest in APSC. Their Mirrorless DX lenses are currently rather limited. It may be that they just intend the Z50 to be a stepping stone camera to Full-Frame. It will certainly be interesting to see how Nikon treats APSC in the future.

Is the Fujifilm 18mm f1.4 the First Shot of the Battle?

Resolution is the buzzword surrounding Fujifilm lately. Talk on the street is all about an 8k X-H2. Interviews about this lens mention resolution in no...

Street photography is sometimes much easier and faster if you use manual focus lenses.

When is the last time you truly felt like you were being romanced by a lens? For many street photographers, that only comes with manual focus lenses. As a play on words, street photographers like to zone focus. Colloquially, that means that you’re focusing on a specific zone away from you. But one could also interpret it to say that you’re in the zone when you’re shooting. With manual focus lenses, you’re always going to get what you need and want as long as you’re careful. That’s not always the case with autofocus. So we looked at our Reviews Index to find some of the best manual focus lenses for street photography.

The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house by the staff. 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 ever recommend gear that we’ve done full, thorough reviews with. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance that it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it at all. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge.

7Artisans 35mm f2: The Affordable, Essential, Gem Among 35mm Manual Focus Lenses

Full-aperture stops only

Sharp images

Beautiful bokeh

Small and lightweight

Metal body

Nothing really, except that it’s not Leica’s quality, Zeiss’s quality, or Voigtlander’s quality. But it’s still excellent.

Pro Tip: Reach for smaller manual focus lenses like the ones we’re recommending here. They’re the ones that you’ll want to shoot with because they’re so small. Larger manual focus lenses can be unbalanced on your camera. And honestly, what’s the point of owning a lens you never shoot with?

Tokina 20mm f2 FiRIN: A Fantastic Lens for Travel

Small

Lightweight

Very smooth focusing

Superb image quality that I’ve always expected from Tokina

Some may complain about the manual focus-only operation, but at an angle this wide, I can’t be bothered too much by it.

Pro Tip: Most people sit there and crank away at the focusing tab when they shoot street photography. But that’s kind of useless. You’re much better off stopping the lens down, focusing a distance away, and then just walking up to your subjects. That’s how many of the great masters of photography did it. The method is called zone focusing. And it’s much harder to do it with autofocus lenses. Autofocus lenses have a shorter focus distance throw. This helps them focus a whole lot faster. Manual focus lenses require you to really turn the focusing ring to get from point A to B. This helps more with precision. It’s a trade-off often because many folks say that they hate the focus by wire method autofocus lenses use.

Leica 28mm f2 Summicron ASPH: Arguably the Grail for Manual Focus Lenses

In our review, we state:

Pros

Sharp, but I’ve seen much better

Beautiful, subtle colors

Nice bokeh

A joy to use partially because of the size and the zone focusing scale

So incredibly small

Cons

I guess this can go without saying, but I like their Summilux f1.4 lens so much more.

Buy Now

We’re still scratching our head a bit, but our Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art Review has been updated.

Our initial Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art Review gave the lens very high marks. It has 11 aperture blades, great image quality, and it’s weather sealed. Considering the price, it seems like an obvious purchase for most users. But there’s a very different story to be told when actually using the lens. When we first reviewed it, we tested it on the Sony E mount system. I purposely chose the Sony a7r III because the autofocus and resolution combo made the most sense. But, I now own the Leica SL2s and bought the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8. Earlier this year, the combo frustrated me in low light. After the recent Leica SL2s firmware update, though, things have changed.

I’ll preface this by saying we’ve forever had the oddest relationship with Sigma. We’ve reviewed over 700 lenses in real-world tests: arguably the most of any surviving photo publication. In the past decade, we’ve also reviewed every single Sigma prime lens. Sigma is promoted often in our roundups. But for the past few years, they’ve had issues with us voicing our opinions based on our experiences. Our reps haven’t answered our last email, and we’re unsure of our own relationship. But there are several key truths. Some of these will come out in our Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art Review update.

Sigma is an odd company. They’ll launch products with no clear decision or marketing tactic on what to do with them. I’ve often voiced this on behalf of our team. It makes reviewing their products very difficult. When they launched the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art, it was priced at a consumer level. Every other 24-70mm f2.8 lens is more pricey. So that makes it tough for us to compare it to a Sony G Master, Tamron’s 28-75mm f2.8, Panasonic’s own lens, and even Leica’s variant. But we’re doing the best we can in our Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art Review update.

This all means we have to just slap the lens onto a camera and figure it out as we go. It’s cryptic, sometimes a bit shady, and always confusing. On Sony E Mount, Sigma glass has always had disappointing autofocus. This fact, coupled with the mammoth size, made me sell the 35mm f1.2 DG DN Art. Then, consider the odd soft-lock and the lack of image stabilization, and this would probably put many folks off. Trust me, we’ve had former staff that couldn’t handhold a shot below 1/15th of a second. It’s actually an important part of our testing that everyone can do that. To that end, we know some folks would want that feature. And they’d also demand that it work with a camera system’s autofocus and stabilization.

Sigma, naturally, is part of the L mount alliance. With that said, I always thought it would perform better on L mount cameras. For the longest time, that wasn’t the case. Sigma blamed autofocus problems on cameras and not their own lenses or motors. This happened even when DSLRs were more common. And for years, I didn’t believe them. Indeed, it was still the truth as Sigma’s autofocus on their own cameras was abysmal. But, with the recent Leica SL2s update, things are changing. And we’re starting to understand the system more.

Let me be very clear here: the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art is faster on the Leica SL2s than on Sony’s cameras. When you realize they’re part of the L mount alliance, that makes more sense. What also makes sense is why the Sigma is so affordable. The Sigma is less than half the price of the Panasonic 24-70mm f2.8 Lumix S Pro. It’s also noticeably slower to autofocus than the Panasonic lens. Both, mind you, are very quick. But there’s a difference between the speed of Superman and the Flash, and only one ever entered the speed force.

If you’re using a Sony camera, reach for either Sony’s or Tamron’s lens. I personally really like what Tamron does.

Please check out our Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art Review update by clicking this link. If you’re keen, it’s going for a pretty great price right now.

These lenses for Sony E mount are renewed and refurbished, so they’re available at a lower price.

I’ve always been a huge fan of buying refurbished and renewed cameras and lenses. They typically go through stricter quality control tests. And they’re products that are basically new internally or externally. Sometimes they were floor models or went on trade shows. So we dove into Amazon’s listing to see if we could find some Sony glass at great prices. And guess what, we hit the jackpot!

If you’re curious to see or learn more about these lenses, we recommend you check out the Sony Lens Guide we’ve done. For the past decade, we’ve been reviewing pretty much every autofocus lens for the Sony E Mount. When Sony went full-frame with it, we hit it even harder. We’re the only website with full reviews on all these lenses and many more. If you’re looking for more options, consider Tamron. We found a bunch of great Tamron lenses for you to choose from. Tamron will also give you the best autofocus on the Sony E mount. And we’re guessing that’s because Sony owns a part of Tamron. Tamron’s lenses are lightweight and incredibly well weather sealed too. We’ve brought those lenses into some crazy rain and snow conditions. They’ve never stopped working for us. But if you’re intent on getting some Sony G Master lenses, the roundup below is probably everything you need right now.

The Best Sony Lenses to Buy Renewed

Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master: $1,708.10

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master: $1,233.10

Sony 55mm f1.8 FE: $699.95

Sony 85mm f1.4 G Master: $1,424.79

Sony 24-105mm f4 G: $1,043.10

Sony 35mm f2.8 FE: $449

Sony 24-240mm f4.5-6.3 OSS G: $788

Sony 24-70mm f4 OSS: $637.02

Sony 12-24mm f2.8 G Master: $2,696.14

Sony 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro: $939.95

Sony 12-24mm f4 G: $1,379

Sony 35mm f1.8 G FE: $625

Canon has been working hard to bring us unique lenses, we need more from others!

Canon has really put in the effort to make their RF lenses great. They’ve given us some real lens innovation. The RF 28-70 f2 took a lot of us off guard. Canon boldly released this lens early in their Mirrorless career. No one else has done anything quite like it before or since. However, Canon kept up throwing the punches. They released the RF 50mm f1.2. Less innovative, perhaps, but a fan favorite. Following up those, Canon announced the innovative RF 600mm and RF 800mm f11 lenses. These are the smallest and lightest lenses for Full-Frame in that focal length yet. Read on after the break to see what else we could be looking forward to.

Canon Has Some New Patents

The folks over at Canon Rumors have dug up some interesting new patents. It would seem that Canon isn’t done with lens innovation yet. The patents include 130mm f1.4, 135mm f2, and 24mm f1.4 lenses. While the latter two don’t scream “innovation,” the first lens does. A 130mm lens is fairly unique on focal length alone. (Provided it doesn’t end up being a 135mm). Add an aperture of f1.4 to that, and it really gets interesting. At present, the rare Mitakon 135mm f1.4 is the only similar lens out there. Sony has come close with their 135mm f1.8, however. Seeing Canon take this head-on and perhaps surpass it is great. Lens innovation and competition is great for all of us. We want to see more.

Nikon Needs Some Lens Innovation

In contrast to Canon, Nikon has seemingly played it safe. They started their Mirrorless line conservatively. While Canon was pulling out all the stops, Nikon was releasing old standbys. Their current lenses for Z-mount mirror their F-mount lenses. However, they haven’t yet matched the size of their old lens library. Also, they’ve not done much exciting lens innovation. The Noctilux was a valiant attempt. That lens is quite niche and expensive, however. It would be great to see Nikon develop some exciting lenses. They have a long and celebrated history in optics. If anyone could create an innovative line of lenses, Nikon can. Their old lenses could serve as a great deal of inspiration. Their vintage designs are quite popular for adapting to modern cameras. It would be excellent to see Nikon build some lenses with character again.

Sony Needs to Stay on Their Toes

Sony has had a big head start on the Mirrorless market. They have a large lens line-up. The aforementioned 135mm f1.8 GM being one of the more innovative among them. However, Sony has seemed to be releasing lenses in a reactionary fashion lately. Their new line of small primes, for example. These lenses look like a reaction to the new Sigma “I” series lenses. Also, their new 12-24mm f2.8 lens was timed after Sigma released their 14-24mm lens. Sony did hit back hard, though. They went even wider and brought the lens innovation with them. While Sony is always innovating on sensors, they need to stay on their toes with lenses. I hope their new lens releases are as exciting as their new cameras.

Third-Parties Should Keep up Lens Innovation, Too

As mentioned, Sigma has been pushing innovation in lenses. Their 135mm f1.8 was great. The Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 is great competition for the newer Sony 12-24mm. Their line of lightweight “I” series primes is a refreshing alternative to their chunky Art series siblings. It seems with Sigma in the L-Mount Alliance, they’re primed for lens innovation. They’ve recently released the 105mm macro lens for Mirrorless. I hope they decide to release one or two wider macro lenses. They’ve only offered macro in 105mm for quite a while. It would also be great to see them go after Canon’s RF 600mm and 800mm lenses. Having more affordable telephoto primes for Sony and L-mount would be awesome.

Similarly, Tamron hasn’t been asleep at the wheel. Rather than go with the traditional lens trinity, Tamron switched it up. They decided to go small and light for their three f2.8 zooms. The 17-30mm, ...

We tested these lenses for cityscape photography and positively love them–we’re sure you will too.

Let’s start this off by telling you one big thing that you positively don’t need for cityscape photography–big lenses. Big lenses can be heavy and sometimes make you not want to shoot. They also don’t necessarily give you the best image quality (a myth in the photo industry). When you’re traveling or on vacation, you want to pack light. You also need lenses with great features that can also be very versatile. Lucky for you, we dove into our Reviews Index to find some of our favorite lenses for shooting photos in big cities. You’ll love these lenses for Cityscape Photography!

The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house by the staff. 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 we’ve done full, thorough reviews with. 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.

Pro Tips for Shooting Cityscape Photography

Here are some tips from our team at The Phoblographer to get you started.

Most of the time, you’ll be focusing out to a far distance away or infinity. So you don’t really need a lens with a super-fast aperture. Instead, you can get something slower.

There’s no point in shooting with your lens wide open unless it’s nighttime. Stop your lens down to f5.6 or f8.

Reach for focal lengths that are a bit more versatile. Maybe you’ll end up stopping at a place to eat and want to take food photos. You’ll also probably want portraits of you and a travel mate.

Try various angles. Get up high! Go low!

Always wear a camera strap. There are great straps from companies like Vi Vante! Go check them out!

If you’re going to change a lens, be careful. Turn your camera off, then take the back cap of the lens you want to use. If you’re outside, wait for the wind to calm down. Then quickly swap the lenses out.

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master: Nearly Perfect for Cityscape Photography

“Marrying a petite footprint with a feather-like body, the Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is capable of creating stunning images with razor sharp detail and dreamlike bokeh. A marvelous union of technological advancement and optics engineering, as far as 24mm f1.4 lenses goes, Sony simply did it better, smaller, and lighter than the competition.

The Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is a lens many photographers will want to add to their shopping list, regardless of their photographic specialty. Whether you’re a landscape photographer, an astrophotographer, a street photographer, or even a portrait photographer, there will be situations where the 24mm f1.4 G Master will shine. Paired with the excellent autofocus systems found on the latest Sony camera bodies, the 24mm f1.4 G Master will allow you to reliably create images as you had envisioned them in your mind’s eye.”

Fujifilm 16mm f2.8 R WR: Caught in the Rain? This Lens Won’t Mind

“For a user like me, I’m not going to move away from my Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 R WR lens, which I gave a fair amount of praise to. But when I look at the Fujifilm 16mm f2.8 R WR, I know that this is a lens for the user who wants an affordable autofocus lens with weather sealing. And for that user, Fujifilm is delivering. Just know that you’re probably going to be looking longingly at its older sibling.”

Canon RF 35mm f1.8 STM: For When You Want to Get Close

In our review, we state:

“The Canon RF 35mm f1.8 USM IS is a lens that photographers will pick up if they’re looking for a good 35mm lens for the Canon system that has image stabilization. In addition to that the image quality is also very sharp for what it is. Then consider the bokeh and the fact that you can not only get this from a 35mm lens, but the f1.8 a...