The Phoblographer

Powerful, well-built, and easy to use, these small cameras are perfect for photography on the streets.

When it comes to street photography, you have to capture images quickly and, in a lot of cases, discreetly. Being able to blend into the crowd with a camera that doesn’t say “look at me” is important. While keeping things on the small size is nice, you also have to make sure that the camera can perform the job. Fortunately, there are many powerful small cameras currently on the market that are suited perfectly for street photography. Fixed lens cameras offer a quick and simple way to get started. Pair up a small interchangeable lens camera with a small prime, and you’ll also be good to go. Here we’ll take a look at four small cameras that will help you blend in and nail the street shots you want to get.

Fujifilm X100V

“The Fujifilm X100v is the closest thing that we have to a perfect point and shoot on the market. It’s got great autofocus capabilities, wonderful image quality, weather sealing, a revamped lens, and a simple interface. What more could you need?”

Buy now: $1,399

Olympus Pen F

“The Olympus Pen f has a heck of a lot going for it. Amongst the good things: stellar autofocus in most situations, great high ISO output, pretty versatile RAW files, incredibly almost perfect ergonomics, a great EVF and LCD screen, and the list can go on. In many ways, it’s the almost perfect camera for many photographers.”

Buy now: $999

Pro Tip: If you’ve always been interested in street photography but have never known how to get started, this guide is for you. Have a read of this manual and then hit the streets with your small cameras. You’ll find that you’ll be creating incredible street images in no time at all.

Fujifilm X-E3

“As for the stills though, there’s really nothing to whine about with the Fujifilm X-E3. The versatility is fantastic, the colors are wonderful, and the high ISO output is also very good as long as you give the exposure a bit more light than you normally would. In this way, I really want to liken it to shooting film.”

Buy now: $899 with 23mm f2 R WR

Ricoh GR III

In our review, we said:

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

“One of the best things about the lens on the Ricoh GR III is the sharpness of the lens. It’s great even at f2.8. Combine this with the details that the sensor can render and there is no reason to complain. If anything, the images look like bleeding-edge sharpness and a bit like older Rokinon lenses when it comes to output.”

Buy now: $896.95

You’re most likely very familiar with who the lurking projector is on Instagram.

If you’ve been following this site for a while, you know about my gripes on Instagram. In fact, they’re my gripes on social media. We were partially built on it, but I abhor it. It’s still a sizeable part of our traffic. But gauging how big it truly proves difficult due to how Algorithms interact with Google analytics. So today I’m talking less about photographers per se and more about the business side of it. It’s about the shallow, self-centered smoke and mirrors account that pretends not to be. You’re probably one of them. And if you are, then you’re the worst. You probably complain about how Instagram isn’t real and yet you’re just as awful. In fact, let’s just call this a rant.

What is a Lurking Projector?

You’re most likely all wondering what the heck a lurking projector is? Well, consider the following:

They post a heck of a lot of either stories or posts

They view your posts/stories and don’t interact

Or, they don’t view your output

You interact with them

They never care to really interact back with you

In summary, they’re all about them just putting stuff out there, barely interacting with the community, lurking on stuff, and then moving on with life

Hence the idea of the lurking projector. They tend to lurk around and not say anything even though they could feel something. They keep you around and keep following you but they don’t acknowledge you really. Instead, they just continue to put stuff out there. They draw attention to themselves a lot instead and don’t really care otherwise. It’s happened with every social media platform. In fact, it’s been like this even before social media started. It was around with blogging for many years and microblogging.

So what’s wrong with this you say? Well, it doesn’t look good for them. If you’re an account with hundreds of thousands of followers and you’re huge on another platform, then I sort of get it. Basically, if you’re using it just for business reasons of putting your work out there then fine. But if you’re a relatively small account, actively calling yourself the CEO of a one-person company, or you’re a small fry acting like you’re the hottest account on Instagram, then the sad reality is that your behavior is equally as sad. Your actions are no different than a robot. Someone could probably code an AI robot and they’d be a better Instagram friend than you are. Your job as a follower is being replaced by an AI algorithm. Yes, it’s hard to respond to people. Actually, no it’s not hard to respond to people. If you simply don’t care, then your actions are showing.

Why is the Lurking Projector Bad for Photographers?

You’re reading this on a photography blog. So you’re probably wondering why I’m talking about this. The reason: these folks are probably in your Instagram pods. They write fake comments. They don’t really care about anything. They probably just give you emojis and that’s all. But you as a photographer are competing against a million and more other photographers. No one understands what makes one better than the other except for the numbers that they see. Years ago, there was a person in companies called an Art Buyer. Now it’s replaced by someone that simply just knows how to look at numbers and that’s all. They care more about engagement. They don’t care about photography. The modern art director is going after these lurking projectors. In reality, we need to be helping one another in the industry and not pushing everyone else down. It’s part of why I’m on the board of a non-profit these days.

To be honest, if you’re a photographer, then it’s cool if you just use Instagram as a platform just for marketing. But if that’s the case, then don’t even bother interacting with other folks unless you’re trying to create an equally enriching experience for everyone else too. Go to Behance or something where true photography and artists actually mean something. You’re more likely to get int...

Cameras and lenses will need to get more expensive; that’s how the industry will survive.

The new trend in cameras is that things are getting more and more expensive. But at the same time, people want better products. We think that the market is going to sort itself out. However, if cameras and lenses become cheaper, they also need to become more expensive. The more expensive cameras get, the more it means we’re evolving. And that’s a very, very good thing.

Most of the people who buy cameras these days aren’t professional photographers. They’re still hobbyists. But they’re all passionate photographers, no matter what. Lots of folks are very in love with the image-making process.

Why are cameras getting more expensive, you ask? Well, the camera on your phone can do a lot. But the higher end of cameras really needs to stand out from Apple, Google, Samsung, and the rest. So they’re trying harder. Innovations are there that haven’t come to phones. You’re paying for those innovations. But more importantly, you’re paying for your hobby or your profession the way you would any other.

I always equate the photo industry to the watch industry. Phones made watches obsolete, but they managed to evolve. 10 years later, phones made most cameras obsolete. And we’re still in an evolutionary stage. What this will mean is that you’re not buying a new camera every year. You’re not buying a new phone every year either. Instead, you’ll use your camera and lenses for a while. And that’s awesome! Hopefully, we’ll go back to a time when the digital cameras you own will last you almost a decade.

Combine all this with the right to repair as a modern movement and environmental responsibility. It might mean that the camera market actually becomes more sustainable. I like this idea. And you should too.

Where I think it’s going to make things fascinating to watch is with the used market. If companies are smart, they’ll start looking at the vintage market and reissuing hot products there. People will buy the new ones instead of the older originals. It will just drive the value of their company up.

Overall, I’m confident that the market is going to sort itself out. Innovations are going to become more expensive. And more modest products are going to have price drops. Indeed, they should. Why is a Nikon Z6 II so expensive if it’s not doing anything special? Comparatively speaking, it and the Panasonic S5 are almost the same cameras. But the Panasonic S5 does Live Composite shooting and is a bit pricier. It’s the only full-frame camera to have that feature. And the Sony a7 III is even more affordable! To that end, the market is going to sort itself out.

The same thing is going to happen to lenses. As the innovation happens, lenses are going to need to keep up. And lenses are doing that every year. There are various companies and lots of room to play. But this will happen if companies mostly just stay in their own lanes. They’re all recycling and using the same components, more or less.

I think that this will change if companies start doing something truly different. Canon, for example, makes all their own parts. So too, does Sony. Panasonic used to and doesn’t anymore. Leica makes everything that counts. Fujifilm does the same.

Let’s just see how the industry works over the next few years. This year is going to be big overall.

Don’t let the size fool you — the Wandrd PRVKE Lite is actually capable of carrying quite a bit of mirrorless gear.

The original Wandrd PRVKE generated a buzz in the photography community — and over $400,000 on Kickstarter. Now, the PRVKE is back — and it’s launching in a smaller size. Announced on April 20, along with a revamp of the original PRVKE sizes, the Wandrd PRVKE Lite is a roll-top backpack designed for mirrorless and photographers on a more limited budget.

Wandrd cut a few features to get to the Lite size and price, including the key garage and removable camera cube. The Lite also has just a laptop sleeve instead of both a laptop and tablet sleeves. But, Wandrd did surprisingly little to change the quality and functionality of its cheapest PRVKE bag yet — and it shows. I spent the weekend with the Wandrd Lite to see how the compact camera backpack holds up.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Wandrd PRVKE Lite is a small bag that can carry a surprisingly large amount of gear. The durable material is weather-resistant (though not 100%) and easy to clean. It’s a comfortable, great-looking bag, but stashing a laptop in the back makes the back panel stiff and less comfortable.

Wandrd PRVKE Lite Pros and Cons

Pros

Comfortable straps and back panel

Compact, yet still fits a surprising amount of gear

Expanding roll-top

Weather-resistant materials and zippers

Lots of pockets

Cons

The laptop sleeve is in an uncomfortable spot

Where zippers meet on the back panel can let in water

You have to spend more to carry a tripod by buying extra straps

Gear Used

I packed the Wandrd PRVKE Lite with the Fujifilm X-E4 and a 27mm pancake. I also used the Canon EOS R6 and an 85mm macro. And let’s not forget the old hand-me-down camera my 6-year-old uses, the Nikon D5000. All this came with us on a 2.5-mile hike. Though, of course, at least one camera was out of the bag the whole time. I also configured the PRVKE for the R6 with four lenses and a flash to see how much gear would fit. I had the RF 70-200mm f4 mounted on the camera and the 24-240mm, 50mm f1.8, and 85mm Macro also in the bag, with a hot shoe flash. I also fit an iPad Pro in the laptop sleeve, and my iPhone 11 in the tech pocket, along with some smaller accessories.

Innovations

The Wandrd PRVKE Lite is essentially the little brother of the original and newly re-launched PRVKE. The line’s most unique feature is a roll-top design for expandable, non-camera storage. Though, of course, that same feature was in the earlier PRKE bags as well.

Wandrd PRVKE Lite Tech Specs

Weather-resistant

11L, 15L with roll-top expanded

Laptop sleeve

Luggage pass-through

Removable sternum strap

Exterior dimensions: 21”H X 12“W X 5.5”D

Interior dimensions: 20“H X 11”W X 4.5“D

Weighs 2.5 pounds

Ergonomics

The PRVKE Lite is a smaller bag than the original PRVKE. The bag is only about five inches deep. While it will still snugly fit a full-frame mirrorless like the Canon EOS R6, my Nikon D850 was a bit too large. It’s roughly 16 inches long and 13 inches wide at its smallest. The PRVKE Lite is made for mirrorless, but, despite the smaller profile, I was still able to fit a camera body, four small to mid-sized lenses, and a hot-shoe flash, as well as smaller accessories and an iPad Pro.

The padded camera gear sits at the bottom of the bag. The top uses a roll-top design for anything else that doesn’t need padding. I was able to fit in a lightweight utility jacket, granola bars, and even a few diapers and wipes for my toddler. The roll-top closes with velcro and a hook that slides in one of several loops, depending on how much you stuff in the top portion. The roll-top really adds great versatility, with enough space to bring along your lunch, a jacket, or other large items that typically wouldn’t fit inside a smaller backpack. Above the roll top, two carry handles use magnets to keep from flapping around while you wear it as a backpack.

Full access to gear is through the rear panel that rests against your back ra...

The new Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master lens is indeed real, and we’re pretty excited about it.

In a meeting with the press, Sony compared their lens to Sigma’s. Mind you, the Sigma 14mm f1.8 DG Art is designed for DSLR cameras. But the Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master is designed for mirrorless through and through. When Sony comes out with prime lenses, I’m usually lukewarm. I liked what Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis did with the 35mm f1.4 G Master. But the Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master left me thinking they went too far. With the Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master, I’m pleasantly surprised. Sony has made a lightweight lens that wasn’t really possible before. If Sigma made it, it would have been enormous.

During the meeting, I asked about the filter possibilities. The Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master has a rear filter slot. That’s standard in some ways. But some manufacturers have created new lens hoods that let you attach a filter to the front. And I wonder why Sony couldn’t have done that. The other day, I took a wide-angle lens to the beach to do seascapes. Filters on the front can help immensely, especially with protection. Why Sony didn’t do it is a bit odd. But this wouldn’t be the first time that Sony has done something weird.

Let’s get back to why this lens seems really amazing:

It’s small. It’s much smaller than the Sigma variant.

It’s lightweight. Sony showed a video of the Sigma variant and the Sony variant. If you’ve ever put a Sigma lens on a camera and then on a tripod, then you may encounter a problem. Unless you have a super-strong ball head, chances are the lens will shift the head forward. It’s a serious issue that has caused us a lot of problems before. And if you want something lighter, you need to go with Sigma’s Contemporary lenses, but those aren’t truly weather sealed.

It’s targeted at interior shooters.

Sony actually did portraiture with it. And the photos were pretty fun. Distortion was well controlled. I love using wide-angles for stuff like skating. In fact, I wish Sony had a true fisheye again.

The Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master is weather sealed. Sony’s lenses have typically been well sealed, but I wonder how sealed this is. Sony’s camera bodies have traditionally not been well weather sealed. But the Sony a1 fixes that issue with the shutter that covers the sensor. This is something Canon has done for years.

It boasts nine aperture blades which is unlike every G Master. And Sony actually seems to really care about those who will try to get bokeh.

Sony did a whole part of the presentation about autofocus. But this is a wide-angle lens, so the autofocus isn’t difficult.

The good thing is really about both the size and the weight. Many camera companies seem to be making bigger and heavier lenses. But Sony isn’t trying to do that. And that’s super important. If there’s a genuinely good reason to make a lens big and heavy, then so be it. However, some just really don’t need to big! Canon found ways to make telephoto lenses lighter. And overall, their products don’t feel incredibly heavy when you consider their innovation. The L Mount has some massive and heavy lenses.

This Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master is a huge step forward, though. And honestly, I hope more manufacturers follow that path.

More specs on the Sony 14mm f1.8 G Master

99.8mm tall x 83mm wide

16.3 oz

Rear filter slot

Aperture control, De-click for aperture, AF/MF on the lens

Dust and moisture resistant

Not 11 aperture blades, it’s 9 aperture blades.

11 groups 14 elements

Minimum focusing of 9.8 inches

Fluorine coated front lens element. Nano AR coating II. This is probably why it’s 9 aperture blades.

2 XA elements

1 aspherical lens element

2 ELD lenses

Super ELD

$1,599.99

The Gitzo Legende Backpack is a stunning camera bag that’s super comfortable, but they messed up in a few spots.

I had so many high hopes for the Gitzo Legende backpack. But quite honestly, I’ve always felt that the Vitec group shoots themselves in the foot. Their products tend to get it 80% right most of the time. Rest assured that they’re not bad products, but something is just always weird or off. That’s the case with the beautiful Gitzo Legende backpack. It was backed on IndieGogo quite heavily. But, Gitzo messed up in a few critical spots.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Gitzo Legende backpack is incredibly well built and very stylish. But Gitzo got the camera compartment all wrong. They also missed out on both chest and waist straps. If you can put that aside, you’ll have a pretty stylish and very comfortable backpack.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Stylish. Leather and canvas are beautiful, and I don’t care what anyone says; I’ve never seen a modern fashion house use Nylon with any real effect.

Despite lacking waist and chest straps, it’s incredibly comfortable.

Lots of pockets

Gitzo’s locking zippers will give you peace of mind.

Very weather resistant

Solid materials

I packed a lot of clothing up top.

Snugly secures your camera

Surprisingly comfortable when not packed to the brim

Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R, Sony a7r III, Sony a7r IV, Panasonic S5 all fit well

Cons

What the heck did you do to that camera compartment, Gitzo? Organizing this section is a nightmare.

No chest and waist straps? Why? It’s a huge problem when the pack is packed full of lenses, a camera, a light, modifiers, and a 13-inch Macbook Pro.

I’d personally prefer a rolltop, but this can hold a lot of gear.

Gear Used

We tried cameras from Fujifilm, Canon, Sony, Leica, and Panasonic. The Leica SL2s is the only one that had a bit of trouble because of its wider body. The Fujifilm X series went in with no issues. The same goes for the Canon EOS R5, Sony a7r III, and the Panasonic S1. Mind you, all of these did it with lenses attached.

Tech Specs

The following screenshot are specifications taken from the Gitzo Indiegogo campaign.

Innovations

I’ve tested loads of camera bags. The only thing this has that I haven’t seen is the locking zippers. Those are really cool. Gitzo also makes a big effort to use sustainable materials.

Ergonomics

First off, looking at the Gitzo Legende backpack, you’d think that it’s brown. But that’s not true. It’s actually a shade of beautiful green. There are also leather accents along it to help with understanding what’s what.

Here’s the top of the bag. It’s pretty standard, and there’s a strap for you to pick it up.

Take a closer look here. You can see the flap that guards access to the top section. It does this through tension-based sliders. Then there’s the side pocket to hold a tripod. Finally, there’s the front pocket that’s hidden by the leather flap.

On the other side, you’ll find the camera compartment door. This door has a pocket on there with a rolltop function. It’s incredibly convenient.

Here’s a closer look at the zippers. These zippers let you lock them in place. That way, they need to be undone before you open them up.

The front pocket down under is very thin. You can’t really pack much in here. At best, it may hold a small tablet.

Here you can find a pocket to the inside of the camera compartment. There isn’t a lot of room in here. And this is also the only way you can access the camera compartment.

The back of the bag is where you can store your laptop. We shoved a 13-inch Macbook Pro in there with no issues.

Here’s what the back of the bag looks like. Notice two of the most comfortable backpack straps we’ve ever used. Again though, there’s no waist or chest strap.

Here’s the inside of the top section. It uses a drawstring to keep the contents safe.

Once you undo the string, you can get inside. We stuffed a ton of shirts and other stuff inside. It’s deceiving how much can be packed in here.

Build Quality

The Gitzo Legende backpack ...

Nikon issued a press release today about firmware for the Z6 II, Z7 II, and the Z5, saying that the autofocus is about to improve.

There’s some good news for Nikon users today. On April 26th, the z6 II, z7 II, and the z5 will be getting firmware updates. The firmware focuses on autofocus performance. In our tests, the Nikon system has been falling behind some of the top tiers of cameras, especially with low light performance. Most importantly, though, we’ll see if Nikon is still playing catch up or not.

Key Details of the Firmware

The Z6 II and the Z7 II will get firmware that centers around improving autofocus and shooting in low light.

Autofocus when using speedlights will improve.

There’s a big emphasis on both face and eye detection.

The Z5 will get an improvement to focusing in low light.

The Z5 is also getting a “save focus position” setting. That’s awesome for street photography, astrophotography, landscape photography, etc.

Other Nikon cameras (z6, z7, z50) will all get new firmware with smaller improvements.

The Nikon Song on Repeat

As a member of the member, news from Nikon sounds a lot like the background noise you put on when you’re working. It’s nothing big or important that you’ll jam out to–but it’s pleasing. It’s often lukewarm, and it’s always something that you’ve heard before. But after a while, you get tired of it, so you need to switch it up. That’s exactly what almost all news from Nikon has been for a long time. And I don’t just speak for myself, but also on behalf of the staff. When I read in Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis’s piece about how their autofocus is behind, I was shocked. Hillary has been a Nikon shooter for a while, and like everyone else on this site, she is as honest as they come. So to hear from her that everyone else is still ahead is quite saddening.

That’s what I feel has been the sea shanty Nikon has bellowed for years. It’s always just about how they’re improving something to catch up to someone else. When the Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 II were announced, I was underwhelmed. It felt like Nikon was trying to just catch up to everyone else instead of being their own thing.

This is where I’m incredibly torn. I said the same thing about Canon for many years. But a day came where they surprised a lot of us. And then they did it again. The difference between Canon and Nikon is that Canon still stayed really high up on the sales charts. Nikon hasn’t done that as much. Instead of just playing catch up, maybe it’s time for Nikon to do something totally different. I’m not talking about the Key Mission products. Here are a few ideas:

The Nikon Zf: A mirrorless camera with an all-metal body and a few limited edition primes. Basically, a mirrorless version of the Nikon Df where they don’t hold back at all.

A retro full-frame Nikon rangefinder-style body: have you ever seen those Nikon rangefinder cameras?

A smaller Z series camera that is the spiritual successor to the Nikon 1 series. They’d have an APS-C sensor, no viewfinder, and target it at passionate photographers who do this as a hobby. Don’t forget the weather sealing.

Literally, just something different from what Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and Leica are doing.

Creating lenses that not everyone else has. They’ve got a few, but Nikon doesn’t really do anything out of the ordinary. They mostly still do stuff that everyone else does.

This, again, is not to say that Nikon makes bad products. Do they take good pictures? Sure. Do they have autofocus that works? Yes, in most situations. But there’s nothing that makes them any different than anyone else.

I want to make this a bit simpler for everyone, especially Nikon fans, who say that we bash the brand too much. Let’s talk about pants:

Levi’s are the tried and true. They work, they’re durable, and they’ve had a long brand reputation. These pants might outlive you, but they’re not comfortable for everyone.

UNIQLO has great pants, but it’s easy to not be a fan of them if you actually want...

The photo trade show desperately needs to be reborn into something else, and this is the time for it to happen.

If you’re reading this, you’re wondering why there’s no interest in a photo trade show from new photographers. And you’re probably missing the times where the industry got together and hung out. Those times, at least for the moment, are gone. And the photo trade show, in general, has changed a bit over the years. But the progress has been plodding. In truth, it feels like you could age an award-winning whiskey much faster. The photo trade show, in general, tries to be incredibly avant-garde, but it instead ends up being incestuous and out of touch. The global lockdown was and still is the perfect time for the photo trade show to evolve. I’d even like to argue that the show doesn’t need to evolve; it needs to die and be reborn brand new.

I should probably list all the things that I won’t miss about the world’s photo trade show events. Mind you, I’m a 13-year veteran who got his start at Magnum and has been around the industry. I won’t miss:

The major focus on just the idea of traditional photography

The lack of understanding that imaging and photography are much more than an artistic niche

The obnoxiously loud displays and performances from a camera company’s ambassadors

The major lack of meeting new vendors and networking with new photographers

The serious lack of integration and diversity. I remember when some shows were mostly women. But the photo industry doesn’t always feel like a safe place for women or minorities.

The half-hearted portfolio review attempts

These are just a few things I won’t miss. And they’ve been the same everywhere: WPPI, Photo Plus Expo, Photokina, etc. They all just felt like iterations of the same show in one way or another.

On top of all, this is a major lack of representation of various communities. You may wonder why that’s so important. And if you do, I invite you to explore the large database of interviews we’ve done over the years. Different people create in different ways. Part of that is shaped by our experiences and the way our brains think. The entire rainbow and spectrum of people do not experience the world the same. To that end, they create photos using a variety of processes.

I think that every photo show hasn’t tried to find a way to globalize its presence. That’s important. While an organization may only cater to Americans, the country’s faces are incredibly diverse.

New photo companies have also popped up over the years. But to attract them, a new audience first needs to be attracted. The pandemic saw the creation of tons of new photographers. People spent exorbitant amounts of money on new cameras and lenses. They all had time. With that said, the folks in charge need to change and give the reins to new folks.

I saw this problem not only with trade shows but also with trade organizations across the board. So I’ll end this post with what I’d like to see from a photo trade show that’s evolved.

Diversity in the staff

Diversity in the types of photographers who make presentations

Diversity in the companies. Loads of new lens, lighting, retail, etc., have popped up in the past 10 years.

To attract new companies, you need to make the cost sustainable. Don’t try to hose a company for money that will sink their entire budget. If a company feels like they got their money’s worth, then they’ll keep coming back and build your show for you.

Elevate the voices of more women and minority leaders in the photo community.

The realization that photography has evolved. The print is important, and we need to remember what our past is. Many new photographers don’t look at the greats from the past; they look at current photography stars as the ones to follow.

A balance of the past, the present, and the future.

Understanding the related technologies to photography and making the shows more about imaging.

Integration of AI into the photo trade show in some way. It’s a big part of it all.

Soci...

Fast, wide lenses like these 20mm E-Mount Primes are incredibly versatile and affordable.

Fast, wide primes have become more popular over the last couple of years. Photographers would usually get their wide fix from lenses like 14-24mm f2.8 options. However, having faster primes can open up many more doors. Not only are primes usually sharper than zooms, but they’re also lighter and more portable. This makes them great to take on hikes or photo walks through the city. Their fast apertures also make them perfect for low light and astrophotography. There are a few 20mm E-mount primes available for Sony cameras. After the break, we’ll take a quick look at three of our favorites.

Tamron 20mm f2.8 Di III OSD

“This lens has great image quality with nice bokeh (when possible), very good sharpness, and beautiful colors. On top of all that, it’s lightweight and built like a tank. Best of all, the price and portability are things you’ll be very happy with.”

Buy now: $249

Sony 20mm f1.8 G

Brett Day – Gear Editor

“The Sony 20mm f1.8 G is a small lens that packs a punch. The images the glass will help you capture will be tack sharp from f1.8 and on. The colors that it renders are pleasant and neutral and will no doubt please many. The bokeh is very good for a wide-angle lens, and the way the lens coatings help control flares and ghosting is excellent. This lens is a speed demon in the AF department as well.”

Buy now: $898

Pro Tip: Inspect your lenses before every shoot: remove any excess dirt, grease, fingerprints, or dust. This will prolong their lives and will save you time during post. You don’t need an expensive cleaning kit either.

Rokinon 20mm f1.8

In our review, we said:

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

“Lastly, what I’m absolutely floored by is how sharp this lens is even wide open. At f1.8, you’ll get plenty of sharpness, but when you stop down to something like f5.6, you’ll be flabbergasted.”

Buy now: $449

Want more Useful Photography Tips? Click Here.

The neon trend in portrait photography came about because it was easy. It was an offshoot of the fascination with 80s ideas. And another easy idea is that of umbrellas. We use them during rainy days, but some folks use them as protection from the sun. That’s where the shoot-through umbrella comes in. Also known as a translucent umbrella, these light modifiers take the sun’s harsh light and filter it. The result: anyone looks great, and it’s a fun accessory to play with on a shoot! Overall, it can take your natural light portraits a notch up!

Portraiture can be tough. Specifically, natural light portraiture is very limiting. Most folks only want to shoot during the golden hour or the blue hour. But if you’ve got enough shade coverage, you can shoot at any time you wish. With a shoot-through umbrella, you get that shade with you anywhere you want.

So how does this work? Well, you basically just ask your model to hold a giant, translucent white umbrella. They can use it as a prop. And then it just naturally filters the light. Best of all, you can use it during the harshest hours of the day and still get a fun look!

The science behind it has to do with two things. The first thing is how much light is there outside? If it’s a clear sky day and the sun is bright, then the shoot-through umbrella is a fantastic option. Otherwise, you’ll probably need to shoot in direct sunlight or find shade. But if you don’t have any shade around you, this is your best bet.

The second important thing is how large the umbrella is. The rule of lighting is simple: the larger the light source is in relation to your subject, the softer it will be. When using an umbrella, that becomes the light source. It’s filtering the sun’s naturally harsh light. If the umbrella is six feet wide, then it’s probably going to cover most models overall. If it’s maybe around 36 inches, you’re best off sticking to focusing on the torso and head. That’s because most models are under six feet tall. And most peoples’ torsos aren’t over 36 inches long. So as long as whatever you’re shooting is smaller than the umbrella, you’ll get nice, soft light. That’s pretty paramount with natural light portraits.

The other cool thing about an umbrella is that it’s round. So you’re giving very rounded, even coverage in your natural light portraits. It’s not spotty at all. It’s very specifically tuned to just your portrait subject.

For those of you who love to do a lot of post-production, you’re going to love this. The shoot-through umbrella has a cool feature with your camera. It diffuses all the light. Yet somehow or another, it also makes the colors in the scene pop. Red lips? They’ll pop. Green shirts? They’ll pop in the photos for sure! The images in this post were shot on both full-frame and Micro Four Thirds sensors. And if a shoot-through umbrella can do this, then you’ve got little to complain about. Mix in your own style and creativity to get something that suits you and the shoot you’re doing.

The most important part of all this, though, is to have fun. Decorate the umbrella and do cool things with it. Maybe put little trinkets on the inside. And if the umbrella gets wrecked, then buy another one for cheap.