Category: Technical Discussions
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Getting Started in Deep Space and Astrophotography
It is sometimes said that astrophotography is one of the most challenging types of photography out there. There are numerous technical problems to overcome, substantial initial investments, and a considerable chance of getting burnt out if you get too frustrated. Luckily enough people have…
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How Image Stabilization Works In Camera and In Lens
Image Stabilization comes in a variety of different names and types. Whether it’s called O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization), VC (Vibration Compensation), VR (Vibration Reduction), IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) or just IS (Image Stabilization), it all foundationally does the same thing –…
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The Great 400mm Teardown Comparison. Part II – The Sony 400mm f2.8 G
_In which you will not only learn how good the construction of Sony’s new flagship is, but also everything you wanted to know about Kubu._ As I mentioned last week, we usually don’t write up super-telephoto teardowns, but the release of two remarkably lightweight 400mm f/2.8 lenses seemed like a…
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The Great 400mm f/2.8 Teardown Comparison. Part 1 – The Canon 400mm f/2.8 L IS III
We tend to not publish tear-downs of super-telephoto lenses. They’re big and heavy, always well made and well engineered, like you would expect in something that costs as much as a used car. Big, heavy, and boring don’t make for an interesting teardown. So we take them apart, make our in-house…
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Using Rapid MTF Testing – How We Test & Monitor Our Lenses
WARNING! THIS IS A GEEK LEVEL III ARTICLE. _It’s about testing, not image making. If you’re into geeky testing stuff, you’ll probably find this fascinating. If you’re not into geeky stuff but are into how lenses change over time, you’ll find skimming it worthwhile. If you’re a Fanboy or Fangirl,…
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Teardown of the Nikon Z7 Mirrorless Camera
We published our teardown of the Canon EOS-R and then had to decide which of the Nikon Z cameras to do. We decided to go with the top-end Nikon Z7. The Nikon Z6 would be the more appropriate comparison from a price standpoint; the Nikon Z6 is retailing for $2145, the Canon EOS-R for $2299, and the…
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Lens Teardowns and Comparisons of the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS II and III
Years ago, I introduced Roger’s Law of New Product Introduction AKA The Fanboy Uncertainty Principle. *Roger Cicala, 2013* But what about new releases that really aren’t new? Usually, they fail to reach sufficient quantum energy to generate much of an opinion either way. They are the dark matter of…
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Nearly Complete Teardown of The Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS II
So, some things happened recently. We got stock on Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS II lenses, and even though they go out on rental the day we get them in stock, we were able to do MTF testing on them. The very low sample variation we saw made us want to take one apart and see how Canon did that. And…
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MTF Tests for the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS II Lens
Back in the day, and it was way back, my first “L” lens was the Canon 70-200mm f/4L, which I chose primarily because it was a bit sharper and a lot cheaper than the 70-200mm f/4L IS. I moved on years ago. Those lenses were good back then, and perhaps adequate for quite a while, but didn’t have a…
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First Look of the “Bokeh Master” Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art Series Lens
A couple of years ago I was super excited about the Nikon 105mm f/1.4E. I was so excited I wrote an ode to it. So when Sigma announced their own version with the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art Series, I immediately got excited. I’ve been a massive fan of the Art series primes since they first debuted, and…
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MTF Tests for the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 Art Series Lens
Most of you know I’m a big fan of Sigma’s Art prime lenses. They give superior optics at excellent prices just about every damn time. I’ve been more mixed in my opinions of Sigma’s Art zoom lenses. I thought the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 Art was the best 24-105mm I’ve ever tested (and I hate testing…
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Customer Stories – Making Worlds on A Tabletop with Felix Hernandez
From time to time, we have customers who are so excited about their rentals, that they end up tagging us in the photos and videos that they were able to create. And sometimes, we find some work that inspires us so much, that we have to highlight, through retweets, shares on social media, and every…
