The Photocrati Blog

Book Review: Art & Fear

I frequently get questions from folks looking to pursue a career in fine art nature photography, as with many forms of art, there are many who would love to pursue it, but few who do. While the primary reason for this is financial, another part of the barrier is simple fear. It is to this audience, the beginning or mid-career photographer (or other artist), that Bayles and Orland’s famous tiny ::amazon(“0961454733″,”Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils and Rewards of Artmaking”):: is addressed. While many books attempt to cover the particulars of pricing, of stock photography, of sales technique, few cover the inner hurdles real-world artists face in embarking on art as a career, and none do it so well as Art & Fear. (more…)

Two must haves”¦if your budget allows.

Having the opportunity to work with a great photographer like Joe McNally taught me a valuable lesson about photography, why do I own so much useless crap? There are many things on my photography wish list that I hope to purchase this year. The Canon 5D MKII, with the 580EX II Speedlite and ST-E2 Transmitter Kit (cue the Homer “Mmmmmmm donuts” sound effect) for one. (more…)

Nikon D3X Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this camera from Amazon: Nikon D3x 24.5MP FX Digital SLR (Body Only)

Popular Photography (D3X versus Canon 1Ds Mark III)

Sure, it can’t match the D3X’s 24.5MP, but at 21.1MP, this Canon’s no slouch. … If you mainly shoot in a studio environment, where you won’t need high ISOs, the 1Ds Mark III might be the camera for you — especially if you already have an arsenal of Canon glass. If your shooting is more varied, the D3X’s versatility may tip the scales in its favor. After all, the D3X nearly matches or beats the Canon in most areas of performance, including the burst rate of 5 fps. But if you’re not already wedded to a brand, the Canon offers one big advantage: It costs about $1,500 less. READ MORE OF THIS REVIEW (more…)

Canon 28-300 f/3.5-5.6 USM L IS EF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Lens

Photo Zone

The Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 USM L IS is an impressive extreme range zoom. The optical quality is on a very high though not exceptional level. The resolution figures are generally very good without any major flaws. Vignetting, CAs and even distortions are very well under control. The build quality is exceptional though some may not like the push-pull zoom design. … The 3rd generation IS is a significant and highly welcome addition to the feature list. On the downside the lens is heavy and not exactly small especially when used at 300mm – not exactly a low profile lens. The price lifts it beyond the reach of most amateurs but then this is true for many L grade lenses out there. … So if you can live with its limitations and the price tag it is surely worth a deeper look! READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon D700 Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this camera from Amazon: Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Imaging Resource

Nikon now has a full-frame digital SLR for pros, semi-pros, and well-heeled enthusiasts: the Nikon D700. Nikon has done it again, producing a market-leading digital SLR that sets a new standard for image quality and ISO performance. Stacked up against its nearest competitor, the Nikon D700 wins in high ISO performance and overall camera features. …The Nikon D700’s list of pluses is overwhelming. Easily the greatest advantage offered by this digital SLR is the ability to shoot usable photos in ridiculously low light. Though the initial price is still high, the Nikon D700 produces images of the same quality, if not better, than the Nikon D3. …The Nikon D700 earns a five-star, as one of the finest digital SLR cameras ever produced. READ FULL REVIEW

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Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM EF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens

Photo Zone

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 USM L IS is a very good performer with few weaknesses … that’s assuming you get a good sample – the first tested sample was mediocre whereas the second one performed very fine. The resolution of the lens is on a very high level throughout the zoom range with only a marginal performance penalty at 400mm. Vignetting, distortions and CAs aren’t really field relevant on an APS-C DSLR. Typical for Canon L grade lenses the build quality is great. However, you may need to get used to the push-pull zoom mechanism which is a bit unusual these days. Regarding the sum of its characteristics the EF 100-400L is THE still portable super-tele zoom for Canon users. READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon D90 Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this camera from Amazon: Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens

Imaging Resource

With a 12.3-megapixel sensor, the Nikon D90 rises to the resolution of the more professional D300. … The Nikon D90 looks like a genuinely excellent camera for the intermediate photographer, and a great choice as a full-featured, light weight body for those who own a Nikon D200 or D300. The addition of video is ground-breaking, and will open up new possibilities that will be fun to explore, even though I wish it handled motion better than it does. Really, my only major disappointment for the intermediate market is the lack of a higher frame rate. I’d like to see at least five frames per second, if not six. Otherwise, there’s little to complain about, and only more great features to praise. Bottom line, the Nikon D90 is an exceptionally well-rounded digital SLR offering, with just about everything an aspiring photographer will need …Very highly recommended. READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon D3 Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews about this camera from Amazon: Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera

Imaging Resource

Pro photographers just got a new option for full-frame digital photography: the Nikon D3 digital SLR camera. Not only will it make their old Nikon glass fully usable again, but it’s now the fastest digital SLR on the market — with some limitations. As they did with the D2x, Nikon struck a very fine balance with the D3. It’s not 16 or 21.1 megapixels, it’s 12.1. And it’s not a full 10 frames per second, it’s 9; but you can get to 11 frames per second if you don’t need full resolution and track focusing. It’s an interesting and effective strategy. The resulting cameras are more versatile than the competition. READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon D300 Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this camera from Amazon: Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens

Imaging Resource Review

There are a lot of great cameras on the market, but the D300 more than any of them is designed for the serious photographer. The bottom line is this: If you need a great digital SLR camera and the price is no issue, the Nikon D300 will exceed your needs. Those requiring a faster frame rate and greater autofocus speed should consider a D3, provided they can handle the extra size and weight . I won’t call it a compelling upgrade for happy D200 owners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if you’re in the market for something even better than the D200. Nikon’s D300 is an amazing machine, well worth the $1,799 price tag, and a rare five-star. READ FULL REVIEW

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Canon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS EF-S Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

Photo Review

A general-purpose lens with an extended zoom range for Canon’s DSLR camera bodies with ‘APS-C-sized’ image sensors. Designed to provide a wide zoom range in a compact and lightweight form factor, Canon’s EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS telephoto zoom lens can only be used with cameras that have ‘APS-C-sized’ image sensors. Supporting a zoom range of approximately 11 times, it covers a focal length equivalent to 29-320mm in 35mm format but weighs only 595 grams. Built-in image stabilisation provides approximately four f-stops of shutter speed advantage and the stabilisation system can detect when the camera is panned. READ FULL REVIEW

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