10 Minute Photo Outing Challenge

Get out there and enjoy photography. It doesn't always have to be about taking amazing works of art…

The video where I attempt taking photos in the bitter cold for 10 minutes with a phone. Technically I had two phones and spent time filming the video.

If you want to get some photography practice in, but have limited time, then I think this could be a fun photography challenge. While I was out for the day, I brought a small kit that included my main phone for photos (LG Stylo 3), an older one for b-roll (XG L Power), and a small flexible tripod. It was 17 degrees F and I didn’t have a set goal in mind until I thought of limiting it to 10 minutes to see what I could manage in that amount of time.

This park has fun lighting at night. It’s great to experiment with.

This isn’t about quality or taking perfect images. It’s about pushing yourself and always trying to learn, practice, and grow in your craft. Always try to keep moving forward. In my case I’m usually doing a mixture of photograph and videography at the same time. It adds to the hurdle I have to get over each time because that means more gear and more juggling of that equipment.

Video quality in extremely dark conditions on the LG X Power phone leaves something to be desired… haha.

Cold and dark...

The nice thing about phones is that they are compact and can often be brought with you nearly anywhere if you have a pocket large enough. In my case taking my current phone and an older one for b-roll video isn’t any extra effort, so it works well. I have a bendable tripod that is often left in my car that I can use for the phone doing video.

For photography I’m often using the Open Camera application. Thanks to Mark Harman for investing so much time into that application and offering it up as open source. Someday I’d like to examine the code in detail. This app adds a lot of additional functionality to the phone compared to the default camera application. While it can’t do full manual settings, it can do exposure compensation and in turn lock that exposure. That adds flexibility for creatively deciding on exposure. The biggest feature is that it can write DNG RAW images that allow for more possibilities in post processing compared to JPEGs from the phone.

What ISO ~2205 on the LG Stylo 3 looks like after editing the DNG. Not amazing, but fun to practice with.

Nikon Z5ii Announced and My Thoughts vs the Original Z5

The Nikon Z5ii was announced recently. I haven't actually used this new camera myself, so keep that in mind. This is going to be mostly me looking at the specs and comparing it to the original Nikon Z5, which I've been using for a few years now. The original Nikon Z5 camera. Overall, the original Z5 isn't a bad camera. I've gotten it to a point where it works how I want it to and it's reliable for what I do. My main use case is often anime and comic conventions, going there and taking photos of people in cosplay. I usually use the 40mm f/2 lens on the Z5, and it works well for that. First-person view using the Nikon Z5 at an anime convention. Nikon Z5ii vs Z5: The Spec Sheet Comparison Nikon has a handy comparison section on their Z5ii page, so let's break down some key differences based on that and my experience with the original. Nikon's website comparing the Z5ii and the original Z5 specifications. First up, the sensor. The Z5ii gets a backside-illumi...

Xenvo Smartphone Lens Kit Overview

I recently took a look at the Xenvo "Ultimate Smartphone Lens Kit," an add-on system designed to enhance your phone's camera capabilities. I purchased this myself; it wasn't sent to me, and I wanted to share my experiences using it. The kit aims to give you both wider angle shots and detailed macro photos using a clip-on lens system. Let's see what's included and how well it works. The Xenvo "Ultimate Smartphone Lens" Kit packaging. What's in the Box? Opening the box reveals the core components: the lens system itself, which consists of a 15x macro lens and a 0.45x wide-angle lens attachment. It's important to note that the wide-angle piece needs to be screwed onto the macro lens to function correctly; using the wide-angle part alone doesn't really produce a usable image. Inside the box: the lens, case, and accessories. You also get a plastic clip mount to attach the lens assembly to your phone. Alongside the lenses, Xenvo includes severa...

EF-M Sigma 56mm vs. Viltrox 56mm

I was curious how the two native Canon EF-M 56mm f/1.4 lenses compared. Is one better in image quality or features than the other? At least right now there is a significant price difference between the two. Check out the embedded video to see how it goes! Sigma and Viltrox 56mm lenses Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon EF-M: B&H: https://bhpho.to/3bNQUjk Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cC8pUb ebay: http://ebay.us/5Q3NxW Used on KEH: https://shrsl.com/2b947 Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 AF lens for Canon EF-M: Amazon: https://amzn.to/39sl5Pa B&H: https://bhpho.to/3nXMoF0 ebay: http://ebay.us/b4IRWE As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases! Here are the notes I wrote up while compiling data and deciding what I should mention in the video. Physical properties of the lens: The Sigma lens is shorter but thicker than the Viltrox. Weight is 280g for the Sigma and 290g for the Viltrox. Sigma: 66.5mm x 59.5mm (W x L) Viltrox: 65mm x 72mm Both lenses have an ape...

PhotographyBanzai.com

Search This Blog