PhotographyBanzai.com

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. Check out the full video on YouTube for more information and examples:  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...

Let's take a look at the Canon EOS M6 Mark II camera paired with a very unique lens: the Rockstar 10mm F/8 fisheye. This thing is super compact, often called a pancake lens, but the catch is it's manual focus and fixed aperture. I actually recorded this footage way back in 2022, and I just got around to creating a video from it. Looking back at the photos, I have to say I'm actually very impressed with what this lens can do. Watch the photowalk on YouTube:   The Lens: Tiny but pretty decent! It's definitely challenging to use, especially with that ultra-wide field of view combined with the manual focus. But when you manage to make it work, the results can be good. The Canon M6 Mark II with the Rockstar 10mm F/8 lens. It features a focus ring, turning it clockwise focuses closer, and counter-clockwise moves towards infinity. There are two dots on the lens; one indicates when you've reached each end point. Rotating it fully the other way gets you to the minimum focus ...

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. Check out the full video on YouTube:   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 ...