PhotographyBanzai.com

I’ve been using Acdsee’s photo software since the 2017 version. This is a full organization and editing environment for photos. It has a mixture of non-destructive editing as well as layered raster editing. There is a lot of functionality that I won’t be able to cover here. I feel like I’ve only just started to scratch the surface of what it offers in terms of features. I got into it after trying a number of similar programs in a search for something that wasn’t “software as a service” like Adobe’s Photoshop/Lightroom software sold now. It is my “daily driver” application for general photography and initial photo manipulation of stills for my Youtube videos. I’ll be shortening the name of this program to “APSU” throughout this article for ease of reading. Full disclosure: they sent me a license to the 2019 version after they approved my application to their affiliate program. I want to see this software become more popular because I do think it’s a solid fully featured photo management...

Here is a list of my current settings for hybrid work with the Canon EOS M50. The Canon EOS M50. Learn a few tips and tricks with the M50. Tab 4: Menu display: Standard Mode guide: Disable Feature guide: Disable I understand the point of these features, but they get in the way. The feature guide is something you might want to use for a few minutes to see any little details Canon mentions about each menu item, but I’d turn it off after a while. Now I’ll go from left to right in the menus: Tab 1: Page 1: Image quality: RAW. Depends on your needs. I don’t often want a JPEG. Image review: Off I find having image review on not super useful on a mirrorless camera and can actually get disorientating when using the EVF when the review shows up. Lens aberration correction: I turn all of these off. It looks like the digital lens optimizer might apply to the RAW, but most should be capable in Canon’s editing software afterward if you decide to do that. If you use JPEG, I’d suggest considering the...

My friend has hosted a cosplay photoshoot event multiple years at a horse ranch. Usually we have had it in the summer time, but this time we tried it in the fall (October). It worked out nicely, but there were a lot of challenges with the weather!  The nice thing about trying it at this time of year is that we had really unique results. I ran into a few technical roadblocks now that I’ve using Canon entry level cameras.

After trading in and consigning my Nikon full-frame cameras and buying EF-M gear, I’ve been considering a Sony A7 as something to use for adapting lenses mostly so that I could get a full 35mm sensor format.  The Sony Alpha A7. Is this camera still worth considering? Surprising it’s still sold new, so I was able to check one out at my local camera shop! Thanks to Camera Craft in Rockford, Illinois for allowing me to film there! Sony Alpha a7 Digital Camera: B&H: https://bhpho.to/2GiS3kF Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PIPa09 Used on KEH: https://shrsl.com/2glpg ebay: https://ebay.us/DqIQSP   As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Full resolution photos I took while trying the camera out: Flickr Gallery Most of the gear I’ve made a hands-on video for: Kit.co Gear List Transcript of the related video: The Sony A7 is still sold new. Right now, it’s around eight hundred dollars retail. Back when it was initially released it was $1700, so a pretty significant drop i...

Back in September I was trying to record footage for a video about my first outing with the Canon EOS M100. The place I went was so horrible due to the mosquitoes that I only stayed around 10 minutes. That didn’t leave me with a lot of content, but I’m determined to make it work!  With a slight shift of the theme I came up with this for all of you. I talk about making the best out of a given situation as well as why I picked up the Canon EOS M100 two lens kit. Here is the video: 

I had planned on making a fun completely upbeat video about attending a recent local photographer bonfire event. There were not a ton of people this year, so I thought I’d pull out the photos from previous years to include in the video below.  The thing with photography is that it captures moments. As time goes on fun moments can have a different perspective. I decided to talk a little bit about that out of respect. I also talk about why I think you should check out local events in your area. Here is a video about these meetups:

I tried out Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera. It looks like a mirrorless mixture of the 6D mark II and the 5D mark IV. In the linked Youtube video I go over various aspects of the camera with a heavy slant toward ergonomics. I will say that the grip on this camera is my favorite out of all of the mirrorless cameras I’ve tried thus far. A few test photos I took with the camera (Flickr) . Get the Canon EOS R Mirrorless Digital Camera here: Canon EOS R Digital Camera: B&H: https://bhpho.to/2Gn3Kqp Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QIeN15 Used on KEH: https://shrsl.com/2gltm ebay: http://ebay.us/qZ1zxR As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Cameras side by side. Important Specifications: 30 megapixel full-frame sensor. RF mount: a new 54mm diameter mount with a 20mm flange back distance. That gives you a lot of options for adapting lenses. 1.83x crop 4k, 1080p 60 fps, and 120fps 720p with clean HDMI output. Extended ISO 50 to 102400. 5655 focusing pixels th...

I tried out Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera, the Z7. With advanced cameras like this it’s always a challenge including even just a decent percentage of relevant features, but I gave it a go!  I had the kit lens, 35mm f1.8s, and the FTZ adapter with a Nikon 50mm f1.4g to try the camera with. This is the more advanced and expensive Z camera with 45.7 megapixels. It has a 5-axis in camera stabilizer, flip screen, EVF, and short registration distance of a mirrorless camera. Here are a few sample photos from the Z7 (Flickr) . Get the Nikon Z7 Mirrorless Digital Camera here: B&H: https://bhpho.to/2GonYjN Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JEWOq3 Used on KEH: https://shrsl.com/2gl4u ebay: https://ebay.us/ac5hTj As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Specifications, features, and notes: 45.7 effective megapixels 1/8000th second maximum shutter speed. The shutter at default settings was very quiet. There is an electronic shutter mode available. 1/200th second ma...

I completely switched to the Canon EF-M system for now and wanted a “normal” 50mm equivalent lens. Canon just so happened to release this 32mm f1.4 lens! I received it yesterday and have spent the entire time working on this video. I’d say around 10 hours filming and editing. In that video I show you the lens close up and mention some of my initial impressions such as the 32mm having a very similar design compared to the 22mm f2 lens.  Canon EF-M equipment. Yeah, sadly even the extending inner barrel that I’m not a fan of. Probably the most unusual feature of this lens is the focus limiter switch that cuts focus from 0.5m to infinity. For the little bit of testing I’ve done here so far, it does help with the speed of focusing. When you use the full focusing range, this lens can focus pretty close. Get the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 Lens:  B&H: https://bhpho.to/2UL5ZhD Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SQb0QW ebay: https://ebay.us/LM74uQ   Used from KEH: https://shrsl.com/25lqw As a...

In a previous post I talked about the potential future of the Canon EF-M system. Though the issue whether EF-M will exist as an active and viable platform is up in the air due to their release of the RF mirrorless mount, I decided to go all-in on EF-M equipment. It was really the most logical step to take. Let’s talk about why. Canon EOS M50 and 22mm f/2 lens. Recently I consigned my Nikon FF DSLRs and basically most of my f-mount related lenses and accessories. I found out today that the D750 and 50mm f1.8g already sold. While at my local camera shop recording footage for future hands-on videos, I saw the opportunity to move forward. I’ve been thinking of ideas that would benefit from more EF-M gear. There isn’t any reason to wait. With the remaining equipment that wasn’t already sold, I used that as trade-in on the soon to be shipping EF-M 32mm f1.4 STM lens as well as a Canon EOS M100 2-lens kit (15-45mm + 55-200mm). Throwing in $200 to those trade-ins, I’ll now have a really solid ...