PhotographyBanzai.com

I've had this recording on my work drive for many years at this point. I went to a beautiful Japanese garden, used these lenses, and took some photos. The video is about the lenses, but also about the type of photography and the ways that I use the lenses.  First off, we have the 7Artisans 18mm f/6.3. This lens has a fixed aperture and is very compact. It's a really nice combination with the M6 Mark II or any small camera. This APS-C only lens will not cover a full-frame imaging circle besides the fact it's EF-M mount which never had larger than APS-C sensors.  A view of the Japanese Garden with the Canon EOS M6 Mark II, ready to shoot. The 7Artisans 18mm F6.3 lens, very compact. It's basically a body cap lens. The main consideration, and actually the main downside of this lens, is its fixed focus, with what they'd probably call "acceptable focus" at 0.35 meters (13.77 inches). This is limiting, especially with the style of photography I did here. Even so,...

 Acdsee is running a contest called the "Photographer Spotlight" until April 9th 2025. The winner gets a 5-day trip to Vancouver Island, BC in Canada. Travel and accommodations for 2 are covered along with $1,500 spending money. You will be featured on their website and get a copy of the video produced for your own marketing.  https://www.acdsee.com/en/spotlight-contest/ See my latest YouTube video on their software.   

I'm always looking for ways to upgrade my camera gear without the hassle of selling it myself. Recently, I decided to try something different: swapping my old equipment for new gear with MPB and getting some cash at the same time. I've used them to purchase equipment in the past, but this was my first time trading in. In the video I explain how it went, and I'll walk you through the entire process, from getting a quote to unboxing the new-to-me equipment.  It's a simple concept: you send them gear, and they send you stuff back. In this particular case, I even got some money in addition to the equipment because my trade-ins were valued higher than what I wanted at the time.  Why go this route instead of selling equipment directly? For me, it all comes down to time and convenience. The entire process, from shipping my gear to receiving the new equipment, took 11 days. They received it, assessed everything, sent me a final quote, I approved it, and then they shipped the n...

Wheelchair rugby! This isn't your average sport, and it's not my first time trying to capture its unique intensity through photography. This is actually the second time I've done photography at this event, the national tournament for the USWRA (United States Wheelchair Rugby Association).  It was hosted or at least partly sponsored by Oscar Mike , a great organization that you should really check out if you are curious about their efforts supporting disabled veterans. My friend is related to them and handles a lot of their photography, so he invited me along. A view of the court, ready for the intense wheelchair rugby action. This particular tournament was back in 2023. It's been sitting on my computer this long, and I haven't edited any type of video out of it, but today's the day.  A look at the USWRA National Championship schedule – a busy weekend of games! My friend that's a photographer asked me to take some photos at the event. The first time I photog...

In this article I set up my desk with a new overhead camera mount rig from Neewer, the NK002. I’ve been using a standard monitor arm with additional mounting hardware to hold my camera for years, but I wanted to see how this mount works in my creative computer workspace instead. Keep in mind that they sent me this mount at no cost with the expectation that I produce a few videos about it based on my standard collaboration terms . The were not allowed to give me talking points or preview anything that I created.  Unboxing and First Impressions The main box with accessories. The NK002 comes in a big, solid box. It was shipped with dense foam support around the rails to keep everything protected during shipping.  The articulating clamp mount. Most likely used with a camera or light.  The package includes various mounting hardware, such as a standard ball head with a 1/4"-20 mounting thread on the bottom, a phone mount also with two 1/4"-20 and a cold-shoe, and the articulating c...

In this article, I’ll go over a common question beginners have when they start photography: How can I get closer-up photos of my subjects? I recently saw a comment from someone who just got their first camera. They were excited but realized the lens they received couldn’t capture things up close. So, let’s break down what that means and how to address it.  Understanding Reproduction Ratio One of the key specifications to look at when figuring out how close you can get to your subject is the lens's reproduction ratio, also known as magnification ratio. This is typically represented as 1:1 (or 1x) for life-size magnification, while a ratio like 1:2 or 0.5x indicates less magnification. Both formats represent the same concept.  Part of the comment I had seen. For example, if you want to capture close-up details of a subject, you need to consider the reproduction ratio of the lens you're using. Kit Lenses and Their Limitations The Sony mirrorless kit lens. Let’s start with the bas...

Let's take a look at these unique devices from LLANO Power called the 2-n-1 TurboCell, a combination camera battery charger and USB power bank. I have two of these chargers, one for the Sony NP-FW50 battery and one for the NP-FZ100. They sent me these units to test and make videos based on my collaboration terms. The gist is that they had no say in the content I produce and were not allowed to preview anything before release.  What’s in the Box Both demo units came with a USB-C cable, paper manual, and bag. The FZ100 included two batteries in the kit with their branding.  What was sent to me. Design and Build The TurboCell has a soft-touch exterior, which gives it a decent grip. There’s a battery compartment on top where you can pop in your camera batteries. The device uses spring-loaded locks to keep the batteries in place. The door needs to be fully closed for the batteries to make contact. The locks work fine, but it’s hard to say how they will hold up over time. If they ever do...