Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

The U.S. tariffs that recently have been threatened or imposed against China by President Donald Trump will doubtlessly affect the photo industry in one way or another. Many of us are concerned that we may be paying more for our camera gear in the future. Just how likely are price increases, and are rising costs the only things that should make us nervous?

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Tamron’s SP (Superior Performance) lens series. They elected to commemorate this special occasion by introducing what they have labeled “the ultimate Tamron lens” in the form of the new SP Tamron 35mm F/1.4 Di USD (Model F045) prime lens in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. 

Fujifilm’s family of digital cameras has some amazing features, but a couple of the most useful controls are a bit tricky to figure out. The owner’s manual is no help, either, and the way they function is counterintuitive—for me at least.

In the late 1980s Canon introduced a 135mm f/2.8 autofocus lens that featured selectable softfocus. In addition to delivering dreamy out-of-focus images on demand, it’s also tack-sharp and extrapolates up to the equivalent of a 216mm f/2.8 when used on a crop-frame Canon.

Polarizers reduce glare, let you see under the water and darken blue skies. We all know this because we’ve read those weary descriptions hundreds of times. Those benefits are just low-hanging fruit. The real benefits of a polarizing filter are…

For the legions of photographers who used film cameras in the past, a screw-in type photo filter is as normal as fingerprints on an iPhone. But for those who started their photographic journey with a digital, even the word filter can be confusing. Does it plug into Photoshop or screw into a lens? Are they like the AA filter that covers an imaging sensor, or do they fit in a Mister Coffee? If you don’t own any filters, you’re missing some fun. Here’s a quick guide to buying one for your DSLR camera.

Peak Design just launched a Kickstarter campaign for a travel tripod. Packed with innovative features, this extremely compact marvel is available in aluminum alloy or carbon fiber, supports a payload of up to 20 pounds and is not much bigger than a Philly cheese steak sandwich—or the footlong hot dog shown above—when folded up (3.1 x 15.5 inches). We had a chance to put an early sample through the paces; here’s our hands-on report.