Tripods, our three-legged friends… we sometimes have a love-hate relationship with them because we hate to carry them around in the field. Nevertheless, the current range of tripods offer incredible stability and great value. Carbon-fiber tripods are no longer reserved for the wealthy enthusiast; you can get some very good ones for under $500.
This week, we’ll share our experience in choosing tripods and talk about the features you should look for when choosing one. And hey, who needs just one?
This week, Jason is back from his workshop photographing White Sands National Park, and we’ll discuss using super-zoom lenses. Newer super-zooms, like the Tamron 28-200mm (Sony E-mount)Nikon’s 24-200mm (Z-mount), and the Canon 24-240mm (RF-mount) are quite good compared to their predecessors, but you still need to know their limitations, and how you can get the most out of your images captured with them.
This week, Nikon announced the new 800mm f/6.3S Phase Fresnel lens, which weighs in at a stunningly svelte 5.2 lbs. Although good telephoto lenses tend to be expensive, there are some good options out there that won’t completely break your bank. This week, we’ll discuss current options for long (400mm+) telephoto lenses and their pros and cons.
Today’s digital cameras, especially mirrorless ones, offer a tremendous amount of customization. This week, we’ll take a look at why you should customize your camera functions & buttons, and share our most frequently used settings.
Join us for a virtual holiday party!
We’ll be live online December 26th for a virtual holiday party. Free tickets are available here. Join us to share some holiday cheer!
I just received the new Nikon Z fc camera kit with 16-50mm DX lens. You might be asking why I would purchase this camera, seeing as how I already have a Nikon Z 7 ii. The answer comes down to size and weight.
The Nikon Z fc, with my hedgehog, Lemmy (350g) for scale
The Nikon Z fc is a 20-megapixel, DX (APS-C) format mirrorless camera. While much has been hyped about it’s retro look (it does look a lot like my 1978 Nikon EL2), that’s only part of its charm. With the kit lens, the Nikon Z fc weighs in at around 576g. That’s less than half the weight of my Nikon Z 7 ii + 24-70 f/4 combo. This camera can easily fit into a jacket pocket.
The top controls include dials for ISO and Shutter Speed. Aperture is set via the front command dial, or you can configure the lens function ring to change aperture. There’s a tiny LCD panel on the top of the camera that displays the aperture (f-stop) value. There’s also an exposure compensation dial that ranges from ±3 EV in 1/3 stop increments.
The Nikon Z fc has a range of user-customizable options, including the i-Menu, and user-assignable functions for the front Fn1 button and the movie record button. There are fewer custom function buttons than what you’ll get on the larger Z6 and Z7 cameras, and there’s no Sub-Selector joystick.
Probably the biggest difference between the Z fc and other Nikon mirrorless cameras is the way the rear LCD is mounted. The rear LCD panel flips out from the side, rather than the top or bottom. This mounting arrangement allows you to use the LCD from the front of the camera (selfie mode), or rotate it to be completely covered and protected.
I’ll be putting the Nikon Z fc through its paces, but for now I’m pleased with its build quality and overall design.
Check Pricing and Configurations for the Nikon Z fc Mirrorless Digital Camera
