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My Canon 11-24mm Is Here! Unboxing + First Look

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This year (2016 for those reading later) there were some hefty price increases on Canon lenses here in Canada. Thankfully the increase was known to be on the way, so I thought I’d order a few lenses that I’ve had my eye on, to make sure I got them at the lower price point.  One of the ones I ordered is the crazy looking Canon 11-24mm f/4 L, the world’s widest rectilinear lens at the time of writing this. Canon have really been at the forefront of photographic lens design for some time now, and their innovation never ceases to amaze …

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Gear Check: Travel Friendly USB Charger

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With so many devices charging via USB these days, you’ve got to have a charger with you all the time. I searched a few different options and eventually landed on the Anker 2-Port charger for its great compromise between size, number of ports and price. It’s barely bigger than the Apple USB charger, but it has twice the number of ports. Great for traveling! Check out the video above. You can get it on Amazon for under $20. Can’t say fairer than that!

Inside the Canon 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x

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I was fascinated by this video because I own one of these lenses, but I think it’s worth sharing with you guys as well. This lens is a huge optical achievement from Canon and it puts a smile on my face every time I use it.  The built-in 1.4x extender is still a unique feature in the photo world, and it makes this lens design extremely complex.  Just look how many pieces there are in this thing! Should you wish to buy one (warming, you will get sticker shock), they have them at B&H Photo and Amazon. Here’s my one …

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How Do You Protect Cameras Inside a Regular Bag?

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Here’s a question that comes in pretty regularly from readers: What’s the best way to protect camera gear inside a bag that’s not specifically designed for photography?” Whilst it’s usually best to use one of the many excellent camera bags that are available, there are times when it’s not possible or practical. When I get sent this question, it’s very often from someone who is about to undertake a long trek, and they are using a large 60-80 litre trekking pack.  Other times it’s the opposite end of the spectrum, where someone just has a small shoulder bag and they …

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Gear Check: Red Bull NordiX Assignment

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I’ve just returned from a trip to the Canadian Rockies where I was on assignment for Red Bull to cover their NordiX skiing event. I thought I’d take this opportunity to walk through some of the gear that I used for this job, and talk a little bit about some specific things that worked really well for this kind of event photography. The event took place at Lake Louise ski resort in Alberta, and was a cross between cross country skiing and skier-x.  Cross country skiers don’t usually hit jumps as part of their sport, but this being a Red …

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Gear Check: Peak Design Cuff

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This week I thought I’d introduce you guys to a handy little wrist strap called the Cuff, from Peak Design.  I have quite a few of these attached to smaller pieces of gear like my Sony RX100 MkIV and my Sony RX10 MkII, but they are also great to keep in your camera bag for larger DSLRs when you need something lightweight and a bit more discreet.  They use the usual quick release system from all of Peak Design’s straps, so it’s easy to swap things around and use a bigger strap when necessary. At only $20, it also makes …

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Gear Check: Nite Ize BugLit LED

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This week I thought I’d introduce you to something that I have in every one of my camera bags; The BugLit from Nite Ize. It’s a tiny LED light with a small carabiner on one end, and 4 bendy, rubberized legs. It weighs next to nothing, but you can attach it to almost anything with those legs. Wrap them around things, tie them in a knot, poke them through holes…you name it!

Gear Check: Peak Design Everyday Messenger

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I’m calling this “Part 1” because I’m sure I will revisit this with some more thoughts on it after extensive use.  I was just so impressed by the interesting packaging of it that I thought I’d unbox (unwrap??) it on camera.  This is a bag that raised just shy of 5 million dollars on Kickstarter so I’m very interested to see how it works in a variety of shooting and travel situations.

Gear of the Year – 2015

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Which products did I come to rely on during 2015? What outperformed my expectations and what has earned a permanent place in my bag?

Gear Check: DeLorme inReach SE

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In 2015 I started travelling with a DeLorme inReach SE in my bag on every photography trip. This is a satellite communication device that’s perfect for the adventurous photographers… click through to find out why.

Gear Check: Elinchrom ELB 400 + HS Head – Unboxing

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I’ve just added the new Elinchrom ELB 400 and Skyport HS trigger to my photo kit for portraiture and sports photography work. Let’s take a look inside the box and find out more abut this incredible new piece of technology!

How Has Camera Technology Evolved During My Career?

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Recently the good folks from a new camera company called Light, got in touch with me and asked me an interesting question. They wondered how technology changes have played a part in my career as it evolved over the last few years. What a great question! Let’s see shall we…