Gear Check

Test

Yes, the BackLight Elite Has Different Sizes of Camera Insert!

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During the initial development and testing stages of the new BackLight Elite photo pack from MindShift Gear, it had just one large removable camera insert. This standard insert is quite large. In fact it’ll hold a 600mm lens, so it’s as big as you could ever hope it to be. At this point in the design process I pushed hard for the designers to create a second option for people that wanted to use the bag with less camera gear, and more other outdoor equipment. Be that camping gear, climbing gear or backcountry ski gear. We went through a few …

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My Sleep System for Camping out in -30 Degree Temperatures to Get the Shot

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I’m currently testing the new Sigma 105mm f/1.4 ART lens for a full review. One of the things I wanted to try and get was some wildlife images with the incredibly shallow depth of field that this lens is becoming famous for. That’s quite a tall order because 105mm is not all that long of a focal length on a full frame camera! This week I drove a few hundred kilometres East into part of the Yukon that I haven’t had much chance to explore before. We haven’t had snow in a couple of weeks and this meant some of …

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Gear Check: Heat 2 Softshell Photography Glove

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This winter I have been testing a variety of photography gloves for a giant photography glove group test on Shutter Muse, but I thought I’d introduce a one of my favourites to you guys here on my blog for the ever popular Gear Check series. This glove from The Heat Company is called the Heat 2 Softshell. As you can see, the mitt flips back to reveal four insulated fingers with open tips for operating your camera controls. The thumb also flips back so that you can easily use an AF-ON button for those that shoot with back-button focus techniques. …

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Gear Check: Goal Zero 12V Lithium Yeti Charger

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I have written before about my Goal Zero Yeti 1400 Lithium Power Station that keeps all my camera gear charged on long road trips. Until recently you were only able to charge the Yeti Power Stations with main AC power or with solar power, but now Goal Zero have (finally) released a 12V DC power supply. This is definitely a must-have accessory for any Yeti 400, 1000 or 1400 user. The charger is also compatible with the new Sherpa 100AC battery pack, and presumably the upcoming Sherpa 100PD which is launching soon. At $40 it’s somewhat steep for a 12V …

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3 Reasons I Love My Aquatech Underwater Housing

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I’ve not long been home from my epic trip to dive with sea lions in British Columbia so I thought I’d share a few things about my Aquatech gear that I absolutely love. This isn’t some sponsored post, I bought all my underwater gear from them at full retail price just like everyone else. Upgrade Paths Unlike more expensive dive housings, if you buy a new camera you don’t need to buy an entirely new Aquatech housing. Instead they will sell you a conversion kit which essentially consists of a new baseplate, a new back plate to mimic the rear …

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Stackable Magnetic Memory Card Readers from ProGrade Digital!

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Last year I had a chat with the CEO of a new memory card company called ProGrade Digital after I purchased some of their cards. I liked what he had to say so much that I swapped all my cards for ProGrade Digital cards on my own dime. Recently I have been testing out their new memory card readers and the new Dual-Slot SD Workflow Reader has become my default. I keep it almost permanently stuck to my computer. Yes, I did say STUCK. What gives? In the box of every reader is a small metal strip which you can …

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Why I Ordered the Canon EOS RP (Full Frame Mirrorless)

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Yesterday I mentioned that Canon’s latest mirrorless camera, the full frame EOS RP, had begun to ship from all the major retailers. Somewhat surprisingly to some people, I also mentioned that I had ordered one! Here’s why…

My New Favourite Boots for My Winter Photography

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I hate to be cold or wet when I’m photographing outdoors. Nothing stifles my creativity faster! When I lived in British Columbia I used to take regular trips to the Rockies, where temperatures would always be a lot lower than my home mountains (Coastal Range BC). For this reason I was somewhat well prepared for my recent move to the Yukon, but there’s still a slight difference between having to put up with occasional temperatures below -18Celsius (0F), and having that be part of your daily routine for several months of the year. In fact its regularly -30Celsius (-22F) here …

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Gear Check: Really Right Stuff TFC-24L Mk2 Tripod

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Long-term blog readers will know that I’ve relied on tripods and heads from Really Right Stuff for many years. For a long time the TVC-24L was my primary tripod – I just loved the height to which it could extend, even for a tripod of relatively modest weight. With it’s 40lb load rating I trusted that tripod with the heaviest of Canon super telephoto lenses and greatly appreciated the light weight while traveling. Then along came the TFC-14 which had a fixed apex (the platform on top of the tripod) at the top of the legs, compared to the removable …

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