Gear Check

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Backpacking With a Camera – New Content Coming

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Over the years I’ve often been asked questions on the subject of backpacking with camera gear, and whilst I’ve had some answers, I’ve never felt like I had all of them. Over the next few months, I want to tackle this topic in a bit more detail as I experiment with a few different ideas and solutions that I hope will help me over the the coming summer season. Lightening the Load My primary camera has been a Canon 5D-series camera for the last 8 years or so, currently it’s the 5D Mark IV. It’s a rugged, full frame camera that’s  built …

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Gear Check: PackTowl Luxe

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So I had a rummage around in my camera bag for today’s Gear Check post and I pulled out this handy little travel towel called the PackTowl Luxe. PackTowl have been making ultralight towels for backpackers for many years, and I’ve owned several for travel and backpacking purposes. More recently, they came out with the Luxe line of towels, and when I saw one in my local outdoor store I knew I had to have one for my camera bag. I primarily keep it in my bag to dry my camera and lenses off after I’ve been shooting in the …

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Gear Check: Really Right Stuff Micro Clamp (B2-FABN-Micro)

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This week I stuck my hand in my little support accessory case and pulled out the Really Right Stuff B2-FABN-Micro clamp to show you guys. This tiny little Arca Swiss compatible clamp is another item I carry around for all sort of different uses. As you can see, it has two 1/4″ 20 threaded sockets on the bottom so you can screw it onto things like light stands, pocket tripods and ball heads. It also has two strap lugs on it for attaching a camera strap, and a QD socket in the middle. The QD socket is a kind of …

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A Note For 7D Mark II Users and Why I Returned My SmallHD 701 LCD Monitor

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My Canon 7D Mark II is still my favourite second camera to carry around alongside my 5D Mark IV, the pair of them just compliment each other so well. For video recording duties (mostly for Youtube stuff) I use the 7D Mark II, and I recently picked up a SmallHD 701 Lite 7″ LCD monitor in one of B&H’s crazy Deal Zone one day sales. After receiving it though, I stumbled upon an unexpected issue that I thought I should point out, because for me it forced me to return the monitor. When Canon first started enabling video recording in …

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13 Best Accessories for the Fuji X100F

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Continuing my coverage of the Fujifilm X100F, I wanted to detail the accessories that I deemed best to go with this awesome little camera. Vello LH-X100 Lens Hood (+Filter Adapter) The X100F doesn’t come with a lens hood and you have the option of buying the official Fuji one, or the Vello one for one third of the price. I decided to check out the Vello one, and I’m really pleased that I did! It’s essentially identical to the Fuji one, apart from the Vello name stamped on it. I do wish they hadn’t branded it with such large lettering, …

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Gear Check: My Fujifilm X100F Is Here!

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Fujifilm got so much right with the original X100, launched way back in 2010, that all subsequent versions of the camera still look almost identical at first glance. The X100S and X100T models both sported a 16MP X-Trans sensor, and seemed like relatively small updates over the first version, but Fuji caught my eye when they launched the X100F. The “F” jumps up to a 24MP APS-C sensor, the same one in the much loved X-T2 and X-Pro2. It also features a 91-point AF system and processing speeds that allow it to shoot in RAW at up to 8fps. On top of …

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Gear Check: FA-HSA Hot Shoe Adapter From Really Right Stuff

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Last month I came across this awesome little accessory that I think many people might find different uses for. It’s called the FA-HSA Hot Shoe Adapter and it’s made by Really Right Stuff, makers of the best camera support gear on the planet in my opinion (just check my gear list!). Note that at the moment, the FA-HSA is not listed amongst all the other RRS gear on the B&H Photo website for some reason. I suspect this is because it’s a relatively new addition to their lineup. You can buy it direct from RRS though, and I’ll make sure to …

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Think Tank Vs. Aquatech Eyepieces

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I recently began using the new Aquatech Sport Shield Rain Covers for some of my camera setups and I’ve been incredibly impressed by them. Just like the Think Tank rain covers, the Aquatech ones require the use of a camera-specific eye piece. When I first wrote this blog post Think Tank were selling their eyepieces for $35 and the Aquatech ones were only $20. Much of the purpose of the post was to inform people that the Aquatech one work with the Think Tank covers, and therefore you can save yourself a bit of money. Well, fast-forward a little bit …

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Gear of the Year – 2016

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What new gear did I come to rely on in 2016? Which items outperformed my expectations and what has earned itself a permanent place in my gear closet?

Gear Check: New Lens – Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS II

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I’ve added the Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS II to my kit recently, so I thought I’d write a little about that decision, and explain what I’m most likely to use it for. When the Canon 5D Mark II came out many years ago, I purchased it as a kit with the original 24-105 f/4 L IS and used that lens for some years. It was responsible for creating some of favourite images back then, although you could not call it an absolutely stellar performer in terms of image sharpness. It was adequate for professional use, but never blew my …

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Gift Ideas for Photographers: 2016 Edition

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Every year I put together a gift guide on Shutter Muse at this time of year, and it’s usually one of the most popular posts of the year.  Over the past few years I have been carefully monitoring which products people click on in these guides, and this helps me craft a list of items that I know people are really going to be interested in! There’s something for everyone in this year’s guide, and even if you don’t need to shop for a gift right now, it’s a great way to check out some of the awesome little gadgets …

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