photo equipment

Photo Gear Reviews: Canon, Leica, Fuji and Apps

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There is news on the photographic equipment market. Canon announced the new entry-level photo camera Rebel T5i and the tiny new Rebel SL1 DSLR. Read a detailed review of the T5i and the 18-55 mm kit lens by PetaPixel here. The Canon Rebel T5i can be a nice entry-level camera suitable for photographic safaris. Maybe a basic one or two hour photography course would do good to learn about the camera features and to get started operating it, to make sure its right from the start fun!

Fujifilm’s XP200 and S8400W are under review by PetaPixel as well. Read the complete reviews
here and learn about their ruggedness and zoom. The XP lets you conquer any outdoor adventure and the S8400W is ideal when you shoot usually from a great distance.

For all who are phone-photo-snapping enthusiasts there is the new Digital Native App, that lets you shoot raw images with your iPhone. They claim to be the first to do that and the results look great. Have a look
here.

And last but not least there is a comparing sensor review by DxOMark of the Leica M Typ 240 with Sony, Canon and Nikon. The Leica is not doing so well, but Leica lovers say that the sensor is already great for a digital Leica. See yourself
here.

Have fun!


Ute Sonnenberg for
www.rohoyachui.com

Nikon's Awesome New Photo Gear

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The wildlife photographers who use Nikon camera gear are most likely the ones who had been waiting for years that Nikon comes with a new 80-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 telephoto lens. This lens is very practical on photographic safaris and continuously used during wildlife photography courses all over Africa. It gives the wildlife photographer lots of freedom and flexibility. Ad now the waiting is over! Nikon launched the new lens with absolutely great specs:

    That’s what we were waiting for. Now “only” the money to be able to buy one. The lens is available at B&H for USD 2,696.95.

    Another great new thing to come is the D7100, a very good camera for a reasonable price. Have a look at the specs:


      The D7100 is available at
      B&H for USD 1,196.95. Expected arrival of the camera in the shop is the 14th of March, pre-orders are taken.

      So, now only sun, free time to go on photographic adventures and the fun can begin.

      Happy snapping! Have fun!

      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com

      On Photo Safari: Auto ISO

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      From the point and shoot cameras to the professional digital cameras, all have the feature “Auto ISO” and although one might have learned during a photography course how to use the manual ISO settings, one often goes just back to use Auto ISO. It’s just convenient.

      And it might work in most of the situations, but not as well when being on a photographic safari.
      Photographing in the bush is different and the auto settings often fail to match the light conditions there. The Auto ISO often goes too high and the images look washed out. Use in normal bush bright daylight ISO 100 and you will be fine. But keep looking at the light and adjust the ISO manually when the light gets lower. You will see the results are much better. Depending on what manual setting you prefer, rather leave the ISO at 100 and play with the aperture.

      Happy playing!


      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com

      Sales Season is on: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Monday ...

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      Are you ready for “sales season”?

      This week Friday is
      Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and focusing on people going to real shops, the busiest day for retailers of the whole year (at least in the US). Then comes Cyber Monday, the Monday following on Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday is the day of online shopping, catching up with Black Friday regarding the numbers pretty well during the last years. And finally we’ll get Green Monday, the second Monday in December, called like that initially by eBay.

      What should we do with it? If you are interested in purchasing higher priced photo equipment or a phone, computer or other electronics, its worth to check the specials circulating on and around these days, even if you are not staying in the U.S..
      Amazon is doing already its Pre Black Friday specials and B&H New York has some very interesting offers as well. Just be careful when you are not in the U.S.. On top of the price comes the shipping, taxes and VAT of your country, but often the price is still lower, just check first.

      Ready to go? Happy checking and buying!


      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com

      Review Time: Photokina's New Cameras

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      All big camera brands announced their new models at the Photokina and now the first reviews are available.

      The most interesting reviews might be the ones on the full-frame entry level Nikon D600 and Canon D6, just good to have them to compare the two “similar” new camera models of the two big brands. Check out PetaPixel’s Hands on with the
      Nikon D600 and Hands on with the Canon 6D.

      Of a different league is the Leica M. Also here a
      Hands on with the Leica M by PetaPixel to get to know her better before making a decision to buy one.

      Also available so far the PetaPixel hands on review of the
      Fujifilm X-E1, the Fujifilm XF1 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera.

      Surely there will be more reviews coming during the following weeks and if you think about getting one of the new camera models, try to test them at your camera store before buying one. The camera needs to suit you and no review can tell how the camera will feel for you. Only you know, if a camera works for you and what you want to do in photography.
      The new camera models are definitely an inspiration and make one wondering how
      cameras will be in the future. Until future arrives lets enjoy what the present offers.

      Happy testing!

      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com

      Photokina: Camera Giants & Their News

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      It is over for this year. The Photokina has closed her doors and photography lovers are still breathless from al the camera news that came over them, maybe secretly thinking already of buying one of the new models.
      Probably the most bespoke new cameras are the
      Nikon D600 and the Canon 6D. Both are entry level DSLRs with a full-frame sensor and it makes complete sense to give them almost the same name. If you doubt which one to prefer, have a look at the sensor test from DxOMark and you will see that the result is not surprising.
      While the Nikon D600 and the Canon 6D still have a reasonable price, other brands like Leica and Hasselblad introduced more pricy new camera models. They are the
      Leica M and the Hasselblad Lunar. Well they are great cameras, with an even great price.
      For a nice overview and to compare the new camera models from the Photokina, have a look at the
      WEX page. More detailed tests will only be executed now, so more information on the new cameras will be available soon.

      Fortunately Christmas is coming soon and Father Christmas might make one or the other camera dream come true.

      Happy snapping!

      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com

      Photokina rumors: The Canon 46MP monster

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      It seems like the megapixel monster was unleashed and Nikon and Canon are chasing Hasselblad. For a long time Hasselblad was the one with the monstrous amount of megapixel cameras, but recently Nikon caught up with them with their D800 and will Canon eventually race past both?

      There are rumors that Canon will launch a DSLR with 46 megapixel at the
      Photokina in Cologne in September. But will it or will it rather stick to 22 megapixel? One needs the right lenses in order to get the best out of such a megapixel monster. Users of Nikon’s D800 are already carful with yielding this amazing camera.

      We will know soon. Do we need
      such a thing?

      Ute Sonnenberg for
      www.rohoyachui.com


      How Many Photo Equipment does One Need on Safari

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      Many people go ones in their life on a safari and want to make sure they come home with lovely images. That puts a lot of pressure on the one who is responsible for the photography and one can easily end up buying all equipment possibly necessary, just to make sure to have it in case they need it. There is an overwhelming amount of equipment available and its really hard to make the right choice, but you got to make a choice and if its only for the luggage allowance on the flights.
      If you are an entry-level hobby photographer, the best you can do is having a bridge type of digital camera with you with a good zoom and a relatively good speed. The biggest problem of the point and shoot cameras is their speed. They are often to slow to capture the moment and the animal is gone. Bringing that good bridge model to start with is a good choice for the less ambitious hobby photographer. No further photo equipment needed.

      The more ambitious photographer with an entry level DSLR and interchangeable lenses gets already confronted with more choices. There are flowers and small animals that make great subjects, there are landscapes and there are the elephants on the water whole. For all three different situations are different lenses and the best thing to do would be to bring a macro, a wide angle and a zoom lens. But in reality one ends up not really using the macro lens when focusing on wildlife, unless macro is a specialty of the photographer and he/she will focus on small animals and objects. So, in general the wide angle and the zoom lens will be enough to bring. This lens choice can also apply to the more advanced and ambitious photographer. The next question is the tripod. A tripod is great for low light situations or night photography, but not essential for wildlife photography. A beanbag is the better choice. There is limited space in the vehicle, one needs to be flexible for the always-moving objects and night photography is not really happening. Get a
      beanbag.

      The photographers with the more advanced cameras and lenses have a difficult task in making a decision. The beautiful fixed 400mm/500mm/600mm lenses are great, but they are also heavy, not flexible, need a tripod or monopod to be handled and require space. Already the transport on the international flight and definitely on the safari flight is challenging. But the main concern is their flexibility. In many places the animals are very close to the vehicles and the big lens cannot be used. So, one needs at least two cameras to have a more flexible lens on the other body to capture also these moments. If you want to bring all this great equipment, be prepared to have a private vehicle in order to manage it while being on safari. Also special arrangements for the transfers and flights might be necessary.

      Whatever your choice will be, keep in mind to have a fast camera with a fast processing memory card, a minimum 400 mm zoom lens when shooting full frame and a beanbag. These essentials will serve you well when going out to shoot great photos of wildlife, yet having a relaxed safari and easy transportation.

      Enjoy preparing for a great trip!

      Ute Sonnenberg, www.rohoyachui.com