Equipment

What Camera Should a Beginner Buy in 2020? – Tiny Tips 21

A Photographer taking photograph in a ceiling mirror

Most first-time dSLR camera buyers ask around a lot, and do a lot of research before making their first (or second) camera purchase. They’re justified in their concern that they should not buy something that turns out to be a bad choice. I have good news for all such buyers. Beginners should buy the camera … Read more What Camera Should a Beginner Buy in 2020? – Tiny Tips 21

How To Recharge Silica Gel Crystals

How to Recharge Silica Gel

Silica Gel absorbs moisture in the air around your camera equipment (such a material is called an adsorbent). This ensures that the area is not friendly for fungus to grow inside your camera lenses (article I wrote about keeping fungus at bay). But did you know that if you leave silica gel inside your camera bag for too long it can get saturated with moisture and actually start to give off some of that moisture later on? This could really mess up your equipment. I didn’t know this myself, until a few years ago.

Here’s how you can avoid this potentially huge problem, and recharge / reuse Silica Gel sachets or crystals that you use to keep your camera equipment safe from moisture.

Read moreHow To Recharge Silica Gel Crystals

Filter Care & Use

So you’re using a filter on your lens, maybe to protect it from dust or finger smears or maybe for an effect that you want, what can you do to ensure that it does not degrade the quality of your expensive lens? Here are some pointers:

DOs:

  1. Buy a good filter. A bad filter can do more harm than you expect.
  2. Never touch the glass of the filter. The oil from your skin will rub off on the filter and could damage it’s coating. Some filters, are noted to retain fingerprints if not cleaned up immediately. Always touch a filter by the edges.
  3. Store filters in their boxes. This ensures that dust and fingerprints stay away.

    Read moreFilter Care & Use

It Pays to Know Your Equipment

Three weeks ago, my MacBook Pro crashed. It had seen a year of good service, and because it was my first ever Mac, I’d just about set it up to workexactly the way I wanted it to; and it crashed. The Apple service provider in my city said that the logic board had died, and … Read more It Pays to Know Your Equipment

Tiny Tips 16: Always Use a UV Filter

A UV Filter is an important part of every photographer’s kit. This may seem like a no-brainer to any sufficiently advanced photographer reading this post, but to the beginners: take note: this is a very important part of your equipment. Or should be. Why Should you ‘Always’ use a Ultra Violet filter on your lens? … Read more Tiny Tips 16: Always Use a UV Filter

Solutions for Humidity and Fungus Problems with your Camera Equipment

Humidity, Fungus & Cameras. How to care for your camera equipment in high humidity conditions

Camera equipment is sensitive to moisture and dust. High levels of humidity (typically over 65-85% or over) could damage your lenses and certain parts of your camera body, by allowing fungus to grow and spread on the surface. Here’s How to Stop Fungus Growth in Cameras: Store your camera equipment in an air-tight container with … Read more Solutions for Humidity and Fungus Problems with your Camera Equipment

Polarizing Filters make Magic Moments

Have you experienced a Polarizing filter? If you have not, I seriously recommend trying one today. Yesterday I was contemplating stuff … you know, looking through my memory bank of photographic experiences, when I suddenly stumbled upon a gem! The first time I looked through a telephoto lens with a polarizing filter at the other … Read more Polarizing Filters make Magic Moments

Canon’s New EOS 50D

Canon’s Advanced Amateur range of cameras just got updated with their new EOS 50D. The next-in-line after the extremely popular Canon EOS 40D. Estimated to come in to the market at around the $1,399 (US) mark, this camera has a host of features that would make even owners of the semi-professional EOS 5D feel envious. … Read more Canon’s New EOS 50D

The Best Lenses for Photojournalism

Photojournalism calls for a wide range of skills, and a selection of lenses to match. Selecting the right lens at the right time is at the core of this discussion. However, photojournalists need certain common qualities in all their lenses. We will discuss them too. So, Which is The Best Lens For Photojournalism? There is no … Read more The Best Lenses for Photojournalism

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III

Canon today announced their replacement for the 1Ds MkII, the 21.1 megapixel EOS 1Ds MkIII. The news of the USD 7,999 camera was splashed across amazon.com pages for a while before some details went offline. However, engadget managed to get some screen shots. Apparently the EOS 40D has been announced too. Go to dpreview.com for … Read more Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III

Tiny Tips 8: Best Apertures for Sharpness

by Ben McLeod If you want the sharpest pictures that your lens can give you, remember not to use its largest and smallest apertures. Most lenses are optimised to be used in the f/5.6 – f/11 aperture range and give their best performance when stopped down a couple of f-stops from the widest aperture or … Read more Tiny Tips 8: Best Apertures for Sharpness