VIDEO: MY DREAM DESK/STUDIO SETUP FOR 2020!!!
Being a Photographer & Videographer - I need a space for editing and to store my gear. I also need a space for creating my YouTube videos (don’t forget to Subscribe!) and therefore, I think I have finally created my dream desk/studio setup! Watch the video below for more ;)
VIDEO: The Canon EOS-R is the BEST camera of 2019!!
What is the best camera of 2019? Well, I may have one recommendation for you. There were obviously lots of very good cameras released in 2019, but I have absolutely loved using my Canon EOS-R - Watch the video below to find out more!
How to get the Black & White Film look with the DXO Nik Collection 2.3
If you’ve been in the photography game for a while and done any kind of serious digital editing, you’ve probably come across the ‘Nik Collection’. I’ve been using the Nik Collection for a number of years and swear by the ability for these handy little plug-ins to take your images from a ‘7’ to a ‘10’! So I was obviously intrigued when I learnt that DxO had launched their latest update to the now legendary ‘Silver Efex Pro’ plug-in.
The upgrade sees the introduction of a range of new film effect emulations from top brands such as Polaroid, Bergger and Rollei. Not only does this allow you to expand your creativity by lifting your black & white edits to another level, but it also allows you to stay true to those halcyon film days with the introduction of the 10 new film types.
To find out more and purchase, visit: Nik Collection
VIDEO: The Loupedeck CT for Photographer & Videographers
The Loupedeck CT is genuinely perfect for Photographers and Videographers looking to improve their editing workflow. It support apps such as Lightroom, Photoshop, Ableton, Premier Pro Final Cut and more - it really is a great tool, but it has one massive drawback! Would you stump up for the Loupedeck CT?
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📸 - Weebill S Honest First Impressions - https://youtu.be/EuWGpxOfJc8
📸 - The EOS-R - Have I made a mistake? - https://youtu.be/S7ICyugt4PE
VIDEO: LowePro Protactic 450 AW II - Still the BEST Camera Bag in 2019?
LowePro Protatctic 450 AW II could well still be the BEST camera bag of 2019 but in faces increasing challenges as a host of new camera bags for photographers and videographers hits the market, including one from the legend that is Peter McKinnon!
You can learn more at https://www.lowepro.com/uk-en/protactic-bp-450-aw-ii-black-lp37177-pww/
or Buy one at: https://amzn.to/32P7NFi
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VIDEO: DataColor Spyder X Elite - BEST Monitor Calibrator
Having a perfectly calibrated monitor is critical for photography & videography. Find out what I thought of the Spyder X Elite and see how to easily & correctly calibrate your monitor. Is the Spyder X Monitor Calibrator the best of 2019?
Buy the Spyder X Elite here: https://amzn.to/2NkJQRK
Read more in my Blog Post - https://www.rossjukesphoto.co.uk/blogfeed//review-datacolor-spyder-x-elite-monitor-calibrator
VIDEO: Zhiyun Weebill S - HONEST first Impressions!
As a Photographer and Videographer, I am always looking for ways of improving my output and having the right tools for the job is always important. The Zhiyun Weebill S is a new gimbal that features improved motors to help keep your footage steady. Take a look at the video to see my honest first impressions.
REVIEW: LowePro 'ProTactic' 450 AW II
For a long time now, I’ve been on the hunt for a camera bag that can carry everything I need for my commercial work. It also needs to offer great protection, be versatile and look good - and The LowePro ProTactic 450 AW II certainly seems to meet a lot of those requirements, but will it be perfect? Read on to find out…
As you will see from the various images, I do a lot of travelling with my equipment and also shoot a variety of Urban and traditional Landscape photography, so the bag needs to be able to stand up to various challenges. Due to this, I was looking for something that could handle everything nature could throw at it, yet be discreet and stylish enough that it wouldn’t look out of place walking through the city streets.
Build Quality
I’ve purchased LowPro products in the past so I can say confidently that I have always been a fan of their build quality. However, the ‘450 II’ seems to take this to another level. With significant improvements over it’s already popular predecessor including upgraded zippers, more armoured protection and overall improvements in the build quality. The 450 II looks almost indistinguishable from the last version. However, there is increased padding in all of the key areas and some improvements to the exterior webbing etc.
The bag is surprisingly lightweight considering it’s the size and load capacity. More importantly, ‘FormShell’ technology adds critical protection to key areas without adding significant weight. The versatile exterior webbing is well constructed and I had no issues with hanging modular components on the exterior. The ‘All Weather’ element also does it’s bit. On several occasions since using the bag, I’ve been caught out in severe weather conditions and to this day, I haven’t found any kind of water ingress.
Features
It probably goes without saying that the main feature of the bag is obviously, well, it’s a bag! It’s designed to carry camera gear and it does that job incredibly well. The main compartment can pretty easily fit two DSLR’s - a few lens and a variety of accessories. More importantly, you can fit a DSLR with a 70-200mm lens attached! The bag is also surprisingly ‘deep’ - my little Eos-R seems to disappear into the bag and with a little bit of clever packing, this allows more storage space as you can ‘stack’ items.
The ‘Craddlefit’ interior segments allow you to fully customise the interior to suit your needs. This is ideal if you want to make use of the top or side access panels and one great use I found for this was leaving the 70-200mm lens on one body to be accessed through the top and a another body with a shorter lens in one of the side compartments - meaning I always knew where to go to grab what I needed in a hurry! The ‘smart’ interior segments even have little pouches in them which make for ideal places to keep memory cards, lens cloths etc.
However, the clever interior features don’t stop there! There is a 15” laptop pouch situated on the back panel of the bag (nearest your back) which comfortable took my MacBook pro and even has a couple of additional zipped pouches which I found great for storing external hard-drives etc. Obviously carrying a laptop eats into the interior space a bit but I still found I could carry two DSLR’s, a couple of lens and accessories even with the ‘computer’ parts filled.
Moving to the exterior, the most important features are the straps and I can say with confidence that I found them to be very comfortable and never have they felt like they were ‘cutting’ into my shoulders, even when fully loaded. There is also a detachable waste strap that is equally high quality - However, I removed this through personal choice as I rarely have the need to use a waste strap. One feature that I did find myself using was the chest clip - which effectively clips the two shoulder straps together across your chest so that the straps don’t slip off your shoulders. I found this perfect as if you are walking over long distances or up steep hills etc. bags can slip - not with the chest strap clipped in! It also helps distribute the weight and stops you from feeling too fatigued over long distances - very nice.
There are two pouches on the top sides of the bag which I found perfect for ‘accessories’ including spare memory cards and a multi-tool etc. The pockets can expand to a fairly decent size but are mainly for smaller items. One of the obvious ‘stand out’ features of the exterior is the webbing, which means that the bag can have numerous it’s ‘strapped’ to the exterior and I personally found that I kept LED lights, my gimbal and a monopod on the exterior and always felt confident that they weren’t going to fall off! On the sides, there is a tripod holder and space for a water bottle and thanks to the new ‘Sliplock’ accessories - the exterior is just as versatile as the interior.
Conclusion
Without a shadow of a doubt, this is a fantastic bag. I love how deep the bag is and the protection that it gives my beloved gear. Maybe not the most important feature but the looks are really impressive too. The bag looks stealth and doesn’t scream ‘steal me’ - well not to the untrained eye at least! The comfort of the bag is top-notch and the durability is pretty much class-leading.
You really have to go a long way to find any negatives but obviously, it is a fairly ‘premium’ product and therefore, carries a premium price tag. However, I would argue that it should easily last you 5-10 years so it’s more of an investment. One thing I would love to see is a more versatile ‘pouch’ like compartment but LowePro does offer the ‘Whistler’ bag which has this area covered, so this may be something to consider.
Overall, I couldn’t really be much happier with this bag and think it is a great choice for anyone looking for a professional-grade camera bag that is also versatile, comfortable, durable and stylish!
Find out more and purchase at: LowePro
REVIEW: Manfrotto 'Manhattan - Speedy 10' Messenger Bag
Choosing the right camera bag for your needs can feel like a bit of a pain to be honest. Not only do you have to commit to which kind of ‘style’ you want, whether it’s a back pack, messenger bag or all out camping-hiking hybrid monstrosity! But also, you then have to worry about how well your expensive gear will be protected, does it shout ‘steal me!’ is it water proof! Well, if you’re in the market for something a bit more comfortable, discreet and stylish, I may have just the thing for you…
The big decision…
Probably the most important choice to make when purchasing a new bag is what ‘style’ of bag you need. The two main things I do are corporate shoots, which need a lot of gear and lighting etc. The second is typical ‘street’ and landscape kind of work. For these, I need very different bags. For the corporate work I need something with a lot of space, practicality and comfortable to wear for many hours. For my street work, I need something small, lightweight and discreet, and that is where this bag comes in.
The ‘Speedy 10’ is a messenger style bag that works perfectly as an ;every day carry’. It is discreet enough that it doesn’t 'look too much like it’s filled with expensive camera gear. However, it is stylish enough that you will feel comfortable going to a corporate meeting or walking into a bar/restaurant with this bag - it really does work for all scenarios.
Comfort and Practicality…
As you can see from the pictures, the Speedy 10 has a main compartment for a camera and two lenses. However, the adjustable inner compartment offers enough flexibility that you can pretty much fit any camera body/lens combo that you need. It is also spacious enough that you can easily fit a 70-200mm lens and even has a laptop compartment that I found particularly useful for my iPad Pro.The padded lining and zipped compartment offer a good amount of protection and the water resistant out layer offers a bit of piece-of-mind if you are caught in a sudden downpour.
In terms of comfort, the bag is an absolute pleasure to use. The padded strap and easy access to all pockets/zips etc. make the bag almost ‘disappear’ as you never find yourself struggling with awkward clasps etc. This is particularly useful as the last thing you want is to be fighting with your bag whilst trying to get to your camera and then missing a shot! The bag in general is well thought out and little touches like the water resistant base are simple ideas but critical when you are carrying thousands of pounds worth of gear around with you.
Discreet yet Stylish…
As a photographer that shoots mainly in the city centre, I can’t state enough that you do not want to advertise the fact that you are lumping around really expensive camera gear. This bag looks like it could easily be another ‘work’ bag and doesn’t scream ‘camera gear’ at your local thief! Yet, the bag is stylish enough that you wouldn’t feel out of place walking into a fancy bar and just as importantly, it also doesn’t shout ‘photo-nerd’ so embarrassment levels are kept to a minimum!
Final Thoughts…
I’m a big fan of this bag and can really recommend it after months of using it. If you a re looking for a messenger style bag that ‘does it all’ - you really don’t need to look much further than this. In terms of ‘downside’ - I guess at around £80 it is more on the ‘expensive’ side - However, with a bit of internet hunting, you’ll find much better deals out there. Overall, the bag is great and is well worth considering if you are in the market for a new bag.
Find out more and buy here - Manfrotto
DxO PhotoLab 3: The future of photo editing software?
The photography market moves quickly and innovation is at the heart of it. One company that is driving that change is DXO and with their latest offering - DxO PhotoLab 3 - they certainly mean business. The new software is feature rich and hosts a range of innovative updates.
Learning a new piece of software is always intimidating. However, DxO make it really simple as the layout is very intuitive and with two main working areas - ‘Photo Library’ & ‘Customise’ - it’s pretty easy to guess what each one does! The depth and the power of the tools on offer in PhotoLab 3 is pretty easy to understate - it certainly has you well catered for! Once again, all of the tools and controls are self-explanatory by their nature and allow you take full control over your edits.
So how did I find using the software and will I be switching from Lightroom? The software is fantastic and I really like the speed and the range of tools on offer! The optical corrections seems spot on, which is great as I am slowly moving over to the new Canon ‘RF’ glass. One of the clear highlights for me was the ‘U Point’ Local adjustment tools - they are super accurate and make local adjustments really simple and effective - a real joy to use.
The colour management tools are also excellent and for someone like me, that likes to really tweak colours, it has me well covered! The DxO ‘Smart Lighting’ tool is also very impressive. I usually like to take complete manual control over my editing but it was certainly fun to see the software do some of the ‘heavy lifting’ in terms of brightening dark patches etc.
So will I be switching from Lightroom - Honestly, if it wasn’t for the hundreds of thousands of images in multiple Lightroom catalogues, I would switch in a heartbeat! The DxO software just feels faster and more, well, modern. If I was starting out again or looking to improve on my software experience from a photography point-of-view, I really don’t think you can go fdar wrong with PhotoLab 3, go find out more at the link below!