Photography News

While pixel-peepers obsess over sharpness charts and bokeh samples, the smartest photographers know that certain overlooked lens features can help you get that elusive shot. Here are five hidden gems you should look for in your next lens.

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The EOS RF mount’s inner diameter is 54mm, which is the same as the EOS EF mount. But with no reflex mirror, the back focus distance of the mirrorless mount is much shorter, which makes new lens designs possible.

 

The full frame or 36x24mm format became popular for stills photography around 100 years ago, with Leica leading the way in the 3:2 format’s growth. Later in 1934, Kodak gave the format a huge lift by introducing the pre-loaded 135 film cassette.

In the early days of digital system cameras, full-frame took a backseat as consumer models adopted the APS-C format, but it wasn’t long before it caught up. The full-frame Canon EOS 5D arrived in 2005, just two years after the APS-C format EOS 300D, the first consumer-level digital DSLR.

 

The relatively low lit interior of IWM Duxford was not an issue for the EOS R with its good high ISO skills. The exposure was 1/160 sec at f/8 using ISO 25,600 and the noticeable noise vanished after treatment with Adobe Lightroom’s denoise tool. Image by Will Cheung.

 

Canon’s full-frame mirrorless journey started with the EOS R, which was released in 2018. Despite its vintage in digital camera terms, it remains a capable model with much to commend it, and that’s why we have based our £2000 full-frame kit on it.

MPB has excellent condition samples of the EOS R in the £744-809 price range. That compares with current Canon full-frame models; the 26.2 megapixel EOS RP is £1049 and the 24.2 megapixel EOS R8 is £1629 (all body only prices). Of course, those two cameras are more recent and thus offer superior performance in some areas, but nevertheless the EOS R has plenty going for it.

At the EOS R’s heart is a 30.3 megapixel Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor, which uses advanced phase detection with 5655 AF positions (in single point AF mode) for quick and accurate autofocus for stills and video, even in challenging lighting conditions.  

The EOS RF lens mount plays a significant part in the impressive AF performance of all EOS R cameras. With 12-pin connections compared with the 8-pins of the EOS EF mount, that allows faster communication and data transfer. 

Another notable benefit of the new EOS RF mount and its shorter back focus is that EOS EF mount lenses can be used on EOS R mirrorless cameras without losing functionality via an adaptor. With the vast number of EOS EF lenses around, new and used, it means those photographers new to the EOS R system are not limited when it comes to lens choice.

 

In terms of controls and layout the EOS R has a similar design and feel to Canon’s long established and massively popular DSLR cameras.

 

The EOS R saw the debut of the Touch Bar, a customisable touch control. It wasn’t generally well received by reviewers but it has potential once you get used to it.

 

As you’d expect, image quality out of the EOS R is first-rate, typically Canon with a rich but lifelike colour rendition and low levels of noise at all speeds until you get to ISO 3200 and beyond. Images shot at ISO 1600 and 3200 are very smooth and raws look great even without denoising. In fact, even shots taken at ISO 25,600 can recover very nicely with software denoising and fine detail isn’t too badly impacted, which is a remarkable performance given the extreme ISO.

Let’s move on to lens choice. Since the RF system’s arrival, Canon has progressed quickly on its lens system and there’s an extensive range to choose from. There are a few gaps and many of Canon’s RF lenses are beyond our theoretical budget, which limits our options. Also, right now there are no third party autofocus options for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, which is a negative point to bear in mind, although, hopefully, this might change in time.

For our £2000 full-frame outfit, we have spent £744 on a decent condition EOS R body, which leaves £1256 for lenses. Naturally, it is a matter of personal taste but with Canon’s RF lenses, there is the possibility of going for primes or zooms or a combination of the two types.

 

Raw files from the EOS R have plenty of scope when it comes to recovering highlights and shadows in editing software. Shot with the RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM on the EOS R using an exposure of 1/200sec at f/4 and ISO 3200. Image by Will Cheung.

 

In terms of primes in our price range, there is a good choice in the wide-angle and standard focal lengths but at telephoto, there is just the RF 85mm f/2 Macro, which from MPB costs in the range of £434-469. Add the RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM at £524 and RF 50mm f/1.8 STM £159-189, and you have a good three prime lens kit that is photographically reasonably versatile with the benefit of fast apertures and comes within our budget.

If having a more powerful telephoto lens is important, a mix of primes and zooms would work. For example, our £1256 budget would allow the RF 28mm f/2.8 STM, RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM. At current MPB prices, that trio would cost around £1024, which leaves enough for protection filters and a spare camera battery. Such an outfit would be portable and suit a wide range of subject genres.

For maximum flexibility, there’s the option of a three lens zoom outfit. Taking the RF 15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM and RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM at MPB’s used prices – going for good condition samples – that powerful three lens outfit would cost in the order of £1227. While the maximum apertures of these three zooms are nothing special, that is offset by having focal length coverage from 15mm ultra-wide to 400mm telephoto, which means a very broad range of subjects can be covered.

 

The RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM is a great photographic all-rounder. The interior of Peterborough Cathedral was taken with a handheld EOS R using an exposure of 1/15sec at f/4 and ISO 200. Image by Will Cheung.

 

A final option to consider is to keep it simple and just go for one lens to partner the EOS R. A used RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM from MPB would cost £729, leaving enough for a few accessories. The other single zoom option is the RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM. Of all the zooms discussed here, this is probably the most capable performer and it’s priced accordingly, £764-1079 from MPB, but it’s still comfortably within our budget with funds left over for a protection filter and a nice bag. 

MPB’s vast stock of used imaging gear is checked over by experts, comes with a free 12 month warranty and each item is individually photographed, so what you see on its website is what you get. With MPB’s help, buying a versatile full-frame outfit with our £2000 budget is no problem, and there are many options when it comes to deciding which optics to go for.

 

With the EOS R’s 30.3 megapixel resolution there’s ample potential for large prints and cropping without software interpolation. The exposure was 1/400sec at f/6.3 and ISO 100. Image by Will Cheung.

 

At a glance: Canon EOS R

 

Announced 2018 Sensor 30.3 megapixels, Dual Pixel CMOS Format 36x24mm, 6720x4480pixels ISO range 100-40,000 (expansion to ISO 50, 51,200, 102,400) Continous shooting 8fps, 5fps with AE/AF tracking Video 4K UHD, Full HD Weather sealing Yes MPB price range EOS R body, excellent condition £744-809

 

The EOS R’s compact body feels great in the hands and the contoured handgrip allows a secure hold and key controls are readily accessible.

 

 

 

News from MPB: Shoot creative wide aperture landscapes and hone your nature photography skills

MPB is the world’s largest retail platform for imaging gear but it offers so much more with buying guides, interviews with experts, videos and podcasts and technique advice. 

Two recently published features on MPB’s website cover two hugely popular genres, landscape and nature. 

In Learn: Top 5 Tips for Nature Photography Beginners, MPB chats with five leading exponents of the genre. Aimed at newcomers to the subject, there’s plenty to get you on the road to successful photos with essential camera and technique advice. Click here to enjoy this feature. 

Traditionally, landscape photography is all about small f/stops and extensive depth-of-field but this MPB feature breaks convention and looks at the creative potential of shooting with fast aperture lenses. Outdoor shooter James Popsys shows what can be achieved with two f/1.4 prime lenses so check out his technique-packed feature here.

 

MPB Explained

You need kit to take photographs and produce videos, and taking the used route is a cost-effective way of making the most of your budget and keeping up with the latest developments in imaging technology.

MPB is one of the biggest used retailers with bases in the UK, Germany and the USA.

Trading with MPB the process is fair, safe, painless and incredibly easy.

Whether you have kit to sell, want to make a purchase or part exchange, start by going to the MPB website which is intuitive and straightforward to use.

If you have kit to trade, just start typing the name in and a list of suggestions from MPB’s huge database will appear. If a name on that list matches your product click on it and add its condition; if not, continue typing in the whole name and condition.

It’s worth bearing in mind that MPB’s database covers much more than cameras and lenses so if you have, for example, a photo backpack, tripod or filters to sell these can be shown as you type in their name too.

With all your kit listed, add contact details and a quote will appear in your inbox soon afterwards, although manually entered items will take one working day.

If you are happy with the quote, accept it and follow the instructions to get the kit ready for courier collection on a day to suit you. For higher-value deals, an MPB account manager will also be in touch, so you have a personal point of contact if you have any queries.

Once received by MPB, you will get a notification and after checking by its product specialists you will receive a final quote. This can vary from the original quote if there is a missing item —like a battery not being supplied—or your assessed condition differs from the actual condition.

A quote can go down, but it can also increase if the kit’s condition is better than your assessment.

The whole process doesn’t take long and MPB are in touch by e-mail at every step so you’re never in the dark, and only when you are totally happy with the deal, pass on your payment details or pay the balance in the case of part-exchange. Either way, the money or your new kit will be with you soon after.

Get A Quote From MPB Today

 

About MPB

• MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit.
• MPB is the simple, safe and circular way to trade, upgrade and get paid.
• MPB is not a marketplace, instead buying directly from visual storytellers and evaluating all items before reselling MPB-approved kit.
• MPB's dynamic pricing engine provides the right price upfront for all items.
• Circularity is at the centre of MPB, promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
• MPB prioritises inclusive recruitment and supports employees with extensive training and development. They promote inclusive visual storytelling and an inclusive circular economy.
• MPB's business model is 100% circular. All packaging is 100% plastic-free. Their cloud-based platform uses 100% renewable electricity.
• MPB recirculates more than 570,000 products annually
• MPB provides first-class customer service. Customers can receive support through their Help Centre or by speaking directly with a kit expert.
• MPB's product specialists are trusted by thousands of visual storytellers in the UK.
• MPB is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with over 37,000 reviews.

Visit The MPB Website

White balance is something most photographers know affects how colors appear, but a recent video argues that almost every camera, even high-end cinema models, is designed in a way that makes precise control harder than it needs to be.

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Some cameras are built to do everything well. Others double down on one purpose and push it to the extreme. The OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II falls in the second category, with a focus on still photography that challenges some long-held assumptions about what you need for serious work in the field.

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The Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 offers a lighter, more compact alternative to the typical 24-70mm zoom, cutting 10mm from the telephoto end while maintaining image quality. Its unusual focal range makes it an interesting option when you want versatility without the bulk, especially if you often work in situations where carrying a heavier setup becomes tiring.

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Antigravity, a new drone brand incubated by Insta360 and partners, announced the A1 today. The sub-250 g aircraft combines built-in 8K 360 capture with first-person goggles and a motion “Grip” controller, aiming to separate where you look from where you fly.

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To help you give your urban photography an abstract feel, here are 8 top tips on what, how and where to take your photos when out exploring a town or city. 

 

1. Focus On What's Interesting

When you find something that catches your eye, think about how you can compose the shot to take the subject away from its surroundings so it becomes abstract rather than a great city shot with several interesting elements. The key to capturing an image that works is to create an image out of something ordinary that you wouldn't normally see while still creating an appealing shot.

 

2. More Than One Point Of Interest

When you have a subject that has multiple points of interest you have the opportunity to capture various elements, some which may not have seemed so obvious as working in an abstract way at the start.

 

3. Create Scale

Just because you're capturing abstracts doesn't mean you always have to work up-close. Think of it as cropping out unwanted elements rather than using your lens to zoom in. Use surrounding elements to emphasise size but still frame the image so the building's surroundings are removed, giving emphasis to its shapes and patterns rather than it having context. 

 

4. Use Colour

By using a single bright colour in a shot that's mostly of the same shades can give the viewer of the image a point of focus that can also be used to guide and lead the eye to other points in the shot. This is even more so when the area is limited and contrasts so greatly with the rest of the image. Strong blocks of colour can also work well but you don't want one to overpower the other so the viewer doesn't pay attention to the rest of the frame. 

 

 

5. Look For Shadows 

This isn't something our eyes tend to see but when arranged in the frame properly, they can be a great subject matter on their own or enhance the shapes/patterns of an object you're making your point of focus. 

 

6. Lines Work Well

 If you want to use lines in your image, try to find a location that gives you a shot that has lines that vary in size and colour. Bolder lines can have more impact than small, faint ones and do remember they will still guide the eye through the shot and tell the viewer where they should be looking. Don't think lines have to be straight either as a curved line will still guide the viewer's eye. 

 

7. Shoot Through Other Objects

If you find a rain-covered window or even a water feature that can be used to capture a distorted reflection thanks to the ripples in the water, use them to your advantage. Keep an eye out for coloured glass, reflective buildings and any other items you think will give your city shots that abstract feel you're searching for. 

 

8. People Like Patterns & Symmetry 

As humans, we like to see repeating patterns and symmetrical objects so take advantage of this. Patterns can guide the eye across an image as well as make your abstract shot more interesting thanks to the shapes they create. 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

Wedding photographers are seeing a dramatic increase in ghosted inquiries. Couples are sending out initial messages but only responding if they feel an immediate and undeniable connection, and if the pricing works for them. For many in the industry, this shift has created an unpredictable and often frustrating sales process. If your inbox feels quieter after that first reply, you are not imagining it.

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Matching medium format files against today’s best full frame options isn’t just a technical exercise. It can reveal exactly where the differences show up and when they don’t matter at all. In certain lighting situations, the gap between these formats shrinks, and in others, it’s clear why some people pay more for that larger sensor.

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Every photographer dreams of that pristine lens collection, but many end up with expensive glass gathering dust while scrambling to find the lenses they actually need. The brutal reality is that lens purchases gone wrong hurt because good glass costs so much and directly determines whether you can accept paying jobs.

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Simplicity in composition is one of those deceptively hard skills that can transform your images. The instinct to include everything in front of you is strong, especially when surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Yet too much detail can scatter the viewer’s attention and weaken the impact. Learning to remove what isn’t essential makes the difference between a busy snapshot and a clear, compelling photograph.

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If you have never looked into Gregory Crewdson’s approach to photography, this one is for you. Crewdson generally ditches the usual “capture the moment” process that many photographers might follow.

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Removing dust spots from photos is one of those chores you probably put off until it’s absolutely necessary. The process has always been slow and repetitive, especially if you’re dealing with an image riddled with tiny sensor spots. These small marks can ruin an otherwise perfect shot, so finding a quicker way to handle them matters.

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The Nikon Zf manages to fit into an unusual category, as it’s both a dependable professional tool and a camera you actually want to carry with you. You might reach for it at a wedding shoot just as easily as when heading to the park with your kids. That balance between capability and personal appeal is rare, especially for a model that can be found for under $2,000.

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Using long exposure can create some cracking shots when used correctly but the smooth, almost dry-ice look using longer shutter speeds gives to water isn't everyone's cup of tea or idea of fun when they're heading off for a day of photography outdoors. So, if you've never tried this technique before and are wondering if it's for you, have a think about the following questions to help you decide.

 

1. Are you a fan of the outdoors?

This technique is all about leaving the shutter open long enough to turn movement into creative streaks and blur to give you a landscape with an almost graphical twist. For this reason, many types of these shots are taken where there's a wide expanse of water (the coast mainly) but you can also capture inland landscapes when you have a sky dotted with clouds or scenes with waterfalls that can add a feeling of movement and direction to the shot when taken with longer shutter speeds. The coast does give you many other still objects you can use to guide the eye and add interest to your shots though. Think tall piers sat in a mist of water, rocks adding foreground interest and several groynes or even a jetty leading the eye.

If you prefer city shooting, you can use the same technique to create streaks of colour from traffic.

 

2. Do you have a tripod?

If the answer to this is 'no' and you don't intend purchasing one anytime soon then long exposure photography isn't for you. Why? Well, with exposures in access of 30 seconds, these types of images aren't something you can really successfully take hand-held as shake will just ruin your shots.

 

3. Do you have a remote / cable release?

This isn't as important as owning a tripod but owning and using one will mean you don't have to actually touch the camera's shutter button, reducing the chances of shake spoiling the shot. However, if you want to use your camera's Bulb mode, you really need to have a remote / cable release in your kit collection. If you have a camera you've purchased more recently then it may have the option for the shutter to be controlled via an app from your Smartphone, eliminating the need for a remote to be purchased.

 

4. Do you have an ND filter?

To get the really long exposures, particularly when working out of the hours of dawn and dusk, you'll need an ND filter. These come in various strengths and will extend your shutter speeds to the length needed for capturing silk-like water and clouds streaked across the sky.

If you don't own an ND filter but do have a polariser you can still try this technique but you'll have to do it at the start or end of the day when light levels are lower. You'll also need to use a low ISO and keep your apertures small.

Polarising filter can work if just starting out or shoot at dusk with a low ISO and narrow aperture.

 

 

5. Do you have patience?

This technique isn't for someone who likes to take a quick snap and move onto the next thing as you will end up standing around for a while waiting for your camera to capture and process the image. With exposure times that can often extend well beyond a minute, you can find yourself twiddling your thumbs quite a lot of the time. However, if you enjoy quiet moments of contemplation or just like to watch the world go by, then maybe playing around with longer shutter speeds is for you.

 

6. Do you have an eye for composition?

When working with longer shutter speeds, landscape scenes can often take on a more graphical feel/composition and you have to ensure there are elements in the frame which will show movement as well as items to guide the eye and add balance. Without clouds moving across the sky or some form of water element, there won't be any movement which when combined with a slower shutter speed is what gives you the nice streaks and soft, blurry water effect.

 

7. Do you mind working out calculations?

Although this statement isn't relevant to everyone any more, if you don't own a smartphone or forget to take it out with you, you'll find yourself scribbling down shutter speed calculations when working with Bulb mode. So, if you're not a fan of maths, you'll need to invest in one of the many apps that will work out calculations for you.

  8. Do you have Live View?

Cameras that have a Live View function make the set-up for this technique much simpler as it often still works even with a strong ND filter attached to your lens. If you look through a viewfinder with an ND filter attached you won't be able to see anything which means to set-up, you have to remove the filter to compose and focus (manually) before carefully fitting the filter back in-place which is obviously doable but not as straightforward as using Live View.  

 

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You're about to drop thousands on a new camera system, convinced that flagship body will transform your photography overnight. But here's the brutal truth: most photographers sabotage their success before they even click the shutter, making expensive mistakes that leave them with gear they can't use effectively and budgets too depleted to fix the problem.

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Demarchelier. Eggleston. Avedon. Penn. Mann. Leibovitz. These names are etched into the history of photography. They are the figures whose work appears in museum retrospectives, on coffee tables, and in academic textbooks. But will photography ever produce universally recognized legends like this again?

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Two new 85mm f/1.4 lenses for Sony have hit the market, each promising sharp optics and fast performance. One comes from a brand known for solid, affordable glass. The other is a newcomer to the lens world, entering with a smaller, lighter design and a few unique touches that stand out.

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A 12mm f/2.8 full frame lens opens the door to images that feel bigger than life. You can pull entire cathedrals, sprawling streets, or the curve of a canyon into a single shot. It’s also easy to go wrong with focal lengths this wide, which is why learning how to control perspective distortion is key. If you don’t, you’ll end up with scenes that look stretched and unnatural instead of immersive.

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