Professional Cameras for Photography

September 11, 2015

Full-Frame Roundup

For most pros, the full-frame format is the tool of choice for the bulk of their work. The range of what’s available has grown, and we break down some of the new options.

By DPP Mag
A few years ago, it looked like the major camera manufacturers were on the verge of all but completely eliminating full-frame products. That has changed, and today there are more full-frame options available than ever before. For pros, especially fashion-oriented pros, a full-frame DSLR is the tool of choice. Here’s a look at what’s available... Read more
September 10, 2015

Here Comes The Resolution

Wedding work is ideally suited for the highest-res cameras. Which one is best for your work?

By The Editors
Back in the film era, medium-format cameras were the hot choice for wedding photographers because their larger negatives could deliver much better image quality than 35mm SLRs (35mm originally was known as "miniature format"). But, as digital took over, so did the "full-frame" 35mm DSLR for pro wedding photography. DSLRs offer better,... Read more
July 31, 2015

Moving To Motion

Key gear to take your movie work from static to dynamic

By DPP Mag
Most professional photographers make their first forays into motion by leveraging their still photography equipment. Everything, from the motion-capable DSLR to the usual collection of lenses to the tripod and head, was ported from still capture to motion capture. Any prolonged work in shooting motion requires some additional gear. Continuous... Read more
May 4, 2015

Monochrome Digital Cameras

Dedicated black-and-white digital cameras can deliver better and sharper images for those who don’t have a need for color

By DPP Mag
There are three basic ways to produce a monochrome (black-and-white) image with a digital camera: Shoot it that way using your camera’s monochrome mode; convert a color image to monochrome using your RAW converter, Photoshop or specialized monochrome software; or shoot with a monochrome digital camera. Using your camera’s monochrome mode... Read more
January 6, 2015

ISO How High Can You Go?

Today, cameras are made with ISO capability of 204,800 and more, but is it even remotely usable? We unravel what ISO is, how it works in a modern camera and how it can work for you.

By Staff
Back in the film era, ISO 800 was high. Use a film rated higher than that, and image quality definitely fell off. The fastest films available were ISO 1600 and EI 3200 (EI, or exposure index, meaning it didn’t meet the ISO standards criteria for an ISO rating). Today, we have digital cameras with ISO settings up to 409,600—seven stops greater.... Read more
January 6, 2015

Hi-Tech Studio: Compacts For Pros

Small cameras with big sensors put superior image quality in your pocket

By Staff
As a pro photographer, you use gear that provides the results you need, that satisfies your clients. But you can’t always carry that gear with you everywhere you go. Sure, an iPhone is nice and gives you a lot of flexibility, and it’s always with you, but having something a little larger that’s much more capable and can still be with... Read more
December 11, 2014

What's Your Next Pro DSLR?

The lines between top-tier and mid-level camera models are blurring.

By The Editors
Today’s pro DSLRs, and even the mid-level models, offer a lot to hard-working pros, including image quality, performance, ruggedness and system accessories. And prices are coming down—while you can still pay over $6,000 for a top pro DSLR, you also can choose from Canon and Nikon full-frame models for just over $2,000, and the APS-C models... Read more
September 1, 2014

Time To Lose The Mirror

New interchangeable-lens mirrorless cameras are threatening to take the place of your DSLR

By Staff
When rangefinder cameras came along in the early part of the 20th century, they revolutionized photography. Designed to use 35mm movie film with its rugged film base and sprocket system for advancing frames, 35mm rangefinders ushered in a new era of compact, fast cameras that were mated with ultra-high-level optics. Ultimately, Leica became synonymous... Read more
September 1, 2014

Dedicated To Motion

The advantages of working with a video camera for filmmaking or broadcast

By David Willis
Despite offering much larger-format sensors than those you find in a typical camcorder, the problem with using your primary still camera for video is that a number of accessories will be required to gain the same advantages that a dedicated camcorder system has right out of the box. Camcorder bodies include XLR connections for the use of balanced professional... Read more
July 1, 2014

Monochrome Specialists

Dedicated black-and-white cameras eliminate the sharpness-robbing Bayer array and anti-aliasing filter to create the sharpest images possible

By Staff
Many digital photographers do monochrome photography with their regular color digital cameras. This provides a couple of benefits. First, if you shoot RAW, you can process your images to color or monochrome. If you use the camera’s monochrome mode, you’ll see the images in black-and-white on the LCD monitor, including the tonal-changing... Read more
May 1, 2014

Do You Use Any Aliases?

Is the anti-aliasing filter still necessary or even useful in modern, high-resolution digital camera systems? Several manufacturers are eliminating them from their highest-resolution models.

By Staff
Digital image sensors consist of a grid of light-sensitive photodiodes (pixels). When you make an exposure, each pixel receives a certain amount of light—a certain number of photons—according to the brightness of the portion of the scene being photographed that’s focused at that pixel. Inherent in this process is the moiré that can result... Read more
March 1, 2014

Retro-Style Cameras

The proliferation of high-end, back-to-the-future, retro-design cameras has style as well as substance

By The Editors
“Retro”-look serious cameras are hot today. Besides the nostalgia factor, they provide their users with a sense of style. We wouldn’t trade the technology of our recent DSLRs and mirrorless cameras for that of the old 35mm film cameras, much less earlier digital cameras, but there’s something to be said for the retro look. Photographers—pro... Read more
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