Reviews

April 14, 2016

Leica M Monochrom

Returning to a simpler time with a more advanced camera

Text & Photography By David Schloss
The act of creating a monochrome image with film was comparatively easy. Capture an image on black-and-white film, develop it with a single chemical needing nothing more than a plastic tank and a sink, and you’d end up with a roll of negative film. Take that film and a sheet of photographic paper, and with a basic enlarger and just a few more chemicals,... Read more
April 13, 2016

Mission Workshop Arkiv R6 Modular Bags Reviewed

The Mission Workshop Arkiv R6 is built like a tank, waterproof, attractive and has copious storage space, but does it make a good camera bag?

David Schloss
San Francisco’s Mission Workshop has a storied history. Formed by former Chrome employees, the company produces beefy backpacks and messenger bags designed and constructed in the United States. As a long time cyclist, I’ve had more than a few Mission Workshop bags, and have owned some of the original Chrome gear (pre split) for decades. While not... Read more
March 31, 2016

AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR

This budget-based extreme telephoto lens from Nikon is one of the best bargains in photography

Text & Photography By David Schloss
Judging by the name and specifications alone, the new AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm ƒ/5.6E ED VR from Nikon doesn’t seem like it’s going to be an exceptional lens—with a minimum aperture of ƒ/5.6 and a street price of under $1,400, even Nikon’s own press release doesn’t talk up the power of this new super-tele zoom. While the company often praises... Read more
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March 21, 2016

Fujifilm X-Pro2 Reviewed

A first look at two eagerly anticipated cameras

Text & Photography By David Schloss
The release of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 should come as no surprise as Fujifilm named the first camera in the X-Pro series THE X-Pro1, practically guaranteeing a sequel. The X-Pro1 was announced in 2012 and featured an APS-C sensor, the largest size found in compact digital cameras at that time. Much larger than MicroFourThirds sensors, against which the... Read more
March 9, 2016

Hands On With The New Pentax K-1

A first look at an eagerly awaited reboot to a legendary brand

By David Schloss
To say that Pentax shooters (Pentaxians, as some call themselves) were rabidly anticipating the new Pentax K-1—the company’s first full-frame digital camera–would be an understatement. When the company first started indicating that a new camera was coming with the launch of a full-frame lens (when they only had APS-C cameras available) months... Read more
February 24, 2016

Hands-On Review: Fujifilm X70 Camera

High-end optical quality in a compact package

By David Schloss
The diminutive X70 is a camera that Fujifilm is very proud of, and rightly so. When I sat down to talk to the company about the new members of the X-Series cameras, which include this new shooter and the X-Pro2, the PR team was especially excited about the X70 because it brings so much of the higher-end Fujifilm cameras into a truly portable body with... Read more
February 16, 2016

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX1R II Reviewed

Can a compact digital camera substitute for a professional’s camera?

By David Schloss
The Sony a7R II was a head-turning camera, one that Sony admittedly used as a demonstration to show Canon and Nikon just what Sony could do with mirrorless, full-frame technology thanks to their domineering position in the sensor manufacturing market. The smaller, yet nearly as powerful Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II is no less of a technological showhorse,... Read more
February 4, 2016

The Long And Short Of It

Nikon’s new zoom lenses cover all the angles

By David Schloss
NIKON’S TWO NEW LENSES, the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm ƒ/2.8E ED VR and the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm ƒ/5.6E ED VR, may seem like minor improvements to the Nikon lens lineup, but actually offer significant benefits not conveyed by the names alone. While the most outstanding aspect of their names is the Vibration Reduction the “VR” stands for, the optics... Read more
January 29, 2016

Dell UltraSharp 34-Inch Curved LED Monitor

Affordable, calibrated, super-wide display expands photographers’ view

By David Schloss
Several months ago I wrote about the power of Apple’s MacBook Pro and how it could, for many studios, end the division between desktops and laptops. The MacBook Pro is so powerful, and so portable, that it can be used in place of a traditional desktop. (For the back story, see the original article here.) In a “practice what I preach” approach... Read more
October 20, 2015

Hands-On With The New Leica SL Mirrorless Camera

When Leica announced the new Leica SL mirrorless camera system, the company took a bold step into the professional full-frame mirrorless market that hitherto was occupied only by Sony. The Leica SL is a new direction for the company, which already makes the Leica M-system, the digital rangefinder (and therefore mirrorless) successors to their legendary Read more…

By David Schloss
When Leica announced the new Leica SL mirrorless camera system, the company took a bold step into the professional full-frame mirrorless market that hitherto was occupied only by Sony. The Leica SL is a new direction for the company, which already makes the Leica M-system, the digital rangefinder (and therefore mirrorless) successors to their legendary... Read more