Whether unwrapped as a surprise under the Christmas tree, or purchased with gift cards to take advantage of the great seasonal pricing on all sorts of photo-related gear and gadgetry this time of year, it’s a known fact that many photographers will be finding themselves the proud owners of new lenses, cameras, bags and accessories right around now. And whatever piece of new gear it is, it’s always important to check it out and run it through its paces before heading out to make a once-in-a-lifetime photo, to make sure you, the proud new owner, are both familiar with the gear, and ensure everything is working as it should.
SIGMA 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art: Photo Samples
Nine rounded aperture blades, Optical Stabilizer, 4x constant-aperture zoom for creativity and quick one-lens recompositing all add up to a rock-solid new member of the Sigma Art line of lenses. For photographers looking for a constant-aperture one-lens solution from wide to short tele, the new 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | A, there’s a whole lot to love.
The Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art for Videographers
Photographers and videographers have been raving about the world’s first constant aperture F1.8 zoom lens, the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art lens since it was originally announced earlier this year, for both its groundbreaking maximum aperture, and its incredible prime-like performance, even wide open at an amazing price. It rocked the charts on DXOMark, besting top-shelf primes at comparable focal lengths, been recognized with a POP Award from PopPhoto.com, and a Gold award from DPReview, among other accolades.
Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | A: First Impressions
First look at the new Sigam 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art lens. The newest lens in Sigma’s lineup is a full-frame constant-aperture wide-to-tele zoom with OS.
Single-Shot Autofocus, or Continuous Autofocus, Or…
Learning how and when to use different settings and options for image capture is one of the most important parts of becoming a stronger photographer. There’s no setting or camera function that’s going to be perfect for all situations, while is exactly why there are so many options. For example, every DSLR offers a couple variations on Autofocus for either a Single-shot or Continuously tracking autofocus.
Each has it strengths and purposes, and even with that, there’s still times when switching the lens to manual focus is the best way to ensure that your chosen subject and focal point is sharp in the image. In this piece, we’re going to look at three photos of seagulls to briefly explore and explain the reasons why to choose one type of AF or manual focus over the others.
Chasing Fall Color with the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art Lens
Exploring the world through the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art lens on the hunt for varying colors and textures, and levels sharpness and blur can create images that are at once new, and yet instantly recognizable. Close-up focusing on a pumpkin, for example, gives a shallow slice of sharpness, and lovely focus fall-off in a composition that’s pure seasonal color. And a single turning leaf backlit by the sun tells the story of autumn in a very different way than a sweeping vista of an entire hillside.
Seeing the Light with the Sigma 17-70 F2.8-4.0 DC OS HSM | C
The Sigma 17-70 F2.8-4.0 DC OS HSM | C is the first lens in the Contemporary line originally announced last September. This fast aperture standard zoom is a serious step up from the bundled kit zoom that covers a similar…
The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art: Another Look at this Amazing Lens
It was just about a year ago that the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art lens was announced at Photokina 2012 as part of the Sigma Global Vision. And what a year it has been for this amazing wide, fast prime! This lens quickly won the hearts of both technical reviewers and creative photographers around the world for its amazing optical performance even wide open at F1.4, its design and build, and of course, its incredibly competitive street price.
Mistakes, Mess-ups, and Missteps: It Happens to Everyone
One of our key missions here with the No Fear Photography blog postings is to teach photographers to take more creative control of their cameras in order to make stronger photos because taking the camera off full-auto-everything puts the power of shutter speeds, ISO and F-stops firmly in your hands. There’s many more variables, too, such as white balance, single/continuous Autofocus or manual focus, and so on to be tweaked and tuned. And the more controls you adjust, the more chance there is, that at some point in your photography, you are going to miss a shot due to operator error.
Why the New Lens Mount Conversion Service is Great for Photographers
Many times I’ve been asked on Facebook and elsewhere if it is possible for a photographer to keep their favorite Sigma lens and get a lens mount swap after making the decision to switch from one camera to the next, and now, finally, I can answer them with the answer they (and I) want to hear! As of September 2, 2013, owners of lenses in Sigma’s line of the Sigma Global Vision lenses: Art, Sports, and Contemporary, can now send their lenses in for a mount swap. This is a paid service, and lenses will be shipped to our Aizu, Japan factory for the mount conversion
