Groove Lies

27/07/2022

Looking back at the photos I took, what really stands out are the pieces that perhaps you didn’t notice or intend to capture. There are many small details that stand out — from the mundane receipts on the table to ground coffee beans and the patterns on wooden panels at the markets. It’s special in its own way, because memories fog up over time, and having something like this while you’re on holiday could literally bring you back to that moment when you were, for example, feeding pigeons in Piazza San Marco. The camera also does a decent job of capturing your whole body, though it does have a fish-eye like distortion.

A cute little camera that clicks into your iPhone’s Lightning port

26/07/2022

TheThe second half of 2018 will be remembered as a momentous time for the camera world because Canon and Nikon, two of the most storied companies in the industry, finally got serious about mirrorless cameras. They both launched new full-frame mirrorless cameras with equally new mount systems and lenses that both hope will carry them long into the future. Nikon launched the Z7 and Z6, a duo with specs clearly designed to challenge Sony’s Alpha A7R III and A7 III cameras. Canon released the EOS R with an impressive set of fast lenses to go along with it. It’s clear that both companies recognize mirrorless as the future of their prosumer camera products — even if these three cameras borrow more than a little from the companies’ DSLRs.

The EOS R, Z6, and Z7 are already putting up a good fight against Sony.

25/07/2022

AA couple of years ago GoPro tried to eat DJI’s lunch by getting into the drone business. It didn’t go so well. In 2019, it’s DJI’s turn to horn in on GoPro’s turf with the launch of its first action camera, the $350 DJI Osmo Action. The result? It’s not quite as good as the Hero7 Black, but it’s breathing right down GoPro’s neck.

Let’s start with the basics. The Osmo Action looks a hell of a lot like a GoPro. It has the same dark, boxy shape with a lens on the left. Around back, as with the Hero7, is a touchscreen display. The Osmo’s is a wider 16:9 screen (the Hero7’s is 4:3), which gives you a larger image, but the screen is a lot dimmer than the GoPro’s which I found frustrating in bright sunlight. The biggest physical difference is that the Osmo Action has a screen on the front of the camera, too. It’s a small, 1.4-inch square, so you can’t see a ton, but it’s generally good enough to see if your silhouette is in frame or not. Definitely handy.

DJI’s first action camera is almost as good as the best GoPro

24/07/2022

Point-and-shootPoint-and-shoot cameras are trending toward the endangered species list. For typical, day-to-day photos and videos, there’s the smartphone. If you want to capture action, there’s the GoPro, and if you want to make art, there are higher-end cameras with larger sensors. Point-and-shoots aren’t totally dead, though. They’re still popular with tourists who are trying to keep weight and bulk to a minimum. And then there are vloggers.

Social media celebs, YouTube personalities, and influencers in the worlds of travel, fashion, and food often need to be able to shoot photos and videos at a higher quality than their phones can deliver while keeping their camera small and unobtrusive. It seems that the $1,299.99 Sony RX100 Mark VII is aimed at that crowd.

The RX100 Mark VII finally has a microphone jack

23/07/2022

I didn’t think my current socially distant life was fun enough for an Instax camera when I received Fujifilm’s new Instax Square SQ1 a few weeks ago. There were no friends laughing on my couch or tables full of hard seltzer and chips. I was alone, with no Instagram-worthy moments that a Polaroid frame would make cute. Yet, as I began taking photos of my office-apartment-studio-hybrid space, one thing became clear: a simple camera that wraps images in an iconic frame can make even the mundane look Instagram-worthy.

The Instax Square SQ1 is Fujifilm’s newest point-and-shoot Instax camera.

22/07/2022

At 26.5 grams and the size of my thumb, Insta360’s latest action camera, the Go 2, looks like an oversized Tic Tac with an eyeball. It’s the second generation in the Go lineup, which is Insta360’s only non-360-degree camera line. Where the first-generation Go left a lot to be desired, particularly in the image quality department, the $299 Go 2 comes with a new charging case, larger sensor, and improved image quality, making a strong case for a mobile-first action camera.

Insta360’s latest action camera looks like an oversized Tic Tac with an eyeball.

21/07/2022

The new Sony 24mm f/2.8, 40mm f/2.5, and 50mm f/2.5 are three new compact prime lenses that each cost $599.99 and will be shipping in mid-May. While they uphold the reputation of quality Sony has established with the G lineup, it’s their uniformity and small size that come as a welcomed surprise.

Uniformity and size are so rarely a topic of discussion in regards to lenses. As a video-first creator, 67mm, 77mm, and 82mm are common thread sizes in my gear bag. But it feels like with every new lens I buy I have to factor in the cost of a new ND filter or a step-up or down ring. These three new lenses all conveniently share the same 49mm filter thread.

Then there is weight and size. It’s no secret that bags with full-frame camera gear are heavy, and lenses play no small role in that. But this new trio of lenses are small and light enough to fit in a compact bag or even your jacket pocket.

The new Sony compact prime lenses each cost $600 and weigh less than 0.5lbs.

27/06/2022

22/06/2022

We just love everything about this fit, from the top's abstract take on rainbow print, to the baggy distressed jeans, to that adorable bubblegum pink, pint-sized bag. It's a subtle way to rep Pride in your everyday life.