Three Best Compact External Monitors

October 19, 2017

[sc name="affiliate disclosure"]

Three Best Compact External Monitors for Your Camera

Having an external monitor for your camera has many benefits. Many external monitors are larger than the built-in lcd that come with a camera. The external monitors also have screens that are easier to view in broad daylight. Many provide additional benefits such as being able to flip the screen and confirm shots are in focus. Here are the three best compact external monitors for your camera.

1. SmallHD FOCUS 5

I personally love the SmallHD FOCUS 5. SmallHD makes one of the best hot shoe attachments for external monitors. It fits easily to a camera and is extremely stable when flipping and turning the screen.As HDMI ports vary depending on the camera manufacturer, the SmallHD Focus offers different adapters to choose from:

For the monitor by itself, the SmallHD FOCUS 5 retails currently for $499.

2. Ikan 5" Field Monitor

The Ikan 5" On-Camera Field Monitor is among the mid level option on this list. I found the shoe attachment the Ikan 5" On-Camera Field Monitor uses to be wobbly compared to the SmallHD focus. But if you're on a budget and looking for a dedicated external monitor the Ikan 5" On-Camera Field Monitor is the one to choose.For the monitor by itself, the Ikan 5" On-Camera Field Monitor retails currently for $299.

3. Your Own Mobile Device

The drawback of having an external monitor is that it is another device you need to charge. Both the SmallHD Focus and Ikan have huge batteries so they add size to your setup. You also have to contend with HDMI wires that you will have to attach to your camera.However, if your camera has a WiFi connection, an alternative is to use your own mobile device such as an Apple iPhone 8 Plus or Samsung Galaxy S8 phone. Several third-party manufacturers make hot shoe mounts for smartphones to hook onto cameras:

The smartphone hot shoe mounts will typically cost between $9.99 to $15.99.

Results

Depending on your camera, the easiest option from this list would be using your mobile device. The drawback with this method is that it uses your WiFi connection and you may notice some monitor lag. The SmallHD FOCUS 5 and Ikan 5" On-Camera Field Monitor use a HDMI connection so you won't notice too much lag when using the external monitor.

Tools Every Graphic Designer Should Have

October 16, 2017

[sc name="affiliate disclosure"]

Necessary Tools

The CreativeBloq recently wrote an article about the 12 tools every graphic designer should have. I am always interested in useful items that can improve your productivity and make creating easier. Here is a quick summary of the 12 tools from the article below:1. Desktop Apple 21.5" iMac, Retina 4K Display2. Laptop Microsoft Surface Book3. Software Adobe’s Creative Cloud4. Tablet Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display5. Colour Library PANTONE REFERENCE LIBRARY6. A Top-end smartphone:

7. Calibrated monitor: Datacolor Spyder5 PRO8. Variable Desk: VARIDESK9. Ergonomic chair: Herman Miller B Size Aeron Chair10. Compact system camera: Fujifilm X-Pro211. An (interactive) sketchpad: Wacom Bamboo Digital Notebook12. Reliable Storage: Samsung T3 External SSD - 500GB

Tools Every Graphic Designer Should Have: My Recommendations

I think this is a great comprehensive list. One thing I would have liked the article to touch on are the different stages of Graphic Designer. For a student or someone who is just starting out I would go with the bare essentials tools. From the list above here are my top five tools to select from this list:1. Laptop Microsoft Surface BookThis laptop provides double duty as both a laptop and as a tablet. You can take your work machine on the go and can show your work to potential clients.2. Software Adobe’s Creative CloudAdobe’s Creative Cloud is the industry standard for the creation of design projects so having this software is a must have for designers.3. A Top-end smartphone:

More users today are viewing design and content on mobile devices over laptop or desktop devices. It is always important to have a reliable device to test your work on. Emulation software exist but nothing compares to having the ability to test on a real device.4. Compact system camera: Fujifilm X-Pro2I rented the Fujifilm X-Pro2 several months ago from Borrowlenses and the quality of the images it produced were amazing. It has a smaller image sensor compared to a DSLR but it's lightweight allowing you to bring it along to any photo shoot.5. Reliable Storage: Samsung T3 External SSD - 500GBIt is always important to have a backup of your work. There are many options to backup your work in a cloud environment such as Dropbox or Google Drive. However for video projects and large files, go with a portable hard drive.

Honorable Mention

Printer: Brother HL-L2340DW Compact Laser Printer, WirelessA printer suggestion was not referenced in the article but I think this is a great resource to have as a Graphic Designer. As the rise of the Internet and viewing content on digital devices it may seem as though having a printer is not necessary anymore. I think having a simple black & white printer is useful for printing contracts or receipts if you're dealing with clients in person. Also great to print out resumes or copies of project briefs before meetings.Source: CreativeBloq

Canon 6D Mark II Review

October 13, 2017

[sc name="affiliate disclosure"]

Canon 6D Mark II Review:

Canon has released a sequel to their entry level full frame camera the Canon 6D. The Canon EOS 6D Mark II will be Canon's successor to their first entry level full frame camera. I have been looking into getting a full frame camera that offers an articulating screen. It's a feature I think many cameras should have as an option. Articulating screens for cameras have been mostly reserved to entry and mid level cameras. I find cameras that have a rotating lcd screen allows for better framing of shots. You can also take more creative photos with camera angles from extremely low angles. I decided to rent a 6D Mark II and try it out Canon's latest DSLR. Here is my Canon 6D Mark II Review.

Price

The price of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II for the body alone is $1,999.00. It is a slightly compact DSLR weighing 765g. For size comparisons it is smaller than a 5D Mark III and bigger than a PANASONIC GH4.If you're new to Canon, you'll need to purchase a lens with the 6D Mark II. Canon does offer an option to purchase a kit lens with the 6D. This is the EF 24-105mm IS STM Lens bundle that offers a zoom lens with the camera. If you have shot with Canon lenses before all you will need are lenses with an EF mount.According to the website Imaging Resource, the 6D Mark II's battery offers excellent battery life. In the Viewfinder mode, with the LCD screen not on, the camera will last 1200 shots. In the Live View mode, with the LCD screen on, the camera will last 380 shots.

What You Get:

The Articulating LCD screen is the primary selling point for the 6D Mark II. It is one of the only full frame cameras that offers a rotating screen. It has a 26 megapixel sensor which improves upon the original 6D's 20 megapixel sensor. The camera uses a DIGIC 7 processor and has an ISO between 100-40000. I found the autofocus on the 6D Mark II for video to be extremely fast. Facial recognition for video is very sharp and fast making it an excellent option for a vlogging camera.

What You Won’t Get:

Many reviewers have claimed that for the price of the 6D Mark II lags behind similar priced cameras on the market. The one big issue that has been noted is the lack of 4K. However Canon does offer 4K in the 6D Mark II's timelapse mode.At times I am not sure of what type of user this camera the 6D Mark II is for. It doesn't quite fit the category someone who strictly wants to record video or shoot photos. One example is that the 6D Mark II has in body image stabilization but this feature is only available in movie mode.I noticed that the shutter sound on the camera was loud in the normal viewfinder mode. In the live view mode the shutter sound was noticeably quieter. However I noticed that in the live view there is a delay when taking photo. This type of delay could lead to camera shake when taking photos.Many reviews have also written about an issue with dynamic range at low isos. PetaPixel article in July of 2017 reported that images from the 6D Mark II appear noisey at low isos.

Summary:

Overall I think the Canon 6D Mark II is a great camera. Especially if you compare the 6D Mark II to other entry level full frame cameras like Sony's A7 II and Nikon's 750D. The only difference is Sony's A7 II was released in November 2014 and Nikon's 750D released September 12, 2014. If the 6D Mark II was released in 2014 with it's current specs I think the camera wouldn't feel lacking. Canon tends to update their DSLRS around four to five years. Because of this I understand why consumers are tempted to move to Sony cameras for features such as 4K and image stabilization for photo & video. Hopefully there may be an option to improve the 6D Mark II with firmare updates.Overall I think the 6D Mark II will still make an excellent travel camera or vlogging camera for anyone who would like to travel with a full frame DSLR.[tg_divider style="normal"]

Brevite Original Backpack Review

October 2, 2017

Brevite Original Backpack

I am always on the lookout for items that make my hobbies easier. In the case of photography and shooting on the go, I'm drawn to backpacks that have a side pocket in which I can access my camera quickly. The Brevite Original backpack is one of the few backpacks that feature a side pocket and make run and gun shooting easy for the photographer.The Brevite Original backpack costs between $100 - $145. The $145 version includes a protective insert that adds cushioning and protection to your camera and lenses. The interior of the insert allows you to customize the layout to best fit your preferences. If you opt to not include the protective insert the backpack will cost $100.The dimensions of the backpack are 18in(L) x 13in(W) x 6in(H). Inside the backpack there are several pockets and dividers such as a laptop divider that will hold a 15inch sized laptop. Some of the features of Brevite's Original backpack include:

Sternum strap and hip belt with memory card pockets.

Sunglasses loop on shoulder strap

Sternum strap and hip belt with memory card pockets

Side tripod holder

Water bottle holder

Bottom tripod holder

Built in Raincover

600D Nylon

YKK Zippers

I have been using the Brevite Original backpack for three months as my daily backpack and I enjoy it's flexibility. Although I think the Manfrotto backpacks have slightly better materials and quality, I would highly recommend the Brevite Original as a backpack to carry your photo gear & access it quickly on the go.