Best Vlogging Cameras for 2019

By: Suzi Pratt

What’s the best vlogging camera for 2019? That’s a tough question to answer given the wide variety of cameras on the market. In this article, I’ll talk about traditional vlogging camera rigs. I’ll also introduce three non-traditional cameras that also serve as modern vlogging options. Which is the best for you? Read on for some ideas, and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Traditional vlogging cameras

Before we go any further, let’s define vlogging as a video blog. The traditional way to film a vlog is to point the camera at oneself, while also inserting B-roll (supplemental footage). Thus, most modern vloggers need a camera that allows them to film themselves, and also gather alternative shots.
Popular vloggers such as Casey Neistat and Peter McKinnon use traditional vlogging tools: a DSLR camera with a wide angle lens and shotgun mic, all attached to a Gorilla Pod. This is a tried and true vlogging rig, but it can also be modernized or made simpler by switching out the camera. Mirrorless cameras such as the Panasonic GH5 and Sony a6400 offer a slightly smaller footprint while also giving you a flip screen to monitor yourself. Or you can opt for even smaller point and shoot cameras such as the ever-popular Canon G7X or Sony RX100.

Modern vlogging cameras

While the traditional vlogging cameras mentioned above are still ubiquitous among vloggers, there are newer, more modern cameras worth considering. Here are three fairly new cameras that might fit the role as best vlogging camera of 2019.

Contender #1: GoPro Hero 7 Black

GoPros are traditionally known as action cameras. However, many people use GoPros for everyday usage, including vlogging. This actually makes a lot of sense given GoPro’s tiny footprint, and its wide-angle lens that is perfect for capturing the first-person perspective. The brand new GoPro Hero 7 Black also adds several new features that work in a vlogger’s favor.

HyperSmooth and Timewarp

First, HyperSmooth. GoPro claims gimbal-like stabilization when HyperSmooth is in use, and it’s hard to argue. When shooting in HyperSmooth, bumpy footage is nearly completely eliminated. This means you can walk, run, drive, or perform just about any movement and get buttery smooth video. You can also shoot at up to 4K 60 frames-per-second with HyperSmooth enabled. Second, Timewarp. This is basically a timelapse video with HyperSmooth applied, resulting in a stabilized moving timelapse. It’s perfect for shooting B-roll and transitional scenes for a vlog or video.

Vastly Improved Sound

GoPros have always had atrocious sound quality. For a long time, this was due to the fact that GoPros had to be put into a plastic cage to become waterproof. All of this changed with the Hero 5, which was the first GoPro camera to be waterproof without the cage. The Hero 7 Black is also waterproof without a cage, and it adds much-improved sound. There are now 3 microphones dispersed throughout the camera, and they do a pretty good job at picking up voices. The Hero 7 Black is still without a built-in microphone jack, but if you really need one, GoPro sells a (rather ridiculous and expensive) mic jack adapter.

Contender #2: DJI Osmo Pocket

Brand new to the camera world is the DJI Osmo Pocket. Made by the same manufacturers of DJI drones, the Osmo Pocket employs nearly the same camera found on the Mavic Pro drone. The camera has just a 1/2.3-inch sensor with a f/2.0 aperture. It can shoot at up to 4K/60fps at 100 Mbps. It can even shoot 12-megapixel photos. Best of all, the camera comes mounted on a 3-axis gimbal so that you can record buttery smooth footage.
There are a host of other features worth mentioning about the Osmo Pocket. But two features in particular that relate to vlogging are FPV and Active Track. FPV allows you to quickly reorient the camera to face yourself, while Active Track is intelligent in-camera tracking. Both of these features are incredibly handy for vlogging. And just in case the Osmo Pocket screen is too small for you, you can also plug in your phone for a much bigger touchscreen interface.

Two Downsides

There are two major downsides to the Osmo Pocket as they relate to vlogging. The first is that the built-in sound quality is bad. No matter what side of the camera you’re on, it doesn’t pick up voices very well, especially if you’re filming in a noisy area. Currently, there are also no adapters or ways to install a microphone to enhance the sound. The second downside is the Osmo Pocket’s fixed 24mm camera lens. While 24mm is great for taking more cinematic footage without distortion, it’s not the best focal length for vlogging. You have to hold your arm out pretty far to get yourself in the frame, and even further if you have a buddy.

Contender #3: Modern Smartphone

A third camera to consider using to vlog is any modern day smartphone. Phones today are jam-packed with impressive camera specs with both front and rear-facing cameras. Many phones such as flagship Apple and Samsung phones also have in-camera stabilization, and the ability to shoot 4K video. They also have superior built-in sound since they are still phones, after all. You can also purchase a few accessories to take your smartphone photography and videography a step further. Investing in a smartphone gimbal gives you added stability, while Moment lenses increase image sharpness and offer wider angles.
The only real downside to using your phone to vlog is that you can’t use your phone to do other tasks while filming. Smartphone videos can also take up tremendous space on your phone, eating into your storage.

So what is the best vlogging camera? It comes down to your shooting preferences. Personally, I find myself oscillating between the GoPro Hero 7 Black and my Samsung Galaxy S8 with a fisheye Moment Lens. These two cameras are so compact and easy to take anywhere, and they have been great for spontaneous vlogging.
If you’re looking for the best vlogging camera in 2019 and beyond, the good news is that you have lots of options. You can opt for tried and true DSLR or point-and-shoot rigs. Or you can look at modern, super compact options such as the GoPro Hero 7 Black or DJI Osmo Pocket. Or you can use the camera you have on you – a modern-day smartphone – and buy a few extra accessories to make your phone a pretty awesome vlogging rig. The choice is yours!

You may also find these articles helpful:

Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera
Equipment List for Making Better Smartphone Videos

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Best Vlogging Camera 2019 for YouTube and Instagram Stories

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Ultimate Field Guide to Photography, by National Geographic

This guide by National Geographic can be a serious resource for a beginner in photography as it covers almost every aspect of the basics of photography. From explaining camera settings to tips on composition and perspective, everything is nicely explained. It can also serve as a handy reference guide to refresh your basics.

Circular Polarizers Versus Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography

By: Suzi Pratt

Whether you’re a professional or hobby photographer, odds are you’ve come across a beautiful, scenic landscape, that you absolutely had to photograph. Unless you’re an experienced landscape photographer, there’s a good chance the color in that photo wasn’t as saturated, or balanced as you were expecting. That’s because there’s generally a wide disparity in the dynamic range between the foreground and background of landscapes, as well as between the upper (sky) and lower (earth) halves of the frame. Thanks to a couple of lens filters, this hurdle can easily be overcome without having to spend hours of post-processing in Photoshop.

#LandscapePhotography#LensFilters#PolarizingFilter

What are lens filters?

Lens filters are lightweight pieces of glass that screw onto the front of most camera lenses (or drop-in using a holder system) in order to offer additional protection of your lens while also improving image quality. There are a variety of filter sizes that must match up to the size of the thread on your camera lens, so it is very important to make sure you get the correct size for the lens you plan to use it on (tip look on the back of your lens cap).
In addition to varying sizes, lens filters can also serve several different purposes. Most basic lens filters are ultra-violet (UV) reducing filters (also known as haze filters) that come with an anti-reflective coating to cut through the effects of atmospheric haze, thereby improving overall image quality. Besides UV/haze filters, there are two others that are particularly useful for landscape and outdoor photography – polarizers and graduated neutral density filters.

From left to right: A clear UV filter, a polarizing filter, and a Graduated Neutral Density filter.

What is a polarizing filter?

The next filter we’ll discuss is the polarizing (usually circular) filter, which attaches to the front of a lens and can be spun around to produce varying degrees of saturation throughout an image. This quality of the polarizing filter is important to pay attention to, because it’s easy to produce uneven shades of saturation if the polarizer is even slightly off, such as in the example below.

Landscape photo with uneven polarization. Notice how the sky is very uneven in color.

Sony a6300 camera with bare kit lens – no filter applied. UV and Polarizing filters on the table.

Polarizing filters do two things: first, they help reduce glare or reflections cast by non-metallic reflective surfaces such as glass or water. Second, they saturates colors and enhances image clarity by reducing the overall exposure of an image. The benefits of the polarizing filters are best seen when you are shooting at a 90-degree angle to the sun.
Take a look at the landscape photo below that was taken with no filter, the colors are muted and not very exciting. However, once the polarizing filter is added, you can see a huge boost in overall color saturation. It’s a pretty dramatic difference without even post-processing the photo.

Landscape photo with no filter.

Landscape photo with a circular polarizing filter. Notice how overall the colors are intensified.

What is a neutral density filter?

Another effective filter for landscape photography is a neutral density (ND) filter, which reduces the overall exposure of an image. ND filters are uniformly dark in color and they come in different strengths depending on density.
The best use of ND filters is in situations where you wish to use a long exposure or wide aperture to capture an image, without risking overexposure. Some example scenarios when a ND filter would be effective include:

• Producing a smooth, blurred movement of water in a waterfall, lake, or the sea.
• Blurring moving subjects to convey movement or motion (such as panning).
• Reducing diffraction by using a large aperture.
• Shooting with a shallow depth of field in bright lighting.

What is a graduated neutral density filter?

ND filters also come in a graduated form, also known as a split ND filter. The top half of the filter appears dark, while the bottom half is clear. Similar to the circular polarizer, the graduated ND filter can also be spun around to produce varying degrees of saturation, so it’s important to be careful when using it to avoid unevenly saturating your image.
The best scenarios for a graduated ND filter to shine are when you wish to reduce light, or darken just part of your image. Think landscape photos where the earth is balanced, but the sky is blown out. This would be an ideal time to use a graduated ND filter to darken the sky.

The above landscape photo with a soft edge ND grad filter. Notice how the sky is darker and more 

saturated, while the water hasn’t changed.

There are two types of ND grad filters: hard edge, and soft edge. You’ll want to use a hard edge filter when the light and dark sections are very clearly separated, while a soft edge filter is best used when the light and dark sections are not distinctly separated.

Landscape photo with no filter.

Landscape photo with a circular polarizer.

Landscape photo with a graduated ND filter.

Do you use polarizers or neutral density filters with frequency in your photography?

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5 Camera Filters That Can Enhance Your Photography

By: Simon Bond

Photography can be an expensive hobby, with equipment improvement really making a hole in your wallet. What if I told you there was an inexpensive piece of equipment, which can greatly improve your work! You’d want to know what that is right? Well, step forward the humble camera filter.
Although in truth, there are some camera filter systems that are quite pricey, you can also get ones that are a great value. So let’s take a closer look at what camera filters are all about.

What is a camera filter?

In the age of smart phone filters, it’s worth explaining what the term “filter” used to mean in photography. A filter is something that attaches to the front of your camera lens and is used to alter or adjust the light coming into the camera in some way.

#Filter#CircularPolarizing#UVfilter

Camera filters allow you to add more creativity to your photography.

Filters come in two different shapes

• Circular Filters – These filters screw directly onto the front of your lens. You’ll need to buy a filter of the same diameter of the front of your lens (look at the back of your lens cap for the correct size). It is also possible to buy step-up or step-down rings that will allow you to attach your filter to camera lenses of different diameters.
• Square Filters – These sometimes come as a rectangular filter, and always as part of a system that allows you to attach them to the front of your lens. There is typically a bracket, which itself attaches to a round ring, that you will screw onto the front of your lens. Systems like this make stacking filters easier and are better for graduated filters.

There are in fact many different filters which you can use, and not all of them are going to be mentioned here. Many people like to use a UV filter to protect the glass on the front of their lens. This is a functional use, and this article seeks to look at the creative use of lens filters.
A few notable omissions to this list are the starburst filters, and the softeners/diffusers used in portrait photography. With all this covered, let’s take a look at the five best camera filters that you can use to enhance your photos.

Circular filter are one of the main options out there.

#1 – Circular Polarizing Filter

The circular polarizer is a great filter, it’s a must-have in your bag. Its primary use is for landscape photography, though it can be useful for outdoor portrait scenes as well. This filter works by only allowing polarized light into the camera, that means light traveling from one direction. This has several effects on your photo.

• Reflections – A circular polarizing filter can enhance or remove reflections from a scene, depending on what you desire. As you rotate the filter, you will see the reflection either increase or decrease.
• Saturation – This filter can also add more saturation to your photo, giving it more impact with the viewer. You can adjust how much by rotating the filter.
• Clouds – Related to the increase in saturation, is the enhancement of clouds. On days where there is a mixture of sky and cloud, this is especially effective.

Circular polarizing filters are great for enhancing skies like this one.

#2 – Neutral Density Filter

Neutral density filters are ones that block the light in varying amounts depending on the strength of the filter. The strength ranges from the ND2 to ND1000, weakest to strongest respectively. These filters are mainly used for either portrait work, or landscape work with the stronger filters used in landscape photography.
The darkness these filters add is referred to as a stop, and a stop means one exposure value (1EV). That means an ND2, which is a 1 stop filter, darkens the photo by -EV1. The ND1000 filter is referred to as a 10-stop camera filter.

• Portrait filters – ND2, ND4, and ND8 filters can broadly be described as portrait filters. They are used with prime lenses when there is too much light for that lens to be used with a large aperture. Their other function, when using a strobe (flash), is to block enough light so you can use the flash at the camera’s regular sync speed (without the need for high-speed sync HSS).
• Landscape filters – While there are times you might want to use some of the weaker ND filters for landscape photography, typically you’ll be using an ND110 or ND1000 for landscape photography. This allows you to make dramatic long exposure photos during the day, ideal for moving water or clouds.
• Solar eclipse – Should you be lucky enough to witness a solar eclipse, you’ll want to use the 16-stop ND100000 filter (a special solar filter).

If you want to take a daytime long exposure you’ll need a strong ND filter.

#3 – Graduated Neutral Density Filter

These filters are the domain of landscape photographers. Graduated Neutral Density filters come in two types, hard and soft. They’re used to make the sky darker, so it balances out the exposure of the image in relation to the foreground.
Purist photographers who like to create their photos from a single image, and avoid techniques like HDR or digital blending like to use these filters. Even those who like to blend their images will use them, as it makes post-processing easier later on.
If you’re looking to buy one you should look at the square variety, as this gives you the ability to adjust where the horizon line is. Let’s look at the types you could use.

• Hard – This means there is a sharp line between the dark and light areas of the filter. They are more difficult to use but create nice results when applied correctly.
• Soft – Soft graduated filters have a more graduated transition from dark to light. Easier to use, and better when the horizon line isn’t sharp if it contains buildings or trees.
• Strength – As with the regular ND filters these vary with strength. You can get ND2, ND4 and ND8 graduated filters.

Note – The quality of the ND filters will be better the more you spend. Cheaper varieties may introduce a color cast to your image and are therefore not entirely neutral. If you have the money to spend, the Lee filter system is highly recommended.
Read these dPS reviews for more on these filters:

• Comparison – HDR Versus Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography
• Review of the Vü Professional Filter System
• Review of the Wine Country Camera Filter Holder System
• How to Use Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography

The square shape is best for graduated filters.

#4 – Graduated Filter

Progressing on we now look at the Graduated Filter. These are used to enhance the color in the sky. They work just like the graduated ND filters but instead add color. This type of filter will often be used to make a sunset sky even more dramatic, by making the sky orange, or perhaps rose red.
Other options for graduated filters are adding sepia to the top half of your photo. Even more experimental is adding one color to the bottom of the image, and another color to the top by using two of these filters together. This is a great camera filter to be creative with, but you need to apply it to the right place.
Those wishing to try their hand at this type of photography with a filter should look at this excellent guide.

You can use filters to add color to the sky, even when it’s not there yet.

#5 – Infrared filter

Do you want to create a dreamscape from your photos, with foliage that looks like it’s from a snowstorm? Then you’ll need to learn how to make infrared photos.
One of the most accessible ways to do this is by using a filter. When you buy a filter like this it will appear black, that’s because the human eye can’t see the infrared spectrum of light. A popular filter for infrared photography is Hoya’s R72. Even with a filter, you’ll need a camera that will perform with this filter attached, and some cameras are better at this than others.
Most manufacturers will block infrared light from reaching the sensor to some extent, the stronger that block is the less effective this filter will be. Should you choose to use this kind of filter on a non-converted camera expect your exposure times to range from 30 seconds up to 4 minutes, depending on your ISO and aperture settings.
Read more: My First Time Shooting Infrared Photography

Infrared photography is a lot of fun to try. This photo was shot with the Hoya R72 filter.

What camera filters do you use?

There are lots of methods you can add creativity to your photography, a good camera filter is one of those ways. In this article, you’ve seen five of the best filters available to add that little extra to your image.
Have you used any of these filters? Is there another filter that you use in your photography, that can add more creativity? Those who take black and white photos will no doubt point to the effects that red, orange and yellow filters can add to this genre. As always we’d love to see examples of your photos in the comments section, together with hearing about your experience using filters.

Filters can be used to darken the sky in landscape photography. This can make it more dramatic.

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A Look Inside the Bag of a Hobby Photographer on a Budget

By: John Davenport

We often get to see inside the bags of professional photographers. You know, the bag that we dream of having ourselves, filled with three full-frame bodies and six or more lenses with plenty of accessories to fill out every pocket the bag has to offer. Well, I’m not a pro – and today’s ‘inside the bag’ post might not be something to drool over, but it should give you an idea of what you can do on a reasonable budget if you’re planning to do some serious photography on the weekends.

Inside the bag of a hobby photographer on a budget

#Nikon#Photographer#Tokina

As you can see from the photo, I have a fairly well rounded collection of lenses that let me capture anything from ultra-wide to super close. I wouldn’t consider anything inside this bag “pro-level”, but the collection is very capable and allows for a wide range of subjects.
My camera body for the last three years has been the trusty Nikon D7000. I highly recommend this camera, or its bigger brother the D7100, to anyone who’s interested in getting into photography seriously. While it’s not an FX (full-frame) body it does have a lot of pro-like features, is very capable in low light situations and being marketed at the enthusiastic hobbyist it’s fairly affordable as well.
As far as lenses go I use the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 most frequently, followed closely by the Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G. It really depends on the mood that I’m in but I tend to spend most of my time at the extremes of my focal length range. On occasion the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G and the  Nikon 18-105 3.5-5.6G, which came with the D7000, will be used for specific shots. The Nikon SB700 speedlight featured in the photograph above is rarely used and is probably my greatest regret in terms of purchases (not that it’s a bad flash, just that I don’t use it nearly as much as it deserves).
On top of the DSLR stuff I do carry two Olloclip adapters (the telephoto + circular polarizer and the 4-in-1 kit) for my iPhone along with a Gorillapod with an iPhone mount attached to it. Sometimes I just enjoy the simplicity and creativity that the iPhone allows.
Other little things not pictured above include a wireless remote shutter release, 77mm circular polarizing filter, and a 77mm Hoya ND filter.
To support the main camera I use the Manfrotto 190XPROB aluminum tripod with the basic Manfrotto ball head. It does the job I need it to do, and has served me well for three years, but I do want to upgrade to a carbon fiber tripod in the future for the added strength.

What bag holds it all and how’s it packed?

I manage to fit all of this into a Lowpro Slingshot 102 AW which when fully packed it’s bursting at the seams. The bag itself is designed to fit a camera body with a small lens attached, two smaller lenses on either side, and has a couple other storage compartments for extras like filters, charging cables and cleaning supplies.
I almost never pack my flash as it’s not typically something I use, but if I do pack it, the 18-105mm is usually the lens that gets left at home. Here’s a couple photographs to show you the bag fully packed.

Main storage compartment from left to right: Tokina 11-16mm, Nikon D7000+18-105mm, 55-300mm.

Secondary compartment – 50mm, Olloclips, cleaning supplies and remote trigger.

All closed up and ready for a shoot with Gorillapod attached to the side.

The filters and other little things that I may need can fit in the front compartment and if I want to bring the Gorillapod along I can attach it to the side of the bag using the built in tripod holder (which doesn’t really work well for anything larger than a Gorillapod anyway.

What do I use this kit for?

Whether it’s waterfalls, seascapes or the night sky; the D7000 plus the Tokina, supported by the Manfrotto, works like a charm. While I primarily shoot landscapes, the 55-300mm lens comes in handy when I want to capture a shot of some wildlife or simply looking for a change in perspective. I’ve also done some cityscape photography, a few portraits and one wedding (read: The Story of Photographing my First Wedding also Likely my Last to find out why I won’t do that again.)

All in all I think it’s a pretty well rounded kit for someone who spends his weekends hiking through forests taking photos. Obviously there’s a lot more that I could add to the collection, and I plan to do just that when I have more money to invest into it. Currently on my ‘next to buy’ list is a macro lens and then it might be time to upgrade the body.
So that’s my bag – what do you think about it and feel free to share your own in the comments below.

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Gear Review: Fujifilm 50-140mm vs 55-200mm

A Post By: Suzi Pratt

One of the biggest questions all Fujifilm X-Series users have to contend with is, “which telephoto zoom lens should I buy?” Luckily, there are three great Fujifilm X telephoto lenses to choose from:

• Fujinon XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS WR
• Fujinon XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
• Fujinon 50-140mm f/2.8 OIS

#Fujifilm#Zoomlens#Telephoto

All three lenses are fantastic in their own rights, but which one is best for you? In this article, we’ll take a look at two telephoto lenses in particular: the 55-200mm and 50-140mm. Why these two? Because they’re intended to fill the role of the standard 70-200mm zoom lens, an important tool in every professional photographer’s gear kit. If you’re unfamiliar with Fujifilm, note that all X-Series cameras are crop sensors, so these lenses have a 35mm equivalent.

Specifications

Fujinon XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8R LM OIS

• Released in June 2013
• Price (MSRP): $699 USD
• 35mm Equivalent: 83.6-304mm
• Aperture Range: f/3.5-4.8
• Dimensions: 75mm (diameter) x 118mm-177mm (length)
• Weight: 633 grams (with hood and caps)
• Image Stabilization (OIS): Yes
• Weather Sealed: No

Fujinon 50-140mm f/2.8 OIS

• Released in November 2014
• Price (MSRP): $1599 USD
• 35mm Equivalent: 76-212.8mm
• Aperture Range: f/2.8
• Dimensions: 82.9mm (diameter) x 175.9mm (length)
• Weight: 1,184 grams (with hood and caps)
• Image Stabilization (OIS): Yes
• Weather Sealed: Yes

Specs Summary

Based on specs alone, there are big differences between these two lenses. The 50-140mm is much larger, heavier, and more expensive. Although, it doesn’t even cover nearly as much range as the 55-200mm. What gives? For starters, the 50-140mm is one of few Fujifilm lenses to receive the Red XF Zoom Badge. It’s similar in concept to Canon’s L-lens designation, indicating that red badge lenses are more premium and geared toward professionals.
There are two qualities in particular that make the 50-140mm more premium: weather sealing, and the constant f/2.8 aperture. Both features make this lens more flexible in terms of shooting in bad weather and in low lighting conditions. Both important features for professional photographers. Unfortunately, that also means the price is much higher with the 50-140mm costing more than double the 55-200mm.

Build quality

Specs aside, let’s talk about how these two lenses compare in terms of handling and physical construction.

Buttons and rings

Both telephoto lenses are made of a combination of metal and rubber. There’s a rubber ring to control the zoom and another rubber ring for manual focus. The lenses also have Fujifilm’s signature aperture ring that allows the user to twist to select the aperture. There’s a key difference in that the 50-140mm has a marked Auto Aperture ring, whereas this takes the form of a switch on the 55-200mm. Both lenses also have a switch to turn OIS on or off.

Zoom

Another big difference between these lenses is how they zoom. The 55-200mm has an external zoom, which means it extends as the zoom ring is turned. When fully extended, the 55-200mm is nearly the same length as the 50-140mm. This can be positive in that the lens ends up being quite compact when not fully extended. However, when fully extended, there’s an added risk of damaging the lens. On the other hand, the 50-140mm lens zooms internally, meaning it physically remains the same length even as you zoom in and out.

Lens Hoods

Both the 50-140mm and 55-200mm come with plastic lens hoods. The 50-140mm’s lens hood is scalloped and has an opening allowing easy access to lens filters (ie. circular polarizers).

Tripod collar

Likely due to its size and weight, the 50-140mm comes with a metal tripod collar. This allows for the lens to be mounted to a tripod, rather than the camera body, resulting in better overall balance. The tripod collar has several knobs that allow it to easily be turned in any position, or removed altogether. Compared to other telephoto zooms such as the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8, Fujifilm’s tripod collar is much lighter and easier to remove. Overall, the tripod collar seems to be one of the best and most surprising features of this lens.
The 55-200mm lens does come with a tripod collar.

Lens performance

Let’s start with the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens as its price point and size makes it the easiest to add to your kit. Overall, the lens performs extremely well. Images are sharp and in focus. Even when shooting at 200mm f/4.8, image bokeh is smooth and there’s a good separation between the photo subject and background. However, it’s still a variable aperture lens. When shooting in low lighting or needing to isolate your subject with creamy bokeh background, this lens is blown out of the water by the 50-140mm.

The 50-140mm at f/2.8 performs incredibly well in low lighting.

Moving on to the 50-140mm f/2.8 lens. This lens is definitely much beefier and you’ll need more room in your bag to lug it around. Its size can make it an awkward match for some of Fujifilm’s more compact cameras such as the X-E bodies. If your camera comes with an optional battery grip, using it can help the lens and camera feel more balanced. Personally, I had a hard time turning the aperture ring with the tripod collar attached, although the collar did help hold the lens steady.
In terms of image quality, the 50-140mm offers sharp, crisp images at all focal lengths and apertures. It has an obvious upper hand when it comes to low light shooting and bokeh with that f/2.8. However, if you’ve gotten used to shooting with the 55-200mm, you might miss that extra zoom range that you can’t get with the 50-140mm.

55-200mm at 55mm f/3.5

50-140mm lens at 140mm f/2.8

So which of these two Fujifilm telephoto lenses is best for you? It’s hard to say. If you’re on a budget, don’t want a bulky lens, or don’t shoot in a lot of low lighting scenarios, the 55-200mm is a great deal that will still give you sharp, clear images. However, if your budget can stretch a bit and you really value having a constant f/2.8 aperture, splurge on the 50-140mm. Despite being larger, pricier, and offering less range, the 50-140mm is a sturdy, reliable lens that will last you a long time.

50-140mm lens at 140mm f/11

55-200mm at 200mm f/11

55-200mm

50-140mm

Have you used either of these lenses?

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Best Fujifilm Telephoto Lens? Fujifilm 55-200mm vs 50-140mm Field Test ...

How to Make a Rifle Stock for Your Camera

By:Michael Zhang
Want a camera stabilizer that’s sure to attract (perhaps unwanted) attention? Just add a rifle-style stock to it. Alex over at I did a thing made this humorous 5-minute video showing how he built such a stabilizer for his own DSLR.

Alex says he was inspired to create the stock after seeing the Asian photographer who went viral earlier this year for doing hunting-style bird photography (and by the vintage Russian Zenit Photosniper stock).

Alex started out by creating the stock itself with some good ol’ woodworking.

And after sanding and staining the wood, Alex added a remote shutter release that’s operated with the trigger finger. He then mounted his DSLR to a plate and that plate to the stock. Finally, for extra stability, Alex also purchased and added a commercial rifle bipod to the front of the stock.


The resulting setup looks quite intense.


For Alex, it’s quite an unusual tool for his macro photography.

Before and after creating the stock.

Alex hunting for macro photos.

Alex previously shared 5 camera tricks for cheapstakes and how he built a $10 DIY periscope for shooting underwater.

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