The Consulate-General of Japan’s 2019 Japan Photo Contest is now open for submissions! Submit up to four photos for your chance to win exciting prizes, including the grand prize of a Nikon D7500 & 18-140mm lens kit. Photos, taken in either Japan or Canada with a Japanese subject, can be entered into one of four categories:
- Culture, Food & Festivals
- Nature
- Cool Japan
- Movement & Sports – NEW this year in acknowledgement of the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
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Hannah Campbell (left) and Jiri Rysanek (right). All photos by Jeff Yee
The Camera Store has proudly supported the Banff Mountain Film Festival for over a decade and specifically sponsored the Mountain Photography Residency program last week. The Camera Store’s very own Jeff Yee got to go up to Banff for the Mountain Photography Residency to represent TCS, bring up gear for participants to test, and take some amazing shots of the participants during the program.
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Sigma has been on a roll producing high-quality lenses in a variety of mounts including Canon, Nikon, Sony and the new L-Mount alliance with Panasonic and Leica. They have changed the perception of third party lenses from purely being a value brand to a premium alternative by creating glass that is precise, sharp, well-built and backed by a 7-year Canadian warranty. On the other hand, they are sometimes criticized for being larger and bulkier than native mirrorless lenses. For example, Sony is also creating incredible glass that is not only praised for sharpness, durability, and compactness but also autofocus performance. A critical factor for Sony in particular since they have developed a high-tech Real-Time Tracking Autofocus system that requires lenses that can keep up.
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Maybe you’re travelling. Maybe you want to create some content for your small business. Maybe you’re just really passionate about pizza and need to share in-depth knowledge of all the best pizza places in town. There’s so many reasons to start a vlog, and there’s a ton of options to get started with.
Here’s some ideas for a great kit to get you started for less than $1000:
1. Canon EOS Rebel SL3 Kit – The Canon SL3 is an affordable, compact DSLR kit with Dual-pixel Autofocus for smooth focus tracking in video mode. The camera also has a microphone jack and fully articulating LCD screen for easy filming, no matter whether you’re filming yourself or the world in front of you.
2. External Microphone – Great audio is a critical part of making a great vlog. Using an external microphone is a simple way to step up that audio. Pick a lavalier (lapel) microphone like the Deity V.Lav if you’re recording a lot of talking-head footage, or a small shotgun mic like the Rode VideoMicro if you want something easier to run-and-gun with.
3. Sescom Headphone Splitter – Improving your audio is a great step, but monitoring it can save you a lot of hassle in case of interference or disconnected microphones. This splitter allows you to use headphones while shooting on an external microphone.
4. Aputure M9 Compact LED Spot Light – Designed to sit right in the hotshoe on your camera, this daylight-balanced LED light is small and lightweight but powerful. Easy to recharge via micro-USB, this is a great piece of kit to keep you and your subjects lit in any situation.
5. Joby Gorillapod 3K Kit – Whether you need a little extra reach or a chance to set the camera down, Joby’s Gorillapod is a versatile, compact tripod solution that’s easy to bring with you. The flexible legs mean you can wrap the tripod around a fence post or tree branch, or any other predicament you find yourself in so that you can get the shot.
Video can be intimidating, but this is an example of some lower-budget tools that can make a big difference in your finished product.
Featured in this Article:
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 with 18-55mm f4-5.6 IS STM
Deity V.Lav
RODE VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone
Sescom 3.5mm Attenuation Cable
Aputure AL-M9 Pocket LED Light
Joby Gorillapod Ballhead 3K Kit
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All photos by River King
Early last year, I had the opportunity to get to know one of our online customers from Vancouver, River King. We talked about his range of landscape photography that he humbly captures with Sony mirrorless camera equipment. The Sony A7R Mark III is ideal for his style of travel photography since it is lightweight, reliable and paired with excellent optics. This summer he reached out to me to share some of his new work capturing the beauty of Iceland, which is high on my own bucket list.
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