PhotographyBanzai.com

The initial goal here was to find the cheapest camera I could get and see what I could do with it. My focus was to see if this camera could meet the needs of someone on an extreme budget.  Canon EOS 30D and a lens. Kinda like my non-existent YouTube production budget, haha. I think you get the idea here. If this ends up being successful, that will motivate me more to try this with other cameras. Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!  The video where I receive the camera and work on it to make everything functional. That idea morphed as I spent an unnecessary amount of time browsing used camera shops like KEH.com and UsedPhotoPro.com where they give you some type of warranty on gear, which is a nice bonus or necessary depending on your needs. KEH had a 12% off coupon at one point and I took action. It was under $50, but shipping added a bit of extra cost. See what used Canon EOS 30D camera bodies KEH has here (I signed up to be an ...

The Fujifilm X-T4 is official. If you are fine with APS-C, this is the the most advanced and fully featured camera there is by a good margin. It’s an absolute power house and really versatile.  The black version of the X-T4 with the 16-80mm f/4 kit lens. Here is my assembled hybrid Fujifilm kit with the X-T4 as the keystone. Or you can check out the camera itself on B&H . Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Based on the specifications, I see it as the near perfect hybrid for a combination of photo and video work. They enhanced many aspects of the camera compared to the X-T3. I don’t have access to the camera, but I’d like to go over various aspects of it here. Just keep that in mind that I’ve not had any hands-on time with it. Important changes… Sensor based stabilization up to 6.5 stops with most of their lenses. This was apparently totally revamped technology compared to the X-H1 (mechanical springs vs. magnetic). ...

I haven’t had great luck with the used Canon EF 100-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM lens I bought a few months ago. Though, a lot of the problems so far are from not having enough light to try smaller apertures hand held. On this photo outing I was able to get out in the field early enough and brought along a tripod plus a wired cable release. The YouTube video you can see visuals of the photo outing. Get the Viltrox Speedbooster on B&H or Amazon . Get the Canon EOS M5 on eBay , B&H or Amazon . Get the Canon EOS M50 on B&H or Amazon . Look for the Canon 100-300mm on eBay here .  As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Combining a brighter day with the Viltrox 0.71x EF to EOS M speedbooster adapter allowed me to really test things out. I was using the Canon EOS M5 for photos and the M50 for video. I walk around a snow covered state park to try out this combo so that I could better learn what the lens is capable of along with just enjoying photograph...

Get out there and enjoy photography. It doesn't always have to be about taking amazing works of art… The video where I attempt taking photos in the bitter cold for 10 minutes with a phone. Technically I had two phones and spent time filming the video. If you want to get some photography practice in, but have limited time, then I think this could be a fun photography challenge. While I was out for the day, I brought a small kit that included my main phone for photos (LG Stylo 3), an older one for b-roll (XG L Power), and a small flexible tripod. It was 17 degrees F and I didn’t have a set goal in mind until I thought of limiting it to 10 minutes to see what I could manage in that amount of time.  This park has fun lighting at night. It’s great to experiment with. This isn’t about quality or taking perfect images. It’s about pushing yourself and always trying to learn, practice, and grow in your craft. Always try to keep moving forward. In my case I’m usually doing a mixture of photo...

We are taking a look at the Dolica GX600 photo tripod legs and B200 ballhead. They are sold as a pair for a reasonable price (at least at the time of purchase). I’ve had them for at least a few years, so I thought it was time to give it a review.  The tripod. Here is a link to the Tripod on Amazon.com . They have two newer models as well that you might want to consider instead. Extra quick release plates are available. Make sure you get the correct one for your head.  B&H has the alternative AX620B100 tripod if you prefer that higher-end model. As of this article they don’t currently have the GX600B200 tripod combo. Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!   Watch the related video where use this tripod to do nature photography. Here is the tripod with full extension. I think it’s decently stable in this configuration, but that will be up to what you are used to. I didn’t mention in the video that the hook piece transforms...

With the release of the Fujifilm X100V, they featured the well known street photographer named Tatsuo Suzuki (similar to Bruce Gilden in style) in a promotional video giving viewers a look at his process of making images.  A still frame from the Fujifilm video... He and others of the same style appear to often have an in-your-face method of getting photographs of people. After public backlash, Fujifilm took the video down.  Clips of the Fujifilm video in question are shown on this website and in the video to describe the issues being talked about that directly relate to said video. Only what is necessary to critique is displayed. Fair Use: Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Fair Use Definition: Fair use is a doctrine in Unite...

In this linked video I talk about using the right camera for the task at hand. I made it mostly on a whim with the help of two older average specification smartphones. There are a few similar videos on the channel .  Use what camera makes sense in the moment. The related video on YouTube. I get a lot of questions like: “What is the best camera?” without any context about what the person is trying to do. Without knowing, I can rarely give any type of useful answer because most gear these days can work well enough. The line between what can work fine and what can work really well is thin.  Using a smartphone for photography. It’s the details and subtle features, or ways a feature is implemented, that can make a world of difference in a photographic tool. The topic is important and I was also able to give everyone that watched it a better idea of what I’m trying to do with this channel. Here is my slightly enhanced list on that… To be a facilitator of photography and videograph...

The embargo lifted on the new camera in the X100 series. The Fujifilm X100V ! I haven’t had access to the camera and probably wont unless I buy it at some point, but here are my thoughts on the changes compared to the X100F.  The X100V and X100F. I did own the X100F for quite a while. There is a lot to like about the camera, but there were some quirks I had found too. If you are interested in the X100V or X100F, here are my affiliate links to the cameras: The X100V on B&H:  Silver  or  Black . If you prefer the older one… X100F on B&H:  Silver ,  Black , and  Brown . X100F on Amazon:  Silver ,  Black , and  Brown . Or find the X100F on  eBay .  As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Here is my main video on the X100F ( or my video about selling it ). I see the X100V as a true example of kaizen. Kaizen is a concept referring to business activities that continuously improve all funct...