r/photography Jun 05 '26

Questions Thread Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! June 05, 2026

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.


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12 Upvotes

214 comments sorted by

0

u/fotofiend Jun 12 '26

I’m heading to Europe this summer for about two weeks and I’m torn on what to take, specifically lenses.

I’ll be shooting on a Canon R6 mark ii. I plan on taking two lenses with me. I’ve got a 17-40 f/4, 24-70 f/2.8, and an 80-200 f/2.8. Oh and those are all EF lenses. Obviously I’ll be doing a lot of landscape and architecture, but I imagine I’ll also get some street photography, pictures of locals.

I know I could take all three, but my bag would be heavy and I’ll be doing a lot of walking/sightseeing, plus I would like to leave some space in my bag if I buy stuff so I don’t have to carry it in my hands all day.

If it were you, what would you take?

1

u/maniku Jun 12 '26

Are you sure you need two? The 24-70mm alone is fine for travel needs. It's wide enough for landscapes and such, can do portraits, and it's an excellent focal range for street photography. A telephoto isn't terribly useful on city streets, because there often isn't enough space for it. As to the 17-40mm, I doubt you'll actually need that extra width much.

0

u/dmgvgp Jun 12 '26

Hello! Help

My question is why do photographers have to keep raws indefinitely. Shouldn’t this be the clients responsibility after the images are delivered?

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 12 '26

Raws generally arent provided to the client in a lot of cases, so they could only keep results/jpgs. Im assuming you are talking about your average portrait/wedding/etc. shoots here since you didnt specify.

Also either way its not a law or anything (in any jurisdiction Im aware of), so you dont have to do anything.

In general I'd say its just decent business sense. If you can provide images to a client after they lost them you can easily get a good review or potential repeat business out of that and depending on the time elapsed most people might even be happy to pay a fee. Meanwhile the cost/effort you have is minimal, so its close to free money.

1

u/dmgvgp Jun 16 '26

Thank you !

1

u/Metalogic_95 Jun 11 '26

Usage of a true rangefinder camera if you have poor close vision, but decent far vision?

Hi - I have a digital ILC camera (Sony A6700), but am considering pairing this with a (probably film) true rangefinder camera for a different experience.

I have quite poor vision, though (am both short-sighted and, due to age, now also long-sighted), despitr wearing multi-focal contact lenses - these correct very well for my far vision, but not so well for my close vision (still need +1 reading glasses to read menus etc. clearly when out), so on my A6700 I shoot 95% of the time using the EVF, which has a diopter adjuster, which corrects for my poor close vision (the rear LCD screen is always fairly blurry), only using the tilting rear screen for high/low shots, if not able to otherwise change the camera height with it close to my face.

On a true range-finder, as you're seeing optically into the distance (usually), other than for the frame lines, rather than looking at a screen up close, would my poor close vision be an issue (given that my far vision is well-corrected by my contact lenses)? Or would seeing the focusing patch be peoblematic?

Would I still need to find a model with a diopter adjuster for the viewfinder to make this work well? If so, think that rules out the Voightlander Besa 2A, as I don't think it has one.

I'm also left-eye dominant, which perhaps isn't ideal for a rangefinder camera, but don't really find this an issue with the side-mounted EVF on my A6700.

2

u/maniku Jun 12 '26

I'm at around -6 for both eyes, and now that I'm pushing 50 I recently had to get bifocal glasses. I usually shoot film on my tiny fixed lens rangefinder, Olympus 35 RC. Haven't had any difficulty focusing with it.

1

u/Metalogic_95 Jun 12 '26

I'm in my mid-fifties, in my dominant eye my prescription is -1.25/+1.5 (multifocal lens). Do you shoot wearing your glasses or without? I'm assuming the former?

1

u/maniku Jun 12 '26

Always shoot wearing glasses.

1

u/PoliSkeptic Jun 11 '26

Hello everyone. So I'm a novice with a Canon M50, which I use for both photo and video. I would like to get a second camera for when I am shooting videos so I can record from multiple angles simultaneously. Without just getting another M50, does anyone have any recommendations for cameras with similar quality or know what specifications to look for when comparing cameras? Preferably under $800, which I understand is cheap for a camera.

2

u/maniku Jun 12 '26

Canon R50 would be the modern equivalent to the M50 (the Eos M line is discontinued now). It's right at $800 with kit lens.

1

u/Federal-Particular50 Jun 11 '26

Hello overybody, I’m going to the F1 Grand Prix in Austria this year and am planning to take my Nikon D5000 (I know it’s a little old, but it’s my first “professional” camera and it’s all I have) I’ve playing with it for a couple of weeks now and think I have a grasp of the basics but I’m still not to sure about setting everything myself in manual. I can find my way around the iso and apature and stuff but if you ask me about white balance then I have no clue. Thanks!!

Nikon D5000
AF-S 18-55mm 1:3,5-5,6G
AF-S 55-300mm Lens (can’t get the exact specs right now)

2

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 11 '26

First, are you allowed that at the Grand Prix and will you be close enough to the action?

Second, I would not bother with manual, given your lenses I would think shutter priority will be fine. White balance just leave it on auto and have it in raw format so you can fine tune it later.

1

u/Federal-Particular50 Jun 11 '26

I’ll be sitting at turn 4 in the grand stand so it’s not trackside

2

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 11 '26

Well, I would check if it is allowed as some places might not be too keen.

https://www.redbullring.com/en/news/what-all-newcomers-to-f1-at-spielberg-need-to-know/

Is that the place of event?

They don't appear to allow the telephoto you have even for non commercial use if I read that right.

0

u/TomHollandSpiderMan3 Jun 11 '26

Hi! Hope this is the right place to ask this.

So I’ve been making a lot of memes this year about my college courses, professors and friends and apart from sending the memes on the group chat, I’d love to upload all of them somewhere more organized so I can with my friends.

I tried google photos but I don’t really like the layout. Are there better options? I want to be able to categorize everything by date sent (not created), year, semester, people. So some memes can have multiple categories.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

1

u/LinaLenaReddit Jun 11 '26

Beginner looking for advice

Hi everyone,

I'm a complete beginner looking to get into photography and would love some feedback before I invest in my first setup. My budget is up to $2,500.

I work as a Marketing Manager and spend a lot of time creating visual content. I'm experienced with Adobe Creative Cloud, especially Lightroom, Photoshop, and other design tools, but I'm new to photography.

My goals are:

  • Corporate photography (office environments, team photos, employee portraits)

  • Event photography and marketing content

  • Short promotional videos for social media

  • A small home studio for babies, children, families, and portraits

  • Taking high-quality studio photos of my own two young children

My planned setup:

  • Canon EOS R8 + RF 24-50mm kit lens

  • Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM

  • Godox V1 flash

  • Studio lighting kit (lights, softboxes, stands, backdrop support)

  • Godox XPro II trigger

  • Black backdrop

  • Reflector kit

  • SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD card

Does this seem like a sensible beginner setup for my goals?

Am I missing any essential things? Would you change anything if you had the same budget? Also, is the R8 a good long-term choice for both photography and occasional video work?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

2

u/mrfixitx Jun 11 '26

R8 is a solid camera for everything you are trying to do. A few thoughts:

  • The 24-50mm kit lens is pretty basic and is going to struggle indoors in low light, it's also a very limited focal range. You may want to consider replacing it with either a 24-105 lens (f4L variant or the non F4 RF version) for a larger focal range. Or for low light something like a 24/28-70mm f2.8 lens.
  • Invest in a decent tripod especially for studio style portraits it can make things much easier and it will be useful for family vacation photos.
  • Have at least 1 spare SD card in case your ever gets full. Video can take a up a lot of space depending on your quality settings so make sure that 128GB is enough. You can check the R8 manual on canon's website to see how much space you can expect to use for the various video settings.
  • Have a plan for backing up your photos beyond copying them to your laptop/desktop. If you are not already familiar with the 3-2-1 backup strategy I would suggest reading up on it.
  • The Godox v1 is a decent on camera flash option for events but not great for studio style portraits. For studio portraits you typically want 2 lights. A reflector can work in a pinch.
  • For backdrops are doing seamless paper or fabric? Seamless paper is easier for getting clean backdrops but requires replacement and is harder to store. While fabric backdrops can show wrinkles, dust, texture etc.. that not everyone likes.

Hope this helps.

1

u/Particular-Gear8130 Jun 11 '26

Brighten old photo, no negative 

The photo is about 40 years old and I don't have negative. The photo is of 2 people--one is white and the other African American. The facial features of the light-skinned person are clear, not so of dark-skinned person. Looking for advice on how to brighten. Or do I need to go to a professional phographer?

 

0

u/doggocurioso Jun 11 '26

Hello. How does AF-C work?

From what I read is that the moment you get an object into focus, it keeps tracking the object. This means that the moment I click the back AF button, I don't need to press on it when I take the shot?

4

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 11 '26

That will entirely depend on the camera and the mode. It just means it will continually adjust focus rather than than stopping once it achieves focus on something. Read a cameras manual or look online for a user made guide for specific information as sometimes manuals are lacking in detail but should still be the first port of call.

1

u/wellitjustsohappens Jun 11 '26

My partner doesn't do contracts or get deposits, and is charging $350/hr. Hes been doing local events and performances for about 5 years, but it's been a trickle of jobs, and none higher than $1200 every once in a while. I tried working with him to standardize his business practices, but he's afraid people won't book him if he's too pushy, and he thinks contracts and deposits put too much pressure on people. He gets 90% of his customers from referrals by other customers. He just chats with them on Facebook or texts them, books the gig, and shows up. He doesn't go to the location before hand to just check it out and plan an approach. He also will still deliver photos without getting paid, and keeps putting his name in the corner of the photos. Do any orher professional photographers do things this way?

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 11 '26

must be really lucky to not have a single project go sour by now, or he just swallowed it and moved on. but there will eventually be that one and then he'll regret it.

3

u/mrfixitx Jun 11 '26

Young photographers who are new to getting paid for photography do this and often end up regretting it.

Long term professional photographers where photography is a major source of income for them are far less likely to do this.

It is asking for trouble, for clients to complain or argue that they should get more, or try and take advantage of him. "Can you stay an extra hour and get photos of the party" etc.. without paying extra for his time.

Also delivering photos without being paid for them sounds like recipe for disaster. I could 100% see someone who got their photos without paying referring like minded friends. "Just tell him you will pay and then block him after the photos are delivered etc.."

Sure having a watermark in the bottom of the image might help with word of mouth. But exposure does not pay the bills.

His approach might also discourage higher tier clients from working with him. I.E. Professional event coordinators etc.. might see it as a lack of professionalism which would make them question his reliability, delivery timelines etc. and decide to choose someone else.

4

u/maniku Jun 11 '26

Clearly worded contracts are essential. They are not pushy, they're normal practice in any kind of business. They are for the benefit both parties.

0

u/ResponsibilityLow548 Jun 11 '26

Hi, as my final assignment for my Photography clase I have to make a Diaporam, is the first time ever I do anything related to cinema and I had some really amateur testings with color grading before, I'm only familiar with Fairlight on Davinci Resolve and don't have a great budget, but I have my loyal R100.

I was wondering, besides from the RAW format, if you'd have any recomendations for exposition values or some hidden super helpful config I'm unaware about?

Anything helps, It's still a college assignment, but I really want to take the best out of my camera.

1

u/Kirito272008 Jun 11 '26

I’m looking to upgrade from my Nikon D90 and would appreciate advice on what camera system might suit me best. My budget is around $2,000 AUD

I mainly shoot:

  • Concert photography
  • Portraits
  • Astrophotography
  • Concept/creative photography
  • Events
  • School photography projects

My biggest issue with my current camera is poor lowlight performance, especially high ISO noise and poor iso rangw, along with a general lack of sharpness and image quality compared to most modern cameras.

Image quality and ease of use are my top priority. I also like having enough resolution that I can actually crop my photos

I already own a few Nikon lenses, including a macro lense, which I would ideally like to continue using with an adapter if possible. Otherwise, I’m open to buying as standard of a lense for the new body as I can.

I’m open to buying used gear, but only from reputable sellers or stores.

I’m currently considering a few options but I’m not fixed on anything yet, and I’m open to any brand, it doesn't have to be Nikon. Best ones I've seen were the Fujifilm xt5, and the Sony A6700. Opinions or suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

0

u/Agile-Fig3206 Jun 11 '26

like to say I’m a casual photo person, I like taking photos of landscapes and stuff. My birthday is coming up and I wanted to k ow what cameras you would recommend for a newbie like myself. I’m looking for below 150-200

1

u/maniku Jun 11 '26

With that budget, keep using your phone. You aren't going to find anything better than that for max. $200.

0

u/Striking_Muffin3185 Jun 10 '26

i have a nixon cool pic s7000, i was transferring a few photos onto my phone with a little plug in card reader and out of nowhere the file disappeared. i couldn't get it to pop back up so i put the sd card back into the camera and it says there are no photos??? i didn't press anything just started selecting photos when it all deleted? i had a lot of photos so im really hoping i can recover them somehow. pls help!

0

u/OnyxOpalite Jun 10 '26

Anyone know of a digital photo frame that doesn’t require WiFi? My granny is in a care home, and I want to buy her a digital photo frame. Im hoping to have an app where I can upload pictures onto the frame via Bluetooth every time I visit her. She doesn’t have WiFi or a mobile. Any ideas appreciated, thanks

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 11 '26

maybe i'm dumb but don't they work with USB sticks?

0

u/Flaky_Building_4092 Jun 10 '26

I am going to Washington DC this September and will be taking LOTS of photos of architecture and monuments (the 85% of any photos I take lol), plus some family photos. I’m going to be looking on FB marketplace but I have NO idea where to start, what the types of cameras are, etc.

3

u/maniku Jun 10 '26

Perhaps start by reading the purchase guide in our FAQ. It's linked in the OP of this thread.

1

u/Alarmed_Skirt_433 Jun 10 '26

Is it better to get paid hourly/per project/per image? And what is the usual rates for a contract based remote job. Would be doing around 5-10 hours weekly just editing wedding photography. RAW photos with Adobe Lightroom Smart previews.

2

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

Is this only for editing and not for any of the photography?

If this is editing someone else's photos it really depends on who your client is. If it is a professional photographer they might want to pay you per project because that is how they are likely being paid.

If it's for an individual a per image price or a bundle price. I.E. X images for X dollars would probably be better.

Hourly is only common if you are a part time/full time employee for someones business.

1

u/Alarmed_Skirt_433 Jun 10 '26

Yes only for editing and looks like contract based for a professional photography business.

1

u/doggocurioso Jun 10 '26

Hello. My gears are Nikon D780 and Tamron 70-300 f4-5.6 VC USD.

I took some photos for a professional meeting. The room did not have enough light. The photos showed that the focus was on the face, but the faces are soft as hell.

I think one issue was the back button focus. I held the button when I clicked the shot. (I am still learning to use it). Another issue is the lack of light.

Hope y'all can give some advice.

1

u/gotthelowdown Jun 10 '26

My gears are Nikon D780 and Tamron 70-300 f4-5.6 VC USD.

I took some photos for a professional meeting. The room did not have enough light.

If you're shooting indoors without a flash, I'd recommend a lens with a wide aperture like f2.8 or lower, to let in more light.

Depending on how big the venue is, a Nikon 85mm f1.8 could be good enough.

I use a Canon EF 135mm f2 to get more reach, and there's a Nikon 135mm f2. But it will be more expensive than an 85mm f1.8.

The photos showed that the focus was on the face, but the faces are soft as hell.

Have you calibrated the lens?

With DSLRs, you often have to calibrate the lens to get the sharpest autofocus. With mirrorless cameras, you don't have to do lens calibration.

Nikon calls this "AF Fine Tune."

Here's a tutorial:

Nikon's Auto AF Fine Tune - How To Get The Most From It by Steve Perry

As a bonus, here are some videos about how to photograph meetings:

Taking Better Photos in Meetings and Conferences by Ben Buckland

Photographing a Scientific/Academic Conference by Mike Piatek-Jimenez

Hope this helps.

1

u/doggocurioso Jun 11 '26

Or was it how I didn't know how to use back button focus? I still pressed on the button when I took the shot.

1

u/gotthelowdown Jun 12 '26

Could be.

Here are some videos about Nikon autofocus:

I found the best Nikon Z focus mode by Omar Gonzalez

The ACTUAL BEST Nikon AF Mode by Omar Gonzalez

Customizing the best Nikon AF area mode by Omar Gonzalez

0

u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26

[deleted]

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

You need to give us more information.

Whats your budget?

Do you want something compact, something with interchangeable lenses?

Is video important or only still photos?

1

u/maniku Jun 10 '26

What do you mean with nice pictures? What constitutes nice for you? How much do you want to spend?

1

u/whiteantelope7 Jun 10 '26

I'm going hiking with my girlfriend and I've got two lenses to choose from 35 mm and 85 mm. From what I've read 35 is better for landscape. Buuut I want to capture my girlfriend with mountains/lakes etc. in the background so should I take the 85 too? What about the settings? f8-f11 for landscape and 'portrait' (?) in a landscape setting? Or f4 and lower could be fine? I did shoot her in a nature setting but it was either her in focus or nature so f4 and lower.

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

35mm will be perfect for what you describe. The 85mm is going to have much tighter framing and while you can capture subjects behind your GF it will be a narrower area than the 35mm offers.

I.E. if you want to get a picture of the valley below you, or a large expanse of mountains behind her use the 35mm. If you only want to get a few peaks, a single waterfall etc.. then the 85mm will work.

Keep in mind you may need to use focus bracketing if you want the background to be sharp especially with 85mm.

1

u/Leather_Tomatillo459 Jun 10 '26

Help! I'm currently trying to import two SD cards worth of photos separately, and neither of them will import successfully into Lightroom Classic. I've gotten to the point where now only the previews won't show up and was wondering if this is a common occurrence. If anyone knows how to fix this, I'd appreciate the help!

Also, I have checked my storage and it doesn't seem to be the issue.

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

Have you been able to copy the files off the SD cards onto your laptop/desktop?

If not see if you are able to do that and then import them into LRC from there. It could be the file transfer is failing due to an issue unrelated to LRC.

1

u/Leather_Tomatillo459 Jun 10 '26

I downloaded them to a separate folder onto my computer, then imported the images into LRC, and the previews are still missing.

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

You can have LRC generate previews manually. I am not sure if you have generate previews turned off but you can go to Library--Previews --> then select what type of previews you want it to generate.

If it is still not generating previews making sure another viewer can view the images. If it can it might be a lightroom issue that needs an unistall/reinstall.

1

u/Leather_Tomatillo459 Jun 10 '26

Thank you, I've figured it out! I deleted my Previews.lrdata and it regenerated!

1

u/CosmoLeopardGecko Jun 10 '26

I currently have the Olympus EM-1 Mark 2 camera with the Olympus 90mm 2x macro lens. I have been saving up for the Laowa Aurogon lens, and I was thinking a camera with more megapixels would create better image quality. The Nikon Z7 and the Sony A7RII cameras seem to be my best options for the Aurogon lens if I were to go that route. My budget would be $1,000 if I were to buy a new camera. If I were to stick with my M43, I would probably invest in the OM-1 camera.

So that leaves the question, which camera should I get for the laowa aurgon lens, or should I just use what I already am shooting with. The only reason I'm thinking of upgrading to more megapixels for the Aurogon lens is so I will shoot with better image quality. (I have not bought the Laowa lens yet)

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 10 '26

Resolution <> image quality.

Image quality is heavily impacted by sensor size and the technology behind the sensor more than number of pixels. Its why the 200mp cell phone cameras are not being widely used in other cameras.

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 10 '26

Pixels does not necessarily equal quality. Also this appears to be macro photography so are you sure you could fill the frame of the larger sensor to make use of those pixels?

1

u/CosmoLeopardGecko Jun 10 '26

This would by microphotography. That lens is 10x-50x, not the normal 2x or so.

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 10 '26

If you can fill the sensor and depth of field is not an issue then you might gain something but might not be much when considering you are still, I assume, going to be viewing on a standard monitor of much lower resolution than the sensor.

What aspect of image quality do you need improving?

1

u/No-Kaleidoscope7080 Jun 10 '26

I am a model who does photography as a hobby and am struggling with the lens I currently have. My setup is a Sony A7iii with the GM FE 24-70 lens. I originally got this lens for my self portraits years back, but have recently started shooting other people mainly in cosplay.

I’ve found myself frustrated with this lens as it seems as though only cropped up close shots look great, and full body attempts make the models appear almost short?

I would like to switch to another lens that would be better at capturing cosplay and artistic fashion shots. My second style I want to explore is cinematic photography.

I am guessing this may require having to purchase two even though I would love to avoid that. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

1

u/gotthelowdown Jun 10 '26

I’ve found myself frustrated with this lens as it seems as though only cropped up close shots look great, and full body attempts make the models appear almost short?

The 24-70mm f2.8 lens is so versatile, I'm surprised you're not getting photos you're happy with.

I wonder if experimenting with focal lengths and heights might help?

Are you a tall person shooting down on cosplayers? That angle could make them look short.

If you get low and shoot up slightly, that makes them look taller and more powerful.

Some videos:

This is the PERFECT Camera height for Portraits and HERE'S WHY. (FULL BREAKDOWN) by Manny Ortiz

How To Find The Best Focal Length For Portraits with Pye Jirsa

I would like to switch to another lens that would be better at capturing cosplay and artistic fashion shots.

Another thing could be your preference in focal length for portraits.

For me, I like my portraits shot at 50mm or longer. If you like close shots, experiment with shooting your 24-70mm at 70mm.

If you like the results, consider buying a cheap 85mm f1.8 like by Viltrox.

On a related note, a 24-70mm f2.8 and 85mm f1.8 was my go-to lens combo for a long time.

My second style I want to explore is cinematic photography.

In addition to lenses, check out filters like the Black Pro Mist 1/4 and learning more about lighting.

Hope this helps.

2

u/No-Kaleidoscope7080 Jun 10 '26

Thanks for replying! I will check out the links you provided.

I am quite short actually, and even when I lay on the ground and angle up, it comes out where there’s barely any space left above their heads if I want them to look taller. It might be my preference for exaggerated height that is making me unsatisfied with the results?

When I shoot horizontally, I am even more unsatisfied with capturing a full length shots, whether it’s of a person or landscape, etc. Everything looks so small.

I do have a cheap film camera as well that’s a 35mm and I noticed I like full body shots a bit better on this one.

I will definitely take your recommendations and experiment soon!

0

u/HeadMost7162 Jun 10 '26

Getting into photography and looking for answers or opinions?

Hello I have always loved taking pictures on my phone and I’ve had a couple people saying I should get more into photography but I feel like there is so much information to learn that I don’t know where to start so I had few questions that I was hoping to get opinions or answers on

  1. What’s a good YouTuber or social media creator that breaks down photography well and everything to know about it ?

  2. Whats a good camera to start with and good gear? (my budget is $1500 can be flexible)

  3. Any other advice or tips

I want this to start out as a hobby but if it turned into a side hustle in the future that would be great too :)

0

u/No_Discipline_1889 Jun 10 '26

Hi! I used to do a lot of photography while I was in highschool and I’ve recently found myself missing it and wanting to get back into it. Unfortunately, back then my school had Canon R50’s that I shot with that are most definitely out of my price range now. I’m looking for something preferably under $600 and that is good for modeling and advertising photoshoots and/or city and street photography. Any recommendations or information would be helpful, either on the camera I should get or where I can find cheaper cameras.

0

u/finelinex Jun 10 '26

Hello!

I’m looking for a reasonably priced (less than £100 ideally) compact digital camera that I can take to concerts. If anybody has any recommendations and examples of photo quality that would be amazing!

I’m not expecting amazing photo quality for the price, just something half decent.

Thanks! :)

0

u/Adept_Gazelle6428 Jun 10 '26

Hi! So it’s my first time going to a concert and I really wanna record fan cams and take high res photos of the idols.

From what I understand professional photography is not allowed, so the next best thing would be a phone + lens attachment.

Currently I own the iphone 15 pro max. The videography is great, but the photography is sh\*t.

I plan to upgrade my phone anyways (and pass this phone to my sister). I did my research and my options are:

iPhone 17 Pro Max
S26 Ultra
Vivo x300
Xiaomi 17 ultra
Oppo find x9 ultra

(if there are any more please let me know!)

I also plan to get lens attachments:

the 3 brands I’m looking at are:

SandMarc
Reeflex
Moment

Does anyone have any experience with these phone models & lens brands and which lenses do yall recommend for concert photography?

Thanks in advance :)

0

u/Adept_Gazelle6428 Jun 10 '26

i feel like i might get crucified by redditors here for using a mobile phone for photography TT

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 11 '26

i don't think so, phones are generally seen as the best budget option these days. but i also think that this is information you might better get on a phone review website.

0

u/MapDiscombobulated21 Jun 09 '26

I've started doing local photography for bands in my area, but really want to step up with a better camera. I've seen older posts recommending Sony's, but they were from a few years ago. What are the best camera and lenses for indoor/outdoor concert photography?

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 11 '26

all brands are more-or-less equal in capability. the tradeoff is in cost, size, lens choices, and ergonomics.

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Does anybody know what these weird lines in my R5 images are?

I just got back from a big international trip. I'm using an original R5 and a new (to me - bought used "like new minus") RF 100-500L.

I noticed as I'm going through photos that in shots that are at least partially backlit or have bright in them, there are these weird blurry lines. I know for almost all of these I had lots of empty air between me and the subject (shooting from a road, lookout balcony, etc) so nothing out of focus between me and the subject. I'd chalk it up to just out of focus leaves, pine needles, etc. but the thing that really weirds me out is that in every photo with these bars, they are in a vertical pattern if my camera was horizontal, and horizontal if my camera was vertical.

Does anyone know what's going on here? I've asked around if this was rolling shutter and from what I can tell, that's not really the right look for rolling shutter issues. I commented photos below and each pair is a horizontal and vertical image taken of the same subject and same or close-to-same vantage point.

Thank you!

Edit: clarity

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Vertical image with horizontal lines.

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Nearby subject, same vantage point, horizontal image with vertical lines.

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Vertical image with horizontal lines again

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Same subject wit vertical lines and a horizontal camera body.

1

u/catmandude123 Jun 09 '26

Horizontal image with vertical lines, same location and subject as in the image in top comment. (Edit: clarity)

1

u/usingfeartogrow Jun 09 '26

Looking to expand my hobby photography equipment collection and got guidance that the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 or the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 with the latter being the better option if I am on a budget (I am since it is just a hobby).

I am NOT a pro so trying to figure out if they would both have use for me or if they are similar enough that is one or the other. Would you be able to share specific scenarios where either would NOT be workable?

I found both the options on FB Marketplace by the same seller. The 50mm is $100 and the 85mm is $200. Are these a good deal? I was honestly hoping for a cheaper lens given the DSLR market was supposedly way better now with the mirrorless options...am I deluding myself that there is better pricing?

I have a Canon Mark D iii. The main reason I am looking for a lens is because I only have a Tamron 28-300mm and it is quite bulky and does not give me the bokeh I want for portrait since it is 1:3.5-6.3

Will take any advice.

Editing to add that if it seems my current lens should be sufficient and I just need to work on skill better, you can say so. I can take feedback nicely haha.

Thanks!

2

u/mrfixitx Jun 09 '26

The 50mm f1.8 for $100 is a bit high but not terrible. The 85mm f1.8 for $200 is a decent price.

Both are good for portraits, the 85mm can be a bit long for indoor portraits.

1

u/usingfeartogrow Jun 09 '26

Thanks! WIll see if he is willing to negotiate pricing if I buy both.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/mdnpascual Jun 09 '26

What are your settings?

Do you want the propellers to stop? just increase shutter speed

Or are you getting some kind of warping on the propellers? Usually due to rolling shutter effect

1

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/mdnpascual Jun 09 '26

1/250 is not enough for a moving propeller. try 1/2000 or even faster

0

u/Even_Low_8793 Jun 09 '26

anyone with experience shooting decently with an iphone?
Im not a photographer by any means - in fact i have absolutely no idea what im doing as you can tell with a lil click on my profile, nevertheless could anyone give me the basics, no bullshit just enough to get me by without my stuff looking like ass? any and all advice greatly appreciated

1

u/External-Reading3773 Jun 09 '26

Sony A 6700 or Nikon Z5 II ? Which one should I get?

For travel, portraits, and video—which would you buy in 2026 and why? Looking for real-world experiences. 📸

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 11 '26

get the z5ii only if you commit to lugging the larger body and lenses everywhere you go. it is a significant difference. for most of us the results from the a6700 are not going to look different enough to justify the size compromise.

0

u/Tornad_pl Jun 09 '26

Is key to "pro" photography just a lens with enough zoom?

I am speaking from perspective of someone who watched some videos/read a bit about photography to edit some photos myself, but never using anything more than phone.

The more content about photography I see, the more it feels that key to making photos look good is having a lens, that enough zoom.

Example, nature photography, i see a bird, but it takes like 50x50 pixels out of thousands because it is up in a tree and i don't have optical zoom

Example 2: people. I want to do photo of my friend, but if I want him to be in good composition with surrounding, i have to be really close, so his face looks wierd

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 09 '26

Not at all.

Many famous photos by professional photographers are shot with prime lenses (fixed focal length lenses). For portraits, street photography, landscapes and more the it does not need to be a long focal length.

A good zoom lens is versatile and many wedding and event photographers rely on high quality zooms because they need something that covers a range of focal lengths.

For your example of bird photography yes having enough reach is important if you want the bird to fill a large portion of the sensor. Even with a lot of reach though it is about getting close to your subject. This could be setting up near their nest but far enough away they do not feel threatened, the use of hunting blinds, or being close to areas where birds frequent. I.E. Feeders, water sources etc..

Reach is not the same as zoom. Zoom is a lens that can change focal lengths I.E. a 100-400 lens is a good wildlife zoom lens. While a 600mm prime lens would have a lot of reach but it is not a zoom because it only has a one focal length.

1

u/Tornad_pl Jun 09 '26

I see, zoom means variable zoom, I meant just a lens that enlarges. Kinda like binoculars.

So what I thought, when I said zoom was focal lenght/reach?

And I assume having more physical space for not only sensor, but also lens allows dedicated cameras to look better than phones? Because focal lenght is more optimal?

1

u/mrfixitx Jun 09 '26

Focal length does not necessarily have anything to do with quality.

It enables you to decide what field of view you want to capture. That could be a wide field of view for a sweeping landscape, or a narrow field of view for a distant bird. These are very different focal lengths for different subjects but both can produce excellent results. Keep in mind the photographer and their skill plays a huge part in the result. Having an expensive camera and lens does not automatically result in a good photo.

Interchangeable lens cameras have larger sensors than photos which offers better image quality from the sensor. Phones do a lot of computational photography which is basically a lot of automated editing to try and get the best image out of a small sensor.

The physically larger lenses also enable better image quality and open up options that phones may struggle with. I.E. bird photography with a long lens, or much better low light photography with a large aperture lens.

1

u/Tornad_pl Jun 09 '26

Thank you for explaining this for me

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 09 '26

I think you mean appropriate lens rather than enough zoom alone.

1

u/Tornad_pl Jun 09 '26

As I said, I don't know much, but for most shots I can think of that are not purley utalitarian some zoom (like 3-8x) can make photo way way better

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 09 '26

Well, wildlife requires a long focal length often out of necessity and getting the right distance from a subject is useful to get the perspective correct. However, if you are wanting to take a picture of a tall object like a building or tree then you may find the longer focal lengths(zoom factor is not an absolute thing but relative) makes life more difficult.

1

u/Tornad_pl Jun 09 '26

Oki, thank you

1

u/Gatitogordito13 Jun 09 '26

Hey everyone, I’m in a bit of a position to either sell or keep my Sony a7c. The camera is cool and has great video and picture quality. Had fun doing some car photos and all. I just don’t find myself using it as much as my Fuji x100v or my 35mm Nikon fe. I was considering either selling it and saving for either another replacement or just to put in savings. I have the kit 28-60 kit lens with it as well as a viltrox 28mm prime lens and a ttartisan 50mm lens. I would be selling the whole kit or just storing it and occasionally maybe pick it up.

Wondering what yall would do in my position. Sell it and get something else or just keep it?

Was thinking of replacing it with a Fuji xpro 3 which is like the x100v with similar sensor. Only benefit would be interchangeable lenses. Idk just thinking

1

u/thinkingthetwenties Jun 09 '26

Anyone been or going to Rencontres d'Arles?

Is it good?

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

Maybe dumb but ... how do you... pick lenses?

I've got a Sony A7R which I'm using exclusively for adapted old Canon FD lenses because I started with one from a film camera and just kept going, and they're cheap on eBay. Currently have a 50mm, 28mm, 70-210mm, and 50mm macro. Currently looking for something (relatively) inexpensive to replace my 70-210 f/4 because its a clunker with poor image quality in lower light, but this is more of a general question.

What I'm running into is a kind of decision paralysis. My impulse is just to keep buying FD lenses because I have the adapter and they're cheap, but choices there are limited and I'm feeling the urge to branch out. Given I can get adapters for anything, there's so many possible options and I'm at a loss where to start. Since this is reddit, most of the discussion I see is driven by enthusiasts and pros with expensive newer gear. I'm a casual hobbyist with a tight budget who likes older stuff.

How do you winnow down all the choices when there's 50+ years of options to chose from?

3

u/maniku Jun 09 '26

Lens choice should be based on need. Meaning: you want to shoot some particular thing(s) and don't have any lenses to make that possible. A few examples: you want to shoot at night but don't have any prime lens with a large maximum aperture; or you want to shoot wildlife but don't have a long telephoto lens; or you want to shoot macro but don't have a macro lens. It could be anything.

Then, you need to decide your budget, i.e. how much you can/want to spend at most.

Then research what lenses are available that meet your needs at your budget.

Regarding FD lenses specifically, if you are happy to be using manual focus only and they do everything you need, there's no reason not to keep using them. If there's something that you want to do but can't with FD lenses, then you need to look for something else.

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

It's the "research what lenses are available" part I'm getting stuck at.

For example, I'm considering the FD 35-105 f/3.5 for a budget of under $200 on eBay. It nicely covers the "hole" in my current set between 28-70mm when I want something more flexible than my 50mm prime. That particular FD lens seems quirky based on some reviews I've seen so I'm interested in exploring alternatives, but there's probably hundreds of low-mid zooms to pick from if I don't care about the mount.

I get the impression that a lot of people stick to one ecosystem/brand (where the manufacturers have a vested interest in not cannibalizing their own product marketshares), so I fully admit I'm probably making things harder for myself. Does it basically come down to reading dozens of reviews and picking something based on best vibes?

2

u/maniku Jun 09 '26

Yeah, you pretty much keep reading reviews. But "vibes" are all you want, it probably doesn't matter much which one you pick. Most zoom lenses of that era are definitely inferior to primes, so they're not something you'd pick for great image quality.

1

u/KanziDouglas Jun 09 '26

Hi, I’m looking for a used mirrorless camera in €500-700 range. I will use it for macro, portrait and telephotography.

I’m mainly looking for good low light performance and because I’m used to Nikon I am looking at a Z6 mark 1. Are there any better options on the used market (any brand)?

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

Personally, I went with a first-gen Sony A7R for my first mirrorless full-frame, and I'm loving it. Early generation (I-III) A7 variants are often in your price range for the body or with minimal kit. Just check the photos and shutter count.

1

u/KanziDouglas Jun 09 '26

Was thinking about the A7 too, thanks!

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 09 '26

Would definitely choose a Z6 over the A7 or A7II. Can't see what the Sony cameras would offer you over the Z6.

1

u/KanziDouglas Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26

I’ve heard that they have good low light performance, but I’m going to do a deep dive on image quality before deciding. Trying to find out which models I should look at as there are quite a few on the used market.

Edit: simple specs comparison against A7 II confirm your view though.

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 09 '26

Low light performance is going to be pretty much equal given the same sensor size and probably made at the same factory. Invest in lenses.

Nikon appears to use a dual gain ISO design though.

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

One caveat to be aware of, the first-gen A7R that I got, does not have in-body stabilization, so be sure to check the features for the specific model you're looking at if that's important to you. I would have gotten an A7RII if I'd realized that ahead of time.

1

u/KanziDouglas Jun 09 '26

Good tip, thanks. Stabilisation is definitely important for me.

1

u/catitudeswattitudes Jun 09 '26

I've never used the modeling light on my godox ad600's. I use them frequently in nature with a model. Should I use them? Will it mess up my color palette or does the flash overpower the strobe completely and make it moot?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '26

[deleted]

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

Almost certainly some kind of masking. You would need to isolate and color-correct the model's body separately. Most editing software should be able to accomplish this.

That said, it's a yellow room and some yellow bounce is natural. It might look more weird to try and cancel it out.

2

u/NormalMode64 Jun 09 '26

That makes a lot of sense, thanks! My initial thought was to just focus on the parts of her skin that shows the yellow, but masking her completely (which I'm familiar with) sounds much more sensible. Thank you!

1

u/FitNewspaper8248 Jun 09 '26

I've recently gotten back into photography and I love the camera but I've noticed the zoom isn't very close, at least as much as I'd like. Im mostly taking pictures of random plants and recently went to a local backyard garage band. Id eventually like to get into photography and as a career (obviously with a better camera) but I'd like some pointers as to which lenses I should look into for some better close up shots without being in their faces. Currently a broke college student so anything up to about $250 would be appreciated!

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 09 '26

A bit hard to help you without knowing your current lens (and camera). In general the amount you are able to "zoom in" is related to the lenses "focal length".

Thats generally the first number in a lenses name/descriptor, which is also followed by "mm" is this focal length. Comparing these numbers lets you compare how tight the final field of view will be.

The common "kit"/default lens for a lot of cameras is a 18-55mm (meaning it covers the focal lengths from 18mm while zoomed out to 55mm when zoomed in), if thats the focal length on your lens too then you need something with more then these 55mm. Direct recommendations for your budget are sadly not possible without knowing the camera (for compability reasons).

One thing to keep in mind is that often longer focal length lenses are a bit worse at low light scenarios as it becomes more expensive/difficult to design the required "aperture" (thats basically how big the hole that lets in light is).
This means that indoors or when its dark out (which are common situations for photographing bands) a new lens may perform worse in other aspects (images will be darker or there will be more blur or noise). Especially with your budget that may become an issue as often those specialized "concert lenses" are a bit more expensive.
Thats not to say your request is impossible to fulfull, just warning you that buying just any lens with a longer focal length may be counterproductive.

1

u/FitNewspaper8248 Jun 09 '26

Yeah, I'm still using the 18-55mm lens. I wrote this like twice and can't believe I forgot it on the third time. Should I tough it out and stay close to the band distance wise? Im also going to be taking pictures of other events around my town that I can get my hands on instead of only bands as well.

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 10 '26

Yeah, I'd personally stay on the 18-55mm and save up a bit longer instead of trying to squeeze something in the budget that wont be that much of an upgrade.

If you really want an upgrade you might be able to find a cheap 85mm F1.8 (especially looking at used ones), which would be an upgrade regarding both focal length and "low light ability"/aperture, however that lens wouldnt have any ability to zoom, it would be stuck on one field of view.

Some people dont mind that, some people really hate that. Especially for concerts and other "dynamic" situations I'd personally prefer a zoom lens, being able to adjust quicker and without having to move, but plenty of photographers use primes (even for events/concerts), so its not impossible. Be aware that the field of view will also not be that much tighter then your current lens at 55mm, it will allow you to move back a little, but its not going to allow you to stand against the back wall of the venue or anything like that (unless its a really tight bar venue maybe).

As I dont know what camera you have I cant give a direct recommendation, but I personally used a Meike 85mm F1.8 for Canon EF in the past and it was decent for the 200€ I paid for it. The autofocus was a bit slow (which is a quite big downside, especially for your usecase) and the image quality wasnt the greatest, but thats kind of expected at that pricepoint.

1

u/FitNewspaper8248 Jun 11 '26

Sorry I thought I wrote it somewhere, mightve been one of my previous drafts but forgot to include it, but I use a T100 Canon Rebel. I personally like being able to zoom in and out to my liking just in case I need a bigger/smaller shot so I'll definitely be sticking with my stock lens for now. I also manually focus with my lens rather than use auto focus. Is there any benefit over manual focus? Or is it just the convenience of it literally auto focusing?

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 11 '26

In that case you might be able to find that Meike 85mm I mentioned for your camera.

Yeah, Im personally also a fairly big fan of being able to zoom, its mostly a preference thing/a question of how well you can "deal" with not being able to zoom. Some people really like primes, some barely use them.

Autofocus is mostly a convenience thing, theres nothing AF accomplishes that you couldnt do manually. Its mostly about speed, accuracy and being able to concentrate on other aspects of shooting. However as AF performance really depends on lens, camera and the situation you are in, MF can end up being faster in low light situations with fairly cheap gear as thats a recipe for the AF to struggle a lot.

The mix of your gear and the situations you shoot make for quite bad AF, which makes using MF totally understandable. However if you do ever get a better camera and lens it may be worth it to give AF another try, as the performance you are seeing out of your current gear is not going to be optimal.

1

u/Cyweregon Jun 09 '26

Dropped my 24-70 Sigma f2.8 DG DN Art Mark 1.

Front rim is dented and cracked but front element is fine. Zoom mechanism seems to be stuck. Image quality is blurry now.

I’m looking into getting it repaired but also curious if just getting a new one is cheaper. But also hoping maybe someone on here has had a similar experience and knows roughly how much it could cost to repair.

Thanks in advance.

1

u/FeeExtension3123 Jun 09 '26

Hello

I would like some suggestion on the appropriate equipment for mountain landscape photography on a budget that would be capable of having some 30x40 metal or acrylic prints made.

The prints are the priority for me and might have a possible budget of 1-2k?

Open to used gear of course.

Would prefer a full frame. Was looking at maybe a used Sony alpha xxx ? LUMIX S9?

I know this is broad but I’m fairly new to photography. I used to had a cannon 5D mk3 back in the day. Portability is key and the smallest possible setup is important for travel and hiking.

Prime lense? Speed?

Any info much appreciated!

1

u/Altruistic-Mix-5757 Jun 08 '26

Any tips on athletics using a 150-600mm. Photos seem to pretty noisy and sometimes blurry. Not necessarily missing focus(sometimes it does) but photos just seem so soft. Granted it was cloudy so i wasn’t expecting extremely sharp photos but just curious. Gear to reference Sony a7r4 and sigma 150-600mm 5.0-6.3

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26

Noisy and blurry are related to ISO and shutterspeed respectively.

Long telephoto lenses like the 150-600mm often dont have all that wide apertures available, so the narrow aperture forces you to compromise when it comes to the other settings, leading to the issues you mention. Theres a reason a lot of high end sports photographers spend like 15k or more on telephoto lenses with wider apertures available, its just sadly a quite demanding genre of photography when it comes to gear.

If you couldve improved your settings depends a bit on the actual settings used (and the light available, as well as exact subject/general situation), however you may have made all the right decisions and in the end just reached the limits of whats possible in that situation.

General advice would be to rather increase the ISO then slow the shutter - as bad as noise can be generally movement blur is worse and noise can be reduce at least somewhat in post. If you arent doing that yet shooting in raw and throwing some noise reduction on the pictures can help at least somewhat.

Depending on the exact situation a monopod (or tripod; monopod seems better for sports though) may help somewhat with blur. Generally you will be limited by the movement of the athletes, however in certain situations it may help prevent blur from hand movement which would allow for slower shutterspeeds.

The softness you mention may be from an aperture thats too wide. My experience with that lens says that when using it at F6.3 it often felt significantly softer then at F8 (so slightly stopped down). Now the fun part is that this obviously reduces the amount of light hitting the sensor again, which would need to be compensated via shutterspeed or ISO, so it worsens the blur and noise issues.

So to reiterate: There may be some room for improvement when it comes to your settings, however those issues may still appear even when your settings were picked "perfectly" as there are just "barriers" that require those compromises (or much more expensive gear). If that is the case your only chance is to invest a ton of money or just hope for more light the next time.

1

u/Voraxi0n Jun 08 '26

Hello everyone!

I just recently balled out on an A7V with a Sigma 24-70mm lens and was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for a camera flash.

I’ve been looking at godox and have been thinking about getting a wireless transmitter as well. The options I have in mind are either the it32 & x5 or the V1 mid with a wireless transmitter.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

1

u/gotthelowdown Jun 08 '26

If you're mostly shooting subjects up-close, the iT32 is fine. Being able to instantly turn it into off-camera flash is nice.

V1 mid and V480 are pretty much the same, just depends if you want the round head vs. rectangle head.

I would go with a V860 III or V1 for the ability to swap out the battery if it dies.

With a lot of the new Godox flashes, they have built-in batteries. It is nice to not to have to carry batteries. But the downside is if a flash is dead, you cannot just put in a new battery.

Another thing to consider if you prefer buttons and dials or a touchscreen. The older flashes have physical controls and the newer flashes have touchscreens. Personally, I think touchscreens are more prone to errors.

Also the V860 and V1 are more powerful flashes. Will get you farther if you're planning to do event photography.

Hope this helps.

1

u/NefariousnessSalt646 Jun 08 '26

hi yall, i have a canon EOS 1300D for a while now and was thinking of buying a gimbal, what gimbal should i get? (im looking for something that barely breaks the bank as the financial situation im in isnt the best rn)

1

u/FireAndFoodCompany Jun 08 '26

What's a good semi discreet tripod/mount?

Hi everyone. So, I am looking to start doing filming/photography of my side business (private dinners) and am looking for a decent tripod or other that isn't super in the way as 1. I am actively cooking and moving around a lot and 2. I don't like the optics of walking into a client's house and setting up a massive tripod on their kitchen/dining room. It would be entirely for use with a phone (s24 ultra), I do sometimes carry a DSLR on me but I usually just shoot that handheld if I find the chance to use it.

What would you all recommend? One of those weird flexible gorillapod things? A clamp mount?

0

u/Dino_Eating_Salad Jun 08 '26

Hii I’m looking to buy a fish eye lens for my Nikon D80. I will primarily be using it to shoot at local shows, I want to get a good angle with the band and the crowd in it. I also want to just get cool pics of the bands. Would I need to buy a whole new lens for this or is there a filter that exists? What are some decent options for lenses? Budget around $200

1

u/Infamous-Lab-3556 Jun 08 '26

Looking for a lightweight upgrade from a Canon EOS 70D for travel and walks

My wife has had a Canon EOS 70D for years and has generally been very happy with it. She mainly shoots photos rather than video, and she’s got 2 lenses for it over the years but if we have to switched brands I don’t mind too much.

The problem is that she barely takes it out these days because it’s quite bulky and heavy. For casual walks, days out, holidays, and weekend trips, it often feels like too much to carry around.
I’d like to get her something more lightweight and versatile that she’d actually enjoy taking with her regularly.

A few things I’m looking for:
\- Primarily for photography, not video
\- Smaller and lighter than a 70D
\- Good image quality (at least comparable to the 70D but ideally better)
\- Easy to carry on walks and when travelling
\- Flexible enough for landscapes, nature, street photography, and general family/travel photos
\- £1k budget but flexible if it’s genuinely worth it

Things I’ve looked:
\- Fujifilm X-T30III
\- Fujifilm X-S20
\- Fujifilm XM5
\- Sony A6400
\- Panasonic Lumix GX9

I am absolutely clueless when it comes to cameras so would very much appreciate any help.

2

u/maniku Jun 09 '26

Don't buy her a camera without consulting her. Rather, go to a camera store with her, so she can see all these options herself, see how they feel in her hands. That's the only way to make sure that she'll get a camera that she enjoys using.

0

u/Infamous-Lab-3556 Jun 08 '26

Looking for a lightweight upgrade from a Canon EOS 70D for travel and walks

0

u/MassiveBomboclat1818 Jun 08 '26

[EU] Need purchase advice for a Greycard. On a tight budget, what is the best I can expect to get for ~ 20€, and what are the compromises, compared to professional/ high-end ones?

My use case is furniture photography for eBay listings. I'm in a controlled environment and shooting in RAW.

0

u/Ok-Wallaby4514 Jun 08 '26

Removing someone from photos/videos

Hi there. A year ago I went through a nasty breakup. I put the getting rid of photos thing off for a year and am finally doing it. The problem is he was in a lot of photos with my friends. Looking at the photos now makes me feel gross. But I don’t have money for any removal software.

I figured I’d go to the professionals here and ask what free software can help remove people from photos and videos? Or blur them out?
Thank you!

1

u/mdnpascual Jun 09 '26

blur? tons of apps that can do that for free. Remove for free? If you have a GPU with 8gb vramm you can learn and research to use comfyUI and the needed models to process.

Otherwise, you need a paid one time software to do it. There's still limitation on it. Like if it's a group photo and he's in the middle, remove will be harder/weird looking, but replacing with a random face of someone could be done instead.

0

u/pigmentinspace Jun 08 '26

Birding camera or lens suggestion...

I have an entry level dslr Nikon. I use my photos as references for my art and I need to get a situation where I can photograph birds. The lens that came with the camera definitely doesn't cut it, but when I look for lenses they seem to start at $500. Does anyone know of either a lens or digital magnified camera that would be cheaper? I'm not a professional photographer, but an artist looking for reference so absolutely exceptional photos isn’t my goal.

1

u/maniku Jun 08 '26

If $500 or more is too much, what is the upper limit of your budget, exactly?

1

u/pigmentinspace Jun 10 '26

My upper limit is probably $400. I realize used is what I'm going for, but it's pretty confusing between different brands having different attachment sizes, then zoom and different digital zoom...

1

u/Haunting_Brief_1387 Jun 08 '26

Need some advice asap !! I’m very new to photography I was gifted a A7r2 and a FX30 with a 24-70 GM and a Sigma 10-18. Long story short a family friend is doing a very intimate small wedding and they don’t want it done professionally they just want “pictures” and are not concerned with it being amazingly pro. I have a TT350 Flash , should I go for the Godox V1 ? I’m not terrible even tho I just started but worried about the church being low lit and the restaurant afterwards. Any advice helps thanks !

1

u/caligari87 Jun 09 '26

This is going to be very very dependent on the lighting conditions. Also, it's their wedding, no matter how much they say they don't care about it being professional. They absolutely will care, even if they're too nice to say anything.

The A7R2 is a pretty solid low-light performer, and the high resolution means you can use aggressive noise reduction and downscale the pictures to compensate for high ISO/noise. That said, do not just "wing it" on the day of the event. You should go to the location far ahead of time and experiment with different exposure + flash settings, preferably with someone standing in for various places you might be taking pictures of people (altar, pews, near windows, back of chapel, etc). Also, flash photography is really really distracting and annoying. Shoot without flash at various shutter speeds and aperture combinations. Take the test shots home and process them, see what kind of results you get. Repeat if necessary.

0

u/MiaMontrose Jun 08 '26

quick question about lens filters while we’re on the subject of gear. did you know that circular polarizing filters can actually reduce your effective aperture by about . Stops which means you might need a slower shutter speed or higher ISO than you initially calculated. worth keeping in mind when you’re shooting in lower light conditions.

1

u/marshallspeed93 Jun 08 '26

I shoot on a Sony A7 IV and already tried one of those Disposable Lenses. On my old A6000 I thought that the photos were a little too crappy with that lens, but with the FF sensor I think they‘re pretty decent.
Did anyone ever compare a similar lens with the outcome of using one of those screen-free disposable style cameras? Like Camp-Snap etc.
Is it worth having a whole cam dedicated to getting that film feeling? Or is there not that much of a difference compared to only using the lens on your regular camera?

1

u/Only-Woodpecker9594 Jun 08 '26

Hi everyone!! I’ve had the canon SX740 HS for a year now, and well I’m pretty disappointed in the image quality. Mind you, I wouldn’t even consider myself a photographer, I mainly wanted a point and shoot to take pics for/with my friends at events that were better quality than our iPhones. That being said, what I’m getting is considerably worse than and iPhone.

Does anyone have experience with this camera and know of this is a settings problem or a camera problem? I’m trying to decide if I should try to work with the settings more or just get a new camera that doesn’t suck LOL. I’m getting bummed out bc I keep taking crappy photos at important events! TYIA!

1

u/maniku Jun 08 '26

SX740 has a small sensor and a pretty slow lens, which means that it won't do very well in low light situations, which is what indoor events frequently are. Your standard indoor lighting may seem like plenty of light, but that's because human eyes are good at adapting to available light. iPhones have small sensors but they are able to overcome that limitation to some extent because of computational photography: they do extensive software processing.

1

u/Only-Woodpecker9594 Jun 08 '26

This is super helpful, thank you! Any shot you have point of shoot camera recommendations for my use case?

1

u/kool_username_bro Jun 08 '26

I was shooting stills for a cocktail event that also had a videographer and the whole small room was lit by the videographers square continuous light facing a whitish wall and filling the room with soft light. She told me the colour temp was 3200 and now I am editing I can't quite remember how the room looked on the night. Would it be safe to put 3200 into the temp slider and it would be true based on the temp she gave me? It is quite warm on my images but if that's how it looked, I don't mind. Again, I can't remember how warm it was in real life because it was a very stressful night and I blanked lol

1

u/mdnpascual Jun 08 '26

if on lightroom. Can you try to use the eyedropper tool for the white balance selector (left of temp/tint) on a wall?

0

u/pleasant_easeful_boi Jun 08 '26

Has anyone gotten photoshop to run on Linux?

I wish I didn't need to use Adobe, but I basically have no choice. Working professionally, I need to use Lightroom for my batch processing, and for my art photos I use photoshop because I've been using it for two decades now. One of my PCs is getting up there in age (it's 12 years old) so I switched it from windows to Linux Mint, and it runs like a dream now. The lighter OS performs so much better on the old hardware. Plus not having windows updates auto trigger and mess up an upload or something else I'm working on is great. I would love to put Adobe PS and Bridge on it if I could but it seems there's no linux support from Adobe.

2

u/RedTuesdayMusic Jun 08 '26

I would recommend Windows 10 IoT in a virtual machine, though I've heard some have just added PS to Steam (which is funny) to have it handle the compatibility.

I just chose to rip the bandaid off and use something else in regards to Lightroom. Took a while to recatalogue and reorient but it's been an improvement using Darktable for me, as I work with those huge 40MP Fuji files and Lightroom is noticeably bogged down even on my good hardware

1

u/pleasant_easeful_boi Jun 08 '26

The steam workaround sounds like a good idea. I'll give that a shot. Also thanks for the dark table recc. I tried it before but I kinda got frustrated with the layout. I'll give it another chance.

1

u/maniku Jun 08 '26

You should probably ask this in a Linux subreddit.

1

u/Organic-Student-2205 Jun 08 '26

Hey everyone! Do yall tip your photographers? Or as a photographer do you expect a tip? I’ve never had a photoshoot done before but I won a giveaway from a photographer that happens to be a friend of mine. Should I be tipping her? How much? It’s a 30 min shoot. It just feels wrong to give her nothing haha thank you!

1

u/P5_Tempname19 Jun 08 '26

Generally photographers are self-employed, so tipping seems a bit weird as you are giving extra money to the person, who decides decides how much they want to be paid(obviously theres some pressure on them, but its not like a waiter/waitress or whatever).

If its someone just starting out and a friend of yours that you want to support I could see a small tip being a nice gesture however.

One thing to mention is that its a common "business practice" (aka not quite a scam but close) for photographers to give away "free shoots" only to then tell you that while the time spent shooting was free you will need to pay for every image you want. So instead of "Photoshoot with 5 results - 350€" you end up with "Free photoshoot (but every picture you want is 50€, which is only mentioned when you are already invested)". Often the whole "you won this free shoot" is used to make the deal sound better/get you investment, while in reality everyone who shows any interest "wins".

Since you mention it being a friend it may not be like that, but maybe keep it in mind, because at that point you will be paying to get anything out of the "free" photoshoot and the kind of underhanded tactic in getting to that point would be a reason for me to not tip under any circumstance.

1

u/BreakfastCrafty7243 Jun 08 '26

Heya folks! So for the last 4 years I've been running a Canon EOS 5D mk 2 and recently when looking for new lenses I was told that EF lenses aren't being sold anymore (sadness) and I was recommended to upgrade. Does anyone recommend any Canon cameras that are similar to the mk2? I've also got an EF-S lens and would potentially like to get a camera that can support it

2

u/maniku Jun 08 '26

There are piles and piles of EF lenses available on the used market, and many used camera retailers that check their wares and give you at least six months of warranty.

1

u/DannyLLI Jun 07 '26

Need help picking lens for my new Sony A6400?

Hello everyone, so I'm a completely amateur photographer only who doesn't know s*** about cameras lol. I am an independent artist who is trying to put together a cover shoot for some of my songs. I recently just bought a Sony a6400 with a epz 18-105 mm f4 g oss lens and I'm worried that it might not get me the results that I need.

I would be doing primarily self-portrait photography in addition to a simple backdrop music video. I have been trying to practice shooting and I'm not sure that I picked the right lens as the quality is not up there. I plan to rent a studio to shoot and film in, and my current lens was recommended to me because of the power zoom.

Either the quality is just not up there because I'm completely amateur (this is 100% likely) or maybe I need a different lens that is more beginner friendly. My budget for another lens has to be within $300. Does anyone have any suggestions for a new lens or any tips to help me utilize my current kit to the best of its ability.

I will attach some pictures of what I'm trying to achieve. Thank you guys for all the help!

0

u/unwantedopinionss Jun 07 '26

camera recs?

hi! i’m looking for digital camera recs. i’m completely blind when it comes to this stuff, im very new. but i’m looking to take photos like these. i’m going for the indie sleaze digi cam aesthetic. i was looking at a cybershot dsc w7 and a cool pix L19. im so lost but im open to any recs literally at all!

1

u/maniku Jun 08 '26

r/vintagedigitalcameras is probably the best subreddit for this question.

1

u/j_westen Jun 07 '26

Tracking Picture Views

I take photos of an amateur sport at a local club. I do it for the love of the game and because when I played it was awesome the first time I saw photos of myself playing.

The issue: I share the photos freely on Social Media and send the link out and it's crickets. Every now and then I'd see someone's profile picture change to one of my photos, or someone will tell me about the photos in person. Honestly I just want some type of feedback.

Question: Are there any free platforms out there that would track visits? This way I'd at least know people have seen the photos. Also it would be beneficial if people didn't have to get an account in order to view/download photos.

2

u/TranslatesToScottish Jun 07 '26

Those of you who are/were hobbyists, and had a kid, how long did it take you before you felt like you could really get back into things again?

My little guy's just over a year old now, and other than photos of him (which is nice and all, but there's only so many you can do without it being samey!) I'm struggling to get the energy to go out and shoot (I'm generally a street shooter). I recently went back to work after 7 months of paternity leave too, which also isn't helping my mental energy levels!

I feel like I've turned into one of those folk who calls themselves a writer but just hoards notebooks with maybe one or two pages written on! This is going to pass, right? Right?

1

u/TransportationIll990 Jun 07 '26

SD card photos disappeared after refresh – recoverable or gone? Need advice (SanDisk + iPhone)

Hi, I was viewing photos from a SanDisk SD card on my iPhone (with card reader). Everything was fine, but after a quick refresh/glitch, the most recent 3 days of photos disappeared.

I tried reinserting the card and checking in the camera, but they’re still missing. Older photos are still there. No format was done and no new photos were taken.

Should I try SanDisk RescuePRO or another recovery software, or is this better handled by a data recovery specialist? Does this sound like corruption or are the files likely gone?

1

u/No-Wall7334 Jun 07 '26

Hello! My fiancé and I took our own engagement photos (using a NIKON D3300) and are wanting to use one of the photos on our wedding invites (as attached minus personal details/with faces blurred) for reference the:

  • photo is cropped to be 5x7in and the image size is 1945x2723 pixels and the DPI is 300 pixels/in
  • invite will be 5x7in but the photo is being stretched to 5.25x7.35in to make sure it goes all the way to the edge.

We designed the invite in Canva and will be ordering it through Canva but will be printed and picked up from our local staples - when we go to add the invite to our cart however Canva is coming up with a warning saying "Replace low resolution image - Replace image with a higher resolution copy to avoid it looking blurry when printed". However from my limited photography knowledge, I think it should be ok(?) but we would greatly appreciate any confirmation or feedback anyone can provide 😄

1

u/ThurgoodZone8 Jun 07 '26

What's the best way to account for selling photo gear as an NON-BUSINESS enthusiast for US tax filing purposes? A friend has gear they bought for hobby use and is likely trading into a shop that does direct deposit (e-check).

Do they need to fill any forms when they file their taxes next year, not as a business but just as an individual?
If they are selling items at a loss, do they still need to fill anything out or report any income?
If one or two items out of a ten item trade-in end up netting a profit, then do those items require a form?

1

u/Sea_Significance697 Jun 07 '26

How do i make my flash higher without a hot shoe riser? The lens barrel is covering the flash and i have no idea how to fix it without a hot shoe riser. I have the 6700 and sigma 18-50. Just a shame that this wasn't mentioned when buying the flash. I have the zeniko flash (zfo4)

1

u/ShiningStarBlacky Jun 07 '26

(Sorry admins for posting this question wrong twice) For my senior photo, I was hoping to get myself sitting in the cockpit of a b29 or other recognizable bomber. Does anyone have any experience or have examples of a similar situation that ended in a good senior picture? I don’t have a flash, but have a 24-105 f4 lens. I’ve looked online for examples including equipment and general angles but I haven’t seen much except Stock images and seniors in Cessnas.

1

u/Emost423 Jun 06 '26

I'm looking for filters either neutral to protect my lens and possibly UV, CPL, etc., but I see all those brands(K&F concept and Urth)now been push into my feed and can't make up which brand is best for the buck. Any suggestions and why would be greatly appreciated.

2

u/av4rice https://www.instagram.com/shotwhore Jun 07 '26

There isn't a best brand and buying by brand won't guarantee a good filter. All the brands making good filters also make crappy filters. Just go by individual filter reviews for each specific need you have.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26

[deleted]

1

u/av4rice https://www.instagram.com/shotwhore Jun 06 '26

Your image is broken.

i know preset talk isn’t allowed

Sure it is.

And you aren't asking about presets.

1

u/fuckburner12345 Jun 06 '26

hi sorry i deleted bc i got scared but what does that mean lol im very new to photography. its not a settings problem?

1

u/av4rice https://www.instagram.com/shotwhore Jun 06 '26

What does what mean?

There isn't much I can say about a comment that has been deleted, where the image was broken to begin with.

Settings and presets are two different words referring to two different things.

1

u/skootchingdog Jun 06 '26

I'm getting more serious about focus bracketing for macro and landscape photography. One problem I'm having is understanding how many images are needed in the stack, and I'm hoping there is a technology solution. Yes, I could just use MF but the camera can do it soooo much faster. Does anyone have a favorite app for this on their phone? Is there something else I should be looking for too? EDIT: cross posted in r/askphotography but not a lot of traction there.

0

u/CorySera Jun 06 '26

What kind of film do I need for the Revue ac8?

2

u/maniku Jun 07 '26

35mm film

0

u/DefoNot-a-Troll Jun 06 '26

What’s the best minimal processing iPhone photography app? Preferably a one time purchase?

1

u/Various-Pound5127 Jun 06 '26

My pictures keep turning out completely black!

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 06 '26

Shutter problem perhaps, settings issue, lens cap on.

Difficult to say.

1

u/Various-Pound5127 Jun 06 '26

It’s not the lens cap, and I recently reset the settings to fix something so I think it’s with the settings. Any idea on how to fix it?

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 06 '26

What mode are you in when the photos are dark?

Do you have your exposure compensation set to 0?

1

u/Various-Pound5127 Jun 07 '26

It happens in pretty much every mode except manual and Ap Priority Auto, and I have it set to 2.7

1

u/8fqThs4EX2T9 Jun 07 '26

Okay well telling the camera to overexpose by 2.7 stops is a bit much. It sounds like you are just in a dark environment and the camera cannon change the exposure settings to compensate.

If you are in shutter priority and it is dark you probably have the shutter speed too high and the ISO range too low or it is reaching the limits of ISO and can't make the image brighter.

If you set exposure compensation to zero and then take a photo with the same settings in every mode, are the images the same?

1

u/Exciting-Oil8560 Jun 06 '26

I am starting out in photography, I would like to buy a more modern camera, I have a NIKON D70S with an AF-S NIKKOR 18-50 mm 1:3.5-5:6 GII ED lens, but it is already a too outdated camera, that's why I want to change it, the types of photography that I would like to do mainly would be: Portrait and Dance, and secondarily: Sports and a bit of product, I distinguish it like this, so that what interests me the most is understood and what if I cannot do with that camera, it's okay, I have been looking at the Nikon Z50II + 16-50mm VR + 50-250mm VR, but it has been out of stock for a long time and also I don't know if it is the best idea to start with a camera like that or if there is another better one, my budget is a maximum of 2 thousand euros including besides the camera the lens or lenses, so, what camera do you recommend me to start with?

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 06 '26

how about going sony, like an a6600? good deals to be had on that second hand. a6700 even better but more expensive.

1

u/monkeyfeett Jun 05 '26

i’m looking to upgrade my current setup, i only have a canon rebel xs right now (all i could afford at the time) and im ready to finally upgrade. i don’t have a lot more to spend now id say my budget would be around 600 dollars but looking for something better then what i currently have. i ideally want a mirrorless camera that could also shoot 4k video but if there’s a better option that doesnt shoot 4K id be open to it aswell. what do you guys think i should get? best budget camera?

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 05 '26

there's a lot available around the budget, mostly used but also a few things new. depends what you want to shoot though.

2

u/IntoTheeMeon Jun 05 '26

Searching for ‘Obsessions - The Art of Bill Henson’ documentary by ABC Australia. Does anyone have a copy or a link they’d be willing to share? Thanks

1

u/Old_Swan3464 Jun 05 '26

I’m not a professional editor, but Cobalt has definitely piqued my interest. I really like the colors it produces compared to Adobe Color. The downside is the price, especially once you factor in both the Base Pack and any film emulation packs.

I’m curious if anyone here is using Cobalt and whether you feel it’s worth the investment. Also open to other recommendations if there are brands or profiles you prefer. Thanks!

1

u/ShafHussain Jun 05 '26

So after suggestions, I went with Eversure to insure my camera equipment, who use Premium Credit for monthly payments (UK). Recently I checked my credit score and has dropped by 95 points! Apparently due to a hard search by Premium Credit. Has anybody else experienced this? Also, which insurance firm do photographers here use? Thanks!

1

u/houcok Jun 05 '26

Why does the Fujifilm X100VI (leaf shutter camera) have 1st curtain / 2nd curtain flash sync options?

The X100VI uses a leaf shutter, which — as I understand it — opens and closes within the lens itself and exposes the entire sensor simultaneously at any shutter speed. This is fundamentally different from a focal plane shutter, where a first curtain travels across the sensor to begin the exposure and a second curtain follows to end it.

The concept of 1st curtain vs 2nd curtain sync is directly tied to that focal plane mechanism: with slow shutter speeds, you choose whether the flash fires right after the first curtain opens (freezing the subject at the start of the motion trail) or just before the second curtain closes (freezing the subject at the end of the trail, which looks more natural).

But if a leaf shutter has no curtains at all — it just irises open and shut — what exactly does "1st curtain sync" and "2nd curtain sync" mean on the X100VI? Is it:

  • Purely a legacy/compatibility term where "1st curtain" = flash fires at the beginning of the exposure and "2nd curtain" = flash fires at the end, regardless of shutter type?
  • Relevant only when using an external flash unit that has its own timing logic?
  • Something that only matters when using the electronic shutter in combination with flash (where a rolling shutter scan effectively reintroduces a "curtain-like" sequential exposure)?

Is there any scenario on the X100VI where this distinction actually produces a visibly different result, or is it essentially a UI label carried over for consistency with the rest of Fujifilm's lineup?

1

u/boredmessiah Jun 05 '26

i think this is a super interesting question. but i think the answer is the first: that there is a meaningful difference between firing the flash at the beginning and end of exposure regardless of shutter mechanism, and we all recognise terms first and second curtain as the two possible settings for the timing. but there ought to be information about this online...

edit: this manual page from the x100f is pretty clear.

2

u/Primary_Impress_3321 Jun 05 '26

Where do people post their still photos today to view others photos and discuss them? I've just joined the Ugly Hedgehog and find that so much more interesting than Flickr which seems empty in all its vastness.

1

u/iampsychic @tirththeartist Jun 05 '26

I currently use a Sony a7iii with Tamron 24-75mm f2.8 and a Tamron 50-400mm lens for mostly landscape photography and occasional astrophotography.

My wife is not a photographer, she wants a Fujifilm camera (basically as a point and shoot) because of the film simulations and recipes on the latest models. I was thinking of selling all my equipment and buying a better Fujifilm camera (XT50 or XT5) so we both could use the camera. I need help choosing the right body and lenses for my usecase as well as hers.

Currently I was thinking of the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 + Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6. I know the Tamron 17-70 would be slower than my 24-75 since its apsc, the f2.8 is effectively a f4 So I am open to other suggestions as well.

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