DSLRs

Camera products maker Miops unveiled a Kickstarter campaign Tuesday for Spark, a new camera companion designed to help iPhone users capture photos and video like professionals.

The handheld attachment provides DSLR-camera-like buttons that help you control your iPhone’s cameras.

The iPhone 7 Plus may be the only camera you need, but it’s not the only camera that’s making news this week.

Some of the very brands affected by the iPhone’s popularity showcased new gear at Photokina 2016 in Cologne, Germany, this week. They demonstrated innovation and an ability to adapt to the parts of the photography market that demand more than a smartphone.

Apple is set to take the stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in less than a day, but some of the biggest surprises of the iPhone 7 keynote have already been revealed.

While Apple usually comes out with a generational leap for the iPhone every two years, this year’s update is expected to have some of the most boring and controversial changes ever made. Get ready to get your dongle on, because the iPhone 7 is ready to rock.

Here’s what Apple will reveal:

The grand unveiling of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is still weeks away, but this year you don’t need to wait for Tim Cook to take the stage to find out all the new features.

Months of leaks have already given us a sneak peek at a lot of the big changes coming to the iPhone. And contrary to early reports that this year’s device will be boring, there’s actually a whole lot to get excited about.

Here’s what to expect from the iPhone 7, based on Cult of Mac’s analysis of everything we’ve seen from reliable leakers and the Apple rumor mill.

Did you buy a DSLR camera without knowing what any of those letters stand for? The modern digital single lens reflex (you’re welcome) camera is a marvelous tool for creative expression, but without a proper introduction you might just find yourself asking, “What’s this button do?”

The Digital SLR Photography for Dummies course is perfect for anybody who wants to really make use of their camera, and right now you can sign up for $35 at Cult of Mac Deals.

This week’s we saw some great deals on top-shelf gear and gadgets. First up, there’s a box that turns your smartphone into a VR headset. And you can grab a four-port USB charger for the car, a sleek aluminum Bluetooth earbuds, and comprehensive photography lessons.

Whether you like to consume content or create it, don’t miss out on these massive deals.

Pictures snapped from an iPhone are about to take a huge step closer to pro status this year and you won’t even need to buy the iPhone 7 Plus’ rumored dual lens to get them.

For the first time ever, Apple is finally bringing RAW image files to the Camera app in iOS 10 thanks to a new AVCaptureOutput that will also allow third-party apps to snap Live Photos along with RAW.

We’ve already watched the Galaxy S7 batter the iPhone 6s in a series of camera tests, but how well does it stack up against a professional DSLR? When it comes to phase detection autofocus, surprisingly well, actually.

See Samsung’s new smartphone make the Nikon 70D look bad in the mind-blowing autofocus test below.

We live in an image-driven culture, and as a result photography is undergoing a new renaissance. If you work in any form of media, you can benefit from having resources and experience in photography, which is exactly what this bundle offers, from massive photo asset libraries to comprehensive lessons. The best part, you can pay what you want for the whole thing and support the work of Save the Children in the process.

It’s been nearly four years since Lytro started shipping their first pocket-sized light field camera. The technology has advanced since then, and the Lytro Illum represents its cutting edge. It still takes the stunning ‘living pictures’ of its predecessor — images based on the full light field that can be refocused and subtly repositioned after they’ve been shot — but right now you can get it for nearly half off the normal price, $699.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

“Wow, this is cool.” That was my first thought when I saw CamRanger controlling a full-size DSLR for the first time, then wirelessly beaming picture previews to an iPad 15 feet away.

From ISO, to shutter, to aperture, white balance—-even live view and touch-to-focus—-the CamRanger gives you amazing control of any compatible DSLR from your iPad or iPhone. All it takes to get the magic going, is the tiny CamRanger unit and their free iOS app.

With an urban, brushed-metal look, premium construction, and space for your camera and Macbook Air or 13″ Pro, Acme Made’s Montgomery Street Backpack is no doubt a great day pack for city walkers. Its side-sitting camera pouch is the standout feature of this bag, though, allowing quick retrieval of your mirrorless cam or DLSR without having to take the bag off.

The Montgomery however, while well suited for those with petite electronics and a taste for the more hipster things in life, mightn’t perform as well for those with a larger Mac, a full size DSLR, or a fear of wearing a pack so cute the girlfriend might want to borrow it.

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD/iWORLD 2013 –

The iPad’s large, beautiful screen has always been attractive for photography applications, and as the device becomes more and more powerful, developers and hardware vendors alike are taking advantage of all the iPad has to offer.

The latest device to do so, the CameraMator, lets you wirelessly transfer photos from your Canon or Nikon DSLR directly to your iPad or MacBook. It’s almost like magic.

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Until now, there hasn’t been a great a way to use your iOS device to remotely control high end, DSLR cameras. While the iPad’s multi-touch display is great for monitoring your camera, it’s not always possible to have an internet connection when you’re out in the field shooting.

Thankfully, this problem might become a thing of the past thanks to the CamRanger, a neat device being shown off at Macworld that lets you remotely control your DSLR from your iOS device without an internet connection.

As a photographer, I love playing with new lights that can change the look and feel and my portraits. So when Adorama asked me if I’d like to review their new $99 Flashpoint Ring Light, I was intrigued.

Could such an inexpensive piece of lighting equipment perform as well as gear that costs hundreds more? I’ll answer that question in a moment, but before I do, let me tell you a little bit about what ring lights do.

Carbon fiber tripods are great, aren’t they? They’re slim on weight, and if they’re built well, are steady as an oak. Problem is, good ones can cost $600-$800 dollars, and unless you’re regularly shooting for cash, it’s hard to justify spending that kind of cheese.

So when Manfrotto asked me to check out their 290-series MT294C3 carbon fiber tripod ($250 legs only, $319 with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head as I reviewed it) I pointed at them, stroked my mustache, and said, absolutely. Manfrotto’s a known name in the photo world, but would their new series of affordable carbon-hewn tripods be worthy of their pedigree? I set out to see.

If you’ve explored all the creative possibilities offered by Instagram’s built-in filters, and people have stopped commenting on the pictures you upload to Facebook, maybe the time has come to push yourself a little further. Photo Assignment Generator for iOS can help you with that.

“OMG—it’s huuuuge…” That’s what my friend said when she first saw me holding the Retrospective 50 camera bag from Think Tank Photo ($240). My ego properly boosted, I heartily agreed with her.

But besides being the size of a japanese automobile, the Retrospective 50 (R50) is a continuation of functional, understated, vintage-looking camera bags from Think Tank. And unlike the other smaller bags in the Retrospective line, this one has a special space reserved for your 15-Inch Macbook Pro, which I discovered in testing, can be both a pro and a con.

Back in early April, I got to review the Retrospective 5 messenger-style camera bag from Think Tank Photo.

I loved it.

But you know how it is; using something for several months offers a lot more perspective than merely reviewing it for one or two weeks. So I decided to give the Think Tank Retrospective 5 another look, and with six months of use under my belt, I’m ready to tell you how it’s really performed.

The chunky K-30 is the latest DSLR from Pentax. Don’t be deceived (or put off) by its unusual looks – in use, it’s a fantastic general-purpose camera that produces high quality, color-accurate pictures. Cult of Mac took it for a spin.

Apple parody commercials are nothing new, but this is the first I’ve seen for the upcoming iPhone 5. According to video artist and creator Adam Sacks, Apple’s next iPhone will be perfectly suited to those who feel the need to take pictures of their food “to create the illusion of a fulfilling life.”

Gura Gear’s Kiboko 22L+ ($379) can gulp down multiple DLSRs, two or three lenses, your multitude of other photo accessories, and oh yeah, a 17-inch Macbook Pro, but still fit in the overhead bin of almost any aircraft in the world.

But its tricks don’t stop there.

Few camera bags are built keep your camera gear safe while you hike, bike, and conquer the wilderness like the manly man that you are. But the Flipside Sport 15L All-Weather camera bag from Lowepro ($135) was designed to do exactly that, and comes standard with some tricks you won’t find on your everyday camera sack.

Most camera bags today offer a big pocket or pouch you can use to keep safe your motley crew of memory cards and batteries, but I really hate digging through a man-purse full of photo nicknacks just to find the SD card I need. Worse, in my years as a photographer, I can’t count how many times I’ve misplaced or lost entirely items from my conglomerate of memory cards because I end up just throwing them somewhere in my bag.

The SD Pixel Pocket Rocket (PPR for short, $15.75) and DSLR Battery Holder 4 (DBH 4, $16.50) from ThinkThank Photo aim to fix those storage woes by keeping your ample nacelles and secure disks stored and stashed in their own teensy little wallets.

Hmmpph! Their own wallets? It’s a wacky notion, to be sure — but I think it’s working!

So, check this out. The folks behind CameraSize, a clever little web site that compares camera specifications with easily viewable images for size comparison, have created SensorSize. Ever wondered what the camera on your iPhone 4S is packing? How about comparing it to other smartphones, point and shoot phones, or – gasp – actual DSLR cameras?

SensorSize will do it all, with a nice little infographic, as you can see above.