Hey Everyone! I hope ya'll are doing well today.  This weeks topic is a big one for me.  New or Used? For most of us money is a rare commodity these days and dropping a load of cash on a new body or lens can be disheartening. Especially when most of us don't do photography for a living and only shoot part time.  I looked at my gear recently and notice that about half or more I bought used.  For example my main camera I bought used my wide angle zoom used.  So lets talk about what you get when you buy something new.  First you know that no one else has taken photo's with it.  You get the latest and greatest gismo's and technology. And some sort of warranty. In latter years it seems all of the advances is with quick focus , auto focus and video resolution.  Sure sensor resolution too but how many megapixels do you really need?  I mean really.  I remember when you could do all you wanted with 10.  Now its above 60.  The video part started when your camera could do 720,  then 1080, 4k, 5K.  And the frames per second.  But if your just a photographer like me does all that matter?  You need to ask yourself the questions.  First of all do you really need a new camera?  Or do you need a different or newer than you have?  When I bought the camera I have used I asked myself did I need to buy the latest and newest or would a used older model do?  And for me it was the latter.  I still got all of the things that I wanted at a very cheaper price and I got a lot of extras from the seller that he didn't need anymore.  I mean a lot!  I got a deal.  But even if I didn't get all of the extras it was still a deal.  The camera was almost like new.  I just did a shutter count on it and it was around 17000.  The shutter has been rated for 200,000.  So its practically new.  But what about you?  I say if you shoot a lot of video the latest and greatest might be for you and you should consider buying new.  But if you do photo only maybe used might be for you.  Of course if you have the budget to buy all new stuff I say go ahead and knock yourself out.  But if your like me Used sounds pretty good especially if its in good shape. Now I've been talking about camera bodies but what about lenses?  Lenses last forever if they are taken care of.  Glass Last!  Used is a good way to go also.  But if you prefer new used body will save you money so you can buy that new lens. I have bought a few used lenses and have not been disappointed.

How to buy used?  Well everyone knows how to buy new but what about buying used?  Is there a risk?  I think there is a risk when you buy anything used. Whether it be a car a boat or camera equipment.  There must be some faith in the seller if your a buyer.  I have purchased used items from friends (the best way) and you usually get a good deal.  They want to get rid of equipment and normally won't do you wrong.  But buying off of the internet can be a little scary.  Especially if your spending hundreds of dollars on something.  I have bought off of Ebay and Amazon and felt much better from Amazon than I did from Ebay.  Maybe because its such a big business and on Ebay your buying from one individual .  But I have been on the other side because I have sold on Ebay also and had a good experience.  But its all on good faith.  This week I'm trying something new.  I'm going to trade some lenses on a camera body though a company that specializes in buying, selling and trading camera equipment.  The company is called MPB.  Its an international company.  There is also another company that I'm going to try out KEH which does the same type of business as MPB.  I'm going to buy a used lens from them that will save me about 150 dollars on a lens that is suppose to be excellent +.  Each of the company's have a rating system that they use to rate the condition of the equipment.  So you could buy something that is rated "Like New"  maybe it was a demo in a store somewhere and hasn't been used by anyone.  We'll see how that goes I'm trading old lenses from MPB for a camera body that is rated "Like New"  and the lens I'm getting from KEH is Rated "Excellent +" (Update: Just got the Lens (KEH) and it is like new in the box! I'm very Pleased) I'm sure there will be a blog on the experience and how the company's did.  You can also buy used from B&H photo and video and from Adorama Camera. Also with MPB and KEH you get a 180 day warranty which really takes a load off of your shoulders.

So anyway there is more than one way to buy used equipment.  And I think its a great way to get equipment for your photographic needs.  Because really any camera made lately are great and you won't have any problems making great images with them.  So until next week get outside and shoot.

Hey Everyone! I hope your week has been great!  This week I want to talk about a subject that I truly love but is scary for a lot of beginning photographers.  Thats is "Off the Camera Flash."  Its one thing to put a flash on your camera and take a photo with your camera doing all of the work but it's another thing all together using triggers and how to set up your camera.  No matter whether your taking portraits or doing food photography learning how to manipulate the light is key to fantastic photo's.  Being in full control can be scary and exhilarating  at the same time. First let's talk about the different kinds of Strobes you may use.

The first light most of you probably already have is a speed light.  This is a light that you can connect to the top of your camera via the hot shoe.  They run off of batteries usually 4 AA. This is probably the same 41zl9yX4ltL brand as your camera because you didn't know what to get so you got the same brand. Been There!  These are fairly expensive lights but they don't have to be.  You can get third party flashes that work just as well as the expensive name brands.  Remember Light is Light and a cheap speed light can produce the same light as an expensive one.  You can get these speed lights that can only shoot manual or lights that have all of the bells and whistles on them like TTL (through the lens metering)  I have lots of flashes and that is what I used to learn off camera flash on.  Most of them are inexpensive manual flashes that only cost 50 bucks a piece.  I think I only have two that are TTL. 

Mono-lights.  These lights are larger and can be battery powered or AC powered.  They are the most popular for studio's now.  They are stronger than speed lights and can light up a larger space.  So if your photographing large groups of people this would be the better choice.  Although you could do it with speed lights you would have to use multiple of them.  Theses lights can come with all the bells and whistles also like TTL but you can get them in the Manual only pretty cheep.  And used ones you can come by cheap.  I bought 2 of them for 100 bucks many years ago and sold them for what I almost paid for them.  These can also be very expensive depending on the brand.  Usually the price you pay for theses lights are for the consistency of the light.  One exposure  not different from the next.  Which if you're making your living from these lights this is important.  But for amateurs like us not so much.

Pack and Head Lights.  These lights are not common anymore and have mostly been replaced by  mono-lights.  These lights have two parts the head is the portion with the bulb and a wire goes to the pack part that has all the electronics that make the flash go boom.   I won't even discuss theses because I have no experience in them and they are not practical for the most of us.

Triggers.  With off camera flash you must have something that hooks your camera to the lights.  This is done with a trigger.  Like everything else they can be complicated or simple.  Some triggers you get will have two parts .  The trigger and receiver. The trigger is on your camera and the receiver is on the light.  They usually talk via radio waves but could also be infra red light like your TV remote.  Radio triggers are much better than the infra red and have a better range.  Some triggers are part of a system.  The trigger and the light are made to go together so the light will have a built in receiver so if you have the right trigger you can control the light without a separate receiver.

So now you know the different parts and pieces what are the advantages to off camera flash or strobes?

1. You are in complete control of the light.  You are not dependent on the sun or anything else that could bother the light source.

2. They are portable.  All speed lights and some moonlights are battery powered which means they are portable.  You can take them with you when your on a outside shoot. The light can be stronger than the sun but soft at the same time.

3. You can modify the light to be strong or soft.

4. You can be consistent.  Once you have your lights set you can take photo after photo and it will be the same.  Say your taking photos at an event where you have a photo booth set up after you get your light set you can rotate people in and out without changing camera or light settings with the same results you had on your first subject.

5. Using and learning off camera lighting makes you an overall better photographer because you start looking at light in a different way when not using off camera flash.

As you can see there is a lot to off camera lighting.  In other blogs to come I'll go over settings and Modifiers and stands.  So until the next time. Get outside and shoot!

Hey Everyone! Hope you had a great week.  This weeks discussion is on cleaning the sensor of your camera. First a disclaimer.  Before attempting to clean your sensor read your manual on the procedures to clean to your camera and if you don't feel comfortable doing it, don't.  Take it somewhere you trust to get it cleaned. That said cleaning your sensor is very easy especially if you have a mirrorless camera.  So why do we need to clean the sensor?  When your camera is on an electrical current goes through the sensor making it somewhat of a magnet for dust and dirt.  When changing lenses sometimes dust can get in.  Some cameras aren't sealed as well as others and dust and dirt can still get in.  So cleaning your sensor from time to time may be needed.  A dirty sensor will show spots and specks on your photo's especially if you are stopped down to f22 or so and usually shows up in scenes with blank backgrounds like the sky or a white wall.  So let me go through how I keep my sensor clean.

Prevention. The first step in keeping your sensor clean from dirt and dust is prevention.  Don't leave your camera laying around without a lens or body cap on the camera.  The less your sensor is exposed to the elements the better.  So quickly changing my lenses is the first thing I do. Some times I hold the camera body sensor side down and blow out the inside of my camera with a blower bulb to dislodge any dust that might be in the camera body then put on my lens.  I don't do this all of the time but try to do often. Try to keep the camera side of your lenses clean so not to accidentally insert dust and dirt when attaching a lens.  Keeping your camera and equipment clean is a must.

Cleaning. Most modern camera's have some sort of cleaning function on them.  This basically de-magnifies the sensor and vibrates it to let dust fall off. This is worth a try but I haven't had too much success.  The next step will involve touching your sensor.  Never touch with your fingers! The dirt and oil from your hands can harm your sensor.  The only thing that touches your sensor is something that was made to touch your sensor! These products were made to touch your sensor and not to harm your sensor. First you should have access to your sensor.  If you have a DSLR camera you will have to get your shutter out of the way. (Read Your MANUAL!)  Usually some sort of shutter lockup or cleaning mode will let you see your sensor.  Most mirrorless cameras when you take off of the lens your sensor is there is in full view.  Some newer mirrorless cameras have some sort of shield that goes over the sensor but this is not the rule but the exception. Know your camera and read your manual! The first thing that you want to touch your sensor with is a sensor brush. These are soft and specially made not to harm  your sensor.  Some of them have a negative charge on them to collect dust and the dirt that will cling to the brush.  Make sure you follow the instructions and be gentle with the sensor.  If you had to go this far to get your lens clean the brush usually does the trick for stubborn dust and dirt. If you have a spot on your sensor you may have to use a solution with a special swab to wipe the sensor to clean it.  You can get swabs that already has the solution on it or you can buy dry swabs and solution and then add a few drops to the swabs then use.  I have used both.  I keep one of the pre-moistened ones in my camera bag especially when I travel for emergency cleaning.  The swabs are shaped like a little paddle that is the exact size of the sensor.  You will wipe with one side then the other side and discard the swab.  If you still need to clean you use a new swab.  Again follow the directions of the equipment you are using. There are different types of solutions and your camera company may have a use this solution only.  For my Sony they recommend "Aero-Clipse" cleaning solution.  

Cleaning your sensor does not have to be scary and can be done easily just follow your camera manual instructions and the instructions of the cleaning tools and you will have a clean sensor making editing quicker not having to remove spots.

So until next week, with a clean sensor,  get out and shoot!