Gear Patrol

Even the most seasoned photographer knows the frustrations of delving into the world of astrophotography. Ultra long exposures, hyper-subtle colorations and bringing out the detail of such distant objects usually results in blurry, indistinguishable images that are more akin to a close-up of your garage floor instead of the majestic night sky. Canon has addressed…

We all know photography gear can quickly become overwhelming. Lenses, bags, cameras, straps, cords, –- it eventually gets out of hand. Thankfully, Camera Clip by Peak Design ($80), is a cool and easy alternative to the traditional neck strap. Simply screw the quick-release plate to your camera’s tripod mount, attach the die cast aluminum main…

Editor’s Note: We all want to take better pictures. Whether it’s with the iPhone or our third DSLR, everyone loves a great photograph to upload to Facebook, frame or just gawk at on our phones. But throwing gobs of money at a pro DSLR and a bunch of red-ringed lenses does not for a photographer…

Nothing quite says “You’ve made it” like buying ~$9,000 worth of cutting edge camera equipment, encapsulated in the finest luggage around. Fujifilm’s new partnership with opulent British luggage maker Globe-Trotter has yielded a handmade case assembled on period Victorian machinery, constructed from their famous Fibreboard, which is actually formed from a dozen layers of bonded…

Dress up your favorite shooter with the A7 Original Camera Strap II. Each strap is made in the U.S.A. by a family-owned NYC based leather manufacturer. Color options include black, brown, or a slightly pricier but reversible olive and gray edition. Whatever color your prefer, it’s guaranteed to look classier than advertising your camera model…

Last year, we shared with you David Reisenberg’s carefully crafted whiskey packaging design. Nearly a year later we bring you another incredibly conceived design in a category near and dear to GP. Cameras. This time around, Reisenberg has taken a deftly designed stab at a product that’s had photographers itching with anticipation, a Canon Mirrorless…

If red, gold and green rings around your lenses don’t get your blood stirring enough, maybe Carl Zeiss will. Officially the widest-angle lens in the much revered, and lusted after, Distagon lens lineup, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm F2.8 Super Wide Angle Lens ($2,948) shoots wide enough to capture practically all of Berlin in…

The birth of the DSLR can be traced back to a little camera company called Nikkor, which eventually became Nikon, and its relationship with a small government agency known as NASA. One of Nikon’s first major successes, the 35mm Nikon F, gained popularity in the U.S. with photographers covering the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Soon,…

More powerful, more capable and more versatile, the long-awaited Canon 5D Mark III ($3,499) is finally here. Less revolution, and more evolution, the Mark III brings with it a host of much-needed improvements and new features including several from its behemoth brother, the 1 DX. This includes the 61-point AF system, 63-zone metering system and…

One of our favorite camera accessory companies Holdfast, started by professional photographer and GP reader Matthew Swaggert, has just released the perfect piece of gear for managing your memory cards and money. The 4.35″ Indispensable Photographer’s Wallet ($45+) features a foldable design with three pockets. The exterior slide pocket holds IDs and the various other…

Lehmann Aviation’s latest LFPV (~$2,352) is one of the more affordable ways to get movie-grade aerial videos and photos without renting a chopper. While it’s certainly no predator drone, the small UAV does come equipped with a camera capable of full HD video and 11MP stills. Based on the photos and specs, it looks like…

While the Yashica name is rarely whispered outside die-hard enthusiast groups, the name (and brand) holds an important part of photo history. Take for example the Yashica Electro 35 GSN fixed lens rangefinder camera. If you’re lusting after a Leica rangefinder or getting hot and bothered about some of Fujifilm’s latest digital options, like this…

Paving the path for a technique known as “selective focus”, Lensbaby has been cranking out optic after optic focused — defocused might be a better way to describe it — on offering photographers a lens-based solution for creating dramatic photos. Niche? Maybe, but not the Lensbaby Edge 80 ($300). Functioning similarly to a tilt-shift lens…

With an honest, throwback design the Olympus OM-D E-M5 ($999, body) builds off of the 40 year-long lineage of OM SLR film cameras. Modernized in Micro Four Thirds format, the 16.1 megapixel shooter comes paired with a built-in electric viewfinder (before you groan, take note of its 1.44 million dot resolution and 120 fps refresh…

Guess what? Your memory card just got a whole lot smaller thanks to the new Nikon D800 ($2,999). There’s no hiding the fact that the long awaited full-frame FX-format shooter is a direct assault on the Canon 5D Mk II, which has captured the attention (and dollars) of HD-SLR shooters. Built around a Super Bowl…

With smooth bokeh and a versatile zooming range, both Nikon and Canon full-frame shooters (e.g. Nikon D700 and Canon 5D Mk II) have continually relied on their respective 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses. The only problem? Canon’s option lands in around $1,300, while Nikon’s is nearly 2-grand, making the glass alone cost nearly as much as a…

Don’t let the bright colors — a signature Pentax touch — fool you. Behind the bold design by Marc Newson, the Pentax K-01 ($749+), pronounced “kay-zero-one”, has the intentions of a serious enthusiast’s camera. Within the machined aluminum frame, the K-01 houses a 16 megapixel APS-C with sensor-shift stabilization, compatibility with nearly all Pentax lenses…

Got a Michael Bay-like appetite for capturing destruction, without the matching slush fund to pay for it? Well, $50 can land you a neat bit of photographic trickery, known as Smoke Drops. Imported from Italy by the fine folks at Photojojo, combining a few drops of bottle A with bottle B creates 5 to 10…

Mobile devices have progressively borrowed features from cameras to boost their curb appeal — so why shouldn’t cameras reciprocate? That seems to be the logic behind Polaroid’s surprising SC1630 Smart Camera. From the rear, it’s easy to mistake the device as just another 3.2-inch Android handset, until you spy the 16-megapixel 36-108mm lens with 3x…

Fujifilm’s X-Pro 1 may be the worst kept secret we’ve ever come across in the photography world — with a veritable Wikileaks worth of details flooding the web long before today’s official announcement. We’re still pleased as punch, however, to finally shell out the official details surrounding the magnesium-alloy wrapped retro beauty. In many ways,…

Canon’s PowerShot G-series has always strived to meld the smaller form factor of a point and shoot with the photo quality of a larger-sensor DSLR, and with the new Canon G1 X ($799), Canon continues to aim to do just that. Building on its predecessor’s, the G12, precedents the G1 X boasts a substantial 1.5-inch…

Faster, smarter, and more lust-worthy than ever, the Nikon D4 ($5,999) is the culmination of a carefully chosen list of features and enhancements, leaving what works and adding what’s needed for the latest in a long line of full-frame (FX) pedigree pro cameras. That’s something you do when your flagship camera is considered by its…

The Cam Crate is the latest Kickstarter project to catch our eye, mainly because it’s dedicated to protecting something near and dear to our gear-loving hearts. Designer Matthew Geyster was inspired to create a waterproof, mudproof, crushproof, and shockproof case for his DSLR after his fear of damaging his camera caused him to miss more…

HoldFast is a new brand born from the passion of professional photographer and long time Gear Patrol reader Matthew Swaggert. After years of being frustrated with the overly complex, uncomfortable, and militia-styled gear that flooded the photography market, he decided to channel his experience and love of American heritage to create something better. The HoldFast…

It may look like another plastic iPhone dock, but the Swivl ($160) is anything but. Pairing a motorized base and wearable marker the Swivl can pivot, turn and tilt a cradled iOS device to follow a subject — keeping subjects within its field of view — using motion tracking technology. That means, video chats, sports,…

You might not consider a grip the most identifiable feature of a new camera, but for the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 ($699), that’s exactly the case. The successor to the mighty successful GF1, a camera we’ve recommended time and time again here at GP, the GX1 certainly packs a wallop: 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor,…

Despite widespread adoption, Canon’s approach to video hasn’t been the all out onslaught many of us have hoped for. Particularly when you consider how DSLR’s have taken on increasingly powerful video capabilities, spawning a passionate base of amateur and pro film makers dedicated to pushing the limits of what their trusty Canon gear can do….

In the last few years a new breed of camera has stormed the digital photography world. Known as mirrorless or interchangeable lens cameras, they forgo the mirror of a DSLR (or SLR) for a smaller, lighter, and more portable package. They’ve grown in leaps and bounds by providing amateurs an opportunity to upgrade from a…

What’s rectangular, four-hundred bucks and focuses all over? The Lytro ($399). Of all the inevitable announcements of cameras heading up to the holidays, the Lytro offers what might be the most unique feature of all: the ability to focus anywhere anytime. It accomplishes this by capturing how a particular scene “appears” with its sensor capturing…

On the surface, Canon’s new pro-level shooter may look virtually identical to its 1D predecessor, but don’t be fooled. As the 10th generation of Canon SLRs, the beastly Canon EOS-1DX ($6,800) is the full-frame juggernaut. Built to replace both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS-1D Mark IV models, it boasts an olympian size list of…