Gear Patrol

Canon’s Rebel line of DSLRs has always offered an impressive mixture of features while remaining completely approachable. The recently released Canon EOS Rebel T5i continues this tradition as the new flagship of the Rebel line. Like the EOS Rebel 650D before it, this shooter boasts an 18MP CMOS sensor, a 9-point cross-type AF sensor, a 3-inch 1.04m-dot touch-sensitive vari-angle ClearView II LCD, and Full HD video mode, complete with continuous autofocus in movie mode with subject tracking; these are all contained in a body that feels more professional than its predecessor.

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Kit lenses have a bad reputation for being the cheap training wheels of the photography world, built solely to make the DSLR buying process more approachable for thrifty consumers in search of a one-stop upgrade. These knocks against the category aren’t completely unfounded, but you shouldn’t let the general snobbery of experienced photographers steer you away from a good deal or convenience. There are a variety of kit lenses that are still a tremendous value and a great starting point for building a glass collection, whether they’re purchased with a camera or on their own. Here, you’ll find a few of our favorites across a variety of major brands and setups.

The ninth installment of our Staff Favorites series features none other than GP founder, Mr. Eric Yang. Eric is, cliche be damned, the heart and soul of our team, and his vision and aesthetic define everything you love about what we do. Few people know that he can survive for days at without food or water, subsisting on a diet of symmetry alone. His first language was Photoshop. Helvetica was inspired by his childhood doodles. Michael Bay calls him for advice on being epic; errors fix themselves once caught in his knowing gaze. He was “old school before old school became new school”. He is the most fastidious man in the world. As we’ve found to be the case with all our staff, the gear speaks to the man.

Canon has long stood apart from its competitors in the world of DSLR cameras. Each successive EOS release since the pioneering EOS 650 model in 1987 has pushed the vanguard of photographic technology, all the while maintaining sleek, elegant design and attending to customer feedback.

This attention to the consumer shines through in the Canon EOS 5D Mark III ($3,499), a camera that has single-handedly set the standard for modern DSLRs.

Let’s dive further into how the Canon EOS 5D Mark III continues Canon’s full-frame legacy.

The eighth installment of our Staff Favorites series features Mr. Jonathan Gallegos. Jonathan has been described as a “strange bird” among the GP crew — though we mean it in the most affectionate sense. He certainly has an eclectic skill set: a Masters Degree in taxation paved the way for his full-time job as a tax accountant, but before all that this numbers man also figured out how to deftly craft copy, all the while bussing tables, running a “debt-laden” eBay store and toweling off tennis pros. His passions run wide and deep. Photography, cars, sports, arguing the finer points of Shiner Bock and his other favorite beers — none are spared his attention. All of these things are firmly rooted in his sometimes obscene, always diabolically funny sense of humor. He might not always be entirely tasteful, but he’s got a damn good taste in gear.

Packing for three weeks of travel could easily balloon into roller bags, laptop cases and fanny packs. If you’re staying in luxury hotels and somebody else is handling your gear, fine. Bring the sheepskin robe. But if you may have to spend full days carrying your luggage on your back, then you’re limited to the essentials. Here’s what I stuffed into my GORUCK GR2 for three weeks in Cuba.

It’s pretty clear that our staff is passionate about gear, and as we strive to bring you the best of the best, we also want to take the time to share our own personal favorites. These are the goods we personally own: our essentials. Over the next few months, we’ll bring you each of our writers’ 10 personal favorites. By the look of things, the selection will run a wide gamut, from heirloom pieces to the most practical of gear that can be easily procured — a gear fingerprint, of sorts. Last but not least, each will share one “holy grail” item that still remains the stuff of dreams, out of reach, but hopefully only temporarily so. This week, we check out the goods of Bradley Hasemeyer, GP’s Auto Correspondent and Behind The Wheel host.

Canon EOS Rebel SL1 The latest addition to the EOS family takes the crown as the smallest and lightest DSLR on the market today. Though it weighs a mere 14 ounces, it still packs a 18-megapixel APS-C sensor as well as other goodies like a touch-enabled LCD screen — making it a perfect entry-level option…

You can go ahead and file the Canon PowerShot N under stopgap product, but until someone figures out how to cram a big ol’ sensor and lens into a tiny lil’ package, there’s going to be a divide between what your smartphone’s camera and a real camera can capture. The PowerShot N’s approach is to…

To the inexperienced, the words “techie” and “guy” seem synonymous. Sure, most guys do like technology these days — but like does not true a techie make. So while this list can absolutely be applied to any modern man, its real target is the hardcore gadget nut. The one who scours the blogs and refreshes…

When you spend as much time as we do scouring the known universe in search of noteworthy products, one thing becomes abundantly clear: building a single great thing is a phenomenally difficult accomplishment, and repeating it is next to impossible. Every so often though, a company emerges that defies the odds and changes the world…

We see color all around us: on our screens, big and small and in real-life. It’s the norm. Black & white, however, evokes an emotion. With less to consume and consider, we begin to see drama, contrast and subjects. For our fifth Sharp Shooter article, we’re tackling the process of shooting black & white photography….

It seems like everybody’s jumping on the social media bandwagon (some more logically than others). Canon’s decided to take a shot too with their curiously named, cloud-based storage service Project 1709. Currently in beta testing, this online photo warehouse places heavy emphasis on UI and sports the ever-popular tile layout (cough, Flickr) for quick viewing,…

It seems like only a year ago we were telling you about the Canon Powershot S100 — wait, it WAS a year ago, almost to the day. So, in celebration of that anniversary, Gear Patrol, or rather Canon, brings you the next evolutionary step in point-and-shoot cameras, the Powershot S110 ($449), scheduled to hit stores…

Nikon’s D600 full-frame DSLR seemed poised to undercut its arch nemesis Canon in the prosumer market — until now. The Canon EOS 6D ($2,100) is Canon’s smallest, lightest (only 24 ounces) and cheapest full-frame DSLR ever. It’s slightly slimmer and weighs less than the D600 while boasting integrated wi-fi — a convenient feature we’ve been…

A man dressed in an all brown uniform just dropped off the “grail” watch on your “work” from home day. You feverishly tear the packaging open and hold up the culmination of your hope and dreams as if it were a cub named Simba. Spending two months of salary on this iconic piece of horological…

Finally — after a slew of leaks and rumors — Canon’s first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera has arrived with the Canon EOS-M. It’s hard to believe 4 years have already passed since the introduction of the first mirrorless cameras, but Canon has joined to the party, more than fashionably late, with the EOS-M. Its target…

For our third installment, we step into the dark to shoot a starscape and nature in it’s most dramatic setting. The night: it’s the time when some of us come alive and the world surrounds us in beautiful neon colors perfectly contrasted against a dark background. It delivers a sense of serenity and awe at…

GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST In this second installation of Gear Patrol’s tips for more effectively utilizing your Canon DSLR, we’re turning our lenses onto the city. When it comes to urban photography, sometimes the best results come from the less obvious. Follow along as we focus in one of the most architecturally ambitious and colorful…

GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST It’s really no secret that DSLR cameras are not only incredibly popular but increasingly easier to use. When the Canon AE-1 arrived on the scene many years ago during the film era, consumers were ecstatic at the camera’s excellent build quality, wide availability of creative lenses, and ease of use —…

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…

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…

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…

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…

We kicked off 2012 by visiting not-so-beautiful Las Vegas to attend CES, with the hope of getting a head start on the exciting new products that will launch over the coming year. While we’ll continue to highlight gadgets revealed there on a regular basis, one of the best parts about being on the ground at…

Esteemed photo journalist Vincent Laforet is considered a pioneer of DSLR video and his short film Reverie helped significantly boost Canon’s 5D Mark II camera into the forefront of the amateur digital film community. Hoping that lightening could strike twice, Canon gave Laforet early access to the EOS C300 to demonstrate the dynamic capabilities of…

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…

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….

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…