Product review: Gnarbox Portable Drive

By Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.
May 2020 issue Tech

For photographers on location, our most valuable assets are memory cards holding newly created media. Those images and videos are irreplaceable, so protecting them is key. That used to mean bringing along a laptop or writing to two cards in-camera. Not anymore.The Gnarbox 2.0 SSD is a portable drive that allows you to back up and verify your files in the field without a laptop. It’s about the size of a smartphone and weighs less than a pound. Two new key features debuted with version... Continue Reading >

Review: Tether Tools Air Direct Wireless Tethering System

By Stan Sholik
May 2020 issue Tech

Tethered shooting lets you capture images directly from your camera to your computer. This technology lets you and your clients see large image previews during a studio session so you can evaluate photos immediately.© Courtesy Tether ToolsThere are software solutions that enable transfer with a wired USB connection, and many photographers are comfortable with that. But for portrait, child, pet, and high-volume photographers, as well as commercial photographers with people on set, wires... Continue Reading >

Product Highlight: Air Direct from Tether Tools

April 2020 issue Tech

Air Direct is Tether Tools’ new wireless control system. Use it to connect your camera to a computer, tablet, or smartphone for fast file transfers and camera control with your own tethering software such as Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, or Smart Shooter. The system is compatible with all cameras that have the ability to tether, including Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Phase One, Hasselblad, and others.Air Direct couples USB-C technology with 802.11 AC wireless protocol... Continue Reading >

A Light Box and Portable Studio for Portrait Photographers

By Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.
April 2020 issue Tech

A light box or portable studio may not seem like a tool portrait photographers would use very often. But what about using one to take your marketing imagery to the next level? I’ve been wanting to try a light box for just this purpose. Could I use it to create consistently styled social media peeks at products my clients order? The possibilities intrigued me.At first glance the Foldio3 from Orangemonkie seems like a good fit for this task. It collapses to an easy-to-store size, assembles... Continue Reading >

Review: CamRanger 2 offers wireless camera control

By Stan Sholik
March 2020 issue Tech

Straightforward and reliable wireless mobile remote control of lighting gear on location has been available for years. However, camera viewing, control, and support have lagged behind. Being able to tether a camera wirelessly to a phone or tablet offers distinct benefits to different types of photographers. Portrait photographers can show images to their subjects during a shoot without moving them out of position. Wedding photographers can stage a camera for close-up yet unobtrusive photos.... Continue Reading >

Product review: BenQ SW270C Monitor

By Stan Sholik
February 2020 issue Tech

Color accuracy is the goal of every photographer, and it’s critical in portrait, fashion, and landscape photography. That’s why the introduction of the BenQ SW270C monitor is significant. Developed as part of the BenQ SW line, it’s designed for maximum color accuracy for still photographic applications. The 27-inch monitor delivers 2K resolution (2,560x1,440) and 99% Adobe RGB and 100% of sRGB color spaces. It has multiple input options, including USB-C for connecting the latest Apple... Continue Reading >

Product review: Westcott FJ400 Strobe and FJ-X2M Trigger

By Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.,
January 2020 issue Tech

When you work on location with strobes you need consistent color temperature, dependable batteries, and control of your light output. New from Westcott, the FJ400 Strobe (400Ws) and FJ-X2m Universal Wireless Flash Trigger is an impressive duo that dominates in all three areas.© Betsy Finn I noticed no color temperature variance across any of my images.The best part is the trigger’s compatibility with many cameras so you’re not locked into a brand or model. The FJ400 strobe and the... Continue Reading >

Product review: Datacolor’s SpyderX Studio

By Stan Sholik
December 2019 issue Tech

If you’re looking for a color management system that covers everything from image capture to print output and is affordable to boot, Datacolor’s SpyderX Studio promises the solution. The suite includes the Spyder Cube for image capture white balance and raw file conversion, the SpyderX Elite monitor calibrator, and Spyder Print for printer profiling—all the necessary tools for a completely color-managed workflow. I tried the Studio suite in my own studio.Image captureWhy use a... Continue Reading >