Review: Canson’s Infinity Baryta Photographique II

By Andrew Darlow
7.15.2020 Tech

Baryta inkjet papers took the fine-art inkjet printing world by storm more than a decade ago. When a paper is labeled a Baryta, it usually means the paper base is coated with barium sulfate, a clay-like material used in traditional silver gelatin photo papers for over 100 years. Baryta papers generally have the contrast, color saturation, and sharpness of RC (resin-coated) papers and fine art watercolor-type inkjet papers. Most Baryta papers have a paper base that feels like paper rather than... Continue Reading >

Product highlight: Epson SureColor Desktop Printers

June 2020 issue Tech

Epson has brought the best of its wide-format printer technology to two new desktop printers: the 13-inch SureColor P700 and the 17-inch SureColor P900. These units are compact compared to previous SureColor P-Series desktop printers while boasting innovations such as 2.4 and 5 Ghz wireless networking. The printer drivers have seen remarkable improvement. New Epson Media Installer software eliminates the frustration of determining settings and profiles. Instead, it’s just one step to... Continue Reading >

Review: Nissin MG80 Pro Flash Is an Appealing Option

By Ellis Vener
June 2020 issue Tech

A lot of companies make a range of TTL controllable battery-powered electronic flashes with built-in radio receivers, but Nissin does things a bit differently than most. When you pick up a Nissin hot shoe mount flash like the MG80 Pro, you notice that it’s heavier and more solidly built than its competitors.Turning on an MG80 Pro or MG10 flash wakes up a unique feature of the Nissin flashes: an electromagnetic mechanism moves the Fresnel lens to match the angle of view of the camera lens... Continue Reading >

Review: Nikon D780 is a Winning Hybrid Camera

By Stan Sholik
June 2020 issue Tech

Seemingly a hybrid of Nikon’s D750 DSLR and Z 6 mirrorless models, the camera-maker’s new D780 sounds promising, but does it live up to my hope of being the best all-around Nikon of the modern era?Since its introduction in 2014, the D750 has been Nikon’s most popular DSLR for advanced amateurs and many professionals, myself included. Yet after six years and the introduction of the Z 6 mirrorless, the D750’s shortcomings, though few, are apparent. This is particularly true with respect... Continue Reading >

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 >