Introducing the latest from MeFOTO!

The MeFOTO Air line has 3 new tripods and one monopod that are the definition of lightweight and portable with unmatched stability. Let's take a closer look!

 

The MeFOTO Air BackPacker is lightweight but can support up to 17.6 lb, making it a perfect choice for all your cameras, from cell phone right up to DSLR! 

An anodized aluminum Arca-Swiss style camera plate with a 3-in-1 screw is included.  But it fits industry standard plates, so if you already have a MeFOTO or Arca Swiss plate, you’re in business! 

The new MeFOTO Air GlobeTrotter in Green. All the new MeFOTO tripods and monopods have the HyperLock leg system, which makes them faster and easier to set up more compact for travel. 

The MeFOTO Air RoadTrip in Red. Compare ONE lock per leg vs 9 to a whopping 15 leg locks for some other brands. But don’t worry about the stability, as the HyperLock design is actually better and sturdier than some other tripod leg locks.

 The MeFOTO Air WalkAbout monopod in Red has just ONE HyperLock Leg Lock, making it MeFOTO's lightest and most compact monopod!

Like what you see? Head over to the MeFOTO page on our site and start shopping for your new MeFOTO tripod or monopod!

A Day at the Museum

You’ve probably heard that some museums have banned the selfie stick, and while this means you'll have to forego a selfie with your favorite Rembrandt or Picasso, there are still a lot of photo ops to be had in a museum.

What to carry: Many museums will not allow large bags, backpacks or tripods. Make sure you check the museum's website or call ahead and find out what is ok to take in and what's better left at home. Some museums may also refuse to check valuable equipment in their cloak rooms so don't get stuck lugging around a lot of extra stuff that you won't even be able to use.  If you have your heart set on using a tripod, some museums will allow it with a permit, so allow enough time to apply for and have the permit issued. Also, most museums do not allow flash photography so disable your on-camera flash and don’t bother to pack the attachment.

Choose one lens and stick with it. We like a nice prime, as it allows for shallow DOF enabling you to highlight small details or artifacts. Or go with an all purpose lens like this one from Sigma (save $200 through the end of June 2015!). Remember that with a prime you will, in some instances, have to move physically away from your subject, something that can prove tricky in a small or crowded gallery.

Keep your camera out and around your neck to avoid having to reach into your bag when you see a shot. It also saves room in any bag you do decide to carry for your phone, a notebook, a map, guidebook or snacks. If you do decide to take a bag, we like the Billingham compact, small and, like the name says, compact (also really stylish too!).

What to shoot: As anywhere lots of different types of people are thrown together, you can find lots of interesting people in any museum. From full on portraits to surreptitious candid shots, images of people looking at art can be art.

Images of other people taking pictures can make for interesting shots.

Art students concentrating on their sketches. 

A little girl on her first museum trip!

The museum gift shop will carry tons of postcards or books with fantastic images of the artworks themselves, and if you’re at a very crowded museum or visiting on a crowded day, chances are you may not be able to replicate those pristine views, so instead why not focus on the details? If you’re shooting paintings, you can focus on the faces or other element, get up close (not too close, remember to always respect the artworks and the museum's policies!) and shoot the painting's texture or home in on another detail.

If you can't fit the entire piece in the frame, choose one
area to highlight.

Lovely detail on a light fixture with shallow DOF. 

There may be times when you’ll want to focus on something that’s behind glass, and this brings a special set of considerations. Look to see where the light is coming from and position yourself appropriately, either straight on or at an angle. There’s no one hard and fast answer, experiment and see which option gives you less or no glare. A polarizing filter as well as a lens hood can help! In some cases you may be able to position your lens directly up to or on the glass, but this will be the exception and not the rule.

 If the museum or gallery you are visiting has an atrium area or any other area where you can shoot with natural light, take advantage. Natural light is great for shooting people and sculpture.

The ladies in this shot add scale to the huge Egyptian temple.

We hope you're inspired to take a trip to a museum soon, and that you'll not only look at the art, but maybe make some of your own while you're there! 

Spring Cleaning for your Camera

It's starting to feel like spring, so it's time to look toward ahead and prep your photo gear for the longer days and warmer temperatures ahead.

Step one is to pull out your camera bag, never mind that you haven’t switched lenses since taking pictures of the kids on Christmas morning, we’re going to fix all that. Check your camera strap for wear. If it’s showing signs of weakening, replace it, you don’t want your camera hanging by a thread, literally!

This is a great time to clean your sensor. It can be tricky which is why lots of people put it off, but there are a bunch of kits on the market and plenty of tuts to show you how to do it yourself. We like this one from Digital Photography School.

Clean your lenses. Don’t just wipe them with the corner of your shirt (we've all done it!), get an honest to goodness lens cleaning kit like this one from Hoodman  and get them sparkling. As you pull out each lens, make sure it has a lens cap (we all know how easy it is to lose these!) and if you're missing any, make a list to replace them. Also, think about what kind of shooting you do most often and what you *want *to be shooting. Did you make a New Year’s resolution to shoot macro? Wide angle?

We all know that April showers are ahead so why not pick up a rain cover while you’re at it and be prepared.

Do you have enough memory cards? Check the ones you have, and make sure they too are stored properly in a case to avoid damage which can mean losing image files. We like the lifetime guarantee on this Hoodman card.

Finally, and most importantly, keep your camera and lenses safe and snug in a bag or case that’s appropriate. Protect your camera against dust and dings and who knows what else by storing it in a proper bag or case.  This goes double for your lenses! Check out our lens cases!

TIP: We'll be running a sale on our full line of bags and cases with a coupon code for our newsletter subscribers. Sign up now and don't miss it! 

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a chore, just think about all the photographs you'll make with spiffed up photo gear!

The Sigma 50mm EX DG HSM vs the Sigma 50mm F1.4 Art lens by Jack Howard

About Jack Howard: Jack Howard first picked up an SLR camera as a teenager years ago and has been exploring the photographic process ever since. Starting in the wet darkroom and now exploring cutting-edge digital imaging techniques, he's thoroughly embraced the evolution of the photographic process. 
Jack is Sigma Corporation of America's New Media Specialist, where he blogs, builds community, and shares his passion for photography with loyal and future Sigma customers every day.


The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | A sets the new benchmark for fast standard prime lenses for full-frame DSLRs, and is offered at a very fair price for its total performance. And the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, originally introduced in 2008, is still in production; and it remains an exceptional fast fifty designed for both the performance and build expectations of professional photographers at a price that puts it well within reach of enthusiasts looking for both fantastic optics, and a pro build quality. Choosing either one of these full-frame Sigma 50mm F1.4 stablemates over an OEM lens is a wise choice. Choosing which one is exactly right for your bag really is basically a matter of budget, plus weight and size considerations. But either way, adding one of these Sigma 50mm F1.4s to your kit is a great idea.

To repeat, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is still in production, and ships for a pretty fantastic street price,  especially right now with $100 Instant Savings through February 28th.  

The original high-performance 50mm F1.4 

At 3.3” x 2.7” and weighing in at 17.8 ounces, this lens is heavy and stocky. Packing eight elements in six groups, it close focuses to 17.7 inches at 1:7.4 magnification. Nine rounded aperture blades and an aspherical element make for pleasing defocused and focused image elements, while a full-time manual-focus ring allows for on-the-fly adjustments.



The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | A was announced last year and has been the talk of the photography world ever since. 

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 SG HSM Art Lens

Pairing world-beating optics and imaging performance with a hypersonic motor for fast, quiet AF, along with four zone microtuning, wrist-flick Manual focus override and firmware updates via the USB Dock, this lens has already gained a number of prestigious awards, and earned tons of positive reviews from the most demanding photographers around the world. Physically, it is a very large standard lens, at 3.4” x 3.9 inches and weighing in at 28.7 ounces. Much of that weight comes form the 13 elements in 8 groups, so it is a more complex optical design. Super low dispersion glass and super multi-layer lens coatings, along with nine round aperture blades renders photographs with extraordinary image quality. Field distortion is virtually non-existent. Demand is still incredibly high, and supplies are still very limited thanks to its very fair street price but both the Nikon and Canon mounts are in stock at SuperDigitalCity and ready to ship!


So, really, what it comes down to is total performance, budget, physical size considerations, and availability to determine which Sigma 50mm F1.4 is right for you. Especially when offered with Instant Savings, like it is right now*, the 50mm EX DG HSM is an incredible bargain for a lens of this caliber. And it is ten ounces lighter, and overall noticeably smaller, both in the hand and when hauling a camera bag. The 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | A lens is larger and heavier, as it is designed with an eye first and foremost at performance above all else. It is heavy, but it is balanced, and even though it is priced significantly more than the 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, it is still more economical than the OEM lenses it leaves in the dust in terms of overall performance and value. 

This is a world-class lens. Worldwide demand remains incredibly high, because photographers and videographers have truly fallen for all this lens offers. Whether you choose the original high-performance 50mm EX or the incredible new Art 50mm, you’ll be adding a fantastic fast F1.4 standard prime to your kit, and both ship with a four-year Sigma USA warranty when you buy from SuperDigitalCity! 

At F4 here both lenses show great focal plane sharpness on the flowers in the foreground and lovely background rendering. But when going wide open to F1.4, the Art lens definitely outperforms the EX version. 

The Art 50 has the edge in close-focusing
over the original EX 50mm.

The same scene captured
with the EX 50mm.

Jack's book, Practical HDRI, 2nd Edition, High Dynamic Range Imaging Using Photoshop CS5 and Other Tools is now available through many bookstores and online book sites.

See the Light Vol 6 Natural Light at Events

All of us get invited to parties and events. If the hosts know you are a photographer, they may think, "Hey, he’s got a nice camera, let's ask him to take some photos." I see quite a few photographers at events with their flash units on top of their cameras with the latest modifier on it. I always chuckle a bit because I've always hated how those photos look. They're mostly the "Everyone say cheese" variety. Instead, go without a flash and use the available light in the venue. Sure, it may be horrid, dark or yellow or green, but make do with what you've got. Look for authentic expressions and interactions.... Pump up your ISO, take it off Auto and look for a story. 

Light, expression, environment.

"Wonder"

My friend Ken and his wife had a party for their new daughter. And even though they never asked me to photograph the event, whenever a close friend invites me to an important event, I try to capture a few images for them. So as I watched him walk around the venue with his pride and joy, I noticed that when he faced his daughter toward the Western windows, this beautiful light would frame her face. So I simply placed myself in a position next to one of the tables so I could capture her awash in beautiful light as she gazed over her father's shoulder. Some photographers may ask someone to stand in good light and I can understand that method. But my preference is to just

let it happen organically. Light, expression, environment.

SUPER Photographer: Steven Frank

Welcome to our newest blog series, SUPER Photographer! From time to time we'll be highlighting our customers' work; one outstanding image and a bit of background on the shot.

SDC customer Steve Frank kicks things off for our first installment with this striking portrait. 

 Steve used a Profoto D1 Air 1000w to light this shot.

Steve says:

 "Just before the start of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival this year, I was contacted for a Renaissance-inspired portrait session for an avid "Ren-fester" that wanted to show off his garb. He had a rough look and I took inspiration from his custom-made pirate attire, giving him a dark rugged look which will soon be hanging on his wall to remind him of his hard work for years to come."

See more of Steve's work on his website, and check out his Facebook page.

Want to be a SUPER Photographer? Contact us with an image and the story behind it and YOU could be featured next!

See the Light Series Vol 3: Modifiers by Mark Kitaoka

Part 3 of 3 - Using Modifiers

Photographers often ask, "Mark what's your favorite modifier? Is it a softbox, umbrella, shoot through or bounce?" My answer is always the same - My favorite modifier is what I think is the best one for a specific job. Sometimes it's a softbox, sometimes it's an umbrella, sometimes a cone or in quite a few cases it's a combination of several.

So as I often like to do, let's go back a few years. One of my teachers, actually the man who taught me about using artificial light was thankfully VERY hard on me. No namby pamby talk; it was mostly, "You must not be listening to me because that looks terrible, here's why!" And he would go over EXACTLY why it was bad and he was always right ... back then. After a bit my photos moved from terrible to a proverbial "Nice" which in his speak meant crummy but not horrible.

Once in a great while I would garner a "Great Shot!" from him, with his caveat "One day you may understand how to use light, not soon, but one day and it's only a maybe... And remember, one in a row doesn't count for anything if you want to be a commercial shooter." I used softboxes as my primary light modifier. Reading through blogs, forums and such it seemed to me that most 'pros' or advanced non pros used them extensively. So naturally I wanted to emulate the 'pros' and found I was able to consistently produce 'nice' images on a relatively consistent basis.

What I noticed though was no matter what my subject matter, inside a studio, on location or outdoors my lighting seemed to all look the same. Soft light, done decently, but not that different from one to another. So it was back to my mentor for some more ego beatings. "So do you ever feather your light or do you hit the talent in the dead center of the softbox you're using?" Huh? Feather?

You will be amazed at how much of a different look you can achieve by feathering light. What does that mean? Well instead of hitting your subject with the dead center of the softbox light, swing it left or right, up or down to see how the wrap of light can make a difference. Use your modeling light if you have one to observe how the mood of your subject changes as you move the light around. Take off the outer diffuser to see how that looks. Use a grid to direct your light. Take off all of the diffusion materials to see how that looks. Try it all!

Read more on Mark's blog!

Staycation Photography Series: Theme Parks, Fairs and Carnivals

Summer vacation! Seems like as soon as summer comes, everyone is busy planning for and talking about their vacation. Going away is wonderful, but a "staycation" can be just as much fun! Explore your hometown, take day trips or just hang out in the backyard. Plus, there's tons of  photography fun to be had on a staycation and in this blog series we're going to give you some tips on enjoying staying home and tell you the right gear for your staycation photography! 

What’s summer without at least one or two day trips to a theme park or your local county fair? If you're lucky enough to live close to a big amusement park, go for it! But you don't need to make a long, expensive trek to Disney World or any of the other big name parks if your community has a county or state fair or even a local church or fire company carnival, grab your gear and get ready for some exciting photo ops! 

While a small ferris wheel or slow moving carousel might be ok to take your camera on, for the most part, you won’t be able or won't want to take your camera on the rides (it’s also tiring walking all day with your equipment in the summer sun!) so consider stowing your camera gear in a locker or other secure box offered in many theme parks for valuables. Ride the rides and explore, making mental notes (or snapping locations with your cell phone!) then go retrieve your gear and head back just for photos.

TIP: Some theme parks have restrictions for photographers or require permits. Check the park’s website to see if any such restrictions apply before you go!

The same rule that says to take holiday light pictures *before* it's completely dark applies here too: plan to shoot some of your frames just after the sun dips low when the lights on the rides and amusements become really lively and the sky is a deep blue.

Shoot some frames of the lights before it's completely dark for a stunning deep blue sky!

Tip: You probably won’t want to lug a tripod around with you (see gear concerns above), so get creative! If you’re shooting at dusk or at night try balancing the camera on a trash can or other stable object and use a cable/remote release.

What you’ll need: 
1. Lenses and Filters
For a lens, you want a sharp, fast focusing lens like the Sigma 17-50mm 2.8 that will allow you to zoom in as well as shoot fairly wide. This lens also helps get rid of the pesky blur you might have with small camera movements. Throw in a filter to help eliminate glare from water and add a bit of saturation to the blue summer sky.  If you’re at a county fair or small carnival, sometimes the attractions are very close together, and a wide angle might be the only way to get it all in the frame, so you may want to include a super wide angle like the Sigma 10-20mm f4.5-5.6 (Bonus: this lens is now on sale with a $150 instant rebate!) 

The Sigma 10-20mm shoots W  I  D  E, perfect for getting a lot of action in the frame.

But let's face it, there's more than just the rides to photograph, there's the people! Focus on the faces you see with the tried and true SIGMA 70-200mm f/2.8. Super fast and sharp, this lens also shoots great in low light and is one of our all time favorite lenses. 

2. Rain Hood (optional) Some of the best faces you'll see are on the water flume rides, which have the added bonus of splashing water to add action to your images. But the water is also a hazard to your equipment, so if you’re trying to get action shots of the water flume rides, those signs that warn riders that they will get wet apply to you, too! If you want to stay close, consider a rain hood. 

3. Bag
Carry your gear in the Tenba Small Messenger Camera Bag. Sturdy and light, it holds your camera body plus a couple lenses with ease. If you’re not going to ride the rides and need to have your gear with you all day, then keep your hands free for hot dogs and snow cones with a backpack camera bag like the brand new Tenba Shootout 18L Backpack! 

The brand new Tenba Shootout 18L Backpack

With a little planning you can make some amazing images at a theme park, fair or carnival, but if heading to one of these events isn't in your summer plans, then stay tuned for our next couple of installments in the Staycation Photography Series, as we'll be talking about photo ops in your own backyard! 

Exhibition Announcement: Mark Kitaoka's "29 Hands - 15 Artists"

"29 Hands - 15 Artists"
15 Black and White Large Format Photographs
By Mark Kitaoka
Editor John Orr

When I was a young boy, my father instilled in me a very important lesson. "Son, the true measure of people can be seen through their behavior rather than their words. Behavior that backs up their words is the true measure of what they say. Watch what people do, that will tell you much more than what they say."

I've followed his sage advice my entire life and judged my own words against my own behavior. So much of what we "do" is done through our hands. Building, writing, defending ourselves, creating what begins in our minds, caring for those we love, are all accomplished with our hands.

The genesis of "29 Hands — 15 Artists" began during an Open Studios session at the Peninsula Museum of Art (PMA). As I watched the artists work, I thought "Wow this is a perfect place to photograph the hands of working artists." I opted to photograph each artist as they worked or performed.  

Name: Steve Brugge
Artistic discipline: Poet
Date Taken: August 2013
Steve is the reason the title of the show is 29 rather than 30 hands. He lost his primary hand in an
industrial accident and had to relearn how to use his left hand. After much personal turmoil, he found
solace in the art of poetry. I wanted natural light for his shot, so we created this image in his backyard
just under the stippling of his patio awning. I lit him with fill light using a simple Speedlite housed in a
SaberStrip modifier. He is writing about his experience being photographed for this project.

Name: Kris Yenney
Artistic discipline: Cellist
Date Taken: August 2013
I met Kris back in 2008 during a theatrical performance. I often like to wander over to the orchestra pit
in an attempt to shoot some of the musicians. As I peered down into the pit, I was motivated to take
some shots of her beautiful hands as she played the cello, one of my all-time favorite instruments. We
began a strong friendship after that moment. For this shot I wanted an ethereal look for Kris, to match
the sounds that emanate from her instrument. Using a studio strobe with a cone reflector and 10-
degree grid from above seemed like the perfect lighting. I also added haze to the air to further enhance
the ethereal feeling I was seeking. If you're attending my opening, she is the one playing in the lobby.

Name: Charles Branklyn
Artistic discipline: Stage Actor
Date Taken: May 2012
Charles and I met during the production of TheatreWork's "Radio Golf." His character portrayal was one
that exhibited complete and utter mastery of acting. During one of the scenes he grasps a fedora to his
chest and at that moment I noticed his utterly exquisite hands. It's not often I envy someone's hands,
but his are truly the exception.

Name: Rob Browne
Artistic discipline: Sculptor
Date Taken: August 2013
PMA Alum Rob and I have known each other for some time. He and I collaborated on a sculpture he did
from one of my photographs of Bianca Sappeto, a Cirque Silk Aerialist. Since Rob was not working on any
projects on the day I shot him, I simply had him cover his mouth for the shot. Like most artists he has
remarkable hands, which is evident in his shot. Because I wanted this to be a dramatic portrait, I shot
him with my little Fuji X100 to kill all ambient light in his studio while using a simple Speedlite.

Peninsula Museum of Art, North Gallery, 1777 California Drive, Burlingame
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, May 18 to July 20 
Admission: Free
Information: www.peninsulamuseum.org; Phone: 650-692-2101
Artist website: www.markkitaoka.com

7 Tips for Travel Photography

Travel Photography - by Jonathan Stewart

Nomad, Terelj National Park, Mongolia

There’s no surefire path to great travel photography, which is why I enjoy it so much.  You’re surrounded by novel and exotic scenes, but you’re at the mercy of the weather, the light, and the vagaries of chance.  Before each and every trip, there comes a moment of terror where I fear I won’t capture any images worthy for sale, worthy of my previous work.   Will I make a mistake at a critical moment?  Will I have favorable conditions?  Will I actually see anything worth photographing? There are so many factors beyond the travel photographer’s control that you can only seek to minimize the variables. 

Tip 1: Know your gear inside and out.  I won’t get into a general photography tutorial here, but you’ve got to know how to handle your camera’s every function, and to do it in a hurry.   Beyond shutter speed, aperture and ISO, this means metering, focusing and drive modes, plus white balance.  Learn them, live them, love them.  There shouldn’t be a button or a menu setting that you don’t understand.

Tip 2:  Manual mode is the way to go, but there are exceptions.  I rely on manual mode about 99% of the time, but I’m not afraid to use aperture-priority to save precious milliseconds, such as during street photography in changing light.  I’ll even throw it into full auto if I don’t have time to adjust settings to catch a fast-changing scene, such as a bird or jet flying overhead.  Getting the shot is priority #1, screw the purists.

Tip 3:  Select the right gear.  This means understanding how focal length affects your shot, and anticipating the conditions you’ll be shooting in.  I prefer the fast aperture and superior image quality of prime lenses over the convenience of zooms.  Typically I’ll bring 3-5 lenses, depending on what I’m shooting, although it’s hard to resist the temptation to bring more.  It helps to cheat and Google what other people have shot in similar environments to get an idea of what to bring.   Each lens has a personality, and the better you understand it and when it’s most called for, the easier it is to pack.  Even if you shoot zooms, it’s always a good idea to bring at least one fast prime for low light situations. 

Gurung woman, Nepali hill country

Tip 4:  Engage the people you meet.  You’ll be amazed how easy it is to talk to people when you’re holding a camera, if only you try.  Most people appreciate a respectful request for a photo, followed by a little conversation, during which they will lower their guard so you can get natural-looking shots.  Learning how to ask for a photograph in whatever language is spoken is the most important thing you can learn, and a great icebreaker.  I also hand out business cards (without my phone number – I learned that one the hard way), with my website and Facebook page, so people can see my work, and potentially themselves. 

Tip 5:  Be a good person.  Even if I’m legally able to take a picture of somebody or something, I refrain if it’s inappropriate or they request that I don’t.  Never lose your sense of humanity – it serves you well in composing an emotional image, and it should guide you when it’s best to put the camera away.

Peru’s Qoylluri’ti Festival

Tip 6:  Always be on the lookout for a great composition.  It may be the end of a long day, you’re tired, you’ve taken 1000 pictures already, you’re driving 70MPH, but if you see something interesting, don’t let it pass you by.  Stop and take the shot, you’ll never get another chance. You’re a photographer – think like one!

Tip 7:  Take your time editing, but have an efficient workflow.  To me, editing is a chore, but it’s one I try to take very seriously.  When you get back from a trip with thousands of photos, it’s essential to have an efficient editing workflow.  I typically edit every day after shooting on the road, then transfer my images as a catalog to my office computer once I get home, saving all my changes.  Then I go over all the images once more, often salvaging great shots that I missed in the first go-round.  I’ll also change and improve the edits I’ve already done.  After a two-week trip, I’ll put in at least 3-4 days of editing once I get home, even if that means reducing 5000 photos to 50.  It’s a matter of personality, but I prefer to do this as soon as possible so I don’t lose the inspiration.  

About the author  

Jonathan just returned from a photographic trip to Mongolia and Russia’s Siberia in the winter.  His work can be seen at jonathanstewartphotos.com  

Please give his Facebook page a like at www.fb.com/jonathanstewartphotos