gear

the zumi digital

Once again Photojojo had introduced me to some amazing photo gear I never knew existed: The Zumi Digital. Basically it’s a digital camera that records 8mm type video and stills. I know. Exciting, right? I’ve had this 8mm film sitting in my fridge for years now and I keep wanting to use it, but the cost of getting film developed is so high these days, not to mention the hassle, I can’t quite bring myself to do it. Even though I learned film photography first, I’ve gotten so used to digital processes that going back seems unecessarily complicated. The one thing I do miss about film is the look of it. The Zumi Digital can give you the look of 8mm film without the hassle!

Check out the Photojojo store to get more info on the Zumi Digital. I don’t think they have any in stock currently, because I’m sure it’s been a popular item, but they are getting more in at the end of September. And at $160 this is pretty much a for sure buy, I’m going to order one as soon as I can!

polaroid pogo

I was pretty sad about the death of Polaroid film, but it looks like the company is trying to fill the gap with their new PoGo portable printer and digital camera/printer. What makes this product cool? It’s inkless. Meaning you never have to refill the ink. They use something called Zink, or Zero Ink technology, where the paper has heat activated dye crystals in it that make a CMYK print.

So basically with the printer, you take a picture with your camera or your phone and it can be sent to the little printer via cable or Bluetooth. The other thing that I think that is interesting is, while I loved Polaroid, I didn’t really have a great Polaroid camera, so if I could shoot on my digital SLR and get a cute little instant print out of it with all the control of an SLR, it just gives me a whole bunch of creative possibilities. The camera/printer combo is essentially like a Polaroid camera point and shoot.

I’d love to test it out and see what it’s like, because I haven’t seen it around these parts yet, but it’s definitely something I’d keep my eyes open for. While it obviously doesn’t completely replace instant film, it’s an interesting alternative that I wouldn’t mind adding to my collection of cameras and printers!

diana mini

Lomography fans are excited about the release of the new Diana Mini. It’s so cute, I need one! Basically, the cool thing is not only the small and compact size, but the fact that you can shoot in square frame (just like the regular Diana) AND flick a switch and shoot half frame. This is pretty cool, because you can get 72 shots on a regular 35mm film roll.

Some other cool features include the B setting for long exposures, tripod mount, cable release attachment (which is new), and of course, the ability to take multiple exposures, which is one thing people love about lomo cameras. It’s a wide angle lens, and there’s a flash attachment (pictured above). So many possibilities in this tiny little camera!

Here’s some sample photos from the website, check them out and get excited about this cool camera:

lensbaby

If you haven’t heard of Lensbaby before today, you are missing out! Let me explain: Lensbaby lenses are the answer to digital photographer’s dreams, especially if they’re tired of that super crisp and clean look that digital gives, and want something a little more like a plastic camera. There are three lenses, The Composer, The Muse, and The Control Freak. They all do the same thing with some focusing and adjusting variations, that is, have a “sweet spot” of focus surrounded by a graduated blur.

If you go check out the site and read the FAQ and take a look at all the products, you’ll see just how exciting Lensbaby is. You can mix and match types of lenses with their glass, or even go for one with plastic or pinhole. You can add filters that change your bokeh, as well as add accessories that will convert your lens to wide angle, macro, or telephoto.

Here are some examples of the types of photos you can get with the Lensbaby, taken from the website gallery. Keep in mind this is a tiny sample of what you can do with Lensbaby lenses, the options really are limitless!

super secret spy lens

Street photography is one of my favourite genres, seeing people in their element, candid and natural is always so interesting to me. The problem with street photography though, is that it’s next to impossible to get people to actually be candid and natural. If you’ve got an SLR with a big portrait lens, it gets even more difficult.

It’s possible to make people feel comfortable, to warm up to the camera and eventually you can get some great shots. But sometimes there’s a moment you want to capture that you can’t prepare for. You just have to catch it as it’s happening. The Super Secret Spy Lens can help.

The way it works is there’s a mirror and a cutout in the lens. It reflects the image through the cutout, and onto your lens. It swivels around so you can shoot in any direction, all with the appearance of shooting straight ahead. When people see you pointing your camera away from them, they’ll never know that you’re really photographing them.

Sneaky? A little. But it’s a great tool to honestly get some amazing candids. As far as I know you can only get it at the Photojojo store, I have never seen it in stores. Check it out, it’s reasonably priced at around $55US.