Michael Andrew's Blog, page 40

Taken at my last football game by my uncle jay,...

Taken at my last football game by my uncle jay, Liberty Bowl Dec 31st, 1998. I don't have many of these so I treasure them. Some of the best memories of my life were playing football at BYU. Just a bunch of great, quality guys. #byu #bandofbrothers #byufootball

Would you rather have the Z7 or the Z6? I’ve had...

Would you rather have the Z7 or the Z6? I've had the Z7 for about a month now, there are some really nice things about it, specifically the size and weight, way more compact than a full size DSLR. Very good dynamic range (that test is coming on Monday). Minimal banding- but they do have one problem, that 24-70 f4 lens is not very sharp, stll it's probably the best 1st FF mirrorless ever for a company, I've been very impressed. Looking forward to the Z6, which should be better for video. #nikon #z7 #z6 #nikonz7

Overlord

I just wasn't a fan of this movie. We have literally seen all of it from other films, half war movie, half zombie movie. Its a maybe rental if there is literally nothing else.

Fuji XT3 vs Sony A7iii Sports Focusing Tests!

Here is my latest video on the Sports Focusing Between the Fuji XT3 & Sony A7iii:







Two of the hottest mirrorless cameras on the market go head-to-head in Michael The Maven's Sports focusing tests! Michael adds the Eye - Detection Sports focusing test as well as his analysis as to why each camera performs a little better in different tests. Enjoy!



PRIVACY and DISCLOSURE:

* Michael The Maven is a participant in the B&H Photo Video affiliate program that provides an advertising commission if you purchase through our links.

* If you purchase something from my affiliate links, I will get a small commission with no extra cost to you.

* Everything stated here is my opinion, and I sometimes make mistakes. I will never recommend a product I do not either use, truly love or think would be the best fit for the situation (often determined by budget).



Fuji X-T3



FUJIFILM XF 50-140mm f/2.8



Sony A7iii



Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM

Which would you choose if you could only have one?...

Which would you choose if you could only have one? #squadgoals #nikonz7 #eosr #xt3 #a7iii #a7riii #gh5 #d850

Canon EOS R vs Nikon Z7 - Usability differences

Canon, please fix these things! For the record, I paid for the EOS R with my own money. It was not provided to me by Canon, nor do I attend press launch events. These are my own thoughts and comments, and when I find issues with cameras, I speak freely about it. (Note: and yes I know there are ways to customize ISO and Exposure Compensation such as the control ring, but....lets say you bump it? Then what. Now we get to lock that control? Great!)



After the lack of continuous tracking with a high speed burst, there was one thing in particular that drove me crazy about the EOS R - its usability.



Usability is the number of steps, button presses and options to change certain settings. Dont get me wrong, there are many things I really like about the EOS R system. The 24-105 f4 R lens was outstanding, but I felt so frustrated from a speed stand point when shooting with it.



I do not think the R is junk camera, I just think its overpriced for the body. It feels like Canon is dipping their big toe in to test the waters, and it's obvious great things are coming from Canon in FF mirrorless.



If you are really interested in getting an EOS R, watch this carefully to understand what you are in for in terms of basic operations like changing your focussing squares or going back and forth from your modes. I believe a price drop will eventually come a few months after Christmas, probably around the same time the higher end model is announced.



Contrast this with the Nikon Z7 and you you can see Nikon is way ahead of the game in terms of Usability, if both companies plan on sticking with the same basic camera bodies.



Enjoy!

Bohemian Rhapsody

It was really, really good! It's one of those movies that makes you want to do research after to find out how much of it was accurate. There were so many things about it that really got me thinking. I remember hearing Queen's music as a child, but I just wasn't into it/couldnt understand it. When I was about 24 or 25 I discovered them and was just blown away by how talented and prolific they were. Absolute geniuses! The movie felt like a fast paced summary of their story, with a powerful look at Freddie Mercury, in addition to having one of the widest vocal ranges of all time, extremely talented, he also seemed to be a very tormented and lonely soul, but as always with movies, can't always be sure about how much of it was accurate. One thing I did appreciate was the film's ability to portray what is meaningful in life, vs what is illusionary and destructive (not just drugs and bad people, but things like ego and what traction is). I won't ruin it, but there are many important life themes in this film.



It was a very powerful movie and I recommend it!

My Student Marisa's New Website | Rockin A Photo

Many of you may recognize Marisa as one of the models who has appeared in nearly all of my Crash Course videos since 2009. Fast forward many years later, she reached out to me to see if I could help coach her a little on learning photography, as she was working with her family on their ranch and wanted to get great shots of customers, as well as couples for engagements.



Marisa has worked very, very hard and has since worked with many outdoor brands, couples and even cattle owners creating a truly unique style of western / vintage photography. She is absolutely killing it and I could not be more proud of her. Something that is amazing to me is that she is totally devoted to her children & family above all else, and still has found the time to develop her craft. It's been so fun watching her grow & improve both with her skill and confidence. I am very excited for what the future holds for her.



I rarely take on any one-on-one mentoring these days, but I have had a lot of success helping students transition past advanced shooter into paid pro and it feels amazing to be able to coach in this way and see their success:


Check out Marisa's New Website: Rockin A Photo Western Photography

You can also find her on Instagram here: Rockin A Photo on Instagram



If you are interested in one-on-one mentoring contact me here: Email Michael

Let me know the type of gear you own, where you are not skill wise, and what you want to do. I read each of these requests personally, and if we are a good match, I know I can help!

Fuji XT3's Killer Easter Egg Video Feature!

Yes, there are others that will do it, but this is the best I have seen for not only size and cost, but actual results! Enjoy!

Checkout this little hot shoe ball head mount made...

Checkout this little hot shoe ball head mount made by Bogen Manfrotto, the 492LCD, basically designed to hold a monitor or HDMI recorder. I have tons of the smaller, lighter, cheaper ones, but the thing that bothered me about them, is they locking controls aren't hefty, nor easy to tighten. This thing is a beast- by far my favorite hot shoe ball head! #bogen #manfrotto #xt3 #atomos