dSLR

Look over here! The Look Lock lets you mount your smartphone to your dSLR's hotshoe to be used as an external display. Made from aluminum, the rig consists of an articulating arm that allows you to move and rotate your handset (measuring up to 3 inches wide) at any angle.

We can think of some uses for the Look Lock, such as using it as a budget "teleprompter" for video productions, or playing a funny animated clip to get laughs when photographing kids. Another idea would be to record a candid movie with a smartphone while shooting … Read more

Editors' note: This guest post kicks off a five-week series of Photojojo's best photography tips. Check back every Tuesday for the latest guide to making the most of your shutter.

Your phone isn't just another camera.

It's a tool that can make your life easier when you're out shooting with your non-phone camera. Maybe that's a top-of-the-line dSLR, an old-school 35mm film camera, or a slick micro-four-thirds device.

Regardless of your camera type, there all kinds of factors to take into account before, after, and during shoots, including location, lighting, copyrights, and numbers.

The good … Read more

If you're looking for a photography-related conversation starter for your home, this accessory could be one to shoot for.

Measuring a little over a foot across and roughly 19.5 inches high when the hood's attached, the lamp is a larger-than-life replica of Nikon's 14-24mm F2.8 ultra-wide-angle full-frame zoom lens. This unique decorative piece is constructed from white cedar wood that's coated with a water-based varnish and then finished with beeswax. … Read more

If you're bored with the run-of-the-mill images produced by your dSLR's kit lens, the dSLR Wheel of Filters may pique your interest with its ability to add a lo-fi twist to your pictures.

The system consists of two components, an adapter and two "wheels." First, the adapter mounts on your dSLR like a regular lens, which will allow you to attach the two supplied "wheels." One lets you choose between colors, dual colors, and color surrounds, while the other comes equipped with macro lenses, kaleidoscopes, and prisms. … Read more

The most popular reason nonprofessionals buy dSLRs or other types of interchangeable-lens cameras is because they want better photos or faster performance than a point-and-shoot can deliver; the power of manual controls and interchangeable lenses seem to be a secondary concern. Nevertheless, I'm still routinely surprised when someone hands me his dSLR and it's set to auto and equipped with a standard kit lens.

The best (and cheapest) way to advance your photography is to switch out of auto; here's a map for venturing into that new territory. But the next best -- and not-so-cheap -- way … Read more

There are a lot of good reasons to choose a camera over a consumer camcorder for shooting video, including larger sensors, which tend to deliver better tonal range and enhanced depth-of-field flexibility, and better photo quality. And an interchangeable-lens camera (ILC) -- a dSLR, fixed mirror (Sony's SLT series), or mirrorless model -- imparts huge creative and logistical benefits over a typical point-and-shoot design.

Most consumer camcorders have pretty ugly polygonal bokeh until you hit the $1,000 or so price point. With an ILC, even the cheap lenses deliver better handling of out-of-focus areas. … Read more

When I put together my list of five great enthusiast camera deals for less than $500, I was perturbed by a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't offer for a couple of entry-level dual-lens kits for dSLRs. But one of them popped up again just in time for Cyber Monday: a $449.99 deal on the Nikon D3000 with both the 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses at Best Buy.

The camera is a few years old, but it's still pretty solid, and as a total kit, it covers the zoom range you need for most typical family and vacation shooting. Plus, even if … Read more

Headlining Canon's barrage of cameras at the show: the EOS 6D. While the company has had the cheapest full-frame camera available since the 5D Mark III shipped and it dropped the price of the 5D Mark II, the latter (while still an excellent camera) has an old autofocus system and needed some performance updating. Especially if it were going to stand up to Nikon's recently announced D600. But Canon took away some of the features of the 5DM2 for the 6D, such as the 100 percent coverage viewfinder, substituting Wi-Fi and GPS. It's got a new sensor, … Read more

With more and more cameras able to capture full-HD videos in 1080p these days, the role of a camera doesn't just stop at stills. To get professional-grade footage free from camera shake, however, you'll need specialized videography tools, which can be a hassle to transport due to their size and weight.

Los Angeles-based designer Grant Parrinello has come up with a concept design that combines multiple videography accessories into one. It acts as a steadicam to help stabilize your dSLR when you're chasing after your subject and can double as camera crane for shooting at high and low vantage points. … Read more