The EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM is my favorite lens for indoor events. Yes, it’s a heavy lens—but the image quality it delivers is excellent.
If you can’t afford the RF version, I highly recommend picking up this EF version. It’s still a fantastic performer, especially for the price you can find it at on the second-hand market.
You can find more about this lens in this video.
Wildlife photography—when taken seriously—is an expensive hobby. Even an entry-level camera paired with a decent lens can easily reach the $1,000 mark.
If you search on Amazon, you'll find a flood of inexpensive, often Chinese-made cameras marketed for kids. But let’s be honest: I haven’t come across a single one that delivers decent image quality—whether in still photos or video—despite their impressive claims about megapixels and 4K resolution.
So, what should you do if you have a child under 10 years old who’s starting to show a real interest in wildlife photography?
The answer lies in the second-hand market. If you're patient and avoid jumping on the first deal you see, you can find older bridge cameras for under $100.
I’ve been searching for a decent camera, with a good zoom and the shape and feel of a DSLR—something that’s really important when buying for a 10-year-old who’s constantly watching you use your gear and already has a sense of what a "real" camera looks like.
After some research, I’ve narrowed my options down to two Fujifilm models (Amazon links do not represent the best price for used cameras):
You can find more technical details about both cameras here.
I'm not claiming these are the best options out there—if you have any recommendations, feel free to leave a comment below.
Keep in mind that for a kid, a camera is, among other things, a toy—and toys tend to take a fair amount of abuse. That’s the main reason why, in your first attempt to introduce them to more serious photography, you probably don’t want to spend more than $100.
Depending on how long the camera lasts (and how interested they stay), you can always move up to a higher price range with better features and image quality later on.
Yesterday, I was writing about the ongoing controversy around the idea that “a good camera gives you good pictures,” and I briefly compared DSLR cameras to smartphones. However, I didn’t go too deep into that comparison. While it might seem like a no-brainer at first, this video dives into the details and explains it thoroughly.
A good camera can certainly help in taking better pictures, but it's not the only factor. ;
This is an old debate that I often come across online—and even at home. Part of the confusion comes from us photographers, of all levels, who buy a camera with a lens and then keep buying more lenses and even more cameras. To an outside observer, this behavior may look like proof that, in order to take a good picture, you need an expensive camera and a high-end lens. But let’s try to clarify the reality.
One day, you decide to take up photography as a hobby—or maybe even professionally—after using your phone for a while and reading online that the image quality from a DSLR or mirrorless camera is far superior to that of a smartphone. By thinking this way, you're already validating the myth that buying a better camera means taking better pictures. Yes, it’s true that a phone simply can’t house a lens and sensor large enough to match the quality of a dedicated camera. But today’s smartphones are equipped with powerful software, including AI, that captures multiple images in milliseconds and merges the best parts of each one. That’s how you get those beautiful, balanced images straight from your phone. Still, these images often lack the sharpness and detail you can achieve with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, which uses larger, higher-quality lenses and sensors.
So, you buy your first DSLR—but your photos don’t look as good as the ones from your phone. Why? Because modern cameras still don’t include the kind of advanced AI software that your phone uses. Why not? Simply put, your phone contains expensive, high-performance hardware designed to run those AI applications. Including similar processing power in a camera would drastically increase its cost. Camera manufacturers believe that you, the photographer, should make the creative and technical decisions—by configuring the camera properly and editing the photos afterward—to achieve great results.
To take great pictures with your new DSLR, you need to know your camera inside and out, and you need to dedicate time to post-processing. Now you understand why photographers who take amazing images with big cameras and long lenses often feel frustrated when people assume that it’s all about the gear. It’s not.
Another factor that feeds this myth is that your newly bought camera might not actually match your specific photography needs. You might buy a crop-sensor camera, only to find that you mostly shoot in low-light conditions—where a full-frame camera would perform better. Even among full-frame models, not all have the same dynamic range or low-light capabilities. You’ll likely discover these differences after taking hundreds or thousands of photos. But those who see you switch gear might think it’s further proof that better cameras equal better pictures, without understanding the importance of choosing the right tool for the job.
The same misunderstanding happens with lenses. Lenses are built depending on the task, they could be designed specifically for portraits, landscape or wildlife photography. People assume that you're buying a new lens because a "better lens" guarantees better pictures. That line of thinking completely ignores what makes a photo superb.
A good photo usually has a clear subject, strong composition, appropriate lighting, sharp focus, accurate or intentional color, emotional or storytelling value, and a degree of technical and creative skill. None of these depend solely on your camera. Your camera is a tool—and like any tool, it’s only as good as your ability to use it well.
A good camera can certainly help in taking better pictures, but it's not the only factor. While a high-quality camera with advanced features can offer more control and potentially better image quality, the photographer's skill, also play crucial roles.
I believe the main protagonists from last weekend were the alligators.
There were people stealing fish from people fishing on the pier. In the image provided, you can observe the incredible speed at which this individual was leaping out of the water in an attempt to capture one of those fish.
