Episodes
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Fotobug Episode 359 - Arsenal 2 Panorama - by Request!
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Welcome to The Fotobug, your podcast for photography news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos. In this episode, hosts Jim and Fred give a major announcement about the future of the podcast - a transition to YouTube! They've carried this podcast for over a decade, now they're diversifying the platform to reach a wider audience while continuing to provide top-notch photography content.
Delivering the news, they discuss the surprising decline of Kodak, a once-thriving photography brand turned shocking cryptocurrency scheme participant. They also highlight Olympus OM-1's significant firmware update and the revealing of OpenAI's text-to-video AI tool, Sora. In a fascinating peek into the future of photography, they dive into the awe-inspiring work of photographer Nima and the undersea prowess of Alex Dawson, the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024.
Furthermore, the dynamic duo zooms in on a new player in the smartphone arena, the Energizer P28K, which promises a battery life lasting a week without charging. They then take a sober moment to discuss a tragic issue related to social media and photography associated with Instagram, highlighting the dark side of the online medium.
The episode features a special segment showcasing Arsenal 2, a gadget designed to enhance your photography skills. The hosts perform a live test of the panorama feature of this tool after a specific request from the audience - proof that they indeed listen to their audience’s feedback and suggestions!
Join Jim and Fred as they light up your life with their deep passion for photography and share valuable insights in the world of images. The FotoBug promises informative, engaging, and inspiring content for novices and professionals alike.
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Fotobug Episode 355 - Meike Canon Lens Adapter review
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Mirrorless cameras are thinner than DSLRs due to the removal of the mirror mechanism. The thinner body means the existing DSLR lenses won't focus properly. The camera companies have changed the mount to ensure that the older lenses won't work - that is without an adapter. Canon currently charges $130 for their base adapter, but there are third party adapters which can save you some money and work fine as there are no optics, just a way to move the lens further from the sensor and couple them with the camera electronics! Fred reviews one from Meike!
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Fotobug Episdode 354 - Zhiyun M20C LED light Review
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Zhiyun is coming out with very interesting LED lights which can be used for still photography as well as video. One of their newest is the M20C which is an updated version of the M20. Jim and Fred check out the new light and the combo pack which includes barn doors, a mounting cage, a honeycomb filter and a diffusion filter, all which attach via magnets! The light is available from several sources including Amazon.
Sunday Dec 03, 2023
Fotobug Episode 353 - Hover Air X1 Drone Review
Sunday Dec 03, 2023
Sunday Dec 03, 2023
The Zero Zero Robotics little Hover Air X1 drone has been getting a lot of attention so The Fotobug guys decided to give it a look and see if it lives up to the hype. This little drone only weighs 125 grams and yet is full autonomous and can record video up to 2.7k at 30fps.
If you would like to buy one of your own use the following link:
Also, Jim tested out the Supertone Clear audio plugin to reduce or eliminate background noise (formerly known as Goyo). You can obtain a trail version here:
Sunday Nov 19, 2023
Fotobug Episode 352 - Review - Veikk 1200 Graphics Tablet
Sunday Nov 19, 2023
Sunday Nov 19, 2023
The Veikk 1200 graphics tablet is only $159 and comes with 2 pens, 28 extra nibs and features an HD full sRGB color screen to draw on. Just how good can it be? Well, the Fotobug guys decided to find out and were pleasantly surprised! This tablet's graphics are so good, it can be used as an extra laptop (even desktop) monitor.
Sunday Sep 24, 2023
Fotobug Episode 348 - Platypod Handle Review
Sunday Sep 24, 2023
Sunday Sep 24, 2023
The Handle is the latest accessory from Platypod. This $69 "mini" tripod can be used on a tripod and even has a 3/8" bolt at the top which you can put on a ball head. The base of The Handle is compatible with acrca plates. At the top of The Handle there is a ring of 1/4" screw holes to attach additional accessories!
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
Fotobug Episode 347 -Arsenal 2 Sunset capture
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
Jim and Fred have previously reviewed the Arsenal 2 for timelapse and for focus stacking. But how well does the Arsenal work for it's primary purpose, automatically choosing camera settings and "Deep Color" processing? Well, the guys take it out to the beach for a sunset to see just how well it works.
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Fotobug Episode 342 - Heipi Travel Tripod Review
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Heipi just completed a Kickstarter project for their new lightweight travel tripod and the Fotobug guys have got their hands on one! Jim takes the new tripod out for a spin and reports on any positives and/or negatives. The new travel tripod can now be pre-ordered from Heipi with a $40 discount at https://heipivision.com/ and should be available by August 2023.
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
Fotobug Episode 336 - Upres Images -On1, Topaz and Luminar Neo
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
Sometimes the best image is actually contained with the full image you captured. In this case in order to get a decent size print, or sometimes, just a good size to post and share, you need to enlarge the crop. Jim and Fred compare three popular programs for their AI enlarging capability including On1, Topaz and Luminar Neo.
Be sure to check out more great reviews and tips on The Fotobug Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug.
Sunday Mar 12, 2023
Fotobug Episode 334 - Topaz, On1, Neo Focus Fix comparison
Sunday Mar 12, 2023
Sunday Mar 12, 2023
New AI plugins in popular photo editing software are making amazing progress toward fixing and enhancing images. In this episode, Jim and Fred check out to see how three popular programs are able to 'fix' out of focus images. They do a side by side comparison of Topaz, ON1 and Luminar Neo.