The Argus C3, aka "The Brick" or "The Harry Potter" camera, is a fairly easy to find vintage rangefinder model beloved for its rugged durability, chunky mechanical design, and storied history. I found the camera shown above a few months ago on the dusty shelves of an antique shop during a road trip up along Central California. I found it all too easy to part with $27 to bring it home, primarily for the C3's aesthetic quality rather than any strong intention to return to shooting film. But until now, I didn't realize people are were refurbishing them into beautiful, and expensive, working limited edition film shooters. More

Imagine the automotive show TopGear, except based in Hong Kong and focused on the subject of photography instead of cars. That's a close approximation of the site DigitalRev, aka "the most subscribed and viewed photography show on the interweb, presented by an asian dude with British accent." Hosts Kai Wong and Lok Cheung keep the usually serious realm of photography lighthearted, including this list of 50 quick photography tips...
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It's fairly easy to remember the lower the color temperature, the dimmer the light source. So for example, a candle hovers around 1000K while a clear sky day is rated at 10,000K. But when it comes to both photography and choosing a lightbulb, determining the ideal color temperatures can be all too easy to forget. The infographic illustrates clearly where everything falls, and also a helpful side chart for photographic presets to improve your next snapshot... More

This past weekend, a fairly sizeable portion of the western hemisphere got a glimpse of a spectacular eclipse, one which created a glowing red ring of fire in the sky. Of course, it is dangerous to look directly at an eclipse, which is why those eager participants viewed the phenomenon using eclipse glasses, handmade projector tubes or pinhole cameras. More

Color is so big for us photographers. Color and light are our primary mediums in creating our picture. So, when a picture is off in color tones, for example too dark or yellow/pinkish, it can really affect how we view the photograph overall. There are a few simple steps in adjusting the color of your photos in Photoshop. Here are the start and finish results, before and after color correction, side by side. Quite a difference huh?! More

Perhaps it's a shoebox full of old family photos or a desire to do something creative with your Flickr feed, this DIY project is a keen way to transfer photographic memories into decorated and/or wearable items using Photoshop, printer transparency paper, and light sensitive dye... More

One of our favorite things about cameras is, once you think you've found all the coolest ones to round up, a new batch of fun and interesting cameras surface again. These are the two we've been lusting over most recently. More

Here's an idea to inspire DIY reuse from Italian designer, Tommaso Guerra. If you've got a non-working SLR camera, your discarded shooter can see another life as lighting, converted into a desk or wall-mounted lamp! More

Product: Nikon 1 J1
Price: $649.95 ($549.00 via Amazon)
Rating: Recommend*

The Nikon 1 J1 is a new design direction for Nikon, a mirrorless compact CX format sensor with a proprietary Nikon 1 lens mount, all in a minimalist form factor aimed at the enthusiast looking to step up from a budget point and shoot, but not yet ready to commit to a full DSLR model. From the pared down menu UI, the absence of a view finder, to the J1's marble smooth unadorned body, everything about the J1 communicates simplicity, joining an ever-growing subcategory of cameras which purport to offer the best of both worlds of a DSLR's performance with the convenience of a point and shoot. But is the J1 just a fashion statement or can it replace carrying around a full-size DSLR?

Lomography Fisheye One in Cherry or Vanilla
• $62.90
• Lomography

Here's a last second Mother's Day gift idea if you can get yourself to a Lomography store or dealer: buy her one of these retro Fisheye cameras in cherry or vanilla with a few rolls of film, and package it with a road trip itinerary to take her somewhere relaxing or adventurous (depending upon her usual preferences) for an upcoming weekend. Of course, it doesn't have to be this camera, but something about the colorful form factor and shooting with old school film seems to promise a better getaway...