Camera Labs

Today marks the sixth birthday of Camera Labs!



It's been a great year! Over the past 12 months I've published more reviews than ever before and once again broadened the coverage to include articles about photography, personal projects and reports on equipment that you may not find on other camera review sites.

You've shared my pleasure and pain (and pleasure again!) of attempting to view the final Space Shuttle launches, along with my fun with a rented 500mm lens. You followed Scott Kublin as he wrestled with his decision on a new pro body while also shooting and processing some great Fall HDR photos, and you'll soon read about moderator Bjorn's pilgrimage to the Leica HQ. You saw my first three-way review of the exotic Canon 8-15mm Fisheye, which included reports by action photographer's Stefan Haworth and Scott Kennedy; look out for another article with Stefan coming-up soon. Most recently I teamed-up with Scott Kennedy once again for our GoPro HD Hero 2 review which included a two-part video showing it in action on all the best adventure sports around Queenstown New Zealand. And speaking of Queenstown, I also hope to host my first photowalk around this beautiful town during December.

2011 has also been a great year for social networking, and those who follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and in particular Google+ have hopefully enjoyed all my previews, early image and video samples, behind the scenes work and video hangouts, along with seeing a selection of my own personal photography and the stories behind them. Not following me? Then do so now! Twitter / Facebook / Google+. I also now have an official Camera Labs Google+ page, so please add that to your circles too!

In the very near future, I'm planning on publishing a selection of exclusive photography eBooks! All of this in addition to the core-remit of Camera Labs, which remains providing in-depth reviews of the latest cameras, lenses and accessories, while of course maintaining one of the friendliest forums around. I hope you've enjoyed the reviews that Ken MacMahon, moderator Thomas and myself have done over the past year. It's certainly been an exciting year at Camera Labs, but the best is yet to come!

As always I couldn't do it without you, so I'd like to thank our regular readers, forum members and especially our moderators Thomas, Bob, Bjorn and Ken for keeping the forum one of the friendliest around. And finally an extra-special thanks to those sites which have linked to my articles and anyone who’s shopped through my partner stores or bought me a coffee via PayPal – without you, Camera Labs wouldn’t exist!

I'd love to hear what you think of the site, so in this thread please let me know what you like, what you'd like to see more of, and of course anything you're not so keen on.

Thanks again,

Gordon Laing, Editor

On the contrary, thanks to you Gordon, and to all the other reviewers and moderators for making photography cooler and cooler every day!

Happy Birthday!

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Nikon D90 | AF-S 18-200 VR II | AF-S 35mm f/1.8 | Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 | SB-600 | Gorillapod + Manfrotto 484RC2

Happy 6th Birthday ..... & many more to come!

I'd like to thank everyone for their tips & helpul, friendly replies, to those of us on this learning curve.

I really enjoy viewing the images posted, they are of great inspiration to me & hopefully I too can reach that level.

I even enjoy reading/viewing the techie stuff (though most of it is beyond me )

Thanks Gordon.
Carlos.

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Happy Birthday Camera Labs.

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Mark Osborne
My life through an iPhone

Happy 6th Birthday, I've learnt a great deal on the forum and still learning.

Cheers

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Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

Happy Birthday!!!

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Canon 60D, EFS 15-85mm IS USM, EF 50 F1.8 II

Happy Birthday, CL!

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Canon DSLRs: 5D Mark III, 7D
Canon lenses: 17-40/4L, 24-105/4L, 24/1.4L II, 50/1.4, 85/1.8, 100/2.8L Macro, 70-200/2.8L IS, 100-400L
Other stuff: Canon 580 EX II, Canon 430EX II, Velbon Sherpa 600R
Apple: MacBook Pro 15", iMac 27", iPad III, iPhone 4S, Apple TV

My deviantART

I bought my first DSLR because of Gordon's review.. Glad i found this website..

Happy Birthday CL..

That's it. I am buying you a coffee, Gordon.
I must say, looking at the 6th birthday cake ... you are quite a talented chef.

Happy Birthday Cameralabs!
One of the best things happening to me in the last 12 month was finding this site. It sure made me a lot more serious about photography!

As for the things I'd like to see more of:
I kinda miss the old plain video tours. Don't get me wrong the new cinematic reviews like 600D VS D5100 or the L500mm are fantastic! But I think everybody enjoyed watching old ones with their "To prove that I'll just wiggle my fingers in front of the lens" - classic!))

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Canon 60D (+Magic Lantern)
Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS, Canon EF 50mm F1.4, Tamron SP 70-300mm VC USD, Helios 44-2
Canon Speedlite 430EXII
Benro A300F Tripod + BH1 Ballhead


History:
Canon Rebel T2i

Congratulations to Cameralabs' 6th birthday!

Here I find my favourite reviews. And I want to thank everyone for them.

I devoured review videos with Gordon and once mentioned - and this is one of my personal highlights - that after following the reviews here I began to look closely at the pictures that we get daily on TV. Began to see the sharpness of the film lens used, chromatic abberations, colours ... and now I can't help but *think* more about the photos that I encounter. I'd call that a success. Cameralabs has taught me a lot.

Thank you very much. It's a great website and brainchild, Gordon.

kind regards,
HTG

Happy 6th birthday Cameralabs!

And many thanks to all the people who make it great,,,

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Nikon D700/D300s/Nikon 70-200 VRII/Nikon 85mm 1.4/Nikon 50mm 1.4/Nikon 28-105mm MACRO/Nikon 300mm 2.8/Sigma 150-500mm OS/Nikon SB600/Studio lighting/Canon S5 IS

Yeah buddy! Happy birthday! Love this site!

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Best regards,

Daniel

dmdesign
Nikon D80 · Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF
Sigma Foveon sensor fan... future owner, promise!
flickr me!

Uh-oh, 6 years on internet-time - that's around 30 years in standard-time.
So Camera Labs has now quite some experience under its belt. Not all of which I've followed as I "only" joined Nov. 6th, 2006.
I know of the many internal discussions that we mods had together with you, Gordon, on how to make this an even more attractive place. And the followership of this site tells me that some of the things that CL does must be good stuff. So let us all keep it this way with interesting reviews and helpful, thoughtful, and friendly posts in the forum!
Cheers!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

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Wow, it hardly seems possible. But a big Thank You to you, Gordon. You've gently educated us and allowed us room to explore our own interests along the way. And even put up with the occasional bloomers from yours truly. Here's to the next six years: the pace of innovation in some areas is slowing but exciting new stuff keeps arriving as well. Almost too much of a good thing as it is all too easy to get wrapped up in the toys and forget to take enough photographs.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.