Typically, wide focal lengths are expensive. The cheapest first-party lens that can reach 14mm for Nikon Z is the Nikon 14-30mm f/4 S lens, which is about $1200. However, Viltrox has recently released the Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air prime lens, which offers this exceptionally wide focal length for just $199 and includes autofocus. In this article, I’ll give you my first impressions of this lens, which is available for both full-frame Nikon Z and Sony E mounts.

Just in time for Halloween, an exciting new camera filter from Cozen. This adjustable X-Ray Filter lets you peer through organic material with ease! Ogle your neighbors, check your feet for fractures and even detect Zombies!

The CX-R uses time-proven, modern scientific principles as well as ancient, alien-assisted Aztec technology. This is a powerful instrument that has been hidden from the general population for decades. Available today (adults only) from your favorite online retailers, several Brooklyn street vendors and a few bodegas in Miami.

Available in all common sizes to fit most lenses, the CX-R is easy to use. Simply twist the filter into the threads in front of the lens and dial in the desired penetration on the outside ring. Get ready to be amazed.

At the “0” setting, the image looks 100% normal.

Set to “1” and you remove about one-half of whatever covers the subject.

At the “2” position, you can zoom in right down to the core!

Tech Specs: Sony Alpha a7RII, Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Zoom, 1/320 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400, handheld. No Zombies were harmed during the capture of this image. ©Jon Sienkiewicz

Not recommended for selfies.

The Cozen X-Ray Filter doubles as a Zombie Detector! Because of the undead composition of their flesh, the C-XR strips away the torpid sinew to expose the dreadful creature beneath in its full gory glory. Caution urged!

Search For Zombies At Your Own Risk
Be careful—Zombies are crafty. And remember, Zombies cannot see the color red. In case of a Zombie Apocalypse, cover yourself with ketchup and you’ll be just fine. I carry a 64-ounce bottle with me at all times. I also carry catsup, just in case they’re old school.

—Jon Sienkiewicz

There are times when we’re out in the field and our widest lens doesn’t enable us to squeeze an entire expansive vista into the frame. That’s when it’s time to shoot multiple images and merge them during post processing to create one spectacular ultra-wide shot.

This powerful panorama technique is far easier than it sounds, as you’ll learn in today’s step-by-step guide from the popular PHLOG Photography YouTube channel. Feel free to follow along in real time by downloading the demonstration Raw file with a link beneath the video.

German instructor Christian Mohrle is one of our favorite landscape photographers, and he’s equally adept when sitting behind the computer. This comprehensive workflow covers everything you need to know from merging your shots, carefully cropping the result, refining any missteps, and fixing minor gaps.

Mohrle then demonstrates several important adjustments to the image as a whole by first changing the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe Landscape which provides a bit more base saturation for the colorful look he has in mind.

He then increases exposure to restore shadow detail, while dropping highlights to avoid blowing out the sky and the water in the middle of his composition. Other preliminary adjustments include adding texture and vibrance, while dropping clarity and dehaze for a softer effect.

It’s now time to selectively improve the image by applying simple masks that will enable you to enhance individual areas throughout the frame with the specific modifications that are required. The lesson concludes with thoughtful color grading and a bit of subtle sharpening.

There’ much more to learn on the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel—especially if landscape photography is your thing.

Be sure not to miss another of Mohrle’s transformational tutorials in which he demonstrates how to create awe-inspiring landscape and nature photographs with a beautiful, atmospheric, side-lighting effect.

Your camera’s light metering system is one of the most important tools in photography, yet some shooters fail to understand how it works. So if your images often appear too bright or unnaturally dark, this tutorial from the Hamed Photography YouTube channel is just what you need to solve this frustrating dilemma.

Hamed’s easy-to-follow how-to videos are designed to help elevate your skills and master camera settings and techniques, while delving into the world of visual storytelling. In this nine-minute episode he breaks down exactly how a camera’s metering system works, the appropriate application for various modes, and how the correct option will help you get the light right under various conditions.

Here’s how Hamed summarizes today’s essential lesson: “In this in-depth guide you’ll learn about the different metering mode—Matrix (Evaluative) metering, Center-Weighted Metering, and Spot Metering. And whether you shoot with Nikon, Canon, Sony, or Fujifilm, the camera’s metering system works on the same basic principles.”

As you’ll see, not all metering modes are created equal, and making an incorrect choice can result in images that are either overexposed, underexposed, or just flat and uninspiring. Hamed’s guide covers techniques for portraiture, nature and landscape photography, and shooting on the street.

If you’re one of those photographers who mainly concentrate on aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, it’s time to throw metering modes into the mix and learn how each option calculates exposure to provide the foundation for a perfect shot—rather than relying upon guesswork.

Bottom line: this understanding will enable you to shoot faster, shoot smarter, and develop more creative control over your images. Or as Hamed says, “it separates casual shooters from professionals.” Along the way he also demonstrates how to use a camera’s exposure compensation feature to fine-tune your metering results.

Be sure to visit the Hamed Photography YouTube channel where you’ll find many more how-to videos for beginners and experienced shooters alike.

We also suggest watching the tutorial we featured with another adept pro who demonstrates a minimalist approach to monochrome photography that utilizes restraint, tone, structure, and subtle lighting techniques to capture awe-inspiring b&w images that convey emotion.