Hasselblad just announced the followup to their medium format X2D camera, the X2D II 100C. The new camera is an improvement in many ways, most notably the addition of continuous autofocus (AF-C) and the lower price. Hasselblad also announced a high-end 35-100mm f/2.8-4 E lens at an unexpected price. Here’s what you should know!

Unless you’re absolutely new to photography you likely know that the f/stop you choose has a big impact on every photo you capture whether it’s a landscape, street scene, wildlife image, or portrait. But do you really understand how this works and how to choose the appropriate aperture setting for the specific task at hand?

This quick beginners guide comes to us from Souvenir Photography Advisors, a popular YouTube channel devoted to basic instructional videos for travel photographers, theme-park imagery, shooting at the zoo, and other outdoor attractions.

Our unnamed instructor describes the concept of aperture in very simple terms, namely, that this key setting controls how much light enters your camera. As he notes, this key component of the oft-used Exposure Triangle has a big impact upon the look of your images because it determines how much of your photo remains in sharp focus.

Here’s how the helpful episode is described: “In this beginner-friendly video I’ll show you exactly how aperture works using a simple hose-and-bucket analogy that makes it all click. So whether you’re learning manual mode for the first time, or just need a quick refresher, this two-minute guide will help you take more intentional and well-exposed photos,”

Along the way you’ll pick up valuable recommendations for determining when and how to use wide apertures like f/2.8 or a narrower f/stop like f/16. Think landscapes vs. portraits or wildlife shots. Some photographers find aperture nomenclature counterintuitive, and our instructor explains “why f/stop numbers  appear backwards from what you’d expect.”

Perhaps the most important consideration is how aperture affects depth of field and enables you to accentuate the primary subject or element in the frame by separating it from a busy background or other distracting areas.

There’s no need for us to further summarize this eye-opening lesson, because everything is clearly explained and illustrated in just a couple minutes. Once the video concludes take a close look at the Souvenir Photography Advisors YouTube channel where you’ll find many more two-minute explainers.

And don’t miss another beginners guide we featured with a very accomplished nature photographer who discusses the different file format settings in your camera and demonstrates how to capture the sharpest Jpeg photographs when you’d rather not shoot in Raw.

Most photographers understand the benefits of the Raw File format but still prefer shooting Jpegs instead for a variety of reasons. Maybe you don’t want to spend time with a Raw converter and making the necessary edits, lack the necessary storage for the much larger Raw files, or primarily share your images on social media where Jpegs are all you really need.

In any case, there are a few things you must understand to obtain the best image quality and maximum sharpness so your Jpegs are the best they can be. And you’ll learn how to apply the best camera settings and techniques in today’s quick video from Swiss instructor Fabian Fopp.

Fopp is an accomplished nature shooter and popular educator who specializes in photographing birds and other forms of nature imagery, but most of  you’ll learn in the next 11 minutes applies equally to other genres of outdoor photography.

He explains when, why, and how “Jpegs make more sense and what simple settings will influence sharpness and image quality” in various situations depending upon the specific subject at hand. The best part is that his advice can be easily accomplished with whatever gear you already own.

Fopp begins with the first and foremost point; namely, how to configure the camera for optimum results. One key aspect is determining the ultimate image size that’s reasonable for your needs, and then setting the camera accordingly based upon Fopp’s advice.

Another important consideration involve taking advantage of the various Picture Styles (also known Picture Controls) offered by the camera you use. He explains the common options that are available and exactly what they do so that you can confidently ignore the defaults and choose a more appropriate setting instead.

There are a few more tricks to learn as the lesson proceeds, including recommendations for noise reduction and white balance. One you’re done watching be sure to visit Fopp’s Instructional YouTube channel for more helpful tips and tricks.

And don’t miss our earlier tutorial featuring another professional outdoor shooter who corrects the popular misconception about whether or not photographs with larger pixels affect your ultimate results. Forget about the myths.

When I close my eyes, I imagine standing at the edge of a towering cliff somewhere high in the Andes. The sun is setting, painting the landscape in golden light. A perfect chance for a proper landscape photo, and yet I have a supertelephoto attached to my camera. So, I take the photo with my phone instead. These are exactly the moments when having a smaller camera in your pocket would come in handy. Maybe a Ricoh GR III, like I carried on my spring trip to Spain. Or better yet, the new GR IV?