*Nauti Memorial Day weekend Sale, plus brand new Vector Excel QR Straps now available!

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Happy Memorial Day.  Things have been crazy busy around the Robichaud camp of late, but nonetheless, we’ve got a brand new wrist strap available in the Vector Excel.  It’s the same fundamental design as the original Vector, yet it uses a thicker, wider material as well as replaces the split ring with a stainless steel quick release clasp.  For the holiday weekend, we’re offering 15% off of any and all straps we build by using the code MEM15 over at NautiStraps.com HERE.

The new Vector Excel was designed in response to inquires about a wrist strap for larger cameras, providing a more comfortable fit for heavier setups.  While it provides a comfortable option for larger cameras, it does great for smaller cams too.  Great for DSLRs, Mirrorless and compact Cams, the quick release clasp allows you to switch between straps, or remove the strap when on a tripod, in the bag, or wanting to quickly switch the strap between different cameras.

Available in 4 different colors (red/black, blue/black/orange, silver/black and solid black with 3m reflective tracer), the Excel is ready to go.  

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone stateside, and happy regular weekend to everyone else. Visit us at NautiStraps.com and use MEM15 at checkout to get 15% off of the Excell, or any of our hand built camera straps through Monday.  

Find Nauti Straps on Instagram HERE, or Facebook HERE and share your shots using the hashtag #ishootnauti for a chance to win future giveaways.

Thanks and happy shooting,

Tyson

*Sony a7II vs a7RII – A user comparison

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Camera tech is a fascinating thing.  What will companies provide us as customers, in hopes of luring us into their systems?  I mentioned in my previous article that I’d been awaiting announcements on the update to Sony’s full frame mirrorless cameras before deciding on my own upgrade path, and chose to jump on the discounted a7RII deal as an update to my longstanding a7II.  

My main interests were gaining an upgrade to image file quality in resolution, dynamic range and then overall performance upticks on the hardware side of things.

(*I’m selling a bunch of Sony FE gear!  Have a look HERE)

After a few months with the R, here is what I’ve found out…

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*Lumix GX9, death of the GX line?

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Hey everyone!  Look, the opinions are pretty polarized in regard to Panasonic’s newest m4/3 camera, and I feel that both sides are right.  On one side, we have those of us that are excited to see the form factor shrink a little bit with the cost coming down to a remarkably reasonable level.  On the other side, we have those of us that are lamenting the lack of ergonomics, weather sealing, fully functional, high spec EVF and general feel that the GX8 has been downgraded.  

As someone who has owned every GX model made (less the GX80/85 which I have shot with fairly extensively, however) I do feel I’m in a position to throw my opinion around a bit.  Not that you have to agree, nor even listen, but here’s what I think…

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*Nauti Straps are 30% off, sitewide!!! Use code “NAUTIORNICE” to save on any of our camera straps.

by in Nauti Straps - handbuilt camera straps, Photography gear, SALES! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I don’t know about you all, but I’m already tired of blackfridaycybermondaysmallbiztuesdaysale™ season.  That said, it is the time of year that retailers attempt to capitalize on those of us looking for deals for the holiday season.  In that vein, Mrs Squeeze and I are jumping on that train and offering 30% off of all hand built camera straps that we make.  I mean, the kids have gotta eat, right?

If you, or any beloved photographer you know are needing a gift idea for the holidays, we’d be happy to build you a camera strap that is not only fashionable, but remarkably strong and beautifully functional.

Find what we do at NautiStraps.com HERE, and use code “NAUTIORNICE” at checkout to receive 30% off any and all straps, be they wrist, sling or shoulder.

We’ve also added a worldwide express shipping option for those who may be in need of these quickly (3-5 days delivery) through DHL Express.  As always, we have the free US shipping (normally 2-3 days delivery) and an economical flat $10.00 international shipping rate option as well (transit time usually ranges between 1-3 weeks, depending on where in the world you are).

Wherever you may be, and however you may celebrate, from our family to yours, we hope all is well and that this season will find you and yours happy and healthy.  

Happy shooting,

Tyson and Rachael

 

*Topaz drops deep discounts on all plugins for BF! 75% off all Topaz plugins in the Complete Collection.

by in Photography Apps, Postprocessing techniques, SALES!, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s that time of year.  Lights are strung, holiday music plays on loop, egg nog flows and consumerism kicks into overdrive. Well, one great benefit to this is that there are truly many great deals to take advantage of on things we actually use, or can actually use.  Topaz Labs is offering its entire suite of plugins for 75% off (over $1,000.00 worth of plugins) for $249.99 this week. As has been showcased on the blog here over the years, I’m particularly partial to ReMask, Clarity and DeNoise.  Three plugins (of 17 total) I find to be absolutely indispensable.  Glow is a wonderful artsy plugin, and speaking of, Impression is a spectacular art media conversion software creating digital paintings from your image files with a few clicks.  Adjust, Detail, Simplify, ReStyle, Texture Effects, etc, etc, etc.  All a lot of fun, creatively and commercially useful to boot.  I’ve already used Clarity and DeNoise today to finish off some files for large prints that will be gifts, so, there’s still time for that as well before we end up having to panic shop.

See the 75% off sale of the Complete Collection, as well as Topaz Studio HERE

Use code BLACKFRIDAY17 to get 75% off through November 28th.

Happy holiday season to all, and may we all make it through unscathed.  

All the best,

Tyson

*Anyone want a nearly free 13×19″ photo printer? Canon has huge rebates, and I bit…

by in General ramblings, Photography gear, SALES! and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I’ve long used my Canon Pixma Pro-9000 printer for my home printing needs which I got via a similar rebate when buying my long absent 5D many moons ago, and after about 10 years of use, I jumped on the Pro-100 rebate which is essentially an upgraded Pro-9000 with wireless printing capabilities.  Canon has a history of nearly giving their large media printers away when you purchase new cameras, but I’ve not seen this rebate before.  This time around, if you “purchase” a substantially discounted 50 pack of 13×19″ Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster (normally $75) for $0, you get the printer (normally $379) for $130 after a $250 mail in rebate (click here to see at B&H) along with the 13×19″ photo paper 50 pack.  Considering that to purchase all 8 ink cartridges for this (or just about any higher end photo printer) is $125, you’re basically getting a printer and 50 sheets of 13×19″ paper for $5, while “buying” the ink which is also included in the purchase.  Well, the ink is always where they get you, and that doesn’t change regardless of how much you pay for a printer, but in this case, I bit after doing a little research on this Pro-100.  C’mon in for links to all the rebate info, which runs through a purchase by date of December 31st this year, and see some prints which I just ran through both the Pro-100 and Pro-9000 printers for comparison’s sake.  I’m pretty damn impressed…

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*Sony a7RII. Why I opted for this over newer options…

by in General ramblings, Photography gear, SALES! and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

It has been a pretty long time since I’ve purchased a new camera body, which is somewhat surprising to me considering the amount of rambling on about gear I do around here.  I’ve pretty much abandoned the idea of upgrading my Canon full frame body as they’ve been so far behind the curve for me in offering a realistic upgrade in spec and performance for the ever increasing cost, that I’ve just decided to hold onto my legendarily ancient 5DmkII as a full frame backup.  The 5DmkIII and mkIV are both solid cameras.  I just never saw the asking price as justified when my 5DmkII still compared favorably, spec wise for my shooting.  When investing in a new camera body, (which hopefully is never out of physical necessity) I want something new, or seriously upgraded to provide me with a new tool, not just an expensive, shiny version of what I’ve already got.  I’ve long been waiting for a new Panasonic GXx model to be announced, as well as waiting to see what Sony would do with an a7III.  When Sony recently announced the new a7RIII (see here at B&H), I realized I’d be waiting for a while longer yet to see what they’d be offering in their more budget friendly a7 series upgrade, and seeing what they’re doing to the “R” line, it seems a fairly linear upgrade mostly geared to speed and video, neither of which I’m horribly in need of upgrading.  Don’t get me wrong, I think the proposed claim of 15 stops of dynamic range and the ability to shoot 10fps with AF and AE capabilities at 42mp is certainly notable, it’s just a hard sell for me, considering it’s going to be launched for nearly a thousand dollars more than its predecessor is going for with the current rebates. (I can use that near grand toward a GX9 *cough* c’mon Panasonic *cough*)

Be warned, this article is merely me justifying my purchase to myself.  It may read as if I’m a little crazy, talking in sporadic, half baked thoughts as I convince myself of this purchase.  It’s a good exercise I find, and one that through it, may benefit others who may be in a similar position, so I hope it will aid any of us looking at the recent Sony fire sale in that way.

This led me to the new rebates on the a7RII, which has, since its launch long been (literally, it’s almost 2.5 years old!) one of, and for a long while THE highest performing sensor on the market, only recently displaced by the new Nikon D850 sensor, which was then quickly usurped by the new medium format Hasselblad X1D-50c sensor which may even be leapfrogged by the new a7RIII once all the testing is done.  That’s saying something considering that many other full frame (and Medium Format!) cameras have been released in that time frame.   I’ve been both a fan and critic of my Sony a7II over the last few years, and if you’re a Sony fanboy and new to this site, be warned as I will have some constructively critical things to say, but I’ve decided to stick with them for at least one more (personal) upgrade cycle, and here’s why…

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*Voigtländer 17.5mm f/0.95 – Getting some time in with another m4/3 system gem.

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Believe it or not, I’m still attempting to actively write, and after a very hectic year, I’m getting back into the game, kinda.  This article all started indirectly during the total solar eclipse this year.  A friend who also shoots micro 4/3 and I got to talking about lenses we like for the system.  We were taking turns using my adapted Sigma 150-600mm through a solar filter to snap shots of the celestial event, and we got to talking about the Voigtländer offerings.  I, having been the proud owner of the 42.5mm Nokton (review on that bad boy HERE), was excited to find out my friend was toting the 17.5mm version around with him.  Well, I’ll spare you the minutiae of the back and forth, but we decided to do a lens swap for a month or so, and here we are. C’mon in for some touchy, feely bits on my time with the Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 lens…

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*Monthly Nauti Straps Donation Program – October 2017 – Save the Children, Puerto Rico Relief Efforts

by in Nauti Straps - handbuilt camera straps, Nauti Straps Monthly Donations and tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hello Friends.  With the series of hurricanes hitting North America this season, there is no shortage of worthy causes to support for any of us that are able to.  This month, Nauti Straps will be donating 10% of all sales to the relief efforts in Puerto Rico, with our focus on the children and their families who’ve been displaced by hurricane Maria.  Save the Children is a foundation operating out of Fairfield, Connecticut, and with 6 people currently on the ground in Puerto Rico, are focusing on getting supplies to families in need by way of diapers, cribs, formula, food and supplies.  They’re working in conjunction with the Red Cross and FEMA to try and get supplies directly to those most in dire need of them.

These horrible natural disasters can cause such chaos and uncertainty for the people in areas affected, and none are more susceptible than kids.

There are many organizations to support or ways to help, but we want to try and focus our efforts this month on the most vulnerable and least capable of advocating for themselves, so if you can, please donate via the link above, and if you would like us to hand build you a camera strap, we’re donating 10% of all sales this month to the efforts by Save the Children.  A way to help, and get a wonderful camera strap at the same time. Head over to Nautistraps.com to see what we make.

Thanks all,

team Nauti 

*Monthly Nauti Straps Donation Program – September 2017, Eagle Creek Columbia River Gorge Fire

by in Nauti Straps - handbuilt camera straps, Nauti Straps Monthly Donations and tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Image shared via Oregon Live

I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1993 as a teenager and quickly connected to a place that has become such an amazing part of who I am.  I spent much of my youth outdoors, hiking, camping, snowboarding and enjoying the majesty of this beautiful part of the world.  

It is with a heavy heart that I write this, watching an amazingly devastating fire rip through one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever been lucky enough to experience.  Wildfires are something that we north westerners have unfortunately come to expect this time of year, but this one feels different.  Started by a horribly negligent act by a group of young teenagers throwing fireworks into a ravine of dry undergrowth that has quickly become a horrendous forrest fire, claiming over 31,000 acres as of the time of writing, with little containment achieved.  Hundreds of volunteer firefighters and rescue workers have been tirelessly working and fighting to save lives, homes and the beautiful landscape that will take generations to recover from this tragedy.

Please take time to discuss how decisions like these made by these kids, can horribly affect so many others.  My rage toward these stupid actions have subsided as I’ve tried to gain perspective as a parent, knowing that we’ve all made stupid decisions throughout our lives, and have chosen to try and turn it into a chance to educate as opposed to wallow in anger.  We have talked with our kids about this as a teaching opportunity, letting them know that even little events and decisions that we choose to engage in throughout our lives, can have such a devastating effect on this planet, and so many other families, kids, animals and the areas we often take for granted.  I am saddened that so many of the experiences, the beautiful locations and hikes that I wanted to share with my kids, will no longer be possible to share in our lifetimes, because of the poor choices and actions of a few kids.

We’ve decided that because this is such a near and dear cause, we want to try and help the volunteers who’re putting their lives on the line to fight this fire, by donating 10% of all sales of Nauti Straps this month, to the Hood River County search and rescue efforts.  The American Red Cross is also taking monetary donations and are scheduling blood drives for both this as well as the hurricanes ripping through the American south east.

If you have the ability to, any direct donations are always appreciated.  And if you, or anyone you know need a handbuilt camera strap, we’re going to be donating 10% of sales, and matching all donations ourselves, through any and all sales of our camera straps over at Nautistraps.com this month to the rescue and fire fighting efforts of the brave women and men of the Hood River Search and Rescue.

Be safe, be well and please share these types of stories with our younger folk so that they too can start to understand how our decisions in life can affect others.

All our best,

Team Nauti (Tyson and Rachael)