Camera
Jared Polin is giving away over $92K in photo gear to kick off his ‘Fund a Photographer’ project
Jared Polin, better known as Fro Knows Photo in the online world, has revealed the details of a ‘super secret project’ he’s been teasing over the past few weeks. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Polin shares that he’s giving away more than $92,000 in camera gear as part of a campaign he’s created called ‘Fund a Photographer.’
In Polin’s own words:
‘[Fund a Photographer is] something I’ve had an idea [of doing] for close to ten years where I get a bunch of camera kits that include cameras, lenses, education—everything someone would need to get started as a photographer. The whole idea is to get a bunch of kits to schools, to teachers in need, as well as kids who have a propensity for creativity, but many have never been able to own a DSLR.’
To kick off the project, Polin is giving away 50 cameras and 50 lenses, given to him by Canon after he connected with them and shared his vision for Fund a Photographer. ThinkTank Photo, ProGrade Digital and Adobe also stepped up to donated bags, memory cards and Lightroom memberships, respectively. In showing off the goods, Polin broke down how many cameras and lenses Canon sent his way:
- 80D (10x)
- 70D (10x)
- Rebel SL2 (15x)
- T6i (15x)
- EF 18–135mm F3.5–5.6 IS (15x)
- EF 70–200 F2.8 IS II (5x)
- EF 24–105 F4 (6x)
- EF 16–35mm F2.8L II USM (amount unknown)
- 70–300 F4.5–5.6L IS USM (amount unknown)
As for where these cameras came from, Polin says he contacted Canon to see how many kits he could purchase with an initial $10,000 purchase to get Fund a Photographer off the ground. Canon responded by saying they were about to have a meeting to discuss what they were going to do with excess gear they had sitting around in the form of demo models other units that have been lightly used. So, Canon took those units and shipped them out, free of charge, to Polin to start Fund a Photographer.
In the video, Polin explains the catalyst for Fund a Photographer was his high school photo teacher, who had recently connected with Polin again after returning to teaching photography after a number of years away. Polin found out Mr. Bower had recently used money from his own pockets to purchase camera kits for his students when he realized the school didn’t have the budget to get any more gear. Heartbroken by this news, Polin made the call to Canon. The rest, as they say, is history.
| Polin (right), talking with his 10th grade photographer teacher, Mr. Bower (left), after showing him the new kits he’ll be receiving as part of the first ‘Fund a Photographer’ donation. |
To show his appreciation for what Mr. Bower has done for Polin and other students, Polin invited Mr. Bower to his studio under the guise of an interview, to ensure his former teacher was the first to receive five kits to help further his students’ creative endeavors.
After showing his interview with Mr. Bower, Polin shares a few ways you can help to support the Fund a Photographer project. ‘I don’t know where Fund a Photographer is going to go,’ says Polin, ‘but I know we have a great kickstart to it now thanks to Canon, Think Tank, ProGrade Digital [and] Adobe.’
You can find out more about the project by heading over to the Fund a Photographer website. There, you can learn more about the initiative and even donate to ensure this project continues on even after this initial inventory of gear gets donated. You can also nominate teachers and schools in need, who Polin could work with to get them gear if they’re in need of camera equipment.
| Bikers rounding the corner during a bike race in the Seattle summer. The evening provided some excellent lighting and a chance to test a camera’s autofocus tracking skills. Photo: Richard Butler |
The theme for our May Editors’ challenge is human-powered travel.
We’re looking for photos that show people propelling themselves in fun or interesting ways. That could be walking, hiking, skateboarding, biking, roller-blading or even more exotic means of transportation, as long as they’re not motorized. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage at the end of the month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
You can submit photos to the competition starting Sunday, May 11th. The last day for entry will be Saturday, May 17th (GMT).
IMPORTANT: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Walk, run, pedal or paddle to the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Visit the challenge page to see the rules
| Images: PGYTech, SmallRig, Chimera, Epson |
Another week down, another chance to check out some new accessories. This time around, we’ve got some massive printers, a wildly fast SD card, cages for new cameras and more. But first, as always, the deals.
Deals of the week
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| Image: Nikon |
The Nikon Z7 II has been included in our Best Cameras for Landscapes buying guide because it provides a lot of image quality at a very reasonable price. This week, it’s even cheaper, selling for $500 under MSRP.
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| Image: Nikon |
If you’re more excited by style and shooting experience, Nikon’s retro-inspired Zf is also on sale for $200 off.
More mounting options
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| Image: Chimera |
Chimera, a lightning company that prides itself on building quality modifiers that it says will be “durable and long lasting,” is giving users even more mounting options. Its new Chimera Pro series light modifiers are compatible with Bowens mount rings, which many users may already have, given the widespread use of the mount by several of the biggest names in lighting.
There are several different modifiers in the Pro series, including a 30″ lantern and four sizes of its “LightBank” softboxes. Pricing will depend on what option you’re going with, but they’re currently available to preorder at B&H and Chimera’s website.
An SD card that reaches new heights
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| Image: Adata |
SD Express has been around for a few years now, but Adata says its latest card is the first to support the SD 8.0 Express specification. That means it has write speeds of up to 1200MBps and read speeds up to 1600MBps. Adata says that’s 12 times faster than standard UHS-1 cards and four times faster than what UHS-II cards are capable of. It even trades blows with some relatively high-end CFExpress cards despite being the same tiny SD form factor we’re all familiar with.
Of course, the elephant in the room with SD Express is that there currently aren’t any cameras that support the standard; they’ll work in a standard SD card slot, but only at UHS-1 speeds, which sort of defeats the purpose. But if a camera manufacturer ever does decide to support the standard, it seems like there will be cards ready to go for it.
Currently, there’s no word on pricing or availability for Adata’s SD8.0 Express card, but the company says it’ll come in a 512GB capacity.
Kitting out the Canon EOS R50 V…
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The cage lets you attach accessories like the sold-separately handle, as well as various coldshoe-compatible add-ons. Photo: SmallRig |
Canon’s latest camera is the video-focused EOS R50 V, which seems like it’s designed specifically to fit into a cage or a gimbal. It’s no surprise, then, that SmallRig has already stepped in to make a cage for it, which adds a deeper grip and a plethora of mounting points. It also has a built-in Arca-Swiss quick-release plate, which could be a big upgrade since, by default, some larger tripod plates will block the EOS R50 V’s battery/SD card compartment. If you don’t need all the mounting points, SmallRig is also selling an L-shaped mounting plate that adds the grip and tripod plate but doesn’t go all the way around the camera.
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| Image: SmallRig |
Also available from SmallRig: a furry windscreen that attaches to the camera’s hotshoe and covers the microphone to cut down wind noise. Thankfully, its design includes a coldshoe mount as well, so you can still mount a microphone, monitor, light or other accessory on top of your camera.
… and the Insta360 X5
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| Photo: PGYTech |
The EOS R50 V isn’t the only camera getting a cage this week. PGYTech has designed one that locks on to Insta360’s latest 360 camera, the X5. The X5 is a bit of a blank slate camera, so the cage adds some attachment points for coldshoe accessories, as well as a bit of protection in the form of silicone lens covers.
Print big
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| Image: Epson |
Recently, Epson announced two new large-format printers: the SureColor P7370 and the SureColor P9370. At 24″ and 44″ respectively, the printers are aimed more towards commercial use than home use, but they’re also designed to be a bit less expensive than higher-end models. While the company’s site doesn’t currently have pricing info, PetaPixel reports that they’re around $1000 cheaper than their higher-end counterparts. That’s because they use a 10-ink system instead of a 12-ink one, though Epson says they’re still capable of “accurate color reproduction and industry-leading print permanence.”
The two models will be available in “summer 2025.”
The month of May brings new opportunities to get your work seen by a large, international audience. While they sometimes get flak, photography competitions, when judged fairly and conducted with integrity, offer exposure to industry decision-makers, an opportunity to get your work published or exhibited and recognition that can elevate your career.
As we’ve learned, not all competitions are created equal. Some have been exposed as cash grabs at best and content farms at worst. We waded through a long list of open calls and came up with this list of eight competitions worth considering. From Pop Art to Landscape and Black & White, there is a genre for every type of photographer.
We’ll lead with the free-to-enter competitions and follow with contests that require an entry fee. No matter the contest, it’s essential to read the rules and terms and conditions closely. As a former judge, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to disqualify a promising submission because a watermark was left on or the photo was formatted incorrectly. Reading the requirements will at least get your foot in the door.
We wish you the best of luck if you decide to enter any of these competitions. While there is no guarantee that your work will be selected, and rejections are always discouraging, taking steps to get your work out there is always valuable. If any noteworthy contests are missing, let us know.
The CEWE Photo Award
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| Image: CEWE Photo Award |
Deadline: May 31st
Entry Fee: Free
CEWE is a leading photo printing company based in Europe. Its annual competition offers €250,000 in prizes, including vacations and photography gear. Participants can enter up to 100 photos, taken on anything from a full-frame camera to a smartphone. CEWE also donates €0.10 for every entry to the SOS Children’s Villages International. There are 10 categories to enter, including Travel & Culture, Landscape, Food and Macro/Close-up.
Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition
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| Image: Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity |
Deadline: May 5th
Entry Fee: Free
The Banff Photo Essay Competition emphasizes storytelling through a curated series of images that delve into mountain culture, natural history, adventure, wildlife, sports and the environment. Open to amateur and professional photographers, you must submit three to five images that can stand independently but also combine to create a narrative. A prize of CAD 3000 and a showcase at the Banff Centre of Mountain Film and Book Festival will be awarded to one Grand Prize Winner.
Photometria Awards Open Call, “Non Stop Pop”
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| Image: Photometria |
Deadline: May 31st
Entry Fee: The first image is free or €5 for up to 3 photos
This competition invites professional and amateur photographers to explore the influence of pop culture on modern society. Submissions will be judged by Magnum photographer Alec Soth, who is looking for compelling and original interpretations. The overall winner will receive Nikon gear and the top 25 images will be exhibited during the 17th Photometria International Festival in Ioannina, Greece.
The Motif Collective: Black and White Photography Competition & Sunrise and Sunset
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| Image: The Motif Collective |
Black and White deadline: May 7th
Sunrise and sunset deadline: June 7th
Entry Fee: $12 to $36, depending on the number of submissions
The Motif Collective currently has two contests: Black and White and Sunrise and Sunset. April’s contest, which closes on May 7, focuses on the art of monochrome imagery. The May contest is dedicated to sunrises and sunsets and closes on June 7. Both are open to professionals and amateurs worldwide; participants can submit up to six images. The prize pool scales with the number of entries and can reach up to $10,000 in total cash rewards. There will also be an artist showcase gallery promoted across its social media channels.
International Garden Photographer of the Year Macro Art Photo Project
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| Copyright: © Zsolt Varanka |
Deadline: May 6th
Entry Fee: €16 for up to 4 single images
The Macro Art Photo Project from International Garden Photographer of the Year asks that photographers from all over the world capture the fine details of plants, insects and other natural forms. Only single entries are accepted as the judges aren’t looking for a series of images. Winners will get international exposure through exhibitions and publications.
reFocus Awards: Black & White Photo Contest
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| Image: reFocus |
Deadline: May 13th
Entry Fee: Anywhere from $12 to $50 for single images and series
The reFocus Black & White Photo Contest is open to student, amateur and professional photographers. Individual entries or a series of two to five monochrome images can be submitted. Winners receive $4000 in cash prizes, custom-engraved trophies and features in the reFocus Artist Directory. There is also a People’s Vote Award, which allows the public to select standout work.
40th AOP Photography Awards
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| Image: AOP Photography Awards |
Deadline: May 15th
Entry Fee: Anywhere from £50 to £90 for a single image or project
The Association of Photographers (AOP) deems its awards competition as the “Oscars” of the photography world. While this competition is only open to AOP members, everyone from students to assistants and professionals at any stage in their career can apply for inclusion. The 10 open categories include Documentary, Portrait, Best Moving Image and Still Life. Winners will be exhibited and featured in a book.
Nature Photographer of the Year
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| Image: Nature Photographer of the Year |
Deadline: May 25th
Entry Fee: Free for Youth Category and £34 to £49.50
NPOTY features 12 categories including Birds, Landscapes, Underwater and Natural Art. There’s also a Youth category for photographers under 18 and the Fred Hazelhoff Award for Best Portfolio submission. The total prize pool is £25,000 with the overall winner receiving £3000. Winning images are displayed at the Nature Talks Photo Festival and receive international recognition in publications and exhibitions.
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