The Camera Store Blog

Canon Try Before You Buy Program
We are thrilled to share that our Canon Try Before You Buy Program now includes three new Canon cameras and a Canon lens! The Canon EOS R6 Mark II, R5 Mark II, EOS R8, and RF 100-400mm f5.6-8 IS USM have been added to our rental collection and Canon Try Before You Buy Program. These highly sought-after models come packed with exceptional features, perfect for both photographers and videographers. Hurry to our rental department to experience these fantastic new Canon cameras and lens!

Development for Tamron All-In-One Zoom Lens for Nikon Z & Canon RF Mount
Tamron has excitedly announced the development of their legendary Tamron 18-300mm f3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD now for Nikon Z and Canon RF mounts! This all-in-one zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras was the world's first lens to achieve a zoom ratio of 16.6x when it was released in 2021. Perfect for all kinds of photography from landscapes to snapshots, portraits to animals and birds, this is exciting news for Nikon and Canon users.

Calgary Creative Meetup at the BMO Centre Contest
Thank you to everyone to attended our Calgary Creative Meetup at the BMO Centre! We would like to remind everyone who attended that there is still time to enter your photos and videos from the Calgary Creative Meetup to win various prizes, including awesome prizes from Sony Canada. We've even extended the deadline to Sunday, April 27th!

Insta360 X5: The Smartest, Toughest 360° Camera Ever Made
Insta360 has just unveiled a thrilling new camera that merges groundbreaking image quality with exceptional durability and cutting-edge AI technology. Introducing the new Insta360 X5, Insta360's latest top-of-the-line 8K 360° action camera! This innovative device sets a new standard for 360° cameras, being rugged enough to handle the wildest adventures, sophisticated enough to produce outstanding footage, and smart enough to capture epic moments effortlessly. Evelyn took the Insta360 X5 on a vacation to see if it could be the ultimate travel video camera, and it certainly seems to fit the bill. Let’s dive deeper into this impressive adventure camera!

Remarkable Imagery with the Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM
If you’re on the hunt for a telephoto zoom lens that offers a maximum focal length of 150 mm combined with an F2 aperture, your search can end here with the world's first of its kind! The new Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM lens offers a standard focal length of 50mm at its wide-angle end. It seamlessly integrates a constant aperture of F2 with a high resolution that rivals that of a prime lens, making it an exceptional choice for wedding and portrait photography, indoor sports, and videography. This innovative Sony lens, with its outstanding mix of high resolution and breathtaking G Master bokeh, is revolutionizing image quality and expanding creative horizons.

Tamron Mother's Day Savings
Celebrate the incredible Mother in your life with Tamron's Mother's Day Savings event! Until May 18th, 2025, enjoy up to $300 in instant savings on Tamron's vast range of high-quality lenses. Whether the mom is your life a professional photographer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, with Tamron's wide range of mounts, you’ll be sure to find the perfect lens that will let their creativity flow without limits!

Dustin Abbott Nikkor Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena Review
There are sharp lenses and there are lenses with beautifully soft rendering... that creamy bokeh that we all love. Lenses that have both qualities are very rare, as it takes masterful engineering to accomplish this. Nikon's engineers prioritized the rendering in the Nikkor Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena, working to engineer right out to the edges of the frame. They wanted round specular highlights across the frame, low vignette so that it wouldn't interfere with that rendering, and as generally pleasing bokeh as possible.

Beyond the Naked Eye: Mastering Macro Photography
Dive into the captivating realm of macro photography and uncover the concealed beauty of tiny creatures. Join us and renowned macro photographer Dara Ojo for Beyond the Naked Eye: Mastering Macro Photography, an interactive workshop designed to expand your visual horizons! Over the course of two days, Dara will instruct you on capturing breathtaking close-ups of insects and arthropods in their natural surroundings using advanced techniques for composition, lighting, and focus stacking, followed by a hands-on shoot where you can apply your newfound expertise under Dara's mentorship.

Flagship, Redefined - The Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB
Viltrox has unveiled the second full-frame, large-aperture autofocus prime lens in their esteemed LAB series, the AF 35mm F1.2 LAB! This innovative lens incorporates Viltrox’s state-of-the-art optical technology, elevating both resolution and background blur performance of the F1.2 to unprecedented levels, while providing a tailored shooting experience with a professional lens control system and a custom colour display featuring startup animations. In Dave's latest TCSTV review, he shared his initial thoughts on the Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB and regards it as an outstanding lens! Whether you're capturing portraits, engaging in street photography, or shooting nightscapes, this lens delivers exceptional optical performance, capturing every nuance and unlocking boundless creative potential.

Theft at The Camera Store
On Saturday, April 12, 2025, in the afternoon, a young man entered The Camera Store and stole a Sony ZV-E1 with a Sony FE 20-70mm f4 G lens. Theft has a considerable impact on small companies like ours, so we are asking you, our incredible community, for your help.

Precision in the Wild: A Field Review of the Sony A7R V with 200 - 600mm G OSS Lens on Vancouver Island
As a wildlife photographer, my work is all about storytelling — not just through single images, but by building visual narratives that capture the essence of the wild. Whether it’s a behavioural moment between two birds or the quiet intensity of a coastal black bear feeding at low tide, my goal is to present the full story. This means capturing multiple angles, documenting behaviours, and freezing action as it unfolds in real time.
