PhotoActive

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn
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Jeff Carlson and Kirk McElhearn discuss photography and the Apple ecosystem. We cover using an iPhone or any other camera with Apple hardware and software, and we welcome photographers to discuss their work.

  1. 22 HR AGO

    Monochrome Sensors, DNG, and Apple 50th

    We remain fascinated by monochrome cameras, and this week we discovered just how tough it is to source the sensors used by the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome. We also talk about DNG, Adobe’s universal raw format, becoming an official image standard (and why the big camera companies probably won’t adopt it). And if you hadn’t heard, Apple turned 50! Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! The GR IV Monochrome Is Expensive Because the Sensor Is Hard to Source GR IV Monochrome Nvidia CEO's Defense Of DLSS 5 Gets Contradicted By One Of His Employees After Over 20 Years of Efforts, DNG Is Now the Official RAW Image Standard Apple's Best Products in Its 50 Year History, According to CNET 'Restoring' Old Photos With AI Is a Fundamentally Broken Concept Abraham Lincoln colorized Jeff’s Snapshot Take Control of iPhone Photography Kirk’s Snapshot David Pogue Writes the History of Apple Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    31 min
  2. You Can’t Trust Photos Anymore

    30 MAR

    You Can’t Trust Photos Anymore

    So it’s come to this. Generative AI has quickly gotten so good that it’s hard to distinguish real photos from generated ones. So where do we go from here? We talk about C2PA authentication, trusting your sources, and more. (Image: Generated with Adobe Firefly) Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Inspiring International Garden Photographer of the Year Winners (PetaPixel) Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) Google Thinks AI Can Make You a Better Photographer: I Dive Into the Pixel 10 Cameras Fujifilm will explore the potential of 1-inch sensors, Digital Camera World Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 AirPods Max 2 My Original AirPods Max Stopped Working, So I Put Them in the Freezer. Really Jeff’s Snapshot Anker Soundcore Space One Kirk’s Snapshot Logitech MX Creative Console Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    33 min
  3. Spec Goblins and the MacBook Neo

    15 MAR

    Spec Goblins and the MacBook Neo

    Apple has announced the MacBook Neo, a $600 laptop running on the same A18 Pro processor that was used in the iPhone 16 Pro. Oh, and it has 8GB of RAM and starts at 256GB of storage. Believe it or not, lots of people on the Internet take issue with those specs, so we look at it from the point of view of whether it could be a good machine for photographers who blew all their money on a $10,000 Leica f/1.2 lens. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! MacBook Neo You Probably Don't Need an f/1.2 Lens Leica Leitzphone Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    29 min

  4. 2 MAR

    Storage Prices

    The prices of digital storage are set to climb this year because AI is eating up all the available inventory. And modern photography is entirely dependent on storage, whether it's the SD cards that store the captured images, the internal solid-state memory that stores data on your computer, or the external SSDs and traditional hard drives that keep your archive of photos. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Western Digital is out of hard drives, because Ai (of course) Take Control of Your Digital Storage Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    29 min

  5. 14 FEB

    Do You Have $10,000 to Spare?

    The best-selling compact camera in Japan is from... Kodak? We’ve talked about compact cameras in the past, but it remains a fascinating part of the photo marketplace as people look for something different than mirrorless and DSLR cameras. By the way, do you have $10,000 to spare on a new 35mm lens? Leica’s Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH was just announced at that eye-watering price. Lastly, Jeff covers some new Lightroom features in the latest versions. (Photo: Leica) Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! I Asked AI to Predict the Weather. It's About as Reliable as a Groundhog - CNET Compact Camera Sales More Than Doubled Last Year in Japan | PetaPixel Regarding the price of the Ricoh GR cameras, Kirk was thinking of the prices in the UK. In the US, the prices are $1,600 and and $2.200. Noctilux-M 35 f/1.2 ASPH. | Leica Camera US Leica 35mm Noctilux-M f/1.2 ASPH Review: A Long Time Coming | PetaPixel Adobe Lightroom Classic release notes Aftershoot Thomas Pynchon: Vineland (Kirk said it was published in 1980; that should be 1990) How 'One Battle After Another' Shot the Car Chase Scene Like a Gritty '70s Film - YouTube Jeff’s Snapshot The Uncool by Cameron Crowe Kirk’s Snapshot One Battle After Another (Compact cameras. Credit: PetaPixel) Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    32 min

  6. 3 FEB

    Pixelmator Pro Returns

    Now we know what Apple is doing with Pixelmator Pro after its acquisition of Pixelmator: it’s part of the new Apple Creator Studio bundle. Also, we celebrate the latest black and white camera to hit the market, the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, and ponder large-format photographer Sally Mann’s discovery of digital photography. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! The Ink Drinker, Seattle Episode 60: Machine Learning with Andrius Gailiunas and Pixelmator Pro Ricoh GR IV Monochrome PetaPixel Video Sally Mann, Digital Camera World Episode 141: You Say You Want a Resolution Jeff’s Snapshot Reflections: On Cinematography, Roger Deakins Kirk’s Snapshot None Cocktail menu at The Ink Drinker (Photo: Jeff Carlson) A woman reads a book at The Ink Drinker, Seattle (Photo by Jeff Carlson) Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    30 min
  7. What’s Real

    3 JAN

    What’s Real

    Is your phone not accurately capturing the world around you? An article in the Guardian questions whether image processing in smartphones is making photos that aren’t genuine. Also, Leica released a firmware update that radically changes the entire interface, leading to a discussion of how important the UI in our cameras is when making photos. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Now that phones alter our photos without us knowing, how do we know what’s real? Episode 114: Bryan Jones on Why Color Doesn't Exist Leica Q3 firmware update Leica’s engraved fonts Leica TikTok Actions Ring - On Screen Overlay 3M Precise Mouse Pad Kirk’s Snapshot Logitech MX Master 4 Jeff’s Snapshot Moment Tripod Mount for MagSafe Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    33 min
  8. All Our Cameras

    23/12/2025

    All Our Cameras

    Two Hundred episodes! To celebrate roughly seven and a half years of the PhotoActive podcast, Kirk and Jeff picked some favorite photos from the digital cameras they’ve owned. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Episode 35: Martin Parr Shot My Portrait Martin Parr on collecting photobooks, shooting tennis, and the challenges of modern street photography, Popular Photography Remote Scottish Postboxes, Martin Parr (Photo: Jeff Carlson) (Photo: Kirk McElhearn) (Photo: Jeff Carlson) (Photo: Kirk McElhearn) (Photo: Jeff Carlson) Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

    40 min
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About

Jeff Carlson and Kirk McElhearn discuss photography and the Apple ecosystem. We cover using an iPhone or any other camera with Apple hardware and software, and we welcome photographers to discuss their work.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    207
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn
  • Show Website
    PhotoActive

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