Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
Ten Tips for Capturing Stunning Sunset Photos

Sunsets can provide some of the most beautiful images in a photographer’s portfolio, but the dramatic light and vibrant colors can be challenging to capture. Here are ten tips to improve your sunset photography.

Review of the AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm Lens

Wide angle lenses are favorites for real estate, landscape, and underwater photographers. The AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm proves to be versatile in wide angle focal lengths with a maximum aperture of 4.0 allowing consistent illumination. Curious how it would perform below the surface, it tagged along in a recent shoot.

The Next Frontier for Video

Shooting video is a collaborative process. To get it ready for your client takes many steps depending on what type of video you are working on. Thanks to Frame.io the post production is as enjoyable as it was when you first picked up the camera to shoot.

Fstoppers Reviews the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art for Sony E-Mount

It’s certainly well known that the Sigma Art line is beloved by many, and one of the great benefits of shooting with Sony is the ability to use most any lenses with adapters. As well as the adapters work, I could hardly contain my excitement when the Art line began to arrive in native Sony E-mount and today we’ll be going over the venerable 35mm f/1.4 Art.

Fstoppers Reviews the Autel EVO: Too Little, Too Late

The world of drones is dominated by DJI but other manufacturers try to propose alternatives. After weeks of intensive use, here is a detailed review of the Autel EVO in comparison to the Mavic Pro.

Fstoppers Reviews the Hair Retouching Course From Retouching Academy

Hair retouching is something that most retouchers and photographers cringe to think about. It's also something that we really need to be fluent in because the situation will come up where there will be things you need to fix. The Hair Retouching course by Retouching Academy with Michael Woloszynowicz is a full overview of the variety of hair issues and how to fix them.

Fstoppers Reviews the Lensbaby Sol 45 f/3.5 Lens

Lensbaby is a company known for making interesting and somewhat unique lenses. Currently, all of their lenses are manual focus, however, this actually adds to the charm. Their latest lens is the Sol 45, a budget-friendly option for both DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Fstoppers Reviews the BenQ ScreenBar e-Reading Lamp

Often, desk equipment gets overlooked as we yearn over new camera bodies, lenses, and other accessories begging for our attention. Recently, my trusty desk lamp died, giving me the opportunity to rethink how I light my desk, and in the process, I was able to reclaim precious desk space.

Fstoppers Reviews the Syrp Magic Carpet Pro Slider

After much anticipation, the Syrp Magic Carpet Pro is here. This is a professional-grade, manual slider that can handle up to a whopping 70 lbs and will be beefy and strong for most possible uses.

Fstoppers Reviews the Kodak Everyday Pack from Mastin Labs

I've made no secret of my love for various film emulation presets put out by the fine folks over at Mastin Labs, and their latest release is no exception. The Kodak Everyday Pack is the latest addition to a line of what I consider to be the most accurate and faithful film emulation presets on the market today.

Fstoppers Reviews the Inalbeo Color Grading Photoshop Plug-in

Inalbeo Color grading puts the finishing touches on an image and can transform a plain photo into a striking one. The Inalbeo Filmic and Inalbeo Grade Photoshop extensions offer two options for photographers to grade images.

Speed Up Your Postproduction Workflow by Learning How to Create Photoshop Scripts: Fstoppers Reviews the Photoshop Scripting for Artists Course

Being able to automate repetitive parts of a retouching workflow in Photoshop directly translates into a saving of both time and money. This saving could make the all the difference in meeting or missing a deadline or making it home early to see your family. How can you make it a reality? Actions are certainly one option however they are severely limited to straight repetition of the original steps. Scripting is actually the answer that you have been looking for. Think of scripts as intelligent actions on steroids.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Zoom Lens

The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR lens fills a gap in the Fujifilm lens lineup that was previously unfilled. With its red badge that denotes Fujifilm’s top-of-the-line lenses, this standard zoom equivalent for the Fujifilm X system is squarely aimed at the working professional.

Why You Should Learn to Edit Video With ACDSee Video 3

If you’re interested in learning to produce and edit video but feel overwhelmed by the learning curve of mega programs like Adobe Premier Pro, ACDSee Video Studio 3 might be just what you’re looking for.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro Review: Dual Leica Lenses On a Sleek Smartphone

In order to stand out from the competition, smartphone companies are placing a lot of their focus on developing the best cameras possible for their devices. The Leica-branded two-lens design of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro camera deserves a closer look.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm GF 250mm and GF1.4x Teleconverter

After years of Fujifilm lens reviews, the term “broken record” now comes to mind when describing the quality and craftsmanship in the glass they produce. The GF 250mm F/4 R LM OIS lens paired with the new GF 1.4X TC WR Teleconverter are no exception and are welcomed additions to the Fuji GFX lineup.

Double Review: Editing With the BenQ SW271 and SW320 4K Photography Monitors

The BenQ SW271 is a new, high-end 27-inch 4K IPS monitor aimed at photographers who demand color accuracy at competitive price-point. In this review we will test both the SW271 and its larger cousin, the 31.5-inch BenQ SW320, to see if these big photography monitors lives up to their expectations.

Testing the Capabilities of the Stella Pro 5000 Underwater

Finding the right underwater lighting system can be tricky if you do not understand how light is absorbed. The same concepts on land can be applied, but with a few extra steps. Testing out new lights can be eye opening if you are tired of using a four-strobe setup which can be a workout on its own.

Fstoppers Reviews the Massive 49-inch Curved Samsung Monitor That Is Built for Creatives

Let's address the elephant in the room right off the bat, this monitor is absolutely massive. I have a fairly large desk and plenty of space at home to house this beast but it still seems large when viewing in the open. Though, it really comes down to how well it feels when working on it. To be blunt, it feels freaking amazing.

Sony RX100 VI Hands-On Rundown

Last week, Sony unveiled their latest compact camera. Now here’s the clickbait: 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 Zeiss lens, 24 fps continuous shooting while utilizing its 315-point hybrid autofocus, added touchscreen, Sony a9-inherited Eye AF and face detection algorithms, and 4K video recording. Let’s take a look at the new RX100 VI.

Fstoppers Reviews Wine Country Camera Filters: Best In Class

For many landscape and architectural photographers, a good filter system can be an absolute godsend. The kind of results you can produce are very difficult if not at all possible without them and it's for this reason they are ever more popular. Wine Country Camera is a company that specializes in making filters and their system looks pretty special.

The Camera You Should Want: Fstoppers Reviews the Sony a7 III

Sony has been making waves with the a7R III and a9, but a lot of photographers don't need those crazy levels of resolution and frame rates. Instead, they look for a quality camera that can do almost anything asked of it at a reasonable price. The Sony a7 III may just be that camera, with an awesome feature set, excellent performance, and an aggressively competitive price. Check out our full review.

Review: Dell U2718Q 27-Inch 4K Monitor

When getting into the 4K game, even Dell has enough options to be rather confusing to the average buyer. But there’s a reason the U2718Q 27-inch UHD monitor made my list. It hit in all the right spots.

Review: Omnicharge Omni 20 USB-C Portable Battery Pack

There are way too many battery packs on the market these days. That’s just a fact. But since it came out, Omnicharge has been my absolute favorite high-end external charging system. Its USB-C model continues to deliver the quality I’ve come to expect from the company’s excellent products.

Review: HP ZBook x2 Packs Pro-Level Power in a Convertible Tablet

From the Envy brand to its latest ZBook line, HP has brought a number of interesting computers to the market in the last several years. But none might be more important to appeasing us pros than putting professional-level storage in a portable, convertible, touchscreen experience. Meet the ZBook x2.

Fstoppers Reviews the Wood Be Nice Portable Backdrop Wall

While having a brick-and-mortar studio is nice, it isn't always feasible. Photographers create backdrops out of their homes, garages, or on set to disguise the location using stands with muslins, seamless paper, or even collapsible options as well. In searching for other options, I found a portable wood look to be the perfect fit.

Review: The BenQ SW2700PT Is a Perfect Monitor for Photo Editing

The BenQ SW2700PT monitor is a hard sell on paper to those that only look at pixel count. At just over $600, it teeters on the edge of premium monitor territory, but you’ll soon see why it gets a strong recommendation here. Hint: it's not about the pixels.

Fstoppers Reviews The Polaroid ZIP Instant Photoprinter

If you’re anything like me, you love to print your photos. The Polaroid ZIP is an inkless photo printer that is ultra portable and easily fits inside your pocket, but is it really worth the price it's selling for?