Recent Gear Articles

We Review the Zhiyun Molus X100 COB Light

A while back, I found myself in need of continuous lighting for my video work. Initially, I chose for a budget-friendly LED panel. However, I was less than satisfied with the results, which led me to purchase the Zhiyun Molus X100 COB light. In this review, I'd like to share my experiences.

Sony Releases Three New Lenses

In addition to the five new cameras released today, Sony has also released three new lenses: the Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6, the 50mm f/1.4 Carl Zeiss Planar, and the DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6. These three lenses span across different uses and customers and it's a nice mix. What's not so nice is the pricing, which could leave a few of you sticker shocked.

Chris OConnell Strobes Above His Camera's Sync Speed

Our cameras sync at a maximum of 200-250th of a second but in this video Chris OConnell strobes at 1/500th of a second with his Broncolors. How does he do it? Well the new Pocket Wizard TT1 and TT5s are the secret. Instead of trying to explain it all here, watch the video below and then head over to the full post for a second video with more details. <
How To Choose the Right Godox Modifier for Your Photography

The number of affordable lighting products available from Godox has exploded in the last few years. If you’re not sure which modifier will best suit your work, check out this in-depth video to help you make your choice.

ProMediaGear Takes Their Dual Curved/Straight Slider to Kickstarter

Earlier this year at WPPI, ProMediaGear showed us something we thought was really awesome: a slider that easily flips between curved and straight. It's a really simple idea that no one had ever thought of: why can't the two types coexist? Now ProMediaGear wants to get their slider to market faster through crowd-funding on Kickstarter.

A Review of the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II Lens

24-70mm f/2.8 lenses are the workhorses of choice for a wide variety of photographers and filmmakers, suitable for anything from weddings to landscape work and much more. Sony recently released the second iteration of their version, the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

The Kick: Wirelessly Controlled LED Panel From An iPhone

Photojojo.com is well known for having a ton of fun photography related products. Their latest happens to be a LED light panel that can be controlled from an iPhone.

The Kick is a five row LED light panel that can be customized to any color temperature through a downloadable app. The unit runs on a USB rechargeable battery which is a huge plus.

Do You Need a Tilt-Shift Lens for Architectural Photography?

Tilt-shift lenses are considered standard equipment for architectural photography, allowing you to correct common geometric issues to ensure your images both realistic and of the highest possible quality. But with modern cameras and software, do you really need a tilt-shift lens, or can you get by using other techniques? This excellent video discusses the issue to help you decide.

Choosing the Perfect Lens Filters Is Down to Urth

Most self-respecting landscape photographers will have dabbled in the delights of using filters on their lenses. I’ve tried multiple brands with differing results but have always been more pleased with the photos when using Urth filters than any others. This review will guide you through what different filters do and why I rate them so highly.

Can Canon and Sony Both Be Number One in Mirrorless?

If you happened to see the recent press release and subsequent articles, you may be under the impression that Canon has become the number one brand of mirrorless cameras. And this data is probably correct. But after their release, Sony was asked about it and decided to share their end of the same data, which also says they are number one in mirrorless. So what's the deal?

How to Use a Color Checker Passport for Accurate Color in Your Photos

Achieving accurate color in your photos can be a challenge, especially when lighting and other variables keep changing. Getting consistent results across different shoots requires using the right tools to match what you see in person with what shows up in your images. That’s where a Color Checker Passport comes in.

Vintage Cinema Lens Library Is Huge and Mesmerizing

The headline says it all. There is now a magic Internet stop that will allow you to scroll through a controlled video test of scores of cinema lenses. It’s a magical glass rabbit hole where you can see a single scene meticulously curated over and over with the cinema lens of your choice.

Versatile and Affordable: A Review of the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens

A 70-300mm zoom lens can be a quite versatile optic for a wide variety of work ranging from sports to wildlife and more. If you are interested in adding such a lens to your own kit, check out this comprehensive video review of the highly affordable Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Sony E mount cameras.

Insta360 Ace Pro 2: A New Contender To The Action Cam Throne?

When it comes to action cameras, this time of year seems to be when all the main players release their latest and greatest iterations to the market, each promising to be better than before and better than the rest. Enter the ring, Insta360 and the Ace Pro 2, which promises to shake things up quite considerably.

A Review of the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens

In the last few years, Tamron has established themselves as a manufacturer of some of the most cost-effective and useful lenses available, offering practical capabilities and good image quality all at very affordable prices. One such option is the 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD lens for Nikon Z mirrorless cameras, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Is This the Best Beginner Studio Flash?

As a long-term pro, it has been a while since I have looked into beginner studio lighting, and boy, has it changed since I purchased my first units! In this video, I look at a great first-time studio light.

What Is Your Best and Worst Camera Gear of 2020?

In what has become something of a festive tradition, Chris Nichols and Jordan Drake of DPReview TV sit down to play drinking games and cast their verdict on the year’s best and worst camera gear.

David Hobby Now Shoots With A 2MP Buzz Lightyear Camera

For the past few years DigitalRev has done the "Cheap Camera Challenge" with a professional photographer and a crappy little toy camera. This year's challenge consisted of Strobist's David Hobby, a 2MP Buzz Lightyear toy camera and 3 of the best named speedlights of all time, the Family Jewels FUQ 690. Kai of DigitalRev gives Hobby 5 photo tasks in 5 different locations and Hobby handles it pretty dang well considering the slight limitations. Enjoy!

Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 vs. Viltrox Pro AF 75mm f/1.2: Which Is Right for You?

Comparing lenses can be a challenging task, especially when both options are excellent. This great video review makes a detailed comparison of the Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 and the Viltrox Pro AF 75mm f/1.2. Both lenses are impressive, but they cater to slightly different needs and preferences.

New Camera Requires You To Throw It In The Air

Awhile back we shared a few videos of photographers intentionally throwing their cameras in the air. Well now the Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera actually makes that feat much easier. The new camera allows photographers to create 360 degree images with 36 individual cameras arranged in a buckeyball shape (any organic chemists out there?). Using an accelerometer, the spherical camera takes a photo at the apogee when there is the least amount of movement for surprisingly sharp images. It's also made of soft collision material which just begs you to throw it at someone's face or fling it with a water balloon launcher. The whole project is pretty interesting, and you can read more about it on Jonas Pfeil's website.
First Hands-On Look At New DJI Avata 2 FPV Drone

DJI, maker of the world's best consumer and professional camera drones, recently announced the brand new Avata 2 FPV drone. They were able to send me one to test out, and in this video, I ask the question: "is the Avada 2 worth upgrading from the original Avata drone?"

Nikon Announces New TC-14E III Teleconverter

If you plan on picking up the newly announced Nikon 400mm f/2.8E you'll definitely be interested in looking into the new TC-14E III, Nikon's latest 1.4x teleconverter. This baby will boost the focal length of your lens by 1.4x, only reducing the light by one stop. This will effectively turn your 70-200 f/2.8 into a 98-280 f/4.0, or that new 400 f/2.8 into a crazy 560mm f/4.0.

A Review of the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Lens

The 24mm f/1.4 prime is a favorite lens of many photographers, offering a useful wide angle focal length with a large maximum aperture. How does Sony's version of the classic lens hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM lens.

Fstoppers Reviews the Billingham Eventer Camera Shoulder Bag

When it comes to high-quality camera bags, Billingham continues to be one of my all-time favorites. A fellow photographer and close friend of mine Imran Mirza introduced me to their bags when I first started in photography and I've been buying and using their bags ever since.

Use Protection: HDMI Lock For Canon 5D

Video monitor manufacturers SmallHD have recently released a port cover for the Canon 5DmII that prevents the HDMI port from getting damaged due to an accidental, uncontrolled removable of a mini-HDMI cable. This video makes you hold your breath as they drop a camera from the HDMI cord, but the Port Protector seems to hold strong. A very handy add-on to save you from a potential costly repair. Always practice safe shooting!