Recent Gear Articles

Fstoppers Reviews Polar Pro Filters for Drones

Designed for DJI photographers and cinematographers alike, PolarPro's Cinema Series for the Phantom 4 Pro/Advanced includes six incredibly useful filters: three neutral density filters and three polarizing and neutral density filters. I had been looking at filters for quite some time and wasn't sure where to begin so this set was the perfect place to start. Available for a wide array of quadcopters well beyond the Phantom 4 Pro tested, if you are looking to improve your quadcopter's image quality by adding filters, check out this review of PolarPro's Cinema Series.

Fstoppers Reviews the Elinchrom Skyport Plus System

For years, Elinchrom users have been complaining about the aging Skyport. A few months ago, the Swiss flash manufacturer finally released the brand new Skyport HS, and it is a great product. However, not everyone needs its advanced features. Some photographers couldn’t care less about technical stuff and only want their transmitter to do the job it is designed for: triggering the flash remotely. Well, that’s why the Skyport Plus was recently released.

Sony 24mm Astrophotography Review and Comparison

The Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM promises high resolution and sharpness as well as low spherical and chromatic aberration. At nearly $1,400, the lens is quite a bit more expensive than similar focal length offerings from Sigma and Samyang. Is it worth the premium?

The Best Travel Lens? A Review of the Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens

Most lenses with a very large zoom range sacrifice either image quality or portability, but a lot of strides have been made in the last few years. If you are looking for a single lens that can handle almost any situation you throw at it, check out this great review of the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD for Sony E mount.

Is Samyang Planning a 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Lens?

Tamron's 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD has been praised for being remarkably versatile and for pushing the boundaries of lens design. Samyang might be joining the party soon, as rumors that the company is planning a similar lens have emerged.

Video Shows Off New Phottix Indra TTL 500ws Battery Strobe

Last week at Photokina, Phottix announced their battery powered TTL strobe the Indra500 to much accolades and this week they released a video on scet with acclaimed Hong Kong Photographer CM Leung and Hong Kong Arnold Classic Winner Brenda Lo. Though there isn't any talking or additional information on how the strobe handled here, you can get a feel for what it looks like in a real world use situation.

Fstoppers Unfairly Reviews the Parrot Jumping Mini Drone

Each week we get contacted by a range of manufacturers asking us to review their products. Once I had someone ask me to review a bag of lavender. When I explained that Fstoppers is a photography website, they said that even photographers like lavender and I should review it. Obviously I didn't review it but next time this happens I will review the lavender, and today I've reviewed the Parrot Jumping Drone.

Feature Request: Body-to-Body Communication Would Be Every Event Photographer's Dream

Today, more and more cameras have wireless technologies built into the body. So far, the concentration on development for the use of these antennas has centered around image transfer and social media connectivity, posting directly to other services, etc. But that’s far from all that can be accomplished when cameras start being able to communicate with one another.

Tips for Shooting Vertical Video as a Pro

With most website traffic overwhelmingly coming from smartphones, a client is going to ask for portrait content sooner or later. How can you avoid the major pitfalls?

Side-by-Side Video Bitrate Comparison on Nikon D800 with NikonHacker Firmware

After yesterday's post, Lars Steenhoff sent us an updated, side-by-side comparison of video bitrates on the Nikon D800 at 3200 ISO with NikonHacker's new firmware. Steenhoff comments that the 64Mbps file has more noise as a result of less compression, but cleans up easily in a final file output that is cleaner with just a little noise reduction. For those interested, he has also made the original 64Mbps and 24Mpbs files downloadable on Dropbox, too.

The Spider Monkey is Spider Holster's New Accessory Holder

Spider Holster camera holsters have become really popular among event and wedding photographers because they free up their hands and keeps straps from encumbering movement. Their latest offering unveiled at WPPI Las Vegas is the Spider Monkey, which will hold your accessories like a speedlight in the same handy fashion.

[News] Carl Zeiss Set To Announce "Super Wide" Lens

It's already been an exciting month for gear enthusiasts. Obviously, the major camera body announcements from Canon and Nikon have taken most of the spotlight. We have also seen new Pocket Wizards, as well as a shinny new version of Adobe Lightroom 4 come out. But what about the glass? Sure, Canon revised a few lenses, but I'm talking about a whole new lens. Carl Zeiss is apparently looking to step up and fill this void.

Canon R5 Versus Canon C70: Which Should You Buy for Video?

Canon has been releasing some superb cameras in the last year, with lots of options for videographers. Two of the chief contenders are being pitted against one another here to see which is the best for video purposes.

Don’t Lose Your Photos: Simple Ways to Keep Pictures Safe

It’s always been said that there are two types of people in this world: those who have had a hard drive crash, and those who will have a hard drive crash. To that, I’ll add another two: those who’ve dropped a phone into a toilet, and those who will drop their phone into a toilet. Or oven. Or puddle. Or snow. That’s why it’s important to have a backup plan. A new article in the New York Times breaks it into the simplest of terms for even the greenest of photographers.

Thrifting for Film Cameras in Ohio

There's one thing in particular that I'm really looking forward to when I next visit the United States: hunting through thrift stores for bargains. I love all sorts of vintage and retro items, but top of my list is film cameras.

Adidas SP0101: Solid Sunglasses for Active Photographers on the Go

As a professional photographer and newsprint journalist, I’m constantly searching for gear that enhances my work—and that includes more than just cameras and lenses. Sunglasses play a surprisingly important role in my day-to-day shooting, and I’ve found the Adidas SP0101 to be an excellent choice for active photographers. I have always loved the Adidas brand, especially the shoes, so I was very much on board with trying these out.

Check out This Nikon D750 for Under $1,000

It’s Black Friday, and while many times, that means camera companies just printing their regular prices in large, black type and calling it a sale, here’s one that’s a legit screamin’ deal: The Nikon D750 is now on sale for $997.

What's in a Mobile Photography Studio?

Photographers and filmmakers who work on location a lot have to strike a tricky balance between having all the gear necessary to complete a job and handle anything unexpected that might come up while still being able to travel without a ton of hassle. If you are wondering what it takes, check out this neat video that takes a look into a traveling photographer and filmmaker's bag.

A Look at the Three Newest Lenses From Sony

Sony just announced three new lenses, the FE 24mm f/2.8 G, FE 40mm f/2.5 G, and FE 50mm f/2.5 G, each a very compact and light prime meant for quick shooting with easy portability. This excellent video review takes a look at all three lenses and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from them in real-world usage.

Film Yourself Parachuting Away From An Avalanche

I'm convinced GoPro and Redbull have the best extreme advertising on the planet. In this latest extreme skiing video, Matthias Giraud and Stefan Laude use two GoPro's each to document their parachute escape from an avalanche in the French Alps. If you don't already have a GoPro Hero, you need to get one. If you already have one, then we all need to start filming more near death moments by living life on the edge! Click the Full Post for a cliff jump skier equipped with at least 5 GoPros in a single run.
A Review of the Impressive Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens

Wide-aperture 50mm lenses are quite versatile, able to fill the needs of photographers in a wide variety of scenarios. For Sony shooters, FE 50mm f/1.2 GM offers top-of-the-line design in tandem with a very wide maximum aperture, making it an intriguing option for anyone looking for that narrow depth of field look and great image quality to match. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

New Lenses Announced for the Hasselblad X1D

Hasselblad has announced five new lenses for the X1D. This is fantastic news because ever since the X1D was released, its biggest problem was its lens line up. If you've been considering buying the X1D, now may be the perfect time.

Revisiting Micro Four Thirds for Photojournalism

When I first wrote about using mirrorless cameras for journalism in 2014, the Sony Alpha series had just been launched a few months before in 2013. Panasonic was just hitting its stride with the GH series of cameras and Fuji had just really started kicking off its X-Series cameras. Things have certainly changed.

9 Photography Gifts on a Shoestring Budget

While it's easy to assume that meaningful photography gifts come with a hefty price tag, this article is here to debunk that notion. In this guide, let’s explore nine photography gifts that are not only thoughtful and creative but also friendly on the wallet. From DIY projects to budget-friendly accessories, these ideas prove that meaningful gestures don't have to break the bank. Time to discover how to gift on a shoestring budget.

A Review of the New Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens

The new Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens offers an extremely versatile focal length at a very reasonable price, making it an attractive option for wide range of applications, particularly sports and wildlife photography. Is it right for you? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you will be able to expect from it in practice.