Recent Gear Articles

Gigapixel Timelapse Videos Are Remarkable

When you first heard of GigaPan, it was probably from David Bergman's famous inauguration photograph. Years after David captured the first gigapixel images of crowds of people, scientists are now creating all sorts of images using the GigaPan technology. One new project recently announced is Time Machine. Essentially a video player with 100 megapixel frames, the Time Machine allows us to explore nature in both time and space with unbelievable amounts of information. Anyone can create these videos using any of the GigaPan Epic Mounts and upload them to the GigaPan website. It's pretty amazing what photos are now able to capture and reveal with super high resolution and timelapse. Check out more of these videos over at the Time Machine website.
A First Look at the New Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra

For Android users, it does not get much better than Samsung's Galaxy Ultra series, and the company's latest flagship, the S23 Ultra, continues to raise the bar. This great video takes a first look at the new phones and just how much you can expect from them.

The Fujifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 Review: Compact Medium Format Performance

When you step up to medium format photography, lens choice quickly becomes a serious conversation about balancing performance, portability, and cost. The Fujifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR attempts to strike that balance—offering a relatively compact form factor and promising image quality at a lower price point than other Fuji G-mount lenses.

A Review of the Vlogger-Friendly Sony ZV-1 Camera

The Sony ZV-1 brings a lot of the company's fantastic compact camera technology and adds a variety of features designed specifically for bloggers. This great video review takes a look at the camera and what you can expect from it in practice.

Hands-On With the IRIX 30mm T1.5 Cine Lens

IRIX has developed a reputation for creating affordable but excellent cine lenses. Fleshing out their set of focal lengths, IRIX has now released the 30mm T1.5, but how good is it?

Contest Entry: Amber Williams Shoots Infrared

This is going to be a busy week for FS. The contest submissions are starting to pour in because the deadline is only 6 days away. We are going to try to bring you at least one professional BTSV and at one contest submission every day. For her contest submission, Amber Williams teaches us about infrared photography (something I knew nothing about). Amber did a fantastic job of keeping the video interesting and informational. I'm just excited that there are some some cute female Fstoppers out there. Show Amber some love in the comment box below. <
A Review of the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens for Nikon Mirrorless Cameras

Tamron has established itself as a manufacturer of both practical and competitively priced lenses as well as options that push the boundaries of lens design. The 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD offers Nikon Z mirrorless users a versatile focal length range for an array of applications, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Streamline Your Photoshop Workflow with Custom Adjustment Presets

Creating custom adjustment presets in Photoshop unlocks a new level of efficiency for photographers. This feature enables users to save their favorite combinations of adjustment layers, streamlining the editing process and fostering a consistent look across different projects.

A Review of the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Lens

A wide angle prime lens that comes with a large aperture can tackle a range of situations, such as astrophotography, weddings, and more. For Sony shooters, there is the FE 20mm f/1.8 G, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

A Review of the Affordable Yongnuo YN35mm f/2R DF DSM Lens

Yongnuo is well known for making highly affordable speedlights, but in the last few years, the company has branched out into manufacturing lenses that follow in that budget-friendly tradition. One such lens is the YN35mm f/2R DF DSM lens, and this excellent video review takes a look at how it performs in the real world.

Fujifilm Announces the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II Lens

Fujifilm has introduced the FUJINON XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II, an updated version of the popular XF 16-55mm lens first launched in 2015. The second-generation lens offers improved optical performance, faster autofocus, and a more compact, lighter design, making it an attractive option for photographers who require versatility and durability.

Big Firmware Update For Fujifilm X-Pro1 Coming

Since its launch in early 2012, Fujifilm has received customer feedback regarding the X-Pro1's performance. Fujifilm has listened carefully to these comments. By installing the new firmware, consumers will see a significant improvement in Auto Focus speed, manual focus and processing/writing speeds. Read on to learn about the updates included and link where to find it when it comes available on September 18, 2012.

Control Photoshop With Hand Gestures

The future is always coming at the same speed, but on occasions, it feels as if it has sped up significantly. With this wearable device, you can control Photoshop with just your hand and a surface.

A Review of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 Lens

It might not be the most exciting lens out there, but Nikon's NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 is highly portable, affordable, and surprisingly sharp given its size and price. If you are looking for such a lens, check out this excellent video that takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

A Review of the Affordable Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE Lens

An 85mm lens with a wide aperture is one of the most popular choices among photographers, offering the classic focal length for portraits paired with narrow depth of field and a lot of bokeh. Such lenses can run quite high in price, however, sometimes well over $2,000. The Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE comes in at a significantly lower price, and this great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Compact and Lightweight: Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 Review

The Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens offers an affordable entry point for photographers using Canon's EOS R mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors. You might wonder if this budget-friendly option can deliver quality results or if it's worth considering alternatives.

A Review of the New Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G Mirrorless Lens

The Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4 G is one of the company's newest lenses, and despite its small size and relatively affordable price, it brings with it a huge range of features that make it desirable for both photographers and filmmakers. If you are a photographer interested in the lens, check out this fantastic video review that takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in stills applications.

Shooting the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos

Greg Beadle has once again received an invitation as one of the photographers at this year's WEF conference in Davos. This time, Sony gave him their gear to try out. Here are his thoughts and some of the pictures he took.

Microsoft’s Qualcomm-Powered Laptops: A New Era for Windows Devices

Microsoft's recent refresh of its Surface line marks a significant shift in the laptop market with the introduction of new models powered by Qualcomm chips. These ARM-based processors promise efficiency and improved battery life, addressing a long-standing issue for Windows laptops.

A Review of the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS Lens

70-200mm f/2.8 lenses are highly popular workhorses, suitable for a huge range of genres and applications. That being said, they are both expensive and rather bulky. If you do not need that extra aperture to stop, but still want the versatility of that focal length range, a 70-200mm f/4 can save you both bulk and money. This excellent video review takes a look at Sony's option, the FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS.

Apple Debuts Apple Intelligence on iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1

Apple has launched its new Apple Intelligence system, integrated into iPhone, iPad, and Mac through a free software update (iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1). Apple Intelligence aims to provide users with tools for writing, summarizing notifications, improving Siri, and cleaning up images, all with a focus on privacy.

Lexar Announces New XQD and 256GB SDXC Cards

Until now, Sony has been the only XQD card manufacturer (you know, for those crazy fast, kind of small, and weird format cards that go into your Nikon D4). Finally, Lexar has announced their own 32GB ($299.99) and 64GB ($579.99) versions along with a USB 3.0 XQD card reader. The cards feature read speeds of up to 168MB/s (1100x) and slower write speeds that aren't yet stated. A 256GB SDXC 600x card was also announced, holding the high-end for both capacity and speed of Lexar's SD card lineup.

Novum Launches New BorrowLenses.com Website

When someone turns us onto a product or service we really enjoy we like to spread the word. Our friends over at Novum Studios just recently launched the new site design for BorrowLenses.com and it looks great. The Novum team was responsible for the site design you see on Fstoppers.com, and since we are not web designers, they have been instrumental in helping us turn our ideas into working realities. I can't really say enough about Case Sandberg and his team so if you need any custom wordpress design work check them out. Also check out Borrow Lenses new site especially if you want to test or rent gear for an upcoming project.
Kandao's QooCam Fun Is Easy to Use, But Sacrifices Image Quality

There are a lot of cameras out there that are aimed at the burgeoning “vlogger” segment, from interchangeable lens cameras with flip-out screens, to converted action cameras. Kandao takes a different approach, repurposing some of its 360 technology to create the QooCam Fun.