Recent Gear Articles

The Three Camera Specs You Should Stop Obsessing Over in 2025

Camera manufacturers have turned photographers into spec addicts, and it's time for an intervention. Every product announcement sends us scrambling to compare numbers: How many megapixels? What's the burst rate? How many autofocus points? We've been conditioned to believe that bigger numbers equal better photos, but that's marketing fiction designed to empty your wallet.

We Review the 2025 Mac Studio: The New Performance King

Craving a Mac that tears through demanding projects without crowding your desk? The new Mac Studio with M4 Max aims to be your next power-packed desktop, merging blistering performance with a compact form factor that sits discreetly on any workstation.

We Review the Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 FE LAB: Flagship Performance, Remarkable Value

Lenses like the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 Art and Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM have long dominated the fast 35mm space on Sony E-mount. But Viltrox, with its new 35mm f/1.2 FE LAB, is aiming right at the high end. Is this latest entry in Viltrox’s already impressive LAB series a competitor for the best-performing 35mm on E-mount?

Four Months With the Powerful Sony a1 II Mirrorless Camera

Sony's a1 II is their latest flagship camera, boasting top-tier specs and the best performance Sony currently offers. But despite these exceptional features, this camera isn't necessarily the right choice for most photographers or content creators.

We Review the ASUS ROG Flow Z13: A Portable Powerhouse for Photographers, Creatives, and Coders

The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 combines the power of a high-end laptop with the versatility of a tablet. This 13.4-inch 2-in-1 packs cutting-edge hardware in a sleek CNC-milled aluminum chassis, aiming to deliver pro-level performance for photographers, digital artists, and programmers on the go. In this in-depth review, we’ll explore its design, display quality, performance benchmarks, thermals and battery life, connectivity, cameras and audio, and overall user experience to see if it lives up to the hype.

Godox Announces FL100R, FL200R, and FL200SR Foldable LED Mats

Godox has announced three new LED lights and light mats: the FL100R, FL200R, and FL200SR. The company positions these full-color LED panels as affordable lighting solutions for small studios and independent content creators, building on their existing KNOWLED F series.

Seeing Landscapes Differently With a 100-400mm Lens

When it comes to landscape photography, choosing the right lens isn't just a detail—it shapes your entire creative process. Many photographers default to wide angle lenses, but exploring telephoto options can completely redefine your images.

Are Niche Cameras Even Worth It Anymore?

One need only look at GoPro's stock price, once at almost $94 in 2014 and now trading at less than a dollar, to recognize that maybe action cameras — and other niche, specialized cameras — aren't the best ideas. Still, that hasn't stopped me from buying a good many of them over the years, and after watching this video, I have some feelings.

Unlock the Hidden Potential of Your Camera’s Timer

Understanding camera drive modes is critical if you want crisp, professional-looking images. Knowing how and when to utilize these settings can significantly improve the clarity and composition of your photographs.

Top Ten Questions With Alison Conklin

Alison Conklin is a Fujifilm creator who has spent more than two decades capturing emotional, candid imagery for weddings, engagements, families, and editorial clients including Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, and Brides. She tells us what gear is indispensable, what she learned from Linda McCartney, and why instinct tops technical skill.

Cameras That Failed Hard (And Why)

The camera industry is littered with the corpses of products that looked revolutionary on paper but crashed spectacularly in the real world. These aren't just minor missteps—these are epic failures that cost companies millions, confused consumers, and taught us valuable lessons about what not to do. Here are the cameras that failed hardest, and the brutal reasons why.

Is Fujifilm’s X half the Perfect Blend of Digital and Analog?

The Fujifilm X half is a unique compact camera that blends modern features with the feel and simplicity of analog photography. If you've been curious about a smaller camera that captures images with a distinct retro vibe, this might be an intriguing choice to explore.

How to Choose the Right Camera Mode Every Time

Understanding your camera's exposure modes goes beyond basic settings; it's about taking control of your creative outcomes. Using the right mode in the right situation can significantly influence the quality of your photos and your growth as a photographer.

UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus: The Ideal NAS For Photographers?

As creators, we're constantly managing massive raw libraries and hefty high-resolution video clips. External hard drives quickly turn into clutter, and direct-attached storage can limit flexibility when switching between devices. Network Attached Storage (NAS) is the logical next step, but historically, high-performance solutions with features like 10GbE have been prohibitively expensive. Enter the UGREEN NASync DXP4800 Plus: promising robust hardware, content-creator-focused capabilities, and affordable 10GbE connectivity. In this review, I tested it to see if it genuinely delivers for demanding creative workflows.

Hidden Sony Camera Settings Worth Mastering

Every Sony Alpha camera has powerful features tucked away in its menus. Knowing about them can drastically change your results and prevent potential mishaps during important shoots.

Using Lighting to Tell a Story

Photographers talk about lighting all the time—how to shape it, soften it, bounce it—but we don’t talk enough about how lighting can tell a story. It doesn’t just illuminate a scene; it sets the emotional tone and builds the narrative.

Is the L Mount Going to Be the Future of Lens Mounts?

The L Mount was first introduced by Leica in 2014. It was developed as a new lens mount standard designed to unify full frame and APS-C mirrorless systems. What began as a proprietary mount for Leica cameras evolved into something much more significant with the formation of the L Mount Alliance in 2018. This partnership brought together Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma—three industry heavyweights with distinct strengths: optical heritage, video innovation, and third-party lens versatility. The idea was simple yet ambitious: to create a shared ecosystem of cameras and lenses under a single mount, offering users cross-brand compatibility and long-term investment value.

Ricoh Announces Development of GR IV, Their Latest High-End Compact Snapshot Camera

Ricoh Imaging has officially announced the development of the GR IV, the newest model in its GR series of compact digital cameras. Scheduled to be released in Autumn 2025, the GR IV continues the GR tradition of prioritizing high image quality, responsiveness, and portability, aiming to be a versatile and highly capable snapshot camera.

Ultra-Wide Macro: Can This Lens Do It All?

Wide angle macro lenses are a rare breed, but the Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Macro lens brings intriguing possibilities to your photography. Its unique ability to merge ultra-wide perspectives with macro capabilities offers you creative flexibility that standard lenses can’t easily match.

Tariffs Prompt Nikon to Increase U.S. Prices

Nikon has announced that, starting June 23, 2025, prices on its products in the U.S. will increase due to newly imposed tariffs. This move comes as the company navigates significant shifts in trade policy that are affecting the broader photography industry.

Three Types of Cameras Every Photographer Should Own

Every photographer faces the decision about what cameras to own, but it's not just about brands like Canon, Sony, or Nikon. It’s about understanding the role each camera plays in your photography, matching gear with purpose to truly improve how and why you shoot.

Canon Is Planning a Big Camera Release Later This Year

If you’ve been keeping an eye on upcoming Canon announcements, there's one release rumored to significantly shake up the market. With increased resolution, powerful video upgrades, and improved autofocus on the horizon, this Canon model could make it worthwhile to reconsider whether your current gear still meets your needs.

Samsung's Modular Camera Patent Hints at Future of Smartphone Photography

Samsung is exploring a smartphone design that allows users to swap out camera lenses, similar to how photographers change lenses on traditional cameras. This concept, detailed in a recent patent, suggests a future where mobile photography could be significantly more versatile.