Photography Gear

Gear isn't everything — but it's not nothing either. This section covers the cameras, lenses, accessories, and equipment that photographers actually use, with an eye toward helping you make smart decisions rather than just chasing the latest release. Expect news, analysis, hands-on impressions, and the occasional reality check on whether that upgrade is actually worth it.

Just How Good Is the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens?

The 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is one of the most important in a wide variety of photographers' bags, but such lenses are rarely affordable. Nonetheless, with third party alternatives becoming both more available and of higher quality in recent years, it is a great time to look at different options. This great video review takes a look at the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens. 

Could You Shoot a Video at f/0.95?

Shooting video takes great focus skills already, so shooting it at an extreme aperture is all the more challenging. This neat video follows a filmmaker as he shoots a video at a crazy wide aperture (f/0.95).  

How Good Is the Sony a7S III?

The Sony a7S III was one of the most eagerly anticipated cameras of the last few years, and now that it is finally here, you might be wondering how it actually performs in the real world. This great video review takes a look at the new camera and what you can expect from it in practice.  

A Beginner's Guide to Prime Versus Zoom Lenses

One of the oldest and most hotly debated topics in photography is the issue of whether one should use prime or zoom lenses. If you are new to photography and wondering which category is right for your work, check out this great video on the topic.  

A Complete Sony ZV-1 Setup Guide for Video and Photography

If you have this fantastic little camera, it's worth making sure that you have it fully setup, as often the default settings are often far from optimal. In this 21 minute video, you can learn how to correctly configure it for filmmaking or photography. 

Separate Stuck Filters and Step-Up Rings With This Simple Trick

Step-up and step-down rings are useful for attaching filters to multiple lenses with differently sized filter threads, but when they get stuck, they're almost impossible to separate, which can leave your filter completely unusable. So, use this quick tip to separate them with ease. 

10 Tips for Better Smartphone Photography

They say the best camera you have is the one that's always with you. Almost all of us carry our smartphones everywhere in our pockets, so it's probably a good idea to learn how to make better images with them. Learn from these 10 tips for better smartphone photography. 

Is the Canon EOS R5 the Perfect Camera for Bird Photography?

With a huge 45-megapixel sensor that can churn out raw files at 20 frames per second, the Canon EOS R5 sounds like it could be the perfect camera for capturing wildlife. This in-depth review looks at how it performs out in the field shooting birds. 

DJI Announces New OM 4 Smartphone Stabilizer

DJI has announced the latest update to its popular Osmo Mobile smartphone stabilizer. The OM 4 stabilizer features upgraded motors to better handle increased weight, an upgraded and less obtrusive magnetic phone mount, and more, all for little more than its predecessor. 

A Look at the Nikon Z 5 and NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 Lens

The Nikon Z 5 offers shooters the chance to get into full frame mirrorless territory at a relatively affordable price, while the NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens backs that up with a small footprint and extremely reasonable cost. How do they hold up in practice? Check out this great video to see. 

A Comparison of the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lenses

A high-quality 85mm wide-aperture lens is the holy grail for a wide variety of photographers, offering the ability to create sharp portraits with backgrounds blown to smithereens. However, such a lens is rarely cheap, but Sigma's offerings frequently undercut first-party brands, including Sony. Can their new 85mm f/1.4 Art keep up with Sony's own 85mm f/1.4 G Master?

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. 

Which Camera Is the Best Value for Money?

There are more cameras available to buy today than ever before. That usually means that consumers receive more innovation and better prices, and sometimes the best example of those perks are hidden gems. 

Have the Google Pixel 5 Specs Been Leaked?

Building on the success of the Google Pixel 4, the new Pixel 5 is rumored to launch on September 30 likely along with the Pixel 4a 5G, and now some new specs look to have been leaked ahead of the launch, 

How the Datacolor SpyderX Photo Kit Can Improve Your Photos

Color is one of the most important things to photographers, but surprisingly, we often do not do everything we can and should do to ensure our colors are accurate and consistent. Datacolor's SpyderX Photo Kit makes it easier than ever to make sure your colors are spot on from the moment you press the shutter to the final export, and Datacolor is offering it for 50% off.

A Review of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Sony E Cameras

Sigma's Art series is well known for offering high optical quality at affordable prices, and a 50mm lens is one of the most popular for a lot of photographers. If you are looking for a 50mm lens, this great video review takes a look at the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens for Sony E cameras. 

Fstoppers Reviews the Canon EOS 1Dx Mark III: Who Needs a Mirrorless?

I got a chance to review the Canon EOS 1Dx mark III for a few weeks. It is the newest generation of the amazing 1Dx DSLR, made for extreme fast sport and action photography. I took the opportunity to photograph the dogs in the park, to see how it performs.

 

I'm an F-Mount Boy, Living in a Z-Mount World

Between the Nikon F mount, Nikon Z mount, FTZ adapter, Metabones MFT to Nikon F mount, and Nikon TC-14e II, I have a serious amount of adapters and extenders to choose from depending on what camera I'm shooting on. Here's my $0.02 on dealing with the FTZ adapter on my Z50 and adapting glass to other cameras.

Should You Upgrade To the Canon EOS R5 From the 5D Mark IV?

Canon fans have waited patiently for the Japanese manufacturer to release a solid mirrorless full frame camera that offers an obvious progression from the 5D Mark IV. As a stills shooter, how does the EOS R5 compare, and what changes will you notice most? 

A Comparison of the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lenses

Sony's G Master lenses are the best the company has to offer, but Sigma's Art series often offers comparable performance at more affordable prices. If you are looking for a top-notch portrait lens and wondering which is right for you, check out this helpful video comparison between the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lenses. 

A Review of the Sony ZV-1 Compact Camera

Sony makes some of the best compact cameras out there, and the ZV-1 is one of their latest and most unique models, with a wide variety of features designed especially for vloggers. This excellent video review takes a look at the ZV-1 and the sort of performance you can expect from it in real-world usage. 

Should You Use an HSS Flash or an ND Filter?

If you want to shoot outdoor portraits with a shallow depth of field using artificial lighting, you are going to run into issues of overexposure due to the limitation imposed by the sync speed of your camera. There are two solutions to this: high-speed sync or using an ND filter, and this great video shows you the workflow using each as well as their respective pros and cons. 

Use This Camera Hack to Make Soap Bubbles Look Like Planets

With just a few simple ingredients and a couple of camera hacks, you can make these otherworldly photos at home on a budget. From the comfort of your own living room, you'll be able to capture images reminiscent of those famous iPhone wallpapers. 

A Comprehensive Guide to Canon FD and K35 Lenses

Modern lenses are technological marvels that can often offer spectacular image quality, but they are also very expensive. With the advent of mirrorless cameras and the usage of manual focus by filmmakers, vintage lenses have seen a resurgence in popularity. This fantastically comprehensive video will show you everything you need to know about Canon's FD and K35 lenses. 

How Good Is the New Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art Lens?

The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art lens was one of the most highly anticipated lenses in recent years, and Sigma recently released a new version for Sony E and Leica L mirrorless mounts that offers a smaller size and performance improvements while maintaining an affordable price. This excellent video review takes a look at the new version and what you can expect from it. 

Which Brand Has the Best Eye Autofocus: Canon, Sony, or Nikon?

No doubt, one of the most useful advancements mirrorless cameras have brought is eye autofocus, and in the past couple years, the technology has seen some major improvements. Now that Canon, Nikon, and Sony all have advanced mirrorless cameras, it is time to reevaluate just how good each brand's version is, and this helpful video does just that.  

Is the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Lens Worth $4,000?

Zeiss lenses are well known for their stunning optical quality, but along with that quality come high price tags. This great video review takes a look at the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 lens and the sort of performance you can expect from it in practice.