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.

A Sony User Tries the Canon EOS R

When you hear about photographers talking about switching brands between Sony and Canon, it's almost exclusively from the latter to the former. However, with Canon finally jumping seriously into mirrorless cameras, it's interesting to see how Sony users feel about the EOS R. 

Building the Fastest Network We Can In Puerto Rico

As many of you know, Lee and I recently moved to Puerto Rico, and with that move, we are having to completely redesign our new studio space. In today's video, we tackle our in-home network and wireless Internet connection. Surely the limitations in Puerto Rico will prove to give us trouble... or will it? 

Hands on With the New Fujifilm X-T30

The latest Fujifilm camera is here and based on the spec sheet, it looks like a minor update at best. Personally, I don't think this is a bad thing because considering the price point this is a fantastic camera. The X-T20 was a brilliant well-priced camera and the new X-T30 continues in that vein. 

Why I Can Never Quit Full-Frame DSLRs

I’ve had a long flirtation with mirrorless cameras of all stripes, from the earliest Panasonic to Fujifilm to Olympus. I’m usually quite happy with and shoot them all frequently, but at the end of the day, it’s always a full-frame DSLR that reminds me why none of those have ever become my main squeeze. 

Does Expensive Gear Really Make You Better?

It's the age old conundrum isn't it? If only you had better gear you'd take much better photos and be a much better photographer. But is that really true? Let's see what happens when it's put to the test. 

The Canon EOS RP: Cheap and Cheerful, Assuming You Don't Shoot Video?

With Canon’s latest announcement causing a few waves, many people — myself included — are getting a bit sore from sitting on the fence. The EOS RP will no doubt sell a bucketload, but is it the right camera for you? It might be cheap as chips but I won’t be advising anyone to buy it. Here’s why. 

LG gram: The Lightest 17-Inch Laptop in the World Is a Photographer's Dream Come True

When you photograph in a studio you have the luxury of having an abundance of electrical power, access to bigger monitors, and grip equipment for your computer devices. The newest 17-inch LG gram is a compact-body laptop in the 15.6-inch class. It weights only 1,340 grams and allows you to have a similar experience not only in studio, but also on location. 

How to Find and Buy Photo Gear Cheap

As I'm sure you already know if you've spent any amount of time as a photographer, gear isn't cheap. You start off believing you just need a camera and a good lens, but next thing you know you're filling your online shopping cart with memory cards, batteries, camera straps, bags, and more.

Do You Know the Maximum Acceptable ISO Value for Your Camera?

Modern cameras can be set to very high ISO values. But the higher your ISO is, the more noise will be visible. There is a point when the noise levels become higher than acceptable. Do you know what high ISO value is still acceptable for you? 

Olympus Announces the New 12-200mm Lens, and It’s Tiny

Olympus has just announced the launch of a new lens, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 (35mm equivalent 24-400 mm). It features the highest range of zoom of any lens available for mirrorless systems, giving users more than 16 times magnification. At just $899, it goes on sale at the end of March. 

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. 

Think Twice Before You Buy More Camera Gear

I know you probably didn't enjoy reading that title. We all enjoy buying and playing with new gear. But before you push that buy button, take a few minutes to consider the points made in this video. 

A Real World Review of the Fujifilm GFX 50R for Landscape Photographers

The Fujifilm GFX 50R is a very intriguing camera in that it offers medium format image quality at a price not far above high-resolution full-frame cameras. This great video review takes a real world look at the camera, how it performs in tough conditions, and just how good that vaunted image quality really is. 

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? 

Hands-On Preview With the Panasonic S1R

In a world where it feels like there is a new camera every month, finding an identity in the market is becoming increasing difficult. Where do Panasonic's new cameras fit and will they be successful? 

Eye-Opening Look at How Canon Develops New Products

"Canon's new 400mm f/2.8L III and 600mm f/4L III lenses are a lot lighter and much better balanced than the II series." Those words were easy to type, and it's all too easy to dismiss as "so what?", but what kind of work went on behind the scenes to make that statement a reality? 

LED Lights Brightness Compared to a 1K Tungsten Light

If you are used to lighting with regular tungsten hot lights, the brightness information on an LED light's product description will surely sound vague and confusing. In this video you will find out how an LED lights' brightness compares to a regular 1-kilowatt tungsten hot light. 

Does Having a Full-Frame Camera Matter?

One of the common beliefs in photography is that a full-frame camera is far superior to a crop sensor, but is this true? How much of a difference does a larger sensor provide? 

Lifetime Review: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens is the oldest piece of kit in my work camera bag. As I get ready to upgrade all of my gear, I thought a lifetime review was in order. 

Fstoppers Reviews the Zhongyi Lens Turbo II Nikon F to Fujifilm X Focal Reducer

The popularity of adapting lenses from one system to another is undeniable. One thing you might want to do is adapt a lens designed for a larger sensor to a small-sensor camera. For example, adapting a full-frame lens to an APS-C sensor. This is where focal reducers like the Zhongyi Lens Turbo II come in. 

Introducing Alta Pro From Freefly

Drones have become a great tool for many people around the world and just a few weeks ago, one of the most well-known drones in the film industry was updated. Freefly introduces the Alta Pro, an Alta 8 with a bit more tech for pilots to use. 

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.  

One Successful Travel Photographer’s Must-Have Piece of Gear

Every so often a respected photographer puts together a list of his or her crucial pieces of gear, whether it’s rugged hard drives or a particular camera strap. However, not many would put this major piece of technology at the top of the list: the humble automobile. 

Fujifilm X-T3 Versus X-T2: Which Camera Should You Buy?

When a new camera comes out, one of the most common questions I see is whether it's worth upgrading to or not. This I think is a very reasonable and fair question because in many cases now, new cameras tend to be minor updates as opposed full on upgrades. Based on that, how does the Fujifilm X-T3 compare to the X-T2 and is it worth paying slightly more for the upgrade? 

Is Canon About to Release a Budget, Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera?

Following on from the release of the EOS R a few months ago, rumors are circulating that Canon is about to announce a new, full-frame mirrorless body: an entry-level, single card slot model, potentially called the EOS RP, and priced at $1,600. 

Real Life Comparison of the Sony a7R III, the Nikon Z 7, and the Canon EOS R

The year 2018 will be known as the year Canon and Nikon introduced their first mirrorless full-frame camera. It was their first step into a world that has been dominated by Sony for years. The cameras of Canon and Nikon have been mocked and laughed at, but how do they compare in real life? I got a chance to find out. 

Updated Desktop Software Teaches Your Insta360 ONE X New Tricks

When the Insta360 ONE X came out last year, it was a slick unit with a lot of functionality for a consumer 360-degree camera, but most of it was tied to a phone app. That’s set to change with the launch of official desktop software for the camera. 

Which Canon Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera Is Next?

Over the past few days several rumor sites have been flushed with inklings of a new Canon mirrorless body being announced in as little as two weeks with the fanfare building before CP+. Each of these leading sites have had conflicting information so which one should we hope to be listening to? 

Comparing the Blackmagic Design Pocket With a RED Cinema Camera

Last year, Blackmagic Design released their much-anticipated Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, a beast of a machine that offers a rather stunning amount of resolution and features all packed into one tiny unit. How does it stack up against a professional cinema camera that’s worth 10 times as much?