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 Review of the New Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens

Sigma's new 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is potentially one of the most versatile lenses on the market right now, covering a massive focal length range that should be appealing to bird, sports, and wildlife photographers. Can it still offer the kind of image quality and performance we have come to expect from Sigma despite that extreme design?

10 Fundamental Facts You Need to Know Before You Turn Pro

Thinking about turning your hobby into a jobby? What are the essential points you will need to consider when taking your hard-earned savings and convincing your better half that this will be the new, next chapter in your life? With over 15 years as a professional photographer and more than 25 years being self-employed, here’s what you need to know to make your dream a reality. 

Is a Zoom or Prime Lens Better for Low-light Bird Photography?

Bird photography is a challenging genre that often requires extremes of gear, particularly when it comes to lenses, where you often need very long focal lengths and wide apertures in order to reach the birds and keep your shutter speed fast enough to freeze them. So, is the versatility of a zoom lens better, or should you opt for the wider aperture of a prime?

The Right Camera for Landscape Photography at Three Different Price Levels

The wonderful thing about landscape photography is that you can do it with anything from the most bare-bones, budget camera to the most expensive and modern options. If you are wondering which camera is right for your needs, check out this excellent video guide that will show you a range of great options for every price point, from under $1,000 to no budget whatsoever.  

Can This Popular and Affordable Lens Keep Up With Modern Mirrorless Cameras?

The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM was long popular with Canon DSLR users for offering a versatile wide angle focal length range in a small body together with great image quality, all at a very affordable price. Now, with Canon developing a line of APS-C RF-S cameras, the 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 is relevant again.

We Review the BenQ PhotoVue SW321C: Half the Price, Double the Features

As someone that is as deep in the Apple ecosystem as it gets, I will still pick the BenQ PhotoVue SW 321C over both Studio Display and even the ProDisplay XDR. Not only is this monitor objectively better, but also way more affordable. In this article, we will review the BenQ PhotoVue SW321C. 

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR Lens

For Fujifilm photographers who want the ultimate levels of reach, the XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR offers a full frame equivalent of 229-914mm, making it quite the intriguing choice for sports and wildlife photographers alike. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.  

Why You Shouldn't Overlook f/4 Lenses

When it comes to zoom lenses, the professional standard is f/2.8, which offers a suitably wide aperture for isolating subjects and working in low-light situations. However, many f/2.8 zooms also have f/4 variants, which are both far cheaper and much more portable. This great video essay discusses why you might want to consider f/4 options for your camera bag.  

Canon Patents Another Extreme Lens Design

Ever since the arrival of the RF mount, Canon has shown they are willing to push the boundaries of lens design to new levels. It seems they don't plan to slow down, with two new patents emerging, including one for a 300mm f/2.3 mirror lens with autofocus.  

A Look at One of the Best Medium Format Cameras Ever Made

Film continues to enjoy a steady resurgence, and one of the most intriguing ways to differentiate it from working with digital is to pick up a 645 medium format camera, which produces negatives far bigger than even the most expensive digital medium format cameras.

A Review of the New Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G Lens

The 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is the workhorse of choice for many creatives, offering a useful range of focal lengths and a decently wide aperture. However, for those who do not need that fast aperture, an f/4 option is both far cheaper and more portable, making it a nice alternative. Sony's FE 20-70mm f/4 G is one such option, and it offers extra reach at the wide end, making it more versatile.

5 Awesome Cameras You Can Buy for Under $100

Having multiple cameras as a photographer is always a good idea as it gives you security and versatility. The good news is you can easily add an extra camera to your arsenal for less than $100. 

A Review of the New M2 Pro Mac mini

The Mac mini has long been a favorite of casual users and creatives alike who want the Mac experience in a desktop without dropping top dollar on a Mac Studio or Mac Pro. And now, with the ability to add an M2 Pro chip, the mini is more capable than ever. This great video review takes a look at the new Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip and just what you can expect from it.  

How Much of an Improvement Is the Canon EOS R6 Mark II for Stills Work?

While the Canon EOS R5 got a lot of the accolades upon its release, the EOS R6 is arguably the most practical workhorse in Canon's lineup, with a balanced feature set that borrows a lot of the advanced capabilities from its bigger sibling without the added luxuries that would drive its price up.

Ultimate Focus Settings For The Canon R6

Katelyn James breaks down the essential (in my opinion) options you need to know and master on Canon's EOS R6 to be able to nail AF and eye-tracking options ensuring a sharp and tracked subject every time. Her style is easygoing and she's great to listen to and I love her videos and explanations which make sense and put everything into perspective.

How Powerful Is the New M2 Max MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Pro has long been the workhorse of choice for many creatives, able to handle the needs of even the most demanding photo and video projects. Apple's transition to their own silicon has revitalized the lineup with improved performance and battery life.

Canon Patents Another Extreme Lens

Canon has been quite aggressive in the development of RF mount lenses, releasing some extreme designs, such as the RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM and the RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. They seem to have no intentions of slowing down, as another boundary-pushing design has emerged in a recent patent.  

Canon Develops Unique Sensor With Impressive Trick for Better Dynamic Range

Canon has developed a new sensor that employs a clever trick for increasing dynamic range. 

The new CMOS sensor has a dynamic range of 148 dB, which the company calls the largest such range in surveillance cameras. However, it is the sensor's "Exposure by Area" function which makes it particularly intriguing. 

What Are the Best Budget Cameras at the Start of 2023?

Everybody's got to start somewhere. The difference these days is about where you want to start. Whether it's vlogging, still photography, or making feature films, beginner cameras have really branched out into specialized tools in recent years. 

How Good Is the Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera?

The Sony a7R series of mirrorless cameras has long been popular for offering some of the highest levels of resolution and image quality available in a full frame camera, but now in the fifth iteration, the a7R V is far from a one trick pony. A range of new and improved capabilities make it a powerhouse camera capable of tackling a variety of scenarios and needs.

A Review of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera

The Canon EOS R5 signaled to the industry that Canon was deadly serious about the professional mirrorless space, but along with it came the EOS R6, which kept many of the former's most impressive capabilities without such a high-resolution sensor and features like 8K raw video, which the vast majority of professionals do not need.

Impressive Canon Lens Patents Emerge

Canon has filled out the RF mount lens library at an aggressive pace, with many options that offer impressive performance and push the boundaries of lens design. Nonetheless, there are still some missing lenses. Some new patents have emerged that indicate Canon is working on filling those holes, and they might do so with some fairly extreme designs.  

Canon Patents Vibrating Shutter Button

While features like lighted buttons have slowly become a bit more popular in the industry, haptic feedback has been largely ignored, despite being an extremely common feature in other technology. However, that might change eventually, as a Canon patent for a vibrating shutter button has appeared. 

The Process of Switching to Medium Format

Cameras like the Fujifilm GFX 100S have revolutionized the paradigm of medium format gear in the last few years, bringing features and capabilities typically reserved for smaller systems and doing so at a price that competes with the upper levels of full frame. This has made medium format a viable alternative for many photographers, particularly landscape, portrait, and wedding shooters.

The Allure of the All-in-One Lens for Landscape Photography

Traditionally, professional photographers have shied away from superzoom lenses, as the sacrifices it took to create such a large focal length range were simply too great to make them viable for their demands. On the other hand, they might be worth a second look, especially if you are a landscape photographer.

A Premium Canon Ultra-wide Angle Lens Is on the Way

The Canon RF lens lineup is growing nicely, though there is still a hole at the ultra-wide angle end of the lineup. Thankfully, however, that will likely change soon, with a premium ultra-wide angle lens on the way.  

5 Purchases You Can Make to Immediately Improve Your Landscape Photography

Don't let anyone tell you gear doesn't matter. It does. It might not be the only thing that goes into getting good images, but it's certainly a big factor. But not all the gear you need has to be bodies and lenses. Here, learn about five purchases you can make to transform your landscape photography overnight.

The Sigma 60-600mm vs the Sony 200-600mm: Best Wildlife Zoom Lens Shootout

Lens makers these days are coming up with some incredible options that were unheard of just a few short years ago. That continues here, with the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 lens put up against the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 in a battle for the title of best wildlife lens. You could also make a case for it being an action sports lens shootout too.

A Review of the Fujifilm X-T5 Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm's latest entry in the X Series, the X-T5, brings with it some of the company's newest and most advanced features and capabilities in its most well-known design. Can it compete with the many powerful full frame options on the market? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you will be able to expect from it.  

A Deep Look at the New Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens

The new Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is one of the company's most versatile lenses yet, covering everything from normal to supertelephoto focal lengths and promising to do so with great performance and image quality, making it a potentially fantastic option for sports photography, wildlife work, and more. Can it live up to its potential?

One of the Most Useful and Overlooked Camera Features

Modern cameras are impressively capable machines, full of a range of advanced features and capabilities. One of the most useful features has been around for much longer than mirrorless cameras, though; in fact, it goes back to the film era.

Apple Announces New MacBook Pro and Mac mini Models Featuring M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max Chips

Today, Apple announced the next generation of the Mac mini, powered by the M2 and new M2 Pro chips, as well as the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, powered by the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. 

MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pros features the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, the latest in Apple's widely acclaimed chip series. Here's what you can expect:

Fujifilm X-T5 Versus Canon EOS R5: Battle of the High Res Sensors

In this video, I test the new Fujifilm X-T5 against the Canon EOS R5, which is my go-to studio camera. Originally, I intended only to compare the image quality of Fuji's new 40-megapixel cropped sensor against Canon's 45-megapixel full-frame sensor, but after using the X-T5 for a number of sessions in my studio I decided to make a friendly general comparison of the two cameras. 

A Fujifilm Camera and Lens Kit for Wedding Photographers

Fujifilm's mirrorless cameras are highly respected for their design, capabilities, and innovative features, and they have become the system of choice for many wedding photographers. This great video essay features a wedding photographer taking you through the Fujifilm cameras, lenses, and accessories he uses for the big day.  

A Review of the Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera

Sony's a7R series has long been respected for offering extremely high levels of resolution (the highest available in a full frame camera, in fact), along with a range of advanced features that make it the workhorse of choice for a wide range of applications. Now in its fifth generation, the a7R is quite refined and can satisfy the needs of many users.

Our First Look at the New Sony FE 20-70mm F/4 G

There's definitely more than meets the eye with this new standard zoom lens option. Aside from a wider range and a smaller size, let’s see what else this has to offer. 

Testing the Sigma 65mm f/2 for Portraits

If you're a portrait photographer, you'll know the feeling of getting a new lens and going on your first portrait shoots with it. That feeling was strong for me over a decade ago and it's just as strong now! 

The Good and Bad of Fujifilm Cameras

Fujifilm has established itself as a leader in the photography industry with cameras that have earned devoted fans from all genres. Just like any other company, though, there are good and bad aspects. What are the pros and cons of Fujifilm cameras? This excellent video essay takes a deep look at Fujifilm cameras and how they perform in a competitive world.  

The Gloves Are Off: EF Glass Working on Panasonic S5 II

Panasonic’s latest and greatest cameras will have a much better chance of success. 

A few years ago, I wrote about what Panasonic would need to win the full frame fight. Their flagship S1H had killer features, but lacked any reliable way to adapt lenses to L mount. I felt that they didn’t understand their core audience.

Is This the Best Street Photography Camera?

Ricoh's GR series of compact cameras have long been considered some of the best options for street photography, as they offer a wide angle lens paired with a large sensor for a compact body, making them discreet but powerful. This excellent video review takes a look at the latest version, the GR IIIx, and how it performs for street photography.  

Myth Busted: High Megapixel Cameras Do Not Produce More Noise in Low Light

There's been a long-held belief that higher-megapixel cameras produce more noise in low-light situations. Here, different models of Fuji, Canon, and Sony cameras are compared side-by-side to prove that high-megapixel cameras do not produce more noise than lower-megapixel models when lighting conditions are poor.

Is This the Ultimate Wedding Photography Lens?

In the past few years, Tamron has reinvented themselves as a company that offers both lenses that make smart compromises to be highly affordable and lenses that push the boundaries of design.