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.

We Review the Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 Lens: A Manual Focus Treasure

Do you have a lens in your collection that brings you joy every time you use it? One that begs to be used because of how beautifully it renders the world around you, and you can’t help but wonder how a specific subject might look when photographed with it? I recently found that lens for myself with the Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4, and to be honest, it has been an unexpected love affair. 

A Review of the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4 PRO Lens

With an 80-300mm equivalent focal length range in a light and compact body, the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4 PRO looks like the ideal lens for a wide range of applications. Can its performance and image quality keep up with professional demands, though? This excellent video review takes a look to answer that question.  

A Review of the New Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera

The Canon 7D series was one of the most popular cameras the manufacturer ever made, offering many of the features of more advanced full frame cameras in smaller and much more affordable bodies. The EOS R7 is its mirrorless successor, and it brings with it a wide range of new features and impressive capabilities.

Fujifilm GFX 100S Versus Leica M11: Who Has the Best Color?

Fujifilm has been compared to Leica for quite some time. In most cases, it's been comparisons between Fujifilm X-mount cameras and Leica M series and Q series cameras. Many of these comparisons tend to focus on color; however, the sensor size advantage remained on the side of Leica. So, how does a full frame Leica fare against a medium format Fujifilm camera?  

A Review of the New MacBook Air

The new Apple MacBook Air has arrived, and it brings with it a newly designed chassis, a new chip, a bigger screen, and a whole range of other new features and improvements over the already highly respected M1 MacBook Air. So, how does Apple's ultra-portable laptop perform with all these upgrades?

Quickly and Easily Archive Photos: We Review the Epson FastFoto FF-680W Scanner

Most of us over 30 have at least one box of old photo prints in a closet somewhere, and digitizing them is a worthwhile if tedious task. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W scanner seeks to make quick and easy work of that task while still producing high-quality results, and in this review, we take a look at what you can expect from it in practice.  

A Review of the Fujifilm X-H2S Mirrorless Camera for Photography

Fujifilm's X-H2S is the newest camera in the company's popular X Series line of mirrorless cameras, and with it come a variety of improvements and new features, most notable being a new sensor. This awesome video review takes a look at the camera for photography purposes, including the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.  

Now Is Your Chance to Save on Sony Cameras and Lenses

Sony has announced sales on some of their most popular cameras and lenses for the next few days only. Check out the savings here!  

The discounts include some of the company's most respected cameras and lenses:

Nikon Is Likely Done Creating New DSLRs

In news that really isn't a surprise to many, Nikon will likely no longer develop any new DSLR cameras, now turning their focus entirely to their mirrorless lineup. 

Essential and Helpful Tools for Photographing Waterfalls

Photographing waterfalls is more tedious than it looks. In this instance, physical aspects of the gear you use heavily impact the success of each shot. Here are some important and helpful tools to have out in the field. 

Bokeh Machine: A Review of the Sony 135mm f/1.8 Lens

The 85mm lens is generally the most popular choice for portrait photography, but 135mm has long been an alternate favorite of a lot of photographers. Just like the former focal length, there are some impressive 135mm options out there, one being the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM.

A Review of the Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera

The Canon EOS R5 got most of the attention when it was first announced along with the EOS R6, but the latter is an impressively capable camera, and for a lot of creatives, it might actually be the more appropriate choice. This excellent video review takes a look at the ESO R6 and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.  

Portable Power for All Your Devices: We Review the Anker PowerHouse II 300

If you are someone who spends many hours or even days away from a power source, you know how difficult it can be to keep all your devices properly topped off. With a huge battery and a variety of smart features, the Anker PowerHouse II 300 seeks to remedy that conundrum. In this review, we take a look at the PowerHouse and how it performs.  

Continuous Lights Versus Flash: Which Is Better for Portrait Photography?

Portrait photography is arguably the biggest segment in the photography industry. The majority of photography equipment tends to focus more on portrait and people photography. Lighting is one of those key bits of equipment. The kind of lighting you use can impact a lot of things and not just the results you produce.  

Is This the Best Landscape Photography Camera Money Can Buy?

Fujifilm's GFX line of medium format mirrorless cameras rewrote medium format's role in the industry, taking it from a niche tool used by a few studios and rental houses and making it a viable alternative to full frame bodies, particularly for landscape, wedding, and portrait photographers.

A Review of the Fujifilm X-H2S Mirrorless Camera

The Fujifilm X-H2S is the latest entry in the company's respected X Series line of mirrorless cameras, and it brings along a wide range of new features and improved capabilities. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage. 

Important Advice on Gear and Photography

Whether you are a new or highly experienced photographer, the allure of new gear can be strong. And there is nothing wrong with geeking out over the latest and greatest, but when that starts inhibiting your growth as a photographer because you are blaming the tools for a lack of technical or creative growth, it can become a serious problem.

How to Choose the Right Film Camera for You

Film photography is experiencing a real surge in popularity, and the beauty of it is that there are decades upon decades of used film cameras available, meaning you have a ton of options in which to find the perfect model for your needs and budget.

Can This Sub-$200 85mm f/1.8 Lens Keep Up With More Expensive Options?

85mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are some of the most popular out there, particularly for portrait photographers, but they can also run well north of $2,000 for a good model. And so, at less than $200, the Meike 85mm f/1.8 is quite the intriguing lens, but do you get much at such a low price?

How to Choose the Right Camera for Video

If you're looking at trying a new area of photography or videography, or are just getting started in the craft, there's no doubt that making the right decision on gear is a difficult one. As the number of options has surged, so has the number of voices. 

How Infrared Photography Can Turn Boring Shots in Entrancing Photos

Sometimes, the thing you need to break out of a creative rut is a new or unusual way of creating images, and an infrared-modified camera is one such example of that. This great video will show you how an infrared-converted camera can take normal, uninteresting scenes and breathe new creative life into them.  

Duo Boards Might Be the Perfect Photography Surface for Food and Product Shoots

If you are like me, you probably have a closet full of random tiles, boards, and construction scraps just in the event you need an interesting surface to shoot on. These new photography surfaces by Duo Boards set out to change my messy studio, and this photography tutorial shows you how useful these backdrops can be! 

4 Reasons Why the Autofocus of Your Camera Is Failing

The modern autofocus systems are advanced. Sometimes, it looks like you will never again miss a shot when it comes down to focusing. But the autofocus can still fail under certain circumstances. Let’s look at the moments when even the most advanced autofocus can give up. 

A Review of the Versatile Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens

24-70mm f/2.8 lenses are the workhorses of choice for a huge range of photographers and filmmakers, as they offer a very versatile focal length range in tandem with a wide maximum aperture. Nonetheless, not everyone needs that f/2.8 aperture, and if you are willing to exchange that for f/4, you can get even more focal length range at a reduced price.

What Gear Does a Professional Photographer Really Need?

When you are a hobbyist, you can drop whatever money you can reasonably afford on gear if it makes you happy. However, when you are a professional, gear is a business expense, and as such, you have to pay more careful attention to its impact on your bottom line and if you truly need it.

Does This $73 Lens Produce Reasonable Images?

Normally, lenses with wide maximum apertures, such as f/1.4, sit at the expensive end of the spectrum, costing anywhere from several hundred to multiple thousands of dollars. And so, a new 35mm f/1.4 lens that costs just $73 is sure to turn some heads, but can it actually turn in decent images?

A Comparison of the Canon EOS R3 and R5 Mirrorless Cameras

The Canon EOS R3 and EOS R5 are the company's two most powerful full frame cameras at the moment, offering powerful though different feature sets at two distinct price points. So, which is right for your work? This great video review takes a good look at both cameras to help you decide which is right for your needs.  

How Much Does Image Quality Really Matter?

Modern cameras and lenses offer remarkably good image quality — levels that were only dreamed of even just a decade ago. And with those increased capabilities have come increased standards and expectations. But at this point, how much image quality do we really need? This interesting video poses the question and examines a scenario where getting the shot might take precedence.  

How Much Lens Does $13,000 Get You?

Canon's supertelephoto prime lenses are some of the most extreme lenses out there in terms of image quality, performance, and yes, price. If you are able and willing to shell out for one, though, you can generally expect a superlative experience. So, what exactly does that $13,000 get you?

A Review of the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II Lens

24-70mm f/2.8 lenses are the workhorses of choice for a wide variety of photographers and filmmakers, suitable for anything from weddings to landscape work and much more. Sony recently released the second iteration of their version, the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in p

Why You Should Consider a Telephoto Zoom Lens for Landscape Photography

When you think of landscape photography, you probably think of using a lens with a wider focal length range, such as a 16-35mm. Of course, there is a reason such lenses are so widely used, but they are not the only option. In fact, much longer focal lengths can create equally compelling photos.

10 of the Best Sony Lenses

Sony has expanded their lens lineup quite a bit in the past few years, and they now offer a wide range of focal length options for many applications and budgets. If you are wondering which lenses are right for your work, check out this great video that features an experienced photographer discussing his 10 favorite Sony lenses.  

A Review of the Panasonic GH6 Mirrorless Camera

The GH6 is the latest entry in Panasonic's popular line of mirrorless micro four thirds cameras, and it brings with it a wide variety of improved capabilities and new features. This great video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.  

A Review of the Unique Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 FE Lens

The Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 FE offers a unique focal length in a lens that is quite lightweight and compact in addition to being very affordable, making it an interesting option for portrait photographers. 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.  

f/0.95 for $218: How Good Is the TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 Lens?

A 50mm lens with a very wide maximum aperture can tackle a wide variety of scenarios and needs ranging from portraiture to events coverage. Nonetheless, such lenses can easily run north of $2,000, which makes the $218 price tag on the TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 lens particularly eye-catching. Can it offer much at that price point, though?