Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
The Tone Wheels in Photo Studio Ultimate 2021 Are Powerful Editing Tools

Color is one of the most important aspects in photography. If you've read any of my previous articles, color is the thing that I'm frequently yapping on about, because it really is crucial. It's what gives many images that emotional connection that we feel and that connection can make or break an image.

Fstoppers Reviews the Canon EOS R6

While everyone is talking about the Canon EOS R5, its little brother seems to get less attention. The Canon EOS R6 looks like the same camera, but with less resolution. But the Canon EOS R6 is a complete different camera all together. Let's have a look at it.

The Nik Collection 25th Anniversary Update Has Some Solid Improvements

Has it been 25 years? Amazing. I remember when Nils Kokemohr founded Nik Multimedia in 1995, which later became Nik Software in 2006. The package included plugins for color management and editing, another for enhancing or creating black and white images, sharpening tools, and later HDR software to help photographers increase the dynamic range of their images.

Simple GoPro Mounts That Give You So Many Options

Have you ever wished you had more GoPro mounts, because it was such a time-consuming operation to unscrew it to add to another and then missing the moment because of it? This solves that problem.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujinon XF 50mm f/1 R WR: The Emotional Lens (Part 2)

In the previous section of this review, I looked at the physical qualities and autofocus capabilities of Fujifilm's brand new XF 50mm f/1 R WR. In this second piece, I'll be looking exclusively at its optical characteristics. There's a lot to unpack here as well. So, let's get started with the juicy stuff!

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujinon XF 50mm f/1 R WR: The Emotional Lens (Part 1)

Fujifilm recently released the XF 50mm f/1 R WR, a lens they are affectionately calling “The One.” With its extreme maximum aperture of f/1 and a price tag to match, it has been dividing comment sections ever since its release. Is it worth the extra cash? What does it offer over Fujifilm’s existing fast lenses? What does it give up? Let’s find out.

Fstoppers Reviews the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 APS-C: The Perfect X-Mount Portrait Lens?

A portrait lens is up there as one of the key acquisitions in pretty much every photographer's lens collection. The release of Viltrox's auto-focus 56mm f/1.4 in Fuji X-mount is therefore highly anticipated because it combines AF and a fast aperture all at a highly economical price point. Is it worth the money?

Pro Panel for Photoshop Can Save You Time and Effort

Photoshop has a lot of power, but for many editors, some of the features are arcane, involve multiple steps, or are too complicated to bother with. That's where Photoshop Extensions come in. It's an architecture that Adobe provides that falls between a plug-in and a Photoshop Action. As a result, some experienced Photoshop users with programming skills have created some really useful extensions that are useful to both beginner editors and pros.

Fstoppers Reviews the Leica Q2 Monochrom: Are Black and White Cameras Worth It?

When it comes to niche cameras, Leica is probably somewhere near the top of the list. This is especially the case with Leica Monochrom cameras. The most recent release from the company is a black and white version of the compact fixed lens camera, the Leica Q2. The new Monochrom version promises lots when it comes to image quality.

Stream Multiple Cameras to Multiple Social Networks, No Laptop Needed

2019 CES award-winning YoloBox looks like a tablet monitor when you unpack it, but it so much more than that. If you’re planning on streaming an event like a wedding live on location, it’s the only device you need to connect to your cameras and sound equipment, so you can share it with an online audience on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch, all at once.

Sony a7S III Review: My Favorite Video Camera Ever

For the last three years, I've filmed everything on the Pansonic GH5. It was almost the perfect camera except for three things: autofocus, low-light performance, and shallow depth of field. In comes the Sony a7S III.

'The Way I See It': Pete Souza Throwing Shade

The Way I See It is marketed as a look behind the curtain of two of the most iconic U.S. Presidencies in the last century, courtesy of White House Photographer Pete Souza. It's quite a bit more than that. To be upfront, if you don't believe in photojournalism or the importance of a historical record, if you're a Trump supporter with thin skin, or if you have an inability to think critically, this movie likely isn't for you. To be honest, neither is this article.

Fstoppers Reviews the Gaomon PD156 Pro Editing Tablet

When it comes to editing, most people prefer a pen over a mouse to get finer detail and more accuracy. And the holy grail of this experience is to be able to use your pen on an actual screen. So today, we are taking a look at the Gaomon PD156 Pro.

Fstoppers Review DxO PhotoLab 4 With DeepPRIME AI and a Host of Compelling Features

Today, DxO is taking the wraps off their latest update to their PhotoLab series, PhotoLab 4. It's a major update of its multiple award-winning photo-editing software. This latest version features DxO DeepPRIME, a revolutionary demosaicing and denoising technology based on artificial intelligence and trained with deep learning.

Fstoppers Reviews the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock

In today’s computing landscape, laptops are replacing desktops for many on-the-go creative and business professionals. There are still, however, a few things that make a desktop setup more productive for many. A Thunderbolt Dock, such as the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock, can help to bridge that productivity gap when you return home or to the office. Let’s take a look at how it stacks up in today’s article.

Photo Studio Ultimate 2021's Color Wheel Tool Will Change the Way You Edit Color

ACDSee's brand new edition of Photo Studio Ultimate has arrived on the scene and offers a powerful new tool to revolutionize color editing in your photography workflow. With plenty of fantastic new features, upgrades to old favorites, and a few time-saving innovations, this software is a strong contender in the world of photo editing.

The Best Thing to Happen to Medium Format: Fstoppers Reviews the Hasselblad 907X 50C

The last few years have been difficult for camera manufacturers. The silver lining to this is the fact that manufacturers have been really pushing the boundaries and producing incredible cameras systems and lenses. Although Fujifilm has done amazing things for medium format, Hasselblad truly has something incredible with its latest system.

Fstoppers Reviews the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L Mirrorless Lens

I find a 70-200mm lens one of the most versatile lenses available. It is a perfect lens for different types of photography. Canon released the 70-200mm lens for its mirrorless camera system at the end of 2019. I was able to use this lens for a while, and these are my findings.

Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4: The GFX Mid-Range Zoom

The mid-range zoom is a staple for many working photographers. 24-70mm equivalent is one of those not-so-sexy-but-gets-the-job-done lenses that we all need in our bag from time to time. When it comes to M43, APS-C, or full-frame cameras, there are a plethora of options out there. In the form of the GF 45-100mm f/4, Fujifilm has attempted to address the lack of such a lens in the medium format world. So, how good is it?

Award-Winning VFX Specialists Boris FX Releases Software for Photographers

There are many apps for photographers. Developing a workflow and testing each of them is all part of the process of developing a style and unique look. Some of us use Lightroom, others prefer Capture One or Photoshop or a combination of them all. And every once in a while, something is released that invigorates your work in a new way.

Kandao's QooCam Fun Is Easy to Use, But Sacrifices Image Quality

There are a lot of cameras out there that are aimed at the burgeoning “vlogger” segment, from interchangeable lens cameras with flip-out screens, to converted action cameras. Kandao takes a different approach, repurposing some of its 360 technology to create the QooCam Fun.

Review: Topaz DeNoise AI Ups the Game for Removing Noise

I took a look at Topaz DeNoise AI earlier this year and found it effective at removing noise without killing the details in your images. My only complaint was that it was not a speed demon. On some large images, I had to wait almost a minute before the image was cleaned up. Is that better in the latest version?

Fstoppers Reviews the Billlingham Hadley One Camera Bag

In my experience, I find that luxury bags can be a polarizing issue among photographers. Some see absolutely no reason to spend hundreds of dollars on cameras bags; however, there are many that simply won't settle for less.

Fstoppers' Long-Term Review of the Fujifilm X100V Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm's X100 series of cameras have won the hearts of photographers the world over. As a second body on client shoots or a walk-around camera with excellent image quality for travel or recreation, there are not many cameras out there that can take its place. On the fifth iteration of the camera, the X100V, Fujifilm made some major changes to the camera, but are they enough to make it a worthwhile upgrade from previous models?

Fstoppers Reviews the Canon EOS R5 From a Photographer's Perspective

If you have missed the launch of the Canon EOS R5 mirrorless full frame camera, you have lived under a rock for at least a year. Or perhaps you aren't interested in new cameras. The Canon EOS R5 is the most advanced Canon mirrorless camera on the market. Canon Netherlands gave me one for a week to make an extensive review.

Fstoppers Reviews the PGYTECH OneMo Camera Bag: One Bag to Rule Them All?

What do you get when you cross a solo event photographer’s working bag with your favorite business travel backpack that you can also take on a day hike through the Adirondacks to photograph your favorite waterfall? How close are we to having the perfect photographer’s camera bag that ticks each and every box?

Fstoppers Reviews Venus Optics 14mm: A Mirrorless Wide Angle with Zero Distortion?

Both Nikon and Canon’s new mirrorless mounts don’t have huge libraries of existing lens designs available for legacy mounts. While adapters help, a native option can offer a number of advantages. Venus Optics, noted for their unique lens designs, has just launched a new wide-angle with native mount support for a wide variety of mirrorless cameras. Is it worth checking out?

A Great App for Sharing Your Camera Settings on Social Media

Sharing your work on social media, you may come across a few people who ask "what are your camera settings for this shot" or something similar. There are even a few groups on Facebook that have this as a requirement to post your work. There are a few different ways you can do this, but here's an app that makes it easy.

The Contax 645 AF: A Very Longterm Review

The Contax 645 AF is a relatively small and lightweight medium format film camera dating from the late 1990s. It’s a camera that will largely appeal to analog photographers looking to benefit from the greater resolution of 120 film, while still retaining many of the advantages of a 35mm SLR in terms of speed and mobility.

SnipBack for iOS and Android Gives You a Second Chance at Photos

How often is it that you miss that great selfie expression, kid photo, or sports play because you didn't have your camera running at the right time? It happens to me a lot, but a new app for iOS and very soon coming to Android called SnipBack has some good ideas to fix this issue, and it makes me think that our pro gear could learn a few lessons here.

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.