Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
A Photographer's Review: The Dell XPS 15 Laptop

I've lived with the Dell XPS 15 laptop as my main computer for all my photo and video editing for the past year. Should you buy it for your photo editing? Here's my full review of what it's like as a creative content maker, warts and all.

Fstoppers Reviews the Akaso Brave 7 LE Action Camera

Akaso's new Brave 7 LE is an affordable dual-display action camera that records in 4K video and takes 20 MP photos. At an affordable $139, it's an excellent entry point into the world of action cameras.

The Bad and the Beautiful: Where Does Helmut Newton Fit Into Our New World?

Over the last few years, we've increasingly and very publicly questioned our behaviors, our politics, our history, our heroes, our statues, and our art. It's only reasonable that we question our photography idols. Where do Helmut Newton's hyper-erotic photography and his ruminations on power fit into our new world?

AI-Powered Retouching With Portrait Pro 19

Retouching can take a long time, especially cleaning up skin. But Anthropics aims to fix that with their new version of Portrait Pro, with AI-powered skin retouching. Does it live up to the hype? Let's find out.

What I Won’t Travel Without: Fstoppers Reviews Caldigit’s Tuff Nano

Between 45 MP raw files and 4K video, it’s tougher than ever to ensure that the content you produce on a trip can actually make it home. Add Apple’s absurd pricing for a soldered-in SSD, and you can probably spend as much on storage for a trip as a business class plane ticket. Caldigit is a name you might not be familiar with, but it might offer the perfect solution.

Fstoppers Reviews the Moment Sling Bag

Most of us have a camera bag or even several bags that we use depending on the shoot we’ve got to pack for. But it’s not every day a brand makes a bag that makes you think differently about your day out shooting.

Fstoppers Reviews the Haida M10 Insert Variable ND Filter

Haida released the M10 Insert Variable ND filter for their M10 filter system. It has to be used with the normal M10 circular polarization filter. Haida kindly provided me with the brand new variable neutral density filter to try it out. These are my findings.

Fstoppers Reviews Haida's Red Diamond Series Filters

When Haida reached out to me 12 months ago to test their M10 filter holder, they included their 10 stop Red Diamond filter. I was asked to give a honest review of the filter holder and how I felt about it.

Why the Loupedeck CT Is My New Must-Have Editing Tool

When it comes to editing, saving time is always part of my thought process. I want to deliver the best results in as little time as possible. The Loupedeck CT helps me do that without any sacrifices.

Fstoppers Reviews the Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony

More and more lens companies are starting to realize that mirrorless cameras are here to stay. So, I was excited to try out one of the first prime lenses from Tamron that were specifically designed for Sony.

Review: Haida M10 Drop-in One Million X Edition ND Filter

Have you ever tried to look at the sun? Its fierce light can damage your eyes and make you blind. Haida has introduced the One Million X Edition Neutral Density Filter, which should allow you to photograph the sun in a safe way. I got a chance to use this amazing filter.

Do the New Photoshop and Lightroom Updates Affect You?

New features added to Photoshop and Lightroom today might change how you edit your photos, but it entirely depends on what kind of images you make and what your current workflow is like. This is my review of the new features and whether you'll want to dive in or avoid them.

Fstoppers Reviews BatchPhoto: Batch Editing Nirvana?

Pro photographers are time-limited, so anything that can not only streamline your workflow but save you time has got to be a worthwhile investment. In the competitive world of digital asset management, how does BatchPhoto stack up?

Fstoppers Reviews the Kandao QooCam 8K: The Holy Grail of 360 Cameras for Photographers?

In the automotive world, there’s a saying that there’s no replacement for displacement — a bigger engine is a bigger engine, and that’s all there is to it. One can say that this is the approach that Kandao is taking with its new QooCam 8K: more resolution and larger sensor sizes that make for quite an appealing 360 camera on paper and, as it turns out, in real life too.

Airdata: An Essential Tool for Drone Pilots?

Whether you’ve just gotten a drone to escape quarantine via the skies, or you’ve been flying professionally for a while, having access to more detailed flight information can help make you a better pilot. Airdata, a flight data platform, promises to give pilots broad insight into their drone’s data. Do they deliver?

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm X-T4: A Deviation

In a release cycle reminiscent of certain other manufacturers, Fujifilm decided to replace their flagship X-T series camera in 18 months rather than the usual 2 years. With a smattering of feature updates, a new battery, and a couple of cosmetic changes, is it really worth the upgrade from the X-T3? Let’s find out.

The All-New 2020 Dell XPS 15 and 17

The Dell XPS 15 has been my favorite laptop for many years. The new update looks amazing, but I personally can't buy one based on one simple flaw.

The Monitor That Made Me Say Wow: A Review of BenQ’s 4K PD3200U

In the last few years, monitor technology has gone in a number of new and unique directions, with technology like ultra-wide aspect ratios, HDR support, and 8K resolution. Each of those features appeals to a particular user, but it almost seems like content creators have been left out.

Fstoppers Reviews the Steelsring Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Smart Autofocus Adapter

For many photographers and videographers, part of the fun of having a mirrorless camera is the wide variety of lenses that can be adapted to the body due to the shorter flange distance made possible by removing the mirror. In this article, we'll be taking a look at one such adapter, the Steelsring Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Smart Autofocus Adapter.

Hands on With the Phase One XT: A Digital Medium Format Field Camera

Phase One’s new XT is the modern-day version of the large format field camera, complete with field camera movements and spectacular large format style lenses. Its distinctive design combined with an IQ4 brain and its innovative tools make for a head-turning technical camera solution.

Fstoppers Review: Lensbaby's Velvet 28, Your New Favorite Creative Tool

Since 2004, Lensbaby has been an industry innovator, designing outside-the-box creative lenses and accessories. While other manufacturers chase the expensive, high-tech, spec-fixated market, Lensbaby pursues something entirely different: helping artists find a new creative approach through unique effects delivered by fully analog products.

The Photographer's Guide to Buying Your First Dedicated Video Camera

If you're a photographer interested in exploring video, there is a plethora of options available for you right now. Since the launch of the Canon 5D Mark II around a decade ago, video functionality has been a growing part of every DSLR and mirrorless camera to date. But there's always a trade-off when it comes to hybrid cameras. Here's why you should consider buying a dedicated video camera if you want to diversify your work and make video a dedicated service along with your photography.

Fstoppers Reviews RNI's All Films 5 Preset Pack for Adobe Lightroom and ACR

Late last year, Really Nice Images released their latest Lightroom preset pack, All Films 5. I've spent the last couple of months experimenting with it and will share my experience with it so far. I'll dig into the flagship features of creative profiles, native fading, and highlight protection to see if they are all they're cracked up to be.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm X-T200: All Touchscreen, (Almost) All the Time

The Fujifilm X-T200 looks like it swallowed an iPhone. With a screen size that matches that of a previous-generation iPhone 4, it might as well have. It's this screen that is the camera's most significant selling point, boldly signaling to smartphone users to put down their poor, small-sensor cameras to embrace this instead. It primarily works for its intended audience, with a few caveats.