Gear Reviews

Tamron really hit it out of the park with the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, which offered an incredible balance between performance, image quality, portability, and, perhaps most importantly of all, price. The second iteration of the lens is now available, and it builds on the original with a range of improvements.

We take ridiculously powerful autofocus that can lock onto something like a subject's eye and track it through a challenging environment for granted nowadays, and we sometimes forget that there was a time when autofocus did not even exist.

Apple's M1 chip turned the computing world on its head when it first arrived, and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips took things several steps further, promising even better performance in tandem with highly impressive battery life. So, how does the latest MacBook Pro perform in practice, under the demands of a professional creative?

The Canon EOS R5 grabbed a lot of headlines when it came out, mostly for features like blazing fast autofocus, a 20 fps burst rate, and 8K raw video. And while those are all quite impressive, the EOS R5 also came with one of the best sensors the company has ever produced, making it an intriguing option for landscape photographers.

50mm lenses run the gamut from under $100 to well over $1,000 and everywhere in between. Almost every new photographer is told to buy one of the budget options, a nifty fifty, but this lens offers a bit of an upgrade in performance and image quality without flirting with the stratospheric prices of top-shelf options. Is it worth the bump in price?

Much of commercial photography is about marketing. Agency Access is a service that is aimed at helping commercial photographers market their work efficiently. But how good is it? Here is my review of Agency Access. 

There are several business management platforms on the market, but few are aimed solely at photographers. Light Blue is a fabulous option, and its unique features set it well ahead of the competition.  

How do you bring your gear for a hike while keeping yourself comfortable? This is a viable option.  

Few lenses are more classic than a wide-aperture 85mm, which is often the preferred choice of portrait photographers. Nonetheless, a good 85mm lens can be awfully expensive.

Some cameras are designed to be pragmatic tools, meant to reliably get the shot without fuss no matter what situation you throw them into. Other cameras put form first, offering stylish designs meant to inspire your creativity. It is a rare camera that does both equally well.

Irix has created a name for themselves by manufacturing manual focus prime lenses that are rugged, affordable, and quite sharp, making them a compelling option for any genre where autofocus is not a requirement.

Neither of these looks like a regular photographer’s bag. They are rugged but attractive, and no matter where you go, you'll look stylish while knowing your gear is safe and well protected.   

The Sandmarc Motion Pro Variable filter can be used for both filming and photography. For me, it excels at one more than the other, not because of quality, but because of ease of use. 

A 24-70mm f/2.8 is the workhorse lens of choice for a lot of photographers and filmmakers, offering a versatile focal length range and wide maximum aperture. One such lens for Fujifilm shooters is the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR, and this excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.  

A 50mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most versatile lenses a photographer can own, offering a relatively neutral focal length suitable for everything from portraits to landscapes and the ability to shoot in low light or leverage subject-isolating narrow depth of field.

In September this year, Fujifilm announced a wide range of new primes, seemingly part of an ongoing effort to update its range of glass with sharper lenses complete with better autofocus and wider apertures. Has Fujifilm produced a better lens than the 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR? 

A wide-aperture 85mm lens is always a popular choice for portrait photography, but such lenses can often run well north of $2,000. However, the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 lens promises a classic optic at a much more affordable price, and this excellent video review takes a look at if it can provide the sort of performance and image quality professionals still demand.  

I’ve tried several 70-200mm lenses for the Sony system, and even as I stood there holding it in my hands, I could hardly believe the new 70-200mm f/2.8 II from Sony.  

Nikon allowed me to try out a preproduction model of the Nikon Z 9. This long-awaited camera turned out to be a marvel. During a fortnight, I came to appreciate this camera a lot. In this article, I'll tell you about my experience. 

A good macro lens is super versatile: useful for a lot more than just tiny details, including portraits, ring shots, and way more. For Sony shooters, the FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS looks to fill that role, but can it keep up with the demands of the 61-megapixel Sony a7R IV? This great video review takes a look.  

Zoom lenses have made some remarkable advancements, but that does not mean primes have stagnated in the meantime. Canon's 28-70mm f/2L USM is one of the most impressive zooms in a long time, blurring the line between prime and zoom, while their RF 85mm f/1.2L USM sets the standard for 85mm portrait lenses.

Perhaps no type of lens generates more admiration, envy, and fighting than a wide-aperture 85mm lens. As the classic portrait focal length, such lenses often carry their respective manufacturer's best technology, offering that shallow depth of field and buttery bokeh so many photographers crave.

A 24-70mm f/2.8 is the bread and butter lens for a huge range of photographers and filmmakers, offering a wide maximum aperture in tandem with some of the most commonly used focal lengths.

I have never loved a fixed prime lens camera, except for the Fujifilm X100 series. Quirky, fun, and impressively capable, these small cameras have become quite respected across the industry.

It might not be the most exciting lens out there, but Nikon's NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 is highly portable, affordable, and surprisingly sharp given its size and price. If you are looking for such a lens, check out this excellent video that takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.  

It was the best of tripods, it was an even better tripod. This is why I ended up upgrading what I was already very pleased with to what I think is the best tripod my money could buy. 

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens was highly respected for being relatively affordable compared to other premium lenses while still offering tack-sharp images, fantastic image stabilization, and of course, 1:1 macro capability, all making for one of the most versatile lenses out there.

I’ve never been one to consider style in my bag purchases, but if that style comes at no extra cost, then, why not? That’s certainly the case with the new HEX x Misshattan Ranger DSLR Sling, a different take on the company’s regular Ranger DSLR Sling. 

Hasselblad's 907X 50C is one of the more unique cameras to come along in quite some time, putting a modern medium format sensor in a body completely devoid of a viewfinder, meant to be used like a TLR camera of yesteryear. This great video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.  

A 100-400mm zoom lens is highly versatile, useful for anything from sports and wildlife photography to landscape work and more.

Lens designs have been pushed to some pretty extreme lengths in the past decade or so, with full frame options like 50mm f/0.95 or 28-70mm f/2 becoming standard fare. However, the most extreme consumer lens design ever made might be from several decades ago.

As a professional nature photographer, Topaz DeNoise is an essential part of my workflow. I had heard about it for years, but since I owned Lightroom and Photoshop, I didn’t add Topaz into my software library until last spring. I was late to the party, but at least I can save you the trouble. Just DeNoise alone is worth every penny. Come see why. 

Nikon's Z 9 mirrorless camera is here, and it challenges the supremacy of the Sony a1 and Canon EOS R3 at the top of the professional mirrorless camera race. One of the genres that often demands such cameras is wildlife photography, and this awesome video review takes a look at how the Z 9 performs.  

The Canon EOS R5 and the recent EOS R3 have received most of the attention the last few years, but hidden behind them is the EOS R6, which offers a lot of the same features and advanced capabilities at a much more affordable price. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from the camera in practice.  

Canon's EOS R3 is here, and it takes another major step forward for the company, offering specs sure to capture the attention of a lot of photographers and videographers. Do those specs hold up in the real world? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from the camera.  

40mm lenses have become a bit more popular in recent years, offering an interesting and unusual focal length between the much more standard 35mm and 50mm options. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 is one such lens, and with a small footprint and light weight combined with an affordable price, it makes for a compelling option.

The Nikon Z 9 is finally here, and it takes square aim at Canon's and Sony's top cameras, giving Nikon shooters a powerful body suitable for a wide range of professional applications. This great hands-on video takes a look at the new camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.  

The Sony a7 IV is probably one of the best bang-for-buck cameras on the market right now. With its high-resolution 33-megapixel full frame sensor along with a slew of high-end video features, it fits the needs of professional creatives. If you're thinking about purchasing this camera but want to know how it performs, then this video might be useful to you.  

There is no doubt that mirrorless is the future, and while all the major manufacturers have been producing some mightily impressive cameras, not all of us need those top-shelf features, nor do we all want to spend money on expensive bodies.

Having more gear is usually fun. Until you have to pack for a big trip or shoot and charge all your batteries, that is.  

Professional wide angle zoom lenses tend to have apertures of f/2.8, but for photographers who do not need that extra light-gathering power, choosing an f/4 zoom can mean significant savings in both weight and cost (and sometimes other gains).

Canon has impressed us time and again with their RF lenses, which push the boundaries of design and performance. Such superlative lenses are not cheap, however, and many photographers may be looking for more reasonably priced options.

When it comes to buying new lights, you first need to decide if you want a continuous light or flash, which can be a difficult decision if you shoot both photography and video work. But with the new Reflex S from StellaPro, you no longer need to decide.  

One of the most commercially successful lenses in recent years was the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, which offered an impressive blend of performance, image quality, and portability all at a very affordable price, particularly when compared to other 24-70mm f/2.8 options. The second iteration of the lens is here, and it brings with it a range of improvements.

Tamron has turned quite a few heads in the past few years by offering lenses that significantly undercut the prices of first-party options while still offering impressive performance and image quality. One such lens is the new 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, and this great video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in practice.  

Canon's EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens was known for being a bit of a hidden gem in the company's lineup, offering true 1:1 macro performance, sharp images, top-notch image stabilization, and more, making it a versatile option for everything from macro work to portraits and weddings.

The Fujifilm Instax SQ6 has been my favorite instant camera for several years now. The relatively extensive features, film size, and overall compact design make it a brilliant option. The question is, how does the SQ6 compare against the new instant camera from Polaroid? 

There are numerous genres out there in which a 24-70mm f/2.8 is the bread and butter lens, offering a focal length range that allows for wide angle coverage on to portraits and more, paired with a wide maximum aperture. However, such lenses are rarely affordable, though Tamron's 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD G2 bucks that trends and offers a lot of performance for not a lot of money.

In the past few years, we have seen a few zoom lenses that push the boundaries of lens design and performance to the point that they can conceivably replace several prime lenses with comparable performance and many times more convenience.

What exactly can the H&Y Revoring do and how does it work? This unique type of filter from H&Y has definitely turned a lot of heads due to its unique design and how it solves a problem that generations of photographers (who use filters) have had for a while.