Fstoppers gear reviews are written by photographers who actually use the equipment — not benchmark testers looking at spec sheets. This section covers cameras, lenses, lighting, accessories, bags, software, and everything else in a working photographer's kit. The goal is always the same: give you an accurate picture of whether something is worth your money before you spend it.
The Hasselblad 907X 50C is quite the unique camera, leveraging a powerful medium format sensor, but eschewing a viewfinder entirely in favor of a waist-level shooting experience. This excellent video review takes a look at the experience of working with the camera and the kind of work you can produce with it.
The Sony a7S III is finally here after a very long wait, but it seems the wait was worth it. This fantastic video review takes a look at the camera, its numerous improvements, and how it keeps up in real-world usage.
Coming to you from DP Review, this excellent video review takes a look at the Sony a7S III camera. The a7S III comes with a wide variety of features, including:
Mobile phone cameras have made huge strides in the last few years, and with multiple cameras and the power of computational photography, they have become legitimate photography and videography tools in our pockets. The iPhone 12 Pro brings with it the latest and greatest tech, and this great video review shows the impressive results you can get from it.
The Sony a7S III is finally here, and it offers impressive video performance and a refined feature set for professionals. Can it be used as a hybrid camera for both stills and video work? This excellent video review takes a look at the camera from both perspectives and if it is a good all-around choice.
Everything else aside, the Sony a7S III’s recording options alone place it in contention for many potential buyers wanting high-quality video at a price that enthusiasts and budding pros can still justify. In this hands-on review I look at the a7S III in the context of capturing wildlife video and photos.
Architectural photographers face many technical challenges when shooting massive structures, especially when space to shoot from is limited. This is one of those cases in which the gear absolutely enables the photographer to take better images.
Apple's iPad line has long established itself as mature and powerful content consumption devices. However, in the past few generations, we have seen increasingly powerful processors, top-end screens, and the addition of useful tools (such as the Apple Pencil) also position the iPad as a versatile content creation device.
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.
The Fujifilm GFX 100 is a stunning camera in many ways, and its ultra-high sensor resolution and fantastic dynamic range make it seemingly tailor-made for landscape photography. This great video takes a look at an experienced landscape photographer's use of the camera and his thoughts on how it holds up for such work.
Fujifilm has long had the XF 56mm f/1.2 R lens, which offers fantastic portrait lens quality and lots of shallow depth of field for bokeh fanatics. Now, the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR is here, blowing past the f/1.2 lens with an even wider aperture.
85mm is the classic focal length of choice for portrait photography, and in the past few years, we have seen an influx of high-quality f/1.8 variants that are significantly more affordable than their f/1.4 and f/1.2 cousins. This excellent video review takes a look at one such lens, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S.
The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is the company's professional mirrorless wide angle zoom, making it a versatile lens for a variety of applications. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in practice.
A nifty fifty lens is one of the most versatile and useful lenses many photographers can have, and given their generally affordable prices, they make a fantastic first upgrade from a kit lens for newer photographers or a backup lens for pros with more established kits. This excellent video review takes a look at Nikon's version of the lens, the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G.
What difference can f/1.0 give to your photography?
When you think of medium format cameras, you do not generally think of them as working fast enough to keep up with the demands of wedding photography, but on the other hand, the Fujifilm GFX 100 is not a normal medium format camera. This great video discusses how well it performs for wedding photography.
Though they simply cannot offer the same level of image quality of less extreme lenses, superzoom lenses can often give you quite good image quality with the added convenience of a very wide range of focal lengths all in one device. This great video review takes a look at one such lens, the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports.
One of the marquee features of Skylum's Luminar 4 has been its AI-powered automatic sky replacement, which seriously cuts down the time spent on what is traditionally a very tedious and time-consuming task. Now, Photoshop has caught up with its own sky replacement tool. How does it compare and how can you use it to create your own composites?
When you think of kit lenses, you generally do not associate them with the kind of image quality you expect to see in professional-level images. But in the last few years, we have seen some remarkably good kit lenses come to the market, and this great video review takes a look at what might be the best yet.
A little over two years ago, the Sony FS5 II compact cinema camera was released. Both the original FS5 and the FS5 II have become common names found in wildlife filmmaking thanks to their relatively low price, portability, and slow motion recording options maintaining 10-bit 4:2:2.
The original DJI Osmo Pocket was quite popular, offering impressive and versatile performance in an extremely compact and literally pocketable package. Now, the Pocket 2 is here, and it brings with it a bevy of worthwhile improvements while remaining at an affordable price.
Color is one of the most important aspects of photography. Unless you're shooting in black and white, color is a fundamental issue that requires great care and diligence. For this reason, I'm regularly looking for better tools to manage color, and I think I might have just found the best so far.
Sennheiser recently introduced a new compact microphone, the MKE 200, that is more than just yet another Rode VideoMicro clone. I paired it up with the Sony a7S III, GoPro HERO9, and iPhone to test its sound quality in this hands-on review.
A good 85mm lens is one of the most valuable optics many photographers have in their gear bags, and as such, high demands are placed on manufacturers to produce sharp and fast devices that get the job done reliably. If you are a Canon mirrorless shooter, this great video review will help you choose the right 85mm lens for your work.
The Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM certainly raised a few eyebrows when it was announced, due to its rather unique specs that offer extreme reach at an affordable price, but at the cost of using a very narrow and fixed aperture. How does it perform in practice? This great video review shows what you can expect and if it is workable in real-world situations.
Do you travel light with your equipment? Take a look at this review of a shoulder messenger bag, which may just fit everything you need.
A good macro lens can be one of the most versatile lenses in your bag, offering not only the ability to take extreme close-up images with high levels of detail, but also portraits at a flattering focal length and with high levels of sharpness.
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.
The EOS R5 has been making waves as one of the most exciting products to be released by Canon or pretty much any company in quite a while, as it pushes the limits on both video and stills. If you have been reading specs sheets and wondering if it is the camera for you, this fantastic comprehensive review should help you make a decision.
Until 18 months ago, affordable 35mm primes for the Sony system were like hen’s teeth. Last year, Sony finally plugged the gaping void in its lens lineup, and now, a new contender has appeared: the lightweight, affordable AF 35mm f/1.8 from Samyang/Rokinon — appealing to full frame and APS-C shooters alike.
The XF 56mm f/1.2 R has long been one of the favorite portrait lenses of Fuji shooters, offering great performance with an extremely wide maximum aperture. Then, the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR came along, pushing the boundaries of lens design all the more. Is it the new top portrait lens for Fuji shooters? This fantastic video review takes a look at the new lens.
Does this full frame camera in compact form live up to the expectations?
As all medium format shooters know, moving fast with larger sensor cameras can be a challenge compared to their full frame counterparts. So, I recently tried out the Fuji GFX GF 45mm-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR to see if it would speed my workflow and unlock additional potential in my Fuji GFX system.
It has now been two years since Canon got into the full frame mirrorless camera market, and they have gone from camera bodies in the middle of the pack to class-leading cameras that have reinvigorated their brand. How far have their sensor capabilities and image quality come in that time?
Canon's RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses caused a bit of a stir when they were announced, as they offered ultra-long telephoto reach at a very affordable price, but also raised eyebrows with their very narrow maximum apertures. So, how do these unique lenses hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.
For photographers looking to get into scanning their own film, the Epson V600 is the perfect first flatbed scanner. Still made new, the Epson V600 is available for $230 from most retailers that sell camera equipment. It doesn’t have the best reputation when compared with its more refined and expensive sibling, the Epson V850.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is the company's current flagship model that offers some of its best technology and most interesting features. How does it hold up in the long run? This excellent video review answers that question.
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.
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.
Zhiyun has released another accessory, the Smooth-XS smartphone gimbal, for those who regularly use mobile content in their business or for leisure. How does it compare?
I am a long-time user and fan of Fujifilm’s excellent XF 56mm f/1.2 R lens. I’ve never even thought twice about another portrait lens for the system since I bought it, that is, until I saw the specs on the company’s new XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR lens.
The Fujifilm X Series is highly popular among amateurs and professionals alike, with its great design, features, image quality, and small size all adding up to an excellent experience for a wide range of applications. The X-T200 is one of the most affordable options in the lineup, and this fantastic video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in practice.
There is certainly no dearth of wide-aperture 85mm lenses for Sony shooters, and given the popularity and versatility of such a lens, it is great to have so many options. This fantastic video review compares five of the best choices to help you figure out which is right for your needs.
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.
The Canon EOS R5 and R6 showed us that Canon is taking mirrorless quite seriously. If you are struggling to choose between the two cameras, this excellent video comparison will help you decide.
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.
The Hasselblad 907X digital medium format camera and CFV II 50C back combine to make one of the most unique and portable camera systems — a dream for many landscape photographers. If you are interested in this system, check out this excellent video review.
The Nikon Z 5 is the company's affordable full frame mirrorless camera, and despite its price, it comes with a variety of features for both photographers and videographers that make it a good option for a variety of different applications. This great video reviews the Z 5 and compares it to the Z 6.
Before the EOS R5 and R6, Sony was generally acknowledged as the leader in mirrorless camera technology, but now that the aforementioned Canon cameras have arrived, the competition has grown much fiercer. How do Canon's new mirrorless cameras hold up against Sony's comparable models? This great video review and comparison answers that question.
One of Canon's niftiest new gadgets is the EF-to-RF mount adapter that can accept both variable ND and circular polarizing filters, allowing you to use them with any EF lens without having to worry about individual filter size, making it useful for a wide range of situations. This great video review takes a look at the adapter and how it performs in practice.
Urban-centric designed backpacks have been emerging quite a lot in the past couple of years and while this is not Manfrotto’s first take on it, these may very well be their most stylish ones.