Gear Reviews

The LensPen has been around a long time, and you've seen it under a variety of brand names that act as OEMs for the original product. I had never used one, but often read about it. I was sent the original model (the NLP-1) for testing.  

Kodak Portra 400 was the very first film I shot when I get back into film, and it remains my go-to for color negative film. Sure, there are others. None of them come close, however, to the popularity of Portra 400. 

Tamron's new telephoto lens is honestly quite compelling. Is it the telephoto lens for you?  

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. 

Nikon's NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens is very compact, ridiculously light, and quite affordable, making it a fantastic companion to the popular and affordable Z 50 mirrorless camera. This great video review takes a look at the lens and what you can expect from it in practice.  

Tamron has created several highly popular lenses over the last couple of years, offering great performance at highly competitive prices. They recently released the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD for Sony E mount, which seeks to offer every focal length a photographer could need all in one optic at a very affordable price.

The 85mm focal length is one of the most popular out there, but a good 85mm lens with a fast aperture is not always cheap. That is why Sony and Fujifilm shooters should check out this great video review of the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 STM II lens. 

The Sony a7R IV is a fantastically capable camera with a versatile feature set that should satisfy the needs of lots of photographers. This excellent video review takes a complete look at the camera to help you decide if it is the right one for your work.  

Both the Sony a7 III and Fuji X-T4 are the result of several generations of refinement, and they are both highly capable cameras for a wide variety of applications in both photo and video. This great video comparison takes a look at both cameras to help you decide which is right for you.  

Looking to add something to your portrait or commercial shots? Take a look at this review of MicroFogger 2, a compact smoke machine. 

Once known for making very affordable speedlights, Yongnuo also moved into the lens market a few years ago, producing similarly affordable optics. This excellent video review takes a look at the Yongnuo 35mm f/1.4 DF UWM lens. 

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens was the first in the Art series and has been a valuable tool for a wide range of photographers. How does the Sony version fare? This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and what sort of results you can expect in normal usage.  

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. 

In the last week we've heard a lot about the latest camera unveiled by Canon. As great as these cameras are on paper, Canon has confirmed that they may have issues with overheating after a certain amount of use. Unfortunately, this is not just a problem that Canon cameras are suffering from, Fujifilm is also having problems with overheating too. 

The Canon EOS R6 has not received quite as much fanfare as the R5, but it is quite a capable camera as well. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and what you can expect from it in practice.  

135mm is often a popular alternative focal length compared to the more traditional 85mm focal length. Sony's 135mm f/1.8 lens is part of the company's G Master series of high-level lenses, and it offers photographers ultra-thin depth of field and lots of bokeh. This awesome video takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance you can expect in practice with it.  

Last year, I took a look at Astro Panel, a Photoshop plugin designed to enhance Milky Way and other astronomical images. At the time, I was happy with what it did, but the author had a security scheme that forced you to log into the app every couple of weeks, which I thought was burdensome and downright silly. 

Super telephoto lenses are generally expensive and huge. Lenses like the Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 are both ridiculous in terms of their size andweight and the price. Recently, Canon unveiled two super telephoto lenses, the RF 600mm and 800mm f/11 prime lenses.  

I was sent the 25mm f/1.8 lens for review. I went out testing in the center of Paris, and I must say, it was a lot of fun with it on my Fujifilm X-T20. Although it's a manual focus lens, you get a lot for $69. 

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.

If you need a rugged workhorse to take with you on your next trip to the mountains of Patagonia, you may want to consider the new Leica S3, a beast of a camera that, on reflection, is nowhere near as expensive as you might expect. 

When Nikon’s Z series mirrorless cameras were introduced, they caught a lot of flak. Although I wasn’t a fan at first, I’m starting to come around. Turns out I just had to use one. I’ve been a Nikon shooter my whole career, starting on a Nikon N6006 35mm film camera in high school, moving to a D200 in college, and on up the chain since then.

Sometimes, for any one of many reasons, it is preferable to shoot with just one lens that covers a wide variety of focal lengths instead of carrying a bunch of individualized lenses. If you are looking for such a lens, check out this great review of the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD for Sony E mount. 

Going head-to-head with one of Sony’s best value lenses is a tough proposition, but Viltrox is taking it on with the 85mm f/1.8 FE STM II. This updated version is starting to appear on shelves and at just $400, it’s a very appealing prospect for those on a budget, especially when you consider that it might one day magically morph into an f/1.6 lens. 

No doubt, after years of the X Series, Fujifilm is producing highly refined and powerful cameras, and the X-T4 is the latest flagship in the company's lauded line. If you have been curious about the camera, this great review takes a look at its performance in the real world and what you can expect.  

Are you looking for a subtle preset collection that gives you plenty of flexibility to adjust it to fit your style? Take a look at this "Essentials" preset pack for Lightroom. 

Does a landscape photograph tell stories? In this course, landscape photographer Alister Benn goes through different tools in Adobe Lightroom that can help you express through your landscape images. 

As I delve more into lens options for the Nikon Z system, I’ve found a small feature that pays big dividends. 

The 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 is a beautiful little addition to the line up of mirrorless lenses, offering a truly vintage feel — and price — but without requiring an adapter. I’m not sure I’ve ever had so much fun with a lens. 

Tamron has been on a roll the last few years, producing highly popular lenses that offer great image quality at prices far below comparable first party options.

The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS lens promises to give you even smoother bokeh than the non-DS 85mm f/1.2L. How do the two compare? Check out this helpful video to see.  

Leica makes some spectacular lenses, but they are often quite expensive. On the other hand, Canon's latest 50mm lens is not exactly cheap either, but it still comes in several thousand dollars cheaper than the Leica. Can it keep up with a Leica lens? This great video compares the two to help you decide.  

Over the years, Fujifilm's X series has become a highly refined set of tools popular with a lot of photographers across a wide range of genres. This great video review takes a look at the X-T4 and what you can expect from a landscape photographer's perspective.  

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.  

For a lot of aspiring filmmakers, YouTubers, and bloggers, one of the hurdles is post-production. Learning how to use video editing software can be quite daunting, especially if you have little to no experience. Fortunately, EaseUS may have a solution.  

Oniric is the new Photoshop plug-in from Composite Nation that creates seamless, customizable lighting effects with the click of a button. 

According to the creator:

If you’d like to get into film and you already have modern glass for a Nikon camera, the F100 is for you. Even if you don’t, the F100 is still for you. The value of this Nikon is almost impossible to beat.   

Canon's EF 85mm f/1.2L lens is one of the most well-known and coveted portrait lenses, and the RF version seeks to take that winning formula and improve on it. How does it compare to the EF version? This great video takes a look to help you decide if it is worth upgrading.  

Continuing a tradition of impressive innovation and compact, affordable glass, Samyang/Rokinon has produced a new lens for Sony full-frame cameras that is completely unique: an autofocus 75mm f/1.8 prime lens. How so much quality can be packed into something so tiny is remarkable. 

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.  

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.

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.  

Now in its seventh iteration, the Sony RX100 is a highly capable, ultra-portable camera that is a fantastic option for any photographer looking for a take-anywhere device that will enable capabilities beyond those of their cameraphone. If you are looking for such a camera, check out this great video review of the latest in the series.  

The Mac Mini often gets overlooked, as computers like the MacBook Pro or iMac get a lot more attention. However, it is a surprisingly versatile and powerful computer and priced much lower than many other Mac models. This great video compares two versions of the Mac Mini to tell you which one is right for you. 

Canon's RF lenses are certainly spectacular, but they are also quite pricey. Samyang's new AF 85mm f/1.4 lens is quite affordable and seeks to fill the ultra-popular fast 85mm role for lots of photographers. Can it hold its own against more expensive options? This great video review will show you everything you need to know about the lens.  

One year ago today, Sony announced the FE 200-600mm super-telephoto zoom lens. I was one of the first people on the planet to use the lens before that announcement, and later in September 2019 I purchased my own copy and have used it extensively ever since. 

We all know that culling steals a lot of our time that we could have spent shooting, focusing on the next project, or simply relaxing. No doubt, we all want less time spent on this painstaking process, which is why I'm excited to review Narrative Select, a smart culling tool that promises to help us get through this process quicker. 

With the heavy reality that many of us live in these days, allow me a brief moment to simply luxuriate in the completely pointless, utterly fun, and pleasantly diverting task of looking back at the best attributes of some of my past camera purchases. 

Third party manufacturers have transformed the Sony full-frame ecosystem, giving the brand the most affordable and wide-ranging lens line-up of any mirrorless camera. Tamron has been at the center of this evolution, offering excellent lenses with intelligent compromises. The new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is no exception. 

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?