Latest Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.

Insta360 Mic : A New Iteration to Combat Rising Storage Costs

The new Insta360 Mic launching today is offering creators a more affordable way to access high-quality wireless audio, with one particularly interesting change: instead of relying on built-in storage, recordings are saved to a microSD card supplied by the user. 

A Look Into the Latest Tripod Technology From Sirui: The BH-60 Hybrid Ballhead and SVS60 Rapid Tripod System.

As someone who relies heavily on a geared head for precise hospitality work, the increasing demand for speed and video applications has left me considering how to integrate a hybrid ball head system into my professional workflow. Specifically, I was looking for a unit that acts as a traditional fluid head, yet retains the multi-axis freedom of a ball head for dynamic still p

Comparing Peak Design’s Travel and Pro Tripods: Which One Is For You?

Peak Design's Travel Tripod is probably one of the most talked-about tripods on this site, and opinions have been polarized. Since the brand has expanded its tripod lineup with three new Pro models, it's clearly important that we see their differences and optimal use cases.

 

Are Inflatable LED Lights Actually Any Good?

Inflatable LED lights are one of those ideas that sound gimmicky. A soft, glowing tube you inflate like a pool toy, then use to light a portrait or paint with color in the dark. It's the kind of gadget that could easily be all novelty and no substance.

BenQ PD2732U Review: Could This Be The Monitor for Photographers?

When BenQ asked me if I would like to take a look at the new PD2732U monitor, I was interested because a monitor is something I spend a lot of time looking at, particularly when I am editing photographs. Color accuracy is obviously important to me, but so is how the monitor fits into my existing workflow.

 

This Might Be the Last Camera Case You Ever Buy

The Protector 1510 Studio Case reimagines the toughness you’ve come to expect from Pelican. Is it worthy of its name? More importantly, is it worthy of the price? 

“It’s no secret Pelican is the best. It’s also no secret they’re expensive.”

Is AI Color Grading Finally Good Enough? Fstoppers Tests Imagen Video

If you edit a lot of video, the most tedious part of the job isn't the creative color grade. It's getting the footage adjusted so that you can add the color grade. One shot is too bright, the next too dark, one camera leans green while another leans warm, and you end up crawling through the timeline clip by clip trying to make everything look like it belongs to the same production.

Godox C100 Review: A Camera With No Rear Screen and No Pressure

I love exploring photography in all its forms, and that extends to novelty cameras. When I saw the Godox C100, which looks like it belongs in the 1990s, I had to try it as a new way of making images. It has no rear screen, so you can't perfect your composition, and you can't check a shot after you take it either.

 

Tamron’s New 12-20mm f/2.8 Is Excellent, but Its Filter Design Won’t Suit Everyone

I’ve been playing with Tamron’s new ultra-wide 12-20mm zoom for a couple of months now. When I first peeled away the plastic wrap and held it, I thought, “Wow, very compact and light.” My next thought was that the glossy finish looked surprisingly smudged straight out of the box. I checked the marketing materials and found that this is part of Tamron’s new “Toned Profile Next” design language.

The NEEWER Q120 Is a Cheap Strobe That Does Almost Everything

The NEEWER Q120 is a new compact 120Ws battery-powered strobe that's packed with features, but the most impressive thing about it might be the price. It sells for $159.99 at B&H ($219.99 list), while its two direct competitors, the Godox AD100Pro II and the Profoto A2, cost $299 and $895. 

Peak Design Everyday Backpack V3 Review

Peak Design built the Everyday Backpack around fast access, real organization, and protection for whatever you're carrying. The Everyday Backpack line is already award-winning, and the newly revamped V3 improves on that solid foundation. Style, security, and day-to-day usability all show up here alongside gear protection and room to expand. 

Was This Compact Tripod Just Years Ahead of the Trend?

When this tripod came out years ago, so many of us wanted it to the point that a lot of us forced it to be useful in situations where it wasn’t the best fit. Now that we’ve seen the brand’s other tripod offerings, where it fits best is more obvious.

 

Is Pixieset Photo Editor a Lightroom Alternative for Photographers?

For over a decade, Pixieset has built its name on gallery hosting and then expanded into photography business management with Studio Manager. Now it turns its head to tackling what happens in the gap between the shoot and the delivered gallery.

A Look at Wandrd’s Expanded Accessory Line for the Rogue Sling Bags

If you’ve ever been out exploring a place, especially one that has a lot of interesting subjects, you would know how having an organized and efficient bag can impact your output. These new accessories for the WANDRD ROGUE bags offer to take the user experience to a whole new level.

 

BenQ iScreenBar Mac Review: A Better Way to Light Your Workstation

Having a comfortable and well-lit workstation is something that can vastly improve your time working at your desk, and while many of us spend hours every day working at a computer, lighting is probably something that most of us don't give a huge amount of thought to. 

Leica M Lenses Can Now Autofocus on Canon Mirrorless: We Review the Megadap M2RF Adapter

For a long time, I considered myself a manual focus purist—not because manual glass should strictly be used manually, but because there simply wasn't a way for me to autofocus it with my existing systems. It really isn't much of an issue; with constant practice, gauging distance and nailing critical focus can become second nature.

Scanning Film at Home Made Simple: Fstoppers Reviews the Valoi Easy35

Digitizing film at home has always been a fiddly, annoying, time-consuming process, so discovering a system that makes it simpler has been a breath of fresh air. 

The VALOI easy35 v2 is a system that simplifies the process of digitizing slides and negatives at home using your existing digital camera.