Popular Gear Reviews

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.

We Review the Benro Rhino 24C Carbon Fiber Tripod

If you would put your trust on just one tripod for all the shooting requirements that you commonly face, what features are non-negotiable for you? Let’s see if this carbon fiber tripod from Benro would fit that description.

Step Up Your Landscape Photography Using Tiffen's Pro100 Series Filter System

The more you photograph people, places, and things, the more you understand how much control the available light has over the outcome of your image. Taking advantage of tools like filters to limit or modify the light coming into your camera is a great way to craft a unique image and even add a dramatic flare that you may not be able to create otherwise.

Still a Great Option for Many: Fujifilm X-T4 Re-Review

Yet another re-review of a discontinued but still very valid camera. The Fujifilm X-T4 slightly moved away from what made Fujifilm unique, but not in a bad way. It pushed the series into new areas and appealed to the dual creator quite confidently. Is it still worth getting today?

Fstoppers Review of the 3Pod Monopod for Field Photography, Video, and Self Defense?

The smaller size, lighter weight, and ability to get a high angle shot has made the monopod a useful tool for many photographers and videographers, especially for subjects like sports, wildlife, and run and gun situations. I got to review the new 3Pod Orbit Monopod to test its features on a couple of different projects to see how it holds up to real world shooting scenarios.

Living Photos: Fstoppers Reviews Flixel Cinemagraph Pro for Mac

Recently I had an opportunity to try my hand at creating the new hotness in cyberspace, Flixel Photos Inc.’s Cinemagraph Pro for Mac, what they are calling a living photo creation software. Cinemagraph Pro allows users to easily create Cinemagraph images, a media form that combines elements of a moving video to a high quality still photograph or referred to as 'hybrid photography.'

Fstoppers Reviews the New Peak Design Leash and Cuff

Peak Design, creators of the popular Everyday Messenger, Everyday Backpack, and Slide strap, announced updated versions of its Leash and Cuff. A few weeks ago, the San Fransisco-based photography accessory company sent me the new products to test. Coming from a brand that set a precedent for commanding high expectations, I thought I knew what I was getting into. But even these little straps held a few pleasant surprises for me.

Fstoppers Reviews the Sigma Art 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Ultrawide Zoom Lens

Sigma has been killing it lately with their Art series of lenses, and this entry doesn't stray far from the pack. With a great build, low distortion, and a very competitive price, it’s a contender for the best ultrawide lens available in its class. I had one for a few weeks and got to see if it lived up to the hype and high bar set by its fellow Sigma Art lenses.

Review: Omnicharge Omni 20 USB-C Portable Battery Pack

There are way too many battery packs on the market these days. That’s just a fact. But since it came out, Omnicharge has been my absolute favorite high-end external charging system. Its USB-C model continues to deliver the quality I’ve come to expect from the company’s excellent products.

A Slightly More Scientific Totally Rad! Replichrome Review: Can a Preset Faithfully Emulate Film?

The world is filled with presets. Everywhere you look, you can find presets that promise to give you a certain look. Hipster, soft skin, blue sky, Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One — today, filters promise to do anything and everything. But what happens when a company like Totally Rad! promises to emulate film? A one-click solution to turn your raw files into Kodak Portra 400 shots? Is it possible? Let’s find out.

The Gnarbox: Incredible Tech, But Who Needs It?

The Gnarbox was the most popular new product at this year's Photo Plus Expo. It's a waterproof external hard drive with card slots, USB jacks, and Wi-Fi. This tiny box allows you to backup and edit your photos and videos from your smartphone without the need for a laptop. But who would want to do that?

Review: Aluminium Dibond from Zor.com

Today I’m testing out a direct to aluminum print from Zor.com, which is supposed to bring out vibrant colors and incredible image clarity. The 3mm Dibond is fashioned from two thin sheets of aluminum, with a low-density core of polyethylene. This makes the print sturdy and durable, but also very lightweight. But to be honest, I’m awfully skeptic of printing on anything other than fine-art papers. Call me a conservative printer. Let’s find out if Dibond can change my mind.

Fstoppers Reviews the Godox XPro Wireless Flash Trigger for Fujifilm

It seems that every time I close my eyes, Godox releases a new product. Their array of hot-shoe flashes, portable strobes, modifiers, and other flash gear seems to have no end. The great thing about a company like this with a fast product cycle is that technology develops very quickly. Starting with basic flash triggers just a few years ago, Godox now offers multiple solutions and supports TTL and HSS technologies for all major brands. Their new Godox XPro trigger series is no exception, with versions for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm already on the market. Let’s take a look at the Fujifilm version of the trigger today, the Godox XPro-F.

A Long-Term Review of the Canon EOS 5DS R

A few years back I wrote a lifetime review on the Canon EOS 5D II. Since then I upgraded to the Canon EOS 5ds and 5DS R cameras, 5 years down the line I thought it apt to have a detailed look at them.

Is the New NIK Silver Efex Pro 3 Really Worth the Upgrade?

As a long-time user of Silver Efex, I wanted to answer the question for myself: is the update to the Nik Silver Efex Pro plugin alone worth the upgrade? So, I downloaded the latest version of the Nik plugin suite from the DxO website and gave it a test drive. Here are my initial impressions.

We Review the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens is a small, light, and fast zoom lens suitable for a wide range of subjects. I spent a week testing the 18-50mm, and I was very impressed with this tiny powerhouse of a lens, which is now available for Fujifilm X Mount cameras.

We Review the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens

Canon has released a series of nice primes that are reasonably priced and in a friendly size and weight. Most of these lenses also have 1:2 macro abilities. The latest one is the RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM. Let’s find out if it's just as great as its siblings.

Clothing for Photographers: Fstoppers Reviews the SCOTTeVEST Revolution Jacket

There are all kinds of things designed to make the job of carrying around camera gear easier: bags, hard cases, totes, rollers, etc. But there's something we always have with us (I hope): our clothing. SCOTTeVEST took note of this and created the Revolution jacket, designed specifically with photographers in mind.

The Sensel Morph Tablet: The Best Accessory for Premiere Pro

Making videos on Premiere Pro using just my mouse has been getting really old really fast. Keyboard shortcuts are a way to make the whole process a little less monotonous, but it's still not perfect. Recently, however, I've been testing the Sensel Morph tablet and I think I've found the best thing for Premiere Pro.

Fstoppers Reviews the Portable and Powerful Polaroid Travel BrightSaber

Polaroid is a brand many have forgotten, a true classic of yesteryear, but today they seem to continue to push out new and innovative products that can be used by any type of photographer. Last week I reviewed the Polaroid Snap Touch and today, I am checking out the latest BrightSaber. A powerful yet portable light in a form factor many find appealing to those on the go or wanting to simplify their gear.

The Best Thing to Happen to Medium Format: Fstoppers Reviews the Hasselblad 907X 50C

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.

Fstoppers Reviews the Canon EOS R6

While everyone is talking about the Canon EOS R5, its little brother seems to get less attention. The Canon EOS R6 looks like the same camera, but with less resolution. But the Canon EOS R6 is a complete different camera all together. Let's have a look at it.

A New Astrophotography Plug-in and Some Thoughts on Topaz Plugins for Astro Work

For astrophotographers who use Photoshop, here's some interesting and some good news. A just-released plug-in called APF-R (Absolute Point of Focus) can do wonders for your images. Astrophotographer Christoph Kaltseis has developed APF-R in order to achieve high-resolution, ultra-sharp images that still look natural. As astro-imagers know, trying to sharpen point sources like stars can result in ugly halos and other unwanted artifacts.

Fstoppers Reviews the FroKnowsPhoto’s Guide to DSLR Video DVD

As a professional photographer I have always been curious about the art of videography since the two seem to go hand in hand, but I have never made the jump to shooting my own content because I was always quite unsure of where to start. I wanted to quickly learn the basics and start shooting right away. I’m a visual learner, and I figured a crash course in an online tutorial would be my best bet, but searching for tutorials scattered across Youtube seemed tedious. Recently Jared Polin, better known as Fro from FroKnowsPhoto released a comprehensive guide to shooting video using a DSLR called The FroKnowsPhoto Guide to DSLR Video.

Photography Book Review of Landscape Artist Extraordinaire: Alexandre Deschaumes - Voyage Éthéré

The rain washes heavily onto the window, and I’m sitting in the candle-lit windowsill with a pint of inky black ale and a good book. That book is Alexandre Deschaumes’ forthcoming “Voyage Éthéré” (Ethereal Journey); a collection of his work over the past years. Following the release of his Blu-Ray documentary, “La Quête d'Inspiration” (The Quest for Inspiration) by Mathieu le Lay, Alexandre looks to be on the path to becoming increasingly known for his work. And with good reason.

Field Testing Tamron's 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 Proves a Positive Experience

Tamron's VC technology can't be beat: it's simply the best option out there for any type of optical stabilization. I can't live without it when it comes to video, and it's so good it often makes using a steady cam unnecessary. Common complaints with Tamron is often the build quality and sharpness, so let's see how their latest super zoom, the 150-600 f/5-6.3 handled a wildlife shoot.

Fstoppers Reviews the Leica Q2 Monochrom: Are Black and White Cameras Worth It?

When it comes to niche cameras, Leica is probably somewhere near the top of the list. This is especially the case with Leica Monochrom cameras. The most recent release from the company is a black and white version of the compact fixed lens camera, the Leica Q2. The new Monochrom version promises lots when it comes to image quality.

Battle of the Sensor Sizes: Phantom 4 Pro vs. Phantom 3 Pro

As most of us know, DJI came out with the Phantom 4 Pro a few months back and decided to add a few collision/infrared sensors to it along with putting a larger sensor inside of the actual camera itself with a mechanical shutter to allow for more control of the camera. After my buddy, Vin, got his Phantom 4 Pro, I realized this whole sensor size thing was no joke. I expected better quality when compared to the Phantom 3 Pro, but not this much. I decided to run a few tests comparing photos and video with the two drones going head to head.

Fstoppers Reviews: The Platypod Pro Max Camera Support

Announced on Fstoppers a while back, the Platypod Pro Max Camera Support is one of my favorite recent additions to my primary camera kit. The Platypod Pro Max Camera Support is a wide, stable, and ultra low-profile platform that allows you to set up a large tripod head, camera, and lens on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The larger platform is solid and even more stable than it’s predecessor for better results.

Fstoppers Reviews the New AI-Powered Infinite Texture Panel

One of the most useful tools I've been using for the last year has been the Infinite Color Panel. This is my most used add-on in Photoshop and it consistently produces fantastic results. Recently a new tool was released called Infinite Texture Panel and I wanted to see what it was all about.

Fstoppers Reviews the Ultra-Portable Western Digital My Passport SSD

Western Digital’s 1 TB My Passport SSD is the latest in a line of ultra-compact, portable solid-state drives that have come out over the last few years. My personal favorite (at least until this point) has been the Samsung T5 SSD, which I reviewed earlier this year. But Western Digital’s entry in this space is very worth looking into.

Fstoppers Reviews the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens

In my camera bag, there are two lenses I use the most and it all comes down to what I am shooting that decides which of the two I am using. For a majority of my event coverages, I pull out my standard zoom lens as my go-to weapon of choice. Occasionally, I do find myself yearning for extra reach, especially when I am stuck at a certain distance and can’t walk any closer to the subjects. Looking for a telephoto lens, I tested out the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary telephoto lens, aka the “light-bazooka,” which is considered highly compact and lightweight to the other contenders on the market. This lens sounds like the perfect fit for me.