Popular Gear Reviews

Fstoppers Reviews the Fotodiox Pro Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Lens Mount Adapter

Lens mount adapters are available in huge numbers for mirrorless cameras thanks to the reduced flange distance they offer. Nearly all Full Frame and Medium Format mounts have been adapted to the Fujifilm GFX series of cameras now, and today we'll take a look at the middle-of-the-pack Fotodiox Pro Nik(G)-GFX Lens Mount Adapter and discuss what it is and what it isn't to see if it would fit the bill for you.

Fstoppers Reviews RhinoShield 0.6X HD Wide-Angle Lens for the iPhone

Smartphone photography is fast becoming a significant genre within the industry. Many professionals actually use their smartphones for commercial purposes and for good reason. The portability and connectivity many smartphones offer, give it a great advantage in many scenarios.

Product Photography Made Easy: We Review the Ombar Light Box

The Ombar Photo Studio Light Box is a 24”x24” LED box designed to make product photography simple, even for those with limited studio skills. In this review, we discuss the features, pros, and cons and whether this might be the light box for you.

We Review the Westcott Optical Spot by Lindsay Adler

The Westcott Optical Spot by Lindsay Adler is a modifier that can be used to create a variety of in-studio effects including shapes, patterns, hues, and selective shadowing of a subject or background. If you are a portrait photographer, this device can open up a myriad of creative options for you and your clients.

Are These Memory Cards Really Worth It? We Review the OWC’s Atlas Memory Card Line

OWC’s Atlas line of memory products, which includes SDXC, CFexpress Type A and B models, and high-performance readers, isn’t cheap. However, they promise leading performance and integration with their Innergize card management system. But can users really make use of all that performance? In this review, I’ll take a look at the ecosystem and test out all the features.

Fstoppers Reviews the WANDRD HEXAD 45L Duffel Bag

In every photographer’s ongoing search for the perfect bag, until recently it seemed there was a gaping hole: a 45-liter bag suitable as hand luggage on short-haul flights, offering the possibility to combine camera gear with a few days’ worth of clothes. The HEXAD Access Duffel from WANDRD fills that gap and does an incredibly good job of it.

Our First Look at the New Sony FE 20-70mm F/4 G

There's definitely more than meets the eye with this new standard zoom lens option. Aside from a wider range and a smaller size, let’s see what else this has to offer.

Are Fluidstance Balance Boards a Good Way to Keep Photographers Healthy?

Photographers sit for so long during the day — an average of ten hours for the photographers I interviewed — that it's affecting their health in potentially disastrous ways. In this review, I'd like to help you decide whether adding a Fluidstance balance board to your office could provide a valuable way to protect your health.

How to Make Your 4K Footage Look Like It Was Shot in the 90s

So many photographers have recently been dipping their toes in the world of video. You can edit photos like a pro, but maybe you just can't seem to figure out video editing; it's very complex – like an onion, so many layers – and now you have to deal with sound design! If you've used presets for your photo editing, then you should definitely consider plugins for your video editing. Red Giant sent us a copy of their recently updated Universe 2.1. Jump on in and see what it's all about.

Power Station for Photographers: We Review the Bluetti AC60

I have been searching for a portable power station that can meet my energy needs on the go and power my home office during power outages for some time now. And with the Bluetti AC60, I found a compact solution.

Fstoppers Reviews the Tenba Axis 20L Backpack

For those of us who insist on lugging our gear out on location, a sturdy backpack is a must-have. As a hiker, climber, and chronically over prepared photographer, I’m used to packing a heavy load up the side of a mountain. That’s why I was so excited to get my hands on the 20L Tenba Axis Backpack.

Fstoppers Reviews Haida’s NanoPro Mist Black Filter: Softer Can Be Better

While many reviews look at how sharp a lens can be, for this review, we’ll be looking at a filter that does the opposite. Haida's NanoPro Mist filter is actually designed to add a soft glow, while still keeping fine details. Now, before you think about the JCPenney portrait studio shots of the past decades, this filter is subtler. Haida’s NanoPro Mist filter is instead designed to diffuse the highlights and soften the overall contrast, bringing the filmic characteristic of halation to digital. Does it live up to the task?

Is This the Answer to All Your Color Issues? We Review Datacolor’s Spyder Checkr Photo

Color. Vivid green forests, melty brown chocolate, voluptuous red lips: color is the reason that compels so many of us to reach for our cameras. When I was approached about reviewing Datacolor's Spyder Checkr Photo, I was skeptical. Color is one of the most-often stated reasons clients approach me. Was this little device just another gimmick marketed to chroma junkies, or was it a tool that would fine tune my color-centric work? I gave it a try, and I’m here to share my findings with my fellow artists who love color as much as I do.

Perfect Power Solution for Photographers on the Road

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the Bluetti AC60 compact power station. This device was already great on its own. But, I had a critique about its capacity of only 403Wh. Today, I show how to extend the AC60 to become the perfect power solution for the road and the office.

Sally Davies' 'New Yorkers' May Be the Best Photography Monograph Of 2021

As a photographer and a photography critic, I see and review hundreds of photo books. Most, unfortunately, are not all that good. Some are actually outright bad, and others are okay, but ultimately just bring more of the same to the table. This is not the case with Sally Davies' first-ever monograph, "New Yorkers."

10 Tips for Writing Better Film Scripts

It's not uncommon to see Hollywood directors writing the script for their own films. It's very common for us as filmmakers to write scripts for some of the films we make. Those helpful writing tips can make a great difference in the way you write scripts from now on.

Wotancraft Ryker Bag Gets a Little Leica-Centric Brother: A Review

By now you are likely no stranger to Wotancraft and their incredibly delicious camera bags. We've reviewed a slew of them here on Fstoppers over the past few years, and I was not shy about remarking that their flagship Ryker is one of my favorite shoulder bags of all time.

Yes, You Absolutely Can Fix It in Post: Topaz Labs Video AI

Getting it right in camera is definitely the best thing to do. If you can correctly light, compose, and white balance your footage and images, then you're probably going to have an easier time. However, there are situations when the lighting just isn't working or you need to capture footage in less-than-ideal situations. In those situations, use Topaz Labs. Right now, they're having a Holiday sale.

Fstoppers Reviews Cinevate's Updated Duzi Camera Slider for Video Production

Camera sliders are often one of the first accessories that independent filmmakers purchase, just after a tripod and microphone. The simplicity in their design and valuable ability to create subtle motion instantly add production value. Cinevate recently updated its Duzi slider to its fourth version, and I got a chance to review one this past week.

We Review the Hobolite Micro: The Cute Little Light That Could

In the world of LED lights, Hobolite has once again pushed the envelope, revealing the “Micro” to their lineup. At first glance, its compactness is enchanting, promising both convenience and functionality. The real question, however, is: does it deliver?

Speed Up Your Postproduction Workflow by Learning How to Create Photoshop Scripts: Fstoppers Reviews the Photoshop Scripting for Artists Course

Being able to automate repetitive parts of a retouching workflow in Photoshop directly translates into a saving of both time and money. This saving could make the all the difference in meeting or missing a deadline or making it home early to see your family. How can you make it a reality? Actions are certainly one option however they are severely limited to straight repetition of the original steps. Scripting is actually the answer that you have been looking for. Think of scripts as intelligent actions on steroids.

Review: PRO EDU Starts Podcasting, and It's Brilliant

PRO EDU, a company known for producing photography tutorials, has come to the podcast game nearly a decade after they became popular. Late to the game or not, the podcast should not be quickly dismissed. In a world bombarded by media, this broadcast is refreshingly analog in nature.

Review of the Ikelite Underwater Housing

Underwater photography is becoming more popular as technology progresses. The use of an underwater housing dates back to the mid-1800s when William Thompson was utilizing a watertight box over his camera to photograph seaweed near Weymouth, England. Since then, underwater photographs have become an incredible way to explore and understand the life under the surface.

Fstoppers Reviews: Masters of Photography: Albert Watson

The Masters of Photography courses are aimed at offering instruction from those who have mastered their genre, to those who are entering it. The Albert Watson course covers his whole career, working in portraiture and commercial advertising as well as shooting landscapes and personal projects. Here’s what I thought after giving it a go.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm GF 250mm and GF1.4x Teleconverter

After years of Fujifilm lens reviews, the term “broken record” now comes to mind when describing the quality and craftsmanship in the glass they produce. The GF 250mm F/4 R LM OIS lens paired with the new GF 1.4X TC WR Teleconverter are no exception and are welcomed additions to the Fuji GFX lineup.

Fstoppers Reviews the Kandao QooCam 8K: The Holy Grail of 360 Cameras for Photographers?

In the automotive world, there’s a saying that there’s no replacement for displacement — a bigger engine is a bigger engine, and that’s all there is to it. One can say that this is the approach that Kandao is taking with its new QooCam 8K: more resolution and larger sensor sizes that make for quite an appealing 360 camera on paper and, as it turns out, in real life too.

Fstoppers Reviews the Ugreen 2-in-1 Lightning and Micro USB Cable

This is a quick review of something very simple: a charging cable. "A charging cable?" you may wonder. "Now, why would anyone care about that?" Well, the cable reviewed is a special kind of cable: it combines an Apple Lightning connector and a micro-USB connector. That is nothing new, but it is done well here and actually a much more useful thing than you'd expect.

Fstoppers Reviews the Barber Shop 'Bob Cut' Messenger Camera Bag

I have to admit, I have become quite the collector of camera bags. So after entering the world of mirrorless cameras, I thought, what better excuse do I need to get a new, smaller, lighter camera bag? Enter the Bob Cut medium messenger from Barber Shop bags.

Review of the Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS

A 300mm lens with an aperture of f/2.8 is a wonderful lens. But it’s often large and heavy, or so it used to be. Although the diameter of the lens is unchanged, Sony managed to keep the weight within acceptable limits. It makes the FE 300mm GM OSS a great tool to work with.

Smart and Waterproof: Reviewing the Inrigo Camera Backpack

There’s a number of camera bags on the market, and some meet the demands of their photographers and many don’t. Inrigo has created a camera system that puts the value of your kit at the center of its design while giving you the tools to keep your gear working through the most humid and wet places on the planet.

Fstoppers Reviews the Elinchrom ELC 125 and 500

Elinchrom has always been known for its superb light modifiers. But the strobes designed by the Swiss flash manufacturer are just as good. Now marks a new direction for the brand with the introduction of the ELC 125 and ELC 500.

Kanto's YU4 Active Speakers: A Better Desktop Audio Experience

As a photographer, I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk, both producing and consuming content. I have a supportive chair, high-end monitors, and all sorts of peripherals cluttering up my desk. All to make that time easier, comfortable, and more productive. One area a lot of people either don't think about or just skip is speakers. Whether you are listening to music while you work or editing your next big video project, quality speakers will improve the experience and quality of that work. In an attempt to improve the audio experience at my desktop I tried out a midsize set of speakers made by the Canadian company Kanto. The Kanto YU4 speakers are a reasonable size with a built-in amplifier making them perfect for desktop use.

Review of the Haida Bluestone and Premium Brass UV-Filters

Haida introduced two brand-new UV filters: the Bluestone UV filter and the Premium Brass UV filter. These filters boast high light transmission, a multi-layered coating, and substantial protection thanks to the shock-proof Schott B270 glass. I was asked to review both filters.

We Review the Versatile TZM-02 Adapter From Techart

When Techart sent for review the TZM-02 Leica M to Nikon Z autofocus adapter, there was one small problem in that I couldn't source any Leica lenses for the review, only Canon EF. But the great thing about the adapter is that it can be stacked with additional adapters, allowing for versatility for a wide range of lenses, including the Canon EF mount. Armed with both adapters, I set about testing the capabilities of these on the Nikon Z 7II.