Popular Gear Reviews

Review: Dell U2718Q 27-Inch 4K Monitor

When getting into the 4K game, even Dell has enough options to be rather confusing to the average buyer. But there’s a reason the U2718Q 27-inch UHD monitor made my list. It hit in all the right spots.

I Asked for a "Mythical" Video Travel Tripod, and Benro Made It a Reality with the Aero

Earlier this year at WPPI in Las Vegas, I stopped by the Benro/MeFoto booth to tell the team how much I loved the MeFoto tripod... but it was lacking in just a few places for a traveling videographer. Yes, the MeFoto was really compact, light weight and quick to set up, but I wanted clip locks and a smooth video pan head without sacrificing the size and weight the MeFoto offered. It seemed like an impossible request, until seven months later they delivered me the Benro Aero.

First Look at the New Sony a7R V

The latest and greatest from Sony is finally here and the Sony A7RV has the latest in autofocus technology

Getting Into Medium Format on a Budget: Fstoppers Reviews the Mamiya RB67

Getting into medium format is quite costly. It’s difficult to know if the investment is going to be worth it and if it’s going to match your current workflow. Medium format has a tendency to slow you down, kind of like film. When I tried my first Phase One, I couldn’t afford one. So I went with the cheapest alternative I could find, the Mamiya RB67 Pro-S. Here’s why I’m glad I made that move but also why it doesn’t replace a digital medium-format system.

Fstoppers Reviews the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock

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. Let’s take a look at how it stacks up in today’s article.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm VPB-XT2 Camera Grip

The Fujifilm X-T2 has been in my hands since the day it was released here in Korea, and I have been really enjoying all the new features and speed upgrades. For all intents and purposes, it has become my primary camera now. It is responsive enough that unless I'm working with families, I'll use it for everything I do. However, it still has a couple of flaws in terms of battery life and size. After a full day of shooting, I've been noticing that my fingers ache, and I've changed batteries more times than I can count. To address both of these, I thought I would check out the vertical battery grip (or Vertical Power Booster Grip as Fuji calls it), VPB-XT2, to see if it was worth the hefty price tag.
We Review the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 II Mirrorless Camera

Back in 2017, I received the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 for review. My experiences with this mirrorless MFT camera were positive. Now, six years later, Panasonic sent me the second version: the Lumix DC-G9 II. I used it under extreme weather conditions at the Opal Coast in France.

One Year Later With The Sony a7 IV

One year ago, I finally received my Sony a7 IV after a long wait from my local camera store. In this article, I explain what I like about the camera and where I think it could improve.

Using Third-Party Batteries Can Corrupt Your Video Files

Last week we were filming the second video ever using our new GH5s, and one of the cameras ran out of batteries in the middle of a take. At the time, we didn't think anything of it and we simply replaced the battery and continued filming. When we transferred all of the footage after the shoot, one of the video clips was corrupt and we had to re-film the entire project.

Need for Speed: Fstoppers Reviews the Mitakon Zhongyi 50mm f/0.95 Lens for Sony FE

There aren't too many people in the f/0.95 club. Until fairly recently, it was a ludicrously expensive badge of honor, typically worn by Leica-toting physicians and hedge fund managers. After all, the legendary Leica Noctilux 50mm f/0.95 costs just shy of $10,000. Of course, there are some micro four thirds options. But those don't really count, do they? All that changed in April of 2014, when Mitakon announced their "SpeedMaster" 50mm f/0.95. After spending the better part of a month shooting it, I'm almost a believer... almost.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Zoom Lens

The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR lens fills a gap in the Fujifilm lens lineup that was previously unfilled. With its red badge that denotes Fujifilm’s top-of-the-line lenses, this standard zoom equivalent for the Fujifilm X system is squarely aimed at the working professional.

Fstoppers Reviews the Sony Xperia 5 III Smartphone for Photography

When I got asked to review a smartphone I had my doubts. I don’t believe a smartphone can be used for serious photography. But I realized it was an opportunity to see if my opinion was biased or not. I received the Sony Xperia 5 III to look closer at its photographic abilities.

Pro Panel for Photoshop Can Save You Time and Effort

Photoshop has a lot of power, but for many editors, some of the features are arcane, involve multiple steps, or are too complicated to bother with. That's where Photoshop Extensions come in. It's an architecture that Adobe provides that falls between a plug-in and a Photoshop Action. As a result, some experienced Photoshop users with programming skills have created some really useful extensions that are useful to both beginner editors and pros.

Is This The Ultimate Portable LED Light?

Light. We see it all around us as billions of photons pass right by us, bouncing against objects like "Punch-Me-Clowns." As photographers, we're obsessed and spend our lives figuring out how to manipulate them, and it could be an exhausting task to pursue, but that's about to change.

Fstoppers Reviews the MagBeam Light Modifier from Magmod

MagMod has quickly become the go to flash modifier for a ton of photographers. Being able to quickly and easily attach grids, gels, and diffusers to your flash via small magnets makes shaping your light super simple. So when MagMod announced the new MagBeam, a lot of people got really excited. So excited that they demolished their $25,000 goal by raising just over $300,000 via their Kickstarter campaign. But does this new modifier live up to the hype?

Is the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 Another Winner for the Fuji X Mount?

The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens for Fujifilm was first released in 2022 and added to their growing line of X Mount prime lenses, which also includes the 16mm and 30mm. This trio of contemporary lenses is designed to be compact while delivering high-quality results at an affordable price. While these lenses offer slightly less features than the Art series of lenses, making them more affordable to a wider audience, the image quality is not compromised in any way, and these relatively inexpensive prime lenses make them a compelling option to explore.

The Most Useful Free App for Drone Users

A few weeks ago I reviewed the PolarPro filters for the DJI Spark and loved them. But to make full use of my drone and the adequate ND filter, PolarPro has created an app that I’m sure you’ll appreciate too. It’s available for both Android and iOS, and it’ll help you make sure you can fly your drone in the best conditions possible. Here are my thoughts about it and why you should download it too.

Fstoppers Review the Perfect Bag for Your DJI Mavic, the Miggo Agua Stormproof Drone Lander

Tiny drones like the DJI Spark or Mavic are fantastic because they can fit in any bag. However, not all bags are equals when it comes to protection and usefulness. The Miggo Agua Stormproof Drone Lander was designed specifically for compact drones, keeping them safe no matter the conditions you are working in. I’ve had it for a little while now and couldn’t see myself going out for a walk with my drone without it. Here’s my full review of this handy bag.

The Best Sony Ultra-wide Angle Lens for the Money

I'm not a big fan of ultra-wide angle lenses. Shooting at 12mm usually requires that you get really close to your subject and create weird, warped-out-looking images, but I was recently hired for a job that required a wide field of view. I ended up buying three lenses to find the right tool for the job.

How The Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Mouse Can Speed Up Your Workflow

As photographers in a digital era, we all spend a lot more time in front of a computer than we would like to admit to. When a single one-hour photoshoot can lead to multiple hours in front of a computer, we start looking for ways to minimize that time. There are tons of options out there that can help you out too, from Bluetooth controllers to pens and tablets, but what you really need may just be a simple mouse upgrade.

Fstoppers Reviews Venus Optic’s 85mm f/5.6 2x Macro Lens: Amazing Magnification From a Tiny Lens

If you’re into macro photography, you might be wondering why so many macro lenses emphasize a wide aperture; f/2.8 is nice to have, but when focused down to 1:1, it’ll leave you with no depth of field. From my point of view, Venus Optics seems to have had the same thought. They built a macro lens with a spec sheet that’s focused on delivering macro results. Is this the new best option for macro photographers?

Photographing Landscapes at Lofoten With the Fujifilm GFX100

For my annual trip to Lofoten, I had the opportunity to shoot with the Fujifilm GFX 100. Prior to the trip, I had just a few weeks to get acquainted with the camera. Here are my thoughts on this 102-megapixel camera for landscape photography.

Fstoppers Review: NIK Tools Are Back With More Features and a Lower Price

Many of us remember the debut of NIK Tools in 1995. They were a powerful set of plugins for Photoshop that did color adjustments, created lovely black and white images, and could sharpen images and lower noise in them. Just about every photographer I knew snapped them up at $500.

An Odd Release in 2023: We Review the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

Don’t get me wrong, Pentax has made some incredible cameras in the past, many of which are still brilliant to this day. One of my favorite SLRs to this day is the KM released in 1975. But technology is advancing, and this “new” camera feels a little out of place, even though it produces great files.

The Contax 645 AF: A Very Longterm Review

The Contax 645 AF is a relatively small and lightweight medium format film camera dating from the late 1990s. It’s a camera that will largely appeal to analog photographers looking to benefit from the greater resolution of 120 film, while still retaining many of the advantages of a 35mm SLR in terms of speed and mobility.

Hands-On Review of the VAIO Z Canvas Tablet Computer as a Mobile Photography Workstation

When on the go, a working photographer needs to balance portability, versatility, and power in everything they carry. The choice of computer while away from the home base is critical because it can dictate your capabilities and work potential over these periods of time. In this hands-on review, I take a look at the 12.3-inch VAIO Z Canvas tablet-laptop hybrid as a mobile workstation for photographers.

Fstoppers Reviews the Dell UP2516D Wide Gamut Monitor

During the recent years, Dell launched its affordable UltraSharp Premier Color wide gamut monitor series in different screen size and resolution options. The features and technical specs of Premier Color monitors are impressive on paper, but how about the real results? After spending 3 months with 4 different units of the 25-inch model, I have finally completed my in-depth review.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm X-E3

Fujifilm silently added the X-E3 to its rangefinder-type mirrorless X-E series, and its been on the market for a while as the fourth member of the series. It has some improvements, both inside and outside, such as a touchscreen and Bluetooth, and size-wise, it is more compact in comparison to other Fuji X-E series cameras.

New Mac User Tries Apple Accessories for the First Time

I recently switched from a Windows desktop to a Macbook Pro, but I still haven't tried many of the Apple accessories that Mac users swear by. In this video, I try out the AirPods Max and the Magic Keyboard, Trackpad, and Mouse for the first time.

The Next-Gen Leica TL2 Mirrorless Camera Is Here

It's been three years since Leica brought us the original aluminum wonder Leica T. While it was given a refresh last year, that update flew under the radar of even many Leica fans as it did little more than change the name. The brand new TL2, however, is a ground-up reworking of the entire platform. Well, we've spent the past two weeks putting our hands on one and we've got some thoughts, and even raw DNG files, to share.

Lightweight and Sharp: We Review the Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens

In my quest to find the best combination of lenses for my photography, I have been trying out various brands and focal lengths to see what would work for me and deliver the image quality I was after. One thing was missing, however, and that was a good, lightweight, affordable telephoto lens for the longer hikes. Enter the Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR.