Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
The Most Unexpected Surprise: The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Forget about Sony, Canon, Nikon, or any other mirrorless camera. Panasonic has the Lumix S1 and Lumix S1R, and those cameras are amazing. I have invested a lot in Canon, and I am really happy about the system. But if I had to do it all over again today, I definitely would choose the Lumix S1.

The Best Way to Stabilize Your GoPro Hero's Footage

The GoPro Hero 7’s most talked about feature, HyperSmooth, can give gimbal quality stabilization without the need for any external hardware. But if you already own a Hero 5 Black, Hero 5 Session, or Hero 6, a software plugin called ReelSteady GO can bring that feature to your camera.

Fstoppers Reviews the Haida M10 Filter Holder System

Our regular readers may remember a recent traumatic video for Fstoppers’ founders Lee and Patrick, where Lee’s D850 spent some intimate time with a wave and didn’t come out the same. Today, we’re going to look at the filter system he was testing on the day, the Haida M10.

Fstoppers Hands-On First Impressions of the Sony a7R IV

Last week, Sony surprised us all when they announced their latest a7R mirrorless camera. I had the chance to use the new a7R IV shooting a number of different portrait studio sets at the launch event, and in this first-impressions review I offer my opinions on its updated body design and performance.

How Useful Is an External Field Monitor for Stills Photographers?

I've watched with interest as videographers use external small monitors attached to their DSLR or mirrorless cameras. I could see the advantages: the larger screen, the ability to see vectorscopes, histograms, and the variety of focus tools available. At the same time, I wondered if a monitor would enhance my landscape and nighttime photography, so I took the plunge, and here are my findings.

Fstoppers Reviews the Tenba Roadie Air Case Roller 21

Tenba has been creating some very stylish and excellently designed camera bags recently and the Tenba Roadie Air Case Roller 21 is the pinnacle of these new offerings. With a semi rigid hard shell case surrounded by a 1680 denier ballistic nylon shell, the roadie air case is not only an inconspicuous and highly stylized camera bag, but it's also an incredibly protective roller case that’s great for domestic and international travel.

Round Heads are All the Rage: Fstoppers Reviews the Godox V1

In a move that potentially threw the Profoto marketing team into a frenzy, Godox recently released their V1 hotshoe flash. Sporting a round fresnel head and all the features of a great flash system, the V1 is a hefty contender at its price-point. But, how does it perform? Let's check it out after the jump.

iPadOS Finally Makes iPad Worth Considering for Professionals

After a few compatibility and speed tests, for the first time, I will be leaving my laptop behind when I go on a seven day trip out of the country later this month. It’s all thanks to iPad’s new iPadOS, which this year will provide support for external drives and a group of other pro features we’ve been starved for since the iPad first came out.

Fstoppers Reviews the Alter Rapid Filter System

Early on in my career, I was quite reluctant to use any kind of filter system. I was under the impression that any filter effects could be achieved by utilizing a few techniques such as mean stacking. I've changed my mind since then and I now regularly use filters for my work. The issue is they can be a hassle, however, a company called Alter may have a solution.

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.

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 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.

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.

Dotphoton Raw Makes Raw Quality with JPEG File Size a Reality

In a perfect world, raw files would be as light as JPEGs. Even better yet, every camera manufacturer would use a similar and open format such as DNG. Unfortunately, as we all know, we don't live in a perfect world. However, one company named Dotphoton is about to change it all!

Fstoppers Reviews the NBP Ultrasharp Plugin

Today I'll be going over the NBP Ultrasharp plugin and how to use it for your workflow. Normally I am not too excited about new apps or plugins unless they really do provide something I couldn't previously do, or makes something I can already do faster and easier.

The Retouching Toolkit 3.1: The Best Photoshop Plugin Gets Even Better

The Retouching Toolkit is, without a doubt, the best Photoshop extension I have tried yet. It helps streamline one's editing workflow, improves Photoshop's interface, and with the latest update, it's getting one step closer to becoming the only Photoshop plugin you could ever need.

Fstoppers Review: Taking Tamron’s 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 on the Road

Tamron has long been known as a reliable manufacturer of high-quality lenses, and their recent series of SP lenses has more than demonstrated their commitment to excellence. Through priorities for speed, clarity, optics, and a field-friendly design, Tamron has created a fabulous workhorse lens in their new 15-30mm (Model A041). The lens replaces the previous Model A012, delivering a variety of new features that make the lens not only faster and more reliable than its predecessor, but allowing it to yield surprisingly crisp, beautiful images. I put the 15-30mm G2 to the test on my recent 17-day journey through Belize, traipsing through Mayan ruins, along wind- and salt-swept beaches, and in the most humid of jungle environments. Let’s take a look at how this sweet piece of glass performed.

Fstoppers Reviews the New and Improved Luxury Camera Bag From Hawkesmill

Three years ago, I reviewed the original camera bag offering from the team at Hawkesmill and it has remained my favorite bag in the years since. Recently, Hawkesmill reached out to me about reviewing their updated and improved model. Read on to hear how the best bag has been made even better.

Image Cataloging Made Easy With ACDSee Photo Studio Standard 2019

I hope I'm not the only person who does this, but up until recently, I had not used any of the cataloging features from any image editing software. This isn't because I thought any of them were particularly bad; instead, I just have my own way of managing files and their locations. However, ACDSee has changed my mind about this.

Fstoppers Reviews the Small HD Taradek

When it comes to shooting video, a camera screen can be a bit small and challenging to see. Depending on the type of work that is being done, sometimes it is nice to have an external monitor that can help us compose the perfect shots.

The Latest Luminar 3 Update Adds More Powerful AI Features

Skylum's Luminar 3 has been rapidly advancing with new features, and today, they've released Luminar 3.10. It's a free update for current users. This new update features significant enhancements and content-aware recognition to the software’s Accent AI filter, as well as other improvements to its Library.

Review: Topaz DeNoise AI Kills Noise but Not the Details in Your Images

I've owned lots of image de-noisers over the years. I've used external apps, Photoshop/Lightroom plugins, and I've used the noise reductions controls built into Photoshop and Lightroom. They all work to some degree, but you wind up trading noise reduction for details, and I've never found a noise reduction aid that didn't have some rather large trade-offs. Increase the noise reduction and details suffer. Preserve the details and the noise reduction is not effective. Many of you know the drill.

Every Architecture and Landscape Photographer Needs Luminar 3

I know this article is sponsored, and some of you may pull back a little because of that. I don't blame you; I mean, I'd personally have reservations too, but I genuinely mean every bit of praise I give to Luminar 3. This software is seriously awesome, and in this article, I'm going to explain why.

How Does the Nikon Z 6 Hold up Against the World's Worst Weather?

I spent several days creating images in nasty, cold conditions on Mount Washington and the mountains of New Hampshire to see how this new mirrorless camera would perform. There were some issues, but no major malfunctions or failures. Overall, I’d say it’s a step sideways from the D750 or D800, but not a big step up at this point.

Fstoppers Reviews Drone Pilot Ground School

Last autumn, I finally decided to get my butt in gear and become FAA Part 107 Certified to be able to fly my drone commercially. Since I had pretty limited time in the busy fall season, and had zero prior aviation knowledge, I decided to give one of the many online courses out there a try.

New Video Editor on the Block: A Look at Filmora's Pro

There are dozens of options in the video-editing software space. There's a new entrant, Wondershare’s FilmoraPro, which promises pro-grade tools and features without a pro-grade price.

Fstoppers Reviews the Movavi Video Suite 18

As someone who has previously used the Movavi Video Editor 15, I was really interested to see what the full suite had on offer. After using the Movavi Video Suite to edit some of the videos that I recently posted on YouTube, I have to say I'm quite impressed.

Fstoppers Tests the CamRanger Mini: Does the Mini Have the Power?

When shooting action sports I’m always looking for ways to get shots that the other photographers aren’t, but lots of times due to safety concerns by the promoters, I can’t get to places I want to shoot from during the event. This is where the CamRanger Mini comes into the picture, by giving me the ability to remotely place a camera before the event starts and then triggering the camera remotely from a safe location.