Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
Nikon Z 7II for Landscape Photography: 6 Months On

The Nikon Z 7II is a high-resolution full frame camera and the updated brother of the z7. Now 6 months on, how has the camera performed for me shooting landscapes? Faultless in my opinion. Well, except for one thing, but I'll speak about that later.

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.

Fstoppers Reviews the Vecnos IQUI: A Tiny 360 Camera for the Masses?

Capturing the world in 360 has been a thing for years. While companies such as Ricoh and Insta360 have made the process far easier than the days of specialized tripod heads and sophisticated software, it’s still not an easily understood process or format. Vecnos aims to change that with its new IQUI 360 camera.

We Review the New Shimoda Explore V2: A Travel-Ready Backpack for Creators

Shimoda just launched their new backpack lineup, the Explore V2 Series. It’s a travel-ready backpack that comes in three sizes and is built for travel and landscape photographers who spend their time globetrotting with a camera in tow. This feature-rich new bag by a brand specializing in adventure camera bags is definitely worth checking out!

Fstoppers Reviews the New Magbox Pro Softboxes From Magmod

The wait is over, and by now, you all have now heard the news! Magmod just announced the release of seven new products: two upgrades and five all-new additions to the MagBox lineup. So, let's jump into them.

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.

The Loupedeck Live Saved My Workflow

When it comes to tools designed to help you edit, the main factor for me is time. Yes, I want tools to make things easier and more intuitive, but at the end of the day, those features must help save me time. The Loupedeck Live does all that and more.

We Review the New Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD Lens

As a working professional, I rely on my gear and need it to perform in all conditions. Recently, I was given the opportunity to field-test the new Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD. It may just surprise you, as it did me.

Fstoppers Reviews the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro ISO Live Streaming HDMI Switcher


The Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini is one of the best and easiest ways to do more than just stream multiple cameras, and at first, it might seem like an expensive gadget for most photographers. But this last year has shown us a lot of businesses can succeed remotely and even after things return to some level of normalcy a few things are probably going to stay that way.

Fstoppers Reviews the SunwayFoto GH-02 Gimbal Head

I recently decided to upgrade to a nicer gimbal head for my tripod. However, I wasn't quite fond of the $500+ options available on the market. I'm sure they are nice, but I couldn't justify the extra cost because my current gimbal did almost everything I needed.

Finally a Tripod I Love: Colorado Tripod Company

I've been testing out the Centennial Tripod from Colorado Tripod Company and I love it. Buying US-made products is cool, but when those sellers offer top quality at a good price, it's even more awesome! Read on to see why I think your next tripod should be made in Colorado.

Mighty Fine Macro: Fstoppers Reviews the Venus Optics Laowa 50mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO Lens

There’s no shortage of lenses to choose from when it comes to the Micro Four Thirds mount, and so, for one to stand out, it’s got to offer something special. The Venus Optics Laowa 50mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO is a lens that just happens to have a few tricks up its sleeve to make a case for itself, namely 2:1 magnification for macro photography and the computer chips to make it play nice with Micro Four Thirds cameras.

5 Affordable Tools That Will Make Your Filmmaking Lives Easier

If you're starting out in photography or videography, it feels as if there are unlimited items you need, which is not the case. However, there are some less expensive tools that can aid in your production and make a bigger difference than their cost implies.

Bigger Is Better: We Review PNY’s PRO Elite MicroSD Cards

While the choice of a memory card might seem simple if you normally just grab whatever’s on sale, there are a number of reasons to reconsider that method. The latest generation of cards offer faster speeds and larger capacities at better price points. Whether you’re looking to equip your newest action cam or drone, PNY’s Pro Elite MicroSD card is a great choice.

Artlist Walks Us Through Their Advert

When you see an advert on YouTube, it either has to be gripping and interesting for you to continue watching, or it's clicked through. Artlist has a strong campaign, and they made a video explaining the process of shooting one of these ads.

A Closer Look at the Magic Stick-It Wrapper Cloth From Haida

There are times when you need some extra protection for your equipment, even if you transport it in your camera bag. A pouch can offer that extra protection, or you can wrap it in a cloth. Haida has created the Magic Stick-It Wrapper Cloth for that.

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?

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."

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro: A Review You Need to See!

If you are looking for your first cinema camera or thinking of upgrading your current rig there are tons of options out there but if you are looking for the best bang for your buck. Then you will want to make sure you read this Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro review.

Fstoppers Reviews Moment's Magsafe Mounts

Moment has always been the front runners with regards to developing tools and lenses for mobile phones, and with MagSafe now standard on new iPhones, they’ve knocked it out of the park with their mounts.

AI-Based Editing That Learns Your Style? Fstoppers Reviews ImagenAI

Are you excited about finally resuming your wedding and events photography, but the editing stage is giving you flashbacks to countless hours spent in front of your screen? This is where ImagenAI might come in handy! Take a look at this review.

Is the DSLR Really Dead?

Being a Nikon DSLR landscape photographer who is anticipating the foreseeable demise of said cameras, I have been curious about the Nikon Z 7II. I wanted to see how one of these lighter, smaller mirrorless cameras functioned not only for landscapes but as a travel setup. Here are my initial thoughts.

We Review the Laowa Argus CF 33mm f/0.95 APO for APS-C Cameras

Laowa is a company that never stops amazing me with their creative approach to lens design and cornering of a market sector that appreciates their unique designs. Today, we’ll be taking a look at their latest offering for APS-C cameras, the ultra-fast Laowa Argus CF 33mm f/0.95 APO.

We Review the MSI Prestige PS341WU 34" 21:9 5K IPS Monitor

There is a lot of new tech showing up in monitors the last few years higher. With higher resolutions, HDR support, multiple color spaces, and ultra-wide panels, it can be difficult to find the monitor that meets your specific needs. If you're looking for productivity and a clean look, the MSI Prestige PS341W 34" WUHD IPS 5K2K might be worth checking out.

Is the Hype Real? Fstoppers Reviews the Sony a1

This isn't one of those first impressions or my thoughts about the Sony a1 from behind a desk. In fact, over my course with the camera, I have shot more than 10 thousand frames. So here is the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We Review the Fujifilm GFX 100S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

This year seems like it’s shaping up to be the second wave of megapixel wars from the major manufacturers. In this review, we’ll take a look at the 102-megapixel Fujifilm GFX 100S medium format mirrorless camera and what it has been like to work with over the last month.

We Review the Portable Audeze LCD-1 Reference Series Headphones

We always emphasize the benefits of shooting raw, we spend a lot of money on high-end monitors, and we calibrate those monitors, all so we can create the best foundation for editing our photos and video. But do we do the same for our audio? That's where reference monitors and headphones come into the picture.

The Fastest Way to Cull Your Photos? Fstoppers Reviews Narrative Select

I don’t know about you, but I really hate culling images. I hate waiting for images to load. I hate zooming in to see if it’s in focus. I hate the time it takes to go through so many images. About six months ago, I started using Narrative Select for culling, and it might be the fastest way to cull images.

A Practical Review of the Apple M1 MacBook for Photo and Video Editing

The M1 architecture released by Apple late last year completely blew away the expectations of many tech enthusiasts, myself included. Now that the dust has settled after a few months for apps to grow into the new system, how well does the M1 chip handle photo and video editing?

DxO PureRAW Just Might Be the Best Way to Start Your Editing

Every photographer has their own workflow, and most of us start by making edits in our raw files. Sometimes, I start in Lightroom Classic; other times, I open them with Photoshop, which takes me to Camera Raw. At times, I use Luminar AI. Now, with the debut today of DxO PureRAW, photographers have a better way to start their editing sessions, with some compelling advantages over what you are using now.

We Review the Portable Gitzo Légende Tripod Kit

“The last travel tripod you’ll ever need” might seem like a very definitive statement, but let’s take a look at what Gitzo is talking about and exactly why is this tripod kit worth getting.

A Faux-Vintage Masterpiece? We Review the Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN

A few months ago, Sigma released four rather distinctive, compact lenses for Sony and L-mount cameras. The most curious of these is the 65mm f/2 DG DN, offering a touch of speed, excellent sharpness, and a slightly odd focal length. How does it perform?

Fstoppers Reviews the Godox ML60 Handheld LED Light

The Godox ML60 light gives you a whole lot of features that can really improve your lighting when you’re a run and gun type of shooter, or want constant light on location. I mean, it can run on a battery, and has a handle.