Fstoppers Gear Reviews

In depth expert reviews and comparisons of the latest cameras, lenses, software, and other technology we as creative professionals rely on.
My Review of the Super-Fast Exascend 1 TB CFExpress 4.0 Type A Card

As cameras continue to get more powerful year by year, there comes a time when you can be limited by the type of card you use, but no more as the dawn of the CFExpress 4.0 card is here. I was sent the brand-new Exascend 1 TB Essential Pro CFExpress 4.0 Type A card, and I could not wait to take this out on a shoot.

Sigma Shakes Up the Full Frame Game With Revolutionary 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art Lens

Sigma is known for making high-quality lenses, and they’ve just added another world’s first to their lineup: the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art lens. This new full frame lens not only delivers a constant f/1.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range, but it also delivers incredible sharpness and clarity throughout, similar to a high-quality prime lens. This versatile zoom is perfect for a variety of shooting scenarios.

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.

We Review the Godox Lux Elf: A Great Value Flash for Beginners

If you’re thinking of buying your first flash, the Godox Lux Elf might just be the perfect choice. This new flash is easy to use and priced competitively. It’s compatible with a wide range of cameras, including Fujifilm, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, and even film cameras.

Sigma's Latest Masterpiece: We Review the 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art Lens

Sigma’s newest Art series lens, the 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II, takes the winning formula of its predecessor and dials it up a notch, boasting significant advancements in sharpness, autofocus speed, and overall handling. The lens isn’t content with simply meeting the high expectations set by the original; it surpasses them, delivering exceptional image quality that will impress even the most critical photographers.

This Might Be the Best Lens That $80 Can Get You

You don’t really expect so much out of ridiculously cheap lenses. However, every once in a while, a budget lens comes along that may surprise you. This might be one of those lenses.

How To Retouch Faces in Video

Almost anyone can remove acne or wrinkles in a photo, but retouching a face video used to be a monumental task... until now.
The Pergear 60mm Macro Reviewed: Is 2x Magnification for $200 Legit?

Truly affordable macro lenses, especially for hobbyists who are just starting out, are tough to find. The Pergear 60mm Macro lens promises magnification beyond the standard 1x reproduction ratio, but at just $200, can it really deliver usable results? In this hands-on review, I’ll test out this lens and take a detailed look at its performance.

If You Shoot Sony, You've Got To Try This Lens

Sigma has built a solid reputation for its commitment to innovation and excellence in its ever-increasing range of photography lenses. The Contemporary series offers a very high-quality glass and price-friendly option for all photographers.

Dehancer Will Get You Into Film Emulation With a Clever Plug-in

If you're tired of struggling to get the "right" look on your still images, Dehancer is coming to the rescue with a solid plug-in for Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Affinity Photo, and Capture One. It's available for Mac and Windows.

Fujifilm Has Just Announced The GFX 100S II and We've Used It for a Week!

Fujifilm has just announced its sixth medium format mirrorless camera. The 102-megapixel GFX 100S II is a successor to the wildly popular, compact GFX 100S. Along with the body, Fujifilm has released the GF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR, an incredibly long medium format telephoto perfect for wildlife!

Our First Look at the New Fujifilm X-T50 Mirrorless APS-C Camera

Fujifilm has announced a couple of new products, one of which is the Fujifilm X-T50 mirrorless APS-C camera. It features the same 40-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor as the popular X100VI. The X-T50 is promised to be a game-changer for the professional and serious amateur photographer.

All the Power You Need: We Review the Mango Power E

We've already reviewed several power stations that allow you to power your gear on the road or even your office at home. The solar generator we show you today goes beyond that. The Mango Power E has sufficient power and capacity for energy-hungry studios and demanding productions.

We Review the PanoX V2: Capable, but Is It Competitive?

I’ve often said there’s not a bad camera on the market today. At this point, that logic is starting to apply to 360 cameras as well. Though there are no bad cameras — and the PanoX V2 is included in that — there are also cameras that may be more worth your hard-earned money.

Nik Collection 7 Released: Faster and Newer, But Loses A Bit Along the Way

The Nik Collection, a set of seven photo editing tools, has just received a version number update. Version 7 brings with it primarily speed and workflow improvements, but is that enough to justify a whole new upgrade? In this review, I’ll discuss the new features, improvements, and even a surprise missing feature of this venerable editing suite.

The Proven Classic: A Long-Term Review of The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R

Every once in a while, a piece of gear becomes an instant classic. The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R carries that title with pride and deservedly so! I have been using it for nearly a decade and cannot recommend it enough. It's a brilliant lens with flaws that are easy to ignore.

Time Tested, Ever Reliable: We Review The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR

There is a unique series of lenses for the X-Mount. They do not offer the brightest apertures, nor do they use linear motors, but what they lack in features, they make up in beautiful vintage-looking, slanted, weather-resistant, and compact build. Some call them Fujicrons and the 35mm started it all.

The Leica Q3 Has a Special Power That You Might Not Have Heard About

Even a lot of the people who purchased the new Leica Q3 might not be aware of a feature this camera has that can greatly expand your creative possibilities for using flash. Within the Q3’s beautiful magnesium alloy body lies a secret hidden in plain sight.

We Review the HP Sprocket 3x4: In a Class of Its Own

The title of this article makes it seem like I'm heaping some sort of superlative description upon what is, more or less, a typical Zink-based printer that doesn't require ink or cartridges. And when it comes to this, the $129 HP Sprocket 3x4 Instant Photo Printer, I am. Well, more or less.

Made For Travelling And Vlogging? A Preview of Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G

Sony released a rather odd lens a few days ago. The FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G is neither a replacement for the GMaster nor the cheaper f/4. It is its own odd thing. What is its purpose? Where does it fit in the lineup? Does purchasing it make sense? For some, it most definitely might. Not for all, though.

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.

Fstoppers Reviews the Goldenmate 1000VA Surge Protector Battery

As much as we love to talk about composition, lighting, and color, it's important to address the fundamental aspects of keeping your photography setup efficient and protected. No matter what you do, we all need one thing: reliable power. Power outages, voltage spikes, power surges, and other electrical disturbances can result in data loss or even worse, hardware damage. This is where the Goldenmate UPS 1000VA/800W Surge Protector Battery Power Backup comes in.

Sony's All-in-One Wonder: We Review The 24-105mm f/4 OSS Lens

A few months back, I switched systems, mainly due to work-related requirements moving forward. The system I switched to was Sony, namely the a7R IV, so I needed a versatile lens to start with to allow me time to save for another lens after clearing out my bank account.

Budget Friendly and Impressive: We Review the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 E Mount Lens

If you’re all about capturing those sweeping landscapes or immersive cityscapes, the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 lens might just be your new best friend. Available in both E and Z mounts, this surprisingly inexpensive lens quietly snuck under the radar for a lot of people last year. Perhaps because of the price point at only $158, many didn’t consider it, thinking low price, low quality.

ON1 Photo Raw 2024 Is a Doozy and Gets Another Interim Update

On1 Photo Raw is a comprehensive image processing tool designed for photographers. It includes asset management, image development, and editing, plus a host of AI-driven tools, including noise reduction and deblurring. The latest update improves the performance of these tools.

First Hands-On Look At New DJI Avata 2 FPV Drone

DJI, maker of the world's best consumer and professional camera drones, recently announced the brand new Avata 2 FPV drone. They were able to send me one to test out, and in this video, I ask the question: "is the Avada 2 worth upgrading from the original Avata drone?"

Review of the Sony a9 Mark III Without Focusing Too Much on the Global Shutter

When the Sony a9 Mark III is mentioned, it is all about the global shutter. While there is a benefit from this kind of sensor readout, the camera is much more than that. Although the global sensor needs to be mentioned, I want to look beyond that one single thing everyone seems to be obsessed about.

The Sony 20-70mm f/4 Review: The Most Useful Midrange Zoom?

For both artistic and commercial work, a mid-range zoom is virtually an essential piece of kit. Sony’s 20-70mm f/4 puts a new spin on the traditional mid-range formula, but is it really that good? In this review, I look back on the last year of using this lens and consider whether it truly has a place in the E-mount ecosystem.

The Godox V1Pro Review: The Best On-Camera Flash Finally Gets Updates

Recently, Godox launched the V1Pro, an upgrade to the popular V1 flash. But with the V1 already at the top of the pack, was there much to improve? In this review, I’ll be comparing the Godox V1 and V1Pro to determine which you should consider adding to your flash photography kit.

Review of Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z

The zoom range of 24-105mm is perhaps one of the most versatile options available. Typically, lenses within this range maintain a constant f/4 aperture throughout. While this is adequate, having an aperture one stop larger would be ideal. Now we have the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM.

The Perfect Choice for the Perfectionist? We Review the Hasselblad X2D 100C

Many dream of having one, yet most can’t ever afford one. What makes the Hasselblad X2D 100C so special? Should you even think about getting one? Who is it for, anyway? There are quite a few questions I had when I was getting this camera, and in the few weeks of using it, I got some answers.