Reviews
Xiaomi 15 Ultra Review: An Expensive Treat for Photographers
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is designed and engineered to be the best in the business for mobile photographers, though tighter competition and a key drawback may make it harder to stake that claim. [Read More]
Viltrox 25mm f/1.7 Air Review: Performance Without Price
Viltrox is steadily expanding its line of lenses and I’ve committed to making 2025 the year that I review more of them. Viltrox lenses have earned a glowing reputation and I very much enjoyed the 135mm f/1.8. But the latest 25mm f/1.7 comes in at an incredibly low price of $179. Can a lens this affordable make a favorable impression or is it too good to be true? [Read More]
Field Testing the New Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G in Namibia
When I heard about Sony’s new FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS, I was excited. As a wildlife photographer, the appeal of a lens with 800mm reach in a zoom format is undeniable. [Read More]
For Birders Who Handhold, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 Sports Lens is the Ultimate Prime
In 2024, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports was highly regarded in the PetaPixel’s ranking of Sigma’s 2024 optics. As one of Sigma’s high-end Sports lenses, it offers many pros and few cons. One of the most common requests we’ve seen has asked us to test its performance on one of the most challenging subjects: birds in flight. [Read More]
If iPhone Video is So Good, Why Would Anyone Need the Osmo Pocket?
PetaPixel’s Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake aren’t the norm: one of them presents while the other one operates the camera. Modern content creators typically work alone, and that includes me. That means the same number of tasks that are enough of a burden for two full-time jobs is somehow supposed to be crammed into one person. [Read More]
DJI Neo Versus HoverAir X1 Pro Max: Affordable Versus Performant
When it comes to autonomous, compact drones, ZeroZero Robotics’ HoverAir X1 ProMax is a clear winner over the DJI Neo. We can pour over all the specs, put each drone’s real-world performance head-to-head, and dissect the footage frame-by-frame. The X1 ProMax will win every single time. [Read More]
Nikon 28-135mm f/4 PZ First Impressions: Prestige and Power
If you had told me only a few years ago that Nikon would release a video-focused power zoom lens, I’d have called you all kinds of names. But since the release of the Z9, it has become abundantly clear that Nikon intends to capture the hearts of videographers and cinematographers, a strategy which has become even more clear since it acquired RED about a year ago. Now we have the first Z-Mount video-first product from Nikon, the Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ. [Read More]
BenQ SW242Q Review: A Great Photo Editing Display in a Tiny Package
If you are anything like me, choosing a monitor smaller than 27 inches would be a hard decision to make when it comes to photo editing or video production. So it was pretty surprising that even with its smaller footprint and arguably “odd” 16:10 aspect ratio (2,560 by 1,600 pixels at max resolution), the $479 BenQ SW242Q 24 inch IPS display stands out as a very attractive option for retouchers and editors. [Read More]
Honor Magic 7 Pro Review: A Good Phone in a Sea of Great Ones
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has the potential to revolutionize mobile photography, but its image sensors and software computation may be holding it back. [Read More]
OM System OM-3 Review: A Classic Reborn
I have gone on the record with two stances for a while now: manufacturers need to cash in on their classic heritage and someone needs to make a compact Micro Four Thirds body. OM System just announced the new $2,000 OM-3 camera and while it certainly covers the first request, it kind of misses on the second one. [Read More]