Reviews

Expert reviews of the latest digital cameras, lenses, lighting products, accessories, phones, photography-editing software, and more. PetaPixel tests state-of-the-art products in the photo industry and provides insights and recommendations for photographers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer Review: Not Quite a Dream

Venus Optics has continued to expand on an already extensive list of ultra-wide-angle lenses with the addition of the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer for full-frame mirrorless systems. Where many ultra-wide lenses can be big, bulky, and incredibly pricey, this new "slow" lens becomes even more impressive with its relatively small $649 price.

Laowa Argus 25mm Review

Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 APO Review: Excellent Lens with a Caveat

Venus Optics has introduced yet another unique lens to the market: the Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 APO for Micro Four Thirds. As a long-time user of the Micro Four Thirds system, I jumped at the opportunity to test drive this lens after I heard “0.95” and “APO” in the same sentence.

Google Pixel 6a

Google Pixel 6a Review: Keeping Things Familiar

When Google launches an A-series phone, it inevitably trickles down some of its photography prowess to its one mid-range shooter. The Pixel 6a joins the family and comes with a lot of familiarities relative to other Pixel phones.

Westcott Eyelighter 3 Review: A Solid Portable Curved Reflector

Westcott recently released its third version of the popular specialist tool, the Eyelighter. If you happen to be a working headshot or portrait photographer, there is no way you haven’t seen it, thought about buying it, or even had it in your shopping cart at some point.

Fujifilm X-H2S First Impressions: A New Standard for APS-C

The Fujifilm X-H2S has many new and vastly improved features and capabilities, all in a package that’s different than the X-T lineup of cameras with traditional control dials. I’ve had a few days with my Fujifilm X-H2S and here’s my experience with their new flagship APS-C camera.

Retouch4Me Review

Retouch4Me Review: AI Retouching That Actually Works

Some may enjoy editing, but most photographers will agree that actually taking the photos is the best part of the job. So finding a way to speed up and reduce the amount of time spent at the computer is more than welcome, which is where Retouch4Me comes into play.

Kodak Ektar H35 Review

Kodak Ektar H35 Half Frame Camera Review: Out-Of-The-Box Fun

Despite rising film costs, Kodak hopes to keep film shooters snapping by offering a way to shoot film on a shoestring budget. Taking a cue from a 1960's trend in camera design, Kodak has released the Ektar H35 half-frame camera.

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Lens Review: A New Benchmark

When the Z mirrorless system was first announced, Nikon swore to deliver lenses with far superior image quality and optical characteristics when compared to the DSLR F-mount siblings, and it all started with the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens. Despite how good the f/4 "kit" version performed compared to the F-mount version, the $2,295 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens might be one of the best 24-70mm lenses ever made.

Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4

Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 STM XF Lens Review: Great Lens, Better Price

The Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 STM lens slots neatly into an existing range of Viltrox primes for APS-C cameras, a focal length that is notably absent from Fujifilm directly. The 13mm, which is equivalent to 20mm on 35mm full-frame, is fairly wide and works well for landscapes or architecture, especially for the low price of $429.

Nikon Z7 II: An Astrophotography and Nightscape Review

In May of 2018, I upgraded to a Nikon Z6 from my old Nikon D3200. When I was trying to decide on cameras, I made a distinct decision to go with the Z6 over the Z7. Mostly based on the technical specifications with regards to low light sensitivity. Since then, I’ve always wondered though if I would truly have noticed and also would I have preferred the higher resolution.

Insta360 One RS

Insta360 One RS Review: Not Perfect, But Lots to Love

Every year, action camera companies come out with new and, often, incrementally improved models that fix a few things and keep the rest the same. Insta360’s One RS is a different kind of action camera that has swappable modules for future flexibility.

SmallRig-RC220B-Review

SmallRig RC 220 Bi-Color LED Review: Accurate and Affordable

SmallRig's 220 Watt RC 220B LED light is a much-anticipated update to the RC120 series LED. While the D version is daylight balanced, the B model we tested offers a color balance of 2700K to 6500K. After making several smaller vlogger-style LED lights, it seems with this update, SmallRig is officially entering the professional continuous lighting world.

H&Y Revoring Swift Filter Review: Fast, Secure, and Functional

H&Y recently announced a new addition to its lineup of magnetic and hot-swappable filter accessories: the Revoring Swift. The comapny says it is the world's first modular magnetic filter system and was launched on Kickstarter where, at the time of publication, it already achieved nearly ten times the initial funding goal.

Canon EOS R10

Canon EOS R10 First Impressions: A Lot of Camera for $1,000

Canon's first APS-C mirrorless cameras are here, three and a half years after its first full-frame RF-mount option. After a brief time with what is effectively the Rebel replacement, there is a lot of camera here for $1,000 when it comes to the new Canon EOS R10.

Veikk-VK1060-tablet-review

Veikk VK1060 Pen Tablet Review: Surprisingly Great for $50

When it comes to precision and professional image editing, nearly every working retoucher will tell you that a pen tablet is an absolute must-have tool, yet the entry cost of these tools can be a deterrent. Thankfully there are several entry-level tablets like the Veikk VK1060 that offer some professional-level features without breaking the bank.

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens Review

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens Review: A Superior Successor

The updated mirrorless version of the legendary ultra-wide 14-24mm f/2.8 lens lives up to its F-mount predecessor and then some. It offers incredible performance, a sturdy and stylish build, impressive image quality, and it comes with its own screw-in filter attachment lens hood.

SABRENT Thunderbolt 3 2TB NVMe SSD Docking Station

Sabrent Thunderbolt 3 16TB Docking Station: Storage First, Dock Second

Sabrent turned heads when it announced a Thunderbolt 3 Docking station that came packed with 16TB of NVMe M.2 SSD storage along with multiple other ports in a compact package. After testing and teardown, I'm pleased to report it's a pretty awesome and value-rich total package, but I wish it was better able to sink heat.

OM Digital OM System OM-1 Review

OM Digital OM-1 Review: The Best Micro Four Thirds Camera Ever Made

I’ve been an Olympus and Micro Four Thirds user since I purchased a used E-M5 in 2016. I love Olympus, and like many others was sad to hear the news when the company’s photo division came to an end. There was a lot of speculation and anxiety over what JIP would do with the business, but the rebranding to OM Digital encouraged confidence. Since then, I have eagerly awaited the new company’s first camera. And now we have it: the OM System OM-1.

7artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro II APS-C Review: A Good Lens for Its Price

The 7artisans 60mm f/2.8 II APS-C is a lens designed specifically for crop-frame mirrorless. Instead of just a ported mount, there’s no image circle wasted. The design itself is a big upgrade that makes the Mark I look like a weird prototype in comparison.

Xiaomi 12 Pro Review

Xiaomi 12 Pro Smartphone Review: Small But Solid Forward Progress

Xiaomi may not be a household name in North America, but the brand is a rising force around the world and now sits in third place behind Apple and Samsung. One reason it hit those heights is the way it continues to innovate on the camera side of things, which is what the 12 Pro is supposed to illustrate.