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.

BenQ PD3420Q Monitor Review: Ultrawide, Ultra-Accurate

One of the most important items a photographer can have is a top-notch display on which to edit their images (or video). The BenQ PD3420Q is the company's latest ultra-wide, and it promises a huge amount of screen real-estate for an affordable price: a multitasker's dream.

Oppo Find X3 Pro Review: Beautifully Consistent Cameras

Oppo isn’t following the herd with the new Find X3 Pro’s camera system. While most companies use different sensors for the main and ultrawide camera, Oppo has used the same sensor, resulting in it having two “primary” cameras. The result is consistency across your photographs, with both the main and ultrawide cameras delivering the same visual tone.

BenQ SW271C Monitor Review: Love the Updates, Hate the Price Hike

With the release of the new-and-improved PhotoVue SW271C, BenQ is once again hoping to win over photographers with impressive color accuracy and targeted photo editing features at a reasonable price. But unlike the original SW271, the SW271C is entering a much more competitive marketplace, at a price that isn't quite so "reasonable" anymore.

Angelo Pelle M-Etropolis Review: $275 Sneakers for Street Photographers

For over six years, I have closely followed the progress of Angelo Pelle, an independent Italian camera accessories and leather goods company that offers what I already considered to be some of the very best handmade leather camera straps and camera cases I have had a chance to use.

Adobe Photoshop’s ‘Super Resolution’ Made My Jaw Hit the Floor

Adobe just dropped its latest software updates via the Creative Cloud and among those updates is a new feature in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) called “Super Resolution.” You can mark this day down as a major shift in the photo industry.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Review: Great Cameras, Inconsistent Software

If you’ve been looking at Samsung’s S21 or S21+ but wished a 108-megapixel camera was on the back just like the S21 Ultra, then Xiaomi has a phone that will interest you. The Xiaomi Mi 11 adds a Samsung ISOCELL 108MP camera to an S21+-sized phone and then tempts you further with an even lower price tag.

The Little Camera That Can: Pocketing the Fuji X70

I bought a used Fujifilm X70 online last year during the UK lockdown. For quite a while I’d been wanting a camera that I could pocket. No case, no fluff, just pocket.

Real-World Test: Photoshop for Apple Silicon is Really, Really Fast

Earlier today, Adobe finally released the full-blown non-Beta version of Photoshop for Apple Silicon, and we got a chance to test it out. I won't beat around the bush: the benchmarks are really impressive, matching or outperforming Intel-based computers that cost two to three times as much.

DJI FPV Review: A Racing Drone for the Non-Racing Pilot

When I first heard DJI was bringing the FPV drone to market, I was excited but also a bit skeptical. Even though DJI's history in the consumer drone market is second to none, the company's offerings to the FPV market are a bit of a mixed bag coming from the perspective of a pilot from the racing and freestyle scene.

The Black Leopard: One Man’s Quest to Capture the Ultimate Wildlife Photo

Behind every once-in-a-lifetime photograph is a story. Sometimes these are stories of luck—of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right lens attached to your camera—but more often than not triumph is preceded by years of trial and error. An outlandish "bucket shot" achieved by the sheer force of the photographer’s will and persistence. The Black Leopard by wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas falls into the second category.

Sony Alpha 1 Review: Yeah, It Really Is That Good

The Sony Alpha 1 is really impressive on paper. What it can do has taken the industry by storm and the expectations of this camera are just as high as its $6,500 price. Clearly, it has been the focus of a lot of hype. So, does it live up to those expectations?

The Best Cloud Storage Platforms for Photographers in 2026

As another year of taking photos rolls on, having enough storage is yet another thing on every photographer's checklist. Thanks to the cloud, we can have another layer of security and enjoy the convenience of accessing our photos anywhere as long as we have an Internet connection.

Hands-On with the Weird Fotosnaiper Soviet Sniper Camera

Photographer Mathieu Stern was browsing a flea market when he came across a Zenit Fotosnaiper, a Soviet-era camera rig that looks and feels more like a rifle. Stern jumped at the opportunity to have a copy of his own and to go hands-on with the camera.

Apple M1 Mac mini Review: The Best Mac for Most Photographers

When Apple debuted the M1 system on a chip (SOC), it released three computers equipped with the same CPU/GPU/RAM combo: the M1 MacBook Air, the M1 MacBook Pro, and the M1 Mac mini. It might seem like this makes for three redundant options, but after reviewing the MacBook Pro and spending a month with the new Mac mini, I can confidently say that the Mac mini is the best choice for the majority of photographers. To explain why, I need to turn to economics.

Clubhouse for Photographers: Social Media as We Know It is About to Change

Many photographers have had the same reaction that I did upon hearing about yet another new social media app hitting the radar: a yawn and a roll of the eyes. We have seen countless apps and image-sharing sites emerge with fanfare and then fail to gain traction in the crowded sphere of social media, and we feel pressed to carve out time for the platforms that we already use.

A Brief Review of the Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary for Sony E

My favorite "walking around" and landscape focal length is 35mm equivalent. I have some 24mm lenses which approximate that field of view on my APS-C camera. One is the Tamron 24mm f/2.8. But despite its great resolution, it is slow to focus and pretty large. So after being very pleased with my Sigma 45mm Contemporary, I decided to give their new 24mm version a try. I'm glad I did.

5 Things You Should Know Before Buying the Apple Pro Display XDR

When Apple unveiled the Pro Display XDR in June of 2019, I'll admit that I drank the cool-aid in big refreshing gulps. From design to execution, I had every reason to believe that this monitor would change the creative landscape, bringing reference displays in a price range attainable by mere mortals. But one year and 7 months later, as I sit staring at my very own review unit, I've had to temper my enthusiasm with a small dose of reality.

Fuji GFX 100S: I Found the Landscape Photography Camera of My Dreams

I have to say that I absolutely love when Fujifilm gives me a project. I tend to make some of my best work when I am under a deadline. And of course, I’m incredibly honored that I am one of the few that they trusted with this beast pre-launch.

Hands-On First Impressions with the Fujifilm X-E4

When Fujifilm announced the X-S10 near the end of 2020, many thought that it might be the end of the X-T30/X-E3 line. With the announcement of the new X-E4, Fuji not only continues the compact rangefinder-style design, they also make it a very competitive camera.

Dell mini-LED 4K HDR Monitor Review: Setting the Bar at $5,000

In the age of digital photography, your monitor is as important as the camera you shoot with or the lenses you use. But as more high-end options hit the market every year, the line between "worth it" and "overkill" is starting to blur. Dell's new 32-inch 4K HDR PremierColor mini-LED monitor, an elite display by any standard, is helping to draw that line a little bit clearer.

An Ultra-Wide-Angle Mirrorless Lens Shootout: Sigma 14-24mm vs Tamron 17-28mm

Let’s talk about the most interesting and hardest lens to master: the ultra wide angle. This is a fantastic lens that lets you share unique perspectives of almost any subject by cramming a whole lot of environment in a single frame. If you are in the market for one of these, follow on as I compare two of the best on the market.

Is the Ricoh GR III Still a Worthy Street Photography Camera in 2021?

If someone were to ask you what type of camera is best for street photography, what would your answer be? In the early 2000s, when digital street photography was only for hipsters, your answer would probably be some kind of stylish rangefinder, and, if you had an extra kidney to sell, maybe even a Leica M. That all changed when Ricoh introduced the Ricoh GR in 2013 (and before that the GR Digital series in 2005).

First Look: Sigma 35mm f/2 and 65mm f/2 DG DN C

Earlier this month, Sigma announced three new lenses for Sony E and Panasonic/Leica L Mount cameras: The Sigma 35mm f/2, 65mm f/2, and 24mm f/3.5. These lenses, while bearing the “Contemporary” badge, are part of a new “I series” category.

Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Pro Review: This Changes Everything

On January 15th, 2008, Steve Jobs pulled a MacBook Air out of a manila envelope and changed laptop computers forever. Blink and you might have missed it: the instant when an entire industry shifted to accommodate a new breed of device that made more sense to more people. And last month, Apple had the audacity to do it again.

Apple ProRAW Review: The Best Way to Shoot RAW on an iPhone

Earlier today, Apple officially released Apple ProRAW via iOS 14.3. This new hybrid image format claims to give you the best of both worlds: AI-powered computational photography on the one hand, and the flexibility of a 12-bit RAW file on the other. But does it deliver the goods? In a word: yes.

Dell XPS 17 Review: A Photo Editing Powerhouse with a Stunning Display

When Dell decided to bring back the XPS 17, I was skeptical. Most 17-inch laptops fail to give you enough performance to justify the drop in portability; what you end up with is either too big, not powerful enough, or both. That's what makes the XPS 17 so special. This is a 17-inch laptop built with creative professionals in mind.

Thoughts on the Nikon Z6 II for Wildlife Photography

I've had the Nikon Z6 II in my possession for the past three weeks and have been able to put the camera to use photographing birds, and I'd like to share my thoughts on the experience.

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Review for Astrophotography

I took the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S out to see how it performed taking astrophotography and nightscape photos with a Nikon Z6. I’ve compiled notes and comparison images to help those out who are looking at purchasing this lens for astrophotography and nightscape photos.

XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 Review: Editing Photos on a 24-Inch Pen Display

There are two big leaps you can make in your photo editing workflow. The first is moving from a mouse-and-keyboard setup to a pen tablet like the Wacom Intuos Pro—almost everybody does that at some point. But if you really want to kick your experience up to another level, there's one more step you can take: you can buy yourself a high-resolution pen display.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max: Real Pro Photography

Over at Halide HQ, we’ve been busily working away on a very deep, technical analysis of what’s new in iPhone 12 cameras this year. All four of ’em. On Friday, we got our hands on the final iPhones in this year’s line-up, the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Ricoh GR III: A Real-World Review from Vietnam

Ricoh is not a brand uppermost in the minds of most photographers on the market for a new mirrorless camera. Sony, Fuji, and Panasonic seem to have dominated market visibility, if not the actual market, for high-end mirrorless cameras systems for the past five or so years, with late-comers Canikon gaining traction with their most recent offerings.

A Sony a7C Review: ‘You’re Not Losing a Whole Lot’

Youtuber and photographer Dustin Abbot has published his "definitive review" of the Sony a7C camera where he sought to determine if it was better or worse than the a7 III. In this lengthy 29-minute video, Abbott covers the IBIS, shutter and burst mode, focus system, and sensor performance.