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.

Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Hands On: The Ideal Fast Zoom For Sony?

After teasing an “in development” announcement late last year, Tamron’s all new 70-180mm f/2.8 for Sony E-mount is finally about to hit store shelves. With the release of this lens, Tamron will complete their “holy trinity” for Sony mirrorless.

The Fuji X100V: Falling In Love All Over Again

Every time Fuji releases a new camera I feel like this is the generation that will let me leave Canon behind. I had the same hopes and eventual disappointments with the XT2 and the XT3. Inevitably, I would realize full frame always beats out crop frame, that high ISOs and battery life can’t be matched, that Fuji was just not good enough to beat my Canons.

A Look at ‘The Decisive Moment’ by Henri Cartier-Bresson

A bible for photographers. That is how Robert Capa described The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson. After almost 70 years it was first published, this book has still a lot to say to photographers and especially to street and documentary photographers.

A Real-World Review of the Canon 1D X Mark III

As many of you know, I have been lucky enough to have a Canon EOS 1D X Mark III in my possession for more than a month now. People have been asking me to review this new top-of-the-line camera, but I really wanted to put it through its paces in order to do a fair review.

First Impressions: The Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS is a Solid Performer

Though it might seem less popular than other systems (probably due to marketing), the L Mount Alliance is producing some of the best full-frame lenses currently available. In this case, Panasonic Lumix worked in tandem with their buddies at Leica to release their second 70-200mm lens for full-frame systems: the Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 OIS.

8×10 Film vs 150MP Digital: Can 150 Megapixels Compete?

Over 8 years ago, we over at On Landscape performed a mammoth “Big Camera Comparison.” We compared medium format and large format film against various digital cameras including the then cutting edge Phase One IQ280, an 80MP CCD sensor which we used on a Linhof Techno, an Alpa, and a Cambo technical camera (we also tested a D800 and a 5D Mark II).

Shooting a Wedding with the Leica M9

My name is Tomer, and I've been a street photographer for the past 12 years. Over the years, I've done a lot of event photography, shooting weddings, couples, families, and more.

Hands On with the Fuji X-T4: Trying the IBIS, 240fps Slow Motion, and More

I didn't have a terribly long time with Fujifilm’s latest hybrid shooter before it was released—it was only about a week for what you see shot below—but thankfully, not too much has changed since the previous X-T3, and what has is obvious and easy to evaluate.

As Expected, the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G Looks Really Good

These days, it's probably more likely that you win the lottery than for Sony to make a bad lens. Their process over the last few years has been really dialed in, to the point where making a technically good piece of optics is their bread and butter.

Long Term Review: Two Years with the Laowa 25mm 2.5-5x Ultra Macro Lens

Two years ago, Venus Optics sent macro photographer Thomas Shahan their Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro lens for testing. Now, after two continuous years of real-world use and testing, he's finally gotten around to sharing his thoughts in a thoughtful review that will be a huge help to any extreme macro photographers who are considering this lens.

3 Weeks with the New Fujifilm X100V

Over three years ago, I tested out the Fuji X100F and was introduced to the pleasantries of carrying around a capable point and shoot. Today’s agenda is the fifth installment of Fujifilm’s X100 line of cameras: the Fuji X100V.

Film vs Digital: Shooting a Wedding in Fujifilm ACROS

On my last shift at the film lab in Bondi, I picked up one of the last rolls of Fujifilm ACROS film. It seemed poignant -- as my job at the shop was finishing, so too was the production of this film stock.

Astrophotographer Reviews the Google Pixel 4’s Astro Mode

Astrophotographer Ian Norman of Lonely Speck recently got his hands on a Google Pixel 4 XL for testing, so he took it out to Joshua Tree National Park to see how well the "Astrophotography Mode" on this smartphone compares to shooting with a "real" camera.

Do Professional Photographers Need a Mac Pro? No… Not Really

YouTuber Tyler Stalman recently got his hands on a review unit of both the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR, and while many tech YouTubers have reviewed these extreme (and extremely expensive) Apple products, he's the first we've seen who's evaluated them from the perspective of a professional photographer.

Back from the Drawing Board: Mitakon 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens Redesigned

Late last year, macro photographers rejoiced at the announcement of a worthy competitor to the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1x-5x macro lens, which has been heralded as the best high-magnification macro lens since its release in 1999. The Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1x-5x lens held a lot of promise, but it was immediately apparent that something was wrong.

Evaluating Peerspace, the Airbnb of Photo/Video Studio Spaces

If you're shooting often, it can be pretty easy to fall into a rut. Maybe that's just me, but when I feel like I have to shoot, which is often, it can be a challenge to force creativity. I don't have access to a studio all of the time, and even when I do that space doesn't necessarily get my creative juices flowing anymore. It's too familiar; feels too safe.

Panasonic S Pro 16-35mm f/4 Review: The S-Line’s Long-Awaited Wide Angle

In early November, Panasonic announced that they would be releasing a 16-35mm f/4. Ever since Panasonic released the S1 and S1R, people have been asking about a wide angle lens, especially with the availability of a high-res mode in both cameras (96MP in the S1, 187MP in the S1R) making them a great camera for landscape shooters.

Mirrorless 24-70mm Shootout: Which Lens Wins in Sharpness vs Expense?

It took a little while, but we finally have the "desert island" 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for every major full-frame mirrorless system on the market, with some lovely crossover as well thanks to the L-Mount Alliance and Sigma's continued support of E-mount. Though RF and Nikon Z are a bit on their own at present, E-Mount and L-Mount, which encompass a huge number of cameras, now have a lot of options.