firstimpressions

Hands-on With the New Samsung Galaxy S24 Devices and AI Features

Another year means another trio of Samsung flagship smartphones. This time, the Galaxy S24 lineup is headlined by the AI-driven Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 are also getting the AI treatment, but after spending some time with all three, it’s obvious where the primary focus lies, especially as it relates to mobile photography.

Why Global Shutter Matters

Using the Sony a9 III for Concerts as Dave Matthews Band’s Photographer

Like most photographers, I’ve never reviewed a piece of gear before. Also like most photographers, I tend to voraciously read reviews each time I consider upgrading. Many of these reviews parse through micro-level analysis of pixel detail, noise levels, and test charts but to me fail to answer the simple question: “will this help me get the shot?”

Panasonic G9 II hands-on review

Panasonic G9 II Hands-On: It’s Made for Photographers, But is it Really?

The original Panasonic G9 was quite a revolutionary camera. Built around a modern and intimidatingly professional-looking body, the G9 featured blazing-fast burst rates, an exceptionally good EVF, and motion-compensated multi-shot mode. However, it has been seven years since the G9 launch -- a long time to wait for a successor.

Sony a7C II and aC7R First Impressions Review

Sony a7C II and a7CR Hands-On: Entry-Level No Longer

The original Sony a7C was very much an entry-level camera. I really liked the minimalistic styling; a strong departure from the boxy DSLR look of the other Alpha cameras, and it was easy to navigate, but suffered from what many entry-level cameras suffer from: a lack of manual control dials, and a bargain basement viewfinder. But now we've got an upgrade. Or rather, upgrades.

Using the AstrHori 18mm f/8 Low-Cost Shift Lens

Low-cost lenses started appearing in the market in the last twenty years or so, with prices coming down steadily. When I saw another inexpensive lens in an article a couple of months ago, it grabbed my attention not with its price but with its core feature. It was a shift lens. An 18mm, fixed-aperture at f/8, shift lens at $119 was worth trying.

Canon R6 Mark II Review

Canon R6 Mark II Review: A Well-Rounded Upgrade

Canon’s EOS R6 Mark II is a major yet, in some ways, a subtle upgrade over the original R6. The new R6 Mark II is faster and more capable than the R6 in most regards, and it addresses several of the limitations found in the original model.

SuperMonkey

Hands-On with the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 Sports Lens: Lots to Like

The Sigma 60-600mm for Sony E-Mount is a versatile, compelling, and unique lens with a mindblowing 10x optical zoom range. As with any all-in-one lens, it’s not without its compromises, and the $2000 price puts it up against Sony’s native FE 200–600mm f/5.6–6.3 G OSS, even though the Sigma has a more versatile zoom range.

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.

Hands-On with Lightroom’s Powerful New Masking System

In a new update, Adobe is greatly increasing the masking capabilities of its Lightroom applications as well as Adobe Camera RAW. While it is not as powerful as what is found in full-fledged Photoshop, you will find yourself wondering how you ever lived without it.

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.

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.

Hands On with the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Sony E-mount

As a landscape and travel photographer, I often carry around an ultra-wide-angle 14mm lens and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. Last week I was able to test the latest addition to the Tamron series for full-frame mirrorless cameras: the 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD. And I think I've found the perfect addition to my usual 2-lens kit.

I Got to Test the New Canon EOS R5 for a Full Week Ahead of Release

I am a Canon Ambassador and I had the chance to test the new Canon EOS R5 (pre-production model) that we have all been anticipating for such a long time. This is not a review of the camera, but I wanted to share some of the most important settings and show you some real-life samples I was able to shoot that week.

Hands On with the New Sony 12-24 f/2.8 G Master Lens

Everyone that knows me knows that I love shooting with extreme wide-angle lenses. When I had just gotten the original a7 and no native (fast) wide-angle lenses were available yet, I was always shooting with the Samyang 14mm.

Wedding Photographer Reviews the Nikon D780

These are my thoughts on the Nikon D780 after shooting a 9-hour wedding with one in London in February of 2020. I had it for 3 days, so this isn’t an exhaustive technical review; I’m not going to dissect it or pixel peep, just report on my impressions as a full-time wedding photographer who normally uses a couple of D750s.

Hands On with the 13-Inch MacBook Pro: Half the Update We Wanted

Earlier this week, Apple released the latest iteration of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. And while the update came with some very welcome additions, many felt that it was a half-step: a refresh rather than a redesign, like we saw with the 16-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year. Now that we have one in hand, we tend to agree.