Verdict 4.3 stars The Fujifilm X-T1 is a terrific low-cost used choice that makes a great camera for photography students and enthusiasts today. Its traditional external exposure controls are perfect for re-discovering the lost art of exposure, and its excellent build quality and handling make it a very satisfying camera to use.
Tamron 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD review: a unique standard zoom alternative
Verdict: 4.5 stars The Tamron 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD might sound like an odd sort of crossover lens somewhere between a wide-angle zoom and a kit lens, but with a 2x zoom range that sounds distinctly limiting. However, that 2x zoom range offers more framing and perspective variation than you might expect, the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is excellent at this price and the handling is smooth, light and sweet. I like it a lot.
My top 10 best used cameras to buy today: and I’ve owned all of them
This is not an exhaustive list! There are still lots of older cameras I will try to get hold of when good ones become available and funds permit. This list is of cameras I own right now or have owned, and which I think are particularly interesting buys. I happen to think that some of the best cameras have already been made, and that the new cameras now being released are not necessarily better than the ones we already had and which have now passed into history.
Nikon D610 review in 2024: Nikon’s forgotten classic
Nikon D610 verdict: 4.6 stars The Nikon D610 is from what I consider the golden era of Nikons DSLRs. As a camera for regular stills photography it’s as good as any modern 24-megapixel full frame camera for image quality and offers a completely different – and refreshing – shooting experience. Its video features are pretty primitive, as you would expect, but that aside, this is a superbly made camera that is heavy, yes, but handles brilliantly. It’s also cruelly undervalued, even forgotten, as a used buy.
Fujifilm X30 review in 2024
Verdict: 4 stars I honestly consider this to be one of the best cameras Fujifilm has made. Is 12MP enough? That depends on you. I think that it probably is, and if you accept that then the X30 is not just a stunning little travel camera for its time, it still is today. Its specs are good, its design and handling are superb and while Fujifilm might have decided it wasn’t a camera people wanted any more, the used prices say otherwise! I will never sell mine.
Canon EOS 50D review in 2024: excellent design, exceptional value
Verdict: 4.1 stars The Canon EOS 50D was launched way back in 2008, so its sensor specifications are some way behind a modern camera’s, and yet its 15.1MP resolution is still perfectly usable today for any kind of online imagery and even mid-large size wall prints. This is a camera for stills photography not video, as you would expect from this era, but perhaps the biggest surprise is this camera’s design, build quality and finish, which you just don’t see in the enthusiast sector today.
SmallRig L-Shape Grip for Fujifilm X-T5 review
Verdict: 4.8 stars The SmallRig L-Shape Grip for Fujifilm X-T5 review isn’t expensive but feels well made and does make a big difference to the handling of the X-T5. It adds a much more substantial grip which also adds a valuable few millimetres in height, which contributes to a much nicer hold. The base includes a sideways-fit Arca Swiss slot for mounting directly on a tripod, and while there’s no L-bracket for vertical shooting, you do get a great little soft-touch shutter button.
The Ricoh GR III looks expensive, limited and dated, so why would you want one?
By now the whole world knows about the Fujifilm X100 VI and its hipster following, but who knows about the Ricoh GR III? In many ways this camera is even more extraordinary, but while the images it captures are just as impressive, the image it presents is not. It looks old-fashioned, limited and expensive. So why does a small core of enthusiasts still rave about it?
10 tips for choosing a monopod
Choosing a monopod looks like a straightforward job, right? After all, they’re just an extending pole with a camera mount on top. That much is true, but there are lots of features, design differences and add-ons that can make a big difference. So whether you’re choosing your first monopod or upgrading a battered old friend, here are 10 tips for choosing a monopod.
Olympus PEN-F review in 2024
The Pen-F was a high-water mark for the PEN brand, with its beautiful design and construction and surprising practicality. Today, the lack of 4K video will be an obstacle for vloggers and hybrid shooters, but for stills photography it’s as effective now as when it was launched in 2016. All this is reflected in its scarcity and high used prices, however.