Verdict: 4.5 stars The 3 Legged Thing Pano Clamp could transform the usefulness of your tripod head if you shoot video, panoramas or panning shots. It fixes one of the principal problems with ball heads by adding a panning axis above the ball, where you actually need it, rather than below the ball where makers always put it.
Reviews
Many of my reviews are published on Digital Camera World, but here are some more that might not make it on to the larger sites. I review cameras, lenses, camera bags, tripods and photo and video accessories of all kinds.
Joby Beamo Studio Creator Kit review
Verdict: 4.5 stars Joby makes a lot of content creation gear for new users or beginners on a budget. The quality and performance may not impress professionals, but Joby gear is typically easy to use, very effective and excellent value. This definitely applies to the Beamo Studio Creator Kit, which has impressed me more than any other Joby product.
3 Legged Thing Ultra plates review
Verdict: 4.5 stars These new 3 Legged Thing Ultra plates are brimming with fresh ideas and could be perfect for content creators shooting with multiple accessories or stills photographers looking for better balance with bigger lenses or extra flexibility for close-up work. I’m still getting my head around the possibilities. They provide a much more secure mounting point for lights, mics and external recorders than the camera’s hotshoe, and make a very interesting alternative to a camera cage for video.
Sony A7 II review in 2024
Verdict: 4.5 stars The Sony A7 II was launched back in November 2014, which is a long time ago in the fast-moving world of digital camera technology. Yet for everyday stills photography, not that much has changed. Its 24MP sensor is on a par with modern rivals, its hybrid AF system lacks AI subject recognition but is still fast and responsive, and while its burst speed is a modest 5fps and it doesn’t shoot 4K video, these are not things that everyone needs. As a general purpose stills camera, the A7 II still feels fresh and modern – and it’s so cheap it’s hard to believe Sony can afford to keep selling it.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 III review in 2023
Verdict: 4.5 stars The OM-D E-M1 III may have been superseded by the OM-1, but it runs it very close in so many areas that – depending on the type of photography you do – it could prove just as good. You can occasionally buy it new, but it’s most likely you’ll need to buy used. I bought my example in excellent condition from MPB at well under half the price of a new OM-1.
Nikon D800 review in 2023
Verdict: 4.5 stars The Nikon D800 is the first of Nikon’s full frame DSLR multi-megapixel monsters, but Nikon had been making cameras for decades up to this point, so there’s nothing unfinished or experimental about either its design or operation. This is a tough, durable, effective DSLR that captures still images of a resolution that only a handful of cameras surpass even today.
I bought this SmallRig Universal Mobile Phone Cage – why did I wait so long?
For a very, very, very long time I resisted the idea of taking the regular camera route and getting a cage for my iPhone. What an idiot. I just bought a I bought a SmallRig Universal Mobile Phone Cage and immediately realized I should have done it long ago.
Joby Wavo Air review
Verdict: 3.8 stars The Joby Wavo Air is a very comprehensive wireless two-mic kit with optional plug-in lavalier mics thrown in for less obtrusive wearing for interviews and the like. The mics and receiver come already paired and come with clips and attachments for hotshoes, tripods legs, clothing and even a magnetic lanyard. But there’s no supplied carry case for all these mics, cables and gadgets and the instructions are very basic – and describe a power status display that I still can’t find.
Canon EOS RP pros and cons
So nearly three years on from the original launch, here are my current thoughts on the Canon EOS RP, in the light of cameras that have come along since then, which all help to put Canon’s ‘starter’ full frame mirrorless camera into proper perspective today.
Sony A7R V review
Verdict: 4.2 stars On paper, the Sony A7R V is just brilliant. Is there anything this camera can’t do? From 8K video, to nex-gen AI subject recognition to 10fps with a massive buffer to that class-leading 61MP sensor. But are some issues, for me. The first is that this is a high-res camera spearing off into different almost unrelated territories. The second is that Sony’s lazy physical design is unappealing and doesn’t play to this camera’s strengths. Yes, lazy.