Verdict: 4 stars The Spyder Checkr Photo is really only useful for Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera Raw and Hasselblad Phocus software users, but it does provide useful and precise color corrections within those programs. It works outside of a regular color management workflow, but this helps make it easy to understand and use.
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.
3 Legged Thing Vanz review
Verdict: 4.5 stars The 3 Legged Thing Vanz ‘footwear’ can be used on the maker’s Legends and Pro tripods to extend the legs and provide extra protection on poor surfaces or in place of legs to make a tabletop tripod! They might look like a novelty but are actually rather useful.
RØDE VideoMic Me-L review
Verdict: 4 stars The RØDE VideoMic Me-L is a brilliant little clip-on shotgun Mic for smartphones, but there are some niggles which are more to do with the design concept than the way it’s made. It works great, but be aware it might not always be convenient.
Manfrotto Pixi Evo review
Verdict: 3.5 stars The Manfrotto Pixi Evo is a larger than usual mini tripod with some interesting features, including two height settings, extendable legs and the capacity to cope with quite big cameras. But even though it works well, the build quality and finish seem pretty poor for the price. It does the job, but there’s not a lot of finesse.
Gitzo Center Ball Head Series 4 review
Verdict: 4 stars The Gitzo center Ball Head Series 4 (GH4383) is one serious ball head, with a massive 30kg payload and a base fatter than most tripod platforms. this three-knob design has a ball release lock, an adjustable friction knob and a fluild-damped pan axis – a nice touch. My sample has an Arca Swiss style plate with a locking lever (GH4383LR). It’s an impressive ball head, but unless you’re going to load up your tripod with a huge telephoto or a pro video rig, it’s overkill for most users.
Platypod Extreme review
Verdict 4.3 stars I can’t help giving the Platypod Extreme a great review because it does what it sets out to do brilliantly. You just have to decide if you want what the Platypod does. It’s an extremely stable support for the heaviest gear yet slim enough to dangle off your backpack. But it only makes sense if you want to shoot from really low angles, or if you can find a convenient surface to place it on.
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Asph. review
Verdict: 4.5 stars The Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Asph. is cheap to buy so you may not be expecting very much, and the lightweight plastic feel doesn’t give a very good first impression. But the image quality is really very good indeed, the AF is fast, and this lens is so small and light you’ll hardly notice you’re carrying it. This lens is a real eye-opener!
Billingham Hadley Digital review
Verdict: 4.3 stars The Hadley Digital is a great shoulder bag if you like to go shooting with just one camera, a couple of lenses and a handful of accessories – and it really is surprising what you can pack in. There are no hidden gimmicks with this bag – it’s well made, well padded and quick and simple to use. It’s expensive for a small shoulder bag, but it’s just about the cheapest way to get a Billingham. It’s one of my favorite ‘day out’ bags, and I’ve tried A LOT.
Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 review
Verdict: 4.8 stars The Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 is a step up in quality for 360 cameras, using 1-inch sensors and cameras (co-developed with Leica) to offer better quality than regular 360 cameras. It’s easy to use but powerful and it can do some amazing things. It also feels very well made, and the companion app makes it easy to produce regular ‘flat’ videos. It’s even good value, for a 1-inch sensor 360 camera, but if you’re just trying this stuff out, the Insta360 ONE X2 is much cheaper and for novice users just as good.
Sony A7R II review
Verdict 4.5 stars This is a review of a camera launched seven years ago, but one that was until recently still on sale at crazy prices. The A7R II’s tech may be years old, but its 42MP sensor offers huge image quality, its 4K video is cropped but still useful, and its value for money – either new if you can still find it, or on the used market – is just out of this world.