If iPhone Video is So Good, Why Would Anyone Need the Osmo Pocket?

Three gimbals with smartphones are positioned in snow: the Insta360 Flow, DJI Osmo Mobile 6, and Hohem M6. A "PetaPixel Compares" graphic is displayed in the bottom left. Background shows a wooden fence and a house.

PetaPixel’s Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake aren’t the norm: one of them presents while the other one operates the camera. Modern content creators typically work alone, and that includes me. That means the same number of tasks that are enough of a burden for two full-time jobs is somehow supposed to be crammed into one person.

[Read More]

Nikon 28-135mm f/4 PZ First Impressions: Prestige and Power

A person holding a Nikon camera with a large Nikkor 28-135mm zoom lens. The text "PetaPixel Hands-On" is overlaid in the bottom right corner.

If you had told me only a few years ago that Nikon would release a video-focused power zoom lens, I’d have called you all kinds of names. But since the release of the Z9, it has become abundantly clear that Nikon intends to capture the hearts of videographers and cinematographers, a strategy which has become even more clear since it acquired RED about a year ago. Now we have the first Z-Mount video-first product from Nikon, the Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ.

[Read More]

BenQ SW242Q Review: A Great Photo Editing Display in a Tiny Package

A desktop computer monitor displaying a swirling blue abstract design on its screen. The monitor is placed on a wooden table in front of white blinds. The image has the text "PetaPixel Reviews" overlaid in the bottom right corner.

If you are anything like me, choosing a monitor smaller than 27 inches would be a hard decision to make when it comes to photo editing or video production. So it was pretty surprising that even with its smaller footprint and arguably “odd” 16:10 aspect ratio (2,560 by 1,600 pixels at max resolution), the $479 BenQ SW242Q 24 inch IPS display stands out as a very attractive option for retouchers and editors.

[Read More]

Nikon 35mm f/1.2 S Hands-On First Impressions: Optical Excellence

A camera lens with a hood is standing upright on a wooden surface outdoors. The background is blurry, showing hints of water. The lens has various markings and logos. The bottom right corner displays "PetaPixel Hands-On" in a white and blue banner.

Nikon has created a compelling lineup of prime lenses that feature fast apertures and premium optics. The 135mm f/1.8 Plena anchors the telephoto end and the 85mm and 50mm f/1.2 lenses bring incredibly bright apertures to the normal ranges. It makes sense that the logical foray into the wide-angle is going to start with the new Nikkor 35mm f/1.2 S.

[Read More]

Our Favorite Weird Zoom Lenses That Buck Conformity

A person with a beard smiles while holding two camera lenses against a colorful, swirling background. The text "WEIRD ZOOMS" is displayed in bold, multicolored letters.

The photographic world tends to flow into a state of normality, order, and conformity. Certain lenses just work for most situations, and the popular choices of the professionals quickly become the traditional tools of the masses. It seems everyone starts with a general-purpose lens that covers a rough full-frame range of 28mm to 70mm or so, and then eventually, you end up with something wider and something longer.

[Read More]

Hohem iSteady M7 Review: Big, Bulky, But Brilliant

A person holds a Hohem camera gimbal outdoors near a wooden fence. The gimbal features a screen and buttons and is positioned against a backdrop of a house and leafless branches. The image includes a "PetaPixel Reviews" logo.

A cursory search and scroll on YouTube for the Hohem iSteady M7 will position the new smartphone gimbal as an emerging titan in the gimbal space. All kinds of content creators have gone to great lengths to detail the seemingly endless list of features built into the M7, including its patented AI tracking technology that works with any smartphone.

[Read More]