Gear Reviews

Digital camera reviews, lens reviews, strobe reviews, camera bag reviews and more.

MindShift Gear BackLight 36L Backpack Review

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In this review we’re taking a look at the BackLight 36L outdoor photography pack from MindShift Gear. I’ve been testing this as my main photo pack for the last month, prior to its public release. As usual, there’s a ton of photos in this review, as well as a video walk-through of the features and some suggestions about other bags that you might consider when looking to buy a bag of this size for outdoor photography. For those that aren’t familiar with the brand, MindShift Gear is Think Tank Photo’s sister company. Whilst Think Tank concentrates more on the urban, …

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REVIEW: Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L

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Peak Design continue to expand their product lineup, and the Everyday Sling 10L was added alongside the previously reviewed Everyday Backpack, and the Tote, during a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. The styling cues are all the same, but there’s a few differences in functionality that means it’s not quite as simple as saying this is a “mini Everyday Messenger”. I’ll say right away that surprisingly to me, this is actually my favourite of the Everyday series! I know a lot of people love the Everyday Messenger and Backpack, and I did like them, but I also had my criticisms. In several …

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Peak Design Shell Camera Cover Review

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Camera bag and accessory manufacturer, Peak Design, first became famous for their quick release Capture Clip which I have previously reviewed on this site. The Capture Clip is a very useful way to carry a camera on a belt or backpack strap, giving you fast and easy access to it all day long. The only potential problem is that you might be hiking in poor weather, or a dusty environment, and having to put the camera in the pack all the time to combat that, would really negate the usage of the QR system in the first place. This is …

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Peak Design Capture Lens Review

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The Capture lens is an innovative lens carrying device that pairs with a Peak Design Capture Clip quick release system. I’ve reviewed the Capture Clip in the past and found it to be very useful when you want to have fast access to a camera. This Capture Lens device allows you to have just as fast access to one or two lenses, and should be of particular interest to event and wedding photographers where carrying a big bag of additional gear all day is usually not at all practical. Video Review If you want to see the Capture Lens in …

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MindShift Gear PhotoCross Sling Bag Review

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I’ve reviewed a lot of MindShift Gear products in the past, but this is the first time they’ve brought a sling-style pack to the market so I was very curious to see what their take on it would be. MindShift is the sister company to Think Tank Photo, but their products focus entirely on the outdoor photography markets such as landscape, adventure, travel and wildlife photography. Pretty much all of the camera bags I use for work on a daily basis are MindShift ones, but I’ve never actually owned a sling before so I was excited to try one out …

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How to Fix Cloudy Plastic Camera Rain Covers

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Having a good rain cover in your photo kit is a great idea because clouds, snow and thunderstorms can often produce very dramatic images. If you’re a working professional, you also need to be able to guarantee you can work in any condition, particularly photojournalists and sports photographers. I’ve reviewed a number of rain cover on this site in the past, and they typically fall into two categories: Firstly you have ultra lightweight covers that don’t totally enclose the back of the camera. These covers take up less room in your bag, so you can typically leave one in there …

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Benro TSL08CN00 Carbon Tripod Review

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Every photographer will need a tripod at some point and it’s an overwhelming decision to make when there are so many options. Some cheap tripods can actually be a hindrance because photographers believe they are getting a stable platform when they aren’t. Another common problem is that people end up with a tripod that is too small, and therefore two uncomfortable to use, or too heavy and therefore too cumbersome to carry. These experiences leave a bad taste in their mouths with regards to tripod usage, and they tend never to want to use one again. High-end tripods such as …

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REVIEW: Peak Design Range Pouch

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I’ve used all kinds of Peak Design products in the last few years, and always been impressed with the bomber construction of their camera bags so I thought I’d purchase one of the Range Pouches to check it out and see how it compares to their other products. The Range Pouch is available in three different sizes and starts at $35 for the small size, $40 for the medium and $45 for the large. There’s really no rules about what you can carry in the Range Pouch, although obviously most people will be thinking about putting a lens in it, …

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Better Beamer Flash Extender Review

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Sometimes it’s necessary to use a flash for wildlife photography just to add a little fill, or add a catchlight to the eye of your subject. The problem is that most hot shoe flashes simply don’t have the necessary range and power to adequately light up a subject that is as far away as wildlife often is. The Better Beamer Flash Extender is a solution to this problem. Better Beamer Design Priced at only $35 from B&H, it uses a simple plastic frame that attaches to your flash, and a thin plastic fresnel lens that sticks to the end of …

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