Shopping Guide | Information

Oppo Reno 16 Pro review – a small, powerful and excellent value phone for photographers

　　Despite its name, the Oppo Reno 16 Pro follows on from 2025’s Oppo Reno 13 Pro and is pitched as the company’s mid-tier “everyday” phone, sitting below the incredibly impressive Oppo Find X9 Pro. 　　With a solid camera setup, including three high resolution sensors, and a simple yet stylish design, it’s designed to appeal to those who want something decent...

Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Leica quality shots for a lot less money

　　While not a huge upgrade, the Xiaomi 17T Pro smartphone has a lot to offer photographers and video makers – its a good compromise if the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leitzphone are too pricey. 　　I have been using Xiaomi phones for several years now and as a photographer, it remains one of my favourite brands in the fiercely contested Android...

Polaroid Go Gen 3 review: the world’s smallest instant camera is utterly addictive photo fun

　　The Polaroid Go Gen 3 wants to be the camera of the summer. That much was extremely obvious from the moment it was announced, with publicity shots all showing this diminutive instant camera being used by young, attractive people on the beach, at festivals, at parties, etc. The target audience was quite obvious. 　　Well, I may be neither young nor...

Sony RX10 V review – the return of the king of bridge cameras

　　Compact cameras with built-in lenses are currently showing a real resurgence, so it was probably only a matter of time before all-in-one long-zoom bridge cameras followed suit. The new Sony RX10 V follows on where the RX10 IV left off nine years before, with much the same core imaging hardware. As before, it places a massive 24-600mm equivalent zoom lens...

Viltrox AF 35mm F1.8 EVO II FE review – a sub $400 all rounder with striking sharpness

　　Thirty-five millimetre lenses come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Zeiss Sonnar T* to the much larger Viltrox AF 35mm F1.2 LAB (review coming soon). The Viltrox AF 35mm F1.8 EVO II FE sits somewhere between the two, making it a relatively compact and lightweight lens that feels equally at home on a...

Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III Macro VXD review – a true macro lens at a bargain price

　　Tamron has a very strong track record in short telephoto macro lenses having produced multiple 90mm versions, first f/2.5 models from the late 1970s, before moving to f/2.8 iterations from the mid 90s. This culminated in 2004’s legendary SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di which, if you had a DSLR and a yearning to shoot closeups at the time, was likely...

Vanguard VEO Metro compact camera bags review – affordable, practical and good

　　Compact cameras with built-in lenses have experienced something of a revival over the past year or two. However, it hasn’t necessarily been easy to find suitable small camera bags or cases that offer both a decent level of protection and a touch of style, without breaking the bank. Vanguard is now aiming to change that, though, with its VEO Metro...

Tamron 35

　　At first glance, the Tamron 35-100mm F/2.8 Di III VXD seems to employ a rather unusual focal range. There is no other current full-frame lens that offers the same. But ‘current’ is the operative word here, because if you cast your mind back 50 years or so, all zooms started around 35mm, a setting considered wide-angle at the time, and...

SmallRig RM 03 Macro Photo LED Light review – flexible lighting for close

　　Good lighting is often the difference between an ordinary macro image and one that reveals texture, depth and detail. The SmallRig RM 03 Macro Photo LED Light is designed specifically for close-up photography, providing a compact light source that can be positioned precisely where its needed. 　　SmallRig RM 03 Macro Photo LED Light at a glance: $49.99 / £49 5...

Samsung Galaxy A57 Review – The A57’s had a glow

　　The Samsung Galaxy A57 sits at the top of the A series range, nipping at the toes of the S series, savingyou money, but is it good enough to make it into the list of the best budget camera phones? I find out.Smaller, lighter, thinner, more waterproof, and better looking, noI’mnot talking about myself, but instead the new Samsung Galaxy...

Panasonic Lumix L10 review – sometimes bigger really does mean better

　　The Panasonic Lumix L10 is a compact camera designed for enthusiast photographers, with a relatively large 20MP Four Thirds sensor and a 24-75mm equivalent, f/1.7-2.8 optically stabilised zoom lens. It employs the firms unique multi aspect-ratio design, which means it’s capable of shooting 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 images with progressively wider horizontal views. Its rangefinder-style body sports a corner-mounted electronic...

Honor 600 Pro review – is the improved processor and new design worth the upgrade?

　　I tested quite a few Honor smartphones last year, and I was very impressed with what they packed for the price in terms of cameras. But there are always a few features I wish theyd have fine-tuned. Now, with the Honour 600 Pro, this up-and-coming Chinese brand which produces some of the best camera phones for photography has done exactly...

Excire Foto 2027 review: get on top of even the most disorganised photo collection

　　It takes discipline to catalogue, keyword and rate images after a shoot. Will Cheung checks out Excire Foto 2027, a program that potentially could save you time and make your workflow much more efficient. 　　Enthusiast photographers shoot lots of pictures because it’s their passion; professionals do it because they are paid. Either way, at the end of the day the...