Photo by David Coleman
Latest Updates
Sigma Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Sigma’s camera lineup is small enough that one battery, the BP-51, covers most recent models — the fp, fp L, and all four dp Quattro compacts. This chart lays out exactly which pack each Sigma body takes, plus which models can charge over USB.
The Nikon Zf Battery and Charging, Explained
The Nikon Zf ships without a charger, and it charges the EN-EL15c battery in the body over USB-C instead. Here’s exactly what cable and power source that needs, plus the optional chargers and spare-battery options worth knowing about.
Ricoh Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Not sure which battery your Ricoh camera actually takes? These charts match battery models to camera bodies, with notes on charger quirks and third-party alternatives worth knowing about before you buy.
How I Used an AI Assistant Instead of Recovery Software to Recover Deleted Photos from a Memory Card
Instead of reaching for recovery software, I asked an AI coding assistant to recover a camera-formatted SD card — and it got back 52 of 53 photos, verified byte-for-byte and automatically renamed into dated folders. Here’s exactly how it worked, and when you’d still want the packaged tools instead.
Squeezing More Image Quality Out of the Nikon D3500’s RAW Files – Test Results
Running old Nikon D3500 RAW files through DxO PureRAW turns out to be one of the cheapest ways to close the image-quality gap to a newer camera. Here are before/after sliders and 100% crops from ISO 100 to 25600, with the exact settings and RAW files to try yourself.
Can’t Justify (or Find) a X100VI? Here’s a Way to Make Your Fujifilm X100V Images Look Better
Bothered by noise from your Fujifilm X100V? Before you buy a newer body, see what AI-based RAW processing does to the RAW files. Before/after sliders and 100% crops from my own Fujifilm X100V photos show how much of a difference it makes.
This Software Can Make Your Old Sony a6000 Photos Look Better Than They Ever Did
The Sony a6000 is 12 years old and its high-ISO files show it. But AI-based RAW processing pulls cleaner, sharper images out of old RAW files than the camera ever could. Before/after sliders and 100% crops from my own Sony a6000 photos show how much of a difference it makes.
Here’s a Great Way to Get Cleaner Photos From Your Sony RX100 VII
The Sony RX100 VII’s small sensor gets noisy fast once the ISO climbs. That’s exactly what AI-based RAW processing fixes best. Before/after sliders and 100% crops from my own Sony RX100 VII photos show how much of a difference it makes.
Can’t Justify the GR III? Here’s a Way to Make Your Ricoh GR II Images Look Better
Bothered by noise from your Ricoh GR II? Before you buy a newer body, see what AI-based RAW processing does to the RAW files. Before/after sliders and 100% crops from my own Ricoh GR II photos show how much of a difference it makes.
Panasonic Lumix Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Lumix battery names don’t always make it obvious which model fits your camera, or which charger you actually need. This chart sorts out the battery families, flags the charger quirks, and covers what to know before trying a third-party cell.
OM-System Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Working out which battery fits your OM-System or Olympus camera isn’t always obvious, since similar-looking models don’t always share the same battery. These charts sort out which battery goes with which camera, with notes on chargers and third-party options.
Pentax Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Not sure which battery your Pentax camera takes, or whether that cheaper third-party pack is safe to buy? These charts match each model to its correct battery, with notes on chargers and compatible alternatives.
Fujifilm Camera Battery Compatibility Charts
Not sure which battery your Fujifilm camera takes, or whether it needs a separate charger? These charts match every current model to its correct battery and charger, with notes on buying third-party alternatives.
Canon Camera Battery Compatibility Chart, Model by Model
Not sure which battery your Canon camera actually takes, or which charger comes with it? These charts match batteries and chargers to specific Canon models, with notes on third-party alternatives.
Sony Camera Battery Compatibility Chart, Model by Model
Matching the right battery to your Sony camera sounds simple until you hit the exceptions: cameras that ship with no charger at all, an a9 that charges over micro-USB, and an a1 II charger that needs a separate USB-PD source. This chart covers batteries and chargers for 39 mirrorless and SLT bodies plus the compact line.
Nikon Camera Battery Compatibility Chart, Model by Model
Not sure which battery fits your Nikon camera? Even similar models like the Z9 and Z8 don’t share batteries — these charts sort out exactly which model you need, plus what to know about third-party options.
Memory Cards
SD Card Recovery Software: Free vs “Free” and What Each Tool Gives You
Not all “free” SD card recovery tools are actually free of limits. Here’s a hands-on comparison of PhotoRec, Windows File Recovery, EaseUS, Disk Drill, and Stellar to show what each one really lets you recover before you hit a paywall.
Stellar Photo Recovery: Hands-On with a Formatted SD Card
I retested Stellar Photo Recovery’s current version on a formatted SD card. The full version still works well, but the free/trial version now comes with some quite restrictive limitations: RAW previews cap at 10 MB, and my 10-file allowance vanished on a failed attempt. Here’s what that means against Disk Drill and PhotoRec.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card (A Photographer’s Guide)
That sinking feeling when you accidentally hit “Delete All” or format a card with photos still on it? I’ve been there. The good news is those photos are often still recoverable. Here is the step-by-step process (and the specific software) I use to get them back.
Which Lexar Memory Card Reader is Better?
Lexar has two USB memory card readers available. One is marketed as the professional model; one isn’t. I put them to the test.
Digital Foci Picture Porter Advanced – Hands-on Review
The Digital Foci Picture Porter Advanced is feature-packed. Here’s how it stacks up in real-world use for backing up photos without a computer while traveling.
Digital Foci Photo Safe II OTG: Hands-On Retro Review
There are much faster, far superior memory card backup devices, but the appeal of the Digital Foci Photo Safe II was always its low pricepoint compared to those. Is it still worth buying for a budget workflow if you come across a used copy or old stock? Here are my hands-on speed tests and compatibility warnings.
Hands-on Review of the SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II SD Reader/Writer
I put SanDisk’s UHS-II SD memory card reader to the test. It’s in their Extreme PRO range, and here’s my take on it.
PGYTech Createmate Review: The Ultimate Travel SD Card Reader & Case
Most memory card readers are boring, utilitarian tools. But the PGYTech Createmate adds a clever twist by combining a high-speed UHS-II reader with a rugged, weather-resistant storage case for your SD and microSD cards. Here is my hands-on review of this clever travel essential.
How to Choose the Right Memory Card for the Ricoh G900
It’s not easy to know which is the right type of SD card for your camera. Here are my practical recommendations on good choices for the Ricoh G900.
Fujifilm X-S10 Memory Card Recommendations
It’s not easy to know which is the right type of SD card for your camera. There are a lot of confusing codes and marketing hype to cut through. So here are my practical recommendations on good choices for the Fujifilm X-S10.
Sony a6000 Memory Card Recommendations
The Sony a6000 doesn’t come with a memory card as standard. But you’re going to need one before you start shooting. Here are my practical recommendations on which cards to get.
Fastest SD Cards 2026: Real-World Speed Tests & Rankings
After independent speed tests of the top V90 UHS-II cards, a new leader has emerged. The updated SanDisk Extreme Pro (SDSDXDM) is the first card I’ve tested to genuinely hit the 300 MB/s write speed limit, setting a new benchmark for 2026.”
Basics.Photography
The Tiny Φ Symbol on Your Camera, Explained
That odd little circle-and-line symbol stamped on the top of many cameras isn’t decoration, it marks the exact location of the sensor or film plane inside, and it can matter more than you’d think for macro work and panoramas.
The Best Online Photography Lighting Courses: Mastering Off-Camera Flash
Off-camera lighting is the secret to professional-tier photography. Whether you prefer bite-sized projects or deep-dive masterclasses, here are the best online courses to help you master your flashes and strobes.
Pentax Lens Codes
Pentax users pride themselves on backward compatibility — you can mount a 1975 lens on a 2024 camera. But the alphabet soup of lens codes (DA, FA, PLM, DC) tells a different story. Some new lenses won’t work on old bodies, and some old lenses need special settings to work on new bodies. Here’s a breakdown of the Pentax code language.
Pros & Cons of Buying Gray Market Camera Gear
Found a deal on a new camera or lens that seems too good to be true? It might be gray market. So what does that mean? Is it a bad thing or just a good deal? And what are the risks in buying gray market gear?
What Is a Prime Lens? Prime vs Zoom, and When a Prime Is Worth It
A prime lens has no zoom, just a fixed focal length like 50mm or 85mm. That simplicity often means faster apertures and sharper images, here’s why that matters and which prime lenses are worth trying.
What to Know About Shooting with Fisheye Lenses if You Haven’t Used One Before
Fisheye lenses are distinctive, cramming a lot of scene into the frame. They can add a bunch of drama and create an immersive feeling to the shot. But they require some unique care in shooting with them.
Identifying Kodak 35mm & 120/220 Film Stock from Edgeprint Codes
Scanning decades of old negatives often means staring at cryptic numbers like “5053” or “GA” on the film strip. I compiled this reference guide to help you (and me!) cross-reference those edge codes with the actual film types to make your archiving and editing easier.
Tokina Camera Lens Codes Guide
Tokina lenses are legendary for their “built-like-a-tank” construction, but their naming system has undergone a massive overhaul recently. If you’re confused by the jump from “AT-X” to “atx-i” or “opera,” you aren’t alone. Here is the definitive guide to every code Tokina uses, including their unique Focus Clutch mechanism and their 2026 mirrorless lineup.
Workflow
How to Use Lightroom’s Loupe Overlay Guides to Align a Spot or Vertical or Horizontal Lines
Lightroom’s Guides loupe overlay is a simple yet flexible tool for aligning either a specific spot in the frame or aligning horizontal or vertical lines. It’s one of a few different overlay tools available in Lightroom.
How to Strip Out Metadata from Photos on Mac
Your exported images are secretly packed with precise GPS coordinates and editing histories. Learn how to securely sanitize your files on macOS before sharing them.
Beyond Adobe: A Look at the Top Lightroom Alternatives
With Adobe’s terms-of-service controversy still fresh in many photographers’ minds, here’s a hands-on rundown of the strongest Lightroom alternatives, from professional-grade paid apps to a surprisingly capable free option.
Darktable is an Impressive & Free Lightroom Alternative
Darktable is a free and open-source RAW image editor and manager that’s a viable Lightroom alternative. I’ve been putting it through its paces, and here’s my take on it.
How to Turn Off the Nik Collection Palette from Automatically Displaying Every Time You Open Photoshop
I finally got around to preventing the Nik Collection palette from automatically showing up whenever I opened Photoshop. It’s a quick fix.
How to Convert the GPS Coordinates in Lightroom’s Map Module to Decimal Format
Lightroom’s map module uses GPS coordinates in the degrees, minutes, and seconds format. If you need them in decimal degree format, here’s a quick way to convert them.
How to Batch Rename Image Filenames in Lightroom Classic
Lightroom offers a quick, easy, and powerful way to batch rename image files after they’ve already been imported into the Lightroom catalog. It’s veru useful, whether you’re trying to do half a dozen for a client or tens of thousands at once. Here’s a guide on how to do it.
How to Navigate Terminal to a Folder on Mac
If you’ve followed any of the Terminal-based image processing guides on this site, you’ve seen the instruction “navigate to your image folder first.” This is how you do it. Three methods covered — drag-and-drop from Finder, right-click Services, and the cd command — plus a couple of things that make manual navigation much less painful.
Calculators
4K Video Storage: How Much Footage Can Your Memory Card Hold?
Wondering if a 128GB card is enough for your next shoot? Here’s my breakdown of 4K video storage requirements across all major card sizes and bitrates so you never run out of space in the field.
Memory Card Speed Converter (X-Rating to MB/s)
Memory card marketing is littered with jargon, but the “x-rating” multiplier is one of the most confusing. Here is a simple tool to convert those outdated speed ratings back into a standard MB/s format so you can accurately compare cards.
How Many Megapixels? A Quick Calculator for Photographers
A simple calculator to convert pixel dimensions into megapixels — handy for photographers working out print sizes, checking how much headroom you’ve got for a heavy crop, sizing files for stock agencies, or staying under Lightroom’s 512-megapixel import ceiling.
How Much Will Be in Focus? A Depth of Field Calculator
A practical depth of field calculator for photographers. Punch in your sensor, focal length, aperture, and subject distance to see your near and far limits, total depth of field, and hyperfocal distance. Useful for landscape work, portraits, macro, and group shots where you need to know exactly where the sharpness falls off.
Mbps to MB/s Converter: Camera Bitrates vs. Memory Card Speeds
The difference between a flawless 4K recording and a locked-up camera often comes down to a single capitalized letter. Here is how to quickly translate your camera’s Mbps video bitrate into MB/s memory card speeds.
The Crop Factor Calculator: Find Your True Focal Length
Mount the same lens on a full-frame and an APS-C body and the framing changes, but does your aperture really change too? Use the calculator below to find your true equivalent focal length and depth of field, and see why exposure stays the same.
Angle of View, Explained: Calculator, Charts, and Why Diagonal Matters
Enter a focal length to see its angle of view across full-frame, APS-C, and Micro Four Thirds sensors, with charts for quick reference and an explanation of why the diagonal measurement is the one lens makers actually quote.
The Aspect Ratio Calculator: Perfect Crops for Print & Web
You shoot a perfectly framed 3:2 portrait, but the client orders an 8×10 print. If you don’t calculate the aspect ratio and crop it yourself, the lab’s automated software will do it for you — usually right across your subject’s forehead. Here is how to take control of your output dimensions.
