Lots of photography gear found new homes in March of 2020.
There were some great deals on photography gear throughout March, and you guys and girls made the most of what was on offer. With everything from photography accessories to lenses and cameras on sale, March was an excellent time to buy despite all that’s going on. When things return to normal, you will all have new gear to play with. After the break, we will take a quick look at the photography gear on its way to your homes.
Lenses, bags, and photography accessories were the flavors of the month for March. Great deals on new Tamron prime lenses really got you excited, and rightly so. The bags that have found new homes impressed us a ton after we reviewed them, and the accessories, like the Datacolor SpyderX, means you are serious about making edits. Without further ado, let’s check out the photography gear that was popular with you folks in March.
Neewer Complete ND Filter Kit for Cokin P
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Loads of filters
- Loads and loads of very well built step-up rings (though we’ve felt better)
- Easy to use ND filter holder
- Very affordable at only $20
- Comes with a nice case to carry everything
- Great image quality
- If you don’t like the image quality, it’s very easy to embrace any flaws it has with modern cameras
Cons
- Filters are prone to fingerprint smears
Buy now: $20.99
Datacolor SpyderX Elite
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- We like the design with the lens addition
- White matches lots of Apple’s products
- Works more or less the same
- We like that it now has soft proofing and tablet preview
- ReCalibration is incredibly fast
- This is the fastest Spyder yet
Cons
- Old USB style
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- It’s still mostly the same product as before
- The software could use a serious graphical and design update
Buy now: $230.99
Fujifilm 35mm F1.4
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Exceptional image quality
- Jaw-dropping sharpness
- Focusing speed has improved with further firmware updates
- The excellent metal build quality
- The finish will make it look like an old lens over time
Cons
- Still a bit too slow to focus in some situations
Buy now: $599
Sony 50mm F1.8
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Pretty decent image quality
- Affordable
- Small
- Fast to focus in good lighting
Cons
- Autofocus is very slow in low lighting even with the a7r II
- Autofocus is a bit louder than we’d like, though it’s still pretty quiet in real-life use
Buy now: $248
Portage Supply Kenora Backpack (4th Generation)
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Rugged and well built
- Nothing feels cheap
- Weather sealed
- Quick access on the side
- When putting a tripod on the side, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to throw your back off
- Lots and lots of pockets
- Really affordable
Cons
- You really need to take your time to figure out the interior configuration
- The strap adjusters sort of just sit there and stay long
Buy now: $69
Tamron 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Well built
- Affordable
- Nice colors
- Tamron is embracing Mirrorless with a small and lightweight offering
- Weather sealed very well; it survived a few hours in the rain
- Autofocuses quickly
Cons
- This is one of the most heavily distorted lenses we’ve tested in a while. You can use that to your advantage, or you can correct it in post
Buy now: $299
Fujifilm 35mm F2 R WR
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Great sharpness
- Nine aperture blades make the bokeh as good as it can be
- Small size
- Weather resistance
- The fastest focusing lens Fujifilm has offered as of the publication of this review
Cons
- Just f2
Buy now: $399
Portage Supply Mariner Messenger Bag
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Weatherproof
- Canvas and leather
- It’s beautiful
- Heavy duty
- Pockets exactly where we need them
- The laptop sleeve is closer to the front and so it keeps the balance of the bag when placed down on the ground
- The strap that makes it function like a suitcase is wonderful and removable
- This is the most comfortable strap that we’ve ever used on a messenger bag
Cons
- We wish it had side pockets that were a more expandable
Buy now: $59
Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Fast aperture
- Weather sealing to a point
- Fast autofocus performance for the most part
- Nice bokeh
- Sharp, surprisingly sharp
Cons
- To be honest, nothing
Buy now Canon M: $399
Buy now M4/3: $398.99
Buy now Sony E: $364
Tamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD
Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Class-leading weather sealing
- Excellent image quality overall
Cons
- Plasticky build quality
- Low light autofocus can be a tad slow
Buy now: $299