This Is the Revolutionary Spiderman of Tripods: Benro Tablepod Flex Review

Flexible tripod legs wrap around objects to hold a camera secure, but traditional legs tend to be easier to use on tabletops. The Benro Tablepod Flex is both. The tabletop tripod’s legs are hollow tubes that store a second set of flexible legs. By swapping the different legs, or using both legs together, the Benro Tablepod Flex offers additional possibilities with six legs instead of three. That makes a tripod that can cling to a number of different objects almost as well as Spiderman.

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Vanguard Veo 3+ 263CB Review: A Reliable and Versatile Tripod

One of the biggest hassles of real estate photography is maneuvering your tripod in small spaces. Moderately sized and historic homes tend to feature tiny rooms. The best vantage point is usually found by squeezing your tripod through the doorway and hoping for the best. The Vanguard Veo 3+ 263CB offers extra reach by its intuitive center column without the stress. It also provides precise adjustments that require minimal correction. Its hollow carbon construction is a healthy compromise of stability and portability. Does the added versatility justify its cost? We think so. Keep reading to find out why.

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Near Perfect Results in a Quality Filter: Lee Elements VND 2-5 Review

What’s easier to do: carry around a handful of ND filters of different strengths, or carry a 4-in-1 solution that offers the same quality in a smaller, more convenient package? If you’re worried that the latter might result in awful X-patterns or heavy vignetting, then Lee Filters has the solution for you. They’ve just launched their Elements series of Variable ND filters that come in 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, and 82mm screw-in sizes with 2 to 5 stops of neutral density. Billed at both photographers and videographers who seek the absolute best in optical performance, the Elements VND series are coated with multi-function, scratch-resistant nanocoatings. Lee Filters always come with a hefty price tag, and the Lee Elements VND 2-5 is no different.

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Epic, Magic Filter Actually Changes Size: New H&Y Revoring Swift Review

What if one filter could fit all your lenses? What if circular and rectangular filters worked together? What if filters just snapped on with a magnet? That’s the idea behind the H&Y Revoring Swift, a modular filter system that integrates circular and rectangular filters as well as a hood and lens cap. To top it off, the base adapts to different thread sizes, so it’s possible to use one filter on multiple lenses.

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This Is What Quality VNDs Look Like: Lee Elements VND 6-9 Review

Neutral density filters open up possibilities for shooting slow shutter speeds in the middle of the day or wide-open apertures with flash and bright sunlight. Yet, many of them leave color casts and vignetting in their wake — or at least, that’s the case with the cheap choices. Priced at $340, the Lee Elements VND 6-9 stop filter certainly doesn’t fit the word cheap. Offering enough light dampening to shoot long-exposures mid-day, the filter provides the versatility of a variable neutral density filter, yet aims to offer the quality of a square filter.

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Simply Beautiful. Field Work Slim Fixed Leather Camera Strap Review

In February, I bought myself a gift: a refurbished Canon Canonnet QL17 with tan leather. It’s gorgeous: even my reps from other companies and Canon’s own have said so. But it needed the right camera strap. Luckily, we’ve reviewed the most of any photo publication, but this choice perplexed me. Which do I get? So I took to Etsy and bought one, and that’s how the Field Work Slim Fixed Leather Camera Strap ended up on my Canonnet. 

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Reach Out for Beautiful Pictures! Vanguard VEO 3+ 263CT Review

Ever found yourself by a railing or a ledge, taking a photograph using a tripod, and wishing you had some way of sticking the camera a little farther out? Then the new Vanguard VEO 3+ 263CT may be the tripod you’re looking for. With its innovative multi-angle central column and an adapter that allows you to add accessories or an extra camera even, this tripod has more than one trick up its sleeve. Does it tick all the boxes you’re looking for in a $349.99 tripod?

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Easy on the Eyes. Harber London Tan Camera Strap Review

I analyze the usefulness of a camera strap based on four attributes: comfort, functionality, quality, and appeal. A good camera strap must sit comfortably on my neck for hours with an attached camera. It’s got to give me at least a handful of years before it starts to show signs of wear and tear. And while I don’t expect it to be a head-turner, I do like to have friends asking me where I got my strap from. Harber London isn’t a camera accessories company but a family-run business that produces handmade leather goods. They’ve been around since 2013, but the Harber London Camera Strap appears to be their foray into making something camera-related. They’ve created a fine strap in sync with the finishing quality of their other products.

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A Weird One. Langly Premium Leather Strap Review

This has to be the most divisive camera strap I’ve ever used. For that reason, it deserves praise and scrutiny. The Langly Premium Leather Strap hugs your torso while giving you comfort. But at the same time, it can get in the way of taking pictures. For what it’s worth, it’s also one of the most different camera straps I’ve ever used. But unlike its paracord sibling, the execution isn’t that great.

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Make Your Editing Swifter. Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K) Review

“Size Does Matter” was the tagline of the 1998 movie Godzilla. That can aptly also be applied to the latest release from China-based drawing tablet manufacturers Huion, the 16-inch Kamvas Pro (2.5K) digital tablet. It’s not just about screen real estate though, for the updated model of the Kamvas Pro 16. The panel is now QLED, and its resolution has been upped to 2.5K (2560×1440) pixels. The pixel density is also upped to 186 PPI from 142 in the earlier model. 8 Bit color depth, 145% sRGB coverage plus a 1200:1 contrast ratio, and a 60 Hz refresh rate provide a viewing experience that’s both easy on the eyes and accurate. Let’s find out if it holds up as an editing tool companion to your primary workstation.

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Pretty and Practical! Langly Paracord Strap Review

The Langly Paracord is a camera strap I was super curious about. This website has reviewed tons and tons of camera straps. But the Langly Paracord seemed particularly fascinating. I had a feeling it would break, but it didn’t. In fact, it ended up holding its own with one of the heaviest mirrorless cameras on the market right now. And overall, I think I’ve fallen head over heels for the Langly Paracord strap.

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Add a Cinematic Look to Your Photos. Irix Edge Vari ND 2-5 Filter Review

Irix Edge Vari ND 2-5 filter waterproof coating

They’re very popular in cinematography circles for their cine lens lineup, and just a couple of months ago, Irix Lens released a new range of variable ND filters. They say it’s one of the slimmest and most compact ND filters in the market. The Irix Edge Vari ND 2-5 filter comes in two versions – the Magnetic Mount System (MMS) version and the more standard screw-in version. I received a copy of the latter for our review and was pleasantly pleased with the color rendition and lack of X pattern banding in the images taken with it.

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This Is Wonderful: Holdfast Swagg Dual Camera Strap Review

The Holdfast MoneyMaker is a household name among wedding photographers. The leather dual-camera system is well-loved for the comfortable camera carrying system that keeps two cameras ready to shoot. But, there are two cons to the popular leather strap: the price, and the leather’s inability to fold up small enough to easily tuck inside a bag. That’s where the HoldFast MoneyMaker Swagg dual-camera strap comes in. This cotton version of the popular strap system is almost half the price of the leather version. And the soft cotton means you can fold it to your heart’s content to toss into your camera bag.

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Massive with Colorful Features. ASUS ProArt Display PA329CV Review

I’m not new to larger-than-life computer screens. Having used an iMac since 2009 and purchasing a 27-inch professional monitor a couple of years ago, I thought I’d gotten used to seeing images on a big screen. It’s only a handful of inches larger, but the ASUS ProArt Display PA329CV monitor looked a lot bigger than the monitor I own. The size isn’t the only thing going for this 4K resolution monitor, as it’s packed with many features aimed at professional creatives in the imaging field. Its got 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 color space coverage. The integrated USB-C port supports file transfers to your attached computer and 90W charging capabilities. With the Vesa-certified DisplayHDR rating at 400 nits, it’s bright enough for most professionals.

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A New and Unique Mount Ecosystem – Manfrotto Move QR Review

In any discussion about tripods and monopods, the name Manfrotto is sure to crop up. At the top of many professional photographers’ accessory lists, the brand has been around for close to six decades. Synonymous with quality and durability, many products proudly display the “Made In Italy” branding. And not one to deviate from this norm is their all-new Manfrotto Move Quick Release ecosystem of “interconnectable parts and products.” It’s an innovative system designed to help photo and video shooters move their cameras between sliders, tripods, and gimbals.

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Versatile and Practical: Vanguard Veo 3T+ 264CB Carbon Review

Tripods may be necessary for some shots, but they tend to limit the possible shooting positions. The Vanguard Veo 3T+ 264CB Carbon, however, uses a center column that rotates in seconds, allowing for flat lays, shots of the stars directly overhead, or odd angles in between. Add in the short to tall height range, and this updated Veo travel tripod can capture a pretty wide range of angles. And if you need those angles to be exact, Vanguard has even included not one but three different scales for panning and two different levels.

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Three Tests of Survival for a PNY PRO Elite Class Card

This was a fun set of tests to do: more for me and less for the poor PNY PRO Elite Class 10 U3 V30 SD card. At The Phoblographer, we test weather sealing and weather-resistant claims by manufacturers. If you can stomach this, check out the video at the bottom of this page, where we did some major weather testing simulations. If a product is stated to have certain qualities, we’re of the firm belief that they have to be tested and proved. We don’t take anything for face value. The test with the PNY PRO Elite SD 512 GB card was a little different though. The “Extreme Performance” that they state under the properties of this card has to do with its read and write speeds. I read this only after doing my torture tests though.

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A Happy Medium: 3 Legged Thing Travis 2.0 Tripod Review

There’s the travel tripod and the studio tripod, and then there’s the new 3 Legged Thing Travis 2.0. While it’s not a travel tripod, the new Travis 2.0 is a go-between. It’s not quite as light and compact as a travel tripod but has a bit more stability, a higher weight capacity, and a height limit of almost 5.5 feet. Weighing about four pounds, it’s not too heavy that it can’t the studio. And, folding down to 17.9”, it still sits within the carry-on dimensions. Add in a price of under $200, and the Travis 2.0 is easily an intriguing option.

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To the Mountains! 3 Legged Thing Billy 2.0 Tripod Review

Tripods seem to be either lightweight or strong. If they’re versatile, they often compromise on either strength or weight. That’s where the 3 Legged Thing Billy 2.0 comes into play. While it’s built with the beginner in mind, its light weight and versatility are sure to entice working photographers. The tripod is small enough to comfortably travel with or throw in your backpack and go hiking. And it is also sturdy enough for longer exposures. The Billy 2.0 aims to be your go-to travel companion.

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The Quality Choice. 3 Legged Thing Brian 2.0 Tripod Review

There isn’t anything more anxiety-inducing than a tripod that might suddenly drop your camera. Luckily, that didn’t happen with the 3 Legged Thing Brian 2.0 Tripod. In fact, I was astounded at how sturdy it is. This tripod is designed to be lightweight, reasonably compact, and sturdy. If I were traveling, I could see it being a fantastic travel tripod. But even if you just wanted something versatile and sturdy, the 3 Legged Thing Brian 2.0 is very tough to beat. 

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Let’s See What’s New: 3 Legged Thing Corey 2.0 Tripod Review

Just about five years after the launch of the first edition of the Punks Corey model, 3 Legged Thing has announced the Corey 2.0 tripod. They’ve also brought out the updated Airhed Neo 2 ball head as a companion to this. If you’re an avid follower of the camera accessories industry, you’ll know that 3 Legged Thing is unique. When it comes to colors and design, they are unconventional and catchy. Corey 2.0 sticks to the core principles of the company – color, innovation, concept.

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