The Phoblographer

“I actually never even thought about looking at the world through my car until the pandemic,” photographer Brian Bowen-Smith tells us. “It’s a 1958 Ford F100 that can’t sit too long so every once in a while I will take it out for a spin.When I was photographing my neighbor I noticed that it looked really cool through all of the windows because of the curves.” And that’s how BBS Drivebys was born. So Brian took his truck and went on a true road trip around America during the pandemic. The result is a timeless look achieved by shooting with his Leica.

This story is presented in partnership with Leica. All images by Brian Bowen-Smith and used with permission. Check out his website and BBS Drivebys. Be sure to give the Leica M10 Monochrom a try for yourself!

The Essential Gear of Photographer Brian Bowen-Smith

Leica M10 Monochrom

16 18 21 Tri-Elmar

Leica Summilux-M 21mm f1.4 ASPH

Brian Bowen-Smith

“But one of the saddest moments and most emotional dealing with Covid is when I went and visited these Dairy Farmers. They were really, really, really having a rough time because of the pandemic with no one buying any milk. So sad, they couldn’t stop their operation because cows need to be milked every day. Even having to dump it sometimes because there weren’t trucks coming to pick it up. They were working with just the family and it was a massive farm. Everyone was pitching in just to keep their heads above water. It has been in the Family for generations. And they are in danger of losing it.”

Talk to us about how you first got into photography.

I originally got into photography through my gymnastics coach in high school and classes. That’s the only class I got an A in. Later, I revisited when I started dating my wife who at the time was a model and needed pictures for her portfolio. That trickled down to doing more pictures for her agency. Which eventually led to my internship with Herb Ritts.

What made you want to get into fine art?

I would assume that anyone who wants to be a photographer wants to get into fine art because that’s where you sI would assume that anyone who wants to be a photographer wants to get into fine art because that’s where you seem to shine the most. When it comes to fine art, if you are creating things that you think are beautiful, whether they’re riské, beautiful, abstract, etc., the ultimate goal is to create something that blows people’s minds. More importantly, your own.

BBS Drivebys is a fascinating story. You funded the book for it on Kickstarter. But besides the pandemic, what made you want to look at American culture from a car?

I actually never even thought about looking at the world through my car until the pandemic. It’s a 1958 Ford F100 that can’t sit too long so every once in a while I will take it out for a spin. That day when I started it happened to be one of those days, merely by coincidence. When I was photographing my neighbor I noticed that it looked really cool through all of the windows because of the curves. Then I thought, “wow that would be an amazing series, maybe I should do a couple more.” Next thing I know I was on the road across the whole country viewing it through my windows. I had no idea what this would become but I knew I was on to something special.

Brian Bowen-Smith

“I saw this as a timeless piece that I wanted to create where you wouldn’t know where some of these pictures came from it could be 1943 it could be 1988 or it could be 2020. Just one last thing I had to think about”

When you went around meeting these folks on the road, how did you go interact with them and gain their trust? How much of a limiting factor was COVID-19 for this project?

That’s a good question. I actually would Instagram what city I was heading to next and ask people to DM me with their ideas if they wanted to be a part of it. I got tons of them, all with great ideas so I would filter through which ones I thought were the most interesting or important. There’s no way you can do them all. I would ...

As someone who travels a lot, it’s important I’m as light as possible when moving from one destination to another. Over the years, I’ve aimed to get my gear down to a minimum, and right now I have one camera body and one prime lens. But being a person who loves photography and its gear, I find myself craving more. With that, below is the current gear I find myself lusting after and wanting to buy.

Quick Disclaimer About Photography Gear

Avid readers of the site will know I’m a Fujifilm shooter. As is our EIC Chris Gampat, and our reviews team, Hillary Grigonis and Brittnay Smith. Some readers think we’re a constant advertisement for Fujifilm. We’re not. We just love their cameras, and there’s a good reason for that. However, this piece won’t just cover Fujifilm products. Naturally, some Fujifilm kit will be included, but I also lust after others brands, depending on what mood I’m in. Also, there will be links to each product below, if you fancy purchasing something. Full transparency – The Phoblographer does receive a small portion of any sales made via the site, and it helps us keep our lights on and bring you the content you like to read. So, sit back, enjoy the show, and see what photography gear I currently love.

Photography Gear: Nikon Zfc

As someone who started out shooting Nikon, I have a huge soft spot for the brand. I used the Nikon D610, but I would often lust after the Nikon DF; it was an old-school vibe with modern-day functionality. I missed that boat and switched to a Fujifilm X-T10 instead. However, since Nikon has played catch up with modern society and entered the mirrorless market, I was waiting for the company to deliver a system that piques my interest. It finally has. The Nikon Zfc may not be the highest spec camera on the market (read our full Nikon Zfc review), and it may not deliver the best quality, but it’s a good system and beautifully built. Carrying that around all day would be a breeze.

Photography Gear: Fujifilm 16-80mm f4

I was always of the mantra that candid photographers, whether they be travel or street, should use prime lenses. I still sway towards that ethos. But while my Fujifilm XF 35mm f2 works great, there are certain situations I wish I had more reach, like if I wanted to capture wildlife, for example. And while I appreciate the Fujifilm 16-80mm f4 (read our full review) isn’t a telephoto lens, its size and weight on a crop sensor body give me enough to create images I can’t with my prime. It’s a well-made lens and has weather sealing, so it ticks many boxes.

Photography Gear: Sony a7 IV

I’ve never really warmed to Sony’s cameras. There’s no denying they offer innovation and have fantastic performance and image quality, but something about them never clicked with me. And it’s important to have some form of physical and emotional connection to a camera. It’s something we spoke about on Inside The Photographer’s Mind. However, with the Sony a7 IV (read our full review), something clicked. I’m unsure if it was the new grip or OLED screen, but whatever it was, I wanted it. It’s also raising the bar for face and animal detection: something, in my opinion, other brands haven’t been able to rival. There’s also the in-camera skin smoothing which is perfect for me as I shoot street portraits (and I also dislike spending too much time editing in post).

Honorable Mentions

The reality is, there are countless pieces of gear I would purchase if I had a bottomless barrel of benjamins. But I don’t, so I have to reduce my wants down to size. The Nikon Z 50mm f2.8 (read our full review) is a piece of photography gear I’d go after if I shot Nikon. Having used the Nikkor 50mm 1.8g in the past, it would be interesting to see how the lens treats me for day-to-day use. And if one day I had the confidence to shoot film, I’d turn to the Leica M6 TTL (read our full review). It’s a beautiful camera and functions extremely well.

Final Thought

Look, the photos make the photographer, not the gear. But with so m...

If you’re like me, you were all about the hype machine before the Nikon ZFc was announced. Nikon sold the camera to all the world as something super lightweight. And indeed it is. But it also feels kind of cheap. They took the Z50 and stuffed it into a camera body that doesn’t feel that good. But it’s pretty to look at. In fact, writing this review hurt a bit because I was so disappointed with the Nikon ZFc.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Innovations on the Nikon ZFc

Gear Used with the Nikon ZFc

Nikon ZFc Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Autofocus Performance from the Nikon ZFc

Metering

Image Quality

JPEG Quality

High ISO Output

RAW File Versatility

Extra Image Samples from the Nikon ZFc

Edited

Unedited

Nikon ZFc Review Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Nikon ZFc reminds me of modern dating for the man who wants to spend the rest of his life with someone. The Nikon ZFc suddenly appeared in front of all of us, strutting around and bedazzling our eyes. That small-spoon stature and alluring looks can appease any photographer craving a small, high-performance camera. The tech specs are just standard, but you decide to give it a try. It can’t hurt, right? But the real-life experience is something different. And in some ways, you end up feeling catfished. Nikon says it’s lightweight, but in reality, it feels a bit cheap in places. Ultimately, you end up realizing that you’re worth more than that, and you call it off. In the end, just swipe left on the Nikon ZFc. However, I hope that Nikon realizes its mistakes and doesn’t play around with a full-frame variant.

The Nikon ZFc reminds me of modern dating for the man who wants to spend the rest of his life with someone. The Nikon ZFc suddenly appeared in front of all of us, strutting around and bedazzling our eyes. That small-spoon stature and those alluring looks can appease any photographer craving a compact, high-performance camera. The tech specs are just standard, but you decide to give it a try. It can’t hurt, right? But the real-life experience is something different. And in some ways, you end up feeling catfished. Nikon says it’s lightweight, but it feels a bit cheap in places. Ultimately, you end up realizing you’re worth more than that, and you call it off. In the end, just swipe left on the Nikon ZFc. However, I hope Nikon realizes its mistakes and doesn’t play around with a full-frame variant.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Light, though almost to the point of feeling cheap at times

Small, and needs a small lens to take the most advantage of this

Focuses pretty quickly

A bit of weather sealing

Excellent high ISO output for an APS-C sensor

Good image quality

Looks nice

I kind of like the shutter sound

Pretty affordable

Pretty affordable.

Cons

Nikon made this camera feel sort of incredibly amateur while trying not to be at the same time.

Why no joystick?

I wish it had dual card slots

Screen feels a bit cheap

The camera sounds a bit hollow in places

A lack of a serious thumb rest is infuriating

Very sensitive EVF. A raindrop got on it and it thought my eye was there the entire time even though the drop wasn’t on the eye sensor.

Mode switch can be knocked out of place way too easily

Shooting events? The lack of image stabilization can possibly make you lose really great shots.

Focus tracking isn’t all that fantastic

Animal AF sadly doesn’t work on horses

Slow autofocus at times.

Slow autofocus at times

It doesn’t feel like a classic Nikon camera.

It doesn’t feel like a classic Nikon camera

Nikon needs to work with Tamron to get some premium APSC zoom lenses

Nikon needs to work with Tamron to get some premium APSC zoom lenses.

There are better cameras for more money

There are better cameras for incremenetally more money.

Innovations on the Nikon ZFc

The Nikon ZFc doesn’t have anything specifically innovative. It’s the Nikon Z50 in a vintage-style camera body. The retro dials have been done by Fujifilm and Nikon both before...

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The 24mm lens is incredibly important for photography. Typically they’re used for landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, astrophotography, and more. Also, we need them to have faster apertures. So we went through our archives and reviews index to find some of the best ones made. And we really, really liked these 24mm lenses.

The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Pro Tips on Using 24mm Lenses

Here are some pro tips on using 24mm lenses:

24mm lenses are great for wide portraits. Keep your subject in the center: it’s what’s best for environmental portraits.

24mm lenes are also incredible for landscapes, seascapes, and anything you’d want to shoot wide.

Street photographers used 24mm lenses for many years to get a different look.

All of the 24mm lenses that we’re recommending have great weather sealing. So you can use them in any weather.

Shooting documentary style? Use face detection with these lenses.

Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master

In our review, we said:

The Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is a lens many photographers will want to add to their shopping list, regardless of their photographic specialty. Whether you’re a landscape photographer, an astrophotographer, a street photographer, or even a portrait photographer, there will be situations where the 24mm f1.4 G Master will shine. Paired with the excellent autofocus systems found on the latest Sony camera bodies, the 24mm f1.4 G Master will allow you to reliably create the images you had envisioned in your mind’s eye.

Buy Now

Tamron 24mm f2.8 Di III OSD

In our review, we said:

Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot of large-aperture lenses being introduced for Mirrorless cameras. While a bright maximum aperture is always appreciated, these lenses tend to carry considerable bulk and heft. A brighter maximum aperture also tends to equate to a higher price tag too. Sacrificing practicality in the name of image quality isn’t always feasible, particularly for photographers who need to travel light. This is where we feel Tamron’s strategy for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless lenses are paying off.

Buy Now

Fujifilm 16mm f2.8 R WR (24mm Equivalent)

In our review, we said:

The Fujifilm 16mm f2.8 R WR isn’t at all a bad lens, but I feel like this is synonymous to the Nolan Batman Trilogy vs Batfleck when comparing it to the 16mm f1.4 R WR lens. The latter movies had their good moments that were entertaining all the same, but at the end of it all you’re left scratching your head. For a user like me, I’m not going to move away from my Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 R WR lens, to which I gave a fair amount of praise. But when I look at the Fujifilm 16mm f2.8 R WR, I know that this is a lens for the user who wants an affordable autofocus lens with weather sealing. And for that user, Fujifilm is delivering. Just know that you’re probably going to be looking longingly at its older sibling.

Buy Now

Nikon 24mm f1.8 S Z

In our review, we said:

The Nikon 24mm f1.8 Z is a great lens. Not only can it handle a lot of rain, but it’s got great image quality. We found it to be sharp with excellent colors and bokeh to boot. It’s also lightweight, so you’ll never want to take it off the camera. Where we found it lacking is with just how distorted the images are. This isn’t the end of the world, however. It’s fair to expect more from Nikon at this price point. At $1,000, I e...

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I have been a Nikonian photographer for more than a decade. Yet, after trying the company’s first full-frame mirrorless, I chose to stick with a DSLR. I simply didn’t have the confidence in the Z7 and Z6 autofocus system and lack of ability to record to two cards at once. That’s exactly what Nikon focused on in the second generation, however. The Nikon Z7 II keeps much of the first generation intact but steps up the autofocus, adds a second card slot, and moves to dual processors. Then, there’s also the price bump of a few hundred bucks.

So, has Nikon earned my trust back with the Nikon Z7 II? I didn’t fall in love instantly like I had hoped, but gradually, the Z7 II earned my confidence. The Z7 II isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t outperform the competition. But, it’s a camera many photographers could still manage to fall in love with, especially paired with a Z system lens.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Autofocus

Ease of Use

Metering

Image Quality

High ISO Images

RAW File Versatility

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusion

Likes

Dislikes

Is the Nikon Z7 II Worth it?

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Nikon Z7 II corrects much of what disappointed me in the first version, including a much better autofocus system and dual card slots. The Z7 II is beautiful inside and out: it takes beautiful pictures, and it’s also beautifully designed. But, while finally competitive, there are a few annoyances to contend with.

Pros and Cons

Pros

A much-improved autofocus system

Durable magnesium alloy build with weather-sealing

Image quality is great, especially with native Z lenses

In-body image stabilization

Dual card slots with XQD/CF Express and SD

Cons

While improved, the autofocus isn’t as good as Canon’s R series

Eyepiece rubber sometimes blocks the eye sensor

Viewfinder blacks out

Gear Used

I used the Nikon Z7 II with the Z 50mm f1.2 S, the Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S, and the Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR. I used the Wandrd Sling strap, as well as the Wandrd PRVKE II and Lowepro Flipside backpacks.

Innovations

The Nikon Z7 II is more about fixing complaints about the first generation than crazy innovation. It adds the dual card slots, improves autofocus performance, and upgrades video to 4K at 60 fps (93 percent crop). The biggest change is the move up from a single processor to two, which improves performance.

Tech Specs

These Nikon Z7 II tech specs are a shortened version of the full specifications available from Nikon USA:

Sensor: 45.7-megapixel full-frame CMOS

RAW: 12 or 14 bit

Two card slots with XQD/CF Express, SD

EVF: .5 inch, 3690k dot

3.2 inch 2,100K dot touchscreen with tilt

Shutter: 30 sec. to 1/8000, Flash sync up to 1/200

10 fps burst

ISO: 64-25,600 (32-102,400 extended)

AF: Hybrid phase-detection/contrast with AF assist beam, -3 to +19 detection range, 493 focus points

5-axis sensor-shift stabilization

Video: 4K at 60 fps (93 percent crop of the sensor), up to 29 minutes 59 second recording time

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Li-ion battery rated at 360 to 440 depending on settings

Weighs 21.7 ounces

5.3 x 4 x 2.8 inches

Ergonomics

Little has changed on the exterior of the second-generation Z7. Save for the little “II” in the corner on the camera name, it would be difficult to tell the two apart at a glance. The biggest exception? The second generation has both the XQD or CF Express slot and an SD slot. That’s a must-have for working professionals who need to back up their images in the field.

The Z7 II weighs 21.7 ounces, which is significantly lighter than the Nikon D850. It’s also more compact, yet the grip is almost the same size, so it doesn’t have the uncomfortable hold of a compact camera.

A long-time Nikon DSLR user, the control scheme on the Z7 II feels like home. The top houses an LCD screen. Dual control wheels flank the shutter, on/off, record, ISO, and exposure compensation on the ...

Let it be known, we’re not fans of most of Nikon’s kit lenses. But the Nikon 40mm f2 Z should replace every single one of them. First off, it’s just under $300. It’s small, has beautiful image quality, impressive weather sealing, and packs the performance you’d want from a lens like this. And even if it isn’t a kit lens, there’s good reason to buy into the Nikon system just for this lens alone. Combine this with the promising firmware updates Nikon has made to improve their autofocus, and the Nikon Z system is really starting to spread its wings.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Innovations

Gear Used

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Autofocus

Image Quality

Bokeh

Color Rendition

Lens Character

Sharpness

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

If you’re still wondering whether or not you should get into the Nikon Z camera system, the Nikon 40mm f2 z should help change your mind. The company has offered multiple autofocus updates to its cameras. And with each one, the cameras and autofocus performance have genuinely improved. With that said, the Nikon 40mm f2 z can be swift, but Nikon’s autofocus algorithms are still a tad wonky.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Durable, incredibly so!

Beautiful image quality

I like the colors.

Autofocus is great, but the smarts on the cameras aren’t so much when it comes to subject detection. However, it’s solid in the studio

Nice bokeh

It’s a 40mm!

Bro, it’s $299.99. Like, this is THE IMPULSE BUY lens from Nikon.

Cons

Autofocus on the Nikon z6 II is much improved, but still falls behind other brands for stuff like street photography

Innovations

The Nikon 40mm f2 z isn’t doing anything genuinely innovative per se. However, they’re offering the smallest autofocusing 40mm f2 lens on the market. They’ve added incredible weather sealing despite them being slightly conservative with their own statements on this. Better yet, they’ve done this at a crazy low price point. 40mm lenses have finally been seeing a rise in popularity. But the Nikon 40mm f2 z is a study in how to do it right.

Gear Used

We tested the Nikon 40mm f2 z with the following:

Nikon z6 II

Nikon ZFc

Tech Specs

Taken from our original report

A compact, versatile prime lens that is ideal for everyday applications such as close-ups, casual portraits and food photography.

Delivers fantastic bokeh and a dramatic separation of the subject from the background.

The standard focal range hits the sweet spot of a natural angle of view, while still being wide enough for street photography. When mounted on a DX-format camera, the lens is equivalent to 60mm, which is a great focal length for flattering portraits.

Ultra-compact, weighing in at merely 170g and only 1.8” long, making it easy to carry around for day-long outings.

Built with 6 elements in 4 groups with a 9-blade diaphragm that creates a gorgeous, circular bokeh that draws attention to the subject.

Utilizes an electromagnetic diaphragm for precise aperture control and stable exposure during continuous shooting.

The NIKKOR Z 40mm f2 offers a short 0.96ft (0.29m) minimum focusing distance, which is excellent for capturing food and top-down photos of décor and tablescapes.

Designed with consideration for dust and drip-resistant performance with a sealing that prevents dust and water droplets from entering the lens.

Video shooters will benefit from the quiet operation, natural focus shift that allows for fluid changes when going from close focusing to infinity, reduced focus breathing and smooth aperture control.

The lens features an integrated control ring, which can be customized and assigned to adjust focus, ISO, aperture and exposure compensation.

$299.95 price point.

Ergonomics

Taken from our first impressions post

The Nikon 40mm f2 Z isn’t very complicated. Looking at the front, you see the 52mm filter thread, which means this is a small lens. As we’ve said before, Nikon truly embraces the idea that mirrorle...

“Safety is the number one priority when shooting and I always leave it up to the athlete if they want to do the jump or not,” Photographer Ben Franke tells us about photographing parkour. Ben, like many other photographers, loves his Leica. His work is proof that the decisive moment isn’t just limited to the M-series. But there’s an entire backstory to how Ben gets his shots. And as he tells us, there can be a long time between getting the location and the shoot just right.

Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored blog post from Leica. All images by Ben Franke and used with permission. Follow him on Instagram and be sure to try out the Leica SL2-S for yourself.

The Essential Photography Gear of Ben Franke

Leica SL2-S

Leica 24-70mm f2.8 SL ASPH

Ben Frank tells us about using the Leica SL2-S on this shoot:

“I used the Leica SL2-S with the 24-70/2.8 lens. Normally I like to time the shot, though when capturing bigger jumps, it’s not always possible for the athlete to do it more than once. I made use of the high-speed capabilities as well the great dynamic range and colors to create the look I was going for when editing the work.”

We talked to you a few years ago about Parkour Motion! And you’re obviously still photographing parkour athletes. Has the thrill changed for you at all?

The thrill has definitely evolved for me over the years. I’m much more in tune with the mental difficulties of the sport and so I work to collaborate with the athletes and capture them while they challenge themselves. Recently, I worked on a shoot with a rooftop gap where the athlete Sha Mualimm-Ak (@vanguard.athletics.co) was only the third person ever to do the jump.

How much planning goes into these shoots with the athletes? I can imagine trying to react to them and capture them can be sort of difficult.

Quite a bit of planning goes into each shoot. Sometimes it’s a spur-of-the-moment collaboration, but other times it can be a while between finding the location and getting the photo. The rooftop gap image with Sha, for example, took us a week to capture after going there on 3 different days. The first time we scoped out the jump and decided it was better to come back another day. The second time there were many people around, which wasn’t ideal. Then on the third day there the athlete did the jump, which was amazing to witness, and I hope the image did the challenge justice.

How is the Leica SL2-S helping you capture these athletes?

The dynamic range and look of the images the Leica produces are phenomenal. It really helps me bring the athletes to life in an image and capture their movements. Besides producing amazing files, I find that the camera really gets out of the way and is incredibly conducive to shooting and creating.

Where does your inspiration come from for these images? How do you come up with new ideas and locations?

The inspiration generally comes from the athletes themselves. I try to find movements that I think would photograph well or find a great location for them to move in. Anytime I’m out in a new place, I tend to be scouting around for locations, so I have a long list of locations and ideas that I’d love to shoot.

One of the athletes I recently shot, Ernest Lubonja (@potti_photos), does backwards precision jumps from one rail to another. It’s incredibly mind-bending to watch in person but can be tough to do it justice in a still image. I recently went to Boston to shoot together and there happened to be a perfect location to capture that exact jump.

“Besides producing amazing files, I find that the camera really gets out of the way and is incredibly conducive to shooting and creating.”

So, you are not using powder and flash anymore?

I moved away from it for a bit because I felt I had explored what I wanted to with that idea. When I first started shooting parkour, I shot a lot in daylight, and lately, I’ve been moving back towards that way of shooting. I’m not opposed to revisiting the powder and flash at some point in the future if ...

This tiny strobe slides in a camera bag even easier than a hot shoe flash does.

As an on-site photographer, I’m an off-camera hot shoe flash kind of girl. I work without an assistant, so the ability to pull the flash off my camera after a wedding ceremony and onto a light stand for portraits has always appealed to me. But, at times — like when fumbling with four AA batteries — I’ve wondered if I was missing out by not lugging around a studio strobe. Enter the Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro TTL pocket flash.

Just a little taller than a mug of coffee, the Xplor 100 Pro TTL is actually shorter than my Nikon SB-700 speed light. But, don’t let the size fool you. The flash can recycle as fast as 1.5 seconds and pop out 360 full-powered flashes on a single charge. So how much power can you pack into a strobe that’s smaller than a 70-200mm f2.8 lens? I tested the Xplor 100 Pro TTL on some portraits and product photography to find out.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Performance: How does the Xplor 100 Pro compare to a Speedlight?

Image Quality

Extra Image Samples

JPEGs

Edited RAW

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro TTL is an excellent segue from off-camera flash to strobe. Compact and lightweight, the Xplor 100 is still powerful enough to overpower some outdoor light using high-speed sync. It’s a great strobe on a budget, though it lacks some of the power of pricier options.

Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pros and Cons

Pros

Compact and lightweight

High-Speed Sync, TTL, and manual modes

Built-in wireless

Rechargeable battery

Affordable

Plenty of available accessories

Cons

A similarly priced Speedlight fired more during burst shooting

Designed for 85mm lenses and under

Gear Used

I used the Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro TTL Pocket flash with the Flashpoint R2 Pro Mark II transmitter. I started with an older budget light stand and shoot-through umbrella but upgraded to the Flashpoint 7’ Auto Stand and a transparent Godox 51-inch parabolic umbrella when said cheap light stand fell and broke the umbrella. I used a reflector for a clamshell lighting set-up in some head-and-shoulders photos but otherwise used only a single light (and some sunshine) for these photographs.

I shot the Xplor 100 Pro TTL with Nikon Z 6 II and the Nikon D850 bodies. I used 24-70mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.2 lenses.

Innovations

Most studio strobes are big and bulky. The Xplor 100 Pro TTL is barely larger than a can of pop and only weighs about a pound. Unlike big studio lights, it’s going to slip pretty easy right into a lens slot of a camera bag.

Flashpoint Xplor 100 Pro Tech Specs

These technical specifications are taken directly from Adorama:

Energy Output: 100ws

Flash Exposure Control: TTL for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Olympus, and Pentax – Manual Flash

Flash Lens Coverage: 28-85mm manual zoom control; Wider, with Round Head Accessory Kit

R2 Radio Reception Range: >330ft / 100m

R2 Radio Channels: 32

R2 Groups: 5 (A/B/C/D/E)

Triggering Modes: R2 Wireless Radio (built-in)

Sync Port: Optical Slave S1, Intelligent Optical Slave S2

Model Light: 1.8W SMD LED 1 to 10 levels

Power Source: 7.2V/2600mAh Li-ion polymer battery 2.6Ah 18Wh

Power Control: 1/256th power to full power in 1/3 and 1/10th stop increments

Recycle Time: < 1.5 seconds

Full power flashes per charge: Approx. 360

High-Speed Sync: Up to 1/8000s

Exposure Compensation (TTL): Via R2 transmitter

Power Indication: Power operation. Off automatically after approx. 30 minutes of idle Operation

Battery Indicator: Yes

Color Temperature: 5800+200k

Stroboscopic Flash: Provided (up to 90 times, 99Hz)

Delay Flash: 0.0130 seconds

Beeper: Yes

Dimensions: 4.4 x 3.0 x 3.0 in / 12.0 x 7.6 x 7.6 cm

Weight with battery: 18.5 oz / 524g

Ergonomics

The Xplor is a cylindrical shape that easily slides into a lens slot of a camera bag. Speedlights tend ...

We’re very excited to bring you this week’s episode of Inside The Photographer’s Mind. On this occasion, we’re blessed by the presence of our very own Reviews Writer, Brittany Smith. She joined The Phoblographer six months ago, and since then she’s been contributing top-level quality reviews of the latest gear and accessories in the photo industry. Naturally, we discuss gear, but we also delve into how brands are dropping the ball on inclusivity. Take a look at what’s in store.

Listen to the podcast above!

Brittany Smith on Her First Months with The Phoblographer

Brittany Smith has done some wonderful work with the site. Her coverage of the Leica SL2-S provides fantastic, real-world insight into how the camera performs on set. When asked what some of the highlights have been so far in terms of the gear she’s handled, she turned to the Fujifilm GFX 100s and the Fujifilm GFX 50 II. She also mentioned how great it has been using the Sony a7 IV: a camera that’s both innovative in design and performance.

Overall she’s loving her time at The Phoblographer and how she gets to “geek out” at work. However, it’s not all fun and games. Brittany Smith works tirelessly to put the gear she reviews through its paces, ensuring our readers can make the most informed decision when buying new gear. (Check out our review index.)

Brittany Smith Takes Us Down Memory Lane

Smith educated herself on the craft back when the darkroom was still a thing. She talks about how she is bored by modern editing methods and loathes sitting in front of a screen playing with slides. Although time-consuming, she speaks fondly about spending hours in the darkroom, playing some music, doing some math, and trying to get the best exposure for her images. For her, it was like a form of therapy and one she tries to do whenever she gets the opportunity.

On the topic of film, Smith also hopes to handle some film cameras in the future. When asked if she had to choose one film camera to review, without hesitation, she said the Leica M6. We’ve already reviewed the Lecia M6, but hopefully, there will be some film cameras she can get her hands on in the future.

On Inclusivity in the Photo Industry

Aside from reviewing gear, Brittany Smith has also had her say on certain issues facing the photo industry. She hit hard with her piece on Unsplash, and she didn’t hold back on the disappointing ambassador lineup from Canon Philippines.

Both Smith and I spoke about the issues with inclusivity in the photo industry. While not easy, it’s an important conversation to have. Many roll their eyes when they see women talking about being better represented in the field. But most of them feed off headlines and comments, and don’t dive deep enough into the topic. There’s no option to just skim the surface in this episode of Inside The Photographer’s Mind, as both Smith and I leave no stone unturned and try to find a way the industry can move forward so everyone is happy. Man, Woman, Trans, or Non-Binary, it’s a part of the conversation you won’t want to miss. Hit play on the video or audio player above and start listening to the show.

Support the Show

We love the positive feedback we’ve received for the rebirth on Inside The Photographer’s Mind. Of course, we want to keep growing and bringing you the best guests in the photo industry. If you enjoy the show, please do subscribe across the platforms such as Google, Apple, and Spotify. If you watch through YouTube be sure to hit a like and leave a comment so we can beat the algorithm! Thanks for listening.

The goal of every photographer is to pair down their kit. For years, we’ve recommended prime lenses. And for simplicity, we often stick to primes. But zoom lenses like those made by Tamron have been stellar in the past few years. And if you only wanted one lens for portrait photography, you’d need to think carefully about what you’d pick. Recently, we tested two that are truly stellar. And one of them is genuinely bound to amaze portrait photographers that want one lens for portrait photography.

This piece is presented in partnership with TAMRON.

Table of Contents

Gear Used

Credits

Motion Portrait Photography

Studio Headshot Style!

Low Light Portraits

Gear Used

Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2

Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD

Sony a7r III

Sony a1

Profoto B10

Westcott 7 Foot Umbrella

Credits

Assistant: Desiree De Sade

Model: Ash Meyers

Model Iroda Iris

Studio: 2nd Story Yoga and Pilates

Bar: Solid State

Motion Portrait Photography

The idea of playing with motion in portraits is something beautiful. Getting a subject perfectly sharp while having a blurry background requires a bit of technical play. First off, you have to use second-curtain flash. In Sony speak, that’s Rear sync. This makes sure that whatever the flash hits is nice and sharp while the rest of the background is blurred by motion. It’s popular on the dance floor at weddings, but also really great for creative portraits.

If you had to use one lens for portrait photography in this case, you can’t go wrong with either option. Above, the photo was shot with the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2 on the Sony a1. It’s an excellent lens for many reasons. For starters, it lets you get closer than the standard 24-70mm lens. And it maintains the f2.8 aperture throughout the whole range. Tamron lenses are sharp and have a unique color character to them. Most importantly, they do it at an affordable cost without sacrificing build quality.

If you had to use one lens for portrait photography in this case, you can’t go wrong with either option. The photo above was shot with the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2 on the Sony a1. It’s an excellent lens for many reasons. For starters, it lets you get closer than the standard 24-70mm lens. And it maintains the f2.8 aperture throughout the whole range. Tamron lenses are sharp and have a unique color character to them. Most importantly, they do it at an affordable cost without sacrificing build quality.

Even better, they work very well with Sony’s autofocus system. Just make sure that you’re in Human face detection, and the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2 will work with your camera to get the subject in focus.

Because it’s such a lightweight lens, this can genuinely be the ONE lens for portrait photography. The photo above was shot down to 1/30th of a second to get the blur. The Profoto B10 made sure to stop all motion on Irona.

With the photo above of Ash, it wasn’t as tricky. We used a projector that rotated a scene mimicking the Aurora Borealis on her. Then we asked her to dance. The B10 was gelled with a purple camera right. As she moved, we caught the motion blur and froze some of the motion too! That’s how we’re getting this subtle blur effect combined with the moving projector. We did this all at 1/40th of a second. For years, cameras, flashes, and lenses would’ve had some sort of issues working together. But the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2 proved itself to surely qualify to be the one lens for portrait photography that you need.

With the above photo of Ash, it wasn’t as tricky. We used a projector that rotated a scene mimicking the Aurora Borealis on her. Then we asked her to dance. The B10 was gelled with a purple camera right. As she moved, we caught the motion blur and froze some of the motion too! That’s how we’re getting this subtle blur effect combined with the moving projector. We did this all at 1/40th of a second. For years, cameras, flashes, and lenses would’ve had some sort of issues working together. But ...