James Abbott

James Abbott

James Abbott is a professional photographer and freelance photography journalist. He contributes articles about photography, cameras and drones to a wide range of magazines and websites where he applies a wealth of experience to testing the latest photographic tech. James is also the author of ‘The Digital Darkroom: The Definitive Guide to Photo Editing’.

Articles by: James Abbott

The DJI Mavic 3 drone sitting on a green surface

DJI Mavic 3 review

By James Abbott published

The DJI Mavic 3 is the most powerful folding drone we've seen, but it's also expensive and missing a few features at launch.

The Leica M11 camera resting on a wooden bench

Leica M11 review

By James Abbott published

Leica’s latest M-series camera takes a technological leap while maintaining its traditional fundamentals. But it's now an even more niche camera than ever.

The Leica M11 in a leather case resting on a table

Are Leica cameras worth their price tags?

By James Abbott published

Analysis The new Leica M11 has stirred an age-old debate. Are Leica cameras overpriced luxury indulgences, or priceless workhorses?

DJI Mini 2

Got a new DJI drone? Here's how to set it up to take great photos and video

By James Abbott published

Woken up to find a DJI drone has kindly flown into your Christmas stocking? Here's how to set it up and get shooting.

Festive photography: 7 great Christmas photo ideas to try with your new camera

By Phil Hall, James Abbott, Mark Wilson published

Stuck for photo inspiration this festive period? It's time to spice things up with these great Christmas-themed photo ideas.

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM lens

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM review

By James Abbott last updated

The Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is a super-premium prime lens for Alpha fans. But how it live up to its billing?

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

Why I might not buy the DJI Mavic 3 (despite selling my DJI Mavic 2 Pro)

By James Abbott published

Opinion The DJI Mavic 3 is strongly rumored to launch soon, but here's why I'm undecided about upgrading – despite recently selling my DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

The image size box in Photoshop showing an image of some hills

How to resize images in Photoshop

By James Abbott published

Increase and decrease the dimensions of your photos while maintaining optimal quality

A man flying a DJI drone in a field

How to fly your DJI drone: 7 steps to becoming a confident drone pilot

By James Abbott published

Follow these steps to get your DJI drone safely into the air and ready to shoot dynamic aerial stills and video.

A hand using a cloth to clean a camera lens

How to clean your camera lens

By James Abbott published

Noticed a some unusual spots in your photos? You probably need to clean your camera lens – these are the best ways to do it safely.

Close-up of DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone camera and gimbal

Should I buy a DJI drone in 2021?

By James Abbott last updated

It's been a tumultuous year for DJI, so is the world's biggest drone maker still the best in its flying camera field?

DJI Air 2S vs Mavic 2 Pro

DJI Air 2S vs DJI Mavic 2 Pro: which is the best drone for you?

By James Abbott last updated

Versus Trying to decide whether to buy the new DJI Air 2S or its older Mavic 2 Pro cousin? We're here to explain which one you should get.

A rocky coastal seascape at dusk

Land grabs: 26 essential landscape photography tips you need to know

By James Abbott published

Updated Struggling for landscape snapping inspiration? These 26 ideas and techniques will give your landscape photography a leg-up to the next level.

A phone screen with a Lighthouse in the Lightroom app

How to master the Lightroom app for next-level smartphone snaps

By James Abbott published

Photography Week 2021 Looking to take your phone snaps from lukewarm to chef's kiss? Our in-depth guide to the Adobe Lightroom app has the perfect recipe.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

DJI Mavic 2 Pro review

By James Abbott published

Recommended

Updated Our former number one drone, the DJI Mavic 2 Pro remains a great option if you need features like variable aperture.

Fujifilm GFX100S

A week with the Fujifilm GFX100S: why I'll be buying it over the Sony A1

By James Abbott published

Opinion A camera that can do everything is incredible, but specialist cameras like the Fujifilm GFX100S are still usually the better option.

DJI Air 2S vs Mavic 2 Pro

Why the DJI Air 2S has convinced me to sell my DJI Mavic 2 Pro

By James Abbott published

Opinion The DJI Air 2S packs impressive features into a lightweight package – it's a combo that's convinced me to trade in my trusty Mavic 2 Pro.

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM review

By James Abbott published

Best in Class

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 is an incredible lens that produces beautiful images, for a considerable cost.

DJI FPV

DJI FPV drone laws: where and how can you actually fly DJI's new drone?

By James Abbott last updated

With the DJI FPV, first-person view drones are about to go mainstream – here are all the laws you need to know about flying them.

DJI drone setup

Got a new DJI drone? Here's how to set it up and take great photos

By James Abbott published

Woken up to find a DJI drone has miraculously flown into your Christmas stocking? Here's how to set it up and get shooting.

How to colorize photos lead

How to colorize your old family photos – with smartphone apps or PhotoShop

By James Abbott last updated

Bring your black-and-white memories to life with these photo colorizing options – for both smartphones and PhotoShop.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro vs DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

DJI Mavic 2 Pro vs Phantom 4 Pro V2.0: which is the best drone for you?

By James Abbott published

Versus Struggling to decide a winner in the big DJI Mavic 2 Pro vs Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 debate? Our side-by-side test has the answer.

DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 review

By James Abbott published

The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 remains a great option for pros who need a sturdy drone with great range and image quality.

DJI Mavic Air 2

DJI Mavic Air 2 review

By James Abbott last updated

Best in Class

The DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best drone for beginners and hobbyists, thanks to a series of major upgrades.

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom review

By James Abbott last updated

Recommended

The Mavic 2 Zoom is a lightweight, portable drone with a twist – it has an optical zoom lens to help you get close to the action.

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