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

Ryze Tello drone on a red background

This cheap camera drone is an awesome gift idea for the budding photographer wanting to get airborne

By James Abbott published

The best drone models to buy for your kids this Christmas to get them airborne shooting photos and videos.

Kandao QooCam 3 on a wooden table

Kandao QooCam 3 review: an enticing Insta360 and GoPro alternative

By James Abbott published

The QooCam 3 360-degree camera is an enticing alternative to Insta360 and GoPro alternatives thanks to its low-light credentials.

Nikon Z f with the Nikkor PC-E 45mm f/2.8 attached

This amazing Nikon Zf feature changes manual focusing forever – and even works with vintage lenses

By James Abbott published

The Nikon Zf offers a range of manual focus features that make it one of the best mirrorless cameras available for vintage lenses.

Fujifilm X100V and camera accessories on a wooden floor

The 8 Fujifilm X100V accessories I can’t live without

By James Abbott published

The essential small-form-factor accessories I use to keep my X100V kit compact, lightweight and highly versatile.

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome review: one love

By James Abbott published

The Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is a 25.7MP APS-C DSLR that exclusively captures photos and video in black and white, with some impressive features and fantastic build quality.

Interface grab showing Fujifilm Film Simulations being applied in Adobe Lightroom

How to add Fujifilm Film Simulations in Adobe Lightroom

By James Abbott published

Learn how you can apply Fujifilm Film Simulations to your Fujifilm Raw files in Adobe Lightroom using Color Profiles for retro-inspired color and black & white effects.

Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 attached to a Nikon Z 7II on a wooden outdoor table

Nikon Z 70-180mm f/2.8 review: one of the great mid-range zooms

By James Abbott published

The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is a versatile mid-range telephoto offering a relatively light weight, compact size, and respectable image quality on a budget.

Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR mounted on a tripod

Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR review

By James Abbott published

The Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is an affordable telephoto zoom lens that's ideal for enthusiast sports and wildlife photographers.

Potensic Atom in flight

Potensic Atom review: one of the best beginner drones

By James Abbott published

Recommended

Potensic's Atom range of drones now has a superb beginner model complete with 4K video and manual camera control.

DJI Mini 4 Pro in flight in front of trees

DJI Mini 4 Pro review: minor update or serious upgrade?

By James Abbott published

Recommended

The DJI Mini 4 Pro delivers a range of features that make it an even more professional-friendly sub-250 g model, but is it worth upgrading from the Mini 3 Pro?

Nikon Z f camera on a vintage-style yellow chair

Nikon Zf review – a retro delight

By James Abbott last updated

The mirrorless full-frame Nikon Zf is more than its retro looks; it’s a powerful everyday camera with world-first AI-assisted tools.

HoverAir X1 flying against a blue sky with white clouds

HoverAir X1 review: More fun than you can shake a selfie stick at

By James Abbott published

Offering ease of use and subject-tracking modes that we’d love to see in a DJI Mini-series drone, the HoverAir X1 does all the hard work for you.

Holy Stone HS720R flying against a blue sky

Holy Stone HS720R review

By James Abbott published

Holy Stone’s first drone with a 3-axis gimbal is the Chinese company’s best drone yet, but it’s facing some stiff competition from DJI’s entry-level Mini 2 SE

Insta360 Go 3 attached to an FPV drone

10 reasons why the Insta360 Go 3 is the perfect camera for FPV drones

By James Abbott published

10 reasons why the tiny Insta360 Go 3 action camera could be a game-changer for enthusiast FPV drone pilots.

Bwine F7GB2 flying in a quarry on a sunny day

Bwine F7GB2 review – a worthy DJI Mini 3 alternative for beginner aerial photographers?

By James Abbott published

The Bwine F7GB2 is a beginner drone model that’s full of promise and performs well in some areas, but unfortunately fails to deliver in terms of photo and video quality.

Leica M11 Monochrom on a white table

This extremely expensive Leica camera only shoots pictures in black & white

By James Abbott published

Leica's M11 Monochrom only takes black & white pictures, has all-manual controls, and doesn't shoot video. Yet photo pros covet it. Why?

Enlaps Tikee 3 Pro+ time-lapse camera

Enlaps Tikee 3 Pro+ review: pro time-lapse camera like no other

By James Abbott published

Editor\'s Choice

The Enlaps Tikee 3 Pro+ is a feature-packed professional time-lapse solution with excellent image quality.

Leica M11 Monochrom and Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH II on a wooden table

Leica M11 Monochrom review – a pricey yet stylish oddity

By James Abbott published

Black & white only, no video capture and manual focus only, the Leica M11 Monochrom is a rare gem, but at a cost.

Brinno TLC Timelapse Camera

Brinno TLC 2020 Timelapse Camera review

By James Abbott published

The Brinno TLC 2020 is a professional time-lapse camera that’s easy to use and offers up to 99 days of battery life, depending on your battery type and interval frequency.

Brinno TLC 300 Timelapse Camera

Brinno TLC 300 Timelapse Camera review

By James Abbott published

The Brinno TLC 300 Timelapse Camera offers a professional timelapse solution with simplicity at its core.

ATLI EON Timelapse Camera with silicone cover and lens hood

ATLI EON Timelapse Camera review

By James Abbott published

The ATLI EON is a consumer-friendly timelapse solution that would be equally at home shooting a beach or a construction site.

DJI Pocket 3 in camera under a spotlight

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 price, specs, release date, camera and more

By Mark Wilson last updated

The DJI Pocket 3 has finally landed – here's everything you need to know about the charming little video camera.

BetaFPX Cetus X drone on wooden table

BetaFPV Cetus X review: try your wings

By James Abbott published

The BetaFPV Cetus X FPV Kit is one of the best ready-to-fly FPV kits available and a great choice for both FPV beginners and more experienced pilots.

DJI Mini 3 Pro drone in flight with blue sky and clouds background

8 essential tips for levelling-up your drone videos

By James Abbott published

Instantly elevate your drone videos to a professional level with these essential tips

DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone in flight on a intermittent cloudy day

DJI Mavic 3 Pro review – three is the magic number

By James Abbott published

Editor\'s Choice

The Mavic 3 Pro is the world’s first consumer drone to offer three cameras, with features suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions: