Wandrd’s PRVKE series of backpacks has been a popular choice for photographers seeking a modern bag with urban styling. The new Wandrd PRVKE 21 V4 retains the signature roll-top silhouette and modular approach, but introduces subtle yet valuable improvements to comfort, access and layout.

Wandrd PRVKE 21 V4 at a glance:

• $319 / £281 (Photography Bundle)
• 21-25L volume
• Essential Camera Cube included
• Durable tarpaulin and ballistic nylon construction
• Laptop and tablet sleeves
• wandrd.com

For instance, the expandable roll-top now includes a zipped opening for faster access to the upper section, and the reworked shoulder straps and back panel make the pack more comfortable to wear for long treks. At 1.3kg, the pack feels robust without being too heavy and the updated styling, including colour-matched fabric and lining, gives it a more polished look than its predecessors.

Inside the main compartment, the Essential Camera Cube that’s included in the Photography Bundle offers enough room for a full-frame mirrorless or DSLR with three to four lenses, including a 70-200mm f/2.8. The side opening, now larger than before, allows quick access to this cube, which is especially useful when you want to change lens on the move. You can also unzip the main clamshell for full access when packing or unloading.

Wandrd PRVKE 21 V4 key features:

• Weather-resistant: PVC-coated tarpaulin and DWR-treated zips shrug off rain and dirt
• Modular Design: Includes Essential Camera Cube and accessory straps
• Secure Storage: Hidden pockets for AirTags, passports and valuables
• Colour Options: Available in eight colours including (my favourite) Rhone Burgundy
• Easy Access: Top, side and rear openings make gear easy to grab on the go

Elsewhere, the storage is impressively versatile. There’s a dedicated laptop sleeve, an internal tablet sleeve, a discreet AirTag pocket and memory card organisers in the side flap. On the exterior, a water bottle/tripod pocket with a strap and a large flat front pocket add extra carry options, while smart tote-style handles help when grabbing the bag off a shelf – although they get a little in the way when accessing the roll-top zip.

The PRVKE 21 V4 is made from lightweight yet strong P900D tarpaulin and N840D junior ballistic nylon, while reverse-coil YKK zips and DWR coatings help it stay weather-resistant. This plus the metal hooks on the accessory straps and roll-top closure add to the durable, premium feel.

On the move, the pack hugs the body securely, aided by curved shoulder straps and a flexible sternum strap. There’s no waist-belt included, but you can add one for £30. The backpack is stylish enough for city wear, while also proving tough and capable for travel or light hikes.

Pro or Essential Camera Cube bundle?

Wandrd offers the PRVKE 21 V4 by itself £206 (£234) and in two bundles. The Photography Bundle reviewed here includes the Essential Camera Cube and straps, ideal for most users. For those with bulkier gear, the Pro Photography Bundle (£312 / £54)) swaps in a larger Camera Cube, offering more room for longer lenses or extra accessories.

Wandrd PRVKE 21 V4: Our Verdict

The Wandrd PRVKE 21 V4 Photography Bundle successfully refines an already good design. Its excellent access, solid protection and thoughtful features make it one of the best daypacks available for photographers who want to carry a modest amount of kit in style. The included Essential Camera Cube and straps offer good value, while the option to use the bag with or without the Cube adds extra versatility, making it just as useful for everyday carry as it is for photo missions.

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Sitting below the 25L and 45L models, the Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 18L is the smallest backpack in the company’s Outdoor series. It’s aimed at photographers and outdoor enthusiasts who want a comfortable, low-profile bag for single-day trips or light loads. It doesn’t accept camera kit directly, requiring a Peak Design Camera Cube (or two), which costs extra.

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 18L at a glance:

• $190 / £169.99 backpack only
• £206.98 with the SMedium Camera Cube
• Modular design
• Capacity 18L
• Rear-opening design
• External Dimensions: 47.6 x 27.5 x 15.5 cm
• Weight: 1Kg / 2.1lbs
• peakdesign.com

Like the 25L version, the 18L is made from Peak Design’s Terra Shell 210D Ripstop Nylon, which is weather-resistant, 100% recycled, Bluesign-approved and PFAS-free. The fabric feels tough yet light, and while the bag doesn’t ship with a rain cover (Rain Fly), one is available separately for £29.99 if you need the extra protection.

The 18L version of the backpack keeps things simpler than the 25L and 45L bags, with a fixed-capacity design and a large rear panel zip for main compartment access – there’s no roll-top or front pouch. It fits one SMedium Cube, which can be clipped in place, and there’s room above it for an X-Small Cube if you want to expand your camera kit. Alternatively, there’s room for a couple of XXS Ultralight Packing Cubes above the Medium Camera Cube.

This gives room to carry a full-frame mirrorless camera with a standard zoom plus two or three additional lenses, depending on their size. There’s also a sleeve for a hydration pouch or up to a 13-inch laptop, although as with the 25L, mixing water bladders with camera gear isn’t recommended.

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 18L key features:

• Camera Cubes: One Peak Design Smedium and one X-Small Camera Cube can fit inside the bag.
• Vest-style straps: Distribute weight across more of your body while providing quick-access pockets and Capture Camera Clip mounting points.
• Rear-panel access: The main compartment is accessed via a large zip-around rear opening.
• Hydration/Laptop Pouch: There’s an internal pocket that can house a hydration pouch or a 13-inch laptop.
• Colour choice: Available in Black and Eclipse (burgundy).

Two deep, stretchy side pockets can hold a tripod or water bottle, and the front of the bag has Cord Hook attachment points for strapping on extra gear such as trekking poles or a jacket. These cords and loops also work with Peak Design’s Ultralight packing cubes for extra modular storage.

Peak Design has used similar vest-style shoulder straps to the larger Outdoor Backpacks. These distribute weight evenly and their quick-access pockets are handy for things like your phone or wallet. Both also have mounting points for Peak Design’s Capture camera clip. An optional padded waist belt can be added for extra support, but will set you back £44.99.

The frameless build means the 18L feels flexible and close-fitting, and at just 1kg, it’s easy to carry all day.

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 18L – Our Verdict

The Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 18L is a comfortable, adaptable daypack that bridges the gap between an everyday backpack and a technical outdoor bag. While it lacks the expandable roll-top and larger capacity of the 25L version, its lighter weight, vest-style straps and simpler design make it a great choice for single-day hikes, travel or commuting – especially if you want to carry a modest camera kit alongside your essentials. As with the rest of the range, Camera Cubes are an extra cost, but they make the bag’s modular approach work seamlessly.

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It used to be ground-breaking to include 32-bit Floating Point recording in your mic system, but now everyone is doing it – and some for the second time. Only 18 months after the release of its Mic 2, DJI has introduced an updated, and in some ways fundamentally different, version of its wireless mic set. The DJI Mic 3 brings a new design and a collection of new features that include the ability to send audio to multiple cameras at the same time – but which leaves out one feature that many will feel too important to sacrifice.

DJI Mic 3 at a glance

• $329 / £259 DJI Mic 3 Combi kit (RX + 2TX, charging case and cables)
• $219 / £169 Extra RX and TX kit
• Wireless mic set
• Up to four TX units
• Can transmit audio to eight cameras
• 32-bit float internal recording
• 28 hours of use per charge
• dji.com

At $329 / £259 for the basic kit (2 transmitters and 1 receiver), and $219 / £169 for an additional transmitter/receiver pair, the DJI Mic 3 comes in at a moderately higher price than its predecessor, and sits very much in the top bracket of this style of wireless mic. Let’s see if it’s worth the money.

DJI Mic 3 Major Features

• Distortion avoidance: Adaptive Gain control helps to automatically eliminate peaks for those whose cameras can’t record in 32-bit float
• Transmit and record: Transmitters can record internally while also sending audio to the receiver, and you can chose ‘edited’ or ‘raw’ on each
• Two-level noise cancellation: Pick between Basic and Strong settings according to intensity of background distractions

Features

Like most wireless mic outfits, the DJI Mic 3 base kit comprises a receiver that sits on the camera and a pair of microphone/transmitters that are designed to be attached to the people we are recording. The kit also includes a USB-C or Lightning adapter for the receiver, so it can record directly to a phone/tablet or a computer. This is all packed into a hard case that not only protects the kit but which also charges it from an internal battery.

The hard case fits into a soft bag that contains all the cables for charging and connecting, and a pair of wind shields needed for the microphones. If you use a Sony camera that can accept audio through the hotshoe, there is also an optional hotshoe adapter that means you don’t need to cable the receiver to the camera, but which only handles 24-bit recordings.

One of the big attractions of this new wireless mic set is that it allows us to not only record up to four people at the same time – via additional mic/transmitters (TX units) – but we can also send audio to more than one camera at a time. In fact we can send audio from four TX units to eight receivers (RX units), so eight cameras can be recording the same person/people speaking, and they will all receive the same audio from all the active microphones.

This is quite a step up, and will obviously make it easier to sync audio in multi-cam set-ups – because no syncing will be needed so long as all the video clips are lined up properly. Of course you won’t be needing eight cameras on most shoots, but having two cameras for a single interviewee is very common, and three or four isn’t unreasonable when recording both interviewer and interviewee. It’s a pretty neat feature, especially on an accessible set like this.

Another new feature that aims to make synching audio easier is Time Code. With Time Code active we can send a Time Code signal to the camera and to the mic/transmitters, which is especially useful as each transmitter is capable of internal recording. If Time Code has been recorded it’s much easier to line-up those internal recordings, whether we are recording solely to the receiver or to the camera as well.

One of the nice things about the internal recording is that it can be done using either 24-bit or 32-bit Float, so you don’t have to use a camera capable of recording in 32-bit. Most cameras will record only up to 24-bit, so will miss out on the full potential of the DJI Mic 3’s abilities – but internal recording to the transmitter unit gets around that problem. We have 32GB of internal memory in each transmitter too, so there is plenty of space.

Other new features include three Voice Tone Presets to complement different pitched speakers, two strengths of noise cancellation, and Adaptive Gain Control which mixes recording from two levels to prevent clipping, and which can also automatically adjust levels when two people are using the same mic – so they come out at the same volume.

A Bluetooth feature in each transmitter also means we can connect them directly to a phone for recording, without needing a receiver at all. DJI includes a set of clip-on windshields, and you can also buy additional ones in a variety of colours, so you can match them to your subject’s clothing.

Design and handling

It’s great that we get all this in such a small and convenient package, and that the kit looks nice to go with it. I’m not a fan of seeing microphones in recordings though, and these little transmitters are quite hard to hide. The company has made sure the logos are prominent, even on the magnets used when you hide the transmitter under your clothes. While the TX units weigh only 16g all the weight is concentrated in a small, thick area, so the transmitter pulls collars, bulges under t-shirts and makes itself difficult to conceal.

A key issue here is that there is no option to connect a Lavalier microphone to these transmitters, so the TX units are likely to be in-shot. The earlier DJI Mic 2 does have Lav mic options, but I’m told that was left off this model to keep the TX units as small as possible. While some love to show off what mic they are using, for many others who prefer to record with no distractions, this will be a complete turn off.

DJI has given us a headphone socket on the RX unit so we can monitor audio even when recording internally and not to a camera, as well as a USB-C port so we can power the device from an external battery pack should be need to.

The menus and settings for the whole kit are directed from the rear screen of the receiver unit and navigated by touch, a back button and a scrolling/pressing dial. Navigation of the system is greatly assisted by experience of previous models, or a good long sit down with the manual.

I made the mistake of thinking I could pick it up and work it out, which proved a frustrating strategy. Lots of practice and regular use will be the answer to finding your way around the very many options via such a small screen. Running eight receivers and four transmitters from it though will be like playing a xylophone through a letterbox.

In use and audio quality

Straight out of the box, and even without going into the menu system, you will get very good audio quality from this kit. Wade into the menu and your life will become more complicated, but time and patience will be rewarded with access to the DJI Mic 3’s new features. The difference between the voice tones is subtle but effective, and I found the new Adaptive Gain Control pretty good at controlling moderate peaks that would otherwise have been distorted – it isn’t a magic wand, but it really does help. 

The new two-level noise cancelling is also worth investigating. I found the Basic setting good for removing less intrusive sounds and for moderating louder ones, while the Strong setting can eliminate a lot of louder background noise but inevitably at the expense of resolution in the speaker’s voice. In extreme conditions the strong setting will help bury the background to make the voice stand out more, it’s just a question of how much voice distortion you are prepared to put up with. It’s pretty good though.

The range is listed as 400m, so I was surprised to find the signal unreliable after just 20m with a moving camera and a static subject, and with a body in the way after only 10m. With the camera still and the subject moving range is a great deal better, but with a body in the way we can be interrupted at 20m. It can pass through interior walls okay, but not with distance as well. DJI engineers acknowledged my findings and tell me they are working to solve the issue.

Battery life though is much more impressive, with 8 hours for the transmitters and 10 hours for the receiver – and we can recharge 2.4x in the case. The case takes just 2 hours to charge, and a five minute charge of TX or RX units gets you an extra 2 hours of use.

DJI Mic 3: Our Verdict

This is a great mic set, but there are a few caveats. No Lav mic option will be difficult to swallow for some, especially as the TX units drag clothes down with their concentrated weight, and because they are hard to conceal. The lack of range won’t be an issue for those using them indoors in a room and in normal interview situations, but might be for outdoor shoots where the subject needs to be some distance from the camera.

It is also complicated to get the best from the mics by going through the menu system. This is a very fully-featured system, and DJI has packed an enormous number of extremely useful options into it, but it’s no quick job learning how to control everything. It’s worth the effort, but expect it to take some time if you are starting from scratch.

Great audio quality though, and a whole pile of excellent options.

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Ever since Peak Design unveiled its ground-breaking Travel Tripod in 2019, other makers have come out with a similar slim, space-saving designs. The Heipi W28S is one such offering, but it’s anything but a simple imitation. Instead, it’s built around a unique ‘three pillar’ centre column, which aims to provide increased stability while doing double duty as a mini ‘sub tripod’. Hence, the ‘3-in-1’ moniker; you can use either the main or sub tripods on their own, or combined together.

Heipi W28S at a glance:

• $429 / £328 (from Heipi website)
• 5-section carbon fibre legs
• 152cm max height
• 22.5cm min height
• 45cm folded length
• 1380g weight
• 20kg rated load
• heipivision.com

Looking first at the main tripod, this employs 5-section carbon-fibre legs with clip-type locks. Each leg can be set to three different angles, although the locking levers for this are a little small and fiddly. A large, easy-to-adjust collar is used to adjust the height of the centre column/sub tripod.

The sub tripod itself employs aluminium alloy legs, which can be set to two different angles. It’s strikingly quick and easy to remove the sub-tripod from the main assembly and set it up, when you want to switch to low-angle shooting. That’s a real contrast to some other similar models like the Peak Design Travel Tripod or Benro Cyanbird, which employ more fiddly split-column designs.

Heipi W28S key features:

• Hanging rope: Instead of a hook, a cord loop allows you to hang your bag from the tripod for extra stability, via a supplied clip 
• Spikes: Slender ground spikes are hidden inside the rubber feet
• Levels: There’s a particularly large bubble level on the main tripod, and another on the camera platform
• Case: Heipi includes a snugly fitting, weather-resistant carry case with a removable shoulder strap

KF-50Q ball head

Arguably the one feature that really makes the W28S stand out is the KF-50Q ball head. This is strikingly large, with a 50mm diameter ball, yet it weighs just 300g. It has independent locks for the main ball and the panning base, and a slot for dropping the camera down 90° for portrait-format shooting.

A small square camera plate is included, and the camera clamp also accepts standard Arca-Swiss quick-release plates. But rather than using a conventional screw-clamp, they simply snap down on top, with a sprung rotary collar that locks them in place. It’s best to tighten this down manually just to be sure, but a couple of small retracting pins should stop your camera sliding off inadvertently if it isn’t fully locked.

Heipi claims this quick release system works with 90% of Arca-Swiss plates. I tested it with a huge range of plates and L-brackets from many different sources (including 3 Legged Thing, Benro, Haoge, Neewer, NiSi, Sunwayfoto, Sirui, SmallRig, and others) and they all fitted just fine. However, you’ll probably need to remove any protruding safety screws from underneath, and as always, be careful with L-brackets that have cutouts for an articulated screen.

The ball head has a couple more unique features, too. Remove the camera plate and you’ll find an integrated sprung phone holder, which is strong enough to hold your device securely in portrait format. The panning base rotates very smoothly, but if you prefer, it can be set to click at 10° intervals, facilitating panoramic shooting.

Heipi W28S in use

Build quality is superb, and everything packs together extremely neatly when the tripod is folded down. That large ball head and three-pillar centre column really do make a difference to stability, with the tripod much better at holding relatively heavy loads and dampening vibrations than other similar-sized travel tripods I’ve used. I was perfectly happy entrusting it with my Sony A7RV and 100-400mm telezoom, even on a windy day.

Inevitably, there are a couple of drawbacks. The leg-locking levers are really stiff, and I found it almost impossible to undo all four on a leg in one go. That means the tripod isn’t quite as quick and easy to set up as it could be. Also, the sub-tripod can flex a little when set to its minimum height, which means it’s better to use the main tripod for low-level shooting.

Heipi W28S – Our Verdict

I’ve been really impressed by the Heipi W28S travel tripod. It’s cleverly designed, really well-made, and packed full of neat little features. It’s also very attractively priced. It may well be the best tripod in its class.

Heipi W28S 3-in-1 travel tripod product image gallery

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Peak Design’s Travel Tripod, available with aluminium or carbon fibre legs, is a great low weight compact tripod. But the company’s new Peak Design Pro Tripod (launched on Kickstarter with attractive discounts) brings some noticeable improvements in strength, height and usability without overly sacrificing the compact form or weight. It features thicker 4-section carbon fibre legs with CNC-machined fixings and a much stiffer centre column – all of which contribute to its improved stability and weight-bearing capacity.

Peak Design Pro Tripod at a glance:

• Carbon fibre legs
• 1.9 kg weight
• 168.4 cm maximum height
• 15.9 cm minimum height
• 50.1 cm packed length
• Payload up to 18kg
• peakdesign.com

While the overall design of the tripod is familiar, almost every aspect has been reworked and the ball head is considerably improved. Notably, it has a fluid panning mechanism above the ball joint, which means you can level your camera and then pan without altering the horizon. The ball movement itself is smooth and secure, with a portrait slot and enough resistance for confident positioning.

The new spring-loaded quick-release clamp is another great addition that makes the tripod that bit slicker in use. It’s intuitive and fast, snapping shut with a reassuring click and locking securely with a push of a lever (which incorporates a bubble level). And it’s more compatible with third-party plates and L-brackets than the head on the Travel Tripod.

In addition, although you still need to raise the centre column a little to get full movement, the new head can tilt by up to 15 degrees when the column is fully collapsed.

Peak Design Pro Tripod key features:

• Pro ball head: The panning mechanism sits above the ball for level panning
• Flanged column: The usually-shaped centre column is claimed to be six times stiffer than Travel Tripod’s
• Leg angle buttons: When the tripod is collapsed, leg-angle buttons sit flush for streamlined storage
• Arca clamp: The head clamp snaps closed automatically around the quick release plate
• 4-section legs: Using 4-section legs rather than five helps make the legs more rigid than the Travel Tripod’s

Despite a packed length of 50.1cm and a weight of 1.9kg, the Pro Tripod fits neatly into the side pockets of many camera backpacks. Meanwhile, its 168.4cm maximum height (with centre column raised) makes it suitable for most shooting scenarios, including landscapes, portraits and video, while there’s a minimum shooting height of just under 16cm for low-angle work.

In the field, the Pro Tripod performs extremely well. It’s quick to deploy and stable. Using a Sony A1 II and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, I found it handled long exposures with ease provided the plate is correctly mounted to the lens foot rather than the camera body. And, even with this relatively heavy load, it holds the camera firmly in portrait orientation, something the Travel Tripod struggles with.

Peak Design supplies the tripod with a new padded, weatherproof carry case that’s more forgiving than the overly-snug sleeve of the original Travel Tripod. There are also optional accessories like the excellent Tilt Mod, a clever video head converter, the Pro Spike Feet and a Pro Levelling Base, expanding the system’s flexibility.

Which Size: Pro, Pro Lite, or Pro Tall?

The Peak Design Pro Tripod range includes three sizes: Pro Lite, Pro (reviewed here) and Pro Tall. The Lite ($799, or approx. £640) weighs just 1.7kg and offers a slightly lower working height, making it a great choice for those prioritising lighter weight and portability. The Tall ($999, or approx. £800), meanwhile, stretches to 197.4cm, suiting taller users or those who prefer not to raise the centre column.

All three versions share the same excellent head and carbon fibre column, so your decision essentially comes down to height versus carry weight.

Peak Design Pro Tripod: Our Verdict

Although bigger and heavier, than the Travel Tripod, the Peak Design Pro Tripod is extremely portable while delivering the stability and functionality demanded by serious photographers and hybrid shooters. Whether you’re shooting stills, video, or a mix of both, it’s a beautifully built piece of kit that’s a joy to use.

Related links: Peak Design Pro Tripod campaign on Kickstarter

As always, with Kickstarter we must stress that you’re not technically buying a product – you’re supporting a project which may, or may not, get delivered. Historically, though, Peak Design has an unblemished record of delivery stretching back years. All three Pro Tripods exist in finished form, so this is pretty much the lowest risk Kickstarter project you could back.

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The NiSi Wizard Camera Bracket is a device for attaching your camera to a tripod. By means of a rotating collar around the lens, it allows rapid switching between portrait and landscape formats, while keeping the camera directly above the head where it’s most stable. You don’t even have to remove your camera from the tripod.

NiSi Wizard Camera Bracket at a glance:

• $98.99 / £74.90
• Rotating tripod bracket
• Arca Swiss compatible
• 1/4in tripod socket
• Clicks at 90° intervals
• Comes in four sizes (W-63, W-72, W-82M, W-82D)
• nisioptics.co.uk

Compared to using an L-bracket, such as NiSi’s own excellent Universal L Plate, this approach potentially offers some real advantages. Firstly, the design won’t interfere with articulated rear screens, which is crucial when shooting at awkward angles. Secondly, it’s unlikely to block access to your camera’s cable release port.

Thirdly, it allows you to hang your camera from an inverted tripod centre column for low-angle shooting, but turn it back the right way up again, rather than struggle with operating it upside-down. You can also rotate the camera by any angle around the lens axis to tweak the composition. Flick through the slideshow below to see how it works.

NiSi Wizard Camera Bracket key features:

• Hex key: A 4mm hex key for tightening the camera screw attaches magnetically beneath the camera plate
• Anti-scratch: A rubber ring inside the collar protects your lenses from scratching
• Locking: The bracket will lock firmly at any angle, with click stops at 90-degree intervals
• Adjustment: The camera plate can be moved up and down by about 1cm for centring the ring on different cameras  

Naturally, there are some caveats too. For the bracket to fit and work properly, the camera’s tripod socket needs to be in line with the lens. On many smaller bodies, you may need an additional spacer (such as an Arca Swiss grip or baseplate) to centre it vertically, so you can use larger-diameter lenses. It won’t fit onto cameras with large viewfinder overhangs at all, such as the Panasonic S5II. And it will definitely get in the way of hand-held shooting. 

The bracket is also likely to restrict access to the camera’s lens release button, along with any controls on its front plate. In the worst-case scenario, you may need to use the flat face of a key or screwdriver to release the lens. It will also obstruct lens controls within about 15mm of the camera body, such as switches and aperture rings.

If you can live with all this, though, the NiSi Wizard works pretty well, particularly if you plan on leaving your camera on a tripod, and not shooting hand-held. It’s very nicely made and fits securely onto both your camera and tripod. Crucially, the ring rotates really smoothly and locks down tightly at whatever angle you need.

Which size should I buy?

NiSi offers four versions of the Wizard Camera Bracket, with the number in each name indicating the inside diameter of the ring in millimetres (and therefore the largest diameter a lens can be directly adjacent to the mount, for it to fit). The W-63 is recommended for Sony E and Canon EOS M systems; the W-72 for Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and L-mount cameras; and the W-82M for Canon EOS R. Finally, the W-82D has a longer camera plate to fit DSLRs.

NiSi Wizard Camera Bracket: Our Verdict

If you can persuade the NiSi Wizard to fit your camera properly, it can be a useful option for tripod shooting. Personally, I can easily recommend the W-63 for Sony full-frame users; I tried it on both the A7R V and the older A7 II, and it worked with every lens I could find (which is a lot!). For Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z cameras, I’ve found that the W-72 does a pretty good job, although it’s more likely to block camera and lens controls. Unfortunately I haven’t personally been able to test the W-82 on Canon EOS R cameras.

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Neewer Q6 flash at a glance:

• Price: $719 / £750
• Battery powered, with dummy battery option
• 600Ws
• TTL control for Canon/Nikon/Sony
• 30W bi-colour modelling light
• Wireless and app control
• neewer.com / uk.neewer.com

There are two headline characteristics in a flash unit that I really value – power and portability, so battery operated 600W units like the Neewer Q6 get my attention straight away. Of course there are many other elements that need to be seen to, and barriers to be overcome, but for mega-bright bursts and the chance to shoot outside without a mains cable I’m prepared to be generous. I was brought up on AA battery operated manual flash units that had to be cabled together, adapted or customised, so today’s sleek operators feel very luxurious. This Neewer Q6 is a development of the excellent Q4 we reviewed in our 4^th March 2025 issue, but it isn’t just the power that has been upgraded in this new version. 

Neewer Q6 – Features

That the Neewer Q6 has a 600Ws output isn’t its only new feature, but it is worth sitting for a moment to understand what 600Ws means. It is powerful, and as such puts out a whole lot of light. I measured f/64 at 1m with an ISO of 100 – Ansel Adams would approve, though his subjects were rarely 1m from the light source. I know it’s obvious, but f/64 at 1m translates to f/32 at 2m, f/16 at 4m, and f/8 at 8m. While we mightn’t all need f/64 very often, or indeed have lenses that offer an f/64 aperture, f/16 at 4m means we can overpower the sun outside on a bright day even with the light quite a distance from the subject. 

These measurements were made with a basic reflector dish, but the power also means we can get small aperture readings more readily when shooting through layers of diffuser, when bouncing off a ceiling, a wall or the inside of a white brolly, and when the light has to pass through a coloured gel. It also means fewer pops when trying to build the light up in a dark studio to get a really small aperture for a still life. And of course you don’t have to use full power all the time – the 1/512^th power setting allows us to shoot at f/1.4 with the light at 1m. So the range of options this amount of power and the incremental adjustments allow is really very useful. 

• Exceptional power: With a standard reflector dish you can expect f/32 at two metres at ISO 100, which means small apertures are possible even with lots of diffusion and in bounce situations
• 400 full power bursts: The 3000mAh battery allows 400 full power flashes per charge, and you’ll likely not need full power all the time
• Dual control panel display: The new twin screen display makes reading the settings and adjusting them very much easier

By default increments are set to 1/3^rd power, but in the menu system of the QPro hotshoe controller can switch that to 1/10^th step settings. If you already have a QPro controller, you’ll need new firmware to access the 1/512^th power setting remotely, but it can also be triggered manually, via the app or when the Q6 is acting as a light-triggered slave to other flash units. 

As mentioned above, the Q6 can be triggered wirelessly using the Neewer QPro hotshoe controller. TTL metering is also available using dedicated QPro units for Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm systems, while users of other camera brands can operate in Manual mode – I used the Nikon controller on Panasonic Lumix cameras for the majority of this test. The Neewer app will also allow the flash to be controlled and triggered – though not synchronised with a normal shutter speed. And other Neewer hotshoe flash units can be used to control and trigger the Q6. 

We have five groups to play with, and we have a choice of 32 channels over which to do it. The system is compatible with the Godox 2.4G X flash system too, and will respond to Xpro X3/X2 transmitters, as well as the Sekonic L-858D light meter. I’m pleased too that the Q6 can be triggered optically as well, so any flash unit of any age or brand can be used alongside this one and make it fire at the same time.

The HSS mode allows shutter speeds as short as 1/8000sec, we can enjoy front and rear shutter synchronisation, and the built-in 3000mAh battery is said to be good for 400 full power flashes. The Q6 also includes a 30W modelling light with a colour temperature we can vary between 2700K and 6500K, and of course the accessory mount is for Bowens S-type modifiers. It comes with a light-stand adapter that has a hole for a brolly, a small soft-light reflector dish, a charger and a case to hold it all. 

Neewer Q6 – Handling

There are a few new design features Neewer has added to the Q6 that weren’t including in the Q4. The most obvious of these is the two-panel display on the back of the unit. Much brighter, more responsive, clearer and larger, the new dual screen display is a whole lot easier to use and much more convenient. Although pretty much the same information is displayed it is posted across two screens in the Q6, is in colour and uses an always-on display that doesn’t go to sleep, so it is just easier to read. It is a dramatic improvement, and this solution fixes the shortcomings of the previous model. As before, a nice touch sees the flash duration displayed on screen for each power setting we chose. 

The menu of the Q6 is also redesigned. The new design gives us a couple of new options and breaks down some of the options from the previous system into parts to make them quicker to access. The new style, with white text on a black background, is much more contrasty, can be seen easier and is more efficient to deal with. 

Another significant change is that the top handle now has a hinge – it can be folded down for storage so the light doesn’t have to take up more space than is necessary. 

It makes sense that this more powerful light should be bigger than the 400W model that came before it. The height and width of the lights are much the same, but the Q6 is about a third thicker from front to back. This difference I suppose allows for more cooling as well as a thicker, (slightly) more powerful battery – so the batteries are not switchable between the different flash units. A nice touch is the new four-light indicator on the side of the Q6 battery that tells us, at the press of a button, the state of the charge – without turning the flash on. 

Power to the Q6 comes only from the battery, which can be charged inside or outside the body of the flash unit, but the charger won’t charge the battery while it is in use. There will be a dummy battery so that the Q6 can be powered from the mains, but it isn’t available yet. The unit for the Q4 costs £110, so we should probably expect to pay about the same for the one for the Q6. 

The extra size and power brings a bit of extra weight with it, so the Q6 comes in at 3kg instead of 2.2kg. It measures 195x185x170mm. 

Neewer Q6 – Performance

I’ve already spilled the beans on how powerful this light is and what that means in aperture/distance values, as I wasn’t able to contain myself, so I guess this section will need to be about how consistent the flash is and how well it can keep up. I thought a good test would be to take it to an outdoor event in the middle of the day in very bright sunshine. I was shooting an awards presentation and hadn’t had a say in where the stage was set up – consequently those on the stage were lit from the side with full sunshine.

I was some way from the stage with the Q6 right next to me, and was surprised/disappointed I only needed ¼ power to fill in the shadows on faces at f/8 and ISO 100. For a different type of shot I switched to f/11 and ½ power, and for some others, where I was using a long lens to shoot shaded people standing on the covered bed of an articulated lorry, I used full power and f/5.6.  I shot well over 200 images in the blistering heat and found the flash was more than capable of keeping up. The output remained consistent throughout and it just kept going. 

DC-S5M2 · f/8 · 1/200s · 60mm · ISO100

I had been slightly concerned that one battery wouldn’t be enough, and had taken spare flash units to stand in when the Q6 died – but it didn’t, and in fact the battery was hardly troubled by the outing and didn’t need recharging when I got back. I used it again without recharging, on full power this time, on a rainy day when I needed glorious sunshine streaming through a newly fitted set of window shutters. I shot a lot on this occasion too, and only plugged the battery in when I came to write about how to charge it a few paragraphs ago. So I’d had well over 400 pops – mostly not at full power – and the battery wasn’t even half empty. 

It’s worth noting that Neewer says the colour temperature of the Q6 flash light is 5700K, as most cameras will offer a different temperature by default when White Balance is set to Flash mode. My Lumix cameras think Flash should be 5950K, but adjusting to 5700K makes a surprisingly significant difference – and makes colour correcting a lot simpler. The Q6 has a particular mode if you need to maintain accurate colour temperatures, which allows us the same power but with a slightly longer flash duration. 

The 30W modelling light is only useful on indoor duties for its principle calling of showing us where the light will fall, as it is no real match for the range of conditions in which the flash can operate and shine – the modelling light offers only 5% of the flash’s output. It is still useful though in some situations, and is certainly bright enough to shoot with on its own when indoors, in lower light conditions or in close quarters. It needs diffusing though, as its distribution isn’t very even. 

Neewer Q6 – Our Verdict

Having reviewed the Neewer Q4 not so long ago, I had rather expected this Q6 to be more of the same but with smaller apertures. It is to an extent, but the new features and particularly the new dual display, have altered the handling a great deal, and make shooting with this more powerful model a much smoother and more enjoyable experience.

I have found this flash unit reliable, consistent and persistent to the point that I look forward to using it and have been actively looking for reasons to get it out. It works really nicely alongside the Q4 and the Q200, and controlling them all together is simple with the QPro hotshoe trigger. It’s very slightly annoying that the fittings for the light stand adapters are all a little bit different so, as very good as they are, you need to keep them separate – the Q4 model has a different locating pin system to the Q6 and the Q200. It isn’t the end of the world, but it feels a little uncoordinated. 

In all though this is an excellent flash head that offers us lots of options, massive flexibility, loads of light at a price that is better than reasonable. 

Related reading:

• Neewer Q4 flash review – solid powerful and value for money
• Neewer HB80C RGB COB LED light review
• Colbor W100 review – Tiny but mighty
• Colbor CL220R RBG LED light Review

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Kodak Gold 200 is widely known as a cheap, quality and reliable option among the film photography community. Kodak Gold is a negative-colour 35mm film stock that has been production since the 1980’s. The film is widely available in both 24 and 36 exposures. It is mostly known for being a cheap but quality option, beloved by both beginners and more experienced film photographers. So much so, that back in 2022, it was made available in medium format.

At a glance

• $8-$12 / £10- £14 for one roll
• ISO 200
• 24 and 36 exposure
• 35mm, 120, medium format
• C-41 processing

Shooting experience

The photos in this review were taken four cameras, point-and-shoots like the Kodak Ektar H35N, Olympus Mju I, and a brand-less camera I got from Urban Outfitters. Most recently, I also shot it with the film SLR Canon A-1.

The Kodak Ektar H35N, Olympus Mju I and the camera from Urban Outfitters all have fixed lenses. The H35N has a 22mm F/9.5 lens, the Mju I has a 35mm F/3.5 lens and the Urban Outfitters camera has a 28mm F/3.5 lens. I used a 50mm lens and a 55mm macro lens on the Canon A-1 and shot my photos in Automatic mode, experimenting with pushing the film from 100 ISO to 800.

In terms of processing, I processed my photos at three different labs: 21 Studio PhotoLab, and Analogue Wonderland in the UK, and Foto Hércules in Mexico.

All the cameras except for the A-1 have a built-in flash, which I rarely used. I shot in a variety of light conditions, from a scorching UK summer days in August, indoors during cloudy days, to the landscape of Mexico City as the sun went down.

While my images taken during sunny days were the most vibrant and crisp, I found Kodak Gold 200 to be up to the task when it came to cloudy days and for photos taken indoors.

The colours though, are less vibrant on cloudy days and as well as when pushing the exposure up or down by more than one stop. Contrast also suffers when there aren’t any natural light sources in the frame, and shadows turn brown.

Pushing down (exposing at ISO100) was a problem as it increased my chances of getting camera shake (due to the slower shutter speed). Pushing up (exposing at ISO400/800) did have a favourable effect, especially indoors.

However, images taken at dusk and night-time at an ISO higher than 400 were better lit but lost a great amount of detail to grain.

However, I find higher ISO film stocks like Kodak Ultramax 400 and Fujifilm Fujicolour 400 a better bet as they cover a wider range of lighting situations. I also lived in the UK, a land where the sun is mostly absent for most of the year, so these are a better bet for this climate.

Using flash and being close to my subject helped when trying to get well-lit images indoors. However, shadows consistently turned brown. Night-time was nearly impossible, and my photos were almost completely black.

Artificial light sources were a particular pain. While they did show up, they regularly overpowered everything else. Additionally, white (fluorescent) lighting turned green.

In general, I was very happy with the images I got with all the different cameras I shot Kodak Gold 200 on. Certain imperfections I observed can be attributed to the individual cameras I shot with. General blurriness is common when shooting with my Urban Outfitters camera, and a faster film would have been better due to the slow F/8 aperture.

Kodak Gold 200 is often compared to another Kodak film, Kodak ColorPlus 200. Both are known for their vibrant colours and affordability. Both are very similar visually and are available at similar prices.

Many film photographers, including me, who have shot both are left confused as to whether there even is a difference. The only discernible difference is that Kodak Gold 200 is available in more film formats and is more widely available than Kodak ColorPlus 200. (??)

If you’re just starting out and looking for a camera to shoot Kodak Gold 200 with, the Kodak Ektar H35N is a great option. It’s relatively cheap and being a half-frame camera, which means it takes two photos per frame, it doubles the number of shots you get. So, say you shoot a 36-exposure roll of Kodak Gold 200 or Kodak ColorPlus 200 – you get 72 pictures in total. Cheap film and cheap camera? It’s practically a match made in heaven.

Verdict

This film was my gateway into 35mm film photography. Since then, I’ve discovered others like Kodak Portra, Kodak Ultramax 400 and Fujifilm Acros II, but Kodak Gold 200 is one I still enjoy.

Its grainy but detailed look, vibrant colours, warm tones and the fact that this is a film your parents probably used back in the day, give it a unique charm. And despite being best suited for sunny summer days, Kodak Gold 200 is also versatile and reliable, making it perfect for beginners or those on a budget.

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The 3 Legged Thing Airhed Vision is a pan-and-tilt head that’s primarily designed for video. However, heads of this type are also very useful for achieving accurate composition with telephoto lenses, or for supporting spotting scopes.

3 Legged Thing Airhed Vision at a glance:

• $170 / £149.99
• Pan-and-tilt tripod head
• Rotating Arca-Swiss camera clamp
• 9.1cm height, 455g weight
• 5kg max load
• 3leggedthing.com

Essentially, the Airhed Vision is a slightly larger and heavier upgrade to the firm’s AirHed Trinity, but now with an additional trick, in that its camera clamp can be rotated through 90°. This allows it to accept cameras that are fitted with cages, L-brackets, or Arca-Swiss baseplates. Amongst other things, this facilitates switching between horizontal and vertical video recording.

In other respects, though, this head has a conventional design. It has a panning base that rotates extremely smoothly, with a built-in bubble level to avoid angled horizons. Above it, the tilt mechanism has a large locking lever that provides a degree of friction control, along with a counterbalance mechanism to stop the camera from flopping up or down. At the top, the camera clamp has its own bubble level. 

3 Legged Thing Airhed Vision key features:

• Colours: The head comes in three variants: all-black, black with copper accents, or moss green
• Movements: There’s a 360° panning base and a 165° tilt mechanism, each with their own lock
• Pan handle: You can adjust the handle’s angle, fold it down for transport, or remove it completely if required
• Box contents: The head comes with 3 Legged Thing’s Toolz multi-tool and a 6cm-long Arca-Swiss camera plate

Camera clamp rotation

Rotating the clamp is a simple enough process. All you need to do is undo the hex bolt in the middle by about a turn and a half, spin the clamp, and then tighten the bolt up again. You can’t lock the clamp down at any angle, just at 90° intervals.

This process took me less than 15 seconds, just as long as I had a 4mm hex key to hand (and they come with practically every tripod under the sun). Alternatively, you can use the provided Toolz multi-tool, although you might want to remove the dangly split ring that otherwise gets in the way.

If, however, you forget to carry the requisite tool, you’re out of luck. Personally, I think it’s a shame that 3 Legged Thing hasn’t managed to make this a tool-free process. I’ve used plenty of other heads recently with rotating clamps that simply lock with a lever.

Of course, if you only use one clamp orientation or the other, it won’t be a problem. But if you swap between them frequently, it could rapidly get annoying.

That’s my only real gripe, though, as otherwise this is a really excellent head. Both the pan and tilt movements are really smooth, and unlike many smaller video heads, it’s perfectly happy with heavy loads.

I tested it using the OM System 150-600mm F5.0-6.3 IS ultra-telephoto zoom and OM-3 camera, which together weigh the best part of 3kg. I had no problem at all with pointing this 1200mm-equivalent lens pretty much exactly where I wanted.

Alternative options from 3 Legged Thing

If you want a slightly lighter, more affordable video head, then look at the Airhed Trinity. This lacks a rotating clamp, but costs just £80. Meanwhile those in need of a higher-end pro-spec option should consider the Airhed Cine, which comes in a choice of Arca-Swiss or 501-plate options for £320.

3 Legged Thing Airhed Trinity product photo gallery

3 Legged Thing Airhed Vision: Our Verdict

Overall, the 3 Legged Thing Airhed Vision is a fine head that’s equally useful for both videographers and photographers using long telephoto lenses. Its rotating camera clamp is handy, too. It’s just a shame it needs a hex key to change.

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The Vanguard VEO Metro B25L is a medium-sized camera backpack with smart-looking ‘urban’ styling. It’s essentially a three-section design, with most of the main compartment given over to carrying your kit. There’s also a small section for personal items at the top, and a separate pocket on the back for a laptop and/or tablet. NOTE: at the time of writing, this bag does not appear to be available in the USA.

Vanguard VEO Metro B25L at a glance:

• £185
• Holds camera and 4 lenses
• Compartment for 16-in laptop
• Top, side, and rear access
• 305 x 225 x 465mm (external)
• 1.9kg weight
• vanguardworld.co.uk

In terms of capacity, this bag will hold a mirrorless camera plus four or five lenses, with the largest lens you’re likely to fit being a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 100-400m telezoom. I filled it up with my Sony Alpha A7R V with Sony 24-105mm f/4 zoom attached, plus 16-35mm f/4, Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3, Zeiss Batis 40mm f/2 and 135mm f/2.8 lenses. However, it’s worth noting that the bag isn’t deep enough to hold a camera with a vertical grip attached.

All your precious kit is well-protected, thanks to an internal metal frame that provides structure to the bag. It’s complemented by generous padding all around the camera section and a soft inner lining. Plenty of moveable dividers are included to organise the space for your own needs.

Vanguard VEO Metro B25L key features:

• Choice of colours: The bag is available in a choice of burgundy, beige, black or cream
• Rain cover included: The supplied rain cover fits snugly to protect all the openings and folds away neatly into its own sewn-in pocket
• Laptop /tablet pocket: A separate rear pocket has space for one 13in and one 16in device – laptop, tablet, or portable monitor
• Useful side pockets: Expanding pockets on either side will hold a water bottle or tripod, etc

You get useful pockets absolutely everywhere, including a concealed passport pocket at the back, a fold-out smartphone pouch on one shoulder strap, and a spectacularly well-hidden AirTag holder (I’m not going to say where it is!). There’s even a pocket specifically designed for holding a powerbank, complete with a cable pass-though to the outside of the bag for charging your phone or camera on-the-go.

Indeed wherever you look, you’ll find clever little design details. There’s a sturdy loop on one shoulder strap for a camera clip, and an attachment point on the back for an LED light, for extra visibility at night. You can also carry a jacket externally via a supplied pair of straps. Click through the gallery below to see more.

Along with a comfortable carry handle on top, there’s one at the base to aid grabbing the bag from a luggage rack or locker.  An elasticated strap on the back can be used to slide the bag over the handle of wheeled luggage for easier transport.   

Fully laden the bag can get pretty heavy – I measured 13kg on my scales. But it’s still surprisingly comfortable to carry, thanks to the generously padded shoulder straps, waist belt, and back panel. It’s just a question of getting the harness adjusted to suit your body size. The belt can also be tucked away for easier handling on trains and planes.

If you like the look of the VEO Metro B25L but would prefer something a bit bigger, take a look at the VEO Metro B30L. It has all the same features as its smaller sibling, but it’s 2cm wider and 3.5cm taller. This allows a larger camera compartment for carrying more kit, yet it still fits within many airline carry-on size limits.

Vanguard VEO Metro B25L: Our Verdict

I’m not necessarily a huge fan of backpacks, but the Vanguard VEO Metro B25L has me won over. It looks good, it’s comfortable, and it’ll hold a sensible amount of kit. I can’t really think of anything wrong with it.

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