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Shoot amazing photos with this DIY filter for your phone's camera
Shoot amazing photos with this DIY filter for your phone's camera
1 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Professional photographers use filters that attach to their camera lens to create various effects in their photos. You can do the same by making detachable filters for your phone's camera. It's easy and inexpensive.
2 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
What you need to make a DIY camera filter
To make your homemade filters you need scissors, markers, tape, a phone case, a piece of cardboard or thick paper, and adhesive Velcro.
3 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Trace your phone case
Start by laying your phone case on the paper or cardboard and tracing around the camera hole with a marker.
4 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Draw a circle
Draw a circle around the the circle or square you just made. The second circle should be around 1/4 inch (0.63 centimeters) away from the first. This will be the base of your filter.
5 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Cut the circle
Now, cut out the circles so that you have a donut shape.
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Add Velcro
Cut a small strip of Velcro. Stick one side to the phone case right beside the camera hole and stick the other side on the filter.
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Choose your filter
Now comes the fun part. You can experiment with a wide range of materials to add to your filter base. Each material will make your photos look different. Some materials I've tried are colored nylons, latex gloves and colored celophane.
8 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Add your filter material to the base
For this filter, I chose red nylon. To add the material to the base, just cut a small swatch and tape it to the base with clear tape. Make sure the material is taped so that it covers the entire hole in the center of the base.
Now attach the Velcro on the filter to the Velcro on the phone case. Slip your phone into the case and try out your filter.
9 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Red nylon filter
Here's what my red nylon photo looked like.
11 of 11 Alina Bradford/CNET
Cellophane filter
To make colorful cellophane filters, tape a piece of clear cellophane from a food wrapper to a filter base. Then, color it with a marker. You can make the filter a solid color or several different colors.
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iPhone photos just got a big update: What you need to know
iPhone photos just got a big update: What you need to know
With all the new camera features coming to the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, it's no surprise the company included major changes to the Photos app in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, which will work for many older devices, too. The Photos app has a new look and editing tools that are designed to make your photos -- and, for the first time, videos -- look better than ever.
Beyond new edit tools, the Photos app now takes a more interactive approach to curate your past photos and videos, and improved search tools give the app a more personal touch.
The update to the Photos app joins a new swipe keyboard, a ton of hidden features, and the ability to block all unknown callers.
After using the new Photos app, one thing is clear: Apple wants you to view Photos as an app you should visit daily to discover old pictures and videos you'd all but forgotten about. Oh, and there are some fancy new video editing tools you should probably take advantage of.
Let's take a look at what's new in the Photos app in iOS 13.
There are now four different views of your organized photos, based on time.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
New Photos tab features help organize your pics
The Photos app has a new look overall, and it's most apparent in the new Photos tab. When viewing the Photos tab, you'll find four options at the bottom of the screen: Years, Months, Days, All Photos. You can move between the various options to narrow down a specific time frame for viewing your pics.
Each option has its own way of showing photos from that specific time. For example, selecting Years will show you photos taken as close to today's date, only in 2018, 2017 and so on. It's kind of like Timehop, but built into your iPhone or iPad.
Here's another example of the Photos app creating special views for you. If you use the People album to identify friends and family members and have entered their birthday in their contact information card, the Photos tab will highlight the person on their birthday with various photos of that person.
Editing a picture in iOS 13 is familiar, yet slightly different than it was in iOS 12.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Photo editing tools you should care about
Apple updated the tools you use to edit a photo. The new look and layout of the tools will take some adjustments on your part, but shouldn't be too jarring.
When viewing a photo you want to edit, the Edit button is still in the top-right corner. Selecting Edit opens the default edit tool where you can choose auto adjustments, or scroll through various settings such as brightness, brilliance, exposure, and so on.
To adjust any of the options, you can move the line of bars just below each button to the left or right.
The filters tool still works the same as it did in iOS 12, only now you can adjust its intensity. Once you select a filter, drag the line of bars to the left to decrease the impact of the filter on your photo.
The crop tool now does more than just allow you to crop a photo. You can now also change a picture's perspective, which means you can adjust the viewing angle of the photo. This gives you total control over how the picture looks, and it a lot like a popular Instagram tool.
The biggest change to the Photos app in iOS 13 is the addition of video editing tools.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
All-new video editing tools
Perhaps the most notable addition to Photos in iOS 13 is video editing. I'm not talking just about trimming a clip and saving it, but the ability to adjust everything from brightness and exposure to applying a filter or cropping and perspective.
With true video editing tools now included in the Photos app, you're no longer forced to find a more complicated (and oftentimes expensive) video editing tool in the app store or on your laptop. Instead, you can quickly and easily edit a video in this built-in app you're likely already familiar with.
The tools for video editing work the same way as the photo editing tools do, only the first screen you'll see is the option to trim the clip. The trim tool works as it always has -- drag the yellow ends of the video to set the start and end time of the clip you want to save. This is great for snipping off false starts and awkward endings.
With your video trimmed, you can then adjust and fine-tune the overall look of your clip and save it back to the Photos album.
What's more, any edits you make to a video are nondestructive. This means if you add a filter and crop the video, only to decide a few days later that you're not happy with the changes, you can go back and undo it all. The original video will remain intact.
There's plenty more to iOS 13 than updates to the Photos app. so make sure to check out our complete guide to iOS 13 for all the latest details.
Originally published earlier this year. Updated with new information.
Oppo r7 review oppo s r7 charms with a sleek metal building oppo r7 review oppo s r7 charms with a sleek metal base oppo r7 review oppo s r7 charms with a sleek black oppo r7 review oppo s r7 charms with words oppo r7 review oppo s r7 charms pandora oppo r7sf oppo r7 release date
Oppo R7 review: Oppo's R7 charms with a sleek metal build, but the price isn't right
Oppo R7 review: Oppo's R7 charms with a sleek metal build, but the price isn't right
Oppo's R7 -- the successor to the superslim Oppo R5 -- is a beautiful phone. It's kept the R5's metal look, but it's larger, slightly thicker and feels a lot more polished. And where the R5 had performance issues, the R7 runs smooth as butter. The camera app launches quickly too, resolving one of the biggest problems with its predecessor.
However, the price of the R7 will be a sticking point. It retails on the Chinese manufacturer's online store for $400/AU$449 (this converts to about £260), which is expensive for a phone with midrange specs. If you're willing to spend slightly more, flagship phones such as ZTE's Axon Pro are available, while cheaper phones such as the One Plus 2 or the Xiaomi Mi Note offer similar designs.
Design and build
5-inch display with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution
5.6 by 2.8 by 0.2 inches (143 by 71 by 6.3mm)
5.2 ounces (147 grams)
Comes in gold or silver
The Oppo R7 is a looker. While the phone bears a passing resemblance to Samsung's new Galaxy range, Oppo has made the R7 its own. The metal band around the sides accents the look, and it's just wide enough to contain the audio jack and Micro-USB ports. That said, unlike phones with a smoother edge, it isn't comfortable to grip. The slightly annoying feeling of a metal edge digging into your palm doesn't make for the most pleasant of holds.
The R7's 5-inch AMOLED display has a full-HD 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution. The rear is an aluminum-magnesium alloy, and the metal gives it a smooth, luxurious feel. The 13-megapixel camera is located at the top left.
The Oppo R7 sports a magnesium-aluminum rear.Aloysius Low/CNET
Oppo typically features physical touch-sensitive menu keys, and the R7 is no different. The power button is found on the left side and the volume rockers are on the right. If you're worried the buttons are too small for its 6.3mm frame, fret not -- you'll have no issues here. In fact, I quite like the clickiness of the keys. That said, the power button placement can be a bit annoying as you'll sometimes hit it when picking up the phone or taking pictures in landscape mode.
Lastly, you'll find the dual-SIM 4G slots located above the volume keys. The microSD SIM slot also doubles up as a microSD card slot with support for 128GB of external storage.
Touch-sensitive keys take up space at the bottom.Aloysius Low/CNET
Hardware
1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor from Qualcomm
16GB of storage (expandable memory of up to 128GB)
3GB of RAM
2,320mAh embedded battery
The Oppo R7 is a midrange phone, so it's no surprise that the specs aren't as impressive as flagship phones. It's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, which, based on previous experience with similar devices, is capable of offering a smooth performance. You'll be able to run games and other resource-intensive apps just fine, but don't expect anything too impressive.
Other specs include 16GB of storage, 3GB of RAM and 13-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front cameras. While the 2,320mAh battery is small, the phone features fast-charging technology. Oppo claims you can charge to 75 percent in a mere 30 minutes, and in testing it came close -- I was able to hit 72 percent in the stipulated time.
If you need 4G support, there are three different versions of the phone. The international version should work on LTE networks such as Three and EE. In Australia, the R7 is an Optus exclusive if you're buying from a carrier, but the unlocked version from the Oppo website will work on other networks such as Telstra. In the US, it can get 4G on both T-Mobile and AT&T.
The Oppo R7 has a good-looking design and packs midrange hardware.Aloysius Low/CNET
Software and apps
Google Android 4.4.4 KitKat OS
Gesture features that allow quick access to the phone
Customizable themes
While the Oppo R7 runs on the older KitKat version of Android, the phone uses Oppo's Android-based Color OS. So I'm not faulting this phone for running KitKat, since you won't see much stock Android on it.
Oppo's customized launcher comes packed with signature Oppo features including gesture control. For example, you can activate the camera by drawing an O, or you can turn the music on by swiping two fingers downwards while the screen is off. When the screen is on, you can pinch close with multiple fingers to turn on the camera, or slide three fingers up and down to take a screenshot.
The phone has a range of themes and gives you the option to change the visual effect for opening, closing and switching apps. Oppo has also included backup features and an O-Cloud sync for your contacts and messages, though this only seems to be compatible with other Oppo phones. If you're wondering where the app drawer is, it's not there. Like iOS, Color OS puts the apps right on the phone's home screen. That said, features such as control buttons -- to let you change your Wi-Fi and data settings, put the phone into airplane mode and so on -- are handily located on the notification pull-down menu.
On many large screen smartphones, the user interface isn't always optimized for the larger display, and some icons can appear too large and look awkward. It's definitely a pet peeve of mine. The R7's screen, however, isn't big enough that this would be a problem, and the icons appear to fit the screen well.
The Oppo R7 UI doesn't deviate too much from Android, though like many Chinese-based ROMs, there's no app drawer.Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNETThe pull-down notification menu is similar to that of other Android phones, and you have quick access to control buttons. You can also enable gesture controls that give you quick access to the camera and music playback.Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNET
Camera and video
13-megapixel (bottom) rear-facing camera
8-megapixel front-facing camera
Full-HD video recording at 30 frames per second (rear)
Auto-focus, LED flash
The R7's camera app has a pretty simple layout. There's a big shutter button at the bottom, and when holding the phone in a landscape position, you can filter your photos by tapping the button at the top-left corner. Doing this will give you access to a bunch of filters and features, such as Ultra HD (which stitches multiple pictures into one for a larger image) and other standard modes such as panorama and HDR. There's a cool GIF animation creator, which lets you shoot a movable image like a video, but without sound. You can also reverse the motion of the capture to spice things up.
If the default modes aren't enough, the R7 also has a camera shop where you can download modules such as Expert mode, which lets you control the camera's shutter, ISO, exposure and focus. Or, if you're feeling up to it, you can shoot raw.
Oppo has historically placed a lot of emphasis on its camera features, and the 13-megapixel shooter of the R7 seems to handle itself well. Pictures look vibrant with easily visible fine details and bright colors and hues. It seems to struggle a little in low-light shots, but that's no surprise since it doesn't have optical image stabilization, which would help with the slower shutter speeds needed for low-light pictures. The front camera is pretty decent as well, but it only manages to focus on the center face when taking selfies, so anyone off-center will look a tad blurry.
Overall, I came away impressed with how the pictures turned out. If you want to take good pictures but don't necessarily need something top-of-the-line, the R7's cameras will meet your needs. Check out the sample shots below.
Colors are vibrant in this outdoor test shot (click to enlarge).Aloysius Low/CNETThe phone manages to capture details of the log despite the strong backlit conditions from the setting sun.Aloysius Low/CNETThe R7 picks out the vibrant colors of these flowers.Aloysius Low/CNETThe R7 struggles under warm incandescent indoor lighting, but that's expected.Aloysius Low/CNETWhen there's enough light, the R7's camera handles itself well.Aloysius Low/CNET
Performance
Equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, the R7 is capable of delivering smooth performance for normal use, and the 3GB RAM gives you the oomph you'll need for multitasking. You won't have to reload apps when switching between them, which is sometimes the case with phones that have less RAM. I found the phone smooth and responsive, and I didn't see any of the lag issues that I encountered in the R5.
Compared with other Snapdragon 615 phones that we've tested, such as the Xiaomi Mi 4i or the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, the Oppo R7 holds up well and gets similar scores on our testing. This puts its performance squarely in the middle and lower tiers when compared with the flagships.
Benchmark tests comparison
Oppo R78,0026672,638Xiaomi Mi 4i7,7216992,926Alcatel OneTouch Idol 37,588NA2,548OnePlus 222,6451,1424,461ZTE Axon Pro25,7428683,958
3DMark Ice Storm (unlimited)
Geekbench 3 (single-core)
Geekbench 3 (multi-core)
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Battery life
With only a 2,320mAh battery, the Oppo R7 falls behind its competition when it comes to staying power. Sure, if you're carrying around the Oppo charger, you don't have to worry too much -- 30 minutes is enough to get you back up to 75 percent. But you'll probably run out of power before the end of the day if you're a heavy user who continuously fiddles with your smartphone.
In our CNET Labs video test, the Oppo R7 lasted just 9 hours and 5 minutes, which isn't very good. In comparison, the Xiaomi Mi 4i chugged along fine for more than 13 hours. But, to be fair, that phone has a larger 3,000mAh battery.
Call quality and data speeds
I had no trouble with the R7's reception or making calls. My calling partner on the other end could hear me, and there was none of the odd static or buzzing usually found on phones with terrible microphones. The speaker quality is also pretty loud for the phone's size, but may be hard to hear while in a crowded public space. The vibration is strong, though, and you'll definitely feel the phone buzzing in your pocket.
I tested the phone's 4G capabilities in Singapore on SingTel's 4G network, and data speeds were on par with other phones in this region. The phone achieved around a 99.44Mbps download speed and a 35.89Mbps upload speed at its highest, though your results will depend on your carrier's network quality.
Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNET
Conclusion
The Oppo R7 packs midrange performance into beautiful hardware, but the price will hold it back. Xiaomi's Mi 4i comes in at almost half the price of the $400 (US) R7 and offers similar hardware and design, though it comes clad in plastic instead of premium metal.
That said, the R7 does have one advantage over Xiaomi -- it's available in the US, UK and Australia through direct sales from its website, so it's easier to buy globally. But if you're willing to pay a bit more, higher-end flagship phones from competitors such as the Huawei Ascend P7 or the ZTE Axon Pro may be a better deal. For just a little bit more cash, these phones offer much better performance while almost matching the R7's good looks.
If you're willing to pay more, there are other high-end flagship Chinese phones that offer better value.Aloysius Low/CNET
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iOS 16 Beta: Check Out All the New Features for iPhone
iOS 16 Beta: Check Out All the New Features for iPhone
This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET's complete coverage from and about Apple's annual developers conference.
What's happening
Apple previewed iOS 16, the next major version of iPhone software, at its 2022 developers conference, and now the OS has entered a public beta.
Why it matters
iOS 16 rolls out this fall to iPhone 8 models and newer. It's filled with major updates, including the ability to customize your lock screen, and frequently requested tools such as the ability to edit and "unsend" iMessage texts. It also adds significant privacy utilities.
What's next
iOS 16 is expected to be released in fall 2022.
Apple released its latest public beta for iOS 16, and this version includes a new battery percentage icon. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, this makes it easier to tell how much battery power remains: The remaining percentage is neatly nestled inside the battery symbol on the top right of the display. Until now, the battery indicator has been absent on Face ID iPhones and you had to open Control Center to view how much juice your phone has left.
You can still download the operating system and try out all its new features on a compatible iPhone ahead of its public release in the fall. While the software is still in development and much can change between now and its public release, there's plenty of upgrades focused on communication, personalization and privacy, including changes to your iPhone's lock screen, Messages app and Wallet. There are several lesser-known features lurking in iOS 16 that are worth checking out, too.
First previewed at the company's annual WWDC keynote, iOS 16 should get a wide release alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 14. The new software will work on iPhone 8 models and newer.
Here's every iOS 16 feature you should know about.
Edit and 'unsend' messages
"Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past," Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app.
First, in iOS 16 you'll be able to edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you'll be able to edit the message after the fact. A tiny "edited" appears in the status under the message.
In Messages, you can edit previously sent messages.
Apple
Next, and this might be my favorite new feature, you can immediately recall a sent message. If you accidentally send an unfinished message, you can use the Undo Send tool to prevent it from being read and hopefully look less chaotic to your friends and family.
Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This could be an excellent tool for when you don't have time to respond to a message in the moment, but want to make sure you come back to it later.
A new customizable lock screen
One of the things you look at the most on your iPhone is the lock screen, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings the most substantial update to the iPhone's lock screen yet. Press and hold to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out several different styles. Each style changes the color filter for the background photo and the font on the lock screen so everything complements each other. This feels a bit like Apple's take on Google's Material You, which launched with Android 12.
You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen.
Your iPhone will become more customizable in iOS 16. You'll be able to choose how your lock screen looks, down to the font and color.
Apple
You can even set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them. There's also a photo shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen.
One feature we hoped to see Apple add was an always-on display. It's something nearly all Android phones have; even the Apple Watch does. There's hope the iPhone 14 will have one.
iOS 16 adds a feature that developers can use called Live Activities. This is essentially a mini view of the real-time progress of a workout, sporting event or Uber ride from your iPhone's lock screen.
Apple
Notifications and live activities
Sometimes notifications can cover up your lock screen's photo, so iOS 16 moves notifications to the bottom of your display. As you receive them, instead of being compiled into a list, they appear like a vertical carousel. This not only looks better but should be a big help for one-handed use of your iPhone.
iOS 16 also aims to solve another notification problem. Sometimes you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, like the score of a basketball game. A new tool for developers called Live Activities makes it easier to stay on top of things happening in real time from your lock screen, instead of getting a series of interruptions.
Live Activities should make it easier to follow sporting events, workouts or even the progress of an Uber ride.
Skip CAPTCHAs using Private Access Tokens
The CAPTCHA -- which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart -- has been a necessary evil across the internet. CAPTCHAs are designed to make sure that a person is accessing a website or service, and not a bot. I find them annoying, as they often involve reading strangely written letters or having to find all the images that have a truck. With iOS 16, Apple plans to start replacing these awkward interactions with Private Access Tokens.
According to a video on Apple's website demonstrating Private Access Tokens, websites that support the token will essentially log in and authenticate that you are indeed a human without your having to play any of the usual CAPTCHA games. Apple says in the video that the company is working with other companies to roll out support for this feature, so we can't say the CAPTCHA will be dead after iOS 16 rolls out to the public. But the concept could provide some relief if it gets adopted.
Wallet and Apple Pay Later
ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app along with more security and privacy features. In iOS 16 you can also protect your identity and age. So rather than showing your exact birth date, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you're over 21.
iOS 16 makes sharing keys easier with apps like Mail and Messages. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it's working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.
The Wallet app in iOS 16 gets a bunch of small but notable updates, including the Apple Pay Later payment plan.
Apple
Apple Pay will support new types of payments and adds a new feature called Apple Pay Later, a Klarna-like service that lets you split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with zero interest and no fees. Upcoming payments are managed through the Wallet app, making it easy to keep track of dates and payments.
But Apple Pay doesn't stop there. A new feature will also help you track Apple Pay orders and lets merchants deliver detailed receipts and tracking information. This should make it easier to stay up to date on the status of all your orders.
You can tap and hold on the subject of a photo and separate it from the background. Then you can drag it into another app like Messages to share it.
Apple
Visual Lookup's tap and drag for photos
In iOS 15, Visual Look Up analyzes your photos and can identify objects like plants, landmarks and pets. iOS 16 takes this to the next level. When you touch a photo's subject like the dog in the image above, you can lift it away from the background and add it to apps like Messages. Essentially it's a tap-and-hold tool that removes a photo's background.
Apple sometimes overuses the word "magic," but this feature truly seems like it.
During the keynote for WWDC, Apple executive Craig Federighi introduces SharePlay for the Messages app.
Apple
SharePlay comes to Messages
SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, lets you have a shared experience while connecting with someone over FaceTime. You can watch TV shows, listen to music in sync and other things. iOS 16 adds the ability to discover more apps that support SharePlay from within FaceTime.
But perhaps one of the coolest things Apple did for SharePlay was to make it work within the Messages app. Apple said that this was one of the biggest requests from app developers. Now when you want to share a movie on Disney Plus, you can start SharePlay together with a friend while chatting in Messages.
Safety Check lets you quickly reset location sharing and access to passwords. It's intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships.
Apple
Safety Check aims to help people in abusive relationships
Safety Check is a new feature intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships. It lets you review and reset who has access to location information as well as passwords, messages and other apps on an iPhone.
Focus mode updates and Focus filters
Focus mode gets several updates. The first applies Focus behaviors to widgets and lock screen looks. So you could have one lock screen set for when your Work Focus is enabled and another for workouts.
Apple added specific Focus filters that apply your iPhone's Focus mode within apps. For example, in Safari, you can limit what tabs are shown depending on what Focus mode you have active.
Apple Maps adds transit fare cards
Maps will get several updates. You'll be able to plan trips with up to 15 different stops along the way. If you start planning a trip with the Maps app on your Mac, you'll be able to share that to your iPhone.
And in something similar to what Google announced for Google Wallet in Android 13, you'll be able to see transit fare estimates as well as add more money to a fare card from within Apple Maps.
In iOS 16 you'll be able to customize Quick Start with a specific child's iCloud parental controls and settings.
Apple
iCloud family checklist
iCloud gets several new features. One of the more interesting ones is the option to quickly set up a new device for your child. When Quick Start appears, you have the option to pick a user for the new device and use all the existing parental controls you've previously selected and configured. However, this is not what many of us still want: the ability to set up separate users for the same device.
There's a new family checklist with tips for updating settings for your kids as they get older, like a reminder to check location-sharing settings or share your iCloud Plus subscriptions.
For more, check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2022.
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Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?
Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?
If you're looking to save some money and don't need the latest and greatest, it's worth considering buying used camera gear. Whether it's for a summer vacation, a road trip or you just want something that's better than your phone, a great camera at a not-quite-new price is the best of all worlds.
And it's not just the cameras themselves. Lenses and many accessories are also available used. I'm not talking about eBay... or at least, not exclusively: There are a variety of ways to get used camera gear that's been tested by professionals so you know exactly what you're getting.
Is it worth the risk? I thought so. I've bought a variety of used camera gear in the last few years, including most recently an $1,100 lens in like-new condition for 30% off. Here's what to consider and where to look.
Options
Three used GoPro Hero 10 action cameras on KEH.com. For reference, the Hero 10 is $500 new.
CNET/KEH
If you have a local camera shop, that's ideal so you can physically look at the camera/lens/whatever and make sure it works, doesn't have peanut butter smeared in the battery compartment, and so on. I actually drove out of my way on my 10,000-mile road trip last year to visit a used camera store so I could sell my old gear and buy a new Canon R6 and a used Sigma 50mm f1.4. However, this is not feasible for most people.
So what about the web? If you've visited eBay at all in the last few years you'll have noticed the vast majority of sellers are companies hawking their wares. You can find person-to-person sales, sure, but they're quite outnumbered. I mention eBay first as it's the website that's probably top of mind when most people think "buying used on the internet." Personally, I'd never buy expensive gear on eBay, because you never know what you're going to get until it arrives. The same is true of Craigslist, which offers the added bonus (terror) of meeting the seller in person.
A listing for the Sony ZV-1 on Adorama. For reference, the ZV-1 is $750 new.
Adorama/CNET
What's needed is a filter or a middleman that can look at the used gear, judge its fitness and sell it. Fancy car companies call this "certified pre-owned." Fortunately, there are several websites that do exactly this: Examples include KEH Camera, MPB and LensRentals. Most of these sites either have pictures of the actual item, a description of what appraisers found or both. Some other companies, like Adorama and B&H, include used options alongside their new offerings.
Beyond the camera-speciality realm, there's also Amazon's dedicated Amazon Renewed program. What's notable there is a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. (Keep in mind that's not for any used items or third-party Marketplace items on Amazon, only items in the Amazon Renewed program.)
How it works
Most sites have info about the specific item you're considering, but MPB has photos of it, which is rare.
A screenshot of a Sony camera on the MPB website.
I had a lens I wanted to sell as I'd never used it. I had also fixated on getting another lens for my current camera. (Don't get into photography, kids. It's expensive.) I decided to check out the used camera gear sites.
First, selling. The process is similar on each. You put in the brand and model of what you're selling along with a general appraisal of its condition (good, OK, peanut-butter smeared, etc.). You're then given a quote/estimate of what the company will pay you for the product. (In my case, a lens.) I went with the site that gave me the best estimate, obviously, and it emailed me a label I could print out for shipping. The cost of this shipping must be included in their pricing as there is no separate shipping charge.
After a brief time in transit, I got an email saying they'd received it. A few days after that I got a final quote, which I accepted; it was for slightly less than the original quote, which I deemed fair based on the lens' condition. A few days after that, the money hit my PayPal. It was exceptionally easy, so it's certainly worth seeing if any of your older gear is worth selling.
KEH's grading system.
KEH/CNET
Buying is, with one addition, like buying anything else online. That addition varies a bit with each site. It's how, and how elaborately, they explain the condition of the used gear. For instance, KEH uses an 8-point scale, as seen in the image above. LensRentals has a 4-point scale. MPB goes all out and actually photographs the specific piece of gear you're considering.
B&H's rating system
B&H/CNET
I ended up going with KEH for both as they had the highest price for the one I was selling and lowest for the one I was buying. That price difference is going to vary depending on the gear, so it's absolutely worth checking all the sites for the best deal.
Weighing the risks
The obvious risk is the gear not working as promised. With most websites and on most gear there is a return policy, often a few weeks. So if it doesn't work or look as described, you can return it.
Then there's the question about longevity of gear that's already been used, perhaps heavily. There's no way to know this risk: That's the price you pay to get lower prices. This is mitigated somewhat by the inspection process you're paying these middlemen for, when you could theoretically get the same gear for less direct from someone selling it used.
There likely won't be any manufacturer's warranty. If something does go wrong, you'll have to pay to fix it. Even if you get something within the manufacturer's warranty window, since you didn't buy it new they likely won't honor it. Since you didn't buy it new from a licensed dealer, it's possible the manufacturer won't fix it even if you're willing to pay. However, you should still be able to get it repaired at a third-party repair place.
Certain sites will offer their own short-term warranty on gear they sell to you. KEH and MPB each come with six months, while Amazon Renewed and LensRentals products have three. You might also be able to buy an extended warranty from the website, though read the details about what these cover.
Is it worth it?
If you have old cameras or lenses laying around it's worth seeing if it's worth anything. It might partially or fully pay for new gear!
GettyImages/Ozgur Donmaz
Personally, I've had good luck with used gear. Then again, I've bought lenses (and they tend to last a long time). If the price was right I'd probably buy a GoPro if it was in good condition, since most people use them for Disney vacations and not wingsuiting through canyons or whatever this is.
I'd also check used sites for any accessories, with the exception of batteries. There's no telling how poorly a battery's been treated.
Would I buy a used, full-size expensive camera? I don't think so. I think for something I couldn't easily replace if it was damaged I'd want a warranty and the peace of mind that it was all new parts... and any damage done was only the result of my own clumsiness.
However, that's all a personal calculation. Saving dozens, perhaps hundreds of dollars against the chance that something might not last as long as a new one could be worth it. Just go in with your eyes open. If the price seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
Pixel 6 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro vs. Samsung S21 Ultra: Which zoom is best
Pixel 6 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro vs. Samsung S21 Ultra: Which zoom is best
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro might be two of the best phones Google has ever made. The Pro model specifically has a gorgeous 6.7-inch, 120Hz display, a not-too-extreme price of $899 (£849, AU$1,299) and, of course, the cameras. It's always the cameras. The conspicuous camera bar on the back houses a trio of shooters: a main 50-megapixel camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto that offers 4x optical zoom.
That last camera is particularly important. Following the widespread adoption of Portrait mode and Night mode, zoom is becoming the big phone camera feature for many companies. That's particularly true of Samsung, which marketed its last two Galaxy S flagships based on their 100x zoom.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
So how does the Pixel 6 Pro stack up? I field-tested it here in Sydney against the iPhone 13 Pro to find out. I found that the iPhone generally performed better with optical zoom -- that is, up to 3x, where the 13 Pro maxes out -- but that the Pixel was decisively better as you zoom out farther. I also compared the Pixel 6 Pro to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for longer zooms, and was surprised to see the Pixel 6 Pro outperform the zoom master.
iPhone vs. Pixel: Optical clash
Let's start by comparing the iPhone 13 Pro directly with the Pixel 6 Pro at 3x zoom. That means the iPhone 13 Pro is using its dedicated 3x optical telephoto camera and the Pixel 6 is using its main wide-angle camera and digitally cropping in to 3x.
My first example is a photo taken on a bright, sunny day of a painted mural with vibrant colors and action-shot cricketers.
To set the scene, I took this photo on the Pixel using the standard wide-angle lens at 1x.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Zooming in to 3x, we start to see how differently the iPhone and Pixel capture images. The iPhone takes warmer photos, most notably seen in the different shade of green produced by each phone. Whether this is good or bad depends largely on taste, so I'll leave that aside for the moment. The Pixel photo looks like it's applied the Structure filter from Instagram and raised it significantly: Details that look subtle in the iPhone picture become pronounced in the Pixel photo. Notice the crack that runs between the artwork of the bowler and the woman to his left.
I prefer the iPhone's more natural, vibrant look, but you may prefer the details that the Pixel's processing brings out.
Next up, please enjoy this decaying art piece I found in an alley.
For reference, here is a photo from the Google Pixel 6 Pro taken with its main camera at 1x.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Below are photos taken at 3x on each phone. Again, the lighting conditions are perfect. This time, though, the results are less ambiguous. The iPhone 13's photo was brighter, had better contrast and captured more. If you look at the rips and tears in the canvas, you'll find far more detail in the iPhone's shot. Depressing detail, in this case, but detail nonetheless!
Now to a more complicated example. The photos below were taken at night, but in a lit-up environment. This time it's the Pixel's photo that's brighter, but not necessarily in a good way. The light is less balanced in the Pixel's rendition, which results in the iPhone's version having better contrast. (See the blacks in the cactus barrel.)
At the same time, though, the Pixel managed to pick up details missed by the iPhone. Most notable are the spider webs on the cactus to the right. This is also an example of something I noticed a lot in the Pixel -- its dislike of shadows. The Pixel's cameras work hard to capture details in areas that come up dark in the iPhone. And keep in mind, the Pixel 6 Pro is using its main camera and cropping in, which also gives it a bit of an advantage.
Below is not a zoomed shot, but I wanted to include it to illustrate the point about the Pixel 6 Pro. In the cactus photo above, you see that it can backfire by lighting up areas in a way that looks artificial. In the photos below though, it impresses by catching a lot of information missed by the iPhone.
When it comes to low light, I generally found the iPhone did a better job, though not always. In the below photos of a mural, the iPhone managed to capture more light and detail. Note, though, that the Pixel's shot has deeper colors.
iPhone 13 Pro versus Pixel 6 Pro, 3x zoom.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
And where the Pixel can sometimes produce images that look overprocessed during the day, at night I found it was often the reverse. In the below comparison of a stone cross, the iPhone's version is brighter, but also has more noise and an unsightly hue compared with the Pixel's.
Now let's move closer to 4x on each phone. This means the Pixel 6 Pro is using its 4x optical telephoto camera, while the iPhone uses its 3x telephoto camera and digitally crops in to achieve a 4x magnification. The different isn't major, but it is still noticeable. The digital zoom that takes the iPhone from 3x to 4x zoom results in some conspicuous processing, and some loss of vibrance.
You can see the latter effect in the comparison below. The Pixel's photo is slightly clearer, but the iPhone's digital zoom makes its photo look less saturated. For example, the green in the trees is much richer in the Pixel photo.
It's much the same for these photos of a statue head below. Notice again the Pixel's tendency to light up shadows, in this case on the fellow's face. But also see how much more vivacious the colors in the Pixel's shot are.
In the photos below of a dog park sign, the iPhone's digital zoom leads to some obvious heavy lifting by image processing. The blades of grass, the ripples in the water and the texture on the sign all look artificially sharpened up.
The long view
When it comes to longer zooms, the Pixel 6 Pro is the winner -- by a large margin.
The comparison below is of photos taken by the iPhone 13 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro taken at 10x magnification. We return to the water cooler adorned by cricket figures, but from a greater distance. The difference is significant. The iPhone's shot has more noise and is blurrier. (Also note: The iPhone's "10x" zoom was regularly deeper than the "10x" zoom on both the Pixel and Samsung Galaxy.)
Below are 10x zoom shots taken by the Pixel 6 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has built its brand on zoom. Considering how amazing the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is at zoom, I was surprised to see that it was outdone here at 10x zoom by the Pixel. The Pixel 6 Pro looked sharper and had more vibrant colors, as you can see in the greens on the field and the water cooler. The Pixel 6 Pro is digitally cropping its 4x telephoto camera, but it has a neat software feature called Super Res zoom to improve the image. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is relying on its 10x optical zoom telephoto camera.
The photos below of my Booker DeWitt Funko Pop were taken in a less sunny environment. The Pixel 6 Pro photo looks far more balanced -- both in colors and in lighting. The iPhone's zoomed photo has an unnatural warm glow to it. The improved clarity on the Pixel isn't limited to Booker either. Compare the text on the book spines.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra did better than the iPhone, but still fell victim to many of the same issues. It also had a warm glow, albeit less distorted, and fewer details both on Booker and the books behind him. The Pixel wins again.
OK, hard mode. See that tree with the lilac flowers all the way to the other side of the field? Let's zoom in 10x.
For reference, I took ths photo at 1x with the Pixel 6 Pro's main camera.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
The photos below were taken at 10x digital zoom on both the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone. This is a tough photo for any phone to grab, since the leaves on the trees provide an ample opportunity for noise. And, boy, is there noise. Still, the iPhone pic is more distorted, as you'll notice the the foliage looks much finer on the Pixel.
And below is a comparison of pictures from the Pixel and the Galaxy S21 Ultra of the same scene taken at 10x. The photo from the Pixel outdoes the one from the Galaxy, which looks flatter and less vivacious in comparison.
That the Pixel 6 Pro beats the S21 Ultra on 10x zoom is impressive, since deep zooms are what the S21 Ultra is known for. Note, though, that digital zoom on the Pixel goes up to "only" 20x, compared with the Galaxy's 100x.
For more on the Pixel 6 Pro, check out the in-depth Pixel 6 Pro review by my colleague Andy Hoyle.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
The Google Pixel 6 Pro's unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality and solid all-around performance have already earned the phone an excellent rating in our full review. With performance that's every bit as good as its design, it's the best phone Google has ever made. The main camera is on par with those of the best iPhones. And at $899 for the base 128GB model, it trounces its premium phone rivals in price. Read our Google Pixel 6 Pro review.
