My Experience
Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 13 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.
My Areas of Expertise
The Technology I Use
I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.
I'm not a brand-specific photographer and swap between a Canon EOS R5, a Nikon Z 8, and a Sony a7R IV for taking product review photos. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights, Gitzo and Peak Design tripods, and most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.
When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage.
I split time with a few different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.
My first digital camera was a 3.2MP Canon PowerShot Elph, and my first interchangeable lens model was a 6MP Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work.
To relax at home, I like to read—I'm currently working through some 1970s-era Marvel Comics on my iPad Pro and The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on my Kindle Voyage—or kick back with a good (or bad) movie on my HiSense U8H. I enjoy RPGs on easy mode running on my gaming PC or Xbox.
