
Matthew Richards
Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners!
His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related.
In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.
Latest articles by Matthew Richards

Kodak PixPro FZ45 review: a ‘proper’ digital camera that’s as cheap as chips
By Matthew Richards last updated
Review The Kodak PixPro FZ45 is well-suited to beginners and the budget-conscious, with zoom lens, flash and low, low price tag

Viltrox launches two new lenses, taking its Evo range from one to three prime numbers
By Matthew Richards published
New Viltrox 35mm and 55mm Evo series prime lenses for full-frame Nikon Z and Sony E-mount cameras add to the previous 85mm offering

Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo review: a few millimeters longer than your usual ‘nifty fifty’, this one’s a prime candidate for both full-frame and APS-C cameras
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo is a relatively compact, lightweight and inexpensive yet sturdily built and feature-rich prime lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras

Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II review: a compact, high-performance prime lens, ideal for street photography, everyday shooting and hybrid content creation
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II brings high-end handling and strong build quality in Nikon Z and Sony E mount options, with a very affordable price tag

Canon RF 7-14mm f/2.8-3.5L Fisheye STM review: it’s genuinely two different fisheye lenses in one package
By James Artaius last updated
REVIEW The Canon RF 7-14mm f/2.8-3.5L Fisheye STM saves you the problem of trying to choose between a circular and diagonal fisheye – it’s both!

Best carbon fiber tripods in 2026: get solid support while lightening the load
By Matthew Richards last updated
Updated More than just a touch of luxury, carbon fiber enables tripods to be sturdy and resistant to vibration, while shedding around 25% in terms of carrying weight

Best monopods in 2026: stable support that can take a load off
By Matthew Richards last updated
Updated For wildlife and sports photography, or anytime you’re using a big heavy lens, a monopod can give some much-needed relief

Best travel tripod in 2026: lightweight, stable supports for taking on the road
By Matthew Richards last updated
Buying Guide The best travel tripods have to be small enough to pack, light enough to carry, and sturdy enough for shake-free photos!

Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C review: Go fast and wide but keep the weight off
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC | C for APS-C format Canon, Fujifilm and Sony mirrorless gives you an epic viewing angle packed into a compact and lightweight build

Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM review: The super-fast glass that's super affordable – and punches way above its weight and price point
By James Artaius published
Review The Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM gives you really rapid apertures and bokelicious backgrounds, for less than 500 bucks!

Best tripod for photographers in 2026: full-size tripods for rock-steady support
By Matthew Richards last updated
Buying guide The best tripods offer high performance and sturdy build quality at a fair price, but which will win the three-legged race?

Even when I’m zooming about on my travels with my camera, I’ve still got this one prime number under my belt…
By Matthew Richards published
Opinion Nobody likes to feel their creativity is being constrained into a narrow vision of what’s out there. Here’s how I supersized my view of the world

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art review: a revamped lens with an impeccable heritage behind it
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art for Sony and L-mount mirrorless cameras represents the redefinition of a classic prime lens

Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art review: a real speed thriller of a prime lens for Sony and L-mount mirrorless cameras
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art picks up the baton from the original version, adding all the latest mod cons in a smaller and lighter build

Yashica FX-D 100 review: is the most inexpensive camera in the FX-D range the best choice, or just the poor relation?
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Yashica FX-D 100 is currently the only camera in an FX-D trilogy that features a relatively small image sensor but adds a zoom lens

Meike AF 85mm f/1.8 SE II review: a full-frame portrait prime on a shoestring budget
By Matthew Richards published
Review The cut-price Meike AF 85mm f/1.8 SE II is available in three different mount options for mirrorless cameras, and more besides…

Panasonic Lumix ZS300 / TZ300 review: this pocketable compact camera has a powerful 15x optical zoom that leaves your smartphone for dust!
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Panasonic Lumix ZS300 (USA) or TZ300 (most other countries) is a force to be reckoned with in the realm of compact ‘travel zoom’ cameras

Best L-brackets for your camera in 2026: take horizontal and vertical shots with ease
By Matthew Richards last updated
Buying Guide With the best L-bracket, you can switch between perfectly aligned landscape and portrait-orientation compositions in seconds

Yashica FX-D S300 review: this retro-styled compact camera aims to give you the choice of an analog or digital shooting experience
By Matthew Richards published
Review At a glance, the Yashica FX-D S300 looks like a ‘proper’ film camera from the 1970s, but looks can be deceiving

Manfrotto ONE Photo tripod review: a Chesney Hawkes kind of tripod that aims to be the ‘one and only’ for all your photo needs
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Manfrotto ONE Photo tripod is a suitably singular affair, especially when it comes to extending or retracting the legs

Best pan and tilt tripod heads in 2026: precise control for your camera
By Matthew Richards last updated
UPDATED Also known as 3-way heads, the best pan-and-tilt tripod heads offer extra precision over a ball head

Best lenses for Nikon DSLRs in 2026: top lenses to make the most of F-mount cameras
By Matthew Richards last updated
UPDATED We pick the best Nikon lenses for all kinds of photography on Nikon F-mount DSLRs, including budget-friendly options.

Best lenses for the Nikon D850 in 2026: top-notch glass for Nikon's best-ever DSLR
By Adam Waring last updated
UPDATED Only the very finest lenses will get the best out of the Nikon D850's high-res, full-frame sensor. Here are my top picks...

Yashica FX-D 300 review: a digital compact camera with a 1970s SLR look and feel, that aims to give you that retro feelgood factor
By Matthew Richards published
Review The Yashica FX-D 300 wants to be ‘your first digital film simulation camera’ and takes its styling cues from the 1970s. Can that ever be a good thing?
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!

