
Sebastian Oakley
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and holds a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since his film days using a Nikon F5. He saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still, to this day, the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, the British Equestrian Writers' Association.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in 35mm, medium, and large-format photography, using products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2, shooting Street/Documentary photography as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
Latest articles by Sebastian Oakley

Best compact binoculars in 2025: roof prism binos that you can take anywhere
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
buying gude Perfect whether you're out for a walk or watching sports, these are the best compact binoculars available today

The best spotting scopes in 2025: get a closer look at sports, nature, and wildlife
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying Guide The best spotting scopes offer higher magnification than a monocular but much more portability than a telescope

The best film cameras in 2025: recapture the magic of film in the digital age
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying Guide The best film cameras we've chosen are practical classics that you can still use today

The best Leica cameras in 2025: from classic rangefinders to modern mirrorless
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying guide Leica cameras don’t come cheap - but they earn their price tag, offering an experience and image quality that few rivals can match.

The best monoculars in 2025: perfect for when binoculars are just too big
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying Guide The best monoculars give you the same magnification as binoculars but in a smaller, simpler package

The Sony RX1R III just made the Leica Q3 43 look overpriced
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion The RX1R III: Sony’s quiet assault on Leica’s compact throne

Harman launches new Phoenix II color film, with better color reproduction and new 200 ISO film base
By Sebastian Oakley published
News Harman Phoenix II: The new color film that lets your shots burn bright

The best DSLR in 2025: Chunky, classic camera designs still loved today
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying guide The best DSLRs are still great cameras to buy today, with bigger bodies, better battery life, and a huge range of lenses

Why Prime Day is the only time I buy memory cards
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Opinion I only trust one memory card brand, and I only buy it on Prime Day

The best video editing software
By Peter Fenech last updated
Buying guide The best video editing software can help you turn your video clips into polished and professional movie productions

The best camera for filmmaking in 2025
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying Guide The best 4K camera for filmmaking will deliver high-quality video content, offer image stabilization and a range of codecs

This is what's holding the Fujifilm GFX100 RF back from being my perfect camera
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion I love everything about the GFX100 RF -except its lens

The Leica D-Lux 8 is the underdog of compact cameras – and it might be the best one yet
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion A premium compact camera with Leica soul, the Leica D-Lux 8 is a hidden gem

Why I might trade my film camera for a digital monochrome – and why I think it makes sense
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion Why I might ditch my film Leica for a digital one that doesn’t shoot color

Leica’s Millionth M: The M11-D centenary edition set is a love letter to 100 years of craftsmanship
By Sebastian Oakley published
News One million and counting: The M11-D centenary edition marks Leica’s milestone

The best iPhone power bank: portable chargers for your Apple device
By Gareth Bevan last updated
buying guide Top up far from home, with the best iPhone power banks.

We obsess over specs, but no one asks how the camera "feels"
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion No one cares about your 60MP sensor If the camera sucks to use

Vintage design, modern depth: Thypoch launches 21mm f/1.4 simera
By Sebastian Oakley published
News Thypoch’s new 21mm f/1.4 lens blends cinematic heritage with real-world versatility

Every Frame Is a Goodbye - make it count: the bitter truth of photographing the people you love
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion These are the most important pictures you'll ever take, and it's why I never put my camera down

The best lenses for Sony A6000: here's my pick of best-buy lenses for Sony's slimline range of APS-C format A6000-series cameras
By Rod Lawton last updated
Updated I think the best prime and zoom lenses for Sony A6000 camera should deliver great image quality and all-around performance, as well as being good value for money

The best binoculars In 2025: for astronomy, wildlife, sports fans, and more
By Sebastian Oakley last updated
Buying Guide Choosing the best binoculars is easy when you know what the specs mean and what to look for

Instagram ruined photography -and we let it happen
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion We let Instagram gut photography - and we're still pretending it's fine

Photography education is a scam - I never studied it, but still got to the Olympics as a professional photographer
By Sebastian Oakley published
Opinion Dear photography graduates: your degree won’t save you - but shooting will
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!