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

The best cinema cameras: time to step up to serious filmmaking
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying guide The best cinema cameras offer top-quality video capture and grading options and the ports and connections needed by pros

The best Leica cameras: 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 Ricoh GR IV isn't just a camera – it has become a cult icon of compact cameras for street photography
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinon The Ricoh GR IV might be the closest thing street photography has to a cult camera

I thought action cameras were still press-and-play toys – the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 proved me very wrong!
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinon I hadn't owned an action camera since 2014 – I can't believe how advanced they've become

The Leica 35mm Summilux has become the one lens I never want to take off my Leica M
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinon The Leica 35mm Summilux-M f/1.4 might be the closest thing to a perfect Leica M lens

Forget the studio – The Fujifilm GFX100RF was made to see the world
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinion Why the Fujifilm GFX100RF might be the ultimate medium format camera

Best wireless follow focus units for filmmakers in 2026
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying Guide These wireless follow focus units let you ditch manual focus pulling for 21st century technology

Best Leica M lenses: every current Leica M rangefinder lens
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
buying guide Looking for the best Leica M lens? These are all the Leica-made rangefinder lenses for Leica cameras

Leica quietly updates the SOFORT 2 with encrypted Bluetooth communication
By Sebastian Oakley Published
News Leica strengthens the SOFORT 2's smartphone connection with its latest firmware update

The Leica M11 didn't just sell cameras – it created a new generation of Leica photographers
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinion The Leica M11 might be gone, but it changed Leica forever

The best thermal imaging binoculars
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
buying guide The best thermal imaging binoculars let you spot wildlife and people in darkness or camouflaged using their heat signature

Best 8K and 6K camera: high-resolution video cameras a step up from 4k
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying guide The best 8K and 6K cameras are becoming the next big thing in video for filmmakers who are finding 4K is no longer enough

The best C2PA enabled cameras
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying guide Protect the provenance of your photography with the best C2PA-enabled cameras

The Leica Summicron-M 66 f/2 rises from the ashes, as Leica recreates its old spy lens with only 660 to be made
By Sebastian Oakley Published
News The Leica Summicron-M 66 f/2 revives one of the rarest M lenses ever made

The best monoculars: 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

Bushnell's new flagship binoculars want to give birdwatchers edge-to-edge sharpness
By Sebastian Oakley Published
News The Bushnell Forge has a successor – meet the new flagship R7 binoculars

How smart are smart bird optics? I tried to fool them – but failed
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinion How smart are smart bird optics? I tried to fool the AI-driven device – but failed

Best 35mm film, roll film, and sheet film in 2026: these are our picks of the best films you can still buy, whatever for your camera
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying Guide Want to know what the best film you can buy in 35mm, medium format, and large format is? Read on!

The Leica M refused to change for seven decades – and that might be its greatest strength
By Sebastian Oakley Published
News The Leica M proves you don't have to reinvent a camera to keep it relevant for 70 years

The best YouTube cameras in 2026: our favorite content creation tools!
By Sebastian Oakley Last updated
Buying Guide We pick the best YouTube cameras for indoor presenting, travel vlogging, adventurous thrill-seekers, and more

Best compact binoculars: 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

Why I think the Leica Q3 43 changed the premium compact camera market and made others take notice
By Sebastian Oakley Published
Opinon The Leica Q3 43 gave photographers what they wanted – and the industry took notice

The Lomo MC-A has just been crowned EISA's best analog camera
By Sebastian Oakley Published
News The Lomo MC-A wins EISA Analog Camera of the Year – and that is great news for film photographers
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