
Rod Lawton
Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications.
He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more.
Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com
Latest articles by Rod Lawton

Best lenses for the Sony ZV-E10 & ZV-E10 II in 2026: smart choices for vlogging and stills photography
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Updated Not just for vlogging, this compact and lightweight camera can work really well in all sorts of scenarios

Best messenger bags for photographers in 2026: carry your camera gear in style
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Buying Guide Over-the-shoulder bags are practical and stylish solutions for packing your photo kit and a laptop, whether you're traveling, shooting, or commuting

Adobe Premiere Elements 2026 review: The latest edition of Adobe’s beginner-friendly video editor is feature-rich, but can get complicated fast
By Rod Lawton Published
Review Adobe’s novice-friendly and subscription-free video editor is jam-packed with features, but oftentimes at the expense of usability

DxO PhotoLab 9 review: Squeeze every last drop of image quality from your RAW Files
By Rod Lawton Published
Review DxO’s flagship photo editor delivers industry-leading lens corrections and top-notch noise-reduction tech, but its AI masking isn’t on the same level

The best lenses for the Nikon Zf in 2026: high-performance yet stylish glass
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Updated I think that the best lenses for the Nikon Zf need to fit with its retro-styling but match its full-frame performance

Best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix S9 in 2026: perfect pairings for Lumix's most compact full-frame body
By Gareth Bevan Last updated
Buying guide This compact full frame vlogging camera has caused quite a stir, so which are the best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix S9?

The best Pentax cameras in 2026: from APS-C to full frame and zoom compact
By Gareth Bevan Last updated
UPDATED Looking for the best Pentax camera to buy? You’ve come to the right place as we list our top Pentax camera recommendations

Best lenses for the Sony A6400 in 2026: let me help you pick the perfect lenses for your pocket powerhouse Sony body
By Rod Lawton Published
Updated Here are my recommendations of the best lenses for the Sony A6400, so you can enjoy all that this powerful APS-C format Sony camera has to offer

Best lenses for the Sony A7S III and A7S II in 2026: smart glass for these hybrid cameras
By Rod Lawton Published
Buying guide The latter of these two cameras was launched back in 2020 and a lot has happened since – so what are the best lenses for the Sony A7S III and A7S II today?

Cheat sheet: Lightroom Classic's Lens Blur tool and how it works
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat sheet Can you really simulate bokeh effects digitally? Lightroom's Lens Blur tool is about as good as it gets right now

Best lenses for the Sony A7C and A7C II: the ideal fit for these wonderfully compact and portable full-frame cameras
By Rod Lawton Published
Updated Let me help you find the best lenses for the Sony A7C and A7C II, based on compact size, a lightweight build, ease-of-use, and affordability

Best lenses for the Sony ZV-E1 in 2026: ready for your close-up? I pick out some vloggers' delights for this smart little Sony camera
By Rod Lawton Published
Updated What are the best lenses for the Sony ZV-E1? Sony’s high-end vlogging tool needs lenses that match its size and capabilities

Best Sony video lenses for vlogging and filmmaking in 2026: let's make movies!
By Rod Lawton Published
Buying guide What are the best Sony video lenses for vloggers and filmmakers? Here are my top picks

Best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix GH7 in 2026: versatile glass for a high-end hybrid camera
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Buying guide Here are some of the best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix GH7, still one of the most powerful hybrid cameras of all

Stop guessing with Lightroom Classic color wheels and master cinematic style with this color grading cheat sheet!
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat Sheet Lightroom's Color Grading tools are a great way to add a vintage or cinematic look to your photos

Cheat sheet: Lightroom Classic's Distraction Removal tools at a glance
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat sheet Lightroom Classic can now automate three common retouching scenarios with AI and just a single click

Cheat sheet: Lightroom Classic's masking tools explained
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat sheet Want to master masking? You can use Lightroom's masks on their own or combine them in clever ways with sub-masks

Best lenses for the OM System OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II: Great glass to give you pro power!
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Buying guide These are the best lenses for the OM System OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II – great for nature, wildlife and so much more

Cheat sheet: Lightroom Classic's Tone Curve controls explained
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat sheet Discover the hidden depths of this key Lightroom control panel with this exclusive download-and-keep cheat sheet

Cheat sheet: Lightroom Classic's black and white tools at a glance
By Rod Lawton Published
Cheat sheet Lightroom Classic has all the tools you need to turn regular color images into rich and dramatic monochrome – this cheat sheet will show you how they all work

Best lenses for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV in 2026: ideal lenses for this beautiful retro camera
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Buying guide We name the best lenses for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV, weighing up cost, convenience and quality

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R8 in 2026: Affordable lenses that make the most of this budget-friendly camera
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Updated I choose the best lenses for the Canon R8, Canon's powerful but affordable full-frame mirrorless camera

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R6 and R6 Mark II in 2026: make the most of your new Canon classic
By James Artaius Last updated
Updated I think the best lenses for the EOS R6 and R6 Mark II are those that reflect their strengths – speed, low light, sports and events

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R50 in 2026: this camera is a proper little powerhouse and deserves the right lenses
By Rod Lawton Last updated
Updated I think that the Canon EOS R50 is one of the all-time best cameras for beginners, but it doesn’t stop there. Here are some lenses that’ll take your creativity to the next level
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