Review of the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transport from London with Viator | London, England Travel Tips

May 31, 2025

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I’m SO excited to review the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Viator. First of all, I’d describe myself as a middle-of-the-road Harry Potter fan. I’ve read all of the books and I enjoy watching the movies about once a year in the fall, but by no means am I a super fan. I love the magic of Harry Potter and the whimsical creatures in the films. I love Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape. But when planning my trip to London, this tour was sort of at the end of my to-do list. It was in the back of my mind as something we could do if we “got around to it”. But it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip!

My husband and I spent 15 days in England, 10 of which were spent hiking the entire 103-mile Cotswold Way trail. I have a full YouTube video series about our hike on my YouTube channel if you’re interested in watching! We weren’t sure if we were going to be too tired at the end of our journey to spend half a day on a Harry Potter tour outside of the city. But as the end of our trip was coming to a close, I wasn’t looking forward to going back into the busy city after a lovely and peaceful hike in the Cotswolds. Getting out of the city on a quiet bus ride actually sounded kind of nice. So, I booked the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transport from London for the very last day of our trip. I’ve heard people talk about this tour selling out but somehow we got lucky! Our bus was completely full so maybe we got the last two spots! Though I think Viator books the buses on demand, so I’d just recommend booking at least a week in advance to make sure to secure your spot.

Ok, where do I begin! It was so much better than we expected! I’d read quite a few of the reviews and everyone seemed to think it was amazing, especially if you were a Harry Potter fan. But I was seriously questioning whether it was really going to be that great. Were we going to be bored? Were we going to feel out of place as 36-year-olds amongst young families and children? Was is going to be lame? But it was none of those things! We went on the early morning tour at 8:15am and got back to London around 3:00pm. After about an hour long bus ride, we were given from 9:15am to 2:00pm to do the full Harry Potter experience. Can you believe that we wished we had more time?! But I’ve been raving about this tour to everyone I know since we got home, so I’d be more than happy to go on it again if we ever go back to London with friends or family.

Now, one of the things some people complain about when it comes to this tour is that it is not a “guided” tour. Yes, the bus ride is simply a bus ride. There is no tour guide to talk to you on the bus ride and hype you up about the experience. It’s just a bus ride. Honestly, I enjoyed a nice and quiet bus ride. I put my headphones in and closed my eyes for an hour, which was much needed after our 10 day hike. When you get to the Warner Bros. studio, we were handed our tickets into the building and were told to meet back at the bus at 2 pm. There is no specified tour guide throughout the experience so you’re pretty much on your own. But we preferred that, as we were exhausted from our hike and just wanted a calm and quiet day. Once you get inside though, you realize that you’re about to go on an epic journey. There’s a huge dragon hanging from the ceiling right as you walk in! And if you’re parched or starving, there’s a little cafe with Butterbeer lattes and lots of snacks so I was immediately stoked. I’m glad we didn’t grab anything right away though because you aren’t allowed to bring drinks with you into the experience, so I’d recommend holding off until the cafeteria midway through the experience. Don’t worry, you can get your Butterbeer latte there too!

We waited in a small line for a few minutes before being ushered into a room where there was an introduction video into the experience. So while it’s not necessarily “guided”, the whole experience is set up to keep you moving throughout the entire thing. You start off in the Great Hall where you get to see the magical hanging candles, the long wooden tables, and real clothing and props worn by the characters. I wished we could have stayed in this room a little longer but the next tour group was coming in behind us so we were pushed out a little quickly. However, after this room, the rest of the day was fully at our leisure. We weren’t pushed along anymore and could take everything at our own pace.

Now, I don’t want to ruin or spoil the experience for you because part of why it was great was because I wasn’t expecting it. I’ll just include a handful of photos and let you experience it for yourself and be surprised along the way! But let’s just say you will be fully immersed in the world of Harry Potter. You will get to walk through Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest. You’ll see thousands of incredible props. You’ll learn about the insane attention to detail and the great lengths the cast and team went through to make the movies magical. I will say this, don’t stop and read every single plaque or you’ll run out of time! There’s SO much to see and do. Just do your best to keep moving along at a normal pace so that you can see everything. Once you’ve made it to the cafeteria, you’re about midway through. We ate our lunch relatively quickly because I was anxious to keep moving along and I’m so glad we did. At the end, we were rushing a little bit because I wanted some time in the gift shop. Unfortunately, my husband is extremely slow and wanted to read every single sign and plaque, so we ended up with only about two minutes in the gift shop. I was the last one back on the bus after buying a few wands and treats for my friends and family back home. Luckily, the line at the gift shop moved quickly. Oops… sorry to anyone riding on our bus if you had to wait for me!

SO, WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS TOUR?

Umm, YES!!! It was an absolute blast. I came home wanting to watch documentaries about the making of Harry Potter because I just didn’t realize how much work went into making them. Somehow, this whole experience made me an even bigger Harry Potter fan. And I never felt bored, lame, or embarrassed for going on the tour either. There were people of all ages from all over the world on the tour. And honestly, not as many kids as I would have expected. Just genuine Harry Potter fans of all ages. And! I finally got to try Butterbeer and even got a Butterbeer cupcake AND a Butterbeer doughnut. It was nice that the cafeteria had vegan and vegetarian options as well. I got a vegan burrito and it was actually pretty good! While it seemed a little pricey when we first booked it, I now realize WHY it costs about $150 a person. Warner Bros. has worked extremely hard to make the experience magical for everyone and I will never forget it. I’m so glad they have forever encapsulated the incredible props and history behind the making of these films. Plus, it was so nice that I didn’t have to worry about finding my own transportation out to the studio. Just as a tip though, make sure you click through the app all the way through to your ticket to find out the exact gate to meet at the train station. When we got to the Victoria bus station we didn’t realize how gigantic it was and we were wandering around for a while trying to find our bus. But once I looked at the final ticket on our app, I saw the gate number and was able to find our bus. We almost missed it though, so just make sure you know the gate number! And give yourself an extra half hour when traveling to the bus station, just in case.

WERE THERE ANY CONS TO THE TOUR?

The only thing I’d say is that I wish we had more time! I think if the experience were just one hour longer we would have been able to enjoy those last few rooms a little better and would have had more time in the gift shop. But at the same time, it left me wanting more and I kind of love that. It wasn’t too long that I got bored and tired. It was exciting the whole way through and I never wanted to leave! Other than that, there was truly nothing negative about the experience! It was incredible.

I’m also bummed that I missed out on the Sorting Hat experience at the end because there was a line and I was rushing to the gift shop. But I’ve been playing the amazing Hogwarts Legacy video game (a GREAT gift idea for the Harry Potter fan in your life) and according to the Sorting Hat on there, I’m a Slytherin, which I’m kind of proud of. :) I’ve just always been obsessed with Draco!

If you’d like to book this exact tour, you can find it here or check out all of my recommended tours on my Viator shop page! If you’re planning on booking this for a large group, I’d make sure to book decently far in advance just to make sure it doesn’t sell out. If you’d like to see more photos from this tour, you can see more here on my travel blog, C’est Le Brie, that I run with my sister! If you have any questions/comments/thoughts please feel free to leave them below! I’ll be posting a full video about this tour soon too, so stay tuned!

Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens Review - Is it Worth the Cost? - Why I Chose It Over the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens

May 23, 2025

Here we go - the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens. It took me WEEKS to decide between this lens and the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens. They both had so many positive attributes. I desperately wanted a lens with a longer zoom capability for weddings, but the idea of having an f/2.0 aperture on a zoom lens, with the stunning portrait & bokeh capabilities of a prime lens, was also majorly enticing. After over a decade as my main lens, my Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L USM lens had finally kicked the bucket. It was time for an upgrade. I had an upcoming wedding on the books and needed to make a decision pronto so I could have it in time for the wedding. I even pulled my husband into the discussion and we spent days trying to decide what made the most sense for me and my style of photography. I wanted to share the three main reasons why I chose this lens over the highly desired Z lens so that, hopefully, I can help you in your decision!

Beauty Over Functionality

The main question I kept asking myself was, is it more important to create beautiful images or have better functionality and reach at a high-paying event like a wedding? I’ve always wanted more zoom at weddings. I’ve been using the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L USM lens for over a decade as my main lens at weddings. Every time I was standing in the aisle at a wedding and the couple was exchanging wedding rings, I dreamt of having just a little more reach to get close ups of their hands and rings. I imagined beautiful candid moments of guests across the room who didn’t realize I was taking their photograph. I wished I could zoom in on a mountain off in the distance or a butterfly on a flower and create images that only true nature photographers could achieve. But at the end of the day, I’ve always valued beauty and creativity over functionality. While this isn’t the case for every photographer, I realized it was for me. I wanted that extra background blur for my wedding portraits. I wanted just a bump of an upgrade to the low-light images I’d been creating for years. I wanted something BETTER than the images I’d been able to create with an f/2.8 aperture. I wanted to WOW my clients with dreamy, intimate portraits that were better than the norm. I knew this lens would give me that extra dose of magic I was looking for.

2. Low-light ABILITIES

I’ve spent over a decade getting along just fine with an f/2.8 aperture. It allowed me to capture images decently late into the evening at a wedding, but as the sun went down, I’d slowly make my way into using my Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM lens to finish up the evening until I’d eventually switch to using an on-camera flash. This set up worked great for years and years. But in post-editing, I’d have to touch up some of the noise and grain that made it’s way into those evening photos as I bumped up the ISO on my camera. I always prefer natural lighting over flash, so it’s super important to me to be able to take as many photos as possible until I absolutely have to switch to a flash. I knew with 100% certainty that the better low-light performance of this lens would come in handy for me. I just photographed my first wedding with it and it honestly removed some of the stress that I’d face as the sun went down. I was able to use this lens up until the late-night dancing began. The images are truly stunning. This is also my first RF lens, and I’ve been dreaming of trying one out for years. It’s true that the RF lenses have a beautiful, natural sharpness that is just more expensive-looking than the EF lenses.

3. A Prime Lens in a Zoom Body

This one was hard to deny. Who wouldn’t want the features of a prime lens in a zoom lens body?! The magic of zoom lenses is that they are versatile and can speed up your photography in a setting like a wedding where you’re capturing intimate, candid moments. You can use them for food photography, detail shots, events, portraits, fashion, everything. And I did. I used my Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L lens for everything. But if I was photographing headshots, or intimate wedding portraits, or wanting images that were more surreal, cinematic, and unique, I’d bring out one of my prime lenses like the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.2 L or the Canon EF 85 mm f/1.2 II L lens. It just made people look more beautiful, it made flowers look more magical, it made moments seem more special. But prime lenses can be limiting. You’re stuck with a single focal length and often have to work around your circumstances to create the image you’re looking for. It can be exhausting. It can slow you down. It can limit your ability to create a variety of images quickly. Once I understood the reasoning behind this lens, that Canon’s goal WAS to create a prime lens with zoom lens functionality, it pretty much sealed the deal for me. And what’s funny is that after shooting my first wedding with this lens, I realized I hardly touched my 50 mm f/1,2 lens at the wedding. This means that the lens was fulfilling two functions for me, a zoom lens AND a prime lens. It really is both of those things in one!

A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER

While this lens is incredible, I wanted to share a few of the things that almost turned me away from this lens. First of all, it’s HUGE. It’s HEAVY. It looks a little ridiculous on my tiny Canon EOS R body. If you think about prime lenses and how chunky they are, it is exactly like that, but with a zoom barrel added. It’s a CHUNK-MEISTER (the same nickname I’ve given to my new French bulldog puppy…). Weight is a huge factor to me when adding cameras and equipment to my collection. My camera was already so heavy and I’m not a large human so these professional DSLRs and giant lenses feel supersized on me. I compared the weights between the two lenses I was considering - 3.15 lb / 1430 g for the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens and 2.9 lb / 1.3 kg for the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens. Not a huge difference, but it was a factor in my consideration. After discussing with my husband though, we realized that with my history of bumping into walls and hitting my zoom lenses on corners constantly as they are hanging on my side, that the extra length of the 24-105mm lens might lead me to some issues. The 28-70mm lens is a bit more compact length-wise, so I knew that could mean a matter of life and death when it came to the lens and it’s lifespan with me. The 24-105mm lens has a length 7.8" while the 28-70mm lens is only 5.5". I’m often carrying two (or more!) cameras on me at any given time and I tend to get tangled. The extra length on the zoom lens would eventually start to bother me, and I knew that.

The other major thing to consider is that, because the 28-70mm lens is essentially a prime lens, it does NOT have image stabilization. My husband tried to argue this point with me for a while, because he’ll occasionally use my lenses for video. I know for some people this will be a deal-breaker. For me though, I’ve already been using my 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for over a decade without image stabilization and I’ve been able to create images that are beautiful and perfectly sharp. It’s really a matter of understanding when to bump up the ISO, when to speed up the shutter, and when to open up the aperture. Over the years, I’ve learned how to work around it, so I knew I wouldn’t miss what I’ve never had. However, I’m currently using the 28-70mm lens with my Canon EOS R, which is the very first mirrorless camera that Canon ever produced. It’s somewhat outdated and does not feature built-in image stabilization. My plan is to upgrade my EOS R next year to the Canon EOS R5 or R6 Mark II. My hope is that the built-in stabilization of those cameras will benefit me and my images, even if it’s just a tiny bit.

I was also a little bit bummed that I was losing 4mm of focal length by changing from the 24-70mm to 28-70mm. I love shooting super wide angle photos, especially at weddings where I’m trying to capture a full interior space. I use the full 24mm more often than I’d like to admit. My husband looked it up and it actually only accounts for about a foot of distance. So, hypothetically, if I just take one step back, I could account for the loss of focal length. However, at a wedding or in a tight space, I sometimes find myself up against the wall, unable to back up anymore, even with the 24mm lens. I’m still a little sad about it, but I don’t miss it when I’m outside or with plenty of space to back up. It’s only in those tight spaces that it would come in handy, and I don’t think it will happen as often as I think. In most situations, I will likely be able to take a step back.

And yes, obviously, it is expensive. It was a punch in the gut to purchase it. BUT! Here’s how I justified it. I used my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II L lens for about 12 years as my main lens (you can read my full review of this lens on my blog here). It carried my business. It represented me and my work for YEARS. My husband and I did some quick math and determined that the cost of the lens was less than 1% of the entire amount of money it made me over 12 years. You can’t argue with that!

SO, WAS IT THE RIGHT CHOICE?

Ok, so I’m known for being one of the most indecisive people in the world. I’ll made a decision and then spend weeks convincing myself that it was the wrong one. But I’m being 100% honest when I say, I know with full certainty that I made the right choice for me. After trying this lens out for a few photo shoots and a wedding, I came away from the shoots inspired, excited, and surprised by the next level that this lens has brought my images to. I’ve spent the past few years feeling a little burnt out, and it’s amazing what new gear can do for a photographer. I can hardly even wait for my next photo shoot! The limitations I used to experience with my 24-70mm lens aren’t there anymore. I can now get that dreamy background blur that I’m always looking for, and that beautiful low-light sharpness and low grain that is so important for weddings and indoor event photography. And I don’t miss or wish for that extra zoom that the 24-105mm would have given me, simply because I just wouldn’t have used it that often. It didn’t make sense to have that extra zoom if I’d only use it for a handful of images every year. So, YES! For me, this was the right choice. I hope that this post has helped you in your journey to make a decision.

And of course, there were a few lower budget lenses that I was considering while hunting for a new lens. The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens was also a major contender, as was the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens. The problem with these was that I didn’t feel that they would greatly enhance my work, just because I was already using an f/2.8 zoom lens for so long. But they are both great options, and would save you some dough! And at the end of the day, the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 Z lens is going to make more sense for a lot of people, especially if you shoot a LOT of weddings, because that extra zoom length and image stabilization is hard to turn down. Even when I was purchasing my lens, the store associate said the Z lens was extremely popular. It wasn’t even in stock when I ordered the 28-70mm! You can find it on B&H Photo here though, if you’re on the hunt for one!

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON RF 28-70MM F/2 L USM LENS

B&H Photo
Amazon

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z LENS

B&H Photo
KEH Camera (used)

MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens

B&H Photo

Amazon

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

B&H Photo

Amazon

If you found this post helpful or inspiring, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.)

Kodak Portra 400 Film Review | Is it Worth the Price?

April 29, 2025

The beloved Kodak 400 Film - is it worth it? There are so many different film stocks out there but this is probably the one you’ve heard the most about. It’s coveted amongst film photographers and is one of the first color film stocks I ever heard about when starting my photography career. I’ve been using this film for YEARS and have spent far too much money loading my fridge with boxes of it. But I’ve also tried out tons of other film stocks at this point, so I feel I can give a true and honest opinion. In the grand scheme of it all, if someone were to ask me if they should try out Kodak Portra 400, my answer will always be yes, but here are three reasons why:

The Color & Skin Tones are Highly Accurate
Particularly for beginner photographers, I like to recommend this film because it takes out some of the guesswork and post-editing that you might have to do with other film stocks. This film is very forgiving and just naturally looks beautiful. The colors aren’t overly saturated but it still has a gorgeous vibrance that mimics reality. If I could exclusively shoot with Kodak Portra 400, I would. Unfortunately, it’s just a bit too expensive to shoot with consistently. But if you’re just starting out with photography, especially if you’re learning how to shoot 120 film with a Holga or Diana F+, this is the first film I’d recommend. I do find Kodak Portra film to have the prettiest skin tones of all of the film stocks out there. When I’m shooting a wedding and I’m digging through my fridge for film to load my cameras with, if I have a Kodak Portra in there, I’m going for that first. It automatically adds professionality to my photographs and I can always count on it to accurately capture my clients.
It’s Super Sharp
I have to say, out of all of the film stocks I’ve ever tried, I do find Kodak (especially Kodak Portra) to be the sharpest of all of them. The grain is extremely fine for a 400 speed film. If you follow my work, you know I love to shoot with the Holga 120 toy camera pretty consistently, and Kodak Portra always surprises me with the crispness I can get out of my images. While Kodak Portra also comes in ISO 160 and ISO 800, I find the 400 ISO Portra to perfectly balance sharpness with low-light versatility. If I know it’s going to be a dark and overcast day or I’m going to be in shadows or inside while shooting, sometimes I’ll go for Kodak Portra 800. However, the 800 ISO version is even more expensive, so I find Portra 400 to really balance all my needs when shooting.
It’s Reliable and Versatile
I always know what I’m going to get with Kodak Portra 400. Sometimes, I’ll shoot with a roll that’s been in my fridge for years and it still looks like a brand new roll, with beautiful natural saturation and low grain. Sometimes I’ll only shoot half a roll at a wedding or event and end up shooting the rest of the roll at the beach or while traveling and Portra never falters. It’s also incredible for landscapes and nature. With a lot of film stocks, I’m unhappy with the way it captures greens, especially with grass or mountains, but Portra is always on point. Like I said, I’d shoot Portra every day if I could! Kodak Portra comes in both 35 mm and 120 formats, so just make sure you’re getting the right one for your camera.

FINAL THOUGHTS

So… is Kodak Portra 400 worth the price? Yes, in so many ways. And while it would be nice to have an endless stock of Kodak Portra on hand, it’s also fun to try out other films to keep things interesting. Overall though, this film probably takes the #1 spot in my book, of all of the films out there. I realize this is a pretty strong stance to take, but there aren’t really any other films out there that are as natural, consistent, versatile, sharp and balanced as Kodak Portra 400. Just try it out for yourself and see what you think! When I’m on a budget though, Lomography Color Negative 400 is usually my backup. While it’s a bit more saturated, the bright colors bring a fun positivity to my images. Kodak Gold 200 is next on my list. It has that sharpness that I love about Kodak films but it does have a bit of a gold tint to it, which is great for shooting at the beach, but not always what you might want with your photos. It’s extremely affordable though, which surprises me, honestly. I feel like Kodak could charge more for Kodak Gold 200, so make sure to grab some of it here before they change their minds!

I’ve included a ton of sample photos below using Kodak Portra 400 with my Contax 645 (a fancy camera) and my Holga (a not-so-fancy camera). While I love using Kodak Portra with my Holga, it’s also absolutely outstanding with my Contax 645. There’s really no other combo that I love more. My Contax 645 is incredibly sharp, and when pairing it with Kodak Portra 400, it’s really just a film photographer’s dream.