Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 Photography Glove Review

Vallerret makes a range of gloves and mittens aimed at photographers and the Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 is designed for ‘mid-winter’ use, or everyday photography in cooler temperatures. What separates the Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 Photography Gloves from most other gloves is that the tips of the index finger and thumbs can be flipped back so you can get direct contact with your camera’s controls.

The Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 Photography Gloves look like a pair of ski gloves with the exception of the flip-back tips on the index finger and thumbs. Look carefully and you’ll also notice that there’s a magnet on each of the flip-off caps and a second one on the main section of the finger or thumb. These pairs of magnets enable the finger and thumb tips to be held back out of the way while you use your camera.

Vallerret makes the outer of the Markhof Pro V3 Photography Gloves from goat leather and 2 ply twill with a DWR (durable water repellant) coating. They are lined with Merino wool, which has anti-bacterial properties and is known for its odour resistance. Between the outer and inner layers, there’s C100 and C70 Thinsulate insulation.

There’s a patterned coating on the palm and the inside of the fingers that’s designed to give extra grip.

Vallerret has included a couple of extra features that are of particular use to photographers. The first is that the back of the glove thumbs are covered with a suede lens wipe, which could prove handy. There’s also a zippered pocket on the back of each glove for storing a memory card. The pocket in the left glove also contains a tripod quick release plate key on a short leash. That’s very useful as it saves you searching around for a coin to tighten up the quick release plate on your camera.

I have fairly large hands for my gender and height, and the size XS Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 Photography Gloves are quite a snug fit. I find them okay, but I could probably wear the S if wanted a little more room.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been exposed to some unusually cold weather here in the UK and I’ve worn the Vallerret Markhof Pro V3 Photography Gloves for much of my outdoor photography. Vallerret doesn’t give specific temperature guides for its gloves and it’s important to bear in mind that you’ll be exposing your finger tips as well as holding a cold camera, which has an impact on how warm your hands actually feel. However, I found that the Markhof Pro V3 gloves kept my fingers warm in cold wind and temperatures down to -5°C. Naturally, my finger tips chilled down when they were exposed to the elements, especially when I was operating the metal controls of the Fujifilm X-T5, but flipping the covers back over my digits and walking to my next shooting location warmed them up nicely.

I find that the magnets on the index finger of my Markhof Pro V3  gloves don’t hold the tip back if I bend my finger, but it still stays out of the way sufficiently for it to not be a problem.

I haven’t had the opportunity to expose the gloves to persistent rain, but they have shed a fair few water droplets, and neither melted snow nor frost has proved a problem.

I first discovered Vallerret Photography Gloves in early 2017 and I’ve worn several different styles over the years since. The Markhof Pro V3 gloves are smart-looking and have a snug, comfortable jersey cuff while the grippy covering on the palms helps to keep your camera secure in your hand. They make a good choice of glove for winter in the UK, keeping the cold wind at bay. Yes, your fingers do get cold when you flip the covers back to shoot a few images, but the tips flip back over very quickly to give some protection again. A brisk walk gets the blood pumping so that your fingers are comfortable again.